The Best Of 'Monitor Mix' By Carrie Brownstein : NPR

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A Final Word From Carrie Brownstein

October 6, 2010 • After nearly three years of sharing her insights on music, film and pop culture, Carrie Brownstein bids her readers farewell. Though she'll occasionally contribute to the All Songs Considered blog, Carrie is moving on to several new projects.

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Second Bands, Brand-New Fans

May 13, 2010 • In the the high-stakes and elitist world of music collecting and fandom, we operate from an ab ovo perspective. The seed, the first incarnation -- that is the most pure, the most lauded. Minutemen trumps Firehose, Throwing Muses beats Belly, Joy Division over New Order, Operation Ivy ruled Rancid, Undertones instead of That Petrol Emotion.

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The Ten Commandments Of Rock And Roll

May 12, 2010 • Titled "The Ten Commandments of Rock and Roll," the rules are self-effacing, bordering on masochistic; they obliterate the roadie's personal needs, replacing them with the goal of working toward the greater good of the tour — or, more specifically, the benefit of the band.

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Camp Songs: Never Forget

May 4, 2010 • A lot of the music probably came from a YMCA songbook. Some tunes were spiritual and felt pseudo-religious, like the ones we had to sing before each meal; others were silly or veered towards the dirty before turning out to be G-rated after all. As...

Records And Stores We Love

April 15, 2010 • Saturday, April 17, is the third annual Record Store Day. Let's celebrate by giving props to the record stores in our lives. What was the first independent record store that shaped, inspired or merely catered to your musical tastes?

Letters To And From Our Music Idols

April 14, 2010 • The first fan letter I ever wrote was to Ricky Schroder. I told him all about my life in the suburbs of Seattle: bicycling on weekends down to Marymoor Park, how many goals I scored in soccer, getting cast as Narrator #1 in Three Ships, a play abo...

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Yesterday And Today: Songs We Caught Up To, Songs We Moved Beyond

March 23, 2010 • Anyone who's old, or getting there, doesn't need a reminder. And most of us music fans see or hear enough great music throughout the year — made by both 18- and 80-year olds — to know that it's not the years that suck both the musician and the a...

Alex Chilton: I'm In Love With That Song

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Alex Chilton: I'm In Love With That Song

March 18, 2010 • Alex Chilton's band changed lives. With Big Star, music felt limitless, freer, but also more whole. How did they do that?

HoZac Records: Interview And Music!

March 17, 2010 • For Carrie Brownstein, it was love at first speaker blow-out. She forwards the MySpace pages of HoZac Records bands — Woven Bones, Dum Dum Girls — to friends, drops the label's name in interviews and mostly (and most joyously) listens to whateve...

HoZac Records: Interview And Music!

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That's The Way Love Goes: A Valentine's Day For Everyone

February 10, 2010 • Valentine's Day is nearly upon us! You've probably been wondering about -- perhaps even waiting for -- the annual Monitor Mix Valentine's Day post. Fear not: That day has arrived. For 2010, Monitor Mix will help you plan a romantic evening; whethe...

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YouTube: Online Fame For Everyone

December 28, 2009 • Launched in early 2005, YouTube has changed the way we communicate. The video-sharing Web site has given us a new way of reaching each other, not to mention shortcuts to fame, nostalgia and togetherness.

YouTube: Online Fame For Everyone

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Monitor Mix Presents: The Best Music Of 2009

December 9, 2009 • Carrie Brownstein shares her favorite music of 2009. Favorite album? That would be Wind's Poem by Mount Eerie.

Monitor Mix Presents: The Best Music Of 2009

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Roundtable Discussion: The Role Of The Record Label

November 16, 2009 • Last week, I had the opportunity to chat — and, by chat, I mean "chat via the Internet" — with a handful of independent record labels' owners and managers. I wanted to discuss the role of the label in a time when fewer people seem to know or care what labels their favorite musicians or bands are on. Furthermore, and perhaps this has always been true, we may not even know what exactly a label does.

Roundtable Discussion: The Role Of The Record Label

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Rock Music Goes The Way Of The Beard

November 13, 2009 • With the rise in popularity of mostly bearded men making very sensitive music — Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Iron & Wine — has rock gone toothless?

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Risk Management: Can An Artist Sell Out When There Are No Boundaries?

November 11, 2009 • Is it even possible for an artist to sell out anymore? Before you answer "No!" — or mention that the last five bands you discovered were from commercials — read on.

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Phish Update No. 10: I'm Done Worrying, But Do I Love Phish?

July 17, 2009 • It would be both unfair and untrue to say that I'll ever be able to fully divorce Phish's music from their fans and from their community. And, frankly, I wouldn't want to.

Phish Update No. 9: Phish Fan Meet-Up Video

July 17, 2009 • During this week of learning to love Phish, I wanted some curatorial help from the people who know their music the best. A handful of kind people showed up, bringing with them CDs, books, and stories. I extend to them my thanks and gratitude.

Phish Update No. 6: The Music

July 15, 2009 • I'm halfway through my week of total Phish immersion, and I've yet to talk about the music. That fact itself is interesting to note. I've found it nearly impossible to separate the cult and culture of Phish from the band Phish. And perhaps I shoul...

Phish Update No. 3: The Shopping Spree Video

July 14, 2009 • Yesterday afternoon, I ventured down to Everyday Music in Portland. My plan was to sell a batch of unwanted CDS in order to cover the cost of my brand new Phish CD and DVD collection.

Phish Update No. 1

July 13, 2009 • I've gone ahead and taken pre-Phish photos of myself and of my two dogs, Olive and Tobey. During the week, I'll note any physical or mental changes--good or bad--that occur after prolonged exposure to the band.

How I Stopped Worrying And Learned To Love Phish

July 13, 2009 • Last Friday, I encouraged readers to "justify your love" by explaining how and why you could love the seemingly unlovable. From Celine Dion to Audioslave, The Shaggs to The Spice Girls, people wrote in with their reasons for enjoying the music man...

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Monitor Mix

The Blame Game

April 28, 2009 • Fans' winning class-action suit against Aerosmith's canceled Maui gig is great news for disgruntled music fans everywhere. Carrie Brownstein suggests a few other examples wherein fans can go after what they deserve.