Happy Grizzly Bear Day!

We’re not sure if there is any other way to say it, but Happy Grizzly Bear Day! Really, has anyone talked about anything else all day besides the release of ‘Veckatimest’?  We haven’t been able to have a conversation all day without someone mentioning it. 

‘Veckatimest’ is an album that is rich with one impressive song after another.  It gets better with every listen and truly takes you on a musical journey. This is by far Grizzly Bear’s best album yet, and is definitely the year’s most anticipated indie record. Not to call early shots just yet, but this is sure to be headed to many ‘Top Albums Lists of 2009’. 

Check out ‘Veckatimest’ on Grizzly Bear’s MYSPACE

Watch Grizzly Bear’s New Video for ‘Two Weeks’

The band is also on an extensive tour (with 3 New York stops!)

May 26 Vancouver, BC Commodore (w/ Foreign Born)  
May 28 New York, NY SOLD OUT: Town Hall (w/ Here We Go Magic)
May 29 New York, NY SOLD OUT: Town Hall (w/ Here We Go Magic)
May 31 Brooklyn, NY SOLD OUT:Music Hall of Williamsburg (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 01 Washington, DC SOLD OUT: 9:30 Club (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 02 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 03 Boston, MA Berklee Performance Center (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 04 Montréal, QC Le National (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 05 Toronto, ON SOLD OUT: Phoenix (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 07 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 08 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 09 Bloomington, IN Buskirk-Chumley (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 11 Carrboro, NC Cats Cradle (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 12 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo
Jun 13 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle (with TV on the Radio)
Jun 15 Dallas, TX Granada (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 16 Austin, TX SOLD OUT: The Parish (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 18 Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall (w/ Wilco)
Jun 19 Los Angeles, CA Wiltern (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jun 21 San Francisco, CA Fillmore (w/ Here We Go Magic)
Jul 19 Chicago, IL Pitchfork Music Festival
Aug 07 Osaka, Japan Summer Sonic
Aug 09 Osaka, Japan Summer Sonic
Aug 13 Olso, Norway Øya Festival
Aug 14 Göteborg, Sweden Way Out West Festival
Aug 15 Rees-Haldern, Germany Haldern Pop Festival  
Aug 16 St. Malo, France La Route du RockFestival
Aug 18 London, UK Koko  
Aug 20 Hasselt, Belgium Pukkelpop
Aug 21 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Lowlands Paradise
Aug 22 Glanusk, UK Green Man Festival
Oct 02 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Festival

Modern Mystery’s Top 50 Albums of 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Its been a big 2008 for Modern Mystery. We’ve meet some really amazing bands, seen some incredible shows, and made a lot of great friends. We know 2009 will bring even more and we’re very excited!

We have compiled our list of our Top 50 Albums of 2008. Though this was by no means easy, we think we’ve included our all of certain favorites of the year. Below our list you’ll see a few more Top Lists of 2008, so check that out as well.  Hope you like our Top 50 Albums as much as we do!

1. of Montreal- Skeletal Lamping
2. Morning Benders- Talking Through Tin Cans
3. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin-Pershing
4. Miniature Tigers- Tell it to the Volcano
5. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals- Cardinalogy
6. Sloan- Parallel Play
7. MGMT- Oracular Spectacular
8. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Self Titled
9. The Spinto Band- Moonwink
10. Okkervil River- The Stand Ins
11. Chairlift- Does You Inspire You?
12. We Are Scientists- Brain Thrust Mastery
13. Tokyo Police Club- Elephant Shell
14. Ra Ra Riot- The Rhumb Line
15. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s- Animal and Not Animal
16.  Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks- Real Emotional Trash
17. The French Kicks- Swimming
18. The Stills- Oceans Will Rise
19. The Walkmen- You and Me
20. Vampire Weekend- Self Titled
21. Wyldlife- Self Titled
22. Jenny Lewis- Acid Tongue
23. Annuals- Such Fun
24. Ratatat- Lp3
25. The Headlights- Some Racing, Some Stopping
26.  Department of Eagles- In Ear Park
27. Dr. Dog- Fate
28. Born Ruffians- Red Yellow and Blue
29. Los Campesinos- Hold On Now, Youngster
30. The Little Ones- Morning Tide
31. Mason Proper- Olly Oxen Free
32. She & Him- Volume 1
33. Albert  Hammond Jr.- Como te Llama?
34. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
35. Joan of Arc- Boo Human
36. Deerhoof- Offend Maggie
37. Sam Roberts Band- Love at the End of the World
38. Fleet Foxes- Self Titled
39. Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago
40. Atlas Sound- Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
41. Kings of Leon- Only By the Night
42. M83- Saturdays= Youth
43. Helio Sequence- Keep Your Eyes Ahead
44. Man Man- Rabbit Habits
45. Flight of the Conchords- Self Titled
46. Cold War Kids- Loyalty to Loyalty
47. The Mae Shi- Hlllyh
48. Secret Machines- Selt Titled
49. Santogold- Self Titled
50. Tim Fite- Fair Ain’t Fair

BEST EP OF 2008:
Matt Pond PA- The Freeep

BEST REISSUE OF 2008-
Pavement- Brighten The Corners- Nicence Creedence Edition

BEST LIVE SHOW OF 2008:
Of Montreal at Roseland, NYC. Kevin Barnes on a live white horse? Try to beat that!

TOP 5 NEW BANDS OF 2008:
1. The Morning Benders
2. Miniature Tigers
3. Chairlift
4. MGMT
5. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Modern Mystery’s Top 25 Songs of the Year

Finally here it is.  Modern Mystery’s Top 25 Songs of the Year! Yes this was super hard to compile, and yes we left some stuff out, but here is what we consider our personal Top 25. Our Number 1 Spot truly deserves it.

Tomorrow we reveal our Top Records. Oh what fun!

1. Miniature Tigers- Last Night’s Fake Blood
2. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Heers
3. Morning Benders- Damnit Anna
4. Chairlift-Bruises
5. MGMT- Kids
6.  Matt Pond PA- First Light
7. Of Montreal- For Our Elegant Caste
8. Casper and the Cookies- Little King
9. Sloan- Cheap Champagne
10. Ryan Adams-Fix It
11. Conor Oberst- Souled Out!!!
12. Sam Roberts Band- Them Kids
13. Okkervil River- Lost Coastlines
14. Vampire Weekend- Oxford Comma
15. Spinto Band-Summer Grof
16. Franz Ferdinand- Ulysees
17. We Are Scientists- Impatience
18. Mason Proper-Lock and Key
19. Ra Ra Riot- Dying is Fine20. Toyko Police Club- Graves
21. She & Him- Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
22. Hollerado-Americanarama
23. Annuals- Confessor
24. Santogold/NERD/Julian Casablancas- My Drivethru
25. Mae Shi- Run to Your Grave

Modern Mystery’s Top 10 Music Videos of the Year

The Modern Mystery Year End Lists are finally starting, and here goes the first round. We have compiled our Top 10 Music Videos of the Year to share with you.

1. The Morning Benders- Waiting for a War
This video is what introduced me personally to The Morning Benders. ‘Waiting for a War’ is one of the catchiest songs of the year, with a pretty rad video to go along with it. Anyone who feels like they have a dead end boring job certainly gets this video.

2. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Think I Wanna Die
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin make some of the most amusing videos we have ever seen, and ‘Think I Wanna Die’ takes the top prize. In this video our poor little SSLYBY boys are nearly killed by their soon to be ex-girlfriends. At least they seem to be having a good time while shooting it.

3. Miniature Tigers- Cannibal Queen
The Miniature Tigers won our hearts this year with their super amazing debut ‘Tell it to the Volcano’ but to add even more, they put out a hillarious video for ‘Cannibal Queen’.  Charlie as the ‘deranged little man’, Rick as the ‘cannibal queen’. It just makes for a good laugh to a great song.

4. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band- Souled Out!!!
Its nice to see Mr. Conor Oberst not take himself so seriously for once. ‘Souled Out!!!’ is a superb video that shows off Conor and the band joking around. From riding bikes with Jason Boesel, to playing in a fake snow storm, the fun never stops for these guys. Oh, and the song is extremely good too!
5. MGMT- Electric Feel
There is something about MGMT that just makes you want to dance ALL OF THE TIME. ‘Electric Feel’ is no exception. The video itself is a psychadelic dance party that doesn’t want to end. With robot-bears and flaming motorbikes, you won’t know what to watch first.

 

6. Tim Fite- Big Mistake
We love cartoon videos and we love Tim Fite, so the combination of the two for ‘Big Mistake’ is just perfect. I’m not sure if haunting is the right word, but the video is just that. This isn’t Tim’s big mistake, its his art.

7.M83- Kim and Jesse
Not only is the song so ‘1980s’ sounding, but so is the video. When Kim and Jessie are thrown out of their high school gym practice space when they are rolling skating, they head over to the skate park where apparently the feel more comfortable. Though wearing pink velvet skating suits never looks cozy, this video is pretty rad.

8. Los Campesinos- My Year In Lists
Music videos don’t always have to cost a lot of money and be ‘super fancy’. Sometimes the best videos are the most simple ones that get you acquainted with the band’s music. Los Campesinos video for ‘My Year in Lists’ is just that. Closeups of the band and their instruments is beautiful on its own.

9. of Montreal- Id Engager
of Montreal does it again with another artsy inspired video. Having characters sync one into another is beyond perfect for the song. You actually have no idea what the characters will turn into until it happens. Its a beautifully crafted video.

10. Vampire Weekend- Oxford Comma
Vampire Weekend manages to make the video for ‘Oxford Comma’ look like a mini movie shoot. No matter where the scene in the video turns though, it doesn’t distract from the music. Also stay tuned for the right lower corner at 3:23 when some kid totally falls on his ass. Ouch!

A Modern Mystery Holiday Party with Jon Eaton of The Spinto Band

Happy Holidays from Modern Mystery! Today we are starting what we like to call, ‘The Modern Mystery Holiday Party.’ We have questioned a few of our favorite indie bands about their Top Albums and Songs of 2008.

We also have them sharing with us their favorite Holiday memories and anything else they wanted to add. Who will appear on here in the next couple of weeks or so? Well, you’ll have to wait to find out, and we’re not even done with getting all of the results back.

We are honored to start off with Jon Eaton, guitarist of The Spinto Band. The band released their new record ‘Moonwink’ this year, and if you haven’t picked it up yet…well we think there is something wrong with you.

Jon Eaton’s Top 10 Records of the Year, (in no particular order.)

Q-Tip The Renaissance
And The Moneynotes- New Cornucopia
Dr. Dog- Fate
Silver Jews- Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea
Ra Ra Riot The Rhumb Line
The Breeders- Mountain Battles
Thao and The Get Down Stay Down- We Brave Bee Stings and All
Nick Freitas- Sun Down
Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
Man Man- Rabbit Habits

The Best Thing That Happened to Me This Year:
Meeting Jamie from Myth Busters . (You can watch the VIDEO of this hillarious event here)

Strangest Thing That Happened to Me This Year: 
I actually was fortunate enough to celebrate the dawn of the new year in North Queensland Australia listening to a guy named Potsy talk about the best way to kill a wild pig. This was actually a great holiday memory as well… Everyone should spend at least one holiday in the tropics.

Stay Tuned Next Time to See Who Joins Us for Our ‘Holiday Party’….