anearful

2011: The Year In Live, Part 2

2012-02-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

The final post on the year just passed. With 2012 over 1/12th over, it's time to get cracking on what's going on this year!

Besides the concerts I saw with Hannah (see Part 1), I was lucky enough to finally see Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen and Mastodon in 2011 - wow!

Going To Church - Ever since my wife and I saw an extraordinary Bob Dylan concert (yes, they do happen) at the United Palace Theatre in 2009, we have wanted to return to this storied venue. As we didn't get to see Fleet Foxes when they were touring behind their first album, there was no hesitation getting the tickets when they played there in May. We were sat far back, which is my wife's preference, and after enduring the lamentable Cave Singers, we were bathed in the warm harmonies and expansive sound-world of the Seattle band. The new songs sounded great, but perhaps even more remarkable was the passion and freshness of Robin Pecknold's engagement with songs he has sung hundreds of times around the world. It was a stunning show.

Going To Brooklyn - My wife doesn't much like going to concerts, but when Fleet Foxes announced more shows at the Williamsburg Waterfront in September, with our old favorites The Walkmen opening, she had no qualms about making the trek. And, boy, was it worth it. I have been a devoted fan of The Walkmen since their first album and my wife came on board with You & Me in 2008 but we had never seen them in the flesh. I knew singer Hamilton Leithauser was a suave dresser, but we were both unprepared for his fantastic command of the stage. His charisma is white hot and his commitment to the songs is total - and he manages to be charming at the same time. The band completely delivered, their minimal yet epic sound filling the stage and small gestures sounding huge as the sun set at our backs.

As great as the first Fleet Foxes concert was, it was eclipsed by their Brooklyn performance. The new songs were road-tested now and sounded more of a piece with their earlier works. Also, as I was standing fairly close to the stage, I was able to pay more attention to how they produced their sounds and it was a masterclass. Certainly, you can play a Fleet Foxes song with a beat-up acoustic and it would sound good, but since they are steeped in 50 years of production techniques, they enhance their compositions with brilliant musical touches. The first thing I noticed before they even came on stage was the Hofner bass (made famous by Paul McCartney) on the left of the stage and the upright bass on the right. This told me that they took their bottom end seriously, which became even more apparent when they took a leaf out of Owen Bradley's book and used both together. Combined with J.Tillman's melodic drums, it enveloped the crowd in a rich low end that amplified the emotional impact of the tunes. The whole show was full of instrument-switching, instrument-doubling, and virtuoso flourishes. Robin was as charming and witty as Leithauser had been earlier in the night and made everyone feel included. We walked back to our car with an afterglow that seemed to last for weeks.

Going It Alone - The opportunity to see Mastodon at Terminal 5 in November was not one to be taken lightly - but who to go with? A quick visit to their Facebook page and I quickly learned that two old friends of mine were also fans. Cool! I messaged the first one and although he wanted to see the "saviors of heavy metal" he had to decline as he was in a windowless room in Costa Rica doing top-secret programming for an internet company I can't mention. One down. The other guy showed interest but was so lame about replying to my message that the concert sold out, which drove me to StubHub where I scored one ticket at slightly over face value. Yes, I was going to be facing the monstrous Mastodon on my own.

Up close & personal
with Red Fang

Only Red Fang was listed on the ticket as the opening band so I was a little dismayed to learn that Dillinger Escape Plan was on the bill as well. Life is a little too short for two opening acts, but I knew they had been around a while and figured this was my chance to check them out. Before the place was half full, the hairy dudes of Red Fang took the stage and - whaddya know - laid it down in fine style. With guitars down tuned so far the strings should have been slack, they played rifftastic punk/grunge/metal songs with distinct melodies and a distinctive style of almost Brucknerian repetition. Along with much of the audience I was more than pleasantly surprised. After over 30 years of concert going, I have found the odds that an unknown opening act is going to be even good to be almost non-existent. When their set ended, I was charged up but a little concerned that the floor would not be the place to be for Mastodon, due to the higher volume of the headlining act. I headed upstairs and took my place along the wall of the mezzanine - and am I glad I did.

I don't want to go into details, but Dillinger Escape Plan were one of the worst musical acts I have ever experienced. And it is an act. The roadies knew exactly when the lead guitar jackass was going to climb the amps and there were strategically placed apple crates (helpfully painted fluorescent green) for guys to jump up on. The whole thing was so canned - ugh. And the music, while precise, was dumbed down Helmet and I didn't much like them either. Next!

Mastodon - the aftermath

Finally, Mastodon, in all their glory. If you're not familiar (and you should change that - soon), this is the preeminent hard rock band in America today. Melody, weight, conceptual depth, emotional engagement - it's all there. A culmination, in fact, of many genres and micro-genres of heavy music from the past two or three decades. Yes, there are bands that are more abrasive, more bizarre, more obscure - but when it comes to the sheer love of music, Mastodon wins out. And live, it was no different. Just to watch how guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher assemble those jaggedly beautiful riffs was a pleasure. And the rhythm section of Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor swung like a mother. It was a great set ending with the perfect singalong of Creature Lives - see for yourself.

What did you see on stage last year? Here's to more great shows in 2012!

The Best Of The Rest Of 11

2012-01-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

OK, this is freaking long but there was so much that I would hate to have pushed under the rug by the reductive nature of the Best Of 11 list that I just have to let it all hang out. Groove along at 8tracks.

Just Under The Wire - In no particular order, these are the ones it almost hurt to leave off the Top Ten

The Whole Love by Wilco - after a couple of slightly too conventional (yet enjoyable) records, the whole Wilco nearly returned to form with this gem. Opening and closing with two their finest songs ever, only one or two fillers kept this from making it to A Ghost Is Born or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot territory.

Kiss Each Other Clean by Iron and Wine - Sam Beam writes songs that sound like old friends the first time you hear them and there are several new entries into his canon on this beautiful record. One wheezy saxophone too many keep this from hitting the high mark set by The Shepherd's Dog.

The King Of Limbs by Radiohead - Was it fascinating, innovative, often beautiful? Yes. Was it compulsively listenable like In Rainbows? No. Special mention for TKOL Remix 1234567, a massive remix project that yielded often brilliant results.

Dennis Coffey by Dennis Coffey - Damn, this was a good record - play it while pulling out of a Walmart parking lot and you feel like Starsky and Hutch. Coffey's slashing guitar and rhythmic precision have not deserted him and his young collaborators reenergize the legendary axe-man. On the fence? Download the free remix collection.

Bon Iver by Bon Iver - Justin Vernon's second album under this moniker featured a big ensemble sound and gorgeous songs. Some seemingly willful obscurity kept this from being a complete success, however.

Catholic by Gavin Friday - 16 years is a long time between records and, as a huge fan of his three previous albums, I was having trouble managing my expectations. After several months of listening, it seems a little undercooked, but his voice has never sounded better, and it is one of the great voices.

Murder The Mountains by Red Fang - When these (mostly) hairy dudes opened for Mastodon, bros in the audience were giving each other amazed looks and throwing non-ironic devil horns. They were that good and the merch table was busy. Sludgy but swaggering, with some nicely placed Brucknerian repetition and left-field melodies, these guys are not your average slice of metal.

Nine Types Of Light by TV On The Radio - More multicolored orchestral avant-pop by the Brooklyn standard-bearers, somehow just slightly less satisfying than their last one.

Tassili by Tinariwen - Another great record from the Tuareg band, featuring wonderful contributions from Kyp and Tunde from TVOTR, Nels Cline and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The only caveat is that there is less variety here and I really miss the electric guitars.

Cotonou Club by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo - This hallowed Benin-based ensemble was thought to be defunct or dead until the mega-fans at Strut tracked them down and recorded some hits and some new songs. Unstoppable!

Deadly She-Wolf Assassin Armageddon/Momma's Song by Fred Ho - This trailblazing sax player/composer/arranger/conceptualist is fighting a mean cancer. That hasn't stopped him from releasing four albums in 2011. This one moves from Japanese inflected jams to driving fusionoid grooves. An important artist, let's hope he keeps it up.

Suck It And See by Arctic Monkeys - The lack of interest in this album's expert rock and pop on this side of the pond is almost tragic. It may be their own damn fault for leading with Brick By Brick, perhaps the worst song they've ever recorded. But ignore classics like this at your peril, or Reckless Serenade, which features these brilliant opening lines: "Topless models. Doing semaphore. Wave their flags as she walks by. And get ignored."

How Do You Do by Mayer Hawthorne - A year or two of touring has worked wonders on Mayer's voice and his crate-digging ways have led him to some new byways. The band is as tight as the songwriting and dig the Donald Fagan influence!

Blessed by Lucinda Williams - For me, this is her most engaging and engaged album since Car Wheels On A Gravel Road. While most of the lyrics are great, the groove is strong enough to make it easy to ignore the infelicitous ones. Searing guitar from Elvis Costello is a nice touch.

We're New Here by Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX - Jamie XX makes some funky lemonade out of Gil's final album, which was a bit of a sad affair in its original form. A fitting end to an often magnificent career. Looking forward to reading his memoir in 2012.

Pl3dge by Killer Mike - He's still angry - angry enough that he wants to occasionally inspire the best in all of us, just to piss more people off. But when he hooks up with a Funkadelic groove and raps about destruction, it feels so good to be bad.

Watch The Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West - MBDTF was an incredibly hard act to follow but No Church In The Wild sets a high bar for this ultimate collabo - so high that some of the more half-baked tracks sound more so.

Biophilia by Bjork - Perhaps overshadowed by her app-mania (which in my cynical moments seems to be a clever way to get us to pay twice for the same songs), this is an often meditative collection of art-songs, played on a fascinating collage of acoustic and electronic instruments. Perhaps she is evolving into more of a niche artist than she was previously - I'm happy to follow her there.

Rhizoma by Anna Thorvaldsdottir - If the cotton candy-haired Ms. Gudmonsdottir doesn't satisfy your need for chilly northern soundscapes, Rhizoma certainly will. Knotty and atmospheric.

Bruckner Motets by The Choir of St. Mary's Cathedral - For these explicitly religious works, Bruckner actually takes a lighter approach than his symphonic statements and his engagement with the texts seems absolute. These performances, beautifully recorded and performed, put nothing between you and this astonishing music. It would be hard to imagine recommending another version of these works over this glorious collection.

Roots, Rock, Reissues (and other sounds from the past)

Mega-boxes from the likes of The Who, Pink Floyd and Nirvana dominated the reissue scene and have their pleasures, I'm sure. Either a financial windfall or another gift-giving season will have to occur before I can officially weigh in. Here's the old stuff that was news to me.

Not one but two spectacular Lee "Scratch" Perry reissues made this for a banner year for the dub lovers of the world. The Return Of Sound System Scratch one ups its predecessor with more bass-heavy missives from the alien heart of reggae, while The Return Of Pipecock Jackxon brings a 30 year-old album, one of the last recorded in Jamaica by Perry, out of the shadows.

The foundations of reggae are laid bare in Soul Jazz's Studio One Story, which includes a fantastic single-disc compilation and a four hour documentary/interview DVD, which explains how a lot of blissful music came about. As soon as I learn how to build my own speaker box, I'm taking my sound system to the streets of NYC.

Soul Jazz has also been killing it with the Bossa Nova collections and Brazil Bossa Beat is no exception. Featuring the full spectrum of Brazilian sounds released on Elenco records in the 1960's, this works well in the background as well as repaying close listening.

That Salsa is New York and New York is Salsa is ably demonstrated by the recently unearthed soundtrack to Our Latin Thing, the film of a ridiculously good Fania All Stars concert at the Cheetah Club in 1971. Still need convincing? How about El Barrio, four more CD's of fantastic Fania wax.

If all of the acoustic jazz in my collection mysteriously disappeared except for the music made by the (second) Miles Davis Quintet, I would be disappointed but only just. So the appearance of Live In Europe 1967 is a major event for me. Not surprisingly, the music is scintillating from beginning to end. The DVD features two wonderful concerts, pretty well-filmed - Miles is the star but try keeping your eyes off Tony Williams. And since it's subtitled "The Bootleg Series Vol. 1" one can assume there is more quality stuff on the horizon.

England in the late 60's seemed to spit out ferociously talented acoustic guitar players like watermelon seeds. Michael Chapman is one such gent I was unfamiliar with until this year. While his dry voice takes a little getting used to and his songs don't always gel, when he nails it, he's amazing. Either get the hipster-approved Light In The Attic reissue of Fully Qualified Survivor or do as I did and get the older reissue that includes his first album, Rainmaker, which is also very fine. And, he's still at full strength today as evidenced by his recent Daytrotter session.

David Bowie's seeming retirement has created a little bit of frenzy around any hint of new sounds so the leak of Toy, his aborted album from 2001, was certainly a happy accident. He was revisiting some pre-Space Oddity songs in fine form and working up originals (some of which appeared in different versions on Heathen). While not quite a lost masterpiece, it's very good and has even appeared on some top ten lists.

Janie Hendrix might be an unpleasant person, but she that she has the Jimi Hendrix's legacy well in hand is proven once again by the Winterland box set, which features concerts from the prime of the Experience just before the release of Electric Ladyland. I can't imagine hesitating before acquiring this slab of goodness.

Speaking of legacies, the Rolling Stones have been playing a bit fast and loose with theirs, what with re-recording vocals and other parts to old songs for the recent deluxe reissues of Exile On Main Street and Some Girls, so the release of a beautifully mixed version of the oft-bootlegged 1973 Brussels Affair concert is a cause for celebration. The Stones at their best (i.e. with Mick Taylor) ably assisted by Billy Preston and a couple of great horn players, playing a near-perfect setlist. They're still excited about everything, especially new songs like Heartbreaker, and the version of Midnight Rambler is the best I've ever heard. Plus, Jagger speaks French in a louche manner that it's hard to imagine anyone else getting away with. Listening to this will bring you right back to why you care about these guys.

What GREAT stuff did I miss??

The Best Of 11

2011-12-22T04:04:00.000-08:00

What an amazing year for music - I'm like a pig in truffles. If you had told me in January that Wilco, Radiohead, TV On The Radio and Bon Iver would put out new records and NOT end up on my Top Ten, I would have told you to get lost. But that's exactly what happened. Here are the whys and wherefores, from one to (sort of) ten. If you want to listen in, head over to 8tracks.com and just push play.

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
This has not lost its grip on the top spot since July. As I discussed on a recent episode of Sound Opinions, It's more musically and thematically complex and expansive than their debut, perfectly building on the promise of that stunning record. Robin Pecknold is obviously the leader but they are definitely a band and J.Tillman, drummer extraordinaire, is their secret weapon. Give a listen to this Daytrotter session if you want to know why.

2. Mastodon - The Hunter
After a series of knotty and thrilling concept albums, the boys from Atlanta hook up with the guy who co-produced In Da Club, among other things, and let it all hang out, writing songs about meth-heads searching for the perfect tree knot, forlorn cephalopods, etc. After the sprawling epics of their earlier records, concision may have been the only challenge left to them and they conquer it with extreme prejudice. No big story to tell, just a series of virtuoso hard rock tunes that solidify Mastodon's place in the pantheon of American bands.

3. Hollie Cook - Hollie Cook
Who'd a thunk that the daughter of a Sex Pistol would craft one of the most delightful records in recent memory? You can have your Beyonce and Rihanna - they sound positively anhedonic compared to Hollie. She has the perfect collaborators in Prince Fatty and Horseman, creating a rock-steady vibe that is pure fun. I may have listened to this addicting collection more than any other record this year. Take a taste and you too will be hooked.

4. Amor De Dias - Street of The Love of Days
Like Hollie Cook's album, the collaboration of Alasdair MacLean and Lupe Núñez-Fernández sounds deceptively easy. The breezy set of songs features gorgeous production and some of Alasdair's finest singing to date. There's a hint of darkness that adds depth, like the slight bitterness at the bottom of a demitasse.

5. Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit
There's a lot of things about this album that seem unpromising - that title, for one, the amateurish cover art, for another, not to mention a song called Can We Really Party Today? - but it is a spectacular, enveloping listening experience. Wilson is a bit of a journeyman, playing with and producing everyone from Dawes, Elvis Costello, Mia Doi Todd, Erykah Badu and J. Tillman (him again). Several songs on Gentle Spirit feature Wilson on all the instruments, which is astonishing when you consider the interplay and improvisation that's going on. He makes Paul McCartney's similar attempts sound like the work of a gifted tinkerer. The songs are full of unexpected twists and turns, sometimes taking a leaf from Harry Nilsson, and sometimes Pink Floyd or David Crosby. A major talent that is absolutely one of the discoveries of the year.

6. Hilary Hahn (with Valentina Lisitsa, Piano) - Charles Ives: Four Sonatas
Except for her recordings of Violin Concertos by Schoenberg and Jennifer Higdon, Hahn is mainly known for incandescent performance of great repertory works, most notably the mighty and ethereal Sibelius. She takes a brave step here by recording the complete violin sonatas of that spiky American original, Charles Ives. She has steeped herself in the folk songs that Ives drew on and seems to sing through her violin. There is a refreshing lack of defensiveness, apology or obligation here - she knows what great music this is and seeks to communicate that with all the talent at her command. In no small part helped by Valentina Lisitsa's dynamic piano, this recording is a complete success and a joy to listen to. You may even find yourself singing along!

7. The Strokes - Angles
Expectations can really sink a band. If you wanted Is This It Part 2, maybe you should have made it yourself. This is smart, inventive, intricate music that is filled with what can only be called an energetic ennui. It gleams with a very special light and marks its own territory in the dire landscape of today's guitar rock.

8.1 Prodigy (of Mobb Deep) - Complex Presents The Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson EP
This six song download is filled with a unity of sound and purpose that eludes most hip hop. He's not trying to be anything, like Drake or Tyler The Creator, he just IS. It took a minute to adjust to his slower flow on these songs but, as was revealed on my next selection, that was just a demonstration of his versatility. His producers (including Sid Roams and Havoc) come up with some scintillating soundscapes for P to work his magic on. One standout is Stronger, produced by King Benny and featuring a killer Nina Simone sample. QED: "Maybe once in a tangerine moon/I'll be in the mood to paint the town red with your corpuscles and plasma/Some violent art/These thoughts, in the corner of my mind are dark/But then the Times Square lights/They switch my whole attitude." Still on the fence? Did I mention this was a FREE download?

8.2 Mobb Deep - Black Cocaine EP
As I wrote recently, these guys, that name, it's guaranteed to be good. Hip Hop is always on the hunt for the new new thing, but when some old G's come up with the goods, there's no shame it recognizing it. The Bounty Killer sample on Dead Man Shoes is a coup and if it inspired the refrain "Eat food, I'm full, doggy bag 'em, feed 'em to the wolves, toe-tag'em, they walking in dead man shoes," it was worth every penny paid to the dancehall marauder. Prodigy is in full command throughout, stepping up the pace as the music demands, as is partner Havoc. Four other excellent songs have me eager for the full album to drop in 2012.

9. Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu
Let me just say that half the people piling on this record are descendants of the dudes who returned White Light/White Heat to EJ Korvette's for a refund in 1967 because they thought there was something wrong with it. And the other half are insecure followers just doing it out of aesthetic insecurity or those guys who considered ending it all when Metallica cut their hair. This is a great record - big riffs, nasty lyrics, moments of transcendent beauty. Perhaps Lou is dragging the Metallicatz into the world of German expressionism rather forcefully, but they pump their own blood into the songs. Like The Strokes album, I'm convinced Lulu's time will come.

10. Epic45 - Weathering
This achingly gorgeous ambient-folk song cycle is assembled with such care, it should be sold as a single download. However, there are enough standout songs that it's OK if it ends up on shuffle play. At a less fractious time (and one less obsessed with dance music), this album would be an event. In 2011, most people don't even know it exists. In this case, joining the 1% would be a badge of honor - and an entree into a beautiful soundworld.

Whew. It wasn't easy to demote the luminaries listed at the top of this post but they, and many others, will be featured in a Best Of The Rest Of 11 entry, coming soon. Also on the horizon is a look back at the year in concerts. In the meantime, share your comments, or your own Top Ten, below.

2011: The Year In Live, Part 1

2011-12-02T05:00:00.001-08:00

With 2011 still ringing in my ears, and on the eve of my first concert of 2012 (Jonathan Wilson, Mercury Lounge, 1/19/12), here's the first rundown of live shows from last year.

Concert-going ran the full gamut this year, from a tribute to a legendary soprano to a world tour with a string quartet, and from psych-rock and folk-rock master classes to ear-splitting metal. Add some filthy hip hop and some twisted jazz and you would have a fair representation of my musical diet. Maybe in 2012 I'll hit all of those marks.

My daughter and I are The Two Live Crew - back for a repeat engagement in 2011.

At the Bon Iver concert, Prospect Park

The Return Of The Two Live Crew - River To River
We once again filled the summer with cornucopia of musical delights. I have already written extensively about the Brooklyn Rider concert we saw during the River To River Festival. That same organization gave us the opportunity to see Sean Lennon's Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger in full flower at South Street Seaport. While I have been his fan since Into The Sun in 1998, this recent project seemed to be getting by largely on the charm of Sean and Charlotte Kemp-Muhl, his partner in music and life, as evidenced in their, yes, charming appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. So I was not expecting the full-on psychedelic freak scene they brought to the little stage by the sea. While his solo albums have focused on his ravaged heart, the new songs are full of play and imagery. Sean is a stunning guitar player and his maniacal exertions were contrasted perfectly by Charlotte's effortless cool and precise bass playing. The three musicians who filled out the band were uniformly excellent. While the Acoustic Sessions album was pleasant enough, I can't wait for the full band album - although with their website two months out of date, I won't hold my breath... The opening act was the entertaining Blood Orange - when his first song ended I thought, "That's what I hoped Lightspeed Champion would sound like." Then I realized it was the same guy. His bedsit pop is punctuated by unexpectedly convincing guitar heroics, a great combination that doesn't quite come over on his album, Coastal Grooves. Worth a listen, but try to catch him live.

The Return Of The Two Live Crew, Pt. 2
Hannah and I also trekked out to Brooklyn for the Bon Iver experience in Prospect Park - and it is an experience to see Justin Vernon & Co. onstage. The large band gave the new songs an increased dynamic range that revealed their structural and emotional intricacies more effectively than the album versions. Vernon is a massive talent and although he seemed to give his all, sometimes heading for an emotional brink, I never worried about him, as he projected a grounded and healthy air. He's the real deal and I expect we'll have him around for awhile. He is also a generous musician, including his band and the audience fully in the proceedings. If you're a fan but found yourself somewhat confounded by the second album, catch the concert - it will all make more sense.

The Return Of The Two Live Crew Pts. 3-5
After summer 2010, Hannah and I were dyed in the wool fans of Tanglewood's Sunday morning chamber concerts. We managed to make it to three this year and were introduced to some amazing music. One concert included Fred Ho's Fanfare to Stop the Creeping Meatball, a witty romp that was an entree into the world of an idiosyncratic and brave musician. We also had the privilege of attending an all-vocal concert that was a 90th birthday celebration for Phyllis Curtin. Appropriately enough, the concert opened with Britten's complex A Birthday Hansel, but soon moved into a wild array of exclusively American song, including a fantastic performance of Marc Blitzstein's poignantly brash The New Suit "Zipperfly" by bass David Salsbery Fry. YoonGeong Lee's take on Joseph Schwantner's Black Anemones was also unforgettable. And I doubt there was a dry eye to be found when the entire company sang The Promise of Living chorus from Aaron Copland's The Tender Land. I know I was tearing up watching Curtin's beaming face as the young singers performed. If you're in the Berkshires at all next summer, stop by Tanglewood at 10:00am on Sunday - you never know exactly what will happen but you know it will be wonderful!

The Return of The Two Live Crew: Encore!
Combining one of our favorite places (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) with one of our favorite activities (live music) seemed like a guaranteed good time and the New York Philharmonic's Contact! concert in December did not disappoint. Hosted by the ever-amazing John Schaefer, the show featured a world-premiere by young Brazilian composer Alexandre Lunsqui, a new classic by Magnus Lindberg and, the big piece of the night, H.K. Gruber's outrageous Frankenstein!! The Lunsqui piece was knotty but propulsive, with some cheeky references to his native Brazilian rhythms. Lindberg's choice of symphonic sections of woodwind and brass - as if "the other bus of musicians didn't arrive" - was an exploration of instrumental textures, but not in an academic way. Frankenstein!!, with its toy instruments, theatrical vocals and (admittedly somewhat dated) pop-culture obsessed poetry, is a unique work that deserves to be experienced at least once, especially with Gruber himself in the role of Chansonnier - although ring-leader might have been as apt a description.

Still to come: The Year In Live, Pt. 2

Did you take your kids to any concerts last year? Tell us about it!

A Few Brief Words About Some Recent Hip Hop

2011-11-29T17:47:00.001-08:00

1. Black Cocaine The other day I got an email from Havoc, otherwise known as Kejuan Muchita, otherwise known as one half of the legendary hip hop duo Mobb Deep. The email let me know of the release of a new EP called Black Cocaine. This was good news, as I am a fan. Upon my arrival home, I downloaded the EP. Did I listen to a 30 second sample? No. Did I go on Amazon or iTunes and see how many stars people were giving it? No. Did I check out the hip hop bloggerati to see what the pundits were saying? No. Did I engage in a spirited discussion with some fool who thinks Prodigy (Havoc's partner) lost it 10 years ago? No. I simply downloaded it. After all, it's by Mobb Deep and it's called Black Cocaine. There are few guarantees in this life but that's one of them. If it's by Mobb Deep and it's called Black Cocaine, it will be good. And it is good - very, very good. So go buy it. If you must sample a song, watch this gruesome video. You'll wish you had just bought the EP.

2. Pusha T Otherwise known as Terrance Thornton, Pusha is one half of the not quite legendary but still astounding hip hop duo Clipse, known for some of the finest hip hop albums of the new millennium. After recording some staggering verses with Kanye West as part of the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy project, the next logical step for Pusha was a solo album which, in the style of the day, was heralded by a free mix tape over the summer called Fear Of God. Unfortunately, except for the hypnotic Raid, which featured 50 Cent's best work since Blood Money with Mobb Deep, the collection was a stiff. Rote beats, unimaginative hooks, and just a few of Pusha's patented "young black Socrates" zingers. So when RCRD LBL let me know of a new track called Body Work from Fear Of God 2, my hopes were not high. And it turned out to be lame. But somehow in the aftermath of my earlier disappointment, I had missed the September release of a track by him pithily entitled Don't Fuck With Me, which I now discovered.

Just seeing the title reminded me of the time when a contemporary novelist expressed her frustration with the fact that Anthony Trollope had written a novel called The Way We Live Now - in 1875. "Shouldn't every novel be called that?" she asked. Well, shouldn't (nearly) every rap song be called Don't Fuck With Me? But it took Pusha to do it and it's pure genius. Download it for free from RCRD LBL - and sign up for their excellent emails while you're at it. Sometimes one great song can make up for a lot of duds.

Time to get cracking on that Best of 11 list...cheers.

Loving The Magpie (or, How To Write Fame)

2011-10-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

I just finished Paul Trynka's terrific David Bowie: Starman, which, unless Bowie writes his own book or does something amazing artistically in the future, will likely prove definitive. One fascinating feature of the well-written book is the insights into Bowie's process of making music. As Trynka outlines, the Dame didn't just change his style at various points in his career, but he changed his whole approach.

A great example of this is the breathless tale of how Fame was constructed. Basically, it was assembled from used parts, with Bowie, along with co-writers Carlos Alomar and John Lennon, operating more like the Bomb Squad than Lennon & McCartney.

Essentially, the way it happened was this: As is well known, Bowie began embracing soul and funk during the 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. As can be heard on David Live, adding the Stax classic Knock On Wood to the set was one manifestation of his new fascination. Another song he included was Foot Stompin' Pt.1, the 1961 dance floor smash by The Flares. His band of R&B virtuosi soon put their own twist on it, with guitarist Carlos Alomar adding a lick from The Jungle Walk, a funky Buzz Feiten workout from the last album by 60's stalwarts, The Rascals. This weird hybrid was even showcased on The Dick Cavett Show in 1974. You can hear an embryo of Fame at a moment when no one - not even Bowie himself - knew what was to come.

The next building block came from John Lennon, who David had invited to the session to record Bowie's cover of Across The Universe. While it's a bit hard to imagine the ex-Beatle jamming on a version of Shirley & Company's peppy early disco hit, Shame, Shame, Shame, that's exactly what Lennon was doing when Bowie walked by. He thought Lennon was singing "Fame, fame, fame," a subject they had been discussing earlier. Something clicked and he went off by himself, returning 20 minutes later with the lyrics to Fame.

Lennon and Alomar definitely earned their songwriting credits for their crucial contributions but Trynka gives no doubt that brilliant lyrics are all David's work. And although Trynka doesn't mention it, I would assume the same for song's most devastating coup de grace, the pitch-shifted repetition from falsetto to bass of the word "fame." This was the culmination of a technique from Bowie had employed on his early curio The Laughing Gnome (and later on Scream Like A Baby).

So that's how you make a hit. It's all here in this handy Spotify playlist, including the ultimate compliment, James Brown's Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved), which took "sampling" to a whole other level.

As for the story of how Bowie turned Nile Rogers into a musical Manchurian Candidate, you'll just have to read the book!

Brooklyn Rider's Journey

2011-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

For their entry in the River To River series, this fantastic string quartet traveled from Vienna to Brazil, and from Kentucky to Japan, ending up among their fellow nomads, the Roma.

Mozart's Quartet No. 8 in F Major opened the show and proved to be music that is of its time in all the right ways. You can instantly hear how engaged the 17 year old Wolfgang was with the people and society around him. Brooklyn Rider's lively playing conjured up scenes of tinkling glassware and witty conversation - a party - in the first movement, moving naturally to the nocturnal Andante - the hushed after-party - and then on to the streaks of sunlight and galloping carriage ride of the final movements. Brilliant.

Phillip Glass's String Quartet No. 2 "Company" followed and, while I have become less convinced by his work over the years, there was certainly nothing unconvincing about the performance.

Much more fascinating was violinist Colin Jacobson's arrangement of Joao Gilberto's Undiu, which began with moody distortions and then got the whole group humming while making wonderful use of guest players Jeff Beeches on bass and Mathias Kunzli on percussion. This debut performance was a joy and the piece should be on their next record.

Colin's own Sheriff's Liede, Sheriff's Freude (a tribute to the long-suffering "sheriff" of the group, violist Nicholas Cords) closed the first half. With its bluegrass interjections it made good use of the virtuoso talent and wit of his fellow players.

Kojiro Umezaki, a master of the shakuhachi, took the stage alone to open the second part of the concert. He explained that his piece, ...as if none of this had ever happened..., was based on a work commemorating the victims of the 1923 earthquake in Tokyo (100,000 people died) and related it to the recent disasters in Japan. The gorgeously anguished breath of the flute competing with (and almost overwhelmed by) the glitchy electronics coming off his iPad made for a haunting meditation. The quartet returned for a beautiful rendition of Lullaby From Itsuki, a traditional Japanese melody that translated perfectly to this most untraditional combination of instruments. Another Umezaki piece, (Cycles) what falls must rise (which appears on Dominant Curve), brought the iPad back into the fold for another glitchy, powerful excursion.

Umezaki, who has worked extensively with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, is a triple threat - a great player, an intriguing and emotional composer and a natural communicator.

The last part of the trip was a suite of music of the Roma, which touched on a variety of aspects of that tradition, from melancholia to gypsy jazz that would have had Stephane Grappelli tapping his feet and itching to join in.

Each piece was met with louder cheers by the audience, who, whatever their travel plans were walking in, would happily hitch a globe-trotting expedition with Brooklyn Rider any time.

Location:Beekman St,,United States

Best Of 11 (So Far)

2011-07-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

This has been such a great year for music so far that if it ended now I would have a perfectly respectable Top Ten list. Since it seems that we who opine about music can no longer wait for the end of the year to make some sort of list, I'll join in with my provisional pronouncement. Don't feel like reading? Check the playlist here.

1. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues: An astonishing follow-up from Robin Pecknold and co. Greater sophistication and a new directness in the lyrics make this an undeniable record.

2. The Strokes - Angles: I think time will prove me right that this is their best album so far. Full of precision, vertiginous stops and starts, wit and melody, this is thrilling rock'n'roll. Celebrate your independence from groupthink and give this one a few more chances.

3. Prodigy - Complex Presents The Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson EP: This is turning into a banner year for the man born Albert Johnson. He got out of jail, released his searing (and entertaining) memoir, My Infamous Life (get the audio book - more music!), and eased his way back into the biz with this free mixtape. Sid Roams produced the bulk of the cuts and proves a strong foil for P's syrupy slow intensity. Black Devil is a highlight along with Stronger, featuring a Nina Simone sample that ties nicely back to Prodigy's jazz heritage.

4. Amor de Dias - Street Of The Love Of Days: This was a nice surprise. Alisdair MacLean of The Clientele joins forces with Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas to concoct a lighter than air confection of folk and Bossa Nova inflected tunes, including a remake of Harvest Time that outdoes the original from Bonfires On The Heath. Even with its hints of darkness, this Is the chill out record of the year.

5. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX - We're New Here: Speaking of darkness, this is a nightmare you can dance to. Jamie XX has rescued GSH's last project to create an avant collection of soundscapes with haunted interjections of spoken word and singing. Though I've already pissed one guy off with a five star review on Amazon, I still say it's a work of art.

6. Gavin Friday - Catholic: 16 years I've waited for this and his patented blend of sepulchral/angelic vocals, slinky music and emotional complexity has not dimmed in power.

7. Choir Of St. Mary's Cathedral - Bruckner Motets: It's a common metaphor to say that Anton Bruckner's massive, magnificent symphonies were cathedrals sculpted in sound so I've long been curious about his actual church music. While I can't connect to his extreme religiosity, his passionate engagement is palpable in these wonderfully concise pieces, sung exquisitely by this choir. The instrumental interludes are just as superbly played and make for a well-rounded experience.

8. Bon Iver - Bon Iver: Like Fleet Foxes, this sophomore effort from a member of the class of 2008 was eagerly awaited. By now, everyone knows about Justin Vernon's wild ride from a cabin in Wisconsin to smoking blunts with Rick Ross in Kanye's Hawaiian studio. However, success has not led him to simplify - in fact, the opposite. Bon Iver has more in common with his side projects Volcano Choir and Gayngs than with anything on Hot 97. Oblique lyrics, dense washes of sound and a greater dynamic range make this an album to get lost in.

9. TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light: After pursuing outside interests with varying success (Loved most of Rain Machine, cooled quickly on most of Maximum Balloon), the reigning band of Brooklyn brothers returns with sensational sounding, widescreen art pop/funk/rock/etc. Every song brims with humor and intelligence, and on Killer Crane TVOTR demonstrate a new found delicacy that wouldn't sound out of place on a Zombies record.

10. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs: After the direct hit of In Rainbows, this collection of introspective avant-chamber pieces may seem off-putting. But each listen reveals new compositional rigor and melodic inevitability. While it wouldn't be unreasonable for the outside observer to think that Thom Yorke could be at a place of contentment in his life, the emotions conveyed here hint that he's been through some bruising experiences since In Rainbows. Every moment of quiescence feels hard-earned.

Bubbling Under: While I'm fairly certain that the above will remain in my good graces, their order and inclusion in the final Best Of 11 is subject to change. Here's a few other things I've been enjoying: Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean: Sam Beam writes songs that sound so right and I like the funky touches and edgier lyrics. This may nose its way back on to the Top Ten. Lucinda Williams - Blessed: Based purely on feel, this is my favorite Lucinda record since Car Wheels. Powerful lyrics and Elvis Costello's(!) wrenching guitar leads make for a deeply engrossing collection. Dennis Coffey - Dennis Coffey: The Scorpio man is back with his slashing six string and young guns to spur him on. Thievery Corporation - Culture Of Fear: Don't be afraid - the grooves are atmospheric and the bass is in your face. Maybe not as strong as Radio Retaliation but it keeps growing on me. Son Lux - We Are Rising: His debut was a favorite back in 2008. This one is a bit more obscure but I need to give it more time. And then there's what will be released in the next six months (Wilco, Breton, Bjork - I'm talking to you), which could throw everything into delightful chaos.

The Best Of The Rest Of Ten

2011-06-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

As the year teeters on its fulcrum point, here's some stuff that almost made my Top Ten from last year and that you might have missed. For your listening pleasure, check out the Best Of The Rest Of Ten playlist at www.8tracks.com.

Eleventh
Of all the albums that did not make it on to my Top Ten for 2010, I probably spent the most time with Heligoland by Massive Attack. This was new proof that they are the best at what they do - mean moodscapes you can dance to. And the remixes are nonpareil - shell out for the deluxe version.

Post-Punk is Dead--Long Live Post-Punk

A combined 60 years of blistering history led to Red Barked Tree from Wire and Killing Joke's Absolute Dissent. Both are strong enough that I can say "Start Here" if you are new to either band.

Kosmische Dancers
Deutsche Elektronische Musik is a fantastic collection from Soul Jazz of Krautrock that's not Kraftwerk. And it's not all electronic - check out This Morning by Gila for some primo lysergic folk. If you like your motorik beat wedded to hypnotic guitars, look no further than Vol. 2 from Wooden Shjips.

Ancient To The Future

Nas and Damian Marley take the diaspora back to it's roots on Distant Relatives. Get this almost great record to hear Nas tells Damian: "My man'll speak patois/And I can speak rap star" over a mesmerizing Mulatu Astatke groove. Speaking of Mulatu, fresh off their collabo with the man himself, The Heliocentrics have joined forces with Lloyd Miller, to cook up some deep if meandering jams on, yes, Lloyd Miller and The Heliocentrics. For another unusual blend, try Mochilla Presents Timeless: Suite For Ma Dukes, which features a 60 piece orchestra playing music of the late, great J Dilla. It's devastating in more ways than one. Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty is filled with witty grooves and salacious verse. It's your party tape in a neat package. Seek out the leaked tracks with Andre 3000 to counteract Jive records jive.

Poptones

Edwyn Collins finally returned from a couple of near death experiences with the energetic and tuneful Losing Sleep, which has a wonderfully tossed off quality that belies how high the stakes were. The Clientele's unexpected Minotaur found them at the top of their form. Jerry, in particular, has an epic construction that could only be the result of Alisdair MacLean's ever-growing mastery of songcraft. Heralded by the arrival of the brilliant I Want The World To Stop (and it's accompanying film), I expected great things from Belle and Sebastian Write About Love. However, there were two or three sub par tracks (Norah Jones? I mean, really) that dragged the album down. The good stuff is still good, however.

Reissue, Repackage

The always fascinating Numero Group outdid themselves with the towering Syl Johnson collection, Complete Mythology. His searing Is It Because I'm Black? album predated What's Going On and other conscious soul records and deserves to be in their company. And there is much more to discover beyond those 10 cuts. The Jimi Hendrix reissue game redeemed itself with West Coast Seattle Boy, a beautifully assembled collection that was filled with startling sounds and hidden gems. Essential. Kill City has always been one of my favorite post-Stooges Iggy Pop efforts and it sounds better than ever now. If you buy only one dub collection from 2010, make it Sound System Scratch, an astonishing compilation of Lee Perry 12" produced for sound system use only. Can't wait to hear The Return Of Sound System Scratch.

Miscellany
Brooklyn Rider, the genre-hopping string quartet, followed up their debut with Dominant Curve featuring a sublime Debussy alongside compositions and arrangements by members of the group. Bryan Ferry's Olympia got a lot of attention. Fortunately, it was damned good. His voice sounds great and the grooves are multilayered (three bass players? Well, OK). Finally, Autechre, one of the most accomplished electronic groups of all time, released Move Of Ten, featuring some of their dirtiest music yet.

If any of this music seems obscure, you chance to change that by buying it and trumpeting your pleasure to the world!

Coming soon - VERY soon - The Best of 11 (So Far). Until then...

Best Of Ten

2011-01-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

I took it down to the wire, and I'm glad I did. At least one item here came in over the transom less than two weeks before the end of the year. It was such an amazing year for music that keeping this list to 10 items was painful. I will put a Bandaid on that booboo next time with the Best Of The Rest Of Ten. Without further ado, my 10 faves from 2010.

1. The Walkmen - Lisbon
One of the astonishing things about this record is that despite all the new elements they added to their sound, it still sounds just like The Walkmen. It is at once their most stripped down album and their most embellished (backing vocals! strings!) without losing sight of the all-important emotional connection that is their hallmark. Sure, they're older and wiser enough to laugh at heartbreak in Woe Is Me, but they're never too far from wonderful desolation. Ain't the first time they've been high on my list and probably ain't the last...

2. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
I admit that I had pretty much counted K. West out but when Lord Lord Lord dropped, I knew something was brewing in Hawaii. And let's face it, the album is a freaking masterpiece - not flawless and certainly the filthiest five star album ever - but great nonetheless. If The College Dropout was his Hunky Dory, featuring an endearingly goofy and down to earth Kanye that we haven't seen since, this is his Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), presenting a dangerously warped persona who sees the world through a shattered mirror. This list of samples demonstrates that a shattered mirror can result in a kaleidoscope of sound. A lot of ink has already been spilled on MBDTF - suffice it to say that it's a defining record of our time and Kanye's best ever.

3. Field Music - Measure
The Brewis Brothers strike again with this overachieving double album. Their smart pop is smarter than ever while rocking harder and getting in touch with their funky side. Zigaboo Modeliste could learn a few tricks from the second line strut of Each Time Is A New Time while Andy Partridge is kicking himself for not coming up with Them That Do Nothing. Deep in side four (speaking in vinyl terms), it gets arty and reflective just as you would hope, mining some of the territory Penguin Cafe Orchestra abandoned to be become chilly perfectionists. Each song on this dense, rich collection is like a perfect little machine and smart songwriters around the globe are likely trying to draw schematics of each one as we speak.

4. Gecko Turner - Gone Down South
Gecko's mix of the sounds of Portugal, Brazil, Memphis, Jamaica, Mali and beyond is one of the must purely human sounds being made on the planet today. To live life without his records would be like denying yourself the warmth of the sun. His last two albums (both released in 2006) are landmarks of this millennium and this one is a close cousin. Perhaps it's a little airier and tossed off but songs like Truly and Cuanta Suerte are like a mainline dose of Vitamin D. Pure joy from start to finish.

5. Sleigh Bells - Treats
These two Brooklyn hipsters married the (often fairly unlistenable) digital hardcore of Atari Teenage Riot and co. to a pop sensibility to make a sound I never knew I needed. Tell 'Em comes on like a rallying cry, the national anthem of LOUD, while Rill Rill hijacks a Funkadelic sample that leavens the whole album straight to sonic nirvana (pun intended). Play it in your car - watch your rearview mirror vibrate and sing along with your family.

6. Breton - Sharing Notes
Between showing the world how to make a DIY printed circuit board and providing remixes for nearly everyone, this South London collective spawned three EP's this year - this is the second (the first was limited to 20 copies and the third is just out) and its grimy electronica features a punky energy that will jolt your system right where you need it. Further listening reveals the dense, surprisingly masterful production (James Murphy could borrow a few leaves from their book) and the almost anthemic song craft that will put these tracks on high-rotation in your temporal lobe.

7. Mount Kimbie - Crooks And Lovers
I have been mostly bemused by the British electronica scene of the past few years, as Dubstep splintered into seemingly endless sub-genres, each even more narrow minded than their progenitor. This duo definitely draws on some of those sounds but their approach is so radical - and musical - that they rise far above the morass. Shards of melody go by, rhythms get almost funky, human voices drift in and out the mix but their compositional skill makes it all hold together. I can imagine those Bang On A Can guys transcribing this stuff and blowing the roof off of Alice Tully Hall.

8. Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library
I've probably gone on enough about the enthralling qualities of Holly Miranda's voice and songwriting but, trust me, she's got the goods. Dave Sitek's production elaborates on the dreamscapes inherent in her songs but also mutes her power a bit. Check out NYC Taper's recording of a show from the Bowery Ballroom last spring to hear her raw and uncut, including her devastating take on I'd Rather Go Blind. So perhaps she has yet to make her definitive album but this is still a wonderful introduction to a unique and growing talent.

9. Brian Eno (with Leo Abrahams and Jon Hopkins) - Small Craft On A Milk Sea
Because this is an instrumental album, many have been categorizing it as one of his ambient works. But this series of short, varied pieces has the most in common with his Music For Films albums. As he puts it: "As they stand, they are the mirror-image of silent movies – sound-only movies." In any case, the sheer inventiveness, freedom and mastery displayedhere can stop the breath in your throat. And you may have heard: he actually gets abrasive, delivering a bracing echo of Kings Lead Hat on Two Forms Of Anger.

10. Spoon - Transference
Britt Daniel continues his run as one of the best songwriters ever with gems like Written In Reverse, Mystery Zone, Goodnight Laura, and pretty much every song on this terse, witty and heartfelt album. There is a nice rawness (almost abandon) to some of the cuts but the canny production touches that abound serve as reminders that he and his band mates are in full control. If there is anyone still out there bemoaning the death of rock, they just have not been listening to Spoon.

Next time: Several other delights, including reissues.

We Are The 2 Live Crew: The Year In Live Music

2010-12-29T14:00:00.000-08:00

Looking back on my year in live music, I realized that I was accompanied by my daughter, Hannah (11 in January 2010), to all five concerts I managed to get to. She will add her comments to mine.

The Nose - I have been a Shostakovich fanatic for decades so when I heard Valery Gergiev was leading a production of his rare opera (based on the Gogol novel) at the Met, with a production designed by William Kentridge, there was no way I was going to miss it. I took Hannah and one of her best friends and it lived up to every expectation I had - from the staggering stagecraft to Paul Bott's unforgettable lead performance, to the virtuosic orchestra, it was a blast from start to finish. Although Hannah has been to opera performances before, this was her first trip to the Met. Here's what she had to say: "This was a quality performance that had both great music and great humor."

Tanglewood x2 - Although getting to a chamber music concert at 10:00 am on a Sunday might seem painful, it was more than worth it. And the price was right - $11 for me and $0 for Hannah. They don't list the program on the website so we had no idea what we were going to hear. As we waited in our seats for the music to begin, I scanned through the program. I told Hannah she was in for a real treat - two pieces by Takemitsu, which meshed nicely with her interest in Japanese culture. Elliott Carter, Gabrieli, Hindemith and Strauss were also on the varied program. Day Signal opened the program, with the brass lined up on the balcony producing a creamy, otherworldly tone. It was absolutely captivating and the musicians, all students from around the world, were flawless.

After Gabrieli's clever Canzone for 12 In Double Echo and Takemitsu's Night Signal, it was time for Carter's Tintinnabulation. This is a piece he wrote for untuned percussion - no xylophones sneaking a melody in - and it was deeply involving and theatrical to watch. The engagement with the materials - wood, metal, etc. - of each instrument was brilliant. Imagine our surprise when, during the ovation, the 102 year old Carter himself stood up to soak up the applause. Quite an experience. A few weeks later we went again and the standout was the fascinating Economy Of Wax by Nicholas Vines, which is part of a multi-composer series of works based on the work of Charles Darwin. If you're in the Berkshires on a summer weekend, set your alarm and treat yourself to one of these remarkable concerts. Hannah had this to say: "These concerts have such a variety of pieces and it was a good experience to meet some famous composers."

Burning Spear - It's been a tough year for reggae. With the deaths of both Sugar Minott and Gregory Isaacs, there are few legends out there, and even fewer still performing with the vigor of The Spear. Instead of coming from the hills of Jamaica, he came over the bridge from Queens for this a free concert in the River To River festival in Rockefeller Park. While there was admittedly some shtick to his act, his crack band's dubbed out jamming, his own conga playing and dancing and his still potent voice, conjured a mood of joy and contemplation as the sun set at our backs. I last saw him about 25 years ago and he's scarcely lost a step. Here's what Hannah thought: "Great, both beautiful music and beautiful sound and the instruments were in good harmony with the vocals."

Waiting For Holly

Holly Miranda - Since the NY Times (!) directed me to her MySpace page, I have been nattering on about Holly Miranda to anyone who will listen and waiting for a chance to see her live. The chance finally came when she played the Prospect Park Bandshell (with Metric) so Hannah I trekked out to the old hood for the show. Although it was only a 45 minute set, she showcased her gorgeous voice, generous spirit (many invited friends joined her on stage) and dream-like song writing. Her band injected an angular energy into her music that countered the introverted sound of her recordings and made for a great live sound. Her cover of I'd Rather Go Blind, featuring a blistering solo by Kaki King, was a raw expression of her talent. Can't wait to see her as a headliner! This was Hannah's first rock concert - here's what she thought: "I love the way there were so many people on stage at once at times, it was great how good even small sounds sounded amazing with everything else."

The only live lowlight was the one show I didn't see - Belle and Sebastian at the Williamsburg Waterfront. Had my ticket for months but the threatening weather discouraged me from going. Having already survived a tornado on the Driscoll Bridge in NJ, I couldn't countenance tempting fate again. My sister and nephew went and said it was fantastic. Oh, well. B&S will remain on the short list of bands I need to see live, along with Radiohead, The Walkmen, TV On The Radio and a few others.

Looking forward to hearing and seeing what 2011 brings for me and my intrepid concert companion - the 2 Live Crew!

The Year In Disappointments

2010-12-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

As the world begins to assemble top ten lists and look back over the year in music, I find myself thinking about those moments in the past 11 months where my excitement turned to disappointment upon hearing an anticipated record.

1. Goldfrapp - Head First. After three wonderful records filled with high-impact analogue synths, whomping beats and gorgeous melodies, the duo took a breather with Seventh Tree in 2008. It brought acoustic sounds into the mix and, though controversial among some critics, it was a fine extension of their sound. It also made me curious to see where they would head on the next album. My anticipation was high enough that, if not for Lala (RIP - another disappointment!), I would have just bought it. So glad I didn't. One thing the world does not need is another tinny ABBA-influenced electro-pop record, even one featuring the gleaming soprano of Alison Goldfrapp. There was none of the roof-rattling power or hypnotic rhythms of their previous work. And now they've been nominated for two Grammy awards, which may only make it harder for them to find their artistic compass again.

2. Efterklang - Magic Chairs. Their album Parades was a fascinating and precious discovery of 2007. It was modern chamber music married to a quirky pop aesthetic that seemed both completely Danish and completely otherworldly. Tripper, their debut, included some glitchy electro in the mix and was also beautiful if slightly unformed. Magic Chairs seems to be a bid for wider acceptance, with solo vocals pushed forward in place of the choral approach of their previous albums. The songs are more linear and spacious and, ultimately, more ordinary. Next!

3. The Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers. While I might be somewhat lonely in my devotion to In A Safe Place, I am devoted. Like a stainless steel chair with warm wood accents, the music gleams with a high-tech surface surrounding an organic center, creating an experience that overlaps with both the best of Eno's ambient records and the enveloping folk of a Nick Drake. On the new album, Jimmy LaValle has put that chair in the closet and replaced it with one made entirely of plastic. Every beat of the bass drum intrudes like a Twinkie at Per Se and the songs are flat and lifeless.

4. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening. Swimming against the tide here. Sound Of Silver was simply fantastic - all of the best of James Murphy's many talents in one place - warmth, wit, barbed affection for, well, everything, and music that backed up all the attitude with melody and funk. This new one strikes me as simply a tired re-hash. I mean really - Drunk Girls? You Wanted A Hit? This is taking self-parody to a new low. And All I Want was a Bowie rip that showed how far Murphy needs to go in the studio to approach the mastery of a Tony Visconti or a Brian Eno. If this is indeed the last LCD album, it's a sorry way to go out.

Good to get that off my chest before discussing the best music of the year!

Note: my best of the year lists will be coming between Christmas and New Year's. I realize that many lists are already out there but I would rather not make a final decision on what the best of the 2010 is while there are still weeks to go in the year. Cheers.

2010-12-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

One, Two, Three, Four, Cough.

Then came Revolver. I got it for my birthday the year after the three 45's that started my collection. This was obviously a different proposition entirely from the Tommy soundtrack. Here was an album that took you through moods and past musical milestones you didn't know existed, ending with the ever-astonishing Tomorrow Never Knows. TNK, as the Beatle geeks call it, is built on a rhythm Ringo must have heard in a dream, as there was no precedent for that beat in rock & roll. Jerry-rigged on top are all sorts of drones and backward instruments. Then comes Lennon's voice, sounding (as he requested) like the Dalai Lama preaching from a mountain top, singing about the end of the beginning. For me, it was the beginning of the end...a large part of my life became devoted to music.

A couple of other things I love about this record are that outrageous countdown and cough that lead into Taxman--talk about cojones. That song also features one of the most blistering guitar solos in the Beatles catalog. The solo is so brilliant they simply repeat it on the outro, as if to give you another chance to hear it. How amazing to learn that Paul was behind that stinging lead! And how generous of George to give him the spotlight the first and last time he was given the lead track on a Beatles album. It could have been Paul exercising his droight de seigneur but I like my idea better.

It would be many years before I would discover the British version of Revolver, which ups the factor of greatness by many times (Doctor Robert, I'm Only Sleeping - killer!), but nonetheless I was hooked on music and records forever. As soon as I was old enough, I began going to record stores as often as possible and amassing records at a torrid pace. Now I have hundreds of pieces of black plastic, shiny silver discs and mp3 files. Let's just say that my wife is VERY understanding!

What record sucked you in and made you a music fanatic? Does that music still fascinate you?

Next time: The year in disappointments.

2010-11-29T04:53:00.000-08:00

Part Two: The Early Years of Record Buying

Thanks for coming back. Here's where the madness began.

I would lie in my bed, listening to to my knight's-helmet-shaped AM radio, waiting for my favorite songs. I became obsessed with Elton John's version of "Pinball Wizard" and somehow it dawned on me that if I owned the record I could listen to it whenever I wanted to. One day when my mom was going downtown I scraped together a few dollars and asked her to stop into Sam Goody and pick up the Tommy soundtrack album. I could barely concentrate all day, waiting for her to get back home.

Before I knew it, she was back and I was putting diamond to vinyl. Next, I experienced that sinking feeling that all record buyers have felt and try to avoid: the realization that you bought an album with just one good song. Damn - burned on the very first try! No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get into the songs featuring Tina Turner and Eric Clapton - not to mention Oliver Reed and Ann-Margaret, who appear on an astounding 12 tracks out of 31!!

And then, to add insult to injury, my little knight's helmet played me the ORIGINAL version of "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, which was obviously far superior. Clearly, this record buying stuff was more complicated than I had thought.

That was in 1975. For my birthday in 1976 I got my very own Realistic turntable and speakers (dad loved Radio Shack). My sister Jessica gave me three 45's : "Devil Woman" by Cliff Richard, "Devil Woman" by Cliff Richard, and a reissue of "Got To Get You Into My Life" with "Helter Skelter" on the flip side, released to promote the Rock'n'Roll Music compilation. I loved having the little singles - I could put on my own AM radio show with just my favorite songs. I just needed more vinyl - lots more vinyl...

Next Time: 12" of pure genius.

2010-11-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

Where I'm Coming From

On the eve of my birthday, I thought I would give a little background on why I started anearful. I created this blog to give readers an earful about music, pop culture and anything else on my mind. Though my publishing schedule has been somewhat erratic, I hope my passion for music, voracious hunger to hear everything, and the knowledge I've acquired in 30 years of music buying has proven valuable to my readers so far. Many of my friends insisted I share my thoughts in a blog - maybe so I'll stop giving them "an earful" at every possible occasion! Their loss - your gain.

So you know where I'm coming fromhere is the start of a brief musical bio.

Part I - Before Record Buying

My first musical memory is second-hand. I was born in 1964 and my mom told me that she used to wake me for nursery school with a 45 of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" so perhaps I can blame my obsession on that early experience. It also set the stage for much of the '60's for me as those years were all about the Beatles. My parents bought each album as it came out. Some they left in our country house in the Berkshires. To this day when I hear "Things We Said Today" or "Norwegian Wood" I can see and smell the pine-paneled living room up there where the records used to drop from the Realistic changer.

While the main investment my parents made in music during my childhood went to classical music - Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, etc. - they embraced the '60's and, in addition to The Beatles, loved Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel and other avatars of the decade. When I went through a huge Yardbirds phase in high school, my father was quick to remind me that he was the first to bring a Yardbirds record into the house.

But like practically everyone else in my generation, I was introduced to so many facets of music by the Fab Four. From them I learned music could be fun, sad, silly, funky, scary, and as seemingly simple as walking and as complex as the neuro-muscular system that makes walking possible.

The Beatles also brought us all together. No one in our family of six objected if one of their albums were playing. To me they represent the power and possibility of music in all its glory.

Other sounds made an impression in those early years. We used to go see Pete Seeger at Tanglewood. Besides his classics, he sang a song called "Garbage" which was mainly written (I now know) by Bill Steele. The chorus went something like:

"Oh, Garbage, garbage, garbage, garbage
We're filling up the seas with garbage
What will we do when there's no place left
To put all the garbage?"

The proto-environmental theme went right over my head - all I could think was "He's singing about garbage! Cool!" Can you imagine a better song for a six year old?

I was also taken to see The Band around 1969 at a place near Lenox, MA called Music Inn. While this is mostly another second hand memory, I recall seeing one of our red plaid wool blankets on the green grass and over there somewhere some people were doing something on a stage. I can only imagine that some other, deeper impression was being made.

In around 1972 or 1973 my musical world widened beyond The Beatles when I was given an AM radio in the shape of a knight's helmet. Some of the songs that made a real impression on me were:

Radar Love by Golden Earring
Rikki Don't Lose that Number by Steely Dan
Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks
Superstition by Stevie Wonder
Summer Breeze by Seals & Croft

In fact, I even made my brother Greg, who's six years older than me, take me to Tanglewood to see Seals & Croft. I knew no other songs by the soft-rock duo and spent most of the concert waiting for the hit. To this day I hate the tactic of making the audience wait the whole concert for the hit. Put it in the three or four spot. If you're putting on a good show, no one's going to walk out because they already heard the hit!

I still listen regularly to two of the songs listed above - guess which ones in the comments box!

Coming next time: Part II - The Early Years of Record Buying

Are You Receiving?

2010-06-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

Why do you like this? That was...interesting. That sounds weird!

Having gotten those responses (and many others) to some of the music I've played for people, I thought it would be worth looking into the question of why I like what I like. When All Songs Considered asked a similar question on their blog, I posted a longwinded answer from which this adapted.

Well, there is the part of music that is a simulacrum of the in uturo experience, which is something every human from Hitler to Gandhi has in common. The rhythm of the heartbeat, the music of voices from without - these are the building blocks that compelled people to start making music 10,000+ years ago. It is said (by Francis Bebey in his fantastic book African Music: A People's Art, for one) that all of the first instruments were created in an attempt to imitate the human voice and other sounds made by the body. This leads to another basic part of music: communication. The griot tradition is very old and represents music's origins as a way to tell stories, spread news and recount history.

This is all just a grandiose way of saying that music is something that helps us feel connected to other people and that we are not alone.

Now, as to why a particular individual gravitates toward particular music...that must be due to the sum total of their experiences, starting with that time in uturo. I do think that people who are exposed to a broad range of art and culture of all kinds will probably be attracted to a broader range of music. My children (9 and 11) have heard everything from Mozart to Metallica, Stravinsky to Sleigh Bells, Beatles to Bolan, Boulez to Belafonte, Bon Iver, Black Uhuru, etc., etc, ad infinitum. Not to mention great art of all media. Is it just coincidence that they show no affinity for homogenized stuff like the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus, which is aggressively marketed to them? I don't think so.

For me, I am attracted to a huge variety of music and usually left cold by mainstream artists like U2 or Springsteen or Beyonce. I want to find myself in the music, not be told what to feel or be confronted with icy perfection (unless it is mated to sardonic lyrics as in the sui generis sounds of Steely Dan). Music gives me energy and comfort, uplift and sorrow, intellectual stimulation, etc. and I seek out the music that does these things the best - to my ears.

None of the above explains why I strongly dislike Conor Oberst and M. Ward and find Andrew Bird tiresome after a few songs. These are all things critics I respect bring to my attention but that just don't work for me. Why do I like Shearwater but run screaming from Okkerville River? It can all be a bit of a mystery.

I remember reading the first reviews of Metal Box by Public Image Ltd., describing it as weird and nearly unlistenable. When I put it on, it just sounded right. Somehow my experiences from 1964 - 1979 just made that music fit with who I was. I still love that record.

Another example is Grace Jones. I am devoted to her music - the quirky voice, the fantastic Sly and Robbie rhythms, the outre subject matter. But friend of mine just says "She sounds weird," and shudders when I put it on. And when she talks about Johnny Mathis, it's my turn to shudder!

I also think it is quite typical for someone in their 40's as I am to slow down in their quest for new sounds and musical experiences. But I am continually on the hunt and even find myself going back to music that I've previously dismissed to see if my opinion has changed. I just don't want to miss out. Why do I feel to urge to evangelically spread the word about new discoveries when others are simply waiting for the next raft of Grammy winners to help them decide what to buy?

What about you? Are you satisfied with what the mainstream (such as it is in these fragmented times) delivers to you? How big is your musical universe and what do you think made it that way?

Next time: How I got crazy about music, Part 1.

Mysteries Of The Agora

2010-03-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

The arithmetic of four walls and a stage usually adds up to just another venue. But sometimes, through a dark alchemy, the result is a place where rock legends are made time and time again. CBGB's, The Fillmore East, The Cavern Club, Winterland - these are all in the common vernacular. I would like to nominate The Agora in Cleveland to join that pantheon of hallowed halls. And for one reason only: every live show I have heard recorded there is an example of balls-to-the-wall, stand up out of your desk chair, exercise the hairs on the back of your neck pure rock and roll.

Exhibit A in this rogues gallery of swashbuckling live rock: T.Rex. Included with as a bonus disc with Live 1977 is a short concert from 1974 recorded at the Agora. Things are pretty chaotic from the start as Bolan coolly deals with technical issues, overcoming obstacles with sheer desire. The show really takes off during a grinding version of the slow jam Token Of My Love, which finds Bolan's guitar spraying an exotic elixir of sweat, cocaine and Cognac. The final cut is a deranged nine-minute take on Zip Gun Boogie, Bolan wielding the pile-driver riff like a whip, shouting "Again!" before each repetition. This take on Get It On is from that show - and not featured on the CD.

Exhibit B? Merely the finest unreleased live recording of the punk/new wave era: Elvis Costello's Angry Young Sod, which I knew as one half of the double album bootleg 50,000,000 Fans Can't Be Wrong and listened to obsessively throughout high school. This adrenalized show finds EC and the Attractions blasting through much of My Aim Is True and This Year's Model, along with attendant singles, with malevolent glee. Pete Thomas commits random acts of violence on drums and Bruce Thomas constantly leads the group to the brink by climbing high on the fretboard of his bass and then scrambling back down just as things nearly fall apart. Elvis is in great voice and contributes his most convincing guitar solo (maybe ever) on Blame It On Cain. The show gathers a frightening head of steam and explodes in the evil apotheosis of Lipstick Vogue, followed by the brutal stomp of Watching The Detectives, which first comes as a relief then holds a razor to your throat. Mystery Dance closes the show as a pure celebration of frustrated carnality. I imagine sweat dripping from the walls, even though Cleveland was stacked in snow that December night in 1977. Take a look around - you can find this show and you will wonder how you lived without it.

Exhibit C you can hear for free from one of America's national treasures, Wolfgang's Vault. Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson rolled their show into Cleveland in 1979 and proceeded to blow the roof off. This was four years after Ian had left Mott The Hoople and he was on the road behind You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic, his fourth solo album. Ronson starts the show with blazing lasers on F.B.I. before the band rolls into the classic Once Bitten Twice Shy. This is where the show brings that Agora magic: about halfway through, the nine-piece band just explodes into another gear and drives the audience into a frenzy that barely lets up for the rest of the hour. Check it out - now.

I have no idea what it was (or is) about the Agora that drove these shows to such pinnacles of rock and roll perfection. However, if I hear of a concert by a band I like that was recorded there, I will not rest until I hear it. Got any clues? Let me know.

In two (OK, maybe three) weeks: The origins of my musical madness.

Whose Reality Is It Anyway?

2010-02-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a brief roundup of snap judgments and potential overstatements.

Radio On The TV: Say what you will about The Who's performance during Superbowl XLIV - I say it was a damn sight more musical and vital than anything on the 52nd annual Grammy Awards. I leaned on the fast-forward button so hard through that travesty that I practically broke the remote. I felt so disconnected from what was going on during the show that it felt like I was viewing an alternate reality. Jeff Beck's homage to Les Paul was a treat, but where did he fit in? When a giant of music like Leonard Cohen is dismissed with a quick sentence, you can be sure it is not a reality I want to be a part of.

The person who seemed to enjoy it the most was Beyonce, cheering and grinning from her front seat. Considering that what is really being rewarded at the Grammy's is salesmanship rather than musicianship, this is not surprising. That there were 35% more viewers this year than last was a bit surprising, however. Maybe they were tuning in for the Michael Jackson tribute, which featured a song some have called egregious but that I actually think is great.

As for The Who, or the Two, or whatever you want to call them, I have definitely heard them sound worse. While I hated the medley-like aspects of the set list and would like to see another bass player take the place of polite Pino Palladino, I enjoyed the rough and ready passion displayed by Roger and Pete. Considering that there might not be very many U.S. stadium shows left for the quadropheniacs, it seemed a fitting swan song.

Snap Judgments: I listen to lots of podcasts, read magazines, follow tweets, etc., in an effort to keep up. Of course it's overwhelming but what tends to happen is that through repeated exposure, certain names rise to the top and I am driven to seek out the actual sounds under discussion. Sometimes the result is simply: "Why?" For example, lots of talk about Midlake and their new album, The Courage Of Others (**). Four stars and lead review in Mojo, etc. I went to trusty Lala and listened to a previous album - wait, didn't we already have Fleetwood Mac? Then the new one. As one dreary song followed another, I renamed the band Middling. Like Fleet Foxes without the unearthly harmonies or iron-clad songwriting. Next!

And what of indie landfill like Beach House (**)? Why the excitement? If you think your little brother or sister will have their lives changed by finding this on your computer in 5 years, please let me know.

Then there is Charlotte Gainsbourg's IRM (**)- stories everywhere, all about her scandalous parents, her accident, her outre performance in Lars Von Trier's Antichrist, her collaboration with Beck, the rhythm track created from an MRI recording. I was psyched! The title track (****), with it's MRI groove, was fascinating. Unfortunately, after a few more songs, I realized she can't really sing. It's just a breathy near-monotone on every song. She gets a lot of credit for her past and personality - if she and Beck had released just IRM as a single, it would have gone down as a classic one-off. Too bad they felt obligated to make a whole album.

Same goes for Sade . When you go away for 10 years, expectations grow high. I have liked some of her stuff in the past, so I gave Soldier Of Love (**) a shot. Again - what a title track (*****). Best thing she's ever done, all jabbing strings and guitars set to a quasi-military beat, voice in fine form. Bring on the remix EP! As for the rest of the album, if I could remember any of it, I would let you know what it sounded like.

Speaking of icons on hiatus, I couldn't resist pre-ordering Heligoland (****1/2), Massive Attack's latest after a seven year absence. Even though 100th Window was a little ascetic, they're a very important group for me so I made the investment. This is beyond a return to form - it is a complete and intense work of art. My mental soundtrack is completely overtaken with fragments of these stunning songs. They have moved into a realm some distance from their earlier work, to a place that makes them neighbors with Scary Monsters and Remain In Light. This is art rock, even art songs, for the 21st Century. As brilliant as the original songs are, they have outdone themselves by curating a mind blowing set of remixes, included with the deluxe edition for a couple bucks extra. Not the time to be stingy, people. I would go on, but sample for yourself. Start with the the paranoid landscape they create out of the old reggae classic, Girl I Love You. For good measure, compare it to the source material and check out the remix for the full experience. Horace Andy sings thrillingly on all versions and the haunting melody will stick with you, yes, forever. While it may lack some of the umami of Blue LInes (****), Protection (*****) and Mezzanine (*****), Heligoland is still a major statement from the newly reinvigorated group.

Some critics, bloggers, podcasters, etc., may rate these records in a way entirely opposite from the way I have. They're welcome to create their own reality. I just don't live there.

In two weeks: Mysteries of The Agora

Record Review: Spoon | Transference

2010-02-05T11:03:00.000-08:00

Spoon | Transference (Merge, 2010): I'm not hip enough to have followed Britt Daniel's band from the beginning. Like many others, I discovered the band through I Turn My Camera On, which was featured in a commercial in 2005. Intrigued by the clever insouciance of the song, I had to know who it was, found out, bought Gimme Fiction (****1/2) and fell in love. I fell in love with their fresh take on song craft, Britt's versatile voice and that certain swagger.

Then I was told that it was their fourth album and that die-hard fans were not certain it ranked with their best. So I worked my way backwards, discovering the wonders of Kill The Moonlight (*****), Girls Can Tell (*****) and A Series of Sneaks (****). There were even a few gems on the Telephono/Soft Effects (***) reissue. By the time Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (***1/2) came out, I could be found singing along to Utilitarian at the top of my lungs when the band headlined Roseland.

So now we get to Transference, their first self-produced album in several years. In many ways, it is a return to the more abstract sounds of Kill The Moonlight and Girls Can Tell - and to the more heartfelt lyrics Britt was singing in those days. It's telling that several songs start with Jim Eno's drums, hearkening back to the emotional breakthrough of songs like Change My Life and Chips and Dip from the Love Ways (****) EP, where the drums speak nearly as eloquently as Ringo's work on John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band.

But in no way is this a step backward. The band has absorbed much from it's time in the studio with Mike McCarthy and Jon Brion and has synthesized those lessons into record-making that is both simple and sophisticated. The use of echo on Is Love For Ever?, the way the guitars jump out in a 3D overlay on I Saw The Light, or the amphetamine rush of pianos on Nobody Gets Me But You - these and other canny touches create a sound world that is stripped down but richly compelling. The minimalist approach never grows arid, as it did on their disappointing contribution to Dark Was The Night (they should have covered this similarly titled song).

Not surprisingly for a band named after a Can song, more than a couple of the songs ride on a hypnotic beat that is a more relaxed version of the familiar Krautrock motorik rhythm (used so effectively by Wilco on last year's Bull Black Nova and on the earlier Spiders (Kidsmoke)). This even shades into an echo of Joy Division on the wonderfully melancholy outro of Out Go The Lights. The blast of slashing guitars on Written In Reverse and the garage-pop of Trouble Comes Running keep things dynamic.

Britt is in great voice throughout, using his whole range over the course of the album. His scream on Written In Reverse replicates the buzzsaw guitar that opens Revolution and must be heard to be believed. He even finds the confidence to deliver a straightforward lullaby on Goodnight Laura, which will no doubt be the cause of much swooning if they play it on tour. Other songs are more oblique lyrically but still resonate. For example, Trouble Comes Running opens with classic Daniel: "I was in a functional way/And I have my brown sound jacket/Queen of call collect on my arm/She was my calm-me-down/She was my good-luck charm." The overall impression is that Britt's been on a rocky romantic road and has come to bring the pain.

On Chips and Dip, Britt sang "sometimes I can't make myself shuck and jive." There was a little shucking and jiving on Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga but on on Transference we get Spoon without compromise. Though they never really left, it feels like they're back. Give it a listen and let me know what you think - the band is streaming the whole thing here. *****

A Note About Record Reviews: There is no substitute for hearing music. You can read all you want but the proof of the pudding is always in the tasting. So I encourage anyone reading my reviews - even the negative ones - to check out a track or two at Lala, or at least a 30 second sample at iTunes, Amazon or eMusic, and make up your own mind. I want everyone to find their own joy through music and I would hate to throw any obstacles in your way. That said, I will use my reviews to give my opinion about the record in question, and to provide context for why I feel that way.

A Note About Ratings: I am ambivalent about ratings. With any rating system, you have to ask, "Compared to what?" For example, let's say we take it as a given that Live At The Apollo, Abbey Road, Electric Ladyland, Hot Buttered Soul, Dark Side of The Moon, Physical Grafitti, Aja, Exodus, Off The Wall, Entertainment!, London Calling, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, and Nevermind are all five-star albums. Does that mean that if I give Transference five stars that it is as good as those records? Or does it simply mean that it ranks with Spoon's best work and that of their peers on the contemporary scene? The conundrum makes me want to scrap the whole idea of ratings. However, I see the usefulness of using ratings to compare different reviews and as a sorting principle. There is also the fact that only the passage of time can make something an enduring classic. So I am going to use a five-star system (half stars allowed) and apply it mainly in the context of the work of the artist and their contemporaries. I would like to think I can tell when something is a life-changing musical experience, like those on the list above, and will give the review extra oomph in those cases.

In two weeks: Some snap judgments of other new releases.

2009 Wrap Up: Highs, Lows, Reissues & Buried Treasures

2010-01-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

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Highlights: Leonard Cohen at Radio City (at last!); Grace Jones at Hammerstein (give Hurricane, her latest, a try - it's magnificent); dancing to Michael Jackson at every party (why did we ever stop? Did we get enough?); watching Stephen Stills rip it at the Hall Of Fame concerts on HBO (go to 2:09 in the clip); Lou Reed/Metallica was cool, too; discovering DJ/Rupture's Mudd Up podcast; taking my daughter and nephew to Girl Crazy at City Center (can't have too much Gershwin); DJ'ing New Year's Eve again; and my 120 gig iPod.

Lowlights: Death of Michael Jackson (more on him another time) and so many other valuable musicians; playing requests at my New Year's Eve DJ gig (if you ain't going to dance to it, don't ask for it!); getting a targeted marketing email from Amazon trying to sell me the new album from self-justifying woman-hitter Chris Brown (this was related to my buying history how?); and yet another year with no new music from Portuguese genius Gecko Turner.

Reissues: This year was dominated by that four-headed elephant in the room: The Beatles remasters. And rightly so - whether you swing stereo or mono, this was a necessary upgrade, if even only for the packaging. The biggest surprise for me was Magical Mystery Tour. Finally, all the takes George Martin mashed-up to create the final masters blend beautifully on Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane and the rest sounds terrific, too. Chuck out those clunky jewel-cases with those indifferent CD's and get this behemoth now.

However, there were other reissues of note: The Who Sell Out and Tito Puente's Dance Mania got well-deserved deluxe editions. The Who's fake radio station shows the contrast between British rock and the culture it was blowing up. It's outrageous, polished, profound, hilarious, and it rocks. Tito was simply el rey of mambo and this album (and it's successor, included here) sealed his rep. The production gleams and displays all the interlocking parts of his amazing band like an exposed V12 engine. A pinnacle of Latin music and music in general.

Buried Treasures: While the resurgence of Rodriguez continued to amaze (check out his Daytrotter session), it was undiscovered wonders from Death and Tim Buckley that forced 2009 listeners to reassess some piece of the past.

For The Whole World To See, Death's lone recording, is a six song blast of proto-punk, with an almost proggy expansiveness to songs like "Politicians In Their Eyes." Aside from a misguided drum interlude (I hesitate to call it a solo), this record is fresher than many sounds recorded today. But in 1974, these three African-American brothers from Detroit had their fingers on a pulse only they could feel. Keep an eye out for the film of their startling story.

Live at the Folklore Center, March 6th, 1967 finds Tim Buckley pouring his heart out to a crowd of 35 enthusiastic fans. Sometimes compared to Nick Drake, Buckley typically burns at a much higher intensity and this stunning performance is no exception. His high tenor is lush and impassioned and his guitar playing is deft - in short, he's at the top of his game. Did I mention there are six (six!) Buckley songs that appeared nowhere else? Whether you're an old fan or a curious newcomer, this is essential listening. Thanks to Izzy Young and the Buckley estate for giving this collection a long overdue airing.

In two weeks: Enough of 2009. A review of Spoon's latest serving, Transference.

The Rest Of 2009

2010-01-07T05:20:00.000-08:00

The Other Ten: Rather than an ordered list, this is more of an overview of 10 other records that I really enjoyed from 2009.

Justin Vernon Deals With Success
After listening to the masterful debut for the better part of a year, Bon Iver's Blood Bank EP felt somewhat like an epilogue but the songs it contained were certainly more than b-side material. Woods,the final song, is a lush exploration of what a true artist can pursue with Autotune.

Vernon also collaborated with some old friends on Unmap, released under the name Volcano Choir. A sort of campfire minimalism propels some of the pieces and the wide dynamic range recalls Peter Broderick's brilliant Home. If not for a few self-indulgent tangents, this might have been in the Top Ten - it's a richly rewarding listen.

For anyone not convinced of Vernon's sheer greatness as a singer, find his spine-tingling performance in NPR's podcast of the Dark Was The Night concert here.

Competing With Themselves
It was wonderful to have new albums from both The Clientele and Tinariwen, however neither one surpassed their amazing previous releases with their 2009 entries. Bonfires On The Heath finds The Clientele in an autumnal mood, with the more delicate songs flickering like cupped flames. Tinariwen's Imidiwan:Companions creates a dust storm of their distinctive guitar-driven hypnotism. Desert Wind, the meditative finale, could have gone on forever without complaint from me.

Brand New You're Retro
Both Mayer Hawthorne and Major Lazer are masters of styles created by others in the recent and not so recent past. Part of the fun of both of these is the conceptual framework - the Warhol touch, if you will - that seems to underpin them. Now, that could all be in my head but that is exactly where I listen to music so it works for me. To a point.

A Strange Arrangement, the all-singing, almost-all-playing debut from dynamite DJ Hawthorne, takes us through a variety of soul styles the way only a true crate-digger can. Folks like Raphael Saadiq and Eli Reed may have more sheer talent but they bring no perspective to bear on their perusals of the past. However, Hawthorne's voice can sometimes seem as slight as the running-length of the album.

Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do is a project of genius producers Diplo and Switch and listening to the whole album is a little like spending time with the nutty friend-of-a-friend who just doesn't know when to stop. In small doses, however, their twisted simulacra of reggae and dancehall tropes is delightful. There was no way the blissful Cash Flow was not going to be heard during my New Year's Eve DJ set. And it rocked the house.

Lazy Dylan Is Better Than No Dylan
After the run of three masterpieces followed by the jaw-dropping Tell Tale Signs, naturally I had very high hopes for Together Through Life. They weren't entirely dashed - the record got a lot of play. Yet while the tossed off music (along with Dylan's sepulchral cackles) was often a blast, the lazy lyrics often dragged me back to earth. I choose to blame it on Robert Hunter, his co-writer on many of the songs. If you're a fan, don't hesitate to pick it up - and get the deluxe version with an entertaining episode of his Theme Time Radio hour.

Underdogs, It's Gonna Be Alright
The great Virginia hip hop duo Clipse and Congolese collective Staff Benda Bilili would seem to have little in common but they are both underdogs in their way. Staff was formed by polio survivors who developed a joyful sound that can be deeply funky. The signature sound of the band on Tres Tres Fort is the homemade satonge, a one-string guitar played by Roger Landu. On occasion he seems to be trying so hard to play wildly unexpected runs that his solos (and there are a lot of them) gradually become predictable. He's only 17 so I expect much more from him and the group.

With two all-time classics under their belt (not to mention the amazing We Got It For Cheap mixtapes), Clipse might still feel like underdogs what with the record industry kicking them around and, to my mind, less appreciation than they deserve. However in a decade where if you're name wasn't Jay-Z, Little Wayne or Kanye you were practically persona non rappa Pusha T and Malice definitely made their mark. A full celebration was planned for the release of Til The Casket Drops, but the cork got a little stuck in the Champagne bottle. The first seven tracks are nearly up to snuff, all booming bass and braggadocio, with odd beats and gleaming touches. Then things fall off to grab bag level. For the first time, I started skipping tracks on a Clipse album. There Was A Murder is one great track - best hip hop of the year.

Missed It By That Much
I tried to listen to every list candidate before publishing the last entry. However, it wasn't until 12/31 that I got to hear Efterklang's Performing Parades. This is a live recording with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra of their 2007 masterpiece. The live setting and additional musicians adds depth to their modernist music and, surprisingly, more rock heft. They are true artists - I can't wait to watch the DVD.

And you? What floated your boat in 2009?

In two weeks: Highlights, lowlights, reissues and buried treasures.

A Blog Is Born: Best of 2009

2009-12-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

Back in December 2008 I promised my brother-in-law (and myself) that I would finally launch this blog in 2009. So here it is, just under the wire: anearful about music, popular culture and whatever else is on my mind. And what better way to launch this blog than with a look back at 2009?

The criteria for the Top Ten is obvious - my favorite records from the year, the ones I unconditionally think are the best. Next time I will cover the Other Ten - other records from the year that gave me much pleasure but are flawed in some way.

The Top Ten of 2009

1. BLK JKS/After Robots - If the ability to astonish over and over again is not a prerequisite for greatness, maybe it should be. After hearing them live on WNYC's Soundcheck, I fell in love with their reverb-drenched EP, Mystery, and found myself slack-jawed at their titanic SXSW concert as broadcast on All Songs Considered. The album shows them taking their Hendrix-Dub-Prog-South African blend to a deeper, richer place. The brilliant horns add a new dimension and, while there is less reverb than on their debut, they still find ways to explode in tsunamis of sound that are nearly overwhelming, releasing the tension like a gun battle in a John Woo movie. Johannesburg spawned a monster. Download a free "Mystery Megamix" and get more background here

2. Patrick Watson/Wooden Arms - Watson shows a level of craft that is positively old-fashioned on this record. First, he writes songs with exquisite melodies and deep emotional connection. Then he constructs arrangements that hearken back to Kurt Weill and Tom Waits but with a gauzy warmth all his own. Finally, he and an array of expert accompanists pour their heart and soul into the gorgeously produced versions heard here. Not convinced? See and hear here and hear here.

3. Arctic Monkeys/Humbug - The young rock classicists expand their sound somewhat on their third album. Some songs are slower and more expansive and the influence of Alex Turner's foray into 60's pop (The Last Shadow Puppets) is clear. Not to fear, though, there's still plenty of the jagged post-punk funk that made their rep back in 2007. I know there were two producers and that one was Josh Homme of the fairly mediocre Queens Of The Stone Age. I know that some was recorded near the Joshua Tree monument and some in NYC. I read Mojo, so I know even more than that but all these details are ultimately irrelevant in the face of the immense pleasure found on Humbug. With the slow death and atomization of the Strokes (memo to Julian Casablancas: your "Phrazes" aren't catching), the Monkeys take their place as the best four person guitar group out there. Simply a great band - long may they reign. To catch up, view their "Web Transmission" here.

4. Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics/Inspiration Information 3 - I first became aware of the wondrous world of Mulatu through a Studio 360 piece on the Either/Orchestra, who have devoted themselves to his music for the last few years. I downloaded the volume of Ethiopiques that features him and was sold. The sinuous melodies, Monk-like harmonies and stinging guitar licks are instantly enthralling when layered on the off-kilter rhythms that are somewhere between 60's pop and James Brown funk. This collection, part of a series of shotgun collaborations, pairs him with the Heliocentrics, a British eclectica band. Man, does it work. Funkier than a mosquiter's tweeter but not in any way that Ike Turner would recognize. Sympathetic drones underly some songs, gradually revealing themselves through the dub-informed production and occasionally a head-solo-head structure makes you think this is a jazz record. But it ain't - it's a one off, and the star is Mulatu's unique sound-world. Get some in your life today.

5. Holly Miranda/Sleep On Fire (EP) - Holly is my favorite new discovery this year and I owe it all to the New York Times. Somehow fascinated by this article (blame it on the TV On The Radio connection) I sought her music out online and became addicted to her MySpace page, which has a generous helping of music. I also found a link to the amazing Slow Burn Treason on Kanye West's blog and was able to feed my addiction on my iPod. I friended her on MySpace and sent her a message, offering to pay for Slow Burn Treason. I quickly realized I had a serious problem and then sought counseling. The prescription was more Holly Miranda so I eagerly purchased this EP, which came in a hand-addressed envelope. The personal touch is definitely part of the charm but Holly's music can more than stand up to the vicissitudes of the wider musical world. She creates a sound that is both tough and ethereal, like a wraith singing an Appalachian ballad on the dark side of the moon (Pink Floyd reference intentional) - and her songs have the sturdy underpinnings of old folk songs, solid structures for her to spin a universe of atmosphere and emotion around. The "album" I'm really celebrating here is self-made: my playlist that includes the EP, Slow Burn Treason, a couple of other tracks she was giving away free on her blog and her new single. Her full-length is due in February - expect it on my list, and many others, at the end of 2010.

6. Christopher Tignor/Core Memory Unwound - With a title like that, you would expect there to be a complex process behind this music and not a little compositional rigor. And you may be right. I prefer to just let myself be engulfed in the beauty of Tignor's lush yet spare sounds, a grand-nephew of Brian Eno's On Land or Discreet Music. It's ambient but rewards careful attention as well. This is an album for the first hour of work if there ever was one. I just learned that Tignor is the musical director of a group called Slow Six so there is more to explore, including a new album coming out on January 26.

7. Vieux Farka Toure/Fondo - What I heard of his debut was tentative and firmly in his father's shadow. When your father is Ali Farka Toure, that's perfectly understandable but while I could sympathize (and even relate) to his father issues, it did not make me want to buy or hear the record. Fondo is another story entirely. Confident, expansive, joyful - it is here that he stakes his claim to greatness. His guitar lines are liquid, cocky yet relaxed, and his vocals are sweet and knowing. His band is strong and never hits a false note but he is the dominant figure on this album. Sure, the collabo with Toumani Diabate is to be expected, but who cares when it is so gorgeous. Somehow, Fondo respects Toure's legacy while tromping all over it at the same time. This is just the beginning for this Malian prince. Sample some here. Other Roads: Fondo Remixed just dropped as well and has some great re-imaginings of cuts from Fondo.

8. Leif Ove Andsnes/Shadows of Silence - As soon as I heard him on WNYC's Soundcheck discussing this album (along with his multimedia approach to Pictures At An Exhibition), I knew this fascinating album was going to be among the year's best. I was not disappointed. Along with introducing me to the work of Marc-Andre Dalbevie and Gyorgy Kurtag, the collection features what may be the most convincing recording of a Witold Lutoslawski piece ever. I have yet to do a side-by-side comparison, but this performance of Lutoslawski's piano concerto seems to outdo Krystian Zimerman's - and the work was dedicated to him. It is wonderful to hear this supremely talented pianist broadening his palette - and expanding our minds in the process. This video gives a taste of the sounds and the process.

9. Wilco/Wilco (The Album) - After the stripped down pastoralism of Sky Blue Sky, it was hard to figure out where Wilco was going to go. Though there were some beautiful songs on the record, it had the feeling of a cul de sac and was their first record that did not represent a substantial expansion of their sound. In a way this album is the second. They return to many of the sounds and strategies that characterized what we can now call "the Jay Bennet era" but rather than being a drawback that is the strength of this album. Simply put, it is a work of very deep mastery - of songwriting, singing and playing. From Glen Kotche's bells on Everlasting Everything to Nels Cline's guitar on, well, everything, all the current members make excellent contributions. And Tweedy does try a few new tricks - the humor on Wilco (The Song) and the gradually unhinged vocals of Bull Black Nova. Just a wonderful record and once again we're left wondering - where will they go from here?

10. Mastodon/Crack The Skye - This is a non-stop storm of songs, played by this hard-living quartet like their lives depended on it. Working with Brendan O'Brien was inspired - he brings a clarity and even swing to the sound without softening it at all. You can hear every virtuoso note - just before it blows a hole in your skull. The story behind the record - a mash-up of out-of-body travel, Stephen Hawking's cosmology, Czarist Russia, and the suicide of Drummer/Vocalist/Songwriter Brann Dailor's sister, Skye. Make of all that what you will, if you can catch your breath. I ended up buying the deluxe edition, which features instrumental versions of all the songs. Usually I just let it run, soaking up the aural adrenaline. With Metallica as elder statesmen, Mastodon are the metal band of the current era. When they come up with their own Enter Sandman, the sky may actually crack from the impact.

Damn, that was long winded. I had a lot to say after confining my thoughts to 140 character Tweets all year!

In two weeks: The Other Ten and assorted highlights from 2009.