5.18.2009
2.24.2009
PRESS COLOR
Hello everyone. We've done some thinking, and today is a new day. We've changed our name to Press Color. That's right we're no longer The Novel Citizen, but Press Color. We realize we have a much different lineup from when we started and we feel as though we've grown up (at least we'd hope so).
Look for us to be digitally rereleasing our EP, finishing a full-length record, and playing several handfuls of shows over the summer in New York, Michigan, and places in between.
Below is our new contact information:
myspace.com/presscolor
presscolormusic@gmail.com
Below is our new contact information:
myspace.com/presscolor
presscolormusic@gmail.com
12.27.2008
Crofoot Show added
01/02/2009 09:00 PM The Pike Room (@ The Crofoot) | |
1 N. Saginaw Pontiac, Michigan 48342 Cost:$8 Doors at 7:00, Novel Citizen at 9:00 | |
The Novel Citizen w/ local acts @ Pike Room
and Oblisk and Corey Zwegers downstairs following the Novel Citizen set
*Corey Zwegers (kickass DJ) will be doing his thing at Phonotropic downstairs immediately after our set, and a ticket to our show at the Pike room will get you into the Phonotropic event as well.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for a good afterparty.
12.25.2008
Erin and Mike's Top Albums of 2008
Well, the year has come to a close. Lots of good music. Lots of wasted time listing our favorites. Lots of unwasted time listening to them. Perhaps you might like some of these. Enjoy.
Erin's Top 50 Albums of 2008
50. David Byrne and Brian Eno – Everything That Happens
Will Happen Today
49. Fujiya and Miyagi – Lightbulbs
48. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
47. Johann Johannsson – Fordlandia
46. Fennesz – Black Sea
45. Dan Friel – Ghost Town
44. Department of Eagles – In Ear Park
43. Stereolab – Chemical Chords
42. Experimental Dental School – Jane Doe Loves Me
41. Beach House - Devotion
40. The Dodos – Visiter
39. Times New Viking – Rip It Off
38. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
37. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
36. Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dymphna
35. Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls
34. School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
33. Takka Takka – Migration
32. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron and Ed Squire – Lost Wisdom
31. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
30. Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
29. Marnie Stern – This Is It and I Am It…
28. People Under the Stairs – Fun DMC
27. Lykke Li – Youth Novels
26. Man Man – Rabbit Habits
25. Clark – Turning Dragon
24. Sigur Ros – med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalausr
23. Ponytail – Ice Cream Spiritual
22. Benjamin Brunn and Move D – Songs From the Beehive
21. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
20. Lindstrom – Where You Go I Go Too
Where You Go I Go Too is best described as an experiment in pacing: the songs develop patiently, but never fail to reach dramatic climaxes. Apart from developing his already lush sound palette, Lindstrom experiments with polyrhythms ala Steve Reich, making this epic three-song journey a memorable one.
19. Nomo – Ghost Rock
On Ghost Rock, Nomo veer away from writing typical jazz charts and direct more attention towards exploratory 1-chord passages. The same deep grooves and bombastic horn lines are present, but Nomo’s latest album evokes a fresh, innovative sound, that is hard to come by in the realm of jazz-influenced music these days.
18. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
With their latest self-reinvention, The Notwist have broken out of the German indie scene and made an album of memorable pop songs and cutting-edge compositions alike. Between the charm of “Gloomy Planets” and the tension of “Alphabet”, The Devil, You + Me is an album with few dull moments.
17. Koen Holtkamp – Field Rituals
In creating the best ambient album of the year, Holtkamp has made an important move for the music of his increasingly static genre. Field Rituals isn’t merely a minimalist exhibition, but a beautiful interaction between digital sound and organic space. Truly a wonderful achievement.
16. Mason Proper – Olly Oxen Free
From the beginning, Mason Proper has been a group of musicians with a distinct and charismatic quality. Olly Oxen Free marks the band’s first release that demonstrates the band’s full abilities as musicians and pop/rock contemporaries, and does so in a cohesive, poetic fashion from start to finish.
15. Deerhoof – Offend Maggie
I’m tired of hearing people bitch about Deerhoof coming up short on this one. If you ask me, they took their sound in yet another new direction, and executed it nearly to perfection (in typical Deerhoof fashion). Offend Maggie is more theatrical than previous Hoof records and hearing the band become increasingly intricate with their arrangements is truly a marvel.
14. Dungen – 4
Dungen are a band with a spirit of a jazz combo, and for the first time they have been recorded as such. The sounds on 4 are not as grandiose as Ta De Lungt, but the lush production of the band’s latest album is absolutely delicious, not to mention highly complimentary to the band’s traditional, no-nonsense aesthetic.
13. Jonas Reinhardt – Jonas Reinhardt
The term “krautrock” is being tossed around quite a bit these days. For anyone interested in better understanding the style’s reemergence, Jonas Reinhardt’s self-title debut would be a great place to start. This is not to say that Reinhardt’s record is nothing more than a trite homage to Neu and Cluster – the voicing of the rhythmic and harmonic elements set this album apart from its predecessors. Jonas’ own description of the album perhaps does it the most justice – “a spirited conversation between, man, machines, and the ecstatic truth of the chaotic unknown”.
12. Hercules and Love Affair
The DFA just keeps cranking out gems. This time, an unlikely pairing of Antony (from Antony and the Johnsons) with the traditional DFA cast has produced an album of unforgettable struts, dancefloor hits, and downright funky music. While the album has its weak tracks, moments like “Blind” cannot be ignored, and it is safe to say that Hercules and Love Affair have made an extremely significant installation in the realm of disco-punk records.
11. Atlas Sound – Atlas Sound
Bradford Cox must take the man of the year award in the music world. Aside from his work with Deerhunter, he introduced us to his personal project, which is a brilliant marriage of shoegaze, ambient, and you guessed it: doo-wop. Cox’s stereo imaging gives the album gorgeous spatial characteristics and the diversity in track selections is also refreshing.
10. El Guincho – Allegranza
Repetition doesn’t often sound this good. MPC wizard, El Guincho, showcases a knack for creating playful trances with the help of his eclectic sample collection. The fact that that Allegranza was largely improvised makes the record feel like a true performance, which is interesting because it consists almost entirely of non-instrument playback.
9. No Age – Nouns
I got into No Age last year and found myself asking a fairly simple question in the face of all the hype: “what is so special about this band?” It’s not an easy question to answer. Maybe it’s No Age’s reminder that raw power is just as important (if not more so) as technicality in rock music. Maybe it’s No Age’s interesting placement of ambient interludes in the midst of their more riveting numbers. Nouns is a sweaty record filled with energy – most definitely a landmark record of ’08.
8. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Decent Folk records come and go, but artists with this great a grasp on harmony rarely enter the indie rock spotlight. Fleet Foxes could be like any other Folk record if it weren’t for its walls of harmony, made even more lush by the warm production – hall reverbs splash from speaker to speaker as the band moves through perhaps the most intimate album of the year.
7. Pattern Is Movement – All Together
The greatest thing about this record is that there is nothing that sounds quite like it. Pattern Is Movement has come across a sound that is equal parts Debussy and Dirty Projectors, and it is indeed an alluring discovery. The band’s strength lies in its incredibly strong cadence patterns and voice leading; passing tones soar in and out of the band’s brief yet gripping songs, as the songwriting ability of this duo becomes hard to ignore.
6. Hauschka – Ferndorf
Since its revolutionary inception, the art of the prepared piano has seen little innovation. Over the years it has been used largely as the foundation of minimalist composition, but German composer, Volker Bertelmann’ work as “Hauschka”, reinvigorates the technique with beautiful harmonic comprehension and ornate chamber orchestration. This is modern classical music at its best, and Ferndorf’s thematic elements tell an unforgettable story.
5. Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing
A throbbing pulse and a visceral drone – this is the makeup of one of the year’s most peculiar and thrilling albums, Street Horrrsing. What Fuck Buttons do is capture the human spirit at its most primal. There is something distinctly organic about the jarring turbulence created by Fuck Buttons, and the listener can closely relate to the seemingly impenetrable trance of Steet Horrrsing. John Cage was once noted for saying, "if something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all." Street Horrrsing is stunning proof of this once-provocative claim.
4. TV On the Radio – Dear Science
If you want a glossy pop record with no fear of modest experimentation, look no further than Dear Science. I won’t get many to agree with me, but this is hands down TV On the Radio’s best album to date. The pop sensibility here is dazzling, and it doesn’t sound nearly as sterile as Cookie Mountain, production-wise. When I listen, I feel like this is the Songs In the Key of Life equivalent of our generation – certainly not as pivotal, but nonetheless one of the best records in a long time to make itself very accessible without sacrificing artistic merit.
3. Portishead – Third
This is the music of our nightmares and our deepest fantasies. Portishead take us to a place where we feel naked and vulnerable, yet empowered by emotion. The result is truly breathtaking, and the band’s stirring, almost vulgar, orchestrations have never been more strangely beautiful. A comparison to Unknown Pleasures would seem unconventional, but Portishead’s dramatic use of minimalism and brutally confrontational melancholy certainly brings that 1979 classic to mind.
2. Deerhunter – Microcastle
When Microcastle leaked in the early summer, Bradford was devastated for one reason – it was supposed to be a “winter album”. This is the sign of an artist who has carefully taken every consideration in the process of crafting his work. And certainly we can see what Cox meant. Microcastle has an undeniably breezy, winter sound marked by the cold and the longing for warmth. The album pivots wonderfully on a series of standout tracks, and doesn’t forget to embellish the band’s trademark soundscapes. Deerhunter has trumped Cryptograms in only a year’s time and given us what could become a classic, making the band one of the acts in rock music today.
1. Shugo Tokumaru – Exit
It is a shame that the year almost went by without me discovering this record. Thank God it didn’t. In today’s music industry there is a demand for musicians with certain agility – something that Shugo Tokumaru ingeniously demonstrates through his meticulous arrangements and ornate bedroom symphonies. It comes as a shock to find out that Exit was recorded entirely in Tokumaru’s Tokyo apartment given the intense amount of layering and superb production on this album. Shugo Tokumaru’s has crafted a work of art that would make sense as a pop record, film soundtrack, score of chamber music, and everything in between. What is Exit? Such specifications are not important – what matters is that Tokumaru has given us a glimpse into the mind of one of today’s most whimsical and daring composers. A+.
Will Happen Today
49. Fujiya and Miyagi – Lightbulbs
48. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
47. Johann Johannsson – Fordlandia
46. Fennesz – Black Sea
45. Dan Friel – Ghost Town
44. Department of Eagles – In Ear Park
43. Stereolab – Chemical Chords
42. Experimental Dental School – Jane Doe Loves Me
41. Beach House - Devotion
40. The Dodos – Visiter
39. Times New Viking – Rip It Off
38. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
37. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer
36. Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dymphna
35. Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls
34. School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
33. Takka Takka – Migration
32. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron and Ed Squire – Lost Wisdom
31. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
30. Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
29. Marnie Stern – This Is It and I Am It…
28. People Under the Stairs – Fun DMC
27. Lykke Li – Youth Novels
26. Man Man – Rabbit Habits
25. Clark – Turning Dragon
24. Sigur Ros – med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalausr
23. Ponytail – Ice Cream Spiritual
22. Benjamin Brunn and Move D – Songs From the Beehive
21. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
20. Lindstrom – Where You Go I Go Too
Where You Go I Go Too is best described as an experiment in pacing: the songs develop patiently, but never fail to reach dramatic climaxes. Apart from developing his already lush sound palette, Lindstrom experiments with polyrhythms ala Steve Reich, making this epic three-song journey a memorable one.
19. Nomo – Ghost Rock
On Ghost Rock, Nomo veer away from writing typical jazz charts and direct more attention towards exploratory 1-chord passages. The same deep grooves and bombastic horn lines are present, but Nomo’s latest album evokes a fresh, innovative sound, that is hard to come by in the realm of jazz-influenced music these days.
18. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
With their latest self-reinvention, The Notwist have broken out of the German indie scene and made an album of memorable pop songs and cutting-edge compositions alike. Between the charm of “Gloomy Planets” and the tension of “Alphabet”, The Devil, You + Me is an album with few dull moments.
17. Koen Holtkamp – Field Rituals
In creating the best ambient album of the year, Holtkamp has made an important move for the music of his increasingly static genre. Field Rituals isn’t merely a minimalist exhibition, but a beautiful interaction between digital sound and organic space. Truly a wonderful achievement.
16. Mason Proper – Olly Oxen Free
From the beginning, Mason Proper has been a group of musicians with a distinct and charismatic quality. Olly Oxen Free marks the band’s first release that demonstrates the band’s full abilities as musicians and pop/rock contemporaries, and does so in a cohesive, poetic fashion from start to finish.
15. Deerhoof – Offend Maggie
I’m tired of hearing people bitch about Deerhoof coming up short on this one. If you ask me, they took their sound in yet another new direction, and executed it nearly to perfection (in typical Deerhoof fashion). Offend Maggie is more theatrical than previous Hoof records and hearing the band become increasingly intricate with their arrangements is truly a marvel.
14. Dungen – 4
Dungen are a band with a spirit of a jazz combo, and for the first time they have been recorded as such. The sounds on 4 are not as grandiose as Ta De Lungt, but the lush production of the band’s latest album is absolutely delicious, not to mention highly complimentary to the band’s traditional, no-nonsense aesthetic.
13. Jonas Reinhardt – Jonas Reinhardt
The term “krautrock” is being tossed around quite a bit these days. For anyone interested in better understanding the style’s reemergence, Jonas Reinhardt’s self-title debut would be a great place to start. This is not to say that Reinhardt’s record is nothing more than a trite homage to Neu and Cluster – the voicing of the rhythmic and harmonic elements set this album apart from its predecessors. Jonas’ own description of the album perhaps does it the most justice – “a spirited conversation between, man, machines, and the ecstatic truth of the chaotic unknown”.
12. Hercules and Love Affair
The DFA just keeps cranking out gems. This time, an unlikely pairing of Antony (from Antony and the Johnsons) with the traditional DFA cast has produced an album of unforgettable struts, dancefloor hits, and downright funky music. While the album has its weak tracks, moments like “Blind” cannot be ignored, and it is safe to say that Hercules and Love Affair have made an extremely significant installation in the realm of disco-punk records.
11. Atlas Sound – Atlas Sound
Bradford Cox must take the man of the year award in the music world. Aside from his work with Deerhunter, he introduced us to his personal project, which is a brilliant marriage of shoegaze, ambient, and you guessed it: doo-wop. Cox’s stereo imaging gives the album gorgeous spatial characteristics and the diversity in track selections is also refreshing.
10. El Guincho – Allegranza
Repetition doesn’t often sound this good. MPC wizard, El Guincho, showcases a knack for creating playful trances with the help of his eclectic sample collection. The fact that that Allegranza was largely improvised makes the record feel like a true performance, which is interesting because it consists almost entirely of non-instrument playback.
9. No Age – Nouns
I got into No Age last year and found myself asking a fairly simple question in the face of all the hype: “what is so special about this band?” It’s not an easy question to answer. Maybe it’s No Age’s reminder that raw power is just as important (if not more so) as technicality in rock music. Maybe it’s No Age’s interesting placement of ambient interludes in the midst of their more riveting numbers. Nouns is a sweaty record filled with energy – most definitely a landmark record of ’08.
8. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Decent Folk records come and go, but artists with this great a grasp on harmony rarely enter the indie rock spotlight. Fleet Foxes could be like any other Folk record if it weren’t for its walls of harmony, made even more lush by the warm production – hall reverbs splash from speaker to speaker as the band moves through perhaps the most intimate album of the year.
7. Pattern Is Movement – All Together
The greatest thing about this record is that there is nothing that sounds quite like it. Pattern Is Movement has come across a sound that is equal parts Debussy and Dirty Projectors, and it is indeed an alluring discovery. The band’s strength lies in its incredibly strong cadence patterns and voice leading; passing tones soar in and out of the band’s brief yet gripping songs, as the songwriting ability of this duo becomes hard to ignore.
6. Hauschka – Ferndorf
Since its revolutionary inception, the art of the prepared piano has seen little innovation. Over the years it has been used largely as the foundation of minimalist composition, but German composer, Volker Bertelmann’ work as “Hauschka”, reinvigorates the technique with beautiful harmonic comprehension and ornate chamber orchestration. This is modern classical music at its best, and Ferndorf’s thematic elements tell an unforgettable story.
5. Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing
A throbbing pulse and a visceral drone – this is the makeup of one of the year’s most peculiar and thrilling albums, Street Horrrsing. What Fuck Buttons do is capture the human spirit at its most primal. There is something distinctly organic about the jarring turbulence created by Fuck Buttons, and the listener can closely relate to the seemingly impenetrable trance of Steet Horrrsing. John Cage was once noted for saying, "if something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all." Street Horrrsing is stunning proof of this once-provocative claim.
4. TV On the Radio – Dear Science
If you want a glossy pop record with no fear of modest experimentation, look no further than Dear Science. I won’t get many to agree with me, but this is hands down TV On the Radio’s best album to date. The pop sensibility here is dazzling, and it doesn’t sound nearly as sterile as Cookie Mountain, production-wise. When I listen, I feel like this is the Songs In the Key of Life equivalent of our generation – certainly not as pivotal, but nonetheless one of the best records in a long time to make itself very accessible without sacrificing artistic merit.
3. Portishead – Third
This is the music of our nightmares and our deepest fantasies. Portishead take us to a place where we feel naked and vulnerable, yet empowered by emotion. The result is truly breathtaking, and the band’s stirring, almost vulgar, orchestrations have never been more strangely beautiful. A comparison to Unknown Pleasures would seem unconventional, but Portishead’s dramatic use of minimalism and brutally confrontational melancholy certainly brings that 1979 classic to mind.
2. Deerhunter – Microcastle
When Microcastle leaked in the early summer, Bradford was devastated for one reason – it was supposed to be a “winter album”. This is the sign of an artist who has carefully taken every consideration in the process of crafting his work. And certainly we can see what Cox meant. Microcastle has an undeniably breezy, winter sound marked by the cold and the longing for warmth. The album pivots wonderfully on a series of standout tracks, and doesn’t forget to embellish the band’s trademark soundscapes. Deerhunter has trumped Cryptograms in only a year’s time and given us what could become a classic, making the band one of the acts in rock music today.
1. Shugo Tokumaru – Exit
It is a shame that the year almost went by without me discovering this record. Thank God it didn’t. In today’s music industry there is a demand for musicians with certain agility – something that Shugo Tokumaru ingeniously demonstrates through his meticulous arrangements and ornate bedroom symphonies. It comes as a shock to find out that Exit was recorded entirely in Tokumaru’s Tokyo apartment given the intense amount of layering and superb production on this album. Shugo Tokumaru’s has crafted a work of art that would make sense as a pop record, film soundtrack, score of chamber music, and everything in between. What is Exit? Such specifications are not important – what matters is that Tokumaru has given us a glimpse into the mind of one of today’s most whimsical and daring composers. A+.
Zito's Top 50 Albums of 2008
50. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
49. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
48. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
47. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
46. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
45. Little Joy - Little Joy
44. Albert Hammond Jr. - Como Te Llama?
43. Islands - Arms Way
42. Quiet Village - Silent Movie
41. Black Keys - Attack & Release
40. Subtle - Exiting Arm
39. Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
38. Four Tet - Ringer EP
37. Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
36. Man Man - Rabbit Habits
35. Mason Proper - Ollie Oxen Free
34. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
33. School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
32. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
31. Pattern Is Movement - All Together
30. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
29. Stephen Malkimus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
28. King Khan and the Shrines - The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines
27. DJ/Rapture - Uproot
26. High Places - High Places
25. Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
24. Women - Women
23. Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
22. Evangelicals - Evening Descends
21. Stereolab - Chemical Chords
20. Clinic - Do It!
19. The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion
18. Times New Viking - Rip It Off
17. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
16. Los Campesinos! - We are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
15. Animal Collective - Water Curses EP
14. Xiu Xiu - Women As Lovers
13. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
12. The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
11. Nomo - Ghost Rock
10. El Guincho - Alegranza!
For the first time since Panda Bear’s magnificent Person Pitch, an album that focuses on samples and loops triumphs. Alegranza! Relies heavily on repetition and tropicalia samples from Latin artists in order to craft a fun and exciting variation on the original song. El Guincho is also influenced by tribal chants and rituals, as heard in Cuando Maavilla Fui and Buenos Matrimonios Ahi Fuera. However, his efforts especially shine on his singe Palmitos Park. The vocal harmonies and driving drum beat allow this song to be a very danceable and catchy tune. Making one wonder, why isn’t this song played more often at dance clubs?
9. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
This album is probably one of the most talked about and praised efforts in the independent music community. These four recently graduated students from New York put out an outrageously catchy and contagious album that draws influences from Afro-beat, reggae, pop and rock. What impresses me the most about this album is how beautifully the string arrangements. staccato guitar, smooth keyboard, melodious bass and simple drums mesh together. And how songs like “The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance” and “M79” seem to effortlessly draw a listener in with their emotionally charged vocal harmonies. Other songs such as their big single “A Punk” rely on an extremely poppy and up beat tempo that are instantly classics. So all in all, good job on the record Vampire Weekend, lets see if the newly found fame doesn’t get to your head.
8. Portishead - Third
This album has a very menacing, eerie and at times inaccessible sound. The samples, minor keys and Beth Gibbons’ voice make it very hard to enjoy this album at first listen. However, the persistent listener will be greatly rewarded for their efforts. After eleven years Portishead has delivered something that could be used as a score for a horror movie. Even though this album seems impossible to appreciate, I have found its subtle beauty and thrive on its darkness. Songs such as “The Rip” and “Hunter” have this unique brilliance that I have yet to find in any other album from this year.
7. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Cut Copy has done something that seemed to be a popular trend this year. And that was to recreate the 1980s pop sound. They have not only recreated 80s pop but they through in some modern samples to create a different kind of pop sound. The songs in this album flow very well into each other but still have their own identity. Songs like “Life and Music” and “Hearts of Fire” set up a perfect dancing environment and continue to impress me with each additional listen.
6. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
TV on the Radio continue to follow the trend of putting out an album that is better than the previous. They are able to mesh funk, hip-hop and indie rock all into one original piece of work. But what really makes this album special is their ability to put write a ballad that isn’t cheesy or overbearing.
5. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster
Los Campesinos! have done something that is very hard to do. That is put out two albums in a year and have both of them be a great success. Their first release, Hold on now Youngster uses a variety of instrumentation such as distorted guitar, violin and glockenspiel to mix with their Twee and post punk influences to weave a troubled yet bright album. The combination of infectiously catchy melodies, high pitched screams and Gareth’s lyrics about ex-girlfriends and relationship problems makes this album one of the front runners in the indie pop world.
4. The Dodos - Visiter
In this album, The Dodos explore the art of freak folk. Much like Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs their music is shaped with samples, rim shots and acoustic guitar. However The Dodos approached the ways of folk a bit differently making their album more accessible (but not better of course :)). This is mostly due to Meric Long’s smooth and Paul McCartney-esq vocal style. The work of The Dodo’s especially shines in their single “Fools”. The song is up tempo and layered with different guitar, piano and reverb soaked vocals. Which in turn, earns this album the title of best Folk album of the year.
3. No Age - Nouns
With Weirdo Rippers in the back burner, No Age was bound to deliver a quality album. “Nouns” is very simple with only a guitar, drums and sampler but its sound is very big and dynamic. Its harder rock songs like “Teen Creeps” and “Sleeper Hold” are chalked full of well developed melodies and tasteful breakdowns. Whereas songs like “Keechie” and “Impossible Bouquet” explore a more ambient sound in which the moods shift effortlessly. Making No Age a force to reckoned with in the independent music scene.
2. M83 - Saturdays=Youth
Another 1980s revival album of 2008 is M83’s Saturdays=Youth. This album really takes shoegazing to the next level. Anthony Gonzalez crafts dream like vocals with female harmonization to set a nostalgic mood. The instrumentation on this album is based mostly on fuzzy synths, piano, electronic drums and lightly distorted guitar. Which gives it that nearly authentic 80s sound.
1. Deerhunter- Microcastle/ Weird Era Cont.
With a double disk release, Deerhunter snatches up the number one spot on this countdown. Microcastle ventures into a more accessible state, more so than their previous album Cryptograms. The tracks “Agoraphobia”, “Never Stops” and “Nothing Ever Happened” are all songs that could gain radio play and could bridge the gap from indie to mainstream in my opinion. Then on Weird Era Cont. the ambiance heard on Cryptograms returns and satisfies all ghost rock lovers out there.
49. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
48. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
47. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
46. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
45. Little Joy - Little Joy
44. Albert Hammond Jr. - Como Te Llama?
43. Islands - Arms Way
42. Quiet Village - Silent Movie
41. Black Keys - Attack & Release
40. Subtle - Exiting Arm
39. Crystal Stilts - Alight of Night
38. Four Tet - Ringer EP
37. Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
36. Man Man - Rabbit Habits
35. Mason Proper - Ollie Oxen Free
34. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
33. School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
32. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
31. Pattern Is Movement - All Together
30. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
29. Stephen Malkimus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
28. King Khan and the Shrines - The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines
27. DJ/Rapture - Uproot
26. High Places - High Places
25. Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
24. Women - Women
23. Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
22. Evangelicals - Evening Descends
21. Stereolab - Chemical Chords
20. Clinic - Do It!
19. The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion
18. Times New Viking - Rip It Off
17. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
16. Los Campesinos! - We are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
15. Animal Collective - Water Curses EP
14. Xiu Xiu - Women As Lovers
13. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
12. The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
11. Nomo - Ghost Rock
10. El Guincho - Alegranza!
For the first time since Panda Bear’s magnificent Person Pitch, an album that focuses on samples and loops triumphs. Alegranza! Relies heavily on repetition and tropicalia samples from Latin artists in order to craft a fun and exciting variation on the original song. El Guincho is also influenced by tribal chants and rituals, as heard in Cuando Maavilla Fui and Buenos Matrimonios Ahi Fuera. However, his efforts especially shine on his singe Palmitos Park. The vocal harmonies and driving drum beat allow this song to be a very danceable and catchy tune. Making one wonder, why isn’t this song played more often at dance clubs?
9. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
This album is probably one of the most talked about and praised efforts in the independent music community. These four recently graduated students from New York put out an outrageously catchy and contagious album that draws influences from Afro-beat, reggae, pop and rock. What impresses me the most about this album is how beautifully the string arrangements. staccato guitar, smooth keyboard, melodious bass and simple drums mesh together. And how songs like “The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance” and “M79” seem to effortlessly draw a listener in with their emotionally charged vocal harmonies. Other songs such as their big single “A Punk” rely on an extremely poppy and up beat tempo that are instantly classics. So all in all, good job on the record Vampire Weekend, lets see if the newly found fame doesn’t get to your head.
8. Portishead - Third
This album has a very menacing, eerie and at times inaccessible sound. The samples, minor keys and Beth Gibbons’ voice make it very hard to enjoy this album at first listen. However, the persistent listener will be greatly rewarded for their efforts. After eleven years Portishead has delivered something that could be used as a score for a horror movie. Even though this album seems impossible to appreciate, I have found its subtle beauty and thrive on its darkness. Songs such as “The Rip” and “Hunter” have this unique brilliance that I have yet to find in any other album from this year.
7. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Cut Copy has done something that seemed to be a popular trend this year. And that was to recreate the 1980s pop sound. They have not only recreated 80s pop but they through in some modern samples to create a different kind of pop sound. The songs in this album flow very well into each other but still have their own identity. Songs like “Life and Music” and “Hearts of Fire” set up a perfect dancing environment and continue to impress me with each additional listen.
6. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
TV on the Radio continue to follow the trend of putting out an album that is better than the previous. They are able to mesh funk, hip-hop and indie rock all into one original piece of work. But what really makes this album special is their ability to put write a ballad that isn’t cheesy or overbearing.
5. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster
Los Campesinos! have done something that is very hard to do. That is put out two albums in a year and have both of them be a great success. Their first release, Hold on now Youngster uses a variety of instrumentation such as distorted guitar, violin and glockenspiel to mix with their Twee and post punk influences to weave a troubled yet bright album. The combination of infectiously catchy melodies, high pitched screams and Gareth’s lyrics about ex-girlfriends and relationship problems makes this album one of the front runners in the indie pop world.
4. The Dodos - Visiter
In this album, The Dodos explore the art of freak folk. Much like Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs their music is shaped with samples, rim shots and acoustic guitar. However The Dodos approached the ways of folk a bit differently making their album more accessible (but not better of course :)). This is mostly due to Meric Long’s smooth and Paul McCartney-esq vocal style. The work of The Dodo’s especially shines in their single “Fools”. The song is up tempo and layered with different guitar, piano and reverb soaked vocals. Which in turn, earns this album the title of best Folk album of the year.
3. No Age - Nouns
With Weirdo Rippers in the back burner, No Age was bound to deliver a quality album. “Nouns” is very simple with only a guitar, drums and sampler but its sound is very big and dynamic. Its harder rock songs like “Teen Creeps” and “Sleeper Hold” are chalked full of well developed melodies and tasteful breakdowns. Whereas songs like “Keechie” and “Impossible Bouquet” explore a more ambient sound in which the moods shift effortlessly. Making No Age a force to reckoned with in the independent music scene.
2. M83 - Saturdays=Youth
Another 1980s revival album of 2008 is M83’s Saturdays=Youth. This album really takes shoegazing to the next level. Anthony Gonzalez crafts dream like vocals with female harmonization to set a nostalgic mood. The instrumentation on this album is based mostly on fuzzy synths, piano, electronic drums and lightly distorted guitar. Which gives it that nearly authentic 80s sound.
1. Deerhunter- Microcastle/ Weird Era Cont.
With a double disk release, Deerhunter snatches up the number one spot on this countdown. Microcastle ventures into a more accessible state, more so than their previous album Cryptograms. The tracks “Agoraphobia”, “Never Stops” and “Nothing Ever Happened” are all songs that could gain radio play and could bridge the gap from indie to mainstream in my opinion. Then on Weird Era Cont. the ambiance heard on Cryptograms returns and satisfies all ghost rock lovers out there.
12.08.2008
Crofoot Show Posted
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The Novel Citizen will be playing a show at The Crofoot just in time for the holidays!
DETROIT CONCERTS HOLIDAY BASH 2008 at The Crofoot Ballroom.
Show features 10 bands TBA starting a 5:00 running til midnight. Should be a grand old time. Set time for The Novel Citizen TBA.
Comcast on Demand will be filming the entire event and broadcasting it under the local category of the music section of on demand. The band whose performance receives the most views will be broadcast on the national level of On-Demand - so to all of our droogs, please give us a viddy!
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