Kurt Vile at Bowery Ballroom
Annick Mayer made it out to Kurt Vile’s epic 2 hour long set last night at the Bowery Ballroom. She took some pictures to share with ya’ll!
Party Playlist: This is Your Cinco De Mayo
This week’s playlist is dedicated to anyone hosting a Cinco de Mayo party. The day known among Mexicans as the day they kicked ass in a battle they shouldn’t have won against an invading French army. Contrary to popular belief the French used to be good a not losing. To Americans the day is known as an excuse to get drunk on Coronas an Margaritas while eating our fill of chips and salsa. In the spirit of creating a more authentic celebration, we went to some friends in Mexico City to find out what’s on their playlist when they want to party. What follows is sure to take any Cinco de Gringo/Drinko de Mayo bash to the next level.
Check out the playlist here: Party Playlist: This is Your Cinco De Mayo
Now, just as a man cannot live on bread alone (or so they say), a party cannot live on music alone. So we’d also like to share our foolproof margarita recipe. All you need to remember is 3, 2, 1.
The Perfect Margarita:
3 parts (1.5 oz) Tequila Blanco (preferably one that is 100% agave based, like Camarena or Milagro)
2 parts (1 oz.) Grand Marnier (or Simple Syrup, if you prefer yours a little less strong)
1 part (.5 oz) lime juice
- Shake over ice and strain into a salted glass
If you want to get a little funky with it, try one of these variations (listed from easy to complicated)
Blood Orange Margarita
3 parts (1.5 oz) Tequila Blanco
2 parts (1 oz.) Grand Marnier or Simple Syrup
1 part (.5 oz) Blood orange juice (always fresh)
- Shake over ice and strain into a salted glass
Smokey-Watermelon Margarita
3 parts (1.5 oz) Tequila Blanco
2 parts (1 oz.) Simple Syrup
1 part (.5 oz) lime juice
1 part (.5 oz) Mezcal*
4 cubes fresh Watermelon, muddled in the bottom of the glass
- Shake over ice and strain into a salted glass
Passion-Pepper Margarita
3 parts (1.5 oz) Ancho Pepper-infused Tequila Blanco**
2 parts (1 oz.) Grand Marnier or Simple Syrup
1 part (.5 oz) lime juice
1 part (.5 oz) passionfruit nectar
- Shake over ice and strain into a salted glass
*Mezcal is another Mexican spirit that is very close to tequila but has a smokey quality to it. Sort of like the difference between Irish and Scottish whiskey.
**To make Ancho infused Tequila, put 1 ancho chile into a jar with 750 ml of tequila. Let it infuse overnight, up to 24 hours, then strain the tequila back into the bottle. Anchos are dried Poblano peppers which have a mild spice and a sweet, almost raisin-like flavor. You can find them in most grocery stores.
More, More, More: Every Band That’s Playing at SXSW, Pretty Much
This playlist is a leviathan, it is a behemoth of music. I’d like to invite you to take a trip down the rabbit hole that is the massive sxsw comprehensive-ish playlist ‘13. It is 1,325 Tracks from the 1,325 artists that are going to be gracing the music festival with their presence.
It’s what you want right? You’re not afraid?
Yes it’ll be rigorous - just like the sxsw is rigorous. I have faith in you. You can listen to all of this music. You can go to all the shows. You can be a champion.
Good luck!
Mosh Pits: Where Semi-Able-Minded Humans Act Like Gas Particles
Important research: According to scientists, people act like randomized gas particles in a mosh pit. Whatever you do don’t miss the simulator.
I was a part of the hardcore crowd in the mid-aughts. I went to a Brand New show and my friend had half of his tooth punched out. I might have been the one to punch him in the face (I certainly don’t claim it but we have our suspicions - also I was his best man at his wedding). He was bleeding and my fist was swollen up. He had to go to the dentist and I had to get an x-ray. I had to get surgery on my hand to fix it and Rob now has a fake molar. We saw Thrice and mewithoutYou shortly after and I wrapped my cast styrofoam.
Does that sound like the kinda scene to act like random gas particles?
Amanda Brown Visits the Butter Studios
Amanda Brown, a finalist on the Voice and an amazing vocalist, stopped by the studios last week Friday to record with our Creative Director and Lead Composer Andrew Sherman!
Her powerful voice blows us away every time she’s in the studio!
Cut Me Some Slack by Paul McCartney and Nirvana
That was Paul McCartney of the Beatles playing with members of Nirvana performing “Cut Me Some Slack.” I might be repeating myself at this point but it bears some repeating.
When I first heard that this was a thing I was like - oh boy - “Here Comes the Grunge” - but now I just feel stupid and silly about that. Making (terrible) jokes when this all is obviously so right? It’s like pizza with pineapple and ham on it - that mess shouldn’t taste as good as it does! I expect to hear some more great things from this collaboration soon.
I’m going to leave you a little something that represents how I still feel on the matter - warning this link includes a cat -
Kishi Bashi’s “It’s Christmas but it’s Not White Here in Our Town”
NPR’s All Songs Considered is covering the release of Kishi Bashi’s newest treat for the Holidays. While he says that it’s impossible to sport the winter without the Christmas classics like Bing and Sinatra - Kishi’s sparkling arrangement reflects Christmas camp but is at odds with the song’s brevity and a longing vocal performance. It all comes across delightfully melancholic!
The track is to be released on a 7” vinyl and keeping with the Holiday spirit all the proceeds are going to be donated to charity.
Giorgio Morodor discovers Soundcloud, Doesn’t Stop
Don’t Stop Giorgio - Push It To The Limit. As FACT is reporting (and subsequently Pitchfork) the disco-era legend has discovered Soundcloud and has been uploading all sorts of goodies and rarities collected from his decades long career. I already knew his bigger hits - but never would I have thought they’d be available in this context. It’s all so curious!
He’s reached the upload limit twice and is on his third account. At 72 y.o. the dude is a machine.
Butter Playlist 9.20.12
Spotify is great - but it is also weird. Have you ever listened to Larry Norman? Rita Moss? The Gaurdian has an ongoing series called 101 Strangest Records on Spotify. Not only the music is trippy - the people are just as strange and curious. Toni Arthur was known for being in a children’s show called Play Away - but she also collected and sang old English and Scottish folk songs with her hubby David!?
Spotify is to weird old records as Mongolia is to dinosaur bones. Crazy.
Speaking of crazy. I have playlist for you to check out. There aren’t any Norwegian Folk songs - but there are recently released downloadable content across the internet. Also Sky Ferreira.
I also made it available to follow and download via the Spotify at the link.
Link to download the tracks and a track listing are after the jump!
Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” as performed by Dirty Loops
This is pretty much a video full of juxtapositions - younger Swedish dudes - each look like they should be in a pop, pop-hardcore and blues-rock respectively - play Adele’s Grammy winning sad tune “Rolling in the Deep” in an 80’s fusion aesthetic.
You would ask “what could go wrong?” - thinking that the “what” should really be “everything” - as in “everything could go wrong.”
But they got major chops! Does this mean that we can have more 80s jazz-fusion in our lives?
