Tribute to 91.7 KXT - Video Contest Winner

The best radio station in north Texas recently held a video/sound clip contest asking listeners to share why they love 91.7 KXT.  Well, for me there are many reasons.  But the resounding characteristic that endears me so fervently to this listener supported independent station is quite simply the music.  I hear classics from some of my all-time favorite artists such as Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, the Zombies, Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Floyd, Zeppelin, and the Beatles mixed in seamlessly with some of the more relatively unknown (yet equally cherished) indie acts like Wilco, the Pixies, Iron & Wine, the Decemberists, the Shins and the Gaslight Anthem.  To top off an already stellar mix, KXT frequently throws in great tunes from local artists such as Midlake, Seryn, Air Review, etc.

I used to tell people that some of the best music in the world is stuff you'd never hear on the radio.  KXT has me rethinking that statement.  Here is the winning clip:

Best Songs of 2011 - Honorable Mentions

Annual "best of" lists are a staple in nearly every music blogger's repertoire.  I don't know what it is, but some people just enjoy making lists.  Compartmentalizing and ranking art can be an exhaustive task for many.  For me, it just presents another opportunity to discuss the largest department in my toy store of life.

Being that it's almost February, it may seem a bit superfluous to write about music from 2011.  However, the thoughts brought forth on this little site would be swallowed up in the sea of charts and lists blasted across the interwebs between November and December.  Therefore, I present them to you now.

Who am I kidding?  We had a kid.  Someday she'll view the lack of blog posts over the past month as a compliment.

On to the music.  As my recent tastes have dictated, you'll see a lot of folky-indie-rock type tuneage on the meat of the top 10.  These two honorable mentions, however, appear here for their uncanny ability to remind me of some of the alternative heroes of decades past.  The Joy Formidable and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart impressed critics in 2011 mainly with the onslaught of effect pedal driven shoegaze that comprises large chunks of their recent albums.  For me, they bring the androgynous and epic-scale rock of the Pumpkins in their prime and the energy of the most accessibly raucous Sonic Youth.  While these songs may not have the staying power of the glorious anthems that are to fill the rest of the list, they hit the spot in a very different and very real capacity.  Turn it up.

Penny Lane #1 - The Innocence Mission - Follow Me

This will be the first of many in the "Penny Lane" home movie series featuring the newest member of the Dogwood family, Lainey.

The Shins To Release New Album In March 2012

As cool as the Broken Bells project was at times, it just wasn't The Shins.  Great news right here, can't wait.

http://www.theshins.com/news/new-album-port-morrow-coming-march-2012




Tracklisting:
1. The Rifle's Spiral
2. Simple Song
3. It's Only Life
4. No Way Down
5. September
6. Bait and Switch
7. Fall of '82
8. For A Fool
9. 40 Mark Strasse
10. Port of Morrow

A Dogwood Bark Christmas

Before I dive into the annual year-end lists, I offer up a Christmas mix.  Here you'll find a mix of traditional and contemporary; religious and secular.  Some are classics you've heard a million times, and others are slightly more obscure.  Hopefully there's something here that helps you appreciate the silent majesty of a winter's morn, the clean cool chill of the holiday air, and an asshole in his bathrobe emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer.

1. Sufjan Stevens - Hey Guys! It's Christmastime!

2. The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick

3. A Fine Frenzy - Christmastime Is Here

4. John Williams - O Holy Night (Home Alone Soundtrack)

5. Dean Martin - Silver Bells

6. The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don't Be Late)

7. Joni Mitchell - River

8. John Denver & The Muppets - The 12 Days Of Christmas

9. Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation

10. She & Him - Baby It's Cold Outside

11. Sufjan Stevens - Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

12. Frank Sinatra - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving from The Dogwood Bark.

Here's to family, friends, food and football.

Musical Moments In TV/Film: Partners In Kryme - Turtle Power

Every guy from our generation remembers the feeling of uncontrollable anticipation coursing through our boring human veins when we found out that our favorite animated heroes were being brought to the big screen.  I won't go into the significance of the movie in this post, as I am known to ramble about things close to my heart.  However, I will take this moment to revisit the song that blared from the theater speakers as the credits rolled.