Down The River Of Golden Dreams

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2011-10-12T21:32:00.000-04:00

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Album Review: St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

2011-09-15T00:52:00.000-04:00

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (2011, 4AD)

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“I don’t wanna be a cheerleader no more”

That line in the aptly named “Cheerleader”, the third track on Annie Clark (AKA St. Vincent)’s third album, Strange Mercy, sets a very simple tone. But, oh how complex it truly is. Ms. Clark has touched on a number of dark themes throughout her previous two albums, which is what initially attracted me to her work. Songs like “Paris is Burning” and “Black Rainbow” just by their titles give you a pretty easy understanding of what her themes seem to revolve around. But for the most part her albums, while brilliant, have felt almost disconnected from the artist herself. Strange Mercy is far and away the most personal of Annie Clark’s work under the St. Vincent moniker. It’s an understandable step in the normal progression of an artist, but she was so adept at the sardonic style she used on previous albums, that it actually feels like a slight letdown. The album focuses much on her breaking out from the sheltered and protective life of a “safe” woman in society (the cheerleader, the housewife, etc). It also focuses on some of the feelings of hopelessness that not only young women, but young people in general feel. Naivete, ignorance, delusion, and subjugation are themes that crop up throughout the album. It is an album that is at times darkly personally, but also liberating.

Track 1: Chloe In The Afternoon

Annie's guitar playing on this album is relatively unique. It's apparent right in the opening of the first song. Very layered and heavy. Which I liked a lot about this album. This song is much better instrumentally than it is lyrically. Something about the chorus being the repetition of the track title kind of irks me. Just a weird thing to make a chorus out of. Annie's ability when it comes to composing songs is still top notch, which makes this a good song despite my reservations.

Verdict: 7/10

Track 2: Cruel

I would say that this is probably my favorite song on the album. It exemplifies what i love about St. Vincent. The dark and clever lyrics ("they could take or leave you, so they took you and they left you") as well as the weirdly upbeat composition for a song about cruelty. This song plays into the themes I laid out in the introduction pretty fittingly. Seems to mostly tell the story of someone being taken advantage of. Also, the video plays into the theme of breaking the social norms for woman. In it, the narrator is kidnapped and forced to be a housewife for a family, and when she does the job poorly, she is buried alive (I've included the video at the bottom of this review if you'd like to watch it). Overall, probably the most complete song on the album.

Verdict: 10/10

Track 3: Cheerleader

This song seems to throw "Cruel" on its head. It begins with Ms. Clark discussing how she herself has been cruel and manipulative. She then goes on to say that she's tired of having to act like she is a good person, and just want to be who she is, bad or good. This is probably the most personal song on the album, with the exception of possibly "Strange Mercy".

Verdict 8/10

Track 4: Surgeon

This song opens with the line "I spent the summer on my back". This is the point where I realize that this album is very feminine, and that I sometimes have a hard time relating. This is a very sexual oriented song, which almost seems sarcastic coming from St. Vincent, but who knows for sure. Another interesting song instrumentally as well. I don't know if there is anyone that is creating music quite like her at the moment. The breakdown at the end is particularly spectacular.

Verdict 9/10

Track 5: Northern Lights

After all that praise about uniqueness, here is what comes closest to a basic rock song on the album. This doesn't make it bad of course, because even when she is doing straightforward rock, Ms. Clark does it with aplomb. She makes an analogy between the Northern Lights and the possible end of a relationship. An apocalyptic analogy is made. That's the Annie Clark I know and love!

Verdict: 10/10

Track 6: Strange Mercy

This is one of the slower songs on Strange Mercy, and what feels like one of more personal tracks as well. The narrator is speaking to an intimate friend, partner, or relative, only named "little one". I think this could easily be interpreted as a male or female lover or a close female friend. There has been some kind of assault, apparently by a cop. Which seems to me to be inferring how people in position abuse their power. I'd take it even farther to be a male position of authority on a female. The lyrics get very personal later in the song ("If I ever meet the dirty policemen who roughed you up, no I dont' know what...").

Verdict: 8/10

Track 7: Neutered Fruit

Here is my delusional track ("did you ever really stare at me, like I stared at you?"). In all honesty there really isn't much going on in this track. It fits pretty well in our running theme though, for whatever that is worth. It just seems to really plod along for about a minute too long. Not enough interesting instrumentation to warrant the 4 and a half minute length.

Verdict: 6/10

Track 8: Champagne Year

I think this song fits in really well with "Cheerleader" (even though it would make sense for it to fit more with "Northern Lights", considering that song referenced a champagne year, but I digress). It seems like the narrator in this song has broken out of her shackles, and is making a living taking advantage of people ("I make a living telling people what they want to hear"). It would make sense if this was autobiographical, where the narrator is Annie herself, leaving behind the possibility of domestic life to pursue a career as a musician. It's another slow song, but I think this one comes out as much more beautiful, albeit still a little boring.

Verdict: 8/10

Track 9: Dilettante

We're definitely in the dull point of Strange Mercy in these last couple of tracks. I'd say the most interesting thing about this song is the drum and bass pattern. Which is pretty weird for a St. Vincent song. There is some interesting lyrics in here ("you're like a party I heard through a wall"), as well as some OK guitar work. So there is redeemable qualities to it.

Verdict: 7/10

Track 10: Hysterical Strength

This is an interesting one. Were finally moving into a little faster pace. The first thing I noticed is the meter of this song feels strangely off. "Hysterical Strength" has a very synth-pop feel to it. Which definitely feels strange. Not bad, just strange.

Verdict: 8/10

Track 11: Year of the Tiger

Other than the absurdly personal introduction ("When I was young coach called me "The Tiger") this is a great song. I wonder if that first line has anything to do with being a cheerleader (themesss)? This is another track that is very reminiscent to Annie Clark's earlier work. Certainly a sold end to the album. The tonal shifts are pretty interesting throughout, shifting from guitar riffs to plodding drums in several areas.

Verdict: 9/10

Cohesiveness Score: 10/10

Stays consistent sound wise even while experimenting. Lyrical themes and narratives are present throughout.

Final Score: 100/120 = 8.3

Final Thoughts:

I think this is an album that is hurt by the song-by-song review structure that I normally use. While it's not a concept album by any means, it can really only be appreciated as a complete album. It is still a very solid album, and one of the best of 2011 so far.

Quick Review: Gold-Bears - Are You Falling In Love?

2011-08-27T12:58:00.001-04:00

Gold-Bears: Are You Falling In Love? (2011, Slumberland Records)

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Nostalgia is a funny thing.

So what does it mean when the debut album from Atlanta based Gold-Bears made me seek out and listen to Sunny Day Real Estate's 1994 emo masterpiece Diary? Although they only share the basics of a musical style, they share a very emotional tone. Even though Are You Falling In Love? was released in 2011, it feels like an album that fits more precisely somewhere between the years of 1993 and 1995. Right down to the nearly unsubtle feelings of loss and emotional distance.

There's no mistaking that this is a break-up album. It's pretty obvious just from reading the title of the album. But I do have a soft spot for these types of albums. Even if the emotions are stunted, unsubtle, and obvious, at least they are there. The album rarely strays from these themes, which hinders it slightly, as there is really no letting up from the bleak songwriting. The album also has a very predictable sounds structure as well. Most songs plod along with a listless rhythm, with plenty of distortion mixed in. There are some upbeat songs, such as the second track "All Those Years", which would be interesting if it wasn't for the doo-woppish "ba ba ba da"s. Even if they are pretty early 90's, I hated them in the music of that decade and I certainly don't enjoy them now. Sadly, one of the more interesting and fast paced songs, "In This City, I'm Invincible", is only close to a minute and a half long. It tells the story of the moment the narrator breaks up with his significant other, and the rushed feel of the song does give it a sense of confusion. And there is a female guest vocalist! I love that shit! Other than that, the songs are mostly only differentiated by the lyrics and some kind of different musical addition, mostly distortion of some sort.

Reading this, you probably think I don't like this album. Like I said, nostalgia is a funny thing. While far from perfect, Are You Falling In Love? is an album that doesn't try to be anything it isn't, and has a very honest emotional core. Sometimes that and the feeling you get from all those old emo bands like Sunny Day Real Estate is enough to get you to gloss over some pretty glaring weaknesses.

"Remember that time in 1993, that song made you weep. How could she be so mean to the boy that loved her. Remember that night in 1995, well I guess I felt alright. Your tiny hand in mine, just before our last fight."

ACTUAL LYRICS! I'm convinced this album came out at least 18 years too late.

Final Score: 7.4/10 and I hope y'all find a time machine.

Album Review: Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

2011-08-19T21:14:00.001-04:00

Okkervil River - I Am Very Far (2011, JagJaguar)

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"The goal was to push my brain to places it didn't want to go. The idea was to not have any idea – to keep myself confused about what I was doing,"

Will Sheff is one of the greatest modern songwriters. More a poet than a lyricist. But Okkervil River as a whole has undergone some interesting changes in the years leading up to I Am Very Far. At this point the only original member of the band is Mr. Sheff himself. Gone are Bassist Zach Thomas, Drummer Seth Warren, and pianist Jon Meiburg. And even members that have been around since their seminal work, Black Sheep Boy, are mostly gone and replaced. While this new version of Okkervil River may look strange to long time listeners, it has always been Will Sheff running the show, and as long as Will Sheff is here, Okkervil River will exist in some form.

Will Sheff insists that I Am Very Far is a standalone album, unlike their last three albums, each of which can be considered concept albums, with their own main themes. The Black Sheep Boy narrative on the album of the same name. The perils and triumphs of stardom on The Stage Names. The emotional toll of the inability to gain recognition as an artist on The Stand-ins. The problem with Okkervil River now making an album of relatively standalone songs is that Will Sheff is such a great songwriter that his skills are almost wasted without a main theme. It's almost as if a great novelist, instead of releasing another great novel, has decided to release a collection of short stories. While they are still enjoyable by themselves, it leaves the reader (or in this case the listener) wanting more.

Track 1: The Valley
While I enjoy to marauding drums, that is really the only redeemable part of this song. Strangely lazy songwriting and lyricism. There are other bands where I would appreciate the repetition in this song, but it's not something that Okkervil has really utilized in their career. I'm surprised that this song even made the album let alone led it off.
Verdict: 5/10

Track 2: Piratess
Although this song has much better lyrics, it suffers from similar problems as "The Valley". It seems to mostly just plod along, With Mr. Sheff's storytelling being the only thing keeping it afloat. it does earns some points back with some interesting breaks and sound mixes near the end.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 3: Rider
We get some strings on this one. I honestly am finding it very apparent that Will Sheff is completely running the show on this album. Many of the songs live or die by his contributions. This is another one that ends up being mediocre because there just isn't much going on behind the vocals. This is a disappointing album so far.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 4: Lay of the Last Survivor
This is the first song I really enjoyed on this album. Still pretty slow and subdued, but the first one where I really enjoyed the lyrics enough for it to not bother me as much. Will gets a female backing vocal part for much of this song, which is a nice turn of events. Where the other songs so far felt generic, this one had some underlying beauty to it, including a horn section to accompany the female vocals.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 5: White Shadow Waltz
I Am Very Far is finally starting to pick up. This is another song that feels fully realized. Sheff again plays with his vocals which adds to the narrative of the song. The plodding piano track that runs throughout the song feels well placed, unlike in earlier songs, because the songs changes and reforms around it instead of conforming to it. One of the stronger lyrical songs as well, although this album is one of Will Sheff's weaker showings in that department.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 6: We Need A Myth
I really enjoy this song. Just the concept of the song. Kind of pessimistic I know, but I like to think it's more about the hope that we ascertain through our dreams and stories. Middling musically, although it does work up to pretty interesting climax and there is a few changes in tone that are always worth pointing out.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 7: Hanging From A Hit
A nice little song. Doesn't necessarily do anything new or interesting. Could have easily been a b-side on Black Sheep Boy. Things that I like: horn sections and harmonizing.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 8: Show Yourself
This is probably the most perplexing song on the album. It is about the only song that takes any real chances on the whole album. It's definitively grown on me through multiple listens. It builds up into a pretty convincing climax, but then continues to a complete shift in meter. Finally breaks into as close as this version of Okkervil can jam with about 45 seconds left. A song with some interesting moves to it, and probably the one song that gives me hope for this new incarnation.
Verdict 10/10

Track 9: Your Past Life as a Blast
This is my other favorite lyrical work on this album, along with the aforementioned "White Shadow Waltz". Just an enjoyable song, both musically and lyrically. Very upbeat and carefree, which you only see once in awhile from Okkervil. It seems like a love song, but I feel like it's more about finding someone that you can share the intimate details of your life with, and vice versa. Less love, more trust.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 10: Wake and Be Fine
After the serene beauty of "Your Past Life as a Blast" we are met with the jagged edge that is "Wake and Be Fine". I'd define this song as menacing. There is a underlying darkness to the song, the narrator is stuck in a nightmare. Or someone stuck in past miseries. Either way it's one of the more fast paced and emotional songs on the album, but not my favorite.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 11: The Rise
We had a such a good run. Not a very good song at all, but at least it makes sense as an outro track.
Verdict: 6/10

Cohesiveness Score: 7/10
Does ok, but the intro and outro tracks, while they make sense, aren't that good. Still confused why "Your Past Life as a Blast" and "Wake and Be Fine" are right next to each other.

Final Score:
7.6

Final Thoughts:
An album that starts slow, and gets pretty good for about 6 songs. A good album, but a weak showing by Okkervil Standards

Album Review: The Antlers - Burst Apart

2011-05-11T15:21:00.000-04:00

The Antlers - Burst Apart (2011, French Kiss Records)

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Official Site

How do you follow up the most emotionally devastating album of the last decade (2009's Hospice)? Well if you're The Antlers you head to the studio, mess around with your sound a little, and release Burst Apart. While it lacks the emotional power that Hospice was able to convey, Burst Apart is still a beautifully delicate album that should be appreciated in its own right. The most important thing to come from this album is lead singer Peter Silberman's confidence in his unique falsetto singing style. Burst Apart also feels like a fully fleshed out album, where Hospice was mostly Peter working by himself. It is a much more fully realized work that is powerful in its own right.

Track 1: I Don't Want Love
The strength of this album really lies in its bookends. "I Don't Want Love" starts the album with a clear message. As much as the song title would like you to believe otherwise, this is an album about love. But it's not about the good things that happen in love. It's about the bad things. It's about the hate that festers, the silence, the cruelty. The other bookend "Putting The Dog To Sleep" almost acts in complete contradiction to this song. But we will save that for later.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 2: French Exit:
This is certainly what I would call the most pop oriented song on the album. Of course it also contains the lyrics "Everytime we speak you are spitting in my mouth". The Antlers have a knack for these somewhat cryptic lyrics that just seam to make sense on another level. Very reminiscent of The National.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 3: Parenthesis
This one is just out of left field. Warning sirens and instrumentation we haven't heard much from these guys. Almost sounds like Radiohead among other things. Of course Peter Silberman's vocals make it unique to itself. Probably the most unique song on the album. I don't know if that makes it the best, but it's pretty good.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 4: No Window
"No Window" is just missing something. It seems almost glossy. I guess to me it's not memorable. Compared to the songs before it at least, which each felt unique in their own right.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 5: Rolled Together
"Pulled together but about to Burst Apart". I see what you did there! Another song that feels a little dull. Better than "No Window", but not exactly a world beater.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 6: Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out
This is more like it. Maybe barring the first and last song on this album, my favorite song lyrically. Very interestingly stark and almost disturbing view of attraction and the consequences of love. Also a very strong song musically. A return to form for sure
Verdict: 9/10

Track 7: Tiptoe
Instrumental. But relatively interesting. Very noir in sound. Sounds seedy and dark, like your walking through an alley at 3am in the 1950's.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 8: Hounds
Another slow song. I do enjoy the the falsetto harmonies and horn section, but doesn't really bring much to the table. But then there is the lyrics. So longingly sad and heartbreaking. With a strange twinge of jealousy. I had to read the lyrics of my copy of the album to really understand them though. Which means I can't give this song as high a score as I would have otherwise.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 9: Corsicana
Similar to "Hounds" but more easy to understand. Again we see love and attraction in this song. But this time as a prison. This song fits perfectly in the narrative as the moment of denouement. Ethereal and like pretty much every song on this album, delicate. Beuatifully composed.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 10: Putting The Dog To Sleep
Here is the final act. Our bookend to "I don't want love". The narrator has been denying love until it finally captures him and creates a prison of his bedroom. He has a sudden change of heart on this final song. Begging his love to prove to him that he won't die alone. Almost as if a plea for love is a plea for a reprieve from loneliness. And who's to say that it isn't. This song is far and away my favorite on this album. Equal parts heartbreaking and beautiful. A fitting end to the discourse on love that we have listened to for 40 or so minutes.
Verdict: 10/10

Cohesiveness Score:
As it runs a basic narrative and the songs are mostly properly spaced, seems like a job well done.
Verdict 10/10

Final Score: 95/110 = 8.6

Album Review: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

2011-05-10T19:41:00.000-04:00

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (2011, Sub Pop)

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Helplessness Blues is an album about growing up. The first lyrics that Robin Pecknold sings on the album are

"Oh now that I am older
Than my mother and father
When they had their daughter
Now What does that say about me?"

Maybe its not talking about growing up, per se. It's about growing old. It's a fear that we all have. We look at the lives around us and wonder: Am I going about all this wrong? Robin Pecknold's worry (or lack of worry) that he should have children at his age is probably something that we all have thought or are now beginning to think about. Or something else of that nature. Helplessness Blues sounds older as well. It has a much more mature, almost adult contemporary sound to it. Many people have compared it to Simon and Garfunkel. Which in this case isn't a bad thing. The songs are more expansive and fleshed out compared to the band's self titled debut. Helplessness Blues is a worthy successor to that album, and shows that Fleet Foxes, while maybe not the most groundbreaking band in terms of sound, have the ability to craft folk music as beautiful as any of their contemporaries.

Track 1: Montezuma
As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, this song works as a competent opening track. Begins slow and then picks up a harmony on the way. It may be obvious through my love of bands like Fleet Foxes that I am a sucker for harmonies. This song is almost completely carried by Pecknold's vocals, with only the harmonies and a soft guitar to keep it going. It threatens to break into a full song at times, but never quite meets that point. While this annoys me a little, this song really showcases Fleet Foxes ability to carry their music with just their voices, which is impressive.
Verdict 7/10

Track 2: Bedouin Dress
The first "song" on the album. Guitar takes a back seat again, but this time we have piano and some string instruments to add to the sound. Unlike the last song, this one relies mostly on the string section to carry its weight. Another strong song lyrically. "The borrower's debt is the only regret of my youth" I hear that Robin.
Verdict 8/10

Track 3: Sim Sala Bim
This is the first song we get with a real thematic shift. There is a couple songs on this album that do this, most of which are two part songs that are specified in the track name, with the exception of this one. The lyrics are intimate and feel very personal. What really makes this song is the musical breakdown at around 1:25. It works into a frenzy (or whatever you call the folk version of a frenzy). Something that you really didn't see on their previous work. It shows the amount of work they put into making this new album, and coming up with new ideas to keep the sound fresh.
Verdict 8/10

Track 4: Battery Kinze
The most pop oriented song on the album. As of right now my favorite song on the album as well. Robin feels the dual pain of heartbreak and bitter jealousy on this song. Something most of us can probably relate too. Even with the depressing lyricism, the song is surprisingly upbeat. Normally this contradiction would bother me, but not on this song.
Verdict 10/10

Track 5: The Plains / Bitter Dancer
The first of two more experimental, two part songs. The Plains is mostly instrumental, leading into Bitter Dancer. Or actually who knows. There is really three parts to this song. The last part is clasic Fleet Foxes, which makes up for the slightly dull earlier parts.
Verdict 7/10

Track 6: Helplessness Blues
Our titular track. This song could fit in with any 60's folk standard. Very relate-able lyrically. Well, at least to me. I think people do fall in love with the idea of simple work that is rewarding, ("If I had an orchard I'd work til I'm sore"). It is becoming apparent that an escape to a simpler life is something that many people strive for (not just me? I'm STUNNED). But I digress. A beautiful song all around.
Verdict 10/10

Track 7: The Cascades
Instrumental. Not bad. Nothing special (it must be becoming obvious that I value lyricism over instrumentalism by now)
Verdict: 6/10

Track 8: Lorelai
And speaking of lyricism! Oh how I love sad songs about girls. Maybe not the most exciting song, but wistful and delicate, which is good for a folk song.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 9: Someone You'd Admire
There isn't anything inherently wrong with this song. It's just boring compared to the other songs on this album. Feels plodding and almost like filler. Just ok.
Verdict: 5/10

Track 10: The Shrine / An Argument
This is the better of the two two parter songs. With Robin Pecknold's amazing voice, it's really amazing when he even shows a slight amount of emotion. This makes "The Shrine" a pretty awesome song. "An Argument" is just as strong. Very powerful and albeit being more slowly paced, is quite epic in its own right. It reaches into some very experimental territory as well, which is a nice change of pace.
Verdict 10/10

Track 11: Blue Spotted Tail
Very reminiscent of "Blackbird" by The Beatles. Sublime and intimate both lyrically and musically. This is folk music at it's best.
Verdict 9/10

Track 12: Grown Ocean
Great way to end an album. Although you could have easily switched the last two song. Upbeat and frantic. Another example of how their sound has grown on this album.
Verdict 9/10

Cohesiveness Score:
Could have switched the last two songs. Other than that no complaints.
Verdict 9/10

Final Score: 107/130 = 8.2

Final Thoughts
A competent album in it's own right, muddied by a few throwaway songs. They have managed to add new sounds to their already established style, while not losing what made their first album so great.

Album Review: Destroyer: Kaputt

2011-02-20T04:26:00.001-05:00

Destroyer - Kaputt (2011, Merge Records)

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I know Dan Bejar mostly from his other band, the so called "Canadian power-pop super group" The New Pornographers. That's not to say that I have not heard of Destroyer. I have previously listened to his most recent albums, Trouble in Dreams and Rubies, and Thief was on my best of 2000 list (which sadly has never been published on this blog). Destroyer released the Bay of Pigs EP way back in 2009. "Bay of Pigs" is the last song on this album. Dan Bejar has, in essence, built two years of hype for this album. Kaputt delivers on that hype in every way. It is a record that manages to encapsulate a feeling of nostalgia, while feeling new and creative at the same time. It is already one of the best albums of a young 2011.

Track 1: Chinatown
The first song on Kaputt is a good introduction to what I am trying to say. It is called Chinatown. The song name itself, whether intentional or not, references a classic film. The song sounds almost hazy and listless. It is as if there is a fog permeating the song structure. The horns and female backing vocals give the song a nice touch. Noir and nostalgic.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 2: Blue Eyes
A very The Cure-ish song. Specifically the lyrical content. I would say Bejar is a little more tongue in cheek of his assessment of a girl that would send him "A coffin full of roses". This is the first song we get that shows Bejar's haphazard songwriting and lyricism. While it can be tiresome at times, it works pretty well on this track.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 3: Savage Night At The Opera
This song pretty much veers straight into 80's song territory. Take a nice big whiff of that nostalgia. While the song structure is repetitive, I do enjoy the lyricism. The vague dig on hipster culture ("I've heard your record, it's alright") is amusing.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 4: Suicide Demo For Kara Walker
The first of three sprawling tracks on Kaputt, and the second longest track on the album to the aforementioned "Bay of Pigs". Just an immensely beautiful track. It is pretty much Bejar just riffing. If there is any artist that isn't a rapper that can pull that off, its him. Seriously, just go listen to it.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 5: Poor In Love
Another tongue in cheek love song. Also one of the best songs on the album. You just have to wait for the buildup to finally expand. "I was poor in love, I was poor in wealth, I was ok in everything else there was" - statement of the decade.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 6: Kaputt
The second sprawling track, the shortest of the three. Probably one of the weaker tracks on the album, which in context still makes it a pretty good song. There is a lot going on, but it doesn't feel very cohesive. Never really goes anywhere.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 7: Downtown
Yes more female backing vocals. For some reason I am really loving those on this album. Also more horns. Maybe a more subdued track, but the pieces fit together nicely. The brief flashes of vocals are an interesting choice, but the song really relies on its horn section, which I like.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 8: Song For America
This might be the most interesting song on Kaputt. Between the spastic horns, the guitar work, and the strange a cryptic lyrics and vocalism. While it is entirely too busy, it actually feels like a good thing. I can see why this is the "last" track on Kaputt, it feels like Bejar just put all the leftover parts that didn't fit into any other song on this one. That being said, it is a pretty amazing song.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 9: Bay of Pigs
Not much to say about this one. It's been out for two years. Probably the most epic track Bejar has been involved in through any aspect of his music career. A masterpiece
Verdict 10/10

Cohesiveness Score: 10/10
The feeling of a hazy nostalgia continues from the first second in until the end of the album.

Final Score: 91/100 = 9.1

Closing Thoughts:
Kaputt takes its influence from both jazz and what seems like an infatuation with the 80's. Bejar puts his own unique spin on both of these genres and dashes in his own style of cryptic and spastic lyricism and songwriting. He has created what may very well be his masterpiece, and at the least one of the best albums of 2011.

Album Review: The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

2011-01-15T22:31:00.001-05:00

The Decemberists - The King is Dead (2011, Capitol Records)

Listen:

NPR First Listen

Purchase (Pre-order):

Band Site

Insound

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For The Decemberists, you can go back again. After two sprawling, epic concept albums, Colin Meloy and company return to a sound originating from their first few albums. This means more straightforward pop songs instead of massive ten-plus minute songs. The Decemberists' brand of pop has always been different than anyone else's. It has a flare of old-time nostalgia mixed with country, bluegrass, and a multitude of other genres. It gives their albums something of a dated feel, but they are still so progressively modern that it can be difficult to really get a grasp for their music. For example, Their song "The Infanta" was used in the TV show Mad Men, and to my knowledge is still the only modern song used in the show, which is set in the early 60's.

The King is Dead is a solid album, but at this point in their careers (this being their 6th album), it is hard for the band to add new layers to a sound that is already unique to themselves.

Track 1: Don't Carry It All
This could easily a Tom Petty song, just from the intro. It becomes apparent very early that this might be the most pop-driven album The Decemberists have made. This really doesn't even sound like The Decemberists to me. Maybe that's why the song is all about the changing of the season. It's a metaphor for their change in sound.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 2: Calamity Song
I like the little guitar riff in this song. Very lighthearted for such a depressing song. "Calamity Song" is very reminiscent of one of my favorite Decemberists songs, "July, July!". It even matches in macabre lyricism. Who just uses California sinking under a giant earthquake as a throwaway lyric?
Verdict: 8/10

Track 3: Rise To Me
The first slower, subdued song on The King is Dead. I have always thought that Decemberists were very good at these types of songs. This style really fits Colin's vocal style much more than anything fast paced. He really has a voice made for slow, melancholy tracks. He should have just been a country artist.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 4: Rox in the Box
This is the point in the album where it starts becoming alarmingly apparent that The Decemberists, at this point in their careers, are beginning to sound like a caricature of themselves. Everything about this song screams THE DECEMBERISTS, but everything about it just seems bland. When you have a sound as unique as they have carved out, you can understand why they made an album like The Crane Wife to try and do something different.
Verdict: 5/10

Track 5: January Hymn
Again: slower song = better song. This song is simple. It relies on Meloy's vocals and lyricism. This allows it to seem very sincere and heartfelt. Not much else to say other than I like it.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 6: Down By The Water
This album really lives or dies by Colin Meloy's lyricism. "Down by the Water" is the first single of The King is Dead. It is probably the most complete song on here. Good storytelling, which is a staple of a good Decemberists song. I could have done without the harmonica though.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 7: All Arise!
If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all
Verdict: 3/10

Track 8: June Hymn
A more upbeat version of January Hymn (makes sense, eh?). Meloy again carries the song. This album reminds me of their first two albums so much. While the nostalgia is appreciated, it doesn't say much for them, considering the different ways they have taken their sound in the eight or so years that have happened since Her Majesty was released.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 9: This Is Why We Fight
I think I've heard this song before somewhere on The Crane Wife. Again, caricature, etc. Still a good song though. The subject matter is something that the band does surprisingly well. They are good at these sentimental, ancient sounding battle songs. My favorite on the album.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 10: Dear Avery
Nothing that special. Good enough as an outro track.
Verdict: 5/10

Cohesiveness Score: 7/10
Sound is chaotic at times, but the album keeps its theme quite well.

Final Score: 77/110 = 7.0

Final Thoughts:
Other than a couple bad songs, a generally good album. Their sounds has managed to take a step back on this album, which is a disappointing.

My Year In Lists: The 25 Best Albums of 2010

2011-01-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

25. Strand of Oaks - Pope Killdragon

I'm finding it increasingly harder to describe this album. Is it a folk album? It could certainly pass for it. Introspective, sprawling songwriting is a staple on Pope Killdragon. It also has shades of progressive rock, metal, and post-rock. It also has a song about Dan Akroyd and his emotions after the death of John Belushi. And it's actually a really good song! Even when he is writing about relatively nonsensical things, Tim Showalter still manages to make captivating music.

Standout Tracks: Killdragon, Sterling, Daniel's Blues, Last To Swim

24. Surfer Blood - Astrocoast

I like to consider this album the antithesis to the surf rock genre. While it definitely shares the sound of the other bands in the genre, the lyrical content plays more like it is mocking the genre instead of glorifying it. Surfer Blood also has more of a punk tinge to their sound. I love the sardonic nature of their lyrics as well.

Standout Tracks: Floating Vibes, Swim, Take it Easy, Catholic Pagans

23. Damien Jurado - Saint Bartlett

Singer-Songwriter Damien Jurado released possibly his best album this year. equal parts upbeat pop and personal folk. Damien used a multitude of subtle sounds from various instruments to help fill out the sound on this record, which made it the most fully fleshed out record he has made so far. I was honestly surprised that he had this kind of ability.

Standout Tracks: Cloudy Shoes, Arkansas, Rachel and Cali, Kalama,

22. Wolf Parade - Expo 86

While Expo 86 has one or two truly bafflingly bad songs, it is by far the most cohesive (and sadly the last) Wolf Parade album. They managed to put together some really great songs that don't just sound like either a Spencer Krug or Dan Boeckner solo project, which has been a problem for them since their debut.

Standout Tracks: What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way), Little Golden Age, In the Direction of the Moon, Pobody's Nerfect

21. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Forgiveness Rock Record could have easily been one of the best of the best. Sadly, it is spectacularly uneven. That should not take away from how amazing some of these songs are, though. A very eclectic mix on this album, which probably is the cause for the unevenness. Needs more Brendan Canning.

Standout Tracks: World Sick, Chase Scene, Meet Me in the Basement, Sweetest Kill

20. The Deadly Syndrome - Nolens Volens

Nolens Volens is an album consumed with emotional heartbreak. From the opening track, "Villian" (which contains sublte lyricism such as "why don't you just go fuck off and die") to tracks like "Doesn't Matter" and "Trouble Again", it is the consistent theme on the record. As long as you're ok with this, you will find that Nolens Volens is a very well crafted rock album. While slightly generic in sound, it is carried by its emotional power.

Standout Tracks: Villian, Doesn't Matter, Afterwork, Trouble Again

19. Freelance Whales - Weathervanes

I'm a sucker for any pop/rock/whatever song with banjo in it. and Freelance Whales use a lot of banjo. It is an album of lighthearted pop music. Extremely catchy and easy to listen to. One of the best debut albums of the year.

Standout Tracks: Hannah, Location, Kilojoules, We Could Be Friends

18. Phantogram - Eyelid Movies

Speaking of wonderful debut albums. They almost sounds like someone mixed trip-hop and dream-pop, if that even makes sense. Lush, layered electronic music. They are also from the same area from me (upper middle PA/ upper NY), so that have that going for them as well.

Standout Tracks: Mouthful of Diamonds, When I'm Small, As Far As I Can See, Let Me Go

17. Andrew Cedermak - Moon Deluxe

Moon Deluxe always reminds me in some indescribable way of a classic Microphones album. Just the right amount of lo-fi fuzz and laid back guitar work. Of course, Mr. Cedermark was once a member of 2010 band of the year Titus Andronicus, so there are still parts of the album that get pretty wild. It just feels, in a word, local. Close to home.

Standout Tracks: Moon Deluxe, Gloria '85, Hard Livin', Your Dream is Killing Me

16. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

Plastic Beach is a very jam-packed record. Lots of songs and lots of features. I guess it wouldn't be a Gorillaz record without both those things, would it? Damon Albarn and his merry crew are still able to mix genres and styles with amazing skill. The album trails off a little at the end, which accounts for its place on this list.

Standout Tracks: Rhinestone Eyes, Superfast Jellyfish, Empire Ants, On Melancholy Hill

15. Male Bonding - Nothing Hurts

Certainly the most straightforward album of the year. Nothing Hurts plays like any classic punk album. Simple, short, hard hitting songs. It's punk done in its most base form, and Male Bonding do it pretty well.

Standout Tracks: Year's Not Long, All Things This Way, Weird Feelings, Nothing Used To Hurt, Pumpkin, Worse To Come

14. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

I think Local Natives get me. They flit from soaring guitar and violin, to structured rock, to harmonizing choruses and vocals throughout all of Gorilla Manor. These are a few of my favorite things. Their lyricism is at times grandiose in scale, and at other times deeply personal. They manage to take a large amount of contradictions and build them into a cohesive work. Just a spectacular debut album. And might I say, one of the best up and coming live acts as well. booooooo.

Standout Tracks: Wide Eyes, Airplanes, Sun Hands, Warning Signs, Who Knows, Who Cares

13. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks

This might be the closest thing we get to a concept album from Frightened Rabbit. The theme of swimming, drowning, and floating is current throughout. pun unintended. These guys are doing sad music better than pretty much anyone right now. I guess that is something to be proud of.

Standout Tracks: Things, Swim Until You Can't See Land, Nothing Like You, Living in Colour, Yes I Would

12. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

First off: James Murphy definitely gets the idea of how important the first song on an album is. I mean look at the first songs on his three albums:
1. LCD Soundsystem: "Daft Punk is Playing at My House
2. Sound of Silver: "Get Innocuous"
3. This Is Happening: "Dance Yrself Clean"

I, for one, think that is pretty impressive. This album definitely took a lot of listening for me to get a feel for it. While maybe not as good as his other albums (both of which I think are classics), it is still one of the best of the year.

Standout Tracks: Dance Yrself Clean, One Touch, I Can Change, Pow Pow, Home

11. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

It's always big news when Arcade Fire releases an album. The Suburbs was another epic album by the band, and possibly their most cohesive to date. While it doesn't reach the heights of Funeral, it is a better showing than Neon Bible. The only reason it isn't a top 5 album is because it is about 3-4 songs too long.

Standout Tracks: The Suburbs, Ready To Start, Empty Room, Month of May, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

10. Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring

Our little twee punks are growing up. While their music is still incredibly juvenile, they manage to create much stronger song structures, and more complex lyricism. The thing that always attracted me to Los Campesinos! was their ability to create songs that are deeply personal, to the point where the songs almost become inside jokes. Something about the intense level of sarcasm and contempt for humanity that lead singer Gareth manages to convey in each song just reaches me on some weird, pessimistic level. I mean, just look at these songs names:

Standout Tracks: These Are Listed Buildings, Straight in at 101, I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know, A Heat Rash In The Shape Of The Show Me State; Or, Letters From Me To Charlotte, The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future, This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind

9. Sharon Van Etten - Epic

While Epic might not actually be, well, epic (mostly because it is only seven tracks long), it is still one of the best albums of the year. Very reminisce of Neil Young and the other alt-country mainstays. Sharon's songwriting is intimate and lovelorn. It's unfortunate that the album is so short, because if it was more fleshed out it would have been even better.

Standout Tracks: A Crime, Save Yourself, Don't Do It, One Day, Love More

8. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

If one of the members of Outkast was to make a really good solo album, wouldn't all of us assume it would be 3 stacks? Big Boi put in a good three years on this album, and it shows. The production is top notch, the features are varied and refreshing, and Big Boi himself oozes confidence throughout the record. Knowing that he has this in him makes me that much more excited for the next Outkast record, whenever it comes out.

Standout Tracks: Turn Me On, Follow Us, Shutterbugg, Hustle Blood, Be Still, Shine Blockas

7. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

This is Bradford Cox and crews best showing so far. Not only is it tight and focused, it is also surprisingly poppy and upbeat. The only complaint I have against it is that the best songs minus "Desire Lines" are less than three minutes long, while the slower, more ambient tracks are much longer. It would have made for a more even album if the song lengths were similar.

Standout Tracks: Don't Cry, Revival, Memory Boy, Desire Lines, Fountain Stairs, Coronado

6. Beach House - Teen Dream

I've always sort of liked Beach House, but found their music rather bland. It took them until their third album, Teen Dream, to establish a unique sound. They have figured out a way to mix their dream-pop sounds with something resembling Grizzly Bear's slow churning rock. Their is a certain confidence in this album that plays to the band's strengths. Their really isn't a bad song on here.

Standout Tracks: Zebra, Silver Soul, Norway, Walk In The Park, Lover Of Mine, 10 Mile Stereo

5. Caribou - Swim

Since when did Caribou's mastermind and producer Dan Snaith get so vocal? He's worn so many faces under both the Caribou and Manitoba moniker that it's hard to say that it's a surprise. Swim, out of all his different phases, hit me the hardest. Their is subletities in this album that only pay off after several listens. The backbeat on Odessa. The Heartbeat percussion on Found Out. The restrained buildup on Jamelia. Snaith really put a lot of work into making this album so layered, while still giving a feeling of isolation, which fits the subject matter of the album in general. The synth work on this album is the best I've heard possibly ever. Probably his best work since Up In Flames.

Standout Tracks: Odessa, Kalli, Found Out, Hannibal, Lallibela, Jamelia

4. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

Kristian Matsson is the best folk singer in the world right now. Sorry SVE. His knack for creating catchy, thoughtful Dylan-esque (in both voice and lyric) folk music is uncanny. The amount of emotion he puts into just an acoustic guitar track should be the envy of most bands with four or more members. The Wild Hunt is a beautiful progression from his debut album. He shows marked improvement in all aspects. He shows restrained emotion throughout the whole album. On top of this, he released a great EP this year too. I can't wait to hear more from him.

Standout Tracks: The Wild Hunt, Burden of Tomorrow, You're Going Back, King Of Spain, Love Is All, Kids On The Run

3. The National - High Violet

The National released an album this year. Automatic top five. High Violet was not a huge leap forward for The National like their last two albums. The only new layers were an increased use of horns and violin. While this is appreciated, it's not anything they haven't done before. What High Violet does so amazing is merge both the emotional fury of Alligator and the subdued urbanism of Boxer. What we end up with is an album of unique to itself, but also manages to use all the influence and knowledge that the band has gained from its last couple of stellar albums.

Standout Tracks: Terrible Love, Sorrow, Anyone's Ghost, Little Faith, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Runaway, England

2. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West. He's back. With maybe his best record yet. If it's not his best, than it is certainly his best produced. Kanye used this album as a sort of playground, playing with the different pieces (samples, features, etc) as he saw fit. "All of the Lights", for example, has more than 10 features, even if they aren't all necessarily recognizable. It is an album where Kanye did whatever he wanted. For an album with so much going on, it is stunningly consistent. Every song except possibly "Devil in a New Dress" is almost unbelievably good. MBDTF allowed Kanye to vent his frustrations, his love, hate, fear, etc. It is possibly the first true indie hip-hop album, with significant input from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, and samples of King Crimson, Aphex Twin, and the aforementioned Bon Iver. It is the most focused, complete hip-hop album in ages. A masterpiece

Standout Tracks: Gorgeous, POWER, All of the Lights, Monster, So Appalled, Runaway, Blame Game, Lost in the World

1. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

The Monitor is one of the most difficult listens of 2010. As I've written before, there are no happy songs on this album. Each song reeks of some emotion. paranoia on "Titus Andronicus Forever", hatred on "Richard II", frustration on "Four Score and Seven", heartbreak on "To Old Friends and New". Lead singer Patrick Stickles berates everything from his friends, his band, his town, his upbringing, to of course, himself. Self-loathing is a staple on The Monitor. So why, you may be asking, is it the best album of 2010?

The Monitor holds its power in its emotion, displayed through the raw power (thanks Iggy) of punk. It is a punk album cranked to 11. The concept of using the Civil Was as a background to the war within is a brilliant concept. This album is not about the Civil War, it is about the internal struggle that every human faces in their life. It is unapologetic in its existential view of humanity. It is a study in the dark side of the human condition.

The length of some of these songs is daunting. Many fall into base repetition at points. But the listener is rewarded by the end with the epic funeral dirge that is "The Battle of Hampton Roads", a final nail in the coffin of our narrators hope of a happy life. Musically the album is good, but not great. Of course being in essence a punk record that is a given. Stickle's lyricism, while mostly vitriolic, has deeper layers. References to everything from The Dark Night, Seinfeld, the blog Brooklyn Vegan, to other artists such as Neutral Milk Hotel permeate throughout.

It is certainly not an album for everyone, but from the second I heard it I knew it was the only choice I could make for album of the year.

Standout Tracks: A More Perfect Union, Richard II, Four Score and Seven, Theme From "Cheers", To Old Friends and New, The Battle of Hampton Roads

My Year In Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2010, 50-26

2011-01-06T22:07:00.000-05:00

2010 has come to a close. So what's more important than counting down the best albums of the year? I can't think of a single thing. When I look back at this year musically, I have a couple thoughts. A lot of well established artists released good material (Arcade Fire, The National, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem, for example), Some long awaited rap albums finally saw daylight (Big Boi and Kanye), and punk music had something of a revival (Male Bonding, Titus Andronicus, Tyvek, Let's Wrestle, etc.). Those topics will show up a considerable amount in this list. All in all, it was a great year for music.

50. Liam The Younger - Revel Hidden Worlds

Just a nice, simple, relatively straightforward record.

Standout Tracks: Crossed Water, Lie, Ode

49. S. Carrey - All We Grow

A beautifully lush, low key album from one of the members of Bon Iver.

Standout Tracks: In The Dirt, Mothers, Action

48. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (II)

A surprisingly cohesive sophomore album from Crsytal Castles.

Standout Tracks: Baptism, Suffocation, Vietnam

47. Jónsi - Go

Although the absence of a full Sigur Ros limits him a little, Jónsi's still manages to put out a sonically beautiful album.

Standout Tracks: Go Do, Animal Arithmetic, Boy Lilikoi

46. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Frustratingly top heavy, but the first half is very, very good.

Standout Tracks: Ambling Amp, Madder Red, O.N.E.

45. The Radio Dept. - Clinging To A Scheme

Warm and fuzzy electro-pop.

Standout Tracks: Heaven's on Fire, This Time Around, The Video Dept.

44. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Kollaps Tradixionales

Godspeed You! Black Emperor side project moves farther away from its roots with a more vocal heavy approach. Still pretty good at that post-rock stuff.

Standout Tracks: There is a Light, I Built Myself A Metal Bird, Kollaps Tradicional (Bury 3 Dynamos)

43. Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love

Still the champions of twee pop. Maybe the weakest of their recent albums, but they still know how to write simple, catchy, pop.

Standout Tracks: I Want The World To Stop, Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John, I'm Not Living in the Real World

42. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

The OG of hip-hop returns from a long hiatus with a deep, foreboding album.

Standout Tracks: I'm New Here, I'll Take Care of You, New York is Killing Me, Running

41. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo

Carefree indie pop. The winner of the annual "band that sounds like The Shins" award.

Standout Tracks: What's It In For?, Five Little Sluts, Summer Cum

40. Gayngs - Relayted

It's sooo smoooooth.
Standout Tracks: Cry, No Sweat, Faded High

39. Abe Vigoda - Crush

Abe Vigoda get a little emotional on their second album. For the most part its works.
Standout Tracks: Dream of My Love, Crush, Repeating Angel

38. The Black Keys - Brothers

The best Black Keys album in some time. Also one of the best album covers I've seen in a long time.
Standout Tracks: Everlasting Lights, Howlin' For You, She's Long Gone,

37. Fang Island - Fang Island

A momentous album, filled with raucous harmonies and guitar riffs.
Standout Tracks: Careful Crossers, Daisy, The Illinois

36. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

If it wasn't for Olivia Tremor Control, this would be the best Beatles-esque psych pop band.
Standout Tracks: Lucidity, Solitude is Bliss, I Don't Really Mind

35. Hot Chip - One Life Stand

Similar to Yeasayer in it's top heavy-ness. Overall a stronger record, though.
Standout Tracks: Thieves in the Night, I Feel Better, One Life Stand

34. Buke and Gass - Riposte

It feels like they just threw whatever they could at this album, and most of it manages to stick.
Standout Tracks: Medulla Oblongata, Sleep Gets Your Ghost, Page Break

33. Menomena - Mines

Not their strongest effort, but it grew on me.
Standout Tracks: Taos, Killemall, Tithe

32. Perfume Genius - Learning

I only need one word to describe this: haunting.
Standout Tracks: Learning, Lookout, Lookout, Mr. Peterson

31. Yellow Ostrich - The Mistress

These guys are gonna go places. It seems like they really get the basics of making catchy songs. Lots of promise here.
Standout Tracks: WHALE, Hate Me Soon, Mary

30. The Apples In Stereo - Travelers in Space and Time

Robert Schneider, the only original member of Elephant 6 that it's still consistently active, is still able to create amazing pop albums. Probably the best ELO album ever made.
Standout Tracks: Dream About The Future, Dance Floor, Told You Once

29. Tim Kasher - The Game of Monogamy

Cursive and Good Life front man releases a solo album. More of the same, but that's never been a bad thing.
Standout Tracks: Cold Love, Bad, Bad Dreams, No Fireworks

28. Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils

Although I'm not the biggest fan of surf rock, this album was a very good example of what the genre should sound like. Carefree, laid back, and nostalgic
Standout Tracks: Vacation, Lazy Day, Daydream

27. Vampire Weekend - Contra

It took me a long time to like this album. Vampire weekend are still amazingly catchy, whatever you think of them.
Standout Tracks: Horchata, Holiday, Run

26. Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing

This album sounds like it came from the 70's. Just a great rock record, filled with uplifting songs.
Standout Tracks: Free Energy, All I Know, Young Hearts

25-1 coming soon.

My Year In Lists: The Top 50 Songs of 2010

2010-12-31T03:26:00.001-05:00

2010 was an interesting year on a song level. While most popular singles followed the same heavily produced, glossy, and manufactured formula, there was a groundswell of great songs being made by bands on the mid to low level spectrum. 2010 had albums from indie stalwarts such as Arcade Fire, The National, and to some extent, Kanye West. While these great albums spawned great songs, there were also bands that I did not expect to have such a profound effect with simply amazing songs. Bands that I had not even heard of, such as Titus Andronicus. Bands that I had forgotten about, such as Caribou, The Tallest Man on Earth, and Damien Jurado. It was a year of comebacks in a way for me, and this list reflects that.

50. Apparat - Sayulita

49. ceo - Illuminata
48. The Soft Pack - Answer To Yourself
47. The Morning Benders - Excuses
46. Avi Buffalo - What's It In For?
45. Les Savy Fav - Sleepless in Silverlake

44. Vampire Weekend - Holiday
43. The Apples In Stereo - Dream About The Future
42. Damien Jurado - Arkansas
41. Los Campesinos! - This is a Flag, There is No Wind

40. Gil Scott-Heron - New York is Killing Me

39. Drake - Miss Me
38. Free Energy - All I Know
37. Andrew Cedermark - Moon Deluxe
36. Lil' Wayne - 6 Foot 7 Foot
35. Abe Vigoda - Dream of My Love

34. Jonsi - Go Do
33. Wolf Parade - What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way)
32. Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
31. The Tallest Man on Earth - Kids On The Run

30. Lil' Wayne - Right Above It

29. El Guincho - Bombay
28. Phantogram - As Far as I Can See
27. Surfer Blood - Swim
26. Gorillaz - Empire Ants
25. Strand of Oaks - Sterling

24. Yeasayer - Madder Red
23. The National - Bloodbuzz, Ohio
22. Menomena - Taos
21. Metric - Black Sheep

20. Beach Fossils - Daydream

Although I've never been a big fan of surf rock, Surfer Blood's Astrocoast and Beach Fossil's self titled album were two records that I really liked. Beach Fossils managed to do surf rock better than anyone else this year, and Daydream was the best example of how good the genre can actually be.

19. Local Natives - Who Knows Who Cares

Local Natives have a varied sound that is hard to define. They can be upbeat and fast paced at times, and also slow and introspective. Who Knows Who Cares is at the intersection of those two points.

18. Damien Jurado - Rachel and Cali

Maybe not the best song musically, but such a vulnerably powerful song lyrically. Saint Bartlett was really an amazing album that came out of nowhere.

17. Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

Although The Suburbs was kind of a bloated mess, it had enough strong songs to remain a strikingly good album. Sprawl II was the best of those songs.

16. Broken Social Scene - World Sick

While Forgiveness Rock Record suffered because of its schizophrenic sound, it managed to produce this one epic track. "World Sick" is one of the most subtly ambitious songs in Broken Social Scenes catalog.

15. LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrslelf Clean

While it takes a while to build up, when this song finally erupts it is one of the best dance tracks of 2010.

14. Male Bonding - Year's Not Long

It was a pretty good year for punk music. Male Bonding was a big reason for the that. Nothing Hurt's first track burst out of the gates, letting you know exactly what's in store.

13. Caribou - Odessa

Like "Year's Not Long", "Odessa", the first track on Caribou's Swim, let's you know what's up. It is the first salvo on one of the best albums of the year.

12. Japandroid - Art Czars

Instead of releasing an album this year, Japandroids released a couple of singles. While all three songs are great, "Art Czars" stands above the rest as a visceral masterpiece.

11. Kanye West - Runaway

You can pretty much take any song from Kanye's new album and it could find a place on here. "Runaway" seemed like Kanye's admission of his own faults. It was a song where he stopped blaming other people, and took responsibility for his problems.

10. Deerhunter - Memory Boy

So short, but still amazing. "Desire Lines" also vied for this spot, but in the end I chose "Memoy Boy" because of its stronger lyrical content and liberal use of harmonica.

9. Frightened Rabbit - Nothing Like You

No one does melancholy quite like Frightened Rabbit. "Nothing Like You" is the strongest song on The Winter of Mixed Drinks. It takes both the wonder of a new relationship and the pain of lingering feelings, and mixes them together in a sad little package. Frightened Rabbit are becoming very good at making songs of this nature.

8. Los Campesinos! - The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future

"The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future" is Los Campesinos! most complete song. It is surprisingly mature for them (which means it's still pretty juvenile). It also has a greatly arranged use of violin. For a band that is known for its quick hitting twee punk, it is amazingly deep.

7. Titus Andronicus - A More Perfect Union

Titus Andronicus's The Monitor was a sprawling, epic, punk masterpiece. It's first song "A More Perfect Union" is also one of its strongest tracks. It serves as a introduction to both the Civil War theme of the album and the general theme of emotional ennui, anger, and despair that are present throughout. It is the first shot being fired at Fort Sumter.
The song should be commended enough for twisting the main line in Springsteen's "Born To Run" into "Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to die"

6. The National - England

The most beautiful song on High Violet. The subtle keys, horns, and strings in this song give it a feeling of unrequited despair. The narrator laments a lost relationship, using England as a metaphor for both physical and emotional distance. It uses there post-Alligator ability to create slow burning rock, and also includes at the end a breakdown which allows Matt Berninger to freak out a little. It is the gestalt of their last three records, pulling in influences from each to create an amazing song.

5. Big Boi - Shine Blockas

"Shine Blockas" was the the best song on the best hip-hop album this year. Then Kanye West happened. Still, it is one of the best songs of the year. Big Boi brings his A game, and we even get a semi-coherent feature from Gucci Mane. Probably one of the only times he has added to a song instead of taking away from it. The beat is also a classic. Big Boi has come a long way in the last year, stepping out of the shadows of his Outkast counterpart.

4. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Dreamer

Just a simple, emotionally powerful song. The Tallest Man On Earth is one of the best lyricist going right now. This song stands out because it may very well be the only song he has ever done with an electric guitar. While the change isn't necessarily groundbreaking, it gives a long time listener of his work a feeling that the song has an added verbosity.

3. Kanye West - Power

Kanye kicked back in a hard way on "Power", the first song he officially released since his meltdown. In a year where Kanye made some of his best work, it is very hard to find a song more needed for his psyche than "Power". He attempted to settle all of his debts in this song, showing people that, while he made mistakes, he was still the best producer on the planet, and one of the consistently best hip-hop artists in the last decade.

2. Caribou - Jamelia

Caribou's emphasis on vocalism on Swim is what made it a more fully fleshed album, and maybe his best under the Caribou moniker. "Jamelia" starts slowly, but builds into a frenzy. The random effects throughout the song give it a foreboding tone. When it finally breaks, it becomes unstable in the best of ways. Just a perfect example of what Daniel Snaith is capable of.

1. Titus Andronicus - The Battle of Hampton Roads

If "A More Perfect Union" was a fitting start to The Monitor, than "The Battle of Hampton Roads" is a more than fitting end. Coming in at a sprawling 14 minutes, it is by far the longest song on The Monitor, which is an album of lengthy songs. Throughout The Monitor, Patrick Stickles has been admitting his faults. His anger, despair, uncertainty, anxiety, etc. have been on full show. On top of that he has been tracking a faceless enemy throughout the album. On "The Battle of Hampton Roads" He finally seems to give up on it all. In two parts specifically. Firstly, he admits that he is pretty much a useless person in an existential crisis at 5:38 into the song:
"And I’m as much of an asshole as I’ve ever been.
And there is still nothing about myself I respect
Still haven’t done anything I did not later regret.
I’ve a hand and a napkin when looking for sex,
And that’s no one to talk to when feeling depressed.
And so now when I drink, I’m going to drink to excess,
And when I smoke, I will smoke gaping holes in my chest,
And when I scream, I will scream until I’m gasping for breath,
And when I get sick, I will stay sick for the rest"

Secondly, we have the case of the unnamed enemy. Throughout the album, there is a lingering entity who, while possibly a different person/group in each song, is present throughout the album. Stickles finally gives in during "Hampton Roads", realizing that without an enemy, he has no reason to exist. He pleads for his enemy to never leave, as funeral horns play in the background. The song is a fitting end to an album that has no happy moments, that wallows in its own self pity, and never allows you to feel anything but contempt for the world.

My Year In Lists: My Top Albums of 2010 According to Last.fm

2010-12-18T17:15:00.001-05:00

Same rules apply as artists: Everything counts, not just 2010 albums.

10. The Replacements - Let it Be (185 Plays)

The Replacements' best album. This is the album where it all worked in unison for them. It mixed their early works punk aesthetic as well as their later albums pop sensibilities.

9. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (210 Plays)

An emotionally devastating album. Maybe not in the sense of a complete loss of hope like, for example, The Antlers' Hospice, but more in a sense of not being able to have what you want. A study in broken hearts and busted promises.

8. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record (242 Plays)

Although Forgiveness Rock Record has it's ups and downs, it was a worthy successor to their self titled album. At 14 tracks long, it certainly has some misses, but it also has some grand hits, specifically "Word Sick" and "Sweetest Kill"

7. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (250 Plays)

Frightened Rabbit's best record to date. The album has a beautifully vulnerable feel to it. The lyrics are self defecating and nihilistic, but they show the weakened psyche that all humans share.

6. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks (270 Plays)

Frightened Rabbit's latest album. While not as much as a stand out record as Midnight Organ Fight, it is still a very good album. It's also the best album name of the year.

5. The National - High Violet (278 Plays)

High Violet is another great installment in The National's discography. A strangely subdued album that touches on some darker subject than The National are used to. A paranoid, sheltered album that was a welcome addition to the best albums of 2010.

4. Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring (284 Plays)

Romance is Boring was an interesting album. It took a long time for me to really "get" it. While it is still in the same mold as their other albums, it is a more grown up sound that they brought for this one. While still punk in essence, the strings and keys are more lush and properly laid out. The songs are more varied, and while this make the album a little uneven, it shows that they are evolving as a band.

3. Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day (413 Plays)

Like I said earlier, I was way late to this album. It was such a strikingly different album from almost anything in recent mainstream hip hop. Cudi's introspective, vulnerable lyrics were a surprising change of pace from the overconfident, blow hard style of almost every rapper currently in the game. The production is also some of the best we've seen in a long time from an album not made by Kanye West. Just a powerhouse of a record.

2 & 1: Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances (447 Plays) and The Monitor (465 Plays)

Might as well lump these together. It was the year of Titus Andronicus as far as I'm concerned. Their brand of nihilistic punk brought a new, angry, sardonic voice to American punk. They carry on the torch of their forefathers such as the aforementioned Replacements and their Jersey brethrens The Misfits. Their ability to bring epic, sprawling tracks into the punk lexicon is something that we have not seen many in the genre do. They have a bright future ahead of them.

My Year In Lists: My Top Artists of 2010 According To last.fm

2010-12-17T14:43:00.041-05:00

I thought I would kick off my music lists by showing everyone what I actually listened to this year. This is in no way my top artists/songs/etc of 2010, it is just the raw stats of what I actually listened to during the year. Because of this is will not be secluded to just artists who were relevant in 2010. But still, an interesting way to look at what I was actually listening to a lot in 2010.

10. Japandroids (265 Plays)

Japandroids had a pretty cool 2010, even though there debut album came out in 2009. They began a singles series that produced three really good songs ("Art Czars", "Younger Us", and "Heavenward Grand Prix"). They played a bunch of live shows as well, including Bonnaroo, where I got a chance to see them. For only having two members they generate an intense amount of sounds. They are the spiritual successors to Death From Above 1979.

9. Elliott Smith (310 Plays)

Rest in Peace. Elliott is always a staple in my listening tendencies. It really hit me this year when the anniversary of his death came around. I rediscovered his outstanding self-titled album and got to know New Moon a lot better. We all miss you, Elliott.

8. The Avett Brothers (336 Plays)

Mostly spurned on by their great performance at Bonnaroo, and me being late to the party on their latest album.

7. Broken Social Scene (429 Plays)

This one should be obvious. They released a new album, Forgiveness Rock Record, this year. Plus You Forgot It in People is still one of the best albums of all time.

6. Kanye West (537 Plays)

The most news worthy artists of 2010. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was a masterpiece.

5. Los Campesinos! (572 Plays)

These twee punk heroes had a year almost as good as their 2008 (a year in which they released two amazing albums). Romance is Boring was a huge step forward for them. It had a more grown up sound, but managed to still contain their juvenile spirit and witty lyricism.

4. The National (592 Plays)

High Violet. Enough Sad. Also they evolved into one of the best touring bands of the year.

3. Frightened Rabbit (604 Plays)

Released a new album, The Winter of Mixed Drinks. The Midnight Organ Flight is still in heavy rotation.

2. Kid Cudi (683 Plays)

New album was kind of meh, but i was way late to the game on Man on the Moon: The End of Day. So that accounts for most of these plays.

Number 1 with a bullet: Titus Andronicus (926 (!) plays)

They released possibly the best punk album of the decade this year. They destroyed live. It was a pretty good year for Patrick Stickles and crew. They went from not even being in my library to being my 6th most listened to artist on Last.fm. I'll wax more poetic in the coming week. As far as I'm concerned they were the best act of 2010.

My Year In Lists: The Best TV Shows of 2010

2010-12-08T23:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the invention of the DVR, I have been able to watch more shows that I am usually accustomed too. So here's my top 10 TV shows of the past year.

BUT FIRST: Shows I didn't watch that are probably awesome:
-Breaking Bad
-Justified
-Louie
-Parks and Recreation
-Fringe
-Dexter
-Sons of Anarchy

10. Archer (FX)

A nice little show that ended up being better than I expected. It doesn't hurt that one of my favorite voice actor/comedian's H. John Benjamin does the voice of lead character Sterling Archer. While the humor is somewhat juvenile, it works because the show is animated.

9. Adventure Time (Cartoon Network)

Yeah, it's a kids show. It's a totally rad kids show. It is an animated web comic in the spirit of Hark! a Vagrant and Nedroid. The humor is childish, but like a pixar movie, a lot of it is aimed at older viewers. Plus the guy that voices Bender on Futurama does the voice of Jake the dog. Mathematical!

8. Community (NBC) (Allison Brie)

Community, while only in it's second season, is easily the funniest show on broadcast TV. It's got a great ensemble cast and it's writing team isn't afraid to break the fourth wall or use meta humor. While the second season has been a little bit of a disappointment compared to the first, it is still a great show.

Oh, and Allison Brie is in it.

7. Eastbound and Down (HBO)

Kenny Powers is back! Eastbound and Down managed to have a pretty damn amazing season. Which is surprising considering the only returning character from the first season at the start of the season was Kenny Powers himself. The show has always been about perception versus reality, and this season played it up in spades. Stevie Fuckin' Janowski

6. Bored To Death (HBO)

So. Who would have thunk it. This show was just a throwaway in it's first season on HBO. The second season took it to a completely different level. The character stories they told in the second season were much more interesting. The dynamic between the three main characters worked fluidly. The dialog was realistic but still funny. The over-arching story-lines this season felt much more important and worth following. If it wasn't for Terriers this would be my surprise of the year.

5. The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead was something I was excited for for a long time, having read Robert Kirkman's spectacular comic series by the same name. While the show was amazing at times, there was a lot of things that didn't work. Characters would go missing both literally and figuratively in episodes. The cast was much too large. I understand that they only had six episodes to try and introduce everyone, but even the core characters seem poorly fleshed out at this point. It does do a lot of things right though. It is a smart zombie series, more about the strain of surviving in an apocalypse and how it affects relationships than just simply shooting zombies in the face.

But when they do shoot zombies in the face it's pretty awesome.

4. The Venture Brothers (Cartoon Network)

If Seinfeld was a show about nothing, than The Venture Brothers is a s how about failure. The fourth season of The Venture Brothers saw a lot of change. Some of which didn't work. The show's writing is still spot on though. The references and allusions Doc Hammer and Jackson Public fit into this show is a nerd's wet dream. Adult Swim split the season in to two and aired them almost a year apart, which was frustrating. The show is still the best original program on Cartoon Network, and it doesn't seem like that will change any time soon.

3. Boardwalk Empire

So maybe Boardwalk Empire wasn't the world beater we all expected it to be. Maybe Steve Buschemi really shouldn't carry a TV show. While Nucky Thompson was the most boring character on the screen in most situations, the supporting characters made this show worthwhile for me. Michael Pitt's Jimmy Darmody was possibly my favorite character on TV this year. A great cast and the name power of such historical gangsters and Lucky Luciano, Johnny Torio, Arnold Rothstein, and Al Capone made this show worth watching just to see how they were portrayed. Finally, Michael K. William(Omar from the Wire)'s Chalky White, and John Huston's Richard Harrow were amazing original characters who sadly didn't see a lot of screen time. Hopefully that will be rectified next season. A great season that will probably seam disappointing just because it couldn't live up to its meteoric expectations.

2. Terriers (FX)

The surprise of the year. Too bad no one watched it. It's already been cancelled, meaning we will only get this one season. And it was a great season. I'm not sure if I have ever seen a show with characters that were this real. There was no black or white in this show, just grey. Each character struggled with his own personal and emotional demons. Even the heroes were prone to doing horrible, selfish things that have huge consequences. Everything from the writing, cinematography, the on-screen chemistry, etc was nearly perfect. Pretty much the only problem with this show was the way it was marketed, which probably caused its downfall.

1. Mad Men

The reigning champ is back for another round. There was a lot of changes to the shows dynamic in between season three and four, and I for one was worried if they would be able to sort it all out. Not only did they manage it with aplomb, they made the show even more deeper and intricate. Don Draper's downward spiral into alcoholism and debauchery was an amazing thing to watch. Jon Hamm is hands down the best actor on TV right now. The supporting cast is strong as ever and each have their parts to play. This season also had my favorite episode in the series so far. It was a make or break year for the show, and it came through with flying colors.

Album Review: Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2010-11-29T19:08:00.000-05:00

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010, Def Jam)

Listen:

Grooveshark (kind of a mess)

Purchsase:

Insound

Amazon mp3

iTunes

So... I guess there really isn't much to say about this album that you haven't already heard. Blah blah Kanye meltdown blah blah Taylor Swift. But there is another story to this album. This is the story of Kanye's rebirth from a villain to almost a tragic figure. Through his use of twitter, surprisingly ambitious music video for "Runaway", and releasing of free songs every week on Friday, Kanye has managed to somewhat recover a positive image in the media.

The story of the creation of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is almost as interesting. Kanye stowed away to Hawaii where he brought in virtually every notable artist at some point to work on either his new album or a track for G.O.O.D. Friday. Everyone from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, and Mos Def, to producers like Pete Rock and Q-Tip, to oddly enough, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. Needless to say, Kanye made this album and its creation almost into his own little sandbox, utilizing any toys he could get his hand on.

And it certainly shows. Mr. West's new album is overtly ambitious and contains possibly his best production (which is saying a lot, considering that I believe he is currently the best hip-hop producer on the planet, and has been for years). While there are times when his lyrics fail to match this level as well as some strange features, this album is still one of the best of the year.

Track 1: Dark Fantasy
OK Nikki, what is up with the British accent? Just wondering. Kanye pulls out a classic sample on this one. How many people do you think had even heard of Mike Oldfield before they heard this song (not me)? This is about as classic Kanye beat wise as you can get. He used to be so into samples. I really like how he uses the keys in this song as well. Lyrcism is just fine, maybe not his best effort though. The probably with this album is that Kanye brought it so hard on the beats and production that it's virtually impossible for him to create lyrics that live up to the music.
"So much head I woke up in sleepy hollow" Man does Kanye love rapping about oral sex.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 2: Gorgeous
This beat gets stuck in my head every time I listen to this album. Kid Cudi just kind of does his "I think I can sing" thing on the chorus. The effects on both Kanye and Raekwon's part isn't necessarily needed. Kind of brings the song down a little. It sounds like they are rapping through the phone. I guess it's possible that Raekwon couldn't make it out to Hawaii, so maybe that explains it. In the end, "Gorgeous" has a cool beat and features two of my five current favorite hip-hop artists, so it's still pretty good.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 3 POWER
What can be said about "Power" that hasn't been in the last 6 months? Awesome King Crimson sample. Big time "Fuck You" lyrics. Pretty much an all around package of Kanye being Kanye. If it hadn't been floating around for a long time, this song would probably seem a lot more epic and powerful. Even given that, it is still a masterpiece.
"You got the power to let power go?"
Verdict: 10/10

Track 4: All of the Lights (Introduction)
Usually I would just skip an interlude or introduction track, but this one is actually good. The violin and keys are beautifully done. It's an intro that actually serves a purpose, and serves it well.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 5: All of the Lights
This song should be called "Kanye gets all his favorite vocalists and throws them all into one song" here is a list of collaborators on this song:

Rihanna
Elton John
Fergie
John Legend
The-Dream
Ryan Leslie
Tony Williams
Charlie Wilson
Elly Jackson (of La Roux)
Alicia Keys
Kid Cudi

Let's face it, you can really only pick out a couple of them, but still, pretty damn crazy. Kanye only plays a relatively small part in this one, but you barely notice because of how much is going on. This song should be an absolute mess (and to be honest, kind of is) but works because it is held together by possibly the best beat on this album (which is saying a lot). The drums on this song are immaculate, and the horns just give it the verbose feeling of being larger than life.

Verdict: 10/10

Track 6: Monster
We are now waste deep in the "these songs have a bunch of features" zone. Monster has a vicious beat. Kanye really did his homework on the drums for this album. Rick Ross's verse is ok. Kanye is ok. Jay-Z's is actually kind of horrible. Then we have Nikki Minaj. Where do we even start on this one? I know the whole pitch and tone change while rapping is kind of becoming her thing, and usually I kind of find it annoying, but it makes perfect sense in this song. It's pretty stunning that in a song with Kanye and Jay on it, it is Nikki Minaj that stands out the most. Another feature from Justin Vernon, who shows up on this album more than anyone not named Kanye West.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 7: So Appalled
There you go Kanye. Much better lyrics than his monster verse. I might as well stop talking about the production on this album, cause it's all amazing. Jay-Z's part in this song is also a large improvement from his Monster verse. Let's talk about Pusha T. As we will see again later in Runaway, he really brought it on his features this album. It's nice to see that he signed to Kanye's label as well. Hopefully that means he will get more quality features on future albums. Even relative unknown Cyhi Da Prince has a pretty quality verse. This song would be pretty much perfect if it was for The RZA's feature just being him yelling at the end. Still one of the best on here though. Maybe the only track where the lyricism out-paces the production.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 8: Devil In a New Dress
This is the only song on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that I don't find amazing. The beat isn't necessarily bad, just too laid back. The sample that Kanye uses is also surprisingly bland. Rick Ross is featured on this track as well. While I can tolerate his about 30 second feature on "Monster", he gets a much longer time frame on this one. I'm not that big of a Rick Ross fan, so it feels like a waste.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 9: Runaway
This could possibly be Kanye's magnum opus. The elongated piano intro makes you impatient for the beat to drop. Kanye pretty much admits his follies on this song, while at the same time attempting to get revenge on his haters in the chorus. It's a surprisingly deep emotional song. Pusha T drops possibly my favorite verses on this whole album on his feature. I'm glad that Kanye put the vocal samples that he used at the VMA's onto the album version of this song. It helps it stay focused, which can be hard for a 9 minute long song. I'm sure there are people out there that think the outro part of this song isn't needed, but I beg to differ. The instrumental mix that he uses is great. Let's face it, I'm a sucker for anything with a string section. An epic track.
Verdict 10/10

Track 10: Hell of a Life
Nasty beat. Nasty song. Usually I'm not really into songs like this, that are just about sex, but this one is so lighthearted that I ended up liking it a lot. The beat really makes me forgive a lot of the lyricism. This is a song that Kanye really hasn't done before (unless maybe you count "Drunk and Hot Girls", from Graduation) and that at least gives the song a level of freshness, even if its content is incredibly cliche at this point.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 11: Blame Game
I like this song so much that I'm willing to forgive the atrocious outro. My suggestion: just listen to the first five minutes of this song, and appreciate how amazing it is. Anything after five minutes just cover your ears and hit the skip button. This song has a lot of emotional connotation to it. I mean even if it's extreme, anyone who has ever been through a break up can probably at least sort of relate to the feelings conveyed in this song.
"You weren't perfect but you made life worth it
Stick around some real feelings might surface"
Verdict: 10/10

Track 12: Lost In The World
There isn't many albums that I think end stronger than how they began. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is one of them. Well, to be honest, there is only really one slip up on this album, so it's more like the whole thing is strong. The third Justin Vernon feature. At this point Kanye finally gives up and samples one of his songs ("Woods" from the Blood Bank EP). This fact alone pretty much makes this song a 10. But it's actually one of, if not the best song, on the album. The added vocals and drums over the sample are just perfect. Once the beat drops it's just pure awesome for the rest of the song.
Track 10/10

Track 13: Who Will Survive In America
The outro features the great Gil Scott-Heron (the vocal's come from his song "Comment no. 1") Although it maybe doesn't serve a purpose musically, Gil Scott-Heron drops some amazing knowledge, so I can't hate on it. The applause at the end certainly are in order.
Verdict: 8/10

Cohesiveness Score: 9/10
It is hard to convey a theme in hip-hop albums, but Kanye did a pretty good job here.

Final Score: 128/140 = 9.1

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's Three Stars:
3. Pusha T
2. Justin Vernon
1. Kanye West

Final Thoughts:
Is this the album of the year? Possibly yes. Is it one of the best five albums released this year? Certainly.

My 10 Favorite Moments from The New Girl Talk Album

2010-11-18T18:09:00.002-05:00

It would be nearly impossible to review the new Girl Talk album, All Day. Not that I couldn't do it. I just feel like it would end up being a bunch of sentences consisting of "This mash up was cool" and "I really like this mash up". So pretty much there is no reason to review it (if you're wondering, I did think it was pretty good, there is a high percentage chance of it ending up in my albums of the year list).

So instead of a review I'm going to go track to track and try to pick out my 10 favorite moments from All Day. In chronological order for ease. Will also post the time of the sample as noted on the wikipedia page for the album.

If you didn't know, the album is free for download on Illegal Art's Site (here's a helpful link).

Here is a link to the Wikipedia page as well, if you want to look at (most of) the samples used.

Track 1 "Oh No" @ 2:09

"Teach Me How To Dougie/Jane Says
Cali Swag Distric/Jane's Addiction

Track 1 "Oh No" @ 4:11

"Bleitzkrieg Bop/Waiting For The Sun
The Ramones/The Doors

Track 3 "That's Right" @ 2:44

Single Ladies/Ante Up/Party in the USA
Beyonce/M.O.P./Miley Cyrus

This one's like 2 minutes long so you kind of have to wait for it

Track 4 "Jump on Stage" @ 2:52

"Creep/Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
Radiohead/Old Dirty Bastard

Track 5 "This is the Remix" @ 3:29

"Get Low/Cecilia"
Lil' Jon/Simon and Garfunkel

Track 8 "Down for the Count" @ 3:45

"20th Century Boy/Bounce/House of Jealous Lovers"
T-Rex/MSTRKRFT/The Rapture

Track 9 "Make Me Wanna" @ 3:39

"Wake Up/Money To Blow"
Arcade Fire/Birdman

Track 10 "Steady Stock" @ 3:20

"Over/I Ran"
Drake/A Flock of Seagulls

Track 11 "Triple Double" @ 0:00

"1901/How Low"
Phoenix/Ludacris

Track 12 "Every Day" @ 1:19

Dirt Off Your Should/I Melt With You
Jay-Z/Modern English

So There it is. As of me writing this there has been another site that can be used to help you listen to this album. if you go to http://alldaysamples.com/ you can listen to the album while the samples are shown in real time. Pretty cool, huh?

Album Review: The Tallest Man on Earth: Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP

2010-11-10T00:35:00.001-05:00

The Tallest Man On Earth: Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird (2010, Dead Oceans)

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Dead Oceans
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes

Kristian Matsson, under the moniker The Tallest Man on Earth, has been putting out possibly the best folk music in the past couple of years. His debut album, 2008's Shallow Graves, sent a breath of fresh, Bob Dylan inspired, air into the singer/songwriter genre. This current year he released an even better album, The Wild Hunt, which in my opinion is in contention for album of the year. To complement The Wild Hunt, Kristian has released a new EP, named Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird. This EP has actually been available on iTunes for some time, but is just now receiving a physical release.

This will probably a quick review. Only 5 tracks.

Track 1: Little River
There is something to be said about simplicity. Especially in folk music. Simplicity is something that Kristian seems to have a knack for. On this song, his guitar work manages to flow to the point where you barely notice it, leaving the listener the ability to listen to his vulnerable lyricism. There is something beautifully seasonal about this song as well. It just makes me feel like I'm sitting in a log cabin during winter. Just an all around great song.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 2: The Dreamer
This song is pretty much unlike anything we have heard from The Tallest Man On Earth so far. He switches to an electric guitar, which I'm pretty sure he has never done. It fits him just as well as acoustic, so the change is not really noticeable, except in sound. This song is also one of my favorite lyrical showings from Kristian. We have seen, more in his later work, points where his vocals get emotional to the point where he is screaming. While this song doesn't have that intensity, it feels like there was a lot of emotion put into the making of this song.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 3: Like The Wheel
"Like The Wheel" is a very vulnerable song. One thing I love about The Tallest Man On Earth is how he conveys strong emotions without losing his edge as a songwriter. He can be lovesick or depressed without getting horribly sappy. I would go as far as saying that he is currently the best songwriter in his given genre. Similar to "The Dreamer" this song conveys a lot of emotion in a constrained manner.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 4: Trampled In The Tangled Wheat
This is another great song. I can't really say much new about it that I haven't said about the previous songs. Simple, elegant, and strong lyrically.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 5: Thrown Right At Me
This is the only song that I didn't really enjoy on this album. It seems direct and forced compared to the other songs. While it isn't bad, it just doesn't reach the standards of its predecessors.
Verdict 6/10

Final Score: 42/50 = 8.4

Album Review: Kid Cudi: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

2010-11-09T01:57:00.000-05:00

(great album cover, by the way)

Listen:
No good legal places at the time of me writing this review

Purchase
Official Site
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes

It may very well be Scott Mescudi vs. The World (Nice reference to Scott Pilgrim, Cudi, you nerd.). I've heard people talk bad on him in so many varied ways since his wonderful debut album was released. His live show sucks (which, honestly, is kind of true). His music is too introspective (which, honestly, I kind of like). He gets in trouble with the cops for possibly assaulting a woman while on liquid cocain (?). Wale (yes, Wale) dissed him in an interview, creating one of the most hilariously weak beefs in rap history.

So what does Kid Cudi have to show for all this? A new album, of course. The first in a series of releases this month on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label, Kid Cudi's new album is a great start, with Kanye's new album hopefully being a great end. While The Legend of Mr. Rager doesn't reach the heights of Cudi's debut, it is still a strong album in its own right.

And. Here. We. Go.

Act I: The World I Am Ruling

Track 1: Scott Mescudi vs. The World
First off: I love the first sound we hear is a throwback to the first track on The End of Day. Perfect intro track. Kid Cudi really gets the idea of a concept album by now, so it's not all that surprising. Along that note, the beats on this album really flow very well together. While some are better than others, there is a certain thematic quality to the album's beats as a whole, which I thought was pretty neat. On a specific note, I like this beat a lot. The keys could have been brought down an octave, but other than that no complaints. Cee Lo Green (who is apparently the soul machine) also guests on this one for the chorus. I like Cee Lo, but he feels kind of out of place here. Overall and pretty great opening track

Verdict 8/10

Track 2: REVOFEV
This song has been floating around for a long time, which has given us a long time to digest it. I have been a big fan of this song since it was leaked. Strangely optimistic and anthemic for a Kid Cudi song. It also uses such an unorthodox, rock instrument heavy beat that it just stands out, even this early in the album. Definitely one of the stronger tracks on here.
Verdict: 9/10

Act II: A Stronger Trip

Track 3: Don't Play This Song
Strong beat. Also contains the lyrics "I never gave a fuck about a scantron" which I thought was kind of funny. Mary J. Blige guest stars, but seems mostly wasted. Mostly about how he doesn't care about people's advice and how they should just let him live his life. Feels like it is kind of lacking something though.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 4: We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up)
This is pretty much a interlude track. Kind of interesting in a way, but nothing special.
Verdict: 5/10

Track 5: Marijuana
I guess it was only a matter of time before Cudi straight up made a song about weed. While I'm not the biggest fan of drug songs (unless it's the Clipse of older gangster rap), This song is pretty good in spite of its subject matter. Dot Da Genius's beat fits the subject matter perfectly, and it is a pretty well rounded song.
Verdict: 7/10

This album has 17(!) tracks. So I'm gunna be taking some breaks every so often.
BREAK: Speaking of the Clipse...

Track 6 Mojo So Dope
This is an interesting one. Vocal sample is strange, but not horrible. Feels like it is lacking enthusiasm for a song called "Mojo So Dope". Other than that, not bad.
Verdict: 7/10

Act III: Party On

Track 7: Ashin' Kutcher
This was a weird one to rate. There are parts of this song that work pretty well, but in other places it is just straight up horrible. But the beat is kind of cool, even if it doesn't fit Cudi all that well. Chorus is just I don't even know.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 8: Erase Me
I probably shouldn't like "Erase Me". It's pretty damn cheesy. But for some reason I really, really, like it. The beat was done by the same guy that did Lil' Wayne's "Lollipop" (random fact I guess). It sounds like a rock track more than a rap track, which strangely fits Cudi, where it most certainly doesn't fit most rap artists (especially Lil' Wayne). I would probably give this song a 10 if Kanye didn't use the word Diarrhea in his guest verse.
Verdict: 9/10

BREAK:
Video for "Erase Me" featuring some very nerdy guests

Track 9: Wild'n Cuz I'm Young
This is kind of becoming an alarming theme. While this song isn't bad, it's just lacking the lyrical and emotional flair that Kid Cudi showed on The End of Day and sparingly on this album. It seems like this album really didn't need to be 17 tracks long. Easily could have cut a couple tracks like this.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 10: The Mood
This beat is sinister. That is the best word I could use to describe it. I mean damn, this beat is pretty interesting. I think if this song just had some generic beat I probably wouldn't like it, but the beat and the lyrics sync up pretty well. It ends up being a very tightly woven track. It manages to work, where given any small change, it probably wouldn't.
Verdict: 8/10

Act IV: The Transformation

Track 11: Maniac
Where to start on this one. The Cage feature? The inexplicable St. Vincent sample? It is stunning to me that this song exists at all. Such a weird intersection of artists that you wouldn't think would ever all be in the same room together, let alone be featured on one song. But after saying that, I should also say that I like all three of these artists, and while it's certainly a strange and somewhat off-putting song, I like it.
Verdict: 9/10

BREAK:
The St. Vincent song that Cudi samples in this song, just so you can understand how strange this is.

Track 12: Mr. Rager
Title Track! This is a bit more laid back than we are used to seeing Kid Cudi, but it actually fits him on this track compared to some of the other slower tracks so far. (Can I just say, on a side note, that reviewing this album is like running the music critic equivalent of a marathon.) Maybe it's the pace of the drums combined with Cudi's vocals, but this song sounds very well synced up.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 13: These Worries
Haha yes. I think I'm just going to post the lyrics to the first like 30 seconds of this song:

"Yeah the crazy the wizard

So much whiskey all in my liver
I really like the punch it delivers
Makes me warm while I high five sinners"

It's nice to know that me and Scott both have an affinity for whiskey. That alone makes this song at least an 8. But you know what? This is a pretty good, sort of depressing, track. Getting back to the introspective style that Cudi is so good at. Mary J. Blige is back again, and this time she is more properly utilized.

Verdict: 9/10

Track 14: The End

"The End" is something of a slow burner. GLC and Chip tha Rapper start the song out, which is probably why the song takes a while to build. There is nothing wrong with either of these artists, but they certainly aren't Kanye, Common, or any other higher class feature Cudi could have probably got for this song. Nicole Wray, who apparently sings the chorus, sounds like she could have sang the chorus to a Wu-Tang member's track back in '96. In fact, that's kind of what this song reminds me of. It has a very old school feel both musically and lyrically. On top of that it is pretty damn depressing. By the end of this song, I ended up actually liking it more than I originally thought I would.

Verdict: 8/10

Act V: You Live & You Learn

Track 15: All Along

Man, this denouement is getting really depressing. Cudi just repeats how he thinks he is going to be alone the rest of his life in "All Along". So yeah, depressing. But the beat is really good and fits the subject matter. Just so, so, depressing. I really like the use of strings on this song. Also, let's face it, I really like depressing songs.

Verdict: 8/10

Track 16: Ghost!

Another song about being alone. Man Cudi, get some friends. I guess this one is more fleshed out than its predecessor. It's more about Scott realizing that he just doesn't fit in with the people he hangs out with, and he's actually trying to figure out what happened. Pretty much he wants to know how he became a ghost (I guess that's why the song is named that, huh). Beat is good, not great.

Verdict: 9/10

ONE MORE BREAK:
Another ghost song

Track 17 (FINALLY): Trapped In My Mind

This is pretty much Cudi's equivalent to a "The Good Times are Killing Me" track. The beat reminds me of the Shining for some reason. Interesting little distortion on Cudi's voice gives it a good thematic link with the track name as well as the lyrical content. Good way to end the album, but wouldn't it have been easier to put the song actually named "The End" as the outro track? Just sayin'...

Verdict: 8/10

Cohesiveness Score: 10/10

This album has acts. that is pretty much all you need to know about how cohesive in concept it is.

FINAL SCORE: 140/180 = 7.8 (If anyone wants to check my math that would be nice)

Final Thoughts:

This is a good album. I really wanted to like it more. But it is probably about 4-ish songs too long, and because of these couple of throwaway songs, it suffers as a whole. Saying that, I would still certainly recommended it. I think the fact that there is no 10/10 tracks on this album explains that while it is really awesome to have a conceptually strong album, you need to have some strong stand out tracks in there as well.

15 Songs: Modest Mouse

2010-11-08T18:46:00.000-05:00

Isaac Brock is a conflicted man. Throughout the years he has been enraged, depressed, happy?, and on and on. But the greatest part of Modest Mouse's output is the great sense of ennui that Isaac feels about the world. God could exists in Isaac's universe, but most likely he doesn't. Isaac could be a genius in his universe, but it's hard for him to believe it.

For the most part, Isaac Brock's, and by proxy Modest Mouse's universe is a ball of clever phrases and surprisingly well thought-out world-views.

Modest Mouse was probably the first band you could say I was obsessed with. Isaac Brock is still my favorite songwriter. So here is my favorite 15 songs by Modest Mouse, in chronological order. Spoiler: it's pretty much all their angriest songs.

All Nite Diner (Interstate 8 EP, 1996)

"I'm just sitting down
Thinking about nothing
Looking at the thin air
Breathing up the oxygen"

Broke (Interstate 8 EP, 1996)

"Broke account so I broke a sweat
I've bought some things that I sort of regret about now
Broke your glasses, but it broke the ice
You said that I was an asshole and I paid the price
Broken hearts want broken necks
I've done some things that I want to forget but I can't
Broke my pace and ran out of time
Sometimes I'm so full of shit that it should be a crime"

Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive Negative) (Interstate 8 EP, 1996)

"I didn't go to work for a month
I didn't leave my bed for eight days straight
I haven't hung out with anyone
'Cause if I did, I'd have nothing to say
I didn't feel angry or depressed
I didn't feel anything at all
I didn't want to go to bed
And I didn't want to stay up late"

Edit The Sad Parts (Interstate 8 EP, 1996)

"Sometimes all I really want to feel is love
Sometimes I'm angry that I feel so angry
Sometimes my feelings get in the way
Of what I really feel I needed to say"

Dramamine (This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, 1996)

"We kiss on the mouth but still cough down our sleeves"

Tundra/Desert (This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, 1996)

"Awwwwwwwww SHIT" -sorry, just one of my favorite rage moments in all of music

Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset (This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, 1996)

"And I claim I'm not excited with my life any more
So I blame this town, this job, these friends
The truth is it's myself"

Teeth Like God's Shoeshine (The Lonesome Crowded West, 1997)

"Oh! If you could compact your conscience —
and sell it; — save it for another time,
you know you might have to use it…"

Cowboy Dan (The Lonesome Crowded West, 1997)

"You know we need oxygen to breathe, oxygen to breathe
Everytime you think you're walking you're just moving the ground
Everytime you think you're talking you're just moving your mouth
Everytime you think you're looking you're just looking down"

Trailer Trash (The Lonesome Crowded West, 1997)

"Live in trailers with no class
Goddamn I hope I can pass high school means nothing
Taking heartache with hard work
Goddamn I am such a jerk, I can't do anything"

Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice On Ice, Alright (The Lonesome Crowded West, 1997)

"he said you were right
no one's running this whole thing
he had a theory too
he said that god takes care of himself
and you of you"

Dark Center of the Universe (The Moon & Antarctica, 2000)

"Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm real damn sure that anyone can, equally easily fuck you over
Well, died saying something, but didn't mean it
Everyone's life ends, but never completes it
Dry or wet ice, they both melt and you're equally cheated"

Tiny Cities Made of Ashes (The Moon & Antarctica, 2000)

"I just got a message that said "Yeah, hell has frozen over"
I Got a phone call from the Lord sayin' "Hey boy, get a
sweater. Right now!""

What People Are Made Of (The Moon & Antarctica, 2000)

"And the one thing you taught me
bout human beings was this
They ain't made of nothin but water and shit"

Spitting Venom (We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, 2007)

"I don't know who kept track
I didn't know there was a score
But it looks like you're the winner
And I ain't gonna play no more
Its over
Game over"

Album Review: Avey Tare: Down There

2010-11-04T23:21:00.001-04:00

Avey Tare - Down There (2010, Paw Tracks)

Avey Tare has been my favorite member of Animal Collective since he took the lead on Strawberry Jam, my favorite album of theirs. He definitely has more of a pop sensibility to his sound, where Panda Bear is more electronic. He also has a more experimental side to him as well. This is probably why his solo work has always been so hard to listen to. In specific was his last solo album co-created with his former wife, Kria Brekken, Pullhair Rubeye. For some reason he decided to reverse the recording once he released it, making it nearly impossible to listen to the whole way through. Down There is at least a more straight forward effort, and hopefully that means it will be a better showing.

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Paw Tracks
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes

Track 1: Laughing Hieroglyphic (hell yeah I spelled that right on the first try)
This song pretty much explains what I feel like Avey Tare sounds like without the influence of any other Animal Collective members. Strange downbeat with a mixture of actual lyrics and distorted vocals. The lyrics in this song are actually not horrible when you can make them out. Overall, not a bad start.
Verdict 7/10

Track 2: Umbrellas
More upbeat, but still strange musically. This album feels strongly personal already through some of the more cryptic lyrics, and with good reason. It was supposedly written following the end of his marriage. The music makes is somewhat hard to make that emotional connection, though. This song really doesn't bring all that much to the table.
Verdict 4/10

Track 3: Oliver Twist
Is that a break beat I hear? This might be as varied as Avey is going to get on this album. I honestly couldn't tell you one actual instrument that I have picked out so far. And he has really muddied down the lyrics with distortion and re-verb. It's starting to become a problem. This song at least gets fun towards the end.
Verdict: 6/10

Track 4: Glass Bottom Boat
Was that even a song?
Verdict: 1/10

Track 5: Ghost of Books
Ugh. I don't think me and this album get along very well.
Verdict 4/10

Track 6: Cemataries (sp?)
Sooo slow. This song drags on for a virtually useless four minutes. I put my faith in you Avey Tare, and this is how you repay me?
Verdict: 1/10

Track 7: Heads Hammock
Well at least there are sounds in this song. That actually combine to make some sort of structure. That has to count for something, right?
Verdict: 3/10

Track 8: Heather In The Hospital
A pretty emotionally sounding song. Actually not bad considering what has come before it. I'll take it.
Verdict 5/10

Track 9: Lucky 1
"Lucky 1" is pretty great. Very carefree and upbeat. At least this album ends as strong as it starts.
Verdict 8/10

Cohesviness Score: 9/10
Even if it's bad, it is well put together album. Good start and end.

Final Score: 48/100 4.8/10

Final Thoughts:
I don't know if this album is supposed to be ambient, or experimental, or what. For the most part it was just a mess.

Sorry Avey.

Album Review: Deerhunter: Halycyon Digest

2010-10-25T22:03:00.002-04:00

I have to admit that I was never fully on the Deerhunter bandwagon. Of course I have listened to Cryptograms and Microcastle, the latter of which I thought was pretty good, but I've never considered myself necessarily a fan of the band. Halcyon Digest changed my perspective. For the enigmatic lead singer/creative force Bradford Cox, this is a shockingly upbeat album. Not to say that his earlier work was necessarily depressing. We are talking about more of a shift in tone. The music and lyrics are much more sunny than earlier works, and in my opinion this is a welcome change.

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Beggars Group
Insound
Amazon.mp3
iTunes

Track 1: Earthquake
A slow building song that never really builds to anything. That being said it serves well as an introduction track for the album. It's a very heroin-rock track that has this almost glacial pacing compared to the rest of the album.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 2: Don't Cry
"Don't Cry" carries the pace of the album to a little faster level. Kind of a little creepy on the lyrics ("c'mon little boy, you don't need to cry"), but other than that a pretty entertaining song. Halcyon Digest has a a very basic pop formula hidden behind it's lo-fi experimentalism.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 3: Revival
One negative about this album is that about 75% of the really good songs are surprisingly short. "Revival", for example, is only two minutes and 14 seconds long. It is a pretty awesome 2:14 though.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 4: Sailing
A slower track, but with more meaning than "Earthquake". "Sailing" certainly lives up to it's title. A very calming song. It feels like you could get lost in this song's waves. It is a track that floats along until it ends. It almost plays like an interlude between the fast paced "Revival" and possibly the best song on the album, "Memory Boy"
Verdict: 7/10

Track 5: Memory Boy
I enjoy this one a lot. The added effect of the harmonica and a joyous guitar riff at the start of this song give you good vibes that last the whole song, which isn't long because it is only a sudden two minutes and nine seconds long. This song and "Revival" both share a short length, but both pack a great amount of good music into that short length. This album reminds a lot of what Olivia Tremor Control would sound like if they made a new album (and lord knows I wish they would). This song is a perfect example of their style: a tight, compact burst of perfect pop.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 6: Desire Lines
This song is what happens when you combine the slow and fast songs on this album up to this point. It has a fun sound and upbeat lyrics and singing style, and it is actually more than two minutes long. In fact it might be a bit overlong (which I guess is somewhat ironic). It certainly begins to meander near the end.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 7: Basement Scene
"Basement Scene" feels like the spiritual sequel to "Don't Cry". It deals with having to grow up, and the desire of virtually every young adult to not have to. This one also deals with Bradford Cox's possibly narcissistic need to want to remain relevant. One of the more lyrical driven songs on the album.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 8: Helicopter
Another slower song, but I do enjoy this one a little more than the other ones so far. "Helicopter" is my favorite of the three slower song's lyrically, and it has some interesting effects going on in the percussion department.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 9: Fountain Stairs
Another song that is less than three minutes long. Another upbeat and poppy track. I'm starting to think there is theme to all this slow-long / fast-short thing. "Fountain Stairs" is probably the weakest of the shorter tracks, but does have a little bit of flair in the guitar work that make up for it's overall lack of luster.
Verdict 8/10

Track 10: Coronado
"Coronado" is a great song mostly because of its complete change-up in sound. It uses a megaphone-like vocal effect and utilizes a horn section. It reminds me lyrically of a mid-60's Beatle's song. Somewhere along the line, Bradfod Cox got really good at making pop music.
Verdict 10/10

Track 11: He Would Have Laughed
...and the pattern comes to an end with one final slow, long song. This one sprawls out to a more than seven minute long track length. Another strong lyrical showing, with one of my favorite lines in the whole album ("I won't rest 'til I cant breath, I can't breath when you're looking at me"). A well chosen closing track as well. Fits strongly as a bookend to "Earthquake"
Verdict: 8/10

Cohesiveness Score: 7/10
I just couldn't really deal with the long/short/long layout of the album. It made it strikingly uneven. But the overall sound does fit very well together.

Final Score: 101/120 = 8.4

Final Thoughts:
When this album is on it is really great. But sadly these moments are fleeting (at least when it comes to track length). There is really not a bad song on here though, and it goes to show how great of a songwriter Bradford Cox has become.

End of The National Week: A Skin, A Night

2010-10-22T21:06:00.001-04:00

To end The National week, I've decided to embed the hour long film about The National made by the great Vincent Moon (him of Takeaway Show fame).

Enjoy!

15 Songs: The National

2010-10-22T00:02:00.001-04:00

The National are a tough band to pick the best songs of. They have so many deep, meaninful songs with lush arrangements and thought provoking lyrics. But what the hell, here it goes.

In chronological order (no rankings on this one, except maybe Wasp Nest):

Wasp Nest (2004, Cherry Tree)

"You're eyes are broken bottles, and I'm afraid to ask"

About Today (2004, Cherry Tree)

"You just walked away, and I just watched you"

Lit Up (2005, Alligator)

"For a little while, you'll be here, the only good part of me"

Looking for Astronauts (2005, Alligator)

"You know you have a permanent piece, of my medium sized American heart"

Baby We'll Be Fine (2005, Alligator)

"I pull off your jeans and you spill Jack and Coke on my collar"

All The Wine (2005, Alligator)

"I'm so sorry but the motorcade is gonna have to go around me this time"

Abel (2005, Alligator)

"You turn me good and God-fearing, well tell me what I'm supposed to do with that"

The Geese of Beverly Road (2005, Alligator)

"We're the heirs to the glimmering world"

City Middle (2005, Alligator)

"I've got five hundred in twenties and I've got a lot of great ideas"

Mr. November (2005, Alligator)

"I wish that I believed in fate, I wish I didn't sleep so late"

Fake Empire (2007, Boxer)

"Put a little something in our lemonade and take it with us"

Slow Show (2007, Boxer)

"I wanna hurry home to you, and put on a slow, dumb show for you"

Apartment Story (2007, Boxer)

"We'll stay inside 'til somebody finds us, do whatever the TV tells us"

Anyone's Ghost (2010, High Violet)

"You said it was not inside my heart, it was. You said it should tear a kid apart, it does"

England (2010, High Violeti)

"You must be somewhere in London, you must be loving your life"

Album Review: The National: High Violet

2010-10-20T23:59:00.004-04:00

The National: High Violet (2010), 4AD Records

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Beggars Group
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes

It's no small admission to say that The National are one of my favorite bands. Ever since i heard "Secret Meeting" in late 2005 (yes I know, I was pretty late to the bandwagon on that album). Alligator became one of me and my brother's favorite albums soon after. Adding to this was the first time I saw them live at Bonnaroo in 2007, right after Boxer had been released. For a show at a festival it was surprisingly intimate. They also were joined by Padme Newsome, violinist extraordinaire. His work on the violin that night made that show. It was some kind of intense mix of raw emotion and skill and showmanship. If you can track down a good quality audio or video of "Baby We'll Be Fine" from that show, snatch it up.

Ok, back on track

High Violet is the third truly great National album. It is the third album produced by the band and Peter Kalis (he of Turn on the Bright Lights and Midnight Organ Fight fame). When I speak about High Violet I tend to bring up both Boxer and Alligator a good amount. This is not to disparage High Violet in any way, it certainly has it's own style and thematic power. What is amazing about this album, though, is that it takes most of the great parts from both Alligator and Boxer. It combines them to make a powerful album. Pretty much the only thing it is missing is the emotional power and shredding vocal chords of Alligator's finer moments.

Let's begin our walk with the spiders

Track 1: Terrible Love
Such a grand opening track. The slow burn intro is a perfect launching point. Such a simple song until the end, when Matt kind of goes in to a bit of a frenzy. It's so powerful as an opening song just because of the immensely slow build. By the end of the song the drummer is absolute wailing on the drums, the beat is barely recognizable. The song is also just all around great. Reminiscent of Alligator's cryptic lyricism.
Verdict 9/10

Track 2: Sorrow
Awww. Sad song. But even when The National do sad, it is still a strong work. "Sorrow" is a good example of how lush their music has become. their are strings hidden in the background, as well as a light piano layer. This is the biggest separator when it comes to High Violet compared to its predecessors. It takes advantages of all of these additional sounds on virtually every song.
"It's in my honey, it's in my milk"
Verdict 8/10

Track 3: Anyone's Ghost
Sad song, but a little more paranoid than the last. This has become one of my favorite songs on this album. I feel like there is real anguish in Matt's voice on this one. lyrics like:

"You said I came close, as anyone's come
To live underwater for more than a month"

and the less subtle:
"You said it was not inside my heart, it was
You said it should tear a kid apart, it does"

feel like they have real, strong emotions behind them. Every instrument sounds horrifically downtrodden as well. Certainly a depressing song, but with more emotional merit than the previous track.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 4: Little Faith
I love the effect at the start of this song. Just so abrupt coming off of "Anyone's Ghost". "Little Faith" is like the afterglow after the shine of living in the city ends. It seems as if Matt's narrator has become quite despondent. with choice lyrics of "I'll set a fire just to see what it kills" and "make us laugh or nothing will", this song certainly has a level of nihilistic flair. The mood of the song is very similar to the lyrics. It is driven by a low end violin chord. This album certainly has a depressing feel to it.
Verdict 9/10

Track 5: Afraid of Everyone
Matt has mentioned in interviews that the paranoid, regretful, depressing lyrics on this album stem from his having a child and the emotional toll it takes on the parents. His worry for his child has developed into a little ball of emotional baggage, and it shows on this album, and on "Afraid of Everyone" specifically. This is one of the stronger emotional tracks on the album, and he references having a child and the perils that come with it directly. also, an older Alligator standby of the screaming chorus returns with "You're the voice that's swallowing my soul soul soul".
Verdict 10/10

Track 6: Bloodbuzz Ohio
What a great song. The first single as well. A very archaic National song, with cryptic and romantic lyricism. It doesn't get much more National than "I was carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees". Just a very enjoyable song all around. Also the video is just so awesome in a strangely funny, creepy sort of way.

Verdict: 9/10

Track 7: Lemonworld
This track is another anti-city one. There is something very attractive to me about Matt's high-class lyricism every so often. This song is a good example of this. "this pricey stuff makes me dizzy,I guess I've always been a delicate man". The National live in this almost Mad Men-esque world of cocktails, girls, drugs, and the bright lights, big city. There is something to admire in that. But songs like this bring us back down to earth and tell us that even the greatest of Brooklynites like to get out of the city once in a while.
Verdict: 8/10

Track 8: Runaway
"What makes you think I enjoy being led to the flood?" I really love that lyric. I really like this song. It is pretty much the blow by blow of a fight between two people. Jeez Matt, what is going on in your life? Anyway, good song, beautiful use of the horn section.
Verdict: 9/10

Track 9: Conversation 16
A very ominous track. Also kind of stalker-ish in The National's cryptic way. Another beautiful song, with a great low-key string arrangement. This is the one song that I didn't immediately love. I think the chorus is just so weird and almost too blunt. But not a bad song, that withstanding.
Verdict: 7/10

Track 10: England
"England" is the most complete song on this album. It certainly contends with "Anyone's Ghost" for my favorite track on High Violet. I love the longing lyrics. Losing a love, friend, or whatever to not necessarily the actual country of England, but just distance. This is also just an amazingly great song musically. The horns in this song are nothing short of epic. The tonal shift about two thirds through is so grandiose as well. The climbing intensity is nearly perfect. This could have easily been the last song on the album.
Verdict: 10/10

Track 11: Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
This song almost feels like a let down just because it comes after "England", but it is a good song in it's own merits. It almost feels like this song is an apology for the whole album, and how sad, angry, and paranoid it was. It is a strong closing song as well.
Verdict: 8/10

Cohesiveness Score: 10/10
Well done. The album opens and closes strongly, and there is a definite theme throughout.

Final Score: 107/120 = 8.9

Final Thoughts:
The National may have made the best album of 2010. It is a powerhouse of emotional, thought provoking songs. It is a wonderful evolution from a band that is only going to become even better with age.

Bonus Track:

Don't Look Back: The National

2010-10-19T01:01:00.002-04:00

The National are an interesting band, just look at their members. Lead singer Matt Berninger is the only person without a sibling in the band. Guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dresner are twins, and drummer Bryan and bassist Scott are brothers. This gives The National a somewhat interesting dynamic, and I'm sure that it makes for a lot less band tension. The National have evolved from album to album, slowly becoming a powerhouse in the alternative rock scene. Couple that with an amazing live show and you have one of the best bands in America.

The National have 5 albums.

But Wait:

I don't like to rank EP's in this segment, but I would like to give something of an honorable mention to The National's 2004 EP Cherry Tree, which contains possibly my two favorite National songs. First of, the song that is without a doubt my favorite National song, "Wasp Nest". To me, the lyrics of this song describe the most perfect girl in the world. There is a certain piece of lyrics that goes something like
"Your eyes are broken bottles
And I'm afraid to ask
And all your wrath and cutting beauty
You're poison in the pretty glass"

That just speaks to me on maybe too high of a level. The musical arrangement is so beautifully subtle as well that it just makes it a near perfect song.

that's is the only video I could find, I don't know what's up with the girl.

The second song on Cherry Tree that needs mentioning is "About Today". "About Today" is the narrative of a couple that is slowly growing apart from each other. It has also become a live staple, which they have used during their encore every time I have seen them live. The violin in this song is intensely depressing, and it elicits strong emotions.

"Tonight you just close your eyes

and I just watch you slip away"

Ok, now that we have that out of the way. Let's get to it.

5. The National (2001)

The National's debut album suffers in a couple of ways. First and foremost it has a big problem defining a sound. Some songs just don't even sound like National songs at all ("John's Star" for example). There is also just a problem with how raw the band sounds. There is some stand out tracks though, including "29 Years", which later became a part of the Boxer track "Slow Show"

Highlights: Beautiful Head, American Mary, 29 Years

4. Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers (2003)

Between this album and the aforementioned Cherry Tree, the national found their sound. This album is much more tight and focused than The National but still feels like it is lacking the flair of the band's later albums. "Murder Me Rachel is another older song that they like to play live. It feels like on these first two albums that Matt Berninger really hasn't figured out how to use his voice yet. There was a step that they just hadn't taken yet on Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers.
Highlights: Murder Me Rachel, Available, Patterns of Fairytales, Lucky You

3. Boxer (2007)

Placing Boxer and High Violet was pretty much impossible. You can consider them 2a and 2b if you'd like. Boxer was very subdued compared to its predecessor Alligator. This is more of the album that defines their sound than that album as well. Where Alligator has bouts of raw emotion and feral vocals, Boxer is almost glaringly constrained. If has a feeling as if it could burst at any moment, and is just being held in at the seems. The seems almost break on "Squalor Victoria" but just manage to hold. This constraint makes for a very interestingly formed album, and because of the relatively subtle musicianship, it is the lyrics that carry this album. Songs such as "Slow Show" and "Apartment Story" really show off the band's songwriting ability.
Highlights: Fake Empire, Mistaken For Strangers, Slow Show, Apartment Story, Start A War

let's play two

love this video

2. High Violet (2010)

The latest National album, and also one of the best. It very much shares the musical theme of Boxer, but also manages to bring some of the Alligator feel as well. Much like Boxer the songs are slowly paced, but this album has a more lush feel, with a larger reliance on violin and horns. The lyrics keep the personal nature of Boxer in songs like "Anyone's Ghost" and "Runaway" but there are also tracks that deal with the claustrophobia and paranoia that was more prevalent on Alligator, like "Afraid of Everyone" and "Conversation 16". It should be said that although I am comparing this album a lot to its predecessors, it has a style all its own. It is charged with feelings of loss, worry, and regret. Matt Berninger has said that this is because of the birth of his son, and the fear that goes along with being a parent. An intimate and beautiful record.
Highlights: Sorrow, Anyone's Ghost, Little Faith, Afraid of Everyone, Bloodbuzz, Ohio, Runaway, England

a beer and a shot darlin'

King Shit of Fuck Mountain: Alligator (2005)
(I'd like to thank Mr. Show for that one)

Well here we are. Alligator. A powerhouse of a record. From the first drum kick on "Secret Meeting" to the final strum on "Mr. November", this album does not let up. Sure it lets you breathe at points ("Val Jester" for example), but it is usually hitting on all cylinders, and sometimes even harder. The lyricism is so wonderfully abstract, yet the narrative of each song is easy to follow. It is at times intimate on songs like "Karen" and "Baby We'll Be Fine", and grandiose and bombastic on songs like "Lit Up" and "Abel". Matt Berninger must have nearly blown out his vocal chords in the creation of this album. While The National's other albums rely on layering, lushness, and constraint, Alligator relies many times on pure emotion. Matt's screaming on "Abel" and "Mr. November" are most symbolic of this. I never thought I would see so much meaning and significance in a man yelling "my mind's not right" and "I won't fuck us over". Alligator plays like a love song to being a young adult in the city. I am able to find so much meaning in the smallest snippets of lyrics.
"Didn't anybody tell you how to gracefully disappear in a room?"
"I pull off your jeans and you spill Jack and Coke on my collar"
"I'm sorry but the motorcade will have to go around me this time"
"Our hands are covered in cake but I swear we didn't have any"
"I've got $500 in twenties and I've got a lot of great ideas"
"I wish that I believed in fate. I which I didn't sleep so late"

Alligator plays like a great novel. That is the best compliment I can possibly give to it.
There is no use in highlighting any tracks. Go listen to the whole thing.

sup james brown

Went a little overboard there, sorry.

Bonus Track: