Fans of the ever expanding array of remixed indie songs mashed up with hip hop will wanna check out Montreal producer Tor's latest project; 'Illinoize'. The title and art would suggest a pretty ambitious project, but in reality the mix tape only consists of seven songs with samples coming from four of Stevens albums. In practice not all of the samples really work that well, but at its worse the tape still comes off as interesting. At its best, there are some worthy moments here, particularly coming from "The Tallest Man" and "Night Zombies" which is linked below. Among the MC's participating are Aesop Rock, Outkast, and Brother Ali. Best of all the tape was offered for free download. Check out the website here, and the direct links below.
"Night Zombies/Talkin My Shit (f. Brother Ali)", 2009
In terms of "obscure nonpareils of turn-of-the-decade stoner rock," you're unlikely to eclipse this band. The primary reason being, of course, how horribly under-appreciated they are. But then again, they hail from Texas, a veritable wellspring of indie rock (think: Butthole Surfers, Spoon, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Okkervil River, Shearwater...) not to mention the birthplace of psychedelia itself (13th Floor Elevators). It seems only natural that someone would deign to challenge that identity.
And that's exactly what The Mike Gunn did. In their short existence they managed to churn out one studio LP and one compilation -- both excellent records in their own merit. What seemed to be their defining trait was their great aptitude for rhythmic, pounding psychedelic rock, something today that's oft attempted but rarely excelled at. It would be folly to draw comparisons to Kyuss or Fu Manchu without first prefacing their propensity for free-structured jam; indeed, they were a much larger product of the protective Houston psychedelia scene than any turgid drony space hymns courtesy of Black Sabbath or Saint Vitus. The result: a unique melting pot of driving rhythms borrowing liberally from the psychedelia handbook, what would today be sniped in generalization "stoner rock."
I chose their studio album Almaron in part because it sounds far more cohesive than their compilation of tracks, but also because it contains perhaps my favorite stoner rock song ever. In truth it's obvious that this record wasn't professionally engineered; many of the songs sound like they were written between shifts inside a warehouse somewhere. But the thin production certainly complements the diminutive nasal respirations, and it's easy to hear their fervor. I'm not quite sure what "it" is, but they had it.
In the last 3 days my sister and I drove from Baltimore to Las Vegas, some 2300 miles. Also just yesterday, I bought my Primavera Sound Festival tickets. Yes, I am referring to the three day long, 4 pm to 7 am extravaganza hosted in Barcelona, Spain, and featuring headliners Pavement, the Pixies, and Wilco. Also announced to show so far are the Antlers, the XX, Panda Bear, Circulatory System, the New Pornographers, Here We Go Magic, Dr. Dog, etc. I obviously don't need to hype this, it speaks for itself. Forget the green paper and get yours here, or at least read a little more about all the fun we'll be having without you. In honor of both this and my recent trek through the desert, I give you a Pavement song I once heard Robert Schneider call "the most beautiful song I've ever heard", which if nothing else probably explains a thing or two about the Apples in Stereo:
Now, with nothing to do but await the New Years celebration in Vegas tonight, and being just a little excited for it, I put together a little ten song 'New Years' playlist. Featured is a selection of old and modern classics which either look forward, back, or at least have some general relation to the passage of time. Download link below, enjoy.
1. The Past Recedes - John Frusciante 2. Yesterdays World - Circulatory System 3. This Will Be Our Year - The Zombies 4. In The New Year - The Walkmen 5. This Time Tomorrow - The Kinks 6. Countdown - Phoenix 7. Time Has Told Me - Nick Drake 8. Time Trap - Built to Spill 9. Memory Lane - Elliot Smith 10. When It Begins - Kevin Drew
Without a doubt one of the most overlooked and under-appreciated bands to grace this modern age, Universal Congress Ofspawned from the wreckage of Joe Baiza's seminal jazz-punk group Saccharine Trust (who were signed to the venerable SST Records during its heyday). While they certainly bear some similarities to their forebears, Universal Congress Of dispense of the cryptic lyrical waxing in favor of a chimerical blend of jazz, funk and whatever else that grooves. It would be folly to call theirs is a simple act; intricate snare rolls and unusual horn riffs permeate their work, all anchored by heavy funky basslines to create an effectual anomaly in terms of genre.
It was only whilst looking for more adventurous material by guitarist Joe Baiza that I chanced upon Universal Congress Of -- it took me a long time thereafter to track down this particular album. I was eventually rewarded with what I consider to be a veritable pontificate of modern jazz, The Sad and Tragic Demise of Big Fine Hot Salty Black Wind. If the title alone doesn't intrigue you, the persistent driving rhythms and infectious funky basslines should pique your interest. Though it may have been released some twenty years ago, I still consider this reputable album UCO's most enduring record to date, and most certainly an imposing statement for generations of jazz enthusiasts to come.
I wish half the shit I scooped off Ornette Coleman and Charles Mingus tasted this good.
I don't really know why I've always associated these records with each other. Maybe its that they were both sparsely noticed 2009 releases. Maybe because of the similiarly themed artwork. Or maybe just because I burned them on the same blank CD. Either way, these are definitely two bands to be aware of, even if thats where the similairities end.
I picked up on the Clues self titled debut when seeing it praised on a 'best of the decade' list. On a first listen it didn't leave much of an impression, but after a couple it grew. The album is fairly consistent and cohesive, and exists in a place that apart from being indie rock is all the groups own. That said, there is a huge lack of stand out singles here. Let's just say I've never caught myself humming a Clues song. Still a worthy record though that you can check out below.
The Royal Bangs on the other hand have the opposite problem. On this album there are at least four well written catchy tracks, but the rest of outing fails to live up. The record is titled 'Let it Beep', and appropriately so, as everytime the songwriting lacks the mix is muddled with distracting and largely distasteful MIDI style effects. That being said, "War Bells", "Poison Control", "Waking Up Wierd", and "Maniverse" are first rate high energy tunes that any band would be proud to have in their catalog. Check these out as well.
Cop Shoot Cop were a controversial New York band that existed in a short window between 1987 and 1994, playing into the role of the burgeoning "industrial/alternative" loop that somehow fed clubs with Reznor fans and shitheads alike. It's pretty easy to see where they diverge from this stereotype. Early works like Consumer Revolt and White Noise were deep seated in sarcasm and abrasion, taking an almost ephemeral quality to the musical structure. Things changed after a while, but for the entirety of the band's existence, they purposefully avoided the road towards popularity (or a lead guitarist, for that matter).
Cop Shoot Cop appends nihilism to the growing list of influences which you could attribute to them; artists like Big Black, Killing Joke and Foetus certainly spring to mind. With the aid of a competent producer, their 1993 masterpiece allowed these influences to bloom into the turgid mess known as Ask Questions Later, arguably one of the most powerful "alternative" albums of the decade. Lead bassist (that's not a typo) Tod A.'s caustic songwriting dances furtively between disillusionment and affectation, burning one of the least travailed bridges between the mordant and the accessible. If nothing else, Cop Shoot Cop did what nobody else on the industrial/alternative fence could do -- make an album worth giving a damn about.
Just listen to the first track, it's enormous -- "Surprise, Surprise":
Sometimes the greatest of things go completely unnoticed.
In this case it's not a far cry to call Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 true visionaries. Their name reeks of pretension and self-importance -- thankfully, neither are applicable. This whimsical group made deceptively simple pop recordings during the late '80s and up until the new millennium, in the same vein as label-mates Guided By Voices and Pavement. While their recording style embraced the lo-fi aesthetic of their brethren at Matador Records, their songwriting style meandered a completely different path.
Thinking Fellers Union Local 282's records were, for most respects, just plain fucking weird. In their early years, most songwriting passages get interrupted by disunited and disorganized excerpts of noise. By the time they signed to Matador Records in the early '90s, TFUL '82 cleaned up their records, but retained their same whimsical sense of humor and execution. The result: a brilliant post-apocalyptic mess that somehow managed to garner a minor college rock hit, Strangers from the Universe.
In the past few months this record has ascended my depth chart of favorite albums. It's an amalgam of everything I love: idiosyncratic indie rock and really unusual (but otherwise groovy) pop melodies. It sounds like someone shoved Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain through a blender and ported the great steaming mess into a thirteen-track take. Although the band tries their best on this album to obliterate any chance of landing a top forty hit, they do fuck up occasionally and produce a truly memorable song, like this one here entitled "Cup of Dreams":
And while TFUL 282 never really received the critical attention they so deserved, this album is a summary exploration of their career's material. So much of this album is expressive of their wide grasp of musical innovation, and their love for it. Sadly, the Fellers have since amicably dissolved, but their existence leaves an indelible impression of what's so wonderful about music in the first place.
Here's my 20 picks from 2009. While this hardly includes every album I enjoyed, the cream rose to the top. The defining factor to every album on this list is consistency. This year saw Sufjan Stevens, the master of the album as a concept, complaining that he didn't even know what the point of the LP as a musical format was anymore. All the more reason to salute those who are keepin it alive.
20. Amy Milan - 'Masters of the Burial'
A very pretty folk record which finds itself close in nature, but a little more breathable than her first.
19. Mos Def - 'The Ecstatic'
Some really original sounds in a time when hip-hop can struggle to stand out
18. Dead Mans Bones - 'Dead Mans Bones'
Where did this one come from? Completely original atmospherics.
17. Andrew Bird - 'Noble Beast'
This record didn't have the easy accesibility of 'Armchair' or 'Eggs' so it was easy to toss off. A few listens reveal yet another great release from one of the technically best musicians performing.
16. Bowerbirds - 'Upper Air'
An album that stays in the same vein as their last, yet improves on it in everyway. A very enjoyable listen.
15. Yo La Tengo - 'Popular Songs'
This one bothered me for awhile, mainly because I wasn't a fan of the single, and some of the songs sounded like phoned in genre experiments. But hey, it grew. A lot. Not to mention the 30+ minutes of the final three cuts are great.
14. God Help The Girl - 'God Help The Girl'
If you're a sucker for Stuart Murdoch's wry lyrical style, here he's in a form not heard since 'Lazy Line Painter Jane'.
13. The Fiery Furnaces - 'I'm Going Away'
This one also needed to grow on me. At first I was shocked by how not ridiculously shocking it was. Eventually I just liked it for what was there. The full cover version the band did of their own record, 'Take Me Round Again', is pretty quality too.
12. Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson- 'Breakup'
Actually recorded before the She & Him record and the terrible Johansson debut. Which is interesting because this one is good. Thanks Pete.
11. Atlas Sound - 'Logos'
One of the most accessible ambient pop based releases I've ever heard.
10. Portugal. The Man - 'The Satanic Satanist'
How did this one slip under the radar? Good rock records like this are to few and far between.
9. Charles Spearin - 'The Happiness Project'
This album is built off the melodies of conversational speech. While this could be gimmicky, as a post rock record it manages to run through more genres and styles than most, and do it all pretty well.
8. John Frusciante - 'The Empyrean'
Yes, this is what he quit RHCP for. No, you've never heard anything like it. Yes, it's worth a listen.
7. Sunset Rubdown - 'Dragonslayer'
This is progressive rock in the 21st century. Not to worry, King Crimson would approve.
6. Cymbals Eat Guitars - 'Why There Are Mountains'
Large, bashing, crashing, jangly, epic indie rock. Turn it up.
5. The Antlers - 'Hospice'
A masterful blend of post rock, ambience, and singer song writer aesthetic, centered around a storyline of a child with cancer. I put on this album while hanging out with my girlfriend once and got really depressed. She was confused.
This was the big surprise of the year for me. I'm always amazed when simple elements are arranged in new ways to blow me away. I haven't yet found a word which accurately describes what genre this falls into.
A record for all the lost 20-somethings out there. Lyrically this blew me away. "Last Paycheck" was on our Best Songs List, but here I'll give ya something a little more to the point: drinking, friends, music, and road trips. Somehow they make it sound epic though, not juvenile.. hence geniuses.
One word for every performance on this album: virtuosic. The vocal chops here make me drool. Maybe not the most representative Projectors tune below, but probably the prettiest.
How did I feel overall about this year? Well, some of my favorites let me down. The Flaming Lips, for instance. I loved the 'Priest Driven Ambulance' stuff, but 'Embryonic' was not a return to the zany brand space rock before 'Soft Bulletin'. It was a high polished musical farce. The studio obviously has become a crutch for these guys, and writing more dense and muddled songs doesn't distract from that. Well, it does for the critics. I love Built to Spill, but the guitars on 'Enemy' just don't have the raw kick I felt from 2006's 'You In Reverse'. Wilco went further down the alt contemporary road but still penned a few good tunes. Other albums I was looking forward to but didn't love: A.C. Newman, Circulatory System, Howling Bells, Le Loup, Monsters of Folk, and the Pink Mountaintops. I'm not necessarily saying not to listen to these records, just check out the 20 above first. 2010, lets go.
(Sidenote: Next year are we allowed to say oh-ten? Or would that only be applicable if we had this year said oh-oh-nine? Do we just have to say, ten? Cause I don't think I can handle that.)
Fans of the ever expanding array of remixed indie songs mashed up with hip hop will wanna check out Montreal producer Tor's latest project; 'Illinoize'. The title and art would suggest a pretty ambitious project, but in reality the mix tape only consists of seven songs with samples coming from four of Stevens albums. In practice not all of the samples really work that well, but at its worse the tape still comes off as interesting. At its best, there are some worthy moments here, particularly coming from "The Tallest Man" and "Night Zombies" which is linked below. Among the MC's participating are Aesop Rock, Outkast, and Brother Ali. Best of all the tape was offered for free download. Check out the website here, and the direct links below.
