It can be a difficult task to find a band whose lyrical content tends to stray away from the clichés of love and the emotions caused by it. Although I enjoy a diverse range of topics, it is hard to blame most of these artists. After all, if there is one thing that all listeners can personally relate to, it is the feeling of loving one another or being loved. Mutual reciprocation often results in accompanying music that is gleeful and optimistic and nature, while an unrequited form sees somber and bleak instrumentation take over. This is conventionalism at its most prevalent, and it is a method that many groups have found reasonable success with. However, since this site always aims to feature capable artists that can potentially attain success through their innovation alone, I tend to favor an act like The Deep Dark Woods. Rather than simply reiterating themes of loneliness through tragic instrumentation or proclaiming true love over an upbeat melody, this Canadian four-piece already have a skill that many other contemporary folk groups of their nature do not possess. Whether a track by The Deep Dark Woods involves the murder of an ex-girlfriend, the financial struggles of being an independent musician, or the decision of choosing between fame and friends, each effort on their new album combines great songwriting with reflective lyrical sentiments that are always uniquely captivating. Tragically, this form of individuality is a rarity among most contemporary folk songwriters.

The beginnings of The Deep Dark Woods trace back to the childhoods of all four members. Guitarist Burke Barlow and bassist Chris Mason went to the same high school together in Saskatoon, while Barlow and guitarist Ryan Boldt had known each other since the age of 12, when they met at a summer camp. The three met drummer Lucas Goetz shortly after they decided to form a band, recording their initial demos in his parents’ basement. The Deep Dark Woods’ first batch of material tended to be more representative of indie-rock. Due primarily to inexperience, high school bands tend to mimic their favorite artists instead of attempting to craft their own sound and this was indicative of that. In The Deep Dark Woods’ case, the influence of bands like Radiohead and Queens of the Stone Age showed. However, after a few years of maturation, the four naturally gifted musicians found that they had enough ability to attempt innovation and bring their project to the next level. The growth that The Deep Dark Woods would experience in the next several years would prove extraordinarily, eventually leading them up to where they are now with their best album yet, Winter Hours. As their third full-length release, it capitalizes on the potential shown on their first two albums, attempts that were memorable but still seemed to be striving for something bigger and more indicative of the group’s cumulative talent.

When The Deep Dark Woods released their self-titled debut in 2006, the ten tracks tended to showcase the band’s excitable live presence rather than the songwriting itself. Recorded entirely on analog, the tight craftsmanship led the four-piece to gigs alongside the likes of Magnolia Electric Co., The Sadies, and The Stills. It also earned them a deal with Black Hen Music, a Canadian record label that was founded by producer and musician Steve Dawson. Dawson has appeared numerous times on this site, whether it has been to showcase his impressive solo material or his wide range of produced artists, which represent anyone from Ndidi Onukwulu to The Voyces. So, when I learned that Dawson had produced The Deep Dark Woods’ second album, Hang Me Oh Hang Me, in addition to their new album, Winter Hours, I knew that production quality would not be an issue. Dawson has a tendency to bring out to the best of folk-oriented artists, and he has done wonders in unveiling The Deep Dark Woods’ individuality as songwriters and lyricists.Winter Hours is one of those albums that capitalizes on subtleties and creative lyrical themes to achieve a reputable status that separates itself from other albums in the same genre. To simply put it, Winter Hours is one of a kind, even if the occasional shades of Neil Young, The Band, and The Byrds are enjoyably evident in the process.

As Winter Hours establishes with the opening “Farewell”, a haunting retelling of a man convicted for murdering his girlfriend because she broke up with him for being “a bore”, this is not your typical folk album. After Boldt’s somber vocals establish imagery of a man leaving his hometown, bidding farewell to his friends, and finding love in his new location, the vocals of two or three members to combine for a ghostly chorus that combines slide guitars and quivering whimpers to foreshadow what is to come. “He plunged a knife in her stomach and grabbed her feet”, Boldt sings shortly thereafter, “and threw her into the waters so deep.” The chorus then repeats itself, sounding even more powerful than before. Sure, the theme practically boils down to a bad break-up, but The Deep Dark Woods tell it so poetically with such melodic conviction that their uniqueness is a quality that should be cherished. Even on a more lightheartedly simplistic track like “Polly”, which was created randomly during one of the band’s jam sessions, their grasp of harmonic infectiousness is impressive. Boldt’s vocals here sound like The National’s Matt Berninger, an apt comparison since both bands capitalize on similar strengths of catchy indie-folk and unique lyrical sentiments.

Another aspect of The Deep Dark Woods that should be appealing to most fans of folk is their lo-fi tendencies. There is rarely more than a few guitars, a bass, and drums on one of their songs. An outstanding effort like “All the Money I Had Is Gone” exhibits this well, employing a mixture of acoustic and slide guitars over a tight rhythm section as Boldt uses his deep croon and melancholic demeanor to successfully establish the hardships of debt and finances in a world that uses it so desperately as a point of judgment. Even when an organ emerges toward the song’s conclusion, it is implemented so well that it substitutes for Boldt’s concluded vocals. This is how much of Winter Hours works; the band does not waste one second in making a song overly simplistic or complex. Even on story-led westerns like “The Gallows” or epic successes like “The Sun Never Shines” (the three-minute guitar solo is Grateful Dead fetishism at its best), there is not one second that is wasted. Another noteworthy effort is “The Birds on the Bridge”, a diverse mixture of vocal-led harmonies and instrumental build-ups. Here, Boldt alternates between deliveries that are reminiscent of Neil Young and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold. Considering that the songwriting also tends to be just as good, it is one of many successes on an album that will likely pinpoint The Deep Dark Woods as one of the better indie-folk acts of 2009.

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The Deep Dark Woods – Polly

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The Deep Dark Woods – All the Money I Had Is Gone

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The Deep Dark Woods – Farewell

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The first group goes by the name of WhoMadeWho, a clever choice considering their broad array of influences. An initial listen will flaunt shades of ‘90s alternative-rock, specifically in a British context with groups like Blur and Supergrass serving as enjoyable constants. This is most prominent in their use of jangly guitars and the crisp delivery of both Jeppe Kjellberg’s and Tomas Hoffding, though this context certainly does not apply to every aspect of their sound. For the most part, their emphasis on more electro-influenced styles like funk, dance, and house is delivered more prominently. The result is an extremely modernistic sound that fuses the enjoyable aspects of ‘90s alt-rock with several accessible elements of contemporary indie-electronica. This description tends to place WhoMadeWho among similarly fused acts like Klaxons (whom they have toured with), though WhoMadeWho’s delivery is generally too polished to make this comparison entirely justifiable. For a stellar pop track like “The Plot”, the refined mannerisms emit more of a radio-friendly appeal than any form of angst or pettiness. As I previously mentioned, it is not WhoMadeWho’s intricacy or boldness that makes them memorable. It is the way in which they can craft a stellar pop hook using familiar influences of both the present and past, making that feeling of instantaneous captivation a frequent occurrence for the listener.

WhoMadeWho have already shared the stage with the likes of Hot Chip, Justice, and LCD Soundsystem, and such acts provide a good indication of their stylistic demeanor. WhoMadeWho’s knack to implement additional genres – which reaches back as far as ‘60s psychedelia – is also a uniquely creative component that most groups of their nature fail to succeed in accomplishing. Often one will find such indecisiveness between incorporating rock and electronica in acts like this, but the Danish trio show no hesitation whatsoever. “The Plot”, the self-titled track off of their upcoming album, begins with some standard indie-rock flair. A very prominent bass, a few guitar chords or so, and Hoffding’s slight falsetto in the chorus establish a very infectious tone from the get-go, though the track becomes more eclectic as it progresses. After the introductory chorus, the verse attempts a slight stylistic shift with a repeating synth line. The melody here is a more subdued version of the first verse, and it makes the subsequent reversion into indie-rock territory that much more seamless. With the booming bass and occasional synth lines counteracting with the hectic percussion and ardent vocals, one could make a case in saying that “The Plot” summarizes the direction that WhoMadeWho will take on their new album. If this is the case, success seems practically imminent.

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WhoMadeWho – The Plot

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WhoMadeWho – The Train

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Compared to WhoMadeWho, it would be practical to say that La Roux seem more primed for widespread recognition. Apart from already being scooped up by a major label in Polydor, the British duo have received significant airplay across the UK for irresistible efforts like “Quicksand” and will be the supporting act on Lily Allen’s upcoming UK tour. Much like The Knife (but without the brother-sister connection), La Roux are comprised of two members that both have an esteemed knowledge of electronic pop music. Elly Jackson serves as the face and vocals of La Roux, while both she and Ben Langmaid create the infectious melodies with their personal arsenal of synthesizers. Unlike WhoMadeWho, their style is strictly within the realm of electronica, but that does not hinder them from standing out from the rest. Though their songs are extremely conventional and straightforward, their material has a special flair to it that derives from both its infectious qualities and atmospheric consistencies. Jackson’s voice is one that quivers and yelps in accordance to the backing instrumentation, best evidenced by the convincingly danceable “Quicksand”.

Even at the beginning of “Quicksand”, Jackson is an immediate force. Taking advantage of consummate production and high-end technology, she shifts between several ranges and tones of production seamlessly. This track sees her delivery transition from robotic-like, tight vocals into a very flexible approach during the chorus in which she simply proclaims, “I’m in the quicksand”. Again, there are no lyrical revelations to be found or stylistic innovations, but the songwriting and production are solid and Jackson certainly has what it takes to become a memorable figure in electronic pop music. Whether this type of music is too electronically engineered for a mass audience is questionable, as the current “hot faces” in the UK like Lilly Allen and Amy Winehouse deliver a more orchestrated, expectable form of pop music. But if electro-pop becomes the mainstream genre of choice in the next year or decade, La Roux are surely primed to hit the big time. One reason to believe this is by looking at their string of song releases. Hyped electro-pop bands in the vein of La Roux often tend to release a great song or two and disappear, but considering that they have already released two electrifying singles in “Quicksand” and “In For the Kill” (the latter to be released on March 16th), it would be surprising to see their upcoming full-length disappoint.

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La Roux – Quicksand

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La Roux – In For the Kill

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By the time that Swedish brother-sister duo Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer released their third full-length album in 2006, The Knife had already achieved a status as one of the most reputable electronic groups in Sweden. Two Grammi (the Swedish equivalent of the Grammys) nominations in 2003 brought them their first glimpse at national recognition, but it was their reaction to the award ceremonies that first caused The Knife to be one of the most talked-about groups in Sweden. In an effort to boycott the overwhelmingly male presence within the nominations, The Knife sent two individuals in gorilla costumes to represent the duo during the ceremonies. To be nominated for “Best Pop Album” in a country like Sweden where infectiousness seems to integrate itself seamlessly in each and every act is impressive, but for The Knife to make a bold move like that simply attests to their uniquely captivating purpose, not their desire for attention. The approach within their music is tackled similarly, utilizing elements of electronica that have existed in both the past and present to craft a style that is neither desperately overwhelming nor structurally predictable. Such concurrent components may seem to clash against some law of non-contradiction, but this rare ability proved to be the primary factor that propelled The Knife into being one of the most prestigious acts of 2006.

Upon the arrival of Silent Shout in 2006, The Knife’s consequential status as #1 on the Swedish charts was justifiably representative of a group whose massive scope of creativity did not even slightly hinder their ability to capture a large audience accustomed to the utmost excellence in pop music. As I mentioned upon classifying Silent Shout as my 18th favorite album of 2006, the album represented subtly infectious pop music in its purest form. Resourceful choruses and surprisingly straightforward song structures were cloaked in wildly imaginative atmospheric tones that were often the result of vibrant rhythm sections, in-key synth variations, and an electronic vocal approach that proved singularly unique to the Swedish duo. The production on Silent Shout was a thoroughly impressive look at modernistic synth-pop with its ethereal percussion and frosty synth pads. Still, the aspect that most listeners came away impressed with was how The Knife were able to transform vocals into an instrumental component that had more flexibility – both in its production and melodic prowess – than any series of synths or percussion that accompanied it. Whether Karin Dreijer Andersson’s quivering voice was chopped up, multi-tracked, or put through a variety of range filters, the duo showed mastery of vocal implementation within a fusion of throwback and contemporary synth-pop music.

So, as you may be asking by now, why am I rambling on about an album that was released over two years ago? Well, in order to explain the sheer success of Karin Dreijer Andersson’s debut solo album, all one has to do is look at the variety of ways in which Silent Shout was so triumphant. Her solo project, Fever Ray, has recently emerged with a self-titled debut that is reflective of the unique aspects of The Knife and Silent Shout in particular. Few will argue that Silent Shout is The Knife’s finest hour so far, and this is mainly because it encompassed such a successfully consistent mood palette of coldness and echoed tension. Compared to their first two albums, it was a breakthrough in terms of discovering a natural flow for a group whose ambitious vision occasionally stuttered their progression of consistency. Like Silent Shout though, Fever Ray is the epitome of consistency, both in the quality and tone within the songs. And like The Knife, Fever Ray’s songs are bursting with hooks that somehow emerge seamlessly over production and synthesized accompaniments that are often unconventional. That Fever Ray’s debut sounds like it originated from the same distant planet as Silent Shout is obviously the result of Andersson continuing a formula that proved successful, but it also means that Fever Ray undoubtedly has the potential to find just as much success as Silent Shout.

One of the debut’s standouts, “Now’s the Only Time I Know”, is an accessible example of how Andersson has carried over her engaging techniques from The Knife throughout Fever Ray’s ten new songs, many of which are equal to or even surpass several tracks on Silent Shout. It is also one of the best examples of the way her vocals evolve throughout a given song in accordance to its instrumental accompaniment. Her first few lines are barren, reflected by a similar vocal track that is delayed by a few seconds. However, when a synth pad emerges and the percussion intensifies with an extra kick, her intensity rises and an extra dose of reverb is found alongside a chorus that works wonders with a bubbly bass line and trickling synths. “When I Grow Up” sees a more minimalistic approach, with a more consistently ardent delivery reminiscent of The Knife’s “Like a Pen”, only without the driving pulse of techno. “When I Grow Up” is instead accompanied by a mere synth pad, with the transitioning percussion serving as a guide for the song’s evolving structure. A few repeating guitar licks elude to the song’s explosive point, and the build-up proves well worth it as the conclusion features a very exotic synth line in addition to a pulsating bass. Under all this, the same percussive taps can be heard over the initial synth pad; it is simply a fantastic example of how Andersson is able to develop a song into something majestic and beautiful using subtle transitions.

Unless “Now’s the Only Time I Know” takes the title due to its highly accessible nature, “Triangle Walks” should have a good chance at becoming Fever Ray’s second single (the first being the opening “If I Had a Heart”). Using a synth arpeggio as its steady heartbeat, a twinkle here and there of chirpy keys adds to the irresistibility of “Triangle Walks” in a way that, like “Now’s the Only Time I Know”, should appeal to listeners who have little to no familiarity with The Knife. Those who enjoyed any of The Knife’s prior releases, though, will find Fever Ray’s self-titled debut to be more than capable of delivering the same thrills that one of the best albums of 2006 did so effectively. While there is still an expected clamor for a new album from The Knife, Fever Ray is an album that should wholesomely satiate fans on its March 23rd release date (March 18th in Sweden). For those who are too intrigued to wait though, the album is available online to download here.

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Fever Ray – Now’s the Only Time I Know

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Fever Ray – Triangle Walks

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Fever Ray – When I Grow Up

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by Mike Mineo

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40. Kristoffer Ragnstam – Wrong Side of the Room

We all knew that it was only a matter of time before a Swedish pop artist made this list, and I will also admit that Kristoffer Ragnstam will not be the last before this year’s best-of concludes. I first took notice of Ragnstam when he released a great single in “Breakfast by the Mattress”, a sly effort that saw his practical use of fast-paced indie-pop flourish with irresistible melodies and gleeful hooks. Accessibly enjoyable melodies and hooks in Swedish indie-pop? Who would have known? Well, Ragnstam’s second album, Wrong Side of the Room, provides a wildly accessible look at some of the catchiest pop music to derive from the musically incessant country of Sweden in 2008. “Swing That Tambourine” is a gleeful sing-along that finds Ragnstam reciting the track’s title during a chorus filled with anthemic guitar lines and vocal outbursts, with the latter being a trademark of Ragnstam’s crisply invigorating delivery. “Happy Mistakes” may be the album’s most impressive effort with the stark contrast between the verse and chorus; the verse stems off of keys and guitars that gradually increase in force, while the chorus delivers a suave and seductively brisk accompaniment that sees keys and wind instruments collide for a compellingly memorable conclusion. The final minute or so sounds somewhat like a ‘70s spy flick, which is just one of the reasons why Ragnstam’s simplistically effective pop music remains so memorable. Other tracks like “Sorry for Being the Man of 1000 Questions” showcase his occasional synth-rock premise, while “2008” finds a seamless transition between acoustic and electric accompaniments that eventually finds catchy progression of high-pitched keys concluding each chorus. While his songs may be too simplistically orchestrated for those seeking avant-garde pop music, there are few albums this year that are as instantaneously infectious as Wrong Side of the Room.

Kristoffer Ragnstam – Happy Mistakes

Kristoffer Ragnstam – Sorry for Being the Man of 1000 Questions

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39. The Bug – London Zoo

He has recorded under six main projects and released over one dozen full-length albums in the past decade, but Kevin Martin still remains an elusive figure despite his undeniable contribution to the recently invigorated genre of dubstep. In the process, Martin’s variety of projects have allowed him to explore other genres like jazzcore and industrial hip-hop to an investigative extent, providing him with experience that most electronic artists foolishly dismiss as being stylistically irrelevant. Ever since his debut release, Techno Animal’s Ghosts in 1991, Martin has been building this type of experience gradually but productively, as this year’s release of The Bug’s London Zoo has proven. It is saying quite a bit that London Zoo is his most eclectic release yet, as Martin has never shown a reluctance to tread in stylistic territories that would be deemed abnormally progressive for artists who primarily specialize in dubstep and other forms of electronica led by bass and samplers. What London Zoo does so brilliantly is capitalize on Martin’s experience as a songwriter and his skills as a producer, resulting in something that sprinkles industrial hip-hop, dancehall, and grime into his mastered interpretation of dubstep. To add variety, he enlisted a different vocal performer on each track, basing his choices on the overall mood and pace of the track. It is an excellent collaborative method that makes the album even more redeeming. For example, Martin makes excellent use of Killa P’s sonorous delivery and his prevalent reggae-based influence to capitalize on the ominous, bass-led fury of “Skeng”, while Tippa Irie’s irate delivery makes for several discordantly appropriate political statements during the percussive stampede of “Angry”. Upon first listen, the tone of some tracks may sound irritated and disoriented, but with each successive play the listener will begin to realize the album’s success in delivering something that is both infectious and emotionally responsive. This in addition to Martin’s stellar production makes The Bug one of the finest electronic releases of the year.

The Bug – Angry (feat. Tippa Irie)

The Bug – Murder We (feat. Ricky Ranking)

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38. The Ruby Suns – Sea Lion

With the Internet now allowing anyone to access music from virtually any country they please, it has become a common practice for artists to integrate worldly influences into their initial sound. This high level of accessibility has made it convenient for some to expand their linear cultural perspective, but I would imagine that many would argue that a true cultural experience is accurately related to traveling to a country and experiencing it first-hand yourself. I imagine that Ryan McPhun, frontman for The Ruby Suns, would agree with this ideology quite well. A native of California, McPhun always had an interest in different cultures and countries, showing just that by moving to New Zealand in 2004 and forming The Ruby Suns while he was there. Prior to this move though, McPhun traveled around Africa and Thailand to quench his thirst for cultural exploration. A music fan all his life, he also took with him a different musical perspective after being personally exposed to the different types of art in each of the countries he visited. McPhun released The Ruby Suns’ self-titled debut in 2006 to some notice, though to an extent that was incomparable to their second album, Sea Lion. This 2008 release saw McPhun reach into his worldly repertoire and pull out a collection of songs that were both strikingly original and culturally influenced. Gems like “Oh, Mojave” and “Tane Mahuta” borrow trademarks of Latin folk to integrate into the group’s psychedelic-pop leanings brilliantly. “Tane Mahuta” is even sung in M?ori, an Eastern Polynesian dialect that is one of the official languages of New Zealand. For the tracks that sound a little more like home, “There Are Birds” is one of the standouts that are led by psychedelic-pop with a warmly reverberating mixture of keys and fuzzy guitars over McPhee’s tranquil vocal harmonies. With tracks that are both culturally resounding and melodically appealing, Sea Lion is a uniquely successful album with one the most ambitious scopes you are likely to find for an indie-pop group.

The Ruby Suns – Oh, Mojave

The Ruby Suns – There Are Birds

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37. Love Is All – A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night

Love Is All’s contagious formula of punk-tinged guitar progressions, devilishly triumphant uses of brass, and intricately bustling rhythm sections was so ingeniously engineered on their debut, Nine Times That Same Song, that it would be a crime to call the result even slightly derived; it simply did not fit in with either stereotypical Swedish indie-rock or western derivatives of punk music. Instead, the Swedish five-piece crafted a sound of their own that proved as successful as the plethora of hooks in their songs. As a result, you can probably imagine how gruesome it was for fans to wait three years for a follow-up. However, when A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night was finally released, most listeners were satisfied to hear that Love Is All did not change their stylistic make-up at all. Josephine Olausson maintains the same mixture of gleeful yelps and fastidiously passionate displays of emotion and the rest of the group engineers a countless number of hooks over their hectically melodic display of guitars, bass, keys, and brass. One of the album’s clear highlights is “A More Uncertain Future”. Olausson begins the track in a subdued manner when compared to the other brisker tracks, backed nearly exclusively by an expanding rhythm section as the slight overtone of an electric guitar gradually takes over prior to the emergence of keys. Olausson and Nicholaus Sparding both sing quite equally on the track, with the format being representative of a crumbling relationship as each vocalist relays the perspective of each significant other. Just like on “Felt Tip”, Sparding eventually takes over as vocalist to complement Olausson’s previous sentiments, only this time he takes on a larger role as he emerges after each verse. In a more excitable vein, the rush of guitars and heavy bass on “Movie Romance” reminisces their punk leanings to a larger extent with an explosive chorus in which Olausson and Sparding turn up their harmonizing abilities once again. “Last Choice” and “Wishing Well” feature choruses with a large emphasis on twinkling keys, and verses that see little more than a steady bass line and Olausson’s fervent vocals overlap for an effect that many fans of Nine Times That Same Song should find familiarly invigorating. For old fans of Love Is All and new ones alike, A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night is a surefire success.

Love Is All – A More Uncertain Future

Love Is All – Movie Romance

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36. Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Flight of the Knife

I remember finding myself in a state of regret when I discovered Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears’ debut early last year. With its portrayal of infectious ‘60s pop clashing fluidly with thematically invigorating forms of contemporary indie-rock, the quality exhibited would have likely stuck it in the top 20 of my “Best Albums of 2006” had I found it a few months earlier. That being said, my inattentiveness was not at hand for this year’s inclusion of their second album, Flight of the Knife. This effort finds the Brooklyn-based songwriter continue upon his emphasis on ’60s pop, though this time around his backing live band, The Shredding Tears, make their studio debut in fantastic form; their addition to Scary’s immense level of creativity expands his scope of ambition even more. It allows Scary to provide more variation in both songwriting and instrumentation, with the obstacle of playing every single instrument an album to sheer perfection now being diminished substantially. His focus here is clearly on the songwriting, an aspect of the album that proves utterly outstanding. His style remains as an operatic version of ’60s pop, providing for a very interesting twist on nostalgic pop music. Still though, Scary manages to not be overly pretentious in his interpretation of throwback pop, providing contemporary indie-rock snippets like the catchy “Imitation of the Sky” in addition to nostalgic pop gems like both versions of “Flight of the Knife” and the contagious key-led intricacies of “Venus Ambassador”. Like their debut, Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears’ Flight of the Knife serves as one of the most ambitiously impressive and downright infectious albums of the year.

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Flight of the Knife (Part Two)

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Venus Ambassador

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35. Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak

Up until the release of 808s & Heartbreak, it seemed like the only thing that was not controversial about Kanye West was the style of music he was pursuing on his first three albums. His singularly unique style of hip-hop, often with sharp production and soul-tinged samples, was something that seemingly everyone could get on board with. With a nice collection of Grammys, chart-topping albums and singles, and universal recognition as one of the most prominent producers in the world, West had no reason to alter his stylistic direction to achieve some sort of higher monetary success. His first three albums, all generally similar in style, were critically acclaimed for good reason, so the reason to pursue something completely new on 808s & Heartbreak must have been rooted entirely in some sort of emotional transition, right? After separating from his fiancée and coping with his mother’s death, a return to the jovial, radio-friendly appeal of a track like “Champion” did not appear to be in the near future. Instead, West chose to explore his fascination with electronica and synth-pop. As the first part of the album’s title indicates, automated electronic percussion is a standard throughout the album, along with the controversial use of Auto-Tune. The effect sometimes appears distracting, like in the Lil’ Wayne-guested “See You in My Nightmares”, but other efforts like “Paranoid” and “Heartless” see how it can be implemented successfully in both fast-paced hip-hop and somber soul music. Though the newer version of “Robocop” has been classified as being inferior to the original version, it is hard to deny the power of the chorus’ hook in which twinkling keys and strings overlap over a vocal melody that appears as West’s most upbeat on the entire album. “Paranoid”, on the other hand, sees synth-pop and hip-hop collide for something that may be one of the most impressive tracks West has released in his already storied career. While the new stylistic direction of 808s & Heartbreak may turn off some fans, West’s approach often proves immensely successful for anyone with an open state of mind.

Kanye West – Paranoid

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34. Amadou & Mariam – Welcome to Mali

Ever since they met in 1975 at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, Mariam Doumbia and Amadou Bagayoko have been inseparable. After they were married in 1980, Bagayoko made the transition from an aspiring solo artist to performing in a duo with a collaborative partner. Who was the other musician? Well, none other than his new wife, Mariam, of course. Since then, the duo has become one of the most respected performers from Mali and later Western Africa as a whole. They have been one of the acts that are prominently influential in the exposition of world music to young listeners, making it both accessible and fascinatingly cultural in the process. Their style in the ’80s was stark in its featuring of little more than a guitar and vocals, but their breakthrough period in the late ’90s saw them turn their focus to a more rock-oriented sound that was still heavily backed by influences pertaining to the traditional music of Mali. Their mixture of western rock with traditional Mali music has seen the duo play with anything from funk to electronica, with all of their albums in the past decades receiving critical acclaim all throughout the world. Their newest album, Welcome to Mali, is just as its title indicates: an extremely accessible journey into musical influences typical of Mali culture. The accessibility stems with how seamlessly Amadou & Mariam are able integrate western and African sounds, perhaps best shown in the Damon Albarn-produced “Sabali”. Properly acting as the album’s debuting single, “Sabali” incorporates Mariam’s distinctively edifying vocals over a synth-led beat. For someone who has cut so many out of Gorillaz, Albarn’s incorporated brilliance is not a surprise. A simplistic synth line is the tracks’ heartbeat throughout the entire duration, gradually backed by a whirling array of glittering synths that grows in prominence as the duo’s vocals increase in audibility. Along with other more culturally resounding gems like “Ce N’est Pas Bon” and “Djama”, “Sabali” heads a very impressive album.

Amadou & Mariam – Sabali

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/amamar-sab.mp3]

Amadou & Mariam – Djama

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/amamar-dja.mp3]

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33. School of Language – Sea to Shore

Though there are a few exceptions, there are admittedly not many solo artists who have matched or exceeded the quality exhibited in the main project from which they initially found recognition off of. After all, it is usually done after either the aforementioned main project breaks up or loses all credibility. Peter Brewis’ decision to go ahead and form his solo project, School of Language, was not because of either reason, as the band’s most recent release, Tones of Town, is one of their best and they are still together (though currently “on break” to try their hand at some other projects, like Brewis and his brother, Peter, have been doing). As one of the three members in Field Music, Brewis has proven to be a vital contributor toward the brand’s engaging sound, with his vocal and multi-instrumental work being highly impressive. Enjoyably enough, School of Language’s debut, Sea from Shore, does not stray too far stylistically from the shimmering pop flair of Field Music. Like his previous work with the band, Brewis produces admirable nods to pop greats in the vein of XTC and Brian Wilson, intertwining accessibility and melodic aptitude for an appeasing experience. The project’s differences are primarily on an instrumental emphasis, as Field Music’s Tones of Town held a similar form of instrumental dexterity but there was a larger abundance of keys and orchestral elements in the vein of strings and brass. Just because it is not a grandiose chamber-pop spectacle does not mean it suffers in any way though. In fact, the more personable nature presented on Sea from Shore allows Brewis to produce what a proficient solo project should sound like. While the emphasis on instrumentation may be marginalized in complexity, the melodies are as strong as ever. “Disappointment ‘99” remains to me as one of my favorite songs of the year. Brewis uses his form of vocal ingenuity brilliantly in the bridge, mimicking the quick chords of a high-pitched guitar with a shrill shriek. Surprisingly, that only serves as one of the song’s hooks, with the sole plucking of a guitar guiding a percussion-less form of Brit-pop during the chorus’ final moments (with vocals provided by Futurehead David Craig) also being aptly enjoyable.

School of Language – Disappointment ’99

School of Language – This Is No Fun

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32. Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

Widely touted as one of the best lyricists of the indie-rock era, David Berman has grown to be one of the most venerable figures in rock music ever since his emergence in the early ’90s. Some of songs could appear eerily auto-biographical to any listener, while the contents of other tracks seem odd in a way that they could only exist in some atypical universe. A band whose lineup has changed constantly throughout its two decades in existence, the current lineup consists of nothing more than Berman and his wife, Cassie. Her most noteworthy presence on the Silver Jews’ excellent sixth album, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, is on “Suffering Jukebox”, where she takes lead during the chorus. It provides for a remarkable transition between Berman’s deep and narrative vocals, as she is transitionally melodic over the expanding use of backing guitars. Berman delivers the lyrical meat with his somberly charged vocals and his wife delivers the melodic hook; it is a situation where fans of both lyrical and melodic content should find solace. As far as stylistic mongers go, country-rock has always been present in most material by Berman, and this track along with “We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing” is an enjoyable indication of just that. “My Pillow is the Threshold” may end up being a classic from Berman, as it echoes the sort of bleak desperation and hopelessness that Berman has delivered so effectively for the past 20 years. “Because the pillow that I dream on is the threshold of a kingdom,” he sings. “Is a threshold of a world where I’m with you.” Compared to his wife’s enjoyable presence on “Suffering Jukebox”, Berman exemplifies how he can take complete control of a song’s hook. His method is less melodic and more emotionally involved, with the slight quiver in his vocals creating the impression that Berman is indeed the victim of the anecdote at hand. The genuine tone of Berman’s voice, his poetic brilliance, and the raw power he is able to convey through a performance are aspects that have made Silver Jews such a brand name. On Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, listeners are simply convinced even more of his authenticity.

Silver Jews – My Pillow is the Threshold

Silver Jews – Suffering Jukebox

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31. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid

Bands that tend to improve with each release are a rare sight indeed. As bleak as it may sound, there are plenty of one-hit wonders and too few artists that withstand time and prove durable enough to learn from their own experience in a quest for incessant improvement. This is especially rare among contemporary artists, many of which appear too obsessed with monetary matters to stick with something that may not be initially successful. Finding initial success was never an issue for the British five-piece, Elbow, as they were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize with their debut album, Asleep in the Back, in 2001. What came next, though, could have been a devastating affair in seeing a group potentially chase the success of their first album embarrassingly, just like many other groups that foolishly believe that expanding upon an album or style is somehow detrimental to future success. Elbow made the wise choice though; they enhanced their sound to make it fuller, more exotic, and more intricate, with their songwriting and production also becoming more noteworthy with each successive release. Even more impressively, they chose to actually win the prize that they fell short of in 2001, releasing their fourth album, The Seldom Seen Kid, in 2008 and winning the esteemed Mercury Prize in the process. That they beat Radiohead’s In Rainbows and Burial’s Untrue was surprising to me, but I certainly felt that it was one of the best nominees and certainly well-deserved. Listening to the stunning “Grounds for Divorce” can attest to why such a choice was made, as I believe it to be one of the best songs of the year. With the backing harmonies invoking a sing-along effect of a very bluesy progression, the introduction to the song almost seems like a nod to Chicago blues and its integration of electric guitars and Delta blues. The chorus exists in an entirely different spectrum though, as it sees Elbow revert back to comfortable Brit-rock as Guy Garvey sings, “There’s a hole in my neighborhood, down which of late I cannot help but fall”. Other remarkable efforts include the progressive “The Bones of You” and the majestic “Mirrorball”, the latter of which features a haunting mixture of piano, strings, and acoustic guitars. Take the Mercury Prize’s word for it: The Seldom Seen Kid is one of the best albums of the year.

Elbow – Grounds for Divorce

Elbow – Mirrorball

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The post Best Albums of 2008: #40 to #31 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Even just by reading her own personal thoughts on the art of music alone, one can easily gather that Jenny Hval is one of those literary types. By this, I refer to individuals who seem to have a personal connection with works of literature, interpreting them as if it is their own life and experiences being foretold in the process. Sure, many of these types can be pretentious, but others can be uniquely invigorating in a way that causes the people they interact with to look deeper into the thematic meanings of literature and art in general. Hval is more applicable of the latter description, fusing her love of music and literature together for the “one-woman band” of Rockettothesky. It would make sense too, as the young songwriter from Norway also happens to be an aspiring writer who has had her works published in a handful of anthologies; she describes herself as constantly being busy with “pieces of fiction, articles, essays, [and] spoken word pieces” in addition to her music. That being said, she certainly seems like a fascinating person to sit down and have a cup of coffee with. The aspect that drew me to Hval’s music, though, was not the way she looked upon the art of writing and music. Instead, I became enthralled by the way she was able to fuse the two together in producing a sound and style that is truly and distinctively her own.

In accordance to her literary ideology, I suppose that it should not be all that startling that Hval began writing songs for Rockettothesky as a “secret project” of sorts consisting of impulsive monologues for her deceased dog, Inka. In fact, in her own words, the project is “an invocation of the voices of the dead”, prompting the improvisational tendencies of Hval to be both thematically appropriate and strangely resounding. You see what I mean about how it would be interesting to sit down and have a conversation with Hval? For those somewhat intimidated by her eccentric nature though, her music proves that she is not by any means utilizing these unconventional methods for the sake of recognition or artistic desperation. In touch with her individualistic self throughout the entire duration, the ten recordings on her second album, Medea, portray a woman who is clearly in touch with the style she intends to produce. Alternating between styles such as folk, electronica, and pop, her richly extravagant vocals haunt the realms of her stylistically multifarious ability in a comparable form to Björk, a prevalent influence. A plea to the dead is a somewhat bizarre way to describe her style, but as Hval shifts from highly melodic vocal lines on sweeping orchestrals like “Grizzly Man” to percussively aided electro-pop gems like “The Dead, Dead Water Lily Thin”, one begins to get the sense that her highly ambitious style of play may be impossible to describe any better than as tribal chants directed toward the dead.

While chants and odes to the deceased may sound like a grim topic, Hval’s music actually turns out to be more enlightening than it does somber or melancholically reflective. “Grizzly Man” sounds more spiritually uplifting if anything, looking upon such aforementioned aspects of death in a manner that appears optimistic and progressively gratifying. Some tracks may be foreign to me and most listeners, but the mixture of twinkling bells and beautiful finger-picked acoustical guitar progressions in “Grizzly Man” creates a serene atmosphere that is supplemented marvelously by Hval’s extraordinary vocals. Her range defies even her melodic diversity, a spectacle in itself considering the unpredictable nature of her song’s structures and the melodic instrumentation that drives them. This astute level of instrumental diversity and consequentially experimental production is found all throughout the duration of Medea, whether it be the heavily reverbed echoes of a trickling guitar and sporadic bass in “Song in Blood” or the use of wind chimes and subtle hint of strings in the opening “Song of Pearl”. Some tracks even border a cappella form. “Chorus”, specifically, is only backed by a brooding synth pad as a variety of vocal layers overlap to give a choir-like effect that simply adds to a central message of everlasting love.

Despite being considerably more ambitious than anything you are ever likely to find on mainstream radio, “14, 15, 13, 14” serves as one of the most accessible tracks on Medea. The track is directed by a key-led beat that is very reminiscent of Middle-Eastern folk music, a very fascinating development that reveals itself as Hval transitions between melodically appeasing harmonies and spoken-word movements over a bustling trickle of backing synths. It is also one of her most straightforward tracks in terms of style and substance, especially when compared to near-ambient spectacles like “Mothering Silence” and “Chorus”. The only other track that takes a somewhat similar approach is “The Dead, Dead Water Lily Thin”. Initiated by the deep resounding pounding of percussion and a nasally synth line, Sweden’s The Knife certainly comes to mind due to the track’s ability to remain in the realm of electronic pop while maintaining the utmost sense of ambitiousness and atmospheric maneuverability. It also helps considerably that Hval encompasses vocals that fit whichever style she chooses to a startlingly effective extent, whether it be a cappella choral music, meditative orchestral arrangements, or subtly infectious electronic pop. On Medea, there is something for anyone who appreciates succeeding in a nearly inimitable format.

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Rockettothesky – Grizzly Man

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Rockettothesky – 14, 15, 13, 14

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Rockettothesky – The Dead, Dead Water Lily Thin

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It is by no coincidence that two recently featured artists who dwell in the style of experimental electronica have early roots in classical music. Last week, I spoke about how Max Tundra (who received a strikingly varied reception via the comments) had began his interest in music by playing conventional pieces of classical music at an early age, later turning his early knowledge into a style that was all his own due to a previous comprehension of subtly influential music archetypes. Call it a hunch, but one of the reasons why these highly ambitious electronic artists often have ties to classical music can be related to the complexity and consequential mood of many landmark classic pieces; it is a striking style of music that can never truly be paralleled in our contemporary age the way it was several centuries ago. These new artists understand just how much of an impact these pieces made upon the release and the even larger impact they made upon modern reflection, consequently opting to pursue a format that serves aspects that are simultaneously conventional and stylistically groundbreaking. Electronic music, while around since the middle of the 20th century, has proven to be an applicable format for such ambitious techniques despite the overwrought attempts that continue to plague the genre (and others) today. Once in awhile though, one can stumble across an artist whose intentions are clear and resoundingly present.

The beginnings of Olga Kouklaki also trace back to her musical studies at an early time in her life, particularly at the age of 8 when she first took up piano. That was apparently all she needed to realize her future as a songwriter, as she apparently never looked back from there. Like Tundra’s Ben Jacobs, her previous engagement with classical music allowed her interest of electronic music to peak at an early age, prompting a form of stylistic development that is rare in terms of both execution and presentation for someone of the Greek native’s young age. Initially drawn into the style during her teenage years by an ambitious range of prominent early ‘90s electronic artists in the vein of Portishead, Massive Attack, and Björk, she began trying her hand at a variety of Greek bars and clubs by DJing. In 2001, just before her 22nd birthday, Kouklaki moved to Paris and began taking a few courses on contemporary music while also attempting to write her first original pieces of electronic music. Early 2003 saw her first track, “Don’t Look at Me”, being released under the name of ODD. Throughout the next several years, she continued to hone her skills and make some connections in the biz, also contributing vocals for tracks like Fred Avril’s “TV Dinner” and Poni Hoax’s “Budapest”. After the collaborative period concluded though, she commenced working on her independent career for good reason.

For the true beginning of her solo career, Kouklaki did well in enlisting Marc Collin to produce her first release. His name seemed very familiar to me until I finally remembered that he produced the the previously featured debut album from Phoebe Killdeer & The Short Straws, the fantastic Weather’s Coming. Though the styles of Kouklaki and Killdeer differ somewhat from chilly electronica to delicate forms of soul, pop, and jazz, Collin has certainly shown that he has the ability to allow an artist to explore their creative tendencies while still contributing to the successful mold of styles. At heart, Kouklaki’s interpretation of electronica contains elements of synth-pop, but such a grouping may be too linear for what she accomplishes on her striking debut album, Getalife. With the bulk of them being no longer than 4 minutes, they maintain accessibility while showing continuous glimpses of Kouklaki’s enthralling presence as a songwriter. Apart from the bass guitar work by Thibaut Barbillon, Kouklaki wrote and programmed each of the 11 tracks on Getalife on her own, with the recording team of Kouklaki and Collin perfecting the rough edges and transforming the result into one of the most chillingly excellent debuts of the year. While it is true that her songs nearly always have a very dark mood to them, such a consistency does not detract from her content in the slightest bit. In fact, since she does it with such resounding success, it contributes to the result in vital form.

Clearly drawing influences from the likes of Depeche Mode, Siouxsie & the Banshees, and Nine Inch Nails in addition to the aforementioned electronica acts of the early ‘90s, Kouklaki’s fusion of darkly tinted synth-pop and elegantly subdued industrial-rock creates for an atmospherically invigorating sound that allows the listener to become enthralled in her songwriting, vocals, and esteemed level of production. This is not to say her music is entirely scenic though, as her ability to craft a variety of infectious moments should not go overlooked. This skill itself reminds me a bit of The Knife, the Swedish electronic duo who broke out hugely with the tremendous Silent Shout in 2006.The title track should draw some other comparisons in admirable form, twisting an automated percussive sample into a series of crisply precise synth pad additions as Kouklaki’s distinctively European vocals take charge. “This is not your life, go and get a life,” she sings with a delicate urge, her vocals serving as an exceedingly appropriate entity for the genre at hand.

Despite the compelling force of tracks like “Getalife” and “Right Shot”, my favorite effort on Getalife though is the fantastic “How Do You Feel”, a brooding journey through deceit and self-doubt that is accompanied by an impeccable bass line and flurry of spine-chilling synth arrangements. The first chorus features little more than the bass line and soothing synth pad, but each successive force complements the previous until the song becomes a display of absolute immersion. The twinkle of keys during the second entry is remarkably placed, signaling a poignant melodic shift but an emotional standstill that is vividly depictive of the song’s lyrical ideology and melodic output. Overall, it is a faultless display of Kouklaki’s skill as a songwriter, one that is presently active throughout the duration of the heavily impressive Getalife.

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Olga Kouklaki – How Do You Feel

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Olga Kouklaki – Getalife

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Olga Kouklaki – Right Shot

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Thanks in part to the stimulating effect that the collaboration of audible and visual content in art can occasionally grant a viewer, many music fans (more often critics) have grown accustomed to classifying albums that somehow correlate to a certain season. Some people simply recall the season in which they got hooked into the respective album for the first time, but the more interesting of participants generate some sort of thought based on the actual melodic content and stylistic delivery involved. For instance, calling The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds a “summer album” would provoke little to no argument. Any band who produces a similar form of surf-rock have often fallen into the same grouping too. Despite lyrical content that often depicts a much darker picture, similar bands who deliver such upbeat melodies in the realm of traditional surf-rock or power-pop occasionally seem to be practically begging for that “summery” label. With that in mind, I imagine that any group who puts out brooding post-punk like Interpol or barren electronica like The Knife is setting themselves up to be compared to a season that is visually seen to be less optimistic (“wintry”?), an attribute that is shunned away from in fear of sounding far too much like a criticism. I tend to shy away from such seasonal comparisons due to it being a sign of descriptive laziness for the majority of the time, but some bands just give off a vibe that is too appropriately seasonal to shun away from.

The Little Ones are surveyors of a style that holds little complication and even less intimidation. The five-piece have even admitted themselves that an accurate description for their sound would be “happy”, even if there are a number of other enjoyable variables involved. “The gist of it is we’re here to have fun,” guitarist Ian Moreno says, an admirably surefire critic of bands who are in it purely for the fame and loot involved. Alongside the recently featured likes of The Explorers Club, this ideology coincides rather nicely with the amiable nature of their brightly enthusiastic style. However, instead of tackling the likes of surf-rock, The Little Ones tread in waters that are more reminiscent of expected contemporary indie-pop. For this repetitively aforementioned “summery” feel, their percussive uses of hand claps and tambourines can attribute to it somewhat, though the defining factor lies in the melodies and methods of vocalization that the LA-based five-piece is able to convey. “The imagery and overall vibe is more of a summer album,” Reyes says, stating the enjoyably obvious. Their West Coast roots are most prevalent in Edward Nolan Reyes’ vocals, an enjoyable aspect that often shows traces of a commendable falsetto within glimpses of group harmonizing that appears reminiscent of ’60s pop music. In appropriate form, their noteworthy debut album, Morning Tide, will be released this summer. With a bountiful array of hooks and melodic additives, it is just one of those albums that sounds best when complemented by sunshine, a cool breeze, and the mere sight of a beach.

The formative process of The Little Ones involved a variety of past collaborators, current lovers, and childhood pals. Moreno and Reyes originally formed the first stages of The Little Ones after a band they had both participated in broke up, leading to an urge to form something new and greater. While searching for members, Ian happened to find out that his girlfriend’s brother was proficient at both the keyboards and bass. Avoiding any awkward moments due to their instantaneous music-based connection, Moreno convinced Lee LaDouceur to join him and Reyes. After that, however, the search for the next member lasted almost a year until Moreno received a call from a childhood friend, Greg Meyer, who was moving out to Los Angeles from San Diego. Already familiar with Meyer’s skills as a drummer, he was quickly recruited. Looking for another member to aid in LaDouceur’s efforts as both a keyboardist and bassist, Moreno brought in his brother Brian to play whatever instrument LaDouceur wasn’t during live shows. After David Esau replaced Meyer on drums, the five-piece was finally complete. The Little Ones’ first big break came in 2006 when solo artist Matt Costa scored the boys a gig at the Bowery Ballroom, giving those outside of the West Coast a chance to hear them live at a prominent venue for the first time. The Sing Song EP followed in February 2007 and the recent Terry Tales and Fallen Gates EP was released this past April. Drawing comparisons to other bright indie-pop bands in the vein of The Shins and The Delays from pleased critics, the slow but steady rise to recognition brought them into supporting Kaiser Chiefs and We Are Scientists on tour during the last several months of 2007.

Like many young bands who have been recognized as having heaps of potential, The Little Ones had to experience the obstacles of dealing with a major label in appliance to the release of their debut. Astralwerks released the Sing Song EP in 2007 but voided The Little Ones’ record contract in the beginning of this year. “”We already had an album in the can, and it was supposed to be released in April, then we were told that we had been released from our contract,” Reyes explained. “But the good thing is they were gracious enough to get the masters back.” The recovery of the masters means that Morning Tide should finally see a release this summer. I honestly have little clue as to why Astralwerks dropped them, but I imagine it will not be hard at all for The Little Ones to find another label. After all, one listen to the infectious “Ordinary Song” should have them lining up in masses. Apart from “Ordinary Song” being incredibly radio-friendly, it utilizes the group’s self-proclaimed Uncle Lee’s Rule of Feet, which states that a song is deemed appropriate for release “only if each of the Little Ones’ feet could shuffle” when listening to it. Thanks to the impeccable harmonizing, the eclectic arrangement of glistening keys and guitars, and the devastatingly memorable hook that the chorus conveys, my feet personally respond quite well to it. When Reyes sings, “I met you on the radio, radio,” during the fluttering chorus, I would be surprised if you did not have the same reaction. Though an official release date has yet to hit the horizon, Heavenly Records has recently swooped up this talented group to make the summer release date imminent for Morning Tide.

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The Little Ones – Ordinary Song

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The Little Ones – Boracay

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The Little Ones – Gregory’s Chant

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It is a rare when a month does this, but I cannot recall a moment in April where I did not have something new and enjoyable to listen to. Whether I found myself humming to southern-rock, Swedish pop, intricate shoegaze, or sample-led electronica, both the diversity and quality presented by this month’s featured artists did not fail to please. I didn’t really appreciate the consistency of quality this month until I compiled this month’s compilation, featuring releases by the likes of My Morning Jacket, Quiet Village, The Explorers Club, and Bryan Scary that are already a few of my favorites for the year. If you have not been following the posts for the past few months, I hope these tracks find as much enjoyment for you as they did for me.

01. My Morning Jacket – Two Halves (post)
02. The Explorers Club – Don’t Forget the Sun (post)
03. Quiet Village – Pacific Rhythm (post)
04. Håkan Hellström – För sent för Edelweiss (post)
05. Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Flight of the Knife (Part Two) (post)
06. Centro-matic – Quality Strange (post)
07. Chin Chin – Miami (post)
08. This Is Ivy League – London Bridges (post)
09. Cinderpop – Cinnamon Winter (post)
10. Soundpool – The Divides of March (post)
11. Russian Red – Nice Thick Feathers (post)
12. Bravo Johnson – Are You Dreaming? (post)
13. Bill Priddle – Like to Smoke (post)
14. Years Around The Sun – Failing At Art (post)
15. Needers & Givers – Digging (post)

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I remember finding myself in a state of regret when I discovered Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears’ debut early last year. With its portrayal of infectious ‘60s pop clashing fluidly with thematically invigorating forms of contemporary indie-rock, the quality exhibited would have likely stuck it in the top 20 of my “Best Albums of 2006” had I found it a few months earlier. It seems to happens every year though, when I stumble across a very special album a few months too late for qualification. In the case of Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears, the self-titled debut album from the act of the same name, I even went as far to classify it as “the Sgt. Pepper of 2006”. And as pretentious at that label may sound, Scary’s proficient techniques involving glittering production and nostalgically stimulating songwriting created a sound that was quite incomparable in contemporary standards, making the fresh-faced comparison a bit more understandable for those who actually gave it a listen. Like innovative pop acts in the past like XTC, Squeeze, and most obviously The Beatles, Scary’s debut presented audible creativity while simultaneously juggling aspects involving irresistible hooks and engaging lyrical ambitiousness. For the Brooklyn-based songwriter, it proved to be one of the most impressive debuts I have heard so far this decade, with Scary’s oddly accessible ambitiousness arising as the most glaringly successful aspect within his meticulous craft.

Like their first album, the release of Flight of the Knife caught me by surprise. I was checking my e-mail a week ago when I came across the press release that offered Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears’ second album as a free download. I sensed no hype or feelings of anticipation, both sentiments that I believe will arise for Bryan Scary and his talented backing band once critics eventually get a hold of Flight of the Knife. Scary’s self-titled debut album saw considerable critical acclaim from seemingly every critic who got a copy of the album in their hands, but the only foreseeable issue was that there were simply not many people who had access to it. If there are no hurdling obstacles of distribution preventing a more globalized release, I believe that Flight of the Knife should break out Scary and company in quite a big way. It reminds me that Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears was a colossally successful debut, but an apparent weakness was that it was generally a one-man-show. Apart from the drums, Scary played every instrument on the album. And while his multi-instrumental aspects remain extremely impressive to this day, listeners were generally treated to one style of play throughout the entire duration of the release. However, for the illustrious Flight of the Knife, Scary has recruited his entire backing band for the creative process, providing more variation and audible fulfillment than ever.

Previously exclusive to performing at live shows, The Shredding Tears make their momentous studio debut on Flight of the Knife in extremely impressive form. Consisting of guitarist Graham Norwood, bassist David Ostrem, keyboardist Mike Acreman, and drummer Brian Bauer, their addition to Scary’s undeniable creativity expands his scope of ambition even more. It allows Scary to provide more variation in both songwriting and instrumentation, with the obstacle of playing every single instrument an album to sheer perfection now being diminished substantially. Scary has resorted to exclusively writing the songs and playing keyboards, a move that certainly shows off as a rewarding gesture when applied to the new-founded organization contained in the songs on the album. The title track of the album appears in two parts, with the first opening the album and the last concluding it. Like many tracks on the debut, the success of “Flight of the Knife (Part One)” tends to benefit largely from the operatic approach that Scary chooses to implement. Led by a swirling mixture of guitars, keys, and interloping vocal melodies, Norwood provides a slew of excellent guitar progression, invoking images of Rush, Jellyfish, and other throwback rockers in the process. Per usual, Scary’s vocals fit the eclectic genre with perfection. His range is worth the price alone, with the genuineness of his ardency never being of a questionable extent. It perhaps is demonstrated best on “The Fire-Tree Bird”, a striking track that involves both an instrumentally barren verse and a hectically excitable chorus. The seamless transition that Scary makes is one of extreme proficiency and apparent experience.

The track’s concluding companion, “Flight of the Knife (Part Two)”, is a more immediately accessible attempt when compared to its doppelganger, formulating a similar melody that is uplifted by a slew of new hooks and instrumental progressions. Scary initially provides serene synths over the melody of an arpeggiated piano, suddenly shifting into a bare acoustic melody before the rollicking addition of keys and rhythm. “Heroes are everywhere running our aces,” he sings immediately before the song’s most powerful hook, a quick interlude that sees a chorus led by vocals with heightened pitch. The moment in particular reminds me of Supergrass’ most radio-friendly material, though it is understandable that their ‘60s-oriented influences are very similar when compared to Bryan Scary’s enjoyable melodic outlook. Blues, ’60s pop, and classic rock are all toyed with considerably throughout the song, providing a glimpse of Scary’s eclectic nature in arguably its purest form. Still though, Scary manages to not be overly pretentious in his interpretation of throwback pop, providing contemporary indie-rock snippets like the catchy “Imitation of the Sky” in addition to nostalgic pop gems like both versions of “Flight of the Knife” and the contagious key-led intricacies of “Venus Ambassador”. Like their debut, Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears’ Flight of the Knife serves as one of the most ambitiously impressive and downright infectious albums of the year. Considering that it is an even better display of musicianship than their debut, the chances of this one catching the year-end list this time is basically a guarantee.

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Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Flight of the Knife (Part Two)

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Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Venus Ambassador

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Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears – Imitation of the Sky

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Considering that the dates of anniversaries and birthdays vary from person to person, it would not be entirely unrealistic to deem Valentine’s Day as the most universally abundant day for the exchanging of mix tapes. After all, the process of compiling a mix of emotionally suitable tunes for a loved one has nearly caught up to the ranks of flowers and chocolates as being a staple of Valentine’s Day. With this in mind, since there remains a large amount of people today stuck in a state of seemingly perpetual loneliness, I figured it would be more productive to compile a mix tape for those who are not expected to actually receive one. Sad or not, I hope you enjoy it. For the gloomy ones though, it is often appropriate to soothe emotional distress with songs that are easy to relate to, causing topics like unrequited love and tragic rejection to appear frequently throughout this 15-track compilation. From the mid-’60s (The Left Banke, The Delfonics) to 2006 (Grizzly Bear), this collection has no emphasis on a particular style or period of time; the focus is on the mood and lyrical content, with unrequited desires being a prevalent theme. Even though this mix can be enjoyed alone in thematically appropriate form, I recommend to go ahead and find someone of your own liking whose current emotional outlook is similar to yours. It’s simply more fun than sulking alone.

01. Magnetic Fields – My Sentimental Melody (3:09)
02. Archer Prewitt – Go Away (4:54)
03. Grizzly Bear – Knife (5:14)
04. Cousteau – Peculiarly You (5:41)
05. Hall & Oates – Sara Smile (3:10)
06. The Czars – Val (5:11)
07. XTC – Your Dictionary (3:13)
08. Asahi – How Much He Lies (3:13)
09. The Delfonics – Break Your Promise (3:02)
10. The Smiths – I Want the One I Can’t Have (3:14)
11. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Rose (5:11)
12. Matthew Sweet – Hide (4:01)
13. The Left Banke – Walk Away Renee (2:43)
14. Antony & The Johnsons – Fistful of Love (ft. Lou Reed) (5:51)
15. David Sylvian – Forbidden Colours (5:59)

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