The release of Thomas Meluch's (aka Benoît Pioulard) full length debut Précis was a quiet affair. It's been nearly a year since Kranky released that gorgeous, cogent collection of ambient pop, and it was met by nearly uniform (if limited) critical acclaim. painstakingly organised instrumental chaos. Meluch is a master of tact and dramatic restraint; despite the complexity of his arrangements, the build is always slow, always deliberate, and somehow always controlled. The standout tracks are some of the best 2006 had to offer, including "Palimend" and the stunning "Triggering Back." Go forth, and discover this artist. You will not be sorry, I assure you.
-PTC
Friday, November 16, 2007
Top albums of 2007: 13 & 11
Our relentless storm of year-end coverage continues today with our smallest set of reviews. In the interest of keeping the top 10 intact, we'll stop at 11. Two ties, for 11th and 13th place flesh out this post:
13. Seabear – “The Ghost That Carried Us Away”
7/16 on Morr
When people think of Iceland, they think of Sigur Ros. Nobody thinks of Seabear, an unknown band out of Reykjavik that has quietly released a better experimental folk album than hacks like Devendra Banhart can dream of. This is the very definition of a dark horse - surprise standouts await the listener at every turn. Tasteful, proper, charming, and moving. Absolutely beautiful in its unpretentiousness, “The Ghost That Carried Us Away” wears its heart on its sleeve, to captivating effect.
-PTC
13. LCD Soundsystem – “Sound of Silver”
3/20 on Capitol
Metacritic: 86
Q: 90
Pitchfork: 94
James Murphy is one of the "it" guys in music right now. Nike wants him, he's touring with Arcade Fire, and his name comes up just as quickly as Kanye West where omages to Daft Punk are concerned. From "Sound of Silver", it's hard to see why. Much of the punk flavor from his self-titled debut is gone as Murphy turns heavily toward electronica. For fans of electronica, this is a plus, as sprawling compositions with are embraced over more song-like tracks. Track length increased with additions of longer introductions and extensive codas. All but dropping both halves of his nearly singlehandedly created dance-punk genre has allowed James Murphy to become one of the great electronic composers on the scene.
-RJR
11. Iron and Wine – “The Shepherd’s Dog”
9/25 on Subpop
Metacritic: 84
Pitchfork: 86
NME: 70
Sam Beam has proven his mettle with “The Shepherd’s Dog,” cementing his place among the top echelon of musicians of this decade. Boldly eschewing his safe, finger-picking folk mould, he brings elements of rockabilly, jazz, and soul to this latest release, proving that he is making the music that he wants to make rather than just cranking out the music his fans want to hear. Artistic integrity aside though, it’s a hell of a record to listen to.
-PTC
11. A Place to Bury Strangers – “A Place to Bury Strangers”
8/7 on Killer Pimp
Metacritic: 84
Pitchfork: 84
Approaching the technical sophistication of Liars with twice as much verve and fabulous texture and atmosphere. Explosions in the Sky fronted by Ian Curtis with a shot each of My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and Mary Chain. All these things and more. One of the most visceral releases of the year and just outside the top 10, but damned if I'm going to call them the "loudest band in New York".
-RJR
13. Seabear – “The Ghost That Carried Us Away”
7/16 on Morr
When people think of Iceland, they think of Sigur Ros. Nobody thinks of Seabear, an unknown band out of Reykjavik that has quietly released a better experimental folk album than hacks like Devendra Banhart can dream of. This is the very definition of a dark horse - surprise standouts await the listener at every turn. Tasteful, proper, charming, and moving. Absolutely beautiful in its unpretentiousness, “The Ghost That Carried Us Away” wears its heart on its sleeve, to captivating effect.
-PTC
13. LCD Soundsystem – “Sound of Silver”
3/20 on Capitol
Metacritic: 86
Q: 90
Pitchfork: 94
James Murphy is one of the "it" guys in music right now. Nike wants him, he's touring with Arcade Fire, and his name comes up just as quickly as Kanye West where omages to Daft Punk are concerned. From "Sound of Silver", it's hard to see why. Much of the punk flavor from his self-titled debut is gone as Murphy turns heavily toward electronica. For fans of electronica, this is a plus, as sprawling compositions with are embraced over more song-like tracks. Track length increased with additions of longer introductions and extensive codas. All but dropping both halves of his nearly singlehandedly created dance-punk genre has allowed James Murphy to become one of the great electronic composers on the scene.
-RJR
11. Iron and Wine – “The Shepherd’s Dog”
9/25 on Subpop
Metacritic: 84
Pitchfork: 86
NME: 70
Sam Beam has proven his mettle with “The Shepherd’s Dog,” cementing his place among the top echelon of musicians of this decade. Boldly eschewing his safe, finger-picking folk mould, he brings elements of rockabilly, jazz, and soul to this latest release, proving that he is making the music that he wants to make rather than just cranking out the music his fans want to hear. Artistic integrity aside though, it’s a hell of a record to listen to.
-PTC
11. A Place to Bury Strangers – “A Place to Bury Strangers”
8/7 on Killer Pimp
Metacritic: 84
Pitchfork: 84
Approaching the technical sophistication of Liars with twice as much verve and fabulous texture and atmosphere. Explosions in the Sky fronted by Ian Curtis with a shot each of My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and Mary Chain. All these things and more. One of the most visceral releases of the year and just outside the top 10, but damned if I'm going to call them the "loudest band in New York".
-RJR
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Blender goes there.
Oh no they dih-ent. I'll give you all a chance to digest this before I post my response.
http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=2974
-PTC
http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=2974
-PTC
Cease to Begin follow-up
Just to ram home this site's review of Band of Horses "Cease to Begin", Ben Bridwell really seems to be buying into this southern thing. Check out Pitchfork's Guest List from today. On top of the dust-up surrounding several live shows and Bridwell's general enmity towards performing "The Funeral" (Pitchfork's own eighteenth favourite track of last year), there isn't much love lost between this blogger and the Band of Horses frontman. Dissing your own concert attendees is generally not a great idea, nor is taking a dump on the one song that got you anywhere. Authenticity seems to be a problem with BoH, shilling for a Wal-Mart ad and posing as Southerners. Keep it real, guys.
-RJR
"The Funeral" controversy with awesome video!:
http://www.stereogum.com/archives/video/bandaid-on-horseshit.html
Today's Guest List:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/46247-guest-list-band-of-horses
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Top albums of 2007: 20-15
Here is the next set of albums we've ranked. The list, as you can see, isn't flowing quite out in groups of five, due to ties and whatnot. Anyway, here we go, a few more of the year's very best.
20. Kanye West – “Graduation”
9/11 on Roc-a-fella
Metacritic: 79
Q: 60
Pitchfork: 87
The best hip-hop album of the year. Mr. West must have done something special to rise from the most decadent, commercially-driven genre of music and be among the folk, rock, and house on this list. He certainly has, and while his third solo album isn't great, history and the music industry's self-promotion will inevitably cement it as a classic. Of course, the highlight of the album and popular music this year is "Stronger", a profound recontextualisation of the Daft Punk anthem. It's a shame that millions of listeners are unaware of the source material, much less the Edwin Birdsong original.
-RJR
19. Andrew Bird - "Armchair Apocrypha"
2/08 on Righteous Babe
Metacritic: 85
Q: 70
Pitchfork: 83
The quirkiest man in indie rock (a difficult title to win) has returned to follow his excellent “Mysterious Production” with “Armchair Apocrypha,” a collection of songs that show that Bird has grown up. Rather than highlighting his singularity by way of letting his obtuse lyrics take the forefront (as he did, to lovely effect, on “Mysterious Production”), he has turned his attention to arrangement and song craft. He is less reticent to pull out the electric guitar and throw in the kitchen sink, and thank heaven for that. Instead of “Mysterious Production” Redux, this record is far more nuanced, more subtle and confident than its predecessor was, and certainly more so than most other records released this year.
-PTC
18. Feist - "The Reminder"
5/01 on Interscope
Metacritic: 79
Pitchfork: 88
Q: 40
The cutest girl in indie rock (okay, maybe it’s a tie between her and Jenny Lewis...but that’s neither here nor there) knocked everyone - from Steve Jobs to your friendly co-bloggers - flat with this work of art. Feist couples the gritty sophistication of Broken Social Scene with her own brand of squeaky clean pop sensibility. Tack on the Feist’s sugary sweet voice and knack for understatement, and presto, you’ve got “The Reminder.” But don’t be fooled by its name; this is not a record any of us are going to forget any time soon.
-PTC
15. Sunset Rubdown - "Random Spirit Lover"
10/09 on Jagjaguwar
Metacritic: 76
Pitchfork: 85
Alternative Press: 50
“Random Spirit Lover.” is an exhausting record to listen to, clocking in at just under an hour. But it is, without a doubt, the most unique record of the year. It is far more energetic and honest than its self-aware predecessor. What proved infuriating about “Shut Up I Am Dreaming” was that Krug seemed so hell-bent on proving that he was an innovator that he forgot to write a listenable record. Here, he has settled into himself, and the result is a record that actually is brilliant. The record is true to its name - it is charmingly erratic and incurably effervescent. This is Spencer Krug doing what he wants, not what he thinks a side project should sound like. He is no longer trying to escape his Wolf Parade roots, but instead tastefully incorporates them here.
-PTC
15. Battles - "Mirrored"
5/22 on Warp
Metacritic: 86
Pitchfork: 91
NME: 80
Say what you will about Battles, say what you will about this record, few releases this year make you listen more closely than “Mirrored” does. It is challenging in every sense of the word, but that makes it ultimately fulfilling. You don’t need to like it to appreciate its merit as music. And the record is rife with innovative flashes of brilliance. Battles are not going anywhere, so you may as well get used to the sound.
-PTC
15. Justice - "Cross"
6/10 on Vice
Metacritic: 81
Pitchfork: 84
NME: 60
Aping the Daft Punk aesthetic is a better technique than sampling them wholesale, judging by this list. In a genre where everyone aspires to copy Guy and Thomas, Gaspard and Xavier do a better job than just about anyone else. The album throughout articulates such grand notions about where dance music has been and is headed that it simply cannot be ignored.
-RJR
Our album of the year coverage will continue in future posts.
20. Kanye West – “Graduation”
9/11 on Roc-a-fella
Metacritic: 79
Q: 60
Pitchfork: 87
The best hip-hop album of the year. Mr. West must have done something special to rise from the most decadent, commercially-driven genre of music and be among the folk, rock, and house on this list. He certainly has, and while his third solo album isn't great, history and the music industry's self-promotion will inevitably cement it as a classic. Of course, the highlight of the album and popular music this year is "Stronger", a profound recontextualisation of the Daft Punk anthem. It's a shame that millions of listeners are unaware of the source material, much less the Edwin Birdsong original.
-RJR
19. Andrew Bird - "Armchair Apocrypha"
2/08 on Righteous Babe
Metacritic: 85
Q: 70
Pitchfork: 83
The quirkiest man in indie rock (a difficult title to win) has returned to follow his excellent “Mysterious Production” with “Armchair Apocrypha,” a collection of songs that show that Bird has grown up. Rather than highlighting his singularity by way of letting his obtuse lyrics take the forefront (as he did, to lovely effect, on “Mysterious Production”), he has turned his attention to arrangement and song craft. He is less reticent to pull out the electric guitar and throw in the kitchen sink, and thank heaven for that. Instead of “Mysterious Production” Redux, this record is far more nuanced, more subtle and confident than its predecessor was, and certainly more so than most other records released this year.
-PTC
18. Feist - "The Reminder"
5/01 on Interscope
Metacritic: 79
Pitchfork: 88
Q: 40
The cutest girl in indie rock (okay, maybe it’s a tie between her and Jenny Lewis...but that’s neither here nor there) knocked everyone - from Steve Jobs to your friendly co-bloggers - flat with this work of art. Feist couples the gritty sophistication of Broken Social Scene with her own brand of squeaky clean pop sensibility. Tack on the Feist’s sugary sweet voice and knack for understatement, and presto, you’ve got “The Reminder.” But don’t be fooled by its name; this is not a record any of us are going to forget any time soon.
-PTC
15. Sunset Rubdown - "Random Spirit Lover"
10/09 on Jagjaguwar
Metacritic: 76
Pitchfork: 85
Alternative Press: 50
“Random Spirit Lover.” is an exhausting record to listen to, clocking in at just under an hour. But it is, without a doubt, the most unique record of the year. It is far more energetic and honest than its self-aware predecessor. What proved infuriating about “Shut Up I Am Dreaming” was that Krug seemed so hell-bent on proving that he was an innovator that he forgot to write a listenable record. Here, he has settled into himself, and the result is a record that actually is brilliant. The record is true to its name - it is charmingly erratic and incurably effervescent. This is Spencer Krug doing what he wants, not what he thinks a side project should sound like. He is no longer trying to escape his Wolf Parade roots, but instead tastefully incorporates them here.
-PTC
15. Battles - "Mirrored"
5/22 on Warp
Metacritic: 86
Pitchfork: 91
NME: 80
Say what you will about Battles, say what you will about this record, few releases this year make you listen more closely than “Mirrored” does. It is challenging in every sense of the word, but that makes it ultimately fulfilling. You don’t need to like it to appreciate its merit as music. And the record is rife with innovative flashes of brilliance. Battles are not going anywhere, so you may as well get used to the sound.
-PTC
15. Justice - "Cross"
6/10 on Vice
Metacritic: 81
Pitchfork: 84
NME: 60
Aping the Daft Punk aesthetic is a better technique than sampling them wholesale, judging by this list. In a genre where everyone aspires to copy Guy and Thomas, Gaspard and Xavier do a better job than just about anyone else. The album throughout articulates such grand notions about where dance music has been and is headed that it simply cannot be ignored.
-RJR
Our album of the year coverage will continue in future posts.
The top 25 records of 2007: Summary and HM-21
2007 was a year full of surprises. So many bands surprised us with magnificent records, so many others disappointed us terribly. But that’s par for the course. Populist music has its pitfalls, but also its benefits, as Okkervil River so adeptly proved with “The Stage Names.” The music industry most definitely does need to take a very careful look at itself, but so too do the consumers: the top ten songs in the iTunes Music Store is populated by the likes of Flo Rida, Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, Finger Eleven, and Matchbox Twenty (what?).
Listeners are lazy, so the industry doesn’t need to have standards anymore. There are those of us who still care about a quality product, those who shun Soulja Boy in favour of Sunset Rubdown, who say a resounding “Fuck you” to Rihanna and spin Radiohead instead. But our numbers are dwindling. It is reassuring to know, however, that in the midst of this bleak scene, listing the 25 best albums of this year was still a difficult feat. It is a reminder that just like those of us who care about listening to good music, there are some who still care about making it. We can only hope that such artists will still be around in a year’s time.
-PTC
Another year gone by. Mainstream music has seemed to slip further into the abyss. Corporate rock continues to be on the march toward the complete domination of soccer mom-friendly ballads. Pop Lolitas-turned-pop prostitutes known now only by first names rule the top 40. The Backstreet Boys put out a new album. Britney Spears put out a new album! A song about how to deal with women that aren't willing to sleep with you by some kind of Soldier person topped the charts for weeks. Just off the radar, Radiohead pulled their album release stunt. Apparently frustrated by musical and political malaise, old favourites like Rage Against the Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Daft Punk and the Stooges reunited to play festival after festival without so much more than token new material. The best tours from newer artists were mostly hangovers from last year's best albums, from The Decemberists and The Hold Steady, especially.
Even with so little original music, there were a few gems this year and we'd like to summarise them here. We've aggregated our picks for the top albums of this year and list them in ascending order five a day, with a complete list at the end. With the exception of the winner, one of us shares some thoughts about each album. In addition, we'll include date of release, the label responsible, and some idea of reception by other critics (aggregator Metacritic, Pitchfork Media, and a British publication, preferably Q Magazine).
-RJR
And the best records this year:
Bonus! Two albums just off of the top 25 list:
Explosions in the Sky – “All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone”
2/20 on Temporary Residence
Metacritic : 80
Q: 70
Pitchfork: 60
After last year's limited release of The Rescue EP, fans of Explosions weren't really sure what their favourite Texas post-rockers would do next. They had embraced all manner of new instruments, shorter songs, and even some vocals. Perhaps a full album of Rescue-like material would have been too much of a leap, but "All of a Sudden" seems a bit too conservative. It plays up all of the beautiful, stormy guitar and percussion from their first three albums, though a bit more restrained and melodic than "The Earth..." and "Tell the Truth". It is certainly an excellent listen (especially live at Coachella this year) and really cements the Explosions aesthetic but it won't attract any new followers and without some changes, the band will have a hard time staying vital.
-RJR
Voxtrot - "Voxtrot"
5/22 on Playlouder
Metacritic: 71
NY Times: 80
Pitchfork: 59
The backlash - or maybe disappointment is a more fitting term - surrounding Voxtrot’s first LP was predictable. After the outrageous success of their series of EPs, the anticipation surrounding their full-length debut built to such absurd levels that no record would have ever really lived up to everyone’s expectations. People expected the same thing they got from the EPs - bite-sized twee tidbits that were easy to digest and difficult to forget. But Voxtrot was out to create a real album, not just a collection of songs. Their aim was clearly to craft a record that had some kind of arc, not just merely a static hodge-podge of safe, predictable, clever indie-pop. Do some of the songs fall flat? Sure. But this record shows a band that is not afraid to learn, and that will hold Voxtrot in very good stead on records to come.
-PTC
Today's five records:
25. !!! – “Myth Takes”
3/6 on Warp
Metacritic: 76
Q: 60
Pitchfork: 80
Nic Offer's bicoastal band remains vital despite the recent turn to more sample- and synth-based dance music. "All My Heroes Are Weirdos" and "Must Be the Moon" are highlights, with some of the best grooves in memory. The album in general is a move toward maturity, with the compositions tightening up quite a bit. All of this is carried off with whimsy that could only come from !!!. I missed them there, but by all accounts, they had the best performance at Coachella. !!! are often overlooked or dismissed, but "Myth Takes" is much more than a name.
-RJR
23. A Sunny Day in Glasgow – “Scribble Mural Comic Journal”
2/13 on Notenuf
Pitchfork: 80
Drowned in Sound: 90
This is undoubtedly the best record you never heard this year. A Sunny Day In Glasgow offers forth a scintillating collection of ambient noise pop that will shock you into rapt silence. The ebbs and flows of this record pull the listener gently along, calm - almost meek - but always insistent, always commanding attention. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing this record as structureless background noise, because you will miss out on one of the most enjoyable - and underrated - listening experiences this year has had to offer.
-PTC
23. Arctic Monkeys – “Favourite Worst Nightmare”
4/24 on Domino
Metacritic: 82
Q: 100
Pitchfork: 74
I cannot imagine a more hyped (some say over-) band on an independent label than Arctic Monkeys. Sometimes the hype is warranted, like on "Teddy Picker" or most tracks from "Whatever...". Certainly it is overwrought at times, like on lead single "Brianstorm" and their live show, which is disappointing at best. On net, they are a competent and often creative band . While the strength of their excellent debut was largely a function of Alex Turner's songwriting and versatility in tempo, "Nightmare" has much more banal lyrics and problems with speed. The band seems to rush through each song, trading the observation of the first album for nervous rants. Still one of the best straight-ahead rock albums of the year, it would have benefited from another year in production.
-RJR
21. Josh Ritter – “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter”
8/21 on Sony
Metacritic: 79
Q: 80
Pitchfork: 57
“If this was a cold war, we could keep each other warm.” Why hasn’t anyone thought of that line before now? This record is a clinic in pop songwriting technique. Few artists adhere so shamelessly and stubbornly to convention as Ritter does, and fewer still can make those conventions sound original and fresh. Ritter effortlessly transitions from pop gems like “Right Moves” to the introspective, understated ballads, like the stunning standout track, “The Temptation of Adam.”
-PTC
21. Liars – “Liars”
8/28 on Mute
Metacritic: 79
Q: 60
Pitchfork: 85
This is Liars fully realised. In time, this is likely to become one of the most loved noise rock albums ever and is among the best this century. Coming down from the great "Drum's Not Dead", "Liars" managed to pull off being both more avant-garde and accessible, venturing into wilder guitar territory, but sharpening and shortening by a full 12 minutes. Pity they were paired Interpol on tour, as Liars certainly must have upstaged the band that created "No I in Threesome".
-RJR
Stay tuned: five more albums tomorrow!
Listeners are lazy, so the industry doesn’t need to have standards anymore. There are those of us who still care about a quality product, those who shun Soulja Boy in favour of Sunset Rubdown, who say a resounding “Fuck you” to Rihanna and spin Radiohead instead. But our numbers are dwindling. It is reassuring to know, however, that in the midst of this bleak scene, listing the 25 best albums of this year was still a difficult feat. It is a reminder that just like those of us who care about listening to good music, there are some who still care about making it. We can only hope that such artists will still be around in a year’s time.
-PTC
Another year gone by. Mainstream music has seemed to slip further into the abyss. Corporate rock continues to be on the march toward the complete domination of soccer mom-friendly ballads. Pop Lolitas-turned-pop prostitutes known now only by first names rule the top 40. The Backstreet Boys put out a new album. Britney Spears put out a new album! A song about how to deal with women that aren't willing to sleep with you by some kind of Soldier person topped the charts for weeks. Just off the radar, Radiohead pulled their album release stunt. Apparently frustrated by musical and political malaise, old favourites like Rage Against the Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Daft Punk and the Stooges reunited to play festival after festival without so much more than token new material. The best tours from newer artists were mostly hangovers from last year's best albums, from The Decemberists and The Hold Steady, especially.
Even with so little original music, there were a few gems this year and we'd like to summarise them here. We've aggregated our picks for the top albums of this year and list them in ascending order five a day, with a complete list at the end. With the exception of the winner, one of us shares some thoughts about each album. In addition, we'll include date of release, the label responsible, and some idea of reception by other critics (aggregator Metacritic, Pitchfork Media, and a British publication, preferably Q Magazine).
-RJR
And the best records this year:
Bonus! Two albums just off of the top 25 list:
Explosions in the Sky – “All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone”
2/20 on Temporary Residence
Metacritic : 80
Q: 70
Pitchfork: 60
After last year's limited release of The Rescue EP, fans of Explosions weren't really sure what their favourite Texas post-rockers would do next. They had embraced all manner of new instruments, shorter songs, and even some vocals. Perhaps a full album of Rescue-like material would have been too much of a leap, but "All of a Sudden" seems a bit too conservative. It plays up all of the beautiful, stormy guitar and percussion from their first three albums, though a bit more restrained and melodic than "The Earth..." and "Tell the Truth". It is certainly an excellent listen (especially live at Coachella this year) and really cements the Explosions aesthetic but it won't attract any new followers and without some changes, the band will have a hard time staying vital.
-RJR
Voxtrot - "Voxtrot"
5/22 on Playlouder
Metacritic: 71
NY Times: 80
Pitchfork: 59
The backlash - or maybe disappointment is a more fitting term - surrounding Voxtrot’s first LP was predictable. After the outrageous success of their series of EPs, the anticipation surrounding their full-length debut built to such absurd levels that no record would have ever really lived up to everyone’s expectations. People expected the same thing they got from the EPs - bite-sized twee tidbits that were easy to digest and difficult to forget. But Voxtrot was out to create a real album, not just a collection of songs. Their aim was clearly to craft a record that had some kind of arc, not just merely a static hodge-podge of safe, predictable, clever indie-pop. Do some of the songs fall flat? Sure. But this record shows a band that is not afraid to learn, and that will hold Voxtrot in very good stead on records to come.
-PTC
Today's five records:
25. !!! – “Myth Takes”
3/6 on Warp
Metacritic: 76
Q: 60
Pitchfork: 80
Nic Offer's bicoastal band remains vital despite the recent turn to more sample- and synth-based dance music. "All My Heroes Are Weirdos" and "Must Be the Moon" are highlights, with some of the best grooves in memory. The album in general is a move toward maturity, with the compositions tightening up quite a bit. All of this is carried off with whimsy that could only come from !!!. I missed them there, but by all accounts, they had the best performance at Coachella. !!! are often overlooked or dismissed, but "Myth Takes" is much more than a name.
-RJR
23. A Sunny Day in Glasgow – “Scribble Mural Comic Journal”
2/13 on Notenuf
Pitchfork: 80
Drowned in Sound: 90
This is undoubtedly the best record you never heard this year. A Sunny Day In Glasgow offers forth a scintillating collection of ambient noise pop that will shock you into rapt silence. The ebbs and flows of this record pull the listener gently along, calm - almost meek - but always insistent, always commanding attention. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing this record as structureless background noise, because you will miss out on one of the most enjoyable - and underrated - listening experiences this year has had to offer.
-PTC
23. Arctic Monkeys – “Favourite Worst Nightmare”
4/24 on Domino
Metacritic: 82
Q: 100
Pitchfork: 74
I cannot imagine a more hyped (some say over-) band on an independent label than Arctic Monkeys. Sometimes the hype is warranted, like on "Teddy Picker" or most tracks from "Whatever...". Certainly it is overwrought at times, like on lead single "Brianstorm" and their live show, which is disappointing at best. On net, they are a competent and often creative band . While the strength of their excellent debut was largely a function of Alex Turner's songwriting and versatility in tempo, "Nightmare" has much more banal lyrics and problems with speed. The band seems to rush through each song, trading the observation of the first album for nervous rants. Still one of the best straight-ahead rock albums of the year, it would have benefited from another year in production.
-RJR
21. Josh Ritter – “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter”
8/21 on Sony
Metacritic: 79
Q: 80
Pitchfork: 57
“If this was a cold war, we could keep each other warm.” Why hasn’t anyone thought of that line before now? This record is a clinic in pop songwriting technique. Few artists adhere so shamelessly and stubbornly to convention as Ritter does, and fewer still can make those conventions sound original and fresh. Ritter effortlessly transitions from pop gems like “Right Moves” to the introspective, understated ballads, like the stunning standout track, “The Temptation of Adam.”
-PTC
21. Liars – “Liars”
8/28 on Mute
Metacritic: 79
Q: 60
Pitchfork: 85
This is Liars fully realised. In time, this is likely to become one of the most loved noise rock albums ever and is among the best this century. Coming down from the great "Drum's Not Dead", "Liars" managed to pull off being both more avant-garde and accessible, venturing into wilder guitar territory, but sharpening and shortening by a full 12 minutes. Pity they were paired Interpol on tour, as Liars certainly must have upstaged the band that created "No I in Threesome".
-RJR
Stay tuned: five more albums tomorrow!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Record Review: Band of Horses - "Cease To Begin"
Rating: 5.2/10
Lesson number one: you can't, can't, can't, can't, can't force evolution.
Every region of America has its "sound," and every sound has a band that exemplifies (or pioneered) it. For me, New York's sound is defined by The Strokes. California's got Silversun Pickups. The Pacific Northwest (the American indie promised land) is home to the indie titan: Death Cab for Cutie. The South has...Kings of Leon. Bands are more defined by where they come from than most people (quite often including the bands themselves) realise. Sometimes, a band can make amazing leaps forward (or backward, depending on the band) simply by moving to another part of the country. Different regions afford different experiences; different experiences lead to the creation of different music.
Band of Horses, a band trying to work its way up the Sub Pop totem pole, recently made such a move - from the grey skies of Seattle to the buggy humid South. Their sophomore record "Cease to Begin", a follow-up to the excellent "Everything All The Time," seems to be a chronicle of this move. The stellar opening track, "Is There A Ghost" surges forth with the same intensity and verve of the best songs ("The Great Salt Lake" and "The Funeral") from "Everything." "Is There A Ghost" is a strong reminder of what made Band of Horses' first album so great, and it is the strongest argument for why the band should have stayed in Seattle.
As the record progresses, the band sounds progressively less like members of the Death Cab tradition, and more like a Kings of Leon-inspired southern outfit. The result is a record that is uneven, forced, and unnatural, as there are always elements of that Seattle sound trying to creep back into the medium (Ben Bridwell still sounds uncannily like Perry Farrell), but being forcibly suppressed in the name of development. "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands" exemplifies this conflict, a struggle between influences - the natural, instinctual one (Seattle), and the self-imposed, forced one (the South) - that inevitably cripples the record, song by song.
I don't know why Bridwell and Company decided to pack it up and leave Seattle. I just know that they belong there. The lazy, meandering quality of Southern indie rock does not fit with the tightly structured, purposeful indie rock of the Pacific Northwest. But for now, I'll give Band of Horses the benefit of the doubt and say they are a great band in the wrong town - they are too ingrained in the Seattle school to pull of the Kings of Leon style (hell, Kings of Leon can't even pull it off). But, pending a move back to Seattle, the future prospects for a record to match their debut looks bleak.
-PTC
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Record Review: Jens Lekman - "Night Falls Over Kortedala"
The Swedes are killing right now. No, they don't have the death penalty. And no, they have engaged in a offensive war in the modern era. But they are putting out of some of the best music this year. Full lengths from Shout Out Louds (in addition to an excellent remix EP featuring Ratatat and Architecture in Helsinki), the ever-improving Jose Gonzalez this year and a steady flow of remixes and reprints from The Knife make the British music look flimsy. While over-hyped British artists continue to crash and burn (Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, The Fratellis, and Kaiser Chiefs this year), the fair-haired folks across the North Sea work in earnest, quietly etching themselves into the cultural landscape.
"Night Falls Over Kortedala", the first truly proper full length stateside from Jens Lekman, is no exception. "Night Falls" is instantly disarming, more so than any of the other elite albums this year. Lekman's voice is warm and relaxed, surrounded by insanely lush rock, orchestral, and vocal arrangements. The most flattering comparison, in my mind, is to Sufjan Stevens. Lekman draws on doo wop and surf with the eye of a hip hop producer rather than Stevens' viewing of traditional folk through a Baroque lens. While initially the sampled instrumentation comes off as choppy, their too-precise nature reminds the listener than Lekman has turned to the 60s for inspiration, not pastiche.
The professional distance Lekman imposes between music and audience is an endearing quality of the record. The Spector/Wilson-aping accompaniment never creeps too far into the mix, a point many producers fumble. The strings are never too heroic nor the horns too saccharine. The vocals are never overexuberant, lyrics insightful but never cutting. Lekman is a cab driver, ready to share an story but keeping his eye on the metre. It all works in such amazing concert, creating a mood of full contentment knowing that Jens has covered every base for you.
9.3/10.0
-RJR
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