The Revinylization Project: Year in Review

I bought a lot of vinyl this year. The picture above is only a portion of the records I accumulated in 2009. Missing are the old, used, and reissues, but the picture still gives you a taste of how much vinyl was dropped off at my house by the UPS lady. Even with a few releases yet to be released, I bought a lot of records.

And I was good at sticking to the vinyl, so to speak. I bought one album (Beirut) accidentally on CD, another only available on CD (Clem Snide), and a small handful via iTunes. Of course, the fact that most of the vinyl was accompanied by MP3 codes or CD's only encouraged me to buy more. It was simple commitment despite the fact that this town no longer has a reliable source of vinyl. Insound and all their pre-order deals saved the Revinylization Project.

The toughest part was actually listening to the music. The stereo is kept in the basement and I spend most of my time upstairs or in the car. Those albums without a portable option just didn't get many listens. The listening grew easier as Lucia grew up and often requested to go to the basement to play in the area we set up for her. (Before you call child protective services...or vinyl protective services, you should know that the basement is finished.)

As the year comes to a close, many of you have submitted lists of your favorite albums of 2009. (And some of you still have yet to deliver on your promise.) I too have created my own list. As top-10 lists tend to be, this one is fluid. You may find inconsistencies with my best of the decade list, but this is mainly due to oversight and the changing direction of the wind. I may have a completely different list tomorrow. For now, this is what I've got and I'm standing by it.

10. M. Ward - Hold Time

I sometimes refer to this album as He and Her. Of course, Zooey Deschanel has less to do with this record than Ward had to do with the She and Him debut, but you get the point. The record is good and I have not given it it's due time.

9. Port O'Brien - Threadbare

This record didn't grab me right away, but it's a grower. The band's nod to early nineties alt rock draws me back every time...That and Cambria Goodwin's voice.

8. Handsome Furs - Face Control

This married duo put on a great show at Mojo's this year. The energy from that show has held up on vinyl. Say 'yes' to perestroika dance/synth rock from Canada!

7. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs

"Here to Fall" grabs me every time. The rest of the album holds up as well. I predict with some time and further listening, this one will rise on my all-time list. It's the most complete albums YLT has done in years.

6. Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light

I can't listen to this very often because it's that kind of good. The album is truly effectual. Antony's voice is not of our post-modern society. It defies definition and I defy you not to feel something when this record plays.

5. Atlas Sound - Logos

I'm always slow with the Brandon Cox bandwagon, but I'm here to tell you that I get it and I'm on board. Sadly, the creator of such brilliant material is not long for this world.

4. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

I fully admit it. this one is all hype. And I haven't liked the Flaming Lips for years. Nothing I've heard makes me think that this is a bad album or even one that doesn't belong in my top-5. Let's hope I feel the same after a few listens.

3. Various Artists - Dark Was the Night

I normally avoid compilations, but this one is too good to pass up. It's one of the few that understands both quantity and quality. I even like the My Brightest Diamond track and I hate her.

2. Japandroids - Post-Nothing

I was so close to making this my number 1, but for reasons specified below it sits in the second slot. There's still some part of me that listens with my gut and my gut tells me to like this band. I know that it's beer and lifestyle music, but it's good beer and lifestyle music.

1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Sometimes the best pick for your year-end list is the most obvious. This record was talked about before Animal Collective were a band. And somehow, it lived up to the hype laid upon it. No one makes music like this. No one. Not Radiohead. Not TV on the Radio. And certainly not Wilco. They sound like no one. They sound big and twisted, unraveling and cross, triumphant and just plain brilliant. How could I not pick this record. It's lasted nearly the entire year without me growing tired of it. I don't even know if I need to hear another record by Animal Collective. This will do just fine.

Others considered for the list (in no particular order):

• Monsters of Folk
• Camera Obscura
• Matt and Kim
• Dinosaur Jr.
• Swan Lake
• Grizzly Bear

Best of the Oughts: Albums 61-70

And so the list continues...

It's actually getting really good around here. I still listen to several of the following records on a regular basis. Dan Bejar makes two appearances on this ten. Three of the bands feature strong female performers. The top two bands on this section of the list are scattered throughout the top-100, making them both strong candidates for band of the decade honors. This is getting fun.


70. M Ward - The Transfiguration of Vincent
This one was given to us by an artist friend who doesn't really follow that much music, but she was right to spread the M Ward. Is there any voice this side of Jim James that is more haunting? I think not.


69. Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams
I realize that this might not be Bejar's best material, but this is the album I've got. He's so weird in his writing and vocal stylings that he draws you in and makes him your favorite New Pornographer every time.


68. Sonic Youth - Murray Street
This one fits somewhere in SY's trilogy of post-9/11 efforts, but I don't exactly remember where. Whatever, for my money, outside of Daydream Nation, this era of Sonic Youth is the best. They were able to take the extremes of experimentation to a place that was listenable and approachable but still not conventional. That's not easy to do.


67. Swan Lake - Enemy Mine
This album grabbed me from the first listen. It's so big and weird and all three male voices intertwined in some three-way action. It's good. It's pure rock.


66. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
This is the peak of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' ride. They just left their rough, indie beginnings and entered their ready-for-radio era. Before this, they were almost unlistenable. After this, they were practically Britney Spears. And the answer is 'yes, I overuse hyperbole.'


65. Cat Power - You Are Free
What a great protest record, even if it wasn't meant to be. Before Chan Marshal turned to soul and R&B legends, she turned to grunge gurus (Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl) for this excellent post-9/11 work (though recorded prior to that day). Like PJ Harvey, Marshal didn't mean to respond to 9/11, she just did.


64. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
Ominous. That's how we all felt after 9/11 and stolen elections and once we listened to this album. Radiohead encapsulated this time perfectly. (Sorry for all the 9/11 connections. It's inspiring another list. Don't you worry.)


63. Loose Fur - Loose Fur
This album maybe better represents what Wilco was messing around with in the studio when they tried to piece together Yankee Hotel Foxtrot than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot did. That and I love pseudo-super groups.


62. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
This album was so good that it bled into the next release, The Stand Ins. Will Sheff is a fantastic songwriter and he describes show business in a way that makes it familiar to even the most isolated. He has to be one of the most dynamic performers in indie rock and this album showcases that fact.


61. The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows I know that this is where The Walkmen begin and end for most folks. My line of the decade resides in this album. ("When I used to go out I would know everyone that I saw / Now I go out alone if I go out at all") The record is a testament to the most sonic material of the band's young life. Where most of their albums are woozy, boozy bar tributes, this one focuses on the confusion and dissolution we feel after a long night hopping from joint to joint.

Mid-Year Top 10

I did this last year and the trolls showed up in full force. Hopefully this year's list won't be so controversial. It's already late, so that takes away some of the impact. Also, this list could change drastically over the next six months or so, but I will garuntee that all of this top ten will be around when '09 is over.

10. Outer South - Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Honestly, I wasn't even going to include this on the list until I started giving the record another listen or two in preparation for this past Monday's show at the Note. The performance did the final convincing.

9. The Crying Light - Antony and the Johnsons
This is an absolutely beautiful record that is sequenced masterfully. This is why albums are always better than singles.

8. Grand - Matt & Kim
They're my default ringtone right now. This record is so poppy and upbeat that I had to include it on the list. It may rise by year's end, depending on my mood.

7. Hold Time - M Ward
Ward follows up his great work on She and Him with this gem.

6. Enemy Mine - Swan Lake
Big, weird, Vancouver, super-group, etc.

5. It's Frightening - White Rabbits
This is a great follow up for the one-time COMO-ians. While Britt Daniel's fingerprints are all over it, the album is certainly proof of this band's worth. I look forward to #3.

4. Face Control - Handsome Furs
Here's another great duo who are also a couple on the side. (Matt & Kim being the other.) Few bands have been able to combine synth beats and rock guitar so effectively...at least with only two members.

3. Dark Was the Night - Various
This sprawling collection of songs from the Red Hot Organization is one of the best compilations I've heard. Many of the tracks are among the best for each artist. The biggest and most pleasant surprise was José González's Nick Drake cover. Why don't more people cover Nick Drake?

2. Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective
This is on everyone's short list. It will be near the top at the end of the year as well. It's so nice to hear a record that lives up to its hype. This is the next Radiohead/Wilco/TV on the Radio.

1. Post-Nothing - Japandroids
I am a sucker for minimalist anthems. Guided By Voices did it better than anyone, but this band does it with less and rocks more.

Just missed the cut: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Wavvves, Beirut, Iron and Wine, Sunset Rubdown

Need more listens: Clem Snide, Cursive, Sonic Youth, The Thermals, Bill Callahan, Camera Obscura

Still on my list to get: The Eels, Dinosaur Jr, Stuart Murdoch

Things I may have missed: Andrew Bird, Robert Pollard (in my neighborhood, we call him Bob), Ben Kweller, The Decemberists...Let me know if there are more in the comments.

Also, what else is still yet to be released? Leave me some insight in the comments.

Want to see for yourself? Go to Insound and buy some records.

The Revinylization Project: M Ward - Hold Time

I haven't really reviewed an album in a long time. So, in the year in which I am trying to buy vinyl exclusively I figured I could introduce a new format/feature. Enter The Revinylization Project. This is my first entry. Each review will feature information about the Music, Insert, Sleeve, Extras, Record, and whY you should buy this record (or not). Unlike other reviews, this feature will not be limited to new releases. Whenever I buy a record or revisit an old favorite, it will be included in The Revinylization Project. Enjoy, music lovers.

M Ward - Hold Time


Music
After a few years of Amy Winehouse-esque retro rock filling the airwaves in true cookie-cutter fashion, the only true purveyor of retro songcraft has survived to make some of the best music on maybe the best indie label. M Ward separates himself from others who try to revisit the past of popular music without true craftsmanship or genuine artistry. Hold Time is no exception. The opening tracks are as strong as any in Ward's catalog, including the She and Him material, but the album wanes a little in the middle. The closing third of the album is passable and an improvement from the pudgy midsection. While the record is a good album, it's not great when one considers Ward's earlier works. Still, the craftsmanship is to be admired.

Insert
Inside my record was a card (addressing me as "Dear Honored Listener") that gave me the right to one free download of the album. Now I can listen to my record in the car as well.

Sleeve
The cover is a photo of a 10th century Chinese painting. The sleeve opens to three panels of the photo, blown up to take up space beyond the cardboard packaging for my record. The blown up image on the inside is of a newer Chinese piece (20th century). There are no liner notes aside from all the players Ward employs for each track. The thank-yous are loaded with Saddle Creek folk, a guy named Michael Moore, and it's signed with the statement "Blessed Are the Peacemakers".

Extras
Aside from the digital download, there isn't really anything else. Although, I should mention that Merge did me the favor of packaging the record in a clear plastic sleeve to help protect the lovely sleeve. Additionally, the plastic includes stickers with the album's artist, title, and track list. I really appreciate this since I have run out of protection for my other records.

Record
The black vinyl is of the heavy 180 gram variety, solid and clean. This fine record is additionally housed in a cloudy white envelope for protection.

whY
As usual, M Ward crafts a nice-sounding record and puts together some attractive packaging. Of course, the 180 gram vinyl with digital download option should be enough for anyone with at least a passing interest in M Ward.

Some Things to Blog

I have some blogging to catch up on. Here's what I'm pondering...

M Ward's record and the compilation Dark Was the Night arrived in the mail today. I'll grab the digital file of M Ward's record and let you know how it went. The other record will have to wait until I can get home and sit down for a minute or two. Maybe I'll even do proper reviews. Maybe.

I drank some beers this past weekend I haven't told you about yet. I do plan to review these beers, but it's time i don't have. FYI, I had a New Glarus Spotted Cow and a Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye on Friday for HH. The other beer of the weekend was a Southern Tier Backburner Barley Wine. I actually bought two of the barley wine, one for now and one for later.

I listened to Nirvana, Heatmeiser, and Brainiac at some point on the iPod while driving home. This got me thinking about dead rock stars from my generation. I saw the front men from all three bands perform. However, I don't know what I'll say about it. I just want to say something.

My blogging is lagging for two reasons: Facebook and Twitter. I'm sure there's a blog post in there somewhere. I may even have to mention all the other places I contribute. It's getting outta hand.

Depending on how much research I do, I may or may not tell you about a musician who has intrigued me today, despite having no nationally distributed album. Her name is Shilpa Ray and she's so harsh...in a good way. Brooklyn Vegan, who I usually skip in my daily readings, called my attention to Shelpa and her Happy Hookers. You can grab an MP3 here and here or visit her MySpace page (yes, bands still use those) here.

Also in BV, a little band called Clap your Hands Say Yeah may be making a comeback like only a blog band could: after two whole albums. They apparently played a long set the other night and revealed some great new material. We'll have to wait and see if they'll make up for the show in COMO they cancelled a while back. Actually, I won't blog about this anymore. I just wanted to let you all know that I have great hopes for a CYHSY "reunion" tour. When Hell freezes over indeed.

Finding New in the Old: Three Reviews

I picked up three records Tuesday, and it took me three days to listen to them all the way through. The one thing in common all three records have is that they find both their successes and troubles from a new take on something old. Sure, all music does this in some way, but these records demonstrate this tendancy better than most with both positive and negative results.

She & Him - Volume One
One Hundred Fifty-Eight Words: M Ward may have found his female counterpart in actress/singer Zooey Deschanel as the two collaborate on Volume One under the name She & Him (sic). The record is full of the dreamy crooning often found on M Ward records...it's just that he's not singing. Deschanel is surprising as a singer. One learns over time that actors make terrible records and are mediocre-at-best musicians (Bruce Willis, Juliette Lewis, Madonna, etc.) Luckily, Deschanel's performance contains the echoes of Patsy Cline and rivals Neko Case for her angelic delivery.

Like all of his records, Ward produces music that reminds us of early sixties pop and old-school country - the way it was supposed to be. I've always found his music to have a retro flavor and Volume does little to change my mind. His production technique and subject matter are developing into a calling card for M Ward. It was good to hear this style come through Deschanel's lovely pipes.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Sentimental Heart"

Pitchfork Says: 7.4

The Black Keys - Attack & Release
One Hundred Nineteen Words: This collaboration between The Black Keys and Danger Mouse was supposed to involve Ik Turner, but when the septum-less wife-beater died, all that was left were the Keys and Danger Mouse. The Black Keys needed a jolt as their sound has grown tired. Where fellow blues revivalists The White Stripes have diversified their sound over the past few years, The Black Keys seem to perpetually make the same blues record over and over. Danger Mouse, normally known for his hip hop production, adds subtle touches to the Keys' recordings to make it sound just different enough that it feels fresh. Additionally, The Black Keys seem to venture from their blues trappings to make their most interesting record in years.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Remember When (Side B)"

Pitchfork Says: 7.5

REM - Accelerate
Two Hundred Five Words: I picked up this record basically because of all the good press REM was getting for "returning to rock". Wait. Hasn't every album since Monster been their "return to rock" or "return to form" or whatever record? The record does rock. It does remind me of 80's REM, pre-"Shiny Happy People" REM. Is it something that blows me away? No. Is it Murmur-Redux? No. Is it even Up? No, thankfully. Is that fair? Yes, it's REM.

REM mine their youth for driving songs with a conscience and some fine harmonies, but they don't blow your mind with Accelerate. Of course, maybe they don't have to. Isn't it good enough that they just keep making quality music? (Should I stop reviewing the record with questions?)

REM are what they are and I'm OK with that. The songs at least sound like the band that opened me up to a lot of possibilities when I was in high school. This record isn't nearly as contrived or dated like Monster or Up, but it does fall flat in some parts. What makes it a worthwhile record is the sense that craftsmanship has returned to their songwriting, a craftsmanship missing from their material over the past 15 years.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Houston"

Pitchfork Says: 6.7