Fine by us. We were running out of books to burn to keep the blaze going.
However, a little setback like second degree burns won't discourage us; we'll still keep on posting occasionally with or without Malkmus, throwing the starving masses a few scraps of meat to satisfy their appetites.
This time around, it's our:
BEST OF 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My goodness, was 2010 a year for music. Our favorite year since 2005, filled with hidden gems and long-awaited follow-ups that didn't disappoint. However, we'd like to take a moment to hand out awards to a few bands that made us less than proud this past year.
First off is Interpol, winning our:
"RIP DEAR FRIEND" AWARD
This year, the RIP Dear Friend award goes to the boys in black, greatly admired by us folks at Mitchfork for Turn on the Bright Lights, slightly less for Antics, and then, yes, even less for Our Love to Admire.
Now, in 2010 they give us a self-titled album that was released shortly before bassist Carlos D (guy with the fine stache) left the band. Our guess is Carlos left because he realized what the rest of the world has learned since Interpol landed-- the band is creatively exhausted.
And will most likely break up anyway not long after they're done touring for this album. That, combined with how Interpol isn't a "bad" album, just one which shows they're further than ever from reclaiming their initial post-punk magic, means we won't rip on NYC's finest. They've earned their place in history with one of our favorite albums of all time, and their last show in Boston this year was really solid (despite lacking Carlos and his gun holster). Plus, lead singer Paul Banks told us we were their best crowd on the tour. He wouldn't lie, would he?
We will bid them a fond adieu though. Time to hang it up boys. You've done your part reviving post-punk, giving us at Mitchfork a chance to get into Joy Division and the rest. Take that vacation, and reunite when the world is again mired in a Limp Bizkit/Korn phase. We look forward to seeing you, sharply dressed as always.
Next comes The Wrens, recipients of our:
"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST JUST RELEASE ANOTHER GODDAMN ALBUM ALREADY" AWARD
Hey look, it's a rare find! Two Wrens found in what should be their natural habitat, THE STUDIO. RECORDING NEW MUSIC. We get it, you guys have lives outside of the music, jobs and families, which is why it's been 7 years since The Meadowlands. But after a certain point, come on. We're not picky-- any 10 songs will do. Just give us something, because we're huge fans and we're not going to patiently sit by as your kids go to college and your hips get replaced but no new music emerges from Camp Wrens.
Look, if friend of Mitchfork Dave Mancinelli can clear time out of his busy schedule (typically filled with counting ceiling tiles and plotting the downfall of one Jake Grindal) to record an album, then you guys can get your shit together. Maybe in 2011? Or else you'll win this award again. And you don't want that. No, you certainly do not...
Finally, to Best Coast goes the:
"THE HYPE MACHINE STRIKES AGAIN" AWARD
See that pretty young lady up there holding the fluffy cat? That's Bethany, and she's Best Coast. Sadly, and maybe through no desire of her own (maybe she wanted to play largely uninspired lo-fi music in obscurity forever), she was snapped up by the hype machine in 2009-2010. Fueled by a few nice singles, including the really really good "Boyfriend", Bethany gained a lot of internet traction and, like many bands before her (Vampire Weekend, Voxtrot, Wavves, etc) she released her first LP after many months of accompanying build up. Thing is, that album really isn't too good. It took a few listens for us to realize it, but it's not. It's all same-sounding tunes with some honest to goodness dumb lyrics that aren't validated by anything she's doing musically. Nothing really offensive, but nothing stands out, outside of "Boyfriend", as worthy of any praise. And we're pretty sick and tired here of these surfer acts getting more love than they deserve just because they have a sunny atmosphere, bad production values and sound like they could have made their album in an afternoon. We can't help feel like Crazy For You is aspiring to be something like Weezer's Blue Album, but it's not even in the same ballpark.
Does this mean Bethany and her crew are crap? Nah. They're ok, but it's good to take a jab at internet hype every now and again. As opposed to non-internet hype, like the fliers we're seeing around town for that cat Bethany is holding. Jeez, sure hope Whiskers is ok. Also, if the hype machine wants to set its sights on Mitchfork-- please do. We've been waiting for our chance to have the slightest excuse to be insufferable douches. Give us that chance.
Ok, so now that the demons have been exorcised, let's get down to why 2010 was such a great start to the new decade.
Without FURTHER ADO, our top 10, plus an honorable mention. We'll try to keep the descriptions short and functional, just like Squires' s donger.
HONORABLE MENTION!
Sufjan Stevens, The Age of Adz
Best Track: "Vesuvius"
Back about this time last year, we predicted Sufjan was up to something. And gosh darnit, we were right. More right than we knew, because The Age of Adz is certainly something.
At times, it's something amazing. At others, it's something frustrating. Occasionally, it's just something that we can't quite describe but still want to listen to again.
It's Sufjan spreading his wings, shooting for the moon and almost making it. "Impossible Soul", the 25 minute closer, pretty much encapsulates the entire album's issues. It's a song that'll get you so fired up (and succeeded in fine fashion at his Boston show), but it'll also put you to sleep (no joke, we actually napped from roughly minute 7 to minute 10). It's too much, but you also have a hard time wanting it to be anything but, because the greatness is a byproduct of that same excess.
In conclusion, definitely an album worth listening to repeatedly, but let's just say we're already ready for another album where Sufjan streamlines his sonic journey a bit.
#10!
Phantogram, Eyelid Movies
Best Track: "Mouthful of Diamonds"
First, a shout-out to John Richards, aka John in the Morning, one of Mitchfork's musical idols. We don't hear John anymore at our new job because our computer has sound issues, but this was one of the last albums the pride of KEXP Seattle turned us on to. Thankfully, we know that friend of Mitchfork Von Hann will keep us in the loop regarding all the latest music being played by John from 9am-1pm every weekday if we would just ask, but we're shy.
Anyways, Phantogram. Frontloaded, but those first couple of songs ("Mouthful of Diamonds", "When I'm Small") especially are just so good. And while it might climax early, the electropop goodness remains throughout. Fragile vocals paired with beats that can work in the bedroom (not like that--like, chilling on your bed. Ok, that too) or the dance floor, Eyelid Movies is solid stuff. Even better-- it's only these guys' debut (and one of only two debut albums on this list), meaning there's plenty to look forward to in the future.
#9!
Tokyo Police Club, Champ
Best Track: "End of a Spark"
Tokyo Police Club was also swallowed up by the Hype Machine at a young age (they're still all under 25) during the build up to their 2008 debut Elephant Shell, but a lot of that hype was deserved. There were so many great things going on that album, it just got a little claustrophobic now and again. Now though, they're giving these songs a little more room to breathe, creating a more expansive sound that's still as propulsive as ever. Plus, a lot of their songs fixate on lost youth, and if you know Mitchfork you know we love that coming of age shit. It's our bread and butter, and our favorite album this year (you've probably already scrolled down by this point) fixates on just that.
#8!
Broken Social Scene, Forgiveness Rock Record
Best Track: "Romance To The Grave"
There's something to be said for consistency, and BSS has been a steady source of great since You Forgot It in People, their 2002 breakthrough. Going to their concert this past fall, we knew exactly what we were going to get: fantastic energy and passion, combined with some superb slow jams and epic breakdowns. There's no "It's All Gonna Break" or "Cause=Time" on Forgiveness Rock Record, but it makes up for it with "Sweetest Kill" and "Romance to the Grave", two ballads that still sizzle with that sexy energy BSS delivers in spades. They're always a band that goes for the heart rather than the head, and once again Cupid's arrow has struck home.
#7!
Wild Nothing, Gemini
Best Track: "Chinatown"
"Cause our lips won't last forever, and that's exactly why I'd rather live in dreams and I'd rather die." Yes yes yes. There's the chorus of "Live in Dreams", the inviting opening track of Wild Nothing's debut Gemini. The music matches the lyrics-- it's fuzzy and ethereal, perfect for that never-ending summer day. Atmosphere is so essential for a great album, and the way Jack Tatum (Wild Nothing is Jack Tatum), effortlessly captures a unique mood and dynamically maintains it for twelve songs gives us big hopes for his future. You want to lose yourself in Gemini's depths, to fall into your own dreams and leave behind the everyday realities that threaten the whimsical youth you once treasured. Seems a little much right? Fine, it's just a catchy, fun album that you'll like playing in your ears as you fly kites in the park. On acid.
#6!
Foals, Total Life Forever
Best Track: "What Remains"
More of the same from Foals on their second album. Thankfully, we love overly dramatic post-punk that sounds like it was recorded on the moon. There's just something so big about the production here, making each instrument, including the vocals, sound like they are miles away from each other. "Spanish Sahara" and "Alabaster" both embody this sprawling vastness, but it's closer "What Remains" that reveals what makes Foals special--Yannis Philippakis's voice. It hits the same notes that Paul Bank's does-- powerful, keening notes that make the music resonate and all that drama seem justified. Maybe Yannis really has been to the "darkest place you know", and maybe he does have some wisdom to impart about it. Only Yannis knows the answers. Yannis. Greek names are funny.
#5!
Wolf Parade, Expo 86
Best Track: "Ghost Pressure"
Return to form! We love that phrase, and are glad to use it on such a deserving band. We cut At Mount Zoomer a lot of slack when we were first digging our teeth in, but the subsequent listens in these last couple of years have not been kind. It felt scattered and disjointed, like Spencer and Dan couldn't get on the same page. Well, they've found their balance again and it shows. Consistently superb throughout, with the four songs from "What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had to Go This Way)" through "Ghost Pressure" providing the best stretch of music this year. Fittingly, both Dan and Spence contribute a pair of songs to this section of the album, and when they combine forces at the end of "Ghost Pressure", it's a sight (or listen rather) to behold. Now, time for a couple more Handsome Furs and Sunset Rubdown albums before they team up again. Not that we're complaining.
#4!
Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles (II)
Best Track: "Empathy"
We're not exactly sure what kind of electronica sub-genre Crystal Castles inhabits, and we do suppose you could have some fun dancing to these tracks. But there's just something fundamentally introverted about their music, a kind of shattered beauty conveyed by Alice Glass's wounded, haunting voice and the frantic, aggressive beats Ethan Kath puts forth that demands we put on our headphones and immerse ourselves in it. The prime example of this is "Not in Love"-- it's a up-tempo, new wavy track that you could definitely cut a rug to, but there's something damaged about it that makes it something you want to engage with your mind as well as your feet. That was true on Crystal Castles, and it's especially true now. Back in 2008 we posted on Yoontunes (a much more well-updated music blog run by a better man) that Crystal Castles was a shower of an album, and Crystal Castles (II) is the same. But it's value lies not in the initial appeal, but in the subsequent layers you are enticed to peel away.
#3!
Beach House, Teen Dream
Best Track: "Norway"
Don't let the barely there album art fool you, this was a BIG album from Beach House. It was their third album, and everyone knows that your third album is the one where everything culminates into awesome. In our opinion, this was the case with Modest Mouse, The National, Radiohead, TV on the Radio, Silver Jews and more. So it is with Beach House, who delivered two solid albums up to Teen Dream; releases that seemed intent on perfecting their brand of dream pop. They had atmosphere, but not much in the way of experimentation. Then, BAM. The instant we heard "Norway", we knew these two had taken a quantum leap forward.
Teen Dream reeks of ambition. It expands their sound without losing that unique atmosphere, and catapults Beach House into the upper echelon of indie rock. A large part of this ascension is due to the increased emphasis on Victoria Legrand's voice, which is now a commanding presence in every song. Maybe the best female voice in indie rock, it conveys the emotional depth that anchors this album. "10 Mile Stereo" rivals "Norway" in its "epicness", but the song soars because of Legrand's vocals reaching up to the heavens. What's most impressive is, unlike the long months between Mitchfork posts, this album never drags. Man, we tell ourselves everyday how big Mitchfork would have been if we had just kept it up like our collegiate binge drinking. Alas, blogging is a much easier habit to break.
#2!
The National, High Violet
Best Track: "Terrible Love" (This is taking into account how spellbinding it is live)
Our favorite band of the last five years is at it again. They found their musical voice with Alligator and have spent the last two albums finessing it, albeit in more subdued ways. While we rather liked the moments of epic bombast in Alligator, we've accepted that, by in large, the National are not that kind of band. Arcade Fire (foreshadowing) are that kind of band, but The National make music for weary adults attempting to maintain love, friendships, jobs and a sense of self in a chaotic urban backdrop. Arcade Fire give you anthems to rage against the injustice of the world, songs to pump your fist to as you bemoan the youth you've lost, and that's fine. There's a time and a place for that angst, but Mitchfork isn't an 20 year old at the cusp of adulthood anymore. We're professionals in our beloved white shirts, and, because of that, the malaise of The National speaks powerfully to us. It's expressed profoundly through Matt Berniger's baritone as he moans cryptic yet evocative lyrics, and it's cathartic to hear those words uttered by someone whose personal insight is always tempered by an understanding of his place in the wider world. They're specific to his experience, yet they still feel universal, at least to the demographic he's speaking for.
Yet, High Violet, while dark, isn't a downer. Just because The National aren't as "epic" anymore, doesn't mean they aren't some truly inspired and soaring moments. "Terrible Love", "Lemonworld" and "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" all come to mind as songs that build up to fantastic flourishes that always feel deserved. Then there's "Anyone's Ghost", which would be our favorite song on the album were in not that we saw "Terrible Love" live. The whole song gives us chills, especially the climax, where the words "I told my friends not to worry" vaguely menace in way that sticks with you long after the music ends.
So, as you uncertainly weave your way through adult life trying to balance your responsibilities and your idealism, listen to High Violet and know you're not alone.
#1!
Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Best Track: "Suburban War"
But you know what? After saying all that stuff about maturely "coming to terms" with the sacrifices we all have to make as we age, we also realize sometimes you need anthems that actively try to reclaim that passion we've lost. Sometimes, we get fucking sick and tired of adult life, of being worn down by a world that seems intent on stripping our remaining youth away from us. Sometimes, we want unbridled emotion that lashes out at the vague and sinister forces that seek to destroy the children. Won't someone think of the children?! The children we once were, and the children that we still treasure because they're not cynical and disillusioned like us.
That's where Arcade Fire comes in. They've been hard at work protecting the children for three albums, but neither Funeral or Neon Bible reached the heights found on The Suburbs. We're not afraid to already put this album in our ALL-TIME top 10, because this time their music and their message are completely in sync. This is the album this Canadian collective were born to make-- it's a triumphant "statement" LP that strikes a blow at...the inevitable?
A huge chunk of The Suburbs is spent looking back, on the beautiful boredom and the endless wait for an adulthood that would be spent yearning for what was lost in the transition. But where it succeeds is in its ability to capture that angst and render it relevant to the people we are now, the same folks who are still frantically trying to figure shit out but don't have the panacea of a looming adulthood to set their hearts at ease.
A substantial part of that success is predicated on Win Butler's voice, so vulnerable and raw, but still reflecting the charisma of a man who sincerely believes he's saying something worth hearing. The lyrics are deeply personal, reflecting on his youth in the suburbs of Houston, but when he yells out "oh my old friends, they don't know me now; oh my old friends are staring through me now" in "Suburban War" (this is the highlight of the entire album for us), you intuitively know exactly what he's saying.
There are so many other fantastic moments in this album ("Ready to Start", "Deep Blue" and "Rococo" come to mind), and none of them are subtle. Arcade Fire is not a band that deals in subtlety-- they want to get you out of your seat and screaming along with them, a community of disciples who are primed and ready for something nearing a religious experience. That's fine by us-- they've earned their spot as the face of indie rock with stadium anthems that are meant to have 50,000 people singing along. Sometimes you don't just want a band to yourself; sometimes you want to share them with all your friends, their friends, and those friends' mothers. And you're all the better for it.
Thanks, Arcade Fire, for headlining one amazing year of music.
And there you have it. 2010. We at Mitchfork hope you enjoyed it as much as we all did.
