Tapes on the Floor's Favorite Tracks of 2011 (Part I)

Every year when I sit down to write these lists, I find myself enjoying the process of compiling my favorite tracks more and more. Originally I started making this list as a sort of consolation for my inability to include each and every record I enjoyed on my favorite albums list. Now, I almost feel as if it's the more important and rewarding list—the outlet for my inner DJ, intent on sequencing hour after hour of exemplary music. These are the songs that serenaded a year of intense upheaval, as I left my home state for the bustling city. Each of them are something more that the sum of their chords, melodies and lyrics. They are the 40 songs that accompanied cross-country drives, late night train rides and walks through the neighborhood. In the year 2011, these are the tracks that meant the most to me.

Wrap-Up: SXSW 2011

Reading through the various SXSW wrap-ups that have been hitting the web over the past week or so, I feel as if my experience differed quite drastically from those of many of the journalists covering the festival. Sure, I managed to walk by an Odd Future show in progress, but I certainly didn't catch any sets from the Strokes, Kanye West or even the girls in Wild Flag. That's one of the things that makes city-spanning events like SXSW so great—one has the ability to tailor every waking moment to their current tastes and whims. For five days, Austin plays host to every musical genre under the sun, in both official and unofficial settings that stretch all the way across town. I may have not had the full experience, but in between finding my way around, getting slightly sloshed and running into friends, I managed to see some pretty great bands during my two-day taste of the SXSW festivities.

Austin Bound

We're already a week into March, which means that SXSW is officially a little less than a week away. Traditionally, this is a week in which I furiously scour music blogs, squirming with jealousy at the bounty of quality live music happening just over 1000 miles away. This year, I'll be joining in the music industry's mass exodus to Austin, TX to drop in on a portion of the week's festivities.

I've never been to Austin before, so I'm excited to experience the city firsthand. I'm certainly interested in any place whose two major food groups seem to be barbecue and Mexican cuisine. Initially I was a bit worried about diving into the festival without any official credentials, but the amount of free shows and parties I've stumbled upon thus far is staggering. The past few weeks have been a deluge of e-mailed invitations and hasty RSVP's—at this point I'm just trying to narrow my list down.

I'm looking forward to catching up with the folks in Santah, who are heading down to Texas fresh off of several weeks of recording for their latest EP. The Graveface Records showcase on Friday night will also be a priority for me as I've been wanting to catch Dreamend live for some time now and am curious about what the Appleseed Cast's latest material sounds like. On Saturday, the Mess With Texas Party looks like the day's best bet, featuring sets from the likes of the Dodos, Strange Boys, the Fresh and Onlys, DOM, Surfer Blood, Deertick and the Dead Milkmen (!) at a drive in theater in Austin. If I can drag myself out of bed on Sunday, I'll definitely be hitting the Panache Annual Hangover Party to catch sets by Turbo Fruits, Surf City, Fergus and Geronimo, Suuns and White Mystery. It's going to be an endurance test, but one I'm happy to submit to.

I'll be doing my best to document as many of the sets I see as possible and report back once it's all over, much like I did at CMJ this past Fall. For up to the minute dispatches, keep an eye on my Twitter feed as I'll likely be chronicling my journeys (and taco consumption) there. See you in Austin!

Graveface holds raffle to recoup flood damage

I live right down the street from Graveface Records, an independent label run out of Logan Square that has released albums from acts like Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Appleseed Cast and Hospital Ships. Last month when severe storms hit Chicago, Graveface headquarters flooded and most of their stock was destroyed. Thanks to an insurance loophole, none of the lost product is covered, which means no compensation for anything that was destroyed or damaged. I think most people would just give up, but the guy who runs Graveface is digging in and looking to the fan community to help keep the label alive.

Donations are being collected in the form of a multi-tiered raffle which offers the chance to win increasingly awesome prizes, the more money you decide to give. Everyone who donates at least $10 gets an instant download of rare/unreleased Graveface Records tracks, including the instrumental version of Black Moth Super Rainbow's Eating Us. Higher donation levels enter you in raffles to win album test printings, rare posters, instruments, props and—oddly enough— a cup of Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart's urine. Those who donate $25 or more get at least one random Graveface release as a thank you gift, in addition to entry in the corresponding raffle. Check out the full details over on the donation page.

It's certainly a nice way of rewarding fans for supporting the continued existence of this label, and an opportunity that you shouldn't pass up. I'll be putting my name in the running for that aforementioned cup of urine, although I kind of hope I end up with something a little bit more practical. If you've ever enjoyed a Graveface release, or just consider yourself a fan of innovative, original music, please consider making a donation over on the label's website.