My 2011 Listening Habits

I finally got a working turntable set up this year and have been enjoying spinning all the vinyl I have collected at garage sales, Goodwill, and new stuff as well. Listening to a record is a patient experience, unlike much of my listening today. It's great to concentrate on just a side at a time and not skip tracks to something more familiar or catchy. I have added quite a few LP's to my collection, but Pharaoh Sanders' Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong got the most spins overall this year. Sadly, I haven't set up scrobbling for LPs yet.

I started the year off exploring American roots music. I often feel a lot of newer music that is classified as folk lacks the sense of danger, sadness, and honesty that was found in older field recordings and early compilations of the style. Honesty and a sense of foreboding always seems to come across in early folk songs that I enjoy as well as all other genres of music. This year, I listened to selections that Harry Smith compiled during the early '50s, which went on to influence many of the folk revival artists of the '60s. Smith himself was an interesting eccentric that seemed to have quite a few bad qualities, but it seems that without his compilations, much of this music would have been lost or forgotten. The Harry Smith Project reunited more recent artist covering favorite selections from the original compilations live. I especially enjoyed David Johansen of New York Dolls fame cover of Old Dog Blue, Nick Cave's John the Revelator, and Lou Reed's See That My Grave is Kept Clean. A side note in my reading about the original artists on Harry Smith's compilation was the sad tale of Blind Lemon Jefferson, writer of the last tune. His grave was lost and not kept clean for years, but now you can purchase vanity Texas license plate with his likeness on it. That's the real blues there.

Artists I have been a fan of released another set of strong albums this year. Radiohead continued to defy expectations with the excellent King of Limbs. The TV on the Radio release Nine Types of Light was less funky than Dear Science but added further songs to everyone's end of the world dance party play list. Wilco's The Whole Love reconciled their last few releases by doing some AM radio jams along with some crazy, epic kraut rock when needed. That first track is a killer. The Rapture's third release, In the Grace of Your Love reminded us that they are back on DFA and sounding as good as ever.

I bring my music collection to work with me ever day now, and that has allowed me to dig back into some albums that I haven't touched in a while. I have found that depending what I am working on on, I may not enjoy listening to new music. Sometimes it's comforting to hear what you already know. So earlier this year, I went back and listening to some R.E.M. bootlegs that had gotten an official release with deluxe editions of some of the earlier IRS-era albums. This was also influenced by the fact the R.E.M. was to release a new album this year. I'll cover my feeling on the R.E.M. breakup in another post, but it was nice to look back on the band in their younger days and pick out influences that I overlooked when In was younger that I now know and love (The Velvet Underground, Patti Smith, Wire, Gang of Four, T. Rex). I think it was a good time to end their run, and that Toronto show 7/9/1983 was really great.

Two other bands I care about went on infinite hiatus/split this year as well. One was The White Stripes. It's not surprising with how much Jack has been busy with other things that the Stripes were on the way out. I think it's great that they left a legacy of six studio records, never once embarrassed themselves, and stuck true to the diy vision they started with. The other band that went on infinite hiatus was Wolf Parade. Their third album from last year, Expo '86, was great. I love how the band combines the unique sythn melodies of Spencer Krug with the working-man guitar of Dan Boeckner with both having their own songs. I also have deep interest in all the Montreal bands these guys have been a part of over the years and continue to work with (Frog Eyes, Sunset Rubdown, Handsome Furs).

Beside Expo '86, the other album from 2010 I really got into was Warpaint's The Fool. On hearing the album, you can just imagine these girls out in the desert as the sun goes down, playing their haunting, brooding songs to the cacti that surround them. I really look forward to another release from these guys.

My favorites from 2011 are as follows:

Colin Stetson: New History of Warfare, Vol II
Stetson makes a "jazz" record using his instrument of choice: the bass saxophone, and basically that alone. The incredible part is how it was recorded. The liner notes say it was "captured entirely live in single takes at Montreal's Hotel2Tango studio, with no overdubs or looping, using over 20 mics positioned close and far throughout the live room. Guest vocals by Laurie Anderson and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) are the only exceptions to this rule, along with one brief French horn that was multi-tracked." Most were recorded on the first take. On first listen, that is really hard to believe. Drum sounds, electronics patterns, and non saxaphone melodies seem to be found throughout despite their absence while the music is moving, and seems to be filled with dread. So, although the story of how this record was recorded is amazing, the music stands on it's own, with or without the knowledge about it's creation. And if you know the story, it an even more impressive work.

Tune-Yards: W h o k i l l
No, it's not lo-fi anymore. And yeah, it still sounds good. A great mashup of styles here, with amplified overdrive uke, looping vocals, and dubby beats. Mix that with the feral voice of Merrill Garbus and it's unforgettable.

Wye Oak: Civilian
I have a soft spot for two piece bands, especially when they don't sound overly minimal. This is dynamic folky dream pop at it's best. I had not heard about this Merge band before this record, their third release, so I look forward to going back and catching up.

Okkervil River: I Am Very Far
I hadn't really gotten into this band's early releases, but I spent some time with last year's True Love Cast Out All Evil by Roky Erickson with Okkervil River as the backing band, who are both from Texas. It sounds like the band segued to a much larger, more experimental sound from those sessions and created a dense, moving album.

M83: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Can it get larger than Saturdays = Youth? Yes, it can. Although the last album mined cinematic sounds of the 80s, Anthony Gonzalez went for all out aural overload. Bigger drummers, sythns, and loud vocals come from every corner and gladly make this a surprisingly double album with no filler.

WU LYF: Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
The most interesting bands are hard to classify. These guys have that. You have little to no idea what lead singer Ellery James Roberts is saying, with his Tom Wait-as-a-punk vocals, but you want to sing along. Anthematic and moving, isn't that what makes music? Just remember, dollar is not your friend!

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.

The Fall :: Your Future, Our Clutter

I mean, how does The Fall do it? We are talking 1976 to present and still coming out with great new music. Although I am sure not all the music they have put out over the years is top shelf, this new disc, Your Future, Our Clutter make you wonder how they are still coming out with new, moving, relevant tunes. My familiarity with the band comes mainly from the 50,000 Fans compilation, so I have listened to every album my any means. I feel that Your Future definitely comes in as one of their best, but even kills bands half their age with energy, experimentation, and execution. They have even outlived the bands they have inspired in their wake (i.e. Pavement (but now reformed!), The Birthday Party, etc). Some day soon, I'll sit down with Mark E. Smith to go through their 27 other albums and 27 plus different versions of the band. Until then, thanks for continuing to be The Fall!

My 2009 Listening Habits

I often look back on top album list of the last few years and realized how much I liked the music from that particular year. 2006 was great, but wait, so was 2003, and so on... Reviewing top album lists of the last few years reveals bands I got into later or have continued to craft exceptional now sounds. This year, I decided to do a little review of my 2009 listening habits.

My biggest musical influence of the year was Africa. I started a little last year exploring sounds related to Vampire Weekend high-life copping debut and thinking about how much music comes out of that continent alone that I am unfamiliar with. I also realized that in many ways, music I love has a large African influence. I trace this back to the Talking Heads. I was never a world music fan per say, which I always felt was just skimming the top surface of music from around the world and probably missing the really cool stuff underneath the surface. But really, all music is “world” music when considered in the broad context. That being said, I really loved last years exploration of world music with DJ/Rupture. Uproot was amazingly sequenced with great sounds that made me want to hear the samples in their original context, and was definitely my most spun record of the past year. What's not to like about mashing up dub, French house sounds, German breakcore, turntablism, Brooklyn beats, modern classical, etc in one mighty mix that showcases music from all over. A record of travels and a truly sublime look at the unity between music from all continents.

Getting back to the Talking Heads: they used music from around the world to influence their sound and continued to explore that throughout their career. Byrne later when on to form Luaka Bop records and release music from around the world as well. I enjoyed his second album with Eno, which I caught up with this year.

Talking Heads also had a large funk influence on their bass sound throughout their career, and Tina Weymouth cited James Brown as an influence, the “originator” of funk. Following that thought, it could be argued that all funk originates in Africa. One record that really struck me as a “wow” moment was Analog Africa's African Scream Contest. With some mighty sounds from Togo and Benin in the 70's, it was a record that reminded how much great music is out there, even from 30 years ago. It also showed that James Brown was not just influenced by Africa, but that he influenced them back. Tons of grooves, lots of screams, amazing drumming, and a whole lot of funk. Just amazing.

My African interests also extended to Fela Kuti and other Afro-Beat bands he influenced. I really liked the new Nomo disc, which had lots of Fela-like sounds going on. Even last years TV On The Radio disc had Fela to thank, with Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra adding cool horns throughout.

I find my interest in older music widening every year, but I find it especially fun to go back and revisit legacy artists that I grew up with, but maybe have not listened to for quite a few years, especially critically. The library cd lending system let me get to hear lots of Bruce Springsteen this year. I also went back to Elvis Costello's Get Happy!! with it's great R&B sounds. It reminded me of my younger days, but also had lots to offer on renewed listens.

Other older library favorites were the Nuggets I and II box sets. Both had interesting tracks from the best of American garage rock and from around the world. I can see why record collectors dig through crates to find albums and singles by these forgotten (and remembered) songs. It was an interesting take on the 60s pre-hippie era that I really love, and the tracks therein influence most all the music I enjoy from the last 50 years in various forms.

I also caught up on a few of last years albums, including, Fleet Foxes Northwestern take on psych-folk harmonies, Deerhoof's Offend Maggie angular jams, and M83's John Hughes baiting Saturdays=Youth.

Two (quite different) live albums that I really enjoyed listening two this year were Kraftwerk Minimum-Maximum and Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963. If anyone doubts Kraftwerk's influence on modern sounds and music as diverse as Bowie (!!), electro, early hip-hop, synth rock, etc, this album documents why they were innovators. The audience clearly enjoys hearing these tracks played in a live setting, and everything sounds fresh, even through most of the material is quite old. Sam Cooke, on the other hand, really made me appreciate his voice. Most of his material I have heard was soulful, but did strike me as particularly raw. This live album shows him completely in control of the crowd and his voice (ha ha!), with great urgency. Highly enjoyable.

Finally, I get to the 2009 stuff that I really dug. Number one was definitely Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca. Having listened and enjoyed there previous work, this album took their sounds to another level without compromising there unique sound. Great vocal harmonies from the girls, lots of enthusiastic drumming, David's crazy falsetto and high necked strumming made for a great album that really stood out as completely different from anything else going on. Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest was another highlight. When Grizzly Bear opened for Radiohead in 2008, Jonny Greenwood, at the end of the tour, thanked his "favorite band in the world" for opening for them. That was some high regard, which I questioned whether Grizzly Bear deserved. After Veckatimest, that question is answered. They continue to expand on there baroque-psych harmonies and deliver a great album. A fun album from last year was Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Having heard of them before but never listening to an entire an album, this band arrived fully formed and ready two go, with three albums behind them. A great driving album with fun sounds from the French boys. Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion arrived to high critical acclaim, and although I still like Feels the best, the super deep, dubby bass lines and fun songs (for me at least) made it a highlight. On opposite spectrums of the albums sounds, I especially loved My Girls and No More Runnin. The hooks were hooky and the sounds were out there. Still a love it or hate it band for most it seems. Finally, I really liked Passion Pit debut for some crazy synth sounds and male high high falsetto.

Overall a fun year in music listening for me. If I can cover half the stylistically ground next year, maybe it will be an Asian year? Probably not. Until then though...