by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

With all these lists coming out, here’s one more: Pitchfork today announced its Top 50 of 2012. The list is relevant (I guess) because Pitchfork continues to be the more revered music criticism website in the country for indie music, whether you like it or not. No. 1 went to Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city (Interscope) of which I’ve heard nary a track, more damning evidence of just how out of touch I am with today’s music. No. 2 was Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange, which I have listened to a few times, though it didn’t make my list (which you’ll have to wait until next week to read). No. 3 was Fiona Apple’s The Idler Wheel…, which I reconsidered (and relistened to) after the very public death of her dog, and must say it was better the second time around.

I was surprised at the number of artists on the list who were making follow-ups to breakthroughs, such as Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors and Beach House. We continue to regurgitate ourselves. As a whole, it’s not a bad list, but it’s hard to argue against the fact that this was another (in a series) off year(s) in music…

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The STNNNG are back with a new album, Empire Inward, slated for February. Check out the first track, “Brain-Dumb,” below. They just got back from playing the UK’s All Tomorrows Parties (curated by Shellac). Something tells me we’ll be seeing them on an Omaha stage soon…

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The Hear Nebraska T

Hear Nebraska is hocking new T-shirts for 2012/13. Do yourself a flavor and order one right here. Your $25 not only gets you a colorful fashion statement but also helps support Nebraska music’s No. 1 mouthpiece. And HN major domo Andy Norman says if you get your order in today, you should get it delivered by Christmas. Good luck.

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The other day Desaparecidos announced that it’s headed to Europe in February as part of a tour that will focus mainly on the Eastern Seaboard of these United States of America, ending with a couple dates at Webster Hall in NYC (one of which already sold out). How long will this Desa stretch continue, or is this going to do it? We’ll just have to wait and see…

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Speaking of Conor Oberst, his concert at Joslyn’s Witherspoon Hall is officially sold out. Opening band Whispertown hits the stage at 8 p.m. followed by the boy wonder himself playing a collection of tunes that will likely stretch back to the early Bright Eyes years.

Don’t have tix? Well, you’re not completely out of luck. There’ still plenty of tickets available to tonight’s Ladyfinger show at  Slowdown Jr. with Everyday/Everynight and Maps for Travelers (Back When, who had been scheduled to perform, have cancelled due to illness). $8, 9 p.m.

That brings us to Saturday, when Kite Pilot is slated to play at fabulous (and recently repainted) O’Leaver’s with Gordon (acoustic set) and Video Ranger. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Finally, the most bizarre event of the weekend is the Musico reunion show The Barley Street with Cat Island. Musico was a three-piece power-pop band from around the turn of the century that included among its members Darren Keen of The Show Is the Rainbow and Touch People fame, Brad Underwood and Mark Hinrichs. Expect crazy. $5, 9 p.m.

Have a good weekend…

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m starting with the Doom Town show because I feel that the so-called “above-ground media” dropped the ball on this one (i.e., me and The Reader).

Justin O’Connor, one of the guys behind Doom Town Records, e-mailed back in October asking if I’d be interested in writing a feature story in support of this Saturday night’s (tomorrow night’s) show at The Sandbox, and I said “yeah,” even though I’m not responsible for assigning feature stories at The Reader (music editor Chris Aponick is). In the end, I got assigned a feature on So-So Sailors, and Aponick apparently mentioned the Doom Town show in his Backbeat Column (which I haven’t seen yet).

“Ethan Jones and I are releasing Doom Town USA, a compilation and ‘zine we’ve spent the last year putting together (we’re slow),” O’Connor said in his e-mail to me. “To celebrate we’ve set up a show at The Sandbox on December 10 featuring STNNNG, Blind Shake and Baby Tears. This will also double as a release show for Baby Tears’ new 7-inch on Rainy Road. The ‘zine has a pair of articles written by Chris Harding-Thornton and Chris Besinger. The bands on the comp are Skin of Earth (IA), Yuppies, Metal Tech (Chris Fischer of Unread Records), Ed Gray (IA), Nymph (NY), This is My Condition (KS), Blind Shake (MN), Baby Tears, L.U.N.A.R. Revolt (PA), STNNNG (MN), Bottom Jobs (MN), and Vverevvolf Grehv.”

Besinger (who writes about Danzig in the ‘zine), as you may or may not know, is in the leather-gloved frontman of STNNNG; Harding-Thornton (who writes about “the industry” and life in general) is a music industry veteran who used to work at Saddle Creek and (and was involved in The Cog Factory back before she had a hyphenated last name). Also included is a short intro essay by O’Connor, who among other things is one of the funniest writers from around here (whether he knows it or not). And lots of clever drawings by Chris Fischer and other talented artists.

So here’s the deal. For $6 you get a 36-page ‘zine with a screen-printed cover and a compilation cassette with the above-mentioned bands. Limited to a mere 100 copies. Will this comp’s music ever be available as a “download”? I have no idea. Fact is, my POS ’96 Chevy Sidekick has a cassette player in it, so I’m already in business. If you can’t make the show, you can buy a copy of the package online right here at the Doom Town Records website.

But you’re better off just coming to Saturday night’s show at The Sandbox, 2406 Leavenworth, which features Blind Shake, STNNNG and Baby Tears. Show starts at 9:30 and costs $6. Go!

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Tonight, of course, is the So-So Sailors CD-EP release show at Slowdown Jr. (which you read about here).  Also on the bill are Kevin Pike & John Kotchian and Sam Knutson. Everyone who pays the $10 cover gets a copy of the S-S S EP, Young Hearts. Seriously, you can’t lose. Show starts at 9 p.m.

So what else is happening this weekend?

The Nadas return to The Waiting Room tonight with Witness Tree. $15, 9 p.m.

Snake Island is at The Barley Street Tavern tonight with Travelling Mercies and Dan Tesdesco. $5, 9 p.m.

And tonight is the final night for Depressed Buttons‘ residency at House of Loom. The trio of Baechle, Fink and Thiele will be taking time off to tour and produce new music. Opening set from Cake Eater. Starts at 10  p.m., $5.

Saturday night’s other big show is Blue Bird at The Barley Street Tavern with Edge of Arbor and the debut of Electroliners – a band-spankin’ new band featuring guitarist/vocalist Pat White of The Third Men, Travis Sing (bass, vocals), Staphanie Krysl (fiddle, keys, vocals) Wayne Brekke (drums) and Corey Weber (pedal steel, guitar). They describe their sound as “old stylie country western.” Show starts at 9 p.m., $5.

Finally, omahype.com celebrates completing its first year of online business with its second annual Holiday Throwdown at Slowdown. The mammoth musical line-up includes Honeybee & Hers, Laura Burhenn (Mynabirds), McCarthy Trenching, Brad Hoshaw, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, Great American Desert, Jasong Mountain, James Maakestad, Sean Pratt, April Faith-Slaker, aetherplough, Anniversaire, The Benningtons and Jordan Elsberry. In addition to vendors selling their wares, Blue Sushi Sake Grill and Roja Mexican Grill will have snacks available. It all starts at 5 p.m. and entry is a suggested $5 donation. Find out more here.

Close out your week with Bad Speler a.k.a. Darren Keen as he celebrates the release of Jesus, the powerless liar presents: Another Bad Speler Christmix at House of Loom Sunday night.

“This is the second christmix I’ve released, and it’s amazing,” Keen says. “I sample Ru Paul, William Hung, Star Wars Christmas, and even Bright Eyes, while still maintaining, and ever perfecting my now bass heavier post breakcore club sound. Listen to the re working of Bright Eyes’ ‘Little Drummer Boy’ in the Bad Speler original masterpiece ‘Come on my Drum, (below).

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/29468703″]

Keen said the release is digital only, though he’ll have CDR’s of the album available at this show, which is free and starts at 9.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.