http://www.lib.washington.edu/media/pitchfork/images/sufjan_illinois.jpg

Note: So I wasn’t going to do the whole best of the decade thing that’s become a big fad, but what the fuck? It’s fun.

I started thinking about my favorite album of the decade at some point a few months ago and I realized something strange. I’ve sort of stopped listening to new music in the last two years. This is inordinately strange for me. I used to scour ravenously for new bands and sounds and constantly badgered my friends who had similar inclinations. And now I find myself suddenly, well, disinterested. For two years, I’ve been listening to the same music I’ve always listened to (which granted, is a metric-fuck-ton) and revisiting albums I’d left behind.  It prompted me to picture myself in the future, 20 years from now, sitting and listening to some old Flaming Lips albums the way my dad still listens to his old reggae albums on vinyl (yay Ja Spirit!). Music’s like this train that rolls right along and you can go as long as you want. But when you stop to get off, you’re off. And right now, I’m off… I’m also content with this.

This is relevant to my point for one reason, which sadly involves another tangent: If you were to ask me what my favorite album of the decade was, I would have instantly answered Radiohead’s Kid A for some self-obvious and tangible reasons. For starters, it had a profound affect on me, both in terms of taste and how I physically listen to music. I still maintain that the album serves as the great Rosetta stone for how to listen for sub-sound and sub-melody. To boot, it just sounds so god-damn advanced. Like it’s made by those gastro chefs who can turn gasoline and cake batter into a some kind of edible ice tart. Which is not to say that’s what matters it music, just that it’s an easily tangible way to identify genius. So I started constructing lists and arranging stuff in my head and just always sort of assumed Kid A would be at the top of my list.

So now then, over the last month I’ve been listening to a bunch or albums from this era that I liked, and I found myself listening to Illinois by Sufjan Stevens over and over and over (I spend a lot of time in a car and still use good old fashioned cds. I’m not a luddite it’s just my Ipod was stolen forever ago and I’m still bitter about buying a new one. That shit’s expensive). And it was like some remarkable rediscovery of the album, far from it, it was something else entirely:

I realized: I listen to Illinois all the time.

I got the album when it first came out and it has never left my car. It has never been far off my Itunes. I routinely throw songs from it on mixes. I find myself whistling little bits from it. Most of all, I write to music and and I seriously can’t think of a better album to listen to while writing. I realized I literally don’t go two weeks without listening to a song from that album, and I’m not sick of it. And it’s been five god damn years folks.

I don’t consider myself to be predisposed to liking Sufjan Stevens. There’s a kind of inherent preciousness to his music that just begs for a nice reactionary/illogical criticism. But I have no interest in playing that role. I’m highly aware that there’s already a heckuva lot of, nay unanimous critical praise for the album, but it rolls off my shoulders. I really don’t care what people think of it. It’s really good and everyone knows it’s pretty good. It’s just I’ve merely been unaware of how much I truly loved it. Debate if you will, but I have nothing invested in this argument. It’s not like I’m trying to prove why it’s good, or relevant, or lovable, or sucks, or any of that nonsense we try to do when arguing about music.

It just is.

It’s an album that’s exists out of all other contexts for me. Something I enjoy on the most basic, if largely subconscious level for so many years. Unlike Kid A, which immediately go into my head and in my heart, Illinois has done than far more impressive feat of getting in my bones.

And that’s what I think matters. I could talk to you about the intensely personal song writing, the epic tone and feeling of the music, it’s rich sense of atmosphere, it’s alternating of upbeat with aching melancholy, while often slyly fading with its use of both at once. But all that sort of feels irrelevant. Music is the most intensely personal form of art you can relate with….

And this one got me in my bones.

-mgss

Addendum:

-I went with Illinois and not “Illinoise” because it’s intentionally confusing withthe album cover/actual naming.

-SERIOUSLY, when the hell is he going to make another for real album and not some crazy mixed media thing or unreleased B sides? I’m jonesing.

-Honorable mentions:

Kid A by Radiohead – reasons aforementioned

Funeral by The Arcade Fire -I can’t think of a better debut album off the top of my head. Just amazing awe inspiring stuff.

Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse – sure it’s the popular album. So what? I’ve seen nothing but a long list of critics looking for reasons to include the other MM albums on their best of lists and I don’t get it. It’s great top to bottom, why can’t we acknowledge that there’s a reason this album hurled the band into the big time for a reason? I love The Moon and Antarctica too. Hell nobody love Sad Sappy Sucker more than me. So why do we have to pretend this one wasn’t even more awesome again?

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips – w/ this and MM, it’s the 2000s, otherwise known as when great bands that had been together for a decade got popular.

Late Registration by Kanye West – I’ve seen college dropout on more lists than this. Why? Because not as many people were into him then? There’s probably nothing more pretentious then a pretentious rant about critics being to pretentious, but seriously I don’t get this. The Jon Brion produced(!) Late Registration is just a superior, incredible album.

Others: Kala by MIA, Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio, Stankonia by Outkast, Z by My Morning Jacket, White Blood Cells by The White Stripes, Turn on the Bright Lights by Interpol, Sea Change by Beck.

It’s an age old arguement but does alcohol keep you warm or does it just make you think you’re warm?

Song 3/Wednesdays Song: My Morning Jacket – Death Is The Easy Way

Ok, so it’s not the most optimistic of titles but look beyond that and embrace the warmth of this song. I first heard this song back in 2002 on a compilation CD that i got with Uncut Magazine one month (Jan/Feb i believe). At first i was a bit sceptical of it but over the months it grew on me and within a year or so it had became one of my favourite night time songs. Yet again it’s another song that evokes a warmth through not just the music but the lyrics also.  The voice and lyrics are enough but then there’s the harmonica at the intro that slowly gives way to the Southern picked guitars and the unique voice of Jim James, the washy sound of cymbals, the harmonica breakdown and the various spoken words that appear in the background at one point (listen closely). To me “Death Is The Easy Way” is the perfect song to play at a campfire or something along those lines anyway. Picture the scene. The air’s that cold that you can see your every breath, you’re wrapped up in 3 layers of clothing, scarf pulled round your face, woolly hat pulled down so all thats left visible are your eyes,  your rubbing your hands round a fire as the embers flicker up towards the midnight moon. Now imagine this song playing as the soundtrack. Perfect.

MP3: My Morning Jacket – Death Is The Easy Way

So who cares if alcohol keeps you warm or not, this song keeps me warm and makes me want to have a straight whisky to put an extra bit of fire in my belly. Unfortunately for me, straight whisky doesn’t sit well in my belly (tried it once in my younger days which led to me having a face to face meeting with my toilet) so i’ll have to give it a miss. The song will do though. The video is amazing as well.

Some say, death is the easy way
And i think they’re right
Cause nights tick by like a long week
Except when you stop by
And i know that trying gets nothing done
And i see you’re about dry

Cause nothing gets you high
You’re poor the day you die
And alcohol it only makes you tired
But seeing you feels good
And its always understood
That anything much sweeter would make me die

Take some time rolling back the line
And time goes all night
Some say, death is the easy way
And iknow they’re right

Cause nothing gets you high
You’re poor the day you die
And alcohol it only makes you tired
But seeing you feels good
And its always understood
That anything much sweeter would make me die

WARM RATING: SIMMERING UP NICELY

S.I.T Wolf  X

Let the music listing begin! Today, we have our longest list, the 30 best songs of the 2000s. Feel free to make it into an awesome mix. We did. Sound off in the comments!

30. “Dry Your Eyes” – The Streets
Few rappers show as much vulnerability as Mike Skinner does on the penultimate track of his rap opera A Grand Don’t Come For Free. “Dry Your Eyes” is one of the few rap break up songs out there, and it puts on the display of a musician not content to stay within the boundaries of a genre. (M)

29. “Biomusicology” – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

As Ted Leo’s solo career moved forward, and the world got worse and worse, his music got more direct, like William Shatner in The Twilight Zone, shouting louder and louder about the gremlin on the wing. But on songs like “Biomusicology,” from 2001’s The Tyranny of Distance, Leo hinted at a much more eclectic sonic palatte. Blending punk with folk, traditional Irish music, sweeping pop balladry, and classic rock, “Biomusicology” was and still is a minor revelation, declaring Leo an intellectually daring songwriter and musician, and there are few songs in his catalog as purely uplifting as this one. (J)
28. “Hey Ya!” – Outkast
There were very few songs to dominate the radio that never grew tiresome in the 2000s, and “Hey Ya!” is one of them. Though Stankonia remains the groups best record to date, this undeniably catchy track from Andre 3000 is a party classic that’s just as fun at the end of the decade as it was in the middle when it was released. (M)

27. “Long Distance Call” – Phoenix

Before SNL and Sophia Coppola, Phoenix were just four French dudes who liked The Strokes so much that they did them one better, making a dancey pop confection so perfect that you can’t help but move around to it. Giving the title to 2006’s Its Never Been Like That, “Long Distance Call” may start off sounding like something from Is This It, but then the spacey synth kicks in and, by the time it reaches its soaring chorus, its obvious that Phoenix may have beat the masters at their own game. (J)
26. “My Girls” – Animal Collective
Beach Boy-esque vocals and pounding base drive one of the decades best songs from one of its best bands. Animal Collective made a name for themselves with their unique sound, but “My Girls” blew them into the mainstream. Above all through, it’s just a really fun song to listen to. (M)

25. “Pushover” – The Long Winters

“Pushover” starts The Long Winters third record with a fake-out. “You’re going to be hearing some pleasant, wintery folk rock,” it says. “This is a Barsuk record.” Then the guitar and drums kick in and “Pushover” becomes a Big Star-esque ode to the ridiculous things we do for the people we love (and who don’t necessarily love us back). While not new ground for John Roderick (see “Stupid”), “Pushover” packages it with a great guitar part and some of Roderick’s finest lyrics, that leave so much unsaid (like “As you wade through the crowd/I sit next to you, the seat still warm”). (J)
24. “Wolf Like Me” – TV on the Radio
With the distortion turned up to 11, TV on the Radio blows “Wolf Like Me” like it’s the last song they’ll ever play. The closing lyrics, “Been howlin’ forever” might as well apply to the whole track, a raw, amped up song that is always fun to listen to. (M)

23. “Skinny Love” – Bon Iver

Somewhere (perhaps, but not necessarily, the backwoods of Wisconsin), a team of scientist gathered in lab and, after months of fierce experimentation filled with numerous setbacks, they created the perfect four minute delivery system for Justin Vernon’s rich, soulful, haunting voice. The result: “Skinny Love.” There’s a guitar on that song, and there’s drums, and even Bon Iver’s distinctively compressed production, but its Vernon’s raw, emotional vocals that make “Skinny Love” such a singular love song. (J)
22. “Someday” – The Strokes
Leader of the garage rock revival in the early 2000s, the Strokes had bigger hits than “Someday,” but few songs that were as catchy. A relatively simple song with driving guitars, bouncing drums, and Julian Casablanca’s howl dominate a track that’s symbolic of the sound the Strokes brought to the first part of the 21st century. (M)

21. “The Rat” – The Walkmen

“The Rat” takes the post-adolescent malaise that dominated so much music in the 2000s and fashions it into a giant mallet. It’s a violent, whirling ode to getting too old to go out every night. Hamilton Leithauser sounds even more manic than usual and that thumping drum combines with the bass and guitar to make a whirling propeller, pushing the song forward at thrillingly dangerous speeds. All of this makes the ending, when everything drops out as Leithauser sings “Can you hear me I’m calling out your name,” hit that much harder. (J)
20. “Hoppípolla” – Sigur Rós
A lush, grandiose song about stepping in puddles, “Hoppipola” is like the sound of the sun emerging from the clouds. Jónsi Birgisson’s falsetto floats over pounding drums, tinkling piano, and triumphant strings and horns as the song builds to a climax that will make you feel warm inside every time. (M)

19. “Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes

As Jack White turned into a Rolling Stone-approved rock god, his music became less and less stripped down. So “Seven Nation Army” stands as a kind of last hurrah for the minimalist rock aesthetic that permeated every element The White Stripes. Building and collapsing around one of the most memorable basslines ever. “Seven Nation Army” is pure rock and roll, distilled to its simplest pieces. (J)

18. “Westfall” – Okkervil River
Before Okkervil River became one of the bigger indie buzz bands on the scene, they Will Sheff and company released this dark and bouncy tune about an unrepentant murder in hiding. The music itself doesn’t suggest such a grisly scene, which makes Sheff’s line, “evil don’t look like anything,” that much more chilling. (M)

17. “Do You Realize???” – The Flaming Lips

After making music for over two decades, The Flaming Lips released a song that sounds like a thesis statement. “Do You Realize???” says that terrible things happen in the world and will continue to happen. Wayne Coyne is a realist, but he’s also an optimist and nothing quite sums up the worldview communicated by his music quite like “Instead of saying all of your goodbyes/let them know you realize.” A cathartic, climactic moment on an album full of them, “Do You Realize???” is a clear-eyed anthem that could be a first dance, a funeral song, or last call at the bar. (J)

16. “One Big Holiday” – My Morning Jacket
Few songs explode with as much energy as “One Big Holiday,” a standout track from It Still Moves. Louisville’s finest rip through the southern rocker so hard on the record, it’s hard to believe that live it’s even more energetic. A phenomenal song by a band unafraid to push itself to higher and higher heights. (M)

15. “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” – Wilco

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s troubled backstory sometimes overshadows how beautiful and thrilling and weird the actual music contained on that record is. Words like cryptic don’t really begin to describe Jeff Tweedy’s lyrics like “you’re quite a quiet domino” or “take off your band aid because I don’t believe in touchdowns” but feelings of sadness permeate through the beautiful, ambient noise of the song. “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” serves notice to listeners in the first few moments of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot: this record will be unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. (J)

14. “Mushaboom” – Feist
Before she taught us to count and buy iPods, Leslie Feist treated us to a peppy little number about wanting more but being happy with what you have. A song that’s guaranteed to get your toe-tapping, “Mushaboom” announced Feist as one of the decade’s best songwriters. (M)

13. “Digital Love” – Daft Punk

If A.I. taught us anything, it’s that deep down, even robots want to be loved. The concept of a Daft Punk love song sounds, in theory, like it could be creepy or stupid or wildly insincere, but they pull it off, thanks to a gorgeous beat and some legitimately emotive vocals. It starts off wonky, but by the time it builds to its “why don’t we play the game” crescendo, you suddenly realize that you kind of love the robots back. (J)

12. “Paper Planes” – M.I.A.
For a song with gunshots in it’s chorus, “Paper Planes” has done pretty well for itself. Those who knew M.I.A. before the track knew it as a response to her visa being denied to come record in the U.S. For those new to M.I.A., it’s just fun to sing the chorus and pretend to shoot a gun with your hand. Either way, it’s a hell of a catchy song that will soundtrack parties and bars for years to come. (M)

11. “The Funeral” – Band of Horses

The 2000s saw dozens and dozens of blog-approved bands who put out one great song, only to see the rest of their arcs go down in a flame of backlash at not being able to produce anything else that great. When sketched out like that, the story may apply to Band of Horses, but the difference between them and someone like Voxtrot is just how great their one song is. Combining twangy vocals, Explosions in the Sky-esque dynamics, and My Morning Jacket’s soaring guitars, “The Funeral” is a song that reaches its climax in about 45 seconds and then improbably keeps building and building into an anthem that’s still as powerful the 3,000^th time listening to it as the 1^st. (J)
10. “Casimir Pulaski Day” – Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens has a talent for finding beauty and warmth in even the saddest of circumstances, as is evidenced most in “Casimir Pulaski Day,” a personal song about the death of a friend to cancer. The plucky guitar and banjo, combined with horns as the song progress mask Stevens’ sadness and instead add a sense of nostalgia and warmth to an absolutely beautiful song. It’s a fitting tribute to Stevens’ departed friend and a reminder to remember the good things in life in the face of sadness. (M)

9. “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl” – Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene, for the most part, takes 90s cornerstones like Pavement and Archers of Loaf and blows them up to orchestral levels. But then where does that leave “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl,” a jangly slow-burner that features Broken Social Scene’s women contributors like Feist, Metric’s Emily Haines, and Stars’Amy Milian. The answer is that it doesn’t really matter. “Anthems” is a gorgeous, sweeping pop song that lends a sympathetic ear to the troubles of life as a 17 year old girl, one that is lyrically simple but emotionally potent. (J)

8. “Mr. November” – The National
What exactly is this song about? Hanging on to your glory days? Finding the strength inside yourself to triumph? Obama? Who cares? There may have been better musical moments this decade, but there’s nothing as cathartic as screaming along with Matt Berenger’s impassioned shout of “I won’t fuck us over! I’m Mr. November!” Every element that makes the National the National, from the Dessners’ guitar skills to Bryan Devendorf’s thumping, innovative drum rhythms, is in peak form here, making an anthem to whatever the hell mood you’re in right now. (J)

7. “Portions for Foxes” – Rilo Kiley
The narrative of the song is quite simple: Jenny Lewis is a girl that loves too fast and comes to regret it. But there is a sadness in her voice which helps differentiate this song from all the rest exactly like it. The song is indicative of a trend on the whole album, as Lewis ceases being just the pretty voice in the midst of the guitars, instead soars over it. Sennett matches it with a guitar line that weaves through Lewis’ as Pierre De Reeder’s bass and Jason Boesel’s drums anchor them to the ground. The result is a song that is crushing, pulsing, and soaring all at once. It is easily one the catchiest pop songs of the decade. (M)

6. “Stuck Between Stations” – The Hold Steady
The comparisons to Springsteen are obvious, but the opener to The Hold Steady’s third album, Boys and Girls in America, is the band at its best. Craig Finn is easily one of the best songwriters of the decade, and here he is at the top of his game, channeling literary references, hipster plight, and partying into one place. Franz Nicolay’s piano and Tad Kubler’s guitar combine perfectly underneath Finn, who thanks to songs like this, became one of rocks premier wordsmiths of the 2000s. (M)

5. “Maps” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

On “Maps” the Yeah Yeah Yeahs stopped trying so damn hard and just played music. The drums, the guitar, and Karen O’s voice for once feel united and they form a single force. “Maps” sounds like the end, of a relationship sure, but also of something much bigger than that. Karen O’s voice is open but not exposed, shaky but confident, and the band behind her has never sounded more assured of itself. Its funny listening to this song in the glo-fi, shitgaze context of 2009 and think about a time when everyone was worried about it was “sincere” enough. (J)
4. “No Children” – The Mountain Goats
“No Children” is a song has become a crowd favorite at Mountain Goats shows over the years, with fans merrily singing along at the top of their lungs. But the song is far from joyous, but rather an incredibly bitter argument told through the husband’s perspective. John Darnielle sings of abandoning friends, getting away from the town, and even bleeding all day from a shaving-induced cut. For a song as bitter as it is, it shouldn’t be this fun and highlights Darnielle as one of the best songwriters of his generation. (M)

3. “Rebellion (Lies)” – The Arcade Fire

It starts off simple enough, as the swirling outro to “Haiti” gives way to a bass drum. Then comes that epic bassline and ringing piano. And they never stop. For the song’s entire five-plus minute running time they drive forward, continually pushing as, around them, the rest of the band gets more and more out-of-control passionate. Like the disaffected youth that dominate Funeral, Win Butler is angry, and he’s angry about everything and nothing in particular in the way that we all were in late 2004. Paranoia, sorrow, fear, and anxiety are all in this song and yet, improbably, you feel better about the world when its over. “Rebellion (Lies)” is less a eulogy than a call to arms. It was “yes we can” when Obama was still in the Illinois State Senate. (J)

2. “Idioteque” – Radiohead
It’s important to remember when evaluating “Idioteque” just how different it sounded in 2000. There are no guitars hardly any actual drums, and in their place are atmospheric tones and drum machines. The song draws on trance and early electronic music, while still managing to pull in Thom Yorke’s bleak lyrics about ice ages and the end of the world with ease. Nine years later, the influence of this song is seen in every indie song with a drum machine in it, which can’t be understated. Of all the songs on this list, “Idioteque” is by far the most influential and the one that didn’t so much break the mold as it did completely disintegrate it. (M)

1. “All My Friends” – LCD Soundsystem
James Murphy came on to the scene with his humorous worrying that he was losing his hipster credibility on “Losing My Edge,” but his bleak examination of growing old in “All My Friends” finds him actually feeling out of place the older he gets. He has no regrets, but finds a certain amount of displeasure in growing old (“with a face like a dad and a laughable stand”) while “the kids look impossibly tan.” The song builds strongly despite the fact that it’s driven by a repetitive piano line (which one disapproving listener once told me could be used as torture), until it finally breaks open with Murphy asking “where are your friends tonight?” It’s an amazing song that decades down the road will remain an influential, perfect piece of music. (M)

Trying to put the effect that “All My Friends” has on me in words is pretty much impossible, the thrilling, off-rhythm piano line, the New Order song that springs up around it, James Murphy’s shockingly forthright lyrics. “All My Friends” is about The Scene, sure, but it’s more about the turbulence of life and friends and relationship and the fact that there comes a day when you miss all the bullshit that you complained about when you were going through it. Murphy is a realist and he doesn’t idealize the past but he still knows that its all worth it for all the amazing stuff you go through. “All My Friends” is a song that came along at a particularly turbulent period in my life and has stayed with me ever since. (J)

New Topic! Just started it. Its called “Video Wednesday”, and guess what? Its about videos! I think its going to be just music videos or live shows, but it could be other things, ya never know. So, without further ado, a really cool video from My Morning Jacket, for their song “Touch Me, I’m Going To Scream, Part 2″. Rock. Tomorrow will be new NFL picks for the week, as usual. Hope you are doing well.

-Reid

With a blog name like Random Ramblings, it is highly appropriate for me to just throw out some completely unrelated musical thoughts that have been floating around my brain lately. So without further ado…

I like all of Coldplay’s albums.  But after listening to songs off “Parachutes” for the first time in a while, I’m thinking it might be good for Chris Martin to be a little bummed out again.  Anyone with me? Maybe Apple can be a little terror. But somehow I don’t think parental issues will conjure up a song as haunting as the lovelorn blues of “Sparks” or “Trouble”.  Just wishing you a teeny tiny bit of sadness, Chris. Not too much, though.

I really like the new Them Crooked Vultures album.  Really good, hard, intelligent, original stuff.  But I think I will always like music that I connect to emotionally more than stuff that I think just rocks.  Each one has its own place/time, but as far as favorites go, the artist that wear their hearts on their sleeves still make the most lasting impression on me.

Somewhere, somehow, is Zack De La Rocha still mad about something?

Anyone else remember listening to Rick Dees’ Top 40 radio show in the late 80’s, and how he would end each show with the song “Two Occasions” by The Deele (featuring Babyface)? If not, it’s the song that goes “I only think of you on two occasions, that’s day and night”.

I think each season should have it’s own official band to sponsor them. Even better, a specific album by a specific band.  My Morning Jacket, “Z” can have late autumn/early winter.  Will have to revisit this thought for the other 3 seasons.

I wish there was some way to know the percentage of a band’s audience that is quirky (or to get right to the point, insane).  I had this thought after listening to “Debaser” by the Pixies for the first time in awhile.  While this is a great song, it is really REALLY odd and strange.  Or maybe the movie that inspired the song is the odd and strange thing. Either way, I wonder if Frank Black has trouble finding the right emotional space for that crazy laughing every time he plays the song live.  To start another Pixies tangent, I really like the song “No. 13 Baby”. But I could probably do without the long outro.

How outraged would the world be if they found out that all this time Stevie Wonder was only pretending to be blind?

Is there a better guitarist of the 2000’s than Jack White? Will have to revisit this in another post. But the solos in “Ball and Biscuit” and “Catch Hell Blues” make a strong case.

Last but not least, there is a great quote by Nick Hornby in his book “Hi-Fidelity”.  The protagonist, a serious music fan, says “What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?”.  Good point.  Was I sentimental before I listened to thousands of sentimental songs, or did they just reinforce that part of my personality that was already there? Did listening to “Mayonnaise” by The Smashing Pumpkins ad nauseum in high school give me a good strong dose of bittersweetness, or was that blessing/curse already residing inside?

Originally Posted January 3rd, 2009 via blog.myspace.com

“Top Albums of 2008″

15. The Killers ” Day And Age”

- A huge part of me would have liked to place this album a lot higher on the list, but I just know this band is capable of much more. Many music critics bashed this album claiming that the Killers had no idea what sound they wanted and the album was unorganized, I really enjoy that the band goes to different extremes, it truly makes them who they are… just wish they had more consistency.

- Favorite Tracks: “A Dustland Fairytale” “Spaceman”

14. She & Him “Volume One”

- I became fascinated this year with Zoey Deschanel, much of that fascination came from this album. Great sound provided by M. Ward with Zoey’s old school voice gives a sound that is very classic and enjoyable to listen to. No one could have ever guessed that a small song in the movie “Elf” would lead to one of the better albums I have heard in a long time. Great album for anyone who thinks everything was better before the 70’s.

- Favortie Tracks: “This is Not a Test” ” I Was Made for You”

13. Lil’ Wayne “The Carter III”

- I was originally very hesitant about listening to this album because everyone was acting like it was the second coming of Christ…. But I eventually did, and it is fantastic. I loved Lil Wayne back in the day with his album “The Block is Hot” and always thought he had a lot of talent. In this new CD he blows my mind, so much hip hop nowadays is mindless dribble that doesn’t make sense. Lil Wayne is very intelligent and poetic with his words and many times made me laugh a little out of disbelief of what I was hearing.

- Favortie Tracks: “Mr. Carter” ” You Aint Got Nuthin”

12. My Morning Jacket “Evil Urges”

- This is such a great album from a band that should really be more popular than they have been. My Morning Jacket has always had an amazing sound combining different instruments with many different vocal sounds. This shows on this album when in different songs they change their tone completely, see the amazing track “Highly Suspicious” for reference to that. Definitely purchase this album and support this band.

- Favortie Tracks: “Touch Me I am Going to Scream, pt 1″ ” I’m Amazed”

11. Haste The Day “Dreamer”

- OMG OMG. This freaking album. I never thought that the band would be able to follow up “Pressure the Hinges”… did they ever. Too many great things about this CD to list. Catchy choruses, amazing guitar riffs, very poignant lyrics, and great vocals. I was glad to see this album up front in many stores like best buy and wal mart. Its always great to hear a great album from the Christian Alternative genre, specially when the secular alternative music this year was disappointing (Gun’s N Roses…..ugh..god awful).

- Favortie Tracks: “Haunting” ” An Adult Tree”

10. Lady Antebellum “Lady Antebellum”

- This simply fantastic country music trio came onto the scene with an amazing debut album. I never got tired of this album and I listened to it consistently thought the year. The male/female vocal duets on the songs by Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott are fantastic. It is great to see a resurgence in the popularity of country music lately with acts like Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, and Lady Antebellum is helping out greatly as well….I really hope to see several more good albums from this band.

- Favortie Tracks: “I Run to You” ” Slowdown Sister”

9. Underoath “Lost in the Sound of Seperation”

- 4 years ago I would have never imagined an album like this could come out of the band on “Their Only Chasing Safety.” Every album Underoath has changed slightly into what I believe now is their true an honest form, and it works wonderfully. Every track on this album hits you hard, but is orchestrated in a way that seems natural. Every song also has brutally truthful lyrics such as “This is really my plan, To get out in one piece, Is this really your plan, To keep me lost and on my knees.” If you have never seen this band perform live, do that in 2009, one of my top 5 live bands…..insane.

- Favortie Tracks: “A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine” ” Coming Down is Calming Down”

8. Copeland “You Are My Sunshine”

- I truly believe that Aaron Marsh is part angel. His vocals on this album are fantastic. Every song is filled with intense melodic instrumentals to back up the great vocals. This year I used this album to get through days when life was a mess, any problem I had could be solved by lying on the couch and listening to “Good Morning Fire Eater.” It’s that good… it takes you out of yourself and into another place of mind.

- Favortie Tracks: “Chin Up” “Should You Return”

7. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals “Cardinology”

- Ryan Adams cannot fail in my book, I hope that he releases an album every year if they stay this consistent. The mixture of Adam’s folk sounding voice and the great music of The Cardinals is a perfect combination. Their sound reminds me of older folk/country music that I used to hear my dad play when I was younger. Ryan Adams continues to be one of my favorite acts this year and is also one everyone should go see, I saw him perform earlier in 08′ with the Cardinals and it was splendid.

- Favortie Tracks: “Fix it” “Evergreen”

6. Death Cab For Cutie “Narrow Stairs”

- No one writes and performs music like Death Cab, and it shows one again on this album. I would have liked this album to be on top of the list, but I always felt like it could have been that much better. There were fantastic songs such as “Grapevine Fires” and “Twin Sized Bed” that contained lyrics of vivid imagery that only Ben Gibbard could think up. Some of the simplicity the band used to have on albums like Photoalbum has been lost, which is what this album missed, only on songs like “Talking Bird” did I feel like I was listening to older DCFC. Still a fantastic band and another legendary album to their credit.

- Favortie Tracks: “Cath…” “The Ice is Getting Thinner”

5. Conor Oberst “Conor Oberst”

-For the first time since the late 90’s, Conor Oberst released an album without the band Bright Eyes, which he is known for and has blessed my life with. This self titled album is similar in some ways to “Cassadaga” from Bright Eyes, but definitely is a change, and one I really enjoyed. Albums like this and Josh Ritter’s “Historical Conquest’s…” truly make me believe in the great American singer/songwriter again. With a fantastic folk sound with help from the Mystic Valley Band, Conor Oberst sheds some light on his personal experiences and a sound that he seems really comfortable with. I truly love Bright Eyes, but a solo album was long overdue and I crave more.

- Favortie Tracks: “Sausalito” “Moab”

4. Jack’s Mannequin “The Glass Passenger”

-I was always a huge fan of Andrew McMahon’s voice and loved Something Corporate. I enjoyed Jack’s Mannequin’s first album, but always thought that they could have done much better. This time they released an album that is nearly dead on. Every song on this CD contains simple catchy piano rock with a unique sound that can only come from the mouth of Mr. McMahon. Glass Passenger once again proves that all good things come out of Orange County and I hope they continue on the path they are on with this record.

- Favortie Tracks: “Hammers and String( A Lullaby)” “Caves”

3. Snow Patrol “A Hundred Million Suns”

-It is hard to really explain my affection for this album. Upon first listen I didn’t really like it and tossed it to the side. Later in the year I decided to give it another chance and the record changed completely for me. Its like something clicked and every song spoke to me directly and I became infatuated with it. I now think it almost better than “Eyes Open”…which I thought was perfect. The lyrics on this album are incredible; no one puts poetry to song like Snow Patrol. There is so much energy and emotion to each track that portrays exactly what is meant to be heard and felt in the songs. This is another album that takes you into another place and paints a vivid image with the lyrics. Go get this album immediately please…

- Favortie Tracks: “Lifeboats” “If There is A Rocket Tie Me To It”

2. Joshua Radin “Simple Times”

-This album is a great example of how such simple songs can be so good. There is nothing extraordinary about the instruments, nor the lyrics that Joshua Radin sings. Its just perfectly orchestrated songs that are infectiously good. Joshua Radin has a superb voice and knows exactly how to use it. I was very surprised to hear this record for the first time and kept waiting for the next track on it to be bad and there were none to be found. It’s a shame that the media does not support music like this because it needs to be heard, this is how music should sound.

- Favortie Tracks: “I’d Rather Be With You” “Free of Me”

1. Augustana “Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt”

-I am often surprised by how much the band took over my life this year and how good they truly are. Most people only know this band for the ever popular song “Boston” featured on about every television drama in 2007. On this new album Augustana created for me a perfect image of what a modern American roots rock band should look like. The majority of my fondness of Augustana comes from seeing them live this year, one of my top 2 concerts of my life. With inspiration from folk music and classic rock, Augustana hits a chord with my musical tastes that few, if any, bands even come close to. I feel this band easily deserves the top spot of 2008 and anyone that doubts that should go see them live. Preferably when Dan Layus is sober…..

- Favortie Tracks: “Sweet and Low” “Meet You There”

Army of Me – My friend Annie put me in touch with these guys when I was trying to look for a support for DC gig I was putting together.  I’m having musical deja-vu hearing Vince’s voice after he sent me his new solo EP.  I feel like I’ve heard it before, but it seems completely new at the same time.  Take a listen and see for yourself.

Band of Skulls – Real ROCK music that reminds me of “Youth & Young Manhood”-era Kings of Leon meets White Stripes and Dinosaur Jr.  Just saw them open up for Metric and they blew me away…please keep you eyes out for these guys!!!

Person L – Ropeadope intern Matt kept hyping these guys, so I caved in and listened to their new album and fell in love with it.  Just because the lead singer used to be with Starting Line, doesn’t mean Person L is screemo trash.

Great Waves – My old intern Ryan went MIA for like 4 months until he sent me Facebook invite to become a fan of his new band.  I can tell what he’s been listening to lately based on what this sounds like:  My Morning Jacket, Bon Iver, Monsters of Folk, Grizzly Bear, with a dash of Built to Spill.  Am I missing anything Ryan???

Land of Talk – Part of the Broken Social Scene crew…that’s all I needed to be sold on it.

Do you think you’re band is better than these guys?  Email Me (subject:  5 New Bands) with one song that defines you and a brief one or two sentence description of your sound.  No more.  No less.

Wow, I never thought the day would come when American Dad actually makes me discover new bands that I actually enjoy! I just watched the episode “My Morning Jacket” last night and have since been listening to them quite a bit. Good stuff! Reminds me that I really enjoy singers who can make their vocals a vital part of the music.

Man I wish that I had thrown something like this together. Check it out on Paste.com here.

My personal fave: 2006.

He seeks working-class authenticity, taking pride in his full beard and the fact that he’s often mistaken for a homeless person.

I dig the hat.

All of a sudden I have this strong desire to go listen to My Morning Jacket…weird

Over the past two weeks we’ve been navigating our way through the best music of the past decade. So, far we’ve looked at the albums ranked 91-100 and 81-90. Today we will focus on the next ten.

80. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Master and Everyone (2003)
Will Oldham, the artist also known as Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, has been a fixture on the folk music scene for over 15 years, releasing slice after slice of dark Americana while never quite breaking through to the mainstream. This album was my introduction to his acoustic styling, which sounds simultaneously wistful and sad, several years ago and I have been a fan ever since. Songs like “The Way” and “Ain’t You Wealthy, Ain’t You Wise?” are great additions to the alt-country canon.

79. My Morning Jacket – It Still Moves (2003)
It Still Moves was my introduction to the decidedly Southern, reverb-drenched sounds of MMJ and I’ve been a big fan ever since. Taking a cue from Crazy Horse, Jim James and company have put together a sound that is simultaneously mired in the stoned-out 70’s and distinctly modern. Take my word for it, songs like “Mahgeetah” and “One Big Holiday” will have you dancing and leave you wanting more.

78. Bright Eyes – Cassadega (2007)
You can count me among the people who like Conor Oberst’s trembling, perhaps overly-earnest vocal styling and, though they have been quite prolific over the past decade, this is probably the Bright Eyes album that I listened to the most. The cryptic lyrics are a bit Dylanesque and the heavily reverbed music oftentimes sounds like the aforementioned MMJ, but Bright Eyes have constructed an interesting sound all their own in today’s music landscape. Check out “Four Winds” and “If the Brakeman Turns My Way” for a taste of what these guys are all about.

77. Various Artists – O Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
Both among the best movies and soundtracks of the decade, O Brother reintroduced many Americans to the almost forgotten styles of folk music. This album of songs taken from the Coen brothers’ great film turns to artists like the legendary Ralph Stanley and a great trio of Americana songbirds – Gillian Welch, Allison Krauss, and Emmylou Harris. In addition, the soundtrack also employs the fictitious Soggy Bottom Boys (played in the film by George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro), who are credited with two of the more memorable songs from the film, “I am a Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “In the Jailhouse Now.”

76. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (2008)
This project of the 2000’s greatest guitar god, Jack White, may not be on the same level as his work with The White Stripes, but it still rocks like few others can. Consolers of the Lonely does a great job in showing that White’s blues-rock guitar works well in a full band context as well as in a duo. Turn on songs like “Salute Your Solution” or “Many Shades of Black,” crank up the volume and enjoy.

75. Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris – All the Roadrunning (2006)
Guitar maestro Knopfler, of Dire Straits fame, and Americana songstress Harris may seem like a strange pairing on the surface, but this work is one of the best in recent folk music. The combination of styles makes for a nice, easy-to-listen-to album, and their familiar voices blend together on songs like “I Dug up a Diamond” and “This is Us,” to form a near-perfect union.

74. The White Stripes – Elephant (2003)
This was the album that first turned me on to the White Stripes and the incredible Jack White, so it holds a special place in my music collection. The running bass line at the beginning of the “Seven Nation Army” is one of the most inescapable pieces of the past decade, which is actually a good thing, and songs like “Ball and Biscuit” display White’s proficiency in the blues. While its not my favorite work of the Stripes, it is an excellent album and definitely a must-have.

73. The Shins – Oh, Inverted World (2001)
The Shins may not have changed my life like Natalie Portman promised they would, but I do really like their brand of indie pop. Their subsequent albums have not grabbed me like this one from the early part of the decade, but Oh, Inverted World is a release that everyone interested in the music of the decade needs. The collection contains a number of excellent catchy songs, from the best-known ones like “Caring is Creepy” and “New Slang,” to those that are perhaps less played like “Know Your Onion!” and all of them are very good.

72. The Decemberists – Picaresque (2005)
I first heard The Decemberists on Radio Paradise, following the release of this album in 2005 and quickly became a fan. Their style is unusual and original, sounding often like a relic from some past time. Though vocalist Colin Melloy can sometimes be a bit over-earnest, his tales of barrow boys and other strange characters are quite appealing to me. The song “16 Military Wives” was their breakthrough hit from this release and it is great, but I think my favorite is “We Both Go Down Together.” Overall, it’s definitely an interesting work that deserves to be heard.

71. M. Ward – The Transfiguration of Vincent (2003)
Nostalgia is a powerful driving force in the world of music, but there are few artists whose works would sound at home on a transistor radio like M. Ward. This album is soothing, comforting in a familiar way. Just put on songs like “Vincent O’Brien” and “Undertaker,” and be transported back to another time. Take it from me, it’s worth the ride.

 Ox may be relatively unknown but they are definitely legendary……..

Dead Sound is extremely happy that this Canadian musical collective has finally revived not only dust bowls but their musical output with the release of their new album, Burnout.  The album is Ox’s first new offering since 2006’s American Lo-Fi but continues their history of heart-felt and candid story-telling as heard on,  the album’s title track and Ojibway Diner. The touring “econo” approach Ox takes has helped create a genuine Americana sound reminiscent of Neil Young and The Band. 

 On Burnout, Mark Browning’s weary vocals are perfectly combined with the harmonies of his fellow long-term Ox-er Ryan Bishops, and gives tracks  like the re-worked version of  Miss Idaho a beautiful layered effect sure to impress new and older fans of the band, familiar with the track from its original inclusion on American Lo-Fi.

Burnout is available now through indie label (weewerk) and given the album’s current success on Canadian campus radio, Dead Sound is not the only one glad of the band’s return. If you have the opportunity, ensure you catch Ox on tour as performances by either the whole band or the frequent solo shows by Mark Browning  are opportunities to hear their music become even more alive.

As you will no doubt want to rock n roll every night to the music of Ox after hearing Burnout, here is Dead Sound’s, favourite Ox tracks from American Lo-Fi and their debut album, Dust Bowl Revival.

American Lo-Fi (2006):

• Miss Idaho
• Surrender
• El Camino Pt 1
• Awkward Beauty

 Dust Bowl Revival (2003):

• LA City
• Stolen Car
• She Shot Me Down

 If you like Ox then also spend some time with other Dead Sound favourites Deer Tick, Castanets and early My Morning Jacket.

www.oxmusic.ws

(Weewerk)

You’ve got to love a song where the lead singer sings in falsetto from beginning to end. Especially, when it’s called “Evil Urges”.

My Morning Jacket “Evil Urges”

Like what you see feel free to email me at tad@creativesquall.com and don’t forget to become a fan on Facebook. Check out the Creative Squall website to see how sketches grow up to be complete ideas.

Who doesn’t love a good indie Christmas song?

1. Christmas Party – The Walkmen
2. It’s Only Christmas – As Tall As Lions
3. Happy Christmas (War is Over) – Damien Rice
4. Splitting up Christmas – Kevin Devine
5. Christmas Time is Here Again (Bring Out the Joy!) – My Morning Jacket
6. Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved it!) – Sufjan Stevens
7. Happy Christmas (War is Over) – Thrice
8. White Christmas – Bright Eyes
9. Jinglebell Rock – Arcade Fire
10. Happy Christmas (War is Over) – The Polyphonic Spree
11. It’s Christmas Time – Yo La Tengo
12. Holly Jolly Christmas – The Format
13. The First Noel – Bright Eyes
14. Get Behind Me, Santa! – Sufjan Stevens
15. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Death Cab for Cutie
16. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Daphne Loves Derby
17. The Christmas Song – The Raveonettes
18. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Bright Eyes

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The NME got in on the act early. This Sunday the Observer Music Monthly publishes its top 50. So I thought I might as well have a go. I wanted to get mine done first and see how much common ground I’ve got with the OMM seeing as its my favourite music mag. It’s harder than you’d think to select just 50 albums that span 2000-2009. I’ve had to leave out some records I really like. But here we go… Please comment as you feel necessary!

50 – Daft Punk: Discovery.

49 – Bob Dylan: Modern Times.

48 – Camille: Le Fil.

47 – Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.

46 – The Blue Nile: High.

45 – New Order: Get Ready.

44 – Mercury Rev: All Is Dream.

43 – R.E.M.: Accelerate.

42 – Fionn Regan: The End Of History.

41 – The Beatles: Love.

40 – The Avalanches: Since I Met You.

39 – Badly Drawn Boy: The Hour Of Bewilderbeast.

38 – Roots Manuva: Awfully Deep.

37 – Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever ago.

36 – Mark B & Blade: The Unknown.

35 – Coldplay: Parachutes.

34 – Malcolm Middleton: Into The Woods.

33 – Seafood: When Do We Start Fighting…

32 – Doves: The Last Broadcast.

31 – Duke Special: Songs From The Deep Forest.

30 – Morrissey: You Are The Quarry.

29 – Guillemots: Through The Windowpane.

28 – Bruce Springsteen: The Rising.

27 – The Gaslight Anthem: The ‘59 Sound.

26 – Billy Bragg & Wilco: Mermaid Avenue Vol. II

25 – Richard Hawley: Coles Corner.

24 – Fleet Foxes:  Fleet Foxes.

23 – Athlete: Vehicles & Animals.

22 – Spin Doctors: Nice Talking To Me.

21 – Sigur Ros: Takk…

20 – Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain.

19 – Maxïmo Park: A Certain Trigger.

18 – Delirious?: Glo.

17 – The Shins: Wincing The night Away.

16 – Ben Folds: Rockin’ The Suburbs.

15 – Green Day: American Idiot.

14 – Neil Young: Living With War.

13 – Ray Lamontagne: Til The Sun Turns Black.

12 – Death Cab For Cutie: Narrow Stairs.

11 – Idlewild: The Remote Part.

10 – Johnny Cash: American IV: The Man Comes Around

An extraordinary achievement for a man in his final year. Johnny Cash’s last ‘proper’ album has the power to bring me to the edge of tears. I bought it the week he died in 2003 and played it a lot. A mixture of originals and covers, Rick Rubin’s brilliant production means there’s pathos dripping from every track. ‘Hurt’ is one of the songs of the decade which couldn’t even be ruined by that dire Nike advert. When I first heard ‘I Hung My Head’ it stopped me dead in my tracks. Just like most of the rest of this awesome album.

9 - Interpol: Turn On The Bright Lights.

I think there’s a good case to be made for Interpol as the band of the decade. To my shame I’m yet to see them live but their three dark, brooding and melodic albums demand that I get round to it soon. I think their debut is the pick of the bunch. Starting with ‘Untitled’ which takes its cues from the shoegazing bands of the early 90’s, the album goes onto channel the best of My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division and classic Krautrock. I suppose it can be said about all the records in the list but I can’t listen to this album too many times. It sends me to sleep, it wakes me up and generally soundtracks my life.

8 – Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend.

The drums alone deserve some kind of award. Chris Tomson is, for my money, the best drummer in a rock band at the moment. But this isn’t Keith Moon fury, or John Bonham theatrics. He sees the drum kit as a melodic and harmonic instrument. The kit is a lead instrument here and when allied to fantastic songwriting, it’s a winning combination. The African influence if overstated (this isn’t even the noughties’ Graceland, let alone Fela Kuti or Ali Farka Touré). However, the hints of afrobeat are enough to make this stand out from the crowd. Walcott is a great track – but there aren’t any duds here.

7 – Grandaddy: The Sophtware Slump.

This outstanding record is often compared favourably with ‘OK Computer’. Well, I’ll put my cards on the table. There’s only one winner; and it isn’t Radiohead. Grandaddy are impossible to categorise, but this record combines the best bits of alt-country, electronica and post-rock. The audacity of a 9 minute opening track has been matched by many bands. The difference is they’ve not made a song as arresting as ‘He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s The Pilot’. ‘The Crystal Lake’ is among the best songs of the decade while ‘Undreneath The Weeping Willow’ showcases a brilliant knack for melancholy. Released at the start of the decade, very few records have got anywhere near matching Grandaddy’s Magnum Opus.

6 – The Hold Steady: Boys And Girls in America.

‘Best bar band in the world blah… blah… blah’ said the music press. Talk about damning with faint praise. The Hold Steady are one of the greatest bands of the 21st Century, full stop. And though their earlier albums are packed with gems, this breakthrough album sees their manifesto fulfilled. How many bands could start a record quoting Jack Kerouac but never fail to be fun? The sound was compared to classic E Street Band and that’s probably as close as you can get to describing this joyous racket. Craig Finn’s lyrics are always interesting and frequently brilliant. So looking at our checklist we’ve got superb music, superb lyrics and some guys that seem delighted just to be playing rock and roll. It’ll do for me.

5 – Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid.

I suppose too much has already been written about this album. It’d be easy to include ‘Asleep In The Back’ to prove I’ve liked Elbow since I used to play them on student radio in 2000. But that would miss the point: for once, the awards committees, journalists and hype-merchants got it right. This is an amazing album. There’s not an average track in sight in an hour’s running time. Picking highlights almost seems crazy, but ‘Grounds For Divorce’ and ‘On A Day Like This’ have deservedly grabbed the headlines and soundtracked a million daytime DIY programmes. But some of the less well know tracks contain stunning music and lyrics. When Guy Garvey croons ”We kiss like we invented it” on ‘Mirrorball’ it’s enough to melt your heart.  We await their next move with eager anticipation.

4 - Midlake: The Trials of Van Occupanther.

Take a moderately successful Texan indie band and give them a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’. Stand well back and light the blue touch-paper. Doesn’t sound promising does it? How wrong could we be??? This was THE album of 2006. Inventive harmonies, layered synths and lyrics pining for the antebellum South came together to produce a stunning record. The guitar solo that comes halfway through ‘Head Home’ is one of my favourite musical moments of the decade, but this album contains several contenders for that title. The real genius of ‘…Van Occupanther’ is its ability to keep you on your toes. Just when you think it may slip into mid 70’s FM rock pastiche, the band pulls out a track like ‘Young Bride’ which forces you to admit this is a record which is far more than the sum of its considerable parts.

3 – Damien Rice: O.

David Gray is a perfectly decent singer songwriter. The same can’t be said for the likes of James Morrison and James Blunt. But how any of them came to be spoken of in the same breath as Damien Rice is beyond me. The irishman deserves to be in far better company (Jeff Buckley for example). This debut album was a slow-burning word-of-mouth behemoth that managed to retain artistic dignity while being offered on 2-for-1 deals in Tesco. Its strengths have been repeated endlessly, but any blogger who can’t find room for Lisa Hannigan’s beautiful vocals, the stunning string arrangements or the strange re-working of Silent Night is a fool. If this album has a flaw, I’m yet to find it. I can’t pick one track as a highlight because the others simply look at me reproachfully and say ‘actually we’re all rather lovely’. And they truly are.

2 – My Morning Jacket: It Still Moves.

This album sounds like the best party you’ve ever been to. If you want to label it I suppose it’s alt-country. But what on earth does that matter when the music is as much fun as this? Don’t get the idea this is some kind of comedy record though. Howling vocals, squealing guitars and pounding drums fuse together to create a brilliant racket. ‘One Big Holiday’ has a guitar hook to die for, but this isn’t an album of simple pleasures. The genius of the songs reveals itself slowly. The first time you hear it, it sounds like these are well crafted and edited jams. But like Led Zep at their peak, the tracks are more cunningly moulded than that. Crazy Horse are another reference point and when talking about a rock and roll band there are fewer bigger compliments than that. It’s a long record (71 minutes) but unusually for an album of that length, it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Superb.

1 – Stephen Fretwell: Magpie.

I’m annoyed I couldn’t find a decent picture of this album without the parental advisory sticker on it. Ok, maybe it doesn’t make an ideal present for a toddler, but any parent who’s doing their job properly should be investing in this if their child shows any kind of serious interest in music. It’s as close to a perfect record as its possible to get. At the start of the decade, Scunthorpe’s Stephen Fretwell found himself in Manchester as a promising singer-songwriter. A little while later, he was in a recording studio creating some of the most beautiful music that great city has ever produced. By 2004 it was ready for release. In reality, the Manchester thing is a bit of a red herring. Fretwell owes little to the genius of the Smiths and Joy Division or the more prosaic talents of Oasis. He’s just a good old-fashioned acoustic troubadour. So who are the key influences here? I’d guess Neil Young, Bob Dylan et al. But that doesn’t tell you much about this record’s greatest strength. Fretwell’s gift for melody is astounding. Songs like ‘Emily’, ‘New York’ and ‘Rose’ are beautifully crafted and sung. But there isn’t a track here which leaves you cold. You may know ’Run’ as the Theme of ‘Gavin and Stacey’ but don’t stop there. Investigate it immediately. Buy it and love it. There’s only one album of the decade after all; whatever the Observer says!

I can’t fight the overwhelming national love/belief/affinity for this holiday, as much as the socially conscientious (rebellious?) vegetarian in me would love to. At the end of the day I get to spend some very entertaining hours with my wonderful family; what’s there to organize a sit-in about?

John Lennon – Cold Turkey

The Dandy Warhols – Everyday Should be a Holiday

Grizzly Bear – Granny Dinner

My Morning Jacket – One Big Holiday

DM Smith – Thanksgiving Moon

Modest Mouse—The Moon and Antarctica
Epic, 2000

Despite the overwhelming success of 2004’s Good News for People Who Love Bad News, The Moon and Antarctica still seems to inspire the most resounding acclaim from longtime Modest Mouse fans. It highlighted a point in Modest Mouse’s storied career where, even though radio still wasn’t really playing them, they were becoming impossible to ignore. Their enormous fan base was built almost solely from extensive touring, and when a band plays together that much for that long, the music can reach insane highs. Moon proved two things about Modest Mouse to the world: 1) They weren’t going to be fading away any time soon, and 2) They were capable of much more than ripping off Black Francis. Those things were important to establish, but the record is actually much more than a stone of proof—though thematically similar to MM’s other albums, Moon has the ability to work on many levels. There’s a sort of code of ethics to its moral ambiguity, a kind of spirituality to its atheism. It’s a very human record that deals with human afflictions, while not failing to comment on how silly many of these afflictions are and how badly they cause some people to screw up. “3rd Planet” and “Dark Center of the Universe” have both become anthems on this topic in their own right, boasting melodic yet dreary guitar lines that tend to inspire ornery grins—the stuff from which rock and roll is brewed. Amazingly, Modest Mouse never lose themselves in this process of reinvention, a sure-footed attitude that no doubt helped to poise them for the great takeover. (Note: Though this album was reissued in 2004 with a new mix and new artwork, all the info in this review is based on the original 2000 release.)

My Morning Jacket—Z
ATO/RCA, 2005

Like Summerteeth did for Wilco in 1999, 2005’s Z changed how the world listened to My Morning Jacket. It showed the band taking their alt-country upbringings, slingshotting them as far off into the mountains as they would go, and replacing them with a more psychedelic-pop-oriented approach. Jim James’ songwriting may have taken a more upbeat turn on this record in favor of commercial appeal, but he sounds more driven than he ever has before or since. Plus, the songs on Z are still as emotionally immediate as his earlier gospel-inspired work; and on top of that, it’s easy as hell to rock out to them. “Anytime” sounds like a radio hit in all the best possible ways—the verse feels like a chorus, the chorus feels like a verse, and the bridge feels like Jerry Lee Lewis somehow avoided self-sabotaging his career back in the 50’s. “Off the Record” is probably what Sticky Fingers would have sounded like with some more reggae thrown in, with an extended end-solo a la “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking?” that feels more tip-of-the-hat than uninspired rip-off. James’ ability to humbly wear his influences on his sleeve while still creating unique rock music is one of the many things that make MMJ so much fun. (Note: This was the RGH selection for Best Album of 2005.)

Portastatic—Be Still Please
Merge, 2006

Superchunk may be the banner under which Mac McCaughan achieved his status as indie cult auteur, but Be Still Please (the 2006 offering from Portastatic, McCaughan’s solo project) is one of the finest records he has made—bold proof that he not only deserves more credit as a songwriter, but is in fact one of the indie generation’s greatest. As an album, it is a departure from everything McCaughan has done in any of his projects, boasting Dylan-esque arrangements and loads of unorthodox instrumentation like clarinet, oboe and bassoon. Given this fact, as well as the ultra-personal nature of the songs, one could wonder why McCaughan didn’t choose to release the album simply under his own name. It probably has something to do with the fact that—despite the overall melancholy tone of Be Still Please—he is still too rock and roll to pull that move. He could easily become the old guy who is still making music because a handful of people like him enough to buy his records, and to make it easier for them, he records and performs Michael McDonald style. But, as proven by the track “You Blanks”, he is anything but that guy: “All my songs used to end the same way/Everything’s gonna be okay/You fuckers made that impossible to say!” Whomever those “blanks” are, the tone is not an accommodating one, and it’s clear from this album’s beautiful beginnings to its whispery end that McCaughan is doing this for himself.

Generally, my morning jacket is an old t-shirt and a fleece and shorts. Nothing like this, much to my chagrin. Either way, it is a good version of a good song at a time when I am trying to make things good.

I am heading to Long Island tomorrow, to the home of Jay Gatsby, Theodore Roosevelt and some of the Robber Barons. I will sit with my Korean father in-law and laugh at his wonderful observations and know that when he looks me in the eye that he is interested. I will converse with my brother in-law and wonder what life is like in San Francisco. I will lament never having met my mother in-law as she seemed like a wonderful lady.

Work tomorrow then the New Jersey Turnpike to the Goethals Bridge (we were convinced when we first came back from Korea that this was called the Gertels Bridge based on my father in-law’s accented English) to Staten Island to the Verrazano Bridge to Brooklyn (and Coney Island) and Queens and then Long Island.

Back to Princeton on Saturday only to fly to Ann Arbor (via Detroit) on Sunday to meet the great people of the JSTOR office there. Just in time to celebrate their Christmas office party.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and all my best to everyone else. I will be cooking some mean blue cheese mashed potatoes. Pictures to come.

The Bridge School Benefit show in 2006 featured some great performances including Band of Horses, Ministry, My Morning Jacket, Tegan & Sara and Trent Reznor of NIN busted out some great songs like “The Fragile” and “Hurt.” The new live cd is out today.

Go here to get Vol. 4

A couple of mini news items for your Tuesday morning:

• Spoon has moved up the release date of their new record Transference to January 19. They also announced the first single, “Written in Reverse,” which will be released December 1 digitally and January 5 as a 7″ single. The vinyl-only B-side is awesomely titled “Mean Read Spider.”
• Today on iTunes you can get The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 4, the latest installment of compilations from Neil Young’s annual Bridge School benefit concert to raise awareness and money for children with severe physical impairments and challenging communication needs. Vol. 4 features live tracks from Death Cab for Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, Tegan and Sara, and Trent Reznor among others. It’s for a good cause and the previous volumes are great, so be sure to check it out.
• Speaking of My Morning Jacket, they were on American Dad, which is sort of amazing. Too bad they weren’t on a good show. You can watch it here.
• Lastly, the collaboration of the year has finally happened, as the Roots joined Dirty Projectors on stage Sunday night to play “Stillness is the Move.” Check out the video below.

We just saw the American Dad “My Morning Jacket” episode. They did a great job of imitating Indy in his Aquarius obsession over music…. The AD producer was more than addicted to the music of MMJ and JJ when he discovered the band and wanted to channel this into an episode … to find a way to express this through the cartoon. We think he captured the fan/music obsession we experience here at YATM… at least in part!

In the category of “What the?”, comes the recap of last night’s episode of Fox’s “American Dad!”.

I have to admit that I know virtually nothing about this show other than its inclusion in the Seth MacFarlane portfolio, but Episode 7 of Season 5 begs to be watched.

The episode, titled “My Morning Straightjacket”, has a bizarre storyline centered around the great Louisville band My Morning Jacket. 

My Morning Jacket's Jim James guest-stars on the animated American Dad!

I won’t even try to provide a recap, but both Spin and MTV have the scoop on this must-see concoction of inspired tribute to a band not necessarily accustomed to primetime exposure.

Thanks to Hulu, you can catch the entire episode (for now) here. 

MMJ fans, at the very least, should appreciate the opportunity to experience the band in any form during its current hiatus.

And everyone else can watch to figure out why Jim James just might be the sun.

The show American Dad on Fox is not one that I typically catch, but upon hearing that My Morning Jacket was going to be featured in an episode I was full of questions. How could a show that sucks so bad, feature so much rock? Could MMJ bring rocking to a show that I have never once had the inclination to watch an entire episode? Is rocking out really getting er done? So I decided that after the episode aired I would seek it out online and see just how rocking and getting er done could be incorporated into crappy television.

Much to my surprise the episode storyline is completely centered around the music of My Morning Jacket. The main character of the show, Stan, a normally straight edged CIA agent becomes enamored with the music of MMJ and drops everything to follow the band around the country. Throughout the episode fans are treated to many different clips of MMJ music both old and new. Yim Yames and the rest of the MMJ crew are all even given small speaking roles. Check it out in our Vod Pod Sidebar:

It’s safe to say that everything Conor Oberst has his hands in turns to gold. Monsters of Folk, who also features M. Ward, Mike Mogis and Jim James are just wrapping up their extremely successful tour this weekend, want the fans to get involved in the fun. The band has just released their new video for the track “Say Please,” which is a stunning display of an earlier carefree time in life. Monsters of Folk play to a group of 1920’s rollerskaters who seem almost oblivious the band is even playing. With beautiful colors and strings of Christmas lights, it’s a sight that must be seen.

Though Oberst and company are already looking ahead to the next video, and that is where the fans come in. Monsters of Folk are running a contest for the next single “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.).” Teaming up with Apple/Quicktime and Death & Taxes Magazine, the band is challenging people to make their own creative music video for the song. The winning video will be posted live, and the winner will also win $5,000, a Gibson guitar signed by the band, and a copy of the new Final Cut Studio Software. The Top 5 finalists will all win signed vinyl copies of the album from the band. Talk about a happy holiday!

To enter the contest head over to Shangri-La Record’s Website

Watch Monsters of Folk “Say Please”