Best of 2009, Pt. 6
Jan. 8th, 2010 02:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
urgencytobleedAlmost there! Pretty much around number six, though, it gets really hard for me to decide what's better than what. I might have just left it at a six-way tie for number one but, well, that seemed like a bit of a cop-out. In the end, I ended up ranking them more based on gut impact and my overall relationship with the artist/band than the actual musicianship. So, basically, they're all amazing.
10. Metric - Fantasies
There's not much I can say about Metric that hasn't already been said; they make slightly electronic indie rock that is ridiculously catchy but never sounds vapid or low on substance - basically, they're fun. Fantasies sticks to much the same script except that it's probably their funnest, catchiest and, more importantly, most consistent album yet. Even the weakest tracks I never find myself skipping which hasn't been the case with their previous output. The one thing Metric has that other bands of their type don't is Emily Haines whose voice is practically an indie sex symbol in its own right. And even though it sounds as great here as ever, it's the only aspect of the album I also have a problem with. Haines' natural range seems to be lower and she sounds the most appealing when she's singing in that rich, sultry tone she's become known for; for example, in "Blindness," the darkest, most sinister track on the album by far, the control she has over her voice blows me away. But in other areas of the album, she's more prone to adopting a higher, almost baby-ish style; I get that it's supposed to sound flirtatious and fun but she sounds so much weaker in her high register and I just find myself wishing she would go back to her natural voice. Still, it's hard to much care when the songs are as infectious as "Sick Muse," "Satellite Mind," and "Gimme Sympathy" are. But the songs that have the most longevity are the less hyper ones, such as the aforementioned "Blindness" and the slow-burning "Collect Call" with its extremely sensual chorus of "Wishing you could keep me closer/I'm a lazy dancer/When you move/I move with you." I've also started to rather like the sparseness of "Twilight Galaxy" even though I know that's the song often sighted as the album's weakest link. Overall, Fantasies is the only Metric album I find myself actually wanting to listen to in its entirety so I'd definitely consider it a success. But there's still that tiny part of me that isn't satisfied, that wants more - most of the time, it just feels like Metric is there; they never really go all out with their music and I'd like to see them really push the boundaries and explore beyond that safety net at some point.
9. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
Tegan and Sara's last album, The Con, was easily their best yet and ran so high on emotion that, at first, Sainthood seems flat and almost cold in comparison. It's much less about emotion and much more about catchiness - which isn't to say it's disposable or shallow but it's probably not going to elicit the same intense gut reaction as The Con does, at least it doesn't for me. On a purely musical level, however, taking everything else out of the equation, Sainthood is probably the better album - there's more experimentation sound-wise, both girls' voices sound better and stronger than ever, and the melodies are much more creative and obscure while also managing to be some of their catchiest yet. Even Tegan, who in the last few albums has proven herself to be the singles-type songwriter ("Speak Slow," "The Con") while her sister veers ever closer to the less accessible side of the spectrum ("Like O, Like H," "Relief Next to Me"), takes a chance here and tries out some things she never has before: "Don't Rush," with its stilted verses and synth-heavy instrumentation, is the weirdest song she's ever done even though it's still catchy as hell. Mostly, though, she sticks to the straight-forward fare she's become known for, like the one-two punch of "The Cure," her best track on the album, and "Northshore," a brief punk-inspired number that is almost a rehash of The Con's "Hop a Plane" but so sing-along-able I could really care less. Overall, though, it's Sara who shines the brightest. Her tendency to keep things moody and sparse may hold her songs back from being as immediate as Tegan's but their lasting power is much greater. Songs like "Red Belt" and "Night Watch" are not easy to digest with just one listen but they are so interesting that they pull you back in for more until you're hooked. It's clear that Sara subscribes to the idea that less is more, in both her melodies and her lyrics. Her words are often very repetitive and abstract - "Kneel to condition all the feelings that you feel," "I deserve this anguish on my house" - but at the same time so passionate that they tug at your heartstrings even if you're not sure exactly what they mean. "Alligator" is just as lyrically baffling ("Relentless, yes, it's true/My motor mouth runs over you") but musically it's pure pop, an unusual choice for Sara, but it works well and her vocals are flawless. Apart from a couple clunkers (the final two tracks are a bit of a disappointing note to end things on), Sainthood is a fine album; it might be different but it deserves just as much admiration as anything else in the sisters' musical repertoire.
8. 1997 - Notes from Underground
The bad news: 1997 is on their third female vocalist in as many years (and albums). The good news: Number three, Arthi Meera, may be the best they've had yet - and it'd be a shame if they were to lose her like they've lost the others. The worse news: While she's still hanging on, one of the band's founding members and main vocalist, Kevin Thomas, has just announced that he's leaving. Though their seemingly never-ending revolving door of members is frustrating, it can't discount the fact that Notes from Underground is probably 1997's most impressive effort thus far. It doesn't differ very drastically from last year's On the Run but, at the same time, it's not very similar either. The problem with that album wasn't so much that the songs themselves were bad, it was more that Alida Marroni's polarizing and often overdramatic vocal style seemed at odds with the earthy sound the band has been striving toward. Alternately, Meera immediately fits right in. Take the album's closing track, "#3", for example. A gorgeously heartfelt acoustic ballad, it's by far the subtlest (and possibly the best) thing 1997 has ever written; in Marroni's hands, however, it wouldn't have been nearly as affecting. But Meera is a perfect fit, her vocals simple, mature, and pure, beautiful but never showy. Elsewhere, she also impresses, her solo vocal turns the highlights of such tracks as "#1" and "Pagan Melodies". But what's most important is how well she fares alongside Thomas and vocalist/guitarist Caleb Pepp; just listen to the three-part harmonies in the first verse of "Wolf + Sheep" or the cutesy vocal interplay in "Hold Yr Breath" and you'll know - she's been integrated seamlessly, almost as if she's been a part of the band all along. Overall, Notes from Underground sees the band continuing to grow and evolve, leaning further in the direction of organic indie rock and distancing themselves from the pop-punk of their debut. Who's to say where they'll go next now that they've undergone yet another line-up change but I have a feeling this is a sound they'll be more or less sticking with for awhile.
7. Lightning Dust - Infinite Light
Infinite Light is not a big album; it is not a loud one or a complicated one or even a long one but, as Lighting Dust proves, these are not aspects that are necessary in the crafting of a memorable one. As it turns out, all they really need to succeed is Amber Webber's honeyed warble, which is equal parts Cat Power and Jolie Holland, with a hint of Joanna Newsom thrown in for good measure. Webber's voice is a paradox: it is delicate yet strong, off-kilter yet inviting; her unique delivery gives these songs the kick they need to rise above ground level, to soar past merely pleasant and land on a much more heavenly plane. They turn a song like "Never Knew" into something almost devotional in force. Starting off as simply as possible, with only Webber's voice and a sparsely haunting organ melody, it takes its time reaching its peak, which makes the final pay-off all the more satisfying. When the song finally breaks open and music and vocals collide in one hypnotizing swirl of beauty, it's absolutely astonishing to say the least. "Dreamer" works in much the same way. None of Infinite Light's other tracks quite reach the same ethereal, cathartic heights as these two - they are much more down to earth - but that doesn't mean they are any less special. "Antonia" opens the album with the most reserved bang imaginable, "The Times" and "Wondering What Everyone Knows" are memorable for being the sole upbeat tracks (in the second half of "The Times," it could even be called the album's one true attempt at big and loud), and "Take It Home" wraps everything up on an uncharacteristically sprawling note. Clocking in at over six minutes on an album of mostly two-to-three minute tracks, it definitely stands out but its length isn't the only reason why. Webber's voice is especially injected with drunken warbling here and you can't help but fall completely in love with the way she so deliberately drawls, "From strangers to kin, lady, you and I," at once sounding as if she has a mouth full of marbles and is completely aware of how each and every syllable comes out. She's definitely never a bore to listen to and neither is the music that backs her - making it clear that restraint is often a much more commendable quality than bombast.
6. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
I hold Neko Case's last album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, very near and dear to my heart so, needless to say, I was expecting very big things from its follow-up Middle Cyclone. And while it is probably impossible for me to ever become as emotionally attached to it as I am to Fox Confessor, it entirely lived up to my expectations and them some. Case doesn't change up her sound much from album to album but she does keep making that specific sound better and better and now, she's finally honed it to perfection. If I had the patience to actually compile such a list, "This Tornado Loves You" could very well be my favorite song of the entire year; at least, it's my favorite song sung from the point of view of a tornado in love with a human of the entire year. When Case wails plaintively in the song's final moments, "What will make you believe me?" the power behind her voice is so astoundingly effortless that my blood runs cold no matter how many times I've heard it. Though it sets the bar high right from the album's start, the rest of Middle Cyclone is more than up to the challenge. "Vengeance Is Sleeping" and the title track are the most vulnerable and fragile Case has ever sounded and the lyrics are among her best ever (in fact, the entire album is extremely strong lyrically): "I'm not the man you thought I was/My love has never lived indoors/I had to drag it home by force/Hired hounds at both my wrists/Damp and bruised by strangers' kisses on my lips/But you're the one that I still miss." I'll stop at just one example because, otherwise, I'd start quoting entire songs. In the album's second half, "Magpie to the Morning" is subtle but catchy and "Prison Girls" is five minutes of eerie, sprawling, Southern Gothic goodness. The only thing that would make this album more perfect is if the covers had been excluded (and the crickets - but they're easy enough to pretend never existed in the first place); they aren't bad and Case does a commendable job of making them her own but they still don't quite gel with her originals and are the only very slight dips in the album's consistency. Now, how in the world is Neko Case ever going to better Middle Cyclone? I'm honestly not sure she can but, then again, I never thought she could top Fox Confessor either and look how easily she proved me wrong.
10. Metric - Fantasies
There's not much I can say about Metric that hasn't already been said; they make slightly electronic indie rock that is ridiculously catchy but never sounds vapid or low on substance - basically, they're fun. Fantasies sticks to much the same script except that it's probably their funnest, catchiest and, more importantly, most consistent album yet. Even the weakest tracks I never find myself skipping which hasn't been the case with their previous output. The one thing Metric has that other bands of their type don't is Emily Haines whose voice is practically an indie sex symbol in its own right. And even though it sounds as great here as ever, it's the only aspect of the album I also have a problem with. Haines' natural range seems to be lower and she sounds the most appealing when she's singing in that rich, sultry tone she's become known for; for example, in "Blindness," the darkest, most sinister track on the album by far, the control she has over her voice blows me away. But in other areas of the album, she's more prone to adopting a higher, almost baby-ish style; I get that it's supposed to sound flirtatious and fun but she sounds so much weaker in her high register and I just find myself wishing she would go back to her natural voice. Still, it's hard to much care when the songs are as infectious as "Sick Muse," "Satellite Mind," and "Gimme Sympathy" are. But the songs that have the most longevity are the less hyper ones, such as the aforementioned "Blindness" and the slow-burning "Collect Call" with its extremely sensual chorus of "Wishing you could keep me closer/I'm a lazy dancer/When you move/I move with you." I've also started to rather like the sparseness of "Twilight Galaxy" even though I know that's the song often sighted as the album's weakest link. Overall, Fantasies is the only Metric album I find myself actually wanting to listen to in its entirety so I'd definitely consider it a success. But there's still that tiny part of me that isn't satisfied, that wants more - most of the time, it just feels like Metric is there; they never really go all out with their music and I'd like to see them really push the boundaries and explore beyond that safety net at some point.
9. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
Tegan and Sara's last album, The Con, was easily their best yet and ran so high on emotion that, at first, Sainthood seems flat and almost cold in comparison. It's much less about emotion and much more about catchiness - which isn't to say it's disposable or shallow but it's probably not going to elicit the same intense gut reaction as The Con does, at least it doesn't for me. On a purely musical level, however, taking everything else out of the equation, Sainthood is probably the better album - there's more experimentation sound-wise, both girls' voices sound better and stronger than ever, and the melodies are much more creative and obscure while also managing to be some of their catchiest yet. Even Tegan, who in the last few albums has proven herself to be the singles-type songwriter ("Speak Slow," "The Con") while her sister veers ever closer to the less accessible side of the spectrum ("Like O, Like H," "Relief Next to Me"), takes a chance here and tries out some things she never has before: "Don't Rush," with its stilted verses and synth-heavy instrumentation, is the weirdest song she's ever done even though it's still catchy as hell. Mostly, though, she sticks to the straight-forward fare she's become known for, like the one-two punch of "The Cure," her best track on the album, and "Northshore," a brief punk-inspired number that is almost a rehash of The Con's "Hop a Plane" but so sing-along-able I could really care less. Overall, though, it's Sara who shines the brightest. Her tendency to keep things moody and sparse may hold her songs back from being as immediate as Tegan's but their lasting power is much greater. Songs like "Red Belt" and "Night Watch" are not easy to digest with just one listen but they are so interesting that they pull you back in for more until you're hooked. It's clear that Sara subscribes to the idea that less is more, in both her melodies and her lyrics. Her words are often very repetitive and abstract - "Kneel to condition all the feelings that you feel," "I deserve this anguish on my house" - but at the same time so passionate that they tug at your heartstrings even if you're not sure exactly what they mean. "Alligator" is just as lyrically baffling ("Relentless, yes, it's true/My motor mouth runs over you") but musically it's pure pop, an unusual choice for Sara, but it works well and her vocals are flawless. Apart from a couple clunkers (the final two tracks are a bit of a disappointing note to end things on), Sainthood is a fine album; it might be different but it deserves just as much admiration as anything else in the sisters' musical repertoire.
8. 1997 - Notes from Underground
The bad news: 1997 is on their third female vocalist in as many years (and albums). The good news: Number three, Arthi Meera, may be the best they've had yet - and it'd be a shame if they were to lose her like they've lost the others. The worse news: While she's still hanging on, one of the band's founding members and main vocalist, Kevin Thomas, has just announced that he's leaving. Though their seemingly never-ending revolving door of members is frustrating, it can't discount the fact that Notes from Underground is probably 1997's most impressive effort thus far. It doesn't differ very drastically from last year's On the Run but, at the same time, it's not very similar either. The problem with that album wasn't so much that the songs themselves were bad, it was more that Alida Marroni's polarizing and often overdramatic vocal style seemed at odds with the earthy sound the band has been striving toward. Alternately, Meera immediately fits right in. Take the album's closing track, "#3", for example. A gorgeously heartfelt acoustic ballad, it's by far the subtlest (and possibly the best) thing 1997 has ever written; in Marroni's hands, however, it wouldn't have been nearly as affecting. But Meera is a perfect fit, her vocals simple, mature, and pure, beautiful but never showy. Elsewhere, she also impresses, her solo vocal turns the highlights of such tracks as "#1" and "Pagan Melodies". But what's most important is how well she fares alongside Thomas and vocalist/guitarist Caleb Pepp; just listen to the three-part harmonies in the first verse of "Wolf + Sheep" or the cutesy vocal interplay in "Hold Yr Breath" and you'll know - she's been integrated seamlessly, almost as if she's been a part of the band all along. Overall, Notes from Underground sees the band continuing to grow and evolve, leaning further in the direction of organic indie rock and distancing themselves from the pop-punk of their debut. Who's to say where they'll go next now that they've undergone yet another line-up change but I have a feeling this is a sound they'll be more or less sticking with for awhile.
7. Lightning Dust - Infinite Light
Infinite Light is not a big album; it is not a loud one or a complicated one or even a long one but, as Lighting Dust proves, these are not aspects that are necessary in the crafting of a memorable one. As it turns out, all they really need to succeed is Amber Webber's honeyed warble, which is equal parts Cat Power and Jolie Holland, with a hint of Joanna Newsom thrown in for good measure. Webber's voice is a paradox: it is delicate yet strong, off-kilter yet inviting; her unique delivery gives these songs the kick they need to rise above ground level, to soar past merely pleasant and land on a much more heavenly plane. They turn a song like "Never Knew" into something almost devotional in force. Starting off as simply as possible, with only Webber's voice and a sparsely haunting organ melody, it takes its time reaching its peak, which makes the final pay-off all the more satisfying. When the song finally breaks open and music and vocals collide in one hypnotizing swirl of beauty, it's absolutely astonishing to say the least. "Dreamer" works in much the same way. None of Infinite Light's other tracks quite reach the same ethereal, cathartic heights as these two - they are much more down to earth - but that doesn't mean they are any less special. "Antonia" opens the album with the most reserved bang imaginable, "The Times" and "Wondering What Everyone Knows" are memorable for being the sole upbeat tracks (in the second half of "The Times," it could even be called the album's one true attempt at big and loud), and "Take It Home" wraps everything up on an uncharacteristically sprawling note. Clocking in at over six minutes on an album of mostly two-to-three minute tracks, it definitely stands out but its length isn't the only reason why. Webber's voice is especially injected with drunken warbling here and you can't help but fall completely in love with the way she so deliberately drawls, "From strangers to kin, lady, you and I," at once sounding as if she has a mouth full of marbles and is completely aware of how each and every syllable comes out. She's definitely never a bore to listen to and neither is the music that backs her - making it clear that restraint is often a much more commendable quality than bombast.
6. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
I hold Neko Case's last album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, very near and dear to my heart so, needless to say, I was expecting very big things from its follow-up Middle Cyclone. And while it is probably impossible for me to ever become as emotionally attached to it as I am to Fox Confessor, it entirely lived up to my expectations and them some. Case doesn't change up her sound much from album to album but she does keep making that specific sound better and better and now, she's finally honed it to perfection. If I had the patience to actually compile such a list, "This Tornado Loves You" could very well be my favorite song of the entire year; at least, it's my favorite song sung from the point of view of a tornado in love with a human of the entire year. When Case wails plaintively in the song's final moments, "What will make you believe me?" the power behind her voice is so astoundingly effortless that my blood runs cold no matter how many times I've heard it. Though it sets the bar high right from the album's start, the rest of Middle Cyclone is more than up to the challenge. "Vengeance Is Sleeping" and the title track are the most vulnerable and fragile Case has ever sounded and the lyrics are among her best ever (in fact, the entire album is extremely strong lyrically): "I'm not the man you thought I was/My love has never lived indoors/I had to drag it home by force/Hired hounds at both my wrists/Damp and bruised by strangers' kisses on my lips/But you're the one that I still miss." I'll stop at just one example because, otherwise, I'd start quoting entire songs. In the album's second half, "Magpie to the Morning" is subtle but catchy and "Prison Girls" is five minutes of eerie, sprawling, Southern Gothic goodness. The only thing that would make this album more perfect is if the covers had been excluded (and the crickets - but they're easy enough to pretend never existed in the first place); they aren't bad and Case does a commendable job of making them her own but they still don't quite gel with her originals and are the only very slight dips in the album's consistency. Now, how in the world is Neko Case ever going to better Middle Cyclone? I'm honestly not sure she can but, then again, I never thought she could top Fox Confessor either and look how easily she proved me wrong.
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Date: 2010-01-08 08:44 pm (UTC)Also, KEVIN THOMAS IS LEAVING? Where have I been?! I mean, granted I didn't find him as useful, especially when he spent the entire "One Track Mind" video looking ridiculous and useless and flailing about with his tambourine, but I felt like his voice was a necessary element. With Caleb's rough, not-always-pleasant yelp, they needed a smoother-sounding male vocalist. Ack. :(
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Date: 2010-01-08 10:01 pm (UTC)Yeah, he posted to their Myspace awhile ago about it. LOL, I love your assessment of his contributions in that video. You're right about that but I do love his voice and I've found it kind of sad how he started off doing almost all the vocals and gradually became less useful as Caleb began singing more. So I'll miss him!