a savior right there amongst the cars

Liars – Scissor (lost at sea)
Vampire Weekend – Giving Up the Gun (just incredible)
Bobby Birdman f/ YACHT – You’d Be Surprised (Mr. Wizard gets hip)
La Roux – Bulletproof (more 80s than the 80s)
Mumford and Sons – Little Lion Man (beautiful all around)
Broken Bells – The High Road (the desert highway is a strange place)
Hot Chip – One Life Stand (it’s all about perspective)

THROWBACK
videos apparently inspired by late-90s teen comedies
Rival Schools – Used for Glue
Saves the Day – Shoulder to the Wheel

m|h’s short and sweet guide to fmf09

Are you in Madison, WI this weekend? Then get yourself to Forward Music Fest. Buy tickets here, print out the schedule, and then check out a few of these performances (our top recommendations are linked to music, starred are the acts we’ve seen live before):

THURSDAY

Blake Thomas*
Richard Buckner

FRIDAY
Dan Wilson
Daniel and the Lion
Punchline*
El Valiente*
Archie Powell & The Exports
Princeton
Cougar*
Daredevil Christopher Wright*
Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s*
YACHT*
Decibully*

SATURDAY
Antlers*
Low
Crane Your Swan Neck*
Pale Young Gentlemen*
Maps & Atlases*
Andrew Bird*

If you’re only buying a single show ticket, and we had to pick just one thing to see, we’d say Cougar. They don’t play the midwest very often, and their shows have always delivered. They’re one of our favorite live acts, hands down.

To see our coverage of the inaugural FMF, check out our guide and review.