It just takes time
[from the album On The Water, out October 11th on Thrill Jockey, video by Jay Buim]
[from the album On The Water, out October 11th on Thrill Jockey, video by Jay Buim]
Now we’re cooking! We are headed in to the final stretch of my favorite songs from 2010. Numbers 40 through 21 have so much great stuff it’s hard to contain it all in a single post! Stay tuned… the final 20 will be posted very soon!
Here it is! The moment that some of you have been waiting for… my top 10 favorite albums of the year! Be on the lookout for tomorrow’s first post where I reveal numbers 100-91 from my ludicrous 100 favorite songs of 2010 compilation.
“Fashion Party (feat. Chairlift)”
With the year’s most clever rhyme slants and structured semantics on social commentary, backed by an impressive production crew of eclectic artists, Das Racist have compiled 2010’s must-listen-to mixtape.
Fiery distortion, liquid guitar melodies, and soaring vocal rasps are conjured from atop an ancient castle turret and cast upon an army of snarling mythological beasts — heavy.
Equal parts whimsical and heart-wrenching, the once enigmatic Sigur Rós frontman has crafted a grand opus of childhood memories set to your favorite Disney storyboard.
An afro-tinged pop rock album with each melody, harmony, and rhythm meticulously crafted and optimally refined. Sing-a-long choruses galore.
“Decisions (feat.Yüksel Arslan)”
An expounded detailing of a primarily blog-driven, lo-fi pop aesthetic. ’Haunting’ and ‘soulful’ are typically used to describe Tom Krell’s compositions; however, I find that a feeling of close physical proximity to be the most appropriate characterization. Love Remains whispers to you in the dark of night, reminding you that life doesn’t last forever.
Propulsive psychedelic rock with plenty of injected crystalline guitar to seep into your bloodstream and alter your mind. Out of all those supposed ‘Beatles-influenced’ artists, Tame Impala have risen above this restraint as confident, and more importantly, unique songwriters.
A refreshing and highly effective collection of new-wave. Subtle flourishes of disco, shimmering guitar plucks and strums, earnest vocal soul, and some spot-on production. George Lewis, Jr.’s Forget grooves, careens, and infects your body with unforgettable pop panache.
“Long Distance (feat. Olivier DaySoul)”
Parisan production architect Onra has erected a colossal monument of fused R&B, hip-hop, and dance-club stylings. Long Distance is a jaw-dropping and creative accomplishment of side-chain synth compression, dancefloor thumps, and late-night city soul.
Self-described as post new-wave, Future Islands’ In Evening Air is filled with cinematic conviction and sparkling melancholy. Kinetic bass hooks, dazzling webs of synth melodies, and the most powerful vocal theatrics you’ll hear all year.
“Blame Game (feat. John Legend)”
A precarious balance of gaudy egotism and self-deprecating introspection. No one else makes beats as consuming, delivers rap choruses as affecting, or enlists a more cohesive set of featured artists, yet Kanye’s 13 scene pseudo-rap-musical is a nuanced and transparent explication on the details of celebrity and its subsequent social obsession. It will most certainly be some time before we hear something as visceral as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
“The Ink Well”
Filmed in Prague by Theo Anthony. ”The Ink Well” is available as a 7” Split from Friends Records.
“The Ink Well”
Our favorite pop trio Future Islands are preparing to release “The Ink Well” as a 7” split with fellow NC-based group Lonnie Walker from the never-disappoint Baltimore label Friends Records. ”The Ink Well” immediately sets the proper mood, sparking to life with sounds of distant electricity and shimmery accents. The bass suddenly erupts and paves the road with thick mounds of melody, allowing the journey to begin. Future Islands never fail to deliver post-wave perfection.
In Evening Air
Why hello beautiful orange vinyl… you too can get yourself a copy from Thrill Jockey.
“Long Flight”
Here’s a live performance from last weekend’s Hopscotch Music Festival… Lloyd did a great job in capturing the brilliant harmony of chaos and passion that exists at all Future Islands’ shows… oh yeah, and who’s that crazy guy in the green shirt next to Will?
Day 1 | September 9th
So sorry about the delay on this post, the festival was a bit more intense than anticipated. I will say that for not having spent much time in downtown before, Raleigh is definitely capable of supporting a music festival of this magnitude… with multiple venues and awesome spread of desirable bands, I would say Raleigh has incredible potential. Now for some pics and thoughts.
First night was spent almost entirely at the The Berkeley Cafe… the line-up was mainly catered to those wanting to get sweaty and dance.
Pictureplane (aka Travis) delivered his off-kilter, cracked synth glitches laced with dancehall beats reminiscent of 90s rave music. Despite a heavy perimeter of staunch, arm-folding onlookers, Travis brought it hard to the thin crowd of out-of-control ravers (including me).
Highlight: “Goth Star” absolutely killed.
I was somewhat unimpressed by the raucous punk trio… I think the sound levels were a bit jumbled resulting in a slightly disconnected performance. Still, their latest Masks EP is a must listen.
For whatever reason Javelin delivers a live show really well… crowd energy was high and the electro-pop duo was spot-on. The set included massive amounts of dancing, including an incredibly well received “Always Be My Baby” lyric.
Highlight: “Oh! Centra”
Without a doubt the most packed show of the night… great energy all around with ridiculous amounts of crowd undulation. Frontman Sam Herring was at the top of his game… backed by bandmates Will and Gerrit, Future Islands executed a perfect live show of various tracks from this year’s criminally under-appreciated In Evening Air (buy the orange LP now!). Four days later, and my neck is still sore from this show… check out that handsome guy in the green shirt!
Highlight: “Vireo’s Eye”
All photos are linked to their sources and galleries.
©2013 The Asclepiophone
