32 - Longing and Songing

I've found turning 32 far harder than turning 30 ever was. Turning 30 was fun. Really I didn't feel as though I was entering another phase of my life. No, that was 32. I've never really let aging get to me until this year. And I think it has a lot to do with what kind of year it's been. A little over a year ago I was living in Salt Lake and I had recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. Since that time I've left my home behind, most of my family, life long friends. I moved from Salt Lake to Fort Worth and to Chicago. Started a job with a company doing the kind of work I have been looking for for a long time. I fell in love with a girl only to come to the heart breaking realization that it wasn't going to work out. In short, it's been a long/quick important year in my life.

Yoo-hoo or boo-hoo. (You can say it.) Anyone who's read my blog before (Hi Laura!) knows that I've never used it as a journal nor a medium for anything of importance. That paragraph I wrote was the most personal thing I've ever written on here. No, this blog is about...nothing really, but music mostly. Music has, since I was in jr. high, been a source of comfort and a tool for understanding myself and my self. Music is about communication and good music knows how to help the listener communicate with themselves. Lyrics are, I think for most of us, self-reflective. We hear in them what we want. Some songs may distinctly spell out a message but what that message means to us personally is still up to personal interpretation. And that's a beautiful thing. So, as this has been an important year in my life, music has played a pivotal roll in my life. I've come across a few new artists that have connected with me and a few albums I've been very grateful to have found. (And on an aside, I've also written a good measure (for me) of music this year and it's been the fulfillment of a goal of mine in many ways, but that's for another post.)

Anyways (underwears). Simply I  just wanted to share those albums that have meant a lot to me in the past year. They'll stay with me for awhile and most likely they'll always harken me back to a time of change. Nostalgia is a comfort. And smells like Old Spice. Here you are, and yes, I don't know why, but it's been The Year of Women. So, ladies first.

Shriek: Wye Oak

This is probably my favorite album of the year. Headphones are a must and must be cranked. The music is moving and the melodies are beautiful. 
Selections: Before, The Tower, Logic of Color

Actor: St. Vincent
(And really just all 5 of her albums have been on heavy rotation for me this year but especially Actor.)

St. Vincent has quickly became one of my favorite artists. Ever. All 5 of her albums are amazingly composed. She's a creative song writer, a fantastic guitar player, and knows melody.
Selections: Save Me From What I Want, Black Rainbow, Just the Same But Brand New


Tookah: Emiliana Torrini

 

Iceland, you've done it again, you're a genius. Torrini's soft voice guides you through acoustics and electronic beats alike.
Selections: Tookah, Caterpillar, Speed of Dark

A Thousand Shark's Teeth: My Brightest Diamond

I first got into My Brightest Diamond (Shara Worden) after hearing her sing on The Decemberists' The Hazards of Love. Her voice enthralls. It can enchant or chill you. This is chamber rock at its best. This album takes time. You've got to let it sit with you for awhile and melt but when it does I promise it's so colorful.
Selections: Ice and the Storm, From the Top of the World, To Pluto's Moon

Sylvan Esso: Sylvan Esso

Electropop. It grooves. It moves. But it doesn't suffer from a lack of soul. Aces.
Selections: Hey Mami, H.S.K.T., Coffee

Aventine: Agnes Obel

A beautifully acoustic album. It's soft and chalk full of mood and empty space.
Selections: Dorian, Run Cried the Crawling, The Curse


Shields: Grizzly Bear

It's like if psychedelia actually learned how to write songs. Heavy on the textures with vocals that hold it all together.
Selections: Sleeping Ute, Yet Again, gun-shy

They Want My Soul: Spoon

Another solid album by the boys from Austin. I was so excited for this and it delivered. Catchy, inviting, and organic as always. Seriously they are as consistent as any rock band can be and this is my favorite of theirs since Gimme Fiction.
Selections: Inside Out, Do You, Let Me Be Mine

Seldom Seen Kid: Elbow

Elbow, like St. Vincent, is another artist/group that I discovered later in their discography and have become completely invested in. Up to this point this album is probably my favorite and I have been knee-deep in it all year. If you haven't listened to them yet do so. Start here.
Selections: Starling, The Bones of You, Friends of Ours

Modern Vampires of the City: Vampire Weekend

Indi-pop from some breezy fellas. The hooks are real. The instrumentation is colorful. This album is far more thoughtful and constructed than their previous works. They seemed to change up their recipe for songs-writing and instrumentation but none of this is to say that it's not as good as their other albums.
Selections: Step, Everlasting Arms, Hey Ya

Honorable Mentions

Ghost Stories: Coldplay - Don't hate. It's great.

If Not Now, When: Incubus - A softer album by Incubus, because of which I think it was unfairly overlooked.

Himalayan: Band of Skulls - This gave their first album a run for it's money and I think their first album is one of the best of the last 10 years.

Let Go: Nada Surf - Judging Nada Surf solely off of Popular is like judging Radiohead solely off of Creep. They're infinitely more deep than that song and album. Not a particularly artistic band but good song writing lasts and this album is thick with it.

Ain't It Funky

I believe this is first group of albums that I've listened to on this voyage that I haven't just hated at least one album. There were a few so-so albums in the mix but not a bad go of it all in all.

There were a couple albums that I've listened to before and don't feel a need to really hash out, those being Superunknown (336) by Soundgarden and Help!(331) by The Beatles. Superunknown is by far Soundgardens best work and the only one of theirs I own. It's solid though. Help! is standard pre-Rubber Soul Beatles, catchy and cheeky but with solid song writing. Without Help! we wouldn't have Yesterday so...

Fine for a listen.

337 - Aqualung, Jethro Tull - A fairly anti-religious 70s rock album with plenty of kick-butt flute solos. Seriously the flute solos are actually pretty impressive at times. Up To Me is a great number.
334 - Squeezing Out Sparks, Graham Parker - This one I thought I would hate. And I think I did up front but the songs were just too catchy not to enjoy. A post punk pop artist who sounds a little more like Costello. Local Girls. I might come back to this one in time.
333 - Wild Gift, X - Early punk from the 70s. Nothing really stood out to me. But what I like about earlier punk is it came from a honest place and seemed like a vary natural progression in rock, in that, what they played and wrote wasn't influenced by what they thought the genre was suppose to be or suggest. Far more poppy then what punk became. It was just what they wanted it to be. Give it a go. In This House That I Call Home

Need to explore more.

339 - The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits - This is the second or third by Waits that I have listened to on this list and I need to explore him more. I sold him short as an artist before but there is more musicianship and soul to him then just the craggled story teller I thought he was before. This album is late night blues/jazz. Had a Randy Newman fill to it, in a dirtier way of course. This one I'm looking forward to visited again. San Diego Serenade
338 - Cheap Thrills, Big Brother and The Holding Company - I thought "Oh great! The 60s again." I've struggled connecting to the core of 60s music. But this album cut through most of that. And for sure it was Janis Joplin. She had such a...grit to her voice and approach but yet in a way it was beautiful because of it. It was just free. And given the era she sang in that sounds cliche but really it's just apropos. Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Turtle Blues
332 - Shoot Out the Lights, Richard and Linda Thompson - Richard is a great guitar player and Linda's voice is beautiful. Some really great melodies in this album and that's what will bring me back. Walking On a Wire
328 - Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth - I can't really pick anything from this album to share right now. There are a lot of albums on this list that I hated and I feel made it on this list for the influence they had on their listeners and marked milestone in the development and arc of popular music. I feel like that is who Sonic Youth was and especially this album. They had such in influence on so many bands I love and mix in that with the fact that I didn't hate this album, I feel that I owe it to myself to explore it more. And maybe you should too. It may take a few spins to find in it what it has to offer.

Love is for the lucky.

336- In Rainbows, Radiohead - In my mind this album gave OK Computer a run for it's money. So really I'm saying it's in Radiohead's top 2 albums. It didn't break ground like OKC or Kid A but it didn't need to. It's a more simple album with solid songs and more than anything, the whole album has a very clear directive and cohesiveness to it. And watching them perform it live (Live From The Basement) showed me that every bit and texture they used on this album was purposeful and reproducible. Some of my favorites, All I Need, Recknor, and House of Cards. Disc 2 from this recording session is also packed full a greats like Bnagers + Mash.
330 - Tonight's the Night, Neil Young - A sad album about death and drugs. Or at least that's what I guess. Young's voice in its shaky and ragged quality is in its element. Borrowed Tune for sure, and Tired Eyes.
329 - In the Jungle Groove, James Brown - Yes, yes, and yes!!! Funk in all ways James Brown. In all ways awesome. Try listening to the first song It's a New Day (which has by far my favorite scream, like ever) and not want to dance and hug a stranger tight and big. Seriously, listen to this album. Horns and drums, guitars and bums. (I don't know what that means but it sounds right.)

Bat Out of Hell...sort of

Like a bat out of hell, I'm back at it. (Or simply I'm just typing on my laptop like a kid out of the burbs.)

356 through 340...life has been better but life has been worse. (It's a rainy gloomy day as I write this and it might effect my reviews. But sorry Dire Straits, you weren't getting through anyway.)

356 - 12 Songs, Randy Newman: I'm surprised myself, I now like two Randy Newman albums. My impression of him before I started this list was made by those deriding/mocking him. I had only ever heard The Monk theme song and that one song about friends or something he did for the soundtrack to Toy Story. Not bad songs but nothing I would press play on. 12 Songs was bluesy, breezy, cover girl album. The title really is perfect, it's just 12 songs. But it's a great collection of 12 songs. An odd Ray Charles flavor comes through in Randy Newman and I like it. I recommend Rosemary and Uncle Bob's Midnight Blues.

355- Having a Rave Up With The Yardbirds, The Yardbirds: For being such a Zeppelin fan I am surprised that I have never listened to the Yardbirds before. This last little stretch gave me two albums to listen to. Not a bad little piece this album is. Try on She's So Respectable
or Here 'Tis and see how they fit. Party rock anthems of their day.

354 - 52nd Street, Billy Joel: Standard Billy Joel. With Big Shot, My Life, and Zanzibar at its core it's hard to go wrong. If you like Billy Joel on any level then you'll love this album. I found it for a dollar at the DI on vinyl and I feel that is the only way I'd own this album but I'm glad I do.

353 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West: The title says it all. It's Kanye West at his most self-absorbed and sexually obsessive. His samples are fresh and the beats are real. I don't feel a need to push Mr. West on anyone. If you like him you don't mind that he's the biggest douche in the biz, and if you hate him it's because he's the biggest the douche in the biz, it's not because his music isn't at the top of it's genre. If you like hip-hop then you got to give this album a chance.

352 - Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits: Moving on.

351 - Rust Never Sleeps, Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Neil Young has always felt like an artist who writes albums to be able to perform them; he's meant to be heard creating the music instead of just listening to it. It makes me sad that I have never seen him live myself but this album will have to do in the meantime. Powderfinger for sure stands out.

350 - Roger the Engineer, The Yardbirds: See above. As for the two Yardbird albums I have listened to on this list I prefer this one. I prefer more of the Brit pop side of the Yardbirds instead of their psychedelic tendencies but this album gives plenty of the former for me. If I was still in a band these days I would love to cover Lost Woman.

349 - The Black Album, Jay-Z: It's Jay-Z at the top. Encore, Change Clothes, Dirt of Your Shoulders, 99 Problems, Justify My Thug, and Lucifer. Probably his best most cohesive album.

348 - Muddy Waters Live at Newport 1960, Muddy Waters: Blues music, similar to Neil Young, is meant to heard live. It lives in the open air and thrives on the spontaneity, not tracked and layered but produced in the moment. This album has all that. Mojo Working and Hoochie Coochie Man.

347 - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Pink Floyd: Gross! The title is the only good thing about this album. Seriously ruined my day when I had to listen to this one. If you like psychedelic rock (I don't) you may like this album as it's oozing with it. It's Pink Floyd's roots but I am so glad it stayed at their roots.

346 - 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul: As much as I hate psychedelic rock I love the "native tongues" era of rap. This album couldn't have been made a few years after it was as it relies HEAVILY on the sampling but their is an art to sampling like this. The album is upbeat, quirky, with plenty of jazz and funk in the mix. Try out The Magic Number and Eye Know.

345 - Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads: This album is a live Talking Heads album and though I've talked a lot about live music during this post this album doesn't really apply in the same way. It's...alright. It was a fine listen at the time but I'll probably not being going back for seconds.

344 - Berlin, Lou Reed: A dark grouchy album, which is not what I expected from Lou Reed; where's Charley's Girl? But I kind of liked it. It has a real Bowie feel to it but not in a pandering kind of way, more like a brotherly kind of way. I am going to give this one a few more spins before I pass final judgement.

343 - Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf: Haha! This was a fun listen. (Because of his acting career I have a soft spot in my heart for Meat Loaf.) I was happy I listened to this but definitely won't be going back for seconds. The whole album is grandiose and each song felt like it was trying to win you in the fight of good and evil with its message and power-house vocals. Most interesting thing about this album is that some of the songs were originally meant for a Peter Pan musical which didn't happen. huh.

342 - Violator, Depeche Mode: One of my favorite Depeche Mode albums. Everybody knows Personal Jesus but I suggest World In My Eyes, Enjoy the Silence, or Policy of Truth. I often wonder if I would like Depeche Mode if two of my older brothers didn't love them so much but what is music without nostalgia? It's like Bill & Ted's without Keanu. They were made for each other.

341 - Play, Moby: Do I need to review this album? There's like 35 singles released from this album and Moby made googa money from it but on the whole the album doesn't attract me. It might be good for a road trip mix or maybe vacuuming to but I won't ever pick it apart and try to understand it like I do with the albums I love most.

340 - Damaged, Black Flag: If I was like 15 in 1981 I would have worn this record out. But I was like -1 so I feel as though I missed the boat. I don't understand it and I have little patience for a band who has trouble playing in time.

Catch Up (Ketchup)

Oops. I really got behind this time. Which is pretty much what I say every time but this time I mean it. Moving from Texas to Chicago will do that to you though. So before I keep listening to more albums I am making myself at least give you a quick list.

Leave on the Shelf
These are albums which I either didn't like, will never listen to
 again, or down right pissed me off.

382 The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers - Yeah I get it, it was new for 1972 and it also sucked for 1972. I realize if these guys didn't ever play maybe David Bowie wouldn't have been David Bowie but I got a feeling he would have found his way otherwise.

379 CrazySexyCool, TLC - Creep and Waterfalls will always make me feel crazy nestalgic for watching MTV in the house I grew up in but that is all this album will do for me. (Fully admit I will never own an R&B album from this era.)


375 Late for the Sky, Jackson Browne - Another Jackson Browne album?!?

374 Siren, Roxy - Brian Eno strikes again!!! I feel like I missed the boat for this genre of music. If you weren't listening to it in the 70s good luck enjoying it now.

373 Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane - I'm all set.

370 Mott, Mott the Hoople - We already have a David Bowie, thank you very much.

367 Ray of Light, Madonna - Madonna's House/TripHop transition is in full swing and I hate it.

357 Between the Buttons, The Rolling Stone - Sorry Mr. Moore, the Beatles already wrote a better version of this album. Though Wes Anderson has got plenty to borrow from here.

Listen to on Spotify

Enjoyed and maybe I'll check in on it on from time to time.

383 More Songs About Buildings and Food, Talking Heads - A band I have never really given a chance and I may end up loving them. The hyperactivity and ADD nature in their music could be exactly what I need. This is the sound of a band discovery a new way of writing music without sounding like they are just making it up on the spot or being pretentious about it.

381 Smile, The Beach Boys - If I get into the Beach Boys more I may buy this album but it's more of a documentary than a record. 

378 (What's The Story) Morning Glory, Oasis - A band I have been quite biased against since my youth because it wasn't cool to listen to them in the mid 90s. At least if you skated it wasn't. On the whole, ok songs, and worth a listen.

369 Louder than Bombs, The Smiths - Once you accept Morissey for who is The Smith's become far more enjoyable and almost adorable. If I was listening to music in 1986 I might have loved this album, as it stands it's a good listen but only occasionally. 

368 The Eagles, The Eagles - Breezy cool Eagles as is standard. Good for a Tuesday afternoon. It ain't prime-time listening.

363 Substance, New Order - A poster on my brother's door growing up made me curious. This album is a compilation of the band's singles up to 1987. New Order developed and embodied what may be considered quintessential 80s pop.

361 Stankonia, Outkast - I will never listen to the whole album ever again (it fails on the grand scale) and that's why it's not on the buy list but some of my favorite Outkast tracks are on this album. So Fresh, So Clean, Ms. Jackson, and B.O.B.. B.O.B. will always get me pumped up. I'm going to listen to it right now.

360 Singles Going Steady, Buzzcocks - Yeah. It was fun and not nearly as terrible as the Ramones loved to be. Plenty to hook yourself with.

359 Honkey Chateau, Elton John - Great reminder that Elton John didn't always sound like lame. Rocket Man and Honky Cat. Great choices. But still maybe just take the greatest hits.

Buy

Or already own.

380 Funky Kingston, Toots and the Maytals - I've always admitted that I am a Bob Marley fan and not necessarily a reggae fan. But! I have always wanted to be more of a reggae fan. Toots embodies all that I love about Marley but still stands apart for me. If Marley is the dealer then Toots is the sweet ganja he's slinging.

377 The Ultimate Collection, John Lee Hooker - All that I love in the blues Hooker gave me. Most other blues musician seem to merely recycle him which makes me grimace.

376 Post, Bjork - Bjork is often accused a merely being weird for the sake of being different but I never bought that. She's weird because that's was comes out of her but it's her norm. Post is sweeping (Army of Me to It's Oh So Quiet) and uses soundscapes better and more directly than most can (Isobel).

372 Reggatta de Blanc, The Police - You want find anyone who sounds like The Police and if you do it's probably some terrible cover band at a county fair. This album is their classic blend of punk and reggae and all before Sting was truly hate-able. If you don't like Walking on the Moon I say walk away now, but otherwise, spin it.

371 Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not, Arctic Monkeys - British-pop-punk. Simple, straight forward, energetic, infection. Try Dancing Shoes on for size.


366 American Recordings, Johnny Cash - By far the best thing I stumbled across this last go. Simple as country can get and that's the beauty of this album. It is just Cash and his guitar. The entire album. Basic songs, no fancy studio tricks. Rick Rubin knew there was a force still inside Cash and helped him show it by stepping out of the way. The themes are classic, mostly about God and forgiveness (Down There By The Train) and it's a beautiful record.

365 Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine - "Your anger is a gift." It's angry and uses simple riffs and hard knocks to prove it. William Wallace loves Freedom.

364 L.A. Woman, The Doors - The last of The Doors is maybe some of the best of The Doors. I know I have a soft spot in my heart for this album because Steve was always willing to rock out to L.A. Woman.

362 Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock, Today, and maybe throw in a little Geek USA and you've got the makings of a great album. Mid 90s at their best.


358 Sketches of Spain, Miles Davis - Oh hell yes!!! One of my favorite Miles Davis albums. It gets plenty of criticism for not being a jazz album and people don't know what to do with it but few albums can get me to stop what I am doing and just listen. Davis and Gil Evans were trying to encompass the beauty of Spanish music without just hawking it. I won't even suggest a song to listen to from it as an introduction. It really is a work that has to be listened to in it's entirety.You just have to put it on let it work for you if it will. It's slow, melodic, and textured.

Wu-Tang Clan and Steely Dan

Back at it again. After that first 100 I needed a little break...it was pretty rough at times. However the first 15 back gave me hope for a bright future. So here they are...the good, the OK, the ugly.

The Ugly:
~The End of Innocence -  Don Henley (#389), had Boys of Summer been on this album I possible could have forgiven it but...no BoS no forgiveness
~Music for Your Pleasure - Roxy Music(#396), uugggghhhh....Eno strikes again
~Enter the Wu-Tang - Wu-Tang Clan (#387), I know that rap connoisseurs would berate me for not liking this album but I am not a rap connoisseur myself so...
~A Quick One - The Who (#384), Really? Really?


The OK:
~Good Old Boys - Randy Newman (#394), I never thought I would say this, "But I like a Randy ~Newman album." Perhaps it was the faint memories of Monk that it brought to mind but this album is actually quite entertaining and either quite racist or an amazing social commentary.
~The Pretender - Jackson Browne (#391), 70s singer-songwriting at is best which is why it's just OK.
~Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan (#386), I actually really enjoyed this album but something kept me from moving to the The Good. Probably the fact that the named the album Pretzel Logic.
~Elephant - The White Stripes (#390), Jack White at his Stripes finest (Though I recommend The Raconteurs if would want Jack at his finest.)


The Good:
~Blue Lines - Massive Attack (#397), one of the first, if not the first, trip-hop albums, Blue Lines encompasses all that is worth listening to in the genre. Plus it always reminds me of my brother.
~Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem (#395), An odd mix of dance, electro, and punk. I have loved this album since the first time I heard Someone Great.
~Let It Be - The Beatles (#392), what more could I say about Let It Be that hasn't been said, however if I don't ever have to listen to the song Let It Be again I'll be ok with that. And Hey Jude for that matter. (Not that they aren't good songs but I have just heard them too many times.)

~The Indestructible Beat of Soweto - Various Artists (#388), liking, and even listening to this album, goes against my main problem with this list, it's not an "album" at all. But I am really glad I did listen to it. I was mostly intrigued with the genre because I had never heard of it. If you are looking for music that makes you feel nostalgic for a place you've never seen Soweto is your jam.
~Love and Theft - Bob Dylan (#385), with some artists their catalog is too large to know where to step into it at and Bob Dylan is one of the artists. I have always wanted to understand him but never knew where to start and I feel like this is that open door for me. One I will own soon. (I know this album is far departure from who Bob Dylan was in the 60s and someone will tell me try Freewheelin' or something but this album worked for me.) Try Cry Awhile on for size; love the way they play with the time-feel in that song.
~Kala - M.I.A. (#393), rhythm and texture is the phrase. Everyone has heard Paper Planes but I was happy to find there was a lot more to M.I.A. than just one song. Try Boyz or Bird Flu. Especially if you want to get a party going.