Pitchfork Music Festival will be running July 13th through 15th in Chicago, and whether you’re lucky enough to be there or not, WPGU 107.1 is excited to bring you coverage of the highlights. However, a month before the festival we’re already getting excited thinking about the great acts that will be there, and have made this playlist for you to get a taste of the great tunes you’ll either hear or hear about next month.
SIDE A
1. “Parallax” — Atlas Sound:
The title track off of Parallax, this song has a great aesthetic too it. This track makes a nice beginning for the album both aurally and because it embodies a lot of what indie rock–the genre best represented at the Pitchfork Music Festival–is about.
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2. “Past in Present” — Feist:
A day one headliner, Leslie Feist is probably the best known performer at the festival. Her Bonaroo performance was great, and we’re excited to see her at Pitchfork too. “Past in Present” is one of the many great tracks on The Reminder, but one of the ones which wasn’t used on numerous television ads. With its high energy and emphasis on Feist’s powerful vocals, it shows what she can do with a microphone.
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3. “Abducted” — Cults:
Cults’ debut album last year was a highlight for the dance genre for many of us at WPGU 107.1. “Abducted” is the opening track on the album and begins by showing some of the best things the band can do. With strong beats and vocals, look for Cults’ show to be high energy and a lot of fun.
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4. “Montana” — Youth Lagoon:
Youth Lagoon also came out with his debut album last year, and it made both Pitchfork and our albums of the year list. Youth Lagoon’s songs are sweet and sincere, and this bedroom-made music will win your heart on the album or at the venue.
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5. “The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance” — Vampire Weekend:
Another one of the better known Pitchfork acts, there are few critics who haven’t loved their two unique albums. Vampire Weekend is likely to draw a big crowd–as their music clearly deserves. “The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance” is the closing track on their first album and showcases the hopeful, eclectic, high energy music they do so well.
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SIDE B
6. “Used to Be” — Beach House:
The best track off of the best album of 2010, in this editor’s humble opinion, “Used to Be” demonstrates what this duo can do so beautifully. Beach House is a duo whose last few albums have all been much lauded, especially by Pitchfork.com. Having recently opened for Vampire Weekend, this pairing makes a nice transition from side a to b.
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7. “Beach Comber” — Real Estate:
Real Estate sound like they’re from a bygone year, and as nostalgia became a buzzword in the music world (a phenomenon which Pitchfork has much documented), this band shined as their hopeful sound made everyone cheerful. The opening track on their debut album, “Beach Comber” is a pleasant track that will bring smiles and the most sought after “nostalgia.”
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8. “Sleep Dealer” — Oneohtrix Point Never:
After naming this track one of the best of last year, Pitchfork pointed out that Oneohtrix Point Never reminded the music world that there’s a dark side to nostalgia too, and this trippy track and video make that quite evident. Expect this to be another highlight of the festival.
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9. “Blaise Bailey Finnegan III” — Godspeed You! Black Emperor:
Godspeed You! Black Emperor is one of the greatest bands live ever, and after getting back together after a long time apart, their most recent shows have been particularly impressive. If they bring out the old movie reels and they’re whole lineup, expect these giants of post-rock to impress with a show that will leave you stunned. This is the second of two tracks on this Canadian band’s 90s EP Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada, and shows how they can impress with their instruments and their acute perception and representation of the world.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDRjUmcxxQE
10. “Then It’s White” — The Field:
After the almost startling “Blaise Bailey Finnegan III,” “Then It’s White” is a quite lullaby which nicely closes up the mixtape. The Field will also be closing up the Pitchfork music festival, playing one of the last sets on Sunday. As the track loops around and around, it brings pleasant, thoughtful closure.
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