(no subject)
my list has already spawned a miniscule internet quarrel that i truly
did not mean anything by, sorry, and an imitation that makes fun of my
references. needless to say, things are going great!
NUMBER 12
clap your hands say yeah: clap your hands say yeah
to be a band like clap your hands say yeah would be truly amazing not because they are a very talented group, but because of their story. surely anyone can dream about being a beatle or thom york, but to be able to play just a few shows, record your first cd to give out at your next few shows, have the word spread about you by people all over the internet, sell over, what, like 20,000 copies of the cd you personally package for people in your own apartment, and then play sold-out shows all over the country where you begin the tour as the opener and then move to the headlining spot by the end (without even signing to a label) would surely be a nice position to be in. well, i'd still be a beatle, but pretty much cyhsy is the ultimate, the supreme, diy band. you can thank pitchfork for all the sold-out shows because they single-handedly made this band huge by, first, declaring that it's great to hear a fantastic band without a bunch of hype surrounding the music and, second, by surrounding the band with a bunch of hype. but the critical love was well-earned and clap your hands say yeah's debut album will surely be remember for quite a bit. i hear all these references to "post-loveless my bloody valentine" guitars in probably the best song on the album "in this home on ice," but i swear the guitar sounds just like normal loveless guitar. whatever, who cares. anyway, for many people each song on this album is just a "name that band" reference chance: there's some modest mouse in "skin of my yellow country teeth," some david byrne in all the songs, and, like i said, my bloody valentine, but if you just listen to the songs and forget worrying about what other bands it MIGHT sound like, i think you'll find every song on here is pretty darn good.
NUMBER 11
iron and wine: woman king/in the reins
i'm only cheating a little bit by putting ep's on my top 20 because these two combined make up the best material iron & wine has ever released and some of the best music released this year (well, obviously). it would be a difficult choice to pick the best song sam beam has ever done, but i'd feel pretty confident that "jezebel" is it. the crown jewel of the woman king ep, this song originally popped up on an unreleased demo as an immediate stunner, but when it reappears on this ep with added instrumentation and higher quality vocals (and throughout woman king you can really tell this is the best sam has ever sounded), the sheer "omg" factor slaps you across the magic marker colored sam beam imitation beard you painted on your face for the listening occasion. on in the reins, sammy teams up with calexico to revamp some unreleased songs as well. opener "he lays in the reins" is real fucking good up until the what the fuck spanish opera section which only diminishes the songs luster a smidgeon, and "16 maybe less" has some of my favorite sam beam lyrics ever, "i met my wife at a party where i drank too much/ my son is married and tells me we don't talk enough/ call it predictable, yesterday, my dream was of you." alright, so taken out of context they may not seem too amazing, but trust me, in context and with the way sammy sings it, i almost get chills (almost!) and you will feel the same way too. or atleast should.
NUMBER 12
clap your hands say yeah: clap your hands say yeah
to be a band like clap your hands say yeah would be truly amazing not because they are a very talented group, but because of their story. surely anyone can dream about being a beatle or thom york, but to be able to play just a few shows, record your first cd to give out at your next few shows, have the word spread about you by people all over the internet, sell over, what, like 20,000 copies of the cd you personally package for people in your own apartment, and then play sold-out shows all over the country where you begin the tour as the opener and then move to the headlining spot by the end (without even signing to a label) would surely be a nice position to be in. well, i'd still be a beatle, but pretty much cyhsy is the ultimate, the supreme, diy band. you can thank pitchfork for all the sold-out shows because they single-handedly made this band huge by, first, declaring that it's great to hear a fantastic band without a bunch of hype surrounding the music and, second, by surrounding the band with a bunch of hype. but the critical love was well-earned and clap your hands say yeah's debut album will surely be remember for quite a bit. i hear all these references to "post-loveless my bloody valentine" guitars in probably the best song on the album "in this home on ice," but i swear the guitar sounds just like normal loveless guitar. whatever, who cares. anyway, for many people each song on this album is just a "name that band" reference chance: there's some modest mouse in "skin of my yellow country teeth," some david byrne in all the songs, and, like i said, my bloody valentine, but if you just listen to the songs and forget worrying about what other bands it MIGHT sound like, i think you'll find every song on here is pretty darn good.
NUMBER 11
iron and wine: woman king/in the reins
i'm only cheating a little bit by putting ep's on my top 20 because these two combined make up the best material iron & wine has ever released and some of the best music released this year (well, obviously). it would be a difficult choice to pick the best song sam beam has ever done, but i'd feel pretty confident that "jezebel" is it. the crown jewel of the woman king ep, this song originally popped up on an unreleased demo as an immediate stunner, but when it reappears on this ep with added instrumentation and higher quality vocals (and throughout woman king you can really tell this is the best sam has ever sounded), the sheer "omg" factor slaps you across the magic marker colored sam beam imitation beard you painted on your face for the listening occasion. on in the reins, sammy teams up with calexico to revamp some unreleased songs as well. opener "he lays in the reins" is real fucking good up until the what the fuck spanish opera section which only diminishes the songs luster a smidgeon, and "16 maybe less" has some of my favorite sam beam lyrics ever, "i met my wife at a party where i drank too much/ my son is married and tells me we don't talk enough/ call it predictable, yesterday, my dream was of you." alright, so taken out of context they may not seem too amazing, but trust me, in context and with the way sammy sings it, i almost get chills (almost!) and you will feel the same way too. or atleast should.