Albums Of The Year 2011
2011 unfortunately saw me probably the least involved musically as any year I can remember, as evidenced by the scarcity of my posting over the past twelve months. But that doesn't mean I wasn't listening, and it certainly doesn't mean there weren't any records that I didn't absolutely love. So here it is, from the "better late than never" file, but favorite albums of last year.
1. The Duke Spirit – Bruiser
At this point The Duke Spirit ought to be a household name, at least among the more musically minded. They have an incredible live show, they’re road warriors that are almost constantly touring, they’ve got a great sound that isn’t derivative of anyone else, their songwriting keeps getting better and better, and they have possibly the best front woman out there right now. This is their third album on their third different label, a run of bad luck that would derail the path of less dedicated bands. Bruiser manages to sound a bit more lush and melodic than Neptune, but without going soft. The hooks are bigger, but without sounding overly polished. After being released over the pond last September, and getting a digital release in the states in November, it finally got released domestically on CD last week (with bonus tracks!), so go find out what you've probably been missing out on.
2. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
Dave Grohl and company get back to doing what they do best… rocking the fuck out. Sure, there are still plenty of arena sized anthems, but they come without the MOR blandness that was starting to infect their last couple of albums. If I were ranking albums based on how often they got cranked up to a deafening volume in the car this year, this album would be number one with a bullet. Read our original review from May.
3. Epic Ditch – EP
The first time I heard the debut release from Epic Ditch I was in a friend’s machine shop, which was a perfect setting for the introduction. With his new band, Superdrag’s John Davis strips away pop flourishes of his previous work and leaves only the hardened punk edginess. Davis and fellow singer/guitarist Stewart Pack have a kind of Bob Mould/Grant Hart thing going on, with Davis doing the more aggressive, politically charged songs, and Pack providing the more melodic tracks. Regardless of who’s doing the singing, it kicks all kinds of ass.
4. Beady Eye – Different Gear Still Speeding
Raise your hand if you thought Liam Gallagher’s first post-Oasis album would be better than his brother Noel’s… yeah, me neither. But I’ve heard four tracks from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
, and so far and none of them have been enough for me to go out and buy it. Beady Eye may not be blazing down any new paths, but unlike his big brother’s, this album is actually fun. Read our original review from April.
5. R.E.M. – Collapse into Now
Conventional wisdom may say otherwise, but thank God R.E.M. didn't break up seven years earlier. While I am sure there are plenty who think the band should have hung it up the moment Bill Berry walked into the sunset, it would have been monumentally depressing if their swan song had been Around the Sun
, the one album that most band completists don't even own. Instead they went out with two albums that may not have equaled their late 80's and early 90's triumphs, but at least harkened back to that era. Read our original review from March.
1. The Duke Spirit – Bruiser
At this point The Duke Spirit ought to be a household name, at least among the more musically minded. They have an incredible live show, they’re road warriors that are almost constantly touring, they’ve got a great sound that isn’t derivative of anyone else, their songwriting keeps getting better and better, and they have possibly the best front woman out there right now. This is their third album on their third different label, a run of bad luck that would derail the path of less dedicated bands. Bruiser manages to sound a bit more lush and melodic than Neptune, but without going soft. The hooks are bigger, but without sounding overly polished. After being released over the pond last September, and getting a digital release in the states in November, it finally got released domestically on CD last week (with bonus tracks!), so go find out what you've probably been missing out on.
2. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
Dave Grohl and company get back to doing what they do best… rocking the fuck out. Sure, there are still plenty of arena sized anthems, but they come without the MOR blandness that was starting to infect their last couple of albums. If I were ranking albums based on how often they got cranked up to a deafening volume in the car this year, this album would be number one with a bullet. Read our original review from May.
3. Epic Ditch – EP
The first time I heard the debut release from Epic Ditch I was in a friend’s machine shop, which was a perfect setting for the introduction. With his new band, Superdrag’s John Davis strips away pop flourishes of his previous work and leaves only the hardened punk edginess. Davis and fellow singer/guitarist Stewart Pack have a kind of Bob Mould/Grant Hart thing going on, with Davis doing the more aggressive, politically charged songs, and Pack providing the more melodic tracks. Regardless of who’s doing the singing, it kicks all kinds of ass.
4. Beady Eye – Different Gear Still Speeding
Raise your hand if you thought Liam Gallagher’s first post-Oasis album would be better than his brother Noel’s… yeah, me neither. But I’ve heard four tracks from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
, and so far and none of them have been enough for me to go out and buy it. Beady Eye may not be blazing down any new paths, but unlike his big brother’s, this album is actually fun. Read our original review from April.5. R.E.M. – Collapse into Now
Conventional wisdom may say otherwise, but thank God R.E.M. didn't break up seven years earlier. While I am sure there are plenty who think the band should have hung it up the moment Bill Berry walked into the sunset, it would have been monumentally depressing if their swan song had been Around the Sun
, the one album that most band completists don't even own. Instead they went out with two albums that may not have equaled their late 80's and early 90's triumphs, but at least harkened back to that era. Read our original review from March. Labels: year end
Best In Show 2011
Surprisingly, I haven't done a concerts of the year post since the very first year I started blogging five years ago. So it's a big odd that I am doing one for the year that I have blogged the least. Despite the fact that I felt somewhat disconnected from music last year, I still saw some great shows. So here are the top five...
1. U2
Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN - 7/2/11
I hate stadium shows. They are big, they are impersonal, and during the summer they are a hot, sweaty, stinky mess. Despite all that, U2 takes the top spot as my favorite show this year. And that speaks to what an amazing live band they are. They overcome the distance between the performer and the poor schmuck who has seats in the top row of a football stadium, and make it feel as intimate as a club show. Sure their massive stage is a spectacle, but lots of bands play on big massive stages and can’t make you feel the way U2 does. Twenty four years after the first time I saw them live, they are still the best live band I’ve ever seen. Read our original review from July.
2. Taylor Swift
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 9/17/11
Yeah, seriously. Ever since she released Speak Now
last year, I’ve really grown to not just appreciate Taylor Swift, but actually like her. She is a great songwriter, and if some indie darling wrote a line like “you made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter,” it’d be hailed as genius. Her songs are full of clever wordplay, and I think if it weren’t for the fact she’s cute, young, and admittedly a mediocre vocalist, she’d get a lot more props for her songwriting than she does.That said I’d have never gone to this concert if my wife hadn’t wanted to go. But I’m glad she did. It definitely shattered expectations, pretty much from the moment we entered the building. The first thing we noticed is that the average age of the crowd was a lot older than we would have expected. It was definitely predominately female, and while there were a fair share of teeny boppers, there were also a whole lot of twenty and thirty somethings. As the lights went down to the sound of Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” the crowd went apeshit, and Taylor literally exploded on to the stage to the sounds of “Sparks Fly.” At the end of the song, I half expected her to start quoting Sally Field award speeches as she put on her trademark surprise face, like she didn’t expect to get such a thunderous response. It took a few minutes to get used to completely unspontaneous nature of the show. It seemed like every facial expression and hair toss was choreographed. But as the show went on, you realized this was almost more a broadway production than a concert. There were multiple set and costume changes, dancers and acrobats, and more pyro than you’d see anywhere outside of a Kiss show. Once you got used to the fact that this wasn’t going to be a typical concert in the way you’ve come to expect it, you could just sit back and enjoy what was one hell of a show. Swift is a born entertainer, and on stage she’s as much an actress as a singer. The way she can work a crowd almost gives Bruce Springsteen a run for his money. Combine all that with a parade of hits performed with more enthusiasm than most bands can muster and you have yourself one hell of a fun evening.
3. Guided By Voices
Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN - 1/14/11
Score one of nostalgia. While it wasn’t as magical as the one time I got to see the “classic” Guided By Voices line up at Exit/In back in 1995, it was definitely better than any of their shows I’ve seen since then (and that’s not a knock, GBV has always put on a great show). Even after a year of touring together, you could tell that Uncle Bob, Toby, Mitch, Greg and Kevin were having a blast playing together, and the fact that the setlist was damn near perfect meant two hours of pure pop bliss for indie geeks. Read our original review from January.
Guided By Voices - "Official Ironman Rally Song (Demo)" (mp3)
4. Rush
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 4/3/11
I’d pretty much given up on Rush over the last decade or so. Not only had I not bought one of their new albums since Counterparts
, but I’d also skipped out on seeing them live on their last few tours. But time heals all wounds, and the stellar documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage
not only rekindled my love of the band, but also introduced my wife to them. You pretty much know what you’re going to get when you go see them live… note perfect renditions of their songs played with musicianship that most jazz cats would envy. And though they’ve incorporated videos into their concerts for years, they seem to be doing it with more humor than ever before, which made the concert even more fun. Read our original review from April.5. Interpol & School of Seven Bells
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN - 5/2/11
If I was ordering this list by my favorite concert moments rather than the entire concert, Interpol performing “Lights” at the Mother Church would top the list. It was one of those absolutely transcendent concert moments that only happen a few times during the course of your life. This concert also marked the first time in years that’d I’d been so impressed by an opening act that it necessitated a trip to the merch stand to buy their CD. Read our original review from May.
School Of Seven Bells - "Windstorm" (mp3) from Disconnect From Desire
Albums Of The Year 2010
1. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul
After being held up in legal limbo for over a year, 2010 finally saw the release of the soundtrack to the multi-media collaboration between Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse, and David Lynch. And for those who never got around to obtaining through alternate means (I'm probably in the minority of that category), it was worth the wait. Albums with multiple guest singers are usually a mixed bag, but there is remarkable continuity on this album. The music was composed by Danger Mouse and Mark Linkous, and then the guest vocalists (including Iggy Pop, Frank Black, Julian Casablancas, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Gruff Ryhs of Super Furry Animals, James Mercer of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, and David Lynch) wrote the lyrics. Despite the fact that the singers were never given any direction or heard any of the other tracks, all the songs share similar themes of dealing with the darker side of life, giving the project remarkable continuity. The one-two punch of Black Francis' "Angel's Harp" and Iggy Pop's "Pain" give the album its rockingest moments, and "Man Who Played God" is the coolest thing I've ever heard from Suzanne Vega. The biggest surprise though is "Star Eyes (I Can't Reach It)," which proves that David Lynch can actually sing. Losing Mark Linkous to suicide was a blow to the music community last year, but at least he left us one more great album before he checked out. God speed.
2. The National - High Violet
This album didn't have quite the immediate effect with me that Boxer did, but over repeated listenings it's made a similar impact. Although "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and "Afraid of Everyone" were the songs that made the most sudden impact, it was slow burners like "Runaway" and "England" that ended up burrowing their way deepest into my head. Matt Berninger's lyrics might seem like a random collection of loosely associated phrases on first listen, but they seem to reveal themselves over time, and though they're rarely direct and to the point, he the brothers Dessner and Devendorf can create a mood like few other artists out there today. This was the year that The National officially made the list of my all time favorite bands.
3. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding
Oh Superchunk, how we missed you! It's not just that your only activity over the past nine years seemed to be limited to playing Merge anniversary shows and political rallies, and releasing the occasional track on a compilation album. It's also that your previous two albums seemed so, well... adult. We understand that bands need to develop and grow, so we accepted the keyboards and horns and such because the songs were still catchy as hell, even if they were a little slower. But to be honest, we kinda missed the Chunk we grew up with. And from the strains of feedback that open Majesty Shredding, it was obvious that this was a return to the band we hung out with in college. Louder. Faster. Slightly neurotic. It's great to see you again! Wanna grab a beer?
Superchunk - "Digging For Something" (mp3)
4. The New Pornographers – Together
I think I've gotten to the point with the New Pornographers that every new release is kind of like a trip to a favorite restaurant... there aren't going to be many surprises, but I know I'm going to love it. There isn't the thrill of discovery like there was the first time I heard Electric Version, or the first time I had a maple bar from Top Pot in Seattle. Over time that sense of revelation has been replaced with the anticipation of something you know is going to be great. And the fact that you know what to expect doesn't diminish the experience. And if that sounds boring to you, clearly you’ve never experienced the utter deliciousness that is a Top Pot donut. If you don’t believe me, ask Golden Tate. Read our full review from June.
5. Jónsi - Go
While it's not as atmospheric or experimental as Sigur Ros, it's funny to think that Go was intended to be a stripped down acoustic record. The instrumentation is still fairly eclectic, but the songs tend of have more traditional song structures. Combined with the fact that the lyrics are written in actually languages, it makes this much closer to "pop" than anything Jónsi has done in the past. It's hardly conventional, but the songs definitely have a happier, more upbeat feel than his past work. Where as Sigur Ros was always kind of a "put on your headphones and get lost" music, this makes for a surprisingly good driving album.
Labels: year end
Albums Of The Decade 2000-2009
With everything going on in my life right now (planning a wedding, buying a house, etc), I haven't had time to finish a proper "best albums of the decade" list. But it seems like too monumental an occasion to just abandon the concept completely. So instead of a traditional, detailed write-ups of my favorite albums of the last ten years, I decided to take a "quick takes" approach for them. Usually I'm in love with Top 5 lists, but reviewing an entire decade seemed to call for a Top 10. So here we go... a list of the ten albums that most made my heart go pitter-patter in the oughts.
1. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
From the very first notes of "Untitled" I knew this one was going to be special. It strikes the perfect balance between chiming and driving, dense and sparse, soaring and straightforward, and lyrically between obtuse and profound. And as a drummer, I'm completely smitten with Sam Fogarino's playing on this album. There aren't very many albums I fall in love with at first listen and never get tired of. This is definitely one of them.
2. Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
There was a time in my life when I wouldn't be caught dead listening to a band that sang in a made-up language. But despite the fact that the lyrics are pretty much gibberish, "Svefn g englar" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Pretty much their entire catalog is awe inspiring, but this album is still my favorite.
Sigur Rós - "Starálfur" (mp3)
3. Radiohead - Kid A
I love Radiohead the most when they are a rock band. But this album was so awesome, and so mind blowing, that I didn't care that there were barely any guitars. It was so good in fact that it kept me from breaking up with someone... at least temporarily. Long story.
4. The National - Boxer
I was late to the party on this, so it didn't make my best of 2007 list. But I guarantee you I made up for lost time listening to it in 2008. I'm not sure a band has ever combined brilliant songwriting and offbeat arrangements so well. And it's absolutely become my go to flying album.
5. Cortney Tidwell - Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up
The very first time I heard her sing, it was just her and an omnichord, a drumset, and a guitar. But her voice was really the star of the show, and I was mesmerized. For this debut album, she was joined a band who matched her otherworldly vocals with a massive sound of their own. The result is nothing short of magic. Read our original review from February 2007.
Cortney Tidwell - "Missing Link" (mp3)
6. Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways
This would have been an amazing record even if it had been released while the Man in Black was still alive. The fact that it basically became Cash singing his own eulogy made it heartbreakingly profound. Read our original review from August 2006.
7. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas
What initially sounded like an odd pairing turned out to be a match made in heaven. Mark Lanegan's gruff baritone is the perfect counterpoint to Isobel Campbell's delicate soprano, and added a welcome degree of earthiness to her ethereal folk. Read our review from the Best 0f 2006 post.
8. The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost
It's been a while since I played with psychedelics, but listening to this album is frankly a better trip than any chemical induced voyage I ever took. It's the kind of album was made for putting on headphones and getting lost with. Read our original review from April 2008.
The Black Angels - "Doves" (mp3)
9. The New Pornographers - Electric Version
Most bands would love to have as many great hooks over the course of their career as Carl Newman and company pack onto their sophomore album. With a wall of sound and a barrel full of infectious energy, Vancouver's finest unleash a power pop gem that is the perfect soundtrack for driving around on a sunny day with the windows rolled down and the stereo cranked just below the point where it would be harmful for your ears.
10. Mojave 3 - Excuses for Travellers
Who knew that one of the biggest stars of the nineties shoegazer scene would end up making such a great stoner country album? For the longest time I'd just listen to "In Love With A View" and "Return To Sender" endlessly, but once I got past track four I found the rest of the CD is equally great.
1. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
From the very first notes of "Untitled" I knew this one was going to be special. It strikes the perfect balance between chiming and driving, dense and sparse, soaring and straightforward, and lyrically between obtuse and profound. And as a drummer, I'm completely smitten with Sam Fogarino's playing on this album. There aren't very many albums I fall in love with at first listen and never get tired of. This is definitely one of them.
2. Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
There was a time in my life when I wouldn't be caught dead listening to a band that sang in a made-up language. But despite the fact that the lyrics are pretty much gibberish, "Svefn g englar" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Pretty much their entire catalog is awe inspiring, but this album is still my favorite.
Sigur Rós - "Starálfur" (mp3)
3. Radiohead - Kid A
I love Radiohead the most when they are a rock band. But this album was so awesome, and so mind blowing, that I didn't care that there were barely any guitars. It was so good in fact that it kept me from breaking up with someone... at least temporarily. Long story.
4. The National - Boxer
I was late to the party on this, so it didn't make my best of 2007 list. But I guarantee you I made up for lost time listening to it in 2008. I'm not sure a band has ever combined brilliant songwriting and offbeat arrangements so well. And it's absolutely become my go to flying album.
5. Cortney Tidwell - Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up
The very first time I heard her sing, it was just her and an omnichord, a drumset, and a guitar. But her voice was really the star of the show, and I was mesmerized. For this debut album, she was joined a band who matched her otherworldly vocals with a massive sound of their own. The result is nothing short of magic. Read our original review from February 2007.
Cortney Tidwell - "Missing Link" (mp3)
6. Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways
This would have been an amazing record even if it had been released while the Man in Black was still alive. The fact that it basically became Cash singing his own eulogy made it heartbreakingly profound. Read our original review from August 2006.
7. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas
What initially sounded like an odd pairing turned out to be a match made in heaven. Mark Lanegan's gruff baritone is the perfect counterpoint to Isobel Campbell's delicate soprano, and added a welcome degree of earthiness to her ethereal folk. Read our review from the Best 0f 2006 post.
8. The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost
It's been a while since I played with psychedelics, but listening to this album is frankly a better trip than any chemical induced voyage I ever took. It's the kind of album was made for putting on headphones and getting lost with. Read our original review from April 2008.
The Black Angels - "Doves" (mp3)
9. The New Pornographers - Electric Version
Most bands would love to have as many great hooks over the course of their career as Carl Newman and company pack onto their sophomore album. With a wall of sound and a barrel full of infectious energy, Vancouver's finest unleash a power pop gem that is the perfect soundtrack for driving around on a sunny day with the windows rolled down and the stereo cranked just below the point where it would be harmful for your ears.
10. Mojave 3 - Excuses for Travellers
Who knew that one of the biggest stars of the nineties shoegazer scene would end up making such a great stoner country album? For the longest time I'd just listen to "In Love With A View" and "Return To Sender" endlessly, but once I got past track four I found the rest of the CD is equally great.
Labels: year end
Albums Of The Year 2009
So now that the holidays are over and a new year and decade has begun, I guess it's high time I get to wrapping up the old ones. So with no further ado, here are my favorite albums of 2009...
1. Workers - Workers
This is one of those albums that I knew from the very first note I was going to love. The band formerly known as Your Black Star kicks off their fifth album with a call to arms in "Revolutions," and they don't take their foot off the pedal until it's over nine songs later. Three people shouldn't be able to make a sound this huge, but as anyone who has seen Workers live can attest, it's not just studio trickery. Eight years in they've made the album of their careers. If you're one of those people who wish U2 had broken up after War, or that Radiohead would leave the electronics behind and go back to being a ROCK band, or you just like kick ass bands and guitars that alternate between buzzsawing and echoing, you owe it to yourself to see what you missed. It started the year off at the frontrunner for my favorite album of the year and never gave up the position, despite some tough competition from number two. Read our full review from April.
Workers - "Revolutions" (mp3) from Workers
2. A.A. Bondy - When the Devil's Loose
Two years ago when A.A. Bondy released American Hearts
, it was hard to believe that this was the same buy that fronted Verbena. Sure his old band occasionally touched on the blues, but mostly they sounded like Nirvana. So the rootsy, folky sound of his solo debut was a revelation. And as impressive as it was, his sophomore effort is even better. The songs are utterly fantastic, and the sound is a bit more atmospheric, while still retaining it's soulful core. Read our full review from April.
A.A. Bondy - "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing" (mp3) from When the Devil's Loose
3. A.C. Newman - Get Guilty
Ideally when you release a solo album, it should show a different side of your music than your regular band does. As good as The Slow Wonder
was, it basically sounded like a New Pornographers album, minus Dan Bejar and Neko Case. With this second solo set, A.C. Newman got the balance right. It's familiar enough to appeal to the to the Pornographers fans, but just different enough to sound fresh. The instrumentation branches out with the addition of violin, horns and flutes, while the arrangements touch on new feels and rhythms. Of course, all of that would be moot if his gift for brilliant melodies and quirky hooks weren't there. But "All Of My Days And All Of My Days Off" or "The Palace At 4 a.m." are as catchy as anything he's ever released.
A.C. Newman - "Submarines Of Stockholm" (mp3) from Get Guilty
4. Lylas - Do You Believe In Blood?
It'd been too long since we'd heard from Lylas. In the three years since their last album, Lessons For Lovers, we'd only had a Christmas EP and a random show here and there to tide us over. This fall saw the long awaited release of their second full length album, and it was definitely worth the wait. The new lineup meant new textures and an expanded palate for their often eerie, sometimes delicate chamber folk. Music this pretty is rarely this creepy... and vice versa. Read our full review from October.
Lylas - "Baby Brimstone" (mp3) from Do You Believe In Blood?
5. Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
If this selection seems a bit left field, its probably because it is. But as I started making this list, and thinking of the albums I listened to the most over the past 365 days, this album was right up there. I don't think Kelly Clarkson even qualifies as a guilty pleasure anymore... "Since U Been Gone" is defnitely among the best singles of the last decade, and the fight with her label to release My December
gave her more artistic cred than most Pitchfork darlings have. So the fact that there was no song I turned up louder in the car this summer than "I Do Not Hook Up," and "Already Gone" being a really good breakup song means that this album made the cut. Mainstream pop doesn't get much more fun than this. Sure it's bubblegum, but it's really tasty gum.
1. Workers - Workers
This is one of those albums that I knew from the very first note I was going to love. The band formerly known as Your Black Star kicks off their fifth album with a call to arms in "Revolutions," and they don't take their foot off the pedal until it's over nine songs later. Three people shouldn't be able to make a sound this huge, but as anyone who has seen Workers live can attest, it's not just studio trickery. Eight years in they've made the album of their careers. If you're one of those people who wish U2 had broken up after War, or that Radiohead would leave the electronics behind and go back to being a ROCK band, or you just like kick ass bands and guitars that alternate between buzzsawing and echoing, you owe it to yourself to see what you missed. It started the year off at the frontrunner for my favorite album of the year and never gave up the position, despite some tough competition from number two. Read our full review from April.
Workers - "Revolutions" (mp3) from Workers
2. A.A. Bondy - When the Devil's Loose
Two years ago when A.A. Bondy released American Hearts
, it was hard to believe that this was the same buy that fronted Verbena. Sure his old band occasionally touched on the blues, but mostly they sounded like Nirvana. So the rootsy, folky sound of his solo debut was a revelation. And as impressive as it was, his sophomore effort is even better. The songs are utterly fantastic, and the sound is a bit more atmospheric, while still retaining it's soulful core. Read our full review from April.A.A. Bondy - "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing" (mp3) from When the Devil's Loose
3. A.C. Newman - Get Guilty
Ideally when you release a solo album, it should show a different side of your music than your regular band does. As good as The Slow Wonder
was, it basically sounded like a New Pornographers album, minus Dan Bejar and Neko Case. With this second solo set, A.C. Newman got the balance right. It's familiar enough to appeal to the to the Pornographers fans, but just different enough to sound fresh. The instrumentation branches out with the addition of violin, horns and flutes, while the arrangements touch on new feels and rhythms. Of course, all of that would be moot if his gift for brilliant melodies and quirky hooks weren't there. But "All Of My Days And All Of My Days Off" or "The Palace At 4 a.m." are as catchy as anything he's ever released.A.C. Newman - "Submarines Of Stockholm" (mp3) from Get Guilty
4. Lylas - Do You Believe In Blood?
It'd been too long since we'd heard from Lylas. In the three years since their last album, Lessons For Lovers, we'd only had a Christmas EP and a random show here and there to tide us over. This fall saw the long awaited release of their second full length album, and it was definitely worth the wait. The new lineup meant new textures and an expanded palate for their often eerie, sometimes delicate chamber folk. Music this pretty is rarely this creepy... and vice versa. Read our full review from October.
Lylas - "Baby Brimstone" (mp3) from Do You Believe In Blood?
5. Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
If this selection seems a bit left field, its probably because it is. But as I started making this list, and thinking of the albums I listened to the most over the past 365 days, this album was right up there. I don't think Kelly Clarkson even qualifies as a guilty pleasure anymore... "Since U Been Gone" is defnitely among the best singles of the last decade, and the fight with her label to release My December
gave her more artistic cred than most Pitchfork darlings have. So the fact that there was no song I turned up louder in the car this summer than "I Do Not Hook Up," and "Already Gone" being a really good breakup song means that this album made the cut. Mainstream pop doesn't get much more fun than this. Sure it's bubblegum, but it's really tasty gum.Labels: year end
