Message From MFT http://www.musicalfamilytree.net
We created a list of our favorite local songs of 2010. By "we", I mean: Dan Fahrner, Dodge from My Old Kentucky Blog, Scott Shoger from Nuvo and Dave Lindquist from the Indy Star. We each listed our favorite local songs from the year (at the bottom) and then compiled a master list which is presented directly below. This list is not a categorization of anything having to do with the word "best", but rather a collection of our favorite releases of 2010. Enjoy!
Download Here - http://bit.ly/MFTfav
Stream Here - http://musicalfamilytree.com/band/mft_mixtape
Oreo Jones - Good Times
Cara Jean Wahlers - Black Dog
We Are Hex - Cutter/Giver
Big Damn Band - Clap Your Hands
Margot - Lunatic, Lunatic, Lunatic
Andy D - Bump in the Nite
Kate Lamont - Surplus
Frank Glover — "Modern Times," Abacus
Burnt Ones - Bury Me in Smoke
Hero Jr. - Shake It Out
This was a "Banner" year for Indiana music within almost every genre imaginable and we at MFT were elated at the chance to listen to and catalog as much as we possibly could. Let's take a look back, shall we?
Oreo Jones - Good Times - Oreo Jones literally exploded onto the scene early in the year with a fun-filled EP colored with 90's nostalgia that gave the crew behind Heavy Gun Blog an opportunity to flex their promotional muscle far beyond the community they've built from scratch. A few hours and a few hundred tweets after the release of "Good Times", the song had catapulted to the top of national bloggregator Hype Machine.
Cara Jean Wahlers - Black Dog - Cara Wahlers has been performing solo as a singer-songwriter in addition to her band, 19Clark25, for several years, but 2010 saw the huge pay-off from all of that experience in the form of one of the most elegant narrative records this town has seen for some time. On "Goodnight Charlotte", Wahlers' excellent melding of prose and melody is truly complimented and elevated by the cello work of collaborator Grover Parido. Listen to the entire record here in the archive.
We Are Hex - Cutter/Giver - We Are Hex may have been THE Indiana indie rock band to truly knock it out of the park this year. They spent the last few years building their live show into a startling and epic experience and in 2010 their recorded material finally caught up. They released full length "Hail the Goer" this summer on Roaring Colonel Records to a whirlwind of local and even national praise. Listen to the whole record in the archive.
Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band - Clap Your Hands - While the Rev never seems to actually slow down, 2010 saw his Big Damn Band speed up tremendously: full length "The Wages" released in May and the band embarked immediately on the Warped Tour which saw them playing to their largest crowds yet. Don't worry, they've played about every American city in between since.
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Lunatic, Lunatic, Lunatic - Margot may have seen the most immediate success this year with an interesting strategy.. They released their 3rd full length, Buzzard, on their own label and essentially managed the entire operation internally. With a lineup change and a huge national tour, odds are that our once-hometown indie rock heroes (now based in Chicago, unfortunately) saw some real income from this release. It doesn't hurt that the record is great, either.
Andy D - Bump in the Night - Andy D is an absolute blast, plain and simple. Not only is he an excellent showman with some of the most clever and hilarious lyrical content out there, but he's also a humble and jovial human being. If you have yet to see him live, do yourself and a favor and give into his fantasy world full of unicorns and neon mullets. You won't be sorry.
Kate Lamont - Surplus - You may know Kate from her previous projects, Mab Lab and Blueprint Music, or even from the Earth House Collective. You may not know exactly how talented she is if you haven't yet listened to her excellent solo debut, After the Traffic. It's a mix of soulful down-tempo gems that utilize perhaps the most powerful musical combo: an amazing voice and well written songs. Her live show is the true icing on the cake when she brings drummer Devon Ashley along.
Frank Glover - Modern Times - MFT rarely pushes beyond rock and punk, but in order to truly grasp Indiana's full spectrum of musical culture and heritage we must acknowledge Jazz (along with SO many additional genres that aren't represented here). Frank Glover is an example of a contemporary jazz artist pushing international boundaries from the confines of central Indiana. His new record, Abacus, is a wonderful amalgamation of jazz, fusion and classical composition that's represented within three movements.
Burnt Ones - Bury Me in Smoke - Burnt Ones are relative newcomers to the local indie rock scene that played their cards smart. They released a strong full length, "Black Teeth Golden Tongues", this summer, went on tour, got plenty of local and national attention and then moved to San Fransisco before anyone could get enough. Let's hope they can repeat this success on the west coast.
Hero Jr. - Shake it Out - These guys also seemed to stumble on a formula for local success right out of the gate: write a strong, catchy record, promote like hell and then play only the biggest shows you can get your hands on. It's only a matter of time before X103 takes them under their wing.
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