Lewis and his Blog April 2012 Mix

Of the four installments in the monthly 10-track mix series that I started at the beginning of this year on Lewis and his Blog, this one has been the hardest to put together. I listened to so much great new music this month that it was very difficult to choose just ten songs to represent all of it. Nevertheless, I think I did a pretty good job. This is easily my favorite monthly mix that I’ve made so far, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. Stream the embedded mix below or the click the picture above to listen to the mix via 8tracks.

Lewis and his Blog // April 2012 Mix

1. Japandroids - “The House That Heaven Built” 

When Japandroids debuted this track from their new album Celebration Rock at the beginning of the month, my already dangerously high excitement level for new Japandroids music reached critical mass. Now that the album has leaked and “The House That Heaven Built” has had time to settle into the Japandroids canon, I’m still convinced: This might just be their best song yet. With an explosive chorus, pristine power pop riffage, and more hooks than you can shake a stick at, I don’t think that anything I’ve heard this year has made me want to yell and pump my fist while crowdsurfing more than this track. Pre-order Celebration Rock now from Polyvinyl Records.

2. Screaming Females - “Expire”

With Steve Albini at the helm, the New Jersey punk trio Screaming Females may have upped the production ante on their rich new album Ugly, but its best moments reflect what they’ve always done best. On “Expire,” frontwoman Marissa Paternoster howls and wails like a post-punk legend while she and her bandmates craft a swirling, angular brand of garage punk with inflections of surf rock. Add in a monstrous guitar solo and a killer chorus, and you’ve got a single that seems primed for the coming summer months. Ugly is out now on Don Giovanni Records.

3. St. Vincent - “KROKODIL”

Coachella crowdsurfing aside, this is a song that nobody expected St. Vincent to make. In a complete reversal of the steely, reserved art pop that she crafted on last year’s rather middling Strange Mercy, Annie Clark absolutely cuts loose on “KROKODIL,” her new single released on 7” vinyl for Record Store Day. The track is angry, brash, and most importantly fun, all three of which are qualities rarely displayed in the music of St. Vincent. Hopefully this is an indication of things to come for her.

4. People Who Love People - “The Dirty Misogynist Gets His Wings Cut Off”

On their new record Disappointment: The Album, the Connecticut group People Who Love People remind me a lot of Andrew Jackson Jihad, if Andrew Jackson Jihad had tried to make Knife Man back when they were just getting their start in 2005. It’s rife with vaulting ambition, radically varied on a song-to-song basis between different styles, and undoubtedly good, but it plods along with an endearing quality of inexperience and youthfulness that can neither be overlooked nor dismissed. Still, they certainly do craft some great songs on here. In particular, the harmonica-punctured, drum machine powered, distortion fest “The Dirty Misogynist Gets His Wings Cut Off” is a great highlight. That reminds me — this band is great with song titles. Download Disappointment: The Album HERE.

5. Death Grips - “Hacker”

I’m still not sure if I really get Death Grips, but I’m certainly fascinated by them. Their new album The Money Store might not be the perfect record that some (*ahem* Anthony Fantano) have touted it to be, but it’s a vast improvement over their 2011 mixtape Exmilitary that leaves me wondering whether I can truly enjoy this band that I previously ruled out. “Hacker” might be the album’s most immediately appealing track (although not strictly the most immediate) because it manages to find balance between the fucked up mythos of the group and their actual musical talent. “Gaga can’t handle this shit.” Neither can any of us. Purchase The Money Store from Epic Records via Amazon HERE.  

6. El-P - “Oh Hail No” (Feat. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire & Danny Brown)

I wrote about this new El-P track yesterday in my review of his new album Cancer For Cure, so I’ll spare the details here, but suffice to say that this track is a huge banger and a definite album highlight on a record filled with raw, motormouthed rap and vicious mechanical beats. El-P and up-and-comer Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire are in top form here, and although I can’t say I’m a fan of Danny Brown’s verse from a technical perspective, that guy certainly knows how to make a song his own. Cancer For Cure is available for pre-order from Fat Possum.

7. Sufjan Stevens & Rosie Thomas - “Here I Am!”

After a very disappointing collaborative EP with his new group s /s / s, I’m happy to say that Sufjan Stevens has earned my trust again with his new Record Store Day 7”. It turns out that he just needed to do a little work with his longtime collaborator Rosie Thomas in order to get his groove back. Although Sufjan is still operating in that weird auto-tuned electronic style that he’s been obsessed with since 2010’s The Age Of Adz, his lyrics on this new track hit a lot closer to home than anything he’s done since the All Delighted People EP. Thomas’s vocals (also auto-tuned) are a nice treat as well.

8. Suns - “Crocodile”

Bolstered by the addition of a dynamic new guitarist, the Connecticut group Suns stepped their game up to great effect on their new LP The Engine Room. Released a few days in advance of the album, the single “Crocodile” is the best track — a dynamic, pulsating song that slithers about in the reeds before explosively pouncing in its incendiary final minute. That last conflagration of guitar noise, bitter screams, and propulsive drumming might be my favorite isolated minute of music that 2012 has given me. Download The Engine Room from Suns’ bandcamp page.

9. The Act of Estimating As Worthless - “The Things We Remember”

In my review of The Act Of Estimating As Worthless’ new album (the title of which is even longer than the band’s name), I focused on “The Things We Remember” as the album’s centerpiece — a lush, nostalgic song that captures the dusty ruminations and memories of the album within its ~3 minute running time. Although the track works best in the album’s context, it stands up well enough on its own, thanks in part to its instrumental dynamics. Echoing Mount Eerie, the song begins quietly and soon burns up in a pyre of distortion. The twin vocalists play it cool throughout the whole piece, and go down calmly in the flames. Download the new album HERE. 

10. Sigur Rós - “Varúð”

Sigur Rós’ new album Valtari has earned the distinction of being the only Sigur Rós I can listen to in full while falling asleep at night. The only remote impediment to the washed out, ambient atmosphere that hangs over Valtari comes in the form of “Varúð,” the sole track on the new album that approaches the level of cathartic grandeur of their earlier material. Although the Icelandic group may only try to craft a post-rock crescendo once on Valtari, it’s clear that they still know how to do it well — “Varúð” features a breathtaking instrumental buildup that rivals Sigur Rós’ most angelically heavy past work. Preorder Valtari from Sigur Rós’ website HERE. 

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Thanks for reading and listening to this month’s mix! As always, feel free to stream and read along to any of the past monthly mixes by clicking the “Monthly Mix” tab towards the left of this page. Otherwise, just click HERE. Enjoy!

Lewis and his Blog March 2012 Mix

Welcome to the third installment of my monthly 8tracks mix series, which I started at the beginning of this year in an attempt to provide a retrospective overlook of each month’s new musical releases. To view an archive of all the past mixes, simply click the “Monthly Mixes” tab in the lefthand links sidebar on my blog. I hope you enjoy this mix in particular, because I love the music on it and I had an especially fun and difficult time choosing the songs on it. 

Lewis and his Blog // March 2012 Mix

1. The Men - “Turn It Around”

As a whole, The Men’s heavily hyped new album Open Your Heart doesn’t grab me as much as I’d like it to, but I’ll be damned if the opening track isn’t the most immediately gripping song I’ve heard all year. “Turn It Around” plays out like a breakneck-speed trip through the annals of Rock ‘n’ Roll history, with charging, overdriven guitars, bluesy vocals, and even a drum solo. It’s a stunning amalgamation of the numerous styles of music that the electric guitar has led, from blues to pop to punk, hardcore, grunge, and modern indie rock, all condensed into four minutes of joyful fury. Open Your Heart is available now on Sacred Bones Records. 

2. Martin Luther King - “Boneflower”

After undertaking something of a hiatus when their band members went off to college in the fall, Martin Luther King are back with an excellent new EP. Simply titled EP, the three-song set is helping to establish them as one of the most excitable bands in the area, with a rabid punk energy that begs to be set free. Any of the three songs on the record could have merited a place on this mix, but “Boneflower” sticks out to me for its dynamics and its unpredictable melodic sense. Download MLK’s new EP on their bandcamp page HERE. 

3. Titus Andronicus - “Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape With The Flood Of Detritus”

Titus Andronicus’ new single has been floating around the internet for a while, but it finally saw an official release earlier this month when Titus Andronicus included it on their new official bootleg collection known as Titus Andronicus LLC Mixtape Vol. 1. With embittered lyrics filled with references to everything from the Trojan War to Woody Guthrie, the track harkens back to their existentialist Airing Of Grievances days. Meanwhile, the stepped-up production values and harmonizing guitar leads suggest an ambitious new change in direction, almost calling to mind artists like Thin Lizzy. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise…. After all, that mixtape also includes a live cover of “The Boys Are Back In Town.” Download the 23 track bootleg HERE.

4. Poliça - “Dark Star”

Comprising members of GAYNGS and backed by heavy plaudits from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Poliça seem practically destined for blog credibility, although they certainly deserve a great amount of it. The Minneapolis-based act finds its groove between the 1980s-inspired indie rock of the past few years and a bold undercurrent of electronics, molding new wave drums and bass with synths and autotuned vocals. “Dark Star” is probably the most sensual track on their new LP Give You The Ghost, with Channy Leaneagh proclaiming her independence (“Ain’t no man in this world that can pull me down from my Dark Star”) over a defiant layering of horns and bass. Give You The Ghost is available to purchase now from the Poliça webstore. 

5. Beach House - “Lazuli”

Beach House’s new record Bloom leaked two months early, giving fans like me a chance to ease into it and avoid some of the hype that will inevitably surround its official release. Although I definitely feel sad for the band that the record leaked so early, I’m really glad that it did. I’ve been listening to this record the only way that I really can appreciate Beach House’s music, soaking it up in languid moments of relaxation and calmness. I always find myself coming back to “Lazuli,” the immediate standout track, and losing myself effortlessly in its wispy wordless chorus. Sigh…. Where was I? Oh, right — Pick up Bloom when it comes out on May 15th. 

6. The Magnetic Fields - “Quick!”

As the stellar single “Andrew In Drag” suggested, The Magnetic Fields came through on their latest album Love At The Bottom Of The Sea. Although “Drag” is probably the most immediately appealing track, I’m finding myself increasingly drawn to some of the Claudia Gonson-sung pieces, including the penultimate song “Quick!” With its arching synth rhythms, “Quick!” represents the Fields’ best use of electronics on the new record, which is their first to feature synths since 1999’s 69 Love Songs. Merritt’s lyrics are in top form on this track as well, and Gonson sings them with just the right amount of spite and bitterness. “Get me a drink of something quick between your outrageous remarks,” she bites, “like the mating calls of sarcastic sharks.” Brilliant. Read my full review of the record HERE. Love At The Bottom of the Sea is out now on Merge Records. 

7. Fishing The Sky - “You Just Got Niced!”

The Massachusetts-based musician Rob Hughes (aka Fishing The Sky) released his debut album Thank You this month, featuring four tracks of engaging, unpretentious post-rock with a particular focus on melody and electronic rhythms. “You Just Got Niced!” is an outlier track of sorts, trading in guitars and bass for a more refined musical palette of cold keys and skittering electronic beats. Fans of Dntel take note. Read a full review of Thank You HERE and purchase the record on the Fishing the Sky bandcamp page. 

8. Alcest - “Beings of Light”

On Écailles De Lune, the last LP from the French black metallists Alcest, the band evoked moonlight, rain, and nighttime atmospheres to great effect. Their new record, Les Voyages De L’Âme, aims to do the opposite, channeling the incomprehensible power and energy of light and of the sun into a raging musical fireball. The album’s title track, translated into English as “Beings of Light” is perhaps the best singular example of this in effect. It begins with soothing, ethereal vocals, and soon layers on pounding blast beats and heavily processed shoegaze guitars, creating a powerful contrast between the calmness of the harmonizing voices and the aggression of the instrumentation. I’m seeing Alcest perform tomorrow night in New Haven, and I’m particularly excited to hear the new material. Les Voyages De L’Âme is out now on Prophecy. 

9. Bruce Springsteen - “Wrecking Ball”

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band debuted their then-new song “Wrecking Ball” at a show at Giants Stadium, which was to be closed and demolished soon thereafter. Now, three years later, the song has endured so well that Springsteen ended up naming his whole album after it. The track was recorded for the new album, which was released at the beginning this month, and it stands out as by far the best song on it. For its nearly 6 minute duration, “Wrecking Ball” recaptures that unique feeling of inspiration and just plain understanding that Springsteen seemed to so effortlessly exude throughout the 70s and early 80s. Sure, it’s corny, and it’s certainly overblown, and Springsteen himself has probably never been more distant from the ‘common man’ that he’s targeting with this song, but as long as those horns are blaring and the electric amplifiers are on, it just doesn’t matter. It also helps that the track is one of the very last to feature a saxophone solo from Clarence Clemons, the legendary E Street Band player who died last year. Pick up Wrecking Ball now from Springsteen’s website HERE.

10. OFWGKTA - “Oldie (feat. Odd Future)”

“Oldie” is not the best thing that Odd Future (or any of the individual members therein) has ever done, but it is quite a relief to all of us who hopped on the bandwagon in the past couple years. In its ten minutes of exuberant, self-hyping glory, “Oldie” reminds us what was so exciting and different about this rap collective in the first place, combining in no small parts every element of their style into a cohesive, engaging, and most importantly FUN piece of music that is wholly worth listening to all the way through. It almost doesn’t even require Tyler, The Creator’s dramatic closing verse, in which he asserts, “Not only are we talented, we’re rad as fuck” —  It practically speaks for itself. 

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Check out the previous monthly mixes from January and February, and have a nice April! 

Stream: Lewis and his Blog February 2012 Mix

I’m posting this a little late because the past few days have been extremely busy for me. Last night was particularly cool; I played a show in New Haven with some other local acts at my friend’s apartment and it had a pretty great turnout. Anyway, this is the second installment in a monthly mix series that I started in January for this blog. The goal is to recap some of the best new music that I’ve covered on here in the past month. Each mix features 10 tracks. Feel free to stream the mix HERE on my 8tracks page, where you can also listen to last month’s mix. 

Lewis and his Blog // February 2012 Mix

1. The Magnetic Fields - “Andrew In Drag”

On March 6th, Stephin Merritt’s long-running project The Magnetic Fields will release their highly anticipated new album Love At The Bottom Of The Sea, which, among other things, marks their first use of synthesizers on a record since 2004’s i. The bouncy “Andrew In Drag” was the first track to be released in advance of the album, and if it’s any indication of how the record as a whole will sound, then I look forward to falling in love with Love At The Bottom Of The Sea. This track is vintage Merritt — ironic, catchy, and unabashedly gay — and I love every second of it. Pre-order the new record from Merge Records HERE.

2. Porcelain Raft - “Drifting In And Out”

Porcelain Raft’s new record Strange Weekend wowed me a lot when I first heard it, but it hasn’t held up too well with subsequent listens. Still, I can’t seem to get the opening track “Drifting In And Out” out of my head. If you’ve been paying any sort of attention to indie electronic music trends over the past few years, you’re sure to be familiar with at least some aspects of Porcelain Raft’s sound. If you haven’t, then Strange Weekend should be a good introduction. Purchase the album now from Secretly Canadian Records. 

3. Grimes - “Oblivion”

The best description I’ve heard of Grimes’ music is that it sounds like the singing of Greek Sirens. Even if you approach it with this knowledge in mind, you still can’t help but get sucked in until the pixie-voiced Claire Boucher has you in her hyper-melodic musical grasp. “Oblivion” is one of the best tracks from her new record Visions, a delightfully twisted synth pop record with a lot more heart and spirit than most of the similar albums I’ve heard from the past year. Like the album as a whole, “Oblivion” is messy and certainly flawed, with a looping synth bass line that constantly straddles the line between working and falling off, but such flaws only make the realization that it won’t get out of your head more fascinating. 

4. Burial - “Loner”

“Loner” may not be the best track from British dubstep producer Burial’s new EP Kindred, but it is the most immediate. From the eerie vocal sample that introduces it (“There is something out there…..”) to when those vaulting synthesizer arpeggios come in around the 1:30 mark and never seem to leave for any sustained period of time, “Loner” conveys that creepy, walking alone in the city at 3 AM mood even better than anything on Burial’s 2007 full length Untrue. Now we just need another full length. Until then, the Kindred EP is out now on Hyperdub. 

5. The Saddest Landscape - “This Heals Nothing”

I was a fan of The Saddest Landscape before seeing them live last weekend, but I don’t think I realized just how great they were until that show. In particular, I’ve come to appreciate their new record After The Lights quite a bit, largely due to their performance of this track “This Heals Nothing.” I firmly believe that it’s the best song on the record now, and certainly the most emotionally charged. Andy Maddox’s vocals are the highlight here, and his use of militaristic lyrical imagery is seriously chilling. It all comes to a head at the very end with a shouted repetition of the song’s title. It’s powerful stuff. Hopefully I’ll get to see them again soon, when they officially release After The Lights at The Space in Hamden on March 18th. The album is available for purchase now from Topshelf Records. 

6. Ceremony - “Quarantine”

If it hasn’t already, Ceremony’s new LP Zoo is sure to piss off some hardcore purists when it comes out on March 6th. If you want to see why, look no further than this track “Quarantine,” one of my favorites from the album. Instead of staying true to the raging hardcore punk style of their previous releases, Ceremony adopts a sort of lackadaisical Replacements-style slacker swagger. I’m not sure if the stylistic change is meant to be a “fuck you!” to 80s hardcore purists or if it’s just a genuine representation of what they want to sound like now, but I’m all for it either way. Zoo is out now on Matador Records. 

7. Matt Elliott - “Dust Flesh and Bones”

As far as I’m concerned, Matt Elliott’s masterfully-constructed The Broken Man is an early contender for the most interesting folk record of the year. With a lush classical guitar as the instrumental foundation, Elliott layers eerie choir sounds, strings, and subtle ambient inflections onto his music, along with his own distinctive baritone vocals. But The Broken Man is not just aesthetically beautiful; it’s also incredibly moving. Perhaps no other track on the record cuts as deep as “Dust Flesh and Bones,” on which Elliott proclaims, “This is how it feels to be alone.” 

8. Leonard Cohen - “Crazy To Love You”

With his new album Old Ideas (his first full length in eight years!), the legendary, 77 year old singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen has crafted one of his best LPs ever by finally admitting, unlike so many other aging musical geniuses, that he really is an old man. On the wonderfully minimalist standout track “Crazy To Love You,” he sings, “I’m old, and the mirrors don’t lie.” It’s a powerfully statement coming from Cohen, and one that works wonders in humanizing him. In the best sense, Old Ideas makes Cohen seem like a Tom Waits figure — old indeed, but still very full of ideas. 

9. Katie Buonanno - “East Of Hudson”

This wouldn’t be Lewis and his Blog without a little shameless self-promotion. My friend Katie Buonanno recorded her debut EP Mediocre Songs For Mediocre People this month, and released it on her bandcamp page for free. I produced the record and we recorded it together at my house. I also play instruments and/or sing on a couple tracks. Anyway, I’m really happy with how it turned out and I’d love it if you gave it a listen. This is my favorite song on the record and I’ve been thinking about covering it for a while. Enjoy!

10. First Aid Kit - “King Of The World” (Featuring Conor Oberst)

On the closing track from their new album The Lion’s Roar, the Swedish sisters known as First Aid Kit offer a wonderfully skewed interpretation of American folk rock music. The best moments are when they diverge slightly — either intentionally or otherwise — from the distinctly American musical format and display other influences that transcend lingual and national boundaries. Complete with a guest vocal spot from Conor Oberst, “King Of The World” makes a strong contender for the best folk rock song of this early year. 

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Thanks for reading and listening! I hope all of you have a wonderful March. 

Stream: Lewis and his Blog January 2012 Mix

Here’s a new Lewis and his Blog feature for the new year. Starting today, and continuing at the end of every month of the year, I’m going to be posting a 10-track mix of songs that have come out in the past month, or that I have covered on this blog in the past month. Because January had something of a lull in output at the beginning, this first mix will also include tracks that I came across in December. For now, I’m going to be doing this via 8tracks, a really cool playlist site that allows users to upload their own music. The order of these monthly playlists will be arbitrary, but they will be posted with a tracklist and some information about the significance of each track. So, with that in mind, feel free to stream and read up on the first Lewis and his Blog Monthly Mix for January 2012 below!

Lewis and his Blog // January 2012 Mix

1. The Shins - “Simple Song”

Indie pop darlings The Shins have returned in 2012 after a five year break, and they sound as good as they ever did. More importantly, they sound very much the same as they always did, in both the good ways and the bad. People who dislike the band’s bookish, doe-eyed pop sound will find nothing of value in “Simple Song,” but for the rest of us, this new track shines as a refreshing return. The Shins’ new record Port Of Morrow is out March 20th 2012 on frontman James Mercer’s new label Apothecary Records.

2. Craig Finn - “No Future”

The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn exhibits a restrained form of his band’s brash and bold bar rock sound on this standout track from his new solo LP Clear Heart Full Eyes. The guitars have been turned down and cleaned up and the vocals made softer and more melodic. Even Finn’s lyrics, which were once so sharp and literate, have been mollified to a notable degree. Remember when this guy used to reference The Replacements, Jack Kerouac, and John Berryman within practically the same breath? That Craig Finn seems to be gone. “No Future” references Freddie Mercury and Johnny Rotten, and it does it through direct name drops. That’s it. Of course, Finn’s track record shows that he’s got nothing to prove, and “No Future” comes across sounding less like pandering to a larger audience, and more like genuine sincerity. Clear Heart Full Eyes is available now on Vagrant Records.

3. One Hundred Year Ocean - “1576” 

In “1576,” the best track from One Hundred Year Ocean’s new EP Poison Smoak, frontman Derrick Shanholtzer makes an awkward rummage through a car’s leftover refuse seem like a heroic journey. It’s a metaphor for the band’s musical approach; taking simple songwriting formulas and applying them on a grand scale, effectively creating incredible mountains out of sonic molehills. One Hundred Year Ocean’s work is a lot more subtle than that of The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, of which Shanholtzer is also a member, and it’s all the better because of that difference. Poison Smoak can be downloaded HERE.

4. Secret Plot To Destroy The Entire Universe - “Tri-Lateral Commission”

I just posted about this last night, so I’ll be brief. Philadelphia’s Secret Plot To Destroy The Entire Universe is taking the emo revival movement back to its roots in the 1980s. Download their 2011 demo Montauk HERE for whatever you want to pay.

5. Loma Prieta - “Uniform”

Loma Prieta’s new record I.V. is not just an early contender for the heaviest record I’ve heard this year; it absolutely blows its competitors out of the water. The key to their sound lies in the interplay of the guitars — heavy and distorted in the left channel, and searingly clean in the right. Meanwhile, the drums pad the mix with thunder and the vocals add a palpable tone of rage. On “Uniform,” Loma Prieta’s frontman repeatedly screams the song’s mantra “I will never change,” but based on what I’ve heard, I.V. represents a significant sonic production from the band’s earlier work. I like the way things are going. Purchase I.V. now from Deathwish Records.

6. Slow Warm Death - “Sleep”

Although I didn’t completely take to the full demos album that this song was included on, Slow Warm Death’s “Sleep” is solidifying its place in my mind as my current favorite track of the year. The acoustic intro is fragile and affecting, but the best part really starts when the song picks up in its second verse. With oceans of reverb, filtered vocals, and utterly crushing drums, the music of “Sleep” resonates with me on an emotional level that no other songs from this year have reached. I never thought that hearing John Galm take on the aesthetic of Have A Nice Life could be this rewarding, but then again, I never thought it was a possibility.

7. 10,000 Blades - “A Child Is Born At Happy Harry’s Liquor Warehouse”

To be honest, I’m not sure exactly when the 3-song demo that this track appears on came out. All I know is that when I saw 10,000 Blades perform at the end of December, I knew I would have to get a hold of some of their music. “Happy Harry’s” plays out like frontman Jon Stone’s version of Titus Andronicus’ “My Time Outside The Womb” — An autobiographical account of his own misery and confusion growing up here in Connecticut. The best line? “So with my pre-made guitar in one hand, and my pubescent dick in the other / I then began my lifelong quest to disappoint my mother / And I still do!” Download the Fiber EP HERE. 

8. Chris Cappello - “Cheer Down”

So, I put out a full length record of my own this month. It’s called I’m Not Afraid Of My Own Name and I spent a lot of time and effort working on it. I’m proud of the way it turned out, and I hope that some of you have listened to it and enjoyed it! Failing to include this song on the monthly mix would be doing a disservice to myself, since I definitely spent a lot of time this month both covering the release of my own album and actually working on releasing it. Download and stream the record at my bandcamp page HERE. 

9. Perfume Genius - “Dark Parts”

Even after a number of repeated listens, the new Perfume Genius album Put Your Back N 2 It still has me puzzled. It doesn’t seem clear to me whether it wants me to pay attention to the production aesthetic, the more abstract lyricism, or the songs themselves, and I’m not really sure what I want to think either. What I do know is that there are some tracks on the record that I really like, especially “Dark Parts,” a piano-led  number that moves along at a clip, heavily evoking Sufjan Stevens with its chord progression and religion-influenced lyrics. With the heightened production in place, singer Mike Hadreas actually sounds scarily like Stevens, but as a Sufjan Stevens fan, I think this is a very good thing. Put Your Back N 2 It is available for pre-order from Matador Records. 

10. Sharon Van Etten - “Kevin’s”

There’s a lot to like about Sharon Van Etten’s latest album Tramp, both in the sense that it’s a good record, and also in the sense that it’s a BIG record. But like many singer songwriters, Sharon Van Etten’s most affecting moments on the record come when she strips away all of the outside influence that pervades Tramp and focuses on herself. “Kevin’s” is the best example of that — A minimalist folk ballad that stands out almost jarringly amongst the sonic density of the songs around it. On its own, or in any other context, it works just as well — The true indicator of a great song. Tramp is available for purchase from Jagjaguwar.

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Thanks for listening and reading, everybody! I hope you enjoy the mix and have a wonderful February. 

2011 Albums of the Year, Part 1 (#50-21)

This is the first installment of my 2011 Year End lists. To view the full schedule of my lists, click HERE. Check back tomorrow for #’s 20-1. Click HERE to check out #s 20-1!

50. The Feelies - Here Before

Jangle Pop, Folk Rock, Indie Rock

Chalk this one up to one of the most pleasant surprises of the year: The Feelies returned in 2011 with their first new music in 20 years, in the form of their full length record Here Before. Although they had reunited in 2008 and continued to tour vigorously throughout the subsequent three years, the prospect of new music from the band seemed bleak. But unlike some other bands from The Feelies’ era who have gotten back together over the years, this group genuinely had something left to say. In this case, it seems like they had a LOT to say; with 13 songs and a 46 minute running time, Here Before is the longest Feelies album to date. Sonically, the record does not stray from the jangly folk pop style of their past three records, but it still feels adventurous. In their lyrics, the band explores the concept of aging and gives listeners an insight as to what reuniting an indie rock band after almost two decades is like. “Is it to late / to do it again?” vocalist Glenn Mercer sings on the opening track. For fans of the New Jersey indie rock progenitors, the answer is a resounding “No!” Here Before stands as a shining example of why reunions can be truly rewarding.

49. Algernon Cadwallader - Parrot Flies

Twinkly Emo, Math Rock, Indie Rock

Here at the end of 2011, with their punkish peers Grown Ups and Snowing having called it quits, Algernon Cadwallader seems like the only big player in the twinkly emo revival scene. But when they released their sophomore LP Parrot Flies at the beginning of the summer, the scene had never been stronger. With its meandering, heavily layered guitar lines, unpredictable time signatures, and uniquely catchy vocal melodies, Parrot Flies both typified emo revival and also advanced it. There was just enough experimentation on this record to keep it interesting, and although it lacked singularly great songs with the immediate of fan favorites from the group’s first album, songs like Parrot Flies’ “Pitfall,” “Springing Leaks,” and the acoustic guitar-led “Sad” have held up to repeated listens better than anything on Some Kind of Cadwallader.

48. Man Man - Life Fantastic

Avant-garde Rock, Experimental, Indie Rock

The problem with the new Man Man record is not that it doesn’t quite live up to their previous albums, that it’s production, handled by Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis, is a little overdone, or even that after three years their experimental Modest Mouse meets Rain Dogs-era Tom Waits formula has begun to grow stale. Although all of those criticisms are true to an extent, the real reason that Life Fantastic hasn’t been particularly well-received is rather simple: Man Man’s fans have grown up. I’ve read a large handful of dismissive reviews of this record that say something along the lines of “My sixteen year old self would love this.” Well, I’m sixteen, and I love this. Or at least I like it a lot. While the annoyingly catchy “Piranhas Club” is a little silly, songs like the darkly danceable title track, the creepy murder ballad “Haute Tropique”, and the aggressive “Dark Arts” are among the band’s best tracks ever. This record was admittedly my first exposure to Man Man, but the fact that I appreciate it so much still says more about the record itself than it does about me. 

47. Washed Out - Within and Without

Chillwave, Dream Pop, Electronic

I found Washed Out’s 2009 EP Life Of Leisure pretty boring. It was good for a summer makeout session (at least, it probably was, I guess…), but it held little substantial water past those summer days and nights. I suppose that sums up how I felt about chillwave in general that year; I could never really connect with it on an emotional level. On his new LP Within and Without, the first full length record from this project, Washed Out mastermind Ernest Greene turns my frustration on its head. Within and Without revels in its self-aware lack of emotion, right down to the purposefully generic stock photo album cover. Cold synth washes cover the record in an impenetrable haze, while the hushed, disconnected vocals distance the listener from the sadness at the heart of this album. By the end, that sadness bubbles up to the surface in the form of “A Dedication,” a slow, somber reminder that even chillwavers have feelings. 

46. Ovlov - What’s So Great About The City? (EP)

Indie Rock, Noise Rock, Shoegaze

Lots of bands tried their hand at 90’s revivalism in 2011, but few did it better than Ovlov. On their new EP What’s So Great About The City?, the Connecticut group pays tribute to fuzz rockers such as Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and Nirvana with their buzzsaw brand of indie rock, or as they call it, “pop songs played heavy.” With its title and loose concept about the downsides of urban life, the group also seems to be paying tribute to The Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I, albeit in a much more palatable form. Although it only runs a little over 11 minutes, the four song EP has tremendous replay value. Opener “The Valley” is the grungiest track here, while “I Got Well” is the most catchy. “What Comes Next” is a propulsive punk song while “The City” features female vocals in its lofty chorus. All four tracks have personality that goes beyond their short lengths, and playability that extends for miles. If you’re fed up with boring revivalist bands like Yuck, but still want to hear some authentic sounding 90’s indie rock, give Ovlov a spin. The EP is available for whatever you want to pay over at their Bandcamp page. 

45. Blue Sky Black Death - NOIR

Electronic, Dream Pop, Shoegaze 

The duo behind Blue Sky Black Death made their name as instrumental hip-hop producers, but you wouldn’t be able to tell just from listening to their new record NOIR. Instead of adhering to the established hip-hop format on this record, Blue Sky Black Death have struck out their own course into virtually uncharted electronic territory. Mixing lush synth textures, piano melodies, heavy guitar leads, strings, and crisp, minimal beats, NOIR sounds like little else that was released this year. These instrumental backdrops are topped off in some cases by soulful vocal samples, including Dusty Springfield on “Farewell To The Former World” and Solomon Burke on the too-short interlude “Falling Short.” With or without the sampled vocals, NOIR is one of the most moving and organic electronic albums of 2011. 

44. Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!

Synth Pop, Electronic, Alternative Dance

If 2011 goes down primarily as the year that LCD Soundsystem broke up and dropped the electronic indie rock torch, history will look at Holy Ghost! as the first group to pick it back up. Released on James Murphy’s DFA Records, the duo’s debut LP is quintessentially New York in all the same ways that Murphy’s own band’s first LP was; Holy Ghost! is full of smart, spastic, and singular electropop, with just enough of a rock edge to maintain the listener’s interest. Although they make music for dancing and potentially tripping to, Holy Ghost!’s self-aware lyrics clarify their nu-disco aesthetic. Look out for a guest spot from Michael McDonald on the closing track “Some Children”, and the starry-eyed but earnest “Jam For Jerry”, which was written as a tribute to the late Jerry Fuchs (of !!!, LCD Soundsystem, Maserati, and a number of other great New York bands.). It’s a musical model we’ve all seen before, but one that’s been proven to work. Hopefully we can expect even better things from Holy Ghost! in the next couple years. 

43. Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts

Indie Folk, Chamber Folk, Singer/Songwriter

Dispel any thoughts or preconceptions you might have about Thurston Moore, the aging indie rock legend, or about Sonic Youth, the band that he has fronted for over 30 years, or even about Kim Gordon, his longtime wife and bandmate from whom it was recently announced that he was separating. Hell, demolish those thoughts. Download a copy of Moore’s most recent solo album and allow yourself to be overcome by the enveloping swathe of acoustic guitar textures and strings. Lose yourself in Moore’s soothing vocals, calling to mind Nick Drake, and Demolished Thoughts‘ understated songwriting. Ease yourself into the first half of Demolished Thoughts, with its lush chamber folk numbers “Benediction” and “Circulation,” and fall into the atmospheric haze of its abstract second side. Lie down on your bed with this record on in the middle of the day, and if you aren’t asleep by the end of “January”, you should stop drinking so much coffee. 

Now, as you wake from your healing midday slumber, recall those thoughts and consider how amazing it is that Thurston Moore was able to create a record this beautiful in 2011.

42. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Mirror Traffic

Indie Rock, Singer/Songwriter

This album could earn its place on this list solely for the first line of “Tigers”, which is probably the best opening line to any album I’ve heard since Silver Jews’ American Water (which, coincidentally, Stephen Malkmus was also involved with.). References to streaking in birkenstocks aside, the former Pavement frontman’s new album with his backing band The Jicks is just about as good as anything he’s done since the former band broke up. With production assistance from fellow 90’s indie rock icon Beck, Mirror Traffic is steeped in nostalgia while still coming across as forward-thinking. The jangly “Tigers” is probably the best track here, but others like the fuzzy folk rock gem “Stick Figures In Love” and the delightfully profane (and topical) lead single “Senator” round the album out for a consistently enjoyable listen. Also, you get to hear Stephen Malkmus say “blowjob”. What’s not to love?

41. The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck

Indie Folk, Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter

When was the last time The Mountain Goats put out a bad album? Have they every put out a genuinely bad album? Perhaps the best thing about The Mountain Goats is their consistency. Over the past ten years, John Darnielle has released eight major albums under his Mountain Goats moniker, and all of them have been solid releases. Although The Mountain Goats can’t claim to have very many great albums, they certainly have a lot of good albums. Darnielle’s latest, All Eternals Deck, is no exception.

2012 marks ten years since The Mountain Goats transformed from a personal, lo-fi solo project of John Darnielle into a full band operating in a studio, with 2002’s Tallahassee. On All Eternals Deck, it seems that The Mountain Goats have finally come into their own as a studio band, and are now able to have some fun with it. Working with some interesting producers (including death metal singer/guitarist Erik Rutan), this album must have been a lot have fun to record. What All Eternals Deck may lack in coherence, it makes up for in stylistic variety. Many different kinds of music are represented here, from the band’s signature folk rock (“Birth of Serpents”), to sentimental piano/strings ballads (“Outer Scorpion Squadron”), and even barbershop-quartet style vocal music (“High Hawk Season”). 

On top of this, All Eternals Deck happens to be Darnielle’s best set of songs in quite some time. The best moment comes in the form of “Estate Sale Sign”, an aggressive, high tempo number that sounds more raucous than any Mountain Goats song in years.  No matter where Darnielle & Co. go next, I’ll be sure to follow behind with open ears.

40. Pianos Become The Teeth - The Lack Long After

Screamo, Post-Hardcore, Experimental Hardcore

Having tracked Pianos Become The Teeth for a while, I’ve observed a lot of refinement happening with their creative output. Looking back on the band’s earliest recordings, their 2009 LP Old Pride represented a tremendous stylistic refinement from the unrestrained madness of their previous material, with its sweeping post-rock song structures and unified conceptual ideas. On their split with The Saddest Landscape, they brought their style together even more with a meticulous attention to stylistic detail. Now, on their brand new sophomore LP The Lack Long After, I wonder just how much more refined they can get. The lengthy post-rock soundscapes are gone here, as are the slow instrumental interludes of Old Pride, and the record comes across feeling much more urgent and immediate because of it. On the new LP, the group’s established experimental hardcore style remains, but in a condensed, pressurized form. Only two songs here surpass the 5 minute mark, but all eight of them pack a serious punch — More so, arguably, than anything on Old Pride with the exception of “Filial”. Pianos Become The Teeth have been working towards this for quite some time, and as long as they don’t overstep their goal too much, listeners should be able to expect quite a bit more where this came from.

39. Desertshore - Drawing Of Threes 

Indie Folk, Slowcore, Indie Rock

Despite his reclusive nature and reportedly testy personality, Mark Kozelek remains something of a gargantuan character in singer/songwriter circles. He’s been consistently putting out records since the early 90s, never adhering to any stylistic guidelines, and essentially bending every band that he’s been in to the breaking point just so that he can get what he wants out there. The guy is about as badass as slowcore types can be, and he certainly has the songwriting skills and legacy to back it up. It’s no wonder, then, that Desertshore have been eager to work with Kozelek, both on their 2010 debut and even more on their new record, Drawing Of Threes. Of course, the people behind Desertshore have had a relationship with him for quite some time, as guitarist Phil Carney was once a member of the amazing Red House Painters, which Kozelek fronted throughout the 90s. Hearing the two work together on Drawing Of Threes is incredibly rewarding, although the record doesn’t quite stack up against the best Painters material. The six songs on the album that Kozelek sings are all great, as are Carney’s understated instrumentals, although the latter require a more intense focus thank Kozelek’s immediately appealing songs. Highlights include the dense, true-to-form slowcore opener “Diana” and the subtler, more gentle “Mercy”. 

38. Jürgen Müller - Science Of The Sea

Ambient, Electronic, New Age

One thing I’ve learned from getting really into ambient music this year is that every great ambient album has to have a concept to go along with it. Jürgen Müller’s Science Of The Sea is no exception. Science Of The Sea was touted in press releases as a reissue of an obscure 1980s album composed by a German oceanic science student named Jürgen Müller, who wrote and recorded the album after having powerful transcendental experiences observing sea life. Although few took the story to be true originally, it has now been pretty thoroughly debunked. If Müller ever did exist, he certainly didn’t make this album. Still, it provides the mind with something to ponder as the listener drifts off into the aqueous realms that Science Of The Sea explores. Listening to this album is like taking a trip to the aquarium as a child. The record instantly taps into those deep-seeded feelings of wonder-evoked nostalgia, in a way that no other album did this year. I may never explore the depths of the ocean, but after exploring Science Of The Sea, I feel like I already have.

37. Football, etc.  - The Draft

Indie Emo, Indie Rock

For a year so apparently steeped in 90s emo revivalism, I didn’t hear many albums that actually sounded like 90s emo bands in 2011. Of the few that did, one in particular stood out. Football, etc. is a trio from Houston, Texas who have taken impressive notes from 90s legends like Mineral, Sunny Day Real Estate, and of course American Football (Their band name and all of their song titles are references to the sport, which is probably some sort of nod to the latter band). Their entire aesthetic, even down to their artwork, may be derived straight from the 90s, but their new full length record The Draft is so good that it’s easy to excuse their lack of musical innovation. One thing that sets them apart is their female singer/guitarist Lindsay Minton, who absolutely nails the teenaged emo boy whine with her nasally voice and crushingly melancholic lyrics. In addition to a genuine 90s emo-influenced sound, the band has a much better pop sensibility than many of their revivalist peers, which displays itself in the form of their earworm guitar hooks and unusual vocal melodies. The Draft is easily the best record to hate jocks to of 2011. 

36. Wild Flag - Wild Flag

Pop/Rock, Power Pop, Riot Grrrl

With her new band Wild Flag, former Sleater-Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein has officially returned to making awesome music, and what a return it’s been! Ever since forming back in September of last year, Wild Flag has been on a rampage of critical praise-gaining, making the rounds at festivals and establishing themselves as a fresh voice in a stagnated scene. Their debut record Wild Flag is the culmination of this steamroller of success; It’s loud, brash, punkish, and nevertheless one of the catchiest albums of the year. The band shifts styles throughout the album seemingly on a whim, going from girl-group inspired power pop (“Romance”) to rough and tumble punk rock (“Racehorse”), and even explores psychedelic rock with the 60s-influenced “Glass Tambourine”. Although the women in Wild Flag (among which are members of Helium and The Minders, along with two former members of Sleater-Kinney) aren’t the young riot grrrls that they were in the 90s, they’ve proven that almost-middle aged women can rock out with the best of them. 

35. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing

Folk Rock, Indie Folk, Indie Rock

“Goodnight to the Alberta Advantage”

That’s a line from the closing song of The Rural Alberta Advantage’s sophomore LP Departing. It would be a pretty interesting way to end an album that would knowingly be your last, and it would certainly provide closure. Thankfully — hopefully — that isn’t the case with this band. From what I can tell, things are just getting started. 

The Canadian folk rock group got their start with a 2008 record called Hometowns, a jaunty, lo-fi collection of earnest folk songs, and got saddled with Neutral Milk Hotel comparisons pretty soon after that. On Departing, they’ve cleaned things up a bit and refined their sound a lot, producing a much more cohesive and musically wholesome album of catchy, life-affirming, and meaningful folk rock songs. This time around, they’re not coming across as Jeff Mangum imitators, but one other well known folk band does come to mind: The Decemberists. Departing is the album The Decemberists wish they could have made in 2011, or at least the album I wish The King Is Dead had been.

34. Deafheaven - Roads To Judah

Experimental Black Metal, Post Rock

At the expense of not listening to nearly as much hip-hop as I should have this year, metal was one of the primary musical genres that I sought to explore in 2011. Most of my metal this year was of the “black” variety, which was probably due to the genre’s strange crossover success this year. Since I’ve never listened to much metal before this year, my qualifying judgement for most of this stuff was simply how much it scared the shit out of me and blew me away. Although Liturgy’s Aesthetica came close, no record in 2011 did either of those things more than Deafheaven’s Roads To Judah. I think the reason that it was so overpowering was that I could actually relate to it in some ways. Using the lengthy post-rock song structures that the band crafts their songs with as an entry point, I allowed myself to be drawn in to each of the four pieces on Roads To Judah, only to be blasted away by the pummeling drumbeats and incomprehensible howls of the vocalist. I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever truly enjoyed listening to this record — not in the traditional sense of the word anyway — but in terms of sheer physical effect, nothing beats Roads To Judah.

33. Powder! Go Away - Laika Still Wants Go Home

Post-Rock, Electronic

This one was an interesting find. Powder! Go Away are an instrumental post-rock band, but I didn’t know very much about the group itself until I read up on them after listening to their record. In fact, I only downloaded this album in the first place because of the title and album art; I didn’t know anything about it before listening. There was just something so immediately compelling about the album title. Laika Still Wants Go Home. Until my third or fourth listen, I didn’t even realize that the “to” was missing. You probably didn’t either. Supposedly, it is a conceptual album about the space dog Laika, the first animal in space, who was sent up by the Russians in 1957 and tragically died during her journey. As conveyed both by the simple cover art and the album title, there is a childlike wonder about Laika Still Wants Go Home, which only makes the concept even more sad. The music itself, a surprisingly lo-fi concentration of Explosions In The Sky-style post-rock with high energy sections heavy on electronic beats and keyboards, produces a very cinematic feeling akin to what I imagine a journey to space is like. I think this is one of those fascinating, one-of-a-kind, weird little albums that never lead to anything bigger, but if Laika Still Wants Go Home is the only great thing we get from Powder! Go Away, I’ll be perfectly content. 

32. Ramshackle Glory - Live The Dream

Folk Punk, Folk Rock

There wasn’t much going on in the folk punk world at large this year, but one artist in particular managed to make up for the genre’s overall lack of stimulation. Pat The Bunny (of Wingnut Dishwashers Union and Johnny Hobo & The Freight Trains fame) returned to the music world this year after recovering from his heroin addiction with a new band Ramshackle Glory. Their debut record Live The Dream is easily Pat’s most mature album to date, if not his best. The songs range from self-referential odes to the struggles that Pat faced against addiction, to life-affirming punk anthems about reveling in the face of adversity. One clear highlight from the latter camp is the brilliantly-titled “Your Heart Is A Muscle The Size Of Your Fist”, which may be the best song Pat The Bunny has ever written. In addition to boasting some improved songwriting, Live The Dream features the best backing band Pat has recorded with, giving an impressive instrumental backbone to the new songs. Overall, it’s a positive album that makes me feel good not only for myself, but also for Pat. He’s come a long way, and it’s great to see that he hasn’t lost his songwriting talent after recovering.

31. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Indie Folk, Art Pop, Chamber Pop

You’ve heard this already. I don’t feel the need to write much about the content of the album because I’m sure that you’ve read about it already as well. I’m sure you recognize, whether or not you appreciate the album’s content, that this is one of the big records of 2011 and one that has perhaps the most potential to make a lasting impact on musical trends in the future. None of this is news. All years have their big records, and this is one of them. What’s worth looking at now, six months after the Bon Iver, Bon Iver’s release, is how it’s affected Justin Vernon himself. The sheer mass of this album and its subsequent hype train has managed to shift Vernon’s public image away from the snowy woods where For Emma, Forever Ago was meticulously crafted, and into some previously unexplored art pop territory where everything is bigger. Unfortunately, Bon Iver, Bon Iver’s success seems to have made Vernon’s head bigger along with everything else. As good as I know this record to be, I rarely find myself wanting to listen to it anymore. I would be doing a disservice to you if I were to exclude this from the list, but I probably wouldn’t lose much sleep if I did.

30. Diarrhea Planet - Loose Jewels

Garage Punk, Pop Punk, Indie Rock

Last year, Titus Andronicus frontman Patrick Stickles made me hip to a number of great bands, including The Oh Sees and Free Energy, via his blog. This year, with his discovery of twitter, Stickles’ band recommendations have been nearly constant. One of the many great bands that he turned me onto this year is Diarrhea Planet, a group of dudes with guitars from Nashville, Tennessee who play some of the most energetic and enthusiastic punk rock I’ve ever heard. 

Aside from Patrick Stickles’ sponsorship, I was attracted to Diarrhea Planet of course by their ridiculous name. Most of their fans like this band in spite of their name, but I like them all the more because of it. Punks take note: If you want to show the world that you really don’t give a fuck, name your band Diarrhea Planet. Nowhere on their new LP Loose Jewels do they even approach the realm of maturity, but when your name is Diarrhea Planet, maturity isn’t exactly expected of you. Instead, Loose Jewels is true to it’s own name. It’s a loosely connected set of lo-fi, guitar heavy punk nuggets — Jewels indeed, but unpolished to say the least. Joyful gang vocals appear on every song, beckoning drunk, late night sing-alongs with tried and true melodies. Few songs (except maybe the closer “Fauser”) stack up to fan favorites from their past records like “Ghost With A Boner” or “Power Moves”, nor does Loose Jewels hold a candle to their ALOHA! EP as a whole, but it’s simply to lovable not to praise.

29. The Rapture - In The Grace Of Your Love

Electronic, Alternative Dance, Dance-Punk

The Rapture’s return to the underground musical spotlight this year wasn’t as climactic as some might have hoped, but it was certainly worth it. Given the lukewarm level of buzz surrounding their new record In The Grace Of Your Love at the time of its release, it was easy to forget that there was a time when The Rapture was the biggest band in New York. I admire the stylistic choices that the band made in creating this record in light of that. Rather than attempt to resuscitate the long-dead New York City dance-punk scene, The Rapture instead chose to strike out on a new creative route. With Grace, they have taken much of the “punk” out of their old formula, replacing angular guitars with crystalline synths and crisp Chicago house keys. Frontman Luke Jenner’s voice has gotten brighter with age, and he flexes it throughout the record, particularly on the stunning opener “Sail Away” and the soulful “It Takes Time To Be A Man”. Highlights include the starry-eyed synth jam “Children” and the song-of-the-year contender “How Deep Is Your Love?”, which was easily the biggest banger of 2011. 

28. The Guru - Native Sun

Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Psychedelic Rock

In the nostalgia-fueled musical climate of 2011, many bands sang about youth, but few approached the subject with such immediacy as The Guru. When they recorded their debut album Native Sun before this past Summer, the four members of the Connecticut-based group were all on the verge of post-adolescence. But rather than approach the end of their youths with anxiety and uncertainty, The Guru chose to capture the best aspects of childhood with music, and learned a lot in the process. Like your best memories of childhood, Native Sun is fast paced, exuberant, and incredibly fun. Although the band is broaching a serious subject with this record, they always manage to keep the mood light. Thought provoking lyrics about getting older are juxtaposed against joyful lines about going to the beach, driving to Cape Cod, and playing Mario Party. The music is a mix of Modest Mouse’s sunnier side, with a psychedelic edge and emotive vocals that are strangely compelling once you get used to them. With just eight songs at 24 minutes in length, Native Sun reminds us that our youth is fleeting and short, and urges us to make the most of it while we’re still young. 

27. Low - C’mon

Slowcore, Indie Folk

The latest album from slowcore legends Low puts them back about where their 2001 masterpiece Things We Lost In The Fire left off. It’s been praised as a return to form for the band (whose last two records have been rather experimental) not because of any dramatic similarities to their earliest albums, but because it strikes that perfect chord between miserable dreariness and prettiness. They reached a stylistic apex with Things We Lost In The Fire, and for the most part, C’mon succeeds in reaching it once more. Indeed, songs like “Try To Sleep” and “Nightingale” are among their most lushly melodic and beautiful. Other moments on the album hint at a bold new direction for the band. “Witches” is grim and heavy, with a snarling guitar part from frontman Alan Sparhawk and equally dark lyrics. Meanwhile, “Majesty/Magic” and the gargantuan “Nothing But Heart” build to tremendous post-rock style crescendos previously unseen from the band. Low still has new sonic territory to cover, and although it fits the mold of a return-to-form album, C’mon tells us to definitely not write them off yet.

26. WU LYF - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

Psychedelic Pop, Indie Rock, Post-Rock

Hype got the better of many bands in the blog buzz cycle this year, but no one made good on hype’s promise the way that WU LYF did. They stood out from the pack as true counterculturalists, avoiding interviews and press releases at every turn. With cryptic imagery and a 2010 single that was just alien enough to resound in the ears of people eager to find the decade’s new sound, WU LYF was the greatest hype success story of the year. The less we knew about them, the more the buzz built, until the previously unknown British band released their debut LP Go Tell Fire To The Mountain. The album was recorded in an old church, giving it a natural reverb soaked sound that permeates every song, and tying into their mystical, cultish image. The music itself remains difficult to describe; It’s something like if Man Man became a post-rock band and started playing anthemic songs about brotherhood. Vocalist Ellery Roberts (who goes by “Elle Jaie”) howls with lupine resonance, rising above the churning instruments and injecting raw emotion into WU LYF’s product. It’s impossible to understand what he’s saying over the waves of reverb and pounding drums, but his conviction genuinely makes WU LYF something to believe in.

25. Into It. Over It. - Proper

Indie Rock, Pop Punk, Singer/Songwriter

As bold as it sounds, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to call Evan Thomas Weiss the most hardworking and talented guy in punk right now. With his solo project Into It. Over It., Weiss has recorded a staggering body of work over the past three years, from his numerous splits with artists such as CSTVT and Koji to his monumentally ambitious 52 song debut album 52 Weeks, for which he (you guessed it) wrote and recorded one song every week for all 52 weeks of the year. Apparently being a punk genius can be time consuming; although he has recorded dozens of songs since Into It. Over It. began, he has yet to put out a traditional, proper album — until this year, of course. The aptly titled Proper is mostly about two things. It’s about coherence, and it’s about expansion. For Weiss’ first crack at producing an album of songs united by one style, Proper is excellent. It’s impossible to resist the melodic charm of “Discretion and Depressing People” and “Write It Right”, or the powerful frankness of the slower, more subdued numbers such as “Where Your Nights Often End” and the highlight “Connecticut Steps”, which was written for Mitch Dubey. The warm analog sound that Weiss capturess throughout the album brings it together beautifully, and although the songs vary greatly in mood and tone, they are unified by the album’s fantastic production style. Now that he’s gotten that whole “proper LP” thing out of the way, Weiss can hopefully begin to focus on whatever brilliant next musical project he has in mind.

24. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Belong

Indie Pop, Noise Pop, Shoegaze

When I first heard Belong, the sophomore album from twee-gazers The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart back in April, I was already convinced it would be my favorite album of the year. Something about the album’s soaring guitar melodies and huge, glistening synthesizers, combined with the fact that I really wanted to feel happy again at the time, made me accept Belong with an open heart. Since then, the album’s appeal has faded in my mind somewhat, but not by much. I still regard Belong as the most life-affirming pop record of the year, and even when I go for long stretches of not listening to it, I still find the melodies of “Heart In Your Heartbreak” and “The Body” skittering around in my head from time to time. 

Even when I backed Belong as the frontrunner for the album of the year race, I still knew that it would change anyone’s life. It probably won’t, but that really doesn’t matter when the songs are this good. If you’re seeking meaning or subtlety, look somewhere else, but if you want to have fun, Belong belongs with you.

23. Beirut - The Rip Tide

Indie Folk, Chamber Folk, Chamber Pop

Believe it or not, I never really enjoyed listening to Beirut until this record. Although the lo-fi, wine-soaked travel songs were fun to listen to in small doses, I could never stomach either of Zach Condon’s previous two Beirut albums. Then The Rip Tide came out. While I recognize the problems that older Beirut fans have with the record, I see all of those alleged issues as good qualities. Finally, Condon has been able to produce an album full of actual songs — Not just layered loops with singing over them — with great production value and a natural, live feel to all of them. Songs like the single “East Harlem”, “Santa Fe”, and the Sharon Van Etten-featuring opener “A Candle’s Fire” are the best he’s written for Beirut to date, and with the improved production, the songs actually feel like they have sonic space to occupy. In my view, a refined Condon is a better Condon, and The Rip Tide is about as clean and sharp as Beirut can possibly get. 

22. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place

Ambient Folk, Dream Pop

Brooklyn-based singer Julianna Barwick’s music seems to exist in its own sonic realm. I’ve never heard anything that evokes such a powerful emotional response with such minimal interference. Whereas other ambient artists find space and depth in synthesizers and electronics, Barwick’s music is derived from a much more natural place. Most of the sounds on her new album The Magic Place come from her own voice, which is layered and manipulated in the most subtle and unobtrusive ways to produce a wholly soothing sound. It comes from from somewhere so familiar and yet so alien; listening to The Magic Place at night, you simultaneously feel like you’re wrapped up in your mother’s arms as a baby, listening to her lullabies and exploring the great, silent expanse of an exotic foreign world. It’s dreamy and hazy, impenetrable, but light as a feather. If I were to describe The Magic Place in one word, “ethereal” wouldn’t quite cut it. “Magical” comes close. 

21. Trash Talk - Awake EP

Hardcore Punk

Five songs. Eight minutes. Trash Talk’s 2011 Awake EP doesn’t overstay its welcome. Like a mugger in a dark alleyway, it approaches quickly, whallops the listener in the head a few times, and runs the hell away before you realize that you’re bleeding from somewhere and it stole your wallet. I’ll make this brief, both because this album is brief, and because I’m sure you’re tired of reading after the previous 29 entries in this list: Nothing since the 80s ended has come this close to capturing the essence of 1980s hardcore than this EP. I don’t mean that Awake particularly sounds like 80s hardcore bands — It doesn’t, exactly — but it hits just like the best of them. This is straight up, no frills hardcore punk, with militantly political lyrics, superbly tight musicianship, and the vocals of a deranged, barking maniac. It’s the perfect hardcore archetype, and with the Awake EP under their belts, Trash Talk is poised to become the perfect hardcore band. 

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Check back here tomorrow for the next installment in this list! #20-1 are just around the corner! The full schedule of my year end lists can be found HERE. Thanks for reading!

Lewis and His Blog 2011 Lists Schedule

The end of this year marks the first full year that Lewis and his Blog has been in existence. When I started the blog in November of last year, I had no idea that it would turn into the kind of blog that it is today. I had even less of an idea that people would actually catch on to it and express interest in reading what I have to say. It’s a huge honor to know that there are people who care about what you write, even when it’s only about music. But hey, music is really fucking cool, and you can quote me on that. 

2011 has been an amazing year for this blog, and I’m very proud of everything that I’ve accomplished. From interning for and getting co-sponsored by The Needle Drop to interviewing Andrew Jackson Jihad, to seeing Jeff Mangum live in Boston and reviewing it on here, I have had so many incredible musical experiences because of this blog, and I’ve had a lot of fun while doing it. 

One of the first really significant posts that I made for this blog was my 2010 Top 50 Albums of the Year list, which I made in December of last year. This year, in order to commemorate 1 full year of Lewis and his Blogging, I’m upping the ante on my lists. I’ve come up with some great ideas for lists and compiled them all, and I will be rolling them out on a daily basis over the next few days. The schedule for the lists is below. Once these start getting posted, you can track all of them by going through my “2011 Lists” tag. Thank you for following me and thank you for caring about Lewis and his Blog!

• 12/15/11: 2011 Albums of the Year (#50-21)
• 12/16/11: 2011 Albums of the Year (#20-1)
• 12/17/11: WHY? Live at Wadsworth Atheneum Review (12/16/11)
• 12/18/11: Top 25 Songs of 2011 + 8tracks Playlist
• 12/19/11: Top 15 Connecticut Albums of 2011 
• 12/20/11: 10 Favorite Shows of 2011

That should get me through the next five days. I hope you enjoy the lists! Everyone likes lists, right? Anyway, stay tuned and be sure to check Lewis and his Blog tomorrow for the first part of my Top 50 Albums of the Year list!