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.

Hiatus Over

Last night, I ate my own ice cream, said good-bye to some friends, and saw White Rabbits play to a huge crowd at Mojo's.

We've actually been making ice cream for several weeks now. R's made concoctions of lavender, chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla with real vanilla bean. They've all been good, but I had to get in on the action.

Using a recipe from Perfect Scoop for a Guinness Stout ice cream, I made a batch. Guinness is a little on the light side for me these days, so I upped the ante. I used a Bell's Expedition Stout. The Expedition is a Russian Imperial, meaning there's more alcohol (10.5% ABV as compared to 4.2% for your typical draught), notes of chocolate and coffee, and more alcohol. Said alcohol caused the ice cream to be softer than usual, but it was oh-so-good. The creamy alcohol in this treat reminded me of the vanilla gelato I once had in Italy that was potent enough to knock me on my ass.

So, the ice cream was good.

After the baby was asleep, I slipped out to the 'Tag to see some friends off. I taught with K for a couple of years and became pretty good buds with her partner TJ. He recently landed a gig with a university in Colorado, so they were packing their newborn twins for a move to the "Centennial State."

While we talked, I made the mistake of telling them how hard it is to leave your home and set up shop in a new town that's not quite as cool as your previous town. (Have you read this before?) I quickly backtracked and cited all the reasons my friends will be fine. And they will.

Listening to them talk about leaving made me dream of greener pastures. The fact that two of the cooler people I know are leaving COMO makes me a little sad to be stuck here. I sometimes dream of the day I'll close down this blog as I pack boxes for an exotic locale like Louisville, Pittsburgh, or Milwaukee.

Meh. Moving on...

The winning streak is on. Earlier this week, I won two tickets to see White Rabbits at Mojo's. A message on Twitter popped up, encouraging followers to enter the drawing. My call came Monday.

The strange part is that I went through three or four people before somebody finally joined me for the free admission. They missed out.

I don't know I've ever seen Mojo's as packed as it was last night. It seems COMO-ians have finally realized that we have a buzz-worthy band who happens to make great music. They even live in Brooklyn and tout Britt Daniel-produced records. Of course it was packed. (See photo below.)

The Rabbits were good, too. Aside from an unwelcome Walkmen snark I heard, the crowd seemed to enjoy it as well. The band was tight. They whipped through a blistering set of favorites old and new. There was even an appropriately timed encore.

The best part for this daddy of a nine-month-old was that I was home by midnight. You can't beat ice cream, good friends, and rock 'n roll squeezed between 7:30 and 12:00. You can't.

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BTW-Last night marked maybe the second or third time I've been spotted as "that comoprozac guy" or something. Bob (I hope I'm not butchering or misremembering that.) was gracious enough to introduce himself and compliment the blog. Hence the end of the hiatus.

Still, there are changes to come. Just look along the right-hand side of this blog and you'll start to notice some changes.

The Revinylization Project: Iron and Wine, White Rabbits, and Cursive

Iron & Wine - Around the Well

Music
There are few bands that one could envision would put out as compelling a rarities album as Iron and Wine. Lost in recent albums is the back porch feel of Sam Beam's whisper and faint slide guitar. Still, to this day, one of the most profound shows I've seen is Beam, his sister, and a guy switching between slide guitar and banjo play as hushed a show as one can imagine. You could hear a pin drop that night. That sound returns on this collection, including Death Cab and Flaming Lips covers. This record is essential Iron & Wine listening as far as I'm concerned.

Insert
The insert is a large fold-out with album artwork on the outside and lyrics on the inside.

Sleeve
The artwork features a painting of nearly as many records as one finds in the sleeve. It's both aesthetically

Extras
The free MP3 was included.

Record
This whopping LP includes three records of music. However, the third disc is one-sided, with the other side featuring a cool etching of more album artwork. I love it when bands do this.

whY?
Because you should know what this "band" sounded like before they embraced calypso or Hotel California.


















White Rabbits - It's Frightening

Music
I liked the White Rabbits first album. Sure, it sounded like every other Brooklyn band not featuring a turntable, but it also featured good, solid songwriting. This album sees the Rabbits developing into their own sound while holding onto quality songcraft.

Insert
The insert is simple. One side is a photo of a solitary drum in front of a dark background. The reverse side has the liner notes with "Britt Daniels" in big letters so that you don't forget that indie's King Midas produced this fine record.

Sleeve
The cover is a fine black-and-white blur of a drummer slamming away in front of an old piano. The black-and-white with simple white and red text remind me so much of a Spoon record.

Extras
There was no download (unless I missed it), but there was a CD with all the songs. That's something for the car. It's sort of odd how now the CD is the novelty. Things are coming full circle.

Also, I'm not sure this was intentional, but a 7" of "Percussion Gun" b/w the non-album track "Foxhunting" was included. I used to love singles. It's sort of cool Insound sends me one every once in a while.

Record
Classic, simple, black vinyl with simple label. I'm not sure if it's 180 gram, but it's solid.

whY?
If you're reading this blog, you're most likely connected to COMO in some way. The White Rabbits are from here and deserve some support. Besides that, they've recorded a really balanced and enjoyable record.


















Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen

Music
I honestly haven't listened to Cursive in a long, long time. When I saw them play with Bald Eagle not too long ago, I didn't really listen to them then either. I think it's the fact that their crowds are so young. Hell, they were young eight years ago when I saw them before that.

Anyway, I forget how great this band can be. Sure, one could simplify their sound as "emo" or whatever, but it's way more layered, textured than that. Plus, Tim Kasher strings together themes of pain and loss better than most. The instrumentation is is varied and diverse without losing that rock edge. I think this album is a grower. I'll have to give it time before I give a final verdict, but I bet that it will rank high by year's end.

Insert
This album is loaded with extras and loads of stuff just falling from the sleeve. I'll start with the insert which is a giant book attached to the sleeve. The pages are hand-written (or scribbled) lyrics and liner notes. One can see why the kids love this band.

Sleeve
The cover is a dark and doctored photo of the moon over water. Coffee stains, some red paint, and other alterations give it an eerie feel.


















Extras
This album came with extras galore. I received both the digital download as well as a CD copy. That's the best of all worlds. Again, the CD is the novelty here. The download card is a credit card-like picture of the band on one side and info on the other.

Record
Red. The vinyl is red with some black marbled features. I love colored vinyl and this was a nice surprise.

whY? Well, Kasher is as a good a songsmith as there is in indie circles. A band that's been around, creating quality music as long as Cursive has deserves your dollar. Also, this album is easily the best packaged release that I've come across this year.

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Since I ordered the Sunset Rubdown LP, I also received an MP3 of the album. I will reserve my opinion for after I have the entire package in my hands. However, as with most of the Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs/Frog Eyes/Sunset Rubdown material (sans Apologies to the Queen Mary), they're growers not show-ers.

Last Night at Mojo's

I recently befriended one Billy Schuh of local heroes, Foundry Field Recordings. He invited me out to the vastly under-publicized White Rabbits show at Mojo's last night. I didn't make it on the guest list, but I did make it through the door.

Let me first get the White Rabbits out of the way.This band left COMO for the greener pastures (musically-speaking) of Brooklyn a couple of years ago. Since then, they have turned their sound (that falls somewhere in between Vampire Weekend and The Walkmen) into a recording contract with TBD Records (Radiohead's label). It's the classic story of small-town boys head to the big city to become stars only to succumb to drug-riddled orgies with random sea life and end up on VH1's Behind the Music right before their triumphant reunion tour. (Actually, I made up that last part. They will become big stars shortly.)

I was surprised to see the band so nervous and unsure on stage. I mean, these are their old stomping grounds. Their parents were in the audience. Thanks to what I assume was a sizable advance from their new label, they will never work a day job in their lives again. Playing Mojo's should be old hat. It should be comfortable.

It was tough to watch the band nervously look around and continually ask for monitors to be turned up. It's as if there's all this new pressure on them to succeed. Luckily, it did not affect the music. They played all the "hits" and kept the set short. I like short sets. Short sets leave me wanting more. The Rabbits' performance made me wish I could travel to KC to see them open for two of my favorite bands, Spoon and the Walkmen. Oh well.

Back to Mr. Schuh.I have to admit that I haven't always cared for Foundry Field Recordings. I had only seen them once in their previous incarnation, opening for Spoon at the Blue Note. Let's just say that I didn't find it inspiring. In retrospect, I had expected other openers and was mainly interested in seeing whether Spoon could play a good show for once.

Then, somewhere along the line, Billy contacted me on MySpace. We talked. We met up at the Eastside Tavern. He turned out to be a nice guy with similar interests in music and education (and a few friends-in-common as well). So, I decided to give Foundry a second chance.

I gave his record, Prompts/Miscues, a good listen. Earlier exposure to the record gave the sense of another shoe-gaze band with too many layers to determine whether the songs were any good or not. However, since Billy's such a nice guy, I listened again. Upon further examination, I found a pop sensibility that I had missed before. The songs tended to lean closer to poppier fair like Rilo Kiley or The Shins rather than be My Bloody Valentine or Ride rip-offs.

This is why iTunes (and its ilk) is bad for music. No longer do people take the time to listen to whole albums. 30 second samples make or break bands. We don't look for hidden gems anymore or listen to albums in their intended sequences. I forget to do this from time to time, but I think I found the Foundry Field Recordings with a little of that old-time effort.

Anyway, last night was another new TFFR discovery. Billy debuted a new version of his band, complete with cello and half of a drum kit. Acoustic guitar and singing duties were handled by Schuh, of course. What was revealed was that pop sensibility I had to search for in the recorded work. This time, the pop sheen was out in front. I heard pieces of the Shins and the Cure with some start-stop action and nontraditional song structures.

I gained a better appreciation for TFFR's older material, but the new songs have me really excited for future releases. I'm hoping Billy will share this material with me as it was the highlight of the evening.

It all goes to show you that sometimes you have to look a little deeper for the good in your situation...even if it is in Misery.

#16 of 2007: White Rabbits - Fort Nightly

Thirty-One Words: COMO’s favorite sons-turned-Brooklynites, White Rabbits, turn out a solid version of that danceable, white boy, indie R&B that’s made the Walkmen and Harlem Shakes famous. WR are welcome home anytime.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Navy Wives"

Pitchfork Says: 8.1

Record Reviews!

The tone of this blog has been way too serious in recent posts. I've bought some music over the past couple of months that I'd like to break down for y'all. These mini-reviews are in no order and may be the result of one or two listens.

Okkervil River put out a solid effort that I didn't get until like the fourth or fifth listen (just minutes ago, in the the car) titled Stage Names. I always laugh when I remember that Kevin of Kevin's World refers to these guys as "Bright Eyes for boys". Will Sheff pens some nifty songs about movies and the music industry that make you feel. I like music that makes me feel. I was a little put off at first by the record's expanded sound and slick production, but the themes in the stories Sheff tells deserve some big, dramatic sound. Like I said, this album took a few listens.

The White Stripes put out an album in Icky Thump that has also take some time. It's actually been while listening to individual tracks while my iPod shuffles that I've grown to re-appreciate the Stripes. Jack White has a lot of soul for a white guy named White. He can also write a hook like a mother-f***er.

Last week brought me two great solo efforts from front men better known for their bands' successes. Thurston Moore's Trees Outside the Academy sounds a lot like Sonic Youth's post-Washing Machine, pre-Rather Ripped material, sans the endless jam sessions, and I'm fine with that. (Although, I do like 11-minute songs with lots of feedback.) The other release was Kevin Drew (of Broken Social Scene fame) and his pseudo-solo record, Spirit If.... Pitchfork actually hit the nail on the head with this one, describing it in terms of just another BSS release with a uniquely Kevin Drew lean. It's as if BSS allowed Drew to turn up the vocals and included no instrumentals on the album. Both records demonstrate strong leaders of equally powerful bands.

Blonde Redhead's 23 was a major disappointment. I honestly haven't listened to them since 1995's La Mia Vita Violenta (which I consider to be one of the ten best most ignored records of all-time - more on that in a future post), so I didn't really know what to expect. I like the title track, but the rest of the record is a snooze, but don't take my word for it.

I still have not purchased Wilco's Sky Blue Sky. All I have to do is watch a Volkswagen commercial. I was not impressed by the samples on iTunes, but the songs have held up pretty well on the VW ads. I might have to give them a second chance, but I'm not convinced yet. Wilco didn't exactly inspire me to go buy the album at last week's show.

Even though Spoon underwhelmed me the last time they came through town, I still ordered their latest, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, in my favorite format: LP with the MP3 download. The album contains typical Britt Daniel pop brilliance and has somehow convinced me to see them when they return to COMO later this fall.

Our Love to Admire was released this summer. The album by Joy Division...er...I mean Interpol was their third and probably most complete release. The album doesn't have some of the great singles found on previous efforts, but this album has very little filler in comparison.

The Sea and Cake's Everybody demonstrated that age-old truism that bands just become blander as their proficiency improves. Somewhere skill and raw emotion lose a connection and bands produce boring albums, devoid of any emotion, anything real. Although the album was a snore, their live show renewed my faith in those bands from mid-nineties Chicago scene.

Well, that's all for now. Did I mention that I have Arcade Fire tickets? I'm sure I'll post about that soon. There's also that new Bushism..."childrens".

White Rabbits and the Hipsterocracy

Columbia's hipster contingent was out in full-force last night at Mojo's to see hometown heroes, White Rabbits, return from NYC and lay down their brand of danceable indie R'nB in the barn/trailer/art space last night. The show was so well-represented by all those hipsters you see at shows or True/False that I'm certain these guys will have pictures to prove it.

I apparently have no hipster friends. M backed out due to a new job and trying to recover from a two week bender. My friend from Ohio (now a grad stud in the J school) wasn't going, and he used to go to every show in Columbus. A few of the other guys I talk music with failed to make it out most likely because they were tucking their little ones into bed. There was the guy that showed us the rental next to his house, but we didn't become his neighbor and are not rock show buddies. There was also our former real estate flake-of-an-agent, but we burned that bridge a long time ago. So, I watched the bands and the hipsterocracy on my own.

Who was there? Well, there was that guy (John, I think) who sings old-timey before flicks at the Ragtag. Also, most of the local music scene, including Billy Shuh of Foundry Field Recordings whom everyone seems to name-drop lately. That one woman who's at every show was there. And I think the entire staffs of Slacker's, Ragtag, and Sparky's made the show. Other than that, there was a dude in a Mizzou hat turned backwards. Boy, did he stick out.

I missed the first band, The Narrator. However, when I stopped by the merch booth to purchase a WR disc, I struck up brief conversation with one of the band members. He rounded up the WR merch guy and handed me a free sampler from his label, so I bought some buttons (for my hipster bag).

I finally got to see the infamous Bald Eagle play their ironic metal for the hometown crowd. The band is incredibly proficient and their style covers the full metal spectrum from Zeppelin to At The Drive-In to Van Halen to Queens of the Stone Age. Their only downfall is the vocals. Yelling slightly off-tune just won't cut it. They really need a singer to round out their sound. If they weren't as good at the guitar-bass-drum thing, they could get away with hardcore barking, but they need a voice suitable to their sound. (I should hook them up with my brother's band for a COMO rock show.)

I recently added Velocity Girl and Bettie Serveert to my iTunes then saw them melded into one last night in the form of the third band, Via Audio. They were an eighties new wave-influenced band with polite male/female harmonies over the top. It was good to sway to, but not much else. They were...cute.

White Rabbits finished the night with a raucous performance that had all the hipsters bobbing their heads with a little more enthusiasm. It's too bad that more people didn't dance. WR are in the same tradition as bands like Harlem Shakes, The Walkmen, and Cold War Kids who rock with just enough bounce and drunken heartbreak that one can't help dancing, unless you want to look cool. Overall, it was a triumphant return for a great band even if their hipster friends can't dance.

Show Me

I know have been promising a post comparing COMO to C-bus, but that'll have to wait. I'm checking out several shows in the near-future and thought I'd share my schedule.
It all begins September 11 at Mojo's when former COMO residents White Rabbits return from their friendly confines in the NYC. (Why does every band end up there?) ATR got me noticing this band, and their Daytrotter set was superb. I always look forward to seeing a hot indie act before they become ridiculously huge.On the 17th, we'll see one of R's favorites, The Sea and Cake. I'm disappointed they're playing the Note, since their subtle indie-jazz will be lost in the BN's crummy sound system. No matter, I still plan on enjoying this show after I return from my job late that night. I've never seen Sea and Cake, but I'm old enough to have seen Coctails thrice! Anyone? Bueller?
Two nights later, I broke down and bought tickets to see Wilco. (Sorry M and K.) I am not thrilled with Tweedy and co.'s last release, but they were great last time in COMO. Apparently several of the band members attended shows at the Note pre-Tupelo. It should at least be fun.Have I mentioned that I have Arcade Fire tickets? I know that everyone and his brother saw them when they played Mojo's. I don't care. This is the next U2 or REM. This might be the last time I get a chance to see such a dynamic band in-person. We'll head out to KC for our first show in Misery's other city.

The other thing I keep hearing about Arcade Fire is that Neon Bible is a letdown after their 2004 breakout, Funeral. Are you serious? I'd put this album up against 99.9% of all other records. It's a great album that successfully avoids the sophomore slump. Sure, Funeral has more dramatics and intensity, but NB is still great. Besides, the band has to fill out their set lists with songs for their fans to enjoy and to take a breather from such anthems as "Neighborhood (#1-3)" or "Wake Up". I don't care what anyone says, I've got Arcade Fire tickets!The following Tuesday, I head back to the Blue Note to see Austin's own Spoon. I was somewhat disappointed in their last trip to COMO, but I have hope. They should put on an electric set. Maybe I'll go with fellow Spoon-lovers and have a couple of Boulevards to help lubricate the evening.November 7th might be my most-anticipated evening of the fall. The Thermals come to Mojo's. I absolutely love this band and have a bit of a school-boy crush on their bassist, Kathy Foster. This is one of those bands I wanted to get into, but never had the time or money. I've also had several opportunities to see them live (including a free show at OSU's Springfest), but I've missed them every time. I definitely plan to make this show.

Sure, there are other notable shows coming to Misery and its surroundings, but these are the shows I want to attend (and in some instances, can attend). I'll try not to let my readers down by not posting reviews (like Interpol or Yeah Yeah Yeah's). Later.