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Best of Best of 2009 Lists

19 Dec 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in End-of-Year Lists, Music, Playground, 0 Comments


If it’s snowing in December, it must mean year-end lists. In addition to recess’ own which ran a couple weeks ago, millions of others have surfaced across the interweb, but below are a few especially noteworthy ones. Check it out:

  • The Independent has a locally flavored wrap-up of the end of the aughts, highlighting the top 10 albums and 40 songs (some favorites: Hammer, Red Collar, Megafaun, Bowerbirds, Midtown, Love Language and Bombadil)
  • Everyone and Mac McCaughan’s mother at Merge Records has dropped a list over at their blog
  • The good folks over at Trekky Records have compiled some really stellar lists in the form of “TRK Best of 2k9″ (My biased favorites: Will Hackney, Clare Connolly, Martin Anderson — Bill Callahan and Mount Eerie!)
  • WXDU’s Ross Grady weighed in
  • A bunch of people dropped guests lists on Pitchfork, among them lots of Merge Artists (Jeremy Gara, Dan Bejar, etc.) and rising star Chaz Bundick who we caught up with earlier this year
  • Karen Mann has her five favorite local releases on her blog
  • Megafaun recount some of their favorite things of the year (and release a cover of “I Saw Three Ships”) on Hometapes’ blog as part of the label’s 8 Days of Hometapes
  • All Songs Considered (and NPR music) always puts together smart pieces and their year-end list is good, but this map is possibly better

Finally, I just want to throw in Freddy Ruppert’s year-end list because he has some great picks on there, but also because the Former Ghosts’ debut album was really spectacular.

Here’s to 2010.

Trekky Anounces ‘09 Christmas at the Cradle Lineup

Trekky Anounces ‘09 Christmas at the Cradle Lineup

18 Nov 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Concert, Music, Playground, 1 Comments


The fourth annual Trekky Records Christmas show is less than a month away and the lineup is here. Slated for Dec. 15, Christmas at the Cradle will feature Chapel Hill’s favorite Yuletide Orchestra, the 25-plus-piece the Trekky Yuletide Orchestra and a slew of other great bands. The lineup was just announced on the label’s blog and it includes:

Dexter Romweber
The Love Language
Des Ark
Whatever Brains
Organos
Veelee
Birds and Arrows
Mount Weather

The event will be hosted by Billy Sugarfix. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 day-of and will benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Doors are at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 7:30. See you there. ALSO: Check out recess’ feature on Trekky’s love for the holiday season tomorrow.

Trekky Records Showcase at Milltown, Sept. 27

21 Sep 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Music, Playground, 0 Comments


Chapel Hill favorite Trekky Records will be hosting a label showcase at Carrboro’s Milltown this coming Sunday, Sept. 27 with quieter sets from members of five Trekky bands:

Quoth the press release: “Many will be playing new songs that aren’t quite ready for the full band, some will be playing embarrassing covers from our high school bands. A quiet celebration of the past, present and future of Trekky Records.” Check it out. Sunday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m. Milltown. Oh. And it’s FREE.

Megafaun, Physics of Meaning Captured by Vincent Moon

05 Aug 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Music, Playground, video, 0 Comments


Hometapes artists Megafaun and Slaraffenland, along with Trekky Record’s the Physics of Meaning and a slew of other bands (Stars Like Fleas, Balmorhea and Murder) all made their way into a recent Vincent Moon-filmed Takeaway Show. Shot at SXSW 2009, the 25-minute video is a gorgeous flow of music to both listen to and watch. The video starts with Megafaun playing”Worried Mind” from their excellent new release Gather, Form & Fly, and, according to the Trekky Records blog, Physics of Meaning are playing a new song, likely featured on their next album (after the 15-minute mark).

Physics of Meaning Contribute to Morrissey Tribute

15 May 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Music, Playground, 0 Comments


New York-based blog The Music Slut just debuted a new track from Trekky Records‘ the Physics of Meanings. The local band covered “The Boy With the Thorn In His Side” from the Smiths’ 1986 classic The Queen Is Dead. The cover is part of a month-long tribute, entitled TMS Hearts Moz, the music blog has curated to honor the former Smiths frontman, who released his latest album in February. 

You can download Physics’ contribution here, and see the rest of the offerings (which includes Pattern Is Movement) here.