this is not a very fair list to make because i can't say that i've given
enough albums a thorough listen (there are way too many), but here is
my top ten favorite albums of 2002.
in order (for now).
1.)
jurassic 5: power in numbers. this album is terribly amazing. the
songs are catchy, but not too poppy, the lyrics are smart and sometimes
funny. i never thought i could like a hip hop album as much as i like
this.
2.) nada surf: let go. this could have very well been
number one, for it is also an incredible album. i believe it was only
released in england, but not the u.s. it should come out sometime this
year which means i get to use it again on the 2003 list! yeah!
3.)
coldplay: a rush of blood to the head. i was kind of caught off guard
by this album because it is nothing like parachutes which is also one of
my favorite albums. this album is so much more complex and beautiful
than the first but it took me a while to figure that out.
4.)
piebald: we are the only friends that we have. for the longest time i
swore this would be number 1 but, it just wasn't. it is still an
excellent pop album.
5.) the flaming lips: yoshimi battles the
pink robots. who can deny a concept album about robots trying to take
over the world? i am such a fool for missing their tour with beck. i
knew little to nothing of them until the end of this year when i fell
head over heels for them. the soft bulletin is also a complete gem.
6.)
koufax: social life. there was no way i was going to like this album,
(i grew to hate the first) and then i loved it (i grew to like the
first). it's just so well written, i couldn't not like it.
7.) sigur ros: (). this is so f'ing pretty, i just wanna bash its head in and gouge its eyes out.
8.)
kylie minogue: fever. yeah. that's right. i'm not apologizing
either. there's something about her music that's very european and all
her dancers do these strange german looking moves that seem to fit the
music perfectly, it's just really cool dance music.
9.)
sleater-kinney: one beat. this was the first thing i heard from this
band and i will definitely be checking out their other stuff.
apparently, there was a guy who went to all of their concerts and
masturbated to them, then he got arrested.
10.) motion city
soundtrack: i am the movie. i saw these guys in 2001 at flintfest and
they were not good. then i saw them at the magic stick and they were
good. very good, even. the melodies are incredible on this album.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Best of 2003 (from LJ)
welp, this definitely isn't researched very well, it's mostly off the
top of my head, so if i'm forgetting something, it's for that very
reason.
13. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
12. Rainer Maria - Long Knives Drawn
11. The Neptunes - Clones
10. The Postal Service - Give Up
9. Nanang Tatang - Muki
8. The Thrills - So Much For the City
7. Jay Z - The Black Album
6. Anathallo - Holiday at the Sea EP
5. The Rapture - Echoes
4. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
3. Junior Senior - d-d-d-don't stop the beat
2. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
1. Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Fave 3 songs of the year:
3. Beyonce - Crazy In Love
2. Q and Not U - Book of Flags
1. Mates of State - HaHa
13. Cursive - The Ugly Organ
12. Rainer Maria - Long Knives Drawn
11. The Neptunes - Clones
10. The Postal Service - Give Up
9. Nanang Tatang - Muki
8. The Thrills - So Much For the City
7. Jay Z - The Black Album
6. Anathallo - Holiday at the Sea EP
5. The Rapture - Echoes
4. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak
3. Junior Senior - d-d-d-don't stop the beat
2. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
1. Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Fave 3 songs of the year:
3. Beyonce - Crazy In Love
2. Q and Not U - Book of Flags
1. Mates of State - HaHa
Best of 2005 (from LJ)
Because I happen to like music and thought 2005 to be an excellent year
of music, I comprised a list of my favorite albums. It seemed as if on
the whole there were a lot of really well crafted albums, and I couldn't
tell if I had lowered my standards or if everyone was aiming to make a
landmark record. This list is based on my personal favorites, but was
influenced by the "greatness" and "bestness" factors.
20. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us (Gooom)
I bought this album in philly on perhaps the best weekend of the year, after playing a huge show. I was sick and listened to it driving home with kent and mar and sometimes when I hear it, I feel sick, but not because the album's sickening! Sometimes melodramatic, but really nice tones and atmosphere.
19. Supersystem - Always Never Again (Touch and Go)
After seeing them at the best show of 2004 as El Guapo, I was interested, but heard the El Guapo albums were a bust. This came out, and owned. Nothing new really, somewhere in between Q and Not U and !!!, but it's fun.
18. Coldplay - X & Y (Capitol)
Not a hip choice, Trav. Have you grown into a high school girl? Everytime I see them or read about them, I really dislike Chris Martin more and more. If that were not the case, this would probably be higher because it's a really solid album. Sounds like it was recorded in 2015, awesome synth / organ combos, funkier drumming than last 2 albums. 'Future Music' for malls.
17. Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die (Bar None)
I thought this was an uncreative creative album. Uncreative: steals premise of polyphonic spree, who steal from the flaming lips. Creative: Songs. Really happy, I guess annoying if you're not happy. Hippies, beards, excess instrumentation. Sounds like I don't like this. I do though.
16. The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever (Too Young To Die)
Cool! I really liked the theme of "Be Gentle With Me" which is about the fragility of life, but with a disco beat! I ended up putting it on almost every mix I made this year. Folky, 70's AM Gold harmonies.
15. Deerhoof - The Runners Four (Kill Rock Stars)
First Deerhoof album I've heard. People that like Deerhoof LOVE Deerhoof and swear they're the almighty band of bands. I don't really get that, but they are unique and creative and kinda charming. The selling point is the guitar solo in "You Can See."
14. Brendan Benson - The Alternative To Love (V2/Startime International)
This reminds me a lot of Novi because, I believe, this was the last album I bought living there and ended up listening to it a lot while knowing I would be getting out soon. So there's a lot of hopeful excitement that I attached to this. I like where Dude's head is at, but this is also the second album that features a song for a car commercial...and the other isn't even coldplay! Gah...i'm not doing so hot here...
13. Alec Jensen - Oh! Brother (King of Hearts)
The Great White Hope of Michigan Indie (Segernomics being the Diaper Dandy/Freshman Phenom of 05 for Michigan Indie). This is really awesome and authentic. Very appropriate production and great songwriting. It's exciting to me that there is a guy just around the corner, full of creativity that's just getting started.
12. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
This was not "You Forgot It In People" and it was not supposed to be...or was it? I don't expect them to make the same album, but maybe at least to keep up. Production was a bit too slick, songs were a bit too catchy, it's just a bit "too," you know? The restraint and emptier points of YFIIP were what made it great. This album is balls to the wall from start to finish, and to that I say, "Hey. Guys. Take your balls off the wall sometimes."
11. Spoon - Gimme Fiction (Merge)
I swear when I bought this I thought "D+, maybe C at best" and considered trading it in. Foolish! What a cool rock album! Swagger rock! Britt Daniel seems to be a bit pretentious, but maybe I misread him. Good luck on Veronica Mars, dude!
10. Kanye West - Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella)
I don't like Kanye West. If I knew how to change the font to a smaller size, this would be the album I would do it for. Maybe more embarassing than Coldplay. Now, initially this may seem hypocritical because I have decided in recent past that I don't think I could integrate rap albums with indie rock albums because it's kinda like comparing apples and oranges. But I don't see this as a rap album or even a hip hop album. True, there is "rapping" on the album, but musically it's a jazz/pop album. If this said Jon Brion "Late Registration" it would probably be bumped up 5 spots.
9. Of Montreal - The Sundlandic Twins (Polyvinyl)
In the summer this was my favorite to be number 1, but pop don't last, bro. Still a really neat one man show. Bright, funky, jazzy, poppy, happy.
8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
Oh where to begin. Kinda shallow, fellas. The songs are mostly steady, moderate, stable (no pun intended). Didn't really take a lot of chances. I guess the end of "Different Names..." is new for the band, but they're really just incorporating the Postal Service which is kinda whoring themselves, I think. It is hard to take them at their word anymore, and their credibility is kinda shot. But "Marching Bands of Manhattan" is one of the best songs they've ever written. Oh, and The OC. I think there's an unwritten law that says I'm obligated to mention that somewhere.
7. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise! (Asthmatic Kitty)
The overwhelming pick for album of the year, the definitive 2005 album. This probably should have been much higher on my own list. When I was making my list, I seemed to think there was a lot of unnecessary noise tracks that broke up the flow of the album. I don't know why. I was really really wrong. I don't have a lot of emotional ties to this as I did with Seven Swans but this is an excellent, excellent album and deserves all of the praise it's receiving.
6. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop)
This album was quick to be awesome. But it was obviously awesome to many people and was a bit overhyped (SAT analogy - Death Cab: The OC, as Wolf Parade: Isaac Brock). Fun fact: I once listened to this album two times in a row, maybe the only time this feat was accomplished with a 2005 album. It was still 1000 times easier and more fun than one listen of Frances the Mute.
5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! (Self-Released)
Best band name of the year until I heard of "Let's Get Out Of This Terrible Sandwich Shop" on The Onion. This is really smooth and jerky at the same time. Each song is great and maybe the best on the album. I don't know how much staying power this will have or what the next album will sound like. Hopefully they won't go the way of other NY bands like The Rapture or The Strokes and fade away.
4. Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift (Barsuk)
Nada Surf, you wounded bird, I will love you when nobody else does. This is maybe the album that I hold nearest and dearest to me for the simple fact that no one else liked it. Which is fair. At first, I thought the lyrics were super campy and the music was too simple. But it eventually blossomed, much like "Gimme Fiction," and I saw all of its wonderful-ness and have come to love it maybe more than "Let Go" which is an all-time fave.
3. The Decemberists - Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)
They were next in line to absorb the "favorite indie band" title from death cab, but had to go and totally blow it. Capitol's cool though, say hi to Yellowcard for me. Another slow-growing album, but aren't those always the best? If this is their last great album, I can live with that.
2. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (Matador)
13 bombs of exploding joy! Super dense power pop, way better than the last album. It has lots of variety and great hooks; each song has its own quirks. Carl Newman is 37! Holy crap! Do you know Neil Diamond, man?
1. Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent, Jens (Secretly Canadian) - This is my most favorite album that I heard all year. It has redefined what I love as a "sound": Clever like Moz, lush like Belle & Sebastian, lo-fi like Yo La Tengo. This album also has 100% awesome individual songs, each unique and special. "Pocketful of Money" has booming backup bass vocals that sound like Thurl Ravenscroft singing that one song about the grinch. "A Man Walks Into A Bar" is lyrically funny like Atom and His Package, but endearing; the perfect balance of humor and sincerity. "Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill" is awesome block party music for hot summer nights with an neat Warren G reference. I heard that Jens is hanging it up for a while, which bummed me out, but that might make this album even more special.
20. M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us (Gooom)
I bought this album in philly on perhaps the best weekend of the year, after playing a huge show. I was sick and listened to it driving home with kent and mar and sometimes when I hear it, I feel sick, but not because the album's sickening! Sometimes melodramatic, but really nice tones and atmosphere.
19. Supersystem - Always Never Again (Touch and Go)
After seeing them at the best show of 2004 as El Guapo, I was interested, but heard the El Guapo albums were a bust. This came out, and owned. Nothing new really, somewhere in between Q and Not U and !!!, but it's fun.
18. Coldplay - X & Y (Capitol)
Not a hip choice, Trav. Have you grown into a high school girl? Everytime I see them or read about them, I really dislike Chris Martin more and more. If that were not the case, this would probably be higher because it's a really solid album. Sounds like it was recorded in 2015, awesome synth / organ combos, funkier drumming than last 2 albums. 'Future Music' for malls.
17. Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die (Bar None)
I thought this was an uncreative creative album. Uncreative: steals premise of polyphonic spree, who steal from the flaming lips. Creative: Songs. Really happy, I guess annoying if you're not happy. Hippies, beards, excess instrumentation. Sounds like I don't like this. I do though.
16. The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever (Too Young To Die)
Cool! I really liked the theme of "Be Gentle With Me" which is about the fragility of life, but with a disco beat! I ended up putting it on almost every mix I made this year. Folky, 70's AM Gold harmonies.
15. Deerhoof - The Runners Four (Kill Rock Stars)
First Deerhoof album I've heard. People that like Deerhoof LOVE Deerhoof and swear they're the almighty band of bands. I don't really get that, but they are unique and creative and kinda charming. The selling point is the guitar solo in "You Can See."
14. Brendan Benson - The Alternative To Love (V2/Startime International)
This reminds me a lot of Novi because, I believe, this was the last album I bought living there and ended up listening to it a lot while knowing I would be getting out soon. So there's a lot of hopeful excitement that I attached to this. I like where Dude's head is at, but this is also the second album that features a song for a car commercial...and the other isn't even coldplay! Gah...i'm not doing so hot here...
13. Alec Jensen - Oh! Brother (King of Hearts)
The Great White Hope of Michigan Indie (Segernomics being the Diaper Dandy/Freshman Phenom of 05 for Michigan Indie). This is really awesome and authentic. Very appropriate production and great songwriting. It's exciting to me that there is a guy just around the corner, full of creativity that's just getting started.
12. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
This was not "You Forgot It In People" and it was not supposed to be...or was it? I don't expect them to make the same album, but maybe at least to keep up. Production was a bit too slick, songs were a bit too catchy, it's just a bit "too," you know? The restraint and emptier points of YFIIP were what made it great. This album is balls to the wall from start to finish, and to that I say, "Hey. Guys. Take your balls off the wall sometimes."
11. Spoon - Gimme Fiction (Merge)
I swear when I bought this I thought "D+, maybe C at best" and considered trading it in. Foolish! What a cool rock album! Swagger rock! Britt Daniel seems to be a bit pretentious, but maybe I misread him. Good luck on Veronica Mars, dude!
10. Kanye West - Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella)
I don't like Kanye West. If I knew how to change the font to a smaller size, this would be the album I would do it for. Maybe more embarassing than Coldplay. Now, initially this may seem hypocritical because I have decided in recent past that I don't think I could integrate rap albums with indie rock albums because it's kinda like comparing apples and oranges. But I don't see this as a rap album or even a hip hop album. True, there is "rapping" on the album, but musically it's a jazz/pop album. If this said Jon Brion "Late Registration" it would probably be bumped up 5 spots.
9. Of Montreal - The Sundlandic Twins (Polyvinyl)
In the summer this was my favorite to be number 1, but pop don't last, bro. Still a really neat one man show. Bright, funky, jazzy, poppy, happy.
8. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
Oh where to begin. Kinda shallow, fellas. The songs are mostly steady, moderate, stable (no pun intended). Didn't really take a lot of chances. I guess the end of "Different Names..." is new for the band, but they're really just incorporating the Postal Service which is kinda whoring themselves, I think. It is hard to take them at their word anymore, and their credibility is kinda shot. But "Marching Bands of Manhattan" is one of the best songs they've ever written. Oh, and The OC. I think there's an unwritten law that says I'm obligated to mention that somewhere.
7. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise! (Asthmatic Kitty)
The overwhelming pick for album of the year, the definitive 2005 album. This probably should have been much higher on my own list. When I was making my list, I seemed to think there was a lot of unnecessary noise tracks that broke up the flow of the album. I don't know why. I was really really wrong. I don't have a lot of emotional ties to this as I did with Seven Swans but this is an excellent, excellent album and deserves all of the praise it's receiving.
6. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop)
This album was quick to be awesome. But it was obviously awesome to many people and was a bit overhyped (SAT analogy - Death Cab: The OC, as Wolf Parade: Isaac Brock). Fun fact: I once listened to this album two times in a row, maybe the only time this feat was accomplished with a 2005 album. It was still 1000 times easier and more fun than one listen of Frances the Mute.
5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! (Self-Released)
Best band name of the year until I heard of "Let's Get Out Of This Terrible Sandwich Shop" on The Onion. This is really smooth and jerky at the same time. Each song is great and maybe the best on the album. I don't know how much staying power this will have or what the next album will sound like. Hopefully they won't go the way of other NY bands like The Rapture or The Strokes and fade away.
4. Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift (Barsuk)
Nada Surf, you wounded bird, I will love you when nobody else does. This is maybe the album that I hold nearest and dearest to me for the simple fact that no one else liked it. Which is fair. At first, I thought the lyrics were super campy and the music was too simple. But it eventually blossomed, much like "Gimme Fiction," and I saw all of its wonderful-ness and have come to love it maybe more than "Let Go" which is an all-time fave.
3. The Decemberists - Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)
They were next in line to absorb the "favorite indie band" title from death cab, but had to go and totally blow it. Capitol's cool though, say hi to Yellowcard for me. Another slow-growing album, but aren't those always the best? If this is their last great album, I can live with that.
2. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (Matador)
13 bombs of exploding joy! Super dense power pop, way better than the last album. It has lots of variety and great hooks; each song has its own quirks. Carl Newman is 37! Holy crap! Do you know Neil Diamond, man?
1. Jens Lekman - Oh You're So Silent, Jens (Secretly Canadian) - This is my most favorite album that I heard all year. It has redefined what I love as a "sound": Clever like Moz, lush like Belle & Sebastian, lo-fi like Yo La Tengo. This album also has 100% awesome individual songs, each unique and special. "Pocketful of Money" has booming backup bass vocals that sound like Thurl Ravenscroft singing that one song about the grinch. "A Man Walks Into A Bar" is lyrically funny like Atom and His Package, but endearing; the perfect balance of humor and sincerity. "Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill" is awesome block party music for hot summer nights with an neat Warren G reference. I heard that Jens is hanging it up for a while, which bummed me out, but that might make this album even more special.
Best of 2006
Here is a list of my favorite songs and albums of 2006. I did not
comment on all of the albums individually, but I will say that while my
love for each of these albums varies from "Somewhat" to "Intense", the
only ones I can't live without are the top 5. This strikes me as odd
because as much as I cared for some of these albums at one point, only
five will probably be timeless?
Favorite Songs of 2006 (That were not included on a Top 20 Album)
Arctic Monkeys - Leave Before The Lights Come On
Black Walls - Levitation Goggles
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
Camerata - The Golden Years
CSS - Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above
Field Music - You're Not Supposed To
The Futureheads - Skip To The End
The Never - Cavity
Oh No Oh My - I Have No Sister
Oxford Collapse - In Your Volcano
Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
Sound Team - Your Eyes Are Liars
Tiny Steps - Did You Get It All?
Voxtrot - Mothers, Daughters, Sisters & Wives
The Word Play - Long Winded
Zoos Of Berlin - Coliseum
Favorite Albums of 2006
20. Danielson - Ships
19. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
18. Cursive - Happy Hollow
17. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
16. Emily Jane Powers - Apple Blossom
15. Cat Power - The Greatest
14. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
13. The Walkmen - Pussycats Starring The Walkmen
12. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Broom
11. Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
10. Gamenight - Simple Starts In The Mind
09. The Velvet Teen - Cum Laude
08. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
07. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
06. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
05. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
I have a thing for blandness sometimes. I listened to this album a few days before it came out and it did not register with me in any way. But I kept listening to it and eventually, I started to become really attached to it. Maybe it was the familiarity. It's really just straight forward three piece pop-rock band with some solid hooks and excellent production.
04. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
This album has the most beautiful, pristine sounding guitars. The opening chords of "The First Song" sound like waves of crystal clear ocean water crashing on shores of white sand. I think of this every time I hear this album and it immediately calms me and I feel like I'm on vacation. I also associate the album, specifically the song "Monsters," with Nat Mons' trip home from Indiana when I actually was on vacation, having a really nice moment, so one could see why I love this album.
03. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Poor, poor foresight in the comments section: http://iibasilicaii.livejournal.com/358
02. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
This album is epic and sprawling in every way I can imagine while maintaining boundaries of good taste. I will probably love this album forever because of its diversity. After 6 months of listening to this album, I still barely understand it and my favorite song changes upon each listen. They have also become one of my favorite bands over their last four albums.
01. Maritime - We, The Vehicles
I feel like if ever there was an album made specifically for me, this has to be it. It has everything I love about music: warmth, sadness, rhythm; it just sounds good. I have discovered that the parts in music I value above all else are chord structure and melody and how they intertwine. Melodically, this is almost perfect. I said earlier this year that I think it's probably my favorite album since 2003, and I'm pretty sure I believe this is true. It makes me feel nostalgic for times in my life when this album didn't even exist, and I've come to associate those moments with this music, which is a little weird. I had heard that this was supposed to be a big improvement on Glass Floor which sparked my interest, but I knew immediately the first time I heard it that it was a perfect album for me. I felt this way the first time I heard "The City" by The Dismemberment Plan, which was the first and maybe the only truly mind-blowing experience I've had from hearing a song. My mind wasn't necessarily blown when I first heard We, The Vehicles, but I instantly fell in love and I think it's saying quite a bit for me to even mention something in the same league as that song. I think if ever something should be elevated to those ranks, this album is it.
Favorite Songs of 2006 (That were not included on a Top 20 Album)
Arctic Monkeys - Leave Before The Lights Come On
Black Walls - Levitation Goggles
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
Camerata - The Golden Years
CSS - Let's Make Love And Listen To Death From Above
Field Music - You're Not Supposed To
The Futureheads - Skip To The End
The Never - Cavity
Oh No Oh My - I Have No Sister
Oxford Collapse - In Your Volcano
Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks
Sound Team - Your Eyes Are Liars
Tiny Steps - Did You Get It All?
Voxtrot - Mothers, Daughters, Sisters & Wives
The Word Play - Long Winded
Zoos Of Berlin - Coliseum
Favorite Albums of 2006
20. Danielson - Ships
19. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
18. Cursive - Happy Hollow
17. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
16. Emily Jane Powers - Apple Blossom
15. Cat Power - The Greatest
14. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
13. The Walkmen - Pussycats Starring The Walkmen
12. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Broom
11. Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
10. Gamenight - Simple Starts In The Mind
09. The Velvet Teen - Cum Laude
08. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
07. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
06. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
05. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed
I have a thing for blandness sometimes. I listened to this album a few days before it came out and it did not register with me in any way. But I kept listening to it and eventually, I started to become really attached to it. Maybe it was the familiarity. It's really just straight forward three piece pop-rock band with some solid hooks and excellent production.
04. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
This album has the most beautiful, pristine sounding guitars. The opening chords of "The First Song" sound like waves of crystal clear ocean water crashing on shores of white sand. I think of this every time I hear this album and it immediately calms me and I feel like I'm on vacation. I also associate the album, specifically the song "Monsters," with Nat Mons' trip home from Indiana when I actually was on vacation, having a really nice moment, so one could see why I love this album.
03. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Poor, poor foresight in the comments section: http://iibasilicaii.livejournal.com/358
02. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
This album is epic and sprawling in every way I can imagine while maintaining boundaries of good taste. I will probably love this album forever because of its diversity. After 6 months of listening to this album, I still barely understand it and my favorite song changes upon each listen. They have also become one of my favorite bands over their last four albums.
01. Maritime - We, The Vehicles
I feel like if ever there was an album made specifically for me, this has to be it. It has everything I love about music: warmth, sadness, rhythm; it just sounds good. I have discovered that the parts in music I value above all else are chord structure and melody and how they intertwine. Melodically, this is almost perfect. I said earlier this year that I think it's probably my favorite album since 2003, and I'm pretty sure I believe this is true. It makes me feel nostalgic for times in my life when this album didn't even exist, and I've come to associate those moments with this music, which is a little weird. I had heard that this was supposed to be a big improvement on Glass Floor which sparked my interest, but I knew immediately the first time I heard it that it was a perfect album for me. I felt this way the first time I heard "The City" by The Dismemberment Plan, which was the first and maybe the only truly mind-blowing experience I've had from hearing a song. My mind wasn't necessarily blown when I first heard We, The Vehicles, but I instantly fell in love and I think it's saying quite a bit for me to even mention something in the same league as that song. I think if ever something should be elevated to those ranks, this album is it.
Friday, December 19, 2014
2014
Annual blog post for posterity. I don't really want to write about these songs and albums because this year, I felt them more than I really thought about and understood them.
Songs
10. The Men - "Another Night"
9. Ought - "Today More Than Any Other Day"
8. Cheap Girls - "7-8 Years"
7. Sun Kil Moon - "Ben's My Friend"
6. Joyce Manor - "Catalina Fight Song"
5. Merchandise - "Green Lady"
4. David Bowie - "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)"
3. Future Islands - "Seasons"
2. Twerps - "Consecutive Seasons"
1. Hurry - "Oh Whitney"
Albums
Honorable mention: Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal, Real Estate - Atlas, Pixies - Indie Cindy, Sundials - Kick, Loose Planes - S/T & Unwound, Posse - Soft Opening, Sun Kil Moon - Benji, The Weaks - The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And Want To Die
10. Hurry - Everything/Nothing
9. Twerps - Underlay
8. Bob Mould - Beauty & Ruin
7. Camper Van Beethoven - El Camino Real
6. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
5. The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams
4. Viewfinder - Do You Even Want Anything?
3. Cheap Girls - Famous Graves
2. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
1. Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again
2014 was a terrific year for music. I loved a lot. I spent a lot of time with new music because I wanted to, and it rarely felt like a chore. Reliable favorites delivered (Mould, Cheap Girls), some bands proved that things are just as good under the radar (Viewfinder, Hurry), and post-hype sleepers came back from the dead (Hold Steady, Ryan Adams). Regarding Ryan Adams: it has finally come to this, a full on embrace of one of the foremost purveyors of Starbucks rock. It makes sense to me now to be completely honest about my favorite albums and not dock bands for being uncool. I can't say that doesn't bum me out a little. I think Ryan Adams is embarrassing. Oh well.
I think of Joyce Manor as some kind of futuristic miracle. Their first album was a classic; Never Hungover Again is better. 10 songs, 19 minutes. The hooks are obvious, but the structures are profound. Take "Falling In Love Again:" it feels like every new section begins on the second chord or the last time through the previous section. You rarely get verse/chorus/verse. Their progressions are meant to disorient the same way My Bloody Valentine's do. And it's never overwhelming because the songs are two minutes long. But despite all the hooks it's all presented in such an unfamiliar way that 6 months later there's still enough going on to keep me on my toes. Lyrically, it's totally distinctive - every song sounds like a house party with a surreal twist and just the right touch of sentimentality. "'Never Better' read the letters on your hands/as you lay next to me by the heated swimming pool." Settling in to young adult purgatory with fuck-up slacker friends sounds just about as good as it gets.
Songs
10. The Men - "Another Night"
9. Ought - "Today More Than Any Other Day"
8. Cheap Girls - "7-8 Years"
7. Sun Kil Moon - "Ben's My Friend"
6. Joyce Manor - "Catalina Fight Song"
5. Merchandise - "Green Lady"
4. David Bowie - "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)"
3. Future Islands - "Seasons"
2. Twerps - "Consecutive Seasons"
1. Hurry - "Oh Whitney"
Albums
Honorable mention: Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal, Real Estate - Atlas, Pixies - Indie Cindy, Sundials - Kick, Loose Planes - S/T & Unwound, Posse - Soft Opening, Sun Kil Moon - Benji, The Weaks - The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And Want To Die
10. Hurry - Everything/Nothing
9. Twerps - Underlay
8. Bob Mould - Beauty & Ruin
7. Camper Van Beethoven - El Camino Real
6. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
5. The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams
4. Viewfinder - Do You Even Want Anything?
3. Cheap Girls - Famous Graves
2. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
1. Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again
2014 was a terrific year for music. I loved a lot. I spent a lot of time with new music because I wanted to, and it rarely felt like a chore. Reliable favorites delivered (Mould, Cheap Girls), some bands proved that things are just as good under the radar (Viewfinder, Hurry), and post-hype sleepers came back from the dead (Hold Steady, Ryan Adams). Regarding Ryan Adams: it has finally come to this, a full on embrace of one of the foremost purveyors of Starbucks rock. It makes sense to me now to be completely honest about my favorite albums and not dock bands for being uncool. I can't say that doesn't bum me out a little. I think Ryan Adams is embarrassing. Oh well.
I think of Joyce Manor as some kind of futuristic miracle. Their first album was a classic; Never Hungover Again is better. 10 songs, 19 minutes. The hooks are obvious, but the structures are profound. Take "Falling In Love Again:" it feels like every new section begins on the second chord or the last time through the previous section. You rarely get verse/chorus/verse. Their progressions are meant to disorient the same way My Bloody Valentine's do. And it's never overwhelming because the songs are two minutes long. But despite all the hooks it's all presented in such an unfamiliar way that 6 months later there's still enough going on to keep me on my toes. Lyrically, it's totally distinctive - every song sounds like a house party with a surreal twist and just the right touch of sentimentality. "'Never Better' read the letters on your hands/as you lay next to me by the heated swimming pool." Settling in to young adult purgatory with fuck-up slacker friends sounds just about as good as it gets.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Favorite Music of 2013
Hello Future Me, Alec, and Quillen,
In 2013, it became abundantly clear that a blog is no longer the ideal format for me to communicate socially. At the end of 2012, I mentioned that that had been the busiest year of my life. Nothing's slowing down at this point. And so writing in this blog will likely become an annual event to make a long form list of my favorite albums. I'm at peace with this, but it does make me a little wistful for my midnight days and the absurd amount of free time I had back then.
So anyways, firstly, it's important to note that 2013 was the year of Save Your Generation Records. I had assumed for the last few years that I wouldn't really have an opportunity to be a part of a music community again. The work that Tony's done has helped develop and shape a really great local scene that I'm lucky to be a part of. It's certainly been a high point in my years of being in bands.
All of that wonderful stuff aside, 2013 was a craptacular year for new music. I think I'm in the minority in believing this, but it may have been the worst year as a music fan of my adult life. It was certainly the worst since 2007. I started to realize a pattern in my listening habits where I seem to care more about the artist than the album. It's not right or smart or anything, I just tend to listen to albums based on familiarity and comfort, I guess. I don't think that bodes well for future years of new music.
I listened to a lot of albums that I won't even mention, some from bands that I've previously loved. I was bummed out by almost as many bad albums as I was pleased by albums that I liked. Several albums I heard were "good" to "very good," but I don't have enough of a personal attachment to rank them. They are:
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
California X - California X
The Dismemberment Plan - Uncanney Valley
The Front Bottoms - Talon of the Hawk
Martin - The Worst Part EP
Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day
Minks - Tides End
Pixies - EP1/Bagboy
Potty Mouth - Hell Bent
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Regarding Uncanney Valley, I've listened to it enough to know that it's not really very good. However, the more I listen to it, the more comfortable I'm becoming with it. That's not to say it's a grower or anything (it's more of a groaner), I just know that I'm stuck with it and I feel like I need to learn to enjoy it. Love is complicated.
Here are my ten favorite releases:
10. Camper Van Beethoven - La Costa Perdida
09. Sundials - Always Whatever
08. Daylight - Jar
07. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold/Tally All The Things You Broke EP
06. Deer Widow - Deer Widow EP
05. David Bowie - The Next Day
04. Ovlov - Am
03. Title Fight - Spring Songs EP
02. My Bloody Valentine - m b v
01. Haim - Days Are Gone
Clean, palm-muted leads. Classic R&B/Pop melodies. Bassface. Days Are Gone is my favorite album of 2013.
If you haven't actually listened to the record, I get the hate for this band. The first time I heard "The Wire" this summer, I hated it before it actually started playing based on the Sirius/XM dj's description. The second time it came up, all I heard was Shania Twain and The Eagles. That's not winning anybody over. It took Steven Hyden's Grantland article on the band for me to actually consider giving them a shot. 45 seconds into "Falling," I was shocked, and shortly after, hooked for good (and I realized "The Wire" rules).
It's not uncommon for people to talk about the influence of their dad's record collection on their tastes. What about Mom's influence? That's one of the things I'm frequently reminded of on Ds Are G. Mariah Carey, Madonna, 80s Fleetwood Mac, Sheryl Crow, Cars 108...in all of their adult contemporary glory. Haim is also the reason I'm downloading an unreasonable amount of Gloria Estefan three months after their album's release. My first experience with the best song on the album, "If I Could Change Your Mind" was similar to my experience with "Round And Round:" multiple consecutive listens, bewilderment, goosebumps, getting a little emotional over how great of a song it is. It's still amazing how there are so many great parts that are arranged to fit together so well. That high level of insight and instinct runs throughout the album. There's a considerable amount of soul and subtle, tasteful funk in these songs that are often overlooked. Hyden talks about Haim representing the end of "indie." Style-wise (or anything else-wise), there's nothing really indie about it. It's just an album full of great music.
In 2013, it became abundantly clear that a blog is no longer the ideal format for me to communicate socially. At the end of 2012, I mentioned that that had been the busiest year of my life. Nothing's slowing down at this point. And so writing in this blog will likely become an annual event to make a long form list of my favorite albums. I'm at peace with this, but it does make me a little wistful for my midnight days and the absurd amount of free time I had back then.
So anyways, firstly, it's important to note that 2013 was the year of Save Your Generation Records. I had assumed for the last few years that I wouldn't really have an opportunity to be a part of a music community again. The work that Tony's done has helped develop and shape a really great local scene that I'm lucky to be a part of. It's certainly been a high point in my years of being in bands.
All of that wonderful stuff aside, 2013 was a craptacular year for new music. I think I'm in the minority in believing this, but it may have been the worst year as a music fan of my adult life. It was certainly the worst since 2007. I started to realize a pattern in my listening habits where I seem to care more about the artist than the album. It's not right or smart or anything, I just tend to listen to albums based on familiarity and comfort, I guess. I don't think that bodes well for future years of new music.
I listened to a lot of albums that I won't even mention, some from bands that I've previously loved. I was bummed out by almost as many bad albums as I was pleased by albums that I liked. Several albums I heard were "good" to "very good," but I don't have enough of a personal attachment to rank them. They are:
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
California X - California X
The Dismemberment Plan - Uncanney Valley
The Front Bottoms - Talon of the Hawk
Martin - The Worst Part EP
Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day
Minks - Tides End
Pixies - EP1/Bagboy
Potty Mouth - Hell Bent
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Regarding Uncanney Valley, I've listened to it enough to know that it's not really very good. However, the more I listen to it, the more comfortable I'm becoming with it. That's not to say it's a grower or anything (it's more of a groaner), I just know that I'm stuck with it and I feel like I need to learn to enjoy it. Love is complicated.
Here are my ten favorite releases:
10. Camper Van Beethoven - La Costa Perdida
09. Sundials - Always Whatever
08. Daylight - Jar
07. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold/Tally All The Things You Broke EP
06. Deer Widow - Deer Widow EP
05. David Bowie - The Next Day
04. Ovlov - Am
03. Title Fight - Spring Songs EP
02. My Bloody Valentine - m b v
01. Haim - Days Are Gone
Clean, palm-muted leads. Classic R&B/Pop melodies. Bassface. Days Are Gone is my favorite album of 2013.
If you haven't actually listened to the record, I get the hate for this band. The first time I heard "The Wire" this summer, I hated it before it actually started playing based on the Sirius/XM dj's description. The second time it came up, all I heard was Shania Twain and The Eagles. That's not winning anybody over. It took Steven Hyden's Grantland article on the band for me to actually consider giving them a shot. 45 seconds into "Falling," I was shocked, and shortly after, hooked for good (and I realized "The Wire" rules).
It's not uncommon for people to talk about the influence of their dad's record collection on their tastes. What about Mom's influence? That's one of the things I'm frequently reminded of on Ds Are G. Mariah Carey, Madonna, 80s Fleetwood Mac, Sheryl Crow, Cars 108...in all of their adult contemporary glory. Haim is also the reason I'm downloading an unreasonable amount of Gloria Estefan three months after their album's release. My first experience with the best song on the album, "If I Could Change Your Mind" was similar to my experience with "Round And Round:" multiple consecutive listens, bewilderment, goosebumps, getting a little emotional over how great of a song it is. It's still amazing how there are so many great parts that are arranged to fit together so well. That high level of insight and instinct runs throughout the album. There's a considerable amount of soul and subtle, tasteful funk in these songs that are often overlooked. Hyden talks about Haim representing the end of "indie." Style-wise (or anything else-wise), there's nothing really indie about it. It's just an album full of great music.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Favorite Albums of 2012
2012 has been the busiest year of my life (I couldn't even tell you another year that I would even come close to classifying as "busy"), and thus, the opportunity to write about unimportant things has pretty much vanished. However, I will never be too busy to rank and list unimportant things that I love because that's the way my brain works.
If discovery is the purpose of reading year-end lists, read Can You Still See The Sunset. I've been exposed to far more new great things from their lists over the last couple of years than any other site's. As always, the purpose of mine is documentation because I don't want to forget anything ever.
I turned 30 this year and my priorities were skateboarding and wrestling. Seriously, next year, books/movies/diet/exercise.
Albums I liked okay:
Casket Lottery - Real Fear
Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan (Was the "short film" not the most hilariously pretentious thing that could ever be made in 2012?)
The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
The White Wires - WWIII
Albums by some of my all-time favorite artists that I did not like at all:
Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky
I don't know how you screw up such a simple and successful formula, but they totally blew it here. Time for another 10 year break.
Forgetters - Forgetters
What happened? There's difficult, and then there's "difficult." If you wanna be antagonistic, just don't make music. Don't dump on your legacy.
Top Twenty:
20. Sebadoh - Secret EP
I don't even like these guys!
Jam: "I Don't Mind"
19. South South Million - Wind Hand Caught In The Door
Otherworldly. Ethereal. Drugs.
Jam: "Baff Speech"
18. The Sea & Cake - Runner
This is an album by The Sea & Cake.
Jam: "A Mere"
17. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
This might be better than I am aware of it being, but at this point, I don't totally "get it."
Jam: "Farewell American Primitive"
16. Frankie Rose - Interstellar
On my first few listens, I enjoyed this, but lumped it in with other Captured Tracks and Slumberland stuff, and filed it away with the other trendy, non-essential post punk/new wave-revival stuff of the last few years. But after a few months, it just hit me that I need to listen to this album again and it was way better than I remembered it. Texture and Thomas Dolby. Thomas Dolby's textures, the textures of Thomas Dolby.
Jam: "Apples For The Sun"
15. Sundials - When I Couldn't Breathe
Weird how everyone latches onto something like this all at the same time and just agrees that it pretty much rules.
Jam: "Seventy-Five"
14. Sneeze - I'm Going To Kill Myself
These guys'll give ya the fuzzy business. It's tricky trying to understand what it is exactly that makes a song sound like the summer of '93, but Sneeze seems to have a pretty good clue. Also, great title.
Jam: "Quit Shitting"
13. Snooze - Dwell & Dwell
4 heartwarming/-breaking songs that were perfectly recorded with a unique stylistic range. "My Cyclic Heart" totally needs to end up on a CW teen drama.
Jam: "My Cyclic Heart"
12. Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
I'm glad they put out a straight up rock album where they eliminated the really overwrought ballads. I thought that was going to make this their best album, but it didn't. In fact, I like almost all of their other albums more. Maybe I like slow songs?
Jam: "Waiting For Something"
11. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
This was my favorite 2012 album in June. But after I settled in with it, it seemed too grandiose to go back to. I think it demands a degree of emotional investment to listen to, and sometimes (most of the time) I just want to listen to something awesome that I don't have to feel affected by. "If I had all of the answers and you had the body you wanted / would we love with a legendary fire?" isn't a line you can listen to casually; it's aching for something...I mean, arena rock "whoa-oh"s, Mutt Lange drums, fireworks for chrissakes...I feel a little overwhelmed and maybe a little guilty that I don't always have the passion to respond to that. But when I do, Celebration Rock is unstoppable.
Jam: "Fire's Highway"
10. The Fencemen - The Times Are Alright
This wasn't supposed to happen. This was supposed to be a Small Brown Bike side project that sounds like Small Brown Bike, but nowhere near as good. But it turned out to be very much it's own thing; literary lines, dischordant guitars, excellent sax and Lemmy vocals. A wonderful, gruff, wonderfully gruff surprise.
Jam: "Century Blues"
9. Lucero - Women & Work
I try to be as much of a feminist as I can reasonably be. I will always push for women to have every opportunity and equal treatment that men have. That being said, this album sounds like a celebration of being just a regular dude, and it gives incredible feelings. Obviously, there are plenty of female Lucero fans, as there should be. But personally, W&W hits on something in me that I don't think would strike me the same if I were a woman (though I'm certain there are plenty of women who enjoy this album at least as much as I do). And maybe writing all this out is missing the point of enjoying a Lucero album, but I'm trying to say "Guy stuff!" without being offensive.
Jam: "On My Way Downtown"
8. Glocca Morra - Just Married
You can't just do some two-hand tapping to make a good emo album for the twinkle-daddies. And for real, all those notes can get old fast. But these dudes added some excellent melodies and progressions that make them more legit than all the other new nu emo nerds.
Jam: "Irrevocable, Motherfucker"
7. Cheap Girls - Giant Orange
Pretty much as close to the ideal band as any on this list. Riffage.
Jam: "Pacer"
6. Wild Nothing - Nocturne
I think Gemini was my #5 or #6 favorite album whatever year it came out, but this is so much better. I was okay with letting go of these guys, but this album was awesome, and now I'm more interested than I ever was before. A rare instance of an album that I like that starts weak and gets better as it goes. One of the most remarkable moments of the year is the 4:07 mark of "Paradise" after the drone-y section when the drums kick in...so mature.
Jam: "This Chain Won't Break"
5. Joyce Manor - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Best live set of 2012. Highest of hopes for this band. Thank you dudes for having the courage to leave your songs at 1:30. The world needs more of that.
Jam: "Video Killed The Radio Star"
4. Field Music - Plumb
So glad the Brewi returned to form. On par with Tones of Town in every way.
Jam: "Just Like Everyone Else"
3. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
Very similar to Plumb in that the song sections seem to be cut and pasted together leaving each section seeming like its own song; very unique in just about every other aspect. It's unique, visceral and raw. It doesn't really seem like an album you just casually throw on; yet I found myself going back to this album maybe more than any other this year.
Jam: "Every Single Night"
2. Title Fight - Floral Green
#2 for the second year in a row, but Title Fight is an entirely different animal in 2012 than they were on Shed. On Floral Green, they grew, expanded, and sought to cover new ground. It's ostensibly just a melodic rock album, but considering where they've come from, it feels like a revolutionary benchmark for the entire punk genre. The guitars are the perfect equal amount of haze and fuzz playing gorgeous full chords that support excellent shredding vocals. A brilliant future classic.
Jam: "In-Between"
1. Bob Mould - The Silver Age
This is the second year in a row my favorite album has come from a 50-something artist(s). I really love Floral Green and The Silver Age equal amounts; I had to make a decision based on what these albums represent: youth vs. age. Title Fight are genuinely exciting and emotionally dynamic and sort of sexy in the way that they seem to suggest endless possibilities, but I can't deny that I identify more with the old dude. He gets alternately cantankerous (using phrases like "stupid little kid") and stately (in the classic college rock-referencing "Keep Believing") without ever getting too self-righteous. Mould never tries to reinvent the wheel on this album, he just does what he does best. And as far as I know, nobody else on this list made two of the best albums of all time within the same calendar year, so there are very few existing bands, reunited or not, whose best can hang. On my favorite song of 2012, "The Descent," Mould sings wryly about being past his prime, and his acceptance thereof. I know it sounds sulky and pathetic to say that makes sense at 30, but I've been past my prime since 8th grade. This rings true.
If discovery is the purpose of reading year-end lists, read Can You Still See The Sunset. I've been exposed to far more new great things from their lists over the last couple of years than any other site's. As always, the purpose of mine is documentation because I don't want to forget anything ever.
I turned 30 this year and my priorities were skateboarding and wrestling. Seriously, next year, books/movies/diet/exercise.
Albums I liked okay:
Casket Lottery - Real Fear
Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant
Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan (Was the "short film" not the most hilariously pretentious thing that could ever be made in 2012?)
The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
The White Wires - WWIII
Albums by some of my all-time favorite artists that I did not like at all:
Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky
I don't know how you screw up such a simple and successful formula, but they totally blew it here. Time for another 10 year break.
Forgetters - Forgetters
What happened? There's difficult, and then there's "difficult." If you wanna be antagonistic, just don't make music. Don't dump on your legacy.
Top Twenty:
20. Sebadoh - Secret EP
I don't even like these guys!
Jam: "I Don't Mind"
19. South South Million - Wind Hand Caught In The Door
Otherworldly. Ethereal. Drugs.
Jam: "Baff Speech"
18. The Sea & Cake - Runner
This is an album by The Sea & Cake.
Jam: "A Mere"
17. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
This might be better than I am aware of it being, but at this point, I don't totally "get it."
Jam: "Farewell American Primitive"
16. Frankie Rose - Interstellar
On my first few listens, I enjoyed this, but lumped it in with other Captured Tracks and Slumberland stuff, and filed it away with the other trendy, non-essential post punk/new wave-revival stuff of the last few years. But after a few months, it just hit me that I need to listen to this album again and it was way better than I remembered it. Texture and Thomas Dolby. Thomas Dolby's textures, the textures of Thomas Dolby.
Jam: "Apples For The Sun"
15. Sundials - When I Couldn't Breathe
Weird how everyone latches onto something like this all at the same time and just agrees that it pretty much rules.
Jam: "Seventy-Five"
14. Sneeze - I'm Going To Kill Myself
These guys'll give ya the fuzzy business. It's tricky trying to understand what it is exactly that makes a song sound like the summer of '93, but Sneeze seems to have a pretty good clue. Also, great title.
Jam: "Quit Shitting"
13. Snooze - Dwell & Dwell
4 heartwarming/-breaking songs that were perfectly recorded with a unique stylistic range. "My Cyclic Heart" totally needs to end up on a CW teen drama.
Jam: "My Cyclic Heart"
12. Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
I'm glad they put out a straight up rock album where they eliminated the really overwrought ballads. I thought that was going to make this their best album, but it didn't. In fact, I like almost all of their other albums more. Maybe I like slow songs?
Jam: "Waiting For Something"
11. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
This was my favorite 2012 album in June. But after I settled in with it, it seemed too grandiose to go back to. I think it demands a degree of emotional investment to listen to, and sometimes (most of the time) I just want to listen to something awesome that I don't have to feel affected by. "If I had all of the answers and you had the body you wanted / would we love with a legendary fire?" isn't a line you can listen to casually; it's aching for something...I mean, arena rock "whoa-oh"s, Mutt Lange drums, fireworks for chrissakes...I feel a little overwhelmed and maybe a little guilty that I don't always have the passion to respond to that. But when I do, Celebration Rock is unstoppable.
Jam: "Fire's Highway"
10. The Fencemen - The Times Are Alright
This wasn't supposed to happen. This was supposed to be a Small Brown Bike side project that sounds like Small Brown Bike, but nowhere near as good. But it turned out to be very much it's own thing; literary lines, dischordant guitars, excellent sax and Lemmy vocals. A wonderful, gruff, wonderfully gruff surprise.
Jam: "Century Blues"
9. Lucero - Women & Work
I try to be as much of a feminist as I can reasonably be. I will always push for women to have every opportunity and equal treatment that men have. That being said, this album sounds like a celebration of being just a regular dude, and it gives incredible feelings. Obviously, there are plenty of female Lucero fans, as there should be. But personally, W&W hits on something in me that I don't think would strike me the same if I were a woman (though I'm certain there are plenty of women who enjoy this album at least as much as I do). And maybe writing all this out is missing the point of enjoying a Lucero album, but I'm trying to say "Guy stuff!" without being offensive.
Jam: "On My Way Downtown"
8. Glocca Morra - Just Married
You can't just do some two-hand tapping to make a good emo album for the twinkle-daddies. And for real, all those notes can get old fast. But these dudes added some excellent melodies and progressions that make them more legit than all the other new nu emo nerds.
Jam: "Irrevocable, Motherfucker"
7. Cheap Girls - Giant Orange
Pretty much as close to the ideal band as any on this list. Riffage.
Jam: "Pacer"
6. Wild Nothing - Nocturne
I think Gemini was my #5 or #6 favorite album whatever year it came out, but this is so much better. I was okay with letting go of these guys, but this album was awesome, and now I'm more interested than I ever was before. A rare instance of an album that I like that starts weak and gets better as it goes. One of the most remarkable moments of the year is the 4:07 mark of "Paradise" after the drone-y section when the drums kick in...so mature.
Jam: "This Chain Won't Break"
5. Joyce Manor - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Best live set of 2012. Highest of hopes for this band. Thank you dudes for having the courage to leave your songs at 1:30. The world needs more of that.
Jam: "Video Killed The Radio Star"
4. Field Music - Plumb
So glad the Brewi returned to form. On par with Tones of Town in every way.
Jam: "Just Like Everyone Else"
3. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
Very similar to Plumb in that the song sections seem to be cut and pasted together leaving each section seeming like its own song; very unique in just about every other aspect. It's unique, visceral and raw. It doesn't really seem like an album you just casually throw on; yet I found myself going back to this album maybe more than any other this year.
Jam: "Every Single Night"
2. Title Fight - Floral Green
#2 for the second year in a row, but Title Fight is an entirely different animal in 2012 than they were on Shed. On Floral Green, they grew, expanded, and sought to cover new ground. It's ostensibly just a melodic rock album, but considering where they've come from, it feels like a revolutionary benchmark for the entire punk genre. The guitars are the perfect equal amount of haze and fuzz playing gorgeous full chords that support excellent shredding vocals. A brilliant future classic.
Jam: "In-Between"
1. Bob Mould - The Silver Age
This is the second year in a row my favorite album has come from a 50-something artist(s). I really love Floral Green and The Silver Age equal amounts; I had to make a decision based on what these albums represent: youth vs. age. Title Fight are genuinely exciting and emotionally dynamic and sort of sexy in the way that they seem to suggest endless possibilities, but I can't deny that I identify more with the old dude. He gets alternately cantankerous (using phrases like "stupid little kid") and stately (in the classic college rock-referencing "Keep Believing") without ever getting too self-righteous. Mould never tries to reinvent the wheel on this album, he just does what he does best. And as far as I know, nobody else on this list made two of the best albums of all time within the same calendar year, so there are very few existing bands, reunited or not, whose best can hang. On my favorite song of 2012, "The Descent," Mould sings wryly about being past his prime, and his acceptance thereof. I know it sounds sulky and pathetic to say that makes sense at 30, but I've been past my prime since 8th grade. This rings true.
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