Look at this FUCKING awful album cover

This week someone fucked up and Lady Gaga’s hyped-up masterpiece was released onto the Internet public. We write a lot about Gaga here and it is usually about how she is terrible, but as the standing music critic I can say Gaga isn’t bad. Embrace it like you would a cock in your mouth. While I can say Born This Way is a pretty decent piece of post-Eurodance, it isn’t her best work. At a bloated fourteen tracks over an hour, it isn’t as pleasurable as The Fame Monster EP, but there are still some shining moments. So like I did last time, here is my track-by-track review.

“Marry the Night”: The track starts off slow but then gains a more club-worthy speed. This track wouldn’t be out of place on a Cascada (burn!) record or on early 2000’s radio. The twist is the little bit of “rock n roll” here. It is almost a power-ballad but not quite. 3/5

“Born this Way”: You’ve heard this one. If you haven’t you probably are renting out Osama’s empty cave. The track still holds up as a club banger. As a gay anthem, well whatever- do we really need anthems? 4/5

“Government Hooker”: This and “Schiße” are the two weird tracks. If both of these tracks were removed from the record it wouldn’t really make a difference. She is saying “hooker” but it sounds like “hookah.” I guess this would sound good on a fashion runway but it is kind of like “We Dance to the Beat” on the Robyn record ¾pointless. 1/5

“Judas”: Another one of the singles and probably her worst video. The religious imagery returns and while it sounds out of place on the radio, this “Bad Romance” clone sounds great on the record. Red One’s blown out electronics make the track one of those great late night sing-alongs. But please tell me what is up with the “eww” in the bridge? 4/5

“Americano”: The perfect blend of one of the world’s most annoying songs- “We Speak No Americano” and gypsy punk (i.e. Gogol Bordello). The track starts off crappy but by the second chorus when the drums stomp, it gets fun. I think she wrote the track just to have a crazy costume on the stage. Much of the album takes from multiple genres and styles, and it lets you imagine what shit Gaga will wear on stage. 3/5

“Hair”: This should have been single two. It has the perfect teenage feeling, while not quite the summer jam “Teenage Dream” was. Blending electronics, “Be My Baby Drums” a dose of Kelly Clarkson and the first appearance of Clarence Clemons’s saxophone, “Hair” is a true gem. 5/5

“Schiße”: See above. 1/5

“Bloody Mary”: Acting like a counterpoint to “Judas”, this dark stomper leads the way into the more calm side two of the record. You can really grind to it, though if you are fucking to it remember it is slightly religious. 3.5/5

“Bad Kids”: This is the song to the little monsters. It has a Scissor Sisters swing to it, and like “Hair” and “Born This Way” she justifies being wild and independent. The verses aren’t very good, but the chorus brings it all home. 3.5/5

“Highway Unicorn (Road 2 Love)”: Despite the laughably bad title the track isn’t completely crap. The beginning cuts up her vocal and I swear she is saying “Run run with your tit” but my ears hear lots of dirty shit. There is a lot of 70s rock in this song, a big influence for Gaga this time out. Which brings us to: 3/5

Even more awful!

“Heavy Metal Lover”: For a song about “metal” you’d think it would be harder, but Red One has zero tricks up his sleeve so it just sounds like a electro track with some bad lyrics. It is probably the weakest track in the second section. 2/5

“Electric Chapel”: On the flip of “Heavy Metal Lover” this track sports electric guitars and “rock” sounds before turning into another club track. The track shares a lot of the mid-tempo filthiness of “Bloody Mary.” 3/5

“Yoü And I”: If you have trained ears you should be able to immediately know who produced the track. Mutt Lange brings his Come On Over style to this almost country bar sing-along. If Gaga is going for radio dominance, this is the track. AA, Pop and Country stations can play it without blinking an eye. If she threw Nicki Minag on the remix I’m sure the hip-hop stations will play it too. They all should because the song is a monster. 4.5/5

‘The Edge Of Glory”: This blown out power-ballad is the reverse of opener “Marry The Night”. They work on the same level but anything that track does wrong, this track does right. Clarence Clemons comes back for more of his sax adding to the already extraordinary track. 5/5

Overall I’d recommend this record, even though like most pop albums that aren’t Sophie Ellis Bextor’s Make A Scene, all you need are the singles

Tyler, the Creator, the 20-year-old leader of the L.A. hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, has been hyped up by almost every music publication known to man. In both praise and hate, plenty of music journalists, bloggers, and message board commentators have created a phenomenon out of a bunch of kids who just don’t give a fuck. The group has been called the seconding coming of Wu-Tang (especially on the business side of things) and a more aggressive Eminem/Neptunes mash-up. While many praise OFWKGTA, lots dismiss the group’s lyrics about homophobia, murder, and rape.

The group has existed for years in the underground releasing free albums, but since the release of Tyler’s second record Goblin on XL Records, their recent cover story in Billboard, and performances on MTV’s Woodie Awards and Fallon, Tyler’s has become a celebrity. He has been met with a mob in Boston and bottles in Detroit.

As an openly gay man and as a music critic I can see why Tyler’s lyrics can give some pause, but I can honestly say I’m not easily offended. I enjoy Goblin as much as the next person even though it is a tad over long and his first record Bastard is slightly better.

It would be easy to just call Tyler a vile motherfucker who is homophobic and out of touch, but he hates everyone- and openly says he doesn’t give a fuck. Tyler sets up the entire album on the six minute opener “Goblin.” The track is a conversation between Tyler and his therapist, a reoccurring theme on the record, where Tyler opens up about his inner demons. He states he is not “homophobe” but then says “faggot” and he also says he isn’t a murderer or a serial killer. (Tyler was No on Prop 8)

Tyler raps about drinking and doing drugs, though he has stated in interviews that he doesn’t drink or do drugs. Tyler is a character much in the way Eminem is a character. He doesn’t want to be “role-model” and he doesn’t want people to do the stuff he says in songs (From “Radicals”: “Random disclaimer: Hey don’t do anything I do in this song, OK? It’s fucking fiction. If anything happens, don’t fuckin’ blame me, white America. Fuck Bill O’Reilly.”), he’s just a kid who has some dark and twisted thoughts. The only difference between him and other kids is that he has a large Internet following and he has opened his journal up to the public.

Tyler’s use of fag/faggot is well documented here. The blogger gives one of the most honest looks at the kind of hate speech Tyler uses and chalks it all up to him being young but also in some ways progressive. I agree with the blogger and feel if you listen to Goblin and just get offended then you are missing the point. Tyler will never be played on the radio, and as much as he wants it (or doesn’t) he will never win a Grammy. Still though, there are plenty of rappers who use similar hate speech who get more praise and actually get played on the radio- case in point Eminem or even “The Greatest Rapper Alive” Lil Wayne.

This week Sara of indie-rock group Tegan and Sara wrote an open letter about her distaste for the praise of Tyler because of his “irresponsible” lyrics and the general dismissal by critics who call him “brilliant.” Sara makes some good points, but people aren’t afraid to take on Tyler because of his “popularity.” Plenty of critics, including Jim DeRogatis have railed against the Tyler, but they are just fanning the flames. This is exactly what Tyler wants people to do. Of course Tyler took to his Twitter to blast Sara saying “If Tegan And Sara Need Some Hard Dick, Hit Me Up!” Anyone who was outraged by Tyler’s response doesn’t get it. What do you think someone who raps he “wants to be the reason why all lesbians hate dick” would say to someone calling him out?

Do I think he is irresponsible? No, mostly because it is just music and by taking it too seriously you don’t see the joke is on you. I mean dude raps “I’m awesome and I fuck dolphins.” He is trying to get a rise out of people and laughing at them when they do. He even takes aim at the people who made him- “Oh not again, another critic writing report. I’m stabbing any blogger faggot with a Pitchfork.” Sure I might be chalking up his “hate” to shock value and the fact that he is taking aim at everyone, but Tyler is a smart rapper and a pretty good producer.

Is Goblin is one of the best records of the year? It might make my list, but not in the top ten. If you are offended then don’t listen. It is just that easy. If Tyler starts to actually do all the things he raps about, like many mainstream rappers, then there would be a deeper discussion, and I’ll eat all my words, but otherwise it is just music. Can we all just calm the fuck down. I started this trying to write something intelligent about Tyler, and then realized I’m saying the same things and giving the same excuses, so all in all there really isn’t anything intelligent to say. To put a nail in the coffin: I’d rather put on anything OFWGKTA release before I put on a lame Tegan and Sara record.

SWAG!

Friday:

If I had to pick the most unproductive day of the week, Friday was it. The big parties, Village Voice, Gorilla vs. Bear and Pitchfork, were all at the same time, but I walked down to 6^th St., saw the lines and turned the fuck around. Though all of the line-ups for these shows were incredible, I couldn’t bring myself to stand around for hours waiting to get in. Plus I was hungover as shit, so I just wanted to be in a nice cool place watching music.

I stated off by checking out the AAM party in hopes of seeing friends. Though I stood around looking like a dumb shit for about 40 minutes, friends were found. Though my body was telling me no, I still decided to try to drink a beer—bad idea! I nursed that shit for 20 minutes before giving up entirely.

Getting Business Done

Next door to us was the I Guess I’m Floating party at Lovejoys, which had an equally awesome line-up, so I and a buddy headed over. The venue had run out of the free Flying Dog, which was a bummer (full disclosure, I’m from Frederick, MD and Flying Dog is my jam!) but as we got in DC’s own Le Loup hit the stage. I haven’t seen the band in ages, and actually I didn’t really “see” them at Lovejoy’s either. For some reason the IGIF party was actually the “tallest people alive” party. Le Loup’s set was pretty awesome though, so aside from low visibility I was pretty impressed.

Though I wanted to try to actually see Javelin again, I noticed Japandroids were playing the Fader Fort, and who would pass up a chance to see one of the best live acts in recent memory? I’m so happy I took the trek to the Fort, because the band was in perfect form.

Singer/guitarist Brian King first stated it was going to be a “less talk, more rock” set, but they did end up blabbing a bunch, mostly about how they weren’t making their setlist up from the top of their heads. They started with an ear-bleeding rendition of “Heart Sweats” before saying, “Fuck the setlist, we’re going to play the song that got us here to SXSW,” “Young Hearts Spark Fires.” The crowd was the most sparse I’d seen all trip, but that didn’t stop everyone from singing along at the top of their lungs.

After a couple more jams—like previous song of the day, “Art Czars”—the band wrapped up with a once-rare live track, “Wet Hair.” “Wet Hair” is one of my favorite tracks off their debut Post-Nothing, but I had never seen it live because they said, “Oh, we don’t play that one.” I was super happy to see it in all of its glory.

After Japandroids I was going to stick around for the Drums, but a friend told me about a band she was hyped on playing at SideBar, the Generationals. For a band I had never heard they were pretty swell indie pop, so I am happy to have left the Fort.

Phone Charge Break W/ Bethany

After a quick phone-charging break, I was ready for my night activities: queer things!!!! Yes, although I hate gay bars, I decided fuck it—I’m gonna go to the Austin bars and “check out the scene.” I had been on Grindr all day trying to see what queer Austin had to offer, but that app is pretty stupid (it was my first time using it and it has been deleted, and btw it kept deleting my profile because I broke some rules- all bullshit!).

I hit up Oilcan Harry’s, which was one big gay stereotype. The only plus I can give it is the large outdoor patio where I could easy sneak a smoke before hitting the dancefloor, and hit the dancefloor I did. Only highlight was the Fred Falke remix of Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok.”

After the quick, gay side-quest I found myself at La Zona Rosa to see Alphabeat (which could still be considered pretty gay). This was the show I was most excited about, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ran late, causing Alphabeat to only play five songs, which after standing around for two hours was pretty lackluster. They did kick the shit out of those five songs, but I’d been waiting to see them forever, so it let me down. The rest of my night was a giant blur—and I want to get on with this—so thus concluded Friday.

Saturday:

I woke up all sorts of fucked but with the ambition to see more bands than I had seen prior. First stop though was food (see pic of grilled cheese that saved my life). After that I had to stop by my hotel mate’s DC Does TX Party at Lovejoys.

This saved my life

Typefighter (Picture by Valerie Paschall)

Again the free beer was gone (Ithink my friend drank them all…) but I did catch Typefighter. I had actually never heard of Typefighter and I was pleasantly surprised. The band stepped in for Title Tracks last minute and put on a pleasant set of indie pop gems. They played so hard the keyboardist dropped her keyboards, stating, “We’re metal like that.”

With my appearance completed I went to the Fader Fort to catch a shit-ton of bands and some of my favorite sets from SXSW. Let’s just break paragraph form and do a Fader roll call:

Dam-Funk: HOLY SHIT. This guy is on it. If you like funk, you need to be up on this dude. He not only sings and DJs, but he also plays a motherfucking KEYTAR! He is the truth, and while he was only supposed to play a 25-minute set, he blazed another 15 minutes of pure funk, even re-doing a song because the sound was off. He also had the best banter of all SXSW.

Dam Funk Photo By Chris Deville (Columbus Alive) http://blog.columbusalive.com/sensory/

Salem: So I mentioned this band yesterday. Let’s first state that they are a trio, but for some reason there was another girl on stage with them who looked completely fucked-up. To quote the guy next to me, “I am going to call 911—someone in that band is going to die today.” They started with the aforementioned rap tracks, with the “drummer” even growling out a “SAAALEEEM” only to chuckles from the crowd. After two more songs the audience felt it less, and booed so much the band left the stage. It was a total bummer set.

watch the terror here:

Dum Dum Girls: Best way to describe Dum Dum Girls is sexy. They wear almost matching thrift-store outfits and ripped tights, but goddamn did I pop a boner for them. They started with a slow number, but eventually led into a rousing set perfect for cleaning up the mess Salem left. The songs actually sounded as if they came off the record, which is a feat because the their new record, I Will Be is pretty fuzzed-out. The added reverb plus the gorgeous backing vocals made these mid/lo-fi 60s-Girl-Group-inspired gems shine.

Chico Mann: If I had to pick the biggest surprise of all of SXSW it would be Chico Mann. I didn’t know who they were, and with a dying phone I couldn’t really check and see what I was in for, but the three-man set up (research tells me they used to be a five-piece) made up of a percussionist, a DJ/sound mixer dude, and a vocalist/keyboardist knew how to throw a party and turn the Fort into a dance frenzy. I usually get somewhat uncomfortable when I have to see bands live who I’ve never heard their music, but Chico Mann put on one of the most energetic sets I’ve seen in a while.

Washed Out (w/Small Black): Ernest Greene has come a long way since first making the wheel of hype with the still awesome “Feel It All Around.” His Fader set proved that he can hang with the big boys too. Opening the show alone with a couple of new tracks, he then invited his now backing-band Small Black to run through almost all of his Life of Leisure EP including the ending jam “Feel It All Around.” The full band added an extra layer of oomph to already great songs, and I hope this collaboration turns into a full-length.

Real Estate: Three words. Shit tight live.

Yelawolf: So I had no idea who the fuck this dude was and well, I don’t know what to think. He’s a white rapper from Alabama who raps about meth labs and being “in the basement mixing up the medicine.” For an unsigned, relatively unknown rapper he sure does put on one hell of a crowd-pleasing performance, but somehow it didn’t hit me how much I could dig it until I got home and listened to him. The highlight was when Yelawolf threw all of the free artists jeans and shoes into the crowd, I’m sure someone got decked by the shoes. (note: since returning home I’ve been banging this mix-tape, and it is pretty dope)

Sleigh Bells Photo By Chris Deville (Columbus Alive) http://blog.columbusalive.com/sensory/

Sleigh Bells: I LOVE THIS BAND EVEN MORE THAN I LOVED THEM BEFORE. IF I HAD TO PICK A BAND TO BE EXCITED ABOUT, IT WOULD BE SLEIGH BELLS. I WAITED ALL DAY IN THAT FREEZING FUCKING TENT SO I COULD THROW DOWN TO THE BELLS, AND FUCK YEAH I DID. I THREW MY HANDS IN THE AIR FLAILED MY BODY AROUND SCREAMED AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS AND LET IT ALL GO!

Their set ran through “classics” “Infinity Guitars,” “A/B Machines,” “Holly” plus a couple new jams that were pretty hot. They ended, of course, with “Crown on the Ground,” completely tearing up the stage. I moved so much that a circle formed around me, cause I was the only one going nuts. If I was around you at the Fader Fort during this show, fuck you, y’alls morons.

Phew…

After Fader I went to Red 7 and got there just in time to see Fergus and Geronimo play a swell set of lo-fi love songs. I think I either missed my favorite song, “Tell It In My Ear,” or they just didn’t play it. Outside of Red 7 (and technically a separate venue, at least to the club) was the Fucked Up and Friends showcase, which also happens to be where this long rambly mess ends. What better way to end a concert experience than with Titus Andronicus?

Titus took the stage in a new line-up but ever so ferocious. They ran through only three (maybe four if you count the roll-call during “Titus Andronicus Forever” at the end) tracks off their fantastic The Monitor. They opened with “A More Perfect Union,” then they said they needed to slow it down, because they had to play a show right after their Red 7 show, so they played “Four Score and Seven.” Their set ended with the nearly 15-minute “The Battle of Hampton Roads.” Lots of screaming and body moving was had, but nothing to the excess of Sleigh Bells. I asked a buddy who works at their label if they were playing a different set at their next show. He didn’t know, so I figured I would take just one and run to some dance parties thrown by a couple friends of mine.

One added highlight before I shut this down: I met Toronto’s Diamond Rings, who DJed a party thrown by GROOP at the Sidebar (word up Candice!) and you should get to know him, cause his shit rules. If you guys want more coverage or any other details feel free to hit me up, but until next year!

Diamond Rings @ Gay Bi Gay Gay (Picture by Valerie Paschall)

(I went to a thing called Gay Bi Gay Gay on Sunday but I am going to leave that for another post…)

First off, I must comment my column’s title proved accurate, as in Austin I went (bar/club) driveway to (bar/club) driveway in all states of drunk. If there was free booze, or drink tickets, I hit it up. That is one of the best parts of large music conferences, other than seeing music and reconnecting with buddies/making new contacts. What SXSW has over other music conferences is the addition of free food, but scoring free food takes luck, as once the tweet goes out the food is gone. Case in point: the pizza at the fabulous Austinist party Wednesday afternoon. Though the first round of pizza was destroyed, twenty-five more pizzas came right on time.

So for all of those who want to know, my adventures are presented here as a day-by-day recap. Things got a little long, so from today and tomorrow there will be a new post from me ’til you are sick of reading about how much fun I had.

(This time I took a couple pictures with my shitty iPhone, so if the quality bothers you, please check other people’s more comprehensive coverage to see what these bands look like live, or if they hit your town go see them for yourself…)

Thursday:

In an attempt to seize upon the aforementioned free food, I first hit up the SESAC brunch at the Driskil Hotel. It was a pretty swanky event with free drinks, and a breakfast burrito station, as well as every pastry you can imagine. Though no bands played, I did catch a lazy “DJ” set from Pictureplane and made lots of new contacts.

I must say it was a mistake to have not gotten business cards and to have forgotten TNG pins at home, because it would make conversation easier. Though thanks to our songs being hosted on Hype Machine, as well as the infamous Stephen Merritt interview, people actually knew the site and some knew who I was—score! Side note about meeting people: in almost every case I met a new friend or contact, we had at least a ten-minute conversation before names were ever exchanged. Weird as it may sound it just kept happening.

Next was hitting up my good friends at Flamingo Cantina for the Team Clermont/MBV Showcase. I was a little sad about missing the majority of former-song-of-the-day-band Venice is Sinking’s set, but I came right in time to see my favorite song off last year’s slept on Azar, “Ryan’s Song.” The band launched into “Okay” after before doing a very weird cover of the Black Eyed Pea’s “I Got a Feeling.”

Seafood Dinner!

TNG favorite Jeremy Jay turned in a fun set after VIS, but I must be honest and say I spent most of the set talking to friends and smoking cigarettes. Shout out to the entire Team Clermont family—though we only see each other once a year you will always be great friends in my heart.

I then hit up a “German Techno Party” in an attempt to see Matias Aguayo spin a set of sweet minimal goodness. I got there a little late, but DJ Heidi was spinning great tunes, perfect for the warm almost spring day on the balcony of Wunderbar.

I then got dragged by a random girl to the Pure Volume house to see the most godawful emo band, Downtown Fiction. I don’t know what was worse, though: their music, the fact that they are from Fairfax, VA, or that the party was DRY! How am I supposed to stand really whiny music without a nice cold beer in my hand?

The emo kept coming, however, as I followed the same girl to the Alternative Press cocktail party. All I can say is there was a lot of hair going on in there. If I only had a hand-held piercer and hair straigtener I would’ve fit in with a bunch of emo dudes. The event can be summed up by a Rapture lyric, “a party ain’t great ’cause the booze is free.”

I left AP as quickly as I could to go check out the haps at the Fader Fort. On the way I found an old friend in need of dinner, so after a quick meal I attempted to get to Fader, but I was too late. Fucked Up were just about done with their set, so I watched for a couple minutes from outside the fence. I sent a shout-out to see where my friends were at and lo and behold a friend was heading to Cheer Up Charlie’s, just a short walk from where I was to see Hunx and His Punx.

AP Party Photo: Dan Boczarski

Part of my SXSW journey was to find queers and queer bands, so Hunx definitely was on my list. I made it to Cheer Up Charlie’s just in time to see Rainbow Bridge finish their last song, the blog hit and only song I know by them, “Big Wave Rider.”  Cheer Up Charlie’s had the best set up I had seen at any SXSW show, as the two stages back to back enabled the outdoor makeshift venue to allowed bands to play almost immediately after one another. I caught a bit of Tamaryn on the second stage but they really couldn’t keep my attention. It was a little darker, but not too engaging. The singer sure did look sexy though.

The show was running off time (go figure) and I needed to get to Mohawk to see jj, so I caught up with my friend and then headed across town. Walking up to Mohawk I ran into a ridiculous line that stretched along the block. This was due in part that the headliners were none other than The xx, plus the bill included jj, Holy Fuck, and GZA (random, right?). As I got into the line it was announced that I was actually in a pay line, so I got to ditch the almost two-block queue to enter a three-person badge/wristband line—thanks TNG! The one-third queer band Salem were the first to go on, and the show was one for the record books.

jj actually playing instruments

I am going to start off by stating that I do own their first EP, Yes, I Smoke Crack, and I have their Water EP. I knew it was darkwave, and that it would be a hard translation into live music. How hard it would be I had no idea. The set was not the worst thing I saw all fest (keep reading because this all will come up again).

Salem failed at getting audience approval, as their grimy heroin-soaked rhythms did nothing to The xx crowd. I was feeling it at first, but then the “drummer” started to rap. Again, I own some of their stuff, but where the rapping “it’s all blurred out, bitch, I can’t see shit” came from, no one knows.

jj took the stage shortly after Salem with the most uncomplicated stage set-up I’ve ever seen. The once anonymous duo showed their faces with singer Elin Kastlander sitting in a chair playing two songs on her acoustic guitar before her partner in crime Joakim Benon hit play on a backing track while puffing what looked like a joint. The backing track played as Kastlander made her way singing through their awesome catalog. Benon wander in the back before disappearing all together. I loved the set, as they “played” all my jams, but the crowd seemed less impressed. After following a lackluster (and maybe terrible by most people’s tastes) Salem, jj had to impress.

The energy was revived in the room the minute Holy Fuck hit the stage. I only stuck it out for four songs, which in hindsight was probably a bad idea, as those four tracks, off their upcoming record, were incredible party jams. Holy Fuck are always incredible live, but after hearing their new tracks, they may be a dark horse for record of the year.

Gotta Catch Em All!

I took a bike cab to check out Marina and the Diamonds, a show that was the hardest one I had to get into all fest. Perez Hilton was denied from the show and he said it himself, “She’s playing my party!” We ended up sneaking upstairs by a back unmanned entrance, and while we thought we were in the clear someone spotted us upstairs and only let us stay because we had credential—whoo.

The place was packed out with the most queers I had seen thus far. I didn’t even have to use the twitter hash tag #sxswhomo to find them! Marina’s band took forever to set up, and Marina herself was a diva, appearing onstage through the crowd causing security to clear a path for her. She appeared in a yellow animal cover cardigan that made her look like an overgrown Picachu, but it was all downhill from there.

I like her songs, but live they didn’t hit the highs I thought they would. Perez enjoyed himself, as he was behind me screaming stupid shit to her like, “My vagina is moist right now!”—no bullshit. Though it wasn’t up to my par, as I had just had the time of my life seeing Holy Fuck and jj, it was a passable pop show.

Feeling ready for bed, I left Marina to catch a shuttle to my place. Thus concludes part one (but actually two) of my SXSW adventure. Stay tuned tomorrow for another installment.

This is a fairly short piece just to let you all know next week I’m going to be in Austin, TX for SXSW – or South by South West (and fuck yeah I’m bragging). Even though I have been writing about music for a while, I have never been to SXSW. To document this inaugural trip, I will be posting daily (Saturday and Sunday too) updates from the festival. I will also be on Twitter (@rorawks), so if you are in Austin and want to “send me a Twitpic saying come and get this, LOL : – ),” hit me up. Don’t worry—even though I won’t be in DC, you will still have songs of the day and Roundups.

So as a preview to my probably drunken journey, here are the top three things I want to do at SXSW this year.

1. See these bands: jj, Sleigh Bells, Surf City, Best Coast

I have made no secret of the fact that I adore these bands, and I am very lucky as all four bands are playing multiple times throughout the festival, so it shouldn’t be hard to get this done. Sure I want to see other bands, but these four have been ruling my life for a while, and I’ve never seen them (gasp!).

2. Run into at least three celebrities

Zack isn’t the only star-whore(or fucker if you choose) here at TNG. While I would probably not accost a celebrity for pictures or whatnot, I still would like to be at a show and be like, “damn, isn’t that Natalie Portman?”

3. See all of my friends

I don’t get to see my promoter and writer friends very often, because everyone is so spread out. These music conferences are perfect opportunities to catch up with buddies who unfortunately have become just profiles on Facebook or G-chat buddies.

If you have any recommendations for me, send them my way, otherwise in a week I’ll be off.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is the soundtrack. Nobuo Uematsu’s soundtracks are wide and expansive, and though the songs are played over and over throughout the game, they are rarely repetitive. Though it is mostly background music, some of the songs are strong enough to take the main stage.

I am very excited to see two of my loves coming together.  Team Teamwork have taken FFVII tracks and mixed them with rap songs to create Vinyl Fantasy 7- and it is fucking fantastic!

Those familiar with the game should immediately recognize their picks. Tracks like “Barrett’s Theme” gain new life with tracks like MF Doom’s “Ante Up” on top. I know this kind of thing has been done before, but not to this level of expertise.

Check out this stream of the record:

Download the record here. It is on a pay-what-you-feel plan.

For Nintendo fans Team Teamwork also made a mix entitled The Ocarina of Rhyme mixing tracks from Zelda: Ocarina of Time with rap:

Listening to Watch Me Fall now is eerie, not only because the songs deal with loneliness and death, but because they do so in an upbeat almost “funny ha-ha” way.  No matter what people had to say about Reatard, a quote from David Malitz, Washington Post Click Track Blogger, sums it up “Jay Reatard wanted you to think he was a son of a bitch, but he wasn’t. Just a good dude who wrote awesome songs.  Tons of ‘em.  Later man.”

In remembrance enjoy this interview I conducted in the Summer before the release of Watch Me Fall. There is more to the interview than what was posted, but after listening back to the tape, I felt no need to add anything to this piece. R.I.P Jay – you’ll be missed.

Enjoy this extra special song of the day as well, Here is one of my favorite of Jay’s songs “Hammer I Miss You”.

Right click to download “Hammer I Miss You.”

I recently spoke with Jay about his wonderful new record Watch Me Fall (out now, go cop that). Along with the interview I’ve included a selected discography for those who may be new to his work, an embed of his short documentary, Waiting for Something, and a playlist spanning his massive body of work.

Jay Reatard (born Jimmy Lee Lindsey) has been making music since 1995. First with the Reatards, then with The Lost Sounds, and so many other projects it’ll make Bob Pollard’s head spin. In 2006, Jay released his first “solo” record Blood Visions on label, In the Red. It’s been all whirlwind heat from there; Jay has played 300+ shows, released a singles comp on In the Red, signed to Matador, and released a series of 7” (compiled on another singles comp).  Jay also has his own label, Shattered Records, which just started a subscription series (all details here).

Last week Watch Me Fall, Jay’s second solo record, was released on Matador, and this fall he is setting out on a Shattered Records tour. DC fans can catch him in B-more on October 3^rd with an amazing line up, including ex-Gravy Train, Hunx and His Punx, Omaha’s Box Elders, and the thoroughly insane Nobunny. All in all, Jay Reatard is a busy dude.

Interview:

TNG: What is the difference between making a single versus making a record? I read that this record is the first record you made knowing it was going to be on a label.

Jay Reatard: When you’re creating something with no expectations, it’s a little easier to not overthink yourself. When I was making Blood Visions, I didn’t even know I was making a solo record. This was the first time I made an album knowing it was going to be a solo record. Blood Visions started off as demos for a previous band I was in [The Lost Sounds]. I kinda got a lukewarm reaction to some of the new songs. With this record, I had to make sure it was the record I wanted to make, because I am gonna be playing these songs live for the next year or so, and my name is gonna be on it.

TNG: The Lost Sounds had lots of synthesizer, while Blood Visions was pretty spare. With Watch Me Fall there is a return of instrumentation. Why did you decide to add to the formula?

JR: When [The Lost Sounds] broke up I was just sick of instrumentation. I just wanted to have bass, drum, guitar, and voice. After playing 300 shows with that lineup for the past three years, I decided it might be a good idea, or a little more dynamic, while making a full-length record as opposed to singles, to put a few bells and whistles here. I didn’t go overboard. At first, I decided on the idea of making this kind of orchestral garage album – something really simple, but garage sounding. I made a couple songs that way but then scratched them. I took off a lot of the instruments. They ended up on the record but I stripped away a ton of the instrumentation.

TNG: I also read that this record was going to be more “twee” inspired, but was unsure if you were just fucking with people or if you were really going for it?

JR: I guess I’d be lying if [I didn’t say] that whole thing was me more of just being slightly manipulative with press stuff. Just trying to fuck with what people’s expectations of what the record was going to be. I don’t really necessarily feel that that was the direction I even planned on going. It was just something that just popped up in the mouth to try to see if people would actually believe it. But then somewhere along the line some of the songs ended up sounding much softer than I had planned on them sounding.

Yeah, twee…I don’t even know what that means. I guess when I think of that, I think of Belle & Sebastian, things along those lines. I think it was me just kind of playing on what people would expect when you’re signed to what they consider more of an indie rock label versus a punk label—that you’re going to go soft. So it was just toying with peoples’ expectations a bit.

TNG: You are currently signed to Matador, a label with such rich history. What decisions went into signing with Matador? Were they any Matador bands that you loved so much, you just had to be part of the label too?

JR: In the mid-’90s, I was into Pavement, like a lot of 15-year-olds. I liked the Blues Explosion a lot in the early ’90s when I was younger. There were quite a few things that I liked on the label. But honestly, what really turned me to their label was just the way they ran it. I really like the balance of what they consider, having this kind of professional environment that is still really about music and about having fun. A good balance of half being on your friend’s indie label, and being on a real label [whose] goal is to really sell records.

TNG: What music are you big on right now? I know that when you record you don’t really listen to music, but is there anything that you are feeling at the moment?

JR: I’ve actually been listening to a lot of gangsta rap from the 1990s.

TNG: Oh, really!

JR: Like Project Pat, I’m really feeling that record. I dunno, I went through this huge phase of getting really burned out on punk rock, probably like 10 years ago, and I started listening to like really extreme stuff, like this gangsta rap stuff and black metal. Sometimes it’s really good for me to listen to something that doesn’t even sound like something remotely I would want to attempt musically.

TNG: You wouldn’t want to make a gangsta rap album?

JR: [Laughs] I don’t think so. I don’t think I have cred for that. I don’t know if I’m interested in coming off that ironic. As far as rock bands lately, closer to what I’m playing, I’ve been jamming the Box Elders record lately. I guess I always go back to listening to the same staples. I could be happy to sit and listen to the same five Flying Nun records, Henry Rollins, The Wipers and Devo for the rest of my life. Just listen to 10 records for the rest of my life.

TNG: You’ve been making music since ’98, in the pre-digital age. What major changes do you see with releasing records back then to now. How has that changed the way you make and distribute music? Are you worried about leaks? In essence, do you feel the Internet is a good thing or a bad thing?

JR: Well, you know, it’s both. Just like anything else, like a weapon, or any other sort of technology or anything of those sorts, its all about who’s using them. So for a lot of people, the accessibility of anything they can Google; they don’t really handle it well. They end up getting lost. They lose an identity. I think sometimes when you discover things that take a little time, or a little bit of effort, you kind of, once you get into them, get attached and very proud. Like, “This is what I’m into, this is what I am.”

I think when you can go onto the next thing so quickly, I don’t know if it is like some sort of weird postmodernist thing where your identity is what you consume. But when you’re consuming everything at such a fast rate, who the fuck are you? I kind of think that’s a really negative thing. The positive thing is, well, like for a band, like the band I’m in, it really helps when we go on tour. We’re reaching a lot more people than if we were, say, from 1985, and we were trying to do things like Black Flag and do a tour of VFW halls. I dunno, I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing. I think that digital technology coming into the process of making music is bullshit as well. It’s opened me up to a lot of larger scale ideas I couldn’t normally do at home…but on the other hand, if being an artist is defined by the decisions you make, and you are allowed to, say, do infinite undos on your songs, then what’s artistic about that? You aren’t making any decisions.

TNG: While still on the Internet, you have a Twitter account that has recently come under fire for a couple of posts, one about Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and the M83 tweet. You have said before that the press has gotten you wrong, as they peg you for a drug addict, or an alcoholic, and even a dick. What is your take on the issue?

JR: (Laughs) You know, man, the funny thing is, I don’t really like that M83 band, they’re pretty lousy. They probably don’t like what I do either. That’s fair enough, everyone’s allowed to do what they want to do. The funny thing about the Pains of Being Pure at Heart thing is I own their album [laughs]. So it’s like people take themselves too seriously. Half the time I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t on purpose, but it’s fun to get a rise out of people sometimes. You shouldn’t take things you read on the Internet too seriously, especially when it’s somebody drunk at 4 in the morning on their cell phone if it took them to a stupid fucking website called Twitter. How seriously can you take that?

I mean like, Twitter is like the diary of the brain; it’s too easy to connect to. It goes straight to my website. So its like, yeah okay, I felt like putting something on the website today, so let me just write something that could be really meaningful or completely dumb. But I think that Twitter’s role is not meant to be serious at all. Anyone that’s going to do something serious with it is pretentious. It’s meant to be completely stupid. I don’t even think, you know, when I type things on there, it doesn’t even cross my brain that, “Oh man, I could get some kind of attention or press out of this.” The last thing I thought was Pitchfork would toss it up and try to make some sort of fake controversy out of it. I have no problem with [Pains of Being Pure at Heart] at all. Actually, I think that their songs sound quite nice.

TNG: I don’t understand why people don’t realize that you have a sense of humor. I mean, your name is Jay “Reatard.”

JR: Yeah, I don’t understand. I did, when I was younger, create some sort of reputation that I guess I always used to say, “It takes one day to create a reputation, and ten years to live it down.” I’ve never been allowed to be taken very lightly. It seems like everything I say is taken [at] face value. How serious can I really be about putting a picture, on the only picture disc I’ve ever done, of me with BBQ sauce on my face, and a picture of my ass with coke on it? I’m just being sarcastic about it. I mean, people are saying, “Oh I’m a drug addict.” Okay, I guess I’ll reinforce that by putting an eight-ball of cocaine on a picture disc. I tend to get lost on those people.

TNG: You play so many shows a year, mostly in clubs. Lately you have been playing bigger festivals both here in the U.S. and overseas. How has it been playing festivals versus playing clubs?

JR: I find that sometimes with larger crowds there are two ways to draw them in: one way is to antagonize them, extra, and one is to play into what they want, like: “Hey guys, you having a good time?” I tend to option for the former. I feel as long as you can still stimulate people, especially when you’re opening up for another band, it works to your advantage. They’re not gonna remember you most of the time if you’re just being boring. I feel as though I have a healthy amount of a bit of some sort of spite, or a bit of aggression towards audiences. I don’t know…I think America’s a really fucked up place now, and people need to enjoy that, it draws them. I don’t know if I enjoy larger audiences. But we’re still playing to 600 people or less (in clubs).

TNG: How has Watch Me Fall influenced your live set? Since it has a more dynamic range of instrumentation, does it mean bringing out more guys to play it, or stripping the sound so everything flows?

JR: Well, on this [next record store] tour, the plan is: I hired an extra guy to play all the acoustic parts. On almost every song, the only theme that ties them all together and keeps them in common is always the really loud distorted guitar, and a completely clean acoustic guitar doing all the rhythm. I’ve kind of been missing that sound; not having that much more staccato rhythmic feel of the acoustic. For these record store shows, we’re doing 12 shows only in record stores, so I don’t think it would be really beneficial to approach it like it would be in a bar. The reason I approach it like that in a bar, is because when I go see a band at a bar [I] kind of rock out and have this experience. But at six in the afternoon, at Amoeba, I’m not sure if we’re gonna approach it that way, so we’re bringing an extra guy along to help me sing harmony, play some acoustic guitar.

TNG: Because you are out on the road so many days out of the year, what is your diet like? Do you have any favorite fast food chains, or do you try not to eat junk?

JR: We try not to eat fast food much anymore. It kinda got bad for a while, to where when we weren’t financially making ends meet so well, and things were just starting off for this band, we definitely survived on a diet of Taco Bell and Taco Bell. At this point we pretty much eat at Whole Foods every day for lunch, and then eat at the venue. The only things we ask for them to have for us [are]: hummus, raw vegetables, raw fruit, and juice. That’s about it. We’re pretty un-rock-&-roll in that sense. But if I had to pick, it would be In ’N Out Burger, a Double Double with an order of fries—that would probably be my favorite fast food meal.

TNG: Wrapping up, now that you have a higher profile have you had any odd experiences of being recognized on the street?

JR: [Laughs] In New York or L.A. that’s happened. It’s kinda weird. I was just walking randomly in New York, on vacation, down the street and this guy just came walking down the street. The guy had a single of mine he had just bought at this record store. Not if I’m just walking through some neighborhood, no [I don’t get recognized], but if I’m walking close enough to an independent record store, or something of that sort, that stuff occasionally happens. That’s just because there’s this concentration of people that might be into the stuff that I’m creating, otherwise not really.

I don’t think I’ll be seen in some shopping mall. Actually, it makes me really happy. I brought my little sister shopping at a mall the other day, and more than once I got laughed at based on my appearance. It kind of makes me feel really good. I think those kind of moments—I spend the majority of time in bars around people that like what I do—humbling experiences like a 12-year-old kid saying that you’re ugly, those things are important in life.

Jay Reatard, A Selected Discography:

The Reatards – Grown Up Fucked Up (1999): This is the second full-length of The Reatards. Originally started by just Jay, the Reatards is rounded out by Steve Albundy (bass) and Elvis Wong (drums). Grown Up Fucked Up, is a loud, shouty punk record. Jay’s voice is much rougher than on his later projects. Listening to this record, you can tell that everyone is having a good time, despite the anger and bitterness in the lyrics.

Lost Sounds – Lost Sounds (2004): The Lost Sounds is Jay’s band with Alicja Trout. Starting after the demise of the Reatards, the Lost Sounds lasted from 2001-2005. In that time they managed to push out four releases, this being the last. Most of the songs on this record resemble Blood Visions if it had buzzing synthesizers on it. This is the closest Jay get to a punk rock dance party.

Jay Reatard – Blood Visions (2006): Described earlier in the interview, Blood Visions is Jay’s first solo record. In some ways it sounds like where the Lost Sounds would have gone without synth, which is no coincidence because it started off as Lost Sounds demos. The lyrics are once again dark (see “It’s So Easy”), but the music is fun as hell. Even though it may be the end of the world, put a smile on your face.

Jay Reatard – Singles 06-07 (2008): The first singles record compiles the In the Red material Jay recorded a little before and after Blood Visions. Some of Jay’s best songs are compiled here, such as the highly addictive “Hammer I Miss You.” It also contains a few retakes/demos of Blood Visions tracks.

Jay Reatard – Matador Singles ’08 (2008): In 2008 Jay Reatard singed to Matador, and released a series of 7”s that were be compiled to CD. The compilation works as a road map of Jay’s solo output. The songs are more dynamic, while still staying true to style. This collection contains the essential cover of Deerhunter’s “Fluorescent Grey,” as well as the jams “See Saw” and “Always Wanting More.”

Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall (2009): Released just a week ago, this record expands Jay’s basic guitar, bass, drum formula of Blood Visions, adding other sounds, and more acoustic guitar. Watch Me Fall displays an artist who started as just another angry young punk and has honed his sound into a blend of both kiwi and punk, making music that is cheery in melody, but still nihilistic in lyrical content. (First single: “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me.”)

Watch the Waiting for Something Documentary:
Waiting For Something – a short documentary about Jay Reatard

Listen to samples from Jay’s Discography:

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This list doesn’t even cover the records planned for this year. So here is the set-up, I have selected the records I am most excited for from each day—records come out on Tuesday if you didn’t know—and included a brief synopsis of each.  If I missed anything major, leave it in the comments.

January

01-19-2010

Lindstrøm & Christabelle: Real Life Is No Cool – Lindstrøm and singer Solale make a modern disco record with shaky results. If you were a fan of Lindstrøm’s last record, this may not be the best choice for you.

Spoon: Transference – All I can say about this record is fuck yeah!  [Fuck yeah! It rocks!!–GBV Matt]

Surfer Blood: Astro Coast – Hot shit Florida band makes a debut that is far better than it need be. Surfer Blood exists in the straight-up indie rock spectrum, not really reinventing the wheel, but making damn fine music.

01-26-2010

AFCGT: AFCGT – Combination A Frames and Climax Golden Twins, should be sweet!

Beach House: Teen Dream – Baltimore’s finest continue their dreamy evolution.

Four Tet: There Is Love in You – First new Four Tet record in five years and if it is anything like the single “Love Cry” it is gonna be amazing.

Fucked Up: Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2008 – Singles collection rounding up everything before and a little after 2008’s moving Chemistry of Common Life.

Los Campesinos!: Romance Is Boring – Dark, Loud, and Snotty is the most accurate way to describe this fantastic new collection of tracks from one of indie rock’s finest bands. Don’t sleep on this!

The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future from Los Campesinos! on Vimeo.

The Magnetic Fields: Realism – A little less distortion, and an even uglier album cover, the latest sonic experiment from indie rock’s #1 queer curmudgeon Stephen Merritt is supposedly a folk album.

February

02-02-2010

The Soft Pack: The Soft Pack – Formerly the Muslims, the band go from one bad name to another, but manage to make a debut full of swinging fun garage rock.

Toro Y Moi: Causers of This – Chillwave will never die! Another dude from South Carolina, and another record of dreamy haze released in the fucking cold of February. Who times this shit?

Toro Y Moi- Talamak from bryan bush on Vimeo.

U.S. Girls: Going Grey – One woman band that is like the Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls playing with knifes and automatic weapons. This shit is for real, and it will hopefully give you nightmares.

02-09-2010

Hot Chip: One Life Stand – More like Hot Shit! Could this be it? From the two already released tracks, this could be the album Hot Chip fans have been waiting on, but lord only knows it takes one ballad to fuck it up.

Hunx and His Punx: Gay Singles – Look at the the cover. ’Nuff said.

Pantha du Prince: Black Noise – Electronic wunderkinds’ third record and first for Rough Trade is an enjoyable late night record, and as an added bonus everyone’s favorite Panda Bear—not Tian Tian—Noah Lennox drops a verse.

Yeasayer: Odd Blood – “Ambling Alp” is a great track, aside from all the motivate-your-life crap. This could be amazing, but it could fall flat on its ass on side 2. (Video below is NSFW!!!!!!!)

Yeasayer – Ambling Alp from Spy Films on Vimeo.

02-16-2010

Everybody Was in the French Resistance…Now!: Fixin‘ the Charts, Volume One – This is a hell of a lot of fun because it comes from Art Brut’s Eddie Argos. Not as aggressive as Art Brut, but still every bit as smart.

Field Music: Measure – Anyone craving intricately arranged indie rock that is not from Austin, TX should look to the newly re-formed Field Music. Measure is almost perfect, a double record that just floats by. You’ll find a new favorite song with each listen.

Robert Pollard: We All Got Out of the Army – With this record, Pollard completes a service branch trifecta with Not In My Airforce, Kid Marine, and We All Got Out Of The Army. A Navy-themed record can’t be far off. They say We All Got Out of the Army is like the best of Bob’s solo work mixed with the best work GBV did on their second stint with Matador, mixed with punk rock. Crucial track: “On Top of the Vertigo.” Didja? Fuck yep!

02-23-2010
Free Energy: Stuck on Nothing – Power pop from DFA? Ex-Hockey Night make good on their earlier EP. Hopefully it is full of fun rock tunes suitable for BBQs and small rock clubs.

Free Energy – Free Energy from DFA Records on Vimeo.

Shout Out Louds: Work – Highly underrated Swedish band may finally get their due. Known for hooks and style, Work could be their best yet.

Shout Out Louds – Fall Hard from Merge Records on Vimeo.

The Strange Boys: Be Brave – These dudes kill it. Nuggets garage rock with enough dirt thrown in. This is the sound of 1970 and 2010, all in one.

March

03-02-2010

The Ruby Suns: Fight Softly – Remember 2007 when the whole “world music” inspired thing was taking place? Remember that Panda Bear record? Well New Zealand rockers, the Ruby Suns do, and they aren’t simply aping it anymore but adding to the canon of indie by way of the world.

Usher: Raymond v. Raymond – Post divorce, Usher is trying to hold on to what little career he has left. This could be another Confessions, or at best a even more watered down Here I Stand.

These New Puritans: Hidden – See the Spoon comment, and put it into all caps.

03-09-2010
Broken Bells: Broken Bells – Danger Mouse and James Mercer (The Shins) make a record. Eh…

Frightened Rabbit: The Winter of Mixed Drinks – If Frightened Rabbit had a censor I would never listen to them. Their tales of drinking, screwing and relationships are some of the best.

jj: jj no 3 – Multiply the Spoon comment from above and insert here. Their last record was amazing, and this one should be too. Now all we need to know is: who are they?

Liars: Sisterworld – Another record for your nightmares. The Liars mean business, and lord knows if they are serious or pulling a fast one. Either way Sisterworld is remarkable.

Miles Kurosky: The Desert of Shallow Effects – Ex-Beulah frontman finally gets around to the whole solo thing. It is sure not to disappoint.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: The Brutalist Bricks – From the preview track, Ted Leo’s Matador debut seems to be a comfortable spot, but I’m sure the record is going to be full of surprises and sonic exploration.

Titus Andronicus: The Monitor – A record about the Civil War chock full of special guests from one of New Jersey’s best bands. If anyone can make a punk-rock album about battle, it’d be them.

03-23-2010

Goldfrapp: Head First – They say they are over the whole in-the-forest-with-trees thing, so this might be slick electro-pop, post-disco, or maybe a straight-up indie-pop twee record. The jury’s still out.

Jónsi Birgisson: Go – Sigur Ros’s frontman has been all over, collaborating and doing everything but making another Sigur Ros record. So it is no surprise that he has a solo record coming out. If it sounds like his old band, well, it can’t be terrible.

She & Him: Volume Two – Volume One was great, so Matt Ward and Zooey Deschanel’s second outing should be sure to please.

03-30-2010

Dum Dum Girls: I Will Be – It took some time, but after the promise of early EPs and singles, Dum Dum Girls are ready for the spotlight. Getting Richard Gottehrer, known for writing “My Boy Friend’s Back,” behind the decks makes this punky girl-group record even sweeter.

5.  Japandroids – Post Nothing

Japandroids – Rockers East Vancouver from Mark Hegge on Vimeo.

Japandroids – Young Hearts Spark Fire from Mark Hegge on Vimeo.

Japandroids – The Boys Are Leaving Town from Mark Hegge on Vimeo.

4. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers

3. Future of the Left – Travels With With Myself and Others

Future of the Left – The Hope That House Built from casey raymond on Vimeo.

2. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

1.  The-Dream – Love Vs Money

The Dream – Rockin That Thang from Nashima on Vimeo.

THE DREAM “Walking On The Moon” from INKFLOMASTERZ on Vimeo.

10. Boston Spaceships – The Planets Are Blasted / Zero to 99

“Well, it’s really cold outside. What do you say we warm up with some really hot rock?”

No other band this year released two records of purely enjoyable tunes. While not companion pieces to each other, both records are amazing reminders of the greatness of Mr. Bob Pollard. Sure, some of these songs aren’t necessarily new. Truthfully, as my buddy GBV Matt keeps discovering many of these are refried (not even re-recorded) versions of tracks off GBV’s Suitcase series. As most GBV fans can attest, the Suitcases are a daunting listen, so it is nice that some of the tracks can live a new life. The best part about Boston Spaceships is that it is so much like Guided By Voices.

If I had to pick a better of the two, The Planets Are Blasted is more epic. But if TPAB is the sweaty sex, then Zero to 99 is like the beer and smoke afterwards.

BOSTON SPACESHIPS HOW WRONG YOU ARE from boston spaceships on Vimeo.

Boston Spaceships – “Let It Rest for a Little While” from Mog Dotcom on Vimeo.

9. St. Vincent – Actor / Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

Three cheers for girl power. Both Annie Clark and Karen O. can be ferocious (“Marrow,” “Heads Will Roll”) and gentle (“The Party,” “Skeletons”) without even blinking an eye. While stylistically the records are a little different, both have something unheard of for most albums: a four-song sweep! The first four tracks on each record are like a marathon of great tracks.

Actor is full of memorable tunes that are sultry and sexy, as much as they are chilling tales or things gone wrong. St. Vincent is as much a contradiction as the ones outlined in standout track, “Actor Out of Work.” That song, while poppy as hell, is pretty heartbreaking.

St. Vincent “Actor Out of Work” from Logan Hefflefinger on Vimeo.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs proved with their last record, Show Your Bones, that they weren’t ones to confine themselves to a particular style. Ditching the angsty energy for more acoustic guitars, they had a real grower on their hands. But It’s Blitz raised the bar for what this band can do. Changing up again to include synths, the band spilt the difference between the twitchy rock of their debut and the melodic, softer tunes of Show Your Bones while adding some disco sheen.

YEAH YEAH YEAHS – Heads Will Roll from Framestore design on Vimeo.

8. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

“My Girls,” “Summertime Clothes,” “Brothersport”—’nuff said.

Animal Collective “My Girls” from Chad von Nau on Vimeo.

7. The xx – XX

XX is one of the most repeatable records of the year—so much so, it should’ve been named Repeater (too bad Fugazi already took that). Sure, their tricks are all given away during “Intro,” but then comes “VCR”—everything in the song is perfect. The soulful female voice blends with rougher male voices oozing sex. Everything is crafted so carefully, or it sounds like it is. For all I know everything was a happy mistake. I mean, these youngsters make me feel as if I have done nothing with my life. To be 19 and to release a record so accomplished; I wish I was them.

I adore this record so much. I do have some bones to pick with “Crystallized,” but all my concerns get overshadowed by tracks like “Islands,” “Heart Skips a Beat,” “Basic Space,” and the chilling “Stars.” Welcome to the head of the class, kids.

The xx “Basic Space” from Jean Hürxkens on Vimeo.

6. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

2009 was the year of lo-fi, dub-step, and a year where being “freaky” (not in the R. Kelly sense) was being “mainstream.” Animal Collective started the year by becoming the “it” band, by making “accessible” music. Grizzly Bear, a band who wore their pop intentions on their sleeve (they covered JoJo for crissakes) lived up to their promise, but way out of left field comes a band whose last project was a reimagining of Black Flag’s Damaged.

Becoming less of a project of Dave Longstreth’s oddball, arty adventures and more of a full band, with the welcome addition of singers Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian. Opener “Cannibal Resource” blends their lush harmonies on a West African guitar, inviting the listener into a full experience of the record.

The real gem here, though, is one of the singles of the year—“Stillness Is the Move.”

15. Times New Viking – Born Again Revisited

Times New Viking are a band I have been unable to shut up about. Sure, they are part of the new lo-fi scene, but they were cutting records before the Vivian Girls were even graduating high school. This, their fourth record and second for Matador, comes a little over a year after their certified masterpiece Rip It Off, and it is their third record in three years. Sure because the music is so simple, they can produce records at a rapper’s pace, but the quality has never slipped.

Born Again Revisited is not as loud and blown-out as Rip It Off, and nowhere near as “polished.” Well, it is polished for TNV; you can hear the vocals, and understand some lyrics, but it is nowhere near as slick as Guided By Voices’ Isolation Drills, or even Mag Earwhig! for that matter. The songs remain tight, “No Time, No Hope” is a shouty sing-along, but the gentle night recap “Those Days” is one of their most perfect songs. While they thrive in the loud and punky numbers, TNV also kill in the slow burners (see Dig Yourself’s “Indian Winter”).

14. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms /Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer

Neon Indian perfected the made-up genre of the year which shall remain nameless. Every year has its trend (remember Nu-Rave?) and each trend has its cornerstone album. Psychic Chasms delivers on a genre record, and as a great listen. I don’t know what I would’ve done without the summer jam “Deadbeat Summer,” or the unbelievably blissful “Terminally Chill.” I’ve spilt lots of digital ink hyping Neon Indian, and it is all well-deserved. Lord knows if they can follow up this monster, but let’s hope they do.

NEON INDIAN-TERMINALLY CHILL from escalatorfantasy on Vimeo.

On the other hand, Sunset Rubdown, two years after their wacko-masterpiece Random Spirit Lover, had little to prove, but Spencer Krug and his band play like underdogs. Sunset Rubdown will no longer just be a Wolf Parade side project, but a place where Krug can deliver his best material. Creating a perfect balance between the extreme, and the pop side, where his other records teetered the edge, Dragonslayer is a record with unbelievable repeatability. “Idiot Heart” is the most bizzare single of the year, as it twists and turns, and the full-band version of “Paper Lace,” which also appears on another Krug project—Swan Lake’s Enemy Mine—outshines the original. Sunset Rubdown even do the impossible: make a ten-minute song sound like five.

13. Micachu & The Shapes – Jewellery

No, this is not a record by a Pokémon, but one of the year’s biggest surpirses and best debuts. How does a 21-year-old, crazy musician make a record so awesome? Matthew Herbet! Herbet is the only producer who can take a band of ukuleles, odd electronics, bottle drums, detuned guitars, and strange vocals and make a pop record. But it also takes the talent of the band, and Mica Levi is fucking talented as all get out.

Jewellery has undeniable jams in “Golden Phone,” “Calculator,” and “Just in Case,” but tracks like the brooding “Curly Teeth” and “Eat Your Heart” stay with you. How can you go wrong with lyrics like, “and I won’t have sex cause of STDs”?

Micachu & The Shapes – Golden Phone from Drew Norton on Vimeo.

12. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Three reasons why this record kills: “Two Weeks,” “Cheerleader,” and “While You Wait for the Others.” Those three songs alone make Veckatimest great, but what make it excel are songs like closer “Foreground” and “Dory.” Veckatimest is a grower of a record, much like Yellow House. Once it seeps in, it is hard to get it out. Though I only really go back for the aforementioned three songs, there aren’t many records this year with three songs that can hold them as high as this one.

Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks from Suspicious Sounds on Vimeo.

11. jj – No 2 / Fever Ray – Fever Ray

Who the fuck are jj? Who the fuck is Fever Ray? Funnily enough, jj are anonymous. Much like the Knife were. Key word, were. The Knife have “revealed” themselves per se, and with her Fever Ray project Karin Dreijer Andersson steps into a spotlight of her own. Though she wears sunglasses, you can see more of her face.

jj’s music doesn’t need a face. Their(?) blend of world music, Balearic ice, found samples, hip-hop references, and sweet female vocals are the perfect blend for both rainy afternoons and sunny days. The 28-minute record weaves through eight tracks like the bouncy, “From Africa to Malaga,” Lil’ Wayne rip “Ecstasy,” until the Taylor-Dane-“Tell it To My Heart”-referencing closer, “My Hopes and Dreams.”

Fever Ray’s music is like being trapped in a dark carnival. While some of the tracks are brighter than the Knife, they still retain the dark qualities that made Silent Shout amazing. “Triangle Walks” and “Coconut” showcase the brighter side, while “If I Had A Heart” can be summed up in one word—haunting.

The music isn’t the only awesome thing about this album. Fever Ray can be considered the visual record of the year. If you are gonna shell out dough for this, buy the deluxe edition with the DVD containing all the amazing music videos.

Fever Ray – Triangle Walks from SimonMA on Vimeo.

20. Fuck Buttons – Tarot Sport

Fuck Buttons have come a long way from their 2008 debut Street Horrrsing. Horrrsing is a record that builds its complex noise structures into unwieldy jams. The band garnered much acclaim, though the comparisons to Scottish post-rockers Mogwai were warranted, as the record was produced by Mogwai guitarist John Cummings. What a difference a year and a tour make, as Tarot Sport presents a band at the top of their game. Still uncompromisingly noisy, but like their live show, almost danceable.

This record was produced by DJ Andrew Weatherall, who probably brought out the beat in the song “Olympians,” and the single, “Surf Solar.”

19. Taken By Trees – East of Eden

After fronting the Concretes and her guest spot on Peter, Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks,” Victoria Bergsman started Taken By Trees. The first record of delicate pop songs was produced by Björn Yttling of the aforementioned PBJ. For her second record, Bergsman thought global. Born out of a trip to Pakistan to record with all local musicians, East of Eden is wonderful blend of traditional and new. And who better to collaborate with than Dan Lissvik, one half of the Balearic group Studio?

Not only does Bergsman cover Animal Collective’s hot-shit single “My Girls” (on the record as “My Boys”) but Mr. Panda Bear himself, Noah Lennox, adds back-up vocals to the track “Anna.”

Taken By Trees – My Boys from Rômulo Martinz on Vimeo.

18. Lightning Bolt – Earthly Delights

Welcome to yet another noisy record on the list. This record is just as intense as anything the bass/drum combo has ever released. There are few records this year that pump this hard. The best way to experience this record is just to listen to it, because words can’t describe the sheer power. Oh yeah, and turn it up LOUD!

17. Real Estate – Real Estate

True story—I hate the beach. I mean I really fucking hate it. The smell of sweaty, suntanned bodies makes me puke. The same with the ocean breeze, and sand everywhere just sets me off. Somehow this record of beach-inspired jams called out to me. For the record’s brief running time I remembered the few good times I’ve had on a beach. Granted, this record came out in October—not quite the height of beach season—and I can enjoy listening to it while driving, again not on the beach. If you haven’t gotten on the Real Estate bandwagon, now’s as good a time as ever. If you get to see them live I highly recommend it, they are shit-tight.

Real Estate – “Atlantic City” from Elise Oh on Vimeo.

16. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

“My maudlin career has come to an end/I don’t want to be sad again,” sings Tracyanne Campbell in the title track of this record. Though she doesn’t want to be sad, lord knows she is going to be. And without her sadness, we wouldn’t have records like this one. As much of a break-up record as it is a make-up record, the songs are slower than it’s predecessor, but the hits hit harder. Starting with an amazing one-two punch of “French Navy” (the best indie rock song about a library this year) and “The Sweetest Thing,” My Maudlin Career weaves a plot of love found and lost, but ends on a striking high note of “Honey in the Sun.”

2009 was a pretty good year for music. Lo-fi reemerged with a vengeance, dubstep broke mainstream, and there was the summer of surf (it pains me, just pains me, to say shit like glo-fi, or hypnogramo(wtf)-pop). And don’t even get me going about the massive amount of R&B and pop jams released this year. Singles-wise it may have been better than albums, so this list is shorter than previous years (I can go to 50, double-dog dare me!), and I swear by the quality.

25. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug

Complicated third record anyone? The Arctic Monkeys are a smart band. Sure, their first record sold a bazillion copies, and their second, albeit better, record made some waves, but what do you do when you want to reinvent yourselves? Starting a side project is part one. Singer Alex Turner’s Last of the Shadow Puppets project pushed out one record of pure orchestral-pop. Part two would be growing out your hair. All but one of the greatest drummers ever, Matt Helders, did that. Then part three, ditch your old producer and record with Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme in the fucking desert.

Humbug is oft-brilliant, though not my favorite of their records. What keeps it on this list, however, are tracks like “Cornerstone” and “Dangerous Animals,” which make this record a must-have for fans. “Cornerstone” is actually pretty high on the top singles list, but you’ve got to wait for that one.

ARCTIC MONKEYS – Crying Lightning from Framestore design on Vimeo.

24. Juan MacLean – The Future Will Come / Discovery – LP

The only thing these two records have in common are their electronic backgrounds. Other than that, Juan MacLean and Discovery couldn’t have made more different records. The Future Will Come is dance punk all grown up, with hints of years past, as well as the future, while LP is a crunk’n’b record for white kids. Like LCD Soundsystem’s 2007 game changer, The Sound of Silver, Juan Maclean’s Future… is an example of how to become a band. Where their last record was more of a singles collection, with the permanent addition of Nancy Whang on vocals Juan MacLean have made an album. And trust me, it is even better live.

The Juan Maclean – “One Day” from Patrick Longstreth on Vimeo.

Discovery, on the other hand, are pranksters. The collaboration between Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend, and Wes Miles of Ra Ra Riot doesn’t scream pop music, but white collar indie rock. Using out-dated synths, drum machines, and auto-tune, the pair created an almost flawless (save an ill-advised Jackson 5 cover) record with incredibly catchy tunes, and booty-shaking beats.

23. Pains of Being Pure at Heart – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

To think of this as a 2009 release is hard for me, as this little record that could leaked in the fall of 2008. POBPAH were part of the revitalization of Slumberland Records, as well as the twee-pop revival. Though the lo-fi fuzzy pop thing has been pushed to its breaking point, POBPAH can say they were there first. Pains gave the twee scene two anthems in “This Love is Fucking Right” and the second-best pop song about a library this year, “Young Adult Friction.”

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart “Young Adult Friction” from Slumberland Records on Vimeo.

22. La Roux – La Roux

Pop music had an excellent year. Lady Gaga ruled these shores, while La Roux took Britain. Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid hit paydirt when “In for the Kill” went to number two on the charts. The follow-up single, and one of my favorite songs of the year, “Bulletproof,” debuted at number one. La Roux is a smart pop record, heavily borrowing lost nostalgia from the 80s with vocals that are either love it or hate it. I am on the love side of the fence, as this entry on the list shows, but there is not much I can say to those who can’t stand her. Beyond the singles, the fleshed out version of “Fascination” and “Tigerlily” are pop perfection. The record also has a great thing going for it—the slow songs don’t suck.

La Roux – Bullet Proof from serkan söğüt on Vimeo.

21. Flaming Lips – Embryonic

The Flaming Lips are back! At War with the Mystics was kinda awful. True story, I sold it back. But after finally releasing their art-house movie Christmas on Mars, and its musical companion, the Lips got weirder, wilder and more wonderful. Embryonic is a kraut-rock record, a bastard pop record, an even zanier Ziereeka, and downright some of the most enjoyable seventy minutes put onto plastic. This is a record that you need to own. Mp3s sound like shit, and the Lips are a band who pushes the musical spectrum; listening to this record on a fancy player is the only way to go. Hell, if you are going to put up the investment, get the deluxe edition with the discs separated out appropriately, as well as a DVD version of the record.

2009 Flaming Lips – I Can Be A Frog from George Salisbury on Vimeo.

Lady Gaga is now following the major label trend—when you don’t have a new record, just put out your old disc with new tunes and call it deluxe. Sure, it’s a cop-out, but what makes Lady Gaga a smarter pop star than your Beyonces or Taylor Swifts, both of whom are releasing “deluxe editions” (even though Beyonce has already done it once. You think we’re stupid B?), the tracks that make up Fame Monster are not half-cooked B-sides, and lemme tell you, girl’s got B-sides for days. Instead, the tracks are eight new songs. All of which encapsulate the best moments on The Fame, as well as point Gaga to the future—all killer, no filler.

Also Gaga is nicer to her fans than most other pop stars. Fame Monster is not only available as a deluxe edition attached to her gazillion-selling The Fame record, but a standalone EP for those who’ve already bought the record. Because, c’mon, it’s 2009—you think we are really gonna buy the full record again, and not just download the new tracks (I’m still looking at you, B)?

After spending a day listening to the complete Fame Monster, which if you keep score like me has been leaking song-by-song for a bit now, I’ve compiled a track-by-track review of the Fame Monster, and yes dudes, as my column name states, I might be drunk right now.

1. “Bad Romance”

The first of four RedOne tracks on here, and the first single. I really don’t think there is much else to say about this track, as blogs have been posting it, and debating it from the minute it hit the internet. Yeah, there’s the video:

Bad Romance – Lady Gaga from Nikolas on Vimeo.

Basically, if you haven’t heard this “monster” think RedOne—dude who brought us “Poker Face” and “Just Dance,” plus if you pay attention Sean Kingston’s “Fire Burning” and Little Boots “Remedy.” All his beats sound the same. Take “Just Dance,” add a splash of “Fire Burning,” and you get the point. Lady Gaga is a “free bitch”—she can rehash if she wants to. But it doesn’t make the song bad. Actually, it is quite the jam to dance around to.

2. “Alejandro”

First impression: Who let RedOne [MSOffice1] steal Ace of Base’s “Don’t Turn Around”? Is it a requirement for all pop singers to have a fucking “Latin” track? I mean, Rihanna has just gotten around to it too. This is maybe the only “meh” track on here. It screams Madonna’s “Isla Bonita” (remember that one?) and ABBA’s “Fernando.” If you want a “good” song about Latin lovers, look no further than the Annie track, “Anthonio.”

3. “Monster”

“Don’t call me Gaga,” she states. Well, the fuck do you want to be called then? Not to get all shitty and punny on y’all, but like monsters this track absolutely kills. RedOne does it again with his traditional beats, and he even does his best Timbaland, singing underneath Gaga on the choruses. Yeah, the theme is played out, but you’ll be singing this one for days—I mean, he eats her heart and brain! Only complaint is the song is censored, and with acts finally getting around to just putting the advisory on and saying “fuck” there is no need to clean shit up.

4. “Speechless”

You know “Brown Eyes” off The Fame, add in a little bit of pomp, a “Don’t Look Back in Anger” intro, and Mr. Ron Fair, or better known as a judge from the Pussycat Dolls show and you get a decent slow burner from Gaga. She wails, and knocks out a song perfect for a set-closer or a rousing encore. Sure, haters would want to believe her chours of, “I’ll never talk again, I’ll never love again, I’ll never write a song…” but haters can be quiet .

5. “Dance in the Dark”

You knew it was going to happen. This is the closest you’ll get to Gaga covering “Vogue.” When you get to the speaking part referencing “gay idols” you’ll be calling fowl too. The song does bang, though. Once again she reminds that she’s a “free bitch,” and c’mon, she is. When the chorus hits, you’ll be dancing, and you can pick whether there are lights or darkness. This track definitely has single potential.

6. “Telephone”

Remember the VMAs? Well Lady Gaga and her costumes were seated right behind the aforementioned Beyonce. Well this track brings the two closer together. And if that didn’t make a thousand gay dicks rise then I don’t know what will do it. Yes, Mrs. “Singles Ladies” drops a (Sasha) fierce verse on this Darkchild (“Say My Name”) produced track. This is my favorite song on the record. It starts slow, but evolves into what should be the biggest single of early 2010. If it doesn’t become a huge record, then you can lock me in a room and play that Owl “I’m ripping off the Postal Service” City and Jason “I’m trying to get juice out of the lifeless hack Imogen Heap (of shit)” DeRulo song on repeat for a week (FML).

7. “So Happy I Could Die”

This little pop ditty is the last of RedOne’s productions, and is a mid-tempo number that could probably be good for grinding on the floor. It is pretty standard pop-R-&-B you’ve come to know from Gaga. Like the “eh’s” it takes from a previous Gaga single, there’s nothing much I can say.

8. “Teeth”

No, this song is not about what may or may not be growing in Gaga’s sweet spot. This track is a sexual romp full of horns, and looped samples, and a bombastic drum beat. Gaga handles vocals in a call-and-response, doubling a talk track under the main track, i.e., very Madonna. This is the most un-Gaga-like track on here, and it might be the best picture we have of her future. I mean, she can’t “Just Dance” forever.

Overall this is a great record, and though it might not make a lover of you, if you are curious it might delight. In conclusion, if you can come out of the closet, you won’t lose points for coming out as a Lady Gaga fan.

Capybara are made up of multi-instrumentalists who all sing. Their mix of xylophones, banjos, acoustic/eclectic guitars, simple synths, piano and various percussive instruments will probably light some hearts on fire.

Opener “San Francisco, 1906” gives away all of the band’s tricks through its shifting tempos and vocal blasts. Focus track “The Wimp” is the most immediate tune, with its catchy “oh, whoa” background vocals and pulsing hook;  it has all the makings of a live staple.

The band has garnered comparisons to Vampire Weekend, and tracks like the short—and actually pretty awesome—“Cutaway Kid” almost support it. But other than the track’s pulsing, almost “A Punk”-like rhythm there really isn’t much to the comparison.  “Cutaway Kid” is the fastest track on the record, and along with “The Wimp” the most repeatable.

Slashy song, “Happiness/Let Child Roam” is a tortuous track of falsettos and vocal sounds that meanders and goes almost nowhere, until the ending sing along, which would sit perfectly on any Fleet Foxes record. Speaking of Fleet Foxes, awesome track and highlight “Birthday Song for Bridgegirl” will garner the most comparisons. The track starts slow, but then explodes into something actually special.

All in all, the band are talented musicians, and with time on the road, they could come up with something brilliant.  But now, what is supposed to be a full length would’ve made a pretty EP.

Check out Capybara on the internets here,and  here.

Watch this video of the super-fun “Cutaway Kid”:

Cutaway Kid / feat. Freaky Deeky! from mark harrison on Vimeo.

So please enjoy a sampling of our chat:

TNG: This is your first record you have recorded using your own name, rather than Preston School of Industry…

SS: It’s just the name, it is still basically me.

TNG: Why did you choose to go by your own name instead?

SS: It’s been a long time since the last Preston record and I kind of went through a lot of personal things since then. I didn’t really do music for a while. I decided I wanted this to be under a different name, even though that was my name I’ve had forever. I just felt like I was a different person, band and songwriting. To me it just sounds a lot different.

TNG: You had mentioned that you were inspired by both “divorce rock,” like Fleetwood Mac, and Australian bands like the Go-Betweens and Nick Cave’s work.

SS: Yeah, I love the Go-Betweens. Actually I was just in Brisbane when they renamed a bridge there the Go-Betweens Bridge.

TNG Rohan: You are moving to Australia soon?

Spiral Stairs: Yeah, I’m moving there in the New Year. I’m getting married to an Australian girl, gonna move to Melbourne.

TNG: You had some fun collaborations on this record. Jon Auer of the Posies, and Kevin Drew is on it as well, correct?

SS: No, Kevin doesn’t play on it, it’s just his grandmother. They got the press release wrong. I played on Kevin’s solo record, and he originally wanted his grandmother to introduce me. She says, “Ladies and Gentleman, Spiral Stairs,” and I was supposed to come in with this great guitar solo. But my solo wasn’t as great as Kevin thought it was going to be, so they used the solo but they didn’t use his grandmother’s introduction. So I asked him if I could use it on my record. And for some reason people thought he played on the record. I did do a project with him and the rest of Broken Social Scene a few years back.

TNG: What is the touring situation for this record? I know you are on a short West Coast tour…are you going out any other dates?

SS: That’s the idea, probably January we’re gonna do some dates. The Pavement stuff, rehearsals start in February, so it’s gonna be kinda tricky to figure out when we’re doing Spiral dates. We’re gonna fit them in for sure.

TNG: How quick does it take an interview to turn into a Pavement discussion [I waited about 8 minutes]? Do you feel as if there may be less momentum behind this record, because of the Pavement mania?

SS: Oh, I don’t mind. I don’t feel like my record is being pushed to the back burner. I think my record would’ve gotten the same amount of coverage anyway. A lot of people don’t know that Spiral Stairs equals Pavement. Or Preston School of Industry equals Pavement. So I think it is gonna probably help more than anything. At least finding my record. Maybe it can get to the point where I can play some shows. It’s a different landscape out there right now for people touring. It’s a lot harder than it used to be. And I’m older too. I don’t want to spend 30 days on the road playing to ten people. I would’ve loved to do that when I was 22 years old, which I did. I think I kinda of have to let the record grow before I do anything.

TNG: With the dates you already have lined up, are you only playing songs from this record or will you dip into Preston School of Industry tracks?

SS: Yeah, we’ll do half Preston, half Spiral stuff. Probably not gonna do any Pavement songs anymore, because of the reunion, and people can wait for that. We used to do Pavement songs.

TNG: Which ones?

SS: I used to play “Kennel District” a lot. I used to play “Date with IKEA” a lot. “Two States” a few times. Some songs we didn’t really play in Pavement live.

TNG: Speaking of Pavement, you have been really involved in the remastering and reissuing of the records. Will there be a Terror Twilight reissue? Is there enough material left over?

SS: Yeah, there’s definitely enough material for Terror Twilight. There are b-sides and there are some outtakes we never really put together. There are some radio sessions and TV appearances and stuff that has never been put out. It’s not gonna be as comprehensive as the others, but it’ll definitely be a cool package. And we’re also talking about putting out kinda a “best of Pavement” thing, which we’re gonna try to make kinda cool. There’s gonna be a lot of stuff out there. When we do the tour we’re gonna do some really cool merch. We are gonna bring back some old t-shirt designs. It’ll be fun to sort through all that stuff.

Watch Spiral’s new video “Stolen Pills”

Halloween is a fun holiday, but I rarely dress up. If I have some brilliant idea, then I will, but usually I end up costume-less at the party. I still want to be Daft Punk, but until I can find materials for cheap, it is just another idea in my head.

There are many go-to records for Halloween. Things like the Misfits and the “Monster Mash” always do the trick, and you can dig into that box of CDs you need out of your life and pull out the Rob Zombie disc collecting dust, but Halloween can be a time where you can play other records you might not normally play.

So I was thinking about perfect Halloween party music. I ran through my collection and have a few recommendations to create mood and ambiance, without beating the dead horse of playing “Thriller” for the umpteenth time.

The Cramps – …Off The Bone

This compilation of tracks is a great party disc. Mostly made up of covers, most of which many won’t know, it is a fusion of 60s swinging sounds, proto-punk vocals and a hint of darkness. The Cramps are a garage band that also take styles like rockabilly, and surf and make it their own.

Off The Bone is a compilation of the band’s first EP, Gravest Hits, as well as selections from their first three full lengths: Songs the Lord Taught Us, Psychedelic Jungle, and Smell of Female. Though their sound isn’t very “spooky” the Cramps are a definitive Halloween band. Their album artwork is full of skulls and zombies. Before they made Gravest Hits, the band performed in a mental institution—how awesome is that?

…Off The Bone has some of the Cramps’ best songs. Their covers of “Surfin’ Bird” and “Goo Goo Muck” are essential. Because most of the tracks the Cramps cover aren’t very popular, their originals like “Garbage Man” and “Drug Train” sounds as if they could be songs from the 60s as well. If you are throwing a party and want to create a fun atmosphere, but still retain an edgier feel, this is a great record.

Royal Trux – Twin Infinitives

Word of caution – make sure you don’t let your friends turn this one off. I am a huge Royal Trux fan, but Twin Infinitives is not listenable. Royal Trux were a band who formed out of the ashes of Pussy Galore. Their sound is skuzzy garage rock that also mines 70s hard rock. This record is nothing like their later records—it is pop music from hell.

Jennifer Herrema and Neil Hagerty split vocal duties, with Herrema mostly pulling a full-on banshee wail, while Hagerty is more soothing, but nothing about this record can be considered peaceful. Twin Infinitives was created at the height of the duo’s drug problems. The songs are full of noise, grit, and howls from below. Tracks start with noise blasts, mixing bluesy bass with the clanging of cheap instruments and whatever the band could find to make sound.

Like I said before, this record is not particularly listenable; the CD version is actually fucked, because it does not accurately split the songs into 15 separate tracks, but 4 tracks with pauses between the songs. If you are willing to endure it, Twin Infinitives is perfect theme party music.

Wolf Eyes – Burned Mind

When Wolf Eyes signed to Sub Pop it seemed like the oddest pairing of band and label. Would Wolf Eyes go tame, or would they continue to create some of the wildest noise records, only to a wider audience? Their ’04 Sub Pop debut Burned Mind proved Wolf Eyes are not a band you’d play for your parents.

Burned Mind is filled with wild noisy tracks of melted synthesizers, detuned guitars, and satanic vocals. Wolf Eyes also know how to title a song. Choice cuts “Stabbed in the Face,” “Urine Burn,” and “Black Vomit” are aptly titled. “Stabbed In the Face,” while the most conventional song the group had created, is still an intense listen.

Part of the freakiness of the record comes after “Black Vomit.” The record goes siient for about 10 minutes before returning with more creepy noise. If you forget the record is on, it can bring a violent shock.

Wolf Eyes is perfect atmosphere music if you plan to sit outside and pass out candy. Not only is it intense and strange, but it can strike fear into the minds of children.

[Personal Editor’s Note: The esteemed author has neglected to mention another fine record of Halloween sounds, Ataxia, by the Circus Devils. This Robert Pollard (a la Guided By Voices) side-project is described as “H.P. Lovecraft meets Devo,” and its combination of ambient spookiness and driving, industrial crunch will satisfy all your nightmares. Plus, since October 31 is Bob Pollard’s birthday you might as well celebrate in style. —MAC (GBV Matt)]

10. Arcade Fire – Funeral (Merge, 2004)

In the summer of 2004 I discovered torrents. After my first year of college, I spent my summer listening to more records, filling in the blank spots, and highly anticipating the new Interpol record. I would always check the top 10 downloads on one of my regular torrent sites, and in early August I saw a record by some band named “Arcade Fire.” I thought the name was stupid (in fact I still do), but it was the number one download! I thought I was behind the times, but I saw it was on Merge, a label I knew and trusted, so I took the plunge.

On first listen I thought it was okay. There was too much going on. The vocals were too shouty and piercing, and to boot “Crown Of Love” sounded like a Bright Eyes rip-off. I don’t know why I took offense to Regime’s vocals, I mean I was listening to a fuck-ton of Joanna Newsom at the time!

I took the record back to college with me, and when it actually came out all hell broke loose. Blame it on the Pitchfork, but Arcade Fire became the “it” band. Most of the stories involving the band revolved around their intense live performances, so I figured, fuck it, I’ll see them. That October, I saw the Arcade Fire at a smaller venue in Columbus, Ohio, and damn was it good. I changed my mind about the album. I listened to it more and more, every time gravitating towards “Rebellion, Lies” and “Wake Up.”

More than anything, my connection with this record solidified my relationship with my best friend Alex. I bought it for him for Christmas that year and it changed his life, much as it changed many of yours, especially if you started to listen to indie rock when you were in college. Because of the Arcade Fire, he started to listen to “cooler” things, and the gap that was created between us early in college started to fill with music we could share.

9. Liars – They Were Wrong, So We Drowned (Mute, 2004)

*From my review of this record for a now defunct website:

They Were Wrong So We Drowned is a fucked-up album. Some people will understand its noise and some will simply acquire a headache. If you like avant garde noise, or are interested in it…keep reading. If not, just go buy something else because this record is not for you.

The opening track, “Broken Witch,” sets the mood of the album perfectly, and after a few listens becomes instantly catchy. The pulsing drum track is spastic but danceable at the same time. Angus’s lyrics speak of men and women and rivers of blood. “I no longer wanna be a man/I wanna be a horse,” says Angus almost passively. He says “blood” over and over, as the word is repeated in the background a half-second behind him.

The shining tracks on the album, “There’s Always Room on the Broom” and “Hold Hands And It Will Happen Anyway,” are the most listenable. The catchy hook of “There’s Always Room on the Broom” makes it a great single, and the rock breakdown of the latter is the most head-banging singalong this year.

This record is not for anyone, like I said before. All tracks have a point here—there is often noise or something random, but what makes the album good is the band’s ability to hold it together. Although it may be hard to swallow, after a couple listens tracks become catchy and fun, not painful and scary.

8. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver (DFA, 2007)

True story: I was a Toys-R-Us kid. Growing up, I collected action figures. I may have stopped collecting, but I haven’t left my childhood behind. One of my favorite things to do is go swinging in the park. I like Gummi Bears. I still read superhero comics.

But all of that is beside the point. I grew up this decade. I graduated high school and college. I separated from my parents. I got a real job. I pay my own bills. I know I am not that old, but when James Murphy asks, “Where are your friends tonight?” I’ve found I can’t respond. Albums like this make me feel old, but old in a good way.

I connect with “Losing My Edge” on a daily basis. I might listen to all the new records, but I find that the “kids” are lapping me. James Murphy too has been lapped, and is fine with it. Sound of Silver is a record about growing up. There is hope, regret, fear, but an attitude that one day it’ll all be over.

Having lived with this record for a while, immediate tracks like “Watch the Tapes” and “North American Scum,” though they’re dance-floor-fillers, pale in comparison to the epics, “Someone Great” and “New York, I Love You.” And while it is perfect to listen to a track here or there, Sound Of Silver gives one of the best complete listens.

7. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot it in People (Arts + Crafts, 2003)

I fucking hate driving, but I used to fucking love it. I used to drive from Maryland to Ohio all the time, but now even thinking about being in a car all that time makes me feel sick. Back when I would take trips, an essential record for me was You Forgot it in People.

For some reason it comforted me on drives, and it may be a perfect driving record, because the tracklist is so balanced. The start of the record, intro “Capture the Flag,” to the incredible “KC Accidental,” segues into the more rock tracks but then cools off towards the end. Between track one and 13 are really great singles, “Almost Crimes,” “Stars and Sons,” as well as beautiful tracks, such as “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl.”

I still remember the summer of ’04 my buddy Paul Haney and I were at a Tower Records (RIP) and he bought it. We listened to it on the way home and I knew I had to get into it. YFIIP is a record I can pull out any time and enjoy, and isn’t that what you want from an amazing record?

6. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights (Matador, 2002)

Interpol and NYC are synonymous to me. I bought the record while on a trip to the city. It has only been out for a month, and I only knew the single I heard on the Matador page, but something struck me about the record. Interpol was a dark band. Their press photos were either obscured, or featured the members in sunglasses, black clothes, and cigarettes intact.

When I popped the CD into my portable CD player (remember those?) I was rapt. The music was so striking, I didn’t care that Paul Bank’s voice was the bastard child of Ian Curtis and Michael Stipe, I just loved the melodies. “PDA” is a total jam, and “Obstacle 1” was so good it warranted a sequel.

I drove through a snowstorm to see Interpol later that year. That show still stands as one of the most exciting I’ve seen; they had energy, and it was amazing. Who cares if the lyrics are stupid? TOTBL is almost perfect.

5. Radiohead – Kid A (Capitol, 2001)

I just took a “What Indie Band Are You?” test on the Internet and my result was Radiohead. It said: “You don’t remember that Radiohead is your band. Why you gucci little piggy! Pretty much the all-around perfect indie band, they’re popular, but they’re still really good and very original and they’re constantly evolving.” That description is fucking stupid, I know, but as much as I tried to skew the results and pull Pavement, Sonic Youth, or even the fucking Microphones, I kept getting Radiohead.

I used to claim Radiohead in my circle of favorite bands. I don’t much anymore, because as good as they are live, In Rainbows doesn’t do anything for me. However, I don’t know what my decade would’ve been without this record. Kid A shows a band evolving. I mean, I really don’t have much to say about the sonics of the record, because it is going to or already has topped most peoples’ lists, and might end up being the most written-about record of the decade.

I will end by saying the aforementioned Paul Haney and I became friends because of this record. In high school we both had a journalism class together. I was shy as shit, and all the kids were older than me. I heard him talking about Radiohead and I had just bought the record, so it opened the door to conversation. If I had to pick an “indie mentor,” Paul Haney would be him. He mostly listens to noise and hip-hop these days, staying away from the indie-landfill, but I have Paul to thank for the person I am today.

4. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch, 2002)

If you don’t know the backstory of this record, go watch I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco. If you haven’t heard this record, go listen to it.

There really isn’t much I can say, other than Wilco will never sound this good again. It could be that Jeff Tweedy has gone off drugs, or the removal and untimely death of Jay Bennett, or the fact that Wilco are no longer hungry. They made their masterpiece and can continue to pump “dad rock” forever. Can they write another “Jesus, Etc.” or “I’m the Man Who Loves You”? Probably not.

I remember when the follow-up record, A Ghost Is Born, was released and Best Week Ever had a segment called “What Your Purchases Say About You.” The comedian made a joke, saying if you bought the new Wilco album, you are less interesting than people think you are, or something like that. You know… it is pretty much true.

3. Avalanches – Since I Left You (Modular, 2000)

Since I Left You is a record made from over three thousand samples. Can you imagine making a record based on that many samples? Not only does it take time to put it all together, but think of the legal nightmare of clearing them all!

The Avalanches made one of the most solid listening experiences of the decade. Though it is made up of all samples, it feels fresh and new. Plus without the pioneering of the Avalanches, we would never have Girl Talk, or the Go! Team.

Personally, I discovered the Avalanches after watching the “Frontier Psychiatrist“ video on MTV. I found the record the next day, and from the opening lines of “Since I Left You,” I was hooked. The record is otherworldly, tracks flow from funk to A.M. radio, TV sound collages, yacht rock, disco, house and everything in between.

The Avalanches have yet to follow this record up, although the latest word is they are “clearing samples.” I don’t know if lightning can strike twice, but I sure as hell hope it does.

2. The Strokes – Is This It? (RCA, 2001)

“Is this it?” Really, is it? The Strokes were the saviors of rock n’ roll. Pop was tearing up the hearts of youth, but in came this NYC band with a simple set of songs mining the same ‘ol sex-and-drugs mystique of yesteryear. By the end of 2001, The Strokes were the biggest band on the planet (or so the rock mags made you think).

If you have lived your life having never heard a Strokes song, you either live in a hole or your music taste is shit (I’ll go with the latter). Is This It? holds some of the decade’s best pop songs—“Hard to Explain,” “Last Night,” “Barely Legal,” and the removed-due-to-9/11 “New York City Cops.”

I’ve owned two copies of this record. Before I became a snob about keeping my CDs in their cases, I had a CD binder. I went away to a summer program in 2002 and really wanted to play the record for some friends. You can only image my face when I reached into the binder to find my copy had been split in half. I then journeyed out to the record store in town and said I’d buy the first copy I could find. I found the import version with the naughty cover, and “New York City Cops” on it.

Other than the next record on the list, I don’t think there is an album I’ve listened to as much this decade. In fact, in my school newspaper my top ten list of 2001 had this and the next record in the same order.

1. Daft Punk – Discovery (Virgin, 2001)

“ONE MORE TIME!” There is no other call to arms that could make me lose it like that. “One More Time” is a track that looks back as much as it looks forward. It can fill a dancefloor for all of its five minutes, and never let up. Hell, even with its five lines it makes decent Karaoke. Not only is it my favorite song of the decade, but it leads off my favorite album of the decade.

Early in the decade, we got higher speed internet (56K instead of 14K). I read music magazines, bought records, but in 2000 the invention of Napster changed how I listened to music. I downloaded music, I mean… who didn’t? But I discovered new music through Napster. I started to read about music online, rather than just in print. I would also search for my favorite artists to see if they had new music.

I had been a fan of Daft Punk after hearing “Around the World” in a dance mix during the lunchtime workout session on local radio back in ’98. I was instantly rapt by Homework, but by 2000 I wanted more. I searched Daft Punk, and then at the end of the year I stumbled upon “One More Time.” It didn’t hit.

I don’t know why I wasn’t instantly into it. Daft Punk had become something different. No longer mining house, they had moved to disco, and even weirder, they became robots, fucking ROBOTS! This wasn’t the band I once knew.

I kept listening, but a funny thing happened. They put out videos featuring anime aliens. “One More Time” was first, then “Aerodynamic,” then the song that sold me on all of it—“Digital Love.” I bought Discovery the day it came out. I remember having my Mom drive me to the store to buy it. It came with this Daft Club card, which I carried around in my wallet everywhere (I still have it, but I have put it back in the CD tray). I could not get enough.

It is funny to see this record so high on so many peoples’ lists, because it was kind of panned when it was released. Reviewers later made an about-face, but it wasn’t easy going. Things got weirder when the samples from the record were revealed to have been copied. It blurred the line between Daft-Punk-as-geniuses, and Daft-Punk-as-copy-cats.

Flash forward to 2007—I finally lived my dream and saw Daft Punk live. The show blew my mind, and has yet to be topped by anything. I could make up some lame stories about how this decade I was going through a period of self-discovery, and how this record helped me through all of it, which is true… but more than anything, Daft Punk make me smile.

So now that I am two weeks in, if you are following along, let me know what records you think should have made the list. Keep in mind the big ten are still coming up, and remember this list is personal. This list does not speak for the editors or staff of TNG, but I think if it did, it would be more varied (read: the New Pornographers would’ve been higher and there would probably be more pop on it).

As a refresher here is 50–31.

30. Camera Obscura – Let’s Get Out of This Country (Merge, 2006): On this record Camera Obscura found their sound. With the departure of co-vocalist John Henderson, Tracyanne Cambell stepped up her game in both songwriting and vocal duties. Songs like “Lloyd I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken” and “If Looks Could Kill” were a major reason why this was my favorite record of 2006, hands down.

29. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (XL, 2008): Not to get all “I was there…” but in the spring of 2007 I had a copy of the blue CD-R demo by this little band, Vampire Weekend. I ran across the track “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” on a blog and instantly fell in love. The band were shambly, they had that Beat Happening charm, mixed with the Afro-Pop guitar, that I didn’t care they ripped off.  Flash forward a year later, their debut is released on XL with two tracks not on the demo.  Instantly the backlash hit, but fuck the hater(z). Give me another band that can make a record this charming and we’ll see.

28. The-Dream – Love VS Money (Def Jam, 2009): Spoiler alert! Not only is this the only record from 2009 on the list, but it is one of six records released from 2007–2009 on the list. After looking back at my list I realized I don’t give much props to music past ’06, but it is not a fault of the records, but more longevity.  Most decade lists aren’t going to be too kind to the past couple of years because while the albums may have been great, there isn’t enough gestation time. This record does not need time to become a classic, it already is. The-Dream, known to most for being the songwriter of “Umbrella,” crafted the best R&B record of the decade. Not only are the beats out of this world, but a record that has a three-part suite (!) that breaks up the album, that WORKS… it has to be amazing.

27. The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike (Memphis Industries, 2004): Thunder, Lightning, Strike sounds like nothing else. Hip-hop, guitar blasts, AM radio fuzz, Double-Dutch choruses, and cheerleaders—yeah, it’s all mixed in. Songs like “Ladyflash” and “Bottle Rocket” are irresistible, but closer “Everyone’s a V.I.P. to Someone” is the Go! Team on their “A” game.  Owing as much to the Avalanches as it does Sonic Youth, the thirty minutes of this record are some of the most innovative of the decade.

26. Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America (French Kiss, 2006): Whether singing about John Berryman, or their usual cast of characters, the Hold Steady deliver. The sing-alongs are bigger, the sound is fuller, and singer Craig Finn’s storytelling is brighter. This is a classic rock record disguised as an indie rock masterpiece.

25. The Thermals – More Parts Per Million (Sub Pop, 2003): Lo-fi broke again this year, but The Thermals were doing it years before; through necessity, not trick. Rumored to have been made for fifty bucks in a kitchen, More Parts Per Million is like a thirteen-year-old boy on a sugar rush. Hutch Harris’s snotty, vulgar vocals blend nicely with the pop-punk energy, making it an ultimate sing-along-when-you’re-drunk album. The songs sound as if they could fall apart at any time, but they never do. While the Thermals proved later with The Body, the Blood, the Machine that they could be serious, I like to remember them when they were young, loud and snotty.

24. TV On the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain (4AD/ Interscope, 2006): TV On the Radio had a good decade. Starting strong with the Young Liars EP, the band got stronger with reach release.  Return to Cookie Mountain was highly anticipated, so highly that it suffered on one the biggest leaks this decade. The record made it to the internet almost five months prior to its release. Albeit in a slightly less quality version, the noticeable difference was sequencing. When it finally came out, it was an instant classic. TVOTR got their first “hit” in the epic “Wolf Like Me.” Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals swell and burst, mixing into the sound effects underneath, no thanks to Dave Sitek’s expert production. Return to Cookie Mountain is journey of noise, rock and paranoia.

23. Jay-Z – The Blueprint (Roc-A-fella, 2001): September 11^th, never forget—Jay-Z and the Strokes released two of the greatest records ever to grace our ears on the day this nation faced a great tragedy. Roll back time to before Hova “retired,” only to come back and take a shit on his career. Jay was a rapper finding his skin. Dude rapped with Biggie once! He had already released a masterpiece in Reasonable Doubt but he wasn’t done yet. Sure he had hits, but with the aid of up-and-coming producer Kanye West (heard of him?) he created the rap record equivalent of the gold standard. When he quips “I run New York” in “Takeover,” he means it. Sure it has toss-offs like “Girls, Girls, Girls,” but singles “Izzo H.O.V.A.” (once my anthem—you can place my name into the song flawlessly) and “Song Cry” are rap genius. And if that doesn’t convince you, the song with Eminem (“Renegade”) is good!

22. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell (Interscope,2003): “Boy you’re just a stupid bitch/And girl you’re just a no good dick” rails the chorus for “Black Tongue.”  Those who thought after the Master EP (You know, the one with the song “As a fuck son you suck!”) the YYYs were gonna go soft signing to a major label were proven wrong, or at least had to wait a couple of years till they went acoustic. Karen O. brings the presence of her beer-slinging stage presence to the record, proving she is one fierce bitch. Nick Zinner’s guitar lines have never sounded this urgent, and Brian Chase’s drumming plays a perfect foil for all the chaos going around. Fever to Tell is the band’s evolution all in one album. It starts with their loud material from early EPs (“Rich”), but the closing three tracks outline the rest of their path. “Maps” (the song everyone knows) is directly connected with Show Your Bones, while “Y Control” sounds as subtly electronic as their latest outing, It’s Blitz!

21. Basement Jaxx – Rooty (Astralwerks, 2001): Basement Jaxx came out of the dance scene in the nineties with a stellar record, Remedy, and a handful of singles. They were always meant for greatness; too bad it came in their first three records. I almost gave this spot to the follow-up Kish Kash, or even the Singles collection, but I stayed true to a record I’ve played so much, it rarely goes back into rotation. Starting with the booty-shaking “Romeo,” Rooty is a party on a disc. Songs go from sexy (“Get Me Off”) to sweet (“Jus 1 Kiss”).  And no one can forget about “Where’s Your Head At?”

20. The Postal Service – Give Up (Sub Pop, 2003): The soundtrack of your youth. “Such Great Heights” was such a monster jam this decade. It was blasting from cars, dorm rooms, dance parties, UPS commercials, and television shows. Ben Gibbard and Dntel’s “little” project blew the fuck up. As a Death Cab for Cutie fan, I was all over this when it was released, and I will forever regret “nah-ing” their concert (they never toured again). A project that could have been (and probably should have been) a disaster turned out to contain some of the best songs of the decade: “Clark Gable,” “We Will Become Silhouettes,” and “Natural Anthem.”

19. Girl Talk – Night Ripper (Illegal Art, 2006): Mash-ups are the internet eating itself. Sure there were good ones, but none more lasting than Night Ripper. Girl Talk’s creating is not so much a mash-up but a recreation of some of the best hip-hop records from the past couple of years, mixed with classic and indie rock. The shit he was doing was ingenious at the time—I mean, D4L’s “Laffy Taffy” on Aphex Twin(!)—but while the highs are high, the record sustains itself because it is so ADD. Songs weave in and out, and only last ten to thiry seconds, so it never gets tired. Released the same year as KFC introduced their “Famous Bowl,” Girl Talk works like KFC: take everything and put it all together into one delicious combination.

18. Destroyer – Streethawk: A Seduction (Misra, 2001): Rubies was Destroyer’s breakout album. It separated Bejar from being a member of the New Pornographers, to being his own artist. But real fans know Streethawk, not Rubies, or This Night, is his best album. Filled with Bowie-glam and signature long winded lyrical passages about who knows what, Bejar’s creation is a masterpiece. The seven-minute, Joy Division referencing “The Bad Arts” never falls to its length. “The Sublimation Hour” and “The Very Modern Dance” are two examples of why Bejar is pop royalty. I could do a write up about every song on this record, but only the aforementioned real fans would give a shit, so I’ll stop here.

17. Animal Collective – Feels (Fat-Cat, 2005): Predictable! Of course AC are on this list. Long ago, while most people who read this site were busy coming out and trying to get through college, Animal Collective released a bunch of fucking albums. They were playing weird live shows where they would eschew the record just released to play the new creation they were making, or about to make. I happened to be in college radio when Sung Tongs came out and it blew my mind. I just had to see them live. So without knowing anything about their show at the time, I saw them four times on the tour, only to be greeted with something new—Feels—almost in its entirety. The songs were immediate, and I was excited. When Feels arrived I was pumped. “The Purple Bottle,” though missing the Stevie Wonder sample of the live version, sounded explosive. Add “Grass” and “Did You See The Words,” and I had songs to bounce around to for days. While the rest of the record is quiet and contemplative, it never loses its edge. Feels is AC at their highest quality.

16. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand (Domino, 2004): Talk about a success story. Franz Ferdinand broke out of UK hype only to hit gold with modern rock radio. “Take Me Out,” though annoying to some, is still played on the radio next to songs by Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins, and that is a good thing (hell, that Finger Eleven band even ripped them off making a more “rock” oriented version; I hope Franz got paid for that one). Franz Ferdinand is a sexy album. Every song oozes with intense voyeuristic sexual energy, whether it is on the dance floor (“Michael”) or in “The Dark of the Matinee.” These guys know how to make girls scream. Though Franz Ferdinand will never top this record, they will always be quality.

15. Mclusky – Mclusky Do Dallas (Too Pure, 2002): “Fuck this band/Cos they swear too much,” goes a lyric from the Welsh trio’s song, “Fuck This Band.” Mclusky do swear a lot, but they are charming. Cheekily titled, Do Dallas is an outburst of raw energy. The lines are memorable (“My dad is bigger than your dad/He’s got eight cars and a house in Ireland/Sing it!”), the songs are loud (“Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues”), and you never know if they are gonna jump out of the speakers and beat your ass. Sure, they sometimes sound like the Pixies (see “Collagen Rock”), but they are never a rip-off. Plus it has one of the best opening lines for a song: “All of your friends are cunts/ Your mother is a ball-point pen thief” (“Gareth Brown Says”)—fucking hilarious.

14. The Shins – Oh, Inverted World (Sub Pop, 2001): I went to a book reading once, and this guy was telling jokes he called “indie rock punch lines.” If I remember it correctly, the punch line was “that was about as intelligible as the lyrics on the first Shins record.” It’s true. Try singing along and there are points where you are humming, because god knows what James Mercer is saying. And this is supposed to “change your life”? Who cares what the lyrics are about, and no, this record will not save your life, but it is a defining document of indie rock. “Pressed in a Book,” “Girl Inform Me,” and “Know Your Onion!” are three of the best songs the Shins have ever, and maybe at this point, will ever write. I’ve had many great memories with this album; I even had a friend whose radio show was named Oh, Inverted World (big up—Chris Deville, read his blog!). It didn’t change my life, but it sure made it more fun.

13. Spoon – Girls Can Tell (Merge, 2001): Fucked by the majors, and made with no intentions, Girls Can Tell is the story of the underdog. Girls Can Tell is the tightest studio record Spoon has ever made. “Everything Hits at Once” opens the album as perfectly as “Chicago At Night” closes it. Everything in between is perfection. Much of the success is owed to Jim Eno—without his incredible drumming, Britt Daniel would never have been able to create something of such quality. The record also has one of my absolute favorite Spoon tracks, “Anything You Want,” a short song about retuning items after a break-up. Spoon went on to make three more incredible records this decade, but Girls Can Tell is their high water mark.

12. M.I.A. – Kala (XL, 2007): Let’s take a moment and talk about “Paper Planes.”  If you haven’t heard the Diplo remix of the record featuring Bun B and Rich Boy, I advise you to do so now. “Paper Planes” is a monster, with its Clash sample and gunshots, it’s no wonder it became a universal smash. But there is more to Kala than just that song. “Bamboo Banga,” a clever reimagining of Modern Lovers, is the perfect opener. This record is global, taking styles from India, Britain, Africa, America, and everything in between. While “Bird Flu” and “Boyz” will keep your ass shaking for years, the topics M.I.A. is rapping about are urgent; real “boys are dying in these streets” shit. M.I.A. is an innovator; she led the Bollywood resurgence before Slumdog Millionaire (“Jimmy”). Kala also boasts some of the best b-sides of any album on this list. Check out the expanded edition to find tracks like the insane “Big Branch.” Like LCD Soundystem, M.I.A.’s first record felt like an uneven collection of singles, but this record feels like an album.

11. Sleater-Kinney – The Woods (Sub Pop, 2005): What do you do when you want to rock? Turn that shit up to 11. Sleater-Kinney had already paved their way through the Riot Grrrl scene, but after All Hands on the Bad One the band started to evolve. One Beat showed a subtle side of the band, but The Woods is their biggest, yet most welcome, departure. How do you fuck with the formula, you ask? Leave your longtime label, Kill Rock Stars, for Sub Pop, listen to stoner rock and hire Mercury Rev/Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann. The opening notes of “The Fox” are crushing. From start to finish The Woods destroys everything around it.  Sleater-Kinney cover much ground: suicide (“Jumpers”), sex (“Let’s Call It Love”) and the music scene (“Entertain”). In “Entertain,” they ask, “where’s the fuck you?” The Woods is their fuck you.

Stay tuned, for the electrifying conclusion next week.

The Aughts were the decade of the internet. File-sharing made everyone a music guru. People no longer had to read music magazines or browse record stores to find out what’s hot. By the middle of the decade fans could have any album at any time, even if it hadn’t come out yet. What started with Napster has turned into “leaks” and torrents.

MP3s, coupled with the invention of the blog and rise of Pitchfork, created a new underground. Indie Rock is almost undefinable. Indie heroes of the 90s like Guided By Voices, Sleater-Kinney, Silver Jews, Fugazi, The Dismemberment Plan, and Pavement (who are reforming next year, if you hadn’t been on the internets for a while) all broke up (or went on “indefinite hiatus”) this decade, clearing the way for the new “indie” movement. New Indie took from all styles. While most movements, like electroclash, and nu-post-punk were all flashes-in-the-pan, their aesthetics are examples of the mix of what was considered “indie.”

With the invention of the iPod, and other portable players, fans could take their music libraries everywhere, eliminating the necessity of the CD. iTunes and the Amazin MP3 store have also killed the “album.” Now that people can just download the songs they want, there is no need to own the whole album. Though the LP might be dead (or dying), the 50 records on this list work as complete records, and go against the new norm.

For the next three weeks I’ll run down a comprehensive list of the decade, starting with 50-31. With lists this long it is good to take into consideration that the placement of the record is not as important as the record itself. Who is really to say something at 46 is better than number 50? Until I get down to the top twenty, the numbers are almost formality. (Also, to not let this get out of hand, I’ll keep my descriptions for the next two weeks to a minimum. To learn more about these records please click the links and read the All Music Guide Entry.)

50. Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (Kranky, 2000): This is the toss up spot on the list. The other two post/space/rock records that could have filled this spot, Tired Sounds of Stars of The Lid or Sigur Rós’s ( ), are equally as epic, but GYBE!’s 2000 double-disc masterpiece outshines them both. GSYBE! are the soundtrack to the end of the world. Although their songs can be predictable, the band is always in control, and can evoke all emotions.

49. Jim O’Rourke – Insignificance (Drag City, 2001): Jim O’Rourke was pretty busy and prolific earlier this decade. Known mostly for his avant work, O’Rouke was also a major factor in the sound of Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and A Ghost is Born, and for the first half of the decade, O’Rourke was a full-time member of Sonic Youth. While a song like “All Downhill from Here” is catchy and fun, O’Rourke still has his noisy sensibilities, like the headache inducing outro of “Life Goes Off.” Showcasing all of O’Rourke’s strengths in composing and songwriting, Insignificance is O’Rourke’s most accomplished record.

48. Times New Viking – Rip it Off (Matador, 2008): Times New Viking are the trailblazers of the new lo-fi movement. Unlike their peers, they’ve been at it for four records dating all the way back to 2005. Rip it Off is their third record, and quite possibly the loudest record of the decade. Their mix of fuzz, pop, and catchy choruses provide a party all on one shiny, ear-melting disc.

47. Madvillian – Madvilliany (Stones Throw, 2003): Putting this MF Doom and Madlib’s collaboration disc on this list is mandatory. Madvillany is one of the best rap records period. MF Doom’s wacky flow, mixed with Madlib’s array of sampled beats from cartoons, old television, and underground beats provides for an interesting listen—especially if you are as high as they were when they made it.

46. Sonic Youth – Murray Street (Interscope, 2002): Sonic Youth released four full-lengths this decade, and this is their best. Following their worst record, (NYC Ghosts and Flowers) Murray Street is a breath of fresh air. No longer trying to fuck around for the sake of fucking around, Sonic Youth tighten up with the help of Jim O’Rourke, filling spaces with guitar lines and master songcraft. This is Sonic Youth doing what they do best—kick ass.

45. Lightning Bolt – Wonderful Rainbow (Load, 2003): Lightning Bolt is just two guys; one on bass, one on drums. But this isn’t your White Stripes arrangement. The only thing Lightning Bolt know how to do is crush skulls, and skull crushing is what Wonderful Rainbow does best. If you don’t believe me, just take a listen to opening track “Hello Morning” and “Assassins.” If you aren’t punching everything around you, then you don’t know how to get down.

44. Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R (Interscope, 2000): One of the few records on this this whose title says it all. QOTSA’s second record is a mix of drugs, sex, violence, and more drugs. QOTSA’s best songs, “Into the Fade” and “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret,” are on this record. Rated R is equally suited for headbanging as it is getting stoned to.

43. Dizzee Rascal – Showtime (XL, 2004): UK hip-hop started with garage, which evolved into grime, which now has become dub-step. Dizzee Rascal is the Prince of Grime, and it’s most prized star. While he is now making pop records and topping the charts, his 2004 record Showtime fulfilled all of his promise of his Mercury Prize winning Boy In Da Corner. What push Showtime over the top is tracks like “Stand Up Tall” and “Dreams.”

42. The Walkmen – Bows + Arrows (Record Collection, 2004): The Walkmen’s first record was just all right. I used to confuse them with the French Kicks, and thought they’d be just another band in the indie landfill. But then they released their best song “The Rat” and its home Bows + Arrows. While not all the songs hit as immediately as “The Rat,” tracks like “North Pole” and “Thinking Of A Dream I Had” are equally as rewarding.

41. Lily Allen – Alright, Still (Capitol, 2006): Lily Allen may talk a lot of shit, but she has the songs to back it up. This record soars mostly due to the production and ska samples, but Allen’s witty lyrics on everything from a guy who couldn’t get it up (“Not Big”) to her loser little brother (“Alfie”) prove she is a step above your plastic pop stars. And let’s not forget the awesome singles “Smile” and “LDN.”

40. of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (Polyvinyl, 2007): of Montreal started the decade as an Elephant 6 pop band. Somewhere in the middle of the decade, their seventh record and eighth records, Satanic Panic in the Attic and The Sunlandic Twins, laid the groundwork for of Montreal’s shift from 60’s pop to a 70’s electronic-glam hybrid group. Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer, while an entry point for many new listeners, is a shocking record for longtime fans. The band experimented with new styles like funk (“Gronlandic Edit”), 70’s glam (“Labyrinthian Pomp”), and let’s not forget about the twelve minute centerpiece “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” where Kevin Barnes calls to “tear this fucking house apart”, and tear it apart he does.

39. Alan Braxe and Friends – The Upper Cuts (PIAS, 2005): Ok, this is me cheating. This is not a full-length but a compilation of tracks from the wizard DJ/producer Alan Braxe. The tracks that make up this comp are mostly from this decade, although there are a few stragglers (Stardust’s “Music Sounds Better With You”). Plus it has one of the decade’s best singles, “Rubicon.” Alan Braxe’s sound is like an evolution of Daft Punk’s Homework, which is not so hard to imagine, as they are friends. The Upper Cuts is suited for both nights out in the club, and nights hanging out at home.

38. Primal Scream – XTRMNTR (Astralwerks, 2000): If you took the Stooges’ Raw Power and added My Bloody Valentine guitar assault and Rave electronics, you’d have Primal Scream’s best record XTRMNTR. The songs are aggressive, both sonically (“Accelerator”)and politically (“Swastika Eyes,” “Kill All Hippies”). While their aggression could be viewed as childish, Primal Scream pull it off with amazing results.

37. The Futureheads – The Futureheads (679, 2004): Poor Futureheads. Not only is this the best record of the post-punk revival, but the Futurehead’s best record, and one that they will probably never top. I don’t think there is another record on this list I fell in love with so quickly. The summer of 2004 brought many great records, but the Futureheads is the most delightful. Look no further than their cover of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love.”

36. Les Savy Fav – Inches (French Kiss, 2004) This is the last time I’ll cheat. Inches started in 1996, before Les Savy Fav released their first record. Culminating in 2004, the record contains all nine 7” in reverse chronological order. While this may come off as an oddball compilation, it actually proves to be Les Savy Fav’s most cohesive record. Tracks like “Meet Me In the Dollar Bin” and “We’ll Make a Love of You” are indispensible to the LSF catalogue. While the new tracks have more sheen, finale track “Rodeo” from 1996 still holds up almost fifteen years later.

35. Death Cab for Cutie – The Photo Album (Barsuk, 2001): The Photo Album was the album DCFC should have broken big on. It wasn’t until the rise of The Postal Service due to movies like Garden State, and television shows like “The O.C.,” that DCFC got their due. It’s a shame because The Photo Album upstages later records like Transatlanticism in almost every way. From the indispensible “I Was A Kaleidoscope” to the heartbreaking “Styrofoam Plates,” there isn’t a single second of fluff.

34. Robyn – Robyn (Konichiwa, 2005): Talk about a comeback. Robyn of “Show Me Love” fame eschewed major labels and created the record she wanted to make. Robyn is the most brilliant pop album of the decade. Just running through the eight (!) singles the talent shines. Robyn has yet to follow the record up, but I trust that it will be pretty much amazing as well.

33. The Wrens – The Meadowlands (Absolutely Kosher, 2003): Again with the comebacks. Once dollar-bin heroes, The Wrens took a lengthy seven years to follow up their Nineties classic Secaucus. A lot went into the making of the album, between bad record deals and general ups and downs. The Meadowlands is not an easy listen, the songs jump in style, mood, and fidelity, but one thing that stays constant is the high quality of songcraft. There are poppy moments, like highlight “This Boy Is Exhausted,” to bitter laments like “Everyone Choose Sides.” Like Robyn, the Wrens have yet to follow this record up, but next year marks another seven years.

32. The Books – The Lemon of Pink (Tom Lab, 2004): The Books are a duo who make music out of samples, live instruments, and found sounds. The Lemon of Pink is best listened to all the way through. From the opening “The Lemon of Pink (Pt 1, 2),” which mixes banjo, strings, and haunting vocals, to the cut-up sample assault of “Take Time,” the record is never a letdown.

31. Panda Bear – Person Pitch (Paw Tracks, 2007): Panda Bear’s second solo was remarkable when it was released in early 2007. A few years later it still holds up. Panda Bear is mostly known for being a member of Animal Collective, and Person Pitch is the best solo record from any of the members. Built upon layers of samples and Beach-Boys-inspired vocals, this is Panda Bear’s grand statement. This also marked a turn for Animal Collective, as the band seem hell-bent on capturing the energy of Person Pitch (see 2009’s Meriwether Post Pavilion).

That’s it for now. Come back next week for 30-21.

Photo by Rocky Jones

Fall is my favorite season. The weather is pleasant, television returns, movies becomes serious for awards season, and “best of” lists start to be compiled. Although fall is full of perks, it is usually lacking in amazing new releases. Other than a few heavy hitters releasing their records in time for Christmas, fall is a time to reflect on the previous year, and start hyping the upcoming one.

This year is quite different from most, as most of the big artists have already released their records. Other than Mariah Carey, the only major release left is Lil Wayne’s ill advised rock album, Rebirth, but counting how many times it has been delayed there’s no telling if it will even be coming out.

After searching multiple upcoming release calendars, I have compiled a list of five records that I can’t wait to hear. Now my criteria for these records are ones that have not already heard, so while I’m excited for the releases of The Twilight Sad (Sept. 22), Kurt Vile (Oct. 6), Neon Indian (Oct. 6), Lightning Bolt (Oct. 13), Atlas Sounds (Oct. 20), and Fuck Buttons (Oct. 20), I’ve been bangin’ them for weeks.

The List:

Basement Jaxx – Scars (Ultra)

Basement Jaxx’s last record, Crazy Itch Radio, was hit or miss, but mostly miss. Basement Jaxx’s blessing and curse comes from their ability to fill their records with high profile guests. Scars follows this path, with up-and-comers Sam Sparrow and Santigold alongside respected artists like Kelis (at least you will respect her) and the occasional WTF? choice, like Yoko Ono. After I heard “Raindrops” my interest shot up 300%, but the other tracks out there aren’t as strong. While it may not be my favorite album of the year, it still could be a fun ride. (October 6)

Boston Spaceships – Zero to 99 (GBV Music)

Boston Spaceships is the closest we’ll get to hearing Bob Pollard in GBV mode ever again. Boston Spaceships is like a fun side project for Pollard, admittedly on their bio they “rock hard, have fun, and drink Miller Lite.” Zero to 99 is not only the third Boston Spaceships record but the 75^th Bob Pollard release this year. The Spaceship’s last record, The Planets are Blasted, was one of the best records this year, and I got a feeling that this record will join it on my top 20 list. (October 6)

Boston Spaceships – Question Girl All Right (right click to download)

Mission of Burma – The Sound The Speed The Light (Matador)

Before Dinosaur Jr. came back and proved that bands can reunite and still release good records, Mission of Burma returned. MOB had so much promise in the late 70s, but after one critically acclaimed EP and their lone LP, the band broke up, albeit amicably. Then somewhere in 2004 the band started to tour again, and even better they unleashed On, Off On, possibly the best reunion record ever recorded. The Sound The Speed The Light, their third record since returning, is said to be “4 sets or suites of 3 songs” and more “spacious” per the description on Matador’s store. Whatever it turns out to be, I’m sure it won’t disappoint. (October 6)

Check out the cheekily titled “1, 2, 3 Partyy!” here.

The Flaming Lips – Embryonic (Warner)

The Flaming Lips have not sounded this interesting to me since Soft Bulletin. But even that record leaves me cold when compared to both Transmissions From the Satellite Heart and Clouds Taste Metallic. From listening to preview tracks, however, this record might be the best they’ve done or the shittiest. Double albums almost never work, but if everything is as left-field as the Spoon-esque “Convinced of the Hex” or kraut rocking “Silver Trembling Hands,” then we’ll have a record. (October 13)

Annie – Don’t Stop (Smalltown Super Sound)

Oh Annie, where have you been? This record has been in talks since 2005 when she was supposedly working with James Iha, but then last year it was finally going to come out. Promos were pressed, singles released, the album leaked, then nothing. Annie is proof of the failure of major labels. After her dispute with Island, Annie took the album back and retooled it. Another new single, “Anthonio,” surfaced but little much else. But then the skies opened up and now Don’t Stop (v2) is coming out. While the new cover is brilliant, the track list has me worried. Singles “I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me” and “Anthonio” have been cut, along with a few tracks from the original leak, but the three Paul Epworth tracks could be enough to give this record some legs. (November 13)

Currently a new breed of musicians are picking up where the Sixties groups left off. The summer of skuzz 2009, like many musical movements, has been mostly a guy’s game. Labels like Woodsist, Captured Tracks, and DC’s own Underwater Peoples are pumping out “boys in a garage” records that owe as much to the Nugget’s box set as early RnB (see Fergus and Geronimo) all summer long.

While the lo-fi scene might seem like a sausage party, plenty of girls have shown their skills as well. The most popular/blog-famous, The Vivian Girls, received massive hype for their mixture of girl-group sounds with the twee of the Shop Assistants, surf styles of the Beach Boys, and hyperfast playing. Their recently released sophomore record, Everything Goes Wrong, is more of the same, but with a faster LA Hardcore pace.

Other groups, like Girls at Dawn and the Dum Dum Girls, are all making great summer jams that mix surf, sun, girl-groups, and the common link: lo-fi production. While most of these artists have been flying under the radar, their 7”s, 12” splits, CD-Rs, and cassettes are going out-of-print/sold-out, and bigger labels are taking notice. Dum Dum Girls have just signed to Sub-Pop, with a full-length next year.

My favorite girl in lo-fi right now, Bethany Cosentino’s Best Coast, makes the same girl-group-on-the-beach sound as her peers, but Best Coast sets itself apart because of its authenticity. Best Coast’s songs are a perfect mix of summer jams (“Something in the Way”), reflective chill-out music (“Sun Was High (So Was I)”), and straight ahead pop jams (“Make You Mine”). Cosentino was previously in the droning noise band Pocahaunted, but has since split to play beach music that makes her home of California proud. With her own “Phil Spector,” Bobb Bruno, Cosentino has released a much-buzzed-about tape, Where The Boys Are (Blackest Rainbow), and has a 7” on Art Fag Records in the pipeline.

Blogs like Gorilla Vs. Bear and MBV Music have been giving props to Best Coast for a few months, and with every new jam released my summer got sunnier. Although summer is over, I thought it might be a good time to get everyone acquainted with the Best Coast.

Here’s a quick interview with Bethany:

TNG: What is the current state of Pocahaunted?

Bethany Cosentino: I quit Pocahaunted basically when I moved to New York. I just got really busy, and lived 3,000 miles away from my band mate–so things didn’t really work out. When I moved back to California I really wanted to start playing different music, so I did. Pocahaunted is still a band, their sound is totally different now, but they are still playing and recording, etc. I’m just no longer a part of it.

TNG: How did Best Coast start?

BC: I pretty much just left New York with no notice, came back to LA and immediately started recording songs as Best Coast. I had asked Bobb (Bruno) to play with me prior to moving back—and once I started writing the songs, I sent them to him and kind of gave him an idea of how I wanted the final product to sound. Literally within like two weeks of being home, Bobb and I had recorded like 5 or 6 songs together. It just happened really organically.

TNG: Is it true, as I read on your blog, you are going Goth?

BC: Haha, the Goth thing was just a joke I made on my blog, but I guess I can say that some of the newer Best Coast is maybe a little darker? It’s hard to explain what I mean by that, but I guess the songs are just a little slower, and the lyrics are maybe a tad bit angstier. It’s hard to write super poppy happy songs when you don’t always feel super poppy and happy (laughs). I guess the songs I write just reflect the mood I am currently in.

TNG: How do you feel about breaking the blogosphere?

BC: I mean in all honesty, it’s confusing to me how quickly it all happened. I think it’s cool that people are talking about the music, and are enjoying it—but I also think the whole blog/Internet/music thing is kind of weird. It’s awesome that there are so many outlets for people to talk about music, but at the same time it’s just kind of overwhelming how much stuff is out there.

TNG: Because all of your CD-Rs and tapes are mostly sold out, do you have any plans to reissue the material with a compilation?

BC: I don’t have any plans to re-release the tape, or any of the other demo stuff. I basically just put that stuff out there once, and I don’t really have any plans to return to it. Using demos for the tape was just kind of something I did because it seemed to fit better with the label. Blackest Rainbow puts out a lot of lo-fi, experimental stuff, so I thought it might be a bit confusing to have him put out this crazy produced pop tape (laughs). So I just collected a few of the demos and put them together for the tape. I think it’s cool that it’s out there, but yeah like I said—no intention of re-releasing any of it in a larger product.

TNG: Is there a full length in the cards?

BC: There is definitely a full length planned, I just don’t know exactly when it’s going to come out and who is going to put it out. I’m not really in a rush, because I have some seven inches and stuff coming out—but yeah, the record will happen.

TNG: Do you have any touring plans? Will you make it out to DC?

BC: Definitely going to do a tour as well—probably around the same time the record comes out, or shortly after. I’m anxious to get out of California and to start playing more shows. I’ve never really been on a tour before. Pocahaunted did an east coast tour, but that was only like a week long. It’s going to be funny to see how I react when I’m spending weeks at a time away from home. I have to try and bring my cat with me (laughs).

TNG: With all of the bands now coppin’ the lo-fi beach punk thing, what do you feel about inevitable backlash, and have you felt that?

BC: People are going to talk about you no matter what, and that is just what happens when you put any sort of art or anything out into public. People will either love it, or they will hate it—and that’s fine with me. I have definitely received some direct negative feedback, but in all honesty it doesn’t matter to me, because I’m happy with what I’m doing, and that is what’s important.

TNG: What is your all time favorite girl group song?

BC: Ok I have two—The Angels’ “Adore Him” and The Cookies’ “I Never Dreamed.” Seriously, I listen to both of those songs so much it’s stupid.

As a side note: it’s pretty much always summer in southern California–so that rules, haha.

TNG: What are your top five favorite things about summer?

BC: 1. Lemonade, 2. Bikini tops as bras, 3. Going to see so many movies to escape the heat, 4. Backyard shows, 5. Frozen yogurt. As a side note: it’s pretty much always summer in southern California—so that rules (laughs).

TNG: If you knew an earthquake was coming and you could only save five CDs or vinyl from your record collection, which would they be?

BC: 1. The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds, 2. The Four Tops, Greatest Hits, 3. Cocteau Twins, Blue Bell Knoll, 4. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Greatest Hits, 5. The Angels, “Adore Him”/“My Boyfriends Back” 45

Listen to a song of the year/summer contender  Best Coast – Something In The Way (right click to download)

For more: Check out the Blog, or follow the Twitter

Wild Beasts are a four piece from Kendal, England. If you have never heard them, stop reading and listen. Here is a playlist:

Their soon to be released sophomore record, Two Dancers (September 8 on these shores, already available in the UK), is a frontrunner for record of the year. (Fuck you, Animal Collective.) I mean, there is no way I could resist a record that, not even two minutes in, has the amazing refrain “This is a booty call/My boot, my boot/Up your asshole.”

Two Dancers begins with a 1-2-3 punch (“The Fun Powder Plot,” “Hooting and Howling,” “All the King’s Men”) that kicks the ass of most records this year. But the hits keep coming, as later album tracks like, “This is Our Lot,” are just as repeatable as the aforementioned opening. At a scant 10 songs in a little over thirty minutes, there is no room for filler, and Wild Beasts know when to cut the fat. There really isn’t a higher recommendation I can give, so please support this band, fuck the recession, buy this record.

I recently interviewed singer/guitarist Hayden Thorpe and bassist/singer Tom Fleming, and here it is:

TNG: Two Dancers feels more comfortable than [debut record] Limbo, Panto.  To me, Limbo, Panto was very worked and orchestrated, while this one feels looser. What changes did you make in the recording process?

Tom Fleming: This album was a logical step, to pare the arrangements down but to keep the seed of what we’d done in the first album in terms of structures, themes and all that. We’d listened to a lot of music and been through some things, and I suppose it took us this long to find a way to sublimate it into what we were doing, rather than drop it from a great height.

Hayden Thorpe: So in a way the recording process was less about changes and more about allowing ourselves room for development. This can be a scary thing to do, but it’s always the most invigorating way of working. We tend to find the light then immediately turn into the darkness, always on the run. This may be where this “loose” feeling comes from. We wanted to capture the sense of abandonment and adventure that we felt when exploring the possibilities of these songs.

TNG: One of my favorite moments on the record is when Hayden catches his breath on “All the Kings Men” because it seemed like a moment of vulnerability, do you feel as if the album is more vulnerable?

TF: The songs all have this bodily pulse to them, and we try to sound intimate and human, in fact I’d say that we see it as our responsibility to sound human. I struggle with this ‘look but don’t touch’ visual sexiness in pop music. It’s very alienating and not in the least bit sexy. And the physicality of the music is the best weapon against being too cerebral.

HT: It is, in fact, Tom who sings the part you are referring to. We deliberately wanted to toy a little with preconceptions about our roles in the band and who did what. In terms of such moments seeming vulnerable. I suppose it goes back to this notion of humanness again. In this age where computer music “fixes” an artist’s voice to sound “correct,” showing any irregularity seems bold and strange, but is all the more endearing for it.

TNG: Hayden sings only six songs on the record, what was the decision to have Tom sing more?

TF: We sort of became two characters simply by having different sorts of voices, and we ran with that on this album, certain things are better said by one or the other of us. There’s a pretty/ugly dynamic with both voices, and this is sort of a way of working for us. I think that in general people like to see us as a collective, rather than having a front man and his orchestra, if you know what I mean.

HT: What was key to this album for us was compatibility between songs. We wanted a thread to run through the entire piece chapter by chapter. As we were writing the record, me and Tom were in a sense bouncing ideas off one another. An idea of mine might open a door for Tom, who would react, then I would pick up the baton from him and move again. In effect, there is a call and answer routine going on. The theme stays central but is being constantly refracted from different angles.

TNG: Hayden – when did you discover your voice? Were you ever worried that people may be turned off by it?

HT: There was never any element of worry. In a way it was my flag, my declaration to the world, my fuck you. In that sense I used it as a weapon rather than as a weakness. Of course, I do run the risk of alienating, but why water myself down for those people who I would probably only lose any way? It’s super speed dating, do you love me or do you hate me? If so, then good, lets party. If not, fine, don’t worry. On a more simplistic level ,it is how I sing and hear melody and, in that sense, I don’t know any other way.

TNG: There is a lot of sexuality in the lyrics and the music, as well as, sexual ambiguity – both gay and straight. How personal are the lyrics? Are you singing through characters or are any of the stories real?

TF: Blood and guts sexuality is really what we’re trying to talk about on this album, and in doing that you sort of realize the poverty of talking about it. There are these competing ideas that say that your sexuality is the most intrinsic part of being alive, and on the other side that the body is just the shell of who you are. This album is sort of written about what sexuality can do to you, and how affecting and confusing it can be.

HT: What is character and what is self is often hard to separate. If something has been invented by you, is it not part of who you are and the products of your experiences? Some stories are embellished or romanticized, and some stories have had to be censored in order to be fit for public consumption. The art of knowing what to give and what to take is a fascinating one. You want to be suggestive while leaving the finer details open to the imagination. The beauty of song is that it allows you, for it’s duration, to live in the world that it has built. You believe the things that happen in songs are possible, and in some cases because of this they do. It’s a reciprocal thing. The relationship between fantasy and reality is an ever-changing one, I try and exist in the border between the two, and it is forever my goal to never let the veil slip.

TNG: Did the critical reception of Limbo, Panto affect your style or process? What is your relationship with the critics? Do you read reviews?

HT: Perhaps I read reviews more than I should. It’s a strange addiction. If honest, I will sometimes only be gratified once I’ve read something negative. It’s like a strange cleansing process, as if I’m detoxing, routing out the poison. In a sense it can be empowering, knowing the seas you are sailing can help avoid the iceberg. The reaction to Limbo, Panto was fascinating. Essentially we didn’t care, the cause was far more important than the consequence. We wanted to create a stir, in effect a debut album must have that beacon quality. “Look at me! Look at me!” So we set the trap, sat and waited. Snap!

TNG: The “Hooting and Howling” video is incredible. How was it made? Did you feel like you were going to drown?

HT: The shoot for the video was pretty intense, perhaps like re-entering the womb, warm and dark. I was last in, so, one by one, I watched the other guys come out looking like they had just seen something terrible, pale and weak. It was an ordeal, the water was so hot, the lights made sure of that, the temperature not too far away from hot milk. Too much. It was worth it though, we wanted to capture ourselves in an unguarded state, in a less controlled environment where looking cool was impossible. A picture taken when someone wasn’t looking often says so much more about him or her then one that has been prepared for.

TNG: How does it feel to play for bigger crowds? You have played festivals in the UK, which do you prefer, clubs or stadiums?

HT: A hard question really, I don’t think I have a preference as such. You get different things from both. With a festival show on a big stage you get a wow factor, seeing thousands of baying people in front of you does strange things to the mind. Its enormity is almost too much to take in at once, like swimming in an ocean, you can’t quite gauge your place in at all, you just get a feeling of freedom. Club shows often allow you to experience intense outpourings of love and happiness, but again it’s strange. It can be too much emotion to take in. How healthy this all is I don’t know, because nothing afterwards quite compares. For that time on stage you are king, and no one likes their crown to fall. It can take some time to readjust to normality, but it is essential to do so.

TNG: What are your feelings on “breaking” America?

HT: As an outsider, there does seem to be a really healthy and vibrant environment for alternative music in America. Bands like Dirty Projectors and Animal Collective seem to occupy a place in the US that doesn’t really exist in the UK. That is a place of joint popularity and integrity. Maybe we’ve made this up, I don’t know, but we are excited to find out.

TNG: You are doing a short tour of New York, are there any future plans to do a full tour?

HT: I would definitely think so. I’m not at liberty to give a firm answer, but we’ll be around for sometime yet and a full tour of America is essential, so surely it is only a matter of time. The vastness of the US is quite scary to a Brit marooned on a tiny island on the other side of the Atlantic, but because of this it holds a mythical status which we are hungry to explore.

We’ll start things off with all things Jay Reatard. I recently spoke with Jay about his wonderful new record Watch Me Fall (out now, go cop that). Along with the interview I’ve included a selected discography for those who may be new to his work, an embed of his short documentary, Waiting for Something, and a playlist spanning his massive body of work.

Jay Reatard (born Jimmy Lee Lindsey) has been making music since 1995. First with the Reatards, then with The Lost Sounds, and so many other projects it’ll make Bob Pollard’s head spin. In 2006, Jay released his first “solo” record Blood Visions on label, In the Red. It’s been all whirlwind heat from there; Jay has played 300+ shows, released a singles comp on In the Red, signed to Matador, and released a series of 7” (compiled on another singles comp).  Jay also has his own label, Shattered Records, which just started a subscription series (all details here).

Last week Watch Me Fall, Jay’s second solo record, was released on Matador, and this fall he is setting out on a Shattered Records tour. DC fans can catch him in B-more on October 3^rd with an amazing line up, including ex-Gravy Train, Hunx and His Punx, Omaha’s Box Elders, and the thoroughly insane Nobunny. All in all, Jay Reatard is a busy dude.

Interview:

TNG: What is the difference between making a single versus making a record? I read that this record is the first record you made knowing it was going to be on a label.

Jay Reatard: When you’re creating something with no expectations, it’s a little easier to not overthink yourself. When I was making Blood Visions, I didn’t even know I was making a solo record. This was the first time I made an album knowing it was going to be a solo record. Blood Visions started off as demos for a previous band I was in [The Lost Sounds]. I kinda got a lukewarm reaction to some of the new songs. With this record, I had to make sure it was the record I wanted to make, because I am gonna be playing these songs live for the next year or so, and my name is gonna be on it.

TNG: The Lost Sounds had lots of synthesizer, while Blood Visions was pretty spare. With Watch Me Fall there is a return of instrumentation. Why did you decide to add to the formula?

JR: When [The Lost Sounds] broke up I was just sick of instrumentation. I just wanted to have bass, drum, guitar, and voice. After playing 300 shows with that lineup for the past three years, I decided it might be a good idea, or a little more dynamic, while making a full-length record as opposed to singles, to put a few bells and whistles here. I didn’t go overboard. At first, I decided on the idea of making this kind of orchestral garage album – something really simple, but garage sounding. I made a couple songs that way but then scratched them. I took off a lot of the instruments. They ended up on the record but I stripped away a ton of the instrumentation.

TNG: I also read that this record was going to be more “twee” inspired, but was unsure if you were just fucking with people or if you were really going for it?

JR: I guess I’d be lying if [I didn’t say] that whole thing was me more of just being slightly manipulative with press stuff. Just trying to fuck with what people’s expectations of what the record was going to be. I don’t really necessarily feel that that was the direction I even planned on going. It was just something that just popped up in the mouth to try to see if people would actually believe it. But then somewhere along the line some of the songs ended up sounding much softer than I had planned on them sounding.

Yeah, twee…I don’t even know what that means. I guess when I think of that, I think of Belle & Sebastian, things along those lines. I think it was me just kind of playing on what people would expect when you’re signed to what they consider more of an indie rock label versus a punk label—that you’re going to go soft. So it was just toying with peoples’ expectations a bit.

TNG: You are currently signed to Matador, a label with such rich history. What decisions went into signing with Matador? Were they any Matador bands that you loved so much, you just had to be part of the label too?

JR: In the mid-’90s, I was into Pavement, like a lot of 15-year-olds. I liked the Blues Explosion a lot in the early ’90s when I was younger. There were quite a few things that I liked on the label. But honestly, what really turned me to their label was just the way they ran it. I really like the balance of what they consider, having this kind of professional environment that is still really about music and about having fun. A good balance of half being on your friend’s indie label, and being on a real label [whose] goal is to really sell records.

TNG: What music are you big on right now? I know that when you record you don’t really listen to music, but is there anything that you are feeling at the moment?

JR: I’ve actually been listening to a lot of gangsta rap from the 1990s.

TNG: Oh, really!

JR: Like Project Pat, I’m really feeling that record. I dunno, I went through this huge phase of getting really burned out on punk rock, probably like 10 years ago, and I started listening to like really extreme stuff, like this gangsta rap stuff and black metal. Sometimes it’s really good for me to listen to something that doesn’t even sound like something remotely I would want to attempt musically.

TNG: You wouldn’t want to make a gangsta rap album?

JR: [Laughs] I don’t think so. I don’t think I have cred for that. I don’t know if I’m interested in coming off that ironic. As far as rock bands lately, closer to what I’m playing, I’ve been jamming the Box Elders record lately. I guess I always go back to listening to the same staples. I could be happy to sit and listen to the same five Flying Nun records, Henry Rollins, The Wipers and Devo for the rest of my life. Just listen to 10 records for the rest of my life.

TNG: You’ve been making music since ’98, in the pre-digital age. What major changes do you see with releasing records back then to now. How has that changed the way you make and distribute music? Are you worried about leaks? In essence, do you feel the Internet is a good thing or a bad thing?

JR: Well, you know, it’s both. Just like anything else, like a weapon, or any other sort of technology or anything of those sorts, its all about who’s using them. So for a lot of people, the accessibility of anything they can Google; they don’t really handle it well. They end up getting lost. They lose an identity. I think sometimes when you discover things that take a little time, or a little bit of effort, you kind of, once you get into them, get attached and very proud. Like, “This is what I’m into, this is what I am.”

I think when you can go onto the next thing so quickly, I don’t know if it is like some sort of weird postmodernist thing where your identity is what you consume. But when you’re consuming everything at such a fast rate, who the fuck are you? I kind of think that’s a really negative thing. The positive thing is, well, like for a band, like the band I’m in, it really helps when we go on tour. We’re reaching a lot more people than if we were, say, from 1985, and we were trying to do things like Black Flag and do a tour of VFW halls. I dunno, I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing. I think that digital technology coming into the process of making music is bullshit as well. It’s opened me up to a lot of larger scale ideas I couldn’t normally do at home…but on the other hand, if being an artist is defined by the decisions you make, and you are allowed to, say, do infinite undos on your songs, then what’s artistic about that? You aren’t making any decisions.

TNG: While still on the Internet, you have a Twitter account that has recently come under fire for a couple of posts, one about Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and the M83 tweet. You have said before that the press has gotten you wrong, as they peg you for a drug addict, or an alcoholic, and even a dick. What is your take on the issue?

JR: (Laughs) You know, man, the funny thing is, I don’t really like that M83 band, they’re pretty lousy. They probably don’t like what I do either. That’s fair enough, everyone’s allowed to do what they want to do. The funny thing about the Pains of Being Pure at Heart thing is I own their album [laughs]. So it’s like people take themselves too seriously. Half the time I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t on purpose, but it’s fun to get a rise out of people sometimes. You shouldn’t take things you read on the Internet too seriously, especially when it’s somebody drunk at 4 in the morning on their cell phone if it took them to a stupid fucking website called Twitter. How seriously can you take that?

I mean like, Twitter is like the diary of the brain; it’s too easy to connect to. It goes straight to my website. So its like, yeah okay, I felt like putting something on the website today, so let me just write something that could be really meaningful or completely dumb. But I think that Twitter’s role is not meant to be serious at all. Anyone that’s going to do something serious with it is pretentious. It’s meant to be completely stupid. I don’t even think, you know, when I type things on there, it doesn’t even cross my brain that, “Oh man, I could get some kind of attention or press out of this.” The last thing I thought was Pitchfork would toss it up and try to make some sort of fake controversy out of it. I have no problem with [Pains of Being Pure at Heart] at all. Actually, I think that their songs sound quite nice.

TNG: I don’t understand why people don’t realize that you have a sense of humor. I mean, your name is Jay “Reatard.”

JR: Yeah, I don’t understand. I did, when I was younger, create some sort of reputation that I guess I always used to say, “It takes one day to create a reputation, and ten years to live it down.” I’ve never been allowed to be taken very lightly. It seems like everything I say is taken [at] face value. How serious can I really be about putting a picture, on the only picture disc I’ve ever done, of me with BBQ sauce on my face, and a picture of my ass with coke on it? I’m just being sarcastic about it. I mean, people are saying, “Oh I’m a drug addict.” Okay, I guess I’ll reinforce that by putting an eight-ball of cocaine on a picture disc. I tend to get lost on those people.

TNG: You play so many shows a year, mostly in clubs. Lately you have been playing bigger festivals both here in the U.S. and overseas. How has it been playing festivals versus playing clubs?

JR: I find that sometimes with larger crowds there are two ways to draw them in: one way is to antagonize them, extra, and one is to play into what they want, like: “Hey guys, you having a good time?” I tend to option for the former. I feel as long as you can still stimulate people, especially when you’re opening up for another band, it works to your advantage. They’re not gonna remember you most of the time if you’re just being boring. I feel as though I have a healthy amount of a bit of some sort of spite, or a bit of aggression towards audiences. I don’t know…I think America’s a really fucked up place now, and people need to enjoy that, it draws them. I don’t know if I enjoy larger audiences. But we’re still playing to 600 people or less (in clubs).

TNG: How has Watch Me Fall influenced your live set? Since it has a more dynamic range of instrumentation, does it mean bringing out more guys to play it, or stripping the sound so everything flows?

JR: Well, on this [next record store] tour, the plan is: I hired an extra guy to play all the acoustic parts. On almost every song, the only theme that ties them all together and keeps them in common is always the really loud distorted guitar, and a completely clean acoustic guitar doing all the rhythm. I’ve kind of been missing that sound; not having that much more staccato rhythmic feel of the acoustic. For these record store shows, we’re doing 12 shows only in record stores, so I don’t think it would be really beneficial to approach it like it would be in a bar. The reason I approach it like that in a bar, is because when I go see a band at a bar [I] kind of rock out and have this experience. But at six in the afternoon, at Amoeba, I’m not sure if we’re gonna approach it that way, so we’re bringing an extra guy along to help me sing harmony, play some acoustic guitar.

TNG: Because you are out on the road so many days out of the year, what is your diet like? Do you have any favorite fast food chains, or do you try not to eat junk?

JR: We try not to eat fast food much anymore. It kinda got bad for a while, to where when we weren’t financially making ends meet so well, and things were just starting off for this band, we definitely survived on a diet of Taco Bell and Taco Bell. At this point we pretty much eat at Whole Foods every day for lunch, and then eat at the venue. The only things we ask for them to have for us [are]: hummus, raw vegetables, raw fruit, and juice. That’s about it. We’re pretty un-rock-&-roll in that sense. But if I had to pick, it would be In ’N Out Burger, a Double Double with an order of fries—that would probably be my favorite fast food meal.

TNG: Wrapping up, now that you have a higher profile have you had any odd experiences of being recognized on the street?

JR: [Laughs] In New York or L.A. that’s happened. It’s kinda weird. I was just walking randomly in New York, on vacation, down the street and this guy just came walking down the street. The guy had a single of mine he had just bought at this record store. Not if I’m just walking through some neighborhood, no [I don’t get recognized], but if I’m walking close enough to an independent record store, or something of that sort, that stuff occasionally happens. That’s just because there’s this concentration of people that might be into the stuff that I’m creating, otherwise not really.

I don’t think I’ll be seen in some shopping mall. Actually, it makes me really happy. I brought my little sister shopping at a mall the other day, and more than once I got laughed at based on my appearance. It kind of makes me feel really good. I think those kind of moments—I spend the majority of time in bars around people that like what I do—humbling experiences like a 12-year-old kid saying that you’re ugly, those things are important in life.

Jay Reatard, A Selected Discography:

The Reatards – Grown Up Fucked Up (1999): This is the second full-length of The Reatards. Originally started by just Jay, the Reatards is rounded out by Steve Albundy (bass) and Elvis Wong (drums). Grown Up Fucked Up, is a loud, shouty punk record. Jay’s voice is much rougher than on his later projects. Listening to this record, you can tell that everyone is having a good time, despite the anger and bitterness in the lyrics.

Lost Sounds – Lost Sounds (2004): The Lost Sounds is Jay’s band with Alicja Trout. Starting after the demise of the Reatards, the Lost Sounds lasted from 2001-2005. In that time they managed to push out four releases, this being the last. Most of the songs on this record resemble Blood Visions if it had buzzing synthesizers on it. This is the closest Jay get to a punk rock dance party.

Jay Reatard – Blood Visions (2006): Described earlier in the interview, Blood Visions is Jay’s first solo record. In some ways it sounds like where the Lost Sounds would have gone without synth, which is no coincidence because it started off as Lost Sounds demos. The lyrics are once again dark (see “It’s So Easy”), but the music is fun as hell. Even though it may be the end of the world, put a smile on your face.

Jay Reatard – Singles 06-07 (2008): The first singles record compiles the In the Red material Jay recorded a little before and after Blood Visions. Some of Jay’s best songs are compiled here, such as the highly addictive “Hammer I Miss You.” It also contains a few retakes/demos of Blood Visions tracks.

Jay Reatard – Matador Singles ’08 (2008): In 2008 Jay Reatard singed to Matador, and released a series of 7”s that were be compiled to CD. The compilation works as a road map of Jay’s solo output. The songs are more dynamic, while still staying true to style. This collection contains the essential cover of Deerhunter’s “Fluorescent Grey,” as well as the jams “See Saw” and “Always Wanting More.”

Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall (2009): Released just a week ago, this record expands Jay’s basic guitar, bass, drum formula of Blood Visions, adding other sounds, and more acoustic guitar. Watch Me Fall displays an artist who started as just another angry young punk and has honed his sound into a blend of both kiwi and punk, making music that is cheery in melody, but still nihilistic in lyrical content. (First single: “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me.”)

Watch the Waiting for Something Documentary:
Waiting For Something – a short documentary about Jay Reatard

Listen to samples from Jay’s Discography: