by Matt Keefer

Frontman Wayne Coyne approaches the tour at his own pace.

Few could predict that an indie punk group from Oklahoma City would have such an innovative presence in the music world. At 49, Wayne Coyne and his quartet of space-a-delic freaks, including bassist Michael Ivins and drummers Steven Drozd and Kliph Scurlock, have earned a Grammy, covered Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” in its entirety, and toured relentlessly across the world. Currently on tour for their first double-album Embryonic (excluding Zaireeka, their 1997 four-album experiment), the self-deprecating Coyne delivers about the not-so-glamorous side of touring, as well as about future projects.

Matt Keefer: Thanks for your time. Do you mind if I record the interview?

Wayne Coyne: Sure. I don’t expect you to write it all down and remember it. I’m not doubting your ability to remember, but, see, I just talk. It might be a lot easier for you to say, ‘Nah, that fucker goes on too long.’

M: At 27, being 49 seems like a long way to travel.

WC: I remember when I was 27, I would think about someone who’s almost 50 years old: ‘Dude, are you alright?’ I don’t ever get the feeling that I’m any different. It’s only when I look in the mirror sometimes that I think, “oh wow, I look like a weird old guy.” I don’t feel different to myself. It’s a strange phenomenon.

M: How’s your tour for Embryonic going so far?

WC: We’re never really on tour for very long. We’ll go out for maybe about ten days, play some shows, then we’ll go home for ten days… we’re always doing everything at the same time. Since we’re playing some shows in the summertime, you always run into other groups, and we ran into a group, Trombone Shorty, just last night. They’re almost into their third consecutive month of playing. That can beat you down. I already did that several times – when I was your age – and it can be such a mind-fuck, you’re so torn away from your life that you’re trying to build, the people that you knew. Like I said, I’m 49 years old, and the other guys, they’re not as old as me, but they’re not in their early 20s. I think they don’t want to be taken away from their families and their lives for that long. And you can almost go endlessly the way we’re going. You can almost never stop, because we’re going full-time. Doing the Flaming Lips tour is kind of like working at Target: it just kinda is. It’s not too hard, you just get up and go to work.

M: I know some musicians that have kids, and touring must be rough on them.

WC: Especially for musicians. The reason I say musicians is that they have a sensitivity about them, or they probably wouldn’t like music. And all these things that play into human dramas and emotions are just a little bit more, either enjoyable, or a little bit more painful. Sometimes I think groups try to say ‘we’re going to play for six months straight,’ and then take three years off. You know, that’s easy to say, but a lot of things happen to people in six months that you cannot reverse. Especially if you have young children. Six months, they’ll be completely different little creatures by then. We don’t want that. We want to make our music, do our performances, do all these things because we love what we do, not put one thing that we love on hold so we can have another. We want to have it all at the same time.

M: On the positive aspect of that, do you have any good tour stories?

WC: (Laughs) I don’t know, a lot of times there’s not that much crazy shit going on. When we played at Bonnaroo about a month ago, you play into the night pretty long, and there’s a lot of young people there that are doing drugs and stuff. So those [gigs] always play more into the good old rock and roll stories. After we got done, it was about ten minutes after three in the morning, I went over to the LCD Soundsystem stage, where they had just started their set – and I sort of Tweeted about it the day afterward – but this big, naked guy sort of attacked the stage.  Me and, what’s this comedian’s name, Aziz Ansari? – this giant, freaked-out naked guy, had to be doing some acid or something, simply attacked the stage, and we sort of had to hold him down until the security guards could take him away. It was a very strange, charged moment, where that doesn’t happen to you every day. You know, where you’re suddenly assailed by a 300-pound, naked guy, and he’s all sweaty and he’s drenched. That’s probably the last phenomenal rock-and-roll moment that happened to us.

M: I guess at that moment you’re glad that you pump iron five times a week.

WC: I don’t do that much, but I do yoga almost every day. So, yeah, you’re glad that you have energy and you can react and you don’t feel intimidated. I know you’re saying that jokingly, but I mean it. To be in a group, and to do all these things; you wouldn’t want to do it if you don’t have a lot of enthusiasm. So yeah, I jumped right to task. We didn’t really want to. The guy was very strong but he was pretty slippery, because he was so sweaty. The slipperiness made it impossible to grab him. It’s a good trick. If you’re ever going to run from the cops, strip yourself naked and be slippery.

M: Sure. I should probably carry some cans of grease, too.

WC: (Pauses) Then their only solution is to tase you.

M: You’ve also toured Europe and around the world. Any places you’ve enjoyed outside of the US?

WC: It’s all pretty great when you’re a group like the Flaming Lips. Most everywhere that we would go nowadays, we’re invited to play by a group of enthusiastic ‘freaks.’ We just recently went to Croatia, and we played the Glastonbury Festival (in UK) and got to see Snoop Dogg, meet Mick Jones from the Clash. Hang out with Damien Hirst. There’s a lot of great things that can happen to you simply because you’re just traveling the world all the time. But the other side of it is that you spend a lot of time in airports and on airplanes. Sometimes you get done playing at two-o-clock in the morning, and you have to get to the airport at four-o-clock in the morning. Running from one show to the next, everything is ‘hurry hurry hurry’ all the time. Sometimes I think it’s too many experiences. It’d be like having to eat twenty meals in one day. There’s just no way you can enjoy all the things that are happening.

M: Do you have anything new on the horizon?

WC: We’re always – I don’t know if ‘contemplating’ is the right word – but you’re always considering new musical ideas, new things that you want to play into. We’re always doing little movies and little videos. I just shot an ending of a video for a song on Embryonic called “See the Leaves”. We were shooting this guy on the north side of Oklahoma City who has a big acreage where he’s burning a bunch of his brush that he had chopped down. So we saw this giant fucking bonfire. We shot for an ongoing piece in our storyboard there. So it’s always a kind of combination of everything: new music, and new movies, new videos, new things for our website, new toys, new t-shirts. Everything is a Flaming Lips creation. The great range of things that you can do readjusts your focus on music.

M: Last question: Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs made a brief appearance as a frog on Embryonic.  Would you consider a fuller collaboration with her?

WC: These are definitely collaborations of a sort. I don’t know. For me, I’m more comfortable doing these types of collaborations, where I have the song written, and I have the arrangement, and I just simply call Karen and say ‘All you have to do is be you, and I’ll do all the work.’ A lot of artists don’t really want to collaborate in the sense that people think they do. The art is a lot of times just made very intensely. You simply say, ‘I like this and I don’t care what you think.’ That is in a lot of ways how art is made. And when you’re collaborating with someone that you love and admire, the way that I was working with Karen O, it’s not so much a collaboration, as it’s me giving her a format for her to be her pure self. And that’s different than us writing a song or writing lyrics or writing an arrangement together. So, I don’t know. If whoever called me up and said, ‘Hey, do you want to do this,’ I would always be open for it. I’m open to new experiences and new failures or successes. But I could understand how a lot of people wouldn’t be. It’s nerve-wracking; it’s not always very pleasant. I try to make ours as easy, as quick, and as pleasant as possible. They simply can do this little thing, and be part of this bigger thing. That’s why most artists would want to do it in that way, more than a ‘Hey Henry (Rollins), why don’t you write a song today?’ A lot of people will do that to us. I’ll say ‘not really, but I will, if that’s what we’re doing.’

M: You’re definitely right: you talk a lot. But it works with interviews.

WC: (Laughs) I know I paint it like it’s going to be torture, but I’m trying to give you as much a lay of thinking about me as you can. Make me sound cool.

The Flaming Lips will be playing on 10/10 in Austin, TX. You can buy tickets here.

The Flaming Lips – Race for the Prize

The Flaming Lips – Fight Test

The Flaming Lips – It’s Summertime

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Repetition and pretentiousness are sometimes aligned in music, especially when something not even worth hearing once is repeated continuously. Listeners do not want artists forcing anything on them, especially when it is a frustratingly linear loop. The increasing abundance of quality artists like Animal Collective and Air France suggests that the genre is attaining more respectability, as this sample-led vein of pop has had more flops than successes so far. Lately though there has been an outpouring of quality from this movement, propelling it to supreme recognition in the independent scene. Psychedelia has been a primary influence in recent loop-based works, which include the recent induction of “chillwave” with the likes of Washed Out and Neon Indian. Their style is more rooted in electronica, while others like Animal Collective provide a more natural source of instrumentation in addition to their eclectic use of samples. Big Spider’s Back seems more influenced by the methodology of the latter, though fascination with electronica is certainly not hidden. The one man behind the project, Seattle-based Yair Rubinstein, specializes in his variety of musical interests; his interest in everything from upbeat surf-pop to distorted noise is what makes his debut EP so captivating.

Traditionally ignited as a lo-fi bedroom project in 2007, Big Spider’s Back has evolved into a stunningly enjoyable creative overflow that is collected for our delight on Warped. His debut was just released on Circle Into Square Records and is already receiving some great press. This is hardly surprising considering the style Rubinstein is specializing in, which should sound delightfully familiar to any fans of sample-led psychedelia or Swedish-sounding electro-pop. The recent surge of this suggests Rubinstein may have his album on several lists by the end of the year. Judging by the effort alone though, it is entirely deserving. Much like Air France’s No Way Down EP in 2008, Big Spider’s Back teases its listeners into wanting more of its gorgeous pop music before year’s end. Its mere five tracks show plenty to warrant recognition, all possessing a distinctive flow despite differentiation rooted in eclecticism and melodic variation. The latter is extremely subtle though, as development and growth are the two most important attributes of Big Spider’s Back. The songs on Warped develop with such precision and imagination that getting there is part of the great journey itself.

Field recordings, psychedelic production, and ethereal vocals are the prime components at work on Warped. Rubinstein employs his talents distinctively and proportionately to make all five efforts on the EP soar with ambition. The self-titled cut works around a fluttering base loop, one resembling summery indie-pop with its acoustic glow and Avalanches-like tropical enigma. This song shows how interesting Rubinstein’s vocals are as well; his nasally croon is found more in rock than spaced-out pop, but the unconventional fit provides for many enjoyable moments. His voice sounds like an odd hybrid of Billy Corgan and Tom Verlaine and this creates a unique vehicle for his vocal presence. Imagine either of those two’s eccentric tendencies incorporated with summery indie-pop, which is what the loops on “Warped” seem aligned with. Pulsating bass, glistening synths, and chirpy keys concoct images of greenery and sunshine as the track’s atmospheric presence. Hearing Rubinstein emit his soaring croon within these circumstances is part of the allure. His pitch is more reminiscent of Verlaine, but his actually delivery falls more in line with Panda Bear. Plenty of reverbed cushion, semi-yodels, and anthemic bursts of effervescence ring from his vocal chords and it finds perfect accompaniment in tracks like “Warped” and “Perfect Machine”.

The acclaimed “Perfect Machine” is more demonstrative of their developmental songwriting. Somewhat similar to how “Summertime Clothes” mastered looping a crunchy guitar loop for the masses, “Perfect Machine” is a gorgeous succession of complementary loops that are primarily grounded in acoustic and electric guitar. The first to emerge is a simple acoustic strum, followed by some light palm muting on an electric guitar. The two complement one another beneficially, fusing together rather than fighting for the spotlight. The sequence of spacey keys then emerges and does two things: it sits there and sounds pretty, and it distracts the listener as the acoustic strums subtly form a very capable rhythm section. Rubinstein’s vocals enter as the keys become lower in pitch, his vocals now emitting a light, airy tone that reflects the . The undercurrents of gently plucked electric guitars provide for intricacy that is revealed in full upon future listens. A similar replay value can be said for “Don’t Make Me Laugh”, another phenomenal effort that applies excellent sample-based percussion with the twinkling, spaced-out bliss of The Flaming Lips’ more subdued material. His vocal resemblance here to Wayne Coyne is pretty entertaining as well, and the pulsating minimalism of the track serves as an overall excellent closer to a greatly atmospheric EP. Be on the look out for Big Spider’s Back; the quality of Warped makes it clear that Yair Rubinstein is here to stay.

RIYL: Animal Collective/Panda Bear, The Flaming Lips, Jesus H. Foxx, Le Loup, Air France, Ball of Flame Shoot Fire, Alias Pail, The Walkmen

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Big Spider’s Back – Warped

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Big Spider’s Back – Perfect Machine

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Big Spider’s Back – Don’t Make Me Laugh

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Another day, another elusive electronic artist from Sweden. It seems like I have come to expect the small country to dominate the realm of innovative electronic-pop, mainly due to its roster of impressive acts that show no hesitation to incorporate sampling and stylistic multifariousness into gorgeously intricate, yet accessible electronic music. Some Swedish artists, like Sally Shapiro and Pacific!, chose a throwback approach that capitalized upon the italo-disco explosion in Europe during the ‘80s. Others, like The Tough Alliance and The Knife, churned out a more modernistic style of electronic-pop that found its sentiments more rooted in updated techniques like sampling, genre manipulation, and the glorification of youth. I classify these groups rather broadly due to their separable enigmas; their success is independent of one another due to styles that are undoubtedly their own (even if they are occasionally indebted to styles of the past). One of the most buzzed-about Swedish groups last year was Air France, a group that took sampling and electronic-pop to extraordinary heights with an EP that retained its summer-y vibe similarly to that of another landmark electronic album from this decade, Avalanches’ Since I Left You. Its ability to incorporate sampling, irresistible pop hooks, and unconventional production techniques was echoed in Air France’s No Way Down EP, serving as an indicator of just how great Sweden has treated the emerging genre of sample-based electronic-pop since its emergence.

Despite consistent successes that range from Sally Shapiro to Air France, there is often a divide between throwback electro-pop artists and those that opt for modernisitically stimulating techniques like sampling in their sound. Both types of artists have shown tremendous staying power in Sweden and abroad, but there are not many artists that are able to simultaneously capture heartfelt nostalgia and contemporary sparkle in Sweden and elsewhere. To successfully infuse these two styles together would undoubtedly result in something big, as the buzz surrounding artists like Air France and Shapiro was big enough alone to warrant their reputable statuses. Perhaps it is a coincidence that most of these Swedish electronic artists play the shy card, leaving little personal information for fans to swallow and enjoy. A simple discography is often the only thing that coats their official site, as is the case with JJ. I admit that I have little information regarding this Swedish whiz, but what I can offer are a few tracks that show JJ as one of the supreme forces in current Swedish electronic-pop. With that in mind, it is no surprise that JJ sits aside similarly entitled artists like The Tough Alliance and Air France on one of Sweden’s best and most consistent labels, Sincerely Yours.

One aspect that artists on Sincerely Yours seem to share is a vibe that is distinctively reminiscent of summer. The Tough Alliance’s infusion of reggae into electronica on tracks like “Looking for Gold” or Air France’s sampling of ocean waves and childish laughter over spright synths certainly attributes to this, but both artists’ sense of capriciousness within an accessible and determinably innovative style is more responsible for this enjoyable vibe. JJ unsurprisingly captures similar sentiments, leaving little room for balladry or rockers with a presentation that sits in between the throwback pop of Sally Shapiro and the contemporary electronica of artists like Air France or The Tough Alliance. JJ’s new album, JJ N° 2, also explores territory that shows an appreciation for world music, evident in the African percussion in the aptly titled “From Africa to Málaga”or the twinkling allure of Afro-pop inspired vocal minimalism over the fluttering acoustics and keys in “My Love”. The expansion of horizons is one reason to enjoy JJ N° 2, but its primary allure is in the cumulative stylistic brilliance presented on the album. The vocals are almost always present, more reminiscent of throwback electronic-pop than sample-based pop experimentation. Here, though, it works wonderfully with female vocals that are lush enough to echo the Cocteau Twins but ardent enough to resonate within fans of Sally Shapiro or even ABBA.

When one combines the lush but ardent vocal performances of JJ with each and every song’s grace and beauty, it results in an album that will undoubtedly receive praise as one of the most accomplished electronic releases of the year. I am hard-pressed to call an album flawless, but the album’s faultless style and short length leave little room for mistakes. The 27-minute run time makes it seem too short, even though the nine tracks pack enough punch to keep listeners captivated for quite awhile. The opening “Things Will Never Be the Same Again” shows this off quite well, sporting strings and African-inspired percussion over twinkling keys to establish a glittering glimpse into a tropical paradise where only the inspired roam. For the less serious, “Ecstasy” is a cover of Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” that finds JJ turning an excitable track into an ethereal and subdued experience; this is the type of cover that does not detract from the album one bit though, exposing JJ’s style as one that does not require specific cliches within the genre of ethereal electronic-pop in order to be successful. The reflective “Intermezzo” is also a deserving standout, truly serving to its name in being an instrumental that gracefully represents JJ’s style and presence as one that cannot easily be forgotten.

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JJ – Things Will Never Be the Same Again

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JJ – From Africa to Málaga

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JJ – Intermezzo

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Belle & Sebastian have always been one of the finest examples of how simplicity and intricacy are not exclusive entities in music. The Glasgow-based group’s melodies have always been extremely accessible; the arrangements feature consuming assortments of keys and orchestral elements that are smoothly integrated under Stuart Murdoch’s wistful, choir boy-like vocals. His delivery is filled with a harmonically satisfying touch of innocence, making his elaborate lyrical content catch many first-time listeners off guard when they come to expect stories of generic romance. Murdoch’s accessible exterior is upheld by a thought-provoking interior that has done extraordinary justice on the common perception of Belle & Sebastian. Murdoch is a gifted songwriter and most of his content exceeds indie-pop contemporaries by a long mile, but it is his subtle ambition that has made Belle & Sebastian one of the most recognizable groups of the indie-pop era. Murdoch’s touches of conceptual and metaphorical brilliance within an instantaneously accessible vein of pop music has earned them rampant comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel. They were responsible for bringing an accessible but poetically invigorating form of folk-rock to the masses in the late ‘60s, and Belle & Sebastian did similarly in the late ‘90s with their blissful interpretation of indie-pop. Their success has continued this decade, and a new project from Murdoch is further indication of his willingness to fuse a simple concept with enjoyable intricacies that are quite easy to overlook.

It is almost painful for music fans to recognize that there are thousands of songs written by legendary artists that will never be uncovered, all because the artist deemed the material not suitable enough for a certain album or style that was synonymous with them or their label. Murdoch has released seven albums and numerous EPs since 1996, so his work ethic is of no question. It also means that, like many other musicians, he likely has a bunch of songs lying around that will never see the light of day. Belle & Sebastian’s remarkable consistency shows that they comprehend quality though, so I doubt Murdoch could go without releasing something worthwhile if he has it on his shelf. Murdoch revealed his initial intentions surrounding his new project, God Help the Girl, in August 2007, stating in a blog entry that he was looking for three vocalists (two girls, one guy) to help him with it. Contestants submitted a self-portrait and a recording of their vocals over instrumental versions of two Belle & Sebastian songs, “Funny Little Frog” and “The Psychiatrist Is In.” Belle & Sebastian are typically seen as rather low-key in their recording methods, rarely reaching for the grandiose or overly spectacular. But this method, while different, coincides with the group’s personable music in that they do not need big names to achieve success. In fact, one of the main stars on God Help the Girl is making her first major appearance.

For God Help the Girl, the style of music may be a tinge different, but the level of quality remains the same. The official web site coins God Help the Girl as a mixture of “musicals, sixties’ girl groups, eighties’ indie and, most of all, classic pop records.” The charm of Murdoch’s songwriting and the Belle & Sebastian band’s background instrumentation is familiar and constantly refreshing, but the additional emphasis on the girl-group pop ideology provides a fascinating flux toward Murdoch’s chirpy indie-pop or acoustical tales. Catherine Ireton won the user-submitted grand prize and is the lead vocalist on most of the project’s album, presenting an extremely powerful voice that is ardent enough to fit both in the girl groups of the ‘60s and the fashionable indie-rock of the ‘80s. If her voice sounds familiar to Belle & Sebastian fans then that is because she provided backing vocals on The Life Pursuit’s “White Collar Boy.” It is not all Ireton and Murdoch on the album though, as Belle & Sebastian’s fame has admittedly awarded them with some privileges. A 45-piece orchestra directed by Rick Wentworth (Withnail & I) appears throughout the album, and The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon lends his orchestral-pop chops on the highly amusing “Perfection as a Hipster.” Hannon and Murdoch, both brilliant songwriters in their own right, provide for a fantastic collaboration that capitalizes on both of their oddball pop appeal. In addition to the excellent collection of songs on God Help the Girl, it eludes to several potential collaborative successes; Hannon-Murdoch, Murdoch-Ireton, and even Hannon-Ireton (as shown on “Perfection as Hipster”) are all successful collaborations, which serves appropriate on an album that shows collaboration as an excellent practice when under the watchful eyes of someone as talented as Murdoch.

In regard to the correspondence between Murdoch, Ireton, and their shared girl-group fetish, the self-titled track plays with the clichés of girl groups while maintaining originality, modernistic relevance, and the majestic pop songwriting that one could come to expect on any great Belle & Sebastian album. “There is no way I’m looking for a boyfriend,” Ireton begins the track, her vocals prominent over a poppy bass line and a combination of subdued guitars and keys. In typical ‘60s pop fashion, the strings kick in during the chorus as Ireton unveils the song’s hook in excellent fashion. The lyrical content is more straightforward than one would expect from Murdoch, but one has to keep in mind the track’s resemblance to girl-group pop. If there were any interpretable tangents, it would have been a detriment. Also, since God Help the Girl is designed to serve as the basis and soundtrack for a Murdoch-written movie by the same name, one would have to assume that all the content is precisely crafted here. The film starts production in 2010 and though no one can say for sure whether it will be good or not, the one certainty is that the film’s soundtrack will be great.

“Musicians, Please Take Heed” is another stroke of excellence, being more brooding and developmental than most of the tracks on the album. The transition in mood is reminiscent of how The Shangri-Las were able to infuse a girl-group delivery into songs that were bleaker than the ‘60s pop stereotype suggests. The elaborate explanation of hallucinogens and drug-induced hallucinations is more indicative of Murdoch’s usual intricacies here, and the sweeping strings over the steady woodwinds and brisk bass line provide excellent support for a track that serves as one of the biggest stylistic successes on the album. Upon my first several listens though, God Help the Girl shows that it certainly has what it takes to rank among Belle & Sebastian’s finest material, even if Murdoch claims it too be different from his usual material. Regardless, it succeeds tremendously and echoes the similar sentiments of consistency, melodic appeal, and replay-ability that have made Belle & Sebastian household names in indie-pop. If one is a fan of either girl groups or Belle & Sebastian, this one is definitely worth picking up when it is released on June 22nd. And if you are a fan of both, this may end up being one of your yearly favorites.

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God Help the Girl – God Help the Girl

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God Help the Girl – Musicians, Please Take Heed

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God Help the Girl – Perfection as a Hipster

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by Mike Mineo

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30. Air France – No Way Down EP

This feature may be called the “Top 50 Albums of 2008”, but the title alone does not give me enough justice to dismiss arguably the finest EP of the year in Air France’s No Way Down. Throughout the six tracks and 23 minutes that make up this fine EP, the Swedish duo crafts an audible world that is both magical and enlightening, with the effective atmospheric capabilities displayed being reminiscent of the Avalanches’ classic Since I Left You in its ambitious sample-led scope and sheer melodic aptitude. With twittering brass, sweeping strings, radiant synthesizers, and a variety of samples that are often comprised of pleasant sounds like the chirping of birds or the sounds of a seashore, No Way Down takes the listener to a world where relaxation and lighthearted innocence are at the forefront. A track like “No Excuses”, with its reflective keys and heavy chorus, sounds like it would be perfectly associated with the joyful state of a party-filled tropical island, while “Collapsing at Your Doorstep” invokes a similar fantasy world-setting that proves to be more emotionally resounding with a vocal sample and accompanying strings that are gradually accompanied by an evolving use of percussion, bass, and guitar. The prominent samples throughout “Collapsing at Your Doorstep” (taken from the ’80s TV series “Beauty and the Beast”) all feature the voices of children, a remarkably effective technique that perfectly initiates the feelings of that certain period in childhood when innocence allowed even the most trivial thing in life to utterly amaze you. The brilliant “June Evenings” sees the group increase their focus on pop music while still maintaining their atmospheric ingenuity. The instrumentation is more vigorous, but certain effects like the melodic whistling during the chorus, the subtly enriching bass line, and the calming female vocals that consume the verses make “June Evenings” one of the best tracks of the year. Forget the fact that No Way Down is too short to be a full-length; it is truly one of the most innovative releases of the year, EP or not.

Air France – June Evenings

Air France – Collapsing at Your Doorstep

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29. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

When attempting to describe the work of Sigur Rós, I have come across many people who opt to jump right into the fact that the Icelandic four-piece occasionally sing in Vonlenska, a made-up language concocted by the band’s members. Frontman Jónsi Birgisson has explained time and time again that it is purely meant to act as a melodic aid for the voice in songs where lyrical content is deemed irrelevant in comparison to the harmony and level of ardency that the vocals emit. Birgisson’s explanation is certainly a better indication of Sigur Rós’ method of success than those who only know the group for overly exposed linguistic purposes. What remains true is that Sigur Rós are one of the most emotionally demanding acts of the decade, and it is the reason why they have become so influential to western fans and artists alike who cannot understand a lick of what Birgisson is saying. This emotional leverage that the powerful instrumentation conveys is comparable to the role of classical music during the Romantic period, a very common comparison that is synonymous with the group’s classical and minimalistic influences. The group’s fifth album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, is a continuation upon their expectedly domineering orchestral instrumentation, though it also sees them shying away from the minimalistic concepts that were so abundant during their first few albums. This is best seen on “Gobbledigook” and “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur”, where a brisk progression of keys commands perhaps the most playful melody that the group has written. Strings make their emergence during the second verse, but they are now a supplement of the keys rather than an unavoidable force. While there is certainly a heavier emphasis on brisk keys and traditional guitar progressions throughout the album, tracks like the ethereal “Góðan daginn” and the epic build-up of “Festival” are a return to Sigur Rós’ classic mold. The true beauty of Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, though, is that the group is able to succeed in both new and old stylistic endeavors.

Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook

Sigur Rós – Góðan daginn

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28. Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules and Love Affair

Though his talented songwriting is worth considerable praise alone, fans of Antony Hegarty often find it easiest to distinguish the English singer/songwriter by his voice, an enjoyably unique feature that ranges several octaves and encompasses a striking delivery that is practically impossible to rival. It is the type of voice that sounds good over any style of music accompanying it, mainly because of the raw skill and emotional capacity Antony pours into it. Recognizing the vocalist’s talent, Andrew Butler wrote “Blind” and showed it to Antony in 2003 with the intent of getting him to do the vocals. The two finished the track and then pushed it aside, planning to come back to it later. It was not until a year later when the urgings of Antony encouraged Butler to revive the track and perhaps an entirely new project altogether, resulting in the eventual birth of Hercules & Love Affair. As can be heard on their eponymous debut, Butler’s emphasis on dance and disco presents wildly exciting circumstances for Hercules & Love Affair, especially considering that he has the help of Antony, who adds his vocals to half of the tracks on Hercules & Love Affair’s debut. Those accustomed to Antony’s delicate piano-laden ballads may find it initially difficult to grasp the new style, but Antony does a remarkable job throughout the release and simply solidifies the belief that his vocal delivery sounds good over just about anything. Raise Me Up”. It illustrates Butler’s sensational songwriting, Tim Goldsworthy’s sparkling production, and Antony’s invigorating vocal form in simultaneously impressive form, with the constant urging of a seductive bass line being the underlying factor of remembrance. Antony soulfully croons over the simplistically powerful rhythm section during the song’s first several moments, all until a lethal hook is introduced by the impulsive offerings of brass and keys. The chorus sees an expansion of instrumentation over a handful of vocal tracks, all being highlighted by Antony’s soaring vocals. Both the chorus and verses are equally irresistible, being reminiscent of quality disco and dance in more ways than one. “Blind” is the most recognizable Hercules & Love Affair track for good reason, with its variety being the most alluring element. For all six minutes it remains unpredictable, exciting, and bursting with an array of engaging hooks. The only repetition is intentionally done so in order to relive highlights; Butler does not waste time repeating moments worth forgetting on this remarkable debut.

Hercules and Love Affair – Raise Me Up

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27. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins

Like David Berman and Mark Eitzel, Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff has a growing reputation as one of the most poignantly effective lyricists in indie-rock. As Okkervil River’s album last year, The Stage Names, displayed with its occasional metaphorical musings regarding the correlation between life as a performing artist and life’s hardships, the topics do not always have to pertain to loneliness, regret, and unrequited love to result in success (though they have always remained common themes throughout Sheff’s work). In addition, Okkervil River’s style of play has never quite coincided with the typical output of someone as lyrically inclined as Sheff. A clever fusion of folk and indie-rock, the songs are often so infectious that the irresistible melodies may tend to overshadow Sheff’s lyrical content. As a result though, the tracks have a considerable amount of replay value for the cumulative ; it is a special aspect that is displayed once again on the group’s fifth full-length album, The Stand Ins. There is no central thematic focus on The Stand Ins when compared to the constant perceptions of pop culture throughout The Stage Names, but Sheff’s multifarious ability to write consuming songs and lyrical additives that involve real-life circumstances carries the album to similar heights. “Singer Songwriter” sees one of the band’s folkier efforts come to life as Sheff relays the expectations involved in a monetarily successful family. “You come from wealth, yeah you got wealth,” he sings. “What a bitch they didn’t give you much else.” As far as establishing classics goes, “Lost Coastlines” is one of the best efforts Okkervil River have released with its mixture of throwback pop and indie-rock. Sheff lowers the pitch of his voice slightly during a chorus that is backed heavily by a bass line that sounds like it was borrowed from some ‘60s pop classic. He brings his voice back to normal range when the energetic chorus enters and a series of “la la la” outbursts are accompanied by a fleetful guitar and later a majestic mixture of horns and strings. As usual for this consistently excellent group, The Stage Names is another enjoyable addition to Okkervil River’s glowing discography.

Okkervil River – Lost Coastlines

Okkervil River – Singer Songwriter

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26. Explorers Club – Freedom Wind

Most artists who rely on an outdated style to achieve success are often left in the dust, realizing that their primary mistake lied in not attempting any form of innovation that would uniquely captivate the listener. I doubt that you will ever read a review or feature about The Explorers Club that does not mention Brian Wilson or The Beach Boys, but the South Carolina-based seven-piece manages to pull it off so ingeniously that their own originality shines through on every track throughout their debut, Freedom Wind. “Don’t Forget the Sun” is a perfect example of why The Explorers’ Club take on nostalgic ’60s pop is one of the best interpretations of the past several years. The overlapping vocal harmonies that take place during the track resembles Wilson’s most melodically invigorating moments, with the warm clap-based rhythm section, sprinkling of keys, and sporadic bursts of brass attributing to the immediate infectiousness as well. Three members in The Explorers Club share vocal duties and they do a fantastic job all throughout the album, most notably on “Hold Me Tight”, the lush “Safe Distance”, and the twangy “In the Country”. All of them look to be in their 20s as well, making their ability to capture the greatest moments of ’60s pop and surf-rock even more impressive. Many of those who were already familiar with The Explorers Club will also recognize “Forever”, a track from their debut EP that seemed to capture the most buzz among music publications. Its contemporary take on ’60s pop makes “Forever” somewhat reminiscent of That Thing You Do! soundtrack and other somewhat recent movies whose scores are focused on an accessible vein of throwback pop, which also means that visions of The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and The Zombies remain heavily prevalent in the process. Soaring falsettos, big-time hooks, and grandiose choruses… they can all be found on Freedom Wind, one of the most delightfully consuming debut albums of the year.

The Explorers Club – Don’t Forget the Sun

The Explorers Club – Forever

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25. Xiu Xiu – Women As Lovers

When frontman Jamie Stewart announced late last year that Xiu Xiu’s sixth studio album, Women as Lovers, would be “more approachable or communicative on a basic human level” than any of the band’s previous releases, a substantial number of fans likely scratched their heads in disbelief. After all, it had always been a form of anguished unpredictability that made Xiu Xiu a contemporary staple in the genre of experimental art-rock, with additional unconventional structural techniques making compatible similarities to other artists seemingly impossible. With past lyrical content that included perverse sexual fantasies, grotesque fetishes, and descriptive violence—often supplemented by instrumentation that would be easily classified as avant-garde—Stewart has always been rightfully credited as being a poetically brilliant lyricist, with an ability to write songs that treat the listener to simultaneous feelings of heartrending romanticism and uneasiness difficult to match. Such history can beg a simple question: Just how “more approachable” is Women as Lovers when compared to Xiu’s Xiu’s past releases? The album’s most accessible and initially satisfying track, “No Friends Oh!”, serves as excellent indication of the group’s efforts to promote this new emphasis. Apart from showcasing some of Stewart’s most fulfilling songwriting of his career, the song serves as a nostalgic reminder of Xiu Xiu tracks where pop-oriented hooks reigned supreme over eerily sparse instrumental content. It beckons accessibility in the same way that “Save Me Save Me” and “I Luv the Valley Oh!” did, mixing unpredictably appealing verses with a consistently explosive chorus of epic proportions. “Tommy and Dan, you can’t hold hands”, Stewart sings in his lovably torturous croon during the chorus, enhanced by an remarkably layered brass progression that remains slightly out of key for rewarding effect. “Who cares you’re gay / But it’s your age / No friends oh”. Like the lyrical content on “No Friends Oh!”, a common theme throughout Women as Lovers appears to be the vile form of corruption that society has on the children that are forcibly exposed to it. With a chilling organ and delicate guitar progression, “Black Keyboard” relays the tarnishing effect on a child in a home of vile mental and sexual abuse. “Be free, laugh at your son / A child is nothing without hate”, Stewart sings, with a touch of sarcasm ringing in his quivering vocals. He coaxes up imagery throughout the album in tragically impressive form, whether it be of a child being pushed on a swing by a deranged mother on “Black Keys”, an infant who dies of parental neglect in “Gayle Lynn”, or the social reject who pops both Percocet and pimples on “White Nerd”. Though few would have predicted that Xiu Xiu would increase their already empowering form of ambitiousness, Women as Lovers capitalizes on it as yet another bold and consistently satisfying release in Xiu Xiu’s discography. Like its preceding releases, Women as Lovers is a grower that will warmly reward listeners who give it the time it deserves.

Xiu Xiu – No Friend Oh!

Xiu Xiu – I Do What I Want, When I Want

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24. Paul Weller – 22 Dreams

Upon reflection of Paul Weller’s respectable career, it makes little sense why he would feel any incentive to release a sprawling album like 22 Dreams, the lengthiest and arguably most stylistically diverse album of his 30+ year span as a songwriter. After all, anyone with even the slightest understanding of The Modfather’s illustrious discography as both a solo artist and frontman of The Jam and The Style Council would already recognize him as being one of the most successfully eclectic songwriters to come out of England in the past several decades; he simply has nothing left to prove. He is a passionate musician though, and thankfully for all of us he has been ceaseless in his work. Weller’s ninth solo album, 22 Dreams, manages to simultaneously capture glimpses of his stylistic past while introducing a batch of newly attempted styles to the mix. Considering that the album boasts over 68 minutes of new material that spans over two discs, there is plenty of room for it too. An accustomed format for contemporary double albums has been for one side to inherit the louder and more instrumentally involved tracks, with the other side being more depictive of an artist’s subdued side. Rather than abiding by such limited conventionalism, Weller has created a cohesive flow that allows his multifarious vision to flourish without stylistic repetition bogging it down. Weller had intended 22 Dreams to be a thematic attempt at capturing the changing of seasons and the structure alone does a remarkable job of that; the subtleties are displayed through the transitional tendencies of each proceeding track. The first several tracks commendably serve as the introductory indication of Weller’s diversified approach on the album; “Late Nights” is an acoustically charged folk ballad with Celtic ties, “22 Dreams” and “All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You)” are traditional radio-friendly Weller solo tracks in their infectious uses of R&B and traditional British rock, and “Have You Made Up Your Mind possesses an irresistible chorus that demonstrates Weller’s knack for soul and rock. In fact, if organs and keys had a more active role in “Have You Made Up Your Mind”, it would serve as the most distinctive reminder of The Style Council’s lovable flair. The latter end of the second disc takes a more experimental turn, seeing Weller turn to the workings of a piano ballad in “Invisible”, the spoken-word acoustics of “God”, and the electronic ambiance of “111”. What tracks like these have done is separate Weller from the clichéd alternative-rock that other aging artists put out shamefully these days. The difference with Weller is that he has maintained a majestic vision that is consistently worthy of production for over 30 years, a sentiment illustrated deeply on 22 Dreams Apart from being the most eclectic and resourcefully imaginative solo album of Weller’s career

Paul Weller – Push It Along

Paul Weller – 22 Dreams

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23. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

If someone were to ask me to associate the word “prolific” with any contemporary artist, there is a reasonable chance that Nick Cave would be the first name that came to my mind. I am certainly not alone on this either, as the Australian songwriter has been one of the most critically acclaimed artists since his first solo release in 1984. Prior to that, his existence as the frontman for gothic post-punkers The Birthday Party proved to be merely a preview of one of our generation’s most talented and topically multifarious songwriters. This acclaim is impressive for several reasons, the most prominent being the prolific number of releases he has stringed together since the mid ‘80s. It has become a common practice for Cave to release a new album every one or two years, making it astonishing that there is not one album out of his dozen or so that can be called a failure or even mediocre. With that being said, the fact that Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! is one of his most accomplished releases is very impressive. While it does not echo the elegant morbidity of classics like The Boatman’s Call, its sharp production and high involvement of guitars and organs remains somewhat reminiscent of another Cave classic in Let Love In. The focus of several songs coincides with Cave’s trademark scenarios of the bizarre, broken hearted, and religiously overzealous, while his fusion of rock, gospel, and blues is also at the forefront. The stylistic variation presented in each track providing the utmost suitability for the topic at hand, like in the brooding “Jesus of the Moon” where thick acoustics and menacing strings complement religious allusions that foreshadow an apocalypse of some sort, most likely pertaining to romance. In terms of livelier but just as successful efforts, “Today’s Lesson” is led by a thunderous bass line and droning keyboard that emits pure infectiousness. The topic here is an ambiguous and ironic look at prostitution, even if Cave says bluntly that the lesson is “something about the corruption of the working class”. It is all part of his charm though, and after nearly three decades of listening to his material there are only a few people foolish enough to doubt Cave’s ability.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Today’s Lesson

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Jesus of the Moon

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22. No Age – Nouns

In addition to attending free gigs that are only a few blocks away, it must certainly be a thrill to be a part of fledging local music scene. After a local band becomes massively successful, I can only imagine the feeling acquired when looking back upon the days when they were performing in a friend’s garage, simply classifying the experience as something that saw a part of a group’s evolutionary process toward productivity. Those active in Los Angeles’ scene – particularly at one of the city’s most famous venus, the Smell – have experienced local success stories before, but there were few that came close to the acclaim of No Age this year. Upon releasing their second album, Nouns, the local duo began receiving glowing reviews, resulting in a massive amount of exposure and their participation in gigs with quality acts like Times New Viking and Liars. The critical success was not much of a surprise for those who had followed the band since their 2005 inception, but the amount of listens that the album was receiving proved quite shocking considering the style of music that No Age plays. While often inventively enticing, their lo-fi interpretation of noise-rock is neither accessible nor instantaneously memorable. However, lying behind the fuzz, distortion, and repeated samples throughout Nouns, hidden gems will start to emerge with each successive listen. This is likely why the album’s recognition has only hardly faded since its May release. “Teen Creeps”, despite uneventful transitions and a repetitive melody, sounds like a lost gem from a late ’80s punk compilation with its three-chord fixtures and fuzzed production. Their use of electronic elements can be seen in the excellent “Things I Did When I Was Dead”, where the duo implements a near spoken-word set of vocals over guitars and two simultaneous samples, one of which sounds like a clown honking his nose and the other like a high-pitched . The elements within the songs are often a guessing game, but the high degree of success that often occurs is not. “Cappo” proves as one of the album’s more accessible efforts with its typical indie-rock flair, sporting a guitar-led hook in the chorus that sees a cross between grunge and power-pop. “Sleeper Hold” reaps greatly from a similar aspect with an even more explosive hook, once again hidden rewardingly over a plethora of distortion and muddled rhythm. To fully enjoy Nouns is a benefit that comes with successive listens for many people, but I can assure you that this album deserves the time required of it.

No Age – Things I Did When I Was Dead

No Age – Teen Creeps

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21. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III

Oh, what can I possibly say about this album to justify its placement? So many things were said leading up to the anticipated release of Tha Carter III that no one knew whether it was going to be a landmark masterpiece or a colossal disaster. As it turns out, neither classification applies. To be simple, Lil Wayne’s latest is simply an extremely solid collection of songs that provides a great mixture of star-studded hip-hop (“Mr. Carter”), smoothly infectious soul and gospel (“Comfortable”), and “hip-pop” (“Got Money”, “Lollipop”) . The production is sharper, the guests are brighter, and the songs are catchier than Tha Carter III’s two older siblings, but some may debate the flow and stylistic customization of the effort. To me, the range presented does nothing but show why people are primarily attracted to Lil Wayne in the first place; whatever he says – no matter when presented over synth-based hip-hop beats or suave guitar progressions – is thoroughly entertaining. Whether he raps about fixing an uncreative hip-hop track using medical metaphors over a jazzy percussive beat in the excellent “Dr. Carter” or tunes in over Betty Wright and a guitar line very typical of the ’80s in “Playin’ with Fire”, Lil Wayne is inarguably one of the most entertaining performers active today. For material more indicative of his typical hip-hop flair, it is difficult to beat something with the insatiable flow of “3 Peat” or the hooky chorus of “Mr. Carter”. Even two of Kanye West’s cuts – “Shoot Me Down” and “Let the Beat Build” – prove engaging in seeing how Lil Wayne alters his delivery over brooding bass-led pop or sample-led soul, respectively. In each case, Lil Wayne’s output remains synonymous of his typical form, with guests like Robin Thicke taking over the choruses for an additionally focused hook. As usual though, whenever Lil Wayne appears on a track, it has a sort of quality that only he can uniquely achieve through a shockingly astute grasp on pop culture. Oh, and that little thing called skill.

Lil Wayne – 3 Peat

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The post Best Albums of 2008: #30 to #21 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Say you are at a party, chatting up a nice young gal or guy, jumping from topic to topic in an effort to get to know one another. If you are reading this site, there is a good chance that music holds a large place in your heart. With that in mind, upon meeting a new person, the topic of music probably takes a few minutes at most before entering the picture. Humorously enough, when you ask someone what type of music they listen to, the response is normally generic. Most of the time, I hear something like “Ah, I listen to everything but country.” Unless you are situated down south, I have found from past experience that this is the most common reply to a very common question. Dull or not, is it tough to blame them? After all, mainstream country music is nearly as unbearable as glittery MTV pop music. That certainly does not mean that there are no quality artists in the genre to be found though. They just require a bit more looking than others.

With this in mind, it is entirely ironic that one of the best and most underrated country groups are not from the south. In fact, they are not even from the United States. Honestly, I did not know there was a thriving scene beyond the borders as well. As it turns out, Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir hail from East Vancouver, British Columbia. Canada? Yeah, I am just surprised as you are. While the country has largely been known for its gracious output of gloomy post-rock engineers and popular indie-rock acts like Arcade Fire and The Stills over the past few years, Canadian artists continue to prove that there is not one genre that is too foreign or intimidating for them to conquer. While Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir are the first of its kind I have heard from Canada, I remain optimistic that their stylistic bravery will push forward a new scene in their native country where music defined unrighteously as “Americana” or “country” will find a new following of fans and talented artists who think alike. However, before I go on any further, I should hold my tongue. With all this talk of country, it is clear that Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir are hardly the stereotypical classification of a country band. Despite it being their largest influence, vibes of folk and adult alternative are heavily prevalent throughout the majority of their songs.

For those who fall easily in love with the incorporation of poetic brilliance and captivating melody, it is also worth noting that Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir carry a heavy admiration for the works of Leonard Cohen. While you could easily look to their cover of Cohen’s great “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” as an example, the respect demonstrated for the legendary songwriter throughout Kevin McAlister & The Iron Choir’s sophomore album, The Way It Rolls, is evident on more songs than one. Despite a variety of fantastic originals, the cover manages to be my favorite track on the album. The four-piece manages to incorporate contemporary aspects of production in “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” without it sounding overproduced or desperate. While Cohen’s artistic nature has always led attempted covers to be a somewhat sensitive issue, it is gratifying that Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir are talented enough to showcase the original beauty of the song in an even more expansive form; it is the direct opposite of a disgraceful cover. With backing female vocals supplementing a variety of acoustical guitar progressions and hushed percussion, the relaying of Cohen’s classical tale involving lovers brought together by fate, struggling with the realization that even destiny is not flawless, is relayed just as beautifully. “I’m not looking for another as I wander in my time,” McAlister sings with a deep, tender hush, “Walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme.”

Regarding the other eight tracks (all originals) on The Way It Rolls, they are nearly as exceptional as “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”. If you are a sucker for plucked acoustical arrangements, bursts of trumpets, and a country-folk feel, you should find instant satisfaction in “Old Bandolier”. Led by Tim Tweedale’s trumpet and McAlister’s deeply resonating vocals, the song maintains an innocent charm that takes solace in the simple, yet overlooked, aspects of life. “So when I get home tonight, you’ll have a steak done just right, and a long scratch behind those ears,” he begins, “My darling, my dear, bring my old banjo here.” The album’s self-titled track, “The Way It Rolls”, is a fun tune with distinct shades of rockabilly becoming a driving force With Craig McCaul’s bass corresponding faultlessly with Brendan Krieg’s drums, McAlister implements several impressive slide guitar techniques in a track that contains aspects of rich enjoyment, intuitiveness, and originality. With the latter part of the song evolving into a few Western-style guitar licks worthy of Pulp Fiction, the song also maintains enough diversity to be much more than a fun break in the album. The Way It Rolls, as a whole, is certainly an impressive effort.

One of the many reasons for the The Way It Rolls‘ high level of enjoyment can be significantly attributed to the group’s highly cultured influences. They prefer to linger in the past, longing for the folk and country sounds of the ’60s and ’70s. In fact, the band lists their main influence on their MySpace as “most Country Western Music prior to the 80s”; arguably a well-deserved slap in the face to the country genre of the past 20 years or so. A mixture of classic folk and/or country hardly ever goes wrong and the likes of Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash have proven this sentiment decade after decade. Well-respected among Western Canadians for being one of the best bands to showcase a natively unconventional style, Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir have also been building up a fan base throughout North America. Previously sharing the stage with Magnolia Electric Co., The Tennessee Three (Johnny Cash’s former band), and Corb Lund, there is no doubt in my mind that the influences of such acts, among with many others past and past, have impacted the impressive stature of Kent McALISTER & The Iron Choir, a band destined to succeed. As startling as it may sound, the careers of these four talented gentleman are just beginning to bloom.

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Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir – Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

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Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir – The Way It Rolls

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Kent McAlister & The Iron Choir – Old Bandolier

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