SYP Says

Allison by Pepper Rabbit: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#24 "Allison" by Pepper Rabbit

LA band, Pepper Rabbit, is really just a duo, but sounds much larger. Xander Singh and Luc Laurent incorporate a variety of different instruments and sounds in their orchestral psychedelic pop which is like a more melodic Super Furry Animals. Put this on if you're looking for a little rest from all the holiday craziness.

 

Powa by Tune-Yards: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#23 "Powa" by Tune-Yards

In honor of my birthday today (w00t!), I'm sharing with you my favorite song of the year, Powa by Tune-Yards (well, I guess it's really tUnE-yArDs, but anyway). Whokill, the second album by Tune-Yards (aka Merrill Garbus) is amazing--it is experimental without being inaccessible and mixes afro-beat with R&B and lo-fi electronica to great effect. Not only is Merrill Garbus a great musician, but she has an incredible voice to boot. 

Here are two live versions of this song--one an official 4AD session and the other just shot by some guy at the Bowery Ballroom a couple years ago. Both are awesome. Enjoy.

Lyric by The Sea and Cake: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#22 "Lyric" by The Sea and Cake

This song feels like a Winter morning. It's clear and cool, yet hushed. Bare trees and freezing, gray water. Indie band The Sea and Cake does this kind of alone song well. Usually their songs have more of an electronic vibe, but this one strikes a chord with me. (Also check out their great cover of Bowie's Sound and Vision.)

 

The Wilhelm Scream by James Blake: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#21 "The Wilhelm Scream" by James Blake

The Wilhelm Scream is a stock sound effect that has become a cinematic cliche, but also a fun nod to tradition. There's no actual screaming in this slow jam song by post-dubstep master, James Blake, but it does give me the shivers.

 

Chocolate-Cayenne Cocktail Cookies from Food and Wine

I'm not a big dessert person and when I have desserts, I tend to like ones that are less sweet. These Chocolate-Cayenne Cookies are just about perfect. They are easy to make, you can make them ahead of time, and they are melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious--almost like chocolate shortbreads.

This is my adaptation with tips from the recipe that was contributed by Dorie Greenspan for Food and Wine Nov 2011 issue.

 

Chocolate-Cayenne Cocktail Cookies

Makes about 50-60 cookies.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (make sure you use very good quality cocoa powder, such as Valrhona or Guittard which is what I used)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• Maldon salt, for sprinkling
• Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling

1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, cayenne and sea salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with both sugars at low speed until creamy. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth, then add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.
2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead gently until it comes together. Note: The dough is very moist and melts quickly. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a disk. Roll out each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper to about 1/4 inch thick. Slide the wax paper–covered disks onto a baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour, until very firm.
3. Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time, peel off the top sheet of wax paper. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out the cookies as close together as possible. Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the parchment paper–lined baking sheets and sprinkle with some Maldon salt.
4. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes (my oven runs hot, I guess, because my cookies were done at 12 minutes so I would start checking starting then), until they are just firm; shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Before serving, I dusted mine with a little confectioners' sugar so you get a sweet & salty hit right away when you eat it.

Make Ahead: The rolled-out frozen cookie dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept frozen for up to 2 weeks. The baked cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

* It is important that in Step 2, you make sure the dough is rolled out evenly and 1/4 inch thick otherwise the cookies will not hold up.

* In Step 3 when you are punching out the cookies, begin doing this step as soon as the dough is out of the freezer. The dough softens very quickly, so you need to work fast while the dough is still very firm.

* Make sure you roll out the dough to the thickness you want before freezing because whatever state the dough is in at that point is what it will be when you go to stamp it out. IOW, don't just make a dough ball and put it in the freezer. 

* I had read some reviews of this recipe that said it didn't make as many cookies as indicated. I found it made about 50 cookies. Make sure you stamp the cookies out as close together as possible. Also, after doing the first round of stamping, I re-rolled out the dough and made more out of the leftover dough.

Enjoy! These are my new favorite cookies. :)

Run Right Back by The Black Keys: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#20 "Run Right Back" by The Black Keys

Revved up, fuzzy blues rock is The Black Keys' specialty and it is evident in this groove-laden single from their latest album, El Camino. I love the bass line. I love the voice. I love this song.

 

Same Mistake by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#19 "Same Mistake" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

It's been four years since Brooklyn indie darling Clap Your Hands Say Yeah released a new album. There was a free-spirited enthusiasm in their previous albums that is mostly missing from Hysterical. This song, however, still has that exuberance but with their new, more mature sound.

 

 

Stop by Twin Sister: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#18 "Stop" by Twin Sister

NYC band, Twin Sister, is really good live. Their music in recordings is good, but very dream pop; on stage, it's much more experimental and funky. Listen to this tune now, but then go and catch them live if you can. They're touring with Ava Luna, another great NYC band (whose song, "Clips," is another of my favorite songs of the year). I like this tune which has a kind of '80s Everything but the Girl feel.

 

 

Posture, Etc. by Say Hi: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#17  "Posture, Etc." by Say Hi

Say Hi (formerly Say Hi to Your Mom) has come a long way literally from the days of vampire songs (which I quite liked by the way). *He* is a one man band. Say Hi lived in NYC and moved to Seattle around the time I left NYC and moved to Oregon, so I have a soft spot for his DIY music which got me through cross-country trips and lots of long mountain drives.

 

 

Art of Almost by Wilco: 31 Days of My Favorite 2011 Songs

#16 "Art of Almost" by Wilco