n.b. earworm – An earworm is a piece of music that sticks in one’s mind so that one seems to hear it, even when it is not being played. Other phrases used to describe this include musical imagery repetition and involuntary musical imagery. The phenomenon is common in normal life and so may be distinguished from brain damage which results in palinacousis.

Music

1
npr – live concerts podcast
i couldn’t live without this podcast.
really. it is awesome.
2 hours of Radiohead on the In Rainbows tour live from California, no problem, here you go
The Decemberists premiering The Hazards of Live as a live song cycle, have it free
Andrew Bird live from SXSW last month, here is the whole set, and check the archives for one from 3 years ago.
it is eclectic and wide ranging cast of bands, it is an excellent source of bands who in three months time everyone will be talking about.
It has a two main forms. the long form full concert or the short form Tiny Desk Concert.
my top recommendation.

2
The Concert – classical music from the Isabella gardener museum
Quite a lovely and surprising pod from the museum.
generally works by a soloist or combination of players up to quartet. For someone like me with no knowledge of classical music this Pod has an easy way of allowing people into the music. a brief introduction from someone at the museum about the theme of the music and the composer, and intro to the players and we are away.
a lovely wee pod.

3
Canada Live – CBC radio 2
a new discovery – yet the last few updates have brought, Daniel Landois & Emmylou Harris, Cowboys Junkies and Bruce Cockburn.
A nearly very good pod. The only thing stopping it being excellent, is the guy who hosts it, (I think for contractual reasons), he has to speak after every second song, Unfortunately he chooses to impose upon us how important this artist is. but it is edited and divided into chapters well so you can skip over his chapters!

sports
1
the Guardian Football Weekly with James Richardson
Woooof! what a pod.
it has a light touch, it is funny, to the point, covers the continental game, and has James Richardson from Football Italia!
seriously though it does exactly what you want a football podcast to be, a reflection of the conversation a group of mates who watch a lot of football may have.
and as it is recorded twice a week it reflects whats happening currently which is nice.
very good pod.

2
Americarnage
The tagline of Sports, Culture & Nonsense, just about sums up this award winning podcast. A good mix of sports chat, analysis of each other and random Kevin Costner addiction the pod is a winner. It covers all four major American sports, (baseball, NBA, NFL & Ice Hockey) which will limit listener numbers and does include the occasional bad word and adult reference, but it does it in a light way.
Quality fun and you don’t even need to know who Curtis Painter is to join in.

3
Scottish Football Podcast, BBC Scotland
Half an hour or so of the best football news from BBC Scotland. quite listenable and just the right length i think
updated daily which is also nice.

What sports and music pods do you listen too?

(The critera, to remind you, is any music I have heard for the first time in 2011. So the album may not have been released in 2011 but that’s when I heard it, then it is in. I am not sure it is as random as previous efforts and perhaps not as ramshackle as previous mixtapes, but it is there for you.)

For the best listening experience, try listening blind, or perhaps use the track listing for Laconic Hegemony 5 20:11

Laconic Hegemony, vol 6 is available for download from Soundcloud or for listening to live here using the embed below.
Vol.6 is a collection of my favourite songs from 2011,

(The critera, to remind you, is any music I have heard for the first time in 2011. So the album may not have been released in 2011 but thats when I heard it, then it is in. I am not sure it is as random as previous efforts and perhaps not as ramshackle as previous mixtapes, but it is there for you.

For the best listening experience, try listening blind and a tracklisting will go up tomorrow or wednesday at some point.

(as a point of interest ‘REMembering’ Laconic Hegemony, vol.5 was never released publicly. but is available if you want it?)

3

life Fantastic – Man Man – http://manmanbandband.com/
‘Catchy songs with an off kilter edge musically’

2

Ask Me This – Alcoholic Faith Mission – http://alcoholicfaithmission.com/
‘gorgous music, with a fragility and power to it’

1

Circuital – My Morning Jacket – http://www.mymorningjacket.com/
‘great album, rock music as it should be’

nice

And as I go through this space of reflection I listen to the sounds which informed my year.

As such here is The long list of the best albums I have heard this year.
Not too much detail just a picture, title of album, name of artist and perhaps a brief link

NB- please note the rules – my choice is final, all music albums I heard for the first time in 2011 was eligible for consideration. Short list announced on Monday, winners next week sometime

The long list
(picture, album title, artist, linkage)

All Things Will Unwind – My Brightest Diamond – a
Ask Me This – Alcoholic Faith Mission -
Built A Rocket Boys! – Elbow -
Circuital – My Morning Jacket -
Codes and Keys – Death Cab For Cutie -
A Creature I Don’t Know – Laura Marling -
The Harrow & The Harvest – Gillian Welch -
I Am An Attic – Nick Diamonds -
The King Is Dead – The Decemberists -
King Of Limbs – Radiohead -
Life Fantastic – Man Man -
The Long Surrender – Over The Rhine -
Outside – O’Death -
Smother – Wild Beasts -
Zonoscope – Cut Copy -

Please remember this is highly based on opinion, and in this context, I am right.

Laconic Hegemony vol. 4 is available for you to download.
Laconic Hegemony is a mixtape which i irregularly make up and give away to my friends. Volume 4 is a selection of songs which i think will be prefect for those summer drives, all mixed up in a neat selection.
It lasts for about an 40mins and features lots of people who you have never heard of, and some you have, inc. Parliament, Aretha Franklin, The DØ, Dënver, Dogs Die in Hot Cars etc.

consider it a nearly summer present…
LaconicHegemony4Summer by Laconic Hegemony
(click on the downward pointing arrow, on the right of the grey box, for the download link.)

::[[click here]]:: for a pdf tracklisting

Laconic Hegemony vol. 3 is available for you to download.
Laconic Hegemony is a mixtape which i irregularly make up and give away to my friends. Volume 3 is record of 16 songs which i think remind me of of 2010. I doubt it will win the 16 best songs of 2010, but 16 good ones, in a neat selection.
It lasts for about an hour and features lots of people who you have never heard of, and some you have, inc. The National, Richard Swift, Foals, Shearwater, Anais Mitchell etc.

consider it a new year present…

::[[click here to get it]]::

::[[click here]]:: for a pdf tracklisting

P.S.i made it using a virtualDJ thing on the computer so if the mix is a bit off. Sorry.

1, 2, 3, 4
I got a sheet for my bed,
And a pillow for my head
I got a pencil full of lead,
And some water for my throat
I’ve got buttons for my coat; and sails on my boat
So much more than I needed before
I got money in the meter and a two bar heater
Now it’s getting hotter;
Oh it’s only getting sweeter
I got legs on my chairs and a head full of hair
Pot and a pan
And some shoes on my feet;
I got a shelf full of books and most of my teeth
A few pairs of socks and a door with a lock
I got food in my belly and a license for my telly
And nothing’s going to bring me down

I got a nice guitar and tyres on my car
I got most of the means; and scripts for the scenes
I’m out and about, so I’m in with a shout
I got a fair bit of chat but better than that
Food in my belly and a license for my telly
And nothing’s going to bring me down
Nothing’s going to bring me down

But best of all (best of all)
I’ve got my baby
She’s mighty fine and says she’s all mine
And nothing’s going to bring me down
Best of all
I’ve got my baby
She’s mighty fine and says she’s all mine
And nothing’s going to bring me down
Not today,,, no, no

Doesn’t make sense, does it.