TOP 1O OF 2O1O

You have probably noticed that I've been pretty inactive on this blog. Nonetheless, I would be remiss to not announce Weekly Record Review's TOP 10 Albums of 2010.

But first...

Stinkers of 2010

MGMT - Congratulations
Another middle finger to the fans like this could cost them what was a promising career.

Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown
In three albums they've gone from excellent to middling to execrable. 

The New Pornographers - Together
Much as I hate to put them here, it's been quite a while since they've done anything worth repeated listening.

The Hold Steady
Who would have thought losing a keyboard player would be such a major loss?

Runners Uppers of 2010

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Strong songs (except "Chase Scene." Ugh.) but lacks the cohesive feel of previous albums.

The Walkmen - Lisbon
Just started listening to this one so it's not fully digested, but I really like it. (how's that for honest?)

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
A little bloated and lacking the killer songs that make "Funeral" essential, but solid nonetheless.

Girl Talk - All Day
Doesn't quite have the same punch as the previous two smush-ups. Switched up the formula a little bit not for the betterment, imo.

OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
Crazycool vidoes overshadowed a very solid album.

The Roots - How I Got Over
The Roots leave the angsty paranoid sounds of their last two albums for much more placid waters.

TOP 10 of 2010

10. Drummer - Feel Good Together

Five drummers form a band. No it's not a joke, it's Drummer featuring five skin-beaters who decided to form a band. The most prominent is from The Black Keys and here his side gig outshines his main one. Though it seems like no one else is paying attention.

09. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Still looking for your fix of hipster rock/dance/pop after MGMT's middling 'Congratulations?' Fellow Brooklynites deliver big time on their sophomore release with rhythm-heavy, synth-soaked songs. 

08. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndriod

Songstress mixes every musical spice in the cupboard on her debut album. Blending classical, jazz, soul, r&b, funk, psych-rock with sheer talent, she could be poised for big things in the future.

07. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt

The newest "new Dylan," The Tallest Man On Earth writes sometimes sober, sometimes jaunty acoustic songs. Nasally voice can take some getting used to, but they probably said the same thing about Dylan.

06. The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters Vol. 1 - A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates

I wouldn't count myself as a fan of 80's stalwarts Hall & Oates, but The Bird and The Bee update these 80's pop gems for the 20th century without any schlock. Eminently listenable with a Zero 7-type feel.

05. Hot Chip - One Life Stand

English electropopers/nerds drop another round of great dance songs. Not much of a depart from 2008's terrific "One Life Stand," but maybe a tad more upbeat and cleaner in sound.

04. Toro Y Moi - Causers of This

Part of the recent "Chillwave" movement that I've mostly ignored (maybe to my detriment), Toro creates reverb laden soundscapes as much as he writes songs. Bonus points for sporting this throwback nearly identical to mine.

 03. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

As lyrically on point as ever, "one half of the Outkast" dropped a funk soaked rap album sure to keep the heads bobbing and trunks rattling.Bonus points for using the talkbox instead of autotune.

 02. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

The years most talked about album, Kanye's opus is musically soaring and lyrically intimate. While it's really not leaps and bounds better than his previous work, the emotive force behind it is really what has everyone talking and listening.

 01. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

Without messing with the formula, James Murphy reunites the  soundsystem to deliver another stellar album full of revealing lyrics and groovable, uh, grooves. Mixes 90's quiet/loud dynamics with clinical disco beats. Sadly, Murphy says that this will probably be their last studio album. Sad, sad news but at least they go out being number 1.

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. 

Blogisode 5: The Blog Strikes Back

So it's been a while since I've done some serious writing, but its been a busy summer. I've got some great albums to write about and a couple of shows. But first, in honor of this unseasonable August weather, which serves as an alarm clock to the rapidly approaching autumn, here are some choice summeryish cuts free to you! Coming in at just under 2 hours, it's an eclectic mix that should be good for your next bbq/pool party/tickle fest. I hope you enjoy. Click here (pt. 1) and here (pt. 2). Now, on to bidness.

I had back-to-back shows last week, seeing Arlington's own Thao Nguyen & The Get Down Stay Down at The Black Cat, then G. Love at Wolftrap. Thao wins the coin toss and elects to go first.

After the opening band, who were from Richmond and sounded way too much like Ryan Adams, Thao & TGDSD took the stage. I was immediately struck that they were only a three piece; the album has such a full yet airy sound, I wasn't sure just three of them could carry the whole load. Thao seemed happy to be back home in DC (I think her mom was standing next to me), but the rigors of touring were starting to wear her down, shown in the cup of hot tea she was drinking. But still, she stomped and jumped around and banged on the guitar, once even employing a toothbrush to do said banging. She could benefit from a larger line up, which would leave her free to engage the audience instead of pulling double duty as the back bone and face of the band, but that's not to say they didn't do an admirable job. What really came through in the show were Thao's infectious charm and passion, engaging banter and stage antics and a voice as unique in person as it is on her album.

The G. Love show at Wolftrap was interesting. I've been a big fan for years, and I've seen him at a private show up to large venues, and all in between. But this time G. Love made a major faux pas by scheduling a better opening band, in the form of the Jon Butler Trio. Maybe "better" isn't the right word; more dynamic or energetic perhaps. I've attempted to get into the JBT a few times, but was never really struck. I have to say that their set blew me away. An eight minute solo jam showcased Butler's guitar mastery and the band had an intensity that really came across in a place like Wolftrap. Apparently, a fair number people were there just to see them, as people started leaving afterwards. G. Love, whose originality is hard to match, just doesn't bring the same type of high energy so, in that way, his set was anticlimactic. The sound mixing didn't help his cause either. The only songs I didn't like were 'Won't Go Back To Jersey' from his last album, Lemonade, and 'City Livin' off his newest, which are kind of corny. Highlights include 'Gimme Some Lovin' seguing into the Beatles 'Why Don't We Do It in the Road', he and JBT covering Blackbird (which wasn't great, but still cool) and the show ending, bring out the opening acts, 5 people on percussion-jamboree cover of Sympathy for the Devil (Woo Woo!). Hopefully, the next time G. comes to town he plays the 9:30.

Now onto the reviews. To date, a lot of the albums that I've been into this year, and therefore reviewing, have been on the soft or lighter sides. Well, it's high time that I crank up the ass kickin' so here it is. But before I start, I'd like to give a shout out and thanks to my friend Jess at Sony Records who hooked me up with a stack of promo cd's, one of which is below. Does this make me legit?

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

I'm new to The Hold Steady, but apparently this is their fourth album. Where the hell have I been? Stay Positive is the most rock n' roll album since Kings of Leon's 2007 Because of the Times. From the charged power chords that open Stay Positive, you know you're in for straight forward, smart but simple, high energy rock. The album calms down in the right spots ('Lord, I'm Discouraged' and 'Both Crosses') Occasionally, Tad Kubler engages in guitar heroics and the strings, synths, harpsichord and horns that pepper the album add depth and interest.

Craig Finn’s poetic style could almost be a snarling Mark Knopfler reciting Bob Dylan. His earthy voice paints pictures of blue-collar America that come across as personal yet universal, likes he’s singing to everyone, no one and just you all at the same time. Also, he sings about drinking. A lot. Finn manages to tell captivating stories, but without disclosing everything that happened, as if he's thinking about these events to himself, not relating it in full to an audience. ‘Sequestered in Memphis’ is about a one-night stand with mysterious criminal endings and ‘One For the Cutters’ is another thriller where we have to fill in the pieces. There's so many lines that stand out on this album, but I'll just pick two: "In bar light she looked alright. In daylight she looked desperate," (Sequestered in Memphis) or “Me and my friends are like the drums on 'Lust for Life'” (Constructive Summer). Stay Positive is a blast of fresh air from the warm, stale frivolities that plague so much of today's indie music and is easily one of the best albums of the year.

Does it Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the name. It's kind of clunky and corny, and whatever happened to brevity? [Update: Apparently the name is a quote from the British version of The Office] What I am a fan of, though, is their music. It sort of sounds like Justice but with more of a live band feel. About two thirds of the songs prominently feature heavy and aggressive synths with the remaining focused on a more rock sound, some times more experimental and sometimes quite poppy. It's loud, it's in your face, and not always pleasant, but for art to reflect life it can't always be pleasant.

'Attack of the 60ft Lesbian Octopuss' sounds like the B-52's on speed. 'Dawn of the Dead' and 'Being Bad Feels Pretty Good,' are the most accessible songs combining elements of 80's post punk and new wave, which seems contradictory but isn't. DIOYY is opening up for Nine Inch Nails currently, which only gives partial idea as to what they sound like. FYI, they're having way too much fun to be caught up in Trent Reznor style self pity and loathing.

Albert Hammond, Jr. - Como Te Llama?

Back in ought-two, a fresh and raw band broke through with a collection of stripped down, garage rock songs that rocked the... um, rock world. Although they became the targets of derision flung from some critics for receiving too much credit for their revivalistic style, The Strokes were a needed change from much of the dead-but-still-whipped horse named "alternative rock." Well, The Strokes may have been a one trick pony, with two mediocre follow ups, but that hasn't stopped Albert Hammond, Jr., the band's rhythm guitarist, from releasing his second solo album.

The best songs on this album are 'GFC,' 'Rocket' and the lullabyish instrumental 'Spooky Couch.' You can certianly hear the Strokes sound on Hammond's offering, with the same double-time guitar riffs, metronome bass and drums, and washy vocals. AHJr's voice is adequate but its hard to replace Julian Casablancas. A quick look at the album cover, with it's mysterious cut out picture, seems to imply a questioning of The Strokes future. While he nor the Strokes may ever attain the level of Is This It?, Albert Hammond does offer a suitable, if not stellar, dose of that too cool for school New York rock sound.