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musicians break down how their songs were constructed. Sounds good! via @austinkleon

another new song. Each one keeps getting better.

$4 for four songs. Solid.

Mark Essen

that's no typo, this is Jed's annual look back at music he's actually had time to reflect on. Love this list because it feels way way less flash in the pan.

three mixes spanning the year of goodness. Downloading ASAP

part of that 80's nostalgia genre. includes some unbelievable news samples

converted this to an Rdio playlist but was bummed that Earth 2 isn't streaming anywhere! via @hartleymanages

hell yea, SamsMyth 2013 Playlist!!

2013 Year In Review
Without consciously attempting to, the latest release from Uncle Skeleton is his most cohesively realized creation to date. Too Young, Too Old continues in the same lineage as the previous records but much more confidently embraces the stylistic movements across the album. The upbeat summer jams, the bossa nova inspired pop songs and the ambient decompositions in the back half are executed with a confident precision.

2013 Year In Review
It's fitting that the debut release from Talking With Hands came in tandem with my relocation to Brooklyn. Primary songwriter Matthew Smith and his wife Heamin reside there as well but Smith is a transplant from the Nashville area. The album was even recorded and mixed at Battletapes - a fitting parallel to my own life if you wanna get introspective on it!

2013 Year In Review
It's entirely possible that Hotpipes latest release, Dust, will be their last. The band has transformed into a labor of love between Dan Sommers and Jonathan Rogers - both of whom have plenty of other projects on their respective plates. I'd say it's a shame but if Dust is truly their swan song, it's a helluva way to go out.

2013 Year In Review
Due to the ultra-deluxe packaging on this one, Forget Cassettes O Cursa was actually released out of sequence in the yk records gameplan - but it's better to make the package properly than it is to make it speedy.

It might sound like a stretch but it's fitting that the record took it's time to be released as it took a very long journey for it to be created as well. It has been seven years since a proper release from Beth Cameron and it's obvious that she's been through a great deal in that interim. The album takes her sound in new direction, a sensible step towards a fuller sound with more instrumentation but absolutely no less ferocity in the delivery.

2013 Year In Review
Just in time for Valentine's Day saw the first official release from Nashville's Tipper Whore, a 7" of raucous party tunes soaked in ridiculous sexual innuendo. I've heard the band described as The B-52's crossed with The Cramps and can't disagree with such comparisons. They strive to write fun songs and manage to achieve said goal with ease.

2013 Year In Review
January 2013 saw the debut full-length from Roy Ira - a "Folk Indie Country" affair sprung from the mind of one of my best buddies, Keith Parish. The album, Still Be My Love, runs a nice diverse gamut of upbeat love affirmations, gospel influenced praises, country western tales of death and a healthy dose of self-deprecation. I'm proud of the release. Keith's songwriting is as entertaining as it is heartwrenching (when it wants to be). His voice carries a weight that can tug at you or it can accentuate the wry humor of the scene he's painting. Obviously I'm biased but it's a record that grows better with every listen.

Get your copy over on Bandcamp in Digital, Limited Edition Vinyl or Compact Disc. All the formats you could possibly want!

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Music City Roots

I really need to do a better job of updating my This Is My Jam because the year-end Jam Odyssey Mix is a pretty phenomenal way to look back at your year and remember all the songs that grabbed your ear. I'd almost forgotten that two week period where I was obsessively listening to Pete Drake and Kayton Roberts.

excellent mix. A Texas Christmas Miracle!