@ In Review Online: Best Albums of the Decade (100 - 51)

The next installment of our "Best Albums of the Decade" series, 100-51. I'll highlight those albums that also find themselves in my personal top 100, but check out the links to the pages for the complete article.

100 - 91
Personal Picks:
97: Life Without Buildings - Any Other City (2001)
96: Cat Power - You Are Free (2003)
95: Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker (2000)

90 - 81
Personal Picks:
87: The Antlers - Hospice (2009)
81: The Walkmen - Bows + Arrows (2004)

80 - 71
Personal Picks:
76: Sonic Youth - Murray Street (2002)
75: Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006)
73: The Dismemberment Plan - Change (2001)
72: Radiohead - Amnesiac (2001)

70 - 61
Personal Picks:
68: Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out (2000)
67: Beck - Sea Change (2002)

61 - 51
Personal Picks:
57: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
56: LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007)
55: The Clientele - Suburban Light (2000)
54: Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (2005)
53: The Notwist - Neon Golden (2003)

@ In Review Online - Best Albums of the Decade (Intro + Honorable Mentions)

After putting in some serious time over the past few weeks, the staff of In Review Online presents "The 100 Best Albums of the Decade," according to us. Much deliberation went into this selection and we think we've got a list that represents the interests of the staff as a whole - it's definitely worth looking into. I contributed some of these write-ups along with others of our staff to attempt to relate to you why these records deserve so much acclaim at the end of the decade for their contributions.

To start we have the introduction and the "honorable mentions" section - more to follow during the week. Please read and enjoy!

The 100 Best Albums of the Decade

Honorable Mentions (including two of my favorites, Mass Romantic by The New Pornographers, and The Tyranny of Distance by Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. Also featuring Taylor Swift - seriously)

You Should Know: Postdata

Paul Murphy, the singer and songwriter behind Postdata, more frequently operates with the Canadian band Wintersleep, who have received critical acclaim and even a Juno Award for their efforts. But Postdata, the band and the album, is a very different and perhaps more important project for Murphy - one that hits decidedly closer to home. With his brother Michael, Paul wrote and recorded a deeply personal collection of tunes relating to different members of their family. Over time, these recordings eventually took shape in the form of a nine-song folk album filled with intimate, gripping details and a great deal of emotion. The results are often melancholy, sometimes wistful, and always gorgeous, and the origin of these songs conveyed through the vivid songwriting make this album a striking one that really shouldn't be missed this year.

With a limited palette of acoustic guitars, keys, and vocals, the Murphy brothers make simple, yet stunning music on Postdata, but the focus is, of course, on the lyrics and melodies. And it's here that the record draws you in, with brief but captivating stories of love, contemplation, and heartbreaking loss. My personal favorites include the rolling "Tracers," which is upbeat and nostalgic, and the quietly sad "Warning," which deals with the complex emotions caused by death over lonesome guitar and the soft hiss of tape. It's only 27 minutes long, but there's enough weight to the material that Postdata certainly doesn't feel light on substance. It's also consistently interesting throughout and avoids coming across as too withdrawn or depressing, and the songs are quite tuneful and warmly presented. I've no idea if the brothers plan on continuing this project or if this will be a one-time thing, but you really should hear this regardless.

For a taste, I've got "Tobias Grey" available for download - definitely check it out.

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Review: Patty Griffin - Downtown Church (* * * *)

I can't say I've thought about his enough to actually do it, but if I were to make a list of the singers I would most like to release a gospel album, I'm certain Patty Griffin would be very near the top. That's not to say that I have an extensive collection of the genre, but I do enjoy a great gospel record on occasion, and Downtown Church hits that spot just right. That's because Griffith went about making this album all the right ways, paying homage to soulful, classic gospel records while retaining her familiar musical personality, so while she explores some new (for her) territory here, she avoids removing herself from what made her such a special talent to begin with. Recorded, like the title suggests, in a Presbyterian church in downtown Nashville, the singer/songwriter's latest and sixth effort is a fantastic collection of covers, traditional numbers, and a couple originals - all of which are beautifully presented with the help of guests like Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller.

It should be said here that Downtown Church, while obviously dealing with mostly Christian themes throughout its 14 songs, isn't meant just for the faithful few. While believers such as myself may fall more deeply for the record than others, it's apparent that Patty Griffin did not intend this to serve as a praise and worship album, and if you've got any interest in the origin of blues, soul, and country music, you should find plenty to pique your interest. Because what comes across loud and clear on Downtown Church is Griffin and company's genuine love of and reverence for the album's musical and thematic elements, of which there are many (some quite old), ranging from the fire 'n' brimstone stomp of "Death's Got a Warrant" to somewhat more modern-sounding country ballads like "Never Grow Old." Each performance feels carefully conceived but freely executed, and the production allows plenty of the open chapel space into the music, resulting in an appropriately raw, unpolished feel. Highlights abound, including Griffin's own "Little Fire," a gorgeous duet with Emmylou Harris that is heartfelt and deeply emotionally, and the unexpectedly brash "I Smell a Rat," which allows Griffin to showcase the grittier, soulful side of her amazing voice as she whips around lines like "you won't tell me where you been, whiskey running all down your chin" with a venomous edge.

She only penned two of these tracks (the other being the yearning "Coming Home to Me"), but Patty Griffin makes Downtown Church her own by mostly resisting making a "gospel by the numbers" kind of record, instead crafting one that views faith through multiple lenses and isn't afraid to have some fun. The company she keeps to present these songs should also receive generous credit for their role in making a varied and consistently wonderful selection of tunes that most anyone can relate to or at least appreciate on some level - a true achievement, I believe, given the subject matter. As she closes with the sparse, stirring hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King" (a favorite of mine, I'll admit), Griffin leaves us with a tangible impression of the power of spirituality, faith, and devotion - and it would be a hard heart indeed that isn't warmed by such a sincere and thoughtful message.

MySpace

(Reposted) Review: Surfer Blood - Astro Coast (* * * *)

If there ever was a band that personified "college rock," Surfer Blood is it. As their bio states, these University of Florida students recorded their debut album "in a college dorm room, using musical equipment purchased with scholarship money." Supposedly, they rejected the version they had begun to record in the studio due to "the way the engineer was affecting their sound." This is certainly a very “indie” thing for a band to do, but the decision seems to have been an intelligent one in this case; Astro Coast is a more than solid rock 'n roll debut with an enjoyable DIY aesthetic. Like their name might imply, the boys carry on a sound quite prevalent last year, a sort of fuzzy surf-pop, but their spin on that style is considerably more interesting than that of their peers. Surfer Blood take that sunny, easygoing vibe of '09 and marry it to earnest power-pop, the results of which make for a consistently fun and thoroughly entertaining record which surprisingly lives up to the generous amount of hype that's gathered around it. (Continue Reading @ In Review Online)

MySpace

Band of the Day: Givers

Because I write about music often, I find myself getting in a bit of a rut when it comes to describing the sound of various bands and I sometimes end up using a generic selection of terms for a wide range of styles. But Givers, an indie collective from Louisiana, have made that part easy for me. "Afro-beat, dancy pants, indie pop love music" is how the band describes their music on their MySpace page, and after giving their self-titled debut EP a listen, I think they've got it about right. Their fun and energetic personality combined with their ability to construct tight, hook-filled tunes has earned the group a good deal of attention over the last couple months, including a recent spot over at NPR on All Songs Considered, where I first heard about them.

The group released the EP last year, a collection of four upbeat pop songs (plus one remix) that should get just about everyone excited for their upcoming full-length due early 2010 sometime. The first two tracks are reason enough to label these guys as a band to watch; "Up Up UP" is a buoyant, sunny tune with boy/girl harmonies and "Meantime" finds the band delving a bit more into the Afro-pop side of their sound with excellent results. Both incorporate elements from fairly popular indie rock trends, but the band combines these somewhat familiar elements in an innovative enough way as to provide some fresh and interesting ideas throughout the 23 minutes of the album. Make sure you give these guys a listen asap, they're definitely worth a little of your time.

MySpace
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Artist of the Day: Barton Carroll

Barton Carroll is likely to have had a hand in something you heard before, though you may be unfamiliar with his name. He's toured and/or recorded with a number of folk-rock bands such as Crooked Fingers, Azure Ray and Dolorean - and now he's got a sizable catalog of his own material, including his latest and fourth album, Together You and I. This is the first I've heard from Carroll and I have to say I'm thoroughly impressed, especially by his songwriting, which is sometimes emotive and personal, and at other times clever and witty, but always evocative. Highlights include the story of young love, "The Poor Boy Can't Dance," a tale of a younger brother's jealousy, "Shadowman" and the hilariously clever "Past Tense," though each of the songs add to the album's remarkably charming nature.

The ten tracks of Together You and I make for an enjoyably old-fashioned folk record that should definitely appeal to more than just genre junkies like myself, and at a pay-what-you-want price at his website, I recommend picking it up to give yourself an introduction to the considerably talented Barton Carroll.

MySpace

Review: Surfer Blood - Astro Coast (* * * *)

If there ever was a band that embodied college/indie rock, Surfer Blood is it. The University of Florida students comprising the group recorded their debut album, as their bio states, "in a college dorm room using musical equipment purchased with scholarship money" because they rejected the version they had recorded in the studio due to "the way the engineer was affecting their sound." So indie, so cool, and fortunately, a wise decision as well as Astro Coast is a more than solid rock 'n' roll debut with an enjoyable DIY aesthetic. Like their name might imply, the boys carry on a sound that was quite prevalent last year, a sort of hazy surf-pop, but their spin on the style is the best I've yet heard. Surfer Blood takes the sunny, easygoing vibe common to the genre and marries it with more earnest power-pop to consistently fun and thoroughly entertaining results that live up to the considerable hype that has been built around the record.

The first single, "Swim," leans heavily toward the louder, more bombastic side of the band's sound and is an easy pick for album highlight and one of this year's best tracks so far (though it also recieved a good deal of attention in 2009). The muscular guitars churn out power-chord riffs while singer John Paul Pitts practically shouts the anthematic choruses in such an uninhibited and winning manner as to knock down any resistance the listener may have had prior to listening. Though the remainder of the record doesn't make such an immediate impact, the same hook-filled, guitar-heavy approach makes for plenty of fine pop moments, with enough variety to put Surfer Blood a cut above many of their garage-rock peers. Each tune succeeds at evoking a sort of casual, almost off-handed approach without ever coming across as lazy, a line which is rarely trod this well. Other great examples of the band's formula are "Floating Vibes," a melodic, laid-back jam, "Take it Easy," a lean rock tune with a tropical vibe, and closer "Catholic Pagans," a Weezer-esque bit of sunny pop.

Surfer Blood's space may be crowded and will likely continue to get busier, but Astro Coast is a great start at staying ahead of the curve. Providing these guys continue to stay ambitious, I expect a bright future for this fun-loving and genuinely "indie" bunch of rockstars.

MySpace

Review: Vampire Weekend - Contra (* * * 1/2)

I wonder if Ezra Koenig and company didn’t intend for the opening line of the first track on their sophomore effort to be a direct affront to their critics: “In December, drinking horchata, I look psychotic in a balaclava.” This wouldn’t seem a declarative or confrontational statement out of context, yet given the amount of grief directed at the indie pop stars for their frequent references to hipster clothing and stuffy, upper class society, it might well be just that. But as the band transition into the sudden burst of tropical drums and the vocal refrain that follows soon after, there’s the feeling that this isn’t quite business as usual either. "Horchata" immediately becomes of a type with the entirety of Vampire Weekend’s second album, Contra. The record finds the group entrenching themselves further into their indie-rock-meets-afro-pop sensibilities, updating that style in a confident if less than truly adventurous way. With the aid of a bigger budget and more refined production, Contra should broaden Vampire Weekend’s already considerable appeal. But it doesn’t ultimately leave the same impact of their stellar debut. (Continue Reading at In Review Online)

Review: Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind EP (* * * *)

(This one got GOLD over at In Review Online)

Heaping praise on indie superstars Animal Collective is starting to seem too easy, unnecessary even. Don’t get me wrong; AC have earned their status as the preeminent boundary-pushing experimental group working today. This past year alone they released 2009’s best album and my personal favorite of theirs, Merriweather Post Pavilion. But the announcement of their Fall Be Kind EP almost prompted me to just say, “It’s Animal Collective, of course it’s amazing." Listen to it, love it, and then we’ll all move on. And if Fall Be Kind was just “good,” or even great in exactly the same way the LP that preceded it was great, maybe I could settle with that generalization. But in keeping with tradition, Animal Collective has crafted another distinctly superb and somehow progressive set of songs, noteworthy for its own merits and not simply as another strong addition to the band’s remarkable catalog. (Read the full review @ In Review Online)