1) Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip
2) Braids - Native Speaker
3) Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
4) Wild Flag - Wild Flag
5) Austra - Feel it Break
6) Brian Eno - Drums Between the Bells
7) Cold Cave - Cherish the Light Years
8) Small Black - New Chain
9) Dreamboat - Buddies
10) Male Bonding - Endless Now
Honourable Mentions: Tune-Yards - whokill, Bibio - Mind Bokeh, Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact, Neon Indian - Era Extrana, The Horrors - Skying, Esben and the Witch - Violet Cries, Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts
Overall, I felt it was a weak year for music. My Top 2 picks are truly smazing albums. Most of the rest have great moments, but aren't mindblowing overall. In depth reviews and music from the Top 10 will start next week.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Forgotten Music #12: The Smithereens - Blood and Roses
Hailing from New Jersey, The Smithereens formed in the early 80s, playing a stripped down but powerful form of rootsy rock. The main songwriter and singer was Pat DiNizio, Their material was, for the most part, dark, with angsty lyrics, driving basslines, sort of like early R.E.M. with a meatier guitar sound, or a rootsy, proto-grunge sound. They only had one Top 40 hit, "A Girl Like You", which peaked at #38 in 1990. The band is still together and tour extensively. "Blood and Roses" comes from their 1986 album Especially for You.
Back when "Blood and Roses" came out, I was just beginning to pay attention to music. In about 1984 or 1985, music became a big part of my life, and by my grad year in 1987, I was already branching out beyond what I could hear on the radio and on MuchMusic. When I went away for university, I got involved in college radio and began to hear lots of great bands that weren't being played on commercial radio. The Smithereens were one of those bands I heard that I couldn't believe commercial radio hadn't picked up. "Blood and Roses" was catchy, it was gritty and it was earnest. It deserved to be heard. Maybe it was the angst ridden young 20 year old at the time speaking, but this song resonated with me. The chorus was incredibly moving: "I want to love but it comes out wrong, I try to live but I don't belong", appealing to the lonely and loveless life that I lived at the time, having no idea how to change my situation. But, listening to the song again today, the lyrics and music haven't lost their power.
http://youtu.be/vqML7WbOun8
Back when "Blood and Roses" came out, I was just beginning to pay attention to music. In about 1984 or 1985, music became a big part of my life, and by my grad year in 1987, I was already branching out beyond what I could hear on the radio and on MuchMusic. When I went away for university, I got involved in college radio and began to hear lots of great bands that weren't being played on commercial radio. The Smithereens were one of those bands I heard that I couldn't believe commercial radio hadn't picked up. "Blood and Roses" was catchy, it was gritty and it was earnest. It deserved to be heard. Maybe it was the angst ridden young 20 year old at the time speaking, but this song resonated with me. The chorus was incredibly moving: "I want to love but it comes out wrong, I try to live but I don't belong", appealing to the lonely and loveless life that I lived at the time, having no idea how to change my situation. But, listening to the song again today, the lyrics and music haven't lost their power.
http://youtu.be/vqML7WbOun8
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Hipsters Ahoy: The Pitchfork Top 20 Albums of 2011
20) Nicholas Jaar - Space is Only Noise
19) Danny Brown - XXX
18) Atlas Sound - Parallax
17) Clams Casino - Instrumentals
16) Kurt Vile - Smoke Rings for My Halo
15) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
14) Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
13) EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
12) James Blake - James Blake
11) St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
10) The Weeknd - House of Balloons
9) Real Estate - Days
8) Drake - Take Care
7) Tune-Yards - Whokill
6) Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
5) Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4) PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
3) M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
2) Destroyer - Kaputt
1) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
There was a time I used to visit Pitchfork religiously every couple of days, to keep up on what's hot in indy music. That was several years ago. Now, the website has become a pale copy of what it used to be. Pitchfork lists are very predictable too. They have the indy darlings (Real Estate, Kurt Vile, Atlas Sound), the flavour of the week (in this case, the mopey, folky indy rock that's infesting college radio lately, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes), the "we're so hip, we have music no one has ever heard before" (Clams Casino) and the inexplicable mainstream hip-hop albums (Drake). I think this list underscores how poor music this year was. I think only PJ Harveym, Tune-Yards and St. Vincent have enough artistic merit to mention in a Top 20 this year, at least from this list.
My Top 10 is coming in exactly one week.
19) Danny Brown - XXX
18) Atlas Sound - Parallax
17) Clams Casino - Instrumentals
16) Kurt Vile - Smoke Rings for My Halo
15) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
14) Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
13) EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
12) James Blake - James Blake
11) St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
10) The Weeknd - House of Balloons
9) Real Estate - Days
8) Drake - Take Care
7) Tune-Yards - Whokill
6) Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
5) Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
4) PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
3) M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
2) Destroyer - Kaputt
1) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
There was a time I used to visit Pitchfork religiously every couple of days, to keep up on what's hot in indy music. That was several years ago. Now, the website has become a pale copy of what it used to be. Pitchfork lists are very predictable too. They have the indy darlings (Real Estate, Kurt Vile, Atlas Sound), the flavour of the week (in this case, the mopey, folky indy rock that's infesting college radio lately, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes), the "we're so hip, we have music no one has ever heard before" (Clams Casino) and the inexplicable mainstream hip-hop albums (Drake). I think this list underscores how poor music this year was. I think only PJ Harveym, Tune-Yards and St. Vincent have enough artistic merit to mention in a Top 20 this year, at least from this list.
My Top 10 is coming in exactly one week.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
RIP Cesaria Evora/Vaclav Havel
Cesaria Evora may not be a well know name in mainstream music, but if you liked worldbeat music, then you'd know her work well.
Born in Cape Verde, she's probably the best known musician to ever come out of that tiny country. She was known as the "Barefoot Diva" for her penchant for performing in bare feet. She had 12 albums to her credit and she won a world music Grammy in 2004 for her album Voz D'Amor. She died on December 17, 2011 in Cape Verde from resperatory problems. She was 70.
http://youtu.be/dNVrdYGiULM
Not music related, but Vaclav Havel also died on December 18th. As the first leader of the modern Czech Republic, Havel asked Frank Zappa to be a consultant on trade, culture and tourism, which Zappa agreed to. According to Zappa, Havel sat down with Zappa, lit a joint then told Zappa he really liked Bongo Fury.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49XUP2gS-2s
Born in Cape Verde, she's probably the best known musician to ever come out of that tiny country. She was known as the "Barefoot Diva" for her penchant for performing in bare feet. She had 12 albums to her credit and she won a world music Grammy in 2004 for her album Voz D'Amor. She died on December 17, 2011 in Cape Verde from resperatory problems. She was 70.
http://youtu.be/dNVrdYGiULM
Not music related, but Vaclav Havel also died on December 18th. As the first leader of the modern Czech Republic, Havel asked Frank Zappa to be a consultant on trade, culture and tourism, which Zappa agreed to. According to Zappa, Havel sat down with Zappa, lit a joint then told Zappa he really liked Bongo Fury.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49XUP2gS-2s
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Can Con Round Up for December 15, 2011
As usual, the erratic schedule of the Canadian Soundscan charts means there hasn't been a Canadian Top 40 posted in three weeks. Here's the latest
Cancon in the Top 40: Victoria Duffield (top Canuck at #8), Hedley, Nickelback, Anjulie, Mia Martina, Carly Rae Jepsen, Drake, Kristina Maria, Danny Fernandes, Craig Smart (10/40=25%, still well below the nationally mandated 35%)
Chart chat: Ugh, another Glee song in the Top 40 on the US Charts. These things usually show up for one week (the week the song is featured on Glee), then disappear. They are the epitome of the short attention span in music. Oh hay! A new Glee song. Oh wait, it sucks, what else is on? On the Canadian charts, we have the return of Bush to the charts for some reason, and the first single from the new Black Keys up at #26.
Cancon in the Top 40: Victoria Duffield (top Canuck at #8), Hedley, Nickelback, Anjulie, Mia Martina, Carly Rae Jepsen, Drake, Kristina Maria, Danny Fernandes, Craig Smart (10/40=25%, still well below the nationally mandated 35%)
Chart chat: Ugh, another Glee song in the Top 40 on the US Charts. These things usually show up for one week (the week the song is featured on Glee), then disappear. They are the epitome of the short attention span in music. Oh hay! A new Glee song. Oh wait, it sucks, what else is on? On the Canadian charts, we have the return of Bush to the charts for some reason, and the first single from the new Black Keys up at #26.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
It begins: Best of 2011 albums coming in
First Paste Magazine:
1) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
3) My Morning Jacket - Circuitual
4) Tune-Yards - whokill
5) Middle Brother - Middle Brother
6) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's a Corporate World
7) Wilco - The Whole Love
8) Dawes - Nothing is Wrong
9) M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
10) The Decemberists - The King is Dead
11) St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
12) Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
13) Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost/Radiohead - The King of Limbs
14) Adele - 21
15) Deer Tick - Divine Providence
16) Yuck - Yuck
17) The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
18) Wye Oak - Civilian
19) Cults - Cults
20) Beirut - The Rip Tide
And Rolling Stone:
1) Adele - 21
2) Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch the Throne
3) Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
4) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
5) Radiohead - The King of Limbs
6) Lady Gaga - Born This Way
7) The Decemberists - The King is Dead
8) Wilco - The Whole Love
9) Wild Flag - Wild Flag
10) Robbie Robertson - How to Become Clairvoyant
11) My Morning Jacket - Circuitual
12) The Black Keys - El Camino
13) Tune-Yards - whokill
14) Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. Two
15) Cage the Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday
16) R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
17) TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
18) Feist - Metals
19) Eric Church - Cheif
20) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Comments: This year's music seems like a weak crop to me. It seems it's the year of the brooding hipster neo-folky, with the Top 3 in Paste's list falling into that category and even more beneath it. I'm surprised to see that Iron and Wine album on any list. I thought it was one of the most disappointing albums of the year. Bon Iver is decent, but very overhyped. No way it deserves to be anywhere near #1. The Rolling Stone list is predictably stacked with buzz-worthy acts and old bands that trotted out new albums, which only a few challenging picks (Wild Flag and Tune-Yards are nice to see in the Top 20). They had Bon Iver at #21. Proving that Rolling Stone loves old time rock, no matter how bland it is, they had Superheavy at #34. This is a collaboration between Mick Jagger, Damien Parley, Joss Stone and A.R. Rahman, which sounds great in theory, but turns into a sleeping pill on CD.
1) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
3) My Morning Jacket - Circuitual
4) Tune-Yards - whokill
5) Middle Brother - Middle Brother
6) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's a Corporate World
7) Wilco - The Whole Love
8) Dawes - Nothing is Wrong
9) M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
10) The Decemberists - The King is Dead
11) St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
12) Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
13) Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost/Radiohead - The King of Limbs
14) Adele - 21
15) Deer Tick - Divine Providence
16) Yuck - Yuck
17) The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
18) Wye Oak - Civilian
19) Cults - Cults
20) Beirut - The Rip Tide
And Rolling Stone:
1) Adele - 21
2) Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch the Throne
3) Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
4) Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
5) Radiohead - The King of Limbs
6) Lady Gaga - Born This Way
7) The Decemberists - The King is Dead
8) Wilco - The Whole Love
9) Wild Flag - Wild Flag
10) Robbie Robertson - How to Become Clairvoyant
11) My Morning Jacket - Circuitual
12) The Black Keys - El Camino
13) Tune-Yards - whokill
14) Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. Two
15) Cage the Elephant - Thank You Happy Birthday
16) R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
17) TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
18) Feist - Metals
19) Eric Church - Cheif
20) Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Comments: This year's music seems like a weak crop to me. It seems it's the year of the brooding hipster neo-folky, with the Top 3 in Paste's list falling into that category and even more beneath it. I'm surprised to see that Iron and Wine album on any list. I thought it was one of the most disappointing albums of the year. Bon Iver is decent, but very overhyped. No way it deserves to be anywhere near #1. The Rolling Stone list is predictably stacked with buzz-worthy acts and old bands that trotted out new albums, which only a few challenging picks (Wild Flag and Tune-Yards are nice to see in the Top 20). They had Bon Iver at #21. Proving that Rolling Stone loves old time rock, no matter how bland it is, they had Superheavy at #34. This is a collaboration between Mick Jagger, Damien Parley, Joss Stone and A.R. Rahman, which sounds great in theory, but turns into a sleeping pill on CD.
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