Two-thirds of the way through the year and where are we?

Today is September 1 and there are 121 days left in the year. Eight full months have passed and that leaves me wondering where we are. This is convention season and it seems a good time for a state of the union, of sorts.

As pictured above, the Autumnal Equinox is on the way, which means days are going to get shorter. It seemed like the days were so insanely long during the summer. I really love late sunsets, but I love when it starts to get really dark at night. Fall nights are wonderful times for fall albums. There weren't any particularly stand-out Summer albums, which means that fall is going to be wonderful. There are a few already (see below):


Andrew Jackson Jihad - Only God Can Judge Me
Sean and Ben have consistently put out some of the most astonishingly honest, smart music and they keep the train moving with this EP. As Conway says, they're able to say all the things we wish we could say. "Growing Up" is one of the best songs this year, for sure.


Beck - Modern Guilt
Of course, I have my problems with this album, but I think it definitely has a place on this list. It is immaculately produced by Danger Mouse, who has redeemed himself from the job he did on the Black Keys last album. Beck's songwriting has changed so much over the years; some of it worked and some of it didn't. I won't mention any era in specific, but this album is definitely a comeback. It's a very svelte album (10 tracks, 31 minutes) and it not only has spunk, but it has that elder statesman feel to it, which makes it that much better.


Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins
As I mentioned last year, Will Sheff is one of the new, great American songwriters. He put the first part of the two disc set out last year (The Stage Names) and it was wonderful. The Stand-Ins is a very understated release comparatively, however that isn't to say that it's any better or worse than The Stage Names. Of course, the first two songs resonate the most with me because they sound like Smiths and Morrissey songs respectively and "Pop Lie" has that spark that every great Okkervil River song has. All in all, this is a wonderful fall album that's great to walk down the beach thinking of.


Final Fantasy - Plays to Please/Spectrum, 14th Century
Straight talk time: Owen Pallett is one of the most interesting musicians of our time. It seems ridiculous to praise individuals like Sheff and Pallett, however these EPs are the proof. There were already two great Final Fantasy full length releases (Has A Good Home and He Poos Clouds) and several 7"s/compilation tracks that absolutely rule and these EPs just put the cherry on top. The first Arcade Fire album was Pallett's initiation and he's only improved his individual songwriting since then. The Plays to Please EP is a tribute to Alex Lukashevsky of Deep Dark United and employs a 35 piece orchestra that contains Andrew Bird. What else do you need to know? The second EP is equally genius as it is made up of fake field recordings with members of Beirut. "Blue Imelda," the second song on the Spectrum EP is definitely going to make it to the top of my year end list. Amazingly gorgeous.


Annie - Don't Stop
I really don't know what to say about this album quite yet, although I've listened to it once and I know already that it's the best straightforward pop album this year. It's totally danceable and has great hooks. It's a great fall album because of its Norwegian roots. Scandinavian pop has this wonderful dark quality to it, no matter how sugary the hooks are, just because of the nature of Scandinavia.


Hellsongs - Hymns in the Key of 666
Now, right off the bat, this isn't the most appealing album, and I still have my issues with it, however it is a very well crafted album. Hellsongs is a collective out of Sweden that claims to be a "loungemetal" act. Basically, they do folk-pop covers of metal classics. This edition contains versions of "We're Not Gonna Take It," "Run To The Hills," and a wonderful cover of Slayer's "Seasons in the Abyss." These covers are wonderfully fall-friendly because of how gentle they are.


Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
Why is this a fall album? Well, for God's sake, this album is being released in a few weeks. Of course, I know it's meant to be a summer album, just by the nature of it being a Brian Wilson album, but the album is a sort of retelling of the Beach Boys story. Again, why is this a fall album? This retelling of the Beach Boys story, along with the fact that Brian Wilson doesn't do much "music" anymore, signals the "end of the summer," if you catch my drift. All in all, "Southern California" is one of those songs that just screams classic album closer.


Algernon Cadwallader - Some Kind of Cadwallader
This album brings back fond memories of the fall of senior year of high school. I had just delved deeper into the world of the mid-1990s Midwest and discovered the world of Kinsella. Cap'n Jazz and Braid quickly became two of my favorite bands. Algernon Cadwallader has put out one of the most Midwest inspired albums of the last five years; even the vocals sound like a Kinsella. Algernon Cadwallader is playing at the Hickey Underworld on November 16 and I am so completely excited.


Paint it Black - New Lexicon
Dr. Dan has put out another genius album. That's like five in five years or something. I was reminded of what a wonderful dude he is the other night when I got to hug him. He had just gotten off stage from performing one of the most intensely negative Paint it Black sets and he was still dripping sweat, but he was gracious enough to stop and talk for a minute. Paint it Black has been slowly wading in the water towards melody and this is their most melodic album yet. Basically, I just can't get enough.