The Babies/Cloud Nothings/Zonoscope

The Babies - The Babies (Shrimper, 2011)
The Babies are a collaboration between Vivian Girls singer/guitarist Cassie Ramone and Woods bassist Kevin Morby. This is their self-titled debut full length, and it is totally good. No real surprises here, as The Babies sounds like a perfect amalgamation of the two bands. These are pop punk songs with plenty of melody, but with a reverby, slightly outdoors-y feel to them. Both crisp and raw and filled with good jams, The Babies is quite the debut, especially for a side-project.


Cloud Nothings - Cloud Nothings (Carpark, 2011)
More pop punk, this time from Cleveland's Cloud Nothings. This self-titled debut is fairly diverse, rhythmically, and is zany the whole way through. If there's one thing to hate about Cloud Nothings, its the borderline annoying vocals, but I sort of like them. The songs are catchy as hell, but they have somewhat complicated structures (which, if you know me, you know that's how I usually like things). Also, the drums are busy, and there is some nice, interesting guitar playing going on here. Cloud Nothings is another pleasant surprise from 2011.


Zonoscope - Cut Copy (Modular, 2011)
I didn't absolutely love Cut Copy's 2008 LP, In Ghost Colours, but I did like it just fine. The group finally returns in 2011 with Zonoscope, and I have the same sentiments. What Zonoscope has over In Ghost Colours is a more consistent sound and feel, and probably a higher number of songs that I like. What it's lacking is standout jams like "Hearts on Fire" and "Strangers in the Wind." It's alright, Zonoscope is still a very good synth pop record with more peaks than the last and virtually no valleys to speak of.

Emotional Listening #9

Disintegration - The Cure (Elektra/Fiction, 1989)

As big of a fan of The Cure as I consider myself to be, I have never really spent all that much time with their seminal, enormous sounding 1989 LP, Disintegration. There is absolutely no reason for this negligence, and I severely regret it. I finally bought it a couple of years ago and have listened to it every once in a while since, but it never has been as good as the most recent time I've had it on the stereo. "Plainsong" and "Pictures of You" are obviously two of the best Cure songs ever, and "Love Song" and "Lullaby" (despite its overt creepiness) are obvious jams as well. But, "Closedown," "Disintegration" and closer "Untitled" are three amazingly unsung epics. The two formers are drenched in synths and arena sounding drums, thus fitting the huge sound of the rest of the album. "Untitled," which has become my favorite song on the album, still has big drums, but is sparse as well as completely gorgeous. I'm not ready to join the bandwagon that says Disintegration is The Cure at their best, but I won't defy the validity of that argument.

Top jams: "Plainsong," "Pictures of You," "Closedown," "Love Song," "Lullaby," "Disintegration," "Untitled"

Wish - The Cure (Elektra/Fiction, 1992)

I hadn't listened to it in several years, but the follow-up to Disintegration, 1992's Wish, has always been, and I think still is, my favorite record by The Cure. It is just as huge and dramatic as its predecessor, but there is even more variety (which gets a little corny in places). "Friday I'm in Love" is another one of the bands' amazing, classic singles. "Open" and "End" are appropriate albeit repetitive bookends. "Trust" is too melodramatic for its own good, but its beauty cannot be denied. "A Letter to Elise" is simply incredible. And lastly, "High" isn't only my favorite song of all time by this band, it just has to be their absolute greatest. Wish does not just present an early 90s version of The Cure; it sounds like a natural progression from Disintegration and features some seriously brilliant moments.

Top jams: "Open," "High," "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea," "Doing the Unstuck," "Friday I'm in Love," "Trust," "A Letter to Elise," "End"

Homework - Daft Punk (Virgin, 1997)

I have a lot of friends who love Daft Punk's disco-house masterpiece, Discovery, but no one seems to give a care about their full length debut, 1997's Homework. Don't get me wrong, it's not nearly as good as Discovery. Not even close. But, it still is a damn fine French house album that subtly hints at where Daft Punk were moving toward at the time. "Da Funk" and "Around the World" are obvious jams as well as the group's most popular songs leading up to Discovery. But, there are some hidden gems, namely "Fresh," which is my personal favorite song here.

Top jams: "Revolution 909," "Da Funk," "Phoenix," "Fresh," "Around the World," "Teachers," "High Fidelity," "Indo Silver Club"

Stands for Decibels - The dBs (Albion, 1981)

I have neglected this album for too long. Stands for Decibels is the debut album from jangly power pop group The dB's. It is pretty much on par with R.E.M., The Feelies and The Bats at their best. What sets The dB's apart from these other bands (at least on Stands for Decibels, for it is the only album of theirs I've listened to) is the zaniness and complexity throughout. Yes, The dB's are a power pop band, but these dudes are fantastic musicians and they let that come out quite a bit here, whether it be through their impressive playing or the complex arrangements and structures of these two to three minute longs songs. "Tearjerkin'" and "Cycles Per Second" are especially impressive, while "Black and White" has to be one of the greatest songs of the 80s. "Judy," which was added to the album later on in reissue form, has some nice emoting and those chimey guitars that I love so much. Stands for Decibels is definitely on pace to become an all time favorite.

Top jams: "Black and White," "Dynamite," "The Fight," "Espionage," "Tearjerkin'," "Cycles Per Second," "Big Brown Eyes," "I'm in Love," "Judy"

2011 MLB Preview

I'm no Travis Bravender, but I'm going to give this a try: a quick preview of the 2011 Major League Baseball season that starts on Thursday. All of my predictions and opinions are based on and influenced by the following: my reading of the Athlon Sports 2011 MLB preview magazine, various conversations with Bravender and simply my interest in and passion for statistics.

I am a rookie at this, but, anyway, here we go!

AL East

1. Boston Red Sox

2. New York Yankees

3. Tampa Bay Rays

4. Toronto Blue Jays

5. Baltimore Orioles

With the downfall of the Yanks' pitching rotation, Boston's excellent offseason and Tampa Bay losing Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena and Matt Garza, things have shuffled up a bit in the AL East. Boston could potentially be the best team in baseball now and should easily win this division, while the Yankees should still get the Wild Card slot. Baltimore is on their way up, but the Blue Jays can't be as good as they have been the past couple of years, right?

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins

2. Chicago White Sox

3. Detroit Tigers

4. Kansas City Royals

5. Cleveland Indians

It could be an incredibly tight race between Minnesota, Chicago and Detroit for the Central division, but it seems like the Twins have the best combination of hitting and pitching. I really do think that if either Chicago or Detroit hit a hot streak at some point, they could edge out Minnesota. All three teams could end up around the 90 win mark, with Detroit being the least likely to do so due to the youth on that squad. This will be a very interesting race to watch. There's no reason to even mention Kansas City or Cleveland, as they are terrible.

AL West

1. Texas Rangers

2. Los Angeles Angels

3. Oakland Athletics

4. Seattle Mariners

The Rangers shouldn't be as great as they were last year, but then again, they were doing just fine even before the Cliff Lee trade. Their hitting is spectacular. I wouldn't be surprised if both Los Angeles and Oakland kept up with Texas a bit closer than last year, but I don't really see them competing for a playoff spot or anything. Oakland's pitching rotation is definitely youthful and headed in the right direction while Los Angeles' is now anchored with some special veterans. Statistically speaking, I am not impressed with either teams' hitting skills. In spite of having probably the best pitcher in the AL at this point in 2010 Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez, they are still just about the worst team.

NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies

2. Atlanta Braves

3. Florida Marlins

4. New York Mets

5. Washington Nationals

If all goes according to plan, the Phillies should be the best team in baseball now that they have the best pitching rotation in baseball since the 1990s Atlanta Braves. Speaking of the Braves, they look like they should continue their resurgence and make the playoffs, especially with the help of Dan Uggla (who has my favorite name in this particular sport). The Florida Marlins have some special talent in Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, but shouldn't compete. The Mets are whatever, and who even cares about Washington now that we most likely won't see Strasburg again until 2012.

NL Central

1. Milwaukee Brewers

2. St. Louis Cardinals

3. Cincinnati Reds

4. Chicago Cubs

5. Houston Astros

6. Pittsburgh Pirates

I feel crazy saying this, but now that Adam Wainwright is out for the season, I think the Milwaukee Brewers have the greatest chance to win this division. The Cardinals' pitching rotation will definitely hurt without their ace (Wainwright), and they only have the second or maybe even third best hitting in the division after Milwaukee (and maybe Cincinnati). I don't see the Reds following up last year the way they wish they would, but they definitely have a bright future with Joey Votto and I guess Jay Bruce (says Bravender). The Cubs should be much better as they had a pretty good offseason. The Astros should be a little better, but still bad, and the Pirates should once again be the worst team in the MLB. So, the Brew Crew it is. They have a good stock of great hitters, all who can do it with power, too. And, their pitching got a huge facelift with the additions of former 2009 Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and Shawn Marcum.

NL West

1. San Francisco Giants

2. Colorado Rockies

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

4. San Diego Padres

5. Arizona Diamondbacks

I think the San Francisco were kind of just lucky last year. Yeah, their pitching rotation is damn fine, but their hitting is mediocre at best. But who else can win the West? I want Colorado to, but it's hard to imagine them doing anything but coming just short of a Wild Card spot, even when they have two of the youngest, most talented hitters in the entire league in Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki, and not to mention Ubaldo Jimenez throwing the heat. The Dodgers should be okay, there's no way the Padres should even come close to what they did last year, especially with the departure of Adrian Gonzalez to Boston, and the Diamondbacks don't really have anything going for them at all.

ALDS

Boston over Texas

New York over Minnesota

NLDS

Philadelphia over San Francisco

Milwaukee over Atlanta

ALCS

Boston over New York

NLCS

Philadelphia over Milwaukee

World Series

Philadelphia over Boston

AL MVP - Adrian Gonzalez, Boston

AL Cy Young - Jon Lester, Boston

AL Rookie of the Year - Mike Moustakas, Kansas City

NL MVP - Ryan Braun, Milwaukee

NL Cy Young - Roy Halladay, Philadelphia

NL Rookie of the Year - Freddie Freeman, Atlanta

The Road to Wellville/The Mysteries of Pittsburgh/A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

The Road to Wellville - T.C. Boyle (1993)

T.C. Boyle's The Road to Wellville is a fictional account of a health craze fronted by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg that took place in the early 1900s in Battle Creek. There are three main, fairly complex storylines that run throughout the book: a married couple living at Kellogg's sanitarium and the conflicts that arise between them, a young man from California and his struggles to make it in the breakfast food industry, and Kellogg and his efforts to keep the sanitarium up and running as well as to keep his drunken, idiot son out of the mix. All of this sounds kind of serious and boring, I guess, but the specific events that occur in The Road to Wellville are hilarious. This historical, slightly dark comedy is clever, easy to follow and very fun.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh - Michael Chabon (1988)

I believe this is Chabon's first novel, and if that's true, it's a really great debut, and I'm blown away by how good of a writer he was so early on. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh is an awkward, funny, complex and sad coming of age story. A very enjoyable read about a young man just of college and his struggles with friendship, sexuality, his gangster father (which sounds stupid and dramatic, but is an interesting little subplot) and himself.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers (2000)

I tried reading A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius back in the summer of 2006, and gave up pretty quickly. I just recently decided to give it another shot. There were moments where what I love about Eggers' writing really came through, and those moments were brilliant. The caricatures of the people in his life that he presented in this book were amazing, especially his younger brother Toph. I also was really touched by Eggers' portrayal of his parents, his relationship with them, and their deaths. But, there was plenty to be annoyed by and frustrated with here, too, mainly Eggers' apparent obsession with himself. Overall, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius was often times beautiful and sometimes difficult and incredibly irritating.

Favorite Albums of 2000-2009: #25-21

And we're off!


(25) Night Falls Over Kortedala - Jens Lekman (Secretly Canadian, 2007)
Back then, I didn't think that Jens Lekman could get any better than on 2005's collection, Oh You're So Silent Jens. But, alas, he did. Lekman's symphonic pop songs are bigger and sometimes heavily orchestrated on Night Falls Over Kortedala (and thus, more dramatic), which these days would have been a turn off to me. However, especially in the instances of "And I Remember Every Kiss," "The Opposite of Hallelujah" and "Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig," these songs are just too catchy, awesome and beautiful to be troubled by their musical and emotional weight. In fact, it's all just so charming coming from Lekman. Pretty much perfect.
Top jam: "A Postcard to Nina"


(24) Turn On the Bright Lights - Interpol (Matador, 2002)
What an album, am I right? Interpol's debut full length of moody post-punk is better than a lot of bands at their absolute peak. My favorite things about Turn On the Bright Lights have always been the droning yet jagged guitars, funky bass and driving drums. More recently, I finally realized the brilliance in Paul Banks' vocals, mainly how there are great melodies hidden under all of that monotone. I actually did (and still do) like their sophomore effort, Antics, but, unfortunately, Internol were never able to build on the potential that was brought forth on this masterpiece.
Top jam: "Obstacle 1"


(23) Since I Left You - The Avalanches (Modular, 2001)
Two of my closest friends from college (and to this day) have always talked The Avalanches' Since I Left You up to me. So, I have no idea why it took me so long to finally cave. Had I removed my head from my ass sooner, this would rank much higher on this list. Since I Left You is an electronic album of the highest caliber. It pretty much sounds exactly like what it is: a bunch of dudes getting together and mixing funk, soul, R&B, hip hop and power pop records together, creating completely amazing soundscapes/songs. It's amazing how an album that was assembled from approximately 3,500 vinyl samples can sound so fresh, organic and sentimental, all at the same time.
Top jam: "Electricity"


(22) Women - Women (Flemish Eye, 2008)
When I came up with my 2008 year-end list, I believe Women's self-titled debut ranked somewhere around #35 out of 40. My love for this album has grown deeper and deeper with each and every listen since then. Women were probably the first of the late 2000s lo-fi revival bands that I got really into, and to this day they are still the best. Women sounds like a complete mess with distorted drums, buried, droning vocals and clanging guitars. There is definitely a pop edge, namely on one of the best songs from last decade, "Black Rice," but they disguise it very well. Chad VanGaalen's production assistance is just as much an instrument as anything else on here, helping to make this debut tremendously special.
Top jam: "Shaking Hand"


(21) Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective (Domino, 2009)
It's sort of not fun when your #1 album at year-end is the first big "indie" release to come out. It happened for me in 2008 with Vampire Weekend, and again in 2009 with Merriweather Post Pavilion. In retrospect, things changed with 2008, but definitely not so with 2009, the year Animal Collective completely dominated. Merriweather Post Pavilion is a game changer. Panda Bear's incredible Person Pitch strongly hinted at where underground music was going to go back in 2007. Animal Collective put the nail in the coffin and hugely popularized it in 2009. Luckily for us, they are the kind of band that never really repeat themselves. Regardless, Merriweather Post Pavilion was an amazing statement at a hazey time in music, and its warm synths, hypnotic rhythms and stunning melodies will forever be welcome to my ears.
Top jam: "Brother Sport"

Emotional Listening #8

Before moving on to my actual 25 favorite albums from last decade, let me briefly go over some old records that I recently rediscovered/gained a new, more intense love for.


Low - David Bowie (Virgin, 1977)
I don't remember how exactly it was that I decided to check out David Bowie's Low back in early December of 2007, but my feelings for the record have been on a roller coaster ride ever since. About a week or so ago I revisited it for the first time in almost a year, and boy did it hit me hard. My favorite things about Low have always been Bowie's immaculate skill at just about any instrument and the completely insane digitally effected drum sounds. I've also always liked how it is pretty much split in halves: the incredible pop half and the frightening, somewhat boring ambient half. This time around with the record, I noticed that I had underappreciated a few of the pop songs ("Speed of Life" and "Always Crashing in the Same Car," namely), and I finally gained some understanding and admiration of the ambient tracks ("Weeping Wall" is gorgeous). Without them, Low would just be an amazing, intriguing collection of pop songs, not the mysterious masterpiece that it actually is. Lastly, the instrumental "A New Career in a New Town" has easily beat out Heroes' "The Secret Life of Arabia" as my favorite Bowie song.
Top jams: "Speed of Life," "Breaking Glass," "What in the World," "Sound and Vision," "Always Crashing in the Same Car," "A New Career in a New Town," "Weeping Wall"


Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds (Columbia, 1965)
Since I can remember, The Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)" has been one of my favorite songs of all time. A couple years ago, when I started getting even more into music with guitars that jangle and chime, I thought I should check out some Byrds LPs. And I did. I think that 1967's Younger Than Yesterday, which has a bit more variety, is a much better album (even some of the b-sides, such as "Lady Friend," are awesome), but Turn! Turn! Turn! definitely has its moments. Every song features nice melodies and harmonies and those beautiful twelve-string guitars that I've come to love so much. But, nothing hits as high as the title track. Fortunately, nothing hits as low as the closing track, a cover of "Oh! Susannah," which is just about the corniest thing I've ever heard in my life.
Top jams: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)," "It Won't be Wrong," "Set You Free This Time," "Lay Down Your Weary Tune," "The World Turns All Around Her," "The Times They Are A-Changin'," "Wait and See"


Combat Rock - The Clash (Epic, 1982)
I'm not going to be weird and difficult here. Of the three albums by The Clash that I own (The Clash and London Calling being the other two), Combat Rock is definitely the worst. BUT, it still rules, ya dummy. Everyone knows "Rock the Casbah," which is sort of a good indication of what the rest of the album sounds like. In my opinion, The Clash's punk edge seems to be retained only in their vocals and looks, here. Otherwise, Combat Rock is a somewhat experimental guitar pop record with a lot of different sounds, with both funk and reggae being considered home base, I guess. Nothing here really touches anything from The Clash or London Calling, but, "Know Your Rights," "Car Jamming," "Straight to Hell" and "Ghetto Defendent" are all excellent.
Top jams: "Know Your Rights," "Car Jamming," "Rock the Casbah," "Straight to Hell," "Overpowered by Funk," "Ghetto Defendant," "Inoculated City"

Favorite Albums of 2000-2009: Intro

I know that I'm 1.25 years too late, but I am finally to share with you, friends, an ordered list of my favorite albums of last decade (2000-09). I followed a strategic, tedious, insane and incredibly nerdy process to finalize this list. It took me a very long time, and there were several drafts and revisions. But, I finally have it.

My original plan was to go all out and create a top 100 list of the decade. However, this ended up being too much for one man, and after having set a top 25, it was getting impossible to put the remaining albums in any sort of order that I was confident in or that made sense to me.

So, instead, I settled on a relatively low number: a top 25 list. I'm going to try and make this relatively painless for those of my friends who actually still care about this by spreading it all out over several blog posts. I will reveal and talk about only five albums from the list at a time (and in order), at whatever pace works for me. Maybe this will take two weeks. Maybe this will take a month or two.

First, here is a list of albums from the 2000-09 decade that I hated to leave off the top 25 list. All of these would have easily been in my top 100 list, and were definitely in the running for any sort of top 50. These are my favorite albums from last decade that didn't quite reach the same caliber as my top 25, but are still incredible enough that they deserve to be mentioned:

- Floating World - Anathallo (Artist Friendship, 2006)

- Strawberry Jam - Animal Collective (Domino, 2007)

- Mare Vitalis - The Appleseed Cast (Deep Elm, 2000)

- Relationship of Command - At the Drive-In (Grand Royal, 2000)

- The Unsustainable Lifestyle - Beauty Pill (Dischord, 2004)

- Vespertine - Bjork (Elektra, 2001)

- Domestica - Cursive (Saddle Creek, 2000)

- The Ugly Organ - Cursive (Saddle Creek, 2003)

- Offend Maggie - Deerhoof (Kill Rock Stars, 2008)

- Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. - Deerhunter (Kranky, 2008)

- Destroyer's Rubies - Destroyer (Merge, 2006)

- Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors (Domino, 2009)

- The Forms - The Forms (Threespheres, 2007)

- The Trial of the Century - French Kicks (Startime, 2004)

- The Medicine - The Jazz June (Initial, 2000)

- Oh You're So Silent Jens - Jens Lekman (Secretly Canadian, 2005)

- We, the Vehicles - Maritime (Flameshovel, 2006)

- Twin Cinema - The New Pornographers (Matador, 2005)

- Neon Golden - The Notwist (City Slang, 2002)

- Owls - Owls (Jade Tree, 2001)

- Person Pitch - Panda Bear (Paw Tracks, 2007)

- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix (Glassnote, 2009)

- No Kill No Beep Beep - Q and Not U (Dischord, 2000)

- Hail to the Thief - Radiohead (Capitol, 2003)

- Real Estate - Real Estate (Woodsist, 2009)

- One Bedroom - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey, 2003)

- Everybody - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey, 2008)

- Car Alarm - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey, 2008)

- Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins (Sub Pop, 2003)

- Dead Reckoning - Small Brown Bike (No Idea, 2001)

- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon (Merge, 2007)

- Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lake State - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty/Sounds Familyre, 2003)

- Come On Feel the Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens (Asthmatic Kitty, 2005)

- Return to Cookie Mountain - TV on the Radio (Interscope, 2006)

- Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (XL, 2008)

- You & Me - The Walkmen (Gigantic, 2008)

- Elephant Eyelash - Why? (Anticon, 2005)

- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco (Nonesuch, 2002)

- Summer Sun - Yo La Tengo (Matador, 2003)

- Taxis - Zoos of Berlin (self-released, 2009)

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay/Still Life With Woodpecker/Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?/From Hell

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon (2000)

Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize winning The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is an epic in every sense of the word. It covers a lot of ground and takes place over quite a large chunk of time. I first heard about it my senior year in high school and have meant to read it ever since. I finally did it, and it did not disappoint, though it wasn't perfect by any means. The story is about a young boy who escapes the Europe of the 1930s that is on the brink of Nazi control to his cousin and his family in New York City. There, the two cousins decide to start a series of comic books to various degrees of success. That is just about all I knew about the novel going into it, and is a very narrow view of the plot. It opens up a substantial amount more (which in some areas, namely the backstory of the two cousins, gets a tad bit tedious). The best moments are when Chabon dabbles in the worlds of the various comic book super heroes and villains that the cousins create. There is also an incredible chapter where an event that occurs in the real world is described as if it was taking place inside a comic book. In spite of being long-winded at times, Chabon is an excellent author with an elite command of storytelling and the english language. I would recommend The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay to anyone and everyone.

Still Life With Woodpecker - Tom Robbins (1980)

Still Life With Woodpecker was my first foray into the works of Tom Robbins, and it was about as enjoyable as I had hoped and expected. It is a bizarre love story of a foreign but Americanized princess and an articulate, criminal bomber. It was a challenge to sort through the fantasy and reality interspersed throughout, but that made for a very fun read. Robbins' imagery was wonderful and his language reminded me of Kurt Vonnegut, even if Still Life With Woodpecker is way more philosophical and mystical than it is politcal.

Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man? - Charles Barkley (2005)

I was disappointed by this. Don't get me wrong, Charles Barkley is trying to do a good thing by discussing the issues of race and economics with relevant people (including the likes of Tiger Woods, Barack Obama, Samuel L. Jackson, Jesse Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Bill Clinton, etc.). But, to be completely honest, I really wanted Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man? to feature Barkley spouting off the harsh, insane nonsense he does when he covers basketball games for TNT. I was looking for humor and interesting dialogue, and what I got were annoying, repetitive catch phrases from Barkley and semi-interesting dialogue on a touching and important subject.

From Hell - Alan Moore (1991-96)

No surprise, Alan Moore has collected another great series of comics in From Hell. Here, he theorizes about the Jack the Ripper murders that occured in 1888, posing the idea that maybe the government along with the Freemasons were behind them. The artwork within the book is very appropriate as the story is fascinating, eerie, mysterious and absolutely disgusting. It is dense and hard was hard to get through, but well worth the trouble.

What a Pleasure/Pebble/The King of Limbs

What a Pleasure EP - Beach Fossils (Captured Tracks, 2011)
With Minks' By the Hedge and now the What a Pleasure EP, Beach Fossils' latest release, the awesome 80s goth-pop revival of 2010 continues into 2011. After the shimmering, summer jangle of their 2010 lo-fi self-titled debut, the band decided to ditch that sound for this slightly moodier feel. While What a Pleasure is still brighter sounding than Minks and Wild Nothing, it is a great companion piece to the recorded output of those bands thus far. These eight tracks feature upbeat tempos, jagged and bouncy bass lines and chimey guitar parts that are somewhat reminiscent of Johnny Marr. This fantastic EP is already one of the best releases to come out in 2011, and "Fall Right In," "Face It" and "Distance" are three of the year's best songs.


Pebble - Lemuria (Bridge Nine, 2011)
I first heard of Lemuria a few years ago and finally decided to give them a chance, thanks to Bravender's incessant raving, with Pebble, their newest full length. And, yup, it's pretty great. Overall, Pebble sounds considerably mellow compared to the few earlier tracks I've heard. But, I think I'm into that. This Bridge Nine debut is more emo than pop punk, with fun boy/girl trade-off vocals, smart and solid drumming and those angular guitar rhythms I love. Sheena Ozzella's voice and guitar chops are impressive, and I'm in awe of what Alex Kerns does on the drums while singing. Everything presented on Pebble adds up, but I think my favorite thing about it is the contrast between Ozzella's powerful, higher pitched vocals and Kerns' modest, lower pitched ones.


The King of Limbs - Radiohead (TBD, 2011)
This should really get its own blog entry. This long awaited follow-up to In Rainbows seems to be Radiohead's most divisive album yet. I guess this makes sense to me, but I think any fan of Radiohead up to this point who says they don't like The King of Limbs is crazy. A false statement that I've read in several reviews is that this lacks all the ambition of every other Radiohead album. That is ridiculous. The King of Limbs isn't otherworldly like OK Computer or Kid A, but it sure sounds completely original to me. Unsurprisingly, the production is impeccable and the individual performances throughout are like nothing the band has done before. For instance, usually the bass and drums are perfectly locked in, but here, Phil Selway chugs along (playing out of his mind, actually, assuming that at least most of the drum tracks were recorded live and just processed) while Colin Greenwood does whatever the hell he wants.

The songs on The King of Limbs are even less song-y than the ones on Kid A. "Lotus Flower" is the only obvious single, as it has a definite chorus, but otherwise, only the second track, "Morning Mr. Magpie" (which might be the best track on the album), also has a chorus, and it is very unassuming. "Bloom," "Little by Little" and "Feral" are all standouts along with the two aforementioned jams. I got goosebumps the first time I heard the piano loop and drums combo of "Bloom." At first I didn't really care for the gorgeous back-to-back ballads, "Codex" and "Give Up the Ghost," but, they offer up some nice breathing room before one of Radiohead's greatest album closers, "Separator." The best moment on the album just might be when the tinkly guitars come in at the end of that track.

I am not going to go so far as to say that The King of Limbs is even close to being one of Radiohead's greatest albums, but it is still excellent and will definitely be in the running for record of the year for me. It is challenging, its contrast of organic vs. inorganic sounds is fascinating and its repetition is a nice change of pace. And, with the amount of time that elapsed between In Rainbows and this, and the fact that it is Radiohead's shortest LP, I have a feeling that this isn't the last we're going to hear from the band recording-wise within the next year.

Emotional Listening #7

It's been quite a while since I've talked about older music that I've discovered, overlooked or rediscovered. So, I'm bringing this segment of my blog back. Here we go.


The Speed of Cattle - Archers of Loaf (Alias, 1996)
Why it took me so long to finally decide to be interested in Archers of Loaf is beyond me. They rule. And while I assume The Speed of Cattle is probably a weak release of theirs (as it is a collection of b-sides and rare recordings), it still has some jams. I can't say that I like the very early stuff, as the guitars and rhythms are monotonous and the vocals annoying. But, once the band started infusing a little pop in their sound along with those jagged, interweaving guitar lines and Eric Bachmann chose to sing melodies, their shit gets real good. On this particular collection, the highs are very high. The raw practice version of "Web in Front" might sound even better than Icky Mettle's version, and the John Peel Session performances of "Smokin' Pot in the Hot City" and "Freezing Point" are pure bliss.
Top jams: "Web in Front," "What Did You Expect?," "Don't Believe the Good News," "Smokin' Pot in the Hot City (John Peel Session)," "Bacteria," "Freezing Point (John Peel Session)," "Powerwalker"


All the Nation's Airports - Archers of Loaf (Elektra/Alias, 1996)
The band's first full length to be distributed by a major label, All the Nation's Airports, was definitely a step forward in so many ways. It's definitely cleaner sounding and more accessible, but their intense energy is still evident throughout, even on the piano ballads. The album opens furiously and fantastically, and doesn't let up untl after the sixth song, "Rental Sting." "All the Nation's Airports" and "Scenic Pastures" easily go along with "Web in Front" as my favorite Archers of Loaf songs so far. What really does it for me on All the Nation's Airports are all the beefy, angular and thought out guitar parts. Plus, there is a certain smidge of emo laced throughout the whole thing, which, if you know me, you know I'm a sucker for.
Top jams: "Strangled by the Stereo Wire," "All the Nation's Airports," "Scenic Pastures," "Worst Defense," "Attack of the Killer Bees," "Rental Sting," "Vocal Shrapnel," "Acromegaly"


Fear of God - The Bats (Flying Nun, 1991)
Oh man. New Zealand's The Bats are quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite bands. Daddy's Highway, their 1987 debut, which I honestly haven't spent a ton of time with yet, is completely awesome. But, what's so great about this band, is every other album of theirs that I've heard (they have seven, and I've heard four) is also awesome. Fear of God doesn't vary too much from their 80s jangle pop sound, but that's just how I want it. The songs here are mostly upbeat and fun, with some nice ballads here and there. "Boogey Man" and "Straight Image" are two of The Bats' best songs, without question.
Top jams: "Boogey Man," "The Old Ones," "Hold All the Butter," "Straight Image," "You Know We Shouldn't," "Jetsam"


Couchmaster - The Bats (Flying Nun, 1995)
I didn't think Couchmaster, the band's fifth album, could be better than Fear of God, but it sure is. The guitars still have all that jangle, but the songs have a little more of a dark edge to them, at least sound-wise. There's a lot more variety here, and of course there are some really great songs. I'm partial to the beefy guitar and plodding tempo of "Around You Like Snow," the slightly Built to Spill feel of "Work It Out" and the sleepy summer instrumental "Supernova." Overall, Couchmaster sort of reminds me of a jangly mid-90s Yo La Tengo, which is a really great thing. The Bats are giving R.E.M. of the 80s a run for their money as the best jangly pop/rock band.
Top jams: "Afternoon in Bed," "Around You Like Snow," "Work It Out," "Land 'O' Lakes," "Supernova," "Crow Song," "Knowledge is Power," "It's Happening to You," "Down to Me"

I'm Still Here/Party Down: Season 2

I'm Still Here (2010)

Written by Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix, directed by Casey Affleck

I had been wanting to watch this for quite some time, and was stoked when my roommates and I found it streaming on Netflix. I'm not sure what you know of this film, so I'll summarize: in 2008, Joaquin Phoenix supposedly retired from acting in order to pursue his hip hop career. This film is about that, including his zany interview with David Letterman from early 2009, and showcases an apparent mental breakdown. Thing is, it's completely a hoax! It's actually a satirical mockumentary touching on celebrity and intra-media relationships. Written along with friend and brother-in-law Casey Affleck (who also directed the film), I'm Still Here is well thought out, and the process of creating it sounds intense and complex (Phoenix would maintain his character of the film whenever he subjected to public interviews). It was always rumored to be a hoax, but wasn't officially announced as so until after the film was finally released. That is one of the many things I love about it. Additionally, it is simply my kind of movie: a somewhat gruesome critique on a number of aspects of the media. It is hilarious and supremely acted. I couldn't tell who was in on the joke and who wasn't. Regardless, all the performances (or candid interactions) were convincing, and Phoenix was especially impressive. I would recommend seeing I'm Still Here as soon as you can.

Party Down: Season 2 (2010)

What a show! I haven't even been able to watch all of the first season, and I missed the first two or three episodes of the second. However, the other night I watched the remaining seven or eight of Party Down: Season 2, which is enough to formulate an opinion about it. It rules. Right after finishing it, I made some sort of ridiculous claim like, "Uh, Party Down is on par with Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office (when that show was at its best)!" Eh, probably not, actually, but still, season two was very fun to watch. The interactions between Adam Scott and Lizzy Caplan and Scott and Ken Marino are incredibly fun. Scott's, Caplan's and Martin Starr's cynicism is more clever than it is overbearing (which is a very good thing). Starr is always funny (he once played one of the greatest television characters of all time: Bill from Freaks and Geeks), and especially here, with his fiery passion for sci-fi writing. Another highlight is Ryan Hansen's wannabe emo rock star character of Kyle. All of the situations that occur in Party Down are hilarious, everyone in it is great, blah blah blah. Get with the times and like this show, please.