Spring Break from WGTB on 8tracks.

Tracklist: 1. “Rushmore” – Spencer Tweedy // 2. “Revival” – Deerhunter // 3. “It’s Real” – Real Estate // 4. “Dreaming” – Seapony // 5. “Rebel Kind” – The Chicks // 6. “Situation” – Mikal Cronin // 7. “Passing By” – The Beach Boys // 8. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” – Alex Chilton // 9. “Make Me Some Love” – Knights Bridge // 10. “Untitled No. 5″ – Washed Out // 11. “Is That Clear” – Nick Waterhouse // 12. “Sunfried Dreams” – Motel Beds // 13. “Pocket” – Text Message // 14. “Stay At Home” – Yellow Ostrich // 15. “When You Smile” – Bad Weather California // 16. “Pleasure Blimps” – Thee Oh Sees

(Photo courtesy of eastcoastpaperboy)

After all the champagne is gone and the confetti swept off the floor, we’re faced with a brand new year and a second wind of optimism. This year, you’ll start running, you’ll quit smoking, you’ll waste less time, you’ll kick television, you’ll love more and eat less. Whether you’re trying to save up or get your weight down, as long as your resolutions last, here’s your soundtrack. Full track list after the jump!

Track listing: New Feeling – Talking Heads // I Can Change – LCD Soundsystem // Kicking Television [Live] – Wilco // Earn Enough For Us – XTC // Go Outside – Cults // I’ll Run – Yellow Ostrich // Love More – Sharon Van Etten // Give Up The Ghost – Radiohead // Be Here Now – George Harrison // Try Again – Big Star // Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More – The Allman Brothers Band // Getting Better – The Beatles //  Move On Up – Curtis Mayfield // Hold On Hope – Guided By Voices // Be Not So Fearful – Bill Fay // This Will Be Our Year – The Zombies

Happy 2012 from WGTB!

Just hours before Yellow Ostrich parked their van on 37th and O Street NW, Fiona and I scrambled to find something — anything — for Alex Schaaf, Michael Tapper and Jon Natchez to play. A slight miscommunication had resulted in the band planning to stop by Georgetown to record a plugged-in studio session before their soundcheck at the Black Cat with us waiting on the other end to film an acoustic takeaway show. Easy fix, right? Not quite. They didn’t have the equipment to play acoustic, and we didn’t have the equipment to go electric. Hoping to salvage the afternoon, we rounded up the best instruments we could find, and thankfully, the flexible trio was willing to stretch the definition of both ‘best’ and ‘instruments’ far enough to rework a few cuts from their album The Mistress live on air. Crammed into the tiny studio tucked away in the corner of Hoya Court, Schaaf strummed Fiona’s acoustic guitar, while Tapper kept time on its case, adding in some percussive flourishes with whatever he could bring along after politely declining the toy tambourine we dug up for him. Bassist Jon Natchez broke out the brass instead of the bass on “Hold On” and effortlessly translated the buzzing, electric end of “Mary” to an unplugged setting with some light clarinet.

Later on that night, we were lucky enough to catch Yellow Ostrich’s opening set at the Black Cat and were treated to a whirlwind of sound — vocal loops with reverb, a full drum kit, electric guitar, bass, brass and synths — pumped through large speakers. On what is the band’s first real tour, they played to an impressively full room that shouted requests (if it wasn’t busy being eerily quiet, listening with rapt attention as Schaaf tuned up between numbers) and hung on to every note of favorites like “Whale” and newer, unheard songs like “Charles Lindbergh” alike. And as good as that set was (and it certainly was good), there’s something to be said that these three musicians could pull something equally striking and captivating out of little more than a hastily tuned guitar and the beat of its empty case.

Crew: Fiona Hanly + Catherine DeGennaro
Edits: Catherine DeGennaro

Listen to and download the audio from the session:

Yellow Ostrich: In-Studio with WGTB by WGTB Rotation

Just like that triple decker German chocolate cake that your Grandma brings over every year for Thanksgiving, Yellow Ostrich is all about layers. Alex Schaaf, the man behind the bird, carefully builds his songs by laying out a simple foundation and then adding and subtracting different levels of loops to it. Hypnotic chants, tribal drum grooves, and infectious basslines, combine and intersect to create an undeniably catchy blend. Even the repetitive, image heavy lyrics (Whale, swim with me whale/We will go far into the sea) serve as just another organic ingredient adding towards the entire mixture. The listener is left with the choice to either follow these individual strands intently or step back from them in order to hear the songs as a whole. Both paths prove rewarding. Thus, Yellow Ostrich offers us an unique brand of indie pop that is simple and fun, while at the same time deep enough to get lost in. Sorry Big Bird, looks like we have a new oversized feathered friend on the block.

The entire album, The Mistress, can be downloaded here for whatever price you see fit.

-Bryan McTiernan, cohost of Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, Saturdays Noon-1 georgetownradio.com