2008

I’ve been writing full time here for about five months or so, and figured it was about high time that I took a crack at offering up a B List. Last week the HT Staff gathered Around The BBQ to gab about some of our favorite music of the year, so far. To continue on that theme I thought I’d give you a more focused list of my favorite albums of ’08 with my Top 6 Of The First 6.

Taking a quick glance at my iTunes I was a bit underwhelmed by the majority of the music that has been injected onto my iPod, but here’s the best of what I’ve heard…

6. Girl Talk – Feed The Animals

When I tell my friends how much I’ve been loving this album they seem to scratch their heads a bit. Not because this isn’t a killer party album, it’s just because I’m not the type to usually like killer party albums. But what’s not to like here? Greg Gillis has essentially taken the last 40 plus years of pop music and smushed it into a powered packed hour of samples and beats. Within one song he offers up hooks from Procol Harum, Fergie, The Band and 50 Cent – and that’s just scratching the surface. This is the feel good album of the summer and quite possibly the year. READ ON for more of the B List…

Back in February the surviving members of the Grateful Dead (sans Mr. Kreutzmann) put aside their difference and reunited on stage for a fund raiser for Barack Obama. Well, as

It’s time once again to check in with irreverent mind behind Uncensored Interview’s blog The Shark for another installment of Uncensored Thursdays… Apologies up front. I’m not usually this outwardly

Formerly (and still certainly, though no longer nominally) Psychedelic, the Breakfast has taken the long, winding, and, perhaps, ultimately more rewarding path to becoming a jamband stalwart.

[Photo by Jess Reis]

Formed in 1998, the Connecticut quartet didn’t ascend to the loosely grouped, national-level echelon of contemporary outfits like Umphrey’s McGee, Tea Leaf Green, the Benevento/Russo Duo, and other peers. But to these ears, guitarist/vocalist Tim Palmieri and Co. have long been what you might call a classic jamband’s jamband: organically evolved without gimmicks, ridiculously talented, creatively unstilted, committed to a really professional show—and also respected, far and wide, by many of the scene’s best-known musicians and insiders. Yes, one of those bands that even your most jaded scene-head pals will still see with regularity even as he or she’s abandoned other, showier bands.

This year the Breakfast has finally achieved re-entry following a two year period of transition. First, there was the departure of longtime keyboardist Jordan Giangreco in 2006, which prompted the band to tour as a trio for a short time before recruiting Matt Oestreicher. Then, in December 2007, bassist Ron Spears exited, prompting the January 2008 debut of Northeast jam veteran Chris DeAngelis.

As we learned from a recent catch-up with Palmieri, there’s a lot more good Breakfast to come…

HIDDEN TRACK: If I’m not mistaken, 2008 is your 10-year anniversary, right?

TIM PALMIERI: Indeed it is.

HT: Do you have anything special planned?

TP: Well, we always do a Halloween run and pick a special theme. We’ve talked about a theme that I can’t yet divulge to you, but we will announce it.

READ ON for more of Chad’s Q & A with Tim from The Breakfast…

After attacking the crappy music played at stadiums and arenas last week, I figured this would be a good time to talk about some music that brings joy instead of cringes. So as you crank up the BBQ and break out the Roman Candles for the Fourth of July, here are five albums that are bound to make you smile:

1. Juno Soundtrack

I defy anyone to listen to the Moldy Peaches’ Anyone Else But You (which is also covered by the stars of the movie – Michael Cera and Ellen Page) or Barry Louis Polisar’s All I Want is You and not feel good. Throw in classic rock gems such as Velvet Underground’s I’m Sticking With You, the Kinks rocking Well Respected Man and Mott the Hoople’s cover of All the Young Dudes and you’re bound to be smiling. Good movie taboot. READ ON for more of Luke’s list of smile-inducing albums…