2007, #5-1.
Jan. 8th, 2008 11:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
urgencytobleedDrumroll, please...
5. Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (purchase)
(+ The International Tweexcore Underground)
I debated whether I should place Sticking Fingers Into Sockets this high or if I should even place it at all because I've only started to love it recently and it is just an EP after all. However, I've become extremely obsessed with it over the past week or two and the fact that I'm even considering it at all amongst so many full-lengths is impressive enough to cement its place. Plus, if you include the quite excellent The International Tweexcore Underground single, you almost get enough to make a pretty solid long-player. Now, to actually talk about the important part, the music: I'll admit that all of their songs have a similar sound, but you know what? It's one damn good song and anyway, in my opinion, they're different enough to distinguish themselves from each other. This EP serves as an excellent proper introduction to their music. It opens with "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" and its catchy and lyrically amusing chorus will be stuck in your head for days on end ("There's red stains all over the place/But they're not blood, they're cherry-aide/We throw parties, you throw knives/It's all the same if the fizzy drinks are nice"). Plus, that darkly humorous reference in the second verse ("It's your party but I'll die if I want to/I'll die if I want to") is bound to at least make you chuckle. Then there's "You! Me! Dancing!", a six-minute dose of pop perfection which culminates in the childish but strangely addicting shout-along of "It's you! It's me! And there's dancing!" Even the 35-second closer, "Clunk-Play-Clunk-Rewind-Clunk", has something lovable about it. As for that single, "The International Tweexcore Underground", it's another instantly enjoyable track, with sparring boy-girl vocals and cute if slightly pretentious lyrics. Even their covers, like Pavement's "Frontwards" and Heavenly's "C is the Heavenly Option", have just as much attitude and personality as their originals. Sure, they stick to a similar formula and their song titles nearly veer into Fall Out Boy territory as far as complete absurdness goes, but they never take themselves too seriously and seem like they're just out to have a good time and that's really all that matters. I'm almost positive their upcoming debut full-length will find a place in next year's list, though it does have quite a bit of stiff competition. (Since writing this, I downloaded the album leak because I have absolutely no willpower, but the plus side - it's completely excellent, as I was expecting.)
4. Eisley - Combinations (purchase)
I've been a very casual fan of Eisley for quite awhile now, but I didn't fall completely in love until this year, and a big part of that was due to Combinations' first single, "Invasion". I was surprised at how much darker and heavier it sounded than anything on their debut album, Room Noises, and that more mature feel caused me to become very excited for the rest of the album when, before, any news about it had barely made a blip on my radar. I got the chance to see most of the songs performed live before its release and that got me even more excited. By the time I actually got to hear the finished product, it definitely didn't disappoint. There are a few songs that are much heavier than their previous music ("Invasion", "Many Funerals", and the fantastically intense and rhythmic "A Sight to Behold") but for the most part, it's pretty classic Eisley, with just enough tweaking to make the formula perfect. There are less fantastical lyrics about nature and imaginary creatures and more about love and life in general. The songs feel more completely developed and the production is much cleaner and crisper. Sisters Sherri and Stacy DuPree's voices have matured and improved drastically - especially Stacy's - but still retain the little quirks that make them unique and refreshing. Guitarist and oldest DuPree girl, Chauntelle, even adds her voice to the mix occasionally - her verse is one of the major reasons behind "I Could Be There for You" being a standout track. All of these things make Combinations an overall stronger album than Room Noises. It may lack some of the whimsy and youthfulness of their debut, but it's also much easier to listen to multiple times without being drowned in cutesiness.
3. St. Vincent - Marry Me (purchase)
Annie Clark seems to be the poster child for perfection: she's a talented multi-instrumentalist, she's got this rich and haunting and quite versatile voice, she writes gorgeous fairytale-esque lyrics and music that is completely entrancing to accompany them, and she's more than pleasant to look at to boot. It took me quite awhile to realize how brilliant Marry Me really is, but that's mostly due to my laziness in sitting down and listening to it properly. Since then, it's come to reveal itself as a goldmine, full of hooks and kookiness in equal amounts, and so many sudden shifts and surprises that you're still discovering new things to love fifty listens later. Annie takes on a different persona with each song. "Now, Now" features a child-like chorus of Annies chanting "You don't mean that/Say you're sorry" until she twists the line into the deliciously evil "I'll make you sorry". "Your Lips Are Red" features a cacophony of odd instrumentation and handclaps between verses sung in a bone-chillingly evil rasp. Then there's the slower, slightly jazzy "Marry Me" and "What Me Worry?" which are deceptively sweet on the surface, but a closer listen to the lyrics and Annie's coy delivery reveals their darker sides. Just as enchanting as her voice are her lyrics, full of whimsical descriptions and metaphors and clever wordplay. Phrases like "Your heart is a strange little orange to peel" ("Human Racing") are so odd that they work flawlessly and when she sings, "Come sit right here and sleep while I slip poison in your ear" ("Paris Is Burning") it reads (and sounds) more like a seduction than a threat. This album is full of those little contradictions; it's adorable but biting, soft but fierce, chaotic but harmonic. Except for the inconsequential instrumental "We Put a Pearl in the Ground" (which serves as more of an intro for "Landmines" than its own track anyway), there's not a dud among these eleven songs. I, for one, can't wait to see what the future holds for Annie's music, with such an impressive debut already to her name.
2. Tegan and Sara - The Con (purchase)
I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting The Con to sound like, but whatever it was, the way it actually ended up sounding completely surpassed those expectations. I do love So Jealous but the main gripe I had with it was that it was too perfect and stiff, to the point where the girls' voices often sounded robotic and drained of emotion, the complete opposite of it's raw and powerful predecessor, If It Was You. There's no denying that The Con is pretty glossy as well, but it's also a lot more passionate and combines the singer-songwriter style of their first two records, the rawness of If It Was You, and the insane catchiness of So Jealous into one delectable little package. Songs like "Relief Next to Me", "Burn Your Life Down", and "Floorplan" showcase Sara's growing talent as an effective songwriter. They're full of quirky metaphors and imagery that don't seem to connect on a basic level but somehow still make complete sense. Tegan hasn't quite managed to match her sister's abilities in that area yet, but her strong point is the intensity she pours into her vocal delivery. You can feel how frantic songs like "Hop a Plane" and "Are You Ten Years Ago" are through her quick-paced, punchy singing and with "Soil, Soil" and "Call It Off", she also displays a more vulnerable and soft side. Both Tegan and Sara have upped their game in all aspects and The Con almost immediately claimed its spot as my favorite album of theirs. I can only imagine they'll improve even more in the future.
1. Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War (purchase)
I'm always discovering new bands and artists, but every year, there seems to be that one huge obsession that completely changes my life musically and I cannot even fathom how I lived without them previously. Last year, it was Rilo Kiley. This year, it was, without a doubt, Stars. I'd tried them at least twice previously and didn't get much out of their music, but I suppose the third time is the charm - it finally clicked and I felt completely stupid for not getting it before. The first song I listened to this time was "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead". I quickly grew completely obsessed and that obsession spread to the rest of Set Yourself on Fire pretty rapidly as well. The first few times I listened to In Our Bedroom After the War, I thought it was good but not nearly as good as that masterpiece. This past month or so, though, it's grown on me more and more with each listen. I still would probably put Set Yourself on Fire above it, but it's pretty damn impressive in it's own right. Each song is amazing for it's own reasons and there are maybe three that I consider average while the rest are constantly rotating as my favorite. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan's voices are the driving point behind the album, injecting every line with so much emotion and passion that it makes your heart ache just listening. It's melodramatic at times, yes, but never embarrassingly so. "Take Me to the Riot" is extremely infectious and the chorus hits you in the gut with it's bombast every single time. "My Favourite Book" is mellow and sweet, Amy's voice gliding effortlessly over each word. "Personal" tells a depressing tale in a smart and unique way and conveys such extreme emotion with very little in the way of instrumentation. The title track couldn't end the album on a better note; Torquil's voice fits it like a glove and the way it builds with each verse until it reaches an epic ending is completely spine-tingling. And that's not even a third of the album. Each listen reveals new things; you start to appreciate the songs in a different light and notice the littlest additions that make each one special. I could go on about this album and Stars in general forever, but I'll refrain and simply say that their music is truly magical and I'm extremely happy that I finally realized that.
Tomorrow, the best songs from the albums that didn't quite make the cut but were still noteworthy.
5. Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets (purchase)
(+ The International Tweexcore Underground)
I debated whether I should place Sticking Fingers Into Sockets this high or if I should even place it at all because I've only started to love it recently and it is just an EP after all. However, I've become extremely obsessed with it over the past week or two and the fact that I'm even considering it at all amongst so many full-lengths is impressive enough to cement its place. Plus, if you include the quite excellent The International Tweexcore Underground single, you almost get enough to make a pretty solid long-player. Now, to actually talk about the important part, the music: I'll admit that all of their songs have a similar sound, but you know what? It's one damn good song and anyway, in my opinion, they're different enough to distinguish themselves from each other. This EP serves as an excellent proper introduction to their music. It opens with "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" and its catchy and lyrically amusing chorus will be stuck in your head for days on end ("There's red stains all over the place/But they're not blood, they're cherry-aide/We throw parties, you throw knives/It's all the same if the fizzy drinks are nice"). Plus, that darkly humorous reference in the second verse ("It's your party but I'll die if I want to/I'll die if I want to") is bound to at least make you chuckle. Then there's "You! Me! Dancing!", a six-minute dose of pop perfection which culminates in the childish but strangely addicting shout-along of "It's you! It's me! And there's dancing!" Even the 35-second closer, "Clunk-Play-Clunk-Rewind-Clunk", has something lovable about it. As for that single, "The International Tweexcore Underground", it's another instantly enjoyable track, with sparring boy-girl vocals and cute if slightly pretentious lyrics. Even their covers, like Pavement's "Frontwards" and Heavenly's "C is the Heavenly Option", have just as much attitude and personality as their originals. Sure, they stick to a similar formula and their song titles nearly veer into Fall Out Boy territory as far as complete absurdness goes, but they never take themselves too seriously and seem like they're just out to have a good time and that's really all that matters. I'm almost positive their upcoming debut full-length will find a place in next year's list, though it does have quite a bit of stiff competition. (Since writing this, I downloaded the album leak because I have absolutely no willpower, but the plus side - it's completely excellent, as I was expecting.)
We Throw Parties, You Throw KnivesYou! Me! Dancing!The International Tweexcore Underground
4. Eisley - Combinations (purchase)
I've been a very casual fan of Eisley for quite awhile now, but I didn't fall completely in love until this year, and a big part of that was due to Combinations' first single, "Invasion". I was surprised at how much darker and heavier it sounded than anything on their debut album, Room Noises, and that more mature feel caused me to become very excited for the rest of the album when, before, any news about it had barely made a blip on my radar. I got the chance to see most of the songs performed live before its release and that got me even more excited. By the time I actually got to hear the finished product, it definitely didn't disappoint. There are a few songs that are much heavier than their previous music ("Invasion", "Many Funerals", and the fantastically intense and rhythmic "A Sight to Behold") but for the most part, it's pretty classic Eisley, with just enough tweaking to make the formula perfect. There are less fantastical lyrics about nature and imaginary creatures and more about love and life in general. The songs feel more completely developed and the production is much cleaner and crisper. Sisters Sherri and Stacy DuPree's voices have matured and improved drastically - especially Stacy's - but still retain the little quirks that make them unique and refreshing. Guitarist and oldest DuPree girl, Chauntelle, even adds her voice to the mix occasionally - her verse is one of the major reasons behind "I Could Be There for You" being a standout track. All of these things make Combinations an overall stronger album than Room Noises. It may lack some of the whimsy and youthfulness of their debut, but it's also much easier to listen to multiple times without being drowned in cutesiness.
InvasionI Could Be There for YouA Sight to Behold
3. St. Vincent - Marry Me (purchase)
Annie Clark seems to be the poster child for perfection: she's a talented multi-instrumentalist, she's got this rich and haunting and quite versatile voice, she writes gorgeous fairytale-esque lyrics and music that is completely entrancing to accompany them, and she's more than pleasant to look at to boot. It took me quite awhile to realize how brilliant Marry Me really is, but that's mostly due to my laziness in sitting down and listening to it properly. Since then, it's come to reveal itself as a goldmine, full of hooks and kookiness in equal amounts, and so many sudden shifts and surprises that you're still discovering new things to love fifty listens later. Annie takes on a different persona with each song. "Now, Now" features a child-like chorus of Annies chanting "You don't mean that/Say you're sorry" until she twists the line into the deliciously evil "I'll make you sorry". "Your Lips Are Red" features a cacophony of odd instrumentation and handclaps between verses sung in a bone-chillingly evil rasp. Then there's the slower, slightly jazzy "Marry Me" and "What Me Worry?" which are deceptively sweet on the surface, but a closer listen to the lyrics and Annie's coy delivery reveals their darker sides. Just as enchanting as her voice are her lyrics, full of whimsical descriptions and metaphors and clever wordplay. Phrases like "Your heart is a strange little orange to peel" ("Human Racing") are so odd that they work flawlessly and when she sings, "Come sit right here and sleep while I slip poison in your ear" ("Paris Is Burning") it reads (and sounds) more like a seduction than a threat. This album is full of those little contradictions; it's adorable but biting, soft but fierce, chaotic but harmonic. Except for the inconsequential instrumental "We Put a Pearl in the Ground" (which serves as more of an intro for "Landmines" than its own track anyway), there's not a dud among these eleven songs. I, for one, can't wait to see what the future holds for Annie's music, with such an impressive debut already to her name.
Your Lips Are RedParis Is BurningAll My Stars Aligned
2. Tegan and Sara - The Con (purchase)
I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting The Con to sound like, but whatever it was, the way it actually ended up sounding completely surpassed those expectations. I do love So Jealous but the main gripe I had with it was that it was too perfect and stiff, to the point where the girls' voices often sounded robotic and drained of emotion, the complete opposite of it's raw and powerful predecessor, If It Was You. There's no denying that The Con is pretty glossy as well, but it's also a lot more passionate and combines the singer-songwriter style of their first two records, the rawness of If It Was You, and the insane catchiness of So Jealous into one delectable little package. Songs like "Relief Next to Me", "Burn Your Life Down", and "Floorplan" showcase Sara's growing talent as an effective songwriter. They're full of quirky metaphors and imagery that don't seem to connect on a basic level but somehow still make complete sense. Tegan hasn't quite managed to match her sister's abilities in that area yet, but her strong point is the intensity she pours into her vocal delivery. You can feel how frantic songs like "Hop a Plane" and "Are You Ten Years Ago" are through her quick-paced, punchy singing and with "Soil, Soil" and "Call It Off", she also displays a more vulnerable and soft side. Both Tegan and Sara have upped their game in all aspects and The Con almost immediately claimed its spot as my favorite album of theirs. I can only imagine they'll improve even more in the future.
The ConBurn Your Life DownFloorplan
1. Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War (purchase)
I'm always discovering new bands and artists, but every year, there seems to be that one huge obsession that completely changes my life musically and I cannot even fathom how I lived without them previously. Last year, it was Rilo Kiley. This year, it was, without a doubt, Stars. I'd tried them at least twice previously and didn't get much out of their music, but I suppose the third time is the charm - it finally clicked and I felt completely stupid for not getting it before. The first song I listened to this time was "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead". I quickly grew completely obsessed and that obsession spread to the rest of Set Yourself on Fire pretty rapidly as well. The first few times I listened to In Our Bedroom After the War, I thought it was good but not nearly as good as that masterpiece. This past month or so, though, it's grown on me more and more with each listen. I still would probably put Set Yourself on Fire above it, but it's pretty damn impressive in it's own right. Each song is amazing for it's own reasons and there are maybe three that I consider average while the rest are constantly rotating as my favorite. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan's voices are the driving point behind the album, injecting every line with so much emotion and passion that it makes your heart ache just listening. It's melodramatic at times, yes, but never embarrassingly so. "Take Me to the Riot" is extremely infectious and the chorus hits you in the gut with it's bombast every single time. "My Favourite Book" is mellow and sweet, Amy's voice gliding effortlessly over each word. "Personal" tells a depressing tale in a smart and unique way and conveys such extreme emotion with very little in the way of instrumentation. The title track couldn't end the album on a better note; Torquil's voice fits it like a glove and the way it builds with each verse until it reaches an epic ending is completely spine-tingling. And that's not even a third of the album. Each listen reveals new things; you start to appreciate the songs in a different light and notice the littlest additions that make each one special. I could go on about this album and Stars in general forever, but I'll refrain and simply say that their music is truly magical and I'm extremely happy that I finally realized that.
Take Me to the RiotMidnight CowardIn Our Bedroom After the War
Tomorrow, the best songs from the albums that didn't quite make the cut but were still noteworthy.
