Every other Wednesday either Matt or Alex C-Y share their love of music in an assortment of ways. Shuffled is a podcast whose format is as varied as their tastes in music, so hopefully you won't ever be bored and everyone can find something to enjoy.
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Song - Mladic (excerpt)
Beach House, Bloom
A nice little surprise for me this year (Beach House is another band that I know very little about), Bloom offers light and breezy melodies along with some catchy electronic sequencing. Haunting at times, but never in a scary way, this full length is another great starter if you've never listened to them before. - Matt
Song - Lazuli
Animal Collective, CentipedeHz
Following a brief stint as a three-piece, the entirety of Animal Collective returned for their 2012 release. I suppose you could consider this a "return to form", as it's a bit less accessible then Merriweather's bumping electro-beats were. - Alex
Song - Moonjock
Aesop Rock, Skelelthon
Song - Leisureforce
Random (aka Mega Ran), Language Arts Vol. 1, 2, & 3
Not only is Random's latest release a triumph of Kickstarter doing it right, it also is a very solid and introspective look into the art of hip-hop. While very different from other rap artists featured on this week's show, Random still packs an interesting story and concept in this three volume album. - Matt
Song - Wake Up! (feat. MC Frontalot)
Das Racists
Not a new release from 2012 (this came out in 2010), but we just wanted to remember the band after breaking up near the end of the year. Rest in beats, Das Racists.
Song - Rainbow in the Dark (Das Racists Remix) by Anamanaguchi
Joyce Manor, Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
I only discovered Joyce Manor when PunkNews.org named their last album of the year for 2011, but that's a good thing because the mere 15 minutes of music contained on that release wasn't enough to keep me satiated for long. Luckily, in just over a year they put out 15 more minutes of material, making that 30 minute concert I went to possible! But honestly, this band lives off of simple, catchy songs that don't bore you with length. Fast, poppy, rough, and raw; I'm looking forward to listening to Joyce Manor's long and evolving career. - Alex
Songs - Video Killed the Radio Star, Violent Inside
Death Grips, The Money Store / NO LOVE DEEP WEB
"Fuck you! Hit this shit!" That might be the best way I can sum up what makes the trio known as Death Grips tick. I can't say that with any certainty, of course, but if you listened to the show you might get some understanding to what they are about. Their music harnesses this same dark, twisted mystery mixed with raw aggression. NO LOVE DEEP WEB is a free download (and you should be warned that the cover image isn't safe for work), but the commercial release The Money Store is also well worth purchasing if you like a very different kind of heavy music.
Songs - Get Got, Lock Your Doors
Infinity Shred, EP 001 (Gnar Dream)
Going back to the theme of change in 2012, Infinity Shred's latest offering is a bit more scaled back from what their roots were from just a year ago with their debut full length Future, Towards the Edge of Forever. Not only did they have to change their name from Starscream, but they changed their electronic approach to favor a more synth based foundation. The end result is still very in tune with their spirit for spacey melodies and occasional drone instrumentals. - Matt
Song - Untiled 001
Slime Girls, Vacation Wasteland EP
Maybe you're into chiptunes, and maybe you're not. Either way, I think Slime Girl's debut EP is worth a listen. While they are far from the first of adding other instruments on top of the "bleeps" and "bloops" of older video game hardware, their mix of surf and ska inspired tunes are a nice blend. - Matt
Song - Splash Nebula
Math the Band, Get Real
Far and above my favorite album of 2012, Math the Band's Get Real is a full body workout from beginning to end. Very few albums that came out in 2012 can match the raw energy that these two emit (which can best be described as an atomic bomb explosion fueled by Code Red flavored Mtn. Dew). I double-dog-dare you to keep up with this one! - Matt
Songs - Stay Real (Sock it to me Satan), Guts
Andrew W.K., I Get Wet
Again, not a 2012 release, but Andrew W.K. did celebrate the 10th anniversary of his break out album I Get Wet. The U.S. State Department might have pull the plug on his tour to Bahrain, but that doesn't mean the fun is over. Far from it. Party Hard! - Matt
Song - Take It Off
Common Rider, Last Wave Rockers
My fault for not mixing this up with the band Classics of Love. This Common Rider 1999 release though is still quite good and is a nice change of pace to the show. - Matt
Song - Classics of Love
Propagandhi, Failed States
Every time I listen to a new Propagandhi album, I think I am disappointed. Then I'm drawn back to listen to it again, and again, and again. Then I take a break from it. When I come back months later it has become the best goddamn album in the entire stinkin' world. Failed States is no exception.
Propagandhi have a way of writing music that is hard for your brain to process on the first listen. There's always so much layered into each guitar riff and drum beat that by the time you start to get your head around it they've changed on the head of a pin and are playing something completely different, never to return to that previous riff or beat. It's only after you've spent months digesting their songs that you can appreciate the rapid tempo changes and other variation throughout each of the songs. Just go ahead and listen to the first song off of Failed States, 'Note to Self', and try to yell "Rise!" right along with the singer. I've been listening to this album since September and that part screws with me every single time. - Alex
Song - Cognitive Suicide
Deerhoof, Breakup Song
Deerhoof stays consistent. Not in the sense of keeping with the same sound over the year, but more about putting out content that continually pushes the envelope. Breakup Song is still has the same eccentric power of their past releases, but the addition of more keyboards and electric sounds makes this one really stand out. - Matt
Song - We Do Parties
Literature, ARAB SPRING
Coming out at the very beginning of 2012, this power pop album offers some nice upbeat energy with a good helping of garage rock too. From what I've heard, this is a rather large ensemble of musicians, but I don't think this release suffers from too many cooks in the kitchen. Quite a bit of ground is covered over its brief 24 minute run that stays consistent but has a bit of depth with catchy hooks. - Matt
Song - CRIMINAL KIDS
Peelander-Z, Space Vacation
I'm going to miss all the wild crowdsurffing and rafter climbing stunts of bassist Peelander Red, but happy to have seen him rock out in person. Space Vacation marks his last venture out with the punks from Planet Peelander, but instead of being sad, be HAPPEE!!! - Matt
Song - Get Glasses
Be sure to check out Ser Flash's own 2012 release as well!
"A big year in music" doesn't even begin to describe 2012. Whatever genre you find pleasing, nearly every facet of the music scene had something new to it. Like pop music? There was Kishi Bashi who road a summer pop wave off of SXSW and into Windows 8's heart, or were you more in mind of the Cult of Gangam Style? Did Killer Mike's political rap make your blood boil, or did you prefer the ghastly beats of The Gasslamp Killer?
There was so much to cover that I had to enlist the help of of Shuffled's other host, Alex Cronk-Young. This is by far the longest edition of the show in it's two years of running, and we don't plan on slowing down in 2013!!!*
*Ed. Note: On schedule updates are another matter entirely.
Morning Glory, Poets Were My Heroes
It's tough for an album this many years in the making to live up to the hype, but after Ezra Kire (Choking Victim, Leftover Crack) finally kicked his drug habit he set about delivering on his promises. After having scrapped multiple versions of the album, what the fans finally got was a vastly evolved sound from past Morning Glory releases. Whether or not you like that fact will really determine what you think of the album, but I happen to love it. - Alex
Songs - Poets Were My Heroes, Patiently
Baroness, Yellow and Green
If there is a running theme this year in music, I think change is one of them. Baroness play things a bit different on this double album (hence, yellow and green), and the two of them are at times on different wavelengths but still compliment each other when listened to in full. While I preferred the louder Yellow, Green later proved to have some staying power after I let it sit in a bit. - Matt
Songs - Yellow Theme, Take My Bones Away
I Come To Shanghai, Eternal Life Vol. 2
One of the many common releases that Alex and I shared this year was the tripped out tunes of I Come To Shanghai's completed full LP. We've talked about them before on the site, so you know how we feel about the Athens psychedelic duo, and their latest release is one of our clear favorites of the year. - Matt
Songs - Empty Eyes, Another Holiday
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
In my mind, Godspeed are the best of the best when it comes to the post-rock genre. After a 10-year hiatus they returned in 2012 with an album that has actually been complete for a while, but only previously available at their shows. It's a completely solid release, I just hope we don't have to wait another 10 years for a release of totally fresh material. - Alex
Song - Mladic (excerpt)
Beach House, Bloom
A nice little surprise for me this year (Beach House is another band that I know very little about), Bloom offers light and breezy melodies along with some catchy electronic sequencing. Haunting at times, but never in a scary way, this full length is another great starter if you've never listened to them before. - Matt
Song - Lazuli
Animal Collective, CentipedeHz
Following a brief stint as a three-piece, the entirety of Animal Collective returned for their 2012 release. I suppose you could consider this a "return to form", as it's a bit less accessible then Merriweather's bumping electro-beats were. - Alex
Song - Moonjock
Aesop Rock, Skelelthon
Returning after a five year hiatus, underground hip-hop artist Aesop Rock's Skelethon is a much needed chop to the cerebral cortex. His flow and lyricism are laced with such bold intricacies, that while after a first listen it may sounds like tangled and knotted spaghetti, there is always some nugget or reference to piece together his elaborate puzzle of rhymes. The beats and productions on this LP are also well worth checking out this very hefty 55 minute release. - Matt
Song - Leisureforce
Random (aka Mega Ran), Language Arts Vol. 1, 2, & 3
Not only is Random's latest release a triumph of Kickstarter doing it right, it also is a very solid and introspective look into the art of hip-hop. While very different from other rap artists featured on this week's show, Random still packs an interesting story and concept in this three volume album. - Matt
Song - Wake Up! (feat. MC Frontalot)
Das Racists
Not a new release from 2012 (this came out in 2010), but we just wanted to remember the band after breaking up near the end of the year. Rest in beats, Das Racists.
Song - Rainbow in the Dark (Das Racists Remix) by Anamanaguchi
Joyce Manor, Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
I only discovered Joyce Manor when PunkNews.org named their last album of the year for 2011, but that's a good thing because the mere 15 minutes of music contained on that release wasn't enough to keep me satiated for long. Luckily, in just over a year they put out 15 more minutes of material, making that 30 minute concert I went to possible! But honestly, this band lives off of simple, catchy songs that don't bore you with length. Fast, poppy, rough, and raw; I'm looking forward to listening to Joyce Manor's long and evolving career. - Alex
Songs - Video Killed the Radio Star, Violent Inside
Death Grips, The Money Store / NO LOVE DEEP WEB
"Fuck you! Hit this shit!" That might be the best way I can sum up what makes the trio known as Death Grips tick. I can't say that with any certainty, of course, but if you listened to the show you might get some understanding to what they are about. Their music harnesses this same dark, twisted mystery mixed with raw aggression. NO LOVE DEEP WEB is a free download (and you should be warned that the cover image isn't safe for work), but the commercial release The Money Store is also well worth purchasing if you like a very different kind of heavy music.
Songs - Get Got, Lock Your Doors
Infinity Shred, EP 001 (Gnar Dream)
Going back to the theme of change in 2012, Infinity Shred's latest offering is a bit more scaled back from what their roots were from just a year ago with their debut full length Future, Towards the Edge of Forever. Not only did they have to change their name from Starscream, but they changed their electronic approach to favor a more synth based foundation. The end result is still very in tune with their spirit for spacey melodies and occasional drone instrumentals. - Matt
Song - Untiled 001
Slime Girls, Vacation Wasteland EP
Maybe you're into chiptunes, and maybe you're not. Either way, I think Slime Girl's debut EP is worth a listen. While they are far from the first of adding other instruments on top of the "bleeps" and "bloops" of older video game hardware, their mix of surf and ska inspired tunes are a nice blend. - Matt
Song - Splash Nebula
Math the Band, Get Real
Far and above my favorite album of 2012, Math the Band's Get Real is a full body workout from beginning to end. Very few albums that came out in 2012 can match the raw energy that these two emit (which can best be described as an atomic bomb explosion fueled by Code Red flavored Mtn. Dew). I double-dog-dare you to keep up with this one! - Matt
Songs - Stay Real (Sock it to me Satan), Guts
Andrew W.K., I Get Wet
Again, not a 2012 release, but Andrew W.K. did celebrate the 10th anniversary of his break out album I Get Wet. The U.S. State Department might have pull the plug on his tour to Bahrain, but that doesn't mean the fun is over. Far from it. Party Hard! - Matt
Song - Take It Off
Common Rider, Last Wave Rockers
My fault for not mixing this up with the band Classics of Love. This Common Rider 1999 release though is still quite good and is a nice change of pace to the show. - Matt
Song - Classics of Love
Propagandhi, Failed States
Every time I listen to a new Propagandhi album, I think I am disappointed. Then I'm drawn back to listen to it again, and again, and again. Then I take a break from it. When I come back months later it has become the best goddamn album in the entire stinkin' world. Failed States is no exception.
Propagandhi have a way of writing music that is hard for your brain to process on the first listen. There's always so much layered into each guitar riff and drum beat that by the time you start to get your head around it they've changed on the head of a pin and are playing something completely different, never to return to that previous riff or beat. It's only after you've spent months digesting their songs that you can appreciate the rapid tempo changes and other variation throughout each of the songs. Just go ahead and listen to the first song off of Failed States, 'Note to Self', and try to yell "Rise!" right along with the singer. I've been listening to this album since September and that part screws with me every single time. - Alex
Song - Cognitive Suicide
Deerhoof, Breakup Song
Deerhoof stays consistent. Not in the sense of keeping with the same sound over the year, but more about putting out content that continually pushes the envelope. Breakup Song is still has the same eccentric power of their past releases, but the addition of more keyboards and electric sounds makes this one really stand out. - Matt
Song - We Do Parties
Literature, ARAB SPRING
Coming out at the very beginning of 2012, this power pop album offers some nice upbeat energy with a good helping of garage rock too. From what I've heard, this is a rather large ensemble of musicians, but I don't think this release suffers from too many cooks in the kitchen. Quite a bit of ground is covered over its brief 24 minute run that stays consistent but has a bit of depth with catchy hooks. - Matt
Song - CRIMINAL KIDS
Peelander-Z, Space Vacation
I'm going to miss all the wild crowdsurffing and rafter climbing stunts of bassist Peelander Red, but happy to have seen him rock out in person. Space Vacation marks his last venture out with the punks from Planet Peelander, but instead of being sad, be HAPPEE!!! - Matt
Song - Get Glasses
Be sure to check out Ser Flash's own 2012 release as well!
How did 2012 in music stack up to you? A lot to love, or not much to be found?
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