By Amanda DK

Los Angeles band RACES has been blowing up on the local scene over the past few months. Pun intended. They dropped their debut EP of only three songs in November, managing to grow a rabid fanbase (and deal with Frenchkiss Records) based largely on a dynamic and compelling live performance and insistent buzz. And buzz well-deserved. While the songs are polished and rich (with six members, you are expected to make a lot of noise, and they do) the co-ed indie rockers really sell it on stage, filling whatever space they play to the brim with riffs and harmonies.

Having conquered the west coast, next up for RACES will be a series of parties and showcases at SXSW, bookended by tours with fellow SoCal buzz bands Gardens & Villa (Santa Barbara) and NO (Los Angeles), as well as appearances with The Mountain Goats and Chairlift.

While their debut album, Year Of The Witch will officially hit stores near you on March 27th, you can stream it on their Bandcamp page. Los Angeles residents can celebrate with the band at the Echo for their release show on March 30.

And how many of you knew that bassist Oliver Hild is actually a music supervisor for NBC? He music supervised Royal Pains, Suits and In Plain Sight (to name a few) and did music licensing for Friday Night Lights. Oliver helped his department win the award for Best Music Supervision for Studio Television by The Guild of Music Supervisors over Grammy weekend. Now that is talent.

RACES “Big Broom” (Robert Delong Remix)

RACES “Big Broom” Video (Premiered on Rolling Stone)

By Amanda DK

Behind many independent music supervisors, especially in the television world, there is a studio executive working with several other independent music supervisors trying to keep multiple shows on course and colleagues on all levels happy.More often than not, these are the less glamorous positions; their names may not be in the credits, but studio music execs are still reading every script, watching every cut, solving clearance struggles and giving creative notes.  Not only that, the creatives on a project (director, producers) can sometimes perceive them as the “bad guy,” pushing corporate studio agendas at the expense of their vision.  The best ones can serve both to an equal degree at the same time – Russell Ziecker is one of these.

Like most music supervisors working today, Ziecker didn’t start out in supervision, however, his journey is likely one of the most eclectic.  His first gig in music was in his early twenties, touring the world playing in bands with the likes of Frank Zappa and others, but after a few years he knew he needed to do something else. Ziecker then entered the music publishing world with stints at both Chrysalis Music Group and Virgin Music Publishing, working with bands such as Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction and Stone Temple Pilots.  In the years that followed, he continued to try on many hats…President/COO of Milan Records, managing US operations for Simon LeBon’s (Duran Duran) Tokyo-based music production company, and then starting his own business, FUZZ Music and Sound Design. He managed major label artists such as Jason Falkner, Jeremy Toback, and Lazlo Bane, and has produced music for over 350 commercials. The amount of badges from various festivals and conferences he’s participated in over the years could fill at least one large shoebox – he will be adding another badge to his collection next month, as he will be speaking at SXSW on my panel, “Music in TV Pilots: Sales Tool or Strategy?”. Now at Lionsgate he oversees all television music for the company including Mad Men (AMC), Weeds (Showtime), Nurse Jackie (Showtime), Blue Mountain State (Spike) and BOSS (Starz), in addition to directly supervising all pilots.

Meeting Ziecker, you would never guess any of the above. Not that he’s not an extremely cool guy, he’s just more laid back and collected than many studio executives you will encounter. I sat down to chat with him about Lionsgate’s most recent success, BOSS. The show was nominated for two Golden Globes: Best Television Series – Drama, and Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama for it’s star (and producer), Kelsey Grammar, and won the latter.  The music, however, also got some attention, largely due to the use of Robert Plant’s “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down” as the main title.  In addition providing a selection of tunes that he feels captures the tone of the show, Ziecker also shares how the song was chosen, as well as some of the struggles and key decisions to be made when music supervising the trickiest of all mediums: the television pilot.

Tom Jones “What Good Am I”

Christopher O’Riley “Everything In Its Right Place”

Apollo 440 “The Man With the Harmonica”

Four Eyes “A Way of Life”

Wolf Gang “The King And All Of His Men”

Milos Karadaglic “Lågrima”

Alexander “Truth”

Elizaveta “Odi Et Amo”

Brian Reitzell “BOSS 108 Sonata”

Band of Skulls “Light of the Morning”

Roscoe Gordon “Booted”

Aldo Ciccolini “Six Gnossiennes I. Lent”

Cream “Politician”

TA: Like most music supervisors you didn’t start off in the profession.  I know you’ve done many, many things…can you list a few?

Russell Ziecker: I joke that I’ve had five careers in one vocation (music)…but it’s really true.  Started as a musician, then music publishing, worked at record labels, in management, music supervision, now studio executive.

TA: At what point in all of that did you get into supervision and why?

RZ: Well, it was a dark, and stormy night…actually, I had been running soundtrack label Milan Records, and dealing with a number of high-profile film directors and composers while creating the soundtracks. It was director Mike Figgis that really woke me up to the powerful intersection of images and music.

TA: Was there any particular experience in your background that you found particularly valuable in supervision?

RZ: Therapy.  Music supervision is as much a people-management skill as music-management skill.

TA: When you begin work on a pilot, at what point do main titles start being discussed?  Is it something where you want to start feeding ideas early on, or do the producers generally not want to get into until shooting is complete?

RZ: More often than not I’d say, very early.  The thing about a pilot though, is that your collection field is so very vast until you see the shape of the show, then you end up throwing out many ideas that no longer fit with the tonality.

TA: It often seems like theme songs are becoming a dying art these days.  Do you feel strongly that a good main title theme is important, or does it depend on the show?

RZ: There is a legitimate argument for both sides of this.  Every show may not benefit from having a (music) main title.  Personally, I think it represents a branding element and an instant “ID” for the show.

TA: What about the trend in general?  Are too many shows missing opportunities by foregoing themes?

RZ: No. I do think it’s maybe better to have no main title (music) than a poorly conceived one – that doesn’t represent the tonality of the show.

TA: In your opinion, is it more effective to choose a song for a main title that people are familiar with, or one that no one has heard/is completely original?

RZ: In terms of marketing for a show, I tend to think that a very well known song is not the way to go as it is associated with “a sound, a scene, and/or a particular artist” – and takes the viewer out of the show. The theme song or main title should invite you into the show – I think the more obscure the song, the better the odds at making it a special branded element for the show.

TA: What is the most important skill every music supervisor should have?  Either tactical (i.e. music editing, or music licensing) or interpersonal.

RZ: Both of those are, at times, used in equal measure, depending upon the needs of the project.  I can’t pretend that “interpersonal” skills and ego management don’t seem to take priority (or perhaps it’s that’s what takes the most work for me personally).

TA: With the traditional soundtrack model dying, what do you think makes a successful soundtrack right now?  Or should the industry be turning to alternate ways to use music to brand film/TV properties?

RZ: To answer your first point, exclusive content. And yes, we must embrace new ways of music delivery and connecting with fans.  I think QR codes, scanning technology, Shazam, etc. will be the future of soundtracks.

TA: You were instrumental in both the BOSS main title song (“Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down”) and Mad Men (“A Beautiful Mine”) as well as the covers of “Little Boxes” during Season 2 of Weeds…what other main titles were you responsible for that I’m missing?

RZ: For Weeds Seasons 2 and 3 we recorded and used different versions of our (then) theme song, “Little Boxes.”  Kill Point, The Dresden Files, Hidden Palms, Nurse Jackie, Blue Mountain State, Lovespring International, Running Wilde, Wendy Williams Talk Show, Fear Itself, all fell under my watch….and then there were the pilots…

TA: How hard is it to convince the owners of an existing song to attach their music to a show in such an important way?

RZ: Depends upon the affinity and cache value that the show carries with it (to artist/performer/writer, manager, label, and/or publisher).  I would never use the word convince – rather than “strongly make a case for” – because you seldom have much leverage with a new show that hasn’t yet aired or had any ratings that you can refer to.

TA: For both Mad Men and BOSS, how did you come to choose those songs?  What other ideas were being considered at the time?

RZ: There were only a couple of ideas that we’d investigated for Mad Men, one of which was working with David Byrne, who wrote a couple of very cool, component-type songs, where he encouraged me to cut and recut as we wished, swapping bridges for versus, swapping out lines of the chorus, and so on.  It would have had a completely different feeling for the show.  All credit goes to Matt Weiner (creator of Mad Men) for finding this fairly unknown, hip-hop track by RJD2 (that is 5:31 in it’s original form).  He’d heard it played on NPR and then sought it out.  Similarly, I’d credit Kelsey Grammer with finding “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down” for BOSS.  He wanted a song and performer (in this case, Robert Plant), who had the same level of gravitas and heft as the iconic, well-ensconced, fictional mayor of Chicago character.  This fit the bill in every way.  We tried hundreds of different tracks, many of which were classical, and juxtaposed them against the images of Chicago we had in the title sequence.

Alison Brie performs at the Mad Men Live Revue

TA: What are some adjectives you would use to describe the sound of BOSS, specifically the score?

RZ: Minimalist soundscapes, interwoven with classically-inspired melodies.

TA: Of all the soundtracks you’ve produced, what was the most challenging and why?  Which was the most fun?

RZ: The Mad Men Character Playlists, which essentially are seven separate EPs, five songs on each. Starting with 923 songs, we selected material that each character would have listened to during their formative years.  These were eventually whittled down, pass after pass, to get to five each…it was interesting to me how the songs communicated the characters’ thoughts and feelings, and literally became a conversation between the characters…or at least I thought they did.

TA: For the “Little Boxes” covers, how many of the artists did you seek out versus how many came to you?  Was it difficult to find takers considering the subject matter of the show?

RZ: It’s been awhile, but from what I remember, we probably sought out versions from 70% of the artists we had versions from, while 30% or so surprised us with versions that they had done, in hopes to get it on the show.  I don’t think the subject matter of the show was ever a hurdle, in fact, it seems that was the selling point for many artists.

TA: Who are some of the artists that came to you?

RZ: Brett Dennen, Peggy Honeywell did a bluegrass version, and John Mayer asked if he could do a version, but never did hand one in.

TA: Were there any versions done where you were especially bummed they didn’t make it to air?

RZ: Jason Mraz.

TA: When assembling a team for a pilot, who is the most important member?

RZ: Really depends upon what kind of material you have, and the genre/tonality of the show.

TA: Do you try and set up people who could work on the long term, or just for the time of the pilot?

RZ: Yes, I always try and hire both music supervisors and composers that could stay on the show if we to get picked up.

TA: Once a show gets picked up to series, as a studio executive, how does your strategy change?  What are your first steps?

RZ: Creatively, shows seem to take three or four episodes to find their true footing, so I think you have to be patient while the baby grows.  If you analyze pilots from now successful shows, you quickly realize and see how even the actors were a little tentative in their approach to the characters they’d later become…same with the music team.  First steps are getting the right team together that is capable of delivering what the show needs.

TA: What are some of the shows coming up on the Lionsgate docket that you are excited about? 

RZ: Anger Management with Charlie Sheen. Next Caller Please, a music intensive comedy about the world of Satellite Radio.  A still untitled Nashville project written by Callie Khouri of Thelma & Louise and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood fame.

TA: What new artists are you listening to now?

RZ: Lana Del Rey, Erik Satie, Blind Pilot, Cashier No. 9. Brett Dennen, Danger Mouse/Daniele Luppi, Sleigh Bells, M83, La Santa Cecilia, Beirut, Milos Karadaglic, Scala, The Pixies

TA: You’ve worked with or performed with some of the most iconic bands ever…is there any artist that you’ve never seen (or someone you have) that you would pay top dollar to see perform?

RZ: Do I get a coffee or a drink first?  How about a plus one?  We seek the things we can’t have – so I’d have to go with Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, or Led Zeppelin, or one of the stalwart oldies that one can ever see.

Artist: Quilt
Origin: Boston, MA
Label: Mexican Summer
Latest Release: Quilt (November 2011)

There is something about Boston quartet Quilt that is strange and yet familiar. Both immediate and nostalgic. I can’t quite tell if my instant connection with their particular brand of indie folk is due to their sonic kinship with current artists, like Mountain Man or The Barr Brothers, or some borrowed yearning for an era I never experienced.  The latter is more likely.

On their self-titled debut album, lonesome banjos anchor playful psychedelic harmonies, both “electric and eclectic,” and leaves the listener feeling warm and fuzzy. Perhaps Quilt has awakened sensory memories of Woodstock passed to me from my father. I can practically feel crumbling earth and wind skimming across an open field through their hazy, intimate recordings.  Simply lay out your favorite homemade blanket – or quilt – and let the music take you away.

You can stream Qurchase Quilt’s debut album on their Bandcamp page, or purchase at the Mexican Summer store.

By Amanda DK

Yesterday morning, key players in the field of music supervision all gathered at Magnolia Downtown to honor the outstanding accomplishments of their peers.  The crowd, comprised of music libraries, labels, publishers, studio executives and independent supervisors large and small, was chatty and buoyant (possibly due to the free flowing champagne, mimosas and bellinis), packing the restaurant and spilling out onto both the front and rear patios.  As always, with this tight knit community, it felt more like a casual garden party than a formal affair.  Presenters giggled their way through the lists of nominees, and tossed out industry inside jokes on the fly.  Even a few technical difficulties couldn’t dampen the mood.

As relaxed as the morning was, however, Guild President, Maureen Crowe and music supervisor, John Houlihan, were both clear on the message: it takes a diverse skill set to do what we do, and we need to work together to make that known.  Fortunately that is one point supervisors and pitchers do not need to negotiate – with prominent organizations such as BMG Chysalis, APM Music, Sony/ATV, Megatrax, SESAC, and Killer Tracks sponsoring the event, it was a rallying cry for everyone involved in placing music to picture.

Nine awards were handed out during the ceremony; nominees in all categories were chosen and voted upon by Guild Members.  Check out the nominees and winners below!

Winners are denoted in red.

**Check out photos of the winners on Facebook!

Music Supervision, Independent Films ($20 million and less)
Dondi Bastone (The Descendants, The Way)
Joel C. High (Madea’s Big Happy Family, Redemption Road, Fort McCoy)
Andréa von Foerster (Bellflower, From Prada To Nada)
**Gabe Hilfer and Jim Black (50-50)
Linda Cohen (Young Adults)
Jonathan McHugh (Greatest Movie Ever Sold)

Music Supervision, Films ($20 million budget and higher)
George Drakoulias (Crazy, Stupid, Love; Super 8, The Hangover 2)
Dave Jordan (Dream House, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor, Something Borrowed, Arthur and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son)
Season Kent (Machine Gun Preacher, Limitless, “The Keeper,” by Chris Cornell)
**Julia Michels (Alvin and The Chipmunks, The Big Year, What’s Your Number, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules)
Alex Patsavas (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, A Better Life, Water for Elephants, The Beaver, The Dilemma)

Music Supervision, Studio Films
**Sony Pictures – Lia Vollack, Kier Lehman (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Adventures of Tintin, Moneyball, The Ides of March, Bad Teacher)

Screen Gems – Spring Aspers (The Raid, Battle Los Angeles, Jumping the Broom, Friends With Benefits, Priest, Attack The Block, The Roommate)

Universal – Mike Knobloch, Rachel Levy, Angela Leus  (Tower Heist, Bridesmaids, Fast Five, The Change, Hop, The Adjustment Bureau, The Thing, The Dilemma)

Warner Brothers – Paul Broucek, Darren Higman, Erin Scully, Carter Armstrong, Niki Gascon Sherrod (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Happy Feet Two, Loot, J. Edgar, Contagion, Final Destination, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Born to Be Wild, Sucker Punch, Red Riding Hood, The Rite.)

Music Supervision, Trailers
Angel Medoza (Captain America: The First Avenger, I Melt With You, Sarah’s Key, The Company Men)
Danny Exum, Sanaz Lavaedian, Julia Trainor, Heather Kreamer (The Avengers)
**Jordan Silverberg (Beautiful Boy, Happy Feet 2, Journey 2: Mysterious Island, Puss and Boots)
Maura Duval Griffin (Arthur Christmas, The Smurfs)
Vanessa Jorge Perry (Aspect Radio, Apollo, Final Destination, Kung Fu Panda 2, Monte Carlo, Spy Kids)

Music Supervision, Reality Television/Live
PJ Bloom (The Glee Project)
Carrie Hughes (Around the World in 80 Plates, The Real L Word, The Hard Times of RJ Berger, The Inbetweeners)
**Robin Kaye (The Dance Scene, American Idol, The Singing Bee, Q’Viva! The Chosen)
Rebecca Rienks (Ice Loves Coco, Khloe & Lamar, Dirty Soap, Scouted)
Lindsay Wolfington (The Sing Off)

Music Supervision, Television
**Gary Calamar (Death Valley, Dexter, House MD, Men of a Certain Age, True Blood, Wilfred)
Kevin Edelman (Bones, Criminal Minds, the Protector, Franklin & Bash, Homeland, Missing, The Finders, Love Bites, 3 Inches)
Thomas Golubic (The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, The Killing)
**Liza Richardson (Prime Suspect, Hawaii Five-0, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, The Secret Circle, Lie To Me, No Ordinary Family)
Andréa von Foerster (Apt 23, SGU Stargate, Traffic Light, Modern Family)

Music Supervision, TV Long Form
John Houlihan (From The Sky Down: U2)
Andréa von Foerster (Hallmark Hall of Fame, Have A Little Faith, Beyond the Blackboard)
**Evyen Klean (Too Big To Fail, Cinema Verite, The Sunset Limited, Mildred Pierce)

Music Supervision, Studio Television
ABC – Dawn Soler (Once Upon A Time, Revenge)

Disney Channel – Steve Vincent (Ant Farm, Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas, Shake It Up, Kickin’ It, Pair of Kings, Sonny With A Chance)

Lionsgate – Russell Zeicker (Boss, Running Wilde, Nurse Jackie,  Blue Mountain State)

**NBC – Alicen Schneider, Stacy Wallen-McCarthy, Oliver Hild, Kerri Drootin (Grimm, Being Human, Royal Pains, Warehouse 13, Eureka, In Plain Sight, Alphas, Suits, The Office, Parks & Recreation, Psych, Fairly Legal, Covert Affairs, Law & Order)

Music Supervision, Games
Activision – (Call of Duty 3: Modern Warfare, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure, Generator Rex: Agent of Providence, X-Men: Destiny, NASCAR unleashed, Goldeneye 007: Reloaded, Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon, NASCAR The Game)
**Electronic Arts – Steve Schnur, Cybele Pettus (Battlefield, Madden NFL Football, NHL, Star Old Republic, FIFA, Tiger Woods Master, SIMS 3 Pets)
Rockstar Games – (Grand Theft Auto, The Max Payne, L.A. Noire)

By Amanda DK

It seems as though the 54th Annual Grammy Awards have received more flak from the indie community this year than any other year (in my memory at least).  Weren’t we all over “Grenade” by last February? Didn’t Mumford and Sons Sigh No More come out in 2009?  Bon Iver for Best New Artist?  For Emma, Forever Ago was released in 2008.  And if the music community scoffed (mostly) anonymously into the social media ether, Justin Vernon made his reaction public.

To be honest, the music in media categories feel similar.  Burlesque, Tangled and The King’s Speech all received nods during awards season last winter.  The public has moved on.  After this though, the only major awards show left is the Oscars, which has already caused discomfort in the music supervision world for only nominating two songs and then not inviting either to perform.

That said, there are some pleasant surprises and attention well-deserved.  The soundtracks for Boardwalk Empire and True Blood Vol. 3 both capture the tone of the show while still being excellent albums on their own.  Daft Punk skillfully translated their dance beats into an epic score.  And Alexandre Desplat clearly deserves recognition for memorable work on multiple films – both the two nominated here and many others (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Tree of Life, and The Ides of March to name a few).  Check out the full list of Film/TV/Media nominees below

Watch the 54th Annual Grammy Awards this Sunday, February 12 at 8:00pm / 7:00pm Central on CBS

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

1. Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1 (Various Artists)
Producers: Stewart Lerman, Randall Poster & Kevin Weaver
Elektra

Regina Spektor “My Man” (from Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1)

2. Burlesque (Christina Aguilera)
RCA Records

3. Glee: The Music, Volume 4 (Glee Cast)
Producers: Adam Anders, Peer Astrom & Ryan Murphy
Columbia Records

4. Tangled (Various Artists)
Producer: Alan Menken
Walt Disney Records

5. True Blood: Volume 3 (Various Artists)
Producer: Gary Calamar
WaterTower Music

Check out the cover of “And When I Die” by The Heavy that can be heard in the season four finale and on the soundtrack here.

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media

1. Black Swan
Composer: Clint Mansell
Sony Classical/Fox Music

2. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
WaterTower Music

3. The King’s Speech
Composer: Alexandre Desplat
Decca

4. The Shrine
Composer: Ryan Shore
Screamworks

5. Tron Legacy
Composers: Daft Punk
Walt Disney Records

Check out my interview with Orchestrator/Arranger, Joe Trapanese, as well as a few inside scoops you may not know about the score.

Best Song Written For Visual Media

1. “Born To Be Somebody” (from Never Say Never)
Performed by: Justin Bieber
Songwriter: Dian Warren

2. “Christmastime Is Killing Us” (from Family Guy)
Written and Performed by: Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane & Danny Smith

3. “I See The Light” (from Tangled)
Performed by: Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi
Written by: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater

4. “So Long” (from Winnie The Pooh)
Performed by: Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward
Written by: Zooey Deschanel

5. “Where The River Goes” (from Footloose)
Performed by: Zac Brown
Written by: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Drew Pearson and Anne Preven

6. “You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me” (from Burlesque)
Performed by: Cher
Written by: Diane Warren

By Amanda DK

Artist: Empress Hotel
Origin: New Orleans, LA
Label: Park The Van
Latest Release: Empress Hotel EP (February 2011)

It’s not often that I stumble across new bands from New Orleans.  I’m not sure why that is.  I’m certainly not avoiding the state.  I never realized that was even the case until I began investigating Empress Hotel.

The Big Easy masters of melodic pop have successfully broadened my perception of the sounds that could emerge from the state.  Their catchy confections have a carefree sway that one might associate with the South, but on the whole feels more modest. Rock guitars carry sunny harmonies laced with falsetto and elevated by twinkling keyboard flourishes. I recommend checking it out now, but be prepared to give it a spin this Spring, their music is more May than October.

Released last February, their self-titled debut EP can be heard on their Bandcamp page, and purchased on iTunes for $5.00

By Amanda DK

I’ve never been a football fan. Not a real one at least. I mean, I grew up watching the Giants and Notre Dame with my family. I made it to the occasional football game at Northwestern to support my alma mater. Now I guess I’m an Eagles fan, because I generally like it when my boyfriend is in a good mood Sunday evenings. However, I’m also innately attracted to anything that brings people together. So you know how some people are “social smokers”? They will only have a cigarette when out with friends, or after a few drinks at a party. I’ll call myself a social football fan. I usually won’t elect to watch a game on my own, but I do enjoy it with a group. Especially if I can provide the appetizers and craft beer.

All of that said, I do love fantasy football. I don’t play it – as you might guess from reading the above, I would likely fail miserably, or scramble my brain trying to learn everything I possibly could all at once – but still I find it way more exciting to watch the points climb for my boyfriend’s fantasy team than any real one. A battle between him and his old roommate feels far more important than two collectives of people I have no personal connection with.

It also increases the social aspect of football. You can connect with coworkers, friends and even strangers on a new level; now there are double, triple or quadruple the teams to commiserate with them about (depending on how many leagues you are in). It’s another common thread to bond over, like a favorite band or obsession with Greek cuisine. Fantasy leagues also have the power to create and maintain friend groups that otherwise may not exist – it’s amazing the bond some aggressive trash-talking can forge.

Which brings me to The League. I am woman, I am not a football fan, and I believe this is one of the funniest shows on television. Possibly the funniest. Yes, it features a group of friends who are all in a fantasy football league, but it’s more about their friendship and hilarious fumbles (pun intended) trying to pass off as adults. It never gets old to observe lawyers, married couples, doctors or divorcees, act like complete assholes win a trophy that was named after a high school nerd, in fact, it’s compelling television. Whether laughing or cringing, good luck trying to keep a straight face while watching.

Several months ago, whoever operates the Twitter feed for The League challenged me to make a mixtape in exchange for DVDs.

@tadpoleaudio thanks. we’ll trade you dvd’s for a mix tape.

— The League on FX (@theleaguefx) November 4, 2011

As happens, the next couple months ran away from me, facilitated largely by the vortex that is the holiday season. Finally, in honor of the impending Super Bowl XLVI (46), I buckled down and executed.

I think it’s a touchdown.

Get it? I used a football word. I’m learning.

Kanye West “Dark Fantasy”
Every season the fantasy of winning the Shiva Bowl springs anew…of course the journey to get there is usually grotesque and corrupt. Plus, Kanye is a Chicago native.

The Black Keys “Run Right Back”

Fantasy football is a cruel mistress, and this group is definitely addicted.

Butch Walker and The Black Widows “Suckerpunch”
From obscene message boards, to vulturing points (and women), and chicken-milk stink bombs, these gentlemen (and lady) play dirty on and off the proverbial field.

Cloud Nothings “Hey Cool Kid”

I’m sure he’s a great guy, but I can’t help hearing a bratty kid when I listen to Cloud Nothings. The tone is perfectly appropriate for such juvenile adults, and the lyrics could easily be Andre singing to Ruxin.

The Features “Kids”

These adults may not be grown-up, but their kids seem to be taking after their wild parents. Baby Jeffrey is forever unclean, and Ellie tells her classmates to “take a ride on her suck stick.”

The Veils “Don’t Let The Same Bee Sting You Twice”
Even the “Patient Zero of Distrust” turning over a new leaf and initiating an eight-way trade designed to bring peace to the league couldn’t stop the backstabbing. Clearly, they will never learn.

Travis Barker “Let’s Go” (featuring Yelawolf, Twista, Busta Rhymes & Lil Jon)
But where does all this hostility come from? Healthy competition of course.

Born Ruffians “Sole Brother”

It can’t be easy to have Taco as a brother. I’m sure Kevin frequently wishes he was an only child…and had all his ties.

Those Darlins “Be Your Bro”
All Jenny wants is to be one of the dudes…even if it means standing naked in an alley for a minimum of two minutes.

The Fearless Vampire Killers “All Coked Up”

“I sat in gum!”

Gang of Four “I Party All The Time”
“I’m not innocent, I’m a phoney…and I party all the time” …The song is about owning up to irresponsibility and deviousness. You could write a paper on all the evil things Ruxin does, like join a cult to get insider fantasy tips.

Lyrics Born “Coulda Shoulda Woulda” ft. Sam Sparro (Party Ben remix)

It’s impossible not to have regrets when playing a game that’s so based on luck. You never know when a your kicker will whiff an easy field goal and send Ruxin to the finals.

Devo “Don’t Shoot (I’m A Man)”
“I’ve got a big dilemma, to punt or go for broke,” …Football reference aside, this is a silly song making a mockery of manhood. These men are dudes to a fault, except Andre, who would probably be the most likely to listen to Devo not ironically.

Of course, it’s not as though The League is unfamiliar with great music. Jon LaJoie (Taco) first gained attention by posting comedic songs on the Internet, and occasionally displays his talent on the show:

Also this wonderful moment:

Even El Cunado has good taste.

Special Thanks goes to Julia Betley, a fellow fan of the show and music aficionado who sent me a ton of great ideas for this.

By Amanda DK

Artist: Making Friendz
Origin: New York
Label: Last Bummer Records
Latest Release: Social Life (June 2011)

Those who follow this blog have probably noticed it’s more earthy, rootsy folk leanings.  I won’t lie, when going through submissions, I generally look for words like “ambient,” “electronic,” “beats,” “experimental,” so I can then delete those posts.  Occasionally, however, something will reach in from outside my comfort zone and give me a good shake.

As their name might suggest, Making Friendz is a band that doesn’t take themselves to seriously. At the center is Tami Hart (Le Tigre, The Gossip, Sleater-Kinney, MEN) who started Making Friendz to very literally make friends, after moving from Los Angeles to Brooklyn.  Hart proves that when pop hooks and driving dance rhythms join forces it is something addictive. Each song on their debut album Social Life is different from the next – one bluesy, one punk, many perfectly suited for a European discotheque.  “Situation” is the type of song that I would leap around to in my bedroom, possibly jumping on the bed, singing into my hairbrush, while “Luv Cruizin” gets me in the mood to get dressed up and do the same in public.  What links them all together are gutsy, high-energy vocals and pounding electronic beats.  This album is destined to be on rotation for pre-games the rest of the year.

Making Friendz “Situation”

Making Friendz “Luv Cruizin”

Purchase Making Friendz Social Life at the Last Bummer Records store.

By Amanda DK

Photo Credit: Dylan Bell

It’s no big secret that artists need to have solid live show to be successful. Similarly, it’s always a disappointment when a great album does not translate to a dynamic live show.Los Angeles quintet Vanaprasta does not have that issue.  For the past few years the band has built a strong reputation almost entirely by their larger than life stage presence. They are a fixture on the music scene here, turning heads at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in 2010 and impressing audiences at their Satellite residency this past November. Nor are they strangers to the national arena; Vanaprasta made waves at this year’s CMJ Festival and have played at least a couple shows at every SXSW since 2009, really taking the festival by storm in 2011 with a total of eight shows during their time in Austin.

That said, while frontman Steven Wilkin may have been trained in opera as a child, these days he’s better known for leading the charge in rowdy, aggressive guitar rock that blows the roof off while still having memorable hooks.

After much anticipation, an EP, contributions to a compilation benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles, and many, many live performances, Vanaprasta finally released their debut full-length album, Healthy Geometry, on 11/01/11.  Thankfully, each one of the nine songs accurately captures their wild energy. Soon after, the band appeared on Fuel TV’s The Daily Habit, and Healthy Geometry was featured by iTunes as “New and Noteworthy.” It’s only a matter of time before their arena-ready sound reaches ears around the globe.

A band known for their live sound, it only seemed appropriate that Vanaprasta’s mixtape be a nod to great performances that have, as they say, “thumped their skulls.” Check out their picks below – a great combination of local gems and major artists – as well as pre-show rituals, weird venues and the secret to their killer live show.

Songs from Bands Who Have Thumped Our Skulls Live

1. Portugal. The Man “Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)” – Collin Desha (Guitar/Vocals/Keys)

2. WU LYF “Dirt”

The best show I’ve ever seen at the Echo, and by far the most energized crowd. This song really got everyone going.” – Taylor Brown (Bass)

3. White Arrows “Coming or Going” (RAC Mix)

“A cool, infectious staple of their live show, which is a can’t miss in LA.” – Brown

4. Incan Abraham “Third Man”

“Stumbled across one of their shows at a random art party and was thoroughly impressed.” – Brown

5. The Antlers “Kettering”

“We caught them at the El Rey, and the way this song off (of their debut album, Hospice) translates in the live setting with a full band is flat out exhilarating.” – Brown

6. Eastern Conference Champions “Attica”

“Saw these guys kill it at Bloomfest in Downtown LA this year. This is one of my favorite tracks off their new album, and live, it builds and flourishes in a really awesome way at the end of the song.” – Brown

7.  Unknown Mortal Orchestra “Nerve Damage!”

“That opening lick destroyed my brain at The Satellite!” – Cameron Dmytryk (Guitar)

8. The Arctic Monkeys “Don’t Sit Down Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”

“They did a magnificent job with this song at the Hollywood Bowl.” – Ben Smiley (Drums)

9. Wise Blood “Loud Mouths”

“I saw him several times this year, but at his Echo performance he looked like he was rearing to punch someone in the crowd at any given point.” – Dmytryk

10. The National “Available”

“They played this wonderfully aggressive track at the Hollywood Bowl this year. I’ve seen them four times in always progressively bigger venues.  I had never seen this particular song before and it’s one of their most brutally intoxicating and honest.” – Dmytryk

TA: So what was your favorite show that you’ve ever played and why?

Ben Smiley: I would have to say when we played The Belmont at SXSW in 2009. Its an outdoor stage in downtown Austin, TX and the sun was setting. It was a pretty magical experience for all of us early in our career.

TA: Are there any local bands that you cannot understand why they haven’t blown up yet?  Any that you’re sure will in 2012 (other than Vanaprasta of course)?

BS: I’m pretty surprised Voxhaul Broadcast hasn’t blown up to a huge status they’re pretty phenomenal. I think 2012 will be a big year for Chasing Kings, they’re one of my favorite LA bands.

TA: What is the weirdest location that you’ve ever played a show?

BS: We played a show inside an RV for a thing called Jam in the Van. We’re a 5 piece with a decent amount of gear so that was tricky. In the early days as a band we played whatever we could so we played lots of weird shit but we always had a good time doing it.

TA: Vanaprasta is oft touted for an excellent live show.  What is going through your head during each show?

BS: Our live shows are pretty intense. I used to think about every little detail but I feel like the more you play together as a band and develop that chemistry the easier it is to kind of just  play off each other. I just think about not fucking up most of the time.

TA: Do you or the band have any pre-show rituals?

BS: I usually have a shot of Jameson, beers, stretch a little bit, chew some gum and then go play.

Photo Credit: Dylan Bell

TA: Did performing come easily to you, to the band as a whole?  Or was it something you had to work at?

Cameron Dmytryk: Not really, we love it more than basically anything.  As far as working at it, it really came with the hair.

TA: In your opinion, what are three key essential elements that make an amazing live show?  High energy, playing songs true to the album, adding unique flourishes, interacting with the audience, etc.

CD: High energy is always great, but if you can captivate you don’t need to go that crazy.  Future Island are an incredible live band and the band itself are just providing lush atmosphere while the singer mesmerizes the crowd. For me it’s all about captivating presence, extended sections where you’re building on a song of yours everyone knows (an example would be Local Natives live rendition of Sun Hands), and…well, lights (never underestimate them).

TA: What bands or songs are on your “must see live before I die” list?

CD: I’ve checked quite a few off…Fugazi for sure.  For some reason still haven’t seen Mars Volta.  Honestly the big one for me is a Minneapolis punk band called Dillinger 4.  They’ve been my fav punk band since high school and they barely tour and I’ve somehow missed them every damn time.  Last time they went through LA I heard they were a drunken sloppy mess and Paddy their bass player (who almost always gets naked behind the bass) got arrested on Hollywood Blvd.

TA: What band have you seen more times than any other?

CD: Built To Spill – 11; Modest Mouse – 9

TA: What do you love most about the local LA music scene?

CD: The local LA music scene in Silverlake/Echo Park is such a wonderful sure fire way to find people rid of the LA stereotypes (greed, selfishness, backstabbing) and make life long friends with people who push and influence you musically.  It’s the best part of living in Los Angeles.

TA: Who are some of your influences?  As performers, musicians, and/or songwriters?

Taylor Brown: As performers, we admire the big stage presence, energy, and showmanship of festival bands like Muse and My Morning Jacket. I’ve also become completely enamored with how The National transforms their songs live, and Matt Berninger is quite possibly my favorite frontman at the moment. As far as songwriting and musicianmanship goes, the list is pretty long for all of us…I think the grander landscapes of Pink Floyd is something we’re all kind of looking back upon as we look ahead. They were so innovative. Risk takers.

TA: What is your favorite song to perform live?

TB: “Supernumerary.”

Vanaprasta “Supernumerary”

TA: Was it a challenge translating the anthemic, powerful quality of your live performances to recorded tracks?

TB: It was a constant struggle for about two and a half years. We just struggled to capture the energy of our live show recorded, just kept falling flat. Then on our third attempt with Dave Schiffman, we finally got it right.

TA: As I understand it, the album was completed long before the release date – which was chosen (and correct me if I’m wrong) for numerological reasons.  Was it difficult having it ready and having to wait to show it to people?

TB: Actually, there was a previous version of the album that we never released. Different recordings and for the most part, different songs. It was really, really tough to decide to not release it, but we knew that it wasn’t right and that we had to keep taking a crack at it until it was. The album that’s out now…we knew this was the right one as soon as we had it done. We completed it this summer and then decided on the 11/1/11 release date. We were definitely anxious to get it out, but patience and timing is important to a young band like us.

TA: What’s coming up for the band in 2012?

TB: We’re looking to firm up some touring throughout the year. We’ll also be releasing some videos, as well as some alternate versions of songs from the album. We’re also in the process of producing a long form video that goes along to the whole album…just a matter of putting all the pieces together. Making your own 40 minute short film is a bit of an undertaking, but we’re excited about it.

Click here to download Vanaprasta “Nine Equals Nine” for FREE!

Purchase Healthy Geometry on Vanaprasta’s website.

By Amanda DK

It’s no secret that Feist’s Metals is a solid album. The fifth release by the Canadian songstress received glowing reviews when it was first released in October. Rolling Stone named it as one of their picks for best albums of 2011. While her vocals are as lyrical and lovely as ever, the album has a vast, rustic quality, as though it captured a bit of the energy of Big Sur, California, where it was recorded. None of the tracks are as saccharine and catchy as “1234,” instead Metals reveals a more experimental, powerful side of the artist. Even mystical.

Beginning with a driving underlying rhythm (quickly followed by the addition of steady clapping), “Undiscovered First” is perhaps the most raw track on Metals. It combines gritty guitar, regal horns and Feist’s lithe vocals and harmonies, in the most relentless, compelling way. The sultry, lilting melody nurses a bitterness that grows and grows throughout the song until it overflows, like a snarling beast in captivity fighting against it’s bonds. Then at 3:37, the beast rears it’s wonderfully vicious head, consumed by a desperate need to break free. Chains, stomping, guttural belting in the way that only the ethereal singer can do, overwhelmed with emotion. Like the mountain in the song, Feist is a force of nature not to be taken lightly.

Feist “Undiscovered First”

Purchase Feist Metals here.