mixtape « Frequency blog: Music news and reviews from Bend and Central Oregon, by Ben Salmon

Archive for the ‘mixtape’ Category

Near/Far 2011: The “Bonus Disc”

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

In case you missed it: Near/Far is The Bulletin’s free, legal, two-disc compilation of some of the best songs of the year. The 2011 version — all 36 tracks of it, including Fleet Foxes, Yuck, Washed Out, Other Lives, The War on Drugs, Shabazz Palaces, Larry and His Flask, Laurel Brauns, Empty Space Orchestra, Erin Cole-Baker, Anastacia and more — can be downloaded by clicking here.

We’ve been doing Near/Far annually for the past five years, and you can still grab 2007 and 2008 here and 2009 here and 2010 here. That’s 174 awesome songs … for free. Get ‘em.

But that’s not enough! Each year, there are inevitably tracks I can’t use on the official Near/Far, either because I run out of space, or I can’t get permission to use them. So I’ve put together a “bonus disc” of great songs that didn’t make it onto the 2011 comp, and by “bonus disc” I mean YouTube playlist for super easy streaming.

Click here to listen. (Please note that some tracks — and one band name — may include coarse language.)

Here are the artists in this mix: The Decemberists, Frank Ocean, Wilco, Patrick Stump, The Vaccines, Big K.R.I.T., Robin Pecknold, F–ked Up, Givers, Kendrick Lamar, Pistol Annies, Clams Casino, Wavves, Purity Ring, Purling Hiss, Archers, Peaking Lights and Jovontaes. Again, you can hear all this right here.

Also, sorry if you run into an advertisement. I tried to avoid them. Ditched Foo Fighters, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and more because of ‘em. But they’re sneaky little dudes.

Tags: Archers, Best of 2011, Big K.R.I.T., Clams Casino, F--ked Up, Frank Ocean, Givers, Jovontaes, Kendrick Lamar, Near/Far, Patrick Stump, Peaking Lights, Pistol Annies, Purity Ring, Purling Hiss, Robin Pecknold, The Decemberists, The Vaccines, Wavves, Wilco
Posted in lists, mixtape, music on the web | No Comments »

Immerse yourself in free music!

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Well hello there, music aficionado! Somehow, some way, you’ve landed at the Frequency blog and Near/Far, The Bulletin’s online hub for coverage of 2011′s best music.

Here, we’ve collected three dozen of the finest tunes of the past 12 months from both local and national acts and created a two-disc compilation of free, legal MP3s for your downloading pleasure, complete with nifty cover art. Let’s get to the good stuff:

Download “Far” by clicking here
Includes 18 songs by some of the coolest national acts of the year, including Fleet Foxes, Yuck, The War on Drugs, Shabazz Palaces, Other Lives, Washed Out, The David Mayfield Parade, Mogwai, Jeff the Brotherhood, Wooden Shjips, Serengeti, Ringo Deathstarr, Com Truise, Street Gnar and more. See the entire “Far” tracklist here.

Download “Near” by clicking here
Includes 18 songs by some of Central Oregon’s best artists, including Larry and His Flask, Laurel Brauns, Empty Space Orchestra, Erin Cole-Baker, Tuck And Roll, Anastacia, Mike Potter, Laura Curtis, Cadence, Jay Tablet, Capture the Flag, The Quons, Boxcar Stringband, Stillfear and more. See the entire “Near” tracklist here.

(Please be aware that a few of these tracks might contain some coarse language.)

Now how about some thoughts/words on music in 2011? For example:

–My 50 favorite albums of the year, including short reviews of about half of them.

–My 10 favorite local albums of the year, plus a round-up of other notable local releases here, here and here.

–My favorite concerts of the year in Central Oregon.

–The best musical moments of the year through the eyes of those closest to the scene, presented in handy Top 5 list format. Plus lots more that we didn’t have room for in print.

–My short overview of the Central Oregon music scene in 2011. (Hint: This year felt a bit unsettled to me, as if we’re in a time of transition.)

–A “bonus disc” (aka YouTube playlist) of great songs from 2011 that didn’t make it onto Near/Far.

And finally, we still have the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Near/Far compilations available for free download. That’s 138 great songs, including The Shins, Arcade Fire, Jamie Lidell, The Avett Brothers, Brendan Benson, Atmosphere, Band of Horses, Aesop Rock, Dr. Dog, Midlake, Das Racist, Superchunk and more. Just click to grab them: 2007 and 2008 / 2009 / 2010.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me email. I love feedback, and am always looking to improve Frequency.

Tags: Best of 2011, Near/Far
Posted in administrative, lists, locals, mixtape, mp3 download | 1 Comment »

Playlists for your 11/11/11 listening pleasure

Friday, November 11th, 2011

I’m a huge nerd. So I went through my iTunes and picked out a bunch of my favorite “track 11″ songs … you know, like they were the 11th track on their album … and compiled them into five different YouTube playlists.

So there are 55 songs here (all track 11s), and they’re all awesome. Or at least I think so. Just click on the style of music that fits your taste or current mood and let it play. Then, come back here, let me know what you thought, and try another!

Happy 11/11/11!

MELLOW
R.E.M., Nick Drake, Adele, William Fitzsimmons, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Alexi Murdoch, Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Wilco

ROCK
The Promise Ring, Superdrag, Foo Fighters, New Pornographers, Sunny Day Real Estate, Pearl Jam, Flashing Lights, Pavement, Modest Mouse, The Dismemberment Plan, The Clash

POP
Throw Me The Statue, Brendan Benson, School of Seven Bells, Elliott Smith, Ben Kweller, Liz Phair, The 6ths, The Minders, The Beach Boys, Of Montreal, Silver Jews

ROOTS
Slobberbone, The Band, Blue Mountain, The Backsliders, Son Volt, Dixie Chicks, The Byrds, Old 97s, The Avett Brothers, Miranda Lambert, Cornershop

BEATS
Black Star, Aesop Rock, Outkast, Amadou & Mariam, Gui Boratto, Das Racist, Guru, DJ Shadow, Janelle Monae, The Very Best, Black Moth Super Rainbow

Tags: 11/11/11
Posted in mixtape, music on the web | 1 Comment »

Stream 20 of The Decemberists’ best songs

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

I did one of these for Death Cab for Cutie, so it seems only fair to do one for this weekend’s other Les Schwab Amphitheater headliner, The Decemberists, who play tonight.

Whether you’re unfamiliar with the band’s work, or you’re skeptical that these Portlandian folkies actually have some great songs, or you dig ‘em and need something to get pumped up for tonight’s show, or you simply want some music going while you putter around on a Sunday, this YouTube playlist should do the trick. It’s 20 of The Decemberists’ best songs in chronological(ish) order (I put “The Tain” at the end because it’s, y’know, 20 minutes long), stretching from 2001′s “5 Songs” EP to “The King is Dead,” which came out four months ago. Just press play and let the internet do the work.

Tags: The Decemberists
Posted in mixtape, music on the web | No Comments »

Spend Friday learning (or remembering) why Death Cab for Cutie rules

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Here’s the thing: Lots of people like to turn up their nose at Death Cab for Cutie, and I get that. They make lovey dovey sappy emo-pop music that appears in “Twilight” films and on VH1. Teen girls love this band, not you. And that name … ugh. It’s not cool to like Death Cab for Cutie. Saying that you’re more pumped to see Bright Eyes at Bend’s Les Schwab Amphitheater tonight earns you more cred.

I get all that.

The problem with that stance is that Death Cab is by far the best band on tonight’s bill, and one of the best bands of the past 15 years. I will acknowledge that they have not always been the best live band (I saw pretty mediocre DCfC shows in 2001, 2003 and 2004). And of course, their past three albums aren’t quite up to the bar set by their first four. But those first four set a very high bar. Heck, the first two are two of the best indie-rock records ever made.

What I’m saying is Ben Gibbard and Death Cab for Cutie have churned out an abundance of great songs since 1997, and their hits far outweigh their misses. So if you wanna go into tonight’s show ready to hate these dudes, have at it. That’s your right. But if you wanna go into tonight’s show with an open mind and an ear that appreciates an unforgettable melody, I’m here to help.

Below, I’ve compiled 20 of the band’s best tunes in chronological(ish) order, ranging from their pre-”Something About Airplanes” 7″ records to the new single from their new album, “Codes and Keys,” which comes out Tuesday. There are rocking songs and pretty songs, fast songs and slow songs, angry songs and somber songs, pop songs and shoegazers. It’s a pretty good cross-section of Death Cab’s career so far.

So, it’s Friday and you’re probably sitting at your desk jonesing for the weekend. Maybe you’re going to the show tonight. Maybe you’re on the fence. No matter your situation, click below and let the YouTubes stream. If you can resist this playlist, you must hate great music.

Tags: Death Cab for Cutie
Posted in mixtape, music on the web | 2 Comments »

Near/Far 2010: The “Bonus Disc”

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

For the uninitiated: Near/Far is The Bulletin’s totally free, totally legal, two-disc compilation of some of the best songs of the year. The 2010 version — all 36 tracks of it, including Superchunk, Laura Veirs, Freeway, Das Racist, Black Mountain, Larry and His Flask, Mosley Wotta, Sara Jackson-Holman and more — can be downloaded by clicking here.

We’ve been doing Near/Far annually for the past four years, and you can still grab 2007 and 2008 here and 2009 here. That’s 138 awesome songs, for free. FOR FREE.

But that’s not enough for me. Each year, there are inevitably tracks I can’t use on the official Near/Far, either because I run out of space, or I can’t get permission to use them. So this year, I decided to take advantage of YouTube’s playlist function and put together a “bonus disc” of great songs that didn’t make it onto the 2010 version of Near/Far.

Click here to listen. (Please note that some tracks may include coarse language.)

Here are the artists in this mix: Kanye West, Big Boi, Band of Horses, Mumford & Sons, Deerhunter, Weezer, Surfer Blood, Fang Island, My Chemical Romance, Purling Hiss, Tame Impala, Peter Wolf, Junip, Janelle Monae, Sun Araw, School of Seven Bells, Jonsi and Cee Lo Green. (I had to cut “Bed Intruder Song” at the last minute, sadly.)

Also, sorry if you run into an advertisement.

Tags: Band of Horses, Best of 2010, Big Boi, Cee Lo Green, Deerhunter, Fang Island, Janelle Monae, Jonsi, Junip, Kanye West, Mumford & Sons, My Chemical Romance, Near/Far, Peter Wolf, Purling Hiss, School Of Seven Bells, Sun Araw, Surfer Blood, Tame Impala, Weezer
Posted in lists, mixtape, music on the web | No Comments »

Free music. Sweet!

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Welcome, music lover! You’ve found your way to the Frequency blog and Near/Far, The Bulletin’s online hub for coverage of 2010′s best sounds.

Here, we’ve collected three dozen of the finest songs of the past 12 months from both local and national acts and created a two-disc compilation of free, legal MP3s for your downloading pleasure, complete with some fun doughnut-themed artwork for all you sweet-tooths. Here are the goods:

Download “Far” by clicking here
Includes 18 songs by some of the coolest national acts of the year, including Superchunk, Dr. Dog, Das Racist, Laura Veirs, Wavves, Freeway & Jake One, Beach House, Midlake, Black Mountain, Sharon Van Etten, Aloe Blacc, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and more. See the entire “Far” tracklist here.

Download “Near” by clicking here
Includes 18 songs by some of Central Oregon’s best artists, including Larry and His Flask, Sara Jackson-Holman, Mosley Wotta, Mindscape, A.M. Interstate, Tuck And Roll, Elliot, Dennis McGregor, The Autonomics, Michelle Van Handel, Tim Coffey, KouseFly and more. See the entire “Near” tracklist here.

(Please be aware that a few of these tracks might contain some coarse language.)

In today’s issue of Frequency’s big print brother, GO! Magazine, we’ve got several pages dedicated to reviewing music in 2010. For example:

–My 50 favorite albums of the year.

–My 10 favorite local albums of the year and a round-up of some other notable local releases.

–The best musical moments of the year through the eyes of those closest to the scene, presented in handy Top 5 list format.

–My short overview of the Central Oregon music scene in 2009. (Hint: Several Central Oregon bands are starting to find success outside the region.)

Here are some bonus things that are only on the blog:
–My favorite concerts of the year in Central Oregon.

–More Top 5 lists from locals close to the music scene. (We got a ton of these, and ran out of room in print.)

–A “bonus disc” of great songs from 2010 that didn’t make it onto Near/Far. (It’s not really a disc. It’s an easily streamed YouTube playlist that includes tracks by Big Boi, Band of Horses, My Chemical Romance, Kanye West, Mumford & Sons, Deerhunter, Weezer, Sun Araw, Cee Lo Green, Purling Hiss, Tame Impala, Peter Wolf, Janelle Monae and more.)

And finally, we still have the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Near/Far compilations available for free download. That’s 102 great songs, including The Shins, Arcade Fire, Jamie Lidell, The Avett Brothers, Brendan Benson, Atmosphere, Band of Horses, Aesop Rock, Fleet Foxes and more. Just click here to grab them.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me e-mail. I love feedback, and am always looking to improve Frequency.

Tags: Best of 2010, Near/Far
Posted in administrative, lists, locals, mixtape, mp3 download | 2 Comments »

Download Mindscape’s “Beat Jacks” album

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Bend-based rapper Mindscape (aka Mike Fish of Person People) has posted a free download of his “Beat Jacks” album, which features the silver-tongued MC getting busy on the mic to other folks’ beats, including George Clinton, Geto Boys, and others likely easily identifiable to a more studied hip-hop historian than I. Guess what? It’s dope. Get it here.

Tags: Mindscape
Posted in mixtape, mp3 download | No Comments »

[MP3] Download Jay Tablet’s “The Prefunk Mixtape”

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Bend rapper and Cloaked Character Jay Tablet is “3/4 done” with his solo album “Put It On The Tab,” he says, so yesterday, he dropped a free, 12-song collection called “The Prefunk Mixtape” to build buzz and satiate those waiting for the official solo debut.

“I’ve had these songs just sitting around and wanted them to be heard,” Tablet said via Facebook chat, of course. “Some freestyles and some unfinished, but it’s out!”

You can download Jay Tablet’s “The Prefunk Mixtape” by clicking here. Grab a large version of the artwork by clicking the image at left.

Tags: Cloaked Characters, Jay Tablet
Posted in mixtape, mp3 download | No Comments »

Say farewell to DJ Mud tonight

Friday, August 27th, 2010

I know all you Frequency readers pick up the print version of The Bulletin every day, so you probably saw this in today’s GO! Magazine. But just in case: Local DJ Mud (aka Mike Graham) is moving to Portland very, very soon, which is a bummer for Central Oregon’s dance-floor denizens, but great for him.

Bend is a town with several cool, creative DJs, but I’ve always connected with Mud’s work more than anyone else’s. Not sure why; I just dig his aesthetic: dark, murky, minimalist, slightly agitated. If you’re unfamiliar, he’s got lots of music available online. Start here, with his newest mix, called “Let Tomorrow Be”:

Mud – Let Tomorrow Be by mudsimple

You can grab tons of other stuff at his Soundcloud account, and here are two other mixes that I posted last year. (He’s also the man who made this classic track, don’t ya know.)

OK, enough screen-gazing. You need to go and say goodbye to Mud and dance, once more, to his sound. Tonight is the official Farewell Mud party, starting around 10 p.m. at The Blacksmith (211 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend). On hand will be Mud’s old buddy Mosley Wotta, hosting and toasting and doing what he do.

If’n your interested, I sent Mud a few questions (yes, they’re the same as from this post … I’m lazy) and he sent me back a few answers:

(more…)

Tags: DJ Mud
Posted in interview, mixtape, mp3 download, tonight | No Comments »