Sorry for my hiatus. November was no-good for me but since this is a music-only blog, I will spare you the details. And now, without further delay, I present to you my Top 10 Albums of the Year, in alphabetical order because like the children I don't have, I love them all equally.
50 Foot Wave/Golden Ocean
You know what, I'm just gonna come out and say it: Kristin Hersh is the Bob Dylan of our generation. Well, she is for me at least. And about a thousand or so creepy 40-year-old male audiophiles who treat her witty banter between songs as religious sermons.
Tracy Bonham/Blink The Brightest
Remember the angry chick with the violin who came out with the single "Mother, Mother" back in '96? She still makes records! And she's still really good at it! She's kinda mellowed out with this one but thankfully the violin hasn't gone anywhere. I wonder if she still uses that one with the flames painted on it...
Clor/Self Titled
Listening to "Dangerzone" makes me want to commit a crime. I've already had visions where this song is playing as I break into a bank or jack a car.
The Dears/No Cities Left
I forgot to add this album the first time I posted this list. I guess I blocked out my memory of listening to this along with all the other not so pleasant Summer in the City '06 ones. Some days last summer (maybe two or three times, promise) I cried myself to sleep listening to this album while feeling unemployed and unloved. (Okay, maybe four, tops.)
The Fall/Fall Heads Roll
Do you know what one of my biggest fears is? How I will deal with Mark E. Smith's death. I've thought about it a whole bunch already, way more than I've thought about the death of my family members, and I really don't know how I'm going to handle it. It's not like he's that old or anything (although he is getting up there), its just that I need to start mentally preparing myself for those years without a new Fall album, especially one as good as this one.
Gorillaz/Demon Days
Duh. Much to the chagrin of my elderly neighbors, I played "Dare" at least twice a day, every day this summer. I'm pretty sure if I asked my 72-year-old neighbor to sing the song right now she'd know all the words. Not sure if she could sing that high though, she's a smoker. Or if she'd like me knocking on her door at 5:51am (yes, I'm having one of my 7:30am bedtime weeks...)
Lady Sovereign/Vertically Challenged
Most of you know all about her already, including Ja Rule, who was in the audience at her last show. So, for Ja's sake, (who is definitely reading right now because, quite simply, I'm murda) I'll skip the analysis. In short, this was the album I played when I was getting ready to go out to a pretend club with my make-believe friends this year.
The New Pornographers/Twin Cinema
Pop music in its most perfect form. Lyrics that go down easy even when indecipherable and/or offbeat. (ex. the refrain of "Take me to where your sister lives" [?!?] in "Star Bodies") Ah, and those harmonies! Hearing them makes me brush the mane of a unicorn and slide down a rainbow!
Sleater-Kinney/The Woods
A completely different sound for them that completely works. I must admit, I wasn't sure if they could pull off the arena rock sound but I learned from my mistake and will never doubt S-K again. Kinda bummed that they released "Jumpers" as their second single though. For me, it's one of the album's weaker tracks. I would have voted for "Modern Girl".
Regina Spektor/Soviet Kitsch
There's something about her pronunciation that is just so damn cute! Think Joanna Newsome's sound except replace the delicate harp work with equally delicate piano work. Check out "Ode to Divorce" and "Carbon Monoxide" for prime examples. In the latter, she drops the "l" sound when she sings the word "walk" repeatedly which results in the adorable-sounding "wakkawakkawakkawakkawakkawakkawak". Oh, and if you don't like "Your Honor" I can't be friends with you anymore. Sorry.
All of these artists have some or all of their album tracks online so do yourself a favor and indulge. Think of it as my holiday gift to you. Want to return the favor? Tell me what albums I missed out on. Go on, don't be shy.
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2 comments:
I completely agree about the "carbon monoxide". i totally ignored Spektor because she seemed to be a part of "Brooklyn's Hippest". but after listening to that song, she had taken my heart. interesting add with the Tracy Bonham. I was in love with "The One" in high school. then i waited many years and she dropped some Shania-wannabe stuff "behind every good woman lies a trail of men" and i was heavily unimpressed. i heard good things about this one. i'll have to DL. and i'm stealing your top 10 idea. i forgot about it. i just have to get my memory back.
oh and you may be right about the KH sermon thing... i have totally fallen into that trap.
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