Ramsayings

Know what’s been on my mind lately? Local music! Lots of it. I just caught the Purling Hiss bug last week . Just got handed the new Prowler CD by my favorite bartender at Memphis Taproom, Keith. Ran into Ports of Call there, too. Snagged the new Woe disc. Watching Shaking Through videos with Party Photographers and Reading Rainbow. (Give Shaking Through some money, okay?) Picked up the new Sun Airway LP. Need to get that Nightlands record ASAP. Turns out there’s more to the Philly music scene than Dr. Dog. Who knew?

Lots of people did. I’m literally the last guy to the party. Why? Never paid much attention to the local scene when I was coming up as a rock critic because Doug Wallen had that beat covered like a blanket and I wasn’t all that impressed with what was happening back in the mid-’00s, apart from bands like Man Man and Espers. That’s changed. And how.

Sure, some of it can be chalked up to me not being paid to care about music anymore. Listening to new music became a chore. Feel like I missed lots of great stuff because I tuned out, but now I’m back with open ears. In fact, I’m arranging interviews with some of the bands listed above now. Can’t wait to chat with some of these artists and showcase a renewed Philly music scene!

So tell me: who are your favorite local bands?

Not sure how I feel about Kurt Vile’s sound, but one thing’s clear: the dude is a born entertainer. Had a fun time watching him play with his band the Violators last night.

First time I met Kurt was at the first Beach House gig at Johnny Brenda’s. He was sitting next to me at the bar, hoping to meet the guy behind Car Park Records. What happened next is history.

Felt good to congratulate him last night. He played to a packed house in his hometown! Shows that Pitchfork ratings aren’t the end of the world. Wish more bands got that.

Read about them a few weeks ago. Listened to some tracks on their MySpace and fell in love. Hard to believe, but they’re even better live.

How to describe their sound? Does a southern rock-tinged Jay Reatard make sense? Skynyrd meets the Ramones?

Bought two albums and introduced myself to Mike, the lead singer and guitarist, at the merch table after the show.

Someone please sign this band and make them famous, okay? Think Matador would be a great fit. Make it happen, people!

I’m trying to pull these together now. A few albums leap to mind:

• Liars – Sisterworld
• The Roots — How I Got Over
• Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
• Taylor Swift’s Speak Now
• Sightings — City of Straw
• Janelle Monae — The ArchAndroid
• Erykah Badu — New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh
• Ted Leo and the Pharmacists — The Brutalist Bricks
• The-Dream — Love King
• Titus Andronicus — The Monitor
• Big Boi — Sir Luscious Left Foot…
• Spoon — Transference
• Kylesa — Spiral Shadow
• Sleigh Bells — Treats
• V/A Casual Victim Pile comp

I’m still looking around for things I missed. Really wish there were more metal on this list, to say nothing of weirdo noise and psych stuff. More country, too! I’m not above hearing ten albums in the next week and making those my favorite albums of the year. Still haven’t heard that Beach House album that came out so long ago it feels like 2009! I’m over worrying what critics think of my year-end list; none of them matter so much to warrant the cosmopolitan ulcer I used to give myself come November. Have to admit that it feels good to have reached the point in my life where I’m happy to nominate the mainstream fluff I used to hate seeing in the Village Voice Pazz ‘n’ Jop poll. That Taylor Swift album is damn good!

What are your favorites of 2010? Feel free to drop links in the comments. Wow me.

Chatted with the sweet crew from Black Cab Sessions tonight after work outside First Unitarian Church. Not sure I was really able to articulate Philadelphia’s music scene, but I gave it a shot. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.