Last Minute Coachella Wishlisting

The inevitable revelation the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup became a matter of "sooner" rather than "later" on Wednesday, with an official confirmation of Azealia Banks. Following Azealia Banks' appearance on the festival's homepage were videos of AraabMuzik and Jimmy Cliff yesterday and today, respectively. Although an official release date for the lineup has yet to be announced, months of rumors, fan-made posters crafted with dubious levels of competence, and equally incompetent journalists spreading these fakes as gospel are expected to finally come to an end within the next couple weeks.

Because there has already been near-endless speculation for headliners, reunions, and the obvious critical darlings du jour, here are some videos of artists that have evaded rumor-mongering, but Simply Fuss Free would love to see featured as part of the big reveal.

Top Albums and Songs of 2011

So, how was 2011? Incredible live gigs were witnessed. Indie legends Sonic Youth and R.E.M. called it quits, while legends-that-never-fully-got-their-due Pulp and Cibo Matto returned for brief reunion tours. Skrillex stripped dubstep of any grace or melody and unleashed a monstrous, kid-friendly corpse that inspired the flooding of YouTube with countless "dubstep remixes" of everything from Rebecca Black to the "You dun goofed!" guy. In terms of new music, seemingly everyone channeled r&b, chillwave became more of a tsunami, and the more grating the synth pop, the more crossover appeal it generated. In regards to the year's best albums, some didn't fit into the trends du jour or get the career-making "Best New Music" tag and were subsequently overlooked by most, and some were hyped to the point of ubiquity and have appeared on every other list. Nevertheless, these are the albums that were dearest to the heart of Simply Fuss Free in 2011

Simply Fuss Free's Guide to Every Top Albums of the Year List

December's here, which means that music critics are taking a break from discovering new music and sorting out what the last 11 months have yielded. Ever get tired of seeing nothing but the same albums in a slightly different order on every blog's end-of-the-year list? Fortunately, the science squad team here at Simply Fuss Free has cracked the formula behind the average annual list of top albums that you will read over and over again in 2011 and beyond. 

Top 20 Live Acts of 2011, Part Two

If you missed numbers 20-11, check out part one before proceeding. How does one rank for a list such as this? For example, the artists that occupy numbers 9-12 were all equally impressive for completely different reasons. The answer lies a combination of factors including everything from emotional attachment to dramatic effect, with attempts at tacking the completely subjective with some degree of objectivity thrown in for good measure. And now that the secret behind lists like these has been revealed, on with the show.

Top 20 Live Acts of 2011, Part One

Seeing bands live is my favorite thing in the world to do. Unfortunately, I have not been able to attend nearly as many shows as I would have liked this year, missing live favorites such as Little Dragon, St. Vincent, and that ball-dropping Arcade Fire Coachella set. Nevertheless, my 2011 gig history includes two stellar festivals and some rare treats, and in any case, Simply Fuss Free is back in business.

Full reviews of Primavera Sound and the Asbury Park edition of I'll Be Your Mirror are available at Consequence of Sound and One Thirty BPM, respectively.

Make a Pledge for Emmy the Great's New Album and Get Cool Swag

So Emmy the Great, one of my favourite artists from the past few years, is about to record a follow-up to 2009's stellar First Love. Studio and producer time is expensive, especially for independent musicians, so fans now have the opportunity to guarantee the release of a new album and to relieve any guilt that came from downloading First Love instead of buying it. Plus, you are rewarded for your pledges with rather interesting gifts. Autographed album for £12? Watch a rehearsal gig for the next tour for £50? Hang out with Emmy backstage at Bestival and interview artists for WaterAid (all money for this particular pledge goes to WaterAid) for £150? Songwriting workshop for £100? And did I mention that a portion of all proceeds go to charity? For some items, such as the aforementioned Bestival hookup, all money goes to a charity. Support worthy charitable causes and help fund a new Emmy the Great album? What are you waiting for?

Click here to pledge to Emmy the Great

If I can't convince you, maybe this charming video will:

In Case You Missed It: Another "Cymbal Rush"

So last month at the 40th anniversary edition of Glastonbury, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood performed a secret set for the massive crowd of fans that found the rumors too compelling to ignore. During the nine-song set, the breathtaking and apparently versatile "Cymbal Rush" from Yorke's The Eraser was given yet another live interpretation. When performed at the Radiohead gigs in 2008, Thom Yorke took the stage alone at the piano. While not as different as Atoms for Peace's funky, tribal performance of the song, this new take benefits from Greenwood's French Connection, giving the already spell-binding song an added layer of eeriness.

So what's your favourite?

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood at Glastonbury:


Atoms for Peace in Boston:


Thom Yorke (minus the rest of Radiohead) at the Santa Barbara Bowl in 2008: