I have a problem with Music. I tend to either be way ahead of the people or way behind the people. It's never like right there in between. I almost never discover songs on the radio or on TV. So when I attempt to do a year in review, well I tend to either write about stuff that people have no idea what I'm saying or I write about things that were like, so last year. I had to go back and look at last years list to remember what I was into then, and some of it is the same, and some of the CDS on this years list were on last years, and when I write them, well I'll explain why they appear again.
This is ranked in no order, because how can you put an order to music? I mean, for many people the best CD of the years was, uh, Black Eyed Peas CD "The E.N.D." but for someone else, they may have liked the Girls CD "Album" but for many people over 40 they're totally loving Susan Boyle's "I dreamed a dream" (Really??? It's, like the Avatar of the music industry right now. I fear listening, what if it's good? I can't take that chance.) So top 10 lists just rankle people, and then make you feel really stupid as soon as you publish it, because you forgot your obvious favorite.
Anyway, to Will Gong's 2009 Musical Journey. I hope you check out some of them when you have time or are bored, or are just like staring at your Facebook page waiting for something to happen. If you're doing that, just stop. It's not worth it.
- Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.
Oh 2009, how could I have made it through without Phoenix. I was just a sad young man, making a music playlist for Jorge, when I accidentally discovered you. The minute I heard "If I ever Feel better" off your almost decade old CD "United," I fell in love.
And then I found you had a new CD coming out with the cheeky title "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" and I clicked on a streaming link of "Listzomania" and had my MIND BLOWN. Best POP Song in like forever. Straight up POP. I mean, I can listen to this song everyday, and I think I have. It never gets old. Okay if you listen to it 4 times a day it gets a little old, but it's still fun. AND YOU AREN'T ON THE RADIO. So I can have it to myself, unlike "Hey Ya!". And you gave Radio and Commercials the song "1901" which is as good and maybe better, but not as poppy as Listzomania.
The rest of the CD is golden. It gets a little repetitive eventually, but never bad, and damn if it doesn't make you feel good, and bop your head, and sometimes get up and do an IPOD AD Dance in your kitchen, or in your car.
For those intersted, Phoenix did a really cool live set through Paris. Please Watch. It's at the bottom of the post and It's sooooo goooodddddd.
BON IVER - For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
So I suck, and here's why: Last year, I put this on the list, because I could consciously understand how good it was, so I'm lame. But I was trying to bring the music to the people. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THIS YEAR, that I really fell in love with the CD. It took like 5 to 10 listens, before it sunk in and was like WHOA. It's deep, but on a deep level, because I still don't know what he's saying, a lot. But listen to "The Wolves" or "Creature Fear" and feel, just feel. The harmonies, the gently guitar strum, the occasional Auto-Tune. It's amazing. And Powerful.
GIRLS - ALBUM
First few lines of the Album from the Song "Lust for Life"
Oh, I wish I had a boyfriend
I wish I had a loving man in my life
I wish I had a father
Maybe then I would've turned out right
But now I'm just crazy, I'm totally mad
Yeah I'm just crazy, I'm fucked in the head
And maybe if I really tried with all of my heart
Then I could make a brand new start in love with you
I mean read it, You know, Nuff' Said, and I don't really think I need to tell you why I like the CD, but I'm going to anyway. Ths guy is crazy, but relatable. I mean those lines, right there, he basically laid out his craziness, and you know it's a FRICKEN LOVE LETTER TO A GIRL. I think.
Anyway, other than being crazy and relatable. These two guys, have actually crafted a really beautiful like classic 60's POP album, and did with a whiny guy voice. It's the music. It's good. And catchy. And kind of fucked up. See "Lust for Life" "Laura" "Ghost Mouth" "Big Bad Mean Mother Fucker" and "Hellhole Ratrace".
Weird and beautiful :-D
The Beatles "Remastered Complete Collection"
Wow. I mean, everybody gives props to these. Because they are amazing. I mean, I don't need to go over again, my love for The Beatles, but fuck it. THESE SONGS ARE AMAZING and everytime we, fans, have a reason to go back and rediscover them, we are going to. It also helps that I read the most indepth accurate Biography of them ever "The Beatles" at the beginning of the year. AND It's amazing they made music like this, especially JOHN. That dude was nutz. I mean, Paul, had music coming out of his pores, but John had rage, jealousy, drugs, attitude, and a slew of other mommy problems.
Anyway, if you get the remastered and listen to them, you will hear them anew, you will hear all the shimmers, every guitar stroke, the harmonies are stronger, and best of all, YOU Can actually hear a lot of what Ringo was doing (For all those that shit on Ringo.) He keeps it simple, but with eloquence and propulsion. I mean like The Beatles were never going to need a batshit crazy drummer. Sorry Grandma for the profanity. Moving On.
BLIND PILOT - 3 Rounds & A Sound
Thanks Tracy. Okay, how do I describe the Sound of Blind Pilot. Itunes has them listed as Indie Rockers playing Folk Music or as Folkies playing Indie Rock. I think that about sums it up. These songs are beautiful, and have a great lyrics and stories that really get to you. I saw them live and they were just a great time, and they had really awesome fans. LIVE their music really pops, but I think that's because they've added band mates. But still. This is a must LISTEN CD. I dare you to listen to the songs "The Story I heard" and "3 Rounds & a Sound" and tell me these guys aren't good and have a great future.
Another year spent trying to love Bruce Springsteen. Another year, I fail. Sigh.
DISAPPOINTMENTS - Better Than Ezra's "Paper Empire" boring, old, uninspired. - Ryan Adams may have given up making music. - The Final Curtain Call of Michael Jackson. - Mariah Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" totally flat and self indulgent. - Franz Ferdinand "Tonight" is it their now horrifying inability to craft new hooks that is so painful, or is it that I find the music to now be impenetrable. - Everyone else finally figuring out how Crazy Kanye is. I mean come on people, wasn't it obvious. OBVIOUS! Although, I gotta give props to some people for defending Kanye's statement, not the action, just what he said. Poor Gayfish. - My giving into Katy Perry, sigh, I wish I could just turn it off... - Miranda Lambert's "Revolution." I don't know why I don't like this CD more, it got great reviews. Made best of lists. I just can't get it now, maybe 2010. - Timbaland talking up how great Miley Cyrus is and then making a not even Craptastic Song. Ugh. You Are Better Than This. -
END DISAPPOINTMENTS - BACK TO BEST LIST
BAND OF HORSES - CEASE TO EXIST (2007)
After spending a Day with this backpacker, traveler, fellow hostel mate, Frank, from Portland Maine, he said "Dude, I think you should try to listen to Band Of Horses, I think you might really like them. I said, "Right on."
Shimmery Guitar Pop, lush orchestration, a voice that can occasionally reach to the heavens. Listen to "Is There a Ghost" and "No One's Gonna Love You." Wow. The whole CD is great, really mellow. But not as mellow as their first CD, which some people like better, but it's just too low for me. They're like if The Shins tried to go for Coldplay, but before Coldplay's self importance U2NESS! It's good stuff and worth a spin.
Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
I wrote an unpublished blog on the ever expanding multiple meanings of "My Life Would Suck Without You." But I just couldn't publish it. It's like just not worth the flack. Well, Kelly came back with a satisfying CD of great pop songs. Illustrating her talent of going to multiple genres, and mastering them, but making them all sound like Kelly Clarkson songs. But I will forever remember this CD as being the CD I was listening to when I busted my Leg and couldn't run anymore. I still need to get that fixed, hmmm... 2010 resolution maybe. Yeah. Well, other then the radio songs, you should definitely check out, "I Want You." Super cute song, I think all the other ones actually did get on the radio somewhere.
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - SOUND OF SILVER (2007)
So I knew one song of this CD for the past 2 years, the magnificent "All My Friends." Which Rachel calls one of the most unlistenable pieces of repetitive music ever made, and although she may have a point about it's repetitiveness, I don't think that was the point. The point was that the repetitiveness illustrated how life was, but they kept layering it, it kept getting stranger, and more full and beautiful, and the song was about growing old and missing your friends and finding your friends again, but then looking for them all over again, when you REALLY NEED THEM. It's powerful stuff.
Anyway, it wasn't until my road trip, driving through the Pacific Northwest on my way to Montana, that I Hear another song off the CD, "New York, I love you, But You're Bringing me Down. " It made me laugh, and was also kind of deep. And then months later, I discovered another GEM "Someone Great." Which may be the best SONG on the CD. And it's about losing people. So after that I finally gave in and listened to the rest of the CD.
And it's Great! IF Sad, lonely, Dance, ROCK, music, for people who might be getting old and are totally freaked out about it, is your cup of tea. And I guess it is mine. But I'm not that old yet.
Miike Snow - Miike Snow
Okay, so when Jeremy Foley (thank you, thank you, thank you) said I might like this CD and gave it to me, all I knew about them was "They're like Music producers from Sweden". I started listening to it and was like oh, wow this is weird, it's like a mix of Blur, Gorillaz, Peter Bjorn & John, and Goldfrapp. And I really liked it, because it was like Sad Dance Music, but with the occasionally Happy, Weird Dance, song, like "Animal" but its the sad, deeper tracks that make a deep impact, like "Sylvia" and "Burial" and "sans soleil".
THEN I FOUND OUT THAT those Swedish producers made "TOXIC" That's right TOXIC. And many many other Britney songs. Crazy. Toxic.
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Uh, It's good. I know it is. I love "This Tornado Loves You" and really love "People Got a Lot of Nerve" (She is a MAN-MAN-MAN MAN-MAN-MAN EATAAAA!!!!!) But it's a Neko CD so it's dense and deep, and can really burn you. So i fully expect to discover more tunes on here as the years go on.
Of Montreal - A Little Bit of All Their CDS
So when I was making that Jorge's Mix earlier in the year, when I discovered Phoenix, I also discovered Of Montreal. Was this the year of discovering, weird, poppy, folky, dancy, bands with singers who were slightly WHINY. I think may have been. Ugh. I should probably make that the headline, whatever.
I digress. I found these guys and fell in love with the line "Let's pretend we don't exist, let's pretend we're in Antarctica. Let's have BIZARRE CELEBRATIONS!!!" from the song "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and other Games." But the real keeper song for me was, "First Time High (Of Chicago Acoustic Version) a remix done by Jon Brion. He turned a weird, electro rock song into an accousti James L. Brooks trailery, Sufjan Stevensesque Masterpiece.
So Weird. So Good.
I'm going to take a moment here and send a Shout Out to Regina Spektor. "What up!"
TV On The Radio - Dear Science (2008)
I think this was almost in every top 10 list last years, so of course I got to it this year. Just start it off, and you know you are hearing something special musically. It's like if you mixed Talking Heads, Bloc Party & Something Awesome. I can't explain it. It's like Magic. Start off with "Halfway Home" slow building and then exploding but in a way you don't expect. And that's what this CD does, it does things you think it might do, or uses an instrument you're familiar with, but does it with a twist so it comes off in a whole new way. I MEAN THIS CD HAS the BEST USE OF A SAX, like in forever in "Dancing Choose."
Oh and the words are great in the CD. It's like hmm... maybe the more Adult, or less jokester version of MGMT's Album. Not to discredit those guys, who when the hit, HIT SO GOOD and powerful, but i think this CD is just more over and all sound. But it's also like their 2nd or 3rd cd, so I guess it's not fair to compare.
U2 - No Line On the Horizon
Notable, for being great and terrible at the same time. Kind of like "Avatar," but not in the Susan Boyle Money making way. But interesting and experimental, and fearless. I had a lot of great moments this year with this CD. I even came around to like I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Which I know is not good, but dammit. I'm programmed to like these guys. And you know what, they aren't Oasis (who broke up by the way). Give it a chance, it'll surprise you, or make you puke on yourself. :-D
Really Great Songs that didn't make the BEST OF CDS of the year to listen to: MGMT's "Kids" & "Time To Pretend". Dead Weathers "I Cut Like a Buffalo". Death Cab For Cutie "Little Bribes". Doves "Jetstream" "Kingdom of Rust". Julian Casablancas "11th Dimension." (If I just put this song on a CD, it would be the most perfect Jorge's Mix.) Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" (I feel stupid putting this on the list, because it's so obvious. And although I like "Use Somebody" I've decided that it feels too much like an unfinished song, and if they had finished it, it may have sounded like warmed over U2.) Mos Def "Quiet Dog" "Life in Marvelous Times" Temper Trap "Sweet Disposition" "Fader. Our Lady Peace "Paper Moon" Rhett Miller "Like Love" Weezer "(If You're Wondering if I want you to) I Want You To." Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams" hehe. Mr. Hudson & Kanye West "Supernova" One Republic "Secrets" Grizzly Bear "Two Weeks"
Well, that's it for the year. So much good music. and so Much I forgot. So much I'll regret. And so much to Discover.
Keep Listening. Keep Dreaming. Keep Living.
