2009 in music, part 1
(Two enormous LJ-cuts ahead...)
This year's been a stellar year for music so far. I enjoyed compiling the giant list last year (which I realise I didn't publish here, but I've just done it now), but the sheer size of that is probably too daunting for anyone to peruse, so I figure I'd split this year's edition into two halves, this one being January to June. Unfortunately, it's almost as bloated! The list once again includes "older" music that I've only just come across this year.
Same spiel as last year, with minor changes:
Almost all tracks or even albums should be available on elbo.ws, hypem, or a good Google search.
Albums numbered or with ** are standouts, and as a starting point, I've generally marked two tracks per album with ×. Think of it as..."Try these first! If you don't like any, maybe this artist isn't your thing." I've tried to cut down on using these to prevent a repeat of the clutter from last year. Do note that every track I've linked, marked or not, are ones I like and still recommend!
So here we go! In another change from last year, I'll be placing my top picks first, then the rest alphabetically. Yes, I know it's a little backwards, but there's no suspense!
#1. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
My favourite album of the year. If you read my list last year, you'll know Department of Eagles was my top choice then, so of course its parent band even blows it out of the water. This album is near perfect - rich textures, intimate songs that take patience, new subtleties that reveal themselves upon every listen, and even ventures into unabashed sunny pop. Voices soar and hush, nostalgia comes abound, and it's so delicate I feel like I can dream to this record. The songs go at their own pace, and if you don't give it your full attention, you may brush it off as boring, but it's far from it. It's one of the rare things that consistently give me the chills.
Try: "Two Weeks"×, "While You Wait For the Others"×, "Southern Point", "Ready, Able"
from Yellow House (2006): "Knife"×, "Easier", "On a Neck, On a Spit"×, "Little Brother"
from Department of Eagles' In Ear Park (2008): "No One Does It Like You"×, "Phantom Other"×, "Waves of Rye"
#2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
A French indie-rock/pop band who sings in English, they are absolutely incapable of writing a bad song. I even have a hard time getting past the first two songs in the album cause I want to listen to them over and over again, but the rest of the album's great too. It's synthy, dance-y, packed with tight, precise (that's the best word to describe them in general - nothing sloppy) beats and finely crafted pop gems - it's amazing that they're not more famous. I highly recommend their previous album as well; both are total summer jams.
Try: "Lisztomania"×, "1901"×, "Fences", "Lasso", "Armistice"×
from It's Never Been Like That (2006): "Consolation Prizes"×, "Rally"×, "Long Distance Call"
#3. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
A top contender for the year, this Scottish band (who manages to namecheck Toronto in a song) makes lush 60's-inspired classic pop, anything from a country ballad to an upbeat Motown song. Aside from the beautiful orchestration and songs both intimate and grand, lead singer Tracyanne Campbell has an honest voice that works when she's sad (most of the time), reminiscing, happy, or even sarcastic. Plus, she rhymes "dietary restriction" with "a lot of conviction" in the first song I've linked below. Too awesome.
Try: "French Navy"×, "Honey in the Sun"×, "Swans", "My Maudlin Career" (plus some others)
from Let's Get Out of This Country (2006): "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken"×, "Tears for Affairs"×, "If Looks Could Kill", "Let's Get Out of This Country"
#4. Amadou & Mariam - Dimanche à Bamako (2005); Welcome to Mali (2008)
One of my favourite discoveries this year. "The blind couple from Mali" (as they are commonly referred to as) sings in French, an African language I can't identify, and some endearingly limited English. Their music is always uplifting - whether about overcoming hardships and despair or just celebrating, and it's danceable, urgent, and full of Amadou's guitar solos. While Bamako feels more like an Afro-pop record, Mali is a mishmash of styles from all over the world. Both albums are highly, highly recommended.
from Bamako: "La Réalité"×, "Sénégal Fast-food"× (f. Manu Chao), "Politic Amagni", "Camions Sauvages"
from Mali: "Sabali"×, "Masiteladi"×, "Djama", "Africa" (f. K'naan)
#5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Naturally (2005); 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)
Sharon and friends are a soul/funk band, but they're absolutely authentic. So convincing, you'd probably think you just dug up some records from the 60's/70's if you didn't know any better. They even record everything with equipment from that era instead of conforming to the digital age. Backed by an amazing group of musicians, Sharon absolutely belts with her gospel-choir trained voice and you immediately know you don't want to mess with her, whether you know she used to be a prison guard (?!) or not. A very classy throwback that absolutely blows me away.
from Naturally: "How Do I Let a Good Man Down?", "Natural Born Lover", "How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?"×, "This Land Is Your Land"×
from 100 Days: "100 Days, 100 Nights", "Nobody's Baby"×, "Tell Me"×, "Answer Me"
and a single (2005): "I Just Dropped In to See What Condition My Condition was In"×
#6. St. Vincent - Actor
First impressions showcase Annie Clark's soothing melodies, woodwinds, and light strums...but then the creepy, wide-eyed Stepford factor comes in, and finally the fuzzy, warped electric guitar shredding. Where as her previous album was more coy and more composed, this one is absolutely unique music that never lets you get too comfortable, full of uneasy lyrics that make her characters (acting!) sound both extremely observant and slightly unhinged. Repeat listens are more rewarding. Oh also, +1 for keeping up the Arrested Development album-naming convention, and +1 for morbid titles for songs that aren't actually morbid.
Try: "Actor Out of Work"×, "Marrow"×, "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood", "Black Rainbow"
from Marry Me (2007): "Jesus Saves, I Spend", "Paris is Burning"×, "Marry Me"×, "Your Lips are Red"
#7. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Another experimental band I didn't pay much attention to in the past, when I first gave this record a spin after hearing it was "their most accessible yet," I absolutely hated it. And then I listened to "Stillness" a few more times...and the killer groove hit me all of a sudden. This is an experimental indie rock record that somehow has harmonizing singers who can belt it out, guitar riffs, weird music that ends up sounding like R&B, and songs that switch on a dime. It's an amazing record, sprawling and exuberant, though it may take awhile to realise it.
Try: "Stillness is the Move"×, "Two Doves", "Useful Chamber"×, "Cannibal Resource"
#8. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
An unconventional electronic album from half of The Knife, this record takes out The Knife's throbbing beats and replaces it with a stark, creepy atmosphere. Karin Dreijer Andersson morphs her voice into something deep and inhuman, and pairs it with her natural voice - it's surprisingly organic. While the lyrics are also lonely and creepy, there's a bit of a surprise - the best tracks are where she dreams of a domestic life and you can "hear" that ray of hope in the crevasse. It's definitely unlike anything else I've heard.
Try: "When I Grow Up"×, "If I Had a Heart", "Seven", "Triangle Walks"×
from The Knife's Silent Shout (2006): "We Share Our Mother's Health"×, "Silent Shout"×, "Like a Pen"
#9. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
A wonderfully catchy blend of fuzzy-pop/shoegaze that's not too noisy - they actually sound really shy, with the softly duetting male/female voices. It's sweet and melancholy, a little bit cute, very teenage, and juuust a little bit dark. Somehow everything sounds nostalgic too, whether the lyrics are or not. Each song seems to slowly work its way up to a great little payoff too. One of my favourite discoveries this year, especially among new bands.
Try: "Come Saturday", "Young Adult Friction"×, "Stay Alive", "Everything With You"×, "A Teenager In Love"
And here's the "honourable mentions"...
Alela Diane - To Be Still
I hadn't heard of her at all until I saw her open a certain gig. She's an acoustic-folk artist with a very unique voice that's both strong yet world-weary. The arrangements evoke nature, and so do her lyrics - except with some careful listening, you'll realise how she's using nature as imagery to describe other things. It's a very interesting perspective.
Try: "White As Diamonds"×, "Dry Grass & Shadows", "To Be Still"
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast / Useless Creatures **
Seeing him live? Amazing, and I'd argue even better than on record - most links below are live. After letting Noble Beast sink in for a few months, I'd say that the previous records are a bit better, but this one feels more loose. While Beast is probably his most accessible record yet, bundled with this record is the more experimental Useless Creatures, an entirely instrumental full-length record that showcases all the whistling, violin playing, and loops and layering you can handle. Definitely worth a listen.
from Noble Beast: "Oh No", "Anonanimal"×, "Fitz and the Dizzyspells"×, "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" (my video!)
from Useless Creatures: "Nyatiti"×, "Hot Math"
from Armchair Apocrypha (2007): "Plasticities", "Armchairs"×, "Spare-Ohs"
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
I usually find AC to be a little too weird for my tastes, but while they've retained much of their avant-garde style, this album's accessible enough to make me keep coming back to it. While I'm not fawning over it as much as the critics are, it's certainly got my attention. For the uninitiated, I'd call this a...psychedelic electronic record? It defies adjectives. Try listening to the music without watching the videos (which I've linked) first, or it may be a little too much to take in - trust me on this one.
Try: "My Girls"×, "Summertime Clothes"×, "Brother Sport"
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
This is a concept album about duality - two personas, chaos/balance, planets... But to me, what I hear is something like a dark primal sci-fi fairytale. This is a very theatrical pop (really?) record, I guess you could say. Anyway, listen to "Daniel" (a totally essential electro-pop song) and judge for yourself.
Try: "Daniel"×, "Glass"×, "Pearl's Dream"
from Fur and Gold (2006): "What's a Girl to Do?"× (another amazing song and video)
The Bicycles - Oh No, It's Love (2008) **
A Canadian twee/power-pop band that comes up with very short (most are only a minute and a half!) but sweet songs. Everything is hooky and immediate, and there are no ballads - everything either bounces or zips by at a wonderfully urgent pace - all in the cutest way possible, of course. They even named one of their own albums "Cuddly"!
Try: "Oh No, It's Love"×, "Walk Away (From a Good Thing)"×, "Green Light" (f. Basia Bulat), "One Twist Is Not Enough"
from The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly (2006): "Gotta Get Out", "Paris Be Mine", "Australia"
The Boy Least Likely To - Law of the Playground **
Two twee/cute-music bands in a row, though this band calls themselves "country-disco". The songs are all about coming to grips with growing up - at least that's how they outwardly appear. They may be written in the perspective of childhood with whimsy and innocence, but listen further and you'll hear fear and melancholy. It's still a very cheery record, very much following the route of their previous album.
Try: "Every Goliath Has Its David"×, "When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade", "A Balloon On a Broken String"
from The Best Party Ever (2005): "Be Gentle With Me"×, "Hugging My Grudge"×, "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star"
Brakes - Touchdown
This is certainly an anomaly in my music library - a Brit-rock/punk band! It's no-frills, straight up rock music, how else can I describe it? They're very obviously British, both musically and lyrically. It's not vague, it's relatable, it's brashly catchy, and it's still witty.
Try: "Hey Hey"×, "Don't Take Me To Space (Man)"×, "Two Shocks"
caUSE co-MOTION! - It's Time! - Singles & EP's, 2005-08 (2008)
Imagine a garage-punk-gritty-pop band that sounds like they just learned how to play their instruments. Now imagine that they're hopped up on caffeine. And the lead singer sucks. Winning formula, right? Give it a try! It's a hyperactively catchy noise, and every song's quite short, just like a sugar high.
Try: "Who's Gonna Care?", "Which Way is Up?"
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
I'm sure you've all heard of them, with their brand of coy, loud pop-rock. This album sees them move into a dance-rock direction, and while the move hasn't entirely paid off, there are some good singles about. If you liked their past stuff, you'll probably like this, too, but you may agree with me in thinking it doesn't quite reach the old heights.
Try: "Ulysses", "No You Girls", "Bite Hard"×, "Can't Stop Feeling"
Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care **
A Canadian electronic group known for their quiet, icy tracks...but some warmth seems to have leaked into this record. This one's more hooky, more poppy, and more glossy, and singer Jeremy Greenspan's normally whispered vocals even breaks out into a howl for the first time. "Bits & Pieces" starts out sounding almost like the casino level of a Sonic game. It's great winter/spring music, and even dance-floor ready. I still contend that their last record is better, but this will definitely do.
Try: "Hazel"×, "Work", "Bits & Pieces"×, "Parallel Lines"
from So This Is Goodbye (2006): "In the Morning"×, "Like a Child"×, "Double Shadow"
Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
Yes, a mainstream pop album makes it on the list. Whereas Lily's previous album was full of samples and put-downs, this one sees her taking a bit more of a grown-up perspective. The bite of her past lyrics has now been replaced with criticism - fine, but that means some (not all!) of the fun is gone. She's still equally (and humourously) profane though, but oddly enough, it's the downtempo tracks that shine here.
Try: "The Fear", "Who'd Have Known"×, "22", "Everyone's At It"
from Alright, Still (2006): "Smile", "Knock 'Em Out"×, "LDN", "Littlest Things"×
M. Ward - Hold Time **
The dusty-folk troubadour continues on the same path of his previous album. M. Ward's voice has a great blues-crackle, and it goes perfectly with his famously deft guitar-work. It's definitely a more-of-the-same kinda album, except this one's got a lot more duets, including two with actress/his She & Him bandmate Zooey Deschanel. The songs are beautiful and simple, and there are some good stompers too. I still think Post-War is a slightly better album, but like the title suggests, his music really sounds quite timeless.
Try: "Rave On"× and "Never Had Nobody Like You" (f. Zooey Deschanel), "Hold Time", "Epistemology"×
from Post-War (2006): "Chinese Translation"×, "Requiem", "Rollercoaster"×, "To Go Home"
from She & Him's Volume One (2008): "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"×, "Black Hole", "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today", "Change Is Hard"×
Malajube - Labyrinthes **
This Montreal rock group sings entirely in French, and this album title couldn't be any more appropriate, given the number of structural changes any song can have - what a song starts out as for the first couple minutes could not sound any farther than what it develops into midsection and near the end; it's easy to lose track of where and how that happens. They ditch the major-key pop hooks from their last record in favour of a more sinister, dark, and twisty (yes, more of the labyrinthes theme here) sound, and one Google Translate (or careful listen, if you're good) of the lyrics reveals an even darker humour. If you're looking for something happier and more accessible, try their previous album, one of my faves of '06.
Try: "Ursuline", "Porté disparu"×, "Casablanca"×, "Dragon de glace"
from Trompe-l'œil (2006): "Montréal -40ºC"×, "Pâte filo", "Étienne d'août"×, "La monogamie"
Matt & Kim - Grand
Named after the street in Williamsburg, this Brooklyn couple play simple but energetic rock/punk with sparse arrangements and stomping drumbeats. I don't think they have anything but keyboards/synths and drums! It's endlessly happy music with a DIY touch.
Try: "Daylight"×, "Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare", "Lessons Learned"
Max Tundra - Parallax Error Beheads You (2008) **
Even the title is funny. Ben Jacobs (real name) makes poppy, hyperactive electronic (not the normal kind- I'll explain later) music. And by hyperactive, I mean glitchy - takes awhile to get used to. He's a programmer, so it's amazing to hear all the detailed layers, and also neat to see how he can do things that are otherwise impossible - for example, up the playing speed of the drums or guitars and make everything frantic. The lyrics are geeky first and foremost - then funny, then honest, when you realise that everything he writes here is autobiographical.
Try: "Will Get Fooled Again"×, "Which Song"×, "The Entertainment"
Metric - Fantasies
Another band most of you probably have heard of! Moving into a happy medium between Live It Out's harder-edged rock and their earlier albums, this album ranges from tight, precise rockers to shimmery pop hooks. The consistent repetition they use in some songs continues to be here, though to slightly less success. Unfortunately, I find this album to be mostly front-loaded - the back half doesn't do much for me.
Try: "Help, I'm Alive", "Sick Muse"×, "Gold Gun Girls", "Gimme Sympathy"×
from Live It Out (2005): "Empty"×, "Poster of a Girl"×, "Monster Hospital", "Hand$hake$"
from Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (2003): "Combat Baby"×, "Dead Disco", "Hustle Rose"
Micachu & The Shapes - Jewellery **
Featuring a classical music composer-prodigy Mica Levi, her modified guitar Chu, you get...the weirdest pop record ever heard. Purposely off-key dissonant chords, distortion, vacuum cleaners as instruments, and a heavy Londoner accent somehow gel together into coherent, twitchy rough pop gems. It sounds daunting and even ugly at first, but just let it sink in and you'll be twitching along.
Try: "Golden Phone"×, "Vulture"×, "Calculator", "Lips"
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone **
This album has a heavy focus on nature - not so much talking about it, but talking from its point of view, namely cyclones on this album. She absolutely sells it though, with a very, very strong voice (probably one of the best out there!) that may as well be a force of nature on its own, absolutely fine songwriting, and an alt-country aesthetic. The album sounds like it was recorded in a field and not studio-fine-tuned, and it's even capped by 30 minutes of cricket sounds. Brave move.
Try: "People Got a Lot of Nerve"×, "Magpie to the Morning"×, "This Tornado Loves You", "Middle Cyclone"
from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006): "Star Witness"×, "Maybe Sparrow"×, "Hold On, Hold On"
Passion Pit - Manners **
Four songs a guy wrote for his girlfriend as a belated Valentine's present (didn't work so well), then spread to his friends (worked a lot better), ended up as the basis for forming this rock/electropop group. It's danceable, stuttery, occasionally brooding - and everything sounds like a single. (Like a more dance-rock version of Cut Copy.) Oh, except for the fact that said guy (the singer) has a high-pitched falsetto that he uses throughout most of the album, which makes it not for everyone - but give it a try, it just takes a little getting used to.
Try: "Little Secret×, "The Reeling", "Sleepyhead"×, "Folds In Your Hands"
Röyksopp - Junior
The Norwegian electronic duo's first half of a planned double-album, this one's meant to be the energetic, "spring" album. There's the bubbly pop that kicks off the album, but then there's a more trance/techno focus towards the middle that gets a little darker. All singing is handled by several Norwegian compatriots, including Robyn, Lykke Li, and Fever Ray. Best lyric? Tricky Tricky's "6 afraid of 7, cause 7 8 9." :D
Try: "Happy Up Here"×, "The Girl and the Robot" (f. Robyn), "This Must Be It" and "Tricky Tricky"× (f. Fever Ray), "Miss It So Much" (f. Lykke Li)
Various Artists - Dark was the Night
A sprawling two-disc, 31-track charity effort of all-new songs and covers curated by the Dessner brothers of the National, this is one of the few compilation albums out there where every artist puts out their A-game, and it also fields some neat collaborations. The first disc even sounds like an album of its own. Featuring some of my favourite artists as well as introducing me to new ones, I credit this record for a lot of my discoveries this year.
Try: the whole album! Features appearances from Dirty Projectors, David Byrne, Feist, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Antony, Sharon Jones, the National, Cat Power, Spoon, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, and a whole lot more...
White Rabbits - It's Frightening
A propulsive, drummy indie rock album, very clean and dry music (in a good way). By drummy, I really mean that they pound on the drums...and piano keys too. This album actually sounds like Spoon, so much so that you could even mistake some songs as theirs...probably cause Spoon's lead singer, Britt Daniel, produced the whole thing. That being said, there is a primary different - the lyrical content and the singer suggest a bit of weariness, despite the surrounding music's energy and the catchy rhythms.
Try: "Percussion Gun"×, "Rudie Fails"×, "Company I Keep", "They Done Wrong/We Done Wrong"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
An electro-rock album, at times pulsating and danceable - where songs build and build then explode - and at times quiet and slow - vulnerable balladry. It's a strange contrast that almost works. Oh, and singer Karen O maintains her cool/confident demeanor. My description really sounds unimpressive, but I think the album's greater than the sum of its parts. The middle songs are a little tougher to trudge through, but that's a testament to the strength of the first two tracks.
Try: "Zero"×, "Heads Will Roll"×, "Dull Life", "Hysteric"×, "Soft Shock"
This year's been a stellar year for music so far. I enjoyed compiling the giant list last year (which I realise I didn't publish here, but I've just done it now), but the sheer size of that is probably too daunting for anyone to peruse, so I figure I'd split this year's edition into two halves, this one being January to June. Unfortunately, it's almost as bloated! The list once again includes "older" music that I've only just come across this year.
Same spiel as last year, with minor changes:
Almost all tracks or even albums should be available on elbo.ws, hypem, or a good Google search.
Albums numbered or with ** are standouts, and as a starting point, I've generally marked two tracks per album with ×. Think of it as..."Try these first! If you don't like any, maybe this artist isn't your thing." I've tried to cut down on using these to prevent a repeat of the clutter from last year. Do note that every track I've linked, marked or not, are ones I like and still recommend!
So here we go! In another change from last year, I'll be placing my top picks first, then the rest alphabetically. Yes, I know it's a little backwards, but there's no suspense!
#1. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
My favourite album of the year. If you read my list last year, you'll know Department of Eagles was my top choice then, so of course its parent band even blows it out of the water. This album is near perfect - rich textures, intimate songs that take patience, new subtleties that reveal themselves upon every listen, and even ventures into unabashed sunny pop. Voices soar and hush, nostalgia comes abound, and it's so delicate I feel like I can dream to this record. The songs go at their own pace, and if you don't give it your full attention, you may brush it off as boring, but it's far from it. It's one of the rare things that consistently give me the chills.
Try: "Two Weeks"×, "While You Wait For the Others"×, "Southern Point", "Ready, Able"
from Yellow House (2006): "Knife"×, "Easier", "On a Neck, On a Spit"×, "Little Brother"
from Department of Eagles' In Ear Park (2008): "No One Does It Like You"×, "Phantom Other"×, "Waves of Rye"
#2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
A French indie-rock/pop band who sings in English, they are absolutely incapable of writing a bad song. I even have a hard time getting past the first two songs in the album cause I want to listen to them over and over again, but the rest of the album's great too. It's synthy, dance-y, packed with tight, precise (that's the best word to describe them in general - nothing sloppy) beats and finely crafted pop gems - it's amazing that they're not more famous. I highly recommend their previous album as well; both are total summer jams.
Try: "Lisztomania"×, "1901"×, "Fences", "Lasso", "Armistice"×
from It's Never Been Like That (2006): "Consolation Prizes"×, "Rally"×, "Long Distance Call"
#3. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
A top contender for the year, this Scottish band (who manages to namecheck Toronto in a song) makes lush 60's-inspired classic pop, anything from a country ballad to an upbeat Motown song. Aside from the beautiful orchestration and songs both intimate and grand, lead singer Tracyanne Campbell has an honest voice that works when she's sad (most of the time), reminiscing, happy, or even sarcastic. Plus, she rhymes "dietary restriction" with "a lot of conviction" in the first song I've linked below. Too awesome.
Try: "French Navy"×, "Honey in the Sun"×, "Swans", "My Maudlin Career" (plus some others)
from Let's Get Out of This Country (2006): "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken"×, "Tears for Affairs"×, "If Looks Could Kill", "Let's Get Out of This Country"
#4. Amadou & Mariam - Dimanche à Bamako (2005); Welcome to Mali (2008)
One of my favourite discoveries this year. "The blind couple from Mali" (as they are commonly referred to as) sings in French, an African language I can't identify, and some endearingly limited English. Their music is always uplifting - whether about overcoming hardships and despair or just celebrating, and it's danceable, urgent, and full of Amadou's guitar solos. While Bamako feels more like an Afro-pop record, Mali is a mishmash of styles from all over the world. Both albums are highly, highly recommended.
from Bamako: "La Réalité"×, "Sénégal Fast-food"× (f. Manu Chao), "Politic Amagni", "Camions Sauvages"
from Mali: "Sabali"×, "Masiteladi"×, "Djama", "Africa" (f. K'naan)
#5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Naturally (2005); 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)
Sharon and friends are a soul/funk band, but they're absolutely authentic. So convincing, you'd probably think you just dug up some records from the 60's/70's if you didn't know any better. They even record everything with equipment from that era instead of conforming to the digital age. Backed by an amazing group of musicians, Sharon absolutely belts with her gospel-choir trained voice and you immediately know you don't want to mess with her, whether you know she used to be a prison guard (?!) or not. A very classy throwback that absolutely blows me away.
from Naturally: "How Do I Let a Good Man Down?", "Natural Born Lover", "How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?"×, "This Land Is Your Land"×
from 100 Days: "100 Days, 100 Nights", "Nobody's Baby"×, "Tell Me"×, "Answer Me"
and a single (2005): "I Just Dropped In to See What Condition My Condition was In"×
#6. St. Vincent - Actor
First impressions showcase Annie Clark's soothing melodies, woodwinds, and light strums...but then the creepy, wide-eyed Stepford factor comes in, and finally the fuzzy, warped electric guitar shredding. Where as her previous album was more coy and more composed, this one is absolutely unique music that never lets you get too comfortable, full of uneasy lyrics that make her characters (acting!) sound both extremely observant and slightly unhinged. Repeat listens are more rewarding. Oh also, +1 for keeping up the Arrested Development album-naming convention, and +1 for morbid titles for songs that aren't actually morbid.
Try: "Actor Out of Work"×, "Marrow"×, "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood", "Black Rainbow"
from Marry Me (2007): "Jesus Saves, I Spend", "Paris is Burning"×, "Marry Me"×, "Your Lips are Red"
#7. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Another experimental band I didn't pay much attention to in the past, when I first gave this record a spin after hearing it was "their most accessible yet," I absolutely hated it. And then I listened to "Stillness" a few more times...and the killer groove hit me all of a sudden. This is an experimental indie rock record that somehow has harmonizing singers who can belt it out, guitar riffs, weird music that ends up sounding like R&B, and songs that switch on a dime. It's an amazing record, sprawling and exuberant, though it may take awhile to realise it.
Try: "Stillness is the Move"×, "Two Doves", "Useful Chamber"×, "Cannibal Resource"
#8. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
An unconventional electronic album from half of The Knife, this record takes out The Knife's throbbing beats and replaces it with a stark, creepy atmosphere. Karin Dreijer Andersson morphs her voice into something deep and inhuman, and pairs it with her natural voice - it's surprisingly organic. While the lyrics are also lonely and creepy, there's a bit of a surprise - the best tracks are where she dreams of a domestic life and you can "hear" that ray of hope in the crevasse. It's definitely unlike anything else I've heard.
Try: "When I Grow Up"×, "If I Had a Heart", "Seven", "Triangle Walks"×
from The Knife's Silent Shout (2006): "We Share Our Mother's Health"×, "Silent Shout"×, "Like a Pen"
#9. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
A wonderfully catchy blend of fuzzy-pop/shoegaze that's not too noisy - they actually sound really shy, with the softly duetting male/female voices. It's sweet and melancholy, a little bit cute, very teenage, and juuust a little bit dark. Somehow everything sounds nostalgic too, whether the lyrics are or not. Each song seems to slowly work its way up to a great little payoff too. One of my favourite discoveries this year, especially among new bands.
Try: "Come Saturday", "Young Adult Friction"×, "Stay Alive", "Everything With You"×, "A Teenager In Love"
And here's the "honourable mentions"...
Alela Diane - To Be Still
I hadn't heard of her at all until I saw her open a certain gig. She's an acoustic-folk artist with a very unique voice that's both strong yet world-weary. The arrangements evoke nature, and so do her lyrics - except with some careful listening, you'll realise how she's using nature as imagery to describe other things. It's a very interesting perspective.
Try: "White As Diamonds"×, "Dry Grass & Shadows", "To Be Still"
Andrew Bird - Noble Beast / Useless Creatures **
Seeing him live? Amazing, and I'd argue even better than on record - most links below are live. After letting Noble Beast sink in for a few months, I'd say that the previous records are a bit better, but this one feels more loose. While Beast is probably his most accessible record yet, bundled with this record is the more experimental Useless Creatures, an entirely instrumental full-length record that showcases all the whistling, violin playing, and loops and layering you can handle. Definitely worth a listen.
from Noble Beast: "Oh No", "Anonanimal"×, "Fitz and the Dizzyspells"×, "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" (my video!)
from Useless Creatures: "Nyatiti"×, "Hot Math"
from Armchair Apocrypha (2007): "Plasticities", "Armchairs"×, "Spare-Ohs"
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
I usually find AC to be a little too weird for my tastes, but while they've retained much of their avant-garde style, this album's accessible enough to make me keep coming back to it. While I'm not fawning over it as much as the critics are, it's certainly got my attention. For the uninitiated, I'd call this a...psychedelic electronic record? It defies adjectives. Try listening to the music without watching the videos (which I've linked) first, or it may be a little too much to take in - trust me on this one.
Try: "My Girls"×, "Summertime Clothes"×, "Brother Sport"
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
This is a concept album about duality - two personas, chaos/balance, planets... But to me, what I hear is something like a dark primal sci-fi fairytale. This is a very theatrical pop (really?) record, I guess you could say. Anyway, listen to "Daniel" (a totally essential electro-pop song) and judge for yourself.
Try: "Daniel"×, "Glass"×, "Pearl's Dream"
from Fur and Gold (2006): "What's a Girl to Do?"× (another amazing song and video)
The Bicycles - Oh No, It's Love (2008) **
A Canadian twee/power-pop band that comes up with very short (most are only a minute and a half!) but sweet songs. Everything is hooky and immediate, and there are no ballads - everything either bounces or zips by at a wonderfully urgent pace - all in the cutest way possible, of course. They even named one of their own albums "Cuddly"!
Try: "Oh No, It's Love"×, "Walk Away (From a Good Thing)"×, "Green Light" (f. Basia Bulat), "One Twist Is Not Enough"
from The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly (2006): "Gotta Get Out", "Paris Be Mine", "Australia"
The Boy Least Likely To - Law of the Playground **
Two twee/cute-music bands in a row, though this band calls themselves "country-disco". The songs are all about coming to grips with growing up - at least that's how they outwardly appear. They may be written in the perspective of childhood with whimsy and innocence, but listen further and you'll hear fear and melancholy. It's still a very cheery record, very much following the route of their previous album.
Try: "Every Goliath Has Its David"×, "When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade", "A Balloon On a Broken String"
from The Best Party Ever (2005): "Be Gentle With Me"×, "Hugging My Grudge"×, "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star"
Brakes - Touchdown
This is certainly an anomaly in my music library - a Brit-rock/punk band! It's no-frills, straight up rock music, how else can I describe it? They're very obviously British, both musically and lyrically. It's not vague, it's relatable, it's brashly catchy, and it's still witty.
Try: "Hey Hey"×, "Don't Take Me To Space (Man)"×, "Two Shocks"
caUSE co-MOTION! - It's Time! - Singles & EP's, 2005-08 (2008)
Imagine a garage-punk-gritty-pop band that sounds like they just learned how to play their instruments. Now imagine that they're hopped up on caffeine. And the lead singer sucks. Winning formula, right? Give it a try! It's a hyperactively catchy noise, and every song's quite short, just like a sugar high.
Try: "Who's Gonna Care?", "Which Way is Up?"
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
I'm sure you've all heard of them, with their brand of coy, loud pop-rock. This album sees them move into a dance-rock direction, and while the move hasn't entirely paid off, there are some good singles about. If you liked their past stuff, you'll probably like this, too, but you may agree with me in thinking it doesn't quite reach the old heights.
Try: "Ulysses", "No You Girls", "Bite Hard"×, "Can't Stop Feeling"
Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care **
A Canadian electronic group known for their quiet, icy tracks...but some warmth seems to have leaked into this record. This one's more hooky, more poppy, and more glossy, and singer Jeremy Greenspan's normally whispered vocals even breaks out into a howl for the first time. "Bits & Pieces" starts out sounding almost like the casino level of a Sonic game. It's great winter/spring music, and even dance-floor ready. I still contend that their last record is better, but this will definitely do.
Try: "Hazel"×, "Work", "Bits & Pieces"×, "Parallel Lines"
from So This Is Goodbye (2006): "In the Morning"×, "Like a Child"×, "Double Shadow"
Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
Yes, a mainstream pop album makes it on the list. Whereas Lily's previous album was full of samples and put-downs, this one sees her taking a bit more of a grown-up perspective. The bite of her past lyrics has now been replaced with criticism - fine, but that means some (not all!) of the fun is gone. She's still equally (and humourously) profane though, but oddly enough, it's the downtempo tracks that shine here.
Try: "The Fear", "Who'd Have Known"×, "22", "Everyone's At It"
from Alright, Still (2006): "Smile", "Knock 'Em Out"×, "LDN", "Littlest Things"×
M. Ward - Hold Time **
The dusty-folk troubadour continues on the same path of his previous album. M. Ward's voice has a great blues-crackle, and it goes perfectly with his famously deft guitar-work. It's definitely a more-of-the-same kinda album, except this one's got a lot more duets, including two with actress/his She & Him bandmate Zooey Deschanel. The songs are beautiful and simple, and there are some good stompers too. I still think Post-War is a slightly better album, but like the title suggests, his music really sounds quite timeless.
Try: "Rave On"× and "Never Had Nobody Like You" (f. Zooey Deschanel), "Hold Time", "Epistemology"×
from Post-War (2006): "Chinese Translation"×, "Requiem", "Rollercoaster"×, "To Go Home"
from She & Him's Volume One (2008): "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"×, "Black Hole", "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today", "Change Is Hard"×
Malajube - Labyrinthes **
This Montreal rock group sings entirely in French, and this album title couldn't be any more appropriate, given the number of structural changes any song can have - what a song starts out as for the first couple minutes could not sound any farther than what it develops into midsection and near the end; it's easy to lose track of where and how that happens. They ditch the major-key pop hooks from their last record in favour of a more sinister, dark, and twisty (yes, more of the labyrinthes theme here) sound, and one Google Translate (or careful listen, if you're good) of the lyrics reveals an even darker humour. If you're looking for something happier and more accessible, try their previous album, one of my faves of '06.
Try: "Ursuline", "Porté disparu"×, "Casablanca"×, "Dragon de glace"
from Trompe-l'œil (2006): "Montréal -40ºC"×, "Pâte filo", "Étienne d'août"×, "La monogamie"
Matt & Kim - Grand
Named after the street in Williamsburg, this Brooklyn couple play simple but energetic rock/punk with sparse arrangements and stomping drumbeats. I don't think they have anything but keyboards/synths and drums! It's endlessly happy music with a DIY touch.
Try: "Daylight"×, "Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare", "Lessons Learned"
Max Tundra - Parallax Error Beheads You (2008) **
Even the title is funny. Ben Jacobs (real name) makes poppy, hyperactive electronic (not the normal kind- I'll explain later) music. And by hyperactive, I mean glitchy - takes awhile to get used to. He's a programmer, so it's amazing to hear all the detailed layers, and also neat to see how he can do things that are otherwise impossible - for example, up the playing speed of the drums or guitars and make everything frantic. The lyrics are geeky first and foremost - then funny, then honest, when you realise that everything he writes here is autobiographical.
Try: "Will Get Fooled Again"×, "Which Song"×, "The Entertainment"
Metric - Fantasies
Another band most of you probably have heard of! Moving into a happy medium between Live It Out's harder-edged rock and their earlier albums, this album ranges from tight, precise rockers to shimmery pop hooks. The consistent repetition they use in some songs continues to be here, though to slightly less success. Unfortunately, I find this album to be mostly front-loaded - the back half doesn't do much for me.
Try: "Help, I'm Alive", "Sick Muse"×, "Gold Gun Girls", "Gimme Sympathy"×
from Live It Out (2005): "Empty"×, "Poster of a Girl"×, "Monster Hospital", "Hand$hake$"
from Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (2003): "Combat Baby"×, "Dead Disco", "Hustle Rose"
Micachu & The Shapes - Jewellery **
Featuring a classical music composer-prodigy Mica Levi, her modified guitar Chu, you get...the weirdest pop record ever heard. Purposely off-key dissonant chords, distortion, vacuum cleaners as instruments, and a heavy Londoner accent somehow gel together into coherent, twitchy rough pop gems. It sounds daunting and even ugly at first, but just let it sink in and you'll be twitching along.
Try: "Golden Phone"×, "Vulture"×, "Calculator", "Lips"
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone **
This album has a heavy focus on nature - not so much talking about it, but talking from its point of view, namely cyclones on this album. She absolutely sells it though, with a very, very strong voice (probably one of the best out there!) that may as well be a force of nature on its own, absolutely fine songwriting, and an alt-country aesthetic. The album sounds like it was recorded in a field and not studio-fine-tuned, and it's even capped by 30 minutes of cricket sounds. Brave move.
Try: "People Got a Lot of Nerve"×, "Magpie to the Morning"×, "This Tornado Loves You", "Middle Cyclone"
from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006): "Star Witness"×, "Maybe Sparrow"×, "Hold On, Hold On"
Passion Pit - Manners **
Four songs a guy wrote for his girlfriend as a belated Valentine's present (didn't work so well), then spread to his friends (worked a lot better), ended up as the basis for forming this rock/electropop group. It's danceable, stuttery, occasionally brooding - and everything sounds like a single. (Like a more dance-rock version of Cut Copy.) Oh, except for the fact that said guy (the singer) has a high-pitched falsetto that he uses throughout most of the album, which makes it not for everyone - but give it a try, it just takes a little getting used to.
Try: "Little Secret×, "The Reeling", "Sleepyhead"×, "Folds In Your Hands"
Röyksopp - Junior
The Norwegian electronic duo's first half of a planned double-album, this one's meant to be the energetic, "spring" album. There's the bubbly pop that kicks off the album, but then there's a more trance/techno focus towards the middle that gets a little darker. All singing is handled by several Norwegian compatriots, including Robyn, Lykke Li, and Fever Ray. Best lyric? Tricky Tricky's "6 afraid of 7, cause 7 8 9." :D
Try: "Happy Up Here"×, "The Girl and the Robot" (f. Robyn), "This Must Be It" and "Tricky Tricky"× (f. Fever Ray), "Miss It So Much" (f. Lykke Li)
Various Artists - Dark was the Night
A sprawling two-disc, 31-track charity effort of all-new songs and covers curated by the Dessner brothers of the National, this is one of the few compilation albums out there where every artist puts out their A-game, and it also fields some neat collaborations. The first disc even sounds like an album of its own. Featuring some of my favourite artists as well as introducing me to new ones, I credit this record for a lot of my discoveries this year.
Try: the whole album! Features appearances from Dirty Projectors, David Byrne, Feist, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Antony, Sharon Jones, the National, Cat Power, Spoon, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, and a whole lot more...
White Rabbits - It's Frightening
A propulsive, drummy indie rock album, very clean and dry music (in a good way). By drummy, I really mean that they pound on the drums...and piano keys too. This album actually sounds like Spoon, so much so that you could even mistake some songs as theirs...probably cause Spoon's lead singer, Britt Daniel, produced the whole thing. That being said, there is a primary different - the lyrical content and the singer suggest a bit of weariness, despite the surrounding music's energy and the catchy rhythms.
Try: "Percussion Gun"×, "Rudie Fails"×, "Company I Keep", "They Done Wrong/We Done Wrong"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
An electro-rock album, at times pulsating and danceable - where songs build and build then explode - and at times quiet and slow - vulnerable balladry. It's a strange contrast that almost works. Oh, and singer Karen O maintains her cool/confident demeanor. My description really sounds unimpressive, but I think the album's greater than the sum of its parts. The middle songs are a little tougher to trudge through, but that's a testament to the strength of the first two tracks.
Try: "Zero"×, "Heads Will Roll"×, "Dull Life", "Hysteric"×, "Soft Shock"