Friday, December 31, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010 - #6 The Suburbs by Arcade Fire


What do I know about Arcade Fire? They’re from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They consist of a husband and wife duo (Win Butler and Regine Chassagne) along with five other members. And their song “Wake Up” was featured on the “Where the Wild Things Are” trailer (which was the most adult, kids-movie I’ve seen in a while, I might add. “Adult” in terms of theme and profundity). Before aforesaid trailer, I hadn’t knowingly heard a song by Arcade Fire. I downloaded “Wake Up” and listened to it many times. I loved its progression. It was like several songs in one. Just when you think you know what it’s up to, it changes course. When one of my art students burned me a copy of Arcade Fire’s 2010 release, “The Suburbs”, and told me I had to check it out, I didn’t know what to expect. Having only heard “Wake Up”, I had no clear conception of Arcade Fire’s “sound”. After having listened to “The Suburbs” several times now, I still don’t have a clear concept of the band’s “sound” (if, in fact, they have one).

In part, this is what makes “The Suburbs” so enjoyable: there are so many sounds. Perhaps this is the result of seven band members contributing to the album. Or a wild instrumentation that includes a glockenspiel, French horn, accordion and hurdy-gurdy. A couple tracks sound like they came out of the 80s. Whatever the cause, the effect is an expansive album that ascends on many levels. Even after several listens, I haven’t wrapped my head around this album – which in this case, is a good thing, because it is so enjoyable to play. It surprised me that an entire LP would be as diverse and unique as the first song I heard by them. Even amongst this list, “The Suburbs” is an idiosyncratic album. It entices repetition by its assortment of diverting and wonderful melodies.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010 — #7 Weathervanes by Freelance Whales


Everybody loves a good ghost story. When that story is told through delightful lyrics and accompanied by myriad instruments, from banjo to glockenspiel to harmonium to synthesizer, it becomes even more irresistible. The songs on Weathervanes are spun from childhood memories and dream journals, centering on the idea of a young boy in love with the ghost who inhabits the old house he lives in. Some songs fit the theme better than others, but, together, they paint a dreamy, spectral picture.

My first introduction to the Freelance Whales was "Generator (First Floor)," a song I stumbled upon accidentally but was instantly captivated by. I watched their tiny little desk concert over and over and over again:


And, then, even though I heard mixed review of Weathervanes from a friend, I decided to purchase it, and I haven't regretted it. Their music is light and airy and reflects the playful nature of the band who spent their earliest days busking the streets of New York. At other times, the songs tend toward the more reflective and melancholic, like "Location," on which lead singer Judah Dadone reflects on the "tinder box we live in / and what a flammable heart I've been given."

If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and download "Generator (Second Floor)" for free here. And then think about getting the rest of the album too.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010 - #8 Kaleidoscope Heart by Sara Bareilles




Like the title of her second album suggests, Sara Bareilles’s “Kaleidoscope Heart” is full of color, vibrancy and life. When asked about the much-anticipated follow-up to 2007’s “Little Voice”, Sara said that she spent her entire life coming up with and fine-tuning the songs for that album– she couldn’t just magically produce another studio release overnight. Indeed, few artists can. Fewer still create a sophomore album that shines and impresses as much as “Kaleidoscope Heart” does. From the gorgeous a cappella intro to the first chords on the piano filled with vigor and buoyancy, Sara’s songwriting is overflowing with brilliance.

“Uncharted” is the album’s first complete song (after the elegant vocal intro). It’s passionate and catchy and delivers on one tried and true method of songwriting: start with a piano and build from there. It doesn’t have to be unnecessarily complex; most of Sara’s songs follow a familiar pattern of verse, chorus and bridge, but good music doesn’t need frills. Sara succeeds at the basics, for example: writing a slow-tempo song with energy. This should be basic, but so many musicians fall flat with this. Songs that are supposed to be pretty and beautiful are dull, boring and lifeless. You know which ones I’m talking about. You press “skip” on the CD player when they come on because you want to hear something upbeat. On the other hand, Sara’s slow-tempo songs are brimming with drive and vitality. Sara nailed this on her first album and continues the tradition with “Hold My Heart”, “The Light” and “Breathe Again”.

Sara writes melodies and lyrics that are instantly enjoyable while at the same time offer enough depth and diversity to merit multiple listens. I can imagine Sara performing this album acoustically and solo – just her and a grand piano – that would be an incredible concert. I can’t say that about some other albums or bands, because many hide behind sketchy instrumentation that hides the melody or vocals more than it highlights them. Sara’s vocals are magnificent. I think Sara is one of the finest singers around; her range and pitch is phenomenal. Even though her vocals are not showcased with quite the same prominence as on her debut album, they are still outstanding. Perhaps she has less to prove on her second album. Or maybe she has more to prove now, to show her staying power. Regardless, she has succeeded in creating an album that exhibits the maturity and adeptness of her craft. “Kaleidoscope Heart” is rich with color and emotion.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010 — #9 Have One On Me by Joanna Newsom


I once heard Douglas Jenkins (of the Portland Cello Project) liken seeing Joanna Newsom in concert to watching a fairy pirate with a harp, and I've yet to hear a more apt comparison. Of course, I would add to his description "captivating" and "talented" and a string of other complimentary adjectives.

Besides the harp, Newsom's sometimes dulcet and old-world, sometimes vibrant and childlike, voice, combined with lyrics about tarantulas and inflammatory writs and cockleshells, lends credibility to the comparisons to pixies and other mystical beings. In a world where the number of new bands to listen to each day can grow wearying, and where every band is compared to some other band, Newsom has created a sound that is truly unique and incomparable.

Have One On Me picks up where her previous albums left off, not doing something terribly different that what she did on Ys or The Milk-Eyed Mender, but doing it better, with greater depth and maturity. The album is long—18 tracks in all, with the majority of them longer than six minutes—and filled with epic tales and rich arrangements of harp, piano, percussion, banjo, jaw harp, recorder, trombone, guitar, violin, and more.

And, even with 18 tracks, it is an album on which it is very difficult to pick favorites. Have One is an album that stops you in your tracks—entangling you in the subtle opening strings of the romantic "Easy" and taking you on a two-hour journey through another world—and once you reach the sad, sweet farewell of "Does Not Suffice," you'll want to take the journey over again.

While picking favorites is difficult, "'81" is a definite stand-out, and once you watch Newsom perform it live, you'll have no trouble understanding how the songstress sold out two back-to-back shows when she visited Portland this fall:


Monday, December 27, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010 - #10 Contra by Vampire Weekend


“Contra” by Vampire Weekend begins with the lyrics:

“In December, drinking horchata
I'd look psychotic in a balaclava
Winter's cold is too much to handle
Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals”.

It’s beautiful right? But if you said you knew exactly what these lyrics meant, I’d call you a liar. Where else have you heard the words “horchata” and “balaclava” together? Nowhere, that’s where. For those of you who were curious like me: Horchata is an almond-flavored soft drink in Spain and Latin American countries. A balaclava is a close-fitting wool hat that covers the head and neck. For use of these abnormal words and more, Vampire Weekend deserves credit. Deciphering lyrics is not my forte. Fortunately, you do not have to understand what Vampire Weekend is singing about to enjoy their happy, upbeat music. The music and melodies speak for themselves.

I had not heard Vampire Weekend prior to purchasing “Contra” early this year. I saw they were at Sasquatch in an advertisement – I didn’t see them at Sasquatch unfortunately. And I bought their self-titled debut album shortly after. Because I listened to both releases so close together, I must admit I have trouble distinguishing between them. The band however, has a very distinct sound that stays consistent across the two albums – it’s a cross between ska, punk and indie rock. For a band name that could’ve described a morose, moody rock group, Vampire Weekend is remarkably cheerful (and pleasantly surprising if you were expecting morose and moody). At the risk of offending more ardent and long-standing fans, all of Vampire Weekend’s songs fit into one of two moods: upbeat or laidback. Which is fine, because there’s so much the band does with these categories; no two songs sound alike. Sometime’s it’s a change of beats, a mix of percussion or a splash of synthesizers, but Ezra Koenig’s vocals always soar. For me, “Contra” (and “Vampire Weekend”) was a surprise hit of the year.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Bringing it Back

That's right, folks. Kyle and I have completely failed at blogging this year, but that doesn't mean that we haven't been listening to good music. And it doesn't mean we aren't dying to tell you about it.

So, we'll be getting the band (the "band" being Kyle and myself) back together for a countdown of the year's best ten albums (in our humble opinions).

Stay tuned for the posts--and please share your top album picks of the year with us. We'd love to hear them.