Gardens & Villa at the French Legation
Rosseus
I like music, silly images and funny stories...in that order.
Shearwater at the French Legation
PICKWICK “Hacienda Motel”
Pickwick is my newest Seattle obsession. They’re a huge soul revival band featuring a soulful singer, tropical guitars, funky keyboards and tons of tambourines.
They’re written in ink on my “must see” list for South by Southwest.
Polica - Daytrotter Session →
Polica is one of my favorite discoveries ahead of this year’s South by Southwest festival. They have a sort of dreamy pop song that’s somewhat similar to Gayngs (both groups are from Minneapolis) and some unusual instrumentation (singer on synths/loops, bass player and two drummers).
Setlist: Amongster / Wandering Star / Dark Star / Form
Ross’ Top 150: February 2012
1. RADIOHEAD (Last #1, Peak #1)
2. BECK (Last #2, Peak #2)
3. THE SMASHING PUMPKINS (Last #4, Peak #3)
4. ARCADE FIRE (Last #3, Peak #2)
5. BUILT TO SPILL (Last #5, Peak #5)
6. SPOON (Last #6, Peak #5)
7. THE NATIONAL (Last #7, Peak #7)
8. DELTA SPIRIT (Last #12, Peak #8) 
9. THE BLACK KEYS (Last #8, Peak #8)
10. CAKE (Last #9, Peak #9)
11. R.E.M. (Last #11, Peak #11)
12. BEIRUT (Last #10, Peak #10)
13. THE DECEMBERISTS (Last #13, Peak #13)
14. GORILLAZ (Last #14, Peak #9)
15. WILCO (Last #15, Peak #15)
16. METRIC (Last #17, Peak #9)
17. WOLF PARADE (Last #16, Peak #10)
18. THE WALKMEN (Last #18, Peak #14)
19. TV ON THE RADIO (Last #19, Peak #19)
20. PHANTOGRAM (Last #20, Peak #19)
21. BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE (Last #22, Peak #16)
22. WHITE RABBITS (Last #26, Peak #14)
23. YEAH YEAH YEAHS (Last #23, Peak #12)
24. BAND OF HORSES (Last #25, Peak #15)
25. ST. VINCENT (Last #24, Peak #24)
Shit just got real.
HEARTLESS BASTARDS “Parted Ways”
You can always rely on Heartless Bastards to provide some solid rock. Set to release their fourth album Arrow next week, the band has quietly put together an impressive catalog of songs.
Maybe they’ll finally get their big breakthrough with Arrow. For what it’s worth, I like it a lot.
SHEARWATER “Animal Life”
Shearwater’s new album Animal Joy has leaked and I really, really like it. It’s intense, gorgeous and majestic…everything you’d expect from a great Shearwater album.
It’s the best thing I’ve heard so far this year and I could easily see it landing in my Top 10 at the year’s end.
HE’S MY BROTHER SHE’S MY SISTER “How’m I Gonna Get Back Home”
He’s My Brother She’s My Sister is (believe it or not) a band led by the brother-sister duo of Robert and Rachel Kolar.
The band has a pre-WWII aesthetic and a western swing sound that (beyond the Kolars) includes a tap-dancing percussionist, string player and a standing drummer.
I’m hoping to check them out at South by Southwest next month.
