Best of 2010 #10: Crystal Castles

While I love music and checking out the efforts of all the musicmakers, there seems to be no way to listen to everything.  So, what follows is not as much the best music that came out this year, but my favorite music of 2010:


#10. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (tie)

#10. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (tie)
Grade: B-
Recommended Tracks: Not in Love, Baptism, Fainting Spells, Celestica

Crystal Castles are not for everyone, like my wife. But I think their latest effort, be it techno, noise-rock, or what have you was a bit bipolar.  Some songs were immediately good, stayed good on multiple listens and carried you through the work day (like "Baptism") , and some songs were nearly unlistenable (like "Doe Deer").  What I can say is that I really admired their efforts to push out their boundaries and do what they are into.

I found songs like "Not in Love" (particularly the version with Robert Smith's vocals) in my head constantly.  You should probably just listen to that now.

Other songs were great to put on while I was working, and lock in and focus on the task at hand like "Fainting Spells".

And still other songs were full of movement, but were stabilized by an overlay of calming vocals like on "Celestica".

Overall, I felt it was a fittingly diverse selection of albums to round out the 10 spot on the list.

In the next coming days the list continues.  Any guesses as to who will be the other 9 on the list?

Best of 2010 #10: Band of Horses (tie)

One of my favorite musical events of the year for the last 10 years or so has been reading the Best of musical lists that come out around this time of year.  To a limited extent, I enjoy reading the lists from the likes of Rolling Stone and NME, but the main event is discussing favorites with musical friends. For me, this list is a catalyst to further that conversation.

While I love music and checking out the efforts of all the musicmakers, there seems to be no way to listen to everything.  So, what follows is not as much the best music that came out this year, but my favorite music of 2010:

10. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (tie)
Grade: B-
Recommended Tracks: Factory, Blue Beard, For Annabelle

I generally like Band of Horses, and while I didn't get into their second album, Cease to Being, as much as their first album, Funeral, Infinite Arms caught me this year with their typical slightly-bluegrass-yet-still-using-distortion indie rock.  With sweeping melodic songs like "Factory" as well as songs like "Blue Beard" that recall Hall & Oates with indie rock sensibilities, this album is worth listening to.

Throughout the album, I noticed a very effective use of harmonies that belies a maturity that you don't often see.  For example, the track "For Annabelle" uses them to great effect.  Now, I'm a sucker for descending chord progressions anyways, but coupled with the harmonies on the chorus, this song was downright epic for me.

The album could possibly have ranked higher if they had left off the last two songs on the album, which felt a little like filler songs, but overall a great effort from Band of Horses.


Enjoy what I'm talking about with this video for "For Annabelle" from Band of Horses:



And the list is kicked off!


Who do you think is next?

2009 Misses: Brand New - Daisy

Every year I find myself looking back at my list of favorites from last year and wondering a few things:
Why did I put that on the list?
Why didn't I put that on the list?


So, in anticipation of my upcoming 2010 favorites list, the following contains one of my "misses" from 2009.  This is just basically a 2009 album that I listened to significantly in 2010 but didn't make my best of 2009 list last year.  More to come after this:

Brand New Daisy

I had checked out this album in 2009 and it didn't jump at me.  It could be the old-time-radio-into-hardcore first track that didn't quite work for me, but throughout 2010 I found myself putting it on and listening to songs like:

"You Stole" - This song moves me.

"At the Bottom"

"Gasoline" - a hardcore track that worked for me

"Sink" - basically old school Brand New

"Bought a Bride" - There's something dark and edgy about this track that I connect with.  I honestly don't know why.  Standout lyric: 'Little cities' names on very lonely maps'

I do have to say that tracks like "Noro" are a disappointment.  Something about the production of the backing vocal on the chorus is really weird and kinda lounge-ish.

Beyond that, "You Stole" really stuck with me.  It became one of those songs that I would find the Youtube video for and just play over and over in the background while I was doing other things.  Is it that I get into grooves where I just have to listen to a song over and over?

Here's "You Stole":

Ch-Check it out - Paul McCartney on SNL

I'm pretty sure this video will get yanked with a quickness, but here is Paul McCartney performing Beatles songs, "A Day in the Life" and "Give Peace a Chance" on SNL last Saturday.

I personally have never seen any of the Beatles performing any Beatles songs live.  It was really incredible, and I felt fortunate to be able to experience that.  Thanks, SNL.  And thanks, Sir Paul McCartney

Song of the Day - Crystal Castles (feat. Robert Smith) - Not in Love

I think it's the screech of the keyboards undergirding the Cure's Robert Smith vocals on the chorus that kills me here. It's sorrowful, yet energetic... energetically sorrowful?

Indie Scoop News - Jonsi to release a live DVD from his latest tour

Sigur Ros frontman, Jonsi, will be making the rounds on best of lists this year with his solo effort Go.

Check out an audio track, and the trailer for the film.

'go live' preview from Jónsi on Vimeo.