This list isn't necessarily the "best of" 2009-- we're talking about the year's biggest disappointments (albums only)-- but nonetheless, it's another important top 10 topic. This isn't meant to patronize these artists either. On the contrary, we still respect many of these individuals or groups, however we expected a better showing out of them this year. They all still have chances at redemption, some even with albums slated for 2010. So check out our list of 2009's Biggest Disappointments below.
We've nearly reached the end of our countdown of the best albums of the decade. As difficult as compiling this list was to compile, I think it was worth it. Hopefully you do too. Check out #11-20 below-- all album streams are courtesy of Lala.com
This week's Top 10 may seem a bit confusing at the onset, so allow me to clear it up for you. Our criteria for a "greeting song" was any song that had at least one of the following-- "hello," "hi," "welcome" or "hey" (or a variation thereof)-- in the title. Hence, "greeting song." I think it worked out alright, but I'm probably a bit biased in that regard. If you're interested in being "greeted" by our playlist, check it out below.
Another playlist this week, however it's of the shorter variety-- Our favorite songs that clock in at under two minutes. Unfortunately, we were unable to include some of our favorite selections from The Beatles, The Olivia Tremor Control and Animal Collective, but we still made due with what we had. Enjoy the list below. It shouldn't take long.
Label: Procrastinate Music Traitors/DGC/Interscope
Due Out: September 22nd
Once you get over the shock of Brand New's fourth release, Daisy, maybe it becomes a great record. I guess I just haven't recovered from that initial sense of bewilderment yet. Daisy, in theory, appears as one might expect a Brand New album would; drastically different from the previous one, darker, moodier and heavier. As much as I saw all of that coming, what I couldn't have predicted was the blending of it all together. From mellow portions of Smiths' covers, to overdone impressions of Modest Mouse, there's just not enough separation present on Daisy for me to accept it as anything more than just another release from them (a first in my opinion). Perhaps this changes with time, but for now, consider me amongst those who find it good, but in no way great.
"Vices" starts off the record with a sample of "On Life's Highway," written by Bertrand Brown. The band has never done anything like this, and for those who are most acutely associated with the them, perhaps this is the most frightening/confusing moment on the album, amidst 40 minutes full of them. Cutting into the sample at about 90 seconds in, lead singer Jesse Lacey channels his inner Daryl Palumbo, reaching dizzying heights with his formerly-reserved scream. The one thing I can commend about the track though is that it sets the tone for an album that does a lot of interesting and technical things, strictly from a musical standpoint. "Bed" trudges in next, with a spacious, off-kilter southern rock anthem which builds itself to crescendo several times, yet never seems to reach its climax, and rather just tails off as a classic rock solo at song's end. First single "At the Bottom" chimes in afterwards, slowly, but surely. Playing off the sort of verse/chorus alternating intensity that made Isaac Brock famous, the band continues to capture a southern guitar rock feel, inorganic for them, but seemingly appropriate of the release.
"Gasoline" is a spitting, venomous punk number, seemingly aflame with the same substance the track takes its name from. Throughout the release, I go back and forth as to whether I approve of the screeching, waling guitar sounds littering the background, but on this track, the persistent noise works very well. Lacey has created for himself a brooding, moribund world with Daisy, and this song goes a long way towards solidifying that. When "You Stole" kicks in, however, you are suddenly transported back to 2004. At the time, Brand New had just discovered what they could begin to be capable of, and their signature (for a time) smokey bar-feel was birthed. The song plods, but amidst a sprawling scenery featuring electronic experimentation completely unheard of in the band's repertoire. If other critics insist on citing this as some sort of "watershed" moment, maybe this song is it, as the song wanders for six minutes in search of metal, and nearly succeeds. "Be Gone" would lend further to this sentiment, if it weren't for the fact that it sounds EXACTLY like a Modest Mouse song.
Unfortunately, these comparisons must continue on the verse of "Sink." If not for the screaming, spiraling chorus that more resembles a bear attack than anything of the indie rock variety, Brand New might have a lawsuit on their hands. At least Lacey makes sure to bring in his now-trademark God questioning though, so it counts as a dash of his own personality. Slowing things down a bit at the beginning, "Bought A Bride," which made the rounds as a live track on the internet last year, intersperses Lacey's bellowing and guitar solos into a fit of rock 'n' roll.
Next, "Daisy" is an echo-filled jaunt through the woods, starting in slow, and then grabbing onto some heavy noise influences for the second half; building, but never quite hitting the high point you expect. "In A Jar" tries to make up for this immediately afterwards, acting as the album's most bipolar contribution. Gyrating from the subtle nods to God-searching into the chaotic bombast of the chorus, it feels as if all of Daisy's built up aggression finally reaches its pinnacle. Good thing, because "Noro" doesn't go a long way towards said release. As hard-hitting as portions of the song get, it more resembles some spoken-word nu metal act, than one of indie rock's former noise aficionados. The only real saving grace is the continued southern rock influence that rescues it from the depths with a grinding, squealing solo to send it into more sampling to close out the album.
From the gallows of the album's onset, the band does a fair job of rescuing itself. It's just too bad that it had to start the way it did to begin with. What could have been a very promising effort on their part, what with all of the noise they incorporate, is downgraded to something just deemed okay by those who tune in. For longtime fans, their melodic core-- the leg they've stood on for the entire decade-- is seemingly a distant memory. Though not a horrible effort, the band sells itself a bit short on Daisy, if only maybe to prove a point to people. Similarities would probably include the aforementioned Modest Mouse, Manchester Orchestraand Built to Spill.
Rating: 6.5/10
Best Track: "Gasoline" (not available, but check out "At the Bottom" below)
When we last left our heroes (?), they had posted a snippet of new single, "At the Bottom" on Amazon. Well, now, right before releasing it to the world, the full preview is up over at the Myspace. No point in echoing my commentary from last week, since, obviously, it's the same song. Just go check it out if you want. Brand New's fourth LP, Daisy, is out September 22nd via Interscope/DGC/Procrastinate! Music Traitors. The album cover is pictured at top right, and the track listing is below, courtesy of Spin.
Daisy track listing:
1. Vices 2. Bed 3. At the Bottom 4. Gasoline 5. You Stole 6. Be Gone 7. Sink 8. Bought A Bride 9. Daisy 10. In a Jar 11. Noro
Quick news item that I came across while on Twitter. Brand New will be releasing a single from their upcoming fourth release, Daisy, next Tuesday. It's called "At the Bottom," and as would be expected, it sounds nothing like anything the band's ever done. I was just talking with Matt recently about having no idea where this release would go, and from the looks of this track, I think we have our answer. For at least this song, if not the whole album, they'll probably be relying heavily on Nirvana and Modest Mouse, along with other aspects of garage noise. I'm intrigued to say the least, and looking forward to hearing more as the album release date gets closer. If you're interested, go check it the preview over at Amazon.
This is just a brief news item, but an interesting one nonetheless. The other day we discovered that Brand New finally has their details straight on their upcoming fourth effort, including a name and release date. Well it ends up that the name is not, in fact, And One Head Can Never Die, but the simpler Daisy (as per Absolute Punk). I'm intrigued. The new, shorter name seems to say more than the longer one ever did. However, we'll know better once we hear it, if it was necessary or appropriate. Daisy, as it's now called, is still out September 22nd via Universal.
Oh, and if I see another pop-up head add for The Dead Weather, there will be hell to pay. Damn you, Jack White, and your over-marketing. We get it. The album's coming out soon.
Usually we don't talk about things like "band announces album release," but this is a special case, and something that would really only be reserved for a select few artists on this site. Native Long Islanders, Brand New, have been working on their fourth album for the larger part of this year, and now, apparently, it's all done, and ready to be released in the fall. According to a news item and interview from Kerrang!, the album will be named And One Head Can Never Die. It spans 11 tracks, and as per lead singer Jesse Lacey, is "a pretty exhausting record." In interviews he has also stated that a lot of the songs talk of, and feel like, an end. I hate to fan the flames of internet rumor, however, this could possibly be it for the band. I sincerely hope it isn't, but no point in speculating at this juncture. If you're interested, And One Head Can Never Die is out September 22nd via Universal.
For some reason, this video never gets old. Or at least, never stops being cool... to me. As anyone who's ever listened to Brand New probably knows, "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades" is about sex, and it's also (debatably) the song that introduced the larger public to the band. This seems to give both the song and video a black eye when looking back on it, but I don't necessarily think that that's appropriate. In no way is it the best track on 2003's classic, Deja Entendu- that honor could be tossed up between a number of other songs- but it is still the type of song that made Jesse Lacey famous; that is using clever metaphors and imagery to depict the problems in his life, or his own social criticisms. I personally consider it (comedically) as the band's first attempt at making a rap song, but either way, an enjoyable song I can still look back on fondly enough.
The premise of the video is basically what I touched on before, Lacey, the main character here, is running from something, then suddenly takes control of everyone around him. Near the end, when he's about to use his newfound control on a female (an allusion to the theme of the track), he is suddenly taken control of himself, by a dark figure in the background. I'll assume this is societal constructs or stereotypes. Suddenly, he is helpless, and seemingly worse off than he was at the start. A great video that uses some great imagery and symbolism. Even when they were making music that vaguely resembled the Taking Back Sundays (pre-2005, of course) of the world, the band's sound still seemed smarter than what their peers were putting out, and I think this video's indicative of that. Check it out below.
Talk about a band coming out of nowhere. Blind Pilot, whom nearly nobody knew about or had ever heard of just a few weeks ago, has already accomplished more than many well-established bands can even claim.
It all started when their first single, 'Go On, Say It", was selected as an Itunes free download. The hype rose, and the internet chat rooms caught fire. As of July 22nd, the song was downloaded over 2 million times. As of the same date, their debut album- 3 Rounds and a Sound catapulted up to the #13 chart on the Billboard digital downloads chart. There was no fake hype machine which preceded all of this, nor were there rabid poseurs leaking them out over the internet. This band, unlike many of its online-launched brethren, is simply doing it with pure talent, some real genuine music, and a touch of nostalgia.
February 4th was one of the happiest days of my life- but only because I had not yet heard the news of one of my favorite bands, The Format, calling it quits. Instead, that day, I was parading around like every other Giants fan, celebrating the improbable events of the night before in the Super Bowl. When I finally came to from my euphoric state later that week and found out what had happened, I was truly crushed. How did I want to replace them? Should I bother replacing them? Obviously these thoughts were running through the minds of many a musician, since by April, you could hear the rumblings of artists inspired by the Jangle Pop-extraordinaires rising to the surface. I was skeptical, but gave some a try. All Get Out stood out to me, but it was more because of their sounding like Manchester Orchestra and The Format's lovechild. I stopped searching, and just continued listening to the band I had come to know and love.
Fastfoward to this week. While sitting on my computer (what else is new), a friend (fellow Animal Noises writer Heath) told me about Blind Pilot, and directed me to where I could find their album. I was expecting something entertaining that I would get a couple of listens out of. Instead, I found the artist which would fill the void left by The Format (I promise, this is my last reference to them). From the first track- "The Story I Heard"- Blind Pilot grabs you. It's poppy and active, but not too much so. Just enough to keep you interested. Then, something odd starts happening. The music begins to invoke memories.
I usually associate memories with music, as do many others, I would assume. The only thing is, that music usually has to have been apart of my life when the memory happened. Since Blind Pilot was not apart of my life, nor anyone else's until about 3 weeks ago, the fact that the music can have such an affect is astounding. It's lively yet quiet, active yet passive, and timid and bold at the same time. As the album has taken me on a trip back through my memories, I can calmly listen, or sing along. It reminds me of what was, and what is. And what is, for this band, is success.
Now, believe me, I won't turn this into a lovefest and then, to top it all off, declare it one of the best albums ever. Far from it. But, that being said, I'm still getting acquainted with it, so maybe in time, it can join OK Computer, Deja Entendu, Dog Problems, In the Aeorplane Over the Sea, and The Lonesome Crowded West in that space. For now, it occupies an endearing place in my mind, invoking the images and sounds of what was, and also did a very good job of subsituting for Anything Else But the Truth by The Honorary Titlelast night, if I do say so myself.
My suggestion: Check out this album. Maybe you'll enjoy it as much as I have, maybe you won't. It's not hard music to listen to. On the contrary, it's fairly simple. They seem to be one of the few that no how to do that anymore; simple.
Grade: 8/10; As I've said, I'm a tough grader, and don't hand out 9s very easily. Maybe with time, this one will enter that realm. We'll see.
Buzz:This blog has had very little exposure to the fact that Matt and I are huge fans of Brand New. This is mostly due to the fact that they aren't ones to let out material very often. Luckily for everyone though, a video has surfaced on Youtube for their new song, apparently dubbed "Brickhouse" by some members of the internet community, and "Trees" by others. Either way, take a listen. I'm pretty sure you'll like what you hear, especially if you like hearing chaos.
Before the age of digital music, one of the most important aspects of marketing a new record to the buying public was its packaging: a physical presentation of the artist's work that not only functioned as a holder for the record, but as a visual companion to the musical recording itself which you could hold in your hands. Whether it be eye-catching cover art, an engaging lyric booklet, or the actual record case; it all lent itself to the complete audio-visual experience intended by the artists for the listener.
Now that owning physical copies of music is becoming more and more rare (retailers like Best Buy and Starbucks have even started selling digital albums in their stores), many bands are trying to find new ways to make the visual representation of their work help them stand out in the changing landscape. One band that took the extra step in recent years was Long Island's own, Brand New, on their 2007 release, "The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me". With it's particularly striking and conceptually fitting cover art, and a layout consisting mostly of obscured photographs, fragmented sentences, and simple drawings, they managed to create a visual aesthetic that fit perfectly with its sonic counterpart. The band also opted to use an old school card-stock sleeve over the typical jewel CD case; managing to create something that felt good in your hands, and was a piece of art in itself.
Another band that got people talking recently was Bishop Allen, with their "EP Project" in 2006. Every month of the year, starting in January, the band released a 4-song EP; each named after the month of its release,with its own unique themes and artwork; meant to work together with the other 11 as a collectible set.
This year's new releases (even a couple of which were previously highlighted in our Best of 2008) are no exception. The two words I would use to describe Lightspeed Champion's, "Falling Off The Lavender Bridge", are simple and vulnerable. What could be more simple and vulnerable than placing songwriter/musical mastermind Dev Hynes in front of a solid sky-blue background, cradling
a small black rabbit in his arms? Another recent release which perfectly pairs audio and visual is Death Cab for Cutie's "Narrow Stairs". The cover's rigid mosaic of colors, seemingly taken from various photographs, holds the structured diversity of America's west in the days of Jack Kerouac; frontman Ben Gibbard's favorite author, who has become an inspiration for Gibbard's own writing; most notably in the song, "Bixby Canyon Bridge". A great deal of the new album was actually written in and around the late Kerouac's Cabin at Big Sur, where Gibbard went to find clarity in his life.
Then of course we have the biggest release of the year so far (the physical release), and possibly of years to come, both aesthetically and musically: Radiohead's "In Rainbows". The initial buzz of this record came from the fact that a) they're Radiohead, and b) they were basically giving it away (recently repeated by both Nine Inch Nails and Girl Talk, respectively). After hearing the news, people immediately flooded to the band's site, where they were greeted with an oil slick-esque rainbow of colors, noted with mysteriously systematic patterns
of letters and symbols; thus launching some of the most innovative and effective digital record packaging that music has ever seen. It not only served as a visual component to the album, but as the key turning in the ignition of the "In Rainbows" hype-machine, which was followed by hidden messages to fans in binary, and a series of live performance/distopian future vignette podcasts; setting a standard for every record yet to be released. With a bar that high, who knows what we'll see next, and from whom? Here's to the future.
Animal Noises is a blog about music, both old and new, and how it stands up in the current music scene. The staff-- John, the editor, with contributions from Matt-- uses their various music backgrounds to intelligently discuss artists and albums, focusing on the good, while not avoiding the bad. We focus on sub-genres of rock, electronic music and hip hop, but don't be surprised to see the occasional wildcard too.
This list isn't necessarily the "best of" 2009-- we're talking about the year's biggest disappointments (albums only)-- but nonetheless, it's another important top 10 topic. This isn't meant to patronize these artists either. On the contrary, we still respect many of these individuals or groups, however we expected a better showing out of them this year. They all still have chances at redemption, some even with albums slated for 2010. So check out our list of 2009's Biggest Disappointments below.
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