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

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

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

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

JAM.

Emotional Drumming Mix #2

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

"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

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

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.