The Top 15 Albums of 2009

#15. Tegan and Sara: Sainthood – Tegan and Sara’s best album is still 2007’s The Con. I doubt many people in the know would argue this point. Still, Sainthood does have its moments; like the punk rock influenced “Northshore,” or the delightfully catchy “Alligator.” I’m still not sure what “Alligator Tears” are, but I can manage without. Look, the bottom line – whether you like Tegan and Sara or not – is that Sainthood beat out a lot of great albums to make it to this list. Respect.

#14. Muse: The Resistance – Seems as if Muse peaked way back on 2003’s Absolution, because every subsequent album has been worse than the one before it. That’s not to say that The Resistance is awful; it’s just the band’s worst. Somewhere along the line the band fancied themselves a poor-man’s U2 and decided to write songs almost exclusively about conspiracy theories and government coercion. Small doses, guys. Small doses. While The Resistance does suffer much from the weight of its own bullshit, it’s still the best mainstream rock album of the year. Easily.

#13. Headlights: Wildlife – Headlight’s second album was a critical success even though I found it miles behind their debut. On their third album, Wildlife, the Champagne, Illinois trio recaptures the charm of Kill Them With Kindness while staying true to the sound that they established on Some Racing, Some Stopping. Sticking with the lo-fi, indie pop/rock mood, Wildlife is a definite improvement and shows the band maturing into their own unique sound.

#12. Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young – Even though the second half of this album drops off in quality, the first half more than makes up for it. Casablancas has always been a great vocalist and songwriter, and Phrazes for the Young is the perfect outlet for his creative talents. I totally dig the heavy-handed synth stylings of this album, as well as his ability to blend that with his staple rock sound. It’s definitely not an album for everybody, but surely every will find at least one song that they can admit to liking.

#11. Monsters of Folk: Monsters of Folk – If there is one piece of criticism that I could level on this album, it would be that there are just too many songs on it. Most of those songs, mind you, are great, but as an album, the whole thing simply falters under the weight of its own aspirations. “Dear God,” “Say Please,” and “Man Named Truth” are all instant classics in the indie world, and whether or not these guys ever get together again is irrelevant. They did it once, and it worked. For that, they deserve a bunch of credit.

#10. Clues: Clues – Clues’ debut is a strange thing. Some songs, like “Remember Severed Head” or “Ledmonton” are instantly catchy, and accessible. And then there are other songs that seem to be purposefully difficult (“In the Dream”). It’s not the easiest thing to sit down and listen to, but I’m glad I did; because after I got over the weirdness and difficulty of songs like “Perfect Fit” I discovered that Clues is actually one hell of an album, especially for a debut! No, I’m still not sure why “Remember Severed Head’s” lyrics are recycled on “Cave Mouth,” but I also don’t care. Both songs are awesome! Just like the album, itself.

#9. Passion Pit: Manners – Passion Pit’s debut LP is a hit or miss affair, for sure. One good song, one bad, two good, one bad, etc…The great thing about Manners is that the good songs completely negate the few that are a little rough around the edges. By this point, I’ve already named “Little Secrets” as my favorite song of 2009, but there are other great tracks on here as well. “Let Your Love Grow Tall,” “Eyes as Candles,” and “The Reeling” stand out as some flat out amazing tunes. If it weren’t for the few duds, this would easily be a Top fiver.

#8. The Bird and the Bee: Ray Guns are Not Just the Future – B&B’s debut wasn’t all my friends made it out to be. With that in mind, I reluctantly checked out Ray Guns and was surprised by how awesome it is. I seriously jammed out to “Love Letter to Japan” for weeks before I decided to move on to something else. I’m a dude, people. That’s something! Beyond that though, Ray Guns is stacked full of great tunes that don’t get old, and other songs that reveal their greatness over time. If you haven’t checked this one out yet, do yourself a favor and snag a copy. You won’t regret it!

#7. Discovery: LP – LP sure has its flaws. But as difficult as it can be, it’s also incredibly rewarding. It’s a quaint little record filled to the brim with relentlessly catchy songs. The only one that really doesn’t do a thing for me is “Carby,” but hey, it’s not really all that difficult to hit the skip button is it? This one got ripped pretty hard by the critics, and I can see their collective point despite my obvious affection for it. It’s a download first, buy later, for sure. Just be sure to give it a fair shot. You may be surprised.

#6. St. Vincent: Actor – Is there any denying that Annie Clark is one of music’s most-talented females? Besides the fact that she’s making some of the most inventive and awesome songs out there, she’s also doing so with a grace and style that is completely unique to her. While I still feel that her debut has more staying power than Actor, her 2009 follow-up still packs one hell of a punch. I’ve been re-listening to it for the past week now and, whoah, it’s just fantastic! St. Vincent is officially my favorite female artist at the moment, and Actor is officially the best female album of 2009!

#5. The Flaming Lips: Embryonic – When Embryonic came out, it quickly made it to the top (#1) spot on my Most Disappointing Albums list. How it made its way up to the #5 album of the year is a long, strange tale. Well, not really. Essentially it boils down to this: I kept listening to it. My first 2 times through I was completely dumfounded and upset that it didn’t sound like any of their last 3 records. I was pissed, to be honest. As I kept listening, however, I eventually set aside my preconceived ideas about what a Flaming Lips album should sound like. It was only then that Embryonic revealed itself as an amazingly complex and meaningful album. Wayne Coyne has seemingly let the darkness creep over him, and it shows in both his lyrics and the musical compositions that surround them. I can understand why people would be turned off by this album, really. But I’m glad I decided to tough it out and figure it out. It truly is one of the year’s best.

#4. Wallpaper: Doodoo Face – I got my hands on Wallpaper’s T-Rex EP in the summer of 2008. I was still listening to it in the summer of 2009, right around the time I found out that Ricky Reed was releasing a full-length album. I was pumped. I spread the word – the Gospel of Wallpaper , if you will – to all my friends, and played for them the songs I had. By the time Doodoo Face came out, I was set up for disappointment. But Wallpaper didn’t disappoint; in fact, they exceeded my expectations! I was expecting another synth-heavy, collection of short ‘n sweet pop songs. I got the heavy synths alright, but the saxophones, trumpets, female vocals, and funk influences came as a complete surprise. Doodoo Face sounds like a silly album, and at times it can be. But it’s also one of the most impressive debuts of recent-memory, and something that I’ll be listening to until the next LP drops!

#3. Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca – Most albums that I listen to take time for me to get into. This is true for pretty much every album on this list, with the exception of a few. One of those exceptions is Bitte Orca. This album was my first run-in with Dirty Projectors after reading about the band for some time. I was instantly captivated by all the things going on at any given moment. Even now, I’m still amazed by some of the harmonies and guitar riffs that seem too complex to be written, but too perfect to be improvised. It is a very impressive album, and probably the one I’ve listed to with the most consistency since its release. Is it one of the best of 2009? Easily. It can also be considered for one of the best of the decade!

#2. The Decemberists: The Hazards of Love – Forget the mixed reviews and the haters! The Hazards of Love is a beautiful and affecting piece of art. If there’s any knock against it, it’s that it can’t really be listened to one song at a time. It’s something that must be digested as a whole. That’s important, because in an era when much of the music industry seems to be about the single, Colin Meloy & Co. have created the exact opposite! When it is experienced as it is meant to be, you’d be hard-pressed to find an album more poetic, more astounding, or more poignant in 2009!

#1. Loney, Dear:  Dear John – In 2007, Loney, Dear’s Emil released his U.S. debut, Loney, Noir to much acclaim. It was this blog’s #4 album of that year, and I was still listening to it when Dear John released early this year. Dear John is one hell of an album! Every song helps to create an atmosphere of doubt, regret, and depression that is both haunting and refreshing. Even the album’s more upbeat tracks are tinged with the sentiments that make the rest of the album so dark. Hopefulness, an idea that was prevalent on his last record, has largely been dismissed on Dear John, and while I’m normally a guy who is into pop music (see the rest of this list), there is something about Emil’s music that speaks to me as an individual.

Dear John is more than just the best album of 2009, it is one of the best male solo albums of the last decade; easily comparable up against Sufjan Sevens’ or Conor Oberst’s best work. Loney, Dear doesn’t get the same kind of press coverage as those two dudes, and it’s a shame, because when it comes to writing powerful, deep, meaningful songs, he blows Sufjan out of the water and gives Oberst a run for his money. Without question, Dear John is the #1 album of 2009. It is a perfect record, and one that I will never take for granted.

Best of 2009: Top 5 Male Albums

While 2009 was a rather subpar year for female solo artists, in my opinion at least, things were a little better on the dude side of things. This years saw great releases from a wide array of male artists, the Top 5 are below.

#5. Del the Funky Homosapien: Funk Man (The Stimulus Package) – Back towards the beginning of the year, D.E.L. released an album via his webpage for the fair price of…nothing. I’ll be real. I expected it to blow. I mean, Del hasn’t really been a reliable source for good music for the last decade; so excuse me for the skepticism when he drops one for free. Surprisingly, however, Funk Man is probably Del’s best album since Both Sides of Da Brain. There’s still some moments on there where you just have to question what the guy’s thinking, but for the most part, the craziness is an acceptable attribute.

#4. Allen Toussaint: The Bright Mississippi – Legendary jazz musician, eh? Well, forgive me but I’m just not that familiar with the genre. I am well-versed in the art of great music, however, and Toussaint has created a brilliant collection of it with The Bright Mississippi. The guy’s over 70 years old at this point and he just won over a 25 year old. That’s rather impressive.

#3. Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young – Initially, I had Patrick Wolf’s The Bachelor in the bottom spot on this list. However, once I got a chance to listen to The Strokes’ singer’s debut as a solo artist, it was clear to me that Casablancas was more deserving of a spot here. While his electronic compositions can get grating from time to time, I have to give the dude credit for doing something that, to me, comes as a complete surprise. It’s a fun listen, and one of the year’s better debuts.

#2. Wallpaper.: Doodoo Face – Gasp! Wallpaper. appears on an Audio Overflow list but isn’t at number one? Crazy right? Well hey, if you really want to hear about my thoughts on Wallpaper’s bitchin’ debut, you can read about that here, here, here, and here. For now, I’ll just acknowledge that someone did it better in ’09 and then get on to talking about that guy.

#1. Loney, Dear: Dear John – That guy is Emil Svanangen, the dude behind Loney, Dear. Emil totally deserves this award because he created what is arguably the most impressive male solo album of the decade. Dear John has it all. It’s got absolutely brilliant compositions layered with guitars, high-pitched vocals, and synths; upbeat songs and complete tearjerkers; and touching lyrics that also happen to be some of the most-honest of recent memory. Let’s be real here. All of Emil’s albums are fantastic. But Dear John outdoes them all. When I reviewed it at the beginning of 2009 I referred to it as his Magnum Opus. I swear, if he’s able to top this one I’ll have no choice but to kneel in his presence. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), that’s probably not possible.

The Top 31 Songs of 2009

Why delay things with a long and drawn-out introduction that you probably won’t read anyway?  Readers, it’s been a long year here at the ol’ A/O, and I’m glad it’s coming to an end.  Let’s celebrate 2009 with a look back at the 31 songs that made it unique!

#31. “Get it Right Now” – Del the Funky Homosapien – Saying this is Del’s best song in years isn’t a difficult thing to do. Pretty much everything he’s done since Both Sides of da ‘Brain has been pretty poor. With that said, “Get It Right Now” is an awesome track, and one that was going strong on my iPod for months. It just may be the best rap track of 2009.

#30. “The Ruminant Band” – Fruit Bats – The title track to the new Fruit Bats album is a charming song, both lyrically and musically. It towers above the rest of the album and was its only song that I have listened to for more than a week.

#29. “I Belong to You” – Muse – Muse’s most-recent record is a big ol’ pile of hit or miss despite the fact that some of the band’s best songs are contained on it. “I Belong to You” happens to be one of those tracks. It’s got a danceable, “Supermassive” feel to it, plus a little bit of orchestration a-la “Butterflies & Hurricanes.” And it’s perfect. So there’s that.

#28. “Black & Blue” – Miike Snow – The catchiest song on Miike Snow’s self-titled album is also its greatest asset. The rest of the album? Meh, it can be good sometimes.

#27. “Daylight” – Matt & Kim – It’s relentless in its awesomeness, despite Matt’s sometimes grating voice. Once the drums kick in, I can’t help but break out in a slightly-embarassing groove.

#26. “El Caporal” – My Morning Jacket – The only song on Dark was the Night”s second disc that is any good, “El Caporal” is actually reeeeaaaally good, which is nice in a year without a proper MMJ record.

#25. “Swing Tree” – Discovery – In my time with this great album, there have been multiple songs that have slid in and out of my “favorite song on the album” spot. “Swing Tree” currently resides there, where it has for the last month.

#24. “Give It Up” – Datarock – I first listened to Datarock’s Red about 3 months ago. I stopped listening to it about 3 months ago as well. However, about a week ago, this song started playing on my iPod. I’ve been hooked ever since. Is a week enough time to determine whether a song deserves a spot on this list? That’s debatable. What isn’t is the greatness of “Give it Up.” It rocks.

#23. “Little Bribes” – Death Cab for Cutie – I usually stay away from EPs, opting instead for a full LP for my musical enjoyment. But “Little Bribes” is a great song, and The Open Door EP is pretty good too.

#22. “I’m On a Boat” – The Lonely Island f/ T-Pain – For as goofy and bizarre as this song is, it’s also pretty damn catchy. It’s been stuck in my head multiple times in 2009, and chances are it’ll still be getting some plays in 2010. Not bad for a bit of musical comedy.

#21. “Ray Gun” – The Bird & the Bee – The Bird & the Bee’s latest is filled with some outstanding pop gems, “Ray Gun” just happens to be the best on here. If you have yet to listen to it, you owe to yourself. Trust me. I’m Cale.

#20. “Waters of March” – Anya Marina – This is the second-best cover song of 2009. The first? Keep reading.

#19. “Young Adult Friction” – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Young Adult Friction” has the uncanny ability to sound like both an early 90s indie rock song and a song off of an 80s John Hughes movie. How that works is anyone’s guess, but it does, and it’s a beautiful song.

#18. “Remember Severed Head” – Clues – This song almost sounds like a Unicorns song. Almost. Sometimes almost is good enough.

#17. “Take On Me” – A.C. Newman – I was in love with A-Ha’s “Take On Me” long before Newman decided to cover it for the Sweetheart Compilation this year. It’s one of the best pop songs of all time, in my opinion. What he does to it here is slow it down and make it a bit more somber, which suits the lyrics perfectly. It’s a new spin on an old classic. I love it!

#16. “11th Dimension” – Julian Casablancas – Under the Radar magazine called this song “the best 80s jam of 2009,” which I totally agree with. Casablancas’ synth-heavy grooves can get repetitive if you focus too much on that aspect of it. I choose to focus on the coolness of it all, and “11th Dimension” is the coolest track on the album.

#15. “1901” – Phoenix – It’s a minor travesty that I did not include this song in my first draft of this list. Problem solved. This album isn’t just good, it’s fantastic. It’s the Mercedes of indie rock songs, which may or may not be a subtle reference to its use in a car commercial. Okay, it is.

#14. “Actor Out of Work” – St. Vincent – My first time through Actor, I was all but convinced that “Marrow” would be my favorite track from the album. Rip a couple months off the calendar and it’s actually “Actor Out of Work” that receives that honor. It could be the lyrics, which are a cut above, though it’s probably due to the absolutely genius music video.

#13. “The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing” – The Decemberists – Shara Worden’s work on The Decemberist’s Hazards of Love is a priceless contribution to the music world. Case in point: this brilliant song from the album that not only captures the essence of her talent, but the awesome energy and storytelling that made the album such a true work of art.

#12. “Sleepyhead” – Passion Pit – 2009 may be the year of the commercials featuring indie-music, as I just saw a Palm Pixi commercial featuring Passion Pit’s most-popular song. Personally, I don’t think it fits in the ad at all, but I still love the energy of this song.

#11. “Stillness is the Move” – Dirty Projectors – Having 3 songs from one artist in this list is in achievement in and of itself. The fact that Dirty Projectors’ first appearance here is at #11 should tell you a lot about the kind of year they had. “Stillness is the Move” is a perfect example of what made Bitte Orca such a great album: bizarre compositions and vocals mixed with pop sensibilities.

#10. “French Navy” – Camera Obscura – I’ve been singing along to this song in my vehicle for weeks now, and I’m pretty sure I look pretty ridiculous doing it. The joy captured in this song makes the embarrassment worth it, though. So if you ever see a tall ginger kid freaking out in his white Ford F-150, chances are that’s me listening to this song.

#9. “I Got Soul, I’m So Wasted” – Wallpaper. – The genius of this song will be expounded upon in future articles. For now, just listen and enjoy everything that it has to offer.

#8. “Harm/Slow” – Loney, Dear – The imagery of solitude and loneliness in this song is absolutely heartbreaking. It’s one of the most depressing songs I’ve heard in a while. Clearly, it’s also one of the best. Sometimes there is beauty in darkness.

#7. “Gimme Sympathy” – Metric – There was a time that I thought this song would end up in the #1 spot on this list. It is a perfect pop/rock song and easily one of Metric’s greatest tracks. How it slipped to #7 is anyone’s guess, but still…7 ain’t bad.

#6. “Temecula Sunrise” – Dirty Projectors – Song #2 from Bitte Orca is the album’s most-impressive track. I love singing along to songs when I’m by myself. It gives me something to do. Learning the melodies to this one was tough, but worth it. I listen to it at least a few times a week, and have been doing so for most of the year.

#5. “I Ain’t Most Dudes” – Wallpaper. – Coming up with what Wallpaper. songs would be on this list was difficult. It was even more strenuous figuring out which one would be ranked highest. In the end, “I Ain’t Most Dudes” is my favorite song from Doodoo Face because it is the most timeless of them all, and has one of the most infectious melodies of recent memory.

#4. “Everything Turns to You” – Loney, Dear – On a perfect album like Dear John, narrowing down a top song is usually a chore. Not for this one though. For as great as every song on that album is, “Everything Turns to You” is still a shoe-in for its greatest track.

#3. “Knotty Pine” – Dirty Projectors f/ David Byrne – And the award for “Song that’s been stuck in my head for pretty much all of 2009” goes to…

#2. “The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)” – The Decemberists – Some may knock the closing track to The Decemberist’s masterpiece as a sort of Titanic-esque ending, but it is one of 2009’s most beautiful and poignant songs when taken in the context of the remainder of the story. Any song that brings me close to tears has to be something worth remembering.

#1. “Little Secrets” – Passion Pit – No song has brought me more joy in 2009 than Passion Pit’s “Little Secrets,” the second track on their debut LP. Sure, it may be about doing drugs or whatever, but every time those kids sing “higher and higher” I can’t help but have the biggest smile on my face. This song is great, in almost every aspect and if someone came up to me with a Men In Black mind eraser thing and said, “Hey, I’m going to erase all of 2009’s music from your head, except for one song. What song would you like to keep?,” I wouldn’t hesitate in my response. It’d be this one. Not the live version, mind you. The real thing. The live version sucks, mainly because…well…dude can’t sing.

You can listen to this playlist on Last.fm right now.  Well…most of it.

Top 5 Artist I Have to See Live Before I Die (Revisited)

Over two years ago, I wrote a list on this blog titled, The Top 5 Artists I Absolutely Have to See Live Before I Die.  It’s quite a mouthful of a title, and the bands on the list were no less epic.  Since I wrote that article, I’ve seen 4 of the 5 bands mentioned (The Decemberists, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, and Muse), leaving only Cursive on the “yet to be seen” list.  With that in mind, I’ve done some brainstorming today to come up with a new top 5 list for your reading pleasure.  Do you agree or disagree?  Have you seen any of these bands?  Who’s on your list?  That’s what the comments section is for, folks.  Hit me up and let me know.

#5.  Wallpaper. – So by this point I best everybody who’s reading this is tired of me hyping up Wallpaper. to no end.  Sorry.  I’m a fan.  So much of a fan that when they came to Austin (a 3-hour trip) a few weeks ago I beat myself up about it because I had to work at 6am the following morning.  I know part of being a music fan is suffering for your love of the art, but I’m an adult and I can’t get away with that stuff anymore (I sound like my dad). Word on the street is that these guys put on one hell of a show, and that’s one show I defintiely don’t want to miss out on the next time they come to Texas!

#4.  Loney, Dear – Same story, just a different time.  The last time Emil and Loney, Dear came to Houston (I believe) it was also their first.  Let’s hope its not their last too because I once again had to work the next morning at some ungodly hour.  I wasn’t too upset about it at the time, but I just read a review of their show in California a few weeks ago and it sounds like I missed out on an experience that I’ll ne’er forget.  Too bad.  Next time though, things are gonna be different, I swear.  If that last line didn’t read like a bad 80s ballad I don’t know what does.

#3.  Animal Collective – I’m letting the cat out of the bag here.  You weren’t supposed to find this out unitl December, but I think that Merriweather Post Pavilion is a terrible album, Animal Collective’s worst.  This is the kind of surprise you get when I take a year-off from full-time blogging.  Exciting huh?  Yeah, well despite my thoughts on the band’s most recent record, I would still love to hear it (or any of their albums, for that matter) performed in a live setting.  I imagine it being completely mind-blowing!  Unfortunately, I live in Houston…so if I’m going to see them live, I’m probably going to have to drive elsewhere to accomplish that.  Should be worth it though…

#2.  Bjork – Bjork is someone who is so good that I can’t believe I left her off of my list the first time I wrote it, especially considering that I was way more into her then than I am now.  All wrongs have been righted, however, because here she is in her rightful position of #2 on this list.  So why Bjork?  Why not?!  Besides being one of the most talented female vocalists alive today, she is absolutely batshit crazy.  Seriously, have you seen pictures of a Bjork concert?  It’s like a classier version of a Flaming Lips show.  And the Flaming Lips live were amaaaaaaaazing!

#1.  Muse….again – Talk about an anti-climactic list, right? I apologize for that, but when I’m really honest with myself, Muse seriously needs to be at the top of this list.  I just saw them open up for U2 a week ago, but it feels like I never saw them at all.  Being that far away from the band in the nosebleeds made me feel more like I was listening to a really loud version of a live CD, not like I was at a show.  Hell, I was seated the whole time!  That’s no way to see Muse!  If you’re going to see Muse, they’re going to have to be the headliners playing an hour and a half set, and you’re going to have to be in a sea of people jockeying for position at the front of the stage.  No arguments!  So for as great as Muse played the other night, I need to see them again to really take them off this list.

Loney, Dear: Dear John

Emil Svanängen’s worldwide debut as Loney, Dear (2007’s Loney, Noir) was one of the most delightful things to come out of Sweden in some time.  On that remarkable album, Emil introduced himself as a sort of insecure, soft-spoken artist who just couldn’t help but write some of the most endearing love songs of the past decade.  To sum up the album with one word, it was “hopeful.”  Loney, Dear’s newest release, Dear John, retains all of the artist’s lovable characteristics, but turns to a darker side of music and love.  Emil has taken his mild feelings of inadequacies and fleshed them out into a bleak, complex album that finds the artist shelving much of his genius pop songwriting in favor of a more minimalist, sullen atmosphere.

One would probably not guess this from the first track on the album.  “Airport Surroundings” introduces a lot of synths and electronic drums, which were apparent on Loney, Noir, but not nearly as prominent as they are on John.  Beyond the upbeat track, however, are some incredibly gloomy lyrics.  Emil sounds as if he’s on the precipice of a deep depression, battling with himself as to whether he will give into that hopelessness.  He sings, “I took the fastest way down when I surrendered this time.  I wasn’t feeling no good.  I took the easy way out,” while adding that “You were all that I wanted.”  Hearing Svanängen pine for love is nothing new, but to see it wrapped up in such despair is quite the departure.

Much of Dear John seems to paint Emil as a person who is aware that he is in or near a state of depression, and oftentimes he speaks of “change;” the desire to change into a better version of himself.  On “Everything Turns to You,” one of the album’s most striking songs, he sings of trying to change only to confess that, “all the times I make it worse with all the devils in my head.”  “Change” is a reappearing theme on the album, like on “Harsh Words” where he pleads, “Tell me I’m good enough, that I could change” or later on the fantastic “Distant Lights.”  It’s clear that Emil is a man at war with himself, and at the very least it makes for a more complex listen.  

Where Loney, Noir saw the artist compiling layers and layers of synths, vocals, and guitars to make large, beautiful sounds, Dear John finds Svanängen taking a more minimalist approach on occasion.  “I Got Lost” is the first time that we get to hear Emil in this way.  With only faint guitars and distant strings to accompany his vocals, the audience is allowed to hear the frailty in his voice when he asks, “Where’s my lord to look for me now?”  Later, on “Harm/Slow,” one of Dear John‘s most impressive tracks, Emil sings against a backdrop of looming danger.  The track, as the title suggests is actually two songs in one.  “Harm” seems to be about the artist overcoming his fear of danger, of death, while “Slow” seems to show the artist’s depression taking over him, to the point where he ends his life.  He sings, “That’s how I fell from top of twelve stories to the ground.  For the reasons I had.  The ones I know, the ones I don’t.  For all I forgot, that is all I could do, that is how I want you.”  Is this a suicide reference?  It’s definitely up for discussion, but the song’s abrupt conclusion would seem to allude to an equally abrupt death.

Fortunately for fans of Loney, Dear’s past work, there is plenty on this album that is more in line with what you would expect.  “I Was Only Going Out” is classic Loney, Dear, sounding somewhat reminiscent of “The Meter Marks OK,” and “Summers” is appropriately titled, as it’s a very summery track.  Emil does a great job of spacing these songs out on the album so as not to make it feel so lop-sided.  “Under a Silent Sea” is easily the album’s standout track in that it combines the minimalist tendencies of Dear John with the multi-layered ways of Loney, Dear’s past albums.  The difference is that the layers on the song are comprised of thick synths, and electronic drums.  By the end of the song you’re more likely to think you’re listening to a dance album than Loney, Dear.  At over 5 1/2 minutes, it’s also the longest track on Dear John, but every second of the song is enchanting and I’ve listened to it at least a dozen times in the past few weeks.

Musically, emotionally, and lyrically, Dear John is all over the place.  Through it all, however, it is Emil Svanängen’s endearing personality that ties everything together and makes the album feel like a coherent piece of art.  He is so honest in his work that you feel as if you know him personally, that you experience all the ups and downs of his life right beside him.  Few artists are as open as Svanängen, and as a result, it’s not often that an album of this caliber comes around.  There have been rumblings in recent months of putting Loney, Dear to rest, and if that turns out to be the case, there can be no denying that Dear John is the artist’s magnum opus.  It is an album, so beautiful, so heartbreaking, touching, and real that it begs to be listened to over and over again.  

Key Tracks:

1. “Airport Surroundings”

2. “Everything Turns to You”

3. “Under a Silent Sea”

4. “Distant Lights”

5. “Harm/Slow”

10 out of 10 Stars

(Yes, really)

Weekend Recommendations (4/26/08)

Cale’s Recommendations

Loney, Dear: Loney, Noir
Buy from Amazon
Loney, Dear’s 2007 North American debut is just as innocently affecting today as it was back then. These songs are timeless works of art, filled with his self-doubt, desperate longings, and honest confessions. I know that a lot of people never really got around to listening to this one, so I’m reminding you and encouraging you to seriously check it out. I still listen to it on a regular basis, after more than a year of solid play. For realsies.

The Cyanide Valentine: The Three Sides of the Cyanide Valentine
Download for Free!

Cursive: Happy Hollow
Buy from Amazon

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Erin’s Recommedations

Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Buy from Amazon
A strange album choice for a female, I know, but really, it’s pretty interesting. It falls under the genre of “progressive metal”. While not too familiar with the genre, I can tell you that Dream Theater sounds a lot like a mix of Rush and Journey, to me. The vocals are very similar to that of Steve Perry, so if you’re not a fan, I’m not sure how you’d feel about Dream Theater’s vocals. While this is certainly not my favorite album or band, I think they are immensely talented at each one of their crafts. The musicianship is some of the best ever and definitely worth the time it takes to listen to!

Alanis Morisette: Jagged Little Pill
Buy from Amazon

Frank Sinatra: Classic Sinatra: His Greatest Performances (1953-1960)
Buy from Amazon

Sorry for the poor formatting. This is just one of those days where Blogger is not a fun thing to work with.

The Top 31 of 2007 – #3

Cale’s Pick

St. Vincent: Marry Me

Released: July 10, 2007

You always remember the first time you hear a new artist. For Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, I was sitting at my computer with a freshly downloaded copy of Marry Me and I thought, “Oh great. Chick music!” And I brushed it aside. But as is often the case with albums that I brush aside, I come back to them and love them. I don’t know why I decided to give St. Vincent another listen, but I am thankful that I did. Annie Clark is a truly talented musician, teetering on the brink of genius. Marry Me which is a collection of songs that she’s been working on for years, is an absolutely perfect solo debut! Quirky pop songs, sweeping ballads, and inventive sing-alongs fill every last second of this album. It’s the all-too-common “first album” that people spend their lives writing. Now that Annie Clark has proven herself as one of music’s most notable female musicians, she has the ever-daunting task of making a second album that equals or betters her first. Most artists only dream of achieving such a daunting goal, and only a few ever achieve it. For the time being though, Marry Me will continue to keep me company for months, and probably years, to come. At the time of my review for the album, I hailed it as one of the best female debuts of the last decade. Today, I stand by that statement wholeheartedly. Marry Me is a brilliant piece of music, and one that I will have a hard time forgetting.

For using an Arrested Development reference as the title of her album, St. Vincent is the proud recipient of my #3 spot.

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 – #3

“No One Can Win” by Loney, Dear, from the album, Loney, Noir.

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Jill’s Pick

Jay-Z: American Gangster

Released: November 6, 2007

I’ve heard it called a “hip-hop concept album”, where Jay-Z can exist as character inside another world. But is it really a concept album? When I looked it up, concept album means “an album whose recording are unified by some theme, whether lyrical or instrumental or narrative or compositional.” Aren’t all of his previous albums concept albums?

I say forget the “hip-hop concept album” question and focus on the fact that it’s really, in my opinion, almost as good as “The Blueprint”.

It is this mix of Rap, Hip-Hop, Gospel, Retro-Soul, and Soul Funk with genius lyrics, and about the 4th listen I started to wonder when Jay-Z started channelling Biggie. “Hustle hard in any hustle you pick” (“No Hook”) is my new motto.

The best track: “Pray”

My favorite tracks:

–“Pray”

–“No Hook”

–“Roc Boys (The Winner Is)” (I wish there were more beats like this.)

–“American Dreamin’ ”

–“Say Hello “

The Top 31 of 2007 – #4

Cale’s Pick

Loney, Dear: Loney, Noir

Released: February 6, 2007

If there was ever an album that caught me entirely by surprise this year, it was Loney, Noir. Yet another one of those crazy Swedes who assault us with brilliant music, Emil Svanängen, or “Loney, Dear,” has created an album that is endlessly endearing. I have no recollection of how I first came to hear about Loney, Dear, or what drove me to download his debut album here in the states. But I did, and I was immediately blown away by what I heard. Emil’s voice is peculiar. At times it can sound confident, yet frail. His lyrics lead you to believe that the overriding characteristic is frailty. The album is unquestionably honest as well, filled with his self-doubt, feelings of insecurity, and declarations of love. You get the feeling that you’re reading his diary, or that he’s telling you his secrets through his music. How could you not fall in love with that? Quite simply, I couldn’t help but do so. I still slip in this album every now and then when I’m driving to work at 5:30am or on a long road trip and I realize that it has not worn on me at all. If anything, it’s gotten better. It has been passed over by a lot of folks this year, and for that I’d like to plead with you to give Loney, Noir a shot. It is one of the most beautiful albums to release in 2007, and one I’ll continue to listen to and enjoy for years.

For being Swedish, yet really really cool, Loney, Dear makes it to #4 on my list.

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 – #4

“In Our Bedroom After the War” by Stars, from the album, In Our Bedroom After the War.

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Jill’s Pick

Tegan and Sara: The Con

Released: July 24, 2007

Up until now, I’d only liked parts of Tegan and Sara albums. In fact, “I Know, I Know, I Know” is in my top 10 list of my favorite songs of all times. Don’t even get me started on the simple brilliance that is “My Number”. But this is the first time I’ve listened to one of their albums and just liked it more and more the further into I got. They remind me of how Ani diFranco albums are, all so different from album to album, unafraid to try something…new. I spend so much time with this album in my ears I find something new to admire with every listen.

I’m just going to leave it with this: “Soil, Soil” makes me so happy I can’t express it. It’s me. I love when lyrics do that.

The best track: “Soil, Soil”

My favorite tracks:

–“The Con”

–“Soil, Soil”

–“Burn Your Life Down”

–“Back in Your Head”

–“Nineteen”

–“Like O, Like H”

Winners of the 4th Annual Cale Awards.

Well folks, after a month of polling, campaigning, and annoying you with updates you don’t care about, the 4th Annual Cale Awards have finally finished. Below you’ll find the winners according to the general readership of Audio Overflow, as well as my own personal pick for each category. Thanks to all of you who participated! Have a Merry Christmas!

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Britney Spears: Blackout
2nd – Boddicker: Big Lionhearted and the Gallant Man
3rd – Interpol: Our Love to Admire

Cale’s Pick:
Boddicker: Big Lionhearted and the Gallant Man – Because I’ve been trying to think of worse albums for the last 10 months and I’m still coming up empty. It’s the single worst thing I’ve ever heard!

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Britney Spears – “Toy Soldier”
2nd – Boddicker – “Bon Vivant”
3rd – Maroon 5 – “Kiwi”

Cale’s Pick:
Boddicker – “Bon Vivant” – Because I’ve been trying to think of worse songs for the last 10 months and I’m still coming up empty. It’s the single worst thing I’ve ever heard!

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Readers’ Pick
1st – Rilo Kiley: Under the Blacklight
2nd – Feist: The Reminder
3rd – Air: Pocket Symphony

Cale’s Pick:
Rilo Kiley: Under the Blacklight – I waited 3 years for a new Rilo Kiley album and what I got was a mediocre attempt at trying to sound like Fleetwood Mac. Personally, I’d aim a little higher.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Caribou: Andorra
2nd – LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
3rd – ContraNova: Infinity in all Directions

Cale’s Pick:

ContraNova: Infinity in all Directions – I went in expecting the worst, and came out with one of the most memorable and lasting musical experiences of the year.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
2nd – The Flaming Lips: At War With the Mystics
3rd – The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes

Cale’s Pick:
The Decemberists: The Crane Wife – It wasn’t my album of the year in 2006, but I’ve been surprised to find that it is just as good today as it was way back then. Perhaps better.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – The Flaming Lips
2nd – Of Montreal
3rd – The New Pornographers

Cale’s Pick:
The Flaming Lips – What can I said that I haven’t already ranted about? The Lips are the best live act I’ve ever seen in my life, and when I saw them a few months back I was spinning for days. Pure 100% awesomeness.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Spoon – “The Underdog”
2nd – Bjork – “The Dull Flame of Desire”
3rd – Okkervil River – “A Girl in Port”

Cale’s Pick:
Architecture in Helsinki – “Hold Music” – The brass in this song is strong and biting. Playing at triple forte to enhance an already out of control song has never sounded so good!

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Explosions in the Sky: All of a Sudden I miss Everyone
2nd – Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
3rd – Radiohead: In Rainbows

Cale’s Pick:
Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam– It’s such a strangely satisfying album. One that makes absolutely no sense, and yet it makes even less sense to deny the genius of it. It is, quite simply, amazing.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Band of Horses: Cease to Begin
2nd – Dillinger Escape Plan: Ire Works
3rd – Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist

Cale’s Pick:
Dillinger Escape Plan: Ire Works– Band of Horses? Seriously? It’s a great album, but Dillinger Escape Plan would eat them alive, regurgitate them, and then sacrifice the regurgitation to Vulcanus! That’s what this category was really all about.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Kanye West: Graduation
2nd – El-P: I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
3rd – K-Os: Atlantis: Hymns for Disco

Cale’s Pick:
Absaining – I didn’t really hear any hip hop this year that I enjoyed. K-Os was good at times, but not his best, so I can’t credit him for that.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Caribou: Andorra
2nd – Justice: †
3rd – LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver

Cale’s Pick:
Justice: † – While all of the top three are great albums, I have to say that I enjoyed Justice’s log-awaited debut the most. Big ups to Caribou too though, that album is stunning.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Okkervil River: The Stage Names
2nd – Iron & Wine: The Shepherd’s Dog
3rd – Loney, Dear: Loney, Noir

Cale’s Pick:
Loney, Dear: Loney, Noir – It’s folk from Sweden, poppy folk, singer-songwriter folk. Hell, it’s just good.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Stars: In Our Bedroom After the War
2nd – Apples in Stereo: New Magnetic Wonder
3rd – Beirut: The Flying Club Cup

Cale’s Pick:
Field Music: Tones of Town – It’s brilliantly composed and executed, and one of the most relentlessly enjoyable albums of 2007! Not bad for a pop album.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2nd – Tegan and Sara: The Con
3rd – The New Pornographers: Challengers

Cale’s Pick:
Band of Horses: Cease to Begin – I missed out on their debut, but I was fortunate enough to hear this one. It is without a doubt one of the best albums of 2007, and sure to please most everybody.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Radiohead: In Rainbows
2nd – Apples in Stereo: New Magnetic Wonder
3rd – Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist

Cale’s Pick:
Radiohead: In Rainbows – Probably the only award that Radiohead actually deserves this year. The hipsters are out in full force, proclaiming In Rainbows to be the second coming of Christ, but it’s not. It is an awesome album though, and a long time coming for Radiohead.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
2nd – Bright Eyes: Cassadaga
3rd – Stars: In Our Bedroom, After the War

Cale’s Pick:
Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? – It may not have been Of Montreal’s most artistic cover to date, but everything from how the album is opened, to the insert, to the clear, glossy sleeve it comes packaged in is beautiful.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – St. Vincent
2nd – Feist
3rd – M.I.A.

Cale’s Pick:
St. Vincent – This really isn’t even a contest. Annie Clark not only put out the best female album of the year, but one of the best…period. She is 2007’s Shara Worden.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Iron & Wine
2nd – LCD Soundsystem
3rd – Loney, Dear

Cale’s Pick:
Loney, Dear – His debut album here in the states was absolutely breathtaking from start to finish and he’s got one of the most unique styles in music today. That’s why I love it!

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – St. Vincent
2nd – The Twilight Sad
3rd – Dan Deacon

Cale’s Pick:
St. Vincent – She put out an album that most established artists only dream about; a perfect album with clever lyrics and beautiful performances on both vocals and intruments. Annie Clark blew away the competition, and ended up winning this category with over 70% of the votes tallied: the most lopsided category of the year! That’s how good she is.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Feist – “1,2,3,4”

2nd – Band of Horses – “Is There A Ghost”
3rd – Architecture in Helsinki – “Heart it Races”

Cale’s Pick:
Feist – “1,2,3,4” – Feist should be writing a letter right now to whoever directed this video. It should read, “Dear director, thank you for making my career. I love you.”

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Radiohead

2nd – The Besnard Lakes
3rd – Of Montreal

Cale’s Pick:
Band of Horses – 2007 is the year that first heard and fell in love with Band of Horses. They may not have had the best album of the 2007, but their music will stick with me for years and years to come.

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – The New Pornographers – “Challengers”
2nd – Of Montreal – “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse”
3rd – Feist – “1,2,3,4”

Cale’s Pick:
Find out on December 31, 2007 in the Top 31 of 2007 Countdown

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Readers’ Pick:
1st – Radiohead: In Rainbows
2nd – Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
3rd – Band of Horses: Cease to Begin

Cale’s Pick:
Find out on December 31, 2007 in the Top 31 of 2007 Countdown

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Again, thanks to all of you who voted! And thank you for reading Audio Overflow.

4th Annual Cale Awards Update!

Can I share a secret with you? I hate doing myspace music monday. It’s such a chore to weed out all the crappy bands on myspace to find the one or two decent ones. As a result of my hate towards the feature and a really hectic schedule for the rest of 2007, myspace music monday is gone until 2008! We had a good run, babe.

But hey, that’s not what this post is about! It’s to update you on the happenings of the 4th Annual Cale Awards (going on RIGHT NOW!). So far things are going kind of slow. None of my regular readers from the U.K. and only one Californian (my second-largest audience) have voted thus far. That’s quite alright though, because there are some heated battles going on!

Take the Album of the Year category, in which Of Montreal and Radiohead are tied in the polls at the moment of this writing. Even more heated is the epic battle for Best Male Solo Artist in which Jens Lekman, Patrick Wolf, and Loney, Dear are in a three-way tug of war for superiority! Sure, it may sound like I’m being overdramatic for the sole purpose of luring you readers over to the polls, but I assure you this is not my intention.

There are also some upsets brewing. St. Vincent is running away with both the Best Female Solo Artist award and the award for Best New Artist. I think she deserves both, personally. A huge surprise to me was The Besnard Lakes pulling ahead in the Band of the Year category. I’ve also discovered that I’m alone in my admiration for Architecture in Helsinki’s new material, at least so far.
It’s all pretty enlightening to me, and if you have 2 or 3 minutes to spare (it may even take less than that), please head over to the polls and cast your votes for the best and worst of 2007! As always, you can write in your own nominations for each category. This is not only a fun way to appreciate our favorite artists, but it helps me to know what kind of music you listen to and what type of music I should cover more of to cater to you. It’s kinda the most important thing ever, folks.

I don’t know what else to say….

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!