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Listening Parties for Akron/Family's ...Shinju TNT
Mike McKinley
January 3, 2011


Akron/Family - "So It Goes" from ...Shinju TNT



Official Video for "So It Goes":


State of Mind and Angioplasty Media will host the Burlington listening party for Akron/Family's new record (out February 8th on Dead Oceans) at Parima's Acoustic Lounge. It's free! (Here's the Facebook event page if you feel inclined to invite some people).

There will listening parties all over the place on January 7th, 8th and 9th -- if you're interested in throwing one or locating one near you‚ here's the info from Akron/Family:

Friends‚ family‚ and loved ones are going to be hosting listening parties for Shinju TNT all around the US the weekend of Jan 8th. Please come out and join/hang/listen.

If one is in your town‚ please help spread the word on facebook or twitter‚ and if there is not one in your town‚ don't get bummed‚ get proactive in this new year---->set one up. We still need places in Florida and Maine‚ and Missoula and Tahoe!

All you need is a stereo‚ a public place where people can join you‚ and a copy of the record that we will send you. Even a boombox in a parking deck is cool with us. But everyone has to burn the cd at the end and take a picture of it on fire so there are no leaks. We'll host all the photos : )

If you want to set one up‚ email us here: shinjutnt@gmail.com

Below are details so far.....we will send out final details next week!

01/07 Missoula, MT- The Badlander, 9pm

01/08 St Paul, MN- Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar, 4pm
01/08 Hamden, CT- Yoga Studio, 5pm
01/08 Asheville, NC- Harvest Records, 6pm
01/08 Summertown, TN- The Farm School, 6pm
01/08 Brooklyn, NY- Zebulon, 7pm
01/08 Cleveland, OH- Loop in Tremont, 7pm
01/08 New Orleans, LA- Sound Cafe, 7pm
01/08 Long Beach, CA- It's A Grind Coffeehouse, 7pm
01/08 Detroit, MI- The Burton, 8pm
01/08 Tarrytown, NY- Coffee Lab Roasters, 8pm
01/08 Providence, RI- The Apartment, 8pm
01/08 Chicago, IL- Blind Robin, 9pm
01/08 Eugene, OR- The Yellow House, 9pm
01/08 Winnipeg, MB- Jonnies Sticky Buns, 9pm
01/08 San Diego, CA- Media Arts Center San Diego, 10pm
01/08 Portland, OR- Tiga, 10pm w/ DJ Survival Sklz

01/09 Summertown, TN- The Farm School, 6pm
01/09 Williamsport, PA- Uptown Music Collective, 6pm
01/09 Oakland, CA- Commonwealth Cafe & Pub, 6pm
01/09 Ann Arbor, MI- Elmo's, 7pm
01/09 Washington DC- The Space, 7pm
01/09 Edinburg, Scotland- Cafe Diablo, 8pm
01/09 Burlington, VT-Acoustic Lounge @ Parima Thai Restaurant, 8pm Parima
01/09 Durham, NC- Pinhook, 8pm
01/09 Red Bluff, CA- Tips Tavern, 8pm
01/09 Seattle, WA- The Unicorn, 9pm w/ DJ CMRTYZ

US TOUR DATES 4 AKAK SHINJU TNT DREAMERS
2/17/2011‚ Brooklyn‚ NY‚ Knitting Factory
2/18/2011‚ Boston‚ MA‚ Brighton Music Hall
2/19/2011‚ Montreal‚ Qc‚ Il Motore
2/20/2011‚ Toronto‚ ON‚ Horseshoe Tavern
2/21/2011‚ OFF‚ OFF‚ OFF
2/22/2011‚ Detroit‚ mi‚ Lager House
2/23/2011‚ Bloomington‚ IN‚ The Bishop
2/24/2011‚ Chicago‚ IL‚ Lincoln Hall
2/25/2011‚ Minneapolis‚ MN‚ Cedar Cultural Center
2/26/2011‚ Iowa City‚ IA‚ The Mill
2/27/2011‚ OFF‚ OFF‚ OFF
2/28/2011‚ St Louis‚ MO‚ Billiken Club
3/1/2011‚ Cincinnati‚ OH‚ MOTR Pub
3/2/2011‚ Columbus‚ OH‚ Wexner Center for Arts at OSU
3/03/2011‚ Cleveland Heights‚ OH‚ Grog Shop
3/4/2011‚ Philadelphia‚ PA‚ The Blockley Pourhouse
03/05/2011‚ New York‚ NY‚ Bowery Ballroom

3/24/2011‚ Seattle‚ WA‚ Neumo's Crystal Ball Reading Room
3/25/2011‚ Vancouver‚ BC‚ The Biltmore Cabaret
3/26/2011‚ Portland‚ OR‚ Wonder Ballroom
3/27/2011‚ OFF‚ OFF‚ OFF
3/28/2011‚ Salt Lake City‚ UT‚ Urban Lounge
3/29/2011‚ Denver‚ CO‚ Marquis Theater
3/30/2011‚ OFF‚ OFF‚ OFF
3/31/2011‚ Dallas‚ TX‚ The Loft
4/01/2011‚ Austin‚ TX‚ The Parish
4/2/2011‚ tba
4/3/2011‚ Santa Fe‚ NM‚ Corazon
4/4/2011‚ Phoenix‚ AZ‚ Rhythm Room
4/5/2011‚ OFF‚ OFF‚ OFF
4/06/2011‚ Los Angeles‚ CA‚ Echo
4/7/2011‚ Santa Barbara‚ CA‚ Soho Restaurant & Music Club
4/8/2011‚ San Francisco‚ CA‚ Independent
4/9/2011‚ Oakland‚ CA‚ The New Parish 40 Best Albums & Songs of 2010
Adam King
December 19, 2010
2010 Albums of the Year

1) Dr. Dog - Shame‚ Shame
2) LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
3) Mice Parade - What it Means to Be Left-Handed
4) Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
5) Black Keys - Brothers
6) Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
7) Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
8) Beach House - Teen Dream
9) Caribou - Swim
10) The Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards
11) Broken Bells - Broken Bells
12) Stereolab - Not Music
13) Sleigh Bells - Treats
14) Das Racist - Shut Up‚ Dude
15) Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern
16) The Electric Anthology Project - The Electric Anthology Project
17) MGMT - Congratulations
18) Gold Panda - Lucky Shinier
19) Spoon - Transference
20) How to Dress Well - Love Remains
21) Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
22) Avey Tare - Down There
23) Yeasayer - Odd Blood
24) Pretty Lights - Making Up a Changing Mind
25) Best Coast - Crazy For You
26) LCD Soundsystem - London Sessions
27) Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love
28) Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
29) Chromeo - Business Casual
30) Wavves - King of the Beach
31) Small Black - New Chain
32) Girl Talk - All Day
33) Twin Sister - Color Your Life
34) Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
35) Die Antwoord - $0$
36) Plants and Animals - La La Land
37) Aloe Blacc - Good Things
38) John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up
39) Rough Francis - Introducing Rough Francis
40) Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks

2010 Songs of the Year

1) Dr. Dog - "Nobody Knows Who You Are"
2) Thom Yorke - Give Up the Ghost"
3) Panda Bear - Slow Motion"
4) Caribou - "Lalibela"
5) LCD Soundsystem - "I Can Change"
6) Beach House - Silver Soul"
7) Marnie Stern - "For Ash"
8) Sleigh Bells - "Rill Rill"
9) Dr. Dog - "I Only Wear Blue"
10) Mice Parade - "Do Your Eyes See Sparkles"
11) MGMT - "Congratulations"
12) Das Racist - "You Oughta Know"
13) Cloud Nothings - "Hey Cool Kid"
14) Gold Panda - "You"
15) Spoon - "Mystery Zone"
16) Sufjan Stevens - "Impossible Soul"
17) Dr. Dog - "Shadow People"
18) LCD Soundsystem - "All I Want"
19) Mice Parade - "In Between Times"
20) Flying Lotus - "And the World Laughs With You"
21) Stereolab - "Neon Beanbag (Atlas Sound Mix)"
22) The Dead Weather - "The Difference Between Us"
23) The Black Keys - "I'm Not the One"
24) Twin Sister - "All Around and Away We Go"
25) Gorillaz - "Empire Ants"
26) Miniature Tigers - "Gold Skull"
27) Pretty Lights - "Total Fascination"
28) Belle & Sebastian - "Ghost of Rockschool"
29) Small Black - "Photojournalist"
30) Best Coast - "When I'm With You"
31) Stereolab - "Silver Sands (Emperor Machine Mix)"
32) Working For a Nuclear Free City - "Alphaville"
33) Tamaryn - "Sandstone"
34) MGMT - "Someone's Missing"
35) How to Dress Well - "Suicide Dream 2"
36) Girl Talk - On and On"
37) Yeasayer - "O.N.E."
38) Gorillaz - "Stylo"
39) Black Angels - "Telephone"
40) No Age - "Glitter" 10 Best Songs of 2010
Mike McKinley
December 13, 2010
1. "Night Has Fallen" - American Babies



Tom Hamilton has written a lot of good songs with American Babies and Brothers Past‚ but "Night Has Fallen" is by far his best. This is the first time I've heard him tap into the universal language of a great song -- he sounds wise‚ confident and thoughtful like so many of his heroes (think the Boss‚ Lennon‚ Dylan). You feel like you've walked in his shoes on this one -- you see your family‚ neighbors‚ and friends‚ and you feel all their hope and despair. (Visit American Babies)


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2. Dr. Dog - "Nobody Knows Who You Are"



Any song from their album Shame‚ Shame could make this list -- every track is that good. But this post-Shame‚ Shame release hit hardest. "Nobody Knows Who You Are" feels like the culmination of writing and recording ten great tracks for Shame‚ Shame. They're so hot right now that I feel like they should write a shitty song just to get it out of their system. Go snag it for free over at Spinner. (Visit Dr. Dog)


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3. Kaki King - "Sunnyside"



About ten years ago‚ Kaki arrived as a one-of-a-kind guitar virtuoso‚ playing only instrumental music. Her last three records or so‚ she's developed into a great singer and great songwriter. On Junior -- her latest and second record working with producer Malcolm Burn -- she ends the album with "Sunnyside." It's certainly the most vulnerable‚ cathartic‚ and emotional song I've ever heard her sing. And it's remarkable that after about 50 listens throughout the year‚ it still gives me chills. (Visit Kaki King)


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4. Marco Benevento - "Music is Still Secret"



Marco told me earlier this year: "Being at concert and almost falling asleep is the best. I know that sounds weird‚ but if the music can make you drift that far where your mind wanders to the point where you're not even thinking‚ well… that's the goal. This album [Between Needles and Nightfall] has a lot of those relentless loops that make you want to drift and dream." Yep‚ and "Music is Still Secret" did it the most for me. (Visit Marco Benevento)


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5. LCD Soundsystem - "All I Want"



James Murphy knows how to write them -- thick grooves and masterful use of repetition makes every song feel like an adventure. Then add lyrics and a vocal delivery that can be equally ridiculous/funny/absurd as it is emotional and heartfelt: you have music that feels as right as hanging out with your best friends. This is Happening is filled with great tunes‚ but I can't seem to escape "All I Want." (Visit LCD Soundsystem)


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6. Spoon - "The Mystery Zone"



Just listen to the placement of the bass notes. All the parts are simple‚ but they're used in the most interesting ways possible. That's what I love about Spoon. My favorite off of Transference. (Visit Spoon)


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7. Plants and Animals - "The Mama Papa"



It's arguable that Plants and Animals' forte is writing long‚ rock epics that slowly build and tell the story. But this 4-minute rocker off of La La Land shows how awesome they can be when they're being immediate. (Visit Plants and Animals)


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8. Vijay Iyer - "Epistrophy"



Sure‚ it's a classic Monk composition‚ but this track off of Solo is totally Vijay. He comes up with his own unique resolutions to Monk's puzzles‚ and adds plenty of riveting twists and turns‚ building one great idea on top of another. Since I almost fell out of my chair listening to this for the first time‚ it will always hold a special place in my heart. (Visit Vijay Iyer)


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9. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - "Hamby's Window"



Classic Fred: there's an eerie intensity that keeps you on the edge of your seat‚ it swings like a motherfucker‚ and then the onslaught. And then the onslaught's onslaught. (Visit JFJO)


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10. Rubblebucket - "Came Out of a Lady"

They're pumping out both catchy and sonically interesting tunes. Expect a bunch more in 2011 - they're hot. (Visit Rubblebucket)

Listen: Nathan Moore's "Hollow" from Dear Puppeteer
Mike McKinley
December 13, 2010
Nathan Moore has a new record coming out February 1 on Royal Potato Family. Here's "Hollow" from Dear Puppeteer -- a song that's been in Nathan's live repertoire for a while and one of my favorites. This one always crushes me.




Nathan Moore - "Hollow"
"Hollow" | Nathan Moore by Royal Potato Family Listen: Buru Style - "Dreidel‚ Dreidel"
Mike McKinley
December 7, 2010
Make your holiday season funky with Buru Style's The Omnidenominational Holiday Experience -- pick up a copy here.

Buru Style - "Dreidel‚ Dreidel"