I wanted to finish this yesterday and be wrapped up by June. Almost. So this is just last year, very hard of course, as it takes while to get everything. I did one of these at the end of last year and now the top three is all things I had not heard at that time. This time I have the "good taste" not to include Super River's This One Reminds Me The Most of Us. This year had a rare sensation of several artists having multiple releases and I opted just to include one just to make it a bit easier.
10. Will Stratton - Post-Empire
On his fourth album Stratton goes further into the sparse arrangements and atmosphere. Most of these songs are built around his vocals - often accompanied, and his still growing guitar-playing. "When You Let Your Hair Down To Your Shoulder," has with more in the mix with the inclusion of strings and subtle electric guitar, usually the only additions. It is also one of the quicker more upbeat tracks as most of this album has a slower and more somber tone to it, not unheard of for the artist, but more pronounced and dominant than usual. The album does have an intimate feel with the dreamy folk milieu at some times reminiscent of some of Animal Collective's earlier work. Yet his conversational vocals and blazing finger-picking firmly keep this album in the tradition of the finest folk music, heard best on the title track..
9. Animal Collective - Centipede Hz
Completely going against the pattern of the prior decade, Animal Collective's latest release was absent from a lot of lists. Somehow I predicted that this album would be a big step down, though I have high hopes for their future. They are still one of the best bands on the planet and this is a remarkable album even if several tracks are not up to snuff. The return of Deakin was, and surely will remain a good thing and the four-piece group creates the densest music yet, for once reminiscent of their other albums, particularly Strawberry Jam. Live, the band even appears more like a traditional rock band than ever before even if there is little reason to expect that. It is darker a darker affair than ever as the cover suggests, heard at its best on "New Town Burnout" with vocals from Panda. Deakin himself contributes his first lead vocals on another standout track "Wide-Eyed." Even when it is not particularly dark, this is also the group's most abrasive album and comes with a lot of attack on their opening track and continues with lead single "Today's Supernatural" and "Applesauce" one of the Collective's best songs of all.
8. Ariel Pink's Hauunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
On the second effort a real band the Beverly Hills weirdos hone their smooth sound to perfection with more comfort in a proper studio and several years playing live together. Pink's songs are as great as ever and only benefit from his new partners who contribute more than ever on this release. His post-yacht sound is at its best with the title track and early release "Only In My Dreams," but the album has more of his usual weirdness on top. Opener "Kinski Assassin" is one of his most typically psychedelic tracks and a continues his pattern of perfect opening tracks. It hints at the sexuality that is more apparent than ever in songs like the following song "Is This the Best Spot?" and "Symphony of the Nymph" earning the album its title. Pink's obsession with the dystopian reality and his own name succeeds again on "Pink Slime" and the drony "Schnitzel Boogie." A lot of people were most imporessed by the cover of Donnie and Joe Emerson's "Baby," but I think the "originals" are what make this album great and another one of Pink's greatest.
7. Mac Demarco - 2
Demarco was one of this year's best surprises with the release of two albums this year with this following the also excellent Rock and Roll Night Club. I was not the only person in Los Angeles who thought this guy's twisted sense of humor (and name) pointed at a home in New Jersey or the surrounding area, so I was surprised to find that he is a native of Edmondton, Alberta and now based in Vancouver with close ties to another band on this list. Not the one above, with home he does share some similarities, but this Canadian is much warmer and less disturbed, but seems to share the influence of R. Stevie Moore, such as in his unique and off-kilter guitar sound on every track. His pop tunes are also quite smooth but with a psychedelic bend such as on the big kid anthem "Freaking Out the Neighborhood" and the sythy love song "Sherrill." He can have more typical singer-songwriter moments such with acoustic guitars and real emotion like on closer "Still Together," but is at his best with a wink and a laugh. The production value and greater emphasis on songs rather than ideas is that makes this the better of his two albums.
6. Sunfighter - Sweet Machine
After the break-up of Flash Gilmore and the Funbeatles its five members went their separate ways personally and musically leaving Alameda with more bands but less energy. Hazel James recorded a great solo album under the name Love Warrior and then changed his name to Matt Platinum and reunited with his former bandmates Mick James and the Glove to form Sunfighter. Platinum and Mick, now known as Sam Greenleaf put together some of their best songs of their life and added the force of Platinum's other former band mate Fed Martinezon drums and set out for more musical conquest. This catchy rock album has gotten some Britpop comparisons, but it is much more raw than that and has a lot of American Underground influence, particularly in the Kirkwood-esque lead of the opening title track. With the two brothers on guitar this time the dynamics are particularly strong on every song and their energy is unwavering with these songs that get more emotional than any of their previous work such as the wailing "Radiation" and "Homebound." As vulnerable as it can get at times this album just rocks and "Platinum Theme" and the Pavement-inspired "Daisy Days," are all the evidence you need.
5. Guided by Voices - The Bears for Lunch
This new phase of GbV's career is real interesting to watch as they have gone from the bottom (Let's go Eat the Factory going head to head with Sandbox for worst release) and rapidly getting better and better with each release. This being the third and last for 2012 is of course the best, and shows the newly-stable quintet finding their perfect chemistry. With more material building up over the years, Tobin Sprout's songs have stuck out the most on the new releases, but here Pollard is back to his best with songs like opener "King Arthur the Red" and "You Can Fly Anything Right." Recorded in several different locations with several different kinds of machines they go back to their roots, most visibly on the great "You Can Fly Anything Right" recorded on a boombox. Still, Sprout's songs are on top with "Waking Up the Stars" and "Waving At Airplanes" among his best of all. What makes this album better than Class Clown Spots a UFO is its consistency, as there are fewer songs that make you want to skip with the "Finger Gang" pointing towards greater and greater things for their band's renaissance.
4. pow wow! - Don't Stop to Look
pow wow! has been making some of the best music of its time for over five years now and the Nazareno brothers, around whom the band is based have been doing that for their whole lives. They had a brush with notoriety for a while before losing their drummer and some momentum, but are now back to reclaim their reputation as one of the best bands in New York. In addition to exhilarating live shows they have this album to back it up and this set of classic pop is an easy one to take, especially after kicking off with the stunning title track. Newer member Amanda adds the new element of female vocals which these songs had been craving for years and transforms the old stand-by "Sister" as much as she does most of the tracks with her lead guitar. Their sound is influenced by the greatest of 60s pop and modern indie rock, like if Belle and Sebastian could really pull off loud and heavy and the quintet pulls off a great wall of sound with their dual guitar dynamics with the addition of excellent keyboards, a top-notch rhythm section, and harmonies up to four parts thanks to bassist and loyal member John Paul Anthony. Additioanlly, pow wow! has cultivated a very precise aesthetic that may predate the formation of the band giving them an unforgettable presence and a key band to watch.
3. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Kicking off with fireworks in early June, this Canadian duo made the perfect album for a Summer, so long as you want it to be a life-changer. These eight energetic songs just go on long enough make their point across better than most of the tighter pop stylings of the day. This is music for a generation that wants hope, energy, and emotion in their rock and with walls of distorted guitar, hard-hitting drums and heart-wrenching vocals it is achieved. It is a classic album in approach, even including a cover of The Gun Club and has a timeless nostalgia that points to a brighter future while remembering the past with a tender love, best heard on "Younger Us." With only two members it is amazing the kind of link that can happen after this many years of touring and entertaining people and it is amazing what they can achieve with just guitar, drums, and two voices. Their time on the road comes out with the album's best nostalgic moment and surely the best song ever written about being Canadian - "Fire's Highway." It ends as well and energetically as it starts with "The House That Heaven Built" and the sound of fireworks.
2. Chris Cohen - Overgrown Path
After some time in Haunted Graffiti, the Los Angeles native releases his solo album and it is clear that this multi-instrumentalist was responsible for Deerhoof's three best albums. Though the guitar on opening track "Monad" will be familiar to that band's fans, this album is a far cry from their sound and just about anything else. With his layered harmonies and the presence of piano on most tracks this has something of a baroque flavor to it, but these pleasant songs have much more in common with psych/power-pop than folk, even on the the acoustic guitar-heavy "Heart Beat." I will admit I have heard this album the least of them all, but it is clear that it deserves such a high standing with its creativity and refusal to be placed in a spot with any other musicians. It is just too rock and pop for the the folk or experimental worked and vice-versa, yet could be a lost masterpiece from the 70s. Perhaps what Todd Rundgren would create had he returned to his roots after immersing himself in indie rock of the last 15 years. Time will remember this one fondly.
1. Goat - World Music
Pay special note, Californians. This mysterious Swedish band has somehow not infiltrated your market the way they have back East (at least this was the case when I was last there) and you are missing out on some of the best heavy psych ever made. Goat, who claims to be from the voodoo-worshipping village of Korpiliombolo and the Hatian mysticism is a clear influence on their sound along with other music from around the world, particularly of the Middle East. They believe that all musicians should self-identify as "world music" and they make a good point as they appear open to all kinds of influence, though their music is mostly grounded in acid rock and early metal. It is a loud, drony mix of distortion, vintage keys and percussion with female vocals, or in other words, perfect music. The band also has an unusual symbiosis between their occult mythology and tongue-in-cheek self-awareness with their largely goat-based titles and use of masks coupled with a title like "Let It Bleed" in the mix. Goat blood obviously, and animal sacrifice has never sounded cooler, or even more fun with "Disco Fever" being on of the top two songs of the year to mix heavy psych with dance music. It's just an awesome set of the best kind of music there is and like Ten before it, it's even circular!
This is not the final article of this series. Tune in tomorrow or some time soon afterward for that!
Friday, May 31, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
2011
Here we are. Feels like just yesterday, doesn't it? I am personally glad I am finally approaching the conclusion here. This year was defined by a lot of re-invention of the sounds of the 80s and a big return to smoothness, a sound mostly absent for decades. I am sure there are some classics we do not even know about yet, but the only one I nearly included, but lacked familiarity with was Speed the Plough's Shine. I am a big fan of what I have heard, but I just have not heard it enough. Luckily, New Jersey is well-represented anyway.
10. Blouse - Blouse
Most Portland bands are stuck in some other decade (not just the 90s) often too married to the (more northern) region's links to the garage. This band is mostly grounded in the 80s, but rather than being mere revivalists they have formed a sound more reminiscent of a ghost of that decade. The whole album sounds washed in cassette age-damage that actually serves these dreamlike post-goth songs well (i.e. "Ghost Dream). The production is distinct and the use of echo and other distance-creating effects are as crucial as the song itself rather than a crutch. Using the studio or some other audio tool as an instrument hits its peak on "Video Tapes" with its beginning warp. The band's sleepy sound is served by strong mechanical rhythms and guitarist Charlie Hilton's warm voice and very subtle sense of humor. The distinctly feminine "Time Travel" is my favorite song on this album designed to make the most of its music.
9. Panda Bear - Tomboy
After creating one of the most relaxing and positive records of its time and reinventing sample music, Panda takes a new and darker moodier direction with the follow-up. It is, though not obviously, guitar- based as the artist claims to have been influenced by Nirvana and the White Stripes. Due to the impossibly high expectations after his laster album and following releases with Animal Collective, this one was largely overlooked. It is too bad because this spacey record shows just how endless Lennox's range can be and that he can write more traditional pop songs such as the lead single, and one of the album's more upbeat tracks "Last Night At The Jetty." The title track is a better example of the band's general sound with its hazy and darker atmosphere. As the title of another great track would indicate, this album has a lot of drone to it and also is Panda's work most in the classic psychedelic rock vein, making the mixing from Sonic Boom a perfect fit.
8. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
"I can hear everything. It's everything time." Always that band just below the surface of indie popularity, the distinctly Manhattan group's psychedelic disco funk is at its finest on their most recent release. The Middle Eastern weirndess brought in by front woman/percussionist Lizzi Bougatsos is often the most discussed, but GGD is really an instrumentally focused group, reaching prog-like levels of intricacy, especially from keyboardist Brian Degraw. Their grooves, while highly danceable have the tendency to change rapidly and get unrecognizable like the best of disco moving into heady territory. Their live pattern of extending and jamming is cut loose on these generally longer-than-average songs, such as the mesmerizing opener "Glass Jar" featuring Haunted Graffiti bassist Tim Koh. The dance and highly psychedelic album is one of the landmarks of the sadly under-explored style of experimental disco and is a far cry from both the other disco revivalists of its time and they trippy experimentalists who don't think so much with their hips and hearts.
7. The Stepkids - The Stepkids
This Brooklyn supergroup, comprised of three seasoned musicians that equally contribute to the vocals and composition, are one of the top examples of the smooth revival. Some even consider this fulkk-blown yacht rock. I would not go so far, but it is indeed very smooth and the musicianship is undeniable, particularly from Dan Edinberg for his dual role of bassist and keyboardist. The band's distinct aesthetic comes from their performance style of having colorful projections in sync with the music on top of the white-clad (including the instruments) and these shows along with a 12" single began to raise anticipation for this record. Unfortunately the songs from the single "Shadows on Behalf" and "La La" are the best on the LP, but all these soulful and psychedelic songs are strong. "Suburban Dream" with its funky groove and unforgettable keyboard fills comes close to topping the single, though, and the trio provides music fans with some of the best harmonies of the day.
6. The Feelies - Here Before
Making good on their live performance promises, the New Jersey heroes come back after twenty years with another great album picking up where they left off. Though some are put off by the crisp production - especially in the sound of its acoustic guitars, the music herein is as strongly Feelies as ever. The opening track "Nobody Knows" might be the first example of a re-formed band addressing the expectations placed upon them and shows their intention to simply play their own great music again regardless. It all comes out well and the tight songs and dynamics, blaring lead guitars, and distinctly New Jersey nostalgia are still what defines this now middle-aged group. The album cover even fits into the state's aesthetic of shrouded natural beauty and suburban charm this very group created. Some of the other best songs are "Morning Comes" and lead single "Should Be Gone," which contain the band's sound that appears laid-back on the surface but has the subtle poetry of seasoned musicians and real people who love their music. Hopefully it will not be as long for more, but at least all five members are always actively creating the greatest music of all time.
5. John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
This Hawaii-based Minnesotan bedroom artist shares a lot in common with his buddy Ariel Pink, particularly the latter's early work. It is very self-oriented and Maus performs with merely his own backing track and his vocals, accompanied by one of the most energetic and emotional performances one could imagine. His sense of humor matches and may surpass Pink's, often in a dry way with "Cop Killer" in particular following similar mold to previous synth-pop protest song "Rights for Gays." Maus, however is far more emotional such as on "...And The Rain" and the stunning closer "Believer" - one of the most moving songs of the year. With his rare sense of creation he covers, or perhaps jsut sing-alongs to Swede Molly Nilsson's "Hey Moon," with its gorgeous keys and newly-created harmonies giving the already strong track heartbreaking beauty as far from hipster irony as Maus' adopted home is from Brooklyn. Maus' use of electronics may give the impression of 80s synth-pop at its best and most dream-like, but his DIY approach and intense sincerity and humor place it alongside the greatest "outsider" music.
4. Twin Sister - In Heaven
Following their phenomenal (no pun intended) EPs, the best thing out of Long Island ever (sorry, Vanilla Fudge) finally makes a full-length with a name only they could pull off. It may have fallen a little short of expectations, but their evolution was enough to solidify their place as one of the most interesting bands around. Their is a much higher emphasis on electronics and keyboardist Dev Gupta may usurp bassist Gabe D'Amico as the band's star for this album, particularly on "Bad Street." The rhythm section grooves as well as ever though, and these songs are in a smoother vein than their more krauty early work which fits Andrea Estella's innocently seductive, yet unpredictable voice perfectly. Guitarist Eric Cardona shines at times though with more vocal contributions and dominance on songs like "Spain" and the album's clear winner "Gene Ciampi." Many of these songs have a lighter and more playful tone like "Saturday Sunday," but "Kimmi in a Rice Field" has so much dark atmosphere it is almost unsettling. An album that has certainly gotten better with age, it sounds, appropriately, like 80s Heaven and shows that we have a lot to look forward to from this band. In fact, their next record is the (eventually) upcoming release I am most anticipating.
3. Flash Gilmore and the Funbeatles - Debauchery Playground
This Alameda quintet led by extraterrestrial Flash Gilmore took the antiquated approach of dressing in uniform and playing as many shows as possible with no goal but free beer and entertaining the Bay Area with real rock and roll. The summer of 2010 was dominated with this unbelievable group's theatrical yet dance-intensive shows that evolved from classic covers of the likes of the Flamin' Groovies (obvious from the album's cover) and Devo to some of the best new originals of their time. Unfortunately, by the time their sole album was released the group had grown a lot since its recording and some of their finest songs such as "Earth Girl," "Gundam Driver," and "Junior Prom Dream," did not make it, and the energy here is a far cry from their electrifying live performances. Still, this short album is phenomenal. "Drummer Girl" (one of their many songs about girls) may be the best introduction to their timeless sound thanks to the high-seated and hi-hat centric drums of Jerry Ramone, the guitar dynamics of Hazel James and the Glove, and the always-clever lyrics. Bassist Mick James contributes some of the best songs in the Monks-influenced caveman stomp of "Here It Comes" and live favorite "So Shy." The Strokes-y "The Top" may be the album's highlight and though not the most hard-rocking song on the record, captures the transcendent quality of their live set best. The closing title track, the first song Gilmore, Ramone, and Hazel wrote for this project is the big kid party anthem that earned its place as the title track with its energetic chant and the most conviction I have heard in a Bay Area group since Moby Grape.
2. Real Estate - Days
The current heros of the softer side of Jersey indie rock outdid themselves on their second album. Aided by much cleaner production, these life-changing songs perfectly capture the lush and lonely beauty of a rainy Summer day in New Jersey long past. Basically, it is the exact sound of what I see through the window of my childhood home that soon will no longer be a part of my life, nor my family's, or as they put it "Green Aisles." Like their most obvious influence, the Feelies, the band has a slightly-slow sound that could appear laid-back but in truth is an atmosphere created in search of something other than the tense drama and fear of life here. Opening track "Easy" and "Out of Tune" are the best examples, with the latter showing their impressive integration of keyboards into their jangly sound. Their country influence is also more apparent than ever on the Alex Bleeker original "Wonder Years," with the best harmonies on the album. Like all the great New Jersey albums it sounds like the picture on its cover or an empty beach on the now-ravaged shore in Winter. This is an album of rare emotional power that washes over you with a sea of folk power led by Matthew Mondanile's atmospheric lead guitars. This is the New Jersey torch being passed from the Feelies to the younger generation, and this Ridgewood group is certainly deserving. Their performance November 12, 2011 shortly after this album's release was one of the most affecting experiences of my life. Minutes after its conclusion Super River first played "Glacier."
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
If anyone was still under the impression that Polly Harvey was just another angry girl from the 90s this should have obliterated that idea. This apocalyptic record, a close examination on the evil of war and imperialism, particularly of the English variety is horrifyingly true to life and haunting. Upon its release I heard "The Glorious Land" on the radio on my way to work. It nearly made me stop in the middle of the 405 with its sound reminiscent of both NEU! and the Feelies and that was before the vocals even started off. With its call and response section is wages the US and England against each other for most Earth-corrupting nation, and of course England is the winner and the rest of the lyrics are enough proof you need for either side. Shortly after I heard "The Words that Maketh Murder" and it was obvious this was one of the best albums of all time. I did not hear the whole thing until about a year later, somehow, but could not have been happier to hear resemblance to my own band. Much like the horror of war, something I have found women to be much better at capturing (another example being Explode into Colors' "Sharpen the Knife") there is no relief with this album. It is all a nightmarish, unrelenting challenge, but well worth it for moments of beauty like "The Last Living Rose." That song is one of the few to capture the trouble in the homeland with its bleak portrait of London, and is also one of the best songs of ALL TIME. Polly does not do all the work herself an in addition to frequent collaborators like Flood, Mick Harvey, and John Parrish, she uses samples and allusions throughout the record, always effectively on songs like "The Glorious Land," "Written on the Forehead" and the opening title track. She even lets the other Harvey take over lead vocals on the closing track "The Colour of the Earth," a veteran's lament for his best friend. This is a monumental record for all the deformed children out there. Listen.
Wow, almost done!
10. Blouse - Blouse
Most Portland bands are stuck in some other decade (not just the 90s) often too married to the (more northern) region's links to the garage. This band is mostly grounded in the 80s, but rather than being mere revivalists they have formed a sound more reminiscent of a ghost of that decade. The whole album sounds washed in cassette age-damage that actually serves these dreamlike post-goth songs well (i.e. "Ghost Dream). The production is distinct and the use of echo and other distance-creating effects are as crucial as the song itself rather than a crutch. Using the studio or some other audio tool as an instrument hits its peak on "Video Tapes" with its beginning warp. The band's sleepy sound is served by strong mechanical rhythms and guitarist Charlie Hilton's warm voice and very subtle sense of humor. The distinctly feminine "Time Travel" is my favorite song on this album designed to make the most of its music.
9. Panda Bear - Tomboy
After creating one of the most relaxing and positive records of its time and reinventing sample music, Panda takes a new and darker moodier direction with the follow-up. It is, though not obviously, guitar- based as the artist claims to have been influenced by Nirvana and the White Stripes. Due to the impossibly high expectations after his laster album and following releases with Animal Collective, this one was largely overlooked. It is too bad because this spacey record shows just how endless Lennox's range can be and that he can write more traditional pop songs such as the lead single, and one of the album's more upbeat tracks "Last Night At The Jetty." The title track is a better example of the band's general sound with its hazy and darker atmosphere. As the title of another great track would indicate, this album has a lot of drone to it and also is Panda's work most in the classic psychedelic rock vein, making the mixing from Sonic Boom a perfect fit.
8. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
"I can hear everything. It's everything time." Always that band just below the surface of indie popularity, the distinctly Manhattan group's psychedelic disco funk is at its finest on their most recent release. The Middle Eastern weirndess brought in by front woman/percussionist Lizzi Bougatsos is often the most discussed, but GGD is really an instrumentally focused group, reaching prog-like levels of intricacy, especially from keyboardist Brian Degraw. Their grooves, while highly danceable have the tendency to change rapidly and get unrecognizable like the best of disco moving into heady territory. Their live pattern of extending and jamming is cut loose on these generally longer-than-average songs, such as the mesmerizing opener "Glass Jar" featuring Haunted Graffiti bassist Tim Koh. The dance and highly psychedelic album is one of the landmarks of the sadly under-explored style of experimental disco and is a far cry from both the other disco revivalists of its time and they trippy experimentalists who don't think so much with their hips and hearts.
7. The Stepkids - The Stepkids
This Brooklyn supergroup, comprised of three seasoned musicians that equally contribute to the vocals and composition, are one of the top examples of the smooth revival. Some even consider this fulkk-blown yacht rock. I would not go so far, but it is indeed very smooth and the musicianship is undeniable, particularly from Dan Edinberg for his dual role of bassist and keyboardist. The band's distinct aesthetic comes from their performance style of having colorful projections in sync with the music on top of the white-clad (including the instruments) and these shows along with a 12" single began to raise anticipation for this record. Unfortunately the songs from the single "Shadows on Behalf" and "La La" are the best on the LP, but all these soulful and psychedelic songs are strong. "Suburban Dream" with its funky groove and unforgettable keyboard fills comes close to topping the single, though, and the trio provides music fans with some of the best harmonies of the day.
6. The Feelies - Here Before
Making good on their live performance promises, the New Jersey heroes come back after twenty years with another great album picking up where they left off. Though some are put off by the crisp production - especially in the sound of its acoustic guitars, the music herein is as strongly Feelies as ever. The opening track "Nobody Knows" might be the first example of a re-formed band addressing the expectations placed upon them and shows their intention to simply play their own great music again regardless. It all comes out well and the tight songs and dynamics, blaring lead guitars, and distinctly New Jersey nostalgia are still what defines this now middle-aged group. The album cover even fits into the state's aesthetic of shrouded natural beauty and suburban charm this very group created. Some of the other best songs are "Morning Comes" and lead single "Should Be Gone," which contain the band's sound that appears laid-back on the surface but has the subtle poetry of seasoned musicians and real people who love their music. Hopefully it will not be as long for more, but at least all five members are always actively creating the greatest music of all time.
5. John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
This Hawaii-based Minnesotan bedroom artist shares a lot in common with his buddy Ariel Pink, particularly the latter's early work. It is very self-oriented and Maus performs with merely his own backing track and his vocals, accompanied by one of the most energetic and emotional performances one could imagine. His sense of humor matches and may surpass Pink's, often in a dry way with "Cop Killer" in particular following similar mold to previous synth-pop protest song "Rights for Gays." Maus, however is far more emotional such as on "...And The Rain" and the stunning closer "Believer" - one of the most moving songs of the year. With his rare sense of creation he covers, or perhaps jsut sing-alongs to Swede Molly Nilsson's "Hey Moon," with its gorgeous keys and newly-created harmonies giving the already strong track heartbreaking beauty as far from hipster irony as Maus' adopted home is from Brooklyn. Maus' use of electronics may give the impression of 80s synth-pop at its best and most dream-like, but his DIY approach and intense sincerity and humor place it alongside the greatest "outsider" music.
4. Twin Sister - In Heaven
Following their phenomenal (no pun intended) EPs, the best thing out of Long Island ever (sorry, Vanilla Fudge) finally makes a full-length with a name only they could pull off. It may have fallen a little short of expectations, but their evolution was enough to solidify their place as one of the most interesting bands around. Their is a much higher emphasis on electronics and keyboardist Dev Gupta may usurp bassist Gabe D'Amico as the band's star for this album, particularly on "Bad Street." The rhythm section grooves as well as ever though, and these songs are in a smoother vein than their more krauty early work which fits Andrea Estella's innocently seductive, yet unpredictable voice perfectly. Guitarist Eric Cardona shines at times though with more vocal contributions and dominance on songs like "Spain" and the album's clear winner "Gene Ciampi." Many of these songs have a lighter and more playful tone like "Saturday Sunday," but "Kimmi in a Rice Field" has so much dark atmosphere it is almost unsettling. An album that has certainly gotten better with age, it sounds, appropriately, like 80s Heaven and shows that we have a lot to look forward to from this band. In fact, their next record is the (eventually) upcoming release I am most anticipating.
3. Flash Gilmore and the Funbeatles - Debauchery Playground
This Alameda quintet led by extraterrestrial Flash Gilmore took the antiquated approach of dressing in uniform and playing as many shows as possible with no goal but free beer and entertaining the Bay Area with real rock and roll. The summer of 2010 was dominated with this unbelievable group's theatrical yet dance-intensive shows that evolved from classic covers of the likes of the Flamin' Groovies (obvious from the album's cover) and Devo to some of the best new originals of their time. Unfortunately, by the time their sole album was released the group had grown a lot since its recording and some of their finest songs such as "Earth Girl," "Gundam Driver," and "Junior Prom Dream," did not make it, and the energy here is a far cry from their electrifying live performances. Still, this short album is phenomenal. "Drummer Girl" (one of their many songs about girls) may be the best introduction to their timeless sound thanks to the high-seated and hi-hat centric drums of Jerry Ramone, the guitar dynamics of Hazel James and the Glove, and the always-clever lyrics. Bassist Mick James contributes some of the best songs in the Monks-influenced caveman stomp of "Here It Comes" and live favorite "So Shy." The Strokes-y "The Top" may be the album's highlight and though not the most hard-rocking song on the record, captures the transcendent quality of their live set best. The closing title track, the first song Gilmore, Ramone, and Hazel wrote for this project is the big kid party anthem that earned its place as the title track with its energetic chant and the most conviction I have heard in a Bay Area group since Moby Grape.
2. Real Estate - Days
The current heros of the softer side of Jersey indie rock outdid themselves on their second album. Aided by much cleaner production, these life-changing songs perfectly capture the lush and lonely beauty of a rainy Summer day in New Jersey long past. Basically, it is the exact sound of what I see through the window of my childhood home that soon will no longer be a part of my life, nor my family's, or as they put it "Green Aisles." Like their most obvious influence, the Feelies, the band has a slightly-slow sound that could appear laid-back but in truth is an atmosphere created in search of something other than the tense drama and fear of life here. Opening track "Easy" and "Out of Tune" are the best examples, with the latter showing their impressive integration of keyboards into their jangly sound. Their country influence is also more apparent than ever on the Alex Bleeker original "Wonder Years," with the best harmonies on the album. Like all the great New Jersey albums it sounds like the picture on its cover or an empty beach on the now-ravaged shore in Winter. This is an album of rare emotional power that washes over you with a sea of folk power led by Matthew Mondanile's atmospheric lead guitars. This is the New Jersey torch being passed from the Feelies to the younger generation, and this Ridgewood group is certainly deserving. Their performance November 12, 2011 shortly after this album's release was one of the most affecting experiences of my life. Minutes after its conclusion Super River first played "Glacier."
1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
If anyone was still under the impression that Polly Harvey was just another angry girl from the 90s this should have obliterated that idea. This apocalyptic record, a close examination on the evil of war and imperialism, particularly of the English variety is horrifyingly true to life and haunting. Upon its release I heard "The Glorious Land" on the radio on my way to work. It nearly made me stop in the middle of the 405 with its sound reminiscent of both NEU! and the Feelies and that was before the vocals even started off. With its call and response section is wages the US and England against each other for most Earth-corrupting nation, and of course England is the winner and the rest of the lyrics are enough proof you need for either side. Shortly after I heard "The Words that Maketh Murder" and it was obvious this was one of the best albums of all time. I did not hear the whole thing until about a year later, somehow, but could not have been happier to hear resemblance to my own band. Much like the horror of war, something I have found women to be much better at capturing (another example being Explode into Colors' "Sharpen the Knife") there is no relief with this album. It is all a nightmarish, unrelenting challenge, but well worth it for moments of beauty like "The Last Living Rose." That song is one of the few to capture the trouble in the homeland with its bleak portrait of London, and is also one of the best songs of ALL TIME. Polly does not do all the work herself an in addition to frequent collaborators like Flood, Mick Harvey, and John Parrish, she uses samples and allusions throughout the record, always effectively on songs like "The Glorious Land," "Written on the Forehead" and the opening title track. She even lets the other Harvey take over lead vocals on the closing track "The Colour of the Earth," a veteran's lament for his best friend. This is a monumental record for all the deformed children out there. Listen.
Wow, almost done!
Monday, May 27, 2013
2010
Here we enter a brand new decade, though even years later it still does not feel like it. Either way it's been pretty good so far, but like the last couple years I have done it only gets harder and harder to look at it with any timeless wisdom. Each year we get closer to the present I will have to admit to missing more releases and yes, having a more emotional reaction. I was tempted to include Twin Sister's Colour Your Life as it really is long enough to count as an LP, but not so them, so well, anyway, onward to the future...
10. Grass Widow - Past Time
I saw this all-female trio open for gimmick-rockers Hunx and his Punx and Shannon and Thee Clams and was utterly blown away by them. I can't remember much afterward apart from buying this record and suggesting they play in Alameda with another band on this list. The Bay area group has amazing arrangements that verge on progressive rock in their intertwining complexity. What deepens this is that their vocals take the same approach with all three of them singing usually in a dizzying round. With this double dose of complexity, they exhibit some of the finest musicianship around with their hypnotic sound making them standouts in the horribly predictable contemporary Bay Area scenes. This is their second of three albums and the group has such a unique and effective sound their productivity is highly appreciated. It functions best as an album as the sound is so unified, but "Fried Egg" and closer "Tuesday" are particularly strong.
9. Danny James - Pear
Another great outsider from the Bay Area, Oakland's Danny James is one of the many artists (especially in this and next year) that is bringing back the smooth sounds of the 70s. His spaciously-layered sound with its dreamy electric pianos, jazzy guitars, and multi-tracked vocals is reminiscent of studio greats like Steely Dan, showing just what can be done with modern technology. Like his predecessors his music can get quite dramatic and emotional such as in "Boomerang Kids" and "Smelling Ghost," but with an excellent sense of humor best heard on the stunning opener "Tightlipped." James' sense of pop is firmly rooted in the Beatles, but he is always apt to make sharp turns making this album quite engaging and unpredictable, even as the smooth vibes are always in full effect.
8. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
After years without recording Pink comes back from the road with his finely-tuned band and some old songs along with a few new ones. As a longtime fan of Pink, the professional sound here took some getting used to and his oddball sense of humor is more subdued than ever despite the alluring opener "Hot Body Rub," and "Butt-House Blondies." This album is more about his obvious musical talent and managing to work successfully with others exemplified in covers and outside motifs like "Bright Lit Blue Skies." The album brought a lot of smoothness back into the indie world with lead single "Round and Round," and others like "Can't Hear My Eyes" and the greatly "improved" production values work to their best effect on the equally smooth "Beverly Kills," reinvented here as the perfect tribute to his home town. Pink's new career got off to a fantastic start with this debut of sorts, but he kept the old vibes strong with standout "Fright Night (Nevermore)."
7. Will Stratton - New Vanguard Blues
On his third album the New Jersey native makes another massive step forward, particularly in the way of production giving his sparse arrangements a more intimate yet expansive sound. His guitar playing, now with a lot more electric has progressed as well, best heard in the quick bursting trills of "Do You Remember The Morning." Stratton clearly has more comfort with what he can do in the studio not sticking to any simple live performance such as the move in an out of heavy rock on "The War is Over." Guitar workouts like "Lying in the Dark" show that Stratton is far from your average Sufjan-esque singer-songwriter and more in line with the symphonic guitar greats, yet it is clear that the young artist's ambition is merely to create the best music he can, and that says a lot for someone with his credentials, indicating more and more to come.
6. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Right when you're totally certain that nothing cool could ever come out of Florida these guys shark attacked us! The echoey punk band put together a new sound that manages to yank at the heart strings of our generation like a hyperactive and distorted Vampire Weekend. The single "Swim" made a huge splash with its emotional fury that captured not simply what we wanted, but needed out of emo, but rather than heartbreak it captured the fear and desperation of being young in the most hopeless economy in history. It was the most positive thing I had heard in a long time and it even had tambourines. The rest of the album largely captured the same kind of positivity that could only come from a very troubled young man with a love for the best aspects of 80s pop. Not to mention it kicks off with another winner on the best (released) song about hometown pride and loyalty "Floating Vibes." It is a lot of comforting surfy fun and insanity - one of the most perfectly-named bands/records of the year.
5. Four Tet - There is Love In You
I will admit I have not heard this album as much as the others, yet I feel completely confident placing it here. This album, while more "dance-oriented" approaches the same levels of beauty on Rounds without even sounding all that similar. Kieran Hebden again captures delicate emotion in a way rarely found in any kind of music - especially electronic. The real point of reference I have was when one song, "This Unforlds," I am fairly certain synced up perfectly with an old avant-garde film I was watching on silent with Kathryne. It was easily the most beautiful experience of either of our lives, as she could attest. Instant tears. Again, Four Tet's music is in a universe of its own.
4. Beach House - Teen Dream
With their popularity growing rapidly, the Baltimore duo recorded one of the most expensive modern "indie rock" records of all time. All the work paid off, as did the incorporation of much heavier rhythms and slightly faster tempos and the opening "Zebra" was the perfect introduction to this bigger and more dramatic sound. Legrand's vocals have become more commanding, heightening their natural Gallic sultriness by no longer having a passive quality. Her keyboard playing also gets more subtle while Alex Scally's guitar gets bigger, but more tasteful in his mastery of effects and loops. Where their previous album had been more of a romantic mood-setter, this is a cinematic and surreal reinterpretation of the whole expanse of life with tracks like "Walk in the Park." It is at its best, though, when they fully embrace dreamy atmospheres and their increased energy on a song like "Norway," which sounds like the Cocteau Twins were they trying to evoke a sleepy gray day in Baltimore rather than frightening Celtic mythology and the Crystal City.
10. Grass Widow - Past Time
I saw this all-female trio open for gimmick-rockers Hunx and his Punx and Shannon and Thee Clams and was utterly blown away by them. I can't remember much afterward apart from buying this record and suggesting they play in Alameda with another band on this list. The Bay area group has amazing arrangements that verge on progressive rock in their intertwining complexity. What deepens this is that their vocals take the same approach with all three of them singing usually in a dizzying round. With this double dose of complexity, they exhibit some of the finest musicianship around with their hypnotic sound making them standouts in the horribly predictable contemporary Bay Area scenes. This is their second of three albums and the group has such a unique and effective sound their productivity is highly appreciated. It functions best as an album as the sound is so unified, but "Fried Egg" and closer "Tuesday" are particularly strong.
9. Danny James - Pear
Another great outsider from the Bay Area, Oakland's Danny James is one of the many artists (especially in this and next year) that is bringing back the smooth sounds of the 70s. His spaciously-layered sound with its dreamy electric pianos, jazzy guitars, and multi-tracked vocals is reminiscent of studio greats like Steely Dan, showing just what can be done with modern technology. Like his predecessors his music can get quite dramatic and emotional such as in "Boomerang Kids" and "Smelling Ghost," but with an excellent sense of humor best heard on the stunning opener "Tightlipped." James' sense of pop is firmly rooted in the Beatles, but he is always apt to make sharp turns making this album quite engaging and unpredictable, even as the smooth vibes are always in full effect.
8. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
After years without recording Pink comes back from the road with his finely-tuned band and some old songs along with a few new ones. As a longtime fan of Pink, the professional sound here took some getting used to and his oddball sense of humor is more subdued than ever despite the alluring opener "Hot Body Rub," and "Butt-House Blondies." This album is more about his obvious musical talent and managing to work successfully with others exemplified in covers and outside motifs like "Bright Lit Blue Skies." The album brought a lot of smoothness back into the indie world with lead single "Round and Round," and others like "Can't Hear My Eyes" and the greatly "improved" production values work to their best effect on the equally smooth "Beverly Kills," reinvented here as the perfect tribute to his home town. Pink's new career got off to a fantastic start with this debut of sorts, but he kept the old vibes strong with standout "Fright Night (Nevermore)."
7. Will Stratton - New Vanguard Blues
On his third album the New Jersey native makes another massive step forward, particularly in the way of production giving his sparse arrangements a more intimate yet expansive sound. His guitar playing, now with a lot more electric has progressed as well, best heard in the quick bursting trills of "Do You Remember The Morning." Stratton clearly has more comfort with what he can do in the studio not sticking to any simple live performance such as the move in an out of heavy rock on "The War is Over." Guitar workouts like "Lying in the Dark" show that Stratton is far from your average Sufjan-esque singer-songwriter and more in line with the symphonic guitar greats, yet it is clear that the young artist's ambition is merely to create the best music he can, and that says a lot for someone with his credentials, indicating more and more to come.
6. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Right when you're totally certain that nothing cool could ever come out of Florida these guys shark attacked us! The echoey punk band put together a new sound that manages to yank at the heart strings of our generation like a hyperactive and distorted Vampire Weekend. The single "Swim" made a huge splash with its emotional fury that captured not simply what we wanted, but needed out of emo, but rather than heartbreak it captured the fear and desperation of being young in the most hopeless economy in history. It was the most positive thing I had heard in a long time and it even had tambourines. The rest of the album largely captured the same kind of positivity that could only come from a very troubled young man with a love for the best aspects of 80s pop. Not to mention it kicks off with another winner on the best (released) song about hometown pride and loyalty "Floating Vibes." It is a lot of comforting surfy fun and insanity - one of the most perfectly-named bands/records of the year.
5. Four Tet - There is Love In You
I will admit I have not heard this album as much as the others, yet I feel completely confident placing it here. This album, while more "dance-oriented" approaches the same levels of beauty on Rounds without even sounding all that similar. Kieran Hebden again captures delicate emotion in a way rarely found in any kind of music - especially electronic. The real point of reference I have was when one song, "This Unforlds," I am fairly certain synced up perfectly with an old avant-garde film I was watching on silent with Kathryne. It was easily the most beautiful experience of either of our lives, as she could attest. Instant tears. Again, Four Tet's music is in a universe of its own.
4. Beach House - Teen Dream
With their popularity growing rapidly, the Baltimore duo recorded one of the most expensive modern "indie rock" records of all time. All the work paid off, as did the incorporation of much heavier rhythms and slightly faster tempos and the opening "Zebra" was the perfect introduction to this bigger and more dramatic sound. Legrand's vocals have become more commanding, heightening their natural Gallic sultriness by no longer having a passive quality. Her keyboard playing also gets more subtle while Alex Scally's guitar gets bigger, but more tasteful in his mastery of effects and loops. Where their previous album had been more of a romantic mood-setter, this is a cinematic and surreal reinterpretation of the whole expanse of life with tracks like "Walk in the Park." It is at its best, though, when they fully embrace dreamy atmospheres and their increased energy on a song like "Norway," which sounds like the Cocteau Twins were they trying to evoke a sleepy gray day in Baltimore rather than frightening Celtic mythology and the Crystal City.
3. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
Patrick Stickle and his boys did not think that their debut was monumental enough, apparently and managed to create an a double album that outdoes Born to Run in pure Jersey attack. The themes of youthful and blue collar frustration and classic literature are still the foundation, and this time they add the Civil War for more intensity and patriotism. While there really is no cohesive focus or structure in these themes it does keep the album uniformly intense. With its references to places, things and feelings crucial to the New Jersey experience such as doing everything you can to be more like Bruce Springsteen this album, coupled with Crazy Rhythms can fully capture what it's like to be from here. Opener "A More Perfect Union," might be all you need in that respect, but the paranoid "Titus Andronicus Forever" and the drunken "Theme From 'Cheers" go deeper into the mentality of the misunderstood state and 14 minute closer "The Battle of Hampton Roads" just ends it in more than one way. With his reference to 80 West, Stickles proves I am not the only one to see that highway, which ends in San Fancisco, to be "Thunder Road." Obviously it is an iron clad battleship of an album. No moderation. It will be heard.
2. The Apples in Stereo - Travellers in Space and Time
This new direction for Robert Schneider and his band now featuring old friend Bill Doss is tragically still overlooked. Recorded with the concept of making 70s R&B by extraterrestrials it is an ELO-influenced disco album with the band's funkiest hooks of all. It is also a heartbreaking divorce rock album as "Hey Elevator," "It's All Right," and many others indicate, such as the first real song, the amazing "Dream About the Future." On that particular track we hear the advantages of having two keyboard players with the layers of synthesizers and the piano that instantly establishes the mood of the whole album. Schneider shares the spotlight better than ever here, considering he is no longer married to the band's second most prolific song writer as most members get composition credits at some point and others, most importantly, the late Bill Doss get lead vocals. His spot on Eric Allen's "Next Year At About The Same Time" is one of the album's best songs and sadly would be the former OTC's final contribution to music. At least it was a highlight, as is this whole album. While it may not be what many would expect from the band behind Fun Trick Noisemaker and Velocity of Sound is proves the Apples to be one of the top groups of the last twenty years with consistent quality in their material.
1. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
After breaking through on a new level with Microcastle and Atlas Sound, Deerhunter, for the last time with the classic lineup follows up with the album that proves just how important of a group they are. More than just a noisy psychedelic band they take a distinctly nostalgic direction here, such as on songs like "Basement Scene" and the legendary "Memory Boy." While getting a title from a guitar pedal may be taking a cue from an underground band like Mudhoney, the nostalgia element goes into the mainstream with "Coronado"'s use of Clarence Clemons-style sax, a decision Bradford Cox took so much pride in it's hard to believe there has not been any since. While "Sailing" may or may not be a nod to Christopher Cross, its softer and more pleasant sound widens the scope of this often abrasive sound and outdoes their previous quiet efforts. It's slow and smooth sound, along with the building opener "Earthquake" shows that the band can play in the trendy "chillwave" game better than their contemporaries, were they ever to be so uninspired. This more contemplative side hits its peak with the closing memorial to Jay Reatard "He Would Have Laughed," a heartfelt from one Southern madman to another. Still it is the catchier moments that make this album such a triumph and suggests how limitless the band's future could be on the aforementioned "Memory Boy," "Fountain Stairs," and the heartbreaking "Helicopter." Deerhunter, a bunch of wild weirdos from Atlanta proved once and for all that their other albums were no fluke and that thanks to them rock is neither dead, nor even castrated.
Friday, May 24, 2013
2009
Real soon! That is because something is wrong with me today. Can't focus on work or whatever. Hopefully that's because of the rain because I was planning on getting some done this weekend. Hopefully though it is because I am not that enthused about this year and maybe I will feel better when it's over with. Not bad, just not that great. As the years get more and more recent I feel like I miss more. I was kinda hoping to hear The Eternal and really absorb Popular Songs before writing this, but alas... I was still pretty down on new music at the time and caught most of these later, though without the excitement of them being all that fresh. Anyway, let's get on with it...
10. The Dolly Rocker Movement - Purple Journey Through the Mod Machine
Starting off is an album very much rooted in the 60s. The Sydney group has some well-deserved connections to the BJM crowd and I saw them with the Quarter After in 2010. Pretty great, but this album is stronger. It's got that kind of organ and tambourine sound preferred by most current psych revivalists, and has a good amount of classic folk rock in the mix. What makes this band so successful is they are not afraid to get repetitive and drony. This mix works the best on the endless cycle of "For Those Smiling Eyes" and the sleepy atmosphere works just as well with vocals on "I can See Through Orange." Even quicker songs like "Follow The Sound" have that burnt out quiet energy to them. This sounds more like the psychedelic sixties than the actual psychedelic sixties, perhaps Australia really is behind is.
9. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young
In a lot of ways, Casablancas delivers exactly what you would expect from the solo debut of the Strokes' leader. It's not all that different from his great band, but he takes his chances to incorporate the electronics, keyboards, layers, and lyrics that might not jive with his classic band. Hmm, kind of like a another certain inspirational front man... His talent for precision is the greatest charm on the album and ultimately it does not sound like anything else, as the cover shows his aspirations to create something for the future that is deeply rooted in the past. He does make the most of his separation from the Strokes, but it is just not as great. As their following albums suggest maybe he had just lost some steam. Either way, the personal statement opener "Out of the Blue" is a stunner and one of the singer's best creations, obviously worth the price of admission on its own.
8. Circulatory System - Signal Morning
Now less the mere follow-up to OTC, Will Cullen Hart and company get deeper into their artistic and atmospheric tendencies. That dark psychedelic shroud that had coated all his music back as far as California Demise is in full effect, but there is also some electronic influence on the closing title track - something previously unfathomable in the E6 camp. Hart had always seemed the less pop-oriented of OTC's two main songwriters and songs are less a part of what defines this album as production and bizarre nightmarish arrangements, such as the oddly muted "The Frozen Lake - The Symmetry," still one of the album's catchier tunes. It is more of a noise-rock or avant-garde album than the past would suggest, but embracing influences like Faust over the usual Beatles and Zombies makes this a very engaging psychedelic record with tracks like "Tiny Concerts," and deconstructed pop like "This Morning (We Remembered Everything)." Probably what it would have sounded like if Yoko Ono really had hijacked the Beatles.
7. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
On their second album since re-forming Dinosaur Jr. has a lot less to prove. They don't seem the feel the same need to capture their electrifying youth on loud, fast songs and rather embrace their age and home environment more. It is a more stoney affair with longer, slower jammier songs, but it is a sound that really works for the trio whose dynamic continues to be the strongest of their long career. It shows their influence from the likes of Neil Young more than ever, rather than their hardcore roots. It could be the result of some successful shows with the Meat Puppets and Built to Spill with the three sharing more vision than ever. That being said, it is a fine album and shows that the last was no fluke. Dinosaur Jr. is back and in a new and wonderfully productive phase which luckily still remains.
6. Will Stratton - No Wonder
Luckily it would not take as long for Will to get his albums out anymore, and his albums have begun to almost catch up to their prolific creator. Unfortunately, his second album still did not break him out, but considering how much he had matured in the time since the last how else could it go. The arrangements vary more from the sparse folk on most tracks to the fully arranged folk rock with horns and strings of "You're A Real Thing," probably Stratton's best pop tune to date (though I prefer earlier versions... for now). His voice has always been strong, but with guest female harmonies on many tracks the vocals are even better than usual on this release. He has also grown a great deal as a guitarist with stunning rapid finger-picking that shows his growing influence from John Fahey and Leo Kottke further distinguishing himself from your run of the mill folkie of our generation. Plus, it gives even more of a distinctly American feeling to his music and that is never a bad thing.
5. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
The title proved sadly fortuitous when the young, but prolific musician died five months later. Never wasting any time, Reatard had grown a lot over the course of some great singles since his last album and this one has a much wider sound than his proper debut with influence reaching far beyond the punk/noise spectrum. The songs are often slower and more pop oriented though "Faking It" is one in the old vein. Reatard never had a problem writing a catchy tune, but these songs have more of a traditional and less challenging structure than heard on Blood Visions. The subject matter is also a bit less brutal. Though these lyrics still clearly from a tortured soul, there is a lot less about murder and bloodshed, taking on more of a romance in his insanity on tracks like the closing "There Is No Sun" (featuring strings!!!) and "I'm Watching You." Like the music his The Shining-influenced album art shows the artists awareness of his own instability and violent tendencies that poses the question of where humor ends and terrifying honesty begins. Reatard's early passing was a real tragedy for music that caused me to give up for a little while again, but at least he ended like this and there is surely more still yet to heard from the man.
4. Atlas Sound - Logos
Bradford Cox distinguished himself as more than just the bizarre front man from Deerhunter with this bedroom project. It may have not been the best for his band, but it shows just how much the artist can do on his own with unlimited freedom. Though there are more rock-oriented songs like "An Orchid," it is the best when brings in the electronics and allows for some real space. This is best heard on his collaboration with Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier "Quick Canal" where her lyrics seem to speak for Cox better than he ever has. Its atmospheric synthesizer and repetitive beat supports her sensuous voice in such a deep and intimate way that I can't hesitate to say that it is one of the most beautiful songs of all time. Animal Collective's Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox also appears on Walkabout, appropriate as this album is one of the few that earns comparison to his work both alone and with the Collective. Bradford Cox is a real one of a kind kind of guy, seemingly unrelatable even to those closest to him and this record is a window into his lonely world. Luckily he is a musician of rare talent and can not only capture his essence honestly, but beautifully.
3. Real Estate - Real Estate
While more and more band following the Boss himself emerged this Ridgewood quartet reminded the young indie kids of the other sound of New Jersey. The dynamics and experimentation of Yo La Tengo and the sincere suburban nostalgia of the Feelies and Speed the Plough laid the foundation for this relaxed guitar pop group. Their debut is more on the lo-fi side, but with these clean guitars and perfect songs do not need any great production to capture the melancholy essence of a Mid-Atlantic summer with all its hopes, dreams, and humid disappointments. As usual a "Suburban Beverage" is the perfect solution. With the kind of mix only Jersey has given us the core of bassist Alex Bleeker, Ducktails guitarist Matthew Mondanile and singer/guitarist Martin Courtney they play songs about water. "Beach Comber" is the best of this theme capturing a beach life far removed from both the hyper punk sound emerging from San Diego at the time and the less desirable side of the Jersey Shore stinking up the TV waves. With their firm place in our roots and capturing the heartbreaking childhood memories of this state's people Real Estate found one of the most perfect sounds and led the way in this sudden emergence of great new artists from the Garden State. It would only get better.
2. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
After playing up their unusual ability to please the mainstream the Lips returned to their roots on this long and heavy album. The double LP format allowed the group to be free of having to be too focused, though it does have a very unified voice, albeit without the unifying concept of other albums. The recurring themes of animals and the zodiac spread the album's message into infinity rather than unifying its disperate sounds. It is the beginning of their look into the darker side that clearly continues on the new one, espcially with the paranoid opener "Convinced of the Hex," though as usual, Coyne never lets go of hope (i.e. "If). The band expands on a personal level here too with the addition of Kliph Scurlock on drums as Drodz moves more into the of keyboards. He is as good a substitute as Drodz is in his new role and the band rocks the hardest they have in decades throughout the whole experience. They also take in outside collaborators to great effect such as MGMT on "Worm Mountain" and Karen O on the so beautiful-it's-not-even-cute "I Can Be Frog." Re-unifying and asserting its wholeness with closer "Watching the Planets," this jolt of energy and dense psychedelic noise was the perfect thing to revive the Lips and this album easily ranks amongst their best.
1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
What else could it be? Animal Collective had reached unimaginable heights both artistically and commercially and made their album for their masses, especially back home in Maryland. Named after the amphitheater its members grew up attending shows its sound was made to fill that kind of gigantic space. With Deakin taking time away from the band the other three made a more electronic sound, but as always it is far from cold and mechanical. They continue their pattern of recording in odd places by doing this one in Missisippi. I really don't feel like writing anything right now. Today sucks and you have already heard this album. If you have not though, I'll tell you my favorite songs are "Bluish" with its unfathomable hook, the horrifically relate-able "No More Runnin'," and of course, "My Girls" with the atmosphere and euphoria of a good disco-house track.
Anyway, that's the 00s. Doesn't even feel like a decade, does it?
10. The Dolly Rocker Movement - Purple Journey Through the Mod Machine
Starting off is an album very much rooted in the 60s. The Sydney group has some well-deserved connections to the BJM crowd and I saw them with the Quarter After in 2010. Pretty great, but this album is stronger. It's got that kind of organ and tambourine sound preferred by most current psych revivalists, and has a good amount of classic folk rock in the mix. What makes this band so successful is they are not afraid to get repetitive and drony. This mix works the best on the endless cycle of "For Those Smiling Eyes" and the sleepy atmosphere works just as well with vocals on "I can See Through Orange." Even quicker songs like "Follow The Sound" have that burnt out quiet energy to them. This sounds more like the psychedelic sixties than the actual psychedelic sixties, perhaps Australia really is behind is.
9. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young
In a lot of ways, Casablancas delivers exactly what you would expect from the solo debut of the Strokes' leader. It's not all that different from his great band, but he takes his chances to incorporate the electronics, keyboards, layers, and lyrics that might not jive with his classic band. Hmm, kind of like a another certain inspirational front man... His talent for precision is the greatest charm on the album and ultimately it does not sound like anything else, as the cover shows his aspirations to create something for the future that is deeply rooted in the past. He does make the most of his separation from the Strokes, but it is just not as great. As their following albums suggest maybe he had just lost some steam. Either way, the personal statement opener "Out of the Blue" is a stunner and one of the singer's best creations, obviously worth the price of admission on its own.
8. Circulatory System - Signal Morning
Now less the mere follow-up to OTC, Will Cullen Hart and company get deeper into their artistic and atmospheric tendencies. That dark psychedelic shroud that had coated all his music back as far as California Demise is in full effect, but there is also some electronic influence on the closing title track - something previously unfathomable in the E6 camp. Hart had always seemed the less pop-oriented of OTC's two main songwriters and songs are less a part of what defines this album as production and bizarre nightmarish arrangements, such as the oddly muted "The Frozen Lake - The Symmetry," still one of the album's catchier tunes. It is more of a noise-rock or avant-garde album than the past would suggest, but embracing influences like Faust over the usual Beatles and Zombies makes this a very engaging psychedelic record with tracks like "Tiny Concerts," and deconstructed pop like "This Morning (We Remembered Everything)." Probably what it would have sounded like if Yoko Ono really had hijacked the Beatles.
7. Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
On their second album since re-forming Dinosaur Jr. has a lot less to prove. They don't seem the feel the same need to capture their electrifying youth on loud, fast songs and rather embrace their age and home environment more. It is a more stoney affair with longer, slower jammier songs, but it is a sound that really works for the trio whose dynamic continues to be the strongest of their long career. It shows their influence from the likes of Neil Young more than ever, rather than their hardcore roots. It could be the result of some successful shows with the Meat Puppets and Built to Spill with the three sharing more vision than ever. That being said, it is a fine album and shows that the last was no fluke. Dinosaur Jr. is back and in a new and wonderfully productive phase which luckily still remains.
6. Will Stratton - No Wonder
Luckily it would not take as long for Will to get his albums out anymore, and his albums have begun to almost catch up to their prolific creator. Unfortunately, his second album still did not break him out, but considering how much he had matured in the time since the last how else could it go. The arrangements vary more from the sparse folk on most tracks to the fully arranged folk rock with horns and strings of "You're A Real Thing," probably Stratton's best pop tune to date (though I prefer earlier versions... for now). His voice has always been strong, but with guest female harmonies on many tracks the vocals are even better than usual on this release. He has also grown a great deal as a guitarist with stunning rapid finger-picking that shows his growing influence from John Fahey and Leo Kottke further distinguishing himself from your run of the mill folkie of our generation. Plus, it gives even more of a distinctly American feeling to his music and that is never a bad thing.
5. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
The title proved sadly fortuitous when the young, but prolific musician died five months later. Never wasting any time, Reatard had grown a lot over the course of some great singles since his last album and this one has a much wider sound than his proper debut with influence reaching far beyond the punk/noise spectrum. The songs are often slower and more pop oriented though "Faking It" is one in the old vein. Reatard never had a problem writing a catchy tune, but these songs have more of a traditional and less challenging structure than heard on Blood Visions. The subject matter is also a bit less brutal. Though these lyrics still clearly from a tortured soul, there is a lot less about murder and bloodshed, taking on more of a romance in his insanity on tracks like the closing "There Is No Sun" (featuring strings!!!) and "I'm Watching You." Like the music his The Shining-influenced album art shows the artists awareness of his own instability and violent tendencies that poses the question of where humor ends and terrifying honesty begins. Reatard's early passing was a real tragedy for music that caused me to give up for a little while again, but at least he ended like this and there is surely more still yet to heard from the man.
4. Atlas Sound - Logos
Bradford Cox distinguished himself as more than just the bizarre front man from Deerhunter with this bedroom project. It may have not been the best for his band, but it shows just how much the artist can do on his own with unlimited freedom. Though there are more rock-oriented songs like "An Orchid," it is the best when brings in the electronics and allows for some real space. This is best heard on his collaboration with Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier "Quick Canal" where her lyrics seem to speak for Cox better than he ever has. Its atmospheric synthesizer and repetitive beat supports her sensuous voice in such a deep and intimate way that I can't hesitate to say that it is one of the most beautiful songs of all time. Animal Collective's Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox also appears on Walkabout, appropriate as this album is one of the few that earns comparison to his work both alone and with the Collective. Bradford Cox is a real one of a kind kind of guy, seemingly unrelatable even to those closest to him and this record is a window into his lonely world. Luckily he is a musician of rare talent and can not only capture his essence honestly, but beautifully.
3. Real Estate - Real Estate
While more and more band following the Boss himself emerged this Ridgewood quartet reminded the young indie kids of the other sound of New Jersey. The dynamics and experimentation of Yo La Tengo and the sincere suburban nostalgia of the Feelies and Speed the Plough laid the foundation for this relaxed guitar pop group. Their debut is more on the lo-fi side, but with these clean guitars and perfect songs do not need any great production to capture the melancholy essence of a Mid-Atlantic summer with all its hopes, dreams, and humid disappointments. As usual a "Suburban Beverage" is the perfect solution. With the kind of mix only Jersey has given us the core of bassist Alex Bleeker, Ducktails guitarist Matthew Mondanile and singer/guitarist Martin Courtney they play songs about water. "Beach Comber" is the best of this theme capturing a beach life far removed from both the hyper punk sound emerging from San Diego at the time and the less desirable side of the Jersey Shore stinking up the TV waves. With their firm place in our roots and capturing the heartbreaking childhood memories of this state's people Real Estate found one of the most perfect sounds and led the way in this sudden emergence of great new artists from the Garden State. It would only get better.
2. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
After playing up their unusual ability to please the mainstream the Lips returned to their roots on this long and heavy album. The double LP format allowed the group to be free of having to be too focused, though it does have a very unified voice, albeit without the unifying concept of other albums. The recurring themes of animals and the zodiac spread the album's message into infinity rather than unifying its disperate sounds. It is the beginning of their look into the darker side that clearly continues on the new one, espcially with the paranoid opener "Convinced of the Hex," though as usual, Coyne never lets go of hope (i.e. "If). The band expands on a personal level here too with the addition of Kliph Scurlock on drums as Drodz moves more into the of keyboards. He is as good a substitute as Drodz is in his new role and the band rocks the hardest they have in decades throughout the whole experience. They also take in outside collaborators to great effect such as MGMT on "Worm Mountain" and Karen O on the so beautiful-it's-not-even-cute "I Can Be Frog." Re-unifying and asserting its wholeness with closer "Watching the Planets," this jolt of energy and dense psychedelic noise was the perfect thing to revive the Lips and this album easily ranks amongst their best.
1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
What else could it be? Animal Collective had reached unimaginable heights both artistically and commercially and made their album for their masses, especially back home in Maryland. Named after the amphitheater its members grew up attending shows its sound was made to fill that kind of gigantic space. With Deakin taking time away from the band the other three made a more electronic sound, but as always it is far from cold and mechanical. They continue their pattern of recording in odd places by doing this one in Missisippi. I really don't feel like writing anything right now. Today sucks and you have already heard this album. If you have not though, I'll tell you my favorite songs are "Bluish" with its unfathomable hook, the horrifically relate-able "No More Runnin'," and of course, "My Girls" with the atmosphere and euphoria of a good disco-house track.
Anyway, that's the 00s. Doesn't even feel like a decade, does it?
Thursday, May 23, 2013
2008
Here's the weird thing about this year. When I put these lists together this, after 1976 was the hardest to complete. Now it it has been revealed to be a fairly strong year and there are several great albums that did not make the cut. Will you look at that, turns out the 00s were great and some of the absolute greatest albums of the decade came out this year.
10. No Age - Nouns
For a while it looked like a new Los Angeles scene based around an all-ages venue near skid row was the koolest thing around. Not so, after all it's just a teenage hangout - a good thing in the 60s, yes, but by 2008... Either way, some good music came out of it and the Mae Shi's final album almost made the cut as well. This was the best by far as this drum and guitar duo has learned a lot from all the great noise poppers before them, especially those from New Zealand. No Age excels at creating a dense and atmospheric sound out of noise guitars that could qualify them to be the world's catchiest drone-rock band. This is an energetic set and every song is a concise piece of electric pop, even at its least song-oriented the duo has a rare accessibility and pleasant sound. It's like a more sane and chill Jay Reatard. That's how I learned to love them, at least.
9. Beck - Modern Guilt
One of the more tedious recurring themes of the late 00s was the Danger Mouse collaboration. Despite the Georgia producer's talent the ridiculously high expectations people had in his influence and it's ability to really whip artists into shape was consistently disappointing. It even made me give the Black Keys yet another chance! Perhaps has his pervious album was the closest thing Beck had to a failure he went for the collaboration and it actually worked. Their sensibilities really mesh, and this album is well-rounded in a direct, yet un-deliberate way not heard since Odelay. Beck's other collaborations such as with Chan Marshall and Jason Falkner work just as well, but Beck's unique kind of artistry and song-writing is, as it should be the star. Though there is plenty of dark material especially in the chemical contamination of "Chemtrails" and "Gamma Ray" it is a pretty fun album, particularly on the latter track, so good that it was a staple and highlight of Jay Reatard's live set that year.
8. Bloc Party - Intimacy
This one rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, expecting more intense and playful dance music from the post-punk revivalists. What they got was a dramatic breakup album more akin to Radiohead than LCD Soundsystem. For that reason it sticks out as Bloc Party's best work to me. It can be a very rough listen, but that is thanks to the sincerity of these dark emotions and thoughts. Opener "Ares" has the urgency and snappy dance-punk attack of their more beloved work, but the harsh follow-up of "Mercury" sets the pace of the bulk of the album. I am surprised that this album has not found its audience yet in the generation that craved music so painfully emotional in its youth as the band matches that with an electronic/rock dance milieu that rarely carries that kind of weight. These arrangements have this perfect build from their drum machines and sequences to the at times blaring guitars that always distinguished the band from the rest. This focus and intensity hits its peak on closer "Ion Squared," one of the band's greatest songs, and the most impressive on the album. The bonus track versions are even better with songs like "Your Visits Are Getting Shorter" and "Flux," which would give this underrated album higher standing if they were always included.
7. The Bats - The Guilty Office
The Bats show that their reunion success was no fluke with a second album that is a continued return to form. Their high standard in jangly folk rock remains and in middle age the four members plays as perfectly and the songs have their unique way of sticking and fading into each other, making a pleasant listen. There's not really much to say. It's another Bats album and that's always a good thing. Here it's even more good than usual. Hooray for middle age.
6. Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
When this band came around I had lots of people telling me they were the "ultimate C-Mac band." Obviously, the fact that this only 6 shows that's not quite true. They do have a point, though as the loud and intense New Jersey band named their album after a Seinfeld reference and spews literary and artistic references like the just don't give a shit. Also, they name song after themself. Bad ass. Bruce Springsteen has become a popular influence in recent years and TA does it the best, even for other Jersey bands in their way of combining urgency, energy, drone, folk, and pure loud aggression. This band is more rooted in the underground though, far removed from the Boss, even considering his love of challenging punk rock, but in this modern landscape who needs a jolt of intelligent working man energy more than the indie rock scene. Wake up.
5. The Walkmen - You & Me
Much older and wiser the Walkmen truly come into themselves. This album's big room production and trebly guitars and organs with all this space give this album the kind of romance usually reserved for an old city blanketed in snow. Appropriately, the New York band's finest moment is "In The New Year" with its abrasive guitar, melodic organ, and slow push rhythm. It is the perfect example of the song that has an unparalleled dynamic of each instrument carefully following the other with a space giving the album a poetic and urbane melancholy atmosphere. The titles show a band that is worldly and while privileged, has a lot of honorable perspective and wisdom upon reflection. This is the sound of entering a respectable and well-deserved adulthood and the beginning of a real "golden age" for some of the most weathered musicians in the "indie rock" game. I can tell it's gonna be a good year.
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
I know I'm gonna get a lot of shit for this. I can't deny that this is a great album though, as off-putting as their privileged whiteness can be. However, it is a brilliant observance of the Northeastern elitist way, and captures its majesty and beauty more than anything else. Before I heard this band, their music had been compared to Wes Anderson and I think that's the best point of reference, much more than Graceland. Mark Mothersbaugh's scores are a clear influence and their music, almost a classical sound put into pop format evokes the same kind of imagery. The lyrics are droll and witty to the point of eye-rolling, but they do fit with these pristine string arrangements and the playful keys from secret weapon Rostam Batmanglij, particularly on the harpsichord-driven "M79." Ezra Keonig may be the ultiamte preppy hipster charmer, but the rhythm section is the real hero of this band. The always-underrated duo is what makes this record both so enduring and so immediate. After all, what could draw in a new fan more than the drums on opener "Mansard Roof"? The backlash of this band needs to end. It is so bad, I still haven't brought myself to listening to the new one OR the one before it!
2. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
Since you won't find them apart, I am counting this as one album. This still maybe be Deerhunter's best thanks to its brilliant concept of each song being a small world of itself, a room in the proverbial castle. The band which had previously built an identity around its more abrasive side gets softer and more vulnerable on this album's most treasured moments such as the beautiful "Agoraphobia." Their pop sensibilities and almost proggy ability to change styles and rhythms and integrate sounds that move in and out of the song is also more apparent on "Nothing Ever Happened." However their mastery of tension, melody, and deep, sensitive humanity hits its greatest peak on the stunning title track. This is the first of two albums recorded exclusively by the classic four-piece and their peak this is. The fact that this album was recorded in just a week shows just what kind of power the band had at the time, and considering where they are now I feel the extra need to applaud bassist Josh Fauver who is a a crucial part to these songs, even more than usual. The second part is less of a focused album, but shows just how much great material they had to spare such as the absorbing rocker "Vox Celeste," one of the many contenders for their best song.
1. Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon
This decade's overlooked and actually, greatest album. Back to their original trio the band makes a true wake-up call to the world. The cover and title indicate the spiritual expanse of this record ranging from heaven to hell, night to day, beautiful to ugly, and from Earth to Infinity. It eases you in with the gentle psychedelic love ballad of "Breeze" and then into dark territory of "Money" and "666: The Coming of The New World Government," songs that both admit the horrific truth and hidden light in their frightening subject matter. It does get into the full blown hell of evil and corruption with "Brotherhood of Death," but not without immediately following with instrumental "Happiness" and "We Are Born When We Die." When the band fully embraces beauty, though, is when their powers are most apparent such as in the proggy love song "The Mermaid Angeline" and the Latin-tinged "Honestly," in which they remind those still paranoid from other songs, "nervous energy is not helping anyone out and the dangers that you read about are ridiculous." It is on the second track, "Singing to The Earth (To Thank Her For You)," a love song to the muse and the forces of nature that brought her to its creator. Both heartbreaking, heart-warming and absolutely life-affirming. This is creation. This is inspiration. This is one of the only albums that has set out to change the life of everyone who hears it and does that for anyone actually listens to it. This is what you need for a good heart and mind-washing to take in "The Light of The World." This is the album humanity needs most and the sooner you hear it the better your life and the lives you touch will be.
Won't be as long until I do 2009, I promise.
10. No Age - Nouns
For a while it looked like a new Los Angeles scene based around an all-ages venue near skid row was the koolest thing around. Not so, after all it's just a teenage hangout - a good thing in the 60s, yes, but by 2008... Either way, some good music came out of it and the Mae Shi's final album almost made the cut as well. This was the best by far as this drum and guitar duo has learned a lot from all the great noise poppers before them, especially those from New Zealand. No Age excels at creating a dense and atmospheric sound out of noise guitars that could qualify them to be the world's catchiest drone-rock band. This is an energetic set and every song is a concise piece of electric pop, even at its least song-oriented the duo has a rare accessibility and pleasant sound. It's like a more sane and chill Jay Reatard. That's how I learned to love them, at least.
9. Beck - Modern Guilt
One of the more tedious recurring themes of the late 00s was the Danger Mouse collaboration. Despite the Georgia producer's talent the ridiculously high expectations people had in his influence and it's ability to really whip artists into shape was consistently disappointing. It even made me give the Black Keys yet another chance! Perhaps has his pervious album was the closest thing Beck had to a failure he went for the collaboration and it actually worked. Their sensibilities really mesh, and this album is well-rounded in a direct, yet un-deliberate way not heard since Odelay. Beck's other collaborations such as with Chan Marshall and Jason Falkner work just as well, but Beck's unique kind of artistry and song-writing is, as it should be the star. Though there is plenty of dark material especially in the chemical contamination of "Chemtrails" and "Gamma Ray" it is a pretty fun album, particularly on the latter track, so good that it was a staple and highlight of Jay Reatard's live set that year.
8. Bloc Party - Intimacy
This one rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, expecting more intense and playful dance music from the post-punk revivalists. What they got was a dramatic breakup album more akin to Radiohead than LCD Soundsystem. For that reason it sticks out as Bloc Party's best work to me. It can be a very rough listen, but that is thanks to the sincerity of these dark emotions and thoughts. Opener "Ares" has the urgency and snappy dance-punk attack of their more beloved work, but the harsh follow-up of "Mercury" sets the pace of the bulk of the album. I am surprised that this album has not found its audience yet in the generation that craved music so painfully emotional in its youth as the band matches that with an electronic/rock dance milieu that rarely carries that kind of weight. These arrangements have this perfect build from their drum machines and sequences to the at times blaring guitars that always distinguished the band from the rest. This focus and intensity hits its peak on closer "Ion Squared," one of the band's greatest songs, and the most impressive on the album. The bonus track versions are even better with songs like "Your Visits Are Getting Shorter" and "Flux," which would give this underrated album higher standing if they were always included.
7. The Bats - The Guilty Office
The Bats show that their reunion success was no fluke with a second album that is a continued return to form. Their high standard in jangly folk rock remains and in middle age the four members plays as perfectly and the songs have their unique way of sticking and fading into each other, making a pleasant listen. There's not really much to say. It's another Bats album and that's always a good thing. Here it's even more good than usual. Hooray for middle age.
6. Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
When this band came around I had lots of people telling me they were the "ultimate C-Mac band." Obviously, the fact that this only 6 shows that's not quite true. They do have a point, though as the loud and intense New Jersey band named their album after a Seinfeld reference and spews literary and artistic references like the just don't give a shit. Also, they name song after themself. Bad ass. Bruce Springsteen has become a popular influence in recent years and TA does it the best, even for other Jersey bands in their way of combining urgency, energy, drone, folk, and pure loud aggression. This band is more rooted in the underground though, far removed from the Boss, even considering his love of challenging punk rock, but in this modern landscape who needs a jolt of intelligent working man energy more than the indie rock scene. Wake up.
5. The Walkmen - You & Me
Much older and wiser the Walkmen truly come into themselves. This album's big room production and trebly guitars and organs with all this space give this album the kind of romance usually reserved for an old city blanketed in snow. Appropriately, the New York band's finest moment is "In The New Year" with its abrasive guitar, melodic organ, and slow push rhythm. It is the perfect example of the song that has an unparalleled dynamic of each instrument carefully following the other with a space giving the album a poetic and urbane melancholy atmosphere. The titles show a band that is worldly and while privileged, has a lot of honorable perspective and wisdom upon reflection. This is the sound of entering a respectable and well-deserved adulthood and the beginning of a real "golden age" for some of the most weathered musicians in the "indie rock" game. I can tell it's gonna be a good year.
4. Beach House - Devotion
Here I continue the theme of the current standard on indie rock. Like many of their peers, Beach House has one very cut and dry sound that grows with each album. This from the last may have been the biggest leap. The songs are still slow, as they would remain, but they are better as are the duo's dreamlike atmospheres. With this tempo and low emphasis on rhythm, especially compared to what would come next this album may be their most romantic with Victoria Legrand's sultry vocals at a warm moan rather than the commanding force they would become on the subsequent louder material. Songs like "Astronaut" and "Gila" are some of the most beautiful of their career and they had the rare good taste to do a cover. As with almost all Daniel Johnston covers, they outdo the original and Built to Spill on "Some Things Last a Long Time." Maybe this is why so many people are moving to Baltimore.
I know I'm gonna get a lot of shit for this. I can't deny that this is a great album though, as off-putting as their privileged whiteness can be. However, it is a brilliant observance of the Northeastern elitist way, and captures its majesty and beauty more than anything else. Before I heard this band, their music had been compared to Wes Anderson and I think that's the best point of reference, much more than Graceland. Mark Mothersbaugh's scores are a clear influence and their music, almost a classical sound put into pop format evokes the same kind of imagery. The lyrics are droll and witty to the point of eye-rolling, but they do fit with these pristine string arrangements and the playful keys from secret weapon Rostam Batmanglij, particularly on the harpsichord-driven "M79." Ezra Keonig may be the ultiamte preppy hipster charmer, but the rhythm section is the real hero of this band. The always-underrated duo is what makes this record both so enduring and so immediate. After all, what could draw in a new fan more than the drums on opener "Mansard Roof"? The backlash of this band needs to end. It is so bad, I still haven't brought myself to listening to the new one OR the one before it!
2. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
Since you won't find them apart, I am counting this as one album. This still maybe be Deerhunter's best thanks to its brilliant concept of each song being a small world of itself, a room in the proverbial castle. The band which had previously built an identity around its more abrasive side gets softer and more vulnerable on this album's most treasured moments such as the beautiful "Agoraphobia." Their pop sensibilities and almost proggy ability to change styles and rhythms and integrate sounds that move in and out of the song is also more apparent on "Nothing Ever Happened." However their mastery of tension, melody, and deep, sensitive humanity hits its greatest peak on the stunning title track. This is the first of two albums recorded exclusively by the classic four-piece and their peak this is. The fact that this album was recorded in just a week shows just what kind of power the band had at the time, and considering where they are now I feel the extra need to applaud bassist Josh Fauver who is a a crucial part to these songs, even more than usual. The second part is less of a focused album, but shows just how much great material they had to spare such as the absorbing rocker "Vox Celeste," one of the many contenders for their best song.
1. Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon
This decade's overlooked and actually, greatest album. Back to their original trio the band makes a true wake-up call to the world. The cover and title indicate the spiritual expanse of this record ranging from heaven to hell, night to day, beautiful to ugly, and from Earth to Infinity. It eases you in with the gentle psychedelic love ballad of "Breeze" and then into dark territory of "Money" and "666: The Coming of The New World Government," songs that both admit the horrific truth and hidden light in their frightening subject matter. It does get into the full blown hell of evil and corruption with "Brotherhood of Death," but not without immediately following with instrumental "Happiness" and "We Are Born When We Die." When the band fully embraces beauty, though, is when their powers are most apparent such as in the proggy love song "The Mermaid Angeline" and the Latin-tinged "Honestly," in which they remind those still paranoid from other songs, "nervous energy is not helping anyone out and the dangers that you read about are ridiculous." It is on the second track, "Singing to The Earth (To Thank Her For You)," a love song to the muse and the forces of nature that brought her to its creator. Both heartbreaking, heart-warming and absolutely life-affirming. This is creation. This is inspiration. This is one of the only albums that has set out to change the life of everyone who hears it and does that for anyone actually listens to it. This is what you need for a good heart and mind-washing to take in "The Light of The World." This is the album humanity needs most and the sooner you hear it the better your life and the lives you touch will be.
Won't be as long until I do 2009, I promise.
Monday, May 20, 2013
2007
Sorry
I took so damn long. Hopefully all that time gave you the chance to
really absorb Starling Electric’s Clouded Staircase. This is a
much better year than the last, though it may have been the peak of my
rejection of new music. I really regret that because, 2007 was great, if
you can believe that. I am sure people will note the absence of Ga Ga
Ga Ga Ga but, you know, I just haven't listened to it enough to really
assess it. The others, yes...
10. AIR - Pocket Symphony
The
French band is pretty much always on it, and this one was so on it few noticed its strengths at the time of its release.
It finds the duo excelling at everything they do and having it come
together better than ever. It is actually more focused than its
excellent predecessor and is more personal. This album is even more distinctly their
own than Moon Safari. Even with guest appearances from Jarvis
Cocker and Neil Hannon, the AIR duo is in more control than ever, and which gives
this album a cinematic feel reminiscent of their work on Virgin Suicides.
As always it is lush, smooth, and funky.
The funkiness can be best heard on "Mer Du Japon."
9. Black Moth Super Rainbow
- Dandelion Gum
This
Pittsburgh group created an all new heavy psych sound through the use of
analogue synthesizers with more traditional rock instruments. It is a
fantastic combination perfectly summed up by the opening track, "Forever
Heavy," which captures the dark and creepy qualities of the Western
Pennsylvania woods in which it was recorded. This is the candy-coated
Black Forest fairy tale brought into the 21st century with all its funky
hip-hop influence and it still qualifies as one of the deepest acid rock
records of its time. BMSR are definitely in a category of their own when
it comes to how these styles come together. The songs are quite strong,
but the atmospheres are their best strength here, and it is the perfect
document of this band. It’s as eerie as is it is chill.
8. Will Stratton - What
the Night Said
Even
as a friend of the artist, I cannot believe that this was recorded by an
eighteen year-old and written at an even younger age. Will is still one
of the best and most under-appreciated artists of our time, and this debut album
is still perhaps his strongest work due to its unbelievable sense of nostalgia.
His unique home of Basking Ridge, NJ, its landmarks, and people seems
like a distant fantasy world fading away into idealized memory, even though the
singer-songwriter had barely stepped away at this point. In future years
this album will be viewed as one of the masterpieces of 00s style folk and one
of the high points in the career of guest musician Sufjan Stevens, if you can
believe that. With standouts like "Katydid" and "Sonnet,"
as well as contributions from the likes of Sam Deutsch on violin, this is an
unusually mature first album with a legacy growing in status far from most
people's attention. Get on board as soon as you can.
7. Caribou - Andorra
Due to
the Dictator's ridiculous request, Daniel Snaith changed his stage name. At first it seemed like that may have been his
undoing, but this album proved that his previous album was just a forgivable
weak point. This release may be his finest to date as both his songs and
arrangements became more melody-oriented. Naturally, the first track is
called "Melody Day" and the powerful tune is the first to introduce
the flutes that make this album so lush and classical. The second song,
"Sandy" continues in the flute-heavy vein but is one of Caribou's
most rocking songs. It is definitely catchier than anything he made
before, but it is still the dense shoegaze arrangements that are the greatest
strength. Snaith utilizes electronics in
a way that makes his music hypnotic and dreamlike rather than merely repetitive
and consistent.
6. LCD Soundsystem - The
Sound of Silver
Respected
by many as the year's best album, it is an achievement of audio recording and
one of the most intelligent dance records of all time. Long unrecognized
New York crypster James Murphy had broken through with "Daft Punk is
Playing in My House" – the most unavoidable song of 2005 if in the right
circles – and on this follow-up he proves himself the next Brian Eno.
Each sound on the album is delicately captured and placed in this
spacious album that ranges from dance classics like "North American
Scum" and "Time To Get Away" to the delicate beauty of "Someone
Great." Realizing his rare opportunity to make music history, Murphy
put everything he could into this album. The result is the most state-of-the-art record
of its time, with all the musical knowledge and taste of the finest 70s art
rock and 80s dance music combined with the technology and necessary knowhow of
the modern age. It certainly made its mark and proved to be a bit too
much for its creator, but his legacy was solidified and he has no need to shut
up and play the hits.
5. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond
Eighteen
years later the true lineup of Dinosaur Jr. was back together and not only as
great as ever, but making at least their second most solid album to date.
The conflicting personalities of J Mascis and Lou Barlow always created
some of the best rock and roll music of all time, but it took the maturity of
middle age to make it last. Their songs and energy are the same as they
were when they burst out of the Western Massachusetts wood (in no small part
due to Murph, who hits as hard as ever). They debuted their return with the
opening track "Almost Ready" and blew away any skeptics with Mascis'
wailing leads, generating enough energy to sustain the whole album.
"Crumble" kept up the momentum and the energy never wavered over the
whole album. This made the power trio rock's greatest comeback success story of
2007 with three albums that have at least doubled the already respected band's
reputation as one of the finest of the American Underground.
4. Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Finally,
a new young band from new territory. The Atlanta group really came into
themselves with Bradford Cox, Moses Archeluta, Josh Fauver, and Lockett Pundt
(plus Colin Mee) forming the classic lineup of one of the most vital rock bands
of the modern era. Though steeped in dense noise rock, Deerhunter is definitely
still a rock act in the classic form playing loud fast guitar music… even when
combined with their softer electronic-based atmospheres. This album
is one of their more consistently spirited and captures their electrifying live
sound. The band's musical knowledge is apparently stronger than their
"indie" peers. Their
influences from the past greats are pure, especially in their krauty motorik
drones. All the timeless elements – or as Robert Pollard says, the four
Ps – are represented with the Punk fury matching the deep Psychedelia on every
note with its dense and swirling arrangements. The Pop sticks out just as
much with the catchiest songs that any noisy band has written since Sonic
Youth, (best heard on "Strange Lights"). Deerhunter’s breakthrough showed a bright
future for guitar rock, showing what could be achieved in combining the classic
approach with a positively progressive attitude toward experimentation, new
technology, and refusal to conform to anyone else's idea of how music should
sound.
3. Animal Collective - Strawberry
Jam
On
their second album with the full band after their big break, Animal Collective set
out to make a sweet and uniformly congealed album that makes an unidentifiable
splice of the natural and the synthetic. Recorded in the odd choice of Tucson,
this immensely successful record showed the band's ability to function as a
single mind even as they function in ways unrecognizable to most musicians, reprocess
it, and then do it again. Opener "Peacebone" goes from pure
mental cacophony, back down to Earth, and then eventually transcends into the
beyond. The other songs continue with this theme of brutality married to
otherworldly beauty with a dense and unpredictable attack still kept under the
four's tight control. This is best heard on "Fireworks," with
its pummeling rhythms and shiny melodies providing a surreal backing for Avey
Tare's incomparable yowl. "#1" takes a sparser approach but is full
of unimaginable changes, gentle atmospheres, and – as usual – a melody
constructed from various scraps of sound engineered in such an unusual way that
only four separate yet congealed minds could make it. Some say this is a
more accessible record, but that sentiment is insane. It just has a way
of connecting that goes beyond the mind, though you could say the closing
"Derek" is their greatest folk song… if you could call it that.
2. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Yet,
it is a solo release that is the greatest out of the AC camp. Panda's
solo album recorded in Portugal after his marriage may be the best and most
unique sample-based album. The artist takes his samples and simply lets
them go; creating a blissed out and sunny album that deconstructs and rebuilds
itself, hitting upon the essence of life and music. "Bros" is
of course the best-known and strongest song and it creates a dazey beach
atmosphere that feels like it could never end. It is simply one of the
most relaxing albums out there, even if it has the kind of deep beauty that can
be painful. Music so repetitive and
post-modern rarely has the emotional power of these songs, and the greatest
example of this power can be found on the closer "Ponytail."
Panda managed to create the kind of summery transcendence to which Brian
Wilson lost his mind. And, even if he did so by "cheating," the
results are undeniable. From his Mediterranean paradise, Panda sends his
message to the world to open its eyes, chill out, and see the beauty around –
even with as scary and confusing it can be, as heard in the radical changes in
songs like "Take Pills" and "Good Girl/Carrots." Though
the music may come from other sources, it is a deeply personal album as the
artist sits "Comfy in Nautica" and embarks on "The Search for
Delicious." He found it and gave the world a deeply affecting and rare
positive record to share in the light.
1. PJ Harvey - White Chalk
So… it takes a lot
to outdo all of the above. However, Harvey made the best album of her
career after something of a twelve-year slump with this record that sounds like
it was recorded by a ghost. With Flood and John Parrish, she made this
otherworldly and unsettling album with old-fashioned instruments matching her
antiquated image of that time. It is like entering the mind of a mentally
ill shut-in from the 19th Century, being comprised almost entirely of dark
material. The opener "The Devil" is a chilling introduction to
this world of death and heartbreaking disorder, and it is an honest
confrontation of the constant choice between good and evil with deeper
implications beyond the physical realm. This crossing over of the human
soul is perhaps the album's biggest theme as heard on the title track and also the
dizzying "When Under Ether." The decay of the spiritual and
physical life beyond death is captured in "To Talk To You." She
addresses the present life in "Grow Grow Grow" and its utter disarray
in "The Piano." By this point, Harvey's talent is unfathomable
as speaks what can barely comprehended by taking on subjects that have left all
intelligent life forms without answers for all eternity, and most likely will
forever. It has a wisdom from beyond the grave and gets its point across
while still answering no questions. Its colors are brown, yellow, and
green – employing the kind of timeless unsettling darkness seen in films like The
City of Lost Children. It is painful when the last track "The
Mountain" ends because the subjects breached on this album will never have
a conclusion… but the record unfortunately must. With Polly Jean you know
there won't exactly be more either... This is just an album in a category
of its own and is still impossible to believe after countless listens.
Due to me forgetting a very important cable it may be a few days until 2008, but we shall see...
Thursday, May 16, 2013
2006
Okay, here's another year. I would say it's pretty weird, but I say that about all of them, almost. This yeah had a lot of good albums. Few that go above good, as my big secret list has a lot on reserve. Unfortunately, what defined the music of 2006, both at the time and looking back seven years later is that it was full of highly anticipated, but disappointing albums by great bands. Some make this list, some do not. The top is pretty tops though.
8. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
B&S were simply not what they used to be ever since the dawn of the new millennium, despite a trio of excellent EPs that rank as their best work. Still, they were one of the better bands around and this album, while no Tigermilk, is pretty good. Perhaps I think of it so fondly because I saw them on this tour. They played with the New Pornographers, who I was actually more excited to see at the time, and were on fire. Some might have been turned off by the more hard rock-inspired sound on this album, but in truth that is its greatest strength. The heavier rhythms make "Sukie in the Graveyard" and "White Collar Boy" standout tracks that would definitely earn their spot on a best-of. They as always prove themselves masters of the opening track with "Act of the Apostle" which keeps in their classic sound. While there are some stinkers, it is still a good album and when it's on it's the best they've done since Waking Up to Us.
7. The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
Also, a strong album derided. It is easy to see why this album put a bad taste in people's mouths with opener/lead single "The Yeah Yeah Song." The good news was it at least managed to extend their commercial peak. It did indicate that this album, despite its title(s) and a few songs is lighter fare than the previous two monuments. It is a welcome break, especially considering what came next even if the political themes get more explicit, but is definitely not one of their best works. Despite this it is a strong album, as it is hard for this band after all their years and adventures together can't go too wrong. Their dynamics and musical creativity is as strong as ever and makes the instrumental "The Wizard Turns On..." one of the album's best pieces.
6. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
O'Rourke's old band was fine without him too. A friend of mine has even said that this is so clearly their best album anyone who disagrees is lying. He does have a point. As accessible as it is, the band is at their best, showing that they have learned a lot from their former member. It is the closest thing Sonic Youth made to a pop record, but remains truer to their usual vision than their more mainstream 90s work. Foreshadowing their collaboration with Mark Ibold, it's more like a 90s indie rock album songs like "Incinerate" show that the band can play clean and calm as well as dense and frenetic and "Pink Stream" shows that their organic instrumentals can achieve that same sound. Sonic Youth shows that the end of their career together may have been as strong as the other period, with the maturation of their sound coming the most rapidly since their late 80s peak.
5. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
For a minute there it seemed like Sweden was the best country for music at the time. From Dungen to the Knife, to Jens Lekman to this modern pop group. It was a major success with "Young Folks" being an inescapable pleasure for the next couple years. The track, while as distinct as the others is a good representation of the band's sound with all its twists and turns. The thick guitars of "Objects of My Affection" really gets the album moving and goes into such different territory as the rhythmic "Amsterdam" and the sparse romance of "Paris 2004." Even with the extended "Up Against The Wall" this is a sweet little pop record and a rarity for its time keeping all the charm of classic pop without being revivalist, rather having a distinctly fresh contemporary sound. The perfect modern European record for the whole world.
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - House Arrest
Again bending the rules, but in my defense, the Paw Tracks Ariel Pink releases are different from their original forms and are what most people have heard exclusively. I would say this is pink's strongest set of all with the best pop songs of his career like the opening pair "Hardcore Pop Are Fun" and "Interesting Results." It also has his two best love songs "Helen" and "Alisa" - the latter being for his (future) wife, if you can believe that. This one is not only most accessible, but also has the widest range with the bizarre "Every Night I Die I Miyagi's" and the jerky prog of "Flying Circles." His prog influence rears its head again on the epic "The Netherlands" joining "Oceans of Weep" for the dark and deep tail end of the album. It does end with quite an upper, though - the coke party anthem "Higher And Higher," surely one of his best and most inspiring songs, even with it's 70s AM hit roots. For many this is his breakthrough, and he put it best in "Almost Waiting," "Hey girl, you're gonna regret it if you don't remember my name."
2. Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye
F.A.C.E., like the cover. Get it? On his first album since the Electrifying Conclusion Pollard shows that he might not need anyone other than Todd Tobias to help him make great music on this double album. He picks up on what Half Smiles left off in many ways, embracing his influences that go far beyond the typical indie rock pantheon (as it existed at the time). This probably has the most synthesizers of any Pollard record and the singer's love for Peter Gabriel/Genesis is heard all over the place. Songs get longer too such as on "The Numbered Head," and "Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft," but his unusual song structures make length an unnecessary element in creating epics such as "US Mustard Company" and "Lightshow," two of the best songs out of the 26. As usual, it is still largely odd pop and the ELO-influenced "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men" and the Monument Club theme "I'm a Strong Lion" deliver what Pollard does best in brand new ways. With so much attention on his as an individual, Pollard put everything he had into this one and showed that in truth Guided by Voices was just another of his many projects. It's all here.
1. Starling Electric - Clouded Staircase
Un-bending the rules on self-release here. This is the third album from the project of Traverse City native Caleb Dillon, and the first with the full band. It has a lot in common with Pollard's solo album, as the group are all Official Iron Men and this album goes just about everywhere. The story is on Pollar's solo tour he was given a copy of this album, and loved it so much he invited the band to open for him at the Bowery Ballroom. It was their first show outside of Michigan and got Bar/None to reissue the album in 2008. Unfortunately, with a falling out with the lead guitarist, a none-too-flattering Pitchfork rating, and the Hoboken label's famously poor distribution, not even a spot on Veronica Mars got this band the notice they deserve and little has been heard from them since. Shame as this is an incredible album with a rare cohesive autumnal atmosphere, thanks to its traditional, yet complex arrangements and recurring themes. These points hit their peak on the delicate suite "She Goes Through Phases," which is then followed by the gorgeous riffs of the instrumental "British Boots." Dillon's folk-pop song craft is even greater with catchy songs like "New Era" and "To Flunker, With Love." Their midwestern roots only add to their charm with opener "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" capturing the best of the region's rock, and "A Snowflake" a vivid image of the white Michigan winter. This is a horribly overlooked album, and one of the best of the last decade, so I recommend it more highly than most, it will not disappoint, and I know the band has a lot more ahead of them, if they can get the support the deserve.
This year was kind of a chore. Glad it's over with.
10. Loose Fur -Born Again in the USA
By now supergroups are pretty unfashionable, but with Glenn Kotche and Jeff Tweedy from Wilco teaming up with Jim O'Rourke, it is hard to find a better power trio. It is a perfect blend of their talents with the hard rocking experimental musicianship blending seamlessly with the laid-back roots. "The Ruling Class" is the best song with its hypnotic whistles, but they all have the folk/country feel with the O'Rourke atmosphere. Both vocalists sound great, and while this may have been the end of an era, it is a a crucial part of it, showing that O'Rourke was far from done after leaving Sonic Youth, maybe...
9. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
Of course, this list starts with one of those albums, I needed some convincing on this one too. It deserves some looking back following much more disappointing Strokes releases and the band's ambitions to expand their sound as more successful than ever on this release. As other members begin to contribute to mixed results the five function as an organic group better than ever, even if the material is the darkest of their career. The change in producer is noticeable, and I would say not to positive effect, but you can't blame the band for trying. Though there are some classics, it falls short of the first two, but considering the band's talent, it is still quite good, and that's the best I can give.
8. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
B&S were simply not what they used to be ever since the dawn of the new millennium, despite a trio of excellent EPs that rank as their best work. Still, they were one of the better bands around and this album, while no Tigermilk, is pretty good. Perhaps I think of it so fondly because I saw them on this tour. They played with the New Pornographers, who I was actually more excited to see at the time, and were on fire. Some might have been turned off by the more hard rock-inspired sound on this album, but in truth that is its greatest strength. The heavier rhythms make "Sukie in the Graveyard" and "White Collar Boy" standout tracks that would definitely earn their spot on a best-of. They as always prove themselves masters of the opening track with "Act of the Apostle" which keeps in their classic sound. While there are some stinkers, it is still a good album and when it's on it's the best they've done since Waking Up to Us.
7. The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
Also, a strong album derided. It is easy to see why this album put a bad taste in people's mouths with opener/lead single "The Yeah Yeah Song." The good news was it at least managed to extend their commercial peak. It did indicate that this album, despite its title(s) and a few songs is lighter fare than the previous two monuments. It is a welcome break, especially considering what came next even if the political themes get more explicit, but is definitely not one of their best works. Despite this it is a strong album, as it is hard for this band after all their years and adventures together can't go too wrong. Their dynamics and musical creativity is as strong as ever and makes the instrumental "The Wizard Turns On..." one of the album's best pieces.
6. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
O'Rourke's old band was fine without him too. A friend of mine has even said that this is so clearly their best album anyone who disagrees is lying. He does have a point. As accessible as it is, the band is at their best, showing that they have learned a lot from their former member. It is the closest thing Sonic Youth made to a pop record, but remains truer to their usual vision than their more mainstream 90s work. Foreshadowing their collaboration with Mark Ibold, it's more like a 90s indie rock album songs like "Incinerate" show that the band can play clean and calm as well as dense and frenetic and "Pink Stream" shows that their organic instrumentals can achieve that same sound. Sonic Youth shows that the end of their career together may have been as strong as the other period, with the maturation of their sound coming the most rapidly since their late 80s peak.
5. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
For a minute there it seemed like Sweden was the best country for music at the time. From Dungen to the Knife, to Jens Lekman to this modern pop group. It was a major success with "Young Folks" being an inescapable pleasure for the next couple years. The track, while as distinct as the others is a good representation of the band's sound with all its twists and turns. The thick guitars of "Objects of My Affection" really gets the album moving and goes into such different territory as the rhythmic "Amsterdam" and the sparse romance of "Paris 2004." Even with the extended "Up Against The Wall" this is a sweet little pop record and a rarity for its time keeping all the charm of classic pop without being revivalist, rather having a distinctly fresh contemporary sound. The perfect modern European record for the whole world.
4. Jay Reatard - Blood Visions
As with the album cover, it was hard to tell when the late Jay Reatard was serious about his violent psychotic tendencies and when he was having a good laugh. After all, it takes either a comedic genius or a real sicko who happens to be a genius songwriter to make "time may heal wounds, but I will kill you," a sing-along or creates the catchy nightmare of "My Family." Reatard's talent is unquestionable in writing such classic pop tunes as "Not A Substitute" and creating the gigantic guitar attack that concludes "Oh It's Such A Shame." Reatard recorded this and played every instrument on his own, and still manages to keep it all concise and tasteful with most songs clocking in under two minutes and making sure that the longest track "My Shadow" at 3:18 is unquestionably an epic. When it seemed like there was nowhere "punk" could go Jay did it. Even as his influences in the Clean, Tall Dwarfs, and most explicitly ("We Who Wait") the Adverts are obvious, Reatard made something all of his own. Luckily he did a lot of work in his short lifetime.
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - House Arrest
Again bending the rules, but in my defense, the Paw Tracks Ariel Pink releases are different from their original forms and are what most people have heard exclusively. I would say this is pink's strongest set of all with the best pop songs of his career like the opening pair "Hardcore Pop Are Fun" and "Interesting Results." It also has his two best love songs "Helen" and "Alisa" - the latter being for his (future) wife, if you can believe that. This one is not only most accessible, but also has the widest range with the bizarre "Every Night I Die I Miyagi's" and the jerky prog of "Flying Circles." His prog influence rears its head again on the epic "The Netherlands" joining "Oceans of Weep" for the dark and deep tail end of the album. It does end with quite an upper, though - the coke party anthem "Higher And Higher," surely one of his best and most inspiring songs, even with it's 70s AM hit roots. For many this is his breakthrough, and he put it best in "Almost Waiting," "Hey girl, you're gonna regret it if you don't remember my name."
2. Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye
F.A.C.E., like the cover. Get it? On his first album since the Electrifying Conclusion Pollard shows that he might not need anyone other than Todd Tobias to help him make great music on this double album. He picks up on what Half Smiles left off in many ways, embracing his influences that go far beyond the typical indie rock pantheon (as it existed at the time). This probably has the most synthesizers of any Pollard record and the singer's love for Peter Gabriel/Genesis is heard all over the place. Songs get longer too such as on "The Numbered Head," and "Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft," but his unusual song structures make length an unnecessary element in creating epics such as "US Mustard Company" and "Lightshow," two of the best songs out of the 26. As usual, it is still largely odd pop and the ELO-influenced "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men" and the Monument Club theme "I'm a Strong Lion" deliver what Pollard does best in brand new ways. With so much attention on his as an individual, Pollard put everything he had into this one and showed that in truth Guided by Voices was just another of his many projects. It's all here.
1. Starling Electric - Clouded Staircase
Un-bending the rules on self-release here. This is the third album from the project of Traverse City native Caleb Dillon, and the first with the full band. It has a lot in common with Pollard's solo album, as the group are all Official Iron Men and this album goes just about everywhere. The story is on Pollar's solo tour he was given a copy of this album, and loved it so much he invited the band to open for him at the Bowery Ballroom. It was their first show outside of Michigan and got Bar/None to reissue the album in 2008. Unfortunately, with a falling out with the lead guitarist, a none-too-flattering Pitchfork rating, and the Hoboken label's famously poor distribution, not even a spot on Veronica Mars got this band the notice they deserve and little has been heard from them since. Shame as this is an incredible album with a rare cohesive autumnal atmosphere, thanks to its traditional, yet complex arrangements and recurring themes. These points hit their peak on the delicate suite "She Goes Through Phases," which is then followed by the gorgeous riffs of the instrumental "British Boots." Dillon's folk-pop song craft is even greater with catchy songs like "New Era" and "To Flunker, With Love." Their midwestern roots only add to their charm with opener "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" capturing the best of the region's rock, and "A Snowflake" a vivid image of the white Michigan winter. This is a horribly overlooked album, and one of the best of the last decade, so I recommend it more highly than most, it will not disappoint, and I know the band has a lot more ahead of them, if they can get the support the deserve.
This year was kind of a chore. Glad it's over with.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
2005
Interesting year here. What defines 2005 on a universal level is that there were lots of good/great albums, but not a whole lot of major landmarks or masterpieces. Oh, there are some of course, but mostly what was hard about this year was narrowing it down to ten. There are albums in the upper middle of this list that I am really not sure I prefer to some that wouldn't even be my first honorable mention. On a personal level this was when I started college. I went to one of the most hipster-infested colleges in the country so a lot of these albums (and some on the next list) will always take me back to freshman year saying things like, "you like Broken Social Scene too?!" So without further ado, here is 2005.
10. The Quarter After - The Quarter After
One of the best bands and releases out of the BJM camp, this band is led by Rob Campanella's brother Dominc and features reliable BJMer as a member and producer. This is one of the best Byrds-inspired psych of the day with its jangling Rickebackers and California harmonies. It is more energetic than a lot of the other imitators, making it sounds like it came right out of Laurel Canyon at its prime. With the increased artist control that independent labels and production allow in the 00s, it does include an extended jam, but Campanella's songwriting is the true star especially on "Always Returning" and closing track "Everything Again." Perfect for fans of psychedelic folk pop with lots of tambourine who will take classic songs over forced originality.
9. Beck - Guero
People who love Beck saw this as something of a disappointment, and the ones who don't really get it saw it as a return to form. That is because it is what those unfortunate souls saw as a "normal" Beck album, in the vein of Odelay, even ruiniting him with the Dust Brothers. It may not stand up to that one, but it is a good summation of his talents and mixes them all together. On closer listen it is more focused on a single sound than that. It is largely danceable, despite some fairly dark material in the miss. Still, "Hell Yes"is one of his greatest dance tracks of the decade and opener "E-Pro" successfully aims for the same kind of rock as "Devil's Haircut." With bluesy overtones and plenty of hip-hop it does deliver what the mainstream wants out of the troubled artist, but its best asset is his playful observation of the more down to earth side of Los Angeles on "Qué Honda Guero."
8. Patrick Wolf - The Wind in the Wires
This young and unusual Anglo-Irish singer-songwriter may have his his peak on his sophomore release. As his new hair color suggests it takes a very dark tone, though one perhaps no darker than on his debut. He plays nearly all the instruments with arrangements rarely so simple in such a technique, and keeping in the highly personal tone of the album. He moves away from the more twisted themes of wolves, pedophilia, and self-mutilation, but still is not cheapened by the flamboyance of later work by having a rare sincerity on his Celtic folk-electronic hybrid. His potential at mixing these old world styles with modern sensibility is shown to be even greater than previously indicated ranging from tracks like opener "The Libertine" (the one most like the debut) to the gentle "The Gypsy King" and the heavy industrial sound of "Tristan." The final track is the real star, though. "Land's End" is his greatest song, highly personal yet relatable and pointing toward a new direction. Sadly it was not as good as the pervious one.
7. Sigur Rós - Takk...
Though their most typically proggy, the Icelandic band's first release after heightened exposure in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is their most accessible work. It might be the return to proper titles, but I think it is their ability to compress their talents into shorter, more concise pieces. Tempos are some of their fastest and songs are shorter, but little of what made their previous records is lost. There may not be as much build and atmosphere, but it makes the album easier as a casual listen, rather than something that needs some preparation. The group dynamics function as well as ever and even as the instruments are closer together and notes rub shoulders, the music has the same mesmerizing power it always did. This album is particularly strong in the way of keys and drums, with my friends who saw them in this era always focusing on the drummer's performance. For those afraid of their slower masterpieces, I always recommend this one, "Sæglópur," which I consider to be one of their best songs. The title translates to "Thanks..." for what that's worth.
6. The Bats - At The National Grid
This year several artists reformed, reinvented, or just emerged with a more mature sound, and the Kiwi pop legends were one of the best examples with this, their first in ten years. They sound as great as ever, with a more laid back sound capturing the natural beauty of their home country along with the melancholy of their growing age. Their folk rock is as tight and lively as ever even without the youthful energy of Daddy's Highway beginning with "Western Isles" and hitting a peak with "Bells," surely one of their prettiest songs of all. Kaye Woodward proves she is as vital to the band as ever with her composition "Mir" and her stunning leads throughout, particularly on "The Flowers and The Trees." The Bats also show they are still capable of their dark moods on "The Pre-War Blues," a slowly tense pop song that evokes the gathering of dark clouds, even coming from their green and peaceful island. An unexpected return to form and the beginning of the second (or more for several members) part of amazing musical career.
5. The Go-Betweens - Oceans Apart
Similarly, another legend from down under made this new classic, their third since the reunion and sadly their last. Really just a project for Robert Forster and Grant McLennan there is little left to be desired as the pair's song writing talent has not faded at all. Some of the greatest songs are included here beginning with Forster's intense ode to rail travel "Here Comes A City," one of many songs about travel and beautiful scenery. As if he somehow knew of his untimely demise, McLennan is particularly strong and adventurous on gorgeous tracks like "Boundary Rider" with its mechanical beat and the folky "Finding You." After their long career both together and apart, Australia's greatest song writing team made their final work together one of their best. All the uncommon beauty of their early work is continued with even more maturity and mastery worthy of the same praise as their better known albums. When paired with the memory of McLennan's untimely death it can get a real emotional response.
4. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Worn Copy
Okay, I am bending the rules a bit. With self-releases versus wide releases it is a real gray area and there will be more of it tomorrow. I just feel very compelled to include Ariel Pink's early work, and this somehow feels more correct. Though he has achieved a lot of success, Pink is a true outsider. He is an insane person who has recorded twisted music on his own for years and has only achieved more recognition than his idol and collaborator R. Stevie Moore due to his location. This is one of his best albums, even if spotty. Catchy songs like "Jules Lost His Jewels," "Credit" and "Immune To Emotion" got people listening, but his more extended pieces reveal his rare talent for psychologically torturous and frighteningly personal music like "Life in L.A." and the opening epic "Trepanated Earth." The latter even verges on prophet rock, which is fully explored on his dystopian future tale "Artifact," with the horrifyingly plausible, "then the terrorists spread the plague through computer screens and we died/ and they erased what was left of the West - just a shopping mall." Life-changing stuff if you can get hip to Pink's humor and lo-fi eccentricity.
3. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
Here's one of those major freshman year records. It even made its way to a somewhat embarrassing trip to see them, but that still ranks among one of the best performances I have ever seen. On the last album with Chris Cohen the San Francisco group makes a true highlight with their experimental tendencies being seamlessly incorporated into some of their most focused songs giving this the feel of a true rock and roll classic more than just a quirky piece of indie pop. With Matsuzaki and Cohen switching instruments the dynamics have shifted slightly, but they are as unified as ever and give the album a distinguishable sound and let the rhythm lead these songs more than ever. Speedy as always, and without the choppiness often distracting on their other records this one lives up to its title like a rushing adventure though its twenty tracks. Naturally the proggy "Running Thoughts" carries that theme the best, but the Deerhoof song most likely to be a hit, "O'Malley Former Underdog" serves that purpose just as well. Easily the best thing Deerhoof has made.
2. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
The album which's promo sticker has been attached to this very laptop for 8 years was the Texas group's commercial peak and just another one of their great pieces of modern indie rock. It's a Spoon album and while they may not create a new exciting sound for each release, strong songs, and perfect perfection are always to be expected and delivered. With the success of "The Way We Get By" the hopes were pretty high on this one, and still they prove themselves more than just a pop group aiming for the mainstream with the moody opener "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" and carry on with the somewhat dark overtones on "The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine." It still propelled them to some more recognition with the rhythmic "I Turn My Camera On" and the incredible nostalgia of "Sister Jack." The sides of pop, nostalgia, and slightly mysterious even come together in perfect harmony on "I Summon You," making this a contender for Spoon's greatest work.
1. Animal Collective - Feels
Okay, so speaking of the whole freshman year thing, at a place like Emerson Animal Collective might as well have been the Beatles. Unfortunately that turned me off them them for several years, but not until after the release of this masterpiece. It did give their detractors some fodder as this is their most blissed-out hippie-fied record. Despite that it is one of their best and the belief that it is the best is completely respectable. The return of Geologist and Deakin could have been deadly, but this album shows that the Collective is at their best when full. As a result there is more electric guitar, natural percussion and rapidly changing layers and atmospheres. Loose and jammy, it still has plenty to seep into the memory like any great pop song, with "The Purple Bottle" and closer "Turn Into Something" having especially strong melodies. The atmospheric moods also grow with the likes of "Bees" and "Loch Raven" with "Banshee Beat" taking that style into more song-oriented territory. The childlike energy of the last album is taken even further with lead single "Grass" with its thudding drums giving the band a helpful boost of organic energy. With the incorporation of outsiders on piano and violin the legendary band's musical range expands as much, or possibly more than their fanbase on this landmark album. Unquestionably the year's best.
2006 possibly tomorrow, possibly Thursday. Might need some time, but considering that I had to change this list when I found out one of the top records was actually released in 2006, so yeah, probably easier...
10. The Quarter After - The Quarter After
One of the best bands and releases out of the BJM camp, this band is led by Rob Campanella's brother Dominc and features reliable BJMer as a member and producer. This is one of the best Byrds-inspired psych of the day with its jangling Rickebackers and California harmonies. It is more energetic than a lot of the other imitators, making it sounds like it came right out of Laurel Canyon at its prime. With the increased artist control that independent labels and production allow in the 00s, it does include an extended jam, but Campanella's songwriting is the true star especially on "Always Returning" and closing track "Everything Again." Perfect for fans of psychedelic folk pop with lots of tambourine who will take classic songs over forced originality.
9. Beck - Guero
People who love Beck saw this as something of a disappointment, and the ones who don't really get it saw it as a return to form. That is because it is what those unfortunate souls saw as a "normal" Beck album, in the vein of Odelay, even ruiniting him with the Dust Brothers. It may not stand up to that one, but it is a good summation of his talents and mixes them all together. On closer listen it is more focused on a single sound than that. It is largely danceable, despite some fairly dark material in the miss. Still, "Hell Yes"is one of his greatest dance tracks of the decade and opener "E-Pro" successfully aims for the same kind of rock as "Devil's Haircut." With bluesy overtones and plenty of hip-hop it does deliver what the mainstream wants out of the troubled artist, but its best asset is his playful observation of the more down to earth side of Los Angeles on "Qué Honda Guero."
8. Patrick Wolf - The Wind in the Wires
This young and unusual Anglo-Irish singer-songwriter may have his his peak on his sophomore release. As his new hair color suggests it takes a very dark tone, though one perhaps no darker than on his debut. He plays nearly all the instruments with arrangements rarely so simple in such a technique, and keeping in the highly personal tone of the album. He moves away from the more twisted themes of wolves, pedophilia, and self-mutilation, but still is not cheapened by the flamboyance of later work by having a rare sincerity on his Celtic folk-electronic hybrid. His potential at mixing these old world styles with modern sensibility is shown to be even greater than previously indicated ranging from tracks like opener "The Libertine" (the one most like the debut) to the gentle "The Gypsy King" and the heavy industrial sound of "Tristan." The final track is the real star, though. "Land's End" is his greatest song, highly personal yet relatable and pointing toward a new direction. Sadly it was not as good as the pervious one.
7. Sigur Rós - Takk...
Though their most typically proggy, the Icelandic band's first release after heightened exposure in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is their most accessible work. It might be the return to proper titles, but I think it is their ability to compress their talents into shorter, more concise pieces. Tempos are some of their fastest and songs are shorter, but little of what made their previous records is lost. There may not be as much build and atmosphere, but it makes the album easier as a casual listen, rather than something that needs some preparation. The group dynamics function as well as ever and even as the instruments are closer together and notes rub shoulders, the music has the same mesmerizing power it always did. This album is particularly strong in the way of keys and drums, with my friends who saw them in this era always focusing on the drummer's performance. For those afraid of their slower masterpieces, I always recommend this one, "Sæglópur," which I consider to be one of their best songs. The title translates to "Thanks..." for what that's worth.
6. The Bats - At The National Grid
This year several artists reformed, reinvented, or just emerged with a more mature sound, and the Kiwi pop legends were one of the best examples with this, their first in ten years. They sound as great as ever, with a more laid back sound capturing the natural beauty of their home country along with the melancholy of their growing age. Their folk rock is as tight and lively as ever even without the youthful energy of Daddy's Highway beginning with "Western Isles" and hitting a peak with "Bells," surely one of their prettiest songs of all. Kaye Woodward proves she is as vital to the band as ever with her composition "Mir" and her stunning leads throughout, particularly on "The Flowers and The Trees." The Bats also show they are still capable of their dark moods on "The Pre-War Blues," a slowly tense pop song that evokes the gathering of dark clouds, even coming from their green and peaceful island. An unexpected return to form and the beginning of the second (or more for several members) part of amazing musical career.
5. The Go-Betweens - Oceans Apart
Similarly, another legend from down under made this new classic, their third since the reunion and sadly their last. Really just a project for Robert Forster and Grant McLennan there is little left to be desired as the pair's song writing talent has not faded at all. Some of the greatest songs are included here beginning with Forster's intense ode to rail travel "Here Comes A City," one of many songs about travel and beautiful scenery. As if he somehow knew of his untimely demise, McLennan is particularly strong and adventurous on gorgeous tracks like "Boundary Rider" with its mechanical beat and the folky "Finding You." After their long career both together and apart, Australia's greatest song writing team made their final work together one of their best. All the uncommon beauty of their early work is continued with even more maturity and mastery worthy of the same praise as their better known albums. When paired with the memory of McLennan's untimely death it can get a real emotional response.
4. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Worn Copy
Okay, I am bending the rules a bit. With self-releases versus wide releases it is a real gray area and there will be more of it tomorrow. I just feel very compelled to include Ariel Pink's early work, and this somehow feels more correct. Though he has achieved a lot of success, Pink is a true outsider. He is an insane person who has recorded twisted music on his own for years and has only achieved more recognition than his idol and collaborator R. Stevie Moore due to his location. This is one of his best albums, even if spotty. Catchy songs like "Jules Lost His Jewels," "Credit" and "Immune To Emotion" got people listening, but his more extended pieces reveal his rare talent for psychologically torturous and frighteningly personal music like "Life in L.A." and the opening epic "Trepanated Earth." The latter even verges on prophet rock, which is fully explored on his dystopian future tale "Artifact," with the horrifyingly plausible, "then the terrorists spread the plague through computer screens and we died/ and they erased what was left of the West - just a shopping mall." Life-changing stuff if you can get hip to Pink's humor and lo-fi eccentricity.
3. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
Here's one of those major freshman year records. It even made its way to a somewhat embarrassing trip to see them, but that still ranks among one of the best performances I have ever seen. On the last album with Chris Cohen the San Francisco group makes a true highlight with their experimental tendencies being seamlessly incorporated into some of their most focused songs giving this the feel of a true rock and roll classic more than just a quirky piece of indie pop. With Matsuzaki and Cohen switching instruments the dynamics have shifted slightly, but they are as unified as ever and give the album a distinguishable sound and let the rhythm lead these songs more than ever. Speedy as always, and without the choppiness often distracting on their other records this one lives up to its title like a rushing adventure though its twenty tracks. Naturally the proggy "Running Thoughts" carries that theme the best, but the Deerhoof song most likely to be a hit, "O'Malley Former Underdog" serves that purpose just as well. Easily the best thing Deerhoof has made.
2. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
The album which's promo sticker has been attached to this very laptop for 8 years was the Texas group's commercial peak and just another one of their great pieces of modern indie rock. It's a Spoon album and while they may not create a new exciting sound for each release, strong songs, and perfect perfection are always to be expected and delivered. With the success of "The Way We Get By" the hopes were pretty high on this one, and still they prove themselves more than just a pop group aiming for the mainstream with the moody opener "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" and carry on with the somewhat dark overtones on "The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine." It still propelled them to some more recognition with the rhythmic "I Turn My Camera On" and the incredible nostalgia of "Sister Jack." The sides of pop, nostalgia, and slightly mysterious even come together in perfect harmony on "I Summon You," making this a contender for Spoon's greatest work.
1. Animal Collective - Feels
Okay, so speaking of the whole freshman year thing, at a place like Emerson Animal Collective might as well have been the Beatles. Unfortunately that turned me off them them for several years, but not until after the release of this masterpiece. It did give their detractors some fodder as this is their most blissed-out hippie-fied record. Despite that it is one of their best and the belief that it is the best is completely respectable. The return of Geologist and Deakin could have been deadly, but this album shows that the Collective is at their best when full. As a result there is more electric guitar, natural percussion and rapidly changing layers and atmospheres. Loose and jammy, it still has plenty to seep into the memory like any great pop song, with "The Purple Bottle" and closer "Turn Into Something" having especially strong melodies. The atmospheric moods also grow with the likes of "Bees" and "Loch Raven" with "Banshee Beat" taking that style into more song-oriented territory. The childlike energy of the last album is taken even further with lead single "Grass" with its thudding drums giving the band a helpful boost of organic energy. With the incorporation of outsiders on piano and violin the legendary band's musical range expands as much, or possibly more than their fanbase on this landmark album. Unquestionably the year's best.
2006 possibly tomorrow, possibly Thursday. Might need some time, but considering that I had to change this list when I found out one of the top records was actually released in 2006, so yeah, probably easier...
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