80) Kathleen Edwards - Failer
Edwards' first full-length commercial release is about as good as debut albums get. Full of fictional (?) first-person accounts and nuggets of what are presumably bigger stories, Failer revolves around Edwards' smokey vocals and songs of personal frustration and human shortcomings.
Kathleen Edwards - One More Song the Radio Won't Like
Kathleen Edwards - Lone Wolf
79) Damien Jurado - Ghost of David
Taking the bleak storytelling a bit further, Jurado, in his minimal folksy way, sings of death, fear, and all that other good stuff. The standout track is "Tonight I Will Retire," a song that is so simple, yet so devastating.
Damien Jurado - Tonight I Will Retire
78) Cool Hand Luke - I Fought Against Myself
The transitional album between their scream-tacular ...So Far EP and the more subdued (though just as passionate) introspective Wake Up, O Sleeper (which set the tone for the remainder of their releases), I Fought Against Myself is full of extremes. It's aggressive, then bare. Obvious, then subtle. Comforting, then convicting.
Cool Hand Luke - Numbing Agent
77) My Hotel Year - The Composition of Ending and Phrasing
Post-power pop, if there is such a genre. In Composition they hit the big chords, but mix it up with starts and stops and time signature changes. MHY were lumped in with all the other faux-emo bands of the late '90s/early '00s, but their tightness and dang-good music separated them from the others.
My Hotel Year - Key Exchange
76) Ted Leo + the Pharmacists - The Tyranny of Distance
A bit of a throwback, but still adequately bringing the rock, the music of Ted Leo hearkens back to the times of old-school punk. Sometimes you have to keep it pozzie. (Although "The Gold Finch and the Red Oak Tree" is surprisingly tender.)
Ted Leo + the Pharmacists - Squeaky Fingers
Ted Leo + the Pharmacists - Gold Finch and the Red Oak Tree
75) Benoit Pioulard - Précis
Cluttered with sound, though not distractingly so, Précis is an exercise in acoustics and loops, melodies and repetitions. It sounds pretentious and European, but Benoit Pioulard is really just a guy from Michigan. Nothing out of Michigan is too pretentious to enjoy.
Benoit Pioulard - Triggering Back
Benoit Pioulard - Palimend
74) The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
Modern prog-rock, yet restrained and catchy enough to thoroughly enjoy. Lots of fodder for SAT word definitions.
73) Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
With elements of Appalachia folk and Americana permeating their music, Grizzly Bear is too hazy and experimental to be either. Imagine guitars and xylophones and autoharps and banjos and ethereal voices all floating in the midst of a looming cumulonimbus cloud.
Grizzly Bear - Lullaby
72) Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
The band's only full-length release (so far, they've been working on a new one for years), Myths is psychedelic, groovy, rockin', and dance-worthy disco fun. Personally, it makes me want to visit other planets, but only if their primary heat sources are glowsticks.
Klaxons - Golden Skans
71) Denison Witmer - Carry the Weight
Witmer has steadily given in to the 70s singer/songwriter influences he always mentions in interviews and live performances. His least whiny album, Witmer channels his inner Jackson Browne and Carly Simon to create a great collection of mellow California-folk tunes.
Denison Witmer - One More Day
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
2000-2009:90-81
90) Damien Jurado - On My Way to Absence
Musically this sounds like a positive album. Jurado softly croons through most of the songs, lulling the listener with acoustic guitars and reserved pianos and gentle percussion. It's all very serene. But then, of course, you tune into the lyrics and suddenly your whole world is devastated. And just to make sure your soul is adequately crushed he scalds you with surprising vitriol in the song "Icicle." So awesome.
Damien Jurado - White Center
Damien Jurado - Icicle
89) Chris Staples - Blackest Hair, Bluest Eyes
Not quite lo-fi, not quite hi-fi, Christ Staple's first (and so far only) commercial solo release is a mid-fi exploration of mid-western Americana folk rock. A few tracks can be found on his previous two self-produced independent releases, but if you're like me you own all three anyway.
Chris Staples - Blackest Hair, Bluest Eyes
88) Uncle Bob Drives a Combine - Episode III: The Journey Begins
This album is a mind-boinking trip. Episode III tells the story of a man who heads for the city, meets his robot spirit guide (?!) and is eventually befallen by calamity. The music is one part Western soundtrack, one part grindcore, one part sci-fi, and one part... farm. It all comes together to form a killer brain hemorrhaging experience.
Uncle Bob Drives a Combine - Interlude V: Moo!
87) Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
The most relaxing music ever. Gonzalez's voice is gentle, his guitar is gentle, and his songs are perfectly and subtly crafted. Most surprising is his heart-squeezing rendition of "Heartbeats," originally done by the sharp Swedish electronic duo The Knife.
86) Frank Black and the Catholics - Black Letter Days
A good collection of solid catchy, bluesy (but not the blues), acoustic and plugged-in rock. It made the dissolution of the Pixies easier to tolerate, although they're back together now so it really doesn't matter. Everybody wins.
Frank Black and the Catholics - Chip Away Boy
85) Ozma - Rock and Roll Part Three
From their first full-length studio album, Ozma delivers the nerdy power-pop. The best and worst lyric you'll ever hear, from "Apple Trees":
Ozma - Shooting Stars
Ozma - Battlescars
84) Suffering & the Hideous Thieves - Real Panic Formed
From the very first track (about anti-depressants!) to the last (an eleven-minute lyrical foray into emotional self-torture following the disintegration of a relationship), Real Panic Formed is an unhappy, though probably very necessary, listening experience.
Suffering & the Hideous Thieves - The Other Side of the Moon
Suffering & the Hideous Thieves - Sex is Dead
83) Air - Pocket Symphony
The music of Air is very chill and is the perfect soundtrack to anything. Driving? Eating? Love-making? Dying? Any given song from Pocket Symphony has it covered.
Air - Once Upon a Time
82) Extol - Synergy
Synergy, when it was first released, was a severe departure for the band musically. Suddenly Extol was a thrash metal band instead of a black metal one. For better or worse, due to this shift the songs of Synergy are more accessible than the ones found on their previous albums. Regardless of how this effects you as a metal-head, be assured that their metal-playing abilities were not diminished. Not in the slightest.
Extol - Grace for Succession
81) Songs: Ohia - Didn't It Rain
Minimal and dreary, this album showcases Jason Molina's excellent song-crafting abilities. A rung below Americana, a rung above folk, a rung with some blues influence, and a rung unremoved from indie lo-fi, these tunes are deceptively difficult to define but enthralling to hear.
Songs: Ohia - Two Blue Lights
Musically this sounds like a positive album. Jurado softly croons through most of the songs, lulling the listener with acoustic guitars and reserved pianos and gentle percussion. It's all very serene. But then, of course, you tune into the lyrics and suddenly your whole world is devastated. And just to make sure your soul is adequately crushed he scalds you with surprising vitriol in the song "Icicle." So awesome.
Damien Jurado - White Center
Damien Jurado - Icicle
89) Chris Staples - Blackest Hair, Bluest Eyes
Not quite lo-fi, not quite hi-fi, Christ Staple's first (and so far only) commercial solo release is a mid-fi exploration of mid-western Americana folk rock. A few tracks can be found on his previous two self-produced independent releases, but if you're like me you own all three anyway.
Chris Staples - Blackest Hair, Bluest Eyes
88) Uncle Bob Drives a Combine - Episode III: The Journey Begins
This album is a mind-boinking trip. Episode III tells the story of a man who heads for the city, meets his robot spirit guide (?!) and is eventually befallen by calamity. The music is one part Western soundtrack, one part grindcore, one part sci-fi, and one part... farm. It all comes together to form a killer brain hemorrhaging experience.
Uncle Bob Drives a Combine - Interlude V: Moo!
87) Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
The most relaxing music ever. Gonzalez's voice is gentle, his guitar is gentle, and his songs are perfectly and subtly crafted. Most surprising is his heart-squeezing rendition of "Heartbeats," originally done by the sharp Swedish electronic duo The Knife.
86) Frank Black and the Catholics - Black Letter Days
A good collection of solid catchy, bluesy (but not the blues), acoustic and plugged-in rock. It made the dissolution of the Pixies easier to tolerate, although they're back together now so it really doesn't matter. Everybody wins.
Frank Black and the Catholics - Chip Away Boy
85) Ozma - Rock and Roll Part Three
From their first full-length studio album, Ozma delivers the nerdy power-pop. The best and worst lyric you'll ever hear, from "Apple Trees":
"Take a number like 5, times 10, times 10 again.Rock and Roll is full of goofy lines like that. Also, track four is a big blatant ode to Natalie Portman. It's called "Natalie Portman."
500 miles of apple orchards to defend."
Ozma - Shooting Stars
Ozma - Battlescars
84) Suffering & the Hideous Thieves - Real Panic Formed
From the very first track (about anti-depressants!) to the last (an eleven-minute lyrical foray into emotional self-torture following the disintegration of a relationship), Real Panic Formed is an unhappy, though probably very necessary, listening experience.
Suffering & the Hideous Thieves - The Other Side of the Moon
Suffering & the Hideous Thieves - Sex is Dead
83) Air - Pocket Symphony
The music of Air is very chill and is the perfect soundtrack to anything. Driving? Eating? Love-making? Dying? Any given song from Pocket Symphony has it covered.
Air - Once Upon a Time
82) Extol - Synergy
Synergy, when it was first released, was a severe departure for the band musically. Suddenly Extol was a thrash metal band instead of a black metal one. For better or worse, due to this shift the songs of Synergy are more accessible than the ones found on their previous albums. Regardless of how this effects you as a metal-head, be assured that their metal-playing abilities were not diminished. Not in the slightest.
Extol - Grace for Succession
81) Songs: Ohia - Didn't It Rain
Minimal and dreary, this album showcases Jason Molina's excellent song-crafting abilities. A rung below Americana, a rung above folk, a rung with some blues influence, and a rung unremoved from indie lo-fi, these tunes are deceptively difficult to define but enthralling to hear.
Songs: Ohia - Two Blue Lights
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
2000-2009:100-91
100) Hopesfall - The Satellite Years
Though a far-cry from Frailty of Words and No Wings to Speak Of, The Satellite Years is still full of melodicore goodness. "The Bending" continues to be one of my all-time favorite songs.
Hopesfall - The Bending
99) Death Cab For Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
Released March of 2000, this is DCFC's second full-length release. The songs are soft and creamy and, at the right times, bouncy. Gibbard is a great songwriter when he's paying attention.
Death Cab For Cutie - For What Reason
Death Cab For Cutie - Lowell, MA
98) Sunny Day Real Estate - The Rising Tide
From the band's final album (so far... they've reunited this past summer and people keep talking about new material), The Rising Tide is tight and explosive. It does lack the rawness that made their previous albums emotional rollercoasters to listen to. Nevertheless, a weak SDRE is mightier than most anybody's strongest anything.
Sunny Day Real Estate - Snibe
97) The Gloria Record - Start Here
Though active for eight years, The Gloria Record released exactly one full-length album before splitting for other endeavors. This is that record, and it is golden. Despite the dense sonic richness of the music, these songs evoke human fragility. Highlights include "Ascension Dream," a song about intense regret after running over a deer.
The Gloria Record - Ascension Dream
The Gloria Record - Good Morning Providence
96) Starflyer 59 - Old
Starflyer 59 is probably the most consistent band in the world, at least in terms of musical quality and the regularity of new content. As Starflyer's been known to linger in low-tempo ranges, Old is full of mid-to-up-tempo tunes to catch the ear of finicky new listeners. Also, lots of peculiar atmospheric elements.
Starflyer 59 - Underneath
95) Goldfrapp - Supernature
Not disco, but certainly disco-inspired. For whatever it's worth I've heard samples of this album used on TV a lot. The groovy tunes are danceable and the ballads are dreamy. Great stuff.
94) Elevator Division - Years
A staple in the KC music scene for a while, ED played downcast rock that retained enough pop sensibilities (read: HOOKS) to keep the listener perpetually engaged. They put on great live shows and served to remind us what good music is all about. It looks like you can get a used copy of Years through Amazon for $0.01 (+shipping, of course). That's a good buy.
Elevator Division - Radio
Elevator Division - Rearview Mirror
93) Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
On the complete opposite end of the music spectrum is Deerhoof. Zany, quirky, and frantic (and very much musically capable) Deerhoof toned it down slightly for Friend Opportunity. While this made them more accessible, it did little to deter the band's awesomeness.
Deerhoof - +81
92) David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
Released in September, Bazan's long-awaited full-length album did not disappoint. More sonically diverse than anything he did with/as Pedro the Lion, Bazan still sings about the hardest subjects, holding the ugly mirror to our faces while we try to ignore the things that wreck us.
David Bazan - Please, Baby, Please
91) Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates
This is MtB's first full-length album, released in 2002. The song-titles have nothing to do with the music itself, and all they really sing about are girls and booze. Still, they do it so well.
Minus the Bear - Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!
Though a far-cry from Frailty of Words and No Wings to Speak Of, The Satellite Years is still full of melodicore goodness. "The Bending" continues to be one of my all-time favorite songs.
Hopesfall - The Bending
99) Death Cab For Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
Released March of 2000, this is DCFC's second full-length release. The songs are soft and creamy and, at the right times, bouncy. Gibbard is a great songwriter when he's paying attention.
Death Cab For Cutie - For What Reason
Death Cab For Cutie - Lowell, MA
98) Sunny Day Real Estate - The Rising Tide
From the band's final album (so far... they've reunited this past summer and people keep talking about new material), The Rising Tide is tight and explosive. It does lack the rawness that made their previous albums emotional rollercoasters to listen to. Nevertheless, a weak SDRE is mightier than most anybody's strongest anything.
Sunny Day Real Estate - Snibe
97) The Gloria Record - Start Here
Though active for eight years, The Gloria Record released exactly one full-length album before splitting for other endeavors. This is that record, and it is golden. Despite the dense sonic richness of the music, these songs evoke human fragility. Highlights include "Ascension Dream," a song about intense regret after running over a deer.
The Gloria Record - Ascension Dream
The Gloria Record - Good Morning Providence
96) Starflyer 59 - Old
Starflyer 59 is probably the most consistent band in the world, at least in terms of musical quality and the regularity of new content. As Starflyer's been known to linger in low-tempo ranges, Old is full of mid-to-up-tempo tunes to catch the ear of finicky new listeners. Also, lots of peculiar atmospheric elements.
Starflyer 59 - Underneath
95) Goldfrapp - Supernature
Not disco, but certainly disco-inspired. For whatever it's worth I've heard samples of this album used on TV a lot. The groovy tunes are danceable and the ballads are dreamy. Great stuff.
94) Elevator Division - Years
A staple in the KC music scene for a while, ED played downcast rock that retained enough pop sensibilities (read: HOOKS) to keep the listener perpetually engaged. They put on great live shows and served to remind us what good music is all about. It looks like you can get a used copy of Years through Amazon for $0.01 (+shipping, of course). That's a good buy.
Elevator Division - Radio
Elevator Division - Rearview Mirror
93) Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
On the complete opposite end of the music spectrum is Deerhoof. Zany, quirky, and frantic (and very much musically capable) Deerhoof toned it down slightly for Friend Opportunity. While this made them more accessible, it did little to deter the band's awesomeness.
Deerhoof - +81
92) David Bazan - Curse Your Branches
Released in September, Bazan's long-awaited full-length album did not disappoint. More sonically diverse than anything he did with/as Pedro the Lion, Bazan still sings about the hardest subjects, holding the ugly mirror to our faces while we try to ignore the things that wreck us.
David Bazan - Please, Baby, Please
91) Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates
This is MtB's first full-length album, released in 2002. The song-titles have nothing to do with the music itself, and all they really sing about are girls and booze. Still, they do it so well.
Minus the Bear - Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!
Monday, November 23, 2009
2000-2009:110-101
The span between 2000 and 2010 were, historically, a peculiar set of years. This was my generation's decade and appropriately they were, event-wise and life-wise, culturally and personally, highlighted by the highest of highs and marred by the lowest of lows.
The soundtrack to our decade is adequately representational and, fortunately enough, supremely enjoyable. Musically the Aughts far exceeded the nonsense that was the Nineties.
Unfortunately I was not able to slim down my top picks to the best five or ten or twenty. I counted 110 albums that were absolutely necessary to include on this best-of list. Be happy I ranked them for you. I usually don't do that. So, for the next several weeks we are going to take a listen back at the albums (compact disc, vinyl, or otherwise) that made the last ten years tolerable.
I know there are a vast number of superb LPs, EPs, Internet-only releases, etc., that never crossed my ears. I can't listen to everything. I have better things to do. So what we have are my personal picks that, in some way or another, moved me, shook me, and/or dropped me dead. These are collections of songs that worthy to be shared and enjoyed by others.
110) mewithoutyou - [A-->B] Life
The band's first blistering release. While the band continues to be awesome, they've never thrown punches as hard as they did with A-to-B. En Francais, even.
mewithoutyou - Bullet to Binary.
109) Living Sacrifice - Hammering Process
Released in 2000, Hammering Process set the bar in br00tality. Most other songs from most other albums sound pithy in comparison.
Living Sacrifice - Bloodwork.
108) Arcade Fire - Funeral
Our first Canadians on the list. Quebecois at that. An Indie darling, at least until Neon Bible was released, Funeral is pleasantly dense, lulling but ungentle, and anthemic.
Arcade Fire - Wake Up.
Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).
107) Dntel - This Is The Dream of Evan and Chan
As this is a single containing five versions of the same song, I am probably cheating here. I completely don't care. A lot of remixes don't do justice to the original. But these remixes, as they build on the themes and elements of "Evan and Chan," remain true while simultaneously exploring the bounds of the song. Track 6, "Your Hill," is a keeper as well.
Dntel - (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan.
Dntel - (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan [Barbara Morgenstern Remix].
106) St. Vincent - Actor
Marry Me was excellent. This follow-up is more excellenter. Angular, catchy, bizarre but familiar, Actor illustrates how and why Annie Clark is new American Kate Bush.
St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work.
St. Vincent - Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood
105) The New Pornographers - Challengers
The New Pornos got serious with Challengers while still maintaining the sugeryness that made their previous albums sparkle. The only thing I could have asked for was more Neko Case voicebox. But then it would have been a Neko Case album, and there already are a couple of those to come.
The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbour.
104) Ladytron - Velocifero
Picking up where Witching Hour left off, Velocifero is a catchy cool display of electro-rock fuzz. Two songs are sung in Bulgarian, which I think is fantastic as Bulgaria is vastly underrepresented in the modern indie rock scene.
Ladytron - Black Cat.
103) Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
They may be Joy Division rip-offs, but if you are going to rip-off a band it might as well be a good one. Bright Lights is tic-toc steady and a little more goth (in the early-80s punk sense of the word) than anybody wants to admit.
Interpol - NYC
Interpol - Obstacle 2.
102) Mouse Fire - Wooden Teeth
These hooks are so killer that the corpses are still bobbing their heads. Pop-rock with a furled brow. Pop-rock without the frills.
Mouse Fire - Feel Good Drag
101) Beach House - Beach House
Haunting and bendy, like lucidly finding ones' self in a dream. They say their follow-up, Devotion, is even better, but I haven't had a chance to listen to that one yet, and my list is already made, so self-titled it is!
Beach House - Master of None
Beach House - Auburn and Ivory
The soundtrack to our decade is adequately representational and, fortunately enough, supremely enjoyable. Musically the Aughts far exceeded the nonsense that was the Nineties.
Unfortunately I was not able to slim down my top picks to the best five or ten or twenty. I counted 110 albums that were absolutely necessary to include on this best-of list. Be happy I ranked them for you. I usually don't do that. So, for the next several weeks we are going to take a listen back at the albums (compact disc, vinyl, or otherwise) that made the last ten years tolerable.
I know there are a vast number of superb LPs, EPs, Internet-only releases, etc., that never crossed my ears. I can't listen to everything. I have better things to do. So what we have are my personal picks that, in some way or another, moved me, shook me, and/or dropped me dead. These are collections of songs that worthy to be shared and enjoyed by others.
110) mewithoutyou - [A-->B] Life
The band's first blistering release. While the band continues to be awesome, they've never thrown punches as hard as they did with A-to-B. En Francais, even.
mewithoutyou - Bullet to Binary.
109) Living Sacrifice - Hammering Process
Released in 2000, Hammering Process set the bar in br00tality. Most other songs from most other albums sound pithy in comparison.
Living Sacrifice - Bloodwork.
108) Arcade Fire - Funeral
Our first Canadians on the list. Quebecois at that. An Indie darling, at least until Neon Bible was released, Funeral is pleasantly dense, lulling but ungentle, and anthemic.
Arcade Fire - Wake Up.
Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).
107) Dntel - This Is The Dream of Evan and Chan
As this is a single containing five versions of the same song, I am probably cheating here. I completely don't care. A lot of remixes don't do justice to the original. But these remixes, as they build on the themes and elements of "Evan and Chan," remain true while simultaneously exploring the bounds of the song. Track 6, "Your Hill," is a keeper as well.
Dntel - (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan.
Dntel - (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan [Barbara Morgenstern Remix].
106) St. Vincent - Actor
Marry Me was excellent. This follow-up is more excellenter. Angular, catchy, bizarre but familiar, Actor illustrates how and why Annie Clark is new American Kate Bush.
St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work.
St. Vincent - Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood
105) The New Pornographers - Challengers
The New Pornos got serious with Challengers while still maintaining the sugeryness that made their previous albums sparkle. The only thing I could have asked for was more Neko Case voicebox. But then it would have been a Neko Case album, and there already are a couple of those to come.
The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbour.
104) Ladytron - Velocifero
Picking up where Witching Hour left off, Velocifero is a catchy cool display of electro-rock fuzz. Two songs are sung in Bulgarian, which I think is fantastic as Bulgaria is vastly underrepresented in the modern indie rock scene.
Ladytron - Black Cat.
103) Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
They may be Joy Division rip-offs, but if you are going to rip-off a band it might as well be a good one. Bright Lights is tic-toc steady and a little more goth (in the early-80s punk sense of the word) than anybody wants to admit.
Interpol - NYC
Interpol - Obstacle 2.
102) Mouse Fire - Wooden Teeth
These hooks are so killer that the corpses are still bobbing their heads. Pop-rock with a furled brow. Pop-rock without the frills.
Mouse Fire - Feel Good Drag
101) Beach House - Beach House
Haunting and bendy, like lucidly finding ones' self in a dream. They say their follow-up, Devotion, is even better, but I haven't had a chance to listen to that one yet, and my list is already made, so self-titled it is!
Beach House - Master of None
Beach House - Auburn and Ivory
Sunday, November 22, 2009
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