Best of 2010: 15-11

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Honorable Mentions : 25-21 : 20-16 : 10-6 : 5-1

#15  The Walkmen - Lisbon

Purchase Lisbon here.

The latest LP from these inebriated troubadours is brimming with simple tales of love lost and economical melodies that are deceptively charming. I have always felt that Walkmen songs were the ramblings and snapshots of a guilt ridden drunk. On Lisbon, lead singer Hamilton Leithauser's lyrics are empowered as rather than shameful and angry. He is still a drunk, but aware that this time around he was the one who was wronged. Now steely in righteousness, he spills out tongue in cheek rants and melancholy croons as his boys ably back him up with graceful stomps and stumbles. Look to single "Angela Surf City", the peppy "Woe Is Me" and the soaring "Victory"  for the highest points and the boozy title track as a fitting epilogue. This new stately persona The Walkmen have embraced is a welcome change, making this year's effort even more surprising and special.

The Walkmen - Victory

#14  No Age - Everything In Between

Purchase Everything in Between here.

Read my original review here.

The power rock duo was ever so prolific over the past year with No Age making the most glorious noise of them all in full length form. The boys from L.A. have definitely cleaned up their act from their fuzz box standout Nouns. To be honest, there are times when that noise is sorely missed. As parents do with children, we should treat album's all as individuals and love them for what they are. In this case Everything In Between is a great album in a totally different and accessible way. It is overflowing with positivity and shows new facets and influences. I still nominate the first four tracks from "Life Prowler" to "Depletion"  for the 2010's most rocking album kick off.

No Age - Glitter

#13  Crocodiles - Sleep Forever

Purchase Sleep Forever here.

I feel this album wins the award for underappreciation this year, as Sleep Forever has flown way under the radar based on how good it was. Another duo from California (who actually counts No Age as huge supporters), Crocodiles takes a slicker production to its 60's psych-throwback sound and the result is a humming dissonance that straddles shoegaze and retro with efficiency and style. Being blessed with the full album for listening at your leisure, direct your mouse to the furious opener "Mirrors", the druggy downer "Girl In Black", the slinky, scuzzy "Billy Speed" and the Beach Boys sourcing by way of Jesus and Mary Chain "Hearts Of Love". I know what you are thinking and I am not sure how this slipped past you as well.

Crocodiles - Sleep Forever (full album)

#12  Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin

Purchase Root for Ruin here.

Read my original review here.

These indie punk stalwarts have carved out quite the legacy for themselves, but have never sounded so unencumbered. For the past 13 years or so, Les Savy Fav has been equal parts art rocker and punk rocker while letting it all hang out for their storied live shows. However, Root For Ruin cuts out the middleman and brings all of the reckless abandon right into the studio and rolls it out without much consideration for that artsy fartsy stuff. Not to say that this album lacks in smarts or savvy. Root For Ruin chooses to attack head on by showcasing snickering barnburners like "Appetites", "Dirty Knails", "High and Unhinged" and "Calm Down". The point is duly noted guys, you unequivocally rock.

Les Savy Fav - High and Unhinged

#11  LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

Purchase This Is Happening here.

Read my original review here.

James Murphy has carved out quite the role for himself. To paraphrase something I wrote earlier, he has become an accidental spokesperson for my generation by impersonating the collective conscious of the aging hipster. On This Is Happening, he is setting his sights on the best things in life while showcasing his music tastes through crafty homages of the heroes from his record collection.The results are epic songs that are much more about the journey than the destination that traverse through the history of cool music. Personally, the best tracks on This Is Happening such as "Dance Yrself Clean", "You Wanted A Hit" and "Home" are the ones where LCD Soundsystem doesn't sound like anything less than themselves. Early in the game, Murphy said that he would stop focusing on full lengths after three albums, with this being his last. Throughout the year, he may have softened his position a bit. I say take yr time.

LCD Soundsystem - You Wanted a Hit

Album Review: Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin

I can appreciate a band who chooses to traipse along the edge of the mainstream. The punk pop hooks, chanted choruses and shitstorm live shows make bands such as Les Savy Fav all the more of a hidden treasure for the cool kids to keep for themselves. With a pedigree dating back to 1995 at Rhode Island School of Design (where Talking Heads also originally met), Les Savy Fav have always brought the noisy, catchy, chaotic good times by grabbing all the serious power chords from their favorite punk bands and adding in their own sardonic twists. On their sixth album Root For Ruin out on Frenchkiss Records, their is an indisputable agenda here: create 10 tracks that will make a live audience lose their collective minds with bruised, aching, screaming joy. Mission accomplished.

Kicking off Root For Ruin is "Appetites", an off-kilter stop-and-starter that explodes into a punk rock cheer. By first requesting anyone to "Show us your tits" then referencing Silver Jews' tongue in cheek anthem "Punks In The Beerlight", "Appetites" becomes a cute inside joke, equal parts smart-ass crude and indie rock conceit. "Dirty Knails" features snatched Jesus Lizard fiery blues guitar and kick in the gut bass as lead singer Tim Harrington decides to chant like a preacher waiting on the Holy Ghost. They turn up the effects on "Poltergeist" giving it a road movie quality while it's theme will surely be utilized for Harrington's stage antics. Other tracks ripe for live performance are the silly come-ons for  "Lips n' Stuff" where Harrington requests to "be friends with benefits" and the oppositely titled, yet similarly surface level rock-outs "Excess Energies" and "Calm Down".

Where the muscular riffs and good times are abundant, the depth for most of Root For Ruin is about waist high. That attribute would not be so apparent if it weren't for Les Savy Fav's catalog showing how capable they were of blending their smarts and rock savvy. On Ruin, "Appetites" and "High and Unhinged" both feature the clever phrasing over melodic snares that capture your thoughts and send your body on its destructive moshpit-bound path. Newly inspired to dive back into the Les Savy Fav catalog, hearing some of the old tracks reminded me that their previous efforts were more challenging both musically and in the lyrics. All of the tracks on Root For Ruin are fun and of quality, making a great introduction to a storied band. If you are inspired to discover more, look to 2007's Let's Stay Friends and their early singles collection Inches for the best Les Savy Fav has to offer. Meanwhile, enjoy the party that is found here on Root For Ruin.

Purchase Les Savy Fav - Root for Ruin here.

Purchase Les Savy Fav - Inches here.

Purchase Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends here.

Les Savy Fav - Appetites


Les Savy Fav - Sleepless in Silverlake


Les Savy Fav - Let's Get Out Of Here


Les Savy Fav - Excess Energies

Les Savy Fav Gives Away New Single, New Album Out September 14

NYC rockers Les Savy Fav are on the cusp of becoming becoming elders statesmen of indie rock. As they come from a scene where bands have moved up to the major league by getting signed, making a breakthrough LP and garnering the mainstream adoration that only force-fed marketing can bring. However, the band has been intact since 1995, making music and touring to a loyal fan base that settles for nothing less than a chaotic spectacle of noise and theatrics.

After a six year stint of no new music as a result of writer's block, they burst back on the scene in 2007 with the great Let's Stay Friends. The wait turned out be fruitful as the new album showed maturity and expansion into more melodic influences. Since a successful supporting tour and lots of cross-promotion from lead singer Tim Harrington's comic leanings, Les Savy Fav are back to the business of new music.Their new LP Root For Ruin is set to be released on September 14 on Frenchkiss. The new single "Let's Get Out Of Here" is a back to basics indie earworm recalling an old school simplicity in a era where bands are constantly referencing influences. Give it a listen and hum along, then download it using the given widget. Keep an eye out for tour dates as well. Give a watch below and see that Les Savy Fav is a live band not to be missed. Maybe they can get a live spot on SNL, whaddasay Fred Armisen?

Les Savy Fav - Let's Get Out Of Here