1. Fleet Foxes- The self titled debut+ the Sun Giant e.p.
When I first read about this band, with comparisons to CSNY, the Moody Blues, and the acoustic side of Zeppelin, I thought "No thanks." Then I read comparisons to the Beach Boys and Neil Young (minus the CSN), so I figured I'd give it a shot. And boy was I rewarded. Each song sounds timeless as well as fresh. And unlike most indie rockers, these Seattle boys can actually sing. Some of the lyrics would be downright corny coming from anybody else, but it's perfect coming from their mouths. A runaway for my favorite album of the year, as well as a critical favorite and listener poll favorite.
2. Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson- Rattlin Bones
Kasey Chambers has always had one of those squeaky voices where any more than a little goes alot too far. Her alt-country leanings were fine, though neither alt nor country enough to pique my interest. Happily, those two complaints were remedied with this album. Her voice is tempered and toned when combined and complemented with that of her husband, fellow Aussie Shane Nicholson. Together, they opt to put the emphasis on the COUNTRY rather than the ALT, a decision that serves them well. Some voices were made to sing together: George and Tammy, Gram and Emmylou, Conway and Loretta, Clay and Celine (nah, forget that one); these two must be added to the list. This album went #1 in Australia and won all kinds of awards there, but won't make a dent here. Our loss.
3. Shearwater- Rook
Admittedly, what little I knew about this band before their latest album was that they were some sort of arty offshoot of Okkervil River. Then I saw that they were playing Millenium Stage, so I gave them a listen and though it sounded a little bit prettier and a tad more fey than my typical tastes, I was intrigued. Then I saw them live, and forgive the cliche', but I was darn near close to being blown away. I later read an article about the lead singer's side gig passion for ornithology, and that explains all of the wildlife imagery contained in this song cycle. Long story short: imagine Jeff Buckley singing songs about birds, with much more interesting musical accompaniment, and you have your introduction to this one.
4.Drive By Truckers- Brighter Than Creation's Dark
DBT made two of my favorite three albums of this decade, but their last one won't even land in my top 100. This one is a fine step back in the right direction. It more or less leaves behind the Stones/Faces/Replacements vibe of the last album (which DBT did reasonably well, but what band doesn't?) amd returns to the more country-ish roots of their earliest week. And even without guitar god Jason Isbell they still crank out one of the two best rawk shows (along with Wilco) of any band out there.
5. Dr. Dog- Fate
I was exposed to Dr. Dog accidentally, early in their career when I caught them opening for Bobby Bare. A solid live act, but their eight track power pop actually felt too underproduced when I heard the recorded version. This record was one where the increased production sheen actually helped me like it more. Shades of the Band, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and Wilco. Ok, nothing at all innovative here, but there's little innovation in chocolate ice cream, but I'll eat a well produced bowl of that any day you stick it in my face.
6. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
I've never been able to make sense of this bands appeal...their music always sounded much less melodic and acessible than their less successful brethren Nada Surf. Less accessible yet not terribly interesting, to me. Despite that, this album clicked for me. The one-two starter punch of Bixby Canyon Bridge and I Will Possess Zooey's Heart is followed by a solid set of (for me) more melodic and accessible songs, including the poignant breakup lyrics of Your New Twin Sized Bed.
7. Santogold- Santogold
A 30something chick from Philly who previously worked on the business side of the record industry and seemingly got her shit from MIA, I'm all over that one. Just kidding. Based on the bio, I didn't want to like her. But musically, she's more realized than MIA; combining elements of hip hop, reggae, punk, new wave, dance and soul into a delicious melange of modern music. Oh, and check out the album cover. This chick can puke alot of gold.
8. Okkervil River- The Stand Ins
Rhett Miller was once the poster boy for twangy literate pretty boys writing and hiccuping out heartbreaking tales that intertwined the perils of the road and the woes of failed romance for alt-country fans who probably didn't really like country music. And somehow he'd write that last sentence in both a more poetic and more coherent way than I did. But then The Fool went and got a beautiful wife and made beautiful children and mediocre, more blandly written happy music. Thankfully the world has his less pretty cross state compatriot Will Sheff to pick up and advance the hiccup singer flag for him. This album is the sequel to 2007's great album the Stage Names. It doesn't quite measure up to that one, but doesn't need to.
9. Frigthened Rabbit- Midnight Organ Fight
Another one that I almost missed, but then I found it. Imagine John Roderick of the Long Winters singing painfully honest and sometime brutal (like the security guards in a French museum) breakup lyrics, accompanied by the guitar stylings of early 80's era Edge (but don't imagine Adam Clayton's bass, because this three guitar band doesn't use one). Some might say this record is a tad generic, but the key to winning when you're generic is being better than your competition, and these guys are.
10. The Walkmen- You and Me
This is another band that I've always managed to avoid before this year. They sounded like Dylan fronting the Strokes and they had DC prep school origins. Reasons enough to avoid them. But this album seemed less Dylan AND less Strokes, and more Joe Henry, and just a plain old good listen start to finish. One of those albums where the sum was greater than the parts. No stellar singles, but the songs just blend seemlessly together.
11. Calexico- Carried To Dust
A two pronged band that combines very cool mariachi inspired Southwestern flavored songs with blander alt-rock fare. That would describe these guys. Fortunately, this records tips in the direction of the former, and makes it a winner.
12. Liam Finn- I'll Be Lightning
This album for me instantly exceeded it's two touchpoints, the Beatles and Crowded House. Though admittedly, I've always felt rather neutral regarding both of those acts (give me the Stones (or the Kinks or the Who) over the Beatles any day). But once I saw his disappointing one man, slightly larger but musically less than one woman live act, my love for his album came back to earth. Nonetheless, a very solid tuneful pop album, and the world could use more of those.
13. Dengue Fever- Venus on Earth
You can take a Cambodian pop star out or Cambodia and throw her in a room of Silver Lake hipsters, but she'll still make you a lovely album of loungey, surf, garagey psychedically groovy ditties. This one slightly exceeds their previous excellent effort Escape from Dragon House, including a couple of (for the first time, I think) English language songs.
14. Patty Loveless- Sleepless Nights
Patty Loveless has long had one of the best singing voices in mainstream country. Put it with the right material and right production, in this case a bevy of classic country tunes, and of course you're going to get a strong record.
15. Nada Surf- Lucky
Those whose tastes never progressed beyond the 90's will no doubt recall this Popular band. If you were Lucky enough to have missed them in the 90's and picked up on them in THIS decade, you probably already know that they delivered their second straight strong (yet unspectacular) collection of shimmering power pop following 2002's spectacular Let Go.
16. Devotchka- A Mad and Faitful Telling
For those unfamiliar: Little Miss Sunshine. Though 2004's classic How It Ends remains the one Devotchka album you really need to own, this one would be good to have in case your one year old moves How It Ends to someplace where it can't be located. Forget Gogol Bordello and Beirut, this is Eastern European gypsy music for the 2000's and beyond.
17. Thao and the Get Down Stay Down- We Brave Bee Stings and All.
She first came across as a less earthy indie version of Jolie Holland who had been listening to alot of Feist. Then I found out she was an Asian chick (actually her name sort of clued be in on that part from the getgo) from the same suburban DC county I live in. Since we got nothing new from Feist this year, this was the next best thing.
18. She and Him- Volume One
Actress Zooey Deschanel) advanced up the food chain of musical boyfriends...some guy from Maroon 5, Jason Schwartzman, all the way to M. Ward, to finally settling for Ben Gibbard. She also wrote some hearfelt pop/alt-countryish tunes and then the great M. managed to successfully dress up her less than beautiful voice and make her sound like a real musician much, much moreso than that TV on the Radio guy did for Scarlett johansen.
19. Hayden- In Town and Field
Hayden, like Nada Surf, is to some seemingly a relic of the 90's. Undoubtedly, he's a more minor character in the music of that decade as well as the current one. Nonetheless, his output has improved as albums have come, so much so that this one lands on my list. The world needs more wistful singer-songwriter stuff like it needs a global financial crisis. But if Josh Rouse's genius has gone the way of my 401K, I'll take replacements like this.
20. Jamie Lidell- Jim
I'm a sucker for old Motown/Stax retro soul sounds. So is Raphael Saadiq. He left the new jack behind and went retro with his latest. Jamie Lidell is as well. He left his modern electronica sounds behind to make a totally retro album too. And what do you know? The white guy from England winehoused (that's definition #1 of 5 in the dictionary for the use of winehouse as a verb) the black guy from Oakland, putting out a better record from start to finish.
Best reissues/best ofs/live albums etc: Josh Rouse-Rykodisk Years, Belle and Sebastian-BBC Sessions, Nick Lowe-Jesus of Cool, Neil Young-Live and Canterbury House
Most overrated albums (by critics) TV on the Radio, Portishead, the Hold Steady, Kings of Leon
Most Disappointing albums, though not surprisingly so: Old 97's, the Hold Steady, Of Montreal
Best live shows: Wilco-9:30 Club, DBT-9:30 Club, Old 97's-Tractor Tavern, Shearwater-Millenium Stage Nada Surf-all three times I saw them.
