Anna Fox Rochinski sings and plays guitar in QUILT, and in DAWN FAUNA, her solo project.
ANNA FOX ROCHINSKI’S TEN FRESH INTERNATIONAL PICKS FROM 2012
Her list:
Even though I was on tour for fifteen weeks this year, there’s no place like home. Where else can you go to a Red Sox game and enjoy an eight dollar cup of Bud Light after skippin’ class and biking from JP with a nice locally-sourced breakfast sandwich in hand and sneaking into the MFA after getting a large “pumpkin flavored” cup of joe from Dunkin’ Donuts while feeding the geese under the BU bridge as you admire the green lights atop the Pru the weekend that Aerosmith plays for free in the middle of the street? Well, ok, I didn’t actually have a weekend like this- but I sure wish I did. What I did do was compile a list of some of my favorite bands that stood out to me in 2012, usually for the wonderful and fond memories associated with them. I only wish this list could be longer! I guess that’s why there’s eleven bands instead of ten. Enjoy!
–Paperhead
These upstanding young fellows were discovered by me as I was getting my organ fixed in New Hampshire because my friend Joe was playing their record in his warehouse. They’re like four dashing princes, riding four white stallions that make backwards guitar noises instead of horse noises.
–Mexican Knives
I think this was my favorite opening band from our November tour. We met them in Detroit. Detroit is where Kid Rock is from, but if you can put that out of your mind, check out Mexican Knives’ bluesy punk and tell me you can’t groove to this!!
–Cate le Bon
I literally can’t stop listening to Miss le Bon’s album, Cyrk. I haven’t felt this way in a long time- I just wanted you to know. No pressure or anything, and I know we’re both busy, but I think what I feel is real, and life is short, so, um, can we take this to the next level? Ohhh wait, here comes Cate le Bon with her fuzz pedal to shatter all my sentimental feelings about how much her album kicks ass, and good thing she did, my hands were gettin’ clammy…
-Tame Impala
It’s kinda like if there was a reissue of “Revolver” that came with built-in hydraulics so that the experience of “Tomorrow Never Knows” was like bouncin’ in a tricked out Corvette in San Diego in 1993 but you’re in Australia, therefore this shit is truly sweeping, sparkling and expansive, dawg!!
–MMOSS
I’ve known these cats for a few years, during which they got more cats, but more importantly, during which their sound matured into the crispiest most deep-fried spacey morsel of psychedelic songwriting that I know of- Actually, a lot like a full pack of Gushers at the bottom of your lunch bag. Just what you needed, right?
–Shintaro Sakamoto
This dude was introduced to me on our July tour when our tour buds Young Magic handed me his CD and I listened on a whim. Hoo baby! If I were a beaver, feeling sad, I’d build a dam in my sadness with Shintaro’s lyrics.
(here’s an interview I did with him for AdHoc) http://adhoc.fm/post/mix-
-The Migs
Get up and do something! I think that’s a good motto for 2013. If the Migs and their totally fresh souls haven’t gotten you dancing with your grandma or simply charmed beyond space and time, get up (away from the 36 pack of PBR on the ground by the basement door and towards the band) and do somethin about it!
–Jacco Gardner
This chap gets the “promising in the new year” award- like the infant of all things i’m excited to listen to. I’m not gonna say “baroque” (oh wait, I just did), but if you like the Left Banke and Lazy Smoke as much as I do (which is a lot) then please check out Jacco. Is it 2013 or is it just Jacco’s Modern Life? Stay tuned!
–Allah Las
We played with these folks on the roof of “Cheers Shot Bar” bar in Austin where chicks were serving jello shots out of test tubes. Test tubes!! From my vantage point, I noticed the Allah-Lahs’ nice, shiny ankle boots- and nice, shiny chord progressions, and melodies so catchy and darling that you’ll write your high school crush a chain letter about it.
–Fresh n Onlys
Who would have known that meeting up with total strangers and hangin’ with them for two weeks would be so fun? Well actually, I guess every summer camp movie has this basic premise, right? Did you ever actually go to summer camp? The Fresh and Onlys are a lot like the day where you kick ass in arts and crafts, ace your swimming test in front of the hunky lifeguard and then everyone makes s’mores as the stars sparkle in the sky.
–Bombino
If every yogurt commercial with a mildly dazed young woman slowly eating her vanilla Yoplait in the morning and smiling from ear to ear featured BOMBINO instead of Coldplay or Jack Johnson, I’d be watching a lot more yogurt commercials. That being said, they had the #1 standout performance at Austin Psych Fest this year and were the only band there who bowed. Could teach us a lesson or two about how to not stare at our sneakers the whole time on stage.
That’s all for now- I could totally keep going- but I have to go finish up 2012’s resolutions before new year’s eve approaches tonight. See y’all on the other side–
