#3) The National – High Violet [4AD; released 5/10/2010]
“I still owe money, to the money, to the money I owe”
“Bloodbuzz Ohio”
Growing up churched as I have, I’ve heard plenty of sermons that have had an impact on me, however, one of my favorites is a sermon I heard a couple times in college entitled “Ministry of the Mundane”. Without getting too preachy here, the sermon speaks to God’s presence in the smallest details in our lives and not just the huge events. (This sermon was used as a way to counter the huge Christian Revival events that pop up all over the place, especially the Bible Belt…but I digress.) What I loved about it is that it showed the significance of day to day events and the ability to get as much out of that as some huge “Look at me!” undertaking. Considering how much that speaks to me, it’s no wonder that The National have become one of my favorite bands, due to their “Music of the Mundane” as I shall forever now call it. The National sing about things that effect all of us, cause they have all been there too. Lead singer Matt Berninger used to work in a typical office job and those experiences have lead to his “blue collar” outlook on many of his tunes. It’s amazing what happens when you can relate to a band and what they’re singing about, and of course it doesn’t hurt that the music they write is damn good too. High Violet is the follow up to Boxer, my album of the year in 2007, and prior to Boxer The National had a tendency to release albums known as growers, meaning, you needed to put in the time in order for it to burrow under your skin. Boxer came along and was their most immediate release, but High Violet falls more into the “grower” category, and doesn’t suffer a single bit for it. There’s still the immediate pop songs such as “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and the Sufjan Stevens assisted “Afraid of Anyone”. However, also present are songs like “Sorrow” and “Little Faith” that are no less beautiful despite their lack of an obvious hook. What they do have though, is incredible and driving percussion, which is once again a great strength for the Brooklyn 5-piece. High Violet is the most mature release yet from this group, who as they age, have continually been able to find the influences to write their brooding anthems, something that must be easier said than done, because while writing about the mundane in our lives is not a groundbreaking idea, no one can seem to do it like The National.
[“Bloodbuzz Ohio” – High Violet]
#4) Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me [ Drag City; released 2/23/2010]
“Be at peace, baby, and be gone.”
“Baby Birch”
Listening to Joanna Newsom’s epic 2006 release Ys, you could sense what an accomplishment it was and that it certainly deserved to be considered one of the best releases that year, however it wasn’t an album that was easy to come back to. Consisting of only 5 tracks, Ys still clocked in at just under an hour thanks to its swirling songs that hovered around 10 minutes long. It truly was an album that worked best as one piece of art, basically a symphony expressed in 5 movements. There really was no where to jump in, and as brilliant as it was, it was an exhausting and overwhelming listen that took some effort. This is why when news broke that Newsom’s follow up album would actually be a triple album with over 2 hours of music, expectations were understandably reserved. However, with Have One On Me, Newsom took everything that made Ys an ambitious success and broke it into little pieces spread throughout 18 songs that the listener can drop in and listen for a while and not feel like he or she is missing any context. There are still plenty of lengthy tracks that harken back to Ys, such as the title track and “Kingfisher”, but for everyone of those, there’s a track like “Baby Birch” that, while sitting at almost 10 minutes long, goes by like a pop song thanks to it’s dearth of great moments spread throughout. Newsom’s patented harp playing and squeaky voice are still the prevalent feature of Have One On Me, as they should be, but also on display is her inspired piano playing, most notably on “Good Intentions Paving Co” and “Soft as Chalk” which give another glimpse into the many talents Newsom encompasses. Thanks to a renewed focus on song-structure, Have One On Me is a much more accessible release for Newsom, but one that doesn’t sacrifice the scope of her compositions. It almost comes across as what her greatest hits collection would sound like, accentuating all the unique preciousness, confidence, and lyrical ability that sets her apart from all other singer-songwriters.
#5) Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz [Asthmatic Kitty; released 10/12/2010]
“For at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye.”
“I Walked”
If you were lucky enough to see Sufjan Stevens in concert during his tour for The Age of Adz, you may have noticed a very subtle, but meaningful moment at the beginning of his show. Now, I can’t speak for all his concerts, but at The Tabernacle in November, Sufjan emerged on stage wearing his patented butterfly wings and proceeded to open the show with the beautifully aged, and fan favorite, “Seven Swans”. Immediately after the song, Sufjan shed his wings before going into “Age of Adz” and continuing down the path of playing his new material for the majority of the event. If there’s ever been a more symbolic gesture to start a concert, I haven’t seen it. The Age of Adz starts in similar fashion with the finger-picking “Futile Devices” before changing gears into the electronic mish-mash that is “Too Much”. This isn’t the Sufjan you’ve grown up with, this version is over the top absurdity, but certainly not lacking the same ambition that brought us the down defunct “50 States Project.” In the 5 years since Illinois, Sufjan was in jeopardy of becoming a cult hero; staying relatively reclusive and only releasing his work in odd forms whether that be a Christmas album, or a musical dedicated to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. He hinted as possibly never making another album, and also fought a serious viral infection that affected his nervous system. The influences and experiences were aplenty for Sufjan to create an album of the scale of The Age of Adz and he tied it all together by focusing much of his attention for this album on schizophrenic artist Royal Robertson, whose paranoid sci-fi tendencies are seen in not only the album artwork, but also throughout the tunes. If there was ever a time for Sufjan to get back to the electronic experimentation that characterized his early work such as Enjoy Your Rabbit, this was it. It may have taken an unexpected journey and influences for Stevens to craft this masterpiece, but I’m convinced that this is the album Sufjan always wanted to make, he just finally figured out the best way how.
[“I Walked” – The Age of Adz]
#6) Beach House – Teen Dream [Sub Pop; released 1/26/2010]
“I’ll take care of you, that’s true”
“Take Care”
Last year, Beach House’s lead-woman, Victoria Legrand made a guest appearance on Veckatimest, the wonderful album from Grizzly Bear and my #1 album of 2009. What made that album a monumental step forward for Grizzly Bear was its focus toward melodies and accessibility, something their previous albums were missing. Whether intentional or not, those songwriting techniques clearly rubbed off on Legrand, because with Teen Dream, Beach House has unveiled their masterpiece due in large part to the same nuances that led to Veckatimest’s success. Baltimore’s Beach House has always been a creator of lush dream-pop, but up to this point their albums were plagued by a little too much shoegazing and not enough memorable melodies. Legrand and bandmate Alex Scally could always write a beautiful song, usually one per album, but always seemingly casts among a deluge of forgettable tracks. However, with proper use of Legrand’s hypnotizing voice and a less meandering sonic haze in the music, the potential could be seen for a truly transcendent album , which is why their previous work was so frustrating. Teen Dream sees the realization of that potential with its 10 tracks chock-full of mesmerizing melodies, and much less of the boring ambiance that bogged down previous work. This is an album that resonates with the listener and start to finish it is easily the most consistent Beach House release, and one of the most consistent releases of the year. Beach House always had a devoted fan base who were drawn to their brand of fuzz-pop, however, with Teen Dream there should be an influx of new fans, me included, who have been waiting for the duo to release an album just like this.
#7) Local Natives – Gorilla Manor [Frenchkiss; released 2/16/2010]
“Oh, to see it with my own eyes.”
“Wide Eyes”
Hands down, the year’s best debut album comes via the West Coast thanks to the Los Angeles 5-piece Local Natives. In a sense, you can consider Gorilla Manor the West Coast version of recent indie successes Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, and Grizzly Bear. Local Natives takes a bit of each of those bands and makes it their own, also mimicking a bit of the percussion techniques from fellow Californian’s The Dodos. Oftentimes, leaning too heavily on your influences can spread a band too thin, but honestly there’s no way to tell if Local Natives have indeed developed their sound based on the nuances of others because everything they do seems to be a strength of their very own doing. The harmonies, percussion, and afro-pop tendencies are nothing new in this current indie rock climate, but Local Natives make it seem like they came up with it first. Maybe it is the West Coast, surf rock spin they put on their music that sets them apart, or maybe it’s just that these are 5 excellent musicians who write supremely confident songs well beyond their years. Right from opening track “Wide Eyes” Gorilla Manor is a barrage songs that each could be their own single. It remarkable consistency rarely seen in a debut album, and they do it with such youthful exuberance and assurance that it seems like they aren’t even trying.
[“Wide Eyes” – Gorilla Manor]
#8) LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening [Virgin; released 5/18/2010]
“Be honest with me, honestly, unless it hurts my feelings.”
“Drunk Girls”
James Murphy’s 3rd album as LCD Soundsystem starts off with a simple beat and synth rhythm while Murphy quietly sings along almost to the point where the listener feels the need to turn up the volume a bit. It’s an unassuming way to start a dance-rock album, but of course, around the 3 minute mark the song erupts into a full-fledged dance song and we’re knee deep into yet another LCD Soundsystem experience. You would think the first few minutes of This Is Happening would be an inauspicious start to the follow up to one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the last decade, but from one of the most atypical rock stars and producers in the business, this should come as no surprise. By the time it’s 9 minutes are up, “Dance Yrself Clean” is one of the finest tracks of the year, but it’s not until the follow up track, “Drunk Girls” that we given a glimpse into what makes This Is Happening such a rich and rewarding listen: Murphy’s brutal honesty. Over and over he sings “I believe in waking up together”, something so simple, but also something so personal. The track ends with Murphy begging “Be honest with me, honestly…unless it hurts my feelings”, heart wrenching stuff. Later on track “I Can Change”, Murphy pleads “I can change, I can change, I can change, if it helps you fall in love”, you just can fake earnestness like that. It’s the self-awareness of Murphy and the confidence in how he presents it that makes This Is Happening his most mature work yet. It doesn’t hurt that vocally, he is on top of his game and the music’s detail and production takes a backseat to none of LCDSS’s previous work. If this is indeed the final LCD Soundsystem album, as has been rumored, it will go down as Murphy’s most personal work. What a gift to receive.
#9) Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest[4AD; released 9/27/2010]
“When you were young, you never knew which way you’d go. What once was grace, now undertows.”
“Desire Lines”
Hidden beneath the noise-rock textures of Deerhunter’s previous albums has always been hints at the type of great pop Bradford Cox and company could put out if they wanted. With Halcyon Digest, the Atlanta, Georgia quartet has rewarded listeners with such an album, and the results are striking. The ambient-punk tendencies that band likes to characterize themselves with still reamain, but songs like first single “Revival”, centerpiece “Desire Lines”, and the stunningly heartbreaking “Helicopter” show just how well this group can write straightforward songs while still maintaining their psych-pop familiarity that fans will certainly recognize from albums past. Those three songs are spread throughout the disc separated by 8 other haunting masterpieces including the fantastic opener “Earthquake” identified by an odd clacking and electronic loops overlaying an acoustic guitar and eerie vocals to the 7 minute epic closer “He Would Have Laughed”, a tribute to the late Jay Reatard. Halcyon Digest is an album about life and death and the memories made along the way and what you do with them. Sonically encapsulating that nostalgia in these 11 tracks is something that clearly was no afterthought, and thanks to the fine intimate production, Deerhunter has created their tour de force album at this point in their career.
[“Desire Lines” – Halcyon Digest]
#10) The Walkmen – Lisbon [Fat Possum; 9/14/2010]
“You took the high road, I couldn’t find you up there.”
“Angela Surf City”
This is the 2nd straight release from The Walkmen to find its way to #10 on my year end list, the previous being 2008’s You & Me, and considering Lisbon is just an extension of everything the band did so well on You & Me, it should come as no surprise to see it ranked so high. At this point in their careers, we all know what The Walkmen are selling: gritty, emotional garage rock anthems full of the wailing Dylan-like vocals of lead singer Hamilton Leithauser. These track are no different, featuring the jangly instrumentation leading to powerful climactic moments all the while encompassing the sorrowful notions that maybe only fellow New Yorkers, The National, can even come close to matching. From opening track “Juveniles”, Lisbon is instantly recognizable as a Walkmen release and the confidence always seen in these guy’s songs carries on from there. Lisbon will not to do anything to further The Walkmen’s musical journey, as it doesn’t really break any new ground for the group, but it’s clear these guys still have a lot to get off their chest and if continuing to write these mournful but rockin’ anthems is still where they need to be, I’m not complaining.
So now the countdown can begin with the 15 albums that make up #11 through #25. The only albums you’ll see a little blurb for here are the albums that fall in this range that I’ve yet to do a write up for on the blog. For the rest of the albums, you can click on the band name to link to the post where they were mentioned.
#25) Wolf Parade – Expo 86
The third release (and possibly last) from the Montreal group still doesn’t quite reach the heights of their wonderful 2005 debut, but Expo 86 does get back to what made that album so good, while ridding themselves of the over-ambition and 2008’s decent, but disappointing At Mount Zoomer. Spencer Krug is one of my favorite indie rock artists, and I always liked his stuff more than co-founder Dan Boeckner, however, on this album Boeckner is the star, although the album’s best moment does come from Krug in “What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)”.
[“What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)” – Expo 86]
#24) The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
It’s pretty much impossible to listen to The Tallest Man on Earth (aka, Kristian Matsson) and not get a Dylan-esque vibe. It’s a comparison that has followed Matsson to this point in his career, and certainly won’t stop if he continues down the path of The Wild Hunt, the 2nd full-length album from the Swedish singer-songwriter. Mattson’s folk is masterfully done and incredibly soulful and heartfelt in not only the music, but especially the lyrics.
[“The Wild Hunt” – The Wild Hunt]
#23) The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night
Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes follow up their breakout 2007 release, The Besnard Lakes are The Dark Horse, by picking up right where they left off with another set of eerie post-rock tracks that do nothing but validate the brilliance of this quartet. The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night is more of the atmospheric physchadelic rock that made Dark Horse so intriguing, and while many bands try to accomplish this sound, few are able to with such majesty. It’s a beautiful album, creating numerous soundscapes, while not sacrificing melody.
[“Albatross” – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night]
#22) Vampire Weekend – Contra
Released all the way back in January, it’s easy to overlook Contra, Vampire Weekend’s 2nd full-length album, as one of the bigger releases of the year. Following up their very successful and highly hyped debut album was no easy task, and while I don’t think Contra pops quite as well as their debut, it does accentuate all the tendencies that made their debut a “love it, or hate it” release. And I respect the hell out of that. Contra is Vampire Weekend putting their feet to the gas pedal and emphasizing all their eccentricities to the max, and not taking the time to look back at what people are saying…because they just don’t care.
#20) Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Frightened Rabbit’s 2008 release, The Midnight Organ Fight, was so immensely emotional that trying to follow it up would be no easy task. The Winter of Mixed Drinks only comes up slightly short of Organ Fight‘s granduer due to a more arena rock and polished sound rather than the raw folksiness that added to Organ Fight‘s charm. That’s not to say this album isn’t still packed with emotionally devastating ballads, because it most certainly is, thanks in large part to the vulnerability found in the Scottish vocals. As long as those vocals continue to find their way to the forefront, and these guys continue to write some impressive personal tunes, I don’t see there ever being too big of a drop off from album to album.
[“Swim Until You Can’t See Land” – The Winter of Mixed Drinks]
Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is the latest prodigy Sub Pop records is hoping to strike gold with. Well, if the 19 year old’s self-titled debut album as Avi Buffalo is any indication, they may have done just that. Based in Long Beach, Avi Buffalo combines the west coast sound with the northwest indie rock sound seen in many of his current and former labelmates. Lyrically, Avi writes about what you expect every 19 year old to write about: sex. So there’s still some growing up to do there, but the earnestness and confidence in his lyrics can not be denied. There is a sweetness to this music that makes it very likable, but the songwriting techniques for a group of teenagers is the most impressive thing.
#13) Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Anyone that knows me, knows that I’m not a rap/hip-hop guy. At all. However, in the last couple years I have given into opening my mind a bit to the genre. So, the fact that I have a rap album this high, should show you just how much I think of it. Everyone knows about Kanye. We all know how self-absorbed and narcissistic he is, as well as pretty much any other synonym for self-indulgent you can come up with. But honestly, it’s something he’s embraced and it’s become part of his songwriting, to the point of being self-deprecating. That feeling is captured perfectly on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in some of the most deeply personal artwork you’re going to find as all of the experiences he’s gone through in the last couple years come forward in cathartic effect. Oh, and the album consists of some very fine hip-hop songs as well.
[“Dark Fantasy” – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy]
#12) Jónsi – Go
The debut album from Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi starts off with a series of bleeps and bloops on song “Go Do” before fading into the more majestic soundscape and vocals you’d come to expect from the Icelandic artist. It’s barely one minute in and your ears have already been given a treat unlike anything else you will hear this year. The Nico Muhly arrangements only add to the gigantic scope of Jónsi’s music, while Jónsi’s naivety and sweetness make this an exhilarating listen. At times Go is as vibrant and emotionally stirring as the best work of Sigur Rós and makes their “indefinite hiatus” a little bit easier to deal with.
First up is my honorable mentions that couldn’t quite crack my top 25. These are not necessarily the next highest ranked albums after 25th. I just felt like these albums deserved a mention for one reason or another, but had yet to be mentioned previously in a post.
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Free Energy – Stuck on Nothing
Free Energy’s brand of power pop is incredibly infectious and there’s plenty to love in the debut album from the Philadelphia 5-piece. Produced by James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), Stuck on Nothing shows a great knack for songwriting, featuring some super catchy hooks gleaming with confidence. Free Energy isn’t going to change rock ‘n roll, but Murphy sure saw enough in them to sign them to his DFA record label, because sometimes just creating some super fun music in traditional ways is all you need, especially when it’s done this well.
[“Free Energy” – Stuck on Nothing]
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Delorean – Subiza
Delorean is the kind of band that I have grown to appreciate in the last few years. The Spanish quartet is a dance-rock band which is a genre that I used to have no interest in. However, this isn’t your typical dance music, and it’s not something you’ll be clubbing to, but they’re version of electro-pop reminds me of a mix of Passion Pit and M83, with a little bit of Animal Collective thrown in. Subiza is their 3rd full-length album, probably their best, and includes one of the finest songs of 2010 in “Real Love”.
[“Real Love” – Subiza]
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Best Coast – Crazy for You
Crazy for You is the highly anticipated debut album from the Los Angeles trio founded by Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno, and while I don’t rate this nearly as high as others, that doesn’t mean I don’t find it enjoyable. Best Coast writes lo-fi beach rock music full of catchy little melodies crammed into 2 and a half minutes or so. Crazy for You flies by at just over half an hour, and while my main criticism is the lyrics that seem like they come from the diary of a 12 year old, I do have to give Cosentino some credit for the brutal honesty she exudes in her songs.
[“When I’m With You” – Crazy for You]
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Wild Nothing – Gemini
One of the more under the radar releases this year is the excellent debut album from Jack Tatum, aka Wild Nothing. The Blacksburg, Virginia artist is another lo-fi shoegazing type band much like last year’s indie darlings The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Wild Nothing continues in that C86 style and Gemini features some very well written pop songs especially the excellent “Chinatown” which is one of the songs of the year and shows the talent and potential of Tatum.
[“Chinatown” – Gemini]
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Dishonorable Mentions:
I really can’t come up with too many albums to put here this year, which is a very good thing. That’s not to say there weren’t albums I didn’t like, but for the most part I enjoyed a little bit of every album I got this year. And while there were some disappointments, I just don’t think they deserve to fall in this category. So, what I’m going to do is feature one album that I will call a dishonorable mention, and then do a little write up on another album that you won’t see on my countdown which I’m sure will make some people angry, but I felt the need to explain myself.
The Whigs – In the Dark
The year’s lone dishonorable mention comes from the Athens based rockers The Whigs. It’s not like I was expecting a whole lot from this album, but I did enjoy their 2008 debut, Mission Control, so I was at least looking forward to hearing some more of their southern rock brand. But man, they just plain dropped the ball on this one, creating some uninteresting generic tunes, completely lacking inspiration. Even when some of the songs could work, the production is just dreadful. And I mean dreadful. The title track is the best song and really the only one that I could see fitting on Mission Control, but it’s not enough to save this mess. The sophomore slump strikes again.
So let me start by saying this is not a dishonorable mention. This is an album that ended up ranking in my top 50, and that I did enjoy listening to. However, as much ridiculous hype as this album got, I figured some people might wonder why it wasn’t going to show up in my countdown, so I wanted to give a quick little blurb sharing my thoughts. There’s no denying the talent of this group, especially for a debut album, and often the lyrics do convey a great deal of passion (although, after a while it starts to come across as just plain whining and wears me down. And there are a few lines that irk me, like a lot). The harmonies and ho-downs (or fauxdowns) are enjoyable, but when you do them on EVERY SINGLE TRACK with pretty much the same formula, it can be a bit much and border on self-indulgence. Now, as a fan of indie rock, I’m pretty good at looking the other way regarding self-indulgence, but sometimes, and it’s just hard to ignore the pretentiousness…and that’s the feeling I get with this album. The formula most of these tracks follow (slow acoustic start, building to the fauxdown) is actually quite generic, but my God, do people eat it up. Mumford & Sons take a lot from their influences, which I don’t have a problem with, but I just hate that the bands that pop in my head when listening to M&S have never gotten the same kind of love that these guys have garnered, despite the fact that I think they’re writing much more interesting music. Oh well.
So that’s just the music…I won’t even go too in depth of just how much I question this groups authenticity. I mean we’re talking about 4 guys from the super rich London suburbs, who for some reason decided to play American bluegrass folk. Far be it for me to question the type of music a band wants to play, but when you’ve already stated that your next album could go a completely new direction, I just can’t help but wonder where this is coming from. Can you imagine a band like Brooklyn’s Vampire Weekend (also known for their rich, educated, and preppy upbringing) deciding to play bluegrass music? (And trust me, they could if they wanted.) Absolutely not…it’d be a joke. They have embraced their “preppyness” in their tunes and while their music is certainly that type of corporate indie rock, I give them a pass, because I find it much more genuine.
So there you go. Once again, I don’t think this is a bad album whatsoever, but I also don’t think it deserves nearly the amount of hype it’s getting. There’s soooo much great music out there, and the fact that something like this is what people eat up, just bothers the hell out of me. The Pitchfork review was way too harsh and unfair at times, and frankly, reviews like that is why people despise Pitchfork, but there are certainly parts of it I agree with. The great reviews, on the otherhand, I think are also way off base. This album needs to fall somewhere in between, but if Sigh No More is how people get their jollies, then so be it.
2010 has come and gone, so it’s time for my annual Albums of the Year list. Usually, I like to give a little summary, but I’m done trying to come up with a theme for a given year. Music has become so varied and can mean different things to different people, that trying to pinpoint an overarching idea for all of music is pretty pointless. So I guess that’s a theme in and of itself…so there.
As usual, I’ll start off my countdown by providing a list of all the albums I purchased in some form this year, thus making them eligible for my list. Soundtracks, EPs, live albums, and b-side/rarities releases are once again not eligible. For 2010, I have 81 albums, 76 of which are eligible. There are plenty of albums that I’m sure could have made my list had I purchased them, but just like any year, there’s always a few that slip through the cracks. Over on the right, you can see my schedule over the next few days as I continue my countdown. After the jump, I present my eligible albums (in order of release date).
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what you’re saying. It’s December…the 3rd Quarter of 2010 ended like two months ago and it’s only a month or so before the year end lists get going, but as much as I’ve been lacking on posts, I figured the least I could do is another quarterly recap. So, better late than never!
It was kind of a slow quarter musically (and really, things haven’t picked up much in quarter number four), but there were a few notable albums I came across in the July-August-September time frame, and I felt like they needed mentioning. I still hope to get a review or two up that I was planning on before the end of the year, so keep a look out for those, but it’s also quite possible that my next post will be the beginning of my 2010 recap.
The Love Language – Libraries
The Love Language is the baby of Stuart McLamb, an incredibly talented songwriter, whose self-titled debut in 2009 was one of the under appreciated surprises of the year and immediately put the group on my radar. Libraries trades in the lo-fi tendencies that made the group’s debut so raw and energetic, but really doesn’t sacrifice any of its charm. It’s a more polished, and musically ambitious release that was also obviously given more studio time. The Arcade Fire comparisons in the arrangements and vocals still remain (albeit only slightly), but to me McLamb has moved on to more of a polished pop sound, and has certainly cemented himself as an AC Newman type songwriter, overflowing with glorious melodies.
[“Heart to Tell” – Libraries]
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Menomena – Mines
What’s interesting about Menomena is how accessible their songs sound despite the fact that there is a great deal of experimentation going on. Granted Mines is their most straight forward release, but you could play it to any newbie and they would probably not dismiss it as anything out of the ordinary. However there is much more going on underneath the surface and that’s something to be praised. Mines is the follow up to the critically acclaimedFriend or Foe and while it does slightly fall below that one’s standards, it’s still a fine release that’s sure to please fans old and new.
[“Five Little Rooms” – Mines]
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Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Here’s the big one. Easily the biggest release from the third quarter is also one of the best releases of the year from one of, if not, the greatest bands in the world. This is one of the albums I’ve been planning to do a review on so I won’t go into too much detail here, but just know that it is an absolutely beautiful take on suburban living that really can be taken in many contexts. The sense of paranoia and underlying tension on this album is just stunning, and it’s themes come across lyrically and musically to form an album of such intelligence and majesty, that’s it’s no wonder we’re talking about yet another masterpiece from this group.
[“Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains” – The Suburbs]
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The Thermals – Personal Life
As I’ve said before, if all pop-punk was like The Thermals, then maybe it’d be a genre worth a damn. Personal Life is the 5th album from the Portland trio and their follow up last year’s fine Now We Can See, which managed an honorable mention in my albums of 2009. Now this is the least punk of their albums, this time focusing more on a rock sound, which makes it less immediate, but it still features some of the great hooks and “whoa whoa whoas” (see “I Don’t Believe You” and its great video) that one comes to expect from a Thermals release. And as always, their lyrics are second to none, although much more introspective than their past releases (duh, see the album title). It’s maybe not seen as much in the music this time, but the passion is still there which is something other pop-punkers could learn from.
[“I Don’t Believe You” – Personal Life]
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Junip – Fields
You may think you don’t know who Junip is, but you actually do. Junip is the longtime band from Jose Gonzalez (and if you do know him, it’s probably from this…and if you don’t you should go watch that video, like now.) Despite having formed about 10 years ago, Fields is actually the first full-length album from this trio of Swedes. It’s basically a more musically expansive version of Gonzalez’s intimate folksiness, full of synths, afro-beat percussion, creating a bit of groove not seen in his previous work. However, the heart of Junip is still Gonzalez and I’m pretty confident in saying that if you like his solo stuff, it won’t be too hard for you to enjoy this album as well.
[“Rope & Summit” – Fields]
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The Walkmen – Lisbon
These New York rockers return with Lisbon, the follow up to 2008’s fantastic You & Me(my #10 album of ’08), with another set of sorrowful, energetic and well, Walkmen-esque tracks. The immediately recognizable songs do everything the Walkmen are known for, from the passionate vocals to the crescendo building tunes complete with their climactic crashes of emotion. The Walkmen have established themselves as one of the most consistent bands out there, releasing record after record that never fails to impress. It may not have quite the amount of memorable tracks as it’s predecessor, but in no way does it fall short in doing what they do best.
We’re halfway through what has been a fantastic year for music, so it’s time for me to summarize 2010 in my usual Mid-year fashion. Despite the lack of posts here on the blog, I’ve still been keeping up with new releases just as much as I usually do (although it’s been harder to find the time to listen to them as intently as I want). With that said, this post is a very preliminary look on the music of 2010 and is all subject to change by the time I get to my end of the year list. But this is my initial jab at what the year has looked like for me at its mid-point.
Joanna Newsom
Top 10 albums (plus one) of 2010 (in order of release date):
Beach House – Teen Dream
It’s going to be hard for this one to not end up in my top 10 at the end of the year. As I said in my 1Q Review, I’ve never been a huge Beach House fan, but along comes Teen Dream which is easily my favorite Beach House release and the first one I truly love from start to finish. It was 2010’s first great release, and for me one of the year’s biggest surprises.
[“Norway” – Teen Dream]
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Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
Probably the year’s finest debut album comes from this Los Angeles quintet. It’s got a bit of Grizzly Bear, a dash of Fleet Foxes, some Vampire Weekend, and even a little of fellow Californians The Dodos, but they’re not blatantly ripping off their influences, which is refreshing. Granted, I’m not as big into this album as others, but it is an impressive release and the group does what they do very well. Their future is bright.
[“Sun Hands” – Gorilla Manor]
———-
Fang Island – Fang Island
I really can’t get over how much I love this album. Maybe it’s because it’s only half an hour long and is just incredibly fun to listen to with no pretensions. As busy as life can be, sometimes an album with no smoke or mirrors that gets straight to the point and just plain rocks is exactly what is needed. Fang Island’s debut could not have come out at a more perfect time.
[“Daisy” – Fang Island]
———-
Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
And then on the flip side of the Fang Island album, you have Joanna Newsom’s epic triple LP which clocks in at over 2 hours. But the beauty of Have One on Me is that even with the time and effort required to give it a listen, it is quite accessible and is much easier to navigate than the albums predecessor, Ys. The multi-instrumentalist is on top of her game on this one and may have put out the best album of 2010.
[“Good Intentions Paving Co.” – Have One on Me]
———-
Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
Speaking of epic albums…nothing in 2010 can quite match on the “epic scale” what Titus Andronicus does on The Monitor. The album flows together as one glorious masterpiece that is extremely ambitious, and just so freaking huge. The blood, sweat, and tears put into the album from this young group is almost palpable throughout the listen. No easy task.
[“Four Score and Seven” – The Monitor]
———-
The Morning Benders – Big Echo
While Big Echo isn’t The Morning Benders debut album, it might as well be, because the improvement on this sophomore release from their previous work almost makes them indistinguishable from where they were. Much of that is thanks to the help from Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor who stepped up to produce this album, and man, you can hear the impact he had right from the start. They went from writing dinky little three minute generic pop songs to full-fledged sophisticated songwriters in a snap. Just watch this, and you’ll be an instant fan…guaranteed.
[“Excuses” – Big Echo]
———–
The Radio Dept. – Clinging to a Scheme
For fans of The Radio Dept., this album was anticipated for a long time. And I mean a long time. While their last release was only four years ago, the release date for this album just seemed to keep getting pushed back. And for a band that has been around in some form for 15 years to be sitting on only two full length album releases, patience had to be running thin for Radio Dept. diehards. Well, the Swedish pop group finally released Clinging to a Scheme and while it may have underwhelmed some fans expecting a bit more than 10 songs at 35 minutes, and disappointed those hoping for more of the lo-fi shoegaze tracks of their previous work, I think it’s an immensely enjoyable collection of finely tuned pop songs.
[“Heaven’s on Fire” – Clinging to a Scheme]
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Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
Another great release from the Canadian super-group, borrowing from their usual foray of indie-rockers all over the landscape, however this time it seems a little more of a condensed group as many Broken Social Scene mainstays only show up as guests. I think it works very well, as this is one of their most focused releases and for me can stand up against any of the band’s albums. While I do expect more of the Broken Social Scene Presents: albums to be done in the future, I really hope we don’t have to wait another 5 years for the next BSS release.
I mean honestly, they have released three straight masterpieces. High Violet may not be as immediate as Boxer, but it doesn’t take a backseat to that album in song-writing prowess by any means. They can do no wrong at this point and are easily one of the best American bands going today. It has a legit chance to make The National my first two-time winner of album of the year. My review covers it pretty well.
[“Afraid of Anyone” – High Violet]
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LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
If this is indeed the final album under the LCD Soundsystem moniker for James Murphy, he’s sending it out in very fine fashion…although that shouldn’t really be a surprise. This is Happening is another excellent collection of Murphy’s dance-rock tunes with an opening twosome of “Dance Yrself Clean” and “Drunk Girls” which is possibly the finest openers of any album this year, with the former currently out in front for my favorite track of 2010.
[“Dance Yrself Clean” – This is Happening]
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The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
The Gaslight Anthem took the Bruce Springsteen comparisons up a notch on their latest release, American Slang. The New Jersey quartet’s last album, The ’59 Sound, was quietly one of the best in 2008 and was such an homage to Springsteen that the Boss himself took some time out to perform on stage with the group. Well, with American Slang, The Gaslight Anthem have put together another set of pure American rock that expands on those influences especially in the vocals. This one doesn’t quite have the nostalgia and rock/garage-punk fusion that made The ’59 Sound such a brilliant release, but it’s still 10 fantastic rock songs full of hooks and the blue-collar charm that makes them so appealing in the first place.
[“American Slang” – American Slang]
Biggest Surprise:
Owen Pallett – Heartland
In all honesty, Teen Dream probably goes here, but I wanted to give it to something other than what mentioned above, so Heartland from Final Fantasy Owen Pallett gets this award. This may not have been a big surprise to others, but as I said in my 1Q Summary, I was never a big fan of Pallett’s previous work, so I didn’t expect to get into this album as much as I have.
[“Lewis Takes Action” – Heartland]
Biggest Disappointment:
Blitzen Trapper – Destroyer of the Void
Unfortunately, there were a few releases I could’ve put here, but I’ll go with the latest album from Blitzen Trapper. Their last album was soooo good and featured one of the best songs in the last few years in “Furr”, but this album is just blah, running short on memorable melodies and extremely boring. I was hoping for much more, but I think Furr may have been a high water mark for these guys because none of their other stuff even comes close to matching it.
It may be hard to call this one underrated considering at this point it hasn’t really even been, uhh, rated at all. Now, clearly there have been reviews, but as of this point there is no page on Metacritic. The reviews I’ve seen haven’t been bad, it’s just I would have expected more attention considering how well their debut EP was received last year. With an internet sensation in “It Gets Your Body Movin'”, which even managed to find its way on my 2009 Mixtape, I expected Wild Smile to be one of the more highly anticipated releases of the year, but upon its release there hasn’t really been much talk. And that’s a shame because it really is an impressive debut album and expands on the sound of their EP in ways I wasn’t really expecting.
[“Black Sheep” – Wild Smile]
Most Overrated:
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
Isn’t it interesting how as soon as this whole glo-fi/chillwave craze is all the rage, the critics are all of the sudden all about Ariel Pink, who has been making this kind of music for years? Granted, Before Today is his best produced album and features his best work, but I guess I just don’t quite get the genre. It’s enjoyable, but deserving of album of the year talk?…No. (However, “Round and Round” is pretty fantastic.)
[“Round and Round” – Before Today]
Need to Give More Listens:
Sleigh Bells – Treats
I almost put this as my most overrated, but I decided to hold off on that and give it a few more listens because I really don’t think I’ve given it enough of a shot. Pretty much everyone has this as one of the top albums of 2010 and I’ve seen it called the “future of music”, so I should give it the benefit of the doubt and give it a few more tries. However, it’s not out of the question that when all is said and done, I’ll indeed consider it overrated. I will say this…it is freakin’ LOUD.
In my write up for my pick of 2007’s album of the year, I remarked that “no album grabs you by the heart and hits you in the gut like The National’s Boxer.” Three years later, I may have to re-phrase that to say no band grabs you by the heart and hits you in the gut as The National, because with High Violet, The National have once again created an album full of haunting anthems that burrow beneath your skin and become implanted in your every thought. No band does somber, yet somehow not depressing, like Brooklyn’s The National. There is a subtle bit of hope in all of their tunes that gives it a sense of majesty that really can’t be matched by any band. It’s an accomplishment that is truly remarkable and probably doesn’t get the credit deserves, but with High Violet, the band’s achievements are becoming harder and harder to ignore.
Much like Boxer, The National use High Violet to tackle such themes of urban alienation and other concerns of the middle class as those day to day tasks become mundane and fears of a life wasted start to creep into one’s mind. However, whereas Boxer‘s subject matter tended towards uncertainty during a transition period, High Violet is more concerned about the after effects of the transition and trying to find the vibrant colors in what may seem like a dull colorless existence (I mean, just look at the cover art.)
Musically, High Violet isn’t breaking any new ground for the group, but it does refine and improve on all the band’s strengths. Matt Berninger still doesn’t encompass enough of a range to be considered a great singer, but his baritone vocals remain a perfect fit for the moody music that backs him up. Only Berninger could pack a sadness into a string of “doo doo doo”s like he does on “Lemonworld”, and the vulnerability in his voice makes it seem like there’s as much being said in those short fillers than most bands try to say on a complete album. But with any National album, it’s those two set of brothers behind Berninger that take the band to it’s level of immense grandeur. As usual, this starts with the rhythm section and drummer Bryan Devendorf. While poor or uninspired drumming doesn’t necessarily kill a song, used effectively it can absolutely take it to new levels and The National have perfected that with Devendorf’s driving percussion. Other than Bernigner’s voice, there is probably not a more distinctive part of The National’s sound than it’s drumming, and it’s done in such a subtle way that it doesn’t overbear the rest of the music one bit. It’s truly mesmerizing how well these five guys work as a quintet.
The album’s most triumphant moments comes from the Sufjan Stevens assisted “Afraid of Anyone” and first single “Bloodbuzz Ohio”, which both rival anything the group has ever done. They’re the most immediate and memorable songs on an album full of intricate compositions that take a little more effort from the listener to appreciate, but don’t sacrifice any of their depth. It’s not all perfect, however, and unfortunately the flaws show up on the bookends of the disc. Opening track “Terrible Love” is a wonderful song and after being debuted on Jimmy Fallon, was thought of to be one of the album highlights, but for some reason the band ravished the song with questionable production. For a band known for its precise songwriting and meticulousness during the production process, there’s no doubt this was done on purpose. But intentional or not, why they decided to take such a promising song and muck it up with muddy production is beyond me. Likewise, while “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” is a fine song, it feels unnecessarily tacked on to the end. The album would have been fine being capped off at 10 tracks and having “England” close it out. But when my biggest quibbles are production techniques and song placement, it’s clear that I’m grasping for straws when trying to find the album’s imperfections.
High Violet is another masterful release from this group of unassuming sorrowful rockers, their third such masterpiece in a row. While Boxer one upped its predecessorAlligator, it’s hard to say if High Violet has done the same to Boxer. But when your predecessor was one of the best albums of the last decade, merely matching up to it is an accomplishment of its own and I have no qualms saying High Violet has done at least that.
Posted by Hawkins 
A Round of Sound 