Cassette Musique

Gary's Top 20 Albums of 2011

2011-12-31T14:10:00.002-05:00

After 365 days of anticipation, my fifth-annual Albums of the Year list is finally complete. It is hard to briefly summarize the list, but overall it seems that strangeness and extra effort were handsomely rewarded this year.
As with my Top Songs, each album has a link either to Spotify or Soundcloud for your listening pleasure. Without further ado, let's start counting backwards from twenty:

20. Danny Brown – XXX - THE RAW: Detroit’s DannyBrown is pretty difficult to ignore. Hisdelivery is manic and distinct, his rhymes are wildly entertaining and hisbeats perfectly parallel Brown’s hyperactivity. Tyler, The Creator got a lot of buzz this year for a similarly strikingalbum, but Danny Brown should not (and likely will not) be ignored.
KEY TRACKS: “I Will”, “Monopoly”

19. Cults – Cults- THE SUMMERY: New York outfit Cults has turned the infectious “Go Outside” into a full-lengthalbum of sun-drenched, low-fi indie pop. Somewhat reminiscent of Best Coast’s CrazyFor You, but more dreamy and less surf-rock, Cults is an exciting debut that is the definitive summertime album.
KEY TRACKS: “Go Outside”, “Abducted”

18. My Morning Jacket – Circuital- THE SOUTHERN FRIED: Evil Urges was MMJ’s previous album, adivisive effort due to the somewhat eclectic and disjoint nature of thesongs. Circuital remains a more cohesive exercise of ever-brilliantsouthern rock ballads more apropos of the MMJ canon.
KEY TRACKS: “Victory Dance”, “Holdin OnTo Black Metal”, “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)”

17. Panda Bear – Tomboy - THE HYMNAL: Tomboy is not nearly as grandiose as theoutstanding Person Pitch, but it doesfeature more bite-sized pieces of filtered, hazy psychedelia and an optimistichymnal feel, with pick-me-up axioms like “You can count on me”. With Noah Lennox’s trademark über-reverbed vocalsat the forefront, Tomboy is adazzling exercise in euphoria.
KEY TRACKS: “Slow Motion”, “Last Nightat the Jetty”, “Afterburner”

16. Tyler, The Creator – Goblin - THE DEPRAVED: Tyler and his rap collective OFWGKTA had abig year in 2011, with Tyler and Frank Ocean releasing critically-acclaimedalbums and that outstanding “Yonkers” video making Tyler a household name (andVMA Best New Artist). Goblin seems caustic upon first listen,with Tyler’s gravelly delivery and abrasive lyricism (see: “Bitch Suck Dick”). It is not some attention-seeking gimmick,however, which is explained at the end of “Sandwitches”: “We don’t fucking makehorrorcore, you fucking idiots. Listen deeper to the music before you put it ina box.” Delve deeper into the album andthe listener finds an emotionally confused, tortured guy pouring it all out to his“psychiatrist”, which turns out to be Tyler grappling with his own consciencethroughout Goblin. It is a concept album that works, keeping thelistener invested and excited for the future of Tyler and OFWGKTA.
KEY TRACKS: “Yonkers”, “Sandwitches”(feat. Hodgy Beats), “She” (feat. Frank Ocean)

15. Radiohead - The King of Limbs - THE SUBTLE: Radiohead are so universally adored, when theyrelease a new album, it becomes an event. Their eighth LP was suddenly sprung upon unsuspecting fans, as In Rainbows was four years prior. What fans got was not instantly gratifying orgame-changing. Instead, The King of Limbs was a subtle andpatient record that was not out to overwhelm. Instead, the eight tracks induce a constant, understated chill andtension absent on In Rainbows. There are also hints of nature and theenvironment present: Other than the album title, “Feral” plays to its namesake,conjuring thoughts of a runaway animal. The King of Limbs is not nearly the bestalbum in the sacred Radiohead catalogue, but it is still rewarding for thosewilling to put in the time.
KEY TRACKS: “Lotus Flower”, “Give Up TheGhost”

14. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l - THE ECLECTIC: Everything about w h o k i l l is attention-grabbing, most noticeably the plasticityof Merrill Garbus’s voice from lulling coo to punk-rock yelp. The music incorporates Afro-pop percussion, folkyguitar plucks and horns to create some multilayered music, but it is Garbus’svocals and lyrics that are always at the forefront and that allow the songs totranscend to the next level. Thegreatness of w h o k i l l lies both inits irresistible sound and its dark lyrics about violence.
KEY TRACKS: “Bizness”, “My Country”, “Gangsta”

13. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact- THE EXPERIMENTALODDBALLS: There seems to be one of these albums every year that are wroughtwith experimental electronica and psychedelia that are near-impossible toignore (see: 2010’s Odd Blood and2009’s unforgettable Merriweather PostPavilion). Because of its strangelyhypnotic uniqueness, Eye Contact is2011’s iteration, by yet another NYC-based experimental troupe. At a trim seven songs (plus the three “∞”interludes), each one is stylistically distinct from the next. “Glass Jar” is a trippy, eleven minute openerthat shimmers before erupting, “Adult Goth” is reminiscent of an otherworldlyFever Ray song and “MindKilla” is a surprisingly catchy slice of upbeatbliss. Overall, Eye Contact is a solidly distinct set of quirky electronica.
KEY TRACKS: “Adult Goth”, “Glass Jar”, “MindKilla”

12. Atlas Sound – Parallax - THE INTROVERT: While BradfordCox may have tried to make a distant album following his nervous breakdown, itis also his most accessible and warm album yet. His vocals are not obscured by haze this time around, and the music isshimmering with a soft fragility and confidence that gives Parallax a strange, dichotomous nature: As enveloping and radiantthe songs may be, there is still an unsettling isolation that makes the albumeven more intriguing and likely Cox’s best solo effort so far.
KEY TRACKS: “Te Amo”, “Modern AquaticNightsongs”

11. Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica- THE ATYPICAL: Replica is the strangest, least accessiblealbum on this list, likely due to the unorthodoxy of the song creation. Sprinkled with haunting piano throughout, itis the use of an abundance of abnormal samples that makes this ambient album somewhatunusual. The progression of the albumseems eerily natural, as if it is the recording of nature at nighttime. The centerpiece is the title track, which isladen with somber piano plinks and a whirring buzz that becomes prominent atthe strangely beautiful end of the song. At one moment still and droning and at the next jarring anduncomfortable, Replica rewardspatience and open-mindedness.
KEY TRACKS: “Replica”, “Sleep Dealer”

10. The Black Keys - El Camino - THE HEIR APPARENTS: When The WhiteStripes disbanded in early 2011, they left a large void in the annals of musicin general, specifically critically-adored blues rock. The Black Keys seem to have solidified theirrole as the proper heir of that throne with their seventh LP. A constantly thrilling set of rock ‘n rollwith blues, surf and even glam rock influences, El Camino is, at its core, a fun-filled record filled with upbeatriff-driven tracks and an unmistakable swagger. Very few albums this year demanded repeated spins quite like the ever-enticingEl Camino.
KEY TRACKS: “Lonely Boy”, “Gold on theCeiling”, “Little Black Submarines”

09. The Field - Looping State of Mind - THE ENTRANCING: The formula is so painfullysimple that Axel Wilner pokes fun of it in the title of his third LP: Loopuntil its appeal has faded, then change it up, even if it isever-so-slightly. Regardless, The Fieldhas mastered the formula and produced another set of captivating minimalisticambient electronica. The subtle layers andtextures at play here work wonderfully, creating moods out of gorgeousrepetition. Whether it is the delicacyof the piano on “Then It’s White” or the woozy, swirling “Is This Power”, theend result is the same: The songs on LoopingState of Mind are evocative without words or typical song structure, makingit all the more impressive.
KEY TRACKS: “Is This Power”, “Then It’sWhite”

08. Neon Indian - Era Extraña –THE CHILLWAVE: Thefringe subgenre chillwave gets a bad reputation, but Neon Indian have expandedupon their initial sound from PsychicChasms to add a psychedelic haze and ambience to the low-fidelity, 8-bitsynth-pop. The album is also seepingwith nostalgia and melancholia, which is excellently demonstrated on “Halogen(I Could Be A Shadow)” and “Arcade Blues”. The latter’s title perfectly sums up EraExtraña: Glitchy, bummy aural bliss.
KEY TRACKS: “Polish Girl”, “Arcade Blues”,“Halogen (I Could Be A Shadow)”

07. Girls - Father,Son, Holy Ghost - THE TIMELESS: Like 2009’s Album, Girls’ follow-up album is chock-full of polished rock ‘nroll that could easily be mistaken for a relic from decades ago. Its influences range from surf rock on opener“Honey Bunny” to the heavy metal-aping of “Die”. However, Father,Son, Holy Ghost consistently makes a living by borrowing heavily fromgradualism classic rock of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, as best demonstrated on thestandout slow-burners “Vomit” and “Forgiveness”. Despite its unabashed borrowing from thepast, Girls somehow create a powerful album that is undeniably fresh.
KEY TRACKS: “Vomit”, “Die”, “Forgiveness”

06. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch TheThrone - THE OPULENT: The two biggest names in hip hop team up to producea celebratory lap for the 1%. On paper,that has potentially disastrous results. On record, it is a delightfully enjoyable and decadent ride. With overpriced samples (Otis Redding’s “TryA Little Tenderness” on the irresistible “Otis”), capital-A-list guest stars (Beyoncémakes “Lift Off” soar) and countless lavish namedrops, Jay and ‘Ye consistentlyremind the listener that, yeah, they make more money than you do. They also rap better than you do. Hov is the besthe has been in years and Kanye is still in peak form from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Or, to put it into their words, “What more can I say? / We killin’ ‘em.” WatchThe Throne is escapism rap done wonderfully well.
KEY TRACKS: “Niggas In Paris”, “Otis”, “NoChurch In The Wild”

05. The Weeknd - House of Balloons - THE SEDUCTIVE: Where the hell did The Weeknd come from? Atthe end of 2010, a few of his tracks were just made available via YouTube. One year later, he has self-released a trilogyof great mixtapes, his identity as Abel Tesfaye has been revealed, and he hasbeen linked with fellow Canadian crooner Drake (both on the Thursday cut “The Zone” and the Take Care standout “Crew Love). It all began with House of Balloons, arguably the best of the three mixtapes. Balloonsdefined The Weeknd’s sound as seductive, syrupy R&B, driven by Tesfaye’sdistinct high-pitched delivery about sex and drugs. The whole album plays like the perfectsoundtrack to a late-night, drug-addled party. All in all, there is a brooding sense of realness that separates TheWeeknd from his contemporaries, making him one of the most exciting new artistsof the year.
KEY TRACKS: “High For This”, “House ofBalloons”, “The Morning”

04. Destroyer – Kaputt- THE RETRO: On the surface, Kaputt can sound like cheesy ‘80s adult contemporary or soft rock, musicianshipnot usually held in the highest regard. However, Dan Bejar essentially turnsthis initially cheeseball subgenre into something much more endearing. Bejar counteracts the breezy strings andhorns with at-times dark lyrics delivered oh-so-casually. It is an unlikely combination that works toperfection throughout Kaputt, creatinga retro/disco-tinged blithe dreamscape from opener “Chinatown” to theeleven-minute sprawling closer “Bay of Pigs”. As introspective as it is expansive, Kaputtis a warm, beautiful trip from beginning to end.
KEY TRACKS: “Chinatown”, “Bay of Pigs”, “Kaputt”

03. Drake - Take Care - THE TRAILBLAZER: Last year, Kanye West pushed the typicalboundaries of a hip hop album to overwhelming success. This year, Drake raised the stakes bycreating an album that deftly incorporates hip hop, R&B and pop into a refreshingsound. Singles “Headlines” and the NickiMinaj-aided “Make Me Proud” are great, upbeat radio songs and “Lord Knows” isbrimming with bombast (thanks to the soulful, choral backing) and swagger(thanks to Rick Ross). However, the truegreatness of Take Care lies in its sparser,more minimalistic moments. Case inpoint: “Marvins Room” is uncomfortably still, exposing the raw emotionality asthe listener eavesdrops on a Drake drunk dial. Take Care covers a lot ofbases, but does them all well.
KEY TRACKS: “Marvins Room”, “Take Care”,“Crew Love” (feat. The Weeknd)

02. Bon Iver - Bon Iver - THEEVOCATIVE: No album this year was quiteas evocative from front to back as Justin Vernon’s excellent sophomore LP. Between the delicate yet intricate layeringof the instrumentation and Vernon’s trademark fragile falsetto, every moment ofBon Iver is powerful and moving,conjuring distant memories and painful yearning. From the slow, subtle build-up of “Perth” tothe poignant reminiscences of ‘80s soft rock closer “Beth/Rest”, Bon Iver is a brilliant expansion ofVernon’s initially introverted folk rock to a richer, larger and more masterfulexpression of emotion.
KEY TRACKS: “Calgary”, “Holocene”, “Perth”

01. M83 - HurryUp, We’re Dreaming. - THEEPIC: The “epic” descriptor gets sprinkled liberally into an excessive numberof album reviews, but no album fulfilled or redefined its qualifications quitelike Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. Anthony Gonzalez continues his winning streakby blending the ‘80s synth-pop of Saturdays= Youth with his more ambient earlier works. The result is a near-flawless double album thatcould fill a stadium or one’s headphones. The album title succinctly sums up the listening experience: Luciditywith striking immediacy. This strikingdichotomy is best illustrated by “Intro” and “Midnight City”, which seamlesslysegues between woozy dreamscape and huge, brimming electro-pop (and thoseirresistible saxophones). It is decidedlydifficult to determine the ranking of HurryUp, We’re Dreaming within the prestigious M83 canon, but its rankingamongst peers thrusts it into a stratosphere by itself.
KEY TRACKS: “Midnight City”, “Intro” (feat. Zola Jesus), “New Map”

For the third consecutive year, my top song and album have been occupied by the same artist: In 2009, it was Animal Collective's "My Girls" and Merriweather Post Pavilion and last year it was LCD Soundsystem's "All I Want" and This Is Happening.

This closes the book on music in 2011. I know I missed some great albums this year that will hopefully get some spillover love into 2012. Last year, I mentioned that Das Racist and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti would get said treatment, and they did. This year, I plan on giving Toro y Moi's Underneath The Pine and St. Vincent's Strange Mercy some love.

Have a lovely New Year's Eve and Day, and here's to hoping that The Avalanches get their shit together and finally release their new album in 2012.

Gary's Top 50 Songs of 2011

2011-12-27T00:50:00.000-05:00

Yet another calendaryear is imminently concluding, and as always, the perfect sendoff is ameticulously crafted, seemingly arbitrary list of songs from said calendaryear! This may have been the mostdifficult year-end song list I’ve compiled, as I had to eliminate some veryworthy songs. Also, certain songs just seemed like they were better than theirranking. Alas, the list is final. No refunds.

For the first time, with the wonders of “technology”, I amable to pass along this countdown as an almost-full-fledged playlist. Click here and enjoy 45 of the 50 songs fo’free, courtesy of Spotify, which will soon replace whatever shitty music playeryou currently utilize. The five songsnot available via Spotify have YouTube videos linked next to them (Danny Brown, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, the two The Weeknd songs and Coldplay). Because God forbid you didn’t hear Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, et al.

50. “Mr. Saxobeat” by Alexandra Stan
49. “Amor Fati” by Washed Out

48. “I Will” by Danny Brown (vide0)
47. “L Y F” by WU LYF
46. “Helena Beat” by Foster the People
45. “Countdown” by Beyoncé
44. “Will Do” by TV on the Radio
43. “Civilization” by Justice
42. “Holdin On To Black Metal” by My Morning Jacket
41. “The Last Huzzah” by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire featuring Despot, Das Racist,Danny Brown and El-P (video)

40. “Curl of the Burl” by Mastodon
39. “Die” by Girls
38. “Make Some Noise” by Beastie Boys
37. “Sail” by AWOLNATION
36. “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” by Arctic Monkeys
35. “Jack Sparrow” by The Lonely Island featuring Michael Bolton
34. “Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)” by The Wombats
33. “Lonely Star” by The Weeknd (video)
32. “Polymers Are Forever” by Future of the Left
31. “Michael Jackson” by Das Racist

30. “Take Care” by Drake featuring Rihanna
29. “Trembling Hands” by Explosions in the Sky
28. “6 Foot 7 Foot” by Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz
27. “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj
26. “Go Outside” by Cults
25. “Paradise” by Coldplay (video)
24. “Otis” by Jay-Z & Kanye West
23. “Replica” by Oneohtrix Point Never
22. “Bizness” by tUnE-yArDs
21. “We Found Love” by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris

20. “Adult Goth” by Gang Gang Dance
19. “Polish Girl” by Neon Indian
18. “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys
17. “Slow Motion” by Panda Bear
16. “Perth” by Bon Iver
15. “Don’t Move” by Phantogram
14. “Vomit” by Girls
13. “Need You Now” by Cut Copy
12. “Ice Cream” by Battles featuring Matias Aguayo
11. “Chinatown” by Destroyer

10. “High For This” by The Weeknd (video)

09. “Marvins Room” by Drake

08. “Holocene” by Bon Iver

07. “Street Halo” by Burial

06. “Yonkers” by Tyler, The Creator

05. “Niggas In Paris” by Jay-Z & Kanye West

04. “Lotus Flower” by Radiohead

03. “Calgary” by Bon Iver

02. “Intro” by M83 featuring Zola Jesus

01. “Midnight City” by M83

Yes, M83 at #2 and #1,which comprise the best nine-plus consecutive minutes in music this year. Thanks for showing up everybody else, but itreally was not close. Nothing quitematched the grandiosity and evocative nature of those two songs back-to-back,although Bon Iver certainly was close, logging three entries in the Top 20.
Fear not: The year would not be complete without mylaborious rundown of my favorite albums, which will be posted before year’send. Until then, rock the shit out ofthat Spotify playlist.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #1

2011-06-13T15:25:00.005-04:00

Radiohead
"Paranoid Android"
Single from the album OK Computer
Single release date: May 26, 1997
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time: 256
Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the '90s: 4

It has come to this. Eleven entries and almost four weeks in the making, we do not arrive at the greatest song that has ever been recorded in the history of music. Such hyperbole is ridiculous, knock it off. Rather, after eleven songs of varying age, genre and influence, we have one song and band that may most accurately be described as “my favorite.”

In 2006, on a whim mostly after hearing about their critical acclaim, I went and bought all of the full-length Radiohead albums. That one sentence intrigues me. At a time when buying albums was still the norm for me, I bought a band’s discography without knowing much more than they were supposedly awesome. I listened intently, trying not to become a victim of confirmation bias: Just because these were universally adored albums did not mean I would necessarily love them, too. Naturally, though, I did. Each album was filled with memorable songs and lines, and one album was stylistically distinct from the next. I was in love. I had never been exposed to such music before. Up until this point, I mostly relied on the few local rock radio stations for exposure to new bands. While one is consistently great (WEQX, which actually plays a decent amount of Radiohead and lots of alternative and indie rock), the others were littered with the modern rock schlock that I have grown to despise (the Nickelbacks, the Salivas, the Seethers). Rather quickly, I turned to the internet to unearth other great music on my own, and have not looked back. In essence, Radiohead single-handedly changed how I view and obtain music, as they have entrenched themselves as my gold standard for five years and counting.

Their library is filled with more outstanding albums and standout tracks than any other artist on this list, but “Paranoid Android” has stood above the rest, since day one, as my go-to example of Radiohead’s excellence. First off, the timing and structure were unlike anything previously in the Radiohead canon (and even since its release, only “Supercollider” clocks in as a longer release). It clocked in at over six minutes and featured distinct musical movements, much like Queen’s classic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, a song to which “Paranoid Android” was often compared initially. A standout on the decade-defining OK Computer, it encapsulated all of the themes that the album extolled: Paranoia, uncertainty, insanity. It also represents one of the earliest predictors of Radiohead’s musical range, as it expertly melds their previously-refined acoustic and traditional rock elements with their newly-fashioned electronic experimentation. The first two minutes are chilling and eerie, especially as Thom Yorke wonders “What’s that?” with that guitar lick looming in the background. The second part soon kicks in, which harkens back to a more traditional rock aesthetic. 2:45 is one of my favorite climaxes and solos in a Radiohead song, definitely showcasing that they can rock out with the best of them. Then, suddenly, we witness a slowdown. It is a rather beautiful movement, with the melodic vocal background and Yorke crying “Rain down on me!” As this continues, Yorke sings a few more lines until the memorable last line: “God loves his children, yeah”, which is immediately followed by another rock-out ending, with distorted vocals and guitars until completion. It is a rollercoaster of a song with a lot going on, but it all flows fluidly and excellently to create an evocative experience, even after a hundred listens.

On a personal level, the idea of being the titular paranoid android resonated with me, especially upon first listens. It is in human nature to be unnecessarily paranoid about certain things, but the robotic declaration “I may be paranoid, but not an android” sums it all up: I may worry about things, but it is on my volition and by my own thinking.

Every song on this countdown has held some significance since first hearing it. Most were gateways into the rest of the artist’s expansive discography, and all of them have impacted my overall music taste to certain degrees. However, no song (or artist) has had as much of an influence as “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead, single-handedly pulling me from the depths of modern rock mediocrity and into the realm of great music and talent. I always wondered what I might say if I ever had the unlikely circumstance of meeting Thom Yorke. I am certain that I would fall prey to being starstruck, but after recovering, perhaps I would begin by simply saying: “Thank you.”

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #2

2011-06-07T12:38:00.002-04:00

LCD Soundsystem
"All My Friends"
Single from the album Sound of Silver
Single release date: May 28, 2007
Pitchfork's Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 2
Rolling Stone's Top Songs of the 2000s: 41

Getting old sucks. I have determined that once you turn twenty-one, having a birthday is no longer necessary, beginning the inevitable slippery slope. “That’s how it starts.”

James Murphy, through LCD Soundsystem, has released plenty of great songs (shit, they’re all great), and it sincerely saddens me to think that there will be no more new music from the recently disbanded powerhouse. On the bright side, the legacy that they have left behind is substantial and something great, and their back catalogue is chock-full of classics. Also, they left on a high note…you know, before they lost their edge. Still, I humbly decide “All My Friends” as their best, perfectly-crafted song.

“All My Friends” starts with those unforgiving, discordant piano plinks that become the backbone of this masterpiece. The rapid percussion kicks in, followed by that beautiful barnburner of a guitar riff. Once all coalesced, it never ceases for seven minutes of musical euphoria. Throughout the song, it is Murphy’s spot-on lyrics and delivery that do the rest of the work. He shows that, yes, he can sing, and sing well and really pull at the heartstrings while doing it.

Although not quite at the crossroads that Murphy alludes to in the song, the heartfelt confessions hit closer to home for me now more than ever. As a recent college graduate, all of the crazy bullshit that was had with great friends is now mostly a remnant of the past as a set of unforgettable memories. These types of memories are interspersed in the narrative of “All My Friends”, as he reminisces about, among other things, staying up late and doing drugs with his friends. It is hard not to consider this song extremely melancholic in this sense, both in its overall sound and the fact that these fond memories are no longer a reality. Nearing the cathartic climax of the song, Murphy rattles off some inevitabilities of life now: “When you’re drunk and the kids leave impossible tasks / You think over and over, ‘Hey, I’m finally dead’”. Then, he repeatedly belts out with all of his might the question “Where are your friends tonight?” and the simple plea “If I could see all my friends tonight.” Many artists employ some type of climactic nature in their music, but no song brings me as close to tears as “All My Friends” does every single time I hear it. That right there is powerful shit.

I was beyond lucky to be able to see LCD Soundsystem at their last show at Terminal 5 this past March, especially after the scalper fiasco and the unprecedented rapidity of ticket sales for the new shows. Murphy and Co. put on a hell of a show, playing most of their catalogue to a dedicated group of fans. Their set list could be divvied up into thirds, and “All My Friends” concluded the first third. Because of its evocative nature, I would have preferred it to be one of the last songs played of the night. However, as soon as it played, it became a moot point as I realized I was being treated to a live version of one of my favorite songs ever. The level of intensity of the impact of the song increased exponentially when witnessed live, and it became a brief moment of nirvana for me. I was definitely bummed when The White Stripes disbanded this year, but I legitimately have been in mourning for the end of LCD Soundsystem. To think: All of this powerful language over some music. All I want is another hit from them! (OK, I’m done.)

Full Version of Song

Music Video (Shortened Version of Song)

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #3

2011-06-03T16:50:00.002-04:00

Animal Collective
"My Girls"
Single from the album Merriweather Post Pavilion
Single release date: March 23, 2009
Pitchfork's Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 9
NME's Top Songs of 2009: 5
Slant Magazine's Top Songs of 2009: 1

The closest thing to a back-to-back on the countdown, yesterday’s Panda Bear is followed up by the band from which he derives. Animal Collective have taken my listening by storm since I discovered 2007’s Strawberry Jam. Even after sifting through most of their back catalogue, their most recent LP easily stands as my favorite. Like Person Pitch, Merriweather Post Pavilion has garnered tons of plays and obsession, both during and after its year of release. It is not just an album; it is an experience. Although there are no twelve-minute epic centerpieces here, there are certainly prominent standouts. Although there are plenty of excellent Animal Collective tracks, “My Girls” takes the gold as my favorite (and, expectedly, most played) track.

On an album filled with delight over life’s simple pleasures, “My Girls” encapsulates this theme perfectly. It opens with that shimmering fragility, a kind of washing-over effect on the listener. It sounds sugary, like the entrance music to some far-out fantasy land. Initially hazy, the dreamy vocals soon kick in, further enforcing the lullaby aesthetic. The story is quite simple and is fully realized at the irresistible chorus: “I don’t mean / to seem like I care about material things / Like the social stats / I just want/ Four walls and adobe slats for my girls.” After the first instance of the chorus, there’s that piercing, almost celebratory yelp as the chorus repeats with a bit more oomph and stomp-and-handclap…and all is right in the world for a brief moment.

The song is a thing of beauty: It doesn’t do a whole lot and it doesn’t have any crazy “gimmicks” or draws. Yet, it draws you in time and time again. When the chorus repeats several times near the end and everything has coalesced, it could repeat a thousand times more without complaint as they have carved out a slice of beautiful bliss for all to enjoy. Despite listening to it easily over a hundred times (a rare feat for me), words still escape me when trying to describe it. It has almost become one of those indescribable, internal feelings or emotions: You can’t put it into words, but you know what it is and how it makes you feel…and that’s all that matters. Like many of the songs on my Top 12, “My Girls” further cemented Animal Collective as one of my favorite bands, consistently impressing me with their unabashed experimentalism and provoking me to find other bands that try to reach their excellence.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #4

2011-06-02T11:37:00.003-04:00

Panda Bear
"Bros"
Single from the album Person Pitch
Single release date: September 4, 2006
Pitchfork's Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 48

As this list slowly reaches its logical conclusion, it has become increasingly difficult to rank some of my all-time favorites. Case-in-point: “Bros” at #4 is criminally too low, but three other songs have had even more of an impact on my music preferences today.

Panda Bear is the pseudonym of Noah Lennox, known for his work in Animal Collective. His band has cranked out eight studio albums since 2000, but Lennox has still found time to release four full-lengths, including this year’s great Tomboy. 2007’s Person Pitch, however, has been the rare album that has received spins every year from me since its release. (Let’s be real: Even when an album is great in a particular year, it can be easy to forget about it with the influx of new music or perhaps more “accessible” options from the same era.) The entire album is quite enveloping, an escape, as it produces the extraordinary sensation of wishing it would never end. The undeniable centerpiece of this album is “Bros”, a twelve-minute sprawling, heartfelt gem.

It starts off striking in its lack of immediacy. In fact, it sounds very sweet and sugary in its heavily-layered, slow-paced beauty. Cue Lennox’s unmistakable Wilsonian vocals, hiding meekly behind loads of reverb. As a result, the song almost sounds like some oldies classic that begs to be listened out of an old-timey radio or jukebox. “Bros” trudges onward, continuing through different movements that subtly add more and more elements and effects, trying to outdo the previous in grandiosity. About halfway through, that repetitive guitar strum, simple enough to be used in a million songs for a million different emotions and feelings, kicks in, segueing into the second half. Every time though, it is almost as if it comes out of nowhere. Lo and behold, on and on it goes, as Lennox’s vocals become more indistinguishable…and yet the song progresses. It is wonderfully paced, and the instrumental interludes are almost prompts to appreciate the overwhelming beauty of the song. A twelve-and-a-half minute song might seem like a marathon, but no minute is wasted and, like the entire album, could go on forever without complaint.

Oh, how about those lyrics? Supposedly, Lennox wrote them for his titular brother after their father’s death (along with Animal Collective’s “Brother Sport”), but as is the beauty of music, they can be applied to anyone or anything. The opening line is rather blunt and on paper sounds like something from some radio rock schlock: “Hey hey, what’s your problem? / Don’t you know that I don’t belong to you?” He later confesses that “I’m not trying to forget you / I just like to be alone / Come give me the space I need / And you may, and you may, and you may, and you may find that we’re alright”. Any problematic friendship or relationship could fall squarely into the song’s crosshairs: Look, I don’t want to lose you, but give it some time, and we’ll be okay. In the indecipherable ending, Lennox concludes with “I do love you and / I want to hold on to you for always”. “Bros” is not a song of ending, but rather of new beginning. The entire song exudes positivity, as an almost cheer-up mechanism for the initial difficulty of transition.

I could go on and on. The fact that one song could be so evocative and powerful has always been fascinating to me. What’s even more fascinating: There are still three more songs like this. Not to be overshadowed, “Bros” is a well-crafted masterpiece deserving of every superlative.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #5

2011-06-01T15:22:00.002-04:00

Battles
"Atlas"
Single from the album Mirrored
Single release date: February 4, 2007
Pitchfork's Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 42

I do not think I have heard a song that could serve as the soundtrack for so many different activities as “Atlas” can. My most-played song (according to last.fm, which started tracking most of my song plays since August 2005) for a reason, “Atlas” is currently my standard for replay value among musical neophytes because of its unflinching flexibility.

The experimental/math rock supergroup (who have just two EPs and two LPs to date), starring the excellent drumming of John Stanier, propel forward immediately on “Atlas”, creating a very robotic percussion background. It is as if the band is introducing some mammoth machine, some well-oiled specimen. Then, those quirky, distorted chipmunk vocals kick in, going on nonsensically about “kitchen is the cook” and “scissors are the barber’s”. There is a brief climax before everything abruptly shuts down before the three-minute mark…of the seven-minute song. The personified robot song gradually regains steam, as one new subtle element gets thrown in after the other until the keyboard alternates and the percussion gets louder and louder. This mythical, mechanical creature is back in full form, reciting its aforementioned SAT analogies until the chorus is repeated.

“Atlas” spurs a lot of imagery, but it almost begs to be spurred. It sounds so mechanical, so rigid, so math-y, it is easy to forget that a group of human beings are creating music here. For some reason, there is an overriding tongue-in-cheek implication inherent in the song. The song is not that funny per se, but it is not super-serious music, and the band knows this (near the end of the song, Robot Alvin mentions “The chorus doesn’t matter”.) Notable or quirky percussion is infectious, and “Atlas” follows suit without being cliché (for example, no stomp-and-handclaps). The progression of the song from build-up to climax to even more gradual establishment of self before back to normal, coupled with its distinguishable sound combine to make it great music for…well, pretty much anything. It is a solid song for the gym, either on the track or in the weight room (although hardcore music was made for the latter). It is an adequate driving song. It makes moving in and out of a room, or cleaning said room, slightly better. It works as good puzzle- or problem-solving music, as evidenced by its use in the phenomenal PS3 puzzler LittleBigPlanet. Above all, it is an enjoyable ride of a song that is difficult in which not to get lost, inducing frantic air drumming for a solid seven minutes. As nondescript as the adjective can be, “Atlas” stands alone as the most fun song on this list of superlative songs.

Full Version of the Song:

Music Video (Shortened Version of the Song):

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #6

2011-05-29T16:01:00.003-04:00

Pearl Jam
"Jeremy"
Single from the album Ten
Single release date: August 1992
Billboard Modern Rock Chart Peak Position: 5
Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart Peak Position: 5
Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Pop Songs Since The Beatles: 48

Even though I was two years old when Pearl Jam’s Ten was released and grunge was taking over the world, “Jeremy” was still a song that followed me through my childhood and my ever-changing musical lens. Like for many others, my first exposure to “Jeremy” was the very moving and highly controversial music video, back when MTV still lived up to its name. The song and the music video are almost inseparable, as the video illustrates the shocking story of quiet 15-year-old Jeremy Wade Delle, who shot himself in front of his English class in 1975. Lead singer Eddie Vedder read a small paragraph in the newspaper about the tragedy, and felt that he needed to give this incident more importance. Vedder elaborates: “It came from a small paragraph in a paper which means you kill yourself and you make a big old sacrifice and try to get your revenge. That all you’re gonna end up with is a paragraph in a newspaper.” The result is “Jeremy”, one of Pearl Jam’s most powerful songs and certainly the song that has kept me a Pearl Jam fan for years.

The song and music video both begin eerily, foreshadowing the inevitable. Vedder describes the boy in the verses, mentioning that “Daddy didn’t give attention” and “Mommy didn’t care”. The narrator recounts that he clearly remembers picking on Jeremy, and the one day he retaliated by punching him in the jaw, “dropped wide open / Just like the day / Oh, like the day I heard.” The narrative is telling enough, but the chorus is utterly chilling, with the simple repetition of “Jeremy spoke in class today,” resonating deeply with any listener as an otherwise innocuous statement that tells the whole story. The song becomes a bit of an epic, gradually propelling towards the end until all the “Whoa”s, “Uh huh”s and “Ai ai ai”s overwhelm, as if personifying the maddening of Jeremy leading to his tragic suicide. “Jeremy” is always a tough listen because the song, unlike the inspiring newspaper article, does the incident plenty of justice and it is difficult not to empathize and perhaps relate. Many have experienced or witnessed taunting and bullying in school, but very few realize the profound impact it could have on an individual. Vedder drives home the takeaway message of the song: “The best revenge is to live on and prove yourself. Be stronger than those people. And then you can come back.” All of this combined to lift Pearl Jam out of the Seattle grunge scene and among the rock elite…and more microcosmically, among my favorite bands.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #7

2011-05-23T00:24:00.002-04:00

A Perfect Circle
"3 Libras"
Single from the album Mer de Noms
Single Release Date: February 13, 2001
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Peak Position: 12
Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Peak Position: 12

How does one begin to succinctly describe A Perfect Circle, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan’s little sideband that could? The band even defies simple genre labeling, as the all-too-generic “alternative rock” does them no justice whatsoever. Art rock is certainly a step up, but still, maybe they evade pithy categorization. As with every song on this list, “3 Libras” represents my carefully selected favorite song of the artist in question.

Like many of the songs in my Top 12, “3 Libras” definitely packs an emotional punch as a song that gets to me after every listen. Right off the bat, the melancholic violin and acoustic guitar set the tone before Keenan yearns about unrequited attention or love. Every word that Keenan croons is powerful, hitting home with any listener as a fundamental albeit awful raw emotion. The song slowly crescendos, but even early on, lines like “Difficult not to feel a little bit / Disappointed and passed over” resonate deeply. However, it is that last minute or so that could make even the coldest-hearted person misty-eyed. He laments that “apparently nothing” occurs “behind the eyes of a fallen angel” before the truly cathartic ending of “You don’t / You don’t / You don’t / See me!” repeats until the end. The song is truly a thing of beauty and highly relatable to anyone who has gone unnoticed to someone else. With all of that said, I would absolutely kill to see this song live.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #8

2011-05-21T15:52:00.003-04:00

Eminem
"Stan"
Single from the album The Marshall Mathers LP
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: 51
Billboard Hot Rap Songs: 22
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time: 296
VH1's Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All-Time: 15

The eerie Dido sample, the six-and-a-half minute length, the subject matter and concept of the song. Everything about “Stan” immediately set itself apart from Eminem’s previous work. When an artist strays from his or her comfort zone, it can either fail miserably (see: Lil Wayne attempting rock) or set the bar even higher for the artist. Luckily, the latter was true for “Stan”, clearly Eminem’s best song, a landmark song that is only loosely defined as “hip-hop.”

Even the staunchest hip-hop naysayers have to at least appreciate “Stan” as great storytelling, a knack that Eminem has showcased dating back to The Slim Shady LP (“My Fault” is the rare, dichotomous comedy-tragedy, with more emphasis on the former; “’97 Bonnie & Clyde” has Em talking to his baby daughter as they go dump the dead body of her mother, Kim). True, there are better examples of Eminem as a straight-up rapper (“Still Don’t Give a Fuck” and “Marshall Mathers” are two of my favorites), but the powerfully engrossing story of Stan as the unstable, obsessed fan launches the titular song into its own stratosphere.

As Stan writes to Eminem in the first three verses, the listener can almost relate to Stan’s plight of writing to a celebrity role model in hopes of a response, but to no avail. Stan epitomizes the blindly obsessed admirer, taking Eminem’s lyrics literally (drinking a fifth of vodka, putting his girlfriend in the trunk etc.) A scary, sad tale, but through the fiction is some fact: Some people take Eminem’s ridiculous lyrics to heart (who didn’t he piss off with The Marshall Mathers LP?) Em’s response in the last verse reveals a level-headed guy who is "sayin' that shit just clownin’, dawg”. “Stan” has it all: A great story that gradually builds with detectable emotion that is matched by the melancholic raindrop background. In the brutally honest “The Way I Am”, Em laments that he will never be able to top “My Name Is”. That’s a mistake. He will never be able to top “Stan”.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #9

2011-05-20T18:34:00.002-04:00

The White Stripes
"Seven Nation Army"
Single from the album Elephant
Single Release Date: March 7, 2003
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Peak Position: 1
Rolling Stone's 50 Best Songs of the 2000s: 6
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time: 286
Pitchfork's Top 500 Songs of the 2000s: 30
2004 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song

Some songs are forever recognized by a singular guitar riff. When the opening to “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” begins, it is instantly identifiable and infectious. Likewise, the seven-strum simplicity of the opening to “Seven Nation Army” permeates the entire song. Contrary to its sound, the riff was made using a guitar and not a bass, an instrument the band has never used. The White Stripes always made the simple combination of guitar and percussion seem so impressive and innovative, effortlessly crafting garage rock anthems, bluesy numbers and soft, acoustic songs. Their six-disc library should almost be considered in awe considering the unsophisticated method to their greatness. Their run of excellence is untarnished and almost mythical in a way, making their unexpected dissolution almost tolerable and understandable. When a band stops making music, their works are suddenly analyzed under a microscope as their place and impact on music history is determined. With or without this critical lens, “Seven Nation Army” will stand as The White Stripes’ magnum opus in a sea of excellent songs.

Beginning quite literally bare bones, the verses slowly add some minimal percussion until the two collide into encapsulating guitar solos. In fact, this raucous axework is, for all intents and purposes, the chorus of the song, punctuating the verses with that skeletal introductory riff amplified to eleven. The song as a whole really is a thing of beauty, but more importantly it is the definition of an “air guitar” song, subconsciously inducing headbanging regardless of location. The early 2000s saw a garage rock revival littered with a myriad of “The” bands of varying quality. Not only did The White Stripes outlast and out succeed, they stand in a class of their own, both in their genre and in the greater confines of rock music.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #10

2011-05-19T12:51:00.002-04:00

Queens of the Stone Age
"Go With The Flow"
Single from the album Songs for the Deaf
Single Release Date: April 7, 2003
Billboard Hot Alternative Songs Peak Position: 7

If I was driving and ever had the unfortunate circumstance to have only one song to play, it would undoubtedly be “Go with the Flow”, the second single off Queens of the Stone Age’s fantastic 2002 album Songs for the Deaf. Why? Perhaps it is the music video imagery of speeding through the desert or the concept of the album involving travel from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree. Or, you know, it could be the striking immediacy of the song, intensely propelling forward like a bat out of hell that make it the ideal highway song.

There are a plethora of impressive QOTSA tunes, fast cementing them as one of my favorite bands. Often stuck with the misnomer “stoner rock”, Queens have demonstrated that they are capable of experimentation with many different sounds. Homme oftentimes likes using the term “robot rock” to describe his criminally underrated band, referring to the solid and repetitive nature of the guitar riffs in many songs. “Go with the Flow” is the perfect defense of my adoration for the band: the repetitive piano plinks, the ferocious drumming of Dave Grohl, the whining and moaning of the guitars, and the typically fantastic vocals and lyrics of Josh Homme. All of this culminates in a three-minute bombardment of the senses, entrancing the listener and refusing to let go until the last note.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: #11

2011-05-18T12:38:00.002-04:00

M83
"Couleurs"
Single from the album Saturdays = Youth
Single Release Date: February 25, 2008
Billboard Heatseekers Albums Peak Position: 1
Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums Peak Position: 4
Billboard 200 Peak Position: 107
* The single never charted in the U.S.

A near-180 from yesterday’s entry, we go from stream-of-consciousness stoner rap over sitars and slide guitar to an epic, eight-minute electro experience. M83 first caught my attention in 2008 with their outstanding album Saturdays = Youth, particularly the retro-tinged single “Kim & Jessie”. However, as I delved further into the album and their discography, I realized they have some pretty powerful epics. I was fortunate to see them live in NYC for my birthday in 2009, and to this day, my two favorite live performances are from that show: “A Guitar and a Heart” (from 2005’s Before the Dawn Heals Us) and “Couleurs”.

It was very difficult to decide on which M83 song to place. “Run into Flowers” is a beautiful, evocative piece, but unfortunately did not translate well live. “A Guitar and a Heart” is propulsive and loud, gradually building up to an unforgettably intense ending that translates well through any medium. “Couleurs” seemed to win out on its balance of both worlds. It is one of those ambient electronic songs that does all of the work, as it completely and totally immerses the listener. It grows and expands until it hits full stride, with all components creating a grandiose, nocturnal atmosphere that almost induces spontaneous dancing. The second half breaks it down without missing a beat, as it changes gears while not allowing any particular part overstay its welcome. In essence, “Couleurs” is an experience, propelling the listener into a different world…a blissful, brilliant world.

My Top 12 Songs of All-Time...Right Now: Preface and #12

2011-05-17T16:02:00.003-04:00

Superlatives are often thrown around rather haphazardly in every facet of existence, and the music world is no exception. Writers and publications often patch together lists that deem ten or twenty or a hundred songs, albums or artists as “the greatest,” “the best,” or some other hyperbole “of all time.” Why bother such an exercise in futility and exclusivity? Quite simply, because it’s fun.

I am not attempting to create such a list to stir debate or evoke emotion. Rather, this is more of a “journal entry,” a highly personal account of the dozen songs that have impacted me the most up to this point in my life. For some odd reason, I have decided to publicly post the results, as if anyone was truly concerned about such matters. To be honest, there are two motivations for such an action: 1. Let’s be honest, this hibernating blog could use some posts, and 2. I am just pleased that I was able to finally craft and finalize such a list.

To address the latter point, creating one of these definitive, “all-time” lists is borderline maddening. To take the large pool of music I have been exposed to in my lifetime and distill this into a compact list of surefire “greatest” songs is almost absurd. However, I think I have finally narrowed down the songs that most represents my current music taste. These songs all have a few things in common: They are all very influential on my interest in a particular artist or genre and they are all great enough to warrant the prestigious title of “infinite replay value.”

One quick caveat: I decided to neglect, for lack of a better umbrella term, “classic rock” songs. There are a ton of amazing ones out there, but I decided to limit my list to songs I was alive for upon release and that more directly impacted my musical taste.

Without further ado, here are My Top 12 Songs of All-Time…Right Now, one day at a time. Naturally, we begin at Number 12:

Beck
"Loser"
Single from the album Mellow Gold
Single Release Date: March 8, 1993
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: 10
Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks Peak Position: 1

Beck has been one of my favorite artists for a while now, consistently impressing with his wide-range of musical influences. While I was only a wee lad when initially released, most people would also likely cite “Loser” as the first Beck song to which they were introduced. No surprise: “Loser” was Beck’s breakthrough, and perhaps most popular, song, cracking the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100, back when rock wasn’t music’s oft-neglected bastard child and things like that mattered in the first place. The song truly encapsulates what Beck does best: Seamless genre-blurring, nonsensical stream-of-consciousness faux-rapping and infectiousness. The song starts with that unmistakable slide guitar intro, which leads into Beck flawlessly sing-speaking about spray-painting the vegetables, beefcake pantyhose and shaving one’s face with mace in the dark over an unorthodox sitar backing. Then, there’s that chorus: “Soy un perdedor / I’m a loser, baby / So, why don’t you kill me?” While Beck claims that this is merely a reference to his poor rapping skills, its simplicity is still somehow profound. We can all relate at times to that pathetic, defeatist attitude that Beck is exuding, rather apathetically. It is as if to say that he recognizes his flaws, but could care less, as suggested by his sardonic claim to be killed. Beck has expanded his musical palette since Mellow Gold, but his initial folk roots will always be a part of his music, including “Loser”, which was his answer to getting his music heard: “I knew my folk music would take off, if I put hip-hop beats behind it.” Without a doubt, Beck definitely represents qualities I have appreciated over the years in music, and “Loser” is the distillation of said qualities.

Review: The King of Limbs by Radiohead

2011-02-24T18:32:00.002-05:00

Radiohead
The King of Limbs
XL/TBD Records
Release Date: February 18, 2011 (digital) / March 28, 2011 (CD/vinyl) / May 9, 2011 ("newspaper" edition)

If all you know about Radiohead is their 19-year-old (!) debut single “Creep”, then you quite simply do not know Radiohead. Radiohead have cemented themselves as one of the most consistently impressive bands around, dating all the way back to their sophomore release, 1995’s The Bends. Every single album since has been stellar, reinventing, refining and expanding their sound on every effort to make for a revolutionary and enthralling experience. This includes OK Computer (1997), one of the ‘90s best albums, and Kid A (2000), which is what many consider one of the best albums of the ‘00s. That’s one hell of a track record.

Their last LP, 2007’s In Rainbows, took the world by surprise (literally), by announcing its release a mere ten days beforehand and charging fans whatever they thought the album was worth to them. The pay-what-you-want tip cup payment method slightly overshadowed the album’s actual content at first, but soon enough, it became clear that they had done it again and released another fantastic album worthy of the Radiohead canon.

Four years later and here we go again: A four day head’s up followed by the worldwide, independent release of their eighth record, The King of Limbs. Although they did away with the optional payment, the impossible hype still surrounds the always-dazzling English quintet to deliver yet again.

So…did they?

Well, it’s not that easy to tell…yet. The album was released by the band Friday, February 18, so as of this writing, it has been out for under a week. Even with repeated listens since then, the longer-term impact of the record is still unclear. Still, it is a collection of songs like any other album and, greater implications aside, it can be analyzed as such.

The King of Limbs is easily Radiohead’s shortest LP to date, clocking in at a lean 37 minutes and a mere eight tracks long. The overall sound of the album seems thoughtfully restrained, as it never fully erupts or swells at any given point. Instead, there is the sense of instrumental precision, making every note worthwhile and noticeable. Of note, Phil Selway’s light and often times off-timing percussion is present on many of the album’s tracks. However, on most of these songs, it is Thom Yorke’s patented falsetto that stands out, working as an instrument in and of itself, entrancing the listener with whatever cryptic lyrics he sings.

Speaking of which, the album’s potential meaning is still murky. The album title may be a reference to a 1,000-year-old oak tree near where the band recorded In Rainbows. This unconfirmed fact, coupled with the numerous allusions to nature and the softer “feel” of the album, may imply contemplation about a return to simpler, natural roots. The eerie, propulsive instrumental track “Feral” plays out like its title suggests, like a once-domesticated animal escaping its confines to become wild and free again. Lead single and standout “Lotus Flower” finds a nice middle ground between solemnity and bombast, abiding to a more-normal structure and sound, encapsulating the listener with its effortless, chill-out vibe and Yorke’s standout vocals. In fact, many of the tracks tend to have the general sensibility of Radiohead’s previous slower, ballad-type songs, but each with different nuances. “Morning Mr. Magpie” gradually becomes foreboding and uncertain, whereas “Give Up The Ghost” is a fragile, haunting number with little more than an acoustic guitar strum and Yorke’s singing backed with a repeated falsetto of “Don’t hurt me”.

Simply put, it is easy to see how the album could be considered a disappointment or at least polarizing among longtime fans, especially when they are used to the band’s propensity for innovation. Even then, The King of Limbs is a great album. Like many great albums (and most of Radiohead’s previous works), it is not immediate. It is a sneaky record (partially due to the length), one that can be listened to ten times without notice. However, they will not be wasted listens: Each spin will have something new uncovered, as the relaxing, chilled-out subtleties of the album surround. Admittedly, it may still be one of Radiohead’s weakest albums, but considering their past, that very well makes it one of the year’s best. Many have considered The King of Limbs as a transitional album, somewhat like Amnesiac before it, bridging two fantastic, complete albums. In other words, don’t chalk this up as the downfall of one of rock’s elite. One of the last lines of the closer “Separator” is “If you think this is over / Then you’re wrong.” Let’s hope so.

Rating: 4/5

Special: Devin's Top 20 Albums of 2010

2011-01-01T18:37:00.004-05:00

20. Les Sages- Share This

Les Sages(pronounced lay sahj) are brand new band from Seattle. This ambient pop band shows lots of promise. This is a very solid album and may have procured a higher spot on my list if it had been released earlier in the year.

19. Comeback Kid- Symptoms + Curses

This is Comeback Kid's fourth release and their second with Andrew Neufeld as lead singer. They said they wanted to make an album that is fun to play live since they usually only play stuff off their second album at shows. Neufeld also changed his vocal style on this album sounding more like he would at a live show instead of trying to sound like their old lead vocalist Scott Wade. I was surprised at just how good this album turned out. I haven't seen them play any of these songs live yet but I'm sure they're great, just as they intended them to be.

18. The Hold Steady- Heaven is Whenever

Another strong effort by The Hold Steady. This album has a more laid back feel compared to their last two but they are able to make it work quite well. The lyrics have a very nostalgic feel to it. Overall a very good effort, I was surprised that I liked this album as much as I did.

17. Foals- Total Life Forever

Another late find for me I was pleased with Foals' new album. I had never heard them before but this album surely put them on my radar as well as many other people's I'm sure. Many great songs on this album especially "Spanish Sahara" which was surely one of my favorite songs of the year. The slow emotional beginning that leads to a strong finish make the song a memorable one. A very strong album by Foals and a pleasant surprise for me this year.

16. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

I'm realizing this year, especially the bottom of my list was full of surprises. Never would I have thought a rap album could impress me as much as Kanye's did. Rap was never really my thing but I couldn't help but bump this and eminem's new album this year. With a small army of featured artists Kanye puts together a great album without a real weak track. His rhymes flow great and the guest artists make it a very unique and refreshing album.

15. The Damned Things- Ironiclast

I waited months for this album to come out and I was not disappointed. A super group consisting of members from Fallout Boy, Anthrax and Every Time I Die. Keith Buckley is such a great vocalist in ETID but this project really showcases his vocal range showing that not only can he scream but also can sing quite well too. Most of the album has a real classic rock feeling but don't worry there's enough variety to keep you guessing and rocking out the whole way through.

14. Daughters- Daughters

Yet another big surprise this year. They are described as noisecore and I can think of no other way to describe Daughters. An assault of sound this album is not one for the faint of heart. They have been together since 2001 but this is their most accessible and standout album yet. The vocalist changed from a scream to a clean vocal and it really is a different and interesting vocal approach. It really separates them from all the other heavy bands and makes the album more interesting. You really just have to listen to it yourself to see just what it sounds like.

13. Hellogoodbye- Would It Kill You

I really don't mean to sound like a broken record but if you ever came up to me and told me I would include hellogoodbye on a top albums list I would have said you're crazy. This auto tuned kiddy-pop group completely transformed and matured with this album. It has been four years since the release of their last album and it's almost like they just forgot to release an album in 2008 that links these two albums together. Quite a change and quite a good release by hellogoodbye. Hopefully the days of auto tuning are far behind them because I much prefer their new sound and you know regular sounding vocals.

12. House of Heroes- Suburba

This album was a good find this year. I had always heard of House of Heroes but was never blown away until I heard their 2008 release The End Is Not the End. After that I was anxious to hear their 2010 release and I was not disappointed. They walk a fine line between pop/ pop punk/ rock and indie rock. Their style is not the most unique thing out there but it is refreshing especially for a christian group. This albums continues the progress they made in 2008 and includes a bunch of really good songs.

11. Cancer Bats- Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones

Cancer Bats was another band I had long known but never really listened to. That changed with the release of their 2010 album. They have a good driving style and lead singer Liam Cormier has a fairly unique voice. Cancer Bats is a nice change of pace in the hardcore scene. They don't do anything too crazy but they don't give into any of the gimmicks and they are who they are. Really, a good album with a surprising amount of variety to it. Having an awesome cover of "Sabotage" never hurts either.

10. Four Year Strong- Enemy of the World

Finally an album that was not a surprise by a band I've liked for awhile now. I loved Four Year Strong's last album Rise or Die Trying and I wasn't sure if they were going to be able to make another album that good. Whether this album is better is up for debate but it sure is a great one. Everything everyone loves about FYS is still here but a little more mature and with a darker feeling on this album. The breakdowns and heavy drums are still there along with the great melodies. "This Body Pays the Bill$" may have my favorite melody they have ever written. They had a lot to live up to in my eyes and they certainly did it.

9. Sleigh Bells- Treats

Sleigh Bells were a surprise to everyone this year as they exploded onto the scene. Composed of a young female pop singer and an old guitarist for an influential hardcore band this duo makes quite a unique sound. While it is composed of mostly beats and dance music the heavy influences are evident in this band. Be careful turning the bass up all the way when listening to this band or you could easily blow your speakers. With a fun, new and interesting sound there's no limit to where this duo could go.

8. Limousines- Get Sharp

Still known by very few people the Limousines are a new band with a great sound. This band has been together since 2007 but hasn't released a full album until now. They are often compared to Passion Pit but they have a little more variety and edgier lyrics to them. Their vocalist is also the ex-vocalist of the band Strata. Along with being a fun poppy album with many different sounding songs the lyrics to this album are also great. Ranging from songs like "Very Busy People" which has funny goofy lyrics to "The Future" which has an optimistic view of our lives and a motto to live by this album has very good lyrics especially for being as poppy as it is. The Limousines are sure to make it big in 2011 with this release.

7. Norma Jean- Meridional

Norma Jean promised their heaviest album yet with this release. While that could be debated they certainly brought it with this release. Every song builds and has a brutal ending even some of the more melodic songs on the album. After their last album was more experimental and different I think Norma Jean really wanted to show they can still rock hard with this album. Every song is strong and the album moves very nicely. Songs like "Anthem of the Angry Brides" and "Bastardizer" are especially strong and leave you pumped up at the end. Whether or not you think this is their heaviest or best album Norma Jean really brought it with this one.

6. Vampire Weekend- Contra

This year was big for Vampire Weekend as they really exploded all over the music scene. Just goes to show how much one year can change a band. This album was yet another surprise to me since I hadn't heard this band before this year. They have an interesting sound that makes a very nice sounding album. Every track is good and has you singing along. Vampire Weekend has been getting a lot of attention especially their song "Holiday" that was all over commercials this holiday season. I don't think we've seen the top I think Vampire Weekend will continue to blossom in 2011.

5. The Wonder Years- The Upsides

Easily one of the best pop punk bands out there is The Wonder Years. They aren't fooling around anymore (or sad anymore) with this release. They lost the synth, breakdowns and cheesy lyrics of their past releases. This is just raw lyrics playing off real life problems, feelings and experiences. This album was more mature and The Wonder Years spent more time on this one than their release Get Stoked On It. There really is not a bad track on the album except if you liked the gimmicks from the last album. In which case you're out of luck. But if you're looking for raw stripped down real pop punk you have come to the right place.

4. Anberlin- Dark is the Way, Light is a Place

This is a band that has always frustrated me because I love them but their albums always take some getting used to. I always listen to their new releases expecting to be blown away first listen but it never happens. Luckily I never gave up on this album because it is gold. This band really does seem to get better and better. This album does seem to have a more mature and controlled feelings that their previous albums have not had. Even the lyrics are more mature and no longer taken from childhood experiences. This album really is a great release but give it a few listens. Anberlin really went all out and explored what they can really do on this one.

3. The Dillinger Escape Plan- Option Paralysis

Another new band to me this year The Dillinger Escape Plan really blew me away. Their music is so technically sound but yeah so crazy, fast and chaotic. Some people have called it controlled chaos. They're a band that takes getting used to but it's well worth it. This release was a very good one by Dillinger. They have really explored what they can do with their sound with songs like "Widower." They also did not lose many of the new things that worked on Ire Works. One difference on this album though is that each song is more complete. Each song takes you on a full ride of Dillinger instead of short choppy songs. Overall a very good album with many strong tracks and plenty surprises.

2. Bring Me The Horizon- There is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret

I was very pleased with this release by BMTH. They have always been tagged as an immature band that did not have a lot of talent and just consisted of string of breakdowns glued together. This album certainly silenced many of those critics. This is by far their most mature album to date. The songs are much more controlled and is no longer just breakdown after breakdown. There still are plenty of heavy parts but there is so much more to this album. There are softer parts, heavier parts and many parts that build to a very epicness. They also effectively use guest vocals to add to the epicness of the album. Also the lyrics are much more mature on this album and almost have a repentful feel to them instead of being about partying all the time.

1. As I Lay Dying- The Powerless Rise

In a year full of surprises my top album of the year was not at all. The first release from my favorite band in three years of course it's going to be awesome. Fans were anxiously awaiting this album and AILD did not disappoint. They did not lose the progression they gained in the last album, they only built upon it. The vocals were much better on this album since they had more time to work on them. Tim shows more range and sounds more like he would in a live show and Josh's clean vocals sound much better as he explores more of his range and had more time on this album to get them right. Tim Lambesis is also a great lyricist and this album certainly follows suit. They are christians but they have very deep lyrics that deal with many issues and struggles that anyone can relate to. I'm glad that As I Lay Dying has not lost any of their step and this album shows it. That have the most solid lineup they have ever had and I'm excited to see what the future holds for them.