Check out One Thirty BPM’s top songs of 2011 in this Spotify playlist.

100. Curren$y

“Scottie Pippens”

[Jet Life]

99. Fucked Up

“Queen of Hearts”

[Matador]

98. Cults

“You Know What I Mean”

[In The Name Of]

97. Girls

“Honey Bunny”

[True Panther]

96. Little Dragon

“Ritual Union”

[Peacefrog]

95. Feist

“The Circle Married The Line”

[Interscope]

94. Ryan Adams

“Lucky Now”

[PAX AM]

93. Radiohead

“Give Up The Ghost”

[Ticker Tape / XL]

92. Fleet Foxes

“The Shrine/An Argument”

[Sub Pop]

91. Braids

“Glass Deers”

[Flemish Eye / Kanine]

90. Death Grips

“Exmilitary”

[Self-released]

89. The Weeknd

“The Morning”

[Self-released]

88. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX

“NY Is Killing Me”

[XL / Young Turks]

87. Blue Sky Black Death

“Sleeping Children Are Still Flying”

[Fake Four Inc.]

86. Total Babes

“How We Wanna Be”

[Old Flame]

85. Washed Out

“Eyes Be Closed”

[Sub Pop]

84. Pusha T

“Blow”

[G.O.O.D. Music]

83. Iceage

“White Rune”

[What's Your Rupture?]

82. Born Gold

“Lawn Knives”

[Hovercraft]

81. Raekwon

“Rich and Black” (feat. Nas)

[Ice H2O]

80. Dumbo Gets Mad

“Harmony”

[Bad Panda]

79. Peter Bjorn and John

“I Know You Don’t Love Me”

[Startime]

78. Elite Gymnastics

“So Close To Paradise”

[Psychedelic Surf Club]

77. Frank Ocean

“We All Try”

[Self-released]

76. Machinedrum

“Lay Me Down”

[Planet Mu]

Thursday September 8th

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Hawthorne Theater

It’s certainly been a quick rise to popularity for Portland’s own Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The psych-pop outfit has that certain undeniable quality to them, a pitch-perfect blend of head-bobbing hooks and raw, unabated talent. Thursday night at the Hawthorne Theater, UMO charmed an audience that may not have been there for them, but came to fall in love with this rising band almost immediately. There was certainly nothing fancy about their setup, and no flamboyant or elaborate stage antics, UMO just played near-studio-quality versions of hits like “Ffunny Ffrends” and “Thought Ballune.” Lead singer and guitarist Ruban Nielson turned from belting out a choral hooks to jumping around stage during a guitar solo at the drop of a hat, gluing the eyes of every audience member to UMO’s creative inspiration. I always enjoy seeing band play in their own city, but UMO didn’t play that up, and for a group that’s been compared to an early Led Zeppelin (in style and genre, not talent), UMO appeared unnerved at each turn. I’ve always believed that in order to make that leap from local and underground to nationally successful, a band must be able to captive any audience, and for a room full of people that were mostly there to see an electronic singer/songwriter follow, UMO absolutely stole the show.

Butthole Surfers – Roseland Theater

If there’s ever something that 2011 will be remembered for, it might be the revival of decades-old rock groups, the same groups that so many of todays up-and-comers were raised on. Across the street from each other, on the same night and time, Archers of Loaf and the Butthole Surfers took to their respective stages, bringing out both the nostalgic and the curious. But unlike the former, the Butthole Surfers aren’t slinging a reissue, relying solely on their rather sporadic back catalogue to draw in fans. Lead singer and effects specialist Gibby Haynes was as poignant as ever, though, asking the crowd if they wanted to hear a racist joke, telling them to “just listen to a Rick Perry speech.” Political angst aside, Butthole Surfers still know how to absolutely dominate a stage and captivate an audience. Whether it’s Haynes singing through a megaphone into the mic, guitarist Paul Leary stomping around stage during one of many guitar solos, or the strange and sometimes vomit-inducing videos looped on the three huge screens behind the stage, there was always something captivating on stage on Thursday night at the Roseland Theater.

EMA – Holocene

It’s been a busy and exciting year for California by way of South Dakota singer/songwriter Erika Anderson, aka EMA. After leaving her longtime band Gowns, EMA began her solo career in earnest, releasing Past Life Martyred Saints. A rather long tour followed, and now Anderson is back on the road again, enchanting stages across the country. Her Thursday night set at the Holocene left little to be desired for fans, as the intimate setting, beautiful acoustics, and respectful crowd made for a satisfying end to the night. Anderson’s powerful vocals filled the entire space that night, especially on tracks like “Marked,” as she sang “I wish every time he touched me left a mark.” Part suicidal grunge, park minimal pop, EMA not only has the talent, but the emotion of a truly special singer/songwriter, and the Holocene’s warm lighting and somber patrons made for an engaging performance late Thursday night.

100.

Human League

“Don’t You Want Me”

[Virgin; 1981]

The awful cultural and musical trends of the ’80s are usually lamented upon as silly and idiotic, and for some reason, unbeknownst to me, new wave and pop music from the period are included in that group. Did bands like Culture Club and the Human League deviate from social norms? Of course. But just because they wore bad-looking clothes and makeup doesn’t mean their art should be discounted in the modern era. Take for instance “Don’t You Want Me,” a song that once reached #1 on the US, UK and Canadian charts, and a song now mostly used in dimly lit bars during karaoke hours. The synth pop hit still stands as an example of pop songwriting, guy-girl vocal verses, arpeggiated keyboards, and that certain undeniable charm that can’t be written. “Don’t You Want Me” is a terrific song, and it would be shame to have be remembered only for its incidental humor.

- Erik Burg

99.

The Fall

“The Classical”

[Kamera; 1982]

“The Classical” was a sort of rebel’s anthem for those formative post-punk years in the early ‘80s when bands like The Fall were trying to lead the punk ideology to more adventurous heights — and taking the most slacker route possible. When this song comes on as the opener for Hex Enduction Hour, there is no mistaking that you’re listening to something incredibly important. It barges into your eardrums like a stumbling-drunk house guest with two — count ‘em, two — drummers that demand your immediate attention. It doesn’t take long for frontman Mark E. Smith to start mouthing off into the microphone with seemingly irreverent drivel — “Hey there, fuckface! Hey there, fuckface-uh,” he slurs and punctuates with his trademark vocal tick. The nervous-yet-bouncy guitar line that runs throughout the song helps make it one of The Fall’s most melodically-cohesive tracks to-date. Or their best song entirely, according to me, and if you disagree, I’ll fight you on it — in true Mark E. Smith fashion.

- Arika Dean

98.

Journey

“Don’t Stop Believin’”

[Columbia; 1981]

In all probability, the signature Journey anthem is being belted out to the delight of a dive or karaoke bar at this very moment. Guilty or otherwise, the pleasure behind “Don’t Stop Believin’” is hard to deny. Thanks to Steve Perry’s inimitable style of belting, the song worms its way through the ear of the listener and establishes permanent residence. From the opening keyboard riff to the delayed gratification that comes from an unusual structure which finally reveals the chorus near the end of the song, “Don’t Stop Believin’” is definitive to both the art of the power ballad and the decade from whence it came.

- Frank Mojica

97.

Van Halen

“Unchained”

[Warner Bros,; 1981]

Van Halen going “dark” for Fair Warning was a great move, if only for having tracks like “Unchained” being signature tunes over the party anthems. Sure, it’s pretty laid-back at times and that part when David Lee Roth talks to something is pretty absurd, but after that it’s pretty serious. As with anything Van Halen, the guitar is the focal point and it sets the scene well. Eddie Van Halen manages to convey a menacing atmosphere surprisingly well throughout the song, all the while straddling the line between menacing and playful. It’s almost as if he’s saying something menacing with a wink and a twisted smile. There’s also a little message peppered throughout the song and it’s all about change. Given the tensions surrounding the band around this point, it’s a clever little addition which doesn’t derail the rest of the song.

- Daniel Griffiths

96.

Talking Heads

“This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)”

[Sire; 1983]

Ah, the song that made so many reconsider the relationship they share with their lamp. Who can say why a grinning David Byrne chose the lamp as his dance partner in this scene of Stop Making Sense? Maybe it’s a cheeky play on “light in your eyes,” maybe it’s about love in things we take for granted, things that never leave and help us to bed when we’re fumbling and maybe kind of drunk. I like to think Byrne would tell me to stop thinking so much.

“Naive Melody” is as fine a love song as they come, alternately chirping and soaring over the kind of bass and keys that make you want to wiggle. In a way it’s also a sort of foil to “Once In A Lifetime.” Here we are with our lamp-eyed lover and it doesn’t matter how we got here, only that we are.

- FM Stringer

95.

Peter Gabriel

“Red Rain”

[Geffen; 1987]

The one-time Genesis frontman had already rattled off a stellar series of quirky, prog-leaning solo albums by the time 1986’s So was released. While the album is remembered today primarily for the pop hits “Sledgehammer,” “Big Time,” and “In Your Eyes,” the best example of its smart blending of pop hooks with an arty undercurrent is its opening track, “Red Rain.” Gabriel’s stroke of genius was bringing in Stewart Copeland of the freshly disbanded Police solely to create a rain effect on the hi-hat – a job nobody in the world is more uniquely qualified to do than Copeland. “Red Rain” is also a terrific showcase for Gabriel’s reedy, versatile tenor.

- Sean Highkin

94.

Blondie

“Call Me”

[Polydor / Chrysalis / Salsoul; 1980]

If there’s one song that best depicts Blondie, it’s “Call Me.” It was a number one bit both in the United States and across the pond.

“Call Me” was the theme song in the film American Gigolo. Giorgio Moroder, a disco producer, worked with singer Debbie Harry on the cover track, which explains the song’s dance floor vibe. Harry sings “Cover me with kisses baby / Cover me with love / Roll me in designer sheets / I’ll never get enough,” which goes well with the film, along with the chorus. Hell, even the track’s name ties in with American Gigolo.

Moroder originally went to Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks to work on a song for the movie, but Nicks was unable to due to contract complications. Even though I wonder what the song could have become if Nicks had a hand in it, I can’t imagine the song being done by anyone else.

- Nicholas Preciado

93.

A-ha

“Take On Me”

[Warner Bros.; 1985]

I’m not sure exactly what it is, but you can always count on the Scandinavians to create pure pop gold, and A-ha’s “Take On Me” is just that. Granted, the song’s huge Billboard chart performance was bolstered by the revolutionary rotoscope-animated music video, which was released to MTV (ah, how influential you used to be!) a month before the single officially dropped. But still: Those driving drums and that infectious plunking synth line, to say nothing of Morten Harket’s phenomenal vocal performance, starting the chorus as low as he can go and slowly building to that final falsetto. And in that moment you can hear the thousands of mangled party sing-alongs and karaoke performances to come — but even in our perpetual failure to replicate that high-note, we keep doing it because man is it a blast to try.

- Jon Blistein

92.

LL Cool J

“I Can’t Live Without My Radio”

[Def Jam; 1985]

Long before he was doing whatever it is LL does on that NCIS bastard child of a show, Cool J was the coolest MC on the block. It didn’t last long, as his earnest nature got quickly crushed, bludgeoned, and stomped out by harsher performers, but lest you forget, he was the man. It may look at first glance now, but any serious head will tell you, Radio is one of the most important hip-hop records ever released. Let’s put it this way: this track was sampled on Eazy’s debut. If you consider that album influential (if you’re sane, you should), then what does that make this? With some simple verses about his life, LL had attracted a nation’s attention. Before you knock him for following in Cube’s footstep’s, let’s give him a hand for helping build hip-hop into the storytelling force it is.

- Chase McMullen

91.

Cyndi Lauper

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”

[Epic / Portrait / CBS; 1983]

The name Robert Hazard is probably unfamiliar to you, but the Philadelphia-born songwriter is responsible for one of the ‘80s’ most enduring feminist anthems. In fact, Hazard never meant for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” to be particularly “feminist” at all, having come up with the idea for the song while taking a shower (from a male perspective, no less). But such is the power of Cyndi Lauper’s vocal presence; despite the song’s inauspicious beginnings, she made it a Billboard smash and her signature tune. Lauper was thirty years old (hardly a “girl” anymore) when she released her version of the song in late 1983, but her rambunctious delivery — equal parts girly, flirty, whiny, and impassioned — coupled with a classic music video endeared her to girls the world over. The track itself is catchy but nothing special; lighter-than-air synths dance around ‘50s-throwback chanting and an infectious rhythm. But Cyndi Lauper made it special; who else could have imbued it with such a devilishly adolescent spirit? And can you imagine what it would sound like today, with Lauper’s one-in-a-million delivery chopped and truncated by an overzealous autotune?

- Josh Becker

There is a certain loveliness to Blitzen Trapper’s new video for “Love The Way You Walk Away,” as the band visits dive bars, campfires, and shooting ranges, emphasizing the Americana that is at the heart of their sound. The tune comes from American Goldwing, which is out of September 13th via Sub Pop. Enjoy the video below.

(Via Magnifier)

Discussions is a brand new series in which writers are paired up to engage in a dialogue about some of their favorite artists. Our first installment explores the legendary catalog of Tom Waits — and more.

ANDREW BAILEY: Okay, so as I understand it you’re something of a Tom Waits expert (or maybe fanatic is a better word?). So if I told you I thought his best album was Closing Time, what would you say? Waits fans tend to disagree with me on this.

MICHAEL TKACH: Yeah, I’ve always been under the impression that Rain Dogs is the odds-on favorite album for most fans, and I agree with this notion. Not only does it serve as the ideal gateway album for those unfamiliar with his music, as the A.V. Club pointed out, but it provides the best balance of “brawlers, bawlers and bastards” (to quote the title of his denser, three-disc 2006 compilation album). The early years leaned heavily on the old order; there were booze-drenched ballads a la Frank Sinatra or even Randy Newman, jazzy asides that mimicked the Beat poets, and everything’s largely piano-centric.

Granted, I have much love for many of those early albums, particularly the superb 1973 to 1976 hot streak. But with the help of his wife, Kathleen Brennan, and stronger influence from the likes of Captain Beefheart and Howlin’ Wolf, he really adopted his signature sound in the ‘80s. Rain Dogs, in my opinion, epitomizes that effort with the best all-around collection of songs. Not to say that he peaked in ‘85, either: Waits stands as one of the rare artists that benefitted from becoming a family man, and that continues to evolve and improve with age. Which brings me to a crucial point: have you ever seen him live, and how do you perceive the latter-day Waits? I have seen hundreds of live acts that I care about, but he stands firm at number one on my must-see list. No disrespect to modern-day Dylan, which I haven’t witnessed either, but I’d take one Waits live act over one Dylan set every single year until he croaks.

ANDREW: Don’t get me wrong: Rain Dogs is fantastic. And objectively speaking, it’s probably a better representation of Waits’ entire catalog than Closing Time. But to me, Closing Time is just such a romantic album that feels especially potent because of the voice it’s coming out of – that nasty, smoky voice that sounds like it’s been kicked around for a few decades.

I’ve never seen him live, but he’s one of my must-see artists too. I have actually seen Dylan live – within the past year, actually – and while I adore Bob Dylan, I have to agree with you. A modern Dylan set is actually a pretty shameful experience, in my opinion. He changes his arrangements too much (granted, if I toured as much as he had and played the same songs over and over like that, I’d probably look for new ways to play them too) and his band is, frankly, interchangeable. I don’t really know how Waits compares to him directly, but yeah, spend your dough on Tom over Bob if you get the opportunity.

MICHAEL: That persistent impulse to rearrange and revitalize recorded works in a live setting can be a crucial and enthralling practice, though. An easy example would be how Grizzly Bear constantly shift their arrangements; Horn of Plenty tracks can then appear stronger than they ever were on tape, and newer material are treated to new twists, too.

But when we’re talking about artists that have been critically acclaimed for decades, such as Dylan and Waits, there are different expectations live. If we study the three primary live documents in his discography, each represent a particular era in his career. Nighthawks at the Diner is Waits in that early lounge-act mode: smoke-filled jazz bars and lonely Edward Hopper diners, the dialogue is both poetic and humorous, and while the lyrics are decidedly more despondent than those on Closing Time, another strong set of songs lie within. Big Time, on the other hand, may have came from allegedly one of his greatest tours, but the audio offers very little insight or advancement on his ‘80s album trio on Island Records. Glitter and Doom, most recently, captured his voice collapsing from underneath him like a trap door that leads into a pit of alligators. Ultimately, it’s great reassurance that even as his voice caves, his growl gains an alternate authoritative charm. The only setback is that the dialogue is collected solely at the record’s backend, so there isn’t a great sense of continuity.

Which brings me to another point: Waits’ voice is like the moat surrounding a castle of gold for many. It translates magnificently to film, by the way. But I’ve met many that view this as an impenetrable force field around his oeuvre. How do you view this gradual degradation, and has it in any way become a negative side-effect of aging for you? Or, what do you think the affect is on his later albums compared to the early (and arguably more commercially accessible) Asylum records? Overall, I’d like to know a lot more about your view of his continually evolving – and rarely flawed, in my opinion – catalog.

ANDREW: Personally, I like the quirks that come with a live show. I mean, I love it when a band nails a set perfectly too, but there’s a certain charm to a guitar’s accidental feedback, or to a piece of equipment breaking, or to a band completely reshuffling one of their songs. But in the case of Dylan – in my experience, at least – it just didn’t work. These are legendary songs. I want to hear them the way they were intended. And hey, if you’re too bored of playing them that way, then stop touring so much!

I’m ashamed to say I haven’t explored Glitter and Doom as much as I probably should have. Although honestly, that’s not an indictment of that album so much as a compliment for his previous stuff. Pretty much every time I find myself wanting to hear Waits, it’s Closing Time I grab. If not, I’m looking at Mule Variations, Swordfishtrombones, or Rain Dogs (“Earth Died Screaming,” “Goin’ Out West,” and “Jesus Gonna Be Here” are essentials). That probably goes without saying those. I mean, those are his calling cards, right? I guess in thinking about it more I could throw Bone Machine and Heartattack and Vine into there too.

As for the voice, frankly, I hated it at first. I hated Dylan’s, too. I could reel off an impressive lists of names whose voices I either detested at first listen or simply wasn’t impressed with until I had time to… I don’t know, “get it.” But ultimately that’s what makes Waits’ stuff so magical to me. You know, as great as I think the arrangements are on Closing Time, the reason I love it so much is because you can hear the emotion in his voice. It’s ugly, it’s coarse, but it’s sincere. I think it’s helped his as he’s gotten older too. In fact, it fits him better. He’s grown perfectly into that role of the wise old grandfather who is a little bit insane and isn’t afraid to be candid. His evolution, vocally at least, feels like it came naturally to me.

MICHAEL: While it may have been an afterthought, I’m surprised to see Heartattack and Vine considered in the same heartbeat as Bone Machine, which was wildly acclaimed and even won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album. This is a category marginally more relevant than Album of the Year despite the Grammys’ peculiar loyalty to Coldplay and the White Stripes. (Side note: he later jumped to the folk category for Mule Variations.) But arbitrary awards and even Billboard charts aside, Heartattack and Vine only yields a few indispensible songs, namely: the title track, “Downtown” and “Jersey Girl.” It proved to be more of a transitional album rather than a deeply memorable one.

Regardless, in my experience, working through Waits’ discography chronologically is the best way to experience his music. The only certainty spanning his oeuvre are lyrics centered on seedy subjects like vagrants, drunkards and alley rats. It’s far easier to cook up a short list of which albums are less essential: Big Time, The Black Rider, Foreign Affairs, Franks Wild Years, Heartattack and Vine, Night on Earth (film soundtrack, mostly instrumental, mostly forgettable), and One from the Heart (Coppola film soundtrack, duet album with Crystal Gale, somewhat of a curio piece). Of those seven selections, Big Time and Night on Earth are the least essential, but all are worth visiting at least once. Many would rank Franks Wild Years as a relative equal to its ‘80s brothers, but it can be underwhelming in direct contrast. One from the Heart is quite lovely, though I highly doubt it would be anybody’s go-to. But man, “You Can’t Unring a Bell” sure does unfurl a hearty dose of street slime. Similarly, The Black Rider is a ride worth taking for the singing saw, slow death of “November.”

On the matter of Waits’ voice, I completely agree. It should be a sin for any fans to ignore his output in the aughts. Most notably, I view Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards as the best, most thorough encapsulation of his efforts. Therein lie some of my all-time favorites such as “Rains on Me” (brawler), “Long Way Home” (bawler) and many of the spoken word segments like “Children’s Story” (bastard). The fact that I play each disc of the compilation in equal measure is both testament to my obsessive tendencies and the shared strength among the divided styles.

So, ultimately, what I’m saying is that Waits lacks “key” albums because he is truly a key artist. Even ranking his albums would be doing a disservice to his work, as it would suggest those not in the top five or ten aren’t just as fucking special and timeless. Plus, there’s also the prospect of a new album on the California horizon, which I intend on greeting with chipped teeth and a handshake of high expectations.

ANDREW: Actually, that was going to be my next question to you: is there a completely ignorable Waits album? Even the ones you mentioned are good by most metrics. I mean, Big Time isn’t Swordfishtrombones or what have you, but it’s still a solid record. It just feels a step down because it’s up against such a monolithic backdrop. I can’t think of a single “bad” record in his catalog. Seriously, how many artists can sustain that kind of success? Dylan had a dry spell, Neil Young had a dry spell. David Bowie, Paul McCartney too. That’s just off the top of my head without straining myself. It’s pretty phenomenal when you line them all up.

Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards is fantastic. I love it. It’s not something I listen to often because of how long it is, but it easily belongs in the upper echelon of his work. But like you said, you don’t really even need to digest all three discs at once. You can treat it like three totally different albums and while you’ll get a different effect, it’s still great.

And yeah, I’d agree: there’s not one or two definitive standouts (favorites? yes) because the whole catalog is so strong. And hey, Closing Time is his first album, so I think starting a new listener right at the beginning sounds perfect.

MICHAEL: The catch here is that Closing Time is a terrific start for those that can endure an entire discography that spans more than three decades. Yes, if I were to eschew my previous statement and select the top ten must-haves, Closing Time would be a fierce competitor. Newcomers that wish to parachute in are best served to visit Rain Dogs first. In my own experience, Swordfishtrombones was my introduction. Within roughly six months of playing only a fistful of his albums, I was ready to completely immerse myself by working chronologically.

That was years ago, and some of the albums were wrongfully neglected for years to come (One for the Heart and Nighthawks at the Diner are the chief examples, but even Franks Wild Years received little attention until only a year ago). Hey, minor casualties when you’re talking about the best buffet in town. Such a wealth in selection often leaves little room for dessert.

But have you heard Night on Earth? It’s a film soundtrack in every sense of the word: without the visual component, there’s little to latch onto. Minor gripes aside, I can’t think of a single artist of Waits’ stature that can compete in the realm of consistency. Granted, I haven’t heard every single album from seminal artists such as Miles Davis or, say, Beethoven. In my defense, playing Tom Waits albums and a few obscurities nonstop would only span a twenty-four hour period. Conversely, you could play the entirety of Beethoven’s compositions nonstop for nearly a week. (Should we check with Jack Spearing on that one?)

ANDREW: I’ve heard Night on Earth in passing, but I remember liking it. Or maybe all this talk has just got me thinking favorably. Okay, fine. I wouldn’t say I remember the album specifically off-hand, which I suppose is better than remembering it negatively. I typically pay very little mind to soundtracks anyway.

And hey, to even be mentioned in the same class as Miles Davis or Beethoven (what a weird parallel to draw up, by the way) says a lot. Actually, we’ve thrown around a lot of powerful names here, most of which I’d say are better known universally than Waits. Waits is obviously well-respected and all that, but it’s crazy to me how he still retains what feels like this sort of under the radar legend after all that he’s done.

MICHAEL: Well, Waits was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame within the past year. The museum sports half a case dedicated to our favorite mad-hatter musician. Between that and the Grammys, I wouldn’t say he is overlooked by the musical community. The problem might be the disparity between critical opinion and public indifference. I don’t imagine there’s a large crossover of Tom Waits fans versus Rod Stewart and Don Henley fans due to their popular covers, either. Or maybe I’m only hoping there isn’t.

Bruce Springsteen covering “Jersey Girl” is a far better fit: both thematically concern themselves with the working class, and Waits takes this even further to include the homeless. In fact, one of the limited edition Seeds on Hard Ground chapbooks is in my possession, which raised money for a California service benefitting the homeless.

Waits might have said it best himself during the Rock Hall induction ceremony: “They say I have no hits and that I’m difficult to work with… like it’s a bad thing.”

ANDREW: I don’t know that the Grammys or Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are great indicators of popularity necessarily, but I get what you’re saying. I just find myself taken aback fairly often with how few “regular” people know of who he is. To the casual music listener, it seems like he’s still a shadowy figure.

Oh, and Scarlett Johannson did a whole album of Waits covers. So, you know, there’s that.

MICHAEL: Incidentally, I was considering adding Johannson to the conversation. It would be interesting to know if anybody discovered Waits by way of the Dark Angel. While I can’t credit her for creating anything more than an average album, I will say her version of “Green Grass” did call greater attention to the original’s muddled lyrics. And it has since become a personal favorite in his cannon. If her contribution to music was limited to raising Waits-awareness, I’d give her a pass. But I’m not interested in that Pete Yorn collaboration. She should stick to singing karaoke with Bill Murray.

ANDREW: Ugh. That movie was torturous.

MICHAEL: Nonsense! Have we covered the bases on Mr. Waits, or will this discussion transform into an in-depth look at Bill Murray’s filmography? Because I can’t recall if I’ve even seen Stripes yet.

ANDREW: For your sanity and mine, we probably shouldn’t go there.

Other Discussions:

The Velvet Underground

To me, Primavera Sound is quite different to most festivals for a number of reasons. One of the most instantly noticeable is how visually appealing the whole thing is. Most festivals are set in fields, which are in themselves often picturesque, and some would say are ruined by the arrival of a festival. Primavera is set down on the seafront on the edge of the city of Barcelona, and when the festival isn’t there it’s more or less just a big open concrete space. So the addition of stages, stalls, bars and other bits and pieces makes it more of a landscape and an exciting area to wander around and discover music. The other major difference is that rather than run throughout the day like most festivals, the Spanish climate and lifestyle is taken into account meaning that the acts play throughout the night instead.

Upon entry to the festival on the first day many people will have been drawn to the Pitchfork stage – which is literally right on the waterfront – to see Emeralds. Others will have been queuing to charge up their Primavera cards with credit to spend at the bars on beer or other alcohol. After all, the festival starts late (5-6pm) and runs until the early hours of the morning, so some fuel is definitely going to be needed. Once cards were charged and beers were bought people were more ready to get down to music.

Moon Duo were a popular choice for some early evening psych rock, but the big draw was blog darlings Cults, who made a coming-out-of-their shell performance on the ATP stage to a decent sized crowd who had come to see what all the fuss was about. Being only a matter of days away from the release of their debut album they were keen to make a strong impression, and largely they were successful. The mix on the guitar, drums and bass was a little muddy, but added weight to the sound nonetheless. The key to the performance was vocalist Madeline Follin, who pumped out her vocals with plenty of spirit, between swaying innocently on the spot when she had time to kick back and enjoy the music. “You Know What I Mean” and “Rave On” were particular highlights due to their choruses that allowed Follin to let rip. At the end of their set which featured the majority of Cults, there was a definite impression left among the crowd who talked spiritedly about the performance as they made their way to the next.

By this point it was becoming clear that there was something wrong with the card system for buying drinks at the bars, and only two of them were actually functioning, meaning large queues. Fortunately one such bar was right by the San Miguel Stage where a large crowd gathered to watch of Montreal, who also helped entertain those in desperate need for a thirst quenching beverage pass the time. The hour-long set meant less time for clothing changes for singer Kevin Barnes, but other than that the wackiness was more or less all intact: wrestlers, referees and farm animals were all in attendance. It was a true festival set with of Montreal eschewing the majority of their recent albums to play what the crowd wanted to hear, i.e. a lot of songs from Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer?, which all went down a treat.

By 9pm people were really starting to get desperate for more alcohol more readily so the promoters more or less abandoned the card system and allowed attendants to pay with cash. Combined with a set from Big Boi that featured many crowd pleasing Outkast numbers (“So Fresh, So Clean,” “Ms. Jackson” and “B.O.B.” amongst others) the festival really started to get into full swing. By the tail end of Big Boi’s set night had set in nobody could hold themselves back from dancing as he brought out the big guns from his latest album, “Shutterbugg” and “Tangerine.” Even people who had been watching from the great view allowed by the large set of stairs at the back of the Ray Ban Stage arena came down to join in the fun.

The first big clash of the night followed this; The Walkmen on the Pitchfork Stage or Grinderman on the San Miguel. Both had healthy crowds with the Nick Cave-led troupe earning their main stage slot with a typically raucous set drawing from both albums. The Walkmen, however, were the gem of the whole evening; bringing the featival atmosphere with heavy hitters like “The Rat” and “Angela Surf City,” bringing fan favourites in the form of “On The Water” and “All Hands and the Cook” and even making the decent-sized area of the Pitchfork Stage seem intimate with “Canadian Girl” and “We’ve Been Had.” The played like real professionals, and even though seemed all business on the surface (singer Hamilton Leithauser was decked out in a full suit and tie), the kind of passion and ease with which they played can only come from a band that is having a lot of fun at its core. There were many fans at the performance, but undoubtedly there were many more at the conclusion.

The second big clash of the night followed on from this. Caribou played the ATP stage while Interpol would play the gigantic Llevante (and a case could even be made for Das Racist who occupied the Pitchfork). Punters opting for Interpol were given a typical set featuring favourites from all four of their albums, but they also threw in the less-common “The New” from their debut for the fans in attendance. Caribou was more likely to tempt those with a more lively spirit, and at a festival in Spain there are a lot of those. Dan Snaith’s band had in fact played to 7000 people at the opening concert the night before, and there had been around a thousand more outside unable to get in; proof, if any was needed, that Swim has truly put Caribou on the map. The ATP stage was absolutely packed once again, with many wanting to see the band for the second night in a row, and a security guard even had to be put at the foot of the curved outer-wall of the arena to stop desperate fans from running up to get a view. Those who did make it in were treated to all the favourites from Swim concluding with a super-extended version of “Sun” that was a talking point for the rest of the festival.

There are no real headliners at Primavera Sound (you’ll never see a lineup poster with the big names at the top), but The Flaming Lips are placed as the headliners at every other festival they play and you would be hard-pressed to say that their 2.15am slot did not place them as such, even if it were not clearly billed that way. Not that there were not any other options. Gold Panda and Baths provided an electronic alternative on the Pitchfork, but for the vast majority there was no other destination than the San Miguel. The Flaming Lips opened with their now-legendary entry of singer Wayne Coyne rolling over the crowd in his Space Bubble. Right from the off and throughout the performance The Flaming Lips switched between their two modes; the avant-garde psychedelic side which featured a lot of their recently released material, and their popular side. The opening three songs may have seemed like one extended jam to many casual fans in the audience, with Coyne’s wailing into a smoke-projecting megaphone just seeming like sonic filler, but they remained engaged, and when it came time for the first “hit” of the night, “She Don’t Use Jelly,” they proved that they were in good voice too. Coyne’s consistent pleas of “C’mon motherfuckers, c’mon” throughout the night, and the hackneyed extended singalongs may have annoyed regular viewers of The Flaming Lips, but for a festival where for many this will be the only time they see them, it was perfectly acceptable. The performance concluded in regular fashion with The Flaming Lips’ anthem “Do You Realise???,” which proved once again that no matter how many times you hear it, it’s still an utter joy and one of the most life affirming songs ever written.

Following The Flaming Lips, those somehow with energy still to spare (it was 4am at this point) went to see El Guincho who was awarded a spot on the huge Llevante stage to play in front of a home crowd. El Guincho beefed up his show with a troupe of dancers to match the occasion. Those with less energy stumbled over to the Ray Ban stage, where Canadian shoegaze-meets-krautrockers Suuns played a storming set. 4am may not have seemed like a kind slot when they received it, but with less other bands to clash with, they deservedly pulled in a respectable crowd and played a tight, loud and undeniably impressive set, drawing mostly from last year’s debut LP Zeroes QC. This writer can now undoubtedly be counted amongst their fans.

The night reached its final conclusion with Girl Talk proving that he is the world’s ultimate party DJ, making people dance and even climb up on stage to dance with him at the unearthly hour of 5am. Even those without the energy to dance were seen tapping their feet along with the shifting songs as they sat and took it all in.

Those forced out of the arena once Girl Talk left the stage were, for the most part, no more than zombies. Fortunately Barcelona has an early-rising and easy-to-use public transport system which guided them all back to their various beds to regain energy for the next night.

But, these are not the only major music festivals happening this summer. What are our picks for the best and brightest in summer mass-concerts for your consumption? We have put together a little preview for you to enjoy below, showcasing music festivals large and small, many of which we will be bringing you reports from, and which we hope will get you out of your house and into the sun for a weekend or two.

So, without further rambling, we bring you our Summer Music Festival Preview. Enjoy.

Primavera Sound

Photo by Christopher Alvarez

May 26th-29th
Barcelona, Spain

Lineup: The Flaming Lips, Pulp, Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective, OFWGKTA, Belle & Sebastian, The National, PJ Harvey, Mogwai

Tickets: http://www.primaverasound.com/ps/?page=entradas&lang=en

A Few Words: Now in its eleventh year, San Miguel Primavera Sound has become one of the top destinations in the world for music lovers, attracting a maximum of 35,000 attendees a day in 2010. In true Catalan tradition, Primavera starts later in the day than most festivals, but the music doesn’t end until sunrise. In case a Barcelona location wasn’t enviable enough, the festival site is directly on the Mediterranean at Parc del Forum and features eight stages, including the indoor Auditori that will host two sets from Sufjan Stevens. New in 2011 are two additional days of music at the limited capacity Poble Espanyol, the original festival site of Primavera, and with artists including Echo & the Bunnymen performing Heaven Up Here and Crocodiles, Mercury Rev performing Deserter’s Songs, Caribou, Nisennenmondai, and Deakin, those days are not just an added bonus but downright essential.

The long-awaited return of Pulp is clearly the top star of the weekend (and 2011′s must-see reunion), but who is the Saturday headliner: Animal Collective or PJ Harvey? Both, actually, and the same applies to Thursday’s co-headliners Grinderman and The Flaming Lips. Primavera shuns the traditional headliner system in favor of a wide top tier consisting mostly of acts on equivalent footing over a single superstar per day. What also makes the Primavera Sound lineup special is how it relies less on safe, crossover acts (so, no Mumford & Sons) and more on edgier, esoteric fare like Einstürzende Neubauten. After all, ATP and Pitchfork each curate a stage. Other lineup highlights are Belle & Sebastian, Explosions in the Sky, James Blake, Mogwai, Odd Future, Yuck, and Big Boi, while late night electronic offerings include DJ Shadow, Simian Mobile Disco, Girl Talk, and two Kode9 sets. The final day at Parc del Forum coincides with the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United, so prepare for a riotous good time in Plaça de Catalunya at the end of the night.

- Frank Mojica

Sasquatch

May 27-31
George, WA

Lineup: Foo Fighters, Modest Mouse, Wilco, The Flaming Lips (performing The Soft Bulletin), Death Cab For Cutie, Robyn, Local Natives, Death From Above 1979, The Decemberists, Bright Eyes

Tickets: Sold Out

A Few Words: Location, location, location. Undeniably the greatest thing George, Washington’s Sasquatch Music Festival has going for it is the physical magnificence of its host venue, the Gorge Amphitheatre. Widely considered the best outdoor music venue around, the Gorge itself is a massive presence when backdropping the bigger names on the festival’s considerable lineup, and the other three stages aren’t too bad either. Though last year’s Yeti stage was plagued by sound issues during sets by WHY? and No Age, the festival’s crew mostly achieves a tightly run operation. The festival organizers have again assembled a lineup sure to generate scheduling conflicts and force some frustrating decisions (they’re pitting The Flaming Lips and Flying Lotus against each other!), but really that’s kind of a good thing, and speaks to the overall quality of the artists billed.

Festival staples The Flaming Lips and Wilco are there, joined by Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse at the top of the list. Also in tow are indie darlings Beach House, Deerhunter, Yeasayer, Surfer Blood, The Antlers, Wavves, Best Coast, Smith Westerns, etc. and Canada’s hilarious Trailer Park Boys bringing the chuckles. My favorite live act of all time, !!!, is on the bill along with giants J Mascis and The Decemberists. One of the best parts of Sasquatch is its affinity for reunited legends. Last year saw Pavement, who fucked around with us in classic Pavement fashion, sandwiched between LCD Soundsystem and Massive Attack, and this year Guided By Voices and (wow) Archers of Loaf get to hang out with the young folks, maybe teach ‘em a thing or two. A reunited Death From Above 1979 will also play. If Sasquatch leaves anything to be desired, its in the electronic and dance music department. Sure we’ve got FlyLo, Gold Panda and Bassnectar, but fucking Skrillex? Seriously?

The camping situation at Sasquatch is lovely and painless, and while it’s kind of a drag that the last performance of each day wraps up around 12:30am, the campground parties rage into the wee hours. The festival attracts all types of people from all over (my car drove all the way to Washington from New Jersey, yes seriously, and we were camped next to some friendly Canadians) and the vibes are generally welcoming and considerate. You’re more likely to see bros playing pong on top of a trailer than dreadlocked drumcirclers, but those folks are there too, and if you ask nicely, just about anyone will help you out or point you in the right direction. It’s a younger and hipper crowd than Bonnaroo’s, and its a difference that can be felt, but you’re likely to find whatever kind of fun you’re looking for at Sasquatch.

- FM Stringer

Soundset

May 29th
Shakopee, MN

Lineup: Atmosphere, Big Boi, Slaughterhouse, De La Soul, Brother Ali, Doomtree, Curren$y, Mac Miller, Zion-I and The Grouch, Blueprint

Tickets: http://www.soundsetfestival.com/tickets/

A Few Words: What began as a humble celebration of underground hip-hop in 2008, Minneapolis’ Soundset festival has grown into one of the state’s largest music festivals, drawing huge acts from around the country. Centered around Minneapolis rap label Rhymesayers, Soundset features four-time headliners Atmosphere closing out another Memorial Day weekend. There’s also Brother Ali, Evidence, Doomtree, and Blueprint representing the chief label in its hometown. Big Boi, on the heels of last year’s great Son of Chico Dusty will be anchoring the lineup along with superstar collective Slaughterhouse, the collaboration of Royce Da 5’9”, Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, and Crooked I. Everybody’s favorite Gorillaz hook-men De La Soul will also be there, catering to the more soulful hip-hop fans in the crowd. There’s also a B-boy and DJ tent, featuring some fun freestyle action all day, and a custom car show for those crazy people who can’t stay in one place all day. What makes Soundset unique is that it feels more like a celebration of music than some of the other more large scale festivals throughout the summer. It might be difficult for some people to think of the upper-midwest as a premier destination for hip-hop, but thanks to Rhymesayers’ tireless work and Atmosphere’s growing fame, Soundset has blossomed into a star studded affair that features a variety of artists and a “Minnesota nice” attitude to boot.

- Erik Burg

Bonnaroo

June 9-12
Manchester, TN

Lineup: Eminem, Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, The Strokes, Buffalo Springfield, My Morning Jacket, Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy, The Decemberists

Tickets: Sold Out

A Few Words: This year’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, marks the event’s 10th anniversary. Headlined by Arcade Fire, Eminem, Buffalo Springfield, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, Mumford & Sons, The Strokes, and too many exciting undercard acts to list (okay, I can’t help it: Ray LaMontagne! The Decemberists! Sleigh Bells!). It’s not difficult to see the allure. But Bonnaroo hasn’t become one of the summer’s most popular events solely for its consistently great music. They’ve also booked great comedy acts and have lined up an ample amount of peripheral entertainment and concessions.

As far as festivals go, you’ll find that the food and drink options are surprisingly good. It goes without saying that you’re going to pay too much, but even the prices aren’t as outrageous as you might expect. An angus burger might run you five bucks, but it’ll be a damn good burger. Of course, the vendors change year to year. But take heed of this advice: if you see banners advertising alligator jambalaya, put down a blanket in the shade to reserve a spot and get in line. Its the best money you can spend on food while you’re there. Bonnaroo also offers good beer on tap and plenty of more hydrating options, which trust me, you’re going to need. Midsummer in Tennessee can be painfully hot, so be wise and take a few extra bucks for bottled water. And once you’ve bought a bottle, keep it. There are free refill stations scattered around the farm.

In addition to thirst-quenching cash, you might want to consider cab fare. Or, as the case may be, golf cart fare. Camp sites aren’t assigned, so where you end up setting up your quarters will be completely dependent on where you’re sent by the festival’s traffic directors. There’s a good chance you’ll be an unpleasant distance from the main gates (last year, my tent was about a mile and a half from the entrance). A golf cart taxi ride will run you another five dollars or so, but you can see how it’d be well worth it. Horror story to prove it: last year I lost my keys on the first night but didn’t realize it until returning to camp. I wound up walking a mile and a half back to the main entertainment area (known as Centeroo), then another mile and a half back to camp. Which reminds me: be smarter than me and keep an extra set of car keys handy.

For the $250 or so it costs to get in, Bonnaroo represents one of the smarter ways you can spend your dough and a week of vacation. For all the blistering heat (and, let’s be honest, porta-stink), nothing matches the non-stop party atmosphere that you get on the farm. This event isn’t like a show at your local venue where everyone more or less keeps to themselves. Its a certified social event. And, oh yeah, the line-up is pretty fantastic as well (Big Boi! Iron & Wine! Deerhunter! Matt & Kim!).

- Andrew Bailey

Glastonbury

Photo by Andrew Allcock

June 24-26
Glastonbury, UK

Lineup: Coldplay, U2, Beyonce, Morrissey, Queens Of The Stone Age, Bright Eyes, Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio, Paul Simon, Primal Scream

Tickets: Sold Out

A Few Words: Located on a 1,000 hectare compound at Worthy Farm, the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is England’s largest and most famous festival with 135,000 punters and 40,000 artists, crew, and volunteers. Fields dedicated to crafts, healing, circus performers, and the environment provides peaceful refuge and a wide range of sights and activities to enjoy during the day, but it is those six hours of night when the festival truly comes alive. Glastonbury features several late-night after hours areas overflowing with surprises. The 2011 incarnation of The Common is Latin America-themed, and attractions include a haunted bullring, Mexican wrestlers, and nude painting. DJs spin in the monstrous, fire-breathing Arcadia stage while a human Tesla coil freaks out the crowd, and the dystopian Shangri-la promises to once again bewilder many an intoxicated attendee with its labyrinth of interactive art displays and themed bars.

Glastonbury is an ultimate barhopping destination, with dozens of bars scattered throughout the site. It’s the kind of festival where demonic nurses sell syringes full of tequila a hop and a skip away from a shrine to Bono with fresh Guinness on tap. The hill of the infamous Stone Circle area has breath-taking views of the massive festival site and a relaxed party vibe that is at its liveliest from sunset to sunrise – just watch out for discarded canisters of laughing gas when returning to your tent. Apparently there is music at Glastonbury, too, but it is entirely possible to avoid the main stages entirely and still not experience everything else the festival has to offer. It’s five days of total immersion.

The festival of festivals celebrated its 40th birthday last year with a guest-filled headlining performance by Gorillaz, a secret set from Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and surprise appearances from The Edge, Kylie, Jarvis Cocker, and Doctor Who himself, Matt Smith. In addition to superstars such as Beyoncé, Coldplay, Paul Simon, and Morrissey, and some of the hottest talent in this year’s festival circuit like Elbow, Lykke Li, Cee Lo Green, Fleet Foxes, Little Dragon, and Battles, the 2011 edition of Glastonbury is guaranteed to host an equally impressive collection of surprises and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations. Festival organizer Emily Eavis recently told NME that one of the Park Stage’s two “special guest” slots belongs to a band with headliner potential, thus opening the floodgates of rumor and speculation on the possibility of the lineup’s only true glaring, inexplicable omission being corrected: Pulp.

P.S. Did we mention that U2 is headlining? That’s a pretty big deal, right?

- Frank Mojica

I was standing outside, talking to a band that was not on the bill last Friday (Arial Stereo), when one of them said something that stuck with me: “I can’t think of a cooler venue to play a show than the Hall of Mammals.” Has ever a more true statement been said? The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles opens its doors in the evening on the first friday of every month, turning the geeky exhibit halls into a happening club. In one room DJs spin sets while people lounge and drink. Other wings are open for attendees to visit the insect zoo or check out a giant whale skeleton. And in one of the wings of the Hall of Mammals, which features exhibit windows of stuffed animal replicas in what appears to be their natural habitats, a stage is set up for bands.

Now, I’ve talked to people who have seen the Wild Nothing and Abe Vigoda tour and heard mixed reactions, coming to the conclusion that Wild Nothing is not necessarily the best bar band. But on this, the last night of their tour together, a pretty-much perfect venue was chosen to display the song-writing talents of Jack Tatum. You could say he was in his natural habitat as well. (Admit it, that was a good line right there.)

Local outfit Abe Vigoda played first, starting at 8pm for supportive and familiar crowd. One member even noted that he remembered taking a field trip to the museum when he was young, which I would later discover was a popular experience for people who went to elementary school in L.A. Now, if you are familiar with Abe Vigoda, well, there is a chance that you are mistaken and are not really familiar with Abe Vigoda. A friend/photographer noted to me that she was giving the band one last chance after not being impressed by earlier shows. But this is not really the same band. Sure, it is the same band members, but they have really pushed their sound into more interesting territory with the addition of heavy synth and a darker tone.

Most remarkable about the transformation of Abe Vigoda, though, is how after a few numbers, you can begin to hear the tropical rhythms that I used to associate with the band. Some would quickly say the band had totally changed, but a keen listener will notice it as more of a transformation. It will be interesting to see how these all evolve for their next record, as their sound evolution can be anyone’s guess. Regardless, they provided an energetic opening set, all taking place in front of a buffalo herd walking across the great plains in front of snowy mountain peaks.

Though there were bars set up in nearly every corner, the crowd was generally docile for Wild Nothing’s set. That isn’t to say they were unenthusiastic. There was plenty of dancing and even a few young ladies who caught “Wild Nothing Mania” and screamed at the top of their lungs like Tatum was Justin Bieber. Which is kind of funny because even though Tatum possesses some classic good looks, Bieber’s greatest talent, his voice, is Tatum’s weakest. Not to say that Tatum has a bad voice at all, just that live he has trouble emulating the falsettos and high notes that would be difficult for anyone.

However, Tatum makes up for it in other ways. Second song “Live In Dreams” gets an octave switch in the chorus that plays nicely live, showing that Tatum will make up for the notes he can’t hit by throwing some difficulty points in other spots, though I have to admit the chorus of “Confirmation,” just didn’t cut it.

After “Live In Dreams,” the band produced a beefed-up version of “Gemini,” that, along with many of the up-beat songs, benefited fromt the dual guitar/bass/drums lineup (Abe Vigoda’s drummer played bass for Wild Nothing). “Gemini” in particular, one of my least favorite songs from the album, soared live. “Golden Haze,” from the Evertide EP also was a mover for the crowd, and the band seemed to take a cue and swing their instruments with a little extra zeal. Rounding out the set were fan favorite “Chinatown” and set closer “Summer Holiday,” both aces the band can always keep in their pocket.

And of course, the band brought out their cover of Primal Scream’s “Velocity Girl,” which just kills live. Tatum almost sounds more relaxed when he is singing other people’s lyrics. Fortunately for him (and for us), his songs are just too good to abandon for a career as a cover artist. This was never more clear than during the encore of “Bored Games,” one of the band’s most unique and beautiful songs. You couldn’t help but think when Tatum sang “Where are you going, can I come with you?” that a part of him felt that for the adoring audience. But, more likely, the song was for Abe Vigoda, who shared embraces with Wild Nothing after the set, as it was the last day of their tour together. The audience didn’t get such a goodbye from Tatum and company, but it sure felt like it.

50.

The Books

The Way Out

[Temporary Residence]

Since its release in June 2010, the Books’ fourth album The Way Out has been one of the year’s most rewarding listens. The duo of Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong have topped themselves once again, with multiple layerings of sampled percussion from vinyl, voice clips from videos and audio cassettes, and of course, their own brilliant playing and ability to organize all this chaotic sound into a beautiful work of art. The slam-dancing funk of “I Didn’t Know That” rocks the hips and stimulates the mind as “Group Autogenics II” gives the perfect come-down at the very end. In between it all, Zammuto and de Jong delve deep inside and come back out showing us the human experience in a way never seen before.

- Rob Galo

49.

Cee Lo Green

The Lady Killer

[Elektra]

In ten years, Cee Lo’s third solo album, The Lady Killer, will probably be remembered mainly as a vehicle for the unstoppable, “Hey Ya!”/”Umbrella”-caliber single “Fuck You!,” just as Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere will always be the album that had “Crazy.” This, however, is grossly unfair to the rest of the songs on The Lady Killer, which is as strong an R&B album as has been released in a few years. Cee Lo puts on a virtuosic vocal display on the album, and sounds equally comfortable doing his thing across many different styles of soul music, from the “Billie Jean” bounce of “Bright Lights, Bigger City” to the Motown throwback “Cry Baby.” And, yeah, there’s “Fuck You!” too.

- Sean Highkin

48.

The Besnard Lakes

The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night

[Jagjaguwar]

It’s not often you hear a combination of power-pop and shoegaze but that is what the Besnard Lakes have gone for here, and they’ve done it well. Their married leaders Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas often attack vocals in unison. They’re at their best when doing this, powerfully harmonizing and punching up the impact of their choruses. Between vocals there are crashing and undulating guitars which form a fantastic platform some more playful guitar work. When all of these ingredients are mixed together, they produce a heady concoction of delightful layered, loud, yet thoughtful rock music.

- Rob Hakimian

47.

Warpaint

The Fool

[Rough Trade]

Best Coast holds the honor for the most-hyped debut of the year, but Warpaint’s The Fool can’t be far behind. And it wasn’t really what anyone expected, with the energy of their live show being nearly impossible to record. But The Fool had much better things than energy to offer: complex arrangements, dark lyrics about addiction and heartbreak, and strong pop melodies hidden so well in stoner rock that the record truly sneaks up on you. It’s hard to believe Warpaint released their debut album this year, but fortunately for us, The Fool sounds like a first step towards something greater. They’ve set the bar high for themselves. Let’s hope they are up for the challenge.

- Philip Cosores

46.

Sharon Van Etten

Epic

[Ba Da Bing]

Epic, but with a small ‘e’–that’s how Sharon Van Etten jokingly described her 2010 album Epic during a September performance at Atlanta’s 529. All kidding aside, her tongue-in-cheek summarization not only holds true for this gorgeous, melancholic showcase of these seven heartrending tracks, but also for her growth as a songwriter. More importantly, Sharon Van Etten has created one of the most human albums in a long time, allowing her emotions, thoughts and reflections to paint a stunning and honest masterpiece.

While her quiet conviction stirs with every passing swoon of her voice, the melancholic, minimalist songwriter has expanded her sound on this sophomore effort, recently adding a backing band to accompany her. This decision has brought her music to life from a longing whisper to a quiet roar. With songs like “One Day” and “Save Yourself,” she may never be “Epic” in the anthemic rock sort of way that the word is often associated with, but a small ‘e’ will certainly suffice for this talented singer-songwriter.

- Max Blau

45.

My Chemical Romance

Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

[Reprise]

My Chemical Romance ditched the goth Sgt. Pepper’s-influenced afterlife for a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of gunslingers and fast cars. Thematically this is just as over-the- top and bombastic as their previous albums. However, MCR decided to skip the concept this time around and make a more straightforward rock album that’s about letting loose and having fun. Gone are the melodramatic themes of death, lovers and spiritual entities. Danger Days trades all of this for a more upbeat and warm outlook on the music they make. The album seamlessly balances balls to the wall rock tunes with glossy ’80s-influenced pop gems. Whether you prefer MCR’s rock opera era or their early pop punk sound, this album finds a middle ground to satisfy both while making some interesting new steps for the band musically. At this point, fans should expect that they won’t get the same band on every release. Danger Days is no exception, and this is probably the most accessible the band has been without losing their renowned dramatics and bravado.

- Brent Koepp

44.

Owen Pallett

Heartland

[Domino]

It’s really not that hard to see why Owen Pallett ditched the Final Fantasy moniker for his new album. It was a confusing name to begin with, and although the music is the same on its basest levels, (this is classical-influenced indie folk after all) it’s like he’s headed in a whole new direction. While his older songs are impressive in their own right, it’s hard to go back to the Final Fantasy work after hearing Heartland’s lushly produced tracks. Just listen to “The Great Elsewhere”: its stuttering drum patterns and swelling strings are much more fleshed out ideas than something like, say, “Many LIves -> 49 MP.” The latter isn’t a bad song by any means; I still regard it as one of Pallett’s best songwriting efforts. What I mean to say is that Pallett is just all-around improving–improving on what was already great material. It’s extremely cliche at this point to praise an artist for maturing, but that’s what Pallett has done here, and it’s easy to imagine that he’ll just get even better.

- Colin Joyce

43.

Foals

Total Life Forever

[Transgressive]

On the strength of Total Life Forever, it’s time to say that Foals are on the verge of something great. If Antidotes highlighted a band full of potential for a stunning career, Total Life Forever saw Foals not only reach that potential, but exceed it and show a tantalising glimpse of what magic they could put onto disc. Opener “Blue Blood” isn’t the most spectacular or explosive openers, but it has that typical Foals style, giving the listener a comfort zone, softening them for the differences in the remainder of the album. There’s the bright and self-assured “Miami,” which should have been the lead single given the strength of the song. “Spanish Sahara” and “This Orient” are perfect side closers and openers that sound just as good apart as they are listened to back to back on CD/mp-whatever. They’re easily a testament to Foals’ continuing maturity. It’s the second side/half of the album that’s the real triumph, though. There’s enough ambience, melody and heaviness in the last four tracks to keep everybody happy. If Foals keep growing as much as Total Life Forever demonstrated, they could be this generation’s Radiohead.

- Daniel Griffiths

42.

Scuba

Triangulation

[Hotflush]

Riding the London bass waves that have, in part, taken asunder drum & bass’s long-held stranglehold on the legacy of jungle and future music, Scuba returned in 2010 with a followup to 2008’s A Mutual Antipathy without faltering, woozily, and without missteps. Scuba has inherited Burial’s ability to translate dubstep to long form, keeping clear of monotony and the uninspired. He channels Joy Orbison’s house-infused undercurrents, and, to his namesake, delivers interesting dubstep with a subterranean, semi-aqueous bent. Triangulation is no instant-access vehicle; it demands close attention to sound design but delivers complex aesthetic results each time.

- Jason Cook

41.

Spoon

Transference

[Merge]

Transference sees Spoon relinquishing a little of the studio polish that has been a hallmark of their recent albums and producing interesting results. The album does not have as much cohesion as their previous releases but on the other hand it’s interesting to hear the band trying out some new ideas, most of which work. Aside from dabbling in lo-fi (“Before Destruction”) and Beatles-esque pop songwriting (“Goodnight Laura”) the main influence here is certainly Krautrock. Many of the tracks here set themselves into a regular groove and Spoon do what they do best by adding various audio layers to produce interesting musical collages. Spoon’s vocalist Britt Daniel is in an unusually open mood here too, admitting his faults and allowing his desires to be unveiled. It’s an interesting document showing Spoon trying something new here, which they may or may not follow up on their next release.

- Rob Hakimian

Lucky Shiner has all the facets of something good. It breathes on its downbeats, sings rickety sampler loops, and, most enjoyably, it takes its time. Of the fourteen songs on the album, few– even those under three minutes — drop us directly into a moment. “Greek Style” works through an over-compressed bistro beat before skittering out of rhythmic focus. “After We Talked” experiments with the same manipulated vinyl sound, using warm Nintendo square waves and a middle section of buffer-overridden synth-pulp. “Parents” is, surprise, a strummed guitar sequence.

And except for the street vendor clatter in “You,” there isn’t much on Lucky Shiner that can’t be found elsewhere. That’s a cut, but it’s true. At some point there was a realization — no doubt aided by the success of Four Tet — that led to a stack of records, a sampler, and maybe a copy of Ableton Live into the hands of many a young electronic music producer. The trouble is that there’s no feeling of history in any of this music. It seems only meant to be heartfelt. Through the cloudy vinyl static sequences, all in the bridges of these songs — where acres of stuttering pads end up back at the beat, at the start, rather than toward any denouement, the listener — is not given clear transport to anywhere but faux-weepyville.

“Snow & Taxis” has the repeated start of a hundred old rave-ups and at the end of the opening bars, when you’re waiting to feel an explosion of, well, feeling, there comes these reversed string phrases, something strangely similar in both progression and effect to Orbital’s “Beached.” It’s promising, you’ll think. Snares dance on and the Field-ish vocals being, Vowels trade space with rhythm, build, and fade. “Before We Talked” begins, this bubbled-up Sesame Street IDM piece. Somewhere in the middle of all this, a snowlike crackle descends onto the track. “Marriage” moves through a similar progression. A half-hearted kick drum feels half-hearted to the sound a warbling kyoto. It’s all a lot like a car commercial.

Sadly, no four-wheel drive could protect against the thick syrup of this much saccharine hip.

Released as a free download and accompanied by a creative video, “All Summer” is about as inoffensive as it gets: there’s something for all genres of listeners. It’s not too difficult to imagine tweens ‘getting hyped’ for their days by quoting lines like, “My intentions for all summer have simply been this: maintain, keep my brain sane, with a little rage.” But Cudi’s verses are largely hit or miss; he can deliver lines like “Lookin’ at the ocean on shrooms is way iller,” but then also drop these bars in the same verse: “Callin’ my mama, tell her not to worry, I’m a man of the wild and the wild is the best.”

There’s not much to say about the actual instrumentation (Rostam’s part of the song, I imagine), as it’s a simple drum/guitar/bass affair. The real highlight is Bethany Cosentino’s honey-sweet vocal contribution, delivering the chorus in a manner that can’t help but elicit thoughts of sunny days at the beach with some buds. For what is ostensibly a shoe commercial, listeners could certainly do worse than this jam, which, though formulaic, is still a pleasing listen.

The awesome people over at Friction Records, have sent us an MP3 copy of the final mastering of “The Hustle” the first single off the forth coming album.

The track features a banjo, lead singer Marc Paffi’s notoriously intense vocals, zealous and earnest melodies, and moments of calm silence contrasted by a perfect chaos.

But don’t listen to me, check out the track for yourself.

Bars of Gold – “The Hustle”

One track not enough to truly get you ready for the album? Well, check out this low-fi (but great audio) video from what you can expect to be one of the highlights of the album, “Born a Cannibal”. Also, here is a great review and some photos of their some of their previous, very passionate live performances.

First things first, a bit of the back-story.

Bear vs. Shark only released two albums. Each is fantastic in its own right, highlighted by the critically acclaimed 2005’s Terrohawk , an indie/post-hardcore record at once chaotic, energetic, jazzy, emotional, soothing and melodic. Drawing comparisons to At the Drive In, Fugazi, Cursive and Mission of Burma, Bear Vs. Shark was a band that griped you with its energy, sustained you with its complexities and had limitless potential. Sadly the band ended their far too brief tenure shortly after the release of Terrorhawk in December of 2005. Bear Vs Shark was a band deeply loved by those who came across their music, yet still vastly deserved a much wider audience than it drew during its hay day.

Meanwhile, original Bear Vs Shark drummer, Brandon Moss, (who was involved more primarily on the first LP) and three talented Michigan musicians (Nick Jones, Ben Audette, Scotty Iulianelli) formed Wildcatting, an instrumental four piece with several releases under their belt. Known for their spontaneous shows, tortuous noise-pop riffs and endless energy, Wildcatting built a strong following of their own in Michigan and beyond.

Now the juicy details:

In the years that followed Bear Vs Shark’s break up, numerous side projects emerged, but few seemed to take strong foothold. That is, until now with the emergence of Bars of Gold.

Bars of Gold is a Michigan based five piece that is essentially the members of Wildcatting with the addition of Marc Paffi, Bear Vs Shark’s charismatic, anarchic, manic vocalist. Paffi, as a vocalist, has the ability to sing like a man possessed, displaying the talent and the vocal ability to bellow his lungs out and than suddenly shift textures to a soft croon, leaving the listener mesmerized and clinging to his every word.

Bars of Gold’s debut album is fittingly titled Of Gold and was recorded in the Summer/Autumn of 2009. It is to be released on August 24th on Friction Records in vinyl or digital format.

The album art has also been released (pictured above) and was designed by Paffi himself.

Expect Bars of Gold to be more than simply the sum of its parts of these two now defunct bands, but rather something new entirely. Judging from early preview tracks and the first single “Hustle”, the sound is melodic and raspy (think maybe MC5 if sung by a highly caffeinated Tom Waits) with complex often jarring instrumentation, abrupt beaks and tons of fiery energy. Or as the band describes it, “smooth, but with a kick”. These early preview tracks still contains Paffi’s passionate vocals and one can expect the album to contain moments, such as on Cannibals (available on their Myspace page) that are a bit calmer, more jazzy, harmonious, and have a ambiance the borders on that of a ballad, giving the tracks a bit of a Modest Mouse feel.

Although this is a new direction for this group of talented Michigan musicians, the feel of this album will certainly be well received by fans of the work of both previous outfits. And thus for not only the albums familiar tone, but also the chance to hear Paffi bellow on new tracks, and a set of fresh musical textures, I expect great things from this album.

Of Gold Track listing:
1 Boss Level
2 Heaven Has A Heater
3 Birds
4 The Hustle
5 ……….
6 Doctors & Lawyers
7 Up, Up, Up
8 Cannibals

As of yet, no extensive tour dates have been planned, but a record release shows has been scheduled for September: One in Detroit, MI on the 10th (venue TBD) and a second the 11th at Founders in Grand Rapids, MI.

Bars of Gold is also freely distributing a bootleg of their first show from back in March of ’09, which you can download here.

100.

Elliott Smith

Figure 8

[DreamWorks; 2000]

That the last album Elliott Smith recorded before his death closes with a song called “Bye” is a bit too neat and too cute to close out his achingly troubled career. Beginning the album with a song whose title references serial killer David Berkowitz makes a little more sense.

Though of course no one knew for sure when it came out that Figure 8 would be the last record Smith finished in his lifetime; the benefit of hindsight makes it a cathartic end to his oeuvre.

Drawing on the cyclical nature of its title, Figure 8 spans from the lo-fi intimacy of Roman Candle to the major label extravagance of XO, less a magnum opus and more a sampler of Smith’s life’s work, going so far as to foreshadow the abstracted luster of his posthumous release, From a Basement on the Hill.

Smith made a career of chronicling his disillusionment with candor and heartbreaking sobriety, and Figure 8 is no different. But the fact that Figure 8 is the last one makes his melancholia a little bit tougher to bear.

- Adam Clair

99.

Four Tet

Rounds

[Domino; 2003]

Kieran Hebden already had a few albums under his belt, both with the post-rock band Fridge and under his Four Tet moniker, before 2003′s Rounds, but it was with this album that he truly reached his full potential. Sure others had made careers out of sample-based electronic music before, but Hebden put out a product unmatched in the current marketplace. He made an album so organic, so real, that it makes you forget he’s merely a laptop manipulator. He comes off more like a composer, orchestrating the little bits and pieces of the album, from the twinkle of the xylophones on “She Moves She” to the double time guitar sample that drives “Spirit Fingers.” Unlike Hebden’s subsequent work, Rounds takes the experimental and makes it easy to digest, emotional even, allowing for a listening experience that is less challenging than the majority of his peers’ work and equally as rewarding.

- Colin Joyce

98.

Ted Leo and The Pharmacists

The Tyranny of Distance

[Lookout!; 2001]

The Tyranny of Distance is an extremely solid indie rock album. So solid, in fact, that I don’t really know what to say about it. Aside from being concerned with relationships, the album doesn’t really have a cohesive concept, it doesn’t have any particular areas to consider or criticize, and so on. A track seems like the standout until you reach the next track, which makes you forget how much you’d liked the previous one. “Under the Hedge” vs. “Dial Up,” for example; the former is unbeatable until the latter plays. It’s just a damn good album, through and through.

Distance was Ted Leo’s first album recorded with a full band, and despite the relative wealth of records that have followed, it still serves as the quintessential offering from The Pharmacists. Since its release, Leo’s following efforts have been criticized by some for waxing nostalgic and losing creative momentum. Tyranny, however, has only increased in its standing in the years following its release. Its flirtations between rock and folk, among other sounds, have allowed the record to remain enjoyable. Nearly a decade later, the album’s a good listen in the background as one does whatever. It’s hard to separate most of its contents from themselves, but it doesn’t matter; it’s just an extremely solid album, indivisible from itself.

- Chase McMullen

97.

The Rapture

Echoes

[DFA!; 2003]

Dance punk and post-punk revival bands were both at their peak in the early part of the decade. In 2001, The Strokes released Is This It and fired up the entire music industry with their vision of post-punk and garage rock. Dance-punk band The Faint released Dance Macabre that same year, which helped make dance rock fashionable. Luckily, The Rapture had the advantage of embodying both worlds. Having previously been on the rosters of labels such as post-punk powerhouse Gravity Records and the legendary Sub Pop, the band released their second album on DFA records and reunited with DFA’s evil neo-disco geniuses (James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy), who produced the band’s previous EP, Out of the Races and onto the Tracks. Echoes feels more influenced by mentors Murphy and Goldsworthy, with numerous tracks led by DFA’s trademark textured disco beats. The Rapture contributed their jagged punk guitar licks and singer Luke Jenner’s histrionic vocals. At times, the vocals can be trying, but the music alone is worth it; you’d be a fool not to pay close attention to album’s progression leading up to “House of Jealous Lovers,” the standout track. One thing’s for sure: Echoes taught punk kids that it was okay – even cool – to dance their hearts out.

- Arika Dean

96.

Yeasayer

All Hour Cymbals

[We Are Free; 2007]

There’s a reason that the attention of the NY music scene shifted its attention from Manhattan to Brooklyn in the later half of the decade. Yes, it’s true that Interpol and The Strokes churned out some subpar tertiary albums, but the musicians of Brooklyn showed their mastery of creating new, experimental sounds that often borrowed ideas from cultures worldwide. The finest example of this is showcased by Yeasayer on their debut album All Hour Cymbals.

On All Hour Cymbals, Yeasayer somehow blend Middle Eastern rhythms, gospel harmonies, psychedelia, and brisk, fretless basslines all together, all whilst taking several cues from rock bands of the ’80s. To assign it a single genre would prove impossible (the band have labeled themselves “Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel”), but that’s not important. What is is that with this profound diffusion of genres they’ve created a warm aural experience; something that differentiates them from their counterparts.

On “2080,” Keating croons about an ever-present dystopia, the lack of distinction of ideologies, and the uncertainty that lies in the future. And although Yeasayer may have taken a bit of turn stylistically with Odd Blood, as I listen I can’t help but feel that we’re getting a preview of said uncertain future, sonically that is.

- Evan Kaloudis

95.

PJ Harvey

Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

[Island; 2000]

Polly Jean Harvey has always been an all-rounder – a great guitarist, lyricist and singer. On her fifth album (her fourth as a solo artist) she keeps the guitar work fairly simple and really allows her song writing abilities to shine through, producing her most consistent album.

Her voice, which she is able to shift from a dusky, dulcet tone to a soaring falsetto effortlessly from one line to the next, is her main method of getting across melody and hooking in listeners. It’s as powerful as ever and when she sings about being immortal in the chorus of opening track “Big Exit” you believe her.

The songs on Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea may not be quite as dark as those she had become renowned for on previous releases – in fact some of them, such as “We Float,” are undoubtedly positive. There is of course the sinister and disconcerting tone running through most of them, not least “Beautiful Thing” or the duet with Thom Yorke “This Mess We’re In,” which must be one of the most brilliantly apathetic and disaffected duets of all time.

Stories From The City was released at the beginning of the decade and seemed to be a statement of intent; she was going to remain one of Britain’s most important artists of current times.

- Rob Hakimian

94.

Kanye West

808s & Heartbreak

[Roc-A-Fella; 2008]

Given the popularity (and subsequent overuse) of Auto-Tune, it can be easy to look at Kanye West’s polarizing fourth album as a pop move – the following of trends by somebody who’s normally a trendsetter. But taking this view would mean thinking that arguably the most successful and recognizable hip-hop artist of the 21st century looked at the pop landscape and decided, “Hey, T-Pain is having a lot of success right now. I should copy him.” Not likely. Dark, insular, and not at all pop-friendly, 808s & Heartbreak is as big of a gamble as any artist with his level of fame has taken in recent memory. And it might be his best album to date. In some ways it is a logical follow-up to Graduation, which saw him move largely from soul samples to synths, but at the same time it’s not the kind of album you can really contextualize with the rest of his body of work. Nothing about 808s is self-aggrandizing, it’s a reflection on loss and heartbreak by somebody who’s still figuring out how to deal with both emotions. The Auto-Tune only serves to enhance the detached, melancholy atmosphere of the album.

- Sean Highkin

93.

Arcade Fire

Neon Bible

[Merge; 2007]

After a cathartic debut that turned the indie world on its head, the messianic Arcade Fire were charged with the unenviable task of following up a cathartic debut that turned the indie world on its head. And while Neon Bible didn’t quite reach the standards that Funeral set so ridiculously high, it at least proved its predecessor wasn’t a fluke.

Not everyone can pull off melodrama, and even fewer can tolerate it all the time, but this is apparently the world Arcade Fire inhabits: one of tension and ubiquitous climax. The lyrics are introspective, distressed and vaguely political, and the monolithic string arrangements never quit in their violence and paranoia. Neon Bible, though, is less about what it sounds like and more about how it makes you feel.

You know that ephemeral feeling that shoots through your body after you’ve told a person for the first that you love him or her but before that person has responded? Arcade Fire stretches that split second of anxiety out across 47 minutes and never lets up once. Whatever dynamism the band drew from rising and falling action on Funeral it has eschewed for pure unrelenting urgency.

- Adam Clair

92.

Jay Dee (J Dilla)

Donuts

[Stones Throw; 2006]

When J Dilla was alive and churning out albums, it was sometimes easy to forget that he was a talented hip-hop producer. His albums were often ruled by MCs, and sometimes it was easier to focus on the delivery and wordplay on the albums, and even his collaborations with other phenomenal producers like Madlib would leave you wishing for Dilla’s music to have more breathing room. With Donuts, one of his only fully instrumental works, his ideas finally have that much-deserved breathing room, and the nuances in Dilla’s work are more easily detectable. With each track clocking in less than two minutes, one would imagine the album to come across as scatterbrained, but it’s actually so cohesive, fully-developed and self-aware that it’s eerie. Intricately weaving samples from British art rockers 10cc and rappers Mantronix on tracks like “Workinonit,” he owns the material and breathes new life into it. The album has bittersweet moments, like the heartbreaking track “Stop,” which uses a sample by Dionne Warwick, and the tracks “Hi.” and “Bye.” which remind us that Dilla made this album while anticipating his own death from terminal illness in 2006. Donuts finally made it clear that Dilla was a league in his own.

- Arika Dean

91.

Arctic Monkeys

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

[Domino; 2006]

Arctic Monkeys made their unabashed entry to their debut album with a quick fill from drummer Matt Helders shortly followed by a crest of crunching guitars and Alex Turner pouring forth “anticipation has a habit to set you up for disappointment;” a bold and self-referential statement from a band who had already been hyped out of all proportion by the UK’s music press following the rapid spread of some early recordings via the internet. The album was certainly no disappointment, becoming the fastest selling debut album in UK history and the soundtrack to every teen’s school days.

Arctic Monkeys were the band that the UK had been gagging for; catchy, loud, accessible and smart. The main facet of their success was, and still is, their lyricist and vocalist Turner who, taking cues from heroes such as poet John Cooper Clarke, delivered a set of poems about underage shenanigans in his distinctive Yorkshire yowl that every teen could relate to. Delivered with the youthful exuberance of the band in combination there was never any doubt that it was going to be a success. The breathless 41-minute disc remains one of the best debut albums of recent years and a snapshot of teenage life in 2000s Britain.

- Rob Hakimian

100.

Band of Horses

“The Funeral”

[Sub Pop; 2006]

The debut single from Band of Horses is an anthem that is both somber and grandiose. The first minute lives up to the title, as it slowly creeps along with the chilling “oohs.” The song then climaxes into crashing guitars, as it switches to an almost celebratory sound. There really is no other way to describe the sound of this song without using “epic.” With lyrics like “I’m coming up only to hold you under,” it balances the songs dark themes with an almost sadistic sense of pleasure. It was a great debut single, and one of their best – if not the best – songs of theirs to date.

- Brent Koepp

99.

Deerhunter

“Nothing Ever Happened”

[Kranky / 4AD; 2008]

This is pretty much the only moment of excitement on the Atlanta band’s otherwise reserved Microcastle, and what a moment it is – chiming guitars, motorik rhythms, killer Nirvana bass riffs. It’s an indie rock wet dream and sounds like exactly what indie rock should have sounded like in 2008 without the Internet coming in and ruining everything, with electroclash and minimal techno and Animal Collective and poptimism. Sonic Youth mixed with Dinosaur Jr. mixed with Neu! and a little bit of Kraftwerk, just because. “Nothing Ever Happened” makes for a nice what-if period piece, then, but more than any of that contextual bullshit it’s just a great, accessible song. Halfway through it switches gears into full-out kraut mode, thundering forward oblivious to its own extreme repetition but never descending into ennui. Guitars foam, fuzz, and multiply until the song climaxes with a wheezing, bent synth line that eventually forcibly sets the song down. It’s one of those songs that could easily have gone on for double its length, but I’ll gladly take these five minutes of bliss.

- Andrew Ryce

98.

King Geedorah

“Anti-Matter” (feat. MF DOOM & Mr. Fantastik)

[Big Dada; 2003]

One of the many highlights from DOOM’s 2003 project Take Me To Your Leader under the name King Geedorah, “Anti-Matter” features the unfortunately little known rapper Mr. Fantastik, and is another notch in the DOOM’s bedpost of minds he’s fucked with in the past decade. In an album supposedly based around a thre- headed golden dragon from the Godzilla movies, we get a tune about egos and drug dealing, but we’ll let that slide because of the simple, restrained, brilliant production and playful rhymes. From an album that received almost universal praise but virtually no other press or attention, much like the rest of DOOM’s discography, this tune doesn’t get old – essential in the ’00s rap canon.

- Hamish Duncan

97.

Radiohead

“Everything In Its Right Place”

[Parlophone / Capitol; 2000]

Most Radiohead fans will immediately understand what I mean when I talk about that sound those ambiguous keys make when they penetrate the air between the speakers and your head. It’s almost a recognizable sound in itself; those four notes can create an avid sense of trepidation. Once you know Kid A you know that those four notes begin the journey through the band’s hazy dream-like world where reality is vicious and unidentifiable and hearing the notes sends shivers down my spine because. Even though I might know the road well, I know the journey will be near ineffable. But the significance goes beyond those four notes and the unsettling introduction to the song because the voice to follow might as well be alien. But of course it’s Thom Yorke’s; strained, squeezed, put though effects pedals and machines until it’s almost non-human and lost any recognizable quality. He might be stripped of his natural ability through these effects but his yearning still bleeds through the noise, speaking lyrics that sound like the thoughts of someone drugged up beyond consideration, slowly taking in the rushing world around them. From that it sounds like a lot is going on but as I said, once you know this song and the album it begins, you know exactly what sound I’m talking about.

- Ray Finlayson

96.

Panda Bear

“Bro’s”

[Fat Cat; 2006]

Panda Bear’s (nee Noah Lennox) first album, Young Prayer, was a mournful acoustic tribute to his deceased father, but he seemed to be in better spirits when he made 2007’s Person Pitch; if anything, the album is a celebration of life. The third track, “Bro’s,” embodies this philosophy and could easily be considered the centerpiece of the album, which slowly merges from tropical surfer rock into a wickedly fast Cat Stevens guitar sample. The merge is so seamless that it almost goes undetected. All the while, Panda narrates the progression with his Beach Boys-esque vocals, distorting and layering them, all of which makes for a wild psychedelic yet futuristic ride.

- Arika Dean

95.

Wilco

“Poor Places”

[Nonesuch; 2002]

“Poor Places” is probably the greatest summation of Jeff Tweedy as a songwriter. It shows his great lyrical dexterity and his love of taking traditional Americana and turning it on its head. The noisy bridge that samples a recording of CB radios could only be found in a Wilco song, and here it serves as the centerpiece of an album that would turn out to be one of the most important of the last decade.

- Colin Joyce

94.

Ghostface Killah

“Nutmeg” (feat. RZA)

[Razor Sharp / Epic / Sony; 2000]

At the start of the millennium, most rap fans would’ve grudgingly admitted that the Wu-Tang Clan’s time was done; following a classic debut and solid initial solo outings, subsequent efforts had yielded diminishing returns, with only Method Man and Ol’ Dirty Bastard maintaining any real public profile. With Supreme Clientele, Ghostface turned all that around, resurrecting the Wu and establishing himself early on as the noughties’ most critically acclaimed rapper. “Nutmeg,” produced by Black Moses-Art, is fairly typical of that album’s overall sound; smooth soul samples (in this case Eddie Holman’s “It’s Over”) with the bass cranked up but otherwise served pretty straight. Ghost’s surrealist side is at the fore, seemingly throwing together any words that rhyme regardless of how little sense they make (“Dick made the cover now count, how many veins on it/ Scooby snack, jurassic plastic gas booby trap”), and peppering verses with random threats and sociopathic outbursts. RZA (literally) spits the last verse, but “Nutmeg” is pure Ghost; Dylan and Dali reborn as a hip-hop superhero action figure.

- Michael Dix

93.

Bright Eyes

“We Are Nowhere And It’s Now”

[Saddle Creek; 2005]

Like much of the album from which it’s taken, “We Are Nowhere, And It’s Now” deals with Conor Oberst’s lamentations about constant travel and the sporadic feeling of the insignificance of being. Although probably written about being on tour, it is just as applicable to any journey that has been embarked upon. Accompanied by a simple mock waltz piano line and a gently plucked mandolin it’s perfect song for a long drive on a sunny day with the windows rolled down and the stereo turned up.

- Rob Hakimian

92.

The Avalanches

“Frontier Psychiatrist”

[Modular; 2000]

“Frontier Psychiatrist” is the essential track from Since I Left You by my own regards. It captures everything the album is famous for into one single quality – excessive sampling infused together to make it sound simultaneously weird ass and all perfectly fitting. Ghostly harmonies singing away in the background, stately strings, clips from old western films, horses crying out, a mariachi band, blasting horns and probably loads more I’ve still yet to pick up on all sound like they shouldn’t touch each other on paper. But, by Jove, it works so brilliantly and the final product is so entertaining it’ll bemuse you as much as entertain you. And if you think the track is zany, just watch the (brilliant) video.

- Ray Finlayson

91.

Interpol

“Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down”

[Matador; 2002]

With “Stella” being one of the longest songs Interpol has done, the song also twists and turns more than just about anything in their catalogue as well (excluding maybe “Specialist”). And in doing so, everything that is great about Interpol is on full display in “Stella”: it has the chiming guitar lines that soon turn into heavier, crunchier downstroked guitar chords, which in time lead to the amazing breakdown at the end, displaying their ridiculously talented rhythm section coupled with the simple yet intricate guitar play that Banks and Kessler do so well, all the while Paul Banks’ distinctively alienated sounding vocals are sometimes just barely able to scale the layers of music from which he is singing behind.

“Stella” also holds that intoxicating sense of dark isolation – and longing – while at the same time having an incredible feeling of romantic hope, which is so prevalent throughout all of Turn On the Bright Lights. And while many people (unfairly in my opinion) bash on Paul Banks’ lyrics, this song is masterfully written, shown by the fact that it emits all of those feelings mentioned above, but when you actually look into the lyrics, it turns out it’s a song about oral sex.

- Austin Nauert

30. The Raconteurs
Consolers of the Lonely
[Third Man/Warner Bros.]

In which Jack White’s high-profile side project (featuring Detroit buddies Brendan Benson and the Greenhornes’ rhythm section) becomes a real band. Consolers of the Lonely is less pop-oriented than the outfit’s 2006 debut Broken Boy Soldiers, but the writing is stronger and the playing is tighter. The title track alternately recalls Rage Against the Machine and Led Zeppelin II, while other tracks evoke early Who (”Salute Your Solution”) and Dylan’s Desire-era country rock (”Old Enough,” “Top Yourself”). –Sean Highkin

Listen to the album on Lala | The Raconteurs | Myspace

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29. Lil Wayne
Tha Carter III
[Cash Money/Universal]

Where to start? Nobody in 2008 defined the moment quite like Dwayne Carter, Jr., who capitalized on his dizzying 2007 mixtape output with a surprisingly great proper album. Wayne’s flow is like nobody else’s in hip-hop (the closest parallel is Gollum from Lord of the Rings), and Tha Carter III finds him too busy reinventing the game to follow anybody’s rules. He sings snippets of “Umbrella,” “Bitches Ain’t Shit,” and “Irreplaceable,” rhymes “Viagra” with “Adam Sandler,” quotes a Kanye West line only to follow it with 8 bars about why that isn’t plagarism, and pretends to be an alien, only to turn around and write a stunningly heartfelt ode to his hurricane-ravaged hometown of New Orleans. Not for nothing does Jay-Z use his guest spot in “Mr. Carter” to declare Weezy his heir. –Highkin

Listen to the album on Lala | Lil Wayne | Myspace

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28. The Killers
Day & Age
[Island]

After a very successful debut, the Killers hit a wall with the public, as 2006’s Sam’s Town drew criticism for its bombastic, blatantly Springsteen-aping aesthetic. Being one of rock’s most sensitive frontmen today, Brandon Flowers has no problem letting his audience know of his frustration on Day & Age. Lyrics like “tell your friends I’m losing touch” and “they’ll strategize and name you, but don’t you let them tame you” all reflect Flowers thoughts on Sam’s Town’s lukewarm reception. Thankfully, Flowers turns this into motivation and the Killers deliver their finest album to date. Musically, the album spans many different sounds, from Eurodance to Bowiesque glam. More importantly, Flowers has seemed to find the right spot for his vocals, previously the band’s Achilles heel. –Brent Koepp

Listen to the album on Lala | The Killers | Myspace

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27. R.E.M.
Accelerate
[Warner Bros.]

The conventional wisdom states that R.E.M. post-1998 are a mere shadow of the Automatic for the People days or the IRS era, and that was pretty much true until 2008. Nobody expected R.E.M. to return to form this gloriously, with “Living Well Is The Best Revenge” displaying a fury not seen for at least a decade. Michael Stipe is at his fiercest since “The Wake Up Bomb”, and guitarist Peter Buck has rediscovered some of the fire that drove the band’s prime output. The first 3 songs make up one of the most in-your-face opening sequences we got all year. “Hollow Man” tricks you into thinking its a piano ballad, but in reality its a great melodic rock song a la “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” “Houston”, while short, gets its political message across much more effectively than the overwrought power ballad “Until the Day is Done.” Stipe references many of his band’s older lyrics in “Sing For the Submarine”, but the band goes even more retro with the one two punch finale of “Horse to Water” and “I’m Gonna DJ”. “Horse” ventures back to the band’s punky beginnings, while “DJ” calls for Stipe to be the one picking the music for the Apocalypse. With Accelerate, he’s earned that right. –Ryan Nichols

Listen to the album on Lala | R.E.M. | Myspace

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26. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
[Mute/ANTI-]

Before we begin, let me just say that Nick Cave is currently the most badass 50 year old on the planet. Now does his music live up to it? Of course. Hot off 2006’s bluesy Grinderman side project, Cave unleashes his most stripped-down Bad Seeds record yet. While we may never know if all the songs tell the tales of the title character, Cave is at the top of his lyrical game for Lazarus. Vocally, he can go from wild and out of control (”Albert Goes West”) to calm and chilled out (”Hold on to Yourself”). I’d add that the run of “We Call Upon the Author” and “Lie Down Here (and Be My Girl)” is probably the best on the entire album. Cave is as hot as ever at this point, and we can only hope he keeps it up. –Nichols

Listen to the album on Lala | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | Myspace

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25. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Real Emotional Trash
[Matador]

It’s been nearly 20 years since the emergence of Pavement and 10 since their demise. Stephen Malkmus is now 42 years old and a father of two, but remains on top of his songwriting game. The addition of Quasi/Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss to the Jicks’ roster proves invaluable, as her precise yet powerful drumming is miles ahead of John Moen’s work on previous Jicks records, and her soft backing vocals provide an additional layer of charm to the tracks. Malkmus, as always, brings his blues licks and extended jams to the table, and Weiss’s contributions seemingly give the Jicks more kick and general direction, resulting in Malkmus’ strongest solo effort to date. –Evan Kaloudis

Listen to the album on Lala | Stephen Malkmus | Myspace

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24. Beck
Modern Guilt
[Interscope/XL Recording]

At 38, some would argue that an artist’s work begins to grow a bit thin. As many take the path of married life and parenting, the process of aging often tends to have an obvious impact on an artist’s work. Not so on Modern Guilt as Beck repurposes the nonsensical ramblings of Mellow Gold and Odelay, developing them into a greater sense of paranoia and introspection. “Chemtrails” is Beck at his most psychedelic, inspired by an obsession with the conspiracy theory that biological agents are deliberately left in the air by the government to influence population dynamics or for global dimming. Producer Danger Mouse’s influence is evident, as varying beats and loops are seen throughout the album, adding late-’60s influences to Beck’s ever-growing musical palette. Modern Guilt’s title track even gets slightly political, summing up the album’s commentary on the current social climate with one line: “I don’t know what I’ve done, but I feel afraid.” –Aidan Galea

Listen to the album on Lala | Beck | Myspace

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23. Gang Gang Dance
Saint Dymphna
[The Social Registry]

Gang Gang Dance can be best described as a fusion of neotribal beats and warped new-wave synths incorporated with variant dance genres, some deep funk, and the occasional London grime (see “Princes”). However, no matter how in-depth an on-paper description gets, it can’t even begin to to them justice. Saint Dymphna manages to take many different influences and incorporate them together while maintaining Gang Gang Dance’s own distinct sound. What’s changed most between the two albums, other than production values (Saint Dymphna is squeaky-clean in comparison to its reverb-drenched predecessor), is the stylistic jumps from track to track that are nearly seamless, perhaps due to Gang Gang’s gratuitous genre-bending. Saint Dymphna is Gang Gang Dance’s most accessible and danceable record to date. –Kaloudis

Listen to the album on Lala | Gang Gang Dance | Myspace

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22. Okkervil River
The Stand Ins
[Jagjaguwar]

Okkervil River originally planned to issue The Stand Ins and its 2007 predecessor, The Stage Names, as a double album, but don’t think for a second that the songs on The Stand Ins are the leftovers. This is a quality album in its own right that stands up easily to the band’s previous work. The sound of the album is very similar to the previous album and while there are fewer real songs on the album (out of ten tracks, three are instrumental interludes), than on The Stage Names, it flows better as an album and feels more complete. The highlight is as always Sheff’s lyrics and vocals, but the band complements those perfectly on both rockers and ballads. While The Stand Ins don’t show the kind of musical progress from its predecessor that has been the case with their earlier efforts, it continues their streak of high quality albums filled with stellar songwriting. –Johan Alm

Listen to the album on Lala | Okkervil River | Myspace

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21. The Last Shadow Puppets
The Age of the Understatement
[Domino]

What does Alex Turner do when he takes some time off from his daytime job as indie-garage rocker in Arctic Monkeys? He calls his friend Miles Kane (of the Rascals), producer James Ford and a 22-piece orchestra and sets out to make an album that sounds like a mix of late-60s pop á la early Scott Walker and a James Bond soundtrack or something by Ennio Morricone. Turner and Kane share vocal, guitar, and bass duties on the album, Ford handles the drums, and the orchestra is arranged by Owen Pallett (noted for his string-arrangement work for Arcade Fire). Despite having twelve songs, the album is only 35 minutes long and by keeping things short the album avoids the danger of being overlong and overindulgent – which you might expect when two garage rockers hire an orchestra. –Alm

Listen to the album on Lala | The Last Shadow Puppets | Myspace