Best of 2012 - ZH Version

I have to admit that this past year in music was fairly uninspiring for me. There were a lot of albums I liked, few that I loved. Very few that I liked from start to finish without throw-away tracks. It was definitely more of a mix tape year for me. Nevertheless, here are the best of the bunch and the ones in heaviest rotation for me. I hope for good things in 2013 and I know there are a few promising releases on the horizon.


10. The Heavy - The Glorious Dead

I don't really know what the popular consensus is on these guys and I feel like this is kind of a guilty pleasure sort of pick, but I don't care because I really enjoy listening to this album. With the exception of Big Bad Wolf (which would have been really good as an instrumental), I find myself listening to and singing along with this disc over and over again during my commute home. There's definitely a Black Keys vibe which makes it an obvious pick, but again, I don't care. I like it. It's fun. Screw you, hipsters.


9. Jack White - Blunderbuss

I had high hopes for this one, and in the end, I think they were too high. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great album, well crafted, well produced, appropriately varied. I just feel like it's not very memorable. I don't see myself choosing to put this album on over any of the White Stripes ones. That being said, the guy's still a genius. Trash Tongue Talker, Love Interruption and I'm Shakin' are among the year's best songs. I also love his marketing scheme. He used the same template he used for the White Stripes' ever-present red and white motif and built a new black and blue brand in his own name, complete with the classic "III" logo and alternating all-male and all-female touring bands. This dude is a showman and he knows how to do it right. I really enjoyed seeing him this last summer and I think his live show made the album sparkle a little more. I expect his next solo effort to be mind-blowing.


8. Menomena - Moms

This is another one I was probably too excited about. I like everything these guys have done, but I was always less impressed with the tracks built off Brent Knopf's ideas. Then he quit the band. Perfect, I thought, I love this band and now the only part of it I don't care for is gone. It's like distilling the band down to a potent and extremely satisfying Menomena extract. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite hit the mark as I'd expected. I'm afraid that he took with him not only the blah synth based meanderings, but also some important part of the song creation process. Several of these songs lack the depth and layers I love from Friend and Foe and Mines. I've described their unique songwriting process on this blog previously so I won't go into it again, but it seems they've also ditched that innovative method on this album. Still (by now you've probably picked up on a theme in this post), this album has some really awesome songs. Plumage, Capsule and Skintercourse are outstanding and some of my favorite tracks they've ever recorded. I got to see them play live three times this fall and you can be sure I'll catch them again next time they come back home for a show.


7. Django Django - Django Django

Sir RJD introduced me to these guys when he came to visit in September and I've been hooked ever since. I think he summarized it well on his list so I won't go into great detail, but Default and Love's Dart are particularly noteworthy and this album played a lot in my house over the last few months of the year.


6. Air - Le Voyage Dans La Lune

This is probably the only album I loved from the first track to the last, probably because it's concept nature makes it one continuous piece. It's actually a score for the movie of the same name. The movie was from the dawn of filmmaking (it's the one featured in the movie Hugo) and it's silent. These guys decided it needed some music behind it and this is what they came up with. They screened the film here many months back with the soundtrack and I regrettably missed it, but I have a feeling it's pretty impressive. The album stands alone quite well and has a proggy, 2001 A Space Odyssey feel at times. I think it was the first album I bought in 2012 and one of the best.


5. The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now

It's pretty much a given that any time TTMOE or WEW releases an album, it's going to be in my top five of the year. Again, RJD has summarized this album nicely and it's more of the same from a rare folk talent. I hope he keeps making records for a long, long time and, after missing him play free shows in Portland several times in years past, I'm glad that I finally got to see him perform live for the first time.


4. Japandroids - Celebration Rock

It took me a while to get into these guys. They had heaps of praise piled on them after Post Nothing came out a few years ago. I got that album, but I didn't quite see the brilliance, or maybe I didn't give a chance. This one by the Vancouver BC twosome grabbed me rather quickly and grew with each subsequent listen. It's short and sweet and is pure energy from top to bottom. Another great show I saw this year, their set at the Wonder Ballroom was their first back on the west coast and they showed very much love to their brethren to the south by playing the entire album plus most of Post Nothing and many early single and EP tracks.


3. Grizzly Bear - Shields; Daniel Rossen - Silent Hour/Golden Mile

I was treated twice this year by Daniel Rossen, so I decided to lump these two albums together at number three. Not only did we get the usual melodic perfection of a new Grizzly Bear album, but DR decided to issue an EP of the songs he wrote that didn't make it onto Shields. A big Department of Eagles fan, I say the more Rossen the better and I'm always moved by his songs. It's pretty incredible that the songs on Silent Hour didn't make the final cut because they're all excellent. There is an unmistakable George Harrison sound on this disc that keeps me coming back. Golden Mile is a great track that I hesitate to call the highlight, because really the album is solid all the way through. Favorite songs on the Grizzly Bear album change every time I listen to it (this happens to me with every GB album) but right now I'd say Sleeping Ute, A Simple Answer and Gun-Shy stand out.


2. The Evens - The Odds

I've found in recent years that some of my favorite albums end up being ones I didn't expect. They're from artists I don't know who make music I don't typically seek out. But there's always something I was craving that I wasn't aware of and these albums reach me at the exact right time. Last year the album was from Tune-Yards. This year it's The Evens. Their slightly produced baritone guitar, drums and tag team vocals set up scratched an itch I didn't know I had. I've never been a big Fugazi fan, but this slowed down, stripped down approach to punk works well. The songs are infectious and I couldn't ever seem to stay away very long. The whole album is really good, but check out King of Kings, Sooner or Later, Broken Finger and Architects Sleep to get started. This is one band whose back catalog I can't wait to dive into.


1. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do

This album came out in early summer and I said after the first listen that it was the best of the year to that point. It became the benchmark against which all other albums of 2012 were judged. She writes incredibly catchy songs and pours so much soul into them vocally that they're just plain fun to listen to. And her voice is really what it's about. Accompanied by only her keyboard and percussion you can literally feel the emotion on tracks like Every Single Night and Daredevil. She took her time for this release and its flawlessness shows. I think the reason this one rose so high on my list was again the Tune-Yard effect. I think this album and Whokill share a lot of similarities and if I never get to fulfill my dream of seeing WEW and TTMOE play a double bill together I think seeing Merrill and Fiona would be the next best thing.



Despite my negativity about the year that was in music, this is a solid list. I was lucky enough to see four of the above bands perform live and will plan to see a fifth (Django Django) in March. I don't get to see and hear as much live music as I once did, but I am grateful every day that these heroes of mine (superheroes, really) are still traveling around the world to let their fans experience their brilliance live. The definite highlight of my year musically was attending MFNW with RJD. We packed in three days of live shows, catching some of our all time favorites while also discovering some new surprises (I predict Tango Alpha Tango will officially arrive in 2013). Thanks for sharing a great weekend and I hope we can do it again sooner than later.

Below, in sticking with the format, I've included my best of list for 2012, an album I've titled 2012 in Rearview. Enjoy.

2012 in Rearview

1. Astronomic Club - Air
2. Elephant - Tame Impala
3. Default - Django Django
4. Sooner or Later - The Evens
5. Plumage - Menomena
6. A Simple Answer - Grizzly Bear
7. Black Cloud - Tango Alpha Tango
8. Who - David Byrne & St. Vincent
9. Daredevil - Fiona Apple
10. The Lonesome Road - The Heavy
11. About To Die - Dirty Projectors
12. Little Brother - The Tallest Man On Earth
13. Trash Tongue Talker - Jack White
14. Hold On - Alabama Shakes
15. The House That Heaven Built - Japandroids
16. To Break Into - Tu Fawning

RJD's 12 Best Albums of 2012

Being the end is near (anytime now according to the Mayans), I present my best albums of 2012.  Enjoy (if you have time.)


12. Storm Corrosion - "Storm Corrosion"
(5/8/12, Roadrunner [Sweden/UK])

For fans of Opeth, Porcupine Tree, King Crimson
Premium cuts: Drag Ropes, Lock Howl, Storm Corrosion


11. Fiona Apple - "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do"
(6/19/12, Epic [USA])

For fans of Tori Amos, Billie Holiday, Mazzy Star
Premium cuts: Hot Knife, Periphery, Jonathan


10. Witchcraft - "Legend"
(9/21/12, Nuclear Blast [Sweden])

For fans of Graveyard, Pentagram, Tool
Premium cuts: White Light Suicide, It's Not Because Of You, Dystopia


9. 3 Inches Of Blood - "Long Live Heavy Metal"
(3/27/12, Century Media [Canada])

For fans of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio
Premium cuts: Dark Messenger, Leather Lord, 4000 Torches


8. Sean Rowe - "The Salesman And The Shark"
(8/27/12, -Anti [USA])

For fans of Andrew Bird, Bill Withers, Tom Waits
Premium cuts: Horses, The Ballad Of Buttermilk Falls, The Lonely Maze


7. Menahan Street Band - "The Crossing"
(10/30/12, Dunham Records [USA])

For fans of The Budos Band, Mondo Cane, El Michels Affair
Premium cuts: Sleight Of Hand, Three Faces, Lights Out


6. Baroness - "Yellow & Green"
(7/16/12, Relapse [USA])

A common trend among many of my admired metal bands over the past few years has been to write an album with smaller cojones. That may be too harsh of a description, as groups getting in touch with their softer side has lead to some killer material (case in point, last years #5 album of the year; Opeth's "Heritage"). Baroness had this in mind heading into the studio to record "Yellow & Green", knowing very well fans may be polarized with less aggression. The result was far from delicate. Songs like "Eula" and "The Lines Between" have enough beef and fire to support the Donner party. The boys from Savannah, GA, also seem to have opted for an early 90s rock groove, sounding very much like the Meat Puppets ("Collapse") and Quicksand ("Psalms Alive"). If this represents the new Baroness, a fourth album entitled "Magenta" would still come off as ferocious.

For fans of Mastodon, Meat Puppets, The Moody Blues
Premium cuts: Eula, Cocainium, Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)


5. Django Django - "Django Django"
(10/9/12, Ribbon Music [UK])

It has been a while since a more mainstream, alternative, pop rock band with radio airplay has sparked my interest in any meaningful way. Part of the reason Django Django has been able to accomplish this feat is due to nostalgia. The music on their full length debut is a continuation of vocal harmony and electronic synth as introduced by The Beta Band in the late 90s. Having listened to The Beta Band since my introduction following the "Sell Five Copies" scene from the movie High Fidelity, I have loved their distinctive style. Django Django has tapped into the same vein with DJ sampling and breakbeats mixed with acoustic rock and surf pop. The beats are absolutely infectious throughout Django Django. Consider the torch passed.

For fans of The Beta Band, The Beach Boys, Archie Bronson Outfit
Premium cuts: Default, Hail Bop, Love's Dart


4. The Tallest Man On Earth - "There's No Leaving Now"
(6/12/12, Dead Oceans [Sweden])

Folk artists take note; there is no one better than The Tallest Man On Earth. Kristian Matsson may only be 5'7", but his music is gargantuan. On his third LP, Mr. Matsson uses more production to give his music a bigger sound, compared to his previously more rustic albums. His songwriting remains second to none with a voice Dylan purists miss (see "Tempest.") Hearing the majority of "There's No Leaving Now" live added to my appreciation of this album. Stripped down and played acoustic, these songs stand out even more and continue with TTMOE's track record of being yet to write a song that wasn't instantly memorable. Only three albums and 2 EPs into his career, the Tallest Man is already among the upper echelon of folk songwriters. Here's hoping he stays true to his word and doesn't leave anytime soon.

For fans of Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, William Elliott Whitmore
Premium cuts: Little Brother, Wind And Walls, Revelation Blues


3. Graveyard - "Lights Out"
(11/6/12, Nuclear Blast [Sweden])

I am convinced that Sweden has more musical talent per capita than any other country. Four albums on this list are from Sweden. Three of my favorite artists hail from the land of meatballs and lutfisk; Opeth, The Tallest Man On Earth and Graveyard. Graveyard also claimed the crown for "best album of 2011" with the monumental "Hisingen Blues." Their follow-up album "Lights Outs" continues the bands trend of psychedelic blues, southern-fried "classic" rock/metal. Joakim Nilsson and crew has gotten the "Led out" yet another time in a mere 18 months. The music on their 3rd full length album is just as good as their previous efforts with vocals sounding like it was spewed from classic rock pioneers and riffs as catchy as anything heard at Woodstock. This rollicking, rock music is contagiously fun in a time where the whole world seems like it could use a little. For full effect, "Lights Out" is best served loud. Skål!

For fans of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Sword
Premium cuts: Endless Night, An Industry Of Murder, The Suits, The Law & The Uniforms


2. Enslaved - "RIITIIR"
(10/9/12, Nuclear Blast [Norway])

Most individuals mellow out as they become long(er) in the tooth. However, as I have aged (to my ripe old mid-thirtysomething's), my taste in music has become much heavier. Thrash metal of the 80's (in the vain of Megadeth [the greatest thrash metal band of all time] and Metallica) was the start. Followed by more radio-friendly rock/metal. Over the past few years, my auditory "palate" has expanded to enjoy Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, New Wave Of Swedish Death Metal and Progressive Death Metal (a recent favorite.) Enslaved is the newest extreme band I have become quite fond of and has introduced me to Progressive Viking Metal (check out the Map Of Metal.) "RIITIIR" is the 12th studio album from Norway's Enslaved and the 5th with their current (and best) lineup. Following heavy rotation of their back catalog, one can hear an increasing progressive element akin to Pink Floyd and King Crimson, which is undoubtedly why this album stands out. It is amazingly heavy with guttural roars and clean vocals throughout. At times, Grutle Kjellson's vocals sound like an orc from Middle Earth whom has overdosed on helium (this description doesn't come off as bad-ass as he actually sounds.)  That all being said, these vikings retain their musicianship without compromising brutality. Conventional time signatures need not apply as several different span throughout even a single song. Chaos rules in this epic, bombastic, metal masterpiece.

For fans of Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Dream Theater
Premium cuts: Roots Of The Mountain, Thoughts Like Hammers, Death In The Eyes Of Dawn


1. Matt Elliott - "The Broken Man"
(1/16/12, Ici d'ailleurs... [UK/France])

"The Broken Man" is haunting and this is because Matt Elliott is scary good... Literally. He is a gifted songwriter and his music is incredibly eerie. From Bistol, United Kingdom, this limey has been creating music for over a decade ranging from electronic/drum and bass to ambient soundscapes. He has recently opened my eyes to a new genre of music dubbed "dark folk" (for a great collection of dark folk music check out the 2010 compilation album "Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings.") "The Broken Man" is primarily a solitary man and his acoustic guitar. Elliott's guitar picking technique is similar to toque played in flamenco music. But the most memorable part of his craft is his voice which is absolutely entrancing, almost hypnotizing. His deep, bass intonation is both wicked and soothing. The album starts with "Oh How We Fell," which begins with a simple guitar strum and builds until the sounds of a choir (and quite possibly cherubs) accompany our storyteller. This album is layered with so many different accents from bells, piano and chimes to barks, chants and ghosts(?). The lyrics on "Dust Flesh and Bone" include "still you yearn for contact but the burden that you shoulder means you'll never trust a living soul again. This is how it feels to be alone." WARNING: the severely (or even mildly) depressed should not spin the record for risk of commitment. Despite its bleak lyrics, "The Broken Man" is a beautiful, unique recording with a sound unlike any I have heard before. And as a result, has been christened my "best" album of 2012.

For those in the right mood for something completely different.
Premium cuts: Dust Flesh and Bones, Oh How We Fell, This Is For



Best Songs of 2012:
1. "Little Brother" - The Tallest Man On Earth
2. "Phantom In The Valley" - Howlin Rain
3. "Endless Night" - Graveyard
4. "Secular Haze" - Ghost
5. "Horses" - Sean Rowe
6. "Epic Castles" - Toadies
7. "White Light Suicide" - Witchcraft
8. "Sleight Of Hand" - Menahan Street Band
9. "Default" - Django Django
10. "The Lion's Roar" - First Aid Kit
11. "Mary Lou" - Black Mountain
12. "Spiritual Rites" - High On Fire

2012 Half Full

Now that 2012 is half in the bag, here are 6 albums we feel are definitely worth a spin...

Jerome Turner:
First Aid Kit - "The Lion's Roar"

Band Of Skulls - "Sweet Sour"

Hoffelt:
Fiona Apple - "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do"

Jack White - "Blunderbuss"

RJD:
Howlin Rain - "The Russian Wilds"

Matt Elliott - "The Broken Man"

Enjoy.

Goodbye MCA

Rest in peace Adam. You will be missed.

Happy Record Store Day.

Kate's collection of LPs is now up to three with today's addition of Lou Reed - Transformer.

I treated myself to the entire White Stripes early 7" collection.

I love Music Millennium, but not today. Crowded, picked over and incredibly long lines. From now on Jackpot will be my first and hopefully only stop on RSD.

Redemption

Statistics show that nine out of ten people don’t give a shit about end-of-the-year lists in February. But I have to finish. Thankfully, this is the easiest review to write because although I have probably written more about the Black Keys than any other band on this blog so far, I still have plenty more to say.

They did several remarkable things with the release of El Camino last year. First they out-glammed themselves. Gold on the Ceiling (which, by the way, despite being on the cusp of becoming most overplayed song of all time, remains arguably the best song they’ve ever recorded) is even better than their previous glittery entry, the also outstanding Howlin’ For You. Then they out-siblinged themselves. Last year’s Unknown Brother is trumped by the urgently catchy Sister. Hell, they even out Stairway-ed Led Zeppelin with the mind-bogglingly good Little Black Submarines. The most important thing they did, though, was teach me that expanding a fan base and winning awards does not necessarily lead to selling out or watering down (I’m looking squarely at you Kings of Leon). Brothers was a really, really good album. El Camino is, against all odds, better in every way possible.

I think the most obvious improvement for me is that they’ve perfected their expanded sound by reeling it in a bit. Attack and Release, the previous collaboration with Danger Mouse, was probably the beginning of the more fleshed out sound and vintage, hooky sheen, and although it was very good and included some of my favorite BK tracks (Psychotic Girl is legendary), it did tend to meander a bit. Both it and El Camino are 11 tracks long, but for me A&R feels longer. I think they’ve discovered the ability to present a theme, build on it and end it in a satisfying manner in around four minutes. For me, there wasn’t a single wasted second on this album.

I could go on about each track on the album but I won’t. There are no highlights because every song is top notch. I think I’ve had at least five favorite songs so far and my current one is Stop Stop. The intro to that song will always put me in a good mood. They groove they lay down is so thick and tasty I wish I could take a bite out of it every time I hear it.

Among all their achievements with this album, I really do think, in all honesty, the most amazing one was ending up at the top of my list. The inevitable Grammys, sold out shows and platinum status that will come will probably mean more to the band, but I think ending up here at number one in my little world is a commendable achievement. First off, the last review I wrote was more or less a eulogy for the old band and a prep for the mainstream shadow of themselves I was expecting to hear and see next. Almost as if they responded to the challenge, they came back, the next year mind you, and made something even better and truer to their identity as a band than Brothers. In fact, they not only responded to my challenge in kind, but they threw back a challenge of their own by releasing the record in December. The last month of the Goddamn year. When I’d pretty much already assembled my list. It was clear early on that it would make the list, but with less then a month to absorb it, how high would it climb? I think the same thing happened on a lot of higher profile best-of lists as well. It showed up on some lists, in the mix but never even sniffing top ten. On others it wasn’t mentioned at all. I like to think this was a strategic move on their part in this game we call celebrity. By squeezing it in late, they were able to avoid some of the overexposure associated with the hype machine. They were able to let the album slowly ooze into our collective consciousness rather than letting the media shove it down our throats.

The band was interviewed in Filter magazine recently. Dan Auerbach said this: “I really like making records. If we had more time, we’d probably make two records a year. Bands used to make two records a year. I don’t know when it got shifted into making a record every three of four years. It’s stupid to me.” Reading these lines made me think of the closing track on the album, the confident Mind Eraser. The song ends with the refrain “Don’t let it be over.” These were the words I was saying last year after Brothers came out. What a relief to know that not only is it not over, it’s getting better. And every indication suggests that it will continue.

Meet Annie

It has the weird-pop (I’ll coin that now) vibe and distinctive female vocals of Whokill. It has references to the Bourgeoisie and songs about Tigers like Mirror Traffic. It has that satisfying mix of straight-forward songwriting and experimental electricity/eclecticity (I’ll coin that too) of The Whole Love (or at least Art of Almost). It has the supreme guitar presence of my number one album of the year. It was created by Annie Clark, who did covers of Downtown Train and Big Black Mariah live last year, so Tom Waits and his Bad As Me are clearly influences. It rocks the Moog synthesizer just like In the Mountain in the Cloud. It is St. Vincent’s Strange Mercy and it is very, very good.

The gateway song here is Cheerleader. It starts out with a delicate guitar and violin plucks for the first fifty seconds before abruptly blasting into the fuzzed out staccato guitar and sonic synthesizer of the chorus as she sings "I, I, I, I, I don't want to be a cheerleader no more." The song alternates between these soft and loud motifs with a gradual subtle build that kicks in fully at about 2:50. This slow, almost imperceptible build is something that happens a lot on the album and probably one of the reasons I'm so drawn to it. Another reason I like it so much is that as I began to get into the album one song would turn the key and open the door to another that I'd overlooked initially. The next song, Surgeon, is one that I didn't may much initial attention to, but then one day I noticed the funkadelic guitar/synthesizer/bass solo and accelerating melody of the conclusion and I was hooked. Going back and listening now, I appreciate the brilliance of the dreamy beginning as it builds to the frenzied end. From there, I gradually peeled back layer after layer and discovered a gem of an album that consists of eleven amazing and original songs that fit beautifully together as a cohesive unit.

The thing I love the most, I think, about this album is the presence of the guitar. More than Annie's voice even, I think her guitar work is the star of the show. From the distorted order-in-chaos of Northern Lights to the crunch of Neutered Fruit to the funk giving way to prog on Dilettante to the swaggered groove that runs through the closer, Year of the Tiger, she creates a wide array of compelling sounds with her instrument of choice.

The highlight of the album, and probably one of my top five songs of the year is the title track. It has a sort of sleazy, dirty melody that makes me think of something sinister happening in the rain in a bad 80's movie. The song stops at about 2:10 save for a dreamy guitar behind the delicately sung lyric "Oh little one, I'll tell you good news that you won't believe. If it would help you sleep. Strange mercy." Then it kicks into full gear with the best build of the album (and the year) and one of the best lyrics of the year, "If I ever meet that dirty policeman who roughed you up..."

Sujfan helped her get her start and she follows his list-topping effort from last year with my second favorite album of this year. The two albums share unusual song structure, diverse instrumentation and above all an addictive sense of adventure. I can't wait to see what Annie Clark comes up with next. In the end, though, she couldn't quite edge out my top album of the year. I'm pretty sure the only reason they rushed back into the studio was to redeem themselves on the CDMC blog this year. They blew my mind last year. This year, by creating an even better album, they didn't only blow it again, they changed it too.

A Hard Day's Work

I’m not sure what else to say about William Elliott Whitmore that I haven’t already said somewhere on here before. I was in awe the first time RJD played Song of the Blackbird for me and I’ve been in awe every time I’ve heard any of his other music since. To be able to create the way he does with nothing but a guitar, banjo and his own unmistakable voice is a gift that one doesn’t come across very often. His latest album, Field Songs, doesn’t break any new ground. Thank God.

Field Songs is a sort of country-folk concept album about a hard day of labor on the farm, a labor of love. It also conveys a great sense of optimism and hopefulness, somewhat in contrast to his previous album, the brilliant and politically charged Animals in the Dark. The album opens in the morning, the first strains being the sounds of birds chirping on the farm at dawn. Then the banjo kicks in as a sort of wake up call. WEW sings about letting the sun come up and urges us to not dwell on our troubles, but rather set forth on this day, forgetting the burdens of yesterday and focusing on the work that needs to be done today. The final sounds of this song are WEW echoing the banjo melody with a fading hum over the omnipresent sounds of the outdoors.

Next up is the title track, where the work gets started. Backed by strummed guitar, he sings about digging in the dirt and getting the job done. We get to hear him describe his thoughts of better days that lie ahead, concern about government and big industry encroaching on his livelihood and visions of seeing this thing through until the day he’ll lie in peace under the black locust tree. He then proves his mettle and aptitude for the task at hand on Don’t Need It by refusing the waking cane and requesting instead the hammer and saw, backed by the determination of the guitar and driving bass drum. This is a chest-thumping man song.

The pace then slows a bit on Everything Gets Gone, allowing us a moment to reflect our mortality. We’re reminded we’re just here for a little while; that life went on before us and will go on after we’re gone. I can’t help but think he had his parents in mind when he wrote this, both of them reportedly having passed away before he was barely out of high school.

The pace and mood pick up again on Let’s Do Something Impossible. For me, this is one of the standout tracks of the whole group and I love the optimism underscored by the historical allegories. He makes the listener feel like they can do anything they set out to do with the right mix of positive attitude and determination. This determination carries over to the rumbling Get There From Here. I love traveling songs like this. Songs like these are the ones I sing when I have to be away from home for a few days and miss my family. I like to think of jumping the fence, outrunning the dogs, defying the laws of man or overcoming any other obstacle in my way to get to see them again.

As the album winds down, he switches back to the banjo for We’ll Carry On. The message here is perseverance. There’s been a great tragedy causing a significant setback, but he sings of setting sights again to the future and making the best of a difficult situation.

Which delivers us to the album closer, the powerful I Am Not Feeling Any Pain. He sings of the work being through and toasting the setting sun, taking comfort in the satisfaction of a job well done. I think of this song, and the album as a whole for that matter, as an analogy of life itself. This song sees the singer near the end of his life. He’s looking back and feeling satisfied, feeling that he lived his life honestly and virtuously, feeling that the job he did was done to the best of his ability and done well, feeling no pain of regret or sorrow. Of course it also acts as a perfect bookend to a masterpiece album. Not only does the setting sun imagery complement the rising sun imagery of Bury Your Burdens, it also borrows the same key and similar chord progression. And other than a bass drum and slightly quicker tempo, the fading hum and farm sounds at the end of these two songs are nearly identical. This clever construction of the album as a whole makes me admire it so much more. It absolutely deserves to be heard all at once in one setting.

I get into periods of WEW obsession from time to time, listening to nothing but his albums. I noticed a few days ago when doing some research that his discography includes two demo LPs from prior to Hymns of The Hopeless. I searched for quite a while to locate them for digital download, but came up empty. I did, however, come across a file containing a bundle of “demo” albums I hadn’t seen mentioned anywhere else via free download. They currently reside in my Dropbox public folder and my fellow bloggers should check them out. I haven’t gotten through all of them yet, but there are some awesome unreleased songs and some really good early versions of songs we already know. Why this stuff hasn’t seen the light of day is as baffling to me as why most of the country still doesn’t even know who WEW is.

Two to go. Strong guitar work plays a big role in the success of both. One brings to my mind the 60’s while the other conjures the 80’s, though a diverse range of influences supports both. Both offer 11 tracks of near perfection.

And Many, Many More

Happy Birthday Sir.

'Bad' So Good

Tom Waits has released, I think, 22 albums now. He is without question one of the greatest songwriters who ever lived. My beloved ANTI- record label was basically built on the success of his Mule Variations, released in 1999. He’s a part-time movie actor and always steals the show no matter how big or small the part. He’s pretty much deity who can do no wrong and he released the fourth best album of the year in 2011.

I love how succinct he is on this album, imparting a very specific mood and feel with each track without any filler (no track is over five minutes). I love how diverse he is, ranging from soulful blues on Raised Right Men to rockabilly on Get Lost to the Spanish flavored Back in the Crowd (with help from Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo’s guitar work) to 60’s R&B on the title track. I love the fact that he brings all these eclectic sources together, yet all thirteen tracks are 100% original Tom Waits. I love the energy of the first cut, Chicago, and how it immediately draws you in for the rest of the wild ride. I love imagining I’m driving down a deserted street in NYC at 3 am in a black and white movie from the 70’s while listening to the desperately lonely Kiss Me. I love the incredibly fun cover/parody/tribute Satisfaction and the fact that “Mr. Richards” plays guitar on it. I love the perfectly organized chaos of Hell Broke Luce. I love the closing ballad New Year’s Eve and how it sounds like every other Tom Waits song in the catalog – in the best way possible. I love that this is the album he created at age 62 and that he shows no signs of slowing down.

The top three of the year were harder to organize than I expected. Their pedigrees went a long way toward landing them this high on the list. One placed third on my year-end list with his previous release and, much more impressively, made my favorite album of the 2000’s. Another one just barely missed scoring the top spot on last year’s list and came in at number two. The other got a first big break in the touring band of the creator of last year’s number one album. Decisions, decisions. I guess the good part is that I can’t really go wrong.

Meet Merrill

I am an admitted fan of weird music. From Fiery Furnaces to Dirty Projectors to Man Man to, obviously and especially, Mr. Bungle, some of my favorite bands don’t stick to the usual paradigm. Some might call them noisy or irritating. I call them beautiful and the thing that attracts me to bands such as these is that I find them challenging. Much like a crossword puzzle or an organic chemistry equation, I find the process of solving a challenging band extremely rewarding. What starts out sounding like disorganized chaos or clutter slowly takes shape with each successive listen as new depths and layers of sound reveal themselves. In the end, I’m left with not just a thoroughly enjoyable music experience but also the satisfaction of being of the few people to truly figure out the band’s genius. Tune-Yards, the stage moniker of one Merrill Garbus, is one of these bands and her 2011 release WHOKILL is a work of brilliance.

These challenging records usually have to have at least one song that grabs me on the first listen in order to want me coming back for more. That song on this album was Powa. The soft, lilting guitar strains that open lead into the main chord progression and easy beat. Then at one minute into the song, Merrill’s vocals kick in and you’d swear it was Steve Perry circa “Lights”. The chill vibe and smoothness of this track made it one of my favorite songs of the year. The last 30 seconds feature her hitting high notes that would make any pop diva envious. This song was the key to unlocking the rest of the album, where Merrill’s vocals are the star. Where they may sound shrill and off-putting to some at first, repeated careful listening will reveal that she has a truly remarkable gift.

Another characteristic of this weird music genre is that its bands difficult to characterize or classify. She takes bits and pieces of other genres and mashes them together to make something completely unique and original. Bizness makes use of an Afro-beat groove. Doorstep incorporates 60’s R&B vocals. Wolly Wolly Gong is a spooky, folky lullaby. Es-So is free-form jazz craziness. All of these varied components, along with looped percussion, occasional horn blasts, well-placed guitar strikes and ukulele plucks come together perfectly and result in something really special and refreshing.

What really elevated WHOKILL on my list this year was seeing her perform it live. I was very curious to see how she’d pull it off, since so much of the album seemed synthetic and produced. To my surprise and utter amazement, she more or less performed all songs by herself live, the only exceptions being her supporting cast of two saxophonists and one bass player. Armed with a standing drum kit, several microphones, a ukulele and probably a dozen looping pedals, she creates these richly layered compositions basically singlehandedly (well, two handed and one footedly). I think I stood with mouth hanging open in awe for the first fifteen minutes of the show and was bummed, but invigorated, when it was over. She brings back something for me that I haven’t felt in a long time – the desire to create my own music. Yep, she inspires me. Check out this live performance of Gangsta to get a taste.

The next old fella on the list inspires me too. He’s not one on the list of performers I got to see live this year, but he is most certainly on my list of people to see before I die. RJD, one day this will happen.

Bowielicious

This year’s In The Mountain in the Cloud is Portugal. The Man’s sixth studio album. Their first, Waiter “You Vultures!” was released in 2006. When you consider these two facts it shouldn’t take long to realize a third very impressive one. Yes, this band has released a full-length album every year for the last six years. Add to that five EPs since 2005 and nearly endless touring and you’ve got one hard-working band. Their frenzied pace and dedication to their craft have resulted in a cultivated sound that continues to build and improve with each subsequent release. 2010’s American Ghetto landed the seventh place on last year’s list and they move up a spot to sixth this year.

David Bowie has clearly been an influence on P.TM’s sound and it has never been more clearly evident than on this album, starting right out of the gates with So American. A spacy synth melody kicks it off and leads into a gently strummed guitar progression. The song then continues to layer and build further and further into the atmosphere until it settles into a comfortable little orbit right next to Major Tom. Though released in July, I was pretty sure this album was going to end up somewhere on this list based on the strength of that song alone. With masterful use of synthesizer, strings and singer John Gourley’s falsetto, the rest of the album is more of the same. I won’t pick out album highlights here because I can say without reservation that each and every song is outstanding. I do, however, have to make mention of the fourth track, the electrifying Senseless. It immediately kicks you in the face with it’s urgent, driving beat, and proceeds to the breathtaking conclusion replete with multivocalist chanting and pounding piano and gradually increasing reverb until it transcends this world and echoes through the ether into silence. I was fortunate enough to see them play in December for the first time. They were as great live as I’d expected and I was thrilled that they paid homage to their idol with a spot on cover of Oh You Pretty Things.

This was a tough album for me to place as there are some days when I think it deserves to be higher than number six. The decisions only get harder from here as I crack the top five. The next two have jockeyed for position for the last several weeks. Both are solo artists. Both find success with strong, distinct voices and unorthodox instrumentation. One is relatively new to the scene, this year’s breakout being just her second album. The other is a seasoned veteran whose current release is his 22^nd and, much like P.TM, was known to release an album a year (sometimes two!) in his prime.

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Welcome Back Wilco

Wilco has been one of my favorite bands since the first time I heard Summerteeth in 1999. From there I had the joy of working backwards through their catalog as well as following them forward through landmark album after landmark album (including both Mermaid Avenue volumes). Tweedy and company couldn’t seem to miss. Even their foray into bright, poppy, 70’s classic-rock-soaked material, 2007’s Sky Blue Sky, was given my stamp of approval, though I must admit that I was a little concerned about the direction they were headed. My fears were heightened with the release of their follow up with the oh-so-cheeky title, Wilco (The Album). This one was lacking inspiration, dull and, for me at least, generally unlistenable. The album was bad enough that I began to question whether they’d ever be able to right the ship.

For a little more historical perspective, I need to say that what I loved about Wilco’s sound prior to W(TA) was that they crafted beautiful and memorable songs that always broke new ground, experimented with new sounds and song structures and was ever changing and pushing the envelope. Many blame the change of direction on Tweedy’s rebirth from prescription drug abusing rock star to sobered up family man. The lack of angst, some hypothesized, led to his creating breezy and forgettable material. I really did begin to wonder if they would regain that spark. I was glad to learn that they had with The Whole Love.

When I reflect on this album, I have to reluctantly consider using the word “Beatlesesque”. I hate to use it because I hate words that sound made up, like Pickwickian or athleticism. Nevertheless, the greatest band of all time undoubtedly influenced this album. Then, I began to reflect on Wilco’s career in general and couldn’t help but draw comparisons between theirs and the Beatles. Both were responsible for helping to launch a brand new genre of music (rock and roll for the Beatles, alt-country for Wilco). Both were prolific and consistently good, playing amazing live sets. Most importantly, both continued to challenge themselves to go further. At first I was tempted to say they both reinvented themselves, but on second thought I don’t think this is an accurate description. When I think of a band reinventing itself, I think if Radiohead (with success) or Metallica (with miserable failure). No, I think a better way to put it is that both Wilco and the Beatles continued to evolve. The nuts and bolts of their sound doesn’t change over the years, while the production, instrumentation, song structure, and collective individual influences each member brings to the table allow them to remain incredibly relevant and fresh.

To fit this album within the Beatles analogy, The Whole Love is Wilco’s Abbey Road (or maybe its Let It Be). The beautiful harmonies and piano on Sunloathe remind me of Abbey Road’s Because. Capitol City not only serves as the sequel to SBS’s Hate It Here, but its organ and guitar lines would fit snugly right next to Let It Be’s I’ve Got a Feeling. Other big highlights include the electronic influenced opener Art of Almost with its killer guitar solo, Born Alone with its dizzying Shepard tone finish and the lovely and introspective closing track, One Sunday Morning. I’m so glad Wilco is back and so excited to see them again when they return to Portland next month.

The album that earned the sixth spot on my list is one of two hard working bands that also made last year’s list. They blew me away with their previous album, but with solid production and big guitars, their 2011 album takes them to a higher level.