Bodies of Water: Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink

Bodies of Water: Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink
Secretly Canadian: 1/22/2008

Note: This review originally appeared in 2007, but due to this album's 2008 U.S. release date, I am now including it among my 2008 recommendations.

Pitchfork's review of this album draws attention to the obvious similarities between Bodies of Water and Danielson. Understandably so, as the similarities are numerous. Bodies of Water create giant, theatrical, ecstatic songs. Unlike Danielson, however, their propensity for kitsch is driven by unabashed expression rather than a fondness for puns and a lot of caffeine.

The songs on Ears Will Pop are swollen with dense instrumentation, Broadway-style choruses and male-female call and response. Bodies' enthusiasm and pure joy are infectious. From start to finish, the album leaves hardly a moment to dwell on negativity. Even their darker and more serious songs suggest Bodies of Water take hardship in stride and see the potential for better times ahead. If you aren't moved by Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink, then there is something wrong with your brain.

Dizzee Rascal: Maths + English

Dizzee Rascal: Maths + English
Def Jux: 4/29/2008

Note: This review originally appeared in 2007, but due to this album's 2008 U.S. release date, I am now including it among my 2008 recommendations.

Until Maths + English, I didn't see what all the fuss was about with Dizzee Rascal or with grime in general. I had downloaded Dizzee's acclaimed Boy in Da Corner and the widely lauded grime comp Run the Road, and in both cases I had found them too monotonous. This is not the case with Maths + English. The songs on this album are much more varied than any other grime album I've heard (though, admittedly, my experience with the genre is extremely limited). It's also got a distinctly English vibe, which I love because I'm an Anglophile to a fault. Each track is full of great music, memorable hooks, and Dizzee's unique style. This album just might cause me to reexamine the other grime albums I had dismissed previously.

The Magnetic Fields: Distortion

The Magnetic Fields: Distortion
Nonesuch: 1/15/2008

Distortion represents an unexpected but certainly welcome turn in Stephin Merritt's prolific career. As the title suggests, its songs are reverbed and warped to within an inch of their lives. It could be said that Distortion is Merritt's triumphant foray into shoegaze, but any resemblance to My Bloody Valentine or Ride is merely superficial. At the heart of it all is the archetypal Magnetic Fields pop song: self-effacing, witty, emotionally engaging and above all, inexorably catchy. On first listen, Distortion might be somewhat off-putting to longtime fans like myself, but it grows on you. I couldn't stand "California Girls" the first time I heard it, but I found myself unconsciously humming it later that day. The second time I listened to it, it induced rapture. The rest of the album has similarly hooked me. Distortion is at least a tenfold improvement over Merritt's previous Magnetic Fields outing, the lackluster and self-indulgent i.

My top 50 releases of 2007

I wasn't able to write all the recommendations I wanted to by the end of the year, but I wrote quite a bit. I was able to write 50 reviews total. Not bad considering I work full-time, go to grad school full-time, work out five days a week and still manage to find the time to watch an appalling amount of television. I've decided to wrap up 2007 and start again early in 2008, as soon as the good releases start flowing.

In the spirit of year-end music geekiness, my list of my fifty favorite releases of the year follows below. This was very difficult, as I loved quite a variety of music this year. I wanted to squeeze in way more than fifty. Some albums that I quite liked I didn't get a chance to listen to as thoroughly as I would have liked. I also like one album better one moment, another the next. This list reflects my feelings right this moment. My definition of a 2007 release is quite loose, as I am including some releases I had acquired before 2007, but had only been released domestically since January 1st. Here we go:

50. Fujiya & Miyagi: Transparent Things
49. A-Trak: Dirty South Dance
48. José González: In Our Nature
47. Muscles: Guns Babes Lemonade
46. CocoRosie: The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
45. John Vanderslice: Emerald City
44. I'm From Barcelona: Let Me Introduce My Friends
43. A Place to Bury Strangers: A Place to Bury Strangers
42. Handsome Furs: Plague Park
41. Sally Shapiro: Disco Romance
40. Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
39. Emma Pollock: Watch the Fireworks
38. Deerhunter: Fluorescent Grey EP
37. Black Dice: Load Blown
36. A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hángar Ensemble: A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hángar Ensemble
35. Simian Mobile Disco: Attack Decay Sustain Release
34. Magik Markers: BOSS
33. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
32. The Field: From Here We Go Sublime
31. Datarock: Datarock Datarock
30. Caribou: Andorra
29. Chromeo: Fancy Footwork
28. Burial: Untrue
27. Pale Young Gentlemen: Pale Young Gentlemen
26. Daft Punk: Alive 2007
25. Super Furry Animals: Hey Venus!
24. Peter Bjorn and John: Writer's Block
23. The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
22. Yeasayer: All Hour Cymbals
21. The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes
20. Kanye West: Graduation
19. Sunset Rubdown: Random Spirit Lover
18. Jens Lekman: Night Falls on Kortedala
17. !!!: Myth Takes
16. Jarvis Cocker: Jarvis
15. Patrick Wolf: The Magic Position
14. Low: Drums and Guns
13. Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
12. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
11. Sage Francis: Human the Death Dance
10. The White Stripes: Icky Thump
9. The Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
8. The Twilight Sad: Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters
7. Beirut: The Flying Club Cup
6. Iron & Wine: The Shepherd's Dog
5. The Long Blondes: Someone to Drive You Home
4. Radiohead: In Rainbows
3. Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
2. Panda Bear: Person Pitch
1. Okkervil River: The Stage Names

Please feel free to comment on my list. Any woefully overlooked albums that you think should have been included? Think I've overrated an album? Let's discuss.

Patrick Wolf: The Magic Position

Patrick Wolf: The Magic Position
Fontana: 5/1/2007

The Magic Position is Patrick Wolf's third and most joyful album. Actually, it's his only joyful album. His previous two were some of the most deliciously depressing albums ever released. Wolf's a changed man, now, as a result of having fallen in love. The songs are more flamboyant and over-the-top than all his other songs combined. This album has instilled an even greater admiration for Wolf's songwriting than I had before, because he has proven himself capable of writing the sappiest lovesongs ever and making them interesting rather than just annoying. Even at his young age, he has grown into a performer unlike any other on the Earth, rivalled only by Björk in terms of wonderfully weird pop sensibility.

Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Epic: 3/20/2007

After Good News For People Who Love Bad News, I was beginning to worry about Modest Mouse. There were some great songs on that album, but they were beginning to slip noticeably. With We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, Modest Mouse seem to have bounced back. It would be easy to attribute their revitalization entirely to the edition of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, but I'm not convinced that's the whole story. Isaac Brock sounds more focused and fired up than he has in a long time. We Were Dead is probably the most outwardly aggressive Modest Mouse record yet. None of the songs meander unnecessarily; they seem to chug with determination and a brisk pace to some unknown destination. This album ranks among The Moon and Antarctica and The Lonesome Crowded West as one of their best.

A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble: A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble

A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble: A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble
Leaf: 6/5/2007

This album contains both an 8-song EP and a DVD. I downloaded it from Emusic, so I haven't seen the DVD, nor am I really interested in it. The EP, however, is superb. The music, as you can probably tell from the title, is a collaboration between A Hawk and a Hacksaw and a group of Hungarian musicians. The songs are a mixture of traditional Balkan folk songs and some original compositions. The Balkan sound has been coopted by a number of successful bands in recent years, and its great to finally see some authentically Hungarian musicians cross over into the American consciousness, even if it is riding on the coattails of an American band. If you have never been interested in Eastern European folk music before, don't let this description put you off. I think that this EP is incredibly appealing and capable of transcending cultural biases. Just give it some time and you won't be able to stop listening.

Justice: †

Justice: †
Ed Banger: 7/10/2007

I'm not sure whether Justice's use of Christian imagery is due to a sincere expression of faith or an attempt to be subversive. Either way, I'm pretty sure that Justice is the first Christian-themed French dance act to cross over into the mainstream. The duo make dance music in a similar vein as Daft Punk, but with more influences from American R&B and funk. The Christian themes are not confined to the artwork, as some of the songs sound like electrified instrumental hymns. † is quite unlike any dance record I've heard, and it's definitely a welcome change.

Fujiya & Miyagi: Transparent Things

Fujiya & Miyagi: Transparent Things
Deaf Dumb & Blind: 1/23/2007

I actually acquired Transparent Things last year, before it had been officially released in the U.S., and recommended it as one of the best albums of 2006 on my previous blog. However, since most Americans didn't get the chance to hear the album until this year, I'll recommend it again. Fujiya & Miyagi chose the name to convince the press they were Japanese, but their sound betrays their Brighton roots and their German influences. Many reviews classify Fujiya & Miyagi as krautrock, and I can definitely hear its influence, but they are much more complex than that. I can also hear strains of American dance-punk and laid-back French electronica. Transparent Things, despite being a hodgepodge of influences, has a remarkably unified sound which is definitely a pleasure to listen to.

Battles: Mirrored

Battles: Mirrored
Warp: 5/22/2007

Having heard and loved Battles' three EPs a couple of years ago, Mirrored, their proper full-length debut, came as a surprise to me. I was expecting more of the same, but Mirrored is tighter and more propulsive than any of their early work. Their new sound isn't a huge departure from their old one, but Mirrored combines their math rock sound with influences from post-rock and krautrock. It's much more rhythmically oriented, and hence danceable, than the early EPs. There are even vocals on some of the tracks, though they are so heavily distorted that it's not clear whether the songs can be said to have lyrics. With Mirrored, Battles are beginning to go strange new places and silence the critics that had labeled their EPs as mediocre.

Frog Eyes: Tears of the Valedictorian

Frog Eyes: Tears of the Valedictorian
Absolutely Kosher: 5/1/2007

I fell in love with Frog Eyes upon hearing their last album, The Folded Palm. I was bowled over by their short, restless, frenetic songs that changed melody and meter abruptly and without warning. That being said, I wasn't immediately enamored with Tears of the Valedictorian. The songs are much more structured and tend to give more cues ahead of transitions. There are even a couple of epic, multipart tracks that probably would have been broken into several separate songs if they had been recorded earlier in Frog Eyes' career. However, with some patience and effort, I began to appreciate Tears as a new direction for the band. Though their compositions are beginning to resemble "songs" in terms of structure, they are no less weird and wonderful. In fact, the longest track, "Bushels", has become my favorite song on the album and one of my favorites overall. Carey Mercer is developing a skill for writing grand, theatrical songs that maintain a sense of drama throughout. Though I had feared that Frog Eyes were past there prime, it is clear now that they are just getting started.

A-Trak: Dirty South Dance

A-Trak: Dirty South Dance
Turntable Lab: 2007

Dirty South Dance is likely to be the only DJ mix that I'll recommend this year. A-Trak's mix is seamless and full of humorous juxtapositions. While it doesn't have quite the same impact as Girl Talk's 2006 masterpiece Night Ripper, Dirty South Dance is similar in spirit and intent. The most fun aspect of this mix is that it pushes a lot of pleasure buttons in the brain simultaneously. Rap vocals are repurposed as part of the rhythm of a continuously shifting high-energy mix. Fragments of recognizable songs float by, and the surprise of being able to identify samples from Madonna, Simian Mobile Disco, LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk, etc., add to the enjoyment. Dirty South Dance is equally satisfying for listening and for dancing, a rare quality in a mixtape.

Kanye West: Graduation

Kanye West: Graduation
Roc-A-Fella: 9/11/2007

Kanye West just keeps getting better with each album. With Graduation, he demonstrates exactly why his music has been embraced by indie culture more than any other major-label hip-hop artist. For one thing, the music is more than just a frame for the lyrics. Every detail contributes to the track as a whole, rather than just being a disposable beat intended only to buttress his flow. West also borrows from an astounding array of influences. He uses samples from disparate sources like Can and Daft Punk, and a duet with Coldplay's Chris Martin. Most of all, West displays a stubborn independence, bucking trends in hip-hop and rock, thereby setting an example that many others are beginning to follow. Graduation has cemented West's reputation as an iconoclast, proving that his presence will be felt for many years to come.

Of Montreal: Icons, Abstract Thee EP

Of Montreal: Icons, Abstract Thee EP
Polyvinyl: 5/8/2007

This five-song EP serves as an appendix to Of Montreal's most recent album, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?. The album is sublime in its own right, and it's only by chance that it hasn't yet come up in my rotation for recommendation on this blog. Icons, though, is solid enough to warrant a recommendation separate from its companion album.

Icons starts on an upbeat note but it soon crashes into despair. The marital problems of Kevin Barnes and his wife, which were alluded to on Hissing Fauna, take center stage here. This kind of thematic consistency could have easily grown boring fast, but luckily Barnes is too restless to let that happen. The songs change direction unexpectedly, almost at random, with an impishness that belies his heartbreak. This yields some bizarre results. For instance, on "Miss Blonde, Your Papa Is Failing", Barnes manages to cross-pollenate the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" and the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", which is not an easy feat. "No Conclusion", a nearly ten-minute epic, sounds like several songs that shift seamlessly into one another, like conjoined quadruplets. Icons reveals an oddly satisfying paradox in Barnes' songwriting. The random shifts in tempo, meter and instrumentation suggest a short attention span, but Barnes exhibits meticulousness and attention to the tiniest detail.

Tegan and Sara: The Con

Tegan and Sara: The Con
Sire: 7/24/2007

Tegan and Sara are twin sisters that record and perform together, but they write songs independently. On The Con, their antipodal approaches to songwriting are represented in almost equal measures. Tegan's songs are frenetic and harried; Sara's are more contemplative and unfold more gently. The common threads, however, are baroque structures and youthful angst. Chris Walla's production reins in the sisters and anchors the songs, preventing the kind of excess that could have destroyed the balance and ruined a gorgeous album. The tension that pervades The Con is rarely spills over into histrionics, providing just enough drama to keep the songs interesting without inducing eye-rolling in the listener.

Gui Boratto: Chromophobia

Gui Boratto: Chromophobia
Kompakt: 3/27/2007

Is Chromophobia Intelligent Dance Music? The term IDM has always struck me as odd. For one thing, it implies a kind of arrogance - are Mensa members not supposed to enjoy house music? For another, IDM seems to be an oxymoron. The notion that dance music is supposed to make one think, or that one kind of rhythmic electronic noise is more "thinky" than another, is absurd.

However, if were to apply the term IDM to anything, it would likely be Gui Boratto. Superficially, it seems to resemble house and techno music. On the other hand, Chromophobia is a balanced and integrated listening experience as a unit, though a majority of the tracks are almost as well-suited for being chopped up and composted into dancefloor fodder. Boratto is informed as much by the erudite affectations of industrial and post-punk as he is by Manuel Göttsching. He even admits to deliberately imitating Peter Hook's distinctive bass on "Xilo". The ploy worked; I initially thought that it was Hook playing on the track until I read otherwise. I suppose whether you are looking for a way to wile away some introspective hours or to shake some junk, Chromophobia will serve your purposes well.

Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam

Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
Domino: 9/11/2007

I have been following Animal Collective for a few years now, since just before Sung Tongs, and I don't remember anything they've done that's as naturally catchy as the songs on Strawberry Jam. I'm not sure if their sound has migrated closer to my notions of pop, or whether listening to Animal Collective has changed them, but hearing Strawberry Jam makes me think they have always been making pop music. It's just that the world has been slow to catch on. If one were to send "Peacebone", Animal Collective's most accessible stab at a single, to 1939, the visionary genius popsmith Cole Porter would have recognized the intention behind it. After all, the differences between "Peacebone" and Porter tunes like "Too Darn Hot" are merely superficial; the results in both cases are a hummable, memorable melody and the urge to dance. The only reason that Strawberry Jam hasn't garnered the same fame for Animal Collective that Kiss Me, Kate did for Porter is that the former are taking a perpendicular approach to pop music that is, at least for now, unrecognizable or unplatable to the population at large. I suspect that will change over the next few years.

Deerhunter: Fluorescent Grey EP

Deerhunter: Fluorescent Grey EP
Kranky: 5/8/2007

I wouldn't ordinarily recommend a four-song EP on this blog, as they aren't usually substantial enough to warrant much thought. However, each of Fluorescent Grey's four tracks, though brief, are so consistently strong that together, they form a solid unit worthy of the same level of attention given to full-length albums. The biggest strength of Fluorescent Grey is its meticulously crafted atmospheres. The tempo varies between moderately slow and moderately fast, giving the listener enough time to absorb the melodies but never giving the attention opportunity to wander. Deerhunter combine the brooding earnestness of the more Gothic-leaning post punks acts of the late 70s with the densely melodic shoegaze of the 80s. I feel that Fluorescent Grey is an even better showcase for Deerhunter's talents than their much-lauded debut full-length, Cryptograms.

The Field: From Here We Go Sublime

The Field: From Here We Go Sublime
Kompakt: 4/5/2007

I dread getting out of bed on weekday mornings. My first alarm goes off at 4:15 and tells me I should get up soon but I can hit the snooze button a few times. My second alarm, which sounds at 5AM sharp, is the "get your ass out of bed and jump in the shower NOW" alarm. Shortly after the first alarm, one of my cats starts trying to rouse me by lying on my chest or back and nudging my face gently with her paw. As she grows impatient, she starts poking me lightly with her claws. I periodically acknowledge her efforts with head scratches as I hit the snooze button and roll over. The dance continues until the latter alarm sounds and I get up.

When I heard From Here We Go Sublime for the first time, I was startled at how much the second track reminded me of this experience. It wasn't until the second listen that I noticed the title was "A Paw in My Face". Amazingly, The Field is able to arouse the feelings associated with common human experiences without words or images, just sounds. The rest is album is this way, too, though the connections between titles and songs became clear only in retrospect in most cases. In this sense, From Here We Go Sublime doesn't sound like techno as I typically think of it, except for the use of dense rhythms and lots of bleeps and bloops. While the viscerality of "traditional" techno aims to get the body moving, The Field's music evokes the senses to different ends. He uses sound as an analog to other physical sensations to connect with the emotional content of the listener's memories. From Here We Go Sublime is, I think, the result of tremendous insight into the nature of memory, so I wouldn't call it dance music exactly. On the other hand, if it makes you want to shake whatever junk you have on a dancefloor, I wouldn't think you're crazy.

The White Stripes: Icky Thump

The White Stripes: Icky Thump
Warner Bros.: 6/19/2007

I wouldn't call myself a fan of The White Stripes. I bought Elephant a few years ago, when The White Stripes were being heralded as rock messiahs, mainly to see what all the fuss was about. I loved certain tracks, especially "Black Math", but I felt lukewarm about the album. I didn't even bother with Get Behind Me Satan. I probably wouldn't have given Icky Thump a chance, either, except for a verse in the title track: "Why don't you kick yourself out?/You're an immigrant, too/Who's using who?/What should we do?/Well, you can't be a pimp and a prostitute, too." It's refreshing to hear such an insightful and succinct (though not completely original) sentiment about an issue usually mired in so much vitriol. Though "Icky Thump" had won me over, I was nervous that the rest of the album wouldn't match the charm of its lead single. Fortunately, it does.

If you happen to be the one person on the planet who hasn't heard The White Stripes, possibly due to living in a cave for the past five or so years, I'll briefly describe their signature sound: blues rock, oft compared to Led Zeppelin. Elephant was an overly noisy affair, and the songs were frequently overshadowed by their own raucous guitar work. On Icky Thump, Jack and Meg White have slightly tempered the instrumentation to better showcase their songwriting, which is usually exceptional. Jack often sounds like a time traveler from an indeterminate past decade, bringing the slang and attitude of a boxcar vagrant. My favorite tracks, aside from the title track, are "Conquest" (a Patti Page cover), "Effect and Cause", and "Rag and Bone", though most of the others are pretty impressive, too. Though there are four albums I've never heard, I suspect this is the best White Stripes album so far.

Monkey Swallows the Universe: The Casket Letters

Monkey Swallows the Universe: The Casket Letters
not yet released in the U.S.

I wrote a review for this album on my cell phone on my way to work this morning, but I lost it somehow. That's probably a good thing, since my review sucked. It's difficult for me to articulate why I like an album sometimes, especially at 5:30 in the morning. My review didn't say much about why I was recommending The Casket Letters or what distinguishes this particular indie pop band from the legions of indie pop bands flooding the market with pleasant but insignificant treacle.

There are several ways that a band can stand out from the pack. One way is with well-executed over-the-top weirdness, as is the case with acts like Xiu Xiu and Danielson, but this is a dangerous path. Most groups can't make it work. Another way is to be a little more meticulous and talented, to spend a little more effort refining songs, while treading a well-worn path. Monkey Swallows the Universe have chosen the latter course. They could have settled with just making a pretty album, but there are hundreds of pretty but mutually indistinguishable albums being released. On The Casket Letters, Monkey Swallows the Universe crafted ten songs that are not merely pleasant, but intelligent and refined. It's clear they have spent a lot of time and effort working on the lyrics, melodies and instrumentation, until everything was satisfactory to their own high standards. Their efforts have paid off handsomely, both for the band and for the listener.

Blog rededication

I have decided to change the focus of this blog, or rather, acknowledge what the focus has become. Henceforward, this blog will solely be used as an outlet for my thoughts about music, particularly recommending good new music. Instead of discontinuing the recommendations when I finish the reviews of albums released in 2007, it will be an ongoing project. Most reviews will be of recently released music, but I will occasionally throw in a recommendation for something older. I am going to try to post more frequently, as I have discovered how to compose blog posts on my cell phone while in transit. The point will not be to write reviews that can compete with major sites like Pitchfork Media, but to improve my writing skills with a lot of practice while expressing my thoughts about my primary obsession, music.

Magnolia Electric Co.: Sojourner

Magnolia Electric Co.: Sojourner
Secretly Canadian: 8/7/2007

UPDATE: I have corrected a factual error because of a reader comment. Thank you, Anonymous.

Sojourner, Magnolia Electric Co.'s box set of demos, consists of four CDs and one DVD, as well as a ton of promotional bric-a-brac. I only care about the music, so i just downloaded the digital version from Emusic. As a single album of twenty-two tracks, Sojourner probably holds together better than it does as four separate CDs, I suspect. The album is great for long, cross-town bus trips of the sort I take twice daily. This is not just because most of the songs are about travel. All the demos on Sojourner are mature and well-developed, some even more so than their studio counterparts that have appeared previously. Sojourner shows that Magnolia Electric Co. is at its best when its charm shines unobscured by glossy production.

John Vanderslice: Emerald City

John Vanderslice: Emerald City
Barsuk: 7/24/2004

I'm pretty sure this album is an analysis of the American political landscape since 9/11, but I can't be completely sure. Vanderslice's lyrics are impenetrable, but lots of references lead me to that conclusion. If I'm wrong, then at least Emerald City is a series of narratives that contain critical analysis of current events as a backdrop. By critical, I don't mean in the judgmental sense, but in the sense of close and thoughtful scrutiny. It's impossible to determine exactly where Vanderslice (or his characters) stands on any issue. Perhaps it's not really important. What matters is that Vanderslice establishes detailed scenes that provide context for the emotional content of his lyrics. As rock singer/songwriter records go, Emerald City is among the smartest and most engaging I've heard.

Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero

Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero
Interscope: 4/17/2007

Listening to Year Zero, one might question whether Trent Reznor has made much progress emotionally since getting clean. After all, Year Zero is as angry as any other Nine Inch Nails album. The difference, though, is that Reznor's rage is now directed outward rather than inward. Reznor is done beating himself up; he now has a target much more worthy of hate.

Though Year Zero is set in a dystopian future, like all good sci-fi allegories, it's really a commentary about what's going on here and now. One might be tempted to point out that there is nothing original left to say about the Bush administration, as every recording artist outside of country music has recorded material criticizing the President. But that would be missing the point. What makes Year Zero so superior to most anti-Bush music is Reznor's talent for evoking terror. There is plenty to be afraid of, and Reznor exploits all of it. Every aspect of the current administration's unprecedented consolidation of power is carried out to its logical end, demonstrating the potential for the end of liberty in America. Bush doesn't carry all the blame, as Reznor points the finger at all of us, we who have passively given away our own civil liberties so our leaders could "protect" us. I cannot think of a more intelligent and biting critique of post-9/11 culture than Year Zero, save for Radiohead's stunning Hail to the Thief.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Scribble Mural Comic Journal

A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Scribble Mural Comic Journal
Notenuf: 2/13/2007

Cocteau Twins basically shot their wad artistically with their 1990 masterpiece Heaven or Las Vegas, after which they departed 4AD for major-label greatness that never materialized. However, their final EP, 1995's Otherness, a collaboration with Seefeel's Mark Clifford, recycled two of their best 4AD-period songs and two adequate later songs to gorgeous effect. Had Cocteau Twins not split and had Clifford joined them permanently, they might have sounded something like A Sunny Day in Glasgow.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow are one of a number of great bands currently resurrecting the shoegaze sound of the 90s. They are not adhering to a shoegaze template wholesale, however, as they integrate elements of C86, Projekt-style darkwave, and even a little bit of ambient techno. Despite influences drawn from what many regard today as ancient history, A Sunny Day in Glasgow manage to make something unique and new. Scribble Mural Comic Journal is sure to please people who never let go of the hope that someone, someday would start making subtle, pretty music again.

Deerhoof: Friend Opportunity

Deerhoof: Friend Opportunity
Kill Rock Stars: 1/23/2007

Friend Opportunity is as impenetrable as anything Deerhoof has done since I have been following them, but strangely more accessible. Deerhoof have never gotten any less weird, but their songs are catchier and take less effort to enjoy with each successive album. It's still difficult, if not impossible, to identify any particular songwriting approach in their music. Each song barely hangs together, and it seems that a light breeze could make it all fall apart. Tempos jerk forward and abruptly decelerate, simulating the sensation of riding in a car with a clogged fuel filter. However, these are among the most melodic songs Deerhoof have ever made. Fittingly, Friend Opportunity's charm lies in contradictions that are surprising even for Deerhoof, whose career is built on paradoxy.

Linda Thompson: Versatile Heart

Linda Thompson: Versatile Heart
Rounder: 8/14/2007

Despite the schmaltzy cover art, Versatile Heart is a darkly sad album. Though most of the songs were written by other people, there's a striking consistency in mood throughout. Thompson's sorrowful voice expresses all the facets of mourning expertly. She plays the roles of lonely aging mother, self-pitying drunkard, conflicted ex-lover, and ennui-ridden materialist so convincingly that she makes all the songs her own. Even the traditional "Katy Cruel," of which dozens of versions by as many artists have been released in the past two years, seems custom-made for Thompson. I have always had an affection for depressing music, which may explain why I find Versatile Heart so satisfying. It definitely ranks among the saddest albums of the year.

Grinderman: Grinderman

Grinderman: Grinderman
Anti-: 4/10/2007

A few years ago, I met Lydia Lunch at a local gallery where she was showing some of her photography. Stupidly, the only thing I thought to ask her about was the Immaculate Consumptive shows she did in 1984 with Clint Ruin, Marc Almond and Nick Cave. I can only imagine how annoying this might have been to her. She is an accomplished woman with many years in the arts, including fiction, poetry and photography, and all I could manage to ask was something like, "What was it like working with Nick Cave?" I couldn't help it though. I have always wished I had been there to experience the Immaculate Consumptive. The energy must have been so exhilarating, with four of the most original minds in music collaborating in various combinations on the same stage. This was when Cave was still verile and aggressive, and his performances must have been stunning.

With Grinderman, the aggression that was a hallmark of Cave's early work is back. Not that I'm complaining about the tenderness of his more recent work with the Bad Seeds, as I love that aspect as well. But make no mistake - Cave will still fuck you in half using only his giant moustache. Grinderman is lascivious and perverse and should probably be registered as a sex offender. Cave manages to make euphemisms for fucking sound even dirtier than direct references. At the age of 50, Cave is finally old enough to pull off the dirty old man/DILF vibe and make you believe it. Grinderman is the kind of album that will put you on your back on a lazy susan and spin you hard. Just lay back and enjoy the ride.

Welcome Wisconsin visitors!

Since posting my review of Pale Young Gentlemen's album yesterday, this blog has gotten a handful of visitors from Wisconsin, which is where the band happens to be from. It might be wishful thinking on my part that the visits are from band members themselves, but who knows? In any case, I heartily welcome the visitors from Wisconsin and encourage them to leave comments if they wish. This goes for everyone else, too.

Okkervil River: The Stage Names

Okkervil River: The Stage Names
Jagjaguwar: 8/7/2007

Two years ago, Okkervil River's previous album, Black Sheep Boy, quickly became one of my all-time favorite albums ever made. When I first read about the impending release of The Stage Names a few months ago, I tried to curb my excitement. I feared that the new album wouldn't accomplish anything near the beauty of its predecessor and that I would be disappointed. Much to my delight, The Stage Names has far surpassed my lowered expectations. Though Black Sheep Boy is still my favorite Okkervil River album, The Stage Names comes in a close second.

While Black Sheep Boy alternated between crushing disillusionment and self-righteous rage, the mood on The Stage Names is hope not fully extinguished by disappointment. Its themes are unrealized dreams of fame, delusions of grandeur, theater as escape, and self-reinvention. Will Sheff's wit has grown even more formidable since Black Sheep Boy, judging poets and porn stars on equal footing. The album's climax and finest moment is "John Allyn Smith Sails," in which the 1972 suicide of poet John Berryman is strangely recast as triumph courtesy of a surge into the Beach Boys' "Sloop John B." Like its predecessor, The Stage Names is a smart, scathing, compassionate record that's among the most beautiful ever made.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Living With the Living

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Living With the Living
Touch & Go: 3/20/2007

I used to think I hated American music, or most of it anyway. I developed a snobbery about music in my teen years as a result of my exposure to the Gothic/industrial scene, which prized obscurity over quality. I was convinced that music had to be weird to be good, and that very little good music was being made in the States. While it is true that most American music is made for the lowest common denominator, I naively ignored the possibility that just beneath the surface of MTV- and radio-friendly AOR was a wealth of great and inventive music.

Sadly, I didn't begin to shed these prejudices until 2003, when I started attending a major university. Significantly older than my peers, I felt like a fish out of water. I heard chatter about bands I had never heard of, that didn't receive the media overexposure that had turned me off of American music ten years previous. Gradually, I began opening my mind and I was impressed by much of what I heard.

Though I had heard of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists four years ago, it wasn't until Living With the Living came out that I got around to listening to them. I think if I'd heard this album at the age of 16, I would have dismissed it without giving it a chance. Now at the age of 30, I have enough humility to give almost anything an opportunity to impress me, which Living With the Living has. On the surface, it seems pretty conventional. But Leo's an extraordinary songwriter. His songs are energetic, aggressive, anthemic, nostalgic, and all sorts of other adjectives I can't think of at the moment. Every time I listen to it, this album reveals new facets that I hadn't heard before. I am not exaggerating when I say that I relish every single second of it. Living With the Living now represents what I have come to love about the finest American music.

Pale Young Gentlemen: Pale Young Gentlemen

Pale Young Gentlemen: Pale Young Gentlemen
self-released: 4/2/2007

Considering the emergence and relative success of a number Central and Eastern European-influenced bands in the past few years, one might think that authentic music from this region would become popular in the West, too. Sadly, this has not yet happened. I can't help but feel bad for praise-worthy bands in places like Romania and Hungary that are struggling to achieve notoriety outside their homelands, while American groups are benefiting from coopting inidgenous sounds and making them more culturally palatable for Western audiences.

This guilt is short-lived, though, as groups like Pale Young Gentlemen make such amazing and inventive music. Pale Young Gentlemen are somewhat more moderate in temperament than their peers - less somber than Beirut, less circusy than Man Man. This is not to say that their music is any less enthralling than that of their contemporaries. Their debut is rich with literary narratives and extravagant arrangements. I'm awestruck at how a self-released debut can sound so professional that it outshines almost all of the music released this year by scene veterans on both indie and major labels.

The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes

The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes
Cherry Tree: 10/2/2007

Imagine a parallel universe in which the influences of The Supremes and The Stooges spawned a proto-punk/Motown hybrid genre. The notion isn't that far-fetched. The two groups' dynasties in southeasten Michigan overlapped from the late 60s to mid 70s. Geographic and temporal proximity have given birth to new musical forms throughout history, and these are often stranger than the scenario I've described. Even John Cage and Woody Guthrie were friends and exchanged musical ideas, so why not The Supremes and The Stooges?

The Pipettes are precisely what I imagine coming out of such a syncretic interaction. They have revived the mid 60s girl-group paradigm which, in contrast to the Spice Girls model, emphasized solid songwriting as well as production. Today's girl groups like Pussycat Dolls can pose and vamp until they turn blue, but they just don't make you believe it like The Pipettes do. The Pipettes seem completely at ease with their sexual appetites and don't need to beat you over the head with it. Their songs are much edgier and more frank about sexual topics than their frothier counterparts. Genuine female sexual aggression is still taboo in Western society, but The Pipettes carry it off with an "I don't give a fuck what you think" attitude. In this sense, The Pipettes strike a sensible medium between the subdued euphemistic sexuality of The Supremes and the deliberately confrontational exhibitionism of The Stooges. As someone who loves both, it's great to hear such a well-executed fusion.

Handsome Furs: Plague Park

Handsome Furs: Plague Park
Sub Pop: 5/22/2007

Handsome Furs is yet another permutation of the extended Frog Eyes/Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown/Swan Lake family. It's hard to sort out who's who when it seems that new side projects are announced at a rate of once per week. But the confusion is worth it when the result of the clusterfuck of musical collaboration in British Columbia is one outstanding record after another. Plague Park is the latest in a string of gems to emerge in the past few years.

Handsome Furs is Wolf Parade guitarist and singer Dan Boeckner's side-project with his poet wife, Alexei Perry. It's to be expected that there are enormous similaritied between Plague Park and Wolf Parade's Apologies to the Queen Mary, but as a vehicle for his own ideas, Handsome Furs succeeds in establishing its own identity. Largely due to entrusting a drum machine with all percussion duties, there is a restraint present on Plague Park that Wolf Parade lacks. While Apologies' charm lies in its ramshackle feel, Plague Park exploits the tension of Boeckner's guitar and voice writhing like caged animals against the bars of a dispassionate rhythm. Far from being the vanity exercise that most side-projects become, Plague Park proves that Boeckner is both indispensable to Wolf Parade and a talented, capable artist in his own right. The album suggests Perry's potential as well. I look forward to her inevitable participation in collaborations with other Canadian artists. Might I suggest a project with Leslie Feist, Owen Pallett and Carey Mercer? I think a name like Platypus Cotillion would be fitting.

Things to come and sad, sad news

First, I want to express my deepest condolences to Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and the rest of PTV3 for the loss of Gen's artistic and life partner, Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge. She passed away unexpectedly Tuesday.

At least four new recommendations will be published soon, but they will probably wait until after the weekend. I have a paper due Sunday, so my efforts will be concentrated there.

Radiohead: In Rainbows

Radiohead: In Rainbows
self-released: 10/10/2007

In Rainbows is probably the least anticipated record since their debut. I say this only because we didn't have time to anticipate it. Mere weeks passed between "We've finished mixing the record" and "Surprise! Pre-order the download!" Radiohead, now free from the bondage of major label hell, are testing a new business model in which a record can be recorded and unleashed upon the public in a matter of days. If this weren't cool enough, they let us name our own price for the download-only, no-frills version. How cool is that? Incidentally, the download comes without cover art and many fans have taken to creating their own. I created this image in under a minute and I think it definitely expresses the feel of the album.

Like with every Radiohead record before it, In Rainbows struck me funny upon first listen. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting, but when have Radiohead ever given their fans what they expected? I am listening it to the album for the fourth time since downloading it earlier this afternoon and it keeps getting more brilliant. In Rainbows finds the band exploring new territory once again. Actually, I'd be surprised to hear them covering old territory. But do not fret - this album is still swimming in vintage Radiohead weirdness, just more so. "Nude", one of my favorites so far, I would go so far to describe as blue-eyed soul, or at least a reimagining of the genre through Thom Yorke's demented imagination. In Rainbows is full of nuances and will probably take months to understand. This is probably why reviews haven't appeared yet on any of the hipster sites (that I know of); much like earlier Radiohead albums, it's an equally demanding and rewarding listen, requiring careful scrutiny and patience before it reveals its essence.

Beirut: The Flying Club Cup

Beirut: The Flying Club Cup
Ba Da Bing: 10/9/2007

Zach Condon's recent claim that The Flying Club Cup sounded radically different than his debut, Gulag Orkestar, rings hollow in retrospect. That's not a bad thing, though, because the last album was brilliant. If anything, The Flying Club Cup sounds even more like Gulag Orkestar. The biggest difference is that the Balkan influences have been mixed with French and Iberian influences. The breathtaking horn arrangements are still present, though somewhat more complex than before. Beirut's new album is nothing like a radical departure from the debut. Fortunately, there's a lot more territory to explore in Beirut's sound before it gets boring.

A Place to Bury Strangers: A Place to Bury Strangers

A Place to Bury Strangers: A Place to Bury Strangers
Killer Pimp: 8/7/2007

A Place to Bury Strangers has been hailed by some critics as the Second Coming (in the biblical sense, not the Stone Roses sense) of My Bloody Valentine. I can definitely see their point; melodies and voices condense in a sea of feedback and reverb, only to dissolve back into the froth moments later. Being a MBV fan, I love that, no matter who does it. But the album's best moments are just as informed by The Human League, Clan of Xymox, Skinny Puppy and Pornography-era Cure as they are by the godfathers of shoegaze. Many of the songs wouldn't seem out of place played in a mid-90s goth club. I'm an unabashed sentimentalist for the music I enjoyed as a teenager, so this album is a you-got-chocolate-in-my-peanut-butter kind of experience for me. The only thing that could further enhance my enjoyment of A Place to Bury Strangers is a clove cigarette.

Thurston Moore: Trees Outside the Academy

Thurston Moore: Trees Outside the Academy
Ecstatic Peace: 9/18/2007

Considering Thurston Moore's reputation as somewhat of an avant-garde artists (even on Sonic Youth records), the cover and the title of this record, I was expecting experimental, meandering guitar compositions along the lines of Rhys Chatham. Imagine my surprise upon finding that Trees Outside the Academy is a pop album, or at least as close to a pop album Moore can possibly muster. Hearing Moore without the often abrasive hallmarks of a Sonic Youth album takes some getting used to, but the album is very well executed. Almost all of the songs are fine examples of Moore's songwriting talents, even with their gooey sentimentalism. He isn't above using a worn cliché here and there, but he always twists and distorts them to make them his own. If he had omitted "Free Noise Among Friends" and "Thurston @ 13", two frankly annoying tracks, Trees would have been close to perfect.

Siouxsie: Mantaray

Siouxsie: Mantaray
Decca: 10/2/2007

I have to admit that I'm nowhere near objective about this album. I once had every Siouxsie & The Banshees album and listened to all of them constantly. I have been waiting more than ten years for this album, ever since the Banshees originally broke up. Siouxsie and her husband, Budgie, soldiered on as The Creatures, but they have never matched the beauty of any of the Banshees albums (except the downright terrible Join Hands).

I began salivating buckets when I heard that this album had been completed and would soon be released. I tried not to get my hopes up too much, for fear of disappointment. Luckily, Mantaray has surpassed my expectations. Most of the songs are great, better than most of Peepshow and The Rapture in fact. Siouxsie's new songs, while more mature and more pop-oriented than anything else she's done, come close to matching the energy of "Cities in Dust" or the melancholia of "Rhapsody". I was surprised to find out that Budgie had no part in the album, but the three separate percussionists definitely augment a number of the songs, particularly on "Into a Swan". I hope this is the first of many solo albums for Siouxsie.

Les Savy Fav: Let's Stay Friends

Les Savy Fav: Let's Stay Friends
French Kiss: 9/18/2007

I have to admit I've never followed Les Savy Fav. I didn't like most of Inches, the 2004 retrospective that everyone but me seemed crazy about. However, I'm really getting into Let's Stay Friends. I found Les Savy Fav's earliest singles, appearing near the end of Inches, quite abrasive. The new album strikes a great balance between coarse songs and melodic ones, even switching back and forth within the same song. There's some pretty sweet guitar lines, too, and I'm not usually one to swoon over guitars (Pixies notwithstanding). Let's Stay Friends is such an enjoyable album, from start to end, that I'm now willing to revisit their earlier records with an open mind.

Emma Pollock: Watch the Fireworks

Emma Pollock: Watch the Fireworks
4AD: 9/11/2007

Debut solo records can be risky. When an artist's reputation has been built upon the work of a much beloved band like The Delgados, the first steps toward defining one's solo identity can be boring (Jason Isbell - Drive-By Truckers), disastrous (Travis Morrission - The Dismemberment Plan) or a daring and brilliant reclamation (Lou Reed - you should know this one). Luckily, in the case of Emma Pollock, the result is closest to the latter. Watch the Fireworks is no Transformer, but it reaffirms Pollock's strengths as a singer and songwriter. Every song grows more likeable with every listen. Watch the Fireworks may just earn a place in the pantheon of well-loved female rock gems along the likes of Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville and Kate Bush's Hounds of Love.

Datarock: Datarock Datarock

Datarock: Datarock Datarock
Nettwerk: 6/12/2007

Datarock's doubly eponymous debut is actually about two years old, and some of the songs are older than five years, but it was finally released in the U.S. this past June. The tracklist for the U.S. version is slightly different than the version in most of the world, omitting some songs but keeping almost all of the best ones (my only complaint is they left off "Nightflight to Uranus", the best song on the European version). Several new ones are added that show how the band has evolved in the past couple of years. The dance/rock of early singles like "Computer Camp Love" is still there, but they have expanded their palette with the new songs. Their experiments with blue-eyed soul and Italo-disco pay off handsomely. The U.S. version is an improvement on the original, which was great to begin with. It has reignited my enthusiasm for Datarock and my anticipation for their follow-up.

Black Lips: Good Bad Not Evil

Black Lips: Good Bad Not Evil
Vice: 9/11/2007

I have always had a soft spot for gallows humor. For this reason alone, Good Bad Not Evil has earned its place in my 2007 recommendations. In "O Katrina!", they admonish the infamous hurricane of the same name, "Why you gotta be so mean?" as if it were a sadistic woman. Some might think this in bad taste and they might be right. But who can fault them when the music is this good? Good Bad Not Evil is full of classic-styled rock music reminiscent of The Velvet Underground, Modern Lovers and rockabilly. Every track, even those not based on a sick joke, is catchy and could be a single. One can forgive the occasional indiscretion with such a great album.

Akron/Family: Love Is Simple

Akron/Family: Love Is Simple
Young God: 9/18/2007

Having heard Love Is Simple, it's hard to believe this is the same band that backed former Swans singer Michael Gira on his gloomy (but brilliant) album, Angels of Light Sing: Other People. Akron/Family's third album is a terminally cheerful record and a welcome relief after the abominable Meek Warrior. The album's overture, "Love, Love, Love (Everyone)", as you might have guessed, is a Beatles-esque declaration of the record's theme of universal compassion. Akron/Family repeat the claim in the album's title in various ways throughout though, ironically, love isn't simple and neither is the album. Love Is Simple contains the most complex psych-rock songs ever released by the band. Multi-part songs with extraordinarily elaborate arrangements and circuitous rhythms abound, giving way periodically to quiet vocal interludes. In spite of the chaos, or possibly because of it, the album ends with a reassertion of the need to "go out and love, love, love everyone." Perhaps Akron/Family recognize that, though love is messy, the need for it is basic and universal.

1990s: Cookies

1990s: Cookies
Rough Trade: 7/31/2007

1990s make party music. The subject matter is pretty predictable: parties, drugs, alcohol, sex, dancing, friendships, and most importantly, rock 'n' roll. Despite treading this well-worn path, 1990s overcome this handicap with songs as infectious as the substances they claim to take like candy. Their charm is enhanced by a sense of naivite, as if they believed they were the first band to ever advocate recreational drugs. "Weed" innocently suggests, "Why don't you try taking drugs again? You were no funnier than you were back then," as if consequences never entered their minds. 1990s give terrible advice but make great music.

Prinzhorn Dance School: Prinzhorn Dance School

Prinzhorn Dance School: Prinzhorn Dance School
DFA: 8/28/2007

If you are at all familiar with the DFA Records catalog, then you will be surprised by Prinzhorn Dance School. DFA has a singularity of vision not seen in a record label since 4AD in the mid-80s. The DFA roster is practically a genre study in post-millennial forms of dance music. This was exactly what I expected from Prinzhorn Dance School, especially considering their name, but they about as far from dance music as humanly possible.

Prinzhorn Dance School offer a kind of stripped down, often non-sensical post-punk. The songs are mostly bass and vocals with very sparse drums and a dab of guitar. The tempo is almost glacial. The album is so homogeneous that you would think it would get irritating, but somehow it all works. Perhaps it's because they pretend to take themselves too seriously, like most acts that are lumped into the post-punk category, but they can barely suppress their giggles. Who can listen to a line like "Can I have a lollipop?" in "Worker" and not smile? Maybe it's their natural sense of melody. Regardless of the reason, Prinzhorn Dance School's debut avoids monotony in spite of its relatively rigid consistency.

Iron & Wine: The Shepherd's Dog

Iron & Wine: The Shepherd's Dog
Sub Pop: 9/25/2007

Iron & Wine's Sam Beam was clearly changed by his collaboration with Calexico, the gorgeous In the Reins EP. While his first two albums, The Creek Drank the Cradle and Our Endless Numbered Days, was fairly simple acoustic folk, his new album is robust and complex. Beam's talents for writing infectious melodies and potent lyrics are still intact, but there is a new emphasis on dense arrangements and elaborate African- and Caribbean-inspired rhythms. There are even a few glossy production tricks I never imagined showing up on an Iron & Wine record, like the vocal distortion on "Carousel". These techniques never detract from the record or come across as contrived. The extraordinary amount of effort Beam has clearly spent on this meticulously crafted record has paid off. The Shepherd's Dog is hands-down his finest effort to date.

Holy fucking crap!

I ♥ Radiohead so hard right now. Recently, they revealed their new album was completed and would be released in 2008. Surprise! They are releasing it themselves as a digital download on October 10th!

The title of the new album is In Rainbows. If you pre-order the full two-disc version for approximately $81, it doesn't ship until December, but you can download the whole thing on October 10th. If you order only the digital download, you only get the first disc, but you can name your own price! I just ordered mine for approximately $1.32!

Devendra Banhart: Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon

Devendra Banhart: Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
XL: 9/25/2007

Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon continues Devendra Banhart's steady march away from the eccentric lo-fi acoustic guitar recordings of his early career, but he is by no means settling down into a comfortable rock aesthetic. Though there is a greater emphasis on a wide variety of instruments and complex arrangements, Banhart's greatest strength is still his gift for writing endearingly weird pop songs.

The album really begins to build momentum about halfway through, with the doo-wop Jewish romance, "Shebop Shalom". "The Other Woman" and "Freely", the album's most beautiful track, demonstrate Banhart's ability to easily shift point-of-view or even gender in his song-writing. "Saved" is one among many experimentations with a wide range of genres, including gospel blues and reggae. Smokey might be initially off-putting to longtime fans who loved Oh Me Oh My... and Rejoicing in the Hands, but repeated listens show that it might be his best album yet.

Calvin Harris: I Created Disco

Calvin Harris: I Created Disco
Almost Gold: 9/4/2007

Sometimes I like to say things that are so absurd that a rational person would not ordinarily believe them. But people will believe anything, or at least think that you believe it, if you say it with an appropriately earnest tone and expression. I sometimes get myself into trouble that way. I once told a coworker that I used to make money swallowing condoms full of cocaine and smuggling them into the U.S. That wasn't true, of course, and I thought the notion so absurd that she had to know I was joking. She didn't.

I think that Calvin Harris must have a similar sense of humor. He asserts the claim contained in the title of his debut so earnestly that some have thought he actually believed it. I think that's he's actually quite humble and his affectation of arrogance throughout the album is a joke so absurd that he couldn't imagine anyone taking it seriously. In fact, one can tell that he is quite well versed in and reverent of the work of those who came before him. One glance at his MySpace profile places I Created Disco squarely in the context of a tribute of sorts to his idols: Bowie, Funkadelic, Daft Punk, just to name a few. I think a good artist always plagiarizes a vast range of sources, and Harris certainly fits this description. This ecclectic sensibility and its creator's humor make I Created Disco one of the best electronic albums this year.

CocoRosie: The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn

CocoRosie: The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
Touch & Go: 4/9/2007

The critical controversy surrounding CocoRosie exposes hypocrisy exhibited by many critics. They crave originality but frequently dismiss truly visionary artists for being too weird. CocoRosie have gotten some love in the press, but they still have their share of haters. In a few years, I think that those that originally panned Ghosthorse and Stillborn will not only reconsider their positions, but try to convince everyone that they loved CocoRosie before they were popular.

Ghosthorse and Stillborn is difficult to classify or describe. Imagine if a bunch of Care Bears stayed up for several days smoking joints dipped in embalming fluid and watching David Cronenberg films, then decided to make a hip-hop album with a dash of opera. This description is probably as close as any you will read. It can be abrasive at first listen, but given an honest chance, Ghosthorse and Stillborn will not fail to impress.

Nina Nastasia & Jim White: You Follow Me

Nina Nastasia & Jim White: You Follow Me
Fat Cat: 8/14/2007

Nina Nastasia's latest outing, a collaboration with Dirty Three drummer Jim White (not to be confused with the American singer/songwriter of the same name), didn't initially sound much different than her last record. On Leaving was certainly a lovely record, but a little monotonous. You Follow Me, however, somehow compelled me to listen again and again, each time drawing me in a little deeper.

Again, Nastasia's greatest strength's are her gorgeous, emotive voice and moving lyrics. However, the addition of White's unusual drumming style provides a background against which her vocals shine even more brightly. White is often cacophonous, sometimes subtle, but always engaging. White's and Nastasia's respective contributions could have been released as two separate but equally amazing records. I am grateful, however, that they didn't, because You Follow Me's strength lies in the combination of seemingly paradoxical musical ideas.

Amy Winehouse: Back to Black

Amy Winehouse: Back to Black
Republic: 3/16/2007

Technically, Back to Black was released in the UK last year, but it took several months to reach the States. This being my blog, I can apply whatever standard I want, so I'm declaring it a 2007 release.

Based on what I've read about Amy Winehouse, it's easy to see why people think she's a lush and a bitch. For some, her tabloid-baiting and erratic behavior are barriers to appreciating her music. Even some of those who praise her music express their appreciation in a condescending and dismissive manner. In some ways I wish Back to Black was as terrible as Winehouse's public behavior; it would certainly accomodate a more simplistic worldview. But there's no denying that it's a fine album. It seems I will have to discard some of my cherished beliefs about the universe in light of Back to Black's beauty.

The biggest draw, of course, is Winehouse's voice. It's hard to believe that a voice such as hers can come out a woman so young and so, well, white. She reminds me of so many early 60s Motown stars, whose names I have forgotten but whose songs will never depart from my brain. It's fortunate, then, that so many of the songs on Back to Black are in this vein. Winehouse's style recalls a time when R&B was innovative and genuinely expressive rather than just sappy. She brings soul back to a genre that has been merely going through the motions for quite a long time. This album has burrowed into the heart of this cynical, arrogant, aging music snob and laid lots of eggs in the few weeks I've had it. That alone should tell you more than everything else I've said so far about the power of Back to Black to win over the skeptics.