Flatbasset Radio: Episode #54 (Best Of 2014 - Minnesota Music)

Look what I do for my city...

Well hello again, everybody.  Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #54!

This is it, everybody.  After counting down the best of The Current's Song Of The Day in Episode #52 & the best of Radio K's Song Of The Day in episode #53 it's time to call 2014 a wrap by looking back at some of the best local music of the year.

While I find it hard to believe that anybody is still sleeping on the sounds coming out of the Twin Cities, I suppose it could happen.  So, in case you weren't paying attention, 2014 was yet another outstanding year for local music.  Honestly, I had to trim songs to keep this episode at an hour despite the fact that, off the top of my head, I can think of at least five local albums I didn't even get a chance to listen to last year.  We're in a golden age here, people.  Don't take it for granted.

Speaking of not taking things for granted, in order to fit as much music on this one as I could I decided to step away from the microphone this time.  That's right, Episode #54 is one solid hour of commentary-free jams!  Enjoy it, everybody, because my shitty voice and even shittier microphone will be back before you know it, mispronouncing band names and popping "p's" to our heart's content.

For now, though, a celebration bitches!

As always, this episode is available to stream or download for free.  Click on the album title below to download the show. Just click on the Mixcloud player below to stream.

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #54 (Best Of 2014 - Minnesota Music)

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #54 (Best Of 2014 - Minnesota Music) by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

Now, just because I didn't record any commentary doesn't mean I don't have things to say about these songs.  Let's break this one down:

01. Some Pulp - Undone '93 (The Tubetop Song) (from Some Pulp)

That's right, Episode #54 picks up right where Episode #53 left off.  I played Some Pulp's "Oh Oh (Who's Cryin' Now)" as last week's Flatbasset Flatclassic of the week.  That song is the second song on Some Pulp.  "Undone '93" is the first.  Like I mentioned in my AOTW post, the first three songs of the album are pretty much my favorite 8 minutes of music of 2014.

02. Manny Phesto - Cedar Ave (from Southside Looking In)

2014 was a breakout year for Manny Phesto.  On the strength of his Southside Looking In album he finally seems to be breaking through to a wider audience than just the hip-hop heads of the Twin Cities.  The entire album melds Mike The Martyr's soulful beats with Manny Phesto's mostly-positive raps.  The album seems meant to remind people that, "Hey, things aren't great, but they could always be worse and we can always make them better."

03. The Persian Leaps - Permission (from Drive Drive Delay)

Speaking of artists who had breakout 2014's, here's The Persian Leaps.  Lord knows I've said plenty about these St. Paul power-poppers over the last couple of years, but they're so good that they earn every word.  Drive Drive Delay was self-released on lead singer Drew Forsberg's Land Ski Records label (more on them down below) and found the band writing more rewarding songs while skimming a layer of gloss from their debut EP Praise Elephants.  Those two things combined to make Drive Drive Delay one of the most re-playable EP's of 2014.  And  yes, re-playable is a word.

04. Franz Diego - Neo-Archaic (from Equinox)

Twin Cities' veteran Franz Diego had himself a fine 2014.  In addition to the Equinox EP he also released (as a "Name Your Price" download) an LP titled Float.  Throw in his continued reputation as a man-on-the-scene in MPLS and the continued success of his Turnt Up! dance night at Honey and it seems like Diego is really making the most of his niche in Minneapolis.  "Neo-Archaic" is the lead song from the entirely Xanja-produced Equinox and it provides a nice snapshot of what Franz Diego's all about.

05. Hollow Boys - Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love? (from Into The Night)

With "Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love?" (this week's Cover Of The Week) Hollow Boys have set a precedent on Flatbasset Radio.  They are now the first artist to be played on THREE consecutive shows!  Congats, Hollow Boys.  I mentioned in one of my previous posts that 2014 found Hollow Boys stepping their game up and becoming one of the best bands in the Twin Cities.  Into The Night, a four song EP consisting of covers of Twin Peaks songs played a part in that.  This cover of The Ronettes classic is another example of just how good they've become at injecting their own vibe into other people's songs.

06. Sims - This Is The Place (w/Astronautalis) (from Field Notes)

While it's been several years since Sims has released a proper full-length album (2011's classic Bad Time Zoo), Sims has only seen his profile grow.  He took a real star turn on Doomtree's No Kings LP and, though I haven't heard it yet, I'm sure he only solidifies his position on the new All Hands.  Field Notes is not a stop-gap release in the traditional sense.  Yes, it's only an EP, but it finds Sims shedding what was left of his emotional baggage and turning his camera outward, commenting on both the rap scene and society at large.  "This Is The Place" was the collaboration that spawned two sold out shows at The Mainroom featuring Sims & Astronautalis as co-headliners.

07. Frankie Teardrop - 100% (from Raiders)

The next three songs are played right in the heart of this podcast for a reason.  Jordan Bleau & Alexander Uhrich are the co-founders of No Problem Records and, perhaps more than anybody else on this show, they had a hell of a year.

Their year opened up in earnest with the release of Frankie Teardrop's outstanding Raiders EP.  After making his mark with Tough Guy EP, Jordan & company took things to a whole new level with Raiders.  The songs here are more polished, more concise, catchier, and more personal than ever before while still maintaining an edge-of-your-seat attitude that has made Frankie Teardrop one of the leaders of the next generation of great Twin Cities rock bands.

08. Dee Dee Mayo - Waking Up On The Beach/Jungle Party (from Dee Dee Mayo Sweats It Out)

No Problem Records continued their winning ways with Dee Dee Mayo Sweats It Out.  Dee Dee Mayo (aka Howler bassist Ian Nygaard) crafts a truly bizarre, mostly instrumental album that caused me to liken its sound to a beach party on the moon. "Waking Up On The Beach/Jungle Party" is the undeniable centerpiece of the record, a six minute spaced out guitar jam that eases into the frame and hypnotizes for six minutes.

09. Suzie - Coffin In Houston (from Born Single)

Continuing to prove that No Problem Records is going to be home to more than just punk rock, here we have Suzie's Born Single.  Much like Dee Dee Mayo was the spaced-out side-project of a successful local musician, Suzie follows the same formula (the brain child of Night Moves' Mark Ritsema) except instead of a jungle on the moon Born Single sounds like it would soundtrack a sweaty dance club on the dark side of the moon.  It's no surprise that, after a couple local headlining shows, Suzie seems set to conquer the Twin Cities.  And a big chunk of that is due to the fact that the boys at No Problem Records have created a label that allows artists to embrace their stranger side without concerns of popularity or profitability.  I couldn't be more excited to see where all three of these artists go from here.

10. Medium Zach - More Than Superman (w/Slug) (from Valued Input)

If you've been paying attention for the last decade I shouldn't have to sing you the praises of Medium Zach.  you should be two-steps ahead of that.  If you haven't been paying attention, figure it out.  Whether he's existing as half of Big Quarters (with his brother Brandon Allday), remixing tracks, or, in this case, gathering some of his friends and producing an EP, Zach's work should never be ignored.  His beats are meticulous, patient and purposeful, a perfect reflection of a man who is one of the kindest, smartest artists in the Twin Cities.

11. Howler - Here's The Itch That Creeps Through My Skull (from World Of Joy)

It seems like World Of Joy didn't receive the same type of adoration as Howler's debut America Give Up, and that's a shame.  While it's somewhat understandable considering that most of the album seems like a more raw, more angry version of that album, moments like "Here's The Itch That Creeps Through My Skull" stand as evidence that once Howler sheds their skin the future is wide open.  I don't know if he's like the comparison or not, but in a city that's always looking for the next Paul Westerberg (or, up until this year's reunion, the first Paul Westerberg) Jordan Gatesmith has the best chance of anybody in recent memory.  All the way down to the cover art World Of Joy was Howler's Hootenanny.  We all know where The Mats went next.  Hopefully Howler's ready to take that next step.

12. MaLLy - City Of Fear (w/Rapper Hooks) (from The Colors Of Black)

The Colors Of Black was a surprising turn for MaLLy.  Following the success of The Last Great..., TCOB found the man using his new found popularity as a pulpit rather than a podium.  MaLLy spends most of this album angry at the world around him which, given the racially-tinged events of 2014, is completely warranted.  TCOB stands as a fascinating look at a man who works hard to scale the mountain only to find that being on top only gives him a better view of ugliness below.

13. Human Kindness - Giant People (from You Are So Loud That I Want To Die)

I've written hundreds of words about Human Kindness on this blog and I promise this is the last time I'll write about them until they release some new music (which should be soon.  I see those scrobbles, guys.  I know it's out there.)

"Giant People" is the closing track on YASLTIWTD and, where the album spent time rising and falling, "Giant People" finally gives the big payoff.  Just listen to the last 90 seconds of this one!  Lord only knows what these guys have planned for the next record, but they ended their first one on a high note.

14. Allan Kingdom - Observe (from Future Memoirs)

By the end of the year Future Memoirs had become overshadowed by Allan Kingdom's work as a member of TheStand4rd, and that's kind of a shame.  While the 12 year age difference between Kingdom and myself means that I sometimes can't keep up with what he's on about, tracks like "Observe" hit any demographic.  Kingdom's flow is certainly an acquired taste, but, as you can hear on this one, he's got a firm grasp on just what he's trying to accomplish.

15. The Person & The People - Run (from What A Drag)

Remember earlier when I said we were going to talk about Land Ski Records again?  Well, here we are.

Much like their labelmates The Persian Leaps, The Person & The People represent everything that's great about Twin Cities power-pop right now.  If, like me, you're the kind of guy who sits around waiting for new Sloan and Superdrag albums, do yourself a favor and get on board with The Person & The People.

(Quick aside: I had a very, very minor role in helping Land Ski Records and The Person & The People come together (as mentioned here).  Thanks, guys.  Good to know this blog hasn't proven to be completely useless over the years).

There you have it, Minnesota music fans!  Enjoy!

For more of my rantings you can give me a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.  Stop by Flatbasset Radio's Facebook Page & give it a "Like" if you have the time.

Songs Of The Week #88: TCDroogsma

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Bad Suns, Pattern Is Movement, Big Scary, Snowmine, & MaLLy...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #88!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

Unfortunately, this week MinneSarah took the week off due to what could kindly be called "Current-based fatigue."  Trust us, her words were considerably more harsh.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

So... Droogsy... thoughts?

01. Bad Suns - Cardiac Arrest (from the album Transpose)

 
TCDroogsma:

     The Bad Suns is a band coming out of southern California that seems to have a real soft spot for early 2000's British music.  "Cardiac Arrest" bounces around nicely due to some solid work of the rhythm section, while lead singer Christo Bowman's elastic voice sounds as if he learned to use it by singing along to The Kooks, Kaiser Chiefs,  etc...  As somebody who was a huge fan of that type of band, this isn't a bad thing.

     However, much like the collected work of The Kooks & Kaiser Chiefs, "Cardiac Arrest," though pleasant enough in the moment, is not particularly memorable.  Despite his claim of "high voltage when we kiss," it's a low-stakes love song (he starts that same chorus by claiming, "I'll try my best..." Gripping.)  "Cardiac Arrest" is a fine, trivial spring single.  Not a bad little number, but nothing special.

Final Score: 2.5/5

02. Pattern Is Movement - River (from the album Pattern Is Movement)

TCDroogsma:

     Heading into this week I only knew two songs from Pattern Is Movement and they were both covers.  Bjork's "Enjoy" and The Smiths' immortal "I Want The One I Can't Have."  I'm not familiar with the original "Enjoy," but their take on Moz's yearning was certainly curious enough to make me excited to hear some of their original work.

     "River" rides a slinky, streaming verse of falsetto & synths that recalls Dirty Projectors before collapsing into a chorus of... well... more synths & falsettos.  Frankly, it's the same kind of song structure that has made millions of dollars for everybody from The Beatles to New Found Glory.  Pattern Is Movement puts their own Philly-white-boy-indie-soul twist on it.  That seems like a mouthful on paper, but they pull it off admirably the first couple times.  The song loses all its steam at the end when they decide to just crash the chorus into the ground and neglect to rebuild it, but up until then PTM makes an interesting racket.

Final Score: 2.5/5

03. Big Scary - Twin Rivers (from the album Not Art)

TCDroogsma:

     "Gonna have to wake up, I don't wanna have to wake up, get up, get changed, game face, I don't want to have to wake up again this morning..."

     That's how we're greeted by Big Scary on "Twin Rivers."  Suffice it to say, hearing that as I listened to the song while walking to work at 5:45 in the morning all week may have given those lyrics some extra weight.  Big Scary wraps those lyrics around some big, shuffling drums & strings that give lend those melancholy sentiments some color.  The rest of the song features some lovely boy/girl vocals, and clattering piano, and a chorus that's big in the same way a Travis chorus is big.  They don't go full Chris Martin, and that suits them.  The whole song takes its cue from those first lyrics and provides enough small glimpses of beauty to remind you that life can be so much more than the daily grind.

Final Score: 4/5

04. Snowmine - Columbus (from the album Dialects)

TCDroogsma:

     Snowmine is a five-piece coming out of Brooklyn with a crowd-funded new album, Dialects.  Just based on that information (and the picture above), you can probably gather what the band sounds like.

     "Columbus" is rich in keys, strings, gospel-esque harmonies, and a great chorus.  There's not much going on in this song that you haven't heard before, but Snowmine seems to be doing it as well as anybody.  Their great trick on "Columbus" is giving all of their ideas space to breathe.  It takes a lot of parts that are easy to dismiss on their own and deploys each with brutal efficiency.  The result is a song that, as you listen, is captivating, and yet leaves almost nothing behind when it ends.

Final Score: 3/5

05. MaLLy - A Long Day (from the album The Colors Of Black)

TCDroogsma:

     I feel like I"m cheating a bit here with "A Long Day."  When it was released as an SOTD track I spent a week with it and, despite the fact that I'm a MaLLy fan, I wasn't too high on it.  I thought the piano was a bit too saccharine while MaLLy's "life is tough" take struck me as a bit too constructed.

     However, since then I've picked up the song's parent album The Colors Of Black.  Given proper context on the album, "A Long Day" stands up as a highlight.  The album is an angry affair, with MaLLy's ire directed almost entirely at the struggle a young, black man faces in America.  By the time we get to "A Long Day," it's clear that MaLLy's not depressed, merely exhausted.  "A Long Day" is the sound of a man who's upset with the world around him, and equally upset with the fact that, despite his best efforts, he's nearly powerless to change it.

Final Score: 4/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio






For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Album Of The Week: April 28th-May 4th, 2014

My Album Of The Week for the week off April 28th-May 4th, 2014:

MaLLy - The Colors Of Black

01. Child Of America
02. Two World
03. Innervisions
04. City Of Fear (w/Rapper Hooks)
05. Hold My Tongue (w/Slug & Rapper Hooks)
06. Machine Gun
07. Not Never...
08. All Of My Life (Part 2) (w/K.Raydio)
09. Everything Else But Me
10. One Million
11. A Long Day
12. Crimson
13. Grow This Way
14. To The Future
15. The Colors Of Black

This is the third time that I've had a MaLLy record as my Album Of The Week.  Back before I started writing up blog posts about my AOTW's I spent a week with MaLLy's breakout album The Last Great.... Then, back in November, I spent a week with Strange Rhythm, MaLLy's first collaboration with producer Last Word.  Now here we are in early spring and MaLLy's & Last Word are back with their first full-length collaboration.

The Last Great... was produced by The Sundance Kid and found MaLLy in a happier place.  He hadn't yet broke through here in the Twin Cities and, as such, that record found him enjoying the little things in life, staying upbeat among the day to day drudgery of being a hard working MC.

Strange Rhythm was only 8 songs, but it found MaLLy taking a different approach.  Whether it was his new found success or Last Word's more aggressive beats, MaLLy was an angrier man.  He spent most of that record celebrating his place in the the Twin Cities scene with a middle finger in the air.  It was a victory lap of sorts, but MaLLy seemed hellbent on letting anybody who had ever doubted him know just how far he had come.

Which brings us to The Colors Of Black.  As you can probably guess from the title, race plays a huge role in this record.  Last Word's beats remain dark & angry, which feeds MaLLy's new sense of discontent.  While he's no longer as consumed with sticking it to doubters, MaLLy's raps are now concerned with the experience of being a black man in America.  The injustices that he sees either as a third party or through his personal experience leave him both angry & exhausted.  With success, it seems, MaLLy no longer needs to find his peace of mind in the day to day successes of making songs and staying out of trouble.  With those battles squarely in the rear view mirror, he's turned his attention to the problems facing society at large, and he's none too happy with the lack of answers.

The Colors Of Black is the logical extension of MaLLy the artist, but more importantly, it's the logical extension of MaLLy the man.  It seems MaLLy's days of "windows down, radio up" songs have come to an end.  In it's place we have a man fuming at the world around him.

If you're interested in checking out the album I sincerely suggest you head over to Fifth Element and pick up a hard copy of the record.  It contains three bonus tracks ("Grow This Way," "To The Future," & "The Colors Of Black") that are unavailable on the download.  Plus, it's an excuse to take a walk & support Fifth Element.  That's a win/win.

Album Of The Week: March 3rd-9th, 2014

My Album Of The Week for the week of March 3rd-March 9th, 2014:

Medium Zach - Valued Input

01. Live In Color (w/MaLLy)
02. Upward (w/Metasota)
03. More Than Superman (w/Slug)

I have a couple of rules when it comes to my Album Of The Week:

1. It should be a Minnesota artist (though exceptions can be made).
2. It should be at least 4 songs.

Until this week, I hadn't broken rule #2.  However, when I downloaded the three songs that make up Valued Input, that rule went right out the window.

As you hopefully all know, Medium Zach is one half of Minneapolis hip-hop mainstays Big Quarters (his brother Brandon Allday being the other half).  I've been a fan of those guys going back to the buzz of their debut album Cost Of Living in 2007.  In the seven years since they've, gone from talented upstarts to one of the most respected & consistent acts in the Twin Cities.  They've put out a staggering amount of music since then, but more importantly, everything they've put out rewards repeated listens.  Hell, just last week I was listening to the instrumental version of Cost Of Living and finding things I hadn't noticed before.

I saw BQ several times while they were promoting that album and they've always been genuinely nice guys and excellent performers.  Specifically, I remember my friend Phil & I attending the release show for Fall In Love, their collaborative EP with Mux Mool.  There couldn't have been more than 50 people at the Turf Club, but they put on a fine show, making a point to engage with all 50 of us in the room over the course of the night.

If I had to pick just one word to describe Medium Zach's musical style, it would be "thoughtful."  I realize that not every rapper would want "thoughtful" to be their defining adjective, but I'm willing to bet Medium Zach takes it as the compliment it's intended to be.  Whether he's rapping, constructing his own tracks, or remixing somebody else's work, his attention to detail always shines through.  His songs rarely "bang," but rather stake their claim by carving out their own sonic space via patience.  Every word & sound has a role to play in Zach's songs.  Nothing is superfluous, everything is necessary.

As you can see from the track list above, Medium Zach does almost no rapping on this album.  No matter. The three MC's above bring their own styles to Zach's beats and, in a testament to the quality of Zach's work, each rapper is able to stick to their own style instead of twisting their flow to fit the music.

Valued Input is available to download on Medium Zach's Soundcloud.  Give it a listen.

Album Of The Week: November 11-17, 2013

My Album Of The Week for the week of November 11th-17th, 2013:

MaLLy - Strange Rhythm

After a few years of bubbling underground MaLLy finally staked his claim in the Twin Cities hip-hop scene with last year's The Last Great, a collaboration with producer The Sundance Kid.  His profile in Minneapolis has only grown since then.  He's released a couple of songs since then, but Strange Rhythm is his highly anticipated official follow up.

Hopefully most of you remember that I opened Flatbasset Radio: Episode #21 with "Dead Art Painting," the first track off Strange Rhythm.  That track is indicative of the project as a whole, with Last Word (of the Get Cryphy crew) providing a more sparse canvas than The Sundance Kid.  Strange Rhythm is an intriguing EP for two reasons:  First, MaLLy is no longer rapping from the position of "underdog," a stance that shines through somewhat angrily on tracks like "Guillotine" and "Every Promise."  Second, if I'm not mistaken, Strange Rhythm is the first project Last Word has produced in its entirety.

I'm not going to write much more about this one since I haven't spent much time with it yet.  I'm definitely looking forward to spending the week with it.  It's available on MaLLy's Bandcamp site and I definitely recommend that you give it a spin.

Newest Industry Presents: Flatbasset Radio - Episode #21

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Give us a drink and make it quick...

Hello again, free music fans! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio: Episode #21!
 
For those of you who are unaware of the Flatbasset Radio format, here's what you're looking at: TCDroogsma is our resident MP3 junkie. As you've probably noticed in his Songs Of The Week column, he's not always the most positive music fan. In an effort to prove that he is, in fact, a fan of music, we give him an hour each week to play the songs he's digging and talk a little bit about them. Once he's recorded his podcast we put it right here on the website for free to stream!

In this week's episode Droogsy looks forward to that cane life, admires a revenge-based trailblazer, reads to us from the New York Times, questions the drinking habits of his peers, admits to missing the point of most songs, dedicates a song to good pet owners, mispronounces both accessories & band names, finds himself in a "Remix Warp," calls for Uptown's transition to "Little Woodbury," and pays tribute to a Twin Cities icon.

You can download the podcast for free by clicking the episode's title or stream the episode by clicking on the Mixcloud player below.

Flatbasset Radio - Episode #21

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #21 by Tcdroogsma on Mixcloud

01.  MaLLy - Dead Art Painting (Intro)
02.  Bob Mould - The Silence Between Us
03.  Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - City (w/Karriem Riggins)
04.  The Chambermaids - Electric Sky
05.  Morrissey - Our Frank
06.  Madvillain - Strange Ways (Koushik's Remix)
07.  Citroën - Terminal Bliss
08.  The Promise Ring - Become One Anything One Time
09.  Speech DeBelle - The Key
10.  Turbo Fruits - Mama's Mad Cos I Fried My Brain
11.  Thurston Moore - Friend
12.  Eyedea & Abilities - Music Music

There you have it, music fans! Enjoy!

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry reviewing singles in our Songs Of The Week column. Previous episodes of Flatbasset Radio are archived on his Mixcloud page.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Newest Industry Presents: Flatbasset Radio - Episode #7 (2012 Song Of The Day Countdown!)

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

There's no way to forget it all...

Well hello again, music fans! Welcome back to Flatbasset Radio!

December is list making time and we're no exception. This week's podcast is a special one as TCDroogsma counts down his 15 favorite tracks given away by The Current via their Song Of The Day podcast!

As well as running ten minutes longer than he was allowed, TCDroogsma struggles to title his own podcast, loses all credibility with the youth of the Twin Cities, bases his top choice on his own unique life situation, and explains exactly why it is that he's obsessed with the Song Of The Day podcast even though he kind of hates it.

Click the embedded player above to listen to the podcast. Click the title below to download it for your very own.

Flatbasset Radio – Episode #7

15. Craig Finn - Honolulu Blues

14. I Self Devine - Exist To Remain

13. Bob Mould - The Descent

12. Of Montreal - Dour Percentage

11. P.O.S. - Where We Land (w/Justin Vernon)

10. Soul Asylum - Gravity

09.Twin Shadow - Five Seconds

08. MaLLy - Good One (w/ K.Raydio)

07. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Only In My Dreams

06. Bobby Womack - Please Forgive My Heart

05. Dark Dark Dark - Tell Me

04. Bloc Party - Octopus

03. Aesop Rock - ZZZ Top

02. The Cribs - Come On, Be A No-One

01. Communist Daughter - Speed Of Sound (EP Remix) 

There you have it, everybody! Episode #7 and a snapshot of 2012 through the eyes of TCDroogsma.

If you somehow want even more TCDroogsma he can be found on Twitter (@TCDroogsma) or rambling on and on over at Flatbasset, his personal blog. We're currently taking bets as to how deeply into 2013 he can make it without shaving.

 Newest Industry also lives on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1). Give us a follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. More importantly we have a Facebook page here. Trivial as it may seem, stopping by and giving us a “like” is a very helpful way to support the blog short of just giving us a hot sandwich. Though it is cold, and we haven't had a hot sandwich in a minute...

Newest Industry Presents: Flatbasset Radio - Episode #1

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY. PLEASE CLICK THAT LINK AND GIVE THAT BLOG A LOOK IF YOU HAVE THE TIME.  WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD ON THAT ONE.)

"I guess this is my dissertation, homey, this shit is basic..."

Well hello, music fans, and welcome to the inaugural episode of Flatbasset Radio!

For those of you unfamiliar with Flatbasset, it's the work of our regular contributor TCDroogsma.  For years now he's been posting mixes of songs online each month under the name Flatbasset.  Evidently he's decided to change things up a little bit.

(Click play on the embedded player above to listen to the podcast. Click the link below to download the podcast.)

Flatbasset Radio - Episode #1

In this episode TCDroogsma claims the British government is hoarding rappers, explains the best Halloween he ever had, recaps the "Get Out The Vote" show at First Avenue, steals an idea from Sound Opinions, and laments Morrissey's ill mother.

Still, we're all new to this so, TCDroogsma, what gives?

Boy, that's a concise question.  Basically, I've been making those Flatbasset mixes for a few years now and I've found that they are not very successful.  I decided to change it up a little bit by turning the mixes into a podcast where I break up the songs by talking a little bit.

That was your plan?  To break up a bunch of great songs with your rabbling?

Well, when you frame it that way it doesn't make much sense.  More accurately, it wasn't quite fair just labeling it a "mix" as that implied that it was some chopped up party starter, which it obviously wasn't.

Plus, I realized that people weren't really reading the bits I wrote about each song.  Since people hate reading I thought they might rather listen to me explain why the songs are great.

So you don't think people like to read and yet you spend nearly all of your free time blogging?

(Sigh...)

Alright, let's get to this episode then.  Anything we need to know about it? 

Well, this was my first go at a podcast, so you just have to bear with me.  I think it turned out pretty well though.  Here's what the playlist looks like:

01. Kanye West
02. Nirvana
03. JJ Doom
04. PJ Harvey
05. Big Quarters (w/Sims)
06. Ryan Adams
07. Eyedea & Abilities
08. Air
09. Mark Mallman
10. MaLLy
11. I Self Devine
12. Brother Ali
13. The Smiths

Really, just give it a listen.  Even if you find my voice grating and my stories insufferable, the songs fucking kill.

Well alright then.  TCDroogsma, thanks for stopping by to explain yourself. 

Thanks.  I plan on doing this each week, so you'll be hearing from me a lot in the near future.

Great... great...

For more TCDroogsma you can give him a follow on Twitter or Instagram (@TCDroogsma) or check out his own blog Flatbasset.

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