I concede

Last year I lamented over the holier-than-thou web reviewers who spew out year-end best-of lists that are easily predictable based on the bands they have propped up consistently over the course of the year (whom, subsequently, said reviewers will rip apart the next year). Following the guiding needle of my moralistic compass, I opted to avoid the music blog cliché of a year-end best-of list. In retrospect, a large contributing factor to this decision is what I found to be a lack of albums I truly enjoyed that were released in 2007. The majority of the albums that came to mind were released in late 2006 (Brand New, Blood Brothers, Manchester Orchestra). That being said, this snowy December I have thrown caution to the wind and abandoned my morals to bring you my favourite albums of 2008 (in no particular order)...

No Age - Nouns

My first encounter with No Age took place during Canadian Music Week 2008. Simply put, I despised them. Perhaps I was a little envious that a two-man flannel-clad band that channels grunge and noise rock had become so buzzworthy (keeping in mind that my own flannel-clad, grunge and noise rock influenced two-man band [we have since added a third member] had played its first show a week or so earlier and received little to no buzz). Perhaps I was already a little irritated due to the poor sound mix for Sebastien Grainger earlier in the night. Perhaps I am a snob. Perhaps propped high above the crowd on the Phoenix's stage is not the best setting for a low-fi post-punk band to play. Nouns incorporates aspects of grunge, noise, lo-fi punk, poppy no-wave, and post-rock to create a genre-bending album. Each song has its own angle, a specific sub-genre it aims towards, but does so in a manner that does not feel forced. Despite the divergence of influence from track to track, Nouns still has a natural flow. 

The Mae-Shi - HLLLYH

Oh my. What can be said about The Mae-Shi? Words cannot sufficiently describe the intensity, insanity, instability, ingeniousness, incongruence, indecipherableness, and in...um...yeah...of this band from the evil streets of Los Angeles (or suburbs thereof). The ludicrous levels of energy and unbridled enthusiasm of their live show will not ever be sufficiently captured on studio recordings, but one can still get the gist of The Mae-Shi's psychopathic grandeur when listening to tracks like "Pwned," complete with group vocals, chanting, spoken word, and static background noise. Songs like "Run to Your Grave" and "I Get Almost Everything" are more straightforward, with standard build-up intros and musical hooks that are immediately apparent, which highlight the band's pop sensibilities. Ultimately, HLLLYH showcases The Mae-Shi's ability to blend elements of noise, hardcore, electronic experimentation, quadruple vocals, pop, thrash, and every-fucking-thing else. 

Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed

As I wrote previously, LC! bring ADHD-laden energy mixed with just enough ritalin-induced song structure to create a slap-happy album of post-punk pep (no, not a typo, I deem LC! to have spawned a new genre, "pep"). The he said/she said vocal mix and frenetic pace of each song may leave you out of breath, but in the most satisfying gasping-for-breath way possible (like chasing a puppy down that has your keys in his mouth). 

TV On The Radio - Dear Science
Spin named the Brooklyn-dwellers' Dear Science album of the year. One might think that would scare me off, or at least prevent me from admitting that I too find it to be one of the year's finest. This is not the case, simply because I cannot deny the well-rounded awesomeness of this album. TVOTR have crafted an album that is sexy, danceable, thoughtful, and musically adept. I cannot help but mention that 4 of the 5 members are black. Unlike another band made up of mostly black males (the one that claims to be the heroes of their gym class and prances around on the Warped Tour in hoodies and straight-brim baseball caps), TVOTR avoids rap-rock cliches, but still makes distinctly African-American music. Lyrics often reference the racism that has plagued the past and present and are sung over African-inspired tribal rhythms and black gospel claps and hums. 

Abe Vigoda - Skeleton

I will save any whimsical reference to the comedian and simply say this: Abe Vigoda perfectly capture the lo-fi, post-punk, no-wave, tropical sound and own it--to the point that none of those classifications are even necessary to describe the band. They are Abe Vigoda. One day, in a sonically perfect world, "Abe Vigoda" will be an adjective for a band that reaches the benchmark of the lo-fi, post-punk, no-wave tropical sound. However, no other band will ever ascend to that perch. 

Bloc Party - Intimacy

Upon the release of debut album Silent Alarm, Bloc Party instantly became critical darlings in indie rock circles--instantly for only an instant. It was far too easy to instantly adore Bloc Party upon a single listen to Silent Alarm--every song could be a single, complete with obvious yet contagiously catchy hooks, frenzied rhythmic energy, and the right amount of falsetto vocals one would expect from a Brit-rock band. The band could have easily followed suit with a sophomore album that follows the same winning formula. However, let's be honest, the British are better than that. In the New World, bands often find a niche sound and stick to it. No surprises, no experimentation, no progression. The British have provided the world with some of the finest, classiest, and intelligent authors, musicians, and comedians. Arguably, the biggest bands of the 20th century are from the UK: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, U2, and Radiohead (who still reign in the 21st century). True to the artistic spirit of their countrymen, Bloc Party followed suit by releasing a sophomore album that wavers greatly from the sound of Silent Alarm. 2007 album A Weekend in The City is moody, melodramatic, experimental, and.... well, a little boring at times. The second half of the album becomes a little too self-indulgent, a little too mopey. In defiance of the opinion of most music critics, I believe that this year's Intimacy is a fantastic balance between the immediately likable poppy Brit rock of Silent Alarm and the moody experimentation of A Weekend in The City. In many ways the album feels like a mixed bag, but each track captures a specific facet of Bloc Party's musical abilities: "Ares," "Halo," and "Trojan Horse" channel the poppy punch of Silent Alarm, "Biko" and "Ion Square" capture the dynamic melodrama of A Weekend in The City, and "Mercury" and "Zepherus" are built upon vast electronic experimentation--albeit in very different ways. 

Sebastien Grainger - s/t

By far my most listened to album of 2008. I suspect that will carry over into 2009 as well. For loyal readers of this blog, I have spoken at length about why I believe this album to be one of the truest, finest musical endeavors in recent history. That being said, I will save the corny write up. 

Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

Thank heavens I saw Fucked Up at Sneaky Dee's this past October. I highly suspect that their next appearance in Toronto will be upon a far larger stage at a far larger venue with a crowd of far more assholes with far better sound and far less charm. As a band, Fucked Up are a bit of an anomaly: a big fat disgusting tattooed singer whose vocal style is the raspy snarlish scream of classic hardcore backed up by a cast of gangly dorkish misfits who have been heralded by Pitchfork and Spin as the future of punk. Chemistry is indeed a hardcore punk album. It is also a post-rock album, an indie rock album, a progressive experimental album, a pop-rock album. An obvious highlight for me is the track "Twice Born," complete with Sebastien Grainger's backup vocals. Before Fucked Up completely explodes and is on an episode of Gossip Girl, I urge you to listen to them--if for no other reason than simply to be able to say "Oh, yeah, I liked them back in 2k8."

Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes

I feel as though Land of Talk pick up where Eisley should have after their 2005 album Room Noises. Vocalist/guitarist Elizabeth Powell sings like a reluctant angel who was sent to Guelph, Ontario on a mission from God to spread sweet, aww-shucks sentimentality to all the local organic shopkeepers. Importantly, her lyrics deal with more than tall summer grass and free-range eggs. Although some songs utilize natural imagery (summer lakes, bovine eyes), others discuss what Powell calls the "damaging stereotypes of femininity." Not to suggest Powell is some sort of neo-feminist icon, but it is lovely to hear the lyrics of a morally sensible, Guelph-raised girl sung so beautifully atop an indie-rock background. 

United Nations - s/t

Not to put too much pressure on UN, but they are in fact a post-hardcore supergroup with superpowers. When your two vocalists are Geoff Rickly of Thursday and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw, expectations are high. These expectations are met handily. Years in the making, this album is intense--a fucking kick in the pants, slap across the face, broken bottle on the cheek intense. Palumbo's screams are terrifying. Rickly's wails are urgent. This is not just an album, it is a challenge, a call to arms. United Nations wants YOU (Uncle Sam style) to stand up, forget everything you know about the present state of hardcore music, question the inner-workings and covert imperialism of Western governments, and put a fist in the air as you do so. 

A house we barely speak of

It has come to my attention that my last few posts have been socio-political diatribes. My loyal readers, I would assume, must be asking themselves, "where are the mildly witty Pitchfork-bashing music 'reviews' ?" To that query I answer with this post.

One of my most anticipated albums for 2009 is Manchester Orchestra's Mean Everything to Nothing, which is slated for release early in the year (I hope this is indeed the case and they don't Chinese Democracy the release date). Although their 2006 debut I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child is a little melodramatic at times, I find it to be done with a sincerity that makes singer Andy Hull's wailing and whining digestible. Furthermore, upon seeing the band live and experiencing Hull's vulnerability and passion in each song, in each lyric, in each syllable, I managed to connect to Virgin on a deeper level--now as I listen to each track I personally feel emotionally invested. Their 2008 EP Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind suffices as a delicious appetizer for the forthcoming album. The two new tracks on the EP perfectly capture the contrasting sides to Manchester Orchestra: "I can feel a hot one" is a slow-moving, melancholy track that does not ascend towards a grand climax, rather it builds upon a repetitious comfort and a simple but soothing guitar riff; "I was a lid" is an ascending rocker that captures the darker intensity Hull says the new album will be abound with--the track reaches a near-riotous peak during the bridge, complete with triple vocals. 

Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind

I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child

Born-again colonialists?

By now, for those who have even the vaguest familiarity with Zimbabwean politics, it is apparent that President Robert Mugabe is a racist, fascist, homophobic, and ultimately nefarious man. Zimbabwe did show signs of potential in the early to mid-1990s as mortality rates decreased and immunization rates increased. However, overly racist and authoritarian policies halted Zimbabwe's growth. 

As a cholera epidemic has swept the nation over the past few months and shows no signs of slowing down, Mugabe now appears to be close to insanity. Unfortunately, his insanity has spread to all senior officials in Zimbabwe. Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu places the blame for cholera squarely on the shoulders of the British, claiming that they "are continuing to plant anthrax and cholera disease." Mugabe has long been known to refer to all his critics and detractors as "born-again colonialists," suggesting that anyone who disagrees with his "nationalist" politics really wishes to re-implement Western white rule in Zimbabwe. The claim that British PM Gordon Brown is to blame for the cholera outbreak is a new low. 

Just a few days ago Mugabe claimed that the cholera outbreak was under control. Seeing as Mugabe is 84 years old his remarks can easily be dismissed as senile. However, to hear the so-called Information Minister state that the British are using biological warfare on the Zimbabwean people is frightening. Even if Mugabe is deposed as President, it appears there are several other maniacal despots waiting to take power. 

Robert Mugabe has gone so far as to refer to himself as a "black Hitler" in the past. Upon initially being compared to Hitler by the UK Parliament, Mugabe controversially stated "This Hitler had only one objective: justice for his people, sovereignty for his people...If that is Hitler, then let me be a Hitler tenfold." As Mugabe stands by idly, going so far as to deny the cause of death for thousands of his people, he certainly is acting in a Hilteresque manner. Mugabe may not be a tenfold Hitler, but the fact there are ten or more Hitlers in the upper ranks of the Zimbabwe government is equally, if not more, terrifying. 

(Product) Bullshit.

When will everyone see past the facade of (Product)Red? Yes, some of the companies involved have committed a considerable amount of the revenue from their (Product)Red to the campaign (Motorolla's contribution of 50% of Product(Red) RAZR, KRZR, and SLVR). However, it is ultimately a ploy to generate sympathy revenue--a company puts on a sad face, pretends to care about AIDS in Africa and suddenly has won over consumers who had previously thought GAP or Starbucks to be evil multinational corporations who employ foreign workers for low wages. 

I do not intend to knock the (Product)Red initiative as a whole, rather the greedy companies who simply utilize the sympathy that participation in the program generates. In principle, the initiative allocates profits from otherwise greedy corporations to charitable organizations in Africa--money that the companies would not otherwise donate. The possibility of tapping into a new market of globally conscious and sensitive consumers is the appeal for companies to participate in the program. 

In the case of Starbucks, I do not believe that they are putting in nearly as much as they are getting out of (Product)Red. Starbucks' contribution to (Product)Red is as follows: "For every (Starbucks)Red Exclusive beverage purchased, Starbucks will contribute five cents to the Global Fund to invest in AIDS programs in Africa." On first reading that seems acceptable. Not overly generous, but acceptable--my response was to go "hmm." However, that "hmm" (accompanied by a slight smirk of complacency) soon became a "hmmm" (accompanied by an inquisitively raised eyebrow). Upon further inspection, I learned that the (Starbucks)Red Exclusive beverages are the Peppermint Mocha Twist, Gingersnap Latte, and Espresso Truffle. Upon further thought, that "hmmm" became a "hmmmmm" (accompanied by a frown and slight eye-roll). To begin with, these "exclusive" beverages are significantly more expensive than anything else on the menu. So, the problem I find is twofold: 1) These beverages will be ordered less often due to their higher price-point and overly specialized nature (gooey syrop shots) 2) If they are so expensive (over $4 CDN for a standard "tall" size), the company's contribution of 5¢ for every cup sold is pathetic. 

Every Starbucks cup is adorned with a cardboard sleeve bearing the (Product)Red logo and a sentence below it that says something along the lines of "Saving the world one cup at a time." This gives off the impression that every Starbucks beverage is a part of the campaign, rather than just three overly sweet, overly expensive beverages. Starbucks has completely warped the purpose and spirit of (Product)Red for its own form of sympathy marketing.