countpopula's blog of truth

2011: I can't believe it's all gone...

2011-12-31T18:19:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we are saying goodbye to another year. They keep coming and going faster all the time. At least, that's my perception. 2011 was a difficult year for me personally. There was lots of upheaval at home with selling and building/buying a new home and moving on the same day in April--I STILL haven't recovered! I have to say that since I've now gone through the process of moving for the first time in ten years, I can totally understand why people are fed up with how things are now. It took the better part of a year to sell, even though the previous sale happened within weeks and the sellers had us at their mercy. This was completely the opposite, and the amount of paperwork needed to secure a bank loan in 2011 is seriously OUT OF CONTROL. It's no wonder people don't want to move. The move itself is stressful enough, but when you cannot get bank approval or have to sign hundreds of documents, the prospect of following through with it seems rather daunting. Still, I love my new home, and hope I can at least spend some time in it before things ever get really bad. 2011 was one of the most beautiful Christmases at home I have ever had. Now I just need to get moving on finishing some decorating touches and 2012 is the year I hopefully get a little more settled.

2011 was the year my 95-year old grandmother passed away. It was very hard for me emotionally, especially since we were rather close. With all my moving expenses, I couldn't really afford the $700 price tag needed to fly to her home town for a couple days for the funeral, but I was there in spirit. I was almost more at peace remembering her how she was when she was vibrant and energetic. There were also dramas in my wife's family which I will not get into here, but needless to say, there was a lot of change and worrying for 2011. Less next year would be a good thing.

So, enough of the Auld-Lang-Syne-ing and here is my list of the top albums of 2011. Sorry it wasn't up sooner:

1) SOUND OF ARROWS--Voyage

I've been championing this band for the three years I have known about them, and nothing could have made me happier this fall than seeing their first full length album finally come to fruition. And what an album it is! The songs! There are so many great tracks--"Into the Clouds", "Wonders", "M.A.G.I.C.", "Ruins of Rome", "My Shadow", "Longest Ever Dream", "Nova", "Conquest"...it actually gets difficult choosing singles to release! There is a smooth quality to the singing and music that echoes a Pet Shop Boys sensibility, yet the synths are completely epic in Vangelis/Giorgio Moroder style. It is an album with 80's written all over it, yet it feels fresh and modern. Of course, it won't get the attention it deserves, but for now, it's our little secret, and my favorite album of the year. Favorite track: "Wonders" is amazing, and "Ruins of Rome" is bliss

2) DURAN DURAN--All You Need Is Now

Some may say this album is actually 2010, but since three tracks were held back from Christmas for the April physical release, the album felt short and incomplete. The final album is a fantastic statement of what made Duran Duran special in the first place, and what they can still be. Mark Ronson seems to have acted more as therapist than producer, getting the band back in touch with the sound that made them famous, and there are some incredible results. "Girl Panic!" is "Girls on Film" with more intensity, "Leave a Light On" is "Save a Prayer" meets "Ordinary World", and "The Man Who Stole a Leopard" a quirky "The Chauffeur" inspiration. Favorite track: a tossup between "Runway Runaway" and "Too Bad You're So Beautiful"

3) FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--Ceremonials

While some critics have lashed back at Flo for making a big-sounding album with a more unified sound than her first, someone needs to tell me what's wrong with that? After all, isn't that what artists usually strive to do? Ceremonials has some stately gothic numbers ("Only if For a Night", "No Light No Light", "Seven Devils"), uplifting tracks ("Shake it Out", "All This and Heaven Too"), and even some R&B ("Lover to Lover"). This is a very mature and fully-fleshed out album by a young singer who likes to emote a lot, and while it might hit some as overkill, in a world of Adeles, Florence is staking her claim. She might want a little more restraint next time, but that does not keep Ceremonials from being a stellar, consistent album, top to bottom. Favorite track: "Spectrum"

4) TOM WAITS--Bad as Me

Not what you might consider a typical choice of mine, I am actually a big Tom Waits fan, and this album was his best since at least 1999's Mule Variations. Anyone interested in Tom's body of work could really start here, as it serves as a good entry point featuring many different types of sounds and voices in one cohesive and explosive album. He is an original, and nobody else sings or writes songs like him. One to treasure. Favorite track: For romance, "Kiss Me"; for anger, "Hell Broke Luce"

5) GAVIN FRIDAY--Catholic

An artist who has been recording for nearly 30 years but known very little, Friday was a member of an early-80's underground group, the Virgin Prunes, and left in the later part of the decade for a solo career which has led him into much more satisfying avenues of musical expression. His sound is sometimes reminiscent of a mix between the late Billy Mackenzie of the Associates and Bryan Ferry, and Friday is good friends with Bono and other U2 cast members. He stopped making albums in the late 90's when soundtrack work came calling, but now after the death of his father and a divorce, Friday returned with some of his most important work after a 17-year hiatus. Catholic is meant as a loose dedication to Irish culture, but is much more of an examination of life as we grow older and put mistakes in the past. Darkly comic and simultaneously touching, Catholic deserves its place on this list. (If you seek out the U2 Achtung Baby tribute by Q Magazine, Friday's take on "The Fly" is one of the best.) Favorite track: "A Song That Hurts"

6) FRIENDLY FIRES--Pala

An immense step up from their first record, I so wish Pala had sold better. I am afraid many of their fans accused them of selling out and trying to sound like a mix of Vampire Weekend and Wham!, but whatever the reason, Pala is an amazing pop record, and deserved to be just as praised and respected as that Foster the People album famous from a song about killing kids. Plus Ed MacFarlane is the best dancer in pop now (eat that Lady Gaga). Favorite track: "Hurting"

7) WILD BEASTS--Smother

Critically acclaimed but little heard, Wild Beasts suffer from having a lead singer with a quirky voice, but oh, what a voice! Smother saw Wild Beasts begin to grow into their skins a little bit more, and become comfortable with who and what they are. Mark my words, this is one band to watch, as they continue to grow and mutate into an ever stronger proposition. The word is sex...don't be scared. Favorite track: "Bed of Nails"

8) THE HORRORS--Skying

Another UK band that just keeps getting better and better. When the Horrors started as a shriek-y goth-punk band, I had zero interest. When their second album was produced not only by Geoff Barrow (Portishead), but also Chris Cunningham (video director for Aphex Twin and Bjork), I took notice at their slackening of the noise but the increased tension that ran throughout their music. Now they've gone all psychedelic-shoegaze with a bit of goth and glam remaining. The last time I remembered a band improving so much over the course of their first three albums, their name was Radiohead. While the Horrors don't sell in those kind of numbers, maybe they should. Favorite track: the epic "Moving Further Away"

9) DESTROYER--Kaputt

This came out quite early in the year, and maybe got forgotten by some, but it really stuck with me. Dan Bejar softened some of his musical edges with keyboards piped in from Prefab Sprout-era pillowy 80's records, yet the lyrics remained just a sharp as ever. I think Bejar has come up with something truly special, and cannot wait to see what he does next. Another artist more should know about. Favorite track: the title song, "Kaputt"

10) LADY GAGA--Born This Way

Of course, it had to make the list. It is not a token gesture. While BTW may not be as immediately likeable as The Fame Monster was, it is a lot longer for one thing, and manages to synthesize all the things that make Gaga who she is in a mostly appealing way. While some of the lyrics may be a tad over-reaching at times ("Born This Way" and "Judas"...I'm looking at you), there are some real winners present (I actually like parts of both of those songs too). It's a shame "Marry the Night" wasn't released earlier, as it stands as one of Gaga's most iconic lyrics. The album also features a Def Leppard homage and Clarence Clemons' last recorded performance. So there. Favorite track: either "The Edge of Glory" or the Madonna-esque "Bad Kids"

And the rest:

11) COLDPLAY--Mylo Xyloto (their best since Rush of Blood...)
12) LAURA MARLING--A Creature I Don't Know (it really grew on me)
13) PATRICK WOLF--Lupercalia (I waited all year to buy this domestically and finally gave up for the import--he's never sounded so buoyant)
14) CUT COPY--Zonoscope (formerly #1 on this list a couple years back--this was still excellent)
15) JENS LEKMAN--An Argument With Myself (a great EP that could have been higher as an album)
16) DARREN HAYES--Secret Codes & Battleships (excellent consolidation of his talents, and very accessible)
17) SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR--Make a Scene (the album that finally saw the light of day--I wonder if it would have done better had it been released earlier)
18) KATE BUSH--50 Words for Snow (sex with a snowman--need I say more?)
19) LYKKE LI--Wounded Rhymes (excellent goth-girl group harmonies)
20) YOUNG GALAXY--Shapeshifting (shivering electro-pop rework of the original record--more please!)
21) PJ HARVEY--Let England Shake (excellent lyrics and D-A-R-K)
22) MIRRORS--Lights & Offerings (Ultravox meets OMD in 2011 for this collaboration--not really)
23) TORI AMOS--Night of Hunters (she's better without all that 70's MOR baggage from the last couple records--her 10 year old daughter is alarmingly good)
24) ORIGINAL 7EVEN (aka the Band Formerly Known as the Time)--Condensate (Morris Day's still got it)
25) HOLY GHOST!--Holy Ghost! (why this never got a domestic US CD release is beyond me)
26) PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART--Belong (the ghost of John Hughes called and wants his soundtrack back)
27) DUM DUM GIRLS--Only in Dreams (Chrissie Hynde is reborn as a retro girl-group songstress--FAB!)
28) M83--Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (John Hughes meets Giorgio Moroder in France, 1982...)
29) BETH DITTO--Beth Ditto EP (this should have been an album--AMAZINGLY good)
30) BRITNEY SPEARS--Femme Fatale (one of her best albums ever--up there with Blackout)
31) PENGUIN PRISON--Penguin Prison (great debut, and mostly done all on his own--impressive)
32) RAVEONETTES--Raven in the Grave (an especially gothy effort from the Danish duo, yet there were some light moments)
33) ERASURE--Tomorrow's World (the Frankmusik collab sounded better on paper than it actually did, leaving Andy Bell sounding a bit shrill. Still, there were some sparkly moments...)
34) PETER GABRIEL--New Blood (now about that new album, Peter...it's been 11 years again...)
35) JUSTICE--Audio. Video. Disco. (this was good--I just wish there were more Justice-y bits)
36) HUMAN LEAGUE--Credo (I actually really liked this record. It's not at all commercial, granted...)
37) JESSICA 6--See the Light (not only did they feature Hercules & Love Affair's former lead singer, they stole their guest singer Antony Hegarty as well)
38) LIGHTS--Siberia (twee pop gets an edge)
39) WILL YOUNG--Echoes (there were many very good moments here, I just wish he'd get a little more excited--a bit too smooth at times)
40) GIRLS--Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (retro rock done right and not simply derivative)

other notables:
Adele, Miles Kane, Arctic Monkeys, Metronomy, Elbow, White Lies, the Vaccines, Cold Cave, Washed Out, the Drums, St. Vincent, Hard-Fi, S.C.U.M., Brett Anderson, Kasabian, Thomas Dolby, Nikki Jean, Foster the People, Diego Garcia, Feist, Active Child, Brendan Perry, the Rapture, Sarah Nixey, Florrie.

Up in 2012:
Lana del Rey, Ladyhawke, the Presets, Saint Etienne, Pet Shop Boys, School of Seven Bells, Marina & the Diamonds, Little Boots, Santigold, La Roux, Dragonette, Bat for Lashes, Robbie Williams, Empire of the Sun, the Big Pink, Sleigh Bells, Metric, Phoenix, Air, Morrissey, No Doubt, the Killers, Garbage--a BUSY 2012 awaits!

2011-10-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

I realize that I am nearly a month late again (sorry for that). I guess this quarter I was still trying to catch up from the previous, and although there was a lot of music for me to digest, it didn't all strike the heights that some earlier did this year, save for a few select items. Let's get to it then:

1)HORRORS--Skying

Without a doubt, the Horrors have risen from their lowly and dubious beginnings to one of the best modern rock bands around in the course of three albums. Skying sees the band going widescreen, and songs like "Still Life" find them rejoicing in some of the most melodic things they've recorded. Coming straight of Faris Badwan's Cat's Eyes project earlier this year, I would venture to say that the man has quite a future ahead of him (his brother's S.C.U.M. project is good as well). A song like "Moving Further Away" finds the perfect balance between psychedelic and college rock, between Kraftwerk and Echo & the Bunnymen. There are shades of many great bands here--the Cure, Suede, etc.--but the Horrors continually find ways to be original. They are ones to watch.

2)LAURA MARLING--A Creature I Don't Know

Strangely, this album didn't hit me the first time the way her previous record did, but I was willing to give the young singer the benefit of the doubt. After all, I Speak Because I Can only came out a year ago, with Alas I Cannot Swim merely a year before, so any 21-year old with three albums in three years has gotta be running out of steam at some point, right? Man, was I wrong. A Creature I Don't Know is every bit as strong as Marling's other efforts, it's just a bit more oblique and takes a little getting used to. Things are jazzy on first track "The Muse", while "Sophia" has some of the strongest melodies she's penned. There are moments that recall Joni Mitchell in her prime, not a bad place to be. Do not miss this!

3)JENS LEKMAN--An Argument With Myself

Yes, this 5-track EP is ranked high on my list, and it would probably be number one if it were a full album. Lekman's four-year absence has left the world at a great loss for humorous Swedish pop, and he's back (a little) to fill the void. The title track is one of the most fun guilty-pleasure songs of the year, while "Waiting for Kiersten" (Dunst) is a scenario only Lekman could come up with, and the other songs add to the feeling of exhuberance and tenderness from this master songwriter. One of my favorite things about Lekman is his way of describing things happening currently, as opposed to writing about the past or future. This tends to strip away a lot of the unnecessary stuff other writers would layer on. He also has unique views on love and relationships that few express in song. Hopefully this EP is just a taste of more to come soon, as Lekman is just now hitting his stride.

4)TORI AMOS--Night of Hunters

What can be said about this album that hasn't been said before by reporters and bloggers? It features a kooky story about a disintegrating romantic relationship featuring a shapeshifting animal (played by Tori's mature 10-year old daughter, Natashya), a fire spirit (played by her 19-year old niece), and includes interpolations of famous classical pieces taking odd detours with new (and somewhat indecipherable) lyrics ("Cactus Practice" anyone?). The long and short though, is that Night of Hunters features some of Tori's best singing and piano playing in ten years, even with the absence of drums, guitars, or any other rock fodder. It's heady stuff, rather long (maybe a bit too long, pushing over an hour), but these are things we now come to expect from Tori Amos releases. We don't really expect them on the Deutsche Grammaphon label, but she sounds very "at home" here. How about a more conventional orchestral-pop album without a big concept lasting around 45 minutes next time?

5)GIRLS--Father, Son, Holy Ghost

This may seem like a rather odd choice for me, but I really responded to this album from San Francisco's Girls when I heard it. For one thing, it sounds like it came from the 70's, but at the same time, it doesn't sound determined to be retro, or like anything other than the new Girls album. Sure, there are some Beach Boys references here, Led Zep there, etc., but the way Girls fit them together is totally unique. I certainly hope this album does well, as it should not be overlooked as a smashing sophomore effort.

6)KASABIAN--Velociraptor!
Great album from UK superstars. What's it gonna take to make them bigger here? Should they work with Brian Eno?

7)PENGUIN PRISON--Self-titled
This is a great debut album, and while it may be a bit 80's, it isn't so overloaded in references that it cannot stand up to other contemporary pop music. A winner!

8)BUTCHER BOY--Helping Hands
Great second album from a band reminiscent of a more wistful Belle & Sebastian. The title track and "Bluebells" are particularly wonderful songs.

9)DIRTY VEGAS--Electric Love
You may be surprised to see this on the list, but this was actually a great, concise pop album from a band who used to prefer meandering epics. There may still be a small sense of corporate entitlement lurking, but the fact of the matter is that Dirty Vegas' mega-selling "Days Go By" is several years old, and that U2 direction just didn't work, so it was back to the drawing board with an indie label and a rethink. Good choice.

10)HARD-FI--Killer Sounds
This has been a weird year for some bands who had a normal sort of distribution to all of a sudden being put off for long periods of time or being told they could only release their album several months later in America. The Hard-Fi album is yet to be released in the US, but it follows on from the other two Hard-Fi records by upping the dance factor slightly, as well as the melodies. A very sharp album once you actually get time to sit and spend time with it.

Other good efforts:
WILCO--The Whole Love (not really my thing, but a very good album)
WILL YOUNG--Echoes (while his plaintive voice may never replace George Michael's, this is quite good pop balladry and dancefloor heat)
INNERPARTYSYSTEM--Never Be Content (listed as an ep, but longer than the Erasure album, this was a definite step up for the band, helped by Richard X who produced the Will Young. The band broke up two months after its release.)
THE RAPTURE--In the Grace of Your Love (highly regarded indie dudes back to make you forget LCD Soundsystem existed. Good luck)
LADYTRON--Gravity the Seducer (About a B+...the songs are great, but I could do without a couple of the instrumental interludes).
IVY--All Hours (Great pop album from a band I rarely hear about anymore.)
DRUMS--Portamento (Very good sophomore effort--very quickly released too)
BLACK LIPS--Arabia Mountain (good racket-y fun!)
KOOKS--Junk of the Heart (this is a rather enjoyable piece of British pop.)
METRONOMY--English Riviera (unique and satifyingly summery pop)

General letdowns:
FRANKMUSIK--Do It in the AM (this album wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I think he can do so. much. better.)
BJORK--Biophilia (I'm not against this record, but not completely sold yet either. I think the technology is beginning to take over where there were some fabulous and passionate moments in the past.)

Actually, there weren't too many letdowns either. This whole quarter was heavily and seemingly loaded up with things people liked but didn't go gaga over. It will be interesting to see how all the things in Q4 stack up against what's already been this year, as there have been a lot of good records, but supposedly there are many more to come. Here are some things I'm looking forward to in the Q4 list:

FLORENCE & THE MACHINE
ERASURE
THOMAS DOLBY
KATE BUSH
TOM WAITS
PETER GABRIEL
SOUND OF ARROWS
NOEL GALLAGHER
CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
SAINT ETIENNE (early 2012)
GARBAGE (early 2012)

Keep your ears open!

2011 Q2...a bit late then...

2011-08-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

You know what they say about the best laid plans. Anymore, life just seems to get in the way of me posting my favorite lists in any sort of timely manner. I guess the two of you that read this blog will be lucky if I get my year end list of favorites up on time. Until then, I struggle along to get these things up and keep with the times.

It has been a very strange year so far. The biggest event in my life was moving into a new home that was built from scratch. It has been a wonderful home for the past couple months, but the stress leading up to it was unlike anything I have ever experienced before, nor do I ever want to again. There have been passings too--my wonderful grandmother at 95 last month, for one. There was a famous acquaintance of mine who died a mile from my job back in June and the whole town came to a halt (hint: he was a real jackass).

Another person who died in the past year was a good friend of mine from work. He was older (60) and also a great lover of music, and since his passing, his wife has put his record collection up for sale at my store. I have been lucky to acquire a handful of great records in pristine condition that are considered classics, some of which I never heard before, so that has been an education for me through his legacy.

Possibly the strangest of all involves an acquaintance from my job who suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth one day in late February, and I have not seen nor heard from this person in the five months since. This is somebody who used to call me at least three times a week and visit my workplace once or twice a week as well. He was experiencing many transitions in his personal life, but also had underlying ailments, the likes of which seem to have caught up with him. The reason I am spending time talking about this person is that he was a great lover of music, and had recently been exposing me to loads of older things that I missed or never would have given the time to otherwise.

I have listened to more "old" music this year than ever before, and have fallen in love with lots of different artists: Joe Jackson, Talking Heads, John Cale, Nico, Lou Reed, and Velvet Underground, Brian Eno, Stevie Wonder (70s), early Pretenders, early Pointer Sisters, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Laura Nyro, Kim Wilde, Kid Creole, Tom Tom Club, Teardrop Explodes, Joni Mitchell, Genesis (old), Squeeze, House of Love, the Clash, the Church, the Cars, Carpenters, the Slits, the Time, early Simple Minds, Roberta Flack, Aztec Camera, etc., etc. These are just some of the bands whose albums either escaped me the first time, or I couldn't afford to buy them to hear them.

With that being said, I am going to spend less time talking about the new music I love in this following post, but let it be said where I think something needs to be. Here they are:

1)WILD BEASTS--Smother

An utterly fantastic and unique postmodern album mixing the best of 80's lush pop (Blue Nile, Talk Talk, Kate Bush) with sensitive modern rock like Elbow. Hayden and Tom's voices bounce off each other in very special ways, and there is an economy of writing and texture that is the antithesis of excess. There is also a dark sensuality at work underneath the surface here, and I defy you to find a more beautiful expression of catharsis than "Burning". Breathless.

2) GAVIN FRIDAY-Catholic

Gavin got busy with life and other projects in the ensuing 16 years since his last album, Shag Tobacco, in 1995. Formerly of 80's obscurities the Virgin Prunes, Friday has gone on to make some of the best suave pop of the past two decades, incorporating elements of Bryan Ferry, Billy MacKenzie, and Bono all into one. Catholic is somewhat of a distillation of recent life experiences and emotions in Friday's world, especially in tracks like "Able", "It's All Ahead of You", and "Lord, I'm Coming". Breathtaking.

3) LADY GAGA--Born This Way

So, it's not number one. It's also not absent from the list. I loved the Fame Monster (NOT the generally poor The Fame), so much so that it was number one on my 2009 list. Expectations here were high, and while I think the hype may have overshadowed the actual album (along with Amazon's fucking 99-cent sale--what the hell was that?), I do think it is generally a very good album. It may be a bit full on, firing on all cylinders most of the time. There may not be a "Bad Romance" or "Alejandro", but any album that has the driving "Edge of Glory", electro-hoedown "You and I", urgent "Marry the Night", Madonna-esque "Bad Kids", Marc Almond-in-flamenco mode "Americano", and gothic "Bloody Mary" can't be all bad. Maybe it's a bit overlong and could lose a track or two, but all in all, it's generally a success. Too bad about the videos though. Maybe a little less talking about how great the album is beforehand would help next time.

4) SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR--Make a Scene

Can you believe it finally came out? I was beginning to lose hope. And guess what? It was better than I ever expected it to be. Not only were all the previously released singles positioned well, but the new entries were sparkling. "Magic", "Synchronized", and "Starlight" are all great songs, in addition to "Bittersweet" and "Not Giving Up On Love", which I had purposefully held off on listening to until the album dropped. "Homewrecker" is funny, "Make a Scene" is kooky, and "Cut Straight to the Heart" jawdropping. Possibly the best pure pop album of the year right here. She deserves respect NOW.

5) FRIENDLY FIRES--Pala

I am at a loss as to whether I should namecheck the band or their producer, Paul Epworth, as he has worked similar magic to what he worked with Annie on her last album. Full, lush textures set to amazing island beats are the flavor for this indie band who suddenly go widescreen with the sound of this album, and while some may think their writing has suffered in the process, I disagree and say their writing has just become more focused in service of the music they are creating. I can't think of many indie bands to make such a quantum leap from debut to sophomore record. Radiohead? Goldfrapp? Dead or Alive?

6) SARAH NIXEY--Brave Tin Soldiers

Shows just how much she contributed to Black Box Recorder.

7) ARCTIC MONKEYS--Suck It and See

A return to form with a very melodic album combining all the best elements of the Monkeys.

8) MILES KANE--Colour of the Trap

Other half of Arctic Monkey Alex Turner's Last Shadow Puppets. Maybe the better half? Great debut.

9) JESSICA 6--See the Light

Former contributors to Hercules & Love Affair make early Madonna referencing debut. Golden.

10) HOLY GHOST!--Holy Ghost!

DFA dance duo come up with the goods on a CD still not released in the US (import only). I usually hate on albums that are iTunes exclusives, but you can get this for under $20. Fun!

Other good efforts:

FOSTER THE PEOPLE--Torches (catchy debut)

DIEGO GARCIA--Laura (tunes AND growth)

COLD CAVE--Cherish the Light Years (best goth-inspired record of the season)

WASHED OUT--Within and Without (best electro-dreampop record of the season)

CAT'S EYES--Cat's Eyes (these guys are almost as good as the Horrors!)

HANDSOME FURS--Sound Kapital (major growth but still fiercely indie)

MARC ALMOND & MICHAEL CASHMORE--Feasting With Panthers (some parts are quite lovely)

JOSEPH ARTHUR--Graduation Ceremony (his best album in nearly 10 years)

VACCINES--What Did You Expect From the Vaccines (great debut, if a little derivative)

D:REAM--In Memory Of... (not all great, but certain spots shine. Welcome back)

BRENDAN PERRY--Ark (10 years since this Dead Can Dance vet released an album. Almost worth the wait)

FLORRIE--Experiments EP (make it physical now--it's that good)

DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI--Rome (a bit Broken Bells, but very enjoyable)

WOMBATS--Modern Glitch (following in the footsteps of rock bands like Hoosiers going pop. Not better than last time, but not exactly worse either)

General letdowns:

GLASVEGAS--Euphoria///Heartbreak (bombastic and overblown, it could have been so much more)

KATE BUSH--Director's Cut (who could listen to this and honestly believe these versions were better than the originals???)

KEREN ANN--101 (not bad really, but leadoff single and cover art foreshadowed so much more)

MOBY--Destroyed (he keeps making the same album over and over)

I know, I know...I need to write more often...

OK, where did the time go...

2011-05-30T11:14:00.001-07:00

Seeing as how my life has been complete and utter chaos for the past year, I can finally say that I am getting settled into my new home, and realized that I have been so negligent when it comes to this blog. Even when I don't have a lot to talk about, I will usually post something, especially regarding favorite albums. I couldn't even get that together. Finally, I have come up with the list of my ten favorite albums from the first quarter of 2011, to be soon followed by the second list, which should come in around 30 days from now. If for nothing else, I figured the two of you that read this blog would want to know what I've been into lately. Let's just say "eclectic" is the buzzword of 2011. I love pure pop and retro things just as much as critic's choices...in other words, I'm a critic without the snobbery. I won't hate on you if you don't like the latest band from Brooklyn or aren't into Radiohead. 2011 has been an embarrassment of riches so far, so let's get to it!

1) DURAN DURAN--All You Need Is Now

I have been a Duran fan for lo these many years, and while their career has been admittedly uneven (to say the least), they really hit their retro-stride with this album, the best of their career since Rio (1982). When Mark Ronson asked them to come up with the imaginary followup to that legendary record, that's exactly what they gave us here. Pulsating rhythms, cascading synths, soaring melodies, female come-ons, moody ballads, sex and fun in the sun...these are quintessential elements for this band born in the 80's, and in All You Need Is Now they have served up the album the fans have been waiting decades for. The opening title track is a bit of a red herring, as it begins with a noise comparable to the sound of a dentist's drill, and then veers off into Duran-land with a wistful chorus filled with nostalgia. Following songs "Blame the Machines", "Being Followed", and "Girl Panic!" mine similar retro territory, yet the band sounds more fresh and alive than it has in years (sorry Timbaland). "Leave a Light On" is the new "Save a Prayer", while "The Man Who Stole a Leopard", complete with semi-cheez spoken-word news report, is one of the best tracks for the sheer ambience it creates a-la "The Chauffeur", with help from Kelis. Other favorites are the tense "Other People's Lives", the glam-tastic "Too Bad You're So Beautiful", and the gloriously catchy "Runway Runaway", Duran's answer to the Beatles' wistful "She's Leaving Home". In-between are the funky "Safe" (featuring a guest appearance from Ana Matronic a la Cindy Ecstasy), summer ballad "Mediterranea", and the gorgeously stately "Before the Rain". I feel sort of bad for anybody who bought or heard this record in its 9-track iTunes version back in December, as I think they missed at least three great songs from the final version, and the album feels somewhat incomplete in that incarnation. While some albums use bonus tracks as enticement through filler, these tracks are just as essential to the full experience as the original nine were. An album that belongs in the collection of anybody who ever was a fan of Duran Duran, including anybody who ever gave up on them, get this NOW.

2) CUT COPY--Zonoscope

Cut Copy's last album, In Ghost Colours, was my favorite album of 2008, and Zonoscope is a new contender for the current year. Somehow CC manage to synthesize many elements of synthetic dance music and make it something entirely their own without succumbing to complete mimicry. "Need You Now" opens things with a pulsing electro beat, while "Take Me Home" has a sort of synthy-Talking Heads feel, and "Pharoahs and Pyramids" hits at the heart of late-80's acid house. "Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution" has great xylophone duets in the mix, while the lovely "Hanging On to Every Heartbeat" is a broken-hearted 80's ballad. Things come to a crashing climax with the orgasmic "Sun God", a song best described as prog-electro, carrying on for 15 minutes in the style of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love". This move proves Cut Copy are not afraid to go out on a limb to give their audience something special. Hopefully they won't take so much time between this and their next release.

3) DESTROYER--Kaputt

Dan Bejar is a rather strange man. Donning a voice that's a mix of David Bowie in his Hunky Dory phase, this Canadian has given us a wealth of interesting material over the past ten or so years. Only Bejar would give us song titles like "Savage Night at the Opera" and "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker". Here, Bejar wraps his songs in lush synth-scapes with jazzy overtones, closer to the sound of Prefab Sprout than any other band I could connect him to. While just as literate as much of Prefab Sprout's work, Destroyer is more stream of consciousness, and possibly funnier. The album's penultimate song, "Bay of Pigs (Detail)", was originally released nearly a year before the album's release as part of an EP, and here it is somewhat shortened, but retains most of it's ambient drift and changes in mood and rhythm. If anything, this change in texture and mood has opened new doors for Bejar to explore more sonic textures. I can't wait to hear what's next, and there can be no higher praise.

4) YOUNG GALAXY--Shapeshifting

Not many people have heard this album from Young Galaxy, but they really should. Canadians who were friends of Arcade Fire, Young Galaxy was recently known more for it's solid rock-with-a-sprinkling-of-keyboards-indie-band approach, but grew tired of their sonic confines. Contacting producer Dan Lissvik of producers Studio (Kylie Minogue) by internet in Norway, Young Galaxy set about shaping their latest effort by recording songs and sending them to Lissvik in his studio, where he cut, pasted, and reshaped their efforts, and then sent them back to the band, where they have now ended up on album virtually unchanged. It was a mammoth exercise in faith, especially since they still have yet to meet Lissvik, and know him only as a voice (they had no video connection). This sort of focus on making the best sound possible left the spaces between the notes intact, and the voices are allowed speak for themselves. Check out "Black Swan Event"--it's fantastic from beginning to end. If you like singers like Annie Lennox or Alison Moyet, this is for you (the guy's voice is pretty nice as well).

5) ELBOW--Build a Rocket Boys!

Continuing the trend of nothing but great music from this band, Build a Rocket Boys! finds Elbow in seemingly happier territory than on the last Mercury Prize winning Seldom Seen Kid, and while "With Love" and "Open Arms" seem rather self-explanatory, only a band like Elbow could come up with a song like "Lippy Kids", which is quite sympathetic to those ruffians on street corners who seemingly have nothing better to do with their time. "The Birds" has an epic build, while "The Night Will Always Win" is a ballad of the highest order (and quite a sad one at that). Not a big departure, then, but Elbow continue to do what they do best--make stunning music out of rather simple sound combinations. There is something very special about this band, and this is another great album from them.

6) PJ HARVEY--Let England Shake

Whatever your feeling about PJ Harvey, whether she's stretching for notes obviously out of her range, roaring like a lioness, or singing haunted dirges, Let England Shake is one of her best albums. Gone is the impetuous teen rocker, and in its place is a thoughtful singer-songwriter who has chosen to document her feelings about England and her ability to put her young men's lives on the front lines to achieve her objectives. It is a rattling portrait death and dying, put in literal terms on a battlefield, with Harvey acting as a guide. Songs like "The Words That Maketh Murder" and "On Battleship Hill" put Harvey in the running as a modern-day British female version of Woody Guthrie. This is a dark record, and even songs with small shafts of light like the reggae-tinged "Written on the Forehead", which samples Niney & the Observers' "Blood & Fire", is set to a refrain of "let it burn, let it burn". Her best in a long time.

7) EDWYN COLLINS--Losing Sleep

Granted, this album came out sometime in late 2010, but was finally released in the US in early 2011. You might say, "Edwyn Collins? Really?" To that I say, "YES." Not only is this Edwyn's best work in a while, it has some of the most heartbreaking lyrics you're gonna hear from any rock record this year. Edwyn suffered two brain hemorrages a few years back, and had to learn how to speak and walk again. Some things are not the same, and will never be. This album addresses that loss and redemption of survival head on, with musical help from Johnny Marr (Smiths), Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Ryan Jarman (Cribs), and indie upstarts The Drums nonwithstanding. Even with all that starpower, Collins is the star of the show here, and pens some really probing lyrics like "What Is My Role?" and "Humble", while "Bored" rocks with the best of them, and closing ballads "All My Days" and "Searching for the Truth" are two poignant ballads that would have made Johnny Cash proud. His resolve and determination are absolutely amazing, and his album is very, very good.

8)HUMAN LEAGUE--Credo

While there has been much criticism launched at this album, the League's first in ten years, I would go so far as to say that I really enjoy this record, and it isn't something that I have to try to love. First up is the opening track and second single, the snappy "Never Let Me Go", which features the robotic vocals of the women of the group (a ballsy move coming from your first album in a decade). "Night People" is up next, and does a great job of depicting the disconnected-ness of living in the dark with robo-synths and some extremely humorous lyrics recited with complete seriousness ("Leave your cornflakes in your freezers, leave your chocolate and your cheeses...") . "Sky" and "Egomaniac" are also rather pleasing League entries, while "Into the Night" is nearly quite positive in tone, and features a lovely melody with Cole Porter flair. "Get Together" is one of my personal favorites on the record; additionally "Privilege" and "While the Stars Start to Shine" are the most Sheffield-sounding things they've done since Dare. I think people need to realize when going into Credo that they are not going to get Secrets part 2 (did that many people actually buy Secrets anyway?), but get a highly personal and individual sound for a band that's all about keeping it in the family.

9) LYKKE LI--Wounded Rhymes

I was not all that impressed with Lykke's first album, Youth Novels, when it came out a couple years ago. Wounded Rhymes not only shows how much she's grown as a singer, but a writer as well. Heck, this album is so good, Glee even used "I Follow Rivers" in a recent episode. Whether coming on strong as on "Get Some" ("I'm your prostitute, you're gonna get some..."), or trapped in girl-group purgatory ("Sadness is a Blessing"), Li has learned how to manage her talents to better effect this time around. While "Youth Knows No Pain" and "Jerome" are favorites, "Silent My Song" ends things on a rather disturbing note of some kind of domestic abuse, so Li is not all surface without the substance. Heady stuff, and now she has opened the door for more music from her.

10) MIRRORS--Lights and Offerings

Here's an album that deserves much better. Released on an indie in England, this album is sort of languishing in the sales department, and it is one of the year's best debuts. Mirrors make grand and epic synthpop the way Ultravox and OMD did/do, and they do it full on without a moment's hesitation. The absolute winner is the single "Into the Heart", but there are many songs here worth your time (especially in the eminently listenable CD format). "Ways to an End", "Fear of Drowning", "Look at Me", "Hide and Seek", the epic "Secrets" (another 10-minute stormer) are all fantastic, and the lovely "Write Through the Night" is the best thing OMD never wrote. More people need to know about these guys, for they made a fantastically sophisticated debut record without a lot of money, released on an indie label. If you want them to make more, you must give them your money now!

So what didn't make the ten? Quite a few great records actually, but here's a sample of what was left bubbling under:

WHITE LIES--Ritual. This is a better sophomore album from a now better band.

BRITNEY SPEARS--Femme Fatale. This would have ranked higher save for the anonymous charm of the vocals.

SAME DIFFERENCE--The Rest Is History. I know, pop overload, but they did it so well here--the production, the songs, Alcazar...

BETH DITTO--Beth Ditto EP. This would have easily been in the top 10 if she had made a full-length.
PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART--Belong. Another great 80's-referencing record that is full of hooks and a little heavy on the cheese--Oh, John Hughes...

My feelings on other records (if you are mentioned, it means you were WORTHY of mentioning for one reason or another--that doesn't mean it was great though):

ADELE--21. This was mostly good, although a bit TOO professional at times--"Rumour Has It" is the best song KT Tunstall didn't record. Then again, that voice. B
BLANCMANGE--Blanc Burn. After a 26 year wait, we've now come to realize that Neil Arthur's voice is completely different, and still aren't sure if we're in love with it. There are quite a few nice things on Blanc Burn, and quite a few confounding things as well, like the absence of choruses. B-
R.E.M.--Collapse Into Now. Another mostly good record, I seemed to have been in love with this when it came out and cooled somewhat more recently. It's not bad by any stretch, but its not the Automatic For the People followup people are claiming it to be either. B
BEADY EYE--Different Gear, Still Speeding. Arguably the best Oasis record since Morning Glory, and all they had to do was shed a Gallagher (and surprising which one it was as well). A fun record, but certainly not deep. B
ERLAND & THE CARNIVAL--Nightingale. Highly overlooked psychedelic pop gem from erstwhile member of the Verve and other guys. I especially love "Emmeline", which samples the theme from Hitchcock's Vertigo. B+

THE DEARS--Degeneration Street. This is another one that hit me quite hard on first listen, and then I cooled somewhat. It's just trying to be everything to everybody, and the lyrics can resonate with a slight pomposity. A shame as I don't think Murray Lightburn will ever get the success he and his bandmates deserve. B

GRUFF RHYS--Hotel Shampoo. This is more focused than his records with Super Furry Animals, and quite tuneful to boot. Now he just needs to up the excitement level here & there. B+
RAVEONETTES--Raven in the Grave. The feedback takes a backseat to doom and gloom, as this album soaks up goth influences. A nice new turn from a band that needed to begin to turn. A-
RADIOHEAD--King of Limbs. What can I say? A missed opportunity? Not bad, but their weakest effort in a while, and just too damn short. Track 4 is unlistenable. C
PETER BJORN & JOHN--Gimme Some. Much better than the last disaster, but still, not as good without the whistling. B-
GANG OF FOUR--Content. Really great effort from a band that needed one. Twitchy in all the right spots. A-
AUDIO BULLYS--Higher Than the Eiffel. Good return from a band that had faltered, now armed with more singing in the pocket. B+
STROKES--Angles. This would have been better had they actually made it together. Maybe next time, but still, their best since the first two. B+
OH LAND--Oh Land. A bit Regina Spektor meets Imogen Heap, but Oh Land does have a sound of her own, and sometimes, it is utterly bewitching. A-
NOAH & THE WHALE--Last Night On Earth. Their best effort yet is still sort of OK. I want them to be Mumford or Laura Marling, but they might just have to settle for second best. B
TV ON THE RADIO--Nine Types of Light. Smoothing out some of the rough edges, this is a very good album by a very good (formerly) indie band. A-
YELLE--Safari Disco Club. I love it, but does the WHOLE THING have to be in French? B+
WIRE--Red Barked Tree. These guys don't quit, and this is their best in a while. Uncompromising. A-
BRITISH SEA POWER--Valhalla Dancehall. If you can get past the first song, which is nearly garbage, the rest of this album is actually pretty good. Judge for yourself. B
ELIZA DOOLITTLE--same. The low-rent Lily Allen. Generally not a good thing. C

You'll be hearing more from me soon regarding: Lady Gaga, Arctic Monkeys, Fleet Foxes, Friendly Fires, Danger Mouse, etc. Thanks for reading!

My Favorite Songs of 2010

2011-01-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

Since some of these artists had more than one song that really resonated with me this year, I will rank the top 10, and then follow it with a list of truly special songs that all passed the test in one form or another. Make of it what you will.

1) ROBYN--"Dancing On My Own" So much has been said about this song already, and if you've heard it, you know why it rests at No. 1. Here's hoping Robyn can continue the magic for a bit.
2) KYLIE MINOGUE--"Get Outta My Way" I really don't get the backlash this song had, which kept it at a peak of number 11 in the UK, as I felt it was Kylie's most pure poptastic offering since "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" almost ten years ago. Maybe nobody wants to talk about the fact that Kylie is now in her 40's, but this song always made me happy when it came on.
3) CEE LO GREEN--"F**k You" The true test of a great song is whether or not its a great song without the lure of an expletive, and this one is. I'll be singing this when I'm 80!
4) TAKE THAT--"The Flood" Or when they finally proved to me their worth. An epic song with amazing performances by all involved. So anthemic, how could it not move you?
5) ALPHABEAT--"DJ" Poor Alphabeat. That sophomore slump hit them like a cod in the face. Still, they cranked out some of the best pop tunes nobody cared about. I thought this was a great little song--maybe the best song about losing one's self to a DJ's talents ever? Maybe people will listen next time, but I sure hope you don't change direction too much. This was a better fit than the debut.
6) SCISSOR SISTERS--"Invisible Light" While the album wore on me a bit (but was still better than Ta-Dah), this song is pure magic. I cannot help but wonder what would have happened had the Sisters gone full throttle Frankie Goes to Hollywood. And Jake-y, that piecing falsetto is getting O-L-D. You are not Jimmy Somerville, and that's one reason this song works so well. Keep exploring your lower range. Also contains the best spoken word bit since La Roux's "Tigerlily" last year, courtesy of Gandalf McKellen.
7) KELIS--"Acappella" I have to admit this collab with David Guetta was the best thing I've heard from Kelis EVER. Uplifting lyrics, a great beat, and some excellent visuals--I think she's onto something. The album didn't sell all that well, due to some rather half-written songs, so hopefully she can make a more fully formed artistic statement next time around, but DO NOT LEAVE THE CLUB. It suits you.
8) GOLDFRAPP--"Alive" Also called "Love Song From a Vampire" (not really). The most pure pop moment from Goldfrapp ever, and catchy too. Another song that got passed over by the marketplace...what the hell were people buying this year? Certainly not much good, as you can see thusfar...
9) JANELLE MONAE--"Tightrope" This song was absolutely addictive for me, as was the video, and MTVU played it literally every 15 minutes this summer. I can't believe this diva is from Kansas City--I mean, a black girl into hip hop and Metropolis? I LOVED the whole album, which is stylistically diverse, yet shows just how broad Monae's talents are. This was the standout single.
10) PET SHOP BOYS--"Together" Celebrating 25 years together with a song containing underlying elements of group suicide is rather grim, yet PSB pull it off with an electro-waltz in 3/4 time. Epic and beautiful, "Together" wasn't a big hit, but should have been.

Other great songs of 2010:

A-HA--"Butterfly, Butterfly"
ADELE--"Rolling in the Deep"
ALPHABEAT--"Heat Wave", The Right Thing"
ARCADE FIRE--"Half Light II", "Modern Man", "City With No Children"
BECK & BAT FOR LASHES--"Let's Get Lost"
BELLE & SEBASTIAN--"I Didn't See It Coming"
BRANDON FLOWERS--"Only the Young", "Crossfire"
BROKEN BELLS--"The Ghost Inside"
BRYAN FERRY--"Heartache By Numbers"
CARL BARAT--"Carve My Name"
CEE LO GREEN--"Bright Lights, Big City", "Old Fashioned", "No One's Gonna Love You"
CHROMEO--"Don't Turn the Lights On"
COLDPLAY--"Christmas Lights"
COURTEENERS--"You Overdid It, Doll"
DAN BLACK--"Symphonies"
DELPHIC--"Halcyon"
DESTROYER--"Chinatown"
DIVINE COMEDY--"At the Indie Disco"
DRAGONETTE--"Volcano"
DRUMS--"Let's Go Surfing"
DURAN DURAN--"All You Need is Now"
ELLIE GOULDING--"Starry Eyed", "Under the Sheets", "Your Biggest Mistake"
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--"Heavy in Your Arms"
FOALS--"Total Life Forever"
FREEZEPOP--"Strange", "Hypothetically"
FUTUREHEADS--"Heartbeat Song", "Christmas Was Better in the 80's"
FYFE DANGERFIELD--"Faster Than the Setting Sun"
GABRIELLA CILMI--"Hearts Don't Lie", "Love Me Cos You Want To", "Robots"
GOLDFRAPP--"Rocket", "Dreaming", "Head First"
GORILLAZ--"Stylo", "Doncamatic", "Melancholy Hill"
GROOVE ARMADA--"I Won't Kneel", "History"
GRUM--"Can't Shake This Feeling"
HOT CHIP--"One Life Stand", "Alley Cats"
HUMAN LEAGUE--"Night People"
HUNDRED IN THE HANDS--"Pigeons"
HURTS--"Wonderful Life", "Stay", "Sunday", "All I Want for Christmas is New Year's Day"
INTERPOL--"Lights"
JANELLE MONAE--"Cold War", "Say You'll Go", "Babopbye Ya"
JONSI--"Tornado"
KANYE WEST--"Runaway", "All the Lights"
KELE OKEREKE--"Everything You Wanted", "Yesterday's Gone"
KIM WILDE--"Real Life"
KYLIE MINOGUE--"All the Lovers", "Better Than Today", "Aphrodite", "Too Much", "Can't Beat the Feeling"
LADY GAGA--"Alejandro", "Telephone", "Monster"
LAURA MARLING--"Devil's Spoke"
LAURIE ANDERSON--"Only An Expert"
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM--"I Can Change"
LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION--"Faculty of Fears"
LIKE--"Wishing He Was Dead"
LUCKY SOUL--"Up In Flames"
M.I.A.--"Xxxo", "Tell Me Why"
MARC ALMOND--"The Exhibitionist", "Variete"
MARINA & THE DIAMONDS--"I Am Not a Robot", "Oh No!", "Obsessions"
MARK RONSON--"Somebody to Love Me", "Record Collection"
MASSIVE ATTACK--"Paradise Circus"
MATTHEW DEAR--"You Put a Smell On me"
MAXIMUM BALLOON--"If You Return"
METRIC--"Eclipse"
MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS--"Lifeblood Flow"
MONARCHY--"Phoenix Alive"
MYSTERY JETS--"Flash a Hungry Smile"
NATIONAL--"Conversation 16"
NEON TREES--"Animal"
OMD--"Sister Marie Says", "History of Modern Pts. 1 & 2"
PATRICK WOLF--"Time Of My Life"
PENGUIN PRISON--"Golden Train (Royal Palms Mix)"
PIPETTES--"Stop the Music", "Need a Little Time"
PLAN B--"Love Goes Down", "She Said"
ROBYN--"Time Machine", "Fembot", "Hang With Me", "Indestructible"
ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL--"Stop/Start/Synchro"
SADE--"Soldier of Love"
SAINT ETIENNE--"No Cure for the Common Christmas"
SCHOOL--"Is He Really Coming Home?"
SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS--"Windstorm"
SCISSOR SISTERS--"Fire With Fire", "Any Which Way"
SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER--"It's a Trip"
SHRIEKBACK--"Loving Up the Thing", "Simpler Machines"
SIA--"You've Changed", "Clap Your Hands", "My Love"
SILENT FILM--"Driven By Their Beating Hearts"
STARS--"Fixed"
SUFJAN STEVENS--"I Walked"
TAKE THAT--"S.O.S.", "Kidz"
TRACEY THORN--"Hormones", "Why Does the Wind?"
UNDERWORLD--"Diamond Jigsaw"
VAMPIRE WEEKEND--"Giving Up the Gun", "Horchata"
VIOLENS--"Acid Reign"
V.V. BROWN--"Shark in the Water"
YEASAYER--"O.N.E.", "I Remember"
ZOLA JESUS--"Night"

Who says there isn't good music out there anymore? Bring on 2012!

My Favorite Albums of 2010.

2010-12-15T18:52:00.001-08:00

This gets harder and harder. Each year there seems to be more music released of competing styles, and all of these splinter genres seemingly have very little to do with each other, save for the fact that they are all based in recorded music. This year, I decided to include 40 albums that really moved me. They may not all be choices from the top critics at Rolling Stone or Pitchfork, but speaking as a musician who loves pop music, they were my favorites. Many of them I have written about before, so I will briefly illuminate you as to why these selections made the list, and why some were chosen over others. Let the party commense:

1) KYLIE MINOGUE--Aphrodite

My favorite offering of the summer came from this petite pixie from Australia who has been making great pop records for over two decades now. Whatever divine inspiration it took to get Stuart Price on this project really helped to give Aphrodite a gloriously unified electro sound. It would only be smoke and mirrors if the songs weren't there, but this is Kylie's most consistently pleasing collection of songs and melodies since Fever. "All the Lovers" was a lovely introductory single of immaculate beauty, yet wasn't the best song in the collection. The true test of a great album is when you have a difficult time choosing the best song, and my favorite seemed to change every week. "Everything is Beautiful", "Can't Beat the Feeling", "Too Much", "Get Outta My Way", and the title track always seemed to be fighting it out for best song for me, and there are still others I feel very positive about. When it came down to choosing number one, I recently put this record on my turntable (literally), and I felt so elated with the arrival of each new song. I realized it was perfectly mixed and arranged to provide a complete listening experience, which is why it trumps number two. This may be the first time I have chosen a Kylie album as my number one, and it's about time.

2) ROBYN--Body Talk

While Robyn tried to meet the modern release schedule nightmare head on by putting out three parts to this album, it left the project feeling a little scattered. The beauty in that, however, is that you are free to make your own playlist, so in effect, the Robyn album will mean something different to each individual, and while many of the songs are strong enough to have formed one solid version of it (which part three supposedly is), that isn't how the songs were presented. One day we may look back to how quaint this idea was, but all told, Body Talk is a kick ass collection of fantastic pop tunes, meaningful without taking themselves too seriously, fun without being disposable. "Dancing On My Own"=song of the year. Kudos Robyn--we missed you.

3) TAKE THAT--Progress

Some will probably disagree with this choice, but seriously, could anyone ever have predicted Take That would sound this fun, sophisticated, and energetic without succumbing to camp, cloying caricatures of themselves? The fact that Robbie Williams returns only adds to the intrigue (especially with the general lack of Gary Barlow's presence). Super-producer Stuart Price whips some immense songs into shape ("The Flood", "Kids", "SOS" to name a few), giving Take That a muscular sound more akin to that of Muse. Hopefully Robbie stays for a bit, but if not, this was a fantastic project that pushes Take That far beyond their simple, humdrum balladry and cheesy disco. Don't lose it!

4) PETER GABRIEL--Scratch My Back

I cannot think of an album that affected me more emotionally this year, and while Gabriel is singing songs all made famous by others, it is his unique interpretations that ripped at my heart. Just take a listen to "Book of Love" or "Mirror Ball" and you'll know. These are more than interpretations--they are reinventions, and Gabriel makes them his own in the way nobody else would think of. Most dramatic song--Arcade Fire's "My Body is a Cage". Wow.

5) JONSI--Go

This unfortunately rather overlooked solo album by the lead singer of Sigur Ros is quite frankly, one of the most ingenious records of the year. Jonsi continues to crank up the elation with intricately crafted songs like "Go", "Animal Arithmetic", and "Around Us", while other stately ballads like "Tornado" and "Grow Till Tall" elegantly balance the proceedings. Go shows just how technicolor Jonsi's world has become, and even though he sings English more than ever, there are still moments where I don't really care what he says. His voice is an instrument from heaven, and he is using it here in the best way. Look out Bjork--you are being put on notice for somebody stealing your crown for "most interesting Icelander".

6) SUFJAN STEVENS--The Age of Adz

I said quite a few things about this album in the last quarter, so let me just add that many are fawning over the accompanying EP that came out at nearly the same time, but the album is the true masterpiece. Challenging, uncompromising, gutwrenching--The Age of Adz is truly the work of an inspired individual. Maybe the last track could have been shorter that 25 minutes long, but why?

7) LAURA MARLING--I Speak Because I Can

Another extremely overlooked album (especially in the US) was this wonderfully intricate modern folk record by a 21-year-old female genius. I was not a Marling convert at first, and it took me a while to get into this, but by God, when I did, I was blown away. Joanna Newsom may have garnered all the headlines for her sprawling 3-disc (lengthy) album, but Marling has such a clear vision and a warmly woody voice, I felt like she really lived these songs, opaque as they may sometimes be. Her sometime backing band are new Brit-stars Mumford & Sons, and while they have attracted massive popularity (even stateside), Marling remains relatively unknown. It's time to change that.

8) GORILLAZ--Plastic Beach

A concept album for keeping the planet clean, not as many people seemed to click with this as they did with the first two Gorillaz albums, but I am so impressed with Damon Albarn's way of collecting and synthesizing so many styles and sounds into one record. How many albums before 2010 had Snoop Dogg and Little Dragon on them? Now other producers like Dave Sitek (Maximum Balloon) and Mark Ronson are trying to branch out into the world of many styles on one record, but the ace in the hole is Albarn's persistently depressed vocal, which inhabits songs like "On Melancholy Hill" and "Broken". "Stylo" was a killer single, adding a rap from Mos Def and a great vocal from the inimitable Bobby Womack (who also blows me away with "Cloud of Unknowing"), and Little Dragon's contribution to "Empire Ants" makes for one of the best songs on the record. Damon Albarn just announced Gorillaz will be releasing another album for free download on December 25th, inspired by his recent collaborations (new single, "Doncamatic" is very catchy). Even after, the Plastic Beach album will continue to grow in stature.

9) OMD--History of Modern

One of the best reunions of the year was the return of Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys after over 20 years. While History of Modern may sound more like McCluskey's version of OMD in the 90's, there are definite touchstones to very early OMD, including the title track (in two parts) and the single "Sister Marie Says". Shades of Pet Shop Boys production turn up here and there, and "Pulse" might make a few fans chuckle, but songs like "New Babies, New Toys", "RFWK", and "New Holy Ground" are quintessential OMD, and highlights of their now extensive catalog of songs. What more could one hope for?

10) GOLDFRAPP--Head First

They finally did it. They made a total pop overthrow record. Another headspin from their last album, Seventh Tree, Goldfrapp are absolutely restless when it comes to offering up new styles and sounds. Here, pop was on the menu, and while their label seemed a little lost in knowing what to do with it, Head First was super sexy & super fun. "Rocket", "Alive", "I Wanna Life", "Head First"...need I say more? The only point is docked for being rather short at nine songs (with one practically an instrumental), and a general lack of B-sides or leftovers. Now without a label, the world is theirs.

11) ARCADE FIRE--The Suburbs

Fantastic return by top Canadian band. Just missed the top 10.

12) ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL--Without Why

An ex-Pipette and Mark Ronson's galpal goes one better and comes up with an endearing indie record that conjures images of the Sundays and Siouxsie Sioux at the same time!

13) CEE LO GREEN--Cee Lo Green is the Lady Killer

Gnarls Barkley frontman delivers another classic single ("F**k You") and his best album yet.

14) SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS--Disconnect From Desire

Brilliant sophomore album of haunting witchery and intertwining vocals.

15) ELVIS COSTELLO--National Ransom

Another great album from a master of songwriting. This plays like a history lesson of lost souls.

16) HURTS--Happiness

Critics seem to hate them, but their ability is undeniable. Graceful and glorious retro pop.

17) JANELLE MONAE--The Archandroid

One of the most incredible debuts in recent years. She is unstoppable.

18) MARC ALMOND--Variete

His return to original songwriting was a welcome development. Hopefully it's not the last.

19) MARINA & THE DIAMONDS--The Family Jewels

Every song on her album seemed like a single. A fantastically unique pop debut ("Shampain" is the best song ABBA never recorded).

20) ELLIE GOULDING--Bright Lights

The rerelease of this album added 7 tracks, and made it even more wonderful. Another incredible debut.

21) BELLE & SEBASTIAN--Write About Love

One of their best, after a three year wait. Guests include Norah Jones and actress Carey Mulligan).

22) VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Contra

Another solid effort from these New York sophomores that stayed fresh all year. "Holiday" was everywhere at Christmas.

23) THE NATIONAL--High Violet

If people still bought records like they used to, these guys would be up there with R.E.M.

24) PIPETTES--Earth vs. the Pipettes

Again, most critics didn't like their change to an 80's band from a 60's band. I thought it was inspired, and "Stop the Music" was an incredible and virtually unheard single.

25) YEASAYER--Odd Blood

They truly ride the line between poppy and quirky. This album was much better than their first.

26) SLEIGH BELLS--Treats

One of the craziest albums of the year, and most fun. Sleigh Bells gave us something new and different. What will they do next?

27) ALPHABEAT--The Beat Is...Alphabeat

A critics target, this album was so much better and more fun than their first. More keyboards make this the most 90's sounding album of the year (in a good way). "DJ" being ignored was a serious pop injustice.

28) UNDERWORLD--Barking

They discovered melodies again! Working with superstar DJ's seems to have opened them up.

29) VIOLENS--Amoral

New York art-rockers make an unusual and unusually great debut. Not your typical indie, and very well produced and put together.

30) CARL BARAT--Carl Barat

An ex-Libertine finally makes good by going solo and taking inspiration from Scott Walker. Excellent (sorry Libertines purists).

31) TRACEY THORN--Love and Its Opposite

The Everything But the Girl singer creates some lovely moments (and songs) of her own.

32) JAMES--The Morning After the Night Before

Releasing the Robyn way as a two-part EP, one rather quiet and the other upbeat and poppy, this was eventually put together as an album. Some of the best songs James have ever written.

33) KELIS--Flesh Tone

Kelis divorced Nas and found her groove, becoming the black Robyn. More please.

34) NITZER EBB--Industrial Complex

They return after 15 years away to make their best album. Listen for the tunes!

35) FUTUREHEADS--The Chaos

Possibly the best pop-punk record of the year. They are working on an acapella album next.

36) DELPHIC--Acolyte

Since New Order won't be New Order anymore...

37) BRYAN FERRY--Olympia

This was his best solo record since Bete Noire in 1989--even if it took an army of contributors to do it.

38) SIA--We Are Born

Sia found some energy this year and made one of her best records. Too bad she had to write for Christina Aguilera's flop album and develop Graves disease in 2010.

39) SILENT FILM--The City That Sleeps

If Coldplay and Muse had a baby...an excellent debut.

40) FYFE DANGERFIELD--Fly Yellow Moon

A few years ago, the Guillemots frontman found himself at the top of this list. This was still a pretty darn good album, with production help from ex-Suede guitarist, Bernard Butler.

Other great albums of note:

BROKEN BELLS--Broken Bells

THE SCHOOL--Loveless Unbeliever

LUKE HAINES--21st Century Man

THE LIKE--Release Me

MARK RONSON--Record Collection

MAXIMUM BALLOON--Maximum Balloon

HOT CHIP--One Life Stand

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM--This is Happening

JOANNA NEWSOM--Have One On Me

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB--Tourist History

GROOVE ARMADA--Black Light

EDWYN COLLINS--Losing Sleep

DIVINE COMEDY--Bang Goes the Neighbourhood

SADE--Soldier of Love

THE DRUMS--the Drums

KIM WILDE--Come Out & Play

SAMBASSADEUR--European

BLACK KEYS--Brothers

NICK CAVE--Grinderman II

M.I.A.--Maya

KELE--the Boxer

BADLY DRAWN BOY--It's Not What I Am Thinking

Q3: I can't frickin' believe September is gone...

2010-09-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

This year is flying by unbelievably fast. Maybe it's just my age. One thing I must admit is that, after a flurry of fantastic and exciting new releases in the first half of the year, things slowed down a bit over the late summer. That's not to say there aren't some most excellent things out there--just fewer of them. Without further ado, here is an examination of the dog days of summer, 2010:

1) SUFJAN STEVENS--The Age of Adz

This is a unique choice for me, and I'll be the first to admit it. I've never been much of a Sufjan fan, as I found some of his down home folk-isms a bit silly, and his state homages uber-pretentious. Stevens has taken five years to break away from the state-history concept, and in that time, has learned how to find a way out and reinvent himself. The Age of Adz is the first album featuring a heavily synthesized texture, and while at times it may seem like everything and the kitchen sink, mostly it works masterfully. Stevens knows how to layer sound to create magic, and there are some soaring moments here that show his compositional prowess better than anything he has previously committed to record. Lengthy and expansive, AoA is an album made by a child of the Radiohead generation, and it shows. It also belies a certain Bjork Homogenic/Vespertine influence, and I cannot think of more fantastical things to be compared to. Just check out the final track, the 25-minute epic, "Impossible Soul", to see what I mean. It remains to be seen where he goes from here, but at the moment, Sufjan, you finally won me over.

2) ARCADE FIRE--Suburbs

Another odd choice for me--am I resorting to some untraveled indie-land lately? Arcade Fire's third record is not only their best produced album, it is also their best from beginning to end. Gone are some of the mock pretensions of the previous Neon Bible album, and in are some wonderful songs that play like a story about the disillusion of the suburban lifestyle of North America (the Fire are based in Montreal, after all). Suburbs is also the album they learn to make the best of their shortcomings, as lead female Renee never had the loveliest voice; here they manage to integrate it to good use, especially on songs like "The Sprawl II", where she is juxtaposed with a heavily melodic keyboard texture and undulating rhythms. Songs like "City With No Children" and "Suburban War" feel like the most important songs they've ever recorded. Do not pass this one up!

3) OMD (ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK)--History of Modern

Now this might be something you'd expect me to recommend, but I'm not doing it just because I've loved them forever. I'm doing it because it's a damn fine album, and the best record they've made beginning to end since 1982. OMD released their first album in 1980, with the core duo of Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys splitting up in 1989, leaving McCluskey to carry on with the OMD name. In 1996, McCluskey released the last OMD album, Universal, and, unhappy with the commercial reception and his place in the pop world, retired from making and performing music to create teen pop sensations (in the UK) Atomic Kitten. That only kept his interest for a little while, and in 2006 the original OMD lineup reconvened, with this album being the eventual product. And what a product it is. The 2-part title tracks alone are worth owning this album, and while some songs see them stretch a bit, most are in the expected grand style of classic OMD, with little bits taken referenced from all periods of their history. I especially like the Kraftwerk tribute, "RFWK", and the final track, "The Right Side?", which sounds like OMD's own take on Kraftwerk's ambling electronica. Simply smart, classy, and elegant.

4) HURTS--Happiness

Speaking of smart, classy, and elegant...this album is the definition. While they get compared to everything 80's, from Pet Shop Boys to Johnny Hates Jazz, Hurts seem to be filling a certain void existing in pop music now, namely, polished and produced sad balladry with an electronic edge. Depeche Mode may be a touchstone, but Hurts are far too conventional for that, and don't have the wry wit of PSB nor the blandness of JHZ. They are purveyors of mood and melody, and have crafted some of the most beautiful sorrowful ballads in recent memory. Theo Hutchcraft's voice was made for music like this, and it positively soars against these achingly yearning backdrops. If you like your music big and important, here you go.

5)ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL--Without Why

Once in a while, a voice and album come along that seem quite special and somehow timeless. Rose Elinor Dougall's debut has that sort of feel. With a voice that seems like a spectral mix of Siouxsie Sioux and Harriet Wheeler (Sundays), and music that mostly echoes indie-Britain (think Sundays and Cocteau Twins), this rather unexpected release from a former Pipette never ceases to amaze. Rose has a way with harmony which must have been partially influenced by her former group, and Without Why is a bold and rather uncompromising leap into something new for her. She has become so well-respected that UK super-producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse) has enlisted her vocal duties for some of his most recent album. Hopefully Rose will be able to pay some of the bills now.

6) PIPETTES--Earth Vs. the Pipettes

Poor Pipettes. Since their first album was an underground indie hit in 2007, they lost two of the three singers (one being the aforementioned Rose Elinor Dougall), gained two new ones, and lost another upon finishing the recording of this album (lead singer Gwenno and her sister Ani remain). The de-facto Destiny's Child of British indie, Pipettes found a way to soldier on by moving from the 60's to the 80's, and while some may bristle at the shift in direction, EvtP is actually still quite melodic, and just as fun. Getting their CD released has been a chore as well, as they were dropped by their US label, and have had to find a new home, with the album coming out in the fall, even though it has been readily downloaded (aka STOLEN) for over two months at the time of writing. PLEASE, if you like this band AT ALL, BUY a copy when it is officially released (it may be out in England already) if you ever want to hear from them again. It's an amazingly good record if you ever liked 80's bands like Bananarama or Wham.

7) MAXIMUM BALLOON--Maximum Balloon

TV on the Radio are a band I admire, but don't really love, and Dave Sitek has contributed to lots of production jobs in the past, but here he lets his party flag fly, and he's all the better for it. A loosely collected album featuring vocals from Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeah's), Little Dragon, members of TV on the Radio, and even David Byrne(!), Maximum Balloon is a well-produced party record that actually sounds like Talking Heads at their party best at times, but also echoes Berlin-era Bowie with that Eno influence. If you want brainy music that you can tap your feet to and not feel guilty about it in the morning, here you go.

8) INTERPOL--Interpol

I really want to like Interpol, and have for a long time. I loved their first album, liked the second a lot, and found myself being rather ambivalent to the last one. Even still, I've seen the band live, and while I was impressed with their sound, I find it difficult sometimes to enjoy them as a band. Their latest record has done a lot to rectify this distance I feel, as the dark textures are really represented well again. Every time "Lights" begins, I get chills. This self-titled record which marks their return to an indie label may be their most claustrophobic album, but I'm finding that's how I like them the best.

9) JAMES--The Morning After the Night Before

I don't know if this really qualifies as an album as it really functions as two long EPs, one rather hushed (Morning); the other more pumped (Night), but I like it. While I think some song shuffling may be in order depending on your mood (the Morning disc tends to be a bit quiet for a long time), the material here ranks with some of their best. Inspired by the death of Tim Booth's mother, some of the new material is especially heartfelt, and benefits from that sense of purpose. Their last album, the reunion of Hey Ma, was quite good, but this one goes even one step better. Will somebody please explain to me why they aren't as popular as U2 yet?

10) UNDERWORLD--Barking

Another rather unconventional choice, as I had somewhat given up on Underworld around the time of Two Months Off. Oblivion With Bells was just too somber for me, and it seemed to signal creative burnout for a band that had existed for nearly three decades, but had lost their DJ member, Darren Emerson, a few year prior. Emerson makes a bit of a return here, as do other famous names like Paul van Dyk, much to the benefit of the record. Barking is the most alive sounding Underworld have been in years, and my God, there are even the beginnings of TUNES here! If you liked this band but had given up on them, give this a try. You won't be disappointed (or shouldn't be, anyway).

Other albums of note I quite enjoyed:

HUNDRED IN THE HANDS--Hundred in the Hands

KIM WILDE (!)--Come Out & Play

THE DRUMS--The Drums

NICK CAVE & GRINDERMAN--Grinderman 2

GLASSER--Ring

MARK RONSON--Record Collection

M.I.A.--/\/\/\Y/\

BLONDE REDHEAD--Penny Sparkle

DAVID SYLVIAN--Sleepwalkers

PAUL HEATON--Acid Country

MONARCHY--Monarchy (this isn't coming out now til 2011?)

CHROMEO--Business Casual

MATTHEW DEAR--Black City

ROBYN--Body Talk Pt. 2*

*(This may still get a higher ranking once the third and final part is released in November)

Records I found disappointing:

ROYKSOPP--Senior

I know, this is supposed to be the slow, downtempo cousin of last years FABULOUS Junior, but can we find a pulse here? A vocalist here & there would have been nice too. Bah-ring (sorry guys).

KATIE MELUA--The House

I was really looking forward to this for once, but other than the single, no go.

HOOSIERS--Illusion of Safety

A bit too far into pop territory, perhaps. Hopefully it sells, guys.

BRANDON FLOWERS--Flamingo

I like about 70% of this album, so it isn't all that bad, but a bit flawed. I find this continual Vegas talk getting a bit tiring, so songs like "Only the Young" actually work for me, while the more referential ones don't. I get that he wants to make it his private New York, but even Sinatra gets tiresome whenever THAT song comes on. Hey Brandon, next time, why don't you sing more about your emotions and who you are, not who you saw get arrested and where you are (but no more lyrics about dancers).

WEEZER--Hurley

So close but yet so far, this is the best Weezer record since Maladroit. No, really. Plus, everybody thinks it's Jorge Garcia's album.

CROWDED HOUSE--Intriguer

Not so intrigued.

There are a lot more disappointing albums, but I chose to only refer to the ones I had high hopes for personally. Maybe next time???

Albums to get excited about: Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Human League (!), Alphaville (!!), KT Tunstall, Annie Lennox (Christmas), Duran Duran (prod. by Mark Ronson--will you PLEASE do a Boy George record next?).

Where are your albums?: Kraftwerk, Darren Hayes, Justice, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Amy Winehouse, George Michael (will it ever happen?).

Q2: What else could possibly top the first half? Seriously?

2010-06-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

Another half a year gone, and seriously, could it feel like I am crusing into my forties more excited about music than I was at 16? There has been some incredible stuff released this year (and of course, some stinkers). Some will not share the feelings I have...after all, it is all subjective. But I think over so many years of listening and being exposed to music non-stop, I have a pretty good grasp of what's good and what is shit. Thus beginneth my judgment regarding the top albums from April through June 2010. And what a list it is(!)...

1) KYLIE MINOGUE--Aphrodite

Alright, technically speaking this album doesn't release until July 5 (a Q3 effort then), but it is rampantly circling the internet as I speak, and is widely available for perusal. So, I will refer to it as the icing on the cake that was Q2 2010, as I will be holding one in my hot little hands within a day or two. Simply put, this is the best dance pop album released by anybody so far this year (sorry Goldfrapp--your album was great too, if a little short), and possibly the best since Pet Shop Boys unleashed Yes just over a year ago. Whoever had the stroke of genius to bring Stuart Price in to oversee the executive production on Aphrodite should be knighted immediately, as it pulls together all the Kylie elements that people admire into one shining package--soaring tunes, pumping beats, electro magic, and above it all, her perky personality. Not bad for somebody who had her somewhat lowly beginnings as a pimply tomboy on a second-rate soap opera nearly 25 years ago! I could do a track by track rundown of how glorious the songs on Aphrodite sound, but I will let the listener discover them for the moment (or read about them on the numerous web forums), and provide a more thorough examination at year's end when I have had more time to live with the album and extol its true virtues. That is not to say that I am making a hasty ruling here--after all, this is Kylie's best album since Light Years, the album that made me love her all over again. I just have a feeling I will be able to articulate my feelings more clearly with time. Way to go Kylie--you've done it again! Now, can you break America again with a more extensive tour this time?

2) LAURA MARLING--I Speak Because I Can

Talk about a record that could not exist in a more distant place opposite the previous entry. I had never give Laura Marling much thought until I heard "Devil's Spoke", and was immediately transfixed by her gloomy ruminations on love. It is a piece of the highest order of English folk music coming from a very talented and wise beyond her years 20-year old. The fact that I am generally not a big fan of this kind of music makes it even more alarming that I would respond to such a dark and haunting album of this genre. Marling's voice is so unique and personal, you feel as though she is speaking directly to you. The arrangements on this album feature surging string sections, bluegrass-y banjo, ghostly choirs, and is so maturely written, it makes Suzanne Vega (someone who I feel has written a great deal of wonderful music) seem elementary in comparison. If you are looking for a true and trasformative folk music experience, it's all right here. Can you imagine how she'll sound in ten years time?

3) JANELLE MONAE--The Archandroid

I didn't pay much attention to Janelle when she released a debut EP in mid-2008. That EP, released by Diddy's Badboy Records, served as the first of a three-part suite based upon the film Metropolis, and is thematically continued with the following two suites on the Archandroid. Sometimes an album comes along that is so sprawling stylistically, it leaves the listener wondering who the artist is and how to quantify their art. Surprisingly, the opposite is in effect here, as Monae's debut album displays a dazzling range of songs and styles that the listener is left in a headspin, knowing more about Monae than a one-dimensional record could convey. The first half of the album could be called the quirky, retro-soul half, featuring songs which flow together effortlessly, like the quickly rapped "Dance or Die", moving into the big-band jump of "Faster", to the Stevie Wonder-soul of "Locked Inside". They are so seamless, they really do blend into different parts of a suite, leaving the listener to wonder where one song ends and another begins. A particular highlight and a should-be chart-topper, "Tightrope" (and its quirky Big Boi featured video) should have created a whole new dance craze, while "Come Alive" plays like a freaky party song for skeletons on Halloween. The second half of the album is more grand and orchestral, sampling Claude Debussy on "Say You'll Go", while maintaining the freaky on the Of Montreal-assisted "Make the Bus". "Babopbye Ya" (much better than its title would suggest) is the epic nine-minute closer, sitting somewhere between a James Bond theme and jazz, and it really shows off Monae's fabulous vocal range to stunning effect. In effect, this is one of the most affecting debut albums by any artist in the past twenty years. Take note NOW.

4) SCISSOR SISTERS--Night Work

How ironic that the Scissor Sisters return to fabulousity comes at the same time Kylie unleashes Aphrodite, as both records were executive produced by the ever talented Stuart Price (check out his own band, Zoot Woman--their last album was great). While Night Work may not display the single-mindedness of the Kylie album, I'll say that it functions just as well in many ways, mainly by bringing them back to life after the somewhat lackluster Ta Dah(2006), and back to the dancefloor. "Fire With Fire" has its naysayers, but I recommend it wholeheartedly as an uplifting synthpop anthem, one that sits closely to Price's production work on the Killers' "Human", and shows that Jake Shears can sing an effective song without resorting to falsetto posturing (even if it does resemble Elton John). This album shows a progression from the full-on 70's vibe of the last record, acting more as a bridge between the 70's and 80's--a much more interesting time for music as well. Tracks like "Any Which Way" (which features Minogue on backing vocals) recall the best of disco Bee Gee's, while "Invisible Light" is the best song Frankie Goes to Hollywood never released (and thanks for the Ian McKellen guest vocal--Vincent Price is spinning in his grave). Maybe not as completely great as their first album, but a definite return to form, and a growth and maturation has occurred without losing the fun. Another great party record.

5) MARC ALMOND--Variete

I am surprised at how little discussion and recognition this album has been receiving across the interblogs, as I was sure some diehards were going to at least mention it. So let me do the honors. Marc has returned with what may be his best album since Tenement Symphony, and definitely his most personal work. That is saying something, as he is closing in on thirty years of recording and about twenty albums in that same amount of time. The general sound of Variete harkens back to his mid-80's period, using mostly Mother Fist (the upbeat songs) and Torment & Toreros (the darker, downbeat songs) as sonic touchstones. Marc has said this would be his final album of original songs (although he has now stated that he meant it would be his last album about these decadent types of characters), but hopefully he has more music in him, whatever the subject matter, as these are fantastic songs by an artist in full control of his writing and production. While the cabaret-isms may not be to everybody's taste, some of these songs are quite affecting. The upbeat drive of "Nijinsky Heart" and "Variete" are pure Marc, while "The Exhibitionist" and "Sandboy" portray the darker sides of his performance art. There are some songs that feel like the most important things he's ever written: the autobiographical "Trials of Eyeliner", haunting "Lavender", defiant "But Not Today" and declamatory "Swan Song" will go down as some of the finest songs he has ever written, and are, of course, all immaculately sung. I will have more to say about this by the end of the year, but if you ever liked Marc Almond at all, Variete is some of his strongest work ever, and is a love letter to his life and art.

6) KELIS--Flesh Tone

Another record that arrives in the US the first week of July (although it has been available elsewhere since mid-May), Flesh Tone is to Kelis as Ray of Light was to Madonna. Working with some of today's hottest producers, Miss K (former wife of rapper Nas), has come out of her divorce with a new baby and a new outlook. She wants to go out and have a great time, and Flesh Tone is the perfect album to do that with, albeit with moments of reflection and introspection. Namely, "Acappella" (the first single), a winning melody set to a throbbing trance beat, a song that should erase the memory of "Milkshake" from the minds of the masses for at least a couple minutes. Kelis' newfound sense of self awareness pervades this album and its themes, and now that America has passed the date of the longest war it has ever been involved in, "Fourth of July" can only inspire us to put our cares away and dance. "Home", "Brave" and "Song for the Baby" are equally empowering anthems that will fill dancefloors across the globe this summer. More, please, more.

7) TRACEY THORN--Love and It's Opposite

On the other side of the Kelis album, Tracey releases her third solo album, following Out of the Woods in 2007. While Love and It's Opposite is more downbeat than her previous effort, it features production from the same producer of that album (Ewan Pearson), and contains similarly wonderful songcraft, albeit in more intimate and stripped down arrangements. Let's face it, Thorn could sing me the phone book and I'd be OK with that, but let's just say that the quieter arrangements sometimes lead to more direct magic, as the opener "Oh, the Divorces" will attest to (is your relationship with Ben OK?). While there are no club bangers like "It's All True" or "Grand Canyon", songs like "Why Does the Wind" and "Hormones" do feature insistent beats that allow Thorn's voice to come through more personally. While I have loved both recent solo albums, I am left to wonder what Ben has been doing with all his time (certainly not just running his record label), and think about what wondrous things he may have written since Everything But the Girl went on hiatus over a decade ago. Temperamental was an excellent album, and it would be nice to see Ben & Tracey revisit some of that territory soon. Now that their kids are getting older, we shall see...

8) JONSI--Go

One of the most beautiful albums of the year comes from Jonsi, the lead singer of Sigur Ros (this is the year of solo records, with Julian Casablancas recent effort, Brandon Flowers upcoming record, and other recent efforts from Kele Okerke, Fyfe Dangerfield, and Andy Bell). Just listen to the surge of a song like "Go Do" or the haunting Thom Yorke-isms of "Tornado", and Jonsi's first mostly-English sung album is a real treat, and more direct than anything he's done with his band. The arrangements flutter in and out at breakneck speed, and his soul really takes flight when his music is allowed to sing through his extensively gorgeous vocal layering. Sigur Ros fans may respond negatively to the happiness here, but your soul has to be good and dark not to enjoy what Jonsi puts on display. So good, I even bought it on vinyl.

9) DIVINE COMEDY--Bang Goes the Knighthood

I have come to the conclusion that Neil Hannon cannot be stopped. And I don't want him to be. One of the wittiest writers of our generation, Hannon is an elf-prince of the highest order, penning gloriously silly songs here like "Can You Stand On One Leg" (an ode to his children, I presume). There is plenty great for adults here as well, such as the namechecking single, "At the Indie Disco" (Blur, Cure, Wannadies, etc.), and the seriously haunting "When a Man Cries", which sounds like it really comes from personal experience. "The Complete Banker" wryly points a finger at those who created the recent economic disaster, while "Have You Ever Been in Love" is one of the most lovely little ballads I've heard in a while (I'd love to hear Kylie cover this--could they ever do an album together?). My real favorite gem of the album is the opener, "Down in the Street Below", which goes through a couple tempo changes and even adds ambient street noise at the end. It's knowing stuff without being overly pretentious, as an air of self-deprecation always deflates Hannon's balloons. Brilliant once again. Don't make us wait so long next time!

10) SIA--We Are Born

I always liked Sia, but had a hard time loving her. That has changed with her new album, We Are Born. Her Zero 7 collaborations were fantastic, and while Colour the Small One was a very good album (especially "Breathe Me", which found fame on the finale of Six Feet Under), her last effort, Some People Have Real Problems, was a mostly downbeat affair that seemed directly marketed at Starbucks patrons (it was even released on their label). Somewhere in the past couple years, Sia rediscovered her mojo. Whether it was writing for Christina Aguilera or collaborating with the Bird & the Bee (member Greg Kurstin produced We Are Born--most famous for his work with Lily Allen, Kylie, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Rilo Kiley, Dragonette, etc.), Sia does seem reborn as a more energetic version of herself. While she always penned beautiful and affecting ballads, most of those have been given to Christina for her latest album, leaving only "I'm In Here" as the sole token Sia-ballad. So much the better, as "Clap Your Hands" and "You've Changed", the first two singles from the album, feature great beats to tap your feet, and fun and quirky videos to make you laugh. It's a more celebratory Sia this time around, and she will always have those beautiful ballads to sing in concert. We Are Born comes in like a breath of fresh air.

Other albums of note:

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM--This is Happening

SLEIGH BELLS--Treats

THE NATIONAL--High Violet

PAUL WELLER--Wake Up the Nation

THE SCHOOL--Loveless Unbeliever

LUCKY SOUL--A Coming of Age

LUKE HAINES--21st Century Man

V.V. BROWN--Travelling Like the Light

FUTUREHEADS--The Chaos

FYFE DANGERFIELD--Fly Yellow Moon

YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE!--Xxxx

KELE--The Boxer

FOALS--Total Life Forever

LAURIE ANDERSON--Homeland

DEVO--Something for Everybody

BLITZEN TRAPPER--Destroyer of the Void

THE LIKE--Release Me

CARIBOU--Swim

CLUB 8--The People's Record

CHEMICAL BROTHERS--Further

YOUNG VEINS--Take a Vacation

KENT--En Plats i Solen

ROBYN--Body Talk Pt. 1*

*This would have likely performed better had it been the full album. Judgment is being withheld until part 2 and/or part 3 are released.

Albums I missed from Q1 and earlier that I discovered late:

LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION--Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You...

This took me by surprise. He's grown quite a bit. Nice if you like Morrissey, Elvis Costello, or Luke Haines.

LINDSTROM & CHRISTABELLE--Real Life is No Cool

Excellent Swedish dance/electronic/R&B stuff.

JOANNA NEWSOM--Have One On Me

This would have possibly made an earlier list, but it's a bit TOO big--triple discs are hard to take. Still, she is very talented, and has gotten much better to my ears.

MGMT--Congratulations

Weird. Different. Good.

OK albums:

STARS--Five Ghosts

KAREN ELSON--Karen Elson

GRUM--Heartbeats

DONKEYBOY--Caught in a Life

AQUALUNG--Magnetic North

NEON TREES--Habits

JAMES--The Night Before EP

ANDY BELL--Non-Stop

WE HAVE BAND--WHB

HOT HOT HEAT--Future Breeds

HOWARD JONES--Ordinary Heroes

Disappointing albums (I think these need some explanation):

DELAYS--Star Tiger Star Ariel

OK guys, when are you gonna knock my socks off again? Valentine still amazes.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT--All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu

Rufus' voice needs more than just piano backing--it brings out all his annoying vocal tics

BIRD & THE BEE--Interpreting the Masters: a Tribute to Hall & Oates

If you're gonna reinterpret the masters, bring SOMETHING new to the table

CODEINE VELVET CLUB--Codeine Velvet Club

Fratelli thought he could jump on this bandwagon, which Lucky Soul and the School do better

SUGABABES--Sweet 7

Do I have to?

DAVID BYRNE/FATBOY SLIM--Here Lies Love

This was far too long and boring--the rhythms all blend together--where is the Fatboy touch?

KEANE--Night Train EP

Worst thing they've done by a mile. So talented, and so miscalculating.

KATE NASH--My Best Friend Is You

Mansion Song. Nuff said.

MORCHEEBA--Blood Like Lemonade

Tepid return with Skye back in the fold. She should leave again.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA--Bionic

It's funny how I think 70% of the songs from this album are acceptable to great, but the album itself is a trainwreck. Here's a definite case for resequencing of an album for an iPod. (i.e. no Not Myself Tonight or Woohoo).

Needless to say, I am very excited about what the second half of 2010 has to offer with all this great stuff already behind us. Looking forward to: M.I.A., Arcade Fire, OMD(!), Interpol(back on Matador!), Royksopp, Hurts, Hoosiers, Daft Punk (Tron soundtrack), Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Brandon Flowers, Pipettes (an actual release), and supposedly 2011: Lady Gaga, Saint Etienne, and Dubstar!

Could it really be the last???

2010-05-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

I am not usually one for posting very often, but let it be said that Marc Almond has just set the release date for what is supposedly being called his final album of original songs. Named VARIETE, it is set for release in the second week of June (7th supposedly), and is a double album. This is the first published tracklist I have seen from a fairly reputable source (and it has yet to be posted on Amazon, although you can preorder it in deluxe or regular formats, whatever that may mean):

Intro
Bread and Circus
Nijinsky Heart
The Exhibitionist
The Trials of Eyeliner
Lavender
Soho So Long
Unloveable
Sandboy
It's All Going On
Variety
Cabaret Clown
My Madness and I
But Not Today
Swan Song
Sin Song
My Evil Twin
A Lonely One
Cat Dancer
Criminal Lover
I Am No One
Smoke
Kiss the Ghost (Goodbye)

Hopefully this will not really be his last album of original material as suggested. Marc brings so many colors to the world in his writing that others may copy but just don't surpass. He hasn't toured the US in 10 years, yet his fanbase remains loyal as ever. I, for one, cannot wait!

Q1/10: Where does the time go?

2010-03-27T18:58:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe another winter has come and gone, and the first quarter of 2010 is coming to a close. Sadly, there was seemingly a lot less music released this winter compared with 2009, although a string of really good albums were unleashed upon the (un)willing masses. I am providing a quick rundown of how things stand for me and my collection at the end of March...

1) PETER GABRIEL--Scratch My Back

The prospect of a covers album is always a bit dubious. There are many ways an album of this nature can go, and none really very appealing. Take for instance, the artist who wants to show their love for certain songs, but done their way...Duran Duran's Thank You was a disaster. Covering a Bowie or Roxy Music song when there is a tradition of New Romanticisms is one thing, but digging up "911 is a Joke" by Public Enemy was preposterous. Erasure were fine with an ABBA tune, but their full length Other People's Songs is likely their worst album. Then there are those who wish to stay true to the originals. Sharleen Spiteri's recent movie album is generally where this is headed, containing mostly dire readings of songs which sound as if she was locked in some karaoke hell. Another recent disappointment is Bird & the Bee's rendering of Hall & Oates' greatest hits, which taken in small doses would be fine, but over the course of an album, I find myself examining the fact that they are faithful to a fault, with almost every note and squiggle of phrase duplicated to the point that it renders the exercise pointless--just buy the originals already. And the less said about Sinead O'Connor's big band covers album, the better. In effect, finding a covers album that ticks all the boxes is nearly impossible.

Imagine my worry when I saw the news that our beloved PG was releasing a covers album, his first recorded output in eight long years. While I probably would have wanted an original album instead, Scratch My Back functions well as a covers album AND as an original one. Somehow he manages to walk that fine line between tribute and personal creativity that makes this one special. Maybe it is the sensitive orchestrations and sparse arrangements that highlight Peter's sensitive vocals, or the fact that this juxtaposition of sound emphasizes the lyrics in ways that I never would have dreamed before. For instance, the Talking Heads' song, "Listening Wind", which was written over 30 years ago, depicts the story of an Arabian child who takes up the cause of terrorism by strapping a bomb to themselves and heading for a crowded area. The original was a woozy drone with a hypnotic beat, pushing David Byrne's vocals deep into the mix, while Peter's update here allows the listener to really inhabit the story, with the instruments there in support of the voice, as opposed to giving both equal billing. This exposure of the lyrics only serves to highlight the fact that this type of horrifying act of murder/suicide, which was being perpetrated by their own people decades ago, still exists to this day.

So, Peter earns my honor of the best record of the first three months of 2010. It can be depressing. I cried the first time I heard it, and the second. While Scratch My Back isn't exactly upbeat, there are some lovely moments of relief in "The Book of Love" and "The Power of the Heart", songs which could make the most hardened criminal sob. This project may also have served as a way for Peter to unblock some creative jam he had while readying his next original project, as he seems to be his worst critic and an ultimate perfectionist (see Kate Bush, Sade, Green Gartside, Mark Hollis, David Sylvian, etc.). Here's a tip for Peter--the world doesn't want perfectionism, because the world isn't perfect either. All it wants is his voice singing music from the soul, as he has proven here. Now that Scratch My Back is out there for the world to hear, let's hope he gets the original album done soon. Fingers crossed.

2) MARINA & THE DIAMONDS--The Family Jewels

Living in America, I find it difficult to understand all the hubbub regarding the Marina backlash. It seems like several people in the UK find her brash, pushy, shouty, snarky, and a turnoff. This saddens me greatly, as I think The Family Jewels is one of the best things to come out of Wales in a good long while (sorry Duffy). This album is not only chock full of great songs ("I Am Not a Robot", "Oh No!", "Obsessions", etc.), but there is a real strong character at the center of them. I am unsure anybody else could pen songs as unique yet inviting as "Hollywood" and "Mowgli's Road", as she brings such a personal slant to what could be faceless in lesser hands. "Shampain" in particular is quirky, slick, and has one of the greatest choruses ABBA never recorded. Even late into the album, songs like "Rootless" and "Numb" seem quite special. Time to wake up to a special talent then...

3) GOLDFRAPP--Head First

I know it almost seems like a copout choosing Goldfrapp at this point, but they really do still make some of the most wonderfully conceived pop music around. While I may not have completely bought into the perky 80's-express nature of these proceedings, there is no denying the seductive qualities of "Rocket", "Alive", and "I Wanna Life", all shiny and Top Gun-ned. While only "Shiny and Warm" is too reminiscent of what has come before, and "Voicething" something better left to a B-side, the highs here are quite high. Now Goldfrapp need to be careful they do not step any closer into pastiche, or the joke will be on them.

4) EMILIE SIMON--The Big Machine

Yes, this was on my 2009 list, but it came out late in the year only in France, and finally got a UK release in February when I finally got my CD. What an excellent album this is. Anybody who loves Kate Bush really needs to rush out and listen to the whole thing right now, as I don't think I have ever heard anyone sing closer to KB in their vocal delivery (including early Tori Amos). Simon comes up with many quirky winners here, and comes off as a darker, edgier version of Marina. This is her first all-English effort, and she recorded much of it in New York. Funny enough, it all still sounds very Emilie, and this is her best album yet.

5) DELPHIC--Acolyte

Poor Delphic. These days, expectations run so high for your first album, that there was really no way they were going to please everybody. What they did release, however, is a very stylish post-alternative album full of sparkling electronica flourishes, and some catchy melodies to boot. "Doubt", "Halcyon", and "Counterpoint" would be fine additions to anyone's canon (even New Order), and some of the instrumental parts allow them to stretch out a bit musically. As I said about Marina, if this is their debut, I cannot wait to hear what comes next.

6) HOT CHIP--One Life Stand
Another band that has suffered at the hand of many-a-critic, HC's latest effort is, in my estimation, their best yet. They have always seemed like a group of nerds that really wanted to create some deep grooves, and they do that here on nearly every song, even when the grooves are slow. While "Thieves in the Night" gets things off to a sprightly beat, and "Hand Me Down Your Love" keeps things up house-style, songs like "I Feel Better" are slow burners, with "Slush" being especially reflective. "Brothers" is a special ode to the love of a group of guys (how sensitive!), and the title track along with "We Have Love" and "Take It In" are some of the best indie-dance songs you'll hear this year. My personal fave though? "Alley Cats". It's like one of those unassuming little ballads you could hear Tracey Thorn singing. Just sayin'.

7) VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Contra
I wasn't sure they could pull off a round two, but darn if this isn't one of the most fun and put together of records this year. While "Cousins" is a bit of a crazy little calling card of a single, this album will become more known for songs like "Horchata" and "Giving Up the Gun", and "Holiday" has that must-be-a-single poppiness written all over it. "Diplomat's Son" is supposedly about Joe Strummer as well. What more could you ask for?

8) SADE--Soldier of Love
We got two major summer albums in the middle of snowmageddon this year in the form of Vampire Weekend and Sade. Talk about somebody who takes a long time to make a record. A mere ten years since her last, and with nine years separating the previous two, Sade is the mistress of slow work rates. It's the kinda thing that will really piss off the major label in an economic downturn such as the current state. Fortunately, Sade is always quality, and SOL is no exception. While the martial title track got our attention, songs like "Morning Bird", "Bring Me Home", and "The Safest Place" are what make Sade truly special. Even "Babyfather", a song which could be cringeworthy in 99% of the remainder of female R&B singers hands, has an endearing quality that very few can muster. Please don't wait ten years next time--YOU ARE GETTING OLDER.

9) ELLIE GOULDING--Lights
I tried to resist her charms many times, but finally fell for them. While I think her girlishness is an acquired taste, and I also don't think she quite has the unique quirkiness of Marina, Ellie is a special, young singer-songwriter who has made one gem of an album. There is not one duff track to be found here (the ladies are really workin' it recently). While "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)" is probably my favorite here, there are many great songs. Why they could not put the title track on the CD though is anybody's guess. Marina did the same thing. Last year it was Little Boots. Can we please have the TITLE TRACKS ON THE CDs from now on...please???

10) ALPHABEAT--The Beat Is...
Yes, this album is not selling well. Yes, they changed the name of it at the last minute, after months of delays. Yes, the album leaked nearly five months prior to its release, killing its sales potential. Dammit if I don't love this record. Alphabeat do not ape the 90's dance scene--here, they inhabit it. This record is so damn catchy, it's like a bad cold. I don't even know where to begin--"DJ", "The Right Thing", "Always Up With You", "The Spell", "Heat Wave", "Hole in My Heart"--ALL great. And that's only the GREAT songs! There are at least five more winners--my fave non-single? "Chess".

Other great albums of Q1:

GROOVE ARMADA-Black Light
GABRIELLA CILMI--Ten
CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG--IRM
DAN BLACK--((un))
GORILLAZ--Plastic Beach
BROKEN BELLS--Broken Bells
SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER--Songs from the Red Room
TWO DOOR CINEMA--Tourist History
SAMBASSADEUR--European
YEASAYER--Odd Blood
MASSIVE ATTACK--Heligoland
RADIO DEPT.--Clinging to a Scheme
THE COURTEENERS--Falcon
TURIN BRAKES--Outbursts
ATHLETE--Black Swan

Still digging: Dragonette, Annie, Gaga, LaRoux, Little Boots, Pet Shop Boys, Cheryl Cole, Cribs, Florence, Mary Onettes, Sally Shapiro, XX.

Can't wait for the summer! The ladies are coming! MIA! Robyn! Kylie! Sophie Ellis-Bextor! Kelis! Sia! Pipettes!

Also next quarter: Keane, Andy Bell, Lucky Soul, Tracey Thorn, Hoosiers, Marc Almond, Jonsi, MGMT (actually just heard it--hmmm), the National.

Albums I would buy, but will they ever make one?: Hurts, Sound of Arrows, Penguin Prison, Golden Filter, OMD(this year?), Human League (also this year?), Casey Spooner, Scissor Sisters.

SNOWMAGEDDON....

2010-02-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

I know this blog is usually used for music purposes, but damn if this snowmageddon 2010 hasn't put a damper on everyday living. Luckily I was able to get physical copies of Sade, Hot Chip, and Massive Attack before the hammer came down. We have gotten over four feet in the past week, making it the biggest snowfall in West Chester, PA recorded history. Our store was closed for the second time in a week, and if the owner hadn't died last month, this surely would have killed him. Here you can see my deck table after two apocalyptic snowstorms within four days of each other, and the view outside my window. Brrrr....

FAVORITE ALBUMS OF ALL TIME (2010 edition)

2010-01-30T10:58:00.000-08:00

While I have been trying to come to conclusions about my favorite records of all time, I thought it might be enlightening just to list the top 300--yes, 300! As someone who has worked in and managed record stores for over 25 years, I've heard a shitload of music, and these are the ones that resonated with me the most. I am also a child of the 80's, so take that into account.

I will soon be posting a list of the top 50 or so in order--and these lists always change as time marches on--but as of early 2010, these are the contenders. Prepare to be overwhelmed...

A-HA--hunting high & low
ABBA--super trouper
ABBA--visitors
ABBA--voulez vous
ABC--how to be a zillionaire
ABC--lexicon of love
AIMEE MANN--bachelor no. 2/magnolia soundtrack
AIMEE MANN-whatever
AIR--moon safari
ALCAZAR--disco defenders
ALPHAVILLE--forever young
ANNIE--anniemal
ANNIE--don't stop
ANNIE LENNOX--diva
ARCADIA--so red the rose
ARCTIC MONKEYS--whatever people say i am that's what i'm not
ARMY OF LOVERS--gods of earth & heaven
ARMY OF LOVERS--maximum luxury overdose
BANANARAMA--deep sea skiving
BANANARAMA--wow!
BARRY ADAMSON--moss side story
BASEMENT JAXX--kish kash
BASEMENT JAXX--rooty
BEATLES--abbey road
BEATLES--magical mystery tour
BEATLES--revolver
BEATLES--sgt. pepper's lonely heart's club band
BEATLES--white album
BILLIE RAY MARTIN--deadline for my memories
BILLY MACKENZIE--transmission
BJORK--homogenic
BJORK--post
BJORK--vespertine
BLACK BOX RECORDER--facts of life
BLANCMANGE--mange tout
BLONDIE--parallel lines
BLUE NILE--hats
BLUR--parklife
BOOK OF LOVE--book of love
BOY GEORGE--martyr mantras
BRONSKI BEAT--age of consent
BWO--prototype
CHEMICAL BROTHERS--dig your own hole
CLAN OF XYMOX--medusa
COCTEAU TWINS--blue bell knoll
COCTEAU TWINS--heaven or las vegas
COCTEAU TWINS--treasure
COCTEAU TWINS--victorialand
COLDPLAY--rush of blood to the head
COMMUNARDS--communards
CREATURES--boomerang
CULTURE CLUB--colour by numbers
CURE--disintegration
CURE--head on the door
CURE--kiss me kiss me kiss me
CURVE--gift
CUT COPY--in ghost colours
CYNDI LAUPER--bring ya to the brink
CYNDI LAUPER--she's so unusual
DAFT PUNK--discovery
DARREN HAYES--tension & the spark
DARREN HAYES--this delicate thing we've made
DAVID BOWIE--aladdin sane
DAVID BOWIE--heroes
DAVID BOWIE--hunky dory
DAVID BOWIE--low
DAVID BOWIE--scary monsters
DAVID BOWIE--station to station
DAVID BOWIE--ziggy stardust & the spiders from mars
DAVID SYLVIAN--brilliant trees
DAVID SYLVIAN--gone to earth
DAVID SYLVIAN--secrets of the beehive
DEAD CAN DANCE--into the labyrinth
DEAD CAN DANCE--within the realm of a dying sun
DEAD OR ALIVE--youthquake
DEPECHE MODE--black celebration
DEPECHE MODE--music for the masses
DEPECHE MODE--some great reward
DEPECHE MODE--violator
DIVINE COMEDY--absent friends
DIVINE COMEDY--casanova
DIVINE COMEDY--victory for the comic muse
DOVES--last broadcast
DURAN DURAN--duran duran
DURAN DURAN--rio
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN--ocean rain
ELBOW--cast of thousands
ELECTRONIC--electronic
ELECTRONIC--raise the pressure
ELVIS COSTELLO--king of america
ERASURE--chorus
ERASURE--erasure
ERASURE--i say i say i say
ERASURE--innocents
ERASURE--nightbird
ERASURE--wild
EURYTHMICS--savage
EURYTHMICS--touch
EURYTHMICS--sweet dreams
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL--amplified heart
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL--idlewild
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL--temperamental
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL--walking wounded
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--lungs
FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD--welcome to the pleasuredome
FRANZ FERDINAND--franz ferdinand
FROU FROU--details
GARBAGE--version 2.0
GEORGE MICHAEL--faith
GEORGE MICHAEL--listen without prejudice
GIRLS ALOUD--out of control
GIRLS ALOUD--tangled up
GOLDFRAPP--black cherry
GOLDFRAPP--felt mountain
GOLDFRAPP--seventh tree
GOLDFRAPP--supernature
GORILLAZ--demon days
GRACE JONES--hurricane
GRACE JONES--nightclubbing
GUILLEMOTS--through the window pane
HEAVEN 17--luxury gap
HEAVEN 17--penthouse & pavement
HOWARD JONES--dream into action
HOWARD JONES--human's lib
HUMAN LEAGUE--dare
HUMAN LEAGUE--secrets
IMOGEN HEAP--speak for yourself
INXS--swing
JANE SIBERRY--walking
JAPAN--gentlemen take polaroids
JAPAN--tin drum
JENS LEKMAN--night falls over kortedala
JULEE CRUISE--floating into the night
JUSTICE--cross
k.d. lang--ingenue
KAJAGOOGOO--white feathers
KATE BUSH--aerial
KATE BUSH--dreaming
KATE BUSH--hounds of love
KEANE--hopes & fears
KILLERS--hot fuss
KIRSTY MACCOLL--tropical brainstorm
KRAFTWERK--computer world
KRAFTWERK--man machine
KRAFTWERK--trans-europe express
KYLIE MINOGUE--fever
KYLIE MINOGUE--impossible princess
KYLIE MINOGUE--light years
KYLIE MINOGUE--x
LA ROUX--la roux
LADY GAGA--fame monster
LADYHAWKE--ladyhawke
LIGHTNING SEEDS--dizzy heights
LIGHTNING SEEDS--jollification
LILAC TIME--lilac time
LILY ALLEN--alright, still
LILY ALLEN--it's not me, it's you
LIZA MINNELLI--results
LOVE & ROCKETS--earth sun moon
M.I.A.--arular
M.I.A.--kala
MADONNA--confessions on a dance floor
MADONNA--like a prayer
MADONNA--music
MADONNA--ray of light
MALCOLM MCLAREN--duck rock
MARC ALMOND--enchanted
MARC ALMOND--fantastic star
MARC ALMOND--mother fist and her five daughters
MARC ALMOND--open all night
MARC ALMOND--stars we are
MARC ALMOND--stories of johnny
MARC ALMOND--stranger things
MARC ALMOND--tenement symphony
MARC ALMOND--torment & toreros
MARC ALMOND--vermin in ermine
MASSIVE ATTACK--mezzanine
MASSIVE ATTACK--protection
MINISTRY--twitch
MOLOKO--statues
MONACO--monaco
MORRISSEY--vauxhall & i
MORRISSEY--viva hate
MORRISSEY--you are the quarry
MORRISSEY--your arsenal
NENEH CHERRY--raw like sushi
NEW ORDER--low-life
NEW ORDER--technique
NICK DRAKE--five leaves left
NINE INCH NAILS--downward spiral
NINE INCH NAILS--pretty hate machine
OASIS--definitely, maybe
OMD--architecture & morality
OMD--organisation
ONE DOVE--morning dove white
PET SHOP BOYS--actually
PET SHOP BOYS--behaviour
PET SHOP BOYS--bilingual
PET SHOP BOYS--fundamental
PET SHOP BOYS--nightlife
PET SHOP BOYS--please
PET SHOP BOYS--very
PET SHOP BOYS--yes
PETER GABRIEL--security
PETER GABRIEL--so
PORTISHEAD--dummy
PORTISHEAD--p
PORTISHEAD--third
PREFAB SPROUT--steve mcqueen
PRIMAL SCREAM--screamadelica
PRINCE--1999
PRINCE--around the world in a day
PRINCE--parade
PRINCE--purple rain
PRINCE--sign o the times
PROPAGANDA--secret wish
PULP--different class
PULP--we love life
R.E.M.--automatic for the people
RADIOHEAD--bends
RADIOHEAD--kid a/amnesiac
RADIOHEAD--ok computer
RIALTO--rialto
ROBBIE WILLIAMS--i've been expecting you
ROBYN--robyn
ROISIN MURPHY--overpowered
ROISIN MURPHY--ruby blue
ROXY MUSIC--avalon
ROXY MUSIC--country life
ROXY MUSIC--stranded
ROYKSOPP--junior
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT--want 1 & 2
SADE--diamond life
SADE--promise
SARAH MCLACHLAN--touch
SAINT ETIENNE--foxbase alpha
SAINT ETIENNE--so tough
SAINT ETIENNE--tiger bay
SAINT ETIENNE--tales from turnpike house
SCISSOR SISTERS--scissor sisters
SCOTT WALKER--scott 2
SCOTT WALKER--scott 3
SCRITTI POLITTI--cupid & psyche 85
SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER--sacred heart
SHRIEKBACK--big night music
SHRIEKBACK--oil & gold
SIGUR ROS--med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust
SINEAD O'CONNOR--lion & the cobra
SIOBAHN DONAGHY--ghosts
SIOUXSIE--mantaray
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES--kiss in the dreamhouse
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES--peepshow
SISTERS OF MERCY--floodland
SMITHS--louder than bombs
SMITHS--queen is dead
SMITHS--strangeways, here we come
SOFT CELL--art of falling apart
SOFT CELL--cruelty without beauty
SOFT CELL--non-stop erotic cabaret
SOFT CELL--this last night in sodom
SOHO--goddess
SPARKS--hello young lovers
STEVIE WONDER--songs in the key of life
STONE ROSES--stone roses
STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE--strawberry switchblade
SUEDE--coming up
SUEDE--dog man star
SUEDE--suede
SUZANNE VEGA--solitude standing
SWING OUT SISTER--kaleidoscope world
TALK TALK--colour of spring
TALK TALK--spirit of eden
THE THE--dusk
THE THE--infected
THE THE--mind bomb
THIS MORTAL COIL--filigree & shadow
THOM YORKE--eraser
THOMAS DOLBY--flat earth
THOMAS DOLBY--golden age of wireless
THOMPSON TWINS--into the gap
THOMPSON TWINS--(quick step &) side kicks
TIL TUESDAY--everything's different now
TORI AMOS--boys for pele
TORI AMOS--from the choirgirl hotel
TORI AMOS--little earthquakes
TORI AMOS--to venus & back
TORI AMOS--under the pink
TRACEY THORN--out of the woods
TRICKY--maxinquaye
U2--achtung baby
U2--pop
U2--zooropa
VENUS HUM--big beautiful sky
WHAM!--fantastic
WOLFGANG PRESS--bird wood cage
WOLFGANG PRESS--funky little demons
YAZ(OO)--upstairs at eric's
YAZ(OO)--you & me both
YELLO--stella
YELLO--you gotta say yes to another excess

Told ya it was long! Up next...the sorting...

OK--100 Top Albums of the Decade--IN ORDER

2009-12-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

I have been coming under some pressure lately to list the top 100 albums of the decade as chosen by me, so I reevaluated many of the albums that made my favorites list and ordered them into a line. Here goes:

100) DAVID MCALMONT & MICHAEL NYMAN--The Glare
99) PRIMAL SCREAM--Xtrmntr
98) PIPETTES--We Are the Pipettes
97) LUCKY SOUL--The Great Unwanted
96) PATRICK WOLF--The Magic Position
95) YEAH YEAH YEAH'S--It's Blitz!
94) VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Vampire Weekend
93) FROU FROU--Details
92) PREFAB SPROUT--Let's Change the World With Music
91) FLAMING LIPS--Yoshimi vs. the Pink Robots

90) DAVID SYLVIAN--Manafon
89) DAVID SYLVIAN & NINE HORSES--Snow Borne Sorrow
88) DRAGONETTE--Fixin to Thrill
87) JUNIOR SENIOR--Hey Hey My My Yo Yo
86) SCRITTI POLITTI--White Bread Black Beer
85) SCOTT WALKER--The Drift
84) LAST SHADOW PUPPETS--Age of the Understatement
83) SCISSOR SISTERS--Scissor Sisters
82) LITTLE BOOTS--Hands
81) ROYKSOPP--The Understanding

80) ELBOW--Cast of Thousands
79) NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS--Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
78) JENS LEKMAN--Night Falls Over Kortedala
77) MARC ALMOND--Stranger Things
76) HUMAN LEAGUE--Secrets
75) THOM YORKE--The Eraser
74) ARCTIC MONKEYS--Whatever They Say I Am That's What I'm Not
73) BLACK BOX RECORDER--Passionoia
72) THE PRESETS--Apocalypso
71) CICADA--Roulette

70) KYLIE MINOGUE--X
69) THE TEARS--Here Come the Tears
68) AMY WINEHOUSE--Back to Black
67) MOLOKO--Statues
66) A GIRL CALLED EDDY--A Girl Called Eddy
65) BASEMENT JAXX--Kish Kash
64) LILY ALLEN--Alright, Still
63) FRANZ FERDINAND--You Could Have it So Much Better
62) PULP--We Love Life
61) SIGUR ROS--Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilium Endalaust

60) LADYHAWKE--Ladyhawke
59) GWEN STEFANI--Love. Angel.Music.Baby.
58) THE KNIFE--Deep Cuts
57) KYLIE MINOGUE--Light Years
56) KEANE--Hopes & Fears
55) CURVE--Gift
54) IMOGEN HEAP--Speak For Yourself
53) SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR--Trip the Light Fantastic (extended)
52) CYNDI LAUPER--Bring Ya to the Brink
51) DARREN HAYES--This Delicate Thing We've Made

50) GUILLEMOTS--Through the Window Pane
49) LILY ALLEN--It's Not Me, It's You
48) DIVINE COMEDY--Victory for the Comic Muse
47) RACHEL STEVENS--Come & Get It
46) M.I.A.--Arular
45) FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--Lungs
44) GRACE JONES--Hurricane
43) BLACK BOX RECORDER--The Facts of Life
42) DARREN HAYES--The Tension & the Spark
41) THE KNIFE--Silent Shout

40) GIRLS ALOUD--Tangled Up
39) THE KILLERS--Hot Fuss
38) DRAGONETTE--Galore
37) MORRISSEY--You Are the Quarry
36) DIVINE COMEDY--Absent Friends
35) KYLIE MINOGUE--Fever
34) KIRSTY MACCOLL--Tropical Brainstorm
33) ANNIE--Anniemal
32) GOLDFRAPP--Felt Mountain
31) ROISIN MURPHY--Ruby Blue

30) SIOBHAN DONAGHY--Ghosts
29) DEPECHE MODE--Playing the Angel
28) SIOUXSIE--Mantaray
27) TRACEY THORN--Out of the Woods
26) ROYKSOPP--Junior
25) MADONNA--Music
24) FRANZ FERDINAND--Franz Ferdinand
23) PORTISHEAD--Third
22) LA ROUX--La Roux
21) COLDPLAY--A Rush of Blood to the Head

20) KATE BUSH--Aerial
19) RUFUS WAINWRIGHT--Want One & Two
18) M.I.A.--Kala
17) RADIOHEAD--Kid A/Amnesiac
16) JUSTICE--Cross
15) GOLDFRAPP--Seventh Tree
14) BJORK--Vespertine
13) CUT COPY--In Ghost Colours
12) PET SHOP BOYS--Fundamental
11) ROBYN--Robyn

10) SAINT ETIENNE--Tales From Turnpike House

These require a little more explanation, as I feel if they were important enough to make it into the top 10 of the decade, they were pretty damn good. While Saint Etienne produced one other exceptionally good album in the 00's (Finisterre), it failed to make the list. So what makes Turnpike House so special? After Etienne temporarily disbanded in the 90's for a couple years, they reunited to make a decidedly acoustic album, Good Humour, followed rather quickly by 2000's experimentally austere Sound of Water. While these albums were quite good in their own right, it took Etienne a few tries to rediscover what made them so perfect in the first place. While Finisterre had many good things going for it--a fantastic lead single in "Action", and lots of electro-clash referencing, it didn't have a solid organic feeling that many of their earlier records did, more like they were trying styles on for size. Tales From Turnpike House (2005) brought all the important elements back together: the catchy melodies, the retro references, the variety of arrangements, and most importantly, the Englishness. Speaking as an American who has always loved many things English, this may be one of the most English records of the decade. Even better is the fact that it plays as a day in the life of an English community, from morning till night. Beginning with the lovely "Sun in My Morning", followed quickly by the epic mini-suite of "Milk Bottle Symphony", only to be followed by the smashing "Lightning Strikes Twice" (a mantra for the band if I ever heard one), the punch of these three opening songs makes it hard to believe that none of them were even officially released as singles. Other standouts would have to be the toe-tappy "Good Thing" (an Etienne single-template if there ever was one), the haunting "Slow Down at the Castle", the stroll-worthy "Side Streets" with its fantastic vocal arrangement, the Carrie Bradshaw-baiting "Stars Above Us", and the superb "Teenage Winter", which has some of the best spoken word lyrics of any pop song, ever. All this closes with the tender "Goodnight", replete with Brian Wilson references. While some people don't approve of the David Essex-crashing "Relocate", the song is rather endearing in a grandfatherly sort of way. Strangely enough (or not), the US edition of this album (which was released nearly a year later), features a completely different running order, and removed "Relocate" (Americans cannot handle Essex's voice apparently), and replaced it with three new tracks, "Dream Lover", "I'm Falling", and the rocky "Oh My", which is more in the tone of "Relocate", and features some great lyrics about Brad Pitt, James Spader, Mozart, M83, Stevie Nicks, and Josie and the Pussycats. What shows the strength of this album best is that, even in its newly mixed-up state, it still shines. What is even best is combining both versions to make an ultimate edition. That is the true test of a good album--it can hold together in almost any configuration. Etienne nailed it here, and now with their recent remaster campaign, I cannot wait to see how they release a definitive version of this album. Even Xenomania produced "Lightning Strikes Twice", and it was NOT a single. Blasphemy!

9) ANNIE--Don't Stop & All Night EP

I don't really know what to say about this album that hasn't already been said, but basically, Annie came up with some fantastic songs over the course of several years, and even with the many producers involved, it holds together quite well in similar fashion to the previously mentioned Etienne album. What sets this apart from her debut, Anniemal, is the advances in writing and production, and basically Annie's refusal to let this project die by persuing every avenue she could until this album had a legitimate release. The songs that were cast aside for the All Night EP were every bit as good as the songs which made the album ("I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me" was even the lead single; "Anthonio" was one as well), and deserved a place alongside the album tracks, hence their inclusion here. The new songs by producer Paul Epworth particularly shine ("Hey Annie", "Don't Stop", "I Don't Like Your Band", "All Night"), but the other songs can hold their own as well, with favorites being "Bad Times", "Songs Remind Me Of You", "Sweet", and "Marie Cherie". It all comes down to perserverence and panache, and Annie had both in spades. It may not set the charts alight, but rarely does that happen anyhow.

8) BASEMENT JAXX--Rooty

Basement Jaxx made a better-than-decent debut record with Remedy in 1999, but really upped the ante with 2001's Rooty, a record which made people beg the question, "Where's Your Head At?" This album was the sound of modern techno-funk in the new millennium, and it was so good, they've been chasing it with mixed results ever since. Kish Kash (2003) was pretty damn good as well, while 2006's Crazy Itch Radio and 2009's Scars were more hit and miss affairs with diminishing returns. Jaxx took a template they learned from the Chemical Brothers by infusing their albums full of songs co-written and sung by many guest vocalists, some well-known, and some unknown. Rooty remains fresh to this day due to the lack of previous expectations, compact song structures (a new rarity in the era of house music), and the sheer joy Jaxx have experimenting with a massive array of styles. "Romeo" opens the record by being one of the catchiest songs of the year, and featuring the diva-esque vocals Jaxx have become so famous for, surrounded by a carnival atmosphere. Daft Punk had made good with their Discovery album a few months earlier, and Rooty was its funky soul-sister, as exemplified by the Prince-inspired track, "Breakaway". I'll never forget the first time I heard this song in the car, and the bass literally slammed me to the floor. In fact, Prince is probably the biggest touchstone for this record, in the way that it has the funk, but also suggestive lyrics verging on nasty, as with "SFM" and "Get Me Off" (an homage to Prince's "Gett Off"?) "Jus 1 Kiss" is euphoric house music with a latin-flair, while "Broken Dreams" goes even further into latin-spiced balladry. "I Want U" and "Crazy Girl" have a bit of the Vanity 6 vibe, while "Where's Your Head At?" sampled Gary Numan to great new-wave effect, and "Do Your Thing" was featured heavily in TV ads as some goofy 1920's flapper tribute. Kish Kash came along next, and featured star turns from many celebs who could keep up with Jaxx vocally, including ex-N'Syncer JC Chasez, Me'Shell N'Degeocello, Siouxsie Sioux, and Dizzee Rascal, but rarely were the Jaxx ever this spontaneously funky again. Still, they have yet to make a bad record, and they have five under their belts.

7) GOLDFRAPP--Supernature

Or the album where Goldfrapp cemented their mass appeal pop-status. Supernature was a special record, because, as with every Goldfrapp album, it took them to the next level creatively and in notoriety. Featuring a fantastic cover shot of Alison Goldfrapp's bare back and a dress made of peacock feathers against a glittery stage curtain, Supernature was the kind of album that exuded class and elegance while exploring sounds of the past in challenging new ways. The electro-stomp of "Ooh La La" was glam updated for a new generation, featuring silly lyrics to an incessently driving beat. Kylie Minogue would copy this a few years later with "2 Hearts" (single AND video), but Alison was there first. In fact, much of Supernature feels like the album Kylie Minogue has been trying to make for a dozen years, not that her albums are bad, they just don't feel as authentic. Prince is a similar touchstone here, with "Lovely 2 C U" and "U Never Know" being particular reference points. "Ride a White Horse", one of the great singles of the 21st century, is definitely glam-inspired (T.Rex in many ways), but has the heartbeat of disco. "Koko" and "Beautiful" seem Numan-esque, while "Satin Chic" updates electro-cabaret to new levels. Of course, it wouldn't be Goldfrapp without lush ballads, so "Let It Take You" and "Time Out From the World" are rather seductive John Barry-ish offerings. The real stunners on Supernature may be two of the best singles, "Fly Me Away" and "Number 1", being two of the most direct and emotional lyrics Alison has ever delivered from paper to microphone. They are wonderful, concise songs that would continue to influence her songs like "A&E" and "Caravan Girl" from the follow-up, Seventh Tree, another great album in a completely different style, which just shows that if the material is good, it can withstand many transformations. Supernature was super on my stereo in 2006.

6) PET SHOP BOYS--Yes

Another 2009 album I feel I have already said a lot about (just look back at my past reviews), but let me say that choosing to work with star producers like Xenomania after doing an album with star producer Trevor Horn was an inspired choice, one which they hoped would bring them more mainstream appeal (it didn't really). However, it was the best album they made in nearly 20 years, and while some may quibble with that statement, I feel it was their most consistently well-produced and uplifting album in a while. That does not mean I don't think Fundamental was brilliant (I mean, it is #12 here), and Nightlife and Bilingual great as well (maybe Release less so), but what's not to love here? "Love Etc." is a catchy little earworm that won't let go (and does that disaffected irony they do so well), "All Around the World" has THAT Tchaikovsky sample (talk about a big-sounding song), "Beautiful People" has that element of "are they serious?" while still managing to be touching, "Did You See Me Coming?" is a play-on-words euphoria with kick ass melody and Johnny Marr on guitar, and "Vulnerable" has that spinning melodic quality that Neil harnesses so well with his turn of phrase. And that's only side 1! (Yes, I own the vinyl). "More Than a Dream" is their best radio song in a while that didn't get played, "Building a Wall" both comical and scary simultaneously, "King of Rome" their most beautiful melody since Behaviour, "Pandemonium" a song Kylie would (or should) kill for, "The Way It Used to Be" one of their best dance ballads EVER, and "Legacy" brainy only in the way that Neil Tennant puts things together--epic. Add in the throwaway bonus track duet with Phil Oakey, "This Used to Be the Future" (this album's "Fugitive"), and what else can be said. Perfection.

5) MADONNA--Confessions on a Dance Floor

Madonna hired Stuart Price has her tour band leader a while before plunging into studio work with him on Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), her best album of the decade. Madonna had a serious pop comeback of sorts after Evita with Ray of Light (1997) and Music (2001), being known for always pushing the envelope visually, and becoming known moreover for sonic exploration. Apparently Mirwais was good for a couple singles, but having him produce virtually all of American Life (2003) sent Madonna's career spinning. The singles tanked, and while a critical success on many levels, for somebody who built their career on selling records, this was a big problem (the album struggled to reach a million copies in the US). Call in Price, a guy becoming famous for his Thin White Duke remixes of many pop records, and hot new producer extraordinaire. What Price did with Confessions was to put the fun back into Madonna, and remove much of the self-conscious political posturing present from the previous album. COADF plays as a continous party album from beginning to end, with no breaks and no letdowns. Most know this album for the ABBA-raping "Hung Up" sample for "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", but what makes it special here is the way it becomes integrated into the music, not content to simply act as a hook. One thing this album also became known for is the popularization of that "underwater" effect with everything getting soft and muffled before gradually building into an explosion of frenzied dance music, and "Hung Up" as a track displays this perfectly. Followed by "Get Together" and "Sorry", two of the best singles of that period, Madonna recaptures the excitement she had from the opening three songs from the Music album ("Music", "Impressive Instant", "Runaway Lover"), proving that the excitement is back. Here, she keeps the energy going with the "I Feel Love" sampling, Indian off-beat melody of the drifty, pulsing "Future Lover", the lyrically batshit-crazy "I Love New York" (why wasn't this a #1 hit Jay-Z?), and the string-y, reflective "Let It Will Be", wrapping up the first half. The second half features Madonna's second song (and the better one) to be called "Forbidden Love", Pet Shop Boys-inspired "Jump" (another fantastic single which got little love), electro masterpieces "How High", "Isaac", "Push", and the defiant "Like It Or Not", closing the album up in a fantastic box. In retrospect, while much of the songwriting here is quite good, the songs from her recent Hard Candy album may be nearly-or-as-good, but the Timbaland and Pharrell arrangements just killed it. Madonna does best when surrounded by the extraordinary, and desperate grabs at a hip-hop audience don't do her any favors. COADF put her back on top with sales and image (less leotard now please), and was an avenue she would be wise to travel close to again.

4) DAFT PUNK--Discovery

While I hesitate to laud praise on this duo--I mean, this album came out almost 10 years ago, and they've been milking it ever since, it is an absolute classic, and set the stage for many other albums that followed it. All the more depressing that since its release, they have made one bad album, (Human After All, 2005), a bad movie (Electroma), a great live album from a great tour (2007), and lended many tracks to Kanye West for his electro-raping tendencies. However, no exceptionally good music for nearly a decade is hard to dismiss, so let's look back on the brilliance that was Discovery. At the time, Daft Punk were considered just another techno band, the French equivalent of the Chemical Brothers, but less dreamy and more house-y than Parisian counterparts, Air. Daft Punk really took a leap on Discovery, looking back to classic disco for inspiration, while giving it a shiny new electronic sheen. Some of it became a bit repetitive (an idea they exploited too far on the next release), but it was mostly a fantastic flash of color and rhythm in an otherwise teen-pop era. From the killer opening of "One More Time", a party anthem if there ever was one, to the ten-minute closer of "Too Long" (not really), Discovery is infused with the sounds of the 70's anew--hell, top notch single "Digital Love" even sits somewhere between Supertramp and the Buggles. "Aerodynamic" became famous for its keytar solo, and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" for its appearance in commercials and West association. What pulls this album together is its flawless segues and consistent energy throughout, mixed with an ebuillence they need to locate again. There isn't a duff track here. Even the under-two-minutes interlude of "Nightvision" is a lovely 10cc homage. Brilliant--I'm gonna go play it now!

3) GOLDFRAPP--Black Cherry

I think I've already touched on my love for this duo, but let me say this is their cornerstone so far. Goldfrapp's first album, Felt Mountain, was mostly quite dreamy, and felt like it was made in some desolate Swiss chalet. Even the singles, "Utopia" and "Pilots" had a somewhat cold and clinical sensation--the former being some operatic electro-anthem, the latter a lost James Bond theme. So when Black Cherry opens with the hard electro-thump of "Crystalline Green", it comes as a bit of a shock. If that weren't shocking enough, the twitchy analog glam that is "Train" makes one wonder if these were even made by the same people. "Black Cherry" is possibly the most beautiful, lush ballad of the decade, fractured and direct, it comes from a place of real heartbreak. "Tiptoe" seems rather naughty, and is quite dark electro which came along during electroclash, but seems more inspired by bands like Cabaret Voltaire whom Alison cite as an influence. She even sounds very masculine at the beginning of the song as well. "Deep Honey" and "Hairy Trees" follow (very sexual titles, no?), and seem like very uneasy electro ballads, with buzzy vibrating synths in the background, and somewhat intentionally garbled lyrics. Two of the best, and I mean THE BEST singles of the decade follow: "Twist"--carnal carnival electric disco, and "Strict Machine"--Kraftwerk meets Bowie in electro glam heaven. Just when you think it cannot get better comes "Forever", and incredible electro ballad, and then the album closes concisely with the dada-esque grind of the mainly instrumental "Slippage". Goldfrapp also had some great B-sides in this era (notably their cover of "Yes Sir I Can Boogie"), and also had some wonderful songs that were never released on album, although it did seem as though a bit of time had passed between the first and second album, and they didn't really seem content with revisiting any themes from the past here. Black Cherry was definitely the album that moved Goldfrapp forward, and it became a trademark of theirs to always expect the unexpected, something they have maintained over four albums in a decade. The fifth releases in early 2010. Will they be able to keep the momentum?

2) LADY GAGA--The Fame Monster

I believe I said everything I wanted to say about this album in my recent year-end 2009 post, naming it #1. You can read about it in the following post below.

1) ROISIN MURPHY--Overpowered

Some may find this a bit of a surprise that this was #1 for me for the entire decade, but this album not only rocks, it rocks my world. It came along at a time when there was some turmoil at my job and things were somewhat chaotic in my personal life, so it was an album I could always escape to. That being said, I believe Roisin is a true star and icon, and although she would probably not admit to that as she seems so humble and rather nice, I think she has an amazing talent for somebody with no real formal training when it comes to writing, singing, and performing. She is fearless when it comes to pursuing what it is she wishes to pursue, and Overpowered was both a reaction to the lack of sales success of her solo debut, Ruby Blue (2005), and her new deal (although possibly short lived) with EMI. If she never makes another record with EMI, at least she has forged some tremendous musical alliances which should carry her for quite a while. She had a baby last week (congratulations!), which is probably her #1 release of the decade(!), and she's got a new album waiting around the corner containing one crazy cut-n-paste funk jam we've already heard, "Orally Fixated". But this is about Overpowered.

First of all, the music. The title track opens the record with its rather understated sequenced squishy synth against a ticking metronomic rhythm. Her voice rides like a soothing mantra atop the waves of chimes and spooky electro--a song so thoroughly modern and in debt to retro at the same time. "You Know Me Better" follows, a song deserving of so much more attention--Madonna wishes she had done this. "Checkin' on Me" is more funky, sorta like some Lisa Stansfield blue-eyed soul funk, but Ro's vocal is absolutely effortless and flawless. This leads into one of her best vocal performances ever, and one of the greatest songs of the decade, "Let Me Know", which opens with a tentative vocal over tinkly piano fills, only to explode into disco/house grandeur. "Movie Star" is a fantastic driving electro song, channeling Annie Lennox in her glory days (if Annie would only do things like this more often). "Primitive" is the quirky kind of dark electro-soul ballad that simply simmers in Roisin's hands. The second half of the album is no less filled with excellent material: "Footsteps" is fun and Prince-y, with a bit of bounce and some great vocals, "Dear Miami" is almost hip-hop, with it's jittery guitar and sparse electronics, "Cry Baby" positively chugs a disco cowbell for 6 minutes, "Tell Everybody" is a rather underrated funk ballad with some shades of Timbaland, and "Scarlet Ribbons" ends proceedings as a lovely soul-reggae ballad dedicated to her father, sharing some similarities with Grace Jones' "I've Done It Again". If that weren't enough, two bonus tracks follow which blend seamlessly with the album--the funky "Body Language", and the brooding electronica of "Parallel Lives", produced by Richard X.

It is also a testimony to Roisin at the amount of great songs which were either released as B-sides or demos, or not released at all, that show what an immense sense of self and grasp of her talents she possesses. Additionally, there were an amazing set of photos used for Overpowered, which included putting Roisin in fantastical fashion creations, mainly Viktor & Rolf designs, in ordinary settings--a park, a diner, a streetcorner. Many of these themes also carried over into the music videos. The title track featured her riding a bus home after a show in a couture gown, only to sit on the toilet and go to bed in it. "Let Me Know" turned a diner into a disco, where she wore some crazy outfit she could dance around the patrons in. "You Know Me Better" depicted her almost like a shut-in in a house full of couture clothes and wigs, and was beautifully shot almost like portraits. The final clip, "Movie Star", was like a John Waters casting couch gone insane, and featured a motley cast of cross-dressing ghouls and a big red lobster with an appetite. All of these elements add up to what was undoubtedly the best album of the decade, with not one single weak song, B-side, or video. Far from the biggest selling album of the decade, it deserved so much better. But then again, it's kind of fun keeping her as a bit of a secret. If I keep layering praise like I am here though, people might eventually get the hint. Some want a Moloko reunion, and while I liked Moloko for what they were, I think Roisin can do many things on her own, and doesn't really need that situation again. She can do whatever she wants--the world is her oyster (or lobster).

Happy now haters? (just kidding)

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR: 2009 Edition

2009-11-25T16:49:00.000-08:00

I hope this isn't premature. After all, the magazines have started issuing their picks for albums of the year. Ususally I am a bit later, but this time I wanted to compile and collate all on my own without the outside influence of other...influences. In other words, let me guide you through the waters that were the rough & tumble of the past 12 months, including some of the best pop (and decidedly non-pop) music ever made. Let's just say that a global recession breeds harder-working popstars.

Without further ado, here is your guide:

1) LADY GAGA--The Fame Monster

This may come as a shock, but I really didn't care for LG much until about two months ago. I suddenly came to the realization that she is just about the hardest working woman in showbiz. Then "Bad Romance" leaked--a song that made her international smash "Poker Face" seem like child's play. Nonsensical rhymes, booming drums, buzzing synths, a chorus ABBA could have written, and the best video of the past decade... all came together. The Fame Monster, originally intended as an answer to her debut album, The Fame, was a mere 8 tracks whipped into shape to be sold as bonus tracks for The Fame re-release. Wisely (in America, anyway), Gaga campaigned (aka fought) her record label, liberating The Fame Monster as its own entity (you could still purchase it with the debut for a fraction of the cost). These songs could more than stand on their own...they tell a concise story, devoid of filler, as Gaga puts her best feet forward to show just how far she has come. A 35-minute album may seem short by today's standards, but with the limited attention span of the modern listener, Lady Gaga has single-handedly redefined what an album can be in the 21st century (well, along with Maxwell's new 37-minute offering). If anything, this goes back to the length of early albums from the 50's and 60's, or art-school albums from 70's artists like Kraftwerk and David Bowie, who would sometimes only feature 6-8 songs per album. Even into the 80's, early Madonna records would only feature 8 or 9 songs, Like a Virgin in particular featuring only one song reaching just over the 5-minute mark. Only when the CD was introduced as a format did musicians think they needed to fill out every corner with material nobody really wanted to revisit (yes, I am talking to you Tori & Alanis). Now that downloading seems to have taken hold, the definition of "album" has once again been defined by Lady Gaga, as we now can excise those songs we do not care for from our iPod playlists.

Now, about the music. "Bad Romance" is the biggest sounding record I heard all year. RedOne's production has grown by leaps and bounds, as he was able to bring his year of growth and experience back to camp Gaga as well. The spoken bits are great too--no lyrics about soy lattes aloud. Even the edited version is funny, with "bitch" being replaced by "bit", making me think of bits and bytes, and how Gaga is some kind of computer-generated version of Stefani Germanotta. This was followed by "Alejandro", my favorite non-single single of the year, and definitely a candidate for one. If ever a song screamed Ace of Base (by way of ABBA) meets "La Isla Bonita", this is it. Latin speaking fans will go nuts! "Monster" completes the head-scrambling tri-fecta of the first three songs, all 80's 808's and Lisa Lisa riffs, aided in the chorus by Gaga-speak ("ma-ma-ma-monster"). There's also something very sinister about that Eurythmicized synth-bass--it kills me every time. Speaking of killing, "he ate my heart and then he ate my brain" is a decidedly horrifying yet simultaneously humorous image. Rounding out "Side 1" is "Speechless", a rock ballad that might feel out of place to some, but to me, I feel like I've just heard the first side of my favorite new record, and what an excellent glam-ballad to end it with. Let's not forget the top-notch performance Gaga turns in as well--one could go so far as to say that, throughout The Fame Monster, she has finally found a voice with some character, an affliction suffered by The Fame's more simple, more generic construction. The Fame was pleasant, FMonster grabs you by the throat.

"Side 2" kicks off with the delicious "Dance in the Dark", a morbid, gothic dance-track to set the Twilight fans alight. A spoken-word middle-8 name-checking dead women from Princess Diana to JonBenet Ramsey is startling as well, yet somehow, this song makes you feel good. "Telephone" is already a huge hit on the internets, with Beyonce's bit a fun little addition--not one which would have been missed had it not been there, but still fun. "So Happy I Could Die" is more reflective, and a bit sad, but still has a foot on the dancefloor. The final song, "Teeth", manages to do in 4 minutes what it took Christina Aguilera an entire double album to do--even the vocals are a bit reminiscent of Christina's more melismatic style, albeit with more menace (what is "bad girl meat" anyway?). By the time the album ends, we are left wanting more. When is the last time you could really say that about an album? I'd rather be left wanting more than wanting less.

In conclusion, this is not a passing fad. Germanotta has transformed herself into the persona Gwen Stefani wanted to be, but was afraid to upset her No Doubt fans (funny how "Stefani" is in both of their names). The Fame Monster was far more deserving than a set of bonus tracks, and now Gaga has set the bar quite high to match this for her next release, supposedly coming in the next 12 months. Hopefully she has learned something about what can make a successful album as well. Does the woman ever take a day off? (Her recent admission to Jay Leno that the most disturbing internet rumor she had heard about herself was that she was from Yonkers had me rolling, especially since nobody believes her age (23), or that she's not a man).

2) PET SHOP BOYS--Yes

While this may come as a shock to some, Yes was a great album. A really great album. Containing nine pop songs of varying moods and colors, Pet Shop Boys rarely disappoint these days (maybe Release). "Love, Etc.", "Did You See Me Coming", and "All Around the World" were three of the best singles of the year. Add great album tracks like "Pandemonium", "More Than a Dream", and "The Way It Used to Be", and the album is one strong song followed by another. Matching that was the great visual campaign (used to much better effect than Depeche Mode's similar Sounds of the Universe cover), and great visuals on the tour, the best they've done in nearly 20 years. This is one more jewel in their crown. Where are their O.B.E.'s?

3) ANNIE--Don't Stop

I purposefully waited to include this album until 2009, as I never heard most of the leaked 2008 version, and I felt Annie needed an official validation. Thankfully, Don't Stop does not disappoint. While there may have been a couple songs that hit the cutting room floor bewilderingly (in particular, the singles "I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me" and "Anthonio"), Don't Stop's mix of producers still manages to produce a streamlined perfect pop record. Highlights include Richard X's "Songs Remind Me Of You" (candidate for song of the year), Timo's haunting "Marie Cherie", Xenomania's energetic "My Love is Better", "Bad Times", and "Loco", and (especially) Paul Epworth's three new contributions, the rousing "Hey Annie", the insistent "Don't Stop", and the even-better-than-"Girlfriend", "I Don't Like Your Band" (like "Chewing Gum" with balls). After being delayed a year, this album has been more than worth the wait. Next, please...

4) LA ROUX--La Roux

Elly & Ben together as La Roux created one of the most electrifying debuts of 2009. Once the listener acclimates themselves to Elly's sometimes strident vocal acrobatics, there are some real moments of touching electro-beauty, and a depth not present in many other youthful debuts. There is something akin to a brittle Yazoo-ish quality in these proceedings, especially on "Bulletproof", one of the best singles of the year. Even songs like "Tigerlily" seem to combine a creepy "Thriller"-ish vibe with an 80's Yazoo feel. Sometimes La Roux can even channel something tender, such as on the lovely "Cover My Eyes", featuring a gospel choir over glassy synths, locating a heart in the machine. A great debut, one which makes me excited to see what they come up with next.

5) ROYKSOPP--Junior

What a great album this was. Robyn, Karen from the Knife, Anneli Drecker, Lykke Li...all incredible Scandinavian artists, all wonderful additions to Junior. Supposedly there was an additional album of slower material recorded that has yet to surface. No matter. This album can stand fine on its own. A bit more synthy and less sample driven than previous efforts, this is an excellent electronic record that is also an excellent pop record. "Royksopp Forever" features no vocals, yet is a lush, orchestral highlight.

6) DRAGONETTE--Fixin to Thrill

If there were any reservations about Dragonette being able to follow up Galore with a worthy succesor, those fears were dashed with this great album. It seems horrendously unfair that Dragonette are not sitting on top of the world right now--I imagine if this album had come out 8 years ago, it would have been released by a major label, had millions spent on videos, and gotten onto dance as well as rock radio stations. While you can hear bits of influences throughout Dragonette's sound, whether it be No Doubt, Daft Punk, or Pat Benatar, they remain entirely original. Much of this is down to Martina Sorbara, a magnetic front-woman who morphs effortlessly from the driving intensity of the title track, to the country-romp of "Gone Too Far", to the electro-throb of "Liar". Add another notch in Dragonette's belt--now the world needs to hear them.

7) FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--Lungs

What can be said about Florence that hasn't been said already? She's won many awards for her blustery brand of orchestral pop, laced with tribal beats and twinkly harp. "Kiss With a Fist" remains a bit of a red herring, not really representative of what lies within. "Rabbit Heart", the first official single, was much more worthy of inclusion here, so much so that the newly assigned Sugababes V4.0 covered this song acoustically as one of their first promotional moves. There are loads of great songs here--"Howl", "Drumming Song", "Cosmic Love", "Hurricane Drunk", and the cover of "You've Got the Love" being particular highlights. What shines above all else though is that incredible voice. The US needs to wake up and listen...talk about lungs...

8) LILY ALLEN--It's Not Me, It's You

Ah, Lily. You were angry this record did not come out in 2008 when it was completed, so you let us hear some of the songs in rough states months before the release. I am happy to report that her sophomore effort did not disappoint upon arrival, with songs like "The Fear" being even better in their finished, polished state. That being said, "Fuck You" was a particular highlight, slamming the Bush administration, "Everyone's At It", and "Back to the Start" jittery electro-anthems, and "I Could Say" and "Chinese" being rather grown-up reflections on facets of love. One criticism that gets placed on this album is Greg Kurstin's reliance on computerized beats, but I felt they supported Lily's vocals effortlessly and were more modern sounding, and Lily proved she was more than able to navigate the ska-less waters. A definite step forward.

9) CICADA--Roulette

I think many who heard Cicada's wonderful Roulette album when it came out early in the year have now likely placed it aside. Why do I believe this? Because it seems like people don't generally take Cicada seriously as a band. They began as a group of DJ/remixers, doing some wonderful work for artists like Depeche Mode and Client, but when Heidrun Bjornsdottir joined as a go-to singer, things really changed for them. This is their second album featuring Heidrun as the primary vocalist (once in a while somebody else steps in, such as Tom Smith from the Editors on "Executive"), and even though Heidrun is currently on hiatus to have a baby, the music that Cicada makes with her is quite special. "Love Don't Come Easy" and "Don't Stare at the Sun" are two particular favorite songs of mine from this year, and "Metropolis" and "Psycho Thrills" also made great singles. The album operates in a similar realm to the Royksopp album, but a bit more dance driven. Don't forget about them, or the fact that Heidrun also co-wrote all of the new Paul Epworth tracks added to Annie's Don't Stop.

10) LITTLE BOOTS--Hands

Poor Little Boots. She has been raked across the coals for not being indie enough, not being pop enough, too contrived, too safe, and too boring. I beg to differ. Victoria Hesketh is a talented young lady who is still trying to find her singular voice, but she did turn out a stunning electro-pop album in the process. The very personal "New in Town", with its funky electro beat, may seem at odds with "Stuck on Repeat"'s glitchy robo-pop, but they are really two different angles on the same face. "Remedy" was a Greg Kurstin production that was also one of the catchiest songs of the year (America will get this track pushed more in 2010). "Earthquake" was quite Gary Numan-esque, while "Symmetry" is the second-best Phil Oakey duet of the year (and quite a coups for Boots as well). So give Little Boots a break. She made a damn good debut record--one hundreds of other artists would KILL to make.

The rest:

11) GOSSIP--Music for Men How can so few people make so much noise? Deserving of so much more attention.

12)DAVID SYLVIAN--Manafon Companion piece to Blemish, this one outdid that through sheer beauty and audacity. A staggering piece of art.

13) PREFAB SPROUT--Let's Change the World With Music Paddy wanted to change the world in 1992--it would take another 17 years to do it.

14) ARCTIC MONKEYS--Humbug Bah, this is a rifftastic album!

15) IAN BROWN--My Way Apparently his way does not include a Stone Roses reunion and does include a Zager & Evans cover. All the better...

16) EMILIE SIMON--The Big Machine What an amazing talent, she should be much more widely known. Ladies & gentlemen, meet the new Kate Bush (no, SERIOUSLY...)

17) BAT FOR LASHES--Two Suns Comparisons to Kate Bush and Bjork nonwithstanding, Natasha Khan speaks with a unique voice of her own. Brilliant Scott Walker cameo too.

18) PALOMA FAITH--Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? Unfairly slagged for lacking cred, Paloma is the full package--great looks, great songs, great voice. What's not to love?

19) YEAH YEAH YEAH'S--It's Blitz! Or where Nick Zinner declares his boredom with indie rock. Their best album yet (sorry purists...)

20) FILTHY DUKES--Nonsense in the Dark DJ collective makes a song-based album that is catchy AND well-written. Nice to know it is still possible in 2009.

21) CALVIN HARRIS--Ready for the Weekend Harris' sophomore effort is such an improvement from his first album, I don't even think it needs comment. And hey, he can be a charming vocalist too.

22) DAVID MCALMONT/MICHAEL NYMAN--The Glare Creating an entirely new genre by singing news stories over repetitive classical figures, McAlmont's search for new and stimulating forms of song are ever-expanding. Not to everyone's taste, but brilliant nonetheless.

23) YUKSEK--Away From the Sea In a year devoid of music from Daft Punk or Justice, Yuksek filled the void nicely...some might say handsomely, and to better effect. A fantastic debut album.

24) MARY ONETTES--Islands The 80's live! Mary Onettes succeed at Scandi-melancholy mixed with Bunnymen ambience, like a bigger sounding Shout Out Louds. If you ever liked Echo or the Cure, you really should hear these guys.

25) THE MUMMERS--Tale to Tell Singer Raissa takes chamber pop to new levels with full on band & orchestra arrangements to beautiful tunes of escapist melodrama. Amazing results.

26) POSTMARKS--Memoirs at the End of the World Florida's own have grown by leaps & bounds in just a couple of years, marrying old-school noir arrangements to little girl lost vocals. Scott Walker would have been proud.

27) MUSE--The Resistance Matt Bellamy & Co. get their full on Queen-via-classical music. Big, bold, pompous, pretentious, and irrepressable, this is not music for wallflowers. And yet, it works.

28) MARC ALMOND--Orpheus in Exile Thankfully Almond did not completely abandon his Russian song exploration before this fine album too shape and found a release. A beautifully personal collection of songs that would have been lost on the western world.

29) A-HA--Foot of the Mountain Returning from a long break, only to announce they are breaking up, A-Ha managed to come up with their finest full album in 25 years. Mining the electronic style they began with, at a simple 10 tracks, there is no filler here.

30) EDITORS--In This Light & On This Evening Guitar-goths hit the synthesizer highway in this delicious and dark new effort. The songwriting remains in place, but the music has more buzz and beat than it used to.

31) CAMERA OBSCURA--My Maudlin Career Camera Obscura operate like Belle & Sebastian fronted by Tracey Thorn, and on this latest effort, they are in very fine form. One of their best efforts, this is the sound of melancholic 2009.

32) LUKE HAINES--21st Century Man Bile never tasted so good. With odes to Peter Hammill and Klaus Kinski, Haines expresses his disdain with the lack of respect awarded to the 20th century as well as citing many hangovers we are still feeling. Another great album from one of the sharpest pens around.

33) SALLY SHAPIRO--My Guilty Pleasure One might not put Italo-disco and Sweden together, but maybe one should. Great sophomore effort from reclusive indie-dance maven & her producers.

34) THE HORRORS--Primary Colours Produced by Portishead's Geoff Barrow and (of all people) video director Chris Cunningham, the sophomore release from the Horrors was truly one of the pleasant surprises of 2009. Gone were the gothic punks, in were Can and Joy Division. One of the best examples of bootstrapping in a while.

35) EMPIRE OF THE SUN--Walking on a Dream Funny that it took these Australians to unite over some modern dance beats to make an album worthy of both of their talents. Silly but fantastic cover images sealed the deal. Hopefully they will make another???

36) JACK PENATE--Everything is New Similar to the Horrors' story, Penate scored producer Paul Epworth to help with his sophomore album, and what an improvement it was. It didn't sell loads, but it should have. Bringing African and tropical influences to the proceedings made this play like the less punky sister to Vampire Weekend.

37) ZOOT WOMAN--Things Are What They Used to Be Finally Stuart Price's band has made an album worthy of his name. Producer extraordinaire (Madonna, Killers, Seal, etc.), Zoot Woman always seemed a bit second rate until now. Great to see them finally get some recognition after three albums and nearly 10 years of work.

38) ROBBIE WILLIAMS--Reality Killed the Video Star After going away to find himself, apparently Robbie found a much calmer, more reflective soul. Trevor Horn lends big production, yet the songs seem very personal. Not his catchiest effort, but an interesting step.

39) FEVER RAY--Fever Ray Not for the faint of heart, Fever Ray is basically the side project of Karin from the Knife. Herein lies many songs about everything and nothing--songs that can soothe and songs that frighten. Uncompromising and monochromatic.

40) BASEMENT JAXX--Scars Jaxx have been entertaining for the better part of a decade now, and this latest effort is no exception, returning in some ways to their club-based roots. Guests include Sam Sparro, Lightspeed Champion, and a 76-year-old Yoko Ono. You can't accuse them of being lazy...

41) RAVEONETTES--In and Out of Control How could a band that writes a song called "Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)" be anything less than incredible? Their catchiest effort to date.

42) ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS--The Crying Light I cannot help but be sad every time this album comes on. "Everglades" is simply heartbreaking. This is the kind of music Antony was made to sing.

43) GLASVEGAS--Glasvegas Really a 2008 album that wasn't released stateside until 2009, there was something mightily endearing about Glasvegas epic style of guitar pop. Another incredible debut.

44) MARSHEAUX--Lumineaux Noir A couple Grecian girls do some of the best English-speaking electro-pop of the year, simultaneously making it damn hard to actually get a physical CD. Still, this was a special surprise.

45) ENGINEERS--Three Fact Fader Or where said shoegaze-y band returns from beyond the grave. I was wondering what Engineers were doing in the four years since their great debut. Now I know they were working on creating an even better followup. Parts make me long for a Cocteau Twins reunion--love that guitar work.

46) LEAVES--We Are Shadows Another Icelandic band that used to release CDs with regularity. Two albums ago, Breathe was released in the US, the last one only in Europe, and their latest is currently download only, with physical copies being available from a special internet store. Shame, really, as there is no excuse this album should not be outselling the latest Coldplay release. Imagine the Elbow fronting the Beatles with "Aeronaut"--hear "Planets" and "All the Streets Are Gold"--it doesn't get much better than this.

47) PARRALOX--State of Decay Yet another record available as a download, but apparently they only made 1000 CDs, available exclusively from them. Why are all of these great bands not getting heard more by the masses, or reaching the sales they should be? Because the world sucks and people are generally vipers who suck the lifeblood away from these artists' future careers. That said, this is an excellent album--a bit like old-school Madonna meets the Human League.

48) THE BIG PINK--A Brief History of Love Another great band arrives out of nowhere. A great mix of rock, electronics, and sheer nerve, Big Pink make a sound that wouldn't be so unique if they didn't write such great songs. The combination is their ace in the hole, and "Dominos" is an excellent single that is just the tip of this iceberg.

49) FRANZ FERDINAND--Tonight: Franz Ferdinand There was so much expectation placed on this record, and after over three years of toiling, we got an album that basically sounded like (drumroll, please)...Franz Ferdinand. Add a few licks from a keyboard here, a slightly reggae-fied beat there, this was still the Franz show, and was another very good album in a career with no discernable lows.

50) NOISETTES--Wild Young Hearts Another great sophomore album from a band who could have easily been written off as one trick ponies. Quickly taking things to the next level, this band made one of the most listenable and most easily revisited album of the year. Plus, Shingai Shoniwa is a fantastic live singer, who can do justice to just about any song. Excellent.

Other Honorable Mentions:

DOVES--Kingdom of Rust

I AM X--Kingdom of Welcome Addiction

BRENDAN BENSON--My Old, Familiar Friend

RICHARD HAWLEY--Truelove's Gutter

WENDY & LISA--White Flags of Winter Chimneys

LIGHTNING SEEDS--Four Winds

RUMBLE STRIPS--Welcome to the Walk Alone

METRIC--Fantasies

CRIBS--Ignore the Ignorant

BANANARAMA--Viva

FRANKMUSIK--Complete Me

WHITE LIES--To Lose My Life

THE VEILS--Sun Gangs

PHOENIX--Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

DATAROCK--Red

BWO--Big Science

MADNESS--Liberty of Norton Folgate
PATRICK WOLF--The Bachelor
CUT OFF YOUR HANDS--You & I

Most disappointing:

ZERO 7--Yeah Ghost

AIR--Love 2

U2--No Line on the Horizon

MIKA--The Boy Who Knew Too Much

MORRISSEY--Years of Refusal

IMOGEN HEAP--Ellipse

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO--Temporary Pleasure

DEPECHE MODE--Sounds of the Universe

Really, there weren't many true disappointments in 2009, and even these albums have some bright spots. I really hate calling out Imogen Heap because she is a musical genius, and I felt like I was one of her biggest fans when Speak for Yourself was released, but Ellipse just feels like she spent so much time obsessing over details that the energy was sucked straight out of the record. While the sleeve was great, the first video was a bit disappointing (especially after Es Devlin's fantastic work on the Pet Shop Boys tours), and there weren't enough songs with the weight to pull you back for repeated listenings. One to admire then. Unfortunately the Mika album experienced similar issues, and it doesn't help that he refuses to grow up. I mean, how long can you go on being a 7ft. string-bean singing like a castrato dancing around in your "bedroom" in overalls? Not quite the artistic leap we were all hoping for, and certainly not the hit he was the first time around. Will he survive as an artist if he makes another like this? Who will take him seriously? America has Adam Lambert now...time for a rethink.

The Morrissey had some rather excellent moments like the interesting "When Last I Spoke to Carol", the lovely single, "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris", and the epic "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore", but much of it came off rather ham-fisted and lacking in the grace or elegance he once maintained so effortlessly. (I am very sorry Mr. Morrissey...I know you don't like critics or criticism, but take solace in the fact that I truly love most of what you have done...this one just wasn't for me.) The Simian Mobile Disco had some great tracks, especially "Cruel Intentions" with Beth Ditto, but the rest just lacked the punch of their debut, which is odd considering how in demand James Ford is as a producer for hire.

Air cut some of the electronic elements, and unfortunately lost some of the sonic wonder that made them so special. The other problem this created was their exposure to a lack of lyrics expressing any sort of depth, showing them to be extremely thin on the songwriting side ("Be a Bee"? "Sing Sang Sung"?). Zero 7 didn't fare much better in their quest to distance themselves from Air's shadow. They flung themselves further into R&B territory, creating a rather unfocused effort that didn't seem to appeal to anybody, really. Maybe excising all the known and liked vocalists (Sia, Mozez, Jose Gonzalez, Tina Dico, Sophie Barker, etc.) has left them with little identifiable stamp. Three years on and it looks like it's back to the drawing board.

U2 split their fanbase with an album that didn't really embrace much of anything excepting what they do best. Horrifying lyrics like "Get On Your Boots" (we don't care what it means, Bono--it just sounds dumb), a single called "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" (Morrisey would throw that out immediately), and an amorphous stadium single with no real hook ("Magnificent"), add up to an album with no real staying power on the airwaves. Add in a bunch of songs with lyrics about the God and the Middle East (heck, one even cribs the melody of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"), and you've got a letdown of an album that many of their fans wouldn't even buy. It's obvious they painted themselves into a corner with the last two albums, being SO U2, that they had to begin painting themselves out, and forgot to write any hit songs in the process. I would say they don't care if they have hits or not, but they would probably enjoy the boost on tour that a hit song can provide. Desperate cries from camp U2 began leaking soon after the album's release, saying they had enough material left over for part 2 (no, please, no). I think U2 has a similar problem to that of Imogen Heap and Zero 7, where they took so long making an album that it sounded overworked and dull. They would be wise to release things more often in the future, without so much time spent reworking things.

As for the Depeche Mode, it is not overworked or dull. It is also not lacking in lyrics, nor does it lack their usual grace. What it does lack is melody. Martin Gore is one of the greatest songwriters of our generation (I firmly stand behind that statement), and while in the pursuit of the "Depeche" sound, some songs from Sounds of the Universe just feel half-written, while the best songs are scattered throughout with some filler inbetween. If they had cut "Hole to Feed" (sorry, terrible single--what's with that thwacking drum riff?), "Little Soul" (not feelin' it), "Come Back" (Dave's weakest lyric effort, and better as the demo), and "Miles Away" (Dave's vocals feel forced and strident), this could have been one of my favorite DM records ever (oh, I just realized three of those were Dave's writing contributions...sorry. I loved "Suffer Well"!). Instead, it feels like it goes on too long (even certain songs like "In Chains" have too much intro), and the mood doesn't vary enough. On top of that, while "Wrong", "Fragile Tension", "In Sympathy", "Peace", and "Corrupt" all make great album tracks, none are really strong enough to break through as hit singles like "Precious" did from Playing the Angel. I think the problem may lie with producer, Ben Hillier. He did bring them out of their clinical sound a bit after Exciter, but never have two consecutive DM albums sounded so similar, that it feels like they are treading water. Here are some suggestions for next time: Flood, Gareth Jones, Will Gregory, Ben Langmaid, Guy Sigsworth, Nellee Hooper. I know you guys don't want to admit you need to move on, but you should, even if it means working with an old ally who brought the best out of you. Personally, I think Will Gregory would be a great choice--look what he's done for Goldfrapp, and he would be in-house at Mute. Langmaid would definitely be a wildcard, as he is half of La Roux, and it would be interesting to see what he could bring to the table.

All this ranting and I have to admit that none of these albums are really bad. In fact, they are quite good in places. Even the Black Eyed Peas couldn't make a 100% bad album this year (but could you please stop now?), yet I do hope from listening to thousands of hours of music, I know what appeals to me and what does not. Take it or leave it.

Now, on to 2010!

BEST SONGS OF 2009

2009-11-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is once again upon us and the party is wrapping up. The last year of the first decade of the 21st century is here, and "most" of the best songs of the year have presented themselves. Anything from here on out will generally be considered a 2010 venture, so without further ado, the best songs of 2009 are below (album list will be posted in a couple weeks):

1) SAINT ETIENNE--"Method of Modern Love"
A winner of a pop tune, this Richard X collaboration came early in the year along with their London Conversations greatest hits box set. While not originally written by the band, their winsome pop helmed by Sarah Cracknell's optimistic and never over-the-top vocals created sheer magic. And the lo-uh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-uh-uh-ove was SO Carpenters!

2)ANNIE--"Songs Remind Me of You"
A quite difficult choice as this was actually a song from 2008 that came along with many other wonderful songs from Don't Stop, this was the crowning jewel in said album's crown, even after new tracks were added. Thank God this Richard X production was not removed like it's earlier sister single, "I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me". This should-have-been-huge hit just shows that sales don't matter when it comes to great music, but in a perfect world...

3)LA ROUX--"Bulletproof"
Arguably the catchiest song of the year from one of the most strident vocalists, La Roux created absolute magic with this song that was somehow inherently linked to synthpop past a la Yazoo, yet was undeniably a product of 2009. Big in England, ignored in the US (of course), an amazing debut from a band that will surely leap forward with project #2.

4)LADY GAGA--"Bad Romance"
Who would have thought when 2009 started that this seemingly trashy fame whore would rise to the top of the crop with some of the best music and performances of the year? Bad Romance is not only one of the best songs of the year, it is also one of the biggest. With crashing synths, edgy lyrics, a choir of chanting Gaga-lytes and her most powerhouse vocal performance, Lady Gaga has finally arrived. Where could she possibly go from here?

5)PET SHOP BOYS--"All Over the World"
When this song got its official premiere at the Brit Awards in February (with Lady Gaga and Brandon Flowers in tow), this song was a highlight in a career of songs spanning 25 years. It was so important they gave it a tweak late in the year courtesy of Marius de Vries, a welcome addition, yet not compulsory. If this song does not eventually catch on in some way, shape, or form, there is no longer justice in this pop world. For now, we shall bask in its Nutcracker glory!

6)LITTLE BOOTS--"Remedy"
Another Redone production, Boots could have easily fallen below the thick production he usually gives to Lady Gaga. Instead, this was one of the most insistently catchy singles of the year, and one which she would be more wise to follow. Caught between hipster cool and pop explosion, Little Boots hit the nail on the head here, and hit where she needed to. The best single from another arresting debut.

7)GIRLS ALOUD--"Untouchable"
Although featured on their 2008 Out of Control album, this song was released as a single in mid-2009, and was their first in over 20 singles not to hit the UK top 10 (it made #11). Too bad for Britain, as this ranks as one of the girls' best singles, and one of the best of the year. In its full, nearly 7-minute glory, it seems as though time is standing still. Nicola simply sparkles.

8)BASEMENT JAXX--"Raindrops"
The return of the Jaxx with this thick & groovy dance track with spaces in all the right places. Instead of going for the guest vocalist here, they supply their own vocals, and it still makes for a great single. This is a fine addition to any list of best songs for the summer.

9)ANNIE--"I Don't Like Your Band"
Technically the first new track leaked from v.2 of Don't Stop, brings all that makes Annie special into one great song, with a slamming bass, cut-n-paste synths (courtesy of producer du jour, Paul Epworth), coy melodies, and snarky lyrics. Annie should really work more with Epworth in the future, as he really brought something special to the new tracks offered here, including "Hey Annie" and the title track. Not an official single (yet), but it should be.

10)YEAH YEAH YEAH'S--"Zero"
This 80's-inspired new-wave monster came out early in the year, and never seemed to leave my playlists. Karen O serves up her best pop vocal yet (she would get more accolades later in the year with the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack), and here she absolutely shines against the buzzing background, in which the goal was to make the synths hum like electric guitars, and the electric guitars morph into synths. Layer this over a driving beat, and you've got one of the best singles of 2009.

11)FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--"Rabbit Heart" Epic renaissance fair music
12)FILTHY DUKES--"Messages" Uber-catchy pop single from DJ collective
13)SALLY SHAPIRO--"Love in July" Scandinavian electro-beauty with a warm heartbeat
14)ROYKSOPP--"The Girl & the Robot" Robyn guests on this fabulous electro ballad
15)PET SHOP BOYS--"Love, Etc." The boys take on commercialism and greed in sharp tones
16)LILY ALLEN--"The Fear" 2008 leak gets a better makeover for another take on the above
17)EDITORS--"Papillon" Goth-y guitar band gets retro and synthy..."sleep twitch" anyone?
18)BLAKE LEWIS--"Heartbreak on Vinyl" Ex-Idol runner-up rules with excellent pop single
19)EMPIRE OF THE SUN--"Without You (Single Mix)" Wistful 70's FM lite gets a makeover
20)DRAGONETTE--"Pick up the Phone" Would make Debbie Harry proud
21)A CAMP--"Love Has Left the Room" Quite possibly the best rock ballad of the year
22)LADY GAGA--"Pokerface" Dominated radio in 2009--rightly so
23)CICADA--"Love Don't Come Easy" Heidrun Bjornsdottir wrote more great songs-Hey Annie
24)ANNIE--"Anthonio" Best non-album single of the year...Hey Annie!?!
25)PARRALOX--"Hotter" Retro-electro with a lyric twist, sharp and catchy too
26)LITTLE BOOTS--"New in Town" Life in L.A. must be really tough for visiting Brits...
27)MARSHEAUX--"Destroy Me" Highlight song from their sophomore, Lumineaux Noir
28)FRIENDLY FIRES--"Kiss of Life" Paul Epworth produced post-LP single--tribal...
29)ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS--"Crazy in Love" Best cover of a Beyonce song this year
30)PALOMA FAITH--"New York" I usually hate lyrics like this, but this song just WORKS...
31)IAN BROWN--"Stellify" Abuse arrest aside, a more positive development for Ian in 09
32)VAMPIRE WEEKEND--"Horchata" Exciting lead single from album 2...maximum afro-beat
33)WHITE LIES--"To Lose My Life" Epic lyric meets brooding youths--to be continued...
34)LADYHAWKE--"Magic" Addictive song from 09's answer to Kim Wilde (aside from Kim)
35)ROBBIE WILLIAMS--"Difficult for Weirdos" Not an official single, what Rudebox should've been
36)AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT--"Sometime Around Midnight" Best late-night bar ballad of 09
37)THE BPA--"Toe Jam" Most upbeat David Byrne lyric since Talking Heads demise
38)LA ROUX--"In For the Kill" Strident vocals over an uncompromising new wave anthem
39)CUT OFF YOUR HANDS--"Happy as Can Be" Retro epic Spector-inspired winner from Kiwi
40)CALVIN HARRIS--"Flashback" Synth whiz-kid makes good by making good music
41)BANANARAMA--"Love Comes" If love hasn't come by now, it never will...
42)GLASVEGAS--"Flowers & Football Tops" You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...
43)PHOENIX--"1901" How come all I can think of is car commercials?
44)FRANKMUSIK--"Vacant Heart" Best song from talented kid w/big mouth--more to come?
45)RIHANNA--"Russian Roulette" Her heart may beat in her chest, but this song is a killer
46)PASSION PIT--"The Reeling" Great music, but could somebody teach this guy how to sing?
47)DEPECHE MODE--"Wrong" Divisive single takes no prisoners and pleases in good ways
48)MORRISSEY--"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" Most melodic single of his in 09
49)ZOOT WOMAN--"Lonely By Your Side" A song worthy of their talents
50)ROISIN MURPHY--"Orally Fixated" She doesn't envy Lady Gaga--I love this madness!

Did your favourite make the list? There's a lot to come on the horizon in 10--can't wait to see what it brings!

You're simply the best...

2009-11-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

As we come crashing toward the end of another decade, I thought it fitting to list my favorite...oh I'll just say it...the best pop songs of the past decade. There were a lot of songs and this is a long list, and if your favorite does not appear, I am sorry...maybe you could comment on what I am missing. I feel it is important to get these lists out of the way and clear the way for the best of 09 lists, so here is the full horror below (in alpha order--it's just easier that way):

A-HA--Summer Moved On
ABC--The Very First Time
ADELE-Hometown Glory
AIR--Cherry Blossom Girl
AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT--Sometime Around Midnight
ALL SAINTS--Pure Shores
AMY WINEHOUSE--Back to Black/Rehab
ANNIE LENNOX--I've Got a Life (Eurythmics)/Into the West
ANNIE--Heartbeat/Chewing Gum/Songs Remind me of You/Anthonio/I Don't Like Your Band/I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS--Crazy in Love
APPLETON--Don't Worry
ARCADE FIRE--Neighbourhood #3/Intervention
ARCTIC MONKEYS--I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor/505/Flouerscent Adolescent
BANANARAMA--Love Comes/Look on the Floor (Hypnotic Tango)
BASEMENT JAXX--Romeo/Where's Your Head At?/Plug it in/Oh My Gosh/Take Me Back to Your House/Raindrops
BAT FOR LASHES--What's a Girl to Do?/Moon & Moon/Daniel
BELLE & SEBASTIAN--Dear Catastrophe Waitress/Step Into My Office, Baby
BETH ORTON--Bobby Gentry
BEYONCE--Crazy in Love/Naughty Girl/Irreplaceable/Ring the Alarm/Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)/If I Were a Boy/Sweet Dreams/Halo
BIG PINK--Dominos
BIRD & THE BEE--My Fair Lady/Diamond Dave
BJORK--Pagan Poetry/Unison/Undo/Triumph of a Heart/Wanderlust
BLACK BOX RECORDER--Facts of Life/These Are the Things
BLACK KIDS--I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You
BLAKE LEWIS--Heartbreak on Vinyl
BLOC PARTY--Banquet
BLUR--Out of Time
BPA--Toe Jam (w/David Byrne)
BRAVERY--An Honest Mistake
BRENDAN BENSON--Garbage Day
BRITISH SEA POWER--It Ended on an Oily Stage
BRITNEY SPEARS--Toxic/Gimme More/Piece of Me/Womanizer
BRITTA PHILLIPS/DEAN WAREHAM--Ginger Snaps
BWO--Sunshine in the Rain/Give me the Night/Destiny of Love
CALVIN HARRIS--Flashback
CAMERA OBSCURA--Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken/Careless Love
CAMILLE--Money Note
CARDIGANS--Song for the Leftovers (A Camp)/For What It's Worth/Love Has Left the Room (A Camp)
CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG--The Songs That We Sing
CHEMICAL BROTHERS--Out of Control
CHRSTINA AGUILERA--Beautiful
CICADA--Love Don't Come Easy/Don't Stare at the Sun
CLIENT--Don't Call me Baby
COLDPLAY--Trouble/The Scientist/Clocks/Animals/White Shadows/Talk/Speed of Sound/Viva la Vida/Life in Technicolour ii/Lovers in Japan
CORINNE BAILEY RAE--Like a Star
CRAIG ARMSTRONG--Wake Up in New York (w/Evan Dando)
CURVE--Gift/My Tiled White Floor/Signals & Alibis
CUT COPY--Out There on the Ice/Lights & Music/Hearts on Fire/Far Away
CUT OFF YOUR HANDS--Happy as can be
CYNDI LAUPER--Into the Nightlife/Echo/Grab a Hold
DAFT PUNK--One More Time/Digital Love/Music Sounds Better With You (Stardust)
DANNII MINOGUE--Put the Needle on it/I Begin to Wonder
DARREN HAYES--Unlovable/Pop!ular/Who Would Have Thought/Step Into the Light/Casey
DAVID BOWIE--Slip Away/Never Get Old
DAVID SYLVIAN--Ride/Wonderful World (Nine Horses)
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE--Brothers on a Hotel Bed/Meet Me on the Equinox
DELAYS--Valentine/Love Made Visible
DEPECHE MODE--Freelove/Precious/Martyr/Wrong
DESTINY'S CHILD--Lose My Breath
DIDO--White Flag
DIVINE COMEDY--Absent Friends/Happy Goth/Lady of a Certain Age
DOVES--Pounding/Caught by the River/Black & White Town/Kingdom of Rust
DRAGONETTE--Take it Like a Man/Jesus Doesn't Love me Anymore/Pick up the Phone/We Rule the World
DUFFY--Rockferry/Warwick Avenue
DURAN DURAN--Sunrise/The Valley
ED HARCOURT--She Fell Into My Arms/You Only Call me When You're Drunk/Rain on the Pretty Ones
EDITORS--Munich/Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors/Papillon/No Sound But the Wind
ELBOW--Newborn/Fugitive Motel/Sounding Off/Leaders of the Free World
ELVIS COSTELLO--45/When I Was Cruel no. 2
EMILIANA TORRINI--Gollum's Song
EMMA BUNTON--Crickets Sing for Anamaria
EMPIRE OF THE SUN--Walking on a Dream
ENYA--May it Be
ERASURE--Breathe/Here I Go Impossible Again/I Could Fall in Love With You/Sunday Girl
FEIST--1234/My Moon My Man
FILTHY DUKES--Messages
FIONA APPLE--O'Sailor
FISCHERSPOONER--Emerge/Never Win/The Best Revenge
FLAMING LIPS--Do You Realize?/Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--Rabbit Heart/Howl
FRANKMUSIK--Vacant Heart
FRANZ FERDINAND--Take Me Out/Michael/L. Wells/Ulysses
FROU FROU--Let Go
GARBAGE--Bleed Like Me/Tell Me Where it Hurts
GEORGE MICHAEL--Freeek!/Amazing
GHOSTS--The World is Outside
GIRL CALLED EDDY--Heartache/Girls Can Really Tear You Up Inside/Golden/People Who Used to Dream About the Future
GIRLS ALOUD--Biology/No Good Advice/The Show/Sexy! No No No/Call the Shots/Girl Overboard/The Promise/The Loving Kind
GLASVEGAS--Flowers & Football Tops/Daddy's Gone
GNARLS BARKLEY--Crazy
GOLDFRAPP--Lovely Head/Pilots/Utopia/Black Cherry/Strict Machine/Twist/Ooh La La/Ride a White Horse/Fly Me Away/Number 1/A & E/Caravan Girl
GORILLAZ--Feel Good, Inc./Clint Eastwood
GOSSIP--Heavy Cross/Men in Love
GRACE JONES--William's Blood/Corporate Cannibal
GUILLEMOTS--If the World Ends/Annie, Let's Not Wait
GWEN STEFANI--What You Waiting For?/Hollaback Girl/Hey Baby (No Doubt)/Hella Good (No Doubt)/Underneath it All (No Doubt)/Cool/Early Winter/Wonderful Life/The Real Thing
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR--Blind
HOOSIERS--Goodbye Mr. A
HOT CHIP--Ready for the Floor
HUMAN LEAGUE--All I Ever Wanted/Love me Madly
I AM X--President
IAN BROWN--For the Glory
IMOGEN HEAP--Hide & Seek
INTERPOL--NYC
JACK PENATE--So Near
JARVIS COCKER--Cunts are Still Running the World
JENS LEKMAN--Sipping on the Sweet Nectar/Into Eternity
JOSEPH ARTHUR--In the Sun/Honey & the Moon
JULIET--Avalon
JUNIOR SENIOR--Move Your Feet/Shake Your Coconuts/Take My Time/Can I Get Get Get
JUSTICE--D.A.N.C.E./DVNO/Phantom 1/2
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE--Cry me a River
KAISER CHIEFS--I Predict a Riot/Everything's Average Nowadays/Addicted to Drugs
KANYE WEST--Love Lockdown
KATE BUSH--King of the Mountain
KEANE--Everybody's Changing/Bend & Break/Bedshaped/Spiralling
KELIS--Finest Dreams (w/Richard X)/Milkshake
KELLY CLARKSON--Since You Been Gone
KILLERS--Mr. Brightside/Somebody Told Me/All These Things That I've Done/When You Were Young/Read My Mind/Human
KIM WILDE--Perfect Girl
KIRSTY MACCOLL--Mambo de la Luna/In These Shoes?/Treachery
KLEERUP--Longing for Lullabies (w/Titiyo)
KNIFE--Heartbeats/Silent Shout
KYLIE MINOGUE--On a Night Like This/Disco Down/Light Years/Your Disco Needs You/Can't Get You Out of my Head/Love at First Sight/In Your Eyes/Slow/Secret (Take You Home)/I Believe in You/In My Arms/The One/Wow/Carried Away/White Diamond
LA ROUX--Bulletproof/Quicksand/Tigerlily/Cover My Eyes
LADY GAGA--Pokerface/Lovegame/Paparazzi/Bad Romance
LADYHAWKE--Magic/My Delerium/Paris is Burning
LADYTRON--Runaway/Destroy Everything you Touch
LAST SHADOW PUPPETS--Age of the Understatement/My Mistakes Were Made For You
LES RYTHMES DIGITALES--(Hey You) What's That Sound?/Sometimes
LIGHTNING SEEDS--Don't Walk On By
LILY ALLEN--Smile/LDN/Nan, You're a Window Shopper/The Fear/I Could Say/Fuck You
LITTLE BOOTS--New in Town/Stuck on Repeat/Remedy/Symmetry
LUCKY SOUL--Add Your Light to Mine/Lips Are Unhappy
LUKE HAINES--Going Off My Rocker at the Art School Bop
M.I.A.--Galang/10 Dollar/URAQT/Bird Flu/Boyz/Jimmy/Paper Planes
M83--Kim & Jessie/Graveyard Girl
MADNESS--NW5/Liberty of Norton Fulgate
MADONNA--Music/Don't Tell Me/Impressive Instant/Runaway Lover/Die Another Day/American Life/Hung Up/Get Together/Sorry/Jump
MAPS--I Dream of Crystal
MARC ALMOND--Glorious/Under Your Wing/Lights/When It's Your Time/Love in a Time of Science/Monoculture (Soft Cell)/The Night (Soft Cell)/Last Chance (Soft Cell)/Divided Soul (Soft Cell)/So Long the Path/The Storks/Redeem Me/I Have Lived/Way You Walk/Suicide Saloon/Kill Me or Make me Beautiful/Weakness for Roses/Boulevards of Magadan
MARK RONSON--Valerie (w/Amy Winehouse)
MARSHEAUX--Destroy Me/Summer
MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD--Need One
MARY ONETTES--Slow/Void/Puzzles
MASSIVE ATTACK--What Your Soul Sings (w/Sinead O'Connor)/Prayer for England (w/Sinead O'Connor)/Live With Me (w/Terry Callier)
MATINEE CLUB--Jane Falls Down
MAXIMO PARK--Apply Some Pressure
MCALMONT (DAVID)--Falling (McAlmont/Butler)/Bring it Back (McAlmont/Butler)/Back 4 Good (McAlmont/Butler)/Snow (w/Craig Armstrong)
MELANIE C--I Turn To You/Northern Star
MELODY CLUB--Baby
MELODY GARDOT--Who Will Comfort Me?/Your Heart is as Black as Night
METRIC--Sick Muse
MGMT--Kids/Electric Feel
MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS--Into the Galaxy
MIIKE SNOW--Silvia
MISSY ELLIOTT-Get Ur Freak On/Work It/One Minute Man/4 My People (Basement Jaxx Mix)
MOBY--We Are All Made of Stars
MOLOKO--Familiar Feeling/Forever More
MONACO--I've Got a Feeling
MORRISSEY--Irish Blood, English Heart/I Have Forgiven Jesus/First of the Gang to Die/You Have Killed Me/Dear God, Please Help Me/I'm Throwing my Arms Around Paris
MUMMERS--Lorca and the Orange Tree
MUSE--Butterflies & Hurricanes/Supernatural Black Hole
N.E.R.D.--Truth or Dare (w/Kelis)
NENEH CHERRY--Twisted Mess (w/Craig Armstrong)
NEON NEON--Raquel/I Told Her on Alderaan
NEW ORDER--Here to Stay/Crystal/Krafty
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS--Nature Boy/There She Goes, My Beautiful World
NINE INCH NAILS--The Hand That Feeds/Capital G/Discipline
NOISETTES--Never Forget You/Don't Upset the Rhythm
N-SYNC--Bye Bye Bye/Pop
PALOMA FAITH--New York/Stargazer
PASSION PIT--The Reeling
PATRICK WOLF--Accident & Emergency/Magpie/The Sun is Often Out
PET SHOP BOYS--Home & Dry/Birthday Boy/Miracles/Flamboyant/Integral/Minimal/The Sodom & Gomorrah Show/Casanova in Hell/Fugitive/Love, Etc./Pandemonium/All Around the World/Did You See Me Coming?
PETER GABRIEL--Growing Up/Sky Blue/More Than This
PHOENIX--Lisztomania/1901
PINK--Just Like a Pill/18 Wheeler/Family Portrait/Who Knew/U + Ur Hand/Please Don't Leave Me/I Don't Believe You/It's All Your Fault
PIPETTES--Pull Shapes/Winter's Sky/Judy
PORTISHEAD--The Rip/Threads
POSTMARKS--No One Said This Would Be Easy/My Lucky Charm
PREFAB SPROUT--Ride/Angel of Love
PRESETS--This Boy's in Love/If I Know You
PRIMAL SCREAM--Swastika Eyes/Miss Lucifer/Deep Hit of Morning Sun/Glory of Love
PULP--Bad Cover Version
R.E.M.--Imitation of Life/I'll Take the Rain/Living Well is the Best Revenge
RACHEL STEVENS--Some Girls/Crazy Boys/Negotiate With Love/I Said Never Again (But here we are)/Nothing Good About This Goodbye
RADIOHEAD--Everything In It's Right Place/Idioteque/Pyramid/Knives Out/Life in a Glass House/Weird Fishes/House of Cards
RAVEONETTES--Love in a Trashcan/That Great Love Sound/Last Dance/Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)
REX THE DOG--Bubblicious
RICHARD HAWLEY--Open Up Your Door
RIHANNA--Umbrella/SOS/Don't Stop the Music/Shut Up & Drive
ROBBIE WILLIAMS--Rock DJ/Lovelight/She's Madonna/Feel
ROBYN--Be Mine!/Handle Me/Who's That Girl/Konichiwa Bitches/With Every Heartbeat (w/Kleerup)
ROISIN MURPHY--If We're In Love/Sow Into You/Ramalama (Bang Bang)/Overpowered/You Know Me Better/Let Me Know/Movie Star/Primitive
ROYKSOPP--Only This Moment/You Don't Have a Clue/What Else is There?
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT--Oh What a World/I Don't Know What it is/One You Love/Memphis Skyline
SADE--By Your Side/King of Sorrow
SAINT ETIENNE--Action/Stars Above Us/Good Thing/Lightning Strikes Twice/Side Streets/Teenage Winter/Milk Bottle Symphony/Method of Modern Love/This is Tomorrow
SALLY SHAPIRO--I Know/Anorak Christmas/Love in July/Miracle
SAM SPARRO--Black & Gold
SANTOGOLD (SANTIGOLD)--L.E.S. Artistes/Lights Out/I'm a Lady
SARAH NIXEY--The Collector/Strangelove
SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS--My Cabal
SCISSOR SISTERS--Take Your Mama/I Don't Feel Like Dancin'/Mary/Laura/Filthy Gorgeous/It Can't Come Quickly Enough
SCRITTI POLITTI--The Boom Boom Bap
SEAL--Amazing/My Vision
SHOUT OUT LOUDS--Tonight I Have to Leave It/Impossible
SHRIEKBACK--Hooray for Everything
SIA--Breathe Me
SIGUR ROS--Svefn-g-englar/Gobbledigook
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO--I Believe/It's the Beat/Cruel Intentions
SIOBAHN DONAGHY--Don't Give It Up/So You Say/Medevac/Goldfish
SIOUXSIE--Into a Swan/If It Doesn't Kill You/Here Comes That Day
SKYE--Tell Me About Your Day
SNEAKER PIMPS--Lightning Field/Curl
SOLANGE--Sandcastle Disco/I Decided
SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR--Murder on the Dance Floor/Music Gets the Best of Me/Catch You/Me & My Imagination/China Heart/Supersonic/Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer
SPARKS--Suburban Homeboy/Good Morning/Dick Around/Perfume
STEVEN LINDSAY--Skywriter/Let it be Love (w/Craig Armstrong)
STROKES--Last Nite
SUGABABES--Freak Like Me/Caught in a Moment/Ugly/Hole in the Head/Push the Button/About You Now/Every Heart Broken
TEARS--Refugees/Lovers/Love as Strong as Death/The Asylum
TEARS FOR FEARS--Closest Thing to Heaven
TEDDYBEARS--Yours to Keep (w/Neneh Cherry)/Punkrocker (w/Iggy Pop)
TEMPOSHARK--It's Better to Have Loved
TEXAS--Can't Resist/Getaway
THOM YORKE--Analyse/And It Rained All Night/Harrowdown Hill
TING TINGS--That's Not My Name/Shut Up & Let Me Go
TOM WAITS--Flower's Grave/Lost in the Harbour/Table Top Joe/Coney Island Baby/Day After Tomorrow
TORI AMOS--A Sorta Fairytale/Gold Dust
TRACEY THORN--It's All True/Raise the Roof/Hands Up to the Ceiling
TRAVIS--Closer/Re-Offender
U2--Beautiful Day/Elevation/Vertigo/Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own
VAMPIRE WEEKEND--A-Punk/Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa/Bryn/Horchata
VEILS--Under the Folding Branches/Pan/Calliope!/Sit Down By the Fire
VENUS HUM--Hummingbirds/Montana
WENDY & LISA--Invisible
WHIP--Dubsex/Sister Siam
WHITE LIES--To Lose My Life/Death
YEAH YEAH YEAHS--Maps/Zero/Heads Will Roll/Soft Shock/Hysteric
YELLE--Ce Jeu/Je Veux te Voir
YELLO--Planet Dada/You Better Hide
YUKSEK--Tonight/So Far Away From the Sea
ZERO 7--Destiny/In the Waiting Line
ZOOT WOMAN--Lonely By Your Side/Living in a Magazine/We Won't Break

Enough 4 ya? And these were just the best...

It's the end of a decade, in another ten years' time...

2009-10-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

I guess it was inevitable that another ten years would pass, but I still can't believe it. Now that I have officially reached an age group where I am one of the few still interested in recorded popular music (especially music in a physical format), I feel it is my duty to anthologize and rhapsodize a bit on what has transpired. Ten years ago, the western world was in the midst of a pop-culture blitz where the almighty $ reigned supreme. There had been big pop eras before, but we really reached a peak in commercialism in 1999 with Britney Spears, N'Sync, and Backstreet Boys dominating the world of pop music, joined by Eminem and Jay-Z in rap, and Limp Bizkit and Dave Matthews in rock. Oh, and Radiohead had just morphed into the best band in the world. Now ten years later, some of those names are still relevant while others have thankfully long since faded into the ether. What originally began as sharing of song files through facilitators like Napster has begun to move into the world of paying for digital downloads, and Apple (not the Beatles' company) is more powerful than ever because of it.

Speaking as a music fan, I remember buying 45s in the early 80's, and felt like I had something to show for it. Now I get a file to call my own. I graduated to LPs not long thereafter, moving quickly from the remnants of 70's corporate rock to my newfound obsessions like Duran Duran, Culture Club, Eurythmics, Thompson Twins, the Cure, and Prince. I still have some of those records, refusing to jettison everything when they looked to be "things of the past". I enjoyed my LPs a lot, even though they were really heavy, and didn't always have the greatest sound (certain ones I memorized with the minor scratches), but they had a tactile warmth about them, which is much of their appeal, I suppose. Now I have more CDs than LPs, and yet I still enjoy having CDs around. I cannot imagine a house so cold that it lacks a single CD or LP. Why would you want that? I guess it makes mobility easier in a dangerous world where you don't know if your house will be blown up tomorrow or not, but I appreciate them. Some albums I even own on CD AND LP. Now THAT's dedication.

In an era where CDs are on the decline and everybody talks online, I get the sense that we are in the process of losing something that was once quite special. Music stores, now few and far between, were also places where people could get together and discuss their latest finds in a very personal, face-to-face situation. Now, you have to get on a computer and find a group somewhere that supports similar tastes to yours, making it difficult to get exposed to other types of music. As music styles seem to be blending more and more to try and capture more listeners, music audiences are becoming more fragmented due to their self-isolation. Sure, you can congregate at Starbucks, but how many people stand around talking about their favorite new band there? I remember hearing Madonna for the first time, thinking she was black. Her music had a hot beat, her voice had a soulful quality, and there was no music video for "Holiday", so until the LP was released with her picture on the cover, we fantasized about what she could possibly look like, hence her eventual influence on 80's fashion. Similarly, Prince was somebody who set rock music on it's ear, incorporating many different styles, yet his background was not one typically connected to rock music (this probably goes back to Jimi Hendrix, but that was a little before my time).

The radical changes in the way music is made and (hopefully) sold in the past ten years are a direct influence on the selections on this list. I will spare your precious time by not going into extended detail as to why these are the best albums of the past decade...they just are. If you don't agree with me, it's OK...this is not your list. Most of these albums are known in many circles, while some are very little known. Their sales figures do not necessarily equate with their excellence. What are the parameters? Really it all comes down to their musicality and production, cultural significance, and how much I liked them. A list such as this was very difficult to compile, as I have listened to literally thousands of albums over the past ten years. If I recommend it here, it HAS to be good. And so, in alphabetical order (I found this much easier than trying to select them numerically):

AIR--Talkie Walkie (2004)
AMY WINEHOUSE--Back to Black (2007)
ANJA GARBAREK--Smiling & Waving (2001)
ANJA GARBAREK--Briefly Shaking (2006)
ANNIE--Anniemal (2005)
ANNIE--Don't Stop (2009)
APPLETON--Everything Eventual (2003)
ARCTIC MONKEYS--Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)
ARCTIC MONKEYS--Humbug (2009)
ARCTIC MONKEYS--Whatever People Say That's What I'm Not (2006)
ARCADE FIRE--Funeral (2004)
ARCADE FIRE--Neon Bible (2007)
BASEMENT JAXX--Kish Kash (2003)
BASEMENT JAXX--Rooty (2001)
BAT FOR LASHES--Two Suns (2009)
BELLE & SEBASTIAN--Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)
BJORK--Vespertine (2001)
BLACK BOX RECORDER--Facts of Life (2001)
BLACK BOX RECORDER--Passionoia (2003)
BWO--Prototype (2005)
CAMERA OBSCURA--My Maudlin Career (2009)
CICADA--Roulette (2009)
COLDPLAY--Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
COLDPLAY-Viva La Vida (2008)
COLDPLAY--X & Y (2005)
CURVE-Gift (2001)
CUT COPY--In Ghost Colours (2008)
CYNDI LAUPER--Bring Ya to the Brink (2008)
DAFT PUNK--Discovery (2001)
DARREN HAYES--Tension & the Spark (2004)
DARREN HAYES--This Delicate Thing We've Made (2007)
DAVID SYLVIAN--Manafon (2009)
DIVINE COMEDY--Absent Friends (2004)
DIVINE COMEDY--Victory for the Comic Muse (2006)
DOVES--Last Broadcast (2002)
DRAGONETTE--Fixin to Thrill (2009)
DRAGONETTE--Galore (2007)
ED HARCOURT--Beautiful Lie (2006)
EDITORS--Back Room (2005)
EDITORS--In This Light & On This Evening (2009)
ELBOW--Cast of Thousands (2004)
ERASURE--Nightbird (2005)
ERASURE--Light at the End of the World (2007)
FLAMING LIPS--Yoshimi vs. the Pink Robots (2002)
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--Lungs (2009)
FRANZ FERDINAND--Franz Ferdinand (2004)
FRANZ FERDINAND--You Could Have it So Much Better (2005)
FROU FROU--Details (2002)
GIRL CALLED EDDY--Girl Called Eddy (2004)
GIRLS ALOUD--Out of Control (2008)
GIRLS ALOUD--Tangled Up (2007)
GLASVEGAS--Glasvegas (2008)
GOLDFRAPP--Black Cherry (2003)
GOLDFRAPP--Felt Mountain (2000)
GOLDFRAPP--Seventh Tree (2008)
GOLDFRAPP--Supernature (2006)
GOOD, THE BAD, & THE QUEEN--Good, the Bad, & the Queen (2007)
GOSSIP--Music for Men (2009)
GRACE JONES--Hurricane (2008)
GUILLEMOTS--Through the Window Pane (2006)
GWEN STEFANI--Love.Angel.Music.Baby. (2004)
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR--Hercules & Love Affair (2008)
HUMAN LEAGUE--Secrets (2002)
IAN BROWN--My Way (2009)
IMOGEN HEAP--Speak for Yourself (2005)
INTERPOL--Turn Off the Bright Lights (2002)
JENS LEKMAN--Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007)
JOSEPH ARTHUR--Come to Where I'm From (2000)
JUNIOR SENIOR--Hey Hey My My Yo Yo (2006)
JUSTICE--Cross (2007)
KAISER CHIEFS--Employment (2005)
KATE BUSH--Aerial (2005)
KEANE--Hopes & Fears (2004)
KILLERS--Hot Fuss (2005)
KIRSTY MACCOLL--Tropical Brainstorm (2000)
KNIFE--Deep Cuts (2005)
KNIFE--Silent Shout (2006)
KYLIE MINOGUE--Fever (2002)
KYLIE MINOGUE--Light Years (2000)
KYLIE MINOGUE--X (2007)
LA ROUX--La Roux (2009)
LADYHAWKE--Ladyhawke (2008)
LAST SHADOW PUPPETS--Age of the Understatement (2008)
LILY ALLEN--Alright, Still (2006)
LILY ALLEN--It's Not Me, It's You (2009)
LUCKY SOUL--Great Unwanted (2007)
LITTLE BOOTS--Hands (2009)
M83--Saturdays = Youth (2008)
M.I.A.--Arular (2005)
M.I.A.--Kala (2007)
MADONNA--Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)
MADONNA--Music (2000)
MARC ALMOND--Stranger Things (2002)
MARY ONETTES--Islands (2009)
MARY ONETTES--Mary Onettes (2007)
MOLOKO--Statues (2003)
MORRISSEY--You Are the Quarry (2004)
MUMMERS--Tale to Tell (2009)
MUSE--Absolution (2004)
NICK CAVE & BAD SEEDS--Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
NINE HORSES--Snow Borne Sorrow (2005)
NINE INCH NAILS--Year Zero (2007)
NO DOUBT--Rock Steady (2001)
PALOMA FAITH--Do You Want to Know the Truth or Something Beautiful? (2009)
PATRICK WOLF--Magic Position (2007)
PET SHOP BOYS--Fundamental (2006)
PET SHOP BOYS--Yes (2009)
PIPETTES--We are the Pipettes (2006)
PORTISHEAD--Third (2008)
POSTMARKS--Memoirs at the End of the World (2009)
PREFAB SPROUT--Let's Change the World With Music (2009)
PRESETS--Apocalypso (2008)
PRIMAL SCREAM--Evil Heat (2002)
PRIMAL SCREAM--Xtrmntr (2000)
PULP--We Love Life (2000)
R.E.M.--Reveal (2001)
RACHEL STEVENS--Come & Get it (2005)
RADIOHEAD--Amnesiac (2001)
RADIOHEAD--In Rainbows (2007)
RADIOHEAD--Kid A (2000)
RICHARD X--Richard X Presents His X-Factor (2003)
ROBBIE WILLIAMS--Sing When You're Winning (2000)
ROBYN--Robyn (2006)
ROISIN MURPHY--Overpowered (2007)
ROISIN MURPHY--Ruby Blue (2005)
ROYKSOPP--Junior (2009)
ROYKSOPP--Understanding (2005)
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT--Want One (2003)
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT--Want Two (2004)
SADE--Lovers Rock (2000)
SAINT ETIENNE--Finisterre (2002)
SAINT ETIENNE--Tales From Turnpike House (2005)
SANTOGOLD(SANTIGOLD)--Santogold(Santigold) (2008)
SARAH NIXEY--Sing, Memory (2007)
SCISSOR SISTERS--Scissor Sisters (2004)
SCOTT WALKER--The Drift (2006)
SCRITTI POLITTI--White Bread Black Beer (2006)
SHOUT OUT LOUDS--Our Ill Wills (2007)
SIGUR ROS--Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (2008)
SIOBHAN DONAGHY--Ghosts (2008)
SIOUXSIE--Mantaray (2007)
SNEAKER PIMPS--Splinter (2001)
SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR--Trip the Light Fantastic (2007)
STROKES--Is This It? (2001)
TEARS--Here Come the Tears (2005)
THOM YORKE--Eraser (2006)
TRACEY THORN--Out of the Woods (2007)
VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Vampire Weekend (2008)
VEILS--Nux Vomica (2007)
YEAH YEAH YEAH'S--It's Blitz! (2009)
YUKSEK--Away from the Sea (2009)
ZERO 7--Simple Things (2001)
ZOOT WOMAN--Things Are What They Used to Be (2009)

That was tough. We'll see if I can even compile a list like this in another ten years...Hopefully albums will still be around. Stay tuned...

Up next...be on the lookout for the best songs of the past decade...

Q3: "Don't be tardy for the party"...

2009-10-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Real Housewives of Atlanta inspired the title of this post, and yes, that song would be much hotter without Kim on it. I don't really understand why Kandi felt she needed to give the song away. I mean...it's kinda corny, but it had a few fun riffs, and if she's trying to get her recording career back on track...too much information already. So I missed the deadline for the Q3 titles--too much going on while working my fingers to the bone, so now that I have a few minutes, I would like to "briefly" review my favorite albums of the end of summer, and prepare for the final fall edition to be followed by the year 2009 (seriously, does anybody really care to read this crap beside me?--it's not like my opinion is the Bible). To be quite honest, 2009 has been one of my favorite years for music in a long time, so while the globe sinks into a recession, the music just keeps getting better while fewer people support it. I don't know how many more times I can stress the importance of supporting the music that you love without simply raping it for your pleasure (wow, that sounds like a harsh relationship). Trouble is, many of the digital outlets do not support the ability to purchase everything that you would like to support due to territorial restrictions. Therefore, the albums that I have chosen here represent records that were either released in the US during this quarter, or I bought as import CDs. Sorry, I don't really count downloads, unless they are purchased downloads, of which this list does not contain any anyhow (they are all on good old-fashioned official hard copy CDs). So without further ado...

1) GOSSIP--Music for Men

I will say more about some of these albums in the year end post (I did not do a first quarter roundup this year either), so let me just say that anybody who knows me will know that I went out on a limb with this one, especially a #1 choice. No real heavy synth/keyboard textures and an overweight lesbian lead singer with a voice like a punk Dolly Parton do not really add up to "me", but there is just something undeniably powerful about this record and Beth Ditto's performance. It is subtle when it needs to be, it's super danceable without being electro, and who needs lots of instruments when Ditto is in the room? Her voice more than makes up for the absence of sound, and that is one thing I find myself liking alot about this record--the silences. There is "space". I also tap my foot a lot when it comes on. They deserve superstardom in the US, but will America take a chance on them? An antidote to the bland, for sure.

2) LA ROUX--La Roux

This will also get a bigger post at year end, but I love La Roux. At first, I thought it was a bit screechy, and I could not understand why people liked this over Little Boots. Now I do. Don't get me wrong...I still love LB also, but this has depth and a kick of brattiness LB lacks. Maybe Boots is too professional, or just doesn't let her hair down enough. Whatever the case, this album is solid for me from beginning to end, with "Bulletproof" a frontrunner for single of the year. How THAT song has not been a hit in the US is also a mystery to me. I love Elly's style and hair as well, and know that, if I were a teenager growing up now, I would totally idolize her. So what if "I'm Not Your Toy" hasn't set the charts on fire in the UK--the song is damn infectious, and the video, as all of their videos have been, is quite clever and unique. A pleasant surprise.

3) ARCTIC MONKEYS--Humbug

This is probably more typical a choice of mine, but I think Alex and the Monkeys are pure genius, and working with Josh Homme gave a dimension to their sound which they didn't really have before. There may not be as many singalongs this time, but there are some smashing songs and some of the tightest playing I've heard in a while--that drummer is on fire! Totally rifftastic, and three albums in, still on top of their game.

4) PREFAB SPROUT--Let's Change the World With Music

A protracted masterpiece this, and I must thank http://xolondon.blogspot.com/ for his recommendation of many titles this year such as this, the Gossip, and the upcoming two. I was a very casual listener of PS in their heyday, and it has only been in the last five years or so that I have really plunged in and become much more aware of the genius of Paddy's work. This album, shelved by Sony in 1993, goes to the heart of what was wrong with the music industry at that time (see George Michael vs. Sony), and while there is some religious reference in the lyrics, that is quite a limiting label. And then there are the melodies and the arrangements. They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Paddy's melodic sensibility is old school in the Cole Porter sense, and there is such charm and grace in his dulcet lilt and turns of phrase. The instruments remind me of the early 90's, but are generally updated with a fuller, more organic sound than they would have had then. Every time I hear this album, I think it is just fantastic in its unique and fearless way.

5) FLORENCE & THE MACHINE--Lungs

How many more fantastic debuts can 2009 take? Again, I don't know if the US will get Florence--she is a bit highbrow for most, but they may be willing to accept her in a Kate Bush "on the fringe" sort of way. A powerhouse vocalist reminiscent of Sinead O'Connor, I love how the arrangements on this album are generally rather lush with strings, piano, and harp, and have tribal drums in the background. Florence's vocals remain front and center, and most of the songs are rather sharp. If it had not been for the inclusion of "Kiss With a Fist", which seems sorely out of place as some earlier track with a different feel than the rest, and the relegation of "Swimming" to a bonus disc, this album would have ended up closer to #1. However, I was not in charge of picking the running order. Hello playlist...

6) CALVIN HARRIS--Ready for the Weekend

This was a pleasant surprise, and I knew Calvin had it in him after doing Kylie's "In My Arms". I thought his first album was a bit of a let down, and rather mindnumbing in its repetition, but this album is very charming, fun, has a lot of melody that is not one-note, and uses some guests without losing the focus of who is the star at the center. Maybe more talented than Mark Ronson (well, he does do many of his own vocals), I may have been to quick to write Calvin off in the past, but I am changing my tune. A great summer record.

7) MUSE--The Resistance

Some of you may think I have lost my mind when choosing this. Yes, it is the cheese. Yes, it is overblown. But boy, is Matt Bellamy a genius or what? The first few songs snap with an immediacy I think Muse were afraid to embrace before. They were so overcome with being the next big thing, that they were forgetting to have some fun, and I think "Supermassive Black Hole" was a signpost of things that were to come. That being said, there is some very high quality musicianship on this album, and Matt is definitely a master of guitar and piano--his interpretations of composers such as Chopin are stunning--Lady Gaga might be the only other current performer I can think of who would include entire passages of classical pieces in her pop songs. Muse do it with more grace and subtlety, and this is the definition of what a concept album is all about. Stunning.

8) MARC ALMOND--Orpheus in Exile

Vladimir Kozin is not a household name in the west (nor is Marc Almond really), but the man named Marc who almost died a few years back has once again done it with a spectacular album of cover songs by the great Russian, Kozin. How thoughtful of Marc to bring the work of someone who suffered under communist rule to the modern world of the west with such lovely sung renditions. The arrangements transport me to another place and time every time I hear them, and I stop to think how much time and care went into creating the perfect balance of instrument and voice, and the correct poetic translations. While I remain optimistic that Marc will soon release more original material, hearing his interpretations of music like this is pure magic. This is more than commercial music, this is art.

9) YUKSEK--Away from the Sea

Yuksek is not a very well known artist to be sure, so let me drop a few names. If you like Daft Punk or Justice, and you imagine them with more melodies, you would get closer to what Yuksek is all about. There is even a song called "So Far Away from the Sea" that features vocals from a band called The Bewitched Hands on the Top of Our Heads, which sounds quite similar at times to the Blur song, "Girls & Boys". Yuksek has a cut-n-paste way of putting certain elements together, yet they all seem to work for the most part, and they retain a certain warmth other electronic artists don't achieve. This is modern disco of the highest order. And I haven't the foggiest what "Eat My Bear" means.

10) A-HA--Foot of the Mountain

I know, people will say "sellout", but what a great album this was. It really brought some of the special electronic elements of A-ha to the fore while retaining their undeniable sound. There isn't really a bad song to be found at a just-right ten tracks, where their last three albums, although great, usually had at least one duff track ("Halfway Through the Tour", a seven minute mis-step being the entry from their last effort, Analogue). While the title track moves close to Keane territory (or is it vice-versa? Didn't A-ha come first?), "Riding the Crest" bubbles with an early-80's electro-pop bop, "What There Is" is nothing short of elegant, and "Start the Simulator" is their "Light Years", albeit less kitsch-y. Granted, lyrics like "Mother Nature Goes to Heaven" won't win them the pulitzer in English-speaking countries, but the sentiment is definitely there, with that song edging close to classic Depeche Mode terrain (if anything, the album bests Depeche's recent effort). This album was a winner in many ways, and it would be too much of a shame if they really are breaking up as they said they are in a recent press statement, as I feel they are just beginning to hit a new stride. Their solo albums sure haven't been much to write home about, and I feel they are much stronger together. Time will tell, but here's hoping for a hiatus.

There were so many albums I enjoyed in this quarter alone, and here are many of the others. You never know if one will all of a sudden click with me and end up on top of the year end list...

BASEMENT JAXX--Scars--what they do best, with more variety this time, which works mostly

BRENDAN BENSON--Brendan Benson--Jack White's friend and Robbie Williams should-be

DAVID SYLVIAN--Manafon--difficult listening yet utterly beautiful

ENGINEERS--Three Fact Fader--welcome return to shoegaze gorgeousness

ISLANDS--Vapours--welcome return to poppier shores and better songs

LEAVES--We are Shadows--Coldplay-who?

NOISETTES--Wild Young Hearts--close contender for the big list, they may still slip in...

ZOOT WOMAN--Things Are What They Used to Be--best ZW album yet

FRANKMUSIK--Frankmusik--he deserves better--a great little pop album

THE MUMMERS--Tale to Tell--another sleeper for the big list...incredible singing & playing

JACK PENATE--Everything is New--who knew he had this in him? Paolo who?

JUAN MACLEAN--The Future Will Come--best recordings yet--Human League for a new gen

KLEERUP--Kleerup--cleanup on aisle 2008...

LIGHTNING SEEDS--Four Winds--haunting little return exorcising ghosts of the past-- welcome back Ian

METRIC--Fantasies--girl-pop of the highest order

MEW--No More Stories--beneath the concepts and hype, great musicians

NORTHERN KIND--Wired--melodic electro-pop meets DIY

PHOENIX--Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix--certainly you have heard this by now

POSTMARKS--Memoirs at the End of the World--Divine Comedy wants their orchestra back :)

RICHARD HAWLEY--Truelove's Gutter--or Richard Hawley discovers the glass harmonica...

RUMBLE STRIPS--Welcome to the Walk Alone--what a great Mark Ronson produced album-- Now if more than ten people hear it...

SALLY SHAPIRO--My Guilty Pleasure--my guilty pleasure

BANANARAMA--Viva!--my other guilty pleasure

See what I mean?!? A few albums I "heard" but will end up on a later list: Dragonette, Raveonettes, Cribs, Maps, Paloma Faith.

Good albums from artists I respect and admire, but don't listen to much (maybe because there was too much other music already): Manic Street Preachers, Imogen Heap, Zero 7, Miike Snow, Datarock, Big Pink, Sea Wolf.

I honestly feel that this quarter has produced a generally high quality of new albums from good artists, without too many mis-steps or duds.

Summer shows...Veils and Depeche Mode...

2009-08-02T06:52:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd digress a little to mention a couple summer shows I went to this weekend. On Friday night, I had the pleasure of finally seeing the Veils playing a small bar to a crowd of about 100. Finn Andrews (son of Barry of the legendary Shriekback) and his backing band put on an incendiary short set, sandwiched in between some folkies and alterna rockers I really wasn't much interested in. For about 40 minutes, the Veils hit many of the highlights from their most recent two albums, Sun Gangs and Nux Vomica, both great in content and style. I was surprised at how Finn's raspy vocals are quite similar to the way they appear on record, and how tightly wound his performances were. "Jesus for the Jugular" and "Larkspur" in particular were given ample time to breathe and surge, and although the band kept asking for more volume, the mix was pretty good for a tiny bar show, and at $10 a ticket, one really couldn't go wrong. The band played with the ferocity and passion of a young group that hungers for greater success, and there really is no reason why they couldn't approach the levels Kings of Leon are currently experiencing. Only the guy in front of me, who was about 6'2", was a distraction due to the rather inappropriate ass-wiggling he would resort to during the catchier songs. Finn did ask the audience at one point to please buy a CD at the merch table if they liked what they heard, as they would need to pay for their transport back to the UK. Then his female bass player went to run the merch table after their set--now that's putting your people to work. Still, a great show from a band who deserves more attention.

Saturday night was spent at a Depeche Mode concert in Atlantic City, and while I have always been a big fan of this band, things are beginning to feel a bit stale. As I expected, many of the songs from the latest album, Sounds of the Universe, seemed at once lackluster and all too familiar, with only "Wrong" rising above the average. That being said, the mix on these songs was pretty bad, especially on "Come Back", where the band seemed to be making up for a lack of depth in material with a din not befitting one of the best electronic bands in the world. "Hole to Feed" was even more dire, as the jittery rhythm did not translate in such a large room, sounding somewhat like a cat that was being beaten in a burlap bag with a stick. Unfortunately, that rattling continued during "Walking in My Shoes", one of my favorites, and not wanting of the banging-a-stick treatment. That being said, Martin turned in a truly amazing tear-jerk of a performance on an acoustic "Question of Lust" that was absolutely note-perfect and free of Mariah Carey-isms. Unfortunately, it had to follow "Jezebel", a good enough song on the new album, yet which the audience found totally superfluous, and began filing out for a break while Dave was offstage. The other hits were familiar performances of songs they have done several times, with only "Fly on the Windscreen" being a somewhat left-field choice of cult classic. Other than that, the outfits were the same, the stage presence the same (what does Andy Fletcher really DO?), and the times at which Dave removes articles of clothing while interjecting "woah!" the same (why does he feel it necessary to sing so much more nasal on stage than on album? It causes him to slide off pitch a lot--though it's not as bad as Tori Amos' vowel massaging, but still...)

While it was nice to see Dave healthy again after the cancer operation, I have to register my complaints with the venue. The Borgata was HOT. I don't know if the band wanted it this way, but I saw a woman collapse from heat after a mere 10 minutes. It is one thing to keep a venue warm (hello Madonna) and another to turn off all ventilation so the air stagnates. My wife was absolutely drenched by evening's end, and the B.O. in the room was simply intense. At least TURN ON A DAMN FAN. All the cooler air seemed to be drifting in from the casino, which is surely where they wanted you to go afterwards, but my wife, who was ready with her cash, changed her mind and decided to leave early because the heat made her so miserable that she didn't want to hang around. The other issue was the standing room only, which is understandable for a $10 ticket in a bar, but when you are paying $125 each ticket for a room nearing 90 degrees, it makes the band look bad and the venue worse. I would not have called it a "fun night at the Borgata" by any stretch, and will not be going back any time soon. That being said, there were some crazy dance moves and hand gestures being perpetrated by the audience, but some were getting out of control, as I witnessed one guy nearly trample a 7-year old with his flailing aerobics.

All in all, it was quite a weekend mix of music, and now I just need some sleep. I will let you decide which show, the $10 one or the $125 one, I enjoyed more, and who I will be more inclined to see again.

Gone too soon...

2009-06-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say that I do not usually post this soon after such a lengthy and difficult to compose entry as the previous one regarding a half-year assessment of the music of 2009. Only the death of somebody as big as Michael Jackson could force me to share some of my thoughts on the subject, and this is the first typed statement I have regarding it. I would like to add that one of my favorite bloggers at http://xolondon.blogspot.com/
has already said some wonderful things rather eloquently, and celebrities as John Taylor of Duran Duran did a very good job putting it all into context. The following is a purely personal statement.

Michael Jackson was never my favorite artist, my favorite singer, or my favorite performer. He was not my favorite songwriter either. However, Michael Jackson was a cultural phenomenon who blossomed during my teenage years, and his music was inescapeable. While it may sound that I was somewhat trapped by his presence, his music and image did do a great deal to pave the way for other artists such as Prince and Madonna to break into the pop mainstream, and even though his music was generally appealing to me, I was not a devotee. As millions of others, I owned Off the Wall and Thriller, only to be shocked at how he permanently transformed his appearance for Bad, and continued on that path until his demise. Only Pete Burns and Cher have come as close as musicians in physically altering who they once were. But I will try to stick to the music...

Growing up as a teenager in the center of the US in the early 80's, I was very saturated with the late-70's corporate rock and singer-songwriters who were faceless voices on the radio. While some of this music had its merits, much of it was produced and promoted by a system of suits running ever-growing corporate conglomerates. Disco was declared dead--a genre which produced some great music but few great artists with lasting success (Donna Summer comes to mind, while the Bee Gees managed to come from 60's pop and push past into MOR pop to a much smaller degree). Michael was still riding a bit of disco with Off the Wall, but Thriller was something really different, and the music videos from that album, along with early cinematic masterpieces by David Bowie and Duran Duran, helped make MTV a driving force for promoting new pop music to a young population and wake music sales from the doldrums (of course, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Eurythmics, Prince, and many others would feed the frenzy). Suddenly, you could not have a hit record unless your videos were being played on MTV. Without Michael Jackson and his music mini-movies, MTV might never have happened, and popular music would not have developed such a visual aspect.

I remember the night the Thriller video premiered on MTV, and they played it over and over in case you missed anything and wanted to catch it again. I must have watched it at least four times that night, entranced by the makeup and the dialog. The presence of Vincent Price's voice on a pop record only added to the drama. Then there was the dancing. Amazing. I remember trying to figure out what he was doing with the choreography, and it would have an enormous impact on my later love for his sister Janet's music, videos, and dancing as well. As far as dancing in music videos, nobody else came close until the 90's and Madonna's Vogue (Prince had some great moves, but seemed more moved by the music and less choreographed). Even a song like Bad, one that I did not like, had a video with great dance moves.

My first job in a music shop came when Dangerous was released. I remember it sitting on the shelves a bit, with backstocked copies wanting to find homes (actually, U2's Achtung Baby had a similar gestation). Over the course of a year, Dangerous did well, but was no Thriller or even Bad. A song like Jam seemed oddly aggressive for a guy who appeared ever more delicate.

A few years later in 1995, History seemed an even tougher sell. My wife and I went to a promotional laser-Michael Jackson show at the planetarium in center city Philadelphia, and while Michael was nowhere to be found (after all, who ever REALLY got close to him?), the music was better than expected. History remains, for me, his oddly forgotten masterpiece, as his record company, Epic, did the odd thing of bundling it as a 2cd set with a disc of greatest hits. This may have been shrewd at the time as a ploy to get people to buy the new album (after all, there had not been any Michael Jackson hits collection released up to that point). It is my belief that Epic knew they had a tough sell on their hands, especially after one allegation of pedophaelia had already been dismissed by the courts, but the songs had also become more obscure and isolationist. It seemed as though while Michael continued reaching out for other production talents like Dallas Austin and David Foster, his music became increasingly arch.

Scream featured sister Janet on vocals, and produced the most expensive video ever made, and while it was a great song and clip, all these excesses only added to the eccentricity of their creator. Songs like Childhood, Little Susie, Stranger in Moscow, and Earth Song showed a vulnerability and depth we hadn't really experienced since Human Nature from 1983's Thriller (possibly excepting Dangerous' Gone Too Soon--Man in the Mirror always seemed a bit phony to me coming from him). Other than Scream and You Are Not Alone--songs more propelled by radio play than sales--Michael struggled to have hits and remain relevant. Earth Song may have been a sign for the future, but it was rather out of step in 1995, and They Don't Care About Us got him criticism for using racial slurs about Jews to illustrate his points on hatred and racial intolerance, eventually caving to self-censorship to get it on the radio, which didn't really happen anyway. Songs like Money and Tabloid Junkie seemed increasingly self-referential (almost like Morrissey on You Are the Quarry!), and a creepy element colored Childhood's seemingly innocent tone. Blood on the Dancefloor, a remix album that was issued in 1997, seemed like a desperate attempt to get more sales out of a project that was relatively dismissed by the public (History), and failed. Invisible did even worse, with a been there-done that video for You Rock My World, featuring a near-catatonic Marlon Brando in one of his final roles, and a rather nice song, Butterflies, which tellingly had no video and no real backing from the record label.

Michael's last televised interview was with Billy Bush of Access Hollywood in October of 2006(!), and featured Michael in the studio in Ireland with Will.i.am working on his latest masterpiece. Hopefully that will now come sooner than later. This seems to have been the problem with Michael's music for me. It always seemed so micromanaged to the point that all the life began being sucked away from it. His music has always had a rather rigid and brittle nature to it, containing very little of the spontaneous nature of Prince's music or joyous abandon of Madonna's. Here is where Michael never really succeeded, as he was such a perfectionist. His music started to seem dated before it even got released due to the length of time spent perfecting certain sounds, and it became more about judging his music for what it did not contain than what it did.

Setting the persona and personal dramas aside, Michael Jackson was a great entertainer and a cultural icon whose music seemed to have lost much of its relevance. In effect, he did this to himself. He knew he was incapable of playing and producing everything like Prince, and in that sense, he did do himself a great service by allowing other producers a crack at helping create more modern material for him, even if it was dated by the time it was released. (Maybe Prince could take note and open his palette a bit). That being said, eveything Michael did left one with a feeling that the persona was bigger than the music, and no matter how much you liked a song of his, there was no separating the song from the singer.

For as many years as I have been listening to Michael, I feel like I don't know him any better than the first day I heard him. His music does very little to open the doors to the real him, or maybe that IS the real him, all cold and brittle beats with a bit of schmaltz thrown in once in a while to melt our hearts. Infuriatingly, we may never know more about the real man than we do now through the songs which obviously mean so much to millions (don't get me started on how his records sold out across the world on the announcement of his death--if you ever liked Michael, you would have had those records all along. It seems like a very disingenous thing to do.) If his songs really do represent the man he was, he was rarely happy, frequently sad, lonely, angry, scared, pathetic, and misunderstood. It makes for a compelling story, but not a life anybody would aspire to lead. Michael has become nostalgia for me, and while I will always respect what he created, it is not a place I wish to inhabit for very long.

Mid-Year already? Where does the time go...

2009-06-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

As I come to the end of another June, I realize the time has come to cast a glance backward and briefly analyze the best pop albums released so far this year (2009). Of course, I had planned many blog posts, like a continuation of the Saint Etienne theme when they began to rerelease their catalog in the deluxe versions of Foxbase Alpha and Continental. There was also something regarding my passion for Little Boots, a Pet Shop Boys dedication (which may still come later), and further music business analysis. All of these were scuppered due to an insane schedule and too much time spent enjoying the information others were providing me with. I like to absorb lots of stuff and regurgitate my thoughts at the end, hence the post here. The blog acts as a way to collate ideas into a concise and (somewhat) entertaining point of reference, and as I am not in the business of acquiring readers for the sole purpose of pushing up the number of hits to interest advertisers and the like, thank you for taking the time to read ahead. Now on with the show...

1) PET SHOP BOYS--Yes

Some may cry foul at this predictable choice, but there are other "predictable" choices that you may find noticeably absent from this list. Why the Pet Shop Boys again you may ask? How about because they have created one of the best pop albums of the year, and possibly their best pop album, or at least one to rival their best. If I had to name my three favorite Pet Shop albums, this would probably sit there comfortably along with Very and Behaviour. However, I only believe there is one semi-weak album of theirs (I'll leave you to guess which one), so this is high praise indeed. "Love Etc." seems like a strange song to open with at first, with the loping 6/8 beat and the chanting vocals, but it gets under the skin in the most insidious way, opening with an odd half verse, followed by a chorus straight out of left field. The song continues to build as it develops, sliding perfectly into a wallop of a song, "All Over the World", with its Tchaikovsky sampling riff--listen to this track on a good stereo, and you will be a believer. The breezy "Beautiful People" continues the optimism of the previous track (and there is a lot of optimism on this record, much more than on Fundamental), and seems stylistically different than the rest on offer here, but the Pets do like variety once in a while (see Bilingual and Nightlife). "Did You See Me Coming" is absolutely ebuillent, and "Vulnerable" is the type of melancholy ballad they do so well without being morose. Side one finishes (I also own the vinyl) with the upbeat Obama-waving "More Than a Dream", a great song which would be any other band's first single from their album--who knows if it will see a single release here.

Side two begins with the provocative "Building a Wall", with its funny spoken word passages (I found it amazing that people got bothered by this--does anyone remember "West End Girls" where Neil spoke ALL the verses?). "King of Rome" is a ballad worthy of being included on the classic Behaviour, while "Pandemonium" and "The Way it Used to Be" are simply two of the best songs you'll hear all year. "Legacy" is a bit of a red herring, as it is far from the template created by the Xenomania production team throughout the rest of the album, but it is the epic type of closing piece the Pets embrace with open arms. Then there is the bonus track, "This Used to Be the Future", featuring the vocals of Neil and Chris as well as Phil Oakey from Human League. This song is simply too amazing to have been left off the album, with its themes of an arms race and energy consumption set to a percolating beat--I like to program this between the last two tracks of the album proper, as it really needs a firm home, just as "Fugitive" did with Fundamental a couple years ago. Its omission is a small flaw which does not lessen the impact of the album, but adding it would not dilute the impact of Yes either.

Song for song, Yes ranks at the top for me. That being said, I have followed Pet Shop Boys career pretty closely for 25 years now, and although their writing is consistently strong, criticisms have been laid at their feet of late, calling them too old or too gay, and while there may be some truth in this regarding their ability to attract new or young fans, there is talent there that cannot be denied. It saddens me that, an album such as this which I play in my store daily has only sold 10 copies since its release in late April (in the US). What will it take to make the world wake from its economically-induced coma? That is the big story that looms over all of the following quality albums of 2009. Is anybody listening, and if they are, are they paying to make sure the artists continue to make quality music? That rant is for another post...

2) ROYKSOPP--Junior

While we anxiously await the release of the companion piece, Senior, due this fall, Royksopp served up some long awaited sounds with Junior back in the spring. Featuring the vocals of Robyn, Karin Dreijer Andersson, Lykke Li, Anneli Drecker, and Royksopp themselves, Junior is a pop masterpiece that shows the duo at the peak of their composition and production powers. Purists may balk at the fact that nearly every track is a somewhat structured song, but face it, songs (and good ones) are more difficult to write than moody instrumentals, as they require a certain amount of structure which is easier to dismiss when the vocal is not present. Tracks like "The Girl and the Robot" and "This Must Be It" find their feet firmly planted on the dancefloor with Robyn and Andersson in control, while the sweeter tones of Li and Drecker provide "Miss It So Much" with its Norwegian lilt and "You Don't Have a Clue" with a gently-skipping sparkle. A great effort from a couple of Norwegians, who finally surpassed their French counterpart, Air, in creating a superior electronic pop album.

3) CICADA--Roulette

Electropop is having one of its best years with albums from bands like this. Cicada have been knocking around for a while as DJs and remixers, doing the odd job for bands like Depeche Mode, and this is their second song-based album since 2006's Cicada. Vocal duties are handled by the wonderful Heidrun Bjornsdottir, formerly of the Icelandic band GusGus, although a couple other guests lend a hand on their own songs--Bjorn from Pacific! and Tom from the Editors. While Cicada doesn't really need the celebrity guests, their song additions only add to the wonderful thing they have going with Heidrun. In GusGus, she always seemed to be a great singer fronting a somewhat chaotic group after Daniel Agust left. Here, Heidrun's feet are firmly planted in the textures of Cicada, as they do her justice with their music and she does their music justice with her voice. "Love Don't Come Easy", "Don't Stare at the Sun", and "Metropolis" are easily three of the best songs of the year, and rival anything from the previously mentioned albums on this list. Welcome Cicada, your time has arrived. Now about getting people to hear your music...

(thanks to blogger Phil of Worrapolava for introducing me to Cicada's music!)

4) LITTLE BOOTS--Hands

Really, what can I say about Victoria Hesketh that has not already been said in the blogsphere? She was talked up, then ripped down, and now resides somewhere firmly in the middle between godlike and irrelevant. Seriously though, Hands is a damn good album, one which any other artists would be hard pressed to come up with as a debut. Yes, there are some differences between production on the newer and older tracks, but we are only talking the space of about a year, so any difference in tone or texture is all relative. Let's face it, "Remedy" will be one of the biggest Gaga-sized hits on the planet this year, whether intentional or not, and it was needed to balance out some of the headier fare here. That being said, it isn't like Hands is some art project by John Zorn or even Sonic Youth--this is pure electropop at its finest, and I cannot wait to hear what Boots comes up with in the future. From the glossy opener "New in Town" to the disconnected "Stuck on Repeat", to the sensuous "No Brakes", Hands is chock full of pop hooks and buzzy synths, with some inspired vocals from Victoria. Her duet with Phil Oakey (he's popping up everywhere!), the glorious "Symmetry", will remain one of my favorite pop songs this year. Your move La Roux...(she will most likely be featured in the second half of the year)

5) PATRICK WOLF--The Bachelor

This is an album that seems to have had a rather difficult gestation involving record companies and a wealth of material, yet there is no denying the talent and emotion that went into making this album, and while not as immediate as its predecessor, The Magic Position, Patrick has made his most challenging and wildly head-spinning album (and he isn't even 30 yet). One feels the general sense that this was the result of a difficult process due to the divergent styles featured throughout the album (the tracks done in collaboration with Alec Empire in particular stick out), and that becomes the album's attraction and its albatross. Some of Patrick's most awe-inspiring work is here in "Damaris" and "Theseus", while "Hard Times" is the best pop single in recent memory to feature a string section and a choir. While Patrick has a love for industrial music ("Vulture"), one finds that the style sits rather uncomfortably with his superior musical pursuits, leading one to wonder what would have happened had these albums been presented separately as a double album (as originally intended). Let's just call it Patrick's very own Wild Mood Swings.

6) LILY ALLEN--It's Not Me It's You

A strong contender for best all-around pop album of the year has to go to Lily. This record, which was supposed to come out in 2008, approximately six months earlier, was delayed without Lily's consent. In turn, she kept leaking track after track in demo or unmixed forms through her myspace page until the album was released, leaving us to live with the promise of these songs for several months. Some have complained about the general pop sheen provided by producer Greg Kurstin (Kylie, Little Boots, Bird & the Bee...everybody really), and while some of the ska-lite may be gone, Lily's voice and writing have improved, and these songs go deeper into the heart of this young girl than before. With a snarky charm and throw-caution-to-the-wind attitude, Lily has stepped forward with songs like "The Fear" and "Back to the Start", which contain much more mature themes than some of her previous work. And "F**k You" is the funniest song I've heard in a long time.

7) BAT FOR LASHES--Two Suns

On Natasha Khan's first album a couple years ago as Bat For Lashes, entitled Fur and Gold, we got a small taste of what she was on about--witches & warlocks, forest creatures, and general kookiness. On Two Suns, some parts of that are restrained while other parts are enhanced, making for a more focused, straightforward effort. That isn't to say that she has jettisoned all the kookiness--even 60's crooner Scott Walker makes a cameo on the closing track, "The Big Sleep", stalking around in the shadows like a phantom. "Daniel" and "Pearl's Dream" are two of the more conventional songs on offer, while "Moon and Moon" is a favorite of mine, with its waltz-y piano and creepy underwater backing vocals. "Two Planets" has a tribal Bjork-ish quality, while "Peace of Mind" sounds like it was recorded in the 30's with a southern gospel choir in attendance. With Two Suns, you never know what you are going to get, but you know that it's going to be good.

8) FILTHY DUKES--Nonsense in the Dark

Filthy Dukes create a winner with this storming electronic album which grew out of years as DJs and club owners. Developing organically, the album features many vocal turns by artists who either became friends or frequented their club, something which bands like the Chemical Brothers have really gotten too big to have happen to them anymore. If only for "Messages" alone, one of the catchiest singles of the year featuring Tommy Sparks on vocals, this album demands attention. The first half of the album is one of the strongest collection of dance tracks in recent memory, while the second half waxes more subtle and melancholic. A collaboration with Brandon Curtis from Secret Machines proves fruitful with "Don't Fall Softly", as well as writing lyrics for "Light Skips Cross Heart", sung by Tim Lawson of the band. If you like dance music with substance, do not miss this album!

(Another shout out to blogger Worrapolava for this!)

9) YEAH YEAH YEAHS--It's Blitz!

What can I say? I've never liked the Yeah Yeah Yeah's that much before, although I always thought Karen O had great style, and "Maps" was a nice little tune. Wow, when I heard this album, my entire perspective changed. Like Goldfrapp going hard electro, a similar thing happened here, only YYY's came from a place of indie alterna-rock instead of John Barry soundtracks. "Zero" establishes the mood immediately, with its guitars that sound like synths and synths that sound like guitars. It rocks hard, but it's catchy, it's also danceable, and is one of the best singles this year. "Heads Will Roll" follows suit nicely, turning up the beats even higher. The real killers of this album though are the ballads, which meld the electronic touches to Karen's punky purr. "Soft Shock", "Runaway", and "Hysteric" are all songs more direct and sincere than anything the YYY's have come up with before, all to great and tender effect. I guess what I'll have to say is, "more, please..."

10) CAMERA OBSCURA--My Maudlin Career

...or the album where we surpass Belle & Sebastian at their own game. 2005's Let's Get Out of This Country was pleasant enough--a little bit of Northern Soul and a lot of melancholy strings wedded to Traceyanne Campbell's wistful croon did the job with some sparkly highlights. Now fully formed, My Maudlin Career is a leap forward, albeit a consistent one, and from "French Navy" to "Honey in the Sun", this is a winner of an album. The addition of more horns to the mix helps liven things up a bit more, and Traceyanne's singing has never been better. This is one of those albums that DO sell when I play it in my store, and I think it's down to how beautiful the vocals are, mixed with that rustic feel of yesteryear. "The Sweetest Thing" and "Swans" are also two really great, upbeat songs, while "Careless Love" is Camera Obscura at their achingly beautiful best.

The rest:

ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS--The Crying Light
THE HORRORS--Primary Colours
EMPIRE OF THE SUN--Walking on a Dream
I AM X--Kingdom of Welcome Addiction
WENDY & LISA--White Flags of Winter Chimneys
FEVER RAY--Fever Ray
GLASVEGAS--Glasvegas (US release)
THE VEILS--Sun Gangs
FRANZ FERDINAND--Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
GOD HELP THE GIRL (Belle & Sebastian)--God Help the Girl
+1
DEPECHE MODE--Sounds of the Universe

Depeche Mode squeaks into this list with their latest album, which I find to be an album that is easy to admire but maybe less so to love. That being said, the vocals on the Antony and Fever Ray albums may be an acquired taste to many, while others may find Franz Ferdinand a bit of a letdown for all the time spent making it, but these are the eleven albums I enjoyed the most that followed the first ten. I would also add that I have enjoyed albums by School of Seven Bells, Kleerup, and Airborne Toxic Event which escaped my radar in 2008. Other fine albums were released by White Lies, Phoenix, Passion Pit, and Grizzly Bear. Albums missing from these lists would be U2 and Morrissey, both of which I felt to be possibly treading new ground in directions I don't really want them to be treading--not bad but not their best. Fischerspooner's album was good, but was it good enough? And BWO is always BWO for me--good cheesy fun without much depth--a guilty pleasure not really necessary on this list.

What am I most looking forward to for the remainder of 2009? Imogen Heap for one, and her soul sister Kate Havnevik for another. Since I will not be hearing La Roux until after it's June 29 release date, I'm sure it will be part of the year end lists. Noisettes released a very good album which I have heard, but am not sure yet where to place it. The Gossip and Muse also have my attention--we'll just have to see where they go. On the oh-so-Brit front, Florence & the Machine will undoubtedly rank very high at year's end (i.e. it sounds amazing), and hopefully that Lucky Soul record makes an appearance. Will the Pipettes? Sugababes (really)? A-Ha? Who knows?

In retrospect, 2009 has delievered some VERY GOOD MUSIC--I hesitate to say it is even better than 2008, being in a recession and all, but I think that fact may be making musicians work harder to release good product--at least for the new artists trying to break through. Pet Shop Boys may be an exception to the rule here, as they made a very good album, as did Wendy & Lisa (who were gone so long they may as well be new artists--Grace Jones anyone?), but the old guard may be finally turning. Watch this space...

A love letter to Saint Etienne...

2009-02-20T18:26:00.000-08:00

As I was gearing up to post about artists who released some seriously disappointing efforts over the past year, I got swept away by the beauty of the new comprehensive singles collection from Saint Etienne, London Coversations. I quickly decided that I would rather speak about the attributes of this band and their music than dwell on all that was wrong with the last Madonna record. After all, this is tomorrow, and the Ets seem like they have always been there like a comfy chair, with Sarah Cracknell's voice operating, as Morrissey said in a recent interview, as a soothing "caress".

First of all, I must warn you about the confusion surrounding the tracklist. Do not cheap out on the two disc version unless you don't care about missing MY favorite song of the new year (so far), "Method of Modern Love", as it only appears on the deluxe 3 disc box set (as well as CD singles and downloads). This should be a no-brainer, as it contains a DVD featuring 18 promo videos from "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" through "Side Streets". The booklet is rather charming as well, with artwork from singles, magazine covers, and live date promotions.

Growing up in the geographic center of the United States would not automatically predispose a music fan to liking Saint Etienne. I had been a big fan of British pop since my early teens when the Durans, Culture Clubs, Eurythmics, and Thompson Twins came along, and continued to be fixated on music across the pond throughout the 80's. As the decade came to a close, acid house reigned supreme in the clubs (Yazz & the Plastic Population, S'Express), and began infiltrating the rock world as well (Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, etc.), which was about the time I discovered Saint Etienne. I was working in a now defunct Musicland store in a mall in Kansas when we received one copy of Foxbase Alpha. Featuring what looked like a hippy protestor on the cover, I thought they must be another one of those Candyflip/Beloved type dance bands with a psychedelic tinge. Little did I know just how enamored I would become with this release at the time, putting pretty much everything else of a similar nature aside. Etienne were for real, and although they used lots of sampling technology, they actually sounded like a real band.

While a mini-explosion of electronic rave music was happening with the Shamen and early Prodigy, Saint Etienne provided the perfect antidote to all that craziness and keyboard wizardry with beautifully arranged and structured songs with depth and atmosphere that echoed those wonderful 60's Bacharach melodies in a completely contemporary way. They were much more than a recent flavor for me--they mixed dance beats and indie pop in a unique and very British way. All the references to London in the lyrics, including many places and people I had never heard of before, were a certain form of escapism for a college kid who was generally unhappy with his physical surroundings. Along with Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Marc Almond, David Sylvian, New Order, The Cure, and The Smiths, Saint Etienne, the newest kid on their block, hold a special place in my heart, as they offered something new yet strangely familiar in the world of keyboard driven British pop.

Being a piano student and composer at university, music that featured keyboards and new or interesting sounds that had not previously been mixed on record was extremely important to me. I could appreciate bands like Ministry and Nine Inch Nails for their production savvy and development of the industrial sound, though I was not really a fan of super aggressive music. Etienne brought a warmth and optimism to everything they touched, and I think it is safe to say that bands like Air and Goldfrapp (in retro mode) would have sounded very different without their influence. Sarah Cracknell was the perfect muse for two quiet guys who liked to experiment in the studio, and together they wrote some of the most engaging songs of the past 20 years.

Foxbase Alpha was an incredible collage of found sounds and dialogue with great songs. Most people who have this album remember "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (which does not feature Sarah--she was yet to join), and "Nothing Can Stop Us". However, there are several beguiling album songs that connect the dots like a fantastic painting. "Carnt Sleep" is so full of atmosphere, you could cut the air around its echo filled rhythm track, reminiscent of Sade, but containing so much more menace. "Spring" lightens the mood a bit, only to drift back to the mysterious with "She's the One" and the rousing-yet-dreamy "People Get Real". They even had the audacity to put an eight minute instrumental, "Stoned to Say the Least", in the MIDDLE of the album! "London Belongs to Me" is absolutely stunning--a blissful sunkissed sound they would return to many times throughout their career (see the epic "How We Used to Live" from Sound of Water ten years later). "Like the Swallow", another eight minute epic, deserves special mention as a song which defies categorization in aura and scope. This is why albums are SO IMPORTANT.

So Tough was even broader and more accomplished, functioning as a soundtrack to an imagined movie. Who else would open a record with a sprightly track like "Mario's Cafe", only to follow it with an instrumental like "Railway Jam"? The songs that follow--"Calico", "Avenue", "You're in a Bad Way", and "Hobart Paving"...need I say more? One of the best first halves of an album EVER. The second half is more experimental and atmospheric (great for rainy days), and they bring everything home with the wry and ingeneous bonus, "Join Our Club". Who wouldn't want to?

Tiger Bay may be my favorite album of all the Etienne albums. While there were two different versions released on either side of the Atlantic, I prefer the British version with the "Western Wind"/"Tankerville" medley featuring the ever-so-wonderful Stephen Duffy on guest vocals. Tiger Bay has all the atmosphere of the previous two albums, but there are much fewer samples and more fleshed out arrangements, especially in the singles "Pale Movie" and "Hug My Soul". The band said they were trying to make their own version of Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief, which comes across in what may be my all-time favorite Etienne song, "Former Lover", a strummed acousitc-guitar stunner, and the lovely "Marble Lions". These songs would have never made it as singles, so thankfully there is an album format here for Etienne to explore this side of their personality. The US edition adds "I Was Born on Christmas Day", which doesn't really fit, but it IS a great single. ("Who Do You Think You Are" possibly their most immediate single, preceded this album, and surprisingly did not feature on it.)

Etienne took a bit of a break in the mid-90's, releasing the great compilation, Continental, only in Japan. It featured one of their best dance singles, "He's On the Phone", and another great song, "Burnt Out Car", which was so great, they remixed and released it as a single over a decade later. Two favorites of mine were SE's interpretation of Gary Numan's "Stormtrooper in Drag" as dark eurodisco, and the heartbreaking acoustic ballad, "Lonesome". "Angel" also got a major overhaul for their remix album, Casino Classics. Continental is really just as good as any other Etienne album, so it still remains a mystery to me why it was not released worldwide.

Good Humor put Etienne back on the map in 98, with "Sylvie" being a particular highlight, as an album track, and in remixed form. The great Fairfax High bonus disc of 11 further tracks turned Good Humor into an even better double album. Sound of Water followed a couple years later, and is full of restrained emotions the way only the British can convey them. Non-single highlights are the lovely "Sycamore" and "Just a Little Overcome". The Interlude CD that followed Sound of Water turned this into a wonderful double album as well.

Finisterre is a highly underrated album in the Etienne songbook, and features one of their very top singles, "Action". I thought of Finisterre as real thinking man's pop, as there are so many moods and styles, with a little something for everyone. "Shower Scene" is great dance-pop akin to "Pale Movie", "Soft Like Me" a giddy hip-hop hippy anthem, and "Amateur" and "New Thing" show their affinity for the electroclash sound that was blooming at the time. Everything on Finisterre is again, very London, and very reminiscent of where they came from on Foxbase Alpha.

Saint Etienne carried their London love to even greater lengths on 2005's Tales from Turnpike House, an all-out masterpiece. The UK and US versions of this album were once again, so very different, while the UK version played like a dawn-till-dusk day in towerblock life, and the US version rearranged songs for maximum pacing and added three new bonus tracks and removed one (the David Essex duet, "Relocate", which many hate, but I find endearing). "Lightning Strikes Twice", "Good Thing", and "Stars Above Us" are the obvious singles, but the addition of some very special vocal harmonies bring tracks like "Sun in my Morning" and "Side Streets" into focus. "Milk Bottle Symphony" is a complete classic with its tempo changes and sweet vignette, while "Slow Down at the Castle" and "Teenage Winter" are songs only Saint Etienne could have written. It closes with the lovely acappella of "Goodnight", and at little over two minutes, they leave me wanting so much more.

Which brings us to the present. As I said before, "Method of Modern Love" is an amazing song, deserving of such a higher chart placing than it will get in England (come on people...Etienne are yours!), and even though they did not write it, it has easily inserted itself in the Saint Etienne canon as a wonderful and important addition. The driving "This is Tomorrow" is more reminiscent of their darker side (think "Like a Motorway"). They were both produced by studio wizard, Richard X (Rachel Stevens, Annie, Pet Shop Boys), and he is apparantly in charge of remixing and remastering parts of Etienne's backcatalogue, with Foxbase Alpha appearing in early summer 2009. If his work here is any indication, I cannot wait to hear what he has done with these classic albums.

Saint Etienne have never nor will they ever be household names, especially outside of the UK. However, fans can be found in the darndest places, as they are literally everywhere. That is one reason why Etienne can play almost anywhere and people will come out of the woodwork to see them. While their music is a unique escape from a rather bland world, their universal appeal shows how many of us have, at one time or are currently, continuing to escape our mundane lives. We could have it so much better...

Now for the songs...2008 edition

2008-12-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

Before you lose any sleep, here were my choices for best songs of 2008. Make of it what you will:

1) GOLDFRAPP "A&E"--simple and very beautiful
2) THE PRESETS "This Boy's in Love"--electro heaven
3) THE KILLERS "Human"--did Pet Shop Boys lose a member?
4) HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR "Blind"--Antony kills this track!
5) DUFFY "Rockferry"--her best song by a mile
6) LADYHAWKE "Paris is Burning"--catchy AND innovative
7) BRITNEY SPEARS "Womanizer"--nuff said
8) CUT COPY "Hearts on Fire"--joy in repetition
9) CYNDI LAUPER "Grab a Hold"--Dragonette one-ups themselves!
10) GRACE JONES "Williams Blood"--best song since Slave to the Rhythm
11) SANTOGOLD "L.E.S. Artistes"--I love her manifesto here
12) COLDPLAY "Viva la Vida"--great song, epic percussion!
13) GIRLS ALOUD "The Loving Kind"--so lovely, yet danceable!
14) SAM SPARRO "Black & Gold"--more like this now...
15) KEANE "Spiralling"--Bowie-esque!
16) ABC "The Very First Time"--killer song from overlooked album
17) SOLANGE "Sandcastle Disco"--best song from an album with many
18) AIMEE MANN "31 Today"--her best single in years
19) I AM X "President"--why isn't Chris Corner a household name yet?
20) DRAGONETTE "Jesus Doesn't Love Me"--can't get enough of this!
21) GIRLS ALOUD "The Promise"--one-ups Emma Bunton!
22) LAST SHADOW PUPPETS "My Mistakes Were Made for You"--one-ups Scott Walker!
23) HOT CHIP "Ready for the Floor"--quirky dancefloor fun
24) VAMPIRE WEEKEND "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa"--love the Peter Gabriel reference!
25) KYLIE MINOGUE "Do It Again"--Bird & the Bee gone disco! (Thanks Greg Kurstin!)
26) THE TING-TINGS "Shut up & Let Me Go"--dumb fun (sorry XO)
27) BRITNEY SPEARS "Circus"--maybe even better than "Womanizer"?
28) BLACK KIDS "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You"--good times!
29) SUGABABES "Every Heart Broken"--love the murder references!
30) KAISER CHIEFS "Never Miss a Beat"--Mark Ronson brings a new vibe!
31) GOLDFRAPP "Caravan Girl"--more glorious retro pop
32) MADONNA "Heartbeat"--had to namecheck her somewhere--actually a good song
33) JAMES "Hey Ma"--best (and delinquent) post 9-11 song
34) THE WHIP "Frustration"--who needs New Order?
35) THE HOOSIERS "Goodbye Mr. A"--peppy, well arranged tune
36) PRIMAL SCREAM "Uptown"--a whole new side to Bobby Gillespie?
37) R.E.M. "Supernatural Superserious"--they discovered a heartbeat!
38) WALTER MEEGO "Girls"--can Daft Punk still write catchy tunes like this?
39) ADELE "Chasing Pavements"--young girl, big voice
40) ANNIE "I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me"--oh the debacle--should have been HUGE.

My last comment here is that 2009 will definitely be tougher, as there are already several projects lining up to really clamour for the top. An early fave--Lily Allen's "The Fear", which was actually premiered in mid-2008 on her myspace, but took another 6 months to get a video! When it is officially released stateside in 2009, I will already predict a top 10 placement for the coming year. Everyone else has their work cut out for them!

Next post--assessing the pros and cons of selected 2008 releases!

2008--IS THAT ALL THERE IS?

2008-11-29T19:42:00.001-08:00

Well, it's that time again. Time to crack open the year that was, and what a year this was, and I don't necessarily mean that in a positive way. After a pretty smashing 2007, 2008 began promising, but became rather lackluster pretty fast when it came to music. Maybe it was the economic crash or a lame duck president, but music went on most people's backburner by the time July rolled around, never to fully recover. My list even surprised myself by how weighted toward the early half of 2008 it seems. That is not to say there were not any good releases in the second half of the year--just noticeably fewer. So without further ado, here are my choices for tops of 2008. Grab your knickers as we wade in:

1
CUT COPY
In Ghost Colours

The best album by the end of 2008 was the best album by June 2008. Cut Copy delivered an album that far surpassed their last effort (hell, did anybody really even remember their last album?), stitching together catchy tunes propelled by snappy beats, jangly guitars, and layered keyboards in a way that referenced the 80's while avoiding cliche. "Hearts on Fire" and "Lights and Music" were particularly good songs from this particularly good effort, while "Far Away", "Out There On the Ice", "So Haunted", and "Nobody Lost, Nobody Found" beat New Order hands down at their own game. Opener "Feel the Love" even references the melody from Electric Light Orchestra's "All Over the World". Still, this does not even begin to touch the lovely melancholy that is "Strangers in the Wind". New Order should be very jealous that they haven't been able to turn out a full record this good in nearly 20 years, choosing instead to constantly bicker. Maybe they should just take a tip from Cut Copy and have a good time. Way to go Modular Records!

2
GOLDFRAPP
Seventh Tree

This should not come as a surprise, as Goldfrapp also had my second favorite album of 2005, SUPERNATURE (they registered behind Madonna's CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR--Madonna released a new album this year as well, however, she does not appear on this list). A complete shift of instrumentation and approach might derail most groups, but somehow Goldfrapp made the transition seem almost effortless, as if it were a logical progression away from the stark electro beats of their two previous releases. Some things did remain constant: 1)Alison Goldfrapp is a fantastic vocalist, 2)Will Gregory is a great musician and arranger/producer, and 3)They continue to write great original songs. "A&E" may be the most beautiful single of the year (sorry Leona Lewis), while "Caravan Girl" and "Happiness" showed the poppier side of pastoral English folk music. At first listen, it seemed as though "Clowns" had been beamed in from some outer space clone of Alison, but as the song progresses, she slips right into it like a worn shoe. We mustn't forget the lyrics about "titties that go on & on". Heck, they even used harps on this album! Closing with "Monster Love" is an appropriate way to wrap this bon bon up nicely. Now about all those different versions...

3
PORTISHEAD
Third

What can be said about this that I have not said already except it reminds me at times of Deep Purple. Not the color, the band. An eleven year gap produced some head-turning moments here similar to what Goldfrapp did with their three year gap, but Portishead have a lot more emotional baggage to unleash. For anybody who thought they would just make the same type of album, this came as a shock, but a rather refreshing one. Sure, most of the hip hop beats are gone, but that doesn't mean they can never make a comeback. This was the album P wanted to make in 2008, and there is some pretty visceral material here. There are no radio bangers, nor do they ever sound happy, but would we want them to? Beth Gibbons sounds just as fractured as ever, while the band creates soundscapes ranging from fragile folk to psychedelic sludge. Not for the faint of heart.

4
GRACE JONES
Hurricane

The first entry from a late 2008 release comes in the form of a 19-year wait for Grace Jones to return. Unlike the most acclaimed albums of her career, which featured many cover tunes and a scattering of a few original songs, Hurricane is a mission statement that is all Grace. Aided by many first rate musicians (Brian Eno, Sly & Robbie, Tricky, Wendy & Lisa, Ant Genn), these original songs are some of the most personal she has ever committed to record, and at times, they soar. "Williams Blood" in particular chronicles her growing up in a strict religous household, while "I'm Crying (Mother's Tears)" is the more tender side of the same event. Balanced with the more direct "This Is" and "Devil in my Life", alongside the scarier Massive Attack-influenced material of "Hurricane" and "Corporate Cannibal", Grace released an album that may not sell mountains, but she can be very proud that she has released the best album of her career (NIGHTCLUBBING runs a very close second).

5
LADYHAWKE
Ladyhawke

This Kiwi girl with Aspergers syndrome really surprised in 2008, working mainly with great producer, Pascal Gabriel, to come up with one of the catchiest, well-written pop records of the year. Coming on like Kim Wilde's dark young stepsister, the songs are 80's influenced, but work as more than just pastiche, featuring some truly original elements (see "Paris is Burning"). This album is one great tune after the next, all disarmingly humble and never too slick, becoming the kind of pop record we need to hear more of in 2009. "Magic", "My Delerium", "Another Runaway", "Back of the Van", and "Dusk Till Dawn" are all great pop records. That's 2 for Modular Records!

6
SIGUR ROS
Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

Sigur Ros never really registered with me until this album. I owned the first with the fetus on the cover, and while I enjoyed it, I felt much of the music that followed was simply drawn out rehashes of the same concept. This is the album where the tables really turned. Not only did they discover drums and rhythm, but they actually sing a bit in English! An unconventional video featuring young men & women running around through the countryside did not do much to raise the profile of the album (the cover art seems to be drawn from those shoots), but the music is the most kaleidoscopic in variety Sigur Ros have recorded. The first two tracks alone are absolutely uplifting, with their tribal drums and brass sections, only to be followed later on the record by the lovely "Ara Batur", featuring the London Symphony and Children's Chorus who sang on the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter soundtracks. A gorgeous effort which the band can be proud of.

7
DRAGONETTE
Galore

It seems as though every one of the last three years, an album seems to pop onto my list that has actually been floating around as an import or on the internet for quite some time, and here is this year's entry. I'm not really sure when this album was first officially released (it may have been 2006), but I bought my copy in early 2008, and it was finally issued in the US in November of this year. Similar to what happened with Robyn and Junior Senior's recent releases, Galore may have been around for a while, but it is pop music of the highest order, featuring a smart lyrical bent that never sinks to the banal (sorry Katy Perry and Lady Gaga), yet still maintains a sophisticated humor delivered by an attractive lead singer. "Take it Like a Man" and "Jesus Doesn't Love Me Anymore" are the kind of songs most bands would kill to record, much less for their debut effort. I cannot wait to hear what they come up with next.

8
GIRLS ALOUD
Out of Control

I just realized that GA landed in the exact same position on last year's list with TANGLED UP, and here they are again. Another year, and another great album from the TV contest winners who have become so much more than that. I was just looking at Popjustice where the Girls Aloud general discussion page is up to 415 pages! Now that's is a rabid fanbase! That being said, this is a great pop album. A little less dance than the previous one, there may be a bit more variety and growth here, as is evident in the Pet Shop Boys assisted "Loving Kind" and the expansive "Untouchable". Still, the Girls serve up class in songs like the catchy 60's-ish "The Promise", and the Johnny Marr assisted "Rolling Back the Rivers in Time". Spice who? More please!

9
THE PRESETS
Apocalypso

Another album I feel I have talked about ad nauseum, but damn if this isn't a great electronic pop album. Rather dark & scary at times, these guys are not afraid to take chances, yet can turn out some really great tunes like "This Boy's in Love" and "If I Know You". Their imagery, along with songs like "My People" can also speak to those with more aggressive tastes, putting them in the interesting position of being an alternative electro band with accessible overtones. There has to be more great music to come here, so stay tuned. Way to go Modular--that's number 3!

10
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Vampire Weekend

I heard this numerous times at work this year, and it really stuck with me. Sometimes the hype is just hype, but sometimes there is a reason for it. VW may have more to prove to be a lasting group that isn't tied to just one sound, but for now, this was a highly enjoyable record with humorous references, memorable melodies, and a nice Afro-beat backdrop complimenting their indie sensibilities. Nerd rock never sounded so good (sorry Devo).

11
SUGABABES
Catfights & Spotlights

Their most consistent effort since ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, and it feels like they are actually enjoying themselves most of the time. Amelle is becoming a great addition. Now if they could only get past the press who hound them for selling fewer records.

12
COLDPLAY
Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends/Prospekt's March

A really solid effort from a really solid band. Nothing to complain about except you wish they loosened their self-consciousness a bit more. The PM EP was a nice addition to an already great album.

13
SPARKS
Exotic Creatures of the Deep

Nearly 40 years of recording and still going strong, with this, their 21st album. It doesn't get much better than this.

14
THE KILLERS
Day & Age

Redeeming themselves from that which was Sam's Town (you guys are NOT Bruce Springsteen), Flowers & Co. release a solid effort produced by Stuart Price of Madonna's "Confessions"--fame. Duran Duran called and wants their sax player back.

15
CYNDI LAUPER
Bring ya to the Brink

A bad title to a not great title track, the rest of Cyndi's album was the return to form that saw her taking chances on the dancefloor with many up and coming hot producers, not ones that were already flaming out (sorry Madonna). Who knew that Cyndi & electro could make such great partners? "Into the Nightlife", "Echo", "Grab a Hold"...winners!

16
THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS
Age of the Understatement

A side project for Alex of the Arctic Monkeys, this Scott Walker-flavored affair brought back the 60's in an edgy, indie way. It may not have clicked with all the Monkeys fans, but it was a great stopgap, no doubt.

17
BRITNEY SPEARS
Circus

Last year's BLACKOUT was arguably a better album, but Ms. Spears managed to pull herself together (with a lot of help) to record another undeniably fun and catchy pop album of the highest order. How she ever managed to accomplish what she has in one short year is beyond me, and it's not like the cracks don't show, but good for her for trying to get back to what she had. It may not be as great as BLACKOUT, but it will definitely connect more with her fans.

18
KELLI ALI
Rocking Horse

A late addition, anybody who remembers Kelli will know that she was the singer on Sneaker Pimps first album, only to be fired shortly after, and release a couple of rather unspecial pop records. ROCKING HORSE is her first album in a few years, and while some may say she is pulling a "copy Goldfrapp" moment, this album has been in the works for over three years, and features no drums. Kelli recruited chamber musicians to play oboe, flute, strings, and some light keyboard to produce a fragile folk record recalling early Kate Bush mixed with Joni Mitchell. Where Kelli differs is in the rather dark subtext of the lyrics and the fractured manner of her delivery. Refreshing.

19
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR
Hercules & Love Affair

I already said this was one of the best albums of the year. Still is. Antony's contributions are undeniably good, but the rest is good as well. Rarely does a record put you in New York circa 1982 without being cheesy. This one succeeds masterfully.

20
KAISER CHIEFS
Off With Their Heads

Just 18 months on from their last effort, this Mark Ronson produced affair may not give them the breakthrough they are looking for, but there are some damn good songs here, and having Lily Allen sing backups doesn't hurt either.

21
PRIMAL SCREAM
Beautiful Future

This return to form is welcome after their return to trying to be the Rolling Stones. The Scream are always better when experimenting, and this has the looseness of EVIL HEAT, but manages to be much more accessible and memorable from the great tunes.

22
THE WHIP
X Marks Destination

This album will probably never be released in the US anywhere other than iTunes (unless you find an import like me), or it will come out in two years like the Dragonette. In any case, this is a great electro-pop album inspired by bands like New Order, but leaning more to the pure groovy side than Cut Copy. Still, there are some great pop songs like "Frustration" and "Sirens". A very good investment if you can find it.

23
SOLANGE KNOWLES
Sol-Angel & the Hadley St. Dreams

Beyonce's little sister finally comes into her own and beats big sis at her game with this great gem of an album. Serving up retro melodies in a totally current way, there are many highlights here, but any R&B girl who samples from Boards of Canada and Thievery Corporation deserves some serious attention.

24
SANTOGOLD
Santogold

Is she new wave? Is she R&B? Is she electro? Santi White, Philly girl extraordinaire, is all of these things and more. Where she goes from here, only she (and maybe M.I.A.) know, but I'll be watching!

25
R.E.M.
Accelerate

A loud return from a band that needed to wake from its slumber, R.E.M. proved they are still a force to be reckoned with. This album had a lot of very good songs. Now if they can keep the energy and write even more GREAT songs, they may go even further. Welcome back guys!

More lists, including my favorite songs and the biggest disappointments of 2008, are around the corner!

20 Y.O. (or something like that)--Janet, I feel your pain...

2008-10-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

I know I don't get around to posting very often--(life has me beat to a pulp)--but I hit a milestone yesterday--the big 4-0. No, I don't mean height, I mean...you know what I mean. Such is the case in the world of Miss Jackson where turning forty is named "20 Y.O." (that means 20 years in the business, although in her case, I think it was a way of making herself sound a LOT younger than she REALLY was). I am not usually a massive fan of lists (I'm sure you couldn't tell that from my blog), but I thought it was definitely time for a list. Maybe the most important list of my pop life. My 40 favorite songs of the past 40 years. There may be several from one year and none from another. I tried to keep it to only one song per artist (if I was super strict about the list, there would be several Pet Shop Boys, Marc Almond, David Sylvian, Erasure, and New Order tracks, but that would leave little room for anything else). This way, the list also represents my greatest pop loves of the past 40 years. Some songs may be overrated due to their freshness, while others I have left off are possibly underrated (i.e. U2's "One", Coldplay's "The Scientist", Dead or Alive's "You Spin me Round(Like a Record)". They are not necessarily the best songs, or the most popular, but somehow hold a special meaning to me, or move me emotionally.

So here is the list, presented in all its glory. Maybe you'll find something worth checking out.

40)"Valentine" by the Delays
39)"Just Like Heaven" by the Cure
38)"No Regrets" by Robbie Williams
37)"Election Day" by Arcadia
36)"Imitation of Life" by R.E.M.
35)"Who's That Girl?" by Eurythmics
34)"Bad Cover Version" by Pulp
33)"Victims" by Culture Club
32)"Hold Back the Night" by Sinead O'Connor
31)"Life on Mars" by David Bowie

30)"Goodbye to Love" by the Carpenters
29)"Frozen" by Madonna
28)"Poison Arrow" by ABC
27)"Sour Times" by Portishead
26)"Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush
25)"#1 Crush" by Garbage
24)"Stay" by Shakespear's Sister
23)"Everyday is Like Sunday" by Morrissey
22)"Pain in Any Language" by Billy Mackenzie w/Apollo 440
21)"Falling" by McAlmont/Butler

20)"Love is Stronger Than Death" by the The
19)"Winter" by Tori Amos
18)"Hide & Seek" by Imogen Heap
17)"True Faith" by New Order
16)"Torch" by Soft Cell
15)"With Every Heartbeat" by Robyn w/Kleerup
14)"Tarantula" by This Mortal Coil
13)"Always" by Erasure
12)"Xanadu" by Olivia Newton-John
11)"Still Life" by Suede

10)"Running Up That Hill (a Deal With God)" by Kate Bush

9)"Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" by the Smiths

8)"The Winner Takes it All" by ABBA

7)"Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode

6)"Utopia" by Goldfrapp

5)"Teardrop" by Massive Attack feat. Liz Frazier

4)"Forbidden Colours" by David Sylvian w/Ryuichi Sakamoto

3)"My Hand Over My Heart" by Marc Almond

2)"Bachelorette" by Bjork

1)"Miracles" by Pet Shop Boys

Maybe some of your favorites are on this list too!

other songs that didn't quite make the cut:

"Heartbeat" by Annie
"Save Me" by Aimee Mann
"Before Today" by Everything but the Girl
"The Damned Don't Cry" by Visage
"Do You Realize?" by the Flaming Lips
"My Best Day" by Lightning Seeds w/Alison Moyet
"Situation" by Yazoo
"Deadline for my Memories" by Billie Ray Martin
"Peek-a-Boo" by Siouxsie & the Banshees
"Higher Than the Sun" by Primal Scream
"Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club
"You Know me Better" by Roisin Murphy
"Crucified" by Army of Lovers
"Tonight We Fly" by the Divine Comedy
"White Flag" by Dido
"Don't You Want Me" by the Human League
"Sloppy Heart" by Frazier Chorus

maybe next time!

Favorite songs of a first half...

2008-07-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Here are my favorite songs of the first half of 2008, in case you were interested:

PRESETS "This Boy's in Love"
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR "Blind"
SANTOGOLD "L.E.S. Artistes"
GRACE JONES "Corporate Cannibal"*
LILY ALLEN "I Don't Know"*
SAM SPARRO "Black & Gold"
CYNDI LAUPER "Grab a Hold"
CUT COPY "Hearts on Fire"
KYLIE MINOGUE "Do it Again"
AIMEE MANN "31 Today"
MADONNA "Miles Away"
ANNIE "I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me"
GOLDFRAPP "Caravan Girl"
LAST SHADOW PUPPETS "My Mistakes Were Made for You"
HOT CHIP "Ready for the Floor"

*Grace was only premiered at the Meltdown Festival and Lily's is just a Myspace track, but they are both quite deserving of attention, and will most likely appear in the second half of the year in an official capacity.

As I awoke from my deep, dark slumber...

2008-06-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Wow, another six months have gone by with me postless. Anyone (and that means the one or two of you) that bother to read my blog are probably like "does this guy still exist?" Well, after many months with my nose to the grindstone and getting a master's degree (YAY), I want to have fun again! And I find writing about music fun. So here is (finally) a mid-year recap of my favorite (oh, let's just say the best) albums of the first half of 2008. Those coming up will just have to work harder...

CUT COPY--In Ghost Colours (Modular)

All I can say is, if you haven't bought this album yet, shame on you! Playing like a seamless mix of 80's New Order and 00's Daft Punk, Cut Copy raise the bar with this, their second album, by creating songs that actually generally match the level of the music this time around. "Feel the Love" and "So Haunted" do a good bit to bring the indie pop, while "Lights & Music" and "Hearts on Fire" conquer the indie disco side, while "Out There on the Ice" and "Far Away" are personal faves, merging both worlds. The vocals are catchy and unpretentious, and DFA member Tim Goldsworthy does an excellent job producing. Do not let it pass you by!

HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR--Hercules & Love Affair (Mute US)

I have a feeling Tim Goldsworthy may want to call and thank me for placing two of his productions at the top of my list here, but this album really is deserving of attention. I will be the first to admit this is NOT TO EVERYONE'S TASTE as illustrated by the recent offering of the lead single "Blind" as a free download from iTunes in the US, where it received much more derision than elevation. That alone shows how ahead of the trend this is, and how a vocalist like Antony Hegarty can polarize opinions. From my first hearing of "Blind", I was immediately transported back to the Bronski Beat "Smalltown Boy" and Soft Cell "Torch" era. However, this is no pastiche...this is the real deal. Using a variety of singers and the talents of DJ Andrew Butler, this album is generally a success from start to finish, with Antony's other contributions ("Time Will" and "Raise me Up") being particular highlights. Who knew the Mercury Prize winner could sing this kind of music so well? ("You Belong" sounds like Inner City reborn.)

VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Vampire Weekend (XL)

Not one to usually cave to hype or trends, I have to admit I keep going back to this album. The thought of four Columbia grads doing Afro-beat inspired pop songs would normally send shudders through me, but this album is truly unique in today's pop landscape. The melodies are catchy, the lyrics funny without being crass, and there is a certain fresh quality to their references that hasn't been seen since the likes of bands like the Specials. Yeah, its all a bit NYC, but since when is that a bad thing? They even name check Peter Gabriel for God's sake! "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", "M79", and "Walcott" are three non-single faves. Great for summer as well!

GOLDFRAPP--Seventh Tree (Mute)

Well, what an about face this was. This album caused an immense stir when it was revealed to be bereft of sexed-up electronics and whacking beats, in favor of more pastoral gestures. It was a shame to see many disco-nistas run for the hills, because Goldfrapp have cleverly crafted an album full of warmth and subtlety they had yet to explore. "A&E" is possibly the best three-minute single of the year, while "Happiness" and "Caravan Girl" are simply euphoric. Not to mention that "Clowns" is the most Cocteau Twins sounding song we've heard from anyone since their demise over a decade ago (what is Allison saying about titties?) In any event, this was a beautiful diversion and escape. Now what's next, classical? Prog? Industrial?

THE PRESETS--Apocalypso (Modular)

Wow, Modular is cleaning up this year and Australia gets some respect! This album is remarkable, as it is such a quantum leap forward from their last, and has a great balance of electropop singles and industrial stormers. "My People" and "A New Sky" are futuristic slabs of dark techno, while "This Boy's in Love" and "If I Know You" effectively outdo the Pet Shop Boys at their own game. Any weak moments are more than made up for by the sheer embrace of synthetic textures and the strength of great songwriting.

SPARKS--Exotic Creatures of the Deep (no US label yet)

I feel guilty listing this as already released, but the US is still waiting (possibly In the Red will pick this up as they released the last Sparks album which did rather well). Quite simply, this may be the best Sparks album in 25 years. I'm not just saying that. This album takes everything that was good about their previous work and combines it into one strong effort. "Good Morning" and "Photoshop" serve the pop side well, "Strange Animal" and "Lighten Up, Morrissey" do good service to alterna-rock, and "Let the Monkey Drive" is reminiscent of their more recent classical influenced experiments. Russell's voice has never been stronger, and if these brothers can continue to produce music of this calibre 40 years into their career, they will definitely be having the last laugh.

PORTISHEAD--Third (Go! Discs)

After 11 years of hibernation, Portishead returned with the darkest and most uncompromising album of their career. As a band that dwells on the dark and depressing side of life, that is saying something. Once expectations get thrown out the window regarding any kind of trip-hop or DJ scratching, we are left with a visceral piece of modern art that is utterly unique in shape and purpose. Beth Gibbons vocals are still front and center, connecting the old and the new, although here she lets the music surround her performance, as opposed to her trying on a new voice for every song. The progression from "Deep Water" to "Machine Gun" alone shows the wild variety of sounds they have been toying with for the better part of a decade. A proliferation of Hammond Organ would suggest Deep Purple as a reference, but it is churned through the Portishead sound in such a way that it could only be them. Glad to have you back, if for nothing else to know that somebody out there feels worse than me.

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS--The Age of the Understatement (Domino)

Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys fame decided to take a break with his friend Miles Kane, and upon a trip to France, came up with this incredibly engaging piece of retro-pop that totally shreds those Duffy-chasers. Sharp writing skills and big orchestral arrangements courtesy of Owen Pallett (of Arcade Fire fame), this plays like a more romantic version of the Monkeys giving space so the melodies can shine. "My Mistakes Were Made for You" and "The Chamber" are particularly mature recordings for 23-year-olds, and while they do go a bit to ape the sound of prime-era Scott Walker, is that such a bad thing? Nobody else has done this kind of music in the last 20 years which such panache (excepting Marc Almond), and nobody so young! It's a revolution!

SAM SPARRO--Sam Sparro (Universal)

We have Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele, and more retro-Brits waiting in the wings. It's about time a guy got some respect, and Sparro is, quite possibly, the best blue-eyed soul singer in a generation (sorry Jamiroquai). Combining elements of soul, electro, and funk, Sparro creates something that doesn't rely on retro alone, but pushes into new territory. Lead single "Black & Gold" is a case in point--a song that could have been oversung and oversold, Sparro's delivery is restrained enough to let the song speak for itself. Even when he gets funky, as on "21st Century Life", he melds so well with the music that it would be difficult to imagine one element without the other. He even outdoes Prince with "Hot Mess", which should be Christian from Project Runway's new theme song!

CYNDI LAUPER--Bring Ya to the Brink (Columbia)

Who would have thought Lauper would be gracing this list instead of Madonna? While I still love the queen, her latest does not send me into orbit the way the previous four did. That being said, Ms. Lauper, a queen in her own right, has released the second best album of her career (She's so Unusual is pretty unsurpassable at this point). While not a complete Cyndi devotee, I will admit that I have loved many of her songs, and her Christmas album is my favorite holiday record (see "December Child" or "Christmas Conga"). With a voice that could shred taffeta, Lauper has learned (probably too much) from Cher's example, but still has managed to craft a superb and modern dance-pop record with a bunch of A-list producers that probably did not cost as much as Madonna's recent choices. She will probably also not be conquering the charts the way Madonna does, but that does not mean her efforts have gone unnoticed. Best pop songs are "Into the Nightlife", "Echo", "Grab a Hold", and "Rain on Me", but there are plenty of forays into disco and dance too, with "Rocking Chair" (with the aid of Basement Jaxx) a personal favorite. Nobody sings like Cyndi, and fans who don't like this album need to realize that we're not in 1983 anymore. Admittedly, "Lyfe" is the only song that should be cut, but unfortunately it contains the album's title in the lyrics.

As an advance warning...there is no appearance from Justin Timberlake on this record.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF 08:

Aimee Mann-- @#%&*! Smilers//Coldplay--Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends//R.E.M.--Accelerate//ABC--Traffic//The Whip--X Marks Destination//Neon Neon--Stainless Style//Hot Chip--Made in the Dark//Walter Meego--Voyager//Guillemots--Red//Destroyer--Trouble in Dreams//Hoosiers--Trick to Life//Madonna--Hard Candy

GREAT ALBUMS PREVIOUS TO 08 THAT WERE FINALLY RELEASED STATESIDE:

Robyn--Robyn//Kylie Minogue--X//I Am X--The Alternative//Ed Harcourt--Beautiful Lie

ALBUMS THAT WERE BETTER THAN EXPECTED:

Sigur Ros--Med Sud...//Wombats--Guide to Love, Loss, and Desperation//Alanis Morissette-Flavors of Entanglement//Elvis Costello--Momofuku//Santogold--Santogold//B-52's--Funplex//Duffy--Rockferry//Donna Summer--Crayons//Gnarls Barkley--Odd Couple//Hoosiers--Trick to Life//Ladytron--Velocifero//M83--Saturdays=Youth//MGMT--Oracular Spectacular//Temposhark--Invisible Line//Radiohead--In Rainbows (technically a 2008 CD release)//Ting Tings--We Started Nothing (sorry XO)//and the aforementioned--Cut Copy, Presets, Hercules & LA, Sam Sparro, Vampire Weekend, and Cyndi Lauper

ALBUMS THAT WERE A BIT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT:

Calvin Harris--I Created Disco (too monotonous)//Feeling--Join With Us (too sappy)//Guillemots--Red (sometimes trying new things isn't the best course of action)//Janet Jackson--Discipline (more pop less sex pls)//Fischerspooner (didn't even release an album, just bad singles--what happened?)//Moby--Last Night (a valiant effort, but a bit too "been there, done that")//Fratellis--Here We Stand (not fun, really)//Long Blondes--Couples (I like synths as much as the next guy, but...um...)//Louis XIV (so bad I completely deleted it from my playlist)//Sia--Some People Have Real Problems (bahring)//Scarlett Johannson--Anywhere I Lay my Head (nuff said)

ALBUMS TO LOOK FORWARD TO:

Morrissey//Annie//Grace Jones//Franz Ferdinand//Sophie Ellis-Bextor//CSS//ABC (US)//Keane//Jem//Lily Allen (digging the myspace tracks!)//St. Etienne (another singles collection)//Peter Gabriel//Darren Hayes DVD//Tracey Thorn//The Cure//Pet Shop Boys//Royksopp//Patrick Wolf//Kaiser Chiefs (working w/Mark Ronson)

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH?:

Shirley Manson//David Bowie//Roxy Music (promises, promises)//David Sylvian//Dido (thought it should have been out by now?)//the Knife (soon?)//Tears for Fears (are no more?)//Daft Punk//Daniel Merriweather//Amy Winehouse (should I ask?)//Massive Attack//the Prodigy//Divine Comedy//Boy George (again, should I ask?)//Liz Fraser//Siobhan Fahey//Kate Bush (ahem...)

AND...

Yay on me for finally creating a post with added pictures! Hopefully media files will be next!

Huzzah! The best songs of 2007!

2007-12-26T20:03:00.000-08:00

Now that I have rounded up the top full lengths of 2007, here is a list of my picks for top songs.

I can almost guarantee that none of them will win any grammys...

1) Roisin Murphy "Let me Know" BEST POP SONG OF 07!
2) Kylie Minogue "Wow" CLOSE RUNNER UP (every time I hear it, I think of 80's Kylie better)
3) Siobhan Donaghy "Medevac" MAGICAL
4) Siouxsie "If it Doesn't Kill You" CATHARTIC
5) Amy Winehouse "Back to Black" RAW
6) Garbage "Tell me Where it Hurts" JOINS PANTHEON OF THE PRETENDERS
7) Robyn "With Every Heartbeat" ELECTRO-MASTERPIECE*
8) Groove Armada feat. Mutya "Song for Mutya (Out of Control)" BEST DRIVING SONG
9) Junior Senior w/Kate & Cindy of the B-52's "Take my Time" FINALLY A U.S. RELEASE!
10) Sophie Ellis-Bextor w/Fred Schneider of the B-52's "Supersonic" MORE B-52 MAGIC!
11) Shout Out Louds "Tonight I Have to Leave It" BEATS ROBERT SMITH AT HIS GAME*
12) Darren Hayes "Who Would Have Thought" BEATS DEPECHE MODE AT THEIR GAME
13) Tracey Thorn "Raise the Roof" CELEBRATORY
14) Erasure "I Could Fall in Love With You" OPTIMISTIC
15) Feist "1 2 3 4" EVERYWHERE
16) Delays "Love Made Visible" OVERJOYED
17) Justice "D.A.N.C.E." DUMB FUN AND GREAT PRODUCTION
18) Britney Spears "Heaven on Earth" HER BEST SONG IN YEARS
19) Peter Bjorn & John "Young Folks" WHISTLING IS HOT!*
20) Marc Almond "Redeem Me (Beauty Will Redeem the World)" INSPIRING--WELCOME!
21) Patrick Wolf feat. Marianne Faithfull "Magpie" SO CREEPY
22) Stephen Lindsay "Kite" BEAUTIFUL AND TIMELESS
23) Girls Aloud "Call the Shots" EXCELLENT POP SONG
24) M.I.A. "Paper Planes" HAPPY SOUNDING W/DARK UNDERTONES--A CLASSIC
25) Arctic Monkeys "Fluorescent Adolescent" SMITHS FOR THE OUGHTIES?
26) Fratellis "Flathead" THANKS APPLE
27) Lily Allen "Smile" BEST REVENGE SONG OF 07
28) Sarah Nixey "The Collector" QUITE DISTURBING
29) Nina Persson "Black Winged Bird" YEARNING*
30) Jens Lekman "Sipping on the Sweet Nectar" DORK DISCO-LOVE THEM KEY CHANGES*
31) Pipettes "Judy" PURE POP CLASS
32) Lucky Soul "The Great Unwanted" EVEN CLASSIER
33) Bat for Lashes "What's a Girl to Do?" HARPSICHORDS RULE!
34) K-os "The Rain" THE MALE AMY WINEHOUSE?
35) Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather "Stop Me" SMITHS FANS INSULTED
36) Sugababes "About You Now" PEPPY ELECTRO-ROCK
37) Rihanna "Don't Stop the Music" PEPPY ELECTRO-HIP-HOP (LOVE THE MJ SAMPLE)
38) Nine Inch Nails "God Given" REZNOR RE-DISCOVERS ELECTRONICS
39) Simian Mobile Disco "I Believe" INDIE ALSO-RANS DISCOVER ELECTRONICS
40) Information Society "Burning Bridges" POP ALSO-RANS RETURN!
41) BWO "Give me the Night" THANK YOU SWEDEN*
42) Client "Lights Go Out" LEATHER-TRONICA
43) Duran Duran "Nite-Runner" TIMBALAND MAKES THEM MATTER AGAIN
44) Mika "Relax (take it easy)" BETTER THAN SCISSOR SISTERS LAST ALBUM
45) Kaiser Chiefs "Everything is Average Nowadays" EXACTLY
46) KT Tunstall "I Don't Want You Now" THE GHOST OF KIRSTY MACCOLL RISES!
47) Rosebuds "Get Up Get Out" THE GHOST OF NEW ORDER RISES?
48) Richard Hawley "Tonight the Streets Are Ours" THE GHOST OF ROY ORBISON RISES...
49) Rufus Wainwright "Tiergarten" HELMED BY A PET SHOP BOY
50)Arcade Fire "No Cars Go" BETTER THAN SPRINGSTEEN

*(asterisks show artists of Swedish origin. This does not include songs written or produced by Swedes. Seems like the Swedes are had a great year.)