Think David Bowie submerged underwater, and you’ve got a good idea of what this moody yet intriguing album has in store for you.
Release Date: August 17, 2010
Record Label: Ghostly International
Rating: 85
With the bursts of electronic noise erupting above the surface of the otherwise sleepy opening track, Black City begins in the most unassuming of displays, with the droning vocals creating a TV on the Radio-like atmosphere. As quickly as it came, “Honey” then bleeds into the superbly produced “I Can’t Feel,” an air-tight groove that’s built on a constant smattering of rhythmic blips and a sweet jazz bass line. Dear’s matter of fact vocals almost seem out of place here, yet they accentuate the understated nature of his music– even the grooves on this albums aren’t in your face, LCD Soundsystem style jams, but rather understated grooves that subtly bleed into your subconscious. No matter your perspective, however, “I Can’t Feel” is certainly one of the highlights, as is the Bowie-esque “Little People (Black City),” “Soil to Seed” and “Monkey.”
Black City isn’t a flashy album, yet it’s incredibly tight, and its Bowie-esque hooks offset the deceivingly mundane vocals. It’s certainly one of the more worthwhile albums to come out this year, and may very well find its way into many a best of list at the end of 2010.
A thoroughly enjoyable late-summer release, don’t let the stoner rap reputation fool you, Pilot Talk is a laid back and fun album for anyone.
Release Date: August 3, 2010
Rating: 88
With a lazy drawl and a marijuana habit to boot, Curren$y doesn’t seem like a guy that should garner a lot of attention at first blush. From the onset though, thanks in large part to Ski Beatz outstanding production throughout the album, Curren$y’s sleepy rhymes pack enough punch and swagger to make even some of his most outlandish songs such as “King Kong” nearly plausible (at least until the third go round of the chorus “King Kong ain’t got **** on me”).
Superbly timed features from Mos Def lead to two of the shining bright spots on the album, with the centerpiece being “Breakfast,” a lush, gorgeous summery backdrop perfectly balances Curren$y, who seems to wake up just in time to deliver some silly yet truly inspired rhymes. Other highlights include “The Hangover,” “Prioritize,” and “Address.”
Even when he’s goofy, such as the off-the-wall, mind-altered take on Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below with “Chilled Coughphee,” or the aforementioned “King Kong,” there’s still a certain je ne sais quoi that allows the listener to look past it. Yes, Pilot Talk may not be the most original release this year, but in a time where hip-hop artists seem to be striving to do everything but hip-hop, for Curren$y to finally come through with a major label debut that plays to all of his strengths, and allows the listener to have fun while taking in his half-baked pleasures, well– that’s just an added bonus. Pilot Talk is a guilty pleasure to be sure, but compared to most saccharine laden crap these days, it’s also a lot more rewarding and will likely last a lot longer.
If Attention Deficit had sounded anything like this, there’d be no reason for him to feel slighted. In the meantime, More About Nothing proves his other mixtapes weren’t a fluke, but makes it that much more frustrating that he wasn’t able to deliver on his first release.
Release Date: August 3, 2010
Rating: 90
While other rappers such as Drake and KiD CuDi had the benefit of some heavy backing from big name artists, Wale’s penchant for rapping over songs like Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” or Mark Ronson productions isn’t going to garner him much of the prime spotlight. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have the tools to be a star, and one could argue that he has more talent than most of the other new school rappers around, it’s just that he’s hardly the MTV prototype– and that’s precisely the reason why Attention Deficit failed so miserably.
The slick productions, a Lady Gaga feature, a Neptunes track– for fans and critics alike that praised Wale for his no frills charismatic rap, the album almost felt like a bastardization of what made Wale such an engrossing artist in a continuously crowded field of up and coming hip-hop artists. Now, a year later, somehow Wale sounds like a guy that’s down, but far from out– which is a good thing, because More About Nothing in fact contains more of everything that made Wale so good to begin with.
Starting with a humble spoken word piece before going into the opening song “The MC,” Wale’s first two tracks display his sheer hunger and his attempts to understand the reason for his failed launch. Whereas the previous Mixtape About Nothing used Seinfeld clips in a more carefree nature to offset the serious tone in which Wale was questioning the overall state of many aspects of hip-hop, More About Nothing is a much more provocative as seen on “The Soup” (which uses the famous Soup Nazi Seinfeld episode as its basis). Other highlights include “The Black N Gold,” “The Breeze,” and “The Friends N Strangers.”
If there’s one complaint it’s that More About Nothing is not the tight ship that Mixtape About Nothing was, and while Wale is as poignant as ever, executing some of the most thought provoking lyrics around, there are times on the album where he errs on the side of melodramatic. That being said, Mixtape About Nothing should be a reminder to those that Wale is certainly not one to be ignored, as he is one of the more talented acts around– hopefully when he is due for his sophomore release, he can transfer his strengths into a studio album format.
It’s increasingly clear that the Bruce Springsteen americana influence that became apparent on their last release was not a aberration. That being said, despite trending on familiar territory, The Suburbs is arguably their most dynamic release.
Release Date: August 3, 2010
Record Label: Merge
Rating: 93
The theme behind The Suburbs isn’t anything terribly unique or, when taken at surface level, interesting, for that matter. Of course, for a band that has touched upon similar themes of identity and socio-economic frustrations, The Suburbs in some ways feels like a culmination of their prior albums rather than anything particularly new. Of course, like all of Arcade Fire, the surface hardly accounts for anything with their music– while The Suburbs doesn’t have the grandiosity of their debut and is much more digestible than Neon Bible, this is, by far, their longest album. Much like the real thing, The Suburbs is a sprawling, congruous, ever-evolving album and for all of its hits and misses, feels like their truest, real concept album.
The music in itself however, is where Arcade Fire fans may tend to be split (then again, that’s nothing new)– while it appears in places, gone is the larger than life force that made their Funeral album so arresting. Likewise, the dark, cavernous sound of Neon Bible is also largely missing. Instead, the Bruce Springsteen americana rock that continued to creep up with each preceding release has finally made it to the surface, and while its often window-dressed to be something more– that’s really the overarching musical theme here.
Listening to this album, their americana rock feel is not as much of a misstep as it may seem, while songs like “Month of May” and “Modern Man” are definite misses, there are songs like the opening title track, “We Used to Wait” and “Wasted Hours” that are executed perfectly. Other highlights include the more ornate “Rococo,” both of the “Half Light” tracks and the absolutely gorgeous “Empty Room,” which should be, by all accounts, their next big single.
Win Butler is nothing if not stubborn, and while there is certainly a different feeling listening to the slightly more frustrated lyrics matched to a pared down sound, the realization sets in that The Suburbs isn’t as different as they want you to believe. In this case, however, that turns out to be not such a bad thing at all.
Barring a surprise release from the likes of Jamie Lidell, you can rest assure that you won’t find a funkier album than Pink and Purple.
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Record Label:Wilcassettes
Rating: 87
For better or worse, EPs don’t often get the full review treatment around here. However, there’s a definite reason why Wilkis’ Pink and Purple is a notable exception– it is, through and through, a funky throwback that ultimately leaves a lasting impression despite being a mere 26 minutes.
The opening “Snuggle Up to Nail Down” is such a wonderfully executed pastiche of funk and soul artists of the 70′s and 80′s, that you’ll find yourself in an immediate groove that never lets up.
The centerpiece of the album is “Gotta Get You Back,” which is pure saccharine but never broaches the level of being trite. Instead it highlights Wilkis’ strength as a songwriter to not only compose a highly likable pop song, but to also underscore it with enough light-funk sensibility that it doesn’t diffuse the overall feel of the album. The title track, which immediately follows, serves as a nice contrast with its darker production but is just as enjoyable and danceable as anything else on the album.
Wilkis accomplishes so much on Pink and Purple that it’s hard to believe it is an EP. While his strengths lie in the more concise songs on the album, there’s no filler whatsoever. It’ll be interesting to see how Wilkis builds on this release, but if the next full length release is anything like this, expect there to be a lot of surrounding fanfare.
While not nearly as much fun as Alright, Still, Allen’s sophomore release shows a great deal of maturation.
Release Date: February 10, 2009 Record Label: Capitol Rating: 85
Lily Allen went into It’s Not Me, It’s You with a different sound in mind, something drastically different from the retro feel that Mark Ronson provided for her debut. This time around Allen called on producer/multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin (Kylie Minogue, Flaming Lips) to be at the helm of this latest release. The results are startling for those expecting nothing more than a redux, as Kurstin merely emphasizes the dark nature of Allen’s lyrics with his somewhat cold, synthesized production. Conversely, Ronson’s summery production merely gussied up any dark corner in Allen’s lyrics, making for a bittersweet yet fun album.
That’s not to say It’s Not Me, It’s You is all dullsville, as her single “The Fear” proves, Lily Allen’s lyrics are as sharp and clever as ever, and Kurstin’s production only heightens the deeply personal nature of her music. This is particularly obvious on such songs as “22” and “I Could Say,” both of which are incredibly well-written. There are still deceivingly cute moments as well, such as the ironically bubblegum pop tune “F*** You” which is targeted towards the one and only George W. Bush.
While some may argue that this album is too slick for it’s own good, you have to tip your hat to Lily Allen, as she continues to prove her merit as an artist. It’s Not Me, It’s You is a seriously good pop album.
While it’s certainly not bad, Noble Beast seems to be missing something.
Release Date: January 20, 2009
Record Label: Fat Possum
Rating: 80
Chicago-based Andrew Bird follows up his breakthrough Armchair Apocrypha with an album that often approaches but never fully captures the energy of its predecessor. There’s nothing wrong with that, but at the same time, it’s easy to find yourself simply wanting more from Bird. Lyrically he’s as sharp as ever, with witty and insightful lyrics, and musically, all the trademarks are also there—but it feels as though they’re all playing in a vacuum. The opening “Oh No” and “Tenuousness” are two clear exceptions to the rule, as they are both cleverly written, and both haunting and curiously beautiful. Similarly, the highly percussive “Not a Robot, But a Ghost” is dark and moody, but somehow, despite it’s idiosyncratic nature, the song comes off as a beautiful, yet fractured, work.
For all of the strong moments, however, there’s nothing that truly knocks you off your feet. At best the songs are clever, yet quaint, and at worst, they’re dull and perhaps better served as background noise. With the album clocking in at around 55 minutes, there’s a good amount of excess on this album as well.
Noble Beast is by no means bad, rather it’s a bit like a Sunday drive in the deserted plains—it’s quaint, open, and has it’s fun spots, but there aren’t necessarily any memorable landmarks. Instead you learn to appreciate the small things, and while there’s a lot of that here, it would have been nice if Bird had opened up just a little bit.
Somehow, Merriweather Post Pavilion lives up to the hype and then some—this really could be the album of the year.
Release Date: January 20, 2009 Record Label: Domino Rating: 100
Before Merriweather Post Pavilion was even released, people were proclaiming it to be the album of the year based on the strength of the live performances of the songs alone (that and the reputation that Animal Collective had garnered over the years). An exponentially growing wave of hype leads to this point, where the CD version of the album is finally released to the US (the vinyl release was a few weeks earlier). To put it simply, not only does Merriweather Post Pavilion shatter expectations, it does so in such a way that it could easily be considered the best album in Animal Collective’s accomplished library of releases.
The album begins with the highly atmospheric “In the Flowers,” which swirls around the listener with strings and fuzzy echoing vocals before erupting into an electronic symphony of such sheer beauty that one would think it should weigh down the rest of the album– that is until you hear the rest of the album.
If this is to be the album of the year, “My Girls” has to be the song of the year—immediately capturing, cohesive, accessible—never has a song of theirs captured so much of what makes them indie blog gods while making it appealing for the outsiders who have, to this point, yet to get it. The lyrics are deceptively simple, as the chorus of “I don’t mean to seem like I care about material things/like our social status/I just want four walls and adobe slabs for my girls” is sung with such jubilation that it feels larger than life.
While the joyous romps are the songs that will first catch your attention, it’s the beautifully lush, spacious-yet-intimate tracks like “Bluish” and particularly “Daily Routine” that slowly sink in and gradually grow on you after repeated listens.
The other popular road-tested song, the closing “Brother Sport,” is sure to be the other more popular song. The African-influenced polyrhythmic pattern is executed perfectly and is matched once again by smartly written lyrics as vocalist Panda Bear offers consolation to his brother about the passing of their father while also offering advice to “open up your throat.” There’s such a celebratory nature of the delivery that it’s hard to imagine that the meaning behind it could be so dark, then again, that’s more or less the theme of the album. Named after the venue where the band spent much of their time growing up, Merriweather Post Pavilion is as celebratory as it is intimate, in that it tries to capture the feeling of being at a small outdoor venue.
Animal Collective is rightfully one of the most talked about bands in music right now and, like it or not, Merriweather Post Pavilion is the kind of release that could finally push the band into the mainstream consciousness.
A very impressive debut release from yet another promising young band
Release Date: August 11, 2008 (January 13, 2009 in USA)
Record Label (US): Astralwerks
Rating: 92
Fantasy Black Channel is delivered with such consistent poise and confidence that it’s hard to believe such an album could come from such a young band. Nevertheless, this four-piece band from Castle Donington embark on a hectic and ever evolving journey, and you have the pleasure of riding shotgun. The introductory “Hot Tent Blues” is a sleepy jam that emphasizes their delectable approach to heavily synthesized dance-punk, before throwing the haughty 1-2 punch of “Broken” and “Space and the Woods.” From here on, Late of the Pier appear to throw their entire arsenal of sounds at the listener, from the highly rhythmic pseudo-Talking Heads piece “The Bears are Coming” to the power pop of “Random Firl” and outright 80’s dance rock of “Focker,” it’s clear that the band is incredibly versatile, yet as adventurous as they are—it never comes across as being unfocused. While the jams are relatively straightforward, the way that Late of the Pier dresses them up in such grandiose fashion with the genre-splitting layers of sound, everything comes as a bit of a welcome surprise. Throughout the entirety of the album, Late of the Pier delivers their sound at a ferocious pace in such a way that it manages to be incredibly fun without becoming tiresome– Fantasy Black Channel is highly recommended.
Sounds Like: Glasvegas may have already found a winning formula with their debut release.
Overall Rating:83
With an immediately distinctive distortion-ridden sound and a pension for blending elements of 50′s American rock, it’s unsurprising that Glasvegas has garnered comparisons to bands like The Raveonettes. It’s an accurate assessment, so long as you also mention the obvious influence of Oasis as well– something that’s apparent on the anthemic opening “Flowers and Football Tops.” The second and third tracks, “Geraldine” and “It’s My Own Cheating Heart that Makes Me Cry,” respectively, are probably the two most realized songs on the album. There’s a certain charm involved with both songs, one that allows lead vocalist James Allan to be forgiven for the overly wordy lyrics on the latter song. “Daddy’s Gone” is another stand out song, as it’s a touching song dealing with the subject of absentee fathers. Despite the shoegaze affiliated heavily layered fuzz of guitars and distant vocals, Glasvegas’ lyrics are personal enough to create an intimate feel that is ordinarily left behind. It’s an intriguing formula, and Glasvegas carries it through admirably on their debut release.
While rumors and leaks run wild regarding the potential Lollapalooza lineup, Pitchfork has announced the rest of the bands for their 2012 festival. It looks a little thin at the top, to be sure, but this (like every other P4k festival) is a very solid lineup of bands at what is always a wonderfully intimate [...]
A Church That Fits Our Needs is an elegant and wondrous album, it’s certain to be one of the better ones you’ll hear all year. Release Date: March 20, 2012 Record Label: Anti- Rating: 97 Written in the aftermath of the suicide of frontman Ari Picker’s mother, it’s not surprising that A Church That Fits Our Needs [...]
Golden Beats Vol #1 is a joy to listen to– it’s a great reminder that just because it’s chill, it doesn’t have to be boring. Release Date: March 9, 2012 Record Label: Self-Released Rating: 91 It’s an unfortunate turn that was bound to happen as DJs and electronic music and sampling all garner mainstream appeal– there [...]
The list is finally here! If you have Spotify and would like to listen to most of the albums listed here in their entirety, you can stream the Top 50 Albums of 2011 playlist. Fifty. Blouse by Blouse THE debut effort from Blouse may not be perfect, but they have created a very intriguing sound [...]
After dealing with being released from his label and the shelving of his previous release Popular, Van Hunt seems more determined than ever to break through with this dazzlingly eclectic release. Release Date: September 27, 2011 Record Label: Thirty Tigers/godless-hotspot Rating: 95 Van Hunt is an impossible artist to pin down. With a keen eye for [...]
A very impressive debut release from yet another promising young band
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