This is it, the last singles entry. If there are glaring holes, let me know.
Cat Power-The Greatest
I'm counting this song, like the Strokes song, because (I think) it was released as a single in 2005. I don't think it's the best song on the album, but it very well may be the best single on the album. By no means am I normally a Cat Power fan; her songs are usually too slow, drawn-out, and nonmelodic for me to get into, even though I respect her. The new album, on the other hand, is full of lush, warm melodies, and Memphis-style instrumentation that accenuates her sexy purr. This song shows all of these great aspects of the album, and makes a perfect single from the early #1 album of 2006 (yes, better than Belle and Sebastian).
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-Ain't No Easy Way
If I were honest with myself and gave this album the number of listens that I would deep down want to, it would probably be in my top 25. Unfortunately, this release was overshadowed byt Junior Senior and Broken Social Scene, and kind of got lost in the shuffle. The album is so different from the first two BRMC albums, and the changes are so many things that I like: gospel-rock ballads, a (faux) bohemian feel, garage influences. This song is a fun romp, something that sounds timeless, or at least a good imitation of something timeless. I know that the aesthetic of BRMC is always change and "fake," but so was the Dandy Warhols' aesthetic before they started sucking, so are all the Ryan Adams albums, and so was the Strokes' aesthetic. I like fake sounds, as long as they are well done, and this song is a perfect example of a sound being captured to perfection.
Okkervil River-A Stone
This song is the most glaring exception to my fun-goofy-song theme for the year in singles. It is emotional, serious, almost melodramatic. I love it for emotional, serious, and melodramatic reasons. The last verse puts me to the edge of tears, when I'm in the right mood. Taken within the album it is much more meaningful, and maybe "For Real" is a better single, but this song blows me away. It is the perfect album track on a near-perfect album, one that shakes with emotioanl content without exploding into gross emo shit, one that is powerful without destroying itself.
Revolution 9-Computer Girl/Computer Girl [Erotic Robotic Remix]
Now that i've given the exception, let me return to the rule. This song is undeniably the zaniest, funniest, you-very-well-might-not-like-it goofiest song on the list. The lyrics are absurd and laughable, the beats are so new wave it's gross, and the guy's vocals sound like he's in a Soft Cell tribute band. I love it. The remix is great too, so I included it here (it also has a great remix name). The song's premise is perfect for a dance song: the speaker is in love with a female robot made for his pleasure, and he explains how great she is. You have to hear it to believe it, so i'll just close with a sample lyric "She can make me laugh / though she doesn't have / any funny bone / underneath." I'm laughing now.
Sigur Ros-Hoppipolla
Sigur Ros certainly wasn't a band that is single-friendly at all. Until this song. In the case of the new album it was the single that hooked me and drew me in to the rest of the soundscapes. That isn't supposed to happen with avant-garde European bands like Sigur Ros. I'm glad it did, though. Beautiful vocals, as always.
Ryan Adams-Trains
In 2005 Ryan Adams was all over the map, in both content and (sigh) quality (I'll write an entry about this later). For me, Jacksonville City Nights was undeniably the highlight of the year: an album full of honky-tonk anthems, pretty lullabyes, and country romps like this one. The hook is great, the lyrics are entertaining if not genuine or heartbreaking (ha!). The rhythm of the song, though, really drives it to the end and brings me back for more; I like where Ry-Ry went with this song and this album, and hope he explores it more before running off and doing something completely different.
Bloc Party-Banquet [Phones Disco Edit]
Wow. Everyone loves this song, whether they are crazy music geeks or first-time listeners. You can play it for your parents, your girlfriend, a frat guy, a high school girl, and your little brother, and they should all like it. I love it. The original is a very good song, but Phones makes it magic. This was the undeniable favorite at SCHOLARTRON, as expected; as the song closed, someone shouted in my ear: "that song kicked my ass." For a short while, everyone in the room was brought together by a song that everyone could appreciate; a song that does that has to be something special.
Royksopp-What Else is There? (Trentemoller Remix)
This is one of the songs that the pitchfork year-end list would have been good for. Unfortunately for pitchfork and fortunately for me, thanks to Dan, I had already heard this song many times and already fallen in love with it. I have never really gotten into Royksopp (I know Dan would kill me for this, but I've never heard him listen to Jesus and Mary Chain, so we're even). Still, the few songs I've heard of theirs I like enough. This song I love; the beats are crazy, the vocals are perfectly used, the song is wonderfully mature. I've decided that what separates a great remix from a good remix is the details; on repeat listens all the little things make this track so great, from the background synths to the great beats on the fade out. This is a fairly rave-y song, but it is so good to make me reconsider the worth or rave-techno music.
Antony and the Johnsons-Hope There's Someone
My favorite track of the year is somewhat an anti-climaz; it's so obvious. What a beautiful song. I fell in love with it as soon as I heard it, but the emotional atmosphere of the winter/spring 2005 was too much for me to handle this song, so I didn't listen to it all the time. In the early summer I was somewhat better equipped to handle it, although the raw emotion and sadness still made me uncomfortable. Then, on the first day of Depauw in the fall, I finally just let the song in, embraced it; it was during a nap, and I had some crazy dreams, only to be woken by the piano poundings at the end of the song. From then on, it was done; this song was it. I know I'm sounding somewhat evangelical talking about this song, but that's how it makes me feel: it's something so beautiful and powerful that you want to go out and share it with other people. I guess that's why I listen to pop music instead of go to church.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
2005 Singles, Pt. 4
Andrew Bird-Fake Palindromes
Ok, ok, I like Andrew Bird. His songs are well-written, his lyrics are some of the best out there, and he can whistle. Why don't I love him? I couldn't tell you; maybe it's the same reason I don't even really like Sufjan, despite repeated listens. Maybe I have an aversion to sensitive bookish indie-pop singer/songwriters. That would explain the Decemberists, too. Nevertheless, I do love this song, it's beautiful, fun, intelligent, etc. When I went to Intonation, I almost bumped into Andrew Bird. It's a good thing I didn't, because I might have broken him; the man needs to eat. I wasn't a big enough fan to brave the heat and stand in the sun, but I did sit back in the shade and enjoy his show. That's how I feel about this song; it's the gleam of greatness that I can appreciate from an artist that I don't connect with so much.
OK Go-Oh Lately it's so Quiet
I really don't like OK Go at all; I disliked the first album and I think the new one is worse. The only reason I ever heard this album track is because I knew the album needed to go on the radio and I was checking for singles. Nevertheless, this song blew me away then, and it still does now; that sexy falsetto is wonderful. The lyrics are great, too, and vivid, something I wouldn't expect from almost any sexy song, let alone an OK Go one. This song serves as an excellent personal reminder that even bad bands can make great songs, and that even bad albums can have great songs. I'm glad I caught this one, especially since other people with similar tastes as mine probably wouldn't have. This song will make appearances on mixtapes for years to come, I imagine.
Devendra Banhart-Chinese Children
Banhart songs never fail to puzzle me with their lyrics, and this one is no exception. The difference here is, though, that this is perhaps the catchiest song he has written, which gives me a lot more time to puzzle over it. Combine that with my studying Chinese nonstop at school, and you've got a Michael hit. Are all children Chinese children? Is Devendra wanting to adopt? Is he ridiculing the banality of nation seperation? Is he just talking nonsense? Whatever it is, I'm glad ol' Devendra went with this combination of tune and content; it made for one of the better songs I heard this year.
Spoon-I Turn My Camera On
Perfect falsetto, fun, intelligent, grows with repeat listens. You all know this song, and I don't have anything new to say about it.
Junior Senior-Can I Get Get Get
It's almost impossible for me to pick one song from this album to include here, but at least one is necessary. The difficulty is that at one point just about every song on this album has been my favorite song; it's one of those albums. I chose this one because it's so dancey, and that seems to be one of the general themes for my favorite singles of the year. 2005 musically was, with a few exceptions, a year where people could get back to being goofy, could stop being serious. Of course Wolf Parade and Okkervil River don't exactly fit that mold, but Franz Ferdinand, the Fiery Furnaces, Gorillaz, Jamie Lidell, etc, all decided to have fun this year, and we all had fun with them. The epitome of this is Junior Senior, and the epitome within their album is "Can I Get Get Get." Just before the wonderful chorus, there is a back and forth between Senior and a female; she keeps repeating "I don't do that kind of thing," and he responds each time. Right before the chorus, Senior's response is "Let's go!"; he knows that she is going to follow his suit and have a good time. Whatever you might feel about goofy dance music, this song is as ambivalently irresistable as Senior's beckoning
within it.
The Cribs-Hey Scenesters!
All of a sudden it's become really cool for hipster musicians to make fun of hipster fans (see "Playboy," Art Brut, LCD Soundsystem). I like it now, although I could see myself getting really sick of it soon. Nevertheless, this otherwise mediocre garage rock band does the same thing on a less cool level, instead attacking more of a British mag-reading Strokes-listening scenester (as ooposed to a pitchfork-reading, animalcollective-listening hipster). Although I am friends with people closer to this second indie kid, and am probably more like him now, I grew up in high school more like the first. I am still a sucker for mediocre garage rock bands like this one, and I love that this band's best song is calling me out on it. It only makes me love it more; now back to hiding those Mooney Suzuki CDs.
Jason Forrest-War Photographer
Wow, a better single than anything from the last fantastic album. How can this be? How can this be? Neat video, too, although it's no "Stepping Off."
Wolf Parade-Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts
Yes, this is my favorite Wolf Parade song; make what you will of that. I think that Wolf Parade sound best when they sound like their name: a parade of wolves. The group certainly howls and almost marches throughout the song, and the lyrics back them up: haunting indeed. The vocals come out like barks, and I can almost feel the breath coming out of the speakers. All the bloggers love "I'll believe in Anything" becuase of its desperation, I think, and I appreciate this, but somehow this song sounds more desperate to me. Also, I like the album version much much more than the EP version; I never liked the song much before the album.
Broken Social Scene-7/4 (Shoreline)
It's hard for me to put into words how much I love the song. I'm pretty sure I first heard it live at Intonation, although now that I think of it I may have just placed that in my memory; I know that BSS played something new there. I downloaded the finished version as soon as it leaked, and it was done; I was in love. I even went back and listened to the unedited version, and even loved that one (I don't know what Pitchfork was thinking). Then, once I heard the album, the song meant so much more to me; it's more like a movement in the symphony that is the first half of BSS. Motifs and sounds barely appear in the song that show up later in the album. Lyrics make more emotional sense. I'm not going to say make more sense, because that would make the song seem a bit too clear; this song, like the album, is a messy affair, one could almost say muddled. But that's what's great about it; it's expansive, it's all over the place, it's beautiful. This is certainly in my top 5 singles of the year, and probably top 3.
Ok, ok, I like Andrew Bird. His songs are well-written, his lyrics are some of the best out there, and he can whistle. Why don't I love him? I couldn't tell you; maybe it's the same reason I don't even really like Sufjan, despite repeated listens. Maybe I have an aversion to sensitive bookish indie-pop singer/songwriters. That would explain the Decemberists, too. Nevertheless, I do love this song, it's beautiful, fun, intelligent, etc. When I went to Intonation, I almost bumped into Andrew Bird. It's a good thing I didn't, because I might have broken him; the man needs to eat. I wasn't a big enough fan to brave the heat and stand in the sun, but I did sit back in the shade and enjoy his show. That's how I feel about this song; it's the gleam of greatness that I can appreciate from an artist that I don't connect with so much.
OK Go-Oh Lately it's so Quiet
I really don't like OK Go at all; I disliked the first album and I think the new one is worse. The only reason I ever heard this album track is because I knew the album needed to go on the radio and I was checking for singles. Nevertheless, this song blew me away then, and it still does now; that sexy falsetto is wonderful. The lyrics are great, too, and vivid, something I wouldn't expect from almost any sexy song, let alone an OK Go one. This song serves as an excellent personal reminder that even bad bands can make great songs, and that even bad albums can have great songs. I'm glad I caught this one, especially since other people with similar tastes as mine probably wouldn't have. This song will make appearances on mixtapes for years to come, I imagine.
Devendra Banhart-Chinese Children
Banhart songs never fail to puzzle me with their lyrics, and this one is no exception. The difference here is, though, that this is perhaps the catchiest song he has written, which gives me a lot more time to puzzle over it. Combine that with my studying Chinese nonstop at school, and you've got a Michael hit. Are all children Chinese children? Is Devendra wanting to adopt? Is he ridiculing the banality of nation seperation? Is he just talking nonsense? Whatever it is, I'm glad ol' Devendra went with this combination of tune and content; it made for one of the better songs I heard this year.
Spoon-I Turn My Camera On
Perfect falsetto, fun, intelligent, grows with repeat listens. You all know this song, and I don't have anything new to say about it.
Junior Senior-Can I Get Get Get
It's almost impossible for me to pick one song from this album to include here, but at least one is necessary. The difficulty is that at one point just about every song on this album has been my favorite song; it's one of those albums. I chose this one because it's so dancey, and that seems to be one of the general themes for my favorite singles of the year. 2005 musically was, with a few exceptions, a year where people could get back to being goofy, could stop being serious. Of course Wolf Parade and Okkervil River don't exactly fit that mold, but Franz Ferdinand, the Fiery Furnaces, Gorillaz, Jamie Lidell, etc, all decided to have fun this year, and we all had fun with them. The epitome of this is Junior Senior, and the epitome within their album is "Can I Get Get Get." Just before the wonderful chorus, there is a back and forth between Senior and a female; she keeps repeating "I don't do that kind of thing," and he responds each time. Right before the chorus, Senior's response is "Let's go!"; he knows that she is going to follow his suit and have a good time. Whatever you might feel about goofy dance music, this song is as ambivalently irresistable as Senior's beckoning
within it.
The Cribs-Hey Scenesters!
All of a sudden it's become really cool for hipster musicians to make fun of hipster fans (see "Playboy," Art Brut, LCD Soundsystem). I like it now, although I could see myself getting really sick of it soon. Nevertheless, this otherwise mediocre garage rock band does the same thing on a less cool level, instead attacking more of a British mag-reading Strokes-listening scenester (as ooposed to a pitchfork-reading, animalcollective-listening hipster). Although I am friends with people closer to this second indie kid, and am probably more like him now, I grew up in high school more like the first. I am still a sucker for mediocre garage rock bands like this one, and I love that this band's best song is calling me out on it. It only makes me love it more; now back to hiding those Mooney Suzuki CDs.
Jason Forrest-War Photographer
Wow, a better single than anything from the last fantastic album. How can this be? How can this be? Neat video, too, although it's no "Stepping Off."
Wolf Parade-Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts
Yes, this is my favorite Wolf Parade song; make what you will of that. I think that Wolf Parade sound best when they sound like their name: a parade of wolves. The group certainly howls and almost marches throughout the song, and the lyrics back them up: haunting indeed. The vocals come out like barks, and I can almost feel the breath coming out of the speakers. All the bloggers love "I'll believe in Anything" becuase of its desperation, I think, and I appreciate this, but somehow this song sounds more desperate to me. Also, I like the album version much much more than the EP version; I never liked the song much before the album.
Broken Social Scene-7/4 (Shoreline)
It's hard for me to put into words how much I love the song. I'm pretty sure I first heard it live at Intonation, although now that I think of it I may have just placed that in my memory; I know that BSS played something new there. I downloaded the finished version as soon as it leaked, and it was done; I was in love. I even went back and listened to the unedited version, and even loved that one (I don't know what Pitchfork was thinking). Then, once I heard the album, the song meant so much more to me; it's more like a movement in the symphony that is the first half of BSS. Motifs and sounds barely appear in the song that show up later in the album. Lyrics make more emotional sense. I'm not going to say make more sense, because that would make the song seem a bit too clear; this song, like the album, is a messy affair, one could almost say muddled. But that's what's great about it; it's expansive, it's all over the place, it's beautiful. This is certainly in my top 5 singles of the year, and probably top 3.
Friday, December 23, 2005
2005 Singles, Pt. 3
Happy Christmas Eve, by the way
Stars-Calendar Girl
I'm not sure, but towards the beginning of the year this song stuck with me in an emotional way. It's not the lyrics, I don't think; they are a bit silly. Instead, it's the heartfelt vocals, the quiet accoustics, the feel of the song. There aren't that many songs that I like but can't describe why or how, probably saying something about an over-analytical approach to music and pleasure in general. This song is one of those exceptions, reminding me of times when I just liked music instead of thinking about whether I should or not.
Animal Collective-Banshee Beat
I know that this is Joel's favorite song of the year, and I know that the song that everyone else likes is "Grass." "Grass" is great, but I agree with Joel on this one; the song is sublime. Joel has some theory about the chord change and never being able to go back to the same chord again; I'm not sure what he's getting at, but the musical tension in the song is intriguing without being annoying. The song is pretty and anthemic, two words that don't usually apply to avant-garde music like Animal Collective. It's a keeper, and so are they.
Broadcast-Michael a Grammar
Yes, this is the second time in as many years that my favorite songs list includes a song with my name in the title (Last year: "Michael" by Franz Ferdinand). I think the attraction might be as simple as the song catches my attention; i feel like it is calling me, and in some very superficial way, it is. This song is catchy and creepy. An example: one snowy night in December, I returned to my duplex expecting it to be full of people. Instead of finding everyone though, I found no one in their rooms, and this tune floating through the duplex, like it was haunted: "Michael, Michael Michael". I felt like the Rapture had come, somehow, and I was being chastised for being a non-believer. The song in general has a similar effect on me, a feeling that I feel privy to, given my name.
Missy Elliott-We Run This
I've never loved a Missy album, but man can she make singles. This song is the only mainstream rap song I fell in love with this year, with a possible exception of "Kryptonite." The production on the track is brilliant and ambitious, the rhymes are party-tastic and catchy, the flow is smooth, and the hook is overwhelming. This is exactly what mainstream rap should sound like; likable but ambitious, in the center but far above so much else. Along with Outkast, I'm really glad Missy is popular; she gives me hope for the top 200.
Lou Barlow-Holding Back the Year
There aren't too many single musicians that I follow from band to band with the dedication as Lou Barlow (Malkmus is another example). This might be because few musicians hop bands as often as Barlow; from Dinosaur Jr to sebadoh to the folk implosion to the new folk implosion (the other half is Alaska!) to just plain Lou Barlow. I never completely absorbed the album until late in the year, but ever since I heard the lead-off single back in March (or February) I loved it. In Louisville, I had to make the decision of whether to buy Lou Barlow's CD or Archer Prewitt's; I picked Archer, and I still think his is the better album. Nevertheless, "Holding Back the Year" shows Barlow to have that glint of songwriting talent that Prewitt wishes he could; while Archer's genis lies in beautiful bridges, Lou can just plain write a melody.
Beck-Girl
I can't say enough about this song. First of all, it's a great pop song: the melody is killer, the production makes it widely listenable, and Beck's voice has never sounded better. Secondly, it's an ambitious pop song; the Dust Brothers put down some pop beats, yes, but add crazy fluorishes and details that reward repeat listens, and Beck's melody is equally rewarding. Thirdly, the lyrics are tantalizing; what is he saying? My what girl? Yes, the lyrics sheet has a blank before girl: "My _____ girl." That says it all: you fill in the blank; as Okkervil would say, "add your own intentions." The song is universal in the best way possible, both entertaining and interesting. P.S. The Octet remix is also great, taking the intrigue of the original and undemrining it; Beck's "tongue-tied" lyrics become a jumble of murmurings samples from throughout the song, while the ambiguous chorus takes a turn for the darker side.
Prefuse 73 feat. the Books-Pagina Dos
Yes, I love Prefuse Reads the Books, but I still think this is the best song of the meeting. Everyone has already said so much about this, so I won't; I'll just say I love this song, Prefuse adds something to the Books that made me really happy, etc. There's not much to say unless I want to write an essay.
The Strokes-You Only Live Once
When I first heard "Juicebox;" I became depressed in a way much more real than I'd like to admit. The Strokes, my ex-Rock-Saviors-turned-modern-music-heroes, had fucked up big time. Which made the beauty of this, the second leaked song, so much more important; I had renewed hope, I felt that things might not be so bad after all, maybe even good. As it turns out, it was neither; the album is like a mean between the first two tracks, the best and worst songs on the album. It's no Room on Fire, let alone Is This It, but, like life, the new album has its ups and downs. Maybe this is a little more realistic for the band that for me symbolizes rock and roll; it's not smart, it's not even good, but it has it's lovable moments. This is that moment in a nutshell.
Clor-Magic Touch
What a goofy fucking song. The vocals are laughable, the lyrics as well. "I wear clothes that get me noticed /They get me noticed in a good way." And yet the song somehow manages to be sexy. Goofy+Sexy=a great Michael single. The rest of the album may be full of "pop gems," as Joel says, shaking his head, but if I want pop gems I'll listen to Belle and Sebastian or something. I want goofy, I want embarrassing, I want weird. And this is it; the bridge, a huge blast of distortion in the middle of a dance song. What the fuck? That's what everyone sober enough might have thought when they heard this song in the middle of our dance party, SCHOLARTRON; me, I just kept dancing.
Hot Chip-Playboy
Another single in my top 5 of the year is this one. I laugh everytime I hear it: "Blazin' out Yo La Tengo Hey..." Thematically similar to last year's "Losing my Edge" (though not as clever), "Playboy" exposes the goofiness that any hipster has, nay, that the very idea of cool has. A couple of years ago, frustrated with people making fun of Badly Drawn Boy, I wrote an essay about how ridiculous "cool" music is. Of course I still buy into cool music; I listen to the Velvet Underground more than most people. The best part about the Hot Chip song, though, is that it is a cool, goofy song about how goofy "cool" is; the vocals are amazing, the beat is perfect, and the chorus melody is to die for. That may be some kind of meta-irony, but whatever it is, it is both goofy and cool. You could say the same thing about the Art Brut album, but let's face it; while their wit and goofiness may make them cool, they are not nearly as cool to begin with as Hot Chip.
Stars-Calendar Girl
I'm not sure, but towards the beginning of the year this song stuck with me in an emotional way. It's not the lyrics, I don't think; they are a bit silly. Instead, it's the heartfelt vocals, the quiet accoustics, the feel of the song. There aren't that many songs that I like but can't describe why or how, probably saying something about an over-analytical approach to music and pleasure in general. This song is one of those exceptions, reminding me of times when I just liked music instead of thinking about whether I should or not.
Animal Collective-Banshee Beat
I know that this is Joel's favorite song of the year, and I know that the song that everyone else likes is "Grass." "Grass" is great, but I agree with Joel on this one; the song is sublime. Joel has some theory about the chord change and never being able to go back to the same chord again; I'm not sure what he's getting at, but the musical tension in the song is intriguing without being annoying. The song is pretty and anthemic, two words that don't usually apply to avant-garde music like Animal Collective. It's a keeper, and so are they.
Broadcast-Michael a Grammar
Yes, this is the second time in as many years that my favorite songs list includes a song with my name in the title (Last year: "Michael" by Franz Ferdinand). I think the attraction might be as simple as the song catches my attention; i feel like it is calling me, and in some very superficial way, it is. This song is catchy and creepy. An example: one snowy night in December, I returned to my duplex expecting it to be full of people. Instead of finding everyone though, I found no one in their rooms, and this tune floating through the duplex, like it was haunted: "Michael, Michael Michael". I felt like the Rapture had come, somehow, and I was being chastised for being a non-believer. The song in general has a similar effect on me, a feeling that I feel privy to, given my name.
Missy Elliott-We Run This
I've never loved a Missy album, but man can she make singles. This song is the only mainstream rap song I fell in love with this year, with a possible exception of "Kryptonite." The production on the track is brilliant and ambitious, the rhymes are party-tastic and catchy, the flow is smooth, and the hook is overwhelming. This is exactly what mainstream rap should sound like; likable but ambitious, in the center but far above so much else. Along with Outkast, I'm really glad Missy is popular; she gives me hope for the top 200.
Lou Barlow-Holding Back the Year
There aren't too many single musicians that I follow from band to band with the dedication as Lou Barlow (Malkmus is another example). This might be because few musicians hop bands as often as Barlow; from Dinosaur Jr to sebadoh to the folk implosion to the new folk implosion (the other half is Alaska!) to just plain Lou Barlow. I never completely absorbed the album until late in the year, but ever since I heard the lead-off single back in March (or February) I loved it. In Louisville, I had to make the decision of whether to buy Lou Barlow's CD or Archer Prewitt's; I picked Archer, and I still think his is the better album. Nevertheless, "Holding Back the Year" shows Barlow to have that glint of songwriting talent that Prewitt wishes he could; while Archer's genis lies in beautiful bridges, Lou can just plain write a melody.
Beck-Girl
I can't say enough about this song. First of all, it's a great pop song: the melody is killer, the production makes it widely listenable, and Beck's voice has never sounded better. Secondly, it's an ambitious pop song; the Dust Brothers put down some pop beats, yes, but add crazy fluorishes and details that reward repeat listens, and Beck's melody is equally rewarding. Thirdly, the lyrics are tantalizing; what is he saying? My what girl? Yes, the lyrics sheet has a blank before girl: "My _____ girl." That says it all: you fill in the blank; as Okkervil would say, "add your own intentions." The song is universal in the best way possible, both entertaining and interesting. P.S. The Octet remix is also great, taking the intrigue of the original and undemrining it; Beck's "tongue-tied" lyrics become a jumble of murmurings samples from throughout the song, while the ambiguous chorus takes a turn for the darker side.
Prefuse 73 feat. the Books-Pagina Dos
Yes, I love Prefuse Reads the Books, but I still think this is the best song of the meeting. Everyone has already said so much about this, so I won't; I'll just say I love this song, Prefuse adds something to the Books that made me really happy, etc. There's not much to say unless I want to write an essay.
The Strokes-You Only Live Once
When I first heard "Juicebox;" I became depressed in a way much more real than I'd like to admit. The Strokes, my ex-Rock-Saviors-turned-modern-music-heroes, had fucked up big time. Which made the beauty of this, the second leaked song, so much more important; I had renewed hope, I felt that things might not be so bad after all, maybe even good. As it turns out, it was neither; the album is like a mean between the first two tracks, the best and worst songs on the album. It's no Room on Fire, let alone Is This It, but, like life, the new album has its ups and downs. Maybe this is a little more realistic for the band that for me symbolizes rock and roll; it's not smart, it's not even good, but it has it's lovable moments. This is that moment in a nutshell.
Clor-Magic Touch
What a goofy fucking song. The vocals are laughable, the lyrics as well. "I wear clothes that get me noticed /They get me noticed in a good way." And yet the song somehow manages to be sexy. Goofy+Sexy=a great Michael single. The rest of the album may be full of "pop gems," as Joel says, shaking his head, but if I want pop gems I'll listen to Belle and Sebastian or something. I want goofy, I want embarrassing, I want weird. And this is it; the bridge, a huge blast of distortion in the middle of a dance song. What the fuck? That's what everyone sober enough might have thought when they heard this song in the middle of our dance party, SCHOLARTRON; me, I just kept dancing.
Hot Chip-Playboy
Another single in my top 5 of the year is this one. I laugh everytime I hear it: "Blazin' out Yo La Tengo Hey..." Thematically similar to last year's "Losing my Edge" (though not as clever), "Playboy" exposes the goofiness that any hipster has, nay, that the very idea of cool has. A couple of years ago, frustrated with people making fun of Badly Drawn Boy, I wrote an essay about how ridiculous "cool" music is. Of course I still buy into cool music; I listen to the Velvet Underground more than most people. The best part about the Hot Chip song, though, is that it is a cool, goofy song about how goofy "cool" is; the vocals are amazing, the beat is perfect, and the chorus melody is to die for. That may be some kind of meta-irony, but whatever it is, it is both goofy and cool. You could say the same thing about the Art Brut album, but let's face it; while their wit and goofiness may make them cool, they are not nearly as cool to begin with as Hot Chip.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
2005 Best Singles, Pt. 2
Black Mountain-No Satisfaction
A wonderful single on an amazingly not single-friendly album; this song is wonderfully psychedelic (what is that instrumental? a recorder/song flute?) The mix of vocals is one of the best things in Black mountain, sounding like an impromptu rock happening like you hear in the 60s. The girl sounds like Janis Joplin, which helps; this also helps the best of the Pink Mountaintops. This song makes me feel like I'm in a different time, which is helpful sometimes.
Art Brut-Emily Kane
Despite their absence on my year-end top 25, I do love Art Brut; they are wicked funny. I think their songwriting is neat, too; a little simplistic, and I HATE the comparisons to Jonathan Richman (am I missing something?), but I like it. This song, though, stands out; it is fun, funny, and somehow heartfelt in that I'm making a joke-but-something-about-this-is-real sort of way.
De Novo Dahl-Big Ol' Buttons
This is from the remix portion of the album, the "Kittens" side of Cats and Kittens. Overall, I think the remixes are soooo much better than the originals; they give the band the edge that they need. This song is weird, spooky, goofy, and sexy, all at the same time; I love it. This is why I think we are entering the remix-era; bands can record something, and immediately make variations on it that may or may not be better than the original.
Feist-Let it Die
I gave this CD to my mom for mother's day, telling her: "she's like Norah Jones, but cool." I still believe that; this album is full of Barnes & Noble friendly coffee songs, but somehow they sound good, not too yuppie. This song, too, is beautiful in a way that Norah must wish she could be; it sounds heartfelt and pretty, and still somehow acceptable for a Sonic Youth fan to listen to. Maybe that's because she's on the new Broken Social Scene album, but I don't think that's it.
The Apes-Imp Ahh
Like I said on my album list, the Apes won my song of the year last year with "Tapestry Mastery," an insane rant of a song that drove me a little madder everytime I heard it. This song is great too, if not quite as epic; the riff is angry and great, and the shouting/chanting is a creepy as ever. The song title says it all; something that a human might say when acting like an angry monkey; that's what the Apes are.
Heikki-Still you don't know Me
I bought this CD when I heard about the Concretes-Heikki connection, and read the glowing review on allmusic. Although the group doesn't sound at all like Concretes 2, the album is great, filled with heartfelt Byrds-ish Swedish retro psych-country hymns. This is the saddest and the best of these songs; I think that Heikki captures Americana sound better than almost any Americans could, a la Kinks Muswell Hillbillies. I wonder why the Europeans can do such a better job?
M.I.A.-Galang
Galang, galang, galang. 'nuff said.
Jackson 5-I want you back [DJ Z-Trip Remix]
When I opened the box for Motown Remixed at WGRE, I was excited but concerned; this could either be really great or really horrible. It was the former; whoever put it together did a great job of getting some of the best hip-hop DJs in the biz to do these songs; all of them are wonderful. I thought about putting this in my top 25 albums, but it wasn't really new music per se. Anyway, Z-Trip is the best of the best with mainstream hip hop, and he does a masterful job putting more modern funk into this great pop song. DJs at the station fell in love with the Motown songs I put on the air, and it restored my faith in the power for good music to be popular; it just has to be old.
Tom Vek-If You want
Kyle played Tom Vek's "C-C" NONSTOP in our duplex for a couple weeks. He claimed it as some sort of personal anthem; in spite of the lyrical content; I can see the connection. I really like that song, but "If You Want" is more for me; it's fun, dark, sexy, and borderline nonsensical. That's what I want out of good dance/party songs, as this list shows. I've put this song on all kinds of mixes. It makes a good album track; it isn't too flashy, but it takes you to the next song, entertaining you all the way.
Architecture in Helsinki-Do the Whirlwind
I'll get this out of the way early; this song is definitely in my top 5 singles, probably top 3. When I heard this song on the band's website, I got really, really excited. The album didn't let me down at all, but this song remains the best song on the album, and, I'm guessing, perhaps the best song they'll ever make. It's hard to reach this sort of peak again; listening to the bliss of this anthem, I got the same feeling I had when listening to The Shins' "New Slang" back in'01. They haven't gotten to such heights since then, although I hope they will. The same, I fear, will happen to AiH, although I'm holding out for them. Nevertheless, this is a song to remember. Wow.
A wonderful single on an amazingly not single-friendly album; this song is wonderfully psychedelic (what is that instrumental? a recorder/song flute?) The mix of vocals is one of the best things in Black mountain, sounding like an impromptu rock happening like you hear in the 60s. The girl sounds like Janis Joplin, which helps; this also helps the best of the Pink Mountaintops. This song makes me feel like I'm in a different time, which is helpful sometimes.
Art Brut-Emily Kane
Despite their absence on my year-end top 25, I do love Art Brut; they are wicked funny. I think their songwriting is neat, too; a little simplistic, and I HATE the comparisons to Jonathan Richman (am I missing something?), but I like it. This song, though, stands out; it is fun, funny, and somehow heartfelt in that I'm making a joke-but-something-about-this-is-real sort of way.
De Novo Dahl-Big Ol' Buttons
This is from the remix portion of the album, the "Kittens" side of Cats and Kittens. Overall, I think the remixes are soooo much better than the originals; they give the band the edge that they need. This song is weird, spooky, goofy, and sexy, all at the same time; I love it. This is why I think we are entering the remix-era; bands can record something, and immediately make variations on it that may or may not be better than the original.
Feist-Let it Die
I gave this CD to my mom for mother's day, telling her: "she's like Norah Jones, but cool." I still believe that; this album is full of Barnes & Noble friendly coffee songs, but somehow they sound good, not too yuppie. This song, too, is beautiful in a way that Norah must wish she could be; it sounds heartfelt and pretty, and still somehow acceptable for a Sonic Youth fan to listen to. Maybe that's because she's on the new Broken Social Scene album, but I don't think that's it.
The Apes-Imp Ahh
Like I said on my album list, the Apes won my song of the year last year with "Tapestry Mastery," an insane rant of a song that drove me a little madder everytime I heard it. This song is great too, if not quite as epic; the riff is angry and great, and the shouting/chanting is a creepy as ever. The song title says it all; something that a human might say when acting like an angry monkey; that's what the Apes are.
Heikki-Still you don't know Me
I bought this CD when I heard about the Concretes-Heikki connection, and read the glowing review on allmusic. Although the group doesn't sound at all like Concretes 2, the album is great, filled with heartfelt Byrds-ish Swedish retro psych-country hymns. This is the saddest and the best of these songs; I think that Heikki captures Americana sound better than almost any Americans could, a la Kinks Muswell Hillbillies. I wonder why the Europeans can do such a better job?
M.I.A.-Galang
Galang, galang, galang. 'nuff said.
Jackson 5-I want you back [DJ Z-Trip Remix]
When I opened the box for Motown Remixed at WGRE, I was excited but concerned; this could either be really great or really horrible. It was the former; whoever put it together did a great job of getting some of the best hip-hop DJs in the biz to do these songs; all of them are wonderful. I thought about putting this in my top 25 albums, but it wasn't really new music per se. Anyway, Z-Trip is the best of the best with mainstream hip hop, and he does a masterful job putting more modern funk into this great pop song. DJs at the station fell in love with the Motown songs I put on the air, and it restored my faith in the power for good music to be popular; it just has to be old.
Tom Vek-If You want
Kyle played Tom Vek's "C-C" NONSTOP in our duplex for a couple weeks. He claimed it as some sort of personal anthem; in spite of the lyrical content; I can see the connection. I really like that song, but "If You Want" is more for me; it's fun, dark, sexy, and borderline nonsensical. That's what I want out of good dance/party songs, as this list shows. I've put this song on all kinds of mixes. It makes a good album track; it isn't too flashy, but it takes you to the next song, entertaining you all the way.
Architecture in Helsinki-Do the Whirlwind
I'll get this out of the way early; this song is definitely in my top 5 singles, probably top 3. When I heard this song on the band's website, I got really, really excited. The album didn't let me down at all, but this song remains the best song on the album, and, I'm guessing, perhaps the best song they'll ever make. It's hard to reach this sort of peak again; listening to the bliss of this anthem, I got the same feeling I had when listening to The Shins' "New Slang" back in'01. They haven't gotten to such heights since then, although I hope they will. The same, I fear, will happen to AiH, although I'm holding out for them. Nevertheless, this is a song to remember. Wow.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
2005 Singles, Pt. 1
So pitchfork's acclaimed year-end album list was really, really, discouraging, but what disappointed me even more was their singles list. Last year and before, pitchfork did a pretty good job of pointing out interesting and unheard singles from the year; now they only picked silly mainstream rap and already-known indie rock tracks. The few neat singles they mentioned (trentemoller remix, etc) I had mostly already heard. Anyway, here are some of my favorite songs of the year (not all of them were released as singles), and while they may be as boringly obvious as some of pitchfork's picks, they won't be filled with shit cred-appeal picks.
P.S. These aren't in order, but I will do 3-4 installments of these songs.
The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip-Galvanize
not only does it feature one of my favorite MCs ever, but the Bros. lay down some of their best, most widestream breakbeat-acid beats in one of the year's best party tracks. With the number of times I've played this, even I would think I have grown tired of it, but when it comes on to this day I still smile.
The Russian Futurists-Paul Simon
I'm not exactly a fan of the Futurists, but this album-opener sounds exactly like its title implies: an over-the-top happy, Paul Simon-y anthem. I heard this song in Bloomington this summer, and every time I hear it I think of sunshine and singing birds.
Wonder & Plan B-Cap Back
I don't know anything about grime, and I don't like a lot of what I hear, but this last track on the Run the Road comp gets me. the MCs keep belittling those who follow fads, all the while telling the listener to use the song as a ring tone. At the end they acknowledge the irony of the song, making the track ironic on a few levels. The best part: the song is catchy, and would sound great as a ring tone.
Need New Body-Brite tha' Day
A friend of mine sent this song to me, and it got me really excited; the rhymer sounds halfway between MC Chris and Ninja High School. The lyrics are hilarious: "i've got some pastries / let's just eat 'em up," and the beats are fun. I was pretty disappointed when I heard the rest of the album, but this track is certainly a keeper.
The Books-Be Good to the Always
I read a review with the books, and they said that their next project will involve putting new Books music to video, expanding their realm of sampling. If they do, I hope they go back and put this song to words; as the Books kept the same sound, more or less, this year, they also made baby steps at mainstream appeal, including making singles-worthy tracks like this one and doing collaborations with Prefuse (another song on my year-end list). I like the rest of this Books album, but i LOVE this song.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-In this Home on Ice
When I first downloaded this track, I thought I was in heaven: a modern band putting together My Bloody Valentine soundscapes with late-Talking Heads ramblings. I tried to buy the album, but wasn't willing to have it shipped from the band's website and couldn't have it ordered at any record store, so I didn't hear the rest of the album for a few weeks. Of course, after hearing a song like this, when I heard the rest of the album almost a month later I was supremely disappointed, and thus did CYHSY fall from grace. Still, though, this song is excellent, ranking among the best for the year.
Gorillaz-DARE
Yes, Feelgood Inc. is another contender for single of the year, but for me personally this trumps it in every way. Human League, anyone? Catchiest hook of the year? Maybe. It's funky, but not too funky; it's fun, but not quite goofy (even though I do like goofy songs, as you will see from my singles picks [Need New Body and the Futurists already]). The album, I felt, had some filler, but the singles are great, and this is the greatest among those.
Jamie Lidell-Multiply
Jamie Lidell is everything that I should consider a guilty pleasure, but I'm not ashamed at all. He is white (and British!), and he does imitate everyone from Al Green to Marvin Gaye to the Temptations. All on this song. This was the song of the summer, yet somehow I've kept playing it through the fall and winter. A wonderful track, probably in my top 5 singles if I had to make one.
P.S. These aren't in order, but I will do 3-4 installments of these songs.
The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip-Galvanize
not only does it feature one of my favorite MCs ever, but the Bros. lay down some of their best, most widestream breakbeat-acid beats in one of the year's best party tracks. With the number of times I've played this, even I would think I have grown tired of it, but when it comes on to this day I still smile.
The Russian Futurists-Paul Simon
I'm not exactly a fan of the Futurists, but this album-opener sounds exactly like its title implies: an over-the-top happy, Paul Simon-y anthem. I heard this song in Bloomington this summer, and every time I hear it I think of sunshine and singing birds.
Wonder & Plan B-Cap Back
I don't know anything about grime, and I don't like a lot of what I hear, but this last track on the Run the Road comp gets me. the MCs keep belittling those who follow fads, all the while telling the listener to use the song as a ring tone. At the end they acknowledge the irony of the song, making the track ironic on a few levels. The best part: the song is catchy, and would sound great as a ring tone.
Need New Body-Brite tha' Day
A friend of mine sent this song to me, and it got me really excited; the rhymer sounds halfway between MC Chris and Ninja High School. The lyrics are hilarious: "i've got some pastries / let's just eat 'em up," and the beats are fun. I was pretty disappointed when I heard the rest of the album, but this track is certainly a keeper.
The Books-Be Good to the Always
I read a review with the books, and they said that their next project will involve putting new Books music to video, expanding their realm of sampling. If they do, I hope they go back and put this song to words; as the Books kept the same sound, more or less, this year, they also made baby steps at mainstream appeal, including making singles-worthy tracks like this one and doing collaborations with Prefuse (another song on my year-end list). I like the rest of this Books album, but i LOVE this song.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-In this Home on Ice
When I first downloaded this track, I thought I was in heaven: a modern band putting together My Bloody Valentine soundscapes with late-Talking Heads ramblings. I tried to buy the album, but wasn't willing to have it shipped from the band's website and couldn't have it ordered at any record store, so I didn't hear the rest of the album for a few weeks. Of course, after hearing a song like this, when I heard the rest of the album almost a month later I was supremely disappointed, and thus did CYHSY fall from grace. Still, though, this song is excellent, ranking among the best for the year.
Gorillaz-DARE
Yes, Feelgood Inc. is another contender for single of the year, but for me personally this trumps it in every way. Human League, anyone? Catchiest hook of the year? Maybe. It's funky, but not too funky; it's fun, but not quite goofy (even though I do like goofy songs, as you will see from my singles picks [Need New Body and the Futurists already]). The album, I felt, had some filler, but the singles are great, and this is the greatest among those.
Jamie Lidell-Multiply
Jamie Lidell is everything that I should consider a guilty pleasure, but I'm not ashamed at all. He is white (and British!), and he does imitate everyone from Al Green to Marvin Gaye to the Temptations. All on this song. This was the song of the summer, yet somehow I've kept playing it through the fall and winter. A wonderful track, probably in my top 5 singles if I had to make one.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Oh man... 5-1
Well, here they are. I know, I know, Sufjan isn't here or any other place on my list, but don't hate me... it's just personal clash.
5. M83-Before the Dawn Heals Us
Along with the rest of the indie crown, I adored Dead Cities... However, unlike the rest of the indie crowd, I love this album even more. Everyone should know by now my shoegaze-leanings. However, whereas the new Sigur Ros album pays homage to the subgenre of the early nineties, this M83 album suggests that there are new ways for the genre to evolve and remain contemporary. Kyle and I have discussed how this could be considered a concept album about "the cinematic;" this is what the pitchfork people who thought "Car Chase Terror" was awful don't understand. I've gone through many favorite songs on the album throughout this year; I'm beginning to suspect my likings have something to do with the seasons. Actually it's amazing that this album goes with every kind of weather; it isn't stuck to any season, and fits perfectly in a car whenever. Driving around Bloomington this summer with Geoff, I was convinced that this should be a summer album; on the way back from a Roots concert in February, I thought that winter was the way to go. I also had one of the more surreal experiences of my life going to see M83 in April; he was playing at what amounted to be the after-showing of some movie on electronic music at OSU, and Dan, Kyle, Geoff and I drove the 4 hours to see him in a room BEHIND a theater stage full of awkward CS majors who had never been to a rock show. After the show, we went up and talked to him, and he awkwardly but genuinely thanked us for coming to see him; then we drove back in the dreary almost-storm weather. I think that drive may have unlocked a portal to some weird post-modern universe that I live in now. On the way back home from Depauw tomorrow, I plan to rock out to "Don't Save Us From the flames" and hum along to "Teen Angst." This was the first great release of the year, which is often a killer come list-making time; the fact that I love it even more is very telling of the staying power of this album in my heart.
5. M83-Before the Dawn Heals Us
Along with the rest of the indie crown, I adored Dead Cities... However, unlike the rest of the indie crowd, I love this album even more. Everyone should know by now my shoegaze-leanings. However, whereas the new Sigur Ros album pays homage to the subgenre of the early nineties, this M83 album suggests that there are new ways for the genre to evolve and remain contemporary. Kyle and I have discussed how this could be considered a concept album about "the cinematic;" this is what the pitchfork people who thought "Car Chase Terror" was awful don't understand. I've gone through many favorite songs on the album throughout this year; I'm beginning to suspect my likings have something to do with the seasons. Actually it's amazing that this album goes with every kind of weather; it isn't stuck to any season, and fits perfectly in a car whenever. Driving around Bloomington this summer with Geoff, I was convinced that this should be a summer album; on the way back from a Roots concert in February, I thought that winter was the way to go. I also had one of the more surreal experiences of my life going to see M83 in April; he was playing at what amounted to be the after-showing of some movie on electronic music at OSU, and Dan, Kyle, Geoff and I drove the 4 hours to see him in a room BEHIND a theater stage full of awkward CS majors who had never been to a rock show. After the show, we went up and talked to him, and he awkwardly but genuinely thanked us for coming to see him; then we drove back in the dreary almost-storm weather. I think that drive may have unlocked a portal to some weird post-modern universe that I live in now. On the way back home from Depauw tomorrow, I plan to rock out to "Don't Save Us From the flames" and hum along to "Teen Angst." This was the first great release of the year, which is often a killer come list-making time; the fact that I love it even more is very telling of the staying power of this album in my heart.
4. Okkervil River-Black Sheep Boy
There is some music god that sends me a present of never-before-heard music once a year, and it comes in the form of the Magnet magazine. Seriously, I don't have a subscription, but for the past two years I have mysteriously recieved one issue a year, and each issue contains some gem of music that I am always grateful for. In December 2004 I got my first issue, complete with a full album of The Legends. Wow! That album made my Christmas Break. Then, this spring, I got another, and It came with a Black Sheep Boy poster and sampler. Why do I get these? I don't know; I must be blessed. Black Sheep Boy is the saddest album I have heard since Sea Change; it is also, I feel, the tightest album-as-a-whole of the year. The lyrics loop back on themselves and make the title-track cover mean something completely different and sadder by the end of the album. The last verse of "a stone" makes me want to cry all the time. And, amazingly, Okkervil River accomplish all these things without sounding melodramatic. I can't stop listening to this album, even though it's probably not good for me, especially at the end of a night of drinking. This is the kind of album that is so much better to listen to than describe; it's complex enough that it defies my attempts to analyze it, so I'll just end with that.
3. Broken Social Scene-Broken Social Scene
For me, Broken Social Scene is exactly where I want contemporary rock to be. They are beyond ambitious, they are political in all the right, subtle ways, they are collaborative (who is in the band? it depends on the album), they sound GREAT. You Forgot it in People has been a landmark album of the past few years, taking me to places I had never been before. This self-titled abum is at least as ambitious as that, but the aesthetic goals have changed; instead of making a beautiful mess within each wonderfully-crafted song, BSS expand their scope to the entire album. All of the songs play off each other beautifully, making a full, wonderful sound that takes an hour or so of intense listening to fully appreciate. Actually, multiple repeat listens, best taken consecutively. Not that I want to characterize this album as intentionally difficult and not-fun (ahem, Black Dice); so many singles work amazingly on their own as well. The first time I heard the leaked 7/4 I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. I went to Intonation Festival to see these guys (well, and DFA79), and I wasn't disappointed; their songs affected me the way that I would imagine a Cream show would in 1970. This album, along with my next two picks, has surpassed the rest of these albums in number of listens, which is amazing since it was released in October, and I got it in late Spetember. It was that good, and remains one of the most important albums to me of the year, mentally, emotionally, and musically.
1. (tie) Architecture in Helsinki-In Case we Die
Yes, I know, I put a tie for 1st place. It's a cop out, but to compensate I didn't give a second place. Anyway, on to Architecture:
I got into AiH a little late; I didn't hear Fingers Crossed until December of 2004 (it came out in June, I think). Anyway, from then until I first heard In Case We Die in March or April, well, it was the perfect amount of time to get excited about a new release. The debut had quickly become one of my favorite albums of 2004, and I couldn't wait to see what they would do next. Not knowing when they would release another album, and looking for tour dates, I went to the band website in February, and heard the song "Do the Whirlwind." I lost it. It remains tied for my favorite single of the year (I'll do a list next week of those). That song kept me satisfied until I got the album; once I did, I listened to it nonstop for a number of weeks. This is the reason I didn't immediately get into the Spoon album. It took a Beck release to wake me from the trance of this album. Or maybe I never did wake up. Someone (pitchfork?) compared this album to Blueberry Boat. The comparison can be helpful, but it needs the qualifier: whereas the Furnaces make epic, 10 minute songs with multiple parts, AiH condense that type of complexity into 3-4 minute pop gems that Paul McCartney would love. I'm not going to get into the specific beneficial qualities of all the tracks; you've all heard it. I saw AiH in Cinnci this summer in a little bar; the band was amazing, changing instruments after every song, sometimes in the middle. They had a heap of little toys and things to make all of the crazy sounds on the album. After the show, I went up to the band in the already-empty bar to thank them, and they were some of the nicest people I've met. They offered to get my friends and myself drinks, and we sat around for maybe half an hour, talking about the history of the band, they members' parents, which members were dating each other, and what I was up to. They offered to meet us in Cleveland the next day; they were going to a Malkmus show. I wish I would have gone; what better experience than seeing one of the most important musicians of the last decade with who may be some of those from this one?
1. (tie) Junior Senior-Hey Hey My My Yo Yo
Holy shit. I had to debate whether this should count as this year, since it only has a Denmark release or something, but then again, I've been listenign to it for months. A week or so before Kyle downloaded this album (thank god he got it then; it's still kind of hard to find), I wondered aloud in the duplex: "I wonder what Junior Senior will do next. I liked the debut, but I wonder if they're a one-album band?" I had no idea. This album is beyond description, but I'll try; each track is equal parts Beach Boys, Jackson 5, and gay disco music. I can't get over it. It's maybe the happiest album I can remember. Every track is a potential favorite track; even the intro makes me smile. It's also one of the danciest albums I've heard in a long, long time; at our dance part SCHOLARTRON, "can i get get get" drove everyone nuts. I listened to this album twice a day for at least a month, and that's just me; throughout the duplex at any given moment you could hear the sounds of Junior Senior in 2-3 people's rooms. I'll stop gushing about it; if you haven't heard it, GET IT; it will change your mood for the coming weeks. Whenever I'm feeling down (maybe after listening to Okkervil River) i know that Junior Senior can make me smile. I haven't heard such pure pop bliss in my generation. I mean that.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Addendum
I have raved about all of the albums in my top 10 so far, and I will rave even more for the top 5. But I do not normally do this; I think that 2005 was a stellar year for pop music, twice as good as 2004. Any of the albums in my top 10 would easily make it into last year's top 5, with some threatening the #2 spot (behind SMiLE). Here is last year's top 10, for reference:
1. SMiLe
2. Air-Talkie Walkie
3. Jason Forrest-Unrelenting Songs...
4. Concretes-Concretes
5. Ratatat-Ratatat
6. DFA79-You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
7. Architecture in Helsinki-Fingers Crosses
8. Black Keys-Rubber Factory
9. Roots-Tipping Point
10. Apes-Tapestry Mastery AND Califone-Heron King Blues
Also, I apologize ahead of time for not including Art Brut on my list, making me the only one. I guess I'm not cool! It's alright: "Popular Culture / No Longer Applies to Me"
1. SMiLe
2. Air-Talkie Walkie
3. Jason Forrest-Unrelenting Songs...
4. Concretes-Concretes
5. Ratatat-Ratatat
6. DFA79-You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
7. Architecture in Helsinki-Fingers Crosses
8. Black Keys-Rubber Factory
9. Roots-Tipping Point
10. Apes-Tapestry Mastery AND Califone-Heron King Blues
Also, I apologize ahead of time for not including Art Brut on my list, making me the only one. I guess I'm not cool! It's alright: "Popular Culture / No Longer Applies to Me"
It's Serious Now: 2005, 10-6
10. Jason Forrest-Shamelessly Exciting
Every rare once in a while in one's listening career, one comes upon an album that is not only great, but is also so distant from anything else one has heard before that it is not merely finding a new album or band; it is finding a new sound. This has happened to me with, but not limited to, The Chemical Brothers' Dig Your Own Hole, My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and, most recently, Jason Forrest's The Unrelenting Songs of the 1979 Post-Disco Crash. Last year's album blew my mind; this year's album is an adequate follow-up to its gargantuan predecessor. The sound that Forrest has--I think it's called Break! or Break!core--sounds like an equal combination of 70s rock, hard-core glitch, and cheerleading anthems. It's beautiful; I can't wait for summer again so I can listen to Shamelessly Exciting! when it's sunny out. "War Photographer" is one of my favorite singles of the year, at least as good as the best of last year's album. If any contemporary artist will ever make me have seizures, it will be Jason Forrest--but the other people will only think I am smiling and dancing.
9. Beck-Guero
I know that putting the new Beck "disappointment" of an album kills any indie cred. that the Lightning Bolt/Animal Collective albums might have given me, and that almost makes me happy. Beck, I think, is the perfect artist to expose what shits hipsters can be; they can't handle him changing his sound all the time (read some reviews of Midnight Vultures, an album years ahead of its time), but when he releases an album that is arguably like something he's released before, they lose it. Guero is a very good to great album; I am unapologetic about that. Yes, "E-Pro" was a bit of a failure as a single. That I will allow. There are some similarities between this album and odelay. But just listen to the second half of the album; Beck takes some sonic ideas from Odelay and makes them more mature, more subtle--changes that make them altogether different and nuanced. That, I think, is also a great accomplishment, the talent that Beck has always had--taking something older and making it new again. Of course this isn't Sea Change, what I consider to be the best album since 2000 (gasp!), but I don't expect anything to be for a few more years.
8. Stephen Malkmus-Face the Truth
I would never have admitted this at the time, but I was a little disappointed when I first bought my pre-ordered copy of Pig Lib. Stephen Malkmus, the brains behind what was perhaps the most important band of my high school days, and a hero of sorts for me personally, was making jamsy music. It was great jam music, but I was still worried, wondering where these guitar solos could take him. He isn't Spiral Stairs, after all. What a relief to hear this new album! I almost wept. I loved "Post-Paint Boy" when I leaked, but I did not expect there to be at least 4 or 5 other songs equally as good: "Kindling for the Master," "Pencil Rod," "Baby C'mon," and "Freeze the Saints," at least. Man, this album was the first month of my summer break, before I went to Bloomington. Since then I've saved its listens, knowing that if I ration myself I will feel the bliss everytime I hear it. Right now there's an inflated cloud at least 12 feet long in our living room (Dan's sculpture, long story); Joel put "Loud Cloud Crowd" on his Cloud mix ; it brought a smile to my face.
7. Black Mountain-Black Mountain
I was first excited about this band (like oh so many others) because I heard that they sound like the Velvet Underground. They do NOT; what people should tell people who haven't heard them (and E-Harv did): they sound kindof like Broken Social Scene. Their songs are all huge, messy, expansive, and wonderful. "No Satisfation" is one of my favorite songs of the year; "Faulty Times" became something of an anthem to last semester. The band can chill out and make great psychedelic distortion jams like only SOnic Youth could, or they can fucking rock, making you turn up your car stereo until you almost blow the speakers. This album is wonderful as a whole, with each track going to the next in ways I never would have guessed would be so fluid. Pink Mountaintops, the side project, also has a pretty good album, but this album is epic. I hope the band can do this well on its next outing, but I fear they can't.
6. Wolf Parade-Apologies to the Queen Mary
Well no one else (Austin, Nick, Blake) has mentioned this album yet, so I assume it's in everyone's top 5. I would even go so far as to guess that it is someone's favorite album of the year. My prediction/hope is that this also wins Pitchfork album of the year, although they'll probably pick something a bite more under the radar (bitterness intended). Obviously, I love it too, which is a minor miracle; Wolf Parade had two strikes against this album, considering sooooo many people (myself included) had heard almost every song on the album on some EP or BBC session or something, and almost everyone prefers at least some EP track to the album track. Not to say that Brock's production isn't great; I got new things on a bunch of tracks that I hadn't pictured on the EPs. The favorite-track question of the year, I think, is not favorite Sifjan track or favorite Franz track, but favorite Wolf Parade track; THAT can say something about your personality (mine is "Hungry Ghosts," by the way). The hype-monster almost killed Wolf Parade before they could get going (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs); thankfully this miracle of an album fixed all that. Hands down the debut of the year, Wolf Parade is now the indie darling that everyone hopes can conquer the world. The Strokes came close, but, sigh, didn't quite make it; I'm doubtful about Arcade Fire. Wolf Parade, you're on deck.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
2005 Favorites, 15-11
15. Animal Collective-Feels
It's a good thing I really like this album, because if I didn't I would go mad in my duplex. For a few weeks this album was impossible to escape or ignore; the walls of my room seemed to be singing "Bees," usually because they were. Is this album less adventurous than the last AC? I don't know, maybe. As with every animal collective album I've heard, the songs are enormously hit-or-miss; while "Banshee Beat" and "Did you see the world" are wonderful songs, a few tracks like "Flesh Canoe" and "Daffy Duck" are beyond me, or maybe filler. The better 2/3 of this album is absolutely stellar, though, and the craziness of the AC not only penetrated my lodgings this semester, but my spirit too.
14. Vitalic-OK Cowboy
Daft Punk's Human After All was one of the three biggest album disappointments of the year for me, along with the White Stripes and Death Cab for Cutie. I was expecting, or at least hoping for, greatness with each of those releases, and each time I got mediocrity (Daft Punk, Whit Stripes) or shit (DCFC). Thankfully Vitalic was there to catch my Daft Punk fall. OK Cowboy is a great album, one that I have appreciated more as the year goes on, one that, along with new Alan Braxe, makes me still believe in the power of French House music. Maybe next semester will convert me to the German Kompakt school of techno, but the french beat-masters will always have a special place in my heart, even if they are Human After All.
13. Devendra Banhart-Cripple Crow
I know how cool it is to be a freak-folk nerd, but I can't dive headfirst into the genre. Try as I might, I can't fall in love with Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective sounds too typically avant-garde to count as a seperate genre to me, and Iron & Wine and M. Ward just sound like regular folk to me. (I do really like Islaja, though, if they count). Anyway, Devendra Banhart has been the exception for me, the figurehead of the freak-folkers that I admire and enjoy. Boy, this year he didn't disappoint, delivering an epic, exhausting album that is as confusing as it is fun. Sure he wrote the best anti-war song since Vietnam, but what the hell does "Little Boys" mean? Yes, his album is more produced than his last few, but the production only enhances his range of emotion, making a whirlwind of a trip that I'm not always up for riding. Oh, and Devendra Banhart also shared another special place in my heart; he is an artist that both my mother and I can really get into; I can't wait to buy her this album for Christmas.
12. My Morning Jacket-Z
So many different reviewers and fans alike have noted that My Morning Jacket is "pulling a Wilco" or something like that on this album. From the contexts of these statements, I feel that about half of these people are right on, the other half dead wrong. Those who think that, like Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Z is a spacey, abstract and otherwise Radiohead-y version of alt-country, these are the wrong ones; Z is totally folksy, sounding just like the Kentucky I've lived near my entire life. However, those who think that, like Wilco, My Morning Jacket have come from the narrows of alt-country twang and achieved something more universal, more transcendent, these people are exactly right; MMJ is no longer a jam band, and is now making music that is as significant as just about anything else being put out. I'm not historically a fan of MMJ, as youc an probably tell, but I was wowed by this album. Good work, guys.
11. Spoon-Gimme Fiction
Don't ask me to rank my favorite Spoon albums. If I absolutely had to, I would either arbitrarily pick or have some sort of meltdown. Each album until this year (well, Girls Can Tell, Series of Sneaks, and Kill the Moonlight) was so linked to a different period of my life that I couldn't dissociate the two. Then Gimme Fiction came out. I was slow to warm up to it, which may have had something to do with the insane influx of good music at the time I got this. But once it really kicked in, I fell into this album like I fall into the others, going through phases of different favorite songs ("My Mathematical Mind"? "I Summon You"?). I also heard from E-Harv a CRAZY story about a friend of his who dated Brit for a while. A long story, she wrote him an email that contained the line "500 miles is a drive" from "I summon you." It's 500 miles from TEXAS TO HERE, INDIANA! Somehow that made my day, and increased the significance of this song. Years from now, I am sure that Gimme Fiction will be linked to late spring of this year as well, and it will remain in the mix for my favorite Spoon albums.
Monday, December 12, 2005
2005 Favorites, 20-16
20. Hot Chip-Coming on Strong
At first I didn't like this album much at all outside its AMAZING single "Playboy." I thought Hot Chip was a group who was great at remixing and had a fluke song, but was too jokesy to take seriously. Wrong. After manu, many listens, I think that Hot Chip is a serious group; their lyrics aren't serious, but their music is very mature and fun dance music that I can listen to in summer and winter. If you haven't heard it, it finally just came out in the US: "Throw off your towel and let's get wet wet wet"
19. Caribou-The Milk of Human Kindness AND The Books-Lost and Safe
These are two groups that have been so consistently innovative for so long that I think they were really slighted this year. The first two Books albums were amazing to revolutionary, but when they put out an album that is remarkably similar to them, they get overlooked. Similarly, Manitoba made some of the most sublime instrumental pop music of the past few years, but with the Caribou album it seemed like no one cared any more. Is this fair to consistently good bands? No. Did I do this? Yes. These bands revolve around innovating pop-rock sounds, so, fairly or not, I expect more. That doesn't mean, though, that these two albums are very, very good. P.S. I chose the album art for the Caribou album because the Books' cover is hideous.
18. Sigur Ros-Takk
I was never a huge fan of Sigur Ros. I liked them all right, but () I could never get into, and I tend to stray from deliberately spacey music that isn't shoegazey or at least poppy. But guess what? Much to my heart's delight, Sigur Ros did BOTH on their new album, including both pop gems and shoegaze-wonderful tracks. This is exactly what I wished () would have sounded like. Where should Sigur Ros go from here? MORE SHOEGAZE. Seriously, this album sounds, wonderful, though; even if you didn't like Sigur Ros before, give this a shot. ALso: it has great packaging.
17. The Chemical Brothers-Push the Button
In late middle school/early high school, I was a HUGE Chemical Brothers fan. Dig Your Own Hole is one of my favorite albums of all time to this day. I have a Surrender-era poster in my room. However, as I started moving out of breakbeat (and all electronic music) and into more indie-rock stuff, I stopped listening to anything new that the Bros. made. I never got into Come with Us. However, at the beginning of this year, I heard "Galvanize" featuring none other than my favorite MC Q-Tip, and I was blown away. Ditto to hearing the rest of the album; "Believe" is a wonderful track too, I like it more than anything on Silent Alarm. Actually, I like the Magic Numbers Track more than anything on their album. Also, the last track sounds eerily like the music from the water levels on Donkey Kong Country. I mean this as a compliment.
16. The Apes-Baba's Mountain
One of the most confusing and frustrating phenomena in my recent rock-listening career has been the obscurity of the Apes. Why will no one listen to them? Why will no one listen to me when I say to listen to them? Is it because reviewers drop prog-rock when describing them? They are no Alan Parsons; The Apes sound like what the manic mob of killer children in Lord of the Flies would sound like if they were in an indie rock band. Every time I hear this album I want to paint my face and dance around a campfire. Pitchfork reviewed this album obscenely late, something like 4 months after it was released. I wrote them an angry email. It just so happens that last year's Tapestry Mastery EP has my favorite song of the year on it (the title track), and this album sounds like a continuation of that EP. "Imp Ahh" is one of my favorite tracks of the year, and who can resist a track called "Organ Syrup"? Trust me, please; if you haven't heard the Apes before, give this album a listen. It's worth it.
2005 Favorites, 25-21
25. Franz Ferdinand-You Could Have it so Much Better...
Yes, I like this album more than the first one. Yes, I think it is more catchy. Yes, I think it is more ambitious. The songs go through just the right amount of change to stay interesting but not collapse under the pressure of their own complexity (see: The Strokes' "Juicebox"). Then again, I'm not the hugest fan of this whole new dance-punk fad that's been catching for the past couple years (note: there is no Bloc Party on my year-end albums list). Nevertheless, the new album from Franz is amazingly well put-together, and deserves a spot in the top 25.
I am a sucker for good soul music. And this is it. Former Glitch artist extrodinaire went all soulful for his 2005 release, and it sounds sugary sweet sweet sweet, featuring a couple of my faroite singles of the year as well. Wait, you might ask, isn't this released on Warp Records? Yes it is, and the connection is more than just historical; the album features some great, crazy Warp-tastic production that brings out the best in Lidell's always changing vocals and songwriting. If you haven't heard this album, at least listen to the title track. And try not to dance.
23. Lightning Bolt-Hypermagic MountainNo, I am not including this album just to get indie/metal cred. I sincerely like it. I have listened to Lightning Bolt for a couple years now, thanks to the pressure from a crazy friend from high school. (She also loves the Lightning Bolt side project, Mindflayer). The album before this I could almost get into, but still not for the whole record. Finally, with lovable tracks like "2 Morro Morro Land" and "Dead Cowboy," I can stand and love every minute of mind-shredding guitars and Bizarro Bass. It's intense to listen to, but, I believe, after half an hour of this noise metal, one just might be able to achieve transcendence.
22. Magic Numbers-Magic NumbersI really don't have much to say about this record, just that it is a great pop-rock album. Touches of Brit-Pop, yes, but mostly just pop-rock, hailing back to (gasp) the Lovin' Spoonful as much as Screamadelica. A minor complaint--they should cut a minute or two from almost every song to achieve total pop perfection. The songs get a bit long, but great songwriting can still sustain them.
21. Ryan Adams-Jacksonville City Nights
I like Ryan Adams more than most well-informed rock nerds, and I am unapologetic. He is better than the other singer-songwriters people compare him to, and he is better than other contemporary alt-country artists. He has released 2 albums already this year, and he will release one more. Cold Roses was pretty good, Grateful Dead-sy stuff, and I liked it alright. On this album, though, he fully embraced the honky tonk, making his own Nashville Skyline (I didn't say he was like Bob Dylan). The album is fun, a little heartfelt, and interesting. Well-produced, too. Plus, I love Ryan Adams. Fuck you if you make fun of me for that.
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