Best Albums of 2010, No 8 - Sleigh Bells' Treats

The first indicator that Sleigh Bells had a bonafide hit with Treats was my oldest son's reaction. The distortion, the noise, the chanting, the cheering... he loved it. For a 7 year old, this was the best kind of music: messy, loud and rhythmic. After listening to the album all summer, he knows all the guitar sounds, all the drum thumps, all the over the top call and responses. It comes up on shuffle and he asks for me to turn it up.

Which is good, cos I feel the same way. Sleigh Bells turned in an album chock block full of what can only be described as cheer rock. You feel guilty for liking it. And when people describe it as difficult, I find it odd. Because everyone I've ever played it for immediately likes it.

LA Times described it best: "It sounds bad in a way that suggests Rick Rubin fell asleep on a hundred-grand mixing board and pushed every fader to “11.”"

The assualt is brief, only 33 minutes over 11 songs. And they're not breaking new ground lyrically. A/B Machines might be my favorite, but the cheeky lines on a sun washed out Rill Rill are the best ("Wonder what your boyfriend thinks about your braces").

This album is fun and a guilty pleasure in every sense. Grab it now and blow a speaker.

Buy Sleigh Bells' Treats from Amazon mp3 Store

Best Albums of 2010, No 9 - Surfer Blood's Astro Coast

2010 was some sort of Southern California beach party, soundtracked by what seemd like a never ending string of lazy, hazy surf music. Surfer Blood kicked it off and had what might be considered a teenage boy's best year ever. Non stop touring (I saw them once as openers, the next two times as headliners in the span of a three months) and an upgrade to major label status with Warner. Not bad for a mostly under-21 group of guys from South Florida.

There's much to like here. Big noisy guitar sounds and relentless drumming shoehorned against the love turned bitter lyrics of Floating Vibes, or forlorning in general of Take It Easy.

Yeah, someone fell in love with Weezer's Blue album (they closed out one of their sets with a cover of the Sweater Song).

The single Swim is alone worth the price of admission. Awash in those effect pedal big guitars, and John Paul Pitts "oh oh oh" will have you drumming along at your desk.

I worry that Surfer Blood will lose the carefree attitude and freedom to drift that's so apparent on Astro Coast (Slow Jabroni and Twin Peaks just kind of wander along). As long as they keep having fun, I'll buy their next album.

Buy Surfer Blood's Astro Coast at Amazon's mp3 Store

Best Albums of 2010, No 10 - Vampire Weekend's Contra

"In December, drinking horchata, I look psychotic in balaclava."

And with that, the preppiest boys in indie rock start out their sophomore effort, making impossible rhymes with impossible words over impossibly infectious beats.

There's been a lot of growing up since Vampire Weekend dropped their self titled debut two years ago. They've toned down the Paul Simon Graceland aping, fleshed out their sound more and turned in an album of stories about what are essentially little preppy white boys and white girls growing up disassociated and disaffected.

Their characters are the douchebags you went to college with, the Diplomat's Son, the guy who still hangs around the same club, the girl who is principled enough to eat fake Philly cheesesteaks but use chemically abhorrent real toothpaste. And just for shits and giggles is the incredible two and half minute romp Cousins.

This album is fun, overly intelligent effort. Sometimes I wish they'd stop trying so hard to be clever by half and work on making excellent music. Contra comes pretty close to that request.

Buy Vampire Weekend's Contra at Amazon's mp3 Store

Best EP of 2010 - Cassis Orange

I'm behind the ball on this Best of 2010 Album thing, but I had a free minute, and thought I'd drop out what I thought was the best EP of 2010.

Admittedly, I'm jaded. Autumn Ehinger of Cassis Orange is a friend, but her songs of love and lonlieness penned about her time in Japan are four of the most excellent tracks you will hear all year. "I don't want you to call me/I just want you to want to" she sings above the sweetest tinkling on her keyboard.

Other Runners up
Telekinesis, Parallel Seismic Conspiracies - A hint of what MBL will deliver on his sophomore effort from Merge next year, Dirty Thing.

Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Say No To Love 7 - This band is getting stronger and stronger, refining that 80s sound, like Pretty in Pink all grown up.

Ft Lowell Records FLR001 through FLR004 - Ft Lowell records have put out a series of really strong 7 inches this year, from Arizona and Tucson bands you probably never heard of, but should invest the $5 and get them. Dead Western Plains, ... music video, Wet and Reckless, Young Mothers and Tracy Shedd round out an incredible start for a first year label.

What We Are Listening To - The Drums s/t

I wish I could say I came across The Drums s/t album through some awesome bar playing it in Boston (though a lot of restaurants brought it musically), but a simple 140 character suggestion from Amazon mp3 was the selling point for me "Suggested if you like the Smiths, Surfer Blood, driving up the coast."

Which are three things I like on an above average basis (the Surfer Blood album is one of the years best and most earnest efforts). Also should be added to that list is dancing. And surf pop.

But these 12 stripped down minimalist synthed songs are fun. Very Pretty in Pink as cowrker said. The handclapping on Skippin Town and the whistling on Let's Go Surfing is fun. And Morrissey he's not. He goes dark but think simpler. "You're my best friend but then you died." "Baby I don't know what to do without your love. Tell me what to do-ooo-oo-oo"

Every song is great though, rising above most other surf pop clogging up this year. Grab the album and pull a few songs off for a mix tape or two.

If you're interested in hitting up their 9:30 club show on 9/12, leave a comment or send me an email.

2010 Second Quarter Review

I totally slacked on writing this second quarter, which I might try and rectify with a series of reviews because there were some REAL standouts between April and June.

There is one album that I'm omitting: The new Stars record. I haven't had time to digest it and listen. So I'm sure it'll be a part of the third quarter review.

Without further adieu

• Broken Social Scene's Forgiveness Rock Record This is a really fun dance record. BSS, a band (collective?) that I always found too hard to really get into, delivered in solid form with Forgiveness Rock Record. Texico Bitches is going down as one of my favorite singles of the year. Favorite Tracks - Texico Bitches, Art House Director, Ungrateful Little Father, Highway SLipper Jam
• Cassis Orange s/t EP Autumn Ehinger, the tiny but awesome one woman force that is Cassis Orange is a friend of the Shake that we met at XX Merge last year (she was covered in pink duct tape, Imperial Teen's No 1 fan). Somehow she's able to capture all her energy and push out on four excellent songs. Lots of pianao, very solid beats, she has an ear for perfect pop.The EP is free at her website, and hopefully she'll do us a solid and play at the ISIS HQ backyard party this summer. Favorite Tracks - Listen Heartbeat, Kotzebue
• Hold Steady's Heaven Is Whenever Not my favorite album by this band, but I guess like Craig Finn's characters, you can't stay boozy and druggy your whole life. Still anthemic, and still rocking, the departure of Franz Nicolay and his keyboard leaves a noticeable whole. Despite all that, it's still one of the out this past quarter (though don't expect it to make on EoY lists). Favorite Tracks - Heaven Is Whenever, Hurricane J
• Janelle Monae's The ArchAndroid One of my favorite albums for the year. Genre hopping, with rock, funk, hiphop, cabaret (?!) and soul, this is Monae's second and third installment of her ArchAndroid suite. Yeah, the idea is a little out there, but it works. Favorite Tracks - Cold War, Tightrope, Oh Maker
• The New Pornographers' Together This is my first New Pornographers album, and all it made me want to do is go buy the others. Every song is a pop masterpiece, and I'm firmly in love with Neko Case. My Shepherd, what AC Neman calls his 'torch song' will make you want to cry. Get this album now and put it on repeat. Favorite Tracks - Crash Years, Silver Jenny Dollar, My Shepherd
• Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings' I Learned The Hard Way You think you got problems? Listen to a little Sharon Jones, and you'll think twice. I Learned the Hard Way is perfect retro soul music, and serves as the perfect stage for Jones' incredible voice and the Dap Kings tight playing. Favorite Tracks - The Game Gets Old, Better Things, She Ain't a Child No More
• Tokyo Police Club's Champ Another followup effort from a band that I wish had done better. TPC's blast of EP's in 2007 and it's energetic Elephant Shell in 2008 put a lot of hope for a return. They've grown up a bit, and they're still making similar pop, but it lacks the punch of their earlier stuff. Wait Up and Bambi come the closest, and are by and large the standouts on the album. Favorite Tracks - Wait Up (Boots of Danger), Bambi
• Sleigh Bells' TreatsI don't know how to describe this album. Post apocalyptic cheer rock hip hop? Over distorted dance noise? I tell people it's weird, then play it, and they love it. Super accessible, very very fun. Liek I said on Twitter, perfect for a late night dance party with tons of rose wine. Favorite Tracks - Kids, Run The Heart, A/B Machines
• The Roots How I Got OverAfter one listen, this is on my shortlist for Album of the Year. If you thought playing late night walk overs for Jimmy Fallon would make them soft, forget it. How I Got Over is the best hip hop album so far this year. Every track is a winner, from start to finish. And things I was sure wouldn't work (Joanna Newsome? Monsters of Folk???) are PERFECT. Am I jocking it hard? Yes, but only because it's THAT GOOD. Dear God 2.0, Web 20/20, Hustla, Walk Alone
• Shelby Lynne's Tears, Lies and Alibis Since I first listend to I Am Shelby Lynne, I've been in love with her voice. Tears, Lies and Alibis is kinda return to her mix of soul and country, still with that aching voice and love done me wrong songwriting. I think you'll love Shleby

The links are all for Amazon, but you can find most of these artists at eMusic or another online independent retailer.

What We're Listening To - Janelle Monae's The ArchAndroid

I remember when neo-soul was a cheap way to lump black artists who were doing things that pushed the boundaries of contemporary R&B and hip hop.

It essentially was indie rock for black people.

RES, the original Black Eyed Peas, Knaan, India. Arie. This is just a sample, but these were artists with little to no commercial appeal, peddling their brand of music to highly educated black 20 somethings.

I blame the movie Love Jones.

So now we have Janelle Monae, who's making records about android uprising and falling in love, garnering 8.5 from the color-phobic Pitchfork, and sampling every single music genre, collaborating with some of ATL's finest.

My friends, this shit is indie (well polished indie, as it's on Bad Boy. If Diddy did any producing, you can tell he restrained). It's a close cousin to what Cee-Lo was doing before he met Danger Mouse.

The middle two parts of her four suite Metropolis story, The Archandroid crams 20 mostly brilliant songs (or song thoughts... Neon Gumbo is a 97 second cascade of blips and sounds) into what should be a double album. It's dizzying and tiring.

You spot influences all over. "Oh Maker" is probably the best Lauryn Hill song that Lauryn Hill never wrote, except it's about robots. "Say You'll Go" is beautiful Stevie Wonder-esque love song. She channels the helluva out of Prince on "Mushrooms and Roses." "Tightrope" could be this summer's jam and YouTube dance sensastion, straight off of Stankonia.

Her inner rock goddes takes hold and she invites Of Montreal to help her rock it on "Make The Bus", but she's capable all by herself on the much better and more resonant "Cold War," borrowing some of Andre 3000's freakiness (and his Bombs over Baghdad drums) with some of her own blend of weird thrown in there.

The concept, like most album themes, kinda gets old. Her voice and the music doesn not.

Seeing as how Outkast isn't putting anything out for a bit, pick this not to hold you over or replace, but to fall in love with, to remind you that weird is good.

Buy Janelle Monae's The ArchAndroid from Amazon's MP3 Store