My 2010 Listening Habits

For some reason or other, 2010 was the year of music overload for me. The library continued to have good stuff, which meant each week I was getting at least one cd, if not more. Some were great, but others made me wish I had more time to spend with the stuff I liked. Besides the library, there was other new music that I acquired and stuff that was given to me. Two months into the new the year, I still feel like I haven't spent enough time with the records I liked from 2010. Because of that, my list for the year skews toward the immediate and bands In already liked instead of albums I listened to repeatedly before falling in love with or large older discoveries. I hope to change that with some additional listening time/options opening up at work recently, but enough on that.

Part of the year was taken catching up with bands that had a new record coming out in 2010 that I was excited about. Because of that, I wanted to go back and hear their earlier material that I had only listened two in passing before (starting to notice a trend here?). In that list would definitely be Hot Chip and Deerhunter. Quite different bands, but both at similar points in their careers in some ways. Hot Chip is a synthpop band who are simultaneously funny, inventive, danceable, and a bit weird; all great qualities. Their music was a great soundtrack to quite a few cooking experiments and kitchen cleanups this year that dissolved into dance-a-thons (as much as that can be done in my kitchen that is). Their latest record, One Life Stand, goes for the quieter and more sincere of their sounds. It doesn't make my list of best of this year, but I continue to appreciate there records on the whole. Although not impossible, I never started dancing listening to Deerhunter. I would now put their 2007 release Cryptograms/Fluorescent Grey EP in my top 10 favorite albums of the last decade. Microcastle felt like it was an old favorite the first time I heard it. Halcyon Digest may be quieter and less noise based, but it continues to highlight the great songwriting an melodies that have underlain all of Deerhunter's material.

As far as stuff from 2009 that I was still catching up with, the two that resonated most were The xx self-titled album and The Flaming Lips Embryonic. The xx has the minimalist indie pop thing down to science, with great beats and shimmer-y guitar lines. The whole album has a "sound" that really feels fully formed and I look forward to their future material. They are one of the bands I listen to that motivates me to try makes music myself. Embryonic was a redeeming album for me as regards the Flaming Lips. It has some amazing moments, with dirty psych guitars and grooving bass lines while Wayne's disembodied-sounding vocals climb above the mix. I would say it is the best Flaming Lips album yet, so thanks to those Oklahoma weirdos again.

Here are my favorites new release from 2010 with a short summary and link to a favorite song on the album in no particular order:

LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening
Since I am a few months behind, it's now common knowledge now that James Murphy is putting LCD on hiatus. But talk about going out with a bang...what an amazing album. With great "tribute" tracks to greats like Bowie and Eno, this album is great beginning to end. Who can we look to now, James, to combine all the best elements of underground rock from the past with dance-punk-funk? Don't stay away too long.

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
Album three, and they just keep getting better. Great songs throughout, with a concept that neither bashes or praises the suburbs of America but uses them as a context. And since we're in February, I can mention that album-of-the-year Grammy win. Merge should be proud. Indie rock should be proud. Too bad radio and other commercial outlets can't follow Arcade Fire's example and keep it about the music (sorry to get corny there).

The National: High Violet
I missed these guys first few records, but this year The Boxer entered my canon of great records. Another great from these guys who are a great definition of what indie rock really is circa 2010.

Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest
See above

Sufjan Steven: Age of Adz
Outsider art really interests me, so finding out the latest Sufjan release was connected to Royal Robertson intrigued me right away. Those who only think of Sufjan as a banjo slinger were in for a surprise. Sufjan's older releases hint at an ongoing interest in electronic music, and he uses it to full effect here. The melodies are still clear beneath the distorted synth lines and muddled choruses, which seem to represent emerging mental illness tied to great loss and emotional distress. How many other records make you think about being unhinged?

Sleigh Bells: Treats
Can you say loud? These two really make a racket. Buzz saw guitar lines, blown out beats, with girl-group/cheerleader anthem singing? Wouldn't have guessed that it could turn out so good.

Joanna Newsome: Have One on Me
You have to respect Have One on My based on sheer ambition. A 3-disc album of great music that I can keep going back to during 2012 as well.

Vampire Weekend: Contra
If you though these guys were a one album band, think again. This was one that I wasn't crazy about at first listen, but have now come to love. Great references to ska and other genres without making the songs genre experiments. Solid, through and through.

Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma
I think I first heard of this via the Thom Yorke guest spot. Regardless, it's a definite refresh on what electronic music is and can be. Cool drum sounds? Check. Crazy bass lines? Check. Songs that only come together after repeated listens? Check. Quite a bit of harp?!? Check. Well, Flying Lotus isn't Alice Coltrane's nephew for nothin'.

Until next year and hopefully earlier...

Radiohead :: King of Limbs

Well, Radiohead will continue to surprise us no matter what it seems. First, let's announce an album only a few days before you can buy it. Then, we'll drop it a day before we said we would. Arguably the "biggest" band in the world need no hype, hyperbole, or singles releases to drop their records. They can release it themselves when they want to because they have earned it. While not being left behind technologically on how they release (the pay-what-you-want experiment, digital download release pre physical release, large internet presence, etc), Radiohead have stuck to the older idea of album as a complete listening experience, and not just a package for singles. Because of it's short length, the King of Limbs allows a complete listen in a session even more so than a longer record would.

So, on first listen it's definitely a Radiohead record, but (for any still hoping) definitely not The Bends or OK Compuer 2.0. I would say it has the most in common with moments of Kid A/Amnesiac, but especially the Thom Yorke solo release The Eraser. If you are waiting for Jonny to drop in with some crazy guitar solo, it doesn't happen and that's a good thing. So many times, bands find them aping earlier versions of themselves or sticking with the same sound every record. Never the case here. Radiohead have gone from a band in their early days that was very typical in many ways to their peers to now doing something very atypical for a rock band. They have moved from easily digestible to the more difficult, while many bands do the reverse.

I thought In Rainbows was a great album, but some found it quiet. This record is "quieter" yet. And while In Rainbows made me feel like I was listening to the whole band play together, The King of Limbs does not. Phil's Kraut-rock style drumming is ever present, along with Thom's voice, albeit digitally skewed at times. Leftfeild electronic music floats to the front of the mix on most tracks. Beats skitter and synth-Thom-choruses as Thom's reverb filled voice float through the air. Even more than other Radiohead albums, King of Limbs seems seems to have a theme of nature and the elements. Some have noted that the album title references an old tree in England. Fish and sea creatures, birds, water, and dragonflies seem to be mentioned or have noises present on most every track.

Most of Radiohead records are difficult, if not impossible to fully decipher on the first few listens. The King Of Limbs continues this trend. It will reward repeated listens. See for yourself.