#2

Oh No- Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird is in my opinion the most talented alternative musician out there, he is an incredible song writer, violinist and even whistler. If you look at the credits from Noble Beast you'll find that most of the instruments were played him. He combines so many different genres of music to create his own fantastic magical sounding music.

2a Souverian

2b Masterswarm

#3

Two Weeks- Grizzly Bear

I think Grizzly Bear had their breakthrough this year, Vecketamest is probably their best album, and it introduced Grizzly Bear to so many people. If you ever get a chance to see them take it, they're incredible live.

Goodbye 2009

2009 went by so fast. But I'm glad that we all discovered some beautiful new music. I compiled a few tracks that I've been religiously listening to recently. I hope that everyone has had a very productive year and I hope 2010 will be even better for you.

A few selections:

What Would I Want Sky - Animal Collective

This song is so beautifully epic. Animal Collective has just been non-stop impressing me lately and I'm loving it. I've just got my panties in a bundle over them!

Throwing It All Away - Haim

Representing my girl Alana Haim. This band has such a unique sound that warms my heart and ears. The beautiful guitar licks and smooth vocals just make me sick with joy. They've performed alongside many including Julian Casablancas. They're going to go far! Just take a listen!

Star Of Wonder - Sufjan Stevens

I can't even explain how much of a genius Mr. Sufjan Stevens is in my eyes. His popular work is beautiful, incorporating electronic, guitar, piano, and every instrument known to man. I hope that you all take some time to check out some of his classical compositions. He is one of the few artists nowadays who creates music for himself, instead of to please. Props to you Sufjan!

The Weight Of My Words [Four Tet Remix] - Kings of Convenience

Ahh, Four Tet. Your work is so brilliant. This track is so relaxing and just puts me in a good mood every time it is put on. I'm very happy to have stumbled upon this gem. I've simply become obsessed with the work of Four Tet. I'm glad that his new work is becoming more and more frequent.

I'd also just like to thank you all for sampling our musical taste this past year. It's been a pleasure sharing out favorites with you, and we hope you've learned a thing or two about new music! I wish you all a happy 2010!

Max

#4

Walkabout (With Noah Lennox)- Atlas Sound

This album is so dense each track has a different sound, there are some great artist featured on this album such as Noah Lennox of Animal Collective, and Laetita Sadier of Stereolab.

Quick Canal (With Laetita Sadier)

Shelia

#5

Paddling Ghost- Dan Deacon

Dan Deacon never disappoints me. His album Bromst had an incredible array of sounds, which were a lot more natural than his previous shit. But he still did have his all electronic tracks that I'm so used to, its just that he toned them down a little

#5a Build Voices

#6

Still- Volcano Choir

Volcano Choir has all the magic of Bon Iver, spliced with the craziest experimental music you've ever heard. I will say I wish the album was longer

#6a Island IS

#6b Cool Knowledge

#7

Useful Chamber - Dirty Projectors

Dirty Projectors, where to start, I haven't met anyone who doesn't like them. They're songs are almost impossible to hate. This song in particular is very special. It is so dense and never seems to end, which makes it great.

happy holidays

On behalf of all the Danger Bees, I wish you all a very special holiday season. I hope everyone is having a great winter. Hopefully we've provided you with some new music for your ears and soul to enjoy. As we near 2010, we should all be making some new years resolutions. I've conjured a few and hopefully you have too.

Here are a few of my favorite holday-esque songs. Enjoy!

Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here

Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!

Florence + The Machine - Last Christmas (Wham Cover)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - All I Want for Christmas

Julian Casablancas - I Wish It Was Christmas Today

Hope you're all getting some good gifts.

Love,

danger bees.

#8

Beach Comber- Real Estate

Real Estate is my favorite new band of the year, they came out with their first album this year and every since it came out I've been crazy about them. They hit the nail right on the head. It's fantastic music.

#9

Love Song 2009- Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele (please download without any hesitation its worth your time)

This album just makes me so happy, I can't help but smile whenever I hear a song by him. I can safely say I had no idea the Ukulele could be so exciting.

#9a Oh Paris

#10

Lisbon Maru- Fuck Buttons

I couldn't classify this band with in the confines of a year. I think this band surpasses the best of a certain year, I think they are one of the best electronic bands in the history of the genre. They're long (10 minutes on average) electronic anthems, are inspiring, mind blowing and life changing.

#10a Flight Of the Feathered Serpent

#10b Surf Solar (7" Edit)

New Vampire

Vampire Weekend - White Sky (Click For Download)

I've been very pleased with all the new Vampire Weekend. They've been changing their sound in each of their new tracks and I'm really loving the direction they're going in. Their last album was really "messy" in my opinion and just didn't really show one style. I mean I loved their last album none the less, but most of the songs on it got very old after a few listens. So far the tracks released on Contra have been easy listens and seem to never get old. I love the new sound and I can't wait for the album to be released.

Check out the awesome video for "Cousins" on their website.

#11

What Would I Want Sky?- Animal Collective

If you wanted my opinion I think that Animal Collective is the most important band of this decade. I think they have totally changed their genre of music, and no one does it better than them. This song is especially excellent, When you listen to it you can't help but feel like you're listening to a narrative, the song is one giant story.

#12

Vacationing People- Foreign Born

I was digging through my itunes and I realized I'm not really a huge fan of Indie Rock music, but Foreign Born is an example of some of the good indie rock that is out there. My problem with indie rock is that I find it hard to differ between bands in this genre. But Foreign Born really stands out to me.

#12a Winter Games

#12b Early Warnings

#13

Lust For Life- Girls

When I first heard girls I couldn't help but laugh. Their music is incredibly honest. please check them out on itunes, their whole album is really fantastic.

Guide

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps (Acoustic/Strings Version)

What can I say? I really love acoustic versions of songs. I was interested to hear some acoustic work from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I'm glad that they chose to do a version of Maps, which is already an incredible classic. I hope you enjoy this track and hopefully there will be some more acoustic work from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!

#14

You've Got the love (The XX remix)

The XX has gotten really popular this year, I think thats amazing considering they only have one album released. But thats my problem with them, I don't think they have enough stuff out for me be completly takin aback by them. But I like this cover of a Florence and the Machine song.

#15

Year of The Ox- Osso and Sufjan Stevens

as I mentioned about a month and a half ago in a previous post, this is a fantastic year for Sufjan Stevens. Personally I like his classical music just as much as his other stuff. This is a classical rendition of his album Enjoy Your Rabbit, it was recorded in 2001, but it is now available. You'll never look at Sufjan Stevens the same again. The interesting thing is that the two albums are polar opposites one is completly electronic while Run Rabbit Run is completly classical

Year of the Dog

Convenient.

Kings of Convenience - The Weight of My Words (Four Tet Remix)

The producer Four Tet is finally back to work and creating some pretty swell tracks. This one happens to be one of my favorites. The new tracks he's been releasing have such a beautiful ambient tone to them. Listening to some of his original work, you realize how much of a genius he is, combining samples from songs and insane original instrumental work. The remix above has been my most listened to track this week. I'm really looking forward to the future tracks that he has promised.

Check out the Four Tet original track below to see how he incorporates his beautiful sound into his remixes!

Four Tet - Love Cry

#16

Grow- Le Loup

This song just has such a golden oldies quality to it. I love it. Le Loup, which started out as just some college student who recorded this album by himself, is now so much more professional with their new album.

#17

Here To Fall- Yo La Tengo

I was so excited when I heard Yo La Tengo put out an album this year. I haven't been a fan for very long but when Popular Songs came out it made listening to Yo La Tengo a lot better.

#18

You Are The Blood- Sufjan Stevens

This is a track off Dark Was The Night which is an album that donates part of its profit to AIDS/HIV relief. The Album features a shit load of artist's such as Conor Oberst, Grizzly Bear, Zach Condon, Arcade Fire, Kevin Drew. I like this song more than any of the others, I like how it kind of hits you in stages, and as long as it is I must have listened to it at least 20 times. As good as this CD a lot of the stuff sounds like Starbuck's Music. But it's still pretty good.

#19

I Just Want to see You Underwater- Here We Go Magic

I first came across Here We Go Magic when I saw them open for Grizzly Bear over the summer, I didn't think much of them at that point, they were only an opening act for me, but I went home and looked them up. The only way to describe them is earthy, when you listen to them you just feel more in tune with nature, with the elements.

19a Fangela

19b Tunnelvision

#20

Into The Shadows of My Embrace- Why?

Why? has to have the most distinct sound out of all bands these days, Yoni Wolf is one of the greatest lyricists of this time. His lyrics are almost written the way a rapper would put down there's. Although their new album Eskimo Snow is no where as good as their previous one Alopecia, but it does not disappoint at all.

#20a This Blackest Purse

#21

The Sticky- Black Moth Super Rainbow

Black Moth Super Rainbow is without a doubt one of the trippiest bands around. But they have really mellowed out in comparison to their last album, Their current album is more ambient than their other ones which just make you feel like you're on some crazy acid trip.

#21aSmile The Day After Today- Black Moth Super Rainbow

Sticky World Tour (Whale vs. Black Moth Super Rainbow)- The Hood Internet

#22

Beast In Peace- Bear in Heaven

If I had to pick a band from 2009 that I was most excited about stumbling upon, it would have to be Bear in Heaven, their album Beast Rest Forth Mouth. Its just so fresh, its brand new, it's a new sound that. And thats all very exciting to me

#22a- You Do You

#22b- Wholehearted Mess

#23

Feel It All Around- Washed Out

Although Washed has only released an EP so far in their career, you can hear the potential this band has. The one thing I love about this band is their beats, which are fantastic

#24

Empty Nest- Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts came on my radar a couple of months ago, When I first listened to them I though they they were a piece of shit, no chance would I ever listen to them again. But as I become more and more desperate to collect material I decided to give them another chance. Thus spawning a love affair with Wild Beasts. It's just one of those bands that when you hear them the first time, you're not so sure what's special or different about them. You have to ease into Wild Beasts, you have to let it win you over. I could be totally wrong. Enjoy.

#25

RjD2 2002- 2010 is a box set that was released this year, it includes most of his work and even some unreleased tracks. Rjd2 is one of the best musicians in his feild, and a lot of people don't quite grasp the musical impact he has had on the music world. The box set is perfect if you love Rjd2. Also expect an album from him in 2010. Rjd2 brings a huge amount of skill to his work that not a lot of other DJ's have in their work. While they are mixing on laptops, he can be found actually working with lp's on a turntable.

25a- Ghostwriter

25b- The Highest of Courts

25c- Bus Stop Bitties

25d- The Horror

25e- A Beautiful Mine

#26

When They Fight, They Fight- The Generationals

So sweet sounding. When I listen to this, I feel like I'm listening to something on some Oldies station. I love that quality and it suits this song well. They have taken different sounds from other bands and made it their own in a way that is truly unique.

#26a These Habits

Shoot Shoot

Shoot Shoot - Stuck in the Sound (Official Video)

The French producer Tepr has not been releasing much lately. But this track is a great new addition to his other acclaimed remixes. Also, the video for the original song is great. Hopefully Tepr will be releasing some more tracks in these upcoming months.

Enjoy!

Stuck In The Sound - Shoot Shoot (Tepr Remix)

Thanks Discopunk for this track!

#27

Sniper Elite (Feat. Feat DOOM)- J Dilla

Unexpected Guests could be called a greatest hits album for Mf Doom. Its an incredible collection of rarities, and just tracks that he is featured in, it really showcases his career and his abilities as one of the best rappers of the decade.

#27a Bells of Doom

Just an awesome track

All Caps- Madvillain

#28

Baby- Devendra Banhart

What Will We Be is Devendra Banhart's new album. Its good, you can still expect that classic Devnedra Banhart song. But It's just not the same, maybe it's the Devendra Banhart weirdness that you'll never hear at a starbucks. Which was kind of toned down, I had grown so accostmued to it? I will say this album has a much more professional sound than his others.

#29

1901- Phoenix

Phoenix is one of those bands that has just done everything right this years, with the release of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix in may and a bunch of remixes covers acoustic recordings has turned them into a really popular band. I think there an album away from being incredibly huge.

#29a Love Like a Sunset

#30

Deadbeat Summer-Neon Indian

Besides having a really good band name, Neon Indian has a very interesting sound. They're music sounds like it was recorded right out of a garage, which is a quality I think a lot of musicians try to obtain, but most of them fail. Fortunately Neon Indian pulls it off very nicely. Also The synths on this album are incredible.

#30a Terminally Chill

#31

Rainwater Cassette Exchange- Deerhunter

Bradford Cox is one of my favorite musicians right now. Not only is he the mastermind behind Deerhunter, He takes on the role as Atlas Sound on the side. And I have lots of respect for musicians who have more than one project running at once.