Best of 2012 – Music January 25, 2013
Posted by Matt in Best of 2012.Tags: Alabama Shakes, albums, best of 2012, Bob Dylan, Dwight Yoakam, Jack White, Japandroids, Lucero, Mumford & Sons, music, Neil Young, Patterson Hood, Rodriguez
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I thought I would find the time to write synopses of all the albums I loved last year, but alas, the busyness of everyday life and the sheer amount of required words has made that dream impossible at this time. Instead of my rambling thoughts, I’ll just give you the list and you can look them up and listen as you see fit.
50. Green Day – Uno!, Dos! Tres!
49. JEFF the Brotherhood – Exotic Nights
48. Ray Wylie Hubbard – The Grifter’s Hymnal
47. Cory Branan – MUTT
46. Paul Thorn – What the Hell is Going On?
45. Lost in the Trees – A Church That Fits Our Needs
44. Soundgarden – King Animal
43. Titus Andronicus – Local Business
42. Fun. – Some Nights
41. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse
40. Bobby Womack – The Bravest Man in the Universe
39. Calexico – Algiers
38. Todd Snider – Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables
37. Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet on Sky
36. Aesop Rock – Skelethon
35. The Flaming Lips – The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
34. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
33. Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
32. Big Boi – Vicious Lies & Dangerous Rumors
31. Jimmy Cliff – Rebirth
30. Nas – Life is Good
29. Glen Hansard – Rhythm & Repose
28. Cat Power – Sun
27. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
26. Bat for Lashes – The Haunted Man
25. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d. city
24. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
23. The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
22. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
21. Gary Clark Jr. – Blak and Blu
20. Dr. John – Locked Down
19. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
18. Baroness – Yellow & Green
17. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
16. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
15. Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
14. The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter
13. Heartless Bastards – Arrow
12. Grizzly Bear – Shields
11. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
10. Rodriguez – Searching for Sugar Man
9. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
8. Jack White – Blunderbuss
7. Patterson Hood – Heat Light Rumbles in the Distance
6. Dwight Yoakam – 3 Pears
5. Mumford & Sons – Babel
4. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
3. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
2. Lucero – Women & Work
1. Bob Dylan – Tempest
Best of 2012 – Part 1 January 9, 2013
Posted by Matt in Best of 2012.Tags: best of 2012, Cory Branan, Fun., Green Day, JEFF the Brotherhood, Lost in the Trees, music, Paul Thorn, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Soundgarden, Titus Andronicus, Ty Segall Band
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Life is a crazy thing. At times things can seem to be going smooth and easy like a sports car on cruise control, at times the sun is high and the wind is in your hair and all seems right with the world. But all peace is temporary. All places of solace are eventually bulldozed to install a parking lot.
2012 was tumultous year for me personally, one filled with heartache and the occasional triumph, all of which were tied together by the beloved music I fill my senses with each and every day. By my last count, I listened to about 100 new albums over the course of 12 months. Some were better than others, some were good, some are destined to be classics, but overall it was another very good year for music. These are 50 my favorites.
50. Green Day – Uno! / Dos! / Tres!
I’ve been a fan of Green Day since they first burst onto the scene with 1994’s Dookie, a breakthrough work of catchy, punkish pop about teenage angst and self-gratification. In the 2000’s, they took the music world by storm with two huge concept albums, American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, both of which rank among the best of the decade and set the band up as the unlikely rock opera heirs of The Who. Though I’ve enjoyed the band for years, and had the chance to see them in an insane concert back in 1999 or so, I approached these latest releases, a trilogy of albums within just a few months of each other, with great trepidation. It turns out my unease was a fair assessment of the direction the band had taken. Each of the three works has some great songs, but these are far outnumbered by unmemorable filler. “Nuclear Family,” the song that kicks off Uno! is a classic burst of Green Day, but when Billie Joe Armstrong sings “Like a nuclear bomb and it won’t be long ‘til I detonate,” it takes on a shade of reality with his recent outburst and subsequent entry into a program for addiction. I find the band at their most interesting on songs that swerve away from their normal formula, like “Nightlife,” with guest vocals by rapper Lady Cobra. Overall, the collection is decent, but if the best tracks had been culled into one album, it would have been outstanding.
49. JEFF the Brotherhood – Exotic Nights
Nashville guitar-drums duo JEFF the Brotherhood, comprised of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall, may have created the ideal summer album of 2012 in the Dan Auerbach-produced Exotic Nights. With a sound reeking of Weezer’s Blue Album era-guitar, weed, and cheap beer all being blasted through the thick haze and heat of summer in the south, their music evokes the frivolity of youth and blowout house parties and times to be talked about for years to come. When Jake opens the album with “I want a place where I can smoke meats. Where I can drink and swim in the creek,” over an eardrum-bursting fuzzy guitar, you know you are in for a fun ride. It’s songs like “Six Pack” (“Let’s load the car up / I got a bag of ice / I got a six pack / And I don’t wanna go back”) that bring back fond memories of those endless, sweat-drenched summer nights.
48. Ray Wylie Hubbard – The Grifter’s Hymnal
The 65 year old Ray Wylie Hubbard, perhaps best known for penning “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother,” has been in the business a long time, lurking just below the radar for more than four decades while influencing untold numbers of Texas singer-songwriters. This latest release shows that the aging outlaw still has quite a bit left in the tank and a seemingly infinite number of pearls of wisdom for following generations. Notable lines abound in songs like “Lazarus” (“At least we ain’t Lazarus / And have to think twice about dyin’) and in “Coricidin Bottle” (“If you ever get to heaven say ‘Woo, thank you!” / If you ever get scared say the 23rd Psalm”). But the highlight of the album comes in the autobiographical “Mother Blues” where Hubbard tells of being a young man who only wanted a “gold plated Les Paul and a stripper girlfriend.” Good stuff.
47. Cory Branan – MUTT
I had heard of Cory Branan before he was name-dropped in a song by one of my favorite bands, Lucero, but it was after that quick reference that I started to pay attention to the work of this great Memphis singer-songwriter. Branan shows a diverse set of influences as he deftly transitions between styles, from the Tom Waits-esque “The Snowman,” to “Bad Man,” with its E Street Band piano riff and vocal styling of Tom Petty, the Mellencamp-like summer jam “Circa Summer 80 Somethin,” (with one of the best lines of year “You were dancing barefoot on the picnic table and dammit girl, truly goddamn it girl, truly goddamn it girl, truly goddamn”). The centerpiece of the album, though, is the great “Survivor Blues,” a tune that takes a darker look at the “Born to Run,” escapist mythology, with the refrain of “What didn’t kill you / Will make you wish you died,” ringing out as the stark voice of realism. It’s a very good album from an artist who stands as a musical treasure of this city.
46. Paul Thorn – What the Hell is Going On?
The state of Mississippi has a long and rich musical history steeped in the blues, from Delta bluesmen mourning their plight in life to the more groove-oriented sound of the hill country. Tupelo-raised Paul Thorn carries on this tradition, mixing elements of blues guitar with riff rock, to create an instantly listenable and danceable concoction. As a live act he regularly tells stories and jokes in his slow, deeply-accented voice in between songs, proving himself to be both a formidable guitarist and entertainer. This collection of relatively obscure covers is dingy and dirty and exudes his outsized personality in such a way that he makes every song seem as though they are his own. “Snake Farm” employs a dirty, Southern rock riff while Thorn tells about a snake farm that, “Sure sounds nasty,” affirms the suspicion by saying it “pretty much is.” Other highlights include “Blue Mountain Bridge” which tells the story of Stone Fox Dan, a marijuana dealer who Blue Mountain Hawk finds with his woman and gives this gospel-inflected set of instructions, “Take him on down below the Blue Mountain Bridge / Tie his hands and throw him in the river / You might as well give him his farewell party tonight. / He said, knock him in the head, he’s better off dead / Break his arms and throw him in the river / If anybody asks, just tell ‘em he committed suicide.”
45. Lost in the Trees – A Church That Fits Our Needs
Written after the suicide of vocalist Ari Picker’s mother, this work blends gorgeous orchestration with haunting morbidity. It is beautiful and haunting and ultimately life-affirming, an album that will stick with you long after the final chords. It is not an easy listen by any means, Picker fills each song with so much gut-wrenching honesty, his own form of catharsis, that you can’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable, but in the end that’s what true art is supposed to do. In the opener “Neither Here Nor There,” when he delicately sings, “Oh look in a golden light / After the sun burns out / Loneliness you’re haunting me,” you physically feel his pain burrowing its way into your heart and soul, tearing away the places where they hide. In standout track “The Dead Bird is Beautiful,” he almost seems to sigh the words, “I’ll carry her, but I’ll always have her eyes,” and you can almost picture him looking in a mirror and seeing those, his mother’s eyes, staring back at him. Perhaps most fitting, the album closer, “Vines,” ends with questions, “Am I hopeless? I trust you. But where are we walking to?” It’s not an easy listen by any means, but Lost in the Trees have crafted a brilliant, beautiful work about human mortality and grief.
44. Soundgarden – King Animal
“You can’t go home / I swear you never can,” Chris Cornell belts out in an unmistakable voice that provides so much comfort to those of us who came of age in those halcyon days of the 90’s. Crunching guitars, plodding bass lines, high volumes: this is the music of my generation and here it is, returning in all its flannel-clad glory. It has been sixteen years since their last release of original material, but the band picks right back up again with this collection of dirty, grungy rock tunes that will almost make us thirty-something fans from 20 years ago want to jump back in the mosh pit. Kim Thayil’s guitar pumps out heavily distorted, chugging riffs like few others, with Cornell’s soaring, eardrum-piercing vocals leading the way. It’s a strong return to form for the band, particularly on the nostalgic opener “Been Away Too Long,” and the heavy “Blood on the Valley Floor.”
43. Titus Andronicus – Local Business
New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus is not your average punk band. I first came into contact with their music on their 2010 album, The Monitor, with its utterly pessimistic view of modern American life as told through the lens of a Civil War travel story. It was loud, bleak, and absolutely brilliant. Their new album eschews the narrative structure of their previous release and instead turns its focus to the disaffected youth of America, the angst-driven Millennials discovering that the adult world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The opener, “Ecce Homo,” kicks off with a nihilistic line of self-discovery, “Ok, I think by now we’ve established that everything is inherently worthless / And there is nothing in the universe with any kind of objective purpose,” but instead of being delivered in a depressing, suicidal sort of way, vocalist Patrick Stickles is crying out with the conviction of one struggling to find their place in the emptiness of the American dream. Stickles lays his problems bare for the world to see, particularly on songs like the 8 minute “My Eating Disorder,” about, you guessed it, his suffering from an eating disorder. In that confessional work, his refrain, “I know the world’s a scary place / That’s why I hid behind a hairy face,” resonates. It speaks to those plodding through life, lonely and frightened, looking for somewhere to belong. Yes, Titus Andronicus have set a new standard for the medium of punk rock.
42. Fun. – Some Nights
Come on, you know you like it. With catchy, unavoidable choruses, and vocalist Nate Ruess’s channeling of Freddy Mercury, the band has created a power pop phenomena this year. One of the more interesting aspects of the band, however, is that, despite the band’s name and the singalong nature of the songs, their lyrics are often anything but fun. The title track has a sense of resignation, as if they must make the music because that is all they know to do, and that they must do it, even though they “try twice as hard I’m half as liked.” They’re pleading for something, for a sense of meaning amidst the chaos when he sings, “Oh Lord, I’m still not sure what I stand for / What do I stand for? / What do I stand for? / Most nights, I don’t know anymore.” Between that and the song, “We are Young,” fun. has created an album of generational anthems for the Millennials and whoever comes next, and luckily some of us stodgy Generation-Xers can still enjoy it as well.
41. Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse
Ty Segall is, without a doubt, the most prolific artist on this year’s list, having released three full length albums in 2012 to go along with the numerous others he has recorded since his debut in 2008, but I regret to say that Slaughterhouse was my introduction to him. Segall resurrects the spirit of garage rock, with Stooges-like punk, prevalent guitar noise, and an underlying pop spirit that holds it all together. The album kicks off with “Death,” a feedback-laden blast that evolves into chanted lyrics (“Eye of the eye / Eye of the queen / Eye of the king”) like a bunch of demented monks, before turning into a chaotic scream accompanied by loud, distorted guitars. As the album progresses, melodies and crunching riffs intertwine into a thoroughly enjoyable whole, one that will no doubt placate any fan of loud, melodic garage punk. The aptly titled final track, “Fuzz War,” is a 10 minute barrage of chaos and noise, one that both closes this collection and leaves the listener hungry for more. I know I’m already anticipating the next one.
To be continued…
Best of 2012 … So Far June 13, 2012
Posted by Matt in Best of 2012.Tags: Alabama Shakes, best of 2012, Bruce Springsteen, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Cory Branan, Dr. Dog, Dr. John, Heartless Bastards, Jack White, Jay Farrar, Justin Townes Earle, Leonard Cohen, Lucero, music, Neil Young, New Multitudes, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sharon Van Etten
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As the earth nears the halfway point in its annual journey around the sun, it is time we take a look back at the first half of this year, the highlights and triumphs and perhaps disappointments to date in 2012. In my strange little world, music provides the soundtrack and direction for each day, and I am always seeking to bolster my collection and to delve into the minds of artists, whether they are ones I’ve followed for years or upstarts of whom I may have only recently become aware. At my latest count, I’ve listened and paid attention to 35 new albums so far in this calendar year. These are my favorites.
Honorable Mentions
Jay Farrar, Jim James, Will Johnson and Anders Parker – New Multitudes
Super groups are always kind of a crap shoot. I mean, not everybody can be the Avengers. So I approached this collection of unreleased Woody Guthrie material, as interpreted by Jay Farrar (of Son Volt / Uncle Tupelo), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and Will Johnson and Anders Parker (both of Centro-Matic), with some trepidation. Fortunately, the group came through with a work that both evokes images of Guthrie’s Dust Bowl-era world and gives a timely statement on today. Jay Farrar has one of my all-time favorite voices and it’s a pure joy to hear him sing lines like “Music is the language of the mind that travels / It carries the key to the laws of time and space.” My favorite tune in the collection, though, is “My Revolutionary Mind,” as sung by Jim James. How can you not like lyrics like: “I need a progressive woman / I need an awfully liberal woman / I need a socially conscious woman / To ease my revolutionary mind.”
Download: “My Revolutionary Mind”, “Hoping Machine”
Carolina Chocolate Drops – Leaving Eden
I first became acquainted with the music of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an African-American old time string band that seamlessly combines elements of folk and bluegrass with hip-hop and other music styles, after their 2010 release Genuine Negro Jig and songs like their spirited cover of Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style,” so I eagerly awaited their latest release. Once again, the three piece struck gold with their modern take on an old style, successfully transporting the listener to the rural hill country where people young and old gather to make some of the original American music. Banjos, mandolins, fiddles, and an assortment of other instruments combine with an expert skill seemingly at odds with the youthful members of the band.
Download: “Ruby, are You Mad at Your Man?”, “Country Girl”
Dr. Dog – Be the Void
Dr. Dog has been writing and releasing some of the catchiest indie pop in the music world for years, and Be the Void continues in that fun, danceable vein. Having had the opportunity to see them live earlier this year, I can say this latest album captures the sing-a-long energy of their concerts – it’s unavoidable and impossible to dislike. This is music to make you smile, to enjoy life, to revel in the experiences that each day brings. “Lonesome” could make even the coldest, most indifferent listener clap and chant along in unison, while the spacey psychedelia of “These Days” will grab you up and carry you along on a strange and colorful voyage through interstellar regions often left untouched. It’s a fun ride and definitely worth the trip.
Download: “Lonesome,” “These Days”
Ray Wylie Hubbard – The Grifter’s Hymnal
The 65 year old Ray Wylie Hubbard, perhaps best known for penning “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother,” has been in the business a long time, lurking just below the radar for more than four decades while influencing untold numbers of Texas singer-songwriters. This latest release shows that the aging outlaw still has quite a bit left in the tank and a seemingly infinite number of pearls of wisdom for following generations. Notable lines abound in songs like “Lazarus” (“At least we ain’t Lazarus / And have to think twice about dyin’) and in “Coricidin Bottle” (“If you ever get to heaven say ‘Woo, thank you!” / If you ever get scared say the 23rd Psalm”). But the highlight of the album comes in the autobiographical “Mother Blues” where Hubbard tells of being a young man who only wanted a “gold plated Les Paul and a stripper girlfriend.” Good stuff.
Download: “Lazarus,” “Mother Blues”
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Americana
Did you ever wonder what it would sound like to hear Neil Young, with his grungy, loud guitar, and unmistakable, nasal voice, singing American standards like “Oh Susannah” and “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain?” Well, if you did, here is your answer and it’s awesome. This is one of those collections where you can imagine Young sitting around, jamming and saying, “What the hell, let’s record.” He turns American roots music on its head and totally rocks it out, blasting through versions of “Clementine” and “Tom Dula” in ways that you never imagined. Sure, it’s not an album of original music and it doesn’t have the poignancy of his greatest works of long ago or his more recent masterpiece “Le Noise,” but it is a lot of fun. Turn it up loud and enjoy.
Download: Oh Susannah, Jesus’ Chariot (aka “She’ll be Comin’ Round the Mountain”)
10. Cory Branan – Mutt
I had heard of Cory Branan before he was name-dropped in a song by one of my favorite bands, Lucero, but it was after that quick reference that I started to pay attention to the work of this great Memphis singer-songwriter. Branan shows a diverse set of influences as he deftly transitions between styles, from the Tom Waits-esque “The Snowman,” to “Bad Man,” with its E Street Band piano riff and vocal styling of Tom Petty, the Mellencamp-like summer jam “Circa Summer 80 Somethin,” (with one of the best lines of year “You were dancing barefoot on the picnic table and dammit girl, truly goddamn it girl, truly goddamn it girl, truly goddamn”). The centerpiece of the album, though, is the great “Survivor Blues,” a tune that takes a darker look at the “Born to Run,” escapist mythology, with the refrain of “What didn’t kill you / Will make you wish you died,” ringing out as the stark voice of realism. It’s a very good album from an artist who stands as a musical treasure of this city.
Download: Survivor Blues, Yesterday (Circa Summer 80 Somethin’), Bad Man
9. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
One of the most interesting phenomena that has come to light in the past ten-to-fifteen years is the number of late-career releases from the elder statesmen of the music world, whether it be Johnny Cash’s incredible American Music run, the continued relevance of Bob Dylan, or even the great recent works of Bruce Springsteen (who, at 62, is a mere pup compared to the others), and the 77 year old Leonard Cohen continues in the interesting and poignant trend. Dark and beautiful, Cohen’s unmistakable voice continues to complement his superb songwriting in a way that few artists have ever and will ever match. Contemplating mortality with a wry sense of humor, he kicks off the album speaking in third person, “I love to speak with Leonard / He’s a sportsman and a shepherd / He’s a lazy bastard living in a suit,” then considering a life nearing its end in the context of a failed romance, he says, “I got no future / I know my days are few / The present’s not that pleasant / Just a lot of things to do / I thought the past would last me / But the darkness got that too.” It’s truly a late-career masterpiece not to be missed.
Download: Going Home, Anyhow, Amen
8. Dr. John – Locked Down
Truth be told, I’d never paid a lot of attention to Dr. John. Sure, I knew Gris-Gris and I knew how important he was to New Orleans music, but for some reason I had never spent much time with his work. But, when I heard that he was releasing an album with Dan Auerbach (singer/guitarist for the Black Keys), I was immediately intrigued by the idea. Turns out, I now see what I’ve been missing. Auerbach injects his sound into Dr. John’s funky voodoo R&B to perfection, turning out one of the best and most fun albums of the year. On this work, the 71 year old music legend displays the dual reality surrounding and affecting humanity since the beginning, the desire for personal pleasure against the hope for something more, the drive to be good. Perhaps this is no truer than in the album closer “God’s Sure Good,” when he says “God been good to me / Better than me to myself.”
Download: Locked Down, Revolution, Big Shot
7. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
Poignant and beautiful, tender and angry, New Jersey’s Sharon Van Etten has released a true standout album of the first half of 2012. Her voice is one of melancholic beauty, one that at times reminds me of Cat Power, but that is decidedly her own. It will capture you, pull you into her world, a place where wants and desires battle with reality when she sings, “You’re the reason why I’ll move to the city / You’re why I’ll need to leave.” Songs like “Leonard” are heartbreaking beautiful with its opening lines of confusion and questioning, “There he goes / He finally closed the door / I turn the lock feeling more confused than before / What gives?” With releases as urgent and wonderful as this, Van Etten will not be flying under the radar for long.
Download: Warsaw, Serpents, Leonard
6. Heartless Bastards – Arrow
I first became acquainted with Heartless Bastards following their 2009 release, The Mountain, and was quickly taken by their classic rock sound and Erika Wennerstrom’s powerful vocals. Arrow takes that formula and adds excellent songwriting to the mix, crafting one of the best albums so far in 2012, one that may stand as a career-defining moment for the band. From the colossal build of the opener “Marathon” (And we all want to belong / To something more than, more than ourselves), to what may be the best song in their repertoire, “Parted Ways” (And the sun went down on this little ghost town / near the valley of the Rio Grande / I need a little bit of whiskey and a little bit of time / to ease my troubled mind), this is truly a great work and one that deserves to be heard. I missed the band when they played Memphis earlier this year, so here’s hoping they have a return trip planned in the near future.
Download: Marathon, Parted Ways, Low Low Low
5. Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
In the music business, I can only imagine how difficult it would be to follow in the steps of your father, especially when your father is someone as important to the alt-country world as Steve Earle. And Justin Townes Earle does no doubt struggle with it at times, both the fame and the evils that seem to follow behind it, and you can hear the references to his famous dad in much of his music, including the opening lines of this album, “Hear my father on the radio / Singing take me home again / 300 miles from the Carolina coast / And I’m skin and bones again. / Sometimes I wish that I could get away / Sometimes I wish that he’d just call / Am I that lonely tonight? / I don’t know.” Despite his struggles with substance abuse, JTE has quickly become one of the most important and most prolific acts in the Americana world, releasing five albums, all of them good to excellent, over the course of six years. Earle employs a Stax-style horn section on this album, a curious and welcome trend also seen with a band still to come in this countdown, Lucero. For me, the highlight of the album is “Memphis in the Rain,” a rollicking number that makes you feel as though you really are rolling down the streets of the Bluff City. Now, if only we could get him to play another show here.
Download: Memphis in the Rain, Maria, Down on the Lower East Side
4. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
Songs and performances of the Alabama Shakes have been bouncing around on the web for some time, building a huge buzz for this, their debut album. Soon the Athens, Alabama band was opening for personal favorites like Drive-By Truckers, Jack White, and a whole host of other greats, even scoring a gig at Bonnaroo. In a time when Southern music is making a huge grass-roots push, Alabama Shakes have vaulted nearly to the top, becoming relatively well known in a very short amount of time. When soulful singer Brittany Howard sings of herself in the album opener, “Bless my heart / Bless my soul / Didn’t think I’d make it to 22 years old / There must be someone up above / Saying ‘Come on Brittany / You got to come on up,” she does it with such conviction you can’t help but root for her. This is decidedly old school soul, similar to contemporaries like Sharon Jones & the Dapp-Kings, but with a southern flair that oozes authenticity.
Download: Hold On, Hang Loose, You Ain’t Alone
3. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
The Boss is one of those artists who, though past the age of 60, seem to have caught a second wind in their career, putting out some of the best, most relevant and interesting music they have in some time. Following on the heels of the excellent Magic in 2007 and Working on a Dream in 2009, Wrecking Ball had a lot to live up to and fans no doubt wondered where the artist would go from that point. Never one to rest on his laurels, Springsteen took an unforeseen curve and released what many have called his “angriest album yet.” The Boss takes aim at economic justice, landing punches on the financial meltdown and corporations who are seen as making a mockery of the American Dream. In songs like “We Take Care of Our Own,” his words drip with irony as he talks of those left behind and struggling. It’s been called his “Occupy album” and perhaps that is an applicable descriptor as he slams the advantage-taking institutions in songs like “Jack of All Trades” (“The banker man grows fat, the working man grows thin / It’s all happened before and it’ll happen again”). “Death to My Hometown” is an Irish-inspired anthem (They destroyed our families’ factories and they took our homes / They left our bodies on the planks, the vultures picked our bones) that serves as a grave indictment against the powers that be. This album is epic and deserves its rightful spot in the Springsteen canon.
Download: We Take Care of Our Own, Easy Money, Jack of All Trades
2. Jack White – Blunderbuss
Over the past several years there has been no shortage of Jack White music, but ever since the demise of the White Stripes following 2007’s stellar release Icky Thump, he just hasn’t sounded the same. Though much of it was quite good, the spontaneity and urgency seemed to be missing from his music al output with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather. Well, I’m happy to say that his first solo album, Blunderbuss, is a hugely welcome return to form. It does what White does best: rock. “Sixteen Saltines” and “Love Interruption” sound like they could easily have been included on Elephant, while “Freedom at 21” displays all of the crazy, riff-magic that made White a guitar god. This existence of this album makes me supremely happy and I can only hope that White continues along this same road for some time. I had the chance to see The White Stripes live several years ago and it ranks as one of my all-time favorite shows and the wildly unpredictable Jack White is among the greatest guitarists I’ve ever seen.
Download: Sixteen Saltines, Love Interruption, I’m Shakin’
1. Lucero – Women & Work
I had liked Lucero for years, maybe even dating back to before I moved to the Memphis area in 2004, and had seen them a handful of times during that period, but it wasn’t until 2009’s incredible 1372 Overton Park, that I truly came to love the band. Last year alone I had the opportunity to see the band three times, including an epic 3+ hour show at Minglewood Hall just before Christmas when they debuted much of this, their latest studio work. Since that show in December, I’ve had the chance to meet a few of the guys in the band and have conversed with some of them online, further cementing my allegiance to the greatest current band from Memphis. From the first time I listened to it, streaming it online prior to its release, I was completely blown away by Women & Work. Though I love the older Lucero stuff, the “empty bottle and an old country song” greatness, their more recent work has taken a giant step forward, keeping the elements that made them favorites among country-punk fans while incorporating new, and decidedly Memphis, elements. Memphis-style horns were added and the vocals changed to something more full and soulful, as Ben Nichols turned a major corner as a singer. The album begins with two rollicking, upbeat numbers, “On My Way Downtown” and “Women Work,” both of which pull the listener in, setting their feet to tapping and head to bobbing. I think my favorite song on the album is the strange and different crooner, “It May Be Too Late,” which to my ears represents a very interesting and welcome twist to the new Lucero sound. When Ben sings those lines “It may be too late to save me little girl / Called the phone till the numbers wouldn’t dial,” it really hits the listener deep, just like great music should. In “Juniper,” my inner nerd loves the opening line, “She looks like a superhero down on her luck.” The imagery is perfect. My second favorite song is “Sometimes,” with its lonesome (Check out Steve Earle’s distinction between the words lonesome and lonely in his incredible novel I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive when you get the chance), mournful sound and it’s chorus of “The road from Tennessee, it shakes and rattles to the bone / The hills of Arkansas are filled with haunted lakes and ghosts / Oh, and sometimes I hear them on those lonesome nights / Sometimes they come out of the woods and up to the house.” This has been, by far, my most listened to album of 2012 and I hope you will give it a spin, too. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.
Download the whole album.
Thoughts? What should I have included/not included?
2012 First Quarter (Plus One Month) New Music Guide February 13, 2012
Posted by Matt in Best of 2012, music.Tags: 2012 new releases, Alabama Shakes, Andrew Bird, Bruce Springsteen, Heartless Bastards, Jack White, Justin Townes Earle, Lucero, M. Ward, music, Sleigh Bells, Todd Snider
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I’m a little behind on this, but I wanted to go ahead and give a quick head’s up on what’s new in the world of music. There have been a handful of interesting releases in the generally dead months of January and February: particularly Leonard Cohen’s hauntingly beautiful “Old Ideas,” Dr. Dog’s catchy “Be the Void,” and Craig Finn’s (frontman of The Hold Steady) solo work “Clear Heart, Full Eyes,” but other than those, few releases have caught my attention yet. Looking ahead to the next few months, the music calendar becomes more interesting, lucky for you, I’m here to dig through the plethora of releases and tell you what merits your listening. Here are the ten upcoming works I’m most anxiously awaiting.
Heartless Bastards – Arrow (Feb 14)
With the dark, Southern gothic imagery and the expansive, throaty vocals of Erika Wennerstrom, the Heartless Bastards have been on my radar since their excellent 2009 release, The Mountain. This is the one album on this list I’ve cheated on a bit and already listened to on NPR, and let me tell you, it’s great. You can hear “Parted Ways” here.
Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror (Feb 21)
Noisy and loud, I was quickly drawn to Sleigh Bells last album “Treats,” and I eagerly await this follow up. The duo has a surprisingly full sound, with shoegazing-esque female vocals over crashing guitars. You can stream one of the new songs, Comeback Kid, here.
Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself (Mar 6)
Over the years I’ve listened to him, I’ve been drawn to the way that Bird can so effortlessly incorporate different genres, from jazz to indie rock, into his songs, thus I’m intrigued to see where this multi-instrumentalist goes with his latest batch of recordings. Stream the song, “Eyeoneye,” here.
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – Wrecking Ball (Mar 6)
Now into his 60’s, the Boss is still the boss and there are few people who can bring it was well as he can. His last few albums have been excellent and I expect nothing less from this, his first post-Clarence Clemons release. Check out the song “We Take Care of Our Own.”
Todd Snider – Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables (Mar 6)
Snider has been around a while, but his biting social commentary and funny lyrics never fail to disappoint. I can’t find any songs from this album, so you’ll have to take my word for it.
Lucero – Women & Work (Mar 13)
Probably my second most anticipated album of the year (Sorry, guys, you lost out to the Boss), Lucero has been a favorite band of mine for years, and after seeing them several times last year, including an epic 3+ hour Memphis show just before Christmas, I’m more of a fan now than ever. Listen to me: Support this band. Check out the new tune “Sometimes.”
Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now (Mar 27)
This progeny of the great Steve Earle has carved out his own interesting niche in the music world, releasing a catalogue of excellent albums that would make any artist jealous. I have high hopes for this one as well. Check out the title track here.
Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls (Apr 10)
Alabama Shakes have been making some noise on the Southern rock scene lately, backing up favorites of mine like the Drive-By Truckers, so I’m eagerly awaiting their full-length debut and perhaps a visit to Memphis. Check out the title song here.
M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion (Apr 10)
Singer-songwriter M. Ward has been quietly working the scene for years with mellow vocals and gentle, fingerpicked guitars and I’ve always found his work to be enjoyable. You can hear new song, “The First Time I Ran Away” here.
Jack White – Blunderbuss (Apr 24)
I’m a longtime disciple of Jack White, from the White Stripes, to the Raconteurs, to the Dead Weather, so I will quickly snatch up any recording bearing his name. This solo debut is no exception to that rule. His new song “Love Interruption” is an acoustic number, with the guitar god taking a different tact than his normal furious blasts of loudly distorted solos, but it is still quite good.
What releases are you most anticipating?
2011 in Retrospect January 3, 2012
Posted by Matt in blog.Tags: 2011, blogs, church, concerts, family, kids, life philosophy, music, retrospective, theology
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I’ve been a bit inactive on the old blog for the past two weeks due to the holidays and traveling and the general busyness of life with children and a home that needs care, but today marks the triumphant return for 2012. I hope everyone had a great Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/New Year/Solstice and you are ready and rejuvenated for the coming year. As is custom when the earth completes another trip around the sun, we take a few moments to look back at the year that was and gaze into the crystal ball at the time to come. To kick things off, let’s look at the best (well, what I think was the best) of Words of Wisdom over the past year.
One of the overarching themes of 2011 was our decision to find a new church home, a place far removed from the ideas we were no longer comfortable with and one that would foster spiritual growth within us. As you know, we found this home in St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. It’s a far cry from the denomination we were raised in, the Church of Christ, but after more than a year, it has fit us perfectly. I summed this transition up at the end of the year in a series of entries.
Awake My Soul: My First Year as an Episcopalian, Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Something Negative from My First Year as an Episcopalian?
There are the funny and occasionally enlightening things my kids say and do.
JD’s Jailbreak (April 5)
The Eye of the Beholder (April 14)
Dad the Cereal Killer (May 10)
The Pink Purse (Aug 2)
Hemingway for Kids (Aug 8)
The Negotiator (Oct 25)
The Voice of an Angel (Dec 14)
I still write bad poetry.
Ode to the Guy in the Next Cubicle (May 9)
Ode to the Number Eleven (Nov 11)
How the Government Stole Christmas (Nov 22)
There were plenty of my ruminations on life.
Between Either and Or (April 19)
Making Life Beautiful (May 4)
All You Need is Love (July 5)
Coming to Grips with Fundamentalism (July 7)
On an Autumn Day (Oct 10)
A Morning Scene (Oct 11)
Finding the Connection (Oct 18)
A Murky Monday Morning (Oct 24)
The Cubicle Life (Nov 1)
On Kierkegaard and the Suspension of the Ethical (Nov 21)
An Agnostic Christmas (Dec 26)
Being a big fan of live music, I had the chance to see several shows this year, most of which I blogged about to one extent or another.
An Evening with Leon Redbone (Jan 27)
Down to Oxford Town (Jan 30)
Nights Like These: Music Fest, Day 1 (May 3)
Nights Like These: Music Fest, Day 2 (May 3)
Nights Like These: Music Fest, Day 3 (May 3)
The Willie Nelson Revival (June 10)
Dude, Where’s My Car (Sept 20)
My Birthday Eve’s Eve with Hayes Carll (Oct 15)
Still Truckin’ (Oct 31)
Lucero and a Bottle of Christmas Cheer (Dec 23)
There is my annual list of the year’s best music.
And sometimes I write things that make no sense at all.
1977 and My Quest to Stop John Mayer (Oct 16)
2011 was a good year and I’m sure there will be plenty more to come. Stay tuned.
Best Albums of 2011: 11-20 December 21, 2011
Posted by Matt in Best of 2011.Tags: albums, Best of 2011, Cults, drive-by truckers, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mastodon, music, My Morning Jacket, Raphael Saadiq, Saigon, TV on the Radio, Wild Flag, Yuck
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This week we’ve been looking at my favorite albums of 2011, beginning Monday with those ranked 31-40 and continuing yesterday with 21-30. Today we move into the next tier of greatness, 11-20.
20. Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots
It’s no secret that I’ve had a longstanding love, going back some ten years, of the Drive-By Truckers, but because I hold their earlier albums (Southern Rock Opera, Decoration Day, and The Dirty South) in such high regard, it affects my view of their more recent works. This was especially true with 2009’s The Big To-Do, which I really liked from the first time I heard it, but it took time and a few shows for that to grow into a true appreciation for it. This story repeated itself with Go-Go Boots because I must admit I was not particularly impressed with it at first. Over time, though, it has blossomed in my eyes and ears and now I am more convinced than ever that it belongs in the holy canon. There are several standout tracks, including a new live staple and probably the most uncharacteristic track on the album, an R&B-tinged cover of the late Eddie Hinton’s “Everybody Needs Love.” Others to check out are the dark title track, a very DBT-esque tale of an adulterous, murderous Southern preacher, and “Used to Be a Cop” with its bass line made to be played live and its story of a mentally disturbed former police officer, but the real highlight from the album in my eyes is the closer, “Mercy Buckets,” a song that really captured my attention with a transcendent performance earlier this year in Memphis. With lyrics like “I will bring you buckets of mercy / And hold your hand when you’re crossing the street / Pay your bail if you need it / I will be your saving grace,” it’s a love song as only the great Patterson Hood could tell it. If you want to know why I’m obsessed with the band, start here and work back. You won’t be disappointed.
19. Cults – Cults
Though it may seem like it at times, not all of the music I enjoy is gloom and doom, with intricate intellectual themes weaved through the notes and words. No, sometimes there are bands like Cults who blow the entire dark-hued obelisk to bits, the type of band who can act as the lone sunbeam on an otherwise dreary day. Much like other recent bands like Camera Obscura, Brooklyn’s Cults reach back to 1960’s pop for their influence, dispensing rays of upbeat happiness like a lighthouse in the dark. This is an album full of pop gems, of innocence and puppy love that are sure to put a smile on your face and skip in your step. The catchy sing-along lines of “Go Outside” (I really want to go out / I really want to go outside / And stop to see your day) will ingrain themselves in your brain and it’s borderline impossible to not tap your foot along to the nostalgic beats of “Most Wanted.” Just put this one on and enjoy yourself. My kids love it, too, so that’s an added bonus.
18. Jay-Z/Kanye West – Watch the Throne
Some two decades ago, rap legends Public Enemy made the declaration, “Don’t believe the hype,” and it’s true that hype is a tough thing to reach. That being the case, when it was announced that two of the biggest and most revered hip-hop artists were going to join forces for an album, an impossibly high bar was put in place. It’s tough not to be guilty of high expectations, though, considering that Jay-Z is responsible for classics like The Blueprint and Kanye West released what I think may be the greatest rap album ever recorded, My Dark Twisted Fantasy. With expectations at that level, it’s hard for anyone, even those regarded as being among the elite, to reach that kind of height. Watch the Throne is a good album, one that may be regarded as excellent by another act, but it is hard to separate oneself from the legendary status of their past work when judging it. Jay-Z’s swagger is in full effect on songs like “Ni@@as in Paris,” when he doles out lines like “What’s fifty grand to a motha****er like me / Can you please remind me?” and in “Otis” (with its great Otis Redding sample” when proclaims, “I’m ‘bout to call the paparazzi on myself.” Kanye isn’t one to be outdone, though, when he blasts out in “Gotta Have It,” saying “LOLOLOL to white America, assassinate my character.” In the end, the album is somewhat underwhelming when compared to their past work, but it is still worth getting, with its great beats and rhymes from two of the best in the business.
17. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
First off, I must admit that I’m a bit of a late comer to TV on the Radio. Sure, I had heard some of their stuff in the past, but had never been moved enough to reach out and grab any of their albums. But the overwhelming positive reaction to the band was more than I could hold out on any longer and I grabbed a copy of Nine Types of Light soon after it came out. Needless to say, it was a great decision. This genre-hopping outfit is not easily defined, but that fluidity is perhaps their greatest asset as they effortlessly flit between soul to the sound of early 80’s post-punk to jazzy excursions, from electronic bleeps to distorted guitars, mixing it all together into a glorious whole, turning chaos into a sublime experience. You can feel the heartbreak in songs like “You,” where Tunde Adebimpe sings “You gave no reason for letting go / I just thought you might like to know / You’re the only one I ever loved,” and then the hopes for reconciliation in “Will Do,” (But I’ll be there to take care of you / If ever you should decide / That you don’t want to waste your life / In the middle of a lovesick lullaby). It’s a very personal work and one that requires several listens to fully appreciate, but once it reels you in there is no escape and that’s really the best thing you can ever hope for with an album.
16. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
Back in the late 1990’s, the riot grrrl movement of left-wing, feminist activism found an audience through the music of great punk-influenced indie rock bands like Sleater-Kinney. They certainly made their mark on the music scene, but by the mid 2000’s, many of those bands were no more and, though there were a number of great female-led groups, few matched the punch of those earlier ones. Finally, though, somebody stepped back in to fill the void. In 2010, Carrie Brownstein, guitarist and co-founder of Sleater-Kinney as well as a music contributor to NPR, announced her new project, Wild Flag, a collaborative effort between people from a few different riot grrrl era bands, and by September of this year their triumphant debut work was released. Despite having a sound that harkens back to a decade ago, the album sounds fresh and important, timely and needed, its indie pop calls for reckless abandon, for letting go of your worries and dancing without concern. When Brownstein urges the listener to “Shake, shimmy, shake,” you want to do it, regardless of where you are or what you’re doing. It’s a great throwback and a lot of fun.
15. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
At the risk of sounding like someone far beyond my years or mindset, they just don’t make music like they used to when it comes to soul and R&B, so there has long been a gap existing in the music community, waiting for some eager people full of that special, heart-wrenching spirit to fill. Last year hip-hop artist Cee-Lo stepped up, producing an album of incredibly fun tunes with a sound akin to a potty-mouthed Stevie Wonder. This year another artist who has been around for some time, Raphael Saadiq, is picking up the soulful baton and taking his own turn. Saadiq first came to prominence in the late 80’s-early 90’s R&B group Tony! Toni! Tone! (“Feels Good,” “If I Had No Loot”) and since then he has worked as a producer for other top-selling artists as well as creating his own acclaimed music, but this is the first solo work of his I have acquired. Needless to say, I’m hooked. Listening to Saadiq, I hear a huge Sly and the Family Stone influence, particularly on the opener “Heart Attack,” while other tracks seem to draw from the likes of Ray Charles and other greats of times past. Make sure and check out songs like “Over You” and the title track and I’m sure you’ll agree: this is old school soul at its best.
14. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
Over the past ten years, there have been a number of bands that have entered and become fully planted in my consciousness, so much so that I wait with great anticipation for every release and passionately yearn for them to visit our city. There are those like the Drive-By Truckers who I have seen numerous times and then there is a band like My Morning Jacket, who I follow religiously but have somehow not made their way to Memphis in the time I’ve been living here. Their latest release, Circuitous, is another stellar release, complete with their trademark hazy, reverb-drenched sound and a bunch of excellent songs from Jim James and the boys. Following the incredible Z and the psychotropic freak out of Evil Urges, which I loved even more, MMJ fans wondered about the direction in which the band was headed. Would they return to their earlier sound or continue down the rainbow hued path to the always-elusive hallucinatory nirvana? Well, the answer is somewhere in the middle and this may be just as good, if not better, than either of those releases. The trippy seven minute “Circuital” (Circuits / Connect the Earth to the moon / And link our heavenly bodies / Not a moment too soon) is a must hear, as is the wonderfully weird “Holdin’ on to Black Metal” (Oh black metal, so misunderstood / Don’t turn yourself into Lucifer’s fool), but it is the carefree joy over somber tones of “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)” (I’m going where there ain’t no fear / I’m going where the spirit is near / I’m going where the living is easy / And the people are kind / A new state of mind), that for the moment is my favorite cut on the album. Once again, MMJ strikes gold.
13. Saigon – Greatest Story Never Told
The story of Saigon is a rags to riches story of the best kind. While doing time for assault in the late 90’s, he became friends with a fellow inmate named Hakim, who rapped and employed both positive messages and an impressive vocabulary. After his release, he began to pick us some underground buzz and flew just below the mainstream radar for the next decade, collaborating with some of the biggest and most acclaimed artists in the genre while fighting with his record label over creative differences. So, the album sat on a shelf for some time before he was finally dropped by Atlantic in 2008, a situation he described in the song “Believe it” saying, “”They rather me pretend to be something that I’m not / I’m the new Public Enemy / I’m different that Young Joc.” The album finally broke through to the public earlier this year, having been released on an independent label, and this rap tour-de-force proved to be one of the best hip-hop collections of the year. His penchant for speaking candidly about social problems using the context of his own hard luck background shines throughout the work, though he’s certainly not above the braggadocio of hip-hop, claiming that “My flow is like the Cuban Missle Crisis” in “Come on Baby,” while saying in the title track that his personal story “is realer than 9/11 / I rhyme about lyin’ reverends / While showin’ all total respect to the Big Guy in Heaven / I rap about politicians, how money’s their acquisition / To get it they gotta keep us without a pot to piss in.” If you like good, socially conscious rap music, this is definitely one to check out.
12. Yuck – Yuck
Having come of age in the 1990’s, it’s only natural that I would be a bit nostalgic for the music of that era, so it is refreshing to find artists whose vision of the past is similar to mine. Over the years, the results of this endeavor have varied wildly, but occasionally a band breaks through the ever-thickening shroud of time and channels the energy of that fondly recalled era with such flair that you feel as though you’ve stepped into a flannel-covered time machine. Yuck, despite their name, is one of those wonderful memory-laden bands, their loud and fuzzy guitars eliciting a sense of euphoria rarely felt any longer. If Thurston Moore and Stephen Malkmus had a child who was then raised by J Mascis, it would sound like Yuck. It opens with “Get Away,” and a guitar that sounds as though it’s being played through a wall of white noise and the repeated intonation to “Tell me when the pain kicks in.” From that point on, the band rolls through a grunge litany long thought extinct, from the lovely “Georgia” to the distortion-filled “Operation,” making us believe again that stalwart indifference may be the answer to all of life’s questions.
11. Mastodon – The Hunter
As a teenager, metal music played a vital role in my music development, from Metallica (Black Album and earlier) to Megadeth to the savage violence of Pantera, but over the years I lost interest in the genre. Part of that may be from my aging sensibilities, but much of it, I believe, stems from my grumpy old man insistence that they don’t make it the way they used to. Then I heard Atlanta natives Mastodon and, once I recovered from the initial face-melting experience, I was hooked. The band made their mark with loud, intricate concept albums, Leviathan being loosely based on Moby Dick and their last album, 2009’s Crack Skye, telling the story of a quadriplegic traveling the astral plain before getting stuck in Tsarist Russia. The Hunter eschews the use of a central concept in favor of collecting a number of incredible songs showing their killer musicianship. It all kicks off with the guitar blast of “Black Tongue,” with its undeniably great riffing, then follows that up with the excellent, almost 70’s riff rock sounding, “Curl of the Burl” with one of the most awesome opening lines of the year, “I killed a man ‘cause he killed my goat. / I put my hands around his throat.” They may never be a household name like Metallica (and that’s a good thing because you can see how that turned out), but they have made an indelible mark on the world of metal over the past ten years and, if The Hunter is any indication, there is a lot more greatness to come.
Thoughts?
Best Albums of 2011: 21-30 December 20, 2011
Posted by Matt in Best of 2011.Tags: Beastie Boys, Best of 2011, Dawes, Girls, Jason Isbell, Lykke Li, music, Okkervil River, PJ Harvey, The Decemberists, Those Darlins
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Yesterday we began our look back at this stellar year for music, looking at the albums I ranked 31-40 on my list. Today we continue with the next ten.
30. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Here We Rest
I was always a big fan of Jason Isbell’s songwriting during his tenure with the Drive-By Truckers, with great songs like “Outfit” and “Decoration Day” to his credit, and I’ve followed his solo career pretty closely as well, enjoying each of his two prior releases (Sirens of the Ditch and Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit) a good deal. In my humble opinion, Here We Rest hits a new level of excellence for the young country-rock artist. Opening with the aching homesickness of “Alabama Pines,” Isbell seems to have found his solo career groove, but it is the country-infused drug lament, “Codeine” that stands as the centerpiece of the work. With his characteristically great writing and cohesive music, Jason Isbell is a true treasure in the world of southern rock.
29. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
From the opening pounding drum beat of “Youth Knows No Pain,” it quickly becomes apparent that this sophomore release from Sweden’s Lykke Li is a work that begs to be listened to. This is a pop album, make no doubt about it, but it is not mindless fluff, not just a momentary diversion from the trials of everyday life. Her voice is hypnotic in songs like “I Follow Rivers” when she says, “Oh, I beg you, can I follow? / Oh, I ask you, wanna always / Be the ocean, where I unravel / Be my only, be the water where I’m wading / You’re my river running high, run deep, run wild.” It’s catchy as hell, so much so that it even makes this goofy white guy in his mid-30’s want to dance. The subject matter remains pretty dark throughout the album, and though that seems to be at odds with the irresistible beats, it works together superbly.
28. Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
While I have listened to Sonic Youth for many years, I had never quite felt the urge in indulge in side projects from the band. And though was no particular reason behind this bit of negligence, I pretty much ignored those works amid the glut of releases each year. Then my friend Lynn posted a tweet in which he called this work from guitarist Thurston Moore the “best album of the year,” and I knew I had to check it out. Once again, I found that he and I were on the same page. If, like me, you are accustomed to the chaotic noise of Moore’s work with Sonic Youth, this Beck-produced collection of acoustic numbers by the elder statesman of alt-rock guitarists is a wonderful surprise. With strings a-plenty and lyrics bending to the abstract, this is a truly wonderful work. One cannot help but wonder at the prophetic nature of lines like, “With benediction in her eyes / Our dearest gods are not surprised,” with the breakup of Moore and Kim Gordon’s longstanding relationship and the apparent demise of their groundbreaking band. Regardless of the motivating factors for the work, Moore’s plaintive vocals over a gently strummed guitar make clear that this is another stellar work from an amazing artist. Whether or not you like the experimental noise of Sonic Youth, this is something you must hear.
27. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
English singer-songwriter has been in the business for some 20 years, but I’ve rarely given her work more than just a passing glance. There’s no obvious reason for this, but for some reason, I’ve never taken the time to enjoy her music. Thankfully, I finally got around to really listening to her. Let England Shake is a wonderfully affective album, one that sticks with you as she travels the worn and bloody path of the human condition, as seen through the lens of war. This is no “anti-war” record, though, as thought of in the common sense, rather it is more of a haunting meditation on the toll it takes on humanity. In the title song, she sings “England’s dancing days are done / Another day, Bobby, for you to come / Home and tell me indifference / Is won, won, won.” This is an album that bemoans the carnage of life, that offers despair alongside beauty. This is dark stuff, but perhaps it is needed amid the fluff and plastic happiness of everyday life, the blind eye turned away, choosing instead to focus on things that make them forget.
26. Dawes – Nothing is Wrong
With great bands like the Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons breaking into the mainstream, it’s a good time to be an indie folk band, but at the same time, that dynamic lends itself to coattail riders. Many might look at Dawes in that manner, as a band that merely wants to grasp at fame from the shoulders of their contemporaries. Well, those people are dead wrong. Dawes have become one of the most impressive finds for me in the past calendar year, with catchy tunes and Eagles-esque harmonies that stick to your brain like glue and put a smile on your face. In the song “Time Spent in Los Angeles,” which also happens to be their hometown, they sing “But you got that special kind of sadness / You got that tragic set of charms / That only comes from time spent in Los Angeles / Makes me wanna wrap you in my arms,” with a sincerity and beauty that reminds me of great bands like The Jayhawks. “If I Wanted Someone” blends influences like the aforementioned Eagles with Tom Petty to form an unforgettable whole. It’s a great album and by putting a bit of a twist on the current indie folk boom, they’ve carved their own wonderful niche.
25. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee, Part 2
The Beasties have been doing this a long time and, after listening to their latest release, it’s obvious that there is still plenty of gas left in the proverbial tank. Originally set to be a two part album, Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1 was to be released two years ago, but after Ad-Rock’s cancer diagnosis, his bandmates (Mike D and MCA) put the project on hold until his treatment was complete. With a joking nod, they kept with the original release schedule and entitled their latest Part 2. Hot Sauce is full of the old school jams you would expect from the band, with record scratching, loads of samples, and those long familiar voices belting out song after song of danceable fun. Album opener “Make Some Noise” is a joyful blast from the past, with both the best music video in years and a great nod to their 25 year old hit, “Fight for Your Right to Party.” Their collaboration with rapper Nas on “Too Many Rappers” shines as well, and even though they acknowledge their veteran status, “Grandpa been rappin’ since ’83,” they more than hold their own and show once again that they are and have always been a force to be reckoned with in the rap community. With another eye on their pre-Party, punk rock past, the Boys blast through “Lee Majors Come Around” with a ferocity that belies their age. The Beasties are just pure, rocking fun. Turn up the volume and, as they would say, it’s time to get ill!
24. Okkervil River – I Am Very Far
Austin’s Okkervil River is another band that has been on my radar for several years now and I have quickly scooped up each of their releases with glee and anticipation. I Am Very Far presents a bit of a different path taken by Will Sheff’s group, away from the literate, rock music mythology of past work and towards something darker, deeper, and at times even psychedelic. The arrangements range from fairly simple to huge (according to Wikipedia, the band employed 45 classical guitars on one song), yet the album remains incredibly cohesive. Opener “The Valley” combines a driving drum beat and Sheff’s cadence-like vocals “We watch the sun in the sky, off and on, where are friend stands / Bleeding on the late summer lawn, a slicked back bloody black / gunshot to the head. He has fallen in the valley of the rock and roll dead.” For me, though, the highlight of this album and perhaps my favorite song of the year is “We Need a Myth,” a testimony to humankind’s need for stories, for narratives to understand the insanity of the world around us. When Sheff sings, “We need a myth / I feel my heart’s like a fist / I want words spilling out / From the blessed lips of any prophet or goddess” it makes so much sense to me and my oft-questioning mind. It’s another great work from a great band.
23. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
On their second full length release, Girls have really set a strong standard, transforming themselves from precocious indie newcomers to a true force to be reckoned with. The release kicks off with the strong and bouncy, “Honey Bunny,” a song reminiscent of Memphis’s own indie pop darlings, Magic Kids. At other times, particularly in songs like “Alex” and “How Can I Say I Love You,” they take on a more psychedelic pop sound, something along the lines of the 60’s era flower children or, to use a more recent example, something akin to MGMT. The centerpiece of the album to me is the unfortunately named tune “Vomit,” with its Cure-like (think Love Song) beginning that transforms over the course of more than six minutes to include exploding loud distorted guitars before climaxing with a lush, Pink Floyd-like ending as vocalist Christopher Owens repeatedly intones, “Come into my heart.” It’s a strong work from a great band who no doubt have a big future ahead of them.
22. Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
I had never listened to Those Darlins before this Fall when I checked them out online prior to seeing them open for the Drive-By Truckers. After the show, I was firmly in their stable as a fan. This female-led band carries itself with a self-assured swagger, blending a sound that is clearly Southern with strong riot grrrl influences to create one of the best indie pop/garage rock albums of the year. They’re loud and brash, having no intention of taking a backseat to anyone with songs like “Be Your Bro” where they say, “I just wanna be your brother / You just wanna be my boyfriend / I just wanna run and play in the dirt with you / You just wanna stick it in.” The songs sometimes explode with feminist angst, as they rip through song after song with a Ramones-like fury(the three women in the band have also adopted the surname “Darlin,” further exhibiting the Ramones influence). The title track is a rocking start and the chorus, “Can’t blame me for what I choose / Whoa, screws get loose” will etch itself into your brain and follow you around for a long time after the song ends. Make sure you give this one a good listen.
21. The Decemberists – The King is Dead
The Decemberists are a true oddity in today’s music world. Defying all notions of commonly held public perception, they have created a niche for themselves and their strangely beautiful and wonderful works. The King is Dead represents what may be seen as a step away from their more recent conceptual works, The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love, and back to the more normal song structures found in their earlier albums. To this loyal fan, it is a welcome change, because Hazards, I regret to say, was bordering on being an overwrought mess. So, as vocalist Collin Melloy says in the opening track “Don’t Carry it All,” let’s “Raise a glass to the turning of the seasons,” for this highly literate band, sit back and enjoy. I like the folk rock sounds of “January Hymn” and “Rise to Me” a great deal as well. If you’ve ever been interested in The Decemberists, but were perhaps thrown off by the weirdness of an album built around a Japanese folk tale of a man who falls in love with a bird, this is probably the album for you. While it may not include a sure-fire single like “O Valencia,” it is their most immediate work in years. Now if only they would make a stop in Memphis…
Thoughts?
Best Albums of 2011: 31-40 December 19, 2011
Posted by Matt in Best of 2011.Tags: Amy LaVere, Best of 2011, Bright Eyes, Das Racist, J Mascis, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Lucinda Williams, music, Radiohead, Smith Westerns, The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams, Wye Oak
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And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, it is time for the list.
As an avid music lover and collector, I have published lists online for the past few years detailing my favorite releases from those times, and this year is no different. It has been an incredible year for music, with great releases by hugely popular artists as well as many by lesser known, below-the-radar ones, and thanks to both the regular MP3 deals on Amazon and the presence of Spotify, I have procured and listened to more new music than ever before in 2011. Please feel free to give your comments and critiques each day this week as we work our way through my 40 favorite albums of 2011.
40. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me
I saw Jessica Lea Mayfield open for the Black Keys a few years ago and quickly fell in love with her voice, so I made sure to listen to her latest album when it was released this year. At just 21 years old Mayfield seems to have already grasped the art of restraint in her music, not going over the top with her vocals and instead letting the songs speak for themselves. She comes across as genuine and unpretentious in songs like “Our Hearts are Wrong,” when she sings “My self esteem / Is heating up the room / You’re intimidating as all hell / but I ain’t scared of you,” and perhaps that realness is what attracts me the most to her music.
39. Wye Oak – Civilian
Employing an incredibly rich sound that belies their status as a two person band, Wye Oak have crafted one of the more beautiful and dark albums of the year. “Holy Holy” takes a driving guitar and a foreboding undercurrent, mixes it with vocals in ___’s almost childish style, with lyrics like “Holy, holy, holy / There is no other story / It is madness seeking mastery / We will be who we want to be,” to create an album that, regardless of its early release date and the number of great works from this year, was unforgettable. There’s a line from the title track that has stuck with me all these months, “I wanted to give you everything / But I still stand in awe of superficial things.” Exactly.
38. Various Artists – The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
The legendary Hank Williams was one of the greatest and most prolific songwriters to ever grace the genre of country music. By the day of his untimely death at age 29, he had written and recorded hundreds of songs, much of which remains the standard by which all country music is measured to this day, more than six decades later. So, when a notebook of unfinished and unrecorded songs by Williams was discovered, who better to complete the work than fellow legend Bob Dylan. For the task, Dylan recruited a wide variety of artists, both young and old, from Merle Haggard and Levon Helm, to Jack White and Norah Jones, and all together they did Hank proud. Personal favorites from the album include Dylan’s take on “The Love that Faded” and White’s version of “You Know That I Know.” This is a must-hear, both for Williams fans and those of younger generations who may not have discovered his genius yet.
37. Bright Eyes = The People’s Key
Album releases by Bright Eyes have long been a hit-or-miss proposition with me. I’ve been a fan of Conor Oberst’s songwriting and wavering vocal style for years, so I’m always quick to listen to each new release. The People’s Key stands as one of their better ones, showcasing the indie folk style that put them on the map. It kicks off with a strange sci-fi soliloquy about lizard people from another dimension that came to earth long ago, and from there the band takes over with a flourish. The superbly catchy “Jejune Stars” is the kind of song that reminds you of Oberst’s incredible talent as a pop songwriter. It’s definitely a good album and certainly worth a listen.
36. Das Racist – Relax
Experimental rap outfit Das Racist doesn’t easily fit into any predetermined categories in the music world. Combining lyrics loaded with satire over danceable beats, they are truly a one-of-a-kind outfit. In a genre that often takes itself too seriously, you can’t help but like nonsensical lines like “I’m DJ Khaled / I’m a Daikon radish,” and any listener has to chuckle at the song “Rainbow in the Dark” with lyrics like “I’m at the White Castle / (I don’t see you here, dog) / Tiny ass hamburgers / Tiny ass cheeseburgers / Tiny ass chicken sandwiches / It’s outlandish, kid.”
35. Amy LaVere – Stranger Me
Memphis’s own Amy LaVere is one of those many artists toiling away in today’s world that should be heard by everybody, and never is that more clear than on this, her latest release. LaVere’s sound is dark and dusky, dripping with Southern Gothic styling, creating a riveting, out-of-the-mainstream work. The opening track, “Damn Love Song,” stands as one of my favorite kiss-off songs in recent years, I can just imagine a guy asking her to write him a song and her answering him with opening lines of this song, “Right now / I’ll do it right now / Here’s your damn love song / And don’t it say it all.” “Red Banks” carries on the dark “murdering your man” motif of “Killing Him” from her first album and makes it clear that she’s definitely not a girl I’d want to be involved with. But, I still enjoy her music.
34. Radiohead – The King of Limbs
Thom Yorke’s critically lauded, groundbreaking band is perhaps rightly considered by many to be the greatest of the past two decades. From The Bends to OK Computer to Kid A to In Rainbows, they have time and again shown themselves ready and willing to break the mold and start over just for the sake of doing so. I like The King of Limbs pretty well, but I must admit that it hasn’t hit me in the same way as their past works. After several listens over the past months, I’m still not quite sure what to make of it, but Radiohead is the type of band whose albums seem made to grow on a listener. Is it brilliant? I’m not quite sure. I like songs like “Morning Mr. Magpie,” and I like the overall structure of the album, but I’m still wrestling with my overall feelings. Then again, maybe that’s a sign of its brilliance.
33. Smith Westerns – Dye it Blonde
With bands like Magic Kids, Girls, and Smith Westerns starting to break through, it’s a good time for psychedelic, bubblegum pop in the indie music world. On Dye it Blond, Chicagoans Smith Westerns wear their T. Rex influence in bright letters on their sleeves while crafting some fun, bouncy tunes that will appeal to even the most hard hearted person. With lyrics like “Weekends are never fun / Unless you’re around too,” the band exudes the innocence of a past time and the jangly guitars will wrap their arms around you and not let you go.
32. Lucinda Williams – Blessed
Years ago Lucinda Williams famously sang, “You took my joy, I want it back.” Well, judging from her latest release, she finally found it. At the age of 58 she remains one of the preeminent songwriters in the music world, but now, having conquered inner trials and tribulations, she is taking a look outward and focusing on the plight of others. In the title song she sings, “We were blessed by the minister / Who practiced what he preached / We were blessed by the poor man / Who said heaven was within reach,” and with this latest release you can see that she believes it, that maybe heaven is closer than we ever imagined. The album reaches its crescendo with the wonderful “Awakening” in which she, in a moment of looking both back and forward, says “In the awakening, in the awakening / I will honor the mistaken / I will honor the truth / In the awakening, in the awakening / I will honor the forsaken / I will not mourn my youth.” It’s a beautiful thing to witness someone coming into their own.
31. J Mascis – Several Shades of Why
As the vocalist and guitarist for the long-running Dinosaur Jr., the brand of fuzzed out noise created by J Mascis has been the stuff of legend. So, given that his name has been made with heavy distortion and high volume, it may seem out of character when you consider that this solo work is a sparsely orchestrated acoustic affair, but you can safely put any doubts aside. He sounds perfectly at home on this collection as the apparent brokenness in his voice takes center stage. The easy strumming of “Listen to Me” kicks things off with a flourish, and the plain-spoken nature of “Is it Done” will stick with you, but the song that captures me more than any other is the excellent “Not Enough,” one that sounds as though it would be perfectly comfortable in the loud, Dinosaur Jr. setting, but that captures new and different aspects of emotion and sound when done acoustically. J Mascis is a master at what he does.
The Best of 2011 … So Far, Top Ten June 30, 2011
Posted by Matt in Best of 2011.Tags: Beastie Boys, Best of 2011, Bon Iver, Eddie Vedder, Fleet Foxes, Hayes Carll, music, My Morning Jacket, Raphael Saadiq, Thurston Moore, top ten, TV on the Radio, Yuck
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As I said in Tuesday’s honorable mention post, this year has been a great one for music. So, my list of the best in the first six months of this year continues today with the top ten. Enjoy.
10. Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
While I have listened to Sonic Youth for many years, I had never quite felt the urge in indulge in side projects from the band. And though was no particular reason behind this bit of negligence, I pretty much ignored those works amid the glut of releases each year. Then my friend Lynn posted a tweet in which he called it the “best album of the year,” and I knew I had to check it out. Once again, I found that he and I were on the same page. If, like me, you are accustomed to the chaotic noise of Moore’s work with Sonic Youth, this Beck-produced collection of acoustic numbers by the elder statesman of alt-rock guitarists is a wonderful surprise. With strings a-plenty and lyrics bending to the abstract, this is a truly wonderful work. From his first words, “With benediction in her eyes / Our dearest gods are not surprised,” over a strummed guitar, it becomes clear that this is another stellar work from an amazing talent. Whether or not you like the experimental noise of Sonic Youth, this is something you should hear.
9. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
The Thoreaun legend behind Justin Vernon’s debut as Bon Iver, For Emma, Long Ago, was perhaps as intriguing as the simplistic and beautiful music contained therein, but it also left questions regarding his future as an artist and whether or not he would be able to duplicate the spellbinding efforts of his initial work. The simple, lone acoustic guitar has mostly been replaced by a talented band and a virtual cornucopia of sound and warm textures, yet Vernon’s remarkable and unmistakable falsetto, still aching, remains intact. Incredibly, despite adding so many pieces to the puzzle, Bon Iver is still a very intimate album, one that will hold your attention and stretch your emotions. “Holocene” (And at once I knew I was not magnificent / strayed above the highway aisle / jagged vacance, thick with ice / I could see for miles, miles, miles) is a stunning achievement in and of itself This is an album that will stick with you, even haunt you, long after you finish it and, really, what else can you ask from an artist?
8. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
At the risk of sounding like someone far beyond my years or mindset, they just don’t make music like they used to when it comes to soul and R&B, so there has long been a gap existing in the music community, waiting for some eager people full of that special, heart-wrenching spirit to fill. Last year hip-hop artist Cee-Lo stepped up, producing an album of incredibly fun tunes with a sound akin to a potty-mouthed Stevie Wonder. This year another artist who has been around for some time, Raphael Saadiq, is picking up the soulful baton and taking his own turn. Saadiq first came to prominence in the late 80’s-early 90’s R&B group Tony! Toni! Tone! (“Feels Good,” “If I Had No Loot”) and since then he has worked as a producer for other top-selling artists as well as creating his own acclaimed music, but this is the first solo work of his I have acquired. Needless to say, I’m hooked. Listening to Saadiq, I hear a huge Sly and the Family Stone influence, particularly on the opener “Heart Attack,” while other tracks seem to draw from the likes of Ray Charles and other greats of times past. Make sure and check out songs like “Over You” and the title track and I’m sure you’ll agree: this is old school soul at its best.
7. Yuck – Yuck
Having come of age in the 1990’s, it’s only natural that I would be a bit nostalgic for the music of that era, so it is refreshing to find artists whose vision of the past is similar to mine. Over the years, the results of this endeavor have varied wildly, but occasionally a band breaks through the ever-thickening shroud of time and channels the energy of that fondly recalled time with such flair that you feel as though you’ve stepped into a flannel-covered time machine. Yuck, despite their name, is one of those wonderful memory-laden bands, their loud and fuzzy guitars eliciting a sense of euphoria rarely felt any longer. If Thurston Moore and Stephen Malkmus had a child who was then raised by J Mascis, it would sound like Yuck. It opens with “Get Away,” and a guitar that sounds as though it’s being played through a wall of white noise and the repeated intonation to “Tell me when the pain kicks in.” From that point on, the band rolls through a grunge litany long thought extinct, from the lovely “Georgia” to the distortion-filled “Operation,” making us believe again that stalwart indifference may be the answer to all of life’s questions.
6. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee, Part 2
The Beasties have been doing this a long time and, after listening to their latest release, it’s obvious that there is still plenty of gas left in the proverbial tank. Originally set to be a two part album, Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1 was to be released two years ago, but after Ad-Rock’s cancer diagnosis, his bandmates (Mike D and MCA) put the project on hold until his treatment was complete. With a joking nod, they kept with the original release schedule and entitled their latest Part 2. Hot Sauce is full of the old school jams you would expect from the band, with record scratching, loads of samples, and those long familiar voices belting out song after song of danceable fun. Album opener “Make Some Noise” is a joyful blast from the past, with both the best music video in years and a great nod to their 25 year old hit, “Fight for Your Right to Party.” Their collaboration with rapper Nas on “Too Many Rappers” shines as well, and even though they acknowledge their veteran status, “Grandpa been rappin’ since ’83,” they more than hold their own and show once again that they are and have always been a force to be reckoned with in the rap community. With another eye on their pre-Party, punk rock past, the Boys blast through “Lee Majors Come Around” with a ferocity that belies their age. The Beasties are just pure, rocking fun. Turn up the volume and, as they would say, it’s time to get ill!
5. Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)
I had never heard of Hayes Carll before I caught him opening for the Drive-By Truckers a couple of years ago and, though I enjoyed his short set of country-tinged rock, particularly the irreverent fun of “She Left Me For Jesus,” it wasn’t until this album that I purchased any of his work and I was instantly hooked. Carll is a smart songwriter who reminds me at more serious times of a young Steve Earle and at more playful times of Todd Snider. His boozy vocals complement the bar band music perfectly, creating a sound that would be at home in a smoky honkytonk, but infused with originality and intelligence that belie that sort of lowly presentation. His one liners (I’m like James Brown, only white and taller / And all I wanna do is stomp and holler) will make you chuckle out loud while unconsciously moving to the catchy brand of southern rock. “Grand Parade” is a bit of light, summer fun, while the rocking title track tells a story of the Afghanistan war and drugs, but it is the funny back-and-forth wordplay of Carll and Cary Ann Hearst in, “Another Like You,” that takes the prize as the most memorable song. The two meet in a bar and begin an insult-laden conversation that runs from politics (Her: Well, you’re probably a Democrat / Him: What the hell is wrong with that? / Her: Nothing if you’re Taliban) to personal barbs (Him: I bet you slept with half the South / Her: Don’t you ever shut your mouth? / Him: How much did you pay for that tan?), before they finally leave together. Overall the album is a lot of fun and one of the most played ones on my iPod from this year.
4. My Morning Jacket – Circuitous
Over the past ten years, there have been a number of bands that have entered and become fully planted in my consciousness, so much so that I wait with great anticipation for every release and passionately yearn for them to visit our city. There are those like the Drive-By Truckers who I have seen numerous times and then there is a band like My Morning Jacket, who I follow religiously but have somehow has never made their way to Memphis. Their latest release, Circuitous, is another stellar release, complete with their trademark hazy, reverb-drenched sound and a bunch of excellent songs from Jim James and the boys. Following the incredible Z and the psychotropic freak out of Evil Urges, which I loved even more, MMJ fans wondered about the direction in which the band was headed. Would they return to their earlier sound or continue down the rainbow hued path to the always-elusive hallucinatory nirvana? Well, the answer is somewhere in the middle and this may be just as good, if not better, than either of those releases. The trippy seven minute “Circuital” (Circuits / Connect the Earth to the moon / And link our heavenly bodies / Not a moment too soon) is a must hear, as is the wonderfully weird “Holdin’ on to Black Metal” (Oh black metal, so misunderstood / Don’t turn yourself into Lucifer’s fool), but it is the carefree joy over somber tones of “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)” (I’m going where there ain’t no fear / I’m going where the spirit is near / I’m going where the living is easy / And the people are kind / A new state of mind), that for the moment is my favorite cut on the album. It’s really a great work all around and I wholeheartedly endorse it.
3. Fleet Foxes – Hopelessness Blues
The 2008 debut album from Fleet Foxes was a pleasant surprise with its Crosby, Stills & Nash style folk harmonies over acoustic guitars, and songs that lent a natural feeling of forest-covered hills and bubbling brooks, of a quiet sunrise in a gentle meadow. But, despite the success of their first release, there were some questions over how the band would proceed with their career, and whether or not they would suffer that inevitable problem of popular music acts – the sophomore slump. After one listen, though, all doubts were put to rest. The music is hypnotic and beautiful with just enough tweaks to the formula of their first album to keep their creations interesting. “Montezuma” starts the work off with a melancholic fingerpicked guitar, followed by ___’s words, “So now I am older than my mother and father / When they had their daughter / Now what does that say about me,” his voice filled with yearning and feelings of youth lost as he continues the nostalgic and sad litany, “Oh man that I used to be / Oh man, oh my, oh me.” There is an interesting dichotomy at work in the Fleet Foxes, with their simplistic music against complex lyrical themes that I find fascinating and ultimately wonderful. In the title track, he offers up incredibly deep and penetrating stanzas like, “I was raised up believing I was somehow unique / Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see / And now after some thinking, I’d say I’d rather be / A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me.” This is an album full of difficult themes, and one that certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but to those who do put forth the effort, it is a veritable treasure trove.
2. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
First off, I must admit that I’m a bit of a late comer to TV on the Radio. Sure, I had heard some of their stuff in the past, but had never been moved enough to reach out and grab any of their albums. But the overwhelming positive reaction to the band was more than I could hold out on any longer and I grabbed a copy of Nine Types of Light soon after it came out. Needless to say, it was a great decision. This genre-hopping outfit is not easily defined, but that fluidity is perhaps their greatest asset as they effortlessly flit between soul to the sound of early 80’s post-punk to jazzy excursions, from electronic bleeps to distorted guitars, mixing it all together into a glorious whole, turning chaos into a sublime experience. You can feel the heartbreak in songs like “You,” where Tunde Adebimpe sings “You gave no reason for letting go / I just thought you might like to know / You’re the only one I ever loved,” and then the hopes for reconciliation in “Will Do,” (But I’ll be there to take care of you / If ever you should decide / That you don’t want to waste your life / In the middle of a lovesick lullaby). It’s a very personal work and one that requires several listens to fully appreciate, but once it reels you in there is no escape and that’s really the best thing you can ever hope for with an album.
1. Eddie Vedder – Ukelele Songs
I could easily cajole you once again with stories of my long-standing love for all things Pearl Jam, of the times I’ve seen them and frontman Eddie Vedder in concert and of the extensive collection of their releases I keep on file in my iPod, but perhaps the best thing I could do with this latest addition to one of rock music’s greatest catalogues is to tell you to leave your worries and cares at the door and just listen. Much like his solo work on the Into The Wild soundtrack or on recent Pearl Jam songs like the heart-wrenching “Just Breath,” Eddie strips away the noise and opens a door straight to his soul, using little but his unmistakable voice filled with yearning and loss and love and a lone, unlikely instrument – the ukulele. The simple beauty of each and every song will squeeze your heart, bring a smile to your face and maybe even a tear to your eye. Of all the iterations of Eddie Vedder that I’ve followed across the years – from his early days as a spokesman of the disaffected grunge rock youth, to his anti-corporate stands, to his political diatribes – today’s may be my favorite. There is something quite special about watching a man finally come into his own after years of fighting and discover contentedness, to find love and hope and beauty in life. The muted strums that open his version of Pearl Jam’s “Can’t Keep,” kickstart the album with a burst of energy that it rarely reaches again, and that’s a good thing. It’s the loveliness of “Without You” (For every wish I hold a star / That goes old and sets in the dark / There is a dream I’ve dreamt about you), the forlorn “Goodbye” (I’ve got our love to remember / That will never change / I have you in my head / And though I’ll never hold you / And I’m still asking why / I guess that this is goodbye), and the playful duet with Cat Power “Tonight You Belong to Me” (Yes, the song from The Jerk), that make this my favorite album so far this year. It’s an offbeat, moving, and utterly beautiful masterpiece from one of the greatest artists of our generation.
Thoughts?
