Written by willshoob on Wednesday, 30 of December , 2009 at 4:34 pm
I asked a few Tape friends to give us some list characterizing any aspect of their year in music, so I’ll be posting them in the upcoming days. The first one is from Nat Baldwin, the wonderful solo artist and extremely talented bassist for Dirty Projectors. Since he was on tour basically the entire year, he didn’t have time to listen to enough new music to justify making a list, so here are his favorite live shows of 2009:
bon iver - paramount theater, austin TX
beach house - oya fest, oslo norway
deer tick - bowery ballroom, NYC
liturgy - glasslands gallery, brooklyn NY
lucky dragons - scala, london UK
grizzly bear - williamsburg waterfront, brooklyn NY
little wings - aladdin theater, portland OR
david byrne - bonneroo, tennessee
givers - chelsea’s, baton rouge LA
tune-yards - bluebird theater, denver CO
TV on the radio - 930 club, washington DC
micachu and the shapes - SXSW austin TX
julianna barwick - bowery ballroom, NYC
extra life - glasslands gallery, brooklyn NY
crazy dreams band - market hotel, brooklyn NY
sam mickens - death by audio, brooklyn NY
kurt weisman - buoy gallery, kittery ME
skeletons - sneaky dee’s, toronto CAN
what’s up - holocene, portland OR
here we go magic - union pool, brooklyn NY
I’m familiar with almost all of these bands, but I was unaware of Julianna Barwic and Crazy Dreams Band before this list. If you have some time, make sure to check these two out, for they make some pretty rad music. Once again, thanks to Nat for participating in our fun little game.
Nat Baldwin- One Two Three
Category: Miscellaneous
Written by ashkap on Monday, 28 of December , 2009 at 4:44 pm
DC’s fresh son had a talk with the Tape, laying down his story and some of the ideas behind his music. Our discussion of DC, LA, the music industry, and the art of hip hop went on for over half an hour, so we condensed it into something that we hope is a portrait of Rueben Rockwell.
The Tape: So, you grew up in DC?
RR: Yeah, Washington DC, 8th and H to be exact. To give you a little history on the neighborhood, H street starts in the White House and ends in my neighborhood. A tunnel runs straight from the White House down H street. It’s the president’s hidden tunnel. And WOL, the independent black owned radio station, is right on 4th and H. DC was cool. I’m a public school kid, my mom was a teacher, and I grew up while DC was like engulfed in the Reaganomics era. The criminals kind of dominated that era, and I was kinda a baby in that, a success story out of that. My life is the opposite of that.
The Tape: One of your tracks is all about a man named Rayful, so tell us a little about him.
RR: Rayful Edmond, damn that go back to my neighborhood. Rayful Edmond grew up a couple blocks from my street, like a mile away, on a street called Orleans Place. It’s right across the street from the only deaf university I think in the world… I think there’s one more in Europe. It’s a whole university of deaf kids, on this whole strip of Orleans that’s the most terrible strip in history. Rayful was a smart dude, he was voted in high school most likely to do anything, the man could have done whatever he wanted, he could have been Bill Gates but he was a young millionaire off the drugs, off the streets, and he left a fucked up impact on the community. So it’s like Rayful was like the Tupac or the Jay-Z of that era, and you know, he was kind of like a legend, but every dog got they day. He end up turning a state’s witness and telling on everybody, telling on a bunch of people. It was one of the biggest stories in my environment growing up, even though his era was over, it was all folklore about Rayful Edmond.
The Tape: Where do you get inspiration for your music?
RR: Well, what I try to do is take influences from other music and my experiences in life, and maybe even just things that I aspire to be or lifestyles I aspire to live. Yeah, there’s definitely a message in my music, even if the message may not be like a “save the children” message or something. I’m painting a picture and directing you through it. I feel like, you know, even if I do got songs that’s street or about the block its just based on my experience, its not glorifying anything. In every interview, I take a chance to say that those were some of the worst choices and worst times of my life. I was out there makin bad choices, you know, just a kid makin bad choices. But now I can paint the picture. I use life as the backdrop
The Tape: Your newest tape is called Reaganomics 202
RR: Yeah, it’s the second installment of these mixtapes I’m about to put out in 2010, I got Reaganomics 101 and this is Reaganomics 202. The production is from these guys called the Hitboys, and THX who’s a west coast producer. I been blessed to get some hip little production for these tapes, I also got a lot of soulful, Isaac Hayes style. When you press play you automatically entrenched in what I’m talking about, so if it’s a song about me riding through the city you right there riding next to me, and I mean the shit is dope you know. Its definitely, in my eyes at least the bare minimum of where the product need to be at. Especially comin out of my town, being that it’s already a market there and there’s so much energy around hip hop out there. It’s rare anywhere in America, and in DC they got that vibe going on. So because of that I’ma give some music away and have some up for retail.
The Tape: What are your plans for the future?
RR: Basically, I’ma put out these two mixtapes and something out for retail, and actually I applied to the Musicians Institute (Since the interview, Rueben was accepted into the Musicians Institute program) and with that hopefully I’ll be able to get around the labels. To be honest with you it’s such an untapped market where I’m coming from, I’d rather do it independent, and not get dropped from the top. Like this dude WALE, he had more promotion and publicity than most veteran rappers, and the label dropped the ball, they didn’t translate his myspace friends into record sales. You need a grassroots presence if you wanna sell some records. Not hatin on nobody, but I’m gonna take it on my shoulders to bridge the markets. Hip hop is 24/7. It’s bigger than just retailing, and I walked away from that industry. If the material is timeless, it will always sell. It will always be wanted. As soon as the material is garbage, it’s over.
And finally, the tracks. While “Got Money?”, and especially “Loosing Myself wouldn’t be out of place at the top of the charts, “Can It Be?” is a smooth track that reveals a different side of Rueben Rockwell.
Category: Miscellaneous
Written by gzabriel on Monday, 28 of December , 2009 at 4:30 pm
I almost made this a top 10 albums list, and I almost had enough top albums to fill the spaces. But in the end, I figured that naming Zombielicious or Moderat my favorite album, simply because I listened to them the most, and excluding the “real” best albums (Girls’ Album, Merriweather Post Pavillion, Bitte Orca, Veckatimest) would be somehow wrong. I also felt I had more to say about the songs of this year than the albums. So here goes.
10. Miike Snow - Animal
Miike Snow put out an awesome album this year, which, I must confess, I didn’t listen to enough. Burial, Black and Blue, A Horse Is Not a Home, are all great songs, but none surge with the youthful and naïve energy of Animal, whose offbeat stabs still deceive my perception of where the fuck the downbeat is to this day.
9. Duck Sauce - aNYway
Yes it’s true, this song is basically this song, which is a little disheartening when you realize that all A-trak and Armand Van Helden have added is a few drum samples and chopped up the arrangement. Honestly though, the blatant sampling is so tongue in cheek and so joyful (see: the music video) in its acknowledgment of a funk classic that I can’t help but forgive it. This song has the proven potential to make everyone from everywhere boogie, and for a dance track, that’s a pretty good achievement.
8. Major Lazer - Pon De Floor
I remember seeing a video of Diplo and Switch playing this at Fader Fort at SXSW and being half perplexed and half in love with this strange new riddim. The military snare rolls? The pitchbent vocal sample? What the hell does pon de floor mean? Why is the kick drum not 4/4? All of these questions and more raced through my head, but I knew I needed the track. It may have aided in creating a certain acceptability in having the drop of a tune be nothing but a squeaky synth line with a big kick drum (to be fair, we had it coming. [I'm looking at you Crookers and Harvard Bass]) but Pon De Floor still gets me as excited as it did the first time.
7. Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo
Joy Orbison was a big name this year, and his remix of Love Cry almost made this list, but in its place is Hyph Mngo. With its 2step percussion, unintelligibly chopped vocal sample, and pulsating organ swirls, Hyph Mngo captures a certain nocturnal energy that is just infectious. Even in the height of dubstep/brainfeeder fever, the jilted percussion seems fresh, and the bass is huge without being overwhelming and aggressive. There’s a certain mastery to the way Orbison weaves these decidedly familiar sounds into something that feels so fresh and organic, and I’m really looking forward to what else he has up his sleeve.
6. Siriusmo - High Together
Speaking of fresh, remember when you first heard Justice? Remember how “new” Waters of Nazareth sounded at the time, and how mind blowing those huge distorted monsters of synthesizers were (dwarfed only by the huge stacks of fake Marshalls). I feel that way about High Together. I’ve always known Siriusmo was a freaky funky genius of a German, but never has it been as startling as when I heard High Together. Instantly there was this gap created between Siriusmo and all other Justice wannabe’s, and frankly, all other dance music. High Together is alive and beautiful, and I hope that magical “first listen” quality never disappears.
5. Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity Of Huge
It happened with a few other tracks this year (Who’s There, Pon De Floor, Jeffer, Bangkok) that sensation of “I have to have this right now”. Usually however, that sensation fades mere moments after you acquire the track in question, Audacity of Huge defies that for me. Chris Keating’s surreal, bizarre, and badass lyrics still pulse with as much swagger and groove as they did when I first watched sneakers dripping silver paint (or crank). James and Jas’ production is as crisp and impeccable as ever, and the song just works, and boy does it work.
4. Guillaume and The Coutu Dumonts - The Pussy Shepard
A very late addition to the list, and to be honest, a strange one. I stumbled upon this track over here and quickly fell in love. It may not sound like much at first, the eclectic percussion section led by a looping bongo and cowbell, but once that organ comes in; heaven. Suddenly the track sounds like the clouds just parted, and the sun is an understanding soul singer telling you the secrets of the world and happiness as you lay post-nap midsummer on the first day of your rebirth as a member of the church of eternal groove. I don’t really know what the vocalist is saying yet, but it’s impossibly moving. Even though the song is over 10 minutes long, it doesn’t last long enough, and by the time those subtle yet soaring organs fade, you’ll be wanting to hear it again.
3. Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Waves (Chilly Gonzales Remake)
The original was really awesome, true, but what professional entertainist Gonzales brings to this collaboration by two dance music giants far surpasses the original. It’s so simple that it’s remarkable I haven’t heard it before, a piano remake of a dance track, and it’s executed perfectly. The arpeggios of the original, squiggly and anemic on their own, become anthemic and ethereal skeletal structures for Gonzales to play around with his ridiculous piano chops. Add in some haunting backing vocals and bingo, perfection.
2. Florence And The Machine - You’ve Got The Love (The xx Remix)
It takes a lot for a remix to make its way into the number 2 spot for best song of 2009, but this one has a lot going for it. The xx’s album was one of my favorites this year, and though I admit not listening to Florence and The Machine’s, I can safely say that this is better than both their respective outputs. The off kilter percussion skitters around while the sultry vocal interplay between the xx’s Oliver and Romy coupled with the poignant instrumentation of a harp and bells take this track to another level. Evocative, haunting, and catchy, you’ll get shivers when you hear those chimes slooooowly fade in.
1. Big Boi ft Gucci Mane - Shine Blockas
I couldn’t believe it when I first heard this song, how could something be this good? It was absolutely amazing, the type of song that makes you feel on top of the world. Many many listens in, and it’s still the same feeling. The euphoria is indescribable, I love this song. FREE GUCCI!
Category: Miscellaneous
Written by willshoob on Sunday, 27 of December , 2009 at 6:08 pm
Couple Tracks is a wonderful Fucked Up compilation put together by Matador. The two disc set takes rare and/or unreleased Fucked Up tracks and divides them into one of two sections: “The Hard Stuff” and “The Fun Stuff.” A lot of the tracks are unreleased 7″ songs, b-sides, Daytrotter session tracks, and outtakes from their latest record, Chemistry Of Common Life. The record consists of 25 tracks in total, 5 of which have never been released in any shape or format. Couple Tracks hits stores January 26th, and if you’re a fan of Fucked Up, it’s a must buy. You can pre-order the record right here, or right here if you prefer giving us a commission (LP or CD).
DISC ONE - THE HARD STUFF
1. No Pasarán (A-side of first 7″, Deranged, 2002)
2. Neat Parts (7″ Version) (B-side of Triumph Of Life 7″, Peter Bower, 2006)
3. Generation (7″ Version) (A-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
4. Ban Violins (B-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
5. Dangerous Fumes (A-side of Dangerous Fumes 7″, self-released, 2005)
6. Triumph Of Life (7″ Version) (A-side of Triumph Of Life 7″, Peter Bower, 2006)
7. Fixed Race (B-side of Humos Peligrosos 7″, La Vida Es Un Mus, 2006)
8. Toronto FC (from Hard Skin split 7″, No Future, 2007)
9. Black Hats (B-side of Year Of The Pig 12″, What’s Your Rupture?, 2006)
10. David Christmas (A-side of David Christmas 7″, Hidden World, 2007)
11. No Epiphany (Fast Version) (unreleased Chemistry Of Common Life outtake, intended for No Epiphany 7″, Matador, 2009)
12. Crooked Head (Video Version) (unreleased edit of track from Chemistry Of Common Life, 2008)
DISC TWO - THE FUN STUFF
1. I Hate Summer (B-side of Crooked Head 7″, Matador, 2008)
2. Teenage Problems (B-side of Dangerous Fumes 7″, self-released, 2005)
3. Carried Out To Sea (unreleased demo version of song from Hidden World, 2006)
4. Looking Back (B-side of Shop Assistants 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
5. Anorak City (Another Sunny Day cover, B-side of Year Of The Pig UK edit 7″, Matador, 2008)
6. I Don’t Want To Be Friends With You (A-side of Shop Assistants 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
7. Mustaa Lunta (B-side of Year Of The Pig Japanese edit 7″, Matdaor, 2008)
8. Dream Come True (B-side of Dolly Mixture 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
9. Magic Kingdom (B-side of Generation 7″, Slasher, 2005)
10. Magic Word (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Chemistry Of Common Life song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)
11. Last Man Standing (Year Of The Dog Version) (from Year Of The Dog 12″, Blocks Recording Club, 2006)
12. He’s So Frisky (A-side of Dolly Mixture 7″, self-released giveaway at Toronto show, 2006)
13. David Comes To Life (Daytrotter Version) (unreleased version of Hidden World song from Daytrotter Session, 2008)
Fucked Up- No Epiphany
Fucked Up- Looking For God
Category: Albums
Written by pistachionut on Friday, 25 of December , 2009 at 6:17 am
Here’s wishing everyone a fantastic Christmas and a great New Year!
Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!
Category: Miscellaneous
Written by willshoob on Thursday, 24 of December , 2009 at 3:41 pm
Lifter Puller was Craig Finn’s project before The Hold Steady existed. The band has just re-released all of their very underrated records, all outfitted with bonus tracks and fun trinkets of that nature. Lifter Puller made music that’s pretty similar to what The Hold Steady do now. Craig Finn was still the lovable, witty front man he is today. These records are really fun, all filled with short, catchy yet aggressive pop songs. If you’re unfamiliar with the band, here’s a bit of backstory:
Lifter Puller was a rock band from Minneapolis. They existed in various line ups from 1994 to 2000. Lifter Puller was formed when Craig Finn moved back to his hometown of Minneapolis after graduating college. At first the band was heavily influenced by early 90s indie rock such as Pavement, Archers of Loaf, Sebadoh, etc. As years went on, they developed a style of their own. Lifter Puller released three full length albums, one EP, and a number of singles. They toured sporadically and largely unsuccessfully. After breaking up, the band received a great deal of interest and acclaim, leading to well received reunion shows in San Francisco, New York, and Minneapolis. In the early 2000s band members Craig Finn and Tad Kubler landed in New York City and formed The Hold Steady.
The releases consist of Slips Backwards (17 tracks of singles, non-album tracks, and two live recordings from D.C.’s Black Cat in 2000 – one of the band’s final shows), Lifter Puller, Half Dead And Dynamite, The Entertainment And Arts EP , and Fiestas & Fiascos . Pitchfork recently put up a video on their website that was an hour long set from an old Lifter Puller show. I don’t know if the video is still up, but if it is I highly recommend you watch it. Download a track from Fiestas & Fiascos below, as well as one from Half Dead And Dynamite. Merry Christmas Eve y’all.
Lifter Puller- To Live And Die In LBI
Lifter Puller- Space Humpin’ $19.99
Category: Albums
Written by willshoob on Wednesday, 23 of December , 2009 at 12:25 pm
I’m not so into posting about these news bits anymore, but this is quite intriguing. The mysterious Swedish group that blew minds with jj nº 2, have announced that US label Secretly Canadian will be putting out jj nº 3 in March, with help from Sincerely Yours. Their isn’t too much info on the new record other than that it’ll be released March 9th in the US, and that it’s called jj nº 3. The band will also be making their first US appearance with The xx, which should be a great show. Check those dates out below, along with a track from jj nº 2.
Tour Dates
3/22 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
3/23 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree
3/24 Atlanta, GA - The Earl
3/25 Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle
3/28 Washington, DC - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
3/29 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
3/30 Brooklyn, NY - Knitting Factory
3/31 New York, NY - Webster Hall
4/02 Boston, MA - Paradise
4/03 Montreal, QC - Le National
4/04 Toronto, ON - Lees Palace
4/05 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center
4/06 Bloomington, IN - Buskirk-Chumley Theater
4/08 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
4/09 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
4/12 Bellingham, WA - The Nightlight Lounge
4/13 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
4/14 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
4/16 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
jj- Ecstasy
Category: Albums, News
Written by pistachionut on Tuesday, 22 of December , 2009 at 8:04 pm
My toplist for 2009 is really unsettled in spots 1-5. I feel obligated to put Bitte Orca at number one, but my heart tells me Miike Snow deserve the spot. Their debut was the album I listened to most this year (besides the perennials Enema of the State and Pinkerton), and Matt and Kim’s second effort, Grand kept me going all summer. But upon revisiting all the albums, one rose slightly above the rest. It was a really strong year. A lot of the choices I have in the teens would’ve made my top ten list last year, but without further rambling, here are my choices, 25 through 1.
25. Karen O and the Kids - Where The Wild Things Are OST
Karen O’s freak folk soundtrack takes the movie to another level, and stands out on its own as an impressive body of work.
24. Major Lazer - Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do
“Pon De Floor” was ubiquitous. Diplo and Switch’s union was inevitable, and it’s exciting to see such a quality product. Not to mention this album gave us some of the years best videos.
23. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
MPP was not everything it was cracked up to be. “My Girls” became a cliche, as did calling Animal Collective your favorite band.
22. Gui Boratto - Take My Breath Away
Boratto’s second album elaborates his tech-house roots. Big kick drums and minimal melodies are abound.
21. Wavves - Wavvves
2009 was an interesting year for Nathan Williams. He rose up a little too quickly, and fell down in Barcelona. His live shows with Zach Hill have been pretty great, post-meltdown.
20. Tiga - Ciao!
Ciao! is Tiga’s follow-up to the highly acclaimed Sexor and features a bunch of fun guests. Soulwax and Gonzales did some production on the album. Ciao! also gave us another brilliant video, the Tim and Eric-esque “Shoes.”
19. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
My favorite “noise rock” release of the year, Post-Nothing is simultaneously heavy hitting and incessantly charming. More accessible than No Age, but still way fuzzier than The Hold Steady.
18. Atlas Sound - Logos
Bradford Cox’s solo project is a fun diversion from Deerhunter. The Noah Lennox feature, “Walkabout” is one of the top songs of the year, and really develops a sound that was hard to avoid in 2009. Listen to it and you’ll know.
17. Yuksek - Away from the Sea
In a year where dance music moved away from the slap bass driven sounds of Justice and towards the warble and annoyance of Crookers and the Bloody Beetroots, Yuksek brought back the disco roots. “So Down” featuring Chromeo was one of the most overlooked tracks of the year, it should’ve been an instant classic.
16. Passion Pit - Manners
Following last year’s emblematic Chuck of Change EP, Angelakos & co. put out a debut full length that met the expectations. Maybe too much cheese and pop for some, but Manners’ charm is present in every children’s choir sample.
15. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
A big year for Alan Palomo, releasing an EP and an album as Neon Indian, and a brand new EP as Vega. Psychic Chasms takes the glossy shine of Ghosthustler (Palomo’s previous project) and applies it to glo-fi melodies and squelchy synthlines. Also has really rad album art.
14. Siriusmo - The Uninvited Guest
Similar to Yuksek’s album, Siriusmo’s offering provides just enough of that slap-bass driven groove to make your butt shake ever so slightly. “High Together” is the best dance track of 2009, (sorry “Pon De Floor) and if you listen to it, you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.
13. Deastro - Moondagger
I place Moondagger this high in part because of Deastro’s other releases this year. The Grower EP is a brilliant instrumental collection at the intersection of Dntel and chiptune. Moondagger is a full-band project, and features Chabot’s vocals on every track. He takes the base built on the Grower EP and adds melodies and vocal lines that kinder memories of Wolf Parade and Spencer Krug.
12. Girls - Album
Christopher Owens’ story is harrowing. An ex-member of the Children of God cult, Owens channels his journey into 12 beautifully old school tracks. From the starting gates, “Lust for Life” pulses with Brian Wilson chord structures and Jeff Magnum whines. It doesn’t have any sour notes, and the good notes ring for the entire 45 minutes.
11. Volcano Choir - Unmap
Justin Vernon’s side-project, collaborating with Collections of Colonies of Bees, is his equivalent of the Postal Service. I didn’t expect to like this album at all, I didn’t want to have anything to do with “Woods” when it was on the Blood Bank EP. Somehow though, when it comes full circle on “Still,” I get shivers. It’s a very interesting complement to Bon Iver, and makes a very lasting impression.
10. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
There’s something about the way they irreverently riff on the Cure, Belle and Sebastian and Galaxie 500 all at once that just makes me smile. Their well executed fuzz-pop comes from a good place, and it doesn’t feel artificial. Their Higher Than The Stars EP was also really solid, and to be honest, pushes this up a little farther up on my list than it should be.
9. Joe Goddard - Harvest Festival
Another overlooked album, the solo project from Hot Chip’s keyboardist and backup singer’s debut may appear gimmicky at first. While yes, all the song titles are fruit themed, each delivers complex percussion and skillful production. The one song with vocals (other than the “Party and Bullshit” sample on “Go Bananas”) is a standout. “Lemon and Lime (Home Time)” could easily end a Wes Anderson film.
8. Discovery - LP
I loved the collaboration between Ra Ra Riot’s Wes Miles and Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij the minute I first heard “Osaka Loop Line.” Their album is a quick one, 10 songs (8 originals, 2 covers) weighing in at 30 minutes. The covers, one of Ra Ra Riot’s own “Can You Tell?” the other being a version of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” (recorded before MJ’s death) both fit perfectly in with the vibe of the album. They sit flush with the original tracks, which offer some pretty nice guests themselves. Dirty Projector’s Angel Deradoorian sings on “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” and VW’s own Ezra Koenig lends his voice on “Carby.” The album does feel very cohesive, and it’s a really fun, summery sound. It also has some of the best album art, front and back.
7. Matt and Kim - Grand
It seemed to me almost impossible to follow up Matt and Kim’s self-titled debut. When “Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare” came out via RCRD LBL, I got a little bit dubious. I didn’t want Matt and Kim to stray from the vintage synth sounds they employed oh so well. My worries were immediately dispelled with the release of “Daylight,” a song so great with a piano lead, it doesn’t need a cheesy bass riff to carry it along. The rest of the album more than makes up for that lack of vintage bass, with “Cutdown” and “Lessons Learned” being fist-pumping anthems. Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino are shameless about their love for their hometown of Brooklyn, but I’d like to think they have a small place in their hearts for LA, too. They bring the energy when they play live in Los Angeles like few bands I’ve seen. I have nothing but high praise for these two.
6. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This album gave me two of my favorite songs of the year. “1901″ and “Lisztomania” are perfect pop-songs, continuing from the tradition set with It’s Never Been LIke That. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a great body of work. I don’t have much more to say other than that it just works. Thomas Mars & co. just make it sound so easy and so simple. Everything melts down into their melodies, and their songs just won’t leave you alone.
5. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
This album had the most hype out of anything I listened to this year. I suffered through the crappy leak just to get my grubby little hands on non-live versions of “Two Weeks” and “While You Wait for the Others.” Veckatimest met the entirety of its expectations, building off Yellow House and bringing “indie-folk” into the public eye. Aside from the aforementioned tracks, there are some non-single standouts. “About Face” is a beautiful work, as is album closer “Foregroun,” neither of which gained much traction after the release. Regardless, the boys released a stellar followup, and the best third album since Neon Bible. [I'm counting the first Arcade Fire EP as an album for comparison's sake. Deal.]
4. The XX - XX
Some of the guitar lines sound like Explosions in the Sky riffs. The XX take the haunting beauty and resonance of those riffs and apply them to New Order-inspired songs with the vocal style of a mellower Karen O. I must admit I didn’t “get” this album until a few weeks ago. It hit me around the time I listened to their cover of Florence + The Machine’s “You’ve Got The Love.” If that was on the album, this ranking would be even higher, maybe even at #1. The Pitchfork review noted that there was no standout track, but that’s wrong. “VCR,” “Crystalized,” and “Islands” all have the power to be huge hits, (in the UK at least) given the right amount of play on BBC Radio 1. It’s one of the most unique albums to come out this year, pioneering a sound that didn’t quite exist before. The XX created it for their own purposes, now let’s wait and watch the rip-offs begin.
3. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Everyone’s instant #1 didn’t do as much for me as it was supposed to. Yes, it’s a great album, but it’s not the life changing magnum opus some have claimed it to be. The songs are incredibly well written, and impeccably performed, but on the whole I felt like there was just something missing that my #1 and 2 albums could give me. Bitte Orca is almost hollow, for me it didn’t get better with time. I “got” it at first listen, and it didn’t have any more gifts to give me after that. That all being said, based on the raw material on this album, it’s still in the top 5. I’m not hating, by any means.
2. Miike Snow - Miike Snow
This one shocked me as much as it might shock anyone who reads this. I doubt this album is on anyone else’s Top 10, Top 25 or maybe even Top 50 list this year. But there’s something about this album that “does it” for me in the way that Bitte Orca could not. It’s a primally satisfying pop record, each song constructed with such delicacy and care. The production technique is improbably good, but we’re dealing with the same two guys who made the beat for “Toxic.” The album does not let up, dipping below 110 BPM only twice, once for “Burial” and yet again for, “Plastic Jungle.” It’s the perfect 21st century pop album, and very definitive of the sound of pop music in 2009. It’s what you hear on the radio, just done right.
1. Dan Deacon - Bromst
I fell in love with Bromst before it came out. Pitchfork posted a video of Dan Deacon recording the album, using a player piano hook up to a midi send device, playing notes faster than humanly possible. Deacon’s quirkiness contrast and complement his classical composition perfectly, letting rhythms and melodies play in uncharted territories for experimental electronic music. “Snookered” is the top song of 2009, an 8 minute epic that builds and builds and never stops giving. It may be the perfect song of its type, Deacon perfecting his own form.
That is all for 2009, ladies and gentlemen. See you again next year, Beach House and Yeasayer are already in a fight for everyone’s favorite album of 2010.
Category: Albums, Miscellaneous, Reviews
Written by willshoob on Tuesday, 22 of December , 2009 at 10:10 am
Local Natives have been creating quite a buzz throughout the Los Angeles area as of late, getting compared to bands like Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, and Fleet Foxes. They’re playing a show tonight at the Echo with Chief, which should make for an excellent night. The band has their debut record, Gorilla Manor February 16th, courtesy of Frenchkiss. “Sun Hands” is an excellent first single, really giving listeners a chance to explore what the band is all about. Three part harmonies are an essential and wonderful part of the bands’ sound, which come courtesy of keyboardist Kelcey Ayer, guitarists Ryan Hahn and Taylor Rice. The vocals sound like Fleet Foxes with some real attitude, while the guitar and drum part subtly show some African and tribal influences.
The one criticism I often hear about this band is their lack of originality, and that they play to please the current indie crowd. While aspects of their sound may resemble something by any of the “big indie bands”, they spin these ideas into something completely their own. Even if they do sound like these bands, why would you complain? Everyone loves good music. Download “Sun Hands” below, and make sure to buy Gorilla Manor when it hits stores.
Gorilla Manor
01. Wide Eyes
02. Airplanes
03. Sun Hands
04. World News
05. Shape Shifter
06. Camera Talk
07. Cards And Quarters
08. Warning Sign
09. Who Knows Who Cares
10. Cubism Dream
11. Stranger Things
Local Natives- Sun Hands
Category: Albums, New Music
Written by hKWAP on Monday, 21 of December , 2009 at 12:06 am
Category: Albums, Miscellaneous
