Free Shows:
Saturday Jan. 10th: Takka Takka @ BAM Cafe
Takka Takka - "In the Air Tonight" (Phil Collins cover)
Cheap Shows: ($10 or less)
Saturday Jan. 3rd: The Antlers, Pet Ghost Project, + Sharon Van Etten @ Cake Shop $tba
The Antlers - "Nothing Matters When We're Dancing" (Magnetic Fields cover)
Pet Ghost Project - "Age of Automatics"
Sharon Van Etten - "It's Not Like"
Wednesday Jan. 7th: Tijuana @ Glasslands $3
Tijuana - "Heart Stop"
Friday Jan. 9th: Pop Tarts Presents @ Martini Red $5
Screaming Females - "Boyfriend"
Eula - "A Hold"
Saturday Jan. 10th: Hot Lava @ Death By Audio $tba
Hot Lava - "Mummy Beach"
Sunday Jan. 11th: Cause Co-Motion @ Glasslands $tba
Cause Co-Motion - "Which Way Is Up?"
Wednesday Jan. 14th: Titus Andronicus @ Maxwell's $10
Titus Andronicus - "Upon Viewing Brueghl's 'Landscape with the Fall of Icarus'"
Thursday Jan. 15th: Ida Maria @ Mercury Lounge $10
Ida Maria - "Oh My God"
Friday Jan. 16th: The Soft Pack + The Browns @ Mercury Lounge $10
The Soft Pack - "Walking With Jesus"
The Browns - "For the Saints"
Saturday Jan. 17th: Max Tundra @ (le) poisson rouge $10
Max Tundra - "Which Song"
Tuesday Jan. 20th: Fucked Up, Pissed Jeans, + Vivian Girls @ Danbro Warehouse $tba
Fucked Up - "Magic Word"
Pissed Jeans - "People Person"
Vivian Girls - "Second Date"
Wednesday Jan. 21st: Previously On Lost @ The Bell House
Previously On Lost - "Be My Constant"
Thursday Jan. 22nd: Matt & Kim @ Music Hall of Williamsburg $10
Matt & Kim - "Daylight"
Friday Jan. 23rd: Ponytail + Pattern Is Movement @ The Bell House $10
Ponytail - "7 Souls"
Pattern Is Movement - "Peach Trees"
Thursday Jan. 29th: Lindstrom @ Studio B $10
Lindstrom - "The Long Way Home"
Sunday Jan. 31st: Loney, Dear @ Union Hall $10
Loney, Dear - "I Am John"
Not So Cheap Shows: ($20 or less)
Tuesday Jan. 6th: Okkervil River @ The Bell House $15
Okkervil River - "Calling and Not Calling My Ex"
Saturday Jan. 10th: The Lisps @ The Zipper Factory $15
The Lisps - "Brackish Water"
Monday Jan. 19th: Department of Eagles @ Bowery Ballroom $15
Department of Eagles - "Around the Bay"
Saturday Jan. 24th: M83 + Telepathe @ Irving Plaza $20
M83 - "Graveyard Girl"
Telepathe - "So Fine"
Saturday Jan. 30th: Apes & Androids @ Music Hall of Williamsburg $15
Apes & Androids - "Golden Prize"
Mad Expensive Shows: (more then $20)
Wednesday Jan. 28th: Andrew Bird @ Carnegie Hall $32
Andrew Bird - "Heretics"
Sold Out Shows: (try Craigslist)
Wednesday Jan. 21st: Animal Collective @ Bowery Ballroom
Animal Collective - "Peacebone"
What: Akron/Family curates NYE 2008Where: Knitting Factory
Who: Akron/Family, Deerhoof, Deer Tick, Dirty Projectors, Megafaun, & More!
When: 8pm
Cost: $100 VIP, $65 General Admin+Free Booze, $35 General Admin
What to Expect: The final show in the long running history of the current Manhattan location (they're moving to Lit's old building) of the Knitting Factory is probably the safest bet of the show going evening. With three floors of music there has to be something for every taste and the main room featuring Deerhoof and Dirty Projectors (for a 2nd year in a row) is a lineup worthy of any indie rock fan. This is definitely a great way to ring in the New Year, but it's also the final way to pay homage to a very influential and important New York venue.
Listen: Akron/Family - "Don't Be Afraid, You're Already Dead"
Deerhoof - "Fresh Born"
Deer Tick - "Long Time"
Dirty Projectors - "Six Pack"
What: Sanoto's New Year's EveWhere: Santo's Party House
Who: Andrew WK, Gang Gang Dance, Lissy Trullie, Lemonade, & More!
When: 9pm
Cost: $50 Advance/$65 DOS
What to Expect: If ever Santo's were going to live up to their full name (you know the whole "Party House" thing) this should be the evening, and based on the roster of performers you're getting they should have no problem doing that. With the Misshapes spinning records and bands like Gang Gang Dance and Andrew WK taking the stage there is no doubt that some serious partying and dancing will be going on, the only question is whether you should go stag or bring a date!
Listen: Andrew WK - "I Love NYC"
Gang Gang Dance - "House Jam"
What:Cake Shop New Year'sWhere: Cake Shop
Who: These Are Powers, Dan Friel, + More
When: 8pm
Cost: $8/or $12 with (2) drink tickets
What to Expect: A late addition to the New Year's festivities, and by far the least expensive of all the city fare this year, this show should be a blast with two excellent bands, a few bands I don't really know, cheap(er) booze, and some DJ's. If you're looking for more of a chill vibe where dancing is not required I'd go with Cake Shop it's as solid a bet as there is out there right now. Oh and if you take the drink ticket option be sure not to waste it on canned beer otherwise it doesn't pay to go that way!!!
Listen: These Are Powers - "Chipping Ice"
Dan Friel - "Ghost Town (Part 1)"
What: PA/Meanyfest USA Present NYE BlowoutWhere: Public Assembly
Who: Semi Precious Weapons, Titus Andronicus, DJ VHS, + More!
When: 8pm
Cost: $70 VIP/$35 GA
What to Expect: A bunch of crazy ass, I don't know how they fit together, bands and DJ's all over the place. Plus they have a 24-hour liquor license (major selling point!) and it promises to be an unforgettable, quickly forgotten New Year's Eve bash!
Listen: Semi Precious Weapons - "Her Hair Is On Fire"
Titus Andronicus - "Waking Up Drunk"
What: Martini Red CountdownWhere: Martini Red
Who: Paragraph, Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens, Mancrush, + More
When: 9pm
Cost: $10
What to Expect: Those out on Staten Island looking to ring in the New Year have gotten themselves a heckuva show here with Paragraph and the surftacular Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens providing the music and Mancrush providing some improvised comedic stuff. It should be a fun night and with a shit load of drink specials it is not likely to be a night you will remember anytime soon!!!
Listen: Paragraph - "Gurli"
Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens - "The Ballad of Johnny Surfelstein"
What: New Year's Late Night BlowoutWhere: (le) poisson rouge
Who: Matthew Dear, Drop the Lime, Michna, + More
When: 11:45pm
Cost: $25
What to Expect: Kicking off late, and rolling till 8am (with complimentary breakfast!!!) this show may just miss the midnight touchstone but it will do everything in its power to make sure that the party continues rolling well past sunrise! With Matthew Dear performing and a slew of capable DJ's helming the decks this party should be a non-stop dance fest that will be fueled by booze and Red Bulls until your heart can barely stand it. Then they'll give you some bacon and see if it explodes! But seriously what else do you have to do after the ball drops? That's right nothing! So get your asses here from some dancing and some early morning eggs and maybe just maybe this will be a New Year's to remember, though you'll probably be drunk enough to forget it all.
Listen: Matthew Dear - "Pom Pom"
What: New Year's Eve in JerseyWhere: Wellmont Theater
Who: Yo La Tengo, The Feelies, Vivian Girls
When: 7pm
Cost: $35
What to Expect: After playing Maxwell's for 8 crazy nights, I'm sure it will be a little strange for Yo La Tengo and their fans to adjust to the size of the Wellmont Theater. But generally whenever this band plays in Jersey it is an event to be witnessed and I can say they will probably be pulling out all the stops for a New Year's Eve extravaganza! Plus you have the traditional holiday appearance of The Feelies plus a strange opening slot for Vivian Girls. This should be a night of very solid music in Montclair, NJ.
Listen: Yo La Tengo - "Be Thankful for What You Got"
The Feelies - "The Boy With Perpetual Nervousness"
Vivian Girls - "Where Do You Run To?"
January:
Who: King Khan & BBQ Show
Title: Animal Party (7")
Release Date: January 6th
Label: Fat Possum
What We're Hoping For: Considering it's just a 7" I don't think we should have the biggest of hopes for the new King Khan & BBQ Show stuff, but I am sure that these two tracks will totally be worthy of your attention. I'm not sure if this is going to lead us to a new record or something of that nature, but it will definitely be nice to have a couple of new tracks to listen to along with the older stuff. Pretty tepid expectations, but then again King Khan has been known to blow those away in the past.
Listen: King Khan & BBQ Show - "God of Raisins"
Who: Animal Collective
Title: Merriweather Post Pavillion
Release Date: January 20th
Label: Domino Record
What We're Hoping For: Basing it on their proven track record for greatness and progression I'm thinking the latest Animal Collective record is gonna have a lot of people crowning them as the best of the year way to early in the year. I may be one of those people once I get a full listen to this stuff, and it might just wind up being the actual best record of the year. Such is what happens when one of the most important bands of the 21st century (so far) releases a record - people get a little bit carried away with themselves.
Listen: Animal Collective - "My Girls"
Who: Franz Ferdinand
Title: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Release Date: January 27th
Label: Sony/Epic
What We're Hoping For: It has been a long time since we last heard from Franz Ferdinand, but considering what we have heard off of this record so far (and it's not much) it seems they still have a penchant for writing some rollicking rock tunes. Personally I've always been a bigger fan of their singles than the entirety of the albums but maybe the band has gotten away from being a huge singles band and decided to write a cohesive record but I highly doubt it and am expecting at least two huge singles that will be played and sung throughout the year everywhere you turn.
Listen: Franz Ferdinand - "Ulysses"
Best of the Rest of January:
Jan. 6th:
Glasvegas Glasvegas
Jan. 13th:
Franz Nicolay Major General
Jan. 20th:
AC Newman Get Guilty
Antony & the Johnsons The Crying Light
Bon Iver Blood Bank EP
Matt & Kim Grand
Jan. 27th:
Andrew Bird Noble Beast
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Working On A Dream
Loney, Dear Dear John
February:
Who: Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Title: The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Release Date: February 3rd
Label: Paw Tracks
What We're Hoping For: Having heard all of this one I don't need to hope for anything, instead I have been revelling in the quirkiness and grandeur of this record for a couple of weeks now and I think a good portion of you will be adding this record to your regular iPod rotation come February (if not before). This album is chock full of odes to ladies and to being an odd dude in a small town. It makes sense, considering Dent May is a dude that plays ukulele in an alternative style in a place like Mississippi, but somehow it all adds to the charm of the music and makes it that much more enjoyable. You can bank on hearing more about Dent May all year here.
Listen: Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "Meet Me in the Garden"
Who: Lily Allen
Title: It's Not Me, It's You
Release Date: February 10th
Label: Regal
What We're Hoping For: On her debut record Alright, Still Lily Allen showed us a snappy wit mixed with enough emotional range to keep our emoticons flowing for ages, and based on the title of her follow-up I think we can expect a lot more emotionally charge pop anthems from her. The key to how well it does is to see how much she has progressed in the couple of years since her last release and to see if fans are still able to relate to her relationship problems and her sly responses to the men that haunt her. If I were a gambling man I'd wager that she'd do just fine and should be getting full marks from everyone for this record.
Listen: Lily Allen - "Fuck You"
Who: N.A.S.A.
Title: The Spirit of Apollo
Release Date: February 17th
Label: Anti-
What We're Hoping For: When producers release records the results are often very mixed, but when these two dudes enlisted a roster of heavyweights the likes of which have never been seen before I got a little excited about this record. Okay, a lot excited. Based on the two tunes we've heard from it we're ready to say the N.A.S.A. crew have bested any production team that has ever put out their own record before. Obviously we have to hear some more (and we're very excited to do so) but for now we'll be basing all opinions on what we've heard so far and that shit is classic.
Listen: N.A.S.A. (feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith) - "Spacious Thoughts"
Who: Black Lips
Title: 200 Million Thousand
Release Date: February 24th
Label: Vice
What We're Hoping For: A repeat of their last record. No seriously, prior to that the band had relied on an excellent stage show and some solid riffs. Somehow on their last record the band just exploded with better song writing, better musicianship, just being better overall and I'm really hoping they follow that up with another cohesive, well thought out album. I have high hopes for this record and I'm hoping to not be crushed by a lackadaisical effort from the Atlanta band. I am also hoping they bring their girlfriends The Coathangers on tour with them. That would be sweet.
Listen: Black Lips - "Starting Over"
Best of the Rest of February:
Feb. 3rd:
Iran Dissolver
Phosphorescent Willie
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Wavves Wavvves
Feb. 10th:
Mos Def The Ecstatic
Feb. 17th:
Abe Vigoda Reviver
Asobi Seksu Hush
Beirut March of the Zapotec EP
M. Ward Hold Time
Malajube TBA
Telepathe Dance Mother
Vetiver Tight Knit
Feb. ???:
Jay-Z The Blueprint 3
Big Boi Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Massive Attack Weather Underground
Neil Young The Riverboat
March:
Who: The Boy Least Likely To
Title: The Law of the Playground
Release Date: March 3rd
Label: (+1) Records
What We're Hoping For: I thought this was supposed to be coming out in 2008? Well I guess not, but now that we have track listing and an album cover we can start to officially get excited to the long awaited follow-up to The Best Party Ever. It's been a long time since we we infiltrated by The Boy Least Likely To and their wonderful brand of twee and we're hoping they have remained relevant in their time away. I am not willing to place any bets on how much I will like or hate this record because I have no clue what they are going to do with it.
Listen:The Boy Least Likely To on Myspace
Who: Condo Fucks
Title: Fuckbook
Release Date: March 10th
Label: Matador Records
What We're Hoping For: Fans of Yo La Tengo might want to take note of this one. Apparently the Condo Fucks are a legendary Matador band that no one has ever heard of that may or may not actually be Yo La Tengo. So I'm figuring you folks that spent most of last week at Maxwell's will want to jump all over this. And even if it winds up not being Yo La Tengo (it totally is don't worry) you'll have a Matador released record by a band that calls themselves the Condo Fucks. Sounds like a win win in my book.
Listen: nothing to listen to yet....sorry!
Who: The Decemberists
Title: The Hazards of Love
Release Date: March 24th
Label: Capitol
What We're Hoping For: If you've followed along here for any amount of time you are probably well aware that I have a propensity for falling in love with overly verbose bands. The Decemberists are one of the causes behind this and not just an example of my failings. I adore this band to no end. They can do no wrong in my eyes. The Hazards of Love is already the best record of 2009 and I haven't heard a single note off of it. You can see where I'm going with this one.
Listen: The Decemberists on Myspace
Best of the Rest of March:
Mar. 3rd:
Neko Case Middle Cyclone
U2 No Line on the Horizon
Marissa Nadler Little Hells
Mar. 10th:
Architecture In Helsinki That Beep
Handsome Furs Face Control
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Advance Base Battery Life
Mar. 17th:
Bonnie "Prince" Billy Beware
MSTRKRFT Fist of God
Mar. 24th:
Dan Deacon Bromst
P is for Panda P is for Panda
Mar. 31st:
Great Lake Swimmers Lost Channels
Who: King Khan & BBQ ShowTitle: Animal Party (7")
Release Date: January 6th
Label: Fat Possum
What We're Hoping For: Considering it's just a 7" I don't think we should have the biggest of hopes for the new King Khan & BBQ Show stuff, but I am sure that these two tracks will totally be worthy of your attention. I'm not sure if this is going to lead us to a new record or something of that nature, but it will definitely be nice to have a couple of new tracks to listen to along with the older stuff. Pretty tepid expectations, but then again King Khan has been known to blow those away in the past.
Listen: King Khan & BBQ Show - "God of Raisins"
Who: Animal CollectiveTitle: Merriweather Post Pavillion
Release Date: January 20th
Label: Domino Record
What We're Hoping For: Basing it on their proven track record for greatness and progression I'm thinking the latest Animal Collective record is gonna have a lot of people crowning them as the best of the year way to early in the year. I may be one of those people once I get a full listen to this stuff, and it might just wind up being the actual best record of the year. Such is what happens when one of the most important bands of the 21st century (so far) releases a record - people get a little bit carried away with themselves.
Who: Franz FerdinandTitle: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Release Date: January 27th
Label: Sony/Epic
What We're Hoping For: It has been a long time since we last heard from Franz Ferdinand, but considering what we have heard off of this record so far (and it's not much) it seems they still have a penchant for writing some rollicking rock tunes. Personally I've always been a bigger fan of their singles than the entirety of the albums but maybe the band has gotten away from being a huge singles band and decided to write a cohesive record but I highly doubt it and am expecting at least two huge singles that will be played and sung throughout the year everywhere you turn.
Listen: Franz Ferdinand - "Ulysses"
Best of the Rest of January:
Jan. 6th:
Glasvegas Glasvegas
Jan. 13th:
Franz Nicolay Major General
Jan. 20th:
AC Newman Get Guilty
Antony & the Johnsons The Crying Light
Bon Iver Blood Bank EP
Matt & Kim Grand
Jan. 27th:
Andrew Bird Noble Beast
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Working On A Dream
Loney, Dear Dear John
February:
Who: Dent May & His Magnificent UkuleleTitle: The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Release Date: February 3rd
Label: Paw Tracks
What We're Hoping For: Having heard all of this one I don't need to hope for anything, instead I have been revelling in the quirkiness and grandeur of this record for a couple of weeks now and I think a good portion of you will be adding this record to your regular iPod rotation come February (if not before). This album is chock full of odes to ladies and to being an odd dude in a small town. It makes sense, considering Dent May is a dude that plays ukulele in an alternative style in a place like Mississippi, but somehow it all adds to the charm of the music and makes it that much more enjoyable. You can bank on hearing more about Dent May all year here.
Listen: Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "Meet Me in the Garden"
Who: Lily AllenTitle: It's Not Me, It's You
Release Date: February 10th
Label: Regal
What We're Hoping For: On her debut record Alright, Still Lily Allen showed us a snappy wit mixed with enough emotional range to keep our emoticons flowing for ages, and based on the title of her follow-up I think we can expect a lot more emotionally charge pop anthems from her. The key to how well it does is to see how much she has progressed in the couple of years since her last release and to see if fans are still able to relate to her relationship problems and her sly responses to the men that haunt her. If I were a gambling man I'd wager that she'd do just fine and should be getting full marks from everyone for this record.
Listen: Lily Allen - "Fuck You"
Who: N.A.S.A.Title: The Spirit of Apollo
Release Date: February 17th
Label: Anti-
What We're Hoping For: When producers release records the results are often very mixed, but when these two dudes enlisted a roster of heavyweights the likes of which have never been seen before I got a little excited about this record. Okay, a lot excited. Based on the two tunes we've heard from it we're ready to say the N.A.S.A. crew have bested any production team that has ever put out their own record before. Obviously we have to hear some more (and we're very excited to do so) but for now we'll be basing all opinions on what we've heard so far and that shit is classic.
Listen: N.A.S.A. (feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith) - "Spacious Thoughts"
Who: Black LipsTitle: 200 Million Thousand
Release Date: February 24th
Label: Vice
What We're Hoping For: A repeat of their last record. No seriously, prior to that the band had relied on an excellent stage show and some solid riffs. Somehow on their last record the band just exploded with better song writing, better musicianship, just being better overall and I'm really hoping they follow that up with another cohesive, well thought out album. I have high hopes for this record and I'm hoping to not be crushed by a lackadaisical effort from the Atlanta band. I am also hoping they bring their girlfriends The Coathangers on tour with them. That would be sweet.
Listen: Black Lips - "Starting Over"
Best of the Rest of February:
Feb. 3rd:
Iran Dissolver
Phosphorescent Willie
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Wavves Wavvves
Feb. 10th:
Mos Def The Ecstatic
Feb. 17th:
Abe Vigoda Reviver
Asobi Seksu Hush
Beirut March of the Zapotec EP
M. Ward Hold Time
Malajube TBA
Telepathe Dance Mother
Vetiver Tight Knit
Feb. ???:
Jay-Z The Blueprint 3
Big Boi Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Massive Attack Weather Underground
Neil Young The Riverboat
March:
Who: The Boy Least Likely ToTitle: The Law of the Playground
Release Date: March 3rd
Label: (+1) Records
What We're Hoping For: I thought this was supposed to be coming out in 2008? Well I guess not, but now that we have track listing and an album cover we can start to officially get excited to the long awaited follow-up to The Best Party Ever. It's been a long time since we we infiltrated by The Boy Least Likely To and their wonderful brand of twee and we're hoping they have remained relevant in their time away. I am not willing to place any bets on how much I will like or hate this record because I have no clue what they are going to do with it.
Listen:The Boy Least Likely To on Myspace
Who: Condo FucksTitle: Fuckbook
Release Date: March 10th
Label: Matador Records
What We're Hoping For: Fans of Yo La Tengo might want to take note of this one. Apparently the Condo Fucks are a legendary Matador band that no one has ever heard of that may or may not actually be Yo La Tengo. So I'm figuring you folks that spent most of last week at Maxwell's will want to jump all over this. And even if it winds up not being Yo La Tengo (it totally is don't worry) you'll have a Matador released record by a band that calls themselves the Condo Fucks. Sounds like a win win in my book.
Listen: nothing to listen to yet....sorry!
Who: The DecemberistsTitle: The Hazards of Love
Release Date: March 24th
Label: Capitol
What We're Hoping For: If you've followed along here for any amount of time you are probably well aware that I have a propensity for falling in love with overly verbose bands. The Decemberists are one of the causes behind this and not just an example of my failings. I adore this band to no end. They can do no wrong in my eyes. The Hazards of Love is already the best record of 2009 and I haven't heard a single note off of it. You can see where I'm going with this one.
Listen: The Decemberists on Myspace
Best of the Rest of March:
Mar. 3rd:
Neko Case Middle Cyclone
U2 No Line on the Horizon
Marissa Nadler Little Hells
Mar. 10th:
Architecture In Helsinki That Beep
Handsome Furs Face Control
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Advance Base Battery Life
Mar. 17th:
Bonnie "Prince" Billy Beware
MSTRKRFT Fist of God
Mar. 24th:
Dan Deacon Bromst
P is for Panda P is for Panda
Mar. 31st:
Great Lake Swimmers Lost Channels
2. No Age NounsFor an aging punk like myself it's sometimes difficult to pull myself away from the classic punks and get down with what the kids are considering punk these days, but somehow noise punk brings me right back to my roots of punk rock and maybe even out does some of the classic stuff when it's done as well as No Age does it on Nouns. I was introduced to No Age with last year's Weirdo Rippers and as good as that was it didn't quite prepare me for what we would hear on Nouns. This time out Randy Randall and Dean Spurnt pieced together the combination of fierce drum and harsh guitar riffs and created a cohesive unit of sound, complete with fade-ins and fade-outs that build the short songs like waves an allows them to suddenly explode when everything kicks in. The sound is mesmerizing and powerful, not once have I heard "Eraser" this year without stomping or clapping along to the song and every tune on the record has a similar personality. Nouns is as good a punk record as I have ever heard.
No Age - "Teen Creeps"
No Age - "Things I Did When I Was Dead"
1. Deerhunter Microcastle/New Era Cont.In 2008 there was no definitive record of the year. Perusing the lists that every other publication released there seemed to be a wide array of sounds that ranked in the top spot all over. Whether it was the funky sounds of TV On the Radio or the tedious folk of Fleet Foxes it seemed people played it safe and went with albums that were solid if not groundbreaking. It was almost as if 2008 wound up as a place holder for music in general and independent music in particular. So many bands were tinkering with new ideas and new sounds and so many more were just copying the last few years' ground breakers and innovators. But 2008 wasn't as poor a year for music as some people have made it out to be. There were many records that progressed the sounds of yesterday to the sounds of tomorrow while somehow being relevant today.
The best example of this was definitely Deerhunter's Microcastle/New Era Cont. combination record. It followed the progression that Deerhunter has been going through the last couple of years and built upon it taking garage rock and pop music to a whole new plain. With it's lo-fi essence and pop sensibilities it expanded a genre that has sounded the same for quite some time. But it wasn't happy with just expanding the sound, no it created something that was wholly of the moment, a record that could transcend genres and touch on so much more then just the immediate sounds you heard.
Part of the Deerhunter success traces to the release of Bradford Cox' solo record under the Atlas Sound moniker. The release of that record allowed Cox a place to put his deepest and darkest lyrics while allowing him to go another way for the Deerhunter records. It also led to a more band oriented approach allowing Lockett Pundt to showcase his growing skills vocally and on the guitar more then on previous Deerhunter records as well as the rest of the band too.
Microcastle/New Era Cont. is a brilliant record. It is not just a good record for a down year. Somehow it wound up a bit shafted in the year end lists, but let's face it these lists have never been perfect and more times then not we're left to revise them over the annals of time. I am sure that in a few years no one will care what Fleet Foxes is up to, TV On the Radio will still be toying with their sound, and Deerhunter will wind up as one of the most important bands of the early part of this century and this record is a big reason why.
Deerhunter - "Agoraphobia"
Deerhunter - "Vox Humana"
10. Chairlift - "Bruises"; Talk about your commercial appeal, I wouldn't have given this album the time of day or have gone to see the band during CMJ without this song taking over my TV on all those freaking iPod commercials. Seriously the album is more or less staid but this song is absolutely amazing.
9. Estelle (feat. Kanye West) - "American Boy"; I can't fight it, I love this song.
8. Ruby Suns - "Oh, Mojave!"; You may not like Windows Vista but I'm sure you like hearing their latest commercials featuring this song. Of course most people that stop by this here website have been listening to the tune for far longer and enjoying it just as much without being compelled to buy something.
7. The Mae Shi - "Run to Your Grave"; I totally forgot The Mae Shi on my year end list. Sometimes shit like that happens but I'm very sorry about that since I adore the album. This song in particular was fantastic with all its working parts and sugary sweet punkness.
6. Max Tundra - " Will Get Fooled Again"; The references on this track may be 6-years old (Friendster, really?) but you know we are all still scouring the internet to find the perfect mate, but most of us never would have thought to put those feelings in a catchy as hell song.
5. Lil' Wayne - "A Milli"; This is the weirdest sounding rap hit of all-time, but it is so damn good thanks to all its oddities.
4. No Age - "Eraser"; The song features about 30-seconds of actual singing (so little in fact they added another song to the music video to stretch it out) but it hits with such fury that it is almost impossible to keep from hitting repeat every time it comes on.
3. Kanye West - "Love Lockdown"; From the second Kanye started singing this at the MTV Video Awards I felt we were witnessing artistic genius and I haven't stopped believing that since. Even though this isn't exactly the same as that version I think Kanye has crafted a pop masterpiece.
2. Lykke Li - "I'm Good. I'm Gone."; The Swedish invasion has officially reached the level of pandemic as it seems these pop singers will not stop heaving their melodies and pitch perfect voices upon our American shores. I for one am not searching for a cure to this one though.
1. The Antlers - "Two"; I'm sure more then a few of you did a double take upon seeing this as my number 1 single of the year, but in all honesty had The Antlers been able to release Hospice this year it would have been my top record of the year as well. Alas, we have to settle for just a single, but we will be getting the full album in March which makes it the front runner for best of 2009! This is a haunting and beautiful song so don't hate, just listen and prepare to fall in love.
9. Estelle (feat. Kanye West) - "American Boy"; I can't fight it, I love this song.
8. Ruby Suns - "Oh, Mojave!"; You may not like Windows Vista but I'm sure you like hearing their latest commercials featuring this song. Of course most people that stop by this here website have been listening to the tune for far longer and enjoying it just as much without being compelled to buy something.
7. The Mae Shi - "Run to Your Grave"; I totally forgot The Mae Shi on my year end list. Sometimes shit like that happens but I'm very sorry about that since I adore the album. This song in particular was fantastic with all its working parts and sugary sweet punkness.
6. Max Tundra - " Will Get Fooled Again"; The references on this track may be 6-years old (Friendster, really?) but you know we are all still scouring the internet to find the perfect mate, but most of us never would have thought to put those feelings in a catchy as hell song.
5. Lil' Wayne - "A Milli"; This is the weirdest sounding rap hit of all-time, but it is so damn good thanks to all its oddities.
4. No Age - "Eraser"; The song features about 30-seconds of actual singing (so little in fact they added another song to the music video to stretch it out) but it hits with such fury that it is almost impossible to keep from hitting repeat every time it comes on.
3. Kanye West - "Love Lockdown"; From the second Kanye started singing this at the MTV Video Awards I felt we were witnessing artistic genius and I haven't stopped believing that since. Even though this isn't exactly the same as that version I think Kanye has crafted a pop masterpiece.
2. Lykke Li - "I'm Good. I'm Gone."; The Swedish invasion has officially reached the level of pandemic as it seems these pop singers will not stop heaving their melodies and pitch perfect voices upon our American shores. I for one am not searching for a cure to this one though.
1. The Antlers - "Two"; I'm sure more then a few of you did a double take upon seeing this as my number 1 single of the year, but in all honesty had The Antlers been able to release Hospice this year it would have been my top record of the year as well. Alas, we have to settle for just a single, but we will be getting the full album in March which makes it the front runner for best of 2009! This is a haunting and beautiful song so don't hate, just listen and prepare to fall in love.
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4. Times New Viking Rip It OffAn album like this should have worn itself thin by now, but instead it has been worn out from excessive plays. Well it would have been, if mp3's got worn out. As it is, I have been listening to this record since January and each time I pop it on I still find myself banging my head along to each and every scratchy, lo-fi sound on the record. Going into this record some people thought the trio might just be cleaning up their sound for Matador, but obviously it was awesome to find out that they not only didn't clean up that they muddied the sound even further making those awesome little pop squalls underneath a little bit harder to perceive but all the more worthwhile doing so.
Times New Viking - "(My Head)"
Times New Viking - "Drop Out"
3. Fucked Up The Chemistry of Common LifeIt has been a long time since hardcore really mattered in the music world. There are still pockets of hardcore lovers here and there but the music has regressed into nothing more then loud, aggro music with a screaming front man. Fucked Up don't do that kind of hardcore. Sure, they do have the screaming front man, but Pink Eye is not your stereotypical hardcore front man. They do the loud, aggressive music, but they also pair that with melodies and strange instruments never before found on a hardcore record. They are not stereotypes at all, instead they are trying to create something new from something they all adore and even though at times they may hate each other doing it they press on because they are making some really killer music. The Chemistry of Common Life has gone ahead and made an entire genre of music relative again all thanks to one band of people united in challenging themselves and willing to take a chance in their music.
Fucked Up - "No Epiphany"
Fucked Up - "Twice Born"
20. Amadou and Mariam - "Sabali"; I never really pictured myself as someone who enjoyed worldly music but bands like Konono No. 1 and Amadou and Mariam have gone a long way toward stripping me of any of those reservations. This song in particular knocks down any barrier an African musician might face through it's powerful vocals and pop like sounds.
19. El Guincho - "Palmitos Park"; Kicking off his album with this tune was a brilliant move by ElGuincho. No sooner does the record start then you are hooked into it thanks to the power of the percussion and the alluring lilt of his voice. This is fantastic indie pop music the kind of which I will never tire of.
18. The Dodos - "Fools"; For just two guys, The Dodos sure do make a racket with all their percussion and other sounds and "Fools" barely contains all the enthusiasm these two pour into their music. It explodes at the scene with sound and it is an absolutely breathtaking song.
17. Hercules & Love Affair - "Blind"; With vocals from Antony Hegarty and an inspired DFA style sound this worked on every bit of consciousness we know of. It got us to move all the while we were just listening to that golden voice.
16. The Mountain Goats - "Heretic Pride"; Lyrics are still an important part to a great song and there are few songwriters today that are as sharp with their words as John Darnielle. This tune in particular about a heretic meeting his great demise is brilliant in its wording and descriptiveness.
15. TV On the Radio - "Golden Age"; TV On the Radio once again tinkered with their sound for their latest record and once again all the tinkering paid off with a record that is light years beyond most musicians. It progresses their funky post-punk sound to something a bit closer to the pop world, but no less exciting then anything they've done in the past. This track comes off sounding like something LCD Soundsystem might record, save for a few bits here and there.
14. Antony & the Johnsons - "Another World"; After a couple of years that have been sorely missing Antony's gorgeous voice just to hear it again on a new tune would have been enough to land a song in the top 20, but this track about the horrors we are doing to our world beautifully meshes the message and the music as one. It also gives Antony all the room in the world to work his magic with the sparse, simple arrangements behind it. Simply inspired music.
13. Los Campesinos! - "My Year In Lists"; Considering how single heavy their debut EP was I thought there would be more singles in their debut full length but it worked as more of a whole album in my mind. This one tune though was off the charts for its twee catchiness and I gotta say I kind of dig the whole idea of making lists to end the year with.
12. Be Your Own Pet - "Becky"; This tune was deemed too violent to be released here in America, a land where The Dark Knight was the top grossing film and some people still watch hockey. Sigh. Whatever caused that foolish mistake didn't deter us from getting our hands on the revenge track with the 50's style sound and we are so glad we had Be Your Own Pet's best song with us for when they called it quits late this year.
11. Vivian Girls - "Tell the World"; Fuck the backlash! The Vivian Girls are more then alright in my book and this song is the whole reason we all know who they are at all. Well, the song and the fact that people were spending hundreds of dollars to get their record on eBay earlier this year. This tune though, it kicks some serious ass right from the get go with a brutal bass line and some kick ass harmonies. If you're just following the herd to the backlash please jump off now and listen to how great this song is again.
19. El Guincho - "Palmitos Park"; Kicking off his album with this tune was a brilliant move by ElGuincho. No sooner does the record start then you are hooked into it thanks to the power of the percussion and the alluring lilt of his voice. This is fantastic indie pop music the kind of which I will never tire of.
18. The Dodos - "Fools"; For just two guys, The Dodos sure do make a racket with all their percussion and other sounds and "Fools" barely contains all the enthusiasm these two pour into their music. It explodes at the scene with sound and it is an absolutely breathtaking song.
17. Hercules & Love Affair - "Blind"; With vocals from Antony Hegarty and an inspired DFA style sound this worked on every bit of consciousness we know of. It got us to move all the while we were just listening to that golden voice.
16. The Mountain Goats - "Heretic Pride"; Lyrics are still an important part to a great song and there are few songwriters today that are as sharp with their words as John Darnielle. This tune in particular about a heretic meeting his great demise is brilliant in its wording and descriptiveness.
15. TV On the Radio - "Golden Age"; TV On the Radio once again tinkered with their sound for their latest record and once again all the tinkering paid off with a record that is light years beyond most musicians. It progresses their funky post-punk sound to something a bit closer to the pop world, but no less exciting then anything they've done in the past. This track comes off sounding like something LCD Soundsystem might record, save for a few bits here and there.
14. Antony & the Johnsons - "Another World"; After a couple of years that have been sorely missing Antony's gorgeous voice just to hear it again on a new tune would have been enough to land a song in the top 20, but this track about the horrors we are doing to our world beautifully meshes the message and the music as one. It also gives Antony all the room in the world to work his magic with the sparse, simple arrangements behind it. Simply inspired music.
13. Los Campesinos! - "My Year In Lists"; Considering how single heavy their debut EP was I thought there would be more singles in their debut full length but it worked as more of a whole album in my mind. This one tune though was off the charts for its twee catchiness and I gotta say I kind of dig the whole idea of making lists to end the year with.
12. Be Your Own Pet - "Becky"; This tune was deemed too violent to be released here in America, a land where The Dark Knight was the top grossing film and some people still watch hockey. Sigh. Whatever caused that foolish mistake didn't deter us from getting our hands on the revenge track with the 50's style sound and we are so glad we had Be Your Own Pet's best song with us for when they called it quits late this year.
11. Vivian Girls - "Tell the World"; Fuck the backlash! The Vivian Girls are more then alright in my book and this song is the whole reason we all know who they are at all. Well, the song and the fact that people were spending hundreds of dollars to get their record on eBay earlier this year. This tune though, it kicks some serious ass right from the get go with a brutal bass line and some kick ass harmonies. If you're just following the herd to the backlash please jump off now and listen to how great this song is again.
6. Jay Reatard Matador Singles '08Singles clubs have been sorely missed for years now. Sure, there's a few that are still going but when Jay Reatard announced that he would be releasing a single for every month of 2008 it was greatly welcomed news. The only problem with this whole method of releasing music was that we sometimes had to wait 31-days to hear two new songs from Jay, but ultimately it was always worth the wait. Finally at the end of the year Matador packaged all the singles together and this fantastic collection of 13-songs was released. It's such a wonderful collection of songs of every sort, but you know that they all hit hard and fast. I don't know that Jay Reatard has ever been this accessible or this perfect, but I'm sure the older fans would be more then willing to argue that with me. I love, love, love this record though and I think that's all that really matters in my universe.
Jay Reatard - "Always Wanting More"
Jay Reatard - "Fluorescent Grey"
5. Titus Andronicus The Airing of GrievancesWhen you hail from New Jersey there are a few things that can be presumed about you. First off you probably spent a ridiculous amount of time at your local mall, if you didn't then you were generally considered an outcast, and if you were an outcast you probably went to fun basement punk shows somewhere in your town. Also, if you were from Jersey there was a good chance you've listened to some Springsteen in your life and that you may be something of an aficionado in all things Bruce. Both of these things seem like true statements when it comes to Titus Andronicus who released a record that is equal parts Springsteen and punk mixed into one. The Airing of Grievances explodes with its influences on its proverbial sleeve, punk, garage rock, and a shit ton of Bruce can be found all over the record and it makes such an emotionally charged, powerful statement thanks to that. Of course Titus do it their own way and are just being influenced not aping anyone, so don't get any ideas that they are just a bunch of wannabees or anything like that.
Titus Andronicus - "Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ"
Titus Andronicus - "No Future"
30. M83 - "Kim & Jessie"; I don't know what it is about this song but I almost forget that M83 put this out with about a dozen other songs because this one stands out from the pack so much. It's so simple and sweet sounding and then you hit the chorus and you have these slightly harsher sounds that don't throw the whole thing askew but bring it all together. Love it.
29. Beyonce - "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"; At this point anyone questioning the pop genius of Beyonce should probably have their critic card revoked. This track proves once again that there are few pop stars as creative and talented.
28. Dan Friel - "Buzzards"; For years Dan Friel has been pushing all the right buttons for Parts and Labor, but in stepping out on his own he was able to shed all the noise that surrounded him in the band and make something that positively shined on its own. This song is the essence of everything, fast paced, noisy, and melodic all at the same time.
27. Mason Proper - "Lock and Key"; I really didn't expect Mason Proper to have much of a shelf life past their excellent debut EP, but amazingly they expanded their sound wonderfully and made this super catchy tune to really make us all take note.
26. Britney Spears - "Womanizer"; When I first heard this I was a bit turned off by the cadence like feel of the vocals, but seriously that simply beat is what makes the song so damn catchy. It just crams itself into your head and stays way past its welcome.
25. The Very Best - "Kamphopo"; Last year AIH took home the top spot in the singles competition with "Heart It Races" so it's not too surprising that this track that relies on that would be on my list this year. What is surprising is that I left this off my album list 'cause I hadn't listened to the record enough before making the list. My bad.
24. Kanye West - "Heartless"; I have a feeling that 808 is gonna go down as one of those records that changed everything in pop music and one of the major reasons for that is "Heartless" a tune that shows an actual emotional side to Kanye and allows him to sway back and forth between hip-hop and pop effortlessly. This is a sick sound with fantastic production that trumps most of what has come before it.
23. Lil' Wayne - "Got Money"; With Kanye gone pop Lil' Wayne may have finally stepped into the role of being the best rapper alive (I'm still waiting for the Blueprint 3 before handing him the crown) and this track shows off flow, rhymes, and beats that are second to none.
22. Santo Gold - "L.E.S. Artistes"; I don't care what she's calling herself these days, this song is freakin' amazing and the true star on her fairly overrated record.
21. Lykke Li - "Dance, Dance, Dance"; It seems that each year we have some female pop star absolutely breaking out and this year that star was certainly Lykke Li. She exploded with her debut album and why not. With songs this sugar coated and this wonderful it's hard to ignore a talent this subtle and yet this big.
29. Beyonce - "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"; At this point anyone questioning the pop genius of Beyonce should probably have their critic card revoked. This track proves once again that there are few pop stars as creative and talented.
28. Dan Friel - "Buzzards"; For years Dan Friel has been pushing all the right buttons for Parts and Labor, but in stepping out on his own he was able to shed all the noise that surrounded him in the band and make something that positively shined on its own. This song is the essence of everything, fast paced, noisy, and melodic all at the same time.
27. Mason Proper - "Lock and Key"; I really didn't expect Mason Proper to have much of a shelf life past their excellent debut EP, but amazingly they expanded their sound wonderfully and made this super catchy tune to really make us all take note.
26. Britney Spears - "Womanizer"; When I first heard this I was a bit turned off by the cadence like feel of the vocals, but seriously that simply beat is what makes the song so damn catchy. It just crams itself into your head and stays way past its welcome.
25. The Very Best - "Kamphopo"; Last year AIH took home the top spot in the singles competition with "Heart It Races" so it's not too surprising that this track that relies on that would be on my list this year. What is surprising is that I left this off my album list 'cause I hadn't listened to the record enough before making the list. My bad.
24. Kanye West - "Heartless"; I have a feeling that 808 is gonna go down as one of those records that changed everything in pop music and one of the major reasons for that is "Heartless" a tune that shows an actual emotional side to Kanye and allows him to sway back and forth between hip-hop and pop effortlessly. This is a sick sound with fantastic production that trumps most of what has come before it.
23. Lil' Wayne - "Got Money"; With Kanye gone pop Lil' Wayne may have finally stepped into the role of being the best rapper alive (I'm still waiting for the Blueprint 3 before handing him the crown) and this track shows off flow, rhymes, and beats that are second to none.
22. Santo Gold - "L.E.S. Artistes"; I don't care what she's calling herself these days, this song is freakin' amazing and the true star on her fairly overrated record.
21. Lykke Li - "Dance, Dance, Dance"; It seems that each year we have some female pop star absolutely breaking out and this year that star was certainly Lykke Li. She exploded with her debut album and why not. With songs this sugar coated and this wonderful it's hard to ignore a talent this subtle and yet this big.
8. Fuck Buttons Street HorrrsingFour minutes and forty-five seconds into Street Horrrsing the atmosphere changes for the first time. It evolves from a pretty, hypnotic drone to something a little bit more dense. For the first time on the record there's the cracked and indecipherable effect of yelling vocals through a childish microphone recorder. It's only the first of the changes in atmosphere on a record rife with them, but it's this significant one that sets the tone for the rest of the record. It prepares your senses for the unexpected, before you were just drifting along on a wave of sound but now there's something completely new and totally profound invading your ears. That is the essence of what Fuck Buttons bring to the table on their full length debut and if you can't get behind something that profound then don't bother going past the first four plus minutes of this record.
Fuck Buttons - "Sweet Love for Planet Earth"
Fuck Buttons - "Ribs Out"
7. Marnie Stern This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is ThatOn her debut Marnie Stern welcomed us to the world of her ridiculous finger tapping skills, but this time around Marnie has stepped up her game and allowed her vocals and the drumming of Zach Hill to share equal billing with her guitar playing. This record hits at an obscene pace with loops and fills taking over every inch of space on the recording, but as is revealed from the opening vocals part on the very first track she has put a little more effort into the actually song structure this time around. It makes for a more pleasant listen the second time around but it also takes nothing away from her skills on the fret board. Zach Hill is also as ridiculously good as always throughout this record. This hits hard!
Marnie Stern - "Ruler"
Marnie Stern - "Transformer"
40. Air France - "Collapsing At Your Doorstep"; Etheral, hypnotic, blissfully perfect. It is sort of like a dream, only better. Sorry, it's late I'm light on better things to say then that. But don't be fooled, this is a fantastic song.
39. Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma"; I know I spent a lot of 2007-8 hating on Vampire Weekend, but it is impossible to hate on this track, and the more I listen to it the more I warm to it. Basically, I'm saying sorry for the backlash Vampire Weekend.
38. The Ting Tings - "Shut Up And Let Me Go"; The songs from the iPod commercials have always been impossible to ignore but this year seemed to make that even more so as three of those songs appear on this list. This one pretty much launched The Ting Tings to levels they probably shouldn't be at, but this song is sexy, catchy, and cool no matter how you slice it.
37. Usher - "Love in the Club"; This was the summer anthem of 2008! No it wasn't that effing Katy Perry song it was this one and it's tough to beat as far as big old summer anthems go. The song sound amazing and it's made even better by the brashness of Usher's boasts. You can tell he really did learn a shit ton from his buddy R. Kelly.
36. MGMT - "Time to Pretend"; I didn't fall head over heels like a lot of my blogging brethren did for MGMT's debut record, but it's solid and never better then this track right here. Psych rock riffs, sing-a-long lyrics, this is gonna be a karaoke anthem in a couple years.
35. Erykah Badu - "The Healer"; In case you hadn't heard Erykah Badu is gonna save hip-hop for life. Based on this song I'd say she's already on the case and totally gonna do that.....if Lil' Wayne hadn't already.
34. Passion Pit - "Sleepyhead"; If someone made me a song like this for a holiday I'd be a happy camper. I don't know if this dude is still with his girlfriend or not, but even though this certainly isn't a love song he should be getting away with freakin' murder based on the size of his talent.
33. Harlem - "South of France"; Love, love, love the shout along chorus of this tune and the verses ain't half bad either. It's a fantastic garage rock anthem if ever I had heard one.
32. Jay Reatard - "See/Saw"; Talk about awesome garage rock, few are above Jay Reatard in that genre and this may just be the finest of all his singles this year. I particularly love the big finish, "She creeps me out/She crept me in again!", outstanding.
31. No Age - "Teen Creeps"; Not quite the best of the No Age singles this year (that'll be coming later) but a freakin' awesome song! I love the breakdown in this song, so simple just a couple of quick light notes but it sounds so awesome amidst all the thrashing and crashing of the rest of the track. And that fade out is superb.
39. Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma"; I know I spent a lot of 2007-8 hating on Vampire Weekend, but it is impossible to hate on this track, and the more I listen to it the more I warm to it. Basically, I'm saying sorry for the backlash Vampire Weekend.
38. The Ting Tings - "Shut Up And Let Me Go"; The songs from the iPod commercials have always been impossible to ignore but this year seemed to make that even more so as three of those songs appear on this list. This one pretty much launched The Ting Tings to levels they probably shouldn't be at, but this song is sexy, catchy, and cool no matter how you slice it.
37. Usher - "Love in the Club"; This was the summer anthem of 2008! No it wasn't that effing Katy Perry song it was this one and it's tough to beat as far as big old summer anthems go. The song sound amazing and it's made even better by the brashness of Usher's boasts. You can tell he really did learn a shit ton from his buddy R. Kelly.
36. MGMT - "Time to Pretend"; I didn't fall head over heels like a lot of my blogging brethren did for MGMT's debut record, but it's solid and never better then this track right here. Psych rock riffs, sing-a-long lyrics, this is gonna be a karaoke anthem in a couple years.
35. Erykah Badu - "The Healer"; In case you hadn't heard Erykah Badu is gonna save hip-hop for life. Based on this song I'd say she's already on the case and totally gonna do that.....if Lil' Wayne hadn't already.
34. Passion Pit - "Sleepyhead"; If someone made me a song like this for a holiday I'd be a happy camper. I don't know if this dude is still with his girlfriend or not, but even though this certainly isn't a love song he should be getting away with freakin' murder based on the size of his talent.
33. Harlem - "South of France"; Love, love, love the shout along chorus of this tune and the verses ain't half bad either. It's a fantastic garage rock anthem if ever I had heard one.
32. Jay Reatard - "See/Saw"; Talk about awesome garage rock, few are above Jay Reatard in that genre and this may just be the finest of all his singles this year. I particularly love the big finish, "She creeps me out/She crept me in again!", outstanding.
31. No Age - "Teen Creeps"; Not quite the best of the No Age singles this year (that'll be coming later) but a freakin' awesome song! I love the breakdown in this song, so simple just a couple of quick light notes but it sounds so awesome amidst all the thrashing and crashing of the rest of the track. And that fade out is superb.
10. TV On the Radio Dear, SciencePeople were probably thinking that TV On the Radio would have shifted towards the mainstream with their major label debut Return to Cookie Mountain but nothing could have been further from the truth. Instead the band crafted an album that was as weirdly catchy as anything they had done before. Amazingly it was their second major label record, Dear, Science, that was their most accessible and pop like record yet. But despite the shift to a more pop like sound TV On the Radio are not just selling out, instead they are pushing the boundaries of rock and pop pushing them close together and tearing down walls between genres. This record is all over the place in style and scope yet forms a cohesive whole unlike anything we've seen from the band yet. It proves that they are not willing to sit still, they will continue to grow and develop their sound, and they are absolutely fearless in trying new things. More bands could benefit from the daring TV On the Radio possess, but right now they are one of few that are truly progressing music to new heights.
TV On the Radio - "Golden Age"
TV On the Radio - "Family Tree"
9. The Dodos VisiterVisiter is one of those albums that crept up on me and took my by surprise. When it came out I found myself enjoying all the bombast of the percussion and the lush finger strumming found throughout the record. As it steadily climbed into my regular rotation I became more and more entranced by the graceful lyrics of the record and the way it all comes together over the course of the album. The kick off of the album is obviously the strongest part with the record's two strongest songs "Red and Purple" and "Fools" anchoring it, but as the record wears on the duo keeps experimenting with the structure of their songs and then starts alternating between the short flashes and long drawn out odes which has definitely been slept on a little bit in 2008. All-in-all this was one of my most played records of 2008 and I definitely see this staying in regular rotation for some time to come.
The Dodos - "Red and Purple"
The Dodos - "Jody"
50. The Rapture - "No Sex for Ben"; The Rapture had a very underrated 2008. They released a solid DJ record that proves their record collection is probably cooler then yours is and they of course had this tune on the GTA soundtrack. Obviously if you spent any amount of time playing GTA this year you probably heard this song - a lot.
49. Ingrid Michaelson - "Be OK"; It seemed odd to me that Ingrid Michaelson would follow her wildly popular debut with a record of live tunes, cover tracks, and a couple of original songs, but when your lead single is this hypnotically catchy I suppose that covers for the lack of original material.
48. Beck - "Gamma Ray"; When it was announced that Beck was recording with Danger Mouse I was positively excited about the prospects of what would amount from that collaboration, but Modern Guilt was a little bit lighter then what I had hoped for. Still, the single "Gamma Ray" was fantastic and the cover version by Jay Reatard is just as good too.
47. Jay-Z - "Jockin' Jay-Z"; Who here is excited to hear the new Blueprint album? Yeah I am! After hearing a few of the tracks off it late this year I'm starting to get itching for it, and "Jockin' Jay-Z" might be the best of the tracks leaked so far. At least out of the ones that don't include T.I. on it.
46. Ra Ra Riot - "St. Peter's Day Festival"; This may not be the best Ra Ra Riot song. It is definitely in close competition with the likes of "Dying Is Fine" and "Can You Tell", but this is the only one that was actually new in 2008 and it's a tune that shares a fine line of where Ra Ra Riot is coming from and where they are going.
45. Fucked Up - "No Epiphany"; As far as hardcore bands go there have been few in the last 10-years that have caught any of my attention let alone as much of it as Fucked Up has this year. Their record is one of my favorites of the year (though you still have to wait to see where it lands) and this song may just be the best single on the record. It shakes with bombast as Pink Eye shouts through and the Vivian Girls add some backing vocals to it. This is as good as hardcore music has ever been.
44. Coldplay - "Viva La Vida"; I am no big fan of Coldplay and their world dominating sound, but it was impossible to resist this song in 2008. There always seems to be one of those tunes every year that just lodges itself into everything you see and here and this track may have been it for '08 (unless you think it was Katy Perry).
43. Hot Chip - "Ready for the Floor"; The latest release from Hot Chip spent most of 2008 being totally underrated, but here in the final months people have started to add it way high up on their year end lists. I don't think it belongs that high, but "Ready for the Floor" is a truly excellent song that gets bodies moving wherever it's being played.
42. Jaguar Love - "Bats Over the Pacific Ocean"; My feelings toward Jaguar Love have chilled since they released a record that was half compelling and half filler, but you can't take away the fact that this song is utterly addictive. It just sticks in my head upon each listen and something that immediate should never be dismissed.
41. The Dodos - "Red and Purple"; The first of two tunes from The Dodos (can you guess the other?) "Red and Purple" helps anchor the first half of their dynamic breakout record. This song is fantastic, but it's a little overshadowed by their other entry onto the list this year.
49. Ingrid Michaelson - "Be OK"; It seemed odd to me that Ingrid Michaelson would follow her wildly popular debut with a record of live tunes, cover tracks, and a couple of original songs, but when your lead single is this hypnotically catchy I suppose that covers for the lack of original material.
48. Beck - "Gamma Ray"; When it was announced that Beck was recording with Danger Mouse I was positively excited about the prospects of what would amount from that collaboration, but Modern Guilt was a little bit lighter then what I had hoped for. Still, the single "Gamma Ray" was fantastic and the cover version by Jay Reatard is just as good too.
47. Jay-Z - "Jockin' Jay-Z"; Who here is excited to hear the new Blueprint album? Yeah I am! After hearing a few of the tracks off it late this year I'm starting to get itching for it, and "Jockin' Jay-Z" might be the best of the tracks leaked so far. At least out of the ones that don't include T.I. on it.
46. Ra Ra Riot - "St. Peter's Day Festival"; This may not be the best Ra Ra Riot song. It is definitely in close competition with the likes of "Dying Is Fine" and "Can You Tell", but this is the only one that was actually new in 2008 and it's a tune that shares a fine line of where Ra Ra Riot is coming from and where they are going.
45. Fucked Up - "No Epiphany"; As far as hardcore bands go there have been few in the last 10-years that have caught any of my attention let alone as much of it as Fucked Up has this year. Their record is one of my favorites of the year (though you still have to wait to see where it lands) and this song may just be the best single on the record. It shakes with bombast as Pink Eye shouts through and the Vivian Girls add some backing vocals to it. This is as good as hardcore music has ever been.
44. Coldplay - "Viva La Vida"; I am no big fan of Coldplay and their world dominating sound, but it was impossible to resist this song in 2008. There always seems to be one of those tunes every year that just lodges itself into everything you see and here and this track may have been it for '08 (unless you think it was Katy Perry).
43. Hot Chip - "Ready for the Floor"; The latest release from Hot Chip spent most of 2008 being totally underrated, but here in the final months people have started to add it way high up on their year end lists. I don't think it belongs that high, but "Ready for the Floor" is a truly excellent song that gets bodies moving wherever it's being played.
42. Jaguar Love - "Bats Over the Pacific Ocean"; My feelings toward Jaguar Love have chilled since they released a record that was half compelling and half filler, but you can't take away the fact that this song is utterly addictive. It just sticks in my head upon each listen and something that immediate should never be dismissed.
41. The Dodos - "Red and Purple"; The first of two tunes from The Dodos (can you guess the other?) "Red and Purple" helps anchor the first half of their dynamic breakout record. This song is fantastic, but it's a little overshadowed by their other entry onto the list this year.
14. Los Campesinos! We Are Beautiful, We Are DoomedAs good as Hold On Now, Youngster is Los Campesinos! second record of 2008 was the one that showed that the band has depth and won't just be sticking to one theme or idea for their recorded output. Yes, this record is still knee deep in the realm of twee music but it takes the joyous, happy sounds of twee and pairs them with some miserable lyrics, lyrics that allow you to identify your own problems with those of an artist you appreciate. It's kind of what emo is supposed to be about, but they totally got away from that. Instead, singing about impending doom and relationship troubles the way Los Campesinos! do here proves to be more honest and a lot more fun to listen to. Yeah, it's all about opposites; happy music, sad lyrics and all that, but it's done to perfection on this record.
Los Campesinos! - "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed"
Los Campesinos! - "Ways To Make It Through The Wall"
13. Lil' Wayne Tha Carter IIII believe this is the highest charting record to appear on my list though I'm not gonna go and do the research to verify that. Instead I'm gonna say that there was very little popular music worth listening to this year, but Lil' Wayne certainly was and it was definitely popular. He went from being more of mix tape master to being a bona fide pop sensation. Appearances on SNL and such, but still being real about all the hip hop. While Kanye went to explore being a pop star and Jay-Z was busy working on bringing back The Blueprint almost no rapper was able to do anything more then make a catchy single, Wayne made a ton of catchy singles and songs that were loaded with depth and fresh beats. Yeah, he does a little bit of that rapper singing thing, which I can only take so much of, but he does it in a way that works for his throaty delivery and matches any singing with rhymes that are skillful and creative. This is a fantastic rap album and does a lot to prove his boast in "Mr. Carter" that he's on a level of Jay-Z, Tupac, and Biggie though he's not quite there yet.
Lil' Wayne - "Mrs. Officer"
Lil' Wayne - "Mr. Carter"
12. Max Tundra Parallax Error Beheads YouConsidering that this was one of the latest records to come out this year and make my list it's pretty obvious that this record latched on to me really quickly, but with the catchy electronic sounds all over it it's pretty easy to see why it would be so immediate. It's actually a little surprising that it is such an immediate record considering that it took 6-years to make it and that some of it's reference points are almost 6-years old, but still that only adds some charm to a record that really didn't need any extra charm. The songs are what it's all about though and tunes like "Which Song" and "Will Get Fooled Again" are absolute keepers that should dominate dance floors wherever they're played.
Max Tundra - "Which Song"
Max Tundra - "Number Our Days"
11. New Bloods The Secret LifeAnyone still screaming that "punk is dead" needs to take a look around and see all the music that's coming up these days. Sure, it's not what we traditionally think of as punk with three chord songs that last less then three minutes, but the original idea of punk is well built in a lot of the music we're listening to these days. There may be no better example of that then New Bloods, a trio of ladies that all find themselves living alternative lifestyles and they're seem to be fucking tired of the way they get treated for that. Led by a violin and not a guitar this really doesn't seem like a punk record at first glance, the sound is so jarringly different from bands like The Clash and The Ramones, but the songs are built around that fuck the man, no taxation without representation ideal that we have all been fighting for for centuries. This is a powerful record in song and in music and it seemed to fly WAY too far under the radar for my liking. If you take my advice about one record you haven't really heard of this year, please make it this record! I love it and I think you will too.
New Bloods - "The Secret Life"
New Bloods - "The Cycle Song"
18. Dan Friel Ghost TownAs a member of the wild and crazy New York band Parts and labor, Dan Friel has been an important member of progressing the louder end of NY's noise rock for years now so it shouldn't be surprising to PnL followers that Dan would branch out and make a record like Ghost Town. Thought it sounds almost nothing like Parts and Labor, the record does show off what Friel brings to the band, namely his electronic sounds. This record expands upon them all though, taking them from extras and background noise to the forefront and allowing them their own space to move in. It's an impressive sound that pummels the ear at times, but is always propulsive enough to keep the listeners feet moving or head bobbing. I've adored this record since it was released and it is definitely deserving of a spot on the list.
Dan Friel - "Desert Song"
Dan Friel - "Buzzards"
17. El Guincho Alegranza!Last year two albums were released that had a direct affect on the success of El Guincho's Alegranza!. Both Animal Collective's Strawberry Jam and Panda Bear's Person Pitch set the table for music like El Guincho's to become so wildly popular within the indie landscape. Obviously Alegranza! sounds a lot like Person Pitch with all the looped samples and joyful singing, but it also shares a lot of the less clean and less clear sounds of Strawberry Jam. But to just compare El Guincho's fantastic record to those two would be selling the record short. This is a fantastic, fun record that explodes with a youthful imagination and a wide-eyed acceptance of sounds of every nature. Bits of Latin, tropical, pop, and a ton of other musical sounds fill every inch of Alegranza! with the type of music that just infects your soul with happiness.
El Guincho - "Fata Morgana"
El Guincho - "Pulca Mazurca"
16. Atlas Sound Let the Blind Lead Those That Can See But Cannot FeelSince Bradford Cox was in sixth grade he has recorded music under the Atlas Sound moniker, but it wasn't until his Deerhunter band blew up that people paid much attention to the project. Since then Bradford has been filling his blog with songs from Atlas Sound at a rate that even the Ryan Adams and Robert Pollards of the world would be impressed by. Obviously there have been some misses mixed in with such a prodigious output, but for the most part the bedroom music he normally posts is deeply moving and very interesting, crafted with news sounds and samples and very introspective lyrics from Cox. On his full length debut as Atlas Sound Cox used new recordings, but ones that were obviously given a bit more time and a bit more love as they are fully fleshed out and well rounded songs. They are haunting from the very start which begins with a young child telling a ghost story that truly sets the tone for the rest of the record. The songs on Let the Blind... generally revolve around of the insecurities Bradford has developed due to his Marfan syndrome and due to the haters that continue to heap as much shit as they can on his musical output. Hopefully after this release there will be fewer and fewer of those haters.
Atlas Sound - "Quarantined"
Atlas Sound - "On Guard"
15. Girl Talk Feed the AnimalsFeed the Animals is not nearly the record that Night Ripper was. It has the unfortunate disadvantage of having to follow that record up with fans knowing what to expect from the record and it strips away most of the surprise that should have come with listening to Feed the Animals a first time. Of course the immediate lack of surprise is quickly replaced by the wondering of what sample Gillis is gonna splice in next. For the duration of this record Greg Gillis seems to pack in more and more samples for each song then he ever has before. It blends together and creates something completely new and original, but we all knew it was going to do that. The true test of the new Girl Talk album came when people got done and found themselves oohing and aahing over each new track and the parts of each of those tracks. It's just as impressive as Night Ripper was it's just not as surprising as the debut was and that hurt it just a little bit. But not enough to keep it out of our ears for very long.
Girl Talk - "Hands in the Air"
Girl Talk - "Set It Off"
So the list is still pouring out daily, I know you folks probably want me to get down to the nitty gritty already but what can I say I'm a stickler for sticking to the plan! Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I am only going to be posting the list (and a singles list next week) for the next couple of weeks. I promise to return in 2009 fresh and renewed but for now I need to spend time with my friends and family and celebrate the holiday season not sit behind a computer screen. I'm sure some of you will understand and some of you will be horribly lost without me but there are tons of other blogs posting lists and other things in this time. For example Pitchfork told us today they will not be including albums by Women, The Dodos, Harvey Milk, and Department of Eagles on their year end list. See that's controversial because those were really good albums! Go see who they chose instead, read my buddies on the After the Jump sidebar, check out Gimme Tinnitus and Largehearted Boy for up to the minute sites with lists and of course read the rest of the bloggers listed on the sidebar if you're looking to kill some time. Thanks for reading me this year folks and I swear to you all I will be back again come January 5th or so!
22. Vivian Girls Vivian GirlsI don't know if there's a band out there that has been blogged about more this year then the Vivian Girls. Maybe Guns n' Roses. Between the initial buzz and the obvious backlash the girls faced they had a really up and down year on the internets, but when all is said and done and the music is allowed to speak for itself, Vivian Girls made a really solid punk afflicted record. It fits in well with all the hyped up lo-fi sounds being shilled about these days, it rocks, but it's from a girls perspective and instead of going all Riot Grrrl on us they decide that it's better to tell the truth. They do want the boy to pay attention, they do want to woo him with their looks and their charms, and they will use him just as much as he will use them, but they wouldn't mind a relationship either. It's that straight forward attitude that really makes this record a keeper and I believe as the ladies perfect their chops we'll be hearing a lot more from them. At least I hope we will, so long as all the blog hate doesn't get them down.
Vivian Girls - "All the Time"
Vivian Girls - "No"
21. Pattern Is Movement Right AwayBy melding prog rock and classically trained vocals, Pattern Is Movement have created a sound that is entirely their own. People can say they remind of them of this band or that band, but really can you find any other band that bangs the skins like Pattern's Chris ward does will Andrew Thiboldeaux sings in his operatic falsetto? No way. Not gonna happen. Try again. This band is as original as you can get these days and they exploit that originality throughout their full length debut bringing us music that can soothe or propel all at the same time. It may be a bit much for the ear to dissect at times, but once you break through the varying styles of the two artists you realize there is a meshing point and that it really does all work as one.
Pattern Is Movement - "Sound of Your Voice"
Pattern Is Movement - "Bird"
20. The Walkmen You & MeFor years The Walkmen have tinkered with their sound, giving us albums that were mostly loud and in your face while showing off a subtler side only on rare occasions. This time out The Walkmen have embraced their subdued side and the results may just be my favorite Walkmen record yet. For the first time in their history lead singer Hamilton Leithauser is completely clear in his vocals. They ring out and power the eerie, subtle side of The Walkmen, and you can make out what he means behind all the emotion in his voice. Where The Walkmen have previously reached for the heavens on seemingly every track the band finally realizes that not every song needs to be a classic rock track, instead they can infuse other elements into the songs and allow them to breathe a bit. I've loved The Walkmen for quite a while and I was shocked and thrilled by this record all at the same time.
The Walkmen - "Donde Esta La Playa"
The Walkmen - "Canadian Girl"
19. Ruby Suns Sea LionBy now you've all seen the Windows Vista commerical and wondered what that wonderful tune was playing in the background. Well it is "Oh, Mojave" by the New Zealand band knowns as the Ruby Suns. Obviously that song is the type that can latch on and stick to your brain for hours, hence the prodigious use in a huge marketing campaign, but the rest of their wonderful record Sea Lion is a little bit different. Not that it won't stick in your head, it will, it's just full of a lot of varying sounds and ways for it to become lodged in there. They alternate between styles and sounds, but always retain a pop sensibility few bands ever really master. Each and every song can stand on its own, but they also blend together wonderfully to create the whole of Sea Lion making for an outstanding album.
Ruby Suns - "There Are Birds"
Ruby Suns - "Tane Mahuta"
10. Pop Tarts' CMJ Day Show @ Cake Shop October 21st
9. After the Jump @ North 6th St., June 21stFor the 2nd year of the After the Jump fest my fellow bloggers and I really went over board. We booked two venues and put a stage in the middle of North 6th St. for an entire Saturday full of some of the best bands in town and around. Yeah, we disturbed one couples' wedding (sorry) but with a lineup that boasted bands like Pattern Is Movement, Ponytail, Titus Andronicus, Health, Chairlift, The Shackeltons, Wakey! Wakey!, The Antlers, Pela, Bridges and Powerlines, and so many many more it was a pretty kick ass day in the early summer sun!
8. Yo La Tengo + Titus Andronicus @ McCarren Park Pool, August 24thThis year the McCarren Pool Parties died a sorry death after plans to turn the drained pool back into a public pool were pushed through. Luckily there was still a few Sunday's of free shows this year and the best of the best just happened to be saved for last. With two Jersey bands representing the best of old school indie and new school indie rock we were treated to a fantastic show with a wildly enthusiastic Titus Andronicus and a steady as always Yo La Tengo. Together they made for a really fun day in the sun.
7. Be Your Own Pet @ Mercury Lounge, February 20thWhen I was seeing Be Your Own Pet all the way back in February I didn't realize it would be the last time I was going to see them together. But I did realize that I was seeing a group of teenage punks hell bent on destruction and partying and not willing to stop for anything that stood in their way. When enigmatic front woman Jemina Pearl invited a gent from the audience up on the stage you just knew there would be theatrics, and sure enough when he went to kiss here there were in the form of the band pummeling the dude to the stage. It was a frenzied and energetic show and when word came a few months later that the band had called it quits it was a sad day knowing this was the last time I'd see them.
6. Broken Social Scene + Pattern Is Movement @ NYU, September 4thNormally college shows are not where bands use there best material. They are already being paid a shit ton of money and know they aren't usually playing for their normal, paying fans. But the semester opening show at NYU this year didn't play by those normal rules. First you had the Philly two piece Pattern Is Movement bombarding people with their prog meets classical stylings and then you had Broken Social Scene doing their usual marathon set with Lizzy Powell doing the female parts. It was a fantastic set and though it was short on theatrics it more then made up for it in the musical aspect of the show.
5. No Age + Abe Vigoda @ South Street Seaport, July 11thWhen the noise punks of The Smell infiltrated New York this summer it was one of those shows that shouldn't have been missed by anyone. Abe Vigoda set the evening off with a strong set of their tunes of their fantastic Skeletons but it was the duo of Randy Randall and Dean Spurnt that had everyone excited, and man did that crowd let them know. For those that don't know, the Seaport shows are generally a laid back atmosphere with people drinking on the pier and listening to tunes after a long week at work. But on this Friday there were full on mosh pits and the kids inched there way closer and closer to the stage making the photo pit collapse in on itself. It was wild, it was youthful, and it was the most fun I've ever had at one of the Seaport shows.
4. King Khan & the Shrines @ South Street Seaport, June 27thAs fun as the No Age show was, the King Khan & the Shrines show trumped it for a single reason - the band that was on the stage. Now you all know I am a huge proponent of No Age and the band puts on a great straight forward show, but King Khan & the Shrines are showmen that wow you at every turn both musically and visually. With dancers and the potential for nudity the King Khan experience is always a wild one and though it was tamer for their all ages Seaport show it was just as fun. Khan pranced about the stage and really took command of everyone in the audience with his voice and his general star persona. This is a fantastic live band that trumps just about everyone not on talent but on the size of his star.
3. Sonic Youth + The Feelies @ Battery Park, July 4thTwo of the long standing trend setters of this whole indie movement were united for the annual Fourth of July show at Battery Park. In front of a packed audience and a under a cloudy and sometimes rainy sky The Feelies returned for their first show in ages and did a solid job setting the stage for Sonic Youth. But obviously most everyone there was there to see Sonic Youth and that band has never once let me down in a live setting. As always they were flawless in their execution and the set list was pretty impeccable.
2. Deerhunter + Times New Viking @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, November 7thThis pairing of bands, one a noisy lo-fi outfit from Ohio, the other a garage rock outfit from Atlanta, was probably the single best pairing of bands this year. You had two bands that shouldn't go all that well together, that contrasted in styles in so many ways, but when you sliced them down to their very roots you realize that both of these bands are essentially pop bands building on that same formula of pop rock that The Beatles and others started way back when. On this night both bands were absolutely spot on tearing into the best of their material and magnetizing the audience in the midst. When it's working this well it makes you realize how much you truly love music.
1. Liars + No Age @ Warsaw, February 9th2008 was not the year fro Liars. They took most of the year off, touring only early on to finish up what hadn't been finished by the end of 2008. When I had seen them last before this they were on stage at Madison Square Garden opening up for Interpol. It was not the ideal place to watch Angus and he pals rocks us. But on stage at Warsaw Angus loomed over the everyone, even when he was seated due to a back injury. He is a magnetic force, the one person no one in the audience can peel their eyes from and he dominates everything whether seated or standing. This show was powerful in its rock, kicking off with the loud and energetic No Age and culminating with Angus waving the Polish flag while yowling from the front of the stage. It was some show and considering it took place way back in February and it is still so clear in my mind that seems to justify its placement as my favorite show of the year.
26. Sebastien Tellier SexualitySex and music have gone hand to hand for ages but when I heard Sebastien Tellier's Sexuality for the first time this year I absolutely needed to get it on instantly. This record is sex, it is sexy and dirty and very very naughty and it goes way beyond the man riding the donkey on a woman's naked figure on the cover of the record. Sexuality is loaded with smooth talking and smoother grooves, as Tellier switches effortlessly between English and French and pairs it with silky electronic chord changes. It's a landmine of sexual talk, but it's also got itself the tongue-in-cheek humor that the best sexy records all have. Whether it's R. Kelly, D'Angelo, whoever they've all paired their sexy sounds with just the right amount of humor and Tellier does it beautifully here.
Sebastien Tellier - "Fingers of Steel"
Sebastien Tellier - "Sexual Sportswear"
25. Hercules & Love Affair Hercules & Love AffairIt has become an annual tradition to add whatever DFA has released to your year-end list. Last year you had LCD, prior to that acts like The Rapture and Hot Chip or any of a number of bands on your lists. This year though was all about Hercules and Love Affair who thrust themselves into our regular rotations with their impressive self-titled debut. It's actually hard to remember that this was a debut because it was so impressive and became so ingrained in the independent scene so quickly, but they were brand new and their disco sound, awash in 80's styles was so fresh and unique that they pretty much conquered all of our ears. And that's not even mentioning all the impressive Antony Hegarty appearances on the album, which were probably the initial reasons for intrigue but the record has far surpassed being an interesting cameo record.
Hercules & Love Affair - "Raise me Up"
Hercules & Love Affair - "You Belong"
24. The Lisps Country Doctor MuseumI have said it before and I will most likely say it again but The Lisps are truly from a different time. They were matching outfits on stage. They band on cabinets and other found objects to create some of their percussion sounds. They have recently recorded a sci-fi rock opera. They are truly one of the more unique bands out there and their full length debut definitely struck a chord with myself and a bunch of like minded folk. This record builds on their vaudevillian sound, mixing beautiful elements of folk, show tunes, and pop to the mix and letting it all hang out. While other quirky bands are hanging in one genre or another, The Lisps have the balls to branch out and try new and different sounds while relying on each others abilities to carry them through. Obviously the focal point are the dueling vocals from Sammy and Cesar, but this album is just as much about their rhythm section as it is about the harmonies. Simply put, this record never sits still and I doubt you could while listening to it.
The Lisps - "Documents"
The Lisps - "Red Balloon"
23. Black Mountain In the FutureFor most of 2008 people have speculated about the possible return of Led Zeppelin to the stage, and though the news would certainly be welcomed by yours truly if it ever were to happen, it's probably not gonna happen the way you want it to so move on people. Instead let's focus our attention on bands that are carrying the torch of hard rocking arena metal in proper fashion, especially when it's coming as hard and as furiously as the stuff Black Mountain is doing right now. This is straight up 70's infuesed hard rock. It is built for arenas, but you could probably still see 'em in a 300 person venue. On In the Future the band obliterates the ground work they laid on their debut record, pushing everything to the furthest reaches of their abilities. Heavy, bluesy bass thumps through the record, the guitars riff and soar, everything here is bigger then what they've previously done but they keep in check so as not to become like some of the more popular heavy acts out there right now. Instead they make this music on their own terms and it is more than reminiscent of Zeppelin, it is carrying the torch high and proud for all to see.
Black Mountain - "Tyrants"
Black Mountain - "Evil Ways"
Top Albums of 2008:
#47 - 50
#43 - 46
#39 - 42
#35 - 38
#31 - 34
#27 - 30
"It's Jezebel Music's 3rd Annual Benefit Show for Common Ground, an organization that uses innovative housing development and outreach to end homelessness. There are seven truly awesome bands playing: Neckbeard Telecaster, Lowry, Wakey!Wakey!, Elizabeth Harper & The Matinee, Project Jenny Project Jan, Abigail Warchild, and J.A.C.K."I'm please to be giving away one pair of tickets to Friday's show! All you have to do is send me an e-mail with your full name somewhere inside of it and you will be entered to win. I'll be randomly selecting one entrants name on Wednesday evening so, you'll need to enter by tomorrow at 5pm!!!! Get those e-mails in and if you think you have no shot at winning you can always buy tickets to the show right here!
30. The Mountain Goats Heretic PrideFor most of the last decade John Darnielle has toyed with the sound of The Mountain Goats, switching from the original solo stuff to a more band oriented sound that focused mostly on himself as the protagonist of most of his songs. This year Darnielle didn't tinker with the music, that mostly remained the same although the additions of a little bit of violin and some female vocals was a little different. Instead Darnielle changed his songwriting style, opting for a fictional take over the autobiographical route. The resulting album was something wholly original, well thought out, and creatively inspiring,making for one of the best Mountain Goats albums ever. There still some I prefer over this one, as I'm sure is the case for you, but song for song this is as strong as anything Darnielle has ever put.
The Mountain Goats - "San Bernardino"
The Mountain Goats - "Autoclave"
29. Portishead Third For the first time since 1997 we were bestowed with an album from trip-hop pioneers Portishead this year. But in the year 2008 trip-hop isn't really playing an important role in the musical landscape, and Portishead knew that and adjusted to it. Instead of relying on their aging sound, the band used the familiarity people have with Beth Gibbons voice and built up anew around her. Her quivering voice serves as the one landmark that is noticeably Portishead here, while the music goes more for a jazzy, ambient feel. It's not the only thing they do, as they also try out some electronic, mechanical type songs like "Machine Gun", but the quieter tunes allow Gibbons voice to fill up the space of the music and it's those songs that are predominant trend on the record.
Portishead - "Machine Gun"
Portishead - "Magic Doors"
28. Okkervil River The Stand-InsWill Sheff has perfected his album as story songwriting style. On last year's The Stage Names he crafted an album that used the scenes of a movie as an analogy for life, and with this year's sequel he changes it to a more musically inclined theme. But he still captures the trials and tribulations of life perfectly in his far reaching, novel like style. The songs are obviously the strength of Okkervil River, but as the band has continued on the music has grown more dense and stronger overall. There are orchestral bits, powerful moments of thudding bass lines, and Sheff's own voice has grown across the band's releases as well. It's not as immediately appealing as their break through Black Sheep Boy,. but it is a stellar example that continues to lift Sheff into the upper echelon of indie rock song writers.
Okkervil River - "Pop Lie"
Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines"
27. Women WomenWomen were one of the new bands this year, one of those acts that thrusts themselves into the middle of everything and makes sure people take notice. Their Jagjaguwar debut is loaded with the type of angular post-punk we have all adored for so long, but which has grown a bit stale as more and more bands cop the style as their own. Fortunately for this band of Canucks they were able to breathe some fresh air into the genre, by cleaning it up a little and making sound just a bit clearer then anything we've heard from the genre in quite a bit. Part of the credit should obviously go to their well known producer Chad VanGaalen, but after seeing them live the band obviously had the ideas themselves and just allowed VanGaalen to twist and turn some knobs easily. This is a brilliant debut record and sets up Women to be a really interesting act for the next few years.
Women - "Upstairs"
Women - "Group Transport Hall"
Top Albums of 2008:
#47 - 50
#43 - 46
#39 - 42
#35 - 38
#31 - 34
Monday: Shy Child, Free Blood, Pwrfl Power @ Santo's Party House 8pm $10
All three bands have been buzzed about to no end, but what you may not have heard amongst all the hyperbole surrounding these bands is that they all can play and they are all actually worthy of your attention. This is a three headed bill the likes of which we rarely see on a Monday night.
Shy Child - "Summer"
Free Blood - "Quick and Painful"
Pwrfl Power - "Alma Song"
Tuesday: The Walkmen + The Dodos @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple 7:30pm $20
I've been looking forward to this show for a long time the makers of two of my favorite albums of the year get to hit the stage together. And let's face it when you're thinking up pairings of bands The Walkmen and The Dodos are a no brainer! These bands were meant to play together and I'm ready to rock out with these guys!
The Walkmen - "In the New Year"
The Dodos - "Walking"
Wednesday: Up the Empire + Ford & Fitzroy @ Mercury Lounge 9pm $10
Up the Empire are celebrating the release of their solid new EP and they'll be joined by the always solid Ford & Fitzroy tonight. These bands are both very good and there's definitely not too many better ways to spend a Wednesday night.
Up the Empire - "It's Alight (For Now)"
Ford & Fitzroy - "Buzzard Country"
Thursday: CSS @ Webster Hall 7pm $20
Whenever CSS comes to town it should be considered an event you need to attend! I know their 2008 realease wasn't as thrilling as their debut, but live this band is absolutely spectacular! I guarantee you will have a good time if you wind up at this show.
CSS - "Alala"
Friday: Via Audio, Wakey! Wakey!, Project Jenny, Project Jan, Lowry, Neckbeard Telecaster, + more @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 7pm $15
This is a benefit show for Common Ground, so you should definitely pay your $15, do something nice, and then enjoy all the fantastic local acts they've thrown onto this bill. Obviously Wakey! Wakey! is my personal favorite but there's so many terrific bands here that I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy just as much.
Via Audio - "Developing Active People"
Wakey! Wakey! - "Crazy"
Project Jenny, Project Jan - "Train Track"
Neckbeard Telecaster - "One More Night Like This"
Saturday: Marnie Stern @ Knitting Factory 8pm $20
The end of Knitting Factory is coming quickly and they have stacked their lineup for the last few weeks pretty well, including this show which features tons of solid acts, but once you put Marnie Stern on a bill that's where my attention will go. Marnie is an amazing live performer and now that she has a steady band of fantastic musicians behind here she has really taken the show up a notch. Totally someone you must see!
Marnie Stern - "Steely"
Sunday: Yo La Tengo @ Maxwell's 8:30pm SOLD OUT
I don't normally recommend going to sold out shows, especially when I don't even have a ticket to the show, but Sunday's are normally quiet days for me and if you have the chance to see Yo La Tengo you should take it. I hear tickets for this show are going for a pretty penny on Craigslist so try your luck there or mill about the venue hoping for an extra. Either way good luck.
Yo La Tengo - "Be Thankful for What You Got"
All three bands have been buzzed about to no end, but what you may not have heard amongst all the hyperbole surrounding these bands is that they all can play and they are all actually worthy of your attention. This is a three headed bill the likes of which we rarely see on a Monday night.
Shy Child - "Summer"
Free Blood - "Quick and Painful"
Pwrfl Power - "Alma Song"
Tuesday: The Walkmen + The Dodos @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple 7:30pm $20
I've been looking forward to this show for a long time the makers of two of my favorite albums of the year get to hit the stage together. And let's face it when you're thinking up pairings of bands The Walkmen and The Dodos are a no brainer! These bands were meant to play together and I'm ready to rock out with these guys!
The Walkmen - "In the New Year"
The Dodos - "Walking"
Wednesday: Up the Empire + Ford & Fitzroy @ Mercury Lounge 9pm $10
Up the Empire are celebrating the release of their solid new EP and they'll be joined by the always solid Ford & Fitzroy tonight. These bands are both very good and there's definitely not too many better ways to spend a Wednesday night.
Up the Empire - "It's Alight (For Now)"
Ford & Fitzroy - "Buzzard Country"
Thursday: CSS @ Webster Hall 7pm $20
Whenever CSS comes to town it should be considered an event you need to attend! I know their 2008 realease wasn't as thrilling as their debut, but live this band is absolutely spectacular! I guarantee you will have a good time if you wind up at this show.
CSS - "Alala"
Friday: Via Audio, Wakey! Wakey!, Project Jenny, Project Jan, Lowry, Neckbeard Telecaster, + more @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 7pm $15
This is a benefit show for Common Ground, so you should definitely pay your $15, do something nice, and then enjoy all the fantastic local acts they've thrown onto this bill. Obviously Wakey! Wakey! is my personal favorite but there's so many terrific bands here that I'm sure you'll find something you'll enjoy just as much.
Via Audio - "Developing Active People"
Wakey! Wakey! - "Crazy"
Project Jenny, Project Jan - "Train Track"
Neckbeard Telecaster - "One More Night Like This"
Saturday: Marnie Stern @ Knitting Factory 8pm $20
The end of Knitting Factory is coming quickly and they have stacked their lineup for the last few weeks pretty well, including this show which features tons of solid acts, but once you put Marnie Stern on a bill that's where my attention will go. Marnie is an amazing live performer and now that she has a steady band of fantastic musicians behind here she has really taken the show up a notch. Totally someone you must see!
Marnie Stern - "Steely"
Sunday: Yo La Tengo @ Maxwell's 8:30pm SOLD OUT
I don't normally recommend going to sold out shows, especially when I don't even have a ticket to the show, but Sunday's are normally quiet days for me and if you have the chance to see Yo La Tengo you should take it. I hear tickets for this show are going for a pretty penny on Craigslist so try your luck there or mill about the venue hoping for an extra. Either way good luck.
Yo La Tengo - "Be Thankful for What You Got"
Labels:
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Who: Happy Anarchy, Drink Up Buttercup, & Wakey! Wakey!Where: Martini Red, 372 Van Duzer St., Staten Island
When: Doors @ 9pm
Cost: $5 (which will be donated to Toys for Tots)
What to Expect:
Happy Anarchy; The Staten Island natives cut their teeth playing Island based gigs like this, so I'm expecting a rowdy band surrounded by friends they've known their whole lives. And as we all know, when we get around old friends we tend to act a little differently then we normally would, do slightly crazier things, maybe go all out and put on one of the best live sets this Island has ever seen? I wouldn't put it past them as these boys certainly bring it live and I don't expect tonight to go any differently.
Wakey! Wakey!; Loyal readers of my site already know just about everything there is to know about Wakey! Wakey! and if you've ever been to one of my shows there's a good chance you've already caught him once or twice since he's played like four of them already. But the fact that I keep inviting him back to hear more of his charming piano pop should be proof of what I feel about Mike and his music. Tonight he'll be playing one of those increasingly rare solo performances which are always a treat for fans of storyteller like sets.Listen: Happy Anarchy - "Personal Judas"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Young Ladies"
Wakey! Wakey! - "Brooklyn"
34. Paavoharju Laulu Laakson KikstaWith their patchwork pop, Paavoharju crafted one of the more compelling listens of 2008. Laulu Laakson Kiksta is a record that relies heavily on as many sounds as humanly possible, but pieced together it forms some sparkling pop music. Anchored by the majestic soprano of Leena Uotila, the music of Paavoharju is never straight forward as pieces are pulled from everywhere and spliced together to create a sound unlike many I've ever heard. There are of course touchstones that you could draw comparisons to, but doing so doesn't quite paint a complete picture of what's going on here. It glistens in its imperfections with static, sound glitches, and backwards samples all leading to the perfection of the overall sound. Laulu is like a film reel, built out of pieces and then spliced together to create a final cohesive work of art.
Paavoharju - "Kevatrumpu"
Paavoharju - "Uskallan"
33. The Secret Life of Sofia Seven SummitsFew albums this year stuck to a thematic idea as well as Seven Summits from Brooklyn's The Secret Life of Sofia. The album revolves around true (or mostly true) stories of mountaineering or metaphorical climbings such as on the track "Government Lakes". Around the lyrics and the theme there is meticulously crafted pop orchestrations, a rare element for any rock band, but one that works perfectly for The Secret Life of Sofia and this record. As the characters of the stories make their ascents the music rises and falls right along with them, and the lyrics are perfectly crafted to allow every bit of the emotional journey to seep into our ears. This may have been a slight departure from what the band normally does, but it was their most complete and best record to date.
Secret Life of Sofia - "Nepal, 1905"
Secret Life of Sofia - "Dead Trees"
32. Ponytail Ice Cream SpiritualFor most of Ponytail's amazingly fun Ice Cream Spiritual lead singer Molly Siegel makes nothing but childish, incoherent noises. It is only one aspect of the album, but it is probably the most prominent example of what makes Ponytail so enjoyable. Instead of sitting down trying to force words and lyrics to come she just get a microphone in her hand and let's loose with whatever sounds the music compels here to make. It's inspirational and refreshing to hear a band this loose and this willing to just have fun, and though the music may not be as free form as what Molly does with her voice it is definitely willing to comply with the idea that music should be fun, exciting, and entertaining rather then slog along like some of the more self-righteous bands would. As good as this record is, it pales in comparison to what this band can do on the stage and I would implore you to check them out live ASAP if you haven't already!
Ponytail - "Beg Waves"
Ponytail - "Late for School"
31. Los Campesinos! Hold On Now, YoungsterFollowing up on last year's terrific EP, Los Campesinos! kicked off the year in fine fashion on Sticking Fingers Into Sockets Hold On Now, Youngster. The album kicked off with a ferocious shot to the ears with "Death to Los Campesinos!" a track which has been stuck in my head since the beginning of the year and absolutely refuses to come out. From there the band recycled a couple of tunes from the EP and matched them with some terrific new songs, all of which combined to make one of the catchiest records of the year. Amazingly, Los Campesinos! released another record only 8-months later and that kind of pushed Hold On Now, Youngster further down the list because, as you will see soon enough, I was really blown away by that second record. Still, this was definitely one of the better debut LP's that I've heard in a while and really showed off a penchant for twee that few could match.
Los Campesinos! - "Death to Los Campesinos!"
Los Campesinos! - "My Year In Lists"
Top Albums of 2008:
#47 - 50
#43 - 46
#39 - 42
#35 - 38
Who: Black LipsWhen: March 9th + 10th
Where: Bowery Ballroom + Music Hall of Willamsburg
More Dates
Thoughts: Plain and simple Black Lips are one of the best live bands walking the Earth these days. They are generally known for their stage antics, but lately the band has reigned them in a little to allow the music a little more room to breathe and a chance to rock a little more fully. Just the smallest of changes like that elevated these guys from a much talked about side show to an absolute must see band.
Listen: Black Lips - "Christmas in Baghdad"
Who: AC Newman + Dent May & His Magnificent UkuleleWhen: March 15th
Where: Bowery Ballroom
More Dates
Thoughts: Everyone already knows AC Newman as the main songwriter of The New Pornographers and a pretty solid solo artist as well, but you may not know Dent May (unless you read this site regularly) who will be dropping his Paw Tracks debut in February. His music is divine pop led by his ukulele and his terrific voice. It's catchy, upbeat and definitely something you need to check out.
Listen: AC Newman - "Submarines of Stockholm"
Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "Meet Me In the Garden"
Who: The Soft Pack (formerly The Muslims)When: January 16th + 17th
Where: Mercury Lounge + Union Hall
More Dates
Thoughts: So following all the success and raves about the band during CMJ, The Muslims went home and decided to go and change their name. Not the best marketing move ever, but I'm sure they have a reason behind the change (see: Vice interview). Now known as The Soft Pack, the band pretty much remains the same save for the name, same players, same songs, same amazing live show, all of which are reasons to check them out when they come through town again.
Listen: The Soft Pack - "Parasites"
Who: Franz Nicolay (of The Hold Steady)When: January 11th
Where: (le) poisson rouge
More Dates
Thoughts: As the keyboardist for The Hold Steady, Franz Nicolay and his wonderful mustache have become vital parts of the indie music landscape. But now Franz is stepping out on his own and fans of The Hold Steady may have a little bit of a tough time getting into Franz' solo stuff. Not that it isn't excellent music, it's just not the same bar rock you may be used to. Instead his solo stuff spans styles and influences, while remaining completely original. I've had a little bit of a tough time getting into it myself, but I will probably still give him the benefit of the doubt.
Listen: Franz Nicolay - "World/Inferno Vs. The End of the Evening"
38. Department of Eagles In Ear ParkWhen I first learned that Grizzly Bear's Daniel Rossen was stepping out and releasing a side project album under the name Department of Eagles I was a bit worried that he was attempting to cash in on the success of his other band. Little did I know that Rossen and Fred Nicolaus had started the project long before Grizzly Bear even existed, and even released a couple of albums of sound collages and remixes. So maybe Department of Eagles wasn't a true side project, but a return to something that had been shelved due to Grizzly Bear's instant success. Not that it would have really made a difference anyway, because upon hearing In Ear Park I was instantly won over by the sprawling pop that marks the majority of the album. It's an album that takes no time to find yourself immersed in, yet with each listen you become more fully entrenched in the sounds on the record. Basically it's the best of both worlds, a grower and an immediate treat for the ears making it an album that is so good I almost wish Grizzly Bear wouldn't return and Rossen and Nicolaus could just focus on this full time.
Department of Eagles - "In Ear Park"
Department of Eagles - "Waves of Rye"
37. Mount Eerie Lost WisdomThe sheer amount of songs that have been put out by Phil Elverum in recent years can be a bit daunting. Most of these tunes have been marked with an overwhelming feeling of doom and lingering questions, which can be a downer to even the biggest Microphones fan. So the collaboration between Elverum and Julie Doiron on Lost Wisdom is a total breath of fresh air for folks that have been following Elverum as The Microphones or as Mount Eerie. Doiron's voice adds a certain element of optimism while singing along with Elverum's uncertainty making Lost Wisdom an album that shows off the different sides of Elverum's lyrics. It's definitely an interesting change up from the normal direction of Mount Eerie, but it also doesn't stray very far from what we're used to from Elverum. It still fully uses the 8-track recording style and subtle use of music that has marked most Mount Eerie albums and it is still lovely music that is only enhanced by Julie Doiron's participation.
Mount Eerie - "Lost Wisdom"
Mount Eerie - "Who"
36. Cut Copy In Ghost ColoursIn Ghost Colours perfectly fit as the soundtrack to the summer of 2008. Light and breezy, the record sounds like the way a warm breeze feels on your barely covered flesh, but I wasn't sure if the record had staying power beyond that. Listening to it now it still has the same feeling, but it also remains fresh and vibrant despite the weather being colder and being forced indoors. Cut Copy did an excellent job blending pieces of acoustic guitar, electronic sampling, and encompassing choruses on this record all of which make it an extremely catchy album who's shelf life was longer then I ever expected it to be.
Cut Copy - "So Haunted"
Cut Copy - "Lights and Music"
35. Mason Proper Olly Oxen FreeHearing the lead single from Olly Oxen Free, the insanely catchy "Lock and Key", I became immediately hooked to this record. Sometimes all it takes is one song to make you a fan and that song was so strong that I basically flipped over myself to jump on Mason Proper's bandwagon. What was really shocking to me was that the Michigan quintet had crafted a more then solid record to go around a popular single, and at times exceed the single in scope and style. Songs like "Fog" and "In the Mirror" stand right beside "Lock and Key" and don't get lost no matter how much that guitar riff sticks in your head. Having enjoyed, but not adored, their Short Hand EP I wasn't really sure if Mason Proper was a band that would last or would suffer the horrors of blog backlash, but on Olly Oxen Free they exceeded any and all expectations I could have possibly set for them.
Mason Proper - "Out Dragging the River"
Mason Proper - "Fog"
Top Albums of 2008:
#47 - 50
#43 - 46
#39 - 42
The Good:
Lovvers - "No Romantics"; For a minute and 38-seconds we are introduced to the next in the line of multiple "v" users and I have to say I am thoroughly enthralled by what I'm hearing. Having toured with the likes of Jay Reatard, Mika Miko, and Abe Vigoda this band definitely has a pedigree that intrigues, but the fast, yelped, and almost incoherent vocals are where it's at for this band. This flat out rocks!
Grade: A
Wavves - "SO BORED"; I feel like I'm watching the Mighty Ducks movies with all these V's flying around! But Wavves were the first in the line of multiple v users so I shall cut them a little slack. This is the first track off their forthcoming album Wavvves (that's right three v's this time) and it kicks just as hard as anything off their previous record Wavves. I'm lost in all the v's and the sheer noise of this track.
Grade: B
An Horse - "Postcards"; As of right now the claim to fame for An Horse is that they were "discovered" by Tegan & Sara and invited to open their most recent tour for them. But after listening to this crash heavy, angsty tune I can say that it won't be long before An Horse is standing on their own four legs. This is solid, driven rock that is reminiscent of 90's DIY rock amongst other things. Everyone seems to be comparing them to Liz Phair, so by all means if like her check this out.
Grade: A
Ghostface Killah - "Slept On Tony"; I came acorss this track the other day while browsing the blogosphere and, like pretty much everything else Ghost has ever done, I have been more or less hooked since. I love the warped Stan Lee (I think it might be Stan Lee?) reading some Iron Man lines during the chorus.
Grade: B+
Salem - "When U Sleep"; I like how every blog in the indie music world is telling you to listen to this track while acting gloomy; staring at grey skies, taking meds, and just the general world of miserable miscreants. It's funny, but it also seems to fit the overall ghostly sense of the track with it's odd drum machine beats and haunting vocals. As terrifyingly dark as this can be it's still a great track and should be listened to immediately.
Grade: A
Track of the Week:
N.A.S.A. (feat. Kanye West, Santogold, Lykke Li, & possibly your Grandma) - "Gifted"; Two DJ's have combined to form a project called N.A.S.A. (North America, South America) and have recruited every cool artist ever to be part of their debut album The Spirit of Apollo (obviously a play on the space moniker, but also perhaps alluding the mythology of flying too close to the sun?). If this track is anything to go on this will be an early front runner for record of the year in 2009. I have explained enough, just go listen already.
Grade: A+
Old School Track of the Week:
Bing Crosby & David Bowie - "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy"; Possibly the finest man on man duet in the history of pop music, the vocals on this track are absolutely pristine. But what would expect from the likes of Bing and Bowie but sheer magic? Of course when it first came out it was probably surprising to see Ziggy Stardust next to the guy from your Dad's record collection, but after listening once you should have been hooked by the sheer beauty of their respective croons combining.
Grade: A+
The Bad:
Fall Out Boy (feat. Lil Wayne) - "Tiffany Blews"; Holy jesus Batman! This track sucks balls! The 30-seconds of Lil Wayne on the track do nothing to redeem this and Fall Out Boy continues their descent into being completely irrelevant.
Grade: D+
Franz Nicolay - "World/Inferno vs. The End Of the Evening"; I am a huge, huge Hold Steady fan so it pains me to pan the first track from their keyboardists forthcoming solo album, but this is a damn sappy tune from Franz Nicolay and completely unlike anything I would have expected from him.
Grade: C
Video of the Week:
N.A.S.A. - "Money"; So apparently this N.A.S.A. guy has recruited everyone to be on his record. This track alone features folks like David Byrne, Seu Jorge, and Chuck D. amongst others and it comes complete with a pretty hot animated video. All the visuals are pretty standard for a track that is supposedly opposing consumerism but it looks pretty good to me.
Grade: B+
Bonus Live Video:
Jukebox the Ghost - "What's This?" (via Vimeo); I love when Jukebox the Ghost covers this song, and seeing it live on Friday night was definitely one of the highlights of a very solid show. Now we get a video to relive it over and over again. Can you think of a better way to get in the holiday spirit?
Lovvers - "No Romantics"; For a minute and 38-seconds we are introduced to the next in the line of multiple "v" users and I have to say I am thoroughly enthralled by what I'm hearing. Having toured with the likes of Jay Reatard, Mika Miko, and Abe Vigoda this band definitely has a pedigree that intrigues, but the fast, yelped, and almost incoherent vocals are where it's at for this band. This flat out rocks!
Grade: A
Wavves - "SO BORED"; I feel like I'm watching the Mighty Ducks movies with all these V's flying around! But Wavves were the first in the line of multiple v users so I shall cut them a little slack. This is the first track off their forthcoming album Wavvves (that's right three v's this time) and it kicks just as hard as anything off their previous record Wavves. I'm lost in all the v's and the sheer noise of this track.
Grade: B
An Horse - "Postcards"; As of right now the claim to fame for An Horse is that they were "discovered" by Tegan & Sara and invited to open their most recent tour for them. But after listening to this crash heavy, angsty tune I can say that it won't be long before An Horse is standing on their own four legs. This is solid, driven rock that is reminiscent of 90's DIY rock amongst other things. Everyone seems to be comparing them to Liz Phair, so by all means if like her check this out.
Grade: A
Ghostface Killah - "Slept On Tony"; I came acorss this track the other day while browsing the blogosphere and, like pretty much everything else Ghost has ever done, I have been more or less hooked since. I love the warped Stan Lee (I think it might be Stan Lee?) reading some Iron Man lines during the chorus.
Grade: B+
Salem - "When U Sleep"; I like how every blog in the indie music world is telling you to listen to this track while acting gloomy; staring at grey skies, taking meds, and just the general world of miserable miscreants. It's funny, but it also seems to fit the overall ghostly sense of the track with it's odd drum machine beats and haunting vocals. As terrifyingly dark as this can be it's still a great track and should be listened to immediately.
Grade: A
Track of the Week:
N.A.S.A. (feat. Kanye West, Santogold, Lykke Li, & possibly your Grandma) - "Gifted"; Two DJ's have combined to form a project called N.A.S.A. (North America, South America) and have recruited every cool artist ever to be part of their debut album The Spirit of Apollo (obviously a play on the space moniker, but also perhaps alluding the mythology of flying too close to the sun?). If this track is anything to go on this will be an early front runner for record of the year in 2009. I have explained enough, just go listen already.
Grade: A+
Old School Track of the Week:
Bing Crosby & David Bowie - "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy"; Possibly the finest man on man duet in the history of pop music, the vocals on this track are absolutely pristine. But what would expect from the likes of Bing and Bowie but sheer magic? Of course when it first came out it was probably surprising to see Ziggy Stardust next to the guy from your Dad's record collection, but after listening once you should have been hooked by the sheer beauty of their respective croons combining.
Grade: A+
The Bad:
Fall Out Boy (feat. Lil Wayne) - "Tiffany Blews"; Holy jesus Batman! This track sucks balls! The 30-seconds of Lil Wayne on the track do nothing to redeem this and Fall Out Boy continues their descent into being completely irrelevant.
Grade: D+
Franz Nicolay - "World/Inferno vs. The End Of the Evening"; I am a huge, huge Hold Steady fan so it pains me to pan the first track from their keyboardists forthcoming solo album, but this is a damn sappy tune from Franz Nicolay and completely unlike anything I would have expected from him.
Grade: C
Video of the Week:
N.A.S.A. - "Money"; So apparently this N.A.S.A. guy has recruited everyone to be on his record. This track alone features folks like David Byrne, Seu Jorge, and Chuck D. amongst others and it comes complete with a pretty hot animated video. All the visuals are pretty standard for a track that is supposedly opposing consumerism but it looks pretty good to me.
Grade: B+
Bonus Live Video:
Jukebox the Ghost - "What's This?" (via Vimeo); I love when Jukebox the Ghost covers this song, and seeing it live on Friday night was definitely one of the highlights of a very solid show. Now we get a video to relive it over and over again. Can you think of a better way to get in the holiday spirit?
Labels:
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42. Harvey Milk Life...The Best Game In TownWhen you think of the music scene that has been built up in Atlanta you are generally thrust into one of two different areas. Either you think of the crunked out Southern rap that has been spewing from the city for years now or you think immediately of the garage sound that has been pushed by bands like Black Lips and Deerhunter. But those aren't the only things going down in the ATL these days as a band like Harvey Milk can attest to. Instead of dirty sounding pop music, Harvey Milk goes for a different realm all together taking the crusty lo-fi sound and turning it into something heavier and darker. On Life...The Best Game In Town, Harvey Milk have thrown metal into the lo-fi sound. They still maintain some of the pop sensibilities that the more garage like bands have, most notable thanks to the brief Beatles interlude that ends the opening track "Death Goes to the Winner", but for the most part they growl and dirge their way through the album making a heavy, propulsive record that is like nothing else coming fro that scene. This is a kick ass record that beautifully moves around the band's strange and storied history, while showing some new listeners what they are all about and showing that Atlanta is no one trick pony.
Harvey Milk - "Skull Socks & Rope Shoes"
Harvey Milk - "Motown"
41. Ra Ra Riot The Rhumb LineFor their debut full length Ra Ra Riot managed to harness all of the energy and passion that have marked their last two years as a blogger buzz band. By using songs that have been staples of the groups since it's inception and mixing it with new upbeat tunes Ra Ra Riot gave something to its fans that was immediate and impossible to ignore. Of course they didn't just throw old recordings onto The Rhumb Line, instead they reworked the older material to make into something a bit more dense and even catchier then it originally was. Look no further then the fan favorites "Can You Tell" and "Dying Is Fine" which have gone from being quick riotous bursts of pop, to fully fleshed out and thrilling ballads. Of course the release of The Rhumb Line will probably be most notable as the closing of the John Pike chapter of Ra Ra Riot. A huge portion of the record features songs written by their far too short lived drummer, and now the band presses on as something a little different and must find how to continue what John and they started together without him. It has worked for them live as they seem to play every show like it could be their last, but I'm really interested to see how it affects their future songs, what comes of it, and if the band can turn a terrible tragedy into a thrilling success story.
Ra Ra Riot - "St. Peter's Day Festival"
Ra Ra Riot - "Dying Is Fine"
40. Be Your Own Pet Get AwkwardBe Your Own Pet marked their 4-year existence as a band that wasn't willing to play by the rules. The teen punk quartet built a reputation on making aggressive tunes that wailed with teen angst and teen ire, while transforming their stage show into a riotous, fight filled event. On their final record, Get Awkward, the band translated all the violence and outlandishness into a an all out assault on our ears. Songs like "Becky" and "Blow Yr Mind" were somehow deemed to violent for our society and were pulled from the American release, but when those tracks were added into the mix it made for a blistering sustained attack of catchy punk anthem combined with ferocity that could be a bit scary at times. Of course none of this would have been possible without the band's front woman Jemina Pearl, who bottled up the anger and fury of her young life and poured it into her songs allowing herself to release those emotions before she took it out on some of her fans on stage. It was a wild four years, and Get Awkward was most definitely the highlight of their short lived band life.
Be Your Own Pet - "Blow Yr Mind"
Be Your Own Pet - "Food Fight"
39. Bonnie "Prince" Billy Lie Down in the LightBonnie "Prince" Billy is the consummate independent artist. For more then a decade he has dabbled in the world of indie music, creating consistently good work, collaborating and creating more artists then I have time to mention, and gaining a loyal and dedicated fan base. But for all of that he probably will never make a leap into the more mainstream world, because his music almost defies that. He adapts well, but always seems to be one step ahead of the curve allowing his followers the chance to pass him by taking his changes to the next logical step. Lie Down in the Light seems like it will be destined for the same sort of treatment. Luckily it seems like Will Oldham has finally begun to accept this as this record is built on the idea of modest pleasures like those of friendship, family, and the pleasure of making music. It's a stark comparison to what could be called his best record to date I See a Darkness, which revelled in the down side of life. But obviously that plays a part in the titling of the two albums, Darkness and Light. It makes sense that at this stage of his career Oldham would have found this happiness living in his niche, he's older and presumably wiser making him more willing to find complacency in the fact that he crafts truly enjoyable music and his fans adore him for it.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "You Want That Picture"
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "Lie Down in the Light"
Top Albums of 2008:
#47 - 50
#43 - 46
The EP has been used in so many different ways over the years. A quick introduction to a brand new band. A way to make a couple of bucks while out on tour. Maybe a gap filler between two albums. Or just a way to record something quick and cheaply. Whatever way bands have chosen to use it the EP has become a huge part of the world of music, but they can't quite be held to the same standards as an album. Can they? I suppose in some respects they can, but for my money it seems like a better idea to separate them to see what stands out in the world of the short player. So without further adieu here are my 10 best EP's of 2008!
10. Brownwater Belushi Eyes; The only reason I'm sticking this EP at number 10 (and not higher) is because at 4-songs and 14-minutes long it is just far too short for my liking! As soon as I get through these 4-songs I usually find myself hitting repeat because I just can't get enough of the brilliant use of punk, garage rock, surf rock, and all the different types of rock found throughout Belushi Eyes. It's an outstanding combination that fully uses the band's rotating cast of more then a dozen members, allowing for a broad and intriguing array of sounds. This is by far the best thing to come out of Staten Island this year, and I'm sure that if Brownwater can hold it together long enough they could one day do for Staten Island indie rock what Wu Tang did for Staten Island rap.
Brownwater - "The Brown Green Lantern"
9. Cool Kids The Bake Sale; Rap has experienced a down year like it never has in it's 30-years of existence. Marred by shitty albums the entire genre saw sales drop (who didn't?) and lowered critical success in one fell swoop. There were few standouts and even one of the biggest players in the game bounced to become a pop star. Luckily this pair of backpack rappers from Chicago were around to make up for some of their genre's failings. The Bake Sale EP is a solid piece of rap, with songs that bounce on old school beats and rhymes that follow along in the retro style. Hell, the song "88" details the fact that they're trying to take it back to the old days. But the Cool Kids don't just ape everything they heard when they were back in the crib, instead they translate their present day lives to the old style, making something that is fresh and raw all at once.
Cool Kids - "88"
8. Princeton Bloomsbury; Sweetly orchestrated pop music will never go out of style, and when it's done as well as the boys in Princeton do it you should all stand up and take note. For four songs the band make some of sunniest, peppiest pop music of the year with lush orchestrations and perfectly done harmonies. It makes for an utterly soothing listen, or something that you dance around your bedroom to. Either way you slice it this short player is full of those small pop moments that make you suddenly perk up. A slight violin bit here, a tweak in the harmony there, and all of sudden you are taking note of every little thing the band is doing, and there are hundreds of those moments with all the instruments and harmonies on the disc. So you better do yourself a favor and keep track from the beginning or your bound to miss some of those wonderful moments.
Princeton - "Ms. Bentwich"
7. Final Fantasy Pays to Please; Before the release of his two EP's this year it had been far too long since we last heard from Owen Pallett's Final Fantasy. But now we have two solid EP's of very different sounds to keep us in check until Heartland is released next year. Personally I'm siding with Pays to Please as the better of the two EP's but you really couldn't go wrong with either. With a full 35-piece orchestra, Pallett beautifully re-imagined the works of fellow Torontonian Alex Lukashevsky. Granted, I don't know Lukashevsky from a hole in the wall but this grand work from Final Fantasy should've been enough to get me to check him out. I should probably do that at some point. For now I'll just listen to Owen's version and marvel in the beauty of it all.
Final Fantasy - "Ultimatum"
Antony and The Johnsons Another World; If you thought waiting a year for something from Owen Pallett was bad, try the 3-years we've been waiting to hear a new album from Antony and The Johnsons. Lucky for us the wait was finally ended with the release of the gorgeous EP Another World. Buoyed by the devastating beauty of the title track, this EP serves to remind us what we've been missing in that time. Namely, the subtle music and heartbreaking power of Antony Hegarty's voice. The rest of the short player is pretty damn solid too, but the better news is that we are only a few short weeks away from the proper full length follow-up to I Am a Bird Now! That alone should have you itching for 2009 to just hurry up and get here already.
Antony and The Johnsons - "Another World"
5. The Decemberists Always a Bridesmaid; At this point I kind of feel like there isn't a year that goes by that doesn't have The Decemberists on one of my lists. This year the band almost missed out, not releasing any new material until they suddenly announced a series of 7" singles to be released monthly from October on. Now I know a series of 7" does not necessarily make an EP, but in this case I'm willing to break the rules because like all the other stuff from The Decemberists these six songs are sparkling examples of hyper-literate song writing and excellent musical composition. I was particularly hooked on the first single, "Valerie Plame", a song that perfectly remembers the early days of The Decemberists with a lavish fantasy world and an utterly addictive chorus.
The Decemberists - "Valerie Plame"
4. Animal Collective Water Curses; Like a good majority of the artists on this list, Animal Collective used their 2008 release as a sort of place holder between Strawberry Jam and the highly anticipated Merriweather Post Pavilion. But it's such a good piece of music that it shouldn't be neglected as just a short throw away or anything of the sort. Instead it should be heralded as it obviously marks a progression from one point to the other. It does follow in line with Strawberry Field but there is a definite shift in the band that focuses on the work of Avey Tare a bit more then they have in the past. Now, I'm not sure if this shift is going to stay or not but from what we've heard so far I'm liking the subtle shift in direction from the band and look forward to hearing more early in 2009.
Animal Collective - "Water Curses"
3. Passion Pit Chunk of Change; Originally recorded as a belated Valtenine's Day gift, the Chunk of Change EP was one of only a handful that introduced us to a new act in 2008. In past years there have been tons of these bands, but for whatever reason it was a bit of a dry year. Passion Pit didn't let that affect them at all crafting a fantastic record of pop oriented dance tunes. As far as introductions go there are few that have made more of an immediate impression on me then this one. I was hooked from the opening notes of "I've Got Your Number" and it only gets better from there with tunes like "Better Things" and "Sleepyhead" definitely in the running for my singles list as well.
Passion Pit - "Better Things"
2. Times New Viking Stay Awake; As Times New Viking continue down the slippery slope from lo-fi noise rock to just straight white noise, I continue to grow as a fan adoring every move this three piece makes. Stay Awake followed only a few months behind their well received Rip It Off full length, but it sounds as if the band were tired of their music sound so damn pop like and went ahead a scuzzed everything up a little bit more. There are still dynamic pop tunes underneath each and every dirty piece of sound on the record, but let's be honest and acknowledge that their use of noise on a conventional pop tune is the reason we keep coming back for more deafening amounts of music. If you aren't playing this at full blast every time you aren't listening to it right and you probably hate it.
Times New Viking - "Call and Respond"
1. Air France No Way Down; Air France's no Way Down is the musical equivalent of the Garden of Eden. It is built on the idea of perfection and bliss, translating those ideas into music mixed perfectly with sunshine pop and light, ambient dance sounds. Simply put, it's music that makes you happy. The beach party vibe of the record all but demands listeners get into a pleasant mood, and when you're sharing this in a dance hall or club I can't help but picture smiling people dancing as one to the subtle, perfect grooves of the record. Like everything else on this list the downside of the record is it's running time, at only 23-minutes I feel we're like Adam and Eve ourselves being expelled from the garden far too soon.
Air France - "Collapsing At Your Doorstep"
10. Brownwater Belushi Eyes; The only reason I'm sticking this EP at number 10 (and not higher) is because at 4-songs and 14-minutes long it is just far too short for my liking! As soon as I get through these 4-songs I usually find myself hitting repeat because I just can't get enough of the brilliant use of punk, garage rock, surf rock, and all the different types of rock found throughout Belushi Eyes. It's an outstanding combination that fully uses the band's rotating cast of more then a dozen members, allowing for a broad and intriguing array of sounds. This is by far the best thing to come out of Staten Island this year, and I'm sure that if Brownwater can hold it together long enough they could one day do for Staten Island indie rock what Wu Tang did for Staten Island rap.Brownwater - "The Brown Green Lantern"
9. Cool Kids The Bake Sale; Rap has experienced a down year like it never has in it's 30-years of existence. Marred by shitty albums the entire genre saw sales drop (who didn't?) and lowered critical success in one fell swoop. There were few standouts and even one of the biggest players in the game bounced to become a pop star. Luckily this pair of backpack rappers from Chicago were around to make up for some of their genre's failings. The Bake Sale EP is a solid piece of rap, with songs that bounce on old school beats and rhymes that follow along in the retro style. Hell, the song "88" details the fact that they're trying to take it back to the old days. But the Cool Kids don't just ape everything they heard when they were back in the crib, instead they translate their present day lives to the old style, making something that is fresh and raw all at once.Cool Kids - "88"
8. Princeton Bloomsbury; Sweetly orchestrated pop music will never go out of style, and when it's done as well as the boys in Princeton do it you should all stand up and take note. For four songs the band make some of sunniest, peppiest pop music of the year with lush orchestrations and perfectly done harmonies. It makes for an utterly soothing listen, or something that you dance around your bedroom to. Either way you slice it this short player is full of those small pop moments that make you suddenly perk up. A slight violin bit here, a tweak in the harmony there, and all of sudden you are taking note of every little thing the band is doing, and there are hundreds of those moments with all the instruments and harmonies on the disc. So you better do yourself a favor and keep track from the beginning or your bound to miss some of those wonderful moments.Princeton - "Ms. Bentwich"
7. Final Fantasy Pays to Please; Before the release of his two EP's this year it had been far too long since we last heard from Owen Pallett's Final Fantasy. But now we have two solid EP's of very different sounds to keep us in check until Heartland is released next year. Personally I'm siding with Pays to Please as the better of the two EP's but you really couldn't go wrong with either. With a full 35-piece orchestra, Pallett beautifully re-imagined the works of fellow Torontonian Alex Lukashevsky. Granted, I don't know Lukashevsky from a hole in the wall but this grand work from Final Fantasy should've been enough to get me to check him out. I should probably do that at some point. For now I'll just listen to Owen's version and marvel in the beauty of it all.Final Fantasy - "Ultimatum"
Antony and The Johnsons Another World; If you thought waiting a year for something from Owen Pallett was bad, try the 3-years we've been waiting to hear a new album from Antony and The Johnsons. Lucky for us the wait was finally ended with the release of the gorgeous EP Another World. Buoyed by the devastating beauty of the title track, this EP serves to remind us what we've been missing in that time. Namely, the subtle music and heartbreaking power of Antony Hegarty's voice. The rest of the short player is pretty damn solid too, but the better news is that we are only a few short weeks away from the proper full length follow-up to I Am a Bird Now! That alone should have you itching for 2009 to just hurry up and get here already.Antony and The Johnsons - "Another World"
5. The Decemberists Always a Bridesmaid; At this point I kind of feel like there isn't a year that goes by that doesn't have The Decemberists on one of my lists. This year the band almost missed out, not releasing any new material until they suddenly announced a series of 7" singles to be released monthly from October on. Now I know a series of 7" does not necessarily make an EP, but in this case I'm willing to break the rules because like all the other stuff from The Decemberists these six songs are sparkling examples of hyper-literate song writing and excellent musical composition. I was particularly hooked on the first single, "Valerie Plame", a song that perfectly remembers the early days of The Decemberists with a lavish fantasy world and an utterly addictive chorus.The Decemberists - "Valerie Plame"
4. Animal Collective Water Curses; Like a good majority of the artists on this list, Animal Collective used their 2008 release as a sort of place holder between Strawberry Jam and the highly anticipated Merriweather Post Pavilion. But it's such a good piece of music that it shouldn't be neglected as just a short throw away or anything of the sort. Instead it should be heralded as it obviously marks a progression from one point to the other. It does follow in line with Strawberry Field but there is a definite shift in the band that focuses on the work of Avey Tare a bit more then they have in the past. Now, I'm not sure if this shift is going to stay or not but from what we've heard so far I'm liking the subtle shift in direction from the band and look forward to hearing more early in 2009.Animal Collective - "Water Curses"
3. Passion Pit Chunk of Change; Originally recorded as a belated Valtenine's Day gift, the Chunk of Change EP was one of only a handful that introduced us to a new act in 2008. In past years there have been tons of these bands, but for whatever reason it was a bit of a dry year. Passion Pit didn't let that affect them at all crafting a fantastic record of pop oriented dance tunes. As far as introductions go there are few that have made more of an immediate impression on me then this one. I was hooked from the opening notes of "I've Got Your Number" and it only gets better from there with tunes like "Better Things" and "Sleepyhead" definitely in the running for my singles list as well.Passion Pit - "Better Things"
2. Times New Viking Stay Awake; As Times New Viking continue down the slippery slope from lo-fi noise rock to just straight white noise, I continue to grow as a fan adoring every move this three piece makes. Stay Awake followed only a few months behind their well received Rip It Off full length, but it sounds as if the band were tired of their music sound so damn pop like and went ahead a scuzzed everything up a little bit more. There are still dynamic pop tunes underneath each and every dirty piece of sound on the record, but let's be honest and acknowledge that their use of noise on a conventional pop tune is the reason we keep coming back for more deafening amounts of music. If you aren't playing this at full blast every time you aren't listening to it right and you probably hate it.Times New Viking - "Call and Respond"
1. Air France No Way Down; Air France's no Way Down is the musical equivalent of the Garden of Eden. It is built on the idea of perfection and bliss, translating those ideas into music mixed perfectly with sunshine pop and light, ambient dance sounds. Simply put, it's music that makes you happy. The beach party vibe of the record all but demands listeners get into a pleasant mood, and when you're sharing this in a dance hall or club I can't help but picture smiling people dancing as one to the subtle, perfect grooves of the record. Like everything else on this list the downside of the record is it's running time, at only 23-minutes I feel we're like Adam and Eve ourselves being expelled from the garden far too soon.Air France - "Collapsing At Your Doorstep"
On Friday night Drink Up Buttercup will be hitting New York for the first of three shows in three different boroughs. Of course the best of these three shows is the one on Friday night which is hosted by a certain blogger to raise some cash for the Toys for Tots charity. If you don't already know all the details on that one it will also feature the excellent bands, Wakey! Wakey! (who may be wearing his Drink Up Buttercup shirt to the show) and Happy Anarchy playing at Staten Island "warm" spot Martini Red starting at 9pm for the low low price of $5. From there the Philly four piece will be hitting Cake Shop on Saturday night and Union Hall on Sunday evening. S0 basically if you don't see this buzzworthy band this weekend you'll be missing out and you will regret till the end of your days.I had the chance to ask some questions of Drink Up front person Jim Harvey and he was kind enough to answer them for all of you. So take a read at our little chat then make sure you get ready to see the band at some point during the weekend! I'll see you there!
PTST: It seems that most music journalists have a tough time categorizing what you guys do
musically. Is that kind of what you have strove for in creating your sound? Or was it just some crazy amalgamation of your various influences being tossed together?
Jim Harvey: It's just what happened when we got together. We didn't really strive for anything, we just got together in a barn and played our instruments and what came out is what
everyone is hearing. It's really very pure, for how harsh it is. We scared the horses.
I think it's funny that people try to pick out our influences, when I'm the guy who brings the core of the songs to the table. All I really listened to was classical music and 2Pac. It's funny to me that we get compared to The Beatles a lot because, besides a few of their songs on the oldies station as a kid, I'd never listened to them much. I only checked out the bulk of their material after people started making the comparisons.
PTST: If you had to categorize yourselves what would you call your sound?
JH: Really hot pink and neon yellow thunderbolts hitting the ocean while you are trapped down at the bottom, tied up to a carousel with Luciano Pavarotti slugging down booze and
singing about swimsuit areas, psycho drunks, winning, and incest. One more thing about our sound that I've gotta clear up... when people describe our sound the constantly bring up the trash cans. We don't have a single trash can on any of our recordings, they are just something we use to make our live show more of a spectacle. Which it is. Have you seen my baby head?
PTST: Despite being tough to be pigeonholed you have received some excellent write ups
everywhere you've gone, particularly for your CMJ shows. Was there anything that you did
differently during that week to wow all these critics? How does it feel being one of the buzz
band du jour right now?
JH: As far as CMJ: We haven't really practiced much since our conception, so having all of the shows in a row was cool. We really heard a difference in our playing from the first show of the
week to the last. We got a lot tighter. A lot of bands work out their kinks in practice, we worked them out at CMJ...Besides that, I know I personally slept in a freezing cold rug van every night. Maybe it just helped being warm at the shows? Maybe that made it really exciting? The warmth?
The band du jour? Lots of pressure to ride the buzz. Still sucks going to real work and trying to
fit it all in, now that more things keep coming up. The balance is tough, it's a weird transition period for me, and the rest of the band, taking that next step, with this many pairs of feet.
PTST: Now that you have all this press behind you are you finding it easier to book shows, tour,
hook up with the groupies, or whatever else may be coming easier? Are there plans to get a
full length out to capitalize on all this, or would you rather take your time and do it the way you want to do it?
JH: We are getting all kinds of different things thrown at us now, all kinds of things. I suppose picking which things to catch is the hard part. We just started getting towels at our shows. Dry towels though. I can't wait for hot towels.
As far as an album, we've actually been working on our full length since the beginning of summer '08. It's hard balancing all of the shows and recording and real life shit, but we are making progress. We are going into the studio a bunch after the holidays, so expect something in '09.
PTST: It seems there are a bunch of crazy, hard to place bands coming from Philly these days
like you guys, Man Man, and Pattern Is Movement. Is there something in the water down there that makes you more willing to experiment with sound and different instruments? Do the Philly bands ever try to top each other in the craziness of your live shows?
JH: We don't drink the water where I live. No one should, maybe that's why those other bands are so crazy. For us it's the whiskey. Love PIM, voted their album to be #1 for the year on Pitchfork, you should do the same. We haven't had a chance to play with the Man Man guys yet, but we're shaking our yellow spray paint cans.
PTST: Being from Philly, were you guys excited to see the Phillies win the World Series? Did you do anything to celebrate?
JH: There were a lot of people yelling and running around my alley like jerkoffs at like 2am the night they won. It woke me up. I was scared. I thought something bad was happening, since I don't live in the best of neighborhoods. I don't have TV, and I don't like sports all that much, so I kinda forgot about the whole World Series thing. It was a scary 2 minutes before I realized what was actually going on. A joyful riot.
PTST: You guys are heading out on East Coast tour and playing with some cool band, is there
anyone your particularly excited to be hitting the road with? Is there any city or show you're
really looking forward to?
JH: Not really in particular. I'd like to play with Fiery Furnaces again. They were the best band we've ever shared the stage with, period. Fucking amazing. We like DC, and of course NYC. Always like playing with our friends in Illinois, Creaky Boards, and The Lisps.
PTST: Do you guys have any New Year's resolutions or goals planned for 2009?
JH: No resolutions, just goals: Finish our album, maybe a 7" for the us prior to that, kill down at SXSW, tour US, tour the UK. Quit our day jobs.
PTST: So where does Drink Up Buttercup go from here?
JH: Work till Friday, then we're gonna try and not get a parking ticket in NYC this weekend. Let's take it from there.
Listen: Drink Up Buttercup - "Young Ladies"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Gods and Gentlemen"
Hot on the heels of my Insound give away (congrats, Kim!) I am pleased to present my readers with the chance to win a copy of Justice's brand new live album and video A Cross the Universe! Think of it as an early Christmas present (or Hanukkah if you swing that way). All you have to do to enter is send me an e-mail by Friday at 7pm to be entered to win! That's it folks, one little e-mail and your entered to win. I have two copies to give away so we're gonna be having multiple winners this time around. For now let's check out some previews of what you'll be seeing if you win...
And remember if you happen to not win you can still buy the CD/DVD from either iTunes or Atlantic Records or your local music retailer. Check out more info on the DVD at the Justice Myspace.
46. M83 Saturdays = YouthFor ages M83 have lived in a world where synths and rhythms have overshadowed any and all other parts of the song. Built up in layer after layer of synths and drums the songs often got lost, but on Saturdays = Youth Anthony Gonzalez finally pointed the spotlight on the song giving us an album that is still heavy on the beats and electronics but is more concise and better flowing thanks to better lyrics and more focused singing. It's not a departure from what they've done previously, it's a step up from where M833 normally toils. The resulting album gives us more then it's fair share of terrific tracks, "Kim & Jessie", "Graveyard Girl", "Couleurs", and plenty more. But as good as the tracks are this is a record that can be played from front to back straight through every time and it won't get tired or stale at all.
M83 - "Graveyard Girl"
M83 - "Highway of Endless Dreams"
45. Land of Talk Some Are LakesBrevity seems to be something the folks in Land of Talk are pretty damn good at. On their debut EP the band launched themselves into indie rockers ears in with only 6-songs and 22-minutes of music and on their debut full length they didn't press much further then that with 10-songs in just under 40-minutes. But it's not the length of the songs that matter here, what matters is that they are beautifully delivered by Lizzie Powell's breathless voice and the sharp music that accompanies those vocals throughout this record. It's powerful, hard hitting, and over before you know it so you better pay attention right from the get go otherwise this is the type of album that you could blink and miss. And if you miss it you'll be kicking yourself for a while.
Land of Talk - "Some Are Lakes"
Land of Talk - "Corner Phone"
44. Frightened Rabbit Midnight Organ FightOn last year's Sing the Grey's we were introduced to a group of Scot's who followed in a long line of emotive Scottish rock bands. It was a band that kept things simple and relied heavily on Scott Hutchinson's passionate lyrics to keep things going. But on this year's Midnight Organ Fight the band ratchets things up a bit, expanding on their sound and allowing a more spacious venue for Hutchinson's emotions to spread out in. As impressive as Scott's lyrics are once again it's his brother Grant who takes over this record with his wild and spastic drumming. Without a bassist the drums serve as sole time keeper on the album, and with air-worthy fills and sharp flourishing cymbal hits Grant's skin work is impeccable throughout the record.
Frightened Rabbit - "Keep Yourself Warm"
Frightened Rabbit - "The Modern Leper"
43. Gang Gang Dance Saint Dymphna;Gang Gang Dance have been pushing the envelope on dance music for years now, but for some reason Saint Dymphna has really clicked with me and a lot of other people. The tribal rhythms and new-wave synths here soar to new heights, and the songs have more of a pop aesthetic then anything they've done prior to this. That aesthetic is what allows the band to truly shine through on this record making something that is club ready, but also something that you could just put on in the car and bop around to. It's their best album to date, and that's in a long line of records and EP's that had showed a progression of talent to this point. So based on that this is not the last we'll hear of Gang Gang Dance, but for now I'm more then happy to just let loose whenever this comes on.
Gang Gang Dance - "Vacuum"
Gang Gang Dance - "House Jam"
Top Albums of 2008:
#47 - 50
Cat Power Dark End of the Street
Cat Power - "It Ain't Fair"
Common Universal Mind Control
Common - "What A World"
DM Stith Curtain Speech
DM Stith - "Around the Lion Legs"
Justice A Cross the Universe
Justice - "Phantom Part II" (Video)
Welcome Wagon Welcome To The Welcome Wagon
Pavement - "Old to Begin"
Welcome Wagon Welcome To The Welcome Wagon
Welcome Wagon - "Sold! To the Nice Rich Man"
50. The Hold Steady Stay PositiveIn 2005 The Hold Steady finished #2 in my year-end list for their release Separation Sunday. It probably should have been #1, but the following year I attempted to correct that by putting Boys and Girls in America at the top spot in my annual countdown. After taking a year off from recording The Hold Steady returned this year with their most mainstream effort to date, an album that took them from being America's Best Bar Band to being one of America's most promising young bands. People everywhere swarmed to this band, no longer stuck in just the independent music world but branching out to rock radio and frat boys everywhere. It took them from playing small clubs to huge amphitheaters before hundreds or thousands of people a night. Yeah, as a fan from way back it is a little weird to see a band I had so thoroughly latched onto grow and shift in so many ways but it's also an uplifting feeling to see so many people getting to enjoy their wonderful music. I'll be upfront with you, this is not my favorite Hold Steady album (in fact it's probably my least favorite) but it's still far better then a lot of the other crap that's been released this year.
The Hold Steady - "Sequestered in Memphis"
The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"
49. Kanye West 808's & HeartbreakI can't remember the last time a rapper took a chance like Kanye has on his latest record. Stepping away from hip-hop completely and attempting to redefine himself as a pop artist may be an enormous leap the likes of which we have never seen in popular music, but somehow Kanye West has made it through making one of the most compelling albums of his young career. And that's saying something when your previous three records were some of the most well respected rap albums of all-time. Now Kanye has chosen to bare his soul after an emotionally wrenching year in which he broke up with his fiance and lost his mother. The resulting album is obviously emotionally charged, but Kanye attempts to detach himself from it by running all his vocals through Autotune creating an emotionally remote point of view. It's a stark comparison, almost robotic vocals singing heartfelt and powerful words, but Kanye makes the two worlds work through the overall production and sound on the album. Obviously this is Kanye's maiden foray into the world of true pop music but from the sounds of it it won't be his last and I expect further great things from Kanye in the future.
Kanye West - "Heartless"
Kanye West - "Love Lockdown"
48. Abe Vigoda SkeletonsFor the past couple of years the LA noise punk scene has bubbled just below the surface, lying like a dormant volcano precariously close to eruption. Well 2008 it finally exploded and Abe Vigoda managed to ride the wave at just the right time. Their sound isn't quite as raucous as those of Mika Miko or No Age, but they do a wonderful job of blending noise and punk with other elements of music most notably reggae and African funk. The resulting mix is something that isn't always straight forward but can be immensely fun if you stop looking at the elements and the pieces of it and just lose yourself in the speed and power of the music. It's fantastic, joyous music that makes you want to move your feet and jump around like a mad man, and I honestly don't see anything wrong with that type of feeling especially when it's being guided by such an excellent band.
Abe Vigoda - "Dead City/Waste Wilderness"
Abe Vigoda - "Animal Ghosts"
47. Flight of the Conchords Flight of the ConchordsI think Flight of the Conchords may need to adapt the whole "4th most popular folk band in New Zealand" thing, because let's face it we all know who Bret and Jemaine are at this point. Their self-titled album perfectly showcases the songs that we laughed hysterically to on their breakout HBO show, full of not just folk music but R&B, pop, and a whole shit load of other sounds in between. And of course there is the boat loads of humor found throughout the songs, pretty much the funniest lines found in song since Weird Al (or R. Kelly, though most of R. Kelly's aren't intentionally funny I think).
Flight of the Conchords - "Bowie"
Flight of the Conchords - "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)"
Who: Bon IverTitle: Blood Bank EP
Release Date: January 20th
Label: Jagjaguwar
Thoughts: 2008 was a very good year for Justin Vernon. Not only was his own album For Emma, Forever Ago a critical smash, but he also found success with a number of albums that he produced. Now he's ready to continue on as Bon Iver and has given us just a small sampling of new songs on his Blood Band EP. This is a solid collection of four tunes that pick up nicely where For Emma left off. The songs are quaint and homey with Justin's smooth voice carrying a lot of the short player. The only problem I see with the EP is that people are really looking for more from Bon Iver then four new songs. They want a full length, something more that they can fall further in love with, but for now we'll have to settle for these few songs that are a good example of the sound that Bon Iver is carefully trying to craft.
Listen: Bon Iver - "Blood Bank"
Bon Iver - "Woods"
Who: Nickel EyeTitle: The Time of Assassins
Release Date: January 27th
Label: Rykodisc
Thoughts:First there was Albert Hammond Jr. doing his solo thing, then there was Fabrizio Moretti and his Little Joy project, now comes Nikolai Fraiture's side project appropriately named Nickel Eye. I don't know about you folks but all this so-so Strokes side projects are really making me yearn for the early 00's and the actual Strokes getting back together. It's not even that this or any of the other projects are necessarily bad, they're actually all better than First Impressions of Earth Strokes, but I'd just like the emotion and the energy that embodies the whole era of The Strokes. But I suppose this isn't actually about The Strokes, it's about Nickel Eye who have made a solid debut album that doesn't sound like The Strokes at all and definitely has it's own merits. But listening to this with the memories of Little Joy and Albert Hammond Jr. fresh in my mind I still can't get over how much better life would be if The Strokes would just get back together.
Listen: Nickel Eye - "You And Everyone Else"
Nickel Eye - "Dying Star"
Monday: The Gummy Awards @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 8pm $16
For the first time ever the folks at Stereogum have paired their annual awards with an actual awards show. I'm not sure if they're gonna be presenting awards during the show, but there will be performances from some excellent bands Violens, Bells, and of course a front runner for the album of the year award Deerhunter. Should be a great show and you probably won't need to show up in a tux or walk the red carpet to get in.
Deerhunter - "Microcastle"
Violens - "Violent Sensation Descends"
Bell - "Housefire" (KEXP session)
Tuesday: The Tallest Man on Earth, Marissa Nadler, + Phil and Osophers @ Mercury Lounge 7pm $10
A couple of my personal faves, Phil and the Osophers and Marissa Nadler, are hitting the Merc stage this evening and though they may not have overly similar sounds I think the pairing could make for a really interesting and thoroughly enjoyable show. I'm not too familiar with headliner The Tallest Man on Earth but I'm sure they will fit in here somehow.
The Tallest Man on Earth - "Over the Hills"
Marissa Nadler - "So Long Theresa"
Phil and the Osophers - "La Bastille"
Wednesday: Xiu Xiu @ Housing Works Used Book Cafe 8pm $15
Chances are if Xiu Xiu hit town they'll wind up being listed here, and so it is this week when they hit a venue I've never heard of but where I'm sure they will give yet another completely unforgettable show. It's just the way Xiu Xiu roll so check it out.
Xiu Xiu - "FTW"
Thursday: Sebastien Tellier @ (le) poisson rouge 11:45pm $12
I've never seen Sebastien Tellier live so I can't tell you for certain that this show is a can't miss. But based on how good his latest album was and the word of mouth that has surrounded him for years, I would put money that this is a show you won't want to miss.
Sebastien Tellier - "Universe"
Friday: Pop Tarts' 2nd Annual Christmas Spectacular @ Martini Red 9pm $5
For the second year in a row I'm attempting to do some holiday good by putting on a show that hopes to raise some cash for Toys for Tots. All the proceeds from this show will be going to the charity and for that $5 contribution you'll get to see a few really excellent bands and if you stick around you can do some karaoke. Not too shabby for only $5 and a worthy cause.
Happy Anarchy - "Personal Judas"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Young Ladies"
Wakey! Wakey! - "Brooklyn"
Saturday: The Butthole Surfers + Black Dice @ Warsaw 8pm $25
It's not every day that we get the original lineup of The Butthole Surfers to pass through town and pairing them with the always entertaining Black Dice might seem like a somewhat strange match but I am sure that seeing these two bands together will be a pretty unreal experience.
The Butthole Surfers - "Pepper"
Black Dice - "Toka Toka"
Sunday: The War on Drugs + Drink Up Buttercup @ Union Hall 8pm $10
If you miss them on Friday night (how dare you!) you'll have second (@ Cake Shop Saturday night) and third (tonight) chances to catch Philly's on the rise Drink Up Buttercup. Tonight you also get to catch The War on Drugs, one of those bands that seem to be buzzing around at all times but hasn't yet pushed through to bigger things. That doesn't mean they aren't worth your attention now though, in fact you should probably see them today before they are the next big thing.
The War on Drugs - "Taking the Farm"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Gods and Gentlemen"
For the first time ever the folks at Stereogum have paired their annual awards with an actual awards show. I'm not sure if they're gonna be presenting awards during the show, but there will be performances from some excellent bands Violens, Bells, and of course a front runner for the album of the year award Deerhunter. Should be a great show and you probably won't need to show up in a tux or walk the red carpet to get in.
Deerhunter - "Microcastle"
Violens - "Violent Sensation Descends"
Bell - "Housefire" (KEXP session)
Tuesday: The Tallest Man on Earth, Marissa Nadler, + Phil and Osophers @ Mercury Lounge 7pm $10
A couple of my personal faves, Phil and the Osophers and Marissa Nadler, are hitting the Merc stage this evening and though they may not have overly similar sounds I think the pairing could make for a really interesting and thoroughly enjoyable show. I'm not too familiar with headliner The Tallest Man on Earth but I'm sure they will fit in here somehow.
The Tallest Man on Earth - "Over the Hills"
Marissa Nadler - "So Long Theresa"
Phil and the Osophers - "La Bastille"
Wednesday: Xiu Xiu @ Housing Works Used Book Cafe 8pm $15
Chances are if Xiu Xiu hit town they'll wind up being listed here, and so it is this week when they hit a venue I've never heard of but where I'm sure they will give yet another completely unforgettable show. It's just the way Xiu Xiu roll so check it out.
Xiu Xiu - "FTW"
Thursday: Sebastien Tellier @ (le) poisson rouge 11:45pm $12
I've never seen Sebastien Tellier live so I can't tell you for certain that this show is a can't miss. But based on how good his latest album was and the word of mouth that has surrounded him for years, I would put money that this is a show you won't want to miss.
Sebastien Tellier - "Universe"
Friday: Pop Tarts' 2nd Annual Christmas Spectacular @ Martini Red 9pm $5
For the second year in a row I'm attempting to do some holiday good by putting on a show that hopes to raise some cash for Toys for Tots. All the proceeds from this show will be going to the charity and for that $5 contribution you'll get to see a few really excellent bands and if you stick around you can do some karaoke. Not too shabby for only $5 and a worthy cause.
Happy Anarchy - "Personal Judas"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Young Ladies"
Wakey! Wakey! - "Brooklyn"
Saturday: The Butthole Surfers + Black Dice @ Warsaw 8pm $25
It's not every day that we get the original lineup of The Butthole Surfers to pass through town and pairing them with the always entertaining Black Dice might seem like a somewhat strange match but I am sure that seeing these two bands together will be a pretty unreal experience.
The Butthole Surfers - "Pepper"
Black Dice - "Toka Toka"
Sunday: The War on Drugs + Drink Up Buttercup @ Union Hall 8pm $10
If you miss them on Friday night (how dare you!) you'll have second (@ Cake Shop Saturday night) and third (tonight) chances to catch Philly's on the rise Drink Up Buttercup. Tonight you also get to catch The War on Drugs, one of those bands that seem to be buzzing around at all times but hasn't yet pushed through to bigger things. That doesn't mean they aren't worth your attention now though, in fact you should probably see them today before they are the next big thing.
The War on Drugs - "Taking the Farm"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Gods and Gentlemen"
(You are warned that this video is a robust 15 minutes and 29 seconds long, but it does cover four Jukebox songs, "Fire In the Sky", "Where Are All the Scientists Now?", "Under My Skin", and "Matter of Time".)
It had been a few months since I had last seen Jukebox the Ghost last, but last night when they took the stage at Knitting Factory I was absolutely floored by how much they've grown as a band in that short period of time. With the room packed full of fans ready to sing along to every word, the band launched into songs from their debut album Live and Let Ghost as well as a couple of new tunes and a song from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was a brilliant pairing of songs meshing their most emotionally deep song ("My Heart's the Same") with their quirky, upbeat pop tunes ("Hold It In", "Good Day", etc.), that showcased a wide range of styles and abilities. Ben, Tommy, and Jesse have all grown immensely as musicians, but they maintained their ability to connect with the audience through crafty stage banter and a Storytellers type atmosphere. All in all it was a night for us to relax and relish in the rhythms and fun of all their songs.
Who: Phonograph, Salt & Samovar, + The LispsWhere: Studio at Webster Hall
When: 8pm
Cost: $10
What to Expect: Insanity. Hilarity. Dancing. Oh yeah and there may be some music thrown in there too. All of these bands are top notch performers, not only in the musical variety but also in their general stage presence. Specifically I am speaking of The Lisps near vaudevillian performances but Salt & Samovar does a lot of similar things and Phonograph is just captivating. Should be an excellent all around show.
Listen: Phonograph - "Watch and Ward"
Salt & Samovar - "Perfume"
The Lisps - "Documents"
Who: Jukebox the GhostWhere: Knitting Factory
When: 8pm
Cost: $10
What to Expect: It's actually been quite some time since I last saw Jukebox the Ghost and I've kind of been itching for that peppy, upbeat brand of quirky pop music they make, but I was entirely convinced that I'd be going to their show tonight. That was until I heard that there are a bunch of new songs in the set list for the band lately and that alone will be worth the price of admission. I wonder what kooked out crazy sorts of songs these boys have come up for us now, but I won't have to wonder very long now!
Listen: Jukebox the Ghost - "Victoria"
Jukebox the Ghost - "Miss Templeton's 7000th Dream"
Who: Lil' WayneWhen: Jan. 16th
Where: Nassau Coliseum
More Dates
Thoughts:Yesterday Lil' Wayne was nominated for 8 freakin' Grammy awards. I don't know about you, but I'm thoroughly impressed that the RIAA actually acknowledged one of the few good things in pop music this year. Obviously this isn't really about this, Wayne has announced his tour and he's coming to New York though only to Long Island. That said, it's definitely worth the trip oout there to see this spectacle unfold on stage.
Listen: Lil' Wayne - "Hot Revolver"
Who: The PoguesWhen: March 12th + 13th
Where: Roseland Ballroom
More Dates
Thoughts: It seems every year around the time of a certain Irish-centric holiday this Irish band mysteriously appears in our fair city. I guess we just celebrate harder then the actual Irish that they keep coming back here each year. Of course you will have to face the seemingly eternal Roseland conundrum.
Listen: The Pogues - "Fairytale of New York"
Who: The RosebudsWhen: January 16th
Where: Bowery Ballroom
More Dates
Thoughts: The Rosebuds are heading back to New York. I'm not their biggest fan but their music is definitely enjoyable and I'm sure for a lot of you it's more then that. So if you're one of those folks go get yourself a ticket and enjoy.
Listen: The Rosebuds - "In the Backyard"
Who: Department of EaglesWhen: January 19th
Where: Bowery Ballroom
More Dates
Thoughts: For a side project, Department of Eagles has had a pretty amazing year. They've released one of the best records of the year (yes it's on my list, but I won't tell you where!!!) and toured a shit ton. Of course this will most likely be the last tour for the time being because I'm sure Grizzly Bear will be kicking things into gear sometime in the New Year. Really, if we alternate years with Grizzly Bear and Department of Eagles I'll be okay with that.
Listen: Department of Eagles - "Teenagers"
Who: IllinoisWhen: January 14th
Where: Rehab
More Dates
Thoughts: Apparently Illinois have been doing some crazy thing with the internet and videos and touring some cities for the release of each of these internet video things. That seems like a lot of Illinois to me, but the band is definitely worth your attention when they are playing your city. So take note New York, Boston, and Chicago and get your asses to their show!
Listen: Illinois - "Nosebleed"
Who: The RaveonettesWhen: January 16th
Where: Webster Hall
More Dates
Thoughts: I don't know very much about The Raveonettes but I like their new Christmas song just fine and I know a lot of you out there adore them. That said, I will probably not show up to a Webster Hall show for a band that I can't sing-a-long to every single song.
Listen: The Raveonettes - "The Christmas Song"
Who: Murder By DeathWhen: February 6th
Where: Bowery Ballroom
More Dates
Thoughts: Solid band, solid tunes, and apparently they have a very good live show from what I've heard. I'll definitely put these guys on my list of band to see.
Listen: Murder By Death - "Fuego!"
Who: The PretendersWhen: January 30th
Where: Roseland Ballroom
More Dates
Thoughts: I was a little disappointed by the new release from The Pretenders this year. Not that Break Up the Concrete is a bad record by any means, I was just expecting a lot more from it for some reason or another. I guess you can't be too picky about a band that puts out one album every 6-years or so, but then again maybe you can be. I mean they did have 6-years to get it right didn't they?
Listen: The Pretenders - "Almost Perfect"
Who: Tokyo Police ClubWhen: February 24th
Where: Webster Hall
More Dates
Thoughts: Tokyo Police Club are one of the most fun bands out there as is indicated by the press photo to the left. But if they still haven't quite won you over just yet take a chance on their live which will definitely make you a fan for life. Live they are absolutely incredible, putting on a show that will make you move about and sing along and all those wonderful show going actions the kids are taking part in these days. Definitely do yourself a favor and spring for a ticket you won't regret it.
Listen: Tokyo Police Club - "Sixties Remake"
Who: Fleetwood MacWhen: March 19th
Where: Madison Square Garden
More Dates
Thoughts: I got the press release for Fleetwood Mac and I did a double take for a second. I honestly was a little doubtful that Fleetwood Mac would be touring in the year 2009, but here you have the folks behind Rumors are indeed hitting the road and will be making a stop in New York (surprise, surprise). Obviously a band of their magnitude is probably worthy of at least thinking about picking up tickets and I'll be doing that for the next couple of days but I'm leaning towards going to check it out.
Listen: Fleetwood Mac - "Second Hand News"
Who: Fucked UpWhen: January 20th
Where: Danbro Studios
More Dates
Thoughts: Fucked Up are getting a shit ton of play on the old iPod recently as their latest album, The Chemistry of Common Life has definitely been one of my favorites this year. But I hear that pales in comparison to what they can do live and since I have been kicking myself in the ass since I missed their 12-hour show you can bet the house that I will be at this New York appearance!
Listen: Fucked Up - "Looking for God"
Who: Britney SpearsWhen: March 13th
Where: Prudential Center
More Dates
Thoughts: So the pop princess has cleaned up her act and is on a bona fide comeback whirlwind huh. Okay, fair enough and good for her. Britney has been responsible for some of the more acceptable pop music of the last decade, but her last couple of records have left a lot to be desired. I still haven't heard Circus but I'm sure I'll give it a spin or two at some point. Is it worth the trek to Newark to see her? That one I'm on the fence about, though I definitely enjoyed seeing her back in the late 90's.
Listen: Britney Spears - "Amnesia"
Who: Antony & The JohnsonsWhen: February 19th + 20th
Where: Town Hall
More Dates
Thoughts: I'm loving the new EP from Antony & The Johnsons, but in all honesty it's just a little too short for me. What I'm really looking forward to is a full album, which will be coming early on in the new year! I'm excited to see what the band does to follow-up their breakout album and I'm sure seeing them with the solid acoustics of Town Hall will be something to witness.
Listen: Antony & The Johnsons - "Another World"
When I first put Amadou and Mariam's latest disc, Welcome to Mali, on my computer my iTunes program went ahead and classified as an "unclassified" genre. That's probably a good thing because whatever genre you may try to stick this into it doesn't quite fit because it really fits in them all. Bits of reggae, hip hop, funk, soul, rock, pop, all show their heads at times during Welcome to Mali showing off a surprising willingness to experiment with their sound after 30-years of music making. It all leads to one of the better, more interesting albums of the year, a record that embraces the listener with all sorts of sounds while challenging itself. I'm not the biggest listener of world music but something about Amadou and Mariam manages to grab me, and though I'm technically out of my comfort zone amongst the foreign language and strange instruments I never feel like I'm out of place listening to their music. It's thoroughly inviting to the ear, so much so that anyone from any walk of life could put this on and be invigorated by the music enough to get up and dance. As big and eye opening as Dimanche a Bamako was this new album has the potential to reach more ears and draw more listeners into their ever expanding cabal of fans.Amadou and Mariam - "Sabali"
Amadou and Mariam - "Djuru"
Amadou and Mariam - "Je Te Kiffe"
Right from the start Clipse makes sure you know that this mixtape is just a prelude to what's coming next. In other words, you like this wait till you hear what we got for you on Till the Casket Drops! And you will like this believe it. In a year that has been terribly disappointing for hip hop, this could be the finest release any rapper has given us this year (if it weren't for Lil' Wayne) and it's only a fucking mixtape! You know Malice and Pusha T were taking it easy on this one, using the B-list beats and throwing out the best rhymes they could without wasting too much. The only drawback to this mixtape is that it is basically an advertisement for Till the Casket Drops and they make you know it again and again and again until you're a little sick of them saying the title of their next record. As annoying as that gets everything else here is top notch material. The beats are incredible, which bodes really well for the record, and the rhymes are sick, pertinent, timely, and have a sense of urgency that has been missing from most rappers all year long. It's as if these words need to come out of Malice and Pusha T, they are forcing their way out and there's nothing they can do about it. All of that leads to a sound of passion and desperation that make this fantastic. I don't know about you guys but as soon as this was over I was itching to hear Till the Casket Drops right then, too bad we gotta wait a few weeks for that.Clipse - "Addiction"
Clipse - "S.L.U."
The Good:
Jay-Z (feat. Santogold) - "Brooklyn (Go Hard)"; The first track to drip out from the soundtrack of the upcoming Biggie biopic. Makes sense that it's the Jay track on the album and let's face it throwing Santogold on your record is basically screaming out to all those white Kanye fans (like me) to come listen to this H.O.V. track. And we will be running to this in droves because it is a damn fine Jay-Z song with solid lyrics that tout the borough, a shout-a-long chorus, and some fine beats. It would've been in consideration for my 2008 tracks list, but that shit's done already and I'm not changing it!
Grade: A
Noah and the Whale - "Devil Town"; On this cover of a Daniel Johnston song, Noah and the Whale take a song from a tough artist to cover and create something that is passionate, thoughtful, and very careful put together. The gentle opening of the violin, light drum, and guitar is so subtle and pretty that it draws you into the track. From there the band quietly and reverently cover the beloved Johnston to a tee.
Grade: B+
Lil Wayne (feat. The Game) - "Red Magic"; Lil Wayne has been doing a great job guesting on tracks and having solid guests on his tracks lately, but this one is kind of a stretch. Yes, The Game had a solid 2008 in terms of sales and radio hits, but does anyone actually like his new album? I'm betting that's a "not really" answer at best which leads me to question why he allows The Game to take such a featured role on this tune. That and the chorus is just a little overdown for my tastes. But it still is a Lil Wayne tune which means it's saved by his own verses.
Grade: B
Or, the Whale - "Call and Response"; With intelligent lyrics, a penchant for melody, and a mild country twang it's easy to peg Or. the Whale as being somewhere directly between the likes of Wilco and The Decemberists and honestly placing them there would be perfectly fitting of a band that obviously takes a queue from the written word (hello, Melville reference!). It's peppy and upbeat but has a soul that is led by the fuzzy choruses throughout the track. Something tells me this band could have a breakout moment in the near future.
Grade: A
Alela Diane - "White As Diamonds"; Having already released this lovely song as part of a Daytrotter session, Alela Diane must have known she would have to step it up for the album version because this ratchets up the lush instrumentation to go along with her gorgeous vocals. It creates a somber, haunting track that will stay with you long after the last note has been sung. This immediately makes Alela's forthcoming album, To Be Still, one to watch out for in the early months of '09!
Grade: A
Track of the Week:
Surf City - "Headin' Inside"; This is an absolute blast of a song. 2+ minutes of reckless abandon, lo-fi orientation, pop sensibilities, and blistering instrumentation make this an immediately impressive song. I'm actually just going to listen to this on non-stop repeat for the next couple of days 'cause it really is knocking my sock off.
Grade: A+
Old School Track of the Week:
The Kinks - "Father Christmas"; For the next couple of weeks the Old School track is gonna be coming from my expansive collection of Christmas music. That's right folks, I like the holidya music and tis the season to be jolly! I kick things of with one of the best Christmas songs ever written The Kinks' "Father Christmas"! Let's face it folks when this tune was release in 1977 people were drowning in the retread Christmas classics that had been done to death (of course being born in 1980 I don't know this information personally, but I assume that's the way it was), so I believe that all the good little up-and-coming punk rockers rejoiced at hearing an honest to goodness new Christmas song that winter. It's a tune about getting what we really want for Christmas and for deriding people with the means to get some of the finer things in life. What could be better then that?
Grade: A+
The Bad:
DM Stith - "Around the Lion Legs"; As a member of Asthmatic Kitty DM Stith has access to some of the best musicians in the world today and on this track he takes advantage of the label's roster by enlisting Sufjan and My Brightest Diamond to his tune, yet somehow this just comes off as a bit too pretentious and a bit too prattling for my tastes. It's definitely got some fantastic music, but it lacks the charm that Shara Worden and Sufjan Stevens have managed to stuff into their music. In other words, it's a decent enough tune I'm just not feeling it all that much at the moment.
Grade: C+
Video of the Week:
Birdmonster - "Born to Be Your Man"; It's been a while since we last spoke of the blog faves from California Birdmonster. But here the boys are making me second guess my year-end list by reminding me how good this song is with a video that is solid (though does remind of some videos from the mid-90's a bit too much). I really like this song, please excuse me while I go do some moving around on the old lists.
Grade: B
Jay-Z (feat. Santogold) - "Brooklyn (Go Hard)"; The first track to drip out from the soundtrack of the upcoming Biggie biopic. Makes sense that it's the Jay track on the album and let's face it throwing Santogold on your record is basically screaming out to all those white Kanye fans (like me) to come listen to this H.O.V. track. And we will be running to this in droves because it is a damn fine Jay-Z song with solid lyrics that tout the borough, a shout-a-long chorus, and some fine beats. It would've been in consideration for my 2008 tracks list, but that shit's done already and I'm not changing it!
Grade: A
Noah and the Whale - "Devil Town"; On this cover of a Daniel Johnston song, Noah and the Whale take a song from a tough artist to cover and create something that is passionate, thoughtful, and very careful put together. The gentle opening of the violin, light drum, and guitar is so subtle and pretty that it draws you into the track. From there the band quietly and reverently cover the beloved Johnston to a tee.
Grade: B+
Lil Wayne (feat. The Game) - "Red Magic"; Lil Wayne has been doing a great job guesting on tracks and having solid guests on his tracks lately, but this one is kind of a stretch. Yes, The Game had a solid 2008 in terms of sales and radio hits, but does anyone actually like his new album? I'm betting that's a "not really" answer at best which leads me to question why he allows The Game to take such a featured role on this tune. That and the chorus is just a little overdown for my tastes. But it still is a Lil Wayne tune which means it's saved by his own verses.
Grade: B
Or, the Whale - "Call and Response"; With intelligent lyrics, a penchant for melody, and a mild country twang it's easy to peg Or. the Whale as being somewhere directly between the likes of Wilco and The Decemberists and honestly placing them there would be perfectly fitting of a band that obviously takes a queue from the written word (hello, Melville reference!). It's peppy and upbeat but has a soul that is led by the fuzzy choruses throughout the track. Something tells me this band could have a breakout moment in the near future.
Grade: A
Alela Diane - "White As Diamonds"; Having already released this lovely song as part of a Daytrotter session, Alela Diane must have known she would have to step it up for the album version because this ratchets up the lush instrumentation to go along with her gorgeous vocals. It creates a somber, haunting track that will stay with you long after the last note has been sung. This immediately makes Alela's forthcoming album, To Be Still, one to watch out for in the early months of '09!
Grade: A
Track of the Week:
Surf City - "Headin' Inside"; This is an absolute blast of a song. 2+ minutes of reckless abandon, lo-fi orientation, pop sensibilities, and blistering instrumentation make this an immediately impressive song. I'm actually just going to listen to this on non-stop repeat for the next couple of days 'cause it really is knocking my sock off.
Grade: A+
Old School Track of the Week:
The Kinks - "Father Christmas"; For the next couple of weeks the Old School track is gonna be coming from my expansive collection of Christmas music. That's right folks, I like the holidya music and tis the season to be jolly! I kick things of with one of the best Christmas songs ever written The Kinks' "Father Christmas"! Let's face it folks when this tune was release in 1977 people were drowning in the retread Christmas classics that had been done to death (of course being born in 1980 I don't know this information personally, but I assume that's the way it was), so I believe that all the good little up-and-coming punk rockers rejoiced at hearing an honest to goodness new Christmas song that winter. It's a tune about getting what we really want for Christmas and for deriding people with the means to get some of the finer things in life. What could be better then that?
Grade: A+
The Bad:
DM Stith - "Around the Lion Legs"; As a member of Asthmatic Kitty DM Stith has access to some of the best musicians in the world today and on this track he takes advantage of the label's roster by enlisting Sufjan and My Brightest Diamond to his tune, yet somehow this just comes off as a bit too pretentious and a bit too prattling for my tastes. It's definitely got some fantastic music, but it lacks the charm that Shara Worden and Sufjan Stevens have managed to stuff into their music. In other words, it's a decent enough tune I'm just not feeling it all that much at the moment.
Grade: C+
Video of the Week:
Birdmonster - "Born to Be Your Man"; It's been a while since we last spoke of the blog faves from California Birdmonster. But here the boys are making me second guess my year-end list by reminding me how good this song is with a video that is solid (though does remind of some videos from the mid-90's a bit too much). I really like this song, please excuse me while I go do some moving around on the old lists.
Grade: B
Labels:
alela diane,
birdmonster,
jay-z,
lil wayne,
mp3's,
or the whale,
surf city,
video of the week
Who: VF_DosLocation: Staten Island, NY
Thoughts: I have been asked to not reveal the identity of VF_Dos in this profile of his music. But believe me, if you are ingrained in the Staten Island scene of independent music you have probably met the man behind the electronic sounds and melodic vocals. The man behind the curtain doesn't really matter all that much though, provided he's still pumping out great tunes behind his computer screen of anonymity, and VF_Dos does just that. With music that is electronically tinged and synthesized he manages to craft something that still has something of a heart thanks to his ear for melody. And though he doesn't have the greatest singing voice ever he does an admirable job of conveying his lyrics on top of all these sounds. This isn't the most revolutionary music in the world, but it is a cool, well developed sound and it's something I think a lot of you will enjoy if you give it a chance. So go on and do that now and maybe if you ask me enough times I'll reveal his secret identity.
Listen: VF_DOS - "Dark Sunlight"
VF_DOS - "Space Terror"
What: Pop Tarts Suck Toasted's 2nd Annual Christmas Spectacular!!!Who: Happy Anarchy, Drink Up Buttercup, Wakey! Wakey!
When: Friday, December 12th
Where: Martini Red, 372 Van Duzer St., Staten Island, NY, 10304
Time: 9pm
Cost: $5 (proceeds to be donated to Toys for Tots)
More Info Soon
Listen: Happy Anarchy - "Personal Judas"
Drink Up Buttercup - "Young Ladies"
Wakey! Wakey! - "Brooklyn"
