Emotional Drumming

You're a Horrible Person, but I Like You/Rabbit, Run/Hocus Pocus

2012-01-28T23:06:00.000-05:00

You're a Horrible Person, but I Like You - The Believer (2010)
The Believer presents a collection of fake advice columns from a wide variety of talented and popular comedians as well as comedic writers and producers (Tim & Eric, Michael Ian Black/Michael Showalter, Patton Oswalt, Judd Apatow, etc.). The idea is great, but an entire book full of these is way too much, and the humor gets old and incredibly awkward (mostly in an unfunny way). I don't know. Whatever.

Rabbit, Run - John Updike (1960)
A tragic story with a somewhat predictable albeit excellent ending, Rabbit, Run is another one of those novels where just about every character is unrelatable if not completely unlikeable, but is still thoroughly enjoyable to read. John Updike's masterful descriptive language may get tedious and in the way of the plot at times, but, he sure knows how to weave an awesomely dark tale of lust, indecision and self-deception. Rabbit, Run's depressing plot is relentless, but in the best way, and main character Rabbit Angstrom is one of the worst human beings, and I love Updike for creating him. Looking forward to reading the sequels at some point down the road.

Hocus Pocus - Kurt Vonnegut (1990)
In 2011, I read Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle and was annoyed more than won over by Kurt Vonnegut's flowery language and inspiring cynicism. I figured I'd give him another try with Hocus Pocus, which is a sprawling narrative that I found more difficult to follow than the Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace novels I've read. From the start of Hocus Pocus, Vonnegut's sci-fi hippy poetry was a huge strike against him and a major distraction from the admittedly interesting plot (which I had to get off of Wikipedia). I refuse to spend the time dedicating any more thought and effort into this blurb for a novel that I didn't really enjoy reading whatsoever.

Attack on Memory/Plumb

2012-01-24T16:34:00.000-05:00

Attack on Memory - Cloud Nothings (Carpark, 2012)
Quickly following up their wonderfully surprising 2011 self-titled debut, Cloud Nothings try to make a heavy-hitting statement with Attack on Memory, and while it is totally a good record, it falls a little short. Perhaps a little too ambitious, these young dudes decided to write some darker, tighter, and more tough sounding tunes. and I guess I preferred their sloppier, wussier pop punk of last year. There are some nice subtle touches on each of things, and Steve Albini surely made the drums and guitars sound better, but part of the charm of Cloud Nothings was how bright all the songs were. Attack on Memory showcases some excellent musicianship, and the majority of the songs have some truly memorable parts, but I'm not into how hard the band is trying to sound tough. Plus, I was hoping for a little more emo.

Plumb - Field Music (Memphis Industries, 2012)
Even though 2010's Field Music (Measure) was not as good as Tones of Town (2007) or Field Music (2005), I'd still say it was a triumphant return, considering the band had been broken up for about two years. I'm glad to see the brothers Brewis are still going, as Tones of Town was my third favorite album of last decade. Anyway, unfortunately, Plumb does not come close to Field Music at their best. Its ADD and prog tendencies are very reminiscent of Measure, but, instead of 20 songs and 70+ minutes, it's 15 in just over 35. And still, somehow, their brand of Britpop obsessed with the Beatles' 1960s continues to expand. All the songs flow together like movements in your favorite Yes jam, but with those traditional Brewis strings, keys and overall impressive musicianship, Plumb feels more like an economical symphony. Sometimes it's hard to tell songs and sections of songs apart because things move so quickly, but if you're willing to do the work to sort through everything, Plumb is an extremely rewarding experience that has grown on me with every listen. The outright hooks are scattered, but whooh boy, are they there. David and Peter Brewis: challenging music brains since 2004.

Eastbound & Down: Season Two

2012-01-20T19:20:00.000-05:00

Eastbound & Down: Season Two (2010)
While the second season pales in comparison to the greatness of season one, Danny McBride and co. are still on point in this installment of dark baseball/stoner comedy Eastbound & Down. More offensive and in your face, season two probably brings more cheap laughs than season one, and I guess this distracted me a little from the show's potential based on how that first season ended. But, by the end of this season, everything came together and season three was set up wonderfully. Primarily based in Mexico, all of the new minor characters are hilarious, and Steve Little is probably even better this time around as Kenny Powers' sidekick, Stevie Janowski. Through two seasons, Eastbound & Down has to be one of the greatest tv shows going, and continues to rank up there with such modern classics as Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Favorite Books Read in 2011

2012-01-12T13:30:00.000-05:00

I'm going to brag in a really geeky way for a second. In the year 2011, I read 61 books, and that doesn't include any of the 38 graphic novels/comic collections that I also devoured. So, for the first time ever, I've decided to compile a list of my favorite books that I read in a year. I reread a few graphic novels (Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, Bone), and so those were not eligible for inclusion.

Unfortunately (or, perhaps for those of you who follow this blog, fortunately), I don't feel like writing about any of these again,. But, without further ado, the 15 best books I read in 2011. It was a really good reading year for me.

(15) Little Children - Tom Perrotta (2004)

(14) No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (2005)

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

(12) The Stranger - Albert Camus (1942)

(11) Torso - Brian Michael Bendis & Marc Andreyko (1998-99)

(10) Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami (2002)

(9) East of Eden - John Steinbeck (1952)

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

(7) Boys Will be Boys - Jeff Pearlman (2008)

(6) The Rules of Attraction - Bret Easton Ellis (1987)

(5) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore (2002)

(4) The Broom of the System - David Foster Wallace (1987)

(3) A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole (1980)

TIE

(1) The Corrections//Freedom - Jonathan Franzen (2001//2010)

Towelhead/Tortilla Flat

2012-01-10T06:25:00.000-05:00

Towelhead - Alicia Erian (2005)
In spite of the mind-numbingly simple narration, Towelhead is one of the most disturbing novels I have read in sometime. Taking place near Houston, Texas in the very early 1990s, it touches on such depressing topics as racism, war, pedophilia and statutory rape. Fun! The 13 year-old main protagonist is emotionally and/or physically abused and exploited by at least three other characters, and it is heartbreaking. The protagonist/narrator's naive perspective and a handful of the events that take place are a little bit head-scratching and unbelievable, but that didn't ruin the the weight of the story too much. Towelhead is still pretty good for the most part, but it's not the kind of novel I imagine myself reading ever again.

Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck (1935)
Granted, it seemed that whenever I was reading this book, which was when I was at work, most often during a double that I had picked up, I was incredibly tired and distracted. But, this early Steinbeck novel was pretty much just words to me. My eyes were following the words on the page, but my tired brain was not processing what was going on. I will admit that what did register from Tortilla Flat was a bland tale of friends stealing, drinking wine and generally goofing around. This is the first time Steinbeck has disappointed me.

Tardy 2011 NFL Playoffs Preview

2012-01-09T01:16:00.001-05:00

I meant to make a post featuring my predictions for this year's NFL playoffs, but last week was crazy, and so I am late to the game. Unsurprisingly, Wild Card weekend was insane. Let's just say I was only one for four with my picks for this round (I had Cincinnati over Houston, Pittsburgh over Denver, New Orleans over Detroit, and Atlanta over New York).

As things stand now, here are my predictions from here on out.

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow may get in a few horrendous albeit miraculous plays in on this terrible New England defense, but he's up against the best QB in the AFC by far in Tom Brady, who will reign supreme.

New England 34, Denver 20

Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans

In spite of Houston's unfortunate quarterback situation, Andre Johnson's triumphant return and Arian Foster's ridiculous numbers against Cincinnati bode well for these playoff virgins. Baltimore is relatively unpredictable and have lost to some terrible teams (like the Jacksonville Jaguars), but their defense and Ray Rice should dominate this particular matchup.

Baltimore 27, Houston 14

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants

I have a very slight, inexplicable bad feeling about the Packers' chances of making it all the way to the Super Bowl, and perhaps some weaknesses will be revealed in this particular game. BUT, Green Bay was still the best team in the NFL this year, and the nail in the coffin will be something along the lines of Charles Woodson intercepting a misinformed Eli Manning pass and returning it for a touchdown. Also, Aaron Rodgers will be Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay 30, New York 21

San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints

This year's San Francisco 49ers have played a lot like the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, who went all the way to win a Super Bowl with a mediocre quarterback who made minimal mistakes and a historically good defense. However, the Saints are obviously the hottest team in the game, and though there's a chance they may have peaked a little too early, Drew Brees should be way too much for this 49er defense.

New Orleans 27, San Francisco 17

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice will run like crazy, but Tom Brady will do just enough to reach the Super Bowl for the fifth time in his career.

New England 24, Baltimore 21

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

This season has sort of put the kabosh on the theory that it's very difficult to beat a time twice in any given season. However, this rematch of the 2011 opening day shootout will unsurprisingly be a doozy. I hate to say it, but Darren Sproles will be the difference-maker in a game that I will be sort of shocked if the two teams don't combine for 1,000 yards of total offense. This will be the greatest conference championship game every played.

New Orleans 37, Green Bay 35

SUPER BOWL

New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints

Overall, I think the Green Bay Packers deserve to be this year's Super Bowl champs a little more than the New Orleans Saints (they did go 15-1, after all). But, you can't argue with destiny, and though Aaron Rodgers should barely edge out Drew Brees for MVP, Brees is THE GUY right now. He is making zero mistakes, and he also has a few more weapons than Rodgers (albeit Rodgers' are a little more dangerous). None of matters, because in this game, Brees will face a New England defense that will easily surrender to every whim. Sure, Tom Brady should throw up some incredible numbers too, and this should be the highest scoring Super Bowl we've seen in some time. The Patriot D needs to get a lot better, though, if Brady is going to win them one more championship before he retires.

New Orleans 41, New England 34

Favorite Albums of 2011: #20-1

2011-12-28T17:57:00.000-05:00

HERE's the mix of one song per album sequenced in order of ranking for this, the better portion of my list of favorite albums of 2011. Let's get this show on the road.

(20) Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics - Ducktails (Woodsist)

I've wanted to get Matthew Mondanile's Ducktails for a couple of years now, and he finally released something that's easy to understand. At this point, it may be cliche to say about anything regarding Real Estate, but the slightly psychedelic guitar pop on Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics really is perfect for a summer backyard drinking party.

Top jams: "In the Swing," "Sprinter," "Sunset Liner," "Little Window," "Killin' the Vibe," "Don't Make Plans," "Art Vandalay"

(19) In Love With Oblivion//Radiant Door EP - Crystal Stilts (Slumberland//Sacred Bones)

2011 brought two great releases from Crystal Stilts. In Love With Oblivion continues the band's tradition of gloomy, psych-infused post-punk with brighter guitars than usual at times, while Radiant Door brings out even brighter guitars and some slower tempos. The monotone, reverb-drenched vocals may be a hurdle, but it is worth doing the work to discover all the hooks.

Top jams: "Through the Floor," "Silver Sun," "Half a Moon," "Shake the Shackles," "Precarious Stair," "Death is What We Live For," "Prometheus at Large," "Dark Eyes," "Radiant Door," "Low Profile"

(18) Mirror Traffic - Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Matador)

Lacking the jamming and guitar wailing of 2008's excellent and hilariously titled Real Emotional Trash, this year's Mirror Traffic is still a zany, somewhat sprawling companion piece of sorts. The band is impeccably tight and Malkmus' melodies and clever lyrics are right where they should be. I'm not sure why this record went so unnoticed amongst my friends, because it rules.

Top jams: "No One Is (As I Are Be)," "Senator," "Brain Gallop," "Stick Figures in Love," "Share the Red," "Tune Grief," "Forever 28," "Fall Away"

(17) Idle Labor - Craft Spells (Captured Tracks)

The Captured Tracks record label was huge to me this year. We're already almost a quarter of the way through my top 20, and the label is just now making its first appearance on the list. Idle Labor is mostly upbeat 80s synth pop with some truly great synth sounds. Every song is good.

Top jams: "Scandinavian Crush," "The Fog Rose High," "Party Talk," "Given the Time," "Your Tomb," "You Should Close the Door," "Beauty Above All"

(16) Slave Ambient - The War on Drugs (Secretly Canadian)

I never cared to check this band out due to how much I hate the name. When I found out that Kurt Vile used to be a member, I was a bit more interested. When I finally got around to checking out their latest, I was taken aback. Slave Ambient is a beautiful and mellow rock record with touches of folk, psychedelia and spacey atmosphere that make it unique. It fits in nicely with Vile's 2011 output, which shouldn't be surprising.

Top jams: "Best Night," "Brothers," "I Was There," "Your Love is Calling My Name," "It's Your Destiny," "Baby Missiles," "Blackwater"

(15) An Argument With Myself EP - Jens Lekman (Secretly Canadian)

Finally, Jens ends his four year silence since 2007's stunning Night Falls Over Kortedala, albeit with a five song EP that's only around 18 minutes long. STILL, I'll take anything I can get from this guy. Pure pop bliss. Full length in 2012, PLEASE?

Top jams: "An Argument With Myself," "A Promise," "New Directions"

(14) Deerhoof Vs. Evil - Deerhoof (Polyvinyl)

Deerhoof Vs. Evil isn't even close to the band's last and greatest, Offend Maggie, but, of course it's a welcome addition to their canon. Still weird, this is probably their poppiest record to date. Per usual, the guitars are spectacular and gorgeous, the melodies are memorable and Greg Saunier is probably the best drummer in the game.

Top jams: "Qui Dorm, Nomes Somia," "Behold a Marvel in the Darkness," "The Merry Barracks," "Super Duper Rescue Heads!," "Must Fight Current," "I Did Crimes for You"

(13) Gloss Drop - Battles (Warp)

2007's Mirrored was way more critically acclaimed, but I say Gloss Drop is the far more superior album. Sure, there's probably not as much variety here, and these songs are quite a bit more silly. There's just something inexplicable about Gloss Drop that made me fall in love. The cartoon synths, bizarre rhythms and ridiculously tight drumming contribute heavily. Had I posted what I had intended to be my favorite songs of 2011 list, both "Ice Cream" and "Sweetie & Shag" would have been in the top ten.

Top jams: "Ice Cream," "Inchworm," "Wall Streeet," "Dominican Fade," "Sweetie & Shag," "Rolls Bayce," "Sundome"

(12) Smoke Ring for My Halo - Kurt Vile (Matador)

Stunning finger-picked folk collides with country-tinged rock that brings to mind Dylan, Young and Springsteen on Kurt Vile's latest. I first checked Vile out on last year's Square Shells EP, which is much more stripped down and is gorgeous in its own right. Smoke Ring for My Halo is obviously more fully realized, and is easily the best folk record since Bill Callahan's Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle. In fact, it's even better.

Top jams: "Baby's Arms," "Jesus Fever," "On Tour," "Runner Ups," "In My Time," "Peeping Tomboy," "Ghost Town"

(11) What a Pleasure EP - Beach Fossils (Captured Tracks)

I liked their lo-fi surf pop self-titled debut from 2010 alright, but Beach Fossils definitely made the right decision when they substituted their drummer with a drum machine. Understated but catchy melodies, bouncy bass and beautiful Johnny Marr-esque guitar playing. Keep it up, boys!

Top jams: "Fall Right In," "Out in the Way," "Face It," "Distance," "Calyer"

(10) The Moonlight Butterfly - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey)

Since the 90s, The Sea and Cake have been the most consistently awesome band this side of Radiohead. The Moonlight Butterfly, a six song mini-album, is not a ton different from what the band has been doing thus far in the 21st century (aside from a little extra ambience), and that's fine by me. They can stay on this path until they call it quits, for all I care, because they are a perfect band.

Top jams: "Covers," "Lyric," "Up on the North Shore," "Inn Keeping"

(9) Tomboy - Panda Bear (Paw Tracks)

Tomboy may be lacking all the wonderful color that made Person Pitch the record that it is, but man, these melodies and harmonies are still completely mind blowing. The darker nature of the music here makes for an interesting contrast with the still bright vocal parts. I don't know, whatever. Tomboy still does it for me.

Top jams: "Slow Motion," "Surfer's Hymn," "Last Night at the Jetty," "Alsatian Darn," "Friendship Bracelet," "Afterburner," "Benfica"

(8) By the Hedge//Araby 7" - Minks (Captured Tracks)

More 80s goth pop from Captured Tracks. By the Hedge sounds like early Cure with a slight emo slant. Moody and catchy as hell. The Araby 7" features one song that is pretty much more of the same (probably even better), and then "Little Fawn," which seems like a blatant ode to The Beach Boys. These would have ranked even higher any other year.

Top jams: "Kusmi," "Out of Tune," "Funeral Song," "Our Ritual," "Bruises," "Juniper," "Araby," "Little Fawn"

(7) The King of Limbs - Radiohead (TBD)

This is not the best Radiohead record by any means, but it has resolidified Colin Greenwood's title as my favorite bassist. This really is his and Phil Selway's album, what with the smart, scattered bass leads and loopy drum parts. Thom Yorke does his usual thing while Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien go by virtually unnoticed. In addition to all of that, this repetition thing makes for a more different Radiohead album than I was expecting. I'm confused as to why such an obviously great record is so divisive. If you've been a long time fan of the band and this record turns you off to them, then I question your judgement in music.

Top jams: "Bloom," "Morning Mr. Magpie," "Little by Little," "Feral," "Lotus Flower," "Separator"

(6) Days - Real Estate (Domino)

I don't know why, but at first, Days seemed a little underwhelming to me. It felt like Real Estate didn't quite deliver on the promise of the set I saw them play back in July. I think I'm past that now. There are a lot of reasons why Days rightfully overshadows their still fantastic self-titled debut: maturity/full realization, consistency, professional production, et cetera. It doesn't hurt that the stupendously chimey guitars and bouncy bass parts remind me a little bit of Death Cab's We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes.

Top jams: "Green Aisles," "It's Real," "Kinder Blumen," "Out of Tune," "Municipality," "Three Blocks," "All the Same"

(5) Underneath the Pine//Freaking Out EP - Toro y Moi (Carpark)

Unlike his brethren in Washed Out and Neon Indian, Toro y Moi was ready to shed that stupid "chillwave" tag and do something considerably different. Aren't we glad he did? Underneath the Pine is an upbeat psychedelic R&B and soft adult contemporary record showcasing incredible talent, and Freaking Out is essentially an awesome house EP. I am so pumped for whatever this dude is gonna do next. I'm hoping for an entire house record with all live instrumentation.

Top jams: "New Beat," "Go With You," "Go Blinded," "How I Know," "Still Sound," "Elise," "All Alone," "Saturday Love," "I Can Get Love"

(4) Parrot Flies - Algernon Cadwallader (Hot Green)

I don't care how derivative this band may be, Algernon Cadwallader are the shit. Yes, they sound a lot like the myriad of Kinsella-related Chicago bands (Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, American Football, Ghosts and Vodka, Owls), but when you do that particular brand of emo as good as this band does, guitar noodling and melodic dude yelling and all, then it is absolutely forgivable. The one thing that does set these guys apart is that there are hooks a-plenty.

Top jams: "Preservatives," "Parrot Flies," "If It Kills Me," "Glenwood Ave.," "Sad," "Loose Cannons," "Cruisin'"

(3) Kaputt - Destroyer (Merge)

I have very little experience with pre-Rubies Destroyer, but I would wager that Kaputt is Dan Bejar's crowning achievement, regardless. These songs consist of the usual Bejar two-chord progressions and witty, rambling vocals, and there is still a little bit of a David Bowie element to them. What caught me off guard is how smooth and sexy and 80s this album is. It is nearly perfect. So much awesome soft adult contemporary pop in 2011!

Top jams: "Chinatown," "Blue Eyes," "Savage Night at the Opera," "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker," "Kaputt," "Bay of Pigs"

(2) Romantic Comedy - Big Troubles (Slumberland)

This is what The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's sophomore album should have sounded like. Instead, they went to radio rock production shit and Big Troubles usurped them as Slumberlands' darlings of indie pop inspired by the likes of R.E.M. and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Mitch Easter's pro production suits these songs well, and the amount of memorable hooks is almost overwhelming. I love everything about this record so much, from the smart but simple song structures and delightful melodies to the subtle intricacies and expert musicianship. I'm tempted to say that this is a flawless record.

Top jams: "She Smiles for Pictures," "Make It Worse," "Sad Girls," "You'll be Laughing," "Time Bomb," "Engine"

(1) David Comes to Life - Fucked Up (Matador)

Before David Comes to Life had entered my life, and in spite of how much I loved Fucked Up's last full length, The Chemistry of Common Life, I would have never thought that a hardcore record would be my #1 favorite of any given year. Is this a testament to how insanely good this album is, or to how accessible the band has become (even though the idea of a 70+ minute concept album is a difficult one)? Probably both, but who cares? David Comes to Life is incredible. There really are too many details to list about why this is the album that defines 2011 for me, but the main reason is that my devotion to guitar-based music was reenergized, and this just happens to showcase the best sounding guitars of the year by far. They are thick, catchy and deliciously layered. With such gorgeous music, the screaming adds a fascinating twist, keeping the record from being simply a really great pop punk one. The musicianship all around is unreal, and that this may be the final Fucked Up full length adds some weight. It's definitely an appropriate note to end on. I'm not sure that this can let alone needs to be improved upon, anyway.

Top jams: "Queen of Hearts," "Under My Nose," "The Other Shoe," "Turn the Season," "Remember My Name," "A Slanted Tone," "Truth I Know," "A Little Death," "Inside a Frame," "The Recursive Girl," "Lights Go Up"

Favorite Albums of 2011: #40-21

2011-12-27T17:45:00.002-05:00

Like I said before, 2011 was a great year for albums. In fact, as I was compiling and organizing my list, I was surprised to realize exactly how great this year was. 2011 didn't really have anything that came close to a Merriweather Post Pavilion or a Tones of Town or In Rainbows, but the sheer number of albums that I can admit to absolutely loving and that I will take with me well into the future is encouraging.

Anyway, following is the first part of my list, numbers 40 through 21. Also, HERE's a mix of one song per record, sequenced in order of ranking. Please feel free to share any thoughts or concerns.

(40) Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge)

This debut full length from super-band featuring Carrie Brownstein and Mary Timony did not live up to my expectations. But, still, it is a very good rock record from these chicks who play guitar like total bad asses.

Top jams: "Romance," "Something Came Over Me," "Glass Tambourine," "Short Version," "Electric Band," "Future Crimes"

(39) Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans)

Probably a bit too heavy on the trendy reverb and hipster hype, but I can't deny my love for these quirky rhythms and spacey guitar sounds.

Top jams: "Keep Time," "Top Bunk," "Mop It Up," "My Christ," "Lights Out," "Overkill"

(38) Share the Joy - Vivian Girls (Polyvinyl)

Viv Girls take a step backwards in quality to try some things that they never have before. Most of them work, some of them don't. Still a doozy of a punk record.

Top jams: "The Other Girls," "I Heard You Say," "Lake House," "Vanishing of Time," "Death"

(37) Strange Mercy - St. Vincent (4AD)

Not as immediate as and even moodier than St. Vincent's previous two records, Strange Mercy was a bit of a disappointment. But, with such bad ass guitar leads and all that gnarly synth bass, it is almost forgivable.

Top jams: "Chloe in the Afternoon," "Cruel," "Surgeon," "Northern Lights," "Neutered Fruit"

(36) Humor Risk - Cass McCombs (Domino)

While McCombs' album released earlier in the year was gorgeous but snooze-worthy, he quickly followed it up with a quality, interestingly inconsistent album that rides the line between guitar pop and folk and features some truly excellent, albeit insanely repetitive, songs.

Top jams: "Love Thine Enemy," "The Same Thing," "Robin Egg Blue," "Mystery Mail"

(35) The Whole Love - Wilco (dBpm)

Ignoring the fact that my experience with A Ghost is Born is minimal, The Whole Love is my favorite thing Wilco has done since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Half of it is spectacular.

Top jams: "I Might," "Dawned on Me," "Born Alone," "Standing O," "Rising Red Lung," "Whole Love"

(34) The Babies//Here Comes Trouble 7" - The Babies (Shrimper//Teenage Teardrops)

Cassie Ramone and a dude from Woods wrote and recorded some great jangly pop punk songs in 2011. I'm shocked by how much more I enjoyed this than the Vivian Girls album. I am not shocked by how much more I like these recordings than anything by Woods.

Top jams: "Run Me Over," "Sunset," "All Things Come to Pass," "Voice Like Thunder," "Meet Me in the City," "Here Comes Trouble," "My Tears"

(33) Fucked Up Presents: David's Town - various artists (Matador)

Fucked Up earned the title of most fun band alive by recording, compiling and releasing this compilation of fake British punk bands from the late 70s. It sounds like a lot of work, and that the majority of the songs are actually really good (even the obviously jokey ones) is a huge bonus.

Top jams: "Byrdesdale Spa FC" (Porcelain on Porcelain), "Garden City" (Crown and Criers), "Unrequited Love" (Redstockings), "Do You Feed? (The Curry Song)" (Animal Man), "Fake Moments (Of True Love)" (The Wavy Originals), "Light Rain" (Grain), "Harmony's Double" (In Good Company), "It's Hard to be a Dad" (Wonderer)

(32) Here Before - The Feelies (Bar/None)

The Feelies finally make their triumphant return. I'm relatively late to the game, having just gotten really into the classic Only Life only a year or two ago, but the mellow jangle of Here Today still does it for me. "Nobody Knows" and "Should be Gone" rank among the greatest of Feelies of songs.

Top jams: "Nobody Knows," "Should be Gone," "Later On," "Way Down," "Morning Comes," "On and On," "So Far"

(31) Giving & Receiving - Lake (K)

After Lake's wonderful Let's Build a Roof came out of nowhere and dominated me in 2009, I was prepared for the follow-up. Giving & Receiving isn't as good, but it's still full of those Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan inspired soft adult contemporary pop style jams I've come to love.

Top jams: "Roger Miller," "Within/Without," "Stumble Around," "Giving & Receiving," "Bird and the Berry," "Interlude," "Pilgrim's Day"

(30) Innings - Nodzzz (Woodsist)

Plenty of things to like here: the good kind of lo-fi, dual guitar jangle, overt nerdiness, and a 14 track album that clocks in at just under 24 minutes.

Top jams: "Always Make Your Bed," "I'm Not a Wanderer," "Time (What's It Going to Do)," "Heyday Past Heyday Due," "Old Clothes," "Family Name," "Love is Code," "Spirit & Soul"

(29) It's All True - Junior Boys (Domino)

Another set of of mellow, sexy and somewhat danceable synth pop from Junior Boys. It's All True doesn't quite live up to the prior two albums, but it's still a top notch effort from these classy dudes.

Top jams: "Itchy Fingers," "You'll Improve Me," "A Truly Happy Ending," "Second Chance," "ep," "Banana Ripple"

(28) Yuck - Yuck (Fat Possum)

Early 90s alternative rock done mostly right. There are some snoozers, but the outright jams easily make up for that. I basically agree with Bravender that Yuck should record their next album with a big name. It would probably be better. "Get Away" is one of the greatest songs of 2011.

Top jams: "Get Away," "The Wall," "Holing Out," "Georgia," "Operation," "Rubber"

(27) Pallister Chant EP - Zoos of Berlin (self-released)

Zoos of Berlin are the best band in Detroit (if not Michigan), and no one can convince me otherwise. Palister Chant brightens up the mood of 2009's amazing Taxis and takes on a more 80s pop feel (check out "Haven't Eyes," which also has the funniest song title I've come across in some time). Zoos continue to be both eccentric and consistent and should easily be accepting recording contract offers from the likes of 4AD or Domino any time now.

Top jams: "Haven't Eyes," "Tamarind," "Sheets of Solid Gold"

(26) In Heaven - Twin Sister (Domino)

The best kind of 80s music has been making a huge comeback the past couple of years, and Twin Sister have played a major role in it. I was mildly disappointed in this, their debut full-length at first, but there are so many subtle details that add up to make this quite the record. The fantastic rhythm section, awesome synths and chimey guitars help me cope with the weird female vocals that are almost a turnoff, but also contribute to the album's unique, though blatantly 80s sound. In Heaven is the kind of record that gets better with each and every listen.

Top jams: "Daniel," "Stop," "Bad Street," "Space Babe," "Saturday Sunday," "Eastern Green"

(25) Shed - Title Fight (Side One Dummy)

Thanks be to Bravender for tipping me off to these young lads. Fast, technical, catchy and emotional pop punk by dudes who know how to play their instruments, write great chord progressions and melodies, and make a guy feel like he's in high school again. I am incredibly nostalgic, and at times that can be a curse. But, in this case, it is totally a blessing.

Top jams: "Coxton Yard," "Shed," "Flood of '72," "Society," "Your Screen Door," "27," "Stab"

(24) Cosmos Factory EP - Brain Idea (Mexican Summer)

Another band I would have never checked out if Bravender hadn't encouraged me to do so (even if Brain Idea is the best and funniest band name I've heard in a long time). Cosmos Factory features two things I love: spacey, jangly guitars and awesomely distorted drums. At times, this reminds me of a snottier version of The Bats. If these guys ever release a full length, it could all be over.

Top jams: "Signals," "Cosmos Factory," "Suspended in Bliss," "See YRself"

(23) Pebble - Lemuria (Bridge Nine)

Emotional boy/girl guitar pop with subtle technicalities that drive me crazy (in the good way). Awesome drumming and guitar playing with wonderful melodies and great production. Damn fine.

Top jams: "Yellowstone Lady," "Irregular," "Ribcage," "Different Girls," "Bloomer," "Durian," "Chautaugua County"

(22) Lenses Alien - Cymbals Eat Guitars (Barsuk)

Definitely preferable to Cymbals Eat Guitars' 2009 debut, Why There Are Mountains (which was still solid), the complex structures, impressive melodies and wailing guitars on Lenses Alien are a welcome entry to this recent 90s alternative rock revival. CEG takes this one step further, somehow making their songs sound futuristic too. I hear a little more My Bloody Valentine and Smashing Pumpkins than Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement this time around.

Top jams: "Shore Points," "Keep Me Waiting," "Plainclothes," "Definite Darkness," "Another Tunguska," "Secret Family"

(21) Cloud Nothings - Cloud Nothings (Wichita/Carpark)

Fast, jangly pop punk with fantastic melodies. The vocals are tied with those on the Nodzzz album as the nerdiest of 2011. There are also some hints at 90s emo guitar, which, of course, I am all about. Pretty stoked for the upcoming Steve Albini-produced follow-up.

Top jams: "Understand at All," "Should Have," "Nothing's Wrong," "Heartbeat," "Rock," "On the Radio"

Hey Rube/The Bell Jar/Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

2011-12-26T01:17:00.000-05:00

Hey Rube - Hunter S. Thompson (2004)

Hey Rube was an ESPN.com column written by Hunter S. Thompson in the early 2000s. A lot of Thompson's poignant, prophetic, controversial and hilarious ramblings from that time are compiled here, and I don't know that it could have been more fun to read. Thompson's style is obviously enjoyable, and it was interesting to read about the state of the NFL, the George W. Bush administration and the War on Terror through the lens of the Good Doc, especially considering that my interest in sports was at an all-time low back then. In Hey Rube, his political insight, insane obsessions with gambling and football and laugh-out-loud wit are unstoppable.

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath (1963)

Considering how acclaimed Sylvia Plath's only novel is, I had high expectations that were never met in The Bell Jar. Yes, the fictionalized details of Plath's descension into depression and mental breakdown make for an enlightening, albeit uncomfortable, sometimes even heart-wrenching, read. I guess the hurdles I couldn't get over with The Bell Jar were that there was nothing really for me to relate to and Plath's writing felt pretty dry to me. I supposed if I had read this when I was younger it would have hit me considerably harder, but at this stage of the game, it just read like a brooding, downward spiraling mood piece and nothing more.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - Robert C. O'Brien (1971)

The Secret of NIMH was one of my absolute favorite animated films when I was a little kid, and I've actually wanted to read the novel for a really long time. I remembered this being a little dark for a children's story, but I think that actually had more to do with the eerie imagery in the film than the actual plot. Still, the story is layered a bit more than I recall, and the fact that I had forgotten a majority of the details helped this reading experience to be an enjoyable one, though, nostalgia had a lot to do with that as well. Anyway, it was really fun to revisit this story and be made a child again.

2011 Songs

2011-12-23T18:03:00.000-05:00

2011 was a great year for albums, that's for sure. However, it was not one of the best regarding individual songs. Nothing stuck out quite to the extent that, say, "Heaven's on Fire," "Brother Sport," or "Strange Overtones" did in recent years. I tried compiling a long list of my favorite songs of this year, but the vast majority of them are from my favorite albums, and I don't want to be redundant. That would just be boring to read (and write, on my end).

So, instead, I've made two mixes showcasing my absolute favorite songs from albums that either just missed the cut for my favorite albums list or that were from records that I didn't care about aside from this one song. I just wanted to at least highlight these particular diamonds in the rough.

You can download the first part HERE, and the second part HERE. Tracklists are below. Favorite albums of the year list will be up sometime next week?

Part One

1. "New Map" - M83, from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

2. "Glass Jar" - Gang Gang Dance, from Eye Contact

3. "Bad Weather" - Mike Adams at His Honest Weight, from Oscillate Wisely

4. "It Takes Time to be a Man" - The Rapture, from In the Grace of Your Love

5. "Weekend" - Smith Westerns, from Dye It Blonde

6. "Can't You Tell" - Vetiver, from The Errant Charm

7. "Backwards Time" - Here We Go Magic, from The January EP

8. "Been Here Before" - La Sera, from La Sera

9. "Alex" - Girls, from Father, Son, Holy Ghost

10. "Secret Walls" - The Fresh & Onlys, from Secret Walls EP

11. "Bullfight" - Women, from Faux Discx 4-Way Split 7"

12. "See Right Through Me" - The Bats, from Free All the Monsters

13. "You're Blessed" - Iceage, from New Brigade

14. "Praying Man" - Atlas Sound, from Parallax

15. "Painted Eyes" - Hercules & Love Affair, from Blue Songs

Part Two

1. "Taken for a Fool" - The Strokes, from Angles

2. "Ffunny Ffriends" - Unknown Mortal Orchestra, from Unknown Mortal Orchestra

3. "Better Off Without You" - Summer Camp, from Better Off Without You 7"

4. "Dreaming" - Seapony, from Go With Me

5. "Soft" - Washed Out, from Within and Without

6. "It's Casual" - Maritime, from Human Hearts

7. "Do What You Will" - Papercuts, from Fading Parade

8. "Body Shakes" - Deadbeat Beat, from When I Talk to You

9. "K is for Kelson" - Bibio, from Mind Bokeh

10. "Bug" - Wavves, from Life Sux EP

11. "Fell & Found (The Walk)" - Small Brown Bike, from Fell & Found

12. "Future Sick" - Neon Indian, from Era Extrana

13. "When You Wake Up" - Best Coast, from Summer is Forever 7"

14. "Days" - The Drums, from Portamento

15. "Dig You Out" - Male Bonding, from Endless Now

Summer Teen Guest Blog: 10 Things I Got Excited About in 2011

2011-12-17T13:17:00.000-05:00

My buddy Erik Fox, originally from Indiana, maintains a charming and entertaining culture blog with a few other dudes called Summer Teen, and he recently asked me to guest blog a year-end top ten list. So, I came up with a list of ten things that got me really excited in 2011. If you're interested in reading it, I encourage you to so HERE.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being/The War of the Worlds

2011-12-14T20:38:00.000-05:00

The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera (1984)

A lot of people I know on Goodreads rated this highly. Sorry guys, I hated it! Way too much propagandizing, philosophizing and struggling with the idea of true love vs. random, enjoyable sex. Considering that there is nothing really magical or fantastical occurring within the plot, these characters are way too unbelievable, and the language way too flowery/poetic. Also, the way Milan Kundera writes (at least here) is annoyingly cyclical/repetitive. He really layed out and forced his shit on you. I was so overwhelmed by the same, obnoxious ideas and arguments, it made me sick (not literally). There were one or two moments where I was truly touched, but aside from that, I thought The Unbearable Lightness of Being was just terrible. Am I narrow-minded or not analytical enough? Someone explain to me why I'm supposed to like this novel.

The War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells (1898)

I was not surprised at all by how creepy this H.G. Wells classic is, considering that I was very much weirded out by The Island of Dr. Moreau. The War of the Worlds was a bit more dry than I was hoping, and the star of the novel was its setting and environment aside from any of its bland characters. I was expecting it to be preachier than it is, and it wasn't difficult to get around that anyway thanks to how easy it was to simply appreciate the eerie mood and terrifying events that were written about in such an impressive manner. This all made for a unique novel that anyone who likes to read half as much as I do should experience.

The Village

2011-12-11T19:27:00.000-05:00

"The Village" by New Order, from Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)

JAM.

Emotional Drumming Mix #2

2011-12-06T12:50:00.000-05:00

Yo, friends! Here's another mix for y'all. It compiles 20 top notch jams from my Emotional Listening posts in the year 2011. Download that shit HERE, and enjoy!

Tracklist:

1. "Knowledge is Power" - The Bats (1995)

2. "Fighting on the Stairs" - The Frames (2001)

3. "Closedown" - The Cure (1989)

4. "What in the World" - David Bowie (1977)

5. "Fresh" - Daft Punk (1997)

6. "Kim's Watermelon Gun" - The Flaming Lips (1995)

7. "L'Amour Stories" - Deerhoof (2003)

8. "Vocal Shrapnel" - Archers of Loaf (1996)

9. "That's When the Party Started" - The Dismemberment Plan (1997)

10. "I Ain't Sayin'" - Dinosaur Jr. (1993)

11. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" - The Byrds (1965)

12. "Lewis Hollow" - Jeremy Enigk (1996)

13. "In the Same Room" - Jimmy Eat World (1996)

14. "Crying Just for Show" - French Kicks (2002)

15. "Away" - The Feelies (1988)

16. "Inoculated City" - The Clash (1982)

17. "XXX" - Helium (1994)

18. "Blimps Go 90" - Guided by Voices (1995)

19. "Big Brown Eyes" - The dB's (1981)

20. "Laser Guided by God" - Ghosts and Vodka (2001)

Carried Out to Sea

2011-12-05T23:41:00.000-05:00

"Carried Out to Sea" by Fucked Up, from Hidden World (2006)

The guitar riff during the choruses is one of my absolute favorites in recent memory.

Parallax/Radiant Door EP/When I Talk to You

2011-12-03T14:16:00.000-05:00

Parallax - Atlas Sound (4AD, 2011)

I won't deny that since 2008's brilliant Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel, each Atlas Sound record since has gotten more boring and less good. Granted, 2009's Logos featured what is probably my favorite Bradford Cox song to date, the Panda Bear-assisted "Walkabout," in spite of being boring (and still quite good) otherwise. Anyway, Cox's latest, Parallax, like I stated before, is even more boring! Yet, somehow, it still features some top notch jams. "Praying Man" in particular, with it's layers of acoustic guitars playing minor chords, is the best, followed by "Te Amo" with it's weird and pretty piano loop and overall atmosphere. I could do without the ambient tracks at the end, and some of the ballads are pretty lame too, but there are enough quality songs to save the record from the fire. Parallax is not bad by any means (I wouldn't be writing about it if I didn't like it), it just does not come close to the expectations I've come to expect from Bradford Cox.

Radiant Door EP - Crystal Stilts (Sacred Bones, 2011)

Surprisingly and quickly, Crystal Stilts have followed up their great sophomore full length, In Love With Oblivion with the Radiant Door EP, this time coming from Sacred Bones Records. Radiant Door doesn't divert too much from the overall sound of In Love With Oblivion, aside from being a little more mellow and maybe slightly less gloomy. These songs still tend to combine 80s post-punk with 60s psychedelia, perhaps leaning a little more towards the psych. EP opener "Dark Eyes" is pretty much on par with the best songs on In Love With Oblivion. I'm glad that in 2011, I have continuously fallen In Love With Crystal Stilts. Zing!

When I Talk to You - Deadbeat Beat (Gold Tapes, 2011)

These days, it's pretty rare when I get excited about a band or album that comes from Detroit. It's about time I have another one of each to get behind! Deadbeat Beat play lo-fi jangly 60s garage rock that is isn't anything out of the ordinary, but it doesn't need to be. These songs are awesome. The simple arrangements with primal instrumentation overflowing with the good kind of reverb is appealing enough, but, man, these melodies are just killer. "Body Shakes" is a prime example of a song by a local band that is on par with those of bands in the national spotlight. When I Talk to You is a very good debut from a very young Detroit band, and I'm hoping that this is a sign of good things to come from the city, because I've grown pretty apathetic toward the local music scene.

City of Thieves/Transmission/Bone: One Volume Edition

2011-12-01T13:14:00.000-05:00

City of Thieves - David Benioff (2008)

I had relatively high expectations for David Benioff's second novel, City of Thieves, and after trudging through the slow beginning, those expectations were quite easily exceeded. Not just a World War II novel, City of Thieves is also an epic adventure tale as well as a coming of age story. Equally humorous and gruesome, it was an intense, enjoyable read that was hard to put down after the half-way point. The characters are rich and extremely likeable. The dark tones and tragic events that occur blend well with the subtle humor that pops up throughout the novel, especially amongst such events as cannibalism, sex slavery, and obviously war. All of this builds up to awesomely tension filled conclusions. Simply put, City of Thieves ruled even more than I had hoped.

Transmission - Hari Kunzru (2005)

Satirically covering subjects such as culture clash, pop culture and technology, Hari Kunzru's Transmission is a smart, unique novel with strong characters and an interesting, sprawling storyline. Whether it be book's anti-hero main character, or all the minor ones that play surprisingly large roles, these characters are well fleshed out and easy to sympathize with, whether you actually like them or not. This, along with the intricate and unrelenting sense of satire, is Transmission's greatest strength. The story is unquestionably unbelievable in an obnoxious way, and perhaps a wee bit dated, but it's not too difficult to overlook this when the characters are so fascinating. Not a great read by any means, but I enjoyed Transmission enough not to regret spending the time on it.

Bone: One Volume Edition - Jeff Smith (1991-2004)

Reading through the entirety of Jeff Smith's award winning and crucial comic book series Bone for the second time was like hanging out with a long lost bud. This epic fantasy series is quite possibly my favorite comic of all time. The writing can seem a bit cheesy, or at least childish at times, but that's the point right? Bone is an amazing merging of Sunday comic strip visuals and humor like Calvin and Hobbes with an eerie and mature fantasy tale not unlike The Lord of the Rings. Some might find that comparison a major turn-off, but trust me, everything about Bone is charming and masterful, and probably even perfect. If you like comics/graphic novels and haven't read this, you are out of your mind.

Gauntlet Hair/Humor Risk/The Whole Love/Wild Flag

2011-11-29T21:20:00.000-05:00

Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans, 2011)

Their drummer may wear a hipster mullet, but, that doesn't distract too much from how good Gauntlet Hair's debut LP is. If all the songs didn't run together so much, I'd wager the record may have even reached great status. Every song pretty much sounds exactly the same. In spite of this, I can't deny that the songs on Gauntlet Hair present quite a unique sound structurally, sonically and stylistically. Guitars and vocals drenched in chorus and reverb mesh with almost club sounding drums playing simple but interesting beats. I give it to these guys for creating something relatively fresh, but hopefully next time they'll play with a little more variety. Regardless, "Keep Time," "Mop It Up" and "Overkill" are jams.

Humor Risk - Cass McCombs (Domino, 2011)

I think I've finally caught the Cass McCombs bug. It's fascinating that he is such a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter, but I wouldn't consider him popular by any means. He's label mates with Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors and now Real Estate, and I don't hear my friends talking about McCombs like they do the others. Anyway, while I thought that 2009's Catacombs and Wit's End, from earlier in 2011, had brilliant and utterly gorgeous moments, those albums also were too slow and boring for me overall (I've heard 2007's Dropping the Writ once, and I feel like that will be my McCombs record once I spend more time with it). Humor Risk is nowhere near as cohesive, but I guess I prefer it that way. Here, McCombs varies in volume and mood, and a few of the tracks, like opener "Love Thine Enemy" and "Mystery Mail," generally rock a little bit more, which I appreciate. This is funny, because my favorite track is a softer albeit upbeat folky jam, "Robin Egg Blue." McCombs songs are typically repetitive, but he seems to take that to another level on Humor Risk, and I don't think I mind it one bit. This gives the listener the space to focus on his stories, though I am still stuck on the seemingly never ending cycle of hooks. It's a plus that McCombs' voice sort of sounds like John Lennon to me. In summary, on Humor Risk, McCombs has added a little fire to his brand of folk/country/rock storytelling, and I look forward to moving both forward and backward with his music.

The Whole Love - Wilco (dBpm, 2011)

I'd say that Wilco's latest, The Whole Love, is sort of a return to form for the band. Now, aside from the fact that I'm not sure that I've ever listened to A Ghost is Born all the way through, but from my standpoint, The Whole Love has to be the best thing Wilco has done since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'm not saying this record is incredible or anything, let alone consistently good, even (there are one or two really bad songs), but considering their output of late (and I liked Wilco (The Album)), The Whole Love is a huge step up. Almost half of the record is actually fantastic, namely the organ-driven pop of "I Might" and the excellent melodies and warm arrangements that make up the title track. The Whole Love is wonderfully versatile, showcasing beautiful country/folk ballads, upbeat and shameless pop/rock of the highest quality, and, unfortunately, some corny moments that I could do without. Regardless, this record is a welcome, pleasant surprise.

Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge, 2011)

Featuring Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney fame and Mary Timony, formerly of 90s indie rock band Helium, you had to know that Wild Flag's debut album was going to be bad ass. Wild Flag sounds exactly like you'd expect: mostly upbeat rock songs with a punk edge and some sprawling, jammy sections. Between the two primary song-writers, Brownstein and Timony, you can easily tell who's songs are who's simply based on the style or tempo. I find that I prefer Timony's due to the thicker guitars (and, her voice less obnoxious than Brownstein's). "Something Came Over Me," "Electric Band" and "Future Crimes" are true jams.

Birthday/Sounds of Sebrings

2011-11-22T02:24:00.000-05:00

The two best songs I've heard recently:

"Birthday" by The Sugarcubes, from Life's Too Good (1988)

"Sounds of Sebrings" by Swirlies, from They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons (1996)

The Shadow of the Wind/I Love You, Beth Cooper

2011-11-20T23:21:00.000-05:00

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Luis Zafon (2001)
Carlos Luis Zafon's debut novel, The Shadow of the Wind, has it all: mystery and intrigue, thrills, fantasy, friendship, romance, terror, coming-of-age, and an awesomely violent climax. While I didn't fall head over heels for the story, I was really impressed by the likeable characters, the slightly predictible but still fun plot twists and all the other subtle flourishes the book had to offer. I don't really have anything negative to say about it aside from that it maybe could have been 100+ pages shorter. In conclusion, I'm surprised that The Shadow of the Wind is not even more popular than it is. It seems like it should have been a hit.

I Love You, Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle (2007)
I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle (a former writer for The Simpsons) is an obvious nod to all the classic 80s high school comedy films. That's about all there is to say about it. The characters are fun and charming and the story is overtly ridiculous, but not in a negative way. Nothing groundbreaking or innovative at all, just good, tense, immature fun.

Strange Mercy/Freaking Out EP/In Heaven/Fucked Up Presents: David's Town/Slave Ambient

2011-11-19T21:45:00.000-05:00

Strange Mercy - St. Vincent (4AD, 2011)
It seems like the consensus on Annie Clark's latest album as St. Vincent has been that it is not nearly as immediate as her previous two. I would definitely have to agree with this. On first listen, Strange Mercy is sort of a snoozefest, but, once all of those subtle intricacies hit ya, it's quite the impressive record. Vocally, Clark is at the top of her game here, and the music is beautifully grandiose without being overtly dramatic or overwhelming. In spite of the overall soft and somewhat brooding feel, Clark's gnarly guitar chops add an interesting element that weirdly brightens things up a bit. Strange Mercy hasn't hit me as hard as Actor did, but it's certainly no disappointment. "Cruel," "Surgeon," and "Neutered Fruit" are some choice jams.

Freaking Out EP - Toro y Moi (Carpark, 2011)
Chazwick Bundick's output as Toro y Moi has been extremely impressive thus far. His 2010 debut LP, Causers of This was probably the best and most consistent of the first couple "chillwave" releases (including Washed Out's Life of Leisure EP and Neon Indian's Psychic Chasms). Now in 2011, he has far outshined the "chillwave" name and competition with Beneath the Pine, his upbeat R&B masterpiece, released early in the year. NOW, Bundick has already followed that up with the Freaking Out EP, which sounds like something he would have recorded before Beneath the Pine, though I don't think he did. While still smooth, Freaking Out features a louder, slightly more brash sound. In essence, there are five bangin' house tracks here that sound a little bit like early Daft Punk minus the futurism. This is totally fine with me, as the EP rules pretty hard. So stoked for what this dude does next. Maybe a house album with completely live instrumentation? That would rule.

In Heaven - Twin Sister (Domino, 2011)
At first, I was pretty disappointed in Twin Sister's debut LP, In Heaven, especially considering how spectacular 2010's Color Your Life EP was. Apperently it's a grower, because I get it now. Made up of mellow, dreamy mood music ("Stop" is especially good), sparse, disco-inspired gems ("Bad Street"), and gorgeous guitar and synth laden indie pop ("Saturday Sunday" and "Eastern Green"), In Heaven is a varied but consistent and unique statement. There are some duds in the middle, and Andrea Estella's vocals can be a bit difficult at times, but the album is concise enough and the high points are worth doing the work to experience.

Fucked Up Presents: David's Town - various artists (Matador, 2011)
I'm going to start off by saying that this has been quite the year for Fucked Up. Before releasing easily one of the best records to be released in 2011, the band released this little teaser back on Record Store Day: a compilation made up of fake British punk bands that existed in the setting and timeframe (late 70s) of the concept that makes up David Comes to Life. That the band took the time to create these personas, bands and songs is cool enough, but then they go and make sure that the majority of the songs are actually awesome. The ones that aren't are at least really funny (and some of them are even both, like "It's Hard to be a Dad" by Wonderer and "Do You Feed? (The Curry Song)" by Animal Man). I have no idea who all did what on this comp, but I know they worked with some guest musicians, one of them being A.C. Newman on In Good Company's "Harmony's Double." All of these listed are highlights, but Grain's "Light Rain" and The Wavy Originals' "Fake Moments (Of True Love)" are exceptional. What a cool project by probably the absolute most fun band around.

Slave Ambient - The War on Drugs (Secretly Canadian, 2011)
When I found out that Kurt Vile used to be in The War on Drugs, that's when became interested in this Philadelphia band. Their latest, Slave Ambient, was a very nice surprise to me in the sense that I had no expectations, and the album completely rules. It's definitely an interesting take on the folkier side of rock music, with some experimental and shoegazey undertones. Overall, Slave Ambient really just sounds like a louder, Springsteenier version of Vile's music, and "Baby Missiles" in particular sounds like classic Arcade Fire. But, I sure ain't complaining.

Emotional Drumming Mix #1

2011-11-15T23:36:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! Here's another mix for y'all. I've compiled the best of the best from my inconsistent Emotional Listening posts from 2009 and 2010 into this 21 track mix. This has been my intention all along, but am just now getting around to it. Download it right HERE.

Here's the track list:

1. "Corduroy" - Pearl Jam (1994)

2. "New Music Machine" - Cornelius (1998)

3. "Soon" - My Bloody Valentine (1991)

4. "Women's Realm" - Belle & Sebastian (2000)

5. "Anywhere With You" - Saves the Day (2003)

6. "No Action" - Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

7. "I Don't Mind" - Buzzcocks (1979)

8. "Milk Man" - Deerhoof (2004)

9. "Burn in Hell" - The Jazz June (1998)

10. "Catapult" - R.E.M. (1983)

11. "The Laws Have Changed" - The New Pornographers (2003)

12. "Baby You're a Rich Man" - The Beatles (1967)

13. "St. James St." - Hey Mercedes (2000)

14. "Cheat" - The Clash (1977)

15. "Crutch" - Pinback (1999)

16. "Little Dipper" - Hum (1995)

17. "Pilot Can at the Queer of God" - The Flaming Lips (1993)

18. "A Name" - Joan of Arc (1998)

19. "Black Out" - Pavement (1995)

20. "Make Out Kids" - Motion City Soundtrack (2005)

21. "Gene Autry" - Beulah (2001)

Mirror Traffic/Araby 7"/Days

2011-11-10T02:44:00.000-05:00

Mirror Traffic - Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Matador, 2011)
It's interesting to me that, in spite of its middling reviews, 2008's Real Emotional Trash (which actually was completely awesome) was Stephen Malkmus' coming out party as a true guitar god. People are dumb. He's always ruled at the guitar, that's just when he decided to let go and totally shred. Now, on Mirror Traffic, things have chilled out a little bit, and what we have here is an excellent guitar pop record. Just like the Malkmus + Jicks records before Real Emotional Trash. Great chord progressions, leads, melodies and the clever lyrics we've come to expect from the guy, along with exceptional performances from his bandmates, Mirror Traffic pretty much has it all. "Stick Figures in Love" and "Forever 28" only scratch the surface of this album's list of highlights. Way to go, Stephen. You are still one of the true greats.

Araby 7" - Minks (Captured Tracks, 2011)
Here are two more songs from Minks, Captured Tracks' second best band, and they are just about on par with the best songs from their stellar full length released earlier in 2011, By the Hedge. Title track "Araby" doesn't surprise, sounding a slightly more polished a la Wild Nothing, and a little like The Cure or jangly New Order. But, B-side "Little Fawn" features guitar, melodies and bgv's that sound much more in line with The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (if not being completely derivative, which is okay by me). Minks continue to show impressive songwriting chops, and it seems like they're only getting better.

Days - Real Estate (Domino, 2011)
After seeing Real Estate live in July, I was expecting Days to come out of the gates and instantly be my favorite record of 2011. Well, it hasn't happened yet, and while I'm not even ready to admit that I prefer Days to 2009's self-titled debut (even if it is the more mature, fully realized album), that's not to say that it is anywhere near a disappointment. To be completely honest, the only thing about Days that doesn't overshadow Real Estate is that the standout tracks don't stand out quite SO much. This record continues to grow on me (incredibly easily, too), and I'm not sure that they'll be able to top this take on moody, jangly indie pop that lands somewhere between The Feelies and, yes, 2000-2001 Death Cab for Cutie (just listen to those chimey guitars). "Green Aisles," "It's Real," "Out of Tune" (in spite of being the A-side to a 7" last year) and "All the Same" are without question some of the greatest songs of the year.

The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent

2011-11-07T15:02:00.001-05:00

"The Flowers She Sent and the Flowers She Said She Sent" by The Magnetic Fields, from Holiday (1994)

Pretty much the perfect song for today.

The Answer is Always Yes/Freedom

2011-11-05T19:22:00.001-04:00

The Answer is Always Yes - Monica Ferrell (2008)
Monica Ferrell's debut novel, The Answer is Always Yes, is a coming of age story revolving around New York City, drugs and an 18 year-old dude's desire to be cool. Unsurprisingly, this all adds up to a tragic ending that in some ways shocks but mostly is underwhelming. The main character was a complete loser in high school. He was interested in philosophy and classical music amongst other nerdy mediums, his single mother is completely overbearing and uncultured, and he was basically socially inept. Through obsessively studying New York City weeklies before moving onto the campus of NYU, he desperately tries to turn things around and become the coolest kid on campus. Eventually he acquires an intelligent, dramatic girlfriend, a fake ID, and later, a gig as a promoter at one of the hottest night clubs in the city. He gets wrapped up in the Ecstasy scene in the mid-90s, and I'm sure you can guess where it goes from there. Ferrell does a good job with the details of an annoyingly unbelievable plot. The inclusion of footnotes from a fictional outside source (which, I never really understood the real purpose of) was an interesting touch, but also completely unnecessary. Ferrell's writing style seems purposely high-brow and quirky, thus quite pretentious and utterly irritating. The characters were strong, and like I mentioned, there were some interesting ideas, but the frustrating aspects of The Answer is Always Yes certainly outweighed the good.

Freedom - Jonathan Franzen (2010)
I'm not surprised one bit by how much I loved Jonathan Franzen's latest novel, that which will probably be considered his crowning moment, Freedom. While it will always be his mastery of both the simplicity and complexity of the english language that will keep me reading and rereading Franzen throughout my adult life, I can't deny how much I loved Freedom for how insanely fucked up it is. I won't give away the juicey details, but these characters (or at least 90% of each of them), are deranged and terrible people, who were so much fun, albeit difficult, to read about and invest in, even if I was rooting against each of them for the majority of the book. However, these characters end up displaying redeeming qualities that express a wonderful, realistic hope that was lacking in Franzen's other incredible novel that I read earlier in 2001, The Corrections. This was surprisingly refreshing after all of the awesomely disturbing events (if you thought The Corrections was depressing, you're in for a real treat here) that lead up to this gorgeous conclusion. And, I don't even usually like happy endings! With Freedom, Franzen delivers another knock-out punch, and it definitely deserves all the hype it has received.

Cosmos Factory EP/Again and Again/Lenses Alien

2011-11-04T01:24:00.000-04:00

Cosmos Factory EP - Brain Idea (Mexican Summer, 2011)

Chicago's hilariously named, hip new band, Brain Idea, came across my radar, unsurprisingly, thanks to my boy Travis. Their 2011 EP, Cosmos Factory, sounds like a snottier, spacey version of The Bats' 80s and early 90s material, which is welcome to my ears. While the EP doesn't quite throw that knockout punch, it certainly shows a ton of promise. The clean and chimey guitars, distorted drums, bratty, almost late-70s punk rock vocals and slightly ambient backdrop of the songs clash in very enjoyable ways, and make Cosmos Factory quite unique, even if it is easy to cite the band's obvious influences. In spite of its nine minutes in length, EP closer "See YRself" is easily this band's jam of jams.

Again and Again - Brilliant Colors (Slumberland, 2011)

On first listen, it was seeming like I was going to like Brilliant Colors' latest, Again and Again, substantially more than Vivian Girls' 2011 LP, Share the Joy. The two records don't sound all THAT different, seeing as they were recorded, released and caked in reverb by two different jangly pop punk bands made up of three girls each. While Again and Again features a higher level of consistency in quality, and I just like the overall feel of that record a little more, Share the Joy still features the better songs (even if there are some I don't like all that much). The Vivs aren't the focus here anyway, but still, all I can really say about this record is that if, like me, you really like Vivian Girls, then you'll probably enjoy Brilliant Colors too, like I do.

Lenses Alien - Cymbals Eat Guitars (Barsuk, 2011)

It's pretty popular to be playing 90s throw-back rock these days, but it's refreshing to hear Cymbals Eat Guitars' take on the style on Lenses Alien, the follow-up to their hyped 2009 debut. Like Why There Are Mountains, there's a little Smashing Pumpkins, a little Dinosaur Jr., and maybe even a smidge of My Bloody Valentine on Lenses Alien. That being said, the record also has a blatantly modern if not futuristic element to it. In spite of the obvious 90s references throughout, it still sounds like a product of 2011, and I'm not sure if that's due to the pristine production or the structural complexity of the songs (which, of course, is right up my alley). This clashing of musical decades, along with the subtle keyboards, gnarly guitars, poppy melodies and intricate songwriting make Lenses Alien quite a special album.

Iceblink Luck/Summer of Love

2011-11-03T02:16:00.000-04:00

"Iceblink Luck" by Cocteau Twins, from Heaven or Las Vegas (1990)

One could say the vocals during the verses are obnoxious, but, man, this chorus is one of the best I've heard in a while. Plus, can't go wrong with those awesomely 80s synths and guitar and bass tones.

"Summer of Love" by The Fresh & Onlys, from Play It Strange (2010)

Quietly one of my absolute favorite songs from last year.

The Sandman

2011-11-01T19:13:00.000-04:00

The Sandman (DC/Vertigo, 1989-1996, 2003)

by Neil Gaiman

Back in March I began reading Neil Gaiman's critically acclaimed and extremely popular comic series, The Sandman, took my sweet ass time with it, and finally finished it today. While it did not come close to touching the likes of 100 Bullets, Bone, or even Y: The Last Man for me, The Sandman was still a fascinating, unique, thought provoking and enjoyable reading experience.

Gaiman's eerie and bizarre fantasy series details the trials and tribulations of main character Morpheus, or Dream (there is exception with the short story collections where he often plays more of a supporting role), of the ever-present family known as The Endless (which also includes Desire, Death, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny).

Each book and short story has its own unique charm and feeling (working with so many different artists had a lot to do with that), which helps the series to never get boring or feel like a chore to read. Of course, some books I liked better than others, like the grim fairy tale stylings of A Game of You, the twisted Dream/Delirium tag team journey of Brief Lives, and Seasons of Mists' eerie predominant setting of hell as opposed to The Kindly Ones, which was way more grandiose and frustratingly confusing and nonsensical than it needed to be.

While I wasn't won over any by Gaiman's prose, the plots and characters amongst many other elements in this series were much more enjoyable than those in his novels that I've read. The comic format seems to be much more Gaiman's forte, and it'd be nice to see him return with another long term series instead of wasting his time on these overtly imperfect novels.

Fall 2011 Mix

2011-10-25T00:17:00.002-04:00

Better late than never! Here's a Mediafire link to a zipped file of my 2011 fall mix. Hope you enjoy, and if you have any questions or insights in regards to any of the tracks, please do share.

TRACKLIST

1. "Crow Song" - The Bats (1995)

2. "Toxic Girl" - Kings of Convenience (2001)

3. "If I Needed Someone" - The Beatles (1965)

4. "The Employment Pages" - Death Cab for Cutie (2000)

5. "Quiet Houses" - Fleet Foxes (2008)

6. "Over My Head" - Fleetwood Mac (1975)

7. "Lyric" - The Sea and Cake (2011)

8. "Terra" - Julian Lynch (2011)

9. "Untitled 03" - Panda Bear (2004)

10. "Tugboat" - Galaxie 500 (1988)

11. "Vengeance is Sleeping" - Neko Case (2009)

12. "Into the City" - Teenage Fanclub (2010)

13. "To a Fault" - Dntel feat. Ed Droste (2007)

14. "Little Fawn" - Minks (2011)

15. "Feel Flows" - The Beach Boys (1971)

16. "Baby's Arms" - Kurt Vile (2011)

17. "Too Late, Too Slow" - Shout Out Louds (2010)

18. "Ram On" - Paul McCartney (1971)

19. "Astral Weeks" - Van Morrison (1968)

Parrot Flies/Romantic Comedy

2011-10-22T22:45:00.002-04:00

Parrot Flies - Algernon Cadwallader (Hot Green, 2011)
Remember the mid and late 90s when emo wasn't a bad word and instead was a sub-genre of punk music with respectable let alone fantastic bands such as Cap'n Jazz, Braid, The Promise Ring, etc? Yeah, me too. Well, I believe I mentioned this before, but there's this 90s midwest emo revival that's taking place on the east coast, and it's breeding some pretty cool bands. This past summer, the cream of that crop, Algernon Cadwallader, dropped their second full length, Parrot Flies, and it is a doozy. The melodic, yelly vocals and bright, noodly, waterfall guitars make it hard not to compare the band to Cap'n Jazz, American Football, Owls, Ghosts and Vodka or really any of those Kinsella projects. And, while, on each of their releases, but especially Parrot Flies, the songs can kind of run together and start sounding the same, Algernon still has found a way to sound shamelessly classic emo while adding a fresh, modern twist thanks to their pure pop sensibility. I haven't faced any difficulty in getting over the blatant homage paying and lack of variety here, because the band does such an incredible job at recreating this sound and feeling that was so huge to me in high school and early college. I'm tempted to say that Algernon are at least on par with those classic bands mentioned above, and I feel weird about it, but it's basically true. Parrot Flies is simply excellent.

Romantic Comedy - Big Troubles (Slumberland, 2011)
Having just released a solid if not totally good fuzz pop full length debut last year in Worry, Big Troubles were quickly snatched up by indie pop mecca Slumberland Records and here they are with their classy follow-up. While all the fuzz and shitty production on Worry probably brought to mind The Jesus and Mary Chain, Romantic Comedy is a cleaner affair. It's still definitely an 80s album, but there are enough breezy vocals and 60s pop details on a few tracks to make this not a direct clone of The Cure (even though there are songs that sound quite a bit like said band). The band features two young songwriting talents, and their songs are pretty much lights out here (the best being "She Smiles for Pictures," "Make It Worse" and "Sad Girls"). Romantic Comedy isn't quite perfect (there are one or two songs that are just good as opposed to great or one of the best of the year), but it's not far off. The icing on the cake is that the record was produced by Mitch Easter (yes, THAT Mitch Easter). One could argue that as good as Worry was the way it sounded, the production on Romantic Comedy may be a little too nice. But, I'll put the kabosh on that, as it perfectly suits these crisp, finely crafted tunes. I am in love with this record.

Within and Without/Life Sux EP/Widowspeak/Palister Chant EP

2011-10-18T16:07:00.001-04:00

Within and Without - Washed Out (Sub Pop, 2011)

For as boring as Washed Out's first full length release is, after spending some time with it, it definitely has its redeeming qualities. Being one of the original "chillwave" acts that Pitchfork championed in 2009, it's nice that there are enough differences between Within and Without and prior Washed Out releases to keep the sound somewhat fresh. Admittedly, there's plenty to roll one's eyes at here: vocal notes that are drawn out way too long, obnoxious melodrama and sexiness, songs that are mostly boring and run together. Knit picky things, for sure. But, there is a sense of beauty that can't be denied, especially in closer "A Dedication" (which also happens to contain the greatest level of melodrama on the album). The highest point here is most definitely "Soft," which I consider the centerpiece of the album. It actually sounds not unlike Dntel at his best, or even The Postal Service. Within and Without has other quality moments, which makes it a good, though, not great, follow-up to 2009's EPs, Life of Leisure and High Times.

Life Sux EP - Wavves (Ghost Ramp, 2011)

Wavves' childishly titled new EP, Life Sux, is simply an even more polished sounding extension of 2010's impressive and much liked King of the Beach LP. And, I didn't think the production could get much cleaner than that album's (in spite of the intentional distortion on the drums). Here, Nathan Williams' songs sound even more like a sped up Weezer, and some of them are even reminiscent of Nirvana's Nevermind singles, though much brighter sounding. Considering how young Williams is, I am taken aback by his songwriting chops (musically, certainly not lyrically), even if his songs are obviously derivative (which is entirely unavoidable at this stage of the game). Opening track "Bug" is absolutely righteous, with the best chorus on the EP, and Bethany Cosentino's BGVs on "Nodding Off" only make an awesome song even more awesome.

Widowspeak - Widowspeak (Captured Tracks, 2011)

Captured Tracks, that awesome Brooklyn record label that keeps churning out excellent 80s synth pop and goth-inspired releases, have found yet another good band, and they are called Widowspeak. I won't deny that a good portion of the tracks on their self-titled debut run together, and are relatively unrecognizable from the next. But, it's nice to see the label take a break from the dark, poppy, synth-dominated releases to drop this short LP of sad, jangly, mid-tempo jams. Most of the reviews I've read compare the band to Mazzy Star, who I don't have much experience with, so I won't do that. Widowspeak can definitely seem boring, but it's easy to get lost in the dreamy vocals and charming arrangements throughout.

Palister Chant EP - Zoos of Berlin (self-released, 2011)

With the surprise release (at least to me) of the Palister Chant EP, I will continue to claim that Zoos of Berlin is not only Detroit's musical secret weapon, they are the city's best band, if not the state of Michigan's. Palister Chant is further proof of this, even if it didn't hit me quite as immediately as 2009's debut LP, Taxis. The band still pulls from a wide variety of genres such as R & B, post-punk, psych, indie pop, kraut rock and whatever you'd call what David Bowie was creating during his years in Berlin, and their sound is still diverse, inspiring and entirely unique, while still maintaining pop sensibility. Each of the four songs here have their own charm and merits, "Haven't Eyes," a blatant experimental and bright sounding 80s pop/rock jam, being unquestionably the best. "Tamarind" rocks like Zoos have never done before, and it is a welcome addition to their repertoire. "Sheets of Solid Gold" is short and sweet, and "Kingston Gates" closes things all slow and pretty like. I assume we can expect a full length sometime next year, and I really cannot wait.

All the Same

2011-10-15T18:32:00.001-04:00

"All the Same" by Real Estate, from Days (2011)

Most likely the best song on the new Real Estate album.

About a Boy/Red Ant House

2011-10-08T21:22:00.001-04:00

About a Boy - Nick Hornby (1998)
Thankfully this was such a quick read, as About a Boy has been my least favorite Nick Hornby novel I've read yet. I'm not sure if it was my being annoyed by how hopeful the moral of the plot is here, or if Hornby's surprisingly juvenile writing was what killed this most for me. About a Boy is about a strange 12-year-old with a messed up family background who, thanks to completely unrealistic events, chums up with a 36-year-old man who has his own problems. Through both drama and comedy the two main characters grow and mature together, and it is a happy ending. This is a Hornby novel, so there's plenty of charm, and the characters are enjoyable for the most part. I am just shocked by how poorly written this is. It's apparent that Hornby has attempted to portray the voices of two different male figures of vastly different ages, and I would commend him for that if it all weren't so childish and awkward. In spite of only being able to come up with complaints after reading About a Boy, somehow, I still had a decent time reading it.

Red Ant House - Ann Cummins (2003)
I breezed through this collection of short stories by Ann Cummins for two reasons: they were easy to read, and I refuse to not finish a book I've started and I was unimpressed enough by all but one of the stories, and wanted to finish this bullshit as quickly as possible. Cummins' style and diction reminded me somewhat of a cross between Tom Robbins and Barbara Kingsolver writing about the clashing of cultures in the western United States, which might sound good to some, but was a major turnoff to me. The mix of cutesy language with edgy material just wasn't any fun to read. There was one exception though, and that was the haunting "Headhunter," which was about a character in a desperate, incredibly messed up situation and showcased beautiful, suspenseful description more in line with Cormac McCarthy. One great short story out of twelve is not good enough, though.

Dead to Me/It's All True/An Argument With Myself EP/Era Extrana

2011-10-07T01:54:00.000-04:00

Dead to Me - Girls Names (Slumberland, 2011)

This being released by Slumberland Records, it's no surprise that the music Girls Names plays on Dead to Me is jangly, reverb-y and totally moody. It's got that lazy, surf thing going too, but when I listen to it, I think more about the nice guitars and also sadness. And drama! There are some ridiculous song titles here, like "I Could Die," "I Lose," "Cut Up," "Bury Me," and my favorite, "Seance on a Wet Afternoon." Somehow, this lends some charm to the record. I'm sorry, I don't have much to back Dead to Me up, I just like it fine the way it is.

It's All True - Junior Boys (Domino, 2011)

That Junior Boys' latest, It's All True, is even more sparse than previous albums isn't a bad thing. Unfortunately, it is still my least favorite of theirs, though I am still yet to try out their 2004 debut, Last Exit. The boys are still doing the smooth, sexy and mostly slow 80s synth pop thing, and still rule at it, really, it's just that It's All True is missing some intangible that I can't quite place. Maybe it's that the breathy vocals of Jeremy Greenspan aren't as prevailent, or that there aren't quite as many video game blips. There are even two really great upbeat jams on here in "Itchy Fingers" (it's opening is possibly the single greatest moment on the entire LP) and the epic "Banana Ripple." I just don't know. All of this uncertainty, and yet, It's All True is still a damn fine record.

An Argument With Myself EP - Jens Lekman (Secretly Canadian, 2011)

After a drought of almost four years, all we get from Jens Lekman is a five song EP? For real? Thankfully, it's a doozy. In a text message from a few weeks ago, Bravender mentioned that An Argument With Myself sounds like karaoke music, and as much as I hate to say it, I don't think I can argue against that. It doesn't matter though, because, as we all should know, Lekman is a master songwriter, and he can make whatever accompanies his voice and lyrics at any time sound good. Here, I would say that there are three songs that rival his greatest songs prior. The latin rhythms and ridiculous production on the title track may be cheesy, but the lyrics are clever as hell, and the choruses, which are different every time, simply rule. "A Promise" is smooth and gorgeous (the strings!), and features some incredibly cool chord changes. My favorite, though, is "New Directions," which has an obnoxious intro, but a great beat, nice, prominent bass, an adorable chorus with slightly Sufjan-y (ugh) horns, and takes that funky twist that every Lekman jam should. This will suffice for now, Jens, but come out with that next full length, already!

Era Extrana - Neon Indian (Static Tongues, 2011)

Alan Palomo's follow-up to his critically acclaimed and much loved debut as Neon Indian, Psychic Chasms, should not be a surprise to anyone. Of the three "major" "chillwave" acts now in the national spotlight who have released new records in 2011 (Washed Out and Toro y Moi being the others), the changes on Era Extrana are the most slight and least shocking. Sure, I think everyone saw Washed Out polishing up and getting even wussier, and Toro y Moi's Underneath the Pine sort of came out left field and is without question the best thing any of these dudes have ever done (at least that I've heard). But, Era Extrana isn't all that different from its predecessor, aside from the fact that there aren't as many good songs on it. Zing! Okay, okay, sure, the production value is a bit less purposefully low-fi, and overall it's probably even better as a straight up pop album. I actually do enjoy Era Extrana and all of its video game synths (which I do love) despite my negative claims, and thus express that there are totally some jams on it, like "Hex Girlfriend" and "Fallout." "Future Sick" takes the cake, though.

Fucked Up/Wavves @ The Magic Stick, 9/30/11

2011-10-06T00:22:00.001-04:00

Last Friday, one of my top buds, Brian LaBenne, and I made the short, stressful journey out to Detroit for the Fucked Up/Wavves/Mexican Knives show that was to take place at the Magic Stick. We arrived just as Wavves' set had started, so I have no idea what Mexican Knives sound like, though, I would guess they play punk rock of some sort.

I had three complaints with Wavves on this particular night. Singer/songwriter Nathan Williams' ego is a little off-putting. The band played at least 15 minutes too long. And, after hearing three of my four favorite jams, all the songs just ran together, thus making the set seem even longer. All of that aside, Wavves were pretty great. HA. But, for real, they were pretty good. I did not expect the band to be as tight as they were, in spite of how fast they were playing. This was a pleasant surprise. I will admit that King of the Beach centerpiece "Post Acid" was a little too fast, while the title track was perfectly blistering and "Super Soaker," my favorite track from the album, was just as I had hoped. I hadn't listened to the stupidly titled new EP, Life Sux, at this point, so I wasn't really excited about, interested in, or impressed by any of the new songs (I since have listened to it, and it's not too shabby, actually).

Now, believe it or not, but this band, Wavves, played an encore, when they weren't even the closing act. This blew my mind and made me guffaw (figuratively and introspectively) at the same time. I couldn't believe it! At least it was the one good song from Wavves' second LP, Wavvves (such a clever title!), "No Hope Kids."

Overall, and to be completely honest, I don't really see my interest being held by Williams' music for much longer. He's a little too stoner/beach bum/young kid for me really, anyway. However, for now, I'm glad he's ditched the shitty, fuzzy lo-fi punk he was doing earlier on for this more polished, upbeat, Weezer-meets-really bright sounding Nirvana sound.

There were so many cool things about Fucked Up's set. There was, like, only ten minutes from the point that Wavves ended and Fucked Up began. That is uncharacteristic of any show, let alone at the Magic Stick. It always seems like there's at least a half hour wait between the main supporting act and the headliner at a Magic Stick show. Maybe I'm crazy. Regardless, Fucked Up were not shitting around.

The band opened up pretty much exactly as I expected, with "Queen of Hearts" and "Under My Nose," the first two real songs from their 2011 masterpiece, David Comes to Life. It was intense, incredible and seamless. At some point too early on they played my top jam from that album, "The Recursive Girl," and it ruled. Other highlights from David Comes to Life they were played awesomely were "The Other Shoe," "Turn the Season" and "A Little Death." The band played a set that was considerably shorter than I expected (seemed like Wavves played longer), so earlier albums were left out a little, though if my memory serves me correctly, "Black Albino Bones" from 2008's The Chemistry of Common Life and, curiously enough, "David Comes to Life" from 2006's Hidden World were played. And, also, "I Hate Summer," which I believe is from a single, and makes me want to dig into their more exclusively released material. The only way this set could have been any better is if "Crooked Head" and/or "Lights Go Up" had been included.

I am just as surprised as anyone who knows my general taste in music by how much I love Fucked Up, but when you think about it, it totally makes sense. Sure there's all this anger and screaming, but underneath that, it's not hard to notice the inspiring musicianship and blatant pop guitar hooks. I mean, really, Fucked Up are basically an intelligent, heavy pop punk band with a screaming, professional wrestler-type character for a lead singer. Seeing them perform in a more intimate setting than the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival was fantastic not just because of how much I love the band's music. The charming personalities of each of the members came out, albeit subtly, and they totally seem like people I would love to hang out with. Not to get all sentimental and geeky. But, you know, look at the name of this blog.

Keep It Dark/Over My Head

2011-09-30T04:20:00.000-04:00

"Keep it Dark" by Genesis, from Abacab (1981)

"Over My Head" by Fleetwood Mac, from Fleetwood Mac (1975)

My former roommate Julian turned me on to "Keep it Dark" early on in our days living in Ypsi together, and for some reason I just recently decided to go public with my love for it. Awesome sounding drums, cheesy but charming synths, nice melodies and such a great groove.

"Over My Head" is my top jam of fall 2011, so far. 1975-1987 Mac can virtually do no wrong.

2011 MLB Playoffs Preview

2011-09-29T13:15:00.000-04:00

What an exciting way to end the 2011 MLB regular season yesterday, huh? Boston out (no qualms), Tampa in (totally stoked), Atlanta out (bummed) and St. Louis in (also, bummed). On to the playoffs!

ALDS

Detroit Tigers over New York Yankees, 3-2

Texas Rangers over Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2

The Tigers have plenty to worry about considering how stellar the Yankees' hitting always is, but, ideally Verlander will pitch twice, which all but guarantees two wins. Plus, believe it or not, Doug Fister has been even better than Verlander over the past month or two. Aside from Sabathia, New York's pitching is in trouble with how hot the Tigers have been to end the season. I am stoked for this series, and way more worried about Texas than New York.

Speaking of Texas, they're also going to have a tricky time with Tampa Bay and their hot streak to close the season. Texas' bullpen is the best in the business, and that is going to give everyone problems, but Tampa's starting pitching is better. Unfortunately, the Rangers have the better hitting, and I think that is going to overpower TB's starters by the end of the series.

NLDS

Philadelphia Phillies over St. Louis Cardinals, 3-0

Milwaukee Brewers over Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1

The St. Louis Cardinals won yesterday only to be all but humiliated in their opening series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Hunter Pence acquisition doesn't even matter at this point; Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels will shut the Cards down in three games.

The Brewers will have a slightly more difficult time with the D-Backs, but not by much. Justin Upton's and Ian Kennedy's magical seasons will come to an end quickly when facing Milwaukee's middle of the order, Weeks, Braun and Fielder, and it seems like the Brewers' pitching is totally underrated. I am so into this squad.

ALCS

Detroit Tigers over Texas Rangers, 4-3

Yes, I can realistically see this Tigers team reaching the World Series. I won't be surprised if they don't, because like I said, I fear playing this Texas team. However, I still give 'em a 50/50 chance to reach the "Who's-Gonna-Lose-To-The-Phillies? Bowl."

NLCS

Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2

I love both of these teams, and I'd cheer slightly more for the Brewers than the Phillies, but I can't deny how much fun this series will be to watch. Milwaukee definitely has the better hitting, but, as good as their pitching is, Philly's is just that much more dominant. Just like everyone knew it would, that rotation will take Philadelphia all the way to the World Series (in spite of Roy Oswalt's sever underperforming).

World Series

Philadelphia Phillies over Detroit Tigers, 4-1

I hate to say it, but seeing as Detroit never faced Philly's aces during the regular season, our Tigers would be made to look like fools in this series. Once again, Philadelphia's starting rotation just dominates.

American Gods/To Kill a Mockingbird/Goodbye, Columbus

2011-09-27T22:50:00.001-04:00

American Gods - Neil Gaiman (2001)
As much as I want to love Neil Gaiman's work, I'm having a difficult time with it. I've been reading the Sandman graphic novel series over the past few months, and while there are elements of it that are hit or miss, it has mostly been great thus far. His novels are another story. Neverwhere was haphazard and featured some of the least interesting characters I've ever come across. It wasn't a bad book; it had some redeeming qualities. American Gods bests Neverwhere in that the characters are slightly cooler and the story is better and more complex. The book's premise and overarching plot are actually quite awesome. An ex-convict is released from jail to find that his wife died of shady circumstances in a car wreck. Odin, the Norse god of war, hires him as a sort of bodyguard leading up to a battle that is to take place between the "old" gods and the "new," American gods (such as media). Actually, that sounds pretty nonsensical and ridiculous, but there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot that I guess ties everything together. I still think the characters are week, and don't get me wrong, I love fantasy, but it runs a little too rampant within the modern setting of this book. There's plenty to like about Gaiman's imagery and style, but his weaknesses (storytelling, character development, prose) really shine through in his novels. Ah well, American Gods was still enjoyable.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (1960)
Believe it or not, this is the first time I've read Harper Lee's famous and important novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. I was not surprised by how much it tugged at my heartstrings while awesome being simply a light, fun read. The feel of Lee's writing and certain parts of the story are reminiscent of Mark Twain, especially the short adventures that occur at the novel's beginning. Lee's portrayal of an Alabama family living through the Great Depression is beautiful, and the way she touches on darker subjects such as racism and rape while still injecting some humor in there is brilliant. As spare and subtle as the story is, Lee's characters are easy to love and invest in. I'm glad I finally got around to reading this classic.

Goodbye, Columbus - Philip Roth (1959)
That Goodbye, Columbus is Philip Roth's debut is pretty mindblowing. The book collects the novella, Goodbye, Columbus and five short stories that showcase Roth's excellent form and knack for subtle and clever storytelling, even as early as his mid-20s. While the actual novella is a very good, slow paced, comical, summer love story that I'm sure was an inspiration to Woody Allen, it is not the best story here. All the short stories were even more impressive, especially "The Conversion of the Jews", "Defender of the Faith" and "Epstein." Throughout the collection, Roth does a great job of underlining the coming-of-age story (or snippets of, in the short stories) with the struggles faced by those Americans of the Jewish faith in the early mid-20th century. This all leads to great drama, and some really funny situations. In Goodbye, Columbus Roth's stories are almost reminiscent of a less depressing, brighter J.D. Salinger, and I would recommend this to pretty much any one of my friends. I can't wait to read more.

Summer Singles 7"/Gloss Drop

2011-09-20T20:35:00.001-04:00

Summer Singles 7" - 1994!/Snowing/Boys and Sex/Algernon Cadwallader (Slow Growth, 2011)
I am loving this 90s midwest emo revival that is taking place these days on the east coast. Slow Growth's Summer Singles 7" showcases perhaps four of the best bands doing it. 1994! and Boys and Sex (terrible band name, I know) are a bit more on the screamier side. 1994!'s jam is especially impressive thanks to all its math and how full it sounds, considering the band is made up of only two dudes. The real gems here are the excellent tracks by Snowing and Algernon Cadwallader. Snowing's jam is mid-tempo emo pop at its finest, with the classic bad singing and all. Good thing the melodies and guitar work are tops. Algernon Cadwallader is seriously the cream of the crop involved in this resurgence, though. "(Na Na Na Na) Simulation" isn't even close to one of the band's best tracks, but it takes the cake here. These guys continue to add some pop to their noodly sound, and if people who give them a chance can get past the Cap'n Jazz comparisons, they should reach the top of the world at some point.

Gloss Drop - Battles (Warp, 2011)
I am pleasantly surprised by how much I like Battles' latest, Gloss Drop, when I didn't really get much out of 2007's Mirrored. Don't get me wrong, I was enamored with the creativity and technical ability presented on that record, but I just don't get much enjoyment out of listening to it. Gloss Drop, on the other hand, with all of its cartoon synths and insanely tight (and just insane) drumming, is fun to listen to. Every song is at least decent, most of them are totally good, but "Ice Cream" and "Sweetie & Shag" are just ridiculous. I wouldn't disagree with any argument stating that Mirrored features more variety, but I like how Gloss Drop has more uniformity, yet still sounds like it was composed by aliens. Battles are like no band pretty much ever, and that's one cool thing about them, but I am happy to be able to consider myself a fan, now.

The Larry Sanders Show

2011-09-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)

Several months ago, during a trip out to Fenton, my boy Kevin McGorey recommended that I check out the classic 90s HBO comedy, The Larry Sanders Show. My deep relationship with it finally began just over a month ago, when I first moved to Plymouth. My housemate/landlord Ian was somewhere towards the end of the second season or beginning of the third, and I just picked up there. Little did I know how much I would come to love the show's style, feel, and, most of all, its characters.

The Larry Sanders Show starred Garry Shandling as late night talk show host Larry Sanders himself, Jeffrey Tambor as Hank the sidekick, and Rip Torn as the show's producer. One couldn't have asked for better chemistry between actors within the context of these storylines. The minor characters, namely the show's booker, played by Janeane Garofalo, Scott Thompson as Hank's assistant, and Bob Odenkirk as Larry's agent, only added to that chemistry. In addition to all of these performances, the show featured incredible cameos. Most memorable were David Duchovny, John Stewart and Ellen DeGeneres.

While I would say that my favorite aspect of The Larry Sanders Show is easily the extensive list of intelligently crafted, hilarious characters, this comedy had so much more to offer. It's criticism of the "show business" is still fresh for today, considering the early to mid-nineties timeframe of the show's run. I'd also argue that it was ahead of its time; sort of a precursor to the critically acclaimed quirky comedies of the 2000s, like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development and The Office. And, last, but certainly not least, the show's writing was just brilliant, the situations that the characters found themselves in were unique for that particular decade (some of them are dark and even heart-wrenching, which gives the show more of a human element), and again, I cannot stress how much chemistry there was between everyone on the cast. That totally made the show.

If you have never seen an episode of The Larry Sanders Show, and you consider yourself my friend, then chances are you will absolutely love it. Stop watching whatever stupid television show it is you're trying to catch up on, and let your mind and heart become subject to the power of Larry Sanders.

2011 NFL Preview

2011-09-05T20:50:00.000-04:00

The most wonderful time of any year is finally upon us, people: Fall, aka football season. The 2011 offseason was short and completely insane thanks to the lockout, and thus should make this coming season sloppier and less predictable than previous ones. Still, I will try guide you as best I can through what should happen during this NFL season. Here we go.

DIVISION PREDICTIONS

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (13-3)
2. New York Jets (10-6)
3. Miami Dolphins (5-11)
4. Buffalo Bills (3-13)

After the dominant regular season the New Englad Patriots had in 2010, plus with all of the risky but likely beneficial acquisitions they made this offseason (Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth in particular), this could be the year Tom Brady finally wins another Super Bowl. It's going to happen at some point before he retires, and the way that Bill Belichick can coach disgruntled ex-greats, the time is pretty much now. I am still not convinced by Rex Ryan and his bold, obnoxious claims. The New York Jets are a fine time, with a potentially championship winning defense, but Mark Sanchez cannot really be the answer, can he? The Miami Dolphins will probably come back down from Planet Mediocrity, and actually be pretty bad this year. The Buffalo Bills showed some promise last year on offense, but they made no improvements and I see them playing at pretty much the exact same level. Perhaps Andrew Luck will save the day for them next year.

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
2. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
3. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (3-13)

I think it's safe to say that we once again can expect an excrutiatingly tight race between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. I am way into Pittsburgh's well-balanced offense and think they have something really special in the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace. The defense showed a few minor holes in 2010 that might be a cause for some worry in the coming years, but they still have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Their time might be running short though. If Baltimore can start acquiring some younger defensive studs for the great turnover that should be occurring over the next couple of years, they could totally overtake Pittsburgh (and New England, New York, Indianapolis and San Diego as well). I am completely sold by Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, and see them only getting better. Cleveland and Cincinnati both have some decent running games, but that's about it.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
2. Houston Texans (9-7)
3. Tennessee Titans (6-10)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

With this Peyton Manning injury, 2011 might see the beginning of the downfall of the Indianapolis Colts. Without Manning, the Colts are a three or four win team. With Manning, they could potentially win every game they play. However, he's getting up there in age, and the climate of the team is not what it used to be. It hurts me to say that Peyton may never get that second Super Bowl ring. The Houston Texans have been on the up and up for the past two or three years, yet their win-loss record has never really improved. It could finally happen this year, with that killer offense, and the slight improvements they made to an underperforming defense that actually has a lot of talent. In spite of having the best, albeit whiniest, running back in the NFL (Chris Johnson), the Tennessee Titans are pretty much screwed in 2011, and I guess the same could be said of Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

AFC West
1. San Diego Chargers (11-5)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
3. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
4. Denver Broncos (4-12)

I only have San Diego slotted as the winners of the AFC West out of obligation. Sure, they had both the #1 ranked offense AND defense last year, but, how many games did they? Nine. And, they missed the playoffs. Vincent Jackson returns to form in '11, and that should be a huge help to Philip Rivers and co. I really think the Chargers are quite overrated, and will be rooting hard for the Kansas City Chiefs to repeat as division champs. Matt Cassel gets one more season to prove he's not a fluke, and if he succeeds again in 2011, he's the real deal. The KC running game is the best in the league, and they're defense ain't too shabby. The Oakland Raiders took a huge blow thanks to Nnamdi Asomugha moving on to greener pastures in Philadelphia, but at least Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are proving to be a formidable one-two punch at running back. The Denver Broncos are a complete mess, and it's going to take John Fox several years to get things back in order. There are plenty of players not named Tebow with potential on that team, and it seems like no one in the city of Denver cares about them. Maybe in 2012 Kyle Orton will be tearing it up for a playoff contender.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4)
2. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
3. New York Giants (9-7)
4. Washington Redskins (5-11)

With the exceptional offseason the Philadelphia Eagles had, they all but have the NFC East in the bag. There are so many young studs on offense that Michael Vick should make even better, and the teams pass defense got exponentially better with the acquisations of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominick Rodgers-Cromartie. The Eagles are arguably the team to beat in the entire NFC. I hate the Dallas Cowboys, and it bums me out to say that their atrocious 2010 season is most likely a fluke. Tony Romo is a stud, and he has a lot of weapons to work with and DeMarcus Ware is one of the greatest defensive players the NFL has seen in years. I'm not exactly sure what to make of the New York Giants. Part of me thinks that that team is loaded and is way better than everyone thinks they are. Their excellent defensive is on its way back, and suddenly they have an extensive passing attack (in spite of Eli Manning's mistakes). As far as I'm concerned, the Washington Redskins have nothing good going for them.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
2. Chicago Bears (9-7)
3. Detroit Lions (8-8)
4. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)

Pretty quickly, the NFC North is returning to the glory days of the Black & Blue Division. It is becoming one of the strongest group of teams in the NFL. If it weren't for all the moves that the Eagles have made, the Packers would pretty much have a fast track back to the Super Bowl. No team in the NFC, and maybe even in the entire NFL, is better. There are definitely questions in the team's running game (which I think will be answered once Ryan Grant quickly returns to form), but their passing attack and defenses are easily amongst the best around. It is likely that Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears overperformed last year, but that doesn't mean they're bad. In fact, with Matt Forte, the addition of drama queen extraordinaire Roy Williams, and Mike Martz running the show, the offense should be even better. And we all know that Chicago defense is usually great. The Detroit Lions are improving by the day. That defense can now be considered top notch, and I don't think Jim Schwartz will stop there. If Calvin Johnson isn't the best wide receiver in the NFL, he's second or third. If Matt Stafford can stay healthy for the entire season he will put up some incredible numbers, I am sure of it. I am not convinced of Jahvid Best yet, but am definitely rooting for him to succeed in this offense. Detroit is already close to contending for a playoff spot, and I'll be shocked if they don't make it in 2012. Now with Donovan McNabb at QB, I think the Minnesota Vikings will be better than everyone is giving them credit for. Adrian Peterson should be the focal point of the offense again now that Brett Favre isn't there, and I think that can only lead to good things. The defense underperformed last year, and I can't imagine Jared Allen and his crew doing that again.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons (12-4)
2. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
4. Carolina Panthers (3-13)

It's hard to tell who is going to come out on top of the NFC South between Atlanta and New Orleans. Both offenses are incredible, and both got better with excellent picks in the draft (Atlanta picking WR Julio Jones and New Orleans getting a steal with RB Mark Ingram). Both defenses are subpar, and it seems that only Atlanta tried to get better in that department, so that's who I'm going with. However, I see Ingram becoming a franchise running back in New Orleans, which takes a lot of pressure off Drew Brees, which could lead to another Super Bowl run. As good as Matt Ryan is and all those weapons he has between Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and now Jones, I just don't think they're ready quite yet. Tampa Bay surprised everyone last year, and I'm not sure why, but I'm sort of buying the hype. For as subtle as Josh Freeman's stats were, when you really take a look at them, they were insane. And, I'm excited about Mike Williams and LaGarrette Blount in that offense. Carolina has two of the most talented running backs in the NFC, and maybe they'll both return to their dominant performances of 2008 and 2009, but that's about the only bright spot on this team. I think Cam Newton will be a bust, and when Steve Smith doesn't have anyone of worth throwing to him, he just disappears. This team is still doomed.

NFC West
1. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
2. St. Louis Rams (7-9)
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-10)
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-11)

Any of the four teams in the NFC West could win the division crown, but that's not because it's tough and competitive there. It is just that weak. Arizona and St. Louis have half-way decent quarterback situations thanks to Kevin Kolb and Sam Bradford respectively, and while I'm convinced that Bradford will have a successful career in the NFL, Kolb hasn't actually played enough to prove himself, if he's actually as good as everyone seems to think he is. Throwing to Larry Fitzgerald definitely will help, and that's the only reason why I think the Cardinals will be slightly better than the Rams, but still not great. The 49ers have some real talent on defense, and Frank Gore gives them maybe the best running game in the division, but that quarterback situation does not look pretty. The Seahawks made the most moves, and made a lot of improvements in the passing game by adding Sidney Rice and Zach Miller, but who the hell is going to throw to these guys?

POSTSEASON AWARDS

Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick (New England)
Comeback Player of the Year: Albert Haynesworth (DE, New England)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Peterson (CB, Arizona)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Ingram (RB, New Orleans)
Defensive Player of the Year: Clay Matthews (LB, Green Bay)
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson (RB, Minnesota)
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay)

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC
1. New England Patriots
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. San Diego Chargers
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. New York Jets

NFC
1. Green Bay Packers
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. New Orleans Saints
6. Dallas Cowboys

AFC Wild Card Round
New York Jets over San Diego Chargers
Baltimore Ravens over Indianapolis Colts

NFC Wild Card Round
Atlanta Falcons over Dallas Cowboys
New Orleans Saints over Arizona Cardinals

AFC Divisional Round
New England Patriots over New York Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens

NFC Divisional Round
Philadelphia Eagles over Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers over New Orleans Saints

AFC Championship
New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl XLVI
New England Patriots over Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XLVI MVP
Tom Brady (QB, New England)

Emotional Listening #7

2011-09-04T19:56:00.000-04:00

Static Prevails - Jimmy Eat World (Capitol, 1996)
Into the month of August, I continued the nostalgia train by revisiting Jimmy Eat World's pre-Clarity material. Between that album and Static Prevails, these Arizona boys (well, men, now) had quite a run on Capitol Records (albeit short). Having started with Clarity back in early high school, I was pleasantly surprised by how fast and raw the songs on Static Prevails are. This is not the glossy, heavily orchestrated, ballad heavy emo pop record that Clarity is. Sure, a good portion of these songs can be considered pop songs, they're just heavier, which is pretty damn enticing. Jim Adkins' screaming on "Thinking, That's All" is a chilling touch, and the intensity of his vocals only let up a handful of times throughout the record. That the songwriting duties were split up on Static Prevails between Adkins and Tom Linton is sort of a bummer, as Linton's songs are not nearly as good (though, there are parts in "Seventeen" that are brilliant). "Claire" and "Digits" are outright highlights, and "In the Same Room" might just be Jimmy Eat World at their best. So emo, but so so good.
Top jams: "Thinking, That's All," "Claire," "Call It in the Air," "Seventeen," "Digits," "World is Static," "In the Same Room," "Anderson Mesa"

Singles - Jimmy Eat World (Big Wheel Recreation, 2000)
Before Bleed American, their ticket to the mainstream promised land, Jimmy Eat World released a collection of songs from 7"s and compilations released before and around Static Prevails, appropriately titled Singles. And, whoo boy, are there some gems. "Opener" absolutely should have been on Static Prevails. It is easily Tom Linton's best song, and "77 Satellites" is probably his second. "Spangle" is a very nice Wedding Present cover that I actually like much better than the original. The jagged rhythms of "What Would I Say to You Now" and "Christmas Card" and its emo dynamics have Jim Adkins and the rest of the band at the top of their game. They are two of the band's greatest jams and should have been included on a full length somewhere.
Top jams: "Opener," "77 Satellites," "What Would I Say to You Now," "Speed Read," "Spangle," "Ramina," "Christmas Card"

Cat's Cradle/The Broom of the System/Post Office

2011-08-30T02:57:00.001-04:00

Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut (1963)

For my second attempt at a Kurt Vonnegut novel, I went with Cat's Cradle on my friend Brian's recommendation. While I still didn't completely love it, I would say its still an improvement over Slaughterhouse-Five (even if it was published earlier). From my knowledge Cat's Cradle seems to be typical Vonnegut fare, with symbolic, flowery language laced with clever puns. The plot pretty much runs the gamut. It begins with a writer who decides to research one of the inventors of the A-Bomb, and then ends up meeting a variety of zany characters, including the inventor's children, in the process. The story quickly unravels into a journey to a foreign island with apocalyptic results. With themes touching extensively on science, technology and religion, Vonnegut's analogies and imagery is varied and often times quite beautiful. There are a lot of characters, which isn't surprising at all, and they are all fun, weird and charming in their own way. I guess my main issue with the book is how difficult it is to keep track of all them. Also, I will admit, sometimes Vonnegut's way with words gets a little on my nerves. But, while my high expectations for Cat's Cradle weren't quite met, it was still a very enjoyable read.

The Broom of the System - David Foster Wallace (1987)

I wouldn't say that The Broom of the System, the debut novel by post-modern fiction's tragic god, David Foster Wallace, is necessarily the best book I've read all year, but, it comes damn close. Not only could I barely put the book down, it was the most fun I've had reading any book since I can remember. Infinite Jest is definitely the better (technically speaking) and more mature work of art, but I think the flaws and perhaps juvenile nature lend a certain charm to The Broom of the System. Wallace, who probably owes quite a bit to Thomas Pynchon here, still has woven an utterly complex and outright zany tale that is brighter and infinitely less dense in plot and emotion than his masterstroke, thankfully. That's not to say that TBotS isn't littered with intermingling story lines that are easy to get lost in, they are just less difficult to follow than I expected. All the characters are lovable, even the most loathe-worthy ones. Wallace's love of language is apparent and perhaps the most enjoyable element of the novel. I want to divulge as much as I can in regards to the story and all the layers within, but then this post would read for a mile, and I'd be up way too late. Trust me that you should definitely read The Broom of the System. I don't think I can recommend another book that I've read in 2011 any higher, with the exception of maybe A Confederacy of Dunces. I absolutely cannot wait to read Wallace's posthumously published third novel, The Pale King, when it is released in paperback form.

Post Office - Charles Bukowski (1971)

A little over a year ago, my friend Leah was telling me I should read some Charles Bukowski, and I hadn't put much thought into it since, until I discovered that my new housemate Ian owns his debut novel, Post Office. It was an incredibly quick read as, for one, Bukowski's style and flow are easy to follow, at least here, and two, it's not even 200 pages long. I easily devoured the novel in one day, but I'll admit that while I don't necessarily wish it was a longer book, I wouldn't have minded spending a little more time on it. The novel's title is a good indication of what the plot is: dude works for the post office for 12+ years, first as a carrier, then after a relatively short break, he returns as a clerk. Slightly deeper down (though Bukowski makes it obvious), Post Office really is about smoking, drinking, screwing, finding ways to not have to work hard, and putting up with overbearing supervisors and ridiculously demanding "customers." It is simple, dark, fun and hilarious most of the time. Read it.

Oil!/Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas/The Neon Bible

2011-08-22T00:52:00.001-04:00

Oil! - Upton Sinclair (1927)

Because P.T. Anderson's excellent 2007 film, There Will be Blood (one of my absolute favorites of all time), is loosely based on this 1927 Upton Sinclair novel, I was pretty stoked to tackle Oil!. When I realized early on exactly how loose of an adaptation it was, I lost interest pretty quickly. There Will be Blood is a brilliant, stark, intense satire on American religion and the oil industry in the early 1900s and a character study on a truly evil oil tycoon (superbly played by Daniel Day-Lewis, duh). Oil! unsurprisingly and satirically touches on the scandalous nature of U.S. politics and the oil industry at the time, and blatantly champions the socialist banner. While I appreciate Sinclair's perceptive and insanely descriptive writing style, and tragic endings are usually my jam, but the density of the material turned into a total bore and Sinclair's preachiness is a bit overwhelming. When you get down to it, the novel and the film are really nothing alike, and the plot, pacing, mood and characters in There Will be Blood make it the far more superior experience.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson (1971)

I've been planning on reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson's most famous work, for several years, and I definitely wouldn't say it was a disappointment. It is a novel with autobiographical tendencies (I get the feeling that only the names used are false, the drug-induced fantasies are exagerated, and that's it). It is sometimes difficult to sort through what is real vs. what is surreal. Despite the lack of anly real narrative, the plot is pretty fun: Raul Duke (Thompson) and Dr. Gonzo (his attorney) take two trips to Las Vegas on journalist duty, but instead get lost in a haze of substance enhanced insanity. The drug imagery is pretty interesting and usually funny, and a hefty portion of the dialogue and Thompson's style and way with words were entertaining and gave me a good chuckle. But, that's pretty much all I got out of Fear and Loathing (which is fine), even though I know that there's supposed to be some grand statement on the American Dream hidden underneath all of the druggy talk. Perhaps my capability to relate with anything in this book is hindered by the fact that it's the first and only thing I've ever read of Thompson's. C'est la vie.

The Neon Bible - John Kennedy Toole (1989)

John Kennedy Toole, most notable for his authorship of A Confederacy of Dunces, died far too young and tragically. It also is unfortunate that there are only two novels posthumously published by this talented writer. I read A Confederacy of Dunces earlier in the year and my mind was completely blown. It it is one of the best works of fiction I've read in my entire life. The Neon Bible was published nine years later, though it was written at a considerably earlier time in Toole's life: AT THE AGE OF 16. That fact definitely has a little to due with how impressed I am with this short novel. However, The Neon Bible is not just good for a 16 year-old. It is a southern gothic tale of growivg up in the American south in the 1940s, facing such adversities as poverty, ultra conservative Christianity, an uncaring father, the second World War and insanity, to name a few. While A Confederacy of Dunces was painstakingly detailed and utterly hilarious, The Neon Bible is dark and subtle. Toole's language and imagery is simple in the most charming and appropriate ways, and the meandering pace and tone of the story is pulled off exceedingly well. And, unlike most books I read, this one's ending was slightly unexpected and absolutely fantastic. I wish there could be more published works by John Kennedy Toole, but the two novels we have of his will most definitely suffice.

Shed/In Blank

2011-08-13T01:12:00.000-04:00

Shed - Title Fight (Side One Dummy, 2011)

Thanks be to Bravender for introducing me to these Kingston, Pennsylvania purveyors of nostalgic emo and hardcore infused pop punk. Remember the late 1990s and early 2000s, when emo, punk and hardcore were united by record labels like Equal Vision, Initial, Jade Tree, Revelation and even Fueled by Ramen and Vagrant? Well, that's what Title Fight sound like on Shed, and it rules. It's not even close to may favorite record of 2011 or anything, it's just really nice to hear bands doing this kind of music again. I feel like I'm in high school again when I listen to this, and I love it.

In Blank - Title Tracks (Ernest Jenning, 2011)

In Blank is the sophomore full length from Title Tracks, the latest project from musician extraordinaire John Davis, who is most relevant to me as the drummer for defunct DC melodic art-punk band Q and Not U. I will admit, it is nothing special, but man, is it fun! All 11 tracks consist of the same jangly guitars, bouncy rhythms and excellent melodies, which can totally get old and/or forgettable, but is permissible due to how well Davis pulls everything off (assuming he played every instrument on the record like on Title Tracks' debut). The power pop of In Blank is an obvious nod to Elvis Costello and even The New Pornographers in places, and that is a-ok to me.

God Bless America

2011-08-09T01:39:00.000-04:00

"God Bless America" by Joan of Arc, from How Memory Works (1998)

More 90s emo nostalgia. The first half of this jam is especially great.

In the Same Room/What Would I Say to You Now

2011-08-01T13:30:00.000-04:00

"In the Same Room" by Jimmy Eat World, from Static Prevails (1996)

Revisited Jimmy Eat World's major label debut, Static Prevails, the other day for the first time in a good while. This is is still the record's best song, let alone one of the band's best ever.

"What Would I Say to You Now" by Jimmy Eat World, from Jimmy Eat World/Jejune 7" (1997)

And then the following day I continued on this trip down memory lane with the band's collection of 7" and rare tracks, Singles, and was reminded of the greatness of this jam as well.

The Moonlight Butterfly/Go With Me

2011-07-30T17:25:00.003-04:00

The Moonlight Butterfly - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey, 2011)
The Sea and Cake's latest, a mini-album by the ridiculous name of The Moonlight Butterfly, is exactly what I've come to expect of the band. I am not offended at all that the band's sounded hasn't changed all the much over their 15+ years of existence (aside from maturing). In fact, considering how vastly different The Sea and Cake sound from everyone else, I don't think any considerable changes were ever needed. Sure, these classy Chicago men have experimented more with synths and different musical cultures over the years, but the overall feel of their music has remained the same. All of this to say that, even though there are no drastic surprises here, The Moonlight Butterfly still might showcase the highest number of subtle ones out of any Sea and Cake release. Also, it is in no way their absolute best work, but I believe it to be their most mature. These songs are more wide open than usual: their structures are not as straightforward and their backgrounds are much more ambient. This might even be drummer/producer John McEntire's greatest work behind the board. That these recordings have a lot more atmosphere to them really lends itself to the mood of the record. Also, I'm loving the added jangle to all of lead vocalist Sam Prekop's guitars. While The Moonlight Butterfly probably isn't close to being my favorite release by The Sea and Cake, it is a long awaited and much appreciated follow-up to 2008's stellar Car Alarm, and "Lyric" and "Up on the North Shore" specifically are on par with the band's best songs from their more recent resurgence.

Go With Me - Seapony (Hardly Art, 2011)
Surprise, surprise. Seattle's Seapony are yet another band with jangly guitars, lo-fi production (much closer to mid-fi here, actually) and sunny/summery/surfy undertones. Are you getting tired of this brand of indie pop yet? I am, except when it's done well, like on Seapony's debut full length, Go With Me. Part of me thinks that there is nothing to these songs and a lot of the melodies are cheesy. But then again, half of them have been stuck in my head for the past three days straight. Seapony could easily be tossed aside as yet another twee or jangle pop revival band, but there are a few elements that take Go With Me above that. These songs are not blatantly in your face happy sounding. I mean, some of them are, but there are some nice moodier pieces too. Also, there is an undeniable 80s accent throughout the record in some of the guitar riffs and tones (a lot of it might have to do with the overwhelming presence of drum machine, too). Though I'll probably be done with them within a year, Seapony have wone me over for now. "Dreaming" and "Always" are excellent standout cuts that should be checked out immediately.

Demolished Thoughts/Innings/Tomboy

2011-07-28T01:45:00.000-04:00

Demolished Thoughts - Thurston Moore (Matador, 2011)
I'm not really one to champion Sonic Youth much. I like Rather Ripped, and intend to give Daydream Nation more listens than the few that I have, but I honestly don't know or care much beyond that (I'm open to anyone changing my mind). So, I'm not sure why I decided to take a chance on Thurston Moore's latest solo record, Demolished Thoughts, but I'm glad I did. This LP showcases Moore's skill at stripping things down and just getting real. The songs are laced with interweaving acoustic guitars and accented by sparse strings and some harp here and there, all of which make way for Moore's flawed and wounded vocals. Overall, the sound is simply gorgeous, but the real selling point is how Moore integrates such beauty in songs that are made up of chord progressions that are so haunting and even unsettling at times. Demolished Thoughts should truly shine come fall.

Innings - Nodzzz (Woodsist, 2011)
I unfortunately still haven't listened to lo-fi jangle pop band Nodzzz's self-titled debut aside from the one time that Bravender shared it with me. From what I remember, it seems that LP #2, Innings, picks up right where they left off: rough around the edges production, very short and succinct guitar pop songs, clever, quirky and innocent lyrics, and fun as hell melodies galore. There isn't anything particularly special going on here, but I'm not really requiring that from the band. Innings is just a quick, enjoyable listen featuring simple yet impressive song craft. "Old Clothes" and "Spirit & Soul" are especially jams.

Tomboy - Panda Bear (Paw Tracks, 2011)
The long wait is over. Tomboy is finally arrived. Well, it's been here for a few months now, but, you know what I mean. Back in April, Jensen shared his sentiments on Tomboy and remarked that it is a gray album. While I agree that it is nowhere near as vibrant as Panda Bear's 2007 masterpiece, Person Pitch, I don't think that Tomboy is necessarily lacking color. And, the vast differences between the two make it quite a charming listening experience. Here, Noah Lennox depends more on live instrumentation and naturally created sounds, which ended up leading to more sparse arrangements and darker moods. Still, Lennox's immaculate melodies and harmonies dominate almost every measure on Tomboy, and is obviously the element that ties everything together. Opener "You Can Count on Me" and standouts "Surfer's Hymn" and "Last Night at the Jetty" are the brightest moments on here, but they still fit in perfectly with all the darker ones. I love every song but one on the record, but "Slow Motion," "Last Night at the Jetty" and "Alsation Darn" are far and away the best. Tomboy is not perfect, and probably not quite as great as Person Pitch, but it is definitely a satisfactory follow up, and easily one of my favorite albums to be released in 2011 so far.

The Dark Knight Returns/The Jungle/The Sun Also Rises

2011-07-26T12:50:00.000-04:00

The Dark Knight Returns - Frank Miller (1986)
What a great twist on the Batman story. This time through it probably wasn't as mind-blowing as my first, but still, The Dark Knight Returns is just incredible. Frank Miller spends the entire book focusing on Batman's morality, his stance on city and national government, and it gets way deeper than that. In The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce Wayne is an aging, insanely rich man (obviously), and had retired as Batman, until Gotham City is tortured by a large crew of wretched souls dubbed Mutants. He triumphantly and scandalously returns as Batman to save the city once again, but only sort of. Do Batman's vigilante actions cause more harm than good? That is the main question in this book. Then things sort of take a turn, and shit gets really crazy with arch-nemesis The Joker (their somewhat symbiotic relationship is touched on artfully) and perhaps his second greatest enemy, Superman. The ending is just perfect. If you haven't read The Dark Knight Returns (and you're crazy and probably don't actually exist if you're a fan of comics and haven't), there is maybe only one singularly collected graphic novel that I can recommend higher (Watchmen). The Dark Knight Returns is challenging, brilliant, fun as hell and tremendous in the all encompassing way that it further complicates and darkens the character of Batman and answers many questions and then asks a shit ton more in return. Get on it, duh.

The Jungle - Upton Sinclair (1906)

Perhaps Upton Sinclair's most popular and important work, The Jungle is probably the most difficult novel I've read since I tackled One Hundred Years of Solitude last fall. Not so difficult to follow as that novel or, say, Infinite Jest, The Jungle's neverending spiral of tragedy just wore so much on the emotions. I'd argue that it is almost as overtly heavy handed as Sapphire's Push, albeit much better written and more realistic. I know that's a ridiculous comparison that a serious reader would probably be offended by, but let's consider the heavy subject matter that Sinclair covers here. The Jungle is about so much more than just the meatpacking industry. It is more broad than that. Here, Sinclair describes the life of a United States immigrant in the early 1900s. He covers all of the following: the worst possible working conditions, poverty and homelessness and a hopelessness that was dominant amongst the working class. Without giving away too much, main character Jurgis faces horrible tragedy after horrible tragedy, and at times it was just too much to read. However, The Jungle is exquisitely written, and if you read my reviews on here, you know I like messed up shit in novel form. Between all of that and all of the insight gained from Sinclair's investigative work turned novel, The Jungle is definitely a great novel in every technical way. I'm not sure I would call it an enjoyable read by any means, though.

The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway (1926)

Supposedly Ernest Hemingway's greatest work (according to some), The Sun Also Rises started off just as I had expected and hoped, then I sort of became bored with it. In rough summary, a group of American and British expatriates hang out and drink in France, then decide to basically go on a bender in Spain, hang out, eat and drink a ton, watch bullfights, fish, and generally yuck it up. There is interesting dialogue and some truly great relationship drama that is handled in the most childish of ways. Themes such as sexual freedom, masculinity, travel, culture, and leading a fulfilling and enjoyable life into adulthood are touched on in ways that I could see having been controversial back in the late 1920s. I also appreciate how all of the dialogue and descriptions are so understated. There were a few minor emotional sentiments (put to text quite wonderfully by Hemingway) that hit me in the right way, but other than that, I had difficulty relating to any of these characters. Again, I ended up getting bored because, well, nothing really happens. And, I like meandering stories. Call me jaded or ignorant or below this or whatever, but The Sun Also Rises ended up not being all that it was cracked up to be. Not that I hated it, because I really did enjoy a lot of the character interactions and the simple, yet beautiful language. I guess I just wasn't engrossed with any of the events that took place nor did I care very deeply about any of the characters. I'm sorry, people.

Emotional Listening #6

2011-07-25T13:54:00.000-04:00

Addicts and Drunks - Ghosts & Vodka (Six Gun Lover, 2003)
Showcasing the immense guitar playing talents of Cap'n Jazz's Victor Villareal and Sam Zurick, it's no surprise that Ghosts & Vodka is a musician's band. As much of a fan as I always have been of this bright, mathy, wanky, guitar-centric style of music, it took me until now to fully appreciate G&V's output. Releasing only one 7", one LP and a reissue (which is the focus of this blurb) collecting the two and adding an unreleased track, it shouldn't have been so difficult for me, considering how gorgeous and fun all of these songs are. Villareal's trademark noodly, waterfall guitars are ever present here, and Zurick's jagged rhythms present a great counterpoint. Add a tight rhythm section on top of that and you have quite a beast of a collaboration. I think that the initial hurdle for me to get over is the fact that there is no real variance on this sound throughout all of the songs. They just run together. However, now that I consider myself a fan of repetition in music, this isn't an issue at all anymore. Addicts and Drunks is an excellent collection of Ghosts & Vodka's minimal discography, and "It's All About Right Then" and "Futuristic Genitalia" are two of my all-time favorite instrumental jams.
Top jams: "It's All About Right Then," "Good Luck With Your Multiple Personalities," "Laser Guided by God," "Futuristic Genitalia," "Hot Dot Above, Tan Man Below," "Four Red Brains," "Cowboys and Sailors," "Doo Dee Doo Dee Do," "Bizarre Funeral"

Alien Lanes - Guided by Voices (Matador, 1995)
It's about time I get into Guided by Voices. Apparently I wasn't ready when I first purchased 1995's Alien Lanes a bit over one year ago. I felt that it was indulgent and obnoxious, in spite of a select few great jams (opener "A Salty Salute" still probably being the best). I also was completely overwhelmed by the 28 tracks cruising by in only 41 minutes. I feel much differently now. Still a little overwhelming, and yes, indulgent, I've come to terms with the amount of songs, and now I can regard the lo-fi guitar pop of Alien Lanes as a charming experiment in pop songwriting and recording. Somehow, each song sounds drastically different, and vary in quality by insane degrees. What a fun way to go about a record. Plus, I can take away 11 songs that I consider to be fantastic at worst. "As We Go Up, We Go Down" and "Blimps Go 90" revealed themselves as two of the album's strongest points, and "My Valuable Hunting Knife" probably rivals "A Salty Salute" as one of the greatest songs of the 90s.
Top jams: "A Salty Salute," "They're Not Witches," "As We Go Up, We Go Down," "Game of Pricks," "Closer You Are," "My Valuable Hunting Knife," "Striped White Jets," "Blimps Go 90," "Strawdogs," "Little Whirl," "Alright"

Pirate Prude EP - Helium (Matador, 1994)
A while ago, my buddy Matt encouraged in me an interest in Sleater-Kinney and the mid-90s era of the Riot Grrrl movement in general. This led me to download two full lengths from Mary Timony's Helium (which I am yet to spend much time with) and to purchase their debut, the Pirate Prude EP. I had pretty high expectations, and was still pleasantly surprised. I anticipated a badass, angular punk group not unlike Sleater-Kinney. Pirate Prude is more like a bad ass, heavy, mid-to-slow tempo, slightly emo take on the male dominated indie rock style of that time. Timony's voice is strong here, but undeniably melodically challenged, which can be distracting at certain points. The thick, heavy guitars and more than capable rhythm section make up for it, and the subtle flaws throughout the EP are sort of appealing. "XXX" and "Love $$$" are especially good songs. Timony certainly proves herself a force to be reckoned with on Pirate Prude, and I can't wait to dive in to the rest of her work in Helium and her newest project (with Sleater-Kinney members Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss), Wild Flag.
Top jams: "Baby Vampire Made Me," "XXX," "000," "Love $$$"

Real Estate @ The Magic Stick Lounge, 7/18/11

2011-07-21T22:03:00.000-04:00

In preparation for the October release of their second full length, Days, I could not pass up the opportunity to see Jersey by way of Brooklyn band, Real Estate, live. The smaller, stripped down version of Detroit's Magic Stick, the Magic Stick Lounge, was an appropriate setting. The band's jangly and chimey guitars sounded perfect in that room, and though their sound is tame, it seemed like the boys were truly enjoying themselves with the intimate and enthusiastic crowd.

I couldn't really have asked for a better set. Real Estate played my two favorite jams from their 2009 self-titled debut, "Beach Comber" and "Fake Blues," plus "Suburban Dogs," which features some of the most gorgeous, shimmering guitars since, I don't know, early 2000s Death Cab for Cutie? Believe it. The highlight was probably their latest single and best song yet, "Out of Tune." Beyond that, their set was dominated with new material, and I had no complaints.

Real Estate are the perfect band to spend a hot summer evening with. Their ballads and more upbeat numbers have a lazy feel that is perfect for this time of year. I was really blown away by all the new songs, especially the one they opened with, which featured a wonderful extended jam that I never really wanted to end. The songs on Days seem to be more focused, upbeat guitar pop, and I am totally okay with that. I wouldn't be surprised if the album ends up being my favorite of the year.

2011 MLB Mid-Season Report

2011-07-19T22:19:00.002-04:00

Ok, so last week reached the All-Star break and are now beyond the half-way point of the 2011 MLB season. Per usual, there have been some nice surprises so far, but not so many to make this season shocking or substantially more exciting than the previous. But, don't get me wrong. 2011 has been great so far. Pitching once again is proving to be the strong point of the entire league, and it is really fun to watch the results of that. Unsurprisingly, the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies are looking like the absolute best in all of the MLB. Surprisingly, the Atlanta Braves are on their way back to that elite circle, the Tampa Bay Rays are still quite good after all of the players they lost, and also, the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in their divisions (albeit bad ones)? Exciting stuff!

Here's how I predict the rest of this 2011 season to pan out.

AL East
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

The only real surprise in the AL East this year has been how good the Tampa Bay Rays have played in spite of the losses of Crawford, Pena and Garza. Hower, that doesn't mean they're getting a playoff spot this year, because they're not. This division will be an even tighter race in coming years, but things seem to be going exactly as I expected in 2011. I like how close things are between the Yanks and the Red Sox, but Boston is definitely the superior team this year.

AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Kansas City Royals

The AL Central is just awful. Even though both the White Sox and Twins currently have losing records, either one of them could nab the title here. But, if the Tigers make a move for Carlos Beltran or someone of that ilk, or somehow nab an awesome pitcher, I think they'll sneak away with the division. That's not usually the Detroit way though, so who knows. Cleveland has been a pleasant surprise, but I don't see them running away with the Central. It should be a really tight finish.

AL West
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland Athletics

They started off on a roll and are on another one now, but overall, the Rangers have been just about as good as expected. They're solid hitting combined with how good their young pitching has been should easily give them the AL West title. Jered Weaver and Dan Haren have been immensely successful if not Cy Young caliber for the Angels, but their hitting is whatever, so they shouldn't present any real challenge for Texas. Seattle's young pitchers are starting to look quite dangerous, and add Felix Hernandez, who is also quite young, on top of that and they might be competing more in the next few years.

NL East
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets

Even though Roy Oswalt has underperformed and been struggling with injury all season, you couldn't really be asking for better performances from the other three Philadelphia aces. Roy Halladay should be on his way to yet another Cy Young award, while Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels have been almost as dominant. The Phillies definitely need hitting help if they're going to beat Boston in the World Series. Or, maybe if Oswalt gets healthy, they're pitching will be just enough. Atlanta is looking to be a serious roadblock for Philly this year and years to come. They're pitching has been insane, and apparently they have a few top pitching prospects still to be brought up. Florida should be better than they are. Jose Reyes has had an MVP caliber season so far for the Mets. I can't believe the Nationals are still at .500, but all that really matters is that they get Stephen Strasburg back next year.

NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros

The Milwaukee Brewers are doing it pretty good this season, and I'll stand by my decision that they'll win the NL Central thanks to their immaculate hitting and improvements at pitching (which should actually be performing better than it is). St. Louis has done a good job battling all their injuries, and they've had some pleasant surprises in Lance Berkman and the outcome of all their bullpen drama. No one saw Pittsburgh doing what they're doing, and part of me thinks they'll keep it up, especially if they make a move before the trade deadline, but Milwaukee, St. Louis should overpower them. Cincinnati could too. I'm not sure what they're deal is, because they have quite the offense, and promising young pitchers, who aren't throwing so hot right now. The Cubs and Astros just suck, though Aramis Ramirez, Starlin Castro and Hunter Pence have been bright spots for their teams.

NL West
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Colorado Rockies
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. San Diego Padres

It's weird that the Giants are where they're at while Tim Lincecum's record is just barely over .500. They're pitching has been pretty sick though, and that is all that's going to carry them to another NL West title. The Rockies have been pretty disappointing, but they have tons of talent and are always a second half team anyway. Who knows, maybe they'll run away with the division. I'm perplexed as to why Arizona is so good right now. I'm not counting on that lasting. LA and San Diego are just about where I expected them to be, though Matt Kemp is having a monster season for the Dodgers.

ALDS
Boston over Detroit, 3-1
Texas over New York, 3-2

NLDS
Philadelphia over Milwaukee, 3-1
Atlanta over San Francisco, 3-1

ALCS
Boston over Texas, 4-2

NLCS
Philadelphia over Atlanta, 4-3

World Series
Philadelphia over Boston, 4-2

Now, here are my top three choices for MVP and Cy Young in each league.

AL MVP
1. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston
2. Jose Bautista, Toronto
3. Paul Konerko, Chicago

NL MVP
1. Jose Reyes, New York
2. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles
3. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee

AL Cy Young
1. Justin Verlander, Detroit
2. Jered Weaver, Los Angeles
3. CC Sabathia, New York

NL Cy Young
1. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia
2. Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta
3. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles

My Valuable Hunting Knife/Little Dipper

2011-07-18T17:50:00.000-04:00

Here are my two jams of the past week or so. They're both from 1995!

"My Valuable Hunting Knife" by Guided by Voices, from Alien Lanes (1995)

"Little Dipper" by Hum, from You'd Prefer an Astronaut (1995)

David Comes to Life/The January EP/Giving & Receiving/Terra

2011-07-15T22:30:00.000-04:00

David Comes to Life - Fucked Up (Matador, 2011)
I wasn't sure that things could get much better from Toronto's experimental yet extremely accessible hardcore band, Fucked Up, than 2008's The Chemistry of Common Life. Well, I was wrong. Their first long player since (and it really is long) is even better in suprisingly substantial ways. If someone had a gun to my head and forced me to complain about one thing on David Comes to Life, it would have to be that perhaps the drums are a bit overproduced. Everything else concerning the record is damn near perfect. The guitars are ridiculously layered, bright, thick, and are just about the best sounding one could ask for. The rhythm section's masterful subtleties are easy to miss, which always makes for a fun listening experience. If it weren't for Damien Abraham's grunting and screaming, David Comes to Life just might have been an over the top pop punk album. Instead, it is an artful, intense, highly energetic, bright sounding monster of a hardcore record, and I haven't even had the chance to dive into the concept-y lyrics. Oh, and pretty much every song is really great too. I feel like it's been a while since I've been so excited about a new album.

The January EP - Here We Go Magic (Secretly Canadian, 2011)
So far, I've been pretty happy with Here We Go Magic's recent run of recorded material. The band's move from the moody and slight experimental folk of their self-titled debut to the tight and upbeat psychedelic pop of last year's Pigeons is similar to the progression that Grizzly Bear made between Yellow House and Veckatimest. The January EP is a good if not great continuation of the higher powered sounds of Pigeons, and it may even be an improvement. I'm not sure anything Here We Go Magic have done touches last year's kraut-pop masterpiece, "Collector," but pretty much every song on The January EP is strong. Opener "Tulip" features a nice, steady groove and probably the best chorus on the EP, but "Backwards Time" reminds me a little bit of an even more jittery Dismemberment Plan (with awesomely funky bass), and thus it is the best song here.

Giving & Receiving - Lake (K, 2011)
It's always nice when you randomly decide to take a chance on an album and it turns out to be a big deal to you. This occured to me with Lake's 2009 jamhouse, Let's Build a Roof, which I think was my sixth favorite album of that year? With the consistency of all of its 70s soft adult contemporary pop sounds and almost complete lack of Sufjanisms (with the exception of one song), Giving & Receiving should be the better album. But it's not, and I'm not sure if its because the outright jams aren't quite as good as the ones on Let's Build a Roof, or if its due to the loss of the element of surprise. Regardless, Giving & Receiving is a high quality boy/girl pop record full of smooth, subtle ballads not unlike those of Fleetwood Mac or even Steely Dan. "Roger Miller" is THE JAM.

Terra - Julian Lynch (Underwater Peoples, 2011)
I will not disagree with anyone who feels that Julian Lynch's music is boring. However, I cannot deny its beauty. It is ambient, artful, quiet and just gorgeous. That being said, Terra isn't all that different from its predecessor, and aside from two or three songs, there isn't anything all that memorable. I guess Lynch just makes some sort of special mood music where you can get lost in all the weird but pretty saxophone solos, guitar loops and reverb-drenched vocals. 2010's Mare is definitely better, but both are perfect to fall asleep to. I mean this in the best way. Honest.

Vineland/Skinny Legs and All/Push

2011-07-05T22:12:00.000-04:00

Vineland - Thomas Pynchon (1990)
I really want to like Thomas Pynchon, but after two novels of his down now, I'm not sure that I'm capable of getting him. It's crazy to me that there exists a book that is more difficult to follow than David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest (which I loved), but Vineland is it. It started off more cohesively than The Crying of Lot 49, but as it is roughly 250 pages longer, it was even easier to get derailed by all of the intricate and bizarre plot lines. I have no idea how to even begin explaining what exactly took place within this novel. I can try, and probably cover all the bare essentials, but am not willing to put forth the effort. There are definitely some stylistic things to like, though. Pynchon's influence on DFW is pretty obvious (in fact, Vineland almost feels like a DFW novel as it dips into a plethora of genres and is post-modern as hell). A lot of Pynchon's imagery is entertaining if not beautiful, and his sense of humor is impressive (and at times right up my alley). I also think the subtle references to The Crying of Lot 49 are a fun little detail. However, the fact remains that Vineland was nearly impossible to follow, and that is a turn off.

Skinny Legs and All - Tom Robbins (1990)
Skinny Legs and All is only the second Tom Robbins novel I've read, and I think it's pretty safe to say that I probably don't need to read any more. All the charm and magic that was Still Life With Woodpecker is just obnoxious here. The weirdness of Robbins' writing style is still funny and entertaining, and I enjoyed if not loved the majority of the characters (major, minor and inanimate objects). Skinny Legs and All showcases a hefty amount of magical realism and absurdism, which is fine by me, but for some reason here it feels a little stale. I think that the greatest hurdle to get over is that Robbins has a lot of ideas concerning politics, religion, culture, art and sex, and it seems like he tried to compact them all into this 400+ page novel. Unfortunately, those ideas are way too many and too complex to really have any effect. It doesn't help that Skinny Legs and All features the usual intricate, multiple plot lines. It's hard to keep track of everything going on. In spite of all this, it was still an enjoyable read. I still look forward to spending time with Jitterbug Perfume, eventually.

Push - Sapphire (1996)
Tragic, depressing, graphic and utterly disturbing. These words usually describe books and films that I really love. However, Push may have been slightly too much. Not in the awesome way that American Psycho was, though. I don't know, I guess that here, Sapphire literally pushes the idea that beauty can somehow come out of even the most fucked up situations. However, the character of Precious Jones is in the shit a bit too deep, and the positive, inspirational side of this novel may be a bit too unrealistic. I apologize for being such a downer, but these were the first thoughts that crossed my mind when I finished. Aside from that, the writing, from a technical standpoint (not that I'm a pro, obviously) got a little annoying at times. Aside from all of that, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading Push. As I'm sure I've stated before, I love tragic and disturbing, and this, Sapphire's first novel, has those elements in spades. And despite my complaining of the somewhat forced hopeful message, the inspirational moments were pretty charming (albeit rushed and a little random). I'll admit that I'm ignorant regarding the writing of this novel. Is it based on a true story? I don't know. Whatever. Solid book.

The Recursive Girl

2011-07-02T21:04:00.001-04:00

"The Recursive Girl" by Fucked Up, from David Comes to Life (2011)
Of the 18 tracks on David Comes to Life, Fucked Up's third and latest LP, literally half of them are in contention for my favorite song of the year. More on that at a later time, but until then, feel free to enjoy maybe the album's greatest jam.

Hold Me

2011-06-24T19:29:00.002-04:00

"Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac, from Mirage (1982)
Oh, I just wanted to share another song that proves exactly how hard Fleetwood Mac rules.

Gruesome Flowers/Idle Labor/Here Before/Helplessness Blues

2011-06-23T13:21:00.000-04:00

Gruesome Flowers: A Tribute to The Wake 7" - Beach Fossils/Wild Nothing (Captured Tracks, 2011)

I'm not surprised that the two best Captured Tracks bands, Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing, got together for this tribute 7" to 80s and 90s Glasgow post-punk/indie pop group The Wake (who, after listening to this, I really want to explore their discography). Beach Fossils' take on "Plastic Flowers" is almost as good as anything on the stellar What a Pleasure EP, while Wild Nothing's version of "Gruesome Castle" isn't quite up to par with 2010's masterpieces. Still, Gruesome Flowers: A Tribute to The Wake is a nice hold-over piece.

Idle Labor - Craft Spells (Captured Tracks, 2011)

Craft Spells is yet another Captured Tracks group doing the whole 80s post-punk revival thing, and doing it well. Like the other artists on this particular record label, there are obvious nods to The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, et al. Craft Spells aren't quite to the level of excellence that Beach Fossils and especially Wild Nothing have reached, but Idle Labor is still a very good collection of moody, mid-tempo, guitar and synth oriented pop songs. I'm beginning to wonder if from here on out I'm just going to like absolutely everything that Captured Tracks releases.

Here Before - The Feelies (Bar/None, 2011)

The long awaited and hinted at return of classic jangly indie pop band The Feelies is finally here. And, for the first album from the band in 20 years, Here Before is surprisingly successful. The charm from their fantastic 80s albums is still there, just with more modern production and a slightly more tired feel. But, that's all ok, because the majority of the songs on Here Before live up to my expectations. Some even exceed them. The opening one-two punch of "Nobody Knows" and "Should be Gone" rank amongst the best of the best Feelies jams. Not my favorite record of 2011 or anything, but Here Before certainly is a welcome and much enjoyed listen.

Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop, 2011)

After finally spending some good time with Fleet Foxes' latest, I must admit, I have a hard time noticing any substantial differences between Helplessness Blues and 2008's self-titled LP and the Sun Giant EP. When an album is as gorgeous as this, though, I'm not sure how much that matters. I can't really mention any tracks or instances on Helplessness Blues that stick out, but if you loved, or even liked, the band's 2008 releases, I don't see how you couldn't dig this. This isn't even close to one of my favorites of the year, but the modern take on folk music that is Helplessness Blues always brings on a soothing and enjoyable listening experience.

Emotional Listening #5

2011-06-21T22:49:00.003-04:00

Return of the Frog Queen - Jeremy Enigk (Sub Pop, 1996)
It had been quite some time since I had last visited Return of the Frog Queen, Jeremy Enigk's solo debut. It's fun to imagine the shock of all those original Sunny Day Real Estate fans when they first realized how much of a departure this was from Enigk's involvement with that band. No, this is not a classic mid-90s emo album. In fact, it's much closer to that "freak-folk" stuff that was going on in the mid-2000s. Enigk's voice fits in perfectly with this take on folk music, which is more urgent than soft spoken. These songs are fuller than I remember them being, but just as unsettling yet beautiful. There is some sort of dark ages carnival or fantasy feel or something like that to the entire record, but somehow its charming, and overall, excellent.
Top jams: "Abegail Anne," "Lewis Hollow," "Lizard," "Call Me Steam," "Explain," "Shade and the Black Hat," "Fallen Heart"

Only Life - The Feelies (A & M, 1988)
I've been enjoying The Feelies' classic Only Life for a while now, and now is the time to finally write about it. Really, though, I don't have a ton to stay. Only Life is easy to describe: jangly, guitar dominated indie pop with peppy rhythms but sleepy vocals not too unlike Lou Reed (who's old band, The Velvet Underground, was definitely a huge influence on The Feelies). It took me a while fully understand this album's greatness, but I am so there, now. It's not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. I'm not sure why it took me until recently to realize exactly how awesome songs like "Too Much," "Deep Fascination" and especially "Away" are, while "It's Only Life" pretty much asserted itself as one of my favorite songs of all time right off the bat.
Top jams: "It's Only Life," "Too Much," "Deep Fascination," "Higher Ground," "The Final Word," "Away," "What Goes On"

Clouds Taste Metallic - The Flaming Lips (Warner Bros., 1995)
For several years I was under the impression that Clouds Taste Metallic was my second favorite Flaming Lips album (after The Soft Bulletin, of course). Don't think that's the case anymore, but it's still really badass. "This Here Giraffe," "When You Smile" and "Bad Days" are three of my favorite Lips songs ever, and every other song here is at least totally good. Aside from the typically great Wayne Coyne melodies, what really draws me in are those gnarly, distorted Frid-drums, and those chimey guitars that flow in and out of songs wonderfully (the best of which is showcased in "When You Smile"). I think I'm finally ready to admit that Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is superior to Clouds Taste Metallic, but not really by much.
Top jams: "Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus With Needles," "Placebo Headwound," "This Here Giraffe," "When You Smile," "Kim's Watermelon Gun," "Christmas at the Zoo," "Evil Will Prevail," "Bad Days"

For the Birds - The Frames (Plateau, 2001)
Thanks to be to my dawg and former bandmate Stephen Dahmer (via Alec Jensen, I think) for turning me on to this album back during my junior year of college. It's hard not to rolly my eyes at Dublin's The Frames these days since the main dude was in that Once film and is one half of that Swell Season group. But, miraculously perhaps, their 2001 album, For the Birds, actually is fantastic. Steve Albini worked with the band on it in some (unknown to me) capacity, and you can sort of tell, which is cool. When things get loud, the drums get Albini-esque and loud too. Anyway, For the Birds is a polite, dynamic record. There are slow, drawn out, constantly building ballads ("Headlong"), balls out rockers ("Early Bird"), and even a couple nice pop songs ("Lay Me Down," "Fighting on the Stairs"). For the Birds is chock full of outright jams, and even the album's secret track is great. If you your jam is somewhat safe but interesting, mostly mellow pop/rock with a little bit of experimentation, I'm not sure there's an album I can recommend any higher.
Top jams: "In the Deep Shade," "Lay Me Down," "What Happens When the Heart Just Stops," "Headlong," "Fighting on the Stairs," "Early Bird," "Santa Maria," "Mighty Sword"

One Time Bells - French Kicks (Startime, 2002)
Without question, One Time Bells, French Kicks', is a severely overlooked album by one of the most underrated bands of the past decade. It's not there best or anything, not even close, but it's still quite a debut LP, with the majority of the songs being at least great. Yes, French Kicks were a band in NYC when the whole garage rock revival occurred in the early 2000s, and it's unfortunate that they just get lumped in with that scene. They're way more like The Walkmen than they are The Strokes. Add some soulful vocal harmonies with that smart and quirky drumming, sparse guitars and cheesy keyboards and you have One Time Bells (and in essence, French Kicks). "When You Heard You" and "Crying Just for Show" immaculate show off the band's choppy, post-punk side (which they do best on this particular record), but are only the second and third best songs here. The plodding, full on R&B of "Close to Modern" takes the cake as #1 (which is funny to me because it is also the album's most subtle track). As much as I like One Time Bells right now, it's insane to think about how much better French Kicks got on their next two records.
Top jams: "Wrong Side," "When You Heard You," "Down Now," "Crying Just for Show," "Close to Modern," "Trying Whining," "Where We Went Off," "Sunday Night is Fair"

Bored to Death: Season One

2011-06-19T20:19:00.002-04:00

Bored to Death: Season One (2009)
Finally got around to watching the first season of Jonathan Ames' Bored to Death with my housemates last week. Unsurprisingly, it was totally good. Surprisingly, it's not nearly as edgy as standard HBO fare.

Bored to Death is about a young author who struggles to write his second novel along with getting over his ex-girlfriend and decides to use the knowledge and insight he's gained from all the detective novels he's read to act as an unlicensed private detective. Quite the funny plot, if you ask me, and it actually works.

What I love about season one, aside from Jason Schwartzman being his usual self and Ted Danson's outstanding performance, is how near innocent it is. Sure, there's a smidge of hilarious violence here, and a touch of sexual activity there. I guess I mean that the events that take place, let alone Schwartzman's character and a good portion of his decisions within the story seem juvenile in an adorable and innocent way, which I think is the main thing that makes Bored to Death different than any other HBO show. Instead of grimey and defiant, it is simply fun, quirky and absolutely hilarious. I don't think it's the best television series I've ever seen or anything like that, but I thoroughly enjoyed this first season, and look forward to watching the next one.

Oh yeah, and that Zach Galifianakis is pretty funny in it, too.

Savage Night at the Opera

2011-06-18T13:14:00.004-04:00

"Savage Night at the Opera" by Destroyer, from Kaputt (2011)

If you still haven't listened to Destroyer's Kaputt, then get with the program and at least listen to this sweet jam, please. The song gets especially awesome when the lead guitar riff finally comes in at around the 2:40 mark.

True Grit/The Crying of Lot 49

2011-06-14T12:53:00.000-04:00

True Grit - Charles Portis (1968)

After quickly reading True Grit, it is not surprising that in 2010, the Coen brothers wrote and directed a modern film version. This western style revenge story certainly seems up the Coens' alley, as it is intelligent, dark, disturbing, clever and even quite hilarious at parts. The tough, young main character presents interesting contrast with her older, grittier companions of the law. It feels like the details of the story's antagonists were rushed, but that makes for some vague, mysterious villains, which is always cool. I love the way True Grit is written. It's almost as if you're sitting around a campfire in the wild west with an old, close friend who is retelling his or her most recent epic adventure. Plus, there were certain elements of the dialogue that made me chuckle out loud, which is always a bonus. True Grit didn't completely blow me away like I was hoping, but it is a very fun novel that is interestingly and well written, and I recommend everyone to take a stab at it at some point.

The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (1966)

I had quite the difficult time following the seemingly post-modern classic, The Crying of Lot 49, which is the first Thomas Pynchon novel I've read. I feel that the fact that I was let down is my fault. I don't know if it was distraction, or that everything about the book caught me off guard, but I missed so many details (that I'm sure were crucial to the apparent charm of the story), and quickly lost the plot. I would pick it back up from time to time, but overall, I feel that this reading experience was lacking, and I definitely intend to give The Crying of Lot 49 another shot at some point down the road. There were still some things I liked about it, though. Pynchon definitely has a style and a way with the technical form of language that is very appealing. Most if not all of the characters were quirky if not totally hilarious, and they had awesomely funny names, like Mike Fallopian and Genghis Cohen, to name a few. Also, I was intrigued by how insane, detailed and entirely complex the plot was for a 150 page novel. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, which definitely came out of left field, but in a really cool way. I am not proud that I went to Wikipedia to try to make sense of all that I was confused about in The Crying of Lot 49, but maybe that will have a positive effect on the next time I read it.

Suburban Home

2011-06-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

"Suburban Home" by Descendents, from Milo Goes to College (1982)

Is it weird that as I get older, I am becoming more and more interested in pop punk? "Suburban Home" is one of the greats.

1984/Choke/Boys Will be Boys/Little Children

2011-06-11T18:26:00.000-04:00

1984 - George Orwell (1949)

Aside from being slightly more complex and monotonous than I was expecting, George Orwell's 1984 was damn close to being exactly what I hoped for. Not my favorite dystopian novel ever (that would be Orwell's other classic, Animal Farm), it still succeeded at making me feel like an idiot for never having read it before. In roughly the same way as Animal Farm, Orwell's characters here are vague and a bit confusing, which, I think works really well for his style. Unsurprisingly, I was enamored with the eerie feel of pretty much every detail within the book, and a portion of the events were more unsettling than I was looking for (which is a pretty cool thing, I think). I wish I had read this back in mid-college, when I was especially obsessed with Animal Farm, for I think I would have appreciated it more. Still, it's about time I finally did it, and it was not disappointing in any way.

Choke - Chuck Palahniuk (2001)

A little closer to mediocre than good, Choke is shamefully the first Palahniuk novel I've read. His repetition of phrases reminds me of Vonnegut, but the comparisons definitely end there. Choke is an utterly twisted character study of a true anti-hero who is easy to hate. His addiction to sex is entertaining and leads to some juicy, disgusting text. The "choking" element of his character, where he purposely chokes on food at various restaurants to provide random people a heroic opportunity, and then benefits from well-meaning cards and donations of cash, is somewhat detestable but unheard of, and thus, fascinating. The stoner dialogues are humorous but often times confusing, meaningless and utterly stupid. I don't know. Choke was definitely an entertaining read, but I sure am glad that it was a quick one.

Boys Will be Boys - Jeff Pearlman (2008)

Jeff Pearlman's summary of the scandals and triumphs of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys dynasty is easily one of the best things I've read thus far in 2011. It was just as enjoyable to read about the game of football actually being played (granted, I'm a huge football fan) as it was to read about all the insanity that took place behind closed doors. Hookers. Weed. More hookers. Cocaine. More cocaine. Drunk driving. Dramatically tense business relationships. Even more cocaine and hookers. Most fascinating were the tense moments throughout owner Jerry Jones' and former coach Jimmy Johnson's partnership, defensive end Charles Haley's mental issues, his obsession with his penis, and just being an overall jerk, and the fact that Michael Irvin once stabbed a teammate in the neck with a pair of scissors (amidst all of his other ridiculous and disturbing antics). I already had a good idea about all of the sex and drug scandals, but it certainly was entertaining to divulge in all the juicy details. Fortunately, the game details were just as interesting as well as nostalgic for me, as this all took place during the time I was first getting into football, and I remember watching all of these Super Bowls. Irvin, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith and co. had quite a run in so many ways throughout the 90s, and I loved all the insight and scandalous tales the Pearlman brings to life in this brilliant if not perfect book.

Little Children - Tom Perrotta (2004)

I had seen the film version of Little Children several years ago, and though I don't remember all the intricate details, it seems like it did a good job of capturing the feel and displaying the events of the book, which I ended up liking even more than I expected. With this novel, Tom Perrotta tells a dark, comedic tale of questionable marriage and parenthood, dominated by events such as extramarital affairs, child molestation, and dealing or reconciling with those in the midst of a seemingly normal suburban town. Some elements of Little Children are unsurprisingly (and probably intentionally) juvenile, but Perrotta offers up some interesting insight. More than anything, I enjoyed the wonderfully formed and incredibly flawed characters, and the events that take place within the story are dramatic, disturbing and funny in all the right ways. Also, it is so rare that a book has such an appropriate ending that is equally funny and depressing.

Igby Goes Down/Kick-Ass

2011-05-30T09:59:00.000-04:00

Igby Goes Down (2002)

Written and directed by Burr Steers

The early 2000s seemed to be the prime time for dark, coming of age comedies about dysfunctional families, and that's exactly what Igby Goes Down. I probably would have loved this back in late high school or early college, but I'm just about ten years late and it was quite a chore to get through last night. In spite of the ensemble cast, the acting was pretty terrible. The biting, clever dialogue seemed completely forced. The cast seemed to have no chemistry whatsoever, and the characters reactions to EVERYTHING were unbelievable and absolutely ridiculous, making every single one of them detestable at best. I won't deny that Igby Goes Down had its moments, but they were few and far between.

Kick-Ass (2010)

Written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, directed by Matthew Vaughn

My interest in and passion for film has waned considerably since I've become so obsessed with reading over the past couple of years, but Kick-Ass was completely refreshing. One of those rare films that I had very high expectations for and they were exceeded. The acting is good, not amazing, but that doesn't even matter as the film's feel and visuals are almost untouchable for this genre. Every character is lovable and fascinating in their own right, and the ridiculous concept comes across in an incredibly charming way. Unsurprising to me, what I loved best about Kick-Ass was the contradiction of these young kids (high school age and younger) being involved in such violent acts. The writing and direction breezes over this like it's no big deal, and this blows my mind. That being said, the violence is gratuitous but artfully done, let alone necessary. Overall, Kick-Ass is both fun and dark, if not completely messed up, thus totally up my alley.

Kafka on the Shore/The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

2011-05-26T14:07:00.000-04:00

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami (2002)

What a wonderful conundrum. I feel like I understand the events in this novel as best as I possibly could, yet I have no idea how to describe in words exactly what actually occurs in Kafka on the Shore, the first Murakami novel I've read. I loved every single character, especially the two main ones. The novel combines gorgeous prose and magical realism with philosophy, mystery and sometimes even terror. What this book excels at is its imagery, unbelievability and creepiness (of which there is much more than I expected). The few complaints I have are that the dialogue comes across as a little too innocent and naive, and at some point (and I can't even place exactly where this happens) I started to lose interest in the story. That being said, Kafka on the Shore still ended up being everything I hoped for and so much more. This disturbing (in the best ways) story of love and companionship takes place in a world where cats talk, evil formless beings use human bodies and souls as vessels (which is so Final Fantasy) and our shadows or spirits act out our innermost desires. In other words, despite its imperfection, Kafka on the Shore is perfectly up my alley, and it did not disappoint.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz (2007)

Despite getting an arrogant vibe from the author and not being able to read an irritating amount of the book due to having abandoned my high school spanish skills long ago, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was still an enjoyable if not great read. Sure, all the Watchmen and Lord of the Rings references (along with all the other sci-fi and fantasy ones) sprinkled throughout helped, but the story was truly fascinating. Sometimes the shift in narrator and the vast amount of book that wasn't actually about the lovable main character got annoying. But, all that was made up for in other ways, namely in the fascinating events that take place (love after love lost and then finally gained, third world upbringings, magical realism-esque curses, attempted suicides, horrendous beatdowns, the footnote side-plot showcasing the backstory of the Dominican Republic dictator Trujillo, etc.). While I sort of hinted at and complained about the fact that the majority of this book focuses on characters that aren't the main one, Oscar, they are still interesting and likable ones who's plots were intense and twisted in their own wonderful ways. The passion evident in Junot Diaz's writing is a bonus, even if he's trying too hard to sound young, hip and informal in such a formal arena as a novel. Criticisms aside, there is way more that is good about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao than bad, and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone.

Eastbound & Down: Season One

2011-05-21T21:23:00.001-04:00

Eastbound & Down: Season One (2009)
Earlier this week, I decided it was time to revisit the first season of Eastbound & Down (especially since I had recently purchased it for a mere $9.99 thanks to a sweet Amazon deal). Unsurprisingly, I was reminded of how incredible this show is. Not only is this particular season an utterly flawless debut, its got to be one of the best television shows, period (and I haven't even seen any of the second season).

Obviously, the show is hilarious. But it is so much more than that. The plot and characters are complex, slightly to very awkward, deeply twisted and the funniest since Curb Your Enthusiasm's sixth season, or maybe even Arrested Development. Danny McBride's Kenny Powers is one of the greatest characters no matter what facet of media, let alone in any genre of tv show, in recent memory. Will Ferrell's minor role as Ashley Schaeffer is classic Will Ferrell. Most surprising (in the best way) is Steve Little, who plays the ridiculous, confusing Stevie Janowski, Powers' eventual sidekick. Everyone else is fantastic, and totally worth mentioning, but I'm running out of steam here already.

In case you don't know, Kenny Powers' story is that he is a former MLB relief pitcher who's career went to shit due to his anger issues, racist ramblings and addiction to partying and drugs. He ends up moving in with his brother and sister-in-law and their children and takes a job as a substitute gym teacher at the high school I think he graduated from. This first season showcases Kenny's insanely fluctuating, emotional and intense personality as well as his zany antics at trying to get back to the big leagues and reconnecting with his high school sweetheart, who at this point is engaged to be married to the high school's principle. Rereading all of that, it sounds like the show is just sad, and it is, but McBride makes it all so damn funny.

Eastbound & Down is a comedy of the highest regard, but what really makes it so near perfect is how dark and disturbing the story actually is when you get under all the humor. And, season one's conclusion is definitely one of my absolute favorite season-enders ever. You've probably all seen it, but if you haven't, please get with the program.

Party in the USA/Away

2011-05-20T22:49:00.003-04:00

Here are seriously two more of my top jams right this second.

"Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus from The Time of Our Lives EP (2009)
I assume I'm way late to this game, but for a while now, in my mind, there has been a three-way battle for best recent Top 40 pop radio song between Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA," Katy Perry's "California Girls" and Kesha's "We R Who We R." After hearing it twice at the wedding reception for my friends Zach and Erin, and then listening to it repeatedly over the past few days, I have decided this rare honor goes to "Party in the USA." The melody is good throughout, but fantastic during the chorus, where it is also joined by some badass synth bass. For better or worse, I am not ashamed. The song is awesome.

"Away" by The Feelies from Only Life (1988)
Here's just another really great song by The Feelies that for some reason I just noticed when I was listening to Only Life the other night.

Feel Me Flow

2011-05-18T20:38:00.000-04:00

"Feel Me Flow" by Naughty by Nature, from Poverty's Paradise (1995)

I'm not a hip hop guy at all, but I sure loved this jam in the fifth and sixth grades. I hadn't heard the song since then until last August, when Travis DJed Jensen's wedding and included it on the playlist. It reopened up a world of fondness and nostalgia, and unfortunately I hadn't gotten around to downloading the track for my own benefit until just the other day.

In spite of my having little to interest or passion for hip hop in general, "Feel Me Flow" fits in with the few songs of that style that I do really like. It's incredibly smooth and features a classic sounding soul sample (I have no idea what it is, though) that is actually quite beautiful. The melody during the chorus is fantastic, even if it's not sung especially well (which is my preference, anyway). Also, I'm into this more percussive, staccato style of rapping. I feel like we don't hear that anymore? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Lamb/The Doom That Came to Gotham/Visitations

2011-05-17T12:18:00.000-04:00

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore (2002)

A fictional retelling of the life of Jesus Christ as told through the eyes of his also fictional best friend Levi (nicknamed Biff, here). In spite of this being only the second Christopher Moore novel I've read, it's safe to say that he completely nailed it here. The first three quarters of the book creates a wonderful backstory for Jesus. We obviously don't know anything about his life shortly after his birth until he begins his ministry in his early 30s, and Moore's imagination really runs rampant here in the best possible way. However, Moore mostly succeeds when he strays a little from his sense of humor and adds some humility and morality to the story. He gets a bit more serious than I ever expected of him, and it's really good stuff. Moore obviously studied up on the Bible amongst other sources, but all the fictionalized details are thoroughly enjoyable. Every single character, major or minor, is portrayed incredibly well. I won't deny that my appreciation for Lamb is boosted by my upbringing in the church, but I think absolutely anyone would be touched, challenged and at the very least find enjoyment in reading this. It is definitely one of the best books I've read so far in 2011.

The Doom That Came to Gotham - Mike Mignola & Richard Pace (2000)

Overall, this three issue mini-series is typical Mike Mignola fare, in my opinion. Rushed story, lots of holes, very cool imagery and religious/mystic symbolism. Visually, the series is quite fantastic. The way classic characters are used in this twist on the Batman story is pretty cool, even when the events they're involved in are completely inexplicable. Harvey Dent's role is the most interesting and disturbing (especially visually). And per usual, Mignola's monsters look pretty amazing. More flawed than I was hoping for, but still solid.

Visitations - C.S. Morse (1998)

Quick and easy to read, eerie, touching, tragic and gorgeous in every way. A tale and character study that questions morality, spirituality and life after death. Pretty heavy stuff for such a short book, let alone for one that features such innocent and attractive artwork. Pretty much loved it.

Emotional Listening #4

2011-05-15T20:19:00.000-04:00

Apple O' - Deerhoof (Kill Rock Stars/5 Rue Christine, 2003)
Not surprisingly, here's yet another Deerhoof record for me to love and cherish. The only major difference I can hear between Apple O' and the record that followed it, Milk Man, is perhaps that the former is more cohesive. Otherwise, here is another, earlier example of Deerhoof doing what they do: bizarre, impressively complex guitar rock with high quality albeit overtly adorable vocal melodies. However, just like every other Deerhoof record that I know and love, it's the eerily beautiful guitar parts and the completely bat shit insane drumming that just kills me. It doesn't matter to me that between Apple O' and 2005's The Runners Four, nothing much changed in their sound. It still sounds fresh to these ears, because who else is writing and performing music this way?
Top jams: "Dummy Discards a Heart," "Heart Failure," "Flower," "L'Amour Stories," "Panda Panda Panda," "Hayley and Homer," "Blue Cash"

Where You Been - Dinosaur Jr. (Sire, 1993)

There was a time when I thought Where You Been was Dinosaur Jr.'s best album, at least out of the ones I'm familiar with. Then 2009 happened and Farm was released, and it has been my favorite since. Anyway, 1993's Where You Been is still really good. There's nothing out of the ordinary here. It is chock full of J. Mascis' slacker vocals and usual heroic guitar wankery as well as Murph's solid as hell drumming. "Goin' Home" and "I Ain't Sayin'" are standouts. "Start Choppin'" is not only the best song on the record, it is also my favorite of theirs, period. At some point soon, though, I need to start checking out the Dino Jr. records prior to this one.

Top jams: "Out There," "Start Choppin'," "On the Way," "Get Me," "Hide," "Goin' Home," "I Ain't Sayin'"

The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified - The Dismemberment Plan (DeSoto, 1997)

It has taken me too many years to come to terms with The Dismemberment Plan's second LP, The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified. I get it now, guys. Of course, it is zanier and much, much more flawed than Emergency & I and Change, and the band's subtle merging of punk and soul hadn't been fully realized yet, but there are definitely some highlights here. The record opens up strongly with "Tonight We Mean It," "That's When the Party Started" and then probably the best song here, "The Ice of Boston." Beyond that, things get a bit inconsistent. However, I was pleasantly surprised by "Manipulate Me," which most recently has ruled me pretty hard. The fact that Travis Morrison does more talking and yelling here than on the later albums isn't too much of a turn off. In fact, that vocal style is probably more appropriate for these songs anyway. At worst, The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified is simply an interesting transitional record. At best, it is some good, unique, arty and funky punk rock.

Top jams: "Tonight We Mean It," "That's When the Party Started," "The Ice of Boston," "This is the Life," "One Too Many Blows to the Head," "It's So You," "Manipulate Me"

This Week's Sweet, Sweet Jam

2011-05-09T18:05:00.003-04:00

"Can't Make Your Life Better" by Lilys, from Better Can't Make Your Life Better (1996)

La Sera/Do Whatever You Want All the Time

2011-05-07T13:55:00.000-04:00

La Sera - La Sera (Hardly Art, 2011)

2011 has already been a productive year for the members of Vivian Girls. Not only have they released their third album, but bassist Katy Goodman has joined guitarist Cassie Ramone in releasing music under a different moniker. La Sera is Goodman's solo project, and this self-titled debut is a very solid batch of mellow and dreamy guitar pop. The guitars jangle and the bass is unsurprisingly bouncy (which is Goodman's style), and the heavily reverbed vocals fit in perfectly. Overall, La Sera may be a little more mellow than I was hoping, but the variety of sounds and quality of melodies make up for that. Standout "Been Here Before" is especially catchy and memorable.

Do Whatever You Want All the Time - Ponytail (We Are Free, 2011)

Though I didn't love it, there were things I liked about Ponytail's 2008 breakthrough, Ice Cream Spiritual, namely the mathy song structures and time signatures, the incredibly fun and complex guitar work and the insane drumming. Thankfully, those carry over onto they're latest, Do Whatever You Want All the Time. However, there are other things that make this the superior record. Molly Siegel's obnoxious vocals are still irritating at worst and interesting at best, but overall are more tolerable. While the guitar lines are still very melodic and impressively intricate, but they're more tastefully done. The drums are still completely wanky, but in this case it almost seems completely necessary. In spite of all of this, it still sounds like the band has chilled out a bit, and the inclusion of dynamics definitely helps. Do Whatever You Want All the Time isn't something I can listen to all the time, but it is an enjoyable and interesting listen every time I do put it on.

Most Recent Favorite Song at the Moment #2

2011-05-02T22:32:00.001-04:00

"You and I, Part II" by Fleetwood Mac, from Tango in the Night (1987)
1987's Tango in the Night is quickly becoming my favorite Fleetwood Mac album, and here is my favorite song from it. Am I crazy, or have a lot of the hipster jams been sounding like this these days?

Keep EP/Mind Bokeh/In Love With Oblivion/No Color

2011-04-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

Keep EP - Animal Collective (Keep, 2011)

To go along with the release of the show they designed for the Keep brand, Animal Collective released a cassette EP featuring one solo track from each member. Geologist's "Jailhouse" is a droning ambient track that befuddles me as to why it was chosen to open this EP. But, then I remembered it's Animal Collective we're talking about here. Avey Tare's "Call Home (Buy Grapes)" is pretty, polite and weird. Deakin's "Country Report" is arguably the most gorgeous tune here with its swirling samples and surprisingly nice vocals. Lastly, Panda Bear does not disappoint with closer "The Preakness," which sounds like it would have fit pretty well on his newest LP, Tomboy. Nothing crazy or mindblowing here, but definitely an interesting look at where the band is headed, especially with the rejoining of Deakin.

Mind Bokeh - Bibio (Warp, 2011)

Initially, I was taken aback in the really good way by Bibio's latest, Mind Bokeh. I was pleasantly surprised by the fun and varied sounds found throughout. Over time, my infatuation with these songs has waned considerably, but there still is quite a bit to enjoy here. To name a few of its highlights Mind Bokeh features what I consider to be an obvious nod to Thin Lizzy, a number of songs showcasing gorgeous, warm and entrancing guitar loops, and one of those popular kind of summery, Caribbean type jams in the vein of The Very Best/The Ruby Suns/etc., which actually turns out to be the best song on the record. Everything in between is solid but somewhat forgettable.

In Love With Oblivion - Crystal Stilts (Slumberland, 2011)
Front to back, Crystal Stilts' long-awaited follow-up to 2008's Alight of Night should be considered an improvement. The gloomy production here is even better, not to mention the songs and everything about them. Crystal Stilts put a dark spin on their jangly post-punk, yet seem to have developed even more of a sense of humor, which is appealing. Brad Hargett still sounds like he's channeling the ghost of Ian Curtis, and most of the time its charming. I was surprised by how bright songs like "Silver Sun" and "Half a Moon" are, and they are unsurprisingly the outright highlights of the record. In Love With Oblivion is a step in the right direction for Crystal Stilts, and I'm sure my feelings for it will only grow.

No Color - Dodos (Frenchkiss, 2011)
Here's a band that I've never really cared about it, even if I check out their albums every time they release one. 2008's Visiter was completely overrated, while the follow-up, Time to Die, was slightly underrated, but still not anything especially great. Now we come to The Dodos' latest, No Color, which is another pleasant surprise in 2011. The guitars are folky but so much more interesting than that, with various sounds, textures and rhythms. The same thing could be said about the polyrhythmic drums. Meric Long's voice is perhaps a little too good, but sometimes its nice to hear someone sing so well. Album opener "Black Night" is probably the best thing this band will ever do. I honestly don't see No Color having much staying power with me, but I'm enjoying it quite a bit for now.

Juliet, Naked/No Country for Old Men/Practical Demonkeeping

2011-04-24T14:02:00.000-04:00

Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby (2009)

Nick Hornby's most recent novel definitely isn't great, but was totally enjoyable. Great, exaggerated characters and intensely nerdy dialogue that reminded me of plenty of conversations about music that I've had with my closest friends. The plot and events that take place in the book are ridiculous if not completely unrealistic and serviceable at best, but the characters and dialogue make up a bit for that. Juliet, Naked is humorous, fun to read and is simply another solid novel by Hornby.

No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (2005)

What I found most interesting when reading No Country for Old Men is how Cormac McCarthy uses so little detail regarding human description and characteristics that the events and characters of this story seemed blurred together at times, making a lot of sections hard to follow. Yet, he describes every character's most unimportant actions in insanely specific detail. It all creates a nice sense of ambiguity here, which made for a fascinating reading experience. Otherwise, for the entirety of reading this book, I couldn't help but constantly compare it to the Coen Bros' film. Both mediums that present this story are done masterfully. In retrospect, the Coens portrayed the violence and all of the themes and characters extremely well. The one main thing that I think makes the film actually better than the book is how they each ended. The Coens cut out McCarthy's nice yet somewhat pointless conclusion and ended it in a better albeit even more ambiguous place. However, I might only feel this way due to seeing the film first. Regardless, really great read.

Practical Demonkeeping - Christopher Moore (1992)

This is my first foray into the writing of Christopher Moore, and I probably shouldn't have started with his first novel. Moore's style is quirky, delinquent and supposedly funny, which is appealing, but Practical Demonkeeping is severely lacking in the laugh department. I don't know, maybe it was a little too childish, and it seemed that Moore was trying too hard to be edgy as well? What I did like about the book was how surprisingly complex the plot was. There are some really nice twists and random interesting details that pop up here and there (which can also be a turn off, as a lot of those were pretty pointless). Practical Demonkeeping may have been overtly juvenile and nonsensical, but, it still was fun.

Underneath the Pine/Smoke Ring for My Halo/Share the Joy/Yuck

2011-04-23T23:02:00.003-04:00

Underneath the Pine - Toro y Moi (Carpark, 2011)
In 2010, Toro y Moi mastermind Chazwick Bundick released Causers of This, a fine debut LP that easily fit under the chillwave subgenre. Apparently, didn't want to mess around, for he has already released the follow-up, Underneath the Pine, which just might be the best record to be released so far in 2011. While there are definite similarities between the two albums, Underneath the Pine is advanced in all the right ways, thus making it superior. The chillwave title has been shed from these songs, as they sound more like slightly psychedelic, smooth, midtempo and upbeat R&B jams. It seems like Bundick assembled a band for this recording, and they are very good musicians putting on great performances to tape. Every song here is good, but "New Beat" is one of the three best songs I've heard so far this year.

Smoke Ring for My Halo - Kurt Vile (Matador, 2011)
The Kurt Vile hype unsuspectedly caught me in its grasp, and I am glad for it. I started with last year's Square Shells EP, which featured one lengthy psych jam session amongst several gorgeous folk ballads ala a grittier Nick Drake or maybe even what I imagine Springsteen's Nebraska might sound like. Smoke Ring for My Halo, Vile's fourth full length, doesn't sound much different from that, aside from the fact that songs are even better. The production on these songs is both warm and eerie, which adds up to perfect. Vile's melodies are insanely good, and his flawed voice makes them even cooler. Smoke Ring for My Halo presents a brand of folk music that I can really get behind, especially with an album opener like "Baby's Arms," which is also one of the three best songs I've heard in 2011.

Share the Joy - Vivian Girls (Polyvinyl, 2011)
2009's Everything Goes Wrong was the album where Vivian Girls truly arrived, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, their 2008 self-titled debut features some of their greatest moments, but Everything Goes Wrong was a real album's album. On Share the Joy, their Polyvinyl debut, the gals go back to simply releasing a collection of songs that may or may not all work together (I'm still on the fence about this). There are a number of details on the album that prove that it is a transitional one. That some of the songs have taken an even more 50s doo-wop twist is interesting. Unsurprisingly (though not necessarily a good thing for a band like this), the production has gotten even better. The reverbed guitars are the best on a Viv Girls album yet. Most of the songs are good if not great, but there are some corny moments that I have a hard time getting over. Also, Cassie Ramone's voice sounds like it has gotten worse, which is another problem for me. It sounds like the gals are having a difficult time deciding which direction they want to go in, and Share the Joy suffers a little bit from that. But, I still enjoy it, and at the very least, it turns out that "I Heard You Say" is one of the absolute greatest tunes the Vivs have composed.

Yuck - Yuck (Fat Possum, 2011)
It's weird to me that an English band like Yuck is so blatantly inspired by American alternative rock from the 1990s. On their self-titled debut LP, there are pretty obvious nods to the likes of Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, maybe even The Lemonheads, The Vaselines or even Gin Blossoms at some points. When a really good band also happens to be full of shameless revivalists, I don't usually mind one bit, and that stands with Yuck. Here, there is absolutely nothing challenging or original, but the songs are so good, it doesn't even matter. I could have done with a few less ballads, but that is made up for with all the badassery presented on tracks like "The Wall" and "Operation." And, as for that third song to make the list of the three best songs I've heard from 2011 thus far, it is Yuck opener "Get Away."

Favorite Albums of 2000-2009: #5-1

2011-04-18T23:02:00.001-04:00

Alright, we've finally made it to the end of my incredibly late decade-end best of list. It's been fun, but I'm glad I can finally put this all to rest. All 25 albums have been extremely important to me, but these top five are obviously the cream of the crop. These records have played a huge role in shaping and changing the way I listen to and think about music, let alone how I view life. Dramatic, much? Sure, but it's true.

I hope these especially lengthy blurbs are easy to follow and enjoyable to read. Going through them again before I post, they seem a bit scatterbrained and stupid. I apologize.

Anyway, here we go!

(5) You Forgot It in People - Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts, 2002)
You Forgot It in People is not only the album that put Broken Social Scene on the map, but it utterly blows everything else anyone in the band has ever done (and probably ever will do) out of the water. I like all three of the other BSS albums, but You Forgot It in People is just a pure behemoth of a record in every way. It is so great, that even the two or three boring moments are good. From front to back, it's hard to ignore the elements of experimentation, collaboration and outright talent. It is a huge bonus that the album sounds like it was incredibly fun to make, and seeing the band play these songs live is evidence of that. You Forgot It in People opened my mind to the repetition of a groove and made me fall in love with the concept of raw, gnarly sounds recorded and produced really well. The sounds here are so varied, between the anxious and driving "KC Accidental," the Caribbean tinged instrumental "Pacific Theme," the spacey, beautiful and utterly creepy "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl" and the soft whispers of "I'm Still Your Fag" (to name a few examples). But, somehow, it all works together as one cohesive whole, and I think that is what is so impressive about it. Blah blah blah, you've all heard this album before. I'm glad that it has affected me so much and that it still sounds fresh to these ears.
Top jam: "KC Accidental"

(4) Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie (Barsuk, 2003)
I gotta say that I feel pretty lame for loving this, Death Cab's popular mid-career album, as much as I do. But, screw it. When Transatlanticism was released in the fall of 2003, everything in my life was aligned just so that it had a tremendous effect on me. That fall was a weird and transitional but really really great time for me. Most of my fondest memories are from that school year, and they are all attached to this album. That is what makes it so great. While, technically and musically speaking, We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes and The Photo Album are probably better, I don't have nearly as pertinent and memorable of experiences to go along with them. That's not to say that good memories are all that Transatlanticism has to offer me anymore, as it is a damn fine album in its own right. "The New Year" is probably their second best album opener after "Title Track." "Death of an Intierior Decorator" is one of the band's most underrated jams (the bridge is one of their greatest moments ever). "We Looked Like Giants" is quite a departure, and the extended ending is another one of their more brilliant moves. The melody and lyrics on "Expo '86" are some of Ben Gibbard's absolute best. Even the ballads "Passenger Seat" and "A Lack of Color" are fantastic. Transatlanticism is full of beautiful moments, and they are all intensified by the memories connected to them. It's weird and rare and nice to have an album where the depths of emotional connection are more important than the music, but Transatlanticism still flourishes at both.
Top jam: "Expo '86"

(3) Tones of Town - Field Music (Memphis Industries, 2007)
Here's another record that timed its entrance into my life perfectly. By the spring of 2007, I had pretty much ditched my passion for overtly complex music dominated by drums and guitars for simple pop songs. Then Field Music's sophomore effort, Tones of Town, came along and amazingly merged the two worlds together. On it, the insanely talented brothers Brewis present wonderfully crafted Beatles-esque tunes with a touch of XTC (Skylarking in particular) and a whole lot of curveballs. The songs' arrangements, structures, rhythms and time signatures are all very complex, but the hooks are still prominent, and that's why Tones of Town is perfect. The guitar and bass lines are incredibly smart. the melodies and harmonies are otherworldly while maintaining catchiness and the drumming is quirky in the best way. Combine all of that with some gorgeous strings and all of those intricacies mentioned above, and you've pretty much got THE album that perfectly defines me as both a music fan and a musician.
Top jam: "Give It Lose It Take It"

(2) Discovery - Daft Punk (Virgin, 2001)
Even though I am not really interested in dancing at all anymore, Discovery is the album that first made me love to once upon a time ago. There's really nothing to say about Daft Punk's disco-house magnum opus that hasn't been said before. With it I have fond memories of dance parties both good and bad (mostly good). Every song, sound, sample, beat, miniscule detail needed to be on this album. "Aerodynamic," "Crescendolls," "High Life," "Something About Us," "Face to Face" and "Too Long" are all top highlights. The only thing is, "Digital Love" has been downgraded from my favorite song of all time to my second favorite song of all time. That's the only remotely negative thing I can say about Discovery. Perhaps it might be the most perfect album on this list of five perfect albums.
Top jam: "Digital Love"

(1) Kid A - Radiohead (Capitol, 2000)
I apologize for this obvious choice sitting in my number one spot, but every other person, magazine or blog who picked Kid A as the best album to be released between the years of 2000 and 2009 is correct. Here's the thing about it: Not only is it my favorite record from the decade, the one that I've listened to more than any other, but in my heart of hearts, I believe that it is also the most important release or even artistic statement from that time. I'm sure that by this point, all you friends are extremely sick and tired of my obsessive rambling on Radiohead. But, they deserve, and Kid A deserves it more than any other album from that decade. Now, let me talk about this music. There is not one questionable moment on this record (even though Eno-esque instrumental "Treefingers" is appropriate and weirdly gorgeous at least). The themes of fear, anxiety and alienation are just as relevant and moving as they are on OK Computer, just in a slightly different way. The band's foray into electronics and more ambient soundscapes is incredibly successful and really lends itself to the versatility of the record. "Everything in Its Right Place," "Kid A," "How to Disappear Completely," "Optimistic," "In Limbo," "Idioteque" and "Morning Bell" are the album's best tracks, and could and should all be considered some of Radiohead's absolute greatest ever. It is such a bonus that along with everything that makes the album perfect technically and musically, I also have good memories from and sentimental ties to it from high school. Anyway, to summarize: Kid A is a provocative yet awe-inspiring statement from a band that was already at the top of their game. It blows my mind that a band can make such potentially career destroying moves only to end up furthering their legacy with each release.
Top jam: "Kid A"

Favorite Albums of 2000-2009: #10-6

2011-04-15T01:28:00.000-04:00

(10) Feels - Animal Collective (Fat Cat, 2005)

I'm not sure if Feels is my favorite Animal Collective record because at that point, there weren't any other bands or artists in existance who sounded remotely close to it, or if it just really is better than Merriweather Post Pavilion. Regardless, I prefer Feels, but only slightly. I'm not sure I can even explain why specifically, aside from the fact that this is the album that first won me over. Sometimes I think its because Feels is much more organic. There are actually drums, guitars and pianos being played. But, I like the synth-affected, sample heavy sounds of their more recent material just as much. "Brother Sport" is better than anything heard on Feels, and "My Girls" and "Taste" might be as well. My slightly more intense fondness for this album might have everything to do with my simply appreciating the moodiness presented on these songs. Also, MPP helped to create a slew of terrible acts in its wake, while Feels is completely untouchable and to this day I've never heard anything quite like it. I'll quite my rant at that.

Top jam: "Banshee Beat"

(9) Designing a Nervous Breakdown - The Anniversary (Vagrant/Heroes & Villains, 2000)

Just before The Get Up Kids got really shitty, they must have passed on some of their powers to Lawrence, Kansas friends, The Anniversary. The bands much underrated debut LP, Designing a Nervous Breakdown, combines the best of TGUK's first two albums (the rawness and emo-ness of Four Minute Mile and the catchiness of Something to Write Home About) and that is stirred up with even more 80s synths (mostly if not exclusively of the Moog variety), a girl singer and vague, literary lyrics. I love everything about this record, including but not being limited to the huge, detuned drums, bouncy bass, boy/girl vocals and somewhat classically emo guitars. Believe it or not, even the lyrics are great in a similarly literate and nostalgic way as Bob Nanna's for Braid. Even though it's another record that brings me back to my high school days, if I even had one complaint, it would be that the closer, "Outro in No Minor" goes on a little too long. Otherwise, Designing a Nervous Breakdown is still perfect to this day.

Top jam: "Till We Earned a Holiday"

(8) Apologies to the Queen Mary - Wolf Parade (Sub Pop, 2005)

Even though at the time I had ranked Sufjan Stevens' Illinois as my favorite album of 2005, in retrospect, it is easily Wolf Parade's debut full length, Apologies to the Queen Mary, that I am foremost reminded of when I think back to that year. Being the only truly great Wolf Parade album to exist thus far, it came from that special time of "blog rock," but has outlasted absolutely everything that came from that culture. Along with the ghostly feel of the record, the anthemic, warbling vocals, gnarly guitars and drums and all those cheesy, fantastical, catchy-as-hell synths always have been and always will be what draws me to this record. Everything just lined up wonderfully for this band at this time, and I am thankful for it, because it produced a perfect record.

Top jam: "Shine a Light"

(7) Change - The Dismemberment Plan (DeSoto, 2001)

I am always going back and forth between Emergency & I and Change as to which album by The Dismemberment Plan I prefer. It usually just depends on which version of the band I want: the somber, introspective and zany one, or the somber, introspective and mature one. It doesn't matter, they're both perfect for some of the same reasons, and a lot of different ones. Change first came to me at around the middle of my freshman year of college. It was an incredibly awkward time in my life, and I think that that's one of the main reasons why I have so much attached to it. The specificity of the lyrics and the ambiguity and all those minor chords throughout the songs really just hit the spot during that weird time, and I've never looked back. Plus, I don't know that there's a better opening to a record ever like the one-two-three punch here of "Sentimental Man," "The Face of the Earth" and "Superpowers." No big deal, just one of two perfect albums from one of the greatest underground bands to ever exist.

Top jam: "Sentimental Man"

(6) In Rainbows - Radiohead (TBD/ATO, 2008)

If you know me at all, you knew that this list was going to feature a Radiohead album. There's so much to be said about In Rainbows, and I'm going to try really hard not to say it all, but I am making no promises. To start, I'm not even going to say anything about the strategy of which it was released (as fun and amazing as it was). At its most basic, In Rainbows is Radiohead's return to rock 'n' roll that Hail to the Thief was supposed to be. But, obviously, it's much more than that. First off, and in spite of what the band have said retrospectively about the recording process, it sounds like Radiohead are actually having fun on In Rainbows. Apparently that's not actually true, but whatever, the record sure sounds that way. There are way more upbeat songs than usual. There are some different production ideas (like close miccing the drums instead of using the room, to name one). Some of the songs even sound like love songs. Unlike all their previous albums, which are full of paranoia and anxiety, In Rainbows is warm, lush and absolutely gorgeous, with layers upon layers of shimmering guitars, tight rhythms and all the other usual Radiohead characteristics. These songs just have faster tempos and like I stated earlier, warmth, for once. Although "Videotape" is one of my least favorite Radiohead closers, I probably don't even need to tell you that I still think this is a perfect album.

Top jam: "House of Cards"

Neverwhere/MASH

2011-04-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (1996)
Considering the fact that all of my friends on Goodreads who have read Neil Gaiman's first novel, Neverwhere, gave it five stars out of five, I really wanted to love it. Unfortunately, that did not end up working out. I love fantasy, especially of the dark, mysterious kind, but I just could not get entirely into Neverwhere. All the main characters were boring, the villains were not even hatable in a likable way, the dialogue was pretty ridiculous and it seemed like barely anything happened in the story. All of that being said, the imagery was pretty cool and there were a few nice twists/faux twists. Seeing as this was Gaiman's debut novel, it was still enjoyable, and I can forgive some of his missteps here. I guess Neverwhere just seems to have been aimed at a younger or at least different audience than I was hoping.

MASH - Richard Hooker (1968)

A bit boring in places and not as good as I was hoping, MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors is the book that spawned the popular film and television series. What ensues are some humorous and memorable events (the football game chapter in particular was excellent) and some pretty fantastic characters. I think I was spending too much time looking for and focusing on the humor and characters to fully grasp the social and political commentary. Entertaining, but not absolutely great.

Favorite Albums of 2000-2009: #15-11

2011-04-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

(15) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (self-released, 2005)

Back in 2005, when it was really popular for a band to break out if a couple blogs loved their record, this little doozy snuck through that terrible time in music (that is still sort of happening, I guess) and ended up having a ton of staying power. Unfortunately, nothing that Clap Your Hands Say Yeah has done since has come even close to their self-titled debut. But, in retrospect, during such a temperate time in music, I am not going to complain about receiving one nearly flawless album from a band before they turned shitty. This record features pretty much everything you'd want from an upbeat indie pop band and then some: rich, jangly guitars, bouncy rhythms, plenty of great melodies and even some charming zaniness. It seems that a lot of people have completely forgotten about this record, and that is tragic, because it is actually quite unforgettable.

Top jam: "Is This Love?"

(14) Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone - The Walkmen (Startime, 2002)

The Walkmen are a special band, as they've never released a record that wasn't at the very least really good. However, after five proper albums, for me, I don't think they've been able to top their first one, 2002's Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone. I won't deny that maybe some of their other albums feature better songs than any of the ones that are on here (such as "Little House of Savages," "My Old Man," "In the New Year," even "Woe is Me," perhaps, maybe). What makes Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone untouchable for me is mainly the slightly more gnarly production, the overarching eerie mood that creeps over almost every song ("We've Been Had," for example, is an exception, for it is simply gorgeous) and all the awkward grooves found throughout. I'm having a hard time describing why this is the ultimate Walkmen record, but maybe that's the point. It's mysterious, smart, raw and beautiful, and there's just something about it. What a beginning of a career for one of the absolute best bands around.

Top jam: "We've Been Had"

(13) Moving Mountains - The Casket Lottery (Second Nature, 2000)

Finally, my first emo entry on this list. The Casket Lottery's sophomore LP, Moving Mountains, was one of the greatest things I had discovered all throughout high school. It is chock-full of complex song structures, rhythms and guitar lines. Nathan Ellis' and Stacy Hilt's vocals are intense and stronger and even catchier than your average emo band's. Ed Rose's production is huge and appropriate. The Casket Lottery put a darker, more intricate twist on the emo pop style of The Get Up Kids' early days. And, even though when I revisit it I can't avoid all the high school memories that are attached, Moving Mountains still is just about perfect to this day.

Top jam: "Rip Van Winkle"

(12) Oh, Inverted World - The Shins (Sub Pop, 2001)

I honestly don't have much to say about The Shins' first and best record. While I prefer the more hi-fi production of Chutes Too Narrow and even Wincing the Night Away, to a degree, Oh, Inverted World is superior to both in every other way. Well, the other two Shins records may be hosts to some songs that I like better than any on here. But, still, there are simply more great songs on Oh, Inverted World, if that makes any sense. I like how the songs here aren't quite as bright sounding, in spite of this still being a mostly upbeat pop record. Front to back, Oh, Inverted World features no mid or low points, making it as close to perfect as The Shins have ever gotten (and more than likely ever will).

Top jam: "One by One All Day"

(11) Low Level Owl: Vol. 1 & 2 - The Appleseed Cast (Deep Elm, 2001)

Another nod to my high school days, I am actually not all that surprised by how well The Appleseed Cast's biggest and greatest statement still holds up for me. In spite of consisting of 26 total songs that run over the span of almost two hours, both volumes of 2001's epic Low Level Owl aren't even close to overwhelming. With this separately released double album, The Appleseed Cast were the first band to open my mind to two things I have absolutely loved in music ever since: the voice simply used as another instrument and unhinged experimentation in the studio. Another Ed Rose production, every instrument, minute or major, manipulated or not, sounds amazing. But, what I have always loved most about Low Level Owl are those chiming, shimmering, waterfall guitars. Even though some are relatively boring, I am still utterly impressed with every single song here. As cheesy as it may sound, during my junior year of high school I was of the opinion that Low Level Owl felt like much more of an experience than just listening to a record, and I still feel that way today.

Top jam: "Signal"

Derealization EP/Disguised as Ghosts/Fading Parade

2011-04-09T18:30:00.003-04:00

Derealization EP - The Forms (Threespheres/Ernest Jennings, 2011)
Finally, The Forms have released something new! Well, only kind of. I have been chomping at the bit for some new material from these guys since their excellent 2007 self-titled LP, but all Derealization offers up is newly recorded versions of six old songs. Seriously, what the hell? It's not that these updated versions are bad. In fact, only one of them is mediocre, and the rest are actually quite good (there are even two songs toward the end that harken back to Anathallo's heydays a little bit). I guess I just don't understand the point, and I'm not nearly as into this more electronic twist that these songs have taken. I miss those beefy, spacey guitars and the rock solid Bonham-esque drumming. I still want to pick this up so that I at least get the vinyl version of The Forms' first album, Icarus, that comes with it. But, c'mon guys. Please write and record some new songs!

Disguised as Ghosts - Mock Orange (Wednesday, 2011)
What a terrible name and cover for such a solid rock record. I had long forgotten about this band, and here they come pleasantly surprising me. Mock Orange have existed since 1993 and have matured from a young emo band with mathy tendencies to the well travelled, guitar pop band they are now. Nothing has changed all that much between 2004's Mind is Not Brain, 2008's Captain Love and this year's Disguised as Ghosts, but that's totally alright. All three of these records are fairly interchangeable, and to me, they all bring to mind what Built to Spill's post-Keep It Like a Secret material SHOULD have sounded like. Anyway, the focus here is Disguised as Ghosts, and on it can be heard great melodies sung by a voice not too unlike Doug Martsch's or Jeremy Enigk's, layers of interesting and enjoyable guitar lines and some truly fantastic drumming. All the songs are good to great, and this is just one of those random gems that pop up a couple times per year.

Fading Parade - Papercuts (Sub Pop, 2011)
Libby Hopper introduced me to a little project called Papercuts back in the summer of 2007, and their album that had been released then, Can't Go Back, was perfect for me at that time. A nice, mellow, summery pop record dominated by folky ballads I suspected to be styled after The Byrds and The Zombies. In 2009 they released the follow-up, You Can Have What You Want, and while there was slightly more variety and definitely a larger sound, it didn't hit me nearly as hard. Now comes their Sub Pop debut, Fading Parade, and it is basically just an extension of You Can Have What You Want, only it is better. For the most part, the songs here are still mellow, but the overall sound is huge, and thankfully, not in a distracting way. Fading Parade's mood is definitely downtrodden, but also dreamy (as are the guitars), which I think perfectly fits the title of this record. This is a nice indie pop album that can be boring at parts, but is easy to get lost in (in a good way).

Carrie/Misery/The Adventures of Tom Sawyer/The Corrections

2011-04-08T18:27:00.005-04:00

Carrie - Stephen King (1974)
I went into Carrie knowing very little of the story aside from the climax. I actually had quite high hopes and was sort of let down. For as short of a novel as it is, the pacing was pretty slow and it dragged on way too long post-climax. Still, it was written in a very interesting way, mixing King's usual style with faux-excerpts from studies, reference books and news reports. The best and most intriguing thing about the book is Carrie's backstory, especially the history of her dangerously religious mother and their relationship (all of which is incredibly creepy). Not as great as I was hoping, but still pretty good.

Misery - Stephen King (1987)

Messed up, difficult and painful in all the right ways, however, King drags his story on quite a bit longer than he needed to. More of a demented character study than anything, Misery is a fascinating look at the psyche of a murderously insane woman and how a relatively normal big-wig author deals with being alone with her for an undetermined amount of time (at least many months). The gory parts are good, the painstakingly slow build up is great, but the ending is pretty lame, if not terrible.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain (1876)

Perhaps due to only being passively interested in classics, I've never read any Mark Twain before. I was surprised to find how enjoyable and witty The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ended up being. Twain's masterful usage of language made this hit-and-miss, jumbled together collection of adventures that much better. Not the most amazing thing I've ever read, but truly fun.

The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen (2001)

I had very high expectations for Jonathan Franzen's claim to fame, The Corrections, and they were easily met, if not exceeded, even if the story was much different than I thought it would be. As utterly depressing as pretty much everything that occurred in this novel was, Franzen's style is biting, hip, witty and tremendously fun. Every single main character was equally lovable and infuriating. Though I don't think tensions within my family will ever reach the heights that they do here for the Lamberts, a lot of that aspect of this story hit close to home. Not quite as messed up as I was expecting (and sort of hoping), the ending to The Corrections was satisfactory if not pretty great, and overall it was a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. Easily one of the best books I will read all year, and probably beyond that.

Favorite Albums of 2000-2009: #20-16

2011-04-07T21:22:00.004-04:00

(20) Smile - Brian Wilson (Nonesuch, 2004)

36 or so years after the original fact, The Beach Boys' mad genius Brian Wilson rerecorded the Smile sessions to optimal effect. I cannot deny that this over-produced, totally cheesy 2004 version is a novelty. However, that doesn't take away anything from the brilliant arrangements and melodies present on this album. In fact, a certain kind of charm is lended to these songs because of this. I listened to Smile a ton when it first came out, and very rarely listen to it anymore, but every time I do, it is a real treat.

Top jam: "Heroes & Villains"

(19) The Photo Album - Death Cab for Cutie (Barsuk, 2001)

After years of inner-dialogue and debate, I think I can admit to The Photo Album representing Death Cab for Cutie at their peak. The production, lyrical flow and content, guitar sounds and performance, and drumming are all at their absolute best. It helps that "A Movie Script Ending," "Blacking Out the Friction" and "I Was a Kaleidoscope" have to be three of DCFC's five greatest songs. There are not enough good things I can say about this record to do it justice. There is just something about Ben Gibbard's melodies, the way the snare drum snaps, the way the guitars chime, etc., etc., etc.. There are a lot of miniscule, subtle elements that just add up to make The Photo Album special. Also, I find it appropriate that I really fell in love with this when I was emotionally transitioning from high school to college. It breaks my heart that we will never see this side of DCFC again, as we all know what sort of terrible band they've turned into.

Top jam: "I Was a Kaleidoscope"

(18) Oui - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey, 2000)

It's crazy to me that The Sea and Cake's most critically acclaimed album probably isn't even my favorite of theirs. But, when all eight of your albums are no worse than really great, does this even matter? No, of course not. That being said, what makes Oui just slightly better than the band's other three albums that were released last decade is that, not unlike The Photo Album, it features three of their greatest songs, ever ("Afternoon Speaker," "All the Photos" and "Midtown"). In addition to this, drummer John McEntire's production is impeccable (as is his drumming, obviously), and at this point in their career, The Sea and Cake had already mastered their addition of subtle synths and electronic grooves to their signature combination of jazz, Caribbean, rock and pop styles. Anyway, One Bedroom, Everybody and Car Alarm might've deserved this spot, but Oui just barely rises above.

Top jam: "All the Photos"

(17) Funeral - Arcade Fire (Merge, 2004)

Yes, I know, Arcade Fire's groundbreaking debut, Funeral, is an important statement that was made during the temperate, inconsistent climate of indie rock during the middle of the last decade. Though this statement led to a slew of terrible wannabes (like, every band that got together in 2005 and 2006 and started using an acoustic guitar, keyboards AND violins and the like) every critic and nerdy music fan alike seemed to love it, and for good reason. In addition to being epic and dramatic in surprisingly tolerable ways, Funeral is beautiful, emotional and just really awesome. Its production is great, the variety of instruments used was very interesting at the time (it sorta still is, I guess), and the raw energy and emotion is virtually untouchable. There was a span of about a year or so where I thought I liked 2007's Neon Bible more, and then one day during a trip to the Traverse City area in early 2009, I was slapped in the face and ears with reality.

Top jam: "Haiti"

(16) Up in Flames - Manitoba (Domino, 2003)

I'll be surprised if this doesn't surprise pretty much everyone who cares to follow this list. I don't talk about Up in Flames much, if ever, but it really is the best thing that Dan Snaith (who traded in his Manitoba moniker for that of Caribou for 2005's The Milk of Human Kindness) has ever done. Snaith has done no wrong in my eyes, and everything he has created as Caribou has been either really good or excellent. I guess Up in Flames is just more my style. Here, he uses virtually no filter. A lot of the songs are all or nothing, or at least build to that level at some point. It features a lot of things I really like, such as completely insane double drumming, beautiful and entrancing samples, awesome melodies sung by a singer who's voice is technically mediocre at best, and subtle, video game synth sounds. There is a certain indie rock swagger here, and as much as I hear The Zombies and even a little Byrds on 2007's Andorra, Up in Flames is certainly the most psychedelic recording Snaith has produced yet. This was a real eye opener for back in my college days. That the organic and electronic could be married and manipulated in such a way blew my mind then, and still intrigues and impresses me to this day. Thank you Dan Hopper for randomly introducing me to this album during finals week of the fall 2004 semester. I've kept it close ever since.

Top jam: "Crayon"

The Babies/Cloud Nothings/Zonoscope

2011-03-30T16:06:00.006-04:00

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 #3

2011-03-29T13:14:00.000-04:00

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"