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Monday, July 31, 2006

This Summer's Top Tunes, According to the Rock Insider



My favorite music blog? No doubt it's Jax's Rock Insider. Maybe it's because her tastes are spot on. She hasn't steered me wrong so far -- every time I download an MP3 she features, I dig it. Jax (above) hits every show (and takes pics!) and owns the east side -- the Rock Insider is your one-stop shopping to find out what's going on in cool music here and elsewhere.

Jax's site recently hit the bigtime, getting a nice mention in Entertainment Weekly. Not bad for a girl who has finally come to terms with her Hipster-ness.

Because I've been so busy with work/kid/home extension/etc., I'm ashamed to admit I've been lax in keeping up with new sounds this year. So I decided to hit up Jax: Tell me your top ten songs of summer. Not only did she graciously oblige, but she filled me in on why I should be downloading said tracks:

10. Birdmonster - "Cause U Can": This track pretty much kicked off my summer (I saw the band play at the first little radio BBQ of the summer). It pretty much set the tone for following weeks. I saw the Birdboys twice in New York and once again in San Francisco.

9. Bonnie Prince Billy - "Cursed Sleep": Amazing song. I haven't had a good nights sleep in 2 weeks because of this heat wave. My cheap Echo Park apt has no air conditioning and fans only do so much. I'm dying.

8. Cold War Kids - "Hang Me Up To Dry": Sigh I frickin love these guys and I'm soo amazed at all the success they've seen in the last few months. They deserve every last bit of it. I've had "Hang Me Up To Dry" on every summer mix I've made.

7. Michael Leviton - "Summer's The Worst": Ditto for this track. Amazingly upbeat song abt how much watching summer lovebirds when ur lonely stinks.

6. The Black Angels - "Bloodhounds on My Trail: This song sounds like a bad ass chain gang on the run from the law. Great roadtrip track.

5. Ferraby Lionheart - "A Crack In Time": Love the way my heart kind of pitter patters when I say his name (try it. Fer-ra-by) ooh... chills. If you think his name gives u chills wait till u see him live. Wow.

4. Briertone - "Strawfoot (16 Horsepower)": iTunes playcount since I got their Sojourners ep end of june = 34. I listen to it at least once a day.

3. Sound Team - "Your Eyes Are Liars": I've officially played this song soo much that it has seeped into my subconscious and I now find myself tapping out the opening bass line on every chair, bookcase, table in site.

2. Lily Allen - "LDN": This song sounds like a rainbow popsicle from an ice cream truck in brooklyn on a scorching hot day with kids playing in a fire hydrant spraying out into the street.

1. The Knife - "We Share Our Mothers Health": Track of the summer? Fuck yes. Track of the year? Ummmm FUCK YES.

I love that Lily Allen track; most of these, however, were new to me. Thanks, Jax!


And don't forget to hear her on Little Radio every Monday...

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