Henry's 2018 Recap

2018: A Few Of My Favorite Things

By Henry Lipput

When I started to write this 2018 thing, I went through the computer files with my reviews for CoolDad.It was then that I realized that this would be my fifth year-end roundup for Cool Dad. I've been reviewing music here since 2014. I knew it was a while, but it didn't sink in until now. So thanks CoolDad for letting me write about the music I love for this long.

And here's what I've loved in 2018. There are 11 albums, a single, an EP, and a reissue as well as some other releases I also liked and you might want to check out.

I've been very fortunate to get downloads and Soundcloud links to review new releases. This year, when I have really liked an album or single or EP I have bought vinyl and CDs where I had downloads and downloads where I had Soundcloud links.

If you like what I've written about here and listened to the tracks on the included Spotify list, I encourage you to buy some music from these artists. None of these people are superstars (I was going to call this list "A Grammy-Free Zone," but you get the ide.) and don't make much, if any, money from streaming.



ALBUMS

HI LO, Super 8

Super 8, aka Paul Ryan, pulled off a musical hat trick this year by releasing three albums. Any of them (T-T-T-Technicolour Melodies from January, TURN AROUND OR… from June, and HI LO in October) could have topped my list, but I'm choosing HI LO as my favorite. HI LO is a splendid mix of music, moods, and sounds. It also has some of the best lyrics and arrangements (Listen to "Angels & Neil Diamond" and "Drive You Home" for starters) of his three albums. He also wrote and recorded "If Cats Had Hands" (with its wonderful video) and a Christmas song after HI LO was released. As far as I'm concerned Super 8's HI LO is the album of the year. (Futureman Records)

Peaks and Valleys, Chris Richards and the Subtractions

Richards, along with Andy Reed and Keith Klingensmith, make up the power pop trio, The Legal Matters. Richards has been recording with the powerhouse rhythm section of The Subtractions (Todd Holmes on bass and Larry Grodsky on drums and percussion) well before TLM came around. On Peaks And Valleys, Richards brought on Reed for additional guitar and harmonies to create another power pop treasure that includes a brilliant full-band cover of Big Star's "Thirteen." (Futureman Records)

Sincerely, S. Love x, Simon Love

This album is a wonderful pop-fest with a liberal dose of swear words. One of my favorites songs from 2018 is "I Fucking Love You" which begins like a Boo Radleys pop tune from their Wake Up! album, and then slowly morphs into something from Spiritualized. On the flip side of this sentiment is the musical kiss-off and full-throttle rocker that is "Not If I See You First," and the lost love song "Tennis Fan" uses sports analogies to describe a relationship. (Tapete Records)

Kill The Lights, Tony Molina

Kill The Lights has ten songs that all together clock in at a little less than 15 minutes. It's like a meal made up of appetizers, but it's still filling. It may just be my impression that it's a post-breakup album with some glimmers of hope along the way. But it is a guitar-centric album with some very cool riffs that will remind you of The Byrds ("Give He Take You" and "Nothing I Can Say"), Teenage Fanclub ("Jasper's Theme"), and what sounds like a John Lennon song performed by Elliott Smith ("Now That She's Gone"). (Slumberland Records)

Didn't Mean To Care, Susie Blue

The debut album from Northern Irish singer / songwriter, Susie Blue, is a collection of songs that tell the story of her teenage years after coming out. Susie has put together a terrific band of musicians for this album; but, for me, it's really the two, stark, solo acoustic ballads, "Trust Me" and "Till You Started," that really stand out. There's something that Susie does with a lyric that shows her debt to the late, great Dolores O'Riordan and the sound of these songs recalls PJ Harvey's demos.
(Didn't Mean To Care is available as a digital download).

Proto Retro, Dot Dash

Dot Dash is another guitar, bass, and drums trio with a stellar rhythm section comprised in Dot Dash of Hunter Bennett and Danny Ingram. Terry Banks provides lead vocals, terrific lead and rhythm guitars, and also wrote the songs. The album starts with "Unfair Weather," a dig at folks who adopt British lingo ("don't call it a jumper / you know it's a sweater"). It's also a power pop number that rocks as is "Fast Parade." "Gray Blue Green" is another jangle fest, and "Triple Rainbow" is a gorgeous song of love and support. (The Beautiful Music)

Young Scum, Young Scum

Someone I follow on Twitter mentioned this band, and I initially thought they probably were some kind of Sex Pistols wannabes (not that there's anything wrong with that). Instead, Young Scum is a Smiths-loving group from Richmond, Virginia, with jangle to spare. Their lyrics, about hating your job ("Crying At Work") or not knowing what to say to someone you like ("Hard"), are relevant to almost anyone at any age. (Pretty Olivia Records)

Davey Woodward and the Winter Orphans, Davey Woodward and the Winter Orphans

Woodward is a musical mimic who can sing like Lou Reed and Bob Dylan and also write songs that they might have written. His album with the Winter Orphans, a group he put together to record this album in a weekend, has songs that recall VU-era Reed ("Girl In The Hoops") and mid-Sixties Dylan ("Tangerine Dream"). There's also a mashup of the two in "Dylan's Poster" as well as songs in Woodward's own, distinctive voice ("Horrors Cope" and "Trouble In My Times"). (Tapete Records)

Black Box Theory, Gretchen's Wheel

Lindsay Murray is Gretchen's Wheel. On past albums she's brought onboard musicians from The Posies, The Legal Matters, and Nada Surf to help with the recordings. But after her completely solo EP, awry, she felt confident enough to handle everything herself (except for Nick Bertling on drums). Like awry, Black Box Theory uses lower-case letters for song titles which adds to the poetic nature of Murray's lyrics. For example, the melancholy "tourist" could be about the end of a vacation or the end of a relationship or both. (Futureman Records)

LLC, Deal Casino

LLC is Deal Casino's second album in two years. As drummer Chris Donofrio told CoolDad in an interview, the band had stopped "belaboring the pre-recording process," and the result is a fresh and inventive collection of songs. "Color TV" originally showed up as an untitled, acoustic, 4-track demo on the band's Calidus EP from 2017, and it gets a makeover on LLC. The band's adventures in the studio are highlighted by "Chocolate Cake," which ends with an explosion of sound that's somewhere between "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "A Day In The Life." (LLC is available as a digital download).

Construction Time & Demolition, Wreckless Eric

This album is a master class on how rock songs should sound. Eric has been around since the mid-Seventies and was part of Stiff Records' Live Stiffs tour. Many of the songs on Construction Time & Demolition are about time as well as places that don't exist anymore. "Gateway To Europe" borrows sounds from The Kinks' Preservation albums, and "The World Revolved Around Me" recalls Big Star's Third. "Wow & Flutter," one of the album's highlights. has crunching guitars, crashing drums, and a Entwistle-like bass. (Southern Domestic Records)

SINGLE

"Nothing In Your Way," The Magic Es

The Magic Es have released five singles since 2017's It Goes On (my favorite album for that year), and three of them came out in 2018. Of those, my favorite is "Nothing In Your Way" which highlights the band's great sense of dynamics. There's also a terrific video you can check out on YouTube.("Nothing In Your Way" is available as a digital download).

EP

Modern Man, Andy Cook

Modern Man is the Minnesota-based Cook's follow-up to 2017's In Space EP. The songs on Modern Man have been influenced by a genre like 60s surf, 80s pop, or contemporary indie rock. "Swirl," is an indie-pop gem with an earwig of a melody. "Red Lights" has more than a little jangle in the mix and some nice synth flourishes. One of my favorites is Places We'll Go," a lovely, countrified acoustic ballad. (Good Eye Records)

REISSUE

Girly Sound to Guyville, Liz Phair

This is the 25th anniversary release of Phair's landmark and still awesome Exile In Guyville. The original album is given a crisp re-mastering and sounds better than ever. But the best thing about this set is the two CDs that collect the three cassettes that Phair recorded and gave to friends in the early Nineties. It's great to hear early versions of songs like "Bomb" that showed up as "Stratford-On-Guy" on Guyville and "Money" which turned into "Shitloads of Money" on her fantastic whitechocolatespaceegg. (Matador Records)

ALSO ENJOYED

I've also enjoyed albums by Lisa Mychols (Sugar) and Paul McCartney (Egypt Station); singles by Fallon Cush ("Dream House"), Stars ("One Day Left"), Callow Youth ("Rough"), and the cover of "You Can Hide Your Love Forever" by The Fortuna POP! All-Stars (which included Simon Love); EPs from The Nature Strip (Past Pacific) and The Hannah Barberas (there were three plus a Christmas release); Altered Sweet, the Futureman Records tribute to Matthew Sweet; and the Captured Tracks 25th anniversary vinyl-only reissue of Martin Newell's still amazing The Greatest Living Englishman produced by Andy Partridge.

New Lyric Video from aBIRD... ...And a 2018 Top 5 List

"The Lights"

In the fall of 2018, we got the debut LP, Hard Times in Two Dimensions, from aBIRD. The new project of Adam Bird, formerly of Those Mockingbirds, aBIRD trades that old band's baroque alt-rock for synth-soaked pop. When Adam came to me and asked if I'd like to share aBIRD's lyric video for single "The Lights," I said sure. I also asked if aBIRD would like to contribute to our ongoing series of year-end lists.

Bird and bandmate Nick Ivory went a little high-concept in the list department, giving us a peek into the absurdity that can befall a band's group texts. In Bird's own words, "Like any band, the aBIRD group text is 90% jokes and memes, 10% actual planning and constructive conversation. So we decided to share some of our most favorite and absurd John Lennon-themed memes for our end of year list. Though we love the music of John and the Beatles, it's healthy to find macabre things funny too."

But before we get to the list, here's aBIRD's lyric video for "The Lights." Bird has found himself with this new sound, and the song's theme of being yourself despite what others may think is one that has come up a few times now in aBIRD songs. The synths give this one kind of a retro, cyber-punk disco vibe. The video was put together by Rob Fitzgerald.



Now, with that out of the way, I give you aBIRD's Favorite John Lennon-Themed Memes of 2018.

[The views expressed in the list below are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not represent or reflect the opinions of CoolDadMusic.com, its affiliates, or employees.]

Ken's Best of 2018

Goes to 11

By Ken Geiger

I'd just like to say thank you to Cooldad for giving me a platform to rant and to plug cool music on. It's always been a pleasure. I'd also like to thank everyone who supported me in my artistic endeavors this year, whether you bought a tape, booked me a show, or even told me you liked my set. That kind of stuff really makes it all worthwhile.

Anyways let's go with the Top 11 Albums of 2018. What a great year for music it was, as this list was goddamn impossible to finalize. If you have not heard any of these releases yet, make sure you go pick them up as soon as you’re finished reading this:

• Nicole Dollanganger, Heart Shaped Box (Crystal Math Music/Eerie Organization)
• Mark Kozelek, Mark Kozelek (Caldo Verde Records)
• Like Weeds, They Grow (Kitty Play Records)
• Nickelus F, Stuck (Trashfuck Records)
• Form Hunter, Form Hunter (New Forces Noise)
• Goth Girl & Torturing Noise, Split (Contradiction Tapes)
• Sleep, The Sciences (Third Man Records)
• Doyheart, Demo (Self-Released)
• Denzel Curry, TA13OO (PH Recordings)
• Maggot Cave, Maggot Cave (Pull Me Dick Mate Records)

Now for the 11 Best Live Acts, which was an equally hard list to make. There were so many great performers I saw all over the world in 2018. However, I decided to go with the ones that really just brought the live experience to a whole other level; something that felt like more than just your average concert:

• Lydia Lunch Retrovirus
• feedtime
• Merzbow
• Full of Hell
• Sleep
• Tommy Wright III
• Despise You
• The Flying Luttenbachers
• Bastard Noise
• Lucas Abela
• Batushka

The last thing I'll leave here is a Spotify playlist for my favorite songs that came out this year. I can only hope that next year will give us as much great music as this year did. Enjoy your New Year, Cooldad faithful! Party responsibly.

Your 2019 Music New Year's Resolution

Rose Lamela hard at work at the 1-year anniversary celebration for Jersey City's magnificent White Eagle Hall

Get Out There

By Rose Lamela

Music is an important part of culture around the world, and I don't have to explain to you how important it is in our daily lives. The sad part is that we tend not to go searching for it. For decades now, we are told what to listen to, whether it was on the radio, a video going viral online, or the same few artists getting Grammy awards or getting picked for the Super Bowl. Now, I am not saying these artists are not talented; but a lot of what is mainstream follows a trend that makes everything start to sound the same. It's polished, perfectly packaged and delivered to us. Then we have to make decisions on whether to pay 150-300 dollars to go see these acts live.

I get to say this and make you feel uncomfortable because this was me for many years. I got into what MTV told me to listen to in the 90s, the radio a decade later, and then a lot of what was being shared online. I took a lot of pride in myself to be into the "Indie" scene and not necessarily mainstream, but the "Indie" music I listened to was on the cusp of mainstream.

I used to hear a lot of people tell me, "Support your local music scene," and I would just get annoyed. To me, the local music scene was a washed-out band of old wedding singers playing covers at the local dive bar. I was not interested in that.

About three years ago, I went to Seattle with a friend. We took a tour with this amazing grunged out lady, and she talked about the 90s scene. We drove around to locations that some Pearl Jam stories were a part of, saw the "Black Hole Sun" monument, and Kurt's house that I had only seen on the news. I remember leaving there and thinking, "Why can't I be part of a scene? Something new and fresh. Music being played in small dark places full of genuine music lovers."

I found my way in without even knowing it. I volunteered at WFMU and became part of the scene at Monty Hall. These bands were not anywhere close to what I imagined would be the "local music scene." I found myself completely amazed that it only cost $15 to see some of these extremely talented bands. These bands were doing it for the love of music. I mean, I'm sure a lot of them would like to sell out a show in Madison Square Garden one day, but with that not being a promise for their hard work, they continue to play and record their albums. It's a community where everyone knows each other and helps each other out. The bartering between these DIY bands that make their own merchandise or exchange artwork is quite endearing. These are the bands that need your $15 more than the ones asking for $300. The local venues that open their doors to you need your support, too, to keep the tunes flowing and the culture of music alive. If you are living in Jersey, you may be missing out on a music scene that is happening now. It's fresh. It's new, and it needs your support.

So, if you find yourself thinking about what to do on a weekend night (there are shows during the week too!!), look up some local music venues and see what's going on. If you happen to be lucky enough to live either close to Jersey City or Asbury Park, then there are no good excuses to stay home. If you find yourself saying, "Well where do I look to see who is playing?" No worries. CoolDadMusic.com has got your back every Thursday.

So, when you are writing up your 2019 New Year's resolutions, make sure to promise to support your local music scene. You will immediately fall in love with what is out there. I promise!!

Couldn't have said it better, Rosi. -- CoolDad

Favorite Live Shows from the Second Half of 2018

Twin Peaks' adoring crowd at Wonder Bar

Coming to You Live

I recapped my favorite live shows as of the halfway point of 2018 back in July. Before we finish out the year, I wanted to put together the complementary, second-half list.

So...

Lyons

Lyons (final show) / The Tide Bends / Lovelorn at The Anchor's Bend, 7/16/18

This was Lyons' last show before two of their members headed out on maternity leave. For the few years that Lyons had been making music, they were always an act I'd go out of my way to catch. Their dark, gothy vibe and those chiming guitars did it for me every time. This was the culmination, I think, of a little week or so "tour" around Asbury with Lyons' good friends, The Tide Bends. It was also a second chance of sorts for Asbury to catch Philly post-punk band, Lovelorn. Just a beautiful night by the beach.

Screaming Females

Paint It Black / Screaming Females / Give / HIRS / Bacchae at House of Independents, 8/3/18

This was one of the "Stoked for the Summer" events for the weekend, and it felt like it had been forever since I got the chance to see Screaming Females in Asbury Park. They brought it as always. Paint It Black's set made for the absolute wildest and most violent photography experience I've ever tried -- and failed -- to endure. It was almost impossible to convey -- much less capture at all -- the energy HIRS brought to the stage. In all, a great night that pushed me to new places.

The Bouncing Souls

The Bouncing Souls / Against Me! / Titus Andronicus / The Smoking Popes / Tim Barry at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, 8/4/18

Between Homes for the Holidays, What I Did on My Summer Vacations, and Stokeds for the Summers, I've been to quite a few Bouncing Souls shows since starting this website. Clearly, I haven't been to anywhere near as many as the band's die-hard fans; but the sense of community at these shows always sticks out as something special for me. Against Me! blew me away on this one, and it's always a treat to catch, and catch up with Titus Andronicus.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives / The Vansaders at Asbury Park Yacht Club, 8/18/18

THE. HOTTEST. SHOW. EVER.

It wasn't even that hot of a day; but, I guess, the heat from the scorchers earlier in the week had built up inside APYC creating an oven-like atmosphere. Confetti from The RockNRoll Hi-Fives' cannons stuck and dissolved on my skin. After the show, I walked around town with purple and red dye on my face, looking like I'd been through a bar fight. The Vansaders powered through a great, sweaty set. This was the most uncomfortable but also one of the most fun shows of the summer.

Roadside Graves

Roadside Graves (record release) / Lowlight / Coach N Commando at Asbury Park Yacht Club, 9/1/18

What an honor to be asked by Roadside Graves to host their record release at APYC. We'd done some really beautiful shows together in the past, and this is another one to add to the list. Coach N Commando set the mood with their usual wild set, and then it was friends, family, peace, and love from Lowlight, the Graves, and everyone in attendance.

Ex Hex

Ex Hex / EZTV, The Bell House, 9/7/18

My good friend, Angie, and I headed up to Brooklyn for this one. It was nice to have time to chat and hang outside of our usual Asbury haunts. We're both huge fans of Ex Hex, and the band did not disappoint. They had us both singing along with favorites from Rips and pining for another record. This was the second time I'd seen EZTV. Great songs and a great laid-back vibe.

Easy Action

Dinosaur Jr. / Easy Action at White Eagle Hall, 9/19/18

Dinosaur Jr. are easily one of my favorite bands ever. In all the times I've seen the band, I've never had the opportunity to shoot them. Chick and I made the ride up to JC for this one. Got some ramen at Ani Ramen and then headed to the show. It was loud and awesome. I worked hard to get that shot of Easy Action's John Brannon, and it's one of my favorites from this year.

Alvvays / Snail Mail / Hatchie at Warsaw, 9/27/18

Alvvays's 2 LPs are two of my favorite records maybe ever. They synthesize jangle pop, shoegaze, and amazing songwriting in a way that I find irresistible. I got to go to this one and share some pierogies with my good buddy, Justin. Having the touring machine that is Snail Mail along with Hatchie on this bill made it solid from top to bottom. Lindsey Jordan referred to Alvvays's sound as "no mistakes-core" and, damn, if they didn't sound absolutely perfect.

Lowlight

Twin Peaks / Lowlight at Wonder Bar, 9/29/18

My one personal foray out to the happenings surrounding the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park. I've always been more of a dark bar guy than a festival stage guy anyway, so this worked for me. Twin Peaks' fans are devoted and rabid. They had the place packed already for Lowlight's set, and Lowlight fed off of the crowd's energy. Twin Peaks gave the people what they wanted.

Dentist

The North Jersey Indie Rock Festival at White Eagle Hall, 10/6/18

This was a long day. Something like 18 bands. I ain't gonna lie. That's a lot, and it makes it kinda hard to enjoy every, single minute. I will say that it was great being able to catch friends and favorites like Exmaid, Glazer, Smock, The Vaughns, and Yawn Mower. The main reason I put this here is because Dentist, who I've seen like a million times by now, blew me away at this one. The sound wasn't great, and I was tired; but I just remember saying during their set, "Wow. My friends are really rock stars now."

Screaming Females

Screaming Females, Kitten Forever, Big Huge at Warsaw, 10/26/18

Like Rosi, I've got multiple Screaming Females shows on my list. I didn't bring the big camera rig to this one, and just went there to soak it in. I was going through a really tough time at this point. I alluded to that fact when I was speaking to King Mike before the show. He said, "Well. I hope we can give you what you need tonight." Did they ever.

Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus / Spider Bags / The Double Negatives at House of Independents, 11/1/18

Once again, the chance to see Titus Andronicus in Asbury. Spider Bags' Dan McGee doing a little bit of a Jersey homecoming. Oh, also, Patrick Stickles got the whole crowd going on a "Cool! Dad! Cool! Dad!" chant, so there was that.

Shut Up / Shellshag / Spowder / Exmaid / Daddies at Asbury Park Brewery, 11/24/18

Another night without my camera but with CoolMom. Such a great vibe of togetherness at this show. It was J Nixon's birthday. All of Screaming Females were there. Marissa was the coolest to CoolMom. The kind of show that keeps me keeping on.

Heart Bones

Heart Bones / Closeness / Fascinations Grand Chorus at Brooklyn Bazaar, 11/30/18

I gotta say. I wasn't sure about this one. Heart Bones (Har Mar Superstar & Sabrina Ellis) were on tour playing the songs of Dirty Dancing, and I've never really been a fan of that movie. The pair are pure entertainers, though, and they made it an event. Sabrina brought all of the energy I've come to love from her work fronting A Giant Dog and Sweet Spirit to her vocals, her dance moves, her splits. Har Mar's ability to work his fans is second to none. He pressed his forehead to mine as he sang "She's Like the Wind." Closeness were a revelation, and I finally -- finally -- got to catch Fascinations Grand Chorus live. The time of my life.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives at FM Jersey City, 12/29/18

I guess I've spent the better part of December kind of in show-going hibernation, maybe just catching a set here and there. Once The RockNRoll Hi-Fives' announced they'd be back from North Carolina for a Jersey City show, though, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see my Japan tour family. CoolMom and I got to see lots of people, actually: The Dickmans, Joe Mango, Steve from the Old Franklin Schoolhouse, some Everymen, Tom (who played) & Stacy Barrett, and more. The RockNRoll Hi-Fives launched more confetti than ever, and the whole place was smiling from ear to ear.

Rosi's Favorite Live Shows of 2018

Rose caught Long Neck 3 times this year. Photo by Rose Lamela

Top 10

Words and Video By Rose Lamela



1. Screaming Females@Monty Hall, Jersey City (Feb 2018)

This band was my favorite band this year, and everyone around me knew as I played their albums over and over again. Screaming Females killed it on the last night of their 3 consecutive sold-out shows at Monty Hall. If you were there, you totally get what I am talking about. They played two encores which included "Jonah" from Baby Teeth. Marissa even jumped into the  crowd while shredding as the cable wrapped around some guys neck who seemed not even to care. Monty Hall was packed to the brim, and the audience was extremely wrapped up in what this trio offered that night. It will remain burned into my brain FOREVER.

2. Screaming Females @Red Wheel Barrow, Paterson  (June 2018)

We already mentioned that I love this band, but this particular show took place in a barn. It was incredibly intimate, and I bumped into some fans that I got to know from other shows. My favorite moment was when I got there. One fan looked at me mad serious and said, "Are they really going to play here? Is this really going to happen?" It totally did. They kicked ass in a barn.

3. Spowder @Monty Hall, Jersey City (Feb 2018)

Spowder played their hearts out as Screaming Females' opener on the magical Monty Hall third sold-out show. I swear there were no breaks as each song seemed to collide into another. Health Palm was already one of my favorite albums in 2017, so to get to see them do it live got them to #3 on my list. I still can't get over how lead singer, Declan McCleary, has to push the cinder block up against the bass drum constantly because Jenna Fairey just keeps kicking it out of place.

I didn’t bring my camera that night, so I used the photos from their show @The Colony for the video clip

4. Operator Music Band @Alphaville, Brooklyn (March 2018)

On one of my adventures when I got sent to the BK to cover Trace Mountains, I bumped into Operator Music Band. I was never a big fan of 80s synth pop or anything like it, but this band sucked me in. They first got my attention as the band had no space on the tiny little stage with all their instruments. I loved the combo of noisy guitar on top of Moog synthesizers. Because of their performance I have had their latest album, Puzzlephonics I & II, on repeat all year.

5. Ulrika Spacek@Baby's All Right, Brooklyn (Oct. 2018)

This was another band I discovered this year. Due to their slight resemblance to Radiohead, I was sold. I got tickets for their show way in advance, so the anticipation killed me. It was worth the wait as their eclectic projector-lit show fit the vibe of this band and their studio albums. After seeing them live, I stopped comparing them so much to Radiohead as they really have their very own original presence and sound.

6. Black Angels@White Eagle Hall, Jersey City (April 2018)

This was my second time at White Eagle Hall, and it was for another band I fell in love with this year. This Austin band has quite the light show and the coolest fans. Everyone was just enjoying The Black Angels trance-y rock and psychedelic images. I was able to get some of my first good photos at this show as I enjoyed an amazing encore which ended with  "Comanche Moon."

7. Parquet Courts@Public Arts, NYC (June 2018)

After attending quite a few venues that were dark and off the beaten path, I will never forget walking into  "Bougie" Public Arts and thinking, aha, there are little places with light!!! I also was heavy into Parquet Courts at the time. It was all I listened to in the summer. They deliver live. They played all my favorites from their last album, Wide Awake, which I think is their best album to date. This show also had 5 female photographers which I had never seen before. It was nice being a part of that.

8. The Shacks@Monty Hall, JC (August 2018)

This was one of the most surprising shows of the year. This band is a must-see live. They go off on jams that are not expected as much of their music is super mellow. Their retro outfits and instruments are so fitting to their sound. You got to hear "Birds" live!!!

9. Ought@Market Hotel, BK (June 2018)

This was a great show at one of my favorite venues. It was summer. It was the NorthSide Music Festival, and I was in the front. To get to hear Ought do "Beautiful Blue Sky" was why I get in the car for hours, get lost and hope to find my car after the show. So worth it!!!

10. Long Neck@Monty Hall, JC (Dec 2018)

There are possibilities this won't be my last show of the year; but if it happens to be, I'm OK with it. To get to see Long Neck for a third time this year was a pleasure. This was by far their best live show that I had the opportunity to say I was part of the audience.

CoolDad's Favorite Albums and EPs of 2018

Heavy Rotation

It's crunch time now. I've been thinking about this list for weeks. In the past, I've done about 30 albums and / or EPs, with a little blurb for each, in a two-part post. I don't really have that in me this year; so I've decided just to list my favorites. I've talked enough about most of them throughout the year, in the "Favorite Songs" post, etc.

These are pretty much just the albums I listened to the most this year. There were long stretches of time when I was too distracted to listen to much of anything; and, clearly, these are heavily concentrated in the genres where I spend most of my time. I'll make an effort in the new year to expand my listening; but, for now, here's where I'm at.

With that all said, here we go in no particular order.

Albums

Superchunk, What a Time to Be Alive -- "Clinging to the myth that you were cheated / Yeah, the myth that you were robbed."

Screaming Females, All at Once -- "She needs to love me still / Until I've had my fill / I try and try to leave / I want to watch you grieve."

Titus Andronicus, A Productive Cough -- "Deplorable forces conspire to fire the lord and to hire a guy who will try to eat more of the portions / A guy who's more boorish, a guy who's more selfish, with elves as his helpers"

Snail Mail, Lush --"It just feels like / The same party every weekend / Doesn't it? Doesn't it?"

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, Re-Introducing The RockNRoll Hi-Fives -- "Then I knew / You and me / Could make a real good team"

Dentist, Night Swimming -- "I'm feeling insecure / Ain't that what life is for?"

Lost Boy ?, Paranoid Fiction -- "I swore that I'd sell my soul / If I could rock like this every day"

Flasher, Constant Image -- "Go, go, living on the inside / Prying eyes, the night, the night / Suicide all the time / Taking over your face and come on"

Bad Moves, Tell No One -- "In the eyes of every cop, don't it seem to say / 'It's criminal. It’s written in the code of your DNA.' / But the pillage and the take, it don't ever stop / 'Cause that's the way they generate, oh"

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Years -- "Too damn tired to walk away / Too tired to make it through another day / Just gonna lie here and complain instead"

Bat Fangs, Bat Fangs -- "Maybe you're just a boy of summer / The kind that you see next year / Maybe you think you got my number / But now I'm gonna disappear"

The Beths, Future Me Hates Me -- "Oh you, you wouldn't like me / If you saw what was inside me / Yeah you, you wouldn't like me / At all"

Well Wisher, This Is Fine -- "What's the meanest you could be / To the one you claim you love? / I know better"

Secretary Legs, Cool Myths -- "And on and on it goes / A sad holiday / A sad holiday"

Hinds, I Don't Run -- "Every night when I am on stage / I picture you in my favorite lines"

Caroline Rose, Loner -- "Bang bang and away she goes..."

Lucy Dacus, Historian -- "In five years, I hope the songs feel like covers / Dedicated to new lovers"

Big Bliss, At Middle Distance -- "Maybe I'm uninspired / Maybe it's just I am losing faith"

Exmaid, Fair Sex -- "We'll see about that / I will be Goddamned / Over my dead body / And other bad words"

Idles, Joy as an Act of Resistance. -- "I'm like Stone Cold Steve Austin / I put homophobes in coffins"

Alice Bag, Blueprint -- "I make 77 cents on the dollar / It's not fair and it makes me want to holler / Yeah you work hard but I work harder / To catch where you are I gotta push myself farther"

Erotic Novels, There Is No Language in Our Love --"What ya know 'bout Jersey? / Don't you know there ain’t nothing left here?"

Culture Abuse, Bay Dream -- "It's been a long year / And I been tryin' / To take it easy"

EPs

Lowlight, Born to Run -- "You see it comin' but you can't stop now"

Yawn Mower, Could Eat, Would Sleep -- "When you get to be, where you're meant to be / Please remember please, what you meant to me"

The Rareflowers, The Rareflowers --  "I'm so scared that I could be alone"

Baked, II -- "There could be something in these walls / There could be nothing"

Roy Orbitron, 8 Million to One -- "I'll root for my heroes / And I'll be singing their songs at the top of my lungs"

Russian Baths, Penance -- "I tried to straighten it out / I'm having bad luck / Out in the poolhouse"

Blushing, Weak -- "No one gets / No one gets / To love you twice"

Live Albums
(A category I put here just so I could add these two releases)

Lowlight, It's Later Than You Think -- "Everybody always bumming cigarettes / Over $30 entrées"

Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires, Live at The Nick -- "We don't want the city turned into a tiny kingdom / We don't want nobody buried beneath the city walls / Tear down the city walls"

What's Going On: 12/27, 12/28, 12/29, 12/30 & 12/31, 2018

There's a farewell party for this beautiful baby at The Saint tonight. Then, The Battery Electric play Bond St. for FREE on NYE with The Vansaders.

Bye Bye, 2018!

This is it. Another year over, as they say. It's been two straight years of shittiness here at CoolDad Music; but, just like every year, there were some high points, too. And, just like every year, I'm resolving to keep on keeping on and to make 2019 a better one. I hope all of your 2018 dreams came true; and I hope you have a wonderful, healthy, and productive 2019.

This weekend there are, obviously, tons of things to do. From free shows to shows with a ridiculous cover charge (that come with a free glass of Cook's or André!) to straight-up cover shows. Whatever you get up to, have fun; be safe; tell people you love them.

And, as always, I'm begging you. Do not drink or otherwise alter your consciousness and get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

Peace!

THURSDAY (12/27)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Open Mic, 8pm

BoonTunes (Boonton): RAINN Benefit ft. Gambo / The Best Of The Worst / Pheller / permanent tension, 7pm, $10

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Melatonin Dreams / 3 Cheers Too Late /Noravilla / The Vincis, 6pm, $10

Debonair Music Hall (Teaneck): Sabbath Unleashed / Death Metallic / Pudding Time, 7pm, $10-$15

Meatlocker (Montclair): Wendigo / Tula Vera / Dirty Band Aid / Paul From The Internet / Situationalist, 8pm, $10

Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn): Thursday / Weekend, 8pm

The Saint (Asbury): Ron Santee Farewell w Brother Andrew / Jason Iverson / Tony Tedesco, 7:30pm, $7

The Stone Pony (Asbury): The Flukes / The Walk Arounds / The Fusions / Flourish / U Might Be Mine / Aqua Aura, 5:30pm, $12-$14

Wellmont Theater (Montclair): The Roots, 7pm, $30-$99.50

Wonder Bar (Asbury): The Werks, 7pm, $15-$18

FRIDAY (12/28)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Nightfires / Quinton Smith & Co / Joseph Pellegrinelli, 9pm

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Homeless Apians / Bone & Marrow, 9pm

BoonTunes (Boonton): Free The Witness / Why Lions? / The Open Minds / A Door With No House, 7pm, $10

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Headmotör / Black Reign / Ancient Mariners, 7pm

Chubby Pickle (Highlands): Candy Cavity / Corey & Kara / S0ulfood, 8pm

FM (Jersey City): Niall Connolly / Nicole Bozutto / Gerald Lucas / Terry Haman Band / Chrissy Roberts / The Sensational Country Blues Wonders / 4th Street Nite Owls / Plastiq Passion / The Bottomless Mimosas, 7pm, $10 suggested donation for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

House Of Independents (Asbury): State Champs / A Will Away / Save Face / In Her Own Words, 5:30pm, SOLD OUT

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Billy Hector, 9pm

Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn): Thursday / Weekend, 8pm

New Lanes (Asbury): Japanese Breakfast / Gabby's World, 9pm

Northside Lounge (Manville): Jenny Cat w Mike Carbone, 9pm

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Dean Shot's Tribute to Howlin' Wolf, 7pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): Whoislyf & Friends, 7:30pm, $10

Stanhope House (Stanhope): Cro-Mags / Stagger / Deathrash / Enrage / Truth In Needles, 6pm

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Clutch / The Messthetics / The Mike Dillon Band / Lionize, 6:30pm

Stone Pony (Asbury): Promised Land (Jersey Band Covers), 7pm, $15-$20

Sunnyvale (Brooklyn): Smock / PowerSnap / North By North / Darkwing, 6pm, $10

Wonder Bar (Asbury): Lowlight / Brian Erickson / The Burns / Tara Dente / The Mercury Brothers / Rachel Ana Dobken / LEEDS / Dave Mooney / Pamela Flores / Christine Mitchell, 7pm, $13-$16

SATURDAY (12/29)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Sonic Blume / Calvin's Love Life / Jwaltzz, 8pm

Asbury Park Brewery (Asbury): Fuck It. I Quit / Suspect / Jigsaw Youth / Watercolor Nightmare, 7pm, $5

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Jet Weston & His Atomic Ranch Hands, 9pm

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): U.S. Bombs / HUGE / The Despised NJ / more, 6:30pm, $18-$22

Convention Hall (Asbury): AP Punk Rock Flea Market ft. The Undead / Yawn Mower / JAWS / Fetal Rage, 10am ($10), 11am ($5)

Debonair Music Hall (Teaneck): Big D and The Kids Table / The Schwam / Joker's Republic, 7pm, $13

FM (Jersey City): The RockNRoll Hi-Fives / Tom Barrett / David's Pegasus / Shithead's Rainbow, 8pm

House Of Independents (Asbury): Game Changer Wrestling, 7pm, $25-$50

In The West (New Brunswick): Spowder / Trü / Joy Cleaner / Gilroy, 8pm, $7

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Los Friends, 9pm

The Met (Philly): Kurt Vile & The Violators / The Feelies / Snail Mail, 6:30pm

Millhill Basement (Trenton): Team Rocket / Ray Strife / Wade Wilson / Jordan Royale / The Fullers / Ben Truckman / DJ Allen, 9pm, $6

Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn): Thursday / Vinnie Caruana, 8pm

New Lanes (Asbury): Margo Price / Lilly Hiatt, 8pm

The Ocelot (Mystic Islands): Closing Party & Final Show, 5pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Pierced / Nuse / Baelfire / Arcd Angel, 7pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): The Green Planet Band, 1pm, $12 (ALL AGES, NO BOOZE)

The Saint (Asbury): Ruby The Hatchet / Sun Voyager / Little Vicious / Daughter Vision, 7:30pm, $10-$12

Stone Pony (Asbury): Light My Fire (Doors Covers), 7pm, $17-$20

Wonder Bar (Asbury): Shady Street Show Band w Des & The Swagmatics / Cranston Dean / The Burns / Oil / The Vaughns / Rob Connelly / Bobby Mahoney & The Seventh Son / Rick Barry / Thee Idea Men / Emily Grove, 7pm, $13-$16

SUNDAY (12/30)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Sandy Mack, 4pm

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Mojohand / Kat Phunk / Syd Murphy, 6pm, $10-$12

Debonair Music Hall (Teaneck): One-7-8 / Nine Eighteen / Goodbye Berlin / Lindsey Candler, 7pm, $10-$15

House Of Independents (Asbury): Monster Magnet / Blue Coupe / Frankenstein 3000 / The Ribeye Brothers, 6pm, $35-$40

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Alex English / Max Connery, 1pm

Mercury Lounge (NYC): Blac Rabbit Run / Cold Fronts / Fruit & Flowers, 8pm

Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn): Thursday / Vinnie Caruana, 8pm

New Lanes (Asbury): Hop Along / Diet Cig, 8pm

Rough Trade NYC (Brooklyn): The Get Up Kids / Active Bird Community / Retirement Party, 8pm, SOLD OUT

The Saint (Asbury): Prospec, 7:30pm, $10

Scarlet Pub (New Brunswick): Jeff Linden & The Black Spot Society / Afraid Brigade / Motor Heart Man, 8pm, $5

Wellmont Theater (Montclair): Dark Star Orchestra, 7pm, $29.50-$65

MONDAY (12/31)

The Asbury Hotel, Asbury Hall (Asbury): Remember Jones, 9pm, $95

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Audra Mariel, 9pm

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Chris Rockwell, 9pm

Bond St. Basement (Asbury): The Battery Electric / The Vansaders, 9pm, FREE

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Unlocking The Truth / Don Jamieson, 7pm, $13-$15

Chubby Pickle (Highlands): Deen Anthony, 8:45pm, $45

Convention Hall (Asbury): NYE ft. DJ Atom Worth / DJ Mike Merrell, 9pm, $120-$150

Count Basie (Red Bank): Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, 9pm, $39-$99

House Of Independents (Asbury): 90s Dance Party, 10pm, FREE

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Des & The Swagmatics, 11pm

Mercury Lounge (NYC): Blac Rabbit Run / Cold Fronts / Fruit & Flowers, 9pm

New Lanes (Asbury): Hop Along / Diet Cig, 10pm

Pet Shop JC (Jersey City): Crazy & The Brains (Rancid Covers) / Pet Shop Fam (Ramones Covers), 8pm, FREE

Rough Trade NYC (Brooklyn): The Get Up Kids / Active Bird Community / Retirement Party, 8pm

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Bonefide, 8:30pm, $85

The Saint (Asbury): Remember Jones Family & Friends, 2am (1/1), $15-$20

Stone Pony (Asbury): Local Bands Doing Covers of 90s Bands, 8pm, $18

TLA (Philly): They Might Be Giants, 9pm

The Trocadero (Philly): Low Cut Connie / Nalani & Sarina / She.is.magick, 8pm

Wonder Bar (Asbury): Cosmic Jerry Band, 8pm, $10

Rosi's 2018, Part I

Screaming Females at Warsaw by Rose Lamela

Photography, Music, CoolDad, and 2018

Words and pictures by Rose Lamela

[I've said it before, but Rosi has become a very important voice here at CoolDad Music in 2018. She approaches every show with the enthusiasm of a true music lover, and I'm not lying when I say that there have been times that her enthusiasm has been the thing that's pushed me to keep going here. She's covered shows for me when I couldn't make it myself. She's suggested shows for coverage that I never would have thought of on my own. She's shot some great videos that I still have to share with you. Most importantly, Rosi has become a true friend and someone I can geek out with over music and photography. This is the first of a few posts from her to close out 2018. I look forward to more contributions from Rosi in 2019, including CoolDad Music's first year of multi-person coverage of SXSW in March. -- CoolDad] 

2018 has been a great year, and my love for music was enhanced in ways that have surpassed my tendency of being the biggest music snob among friends. At the end of 2017, I was at a crossroads. Because of a News Year's resolution, I found an outlet for something that was boiling inside. The dreary end of 2017 was the true push to find something that would get me through the doors of venues with my camera and an opportunity I could never imagine.

I started the year by going into local venues not knowing if I would be denied access to shows with my gear. I researched as much as I could to find photo policies which was not easy. I managed to find some and give music photography a try. I was full of doubt on whether I would be able to pull off getting usable photos while pushing through a crowd and battling with tricky light situations.

I looked up several local music blogs and wondered whether anyone would answer to my desire to be part of one. I got an answer from a local blog that changed my experience as a photographer. I would of never know I would make a new friend who was not only a geek about cameras like me, but someone I wouldn't bore to death when talking about music. I shared a few photos from past shows, but didn't really get a response except that this new friend could get me press passes sometimes.

So I never told Jim, AKA CoolDad, this part of the story. I became a fan of CoolDadMusic overnight. I followed Jim's taste in music, read multiple posts, and listened to many Spotify playlists. I knew the only way I was going to get passes and get my photos up was that I had to listen to what he listens to, and know which of those bands are playing here in North Jersey. The part I never considered was that I would find some new stuff I would also dig.

Long Neck were featured on the blog and were also playing at WFMU's Monty Hall in Jersey City. I reached out again and asked about the show. Jim didn't know if he could make it, so I made sure I did. It actually was a challenge to go, but that's a whole other story. The challenge was absolutely worth it. I shot some photos, and in two days they were up. It was something I thought would take months, and it was only January. After that, I covered over 25 shows.

Long Neck at Monty Hall from back in January

I am a photographer with a secret desire to write. I was always a little shy about the writing part. I would give Jim photos with no words. I had words, but I kept them to myself. One day I was asked to write and I freaked out. I was not going to do that. I go to shows quietly. I had a good friend dare me to do it. Before I knew it, I had words up on the site.

I went to music festivals, got a music pass to SXSW 2019, covered bands I love, fell in love with new bands, covered 18 bands in one night with Jim, covered a show in Manhattan alongside 4 other female photographers, walked through the streets of Brooklyn, got awesome ear plugs, gained confidence as a photographer, invested in pants with lots of pockets, got on guest lists, had great conversations with people in the audience, got to write about Smashing Pumpkins, avoided mosh pits, drank cucumber water at hipster bars, saw Screaming Females 6 times, got a CoolDadMusic t-shirt and baseball cap, got an Instagram account, and loved every minute of it.

Ought at Market Hotel for Northside Festival

2018 has also been the year of watching an amazing indie scene I was never aware of. So many bands are out there and the number of female musicians is very inspiring as well. The talent is overwhelming; and, without the opportunity I was given this year, I would never have known of the emerging scene in Jersey City. I also knew that Asbury once was a place for music, but the scene now is refreshing. It's nice to see The Stone Pony and The Saint still around, but all the new venues that have popped up have filled the once vacant atmosphere into one of beats and fist pumps.

Will Wood and The Tapeworms at White Eagle Hall's first anniversary show in Jersey City.

This year has also made me super proud of being from New Jersey and to call myself a music photographer that gets to cover its music scene. The gear was once heavy but has become part of my outfit. It's also nice to have someone with a dream help you with yours. So this is a year that I am grateful for local music scenes, blogs, and the passion of other music lovers. Without that, I would never be here.


New Brunswick's Glazer at The North Jersey Indie Rock Festival at White Eagle Hall

2019 has some real serious competition. I have a feeling when I step foot on the grounds of Austin, it will feel like a continuation of a a rather amazing step into a mutual relationship between the music and the ones that cover it.

Guest List: The RockNRoll Hi-Fives' Top Fives of 2018

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives at their record release show back in June.

Family Five

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Today, as a present for all of you, America's rockingest family band are here to give you their individual Top Fives of 2018. The band had a big year as they released their first LP, Re-Introducing The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, with Little Dickman Records, toured the United States from coast to coast in their RV, and went on tour to Japan. Their dog and manager, Ziggy, joined them for their U.S. tour; and, along the way, the band introduced us to "Yoga with Joga" through a series of Facebook Live episodes from around the country.

I'll slip another one of my own personal lists in here before we get to what the Centenos have to say:

CoolDad's Top Thing That He Did in 2018

I WENT ON TOUR IN JAPAN WITH THE ROCKNROLL HI-FIVES!!!!

OK. Now, that that's out of the way, here are each of The RockNRoll Hi-Fives with their Top Yoga with Joga Episode, Favorite Tour Stop, Favorite Road Food, Favorite Song, and Favorite Album of 2018.

Gloree

Favorite Yoga with Joga, "Healing Mud"

I loved watching Joga spread "poop" all over his arms and face! I was the one who was to interrupt him and let him know it was poop and not mud he was using. I let the bit go on longer to see how far he would go. He really sinks himself in the role.

Favorite Tour Stop, The Redwood Forest

It's amazing and reminds us of the beauty and majesty of nature and puts things into perspective (at least for me!)

Favorite Road Food, Jane's Pork Carnitas in Boise, ID!

Gracious hosts Jane and Declan fed and cared for us while we were in Boise. Jane is a great cook - lucky for us!

Favorite Song, "All You Can Eat" by Foodie (released on Custard Core Records Japan, 2018)



We had the honor of playing with Foodie on our Japanese tour.  This song is fun, groovy and makes me smile ear to ear.  Give it a listen.  Guaranteed to make you smile!

Favorite Album, Sparkle Hard, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks

I listened to this album on the road quite a bit. It's perfect road music, so reminiscent of Pavement, sweet and melodic as I watched the landscape pass through the RV windows.

Photo: The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

Ziggy

Favorite Yoga with Joga, Joshua Tree when I got to pee on Joga's leg!

It was really hard to wait for my cue, but it was worth it!

Favorite Tour Stop, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA

I loved swimming in the South Fork Eel River.  My humans had to give me a treat to get me out of the water!

Favorite Road Food, BEEF JERKY!

My humans give me beef jerky when we make stops for gas.  And boy do I get excited!

Favorite Song, "Same Mistakes" by The RockNRoll Hi-Fives!

WOOF!



Favorite Album, Re-Introducing the RockNRoll Hi-Fives, The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

Because, duh! It's GREAT!!!

Joe

Favorite Yoga with Joga, "David Lee Roth's House in Pasadena, CA"

Being a huge fan of DLR Joga wanted to do a special pose outside of Roth's home. Our good friends, Doug, Elena and Roxie, who were letting us crash at their house had a map to the stars' so we all crammed into their car and headed over to Diamond Dave's with a broomstick in the trunk. Joga wanted to incorporate a stick with his pose in honor of Dave's love for twirling sticks. It was a crazy episode that left us laughing for hours… Maybe years.

Favorite Tour Stop, Bend, OR

So many incredibly awesome stops; but Bend, OR was a stop I've never been to, and I've been across the USA a few times now. We got to hang with our cousin Chris who was our tour guide for 2 days. We hit a really cool ice cream shop, record store, a few breweries, coffee shop, food trucks, and went down the Deschutes River on tubes. All while our dog Ziggy hung out with Chris's dog Tripps. At night, we sat outside the RV starring at the stars. On the way out, we tried to get a closer look at the stars by stopping at the Pine Mountain Observatory, but the road up was way too rough for the RV. Oh, well. Maybe next time the road will be paved.

Favorite Road Food, Betty's Noodle House, Santa Cruz, CA

This place is Asian food heaven. If you’re into Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai or Korean this is a must stop while passing through town. We played StreetLight Records and this phenomenal restaurant sits right across the street from the record store. It’s really hard to pick one meal on the menu so we ordered a bunch of meals to go and ate it for the next three days in the RV. YUM!

Favorite Song

This is a tough one so i have 3:

"Corked" by Dentist

"Erasure" by Superchunk (which they also have a fun video for)



"Birthday Suit" by Lost Boy ?

Favorite Album, Paranoid Fiction, Lost Boy ? and Constant Image, Flasher

Evren

Favorite Yoga with Joga, "Hacapaki Bird"

All throughout tour, my dad was OBSESSED with making Jogas. He was constantly taking about them; and, when I would sit in the front passenger seat on long drives, it seemed like all we did was write and rehearse these Jogas. Most mornings, I would be woken up by dad going, "Joga, let's go!"

I would drag myself out of bed and do whatever insane task he needed me to do. This time, we were in the Redwood Forest, and he had a special Joga planned. He handed me a bottle that was filled with a mix of hair conditioner and water. This episode has so many quotable moments. Watching my dad put on this crazy persona while standing on a picnic bench in an RV park at 9 am trying not to laugh will stick with me forever. When he leans his head back and I squirt him with the poop he made, it is just hilarious. He had his eyes closed so he had no idea when it was coming. And that stuff was really cold, too. He was supposed to make a bird call while Eilee panned the camera up, making it look like the Hacapaki came, but he ended up doing half the call because he cracked up laughing. We had to walk through the park with him drenched in conditioner. If anyone was watching I can't imagine what they were thinking.

We always bring up this episode when talking about Joga, and it's one of the reasons Joga is such an awesome thing that will forever be with us.

Favorite Tour Stop, Austin, TX

Austin has a super cool mix between a really big city filled to the brim with people and a small community where everyone comes together. There are so many cool places from Waterloo Records, Blues on the Green to Barton Springs, which is a crystal clear natural pool and creek. It has a diverse culture, and you can find incredible arts and food in the area. And speaking food...

Favorite Road Food, Chuy's, Austin, TX

Austin is home to some of the best Mexican food and Chuy's is no exception. The vibe is awesome. The rooms have crazy objects throughout. Our room had tires plastered on the walls. It was just really unique. The service was great, and the food was incredible. Their burritos are reeeaaally good and ginormous. They're also super cheap, so it's a great stop on tour.

Favorite Song, "Bodys" by Car Seat Headrest

I guess this isn't a "new song" as it's a remake of the original 2011 version, but I never listened to Twin Fantasy until this year, and my first experience with it was the new version that came out this year. This song is just so much fun with the dance beat that starts the track and the funny and wacky lyrics. Will Toledo's style of awkwardness is something that most songwriters don't use, and it's really memorable. The chorus is great and so powerful, and the main riff is really special. I think the song is super awesome and probably the best Car Seat Headrest song, but that's debatable.

Favorite Album, Some Rap Songs, Earl Sweatshirt



There were so many albums I enjoyed this year from the crazy and experimental Veteran by JPEGMAFIA to the catchy and incredibly written Twin Fantasy by Car Seat Headrest. But only recently was my favorite released. I've been a huge Earl Sweatshirt fan for a long time and for good reason. Every single one of his projects is genre-defying and incredible. In November, he released Some Rap Songs, his first album in 3 years. It's really not a typical rap album. Earl's beats are some of the most beautiful ever made in the genre. His use of old samples and dry samples makes for an incredible experience. None of the songs are catchy because they don't need to be. Earl Sweatshirt is known to be a rapper that strings together words to make sick rhyme schemes; but, on this album, he drops that. His lines are short and simple. He keeps it brief. All of this combined makes an unforgettable album that is one of the best rap albums of the decade.

Eilee

Favorite Yoga with Joga, "Red Rocks Amphitheater"

I was always behind the camera while all of Joga's craziness was going on, and I have to say that the episode at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado was my favorite episode. We were staying with our friends, Brian and Meghan, in Denver when we took their oldest daughter, Adele, who is 9 years old, for a ride in the RV to the Red Rocks Amphitheater.

During our tour, we were always brainstorming Joga video ideas' and we had an idea where a little kid beats up Joga, and Adele was perfect for the part. While we were really excited to film the video, Adele was not... She told us she wanted to be an actress when she was older but was too nervous to film the Joga episode. The whole time we were at the amphitheater, we kept trying to encourage her to participate in the video by repeating the lines and acting out what she had to do. Our hopes for the video were getting smaller; but, as we were leaving, we found the perfect spot to film Somehow, it all came together. All our Joga videos were shot live on FB, so they were one take. I said action. Adele knew exactly what to do and executed the part perfectly. She was amazing! Afterwards, we bought ice cream to thank Adele for her great acting skills.

Favorite Tour Stop, Kobe, Japan

All of these categories are so hard for me to choose because we have been so lucky to get to travel the world on tour. My favorite tour stop this year was Kobe, Japan. We got to spend a few days in Kobe, and I fell in love with the city.

Kobe is located on a mountain and surrounded by water. The city has beautiful scenery and flowers all around, but it also has huge skyscrapers and colorful buildings. When we were in Kobe, we went hiking to the Nunobiki Herb Garden. I think that everyone can attest that the hike was hell, but the view was amazing. We got to see waterfalls, lakes, lookout points to view the city, and a huge flower garden. However, we weren't prepared for the uphill hike. We didn't bring water, and nobody had the appropriate shoes; but it was still fun. If you were going to Kobe and were going to hike to the garden, I would suggest taking the cable car up and hiking down. Don't do what we did, which was the opposite.

Above Kobe, Japan

Kobe is filled with history; and, on our first day we went to the Ikuta Shrine, which was amazing. CoolDad (who was with us in Japan) ate raw chicken in Kobe and lived to tell about it. Thanks for taking one for the team! Everyone got hot coffee from a vending machine on our last night in Japan, which was something I’ve never seen. The can was so hot it burned just holding it. How does Japan do it?! We also played our last show of the tour in Kobe, which was really special and definitely sad. I did not want to leave! I'm so glad that I will always have these memories and got to experience this tour with the most amazing people I know!

Favorite Road Food

This is really hard, since we had amazing food at so many places; but one day stands out as far as food for me. At the beginning of tour, we stopped in New Orleans for the day to see our friends John and Cecily. Cecily was working, so John took us to the French Quarter; and we walked around for hours. It was the most perfect day!

It had just rained, so there weren't many people out; and it wasn't so hot out. On our adventure, we stopped for beignets, which were amazing. If you've never tried them they are a popular pastry that are kind of like zeppole. For lunch, we stopped at the Royal House, which was located in the middle of the French Quarter. I had a shrimp Po'Boy for the first time, and it was awesome. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew I had to try one since we were only in New Orleans for one day and it was my first time there. Then, later in the day, we met up with Cecily and went to Robears for snowballs. Snowballs are a popular ice cream in New Orleans where you choose a flavor of soft serve ice cream, and then they cover and top the soft serve ice cream in flavored shaved ice. I got chocolate soft serve with raspberry shaved ice. I had a great time visiting John and Cecily and trying traditional New Orleans food.

Favorite Song, "Sober to Death" by Car Seat Headrest

I personally wrote my 50 favorite songs of 2018 just for myself because I was bored and procrastinating doing my homework and I wrote down "Bodys" by Car Seat Headrest as my favorite song of the year. Now, thinking about it, I change my mind to "Sober to Death" by Car Seat Headrest.



While I don't think this is the best song off of Twin Fantasy (Face to Face), it is special to me. When I first got into Car Seat Headrest, I watched Will Toledos's NPR Tiny Desk performance; and he played this song and I thought it was amazing. I looked it up later and started listening to the original Twin Fantasy (Mirror to Mirror) record Toledo released in 2011, when he was only nineteen and recorded his music in his car. I was so excited to hear the new album and even more excited to hear a new version of "Sober to Death." In my opinion, Toledo is one of the best lyricists and songwriters of his generation, and this song showcases his talents. I love the slow verse into the melodic chorus. The song flows so well, and the ending is beautiful where the song breaks down and he repeatedly sings "Don't worry. You and me won't be alone no more."

Favorite Album, The Nude Party, The Nude Party

Thinking about all of the music that was released this year is very overwhelming. This year some of my favorite bands released albums including Hinds, The Frights, The Front Bottoms, Soccer Mommy, Superchunk, and the list goes on and on. I think my favorite album of 2018 is The Nude Party's self titled LP.

I had never heard of this band until this year when I saw Twin Peaks posting about their album. I was curious to hear it. I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed their sound. I have never liked psychedelic garage rock music before; but, for some reason, I was totally drawn to this band. The music was so fun and experimental yet catchy at the same time. When I first heard "Records" and "Feels Alright" I couldn't stop listening to the songs. "Chevrolet Van" is probably my favorite song off the album because, when they released their record, it was during the summer; and we were on tour and I totally related to the lyrics. ”You'll never make enough money / and no one cares about the things you say / You're gonna wake up someday / And you'll wish you got a job." It is so cool to be in a band with my parents who have showed me that I can do anything and are supportive.

I also wanted to mention that Jim (personally and not personally) has turned me onto a lot of music this year. Through his Instagram posts, album reviews on his website, and talking to him about what he's been listening to I found some of my favorite bands through him. I found bands like Bully, Charly Bliss, Hinds, and Flasher.

At the end of this year, Jim posted about the band Flasher and my dad and I started listening to them, watching their videos, and listening to the album around the house. We had never heard of this band until Jim posted about them, and now Constant Image is one of my favorite albums. I also saw through show reviews and pictures from SXSW that Jim really liked Bully, Hinds, and Charly Bliss. While I was aware of Bully and Hinds, I never really listened to them; but, after I saw him posting a lot about them, I listened to their records and now I look up to the bands. Same with Charly Bliss.

Moral of the story...read Jim's articles, follow him on instagram, and check out what he's listening to. He has great taste in music and you may just find your new favorite band through him.

[CoolDad Note: *sniff*]