Overheard at Sonic Boom Records Capitol Hill location in Seattle this afternoon…

A customer (me) hands a clerk at the register a vinyl version of Teen Dream.

Sonic Boom Desk Clerk (while ringing up the album): “This new Beach House album is …”

[He stops and shakes his head in bewilderment.]

“I thought people might like it, but this is unreal. Far and away the biggest selling record of the week.”

—-

Also, Daytrotter did an exquisite session with Beach House that was just posted today.

Dave Bazan performs “Bad Diary Days” - 1/08/10 in a Seattle Living Room

These are the songs, bands, and sounds that I’ve started off my 2010 with. Lots of new bands I’d never listened to before 2010, many who I think we’ll be sharing much of the year with. Take a listen and maybe, just maybe, you’ll  find your first favorite new band, album or song of the new year! Thanks for starting 2010 with Sound on the Sound, we’re looking forward to sharing another great year of local music with you.

Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love and “Love More“
Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives - “Colder by the Minute” and “Friendly Fires”
Kelli Schaefer - “Gone In Love”
The Ironclads - “Emily” (download here)
Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers - s/t debut
Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside - Myspace Demos and any YouTube I can find
Moon Duo - “Stumbling 22nd St.” (from Noah’s Daily Choice)
Whalebones - every new song on myspace and their Morning Man EP from 2007
Vic Chesnutt - “I Flirted With You All My Life”
Ravenna Woods - Demons and Lakes
Salmon Thrasher - Myspace Demos
Emperor X - The Blythe Archives
Pedro The Lion - “Bad Diary Days” (see a Sound on the Sound video above from 1/08/10)
Goldfinch - s/t
Phantogram - Eyelid Movies (out on Barsuk February 9th)
Fences - “Sadie-” from GIVE Seattle
The Moondoggies - “Side of the Road” from GIVE Seattle
Beach House - Teen Dream
The Maldives - “Go Back to Virginia” (new Maldives tune)

I haven’t said a terrible amount of my much beloved Teen Dream by Sub Pop’s latest signee Beach House.  Why?  Because everyone else has.  That said, I love this song and this video and I want to roll up in a blanket of Beach House love and sleep for days and days.

Beach House “Silver Soul” from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.

It’s Beach House week this week in blogland. Gorilla Vs. Bear has previewing a video a day from the Teen Dream DVD, and now NPR is streaming all of Teen Dream. You will stream it, and then I’m betting you’ll go out and buy it when it comes out on Sub Pop Records next Tuesday.

Beach House is playing Neumos April 12th, with Bachelorette. Tickets are $13 adv. via TicketsWest.

Nick of Elvis Perkins in Dearland ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

I have to say,  with such a vibrant year of local music, I spent the vast majority of my 2009 exploring things made in the Pacific Northwest; rather than venturing out in to the vastness of the internets and the rest of America. So most of these are pretty well known tracks, albums, and artists or from Noah’s Daily Choices — though I do hope you discover a new favorite you hadn’t heard before too.  These are the records and tracks recorded outside of the 206 that I most enjoyed and listened to on repeat in 2009.  (The top 10 may be in some sort of hierachal order, but after that the order is not nearly as thought out or meaningful.) 

“Much More Than That” and “For You” by Sharon Van Etten | download ‘For You’ |
“Blood Bank” by Bon Iver | download ‘Blood Bank’ |
“Airplanes” by Local Natives  | download ‘Airplanes’ |
“Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear | listen to “Two Weeks” |
“Eet” by Regina Spektor | watch video |
“Shampoo” by Elvis Perkins in Dearland | download ‘Shampoo’|
“A Violent Translation of Concorida Headscarp” by Emperor X | download track |
“Andrew” by Crystal Antlers | download ‘Andrew’ |
“Kick Drum Heart” by The Avett Brothers | listen to track |
“Lust for Life” (though “Laura” is also tempting me) by Girls | download ‘Lust for Life’ |

Girls at Capitol Hill Block Party ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

“Garble Arch” by Blame Ringo | watch video |
“The Walls are Coming Down” by Fanfarlo | listen to track |
“Flirted With You All My Life” by Vic Chesnutt | download track |
“The Ballad of the RAA” by Rural Alberta Advantage |listen to track |
“Safe Word” by Vampire Hands | download ‘Safe Word’ |
“Future Primative” by Papercuts | download ‘Future Primative’ |
“Tidal Wave” by Thee Oh Sees | download ‘Tidal Wave’ |
 ”Crystalised” by The xx | listen to track |
“Lisztomania” by Phoenix | watch videos |
“Norway” by Beach House  | download ‘Norway’ | 
“Vanderlylle Cry Baby” by The National | listen to track |
“Can’t Talk” by Ty Segall | download “Can’t Talk” |
“Day of Sunshine” by Lee & Willbee | listen to track |
“Summertime Clothes” by Animal Collective | listen to track |
“Save The Day” by Huck Notari 

“Eet” by Regina Spektor

Here is my list of thirty songs that dominated my iTunes, the songs that moved me to learn them on guitar, and the songs I will identify with 2009 forever. In no particular order. Though I suppose the top five could be my top five.

“Walkabout” by Atlas Sound + guest Noah Lennox from Logos (Kranky/4AD)
Listen: Get mp3 via FADER

“Technicolor” by Nurses from Apple’s Acre (Dead Oceans)
Listen: Download mp3 courtesy of Dead Oceans

“Lisztomania” by Phoenix from Wolfgang Amadaeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“World News” by the Local Natives from Gorilla Manor (Rough Trade/Frenchkiss)
Listen: Download a live version via a Daytrotter Session

“Come Monday Morning” by Widower from Widower (self-released)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“At the Cut” by the Cave Singers from Welcome Joy (Matador)
Listen: Download mp3 courtesy of Matador Records

“Comets” by Fanfarlo from Fanfarlo (Canvasback Music)
Listen: Stream at Fanfarlo.com

“Alamagordo” by the Ironclads from The Space Between the Maps (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of the Ironclads

“Young Heart Sparks Fire” by Japandroids from Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Polyvinyl Records

“Eet” by Regina Spektor from Far (Sire Records)
Listen: Watch the Video above, Stream at Myspace

“Walk Away” by The Maldives from Listen to the Thunder (Mt. Fuji Records)
Listen: Stream a Video from a KEXP In-Studio

“Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” by Mayer Hawthorne from A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw Records)
Listen: Stream the Video at Vimeo

“Ready, Able” by Grizzly Bear from Vecktamist (Warp Records)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“For Now” by People Eating People from People Eating People (The Control Group)
Listen: Stream at Myspace

“Lust for Life” by Girls from Lust for Life (True Panther Sounds/Matador Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of True Panther Sounds/Matador Records | Watch the Video Below

“Lust for Life” by Girls (Safe Version)

“Lazerbeams” by Fresh Espresso from Glamour (Out for Stardom)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“The Town” by Macklemore from The Unplanned Mixtape (self-released)
Listen: Stream the Video at Youtube

“Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis from VS. (Sound Records)
Listen: Download VS. EP courtesy of Ryan Lewis Productions

“You Only Believe Me When I’m Lying” by Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers from Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Stillness is the Move” by the Dirty Projectors from Bitte Orca (Domino Records)
Listen: Stream Track via Domino Records

“Magic Mtn” by Arthur & Yu from Don’t Piss into the Fire Sub Pop Singles Club Record Store Day Release and Hardly Art Label Sampler (Sub Pop/Hardly Art)
Listen: Download Track at Amazon via Hardly Art

“Let Me Fall” by the Final Spins from THIS IS THEN/THAT WAS NOW (self-released)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Ed Jackson” by See Me River from The Great Unwashed EP (Aviation Records)
Listen: Download MP3 via KEXP Song of the Day

“Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh” by Say Hi from Oohs and Aahs (Barsuk Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Barsuk Records

“Please Baby Please” by David Bazan from Curse Your Branches (Barsuk Records)
Listen: Stream a solo version at youtube

“The Perfect Space” by the Avett Brothers from I and Love and You (Columbia)
Listen: Stream via theavettbrothers.com

“What Took So Long” by the Moondoggies (unreleased)
Listen: Download a live session version via Luxury Wafers

“Summer of Hate” by Crocodiles from Summer of Hate (Fat Possum Records)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Fat Possum Records

“Isabella” by Lands & Peoples from Lands & Peoples EP (self-released)
Listen: Stream via Bandcamp

“Norway” by Beach House from Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Listen: Download MP3 courtesy of Sub Pop

They Live! at Fremont Oktoberfest ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

This weekend provides an embarassment of riches and difficult decisions when it comes to musical choices. On the average weekend night in Seattle there are usually a couple shows tugging us in different directions, but Saturday’s musical options alone could make for a solid week of amazing shows. It’s further proof why I wouldn’t trade the Seattle music scene for anywhere else in the country. It’s a fucking conundrum which show to choose, for sure, but what a wonderful conundrum to have.

Here’s why there’s absolutely no excuse not to catch at least a couple shows this weekend:

The Black Whales at The Tractor Tavern ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Friday - September 18th

Dirty Three, Chris Brokaw — The Crocodile

Bobby Bare Jr., The Black Whales (CD Release Show) - The Tractor Tavern

Mad Rad  - Nectar

Monotonix at Neumos ::: photo by Abbbey Simmons 

Saturday September 19th

Monotonix, Black Eyes & Neckties (Last Seattle Show Ever) - Neumo’s

Local Natives, Final Spins - High Dive

Whore Moans, Police Teeth, High Class Wreckage - Sunset Tavern

They Live!, Champagne Champagne, & More - Fremont Oktoberfest

The Soft Pack - The Crocodile

Arctic Monkeys - The Showbox

Cosmic Panther Land Band  at The Sunset ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Sunday September 20th

M. Bison, Skeletons with Flesh on Them - Fremont Oktoberfest

Cosmic Panther Land Band (members of the Moondoggies & Maldives), Curious Mystery - Sunset Tavern (late show)

Beach House - Neumo’s

History for Sale - Sunset Tavern (early show)

Honest truth: I am a sophomore release hater.  I do not know when it happened or for what reason, but suddenly and quite viciously, I one day realized that I preferred a debut release from almost each and every band.  In my second year as a music writer, it’s been hard for me to go back to bands I discovered in the first as I was almost angry at the waning creative output.  There have been fights and things thrown as I’ve stubbornly refused to acknowledge the new music of a one-time favorite band.  I am a hard-headed bull.

Thus, I’ve waited for The Cave Singers Welcome Joy to percolate a bit, to sit on a shelf and accrue its hype or hate.  I wanted to come in to this album bereft of preordained hatred.  And oh how glad I am that I took this Cave Singers’ sabbatical, as the new album, with Pete Quirk’s endearingly nasally vocals, is a warm robe, a quiet reminder of why I loved this band so much. At one time I thought this might be an album of sea shanties, but I blame this on a captain’s hat Quirk wore at one live show and the fact that the first song released was called “Beach House.”

Ahoy, no sea shanty here, just solid porch music, happily jug-dancing on your ears.

The Cave Singers - At The Cut