I’ve often read that The Arcade Fire are influenced by Brian Wilson, but I gotta be honest: I don’t see it. In January, Kanine records will release the first candidate for the best album of 2010. Yes, it’s not even January and we’re there already–24 hours early. “Swim,” the single off of Surfer Blood’s Astrocoast [...]

Dunno much about Marv Won, other than what’s on his myspace page.  He’s a Detroit rapper with impressive skills. He mixes positivity with gangsta verses, switches up styles, and gets guest shots and production by some impressive underground folks (listed below).  I really liked this tape a lot.  Check it out.  It’s not really a [...]

Get Right has posted its version of the top 10 mixtapes of 2009, and you can cop them all here.  They include next-big-things like Chester French (with appearances by Talib Kweli, Bun-B and others), already-relatively-big-things like B.O.B., and representing major labels, Lupe Fiasco, Lil Wayne, and Wale. Thought I’d give it a mention to y’all. [...]

I actually really like this picture.  I’d hang it in my living room.  But it would disturb the children.

Shame on The Spinto Band.  They never made me aware of their Slim and Slender EP (a 2009 release).  And even after I gave them an honorable mention in my survey of the greatest indie records of the decade.  They surely would have made my list of the best EPs of the year.  No doubt.  [...]

This will be the last news feature of the year.  If you want to see more of these in 2010, please drop a comment! 1. DEADPOOL.  The potty-mouthed lunatic assassin gets lots of mentions on this page, but deservedly so.  Unlike Spider-Man in the late 1970s, or Wolverine now, Deadpool’s appearances in 4+ books per [...]