Daughters

Daughters

Daughters

Hydra Head, 2010

www.myspace.com/daughters1

http://www.hydrahead.com/

Sometimes certain albums just give me.. an uneasy feeling. I remember when I was young, it was In Utero and The Downward Spiral. More recently, it was Lustmord's [O T H E R]. Looking back now, being creeped out by In Utero is laughable, The Downward Spiral is questionable and the Lustmord record is completely understandable. It's horrifying.

When music can affect me the way all these records did, I know they're really good. Daughters is really good.

I think I know why this record in particular gives me such an uncomfortable feeling. It's because this is what it sounds like to lose your mind. Seriously. These guys from Rhode Island have successfully recorded insanity. The pounding double-bass drums, the frantic guitars. It's nuts. And the great thing is that this is their most accessible album. This is, like, mainstream Daughters. Check out Hell Songs or Canada Songs. They will ruin your life.

On Daughters, Alexis Marshall drops the screaming and actually sings, but he's got some kind of terrifying rockabilly/David Yow/Coney Island carnie voice going on. The songs are more structured than their previous work, but just as brutal.

All that having been said, this is a really enjoyable record. I've tried and I can't think of any one else out there that sound like these guys. Unfortunately their future is uncertain at best with the departure of Nicholas Sadler (Fang Island) and Samuel Walker. But hey, they left us with a truly disturbing and original record. Salud.

Rosetta

Rosetta

A Determinism of Morality

Translation Loss, 2010

http://www.rosettaband.com/

http://www.translationloss.com/

These guys just continue to amaze me. Just when I thought they couldn't top The Galilean Satellites and Wake/Lift, SNAP! They drop some science like this on me. Now, both of the previously mentioned records are amazing, but this is just more straightforward. You can't mention Rosetta without drawing comparisons to Isis. But these guys are WAY more interesting than Isis. They're like one part Explosions in the Sky, one part Old Man Gloom (yes, I know, another Aaron Turner reference), and all f**king rock. Plus, it always amazed me that they're only a four-piece. Their sound is so dense and layered that it seems like it would be impossible to recreate live. But they do it, and if you've ever seen their live setup you could probably see how. They tour with their own Guitar Center.

This whole record is phenomenal, but I find myself drawn to "Release" and "Revolve". Bassist David Grossman's vocals on "Release" are ridiculous. You know a band is serious when their bass player can out-sing pretty much any other band's frontman. "Revolve" is just spacey and (I hesitate to say it) "cinematic" splendor. Yes. Splendor. Trust me.

Rosetta have always been ahead of the curve and this is less experimental than there other stuff. But that's not a bad thing at all. Post-Metal, Progressive-Metal, whatever you want to call it. These guys kill it.

Failure

Failure

Fantastic Planet

Slash / Warner Brothers, 1996

Ahhh. The 90's. Who would have thought I would look back on a decade, in which I labored through so many awkward adolescent years, with such fondness. I've said it before and will continue to do so. The best music, all genres included, was produced during the 90's. Failure's Fantastic Planet is no exception. This is an album that I recently rediscovered while sifting through my iTunes, and I have been listening to it quite a bit. Quite a bit meaning that it's pretty much melted itself into the CD player in my car (except for when I dislodge it to rock some Botch.) This was their third and final record and it is one of the most solid and consistent albums, beginning to end, that I have ever heard. I guess you could label these guys "alternative", but that's way too easy and a total cop out. Failure as a band was so superior to similar bands of that era that it's a crime they never made it big. It seemed like every band with a distortion pedal and greasy hair could get a record deal in the 90's, while truly talented bands like Failure, Hum and Walt Mink were lost in the shuffle and banished to obscurity, only to be revered by the odd hipster or music nerd.

Failure's heavy, laboring riffs and spacey lead lines are f**king heaven to these jaded ears. Failure and Andrews painstakingly produced this record themselves, fine tuning and tweaking every aspect and in doing so created a "space rock" masterpiece. This kind of music truly just doesn't exist anymore. The dark, ethereal feel of the album is most likely a result of Andrews' drug use at the time, with many songs serving as metaphors for heroin. God, that is so 90's.

It's a shame that most people today think that "Stuck on You" is a Paramore song. But don't judge these guys by the bands who covered them. With tracks like "Saturday Saviour", "Smoking Umbrellas", "Blank", "Stuck on You" and "The Nurse Who Loved Me" (which was covered by A Perfect Circle), this thing's a winner.

Maybe the 90's weren't as special as I like to think they were (although I highly doubt it). However, this record is special and anyone who appreciates music from that time should own it.

Whatever Brains

Whatever Brains

Rapper's Delight II 7"

Funny/Not Funny Records, 2010

www.myspace.com/whateverbrains

http://www.funnynotfunnyrecords.com/

So, admittedly, I'm fairly behind the curve on this one. As I searched for great music from all over the country, I slept on what was slowly festering in my own backyard. I'm ashamed to admit that for a long time I thought Whatever Brains was a f**king reggae band. I don't know why, it was just an assumption. Perhaps it had something to do with the peace frog logo. I don't know. I thought they were like a Toots and the Maytals cover band or something. Lame. Whoops. But what I do know now after doing myself the favor of actually giving these fellas a proper listen is that I haven't been as excited about a local band since Superchunk. I'll keep this short. Whatever Brains f**king slay. Their songs are more infectious than that guy with the cough at work in the cubicle next to yours. It's actually ridiculous. I know these guys are kind of billed as punk or whatever, but I honestly think they're more in the tradition of the indie guitar rock of the 90's but with the snotiness of 70's brit punk. Whether they like it or not, they write some extremely catchy s**t. Everyone in the Triangle area and beyond would be well advised to follow these guys. They're for real, and I have a new favorite local band. Cheers boys, we are here to do your bidding.

These Arms Are Snakes

These Arms Are Snakes

Tail Swallower and Dove

Suicide Squeeze, 2008

http://www.thesearmsaresnakes.blogspot.com/

http://www.suicidesqueezerecords.tumblr.com/

I'm going back a few years on this one. I always have a hard time deciding whether Tail Swallower or Oxeneers is my favorite TAAS record. I'm going to post Tail Swallower though because it's easily the most (gasp) accessible. This is way more straight forward than their other records as far as song structure and overall songwriting. For those who are not acquainted with TAAS, they were essentially a super group of Seattle post-hardcore juggernauts including former members of Botch, Kill Sadie and Minus the Bear. Since they disbanded in late 2009, members have continued to garner respect and remain more than merely relevant by going on to play in projects like Narrows and Russian Circles.

It's really hard to describe TAAS' spastic, aggressive, yet melodic sound to anyone who has never heard them. And they sound nothing like the respective bands from which they came from. Sometimes I think that TAAS sounds like what Nirvana would have sounded like if they had kept evolving towards the heavier more experimental songs off In Utero. TAAS is way more precise musically and utilize keyboards at just the right times to blow your f**king mind though. Tail Swallower is the place to start if you want to check these guys out. You will not be disappointed. Then check out Botch, Kill Sadie, Narrows, Nineironspitfire, Russian Circles...

Alcest

Alcest

Ecailles de Lune

Prophecy Productions, 2010

www.alcest-music.com

www.prophecy.cd

Shoegaze post-black metal. Yes, that is one of the many descriptions heaped on Alcest, the project of French musician Neige. Yeah, if pressed, I would definitely categorize his other work as black metal. But it's so much.. prettier. Just like Ecailles de Lune (Scales of the Moon). I would hesitate to call it shoegaze. To me, it's more Sunny Day Real Estate than Ride. But then the black metal kicks in and the machine gun snare and strained vocals take over, and yadda yadda yadda. Which is fine. Hey, I like black metal as much as the next guy. But Alcest is already stepping way outside the black metal box, so to speak, by making a record that sounds like Diary, so why try to throw in aspects of black metal that are so predictable? I like this record. It sounds like the soundtrack to a movie adaptation of a graphic novel, which might be slightly lame but the fact that it's all in French totally makes up for it. If you like catchy pop riffs, 10 minute songs and don't mind a little bit of evil, this is your s**t.

Helms Alee

Helms Alee

Night Terror

Hydra Head, 2008

www.myspace.com/helmsaleemusic

www.hydrahead.com

What the f**k. Is it really 2011? Ridiculousness. It feels like this record just came out. I'm a huge Harkonen fan so naturally I picked up this record because of Ben Verellen. I'm also a huge fan of Hydra Head as a whole, so how could I go wrong? Fortunately, I did not go wrong. Night Terror is very good. Not quite Harkonen good, but good. Imagine Harkonen mixed with the Pixies being played at half speed. I had no idea at first that they were a three-piece. I also had no idea that the bassist was a female, which was a pleasant surprise because Dana James' vocals blend perfectly with the total assault of such songs as "New Roll". I also knew that the drumming was absolutely brutal, so imagine my surprise when I found out that, yes, the drummer too is a woman. For some reason this makes me like Helms Alee more than if they were all guys. Is that sexist? Whatever.

All the Saints

All the Saints

Fire on Corridor X

Touch & Go, 2009

www.myspace.com/allthesaints

www.tgrec.com

Seriously. I have found my new favorite band. For the moment. I first heard this band on a split with These Arms are Snakes and thought, "Hmmm...maybeee..". Then I bought Corridor X. Well played, sir. It's dark and slightly scary, but not in a nerdy way. It's more like if Washington Irving or Flannery O'Connor had played in a f***ing rad rock band. Okay so maybe that's not the best argument against being nerdy. But it's true, and holy s**t, it works. It's got a touch of American Gothic to it (or maybe that's just because I was driving through bumf**k Virginia when I first listened to it). They bill themselves as psychedelic rock, but don't let that fool you. This reminds me slightly of TAAS, but a bit more laid back and just straight forward rock. It's really impossible to explain so I'm just going to stop now. This is killer.

The Thermals

The Thermals

Personal Life

Kill Rock Stars, 2010

http://www.thethermals.com/

http://www.killrockstars.com/

My brother actually introduced me to these guys a few years ago. He gave me The Body The Blood The Machine, and for the most part I really liked it. I felt like it started off really strong, but kind of lost my attention towards the end. I enjoyed the whole anti-religion thing and what not, heavy-handed as it was. Then I obtained a copy of Now We Can See, and, well.. eh. So my expectations weren't exactly high when I decided to pick up Personal Life. Holy s**t. I was blown away. This record is everything that I always felt like this band could be but were either holding back on or felt like they were too cool to make. It's not blasphemous and aggressive like Machine. It's about love. All about love. And it f***ing rocks. It's definitely poppy, but it works for these guys. Seriously, there's a song on here that reminds me of Television's "Marquee Moon". Yeah. This is definitely going on my favorites of 2010 list.

The Black Angels

The Black Angels

Phosphene Dream

Blue Horizon, 2010

www.theblackangels.com

www.bluehorizonrecords.com

The thing about a lot of these neo-psychedelic bands is that they're f***ing boring. There's a reason that this genre of music died out. Every once in a while you'll get a decent one, like Dead Meadow or BJTM, but even they begin to sound the same.

Enter The Black Angels. This is a breath of fresh air when compared with the stale, second hand THC haze of The Warlocks and the like. There's enough rock to keep me happy and just enough trippiness to make me think that hippies may be on to something. For like a nanosecond. Don't get me wrong, The Black Angels are not a jam band. Phosphene Dream is a rock album. Mostly, this record is just good riffs, good rock, good lyrics. Good times.

First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit

The Big Black & The Blue

Wichita, 2010

http://www.thisisfirstaidkit.com/

http://www.wichita-recordings.com/

Finally, after being thoroughly disappointed by The Tallest Man on Earth, my mother country of Sweden has redeemed herself and produced genuinely great folk music. First Aid Kit, aka teenage sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg, bring harmonies upon harmonies and, well, really good songs. After gaining attention on You Tube for their cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song", they released an outstanding EP on The Knife's Rabid Records and now The Big Black & The Blue. I promise I don't like them just because they're Swedish, tempting as that may be. This is what folk music should sound like. Just give "I Met Up With The King" a listen and you'll see what I mean. Thank you Scandinavia.

Big Boi

Big Boi

Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

Def Jam, 2010

http://www.bigboi.com/

http://www.defjam.com/

I ran into the same problem listening to this record as I did with Speakerboxxx. Inevitably, I end up comparing anything Big Boi does with Outkast. It's the same as Wyclef and The Fugees. Although Wyclef is a complete hack and The Fugees were by far the best thing that ever happened to him. Big Boi certainly is no hack, but like Wyclef, I have the sneaking suspicion that nothing he does on his own will ever be as good as what he did with Outkast.

But this isn't ATLiens or Aquemini or even Stankonia. This is Big Boi solo, and this is good. The beats are original for the most part, and as always, Big Boi is a more than competent MC. And with appearances by Yelawolf, Too Short, Janelle Monáe and George Clinton, it's funky as s**t. Even Jamie Foxx can't sink this record. The song he's on is even one of the better tracks.

All in all, as far as mainstream hip hop goes, this is about as good as it gets.

LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem
This is Happening
DFA, 2010
http://www.lcdsoundsystem.com/
http://www.dfarecords.com/

There's really no point in even posting this. But I will anyway. This record is on pretty much everyone's "Best of 2010" list already, and for good reason. It's really, really good. I'm a big fan of James Murphy. I personally think he is my generation's David Byrne. Yep. This record, even more than his previous ones, shifts effortlessly between post-punk (for lack of a better description) and electro (again, for lack of a better description) and my ears love it. So yes, I agree that so far this is one of the best records of the year. Mr. Murphy has single-handedly redeemed Williamsburg, Brooklyn for heaving up Sleigh Bells on the masses.
Oh, and the video for "Drunk Girls" is f**king fantastic. James Murphy and Spike Jonze were destined to go together. Like Miller High Life and Vodka. Great record.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monàe

The ArchAndroid

Atlantic, 2010

www.jmonae.com

www.atlanticrecords.com

I resisted buying this for a while. First of all, I didn't like the cover art. Second, Pitchfork liked it which totally puts me off to a record now. However, I finally broke down and I must admit, it was worth it. It's funky, it's sexy and it is literally all over the place as far as genres go. From the James Brown-ish "Tight Rope" to "Neon Valley Street" which could have easily have found it's way onto an Erykah Badu record, this record really defies categorization. Out of the 18 tracks I would say that there are about nine totally solid songs and the rest I could take or leave. But her originality can't be denied. Ms. Janelle is here to stay, and that's totally cool with me.

Delorean

Delorean - "Stay Close"

Subiza, 2010

I have a soft spot for house music. Actually, let me rephrase that. At times, I go against all of my better judgment and my guilty pleasures take over. Some house-esque music being among them. It's totally the musical equivalent of Skittles. It's sweet and delicious in small doses, but too much can be nausea inducing and lead to self-loathing.

I've been known to enjoy The Field and even some Felix da Housecat from time to time. Delorean is the same deal. I really don't care for the rest of this record, but this song is just too good to say no to. It's everything a good hipster dance track should be. Clicks, beeps, kicks, echoing female vocals and all. I just can't stop listening to it. I'll get over it soon. I mean, even the name Delorean brings to mind temporary material indulgence and excess. But for now, I'll be subtly nodding my head along to this. When no one else is watching, of course.

Dinosaur Jr.

Dinosaur Jr.

Farm

Jagjaguwar, 2009

www.dinosaurjr.com

www.jagjaguwar.com

I never really listened to Dinosaur Jr. growing up. I was too young to to be turned on to them when they were at their peak, and when I did really get into music I never really payed them much attention. I understood how influential they were on other very influential bands, but that was about it. At one point when I was in middle school I bought Without a Sound because I liked the Spike Jonze video for "Feel the Pain." Yes, that was back when music videos were an art form. I wasn't impressed with the rest of the record and figured this Dinosaur Jr. band wasn't for me.

It wasn't until I was older that I began to fully appreciate the band, their members, and the music. If I had heard Farm when I was younger, I would have hated it. Probably because it doesn't sound like Fugazi. But now that I'm older and questionably wiser, I take great satisfaction in listening to this. This is truly "alternative" rock in all the best ways possible.

Mascis' guitar work is as on point as ever and the record seems to be kind of a throwback to their heavier sound (which I love). Pretty much all of the songs are winners to me, but "Said the People" stands out. It's got a Built to Spill feel but has a chorus that would make even Doug Martsch envious.

All in all, I like this record a lot. If only I could go back in time and buy You're Living All Over Me instead..

P.O.S

P.O.S

Never Better

Rhymesayers, 2009

www.myspace.com/pos

www.rhymesayers.com

This record sort of took me by surprise. At first I didn't really like it. I thought that unfortunately some of the songs sounded more like P.O.D. But after a few listens, I was a fan. P.O.S aka Stefan Alexander, started his musical career in a punk band before switching to hip hop. I guess that kind of explains the distorted guitars and feedback present in a lot of the songs here. The beats are hit or miss, sometimes just drum rolls and other times they're more traditional. However, it's the more experimental ones that work the best here.

P.O.S is a decent MC and this is worth picking up if you're looking for something a little different.

Moka Only

Moka Only

Lowdown Suite 2: The Box

Feelin' Music, 2009

www.myspace.com/mokaonly

http://www.feelinmusic.ch/

Daniel Denton, aka Moka Only, probably best known for his on again/off again relationship with Swollen Members, sounds like MF Doom to me. Not in the voice or anything, but his rhyme style. But that doesn't bother me. In fact, I like his laid-back, nonchalant style. It sounds like he could be making a sandwich or reading a magazine while he flows. Not a bad thing, it's just his style. This style carries over into his beats. They are at the same time minimal and atmospheric. At times there's even a hint of J Dilla in there, who Moka collabed with in the past. He's a prolific and well-respected artist for good reason. This is an addictive album and one of his best. It's a perfect summertime record too. Oh, and the ladies love it.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Slumberland, 2009

www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com

www.slumberlandrecords.com

I like this music. But then again, I liked it when The Cure and Joy Division did it. Then I liked it when The Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine did it. But I'm not going to complain that this band is totally unoriginal and sound like countless 80's and early 90's college radio bands. This is legitimately good. It's one of those records where you anticipate every chord change ahead of time, because they go with the obvious catchy progressions. But I'm a sucker for a catchy song. And this is nothing if not catchy. I give it a "C" for catchy, in fact. Nice album art too. Way better than Wild Nothing..

Dum Dum Girls

Dum Dum Girls

I Will Be

Sub Pop, 2010

http://www.wearedumdumgirls.com/

http://www.subpop.com/

This is what I wish the whole Riot Grrrl thing had sounded like. I feel like that movement gave girl bands a bad name. Like all girl bands were feminist and scary and unwashed. Which isn't true at all. Girl bands are awesome and plentiful. Like Sleater-Kinney and.. uh, the Bangles. Speaking of the Bangles, did you know they're still together? Yeah, I'm relieved too.

Anyway, thank god we made it through the Doc Marten and ripped baby doll dress scene.There really are some great girl bands out there, they just don't get the same recognition. It's usually the rancid ones that do, like the Donnas.

Lucky for me, Dum Dum Girls have more in common with The Groovie Ghoulies than L7. I have to admit, I already like this album a lot. This album is 28 minutes of catchy, relatively lo-fi, 60's pop-inspired punk. It's like mainlining Kool-Aid. My wife hates it, but I think it's great. Go figure. Women.