December 18, 2007
Favorite Records of 2007
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First of all, I would like to mention records released in 2006 that I slept on. The following became an important part of the soundtrack of my year and I would love to give them their due respect.
THE HEATWAVE - An England Story
It is no surprise that, these days, blog mixes offer world class music and education at an instant and for free. The Heatwave, a group of DJs from the London area, gave their great love the greatest gift imaginable: a chance to shine. This compilation chronicles England-based MCing from its Caribbean roots in the 70s and 80s to its present day evolutions. We Americans have never taken British hip-hop seriously, but this is about to change. An England Story offers music as diverse and solid, minute for minute, as anything anyone in this country has ever done. A flag has been planted in our soil and it waves proudly. Essential, essential, essential, essential! You can listen to it on their blog: http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/music/item/anenglandstory and I am happy to report that the tracks will be compiled and distributed by Soul Jazz Records in 2008.
THE KNIFE - Silent Shout
It serves me right to have missed this solely because of my disdain for Pitchfork; it would have easily made my top 5 had I even given it half a chance. Silent Shout is one of the most original records I have heard in a long time. Somehow, The Knife are able to create fresh, imaginative melodies out thin air. Seriously, it is kind of scary how good they are. This album contains major elements of electro, which I have always hated; but in reality this is another thing altogether because it has the warmth of life all over it (or should I say buried beneath its frozen tundra.) Who could ever have imagined Tom Waits grunts over such icy beats?
MOONDOG - The Viking of Sixth Avenue
It took a trip to London to learn about a man that played spent most of his time playing for free in the streets of my very own city. I have always wanted to listen to his quirky classical music jazz fusion but every time I reached out for it, something shinier flashed before my eyes. Now I am hooked for life; all it took was this hodge-podge collection of musical fragments and half ideas.
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING - Eddie Current Suppression Ring
I always hated stupid punk rock; and believe me, this is stupid punk rock. So what the fuck is going on here? Eddy Current Suppression Ring, who hail from Austrailia, released this little gem last year completely under the radar (in the States, anyways.) The lyrics seem half hearted and brash yet are smart in their context, somehow. Song topics range from ice cream, girls, to boners; all with the same sense of importance. The music incorporates punk rock that ranges from the Sex Pistols to Rocket from the Crypt in order to create demented fun.
20: BLUES CONTROL - Blues Control / Puff
Brooklyn's Blues Control has taken the hip art music scene by storm in what seems like a matter of minutes with these two recordings. Lo fi art rock would be a decent description of their work. Simple elements of classical and blues structure are apparent in their keyboard playing, which combine with drone and free improvisation. They will try it all and seem to have the record collection to back it up. Their live show is fun as the duo plays worn out cassette recordings of what seems to be live kraut rock breaks through a walkman and play along them.
19: MUS-OK - The Refuge of Shallow Souls
It is unfortunate that you probably have not heard one of the best pop albums released this year. This ex-East Coast now West Coast electronic band has decided to go all out pop on their newest release; well almost. You might be able to call this break pop if you feel like creating a catchy new musical style moniker. It incorporates elements ranging from Radiohead-ish prog atmospherics, Anticon inspired use of breaks, and pretty much the encapsulation of all of today's indie rock. The fact that they are professional musicians helps a lot in making this stew taste mighty nice. Oh, and the Jaki Liebezeit drum samples throughout it absolutely slay.
18: CIRCLE - Tyrant / Miljard / Sunburned Circle / Panic / Katapult /Tower
The Finish metal masters bombarded the states with 6, count them 6, releases this year. The quality obviously ranges, but as a whole it is an awe-inspiring package. I do not regret obtaining them all and would say that only one should be avoided: Tower, which does not rise to the challenge it set upon itself. Unfortunately, the devastating Tyrant, which stands out even in their spectacular discography, is the most limited of these and likely sold out by now. It us a live recording that expands upon the dark, murky and visceral portions of the set they slew American audiences with the last couple of years. Circle continues to prove that it is arguably the single most important rock band in the world, if not the only one.
17: PANTHA DU PRINCE - This Bliss
Techno has been dying a slow death the past few years, but every now and then a record like this reminds me of the inspiration now seemingly lost (encapsulated by The Field's From Here We Go Sublime, which with its smug attitude fails to realize it came out 6 years too late.) Mood is the most important element of this record. At times lush strings swell to create the sensation of ecstasy and at others off-beat percussion creates disorientation; though always managing to captivate.
16: WOODEN SHJIPS - Wooden Shjips / Loose Lips EP
Finely-aged drone psych rock from San Francisco that you can boogie to! It must be noted that the three EPs are the real stars of the show. The album is recommended because it comes with a CD version of the first two, which were barely ever in print. Make sure to grab the new one on Sub Pop while it lasts. All three are nearly perfect psychedelia and confirm my beliefs that most bands should release only EPs.
15: SIR RICHARD BISHOP - Polytheistic Fragments / While My Guitar Gently Bleeds
We can take comfort that, even though the Sun City Girls have passed on, the eternal adventures of that gypsy, Sir Richard Bishop continue. The blossoming guitar acustica genre might just have its new king in SRB. This time around, he goes for broke, and offers releases incorporating all of the guitar playing styles he has experimented with during the years. Polytheistic Fragments follows his Django and Ragga inclinations while WMGGB showcases more of his electric and fucked up guitar work.
14: RAMSES III - Honey Rose EP
A beautiful little soundtrack for a film released last year. Honey Rose is, for the most part, shimmering reverb laden guitar soundscapes which at times incorporate field recordings or soft vocals as movements weave in and out. From here we go sublime.
13: POLE - Steingarten
A surprisingly playful turn for Stefan Betke, who is known for his ultra minimalistic dub soundscapes. It would not be a Pole record without the inhuman attention to detail which requires several good listening sessions to appreciate. This could be considered a hip hop record though it is not as obvious as his last long player. It is an inspired, yet relaxed, affair; offering a whole world of blips, bubbly beats and plenty of in-jokes for those that pay attention.
12: STARS OF THE LID – And Their Refinement of the Decline
The title pretty much says it all. Stars of the Lid do further field analysis of the temporal nature of sound. The strings that are now incorporated into their music are a natural progression because of the theoretical similarities it shares the concepts of notes, attack, and decay. It is a match made in heaven.
11: SKULL DISCO - Soundboy Punishments
Middle Eastern tribal percussion infused dubstep from London. This compilation of their 12"s from last year features modern techno with ancient foundations that could be described as an offshoot of Roni Size's oblique drum and bass sound.
10: TIMES NEW VIKING – Present the Paisley Reich
Remember when "indie rock" was fresh and exciting? Well this album might bring back some old feelings and remind you of the days where people made music for completely for themselves, without worry of a "scene" or its conventions. Equal parts Guided By Voices and Dead C, it reminds me of that Slanted and Enchanted review that said that it was a "crust that sparkles." The kids are alright.
09: VON SUDENFED – Tromatic Reflexxions
If there is one thing we should know by now it is that nothing can keep Mark E. Smith down for too long. He has survived his most recent escapades with the Fall and has returned inspired for what seems like the 100th time. Smith teams up with one of electronic music's finest, the severely underrated Mouse On Mars, and delivers a dancehall flavoured monster. The first half of the record is an expertly crafted, deep bass, dance oriented affair complete with chopped up Smith snarls. This should not be too surprising since you can dance to a lot of The Fall's Beggars Banquet era stuff (Cruisers Creek, C.R.E.E.P., ect.) The second half returns to Mouse On Mar's recent sonic experiments. Things ends unexpectedly with one of the sweetest songs Smith has ever penned.
08: SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS – 100 Days 100 Nights
The Dap-Kings are clearly mining the vaults of Stax in order to assist the amazing Sharon Jones, unquestionably the star of this show. These days, it seems like she is carrying soul music on her shoulders. Soul aficionados will be quick to sniff out many musical moments that comprise the album; but it does no harm; not with singing like that in front of it. I am glad they are going for a more charged soul sound as I thought she was holding back a bit on her last one. Tina Turner is the most obvious influence on this one. For years, Sharon has been a well kept secret for the hip and in the know, but now that secret seems out. There is buzz following this album that, hopefully, will turn to something good for Ms. Jones; she is someone that should be shared. Humble Me sets the bar that marks whether any person from now on can be called a soul singer. Amy who? Why have a girl when I can have a woman instead?
07: CHERRY BLOSSOMS: Cherry Blossoms
Freak folk is still alive and well these days. After seeing the children purveyors of this resurgent genre move on and either reach majestic new heights: Joanna Newsom made Ys, one of the greatest albums I have ever heard; or reach new lows: Devendra Banhart seems to no longer be trying; we unearth the Cherry Blossoms, who seem like a long lost, yet perfectly preserved fossil. Roland Woodbe, the prognosticators of prognosticators, called it moonshine music and I agree. The Cherry Blossoms is light hearted and earnest; it is as true American music as we will find. Six small record labels scrounged up to put out a few copies of this record; and I, being the idiot that I am, ruin side B while transferring it to digital format. A terrible shame; (believe me I am hating myself right now) but fortunately pops and scratches will never hurt this music; this is definitive proof that life is analogue.
06: PAN SONIC - Katodivaihe
Pan Sonic somehow manage to progress from their massive 4cd experiment Kesto with this, an absolute, pure adventure in sound. They are taking it upon themselves to take on the endless possibilities of modern day electronics. Katodivaihe encapsulates the gamut of experimental music: musique concrète (Luc Ferrari), early industrial (Throbbing Gristle), idm (Autechre), and power electronics (Wolf Eyes). It encapsulates the present as middle ground between past and future; highly recommended.
05: ROBERT WYATT - Comicopera
I am always happy when I learn that Robert Wyatt has a new album coming out. It feels like a special present from one of the most wonderful characters in music. I won't get into his frequently recanted story, but I still can't take for granted the effort put into his albums. His streak of consecutive pop gems is going strong. That they are so good is more impressive when you realize master musicians rarely seem to be able to create songs that are well crafted and retain a sense of sincerity. A couple of things stand out in Comicopera: it seems that Robert has been listening to Tortoise (the kids) recently and things turn uncharacteristically dark toward the end. I will follow his voice anywhere and am happy to go down new paths.
04: PANDA BEAR – Person Pitch / WOEBOT – Go Panda! Mix
Panda Bear brought back sample-based music to the masses while still retaining the offbeat skewed-ness that you expect from him. Take Pills, a sweet love note concerning abandoning antidepressants, begins with an apropos recreation of Scott Walker’s Always Coming Back To You before dissolving into pure, chorus laden beauty with the bass line from the Tornadoes' Popeye Twist. To make things even better, Matt Ingram created a companion piece to the record with his Go Panda! Mix. Panda Bear lists his influences in the record booklet but Matt takes things further by putting together the influences he himself sees. Considering Ingram is proving to be one of the finest commentators on modern music, the results are spellbinding and go further than Panda Bear’s discography. We get calypso, ethno jazz, 80s synth pop, and late 90s IDM and everything in between. It is available here: http://www.woebot.com/2007/05/go_panda_1.html.
03: BORIS & MICHI KURIHARA - Rainbow
They really reached for the stars on this one. Boris teamed up Japanese psych master Michi Kurihara, of Ghost fame, to create heavy guitar majesty. The power of Sigur Ros is evident in the opener, while some of Boris’ earlier sustained ambient guitar creeps up in other places.
02: ALESSANDRO STEFANA- Poste E Telegrafi
Some words coming soon.
01: BILL CALLAHAN – Woke on a Whaleheart
An interesting continuation to the story of my favorite record from last year. Bill Callahan has not made such uplifting work since Knock, Knock; the album made when he was dating the other princess of American independent music. (See its cover for a visual gag.) Bill has moved on from his Smog moniker and created one of the best albums in his already praiseworthy canon. He is my favorite singer-songwriter because he is the most adventurous with his music. Each one of his records has a different set of rules; though his lyrics are always top priority. His choice of arrangements is as varied as ever, and his affair with country is more contemporary and pop oriented than his last one. (Some nods to Fleetwood Mac are even heard.) It should be noted that Neil Michael Haggerty does a terrific job producing this record with lean, mean efficiency.
01: BULLWACKIES ALLSTARS - Free For All
02: VARIOUS - Hyphy Hitz
03: DON CHERRY - Live at Cafe Montmartre, 1966
04: NOAH HOWARD - Black Ark
05: VARIOUS - Box of Dub: Dub Step and Future Dub
06: VARIOUS - Now We Are Ten: Trunk Records 10 Year Anniversary Compilation
07: CHRISTINA KUBISCH - Night Flights
08: BOBB TRIMBLE - Harvest of Dreams
09: VARIOUS - Summer Records Anthology (1974-1988)
10: CHARLES MINGUS SEXTET WITH ERIC DOLPHY - Cornell 1964
11: VARIOUS - Brasil 70
12: HENRY FLYNT - Nova' Billy
OTHER RECOMMENDED RECORDINGSBURIAL - Untrue
LUCIANO - No Model No Tool EP
JAMES BLACKSHAW - The Cloud of Unknowing
GUI BORATTO - Chromophobia
RACCOO-OOO-OON – Behold Secret Kingdom
JUSTICE - † (half of it)
SPECIAL THANKS: ENGLANDFor your hospitality, your genuine passion for music, and all your crazy ass shit:
100%dynamite / dabryeripoffelectro / skulldisco / hydeparkdaftpunk / angeloldstreet / reggae / soul / oleschoolidmvinylstillavailable / roughtrade / soundsoftheuniverse / sisterray / honestjons / random12inchdiscolabels / ect. / ect. / ect.
Most importantly, for creating the musical tone for contemporary urban life. See Bark Psychosis' Codename Dustsucker and all dubstep as examples of sound capturing the feelings artists have of living in somber post-industrial areas of London while knowing full well of the impending loom of extradition. It is not all Notting Hill.
MEAN-SPIRITED RANTS TOWARD A CERTAIN ONLINE MUSIC RAG
In regards to you going ga-ga over the National: why did you neglect Mark Eitzel and the American Music Club when they did the same thing over a decade ago? It only made him sadder, you know. Also, if you had half an interest in music you would have realized how LCD Soundsystem's All of My Friends doesn't even bother covering the fact that it is grossly misappropriating Steve Reich's Different Trains. (Gross in the sense that it sounds exactly like what it is: an above-average musician covering one of the greatest composers of the modern era) It's cool to have influences, but half-assed mimicking is no substitute for the real thing. LCD and I used to be friends, back when they did their own thing for those few EPs; now I'd rather listen to the Fall. You should too. I know they don't keep it real, like say, Arcade Fire, but they are still cool, right? Maybe I can write a song where I repeat, "The Fall is playing in my house." That would be rad. It would also be rad if it actually happened. Speaking of bad influences, I'd like my money back for that Deerhunter record. I know they are your friends; that dude is retarded looking; and you felt you had to plug them (endlessly); but come on, I don't have a trust fund to blow on bad records. I should have known better and reacted like I did when you mentioned the name Dan Deacon, or worse still, Matt & Kim. Seriously, wtf?You pal,
Fran
And now to present day:
Something interesting in the following list is the number of musicians with multiple releases. Circle takes the cake with 6(!), but what is important is that they share a nomadic kinship with some of the others, like Sir Richard Bishop, who comes in with 2 albums (not mentioning various tour CD-Rs.) It is refreshing to see musicianship as a lifestyle in this day where anyone can make a brief career for themselves by putting up a single on itunes. These people have to work harder than ever to live off their craft, but then, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
FAVORITE COMPILATIONS OR REISSUES FROM 2007
Posted by Fran at December 18, 2007 12:14 PM