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.

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.)

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.

"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.

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

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

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

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.

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