1, 2, 3 ... Jamboree!

LONG PLAYS

2009-03-13T02:27:00.000-07:00

Wait, what the hell? It's March, for God's sake! Nobody's even coming to this blog anymore! Yeah, this got put off for quite a while. But if anybody's still interested, away we go!

-Colin McCormick

TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2008

22. of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
This is Kevin Barnes’s alter-ego ~~Ziggy Stardust~~ Georgie Fruit (supposedly a forty-something transgendered African-American) run amok. The brilliance that I loved on 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? is still here much of the time, but it is too often buried under a mountain of affected sass.

21. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins
A solid companion piece to 2007’s The Stage Names (put one cover above the other and they align to form a single painting), this album once again showcases singer Will Sheff’s strong pop songwriting sensibilities, especially on tracks like “Pop Lie” and stand-out opener, “Lost Coastlines.”

20. Dungen – 4
This is about as close to a full-blown jam band as you’re ever going to see me get, and it is definitely Dungen’s instrumental chops that are very much on display here. But unlike true jam bands, they manage to constrain their jazzy prowess to under five minutes per track, keeping 4 enjoyable no matter how few hemp bracelets you normally wear.

19. El Guincho – Alegranza!
It’s the Spanish Person Pitch! Well, not exactly. A little more fiesta than psychedelia, this sample-heavy album can feel a bit monotonous at times, but for the most part it’s upbeat maraca-shaking fun.

18. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
It’s melodramatic. It has ridiculously grandiose track titles like “Skin Of The Night,” “We Own The Sky,” “Highway Of Endless Dreams,” and “Midnight Souls Still Remain.” It contains more than one spoken segment of cringe-inducing, angst-filled, adolescent poetry. But in large part, this album somehow actually pulls off the monumental task of portraying adolescent melodrama in a nostalgic light. Allow yourself to be immersed in the shimmering reverb and sparkling ‘80s synthesizers, and you just might almost feel like you want to be fifteen again. Almost.

17. Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
Hot Chip is a little more erratic here than they were on 2006’s fantastic The Warning, occasionally straying from their established electropop sound, and at times even veering into full-blown R&B. But for the most part, they retain their charming playfulness, something most easily seen in their live performances, which inject these tracks with a new life that unfortunately makes the album seem a bit sterile in comparison.

16. Calexico – Carried To Dust
This is Calexico at their gentle southwestern folk rock best. Teaming up with Tortoise’s Doug McCombs, singer-songwriter Pieta Brown, and, once again, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam, Carried To Dust breezes through fifteen whispery, surprisingly emotive, and at times all out gorgeous alt-country numbers.

15. Army Navy – Army Navy
I picked up a self-released EP featuring early demos of four of these songs at a show way back in 2006. Then, after another show in early in 2008, I obtained a free (albeit coverless) copy of the full length album when the band was simply handing it out. Finally, it was released with such little fanfare that for a few months I didn’t even realize it. Army Navy’s biggest claim to fame remains a single track on the soundtrack to teen rom-com, Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist. Their infectious, energetic jangly pop rock deserves better. If you’re in LA, do the band (and yourself) a favor: check out one of their frequent shows at Spaceland, The Echo, or Silverlake Lounge.

14. Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing
Clocking in at an average length of over eight minutes, this album’s six tracks are in no hurry to develop. But given a little patience, the blaring drones, pulsating electronic rhythms, and unsettlingly surreal, processed vocals can become engrossing and at times overwhelming.

13. The Dodos – Visiter
This Bay Area duo’s sophomore effort is brimming with rhythmically charged, acoustic psych-folk, but it’s their knack for extremely catchy pop songwriting that will keep your attention.

12. HEALTH – HEALTH//DISCO
“ALL THE HITS //REMIXED,” boasts the album cover. It even goes on to list all ten tracks from HEALTH’s self-titled 2007 noise rock debut. In actuality, only seven of those tracks show up here. Two appear twice each, and “Triceratops” takes the gold with three separate remixes (two of which are by Acid Girls). But no need to fear redundancy--the songs are so chopped, spliced, and dressed up in electronic blips and bleeps, they have become entirely different (at times nearly unrecognizable) and much more interesting animals. Despite the ten separate remixers’ widely varying use of the source material, they all manage to maintain HEALTH’s noisy intensity, channeling it into a cohesive, and surprisingly catchy, synthed-up dance album.

11. School Of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
Densely layered electronic dream pop supports harmonizing female vocals that fluctuate between haunting tribal chants and graceful soaring beauty. Take one listen to the enchanting single, “Half Asleep,” and there’s no turning back.

10. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
Splitting songwriting and vocal duties, co-front men Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug have collectively delivered an energetic, and somewhat unsettling album. First syllable of his last name aside, Boeckner’s vocal delivery recalls that of Beck’s, while Krug’s has a more mysterious quality, reminiscent of a quieter Dan Bejar (of Destroyer and The New Pornographers). But despite bouncing back and forth between these two styles, At Mount Zoomer is uniformly compelling in its agitated anxiousness.

9. High Places – High Places
Singer Mary Pearson’s endearingly simple delivery lilts atop a dizzying array of multi-instrumentalist Rob Barber’s psychedelic rhythmical samples on this Brooklyn duo’s self-titled debut.

8. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Upon hearing the first single, “Gobbledigook,” a lighthearted up-tempo rhythmical romp, it seemed that Sigur Rós was charting new territory. The rest of the album, however, falls back on their tried-and-true brand of gentle atmospherics building to mammoth-sized, overwhelming theatrical triumph. It may be getting old for some, but it sure still works its magic on me.

7. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
This impeccably performed peppy preppy pop rock, packaged in African-influenced instrumentation, manages to keep things simple and straightforward enough (save its tasteful string embellishments) to have staggeringly broad appeal. Never have I witnessed a band rise from internet buzz to national attention so quickly.

6. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
Amongst a torrent of “new new wave” acts, Australia’s Cut Copy manage to rise above the murky floodwaters. In Ghost Colours is expertly crafted dance pop, mixing in just enough electronic flourishes, ambient swells, and seamless, floating track transitions to keep ears attentive and heads nodding throughout.

5. Blitzen Trapper – Furr
Like the late Grandaddy, this six-piece Portland band has a fondness for rustic outdoorsiness mixed with new-fangled electronics. Their roots, however, are here firmly planted in ragged ‘60s and ‘70s folk rock. And singer Eric Earley lends his Dylanesque vocals to tracks ranging from heartfelt piano ballads to up-tempo dance grooves.

4. Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst
Continuing his recent folksy/alt-country kick, the perennially discontent Oberst is well suited by the stripped down, raw feel of this album. His penchant for the overly emotive makes him a divisive figure. But if you share my feeling that he has a way with words, many of these latest musings on existence, meaning, and salvation can be achingly poignant.

3. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
This Canadian duo produces catchy electropop marred by the noises of extremely angry video games and the occasional distorted, shrieking female vocal. That it manages to come across as energizing rather than off-putting is an impressive achievement for this fantastic debut.

2. The Ruby Suns – Sea Lion
California native turned New Zelander Ryan McPhun fronts this band, dabbling in exotic world beat influences, but ultimately creating catchy, dreamy psychedelic pop songs. As it slowly meanders through ambient transitions from one track to the next, Sea Lion can bring on the spaced out feeling of having fallen asleep in the sun, and from the sounds here, that could as easily have been on a California beach as a Polynesian island.

1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
2008 was a particularly strong year for eponymous debuts. The fifth and final on my list was also the year’s most rewarding album. Lead singer and songwriter Robin Pecknold carries Fleet Foxes’ gorgeous folk melodies with an almost shockingly strong and true voice that is ever so slightly weathered, just enough to evoke the perfect level of earnest sincerity. It’s a voice that can stand alone, as it does during long a capella sections of haunting closer “Oliver James,” or blend beautifully, as it very frequently does, with the voices of the band’s three other talented singers. The rich harmonies and rustic instrumental arrangements create a spellbinding pastoral transcendence throughout a line-up of melodies so effortless and pure, it’s hard to believe they are new creations, and not enduring traditional folk tunes from anonymous composers of long ago.

Cary's Favorite Non-Portland Albums of '08

2009-01-17T20:38:00.000-08:00

Having already sounded off on my favorite music from Portland, Oregon in 2008, I wanted to address, albeit belatedly, some of my favorite albums from everywhere else. Being late, I'll save everyone the time it would take to read whatever commentary I might add to the albums that have already been mentioned here. Suffice it to say that I was, like some of you, a big fan of, in diminishing order:

Fleet Foxes
Bon Iver
Vampire Weekend

I would also like to clarify that my favorite Portland album of the year - "Verbs" by Au - was my favorite album of the year - period - and I highly recommend taking the time to investigate it. If you have any fondness for ecstatic group vocals, Minimalism or structural inventiveness, it's worth your while. "RR vs D" and "Are Animals" are a good entry point.
Au MySpace
Au on Amazon MP3

Probably coming right behind Au and Fleet Foxes in the number three slot would be

Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
This album is pretty relentlessly trebly and up-tempo; in spite of that constraint, it manages to cover a deceptively wide stretch of emotional territory and, because of the narrow sonic palette, it does so in unforeseen ways. Virtually all of the somewhat disappointingly little press this album got included the term "tropical punk," which is somewhat fair given the fact that one of the two guitarists' tones recalls a steel drum more than a string instrument. Like many of the LA (okay, fine, Chino) bands that made it okay for hipsters to think that LA is cool again (No Age, Mika Miko, Health), Abe Vigoda are part of the unofficial roster of downwtown LA venue The Smell. In my opinion, they are the best of the lot, doing something not exactly like anything I've heard before, and if you live in Southern California you should try to check these dudes out. A precious municipal treasure. They have a new EP coming out - again on No Ager Dean Spunt's Post Present Medium label - in February. Recommended starter tracks: The Garden, Skeleton
Abe Vigoda MySpace
Abe Vigoda Amazon MP3 Link

I suppose that brings me to
No Age - Nouns
I think that my instinct to react against this duo because of all the hype they got was negated by my native Angeleno's excitement to see a band from my hometown contribute to independent musical culture in a way that the rest of the world noticed and appreciated for the first time in my adult life. Call it a wash. But the fact that they, because of their affiliation with The Smell, became the poster band for all-ages community music venues certainly did endear them to me on extra-musical grounds. The "noise" tag and experimental gestures are really filigree - No Age is the next generation in the long, proud line of progressive SoCal punkers. SST for the oughts. Listening to this record reminded me of how I felt listening to The Minutemen in my bedroom as a teenager. The instrumentation and sensibility is quite different, but something about this album and its rough edges reminds me of early Sebadoh. There aren't a lot of killer hooks or melodies here, but something about the No Age sound is inexplicably catchy. Recommended starter tracks: Sleeperhold, Teen Creeps, Eraser
No Age on MySpace
No Age on Amazon MP3

Group Inerane - Guitars from Agadez
This Tuareg band from Niger that draws upon Western blues and rock traditions to create something identifiably North African but uniquely stunning features some of the most amazing electric guitar work I have ever heard - and not just from a technical perspective either. The ululating choruses gives me chills, and this drummer is a total badass who somehow makes makes basic fills you've heard a hundred times sound completely fresh and captivating. If you are into people appropriating foreign musical styles and doing something with them that their progenitors could never have imagined, you must get this album now. I first saw this in a DVD compilation that Seattle-based world music label Sublime Frequencies put out, and it blew my mind. If you are unfamiliar with Sublime Frequencies, their whole catalog is uniformly fascinating and, most often, wonderful.
Group Inerane on Sublime Frequencies Download Store
Sublime Frequencies Home

The Dodos - Visiter
If this album - and every song on it - were about a third shorter it would be phenomenal. Like No Age, The Dodos are a California drums-and-guitar two-piece, but they hail from San Francisco and draw upon acoustic folk traditions rather than noise. Insistently, but unobtrusively, rhythmically complex indie folk songs that belie a firm grounding in the 90s indie rock cannon. Fools was undoubtedly one of my favorite songs of the year, plus this video for it is one of the best performance-based clips I have ever seen (that slo-mo contrasting with the velocity of the actual song is awesome!). Recommended starter tracks: Fools, Red and Purple, Jodi.
Dodos on MySpace
Dodos on Amazon MP3

Portishead - Third
A beautiful, haunting record that proves that musicians can improve with age and not simply "mature." Ten years later, Bristol's Portishead, a two-hit wonder but cult favorite of the nineties, return to put their previous work to shame. One foot in the trip-hop of their past efforts, one in the post-dub-step world of contemporary British music, and a freakish third leg in an alternate history where the Silver Apples took on the influential importance that the Velvet Underground enjoy in reality.
Portishead on MySpace
Portishead on Amazon MP3

Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak
I have a knack for being turned onto an otherwise popular artist by the album that alienates half of their fans. I don't care whether Kanye can actually sing or not - this is a record and he wrote some fantastic songs that, to my mind, completely updated and rejuvenated a questionably moribund tradition of soul music. I am not naturally drawn to hip-hop or r-n-b, but I find this really exciting an compelling. The production aesthetic is fantastic and instantly identifiable - rich but barren, spare but lush. Recommended starter tracks (like you haven't heard them): Love Lockdown, Paranoid
Kanye West on MySpace
Kanye West on Amazon MP3

Women - Women
I was a late-comer to this, really only hearing about it in December, but I have made up for last time. An enigmatic record that makes the band's biographical details irrelevant as it oscillates wildly between 60s-style pop, 90s-era indie rock, and odd instrumental numbers that sound like psilocybin-fueled band practices. Recommended starter tracks: Black Rice, Shaking Hand, Group Transport Hall
Women on MySpace
Women on Amazon MP3

Marnie Stern - This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That
Whatever seeds doubts a title like that might sow in your mind, it must also necessarily put to rest any questions that this 30-something, two-handed-tapper is fearlessly pursuing her own vision. The extent to which NY-based Marnie is actually a guitar-shredding virtuoso is greatly overblown, but the extent to which she more or less invented her sub-genre of music is under-recognized. These are frenetic, disorienting, self-help songs in which the drumming of Hella's Zach Hill is the most predictable element. This Is It is a refinement of the style Stern pioneered on 2007's KRS debut, and the songs are much more than passingly interesting oddities this time around. Recommended start tracks: Ruler, Transformer
Marnie Stern on MySpace
Marnie Stern on Amazon MP3

Times New Viking - Rip It Off (LP) and Stay Awake (EP)
Exuberant, simple, sugary pop songs whose contours have been roughed up with a digital bludgeon. Like their name, just clever enough to suggest talent rather than conceit. Present-day Ohioan inheritors to the Midwestern lo-fi indie tradition of Guided By Voices. Recommended starter tracks: Call and Response, Teen Drama
Times New Viking on MySpace
TNV on Amazon MP3

Also - and again, I am not someone who typically has a soft spot for Top 40 - I thought that Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" was the best radio-ready pop song I have heard in a really, really long time. That hook is instantly and utterly unshakable.

Lastly, as Oscar season creeps up on us I have a lot of movies to see, but here are the ones that, so far, I enjoyed the most from 2008:

Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Paranoid Park
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Katie Byron's #1 Album of 2008

2009-01-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

Well, since I am so late, I will not bore you with repeating much of what's already been said. However, I can't resist to comment that I am surprised how many times Fleet Foxes ended up in the top one or two albums of the year! I must admit, I haven't heard the whole album, but a friend put a few songs on a mix she made me and I didn't find them particularly memorable. In fact, I found one song even annoying (it is one that is in rounds...I don't remember the title). I wasn't reading the track list when I first listened to it, and I thought, "When did My Morning Jacket get so annoying?!" Anyhow, I am sad to say I can't share everyone's enthusiasm for those Foxes that are Fleet.

And now getting to the point, my favorite album of the year:

Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago. A mix between TV on the Radio, Sufjan Stevens, and Owen, Bon Iver is eerily wintry and wonderful. If you haven't heard the back story, Justin wrote this album after breaking up with his band and girlfriend and then isolating himself in his father's hunting cabin in Wisconsin for a few months. The album reeks of snowed-in-cabin, has many ghost-like moments, and will enrapture you with its stream-of-consciousness lyrics. It has been a favorite of mine this year--the favorite--and I highly recommend it.

And as an added bonus, my favorite single of the year: MGMT--Time to Pretend. What a great song. That's all.

Sheila Bost's Favorite Places for Breakfast in Los Angeles

2009-01-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at blogging so I hope it works. I love to start the day off with a delicious breakfast so for years I have been collecting special breakfast places. The following are some of my old favorites. For additonal recommendations, email me. I hope you enjoy eating at some of LA's best. Remember: always eat a nourishing breakfast. I know. I sound just like a mom. (I could not figure out how to spell check so please excuse any glaring errors.)

Charlie's Coffee Shop in the old Farmer's Market at the Grove --- Charlie, a red haired lady fry cook, is the best! Tom & I lived right next to the market in Park LaBrea when we came to LA. Charlie's is where we go to celebrate if we have the time. Her omelets are light and fluffy & the eggs are fresh. Others love the French toast, pancakes & waffles.

John O'Groats http://www.ogroatsrestaurant.com/ --- as Paul the owner says "Nothing but the best for the best." John, next to Charlie, makes the best breakfasts in LA. Light biscuits, homemade apple sauce, good coffee, counter service if the wait is long.

Cora's Coffee Shop http://www.corascoffee.com/ --- nothing fancy but one of Santa Monica's favorites. There is an outdoor area but remember, sometimes it is cool in SM.

Maxwell Cafe --- near Costco at the Marina. I have never been disappointed with food & service at MC.

Ocean Park Cafe --- on Ocean Park in SM. I have not been here in sometime but it has always been one of my favorites. Delicious baked goods.

Patrick's Roadhouse --- 106 Entrada Drive (just above Pacific Coast Highway) in SM. Patrick's is one of the best places to view the Hollywood stars or the "in crowd" in politics, business, etc. It is expensive for what you get, but if you are part of the "in" group, you probably are on an expense account or don't care about the money.

Police Academy Cafe' --- dine with the cadets in Echo Park near Dodger Stadium. I learned about this inexpensive breakfast haunt years ago and discovered that it was worth the trip.

Cafe Dana --- on Montana in SM is a European gem tucked away in a small inside area and includes a patio next to the exercise studio. Again, watch for producers, stars living on the west side. Dana's muesli, omelets, scrambles --- everything is yummy.

Back On Broadway --- on Broadway near 2oth in SM is one of the favorites of the Jacobs's family...perhaps Vicenta introduced me. With your omelet they serve a delicate and delicious scone but you should make room for their daily baked muffins.

Broadway Deli --- on the SM Promenade; has the best low fat bran muffins on the west side of LA. Park right across the street at the Place. Everything at BD is good and the service has improved with the years.

Cezanne --- http://www.lemerigothotel.com/cuisine.htm Cezanne at Le Merigot's Hotel with a view from the patio of the beach is the place to go on a warm day when you have time to enjoy a more upscale breakfast, soak in the SM sun, read your paper or your PDA news, text a friend or simply meditate as you view God's beautiful Pacific.

Paradise Cove Beach Cafe --- www.paradisecovemalibu.com Of course, if you really wish to enjoy a beach breakfast, make the drive to Bob Morris's cafe in Malibu at Paradise Cove. Spectacular views. You may decide to spend the day on the beach. Kids menu is available. Plan to bring $ for parking if you stay for the day.

Snug Harbor --- is near 23rd St on Wilshire in SM. As one reviewer said SH is "the classic greasy spoon California style." I think it is a couple of stars above this review. There is an ugly patio where the service may not be quite as good. SH is comfortable. The restaurant next door Bread and Porridge www.breadandporridge.com is very unique, but it seems to me overpriced. Last time I was there you had to pay for toast to go with your eggs.

Pedals ---http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/restaurants/santa_monica_beach_restaurant.html If you would like to spend some time at Shutters, one of the most expensive hotels on the west side and walk or bike the Santa Monica bike path, first breakfast at Pedals, their lovely downstairs restaurant with patio --- a SM treat without the big price tag.

Fountain Coffee Room --- http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/restaurants_bars/fountain_coffee.html This is the Peptobismal pink, classic counter restaurant at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Simple breakfast fare. If you have money to burn and yearn for ambiance and chef's cuisine, join the elite of Beverly Hills and hotel guests at their Polo Lounge.

A Votre Sante --- http://www.avotresantela.com --- For those who are health conscious and bleed "organic" join Gold Gym body builders at this hip spot that was recently remodeled. Even for me, the food tastes oh so good on even my non-organically trained palate.

Rose Cafe --- http://www.rosecafe.com/About-Home.html I went here and across the street to the Firehouse for years but now we don't eat breakfast out as frequently. However just recently, I have had two wonderful breakfasts at the RC. Their mixed berry bran muffin is a gourmet treat. Others tell me their granola and oatmeal are delicious. Again, dress warmly if you need to and enjoy their new patio with heaters.

Joe's Restaurant --- http://www.joesrestaurant.com/menu_brunch.php For a Saturday or Sunday special brunch I hear that Joe's is one of the best. Crystal Jacobs may know more; however, I think Joe's at night with Crystal's pastries might be a better bet.

Worthy Of Praise in 2008

2009-01-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

I feel like I always wait so long to post on here that my list has become rather repetitive and uninteresting. I'd considered trying to post my favorites of 2009 in order to change things up, but I didn't get it together. Anyway, here are my favorite releases of the year (In some particular order, I suppose, and ending in a very specific top four)

Sixes & Sevens- Adam Green
For my money, he has become Nilsson more and more on each album and although this one isn't really consistent enough to warrant any best of list, it brought me many moments of pure joy. The production is really fantastic and it has a horrible album cover.

Introducing...- Gentleman Jesse & His Men
Somewhat just to bring a new album into the fold of the lists, this was my favorite debut album of the year.

Devotion- Beach House
It is very "one-note" as Paul mentioned, I believe. However, it must've hit the right note at the right time for me. I listened to this album heavily at the beginning of the summer as well as going back to relistening to their first album (which sounds pretty much the same, but I'm partial to this one)

Made In The Dark- Hot Chip
I'd agree with Thom about this album, it could've dropped a few songs and improved. I actually wanted more of the moody, ballady songs than tehir token dance numbers. I'm interested to hear frontman Alexis Taylor's acousticey solo album. "Ready For The Floor" was one of my favorite videos of the year as well.

Arm's Way- Islands
Honestly, I was overwhelmingly disappointed and unhappy with this album when I got it upon release. I was really anticipating it as the first Islands record had become a favorite awhile after it came out. This album has little in common with their previous work and was seemed too dark and a bit messy for me. For whatever reason, I gave it a second chance towards the end of the year and had a change of heart. If you find yourself in a bad mood and with the opportunity to drive fast with the stereo turned way up, this can be a really rewarding listen. A testament to second chances.

Pacific Ocean Blue & Bambu Sessions- Dennis Wilson
This is a reissue, so it shouldn't technically count, but I was so happy to discover the album at the beginning of the year via blog download and then thrilled to have it reissued so nicely. And as an added bonus, I discovered that a song on the Bambu Sessions was an mp3 that I had ended up with years ago without any artist info and had been fruitlessly searching out for some time. "School Girl", check it out.

#4 Fleet Foxes & Sun Giant EP- Fleet Foxes
I didn't get this for awhile, so I guess I missed most of the internet buzz. As a result, it felt like a personal discovery for me. In addition to being a great album for walking around Santa Monica, I also recommend it for driving through the Hill Country outside of Austin en route to Abilene.

#3 You & Me- The Walkmen
I've been a fan of theirs for quite awhile and I would agree that this is close to, if not their best effort. Based solely on number of listens, this album is worthy of the #3 spot.

#2 Volume One- She & Him
It's funny that She & Him and "You & Me" were at the top of the list together. Huh. You know what, I like M. Ward just fine and Zooey Deschanel quite a bit, but it doesn't really sound like a best of the year combo on paper. I thought I would enjoy the album alright and definitely thought my wife would like it, so i bought it. I guess I should technically amend my earlier statement and say this was most definitely the best debut of the year. The songwriting is outstanding and I think the best thing about M. Ward is his production sensabilities. He's better in a group. This year's "Rabbit Fur Coat" I say.

#1 Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
There's no denying it. Every song IS a hit, Michelle. It is 100% a perfect album and I listened to it so much this year that I thought it came out last year. Backlash is to be expected when you make something this good. And look as cool as they do, God bless 'em.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Acid Tongue- Jenny Lewis & Modern Guilt- Beck
Both really, really good albums that I wanted to like a little bit more. Both had an unbelieveable sound of production. That J. Lewis album is a grower.
Age Of The Understatement- The Last Shadow Puppets
Terrible, terrible band name, but some really great songs. My newfound obsession with Scott Walker ought to have meant I would love this album, but somehow it's never quite translated beyond a very big like.
Real Emotional Trash- Stephen Malkmus
I must say, I really loved this album, it might should be on the list above. It sure is close to being there. I liked it a lot more than Face The Truth. He's like a Guitar God now apparently.

SINGLES OF THE YEAR:
"Single Ladies"- Beyonce
Also in my top videos of the year. Pure and simple infectious pop/R&B. I don't get that "If I Was A Boy" song though.
"Ordinary Song"- The Little Ones
I don't know if this was ever really a single and I don't know that it was technically released this year, but this song should've been the number one song in the country. It's legendarily good and it's by some guys from Culver City!
"Viva La Vida"- Coldplay
This song, stolen or not, was soooooooo much better than the album as a whole. It got in my head constantly and reminded me that I once like Coldplay a lot.

2008: Discos Compactos Muy Buenos

2009-01-06T23:57:00.000-08:00

I’m taking a bit of a shortcut, but I think it’s justified. Over the year, I wrote about several of these artists for a local music publication, L.A. Record. So rather than try to say the same thing differently here, I quoted myself in those cases. Work smarter, not harder.

Honorable Mentions

The Explorers Club – Freedom Wind

A lot of bands are influenced by the Beach Boys; this one apparently became the Beach Boys. They pull it off surprisingly well.

Deerhunter – Microcastle

I spent several months listening to this occasionally and thinking it was unremarkable. Then, a few weeks ago, it hooked me. A sweeping, graceful guitar-rock wilderness.

Hot Chip – Made in the Dark

More blazin’ dance hits from this crew, but I wish they would have left off about three tracks.

The Morning Benders – Talking Through Tin Cans

Sharp, infectious pop-rock. A solid debut, but I think they have even better work ahead of them. Also check out their free album of covers.

Top 10

10. Mirror Mirror – The Society for the Advancement of Inflammatory Consciousness

I don’t think I want to know what “inflammatory consciousness” is. Furthermore, this album is kind of creepy. These Mirror Mirror people sound like a cult choir calling for new members. Just listen to the lyrics: “Bring the babe to me / Bring the babe to the Society for the Advancement of Inflammatory Consciousness” and “We are your family now / Lock up your songs,” for examples. Still, this batch of cryptic psychedelic pop is captivating and often surprising. “Don Coyote’s Confession” could pass for a long-lost Syd Barrett track. “Lock Up Your Songs” would make a good alternate soundtrack for the dungeons in the Legend of Zelda. And “My Talisman” sounds like a druggy cover of something from the Zombies’ Odessey & Oracle.

9. Deerhoof – Offend Maggie

First of all, I don’t know how a band can manage to put out an album every year, as Deerhoof has been doing for about a decade (although I think they skipped 2006). Second of all, such prolific output surely runs the risk of burning out the fans. But Deerhoof’s albums never fail to exhilarate. This one has a bizarre jazz number (“Chandelier Searchlight”), the cutest little jock jam (“Basket Ball Get Your Groove Back”) and plenty of delicious riffs.

8. Bodies of Water – A Certain Feeling

They certainly still have their bombastic moments, but this album doesn’t sound as ecstatic as their debut, last year’s Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink. The Bodies’ sophomore offering is a bit darker and a bit more adventurous. I want to call it a prog-rock musical set in the Wild West (and I just did).

7. Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez – Why Is Bear Billowing?

This greatly named man sounds like a reserved Jeff Buckley singing simple but beautiful lullabies. In one of the album’s highlights, Mr. Alvarez sets Edward Lear’s nutty poem “The Owl and the Pussycat” to a stirring acoustic guitar waltz.

6. Kelley Polar – I Need You to Hold On While the Sky Is Falling

Fluttering electronic music augmented by Mr. Polar’s own violin playing and odd, scientific lyrics. Not as easily accessible or danceable as his last album, 2005’s fantastic Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens, but once I had listened to I Need You several times through, I found it to be just as satisfying. Crank it up in the car on a starry night.

5. School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms

Twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza harmonize gorgeously and chant hypnotically amid primal beats and shoegazing guitars. I was a fan of their previous band, On!Air!Library!, but this project, which is rounded out by former Secret Machine Benjamin Curtis, reaches a whole new plateau of aural ecstasy.

4. The Henry Clay People – For Cheap or for Free

“A scorching set of twangy, gutsy rock that doesn’t sound like anything new but is somehow infectiously fresh. It’s in the way they spit out their lyrics — more arguing than singing — about being ‘broke but still alive’ and ‘tired of leaving our futures up to fate.’ It’s in the way they turn what would otherwise be a straight-ahead alt-country jam into an urgent, arena-sized anthem, tearing through it like it’s their last shot.”

3. Ruby Suns – Sea Lion

“While the band is in fact headquartered in the Kiwi country, McPhun was born and raised in California, and his music appears to have sprung from all over the globe. The Suns’ set tonight showcased the far-flung sounds that they cohesively packaged in their recent Sea Lion album, from the mariachi strains of ‘Oh, Mojave’ to the African pop explosion of ‘Tane Mahuta’ (which is actually sung in a Polynesian language).”

2. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

One of two much-hyped, self-titled debut albums that transcended the buzz and never lost their appeal (look down for the other one). Vampire Weekend, in my opinion, is the sound of baroque pop on safari. Impeccable melodies, excited delivery, exotic instrumentation — the combination of which is an irresistible package.

1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes

“Throughout a set drawing from this year’s Sun Giant EP and self-titled full-length, the Seattle group presented a kind of sacred folk music, in awe of the magnitude of nature and the ephemerality of life. ‘Days are just drops in the river to be lost always,’ they sang in ‘Drops in the River.’ Instrumentally, the band’s pastoral soundscapes and dynamic range bring to mind their contemporaries in Grizzly Bear. Frontman Robin Pecknold’s soaring vocals bear a resemblance to those of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, but when the rest of the Fleet Foxes chime in — as they usually do — the effect is more Crosby Stills Nash & Young. Still, Pecknold proved that he could keep the crowd enraptured on his own with a few solo songs. In the elegiac ‘Oliver James,’ his voice, strong yet unpretentious, filled the room and certainly induced widespread chills. As he stopped strumming and merely tapped the body of his guitar, he cried, ‘Back we go to your brother’s house, emptier, my dear / The sound of ancient voices ringing soft upon your ear.’”

Favorite Albums of 2008

2009-01-01T10:10:00.000-08:00

So another year in music has come and gone, but not without some great releases. Of course, the usual disclaimers apply, but here are five albums that I adored from this year, plus a list of other records (somewhat arbitrarily grouped) that I also enjoyed. All in all, a good year in music w/ one certifiable classic:

Top 5

5. Dungen - 4 (surprisingly reined in and focused for a Dungen record; jazz influences really coming to the forefront)

4. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (my history w/ VW in short: in love, too cool, reconvicted by their sheer awesomeness)

3. She & Him - Volume 1 (a primer in well-written American pop and country, and maybe the best thing M. Ward's ever done)

2. The Night Marchers - See You in Magic (the album I was most likely to air drum to on the way home from work; power pop disguised as Hot Snakes songs)

1. Deerhunter - Microcastle and Weird Era Cont. (so many things to say about this record, but I'll concentrate on how warm the guitars and drums sound; one of those records - like "I am Shelby Lynne," "In Utero," or "The Soft Bulletin" - that combines excellent songs w/ perfect production)

Punk Rock

Cheap Time - Cheap Time
Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward LP & Get Damaged EP (RIP)
Love Is All - A Hundred Things to Keep Me Up All Night
Mannequin Men - Fresh Rot
White Hills - Heads on Fire
Past Lives - Strange Symmetry EP
F***ed Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

Rock and Roll

Sloan - Parallel Play (and the best show I went to in 2008)
Black Hollies - Casting Shadows
Dr. Dog - Fate
Thomas Function - Celebration!

Girl Rock

Wye Oak - If Children
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Beach House - Devotion

Wild Card

Douglas Armour - The Light of the Golden Day, The Arms of the Night
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto
Lindstrom - Where You Go I Go Too

(Not Necessarily New) Albums I Heard in '08 and Liked

2008-12-31T15:25:00.000-08:00

Before the clock runs out...

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (Electric Feel is the theme to Saturday Night Fever 2...which doesn't really exist nor should it)

Estelle - Shine

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

The National - Boxer

Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Let's Go Everywhere (Pat-A-Cake like you've never hear it)

Top Local Band Shows in Portland, OR 2008

2008-12-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

This week in my column for The Portland Mercury I ran a list detailing my top 6 favorite shows by local bands in Portland this year.

Now I can work on my non-Portland lists...

2008

2008-12-29T22:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year and Holidays to all. I hope everyone had a great 2008

I traveled a lot for work in 2008. My Top 10 Cities Visited (I could be going to most of them again in 2009, so if you have any tips on restaurants/things to do in any of them, please let me know in the comments)

Tie-1) Washington DC: This was my first visit since 1988, my first visit without chaperones…and with….pubes? Just an unbelievably fun and easily accessible city. I cannot wait to return in 2009.

Tie-1) Los Angeles: My first non-LAX-stopover LA visit since 1987. I drove all over the place and know that I didn’t scratch the surface of what I could have done. I did see my Mets slaughter the Dodgers at Dodger stadium. I also almost became the newest person to plow through the Santa Monica Wednesday farmer’s market. Thank goodness for the parking meter car that stopped me.

3) Austin: I think this city is kind of overrated, but I still enjoyed it. Strangely, I was in DC the week before the election and in Austin the week before SXSW, so I missed the action each time. I saw one good weird band in Austin within the sea of probably 20-25 Stevie Ray Vaughn wannabes simultaneously populating 6^th street. It looks like a fun place, but not anything different from, say, Beale Street or Nashville’s Broadway/2^nd avenue. Maybe there’s an Austin experience I’m missing. I’m annoyed by the “Keep Austin Weird” t-shorts…is it really weird if you have to tell people on a t-shirt? I still enjoyed it….it just wasn’t the orgasmic experience most people lead you to expect.

4) Phoenix/Tempe: Memorable for my hotel room in Tempe that had all mirrored walls. Creepy….fun!

5) Fargo, ND: I didn’t get the full Fargo experience (which I kind of fear…), but I did get to hear the accents.

6) El Paso: I was lucky to be traveling with a Mexico City policeman, and ate some excellent Mexican food there per his recommendation.

7) Bismarck, ND: Home of the North Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame You really have to experience it in person. The website doesn’t do it justice. I mean, you can also see all of those people’s pictures….on a wall…right there in the airport…..for free!

8) The NW Chicago suburbs (Schaumburg, Hoffman Estes, Barrington): Best Buy, Target, Starbucks, Chili’s, Caribou, Books a Million, repeat.

9) Juarez, Mexico: I didn’t see much there except where our jobs went. Warehouse after warehouse after factory after corporate office.

10) Detroit: The cosmic nemesis of Juarez. Both places look identical, except the factories and warehouses in Detroit were run down and empty.

Favorite albums of 2008 (Daniel J and I share more than just names…)

Deerhoof: Offend Maggie

Beck: Modern Guilt

The Walkmen: You & Me

My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

Crooked Fingers: Forfeit / Fortune

Pavement: brighten the Corners reissue

Not released in 2008, but I heard it for the first time in 2008 and enjoyed

New Pornographers: Electric Version

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Hearts of Oak

A.C. Newman: The Slow Wonder

Curtis Mayfield: Superfly

-Daniel D

Some Highs and Lows of 2008...

2008-12-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

..selected with no particular rationale and offered in no particular order.

Best Album: The Moondoggies – Don’t Be a Stranger

This little Seattle band is starting to get some much deserved attention (see here and here) after a few years of regular gigs and a reportedly stellar show at Sasquatch. Their debut album deftly captures their mixture of country, folk and rock that never degenerates into “a little bit country, a little bit rock n’ roll” (they’ve been routinely compared to The Band, a group I somehow missed during my classic rock record collecting phase. But if you want to listen to a vinyl copy of CCR’s Cosmo’ Factory, with that weird bike-riding-in-the-studio cover, I’m your man.) The album is a pleasant, satisfying listen from beginning to end. Tracks like “Ain’t No Lord” and “Old Hound” showcase a surprisingly developed ear for harmony, and the slow but never indulgent build of songs like “Changin” and “Night and Day” continues to reward on repeated listening. And while the band is self-aware, they inject only the slightest hint of irony into their music, letting earnest talent shine through.

Best Writing: The Oxford American

This magazine features some of the best writing from and about the South, but it is nationally relevant and deeply human, making it a must read from coast to coast. Each themed issue features prose lyrical and perceptive enough to make me interested in subjects I don’t normally read about, such as sports and architecture. Their Katrina issue is one of the most important chronicles of that harrowing event and its aftermath, especially the article that finds a metaphor for rebirth in an elderly man’s Zombie dance moves. But their forte is music writing, and every December brings a music issue offering a companion CD (or this year – TWO CDS!) of hand selected southern music both new and old and a loving review of each song. The subscription is $20, which is an unbeatable deal for four great issues plus the CD. Buy one for yourself and give one to your co-worker who is always claiming that John Mayer is the greatest living blues guitarist. You’ll both learn something.

Best Podcast: Philosophy Bites

10-12 minute discussions of philosophical concepts, ancient, contemporary, and everything between, that reach surprising depth and nuance. Plus, it’s all in British accents, so you know it’s smart!

Most Important Moment in the DC Comics Universe: The Death of Martian Manhunter

The DC Comics universe has been overly bloated with event publications all year – 100,000 of Superman’s Kryptonian buddies are residing on earth, the planet was literally taken over by the bad guys, and Bruce Wayne will soon surrender his role as Batman for unclear reasons. Still, the biggest moment this year was also the most neglected – longtime DC mainstay and Justice League founder Martian Manhunter, a.k.a J’onn J’ones (it’s pronounced as though you had a friend John Jones from France), was murdered by a league of supervillains, who thrust a flaming spear through his heart (I had an uncle who died the same way. Tragic, really). Martian Manhunter was one of the most powerful characters in the DC stable – flight, super strength, shape shifting, telepathy, invulnerability, heat vision, plus the really cool ability to turn from solid to translucent matter – and as a true alien, unlike Superman, he brought the much needed wisdom and gravity provided by an outsider perspective. But he was constantly underused and poorly written, so DC decided to kill him off to raise the stakes for their big event book Final Crisis. Worse yet, his death took place in a single comic panel, and his superfriends seem to have largely forgotten him already. While the blockbuster events mentioned above will eventually be reset to satisfy the fan boys (DC won’t keep 100,000 Supermen around forever), there may not be enough nerd clamor to bring poor J’onn J’ones back from the dead, a relatively easy feat in the comic book world. So pay your respects by picking up the single issue Requiem, which shows his final moments and funeral, including a tender moment with Batman at his coffin

Franchise That’s Officially Dead to Me: Star Wars

For obvious reasons.

Happy 2009 - Ryan Weber

Year in review and top 10 albums (Daniel Jacobs)

2008-12-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, everyone!

I've really enjoyed the posts so far and am looking forward to checking out a lot of stuff I missed this year. I'm gonna highlight a few random, personal, favorites from '08 and then finish it off with my top 10 albums of the year.

Random Favorite 1: Getting married. What a wild ride...
Random Favorite 2: Recording music. My band, Parklights, started recording 7 songs in February of this year and continued to do so, recording tracks after work during the week or on Sunday afternoons, up until about a month ago, when we finished. We recorded at the KXLU radio station studios. I have very fond memories of drinking tea and gazing out the 4th story windows onto the beautiful Loyal Marymount University campus. But damn if I didn't realize that recording music can be very tedious and discouraging at times. It just makes me appreciate good music and musicians even more.
Random Favorite 3: Culver Palms Church Christmas party. Special shout outs to Angie and Adam Willis for organizing the talent portion this year. I'm confident in saying this was my favorite year. I love Culver by the way. Having a supportive vibrant church family is a huge blessing.
Random Favorite 4: Laker basketball. 2008 was a emotional roller coaster for Laker fans. I remember starting 2008 riding a wave of confidence from their Christmas day victory over their division rivals The Suns). Shortly after that, their blossoming center Andrew Bynum went down with a season ending knee injury. He played such a pivotal role in the Lakers success up until his that point, many fans lost hope. But Kupchak pulled off a miracle. 7 foot, bird-like, Spanish, phenom Pau Gasol came over from Memphis in exchange for the much derided Kwame Brown and others. Incidentally Kwame had a great game against the Lakers on his new team the Pistons recently. So no hard feelings right?
The rest of the regular season and playoffs were amazing to watch. Then I went on our honeymoon and the Finals against the Boston Celtics began. It's almost too painful to recount, but let's just say the Lakes got handled big time. Boston was the better team plain and simple.
I'm going on way too long about this, but this season things are going very well for the Lakers and let's hope for the best come Christmas day (first game against the Celtics, post finals loss) and beyond.

Here are my favorite albums from 2008.

10. Hot Chip - "Made In The Dark"
Aside- I originally acquired this album via download from a not-so-legit website. Someone had inserted these annoying promos of a robotic sounding voice saying "Made In The Dark by Hot Chip coming February 2008" every couple minutes during the songs. It was quite hilarious and I acttualy put up with it for a couple months since I was too lazy or forgetful to get a good copy and because I really enjoyed the songs. If that makes sense...
"Ready For The Floor" is the standout track by far.

9. The Mars Volta - "The Bedlam in Goliath"
Thanks to Tom Ahn for burning me a copy of this one. It's incredibly dense and complex but still rocks, like really really rocks. It's so loud and overwhelming and like nothing else I listened to this year.
I would have loved to have witnessed the recording of this album. It's worth noting that John Frusciante plays on it and you can definitely hear his contributions. Also, the drumming is insane. So good.

7. Lil Wayne - "Tha Carter III"
I listened to this album a couple times driving home from work and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But I probably won't come back to it much in the years to come.
He endeared himself to me by attempting to play guitar during his live shows despite a pretty obvious lack of skill. For some reason I really like that sort of indulgence and quirkiness.

8. Nada Surf - "Lucky"
Slightly Adult Contemporary, but they write some really good songs sometimes. The first few songs on the album are standouts.

7. Sloan - "Parallel Play"
"Witches Wand" is my favorite song in the world. It sounds a good deal like The Kink's "Lola" and it's so catchy. I don't have much a reference point to judge this album in respect to the rest of their catalog but that's something I plan on fixing this year. Thanks to Trevor (who did a video for them) and Paul for hipping me to these dudes.

6. TV On The Radio - "Dear Science"

5. Raconteurs - "Consolers Of the Lonely"
I really dug this album for the first few times through. Then it grew stale. Now it's back. Weird. "Salute Your Solution" is a great single. The crescendo at the end where Jack White's voice gets more and more distorted is very exciting and satisfying.

4. The Walkmen - "You and Me"
Definitely a grower. I remember first hearing it in the morning on the way to work and it was not helping my already drowsy state. But then I heard it again and again and now I really like it. I regret not seeing them play live this year. That's always an EXTREME concert experience. I highly recommended it.

3. Deerhunter - "Microcastles"
Well crafted songs and very interesting sound. I like both cover arts, too.

2. My Morning Jacket - "Evil Urges"
I've listened to this one more than any other this year and I still dig it. I got a soft spot for these dudes. Even the very strange track "Highly Suspicious" is catchy and I find myself singing or humming it. I respect them for treading new ground, musically.

1. Beck - "Modern Guilt"
I love every track on this one. I ain't ashamed to say it.

Dude I should I probably get back to work this took way longer than I expected. See ya next year.

My Favorite Albums from Portland, OR in 2008

2008-12-22T02:01:00.000-08:00

In spite of having spent countless hours in 2007 ruminating over what lists to post to the ol' Jamboree and what their contents would be, I ultimately buckled under the weight and posted nothing. Partly, this was because 2007 was my first year writing my weekly column on local music (entitled "Our Town Could Be Your Life") for The Portland Mercury, one of the alternative weeklies here in Portland, OR. It's a real privilege to be given an excuse to dig so deep into local culture, but it is most definitely time-consuming.

It feels a little lazy to do this, but let's call it efficient efficient instead: I am posting a link here to my column for this week, in which I wrote on my favorite Portland albums of 2008.

Come Thursday, when next week's paper goes live, I will also link to my column on my favorite Portland shows by local bands.

This will free me up to spend a little time on my prospective Jamboree post covering non-Portland music.

I imagine it's a given, but I am quite the Portland music zealot and - although this could be partially attributed to the increased opportunities I have to discover and interact with local artists - there were honestly more albums that I loved from Portland this year than there were from the rest of the world combined.

For anyone who would like to delve further into Stumptown/Bridgetown/PDX/Portland (or, rather, my opinions thereof), I am including links below to my Best of Local Music columns from last year:

My Top 5 Portland Albums of 2007

My Top 5 Portland Shows of 2007

Best,
Cary Clarke

Extended Plays

2008-12-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Here are the top six EPs (or the like) that I, Colin McCormick, enjoyed this year.

6. Crystal Antlers – EP
It may be unimaginatively titled, but this Long Beach band’s noisy, lo-fi, self-released EP of what sounds to me like some sort of garage psychedelia is far more compelling than No Age’s similar but grossly overrated Nouns.

5. High Places – 03/07-09/07
This is more a collection of singles from last year than an actual EP, but it serves as a good lead-in for High Places’ full length debut. If Crystal Antlers is garage psychedelia, this Brooklyn-based duo’s rhythmically dense yet somehow sparse sound is bedroom psychedelia.

4. The Decemberists – Always The Bridesmaid: A Singles Series
Released as three separate vinyl singles under one heading (more for the pun than anything else), this de facto EP primarily targets established fans of the band. That is not to say it is lacking substance, however. Upbeat openers “Valerie Plame” and “Days Of Elaine” ably take after “Sixteen Military Wives” and “O Valencia!” respectively. But as usual, Colin Meloy is at his songwriting best when he dabbles in the more melancholy. Heavy-hearted closers “Record Year For Rainfall” and the simple, plaintive “Raincoat Song” are the real (non-engagement-related) jewels here.

3. Animal Collective – Water Curses
These leftovers from last years delicious meal of Strawberry Jam have had their sweetness well preserved. The title track is a haphazard, syncopated waltz that may just be the catchiest thing Animal Collective has released since “Grass.”

2. Air France – No Way Down
“Spring has arrived early here.” It’s a strange choice of phrase to open a track entitled “June Evenings,” or, for that matter, an entire EP that feels like a breezy, late summer electro-pop escape to some blissful beach or idyllic countryside too perfect to possibly be real. It all sounds sort of like a dream…no, better. Now when will this Swedish duo ever release a full length LP?

1. Fleet Foxes – Sun Giant
This unexpectedly warm and rich EP came out of nowhere to give us our first small taste of Fleet Foxes’ beguiling folk melodies, extraordinarily lush harmonies, and enchanting arrangements. What an introduction.

For Your Aural Pleasure 2008

2008-12-21T00:34:00.000-08:00

Favorite Singles of 2008
10. “The Lovers Are Losing” by Keane

9. “Amazing” by Kanye West featuring Young Jeezy
“Standing at my podium, I’m trying to watch my sodium, got high blood pressure…”

8. “Sick” by Sam Sparro
“It’s a sick, sick world. I’ll be your medicine. Come and take me, take me. I’ll make you feel better.”

7. “Human” by The Killers
Great song notwithstanding the irritatingly nonsensical lyric “Are we human or are we dancer?”

6. “Turn To Stone” by Girls Aloud
Unfortunately, the rest of the Girls' album lacks the inspiration of a usually brilliant Xenomania-produced record.

5. “Damaged” by Danity Kane
I have never been a fan of this act in any way, but then I heard a snippet of this track. Totally manufactured, but it's great to run to (particularly along Ocean between San Vic and Cali). Be sure to edit the track so it stops around 2:58.56. The last minute and ten seconds has Diddy rambling and ruining an otherwise great pop song.

4. “Strength In Numbers” by The Music
“All the animals come out at night…”

3. “Hot Stuff vs. World Hold On” by Craig David vs. Bob Sinclair
Who else but Craig David could sing, “Girl, you’re making me hard, what a feeling!” without it sounding vulgar?

2. “Womanizer” by Britney Spears

1. “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay

Favorite Ballads of 2008
5. “Human” by Brandy
4. “Run” by Leona Lewis (Yes, Britain’s pride and joy covers the Snow Patrol original)
3. “Imagine” by David Archuleta
2. “The Ice Is Getting Thinner” by Death Cab For Cutie
1. “I Stay In Love” by Mariah Carey

Favorite Albums of 2008
10. Black Tide, “Light From Above”
This album, recorded by a band of four talented teenagers, shows great promise.
Standout Track: “Shockwave”

9. Oasis, “Dig Out Your Soul”
Standout Tracks: “Bag It Up,” “Falling Down,” “Waiting For The Rapture”

8. Mariah Carey, “E=MC2”
To steal Paul’s explanation for listening to radio programs, MC’s appearance on my top 10 list at this point is in no small part due to the sense of comfort I feel from listening to her music over the years. The current problem with MC’s music is best described by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, my favorite music reviewer: “Carey seems determined not to look back, to exist in some kind of eternal now, never acknowledging that she has a past, unless she's wielding her divorce from her ex-husband/ex-record label chief Tommy Mottola for some kind of sympathy, something she does once again here via vague allusions to naïveté and ‘violent times’ on ‘Side Effects.’ Mariah refers to that separation so often that it's hard not to think of it as something recent but it happened a long, long time ago -- well over a decade prior to the release of E=MC2, to be precise -- but as the separation was the pivot point for Carey's career, it's easy to see why she keeps returning to it, even if the emotional heft of her singing about the pain has long since diminished…[In the end, the album] becomes a wash of sound -- sound that is designed to be fashionable, but like so much fashion, it's tied to the time and dates quickly. Which is why it's misleading to judge Mariah based on her new record of possessing the most number one singles, as she's not about longevity, she's about being permanently transient, a characteristic E=MC2 captures all too well.”

7. Natasha Bedingfield, “Pocket Full Of Sunshine”
WARNING: Catchy pop music from a positive female role model can be contagious!

6. Nine Inch Nails, “The Slip”

5. Goldfrapp, “Seventh Tree”
Track with hard-to-hear lyrics: "Clowns"

4. Crystal Castles, “Crystal Castles”
Standout tracks: “Vanished” and “Untrust Us”

3. Britney Spears, “Circus”
A solid album but not as strong as 2007’s Blackout. Stephen Thomas Erlewine summarizes it best: “If Blackout was a producers' album, Circus is a handlers' album, intent on sweeping away any recent unpleasantness -- the only acknowledgement is that title -- and acting like nothing ever happened, imagining that this is still a world where Britney remains envied and desired, where she can be dolled up as a gauzy Farrah Fawcett pinup on her album cover, where she can sing a drippy ballad about ‘My Baby’ and have nobody raise an eyebrow...If she feels marginally more connected here than she did on Blackout, it's a Pyrrhic victory, as Circus never feels as sleek or addictive as its predecessor.”

2. Coldplay, “Viva La Vida”
If you can catch this band in concert, I recommend it. By far, the best concert I saw this year.

1. Robyn, “Robyn”
Sweden does it again! As time goes by, this album just keeps getting better. It was nice to see Interscope release 2005's “Robyn” this past April after resequencing it and adding some new tracks.

Favorite diss (probably because it was totally uncalled for): Christina Aguilera on Lady Gaga.
http://celebrities.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=249672&showcomments=true

Favorite remix: “Up (Wideboys Remix Edit)” by The Saturdays

2008-12-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

My Favorite Places to Eat in Downtown L.A.

My apologies for the dual posts, but thought I'd also include my list of my favorite places to grab lunch, dinner or just a cup of coffee in downtown. I've tried to select places from every district in the area for scenic variety. This list has no particular order, except what I suggest that you order. Ha! Funny. And lastly, most of my suggestions are vegetarian-friendly because animals are our friends.

Lost Souls Cafe - Old Bank District - www.lostsouls.com
Totally hidden in an alleyway, but the best selection of iced coffees and hot teas you'll probably ever find. Try the mocha latte with soy. Great atmosphere too. Quiet enough to read or do work and totally laptop-friendly.

Tiara Cafe - Fashion District - (no website)
Best vegan burger EVER. Seriously. It doesn't get more delicious than this. Get it, you won't regret it. All their menu items are completely organic. Great looking place, too. Did I mention the vegan burger?

Pete's Cafe and Bar - Old Bank District - www.petescafe.com
Delicious veggie burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. Really friendly servers. Bar opened till 2am. Also new: Jazz nights on Tuesdays. Always a fun place to grab some food before going to another bar or lounge and only a short walk from The Edison.

Blossom - Old Bank District - www.blossomrestaurant.com
The best Vietnamese food in downtown LA, perhaps in all of LA. I took my Vietnamese friend here, too, and she agreed it was amazing and very authentic. Everything on the menu is delicious, but of course, go for the pho. I've probably eaten a steaming hot bowl of pho here at least a dozen times . . . and this was during the super hot summer of 2007; their food was just that good.

Pitfire Pizza and Rocket Pizza Lounge - Civic Center District and Old Bank District - www.pitfirepizza.com and www.rocketpizzalounge.com
The pizza at both restaurants is incredible. I love the decor at Rocket Pizza Lounge - really feels retro. Try the Penne Pasta or Rigatoni Al Forno while you're there. Also, there's a great beer selection at Pitfire. Pizza + quality beer = heaven.

Mendocino Farms - Financial District - www.mendocinofarms.com
Located in California Plaza, this place offers DELICIOUS gourmet sandwiches. Get the Drunk'n Goat in Paris. It is almost silly how delicious it is. Ingredients: Herbes de Provence marinated Skyhill Farm's goat cheese, cranberry chutney, French brie, balsamic roasted onions, green apple and organic farmer's greens. Sigh.

Traxx - Union Station - www.traxxrestaurant.com
Uniquely located in historic and beautiful Union Station. Literally, the restaurant is in the train station. You feel like you're in a film noir as soon as you enter. What to try: the grilled eggplant sandwich with feta cheese, mint & lemon aioli on curry toast or the Waldorf salad. Or both.

Engine Company No. 28 - Financial District - www.engineco.com
Located in a restored 1912 firehouse, this place is just lovely because it still retains its historic charm. You have to see it to understand. The food is not particularly fancy, but quite delicious; try the spicy garlic fries, the capellini or the portabello mushroom sandwich.

Empress Pavilion - Chinatown - www.empresspavilion.com
Without a doubt, best dim sum in town. You're served in a HUGE banquet hall which is always buzzing with people, while servers walk around pushing carts, yelling food names in Chinese. Not super vegetarian-friendly, but definitely worth tasting the non-meat dumplings and steamed broccoli in oyster sauce. Yum!

Frying Fish - Little Tokyo - no website
Delicious, truly delicious, sushi. You're seated around a sushi bar, while the freshly-made sushi moves along in small, color-coded plates on a conveyor belt, and you simply pick the dish you like. Or you can make special requests to the chefs. I love this place.

St. Vincent's Court - Jewelry District - www.svjc.com
This courtyard is filled with Mediterranean restaurants and has a distinctive Parisian feel to it. The selection of middle eastern food is quite good, including kabobs, falafel, and baklava for dessert.

Well, those are my top picks -- I hope you enjoy the atmosphere and food of downtown LA!

2008-12-19T11:44:00.000-08:00

Top 10* Worst Fashion Trends of 2008
. . . and other things I'd like to see less of in 2009.

Anything Designed by Christian Audigier
How this man has been so successful is a complete mystery to me. If you've never heard of Christian Audigier before, it's highly likely that you already hate him (and didn't even know it) since he was the "creative force" behind those annoying Von Dutch trucker hats back in 2003. Here are a few samples from his Ed Hardy® clothing line which his website describes as "luxury streetwear". Seriously, who buys this stuff?

Men's Super Skinny Jeans
I added "super" because some guys can pull off the skinny jeans look. But, unfortunately, most guys can't without looking a tad pre-pubescent. Observe:

Oversized Sunglasses
Yeah, this trend has been around for a few years now, but I'm really hoping that by next year people will finally realize how ridiculous it looks. It's just silly.

Silly x 3 = trilly

Shooties = combination of "shoes" + "boots" (also called "booties")
At the time, I really thought this look had a lot of potential, especially when paired with a pencil skirt or tights. But I'll be glad to see them gone in 2009. Even the name annoys me now. Shooties.

A pair of shooties.

Shutter Shades
I believe these were first introduced by Kanye West. Since I'm naturally inclined to think Kanye sucks at most things, I guess I was heavily biased against this look to begin with. Let's be honest, there's no way you can wear a pair of shutter shades without looking like a tool. Speaking of, here's a picture of Kanye trying painfully hard to look cool in a pair of his own while "rapping" on stage.

"Damn, Kanye, you so cool! Teach me to be cool like you!"

Giant Scarves
The ironic part of the mega-scarf trend was that it reached its peak during the hot summer months. Even though I'm a huge fan of scarves as accessories, this look was just excessive and totally taken to the extreme.

Julianne Moore: smiling on the outside, hurting on the inside.

Buddy Holly Glasses
If your name doesn't start with Buddy and end in Holly, then chances are you shouldn't be wearing these. I've seen way too many people sporting this look recently and it just looks completely uncreative.

Woo-ee-oo, I look just like Buddy Holly . . .

Straw Fedoras
Like the "oversized sunglasses" look, the fedora trend has been around for what seems like an eternity. To me, nothing screams "trying so hard!" than a strategically placed straw fedora. As an example of how ubiquitous this look has become, last weekend, at just one bar, I counted nine (9) guys wearing a straw fedora. Unfortunate.

Baggy "Boyfriend Jeans"
I think Katie Holmes (first image) started this trend and I'm pleased to say that it never really seemed to catch on among us regular, non-celebrity folks. In short, it's just an incredibly unflattering look.

If you break up with your boyfriend, who keeps the jeans??

Celebrities Getting "Political"
Less a wearable fashion, than a fashionable "statement", this year's presidential election brought a barrage of celebrity ads encouraging young people to get out and vote. Unfortunately, they were about as effective as those old-school "The More You Know. . ." NBC public service announcements. Here's an obvious example:

*List is in no particular order, and of course, just my silly opinion.

MP3 Free-for-All

2008-12-17T23:52:00.000-08:00

Yuletide Greetings,

Here are nine or ten of my most beloved free MP3s of the year, although this likely does not include any songs from my still-in-the-works list of top albums (I’ll include MP3 links in that list).

10. {{{ Sunset }}} – Man’s Heart Complaint
A sinister and gloomy slice of fuzz-rock.

9. King Tuff – Sun Medallion
Sounds like the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed inhaling a bit of helium.

8. School of Seven Bells – Connjur
Gorgeous harmonies served over warm, electronic gauze.

7. Lykke Li – Little Bit
Soulful, Swedish electro doo-wop, if I’m not mistaken.

6. Thee Makeout Party – Wreckless Epic
Raw, ragged and desperate garage rock that probably was actually recorded in a garage.

5. Fight Bite – Widow’s Peak
Ethereal and enchanting like Beach House, but even lower-fi.

4. Kim Ki O – Kapali Kapali Kapali
Beautiful, bittersweet shoegazing from what must be the first Turkish band I’ve ever heard.
[Update: Apparently, the initial link I had for this song didn't work. I just replaced it with a new one that is working.]

3. Hecuba – Sir
Hip hop born in some kind of demented carnival.

2. Music Go Music – Light of Love
Ebullient and ABBA-inspired. Should be played on an old jukebox at a roller skating rink.

1. The Morning Benders – Boarded Doors
Sharp and slightly swinging pop-rock with a highly satisfying melody.

Learn to Listen

2008-12-17T23:48:00.000-08:00

My Ten Favorite Talk Radio Programs/Podcasts

I don't think there's any entertainment medium that allows you to become more a member of community than talk radio. The best shows blossom only after months of listening b/c it's only then that you get the inside jokes, the tossed-off references, and the rhythms of the host or co-hosts. And once you get to that point, you can enjoy a bad show b/c you're not really listening to be entertained (that's a fortunate and, hopefully, frequent by-product); you're listening for a sense of comfort and place. This is a phenomenon that extends to other media, however; many a tv show I've watched religiously not b/c I particularly enjoyed it, but just b/c I got sucked in. Clearly, not all of the shows below allow this b/c some are too format driven. However, even with someone like Warren Olney of Which Way, L.A.?, I feel like I know him better than I do people I actually talk to on a daily basis.

I love talk radio and wish I could be a talk radio host, but I screw up too much when I talk. I also wish I could listen more often, but work gets in the way. How I loved those August days when I could lie on the couch and act like it was 1957.

(10) The Art Laboe Connection - This is less a talk show and more a show where the congenial but uncharismatic titular host fields listeners' song requests. It seems like most of the callers are Hispanic, and a lot of the requests are for unremarkable love songs from the past 25 years. It's hard not to wonder if the party to whom the song is dedicated is listening at that very moment. I think it would be awesome if someone dedicated a Gerald Levert song to me. Check it out.

(9) Which Way, L.A.? - Warren Olney's local political talk show is what all political talk shows should aspire to be. Knowledgeable guests, stern tone, compassionate nuances, and frustratingly unpartisan. Check it out.

(8) Pardon the Interruption - This is a TV show but I've podcasted it for the better part of two years now, and often listen to it while falling asleep. I love Michael Wilbon and the fact that he cares about the NBA. Tony Kornheiser has turned into (always been?) a killjoy (is it that hard to smile on camera on Monday Night Football?). I think I'm the only person who likes when Dan LeBatard fills in. I may be the only person I know who genuinely likes this show. Check it out.

(7) The Loose Cannons - This is a perfect example of a show I don't particularly like (in fact, I think I dislike it) but I listen to all the time. Considering the limitations of each host, it's a wonder they get 4 hours a day out of these guys. Someone once mentioned that if you combined Hartman, Vic, and MT you'd have a pretty great talk show host, but you'd still have 2/3 of a person predicting that the Lakers are gonna win 75 games. Check it out.

(6) Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me - I've cooled on Wait, Wait, but I still have a fondness for it. I'm just more inclined to accidentally tune-in to it on the radio than listen to the podcast. I read panelist Adam Felber's novel "Schrodinger's Ball" this summer, and it, like the show, was nerdy and mildly arrogant. It was pretty good. Check it out.

(5) Sound Opinions - Now, I know why I like this show theoretically: I like music and it's a talk show about music. But if this show were in print, it would be no better than Rolling Stone or another irrelevant magazine. But I like disagreeing with them, and I really enjoy when they review albums by artists I know I should know something about but am totally unfamiliar with (Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brothers, etc . . .). Educational. I listen to this on Sunday Nights when I walk to La Salsa for dinner. Check it out.

(4) The Kevin & Bean Show - Yeah, it can be frustratingly low brow (lesbians? really?) and the commercials are endless and the Incubus/Foo Fighters/Offspring shuffle is terrible at 7am, but I've listened to this show first thing in the morning since the mid-'90s, and they still have gold moments. Ralph is fantastically funny, Psycho Mike's a good addition (even if his parodies are a mixed bag, minus the K-Fed ones which are always pretty good), Bean is great and weird, and Kevin is even growing on me after these 15 years. I really wish they'd ditch Omar. Check it out.

(3) The V Show - I rarely listen to this show for more than 5 minutes; it's on Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm - 2am, so it's usually on when I fall asleep. I think the host is Jimmy V's brother, and he just seems like the nicest guy ever. The theme is a version of a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy song and he's got some really antiquated drops that he throws in on ocassion (boos, applause, rim shots). Very charming and perfect for falling asleep. He talks about the horses ocassionally. Check it out.

(2) The Petros & Money Show - What a show, man. It's weird; these guys talk too much, even for a talk show - it's exhausting. Petros has that rare ingredient that other sports talk show hosts don't have: experience on the gridiron. This show is like the polar opposite of that douchebag Colin Cowherd's show. Good music talk, surprisingly obscure cultural references (I called in and talked about the New Bomb Turks and Guided By Voices on the air once), no tortured analogies or references to management theories. Check it out.

(1) The Best Show on WFMU - still the tops. 3 hours a week, every week. It's hard to decide what I like more: the interplay b/w Tom and his fans or Tom and the denizens of the fictional New Jersey town Newbridge. The show doesn't throw any lifelines to new listeners. You just have to jump in and start piecing it all together on your own. It demands your patience and rewards your investment. Check it out.

2008-12-15T12:39:00.001-08:00

Below are my top ten favorite places/things to eat in LA:

10. Lattitude Thai, http://www.lattitudethai.com/

Amid all the car repair shops and fast food joints that are characteristically Lincoln Boulevard, it’s easy to miss Lattitude’s small, unassuming storefront. But if you love thai curry, you should make sure to track this place down. Their red curry with chicken is so good and you’re sure to leave with yummy leftovers for lunch the next day.

9. Lares, http://www.laresrestaurant.com/

This is a great Mexican place: spicy salsa, family-owned, mariachi band, and fantastic Cadillac margaritas. Really, what more do you need in a Mexican place? Get the chicken mole enchiladas. Their verdes sauce is good too.

8. Cha Cha Chicken, http://www.chachachicken.com/

This is a great place to go after a long day at the beach. Bring your own beer or wine; order watermelon juice and the jerk chicken enchiladas at the window; grab a seat at one of the picnic tables outside; relax and enjoy.

7. Joe’s Shanghai, http://www.joeshanghairestaurants.com/

I know. I know. Joe’s is in NYC. But this place has the absolute best soba noodles I’ve ever had in my life. So it had to get a spot on my list, had to. Next time you’re in New York, go here.

6. The Omelette Guy, http://www.smgov.net/farmers_market/sunday.htm

I think Main Street in Santa Monica is pretty much the coolest place in LA. Every Sunday, there’s a great farmer’s market with live music, fresh produce (obviously), and vendors selling delicious wares. If you go in the afternoon, get the tamales. But if you make it for breakfast or brunch, you have to get an omelette from the omelette guy. You walk through the line and point to “bacon!,” “green peppers!,” “mushrooms!,” “tomatoes!” Just as you’re paying, your omelette is slid from the pan onto your plate and you’re ready to sit down in front of the band and dig into deliciousness. Don’t even think about going to The Omelette Parlor down the street; it’s disgusting compared to the omelette guy.

5. Bay Cities, http://www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com/

Duh, I know. Bay Cities’ sandwich is the best in town. I love that pickled carrot (?) stuff they put on it. Also great, their fresh-baked bread – I get it to serve at dinner parties with lots of butter.

4. Trader Joe’s Very Berry Cereal, http://www.traderjoes.com/

I know this is a weird entry, but I have discovered the best cereal ever made … and it’s exclusively sold at Trader Joe’s. The Very Berry Cereal is the perfect combination of crunch and soggy, sweet and tangy, yummy and delicious that you want in every bowl of cereal. Yes, I used to be very against cereals with freeze-dried berries of any sort. Special K with strawberries is gross. But these berries are NOT gross; they are perfect.

This cereal is especially delicious in soy milk, which I have to use now because I’m lactose intolerant. :(

3. California Chicken Café, http://www.californiachickencafe.com/

This place is so good. I go weekly. I suggest the California Chicken Salad with balsamic dressing. I get it without the cheese and avocados. I’m sure they are delicious in the salad if a) you’re not lactose intolerant and b) you like avocados.

2. Amelia’s, http://www.ameliascafe.com/

Get the soup of the day. It is always the best bowl of soup you’ve ever had.

1. The Daily Pint, http://thedailypint.net/

Again, I’m cheating a little bit. The Daily Pint does not serve food, thank goodness. This is a dive bar, THE dive bar. And it is my favorite bar in the world. Not only do they offer lots of great beer, pool tables, and shuffle board (!), but they also offer the best bar game of all time – Photo Hunt.

Happy holidays and happy eating in the new year!

-- Sarah Luppen

Well I guess I'll start this thing out!

2008-12-15T10:22:00.000-08:00

Well Merry Christmas to you all and I hope you all had a great 2008. Personally it's been a wonderful year for me complete with getting married to most amazing woman I've ever met and getting to do a little travel to the Bahamas, Canada, Montana, and Washington. Still enjoying teaching at a charter school, and just started writing an occasional review for a website http://live.hollywoodjesus.com/?author=207.

Anyways, enough with the personal update and onto the music... I felt like there were a lot of good spins out there this year, but quite a few disappointments as well. Regardless here is my top 10:

10. Metallica- Death Magnetic

It was nice to see a band finally do what the fans wanted and go back to their roots. This one rocked a lot harder than anything they put out in the past 17 years and it was a surprising comeback album.

Standout track: "The End of Line"

9. Ray LaMontagne- Gossip in the Grain

Not my favorite Ray album, but it's still up there for this year. Not sure what he was trying with "You are the Best Thing", but the rest of the disc was pretty decent. Props for trying something new though!

Standout Track: "Winter Birds"

8. Counting Crows- Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings

My first CD I ever bought was August and Everything After in 8th grade, so it's always nice to see what Adam Duritz is up to. Pretty solid effort from the Crows and a fun contrast between the two halves.

Standout Track: "Washington Square"

7. Weezer- Red Album

Loved the first 6 songs on the disc and the the last few, but just couldn't get used to hearing anyone singing but Rivers. I like the idea of giving the other guys a chance, but save it for an EP! Flawless album aside from those songs though, in my opinion!

Standout Track: "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived"

6. Joshua James- The Sun is Always Brighter

I caught on a little late to this great artist, but he warranted quite a few listens this year. Nothing too new exciting about him, but he sure puts out quality music.

Standout Track: "Today"

5. Joshua Radin- Simple Times

Another folksy Joshua? Yup! Radin put out a great album this year and I really appreciated it a lot more after seeing him play in Santa Barbara a few months ago. If you've never listened, he's got some great mellow tunes to listen to on a rainy day (like today!)

Standout Track: "They Bring Me to You"

4. Kanye West- 808's and Heartbreaks

Although it was a very different album and entirely recorded with auto-tune, I thoroughly enjoyed Kanye's new CD. I guess getting dumped by his fiancee and the death of his mother knocked his ego down a few pegs and gave him some perspective. I loved the beats and lyrics like "Chased the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?"

Standout Track: "Welcome to my Nightmare"

3. Jon Foreman- Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer

Lead singer of Switchfoot's ambitious attempt at capturing the 4 seasons in 4 6-song EP's turned out very well in my opinion. Fall was my favorite season, but each one brought new instruments and new sounds to add to a year of great music.

Standout Track: "Your Love is Strong"

2. Jason Mraz- We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

Perhaps the greatest male voice out there in music today, Mraz put together a great CD with a fun sound. Most people probably got sick of hearing "I'm Yours" over and over, but you have to admit it was really stinkin' catchy!

Standout Track: "Live High"

1. Coldplay- Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends/ Prospekts March

Ok, so Martin may have ripped off Satriani, but even Johnny Cash ripped off "Folsom Prison Blues"! "Viva La Vida was still my favorite song of the year and quite brilliant. Overall I love this CD and the EP that just came out and I beleive it was the one CD that lived up to the hype.

Standout Track:...forget it, just download the whole thing!

Alright there they are...probably too poppy for most people's taste, but I look forward to reading other posts and trying out new music. Take care all and have a great Holiday!

Nate

What Year Is It Again?

2008-12-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, start your posting.

11 Albums That Made My 2007

2007-12-31T23:53:00.001-08:00

I still feel like I didn’t spend enough time with some other records, but I wanted to get this thing done before the new year came (close call). Of course, the jamboree can keep rolling into ’08. It’s too much fun to stop now, and we have yet to hear from some past contributors. Show us your lists, friends.
–Thom McMahon IV

11. Bodies of Water – Ears Will Pop And Eyes Will Blink
A glorious batch of catchy, triumphant symphonies. These four young folks sing their hearts out and make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

10. Alasdair Roberts – The Amber Gatherers
Mr. Roberts’ albums have been alternating between traditional folk songs and original folk songs. His new one is of the latter type, but you might think these had been handed down through the ages if you didn’t know any better. He has a gift for writing timeless melodies. The tone is much lighter than that of his last album (which was all songs about death). In fact, some of these songs sound like lullabies. Perfect to play on the stereo when you have a baby crawling around the room.

9. Blonde Redhead - 23
A nearly perfect collection of dream pop. Not groundbreaking stuff — just masterfully executed and thoroughly enchanting.

8. Caribou – Andorra
Pulsing, psychedelic wonder. Essential listening for a drive through the wilderness. Dan Snaith’s last album sounded a bit inconsistent to me. This is a strong return to the majesty of his Up In Flames record — back before some Dick forced him to stop using the name Manitoba.

7. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
Mr. Lekman gets my vote for best songwriter to emerge in the 21^st century thus far. His music is frequently sublime. His lyrics are sharp and hilarious, and English isn’t even his first language. This album has some of his strongest tunes, but I feel like it loses some magic in the middle. Still, I would highly recommend this and all of his other output to anyone who enjoys charming, playful pop.

6. Panda Bear – Person Pitch
Sure, he sounds like a Beach Bro from way back when. Why shouldn’t he? More accurately, this album evokes a drug-induced dream of some of Brian Wilson and company’s finest work. Gorgeous harmonies, high on reverb, flowing comfortably across warm and friendly waters. This is the best trip I’ve ever been on.

5. Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
The first time I heard this record, I thought Kevin Barnes had lost it — and he just may have (12-minute-long “The Past Is A Grotesque Animal” provides some convincing evidence). But after about 10 times through, these tightly wound, emotionally revealing outbursts had soaked through my skull and left me addicted.

4. Marissa Nadler – Songs III: Bird On The Water
I’ve already used the word “haunting” once in describing Ms. Nadler’s music, so I’ll try not to do it again. She has one of the most moving, elegiac voices that I’ve heard, and the stark arrangements on this album provide the perfect atmosphere for it. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that she left me misty-eyed on a recent winter eve. Haunting. Damn.

3. Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity
Deerhoof is one of the more distinctive-sounding bands out there, and they manage to sound fresh with each new album. They’re talented musicians, and their songs are fairly complex, yet they sound playful and innocent. It’s an unusual contrast that’s due in large part to Satomi Matsuzaki’s child-like voice and apparent lack of a grasp on the English language. Ultimately, though, it’s the abundance of savory hooks that keeps me coming back for more.

2. Cass McCombs – Dropping The Writ
Mr. McCombs’ last album was a fairly ragged, low-fi affair; this one sounds more polished, more mature even. Of course, you won’t be hearing any of it on your local adult alternative radio station. But you should. The songwriting is impeccable, and his falsetto reaches incredible highs that will send chills up your headphone cords.

1. Battles – Mirrored
This is rock music as found in the wild, as opposed to the all-too-common domesticated incarnation of the genre. The album is an intoxicating stew of unusual sounds and rhythms. It might sound challenging, but it ain't math homework — just some good, clean, disorienting fun. Surprising, amusing and heavy. I have Battles in my life, and I'm loving it.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

2007-12-26T18:50:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite things by James F. "Boots" Donnelly...

Albums of the Year
Lawrence Welk - Forever: The Best of Lawrence Welk
Sons of the Pioneers - Cool Water (& 17 Timeless Favorites)
Henny Youngmen - Take My Album Please (Or Two Sets for the Price of One)
Boxcar Willie - King of the Hoboes
Jodeci – Forever My Lady

Favorite Movie – Cocoon III

My favorite prune juice – Sunsweet

Favorite hard candy – MacTavish’s Butterscotch Candy

Favorite food – Tapioca

Favorite football moment – Red Grange’s 6 TD game against Michigan (18-October 1924). Still as magical a moment as ever. Kids these days just can’t match the speed and toughness of the Galloping Ghost.

Favorite Dance – The Charleston I performed at the Murfreesboro Elks Lodge Dance Off in July with Millie.

Worst College Football Idea: The playoff. It’s bad enough they got rid of ties and created the BCS. Now they want a playoff? What happened to the good old days of teams going 8-1-2 and winning the national championship by playing the #7 team in a bowl game?

Best move they should make for the 2008 Summer Olympics: Adding college football as a sport. We’d kick the asses of those commie pinko Russians and finally get a leg up in the Cold War. Wait a minute, it’s in China? Maybe 2012, since we’ll obviously be boycotting 2008.

The best moment in baseball for 2007: Appalachian St. beating Michigan.

I would like to wish everyone a happy 2008. Spring practice is right around the corner, as well as national signing day, so don't worry. Labor Day weekend is right around the corner!

2007 Mix - Paul Bost

2007-12-22T13:11:00.001-08:00

Instead of coming up with some sort of list, I instead decided to create a mix conveying my favorite songs of the year (plus a couple from previous years). I've sent everyone on the email list a link from where you can download the mix (edit; here's the link: http://download.yousendit.com/F6FB429759684187); it's a big file and, unfortunately, it's one file (I tried to separate it into different tracks but my editing software was being a bitch about it). Some of the edits are pretty simple, whereas on others I endeavor to actually do some Steve Aoki shit (minus the gorgeous hangers-on). Check it out, if you get a chance. It might actually be a good workout mix, minus the last two songs that sort of slow things down (which may be appropriate for some post-running stretching/meditation).

Tracklist

(1) Night of the Furies - The Rosebuds
(2) $20 - M.I.A.
(3) St. Tropez - Golden Bug
(4) Kidz Are So Small - Deerhoof
(5) Hold On - Holy Ghost!
(6) Wow - Kylie Minogue
(7) Finer Feelings - Spoon
(8) Ice Cream - New Young Pony Club
(9) I've Still Got You (Ice Cream) - Pissed Jeans
(10) Tout va pour le mieux dans le pire des mondes - Les Breastfeeders
(11) World - The Bee Gees
(12) Coke & Wet - Spankrock
(13) Kill the Messenger - Karl Blau
(14) Come One Come All - Noonday Underground
(15) Mr. Me Too (Z.A.K. Remix) - Clipse
(16) Failsafe - The New Pornographers
(17) Can't Tell Me Nothing - Kanye West
(18) Bright Lights, Big City - Jim Jones feat. Max B.
(19) Isn't Life Strange? - The Clientele
(20) On the Wings - Citay