tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229688802024-03-14T05:53:09.571-04:00Ronsonville: The BlogRonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-29049064285311923312012-01-02T15:52:00.263-05:002012-01-09T11:13:32.924-05:00Best Music of 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-igCJsRyqRl0/Tv9sJkdTNcI/AAAAAAAAAy8/7rNuf3-1jsk/s1600/BestMusic11banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-igCJsRyqRl0/Tv9sJkdTNcI/AAAAAAAAAy8/7rNuf3-1jsk/s680/BestMusic11banner.jpg" width="680" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">For a music lover, is there really such a thing as a bad year in music? Well, let's see: In 2011, we lost underground legends Gil Scott-Heron and Bert Jansch. We lost Louisville record store staple (and Record Store Day creator) ear-X-tasy. in Cincinnati, our main national indie venue, The Southgate House, is closing its doors at the end of the year. The White Stripes, R.E.M. and Sonic Youth (bands I figured would never break up) broke up. Analysts continue to predict the doom of the compact disc, however despite what these people say, people still buy music if you put it out there (see Adele, Drake).</span> <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The releases inadvertently reflected the times. There were a lot of good albums, but no obviously great album. The things we were supposed to get excited about didn’t excite me. Adele, Foster the People, Yuck or dubstep (whether you prefer James Blake or Skrillex) didn’t really do anything for me. M83 made an album that sounded like M83; Wilco made an opening track that sounded nothing like Wilco! ...Then the rest of the album sounded like Wilco; Feist made an album that didn't sound like an iPod commercial; Bon Iver made an album that sounded like Bruce Hornsby. Well, sort of.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Despite what might sound like complaining, I really did love a lot of music this year (the M83, Wilco, Feist and Bon Iver albums were actually all pretty good). The following are the best albums I was able to get my hands on before the end of the year, with apologies to some that didn’t make it into my hands by the time I wrote this, including a dozen or so local albums from Cincinnati musicians, Iceage, Atlas Sound, DJ Quik and Bonnie “Prince” Billy – just to name a handful:</span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>30</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> M83 <i>Hurry Up We're Dreaming</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">A drop from <i>Saturdays = Youth</i> if you ask me, there’s still a lot to like about this ambitious 2-disc album. This music seems best listened to if you're really determined to do something, or discovering something very shocking about yourself. It’s spiritual music without really being faithful to any particular religion, and sometimes it works, sometimes you’re just a little bored.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Midnight City," "Claudia Lewis," "Soon My Friend"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l9bXqnk4MA8/Tv9cshF-NjI/AAAAAAAAAs8/Y3O4zosBaVc/s1600/29wildflag.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l9bXqnk4MA8/Tv9cshF-NjI/AAAAAAAAAs8/Y3O4zosBaVc/s200/29wildflag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>29</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Wild Flag <i>Wild Flag</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Carrie Brownstein is more the loose cannon in her new band, and it's a decent fit - though I do occasionally miss the calmer, melodic element she brought to Sleater-Kinney. Mary Timony's songs pretty much sound like new Helium songs, and that's not something I've needed, but I'm not going to turn it down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Romance," "Endless Talk," "Black Tiles"</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-yo1QmauWg/Tv9crLuDQKI/AAAAAAAAAs0/FfpM5AkkrxY/s1600/28gilnjamiexx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P-yo1QmauWg/Tv9crLuDQKI/AAAAAAAAAs0/FfpM5AkkrxY/s200/28gilnjamiexx.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>28</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx - <i>We're New Here</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">This album was a tough sell for me - why remix an album that just came out a year ago? But I think Jamie xx does reboot some of Scott-Heron's songs in an effective way, but there are also a few misfires. When it works, it achieves the same power as the source material. Worth it for the stirring "My Cloud," that was somehow left off the original album.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks: </i>"My Cloud," "Ur Soul and Mine," "I’ll Take Care of U"</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOO39b75HGs/Tv9cqyJ8cfI/AAAAAAAAAss/vA5gbjIkJEY/s1600/27tvontheradio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOO39b75HGs/Tv9cqyJ8cfI/AAAAAAAAAss/vA5gbjIkJEY/s200/27tvontheradio.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>27</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> TV on the Radio <i>Nine Types of Light</i></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Was this supposed to be a bad album? Glancing through other best music sites this year, you would think it was. Sometimes I think Pitchfork just sticks with a band long enough for it to develop and fanbase, then moves on to the next. While certainly not game-changing like <i>Return to Cookie Mountain</i> or <i>Dear Science,</i> this is still a strong album by a band who works from a unique palette and has the possibility to create great moments. Is it a "happy album"? Not really. Does it matter that it was recorded in LA? Not even slightly. Keep going TVotR - I'm still on board.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks</i> - "You," "Killer Crane," "Caffeinated Consciousness"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjszdWgiLr4/Tv9cqSeD90I/AAAAAAAAAsk/AJRJH-GqM8M/s1600/26raekwon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjszdWgiLr4/Tv9cqSeD90I/AAAAAAAAAsk/AJRJH-GqM8M/s200/26raekwon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>26</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Raekwon <i>Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Wu-Tang were surprisingly quiet this year. Raekwon's "No RZA" album didn't make waves once it was finally released, and seems more like a companion piece to Ghostface's Apollo Kids, a similarly low-key, but consistent album. They even featured many of the same guests (Method Man, Jim Jones, Rick Ross, each other). Black Thought, who served up one of the best verses on Ghost's album, comes out of nowhere and delivers the same on Raekwon's. Must be all those Jimmy Fallon monologues. Points deducted for the terrible, wtf?, longest track “Rock N Roll” which does Raekwon the disservice of making you wonder if maybe he really does need an editor like RZA on board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "From The Hills," "Molasses," "Masters of Our Fate"</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>25</b> The Pains of Being Pure at Heart <i>Belong</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Following up the mastery of an amazing debut is tricky, but the Pains of Pure at Heart navigated it pretty well. They brought in a big name 80s/90s producer (Flood) and produced a cohesive collection of 90s-style alt rock. Occasionally, it veers a little too close to its source material (the intro of the opening track wouldn’t sound out of place on a prime Smashing Pumpkins album), but the style suits the band’s wall of guitars attack well. Bonus points for unintentionally name-checking my girlfriend in their songs.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Heart in Your Heartache," "Anne with an 'E'," "Even In Dreams"</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-It-vZzq9nuc/Tv9ghRxlZpI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/8eotpz9ZzYg/s1600/24lykkeli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-It-vZzq9nuc/Tv9ghRxlZpI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/8eotpz9ZzYg/s200/24lykkeli.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>24</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Lykke Li <i>Wounded Rhymes</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Youth Novels</i> still ranks high on my favorite albums in the last 5 years, however it’s definitely a front-loaded record that’s maybe about 10 minutes too long. Lykke Li seems aware of this herself – <i>Wounded Rhymes</i> clocks in at just over 40 minutes and is a lot more consistent throughout. It’s a wise sophomore effort move from an effort that shares a lot of the same themes (love, love lost, being depressed – probably due to losing love) and Lykke Li musters her same damaged, rejected-in-high-school tone that makes you think it’ll all be OK after you cry for six days straight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Youth Knows No Pain," "I Follow Rivers," "Silent My Song"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X5wO3cvRI7Q/Tv9guRpoDEI/AAAAAAAAAuc/gRI7PP66UWc/s1600/23jlm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X5wO3cvRI7Q/Tv9guRpoDEI/AAAAAAAAAuc/gRI7PP66UWc/s200/23jlm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>23</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Jessica Lea Mayfield <i>Tell Me</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Produced by the Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, this is 2011’s most under-appreciated gem. The theme is clear throughout: simple (and sometimes futuristic) country arrangements with the focus on Jessica Lea Mayfield’s voice and lyrics that would make Loretta Lynn proud – and maybe blush. She’s got the charisma to pull it off too, playing the young, but already cynical woman at once charmed and repulsed by a long line of hapless morons trying to win her heart. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks: </i>"Our Hearts Our Wrong," "Grown Man," "Sometimes at Night"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDhL6UErZzw/Tv9g4v5Zl1I/AAAAAAAAAuo/EresN9UPtn0/s1600/22smithwesterns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDhL6UErZzw/Tv9g4v5Zl1I/AAAAAAAAAuo/EresN9UPtn0/s200/22smithwesterns.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>22</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Smith Westerns <i>Dye It Blonde</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">In an apparent attempt to steal the glittery electro-pop crown from MGMT, and as far as wistful upbeat tunes about be young forever, the Smith Westerns did a pretty good job delivering. Strong debuts often leave a more lasting impression, but the Smith Westerns slowly disappeared from view from the collective critic consciousness by the end of the year. I stayed with the band, even through an awkward performance in Atlanta, and this album, leading off with the unshakable “Weekend,” is worth a look.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Weekend," "End of the Night," "Dance Away"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tCC7VAnFgqc/Tv9hDdAkm0I/AAAAAAAAAu0/tEN9DtHtNqE/s1600/21rome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tCC7VAnFgqc/Tv9hDdAkm0I/AAAAAAAAAu0/tEN9DtHtNqE/s200/21rome.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>21</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Daniel Luppi and DangerMouse Rome </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I love pretty much everything involved with this: spaghetti westerns, fake film soundtracks, DangerMouse’s never-ending obscure project list, Jack White, using Norah Jones’ voice in new and interesting ways, etc. etc. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Season’s Trees," "Two Against One," "The World"</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C0GyKsVfgxc/Tv9hqurh_RI/AAAAAAAAAvA/V70Xx5XkVJw/s1600/20boniver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C0GyKsVfgxc/Tv9hqurh_RI/AAAAAAAAAvA/V70Xx5XkVJw/s200/20boniver.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>20</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Bon Iver <i>Bon Iver</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">OK, here’s the thing. This is a good album. It’s an above average album and there's no doubt that it makes my list. Here’s something else – it's not the Album of the Year. While Justin Vernon easily beats out Sam Beam in the bearded folkie expanding his sound in 2011 award, this isn’t Album of the Year material. And "Beth/Rest" gets my vote for worst song on a best album contender of the year. OK, rant over. Beyond the hype, this album is still excellent and seems destined to win itself some Grammys in a post-Arcade Fire world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks: </i>"Holocene," "Towers," "Michicant" </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>19</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks <i>Mirror Traffic</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>18</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Tom Waits <i>Bad As Me</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>17</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Low <i>C'mon</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Here are a set of artists that, even 20+ years into their careers, cannot be blamed for not taking a dubstep late career detour. Their music is consistent, and they tinker with their sound, but in the end they have developed a fanbase that keeps them moving forward. Their albums can often only be measured in relation to their previous efforts and critics – it must be said – tend to get bored with them, which is completely unfair. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Stephen Malkmus </b>teamed up with Beck (surprisingly for the first time) to create an album that harkens back to the Jicks’ pre-extended jam Pavement days. Things are maybe a little weirder than usual and Malkmus humor (like one of his characters being defined by his love of soft rap) that make the whole album coast along effortlessly. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Tigers," "Brain Gallop," "Stick Figures In Love"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Tom Waits</b> thankfully ditched the beatbox percussion noises of <i>Real Gone</i> and got a little crazier – another welcome change. Opener “Chicago” nearly falls apart as it wanders to its chorus and sets the tone for the whole album. Just as things seem to be heading to safer ground, out comes “Hell Broke Luce” – between its antiwar sentiment and kitchen sink found sound barrage – is one of the most insane songs Waits whose can turn Cole Porter and Disney songs into freak shows.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Chicago," "Hell Broke Luce," "New Year's Eve"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MECHqqrynNM/Tv9iG1fUcKI/AAAAAAAAAvk/eV5jx5HdyG0/s1600/17lowcmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MECHqqrynNM/Tv9iG1fUcKI/AAAAAAAAAvk/eV5jx5HdyG0/s1600/17lowcmon.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Low </b>continues to take parts of their sound, and Alan Sparhawk’s not-so-slow side project Retribution Gospel Choir, and toss in a few threats to all those Al Green imitators out there, to create one of their most consistent albums since <i>Things We Lost in the Fire.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks: </i>"Witches," "Especially Me," "Nothing But Heart"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>16</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Cut Copy <i>Zonoscope</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Adapting another style of late 80s electro-pop that seems to have launched a thousand bands (New Order! Depeche Mode! And Many More!). Cut Copy stand out from the crowd with their songs that adore the style, but create something new out of it. Plus they sound like they're having a great time, which makes you want to shout "yeah! yeah! yeah! whoo!" right along with them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Need You Now," "Where I'm Going," "Alisa"</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc1vn9dTx3Y/Tv9iUqigVQI/AAAAAAAAAv8/D4hirdq4kXg/s1600/15radiohead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc1vn9dTx3Y/Tv9iUqigVQI/AAAAAAAAAv8/D4hirdq4kXg/s200/15radiohead.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>15</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Radiohead <i>King of Limbs</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Great. The year I shell out the extra money for the expanded deluxe packaging explosion, they release a 40-minute album that, for the first time since - I don't know, <i>Pablo Honey?</i> - has attracted mixed to negative opinions. Oh well. I still like it and maybe there will be a demand for clear vinyl in the year 2027.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Little by Little," "Lotus Flower," "Separator"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i3rQCEl9dCA/Tv9ilYxPmII/AAAAAAAAAwI/U3aUbFHvoFQ/s1600/14pandabear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i3rQCEl9dCA/Tv9ilYxPmII/AAAAAAAAAwI/U3aUbFHvoFQ/s200/14pandabear.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>14</b> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Panda Bear <i>Tomboy</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Not the revelation of <i>Person Pitch, Tomboy</i> – with it’s often delayed release date – seemed doomed to suffer a sophomore slump (well, if you don’t consider Animal Collective works as part of the Panda Bear canon), but when it finally came out, it successfully delved further into the hazy, layered world of Noah Lennox. Beautiful and occasionally brilliant, this album drones so good.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks: </i>"You Can Count On Me," "Last Night at the Jetty," "Afterburner"</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k8cyd2zi69g/Tv9irtVf8qI/AAAAAAAAAwU/kXn9Yf6ZiKY/s1600/13beasties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k8cyd2zi69g/Tv9irtVf8qI/AAAAAAAAAwU/kXn9Yf6ZiKY/s1600/13beasties.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>13</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Beastie Boys <i>Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two</i></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I missed out on 1998’s <i>Hello Nasty</i> and 2004’s <i>To the 5 Boroughs</i> and completely avoided 2007’s instrumental <i>The Mix Up,</i> so I think I was finally ready for a new Beastie Boys album. After I discovered the first single “Make Some Noise,” and its accompanying all-star video (continuing where the “You Gotta Fight for Your Right (To Party)” video left off), everything hit me with just the right amount of nostalgia that I could’t resist. Smart collaborations with Nas and Santigold certainly helped.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Make Some Noise," "Too Many Rappers," "Here’s a Little Something For Ya"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CGDNvMLyoHY/Tv9i7EbqQOI/AAAAAAAAAwg/4q6lHt9b3PE/s1600/12umo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CGDNvMLyoHY/Tv9i7EbqQOI/AAAAAAAAAwg/4q6lHt9b3PE/s200/12umo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>12</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Unknown Mortal Orchestra <i>Unknown Mortal Orchestra</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">A lot of debuts caught my attention this year. Let's start with New Zealand’s UMO, who combine a uniquely 60s psychedelic sound with a modern sensibility that caught me by surprise. If one song encapsulates this sound on the record, it’s “How Can You Luv Me?” It sounds a little bit like Prince fronting a garage rock band. How can you go wrong?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Key Tracks: </span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Ffunny Ffriends," "Jello and Juggernauts," "How Can You Luv Me?"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDaRaFSaNT0/Tv9jCkws9YI/AAAAAAAAAws/h0IWyGNShYU/s1600/11cults.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dDaRaFSaNT0/Tv9jCkws9YI/AAAAAAAAAws/h0IWyGNShYU/s200/11cults.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>11</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Cults <i>Cults</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Usually samples of Jim Jones (of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown">Jonestown</a> fame) wouldn't really do much except creep me out. And believe me, they still do. However, the band somehow managed to successfully relate the feeling of being a teenager with the feeling of being in a religious cult - no easy feat. It might end up being a trick that only works once, but it's nonetheless effective.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Key Tracks: </span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Abducted," "Go Outside," "Oh My God"</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R-VDr4fH2i0/Tv9klanMB8I/AAAAAAAAAw4/H1UXVdJ9-dE/s1600/10washedout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R-VDr4fH2i0/Tv9klanMB8I/AAAAAAAAAw4/H1UXVdJ9-dE/s200/10washedout.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>10</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Washed Out <i>Within and Without</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Previously known to me as the "composer of the <i>Portlandia</i> theme song," Washed Out (performer name for Ernest Greene) wins my coveted Chillwave Album of the Year award. If you're going to relax with some friends on a beach somewhere, this is the album you should play. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Key Tracks: </span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Amor Fati, </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Soft," </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"You and I" </span></div></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6OqPb5kPPRk/Tv9ks2GeSbI/AAAAAAAAAxE/-XEWO30SUKI/s1600/09frankocean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6OqPb5kPPRk/Tv9ks2GeSbI/AAAAAAAAAxE/-XEWO30SUKI/s200/09frankocean.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>9</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Frank Ocean <i>Nostalgia, Ultra.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Mixtape rap is still dicey waters for me. The idea of giving away a free album of music still leads me to believe that it must still kind of suck (call me old school). I got this album for free, but that's more because Frank Ocean became so frustrated with Island Def Jam sitting on it for so long, that he took the initiative and released it himself. It was a good move. Ocean has easily moved into the top spot of my favorite member of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, the generally controversial group that rose to fame like a rocket after a particularly memorable performance <a href="http://en.musicplayon.com/play?v=473675">on Jimmy Fallon at the beginning of the year.</a> Frank is usually dispatched to sing the hook of their better songs, but when left to his own album, his persona is established as a likable music lover who doesn't aim to shock and whose record collection is wide enough to include Coldplay and Radiohead. Some unusual sample choices keep this from being a definitive classic, but the album is strong enough to leave you wanting more. <i><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Key Tracks: </span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Strawberry Swing," "Novocaine," "Songs for Women," "Love Crimes"</span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDH1lfvaZ9U/Tv9lAoKo4jI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/zmgcrybHK_s/s1600/08destroyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDH1lfvaZ9U/Tv9lAoKo4jI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/zmgcrybHK_s/s200/08destroyer.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>8</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Destroyer <i>Kaputt </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Remember the 80s? Man, they were corny. Except, what if we could be proven wrong? Maybe fluttery extended sax solos were actually awesome. Upping the ante of last year's Ariel Pink album, Destroyer (aka Dan Bejar) went beyond quirky late 70s FM rock that your dad loved and delved into the smooth early 80s FM lite jazz-rock that your cool uncle loved. Bejar has been around forever, but I've never really been much of a fan (let's just say the description "reedy voice" doesn't do much to get me excited), but this album converted me. The dedication to the concept alone is admirable – there's no winking, just the right amount of irony, an equal amount of sincerity, and no copouts - e.g., no "real song" at the end. It's as though you've discovered a lost album from a 80s group who's biggest influence was Roxy Music's <i>Avalon. </i>It also makes you change your opinion about that music - in the right hands, music that made you cringe can actually be poignant, powerful. And that's how Bejar (and not Justin Vernon) made me a believer in 1982 in 2011.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Key Tracks: </span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">"Chinatown," "Savage Night at the Opera," "Downtown," "Bay of Pigs (Detail)"</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ph6ZKnxqMhE/Tv9lIip1s3I/AAAAAAAAAxc/zqzqjYLK6wY/s1600/07kurtvile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ph6ZKnxqMhE/Tv9lIip1s3I/AAAAAAAAAxc/zqzqjYLK6wY/s200/07kurtvile.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>7 </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Kurt Vile <i>Smoke Ring For My Halo </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Slackers are back and Kurt Vile is their hero. He doesn't care about selling out ("Puppet to the Man") touring is boring ("On Tour") losing friends is no biggie ("Runner Ups"), girls are easier to watch from afar ("Peeping Tomboy") and when you get one, might as well just chill out all the time ("Baby's Arms"). J Mascis would be so proud. Of course it just <i>has</i> to be an act - there's no way someone wouldn't have to work at unique guitar work, a seemingly endless amount of tunes, and lyrics that are effortlessly smart and introspective. Man, if so, maybe this is my least favorite album of 2011. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks: </i>“Jesus Fever,” “Puppet to the Man,” “Runner Ups,” “Peeping Tomboy”</span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qpGCqy2Se78/Tv9lQuizFMI/AAAAAAAAAxo/M2k7ycXlsXA/s1600/06drake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qpGCqy2Se78/Tv9lQuizFMI/AAAAAAAAAxo/M2k7ycXlsXA/s200/06drake.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>6</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Drake <i>Take Care</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">It was really tempting to drop Drake into the top 5, maybe even in the top 3. <i>Take Care</i> has a feature-film sized 80 minutes run time complete with a mix of pop songs and occasional spoken word pieces that deftly shifts between Top 40 and artistic statement. Even with all the chances it takes (I would never imagine hearing a song like “Marvin’s Room” on the radio), there's hardly any filler - even in the deluxe version. (Just kidding about that. A little marketing trick - <i>every </i>version is the deluxe version). The music matches the character Drake continues to play - the cool, sensitive rapper who can't decide if he wants to settle down with that special someone or just roam the city and hook up with the first person who gives him a look. Such a 2011 problem. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Cameras," "Make Me Proud," "Look What You’ve Done"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lBgY0mjttB0/Tv9lZvCVMnI/AAAAAAAAAx0/PuamygTWPFU/s1600/05pjharvey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lBgY0mjttB0/Tv9lZvCVMnI/AAAAAAAAAx0/PuamygTWPFU/s200/05pjharvey.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>5</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> PJ Harvey <i>Let England Shake</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Hey - it's PJ Harvey v. 10.2! And she's World War I grunt! Huh? On paper, in the air, via telegraph, there's disaster potential galore - British female songwriter best known for writing songs about botched and messed-up relationships (lick my legs...) writes a theme album about English soldiers in WWI. Or maybe it sounds perfect - I think I've lost my ability to tell the difference. Either way, compact with contemplative and powerful melodies throughout and an excellent use of her band to fill in the gaps, PJ's songcycle is another reason the album format should never die. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "The Words That Maketh Murder," "On Battleship Hill," "England," "In The Dark Places," "Written on the Forehead"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>4</b> Jay-Z and Kanye West <i>Watch The Throne</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">As audacious as an album could be in rough economic times, Watch The Throne was an exercise in over-the-top indulgences: expensive production, big guests, packaging, and plenty of refs to the finer things in life. But when it comes to this album, it’s just best to stop asking questions, sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a double-bill, but it’s Jay who really benefits most from the pairing. Kanye’s ego surprisingly takes a backseat – his best moments are behind the scenes. Jay is masterful throughout, for a man who once asked “What More Can I Say?” seems like the answer is “a damn lot.”</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Ni**as in Paris," "Otis," "That's My Bitch," "Welcome to the Jungle," "Why I Love You"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6gFvsjzDKao/Tv9lxwJYwuI/AAAAAAAAAyM/xA1pik8qE7g/s1600/03stv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6gFvsjzDKao/Tv9lxwJYwuI/AAAAAAAAAyM/xA1pik8qE7g/s200/03stv.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>3</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> St. Vincent <i>Strange Mercy</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Annie Clark explored her wild side in 2011 – if you’ve seen her perform live, you know that this isn’t new to her repertoire, but indulging it in her recordings was something of a risk, for someone best known for making intelligent pop songs. It pays off well – with the unhinged moments creating tension even in the usually calmer stretches on St. Vincent albums. And I always give big points to artists who aren’t afraid to let their sound evolve.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Chloe in the Afternoon," "Cruel," "Cheerleader," "Dilettante," "Year of the Tiger"</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3pueV8jWSTY/Tv9l_88fuYI/AAAAAAAAAyk/3xQDjbja-ok/s1600/02realestate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3pueV8jWSTY/Tv9l_88fuYI/AAAAAAAAAyk/3xQDjbja-ok/s200/02realestate.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>2</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Real Estate <i>Days</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Initially it was difficult for me to admit that this album deserved the 2-spot. It’s a deceptively simple album, around 40-minutes long with around 8 minutes devoted to languid instrumental passages. But in its simplicity, it works. To me, Real Estate are still champions of the “beach band” genre – their music is equal parts sunny and melancholy. Not only do they give you the feeling of relaxing with the sun on your face, they’re also able to create the longing to return once you’re back in the cold city.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Green Aisles," "It's Real," Municipality," "Three Blocks," "Younger Than Yesterday," "All The Same"</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>1</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Fleet Foxes <i>Helplessness Blues</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Sometimes the lyrics do matter. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I connected with </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Robin Pecknold's experiences about growing older and where he's supposed to function immediately, which bumps it up a lot in my estimation. He manages to do so, both musically and lyrically, in a consistently moving way that I found more of myself in than anything else this year. In 2011, that's what it took to be my Album of the Year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Key Tracks:</i> "Montezuma," "Bedouin Dress," "Helplessness Blues," "Lorelai," "The Shrine/An Argument," "Blue Spotted Tail"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-16514316749891060162011-09-06T19:07:00.001-04:002011-09-06T19:12:03.551-04:00Best Music 2010: Albums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVd2KIkghXCg5mrufXDPdb3dB4YQ3-R3wo7984njgJ6KnNbzwr7iNQA11WDWTSf0uXrZ6OT_MH40St9kqEaDy1dPCAgNjwaR7EuUxfYB7jfnCfF_nfLxjyNetut0UKVZqrWPg/s1600/bestmusicalbums2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVd2KIkghXCg5mrufXDPdb3dB4YQ3-R3wo7984njgJ6KnNbzwr7iNQA11WDWTSf0uXrZ6OT_MH40St9kqEaDy1dPCAgNjwaR7EuUxfYB7jfnCfF_nfLxjyNetut0UKVZqrWPg/s640/bestmusicalbums2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> As usual, I've procrastinated my brains out. This list, finished since year's end last year - still sums out how I was feeling at the end of 2010. I've listened to a lot more music from last year since then, and maybe, just maybe, a few of those opinions have changed.<br />
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But I'm sticking with this original list. I'm OK with it. Let me explain - usually, I spend all my creative writing energy scrawling a lengthy-ass disclaimer saying why "X" and "YZ" aren't on my list. Then I'm spent for the next six months. Before I get to the task of rating 2011's music, I'll briskly run through a bit of nostalgia. Remember when we were all saying "twenty/ten" and Cee-Lo was hilarious and Kanye was probably annoying or something? Ah, the good times. Here's that lengthy-ass disclaimer I was talking about: <br />
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First I have to rule out music that doesn't technically qualify as being released in 2010 (Charlotte Gainsbourg's excellent <i>IRM</i>), I also disqualify albums I haven't listened to released this year or I only started listening to now (I mentioned Drake, Best Coast and the National before, but would also include Of Montreal's <i>False Priest</i>, Rick Ross' <i>Teflon Don</i> and Gil Scott-Heron's <i>I'm New Here</i>) and - this year in particular - I was shut out of listening to music released in Cincinnati (there are countless omissions here, but call out the Seedy Seeds, the Lion's Rampant and the Sundresses as high honorable mentions).<br />
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All right, let's get to it.<br />
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<b>20</b> Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings<i> I Learned The Hard Way</i><br />
As I said earlier, I have mad love for Sharon Jones, this whole album makes me wish I was alive during the 70s. ...I mean, like "more alive." <br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "The Game Gets Old," "Give It Back," "She Ain't a Child No More"<br />
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<b>19</b> M.I.A. <i>MAYA</i><br />
I don't think I'm the only one who thinks this album kind of got the shaft in 2010. Sure, in hindsight, this would probably been replaced by one of my "carefully considered" albums from the ol' disclaimer, but I still think it holds up. Bad press be damned, MIA will bounce back in the next few years, mark my words!<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "XXXO," "Born Free," "Caps Lock"<br />
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<b>18</b> Belle & Sebastian <i>Write About Love</i><br />
These days, I feel like the new music I love falls into two camps. The "discoveries" that come out of left field and surprise me and the consistent music I've liked since I really started getting into modern music (my post "classic rock" phase). B&S have now been around for 14+ years - their ability to surprise me has lessened with each release. But the quality of their music has stayed - Stuart Murdoch is still an amazing songwriter and a new release is more like spending time with friends than a mind-blowing religious experience. And for me, that's sometimes just enough to make this list.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Come On Sister," "The Ghost of Rockschool," "Read the Blessed Pages<br />
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<b>17</b> Beach House <i>Teen Dream</i><br />
I think Beach House was the first band I 'd heard of surrounding this whole "beach revival sound" thing (probably even before I knew it was a thing). I've always been a sucker for the calming and wistful, and Beach House has this is droves.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Silver Soul," "Used To Be," "Real Love"<br />
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<b>16</b> Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan <i>Hawk</i><br />
Another spill-off from my Belle & Sebastian love (and much less off my love for the Screaming Trees) this combination I've felt has been filled with "Nancy & Lee" promise that has never quite lived up to its potential until this album. The duets are more carefully chosen, some of the songs are straight solos and some are duets with Willy Mason - these all seem like smart moves that aid the performances and create what I think is their best collaboration yet.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "You Won't Let Me Down Again," "Snake Song," "Time of the Season" <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38zMVdYJM2PggNFpXOXdjHmXMLsRVM0PB2W5Gbpi9FzUnWF2-yh57EX80RCbHpC7z7UaQ54Dhy5YEk8Qxi8Cg2Q0LhIZ-9K2sQ_af89ffUeu85dAXoTUXg4RtjBBw-fJF2Cg/s1600/blackkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38zMVdYJM2PggNFpXOXdjHmXMLsRVM0PB2W5Gbpi9FzUnWF2-yh57EX80RCbHpC7z7UaQ54Dhy5YEk8Qxi8Cg2Q0LhIZ-9K2sQ_af89ffUeu85dAXoTUXg4RtjBBw-fJF2Cg/s200/blackkeys.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>15</b> The Black Keys <i>Brothers</i><br />
Since the beginning - for whatever reason - I have refused to let myself get interested in The Black Keys. They're a decent band and one of the few survivors of the garage rock boom of the early 00s that seems capable of still churning out decent music.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Next Girl," "Tighten Up," "Never Give You Up"<br />
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<b>14 </b>LCD Soundsystem <i>This Is Happening</i><br />
A lot of critics saw this as the defining album of 2010, and its very good, but I think LCD is shutting down perfectly right before they get a little too overexposed. I wasn't crazy about "Drunk Girls" - fortunately the mid-album combo of "All I Want"/"I Can Change"/"You Wanted A Hit" that have all the danceable charm and lyrical ambiguity that made me love them through their 10-year career.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> See above <br />
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<b>13</b> The Walkmen <i>Lisbon</i><br />
As indie bands go, The Walkmen are pretty prolific, I usually expect about a 3 year lag time from even my favorite bands. So when they cranked out <i>Lisbon</i> almost<br />
not even 2 years after their career redefining <i>You and Me,</i> I was a little skeptical at home good it could be. Fortunately, I was completely off-base. More of the same? Sure. Not as consistently strong as <i>You and Me?</i> Um...OK. But still pretty damn good.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Angela Surf City," "Blue as Your Blood," "Lisbon"<br />
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<b>12</b> Vampire Weekend<i> Contra</i><br />
In the blog age, buzz bands pop up with a dizzying frequency, so it seems more important these days, for the sake of carving out some sort of career, that your second album be as good as or even better than the first. That's why it was nice to see Vampire Weekend follow up the crazy praise of their first album with an equally memorable and catchy sophomore effort. They even got sued! Way to grow up and mature right before our eyes, guys.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Cousins," "Taxi Cab," "I Think Ur A Contra"<br />
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<b>11 </b>Big Boi <i>Sir Lucious Leftfoot... The Son of Chico Dusty</i><br />
I still miss Andre 3k and initially Big Boi solo was a difficult sell for me. While you're missing the ATLien weirdness of an Outkast release, the Son of Chico Dusty is still a pretty amazing forward-thinking Southern rap album, especially in a field where hip hop continues to fear any type of revolutionary growth and whose stars seem to be continually dwindling. I don't think there's another album that captured being both fun AND adventurous in 2010.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Turns Me On," "Shutterbugg" "Back-up Plan"<br />
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<b>10</b> The Besnard Lakes <i>Are The Roaring Night</i><br />
I continue to preach the goodness that is The Besnard Lakes. However I find it's hard to convert when on the track listing, two sets of songs have titles that read like they'd show up on a long lost Emerson Lake and Palmer album. You have to believe me though - no band puts together beautiful passages punctuated by blasts of guitar feedback like the Besnard Lakes. The lyrics are filled with sad characters and beautiful scenery. When you're in the right mood some night (roaring or otherwise) you should give them a listen.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Chicago Train" "Albatross" "Light Up The Night"<br />
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<b>09</b> Gorillaz <i>Plastic Beach</i><br />
Damon Albarn seems to be the only who can successfully mash up all the music in my iPod without it sounding like a total mess. Who else could navigate an album with guests Snoop Dog, Mos Def, Lou Reed, Mark E. Smith, The Clash and Bobby Womack and turn it into an intriguing futuristic pastiche commenting on the state of the environment (...I guesss?). Some are a better fit than others and in some ways it seems that Damon is still attempting to perfect the formula his peers Dan the Automator and Del the Funky Homosapien created (and sort of perfected) with Deltron 3030 (where he guested and got the idea for this whole Gorillaz thing in the first place). Still, it's the songs that matter, and with this album - Albarn continues to push the formula in new directions with stirring, emotional impact.<br />
<i>Key songs:</i> "Stylo," "Empire Ants," "Some Kind of Nature" <br />
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<b>08</b> Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti <i>Before Today</i><br />
One of the most entertaining and downright weird albums I've heard in a long time. What is this? A 70's AM Gold rebirth? Is it OK to be apparently influenced by Frank Zappa in 2010? Are they quoting "Love Shack?" So many questions. Ariel Pink follows his own bizarre set of rules to sound completely unique and eerily familiar all at once. Having 2011 already almost in the rearview, I know that this type of nostalgia has wormed it's way into more and more band repertoires. Still no one has done it since with the gleeful spookiness that is displayed on this album.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Bright Lit Blue Skies," "L'estat," "Round and Round"<br />
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<b>07</b> The Roots <i>How I Got Over</i><br />
The best pure hip hop album for me in 2010 was this album by The Roots. Sure there are plenty of bizarre crossovers (Joanna Newsom, Dirty Projectors and Jim James stop by) but this is a extremely soulful experience and the raps - particularly those by Black Thought and the hooks from regular guest Dice Raw - are the sharpest I've heard on a consistent basis in awhile. The concept is also strong - the first 6 songs follow the dark and gritty path the Roots have followed since <i>Things Fall Apart, </i>followed by a second act the actually provides a little hope. Highly recommended as a soundtrack for the next time you're facing adversity.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "Walk Alone," "The Day," "Right On"<br />
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<b>06</b> Titus Andronicus <i>The Monitor</i><br />
I started buying more albums in 2010 - <i>The Monitor</i> was my first pick to grab from this year. It was, to say the least, a confusing album to hear for the first time on record. The old-timey quotes are very off-putting at first and as a result, I couldn't put the Civil War theme out of my head. I shelved it for awhile and upon rediscovery, it became a revelation - when I started tying it more to the real themes - the feelings about the place you were born (particularly if that place is New Jersey), feelings about your adopted hometown (particularly if that place is Boston), and the regret/guilt that comes with leaving and very awesome guitar parts, I finally "got it." The Civil War, even as a metaphor, is a bit of a decoy. A signature move from Titus to love is their high energy chants - this time featuring such lovely catchphrases as "the enemy is everywhere" and "you will always be a loser." If any of this still sounds appealing to you at all, 1) wow and 2) get this album, freak.<br />
<i>Key tracks:</i> "A More Perfect Union," "Theme from 'Cheers,'" "The Battle of Hampton Roads"<br />
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<b>05</b> Janelle Monáe <i>The ArchAndroid</i><br />
More than any newcomers in the last year, Janelle Monáe's debut - a genre-melting exercise with a futuristic bent - impressed me most. Occasionally it seems almost comical the far-reaching scope and ambition of this project - even including orchestral overtures to each section and U-turn folk song near the end of everything. And while it may be imperfect, more times than not, the songs are likable and exciting (including the first section of 10 straight near perfect genre-hopping pop songs) with turns you want to take, rather than just being dragged behind. <br />
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<b>04</b> Sufjan Stevens <i>Age of Adz</i><br />
Part One of the tortured artistic souls of my Best Of list, Sufjan abandoned the states, apparently had some sort of near-death experience and then went ahead and released 2 hours of music (I guess to make up for lost time). The EP (<i>All Delighted People</i>) was excellent in its own terms, but it set the tone for Age of Adz, a sprawling artistic statement with a 25-minute songsuite tagged at the end. I generally found that a lot of people hated it. After all, this was the man that gave us the perfect mournful, but optimistic pop song "Chicago" used to soundtrack the mournful, but optimistic movie <i>Little Miss Sunshine</i> VW bus ride. As with a lot of artists that freak with their first big crossover success (PJ Harvey's <i>Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea/Uh Huh Her</i> transition strikes me as a similar move), Sufjan retreated, going back to his "roots" - the less-accessible electronic dissonance of his earlier work. There's still plenty to like - at its heart, these are still mostly pop songs and some really beautiful moments that one comes to expect from a Sufjan album, however it does require a little more patience than Illinois, or even the slower paced Michigan. It may even borderline on being a little indulgent, but turning your sound on its ear is no easy move. His choice to avoid repeating himself is a good one - this album is the sound of a musician evolving and not willing to give an audience the same thing twice. <br />
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<b>03</b> Kanye West <i>My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</i><br />
And now welcome to Part Two. An artist as polarizing as Kanye West who is actually famous is an unusual case. An artist who releases the kind of music that Kanye does and is still famous is even more perplexing. For a guy who first came to fame with happy, bratty, poppy, soul-sampling rap albums, this music is far away from anything I would have ever considered "mainstream." Dark confrontations of fame, power and relationships haunt this album. It's an hour and eight minutes without any real bright spots (unless you count the slightly optimistic "Lost In the World"). And still it sold well and was universally acclaimed, even landing in the top spot in a lot of people's Best of 2010 lists. It made a star out of Nicki Minaj and showed off Bon Iver's crossover potential.<br />
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Even if you hate 'Ye as a public figure, his ability to create music that stands out in the 2000s can't be denied. The soundscapes he creates have always fit the mood of the album and he manages to get the best out of his guests (Rick Ross is outstanding on "Devil in a New Dress", Jay-Z's verse on "So Appalled" is better than most of his Blueprint 3 rhymes, Chris Rock brings what humor he can to "Blame Game" at just the right time). For all his faults, in the end it's about the music and maybe because of his faults, he creates some of the most complex (and popular, and entertaining) music of our time.<br />
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02 Arcade Fire <i>The Suburbs</i><br />
Until about earlier this year, most people were blissfully unaware of Arcade Fire. This was the way I liked things. In general, I hate it when people start weighing in on the things I like, especially when that opinion is reactionary and negative. And it all hit the fan when this album (a very good one at that) won the Album of the Year award at the Grammys.<br />
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My thoughts: it's a great concept record that utilizes well the variety of instruments and voices that the band has in its arsenal. It's still not as good as <i>Funeral,</i> but I like it a lot more than <i>Neon Bible.</i> It has a better upbeat songs vs. ballads ratio and the album flows as well as any of their albums have. Then they went and won themselves a stupid Grammy. Suddenly, every idiot with a Twitter account is a hilarious critic. The backlash - as should've been expected - got a little nasty. <a href="http://whoisarcadefire.tumblr.com/">I guess we have this, at least.</a> I don't really like to think about it, but I can be a little bizarrely sensitive when it comes to this stuff. No matter, this album was here at #2 when I created this list, well before the Grammys even nominated it - and it's worth checking out. But before you start saying that it shouldn't have won a Grammy, remember that <i>Christopher Cross, No Jacket Required </i>and <i>Toto IV </i>have all won<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Award_for_Album_of_the_Year"> the same award.</a> So yeah, knock it off.<br />
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<b>01</b> Deerhunter <i>Halycon Digest</i><br />
Deerhunter has slowly rose from a band I liked but couldn't name any of their songs, to a band that I started relying on to produce great music to a band that made my favorite album in 2010. It's hard to pinpoint how you decide this. For me, at the end of the year, there's a jumble of bands who's music I listened to consistently and start to realize that I loved several tracks in a row, and then, in a few rarer cases, every single song. That was the case with <i>Halycon Digest</i> - Deerhunter transformed from a band with a lot of drone-y songs and wore their influences on their sleeves, to a band who tightened up its sound and created a unique palette that moved comfortably from song to song. Bradford Cox's voice as a singer has grown confident and every experiment pays off. It's a powerful album with infinite repeat value and, in my opinion, the best album of 2010.<br />
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<b>So that's it. </b>Maybe you haven't fully tested the waters in 2010, if that's the case, this list was right on time. To hit that year-end deadline a little harder, the 2011 album list will be shorter. But hey, it'll be on time. Maybe. Start placing your bets now.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-29590909239933111762010-12-23T17:13:00.026-05:002010-12-23T17:23:38.042-05:00Best Music 2010: Songs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7luDnmhbpoEpY1i7NkbNvKthS01XNLNN_9nRhs0HMJPapXKjcRf42OkBIb24js8li3CYInn2BcZtG1TQTut5dO-kM5HOqEB3mL0B2q3dCbquQiuyfxP182mFq8MO3UNPfuJA/s1600/bestmusic2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7luDnmhbpoEpY1i7NkbNvKthS01XNLNN_9nRhs0HMJPapXKjcRf42OkBIb24js8li3CYInn2BcZtG1TQTut5dO-kM5HOqEB3mL0B2q3dCbquQiuyfxP182mFq8MO3UNPfuJA/s640/bestmusic2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>As with the end of every year,</b> the only thing that really seems to matter is what music was really good (oh yeah and our health, friends, family, blah blah, etc.). 2010 was no different and here I am to tell you what where it was at, musically speaking. Don't believe those other music sources - they were probably all paid off. I think I heard Kanye West sent a fancy fruit basket to all the majors this year.<br />
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"But Ronson!" you exclaim. "Why should we trust you? You haven't even heard the new Drake, Best Coast and National albums this year!" And to that I say: "...hm. Good point. Fair enough, you did your research." But shortly after I forget the entire conversation.<br />
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Without further ado, here's what caught my attention in 2010, starting with the top 25 songs:<br />
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25 <b>"Stylo"</b> Gorillaz featuring Mos Def & Bobby Womack <i>Plastic Beach</i><br />
In trends that surface throughout my top 25, my favorite music this year tends to be mash-ups of unlikely musicians along with groups I've come to rely on over the years. And right here you have both: Damon Albarn again adds his vocals to a recently rejuvenated Mos Def, finds legendary R&B singer Bobby Womack, mixes, garnishes and blammo! Awesome song #742. <i> </i><br />
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24 <b>"Our Dreams"</b> Meth, Ghost & Rae <i>Wu Massacre</i><br />
<i>Wu Massacre</i> was a victory lap for the Wu's solid 2009 (<i>Blackout! 2</i> and <i>Cuban Linx 2</i> were both met with critical and commercial love). That this EP from the three Wu-Tang members who performed best last year only has a handful of successful results probably only reveals the fanboy-like respect I have for the group. "Our Dreams" shows Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon in "loverman mode" and is produced by RZA which is always a plus. <i> </i><br />
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23 <b>"The Game Gets Old"</b> Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings <i>I Learned The Hard Way</i><br />
That the old school soul revival hasn't caught on as quickly as the garage rock revival did is surprising to me. Perhaps Sharon Jones has upped the game so much, few are too fearful to try. I prefer 100 Days 100 Nights, but have yet to tire of her music, which takes old techniques and puts them in modern times. Apparently, others have taken notice too, as I was packed in with other soul lovers during her sold-out show in Cincinnati this year. Listening to Jones recount her previous trips, and the size of the crowds she played to at each show, made the triumph seem all the sweeter. Btw, if this were a live show countdown, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings would win, hands down. <i> </i><br />
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22<b> "I Can Change"</b> LCD Soundsystem <i>This Is Happening</i><br />
<i>This Is Happening </i>is one of those albums that is difficult to break apart and listen to in pieces (minus maybe the "you-wanted-a-hit" follow-up single to "North American Scum," "Drunk Girls"). I pick "I Can Change" off the album as a standalone success - it's one of the few times James Murphy has attempted to write something that resembles a love song, but it's framed around a plea that somehow seems both lazy and desperate. Seems about right for the LCD aesthetic. <i> </i><br />
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21 <b>"Round and Round"</b> Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti <i>Before Today</i><br />
Of all influences to experience a rebirth of cool in 2010, my favorite has to be Ariel Pink's revival of late 70s AM Gold. "Round and Round" is an indicator that there's no shame in dusting off those Boz Scaggs and Alan Parsons Project LPs, though there's a decent chance that I'd be doing that either way. <i> </i><br />
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20 <b>"The High Road"</b> Broken Bells <i>Broken Bells</i><br />
Can artists be predictably good to a fault? In the case of DangerMouse and James Mercer, apparently so. This song cropped up everywhere in 2010, but as the year closes out, no one wants to admit they liked it. Would I rather have a new Shins album or for DM to get together with Cee-Lo again? Sure, but as he's proven with previous collaborators Beck and Damon Albarn, DangerMouse gets the indie pop music thing, and can produce some pretty catchy results. <i> </i><br />
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19 <b>"Barricade"</b> Interpol <i>Interpol</i><br />
Post-punk and Interpol seem to have been left in the early 2000s, but I still (pretty shamelessly) embrace it. This song holds up with the bands' best work (like Nas, they will forever be judged against their first, near-perfect album, and I'm pretty sure it will always handicap them), and wouldn't seem out of place on their fan-beloved second album <i>Antics.</i> What can I say? I'll always be a fan, as awkward as the lyrics get (and it kind of does).<br />
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18 <b>"Read the Blessed Pages"</b> Belle & Sebastian <i>Write About Love</i><br />
I rarely choose the precious side of B&S, particularly since they've transitioned to a more soulful side in the 2000s. This song would be the exception - I love the callback to early Belle & Sebastian, but be careful to watch the pronouns - they switch mid-song, from former muse Isobel Campbell to what turns out to be a tribute to Stuart Murdoch's father, both surprisingly touching. <i> </i><br />
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17 <b>"Blue As Your Blood"</b> The Walkmen <i>Lisbon</i><br />
There's a confidence in the last couple of Walkmen albums that you have to admire. Only Spoon and Deerhunter could produce music so frequently that is so comfortable in its own style. Here, the Walkmen have a particular swagger, starting this song out with simple guitar lope (slowly adding in drums and bass) for a full 40 seconds before the vocals finally get it rolling. It continues to unfold and by the time you reach the song's title, you're glad you made the trip. <i><br />
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16 <b>"Redemption Day"</b> Johnny Cash <i>American VI: Ain't No Grave</i><br />
Who knew Cash had so much left in the vault? OK, we all did. When I finally got around to listening to American VI, his second posthumous release produced by Rick Rubin, I found this song particularly stirring, the production matches Cash's crumbling vocals perfectly and works suitably as the legend's final curtain call. <i> </i><br />
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15 <b>"XXXO"</b> M.I.A. <i>MAYA</i><br />
A big story to me in 2010 was how Pitchfork pretty much turned their back on M.I.A., a star they kind of helped create<i>.</i> While she definitely had a weird 2010, but I'm not sure if there was an additional subtext that I missed (I mean Kanye acted as crazy as ever in 2010 and all you have to say is 10.0 there), but they took any dig the could get. And <i>MAYA</i> isn't really that bad an album (perhaps a step down from <i>Kala, </i>but can you even really rank M.I.A. alongside any other music?). All drama aside, I liked this club track that especially sounds good when you're on your way out for the night. <i> </i><br />
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14 <b>"Wondaland"</b> Janelle Monae <i>The ArchAndroid</i><br />
I was listening to this album pretty nonstop for much of this year, and I still think my favorite song is this bright, bouncy song about... umm, ancient supernatural beings loving mortals (or something). Anyway, I really like the line "I'll be your secret Santa/do you mind?" and the middle eight section. <i> </i><br />
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13 <b>"Take It In"</b> Hot Chip <i>One Life Stand</i><br />
While I found it tough to completely buy into the sensitive side of Hot Chip (electronics and warmth have always been an awkward pairing), but I was particularly taken by the last song on the album, which lands in my 13th spot. If you can say something like "my heart has flown to you just like a dove" and I'm buying it, that's impressive.<i> </i><br />
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12 <b>"Ready to Start"</b> Arcade Fire <i>The Suburbs</i><br />
As a concept album, The Suburbs is kind of tough to pick apart, but there are standouts - I would list "Month of May," "Sprawl II" and this song. There are a few songs before it, but as the title implies, this is the real beginning to a great album.<i> </i><br />
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11 <b>"Shutterbugg"</b> Big Boi <i>Sir Lucious Left Foot... The Son of Chico Dusty</i><br />
Big Boi proved he can go it alone. I miss Andre 3k, but <i>Chico Dusty</i> and "Shutterbugg" are proof that good Southern rap can exist in a post-OutKast world. Big Boi is lyrically clever as ever (no surprise there) and the backing track is just as creative and forward-thinking. It's nice to think that there's music that 2010 is capable of producing music that is uniquely fit to its time. <i> </i><br />
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10<b> "Tighten Up"</b> The Black Keys <i>Brothers</i><br />
I get the sense that people are kind of "done" with The Black Keys' routine, but for me this was the first album/song that I really found captivating (since <i>Rubber Factory</i> at least). Sure the formula basically stays the same (the video is excellent btw), but for the first time, the Keys seem to have an ear for a tune that goes beyond they're usual garage blues mimicry. I for one say "follow that up, guys!" And don't break up. There are only two of you. <i><br />
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<i></i>9 <b>"Rill Rill"</b> Sleigh Bells <i>Treats</i><br />
This took me by surprise - hidden in the middle of the blown-out L-O-U-D mixes of Sleigh Bell's debut, is this fun, Funkadelic-copping tune with lyrics that recount grade school memories ("wonder what your boyfriend thinks about your braces") that seem made for the backing track. That's the mark of a band with big potential. <i> </i><br />
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8 <b>"Cousins"</b> Vampire Weekend <i>Contra</i><br />
Speedy, fun and ingratiating, much like Vamp Weekend themselves, this was one of the first songs that entered my conscious in 2010. Since it's managed to stick around all year, I think that's worth a high rating. I honestly thought these guys might be a "one-and-done" band, but <i>Contra </i>avoids the sophomore slump with style. <i> </i><br />
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7 <b>"Desire Lines"</b> Deerhunter <i>Halycon Digest</i><br />
There's an epic quality to this song, yet Bradford Cox's voice sounds so relaxed and inviting. Like everything on this album there's a lot to revisit with each listen from the guitars to the drums (especially in a nice extended instrumental coda at the end), so I think of this song like the climactic end to a great mixtape. I also like any song with a "whoa-oh" part. <i><br />
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6 <b>"Albatross" </b>The Besnard Lakes <i>Are The Roaring Night</i><br />
The guitars are barely keeping together here until the explosion about mid-way through the song. I also love the vocals and the lyrics that are tell a vague, awkward love story that I found - despite being opaque as hell, very touching and a little sad. I love the Besnard Lakes and think it's a crime that most music pubs forgot about them at the end of the year (Fun fact: I ranked their 2007 album <a href="http://ronsonville.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html">in my top 5</a> waaaaay back when).<i> </i><br />
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5 <b>"You Won't Let Me Down Again"</b> Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan <i>Hawk</i><br />
As instantly captivating a song that Isobel and Mark have put together in their side project (and really the best song either has created in both of their now-lengthy solo careers) I can even begin to explain how much I love this song. I'm a sucker for the Nancy-&-Lee style of duets, and this song perfectly merges the strengths of their voices to form my second-most unlikely pairing in the top five... <br />
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4 <b>"Right On"</b> The Roots featuring Joanna Newsom & STS <i>How I Got Over</i><br />
...And here's number one. This song gets big points for making Joanna Newsom tolerable (she's fortunately regulated to the chorus) over the other songs I really like on the album ("Walk Alone" and the title track come to mind). ?uestlove may never get his dream of making the perfect crossover hip-hop album, but you have to admire the gymnastics of putting something like this together and not having it sound totally, ear-achingly bad. In fact, it sounds really good.<i><br />
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3 <b>"Get Real Get Right"</b> Sufjan Stevens <i>Age of Adz</i><br />
Wait a sec, "Christian rock" is supposed to suck. Whatever your idea of what Sufjan does, devotion does seem to play an important part of the equation, even if it's his constant struggle of dealing with it. The kitchen sink build-up of a choir, woodwinds, brass and robotic voices to the solo vocal that nakedly admits he must "get real, get right" might be enough subterfuge that you miss (or even care) that the last bit concludes with "with the lord." Religious context or not, it's a damn catchy and complex song and earns the 3 spot from me. <br />
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2 <b>"Fuc* You"</b> Cee-Lo <i>The Lady Killer</i><br />
Everyone loves this song. So do I. A kiss-off that is happier than most relationships. Could've probably been my number one, but I like being difficult.<br />
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1 <b>"Power"</b> Kanye West <i>My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</i><br />
So here's where I throw my love of Kanye on top of the fire. Kanye is my favorite kinda of celebrity, he creates his own problems - Obama even hates him - and he has the guts to sample King Crimson. He's complicated and he understands that dealing with those complications leads to great art. "Power" makes an attempt to comment on all of that. I also recommend the remix featuring Jay-Z that goes into an extended Snap! sequence and is completely bonkers. It's free on <a href="http://kanyewest.com/#good_fridays">his Web site.</a> <i> </i><br />
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<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L53gjP-TtGE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L53gjP-TtGE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-61112528747406855062010-11-30T18:28:00.001-05:002010-12-07T09:59:08.816-05:00Best Music 2009: Albums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0IsylMYJPAQ6gTbGKM2-H58VeUGh_pkLkG86d61CKsNkRar4CQcP0CnrTNbe6qLimVnhRpDNaW13XMaGDGQWTxN-Sv4KZ2ceH1_DCsEHwUrUdvjH_p8DkCv2JspJIQhMNQQ/s1600/bestmusicalbums09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0IsylMYJPAQ6gTbGKM2-H58VeUGh_pkLkG86d61CKsNkRar4CQcP0CnrTNbe6qLimVnhRpDNaW13XMaGDGQWTxN-Sv4KZ2ceH1_DCsEHwUrUdvjH_p8DkCv2JspJIQhMNQQ/s1600/bestmusicalbums09.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br />
Welcome to the Best of 2009: the 11 months hindsight edition. In preparation for my 2010 best, I stumbled (OK maybe I knew it was still here) onto the crumbs of my 2009 list. Honestly, my heart wasn't into the ranking music thing last year, so after exhausting all my efforts into my songs of the year list, this one just seemed like one more thing to process, analyze and rate. Here's a brief recap of how it went down, because, dammit, I've got to do it:<br />
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<b>20</b> Morrissey <i>Years of Refusal</i> This album was sort of "Moz By Numbers" but still built on the resurgence of Morrissey in the 00s. He also had a difficult 2009 (after collapsing on stage, the British press attacked his subsequent performances, calling him "bloated" among other things), and that earned him a sympathy spot.<br />
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<b>19</b> Animal Collective <i>Merriweather Post Pavillion</i> This was tops on the list of most of your modern musical publications. I liked it all right. I think it helps to think of them as a warped, modern Beach Boys.<br />
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<b>18</b> Yo La Tengo <i>Popular Songs</i> Perhaps there are some unseen circumstances that I don't know about it, but every year Yo La Tengo puts out a proper album, I imagine it will land in my top 20 favorites by the end of the year.<br />
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<b>17</b> Atlas Sound <i>Logos </i>Bradford Cox is a prolific and consistent musician of this generation. You might not always be able to pick out an absolute favorite, but most of his albums effortlessly wash over you. No effort needed, just relax and enjoy. <br />
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<b>16</b> Wilco <i>Wilco (The Album) </i>I think with this pick, I was just happy to see Jeff Tweedy making decent music. Over 2010, this album faded away, but listening to it again I remembered why I charted it so high - it's an enjoyable (if maybe not too challenging) album, that recalls the finer moments on <i>Being There.</i> Clearly being compared to the Eagles was somewhat of a wake-up call, even if it's unclear (on many levels) what being compared to the Eagles means.<br />
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<b>15 </b>The Dead Weather <i>Horehound</i> In some situations doing a year recap with some perspective can be a handicap (shocking, I know). The Dead Weather (featuring 2009's illustration visage Jack White) followed up this album with a less impressive album this year. Did it taint their overall rating here - I think so, as much as I love the songs "Treat Me Like Your Mother" and "I Cut Like A Buffalo" I'm starting to see a pattern in non-Stripes White material. I like it all, but it's missing some of the experimental flourish of his main project. That said, I still had more fun with this album than any Raconteurs release, and 75 percent of anything else released in 09.<br />
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<b>14</b> Wussy <i>Wussy </i>Until about mid-2009, part of my job was commenting on Cincinnati's music scene. It was great fun, however it did start to bias my feelings toward Cincinnati music. Well maybe. That's a conversation for another blog post. Anyway, a few years ago I decided I would resolve this bias by only including my absolute favorite Cincinnati release in this year end list. I couldn't do that in 09. I could try to explain that music would end up on my list no matter where I was living - these albums are just that good - buuuuut since I'm living in Cincinnati, you probably wouldn't believe me. Anyway, I do love this album and, sure, I've definitely seen this band play many, many times. I really think that if they toured outside of Cincy, they'd legitimately be considered a "National" act. And that's all I got.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LhRryGb3M2YRd5rMGjz9LpBaZn9aFYQUcwt2S285PabA7JtBMZ0RFkR-97a2nY6aEjLGY7SBC8WrQyUJfBJlBKHQV6l3BHB5XCsfRLxlCUPgetVFfkce5Kh4Trgoex1VS_0/s1600/billc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LhRryGb3M2YRd5rMGjz9LpBaZn9aFYQUcwt2S285PabA7JtBMZ0RFkR-97a2nY6aEjLGY7SBC8WrQyUJfBJlBKHQV6l3BHB5XCsfRLxlCUPgetVFfkce5Kh4Trgoex1VS_0/s200/billc.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b> 13</b> Bill Callahan <i>Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle</i> Sometimes the reason I do these lists is to try to highlight an artist I'm almost certain will get overlooked. Formerly Smog, and the first time releasing an album under his own name, I was floored by the stark beauty of this record. Easily his best since he almost, very barely reached the public consciousness with <i>Knock Knock.</i> Simple, artistic and deep, this is the only kind of "singer/songwriter" music I can get into these days.<br />
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<b>12 </b>Phoenix <i>Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix</i> And so Phoenix blew up in 2009, impressively they didn't have to mess with their formula too much. Lisztomania/1901/Fences is the strongest start to any album in 09. They did that thing where they ended up on the cover of Spin and appeared on SNL making them at least as important as to Americans as Vampire Weekend or Muse, and the most U.S.-accepted French band since Air. I still prefer <i>It's Never Been Like That,</i> but what can you do.<br />
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<b>11</b> Neko Case <i>Middle Cyclone </i>Neko came back with another round of songs about awkward relationships and female gigolos (is there a word for female gigolos?). I liked it a whole lot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylOTqVnENm4u_c205lSFYMz4t2O9c52PWtpiVK95ixdiyvL8HG_kdiNf0LiLaX3e7dlvPzB1Ru9xq4sQQJgK9LoDzFzdH_Xw9i6pWI89JwQQrDewxnKFyiGk2_IUWH9ohThs/s1600/doom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylOTqVnENm4u_c205lSFYMz4t2O9c52PWtpiVK95ixdiyvL8HG_kdiNf0LiLaX3e7dlvPzB1Ru9xq4sQQJgK9LoDzFzdH_Xw9i6pWI89JwQQrDewxnKFyiGk2_IUWH9ohThs/s200/doom.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b> 10</b> DOOM <i>Born Like This</i> 2009 was kind of an off-year for hip-hop. (I don't know why I didn't include Method Man and Redman's Blackout! 2 on here - it was easily one of my favorites of the year. Oh well) I asked too much out of Jay-Z's Blueprint 3, so there were only 2 hip-hop albums that made a real impression on me. Another year, another reinvention for MF DOOM, simply going by DOOM on this album to further complicate your iTunes organization. <i>Born Like This</i> is sinister, not very jokey like other DOOM incarnations, as if the low profile he's been keeping for five years was warping him even more than his initial post-KMD retreat from the public eye. It's an intriguing album - more "rap" than "hip-hop" - DOOM has no interest in making you dance, he just wants you to listen.<br />
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<b>9</b> Brian Olive <i>Brian Olive</i> In early 2009, I stood alone in an audience of around 30 in Shake It Records for an in-store performance of former Greenhorne Brian Olive after hearing his album in the store about a week before. He basically performed every song on the album and when he was finished, I had become a devoted fan. Equal parts garage and britpop, this debut is the much-needed twist that a lot of 60s garage band acolytes need to listen to (Cincinnati is full of these bands). It's not enough to faithfully reproduce these sounds, it's about taking them to another level, and that's what Olive did for me in this debut. Highly recommended for Cincinnatians and beyond.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhaXI7SsEap5Akx684_Cf6KTkIXiXil2SWIrMyP-hhFU46qECDBive1xCKCqv_xzJvlkIQYxCZtl_eKsWX157ZGvOQxOiK3RYekxbbKCSsou20c4Rc8VumBZENsJWtTGYyDM/s1600/dmsparklehorse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhaXI7SsEap5Akx684_Cf6KTkIXiXil2SWIrMyP-hhFU46qECDBive1xCKCqv_xzJvlkIQYxCZtl_eKsWX157ZGvOQxOiK3RYekxbbKCSsou20c4Rc8VumBZENsJWtTGYyDM/s200/dmsparklehorse.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>8</b> DangerMouse and Sparklehorse <i>Dark Night of the Soul</i> When I was lucky enough to get the download of this album of the Internet last year, it catapulted to the top of my listening list. Generating a fair amount of hype for being kept from release by Capitol records (it was initially speculated that DangerMouse's<i> Grey Album</i> still pissed off the label, but later revealed that it was less interestingly about getting proper clearance for one of the samples), that a lot of critical sources were wary of being swept up and unfortunately therefore I believe slept on this album. Why? It's the best use of a variety of voices (Julian Casablancas, Frank Black, James Mercer, Vic Chesnutt, Suzanne Vega, a surprisingly good pair of performances by David Lynch) to an effect that actually makes sense within the album. Adding to it, the suicides of two of the performers (Mark Linkous and Chesnutt) before its proper release this year should make it a dark horse candidate for album of the year. Instead, it received middling praise and criticisms for being uneven. Maybe it gets lost in its ambition and is too high concept to be a true "album of the year," but at the end of the year, it still holds up as one of the most unique, cohesive albums I heard in either 2009 or 2010.<br />
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<b>7</b> The Pains of Being Pure at Heart <i>The Pains of Being Pure at Heart</i> Almost crushed by its own affable good nature, TPoBPaH (yeah, that's awk) is a excellent debut that owes a debt to alternative 80s bands, but adds enough spin to avoid being another retread. They also might be able to sneak under the radar enough to avoid the pressure of a follow-up thanks to the next band on this list.<br />
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<b>6</b> The xx<i> xx</i> I got this album for Christmas last year, I knew a lot about the band and had heard some of the songs, so I knew I'd like it. I only found out as much in January of this year. So, up it jumps to number six on this list. Haunting and beautiful, listening to The xx is like listening to a lost band from 1987 that recorded a song for a John Hughes movie, then dropped off the planet. As the year went along, the band's popularity exploded, winning the Mercury Prize and - a mark of mainstream acceptance in my book - being sold in Target stores. "VCR" and "Crystalised" still pop up on my mixes and I can see listening to them for years to come. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxVYIvCglQcLgD2As9VYNsmsGMQXgR5yTII2hIuh7Kyg5PEnMgjZbfYMmuYNHz_CHtWVY9pq1F_Dvi4quUi6lpCbRoDKWMXJ1VLweHPK9auPeAzESXdnsKZTv2NwmMrBZDpU/s1600/flaminglips.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxVYIvCglQcLgD2As9VYNsmsGMQXgR5yTII2hIuh7Kyg5PEnMgjZbfYMmuYNHz_CHtWVY9pq1F_Dvi4quUi6lpCbRoDKWMXJ1VLweHPK9auPeAzESXdnsKZTv2NwmMrBZDpU/s200/flaminglips.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>5</b> The Flaming Lips <i>Embryonic </i>I love this sprawling, dark album deciding to change their formula again was the best thing The Flaming Lips could do in 2009. It makes an impression in the same way their last great album - <i>The Soft Bulletin</i> - did 10 years ago - even if that impression is much scarier and bleak than the more optimistic Bulletin. I've tried to decipher it -and have decided that's pretty much impossible. Fortunately it keeps you entertained. I regret not being able to put "Watching The Planets" on my favorite songs of 09 list. Trance-y, in a good way. I know, I didn't think that was possible either.<br />
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<b>4</b> Yeah Yeah Yeahs <i>It's Blitz</i> My lineup for the top 5 in 09 is constantly shuffling in my head, but I'm satisfied with the picks themselves. Like everyone, I loved Phoenix and (eventually, begrudgingly) began to grow more impressed with Animal Collective, but for me - it was difficult to ignore what is the YYY's best album, which one rarely says about a band's 3rd proper album. Easy to listen to on repeat with instantly alluring singles ("Zero" and "Heads Will Roll") I thought for awhile nothing would top this album in early 2009.<br />
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<b>3</b> St. Vincent <i>Acto</i>r Resisting acclaimed artists is what I do well. I skipped Annie Clark's debut <i>Marry Me,</i> despite its sparkling reviews, dismissing it as another album filled with neurotic songwriting backed by pretty vocals and precious accompaniment. I was waaaay wrong. And fortunately, her follow-up is equally strong, so I can use this as an opportunity to take back those misconceptions. <i>Actor</i> is an amazing album - I believe I listened to it more than any other album in 2009, it contains the best 2-3-4-5-6 run of any album I've heard in awhile. The are guitar freak-outs, dark humor, an emotional core, and each song tops the one before. It also acts as an "album" - breaking it apart can only weaken it. I went back and bought <i>Marry Me</i> earlier this year, and can officially stand by my claim: my previous, St. Vincent-disliking self was an idiot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAociAwXH6Ah8Z_3fpISMVqtDAe0pZMU6Ay-1sJ6xLCogfA0b4ZiIVoDuTV4p27MCZ96CIuNc2QZUYEu5jfgpq09NPFV97jDvP1_ARjsH8Ew0qdGWGetNmbiIrsZr1w7c3fo/s1600/raekwon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAociAwXH6Ah8Z_3fpISMVqtDAe0pZMU6Ay-1sJ6xLCogfA0b4ZiIVoDuTV4p27MCZ96CIuNc2QZUYEu5jfgpq09NPFV97jDvP1_ARjsH8Ew0qdGWGetNmbiIrsZr1w7c3fo/s200/raekwon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>2</b> Raekwon <i>Only Built for Cuban Linx... Pt. II </i>Another album that I really only started listening to in 2010, I wondered, after all the build up, how good could this actually be? Well, the answer turns out to be "way effing beyond good." I have never understood the hype behind the first album, preferring the debuts of GZA, ODB and Method Man - <i>Cuban Linx: The Orig</i> (my title) ranks 4th. But this album is an instant classic, way further in its cinematic scope than the first, actually working well as an "album sequel" (which generally seems impossible) and loaded with guest appearances (everyone from Busta Rhymes to Slick Rick) that keep things fresh through it's massive 22-song scope. Believe me, I've listened to 22-song albums before - you're not getting more, you're just getting more filler. This album is lean and it had impact from the first time I listened to it. An outstanding achievement and definitely one of the best in 2009. It's influenced rolled over into 2010 - and has re-established Raekwon as someone I get excited to see popping up as a guest verse. He's on a roll.<br />
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<b>1</b> Grizzly Bear <i>Veckatimest</i> As I've established a number of times throughout this review, one great album can completely revise your opinion on an artist. For me, this was 2008's<i> In Ear Park</i> by Grizzly Bear offshoot, Department of Eagles. It managed to hit #2 on my 2008 best album list and made me seriously re-evaluate Grizzly Bear, a band I had written off for reasons I can't really remember at this time. While my ear is drawn to a lot of different types of music, I'm still a sucker for a strong indie rock album with song after song revealing more as you listen to them again and again. <i>Veckatimest,</i> ridiculous album title and all, was that record for me in 2009.<br />
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It was a weird year for me, and I found myself drawn to songs that comfort and gave me some sense that things would get better. I'm happy that I'm able to say that I've since rebounded. My confidence rebounded in 2010 and was able to get back into artists like Raekwon and The xx. But in the time when I didn't have the cash to buy new albums and found myself more dealing with real life than with the world of music, I found what I needed in the music I already had. And Grizzly Bear's <i>Veckatimest </i>was always tops among those albums. Although, um... I must admit - I wasn't crazy about their performance Pitchfork Festival that year - but that can't really be blamed on them - my view was terrible, the sound was wrong... OK well anyway, you get the idea.<br />
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So there you have it. Thanks for reading, if you haven't heard/bought all these albums yet...what's wrong with you!? It's been, like, over a year now. Hopefully next year's lists won't be quite so delayed.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-16032652032011742492010-01-15T18:19:00.008-05:002010-01-15T18:42:18.402-05:00Best Music 2009: Honorable Mentions<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK45gh6MeR65g1whkO5H426YVQ41APp3hec75MDle-gf9JGEapTkFhZB6euhLHfk_i8qcfWSZFdMHflbOzwA6_ldBru4xwWIIHOh8BNJ9mXLSqua7Q4YQze5A0PZrOX1M57E/s800-h/Best+Music+09+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiK45gh6MeR65g1whkO5H426YVQ41APp3hec75MDle-gf9JGEapTkFhZB6euhLHfk_i8qcfWSZFdMHflbOzwA6_ldBru4xwWIIHOh8BNJ9mXLSqua7Q4YQze5A0PZrOX1M57E/s800/Best+Music+09+banner.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Reissues of the Year</span><br />
I love the Beatles, but I didn't have $250 to hear the subtle nuances in sound production between the original 1989 and the 2009 remastered versions of "Polythene Pam." I didn't have the cash to pick up the extended reissues of Neil Young, Kraftwerk or Radiohead, but I did have about 15 bucks to pick up each of these this year:<br />
<br />
1. The Vaselines: <span style="font-style: italic;">Enter the Vaselines</span><br />
For a band that gets most of their non-Glasgow love from being "that band that Kurt Cobain likes," the Vaselines' music holds up really well 20 years later. Sharp writing about overtly taboo subjects (i.e. shagging horses), the duo's best known songs via covers ("Son of a Gun," "Molly's Lips," "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam") are lo-fi gems in the hands of their original creators and work even better with their guy/girl dynamic. The additional live performances are actually pretty entertaining as well.<br />
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</div>2. Serge Gainsbourg: <i>Histoire de Melody Nelson </i><br />
In 1971, Serge Gainsbourg reached the peak of his talents with this themed songcycle about lusting after a young girl who then dies. Y'know, the classic sad, touching and creepy French tale. You lose some of that lechery in translation, and Serge's voice just becomes another instrument in a particularly sharp band. The opening bassline alone probably influenced thousands of the bands you like. In this age, it's particularly bold to reissue an 28-minute album with no bonus materials, but you'll have to trust me, it's just that good.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCqlgdK8GK9yLZKgZa1N0t2f8iWwsF2wNjUhw1RLHM3ID5XC_wzTRy1v5c4t1czvUzk0V9rtGPhm7cm9VjiFtazM-uKVRlgHWU2gjblyKrrWdclCk-26Q9LolWxi7D9IQOjU/s1600-h/boniver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCqlgdK8GK9yLZKgZa1N0t2f8iWwsF2wNjUhw1RLHM3ID5XC_wzTRy1v5c4t1czvUzk0V9rtGPhm7cm9VjiFtazM-uKVRlgHWU2gjblyKrrWdclCk-26Q9LolWxi7D9IQOjU/s200/boniver.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bCte_tdSplnqwYY7IzEQmiOaWtt2Md2Kfie7CyP9G6JYXsBVk1qpbAQ5KzwQu2fN_-mzOYF9fBD7f3DHQXLvnCqj8QVxwnMblNlHGA7fMhiXz9jtgz5Uci1p82VT-nPlMc4/s1600-h/breeders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bCte_tdSplnqwYY7IzEQmiOaWtt2Md2Kfie7CyP9G6JYXsBVk1qpbAQ5KzwQu2fN_-mzOYF9fBD7f3DHQXLvnCqj8QVxwnMblNlHGA7fMhiXz9jtgz5Uci1p82VT-nPlMc4/s320/breeders.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">EPs of the Year</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Short and sweet, I didn't make EPs eligible for my top albums list, so here are a couple noteworthy of honorable mention. I sang their praises in the song portion of the 2009 recap, but in case you missed it, here they are again:<br />
1. Bon Iver <span style="font-style: italic;">Blood Bank</span><br />
2. The Breeders <span style="font-style: italic;">Fate To Fatal</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnfBgF_qkfAhVyXpQ5bXIM5Mp0EK-Ju_gefYiYFvDUAr7upXOhtwZREtVCv8g6wio-wYskw8GxQok1_-2tZ9VYgRFnIW-RObxQLTYYJ7gi6vSoYjZPNcnGoxPD2OzgD7B-PE/s1600-h/methandred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnfBgF_qkfAhVyXpQ5bXIM5Mp0EK-Ju_gefYiYFvDUAr7upXOhtwZREtVCv8g6wio-wYskw8GxQok1_-2tZ9VYgRFnIW-RObxQLTYYJ7gi6vSoYjZPNcnGoxPD2OzgD7B-PE/s200/methandred.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Honorary Rap Sequel of the Year</span> <br />
Method Man &amp; Redman <span style="font-style: italic;">Blackout! 2</span><br />
The Wu were apparently feeling pretty nostalgic this year. On top of the "Top 20" worthy <span style="font-style: italic;">Cuban Linx 2,</span>Method Man re-teamed with Redman to create the second best rap sequel of the year. Sorry, Jay-Z. Despite snagging maybe one too many lines from Notorious B.I.G. and Tribe Called Quest, the duo creates a consistently catchy follow-up and it features at least one amazing track - the standout "City Lights" featuring UGK's Bun B. Between this album, his contributions to the last Wu-Tang album and his underrated 2006 album, Meth has been sharp as ever and he always seems comfortable pairing with Redman. Both MCs play off each other so naturally and their matchup always breeds success – a <i>Blackout! 3</i> is pretty much a given at this point.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mwkOWawivlOy2Mj82Uh5GsHUhGl2AuOVGd_C6_YLg2sSJJQeu6sh0oJv9sCFBdUMlKXfx0P_wNpue-1h7FtB4swK-teQMEeb2qFlZwQGB1f8ZWUgM_kPldICtL2nJsf4-YY/s1600-h/pomegranates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mwkOWawivlOy2Mj82Uh5GsHUhGl2AuOVGd_C6_YLg2sSJJQeu6sh0oJv9sCFBdUMlKXfx0P_wNpue-1h7FtB4swK-teQMEeb2qFlZwQGB1f8ZWUgM_kPldICtL2nJsf4-YY/s200/pomegranates.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud6VOHwd6fLwzhO6jtQo6RDqSrBLUIg0d5vFcdHyLXQ7RT3fLtVi5CfiEfjtgswJXkT55eSejhSLn0Zl0nWDVQ69qVwgKzCrqr1P2Sh12y_hmzp_cwsMxlhPwxeMrOlcOhNQ/s1600-h/badveins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud6VOHwd6fLwzhO6jtQo6RDqSrBLUIg0d5vFcdHyLXQ7RT3fLtVi5CfiEfjtgswJXkT55eSejhSLn0Zl0nWDVQ69qVwgKzCrqr1P2Sh12y_hmzp_cwsMxlhPwxeMrOlcOhNQ/s200/badveins.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lOQNojoGS4pFSZ984SqDaRAhmstjI6L4g6BN3lNFClsv4O3yAlonyeVPl20XtJxqRpqz4CuGUWMOqG-f-upzIRT1r2rVd_ydiRPdsQyymVez7qK4MUTRvQP2hePD5zOSr4Q/s1600-h/chocohorse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lOQNojoGS4pFSZ984SqDaRAhmstjI6L4g6BN3lNFClsv4O3yAlonyeVPl20XtJxqRpqz4CuGUWMOqG-f-upzIRT1r2rVd_ydiRPdsQyymVez7qK4MUTRvQP2hePD5zOSr4Q/s200/chocohorse.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Local Music of the Year</span><br />
The music scene is Cincinnati has grown deeper, diverse and more skilled in the five years I've lived here. It's easily the strongest original music city I've ever lived in. There are literally too many good band to mention in this space, so I'm going to focus on a few bands that didn't make my top 20, but released excellent full-length albums in 2009:<br />
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1 Pomegranates <i>Everybody, Come Outside!</i><br />
This young indie pop start-up had an amazing 2009, taking the stage as opener for a number of national touring acts, including the Walkmen. Their second full-length album followed up their upbeat and dreamlike style that recalls the Flaming Lips and Polyphonic Spree while following their own set of rules. The chipper title track sets the mood from the start, eagerly coercing out of your cranky Lenoard Cohen-only mope. <br />
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2 Bad Veins <i>Bad Veins</i><br />
One of Cincinnati's better-known indie rock bands broke through with their debut disc in 2009.<i> </i>Bad Veins did an excellent job living up to expectations, expanding their sound beyond their comparatively lo-fi live performances, approaching near arena aspirations on several songs. For me, it's powerful album closer "Go Home" that provides both emotional heft and repeat value that will be key to their future successes.<br />
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3 The Chocolate Horse <i>We Don't Stand On Ceremony</i><br />
The Chocolate Horse has one of the more experimental and inventive sounds I've heard in Cincinnati, largely backed by the vocals of Jason Snell, who can crank up the intensity to match freak folk's finest. Not afraid of varying musical styles or occasionally adding trumpet and flutes into the mix, the band produces a natural and effortless collection of layered songs that often seem to be seconds away from flying off their hinges, then hang on at the last second. In particular, "Every Day Gets Hard" deserves a mention on any Best of 2009 list.<br />
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</div><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Compilation of the Year</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Was the Night</span><br />
In the age of digital downloads, compilations tend to take the biggest of the big hits - I suppose the idea of someone shuffling around songs you already have seems like a pretty pointless task. Even the collection of previously unreleased songs (aka: the chafe) sounds better in theory than in practice. That's what make <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Was The Night</span> such an impressive feat. A combination of quality artists with quality offerings (New Pornos, Decemberists, Grizzly Bear) and some inspired collaborations (Ben Gibbard &amp; Feist, The Books &amp; José González and David Byrne actually makes the Dirty Projectors listenable) create something you don't see much these days: an essential compilation.<br />
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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkemnDhOKAT4hcYXBTybcJYO2lL8lRWFhwjlivQVCbxCCKn2cXxhz-JWRmUyJAEuv1usisqbAbWBvRkBmyTAoFiRWE3SQ7izQwYHmqlV7CnXXNjpGbfiZS5rB57Pi-YE-ov0/s200/twilightsad.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFueiJSTyfnQzLxF1SjmUqTHLJVf_PEU4OW9CJJs0F8g6os27bJh0XJyq5Me8FR3VWTVu81BWcOeABZqOFFDKTa68CZZymXBvrNMDmSkW0GbkLmFJqhW5dJhNVKoDdSFwRTs/s1600-h/swell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFueiJSTyfnQzLxF1SjmUqTHLJVf_PEU4OW9CJJs0F8g6os27bJh0XJyq5Me8FR3VWTVu81BWcOeABZqOFFDKTa68CZZymXBvrNMDmSkW0GbkLmFJqhW5dJhNVKoDdSFwRTs/s320/swell.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgY_HMkaZbp4AMkKkGgB0WLz_Qt-ypEHAc2fZeqHQ6wiHX9GT5KBxk8hBUs0G3S0yKmjWlgUh0FLH7d1p6rliTAK6HE9nnIQjRK38HnChhQBQdWc-UomMrVQAvm2EKQcSARY/s1600-h/shapiro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgY_HMkaZbp4AMkKkGgB0WLz_Qt-ypEHAc2fZeqHQ6wiHX9GT5KBxk8hBUs0G3S0yKmjWlgUh0FLH7d1p6rliTAK6HE9nnIQjRK38HnChhQBQdWc-UomMrVQAvm2EKQcSARY/s320/shapiro.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmFTlSH6sruJwdCohtUKVnic-qDiLH27QX8n1GUDTWHb4LccbUFvVlqli66fGIpAS71uwmkc5UILzBnY58NIjqwPR-616GF0uuRwBKjRxRbygQio_ET8_IP-n1X6SoHWY89A/s1600-h/realestate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmFTlSH6sruJwdCohtUKVnic-qDiLH27QX8n1GUDTWHb4LccbUFvVlqli66fGIpAS71uwmkc5UILzBnY58NIjqwPR-616GF0uuRwBKjRxRbygQio_ET8_IP-n1X6SoHWY89A/s320/realestate.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlgLa7drZfOfjimJuJvaDpivli1smoJvXQr4zXlBrpqICHvHO0Cf2u_lU3eHaiVtvJoW3cZfPZ18f3m0pLaiJmlOHf1WFshr5U_ZeyvLHt9d_vJalhuVupymK6pTWAFguWfI/s1600-h/jay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlgLa7drZfOfjimJuJvaDpivli1smoJvXQr4zXlBrpqICHvHO0Cf2u_lU3eHaiVtvJoW3cZfPZ18f3m0pLaiJmlOHf1WFshr5U_ZeyvLHt9d_vJalhuVupymK6pTWAFguWfI/s320/jay.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygZDhMk7j4mGdtXltbfS4zdnYPUvqf1VwUdA8BPJw1Cim2_boykzf8lvWcW2pC7wzCdzNE0WGYCl0S7Btpi_QHVy1WNBc15Xg6OVShlNoG7MY1yXm2O01FRS-2e_XFp9O2Vg/s1600-h/japandroids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygZDhMk7j4mGdtXltbfS4zdnYPUvqf1VwUdA8BPJw1Cim2_boykzf8lvWcW2pC7wzCdzNE0WGYCl0S7Btpi_QHVy1WNBc15Xg6OVShlNoG7MY1yXm2O01FRS-2e_XFp9O2Vg/s320/japandroids.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSV7-hGScF92OST93myN4nqD5l2sE3kCND9EWRaPIgpSyNVmlV4ONGvY48yjh8zymWlp2A-7zi7d8OgU-oQyfX-azw60QdM7mEc8M4t18CeIsUVLalxlkONTMOF-DCWyByQ4k/s1600-h/mos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSV7-hGScF92OST93myN4nqD5l2sE3kCND9EWRaPIgpSyNVmlV4ONGvY48yjh8zymWlp2A-7zi7d8OgU-oQyfX-azw60QdM7mEc8M4t18CeIsUVLalxlkONTMOF-DCWyByQ4k/s320/mos.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKx8RdOW94G8tH-_NlcZWoCn9fS8j1CmlT54ls97-omTbzgd1w1m4zCcgreibXbCtvHlNZiyaymX9ElIMEuskmdLl_GD_E4lM649ceSBX2iUcR9Q74xeKqlT_Jfalkz5rB_g/s1600-h/lazer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKx8RdOW94G8tH-_NlcZWoCn9fS8j1CmlT54ls97-omTbzgd1w1m4zCcgreibXbCtvHlNZiyaymX9ElIMEuskmdLl_GD_E4lM649ceSBX2iUcR9Q74xeKqlT_Jfalkz5rB_g/s320/lazer.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The "Not Enough Time In 2009" Shout Outs</span><br />
Regardless of reviews, there are several albums by artists that I enjoy, but just didn't get a chance to hear this year. Unfortunate. Are they essential? I have no idea. I mean, probably not, who knows? Whether they didn't seem to make a dent in critical opinion or the album sounded promising but I only got to hear a couple of song samples, my interest in these artists is strong enough that I felt they deserved some sort of mention. So here it is. Sorry I missed out, I'll catch ya in 2010:<br />
1 Annie <span style="font-style: italic;">Don't Stop</span><br />
2 Doves <span style="font-style: italic;">Kingdom of Rust</span><br />
3 The Twilight Sad <span style="font-style: italic;">Forget The Night Ahead</span><br />
4 The Swell Season <span style="font-style: italic;">Strict Joy</span><br />
5 Sally Shapiro <span style="font-style: italic;">My Guilty Pleasure</span><br />
6 Real Estate <span style="font-style: italic;">Real Estate</span><br />
7 Jay Reatard <span style="font-style: italic;">Watch Me Fall</span><br />
8 Japandroids<span style="font-style: italic;"> Post-Nothing</span><br />
9 Mos Def <span style="font-style: italic;">The Ecstatic</span><br />
10 Major Lazer <span style="font-style: italic;">Guns Don't Kill People – Lazers Do<br />
</span>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-44624856124869341032009-12-23T16:32:00.056-05:002010-01-06T18:43:54.289-05:00Best Music 2009: Songs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc92ksuevquvlDDZHK9_gnyFzbRLgUjp2tCRjoUX-oF9tLLWPZL9zSrsSTk8C9aCyqSfQNRKHfPkCbuDwP8XplAZR3gCaj0-J4qmt8hiO_CrEQThmKApDaJ5J4cGYpBZQ9mgc/s1600-h/BestMusic09banner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 795px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc92ksuevquvlDDZHK9_gnyFzbRLgUjp2tCRjoUX-oF9tLLWPZL9zSrsSTk8C9aCyqSfQNRKHfPkCbuDwP8XplAZR3gCaj0-J4qmt8hiO_CrEQThmKApDaJ5J4cGYpBZQ9mgc/s800/BestMusic09banner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423775688306856114" border="0" /></a>Wow, 2009. For music, it was an excellent year. It was a year of fancy Beatles reissues and the Vaselines got the cool retrospective they deserved. People decided to start hating Kanye West for interrupting Taylor Swift on the VMAs. Yeah, that's right - Taylor Swift. And yes, you heard me right: the VMAs. This was depressing on a number of levels. Did I get annoyed at the attention heaped upon critical darlings Dirty Projectors and Animal Collective? Sure. Did I get annoyed when I saw Spin proclaim Kings of Leon "band of the year" and feature Caleb Followill wearing a dumb hat on its cover? Oh yes, definitely.<br /><br />For me, 2009 was a year of peaks and (mostly) pitfalls and, as a result, my selections are probably more a reflection of my personality than the moderate critical distance I usually try to keep. More slow songs. More sad songs. Less hip hop, and more moody music featuring female vocalists – though I think this might have been a trend in music in general and not my less fun/more mope listening tastes.<br /><br />Initially, I didn't even really feel like I had the overview I usually get, but after checking out the typical round of music publication recaps – half of which seemed more obsessed with reviewing the entire decade – I think I've heard enough to list my own favorites of the year.<br /><br />So with that tiny disclaimer, here are the 25 songs that warmed our hearts in 2009:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">25 “Lucky Old Moon” – Castanets</span><br />Much like Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Castanets is a one-bearded-man experimental folk project by Portland's Raymond Raposa. In some ways, I prefer his style as he unabashedly adds some electronic weirdness into the mix (as opposed to his fellow mountain men, who tend to be folk purists). This song and the album it came from may not be the best entry point for Raposa's music, but I think this track's spacey doodling might come in handy when laser light shows come back in style in 2020.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=5620773848599948538&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=5620773848599948538&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/5620773848599948538"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">24 “Away With Murder” – Camera Obscura</span><br />Digging a little deeper into Camera Obscura's <span style="font-style: italic;">My Maudlin Career,</span> there's something about the way this song lopes along casually and sadly that really appeals to me. Or maybe I just like the way the Scottish say the word "murder."<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=1225260590883565974&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=1225260590883565974&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/1225260590883565974"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">23 “Ulysses” – Franz Ferdinand</span><br />When you needed a new song in February to dance to, Franz Ferdinand was there with this catchy tune, even though it admittedly relied a bit on the standard FF formula. Now with the way new music cycles these days, Alex Kapranos & Co. have all but been forgotten in the year's recaps and summaries. Don't worry guys – I remembered... um, well I remembered this song at least.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=504684637834804713&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=504684637834804713&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/504684637834804713"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">22 “Sharing” – Lou Barlow</span><br />Lou Barlow has had a history of self-sabotage, and while the likes of Snow Patrol are getting rich off of his sound, Lou toils in somewhat obscurity, playing second banana in the re-formed Dinosaur Jr and revving up and winding down his various projects (Sebadoh, Folk Implosion). When he releases a solo album under his own name, it almost seems like he's not being random enough. Goodnight Unknown fares better than previous effort Emoh, because he varies the tempo a bit more, like this song, a ramped-up effort that may have been improved from the effect of hanging out with J Mascis for extended periods of time again.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=1801721330414914810&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=1801721330414914810&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/1801721330414914810"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">21 “Black Hearted Love” – PJ Harvey & John Parish</span><br />Another dependable early 90s artist, PJ Harvey also seems to be looking for ways to de-emphasize her popularity since hitting the mid-sized time with her breakthrough <span style="font-style: italic;">Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.</span> After a return to lo-fi punk and an album of piano songs, it seemed like meeting up with John Parish again was just a natural way to freak out the new fans again. Instead, it provided PJ with this song, her most accessible in a long time. Fortunately for PJ, there were plenty of other songs on the album meant to alienate and disturb.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627045464148978&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627045464148978&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627045464148978"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">20 Peter Bjorn and John – “Nothing To Worry About”</span><br />Much like Franz Ferdinand, Peter Bjorn and John succumbed to higher expectations of its previous works and produced a decent, but unspectacular collection of songs in 2009. Fortunately in every average album, there's at least a couple of gems, and “Nothing To Worry About” shows the glimmer of promise that we haven't seen the last of PB&J. And if they're going to fail, at least they'll make it interesting. As with much of <span style="font-style: italic;">Living Thing,</span> the song leans a lot on atmosphere and not so much on lyrics. Fortunately the drums and children's chorus are enough to keep<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=504684652369940217&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=504684652369940217&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/504684652369940217"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">19 “Gazillion Ear” – DOOM</span><br />Wow. What a weird song. DOOM (another year, another alias) came out of hiding and did what an artist whose been around for 20+ years needs to do - he changed up his sound. Sure, the main elements are still here: pop culture refs, movie samples, the supervillain alter ego. But something has changed - the vocals sound as raw as demo tapes and Dilla (who, posthumously, has been busier than ever) digs up an old Moroder <span style="font-style: italic;">Midnight Express</span> sample - which suddenly sends the song into a U-turn without warning. Thanks for keeping it weird, DOOM.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627047850121258&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627047850121258&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627047850121258"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">18 “Wilco (The Song)” – Wilco</span><br />I'm not sure what was up exactly with Wilco's last couple of albums, but I didn't want much to do with it. In fact, I was skeptical when I saw their self-titled song/album being touted as a "return to form." I can't be certain difference between this album and <span style="font-style: italic;">A Ghost is Born</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Sky Blue Sky</span> (mainly because I never even bothered to listen to them), but from the titles alone, it's clear that they've moved out of their heavy, self-serious period and started having fun again. Thank the gods.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569449463775422&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569449463775422&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569449463775422"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">17 “Happiness Bleeds” – Wussy</span><br />Cincinnati's Wussy is one of those amazing bands that I have the good fortune of seeing perform live on a pretty regular basis. Nationally, their music will usually be shut out of year-end lists in favor of the bloghouse bands from Brooklyn, but they've sto;; beem able to carve out an impressive run of albums, despite their Midwest pedigree and regardless of buzz status. Wussy's latest rounds up a collection of broken love songs set to the ramshackle vocals of Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker. Also I'm a sucker for a good "la la la" chorus.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=4972255476655607290&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=4972255476655607290&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/4972255476655607290"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">16 “Quick Canal” – Atlas Sound (featuring Laetitia Sadier)</span><br />Not the epic indie pairing of Bradford Cox and Panda Bear – I prefer this 8-minute hazy song sketch with Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier taking the lead vocals. My vote for one of the more beautiful songs in 09.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=720857445456756198&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=720857445456756198&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/720857445456756198"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">15 “Crystalised” – The xx</span><br />Weighing hype into your musical tastes is difficult – basing your interest on what a particular blog or music publication says can be seen as shallow, but sometimes, in an effort to discover new music, you need to at least somewhat rely on the praises of these sources. It doesn't always work. For example, for as much praise as The Dirty Projectors get, I still pretty much hate them. Same with fellow critical darlings Passion Pit. Some stuff I get though, which leads us to The xx, whose male/female vocal dynamic and haunting guitar lines that show there's still some creativity to be dug out of the post-punk well.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=1225260586588311961&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=1225260586588311961&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/1225260586588311961"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">14 “Daniel” – Bat For Lashes</span><br />I couldn't get into Natasha Khan's debut as Bat For Lashes, but this year's followup <span style="font-style: italic;">Two Suns,</span> changed my tune. The whole album holds up surprisingly well after repeat listens and is anchored by "Daniel" a song that sorta sounds like a lost single in the Europop prime of the late 80s.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=576742246398719475&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=576742246398719475&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/576742246398719475"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">13 “Blood Bank” – Bon Iver</span><br />The growing interest in rustic folkies these days must be a sign of the times. There's something about locking yourself away in a cabin alone with a guitar and emerging three months later with a uniquely original album's worth of songs that must strike a romantic chord with us in these unbelievably miserable economic times. So to do it well is impressive, and Justin Vernon proved again why he deserves to be on the top of everyone's list. Although he only released an EP this year, everything he touched turned gold - all four songs (led by this one) are amazing, and everything he turned up on (from the Dark Was The Night comp to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight: New Moon</span> soundtrack) was enhanced by his presence.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569449471431522&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569449471431522&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569449471431522"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">12 “This Tornado Loves You” – Neko Case</span><br />Anytime Neko Case releases something new, you can bet that it will end up somewhere on "best of" lists everywhere. Middle Cyclone was responsible for so many great songs, it was difficult to pick just one, so I stuck with the consensus and added this gem to my list.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569449463222376&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569449463222376&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569449463222376"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11 “Fate to Fatal” – The Breeders</span><br />Another great EP from 2009, The Breeders also hit a creative stride of recent. A highlight from this year was seeing the Deal sisters perform a in-store set at Shake It Records in support of this EP and Record Store Day.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=2306124489755117883&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=2306124489755117883&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/2306124489755117883"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10 “The Day Is Coming (Sainte Marie's Dream)” – Brian Olive</span><br />Speaking of in-stores, I also got my first real sample of Cincinnati artist Brian Olive's debut album at a criminally less packed CD release show at the same record store. I'm a big supporter of Cincinnati's local music scene, but this album in particular seems to have real potential to reach audiences on a much larger scale. If Blur's Damon Albarn took a time machine back to the late 60s and fronted a garage band, they'd probably hope to produce something that sounds as good as this.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=2017894117303649208&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=2017894117303649208&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/2017894117303649208"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">09 “The Fear” – Lily Allen</span><br />I'm a huge fan of Lily Allen's debut and was unfazed by the outpouring of negative press she's received since. Even still, I couldn't get into followup <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Not Me, It's You</span> as much as I was hoping I would. I'm all for changing up your style, but the album's songs were generally boring, and worse yet, grating at times. This was particularly disappointing after hearing "The Fear" a few times in advance of buying the disc. This song is everything that change of direction should have been, keeping hold of Allen's wit as a songwriter and adding a more ambient, but still pop-based soundtrack.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=576742237148762121&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=576742237148762121&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/576742237148762121"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">08 “1901” – Phoenix</span><br />Did Phoenix blow up this year, or did everyone just really, really want them to? Seems like they did everything short of turning up on mainstream alternative radio to increase their profile in 2009. In addition to performing three (!) songs on Saturday Night Live, they became critical darlings, usually popping up 4th behind Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear and the Dirty Projectors as alt artists of the year. While Phoenix doesn't quite eclipse Grizzly Bear in my esteem (more on that later) they definitely turn out more listenable songs than the other two artists in that group. Check out "1901" to see what I mean.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=504684643780013965&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=504684643780013965&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/504684643780013965"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">07 “Already Home” – Jay-Z (featuring Kid Cudi)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Blueprint 3</span> is proof that self-proclaiming your album is amazing doesn't make it so. It's still a half-decent album, starting out strong then dipping into an absurdly bad second half. So bad that it took seeing Jigga live to realize that this song (buried between two waaaaaaaay lesser tracks) is actually pretty good. So good, in fact, that I decided to rank it over equally excellent Jay-Z songs "D.O.A" and "Empire State of Mind" just to give it some of the attention it deserves. The only criticism? OK, maybe he says "already" a few too many times. Part of what makes this song is the hook, delivered by Kid Cudi, who is sort of "on the verge" right now. In fact, he's performing at a sold out show here in Cincinnati this week.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569492413841340&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569492413841340&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569492413841340"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">06 “Young Adult Friction” – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart</span><br />Now we're at the "it's-so-good-the-song-got-stuck-in-my-head" point of the list. Songs that reach this stature, are also the songs that I usually think of when I start making this list. In terms of debuts, I think The Pains of Being Pure at Heart beats out The xx, if only because at least there's a lighter lift from the doom and gloom. This song was instantly catchy to me and stayed with me through the highs and lows of this year.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=1657606151188664732&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=1657606151188664732&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/1657606151188664732"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">05 “Cold Outside” – Raekwon (featuring Ghostface Killah & Suga Bang)</span><br />Raekwon proved this year that album sequels can, in fact, be successful, even if they happened to be released 14 years after the original. <span style="font-style: italic;">Cuban Linx II </span>is full of highlights, but I'm going with the non-single "Cold Outside" which is about as major motion picture a song can be without the visuals. Ghost and Rae sound as invigorated as ever as they divvy up the raps and Suga Bang provides the hook by singing "cold outside" so passionately, icicles start forming on your speakers.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=576742250794407817&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=576742250794407817&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/576742250794407817"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">04 “I Cut Like A Buffalo” – The Dead Weather</span><br />The Dead Weather is better than The Raconteurs. There, I said it. This is just a (likely unpopular) opinion, but for me, I think it has something to do with the collaborators - for me Brendan Benson's occasionally bland, Beatle-copping adds too much sugar and cream to Jack White's black coffee. Art-damaged Alison Mosshart is a better fit. When the two trade vocals, there's an added sexual ambiguity – at times, you can't really tell who's singing what and the songs tread a bluesier, grittier line. "I Cut Like A Buffalo" turns up the ambiguity and contains the most entertaining vocal line of the year. (Btw, Jack provides the inspiration for this year's best music illustration).<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=360569458055937275&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=360569458055937275&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/360569458055937275"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">03 “Actor Out of Work” – St. Vincent</span><br />Clocking in a little over 2 minutes and busting out with a pace that somehow mirrored her rise in 2009, St. Vincent's lead single from second album <span style="font-style: italic;">Actor</span> showed that Annie Clark had the songwriting chops and ear for a tune that would keep her from a one-album wonder. Though the album is filled with amazing songs, this is the most accessible, and the likely the gateway to win St. Vincent boatloads of new fans.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=1225260590883566094&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=1225260590883566094&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/1225260590883566094"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">02 “Heads Will Roll” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs</span><br />And now the final two: the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were another excellent surprise this year. <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Blitz</span> might be their most solid album ever and it contains two of the year's best singles. "Zero" might be the more uplifting of the singles, but I slightly prefer the rougher "Heads Will Roll," which commanded us to "dance til we're dead." Dancing doesn't get much more intense than that.<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" id="lalaSongEmbed" height="70" width="220"><param name="movie" value="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="songLalaId=432627049759115481&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618"><embed id="lalaSongEmbed" name="lalaSongEmbed" src="http://www.lala.com/external/flash/SingleSongWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="songLalaId=432627049759115481&host=www.lala.com&partnerId=membersong.64894%4082618" height="70" width="220"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 9px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.lala.com/song/432627049759115481"></a></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">01 “Two Weeks” – Grizzly Bear</span><br />After some reasonably obscure picks in my top ten, I decided to ease back with probably one of the more popular indie rock songs of 2009. This thing made the rounds, tv shows, commercials . It's an amazing song though, Grizzly Bear is one of those bands, like the Shins or Arcade Fire before, that impressively creates an established hauntingly beautiful palette of rules for their music, then twists things to create even more haunting and beautiful moments. While it took side project Department of Eagles to realize their talents, Grizzly Bear have really come into their own. So here's Song of the Year 2009: "Two Weeks" complete with creepy video:<br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tjecYugTbIQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tjecYugTbIQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-49502994944324987692009-10-07T19:39:00.007-04:002009-10-13T19:11:19.855-04:00Let's review the Beatles: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart's Club Band<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJGVIrLodsg-8_-wnr6iGuOvLzVHUpcPO_Srn5TcHqVAM-xdkJkERYlnE_YHvxam3HOzr38jwBYpatA09K0lduiOhymTvidBDxNFfmg1h7DH_POe_eJBKPsSoNk0dYXB328I/s1600-h/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJGVIrLodsg-8_-wnr6iGuOvLzVHUpcPO_Srn5TcHqVAM-xdkJkERYlnE_YHvxam3HOzr38jwBYpatA09K0lduiOhymTvidBDxNFfmg1h7DH_POe_eJBKPsSoNk0dYXB328I/s400/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392221219361806418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Album:</span> Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart's Club Band (1967)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Purchased:</span> Freshman Year, College<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">One-liner:</span> Having completely shed their mop-top image, the Beatles revolutionize music with this critically-acclaimed pop masterpiece.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1yiAYVSb0QzTkXHm1MbwpZkc-lzP6vbML_tuQs1Edb-jLv0Z8b0OXGOjKnIjP5x-xD7Y7DWxIzyj870az93b7vxVD6O-2A37ZPGYr1WyxcA-l30_Dxr1AokYRDASsxN4wag/s1600-h/splhcb.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1yiAYVSb0QzTkXHm1MbwpZkc-lzP6vbML_tuQs1Edb-jLv0Z8b0OXGOjKnIjP5x-xD7Y7DWxIzyj870az93b7vxVD6O-2A37ZPGYr1WyxcA-l30_Dxr1AokYRDASsxN4wag/s200/splhcb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392222053345069042" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Review:</span> When I first got to college, I still considered myself a casual Beatles fan. With <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's,</span> I felt a sort of ending. This was the last of the Beatles' albums with which I was familiar, and I made the decision that this was where I'd stop. I mean, why would I buy those old-timey Beatles albums? Well, more on that later.<br /><br />Though I dropped down cash for it, I didn't really like <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's</span> as much as the previous albums I had purchased. My theory about buying up the back catalog of old groups that have long disbanded is that, like any band you love, you start to crave "new material." So "new to you" ends up being good enough; you just want to hear a variation of that group's sound again. Hey, that's why I own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossanova"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bossanova.</span></a> Of course, these days you can download an entire career of an artist in a heartbeat. Though I have a theory about why you shouldn't do that. In short, I have a lot of theories.<br /><br />For me, an equally powerful appeal to the Beatles was their album artwork. As an amateur artist, I was more drawn to the art than the music initially, and that's especially the case with <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Pepper's.</span> I was so obsessed with the album's surreal crowd scene that one high school summer, I created a poster-sized parody using a cast of comic strip characters I was drawing at the time. Seeing it today is a little daunting, it's a shrine to myself as a teenager, with the caricatures of my favorite celebrities rounding out the cast of onlookers. And, seriously, this was an album I heard maybe three times in high school.<br /><br />I shouldn't neglect the music on <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. P,</span> because it grew on me. I would nominate "A Day In The Life" if we were having one of those college, "best song ever" types of conversations and I'd say it's difficult to find a better example of the John/Paul collaboration in practice. John's in top form throughout, Paul includes a couple of his best songs ("Fixing a Hole," "Lovely Rita") George and Ringo's contributions are slight, but valuable. George Martin gets crazy. It's an album that has none of the "Beatle hits" and yet still holds up well. After <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Peppers,</span> I became less a listener to singles and more a listener of albums. No more greatest hits albums for me. ...OK, <span style="font-style: italic;">fewer</span> greatest hits albums.<br /><br />Capitol must've considered this the most important of their CD releases, because they actually made an effort to include a mini booklet about the making of the album, including a "who's who on the cover" key. I got wrapped up in this tiny, jewelcase-sized book. Outside of their music, I didn't know much about this Beatles band, and this would be my introduction to them as individuals. It wouldn't be long before I started reading anything I could get my hands on. The casual fan would transition into the fanatic: By the time I graduated, I would buy 7 more Beatles albums.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating: </span>Classic. It's true because important people say so. I dare you to dub it not classic. You will be shunned. Oh, and minus 50 points for the grating "When I'm Sixty Four."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final Word:</span> I love John Lennon's take on the "theme album" aspect of this record. Essentially, his take is that it's crap. And I agree. Beyond the opening, "A Little Help From My Friends" and the reprise, I challenge you to come up with how these and the other songs on the album tie together. Points for creativity.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next up: </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Let It Be</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Pastmasters, Vol. 2</span>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-45428162615502504712009-10-06T16:36:00.009-04:002009-10-13T19:13:11.942-04:00Let's review the Beatles: The White Album<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqZGRB5VETTYQLtmCVrkpfsfp7fctaXqXeL8dzDCfvrhRHCv5vQQw3ETy4PM340Id7tH_mVmdOGo0e5JhPdh1386GSbiv7bmf4hI5wy7s-xiKE0A2qjVHduxUPkXxkwGoYu8/s1600-h/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqZGRB5VETTYQLtmCVrkpfsfp7fctaXqXeL8dzDCfvrhRHCv5vQQw3ETy4PM340Id7tH_mVmdOGo0e5JhPdh1386GSbiv7bmf4hI5wy7s-xiKE0A2qjVHduxUPkXxkwGoYu8/s400/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389589279585067250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Album:</span> The Beatles (aka The White Album) (1968)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Purchased: </span>High School<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">One-liner:</span> Growing tension within the band leads to a sprawling double album and, after conflicts over everything from to track order to cover art, it is released in a plain white sleeve.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdfuSOWbmowYs5EA2rJP3UwIX__3j98n18QtYmqPvjcjlIkB-AOUtbqg26HxwxkJ4oSjenHRQUwLi_7wp7Lb-gAeC6vmLtYDV4qohEKDVOQAk62r69qk61t0RK5p7PZG86f8/s1600-h/tb(twa).jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdfuSOWbmowYs5EA2rJP3UwIX__3j98n18QtYmqPvjcjlIkB-AOUtbqg26HxwxkJ4oSjenHRQUwLi_7wp7Lb-gAeC6vmLtYDV4qohEKDVOQAk62r69qk61t0RK5p7PZG86f8/s200/tb(twa).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389945854900749634" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Review:</span> As with everything, the details of the first and the last are always the strongest. And the rest can be a little ...blurry. Here's what I do know: This is the last Beatles CD I bought in high school. I bought it shortly after <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road</span> and the exact whereabouts are unknown (though if you said the mall or Target, you'd probably be close). I could "cold case" some other details: for example I could tell you that this was likely a big purchase for me – I didn't do double albums outside of box sets and 2-CD greatest hits collections. It was also likely picked up due to the impression it made on me during that influential listening day mentioned in my Magical Mystery Tour review. Chances are I was sick of turning the album over all the time, a process that doubled with the White Album.<br /><br />Other than this being my favorite Beatles album, there's not much in the way of embarrassing life stories tied to this record. I love that in spite of (or maybe because of) their inner turmoil, they were able to create such a unique and distinct work. You can copy the Beatles sound, but you can't mimic what they were going through when they made the White Album. Other bands don't make this album at all, they just break up.<br /><br />Wait, wait – I just remembered an embarrassing story. A couple years later, I decided that the White Album-era John Lennon look was where it was at. Fortunately for me, I was halfway there. I was pasty and wore glasses, so only a couple of steps were needed. Step one: I picked up a pair granny glasses. Step two: I grew out my hair (long, but not long enough really). Bam. Instant Lennon. My specific inspiration was Lennon's inside cover photo on the White Album. Soon enough I was taking idol worship to that next, <span style="font-style: italic;">Single White Female</span> level:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-bemot5KTcVVIjGPcCeg0bG3Lya_4rXHZftWlysr6czrGD-Yf35h0gXCiwhASF4JBoe7dMF5SjDhtt4kpE098ZBLjysewcr3ANoR2qn_DjUJw8G4dOU4ECJJbqk7fu196PA/s1600-h/JohnLennonvsRonson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-bemot5KTcVVIjGPcCeg0bG3Lya_4rXHZftWlysr6czrGD-Yf35h0gXCiwhASF4JBoe7dMF5SjDhtt4kpE098ZBLjysewcr3ANoR2qn_DjUJw8G4dOU4ECJJbqk7fu196PA/s400/JohnLennonvsRonson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389939789786046770" border="0" /></a>So, yeah, my fashion sense was a little off. And I liked ironically holding pepper shakers. Be yourself, kids. That's the message for today. And I suppose you could say that's the message of the White Album too. Tied that back around nicely.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating:</span> Favorite Beatles album. Six billion stars.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final thoughts:</span> The poster that originally appeared in the album is mercilessly butchered in the original CD version. Disappointing. Also, while I can still pretty much listen to the whole thing from beginning to end, "Birthday" and "Honey Pie" are tough to get through.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next up:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band</span>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-31884461479137638552009-10-05T17:22:00.007-04:002009-10-06T16:24:25.321-04:00Let's review the Beatles: Abbey Road<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC159k5YLJ3tW3SDzqpadYlQFtRfKwbM3X1VoKtrBGsu4brG2MD3qXYS3oeA4RAr3zhSEPZFN4sghp3fzuAaDgXvMy_B1Eb_ymSf2ws6P7sBJmVc0Dm0VT4Fc5gTSAdvTcU8/s1600-h/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC159k5YLJ3tW3SDzqpadYlQFtRfKwbM3X1VoKtrBGsu4brG2MD3qXYS3oeA4RAr3zhSEPZFN4sghp3fzuAaDgXvMy_B1Eb_ymSf2ws6P7sBJmVc0Dm0VT4Fc5gTSAdvTcU8/s400/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389229703348467666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Album:</span> Abbey Road (1969)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Purchased:</span> High School<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">One liner:</span> After the failed documentary project <span style="font-style: italic;">Get Back,</span> The Beatles return to the studio, get "back to basics" and record one more classic record.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_xWKyK_STewsvC0G1MUAXCuqn_ZdbAlrkkg8XWnzxC3PyleTFpeIx3QA4xC4p0E2S7Ql0Df6DU0P04dHLDHKAOx-LtB12bYkxemwdrWs6wuwt1JQjjGi-_9FhgnrvKMZztg/s1600-h/ar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_xWKyK_STewsvC0G1MUAXCuqn_ZdbAlrkkg8XWnzxC3PyleTFpeIx3QA4xC4p0E2S7Ql0Df6DU0P04dHLDHKAOx-LtB12bYkxemwdrWs6wuwt1JQjjGi-_9FhgnrvKMZztg/s200/ar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389584920944297234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Review:</span> Being ever-dutiful to understanding Beatles history, I, um, bought the band's last studio album (<span style="font-style: italic;">Let It Be</span> was recorded prior to <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road, </span>but the material was released after) second. Keep in mind I'm still just an economical high schooler, so I believe the real logic here was collecting "Come Together," "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun" in one swoop.<br /><br />A slight step up, I bought this disc at an independent retailer... um, that just happened to be at the mall. Since we were living in a time before the Internet, my strategy for buying CDs would be to bounce from record store to Target to record store seeing who had the best deals. Minus the Merle Hay mall, none of my usual spots had <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road</span>. And I reaaaally wanted this album, there just wasn't a moment to spare. So I ponied up $16 (a small fortune) at Disc Jockey (or whatever it was called) and picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road.</span> Though I had heard it a number of times before already, it was still exciting hearing <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> copy for the first time.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>This was groundbreaking stuff for young Slagle. I became completely obsessed with <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road</span>. The singles, the Side Two medley, the cover art, "Her Majesty," etc. etc. I hadn't gotten too cynical yet, so even ditties like "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and "Octupus's Garden" passed the test. For awhile, it acted as the benchmark I used to judge all albums and the experience of hearing it could possibly be traced to why I'm still obsessed with music today. Well, that and <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Side of the Moon.</span> And the Digital Underground's <span style="font-style: italic;">Sex Packets.</span> What? There was a lot going on.<br /><br />Today, I tend to jump in on the abuse Paul McCartney gets for being the most saccharine Beatle. But that wasn't always the case. Ah, high school. Music had a handy way of providing escape from the awkward period that was my sophomore through senior year. My parents' divorce, a new job and unrequited crushes bounced around in my 16-year-old, hormone-addled brain. Only then could Paul reach me – and he did – with a song called "You Never Give Me Your Money" (side two, track three). Why? Even a cursory pass over the lyrics and you realize this song had absolutely nothing to do with my problems. It doesn't help my case that it ends with John Lennon repeating "one two three four five six seven/all good children go to heaven." Eh?<br /><br />But in the right mindset, I guess you can apply anything to anything. And in this case the final verse (before the counting part) contained a fairly generic, but upbeat promise about packing up your bags and blowing town with some floozy. I guess the idea appealed to me. In fact, in doing research for this project, I was able to dig up this sappy little mixtape (which also contained The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and some ELO songs). The name of this little love bomb actually refs the song – I called it "One Sweet Dream." Fortunately I think this is as cheesy as I got, but I'll admit it: the song got to me. Guilty as charged. You win this time, Paul.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating:</span> For still ranking in my top 3 Beatles albums: 1,200 points. For containing the most iconic image on an album cover ever (i.e., see the logo I created for this series): 500 points. For making me a sappy stooge in high school: -10 points.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Final thought:</span> I really like the song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," which usually puts me in the minority. I guess I can see why. Next to "Revolution 9," it was the longest song the band ever released (7:47) and its lyrics contain roughly 12 words total. But hey, that just makes it easier to sing along.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next up:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The Beatles</span> (The White Album)Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-81661386796886334762009-10-02T12:09:00.009-04:002009-10-13T19:14:01.200-04:00Let's review the Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygkFe5mIlSFA0rGIp9qJ6inqE0ImC8BkzsWAzJBBS0LWOtBdse24f4lqb3-0ZnORSG3Jzc6h6nlE8r_448VCim4ntAWhmTo8nEmN-RBf01N3gfGLNFON9TmwlgDj4s11QqvI/s1600-h/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygkFe5mIlSFA0rGIp9qJ6inqE0ImC8BkzsWAzJBBS0LWOtBdse24f4lqb3-0ZnORSG3Jzc6h6nlE8r_448VCim4ntAWhmTo8nEmN-RBf01N3gfGLNFON9TmwlgDj4s11QqvI/s400/letsreviewthebeatleslogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389219154887904418" border="0" /></a><br />I've been somewhat surprised at the number of reviews rolling in the Beatles albums, now that they've finally been remastered and re-released. I guess a lot of "new media" outlets finally want a crack at the most famous band of all time (hey why not, everyone wants a little bit of that Beatle money) and now's as good a time as any.<br /><br />The reviews I've come across have been pretty diverse. <a href="http://pitchfork.com/artists/546-the-beatles/">Pitchfork</a> seems to have rocked the boat the least (which is surprising) giving a lone dud review to <span style="font-style: italic;">Yellow Submarine,</span> but treating the rest of the catalog with nostalgic "we're-not-worthy" praise. I was half-expecting to see snark ruling the day. My vision included reviews like: <span style="font-style: italic;">With The Beatles</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating:</span> 4.7 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Review:</span> Sorry, moptops.<br /><br />The harshest reviews? Surprisingly the ones I've read are coming from what's commonly considered Beatles sacred ground. For example, British mag <a href="http://www.qthemusic.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Q Magazine</span></a> chose to give <span style="font-style: italic;">Please Please Me</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Let It Be</span> two-star (!?) ratings, ranking them the worst alongside the universally-hated <span style="font-style: italic;">Yellow Sub.</span> Seriously, Q?<br /><br />Honestly reviewing the Beatles is kind of a joke at this point. As a few of the Pitchfork reviews noted, the Beatles followed a basic outline that has been lampooned (hello, Rutles, B-Sharps) and stumbled into accidentally by countless bands since. It's impossible to hear one of the Beatles' records anymore without thinking "ohhh, this is their ____ album." Since their output didn't meander for decades and decades, it's very easy to pinpoint each album in the context of the times as well as how the band was working together as a unit.<br /><br />But I'm gonna run through em anyway. To make it a more unique experience, I'll run them down in the order I bought them:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mxAGJZ09NXQj0fqdXb69DP80olF68qS_Cwzl_duP2obMUtxw9uPme4d_ExF9c0BYel4F_F7S9I9fVvix-E_-UHfJRwzICueaGbFTuEoabxrpph-ZyREtSFPuWM4_z6GVSSU/s1600-h/Mmt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mxAGJZ09NXQj0fqdXb69DP80olF68qS_Cwzl_duP2obMUtxw9uPme4d_ExF9c0BYel4F_F7S9I9fVvix-E_-UHfJRwzICueaGbFTuEoabxrpph-ZyREtSFPuWM4_z6GVSSU/s200/Mmt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389219979085098386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Album:</span> Magical Mystery Tour (1967)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Purchased:</span> High School<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">One liner:</span> After manager Brian Epstein had just died, The Beatles decided to take control of their own career and embarked on a travelogue-style movie (flop) with an excellent soundtrack - basically a collection of singles and odds-n-ends.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Review:</span> Everyone knows you get into the psychedelic Beatles first. This is their most accessible period, and when a teenager realizes the band is cool and not just some "old people band." The first songs I heard on the radio and associated with the Beatles included "She Loves You," "Yesterday," "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Yellow Submarine." I wasn't crazy about any of these songs, and would never have thought the same band would be capable of "Come Together" which I always attributed to some other cooler, unknown band I hadn't checked out yet.<br /><br />By the time high school rolled around, I started making my own money and bought my first CD player. Since I was no longer under my parents' (complete) financial control, I could get serious and also start buying my own music. <span style="font-style: italic;">Magical Mystery Tour</span> was the third CD I ever bought, and the first non-Greatest Hits album (though technically it kinda is) in my collection. At the time, I was economical with my purchases - I wanted all the hits. The first songs that really drew me to the band were "I Am The Walrus," "Hello Goodbye," "Penny Lane," and "Strawberry Fields Forever." And look at that! All here on one handy collection.<br /><br />At the point, I was vaguely familiar with the band's output. All of the first albums I bought I had heard on vinyl first. My dad had had been pretty good about teaching me about some of the great moments in music history, playing Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" for me on headphones; teaching me about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars; and - in particular - playing Magical Mystery Tour through Abbey Road back-to-back-to-back-to-back for me on one very influential Sunday.<br /><br />I bought this album at Target. Don't judge. I was, after all, a teenager in West Des Moines, Iowa. You get it where you can. I also remember there being some controversy with this purchase - my dad strongly disagreed with my favorite song on the album ("I Am The Walrus") thinking at the end of the song, the backing vocals were endorsing drug use by chanting "Smoke pot, smoke pot, everybody smoke pot." Later, thanks to a nerdy obsession in college, I discovered the actual lyrics were "Oom-pah, oom-pah, everybody's got one." Sure, the Beatles endorsed drug-use, just in other songs and in subtler ways. I do have to admit, even when I hear listen to the song today, I occasionally hear the ol' "smoke pot" version in my head. Maybe this is fixed in the remaster.<br /><br />And so began my obsession with The Beatles (and music in general). My younger, frugal self probably would never have predicted that I would eventually go on to buy every studio album (and then some).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rating*: </span>For being my gateway Beatles album: 1,000 points. For containing at least two of my all-time favorite Beatles songs: 500 points. For being attached to a boring movie that isn't even interesting as a failure: -50 points.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Final thought:</span> When I was a little kid, this record cover use to really creep me out. "Who are these dudes and why are they dressed as animals? They seem way too happy to be dressed as animals." And in general, there's way to much goin' on there. I'm gonna put it on the line and say this is their ugliest album art.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next up:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road</span><br /><br />*This is a highly scientific ratings system that requires neither explanation nor questioning.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-85944118580590242962009-08-17T11:04:00.009-04:002009-08-17T12:42:47.030-04:00My Life in Low Res, Part Three: Shows, shows, showsMore great memories, more bad cell phone photos:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Besnard Lakes/Peter Bjorn and John at Bogarts, 12/2/07</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJTs31xeGUD-GpZTOtVh_N6qnRWGryXxmXdgcU5iwHyiW6CVwi-RonHN9r2Ysz7XC3y8sqJZceIa5G-82XeIPGgS4X0kXsXwr-KoTphsoXqsbr5YwPPh1Fv9kpSSxIPptMHo/s1600-h/pbj2120207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJTs31xeGUD-GpZTOtVh_N6qnRWGryXxmXdgcU5iwHyiW6CVwi-RonHN9r2Ysz7XC3y8sqJZceIa5G-82XeIPGgS4X0kXsXwr-KoTphsoXqsbr5YwPPh1Fv9kpSSxIPptMHo/s400/pbj2120207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370954229139201458" border="0" /></a>This would've been a pretty cool picture were it taken with an actual camera.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VbkuDauRPoY8wss4cYADgqVHhGnQzdGcuBWpbl4ECtX_VQxB9MAXlr3CmZAM3J4ZDs2GychKusqM0MeHfry_kdEM5jCmyZnUNxKNbNsmmCLjtzijDQkBkVTyu7x3K-qp6NE/s1600-h/pbj1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VbkuDauRPoY8wss4cYADgqVHhGnQzdGcuBWpbl4ECtX_VQxB9MAXlr3CmZAM3J4ZDs2GychKusqM0MeHfry_kdEM5jCmyZnUNxKNbNsmmCLjtzijDQkBkVTyu7x3K-qp6NE/s400/pbj1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370954235070145746" border="0" /></a>Let's just say this is when they played "Young Folks." Vaguely sure about that.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Breeders at Shake It Records, 4/18/09</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUU2SC5KlZL2fsZChxHzj6pTjLREgaYn1LVmkt7zoMmFQvX-vP1-4DUfzIgulWqnX8Sj2SZ_NeGucXhNERyuGCyk7OHmCScgRfsUMCsS3hGAIu_2FgzMrK-x1_j9lLI2B6kg/s1600-h/breeders041809.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUU2SC5KlZL2fsZChxHzj6pTjLREgaYn1LVmkt7zoMmFQvX-vP1-4DUfzIgulWqnX8Sj2SZ_NeGucXhNERyuGCyk7OHmCScgRfsUMCsS3hGAIu_2FgzMrK-x1_j9lLI2B6kg/s400/breeders041809.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370956622359956642" border="0" /></a>Loved this show. It's a shame I didn't get any better pics than these...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFWUQH8h6QnvfGTKgyh4wYBkE0gj0xGAWbabeB-s6KU4xQ_Qqh7VT4vNz0-WpL_d5IKAkTwgcAi8nwZPSpi09VPJeLyuO9601KhNyqZBYylv8bLNl1DVa9EtPIXSd5oCTlQc/s1600-h/breeders2041809.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFWUQH8h6QnvfGTKgyh4wYBkE0gj0xGAWbabeB-s6KU4xQ_Qqh7VT4vNz0-WpL_d5IKAkTwgcAi8nwZPSpi09VPJeLyuO9601KhNyqZBYylv8bLNl1DVa9EtPIXSd5oCTlQc/s400/breeders2041809.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370956627306645314" border="0" /></a>This is Kelley Deal, just fyi. Much better video from this event <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_vEmczz8w0&feature=related">here.</a> (via Lauren)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pitchfork Festival at Union Park – Chicago, 7/17-19/09</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Zf7FxqHfqkwYnfmAIHeEziHkJR4ZTg1B2mJR01KD2c1BuplHWNUpMyPgRRjAQlA5ee-FyURBXqB1ZB653d-Ot6gHR40W30OBnDDOwC3eq708yXS7eH0RwQ_NM0hfIpZ0-A/s1600-h/pitchfork.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Zf7FxqHfqkwYnfmAIHeEziHkJR4ZTg1B2mJR01KD2c1BuplHWNUpMyPgRRjAQlA5ee-FyURBXqB1ZB653d-Ot6gHR40W30OBnDDOwC3eq708yXS7eH0RwQ_NM0hfIpZ0-A/s400/pitchfork.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370962417336043426" border="0" /></a>This was literally my view of nearly every Pitchfork act. I think this is The Walkmen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqR9eaUmYkXt1v-Uix6J2KmioEh80ivIQYczxnbTi9dZsZOa86CaKRKTnac9hRtYMcm06z6_uffkrxrEgE0310-kZ0i1LWwa-iAJG5myt2zcrCw_P362PJ_5tEkbrdKyH9rU/s1600-h/pitchforkdoom2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqR9eaUmYkXt1v-Uix6J2KmioEh80ivIQYczxnbTi9dZsZOa86CaKRKTnac9hRtYMcm06z6_uffkrxrEgE0310-kZ0i1LWwa-iAJG5myt2zcrCw_P362PJ_5tEkbrdKyH9rU/s400/pitchforkdoom2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370962425707716242" border="0" /></a>A couple of decent pictures from the MF Doom performance. You can see him!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSaoMCcHmdvDp9J2d1HfeUfi9xI7SZT6PSPaWEb2pRhgJWc-T9iiq5XyuE3paCquNd5q29er7jx_HvK1oXuyw0Uw-JzWcNcz95abz0rCGBLPxGdrQGyblFYBXcGunf5Ygx2w/s1600-h/pitchforkdoom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSaoMCcHmdvDp9J2d1HfeUfi9xI7SZT6PSPaWEb2pRhgJWc-T9iiq5XyuE3paCquNd5q29er7jx_HvK1oXuyw0Uw-JzWcNcz95abz0rCGBLPxGdrQGyblFYBXcGunf5Ygx2w/s400/pitchforkdoom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370962422412077154" border="0" /></a>I actually have better pics from the festival. I'll put 'em on Flickr.<br />For fancier pics, <a href="http://www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com/">go here</a> (for now).<br /></div></div></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Deerhunter/Dan Deacon/No Age at Southgate House, 8/4/09</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY__oomxNcpUknRu6ViNFyEEwaxQcPiseB5quVrIzAmW-wEt7KOrkaNmopKPZEwHkGVqK9OFZAHSByUPxv68nGzxe9kNlW70HLcgFGakZ92JKhSlHfK0ZUPyTB0URhnSIR6g/s1600-h/dandeaconsgh2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY__oomxNcpUknRu6ViNFyEEwaxQcPiseB5quVrIzAmW-wEt7KOrkaNmopKPZEwHkGVqK9OFZAHSByUPxv68nGzxe9kNlW70HLcgFGakZ92JKhSlHfK0ZUPyTB0URhnSIR6g/s400/dandeaconsgh2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370971371224723362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbraqS-TtnhLLqz16m4ULALGXsedT40chLmErq0JV3rFQRGRinzra3mB-T7E5Mnfz3Y3nHEgdulrKbOBUhi7Eoes82_YQmlLsZP9NRwsYzYciJituk6fLh9let6odOkj2PDo/s1600-h/dandeaconsgh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbraqS-TtnhLLqz16m4ULALGXsedT40chLmErq0JV3rFQRGRinzra3mB-T7E5Mnfz3Y3nHEgdulrKbOBUhi7Eoes82_YQmlLsZP9NRwsYzYciJituk6fLh9let6odOkj2PDo/s400/dandeaconsgh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370971368242598866" border="0" /></a>Not much to this one. Just a couple of shots to illustrate how insanely crowded it was.<br />These were both taken during Dan Deacon's solo set.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />And so concludes my trip down low res memory lane. Consider my cell phone emptied.<br /></div></div>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-9056896382886206042009-08-14T10:32:00.013-04:002009-08-14T13:01:38.928-04:00Ronson vs. Bird<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-iRSm7C0ZDKkC82p0NhPpx7y_Ducc4k5m2ialyf_9G4nFdKS3InJnh-_-gzUAoj25X_c0_iV98kGgABXtpjNfP3kRaVsAkm-J4lkxe3uni1Y8Vw8w4MD95-CH6byEIYq44s/s1600-h/bird.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-iRSm7C0ZDKkC82p0NhPpx7y_Ducc4k5m2ialyf_9G4nFdKS3InJnh-_-gzUAoj25X_c0_iV98kGgABXtpjNfP3kRaVsAkm-J4lkxe3uni1Y8Vw8w4MD95-CH6byEIYq44s/s320/bird.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369832144385276322" border="0" /></a>Welcome back to a classic feature here at Ronsonville, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ronson vs.</span> (I should've ™ed this thing what with <span style="font-style: italic;">Man vs. Wild</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Man vs. Food </span>having huge successes on the Travelfooddiscoverygarden channel). Put simply, this is a feature where I face off against injustices of the world. It varies from vague rants (<a href="http://ronsonville.blogspot.com/2008/03/ronson-vs-milk-and-milk-products.html">Ronson vs. Milk and Milk Products</a>) to actual battles (<a href="http://ronsonville.blogspot.com/2007/04/ronson-vs-wasps.html">Ronson vs. Wasps</a> x3). So, that's the backstory. Here's Ronson vs. Bird:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The story:</span> It was a typical Sunday night - around 11 p.m. I was being productive with my time by watching the "edited for basic cable" version of <span style="font-style: italic;">Pulp Fiction.</span> Seriously, it's like watching a completely different movie. We're at the part where Vincent Vega tells Marvin he doesn't like him very much and that he should leave the car so that he and Jules can go visit their friend Quentin Tarantino and get a car wash.<br /><br />Suddenly, I hear a rustling noise from behind the walls in the far top corner of my living room. I didn't think much of it because I've heard squirrels scurry in that corner all the time. I think they hibernate there during the winter. They aren't getting inside, so it doesn't bother me. But this was different. Five seconds later, there's a bird flying in circles around me on my couch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The battle:</span> Um, yeah - I panicked. Startled, the only thing I could think to do was open a series of doors leading to my front door, and hope the bird and I would communicate through non-verbal cues and some whistling on my part. But mostly what happened was that the bird flew in circles in various rooms of my apartment while I hid. This kept up for about 20 minutes. Then, just as suddenly as the bird appeared, it was gone.<br /><br />Sensing a break in the action, I used my time to do what anyone with a problem does in the information age: I quickly threw a grammatically incorrect status update on my Facebook page:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn2yWg8PAI_Rs4qfIb68-fp8i_YIGpl8gaFtwhIA3ZaNs5OtXNEJNJs9Q5hrUyqnzn_sTVrEZ6pouL48KXkLxkp2ljjRzd9Hmh8d7-7JcNCTqNUv1co8szSVlM9u743MzXfY/s1600-h/fbbird.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 57px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn2yWg8PAI_Rs4qfIb68-fp8i_YIGpl8gaFtwhIA3ZaNs5OtXNEJNJs9Q5hrUyqnzn_sTVrEZ6pouL48KXkLxkp2ljjRzd9Hmh8d7-7JcNCTqNUv1co8szSVlM9u743MzXfY/s400/fbbird.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369847060045612866" border="0" /></a><br />How did? I don't know. There wasn't a moment to spare.<br /><br />Impressively, within minutes I had a handful of methods to work with and after a few unsuccessful phone calls (Animal Control: "Unfortunately the SPCA is only on call this evening and they wouldn't handle something like this anyway. Good luck!"), I hatched a few plans.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plan A:</span> Operation Bird Call. I would draw out the bird by playing bird calls on my computer (thanks AE). If you're ever in my situation, you might wanna give it a whirl. I found this <a href="http://www.naturesongs.com/anhu5.mp3">call of the hummingbird</a> worked particularly well. Within a few minutes, the bird went from hiding to flying around in circles all over my apartment again. I guess this was the preferred situation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plan B1:</span> Follow the Light. I went out to my wasp-loaded deck (fortunately they were in for the evening) and flashed a light around thinking that the bird might be drawn to it, and then freedom. It got close a couple of times, but no such luck. After a few passes, Mr. Feathers went back into hiding.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plan B2:</span> Kitchen Lockdown (aka The Bad Plan). I noticed whenever the bird would hide, it went into the kitchen. So I decided I would block the room off using my comforter and open one of the tiny windows in the kitchen where it would (again) fly to freedom. Well, unfortunately I couldn't act as bird caller, comforter holder AND window guider all at once. This one fell apart pretty quickly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Plan B3:</span> The Half-Assed Plan (aka The Plan That Worked). At around 2 a.m., I was getting tired and had gotten used to the fact that this bird and I were going to be roommates for awhile. I went to brush my teeth. When I left the bathroom, I noticed the poor, dumb thing was flying in circles again, so I decided to give it one more try.<br /><br />I went back to my original plan - I shut off all the lights in the house except the light leading to stairs toward my front door. Somehow, someway, the bird got the message and flew through that door. Now that he was trapped in a much smaller space, I opened a window and he disappeared through it instantly. Enjoy your freedom, Bird. It only took three hours.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Winner:</span> Me, I guess. Over the course of this adventure I was told that birds can be a sign of change. I did some research, and I think that's more in reference to eagles than wrens. But who knows? Perhaps a very, very tiny change is in my future. Or maybe it means next time I should just netflix<span style="font-style: italic;"> Pulp Fiction.</span>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-45558664990456546962009-08-07T14:42:00.005-04:002009-08-07T15:56:43.215-04:00Chocolate Horse/Brian Olive/Fiery Furnaces on Fountain Square tonight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYTJP3C2uhyNakRv5os61OToWyHG_pT8O2xo9Pj8SgStC9K8CADw8BfZjhMO1JY9NCPnh7aZkYqygqi26RHiF9umtL-MWrPpvDA4SWI3BYyeQtylcjTupMVvCKq1vS-N4gx0/s1600-h/fieryfurnaces.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYTJP3C2uhyNakRv5os61OToWyHG_pT8O2xo9Pj8SgStC9K8CADw8BfZjhMO1JY9NCPnh7aZkYqygqi26RHiF9umtL-MWrPpvDA4SWI3BYyeQtylcjTupMVvCKq1vS-N4gx0/s320/fieryfurnaces.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367295119601538114" border="0" /></a>To say that the Fiery Furnaces latest album <span style="font-style: italic;">(I'm Going Away)</span> is its most "accessible" in recent years might seem like sort of a backhanded compliment. However, this is a band that seems to pride itself on "difficult albums" and "artistic cred" and they've suffered some backlash for these stubborn pursuits. For crying out loud, the Friedbergers' grandmother sang half the vocals on the band's 2006 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Rehearsing My Choir.</span> Even hardcore indie rock fans had trouble getting behind that one.<br /><br />So maybe it was time for the band to pack away some of its eccentricities. From a critical perspective, it's paid off -<span style="font-style: italic;"> I'm Going Away</span> is clinging to "Universal Acclaim" status over at <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/fieryfurnaces/imgoingaway">Metacritic</a> right now, and while I've never been a hardcore fan of the band, what I've heard of the album matches up pretty well with my favorite FF album <span style="font-style: italic;">EP,</span> (it's 50 minutes long - definitely more of an album than actual EP).<br /><br />Live, they're a bit of a mixed bag. For at art-driven as their music is, the stage show is pretty straight forward: just the band on stage hammering out a bit more ragged versions of their poppier album-version counterparts. A song like "Chris Michaels" (a favorite of mine from <span style="font-style: italic;">Blueberry Boat</span>) isn't necessarily enhanced by the live experience, though it is interesting to see how they pull it off. But I doubt many people go to shows to see how a band handles time signatures.<br /><br />One big plus for me is the hiring of Sebadoh's <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jakerock">Jason Loewenstein.</a> Not that his bass-playing necessarily brings a huge difference to the way the band sounds, it's just good to see him out.<br /><br />Criticism hardly means much when you can <a href="http://www.myfountainsquare.com/indiesummer">see the band for free tonight</a> and make your own opinions. I strongly suggest checking out both opening acts, particularly <a href="http://www.myspace.com/brianolivemusic">Brian Olive.</a> His self-titled 2009 album might just hold out as one of the best of the year. Show starts at 7. You should go.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-13048367253055949932009-08-06T17:25:00.006-04:002009-08-06T18:19:40.674-04:00My Life in Low Res, Part Two: Morrissey at The Pageant, St. Louis 4/8/09The "no cameras" rule at this Morrissey show didn't scare me. Well, OK yeah, it did. Fortunately my cell phone camera came to the rescue once again and I was able to snag these two "moments" from the show:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2kpFq2210ZNBVwZhGFNEagW8xq1kLWydIpGXSHtqYBg_HIh6Axi8mCmXSJKznSUWUv7JMbTV1P4-fJE-xbjh_5wU16ummQFalDThjpfppV_bU7E0pJV7zqTcOc4P7YNnwqE/s1600-h/morrissey1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2kpFq2210ZNBVwZhGFNEagW8xq1kLWydIpGXSHtqYBg_HIh6Axi8mCmXSJKznSUWUv7JMbTV1P4-fJE-xbjh_5wU16ummQFalDThjpfppV_bU7E0pJV7zqTcOc4P7YNnwqE/s320/morrissey1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366967386002603570" border="0" /></a>See that glowing, alien-like figure on the left of the photo? That's Morrissey!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQNv4iOyq2BspddmCHqpLuJvaODUI0Ylpk2oVVW2mKAvEtY8zFi-TxzftTBcMzhlOdLdRuBz0IwR2ZFSpm-VqbnfHnDWwzu5dKICNoJg8FxytTP-K-fDjX5irlNgMh41_D1k/s1600-h/morrissey3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQNv4iOyq2BspddmCHqpLuJvaODUI0Ylpk2oVVW2mKAvEtY8zFi-TxzftTBcMzhlOdLdRuBz0IwR2ZFSpm-VqbnfHnDWwzu5dKICNoJg8FxytTP-K-fDjX5irlNgMh41_D1k/s320/morrissey3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366967387431779906" border="0" /></a>A better shot of the entire stage backdrop, and some of the mopey onlookers.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Setlist:</span><br />This Charming Man<br />Billy Budd<br />Black Cloud<br />How Soon is Now?<br />Irish Blood, English Heart<br />When I Last Spoke To Carol<br />How Could Anybody Possibly Know the Way I Feel<br />I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris<br />Some Girls are Bigger than Others<br />Something is Squeezing My Skull<br />Seasick, Yet Still Docked<br />The Loop<br />The World is Full of Crashing Bores<br />Death of a Disco Dancer<br />Best Friend on the Payroll<br />I Keep Mine Hidden<br />Sorry Doesn't Help<br />Ask<br />Let Me Kiss You<br />I'm OK by Myself<br /><br />Encore:<br />First of the Gang to Die<br /></div></div>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-28871048659329595442009-08-06T16:13:00.010-04:002009-08-06T18:20:18.074-04:00My Life in Low Res, Part One: UncollectedToo many shows, too many times I've come equipped with just the ol' taped-together Motorola blue Razr cell phone that I've now had for two years. Here are some random highlights, shows and lowlights since 2007:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgRAqshehWw7aXfcxJbWzeCO8M9TQ9Mk4hy7rJOklcdgYocDlPYRlXqz2ExkJeDIt7Ok5x8am1ZLkYP1mAosKzpltLF3wDC9gttnm1xW312KWg-4We2CTDrRLID7PmZCsUtI/s1600-h/hojos.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgRAqshehWw7aXfcxJbWzeCO8M9TQ9Mk4hy7rJOklcdgYocDlPYRlXqz2ExkJeDIt7Ok5x8am1ZLkYP1mAosKzpltLF3wDC9gttnm1xW312KWg-4We2CTDrRLID7PmZCsUtI/s320/hojos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366953971443805826" border="0" /></a>The HoJo we stayed in during Lollapalooza 2007. They lied about the ice cream.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1UMSqvaMy03Lw813i-HRnxm7RznUfDO03crU8qm4DQ4vcEXVoZCTyx5k3eOly1ZnCywbA75KVI2OWHDbR86VZmgeszdP3Wlt0EenAk60Orc8i2kd8tdrUqCgxov67dpfFvI/s1600-h/vampireweekend.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1UMSqvaMy03Lw813i-HRnxm7RznUfDO03crU8qm4DQ4vcEXVoZCTyx5k3eOly1ZnCywbA75KVI2OWHDbR86VZmgeszdP3Wlt0EenAk60Orc8i2kd8tdrUqCgxov67dpfFvI/s320/vampireweekend.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366950302067492914" border="0" /></a>Vampire Weekend show at the Gypsy Hut, Feb. 13 2008. I'm only 40 percent sure that's actually someone from Vampire Weekend.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK07_fXSc1htHTbd7hWjZHrpVMFHH3xypJr0IJ9ofljaqzjOT8pT1sP4yNXLkANU6gPGQN_q2cL2azrzT4obd0DMLXLsNMvVoT0-W3YuPYJ1-Ft5K7z0TeNba_zDgMhu7BeqE/s1600-h/thepoliceIthink.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK07_fXSc1htHTbd7hWjZHrpVMFHH3xypJr0IJ9ofljaqzjOT8pT1sP4yNXLkANU6gPGQN_q2cL2azrzT4obd0DMLXLsNMvVoT0-W3YuPYJ1-Ft5K7z0TeNba_zDgMhu7BeqE/s320/thepoliceIthink.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366950970145514370" border="0" /></a>The Police/Elvis Costello show in Columbus, May 4, 2008. Pretty great seats, eh?<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZnfFq6UBWwmHsen8AQ5V50yVIrTxZT1v0MXAQeZi79l5NWmM3dOr1j0FFMtS-k6pK2MjWLgCVwhuOEsN7P-q8q9NB4sk1VWb1EIjA3rfGCl03KB4JrRhyphenhyphenCRxWvXd6gzxzqM/s1600-h/iowahideaway.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZnfFq6UBWwmHsen8AQ5V50yVIrTxZT1v0MXAQeZi79l5NWmM3dOr1j0FFMtS-k6pK2MjWLgCVwhuOEsN7P-q8q9NB4sk1VWb1EIjA3rfGCl03KB4JrRhyphenhyphenCRxWvXd6gzxzqM/s320/iowahideaway.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366950971059375970" border="0" /></a>Repping my home state at The Hideaway in Northside, Feb. 14, 2009.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ5Mg7wgbgBeej-PEBiNtXjfHnhxzT3pdi2atfzVXT_djKkPwZPMRyjMzN68IFnKBSLsjtSUz79Z2Q_pgxiy36ULIlyyfMrDG9juTBeIDpGFaGRM_wrrqFF-LHlmrQux5cr8/s1600-h/margotnuclear.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ5Mg7wgbgBeej-PEBiNtXjfHnhxzT3pdi2atfzVXT_djKkPwZPMRyjMzN68IFnKBSLsjtSUz79Z2Q_pgxiy36ULIlyyfMrDG9juTBeIDpGFaGRM_wrrqFF-LHlmrQux5cr8/s320/margotnuclear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366953960958493250" border="0" /></a>Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, April 16, 2009. You can't tell, but there are actually 17 people on stage.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwA-M8TiavyG_UnwVpj0FTlM_r8OHQgQyMRb4UfFitiaoRN0EigHowsFp7P5DuSUrcIzHEbSbRvwfG0HdTfdkJy2FPeQ_myJCTuIjkRNHA5Gi2tpB94DrT181c2Sh_hpdC58/s1600-h/mbvcover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLwA-M8TiavyG_UnwVpj0FTlM_r8OHQgQyMRb4UfFitiaoRN0EigHowsFp7P5DuSUrcIzHEbSbRvwfG0HdTfdkJy2FPeQ_myJCTuIjkRNHA5Gi2tpB94DrT181c2Sh_hpdC58/s320/mbvcover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366950979960860066" border="0" /></a>I'm pitching this as the cover to the next My Bloody Valentine album.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVlPyxe8O0fwkue9xp8NxwTOCnTDWlA7xoUDdcb1PPLTUz5ED_efx1xA2RTEl2nx9O-lNO8G85yixZFexoihiKqlTMmaBbrHYt2I_73UjlAZ6OmeVNH0VLRL_Gqf8TXgIvRI/s1600-h/rainbow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVlPyxe8O0fwkue9xp8NxwTOCnTDWlA7xoUDdcb1PPLTUz5ED_efx1xA2RTEl2nx9O-lNO8G85yixZFexoihiKqlTMmaBbrHYt2I_73UjlAZ6OmeVNH0VLRL_Gqf8TXgIvRI/s320/rainbow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366950986189938242" border="0" /></a>Rainbow, eerie highrise, Columbia Parkway, 2009.</div>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-23037788338427426252009-08-04T12:33:00.006-04:002009-08-04T18:45:11.223-04:00Deerhunter/Dan Deacon/No Age tonight at Southgate House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcsxH48Hs6755nBWJ5yo9Md4VNz1Trqj0-gvlGVVUSb7lNDFEQmqIZwQ0mcvi3F5S9kJYebVSopUHB7LP1LXPmzhQ4xghY1N___Z4NYkOrhmzOIPUyRIVQKgcBnIV-J_6j-k/s1600-h/deerhunter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcsxH48Hs6755nBWJ5yo9Md4VNz1Trqj0-gvlGVVUSb7lNDFEQmqIZwQ0mcvi3F5S9kJYebVSopUHB7LP1LXPmzhQ4xghY1N___Z4NYkOrhmzOIPUyRIVQKgcBnIV-J_6j-k/s320/deerhunter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366150573481611730" border="0" /></a>OK, so this isn't a lineup (though it'd be pretty amazing if it was) - all three bands will be playing on stage simultaneously. They call it a "round robin" tour, but I think that's a little misleading. It seems like the bands should be competing against each other, tourney-style. Actually, they'll just be trading off and participating in each other's songs. This is a 7-date tour, and the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.southgatehouse.com/index.php?nosplash=1">Southgate House</a> in Newport, KY was lucky enough to be included in the mix.<br /><br />So, let's talk about Bradford Cox. He's the lead singer of Deerhunter (pictured above). Sure, he's kinda creepy, but he's also <a href="http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/">a way better blogger</a> than I am and an amazingly prolific songwriter. Anyone who can maintain the creativity for two bands - Deerhunter (his main psychedelic rock gig) and Atlas Sound (a surprisingly decent "bedroom recordings" type project) gets a gold star in my book. I'll be interested in checking out Dan Deacon and No Age, but I'll probably be focusing on the Deerhunter songs. They've been a buzz band since I first heard about them (I was shut out of all of their performances at SXSW 2007), and now that they've followed up <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9824-cryptograms/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cryptograms</span></a> with the excellent <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12360-microcastle-weird-era-cont/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Microcastle</span></a> last year, there'll just be more to love.<br /><br />If I think of it, I'll probably drop a couple of <a href="http://twitter.com/ronson_s">Twitter</a> updates about the show throughout the night - just in case you can't make it. Actually, there's a good chance you won't make it if you haven't already bought tickets, because the show's sold out. Sorry. Shoulda mentioned that before.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-73750829610876973222009-07-22T13:32:00.004-04:002009-07-22T13:59:41.688-04:00Walkmen/Cass McCombs/Pomegranates tonight at Mad Hatter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillHYeSmB2RodJeYMjOGKuP8W3DY_GXV2HXqBSbg4SiGLFFPOyfywFQMwsURWYvGHSEico2VDfCCeYZWYmKwvdITZ8qlkqGnnkzl0VJxwjU-dijxrvosF7L0lhXgxLdVu30U8/s1600-h/The.Walkmen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillHYeSmB2RodJeYMjOGKuP8W3DY_GXV2HXqBSbg4SiGLFFPOyfywFQMwsURWYvGHSEico2VDfCCeYZWYmKwvdITZ8qlkqGnnkzl0VJxwjU-dijxrvosF7L0lhXgxLdVu30U8/s320/The.Walkmen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361340399417922962" border="0" /></a><br />Since 2001, The Walkmen have been one of my favorite bands that just look like a random assortment of dudes. Believe me, if you passed one of the Walkmen on the street, you'd <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> have to be paying attention to recognize them. Over the years, I've seen them twice: once at Cincinnati's Desdemona Festival a couple years ago and a few days ago at Pitchfork Fest at Union Park.<br /><br />Both performances were decent, but I don't think the band is outdoor-appropriate. None of them wear flashy white suits on stage and their music is subtle – not many bombastic, singalong anthems. The best moment of either performance I've seen was early in last weekend's set when lead vocalist Hamilton Leithauser (yeah, pick him out in that picture up there - I'll be impressed) used his sheer force to belt out "In The New Year" over the crappy sound system at Pitchfork's C stage. You could see his veins bulging and the passion was there, even if it wasn't matched by the sounds produced over the amps.<br /><br />I guess my point is that I'm pretty excited to see them in a club environment – I think it'll suit them much better. If you live anywhere near Covington KY, you should check em out too. Rising star local band The Pomegranates and latest <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13180-catacombs/">Pitchfork best new music</a> darling Cass McCombs will be there too. Show starts at 8 and the tickets are cheap ($12-14). <a href="http://www.madhatterclub.com/">Details.</a> See you there.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-69287619247779165922008-12-09T23:12:00.018-05:002008-12-31T18:48:42.734-05:00Best Music 2008: Albums<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTSb_N2L6fhfs-ojD1AuT8ng9tWqsde14NASKYXGu1nFt5Sic92G2k2pjGQ9nhe92JniHjSVhW9fpxMr7oa-lSwg2hWLOStctyRVZiHPSSucp5jCZYaALSD-HCxOqXpgbQb8/s1600-h/elf2008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTSb_N2L6fhfs-ojD1AuT8ng9tWqsde14NASKYXGu1nFt5Sic92G2k2pjGQ9nhe92JniHjSVhW9fpxMr7oa-lSwg2hWLOStctyRVZiHPSSucp5jCZYaALSD-HCxOqXpgbQb8/s320/elf2008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286028068769000834" border="0" /></a><br />So, here it is - the final list: Albums of the Year. I've got some of the basics and a few surprises, so debate and enjoy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdUGWzPKa2H1tbPpgfHTZCUT4-EyOqwvm8sR1VBG_v-YN5LX5xEEse802LAKtmszvjfz3iEDd1pnIGvopwSvh24j4Ex9-3Lcpdr9Jgrl7p8I1kfMtXW9ucK-ds2wvLxkj9HY/s1600-h/sm.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdUGWzPKa2H1tbPpgfHTZCUT4-EyOqwvm8sR1VBG_v-YN5LX5xEEse802LAKtmszvjfz3iEDd1pnIGvopwSvh24j4Ex9-3Lcpdr9Jgrl7p8I1kfMtXW9ucK-ds2wvLxkj9HY/s200/sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281331834779814994" border="0" /></a><br /><br />20 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Stephen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Malkmus</span> and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Jicks</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Real Emotional Trash</span><br />Stephen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Malkmus might be accused of getting a little too jammy, but I think it's more about keeping him interested in music. And hey, if that's what it takes, jam away.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTNILIrVssUYyn7ZH5x-31TYaHhztF_gdCfHvSzpSPG6Z4_rE__cbD1NUI2HaPCiVfsMHhUIqw7CxEv_BvSu9wwQmWpOtnh6t_397lkUdhJGLzwYsj0mfLZ8qzbvXyivw9YE/s1600-h/emc.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTNILIrVssUYyn7ZH5x-31TYaHhztF_gdCfHvSzpSPG6Z4_rE__cbD1NUI2HaPCiVfsMHhUIqw7CxEv_BvSu9wwQmWpOtnh6t_397lkUdhJGLzwYsj0mfLZ8qzbvXyivw9YE/s200/emc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011246373193378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />19 <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">eMC</span> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">The Show<br /></span>It might surprise you to know that Lil Wayne's <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tha</span> Carter 3</span> was not the only good hip-hop album released in 2008.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFSGeFjAAqrHwbDOONXXyL0-VoUtFlytmhmD1d-YEtN53jA5SK7-OuMx-CsCRVBaw8LJk0tBS83JXCXtxmEOjCoI7Z26Xu2jNeK2n2V1uWt4joV64HIXyXAAL4prqzlAQQGM/s1600-h/girltalk.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFSGeFjAAqrHwbDOONXXyL0-VoUtFlytmhmD1d-YEtN53jA5SK7-OuMx-CsCRVBaw8LJk0tBS83JXCXtxmEOjCoI7Z26Xu2jNeK2n2V1uWt4joV64HIXyXAAL4prqzlAQQGM/s200/girltalk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011244082718162" border="0" /></a><br />18 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Girl Talk</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Feed the Animals<br /></span>Everyone can pick out their favorite combo of to unlike songs forming a new (and arguably better at times) song. Mine is an early Wu-Tang rap by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Raekwon</span> matched with a long lost 70s song by Argent, "Hold Your Head Up."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZw2UIGwnMjo8gQ7tot20plcd68Re9amLxuz0Ur9WgdBelcdeI2myeTxNde7lXZhyphenhyphendd4fTT7HvgvNsC2Xba2QQOUaPHjG2enkhdWWzERWbN1olmMVmWGHhdADXXVNzsZyCPc/s1600-h/raveonettes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZw2UIGwnMjo8gQ7tot20plcd68Re9amLxuz0Ur9WgdBelcdeI2myeTxNde7lXZhyphenhyphendd4fTT7HvgvNsC2Xba2QQOUaPHjG2enkhdWWzERWbN1olmMVmWGHhdADXXVNzsZyCPc/s200/raveonettes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011249189410370" border="0" /></a><br />17 <span style="font-weight: bold;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Raveonettes</span> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Lust Lust Lust<br /></span>They stick to the "pop songs with big guitar" formula but add a little emotional variety and depth to the songs. Best album yet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4C-1ByvwrwKzMU4ZuS1GotBOXO34HwdT1aih-3VIH3RuYXoCUmF9QhT3HL0oXfOvakYbP7hQSAOcPpUu8WCliIhtmPtIGCA45_I5UimmdwZbsZbqX7A2RUQGkRbVimgLICk/s1600-h/deerhunter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4C-1ByvwrwKzMU4ZuS1GotBOXO34HwdT1aih-3VIH3RuYXoCUmF9QhT3HL0oXfOvakYbP7hQSAOcPpUu8WCliIhtmPtIGCA45_I5UimmdwZbsZbqX7A2RUQGkRbVimgLICk/s200/deerhunter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011256061314722" border="0" /></a><br />16 <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Deerhunter</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Microcastle</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">/Weird Era Cont.</span><br />Bradford Cox had a good year. He put out one of the better side projects earlier this year (under the solo alias Atlas Sound), then followed it up with a great album from his main gig, complete with a bonus disc. So that's 39 songs to my zero. Damn.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpGG_RPL8H7y2fGMMA_Rfc7Vb3XeZoXkvcSdokwTbD9du2QJY5osW5Y_iqwiwVYBAFJuDgmH7GEODhWxkQT-4DEHjZSJUbF58uuW8c0fZUN8GdmUHTC3ZK7w8A2i1QauwBwY/s1600-h/randynewman.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpGG_RPL8H7y2fGMMA_Rfc7Vb3XeZoXkvcSdokwTbD9du2QJY5osW5Y_iqwiwVYBAFJuDgmH7GEODhWxkQT-4DEHjZSJUbF58uuW8c0fZUN8GdmUHTC3ZK7w8A2i1QauwBwY/s200/randynewman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011744524165058" border="0" /></a><br />15 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Randy Newman</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Harps and Angels</span><br />A few words in defense of Randy Newman: Sure he's not the trendiest musician and his piano-based New Orleans jazz music will turn some people off, but lyrically, the guy's still sharp. This set proves he hasn't completely Disneyed out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpa6XWcciq-nnRQABGWkQcY-6kNT4PLf11tRdxFVtt4fhQ6Z0NAicidKrC7xYC5z1bHZbIdDq6WtyMdHxZ2esFdhUg6BKx3P4cZsIYXO7Xj1z8DuQLZLFUe5EHmvI_nH1t5iI/s1600-h/jeangrae.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpa6XWcciq-nnRQABGWkQcY-6kNT4PLf11tRdxFVtt4fhQ6Z0NAicidKrC7xYC5z1bHZbIdDq6WtyMdHxZ2esFdhUg6BKx3P4cZsIYXO7Xj1z8DuQLZLFUe5EHmvI_nH1t5iI/s200/jeangrae.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011749673401026" border="0" /></a><br />14 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jean <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Grae</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Jeanius</span></span><br />Who says women can't rap in 2008? You? Stop that. Listen to this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtBcpFx5afilu0z6_V2ranwSuoZ3Pwp8-KjakzkgtUlvJsoyqTLFYDeebs6FRruttBQEe9LoeataSzZ5OfmDSwpi3GqRASL-0kotgxdWeU6b6RZoa_zoCqI4F3wcx6c78WV4/s1600-h/gnarls.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtBcpFx5afilu0z6_V2ranwSuoZ3Pwp8-KjakzkgtUlvJsoyqTLFYDeebs6FRruttBQEe9LoeataSzZ5OfmDSwpi3GqRASL-0kotgxdWeU6b6RZoa_zoCqI4F3wcx6c78WV4/s200/gnarls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011755702872738" border="0" /></a><br />13 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gnarls Barkley</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The Odd Couple</span><br />I also direct you to the video for <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6aosf_gnarls-barkley-whos-gonna-save-my-s_music">"Who's Gonna Save My Soul"</a> as it's the good kinda weird.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SSvh3C2wzpfcNTCxRe7rqNFErdAqchMKMOoiwTRSSc2j5Ww-b7qAFLWdDG1sbZ828TxX0bILBJZT3d7y7rG0V58__2_j9w_ajtaf9VJMwyaos-oBkFEpKI9s0SXqHyQsIGY/s1600-h/ofmontreal.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SSvh3C2wzpfcNTCxRe7rqNFErdAqchMKMOoiwTRSSc2j5Ww-b7qAFLWdDG1sbZ828TxX0bILBJZT3d7y7rG0V58__2_j9w_ajtaf9VJMwyaos-oBkFEpKI9s0SXqHyQsIGY/s200/ofmontreal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011756766255122" border="0" /></a><br />12 <span style="font-weight: bold;">of Montreal</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Skeletal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Lamping</span></span><br />You love it or you hate it, but the test is whether or not you can keep up with Kevin Barnes' alter ego's erratic behavior. To me, this thing is hook on top of hook on top of hook.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6muGvYTyTFU823Xp7WjF5BNUMyql4ljw53kIgJoV5VLJoqfqNyUXXnY5oUGhaT4FZXD9-IODDQQuiLQgeMisVGiFfE8GB-nICtv1cw53fTThvLpuLURb2cn2pSZMCF9H-eQ8/s1600-h/kidzinthehall.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6muGvYTyTFU823Xp7WjF5BNUMyql4ljw53kIgJoV5VLJoqfqNyUXXnY5oUGhaT4FZXD9-IODDQQuiLQgeMisVGiFfE8GB-nICtv1cw53fTThvLpuLURb2cn2pSZMCF9H-eQ8/s200/kidzinthehall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278013836758746162" border="0" /></a><br />11 <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Kidz</span> in the Hall</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The In Crowd</span><br />Underrated hip-hop, lesson number two. This album has gotten so little praise, I thought it wasn't actually released this year. It's a shame - good old school base with modern sensibilities, a good direction for hip-hop to move.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbLFwVnDpPRtIaaotuqX0YqFX32XecIE3FJMmyGENQIra0gm8JE3BUyJS1-B9IY7R-bdz2IbL3eSJeIjon1_x67fNtEhuLjJcmnX6pQv-ubEVR1ikg01MQghIwyqr69rRW_c/s1600-h/loveisall.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbLFwVnDpPRtIaaotuqX0YqFX32XecIE3FJMmyGENQIra0gm8JE3BUyJS1-B9IY7R-bdz2IbL3eSJeIjon1_x67fNtEhuLjJcmnX6pQv-ubEVR1ikg01MQghIwyqr69rRW_c/s200/loveisall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278011756442676482" border="0" /></a><br />10 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love Is All</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night</span><br />Awesome songs about people getting stuck with each other at the end of the night and snubbing your neighbors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9EtLfjEgj23oiSMxZSVa-Ay3egzu2py0VAZc7HI6fuLagXmegozzJRs7DYnC5BjvH0n7YE8Ykisiq8KkqJcszqKrYh72nVohyGs85HfipykZPCJtjzTWwwk5t6BT8t5U1Ws/s1600-h/qtip.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9EtLfjEgj23oiSMxZSVa-Ay3egzu2py0VAZc7HI6fuLagXmegozzJRs7DYnC5BjvH0n7YE8Ykisiq8KkqJcszqKrYh72nVohyGs85HfipykZPCJtjzTWwwk5t6BT8t5U1Ws/s200/qtip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278012393723850562" border="0" /></a><br />9 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Q-Tip </span><span style="font-style: italic;">The Renaissance</span><br />While people still clamor for the reformation of A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip seems to be doing just fine. So check it out - it's a decent attempt at hip-hop crossover.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U_V4-pPVzgvi_A7P4mvsIHyeqKv_EL_Jwt2PgS7KVPNTpEqFdu-4uQbsPqoYZUISYzH0WN4L2GFuInjwwiA0qVqICaz6MSXaY_yo9XvsNjSIzzPUaRyDbcMOFKwqaRAIqtI/s1600-h/rarariot.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U_V4-pPVzgvi_A7P4mvsIHyeqKv_EL_Jwt2PgS7KVPNTpEqFdu-4uQbsPqoYZUISYzH0WN4L2GFuInjwwiA0qVqICaz6MSXaY_yo9XvsNjSIzzPUaRyDbcMOFKwqaRAIqtI/s200/rarariot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278012389538088130" border="0" /></a><br />8<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Ra Ra Riot</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Rhumb</span> Line</span><br />Vampire Weekend might have gotten all the love, but this band (formed in Syracuse, NY - hey, I used to live near there!) put out an equally catchy crop o' songs in the indie pop style.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XZfNAAxbJek85JyiMxiDqxZb4FwVbOKN7FLsP20VXyOv1MBvrjvxxG1fyAolwBEcVXpY59cbijlxH7gr5lGnQCy9lavUE-tNdv40nra7I5d4wEWalkFLDmUm5aTNA6gcbM4/s1600-h/fleetfoxes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XZfNAAxbJek85JyiMxiDqxZb4FwVbOKN7FLsP20VXyOv1MBvrjvxxG1fyAolwBEcVXpY59cbijlxH7gr5lGnQCy9lavUE-tNdv40nra7I5d4wEWalkFLDmUm5aTNA6gcbM4/s200/fleetfoxes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278012393947218146" border="0" /></a><br />7 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fleet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Foxes</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Fleet Foxes</span><br />Lots of Fleet Fox love this year (i.e., #1 Pitchfork). The pastoral pop thing might be nothing new, but the band has started off on the right foot, doing The Shins filtered through Neil Young thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sGOPiKxrPVj96-ysk0sowPPj5aT5pOiFMINPQSVm4PhjNh0kTJg76hR9aaZ4jW6FHKA-eyHP5iW1867tA7fnf-SSkztpbR1YhoQQDWD14zDste5C-wPkB9gwtTMWRGR-ops/s1600-h/vampireweekend.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sGOPiKxrPVj96-ysk0sowPPj5aT5pOiFMINPQSVm4PhjNh0kTJg76hR9aaZ4jW6FHKA-eyHP5iW1867tA7fnf-SSkztpbR1YhoQQDWD14zDste5C-wPkB9gwtTMWRGR-ops/s200/vampireweekend.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278012397080216098" border="0" /></a><br />6 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Vampire Weekend</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Vampire Weekend</span><br />As with many years, some of 2008's best albums were debuts. And no debut was more hyped than Vampire Weekend's. It's a shame, because all that press created a inevitable backlash on what is actually a decent album. So keep your expectations reasonable and give it a shot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3os-R8AY1cD067xqatKBjXUsCyAsjGh-hMg0PxZCobF9sXnnf3lGEWZTGK9caeDEZ-bRZnEpiw0kUHztkcFa9Tdz0ykdd80x1r01ke38AXxdfGBHXnczjwnqgEe-MPYrVd38/s1600-h/walkmen.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3os-R8AY1cD067xqatKBjXUsCyAsjGh-hMg0PxZCobF9sXnnf3lGEWZTGK9caeDEZ-bRZnEpiw0kUHztkcFa9Tdz0ykdd80x1r01ke38AXxdfGBHXnczjwnqgEe-MPYrVd38/s200/walkmen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278012395064532706" border="0" /></a><br />5 <span style="font-weight: bold;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Walkmen</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">You & Me</span><br />Comeback of the year maybe? After following their muse a little to unapologetically (a note-for-note retelling of the obscure Harry Nilsson album <span style="font-style: italic;">Pussycats</span> comes to mind), I thought maybe The Walkmen had gone the way of other NYC bands Hip in '01 (y'know, like Secret Machines or Calla). But, no - The Walkmen have officially escaped that fate with <span style="font-style: italic;">You & Me</span> an amazingly consistent album that recalls that really good first album.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlykGan61L_0YMSd5UGvMkIOMZNrPBdA2ZmEVSvagIhBeEp5idxw7asuHurcEI2xCPMSVDLNAmCrLQbolt-XX-Xar9dD6lGv2OKTzN_yqCHvbFeQhCle40kPUvvtjriBYSwM/s1600-h/m83.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYlykGan61L_0YMSd5UGvMkIOMZNrPBdA2ZmEVSvagIhBeEp5idxw7asuHurcEI2xCPMSVDLNAmCrLQbolt-XX-Xar9dD6lGv2OKTzN_yqCHvbFeQhCle40kPUvvtjriBYSwM/s200/m83.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278013850215182754" border="0" /></a><br />4 <span style="font-weight: bold;">M83</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturdays = Youth</span><br />M83 aren't an easy band to get into. They like bombast. They aren't big on words. They have a tendency to lean toward 80s synth production (not always in a good way). I'm not sure if they abandoned this or if I've just gotten used to it, but <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturdays = Youth</span> is a huge breakthrough. I tried unsuccessfully to get into their previous two albums, but there's no challenge involved with this one. It just clicks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtlHDcfDdy8Ta9oIRDaVI9V71f-30dJzT07A_rDZe1lYaG8R4Y82_YJRp8bhKAX1g_oEdBK96CBwssAHDJjxl_PPl8KfYfwdoownG66etJtn008N7BYuTj4racQ4V0GVlyR4/s1600-h/nickcave.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtlHDcfDdy8Ta9oIRDaVI9V71f-30dJzT07A_rDZe1lYaG8R4Y82_YJRp8bhKAX1g_oEdBK96CBwssAHDJjxl_PPl8KfYfwdoownG66etJtn008N7BYuTj4racQ4V0GVlyR4/s200/nickcave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278013861789736546" border="0" /></a><br />3 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Dig <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Lazurus</span> Dig!!!</span><br />Nick had basically mapped out his plan for 2008 with last year's "side project" Grinderman. When he discovered that his fans actually liked it when he cranked it up and stopped crooning about death, it set the stage for this year's brilliant Dig Lazurus Dig!!! - the only album title with multiple exclamation marks that I've liked <span style="font-style: italic;">ever.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYvliPoaPvImn83VcQYMTXU3RqsuDqxkcP554QFGMGSxYk9KaAAh2z_6x1HCVkUuU0zLFcTGl3r34ZiKC0DD7HkCfHH8zRlC8dt1dJU7PM9yk3ymxZ31svVjft_3UvlypOGc/s1600-h/deptofeagles.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYvliPoaPvImn83VcQYMTXU3RqsuDqxkcP554QFGMGSxYk9KaAAh2z_6x1HCVkUuU0zLFcTGl3r34ZiKC0DD7HkCfHH8zRlC8dt1dJU7PM9yk3ymxZ31svVjft_3UvlypOGc/s200/deptofeagles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278013869063552034" border="0" /></a><br />2 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Department of Eagles</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">In Ear Park</span><br />I've filled the number two spot with another underrated album (again cursed with the label "side project") from the guys from Grizzly Bear. Don't get me wrong - I like Grizzly Bear, but I love this. Just keep in mind your source for this list is a little mad for sadness...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PZQHTsjfk0dIcjRQV_hVd0yqBJui3YLgOsqvmHx3YDnXlJXeCkVpzPjMfFDSdz0yzHW2ZTfXZXY3rlDP6vtcOXqxmFTMtv8Qy0oSBYJ3NfZ6EoJhAPcOiHlVxxwkmw7flAo/s1600-h/tvontheradio.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PZQHTsjfk0dIcjRQV_hVd0yqBJui3YLgOsqvmHx3YDnXlJXeCkVpzPjMfFDSdz0yzHW2ZTfXZXY3rlDP6vtcOXqxmFTMtv8Qy0oSBYJ3NfZ6EoJhAPcOiHlVxxwkmw7flAo/s200/tvontheradio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278013874920206706" border="0" /></a><br />1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">TV on the Radio</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Dear Science</span><br />I hate to get all consensus-y on my number one this year (it happens that <span style="font-style: italic;">Spin, Rolling Stone </span>and a few others have labeled it their album of the year too), but upon first listen, no other album caught my attention as instantly as<span style="font-style: italic;"> Dear Science.</span> And there aren't many that I listened to as much as this one. It's not so much what usually grabs me (I tend to prefer smaller, personal albums over big picture, complicated ones), but it's an album with big U2-style ambitions that actually pay off and that's tough to do these days (if fact, not even U2 can do it anymore).<br /><br />So there you go, albums of the year. Thanks for sticking with me and Happy New Year!Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-90015451702785337282008-12-05T00:21:00.034-05:002008-12-08T22:52:58.334-05:00Best Music 2008: Songs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcjHhjFA0MAa5jM2wIaSMMYhSOUk3GbiR85KoA32YlzIOMzdjK_S39yyeqUugsWW7UverWzEejhS83qMuJKGjvzvaUiXlZG4QXTe4dEnpIk7xcdMfgNpJpF9hJp_FXhLuypU/s1600-h/elf2008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcjHhjFA0MAa5jM2wIaSMMYhSOUk3GbiR85KoA32YlzIOMzdjK_S39yyeqUugsWW7UverWzEejhS83qMuJKGjvzvaUiXlZG4QXTe4dEnpIk7xcdMfgNpJpF9hJp_FXhLuypU/s400/elf2008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276397453732955602" border="0" /></a>Wow, 2008. What a year for music. Where do I start? Lil Wayne, Guns n' Roses, No Age and a bunch of bands with variations of the f-bomb in their names released albums that I largely ignored. Kanye sang like a robot. Britney tried to trick us into thinking she was making a comeback. And before you knew it, it was all over.<br /><br />Plucking highlights from this year's music releases was tough. There were a lot of decent moments, but not many great moments. Maybe I was going to the wrong places. However if the lists I've seen are any indication, even editors' lists have a very individual vibe with no real consensus of what topped the year (and some went waaay off base, but more on that later).<br /><br />So what can I say? I tried to piece things together. I attempted to rule with a mix of critical eye and blatantly obvious personal bias. And this is what came out. First up, Songs of the Year.<br /><br />As usual, some technical annoying rules apply (if your album technically came out in 2007, you are ineligible for this year's list (sorry, Bon). Also, if I haven't gotten around to buying or hearing an album, it also won't qualify for my lists (sorry, Lykke). All right, enough of that. Here we go:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiMMkE9BzEGOoD005rL4RRZ9M-meS6ydkNjdabCc6PE92oDRRuompEhH8xCvrjBfP-i_VyVmJl2BbXXXYKywyBCKx1PnxavKjSVkAgW_Rad5vttjNRXAh0G5aRwRTbgvILjo/s1600-h/kanye.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiMMkE9BzEGOoD005rL4RRZ9M-meS6ydkNjdabCc6PE92oDRRuompEhH8xCvrjBfP-i_VyVmJl2BbXXXYKywyBCKx1PnxavKjSVkAgW_Rad5vttjNRXAh0G5aRwRTbgvILjo/s200/kanye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276181082021158562" border="0" /></a><br />25 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kanye West</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Robocop </span><br />Is it weird that after my inital rejection, I found myself starting to like Kanye's drum machine and auto-tune masterpiece <span style="font-style: italic;">808s and Heartbreak? </span>Maybe a little. Not all of it mind you, but how about this song, which compares an ex to Peter Weller's 80's action robot (complete with sound effect). Harsh.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/krxnf4WG4qA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/krxnf4WG4qA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvfLU9e3dVXhp3qkmPjWkwVQhRSgpRKU6VmOaQP2oylhCOd9ExbLVUvaLGT5zY0mQodieo5ZcZAXuqcfY1sRilnkaHbmy2lhFL3qjDombIRXiewM6SLC53Xkf4fFCUFSL4g0/s1600-h/mgmt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvfLU9e3dVXhp3qkmPjWkwVQhRSgpRKU6VmOaQP2oylhCOd9ExbLVUvaLGT5zY0mQodieo5ZcZAXuqcfY1sRilnkaHbmy2lhFL3qjDombIRXiewM6SLC53Xkf4fFCUFSL4g0/s200/mgmt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276181084295769922" border="0" /></a><br />24 <span style="font-weight: bold;">MGMT</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Weekend Wars</span><br />Somebody's been listening to their Bowie. I didn't jump on the MGMT train this year (though DO seem to be part of the reason Brooklyn seems to be at the heart of music world these days), but I'm into this song, which recalls <span style="font-style:italic;">Hunky Dory</span> but places it in an epic post-<span style="font-style:italic;">OK Computer</span> world.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m_-Gld700LE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m_-Gld700LE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhQxQuFCuv2jBgAI53ENImqZGa5jTu_L2rQDXw8dIOB8ezDcSZtv5N3Z3xuCObTnnjmzsxYeSbt2JCXyfMzKtpCnobft7yMRPKcs7nbdOTNHV9iLfL2hfrb6jZPmouEzAZFQ/s1600-h/beck.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhQxQuFCuv2jBgAI53ENImqZGa5jTu_L2rQDXw8dIOB8ezDcSZtv5N3Z3xuCObTnnjmzsxYeSbt2JCXyfMzKtpCnobft7yMRPKcs7nbdOTNHV9iLfL2hfrb6jZPmouEzAZFQ/s200/beck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276181080804268994" border="0" /></a><br />23 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Beck</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Chemtrails</span><br />Most of the Beck/Dangermouse collaboration sounds like Beck fronting Gnarls Barkley. Not that it's bad, but hardly a leap for either artist, which IS bad for two artists who thrive when taken out of their comfort zone. My nod will go to this track, mainly because it most successfully combines their skills, Beck singing in a serious, airy falsetto while Dangermouse attacks you with drums. <br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BeiFVfyiSiw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BeiFVfyiSiw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCIXNjuGyrc3vXx-VTQyLpmxMO-2e_KjVa_dWb-951YVvnGd1oUPFrZbzFbJj13yEOaJqiw28HOcINRxUTIbFg1mHMdipSkYPYubGETC5inXAq8f-b2RSBZiBBGe_GdcrNp0/s1600-h/nas.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCIXNjuGyrc3vXx-VTQyLpmxMO-2e_KjVa_dWb-951YVvnGd1oUPFrZbzFbJj13yEOaJqiw28HOcINRxUTIbFg1mHMdipSkYPYubGETC5inXAq8f-b2RSBZiBBGe_GdcrNp0/s200/nas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276181087627018962" border="0" /></a><br />22<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Nas</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Breathe</span><br />Since I'm neither a Jeezy or Weezy fan, hip-hop didn't do much for me this year. Even Nas, who I've come to count on went into "Nas Will Save The World" mode after surrounding himself with the most controversy (and hype) in his career. Maybe the mixtape was better, but the official release wobbles after the first few promising tracks. Nas' ode to de-stressing against a minimal production (well, minimal compared to the rest of the album). holds up pretty well.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BDhzUvt8LAQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BDhzUvt8LAQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA68tkufCge-3C4c5Oh7zgGC4LPDxGcTeSH6qTF2esyxgLJhEKNIdnshdxIJPeMgX56bo3bYVRZTX0Tb_qtW3zlcm4fYBTY2fas3PlXCpwSgC6DHMAMgnTfzMt8v1iepfQSm0/s1600-h/deerhunter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA68tkufCge-3C4c5Oh7zgGC4LPDxGcTeSH6qTF2esyxgLJhEKNIdnshdxIJPeMgX56bo3bYVRZTX0Tb_qtW3zlcm4fYBTY2fas3PlXCpwSgC6DHMAMgnTfzMt8v1iepfQSm0/s200/deerhunter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276181085078656690" border="0" /></a><br />21 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Deerhunter</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Cover Me (Slowly)/Agoraphobia</span><br />I'm such a sucker for woozy guitars. The first two songs of Deerhunter's <span style="font-style:italic;">Microcastle</span> establish the mood for the album. Cover Me (Slowly) is a short instrumental that introduces a different mood from the previous (and equally good) <span style="font-style:italic;">Cryptograms.</span> That message is less drone, more pop. It carries into a second song called Agoraphobia, the type of theme that seems to suit frontman Bradford Cox's fragile voice very well. Here's the second song from this duo:<br /><br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oup-m8Hxx4Y&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oup-m8Hxx4Y&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv73e3OEvQF5cWbXOLf7abGhibYwGdw25rM-moQ_FkQT_fb2d9_AelXRoyXIw8VbxFQjSSnNzKP4RFzQZeyClDaFGHgC60z0HbgdSfZkGDGDO9bVESZTUzzrFO88SRpHp4u4/s1600-h/sm.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv73e3OEvQF5cWbXOLf7abGhibYwGdw25rM-moQ_FkQT_fb2d9_AelXRoyXIw8VbxFQjSSnNzKP4RFzQZeyClDaFGHgC60z0HbgdSfZkGDGDO9bVESZTUzzrFO88SRpHp4u4/s200/sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276182236688281602" border="0" /></a><br />20 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Out of Reaches</span><br />OK, the more I hear this song the more I think I tend to favor it is because of it's similarity to the more sensitive numbers of Pavement. That's terrible. Malkmus has definitely taken risks in his solo career, almost to the point that it's easier to distinguish his work from his previous band's important run in the 90s. He's even added Janet Weiss' muscular drumming and created a more flexible sound that resembles a successful transition into - dare I say - indie jam band territory. But I think I mainly like this song sort of reminds me of "Type Slowly" or "Shady Lane." What's wrong with me?<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i2NFEYmnPGk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i2NFEYmnPGk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R3yK_0cIlp4ykU-6OoIJXoK4EbbS5_n9JwUk4x0NQ1Eg_2ND1Y9fTZpVhYaxE-enHsmmyZpryFhe7q0QuaQpmVHgeIAe4-4yzoj3GnjFJ86ti08w_1fXR-iCOngQZ32chMc/s1600-h/fofthec.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_R3yK_0cIlp4ykU-6OoIJXoK4EbbS5_n9JwUk4x0NQ1Eg_2ND1Y9fTZpVhYaxE-enHsmmyZpryFhe7q0QuaQpmVHgeIAe4-4yzoj3GnjFJ86ti08w_1fXR-iCOngQZ32chMc/s200/fofthec.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276182241186210642" border="0" /></a><br />19 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Flight of the Conchords</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">For All The Ladies</span><br />Flight of the Conchords works because not only are the songs funny, but they're also well-played and catchy as hell. They're the kind of songs you laugh at, but then find yourself singing days later. This ditty, a 70s-themed funk groove with a nice vocal harmony coda, contains my favorite musical question of the year: "When will the government realize it's got to be funky, sexy ladies?" <br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xEcMG2Jvx3k&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xEcMG2Jvx3k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrKueV7R_hzuMUeG7E5ResnHMTlTLBALsoUn8tpFeY-D7IvMJawGyfCNYiQlKZ9htXB1PL2MQrqruOxRM00mpjTSKhkr-w_sQvEXRqGlMaKURqCkGX6KewyiwoAudI1pO6x8/s1600-h/longblondes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrKueV7R_hzuMUeG7E5ResnHMTlTLBALsoUn8tpFeY-D7IvMJawGyfCNYiQlKZ9htXB1PL2MQrqruOxRM00mpjTSKhkr-w_sQvEXRqGlMaKURqCkGX6KewyiwoAudI1pO6x8/s200/longblondes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276182242501306738" border="0" /></a><br />18 <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Long Blondes</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Guilt</span><br />The Long Blondes' <span style="font-style:italic;">"Couples"</span> was kind of a disappointment this year, but this song shouldn't be overlooked. It has all the best elements of the highlights from <span style="font-style:italic;">Someone To Drive You Home,</span> great lyrics, Kate Jackson's saucy voice and the overall vibe of the best 80s angst-y new wave 80s songs (for proof, just check out that intro/outro).<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hmncxVG-QxQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hmncxVG-QxQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXM6jjMFa5DkQNDBkKmD6Cd_7E1l60_4skmQ5m1tT48Xtm1BZ2cGjjmP59OnufKy1v-m4BIfI-W29mYVJrmdGivY_Q4IpSoOR5ClfRX8o-JnrKXY4QdsiGvg7AewM1asl1NgM/s1600-h/qtip.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXM6jjMFa5DkQNDBkKmD6Cd_7E1l60_4skmQ5m1tT48Xtm1BZ2cGjjmP59OnufKy1v-m4BIfI-W29mYVJrmdGivY_Q4IpSoOR5ClfRX8o-JnrKXY4QdsiGvg7AewM1asl1NgM/s200/qtip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276182247876574610" border="0" /></a><br />17 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Q-Tip</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Gettin' Up</span><br />Q-Tip's The Renaissance may be seen to some as a shell of his former Tribe Called Quest days, but that's a pretty short-sighted view. Tribe had been waning in their last years and Q-Tip's first solo album (a whopping 9 years ago) never got the respect it deserved (J-Dilla produced most of the tracks now and in 2008 is considered a late-great production god). The music for this song in particular is a throwback to a lost 70s soul song, Q-Tip's raps lock well into the groove and is met with Tip <span style="font-style:italic;">singing</span> in the chorus. If hip-hop ever belonged in a coffee shop, this would be the way to go.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KcL3_GKS0wg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KcL3_GKS0wg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnysgtkMaZlIqq3ueeCEIT4XhNvgSBI6lNQ1qxvovVE8h_82JZl1hRMH30KgwUfjzm-LQJ7Q82pcU65XQIOlWuI4QnAqI6jDjkp8GUkJYARW_PMkFkcLJMo3ZPEJVtxPs8AM/s1600-h/rem.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnysgtkMaZlIqq3ueeCEIT4XhNvgSBI6lNQ1qxvovVE8h_82JZl1hRMH30KgwUfjzm-LQJ7Q82pcU65XQIOlWuI4QnAqI6jDjkp8GUkJYARW_PMkFkcLJMo3ZPEJVtxPs8AM/s200/rem.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276182247402793138" border="0" /></a><br />16 <span style="font-weight: bold;">REM</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Living Well Is The Best Revenge</span><br />R.E.M. was the best surprise about 2008. After three, maybe four albums of pensive adult contemporary blipping around, they finally allowed Peter Buck to plug in his guitar and the results are excellent. Taking tips from the "What Made R.E.M. Good" rulebook, the album brings in Mike Mills harmonies and keeps the songs (mostly) at a tidy three minutes. This lead track was key in setting things off, ripping through loud and clear, Stipe sounding more energized than ever, unapologetically setting fire to albums like "Up" and "Around The Sun" in its wake.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f9DoM2W0YDQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f9DoM2W0YDQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKYK3PAx1EhAr-Y_7Xj5eojJq5xFpT5XfSg_THo0D5bge3CWVu71sh5_beYjtyAsLYfQCcrYticHtUkGib0MROYnCPda_syof5jt0J8wMPoEpbBFPWAWsDa5XIy-lTCInt1I/s1600-h/sheandhim.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKYK3PAx1EhAr-Y_7Xj5eojJq5xFpT5XfSg_THo0D5bge3CWVu71sh5_beYjtyAsLYfQCcrYticHtUkGib0MROYnCPda_syof5jt0J8wMPoEpbBFPWAWsDa5XIy-lTCInt1I/s200/sheandhim.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276183705618963362" border="0" /></a><br />15 <span style="font-weight: bold;">She & Him</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Why Do You Let Me Stay Here</span><br />Technically, there's still nothing more frightening that the phrase "celebrity musical side project," but Zooey Deschanel was able to sidestep the horror in 2008 (others - ahemScarJo - were not so lucky). How? By hiring the right sideman for the project for one - M Ward's contributions can't be overlooked in the success of this project. And of course, Zooey's charisma which translates well into song, like this happy little number that eclipses with a squadron of Zooeys (which is never a bad thing). Even more entertaining is the beautifully twisted video that accompanies the song (which you can watch by clicking the YouTube icon). Overall, however, it should be noted that this is my only mention of She & Him. I was able to keep my Zooey crush in check, unlike <span style="font-style:italic;">some</span> people (hello, Paste? Album of the Year? I mean that's just an invitation to backlash).<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dtlO0RXktlo&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dtlO0RXktlo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOItLQOe1F0_pIdU9MmLRoYbIblQfYkRp_P7SKPIThhzw3iNGqFdu4XpkMp-TemF2a5bh5Sf_6SPSGSRmfbVDbZPjT0t5LisuqdfoviJrn40gfTFq-jpt28M-pFFA5_D2_2-I/s1600-h/tvontheradio.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOItLQOe1F0_pIdU9MmLRoYbIblQfYkRp_P7SKPIThhzw3iNGqFdu4XpkMp-TemF2a5bh5Sf_6SPSGSRmfbVDbZPjT0t5LisuqdfoviJrn40gfTFq-jpt28M-pFFA5_D2_2-I/s200/tvontheradio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276183706613570706" border="0" /></a><br />14 <span style="font-weight: bold;">TV on the Radio</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Dancing Choose </span><br />TV on the Radio still manage to top themselves with every recording. Each song on <span style="font-style:italic;">Dear Science</span> builds onto the next one, and Dancing Choose is one of its bigger triumphs. No description really does it justice, just check it out:<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n7mMoc-x_v0&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n7mMoc-x_v0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49R6-uDtDjZ-Cq1yFhc3eURt8OoLNchRTaKaVeHu57nm7JG7ZlJPB7_a_ze2Vvu7dDyqTRNZBLcVhZaD8hj9cP-HPF3YSyOCS9W0FAF25ZYcPRzjsC_BIaV9ZFnpQDfrqeaM/s1600-h/deptofeagles.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49R6-uDtDjZ-Cq1yFhc3eURt8OoLNchRTaKaVeHu57nm7JG7ZlJPB7_a_ze2Vvu7dDyqTRNZBLcVhZaD8hj9cP-HPF3YSyOCS9W0FAF25ZYcPRzjsC_BIaV9ZFnpQDfrqeaM/s200/deptofeagles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276183710689665634" border="0" /></a><br />13 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Department of Eagles</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">No One Does It Like You</span><br />I have an well-known aversion to bands with animal names. I avoided Grizzly Bear and the side project Department of Eagles for that reason. But I've decided to make an exception, particularly in the case of the Eagles, whose In Ear Park is absolutely brilliant. I'm not really sure where this song gets me, but I think it's around the line "I laughed so hard, I fell down." I could only find the live version on YouTube, but do yourself a favor and track down the original song. The character of the production measures up to <span style="font-style:italic;">Pet Sounds</span>-y type heights.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xa2zr-7SiGU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xa2zr-7SiGU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MDlPo5A2qe0yJIEkGgpuiq00EgR51QBqwJPlFcJqQlWZkXlM9_d7FNKKB5co7azIwGy5gEoSNAfWLrYt8_9tniiii7ZN9MR0CY0VwxGJJDAgXlxRSlyaM6Dogkz6DuiXUQ0/s1600-h/nerd.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MDlPo5A2qe0yJIEkGgpuiq00EgR51QBqwJPlFcJqQlWZkXlM9_d7FNKKB5co7azIwGy5gEoSNAfWLrYt8_9tniiii7ZN9MR0CY0VwxGJJDAgXlxRSlyaM6Dogkz6DuiXUQ0/s200/nerd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276183712010843154" border="0" /></a><br />12 <span style="font-weight: bold;">N*E*R*D*</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Sooner or Later</span><br />This is N*E*R*D*'s "Hey Jude." I imagine Pharrell sitting behind a giant piano while plainly singing the opening lines of this tune with just a hint of emotion and the "It's Over/Leave It" section acting as the song's "Na Na Na" part. Pharrell's not really a McCartney level lyricist, but the real surprise (and why it ends up ranking so high on this list) comes at about 4:30 with a guitar solo that absolutely blows my mind every time. So, yeah - check it out. Whatever - this is my list and it stays.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMZ35n-CxZk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMZ35n-CxZk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP-injOFXyewHOOwVopCr_7EaCfCHju9Q_ujn7wHfbxlSa84dRwUBYgHJ5iT21MGw3Rbv6wOwVkvJapVlwa2Kes8nE7-peuHyeb-zbQHrDtlsgDA1Dz6OrO8HPjI7ysnfnsY/s1600-h/alhammondjr.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP-injOFXyewHOOwVopCr_7EaCfCHju9Q_ujn7wHfbxlSa84dRwUBYgHJ5iT21MGw3Rbv6wOwVkvJapVlwa2Kes8nE7-peuHyeb-zbQHrDtlsgDA1Dz6OrO8HPjI7ysnfnsY/s200/alhammondjr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276183711752266210" border="0" /></a><br />11 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Albert Hammond Jr.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">GFC</span><br />Why more attention hasn't been brought to Albert Hammond Jr's brief side solo career, I do not understand. Not only does Hammond write tunes and hooks at a level as his main band (I think they were called The Strokes), he's just as powerful a vocalist with lyrics that are much less painful to listen to (sorry Jules). "GFC" is a great pop song that will probably be forgotten in the mix of 2008. So, please, let's help that poor model-datin' Stroke.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/O_3dUmc2S04&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/O_3dUmc2S04&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbOVCXJ1AmgdWTKeoBlpAxa9sswwbTpbkfn1sPIZ-kVraGp9Vis5ELHIfXwXSVxy_NNwLBd0_-UIF8d6Gu-Mh9jDJzpyd7fNhKCnDCii3tat2CNNWZ_XVEObVL9krtFoV-ZM/s1600-h/loveisall.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbOVCXJ1AmgdWTKeoBlpAxa9sswwbTpbkfn1sPIZ-kVraGp9Vis5ELHIfXwXSVxy_NNwLBd0_-UIF8d6Gu-Mh9jDJzpyd7fNhKCnDCii3tat2CNNWZ_XVEObVL9krtFoV-ZM/s200/loveisall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276185170322720930" border="0" /></a><br />10 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love Is All</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">New Beginnings</span><br />All the really great punk songs not only move with reckless abandon, but have lyrics to match. The idea of "needing a new Bob Dylan" hooked me in so much that I took a chance on Love Is All's second album <span style="font-style:italic;">(A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night)</span> and, as a result, it became my number one album on constant replay late this year. This band also uses a saxophone player to great effect (think The Stooge's <span style="font-style:italic;">Fun House</span>). The style might be classic, but the Swedes seem to have a real knack for turning the classic on its ear. Unfortunately, this is the only song not to have a sample, so you'll just have to take my word for it. Though I suppose you could <a href="http://www.myspace.com/loveisall8">go to their myspace page</a> and hear other decent songs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBkk-JtJpeHgU3rf-XShPHwrr0hfN7R84bbz-FNEBqusnYIH7IgTpgzpJPTB65DvsuTkyqOcfNZi3ucMqncyR9cfzk0zAHs46wDn0xooPr8YY2Ea2QAieYj0QXY36U6h1YrA/s1600-h/deathcab.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBkk-JtJpeHgU3rf-XShPHwrr0hfN7R84bbz-FNEBqusnYIH7IgTpgzpJPTB65DvsuTkyqOcfNZi3ucMqncyR9cfzk0zAHs46wDn0xooPr8YY2Ea2QAieYj0QXY36U6h1YrA/s200/deathcab.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276185175547551282" border="0" /></a><br />9 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Death Cab For Cutie</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> I Will Possess Your Heart</span><br />This song was ubiquitous in the summer of 2008 and with good reason. Ben Gibbard and Co. also sped up to mid-tempo and haven't stopped singing about sadness, but at least stopped using arrangements that bum us out. Anyway, this is the template for a well-written single (that is unless you wanna get crazy and go with the full 8-minute version). Haunting piano, a soaring middle section, lyrics about obsession (or possibly vampires). <br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jrcKjN3KQYs&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jrcKjN3KQYs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk6F0HDWLYwMX9VlQqE5WXUrukIlnsPTMllYg_GlEFF76Pzazcw7C5h8aqAnvqI7djbcZBeVeYRvHUfsff0Zztsl4aH9xJx2oF_OA-NKfgeSe5RShB6ekN9IEtu7G9gZEWjo/s1600-h/kidzinthehall.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk6F0HDWLYwMX9VlQqE5WXUrukIlnsPTMllYg_GlEFF76Pzazcw7C5h8aqAnvqI7djbcZBeVeYRvHUfsff0Zztsl4aH9xJx2oF_OA-NKfgeSe5RShB6ekN9IEtu7G9gZEWjo/s200/kidzinthehall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276185175314992114" border="0" /></a><br />8<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Kidz In the Hall</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The Pledge (featuring Sean Price & Buckshot)</span><br />Kidz in the Hall might also get overlooked this year, but <span style="font-style:italic;">The In Crowd</span> was the most consistent, back to basics and fun hip-hop album released in 2008. In fact, this might not be the best (or best-known) song on the album, but it's one of the more enjoyable moments. It's a quick. simple song (y'know, about getting signed and what The Kidz in the Hall will do for you, their fans) and has a great verse by Sean Price (involving rhyming the phrase "nickel back" with itself three times). I love it when that happens. <br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UoNsDhWzSR0&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UoNsDhWzSR0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGkpCno0NA-unqM5M8g1L8dWiL6VGrPNgrtjT7nIZKFciTzVfs-bi8XjfsnjUn8amq7sfbvVYEKAb7blgFQ-mxqYPT5RF-eSOKqt2DJmlOzePwH5ErjE-H3eO2nHiYEhlAww/s1600-h/raconteurs.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGkpCno0NA-unqM5M8g1L8dWiL6VGrPNgrtjT7nIZKFciTzVfs-bi8XjfsnjUn8amq7sfbvVYEKAb7blgFQ-mxqYPT5RF-eSOKqt2DJmlOzePwH5ErjE-H3eO2nHiYEhlAww/s200/raconteurs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276185182065031154" border="0" /></a><br />7 <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Raconteurs</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Salute Your Solution</span><br />The latest in a long line of excellent Jack White-penned tunes (though the breakneck output might affect the quality of the albums after awhile). This is one of the best moments on <span style="font-style:italic;">Consolers of the Lonely,</span> Brendan Benson modifies his vocals this time around so that they don't sound quite so out of place next to loose cannon Jack. Overall, the album is sort of a lateral move, satisfying Jack's need to play in a classic rock band. This song fares better though. It has grit. Adding a little grit helps every once in awhile.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7lL1CW140FQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7lL1CW140FQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMGU3GUuC8CwbZamA7SVqLvpntbRRzeBB715IsNUNweUMOz4nqIeCEhwcriDfw8fHTzOFJWr0pkJCCfY6AukH8hwFJA1vSc51qpYb-fYU2FntM72YDnDAUppyV32qKPhjaM8/s1600-h/vampireweekend.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMGU3GUuC8CwbZamA7SVqLvpntbRRzeBB715IsNUNweUMOz4nqIeCEhwcriDfw8fHTzOFJWr0pkJCCfY6AukH8hwFJA1vSc51qpYb-fYU2FntM72YDnDAUppyV32qKPhjaM8/s200/vampireweekend.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276185179483723922" border="0" /></a><br />6 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Vampire Weekend</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Oxford Comma</span><br />And so 2008 will be known (in the indie world at least) as the year of Vampire Weekend. An small, unassuming band with unusual reference points (read: not garage rock) and an ability to get everyone (<span style="font-style:italic;">Spin, Saturday Night Live,</span> blogs) to get all codependent creepy about them. At their heart, the guys are actually a decent band with good songs, this being the highlight.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P_i1xk07o4g&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P_i1xk07o4g&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DGLWcLU5a5HSNfOOYk0GGuarSWh-neCZQPrgRRDHAk0z0-eMgYHz6IkjwYeEGREFmnkVXfRsNcJoHYscmkAgh-MGjfaPPR2t-r50nSZ0c11_5jJ9qN6eA81aE6Sun_cfH7o/s1600-h/coldplay.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DGLWcLU5a5HSNfOOYk0GGuarSWh-neCZQPrgRRDHAk0z0-eMgYHz6IkjwYeEGREFmnkVXfRsNcJoHYscmkAgh-MGjfaPPR2t-r50nSZ0c11_5jJ9qN6eA81aE6Sun_cfH7o/s200/coldplay.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276186239968600306" border="0" /></a><br />5 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Coldplay</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Viva La Vida</span><br />Joining R.E.M. and Death Cab in the Old Bands That Need To Stop Being So Depressing Support Group (they must've all gotten the same memo), Coldplay also rose to the occasion this year by releasing music that sounded like a good mix of their first two albums <span style="font-style:italic;">Parachutes</span> (with catchy songs) and <span style="font-style:italic;">A Rush of Blood to the Head</span> (that whole grandeur thing). This song also happened to be ridiculously popular (thanks to a little iTunes commercial) so, I'm giving it the nod, though I technically prefer the soul-searching "Lost!" What can I say? I'm a sucker for popular opinion. I provided a link to the song below, but seriously, how could you not have heard this thing? <br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dvgZkm1xWPE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dvgZkm1xWPE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBWXq-qWIy_eQNdQs3fPes-5DeF0GHCIWoTysyNGjGmxjiWhOHjb847sdI8_19Z-hPLJOVkBKHs4tn_S4tOpFC1M9i1Dl_VZ-jYI_NlrWeXkHROYs1ysVsD3DtgpVkaFPwes/s1600-h/gnarls.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBWXq-qWIy_eQNdQs3fPes-5DeF0GHCIWoTysyNGjGmxjiWhOHjb847sdI8_19Z-hPLJOVkBKHs4tn_S4tOpFC1M9i1Dl_VZ-jYI_NlrWeXkHROYs1ysVsD3DtgpVkaFPwes/s200/gnarls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276186244495275794" border="0" /></a><br />4 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gnarls Barkley</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Run (I'm A Natural Disaster)</span><br />It's a fact. While "Crazy" was a great song, Gnarls Barkley's second album was better. <span style="font-style:italic;">St. Elsewhere</span> comes off as what it was - a side project, while <span style="font-style:italic;">The Odd Couple</span> sounds more like a collection of songs by a legitimate group. This song didn't really strike me at first, but I got more sucked into it as the year wore on. They're certainly good at musically creating the many moods of insanity.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y7uDG3JkIKE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y7uDG3JkIKE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipX2cqsA5Wnl27qORYcYGYIPP4APf1RcClaz_0jpoLLXHjkyUYW-SbzVW3UGaLVgnu10FXkPbYDVxbcUHYfqQQtaVeUm5Rb6Z2cg8IVgDsVgnzMMT2x5aIBQN-fXG2oJ93K6Q/s1600-h/raveonettes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipX2cqsA5Wnl27qORYcYGYIPP4APf1RcClaz_0jpoLLXHjkyUYW-SbzVW3UGaLVgnu10FXkPbYDVxbcUHYfqQQtaVeUm5Rb6Z2cg8IVgDsVgnzMMT2x5aIBQN-fXG2oJ93K6Q/s200/raveonettes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276186248944429250" border="0" /></a><br />3 <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Raveonettes</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Aly, Walk With Me </span><br />Some songs hook you the minute you hear them. I was watching MTV2 one night when I saw this video for this song by the Raveonettes (a band I like but had kind of given up on). The drone-loving geek in me suddenly became very excited about the new Raveonettes album. And while I wasn't disappointed, I still credit this song with being the strongest of the set, with the relentless guitar attack carrying on for five minutes. Sure, I'll walk with you - sounds like we're walking a lot, but I'm in.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I-3fmjjk4aA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I-3fmjjk4aA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIHsqjv9tY-JvoeBjmhko1YG3gZjeYU0XqFLt0nQsq71JxLVpQdJWK4Ds8e6bVkK0RrdL2RHFVn1rVdFBF4adkhxbhYPBSbDOltYnjGFBwAoJoZnCJdejqMkgQSF2OnWIvJQ/s1600-h/nickcave.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIHsqjv9tY-JvoeBjmhko1YG3gZjeYU0XqFLt0nQsq71JxLVpQdJWK4Ds8e6bVkK0RrdL2RHFVn1rVdFBF4adkhxbhYPBSbDOltYnjGFBwAoJoZnCJdejqMkgQSF2OnWIvJQ/s200/nickcave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276186255522848402" border="0" /></a><br />2 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Albert Goes West</span><br />The whole album is amazing, but when "Albert Goes West" kicks in on <span style="font-style:italic;">Dig Lazarus Dig!!!</span> you know you've hit a high point. This is Nick Cave filtered through the happier moments of The Velvet Underground (Rock and Roll) and creates something I never thought possible: A <span style="font-style:italic;">joyful</span> Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds song. Who knew, at 50, Nick would finally get happy? <br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PaNTl794iWg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PaNTl794iWg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLUGvetMiYFxHA058mrCgzUODk3A2LWhsRLcgXjIQQkwp7rDO7epTGy6q52j6xHicpmYpGaHUSvuVbwTjWQ6zYMp8gal1IB7Ddd8vJA8adWIGPtsRydSMURZ7SV0MmlaYdHc/s1600-h/m83.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLUGvetMiYFxHA058mrCgzUODk3A2LWhsRLcgXjIQQkwp7rDO7epTGy6q52j6xHicpmYpGaHUSvuVbwTjWQ6zYMp8gal1IB7Ddd8vJA8adWIGPtsRydSMURZ7SV0MmlaYdHc/s200/m83.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276186259405726850" border="0" /></a><br />1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">M83</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Kim & Jessie</span><br />Really, all other songs aside, how can this not be the best song of 2008? It absolutely demands attention. It's epic and calming at the same time, picks up the best qualities from every electronic band from Air to the Alan freaking Parsons Project but still functions as a decent pop song. It sounds classic and modern at the same time. And even though it's five minutes long it has nearly limitless replay value. C'mon folks, admit it and welcome to your best song of 2008.<br /><br /><object height="22" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y84UrVHdShg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y84UrVHdShg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="22" width="450"></embed></object>Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-12102665628734209002008-10-19T16:25:00.004-04:002008-10-20T22:32:39.635-04:00Project Runway: The Rest of the SeasonYep, just wasn't feelin' PR this year. Here's the rest of the season in a nutshell:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode twelve: </span>Routine challenge: Be inspired by nature. However, since it's the final four, this is when the judges get extra bitchy and make the contestants cry. Leanne is the only one who scrapes by, though Kors takes a couple cheap shots. Kenley gets completely destroyed by the judges and other contestants. Jerrell wins yet another challenge, but of course they can't pick a winner (What? Why not just get rid of Kenley? Ugh. Whatever.), so it's all four to fashion week (for only the 7th time in the history of the show)! Lame. Take note, PR -- why not just narrow it down to four every year?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode thirteen:</span> The downward tumble continues. I'm starting to think they just kept Kenley around to keep things mildly interesting. But Kenley's collection is Tim-approved, so maybe she'll be OK. In fact, everyone kinda eases off of her in this episode. OK, so the challenge is some sort of wedding dress/bridesmaid thingy. Whatevs. Looks like it's Leanne vs. Kenley (they were not impressed with Korto for the second runway in a row) in the final ep, meanwhile Jerrell, the winning-est contestant of the season, gets the boot. Wtf?<br /><br />*** Just a note - no reunion show this year? Dayum, no one apparently liked this season...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Season finale:</span> It's time for the showdown. Woo. It's pretty predictable at this point, a lot of "gotta work!" and "what an amazing experience!" etc. etc. Zzzzz. Kenley is a control freak, Korto makes up a lot of ground, Leanne has a minor breakdown but works it out. Leanne is the home audience favorite (though Korto is voted most popular is a little commercial blip), however the Fashion Week audience seem to lean toward Kenley.<br /><br />Crazy twist? Tim Gunn is the final runway judge! Kenley gets mad props, then, after a suggestion comes up about the source of her work, she snaps at them! Party foul! Korto and Leanne also get love, with a couple of minor jabs (though they're smart enough to stay quiet). Everything's pretty even and finally Kenley gets yanked. She kinda freaks, y'know - like she does. So it's Korto vs. Leanne annnnnnnnd Leanne wins! Whoopie, get your Saturn and get outta here already...<br /><br />All right, that's the last three episodes, I need a nap. If Project Runway was in a reality show competition for Best Reality Show Where People Compete To Be The Best Something, they woulda definitely been in the bottom two for this season, maybe paired with "Groomer Has It." I'll leave it to you to decide who'd be eliminated in that showdown...Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-45955052843367758032008-09-27T12:25:00.005-04:002008-09-27T13:35:34.320-04:00The 100-word Project Runway Recap: Episode 11Wow. I think I was spoiled by writing only a couple of sentences about the last 10 episodes. Coming up with 100 words for this generally cringe-inducing episode seems daunting. Guess I'll give it a whirl:<br /><br />Ach. The music challenge. The designers must dress each other up in a different embodiment of a randomly chosen musical style. As someone who enjoys music, it's sad to see it broken down to it's basic, dumb elements. Punk = safety pins! Country = rhinestones! Hip-hop = baggy pants, yo! Most out of her element is Kenley, who makes up new standards for hip-hop after coasting on retro style. In the process she disses Tim, and you know that doesn’t win fans.<br /><br />Runway. Kenley gets slack for being clueless. Korto wins for punking up Suede (though he looks more goth to me). Speaking of the annoying, third-person-talkin' Suede, he finally gets launched for a blah outfit apparently representing rock and roll. He wins the prestigious Vincent Award, for staying around waaaay longer than he should have.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next week:</span> If you were going to watch one episode of Project Runway this season, this would be the one. The remaining contestants cry their eyes out! As we know, reality tears = quality TV. Who wouldn't be excited about that?Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-90659608599829354232008-09-20T11:29:00.007-04:002008-09-23T17:31:32.358-04:00Project Runway: The Season So FarSince Kari's in New York, the need and desire to catch folks up on Bravo's leading show about random professionals competing for things has waned. In fact, I just noticed a couple months of episodes piling up on my DVR. So, as a public service to those who followed my 100-word recaps in the past, I will attempt to catch you up on the first 10 episodes of season five right here, right now:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode one:</span> Jerry designs this weird, fabric-y mess. He's out. He kinda deserves it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode two:</span> The designers must design specifically for their models, who also must pick the fabric for the challenge. Wesley gets bumped cuz his model likes crappy fabric. A bit unfair, but that's PR.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode three:</span> Being influenced by NYC. What is with that weird ruffle? See ya, Emily. Suede wins, heaven help us all.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode four:</span> America! Designing an outfit for the Olympic ceremony. Bland as Hades Jennifer finally gets the boot.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode five:</span> This is your reminder that Brooke Shields is still around! She's got that <span style="font-style: italic;">Lipstick Warfare </span>show or whatever. It's a team challenge, so you know it's gonna get ugly. Kelly's taste is questioned and she's launched.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode six:</span> Kevin's appearance on the show last season proves to be more highly influential than we could ever imagine as the gang must design outfits for drag queens. Joe wins. Who knows, must be something about that goatee style. Despite his arguing, Daniel gets the axe, for designing the most normal looking dress. Blayne, somehow, continues to survive.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode seven:</span> Saturn finally crosses another line. The designers must make outfits using parts of...Saturns! It's weird how the jokes eventually become reality. Alternately cocky/big baby Keith gets the boot and this is somewhat satisfying.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode eight: </span>Diane von Furstenberg asks the designers to create a look for fall. For those who don't know (including me) she's a HUGE name in fashion. Kenley is stressed and can't stop crying. I dub her Jillian II. Cartoonishly New Yawk, "leatha"-obsessed Stella ends her reign of hammering tyranny. She's gone.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode nine:</span> It's the avant garde challenge of the season. AND it's based on astrological signs. Oh boy. On this one they work with the previously eliminated designers. Even Jerry gets to join the gang! It's a massacre-style round of eliminations: way-too-tan and on for way-too-long Blayne and decent designer Terri both get eliminated. Damn, it would suck to have to have to be double elimintated. Especially with Blayne.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Episode ten:</span> Reality show lines are blurred even further as the designers makeover college students. The group have finally started to get catty with each other. In fact they seem to hate each other. Joe goes waaaaaaay off base by designing some crappy 80s-style outfit for her poor graphic designer. He's eliminated.<br /><br />And that's where we are! For those who have followed along this long, that means we're down to Jerrell, Kenley, Korto, Leanne and (ugh) Suede. Maybe I'll follow along more closely for the last four eps now that we've gotten this far. I might even write 100 words again. Who knows? Stay tuned!Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-14628959182420554842008-08-30T18:29:00.002-04:002008-08-30T19:34:12.198-04:00The Final Frontier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggH3WVOu1-oIbFzIhsUvxAAr9G5o8_ru-Z-vKScbOZDjGryvXDlAqkCjymJV2-DzfFvTl2P8J920NWddTQ9W9uipfvQ6llh67Hyf24-ROjc19MNzCeZfIWOCBwc7dFiAaYVLU/s1600-h/fb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggH3WVOu1-oIbFzIhsUvxAAr9G5o8_ru-Z-vKScbOZDjGryvXDlAqkCjymJV2-DzfFvTl2P8J920NWddTQ9W9uipfvQ6llh67Hyf24-ROjc19MNzCeZfIWOCBwc7dFiAaYVLU/s320/fb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240457797354929682" border="0" /></a>It still makes me queasy to say this, but I might as well just come right out with it:<br /><br />I've joined Facebook.<br /><br />It's well documented that I've always been reluctant to join these social networking dealies, but here we are. I'm ready to join the party, even though I'm about 4 years late. My site is still pretty masterfully bland and I sloppily began adding friends today. Chances are I've forgotten many. If you're reading this, I probably want you as a "friend," so look me up, eh?<br /><br />All right, back to figuring out how this thing works...Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-66875006387731501392008-08-20T13:08:00.004-04:002008-08-20T13:30:51.785-04:00Latest CiN writings...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4Xw2svrmlIOzMRthlNBVqgFUBvCHWZZcnTqNAnnqWUQ-Qrc44RaD6d4dOI268-qwgb8-ol6SefeEu4Dvu694O9vOdhPVgCdkVmxkyZI5L0k-UxiND5c9VUs35K_I2sjpy70/s1600-h/ronson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4Xw2svrmlIOzMRthlNBVqgFUBvCHWZZcnTqNAnnqWUQ-Qrc44RaD6d4dOI268-qwgb8-ol6SefeEu4Dvu694O9vOdhPVgCdkVmxkyZI5L0k-UxiND5c9VUs35K_I2sjpy70/s320/ronson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236653168106538674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Fortunately this photo, unlike others on the site, is not available for purchase. It was taken by our talented photographer, David Sorcher.</span><br /><br />Posting has been down again in Ronsonville. Sorry about that - especially since there's a lot to say. First here are a couple of things I recently wrote for CiN Weekly, a <a href="http://cinweekly.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/A1/20080805/ENT0103/808060325/1047/LIFE0804">restaurant review</a> (that might be of interest to locals only) and a <a href="http://www.cin-week.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/COL/808060333/1068/ENT0104">column about the glory days at the Val Air Ballroom</a> back in Des Moines. Enjoy, and stay tuned -- more news 'n' stuff soon...Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22968880.post-74266542220076782922008-07-23T01:00:00.006-04:002008-07-23T13:06:22.588-04:00NYC 2008Kari and I just returned from a hot-as-blazes trip to NYC. Here are a few photo highlights (click on em to see full size):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/2687242329_7046252c90.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/2687242329_7046252c90.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Jeff Koons exhibit at the Rooftop Gardens at the Met.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2687246487_a8d1307e98.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2687246487_a8d1307e98.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Imagine mosaic adorned w/ flowers (as usual).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/2687244553_f38e23cb64.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/2687244553_f38e23cb64.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Finally got to see the Statue of Liberty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/2687244397_f37d3bf97f.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/2687244397_f37d3bf97f.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2687244291_360730f036.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2687244291_360730f036.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Livin' it up in Times Square.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/2687247207_81a24e5489.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/2687247207_81a24e5489.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a>Pedicab drivers for Obama.Ronsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821715750955296040noreply@blogger.com3