My Year In Lists: The Top 50 Songs of 2010

2010 was an interesting year on a song level. While most popular singles followed the same heavily produced, glossy, and manufactured formula, there was a groundswell of great songs being made by bands on the mid to low level spectrum. 2010 had albums from indie stalwarts such as Arcade Fire, The National, and to some extent, Kanye West. While these great albums spawned great songs, there were also bands that I did not expect to have such a profound effect with simply amazing songs. Bands that I had not even heard of, such as Titus Andronicus. Bands that I had forgotten about, such as Caribou, The Tallest Man on Earth, and Damien Jurado. It was a year of comebacks in a way for me, and this list reflects that.

50. Apparat - Sayulita




49. ceo - Illuminata
48. The Soft Pack - Answer To Yourself
47. The Morning Benders - Excuses
46. Avi Buffalo - What's It In For?
45. Les Savy Fav - Sleepless in Silverlake




44. Vampire Weekend - Holiday
43. The Apples In Stereo - Dream About The Future
42. Damien Jurado - Arkansas
41. Los Campesinos! - This is a Flag, There is No Wind

My Year In Lists: My Top Albums of 2010 According to Last.fm

Same rules apply as artists: Everything counts, not just 2010 albums.

10. The Replacements - Let it Be (185 Plays)

The Replacements' best album. This is the album where it all worked in unison for them. It mixed their early works punk aesthetic as well as their later albums pop sensibilities.

9. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (210 Plays)

An emotionally devastating album. Maybe not in the sense of a complete loss of hope like, for example, The Antlers' Hospice, but more in a sense of not being able to have what you want. A study in broken hearts and busted promises.

My Year In Lists: My Top Artists of 2010 According To last.fm

I thought I would kick off my music lists by showing everyone what I actually listened to this year. This is in no way my top artists/songs/etc of 2010, it is just the raw stats of what I actually listened to during the year. Because of this is will not be secluded to just artists who were relevant in 2010. But still, an interesting way to look at what I was actually listening to a lot in 2010.

10. Japandroids (265 Plays)

Japandroids had a pretty cool 2010, even though there debut album came out in 2009. They began a singles series that produced three really good songs ("Art Czars", "Younger Us", and "Heavenward Grand Prix"). They played a bunch of live shows as well, including Bonnaroo, where I got a chance to see them. For only having two members they generate an intense amount of sounds. They are the spiritual successors to Death From Above 1979.

My Year In Lists: The Best TV Shows of 2010

Thanks to the invention of the DVR, I have been able to watch more shows that I am usually accustomed too. So here's my top 10 TV shows of the past year.

BUT FIRST: Shows I didn't watch that are probably awesome:
-Breaking Bad
-Justified
-Louie
-Parks and Recreation
-Fringe
-Dexter
-Sons of Anarchy

10. Archer (FX)

A nice little show that ended up being better than I expected. It doesn't hurt that one of my favorite voice actor/comedian's H. John Benjamin does the voice of lead character Sterling Archer. While the humor is somewhat juvenile, it works because the show is animated.

Album Review: Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010, Def Jam)

Listen:

Grooveshark (kind of a mess)

Purchsase:

Insound

Amazon mp3

iTunes

So... I guess there really isn't much to say about this album that you haven't already heard. Blah blah Kanye meltdown blah blah Taylor Swift. But there is another story to this album. This is the story of Kanye's rebirth from a villain to almost a tragic figure. Through his use of twitter, surprisingly ambitious music video for "Runaway", and releasing of free songs every week on Friday, Kanye has managed to somewhat recover a positive image in the media.

The story of  the creation of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is almost as interesting. Kanye stowed away to Hawaii where he brought in virtually every notable artist at some point to work on either his new album or a track for G.O.O.D. Friday. Everyone from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, and Mos Def, to producers like Pete Rock and Q-Tip, to oddly enough, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. Needless to say, Kanye made this album and its creation almost into his own little sandbox, utilizing any toys he could get his hand on.

And it certainly shows. Mr. West's new album is overtly ambitious and contains possibly his best production (which is saying a lot, considering that I believe he is currently the best hip-hop producer on the planet, and has been for years). While there are times when his lyrics fail to match this level as well as some strange features, this album is still one of the best of the year.

Track 1: Dark Fantasy
OK Nikki, what is up with the British accent? Just wondering. Kanye pulls out a classic sample on this one. How many people do you think had even heard of Mike Oldfield before they heard this song (not me)? This is about as classic Kanye beat wise as you can get. He used to be so into samples. I really like how he uses the keys in this song as well. Lyrcism is just fine, maybe not his best effort though. The probably with this album is that Kanye brought it so hard on the beats and production that it's virtually impossible for him to create lyrics that live up to the music.
"So much head I woke up in sleepy hollow" Man does Kanye love rapping about oral sex.
Verdict: 9/10


Track 2: Gorgeous
This beat gets stuck in my head every time I listen to this album. Kid Cudi just kind of does his "I think I can sing" thing on the chorus. The effects on both Kanye and Raekwon's part isn't necessarily needed. Kind of brings the song down a little. It sounds like they are rapping through the phone. I guess it's possible that Raekwon couldn't make it out to Hawaii, so maybe that explains it. In the end, "Gorgeous" has a cool beat and features two of my five current favorite hip-hop artists, so it's still pretty good.
Verdict: 9/10


Track 3 POWER
What can be said about "Power" that hasn't been in the last 6 months? Awesome King Crimson sample. Big time "Fuck You" lyrics. Pretty much an all around package of Kanye being Kanye. If it hadn't been floating around for a long time, this song would probably seem a lot more epic and powerful. Even given that, it is still a masterpiece.
"You got the power to let power go?"
Verdict: 10/10

My 10 Favorite Moments from The New Girl Talk Album

It would be nearly impossible to review the new Girl Talk album, All Day. Not that I couldn't do it. I just feel like it would end up being a bunch of sentences consisting of "This mash up was cool" and "I really like this mash up". So pretty much there is no reason to review it (if you're wondering, I did think it was pretty good, there is a high percentage chance of it ending up in my albums of the year list).

So instead of a review I'm going to go track to track and try to pick out my 10 favorite moments from All Day. In chronological order for ease. Will also post the time of the sample as noted on the wikipedia page for the album.

If you didn't know, the album is free for download on Illegal Art's Site (here's a helpful link).

Here is a link to the Wikipedia page as well, if you want to look at (most of) the samples used.

1. Track 1 "Oh No" @ 2:09
1. "Teach Me How To Dougie/Jane Says 
2. Cali Swag Distric/Jane's Addiction
2. Track 1 "Oh No" @ 4:11
1. "Bleitzkrieg Bop/Waiting For The Sun
2. The Ramones/The Doors
3. Track 3 "That's Right" @ 2:44
1. Single Ladies/Ante Up/Party in the USA
2. Beyonce/M.O.P./Miley Cyrus
1. This one's like 2 minutes long so you kind of have to wait for it
4. Track 4 "Jump on Stage" @ 2:52
1. "Creep/Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
2. Radiohead/Old Dirty Bastard
5. Track 5 "This is the Remix" @ 3:29
1. "Get Low/Cecilia"
2. Lil' Jon/Simon and Garfunkel
6. Track 8 "Down for the Count" @ 3:45
1. "20th Century Boy/Bounce/House of Jealous Lovers"
2. T-Rex/MSTRKRFT/The Rapture
7. Track 9 "Make Me Wanna"  @ 3:39
1. "Wake Up/Money To Blow"
2. Arcade Fire/Birdman
8. Track 10 "Steady Stock" @ 3:20
1. "Over/I Ran"
2. Drake/A Flock of Seagulls
9. Track 11 "Triple Double" @ 0:00
1. "1901/How Low"
2. Phoenix/Ludacris
10. Track 12 "Every Day" @ 1:19
1. Dirt Off Your Should/I Melt With You
2. Jay-Z/Modern English

So There it is. As of me writing this there has been another site that can be used to help you listen to this album. if you go to http://alldaysamples.com/ you can listen to the album while the samples are shown in real time. Pretty cool, huh?

Album Review: The Tallest Man on Earth: Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP

The Tallest Man On Earth: Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird (2010, Dead Oceans)

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Dead Oceans
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes


Kristian Matsson, under the moniker The Tallest Man on Earth, has been putting out possibly the best folk music in the past couple of years. His debut album, 2008's Shallow Graves, sent a breath of fresh, Bob Dylan inspired, air into the singer/songwriter genre. This current year he released an even better album, The Wild Hunt, which in my opinion is in contention for album of the year. To complement The Wild Hunt, Kristian has released a new EP, named Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird. This EP has actually been available on iTunes for some time, but is just now receiving a physical release.

This will probably a quick review. Only 5 tracks.

Track 1: Little River
There is something to be said about simplicity. Especially in folk music. Simplicity is something that Kristian seems to have a knack for. On this song, his guitar work manages to flow to the point where you barely notice it, leaving the listener the ability to listen to his vulnerable lyricism. There is something beautifully seasonal about this song as well. It just makes me feel like I'm sitting in a log cabin during winter. Just an all around great song.
Verdict: 8/10


Track 2: The Dreamer
This song is pretty much unlike anything we have heard from The Tallest Man On Earth so far. He switches to an electric guitar, which I'm pretty sure he has never done. It fits him just as well as acoustic, so the change is not really noticeable, except in sound. This song is also one of my favorite lyrical showings from Kristian. We have seen, more in his later work, points where his vocals get emotional to the point where he is screaming. While this song doesn't have that intensity, it feels like there was a lot of emotion put into the making of this song.
Verdict: 10/10


Track 3: Like The Wheel
"Like The Wheel" is a very vulnerable song. One thing I love about The Tallest Man On Earth is how he conveys strong emotions without losing his edge as a songwriter. He can be lovesick or depressed without getting horribly sappy. I would go as far as saying that he is currently the best songwriter in his given genre. Similar to "The Dreamer" this song conveys a lot of emotion in a constrained manner.
Verdict: 9/10


Track 4: Trampled In The Tangled Wheat
This is another great song. I can't really say much new about it that I haven't said about the previous songs. Simple, elegant, and strong lyrically.
Verdict: 8/10


Track 5: Thrown Right At Me
This is the only song that I didn't really enjoy on this album. It seems direct and forced compared to the other songs. While it isn't bad, it just doesn't reach the standards of its predecessors.
Verdict 6/10


Final Score: 42/50 = 8.4

Album Review: Kid Cudi: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

(great album cover, by the way)

Listen:
No good legal places at the time of me writing this review

Purchase
Official Site
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes



It may very well be Scott Mescudi vs. The World (Nice reference to Scott Pilgrim, Cudi, you nerd.). I've heard people talk bad on him in so many varied ways since his wonderful debut album was released. His live show sucks (which, honestly, is kind of true). His music is too introspective (which, honestly, I kind of like). He gets in trouble with the cops for possibly assaulting a woman while on liquid cocain (?). Wale (yes, Wale) dissed him in an interview, creating one of the most hilariously weak beefs in rap history.

So what does Kid Cudi have to show for all this? A new album, of course. The first in a series of releases this month on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label, Kid Cudi's new album is a great start, with Kanye's new album hopefully being a great end. While The Legend of Mr. Rager doesn't reach the heights of Cudi's debut, it is still a strong album in its own right.

And. Here. We. Go.

Act I: The World I Am Ruling

Track 1: Scott Mescudi vs. The World
First off: I love the first sound we hear is a throwback to the first track on The End of Day. Perfect intro track. Kid Cudi really gets the idea of a concept album by now, so it's not all that surprising. Along that note, the beats on this album really flow very well together. While some are better than others, there is a certain thematic quality to the album's beats as a whole, which I thought was pretty neat. On a specific note, I like this beat a lot. The keys could have been brought down an octave, but other than that no complaints. Cee Lo Green (who is apparently the soul machine) also guests on this one for the chorus. I like Cee Lo, but he feels kind of out of place here. Overall and pretty great opening track

Verdict 8/10


Track 2: REVOFEV
This song has been floating around for a long time, which has given us a long time to digest it. I have been a big fan of this song since it was leaked. Strangely optimistic and anthemic for a Kid Cudi song. It also uses such an unorthodox, rock instrument heavy beat that it just stands out, even this early in the album. Definitely one of the stronger tracks on here.
Verdict: 9/10

15 Songs: Modest Mouse

Isaac Brock is a conflicted man. Throughout the years he has been enraged, depressed, happy?, and on and on. But the greatest part of Modest Mouse's output is the great sense of ennui that Isaac feels about the world. God could exists in Isaac's universe, but most likely he doesn't. Isaac could be a genius in his universe, but it's hard for him to believe it.

For the most part, Isaac Brock's, and by proxy Modest Mouse's universe is a ball of clever phrases and surprisingly well thought-out world-views.

Modest Mouse was probably the first band you could say I was obsessed with. Isaac Brock is still my favorite songwriter. So here is my favorite 15 songs by Modest Mouse, in chronological order. Spoiler: it's pretty much all their angriest songs.

Album Review: Avey Tare: Down There

Avey Tare - Down There (2010, Paw Tracks)

Avey Tare has been my favorite member of Animal Collective since he took the lead on Strawberry Jam, my favorite album of theirs. He definitely has more of a pop sensibility to his sound, where Panda Bear is more electronic. He also has a more experimental side to him as well. This is probably why his solo work has always been so hard to listen to. In specific was his last solo album co-created with his former wife, Kria Brekken, Pullhair Rubeye. For some reason he decided to reverse the recording once he released it, making it nearly impossible to listen to the whole way through. Down There is at least a more straight forward effort, and hopefully that means it will be a better showing.

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Paw Tracks
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes


Track 1: Laughing Hieroglyphic (hell yeah I spelled that right on the first try)
This song pretty much explains what I feel like Avey Tare sounds like without the influence of any other Animal Collective members. Strange downbeat with a mixture of actual lyrics and distorted vocals. The lyrics in this song are actually not horrible when you can make them out. Overall, not a bad start.
Verdict 7/10

Album Review: Deerhunter: Halycyon Digest

I have to admit that I was never fully on the Deerhunter bandwagon. Of course I have listened to Cryptograms and Microcastle, the latter of which I thought was pretty good, but I've never considered myself necessarily a fan of the band. Halcyon Digest changed my perspective. For the enigmatic lead singer/creative force Bradford Cox, this is a shockingly upbeat album. Not to say that his earlier work was necessarily depressing. We are talking about more of a shift in tone. The music and lyrics are much more sunny than earlier works, and in my opinion this is a welcome change.

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Beggars Group
Insound
Amazon.mp3
iTunes

Track 1: Earthquake
A slow building song that never really builds to anything. That being said it serves well as an introduction track for the album. It's a very heroin-rock track that has this almost glacial pacing compared to the rest of the album.
Verdict: 7/10


Track 2: Don't Cry
"Don't Cry" carries the pace of the album to a little faster level. Kind of a little creepy on the lyrics ("c'mon little boy, you don't need to cry"), but other than that a pretty entertaining song. Halcyon Digest has a a very basic pop formula hidden behind it's lo-fi experimentalism.
Verdict: 8/10


Track 3: Revival
One negative about this album is that about 75% of the really good songs are surprisingly short. "Revival", for example, is only two minutes and 14 seconds long. It is a pretty awesome  2:14 though.
Verdict: 10/10

End of The National Week: A Skin, A Night

To end The National week, I've decided to embed the hour long film about The National made by the great Vincent Moon (him of Takeaway Show fame).


Enjoy!

15 Songs: The National

The National are a tough band to pick the best songs of. They have so many deep, meaninful songs with lush arrangements and thought provoking lyrics. But what the hell, here it goes.

In chronological order (no rankings on this one, except maybe Wasp Nest):

• Wasp Nest (2004, Cherry Tree)
• "You're eyes are broken bottles, and I'm afraid to ask"
• About Today (2004, Cherry Tree)
• "You just walked away, and I just watched you"

Album Review: The National: High Violet

The National: High Violet (2010), 4AD Records


Listen: 
Grooveshark


Purchase:
Beggars Group
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes

It's no small admission to say that The National are one of my favorite bands. Ever since i heard "Secret Meeting" in late 2005 (yes I know, I was pretty late to the bandwagon on that album). Alligator became one of me and my brother's favorite albums soon after. Adding to this was the first time I saw them live at Bonnaroo in 2007, right after Boxer had been released. For a show at a festival it was surprisingly intimate. They also were joined by Padme Newsome, violinist extraordinaire. His work on the violin that night made that show. It was some kind of intense mix of raw emotion and skill and showmanship. If you can track down a good quality audio or video of "Baby We'll Be Fine" from that show, snatch it up.

Ok, back on track

High Violet is the third truly great National album. It is the third album produced by the band and Peter Kalis (he of Turn on the Bright Lights and Midnight Organ Fight fame). When I speak about High Violet I tend to bring up both Boxer and Alligator a good amount. This is not to disparage High Violet in any way, it certainly has it's own style and thematic power. What is amazing about this album, though, is that it takes most of the great parts from both Alligator and Boxer. It combines them to make a powerful album. Pretty much the only thing it is missing is the emotional power and shredding vocal chords of Alligator's finer moments.

Let's begin our walk with the spiders

Track 1: Terrible Love
Such a grand opening track. The slow burn intro is a perfect launching point. Such a simple song until the end, when Matt kind of goes in to a bit of a frenzy. It's so powerful as an opening song just because of the immensely slow build. By the end of the song the drummer is absolute wailing on the drums, the beat is barely recognizable. The song is also just all around great. Reminiscent of Alligator's cryptic lyricism.
Verdict 9/10


Track 2: Sorrow
Awww. Sad song. But even when The National do sad, it is still a strong work. "Sorrow" is a good example of how lush their music has become. their are strings hidden in the background, as well as a light piano layer. This is the biggest separator when it comes to High Violet compared to its predecessors. It takes advantages of all of these additional sounds on virtually every song.
"It's in my honey, it's in my milk"
Verdict 8/10

Don't Look Back: The National

The National are an interesting band, just look at their members. Lead singer Matt Berninger is the only person without a sibling in the band. Guitarists Aaron and Bryce Dresner are twins, and drummer Bryan and bassist Scott are brothers. This gives The National a somewhat interesting dynamic, and I'm sure that it makes for a lot less band tension. The National have evolved from album to album, slowly becoming a powerhouse in the alternative rock scene. Couple that with an amazing live show and you have one of the best bands in America.

The National have 5 albums.

But Wait:

I don't like to rank EP's in this segment, but I would like to give something of an honorable mention to The National's 2004 EP Cherry Tree, which contains possibly my two favorite National songs. First of, the song that is without a doubt my favorite National song, "Wasp Nest". To me, the lyrics of this song describe the most perfect girl in the world. There is a certain piece of lyrics that goes something like
"Your eyes are broken bottles
And I'm afraid to ask
And all your wrath and cutting beauty
You're poison in the pretty glass"

That just speaks to me on maybe too high of a level. The musical arrangement is so beautifully subtle as well that it just makes it a near perfect song.

that's is the only video I could find, I don't know what's up with the girl.

The second song on Cherry Tree that needs mentioning is "About Today". "About Today" is the narrative of a couple that is slowly growing apart from each other. It has also become a live staple, which they have used during their encore every time I have seen them live. The violin in this song is intensely depressing, and it elicits strong emotions.

"Tonight you just close your eyes

and I just watch you slip away"

Ok, now that we have that out of the way. Let's get to it.

Stuntblogging The National

This guy knows how to party

This week I am going to write a couple of posts about one of my favorite bands, The National. This will probably include a ranking of their albums, a review of their new album High Violet, and a lengthy write up on why Alligator might be the best album of the decade.

See you tomorrow!

(for what it's worth the idea of stunt-blogging came from the great Max over on Hip-Hop isn't dead. check him out sometime at http://hiphopisntdead.blogspot.com/)

Album Review: The Walkmen: Lisbon

The Walkmen - Lisbon (2010) Fat Possum Records

The Walkmen's last album You & Me was amazing. Lush and subtle. It may very well be their best album. Two years removed from You & Me, The Walkmen return with Lisbon. As surprising as it is, The Walkmen are getting old. If you count their re-telling of Harry Nilsson's Pussycats, this is the band's sixth album. While we have seen them evolve through the years, even through a strange period where the members of the band all switched instruments for an album, they still technically play the same type of music. Jangly rock with stories about the city/living in the city/let's get out of the city lyricism. I don't want to say they are stuck in a rut, because they have proved that they still have the capacity to make great albums, but it certainly seems like they are becoming stagnant.

While Lisbon is a good, maybe even great Walkmen album, it leaves you wondering what could have been.

Links:

Grooveshark

Amazon mp3

iTunes

Buy Directly from Fat Possum

Track 1: Juveniles

"Juveniles" is pretty much your typical Walkmen song. The drums really pace this track. The other instruments seem almost subdued. Because of this, the "Juveniles" is centered on the lyrics, which seem to deal with a person trying to be two different people at once. Overall a good opening track

Verdict: 8/10

Track 2: Angela Surf City

Very reminiscent of a more whimsical version of one of their previous songs, "The Rat". We get a lot more energy from "Angela Surf City" than "Juveniles". You can feel that there is almost a calypso influence starting to permeate on Lisbon. The lyrics seem (to me) to deal with the singer liking a girl, and the girl feels at best indifference about him. Not necessarily new territory by any means, but I have to say I really like this song.

Verdict 9/10

Live Review: Virgin Free Fest At Merriweather Post Pavilion

Merriweather Post Pavilion is an amazing venue. I know there are people out there who will complain about its sometimes shoddy acoustics, or how the lawn seats can be hit or miss at best. While these points might be legitimate, they are still mostly minor problems. One thing I can agree with is how ridiculous prices for alcohol can be, but that is technically true for any high level venue. If you want to pay $3-4 dollars for a beer, go to Johnny Brenda's. What makes Merriweather and other venues of its ilk such as the Festival Pier in Philly so great is their ability to bring the festival experience to any random weekend of the year. One such festival is the Virgin Mobile Free Festival.

Virgin Free Fest has the distinct privilege of being free for the masses. Although some people used this as an opportunity to sell their FREE tickets on re-sell sites like Ebay, for the most part it is a great chance to enjoy a festival for free. As long as you don't mind paying $8 for a hamburger and $9 for a beer. This years lineup was pretty interesting. Headlined figuratively by the reunited Pavement, it also brought big time acts such as Jimmy Eat World and Joan Jett together with critical darlings such as Sleigh Bells, LCD Soundsystem, and M.I.A. Sadly, the schedule was tightly packed, making it hard to see most of these acts, but who I did see ended up being pretty enjoyable.

So without further ado, let's review this thing.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

I have to admit that I really didn't know much about this band past the point that they are played frequently on Titus Andronicus' Pandora playlist. I had heard that they are enjoyable live from word of mouth at this years Bonnaroo as well. Keeping this in mind, there really isn't much I can say about this band. Their show was very enjoyable and the crowd certainly seemed into them. I would certainly recommend seeing them live if you get the chance.



For what it's worth, I was a kid in the middle. And I was sitting down.

Book Review: Philip K. Dick: The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch

What about [my] books? How do I feel about them?
I enjoyed writing all of them. But I think that if I could only choose a few, which, for example, might escape World War Three, I would choose, first, Eye in the Sky. Then The Man in the High Castle.Martian Time-Slip (published by Ballantine). Dr. Bloodmoney (a recent Ace novel). Then The Zap Gun and The Penultimate Truth, both of which I wrote at the same time. And finally another Ace book, The Simulacra.
But this list leaves out the most vital of them all: The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. I am afraid of that book; it deals with absolute evil, and I wrote it during a great crisis in my religious beliefs. I decided to write a novel dealing with absolute evil as personified in the form of a "human." When the galleys came from Doubleday I couldn't correct them because I could not bear to read the text, and this is still true.

-Philip K. Dick

*Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD

Philip K. Dick's The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (from now on known as Sitgmata is about pure evil. Not in the sense of "the most cruel, unhuman, monstrous, etc. thing you can think of; no, it is about the cruelty of having a chance to attain what you could never have.

It is an evil analogous to the forbidden fruit (which is actually discussed in the novel). It goes so far as to explain why God answering every prayer may not be in the best interest of the universe as a whole. Philip K. Dick has always had an interest in trying to explain God. In this novel he creates a synthetic God. Not only does this end up having consequences, it becomes a symbiotic relationship in which humanity is fed on by a parasitic alien.

Stigmata mainly follows two people. Barney Mayerson, a pre-cog (someone who can see the future in vagaries, such as being able to read the headlines of a future newspaper) who works for the Perky Pat Layout company, and Leo Bulero, the head of P.P. Layouts, and the kingpin of a drug cartel which sells the drug Can-D.

New Teaser & Behind The Scenes for Game of Thrones

This is the first book/tv show post on this blog. How Fun! The only fantasy series I am a fanatical follower of is George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. Much to everyone's excitement, HBO has picked up a David Benioff and Dan Weiss produced adaption of the books to begin airing in the spring of 2011. Here is the new teaser trailer released last Sunday:



All I can think of when watching that is the often muttered colloquialism from the series, where messages and news are mostly traded via ravens.
"Dark wings, dark words"

Here is the behind the scenes as well. You catch a brief glance of Aiden Gillen, who was great as Tommy Carcetti in The Wire, as Petyr Baelish, whom he should be able to portray amazingly. Sean Bean and also Peter Dinklage look good as well. Especially Dinklage, whose portrayal of Tyrion Lannister could easily make or break this whole series.



Needless to say, this is the most excited for a TV show I think I have ever been in my life. Should be an amazing ride.

My Favorite Albums: Titus Andronicus: The Monitor

Part I: Cause Tramps Like Us, Baby We Were Born To Die

"From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia...could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide."

-Abraham Lincoln, Lyceum Address

Titus Andronicus is from New Jersey. To most people that wouldn't be that big of a deal, but Patrick Stickles thinks otherwise. Of course, when speaking of the New Jersey music scene you will always find some poetic longing for Bruce Springsteen in one way or another. People certainly forget just how rich the scene has become. Even if they only release and album once every ten years, The Wrens are amazing. Yo La Tengo has been a mainstay for close to 20 years. Ted Leo, The Feelies, The Misfits, etc. 


To Titus Andronicus, New Jersey is a place that you run away from, but always end up returning to. 


"So I'm going back to New Jersey, I do believe they've had enough of me"


It is a safe haven of a sort. A place that holds within great cruelty, but also a feeling of nostalgia. Whether they are proud of it or not, it is home.


This contradiction is what makes The Monitor such a great record. Thought of as something of a concept album about the civil war, I like to believe it is simpler than that. It is the war of the self; the constant struggle between madness and consciousness, addiction and temperance, violence and peace. Just as The North and The South create one whole, so does the struggle between the left and right brain.

“I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. I am in earnest. I will not equivocate. I will not excuse. I will not retreat a single inch. AND I WILL BE HEARD.”

William Lloyd Garrison

Don't Look Back: My Morning Jacket

My Morning Jacket is a Rock act formed in 1998 out of Louisville, Kentucky. Lead singer/guitarist Jim James named the band after a jacket he saw with the letters "MMJ" written on it. My Morning Jacket's current lineup consists of:
Jim James: Vocals, Guitar
Carl Broemel: Guitar, Steel pedal
Tom Blankenship (aka "Two Tone Tommy"): Bass
Bo Koster: Keyboard
Patrick Hallahan: Drums

My Morning Jacket are more widely known for their live shows and relentless touring in the present than they are for their studio work. That doesn't mean that their studio albums are not good, although it is now becoming more apparent that the albums they make consists of songs that they just want to play live.

I guess I should probably admit that I'm such a big MMJ fan that I wrote this with little or no research, or much listening to the albums while I was writing it.

Grooveshark is especially crappy on this one. Sorry.

My Morning jacket has 5 albums.

5. Evil Urges (2008) Grooveshark

"This album nearly broke the band up" -Patrick Hallahan. When even one of the members of the band thinks that an album is polarizing, that's usually not a good sign. This album is about as uneven as anything I have ever listened to. On top of that some of the songs are just straight up bad (I'm looking at you, Librarian). Like I said in the intro, THIS is the album where I feel like it consists of just songs they wanted to play live. The sad thing is that there are, in between all the mediocrity, some very good songs on this album.
Highlights: Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt 1, Thank You Too!, Smokin From Shootin, Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Pt 2.

My Favorite Albums: Los Campesino! - Hold On Now, Youngster

My Favorites Albums is a piece in which I will talk about albums that I love. I pretty much made a big ol' playlist of my favorite albums, and will randomly pick one from time to time to write about.

Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster (2008, Wichita Recordings (UK), Arts & Crafts (NA))

LINKS:
Grooveshark
iTunes
Amazon mp3
Metacritic

PART I: INTRO (Or, how I came to like a twee band)


There used to be a nice little site called Fabchannel. Fabchannel streamed and archived live shows from their native Amsterdam for anyone to watch online (here is a link if you like, but sadly the site has been shut down). I used to go there occasionally to watch live shows from bands like Okkervil River, Wilco, M. Ward, etc. The ads on the site usually revolved around one of the upcoming shows they were recording. Around the time that I used to frequent the site, they were advertising for an up and coming English band from Wales, known as Los Campesinos!. Originally the song they would play for the ad annoyed the hell out of me, but the more I heard it the more it grew on me. Their fist album, Hold On Now, Youngster eventually made it to the U.S., to pretty strong reviews (exhibit A, B, and C). So I listened to it, and found that it was much more than just your average twee pop album.

Live Review: Titus Andronicus w/ Free Energy

Castaways, Ithaca, NY

Castaways is a bar in Ithaca. The only reason why I point this out is that fact that the first time I saw Titus Andronicus was at the debacle that was "Last Stop Penn State". I have always been under the assumption that Titus Andronicus would prefer guerrilla warfare in small venues and bars to big stages and festivals. Their amazing show at Pitchfork Fest this year changed my opinion on this (I guess it helps when the crowd is actually their to see you and not Fabulous), but like any good punk band, bars and mid level venues are their battlefield.

I would have taken more and better pictures, but all I have is a 3gs iPhone, whose battery was nearly dead by the time Titus Andronicus even took the stage. I was in the front row until the mosh pit started. It might not have been the biggest mosh pit ever, but it had heart. so for the remainder of the show I was either on the fringe of the pit or in the the thick of it, so no pictures.

Now to the review.

Album Review: Menomena: Mines

Mines is the long overdue return from Portland, Oregon's Menomena. It's been more than three years since their last release, the spectacular Friend and Foe. Menomena is an interesting breed of band. Their sound is not entirely that different than any other rock outfit, but there are layers deeper than we notice. Each of the three members sings song on each of their albums. They are fond of horn instruments. They are also known for creating a computer program (known as deeler) to help them make and record music.

Let's find out if Mines lives up to Menomena's sparkling reputation.

Grooveshark
iTunes
Amazon MP3

Track 1: Queen Black Acid
first off: pretty cool song name. A very well thought out intro song as well. starts slow and works up into a semi frenzy. The only problem with this song is that it seems like it's going to explode into something miraculous at many points, but never really does. The closest we get is a piano riff. Good lyrical structure for the most part.
Verdict: 8/10


Track 2: Taos
There is some of the frenzy we were looking for. A bouncy song both musically and lyrically. Dealing with self confidence and how it effects the singers relationships (which is becoming a common theme in their songs). Also: Saxaphone! Certainly one of the better songs on the album.

Verdict: 10/10

Track 3: Killemall
After two songs from Justin Harris (the de-facto lead singer) we get our first song from Brent Knopf. He has always been the most, i don't know, emotional? depressed? member of the band. His songs are always more filled with despair than the rest of the lot. Their sound manages to mold itself to each member though, and this song is another example of that.

Verdict 9/10

Album Review: Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

Arcade Fire grew too fast. Their first album, Funeral, was filled with childish wonderment and innocence. They burst onto the scene and quickly found themselves selling out larger and larger venues behind critical praise. You know your rise is meteoric when another band feels the need to write a song about how the hype is beginning to get out of hand (see "This is the Dream of Win and Regine" by Final Fantasy).

Their second album, Neon Bible, was nearly the antithesis of Funeral. Apocalyptic and brooding, it seemed as if the perils of fame and (at least probably seen by them) fake praise had taken its toll. Metaphorically it was as if Win, Regine, Will, et all had skipped their adolescence and early twenties and gone straight to the crushing perils of adulthood.

Now we have the album to fill this gap. The Suburbs, although musically subdued and constrained, is filled with longing and raw emotion. The feeling of being locked in an imaginary prison, all the while wanting to escape, is prevalent throughout.

This review will be slightly different than most. The Suburbs is clearly a very lyrical album. Beyond just rating the songs, I will post my favorite lyrics from each song.

Oh, and no stream links. Go buy an album for once assholes.

Listened to on vinyl, then mp3.

Track 1: The Suburbs
Right off the bat, we get a song about feeling stuck in the suburbs. Win (Butler, lead singer) dreams about the walls crumbling down, and being able to be free. Instead of wanting this to happen as he might have on Neon Bible, it makes him feel like maybe he is running out of time.

"So can you understand?
Why I want a daughter while I'm still young
I wanna hold her hand
And show her some beauty
Before this damage is done

But if it's too much to ask, it's too much to ask
Then send me a son"

9/10

Track 2: Ready To Start
Probably the closest to a simple meaning song. Dealing with loss of love and loss of self. Scared that his choices has compromised his vision ("If the businessmen drink my blood
Like the kids in art school said they would..."), The narrator broods alone by himself. The lyrics also touch on losing love and how it affects not only you, but the world around you. Also one of the better instrumental songs on the album.

"Now you're knocking at my door
Saying please come out with us tonight
But I would rather be alone
Than pretend I feel alright"

10/10

Random Song of the Night: Boys, You Won't

Jersey's finest, The Wrens.




Boys you won't remember
from the minute
you walked into the room
every letter started broken hearted
and ended way too soon

lived through underrated
getting jaded
to wind up with no one
hiding in new places, getting wasted
singing "I guess we're done"

I don't want you to wonder why
it won't do any good
you don't know what you got into
until you know when its all gone wrong

And I don't the feel the need to try and explain
excuses sounding the same
your gonna find your gonna find im
im feeling down, but i stood up
dead up of the ground, but i stood up
lost without a sound, but i stood up
facing your not around, but i stood up
you want me, you want me


Dont know what you got on me
ill even it just you wait and see

And I don't the feel the need to try and explain
excuses sounding the same
your gonna find your gonna find im
im feeling down, but i stood up
dead up of the ground, but i stood up
lost without a sound, but i stood up
facing your not around, but i stood up
you want me, you want me

Posted because this is one of my favorite youtube videos:

Album Review: Wolf Parade: Expo 86

When we last left our heroic adventurers, they had released their second album, At Mount Zoomer. While it was at points an uneven mess, it contained some absolutely brilliant songs. Since their debut, people have always said that Wolf Parade was more a product of its parts (specifically keyboardist/vocalist Spencer Krug and Guitarist/vocalist Dan Boeckner) than a whole machine. Expo 86 is the first album by Wolf Parade that has felt even remotely like a fully cohesive band. So without further ado, let's dig into this bad boy.

Here is the Grooveshark Link

Track 1. Cloud Shadow on the Mountain
A very abrupt opening to an album. No instrumental intro, just Krug blaring his vocalized wail with no warning. Not the best choice for an opening track, but overall not a bad song at all. It is definitely a very Spencer Krug powered song though (I should probably admit I've always favored him over Boeckner). You can certainly feel shades of his solo project, Sunset Rubdown, within. Like many Krug songs, it begins to ramble a little to much towards the end.
Verdict 8/10

Track 2. Palm Road
Boeckner's turn. A very straight forward rock song, as is his wont. The stylistic change halfway through the song really picks it up, with a little keyboard work added in, it becomes a better song than it started.
8/10

Track 3: What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had To Be This Way)
The first real epic song. Starts with a very noticeable guitar riff, with the keys coming in soon after. Possibly Krug's best lyricism on the album ( "I don't think I should be sorry for things I do in dreams"). So far, the most well balanced song that they may have put together since their debut.
10/10

Don't Look Back: Okkervil River

Don't Look Back will feature an artist with at least three albums released. I will review and rank the albums throughout a bands history. This installment will chart Okkervil River.

Okkervil River began as three high school friends in New Hampshire: Will Sheff (vocals, guitar), Zach Thomas (Bass, Mandolin), and Seth Warren (Drums). After a hiatus that saw the members go to college in different parts of the U.S., Will and Seth met up together in Austin, Texas, and Okkervil River was formed. The name comes from a Tatyana Tolstaya short story. Jonathan Meiburg (vocals, piano, guitar, etc.) would join that band soon after the release of their first work Stars To Small To Use, in 1999. Their current lineup is missing all these key members except Will Sheff. Zach Thomas left the band to help raise his first child. Jonathan Meiburg is now the front man and creative power behind the band Shearwater (which is also a great band). Seth left and lives in Wisconsin. Although most of the founding members of Okkervil River have departed, the main creative force in the band was always Will Sheff, so the Okkervil River name soldiers on.

If you want, Will has written a pretty in-depth history of the band on their website

Okkervil River has five albums.

5. The Stand-Ins (2008) Grooveshark
The Stand-ins is the ying to The Stage Names yang. It is about the people that never made it. The bar bands and opening acts. The songs are still epic and expansive, but it is hurt by the fact that it followed The Stage Names so quickly, and will probably always be overlooked because of that. Do not let that fool you though; there is some amazing songs on this album, even though it suffers from being uneven.
Highlights: Lost Coastlines, Blue Tulip, On Tour With Zykos

The Top 25 Albums of 2009

Yes, I'm aware that it is July 2010. To start this blog off I decided I would just throw up something that I had already finished writing but didn't have a place to post. So without further ado, here are my top 25 albums of 2009.

25. Bowerbirds - Upper Air Grooveshark Link
Upper Air is another record of restrained folk from Bowerbirds. Lyrics are still strong, but it feels like something is missing from this album.
Highlights: Teeth, Northern Lights

24. Memory Tapes - Seek Magic Grooveshark
Probably the most fleshed out chill wave release of 2009. Nostalgic and haunting at points
Highlights: Bicycle, Plain Material

23. Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care Grooveshark
This is ironicly Junior Boys Dullest album to date. But there are still strong points to be found within. Their style still shines through despite sometimes feeling too predictable.
Highlights: Parallel Lines, Dull To Pause