photo credit: Lauren Novik

2010’s slowly coming to an end, and at BNB we’re counting it down with a Best of 2010 Awards list. For this week’s playlist, here are songs from some of the nominees for Best Artist.

“Janglin” – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

ES&MZ is no stranger to this site: the LA-based band of merry musicians has been covered by three of our staffers. At LA’s Sunset Junction, Lauren Novik said, “the overly enthusiastic crowd evolved into mass chaos when [frontman Alex] Ebert hopped from stage into the press pit and then into the crowd, on a mission to maintain close connection with his minions. [...] That’s when it hit me.  Looking out into the sea of overzealous and ever-excited fans, I could finally see for myself just how intense- and just how immense the crowd was.  Presiding over this many people night after night at live shows- no wonder there were rumors circulating regarding a possible prophet persona.”

Read more posts on ES&MZ from Lauren Novik, Cervante Pope and Monica Christoffels.

“Fingertip” – Aqualung

Last spring, Leona Laurie caught Aqualung at The Bootleg Theater in LA. Leona wrote, “The first songs in the set were beautiful and melancholy. [Matt Hales's] wife, Kim Oliver, joined him on stage for a few numbers, and around the 9th song, so did Ehren. Over the course of the rest of the set, the tempo and mood of the songs rose, and more and more people filled the stage. ‘Fingertip’ was the penultimate song in the set, featuring Kim Oliver, Krista Polvere, Ehren, and Mark . After the traditional pretend end of the show, Aqualung treated the audience to a long encore made up of requests shouted from the crowd.”

Read the rest of Leona’s review and watch a video of ‘Fingertip’ here.

“Pala Tute” – Gogol Bordello

Gogol Bordello visited Eugene, Oregon’s McDonald Theatre in October, and Monica Christoffels was there to review the show. Monica wrote, “Although this band has performed in numerous high-profile venues around the globe with artists such as Flogging Molly and Madonna, Gogol Bordello plays without pretentiousness – as comfortably and intimately as they would an underground club in New York City. They delight in their worldliness, though, and their ability to share it with the crowd, who eagerly ate up every multi-lingual lyric.”

Read the rest of Monica’s review and watch videos of the concert here.

“King of Spain” – The Tallest Man on Earth

Before we revamped our Weekend Playlist, staffers used to make their own mixes for BNB. Last July, Kelly Montgomery created a Summer Mix that included The Tallest Man on Earth. Kelly wrote, “This is as exuberant and humorous as indie-folk gets, and Kristian Matsson is the perfect, strange character to bring it to life. It’s Americana folk music sung by a Swede who sounds more than a bit like Bob Dylan. When he howls ‘I want to be the king of Spain!’ it’s difficult not to join right in. Play this once you’ve had a few beers and the joyousness will be palpable.”

Check out the rest of Kelly’s summer mix.

“Space Tree” – Medium Troy

Eugene’s “bohemian dub” musicians were featured this summer by Monica Christoffels. Monica wrote, “Formed in October 2006, Medium Troy had a lightning-fast rise to fame: within eight months the guys were opening for artists such as Lil’ Wayne, State Radio, The Abyssynians and Sean Kingston. Locally, MT’s cultivated such a strong following that the band’s most loyal fans and street promoters are known as the ‘Squirrel Crew’ (‘Kids are kind of squirrely,’ JoJo Ferreira said in a March interview with the Register-Guard). Such devotion from Eugenians has earned them the title “Kings of the WOW Hall,” selling out an unprecedented number of shows at the venue and winning awards such as Favorite Local Band and Best Musical Performance of 2009.”

Read more about Medium Troy here.

“Bullfighter Jacket” – Miniature Tigers

Last month, Cervante Pope caught Miniature Tigers in Costa Mesa. In her review, she wrote, “The massive excitement started once Miniature Tigers started playing. I had never heard the band before, but I definitely do approve. They were even kind enough to have one of their biggest fans come up on stage and play drums for some of the songs. Charlie (lead vox) and Rick (vox and keys) had stage antics that made the band’s presence much more worthy of credit besides just being an opening act.”

Read the rest of Cervante’s review here.

“I Can Change” – LCD Soundsystem

Last May, Todd Prodanovich reviewed LCD Soundsystem’s latest album, This is Happening. Todd wrote, “There were bits of brilliance in previous albums, but it almost seems like [James] Murphy was self conscious about really showing off what his chords are capable of. Pulling out the stops was one of the better decisions of his musical career, and it helps the album tremendously. His vocals are very versatile, from the soft echoes of songs like the bubbly electronic ‘I Can Change,’ to the more rocking parody of your local bar scene in ‘Drunk Girls.’”

Read the rest of Todd’s review here.

“Tell ‘Em” – Sleigh Bells

Todd also featured Sleigh Bells in October, just before the band’s show in Santa Barbara. Todd wrote, “The New York two-piece has proven with their 2010 debut album Treats that they are stomping out a path that has not been previously travelled. [...] You can call them dance rock, electro thrash, or even heavy metal for all I care, and in any case you would be both completely right and totally wrong. Songs like ‘Tell ‘Em’ and ‘A/B Machines’ have some heavy electronic influence, but they are executed in a way that no other electronic acts have attempted before. [...] Their sound seems to be coming from every direction already, and then when you think you finally have a thorough understanding of their music, you hear the melodic acoustics of ‘Rill Rill’ and realize that you may still have no idea.”

Read more about Sleigh Bells here.

“Conversations Missed” – Benny Marchant

Laurel Kathleen reviewed Benny Marchant’s show in October, and got to chat with the artist after the show. Here’s an excerpt of her conversation with Benny.

LK: Your LP Cold Weather is set to release early next year. Any hints as to the content of the album?

BM: We’ve got some other songs that I’ve definitely held back that are not on the EP that I’m excited for. It’s the same kind of vibe, and [producer Joe] Chicarelli just did a really good job of turning it into a record. I had given him 25 songs and he chose the ones to make a record.

LK: You held them back because…?

BM: We didn’t want them out or on the radio yet. Our first single is ‘Conversations Missed’, and we wanted to pick a couple of songs that went well with that.

LK: After Cold Weather, do you have any future album collaborations in mind?

BM: There’s so many. You can start with Tom Petty, or with Lou Reed. I’ve been really loving where Eddie Vedder has been going with his solo career. Stevie Nicks.

Read the rest of Laurel’s review and interview here.

“My Eagle” – Children Collide

It appears that Children Collide is so fresh, BNB hasn’t had the chance to cover this Australian punk rock band yet! Help ensure a feature on Children Collide by voting for them in the Best of 2010 polls now!

“Walk in the Park” – Beach House

Back in July, Michael Rincon did an artist profile on Beach House. Michael wrote, “Listening to Baltimore, Maryland’s dream pop duo Beach House is like basking away in a beautifully deep slumber. Their sound is centered around hypnotizing mellow instrumentation, synthesizers that at times are catchy and cryptic and vocals that seep into your mind and calm your ears. Victoria Legrand (vocals/organ) and Alex Scally (guitar/keyboards) have a gentle knack for crafting somber and nostalgic songs that sparkle with lackadaisical yearning. Their third and newest offering, 2010’s Sub Pop debut, Teen Dream, is a collection of songs that soothes and calms and takes its listeners on a trip into distant, melodic reveries.”

Read more about Beach House here.

“How the Leopard Got Its Spots” – Portugal. The Man

Although Portugal. The Man has been around for years, somehow they haven’t been featured on BNB yet! Some of our staffers are big fans, though, as the band has been highlighted frequently in our Weekly Concert Picks series. If you’re a fan, too, vote for Portugal. The Man in our Best of 2010 polls now!

“No Intention” – Dirty Projectors

Sherene Hilal reviewed Dirty Projectors’ latest album, Bitte Orca, in November. Sherene wrote, “Although this experimental rock group hasn’t been too prominent on the mainstream music radar, this nine track wonder is definitely the band’s strongest work to date. It pushes the traditional pop rock envelope with a classical twist and all of the reverence of R&B. [...] The timbre of the female vocals, so toned and pitch perfect, off-set [frontman Dave] Longstreth’s cries to create a complement that puts all references of a Talking Heads wanna-be group to shame.”

Read the rest of Sherene’s review here.

Other nominees for Best Artist include: These United States, Miami Horror, Saint Motel, Volcanoless in Canada, Sister Crayon, Jesca Hoop, Gamble House, Eastern Conference Champions, Pepper Rabbit, Chromeo, The Aikiu, Larry and His Flask, Obsolete Machines, Best Coast, The Morning Benders, Local Natives, The Parlotones, The National, Mumford & Sons, BlakRoc, Grouplove and Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers.

Don’t forget to cast your vote for our Best of 2010 awards by December 15!