Saturday, December 29, 2007

The Best of 2007: #1-10

10. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup

Zach Condon is one of those people that you feel a little worthless while you're enjoying his amazing music. He's probably the same age as I am and has recorded two of the most interesting albums in three years. At first, I wrote Beirut off as trendy hipster, world music that wasn't going to mean anything in a year or so. Of course, that was before I listened to it. There are moments on both albums that are "different for the sake of being different" and are geniune attempts at becoming "important," but the really great moments come when Condon abandons those impulses in favor of just playing memorable music. This album is a real change of pace; Gulag Orkestar was a shout-out to the Balkans, collaborating with A Hawk and a Hacksaw. The Flying Club Cup is a shout out to Jacques Brel and chanson, with amazing string arrangements by Owen Pallett. The attached video is for the real centerpiece of the album, "Forks and Knives (La Fete)." The song exemplifies why I love Beirut; it's sweeping, dramatic and beautiful.

9. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

I don't admit this readily, but before seeing Dan Deacon live, I didn't love him. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who feels this way, but I'm probably the first to admit it. I listened to the album before I went to go see him on the recommendation of friends, but it didn't click. Sure, it's enjoyable, but with your everyday life, it seems a bit out of context. When I finally got to see him, I realized that it actually wasn't out of context. On a day-to-day basis, you don't have the time for a riotous dance party whenever you feel like it, but no one does. You have to make the time to have fun in life. Besides that, the sense of humor that flies just under "obvious" also makes the album memorable.

8. Lifetime - Lifetime

When Lifetime got back together last year for a few shows, I knew I had to be at one. I was surprised in the best way possible. I had figured, "These guys basically are the reason New Brunswick is on the map," and, "Damn, they must be old." I knew Dr. Dan was looking good, considering the fact that he recovered from a stroke and came back to playing reunion shows with Kid Dynamite and a new hardcore band that he fronts, Paint it Black. When Lifetime announced that they would be reuniting for an album, the high school me came back to life. This album is so full of life and so current without losing the soul of a Lifetime record.

7. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Who saw this one coming? I swear to God, "LP7" talk was nearly non-existent towards the end; people had almost forgotten that Radiohead hadn't put out anything in a few years, then all of a sudden, they had already completed recording and was looking to put out their own album. This was completely sneaky, but in all reality, that's the nature of Radiohead, or at least that's the way I see them. I sort of never see it coming with them. You hear "Creep" on the radio every once in a while and that's fine. Sometimes, you might even hear "Karma Police," but somehow I never expect for them to make an album that I'm going to go crazy over. Hail to the thief was a little too much for me and that's really where Radiohead lost me, but they truly brought it back in with this album. New Year's Day brings the physical release of the album in the US as well as another brilliant webcast. Before, it's been Thom spinning some creepy records or the band playing great covers, but this time, they're playing the album in its entirety. That is pretty damn cool on a level that Trent Reznor wishes he could play on.

6. No Age - Weirdo Rippers

This is easily one of the albums that got the most play from me this year. I've been getting asked why, if this is true, it didn't place higher on the list. This is because of a few things. For one, it's too short. When you take out the incidentals (which are brilliant), there isn't much music there. The live show up to this point sort of reflects this. No Age was never a headlining band, unless it was at the Smell and there were seven other bands playing, in which case everyone's set wasn't really longer than half an hour anyways. The second reason this isn't higher on my list is sort of related to this idea. The album isn't so much an album as it is 11 tracks pulled together from five EPs. The patchwork thing only takes you so far. I really like the cohesive album and this kind of didn't do it for me in that department. What I will say is that the good songs are amazing and I'm looking forward to their real full length debut.

5. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Jeff Tweedy was in a very tenuous position a few months before this album came out. After the success of the relatively difficult Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the intentionally more difficult A ghost is born, Tweedy and company played a new song on national television; it was "The Thanks I Get" and it wasn't at all challenging. It was even confusing. There was a singalong part that he encouraged the crowd to partake in. I was truly afraid for the new Wilco album after hearing that. Nels Cline just sort of stood there, grinning, while utilizing exactly none of his God-given gifts. Of course, this song really grew on me eventually, but that was much later. I should learn to have more faith in those who have never let me down. Jeff Tweedy and Wilco made one of the most mature records this year. A lot of people wrote it off as "Dad Rock," which is ridiculous. Tweedy has like three kids; of course it's going to sound like dad rock at least a little bit. What those naysayers always neglect to mention is that underneath every layer of distortion or studio magic that Wilco used in the past, there was always an amazing, sweet folk-pop song. If you don't believe this, check out Tweedy's solo tour DVD, where he plays "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" without the 13 minute bass riff. Anyways, Wilco stripped away what they had built up over the last two albums and just put out a beautiful album. The solo in "Either Way" stops me every time I hear it.

4. Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers

If Morrissey built an empire on cleverness, it's definitely a burgeoning industry that everyone else seems to be rushing to get a piece of. Of course, not everyone can pull it off. There are writers out there like Eddie Argos or Craig Finn, whose prose obsessions far outweigh their allegiances to keys and harmonies, but then there's Nellie McKay. Last year, her album Pretty Little Head made the top of my list and I figured I wouldn't see another album from her for another few years, considering the fact that she loved the double album so much. When it was announced that not only would she be releasing a new album in 2007, but that it was almost done, I couldn't believe it. When I finally started to believe it, I worried about what it would be like. It was obviously a shift from the past albums (only one disc with nine songs and a steady backing band instead of hired studio musicians). The only thing I knew was that it was going to be very clever, and of course it was. I happened to see Nellie at Largo a few months before the album came out and she played most of the new songs there solo. If you get a chance, just listen to the first song, "Mother of Pearl." It is the single funniest song this year. I have never seen someone so convinced of their own wit other than the great one himself, the Mozfather. McKay will inevitably slow down the pace of album releases and whatnot; what I'm really looking forward to is all the musicals I know she's going to write.

3. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala



Oh, You're So Silent Jens was a great introduction to Sweden's finest, but like I said with the No Age album before, compilations only can take you so far. Jens far bested all the expectations of fans like me with this album. Each of the songs is great in a very different way, without straying too far; there are even common musical themes threaded throughout the album. I kind of feel like this one is self explanatory and if I say anything else, it would be too much.

2. Okkervil River - The Stage Names



Ever since this album came out, I've been saying that Will Sheff is the next great American songwriter. What's changed since then? Not much, except now I know that Okkervil River is set to be the next great American band. My chief complaint against the album was the fact that it was so short. When something is good, I always want more. The good people over at Okkervil River must've heard my cries, because a few months later,m they released the companion EP for the album, containing Will's solo demos for the whole album. This really could've gone one of two ways. It was either bound to showcase the fact that the band wanted to add something to the album so they could sell more copies later (which didn't hold up, because they shipped the EP with the first thousand pre-ordered copies, rather than releasing it as a "Deluxe Edition") or it was going to showcase each of the songs in a different light, which is exactly what it did. After having my mind blown twice, Okkervil River decided to do me one better and release a Christmas EP for free download on their website. These amazing, stark four-track covers are beautiful and not to be missed.

1. Jason Anderson - Tonight



Far and away, Jason Anderson has made my favorite album of this year. I have a very hard time articulating my deep feelings for this album in this format. I emailed the man himself and he put it best: "All I want to do is connect with people and share my joy and passion for life." If you really want to know, take the time for it and your life will be better.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The Best of 2007: Other Honorable Mentions in Two Sentences

A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers

I swear to God, when I first heard this album, I thought, "WHERE'S THE DAMN VOLUME AND WHY IS THIS SO LOUD." Upon further listening, I realized it wasn't a volume issue, but the fact that the feedback the Death by Audio crew uses is on the most eardrum piercing frequency ever.

Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated

Eddie Argos is just one of the most clever gits out there. The first Art Brut album seems a bit dull in comparison to this one; the addition of hookwriting mastermind Jasper Future added a lot to what Art Brut already had going for them.

Au - Au

This was one of the coolest live performances I saw this year. Jarring, multi-instrumental and dramatic; the album doesn't quite hit the same notes as the show, but deserves a mention anyway.

Au Revoir Simone - The Bird of Music

I like girl twee. So sue me.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Ask Forgiveness EP
no video available for songs on this EP, but you should check out the video for "Can't Tell Me Nothing" featuring Will Oldham.
Will Oldham is one of the most consistent songwriters out there; a covers record seemed out of order, considering the talent he is. Not only did he choose songs impeccably from all corners of the realm (a Danzig cover AND an R. Kelly cover?), but he paid them respect and covered them well.

Dean & Britta - Back Numbers

I never really got into Luna, even though they paved the way for like half the bands I like. When I found out the Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips were putting out a slow, folk album, all I could think was, "Thank God for Nancy Sinatra," and boy was I right; the best part is that the album is super solid.

Descartes a Kant - Paper Dolls

Discovery of 2007. Spazzy, schizophrenic songs written by young, cute girls from Guadalajara.

Grinderman - Grinderman

Nick Cave going back to the Birthday Party days? Well, while that's sort of true, really, this album is about being a dirty old man and LOVING IT.

Lavender Diamond - Imagine Our Love

If you live in Los Angeles, you've just been dying to hear what Becky Stark was going to release. This was a bit disappointing, considering all the promises of operatic pieces about the most beautiful diamond, eternal sonic frequency and the era of true love, but once you watch the video for "Open Your Heart," you'll pretty much forget everything and fall in love.

Scout Niblett - This Fool Can Die Now

In the past, I always thought of Scout Niblett's albums as a bit uneven. This album contains major collaboration with Will Oldham and amazing production by Steve Albini as well as the most consistent set of songs Scout's ever released (the live show for this album was really good too).

Soulsavers - It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land

Any album featuring Mark Lanegan is good. Next. (Extra sentence merited here: This album would have smashed its way into my top 20 if it reflected just a bit more of what I saw during their live set, though I think most of that was just being in Lanegan's presence.)

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

The Best of 2007: #11-20

I've decided to jump the gun a little bit and post the first part of my top 20 album list.

20. Handsome Furs - Plague Park

Dan Boeckner is easily one of the biggest badasses in a pansy-filled genre. As one of the two songwriters in Wolf Parade, he's so often overlooked by the elitists who think that just because Spencer was involved in Frog Eyes, he's the one you should care about. Boeckner has created a bizarre, desolate album; the sets are only dressed by his swaggering guitar lines and a lonely sounding keyboard, played by Boeckner's wife. Unfortunately, like so many albums this year, the album is very short in length and leaves you wanting so much more. As seen above, "What We Had" has one of the coolest sounding guitar parts ever.

19. Bonde Do Role - With Lasers

18. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Scribble Mural Comic Journal

This album was a huge surprise for me this year. I listened to it a few times through and liked it well enough, but I never thought it would make it through the year. As time went on, I fell in love with the bizarre echoed vocals (no, this isn't a studio trick; the lead singers are twins) and the vastly varied instrumentation. There are fuzzy moments of shoegaze-y goodness contrasted with moments of plain darkwave, post-goth dungeon gloom. The 4AD references here are almost too obvious. Anything played decently with tons of reverb can sound good, but this album really blows "good" out of the water.

17. POLYSICS - Karate House

Japan's premiere power-pop act never seemed to take off in the states; Mike Park put out two of their records, while they play to 100000 people at summer festivals in Japan and put out records on Sony. The first few records were very Devo, while still retaining the "Japanese" part of the POLYSICS identity. Karate House is a completely different affair. POLYSICS has abandoned the noisy post-punk affectations for a more straightforward, hook-laden sound. "Electric Surfin' Go-Go" is probably my favorite song of the year; not only does it sound like power pop forgot to take its Ritalin before class, but there's a damn surf bass solo. Who does that? It seriously sounds like Peter Hook if he were born into the Wilson family. If you don't believe me, see this post.

16. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

James Murphy has done something wonderful with the latest LCD Soundsystem album. The disco-punk thing has really blown up in the last year; not only has it hit alternative radio, but it's on television, just like everything else I seem to like. "North American Scum" is the hit off the album, but it seemed too out of context when LCD played it on Letterman. This album is a communal experience. The stage looked so empty with Murphy freaking out in the center precisely because the songs were meant for the dancefloor. "All My Friends" may have been Pitchfork's #1 song of the year, but the real winner off the album (for me) was "Time To Get Away," the biggest, best Prince ripoff I've heard in quite some time.

15. Feist - The Reminder

I tried to resist putting this album on my list. I just couldn't. This album was damn near everywhere this year. I'd imagine it was licensed almost as many times as the Wilco album was and that wasn't even the surprising part. The really surprising part is how long it took everyone else to catch on. Watch this and tell me that you didn't see it coming. Does something seem familiar about this video and this song? IT'S A DAMN GAP AD. DO YOU REMEMBER THOSE KHAKIS YOU HAVE IN YOUR CLOSET? CAN YOU REMEMBER FINDING THEM A FEW YEARS AGO, THINKING, "WHY DID I EVER BUY THESE? I GUESS IT WAS THE 90s." HOW ELSE DO YOU THINK THEY'RE SELLING IPODS?

14. Dirty Projectors - Rise Above

13. The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour

John K. Samson and his brigade of Mounties have once again trapped me in a snowy, nostalgic hell that I can't get away from. Jonah Ray said it best:
"One of my favorite bands. They've made the same album three times now and i dont mind it. Each song has such a sweetness to it, and it doesnt hurt that the singer sounds a lot like Big Bird. Maybe thats why i like it? because it brings in these thoughts of a large, friendly bird bringing me in for a hug...then singing sweet political poetry into my earhole."
The Weakerthans' music is much more subdued than it was when they first started, but they're getting old. What hasn't changed, however, is John K's penchant for writing some of the most relevant, beautiful poetry in music today. It's one thing to make music good enough to listen to over and over. John K's lyrics take this to a whole different level and make me want to write. The way he can turn a phrase is just unreal.

12. Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted

British girl-group revivalists are probably always going to get me off musically. Last year, the Pipettes album was somewhere in my top 5, and this year, it's Lucky Soul. These Brits have found a way to make an intrinsically American album, moreso than their countrywomen in the Pipettes. Where the Pipettes banked everything they had on "spunk" and familiar hooks, Lucky Soul made it all about the music, abandoning the appearance of modernity for a very organic sound that isn't afraid of slowing down."Add Your Light To Mine, Baby" not only has one of the most memorable hooks this year, but has a great three-part harmony that's irresistable.

11. Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Living With the Living (or in my case, Just Living)

I won't lie; I was a little disappointed the first time I heard this album. There are so many powerful moments on this album and they were almost all negated by the really weird, out of place moments. Ted really won me back with the "deluxe" edition of the album, though. Generally, I'm interested in the second disc of all "deluxe" versions, but more often than not, they're plain disappointing. A few b-sides that shouldn't have come out from the other side of the vinyl and outcast demo versions, supplemented by suprisingly poor quality live cuts does not merit me spending an extra $5 on an album that I've already bought, but Ted's second disc, the Mo' Living EP, was genius. Each one of the songs on the EP had a place on the album, replacing the parts I saw to be unnecessary. I've created my own version of the album, cutting the fat and turning it into one of the best pop albums this year, calling it Just Living. I haven't upped this album just yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

"Only in Dreams" and a break from our regularly scheduled program for a public service announcement.



It's 1:30am and all I can think about is how much of a tool Mark Consuelos is, though I can't imagine being married to Kelly Ripa is all that much fun. How cool was he when he was on Connect With English? Damn, that was some of the best educational programming I've ever seen.

I'm sitting with my books open, trying to figure out whether studying at this hour is effective or not, even though I haven't actually read anything at all. After writing for two and a half hours during a final (that I studied a total of 14 hours in two days for), I was just burnt out. I still am burnt out and am generally incapable of doing anything.

Yesterday, my former life came back to haunt me a little bit. In the middle of the night, Rivers Cuomo's home demo album leaked, taking me back to a time I would rather not relive. If you think I'm awkward now, you should have seen me in middle school when I was really into Weezer. I'd like to think that Rivers is not the only one to have changed in that time, though I'd like to think that I've changed for the better (I know Rivers hasn't). After listening to everything that album had to offer, I thought about how much I enjoyed Weezer. Today, while studying for my final, I listened to the Blue Album as well as parts of Pinkerton. My god, was it all brilliant. Even "Surf Wax America," which is the song that most grates on my nerves, is still so wonderful to me.

The one song that still stops me today the way it did then is "Only in Dreams." You think about songs like "Buddy Holly" or "In the Garage" and then take "Only in Dreams" into consideration, in all of its eight minute glory, and it's hard to fathom this being the same band. Even "Say It Ain't So" seems a little far off; in my mind, nothing in the Weezer catalog can come close to this. The experience I can most closely relate "Only In Dreams" to is "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out." There are a lot of people who would have me murdered for even thinking of that comparison, much less saying it out loud and even less typing it for the world to read over and over, but they're both very moving experiences for me.

I was forced into a harsh realization earlier. Over the last few months, I've really come to realize how important the people in my life are and how deeply I feel for them, but I realized that I don't always say it enough. I'm on a mission, a crusade even. I'm trying to tell all the people I love how much I appreciate their presence in my life. I am truly blessed by those who surround me. In light of all that, here's my PSA:

To the few of you who actually stumble across this and have stuck with me thus far, I love you. You will never know what you mean to me, and though sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives that we can't physically make the time for one another and we may even drift apart from time to time, I want you to know that you'll always have a special place in my life.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Dirty Projectors - Rise Above



The Best of 2007: Part Eight

Complexity isn't a vice.

I have a very hard time remembering that sometimes. I heard the Dirty Projectors about a year and a half ago and I was a little more than baffled. I couldn't help thinking about all the art school kids that were so stoked on this sound: a dense, musical vocal exercise with uncommon instruments and standard instruments being played in a very unique way. When I heard about Dave Longstreth's new conquest, I was way intrigued. A reimagined version of a Black Flag classic, reconstructed completely from memory? Hm. It was going to have to be damn good, I decided, because at the rate tribute albums, re-releases and reunions are happening, I'm going to have to completely write off music in the next few years. All in all, the story seemed too good to be true, and yet, there it was being pumped directly into my head.

Longstreth has recorded one of the most interesting albums of the year. Since the album was reconstructed from memory, it is vastly different than the original outside of the general "sound." The songs are much longer; Damaged is about 35 minutes and has 15 tracks, where Rise Above only has 11 tracks, yet is 45 minutes long. Then of course, there's the sound; I mean "Police Story" is a quiet, nylong-string guitar driven beauty. This is pretty bizarre. One of the most startling new compositions is "Gimme Gimme Gimme." There are gentle vocal melodies; the strange thing is that much of the album was recorded on four-track, but the vocal recordings here sound like they were pieced together in ProTools because of how they're stacked to imitate synthesizers, sounding like a much more complex synth line torn from "Such Great Heights." On top of this gentleness, there are absolute drum explosions, bringing in the chorus, that are so jarring, it recalls the sensation of the real Black Flag.

Obviously, this album is not for everyone. Longstreth's vocals fall somewhere on this side of a duck's bleat after being punched and you're especially not going to like this if you're way stoked on Black Flag and only other things that sound like Black Flag. If you can get past all of that, this is definitely an album to have in your life.

Rise Above
pw: sharedmp3.net

The Number 12 Looks Like You - Mongrel



The Best of 2007: Part Seven

I've been posting about a lot of metal/hardcore/noise albums lately, but I'll go back to posting about real music soon enough.

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I reall don't care. The Number 12 Looks Like You is easily one of the most brutal bands playing music. They were on a record label called Brutal Records, for God's sake. They're a bunch of weird dudes from Bergen County that worship really bad 80s metal, but somehow manage to come out on the other side of post-jazz-grind-screamo nonsense. If the dudes from the Dillinger Escape Plan weren't so elitist when it came to genres (and also hated Mike Patton), this would probably be what they sounded like.

As I mentioned before, finals make me a bit nervous, so I usually resort to listening to music that would make me feel a little bit shaky anyways. The riffs that the dudes in the Number 12 are playing jerk you around so much, it seems unnatural to people that actually listen to metal and grind full time. Mongrel is much heavier than previous Number 12 releases, however, it still manages to keep that Jersey charm; are suburban kids from Jersey inherently more violent and prone to grind than the rest of the country? I will never know.

If there's one song to definitely listen to on the album, it'd definitely be "Paper Weight Pigs." There's this classical gutiar bridge situated squarely in the middle of the song that's pretty mindblowing, besides the reggaeton/double-bass drum outro.

Mongrel

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Marnie Stern - In Advance of the Broken Arm



Best of 2007: Part Six

Finals really put me in the mood for a few things, one of them being frantic shredding. From the very first notes of this album, it is wildly apparent that Marnie Stern's guitar work qualifies as "shredding." 90% of her fretwork consists of fingertapping and the other 10% is just plain ridiculous, discordant notes. Zach Hill from Hella played the drums on the album, which means that basically every aspect of the album was technically off the wall. The recordings are a schizophrenic nightmare of panning; notes come from all angles as if your two lousy computer speakers somehow had surround capabilities. This is all fine, even exceptional, but what sets this release apart from the gret number of technical, noisy, releases this year? The songwriting is particularly good. It's so easy to lose direction when abandoning traditional song structures for more technical song parts, weaved together loosely, however the album has a good balance of songs both from the traditional school of songwriting, with hooks and all, and also from the post-punk school of "Fuck everything including you and your fascist structured music."

In Advance of the Broken Arm

Friday, December 7, 2007

Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty



The Best of 2007: Part Five

I can never deny that I used to LOVE hardcore. I loved it so much that I liked really bad hardcore that is absolutely unlistenable now; I mean stuff that is so embarassing that I try to forget I ever was even there. However, some hardcore, I admit to loving still. Last year, one of my favorite albums was the latest Converge album. This year, a wonderful album was released by one of my favorite hardcore acts, Every Time I Die.

I'm sitting at work right now, thinking of everything else I could be doing. Work isn't fun at all. Every Time I Die is fun. I could be listening to Every Time I Die, but not at work. I'm guessing the Ethnic Studies village wouldn't appreciate that too much, even though it is Friday and it is way empty. I like to think of Every Time I Die as the forefathers of the "party hard-core" genre because of their ridiculous affinity for southern rock flavored hardcore and singing about horror movie creatures. Imagine if Andrew WK were actually 27 years old and grew up in Buffalo instead of Michigan, worshipping Converge. The attached video is for the first single from their latest album called "We'rewolf." Not only is the song genius, but a video based on Teen Wolf? There's not much more I can say about this amazing album; I am powerless before you.

The Big Dirty

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

YACHT - I believe in you. Your magic is real.



The Best of 2007: Part Four

Simply put, Jona Bechtolt is a hitmaker. Somehow he has found the way to run the fine line between the uber-exclusive indie pop community of the Pacific Northwest and the super hip dance-punk community of places like Williamsburg or even Silverlake. He gained notoriety by putting together beats for one of (contrary to David Byrne's belief) last year's best albums, Paper Television by The Blow. Bechtolt had been added to the lineup of the band, even though he literally mailed in his beats. He quickly left the band after the tour that supported the album to go back to working on YACHT.

The album is a collection of absurd lyrics, great beats and shout outs to Calvin Johnson. Songs like "See a Penny (Pick it Up)" and "Women of the World" have a real self-aware sense of humor that's really hard to find in music. This year saw this release, as well as one of my other favorite albums, Spiderman of the Rings by Dan Deacon. Both of these albums really don't take fun for granted, which is something I really appreciate in music. People take themselves too seriously; music shouldn't be that way. It really should be an escape.

At the beginning of the year, I thought that dance-punk would be one of the big genres to watch. I knew LCD Soundsystem and !!! had put out great albums, however I didn't take into account the smaller artists in the genre, like Jona and Dan Deacon. Of course, now Dan Deacon is one of Future Shock's saints and YACHT has been opening up for Indie 103/KROQ's favorite act, LCD Soundsystem. Hopefully, Jona won't walk to the other side, leaving behind his amazing body of work in the K Records universe.

I believe in you. Your magic is real.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Dntel - Dumb Luck



The Best of 2007: Part Three

Jimmy Tamborello has never really let me down. I remember listening to Dntel's first full length, Life is Full of Possibilities, and I was blown away. There were beautiful, quiet moments. There were great hooks and there were subtle ambient parts. I never thought that Tamborello would be able to top this album, especially the song "(This is) The Dream of Evan and Chan," which is easily one of the sweetest songs of our generation.

Of course, when talking about Tamborello efforts, the Postal Service can't be ignored. The hooks were just too huge to be ignored, even by Top 40 radio. When you think about "Such Great Heights," it's hard not to think of how different the music of the Postal Service was compared to what Dntel had already done up to this point. The most pop Tamborello had done was really "The Dream of Evan and Chan" and the Figurine album, which was almost as ignored as Strictly Ballroom's recorded work. When Tamborello returned to the more ambient, typically Dublab recordings with the James Figurine album, it was a bit confusing. Just like anyone else, I figured that the bigger hooks would show up a bit more. Everything was in the details with that album.

When the tracklisting for Dntel's new album leaked, I realized that James was looking to compartmentalize his musical life. The album was set to be released on Sub Pop, which is much larger than the Plug Research label that put out the first Dntel record. When the record finally came out, it was a pleasant surprise. Gratuitous, seemingly useless guest spots from people like Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst were negated by the subtle guest spots from Mia Doi Todd, Mystic Chords of Memory and Sub Pop's new great act, Arthur & Yu, who collaborated on the song "The Distance," one of Tamborello's best songs.

Listen to this one in the dark. There's a good chance I'll be doing the same all winter.

Dumb Luck

Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets/The International tweeXcore Underground EPs



The Best of 2007: Part Two

I won't lie. When I first saw the press pictures of Los Campesinos!, I thought they were a bunch of tools. Indie pop is pretty hard to pull off without looking dumb. Little did I know that hiding within this stereotypical looking nouveau-twee band was something worth listening to.

The first EP the band put out this year was the Sticking Fingers Into Sockets EP. I figured it had to be worth listening to at least once because Arts & Crafts hasn't really let me down thus far. After signing the Constantines and the Stills earlier this year, they were on a hot streak. The EP is pretty short, but it has these strange moments of diversity. There are only six songs; one is about a minute and a half and another isn't barely 30 seconds. What really stuck out to me was the song "Frontwards." It sounded vaguely familiar and I remembered that Pavement had a b-side by the same name. Upon further listening, it's a very enjoyable version of a song that I've grown to love. The rest of the EP definitely grew on the shoulders of the one song.

What came next was even more surprising. "The International tweeXcore Underground" single came out digitally just after I had really started to enjoy Los Campesinos! Some part of me wanted to fully reject this, just based on the fact that they were a twee band singing about twee specifically. That never seems like a good idea. When the full EP came out, I was fully intrigued. At this point, I knew them as the band that covered Pavement pretty well and had some other proficient songs. The two other songs included on the "tweeXcore" EP were also covers: one by Heavenly and the other by Black Flag; both bands are namechecked in "The International tweeXcore Underground."

I don't know if I'm just a sucker for stuff like this, but bands performing enjoyable covers that they've made their own just kills me. If that band has a few good songs of their own, sign me up.

Sticking Fingers Into Sockets
The International tweeXcore Underground

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Bonde do Role - With Lasers



note: This entry was written a week ago and since then, I have decided to start posting about my favorite albums from 2007. This is the first of those posts.

Recently, I've had moments where the world seems to slow down and my restless leg seems to shake much faster than it should. I haven't posted in two weeks, mostly due to the fact that these particular weeks have been hell on earth. These moments are truly adrenalin-fueled moments, rather than some crappy "Butterfly Efffect" thing (was that what the movie was about? I don't even know). I thought that this phenomena would have peaked on Monday, when I had two papers due, but it came earlier today.

I did something dumb two weeks ago, when I last updated. I prepared, at the last minute, for a discussion that I didn't even have to lead. This week, I was in the process of writing another essay that was essentially late, when I checked my email only to find out that today, I actually had to lead a discussion. I had 15 minutes to read and prepare notes for an article that my professor wrote. I nearly exploded at the moment I figured out what happened.

I seem to have had a lot of similar moments recently. And of course, when I'm sitting at my desk, I tend to think about everything all at once, rather than just the task at hand. The soundtrack for these moments has been Bonde do Role. Their music embodies everything in those moments: it is frantic, yet subtle and it gives me the feeling that I want to run up a wall or throw up or something. To put it simply, it's a genius album. There are ridiculously cheesy metal riffs and sleazy dance beats, but the best part is the elements of traditional Brazillian music contained therein. There are moments of pure funk, tropicalia and even moments that are genre-less, but fully emobody the carioca lifestyle.

With Lasers

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Bouncing Souls - "Gone" and another reflection.



I often forget (or take for granted) how amazing life is. This whole week, I've been beyond tired. The amount of work I have to do over the next two weeks seems unlimited and impossible and it's really taking its toll.

Today, I made a somewhat comical mistake. I got a class email that had a set of discussion questions addressed to certain students who signed up for particular articles. One of them was addressed to me, however I didn't remember signing up for it. I looked at the email an hour before class and I hadn't read the article at all, let alone thought about the answer to any question. I hurredly summarized the piece and answered the questions as quickly as possible. When I got to class, I found out that the question was addressed to the other "Chris." I wasn't even angry or disappointed, but I felt a little defeated. It was hubris and I should have seen it coming. I shouldn't complain so much, I guess.

The reason this really didn't sting so much was that I came to a point of surrender while working. Generally, I find it helpful to listen to something that will keep me awake while I'm working. Today, I chose the Bouncing Souls' Live album. I generally concentrate on the work for the most part and the music just serves as "mood lighting" in a way, but when I got to "Gone," I stopped dead. I was amazed at the fact that I forgot how many rough days the song got me through. The ideas presented in the song were so important to my development as a person as a whole; it was because of this song, I officially changed my life outlook from "realist" to "optimistic realist."

This seems to happen to me a lot. I'll forget about this song, but somehow, providence will bring me back to my central focus and the lyrical intensity of this song just when I need it. The song seems too simple in a certain way, but it is truth to live by.

The album that the song originally came from, How I Spent My Summer Vacation, is simply one of my favorite childhood albums. I was probably in 7th grade and I knew next to nothing about punk, but I had heard "Gone" on Punk-o-rama TV and I liked it the more I heard it. Once I went out and bought the album, I couldn't put it down. Some of the songs contain a sense of longing for the past and the innocence of youth, but the beautiful optimism of the songs really outweighs the grief over the loss of innocence. Friends, please take the time for this album. It will change your life.

Bouncing Souls - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

There's Always Room For More Reflections on The Smiths/Morrissey.





These last few days have been pretty mentally and physically challenging. I've been working very hard just to keep up and I don't know how much longer I can keep the momentum going.

I've reflected several times over the past few years about the Smiths and Morrissey's influence on my life. I never really wonder what my life would be like without their collective catalogue because it's absolutely unimaginable. I would be a completely different person in a different place; presumably a much less interesting place with a much less interesting life, but that's besides the point. I've just never questioned, "Why?" or "How?" even though I do that in basically every other part of my life, to the point where it becomes ridiculous. I guess what I mean to say is that The Smiths have always been there for me. When I'm having a particularly bad day, I can listen to the same songs I would if I were having a good day, because there's always something there for me.

Take "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" for instance. Of course, there's the patented Morrissey hopeless loneliness and unreturned desire, but at the same time, it's almost hopeful. The violence and vulgarity of Morrissey's frankness is what shows me that though I have these feelings, there is a way I can express them.

With Morrissey's solo career, there seemed to be two extremes. Some of the songs were about despair and absolute hopelessness and most of the others were about this strange optimism, but a lot of those songs came later in the 90s, when the "casual" Morrissey fan seemed to give up on him. One of the songs from this period is "Sing Your Life," which is in the latter category. The song is about taking ownership of your life because there's no one else that could do it as well as you could. I love that.

On a different day, my outlook might be a little different, but I'm particularly reflective today. Today is the day I legally become a man in the eyes of the world. I'm not really sure what it means yet, but I'm trying not to think too much about it, mostly because I don't have the time to stop and let this take over. See you in hell, bros.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

The Killers - "All These Things That I've Done"



2004 was an interesting year. I was coming out of my "I'm not going to listen to it because you listen to it" phase and I was really beginning to fall in love with pop music. Despite this, when I first heard the Killers, I wanted to hate them and I did. I was being beat over the head with "Somebody Told Me," which is a pretty terrible song. I couldn't understand why people kept buying their album and completely raving over it. One day, I was in the car with a friend and she subjected me to listening to the album, from beginning to end. The first song, "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" is adequate, but it projected the Killers that I didn't want to like, then it happened. The hook on "Mr. Brightside" was just too ridiculously glamorous and sparkly to pass up. I had to have it. The next few months were spent buried in the fruitiest sounding hooks I've ever fell in love with.

"All These Things That I've Done" was probably like the third or fourth single off the album. I was so impressed with the song, I was actually happy to hear that it was getting played so much on the radio, be it top 40, adult alternative or the real "alternative" station. Not only is it a five minute song, but it has a pretty long bridge with a tasteful gospel part, which is easily overdone in modern "rock and roll" (see: Fall Out Boy - "Hum Hallelujah; it's not only offensive to the idea of gospel, but also to Leonard Cohen fans as well). The fact that the guitar parts are the hooks rather than the vocal parts in most of the Killers' big songs has bothered me intermittently over the years, but I've come to accept that Brandon Flowers couldn't sing his way out of monotone if his life depended on it. I love the way the organ intro transitions into that stupid cheap sounding synth and how that provides sonic weight throughout the rest of the song, even though it's barely noticeable (it's called the pad... kthx sound engineering).

When I found out that the Killers were releasing a b-sides comp, I was plain confused. They're one of, if not the biggest American band in the world right now and they only have two studio albums out on the market, both with about 12 songs. How could you have enough b-sides to fill an album, even if you augment it with live cuts, demos, etc? How do you expect people to pay $15 for like 3 songs they haven't heard and 9 versions of songs they already paid for? The story gets better because I only found out this morning that there are like 19 tracks on this b-sides comp. Some of the songs were recorded strictly for this album, which sort of makes sense, considering they actually want to market this and get a single or two off of it, but seriously, why?

The Killers' second album, Sam's Town, wasn't all that good. There were some good moments, especially "When You Were Young," which is the best gay Springsteen impression I've ever heard, but it wasn't the first album. The hooks just weren't there. I listened to one of the first songs from the b-sides comp this morning, a song which features Lou Reed. I can sort of understand that; it's a mutually beneficial relationship. The Killers get some legit credit for bringing in Lou Reed and Lou Reed doesn't have to narrarate tai chi videos to make a little extra cash. I understood it until I heard the song. It's terrible. Absolutely unlistenable and devoid of anything remotely catchy. The Flowers monotone is in full force and is killing innocent citizens everywhere.

So here's my plea to the Killers: please go back into the studio and buy yourself some help from the Matrix or some songwriting team who are going to develop your decent ideas into good songs.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Twee Ideals and the Id.



Sometimes I wonder whether I'm always going to be 14 inside. We could definitely go into the personnel files and delve deep into the reason this is, but that's really the same old story you tell your therapist every week, isn't it? This isn't about how I feel abandoned or how I was raised. This is about how dumb and impressionable I am.

I was reading an entry in Jessica Hopper's excellent blog the other day about her problems with The Darjeeling Limited. She then spoke a little bit about Wes Anderson and how he really brought "twee ideals" into the mainstream. What is it about movies like Rushmore and Bottle Rocket that we all like so much? Any of his later work can be put into the "I like it because it's pretty" category, which Hopper pointed out, but that can't really be said about Bottle Rocket, which is very obviously his first film, though it's a very good first film.

I know that the "twee effect" really has pulled me towards Wes Anderson in the worst way possible. He knew exactly who he was making the movies for. The idea that a filmmaker identified all our collective imperfections and put them front and center was startling, but at the same time, it was beautiful. It's not in the twee spirit to say, "No one ever understands me," because that's overwhelmingly nu-metal and instantly unattractive. It's more twee to just assume that no one will ever understand you and live your life alone, in a state of adolescent regression. I don't remember how old Max Fischer was supposed to be, but he seemed pretty damn old to me.

I guess it's always been like this; any of Cameron Crowe's protagonists is, at any moment, so weighed down by his own neuroses that he can't get past himself and see that there are other people living in the world. I swear to God, the names of all these flawed, sad bastard protagonists are all just anagrams of John Cusack. Taking it a step further, it was really John Hughes, with his identifiable, realistic teens of the 80s and his hip soundtracks that really spoke to the Anthony Michael Halls of the world, telling them that it was okay to talk too fast, because even if you didn't make out with Molly Ringwald, you were still going to be okay. While John Hughes was a notorious "culture vulture," feeding off of stereotypes and building the walls of social divide even higher, both Crowe and Anderson seem like they were misguided in a sense. They thought they could show that being neurotic and eternally wounded could be attractive if the protagonist came to some beautiful revelation, but what they've really done is create a whole generation of nice guys, doomed to walk about in the figurative "fog of Manchester" until they die. Of course, it isn't completely their fault, but certainly, glamorizing a certain kind of lifestyle is what leads us down this path.

The other part of my piece is about the Id, Freud's imagination playground where we all hide our deepest, most vile and base pleasures. When you think about all your most evil thoughts, the ones you don't tell anyone about, they're pretty bad, right? Be honest with yourself. Are these thoughts contingent with the aforementioned "twee ideals?" In my mind, they are as opposite as can be, for obvious reasons. I think about the conscious/subconscious mind and the 10/90 split when I think about the Id. Many who followed Freud have said that the Id was as prevalent as any other part of our minds and we just didn't voice what the Id was telling us, however I submit that the Id is often beneath the waterline of the glacier of our minds, motivating us to hurt those around us, for no other reasons besides love and hate and all the other great motivators.

When it comes to loves and hates and passions just like mine, the Smiths were the band that really changed my life in that regard; I haven't figured out whether their music has done more harm than good or not though. Morrissey's ever present struggles with lust and murderous desire in his lyrics were always counterbalanced by those great, bouncy bass lines and Johnny Marr's twee-rific guitar riffs. The Id was present in those notes; I could feel it breathing and acknolwledging it felt amazing, but something told me that I should keep it inside. There were many people who were threatened by Morrissey intellectually, but no one seemed to be truly ruffled by his persona and it really seems like it all had to do with his bookish charm and the idea that even if he was spouting about his absolute misanthropy, he couldn't shake the twee image of the big glasses, the hearing aid and the gladiolus.

Is it a perception issue with those doing the perceiving or is it an illusion, something within us that wants to mislead people? I'll never really know the answer to that one, I guess, but what I do know is that now, there are a generation of impressionable nancy boys (like myself) who've appropriated the general feeling, while still being a little ashamed of the Id, however present it is in our lives. Where that leaves us is with the twee I started talking about, the twee of childish longing, of uncertainty and utter oblivion.

The first video attached is for Belle and Sebastian's first single off of their 2006 album The Life Pursuit, called "Funny Little Frog." The song is about chasing after someone who doesn't love you and doesn't even know that they were being pursued in the first place. Stuart Murdoch is an amazing songwriter and has written some of my favorite songs of all time, but I recognize his shortcomings, one of which is his obsession with the unattainable. One of my other favorite Belle and Sebastian songs is "Marx and Engels," about meeting a proto-anarcho-punk girl in the laundromat and falling for her. I think Murdoch and twee pop's obsession with the ideal of punks being the unattainable ones to fall for is well documented and just takes all of our collective shortcomings and beats them to death; we're timid and they're headstrong or we're kind where they're brash. Just listen to these examples:

Math and Physics Club - "La La La Lisa"

Jens Lekman - "I Saw Her in the Anti-War Demonstration (live)"

John K. Samson is probably where this story ends for me. As I wandered to class this morning, all I could think about was the Weakerthans. Whenever I get myself into a situation that scares me, I seem to fall back on John K's songs. John K. Samson was in a band called Propagandhi, which is one of the most radical, anarcho-hardcore bands from Canada, which would automatically exempt him from the "twee" pile, however, listening to his songs written for the Weakerthans, he really might belong in that stack. His songs are about longing and loss and there are even a few written from the perspective of his cat, Virtute, which is really twee, when you think about it. John K's songs are so beautifully written and so literate, it makes me want to bury myself in books and write until I die, which is the real problem. Even when I feel like I've escaped from the twee sound and everything it does to me, I can't get away that easily.

This video is for one of the Weakerthans' first singles, "Diagnosis." If I say much more, my point will be overstated. Just find the lyrics.



I'm just beginning to realize what all this means for me. Am I going to stop listening to Belle and Sebastian and all their European spiritual kinsmen? Probably not. Sure, I'm going to watch Say Anything anytime it's on TV, but I know now that Lloyd Dobler is not supposed to be my hero. Seriously, if you were Ione Skye, wouldn't you be a little creeped out if I were out on your lawn, playing Peter Gabriel? This all means that I have to be more mindful of the things I let into my life and the way I let them change me, because God knows that I'm as dumb and impressionable as the next "nice guy."

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The Banana Splits - "That's the Pretty Part of You"



Oh, so you think this is FUNNY BINGO?

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour (or The Banana Splits and Friends Show, as many people know it) was a children's program that ran from about 1968-1970. The show was about a band of animals, supposed to be reminiscent of bands like the Beatles or the Monkees, who played disturbingly good children's music. Of course, they would get into some kind of hijinks that allowed for comedic results in funny animal costumes, but it was really the music that made the Splits relevant and kept them there.

Michael Stipe once said that the Banana Splits music was more influential for him than anything the Beatles ever wrote. While I never really got into REM, I was always kind of impressed by this, mostly because I never saw anything great in the Beatles. I understand what they did for pop music, especially the three minute, guitar pop song (they basically invented it), but I didn't much care for their music. When I finally came across a Banana Splits record on the intarwebs the other day, I had to hear it.

Upon further inspection, it turns out there was a reason for the Banana Splits' music being so good. The songwriting was handled by studio musicians, many of whom later became very important in the pop music world. Joey Levine, one of the most influential jingle writers of all time, wrote a few of the songs (Joey Ramone named himself after Levine, if you're wondering why a jingle writer was so important). Al Kooper wrote one of the songs (most notable for his work with Bob Dylan, basically inventing the "rock organ" part on "Like a Rolling Stone") and freaking Barry White wrote another song. The cavalcade of songwriting stars before their respective peaks were in full force with the Splits, and it shows.

The music is pretty much what you'd imagine. It's sort of bastardized, late 60s sunshine pop with great instrumentation that probably shouldn't be in such a low budget children's television show soundtrack. The Sing 'n Play EP was one of the first releases. Apparently, it came with cereal of some sort, or it was a reward for eating a certain amount of cereal. The theme song appears, as well as three other songs. The second song is easily the most notable; it's called "That's the Pretty Part of You." I often forget the "politically correct/incorrect" didn't really exist in the 1960s because the first time I heard the song, I couldn't stop laughing. The song is addressed to a girl who isn't particularly good at anything and isn't good looking either; her "personality" is what makes her pretty, which is code for, "You lead an unfulfilling life, according to my standards, and no, I probably wouldn't date you, but it's cool, we can still be friends." Something about rolling that up into a pop song screams genius to me.

The Banana Splits - "That's the Pretty Part of You"

Autolux - Future Perfect



Nighttime has never been good to me. I cease to function properly after a certain hour. Well, that's not entirely true, but I definitely don't prioritize things correctly late at night, as evidenced by the time stamps on most of my entries on this blog. Tonight, there are many things I should be doing, but all I can think about is how dark it is outside and how much that makes me want to listen to albums like American Football or Twinkle Echo or Film School.

I've always loved to listen to Autolux in the dark. Two summers ago, I spent many nights in my room listening to this album, focusing on nothing else. If you take away your other senses and just listen, you start to hear things you didn't when you were in the car or walking to class. The immaculate detail in production comes from the budget Autolux had to work with. Not only were the members of the band some of the most influential "alternative" artists of the 90s, but T-Bone Burnett himself handpicked and produced the band. T-Bone seems like he'd be out of his element with dark, ethereal, post-alt rock, but he knew exactly what he was doing... either that or it has to do with Greg Edwards ruling at everything, especially his post-Failure guitar tone.

It's not just the guitar tone that amazes me. Eugene's bass tone and Carla's drumming (SHE WAS IN EDNASWAP, FOR GOD'S SAKE) are equally great. The pace of the songs; the way they slow down just enough for you to catch up, and then the way they pull away from you at the last second.

God save Autolux, because if their next album is a disappointment after so many years of waiting, the 90s are going to be PISSED they let Greg, Carla and Eugene escape with a shred of dignity.

Autolux - Future Perfect

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Kanye West - "Can't Tell Me Nothing"

Dorothy Young,
I am so not anti-hiphop.



I'm just very picky when it comes to hip-hop. I really don't know what it is that determines what I do and don't like. It usually has to do with certain production styles, but that's not always the case.

Kanye's new album, Graduation is not as bad as I initially thought it was. I was initially so disappointed by the fact that the beats sounded so European and synthetic, as compared to Late Registration, but I've found my way through that stage to discover how good the hooks really are. The determining factor here was staying power. "Stronger" got on my nerves a little, just because Daft Punk is a bit dicey for me. I feel like sampling something like that is a mistake, but I can't really say anything, since I'm not a huge Euro-techno-aficionado. The case with Late Registration was that the beats were so strong, it made the hooks better. On Graduation, Kanye's mainly self-produced beats are so simple, that it puts the focus on the lyrical hooks. Songs like "Good Morning" and "Good Life," even "Homecoming," the self-proclaimed "Billy Joel hook" song, have great lyrical/vocal hooks that are not only single worthy, but are good singles at that.

All things considered, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is really the standout for me. Not only is it like a five and half minute single, but you don't really lose interest, which is the real struggle when you're talking about terrestrial radio. The chorus hook is just so damn good, that you can't say no. I've never seen the value in much of the hip-hop on the radio mostly because of the subject matter (I just found out what "Superman-ing that ho" meant... who does that?), so you either have to shock me with your beats (Timbaland, Benny Blanco, some stuff by Swizz Beats, Dr. Dre) or you have the hooks to outshine the beats. Very few artists can do both, but Kanye is definitely one of them, though it seems like he hasn't had a song since"Heard 'em Say" that had a brilliant hook and a beautiful beat.

So there, D.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - "I Believe I Can Fly"



There are days when I really resent the Warped Tour. I used to be fully invested in many of the bands who have appeared on that tour, but the older I get, the more I realize how demeaning it is. It's the biggest, easiest, automatically targeted market you could ever hope for, so much so that it's pretty much exploitative. That being said, I come back to appreciating some of the bands that have participated in the tour.

Of course, now that I appreciate all kinds of music, I don't seem to appreciate the music in the same way that I used to. It all sounds very rudimentary to me now, and that's only considering the recording techniques that most of these bands are using (unless they're produced by Brian McTernan or Steve Evetts). This holds true for almost every band except for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. I've never stopped appreciating them; in fact, I probably appreciate them more now than when I first started listening to them, just because I know more about music now than I did then.

The idea of a punk rock all-star cover band is pretty kitschy and they play that up perfectly, theming their albums and their stage shows to fit the songs. It's quite impressive, considering that Fat Mike is involved (I've never been impressed by anything NOFX has ever done except for their cover of "Olympia, WA"). Their choice of songs is nothing short of amazing, yet they still keep a sense of humor about their being the best punk rock karaoke act out there (more than a few of their official videos contain karaoke scenes).

What probably amazes me most is that they're somewhat prolific. I understand that there's no songwriting involved, but to have so many albums and singles out there when the guy from NOFX and the lead guitarist from Foo Fighters are in your band is pretty impressive.

R. Kelly's mid 90s masterpiece, "I Believe I Can Fly" was sort of an anomaly. It was written, produced and arranged by the man himself and won three Grammys all while being the theme song for Space Jam, a movie everyone under 25 has seen, but probably doesn't remember (or want to remember). When you think about what R. Kelly has done since then, it's easy to forget that there was a time he didn't seem so insane. Multi-part hip-hoperas and explicit videos with teenagers seem to point in a certain direction, but R. did some things right.

Spike Slawson (of Swingin' Utters) takes R.'s masterpiece to a new level. Usually, "punk" singers don't pride themselves on their vocals, but on their delivery. With Spike, these things are inseparable. He has a way of crooning without being comforting and delivering the lines with intensity without losing the feel of the original songs. To play a truly effective cover, a band has to take it and make it their own without destroying the original, which is a very difficult balance issue; it could easily be too bland or too different. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are really great at destroying songs outside of the realm of power chords and really building them back up again.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Fragile Fawn - "Indian Giver"



As much as I like to say that I listen to "everything," it's mostly an attempt to do one of two things. Sometimes, I just don't feel like explaining myself. I listen to good music. I don't have the patience to ennumerate the genres that make up "good" music. The other reason I tell people I listen to everything is because I don't like talking about my pop music obsession. I am really in love with pop music... to the point that it's become embarassing to my friends and myself. Sometimes, I'm ashamed to talk about my pop obsession because it gets mistaken for a love of conventional, radio pop. While, sometimes, I am referring to something that is getting heavy airplay, usually I'm just talking about simple music with great hooks.

There's something so special about discovering new pop music for me. Yeah, being an early adopter of whatever new buzz genre band is cool, but discovering really great pop is special because so many people try to do it, but there are so few who do it well. Sifting through the sands of new pop music rarely yields anything of note. When I came across Fragile Fawn's myspace profile, I had one of those eureka-type moments. Plain and simple, this is damn good pop music. I can't advocate enough for this band. I heard that the kid playing guitar/banjo (by the way, I think it's actually all guitar, but how do you play a guitar like that?) is like 17 and studying at Berklee, which makes sense, considering not only his technical ability, but his song arranging.

When I still worked at KXLU, I had to sum Fragile Fawn up in a few words, even though it really requires so much more. What it basically was whittled down to was "Foot Foot with a 16 year-old twee pop spirit," which means I'm immmediately in love. I had only heard two of their songs at this point and I was immediately impressed. Then I heard "Indian Giver." This is like a damn Beach Boys song. Not the "Surfin' USA" Beach Boys, but I mean some heavy Pet Sounds lifting. There's so much going on in this song, I can barely handle it. I have to listen to it at least twice every time I hear it, just because I feel like I didn't get it all the first time. It's not easy to write songs like this without losing direction, but it somehow all stays on the tracks.

Enough geeky worship. Listen.

Fragile Fawn - "Indian Giver"
Fragile Fawn on Myspace

Sleater-Kinney - "You're No Rock and Roll Fun"



All Hands on the Bad One was the first Sleater-Kinney album I listened to in my misguided youth. I had just learned about the wonders of copying CDs on to my computer and was combing the local public library music collection for anything new. At this point, I was probably still listening to a good amount of music that only contained double stops (hammer-ons if it was a super technical band) or a brass section was involved somehow. I had barely listened to the Clash, but Joe Strummer's albums with the Mescaleros somehow jumped out at me from the library shelves, as well as albums by Quicksand, the Velvet Underground and Morrissey. Sleater-Kinney's album was a curious case, however. It wasn't that there was more than one copy in the library system, but that there were two copies sitting right next to one another on the shelf. Since I was probably about 14, I didn't have a clue as to what that meant, but every damn time I would go back, there those two copies of the gray and orange CD would be sitting.

Finally, I decided to take it home and give it a listen. I didn't get it. Joe Strummer, now there's a guy I could get behind. He's way punk and I didn't know anything about riot grrl, let alone the Pacific Northwest (outside of say... Nirvana). My primitive brain could barely handle the complexities of To Kill a Mockingbird at this time. What makes you think I'd understand two guitars and a drummer WITHOUT a bass player?

Thank god I revisited the album some years later (a lot later than I'm happy to admit). I made myself a hard copy of the CD and then my hard drive crashed. When I was re-ripping my music on to my new computer, I came across the CD and really listened to what I had missed out on all those years where the album sat next to all those damn Travis CDs that I copied as well.

"You're No Rock and Roll Fun" is probably one of my favorite Sleater-Kinney songs. Who knew the girl from Heavens to Betsy could sing without screaming and write a great pop song at that? If someone were to tell me that knowing only of the K Records era girl bands, I wouldn't believe it. The guitar riffs are complicated, but not difficult and the drumming of Janet Weiss is something special. It's funny saying that, considering all the other songs that Janet plays, be it with Sleater-Kinney or with Quasi; the drum parts on a lot of Sleater-Kinney's early recordings are a bit tame, but the technique is there. In the later years, the recordings got better, especially the drum sound. There were no more hesitations, no tentativeness, but the exacting timing and technique were still there.

I had the pleasure of seeing Janet Weiss' drumming up close last night as she played with Quasi. I've always really admired her drumming, but seeing it live took my respect to a whole new level. It seemed like she was playing every song as if it were the last Sleater-Kinney show. What I'm trying to say is that there is no "off" position for musicians like that, and that's probably the most admirable quality in any aspect of life.

I probably shouldn't be reflecting on the genius of Janet Weiss' drum sound at 1am, so I leave you with this, another great youtube find. I don't need to explain it and I don't know that I could even if I really wanted to.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

HIM - "Join Me (In Death)"



It's halloween. What can I say? I just saw Ted Leo rip through an hour and a half of material that sounded a lot faster than the studio versions and a Misfits cover. Yeah, he started the set by playing "Twist of Cain" and that was amazing, but really, when it comes to ridiculous halloween fodder, there is nothing better than HIM (His Infernal Majesty) aka Bam Margera's favorite band. They're from Finland and have been around for like 20 years or something ridiculous like that (it's more than 15... I know that for sure).

If I didn't get that dirty, manufactured feeling from their music, I might find it somewhat enjoyable, but the way everything is recorded just begs to be played in grocery stores. The synths are thin, the guitars too polished and the drums don't really sound real. I say I might find it enjoyable, but I don't really mean that. Well, I can't decide. I guess, like most other shiny, lab-tested pop, I can safely say I "appreciate it for what it is." I enjoy the craft that goes into making something like this song, "Join Me." Who really thinks about this crap? It can't be the ever-so-dark frontman Ville (or whatever his name is). Just like all mindless MTV pop, I assume it comes from some sad bastard in his late 40s that just reads the My Chemical Romance message board all day, looking for someplace to start... either that or there's literally a music factory run by a mysterious "C+C."

Anyway, the story goes that this song was a huge hit in the UK; so much so that it eventually ended up on one of those creepy kids compilations where the kids sing the songs. That is what makes this song actually cool. Unfortunately, I couldn't dig up the audio to prove its existence, but just listen to the damn song. You can imagine just how creepy that would actually get if you want to have a super scary halloween.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Something I forgot: the definition.

I assume that I'm the only one reading this, but I feel like I need to at least define the title of the blog. This is for my own gratification, as well as my own betterment. If I have to constantly define and redefine what it means to me, I will gain a greater understanding in the long run.

The word "gravitas" is a Latin word without a literal translation in English. It is usually used in reference to politicians. It refers to that "x-factor" that's so hard to describe in a person. It means "dignified" and "serious," but it means so much more than just what the dictionary tells you. It means that someone is "an unseen force," which is where the word "gravity" comes from. Gravitas is about the way a person carries him/herself; they command respect without being condescending. When one has gravitas, it means they have what it takes to be a truly great leader.

This is what I strive for in all aspects of my life. The last few years have been a quest to find a purpose and this is it. It's so easy to slip into the annals of mediocrity, especially where I am, both in actual location and in life, but this is what really matters. Those who know me might say otherwise about me; know that I am not perfect and I am actively working towards bettering myself. There is no "winning" this one; the pursuit of gravitas is all there is, since it is like perfection, never really to be attained, except by gods among men.

This blog is mainly devoted to my obsession with pop music, but is also a point of refection on that music. Pop music can often be the most mindless, by-the-numbers genre, but every once in a while, you stumble upon some great life truth in its simplicity.

The English Beat - "Save it for Later"



I've been putting this off for too long, so forget having some amazing first entry that has a mission or real purpose or anything like that.

I've been thinking a lot about the future in the last few months. It's totally intimidating and I'd rather put it off. Considering how much time to myself I really have these days, the time seems right, so here's step one: I'm looking for artists. The project I intend to start is a lifelong venture and I am looking for people who want to get a piece of the action; I am truly looking for someone who is willing to invest their time and efforts, as well as their talents. Please please please email me if you fit the description and/or know of someone who does.

As for the attached video, I haven't got a lot to say, other than how much I love Special Beat Service. I was given the album on 12" some years ago by an aunt who was way into Elvis Costello and stuff like that in the late 70s. The album was buried beneath Born in the USA and some Barry Manilow album. The cover is nondescript enough, and since I knew nothing about two-tone, the album was overlooked for almost a year before I pulled it out and listened to all it had to offer. I know the naysayers out there will ask, "But what about the Specials?" "What about Madness?" "The English Beat is second rate crap compared to anything Lynval's ever done," even though Lynval was in the English Beat for a short time (I think they called themselves the Special Beat, which is kind of endearing, in a sad, dumb tribute act way). Everyone that has listened to two-tone at one point or another has heard The Beat's Smokey Robinson cover, but most people don't go too much further into their catalogue, which is a shame. "Save it for Later" is just one example of how great pop was in the two-tone era.

Do yourself a favor by finding a copy of Special Beat Service and taking a little time out of your day for expanding. A lot of it is going to seem cheesy and forced, but the hooks are good and really, what pop in the 80s wasn't cheesy?