Nate's hottest of the oughts

This was a great time for me to reminisce over the last decade of music and what it meant to me…rocking out with roomies in college and then trying to start a lame band, cruising up and down Pacific Coast Highway, walkmen in airports and third world countries, the switch from lugging 3 CD cases in my car to 1 small iPod, trying bands out live in concert, choosing my own wedding music, and great road trips with my wife. Music is an amazing thing and it amazes me even more the memories that come up from all these albums. I had to do a separate list for ’09 since they feel too recent to be considered “classic” yet and the rest have had a chance to really settle in and become a part of my collection. Like ‘em or not, here are my top 30 picks of the decade followed by my top 10 of 2009. (I’ve also included a favorite song from each as a starting point if you are interested in checking them out.)

2000 Lifehouse- No Name Face
Huge favorite for me while at Pepperdine, especially seeing him live at the Whiskey watching a bunch of bikers rocking with arms raised in praise
“Everything”
2000 Robbie Williams- Sing When You're Winning
Big fan of Robbie’s during Heidelberg and this one before he went a little nuts was one of my favs
“Singing for the Lonely”
2000 Jack Johnson- Brushfire Fairytales
Got me into the mellow folky vibe. Still my favorite of his
“F-Stop Blues”
2001 Ben Harper- Live From Mars
I got started late into Ben, so this was my attempt to catch up and it proved to be an incredible double album. I don’t usually like live albums but I would have loved to see a show from this era
“The Drugs Don’t Work” (Verve cover)
2001 Dashboard Confessional- The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most
My whiny emo guilty obsession…
“The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most”
2001 Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American
Just an amazing album spanning the gamut of their styles.
“Sweetness”
2002 Jason Mraz- Waiting For My Rocket To Come
I miss the old Mraz…glad the world now sees his talent but it was much simpler back then!
“You and I Both”
2003 Muse- Absolution
Got into them thanks to my brother and would still love to see their live show.
“Stockholm Syndrome”
2003 Damien Rice- O
What a sad, beautiful album. Perfect for a rainy day drive
“Amie”
2003 Postal Service- Give Up
So many trips had this as a soundtrack.
“Sleeping In”
2003 Switchfoot- The Beautiful Letdown
Catapulted them out of the CCM industry and into mainstream, and when then really started getting interesting to me.
“Twenty-Four”
2004 Relient K- MmmHmm
Their albums always seemed to fit my mood whenever they came out and worked for whatever I was going through at the time.
“Be My Escape”
2004 Rise Against- Siren Song of the Counter Culture
This has been a great staple for the gym. Gets the BPM going
“Paper Wings”
2004 Shawn McDonald- Simply Nothing
Honest, acoustic worship with an amazing voice. Never get tired of his first release.
“Beautiful”
2005 David Gray- Life In Slow Motion
Almost a tie between this and White Ladder, but too many memories attached to this one.
“From Here You Can Almost See the Sea”
2005 State Radio- Us Against the Crown
Chad from Dispatch puts on a great show and got to see these guys twice locally.
“Right Me Up”
2006 Amos Lee- Supply and Demand
So much soul in this man’s voice. Love it
“Careless”
2006 John Mayer- Continuum
My wife got me tickets to see him and the show solidified this great album as a top pick.
“Stop This Train”
2006 Justin Timberlake- FutureSex/LoveSounds
My poppy guilty pleasure of the decade. How can you not like Justin, come on!
“What Goes Around…”
2006 Mat Kearney- Nothing Left to Lose
Mellow staple for 2006 that still spins a lot to this day.
“Where Do We Go From Here”
2006 Matisyahu- Youth
The undeniable skills of this Hassidic Jewish rapper impressed even the people we were building the church for down in El Salvador.
“Time of Your Song”
2006 Lupe Fiasco- Food and Liquor
I played this one way too much. Can’t wait for his new one…
“The Instrumental”
2006 Ray LaMontagne- Till The Sun Turns Black
Great mellow folk. Putting this one on a mixtape for my wife was a good move!
“Can I Stay”
2006 Silversun Pickups- Carnavas
Basing their entire sound around The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1991 release Gish was a great formula to make a fan out of me.
“Rusted Wheel”
2007 Angels and Airwaves- I-Empire
Pretty epic sounding album. Who would have expected it from the guy from Blink 182?
“Secret Crowds”
2007- Mayday Parade- A Lesson in Romantics
This is the most played in our household mostly because my wife refuses to listen to anything else. Great pop-punk album with lots of harmonies.
“Miserable at Best”
2007 Sherwood- A Different Light
Local San Luis Obispo band that should hit it huge any day now! Unbelievably energetic live show and lots of fun melodies.
“Home”
2007- Joshua Radin- We Were Here
First introduction was a Scrubs episode where I ran to my computer to figure out who was making this amazing music. The self-proclaimed “king of whisper rock” puts on a great show… unless it’s at a bar with a bunch of drunk frat boys…
"Winter”
2007/2008- Jon Foreman- Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer EP’s
Switchfoot lead singer’s attempt to recreate the 4 seasons musically
“The Cure for Pain”
2008- Coldplay- Viva La Vida/Prospekt’s March
Put them in a whole new league for me. Just good solid release for them
“Lost?”

Now for the 2009 in no particular order:

Meese- Broadcast
Denver-based band who went to school with my old roommate. I still can’t believe they haven’t hit it big yet!
“Taking the World On”
Muse- The Resistance
Big album full of some different, but great songs.
“Guiding Light”
Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Took me a while to get into this one, but many patient listens really paid off.
“Love Like a Sunset”
Owl City- Ocean Eyes
The single got way too much airplay but I really appreciated the rest of the album…especially since Ben Gibbard refuses to put out another Postal Service record this decade.
“On The Wing”
John Mayer Battle Studies
Even I enjoy a good breakup album now and again. Not quite as bluesy as his last release but still a good one.
“Perfectly Lonely”
Fun- Aim and Ignite
What the band name implies…just a fun album from the lead singer of The Format.
“I Wanna Be The One”
30 Seconds To Mars- This is War
Epic album for the end of the year. Pompous and egotistical but still amazing!
“Hurricane”
Dashboard Confessional- Alter The Ending
Best of both worlds with acoustic versions of all the full band tracks.
“Hell on the Throat”
Relient K- Forget and Not Slow Down
Another good breakup album with a lot more depth from this clever Canton quintet.
“This is the End (If You Want It)”
Silversun Pickups- Swoon
Great follow-up to Carnavas. Wouldn’t expect anything less
“The Royal We”

Paul's Top 75 Albums of the Decade

I remember having a conversation with one of my sister's friends when I was in high school. Pegging me as the sort of fan who enjoyed monitoring trends and taking the pulse of popular music, he sounded a sort of death knell to my obsessive tendencies, predicting that as I got older, my interest in such things would wane and all new music would ultimately be lost on me. I think I spent the entirety of this decade waiting for that to happen; it never did. If anything, my appreciation for pop music intensified during the past ten years, whether it was the 40-hour drives to and from Nashville ("Turn on the Bright Lights" during a May sunset approaching Gallup, New Mexico), long runs (a steady diet of DFA Records and Dismemberment Plan), and spinning picks with the Westside Record Club. And I count some of my favorite experiences of the past decade to be pop music-related, whether it be playing in Spanish Archer, writing music reviews for the Graphic, djing law school parties, or annual trips to Coachella with Thom. It's only in the last year that I've stopped purchasing as much new music as I had in the past. Although this is somewhat a product of being overwhelmed by the glut of bands and blogs that have crowded the airwaves for the latter half of the aughts, there's a more practical reason: I got turntables and have simply been purchasing older vinyl. This might explain why my list of the favorite albums of the decade is almost devoid of albums from this year.

My criteria for this list is somewhat objective. Not objective in the sense that these are, in my opinion, the "best" records of the past decade, but objective in the sense that it is meant to track which albums I, in fact, listened to the most, from purchase to present. This might explain why an album such as Belle & Sebastian's "Dear Catastrophe Waitress," which I actually think is inferior to "The Life Pursuit," ranks ahead of it; I just happened to listen to the former almost obsessively when driving home from Pepperdine during the winter of 2003. And that naturally speaks to the subjective nature of the list, namely, some records, despite their flaws or their missed opportunities or even their shitty songs, just strike a nerve, and, from that moment on, are indelibly associated with a memory or a feeling. I used to think that phenomenon - treasuring music for its associations - was feminine, so I was either wrong or I've spent a decade getting in touch with my feelings. Obviously, all of the albums listed below are, in my opinion, phenomenal, but to read the list as my critical take on what was "best" or "most important" from the decade would be missing the point entirely. To that end, I still haven't even heard any Wolf Parade records, so my knowledge is woefully incomplete.

So, without further adieu, here are my 75 favorite albums of the past decade. Next to some of the higher-ranking entries I've written blurbs reflecting on my experiences with those albums and, perhaps, why they meant and, in most cases, continue to mean so much to me. I know this is indulgent, but it's too fun for me not to indulge when I actually have the opportunity to write about something I care about. There are about 100 more records that, depending on the week, could have made this list; I love them no less.

1. of montreal - Satanic Panic in the Attic -- Oddly, the list begins with an album that I don't have particularly strong associations with but was, plain and simply, the album I listened to the most over the past decade. This album very clearly serves as a milemarker in the of montreal catalog, the album where the band's twee sensibilities started taking a back seat to their Erasure inclinations. I still can't believe they encored with "Alright" by Supergrass at a 2005 concert I attended; had they played "Girl Don't Tell Me" next, I would've expected they had designs on converting me, and me specifically, to their cause.
   
2. Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat -- I bought this album for a friend, and the night I gave it to her, her ex-boyfriend's uncle has passed away. I remember that we didn't listen to it but instead drank beer outside her apartment. Had she played the album after I left, I think it would have fit the moment. I didn't buy the album until years later, instead borrowing her copy and burning it to my computer. I still find it to be one of the saddest and funniest albums I regularly listen to (often simultaneously, such as in "Rise Up With Fists!!").
   
3. Yo La Tengo - And then Everything Turned Itself Inside Out -- Ever since I purchased this album the day it came out in Heidelberg, Germany, "Tears Are in Your Eyes" has been a mixtape staple of mine. This album evokes the steadiness and resolve of two people who have gone through it all together (kind of like the couple in Stegner's "The Spectator Bird") and are committed to staying the course. It's probably unfair to hoist that upon Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley but I must admit that if their relationship ever ends, I will look at this album and think, "You lied to me."
   
4. Broadcast - Tender Buttons -- I had been listening to this album in my car for a good month when I decided it would be good background for a game of scrabble with a girl. It was only then, in that silent, pensive environment, that I heard the ghost in the album, the haunting presence that begins with the descending scale in "I Found the F" and continues until the end. You know how horror movies often trot out a little girl to sing nursery rhymes or something to contrast innocence against depravity? This album conjures that vibe without being trite.
   
5. Dr. Dog - Easy Beat -- Kind of like Satanic Panic, this one firmly implanted itself on one listening; I couldn't pry it away for months.
   
6. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight -- No fat on this record.
   
7. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood -- I've always believed this record was influenced by Carl Newman (see infra) lyrically. Truth is, though, as abstract and intriguing as the lyrics are, it just comes down to the voice. This is Cocteau Twin territory where, to me, it could just be syllables and it wouldn't change a thing.
   
8. Dntel - Life is Full of Possibilities -- I picked this record up at Other Music in the early spring of 2002 and immediately listened to it on a long walk in the snow to the Whitney. I forgive Mia Doi Todd for all of her boring performances solely for contributing to "Anywhere Anyone."
   
9. The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic -- I remember hearing "The Body Says No" on KXLU in the fall of 2001 from my on-campus apartment. Having been a huge Zumpano fan since high school, but never having any reason to believe the obscure band or its members would re-enter the musical landscape, I lost it. I was totally swept up with emotion that Carl Newman, the songwriter and singer I admired so much, had a new project coming out. I can't imagine having this feeling nowadays. With the proliferation of blogs and Pitchfork chronicling indie rock like it was global affairs, the only surprise is the headline, never the actual song or album. I mean, no Dave Grohl fan just happened upon a Them Crooked Vultures song on the radio and lost his shit; that just doesn't happen any more.
   
10. The Walkmen - Bows & Arrows -- I probably saw the Walkmen live more than any other band this decade. I remember the first time - late January 2003 at the Troubadour with Hot Hot Heat. HHH had the radio hit but the Walkmen headlined and seemed committed to stopping all the frivolity. Hamilton Leithauser stalked the stage like a prep school bully, and for some reason (probably b/c I had seen my fair share of effeminate indie rock dudes) it really appealed to me. I think the drumming on this record is phenomenal.
    
11. Radiohead - Kid A
    
12. Gonzales - Solo Piano
    
13. Beachwood Sparks - Beachwood Sparks
    
14. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born -- As much as I love Wilco, I believe this is their only album where the great songwriting isn't compromised by the production. "Sky Blue Sky" sounds great, but not all the songs are there. On the other hand, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" has the songs but Jim O'Rourke's production is cold and sterile; I always prefer "Jesus, Etc." live with the warm organ backing instead of the Quaker strings. "A Ghost Is Born" marries both.
    
15. Cass McCombs - Dropping the Writ
16. Stephen Malkmus - Pig Lib and bonus e.p. -- My favorite Malkmus solo record and, sadly, the last with John Moen on drums. Why does everyone think Janet Weiss is such an upgrade? Listen to "Do Not Feed the Oyster;" Weiss' busyness would've ruined that shit, while Moen does his best Bill Ward and comes out victorious.
    
17. Bossanova - Hey, Sugar
    
18. Kanye West - Late Registration
19. Cass McCombs - Catacombs
20. Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
21. Low - Things We Lost in the Fire
22. The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love -- I really only listen to the first half of this record, which I believe stacks up against the first half of any record this decade.
    
23. The Walkmen - Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone
24. The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
25. Blur - Think Tank
26. The Strokes - Room on Fire
27. Deerhunter - Microcastles
28. The Futureheads - S/t
29. Outkast - Stankonia
30. Blood Brothers - Crimes
31. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-eyed Mender
32. Madvillain - Madvillainy
33. Elliott Smith - Figure 8
34. Reigning Sound - Too Much Guitar
35. Neko Case - The Tigers Have Spoken
36. Sloan - Never Hear the End of It
37. A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder
38. Daft Punk - Discovery
39. The Clientele - God Save the Clientele
40. Field Music - Tones of Town
41. Hot Snakes - Suicide Invoice
42. Shelby Lynne - I Am Shelby Lynne
43. Lambchop - Is a Woman
44. Spoon - Girls Can Tell
45. Animal Collective - Meriweather Post Pavilion
    
46. Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory - Tree Colored Sea
47. Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak of it Again
48. She & Him - Volume 1
49. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
50. Enon - Hocus Pocus
51. Impossible Shapes - Horus
52. Love Is All - 9 Times the Same Song
53. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
54. Lambchop - Nixon
55. Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You
56. Tortoise - Standards
57. Deerhoof - Milkman
58. Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic
59. The Game - The Documentary
60. The Decemberists - Her Majesty, The Decemberists
61. Destroyer - This Night
62. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
63. Clipse - Lord Willin'
64. Jay Reatard - Blood Visions
65. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
66. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
67. Dungen - Ta De Lungt
68. Metro Area - Metro Area
69. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica
70. Delays - Faded Seaside Glamour
71. Air - Talkie Walkie
72. The Bigger Lovers - This Affair Never Happened . . . and Here Are 11 Songs About It
73. Old 97s - Satellite Rides
74. Dungen - 4
75. Gorillaz - Demon Days

Top Fifteen Things Paul Forgot About This Decade But Remembered When He Put His Mind to It

(15) Home Phone Numbers
(14) Roommates (the living situation)
(13) Broken Social Scene
(12) Campers (the shoes)
(11) Eminem
(10) Smoke Breaks
(9) Colin Powell
(8) Album Release Dates
(7) Bud Light
(6) All Plot Points (Major and Minor) in the First Season of Veronica Mars
(5) Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Matthew Lillard
(4) French Fries
(3) Kevin Brown (the pitcher)
(2) Ja Rule
(1) The Vines

FM Gems: Montell Jordan

Best Songs I Heard on Non-Rock Radio Stations This Year

My second entry in this series comes from R&B also-ran Montell Jordan, heard on 93.5 KDAY. Three things I like about this jam, "Get It On Tonite":
1. It has an awesome sample ("Love for the Sake of Love," by Claudja Barry).
2. Montell Jordan went to Pepperdine.
3. I thought his only hit was "This Is How We Do It."
— Tom McMahon

Montell Jordan - Get It On Tonite
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this is what i like.

this is a list of albums.  it's not exactly my top 25 for the decade, but it's close.  i like to overanalyze so i decided i'd make it easier and narrow my 25 by limiting each band to one album.  i've been a bit behind on new music of late so i'm sure i'm missing stuff i'd like.
i was having too hard a time ordering them by preference so i've just randomly assigned them an order.  deal with it.  why 25?  why not?  that's as good a reason as any.
now that we've set the ground rules, here's the list with minimal explanation:

1. menomena - friend and foe (2007)
these are some weird dudes.  their song writing process is even weirder.  the music, however, is excellent and i'd like them to make more.

2. gogol bordello - super taranta! (2007)
you can't trust gypsies.

3. shins - chutes too narrow (2003)
back when i was driving from sc to pepperdine every weekend i listened to this album like it was going out of style... which it was. 

4. the notwist - neon golden (2002)
listen to this album and try to figure out how a band that started in germany's grunge-metal scene made such an awesome indie rock/electronica album.

5. the flaming lips - yoshimi battles the pink robots (2002)
this is a great album, but you should probably listen to the soft bulletin instead.

6. wolf parade - apologies to the queen mary (2005)
the guys in this band are in about 37 bands, none of which have made any albums nearly as good as this one or the newer wolf parade album, at mount zoomer.

7. the good, the bad, the queen¹ (2007)
i prefer to think that when damon albarn and paul simonon were writing the songs for this album that simonon did most of the work because the clash were much better than either blur or the gorillaz.

8. ted leo and the pharmacists - shake the sheets (2004)
sure, this guy's a crazy leftist, but he makes good music.  just because i'd side with johnny ramone over joey ramone in a political debate doesn't mean i can't enjoy this album.

9. vampire weekend - vampire weekend (2008)
i really wanted to hate this band.  they're ivy leaguers who dress like philosphy grad students and sing about grammar and architecture.  thankfully, they made a record that lived up to the insane amount of internet hype they generated.

10. okkervil river - the stage names (2007)
this one's pretty darn good.

11. arcade fire - funeral (2004)
montreal was founded in 1642.  362 years later arcade fire made this album and i finally found something not to dislike about french canada.  if i had actually ranked these albums, this one would probably be number one.   "rebellion (lies)" is one of the best songs ever recorded and the only to capture my utter distaste for sleep.

12. animal collective - sung tongs (2004)
okay, i get it.  this should say merriweather post pavillion instead of sung tongs, but i haven't heard it yet.  i'll get to it eventually so get off my back already.

13. sufjan stevens - illinois (2005)
"john wayne gacy, jr." is an outstanding song.  wait while i listen to it again... okay you may proceed.

14. ...and you will know us by the trail of dead - source tags and codes (2002)
conrad keely probably did too many psychotropic drugs after this album came out.  that's the only way i can figure that the band's subsequent albums failed to come close to this one.

15. andrew bird - armchair apocrypha (2007)
i saw this guy open for the decemberists at the hollywood bowl which was excellent.  the last time i was on a plane, i had "fiery crash" stuck in my head.

16. the decemberists - crane wife (2006)
picking this album over the hazards of love or any of the others was tough.  the facts are these: "o valencia!" is my cell phone ring; my old roommate made a halloween costume based on "shankill butchers"; "sons and daughters" made for an epic sing along at the last concert i attended; the live performance of hazards was insane, but so was seeing the band play with the l.a. philharmonic in '07.

17. interpol - turn on the bright lights (2002)
remember when the strokes were supposed to reclaim the world for rock and roll?  neither do i.  what i do remember is that this album is awesome and so was antics.  our love to admire?  not so much.

18. modest mouse - good news for people who love bad news (2004)
this is our moment of indier-than-thou, self-righteous idignance: when "float on" hit the radio, everyone and their mother started listening to modest mouse which was cool.  less cool, however, was that everyone acted like they'd discovered this new band and they hadn't.  they had been around for eleven years.  plus it's not discovering a band if you first heard them on mainstream radio or saw a video on mtv.  my first introduction to modest mouse?  a band t-shirt with a moose on it when i was 14.

19. wilco - yankee hotel foxtrot (2002)
this album always reminds us of super cool 94.3 which was an actual independent radio station² in orange county for about a year before it switched to spanish language.  they played the heck out of "heavy metal drummer."  seriously, they killed that song.  of course, hearing a great song over and over beats the heck out hearing crazy town.

20. at the drive-in - relationship of command (2000)
a lot of people like the mars volta better than at the drive-in, but i prefer the focus and restraint of the latter over the experimentation for experimentation's sake of the former.  that's probably why i'd pick rubber soul over sgt. pepper's.

21. beck - sea change (2002)
songs from this album are usually my least favorite part of his live shows, but the songs are ridiculously good.  i'm still surprised that beck was able to make this album.

22. the deadly syndrome - the ortolan (2007)
these guys need to record another album and you need to hear this one.  get on it.

23. spoon - girls can tell (2001)
i could just as easily have picked kill the moonlight or gimme fiction, but i listened to this one the other day on a run and i'm humming "chicago at night" right now.

24. clap your hands say yeah - clap your hands say yeah (2005)
i heard it from a friend; the revolution never happened.

25. ryan adams - heartbreaker (2000)
for the longest time, i considered ryan adams nothing more than a punchline because he made ulysses s. grant look like a lightweight and put out what seemed like an album a month³.  then i started listening to this album and, while i kept making jokes until he sobered up, i also gave him the musical respect he deserved.

¹the band doesn't really have a name, but it's damon albarn from blur, paul simonon from the clash, simon tong from the verve, and tony allen from africa 70 produced by danger mouse.

²indie 103.1 was owned by clear channel which makes them about as independent at tibet.

³wikipedia lists eleven this decade.  i'm not sure, but i think that's how many albums the rolling stones put out in the sixties when most bands could record and release an album between breakfast and lunch.

Lex's Top 10 Album for the Decade

First of all, let me explain that I am awful about expressing my reasons for loving an album. Sometimes the music just strums my heart strings the right way, other times it might be that I relate the album to a specific time in my life that stands out. It could be the musicianship, the energy, or I could just be crazy for loving it. Whatever the reason (and in no particular order), here are my top 10:

Spoon: Girls Can Tell - 2001
To me, this is a perfect album and is on my all time favorites list, not just my decade list. Everything Hits at Once was the first track on the first mix CD Chris ever made me. After the first listen I was hooked on Spoon (and Chris, of course) This album has been with me for the best and worst days ever since.
2 more reasons to love this album: the cover art, and the perfect album name.

The Natural History: The People That I meet - 2007
First heard this band when they opened for Spoon at the El Rey Theater. I was outside smoking cigarettes (yeah, we were cool back then) with Chris and Morgan when we heard the band start to play. Normally we would have stayed outside through the whole opening act, but something caught our ears and we decided to check them out. A couple of EPs & LPs later, the band disintegrated… this beautiful album is the last of The Natural History. If you haven’t heard it yet, get your hands on it soon. I promise it will be playing in your head for weeks to come.

The Crystal Skulls: Blocked Numbers - 2005
This one was something I had to listen to a few songs at a time. Hussy & Airport Motels were the first two songs that really got me boppin’. Now the album is on regular rotation every few months. Great for long car rides.

The Duke Spirit: Cuts Across the Land - 2005
Two Words: Leila Moss. Energetic album! Makes me want to be a rockstar!. This is my favorite album to rock out to by myself.

The Walkmen: You and Me - 2008
Moody. I can listen to this album for weeks at a time. There is just something special about the sound, and the emotion that fills yur ears when you listen to this one.

Outkast: Speakerboxxx - 2003
Just straight up fun. Sure, it isn’t one that I can listen to all the time—but it never fails to ake me wanna dance.

Lucinda Williams: world without tears - 2003
I bought this and it sat on the shelf for 8 months before I finally gave it a real chance. I love Lucinda’s voice. Imperfect, but always a little raw and real. The song writing on this one is great. She is simple, but sometimes the imagery is just right.

Aimee Mann: Bachelor No.2 - 2000
While searching my brain for missing pieces in my decade list I came across this. By no means is it perfect, but it just had to be this way. Aimee Mann just has an emotional effect on me that I can’t explain.

Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - 2002
What can I say about this album… It was my first taste of Wilco and again, happens to be my favorite Wilco albums. Great balance of pop and sadness. Wilco is always a good choice.

Radiohead: In Rainbows - 2007
I was so excited to hear this for the first time. Although all Radiohead albums are amazing, and they should all really be on this list- this one was perfect. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. I still hear new exciting things when I listen to it today.

Michelle's Favorite Albums of the Decade

Writing this, I realized that I have become one of those people who talks about my children all the time. Whatever. I'm not sorry.

10. The Black and White Album, The Hives (2007)
This album makes me drive crazy. The other night, I drove up onto the sidewalk and then slammed back down into the road when turning onto our street. Tom had to talk me down when I walked in the house because I was freaking out convinced a neighbor was going to call the cops and tell them I was drunk driving with my baby in the back seat and that social services would probably come and take my kids away.

9. Flash Forward to the Good Times, Farmer Dave Scher (2009)

8. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (2008)

7. A Strangely Isolated Place, Ulrich Schnauss (2003)
I have used this album to calm my children and myself many many times. It does indeed transport us all to a strangely isolated place.

6. We Can Create, Maps (2007)
Another great driving album, especially through the canyons on a frosty morning.

5. A Camp, A Camp (2001)

4. Silent Shout, The Knife (2006)
I cannot wait to see The Knife live. If I had to pick between seeing The Knife or The Cardigans live, I would actually pick The Knife. Anyone who knows me knows that's a big-ass deal. Also, my boys love "One Hit" because they can sing along: "Ho ho ho ho." Tommy says, "Listen, I hear it..... Ha ha ha ha."

3. Hold Time, M. Ward (2009)
I'm in love with M. Ward. If I married him, my name would also be M. Ward. But I love my husband a lot, and I've heard M. is a bit of a loner or something...

2. Fever Ray, Fever Ray (2009)
No words to express how this album makes me feel. I think Karin may be the first person to express in music perfectly what it's like to be a mother of two small children... at least what I know of it. I think we would enjoy getting together for a playdate with our kids. And we could even speak Swedish to each other!

1. Long Gone Before Daylight, The Cardigans (2004)
I can listen to this album any time, any mood, and every single song warms my heart every time.

Songs I Wish I Never Heard

I hope I'm allowed to do my LEAST favorite songs of the decade. If that's out of the scope of this blog, I apologize!

I will be the first to admit that I love cheesy pop music. The hip hop lover in me is alive and well. I usually switch from KIIS 102.7 to the newest Modest Mouse CD before I leave my car, just in case my husband drives my car next. I still want him to think I'm cool.

However, even though I admit to rocking out to the latest pop music, there is some down right awful music out there. I do think we should celebrate the fact that we live in a country where the following songs made it on any kind of "hits" list. We live in America where people are free to like terrible, terrible, terrible music. And I am free to mock them.

Here is my list of songs I wish I never heard, broken down by year:

2000-Three way tie between Thong Song by Sisqo, Higher by Creed (or anything by Creed), and Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down.

2001-Butterfly by Crazy Town. This song has scarred me because my mom would hum this song around the house. MY MOM! Nobody should have to listen to their mother hum the tune to a song whose lyrics include: Such a sexy,sexy pretty little thing/Fierce nipple pierce you got me sprung with your tongue ring. Really? She didn't know the lyrics, but because this song was played everywhere, she had no choice but to learn the tune and hum it.

2002-Work It by Missy Elliott. I won't even post lyrics in case my nephews ever find this blog, but I like less elephants noises in songs.

2003-Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne. I have a friend named Stacy and people STILL sing this song to her.

2004-American Idiot by Green Day. I'll save my comments about this one for my Ron Paul fan page discussion board.

2005-Don't Cha by the Pussycat Dolls Featuring Busta Rhymes. This must have been on some commercial that aired during baseball games because 2005 was my dad's time to whistle pop songs around the house. No Dad, I don't wish my girlfriend was hot like you.

2006-Fergalicious by Fergie. I haven't figured out how to articulate my hatred for this song. Fergie tied with How to Save a Life by The Fray.

2007-Hey There Delilah by the Plain White Tees. Some guy talking what sounds like a voicemail to his girlfriend gets to make lots of money? Weak. It should be noted this is the year Party Like a Rockstar came out which reminds me of my very funny sister and makes me laugh hysterically.

2008-I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry. I don't like when people try to stir things up just because. Trying to rebel against your Christian upbringing? Seen it. Yaaaawn.

2009-In an effort to end on a positive note, I'm happy to say I can't think of one song that came out this year that makes my skin crawl. However, the year's not over yet!

Thanks for reading!

Brendan McCormick's Top 11 Albums of 2009.

Top 11 Records of (2+0-0+9)

11.Dan Deacon—Bromst
Slicing up percussion beats and play-toy beeps to build dreamy, semi-manic atmospheres for his sugary-sweet vocal melodies, Deacon turns the brightness down a tick with Bromst. As usual, the tracks will trigger a synthesized, cerebral trip, with sonic space ships flying through sparkling skies full of twinkling bells, but never have Deacon’s songs sounded so full, smart, or dark. Stronger than Spiderman of the Rings, Bromst sticks to Deacon’s strengths while refining his use of space to fill out his floating dance party sound.
Big Tracks—Snookered
Surprise Stefani

10.Built to Spill—There is no Enemy
The last BTS record, You in Reverse, sounded like the band might be going down a more “psychedelic jam band-ish” avenue. The relief came eventually, though, with There is no Enemy, on which Doug Martsch brings the best technical aspects of his last 5 albums together in yet another instant classic. Enemy blends shimmery tunes and mournful melodies of pure gold with the clever guitar scribbling that lifts BTS beyond the unwashed indie masses. Tangents are great, if you have a pretty good idea where you’re going, and this one has brought the band back to what made them great. This album’s sound is appropriately easy going, but nothing is easy unless you are Doug Martsch.
Big Tracks—Hindsight
Oh Yeah

09.Andrew Bird—Noble Beast
Bird has perfected the art of layered composition. On Noble Beast, mouthwatering hooks, harmonies, and spicy rhythms fertilize an unflawed bloom of lyrical mastery. On past albums, Bird seemed more inclined to choose words that fit rhythmically, while Beast gives off the feeling that although the vocabulary didn’t get any smaller, words came easier on this one. Some critics said that no tune on this album stood out as a single, but I disagree. The opener, “Oh No” is instantly irresistible, and three or four others are right there as well. This is (another) AB album that is easy to become obsessed with.
Big Tracks—Oh No
Effigy

08.Atlas Sound—Logos
Athens, Georgia spawns neurotic genius, so it is no surprise that Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox was born and raised there. In the summer of ’09, he accidentally dropped his beautifully haunting, lo-fidelity solo demos all over the net. Luckily, he pulled himself together and decided to package them anyway, eventually releasing Logos. The album is wonderfully deceiving. On the surface, Cox’s ethereal arrangements sound experimental, without much direction. A closer listen reveals a brilliant singer/songwriter with Brian Wilson-esque talent for architecture, pumping melodies through a deliciously melancholy filter.
Big Tracks—Walkabout
Sheila


07.Beirut/Realpeople—March of the Zapotec/Holland
Something is wrong with you if you don’t love a good 19-piece Mexican band. Everybody knows that. Zach Condon is a sponge, and he is soaking up all of the earth’s folk music styles, but his songwriting is so strong that it withstands all influence. The first half of Beirut’s latest effort sounds like a funeral procession that took place in 1908. Neutral Milk-esque horn parts only add to the songs’ antique appeal, and Condon’s crooning never misses. The 2nd half of the album is electronically charged. The change is drastic, but the songwriting shines through so strongly that the record is a success. Not many artists have a style that transcends time like this guy does. Holland is superbly crafted, and it is interesting to compare the two sections of the album, which are astoundingly similar for being so separate. Someone with such a remarkable sound easily could stay inside his comfort zone and remain esteemed, but Condon craves inspiration, and he gets it, no matter how far away it takes him.
Big Tracks—La Llorona
My Night With the Prostitute From Marseille


06.Fever Ray—Fever Ray
Karin and Olof Dreijer could not be more perfect for each other. He controls tribal beats and galactic sounds to blanket her passive aggressive tone. Unlike on the powerful “Silent Shout”, Karin’s anxious vocals are often more open and vulnerable on this album, which is not to say that she has lost her power, but this time the tracks are more fragile, and more pretty. Most of the album is her dueting with sped up or slowed down versions of her self, creating the familiar druid-like eeriness surrounding the entire album. This is some of the best work they’ve done yet.
Big Tracks—When I Grow Up
If I Had A Heart


05.Mew—No More Stories Are Told Today…
This is the pop record I’ve been waiting for from Mew. The album flows smoothly along, without occasionally falling off track this time. The production couldn’t be any better, and with progressive shred contrasting the soaring, angelic voice of Jonas Bjerre, this album doesn’t have one low moment. …Glass Handed Kites was also extremely good, and Mew has since learned how to utilize their strengths in writing, and in the studio. Multiple-movement pieces are nothing new to the band, but unlike before, the assembly has definite direction all throughout. That, and the songs are very good throughout.
They have been around for a long time, but this masterpiece proves that Mew is ready to become the biggest stadium rock band in the world. It’s about time, too, because Muse is really starting to blow.
Big Tracks—Introducing Palace Players
Cartoons and Macreme Wounds


04.Dirty Projectors—Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors have taken their experimental compositions to great new heights with Bitte Orca. They splash an R&B feel onto their pop tunes, but the group often sounds like it comes from another time. Dave Longstreth is the genius behind the curtain, and his arms and legs are Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian, who manage to catch his every drift. Some of the record’s riffs sound like a wall is melting around them, and the whole album is a wonderfully fresh, very approachable musical experience. Every track has surprises, but Longstreth clearly has control of his unique sound, which is a good thing for the rest of us.
Big Tracks—Stillness is the Move
No Intention

03.Phoenix—Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Phoenix has discovered a musical fit for Thomas Mars’ sweet n’ drowsy falsetto on the great WAP. Every track could be a hit single, minus the 7:00 Love Like a Sunset, which could be a hit single if anyone had an attention span (or listened to the radio). The tunes are all simple but memorable, and every song is ornamented to perfection. The same way Green Day’s Dookie appealed to the masses 15 years ago, and The Strokes’ Is This It? Did the same 10 years ago, everything here just sounds right. Good songs, all perfectly catered to their front man’s unique croon. Phoenix is now added to my “get whatever they release” list. (Green Day is not on that list. Strokes are.)
Big Tracks—Rome
1901

02.Grizzly Bear—Veckatimest
The critics were praising this album before it even came out, and the follow up to the dreary, sluggish Yellow House did, in fact, turn out to be all together amazing. Layered sound textures create an interesting backdrop for soaring vocals and shimmery percussion, but what makes this record great is the songwriting. Beautiful but haunting, the tracks feel as though they were written as one masterwork, and the album’s resonating aftertaste is eerily gloomy. The record was flawlessly produced, and no detail was overlooked. I can find nothing wrong here.
Big Tracks—Two Weeks
Cheerleader

01.Animal Collective—Merriweather Post Pavilion & (Fall Be Kind)
MPP took its place as my favorite album of the year early on, and although some bands came quite close, no one could de-throne Animal Collective in 2009. The album is covered with danceable rhythms, sweet hooks, new twists, and so much more. Each member brings his own style to the effort, and the pieces combine to form an hour long, sonic adventure moon vacation. Avey Tare’s vocals are somewhat less scratchy than on previous records, and Panda Bear’s choirboy whining is still smooth and clean. The lyrics on MPP are peculiar as ever, with metaphors sailing around with jibberish, in a colorful spectrum of sound. Fall Be Kind is a 5-song EP that was released earlier this winter, to deservingly rave reviews. Same formula. Same success. Post Pavilion is their 9th record, and Animal Collective sound better than ever, which for them should be perfectly impossible.
Big Tracks—My Girls
Daily Routine

Best of the Aughts - Ricky's 15 favorite albums of the decade

Narrowing down an entire decade of music to a mere fifteen albums is incredibly difficult. My primary criteria for the selections: did I consistently listen to the entire album from beginning to end without skipping ahead?

Unfortunately, I can't say that about Radiohead's "Kid A" - it's a great album, but that "Treefingers" track bores me immensely (as does the dead air break on the final track). Of course, please feel free to disagree.

Again, this isn't a critic's list. Just my personal favorites. It's been a pleasure reading this group's lists for nearly a decade. Keep 'em coming.

Happy New Year!

Respectfully,
Ricky

15. Nickel Creek, "Why Should the Fire Die?" (August 9, 2005)
14. Muse, "Black Holes and Revelations" (July 11, 2006)
13. Depeche Mode, "Playing The Angel" (October 18, 2005)
12. Britney Spears, "Blackout" (October 30, 2007)
11. Daniel Bedingfield, "Gotta Get Thru This" (August 27, 2002)
10. Evanescence, "Fallen" (March 4, 2003)
9. Coldplay, “Parachutes” (November 7, 2000)
8. Beck, "Sea Change" (September 24, 2002)
7. Madonna, “Confessions on a Dance Floor” (November 15, 2005)
6. Snow Patrol, “Final Straw” (March 30, 2004)
5. Keane, "Hopes and Fears" (May 25, 2004)
4. Robyn, “Robyn” (April 27, 2005)
3. Shelby Lynne, “I Am Shelby Lynne” (Jan. 25, 2000)
2. Switchfoot, "The Beautiful Letdown" (February 25, 2003)
1. Nine Inch Nails, “Year Zero” (April 17, 2007):
"Certainly the album is bleak and doesn't make for bland entertainment, but then, his records never do. This one is as fully realized as a rock & roll album for the post-9/11 world can be…Year Zero is bloodied but unbowed rock with a capital "R"; it's a serious and marginal pop treatise on the lack of political and social awareness inherent in the current and perhaps near future culture. It reveals in song and sound the helplessness bred in the individual's eminent collision and collusion with a perceived enemy. It becomes a kind of manifesto, a Jeremiad prophecy of what may arrive, however metaphorically, if these shadows do not change. It's brilliant, disturbing, necessary."

Full review at: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzfrxz85ldje~T1

FM Gems: George Strait

Best Songs I Heard on Non-Rock Radio Stations This Year

I made a point of spending more time scanning non-rock radio stations this year on my lengthy drive to and from work in the Los Angeles area. Mainly, I ventured into the formats of country, classical, smooth jazz, non-smooth jazz, and old-school hip hop and R&B. While I'm not crazy about the majority of what these stations play (with the exception of the classical station), I found that it was worth the time spent to come across the occasional gem. So throughout this year's Jamboree, I'm sharing my favorite FM gems, as I like to call them.

The first entry comes from country superstar George Strait, heard on Go Country 105. I love the sentiment of this song, and I love the way they just plow through it and don't even bother with a second verse. The video's pretty great, too.
— Tom McMahon

Meltdowns!

Watching the touching Allen Iverson press conference last week set me on a path of re-living his “we’re talkin’ about practice” rant, which led me on a path of sports meltdown videos. Here’s a sampling of the best of the 00’s.

I’m not proud that I remember this many and some have been made into ubiquitous beer commercials, but I still can’t get enough of people losing their crap.

The better list is probably best sports rants remixes but i'm just going to go with the original rants.

Please feel free to add ones I missed…many are NSFW….

Chris Berman – 2000

Jim Mora – 2001

Herm Edwards - 2002

Allen Iverson - 2002

Dennis Green - 2006

Joe Mikulik – 2006

Mike Gundy - 2007

Dan Hawkins - 2007

Phillip Wellman - 2007

Kevin Borseth - 2008 (also wins the award for greatest entrance in the history of entrances…)

Omar Minaya - 2009

Not from this decade, but here are some other classics I hadn’t heard…

Tommy Lasorda (for the LA folks…)

Todd Stottlemyre (maybe my all time favorite)

Michelle's Picks for Best Concerts of the Decade

10. The Rapture at El Rey (November 15, 2003)

9. The Faint at the Mayan Theatre (November 14, 2004)

8. A Camp at the Troubadour (June 15, 2009)
This probably would have been higher on my list if I saw the show back in my childless days, when I had energy and could form sentences after dark. It was still great though.

7. Royksopp and Annie at Avalon (September 13, 2005)
Dance party!

6. Jens Lekman at the Troubadour (November 10, 2007)
I will never forget all those beautiful little Swedes dancing around the stage in their white embroidered dresses. I think it was the most heart-warming show I've ever been to.

5. !!! and Future Pigeon at the Henry Fonda (July 28, 2004)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've never seen so many people on stage at once as during Future Pigeon's set.

4. The Hives at the Henry Fonda (August 2, 2004)
Each one of those Swedes has more energy than both of my hyperactive children combined.

3. Jens Lekman and Richard Swift at Spaceland (October 28, 2005)
Most people left after Richard Swift, so Jens pretty much played for just me, Tom, and a handful of other people. He walked around the "crowd" with his ukulele, and we even got to meet him afterwards and tell him how we had been waiting for YEARS for him to come play in LA.

2. The Cardigans at the Troubadour (May 25, 2004)
When Nina Persson came on stage, the first time I ever got to see my idol in person, I shed a single warm and heavy tear of happiness.

1. Fischerspooner at the House of Blues LA (September 21, 2003)
This show was so amazing that it literally intoxicated me. Literally. I came home and vomitted after the show... and I wasn't sick or drunk.

Put on your thinking caps

It's not every end of the year that we also have the end of a decade. In fact, it only happens every 10 years or so. That means this is a special edition of 1, 2, 3 ... Jamboree! Tell us about your favorites of 2009, and then tell us about your favorites of the 2000s, if your memory is good enough.

LONG PLAYS

Wait, what the hell? It's March, for God's sake! Nobody's even coming to this blog anymore! Yeah, this got put off for quite a while. But if anybody's still interested, away we go!

-Colin McCormick

TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2008

22. of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
This is Kevin Barnes’s alter-ego Ziggy Stardust Georgie Fruit (supposedly a forty-something transgendered African-American) run amok. The brilliance that I loved on 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? is still here much of the time, but it is too often buried under a mountain of affected sass.

21. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins
A solid companion piece to 2007’s The Stage Names (put one cover above the other and they align to form a single painting), this album once again showcases singer Will Sheff’s strong pop songwriting sensibilities, especially on tracks like “Pop Lie” and stand-out opener, “Lost Coastlines.”

20. Dungen – 4
This is about as close to a full-blown jam band as you’re ever going to see me get, and it is definitely Dungen’s instrumental chops that are very much on display here. But unlike true jam bands, they manage to constrain their jazzy prowess to under five minutes per track, keeping 4 enjoyable no matter how few hemp bracelets you normally wear.

19. El Guincho – Alegranza!
It’s the Spanish Person Pitch! Well, not exactly. A little more fiesta than psychedelia, this sample-heavy album can feel a bit monotonous at times, but for the most part it’s upbeat maraca-shaking fun.

18. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
It’s melodramatic. It has ridiculously grandiose track titles like “Skin Of The Night,” “We Own The Sky,” “Highway Of Endless Dreams,” and “Midnight Souls Still Remain.” It contains more than one spoken segment of cringe-inducing, angst-filled, adolescent poetry. But in large part, this album somehow actually pulls off the monumental task of portraying adolescent melodrama in a nostalgic light. Allow yourself to be immersed in the shimmering reverb and sparkling ‘80s synthesizers, and you just might almost feel like you want to be fifteen again. Almost.

17. Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
Hot Chip is a little more erratic here than they were on 2006’s fantastic The Warning, occasionally straying from their established electropop sound, and at times even veering into full-blown R&B. But for the most part, they retain their charming playfulness, something most easily seen in their live performances, which inject these tracks with a new life that unfortunately makes the album seem a bit sterile in comparison.

16. Calexico – Carried To Dust
This is Calexico at their gentle southwestern folk rock best. Teaming up with Tortoise’s Doug McCombs, singer-songwriter Pieta Brown, and, once again, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam, Carried To Dust breezes through fifteen whispery, surprisingly emotive, and at times all out gorgeous alt-country numbers.

15. Army Navy – Army Navy
I picked up a self-released EP featuring early demos of four of these songs at a show way back in 2006. Then, after another show in early in 2008, I obtained a free (albeit coverless) copy of the full length album when the band was simply handing it out. Finally, it was released with such little fanfare that for a few months I didn’t even realize it. Army Navy’s biggest claim to fame remains a single track on the soundtrack to teen rom-com, Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist. Their infectious, energetic jangly pop rock deserves better. If you’re in LA, do the band (and yourself) a favor: check out one of their frequent shows at Spaceland, The Echo, or Silverlake Lounge.

14. Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing
Clocking in at an average length of over eight minutes, this album’s six tracks are in no hurry to develop. But given a little patience, the blaring drones, pulsating electronic rhythms, and unsettlingly surreal, processed vocals can become engrossing and at times overwhelming.

13. The Dodos – Visiter
This Bay Area duo’s sophomore effort is brimming with rhythmically charged, acoustic psych-folk, but it’s their knack for extremely catchy pop songwriting that will keep your attention.

12. HEALTH – HEALTH//DISCO
“ALL THE HITS //REMIXED,” boasts the album cover. It even goes on to list all ten tracks from HEALTH’s self-titled 2007 noise rock debut. In actuality, only seven of those tracks show up here. Two appear twice each, and “Triceratops” takes the gold with three separate remixes (two of which are by Acid Girls). But no need to fear redundancy--the songs are so chopped, spliced, and dressed up in electronic blips and bleeps, they have become entirely different (at times nearly unrecognizable) and much more interesting animals. Despite the ten separate remixers’ widely varying use of the source material, they all manage to maintain HEALTH’s noisy intensity, channeling it into a cohesive, and surprisingly catchy, synthed-up dance album.

11. School Of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
Densely layered electronic dream pop supports harmonizing female vocals that fluctuate between haunting tribal chants and graceful soaring beauty. Take one listen to the enchanting single, “Half Asleep,” and there’s no turning back.

10. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
Splitting songwriting and vocal duties, co-front men Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug have collectively delivered an energetic, and somewhat unsettling album. First syllable of his last name aside, Boeckner’s vocal delivery recalls that of Beck’s, while Krug’s has a more mysterious quality, reminiscent of a quieter Dan Bejar (of Destroyer and The New Pornographers). But despite bouncing back and forth between these two styles, At Mount Zoomer is uniformly compelling in its agitated anxiousness.

9. High Places – High Places
Singer Mary Pearson’s endearingly simple delivery lilts atop a dizzying array of multi-instrumentalist Rob Barber’s psychedelic rhythmical samples on this Brooklyn duo’s self-titled debut.

8. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Upon hearing the first single, “Gobbledigook,” a lighthearted up-tempo rhythmical romp, it seemed that Sigur Rós was charting new territory. The rest of the album, however, falls back on their tried-and-true brand of gentle atmospherics building to mammoth-sized, overwhelming theatrical triumph. It may be getting old for some, but it sure still works its magic on me.

7. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
This impeccably performed peppy preppy pop rock, packaged in African-influenced instrumentation, manages to keep things simple and straightforward enough (save its tasteful string embellishments) to have staggeringly broad appeal. Never have I witnessed a band rise from internet buzz to national attention so quickly.

6. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
Amongst a torrent of “new new wave” acts, Australia’s Cut Copy manage to rise above the murky floodwaters. In Ghost Colours is expertly crafted dance pop, mixing in just enough electronic flourishes, ambient swells, and seamless, floating track transitions to keep ears attentive and heads nodding throughout.

5. Blitzen Trapper – Furr
Like the late Grandaddy, this six-piece Portland band has a fondness for rustic outdoorsiness mixed with new-fangled electronics. Their roots, however, are here firmly planted in ragged ‘60s and ‘70s folk rock. And singer Eric Earley lends his Dylanesque vocals to tracks ranging from heartfelt piano ballads to up-tempo dance grooves.

4. Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst
Continuing his recent folksy/alt-country kick, the perennially discontent Oberst is well suited by the stripped down, raw feel of this album. His penchant for the overly emotive makes him a divisive figure. But if you share my feeling that he has a way with words, many of these latest musings on existence, meaning, and salvation can be achingly poignant.

3. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
This Canadian duo produces catchy electropop marred by the noises of extremely angry video games and the occasional distorted, shrieking female vocal. That it manages to come across as energizing rather than off-putting is an impressive achievement for this fantastic debut.

2. The Ruby Suns – Sea Lion
California native turned New Zelander Ryan McPhun fronts this band, dabbling in exotic world beat influences, but ultimately creating catchy, dreamy psychedelic pop songs. As it slowly meanders through ambient transitions from one track to the next, Sea Lion can bring on the spaced out feeling of having fallen asleep in the sun, and from the sounds here, that could as easily have been on a California beach as a Polynesian island.

1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
2008 was a particularly strong year for eponymous debuts. The fifth and final on my list was also the year’s most rewarding album. Lead singer and songwriter Robin Pecknold carries Fleet Foxes’ gorgeous folk melodies with an almost shockingly strong and true voice that is ever so slightly weathered, just enough to evoke the perfect level of earnest sincerity. It’s a voice that can stand alone, as it does during long a capella sections of haunting closer “Oliver James,” or blend beautifully, as it very frequently does, with the voices of the band’s three other talented singers. The rich harmonies and rustic instrumental arrangements create a spellbinding pastoral transcendence throughout a line-up of melodies so effortless and pure, it’s hard to believe they are new creations, and not enduring traditional folk tunes from anonymous composers of long ago.

Cary's Favorite Non-Portland Albums of '08

Having already sounded off on my favorite music from Portland, Oregon in 2008, I wanted to address, albeit belatedly, some of my favorite albums from everywhere else. Being late, I'll save everyone the time it would take to read whatever commentary I might add to the albums that have already been mentioned here. Suffice it to say that I was, like some of you, a big fan of, in diminishing order:

Fleet Foxes
Bon Iver
Vampire Weekend

I would also like to clarify that my favorite Portland album of the year - "Verbs" by Au - was my favorite album of the year - period - and I highly recommend taking the time to investigate it. If you have any fondness for ecstatic group vocals, Minimalism or structural inventiveness, it's worth your while. "RR vs D" and "Are Animals" are a good entry point.
Au MySpace
Au on Amazon MP3

Probably coming right behind Au and Fleet Foxes in the number three slot would be

Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
This album is pretty relentlessly trebly and up-tempo; in spite of that constraint, it manages to cover a deceptively wide stretch of emotional territory and, because of the narrow sonic palette, it does so in unforeseen ways. Virtually all of the somewhat disappointingly little press this album got included the term "tropical punk," which is somewhat fair given the fact that one of the two guitarists' tones recalls a steel drum more than a string instrument. Like many of the LA (okay, fine, Chino) bands that made it okay for hipsters to think that LA is cool again (No Age, Mika Miko, Health), Abe Vigoda are part of the unofficial roster of downwtown LA venue The Smell. In my opinion, they are the best of the lot, doing something not exactly like anything I've heard before, and if you live in Southern California you should try to check these dudes out. A precious municipal treasure. They have a new EP coming out - again on No Ager Dean Spunt's Post Present Medium label - in February. Recommended starter tracks: The Garden, Skeleton
Abe Vigoda MySpace
Abe Vigoda Amazon MP3 Link

I suppose that brings me to
No Age - Nouns
I think that my instinct to react against this duo because of all the hype they got was negated by my native Angeleno's excitement to see a band from my hometown contribute to independent musical culture in a way that the rest of the world noticed and appreciated for the first time in my adult life. Call it a wash. But the fact that they, because of their affiliation with The Smell, became the poster band for all-ages community music venues certainly did endear them to me on extra-musical grounds. The "noise" tag and experimental gestures are really filigree - No Age is the next generation in the long, proud line of progressive SoCal punkers. SST for the oughts. Listening to this record reminded me of how I felt listening to The Minutemen in my bedroom as a teenager. The instrumentation and sensibility is quite different, but something about this album and its rough edges reminds me of early Sebadoh. There aren't a lot of killer hooks or melodies here, but something about the No Age sound is inexplicably catchy. Recommended starter tracks: Sleeperhold, Teen Creeps, Eraser
No Age on MySpace
No Age on Amazon MP3

Group Inerane - Guitars from Agadez
This Tuareg band from Niger that draws upon Western blues and rock traditions to create something identifiably North African but uniquely stunning features some of the most amazing electric guitar work I have ever heard - and not just from a technical perspective either. The ululating choruses gives me chills, and this drummer is a total badass who somehow makes makes basic fills you've heard a hundred times sound completely fresh and captivating. If you are into people appropriating foreign musical styles and doing something with them that their progenitors could never have imagined, you must get this album now. I first saw this in a DVD compilation that Seattle-based world music label Sublime Frequencies put out, and it blew my mind. If you are unfamiliar with Sublime Frequencies, their whole catalog is uniformly fascinating and, most often, wonderful.
Group Inerane on Sublime Frequencies Download Store
Sublime Frequencies Home


The Dodos - Visiter
If this album - and every song on it - were about a third shorter it would be phenomenal. Like No Age, The Dodos are a California drums-and-guitar two-piece, but they hail from San Francisco and draw upon acoustic folk traditions rather than noise. Insistently, but unobtrusively, rhythmically complex indie folk songs that belie a firm grounding in the 90s indie rock cannon. Fools was undoubtedly one of my favorite songs of the year, plus this video for it is one of the best performance-based clips I have ever seen (that slo-mo contrasting with the velocity of the actual song is awesome!). Recommended starter tracks: Fools, Red and Purple, Jodi.
Dodos on MySpace
Dodos on Amazon MP3

Portishead - Third
A beautiful, haunting record that proves that musicians can improve with age and not simply "mature." Ten years later, Bristol's Portishead, a two-hit wonder but cult favorite of the nineties, return to put their previous work to shame. One foot in the trip-hop of their past efforts, one in the post-dub-step world of contemporary British music, and a freakish third leg in an alternate history where the Silver Apples took on the influential importance that the Velvet Underground enjoy in reality.
Portishead on MySpace
Portishead on Amazon MP3

Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak
I have a knack for being turned onto an otherwise popular artist by the album that alienates half of their fans. I don't care whether Kanye can actually sing or not - this is a record and he wrote some fantastic songs that, to my mind, completely updated and rejuvenated a questionably moribund tradition of soul music. I am not naturally drawn to hip-hop or r-n-b, but I find this really exciting an compelling. The production aesthetic is fantastic and instantly identifiable - rich but barren, spare but lush. Recommended starter tracks (like you haven't heard them): Love Lockdown, Paranoid
Kanye West on MySpace
Kanye West on Amazon MP3

Women - Women
I was a late-comer to this, really only hearing about it in December, but I have made up for last time. An enigmatic record that makes the band's biographical details irrelevant as it oscillates wildly between 60s-style pop, 90s-era indie rock, and odd instrumental numbers that sound like psilocybin-fueled band practices. Recommended starter tracks: Black Rice, Shaking Hand, Group Transport Hall
Women on MySpace
Women on Amazon MP3


Marnie Stern - This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That
Whatever seeds doubts a title like that might sow in your mind, it must also necessarily put to rest any questions that this 30-something, two-handed-tapper is fearlessly pursuing her own vision. The extent to which NY-based Marnie is actually a guitar-shredding virtuoso is greatly overblown, but the extent to which she more or less invented her sub-genre of music is under-recognized. These are frenetic, disorienting, self-help songs in which the drumming of Hella's Zach Hill is the most predictable element. This Is It is a refinement of the style Stern pioneered on 2007's KRS debut, and the songs are much more than passingly interesting oddities this time around. Recommended start tracks: Ruler, Transformer
Marnie Stern on MySpace
Marnie Stern on Amazon MP3

Times New Viking - Rip It Off (LP) and Stay Awake (EP)
Exuberant, simple, sugary pop songs whose contours have been roughed up with a digital bludgeon. Like their name, just clever enough to suggest talent rather than conceit. Present-day Ohioan inheritors to the Midwestern lo-fi indie tradition of Guided By Voices. Recommended starter tracks: Call and Response, Teen Drama
Times New Viking on MySpace
TNV on Amazon MP3

Also - and again, I am not someone who typically has a soft spot for Top 40 - I thought that Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" was the best radio-ready pop song I have heard in a really, really long time. That hook is instantly and utterly unshakable.

Lastly, as Oscar season creeps up on us I have a lot of movies to see, but here are the ones that, so far, I enjoyed the most from 2008:

Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Paranoid Park
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Katie Byron's #1 Album of 2008

Well, since I am so late, I will not bore you with repeating much of what's already been said. However, I can't resist to comment that I am surprised how many times Fleet Foxes ended up in the top one or two albums of the year! I must admit, I haven't heard the whole album, but a friend put a few songs on a mix she made me and I didn't find them particularly memorable. In fact, I found one song even annoying (it is one that is in rounds...I don't remember the title). I wasn't reading the track list when I first listened to it, and I thought, "When did My Morning Jacket get so annoying?!" Anyhow, I am sad to say I can't share everyone's enthusiasm for those Foxes that are Fleet.

And now getting to the point, my favorite album of the year:

Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago. A mix between TV on the Radio, Sufjan Stevens, and Owen, Bon Iver is eerily wintry and wonderful. If you haven't heard the back story, Justin wrote this album after breaking up with his band and girlfriend and then isolating himself in his father's hunting cabin in Wisconsin for a few months. The album reeks of snowed-in-cabin, has many ghost-like moments, and will enrapture you with its stream-of-consciousness lyrics. It has been a favorite of mine this year--the favorite--and I highly recommend it.

And as an added bonus, my favorite single of the year: MGMT--Time to Pretend. What a great song. That's all.

Sheila Bost's Favorite Places for Breakfast in Los Angeles

This is my first attempt at blogging so I hope it works. I love to start the day off with a delicious breakfast so for years I have been collecting special breakfast places. The following are some of my old favorites. For additonal recommendations, email me. I hope you enjoy eating at some of LA's best. Remember: always eat a nourishing breakfast. I know. I sound just like a mom. (I could not figure out how to spell check so please excuse any glaring errors.)

• Charlie's Coffee Shop in the old Farmer's Market at the Grove --- Charlie, a red haired lady fry cook, is the best! Tom & I lived right next to the market in Park LaBrea when we came to LA. Charlie's is where we go to celebrate if we have the time. Her omelets are light and fluffy & the eggs are fresh. Others love the French toast, pancakes & waffles.


• John O'Groats http://www.ogroatsrestaurant.com/ --- as Paul the owner says "Nothing but the best for the best." John, next to Charlie, makes the best breakfasts in LA. Light biscuits, homemade apple sauce, good coffee, counter service if the wait is long.


• Cora's Coffee Shop http://www.corascoffee.com/ --- nothing fancy but one of Santa Monica's favorites. There is an outdoor area but remember, sometimes it is cool in SM.


• Maxwell Cafe --- near Costco at the Marina. I have never been disappointed with food & service at MC.


• Ocean Park Cafe --- on Ocean Park in SM. I have not been here in sometime but it has always been one of my favorites. Delicious baked goods.


• Patrick's Roadhouse --- 106 Entrada Drive (just above Pacific Coast Highway) in SM. Patrick's is one of the best places to view the Hollywood stars or the "in crowd" in politics, business, etc. It is expensive for what you get, but if you are part of the "in" group, you probably are on an expense account or don't care about the money.


• Police Academy Cafe' --- dine with the cadets in Echo Park near Dodger Stadium. I learned about this inexpensive breakfast haunt years ago and discovered that it was worth the trip.


• Cafe Dana --- on Montana in SM is a European gem tucked away in a small inside area and includes a patio next to the exercise studio. Again, watch for producers, stars living on the west side. Dana's muesli, omelets, scrambles --- everything is yummy.


• Back On Broadway --- on Broadway near 2oth in SM is one of the favorites of the Jacobs's family...perhaps Vicenta introduced me. With your omelet they serve a delicate and delicious scone but you should make room for their daily baked muffins.


• Broadway Deli --- on the SM Promenade; has the best low fat bran muffins on the west side of LA. Park right across the street at the Place. Everything at BD is good and the service has improved with the years.


• Cezanne --- http://www.lemerigothotel.com/cuisine.htm Cezanne at Le Merigot's Hotel with a view from the patio of the beach is the place to go on a warm day when you have time to enjoy a more upscale breakfast, soak in the SM sun, read your paper or your PDA news, text a friend or simply meditate as you view God's beautiful Pacific.


• Paradise Cove Beach Cafe --- www.paradisecovemalibu.com Of course, if you really wish to enjoy a beach breakfast, make the drive to Bob Morris's cafe in Malibu at Paradise Cove. Spectacular views. You may decide to spend the day on the beach. Kids menu is available. Plan to bring $ for parking if you stay for the day.


• Snug Harbor --- is near 23rd St on Wilshire in SM. As one reviewer said SH is "the classic greasy spoon California style." I think it is a couple of stars above this review. There is an ugly patio where the service may not be quite as good. SH is comfortable. The restaurant next door Bread and Porridge www.breadandporridge.com is very unique, but it seems to me overpriced. Last time I was there you had to pay for toast to go with your eggs.


• Pedals ---http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/restaurants/santa_monica_beach_restaurant.html If you would like to spend some time at Shutters, one of the most expensive hotels on the west side and walk or bike the Santa Monica bike path, first breakfast at Pedals, their lovely downstairs restaurant with patio --- a SM treat without the big price tag.


• Fountain Coffee Room --- http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/restaurants_bars/fountain_coffee.html This is the Peptobismal pink, classic counter restaurant at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Simple breakfast fare. If you have money to burn and yearn for ambiance and chef's cuisine, join the elite of Beverly Hills and hotel guests at their Polo Lounge.


• A Votre Sante --- http://www.avotresantela.com --- For those who are health conscious and bleed "organic" join Gold Gym body builders at this hip spot that was recently remodeled. Even for me, the food tastes oh so good on even my non-organically trained palate.


• Rose Cafe --- http://www.rosecafe.com/About-Home.html I went here and across the street to the Firehouse for years but now we don't eat breakfast out as frequently. However just recently, I have had two wonderful breakfasts at the RC. Their mixed berry bran muffin is a gourmet treat. Others tell me their granola and oatmeal are delicious. Again, dress warmly if you need to and enjoy their new patio with heaters.


• Joe's Restaurant --- http://www.joesrestaurant.com/menu_brunch.php For a Saturday or Sunday special brunch I hear that Joe's is one of the best. Crystal Jacobs may know more; however, I think Joe's at night with Crystal's pastries might be a better bet.

Worthy Of Praise in 2008

I feel like I always wait so long to post on here that my list has become rather repetitive and uninteresting. I'd considered trying to post my favorites of 2009 in order to change things up, but I didn't get it together. Anyway, here are my favorite releases of the year (In some particular order, I suppose, and ending in a very specific top four)

Sixes & Sevens- Adam Green
For my money, he has become Nilsson more and more on each album and although this one isn't really consistent enough to warrant any best of list, it brought me many moments of pure joy. The production is really fantastic and it has a horrible album cover.

Introducing...- Gentleman Jesse & His Men
Somewhat just to bring a new album into the fold of the lists, this was my favorite debut album of the year.

Devotion- Beach House
It is very "one-note" as Paul mentioned, I believe. However, it must've hit the right note at the right time for me. I listened to this album heavily at the beginning of the summer as well as going back to relistening to their first album (which sounds pretty much the same, but I'm partial to this one)

Made In The Dark- Hot Chip
I'd agree with Thom about this album, it could've dropped a few songs and improved. I actually wanted more of the moody, ballady songs than tehir token dance numbers. I'm interested to hear frontman Alexis Taylor's acousticey solo album. "Ready For The Floor" was one of my favorite videos of the year as well.

Arm's Way- Islands
Honestly, I was overwhelmingly disappointed and unhappy with this album when I got it upon release. I was really anticipating it as the first Islands record had become a favorite awhile after it came out. This album has little in common with their previous work and was seemed too dark and a bit messy for me. For whatever reason, I gave it a second chance towards the end of the year and had a change of heart. If you find yourself in a bad mood and with the opportunity to drive fast with the stereo turned way up, this can be a really rewarding listen. A testament to second chances.

Pacific Ocean Blue & Bambu Sessions- Dennis Wilson
This is a reissue, so it shouldn't technically count, but I was so happy to discover the album at the beginning of the year via blog download and then thrilled to have it reissued so nicely. And as an added bonus, I discovered that a song on the Bambu Sessions was an mp3 that I had ended up with years ago without any artist info and had been fruitlessly searching out for some time. "School Girl", check it out.

#4 Fleet Foxes & Sun Giant EP- Fleet Foxes
I didn't get this for awhile, so I guess I missed most of the internet buzz. As a result, it felt like a personal discovery for me. In addition to being a great album for walking around Santa Monica, I also recommend it for driving through the Hill Country outside of Austin en route to Abilene.

#3 You & Me- The Walkmen
I've been a fan of theirs for quite awhile and I would agree that this is close to, if not their best effort. Based solely on number of listens, this album is worthy of the #3 spot.

#2 Volume One- She & Him
It's funny that She & Him and "You & Me" were at the top of the list together. Huh. You know what, I like M. Ward just fine and Zooey Deschanel quite a bit, but it doesn't really sound like a best of the year combo on paper. I thought I would enjoy the album alright and definitely thought my wife would like it, so i bought it. I guess I should technically amend my earlier statement and say this was most definitely the best debut of the year. The songwriting is outstanding and I think the best thing about M. Ward is his production sensabilities. He's better in a group. This year's "Rabbit Fur Coat" I say.

#1 Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
There's no denying it. Every song IS a hit, Michelle. It is 100% a perfect album and I listened to it so much this year that I thought it came out last year. Backlash is to be expected when you make something this good. And look as cool as they do, God bless 'em.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Acid Tongue- Jenny Lewis & Modern Guilt- Beck
Both really, really good albums that I wanted to like a little bit more. Both had an unbelieveable sound of production. That J. Lewis album is a grower.
Age Of The Understatement- The Last Shadow Puppets
Terrible, terrible band name, but some really great songs. My newfound obsession with Scott Walker ought to have meant I would love this album, but somehow it's never quite translated beyond a very big like.
Real Emotional Trash- Stephen Malkmus
I must say, I really loved this album, it might should be on the list above. It sure is close to being there. I liked it a lot more than Face The Truth. He's like a Guitar God now apparently.

SINGLES OF THE YEAR:
"Single Ladies"- Beyonce
Also in my top videos of the year. Pure and simple infectious pop/R&B. I don't get that "If I Was A Boy" song though.
"Ordinary Song"- The Little Ones
I don't know if this was ever really a single and I don't know that it was technically released this year, but this song should've been the number one song in the country. It's legendarily good and it's by some guys from Culver City!
"Viva La Vida"- Coldplay
This song, stolen or not, was soooooooo much better than the album as a whole. It got in my head constantly and reminded me that I once like Coldplay a lot.

2008: Discos Compactos Muy Buenos

I’m taking a bit of a shortcut, but I think it’s justified. Over the year, I wrote about several of these artists for a local music publication, L.A. Record. So rather than try to say the same thing differently here, I quoted myself in those cases. Work smarter, not harder.

Honorable Mentions

The Explorers Club – Freedom Wind

A lot of bands are influenced by the Beach Boys; this one apparently became the Beach Boys. They pull it off surprisingly well.

Deerhunter – Microcastle

I spent several months listening to this occasionally and thinking it was unremarkable. Then, a few weeks ago, it hooked me. A sweeping, graceful guitar-rock wilderness.

Hot Chip – Made in the Dark

More blazin’ dance hits from this crew, but I wish they would have left off about three tracks.

The Morning Benders – Talking Through Tin Cans

Sharp, infectious pop-rock. A solid debut, but I think they have even better work ahead of them. Also check out their free album of covers.

Top 10

10. Mirror Mirror – The Society for the Advancement of Inflammatory Consciousness

I don’t think I want to know what “inflammatory consciousness” is. Furthermore, this album is kind of creepy. These Mirror Mirror people sound like a cult choir calling for new members. Just listen to the lyrics: “Bring the babe to me / Bring the babe to the Society for the Advancement of Inflammatory Consciousness” and “We are your family now / Lock up your songs,” for examples. Still, this batch of cryptic psychedelic pop is captivating and often surprising. “Don Coyote’s Confession” could pass for a long-lost Syd Barrett track. “Lock Up Your Songs” would make a good alternate soundtrack for the dungeons in the Legend of Zelda. And “My Talisman” sounds like a druggy cover of something from the Zombies’ Odessey & Oracle.

9. Deerhoof – Offend Maggie

First of all, I don’t know how a band can manage to put out an album every year, as Deerhoof has been doing for about a decade (although I think they skipped 2006). Second of all, such prolific output surely runs the risk of burning out the fans. But Deerhoof’s albums never fail to exhilarate. This one has a bizarre jazz number (“Chandelier Searchlight”), the cutest little jock jam (“Basket Ball Get Your Groove Back”) and plenty of delicious riffs.

8. Bodies of Water – A Certain Feeling

They certainly still have their bombastic moments, but this album doesn’t sound as ecstatic as their debut, last year’s Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink. The Bodies’ sophomore offering is a bit darker and a bit more adventurous. I want to call it a prog-rock musical set in the Wild West (and I just did).

7. Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez – Why Is Bear Billowing?

This greatly named man sounds like a reserved Jeff Buckley singing simple but beautiful lullabies. In one of the album’s highlights, Mr. Alvarez sets Edward Lear’s nutty poem “The Owl and the Pussycat” to a stirring acoustic guitar waltz.

6. Kelley Polar – I Need You to Hold On While the Sky Is Falling

Fluttering electronic music augmented by Mr. Polar’s own violin playing and odd, scientific lyrics. Not as easily accessible or danceable as his last album, 2005’s fantastic Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens, but once I had listened to I Need You several times through, I found it to be just as satisfying. Crank it up in the car on a starry night.

5. School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms

Twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza harmonize gorgeously and chant hypnotically amid primal beats and shoegazing guitars. I was a fan of their previous band, On!Air!Library!, but this project, which is rounded out by former Secret Machine Benjamin Curtis, reaches a whole new plateau of aural ecstasy.

4. The Henry Clay People – For Cheap or for Free

“A scorching set of twangy, gutsy rock that doesn’t sound like anything new but is somehow infectiously fresh. It’s in the way they spit out their lyrics — more arguing than singing — about being ‘broke but still alive’ and ‘tired of leaving our futures up to fate.’ It’s in the way they turn what would otherwise be a straight-ahead alt-country jam into an urgent, arena-sized anthem, tearing through it like it’s their last shot.”

3. Ruby Suns – Sea Lion

“While the band is in fact headquartered in the Kiwi country, McPhun was born and raised in California, and his music appears to have sprung from all over the globe. The Suns’ set tonight showcased the far-flung sounds that they cohesively packaged in their recent Sea Lion album, from the mariachi strains of ‘Oh, Mojave’ to the African pop explosion of ‘Tane Mahuta’ (which is actually sung in a Polynesian language).”

2. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

One of two much-hyped, self-titled debut albums that transcended the buzz and never lost their appeal (look down for the other one). Vampire Weekend, in my opinion, is the sound of baroque pop on safari. Impeccable melodies, excited delivery, exotic instrumentation — the combination of which is an irresistible package.

1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes

“Throughout a set drawing from this year’s Sun Giant EP and self-titled full-length, the Seattle group presented a kind of sacred folk music, in awe of the magnitude of nature and the ephemerality of life. ‘Days are just drops in the river to be lost always,’ they sang in ‘Drops in the River.’ Instrumentally, the band’s pastoral soundscapes and dynamic range bring to mind their contemporaries in Grizzly Bear. Frontman Robin Pecknold’s soaring vocals bear a resemblance to those of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, but when the rest of the Fleet Foxes chime in — as they usually do — the effect is more Crosby Stills Nash & Young. Still, Pecknold proved that he could keep the crowd enraptured on his own with a few solo songs. In the elegiac ‘Oliver James,’ his voice, strong yet unpretentious, filled the room and certainly induced widespread chills. As he stopped strumming and merely tapped the body of his guitar, he cried, ‘Back we go to your brother’s house, emptier, my dear / The sound of ancient voices ringing soft upon your ear.’”

Favorite Albums of 2008

So another year in music has come and gone, but not without some great releases. Of course, the usual disclaimers apply, but here are five albums that I adored from this year, plus a list of other records (somewhat arbitrarily grouped) that I also enjoyed. All in all, a good year in music w/ one certifiable classic:

Top 5

5. Dungen - 4 (surprisingly reined in and focused for a Dungen record; jazz influences really coming to the forefront)

4. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (my history w/ VW in short: in love, too cool, reconvicted by their sheer awesomeness)

3. She & Him - Volume 1 (a primer in well-written American pop and country, and maybe the best thing M. Ward's ever done)

2. The Night Marchers - See You in Magic (the album I was most likely to air drum to on the way home from work; power pop disguised as Hot Snakes songs)

1. Deerhunter - Microcastle and Weird Era Cont. (so many things to say about this record, but I'll concentrate on how warm the guitars and drums sound; one of those records - like "I am Shelby Lynne," "In Utero," or "The Soft Bulletin" - that combines excellent songs w/ perfect production)


Punk Rock

Cheap Time - Cheap Time
Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward LP & Get Damaged EP (RIP)
Love Is All - A Hundred Things to Keep Me Up All Night
Mannequin Men - Fresh Rot
White Hills - Heads on Fire
Past Lives - Strange Symmetry EP
F***ed Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

Rock and Roll

Sloan - Parallel Play (and the best show I went to in 2008)
Black Hollies - Casting Shadows
Dr. Dog - Fate
Thomas Function - Celebration!

Girl Rock

Wye Oak - If Children
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Beach House - Devotion

Wild Card

Douglas Armour - The Light of the Golden Day, The Arms of the Night
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto
Lindstrom - Where You Go I Go Too

(Not Necessarily New) Albums I Heard in '08 and Liked

Before the clock runs out...

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (Electric Feel is the theme to Saturday Night Fever 2...which doesn't really exist nor should it)

Estelle - Shine

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

The National - Boxer

Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Let's Go Everywhere (Pat-A-Cake like you've never hear it)

Top Local Band Shows in Portland, OR 2008

This week in my column for The Portland Mercury I ran a list detailing my top 6 favorite shows by local bands in Portland this year.

Now I can work on my non-Portland lists...

2008

Happy New Year and Holidays to all. I hope everyone had a great 2008

I traveled a lot for work in 2008. My Top 10 Cities Visited (I could be going to most of them again in 2009, so if you have any tips on restaurants/things to do in any of them, please let me know in the comments)

Tie-1) Washington DC: This was my first visit since 1988, my first visit without chaperones…and with….pubes? Just an unbelievably fun and easily accessible city. I cannot wait to return in 2009.

Tie-1) Los Angeles: My first non-LAX-stopover LA visit since 1987. I drove all over the place and know that I didn’t scratch the surface of what I could have done. I did see my Mets slaughter the Dodgers at Dodger stadium. I also almost became the newest person to plow through the Santa Monica Wednesday farmer’s market. Thank goodness for the parking meter car that stopped me.

3) Austin: I think this city is kind of overrated, but I still enjoyed it. Strangely, I was in DC the week before the election and in Austin the week before SXSW, so I missed the action each time. I saw one good weird band in Austin within the sea of probably 20-25 Stevie Ray Vaughn wannabes simultaneously populating 6^th street. It looks like a fun place, but not anything different from, say, Beale Street or Nashville’s Broadway/2^nd avenue. Maybe there’s an Austin experience I’m missing. I’m annoyed by the “Keep Austin Weird” t-shorts…is it really weird if you have to tell people on a t-shirt? I still enjoyed it….it just wasn’t the orgasmic experience most people lead you to expect.

4) Phoenix/Tempe: Memorable for my hotel room in Tempe that had all mirrored walls. Creepy….fun!

5) Fargo, ND: I didn’t get the full Fargo experience (which I kind of fear…), but I did get to hear the accents.

6) El Paso: I was lucky to be traveling with a Mexico City policeman, and ate some excellent Mexican food there per his recommendation.

7) Bismarck, ND: Home of the North Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame You really have to experience it in person. The website doesn’t do it justice. I mean, you can also see all of those people’s pictures….on a wall…right there in the airport…..for free!

8) The NW Chicago suburbs (Schaumburg, Hoffman Estes, Barrington): Best Buy, Target, Starbucks, Chili’s, Caribou, Books a Million, repeat.

9) Juarez, Mexico: I didn’t see much there except where our jobs went. Warehouse after warehouse after factory after corporate office.

10) Detroit: The cosmic nemesis of Juarez. Both places look identical, except the factories and warehouses in Detroit were run down and empty.

Favorite albums of 2008 (Daniel J and I share more than just names…)

Deerhoof: Offend Maggie

Beck: Modern Guilt

The Walkmen: You & Me

My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

Crooked Fingers: Forfeit / Fortune

Pavement: brighten the Corners reissue

Not released in 2008, but I heard it for the first time in 2008 and enjoyed

New Pornographers: Electric Version

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Hearts of Oak

A.C. Newman: The Slow Wonder

Curtis Mayfield: Superfly

-Daniel D

Some Highs and Lows of 2008...

..selected with no particular rationale and offered in no particular order.

Best Album: The Moondoggies – Don’t Be a Stranger

This little Seattle band is starting to get some much deserved attention (see here and here) after a few years of regular gigs and a reportedly stellar show at Sasquatch. Their debut album deftly captures their mixture of country, folk and rock that never degenerates into “a little bit country, a little bit rock n’ roll” (they’ve been routinely compared to The Band, a group I somehow missed during my classic rock record collecting phase. But if you want to listen to a vinyl copy of CCR’s Cosmo’ Factory, with that weird bike-riding-in-the-studio cover, I’m your man.) The album is a pleasant, satisfying listen from beginning to end. Tracks like “Ain’t No Lord” and “Old Hound” showcase a surprisingly developed ear for harmony, and the slow but never indulgent build of songs like “Changin” and “Night and Day” continues to reward on repeated listening. And while the band is self-aware, they inject only the slightest hint of irony into their music, letting earnest talent shine through.

Best Writing: The Oxford American

This magazine features some of the best writing from and about the South, but it is nationally relevant and deeply human, making it a must read from coast to coast. Each themed issue features prose lyrical and perceptive enough to make me interested in subjects I don’t normally read about, such as sports and architecture. Their Katrina issue is one of the most important chronicles of that harrowing event and its aftermath, especially the article that finds a metaphor for rebirth in an elderly man’s Zombie dance moves. But their forte is music writing, and every December brings a music issue offering a companion CD (or this year – TWO CDS!) of hand selected southern music both new and old and a loving review of each song. The subscription is $20, which is an unbeatable deal for four great issues plus the CD. Buy one for yourself and give one to your co-worker who is always claiming that John Mayer is the greatest living blues guitarist. You’ll both learn something.

Best Podcast: Philosophy Bites

10-12 minute discussions of philosophical concepts, ancient, contemporary, and everything between, that reach surprising depth and nuance. Plus, it’s all in British accents, so you know it’s smart!

Most Important Moment in the DC Comics Universe: The Death of Martian Manhunter

The DC Comics universe has been overly bloated with event publications all year – 100,000 of Superman’s Kryptonian buddies are residing on earth, the planet was literally taken over by the bad guys, and Bruce Wayne will soon surrender his role as Batman for unclear reasons. Still, the biggest moment this year was also the most neglected – longtime DC mainstay and Justice League founder Martian Manhunter, a.k.a J’onn J’ones (it’s pronounced as though you had a friend John Jones from France), was murdered by a league of supervillains, who thrust a flaming spear through his heart (I had an uncle who died the same way. Tragic, really). Martian Manhunter was one of the most powerful characters in the DC stable – flight, super strength, shape shifting, telepathy, invulnerability, heat vision, plus the really cool ability to turn from solid to translucent matter – and as a true alien, unlike Superman, he brought the much needed wisdom and gravity provided by an outsider perspective. But he was constantly underused and poorly written, so DC decided to kill him off to raise the stakes for their big event book Final Crisis. Worse yet, his death took place in a single comic panel, and his superfriends seem to have largely forgotten him already. While the blockbuster events mentioned above will eventually be reset to satisfy the fan boys (DC won’t keep 100,000 Supermen around forever), there may not be enough nerd clamor to bring poor J’onn J’ones back from the dead, a relatively easy feat in the comic book world. So pay your respects by picking up the single issue Requiem, which shows his final moments and funeral, including a tender moment with Batman at his coffin

Franchise That’s Officially Dead to Me: Star Wars

For obvious reasons.

Happy 2009 - Ryan Weber