This morning the Dirty Projectors released a free digital single, that you can download by submitting your email address into the box below. Be patient for the email, as it can take a little while for the download link to arrive.
This isn't a great quality video but its still pretty awesome. The first two minutes of the video is the band covering The Cranberries' "Dreams" and it is followed with a incredible performance of "Sleepyhead". Enjoy!
With the exception of my year-end and decade-end lists, I haven't had the time to blog about much of anything in the past month. But just because I wasn't writing about music, doesn't mean I wasn't listening to and buying music like my life depended on it. So here are some quick reviews of some of the jamz I've been into lately. There were a few more albums that I have but haven't been able to give a critical listen to, but as soon as I do, I'll post up some reviews.,
ONE-SENTENCE REVIEWS:
Miike Snow - Miike Snow
Rating: 79/100
The debut album from this indie production trio is easy to digest and has some real moments of true electro-pop genius, but lacks the depth and substance that often separates good albums from great albums.
High Point Tracks: "Animal", "Sylvia", "Cult Logic"
Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster
Rating: 81/100
One of the more refreshing pop albums I've heard in recent years and while it isn't particularly long, Lady Gaga proves that 34 minutes of intelligent, diverse & flawlessly executed pop is all you need to solidify your place at the top of the genre.
High Point Track: "Bad Romance", "Telephone"
Digitalism - Idealism
Rating: 80/100
The best and worst part of Idealism is it's similarity to other, more impressive electro-duos like Daft Punk and Justice, and though Digitalism has a competent grasp on the genre, there is little new ground explored here.
High Point Tracks: "The Pulse", "Jupiter Room", "Zdarlight"
Passion Pit - Chunk of Change EP
Rating: 77/100
While the bands debut LP was my favorite album of 2009, the Chunk of Change EP lacks the energy and polish of Manners; it is however, redeemed by the appearance of the always incredible "Sleepyhead".
High Point Tracks: "Sleepyhead", "I've Got Your Number"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Rating: 86/100
Somehow TPOBPAH was able to take the worn out sound of fuzzy 90's low-fi indie and make it sound current, which is truly a testament to the band's songwriting prowess and aesthetic finesse.
High Point Track: "Young Adult Friction", "Everything With You"
Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
Rating: 88/100
Psychic Chasms is a weird, dancey, drug-induced trip that reveals more of its character with every listen; the end result is one of the most strange, interesting and fun albums of the year.
High Point Track: "Deadbeat Summer", "I Should Have Taken Acid With You", "Psychic Chasms"
The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Rating: 90/100
This album is a bizarre combination of Zeppelin style guitar rock, indie freak folk and avant-guard pop, and when it comes together the result is so immensely satisfying that I am left wondering how no one else thought to make an album like this before now.
High Point Track: "Stillness Is The Move", "Temecula Sunrise", "Useful Chamber"
So in 2009 the economy was crap, the environment melted, the Phoenix Suns didn't make the playoffs, and half of all celebrities died. But musically speaking, it was a pretty rockin turn through the ol' calendar. Heres my favorite music from the past year:
TOP ALBUMS of 2009
15. Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Pains of Being Pure at Heart
14. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
13. Eminem - Relapse
12. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
11. Morrissey - Years of Refusal
10. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
9. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
8. The Decemberists - Hazards of Love
7. Drake - So Far Gone
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Its Blitz!
5. The xx - xx
4. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
1. Passion Pit - Manners
Honorable Mentions:
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of the Day
U2 - No Line On The Horizon
Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the Gru Grux King
Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster
TOP SONGS of 2009
25. "I'm On A Boat" - The Lonely Island
24. "Tik Tok" -Ke$ha
23. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce
22. "Forever"Drake ft. Lil Wayne, Kanye West & Eminem -
21. "Rome" - Phoenix
20. "Alive (Nightmare)" - Kid Cudi ft. Ratatat
19. "Zero" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
18. "Run This Town" - Jay-Z ft. Kanye West & Rihanna
17. "Heart Skipped A Beat" - The xx
16. "City Lights" - Method Man and Red Man ft. Bun B
15. "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)" - Jay-Z
14. "Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga
13. "Moth's Wings" - Passion Pit
12. "Magnificent" - U2
11. "Blood Bank" - Bon Iver
10. "Its Not Your Birthday Anymore" - Morrissey
9. "Uptown" - Drake ft. Lil Wayne & Bun B
8. "Daniel" - Bat For Lashes
7. "Audacity of Huge" - Simian Mobile Disco ft. Chis Keating
6. "Heads Will Roll" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5. "Evacuate The Dancefloor" - Cascada
4. "Little Secrets" - Passion Pit
3. "1901" - Phoenix
2. "My Girls" - Animal Collective
1. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z
LAST.FM MOST PLAYED ARTIST of 2009
10. Eminem
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
8. Lil Wayne
7. Drake
6. Fleet Foxes
5. U2
4. Animal Collective
3. Kid Cudi
2. Radiohead
1. Jay-Z
In related news, we just ended a decade so here is my favorite music from the past decade:
TOP ALBUMS of the 2000s:
15. Kanye West - The College Dropout
14. Justice - Cross
13. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
12. Stars - Set Yourself On Fire
11. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
10. Passion Pit - Manners
9. Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel The Illionoise!
8. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
7. The National - Boxer
6. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake Its Morning
5. Radiohead - Kid A
4. The Postal Service - Give Up
3. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
1. Arcade Fire - Funeral
Honorable Mentions:
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
The White Stripes - Elephant
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Girl Talk - Night Ripper
TOP SONGS of the 2000s:
25. "Apartment Story" - The National
24. "Live Your Life" - T.I. ft. Rihanna
23. "Does He Love You" - Rilo Kiley
22. "When You Were Young" - The Killers
21. "Beautiful Day" - U2
20. "Sleepyhead" - Passion Pit
19. "Do You Realize??" - The Flaming Lips
18. "Wolf Like Me" - TV On The Radio
17. "Come Pick Me Up" - Ryan Adams
16. "Atlas" - Battles
15. "Fell In Love With A Girl" - The White Stripes
14. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z
13. "My Girls" - Animal Collective
12. "Kids" - MGMT
11. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
10. "The Funeral" - Band of Horses
9. "All My Friends" - LCD Soundsystem
8. "Stronger" - Kanye West
7. "Crazy" - Gnarls Barkley
6. "Paper Planes" - M.I.A.
5. "Digital Love" - Daft Punk
4. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
2. "Such Great Heights" - The Postal Service
1. "Reckoner" - Radiohead
TOP ARTISTS of 2000s:
10. Jack White (The White Stripes/The Raconteurs/The Dead Weather)
9. Wilco
8. Death Cab For Cutie
7. Daft Punk
6. The National
5. The Hold Steady
4. Arcade Fire
3. Jay-Z
2. Kanye West
1. Radiohead
Its been a hell of a decade, but now its on to the next one...
Here is a breif recap of the past weeks in the world of MidPoints music...
MUSIC VIDEOS:
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
Any music video with bright colors and journeys through space is a winner in my book. Way to make it happen, Passion Pit. Unfortunately, the embed feature is locked on this video, but it's definitely worth checking out. Watch the HD "Little Secrets" video on YouTube.
One Sentence Reviews:
The xx - xx
Rating: 92/100
Dark, sexy and simple, The xx's debut album is one of the most finely crafted indie-pop records of the year and it proves that minimalism can still be both stunningly complex and dramatically infectious.
High Point Tracks: "Heart Skipped A Beat", "Crystalised"
Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
Rating: 82/100
Like most super-groups, the more you enjoy the collected of works of Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket and M. Ward, the more you will enjoy the Monsters of Folk's eclectic and satisfying debut album.
High Point Tracks: "Say Please", "Slow Down Jo"
Michael Jackson - Dangerous
Rating: 76/100
The most surprising and condemning aspect of Dangerous is the fact that it is by far his most dated sounding album, though the stand out tracks are as good as anything the King of Pop has ever released.
High Point Tracks: "Black or White", "Will You Be There"
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