Canadian Dominance To Continue Through May

It appears that the world will have to suffer Canadian dominance for a couple more months. On May 4th, the world will receive a one-two combo from Canadian heavy-hitters Broken Social Scene and The New Pornographers.  Check out the awesome 7 minute 'World Sick,' the first single from BSS's upcoming Forgiveness Rock Record. (I'll be seeing them in NYC in early May and will have a full write up.) I have high hopes for The New Pornographers fifth studio album, Together, which will hopefully be better than their previous effort.  Lank to their first single, 'Your Hands (Together).'

Fortunately, America will not let this aggression stand (man). On the same day, The Hold Steady will attempt to counter the Northern assault, but I'm just not sure one band can stand up to the awesomeness that is Canadian indie rock, especially short one member. 

Top Ten Albums of 2009

11. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It

'The Way I See It' comes in at number 11 because it actually came out in the fall of 2008 but I didn't find it until this, er.. last year. Rapheal Saadiq has a storied career, first as a member of Tony! Toni! Tone!, then as a producer and collaborator with ATCQ, D'Angelo, Joss Stone, The Roots, Snoop, Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston and tons of others. But now he's stepped out on his own and crafted some truely wonderful r&b in the vein of Motown and Stevie Wonder. The album even features Stevie (and Jay-Z!).

10.5. Realpeople - Holland

So I'm cheating, but Realpeople's 'Holland' get's a half nod as it was only an EP. Realpeople is a not-so-secret pseudonym for Zachary Condon/Beirut. These lush electronic songs are full of grace, sorrow and blips.

10. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

Brooklyn Cool meets Southern Charm. The Avett Bros are hard to categorize, being an amalgamation of rock, folk, pop, country, bluegrass and more, but are easy to love. Opening and title track 'I and Love and You' begins with an 'Imagine' like piano riff but becomes more dynamic as it progresses. A lovely album.

9. Grand Duchy - Petits Fours

See here for my previous review of this terrific Mr. and Mrs. Frank Black album.

8. Fever Ray - S/T

Erie electo music from Karin Andersson, on half of The Knife. The lyrics are strange, the pitch-shifted vocals creepy and the music haunting, but it all combines to create a darkly beautiful experience.

7. K'naan - Troubadour

Somolian born and raised K'naan has a story to tell and on 'Troubadour' he tells it all. We hear about the slums and poverty, guns and warfare, friends lost and family left behind. But the travelling minstrel hasn't let life's hardships get to him. It's truly amazing and gratifing to witness someone remain positive while overcoming true hardship in order to lead a successful life.

6. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - S/T

Fuzzy, pop rock that's not quite twee. Think Los Campesinos! meets the fuzz rock of The Big Pink or The Magnetic Fields. Anyway, they craft tight little songs that rarely reach the four minute mark. Other than the not that bad Teenager In Love, this album is great from front to back.

5. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns

This piano driven album sounds like Leonard Cohen inhabiting Sarah McLachlan's body, but its actually just the British Natasha Khan. 'Two Suns' drips with emotion and artistry and manages to be dark, sad, haunting, beautiful and grand all at once. As I've said earlier, this is definitely nighttime music.

4. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

These French rockers broke through to the mainstream, getting solid radio play and hawking old people cars. 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' doesn't bring anything new to the table or push any sonic boundaries, but it is clear that is not what Phoenix are aiming for. Instead, they deliver eminently danceable pop influenced songs.

3. Vetiver - Tight Knit

While many critics were going gaga over Grizzly Bear's snoozefest Veckatimest, I was chilling to the folksy stylings of Vetiver. To me this whole album falls somewhere between two standout albums from last year: the folksier sections of Plants & Animals' 'Parc Avenue' coupled with the songwriting charm of Sub-Pop label mates The Helio Sequence 'Keep Your Eyes Ahead'.

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

It was a big year for YYY's Karen O, with her band getting some well deserved air play and composing the soundtrack to some kids movie. 'It's Blitz!' is shimmery dance tracks delivered in a punk fashion.

1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

At once arty and accessible, this unlikely album is so original but appealing its almost disgusting. Hailed by the most hipstery of hipsters to Kanye and Solange Knowles, Dirty Projectors struck paydirt with this poppy yet incredibly thought out album

:( of 2009

Most music that comes out sucks. Thats a fact. Look it up. An even harsher fact is that some of the music you look forward to will suck. Here are WRR's biggest disappointments of 2009.

311 – Uplifter

For a long time, I’ve been a big fan of 311. And as most fans would tell you, the band's output has somewhat declined in quality over the last few albums, but that is only natural for a band that has been putting out quality music since 1993. But ‘Uplifter’ lies within it’s own deplorable category. All 311 albums are going to share similar elements, but “Uplifter” sounds like it was made by a committee using a cut-and-paste function (or as my friend Zach put it, "There are only so many ways to make chicken noodle soup"). As should have been easily deduced from the “hit” radio single “Hey You,” this execrable album was quickly destined for the dustbin. It’s not clear as to whether the band’s creative juices are all dried up, but I wouldn’t put money on another good album. They’ve had a nice run.

Why? – Eskimo Snow

One of my favorite albums of 2008, Alopecia was a vivid and stark look into the bands mildly disturbed yet fascinating psyche. Naturally, when I heard Why? would be following up in 2009, I was excited, until I heard Eskimo Snow and my excitement melted quicker than real Eskimo Snow. You see, E.S. is comprised of songs recorded during the Alopecia sessions and there is a reason they weren’t included on that album. Still, Yoni Wolf’s strange musings are always worth a listen and the more rock-based structure may appeal to some.

N.A.S.A. – The Spirit of Apollo

David Byrne, Seu Jorge, Method Man, RZA, KRS-One, Karen O, Kanye West, George Clinton, Santigold, Del the Funkee Homosapien, and John Frusciante are less than half of the top notch names that lent their time and talent to The Spirit of Apollo. It’s not a bad album per se, but it is painfully mediocre. Painful, because you know it’s such a waste to have all these artists contribute and all N.A.S.A. can manage to do is create generic 90’s underground rap beats.

Peter, Bjorn & John – Living Thing

Like most of you probably were, I was excited for P, B & J’s follow-up to 2006’s superlative Writer’s Block (not to discount the cool instrumental Seaside Rock). And, again like most of you, all I needed was one listen to determine that Living Thing was a flop. The band eschewed their remarkable pop sensibilities in order to experiment; not an impossible task, but one at which they failed. Then, a couple of months ago I had the chance to see them (along with the wonderful El Perro del Mar) and was utterly blown away. They played songs from both albums with such energy and melody that, surely I was too dismissive of Living Thing. I eagerly went home and listened to the album again but nope, I was right the first time. It’s a bit confounding as to how the band could perform the songs so well, but lose that in the studio.

U2 – No Line On The Horizon

When U2 announced they were recording a follow-up to the terribly craptastic abomination known as How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, I didn’t really care until I heard that Rick Rubin (!!!), Def Jam co-founder, producer of AC/DC, The Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, LL Cool J, Tom Petty, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, RUN-DMC and hundreds of others, would be helming the boards. “Awesome,” I thought. “Maybe one of the greatest producers of all time could help the band re-capture the magic.” But then U2 scrapped those sessions and recorded new songs that turned out to be the bloated and lame No Line On The Horizon. I can’t see how the Rubin-produced songs could have been any worse.

Noah & The Whale – The First Days of Spring

Another follow up, another disappointment. Noah and the Whale’s The First Day Of Spring is as boring, depressing and lifeless as Peaceful The World Lays Me Down was sprightly and life affirming. Apparently, this is due to lead singer Noah Fink being quite down about the breakup with his girlfriend/bandmate Laura Marling. Now we all know that heartbreak has been a catalyst for great albums. This is definitely not one of them. ‘Love of an Orchestra’ is the only song that comes close to achieving the highs of their first album.

WRR's Favorits Songs of 2009 Part II

20. Kid Cudi - Make Her Say (ft. Kanye & Common)
"And the award for best use of the term 'poker face' in a song for 2oo9 goes to... Kid Cudi." Despite a(nother) wack verse from Common and a sometimes clever/sometimes corny one from 'Ye, Cudi the Kid whipped up one of the best songs of the year with catchy vocal samples and hard-hitting drums.

19. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
The Heartless Bastards strip rock back to basics on this lumbering jam. Distorted powerchords are complimented perfectly by the backing slide guitar and Erika Wennerstrom's quivering vocals just holding on. With support of Spoon and The Black Keys, they're definetly a band worth checking out.

18. Beirut - My Wife, Lost in the Wild
Bar far, the better (if less interesting, conceptually) half of Beirut's double EP, Realpeople Holland produced a suite of warmly crafted electronic compositions. A steady synth line accompanied with an equally steady beat and soaring strings help to mask Zach Condon's already warbly lyrics, making them hard to decipher, but the longing in his voice conveys everything it needs to.

17. Little Dragon - A New
I discovered and quickly fell in love with Little Dragon last year. Their self-titled debut from late 2007 was a bit raw, but undeniably full of potential. Their sound can best be described as loungy jazz/electronica which may sound trite, but they pull it off masterfully. 'A New' is a great intro to the band's sound. The sound is so tight that you could be forgiven for thinking it was composed electronically, but its all band.

16. The Thermals - Now We Can See
Most people would agree that over the past decade or so, indie music has moved in a more complicated and avant garde direction. The Thermals, with songs like 'Now We Can See,' provide a refreshing reminder that getting back to the basics is not a bad thing. Clear vocals and a traditional drum, bass and guitar format, coupled with catchy hooks and verses, provide a refreshing reminder the roots of rock 'n' roll without being sophomoric.

15. Vetiver - On The Other Side
This ambling, folksy little tune has all of the urgency of sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of a remote mountain house. Lyrics like "You know those who need to win/ Keep pushing til the very end/I go easy, I step light/ I'm on the other side" equal the mood of the song. If you're ready to relax, then take a listen.

14. Little Comets - One Night In October
With an almost non-existant track record, it's hard to say much about Little Comets. Fortunately for them, 'One Night In October' is about all we have to judge them by. If they can come close to replicating how good this extremely uplifting and danceable song for a whole album they will certainly be a band to watch. With a similar energy and whimsy, this song reminds me of Architecture in Helsinki.

13. Discovery - Orange Shirt
If you were making a cd mixtape around the already listed 'Chrome's On It', you'd almost have to put this thunderous song from the Vampire Weekend/Ra Ra Riot collabo Discovery on it. Crashing cymbals, pulsating base, and stuttering synths all conspire to make a monster out of this r&b experiment.

12. St. Vincent - Save Me From What I Want
Dichotomy is an element I find to be a great, if overlooked, tool in creating good music. The hazy atmospherics of 'Save Me From What I Want' would not have nearly the same effect that they do when coupled with the martial drum beat. (Sorry, only live versions with poor audio were available)

11. Delorean - Seasun
A dreamy dance number number that builds itself up big, but is never in a rush to do so; it knows when to step back, then bring it back up until the two line chorus kicks in and its all out joy. You can almost see the dance floor full of rapturous people when this song is playing.

10. M. Ward - Shangri-La
In case you didn't know it, M. Ward likes old-timey music. On an album full of pleasant little ditties, this acoustic one is a veritable train hoppin' hobo's journey across the country. The simplicity and beauty of this song seem to represent a romantic modern notion of the past as a simpler and more pleasant time.

09. Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Long ago they falsely proclaimed disco to be dead. Lucky for us, the Bag Raiders didn't get the notice, as they ended up crafting eminently danceable tracks like 'Shooting Stars.' It's almost a 21st century update on the millennial dance hit "Music Sounds Better With You" but tighter and with more energy. Brilliant craftsmanship allows the beat to fall out and the synths to build, then bam! they take it to an even higher level that you didn't see coming, but happily accept.

08. Bat For Lashes - Siren Song
This piano driven ballad sounds like Leonard Cohen inhabiting Sarah McLachlan's body. It drips with emotion and artistry and manages to be dark, sad, haunting, beautiful and grand all at once.

07. K'naan - Somalia
Somalian-born rapper K'naan delivers his backstory on this re-invented rap-cliche of an ode to the hometown. An amazing life story and artist, I'll let him summarize it in his own words:

Do you see why it’s amazing
When someone comes out of such a dire situation
And learns the English language just to share his observation

06. Metric - Stadium Love
This song is BIG. Like stadium big. Huge guitar riffs and soaring synths coupled with Emily Haines singing about the bands 'Stadium Love' should have you holding up your lighters and pumping your fists. (I find this video to be completely mesmerizing.)

05. Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
If you're not familiar with this ode to sleepless and sweaty summer nights, you're probably reading the wrong blog. But don't leave yet; Rather, have a listen to the experimental Animal Collective's most pop-like song to date. The bouncing beat and vocal harmonies recall a hyper version of member Panda Bear's

04. Camera Obscura - The Sweetest Thing
This years version of the throwback sounds of She & Him, 'The Sweetest Thing' combines peppy strings and an even peppier beat to counterbalance the forlorn lyrics of Tracyanne Campbell. Bjorn Yttling, producer of one of my favorite albums last year did the string and horn arrangements for the whole album, but never as effectively as on this sweet track.

03. Islands - Switched On
With a drum riff sounding like a construction site in rhythm, the rest of the song doesn't need much. Some sparse guitar work and even lighter synths add just enough to create a bouncy, pop tune that would be at home on an island beach.

02. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
The opening salvo from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's It's Blitz!, 'Zero' is all dance-punk, in your face attitude. If this song can't get you up and moving, it's time to check your pulse because its probably at zero.

01. Your Choice Here!
Have a song you're dying for others to hear? Link it in the comments section below.