Well, I published my favorite albums of the year yesterday, so now, as it's tradition, I'm posting the contents of my Year End mix for all to see, scrutinize and maybe even emulate.  This year, I didn't have the easiest time assembling, sequencing or even selecting music as I got a little too ambitious and consequently second guessed just about every decision I made.  2011 may have made for a better compilation, but 2012 is at least odd and maybe a little more abrasive. Cover image   Earth – Sigil Of Brass ( Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II ) METZ – Rats ( METZ ) Liars – Octagon ( WIXIW ) Alaric – So Far Down ( Split LP ) The Evens – Sooner Or Later ( The Odds ) Pop. 1280 – West World ( The Horror ) Ty Segall Band – I Bought My Eyes ( Slaughterhouse ) Locrian/Mamiffer – Corpus Luteum (excerpt) ( Bless Them That Curse You ) Mr. Dream – Believing and Shitting ( Fatherland EP) Menomena – Giftshoppe ( Moms ) Mark Lanegan Band – The Gravedigger...

I guess the year end question for the musical connoisseur remains: "Was it a good year for music?"  I didn't think it was a bad year for music.  Certainly, though I admit to a level of avoidance and disconnection in some ways to much of what was talked about in the mainstream this year, R&B found some validation through Frank Ocean and hip-hop actually became interesting again with Killer Mike , El-P and Kendrick Lamar .  I was personally thrilled with how guitar-oriented indie rock managed to get this year with Pop. 1280 , METZ , Ty Segall Band and The Men and I also heard some excellent albums from High On Fire , Ufomammut and Neurosis .  But, I'd like not to give away the punch line before I've had time to set up the actual joke, so check out my Top 15. As always, thanks for continuing to read Letters From A Tapehead.  I hope that I was able to turn you on to some new sounds in 2012.  Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead 15). Earth ...

Since the apocalypse decided not arrive today, the 21st of December remains dedicated to the remembrance of Frank Zappa .  72 years the man would've been had prostate cancer not taken him.  72 may also have been the number of albums he'd have produced between 1993 and now. Anyway, here's to you, Frank.  Thank you, as always, for the music. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Mystical Weapons , the new experimental jazz rock collaboration between Deerhoof 's Greg Saunier and Sean Lennon , have released a new single from their upcoming self-titled debut.  "Whispers the Blue Tongue" premiered at Paste . I posted about their single, " Mechanical Mammoth ," in late November.  Info comes courtesy of Terrorbird Media. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Back in August, I posted a live cut from A Fucking Elephant called, "I'm Addicted to Drugs and Sex and I Want You to Choke Me," which is the A-side for the band's upcoming new 7," the imaginatively titled, Seven Inches of A Fucking Elephant .  For the sake of avoiding redundancy, I'm just going to post release info and cover art instead, which was lovingly provided by the wonderful individuals at Earsplit PR. A FUCKING ELEPHANT Prepares To Drop New 7” And Embark On Tour Kinky riff-twister duo A FUCKING ELEPHANT has completed its latest batch of percussive auditory penetration, and is preparing to drop the Seven Inches 7” on January 22nd. The New Jersey-based twosome hammered out two gnarly new tracks with engineer Colin Marston ( Krallice, Dysrhythmia, Behold… The Arctopu s), which will end a two-year release gap, the last new material having been captured on A FUCKING ELEPHANT’s split full-length with cohorts El Drugstore nearly two years ago. As...

I received this press release for the upcoming Iceage album, You're Nothing .  No studio tracks have been made available yet, but I did find this BBC Sessions performance of the title track.  It's loud and snotty.  Yay for loud and snotty.  Info comes straight from Matador Records. We're pleased to announce further details on Iceage's forthcoming longplayer, set for release on February 19, 2013 (the 18th, ex-North America) Titled, "You're Nothing", the album was recorded & produced by Iceage in Copenhagen and Mohn, Denmark. "You're Nothing" pushes Iceage's singular sound to further extremes. Twelve examples of the myriad ways Iceage have written, and re-written the short aggressive rock song. We're excited for you to hear it.   1.Ecstasy 2.Coalition 3.Interlude 4.Burning Hand 5.In Haze 6.Morals 7.Everything Drifts 8.Wounded Hearts 9. It Might Hit First 10.Rodfæstet 11.Awake 12.You're Nothing Iceage have one...

Following a pretty successful and productive year for Ty Segall , In The Red will be reissuing albums from The Traditional Fools and his collaboration with Mikal Cronin , Reverse Shark Attack .  Both will see release in late January 2013. All info comes courtesy of Force Field PR. The Traditional Fools - "Street Surfin'" from Claire Marie Vogel on Vimeo . Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin - I Wear Black from Claire Marie Vogel on Vimeo . In The Red set to reissue Ty Segall's The Traditional Fools and Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin's Reverse Shark Attack Jan. 22 VIDEO: The Traditional Fools - "Street Surfin'" (Dir. by Claire Marie Vogel ) - http://vimeo.com/8509188 VIDEO: Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin - "I Wear Black" (Dir. by Claire Marie Vogel ) - http://vimeo.com/9500901 Mikal Cronin & Ty Segall The Traditional Fools In The Red is proud to announce the re-release of the self-titled album by Ty Segall's Trad...

"Oh, yeah. John Lennon was definitely my favorite Beatle , hands down. I don't know who wrote what parts of what Beatles songs, but Paul McCartney embarrasses me. Lennon was obviously disturbed [laughs]. So I could relate to that." — Kurt Cobain , Rolling Stone, 1.27.94 Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

So, 2013 will see a new album from guitar maestro Marnie Stern dubbed, The Chronicles of Marnia .  Today, a new single from the album was unveiled, "Year of the Glad."  The album will be released March 19th via Kill Rock Stars and is now available for digital pre-order at the label's Bandcamp page.  Year Of The Glad by Marnie Stern Marnie Stern has been a Letters From A Tapehead favorite since 2007s In Advance of the Broken Arm . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

There's a new Foot Village album coming out in March of 2013 called Make Memories and it'll be up for presale the day I turn 36, which is the end of the world (12.21.12).  There's a live performance of the song, "This Song is a Drug Deal" below along with a trailer for the album and a sampler, which will cost you the price of your email address.  All these gifts are courtesy of Northern Spy Records. Foot Village - This Song is a Drug Deal from 4eyes Media on Vimeo .                         New Foot Village Album Details Leaked + New Album Trailer + 12-21-12 Presale  2013 marks the glorious return of Foot Village as they unleash their fourth full-length, Make Memories on Northern Spy Records. The album doesn't hit stores until March, but the band has just leaked the album art, the tracklist and a new whacked out album trailer. Check it all out below along with the fre...

This video is missing Black Friday footage from Walmart. "Fight Right" is the new single from Rabbits ' recently released album, Bite Rites . The band also apparently covered Minor Threat and Black Flag for a Record Store Day curated flexi single called, Flexihead.  Renditions of "Straight Edge" and "Wasted," perfectly contradictory, were featured.  Flexihead by RABBITS Info comes courtesy of Earsplit PR. RABBITS Ruins Your Day With New Video, Drops “Straight Edge/Wasted” Flexi  Portland's caecothrophic collective RABBITS have excreted their very first hare-raising video to help ruin your day, constructed for the rampant skronking riffage of “Fight Right,” the second track off from their recently birthed Bites Rites LP. The cinematic mayhem was completed by Wes Johnson of Good to Die Productions -- the film team responsible for labelmates Deadkill ’s "Oh God Help You" video -- utilizing early live footage shot by the f...

 ...the overwhelming period of quiet, I'm currently recuperating from an ailment transmitted to my entire family via some daycare dwelling devil's spawn.  Should be better enough to regain some traction next week.  The "Best Of" is in the works as are some last minute stragglers, plus I recently contributed to another installment of No Ripcord's No Ripcast , (but please try and ignore how inept I sound while navigating the English language). In the meantime, the incomparable Dave Brubeck has been forever silenced, a heavy loss and significant loss for American music.  His spirit and invention was felt across all genres, a transcendent icon whose contributions to jazz made him essential to music as an art form and all its varying means of expression.  Any music library remains incomplete without Time Out , whether you're a connoisseur of music or a dabbler.  Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

MusicFilmWeb's Music Documentary Monday feature, 12.3. My Career as a Jerk Directed by David Markey Released: 2012   MusicFilmWeb review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

2013 will mean a new album from Tomahawk .  It will be called Oddfellows and it will be the first album from the band since 2007's Anonymous .  "Stone Letter" is its first single and Pitchfork has premiered the video. I reviewed Anonymous in 2007, (a review that also incorporated Mirrored by Battles .) All info and links are courtesy of Rarely Unable.  Photo credit: Tim Moss; left to right: John Stanier, Unicorn, Duane Denison, Trevor Dunn, Mike Patton ODDFELLOWS OUT JANUARY 28 Tomahawk's video for "Stone Letter" the first single from their forthcoming album Oddfellows , is viewable now via Pitchfork: ( http://pitchfork.com/tv/youtube/13-music-videos/592-tomahawk-stone-letter-official-music-video/ ). The clip, directed by Vincent Forcier , was shot during the band's late October tour and features a studio performance from the quartet that includes Duane Denison ( Jesus Lizard, Unsemble ), Mike Patton ( Faith No More, Mondo Cane ), Jo...