It is hard to believe that it has been over two years since Natalie Portman, Garden State and the Shins all teamed up to change our lives. Since then, the indie popsters have found their way onto countless myspace profiles of kids who were hopelessly in love with the band and who longed to one day hear a third song of theirs that was not on the G State soundtrack. Honestly though, I like totally was into them like a year before that movie came out. Like totally. I discovered The Shins at my local library on a cd rack containing what must have been at least twenty(!) cds. Lord only knows how their sophomore album, Chutes Too Narrow, found its way into that library. I was intrigued by the albums opening claps and subsequent 'woo!', but I knew I was onto something when I first heard So Says I, again largely because of the infectious 'woo's that adorn the song's crescendo.
And now The Shins are back in 2007 to change more lives with a fuller more developed sound. The album opener, Sleeping Lessons, serves as a perfect bridge between the old and new Shins. Bubbling with intimacy and what actually sounds like bubbles, Sleeping Lessons transitions from the soft closeness that made the band famous to a rollicking indie rock anthem. Once the songs kicks into gear, the group finally converts vast potential into a fully realized dynamic sound.
From their, the familiar vibe of previous albums presents itself but with a little more of everything. The hooks and harmonies reach a little farther, the guitar goes a little bigger and louder, and general cohesiveness of the band is stronger than ever before. The single, Phantom Limb is one of the best examples of this, opening with a fuzzy bass line, and slowly adding new concepts to the familiar sounds of their previous material. It culminates in a cool drive that is reminiscent of indie pop chieftains, The New Pornographers. Yes, I called them chieftains, but anyone who has heard Twin Cinema will have a hard time disagreeing with me. Generally, Wincing the Night Away is not surprising, but solid and enjoyable. If you enjoy lighthearted and twinkling indie pop, you will have a hard time not liking this album.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Best of 2006
Top Albums of 2006
It is only fair that I warn you that this is one of the more bizarre mixes of music I have ever seen on one list before. These range from experimental noise rockers to mainstream pop. I like what I like and I make no excuses. I only ask that you give everything a chance before you decide it's bad. If you do, then you might be surprised at what you hear.
20. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
19. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
18. Cursive - Happy Hollow
17. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
16. Jay-Z - Kingdom Come
15. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
14. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
13. Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat
12. M. Ward - Post-War
11. Beck - The Information
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
9. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
8. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
7. The Killers - Sam's Town
6. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
5. Dashboard Confessional - Dusk & Summer
4. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
3. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
The first time I heard Girl Talk, I just about fell out of my desk chair three times during the first song. It's suprising enough to hear Boston, Ludacris, The Verve, Oasis and the Ying Yang Twins mentioned in the same article. Now, imagine hearing them mixed together on the same track. The 42 minute album runs together as a giant seamless musical dance smoothie of just about every popular song of the past three decades. Aside from the beats and the occasional other addition, Night Ripper is entirely comprised of samples and yet despite this fact, it doesn't take long to realize that Girl Talk possesses just as much, if not more, talent and vision than the artists he borrows from. Every since I purchased it, this cd has accompanied me to just about every party I have attended and no one has been disappointed yet. Night Ripper is a party in your ears. If you've heard it, you know what I mean. The attention span of each movement is roughly comparable to the average five year old; the same series of beats and samples are rarely present for more than 30 seconds. The best moments on the album come when you hear two or more songs mixed together that you thought would never mix and the whole becomes so much more that the sum of the parts. The Frankenstein version becomes more than a novelty and it begins to sound as though this is how it was supposed to sound in the first place. I think that Girl Talk meant to send a message at the end of the album to not only his listeners, but to his musical contemporaries and followers as well. The album fades out to the sound of Girl Talk's original synth lead and a loop of Trillville's words "You can neva' eva', neva' eva' get on my level". Arrogant? Possibly. Correct? Absolutely.
2. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
This band has just about reached the 'can-do-no-wrong' and The Crane Wife is only further proof of this fact. After last years fantastic Picaresque, the bar was set high for the bands fourth full length album. But it doesn't take long to realize that The Decemberists have morphed into a bigger and better band in the past year. The Crane Wife is full of sprawling rock epics, with two songs exceeding ten minutes and the rest playing out with such richness that they sound like classics upon the first listen. The album is definitely very bookendish in its quality with the best tracks being the first and last two, and the worst being When the War Came which is placed right in the middle. All three movements of title track are stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking and give lead singer Colin Meloy the opportunity to showcase his incredible storytelling ability. Any discussion of this album would be incomplete however without mentioning the final track: Sons & Daughters. The song opens with a slow organ and then stacks on guitars, vocals, more vocals and a whole slew of intricate instrumentation. The song builds up with three vocalists singing a round before finally shifting gears and vaulting into an epic chant of "Hear all the bombs, they fade away" that gives me chills every time I hear it. If you are looking for a the great indie rock anthem of 2006, this is it.
1. Mates of State - Bring It Back
I just can't help myself. I am such a sucker for songs or bands that have girls and boys singing together. And don't even get me started on upbeat pop music. Mix these two elements and you have my favorite album of 2006: Bring It Back. I liked this album the very first time I heard it back in March and it took me the entire rest of the year to slowly realize this is so much more than it lets on. It is simply amazing what two people, with only their voices and a small handful of instruments can create. Granted, they are able to create a much richer and more layered sound in the studio, but it is still just the two of them doing it and the results are just breathtaking. Everything from the way their voices bounce of each other to the quirky organ lines and unconventional song structure help elevate the Mates of State from married pop music duo to a completely different level. If you've never heard them, all I can say is that you are in for a treat. Due to the nature of the band, most of the songs center around the marriage and it is utterly heartwarming. The song Punchlines kicks and screams all the way up to the plateau of transcendent indie pop while other songs like Nature and the Wreck and Running Out are so honest and full of love that it really does make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside to listen too. Bring It Back is this band a their best, and because of the wide dynamics and the completeness of beauty that is created by love and music, this album is my favorite of 2006.
Top Tracks of 2006
20. The Flaming Lips - Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California
18. Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancing
17. My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words
16. Girl Talk - Ask About Me
15. M. Ward - Chinese Translation
14. Ghostface Killah - The Champ
13. Dashboard Confessional - Stolen
12. Fergie - London Bridge
11. Asobi Seksu - Nefi+Girly
10. Muse - Kinghts of Cydonia
9. Mates of State - Punchlines
8. Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes
7. Rihanna - SOS
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh)
5. The Killers - When You Were Young
4. Jusin Timberlake - SexyBack
3. Band of Horses - The Funeral
2. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
1. The Decemberists - Sons & Daughters
It is only fair that I warn you that this is one of the more bizarre mixes of music I have ever seen on one list before. These range from experimental noise rockers to mainstream pop. I like what I like and I make no excuses. I only ask that you give everything a chance before you decide it's bad. If you do, then you might be surprised at what you hear.
20. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
19. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
18. Cursive - Happy Hollow
17. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
16. Jay-Z - Kingdom Come
15. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
14. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
13. Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat
12. M. Ward - Post-War
11. Beck - The Information
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
9. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
8. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
7. The Killers - Sam's Town
6. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
5. Dashboard Confessional - Dusk & Summer
4. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
3. Girl Talk - Night Ripper
The first time I heard Girl Talk, I just about fell out of my desk chair three times during the first song. It's suprising enough to hear Boston, Ludacris, The Verve, Oasis and the Ying Yang Twins mentioned in the same article. Now, imagine hearing them mixed together on the same track. The 42 minute album runs together as a giant seamless musical dance smoothie of just about every popular song of the past three decades. Aside from the beats and the occasional other addition, Night Ripper is entirely comprised of samples and yet despite this fact, it doesn't take long to realize that Girl Talk possesses just as much, if not more, talent and vision than the artists he borrows from. Every since I purchased it, this cd has accompanied me to just about every party I have attended and no one has been disappointed yet. Night Ripper is a party in your ears. If you've heard it, you know what I mean. The attention span of each movement is roughly comparable to the average five year old; the same series of beats and samples are rarely present for more than 30 seconds. The best moments on the album come when you hear two or more songs mixed together that you thought would never mix and the whole becomes so much more that the sum of the parts. The Frankenstein version becomes more than a novelty and it begins to sound as though this is how it was supposed to sound in the first place. I think that Girl Talk meant to send a message at the end of the album to not only his listeners, but to his musical contemporaries and followers as well. The album fades out to the sound of Girl Talk's original synth lead and a loop of Trillville's words "You can neva' eva', neva' eva' get on my level". Arrogant? Possibly. Correct? Absolutely.
2. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
This band has just about reached the 'can-do-no-wrong' and The Crane Wife is only further proof of this fact. After last years fantastic Picaresque, the bar was set high for the bands fourth full length album. But it doesn't take long to realize that The Decemberists have morphed into a bigger and better band in the past year. The Crane Wife is full of sprawling rock epics, with two songs exceeding ten minutes and the rest playing out with such richness that they sound like classics upon the first listen. The album is definitely very bookendish in its quality with the best tracks being the first and last two, and the worst being When the War Came which is placed right in the middle. All three movements of title track are stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking and give lead singer Colin Meloy the opportunity to showcase his incredible storytelling ability. Any discussion of this album would be incomplete however without mentioning the final track: Sons & Daughters. The song opens with a slow organ and then stacks on guitars, vocals, more vocals and a whole slew of intricate instrumentation. The song builds up with three vocalists singing a round before finally shifting gears and vaulting into an epic chant of "Hear all the bombs, they fade away" that gives me chills every time I hear it. If you are looking for a the great indie rock anthem of 2006, this is it.
1. Mates of State - Bring It Back
I just can't help myself. I am such a sucker for songs or bands that have girls and boys singing together. And don't even get me started on upbeat pop music. Mix these two elements and you have my favorite album of 2006: Bring It Back. I liked this album the very first time I heard it back in March and it took me the entire rest of the year to slowly realize this is so much more than it lets on. It is simply amazing what two people, with only their voices and a small handful of instruments can create. Granted, they are able to create a much richer and more layered sound in the studio, but it is still just the two of them doing it and the results are just breathtaking. Everything from the way their voices bounce of each other to the quirky organ lines and unconventional song structure help elevate the Mates of State from married pop music duo to a completely different level. If you've never heard them, all I can say is that you are in for a treat. Due to the nature of the band, most of the songs center around the marriage and it is utterly heartwarming. The song Punchlines kicks and screams all the way up to the plateau of transcendent indie pop while other songs like Nature and the Wreck and Running Out are so honest and full of love that it really does make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside to listen too. Bring It Back is this band a their best, and because of the wide dynamics and the completeness of beauty that is created by love and music, this album is my favorite of 2006.
Top Tracks of 2006
20. The Flaming Lips - Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California
18. Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancing
17. My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words
16. Girl Talk - Ask About Me
15. M. Ward - Chinese Translation
14. Ghostface Killah - The Champ
13. Dashboard Confessional - Stolen
12. Fergie - London Bridge
11. Asobi Seksu - Nefi+Girly
10. Muse - Kinghts of Cydonia
9. Mates of State - Punchlines
8. Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes
7. Rihanna - SOS
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh)
5. The Killers - When You Were Young
4. Jusin Timberlake - SexyBack
3. Band of Horses - The Funeral
2. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
1. The Decemberists - Sons & Daughters
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