Fall 2011 Mix

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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.