Greetings, faithful readers. Tonight, we here at the Cuddle are feeling a little down, a little melancholy, yet we can see the silver lining in everything. As I was rolling into work today, listening to a playlist on the trusty iPod, the sweet sounds of The Hold Steady came ringing through the speakers. Now, there are myriad bands that beg to be played in the summertime (The Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead come to mind), but Craig Finn and his crew might be my favorite. There's nothing better than wailing guitars and songs about the misguided follies of youth sung by a guy my age. There's something reassuring about having musicians out there who can speak from experience and represent what it's like to be in your 30s, having made plenty of mistakes, trying to learn from them, and stopping short of telling others not to make the same ones. Each Hold Steady album is great (we even chose Boys and Girls In America and Separation Sunday as co-best albums of the decade HERE) but tonight has me thinking about Separation Sunday a little more.
Through 11 tracks, Finn manages to be ridiculously verbose while spinning tales about getting wasted at camps along the Mississippi River, being at parties that are way too druggy, trying to buy drugs from Mackenzie Phillips, and finding redemption despite our foibles. This is the record that introduces the terms "hoodrat" and "banging camp" into your vocabulary, takes you to Ybor City, City Center (in Minneapolis), and Penetration Park, and allows us to meet Holly, Gideon, and Charlemagne as characters in the Hold Steady universe (here's a tip - they don't do many redeeming things through the course of the record or the next couple, either).
It's Craig Finn's delivery that clinches this record, though. He's a storyteller, first and foremost, not really a singer. Those who don't worship the band often point to this as the reason why they can't get into their records, but allowing it to wash over you for a while will lead to the realization that he's truly a lyrical genius. Check out all of the little details about the hoodrat friend that makes the narrator sick - including "tiny little text etched into her neck: it says 'Jesus lived and died for all your sins'" and the "damn right you'll rise again" tattoo on her lower back (guess why you'll rise again with this one...). And despite describing why she makes him so reviled, he says, "your little hoodrat friend got me high, though" - so much for redemption. The great thing about all of this drugging, dirty sex, poor choices, religious imagery, and searching for love in all the wrong places is that The Hold Steady never make judgements about any of it. It's all just shit that happens - live with it and move on. There's something that's very reassuring in that - with time and perspective, we can look back on our dirty pasts and make some sense of it all. "How a Resurrection Really Feels" may be the penultimate song in the album's cycle (as far as the characters go - with Holly crashing into a church and pleading with the priest to allow her to preach her own private gospel to the congregation - her own personal resurrection), but for me, "Stevie Nix" is the song in which Finn pulls it all together. He can't decide which he'd rather be - seventeen forever, or thirty-three forever. In the end, it doesn't really matter - would you like to make mistakes over and over again, or have the time and perspective to look back on them fondly or otherwise? This is where I am tonight, dear readers - stuck between stations on how I feel about where I am - pretty sure that 33 is fine with me, but oh, to be 17 again and make those glorious mistakes a few more times...
I was trying to be more upbeat (and I think I succeeded for one post), but it's just so much fun being dour. Today, I'm wallowing in Waits land again, thinking about all the things that I shouldn't, letting bar room balladeer Tom (not to be confused with later-period junkyard orchestra leader Tom) serenade me through my melancholy. There is no better artist to wallow in self-pity to than Tom Waits. From his drunken delivery to his (often) sappy piano style, it's legendary in its effectiveness in allowing the listener to wallow in his or her sorrows. Each of his albums from Closing Time through Blue Valentine are classic, with Small Change being the clear best of the bunch, boasting "Tom Traubert's Blues", "The Piano Has Been Drinking", and "Bad Liver and A Broken Heart" amongst its track list. Some can't get past Waits' voice, but let it wrap around you a few times and see how you feel.
This should help to prove Waits' genius in the best way possible - watching him perform at the piano. Be sure to focus on his fingers. (By the way, I don't really have a good reason to feel melancholy and dour, but somehow, I end up here pretty frequently...). Enjoy (and be ready to cry into your drink):
"Kentucky Avenue" - from Blue Valentine - Melancholy remembrances of childhood:
"Bad Liver and a Broken Heart" - from Small Change - not tough to figure out the theme of this one:
"On the Nickel" - from Heartattack and Vine - "a hobo's lullaby", as Waits often describes it, "On the Nickel" is devastatingly sad in its simplicity, bringing the plight of the homeless and down-trodden to the fore. The lyrics "So what becomes of little boys who run away from home?/The world keeps getting bigger once you get out on your own" is a killer :
"Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen)" - from Small Change : this is the crown jewel of Waits' "grand weepers" - a sweeping tale of drunkenness, being lost in a foreign country, being confused, and wishing you were anywhere but where you are right now. Well said, Tom -
That's probably all the Tom Waits melancholy that anyone can handle in one sitting, so I guess I'll call it quits for now. Until next time, remember that sadness is just another emotion to be embraced and loved just like happiness and joy. Just because it's not the easiest emotion doesn't mean it's not valid. Enjoy some Tom Waits, and listen...
Well, faithful readers, it's Fourth of July weekend, and a long weekend at that. Always a bonus when the Fourth falls on a Monday (and when you don't have to work any of the three days). I've been told recently that my tastes in music are a little too serious and sad and dour. Today I've decided to change that up a bit, with a patriotic mix celebrating everything that makes July 4th great. And no invites to all of you British artists - just for today, The Cuddle is declaring its independence from the likes of Costello, Bragg, Hitchcock, and Bowie. We're bleeding red, white, and blue (and not in the form of the Union Jack, either... although Billy Bragg's "Take Down the Union Jack" would be appropriate here, we're going to stick to our guns!)
The 2011 Ideological Cuddle Independence Day Setlist:
1. Pixies - "The Holiday Song" - from Come On Pilgrim - We don't have to work, so it must be a holiday (or we're unemployed). Pixies start us off with some of their trademark noise.
2. The Hold Steady - "Constructive Summer" - from Stay Positive - It would be nice to have a constructive summer, but if that doesn't work out, we've always got booze and great friends (two things that we're lucky to have in spades here at The Cuddle).
3. Jeff Tweedy & Jay Bennett - "Summerteeth (Live)" - A beautiful acoustic take on one of the standout tracks from Wilco's album of the same name, taken from a terrific soundboard bootleg recorded in the summer of 1999. Not quite sure what Summerteeth are, but they sound appropriate.
4. Josh Ritter - "Snow is Gone (Live)" - from The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, 2/15/07 - The snow better be gone by July 4th. Josh Ritter's rousing, singable anthem from 2003's Hello Starling (whose title is taken from the song) gets you up and dancing - like the crowd at Asbury Hall on July 7th - where Ritter will be performing. You know that we'll be there.
5. Queens of the Stone Age - "Feel Good Hit of the Summer (Live)" - from Amsterdam, 2002 - Well, once the party gets rolling, it might get out of hand, and Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri are the perfect dudes to set the (eight) ball rolling. Basically a list of the band's favorite drugs with a smattering of awesome guitar, the song might not be a feel good hit for everyone.
6. Tom Waits - "Come on Up To The House" - from Mule Variations - Such a nice welcome by our old friend, Tom. If Waits were throwing a 4th party, I'd sure like to be there, but it would most certainly be a strange affair. I've been listening to a lot of Waits lately, and it wasn't easy to find a tune that would fit this setlist and not be "a grand weeper" or "a grim reaper" as his songs have been categorized.
7. Ryan Adams - "Firecracker (Live)" - live from Vega, 11/20/02 - Gotta have fireworks for an Independence Day party.
8. Ryan Adams - "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High) (Live)" - from Austin City Limits, 2002 - And, inevitably, the kids are going to get out of hand and end up drunk, or high, or both. This song encapsulates all of the folly of youth pretty perfectly.
9. Sonic Youth - "Teenage Riot" - from Daydream Nation - Once the kids are high and drunk, expect a riot. Not to be confused with "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry (as someone so stupidly did recently... oops). Sonic Youth represent all that is great about 80s underground rock (and I already posted Husker Du stuff a couple posts ago). This track is legendary.
10. The Black Crowes - "She Gave Good Sunflower (Live)" - live from The Filmore West, 8/10/05 - I'll leave it to you guys to figure out what this song is about (it's the Black Crowes, take a wild guess). Either way, an excellent summer anthem to keep the party going. God bless The Black Crowes (and please come back for another reunion tour, we miss you already).
11. She & Him - "Bring It On Home To Me (Live)" - From KCRW, 2008 - Where there's partying, there's lovin'. She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward for the uninitiated) do the late, great Sam Cooke proud on their version of his 1962 classic. Just a perfect, rolling, summer song.
12. Television - "Marquee Moon" - from Marquee Moon - The moon is out, we're waiting for fireworks, and the opening guitar line of this post-punk classic kicks in. Angular, addictive, and insistent, "Marquee Moon" is the finest statement the band ever pronounced. It's an American classic.
13. Talking Heads - "Heaven (Live)" - from The Starlight Ballroom, Los Angeles, 1979 - "Everyone is trying to get to the bar/and the name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven" - a beautiful couplet from the masters of art rock. David Byrne and company have tons of amazing songs. This one is clearly one of my favorites (especially the duet version between Byrne and Tina Weymouth from the Stop Making Sense concert film).
14. Sam Cooke - "A Change Is Gonna Come" - from Ain't That Good News - From the best soul singer ever, comes his most stirring anthem. To remind us all that it takes great sacrifice to make great change, but we can all make it happen. The song was the b-side to "Shake" and was released posthumously a short 10 days after Cooke was tragically shot under mysterious circumstances. The song went on to be a civil rights anthem and was used in the Obama campaign as well.
I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July, surrounded by friends, family, and celebration. Remember to take some great music with you, wherever you are picnicking or grilling... and listen.
I can't quite figure out why I love Mastodon so much. I'm not really into metal, never have been, but a friend turned me on to Leviathan soon after its release and convinced me that I would fall in love with it. He was right. I haven't missed an album since (although I have missed them live in concert - they've been to the area twice in the past few years). 2009's Crack the Skye was another step forward for the band, whose sound is ever-evolving and pushing the limits of the "metal label". Sooner or later, we're going to have to create a category for the band itself (and maybe include Baronness as well, but I digress). Today's release of a track from the Crack the Skye sessions as part of Adult Swim's Singles Program pushes the envelope even further, but not in terms of sound. "Deathbound" is typical Mastodon - expertly played metal that's full of furious drumming and hooks a-plenty - but the video is far from typical. Think "Muppets on a bad acid trip with lots of fratricide". Look for the quasi-Doozer battle, it's epic.
The free track can be downloaded from Adult Swim here. Below is the video and it will blow your mind. You've been warned :
Mastodon is said to be hard at work on their next masterpiece. After Leviathan took on Melville's Moby Dick, Blood Mountain tackled sci-fi, and Crack the Skye retold the tale of Rasputin, maybe their next record will be a tribute to The Muppet Show. I would love to see them tear through "Rainbow Connection".
Until next time, try not to let the "Deathbound" video give you nightmares, check out the pure, unadulterated fury that is Mastodon, and listen...
Well, my Ideological Friends, it has been quite the eventful weekend 'round these parts. For once, we, the people of the Empire State, can stand up and applaud our elected officials. Amazing as it sounds, they have done the right thing for the first time in a long time, and have passed the gay marriage bill in New York State. It feels wonderful to think about all the good that this will spread to our neighbors who previously would have had to cross state lines to pledge their vows to their true loves. I immediately thought of Jay & Scotty in Boston when I heard the news (and how their ceremony is coming soon), along with Brant & Steve here in sunny B-lo. Welcome to the marriage club, com padres... enjoy the times to come.
It just so happens that, as our state pushes for equality for gay couples that I should be currently addicted to the music of an indie rock icon, who also happens to be out and proud. As we all know, Bob Mould was the driving force behind seminal punk-hardcore legends, Husker Du. His work with that group was hard-edged, squalidly produced (by design), and utterly breathtaking in its vigor and fire. Zen Arcade and New Day Rising are unparallelled for their drive and determination, and for how many imitators they spawned. Some say that Arcade's "The Biggest Lie" was Mould's lifestyle declaration, with many "in the know" understanding what his lyrics ("Biggest lie/Back to your day job/The Biggest lie/Back to your girlfriend" chief amongst them) were pointing toward. The band smashed to pieces ("broke up" is just too kind for the wreckage left between Mould & Grant Hart at the end of the band's run) in the winter of 1987-1988, paving the way for Mould to go solo, which he did in splendid fashion with his debut, Workbook. This record opened new avenue's for Mould's sound, showcasing his soul-bearing lyrics in a more acoustic framework, but not totally abandoning his love for loud, electric guitar mayhem.
In 1992, Mould released the debut record from his latest venture, Sugar. Copper Blue struck the perfect chord to the masses who had fallen in love with Nirvana, the Pixies, and Soundgarden - bands that, in many ways, were imitators of Husker Du. Copper Blue would go on to be the most commercially successful record of Mould's career and contains some of his best work - "If I Can't Change Your Mind", "A Good Idea" (a thinly-veiled Pixies mock), "Hoover Dam", and "Helpless" chief amongst them. The EP Beaster, with a more harsh and punishing sound followed, along with 1994's File Under Easy Listening (which in no way was to be found on easy listening radio stations anywhere). Each of these three records are streamlined, heartfelt, and (unlike much of what cluttered the airwaves in the early 1990s) not dated one bit.
After the dissolution of Sugar, Mould went back to recording solo records, broadening his horizons to include forays into electronic and even dance music. The vein that remains in all of his work is his honest, soul-bearing lyrics which, while written from the viewpoint of a gay man, are universal for everyone in a relationship (and more often than not, one that is on the rocks). Last week saw the release of Mould's autobiography, "See A Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody". By all accounts, it's a tough but rewarding read, well written and meticulously thought-out, just like his music. It's well worth your time.
A sampling of the man's works of genius:
Until next time, think about how people like Senator Mark Grisanti changed his mind (for the better) and how songwriters like Bob Mould continue to smash convention and surprise audiences, 30 years down the road. Seek out some Husker Du, or Sugar, or Bob Mould solo records... and listen...
I promised to be more prolific, and here it is, a second blog post this week. Will wonders never cease. Today, I'm kind of copping out, while sharing some excellent music with the collected masses. Archive.org has long been one of our favorite sites, as it houses a collection of over 90,000 live recordings by thousands of artists (all of whom have given their blessing on recording their shows). In the Cuddle's recent search for everything Mountain Goats related, we stumbled upon a huge treasure trove of shows by John Darnielle's collective at the site. Below, you'll find one of our favorites, a wonderful sounding show from December, 2009 recorded at Webster Hall in New York City. The version of "Love Love Love" is absolutely devastating. There's just something about Darnielle's lyrics about human interaction that is so pure and simple and bare. The show gives a great overview of the Mountain Goats' career, but sadly, doesn't include any of the excellent songs from All Eternal's Deck. The player is a little wonky, as it doesn't include the set list as you listen, but the entire set list, along with directions on how to download the show for your very own are found HERE. Enjoy none-the-less:
Until next time, browse around on Archive.org, find some great new music, and listen...
Sorry. That's all I can say. I've neglected you too long, my dear blog, but now I've returned to the fold, spurred on by wistfully picked acoustic guitar notes from an unlikely source, and some other indie treasures. It's not like I have avoided music for the past (almost) 4 months, it's just that, you know, I get, er... distracted.
Enough about that. I'm back. I was knee deep in a jazz phase just weeks ago, and with it came a deluge of new purchases (mostly CD, not vinyl - Blue Note original pressings are too damn expensive). But overshadowing that is my new love of everything Mogwai, Mountain Goats, and Antlers (yes, I guess I'm in an animal phase).
Mogwai was a band that I'd always been interested in, but never jumped on board with. Coming across like an indie-metal version of Sigur Ros (without the made-up language), Mogwai make post-rock sound scapes that swell and burst in all the right places. A friend passed me a copy of Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, the band's 2011 release and I was immediately hooked. "Mexican Grand Prix" sounds like a Kraftwerk outtake to me, but is ridiculously catchy. Little did I know that this song doesn't come close to what the band does best. "Rano Pano" seemed more like it - slow-burning crescendos with eruptions of wall-of-sound guitars. I liked the record enough to seek out some other records, and was quickly directed to Young Team, the band's first album, and it's crushing centerpiece, "Like Herod". For those who haven't experienced it (and sometimes, if it catches you off guard, those who have), the song's cathartic breakthrough is breathtaking and should not be missed by anyone with even a passing interest in this type of music.
Friends had always told me that The Mountain Goats would be a perfect band for me to obsess over. The brainchild of John Darnielle (and sometimes, only Darnielle), The Mountain Goats cannot be easily categorized. His songs are obtuse, verbose, strange, heartbreaking, and beautiful - sometimes all in the space of the same song. His melodies are deceptively simple and often pushed by simple acoustic guitar lines augmented with just a touch of bass, piano, and drums. I'm in the process of finding my way through the band's back catalogue, but for now, their new release, All Eternal's Deck, along with some beautifully recorded live shows by the king of New York City live shows, nyctaper, are plenty to keep me busy. The new album's lead single, "Damn These Vampires" is a great place to start for the uninitiated (and the song that got me hooked). You'll listen to it at least 3-4 times before you really figure out what's going on in Darnielle's lyrics, but when you do, a beautiful cinematic tapestry opens before you. Beware - this band has what can only be called a FANATICAL following, where it's not uncommon to see many audience members openly sobbing during shows while singling along to every word.
Finally, the Antlers - I missed out on seeing this band live, opening for The National at Massey Hall last year by showing up just a little late. At the time, I didn't blink an eye. I hadn't tried to get into Hospice, their 2009 breakthrough that was universally praised by indie critics, nor did I really care to. While listening to the College Rock station on XM Radio last week, I was struck by a song that was very different from anything that I was currently listening to, but had elements of Radiohead's Kid A, falsetto singing, a driving beat, and strange lyrics about teeth falling out. The song turned out to be "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" by The Antlers. The falsetto voice belongs to Pete Silberman, the mastermind behind the group. I took a chance on the record, based on that single song, and was not disappointed. The album is definitely brooding, dark, and despondent, but somehow, gorgeous. The opening track, "I Don't Want Love" is a perfect entry point to the band, and if you like that track, you'll like the album, Burst Apart - it's quickly rising to the top of my best of 2011 list.
The Mountain Goats - "Damn These Vampires" from All Eternal's Deck
The Mountain Goats - "Lovecraft In Brooklyn" from Heretic Pride
The Antlers - "I Don't Want Love" from Burst Apart
Mogwai - "Like Herod" (Live)
Here's hoping my next post won't be 4 months away (as there won't be anyone left to read what I write), but until next time, take a chance on some new music - you might be blown away by what you find... and listen...
Time to start getting excited for the latest chaper of beautiful acoustic indie-folk from Robin Pecknold and company. Mark May 3rd, 2011 on your calender... Color me really excited... Listen/Download :
Why is the music world so in love with nostalgia? Each new release day is littered with re-releases. Bonus tracks added! First time on vinyl! Newly remastered from the original analog tapes! Record companies will do anything to get we, the consumers, to purchase stuff that we've already purchased previously. It's really genius marketing. Resell the customer something that he or she already owns by adding only a few bells and whistles (usually tracks that are available on the web if you search hard enough). In this day and age of MP3s, concrete media (vinyl, CDs) and heading toward extinction at a breakneck pace. There are just too many people who haven't fallen in love with the physical feel of holding an album in your hands, taking the vinyl out of its sleeve and catching the aroma of freshly pressed wax, thumbing through a CD booklet, reading liner notes, peeling open the wrapper... it's like food porn, but with music.
No matter how one tries to intellectualize it, music obsessives can't help but be nostalgic. We want, no, need, to obtain everything that an artist has committed to tape, no matter how terrible or insignificant those recordings are (it's not a perfect example, but see the Bob Dylan Bootleg Series 1-3 for plenty of tracks that should have remained hidden in Columbia's vaults). Many will argue that demos and unreleased tracks are an excellent way to recreate an artist's thought process by closely examining what was left on the cutting room floor. Many people would be wrong on most occasions. But let's reward those who, because of the era that their magnum opus was released, can repackage their music merely for the sake of getting it out there on vinyl for the first time... with 4 bonus tracks that are easily found elsewhere.
In 1999, the indie music landscape was littered with disparate styles. Emo was reaching a peak, with bands like The Get Up Kids, Modest Mouse, Pedro the Lion, and Jimmy Eat World selling album after album of whiny, derivative drivel. Meanwhile, bands that would reach fantastic heights in the 2000s put out albums that would define their sound, such as The Flaming Lips' The Soft Bulletin, Sigur Ros' Agaetis Byrjun, The Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs, Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada by God Speed! You Black Emperor, and The White Stripes' self-titled album. Wilco dropped their Beach Boys-worshipping Summerteeth, Beck dove head-first into white boy funk with Midnite Vultures, The Hot Rock by Sleater-Kinney pushed their sound away from Riot Grrrl and toward the future, while Tom Waits' Mule Variations put his junkyard percussion into a retro-blues suit fit for the mainstream. Pavement recorded and released its swan song, Terror Twilight, which still seems forced. It was clear that Radiohead was the most important band in indie rock (by quite a margin), but their twin forays into electronics, Kid A and Amnesiac, would not appear until 2000 and 2001, respectively. The ripples that they put into the water with 1997's OK Computer were trying to be copied left and right - to no avail. Then along came Travis Morrison, Jason Caddell, Eric Axelson, and Joe Easley with an album that sounded very out of place to my ears at the time, but sounds timeless now.
The Dismemberment Plan were really nothing more than Washington D.C. also-rans, living on the outskirts of the post-hardcore scene, which very recently had been abandoned by Ted Leo as he disbanded the flag wavers of the scene - Chisel. They had put out a few records on DeSoto over the preceding 5 years, but really hadn't made much noise on the scene. Emergency & I was released on October 26, 1999 and was immediately met with rave reviews. I was encouraged to check out the band (whom I had never heard of) by my guide through everything cool on the music scene at the time, KB. Since KB had moved from Buffalo to the hustle and bustle of New York City (with a boyfriend in the music biz at the time), she had much more exposure to the cutting edge than I (not to mention, I was drowning in the work of my first semester of medical school). When she suggested this record, I immediately went out and bought it (and was surprised to find it at New World Record).
On the first few spins, I didn't get it. It was too obtuse, too fast and noisy in places, changed tempos waaaay too often and quickly. "What Do You Want Me To Say" worked for me right away, the rest, not so much. But it seemed to seep in day after day after day. Right when it started to really take hold, it got pushed out of the way by Kid A and Turn On The Bright Lights.
Fast forward to the end of 2010 - it's announced that Emergency & I would be pressed for the first time on wax. A double 180g affair that sent me back to rediscover an album that never got its due on my play lists - it didn't even exist on my iPod. What I found was something that had gone from sounding way left of center to sounding eerily prescient of what indie rock had become. It predicted the math rock boom. It incorporated Radiohead's knob-twiddling with the best elements of emo (yes, emo has its moments).
The songs are stellar top to bottom. There's no extended intro to the album - Travis Morrison hits you right up front at the outset in "A Life of Possibilities" - as the band burns through cathartic song after cathartic song, all centered around what sounds like a break up that has forced the narrator to a city that is cold and empty without the former object of his affection. "8 1/2 Minutes" is especially emblematic of this, as the singer frantically asks, "What were you doing for those 8 1/2 minutes?", knowing that he doesn't want to know the answer.
Besides the lyrical content, the album's angularity and variety are its other secret weapons. Try counting the beat in "Gyroscope" with its 15/16 time signature - i've tried and still can't seem to keep up - and yet, the song is just joyous sounding while being dour ("Happiness is such hard work and it gets harder every day"). "The City" moves along with strange, yet apropos synth lines set up by intricate drum fills, but again, finds the rock bottom feelings of the narrator ("The city's been dead, since you been gone" and "All I ever say now is goodbye"). The secret weapon here is Joe Easley's drumming. On this record, he stakes his claim as indie rock's Neal Peart, moving the beat in different time signatures and directions seamlessly and cleanly. That the band's angular time changes remind me of Rush's trademark flow is a testament to how tight the playing is on the album. "You Are Invited" is sparse, haunting, and, possibly, the only positive song on the record, as Morrison sings of the search for community in party after party in a city where one feels so alone. The lonely, ascending guitar arpeggio from the opening minutes echo Robyn Hitchcock's "Autumn Is Your Last Chance", another desolate, lonely tune. I'm not sure that a group of post-punk indie kids was listening to much 1980s psych-folk, but the shared DNA is striking. "The Jitters" gives the listener just that, as icy computer noise mixes with twittering synthesizers in the record's most Kid A-like moment.
There's clearly a time and place for looking back, even in the hipster world of indie rock. We might not have decade after decade to reflect upon, but those of us in our 30s do still long for the time when we were floating through college and grad school, still forming our identities and seeking out new musical horizons. That an album from just over 11 years ago stirs these memories, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and gives me that butterflies-in-the-stomach-feeling that true love does, isn't an accident at all. It's just what good music is supposed to do. Call it nostalgia if you must, but it's great to have Emergency & I back at the forefront of my musical psyche, fitting in like that missing puzzle piece that hides under the couch. I'm glad that others haven't forgotten about it and clued me in to what I had nearly lost. All you have to do is remember... and listen...
OK, I know, I know. I started something that I couldn't finish (to quote Moz). The Ideological Cuddle Top 10 Albums of the year started well, but never came to a conclusion. Part of this is due to being busy, part is due to being lazy. I think it's time to remedy this...
Album #9 - Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
Now, I outlined my new-found love for Teenage Fanclub in the last post, but a few more select thoughts - Shadows continues down the pathway that the band blazed from Grand Prix forward. It's modern pop that looks backward to the grandiosity of 60s and 70s AM radio. The first two tracks are stand-outs - "Sometimes I Don't Need To Believe In Anything" and "Baby Lee" - and a heck of a 1-2 punch. Here's a taste:
Album #8 - Corin Tucker Band - 1,000 Years
Another album that was outlined in its own post just a couple months ago - October, to be exact (found here). Not Sleater-Kinney, but no less powerful and affecting, Tucker harnesses years of being a mother, a wife, and an adult (there's a concept in modern indie rock!). It is an album that is reflective ("Riley" and "It's Always Summer"), sensual ("Dragon"), and angry (standout track "Doubt" - the closest to Sleater-Kinney that you'll hear... that is, until Carrie Brownstein's new band Wild Fang hits the ground running). I really look forward to what Tucker has planned next.
Album #7 - Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away
This one has been a quick riser on the Ideological Cuddle list (if I hadn't finished the list in mid-December, it might have made the top 5). Ritter's latest LP was released in special vinyl form on Record Store Day and it took quite a while to dig through all of the lyrical depths that Ritter presents. The full impact of his prose has to be studied to be fully appreciated. The BFF and I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Ritter in concert in Toronto back in October, and he and his band absolutely tore the Phoenix Concert Hall up. The band is tight and Ritter's renditions of "Folk Bloodbath" (which premiered in fetal form on his March, 2008 tour stop to the same venue) and "Lantern" from SRTWA were fantastic. I have been waiting months for the right time to share the video for "The Curse". Be forewarned - this might be the only time that marionettes have ever made me cry :
Album #6 - The New Pornographers - Together
Another band that I have been singing the praises of for years, The New Pornographers stick to their formula (joyous power-pop filtered through the lenses of songwriters Carl Newman and Dan Bejar), yet allow Kathryn Calder to take her place next to Neko Case, rather than in her shadow. You can't help but feel energized by the band's sound. Here they are performing "Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk" live in studio on Q TV in their native Canada (undoubtedly the best lyrical use of the word "Byzantine" ever):
Album #5 - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
Another long time Cuddle favorite who swung through our region in 2010, Leo brought his trademark punk energy to venerable Buffalo dive-bar landmark Mohawk Place in June. The place was packed wall-to-wall with every age of devotee - aging hipsters, young punks, and whatever group I belong to. Everyone seemed to vibrate at the same frequency with the sheer frenetic energy of Ted's music, as he showcased the live intensity of the tracks from The Brutalist Bricks. As if you ever needed another reason to see Ted Leo in concert (if you haven't you're missing out big time), the songs from this record absolutely shine live. "Where Was My Brain?", "The Mighty Sparrow", and "Gimmie The Wire" shook the room to its foundation, while my favorite track, "Bottled In Cork" (a rumination on the state of the world filtered through a travelouge that stings of regret) was drawn out into a full-scale sing along with the tune's closing couplet" "I told the bartender/I think I'm falling in love". The official video is downright silly and hilarious (and Paul F. Tompkins rules) :
Album #4 - Spoon - Transference
Somewhat overlooked as the year went on, owing to its release in January, 2010, Spoon continued its streak of amazingly crafted records with Transference. As with many of the albums on this list, the band didn't really try to reinvent themselves, just merely made a few tweaks to alter their sonic delivery. "Written In Reverse" follows in the footsteps of other danceable, funky Spoon tunes like "Don't You Evah" and "You Gotta Feel It". "I Saw The Light" sounds like it would have fit perfectly between "I Turn My Camera On" and "My Mathematical Mind" on Gimme Fiction. "Goodnight Laura" is contemplative and heart wrenching piano ballad along the lines of, well, nothing else in their catalogue. Everything this band puts out sounds nothing like anyone else. The band is truly original and fantastic.
Album #3 - The National - High Violet
Yeah, it's not my #1 record of the year. Yes, it's fantastic. No, it's not as good as Boxer, but not much out there is. I've outlined the grandiosity of the National's live show (at both the Massey Hall and Rockin' at The Knox gigs in 2010) and sung the praises of Matt Berninger and crew over and over again. This album helped to get me to understand that it was OK to be a thirty-something indie music fan in this day and age; that there were people out there in my age bracket making music and outlining themes that we understand (namely, having kids, struggling with a career, maintaining friendships, finding/losing love, mistaking sex for intimacy, feeling claustrophobic in our day and age, feeling paranoid about the government - you know, your basic Top 40 radio themes). And somehow, despite the heaviness of these topics, the band absolutely blew up this year; you could scarcely turn around mid-year without seeing The National on late night TV or being highlighted in print/internet media. It would have been impossible for the band to have reached this level if the songs weren't fantastic (and they most certainly are). Here's my favorite, live on The Interface in LA (and yes, I partially grew a beard this past Fall in a feeble attempt to look more like Matt Berninger):
Album #2 - The Black Keys - Brothers
Speaking of bands that absolutely blew up in 2010... After slogging along on the outskirts of fame for years, the Black Keys made their long-deserved breakthrough to the big time this past year, on the heels of their most ambitious (and, to my ear, best) album to date. Prior to this album hitting the stores, there were plenty of folks who knew and loved the Black Keys, but they weren't exactly household names. Now, they've played Saturday Night Live, have had their songs soundtrack commercial after commercial, and even came full circle to parody their "commercial" breakthrough on The Colbert Report (which, if you haven't seen, is an absolute riot - much credit to Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend for skewering their robust fame as well. Check out the clip at Colbert's website here.) The album should be enjoyed on vinyl (and that goes for all of my top 10) and can be purchased in one of many forms (I must say that I feel that I was punished for being a dedicated little fan and buying the record on its release day on double LP vinyl - it's subsequently been re-released on limited edition 10" records with 45rpm mastering and I would have preferred that version, but whatever). The addition of bass and Hammond organ/harpsichord/keyboard is key to the album's success, as it pulls the Keys sound out of a blues orbit into more of a 60s Stax/Volt R&B vein (right down to the choice of recording studios - legendary Muscle Shoals). "Everlasting Light", "10 Cent Pistol", "Black Mud" - these are centerpieces, but for me, the last two tracks are what cinches it for me. The closing 1-2 punch of soul classic "Never Gonna Give You Up" (made famous by Isaac Hayes) and should be new soul classic "These Days" (imagine the late Sam Cooke or Otis Redding crooning this one) and unparalleled. It's refreshing to see a band so confident in their songs that they can end a record with such gems. Absolutely killed it live at Town Ballroom in September as well.
Finally, The Ideological Cuddle #1 Record of the Year for 2010... Drum Roll, please... Album #1 - Superchunk - Majesty Shredding
This album turned out the be the feel-good story of the year for me, as this was not only the most catchy, well-written return-to-form album, but also the soundtrack to my running resurrection. On a personal level, this record gave me the push that I needed to get out there and get healthier. It has been, almost exclusively, the soundtrack for each of my two and four mile runs since its release. What Mac, Laura, Jon, and James did with this record is nothing short of amazing. For a band that seemed to be lost to nostalgia just a few short years ago, to rebound with such a vital, triumphant record is inspiring. That they've done it while making sure that Merge Records, the label Mac and Laura founded in 1989, continues to flourish as indie rocks' foremost success story is even more impressive. The songs are great individually, but even more impressive when taken as a whole. The track order is seamless, with one anthem flowing into another, but never feeling "samey". As with High Violet, So Runs The World Away, and The Brutalist Bricks, Majesty Shredding finds its authors struggling with adult issues in a changing world. No track that I heard in 2010 sums this up better than "Fractures In Plaster", a tune that celebrates getting older while recalling the fragility of life as we yearn to be like Christopher Robin "in the woods with your yellow bear", perpetually in childhood. It was fitting that the band chose to remaster and re-release two of their best loved records, No Pocky For Kitty and On The Mouth, in 2010 as well, since Majesty Shredding sits right next to those two classics in Superchunk's celebrated discography. You won't find a record that makes you feel better being an adult than this one. It's about time, in the current musical milieu, that we can say that.
So, there you go. It took a while to get posted, but I hope it was worth the wait. I hope that everyone who reads this post will go out and check out these albums. They're all well worth your time.
Until next time (when I'll likely be drooling over the reissue of Emergency & I by The Dismemberment Plan), take some time to review the wonderful music that 2010 had to offer... and listen...
