How the Blog Got Its Name

For many of the readers of this fine blog, the inspiration for the blog's title will be readily apparent. However, some of you out there may be unaware of what Making Flippy Floppy refers to (and there's no shame in not knowing.... Well, actually maybe there is, at least a little bit). So here's a brief elucidation of how this blog got its name.

Let's begin by going back to 1984 (the year, not the Orwell novel). In October of that year, Stop Making Sense — probably the greatest concert movie ever — was released. But Stop Making Sense wasn't just a great concert film; it was a great film, period. On display were two artists — the seminal new wave band Talking Heads and future Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme ("Silence of the Lambs," "Something Wild") — operating at the peaks of their respective powers. The Heads never sounded better; each song on the soundtrack exceeded the quality of its studio counterpart — a remarkable achievement considering the quality of their studio albums. And the visual impact of the band is stunning. David Byrne, in his oversize suits and brimming over with nervous energy as he dances, jogs, shakes, and sashays around the stage, is a compelling frontman — one whom you can't take your eyes off of. And the deceptively simple set designs — such as random words and images flashing on oversize screens in the background — ensure that the eye is as stimulated by the ear throughout the film.

Stop Making Sense features most the Heads' classic tunes — "Burning Down the House," "Once in a Lifetime," "Psycho Killer." However, the one that always stood out to me is a lesser-known album track from the Heads' Speaking in Tongues album — "Making Flippy Floppy." Though it may not be as recognizable as the band's hits, it's every bit their equal. The song launches with Chris Franz's kick drum, and then seconds later, with the stage still darkened, David Byrne sings out, in his signature style: "Wait a minute. Everybody get in line!" From that point on, five minutes of musical bliss ensue.

The first thing that stands out is Tina Weymouth's slithering bassline, which sounds amazing and establishes the song's pulse. Bernie Worrell's swirling keyboards provide plenty of color and the dueling rhythms from David Byrne's and Jerry Harrison's guitars further help propel the song forward. And then there's Byrne's voice— a mesmerizing force of nature — belting out with clipped intensity non sequiturs like "Business and pleasure/Lie right to your face/Divide it in sections/And then give it away." The song then culminates in an extended sequence of guitar interplay between David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, and Alex Weir; and it ranks right up there with Television's "Marquee Moon" for best interlocking guitar parts in a rock song.

"Making Flippy Floppy" is an amazing song, and the band's performance of it in Stop Making Sense is downright sublime. So when we had to decide what to name this blog, it made sense to associate ourselves with a tune whose coolness is off the charts. So "Check this out/Don't be slick/Break our backs/It goes like this ..."

Talking Heads — "Making Flippy Floppy"

 

Whatever Wednesday

Beck

Do any of you have a band or singer that can do no wrong in your eyes and everything they touch is gold? Beck is definitely mine. He's been my musical idol ever since high school. The music he puts out, his style, just everything he does and everything he touches oozes with cool. I've seen most of the bands that I've always wanted to see but have yet to see Beck. Oh how I wish I could have caught a show back in the Odelay/Midnight Vultures tours, that would have been a lot of fun. so hopefully he comes around somewhere semi close and I'll try and go.

His music video for "New Pollution" still stands as one of my favorite videos of all time.....probably followed closely by 'Devil's Haircut'. Both made large impressions on me musically and also artistically with how the video was put together and edited. I used to watch them on a music channel called "The Box" that our TV picked up through the antennae since we didn't have cable. It was a music station that you could call and pay money to play a music video from a list they had. "New Pollution" was one of the videos I actually paid money to see.Here are both of them for your viewing and listening pleasure.

New Pollution

Devil's Haircut

 

 

New Music Tuesday

Mac DeMarco

So I really started listening to him about a year ago and his album was a mainstay on my Ipod for several months.  His music has a 70's, kind of George Harrison sound to them.  He has definitely mastered his own unique sound that stands out from from all of the garage rock and synth pop that's out there right now.

Here is his new single "Passing Out Pieces".  The full album "Salad Days" comes out April 1st.  The song is a little different then his previous album '2'.  With an organ only sprinkled throughout the tracks on the previous album, this particular track its front and center, but still has the DeMarco stamp on it.

Enjoy.

-Rube

Melancholy Monday

The weekend's over; a long work week lies ahead. And on top of that, another Arctic air mass is pushing its way through the mid-Atlantic, promising to push temperatures down into single digits and wind chills below zero. (The National Weather Service has already issued a wind chill advisory.) So in other words, it's another lovely Monday morning.

Here's a mellow little gem--"The Shining"--from Bad Drawn Boy (AKA Damon Gough) that will hopefully lighten your mood a bit on the first day of the new work week. (Now if you'll excuse, I need to crank the heat up in my office.)

 

Mateo's Top Half-Dozen Albums of 2013

Well, here goes my maiden post on We're Making Flippy Floppy. Thanks to Rube for putting it together.
I must admit that, in 2013, my music-listening activities focused more on albums from years past than on 2013 releases. Consequently, my list of best albums of 2013 is sparser than Rube's. Still, 2013 yielded plenty of musical gold that made its way into heavy rotation on my iPod. Here are the albums that made the deepest impressions.

6. HOLY GHOST! — DYNAMICS
I'm a sucker for new wave synthesizers underlaid by disco-fied beats. And few combine these ingredients more deliciously than Holy Ghost! — an '80s revival outfit whose impeccable taste and sure sense of melody yield copious servings of delectable ear candy. For those who loved their self-titled debut, get ready for a second serving that's every bit as exquisite as the first.
Best of the lot: "Dumb Disco Ideas," "Cheap Shots," "Dance a Little Closer"

5. SMALL BLACK — LIMITS OF DESIRE
Along with bands like Neon Indian, Small Black helped define the chillwave genre— summery melodies soaked in layers of processed synthesized sound; basically, the aural equivalent of a humid July day. On its newest album, Small Black cleans up its sound, intensifies the rhythms, and tightens the arrangements but retains its mastery of intoxicating melodies and empathetic tone. The dreamy neo-New Wave on display is of the first order and is ideal for those moments when you're looking to take things down a notch.
Best of the lot: "No Stranger," "Free at Dawn," "Canoe"

4. CHVRCHES — THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE
Another batch of '80s-inspired, synth-based New Wave featuring bold, irresistible melodies (detecting a trend here?). But what truly lifts this collection of songs to the next level are Lauren Mayberry's lead vocals. Her emotionally direct and vulnerable singing style ensure that the beating of a human heart can be heard amidst the synthesized proceedings.
Best of the lot: "The Mother We Share," "Night Sky," "We Sink"

3. THE JOY FORMIDABLE — WOLF'S LAW
The Joy Formidable sure knows how to make glorious noise. Led by the diminutive Ritzy Bryan — she of the blonde flapper bob hairstyle — the band packs its songs with wonderfully cacophonous guitars, athletic drumwork, and anthemic choruses that rise to the rafters. And Ritzy's vocals brim with passion and conviction throughout album. This follow-up to the excellent The Big Roar (2011) demonstrates that The Joy Formidable is a band with staying power. So let's cross our fingers and hope TJF will be pushing audio levels into the red for years to come.
Best of the lot: "This Ladder is Ours," "The Hurdle," "Forest Serenade"

2. FRENCH FILMS — WHITE ORCHID
Surely a band named French Films is a moody, pretentious outfit with laboriously self-serious songs, right? Wrong. And not just sort of wrong; completely, totally, and emphatically wrong. This Finnish band plays the type of spunky, punky ditties that get one's pulse racing and toes tapping. The guitars churn out deliriously tuneful riffs and the choruses soar to stratospheric heights. Clearly influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain and Joy Division, among others, French Films draws inspiration from its forebears without ever sounding derivative. This is music tailor-made for listening in the car with the windows down. So if you're stuck in the wintertime blues, plop this album on for a little taste of summertime.
Best of the lot: "White Orchid," "99," "Latter Days"

1. MELODY'S ECHO CHAMBER — (SELF-TITLED)
Although this came out in 2012, it's late-in-the-year release meant that it technically debuted in Fiscal Year 2013. And that's enough for me to claim Melody's Echo Chamber's phenomenal debut as my favorite of 2013. The album combines multifarious influences — early '60s pop, psychedelia, lo-fi, and French pop — to create a stunning whole, with Melody Prochet's angelic vocals grounding the proceedings, ensuring that none of album's flights of fancy spin too far out of control. The instrumentation is fantastic: retro, space-agey synthesizers; nimble basslines; sturdy guitar work; and trip-hoppy drum beats. And the song-writing is consistently excellent, even in its weirder moments. But again, what propels the album forward and constantly keeps it on course is Prochet's voice — a dreamy, understated force of nature. Don't miss out on this one.
Best of the Lot: "Mount Hopeless," "I Follow You," "Crystallized," "Bisou Magique"

Robbie's Top 40 Singles of 2013

So I've come to realization with this blog since my last post. I'm not the big wordy writer guy that most successful music blogs/music magazines have a million of. I have to really really work hard to come up with a paragraph review of an album or a song so that it kind of sounds like I know what I'm talking about. Frankly, I've read a lot of reviews and I get lost sometimes in their extremely wordy description. I think there can be a healthy medium. That's where my brother Matt comes in. He is the ultimate writer and can give the perfect description of what he's listening to and what they were influenced by without being overbearing. I, however, can simply say, "You should listen to this song because I think you'd like it". I think this gives the blog a much more rounded feel.

Anyway, now back to the purpose of the post....my favorite songs of 2013. Singles are interesting because when you hear one from a band you've never heard of and its reeeeeaaallly good, your expectations are incredibly high. So when you hear the rest of the album sometimes you are a bit disappointed and let down because you started with a '10' and even if the rest of the album is a '7', you find yourself going back to the best song.  One of the ways I rate the songs is by how long it stays on my ipod. The higher up on the list, the longer its stayed in the rotation.

I apologize that there are no links to the songs. I'm trying to figure out how to listen to songs without linking them to YouTube. If you know of a way to listen to a song in a small music player I'm all ears.

40.  When you Lie -- Flowers

39.  Fresh -- Summer Camp

38.  Burn You Down -- Beach Fossils

37.  Hold On To The Metal -- Royal Canoes

36.  Worlds Gone Weird -- Crystal Stilts

35. I Can Hardly Make You Mine -- Cults

34.  While I'm Alive -- STRFKR

33.  Milan -- High Highs

32.  In A Feeling Like This -- Blouse

31.  Swish -- Millionyoung

30.  Bigfoot -- Cayucas

29.  3 Days -- Rhye

28.  Calling Back -- Hockey

27.  Dance a Little Closer -- Holy Ghost!

26.  Teardrop Guitar -- Crocodiles

25.  Toe Cutter - Thumb Buster -- Thee Oh Sees

24.  Sugar -- Shout Out Louds

23.  All I Ever Wanted -- Computer Magic

22.  More Than -- Au Revoir Simone

21.  War is Gone -- On an On

20.  Sorry -- The Moth & The Flame

19.  Dancing Shell -- Wild Nothing

18.  No Stranger -- Small Black

17.  All in the Wrist -- Darwin Deez

16.  Gasoline -- Alpine

15.  So Strange -- Superhumanoids

14.  Sorrow -- Frankie Rose

13.  House of Lords -- Haunted Hearts

12.  Feels -- SWIMM

11.  She Smokes in Bed -- TV Girl

10.  It Takes a Long Time -- Dent May

9.  Ivy Covered House -- Ducktails

8.  Cheap Beer -- FIDLAR

7.  Ceilings -- Local Natives

6.  Heave -- Gauntlet Hair

5.  Afterlife -- Arcade Fire

4.  Don’t Play With Guns -- The Black Angels

3.  Just To Be Like You -- Ski Lodge

2.  Can’t Stop the Aching -- The Mary Onettes

1.  Save Charlie -- Rubblebucket

Robbie's Top 20 Albums of 2013

Our very first post!  Today I am revealing the top 20 albums of 2013, but each day going forward will have its own theme that we will loosely keep to. Regarding the list, I hope that you agree with some of my choices, disagree with some of my choices and discover bands you haven't heard of. Let me know what you think.

20. Pure Bathing Culture -- Moon Tides

Yeah, this album is a lot of what is out there right now and also the continued trend of having bizarre band names that seem a little lazy, but I really liked this album.  Its so easy to the listen to.  It can be put in the background while studying or while you’re driving late at night.  Fans of Cocteau Twins will enjoy it.  Highlights are “Golden Girl” and “Ever Greener”

19. Girls Names -- The New Life

Airy vocals that are layered in the background with Cure-esque guitar riffs but less sunny is the best that I can describe them for this album versus the more lo fi 60’s/70’s sound they had in their previous album “Dead to Me”.  Highlights are “Occultation” “A Second Skin”

18. The Moth & the Flame -- & EP   TV Girl -- Lonely Women EP

Alright I bundled two EP’s into one because they aren’t necessarily an album and I loved both of these EP’s.  They would be higher if they were actually albums.  Its harder to create a complete album with no duds then it is a 5 song EP.  The reason for these EPs, however, is to get people jazzed about their full length album that will come out within the year.  These two accomplish their goal marvelously.  TMTF made me fan from their live shows in my hometown of Provo, so its hard to meet the expectations in an album after an awesome live experience. They are a band that is going to make some noise in 2014 and beyond.  Can’t wait for the full length.  Highlights are “Silver Tongue” and “Sorry”.  TV Girl was a surprise, found this EP toward the end of the year and couldn’t stop listening to it.  I can’t put my finger on it but its a fantastically upbeat piece of indie pop.  Each songs lyrics are a bit depressing on paper but you can’t help but enjoy them when put to such catchy pop beats.  Hoping for a full length that is equally as good.  Highlights are “She smokes in bed” and “Laura” 

The Moth & The Flame -- "Sorry" 

TV Girl -- "She Smokes in Bed"

17. Mikal Cronin -- MCII

The garage noise rocker turns to a cleaner, poppier sounding rock this time, although the fuzzy guitars and vocals are still there around.  I was expecting the album to be more along the lines of his previous albums with Ty Segall (which I love) but was pleasantly surprised.  Highlights are “Weight” and “Shout It Out”.

16. Arcade Fire -- Reflektor

Everyone has reviewed this album and there really isn’t a lot left to be said beyond that it is a great album. I have to say they are best 'main stream' band out there by far. They are approaching Radiohead status in the ears of their fans.  The undisputed highlight and great song is “Afterlife” followed by “Reflektor”.

"Afterlife"

15. Thee Oh Sees -- Floating Coffin

Thee Oh Sees joins the likes of Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin in the garage fuzz rock arms race.  This album has plenty of fuzz distorted guitar riffs that are fast and slow paced.  Its a fun album to listen to. The kind you want to crank in your car and tap your finger on the steering wheel or in the case of the video, kill a bunch of people to.  Highlights are “I Come From The Mountain”, “Toe Cutter - Thumb Blaster” and “Maze Fancier”

14. Small Black -- Limits of Desire

This album had some expectations to meet after their previous album “New Chain”.  But I think they’ve put together a more consistent album.  Their second album has a more polished synth based sound.  Their album cover is a bit weird, but the music is not.  Highlights are “No Stranger”, “Outskirts”

13. No Joy -- Wait To Pleasure

Although this album is considered more of a shoe gaze type album, it reminded me a lot of the Riot Grrl bands of the 90’s.  Since I was a fan of that music and shoe gaze, I immediately loved this album.  I probably listened to “Wrack Attack” 30 times in a row when I first found the song.  Heavy fuzz guitars mixed with poppy clean guitar hooks weaved together with the voices of Jasamine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd’s diaphaneous cooing you can’t go wrong.  Highlights “Wrack Attack” “Hare Tarot Lies”

12. Crocodiles -- Crimes of Passion

I can’t help but like this album.  It definitely has more hits than 2012’s “Endless Flowers” and is more consistent.  This album is heavy on the Jesus and Mary Chain and Echo and the Bunnymen influence with even a splash of the Stone Roses which you really can’t go wrong with.  Highlights are “Teardrop Guitar” and “She Splits Me Up”.

11. Frankie Rose -- Herein Wild

Frankie Rose’s third effort Herein Wild is about on par with her  previous album Interstellar which I thought was one of the better albums of 2012.  Both albums are pretty similar, although the previous had stronger singles. The current album as a whole is much more complete.  Like Interstellar, the record contains plenty of lush keyboard guided indie pop to keep one’s foot tapping which is really hard to get too much of.  Fans of The Cure will enjoy this.  Highlights include “Sorrow”, “Question/Reason” and “Minor Times”

10. Part Time -- PDA

This band might be one of my favorite that I discovered this year.  Although I liked their previous album “What would you say?” a bit more, this second effort is nothing to sneeze at.  Their lo fi 70's romatic-synth pop is a little odd but extremely catchy.  There is a lot of comparison to Ariel Pink which I can see, but also some Cars, some Cure as well.  Highlights are “I Want to Go”, “Living in the USA” and “Night Drive”

9. Ducktails -- The Flower Lane

This polished album from Real Estate’s own Matthew Mondanile has come a long way from the mostly solo efforts of the previous albums that were a tad disjointed but had some occasional songs that clicked together.  This album is chalked full of rich sublime guitar pop and 70’s soft rock thats full and clean.  Completely different than the previous and in a very good way.  This is another album that has rarely left my IPOD.  Highlights are “Ivy Covered House” and “the Flower Lane”

8.  Alpine -- A is for Alpine

This Austrailian electro pop six piece creates such a fun album full of dancey disco beats with some dream pop vocals to help it along.  I expect big things to come from them in the future.  Each song seems to start off at a slow pace and crescendo into a louder dancey chorus.  This is an album that can easily be listened on a dancefloor or an all night cram session for a test.  Highlights are “Gasoline”, “Seeing Red” and “Lovers 1 and 2”

7.  FIDLAR - FIDLAR

This irreverant and brutely honest collection of ‘short and to the point’ punk songs is one of the more fun albums that I’ve listened to in a long time.  I’m generally not a huge punk fan but I can’t help but have a big grin on my face everytime I listen to this.  The semi-yelled lyrics speak of surfing, skating, doing drugs, drinking beer and having no money, all of which are laced with hilarious profanity.  I saw these guys at SXSW this year and the singer started out by punching himself in the face before starting.  I knew from that moment that it was going to be a good show.  Highlights are “Cheap Beer”, “Stoked and Broke” and “No Waves”

6. Darwin Deez -- Songs for Imaginative People

The first album was full of lo fi guitars riffs and effects but this second album is more full, clean and has something that I didn’t expect…..some mean guitar solos.  Coming off the first album which continues to be one of my favorite indie pop albums in the last 5 years, this album had some expectations.  The new album doesn’t have the catchiness in it but has the maturity in it….at least as much as you could ask for.  The lyrics are fun to sing to and are well strung together….speaking of strings my favorite line is “don’t silly string me along”.  Saw them twice last year and would see them again.  Highlights are “(800) HUMAN”, “You Can’t Be My Girl” and “All in the Wrist”.

5. Local Natives -- Hummingbird

When I saw Local Natives for free in LA when they were the resident band at a local venue I never thought they’d be this big.  It wasn’t because I thought they weren’t very good because they put on a great show….they just seemed to blow up overnight.  But with albums likes Hummingbird you can see why.  Its just a beautiful album.  Whoever they are influenced by (The National, Broken Social Scene, Grizzly Bear) they sound like they are mature beyond their years.  Highlights are “You and I”, “Ceilings” and “Breakers”.

4. On an On -- Give In

I saw ON an ON play at SXSW and was a little distracted and didn't get to fully listen to them.  I started to listen to their album afterward and was blown away.  A great mix of everything (guitar, bass, keys, vocals) but each songs seems to feature one over the other.  I can hear a little Arcade Fire in this album as well as a little Broken Social Scene.  I was able to see them again in Provo almost six months later and it only fortified my love of the album.  Highlights are “War Is Gone” and “The Hunter”.

3. Cayucas -- Bigfoot

Although I had heard the first two songs from this album a couple years before when they were known as “Oregon Bike Trails”, they leave off where they started and released some super catchy tunes with their airy vocals, catchy lyrics and strummy guitar hooks.  There is not a bad song on this album….I’d say there isn’t even an average song.  Its hard to point out the highlights because half of the songs would be on there, but I’ll note the two songs that got my attention a couple years ago.  “Cayucos” and “High School Lover”.

2. Washed Out -- Paracosm

Their first album/EP whatever you want to call it, “Life of Leisure” came out at the beginning of the sytholution (just made that up).  Chill Wave came on with a vengence after that.  Their second effort was more along those lines, which to me didn't stick out. I played it a few times and that was that.  With this third effort they've switch it up a little and its refreshing I must say.  He’s added a 70’s flair to the sound and evolved the sound instead of keeping it safe and the same.  This album has stayed on my Ipod ever since it came out.  It’s had plenty of chances to be replaced but it sticks around and doesn’t get old.  Highlights are “Don’t Give Up” “Paracosm” and “It All Feels Right”.

1. Ski Lodge -- Big Heart

Ok, when I first heard the single “Just to be like you” I was a little skeptical.  I wasn’t sure if they could replicate that caliber of song throughout an entire album.  They did just that, with vocals like Morrisey and jangly feather guitar riffs like Johnny Marr, this foursome has put out my favorite album of the year. It will make you think its summer outside even the dead of winter. Highlights are “Just to be like you “Does it Bring You Down” and “Down On this Southern Tip”

Honorable Mentions:
Millionyoung -- Variable
Charles Bradley -- Victim of Love

Blouse -- Imperium

Lucius -- Wildewoman

French Films -- White Orchid

Hockey-- Wyeth Is

Eleanor Friedberger -- Personal Record

Of Montreal -- Lousy with sylvianbriar
The National -- Trouble Will Find Me
Shannon and The Clams -- Dreams in the Rat House