Best of 2011: Extended Plays (EP's)

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I think the most horrific thing about all year end Best Of lists is the glaring lack of people celebrating Extended Plays, or EP as the common man calls him. Normally, as in years past, I would just include a snippit at the end of my best albums list to share my 5 favorite EP's. But this year is not a normal year, not for me, and definitely not for extended plays. This year, more than any other, probably spurned on by the digital age, as been a strangely strong year for EP's, so here are the best 16.

Side note. The general rule of thumb is an EP must be at least 3 tracks. Otherwise it would just be a single with a b-side. However, the advent of Bandcamp, and other digital download sites singles have kinda become obsolete, at least in my mind. So, for the purposes of this list, 2 track releases are going to be included as EP's.

Rather then break down each one, I'm just gonna let the music speak for it's self. Trust me, and pick up each and every one.

1. Pickwick - Myths
"Window Sill"


2. Grouplove - Grouplove
"Don't Say Oh Well"


3. FM Radio - Lead Me Home
"Lead Me Home"


4. Hey Marseilles - Elegy
"Cafe Lights"


5. The Oh Wells - The EP That We Love/Not The Girl From Transformers
"I Hate The Sun"


6. Lemolo - The Singles Record
"Open Air" - Lemolo


7. Clock Opera - Belongings
"Belongings"


8. Typhoon - A New Kind Of House
"The Honest Truth"


9. Lissie - Covered Up With Flowers
"Nothing Else Matters" (Metallica Cover)


10. Psychologist - Waves Of OK EP & Propeller EP
"Comes In Waves"


11. Niki and the Dove - The Fox
"The Fox"


12. Kim Churchill - Turn To Stone
"Will Go Home"


13. Great Waves - At The Bottom Of The Well
This I do have to include some words on. This northwest band, who played the opening slot of Bumbershoot in 2010 has long been on a hiatus. In fact, this song, and 4 others that used to be available on bandcamp, are no longer there. That makes me immensely sad. Out of all the bands I found in 2010/2011, this is the one I was most excited about seeing where they would go.
"Burial"


14. Ivan & Alyosha - Fathers Be Kind
"Glorify"


15. Lulu & The Lampshades - Cold Water
"Cold Water"


16. Angus & Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane
"My Malakai"

Band of the Week: Kim Churchill

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I have a singer songwriter for you all to fall in love with. A new unique voice on the landscape of the songsmith. Someone that will ease the tension in your shoulders, get you to stop thinking. Someone that will allow you just to wander aimlessly through the shelter of lyric and melody.

Please meet, The Band of the Week: Kim Churchill

This 20 year old Australian classact and guitar player extraordinaire (watch the second clip for proof) is quickly climbing up the ranks of my favorite Singer Songwriters. A genre any long time reader of this blog will know I take very seriously. I would normally wax on and on (I'm a bit long winded if you hadn't noticed) about how he is this and that. How he sounds like a mixture of that guy and this guy, but I am going to let the music do the talking today. Please watch these videos. There are going to be quite a few, so bear with me. I promise it will be worth your time, as my gut tells me that North America is in for a Kim Churchill song storm in the next year or so.

"Smile As He Goes Home"


"Bathed In Black"


"Will Go Home"


"The Battle of Mr. Shibuya"


"Rusted Wals"


"Turn To Stone"


"Truest Intentions" (Thanks to Green Couch Sessions for this Awesome Video)


Visit kimchurchill.com for more info and to purchase this kids lovely tunes. 

Songs of the Day: "Cafe Lights" & "Elegy" by Hey Marseilles

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I have long been a fan of Hey Marseilles, as they are easily one of the best bands in the northwest currently. But, they started to fade to the back of my mind recently, with so many other new bands up here in the NW stepping up and releasing music, all while Hey Marseilles stayed quiet. That is, until now. Released this month, Hey Marseilles is treating our ears with a fantastic 2 song EP that is just the perfect reminder of why I named them number 2 on the Best Noise in the Northwest, Now list. If this is a taste of what we can expect on their next full length release, then we are all in for something special.

"Cafe Lights" by Hey Marseilles


"Elegy" by Hey Marseilles


Also, here is a video that I should have included in my Best of 2011: Music Videos blog last week. It just slipped. My Apologies.
"Cigarettes" by Hey Marseilles