{This is part two of a three-part preview of this year's not-to-be-missed acts at Bumbershoot by Imaginary Victoria -- bounce back to see part one here!}

Flatstock {all weekend, Fisher Pavillion}

We told you all about it in our Saturday preview: Flatstock is not to be missed. Check it.

As you peruse around the middle day of this year's Bumbershoot, the early afternoon presents a ton of options depending on what your particular bag is, how hung over you are from Saturday, and what kind of mood you're in. Kristin Hersch will be at the Bagley Wright theater at 12:15, Kasey Anderson on the Starbucks stage at 12:30, The Lonely Forest on the Main stage at 1:30, Mad Rad takes Fisher Green at 2:15... not to mention Broken Social Scene on the Main stage at 3 and a slew of amazing acts running all weekend in KEXP's secret lounge. Regardless of your fancy, though, there are a few things we think you should make the time to catch during the second part of the day:

Jessica Lea Mayfield {5:45p, Starbucks stage}

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As is the case most every week in Seattle, our nights are filled with options upon options for amazing music to take in -- open mic nights, big theater shows, dirty little clubs, and everything in-between. Fresh off the Fleet Foxes / Cave Singers show Monday night, we found ourselves pressed to the front of the Tractor's stage on Tuesday for the double-set of gorgeousness that was Jessica Lea Mayfield and Nathaniel Rateliff. The combination of their performances was a true set 'em up, knock 'em down one-two punch that had us emptying our bank account out at the merch table at the end fo the night, snapping up everything there was to be had and begging the artists for a hasty return.

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{{{UPDATE}}} We've got another pair of tickets to give away today for tomorrow night's show! Details have been updated below.

Rex Manning Day is almost upon us! Jessica Lea Mayfield and Nathaniel Rateliff are coming to the Tractor next Tuesday night (that's May 3rd, for anyone who's checking for a Fleet Foxes conflict), and believe us when we tell you, we'd bring them their respective lunches any day. Between Mayfield's golden pipes and Rateliff's consistent eleven on the ache-o-meter, you can bet we'll be there the minute doors open to secure our spots front and center.

And... we want you to be there with us! So we've arranged to give away another pair of tickets to the show. Simply email us at tig {at} threeimaginarygirls dot com today with the subject line "IMissYouEverySingleDay" for a chance to win -- just be sure and get your entry in before 3p. We'll choose a winner tonight before 5p and notify you by email that you're on the list +1 for tomorrow's show.

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Upon opening the imaginary inbox to read the Tractor's calendar email yesterday afternoon, I almost had an accident. Right there at the desk. Because two of 2010's heavy-rotation best-of-list abounding artists -- for me, at least -- are coming together for one show, on a tiny stage in Ballard, and it's my humble opinion that Seattle proper should literally be beside itself with excitement. Sweet-throated alt.indie.crooner Jessica Lea Mayfield is heading out on tour with none other than last year's Prince of Make-It-Hurt-So-Good Nathaniel Rateliff.

Neither of these artists needs an introduction, but in the event that you're not familiar, Daytrotter has radical sessions from each of them up on their site that will give you a good taste of their respective sounds. {Jessica's is here, and Nathaniel's is here.} While they share a common undercurrent of soul-bearing earnestness, JLM -- who will be headlining the night -- has a catchy, sexy, post-folk type of sound that contrasts nicely with Nathaniel's straightforward harmony-loaded achecore. She's traded her campfire sing-a-long undercurrent from the last release for a little-black-dress-sometimes kind of sound, and it's really winning for her. (If you want to play along at home, listen to the studio cuts "For Today" and/or "Kiss Me Again" from With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, and then hop on over to her website at http://jessicaleamayfield.com for a free download of the new single, "Our Hearts are Wrong.") It could be a next-album kind of maturity, or perhaps a different producer -- but whatever it is, her vibe has definitely shifted and started a new course.

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I know, I know. Writing best of 2010 lists is so three-weeks-ago. But with such a good year in music having just passed, it would be remiss of me to not to let the imaginary-sphere know about a few of my favorite close-of-the-oughts things. I've never been a big subscriber to "this is better than that" -- it's not easy to put so much different stuff on one plane and deem some of them better, some of them worse -- so instead of file and rank, I've compiled a few chunks of albums, shows, and random happenings that made it to 'awesome' status for me over the last twelve months, with commentary, in no strict order.

That said, this best-of is meant to be enjoyed. Maybe your life was altered at the same show mine was, or maybe the same album had you trapped in the car for an hour listening tracks on repeat. Whichever is the case, remember one thing above all else: as John Roderick so eloquently stated earlier this week, "If you are too busy to discover new albums for yourself, the last thing you need is a list of more albums to buy. You should take a hot bath instead."

Agreed.

That said, let's start with the releases. I was seriously impressed with the amount of great EPs and LPs that came out this year, and this is coming from someone who's held fast to the belief that there hasn't been a 'great' year for new music since about 2005 or so. (Obviously, with a few onesie exceptions here and there.) Maybe it has to do with where I'm at and what I'm capable of absorbing at any given point, but seriously -- I'm able to look back at what made it into my itunes from January until now, and can state with confidence that some honest-to-goodness talented shit rose to the surface above the onslaught of mediocre that is now deemed 'indie' and/or 'indie rock' these days. (PS: in most cases, there's very little new music that can truly be deemed 'indie rock.' I'm just saying. When the next Wrens album comes out, we'll talk.)

Tied for First Place:
* Lovesick Empire / The Grind EP - I simply can not get enough of this EP. It's a sound that invokes a proper nod to grunge (which is seemingly inherent, rather than purposeful), laden with powerful big-guitar ache and smart lyrics to match. Catch them in the third-of-five spot at Neumos next Friday, January 7th before you head out to Columbia City (see below). {listen / free download}{tickets}
* Damien Jurado / Saint Bartlett - This ambitously-recorded album is a bold departure from Jurado's previous work, with a layered, throwback, one-take sound that begs to be heard on vinyl. Wielding the CD in my car on the way home from the West Seattle Easy Street pre-release show, I found myself pulled over on John Street, listening to "Beacon Hill" about twenty times in a row -- if you didn't pick this up yet, you can grab a copy at his upcoming show on Friday, January 7th at Columbia City Theater. {buy album}{tickets}
* The Head and the Heart / (s/t) - Unless you've lived under a rock since about April or so, you know why this band made my best-ofs. There's hardly enough adjective left that hasn't already been used since this band hit my radar over the summer, and they've gone from the stages of Conor Byrne and Sonic Boom to opening sets for Dave and Tim's most recent run of shows -- and with good cause. If you're lucky enough to have picked up tickets to the January 15th show at Neumos later this month (we're including the link in case any get released between now and then), I'll see you there! {buy album}{tickets}

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at Marymoor Park

No Depression Festival - Short Version:

It was hot. We ate barbecue. I drank a lot of beer and cider. Most of us had dirty, bare feet. Zee Avi is adorable. Jeff Fielder is totally amazing. Jessica Lea Mayfield is a lo-fi version of Jesse Sykes. Everyone loved Justin Townes Earle. No one much liked Patterson Hood. Sam Beam makes me swoon, EVERY DAMN TIME. Lesbians love Gillian Welch.

No Depression Festival - Long Version:

Due to bad traffic across the water, I was a little late arriving at the No Depression festival on Saturday but still managed to hear the last two or three songs by the very pleasant Zee Avi. I was interested to see her live, owing to the lore that has built up around her unusual entry into the biz and she pulled it off with very confident stage presence. I have to admit though, she does sound a little like Norah Jones to me.

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I think I've found my next hairstyle! How could I not be smitten by Jessica Lea Mayfield's pixie hipster-esque cuteness? Besides that, I heard the show was pretty cool too (she was at Chop Suey on Wednesday 2/25).

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Sweet songs from some of our fave artists!

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