Best of 2010: Live Performances

Alright! I'm back finally back with some new stuff! And I promise I'm going to try and be better about updating this blog next year. But let's get to some best of the year stuff first.

I attended between 20 and 25 concerts this past year, so I obviously can't claim this to be a comprehensive list of the best live acts of 2010, but the following bands really blew me away. Think of this as recommendations for bands to catch in concert next year, or something like that.

So, in no particular order, my five favorite live artists/bands of 2010:

Sufjan Stevens: Say what you will about Sufjan Stevens' divisive new album, Age of Adz, the guy knows how to put on a show. And by show, I mean a laser-light rock opera kind of performance including the entirety of the 25-minute epic "Impossible Soul," which resulted in a sort of awkward dance party throughout Kingsbury Hall. But through all the fuss, Sufjan kept the audience mesmerized with that beautiful voice. I've never experienced anything quite like this outrageous performance, and I doubt I will again.


The Gaslight Anthem: Talk about getting your money's worth. Everyone at this show payed only five bucks to be in attendance, but Brian Fallon and company played for over two hours and seemed thrilled to do so. Fallon sang his heart out and carried a grin the entire evening, and the band was razor sharp as they made their way through what must have been every song in their catalog. I love to see a band that so clearly understands what makes a great rock 'n' roll show.


Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: I have never--and I mean never--seen an artist work so hard during a live performance. Sharon Jones sang, danced, gave monologues that stretched songs into 10-minute jams, ran all over the stage and invited audience members up to join in the party. She must have been up there for nearly two hours, and while I probably would have died from exhaustion, the 54-year-old soul singer just. kept. going. I'll never forget this one, I get goosebumps just thinking about it.


Thao/Mirah: Thao and Mirah sharing the stage for this one-of-a-kind tour proved to be an inspired decision and a treat for fans of either artist (so, bonus for me because I love both of them). The combination of their unique musical personalities along with the intimacy of the evening resulted in one of the more engaging shows I saw this year. They traded songs, sang beautiful harmonies and made it fun each member of the small but appreciative audience. Also, Mirah's dance-music version of "Gone Are the Days" was worth the price of admission.


Rubik: Not too many people know Rubik, the awesomely weird indie rock band from Finland, but these guys are fantastic live. They opened a show to an audience that had absolutely no idea who they were, but by the end of their relatively short set each and every person in that crowd was a convert. They blasted horns, pounded keyboards, and played with such fervor that they simply won us all over and received a standing ovation usually reserved for a headlining act. I can't wait to see them again.

Best of 2009: 40 - 31

Continuing the list of the best (read: my favorite) albums of the year:

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40: Delorean - Ayrton Senna (EP)

Spanish dance-rockers Delorean are another group I don't know much about, but this EP, Ayrton Senna, is fantastic. Smooth beats, shimmering guitars, and more hooks than you can count make this an easy choice for this list despite its fairly brief length. (More from me)

Seasun (MP3 via Pitchfork)


39: Visqueen - Message to Garcia

I found out about this album fairly late in the year, but I immediately fell in love with frontwoman Rachel Flotard and company. Visqueen makes big, crunchy guitar rock that spans the past couple decades yet feels fresh despite its familiarity. Put simply, Message to Garcia is an absolute blast.

MySpace


38: The Lonely Forest - We Sing the Body Electric

This is an album that has continually grown on me throughout the year. We Sing the Body Electric is, in some ways, a throwback to 90s alt-rock, but The Lonely Forest provide plenty of their own personalty over the course of 15 eclectic and energetic tunes. (More From Me)

We Sing in Time (MP3)

MySpace


37: Mirah - (A)Spera

Mirah's (A)spera impressed me upon first listen, but nearly got lost in the shuffle for me this year. Luckily, I managed to spend some more time with it later on and remembered immediately why I loved it; beautiful vocals, exquisite arrangements, and fine lyricism. A wonderful record. (More from me)

MySpace


36: Joshua James - Build Me This

Joshua James isn't exactly a local boy, but he did spend quite a bit of time here in Utah while growing his career. He's an amazing performer and gifted songwriter, and on Build Me This, he raises the bar set by his debut with 13 emotionally-charged folk-rock tunes. (More from me)

Magazine (MP3)

MySpace


35: Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem

Ever the adventurous type, Phil Elverum's newest project, Mount Eerie, is perhaps his most ambitious and startling yet. Wind's Poem is something like a metal-folk album, with dense drones and thunderous bouts of noise blended in with more acoustic guitar interludes for a unique and truly compelling experience.

MySpace (I think)


34: Polvo - In Prism

Though 12 years separates In Prism from its predecessor, you wouldn't know it just by hearing the record. Polvo sounds invigorated and inspired, crafting a very strong set of nine rock tracks that should be a delight for both longtime fans and newcomers alike. Would that all comeback albums were this great.

MySpace


33: Roman Candle - Oh Tall Tree In The Ear

Roman Candle's Oh Tall Tree In The Ear is a simple and even modest records in many respects, but the songwriting here is anything but ordinary. The band's earnest brand of pop-rock is straightforward and mostly gimmick-free, with lyrics that provide the assurance that great storytelling can still be found in rock 'n' roll.

MySpace


32: The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come

Josh Darnielle maintains his status as one of indie rock's greatest songwriters on the Bible and faith-based The Life of the World to Come. It's a more mellow record (often, anyway) than most of his previous efforts, but it's no less engaging or powerfully personal.

MySpace


31: jj - jj n° 2

With heavenly female vocals, sunny, relaxed beats, and sharp production, jj n° 2 is a brief but absolutely gorgeous record that effectively puts jj on the map, whoever they are. The anonymous Swedish artists already have another one in the works, so prepare accordingly. (More from me)

Ecstasy (MP3)

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Review: Mirah - (a)spera (* * * *)

Hailing from Portland, Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn has been making great music for a dozen years or so, earning a generous amount of critical acclaim in the process. I'm going to be showing either my relatively young age or perhaps my ignorance of one of indie rock's premier singer/songwriters here, but Mirah's fourth studio album (and first in four years) has served as my introduction to this talented songsmith. Fortunately, (a)spera is easy to appreciate all on its own, and Mirah's talent is quite obvious. The record is a striking collection of beautiful, well-written songs that is both diverse and remarkably cohesive.

The album begins with "Generosity," a gorgeous way to start, with Mirah's delicate vocals backed by dramatic strings and percussion. Following is the equally impressive and more haunting "The World Is Falling," which slides smoothly on subtle bass and guitar with some eerie backing vocals complementing the mood. Much of (a)spera has a gentle, almost fragile feel to it, with the varied selection of instruments that make appearances throughout the record adding some exquisite textures to Mirah's narratives. The lovely "Shells," features some stirring kora and guitar work, while the light, groovy "Gone Are The Days" has horns and keys as a backdrop. "The River" keeps things especially simple, with soft electric guitar, faint horns, and keys leaving plenty of room for the airy vocals that meander through the song's nearly eight minutes in a Mark Kozelek-esque folk style.

Midway through the album, Mirah throws two fantastic and captivating curve balls into the mix that give the record a welcome kick. The upbeat, rhythmic "Country of the Future" has a great Latin feel to it, with staccato drums, Spanish guitar, and bouncing bass in a love song full of mystique and real romance. "The Forest" starts softly than expands into a rock 'n' roll tune with crunchy guitars, blaring horns, and thundering percussion adding dramatic flair. These more upbeat songs are good enough that I at first wished there were more of them to be found on the album, but the flow and pacing of the record along with the generally solid material keeps the entire 43 minutes an experience worth having.

Mirah's stories are unique, descriptive, and fascinating, the kind that work their way under your skin as you give yourself the time to pick out the intimate details. It's her way with words that really elevates the record above the majority of her peers, though her stellar voice certainly doesn't hurt. (a)spera is an album that takes some time to fully reveal its magic, but after a few listens, you're likely to have difficulty removing yourself from the album once you've started.