Sometimes Lonely Isn't Sad

It's near year end here at The Cuddle and a time to reflect on all of the bountiful pleasures that 2010 has  brought us.  It's a time to be thankful for all that we have and look forward to all that is yet to come.  Today, we kick off the Ideological Cuddle Top Ten Albums of 2010 countdown with the two albums that didn't quite crack the top 10 (but were very noteworthy none-the-less), the top re-issue(s) of the year, the biggest disappointment of the year, our favorite concerts of the year, and some notable bands that may not have released a new album this year, but rose to the top of our play lists time and time again.
Without further ado...

The Biggest Disappointment of 2010 - The Hold Steady's Heaven Is Whenever

Now, by no means do I think that this is a bad album, per se.  It's just such a colossal disappointment.  Coming off of 2008's triumphant and epic Stay Positive, the Hold Steady were on quite a roll.  They had risen to the forefront of indie rock, had websites, print journalists, and fans drooling over their trademark mix of boozy bar rock and literate lyrics.  Then they felt it necessary to go in a "different direction".
(A quick aside... Is it ever really necessary for a band who does what they do well to "reinvent themselves"?  It's such an overrated, bullshit move, and it's usually pushed by the media - "such and such is in such a rut, they need to reinvent themselves" - B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T.  Bands who are good at one thing should stick with that one thing.  There are only so many Elvis Costellos and David Bowies who can create new sounds with each subsequent album and dip their toes in different genres without sounding completely idiotic.  The Hold Steady should have heeded this.  Ok, now I'm done... back to your regularly scheduled blog post...)
So that different direction is Heaven Is Whenever.  There are a  few gems on this record ("Hurricane J", "The Sweet Part of The City", and "We Can Get Together"), but there are plenty of clunkers ("Soft In The Center"?  "Barely Breathing"? - P.S., don't write songs that remind people of Duncan Sheik - "Rock Problems"?  Yeah, there are problems here).  I hate to say it, but this band REALLY misses Franz Nicolay.  Maybe the magic will return with their next record.  We here at The Cuddle can only hope so, since we love this band and all of its previous albums.

Bands That We Came To Love In 2010 (But Should Have Loved Before) :
Pavement
This is a no-brainer.  No band was on our iPod, computer, CD player, turntable more this year than Pavement.  It's fitting that Pavement made a triumphant return to playing live this year as well (I didn't have the pleasure of seeing them in person, but nyctaper's recordings of their shows made me feel like I was there).  I know that I didn't want to jump on the bandwagon because I thought that there was no way a band could live up to all of the indie hipster hype.  I know now that they do.  They really, really do.  I was wrong and I wholeheartedly admit it.  It all started with the career retrospective Quarantine The Past in March.  By the start of December, I owned every one of their full length albums in some shape or form.  Theirs is a catalogue that I cherish and listen to almost every day.

Teenage Fanclub
OK, I had heard of this band in the past, but had never made an effort to seek out their music until hearing about their 2010 release, Shadows.  It was all down the rabbit hole from there.  Their sound is right in my wheelhouse - jangly guitar pop, catchy as hell, sugary sweet harmonies.  You'll be hearing more about them in the days to come.

The Top 3 Concerts of 2010 :
3. My Morning Jacket - CMAC, Canandiagua, NY - August 28, 2010 - Our second time seeing My Morning Jacket was kind of a birthday performance celebration for us, as Mrs. Cuddle and I had celebrated my 33rd bday the day prior.  The New Pornographers opened the show in fantastic fashion (even in the absence of Neko Case) and Jim James and crew absolutely tore the roof off.  There is no band working today who can match the playing chops of My Morning Jacket and this show proved it.

2. The Black Crowes - Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA - October 29, 2010 - Mrs. Cuddle and I based an entire weekend in Philadelphia around this concert in celebration of our anniversary.  With this tour being billed as their farewell, there was no way that we were going to miss one of our favorite bands for what could be the last time.  They did not disappoint.  Starting with an acoustic set and closing with a marathon electric set, for 3 hours the Crowes reminded the faithful why they're so beloved.  Their encore seemed hand-picked for Mrs. Cuddle and I - our all-time favorite Crowes song, "Feathers", followed by Mrs. Cuddle's recent favorite, "I Ain't Hiding".  All of the Crowes' shows are available for download (for a nominal fee) from the Crowes' live music site.  I highly recommend this show.  Here's a taste:
The Black Crowes - Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA - 10/29/10 - "Hotel Illness" (Acoustic)

1. Robyn Hitchcock - The Drake Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - June 12, 2010 - I already waxed poetic about this show (and showed off the BFF's nifty camera work) on this previous post.  I still can't wrap my brain around the fact that I was able to see one of my favorite artists in such an intimate, acoustic setting.  Hitchcock was perfect from the first notes of "Cynthia Mask" to the final strains of a gorgeous cover of The Grateful Dead's "Candyman".  I can't really say much more than what I've said already.  It was just plain perfect.

The Best Re-Issues of 2010 - The Soft Boys' Can of Bees and Underwater Moonlight
I like to think of The Soft Boys' first two records as "Proto-Hitchcock".  While they contain the essential elements that would make Robyn Hitchcock such a singular and original songwriter, their sound was much more hard-edged and driving.  These records tend to rawk more than Hitchcock records.  Yep Roc's reissues came with download codes giving the buyer a plethora of outtakes, demos, and live versions, making each of the albums great values for the money.  Can of Bees is the lesser known of the two, but is by no means inferior.  It takes true balls (or insanity) to start a debut record with the lyrical couplet "I feel like asking a tree for an autograph/I feel like making love to a photograph", but The Soft Boys do it.  Standouts like "Leppo and The Jooves", "Sandra's Having Her Brain Out", and "The Pigworker" stand with Hitchcock's finest compositions (and are bat-shit crazy, to boot).  Underwater Moonlight gets more of the publicity as a touchstone in the indie rock canon and a favorite of many of indie/college rock's favorite progenitors (such as Peter Buck from R.E.M.).  "I Wanna Destroy You" is a stone-cold classic (and has been covered by the likes of Uncle Tupelo and The Goo Goo Dolls), "Queen of Eyes" is my favorite Soft Boys song (and has continued to persist in Hitchcock's sets to this day), and "Underwater Moonlight" might be the catchiest (and ONLY) song about couples suicide ever written.  Check out a taste of Hitchcock's madness:
The Soft Boys - "The Pigworker" - Can of Bees
The Soft Boys - "Queen of Eyes" - Underwater Moonlight

The Best Albums of 2010 - Honorable Mention :
She & Him - Volume Two - More gorgeousness from M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, following 2008's Volume One.  Ward and Deschanel managed to pen a timeless single - "Thieves" - which made me recall Papa Cuddle's Roy Orbison records, and was easily one of the 5 best songs I heard all year.  Let's be honest, Zooey could just sing the phonebook and I would rave about it.  There's no such thing as too much Zooey.
Grinderman - Grinderman 2 - As with my comment regarding Ms. Deschanel, there's no such thing as too much Nick Cave (although, sometimes he needs to be taken in small doses).  Grinderman's second record is just as over the top as their first (although it contains nothing as ballsy as "No Pussy Blues").  Grinderman tends to be Nick Cave's id - dirty, debaucherous, lecherous, filthy, funny.  "Heathen Child", "Worm Tamer" (yes, this song is about his woman's prowess with, um... well, you know... and yes, it includes the classic lines, "my baby calls me the Loch Ness Monster/Two great big humps and I'm gone").  It's well worth checking out.

We'll return with the "official" start of our Top 10 countdown in the next few days.  Until then, remember all the great things about the past year, and listen.

So Drunk In the August Sun and You're The Kind of Girl I Like

'Sup peoples. Another scorching, sticky hot day here in B-lo. No rain as promised. What does the area need? How about a breeze? The next in the series...

IDEOLOGICAL CUDDLE BREEZY SUMMER MIX 2010
1. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - "Mondo Bongo" - What could be better than one of music history's most enduring voices backed by gentle acoustic guitars, fiddle, and percussion in a bossa nova vibe. I truly feel that The Mescaleros albums that Strummer made didn't get nearly enough attention. The records celebrate a global sound, blending Caribbean sounds, Aboriginal rhythms, Indian ragas, and street music, all baked together with the crust of Strummer's punk roots. Each of the albums is recommended, but, for the summer vibe, Global A Go-Go is the way to go.
2. Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin - "Naima" - OK, I'm sure many of you out there had no idea that this album existed. Here's the back story - Santana and McLaughlin, two of history's greatest guitarists, and devotees of Sri Chinmoy and his teachings decide to make an album together called Love Devotion Surrender. They decide to lean more toward McLaughlin's jazz roots, but celebrate Santana's furious rock sound as well. The songs are a combination of Coltrane covers ("A Love Supreme" must not be missed; the above song we'll discuss more in a bit), devotional songs, and originals. Upon its initial release, the album pleased critics, but alienated Santana's fans, being too "jazzy" for many. Further inspection over the years has revealed the album to be a genius amalgam of Santana's love of Miles Davis fusion while adding his own touches. While most of the album is loud and electric, "Naima" is quiet, sedate, and an acoustic guitar duet. It is positively beautiful.
3. Gary Louris - "Angelyne (Live, Solo, Acoustic)" - The original version of this song appeared on The Jayhawk's near-perfect 2003 album Rainy Day Music. Louris and his buddies in the oft-imitated, never-duplicated Alt-Country kings came strolling out of the Minneapolis region in the late 80s and put out a string of beautiful albums that touch on country rock, Byrdsian folk, and straight country, presented with Louris and Mark Olson's beautiful harmonies. This track, taken from a solo acoustic performance earlier this year, is a beautiful performance of a true classic. It includes a gorgeous harmonica part and the entire show is worth hunting down from Cuddle favorite, nyctaper.
4. Imperial Teen - "Ivanka" - A perfect example of indie power pop and another great band from the Merge stable, Imperial Teen struck gold with this track from 2002's On. It is the album's lead track and starts with a classic "1, 2, 3, go..." count-up. This is the soundtrack to heading to the beach, head full of ideas of what's to come. Compelling stuff.
5. Robyn Hitchcock - "I'm Only You (live at the Drake Hotel, Toronto, 6/12/10)" - As outlined in a previous post, I was lucky enough to be present at this show, an intimate affair, during which, Hitchcock presented his considerable songwriting and guitar playing talents. The original version of the above track can be found on Fegmania!, one of Hitchock's excellent 80s albums with The Egyptians. "I'm Only You" showcases Hitchcock's guitar skills and is a perfect example of his sometimes bizarre but always affecting lyrics. Just let the ascending/descending guitar line burrow into your brain and let it live there for a while...
6. Neko Case - "In California" - There are so many choices from Neko Case's catalogue that would be appropriate for this mix, but this song seemed to grab me, not just for its gentle pace and powerful vocal, but feeling of reminiscence that it creates. Sometimes summer isn't just fun and games. Sometimes it's tears and loss. What better way to celebrate that element of summer than swimming around in Neko's voice for 3 minutes?
7. The Magnetic Fields - "Come Back From San Francisco" - A short little ditty from The Magnetic Fields' classic 3 disc monster, 69 Love Songs, "Come Back From San Francisco" is a song of longing - the kind of song that Stephin Merritt was born to write. The song is sung by Claudia Gonson, The Fields's drummer, who is able to bring a special touch to the song.

8. The Faces - "Glad & Sorry" - Easily one of the best songs in The Faces catalogue, "Glad & Sorry" is a Ronnie Lane composition, not one of Ron Wood or Rod Stewart's efforts. The gentle piano line is what snags the listener and the lyrics express regret and thanks. The song is breezy and quiet, pushing Stewart to the background, and Lane to the fore. It's been covered many times, most notably by Billy Bragg, Golden Smog, and The Black Crowes.
9. Josh Ritter - "Lark" - One of contemporary music's greatest songwriters and most talented lyricists, Ritter returned to the fold this year with So Runs the World Away, a typically strong set of tunes. "Lark" wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Paul Simon record (such as Rhythm of the Saints or Graceland). "The Curse" might be the album's best track, but it doesn't fit this mix's goal very well (waltzes + mummies NOT breezy summer).

10. She & Him - "Thieves" - Those who know me, know of my love for all things Deschanel (except her marriage to that dweeb, Ben Gibbard). Her collaborations with M. Ward - 2008's Volume One and this year's Volume Two - are studies in throwback 60s AM radio pop, with Deschanel's beautiful, summery voice front and center. Ward's gentle guitar playing and careful arrangements suit her voice perfectly. "Thieves", the clear stand-out on Volume Two, wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Roy Orbison Sun side from the 50s. The song rolls along on a shuffling, classic pop guitar line, augmented by gentle strings and Zooey's beautiful voice. Ward's backing vocals are barely there, but wonderfully furtive. Perfect for swaying along with your favorite girl, watching the sun set.

11. Pavement - "Gold Soundz" - The prototypical breezy Californian indie band with their prototypical breezy summer song. It needs no further introduction, as it's as perfect as indie rock gets.
12. Tallest Man On Earth - "Graceland" - For those who haven't experienced Kristian Matsson's voice, by all means, click on the above link. You'll find two things. First, his voice hits you like a brick - something akin to Dylan circa Nashville Skyline while inhaling helium, his achy croak is an experience unto itself. Two, his stripped down version of the Paul Simon classic opens the listener up to lyrics that may not have grabbed your attention on the original. The mix puts his voice right in your ear, and primes the listener for a close inspection of Simon's prose - here's a news flash, the subject material isn't as sunny as you'd think.

13. The New Pornographers - "Silver Jenny Dollar" - A Dan Bejar-penned song from The Porno's latest piece of power pop perfection, this year's Together, "Silver Jenny Dollar" is the story of a female rocker who is the singer's unattainable love interest (well, I think that's what it's about... can we ever be sure with a Dan Bejar song?). The outstanding feature of this gem is the insistent "Whoa whoa whoa whoa-wa-wa-wa"s that punctuate the chorus behind Bejar's lead vocal. You really can't go wrong with any New Pornographers records - quintessential summer music.
14. Richard Hawley - "Remorse Code" - Ah, Ideological favorite Richard Hawley. Our love for all things Hawley was professed in THIS post from September, 2009. At that time, Truelove's Gutter was released to rave reviews. One of the centerpieces of that album, "Remorse Code", was re-released as the lead single on the False Lights From the Land EP (on 10" vinyl) which was available from Amazon.co.uk as recently as last week (when I picked up my copy), but seems to be sold out now. Secondary market will have to be the way the rest of you pick it up, and it's well worth seeking out. The EP is a collection of songs that revolve around the theme of the sea, with "Remorse Code" spelling out the addiction of the singer's friend in an allegory of being lost in a shipwreck. Heavy subject material, but the 9+ minute epic rolls along on a gentle acoustic guitar line punctuated by Hawley's trademark Gretsch solos. As with all of his best tracks, Hawley's barritone carries the day.
15. George Harrison - "Any Road" - Our favorite Beatle, George Harrison was taken from us much too soon. His post-Beatles output is deeper, more soulful, and more joyful than any of his colleagues. Last year's greatest hits compilation, Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison compiles a generous collection of his best. "Any Road", from Harrison's swan song, 2002's Brainwashed, is a perfect amalgam of what summer is all about - "Any road can take you there"...
16. Camera Obscura - "French Navy" - I know that their subject matter seems unfit for a breezy summer mix (with album titles like My Maudlin Career and Underachievers Please Try Harder and enough songs about lost love to fill any depressive's play list), but Scotland's Camera Obscura, much like their countrymen Teenage Fanclub, are a summer band. "French Navy" is purely addictive summer bliss.
17. Fleet Foxes - "Drops In The River (Live on Daytrotter)" - Fleet Foxes are an easy choice for this mix, as all of their songs evoke a Summer/Fall natural vibe. Their acoustic sound is the perfect soundtrack for sitting on a porch in the hot sun with friends and a cold beverage. "Drops in the River" starts with beautiful harmonies, but explodes with sound after its opening salvo. This Daytrotter session was recorded prior to the band's ascent to indie folk darlings.
18. Wilco - "The Thanks I Get" - A legendary "bonus track" from Sky Blue Sky (and famous for its inclusion in a Volkswagen commercial), "The Thanks I Get" is a swaying, rollicking tune, and typical for Jeff Tweedy's propulsive songwriting. Many Wilco tunes could fit on this mix, but this one feels just right.
19. Blitzen Trapper - "Lady On The Water" - A song that can only be compared to the best of 1970s Laurel Canyon/Neil Young/AM Radio soft rock (and that's a good thing!). A Blitzen Trapper record is always guaranteed to surprise with every track - psych-rock on one, gentle finger-picked country-rock the next.
20. Big Star - "Thirteen" - We have to end this mix with a total classic. Alex Chilton's ode to teenage love is chill-inducing every time I listen to it. It's a perfect way to end a date... or a breezy summer mix.

Until next time, spend some time with friends out in the summer sun, cool off with this breezy mix... and listen.

UPDATE - LINKS REMOVED DUE TO COMPLAINTS... sorry, you'll have to seek these songs out for yourself... trust me, it's worth the work...