The new digital EP from the Jellyfish Bandits is now available! Visit shop.ginghamghost.com to purchase.

1. A Blanket, A Six Pack / 2. Heaven is a Drag / 3. Time Machine / 4. Dead Beat

On “Dead Beats”, the Jellyfish Bandits provide that combination of catchy heart swooning vocals, nostalgic keyboard plonks and rackety lo-fi guitar power chords perfect for singing, dancing and late night drives.

[Hear Sample]
[Buy Album]

Dead Beats EP Sampler • By The Jellyfish Bandits from Gingham Ghost on Vimeo.

New EP by The Jellyfish Bandits, “Dead Beats EP”, features four lo-fi pop songs. Coming March 1, 2010 for only $2!

1. A Blanket, A Six Pack
2. Heaven Is A Drag
3. Time Machine
4. Dead Beat

Learn more at… GinghamGhost.com

I don’t know if I should be ashamed or proud of the fact that Melinda and I saw 51 movies in theaters this year. That averages a movie a week. I don’t know how we did it. Luckily we saw most for free (advanced screenings from gofobo.com) or in cheap drinking theaters otherwise we might be living on the streets right now! Here are my top ten picks (plus honorable mentions, disappointments and surprises) of those 51 movies we saw this year:

10. Greenburg
As a screenwriter, I always geek out to Noah Bambach’s ability to make witty dialogue and fully-formed characters. Ben Stiller did a great job bringing this unlikable character to life. I also enjoyed seeing Greta Gerwig, one of my favorite mumblecore actors, in a film with an actual budget. I hope to see more of her.

9. Best Worst Movie
This documentary only played for a week in Portland, but Melinda and I thankfully caught the last showing. It was hysterical. Easily the funniest movie I have seen all year. And it introduced me to the awesome train wreck of a movie, Troll 2.

8. Please Give
This film really opened my eyes to the female directing talent Nicole Holofcener. After the film I ran home and watched her small filmography. They all were great, although Please Give ended up being my favorite. I’m excited to have a new director to follow!

7. Inception
Hardly does a plain old action film catch my attention. Inception was an exception. I was very excited to see this smart action film by Christopher Nolan and it somehow lived up to the extremely high expectations I had.

6. The Social Network
I was not on board with this at first. In fact, I talked a lot of shit about it. The trailer was great, I like David Fincher and Jessie Eidensberg, but my unenthusiasm of facebook completely turned me off. And here it is now on my end of the year list at number 6! Boy am I eating my words.

5. The Kids Are Alright
I walked in with no expectations for this film. I hadn’t seen the trailer. I hardly knew who was in it. That’s the best way to do it sometimes. If this doesn’t win the Golden Globes for best comedy (it’s up against hilarious thought-provoking comedies like Red and The Tourist – P.S. I’m being sarcastic) than I’m never watching the Golden Globes again. Even though that’s what I said last year when Colin Firth didn’t win best actor for A Single Man.

4. Machete
I bet no critic would ever put this on their list, but I don’t care I’m not a critic. I love camp and exploitation films. I don’t think I had more fun than this at the movies this year.

3. Black Swan
I’m glad I saw this before it was too overly-hyped like it is now. It’s beautiful and well-made, definitely a piece of thematic art. I loved the eeriness of the whole film. I was on edge and never knew where it was going. And although at the end it went right where I thought it should go, I argue that if they did try and explain everything it would have turned it into another run of the mill horror film.

2. Exit Through the Gift Shop
I left this documentary just wanting to create art. Create big controversial masterpieces. Sneak out in the middle of the night and paint a mural. I’m torn between the debate on weather it’s a hoax or not. But that’s exactly what I love about Banksy.

1. Enter the Void
I’m a sucker with any movie that deals with death and the journey through the afterlife (except What Dreams May Come… yuck). So this movie really worked for me. Kind of feels like a movie I would have dreamed up while I was a stoned teenager. Probably not a good thing, but hey, this year kind of sucked for movies.

Honorable Mentions:
Cyrus
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy
I Love You Phillip Morris
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Never Let Me Go

Disappointments (Movies I had high hopes for that did not deliver):
Somewhere
Alice in Wonderland
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Get Him to the Greek
Dinner for Schmucks

Surprises (Movies I thought were going to be completely awful, but turned out to be mediocre):
MacGruber
Love and other Drugs
Going the Distance
The Crazies

Alright, time for my top albums of 2010. Yes a few are from late 2009, but I didn’t hear them till this year. All are awesome from beginning till end (aside from that one song, why did they include that one song?).

10. Los Campesinos! – “Romance is Boring”
Los Campesinos have managed to put out three solid albums since their debut in 2008. That’s quite a feat! I wish most bands came out with that much material. They are even coming out with a quarterly zine/cd called Heat Rash. That should be cool.
Favorite Song: “Straight in at 101″

9. Matt & Kim – “Sidewalks”
When I listen to “Sidewalks” I can picture Matt’s and Kim’s manically happy faces banging away on keyboards and drums. It sure has brightened up the rainy fall/winter in Portland. Since the album is new I’m still infected with it’s ultra-catchy pop but I fear it may fade with time. We’ll see if I still dust it off for a listen next year.
Favorite Song: “AM/FM Sound”

8. She & Him – “Volume 2″
Who cares what the duet of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are singing? I could listen to their voices all day long. I was worried about She & Him’s follow-up album (to their amazing debut “Volume 1″) after hearing the luke-warm single “In the Sun”. But I was not disappointed.
Favorite Song: “Thieves”

7. Born Ruffians – “Say It”
Born Ruffians could be my favorite band once they have the discography Modest Mouse or Elliott Smith have. This sophomore album seemed like a let-down at first, but it just needed some time to grow on me. They also released an EP called “Plinky Plonk” that is very, very good.
Favorite Song: “Oh Man”

6. Best Coast – “Crazy for You”
I’m loving this band right now. Of all the reverb drenched surfy beach rock that is flooding the music blog scene right now, this has to be my favorite. I love how the album focuses on one theme: missing the one you love.
Favorite Song: “Crazy For You”

5. Fourth of July – “Before Our Hearts Explode!”
Damn, I wish these guys ever went on tour, I REALLY want to see them. “Before Our Hearts Explode!” features (probably) my favorite song of the year, “Tan Lines”. I can’t tell you how good it is. Go listen to it right now! Seriously. Do it.
Favorite Song: “Tan Lines”

4. Darlings – “Yeah I Know”
This hopped around all over my list for a while, but it eventually landed here at number four. It’s amazing. Every song is perfect. It has a nostalgic vibe that makes me just want to drive around on a summer night with the volume all the way up. I can’t wait to see what is in this new band’s future.
Favorite Song: “Teenage Girl”

3. Turbo Fruits – “Echo Kid”
I saw Turbo Fruits open for Surfer Blood. They were incredible. I thought I was excited to see Surfer Blood, but once they started played all I could think about was getting home and listening to some more Turbo Fruits. They’re made from members of Be Your Own Pet, taking BYOP’s raw fun energy and expanding on it to something, in my opinion, that blows the old band away. My repetitive listening of this album drove Melinda crazy. But I can’t help it. I’m addicted now.
Favorite Song: “My Stupid Heart”

2. The Drums – “The Drums”
I don’t know what to say about these guys other than I don’t think there was an album I listened to more times than this one. I can see still listening to this album five years from now. It’s an instant classic.
Favorite Song: “Book of Stories”

1. Mean Jeans – “Are You Serious?”
All I want to do is go throw house parties so I can blast Mean Jeans and have drunken mosh pit dances. I’ve attended two concert by them (they’re from Portland) so far and each time I feel like I stepped back and saw the Ramones. It’s not only because the lead singer sounds like Joey Ramone, but that they bring back the teenager in me that just wants to get trashed, be reckless, have fun and dance to old punk rock.
Favorite Song: “Born on a Saturday Night”

Honorable Mentions:
Hunx and His Punks – “Gay Singles”
WAVVES – “King of the Beach”
White Wires – “WWII”