Speaking of people who don’t live around here Peter Mollica of My Friend Peter nay Pinguino’s fame has put together a most excellent list from his year spent half in Albany & half in Brooklyn.  Pinguino’s debut album has been recorded and is currently sitting in limbo on a computer at my house. Hopefully it will be on some lists next year.
1. M. Ward – Hold Time
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
3. We Are Jeneric – Animals Are People Too
4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
5. Neko Case – Middle …

This show calendar is brought to you by your friends at the B3nson Collective. 
Dec 10 -8:00 PM
Aficionado w/ Six Gallery, Foreman, The Nightlife
Valentine’s (Winter Rock & Roll Semi-Formal), Albany
Dec 10 -9:00PM
Ashley Pond Band, the Ameros
Jillian’s, Albany
Dec 11 -8:00PM
Scientific Maps w/ The Figgs, Kitty Little
Valentine’s, Albany
Dec 11- 8:00PM
The Red Lions
Red Square Benefit for Albany Center for Disability Services
Dec 11 -9:00PM
Sea of Trees, Jared Funari
Tess’ Lark Tavern, Albany
Dec 12 -1:00PM
Annual Gingerbread House Construction
Mechanicville District Public Library
Dec 12 -7:00PM
the Boston Celtics
Rock Hill Bakehouse, Glens Falls
Dec 12 -9:00PM
Matthew Loiacono w/ Mark Elmendorf
Wallabee’s, Glens Falls
Dec …

Kamran doesn’t live here,  at least thats what I am told but you wouldn’t know it from how much he’s around. Now thats dedication. He also has his entirely own website which you should check out http://kparwana.com, he releases lots of music like Getting Warmer, his track from the B3nson Family Affair. Here is his notes and his 09 list:
Okay, so, as I said earlier, I didn’t hear a lot of a stuff that came out this year. So over a last two weeks, I have gone on a crime …

Jesse is one of the members of the collective in the running for being in the most bands, a constant battle around these parts. He is currently a member of Beware! the Other Head of Science, Desperately Obvious, the Man Scouts, the Hoborchestra and last but not least his solo project The Black Licorice Ghosts ( his track I’d Rather be a Folk Singer than A Dead Man, was one of my favorite from our recent compilation and far an away the most hilarious.)  That’s 5 bands, not bad.
In no …

This week we start with a list from Matt Wolkoff  the Tubist of the elusive B3nson Family band and general cool guy about town.  We’ll be finishing off our best of 09 lists this week and posting the compiled B3nson B3st of 09 on friday so keep your heads up and your ears to the ground for that. Also any b3nsoners who haven’t done lists yet, get posting over at the townhall.
1. Animals Are People Too – We are Jeneric
2. Delivrance – A Hawk and A Hacksaw
3. Elvis Perkins in …

This show calendar is brought to you by
your friends at the B3nson Collective.
December 4 -8:00pm
TRIPLE B3NSON RELEASE
Boston Celtics, the Hoborchestra, Littlefoot
Valentine’s, Albany
December 4 -10:00am
Martin Van Buren Birthday Celebration
Reformed Church Cemetary
December 5 -7:00pm
Alta Mira CD release w/ Railbird, Matt Durfee, Matthew Loiacono
Revolution Hall, Troy
December 5 -7:00pm
El Duke, Tern Rounders
Bread & Jam Cafe, Cohoes
December 5 -8:30pm
Nautilus, Duchess & the Afro Dub Rebels, The Pimps of Joytime
Red Square, Albany
December 5 -8:00pm
Josh Ritter
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Tune to 90.9 WCDB Albany Thursdays 4-6pm to hear local music and more.

The Ground Zero basement has spawned its share of excellent bands over the last couple of years from the fist pumping gypsy punk of Dostoevsky’s Pistols to the heartfelt indie pop of Mamoona. Now an excellent new collaboration of talents has emerged from the basement of Nugent hall and they call themselves New Pioneer Society (pretty damn good band name, imho).  They play a refreshingly ambling variety of indie folk that reminds me sometimes of early Built to Spill or of any number of records put out by us …

Dylan is the mild mannered drummer of Barons in the Attic and Dan Maddalone’s partner in crime in the newest top secret B3nson side project, Tom Shreddy and the Heart Rapers.  He also happens to be the most awesome Programming Director WCDB Albany has had since Littlefoot. Here is top 10 of 2009.
1) relapse – eminem
2) them crooked vultures – them crooked vultures
3) spirit of apollo – NASA
4) animals are people too – we are jeneric
5) born like this – DOOM
6) fish outta water – chali 2na
7) wolfgang amadeus phoenix …