Why Does the Wilbur Theatre Suck? Better Rock Shows in 5 Steps
Photo of the Day, November 24, 2009: Hook, Line, and Sinker
Photo of the Day, November 25, 2009: Boston as seen from the harbor
Cheap Eats: Burtons Grill
Sports Redux: Nobody Puts Bergey In the Corner
Sample these tracks and let us know what's in your iPod playlist this week.
 | Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers |Local Rock Hang on Mike [download] Bostonist Stefan lists The Candy Butchers among his favorites and although had issues narrowing his track choice down to one, recommends "What to Do with Michael" as your first download. Boston shout out: Mike Viola, lead singer, grew up in Stoughton. |
 | Various Artists |International Funk Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats [Purchase] Highly recommended from both Bostonist Josh and Joel, Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats is a great album for bicycle riding in heavy traffic or cruising. Bostonist Joel particuarly recommends "Bate la Palme de Mao", its his "jammmm" of choice. |
 | Andrew Bird |Alternative The Mysterious Production of Eggs [Download] As featured on Friday's Upcoming Music Events & Concerts, Andrew Bird will be playing Downstairs @ the Middle East on Tuesday. Bostonist Alex recommends "Masterfade" and "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" as your first downloads. Oh so chill, oh so good. |
 | Emergency Music | Local Rock Kiss the Culprit [Download] We are always striving to bring the music scene local, so for our last essential listen of the week Bostonist Joel recommends Emergency Music, who were voted Improper Bostonian's "Best Rock Band" in 2005. IB described them as "The Love child of Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson" - we love them for their track "What We're Heading For". |
A big thanks goes out to Nicholas over at LAist for the inspiration (and formatting assistance) for Bostonist to start our very own "Essential Listens" posts.
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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's self-titled album is on heavy rotation. Sure, they're from Brooklyn. But the lead singer's got a distinctly David Byrne-ish voice (intrinsically good) and "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" is addictively easy to listen to.
How does David Byrne-ishness mitigate non-Bostonness? He lives in Manhattan (I know it - I saw him one time at the bike shop on Sixth Ave. & 14th street buying a bike for his daughter).
That's easy. David Byrne-ishness mitigates non-Bostonness because because sounding like Byrne is intrinsically good. That's just an opinion, obviously, but to those who share it where Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is from, and for that matter where Byrne buys his kids bikes, is immaterial. At a certain level almost everyone agrees that sufficient quality outweighs the sometimes unfortunate circumstances of geography.
In any event, a little New York ribbing isn't too outlandish on a Boston focused website?