S'up guys! Yes, we know it's been a year (once again) since our last post, but we've been busy prepping for the Mayan apocalypse thingy that's happening in a couple of days. Thankfully, our basement is now full of smoked meats ranging from possum to skunk to raccoon. On a related note, we believe the sanitation departments of Somerville and Cambridge owe us a debt of gratitude. No more overturned trash cans and rabies shots!
But yes, in regards to the music. Below, you'll see some albums and songs from 2012 that our staff handpicked as exceptionally listenable... with a couple of notable exceptions.
Yes, the world as we know it will most likely end in the immediate future, but at least our cadre of loyal reader(s) will have some great new music to pass the time before everyone they know and love is lost to them forever. Enjoy!
Let's begin with the bad news...
The "MERCY KILLING" Awards
You know the scene in Last of the Mohicans where Daniel Day Lewis's character shoots the British officer nobody likes because he's being burned alive at the stake? Yeah, these bands deserve a similar kindness:
Band #1: The Shins
Album that broke the camel's back: Port of Morrow
Now, while it could be said that the Shins have always been James Mercer's creative vehicle to some degree, Port of Morrow signified the departure of the every original member outside of Mercer. The evolution of The Shins from loose and lo-fi to studio stateliness (or staleness, if you ask us) was completed with this album. No whimsical, infectious tracks like "New Slang" or "Kissing the Lipless" can be found here. Hell, we at least expected another "Phantom Limb" somewhere. The closest Mercer comes to revisiting the sound he's left behind is "September," and even that bores after the first minute or so. There used to be something ramshackle about The Shins that made each listen feel like a breath of fresh air. On Port of Morrow, it sounds like someone sucked the oxygen out of the studio.
Band #2: Band of Horses
Album that broke the camel's back: Mirage Rock
Much like Mercer with The Shins, lead singer Ben Bridwell has steered Band of Horses steadily away from the sound of their stellar debut album. Losing founding members and gaining a renewed sense of affection for Southern rock, all that remains of Band of Horses's formerly rich, layered sound on Mirage Rock, their fourth album, is Bridwell's voice (which is fantastic in concert by the way, or at least it used to be). But a nice set of pipes only gets you so far when your songs are rip-offs of 1970s Americana. There's nothing wrong with folksy tunes that owe a debt to previous generations (as proven by one of the albums on our Top 10 list below), but these tracks mostly sound like pale imitations of the real thing. Even the catchier songs like "Knock Knock" fail to immerse the listener in the way you feel like they could. There's no "The Funeral" on Mirage Rock, but it effectively heaps another pile of dirt onto the grave of Band of Horses.
Now, onto the accolades...
If you remember nothing else about 2012, let it be this song:
Haim: "Forever"
It doesn't hurt that the video for this track is an absolute blast and a perfect companion for the music. Or that we have crushes on all three of the sisters that comprise this band. Also, friend of Mitchfork Alex K. recently saw Haim in concert, and by all accounts they amazed.
How to sum up this song? It's a collage of sounds (Wikipedia calls it "nu-folk–meets–nineties-R&B") from the past few decades that will make you want to get up and dance around your apartment with your romantic partner in crime (shout out to the inimitable KK), and the breakdown about 2/3rds of the way through is a show-stopper. Plus, there are handclaps! WHO DOESN'T LIKE HANDCLAPS?
Honorable Mention Goes To:
Daughter, The Wild Youth EP
Top Track: "Youth"
Technically Daughter's second release may have arrived last year, but we all know "release dates" are increasingly an archaic thing. Anyways, this here is a fragile beauty of an EP. Showcased within its four tracks are ethereal female vocals (courtesy of Elena Tonra) paired with delicate arrangements that are occasionally shattered by bursts of melodic angst. It's sort of like The xx (whose disappointing sophomore effort didn't make the cut this year), but more folky and less muted. These are emotionally vulnerable songs that conjure up images of a lost little girl seeking some sort of protection in a threatening world. Won't someone protect her?!?!
Hey look, a Top 10:
#10:
Japandroids, Celebration Rock
Top Track: "The House That Heaven Built"
More of the same from Japandroids. It's been three years since their debut Post-Nothing, during which time we at Mitchfork have all felt the cruel passage of time. But while our hair goes grayer, these guys still sound like they're 18, always prepared to leave town and never look back. The songs on Celebration Rock charge ahead one after another, full of reckless swagger.
At some point you're like "Hey, we're going 110 in a 55 mph zone -- that's a criminal offense. Maybe we should lay off the gas a bit," and Japandroids are like "And if they try to slow you down/tell 'em all to go to hell". But then you're like "Hey guys, that's not nice, I'm just looking out for our safety. I mean, come on, you're not even wearing a seat belt! Let's be smart here."
But yeah, it's a good album.
#9:
Santigold, Master of My Make-Believe
Top Track: "Disparate Youth"
Santogold is no more! Long live Santigold! On both her self-titled debut and this, her second effort, there are two types of songs on display: pretty songs and aggressive songs. The pretty songs can be aggressive too, but you quickly know which type of Santigold song you're getting. "Look at These Hoes" is an aggressive song, for example, while "This Isn't Our Parade" is a pretty song. The pretty tracks are sleek New-Wavey pop gems primed for commercial licensing, while the others are in-your-face hip-hop that show off the influence of where the album was partially recorded (Jamaica).
As you might imagine by the other albums on this list, we tend to side more with the rock-oriented side of things, but that doesn't mean we don't identify with lines like "Tear it up, I'm so damn gold". In fact, every morning we look at ourselves in the mirror and say the same thing. More or less.
#8:
The Twilight Sad, No One Can Ever Know
Top Track: "Nil"
Man, Scotland really must be a bummer, right? Three albums into their discography, and we still aren't seeing a ray of sunshine peeking in through the overcast atmosphere that permeates every song these guys produce. That said, No One Can Ever Know definitely puts another layer of studio polish on. The Twilight Sad are still morose as fuck, but the edges of that depression have been further fine-tuned. Meaning it goes down easier, even though that heavily accented voice isn't describing good times.
In fact, in our humble opinion, the intro to "Sick" sounds like it could have been pulled off of Kid A or Amnesiac. You don't agree? Well, our opinion matters more because we have a blog and you don't. Oh, you have a blog too? And everyone has online platforms in which to express their very important thoughts? News to us!
In conclusion, The Twilight Sad continue to be sad. Just with more synth now. Sweet, sexy synth.
#7:
Stars, The North
Top Track: "Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It"
We'll be honest, we were worried for Stars after 2010's The Five Ghosts. Despite a few highlights, overall it was really uneven -- it seemed as though they had forgotten the winning formula best displayed on 2005's Set Yourself on Fire. Turns out our fears were as unnecessary as the silent "u", "i" and "l" in lead singer Torquil Campbell's name.
Over a decade into their career, Stars sounds reinvigorated. They know what works (sparkling synths, soaring guitars, the interplay of Amy Milan and Campbell's voices) and they make the fusion of all those elements sound effortless again. Whether it's the gorgeous title track or "Backlines," which recalls "Ageless Beauty" from Set Yourself on Fire, The North is consistently engaging throughout. We're not always in the mood for sappy electropop (that's a lie), but when we are, we're glad for Stars. Keep the romance coming!
#6:
First Aid Kit, The Lion's Roar
Top Track: "The Lion's Roar"
It threw us for a loop when, four years ago, we first heard folk-outfit First Aid Kit. A cover they had done of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" was making the rounds on YouTube, and the Swedish sisters' voices blew us away. They were both teenagers, but if you closed your eyes you could easily be convinced they had lived full lifetimes of heartache and loss.
Fast-forward to present day and those gorgeous, melancholic voices now have a rich musical canvas with which to work. Title track "The Lion's Roar" is a slice of alt-country goodness featuring an expansive sound worthy of their soaring vocals, and the tracks that follow maintain that epic scope.
Despite this talk of these ladies sounding wise beyond their years, what really makes these songs (especially closer "King of the World") work is their earnest vulnerability. They might be pulling their inspiration from the past, but First Aid Kit still sound like they're staring wide-eyed into whatever the future may bring.
#5:
Tanlines, Mixed Emotions
Top Track: "Real Life"
There used to be a time where we would have tan lines for a solid 4 months out of the year. One summer during college we worked as a landscaper, and the deep bronze we acquired was still around long into fall. Damn, we looked good.
Tanlines is here to bring a little of that summer sun into our lives, and their sound (new-wavey electropop by way of the Caribbean -- think Vampire Weekend meets Passion Pit meets "Red, Red Wine") is on full display with Mixed Emotions. There are rollicking jams ("Rain Delay," "All of Me") and more sedate tracks like "Nonesuch" that sound like they could be used during a climactic scene of a John Hughes movie.
The album's highlight though is "Real Life" (it also was the highlight of their debut, the 2010 EP Settings). This track serves up island beats which transition into a synth-laden chorus that makes you want to jump around and have a pina colada. If you like pina coladas, you'll like Tanlines. If you don't, then we don't know what else to say to you.
#4:
Cloud Nothings, Attack on Memory
Top Track: "Wasted Days"
There's a flip side to Japandroids' Celebration Rock, and it's Attack on Memory, Cloud Nothing's third album. What happens when you're all ready to peel out of town and hit the open road, but your transmission fails and you end up spending the next couple of years trying to save up money to get a new ride? Or when all the ambitiously laid plans for the future don't come to pass, and the bravado starts to fade? Lead singer Dylan Baldi knows the horrible truth!
A sense of fatalism percolates throughout these tracks as Baldi rages at the passage of time and the helplessness that stems from realizing you've squandered your potential. On the sprawling "Wasted Days," he spits out "well I know my life's not gonna change/and I live through all these wasted days... getting tired of living 'till I die". Heavy stuff, and Baldi's ragged delivery gives a sense of urgency to the words.
At Mitchfork, we have a complicated algorithm which has determined that a band/artist's third LP statistically is the most likely to be their breakthrough album. We won't share the specifics of our formula because, much like Google with internet marketers, we can't have musicians figuring out the secret to success. Well, Attack on Memory supports our findings, because it's a huge step forward for Cloud Nothings. They've managed to clean up their sound without losing any of their edge; in fact, some in Middle Earth might say their songs' hooks are as sharp as the Elvish blade Sting. See The Hobbit, in theaters now!
(editor's note: we saw The Hobbit soon after writing this, and we sincerely apologize to any readers who may have gone to see this film based on our recommendation.)
#3:
Wild Nothing, Nocturne
Top Track: "Shadow"
Where Attack on Memory reflects the dissatisfaction of frustrated youth, Jack Tatum, aka Wild Nothing, creates music that serves as a balm meant to envelop and soothe the young dreamers of the world. We at Mitchfork described Wild Nothing's debut, Gemini, as "perfect for that never-ending summer day" (yeah that's right, we just quoted ourselves), and that classification holds up for sophomore effort Nocturne. There is not a single song on this album that doesn't hold up to several listens, a fact that dawned on us during the exceptionally sunny summer of 2012. Perfect Wild Nothing weather.
When the first single "Shadow" came out, we were immediately reminded why Wild Nothing has been one of our favorite bands of the past few years. It sounds like there are 32 layers in this song, each serving a unique purpose in creating the dreamy post-punk/electropop soundscape. Meanwhile, you have Tatum's voice drifting in, surreal, crooning "I try to feel something for you, but that's all that I can do". He's doing all he can, but it's just too much for him too summon anything concrete. You wouldn't ask a summer breeze to care for you, would you? And that's all Wild Nothing is, a light musical caress meant to make you close your eyes before remembering romances long lost and a childhood never to be reclaimed.
So just sit back, relax and forget about the $20,000 in college loans you still owe. Or that the creepy looking dude who is walking across the subway car and sitting down next to you. And now he's tapping you on your shoulder with one hand while he holds out a Lyndon LaRouche pamphlet with the other. SUMMER BREEZE MAKES ME FEEL FINE (hands cover ears).
#2:
Beach House, Bloom
Top Track: "Wild"
Beach House really hit their stride with their Mitchfork-acclaimed 2010 release Teen Dream, beefing up their dream pop sound to make it a worthy companion to lead singer Victoria Legrand's soaring vocals. Bloom starts off even stronger than its predecessor, as lead tracks "Myth" and "Wild" are two of the best songs the band has ever produced. Initially, the staff here was mildly disappointed at how the album is a bit front-loaded, but we were steadily won over when play after play refused to diminish the listening enjoyment derived from these ten songs -- there's something to be said for an album that can hold its own over an extended period of exposure.
Let's use a candy analogy. "Call Me Maybe" is a bunch of pixie sticks, an immediate rush that will make you sick before long. An album like Bloom is like a big lollypop. Each lick is enjoyable, and unless you want to break a tooth there's no real way to speed up the process. It's a steady supply of auditory pleasure, and considering how little self-control we have when exposed to great songs, that's a good thing. Songs that grow on you often have a longer shelf life than immediately appealing tracks, and our basement filled with cured varmint meat and canned beans speaks to how much we value goods that will last far into the Mayan apocalypse thingy.
1. Chromatics, Kill for Love
Top Track: "The Page"
Here it is, your top album of 2012. And it wasn't even really close. If you know the sensibilities of Mitchfork, then you can understand why an album like Kill for Love would immediately appeal. Expertly executed post-punk synth pop? Check. Haunting female vocals? Check. Atmospheric and engrossing? Check.
The most impressive thing is that there are 17 songs on this album, Chromatics' second on the Italians Do It Better label, and less than half are actually structured pop songs. The others are better suited as fodder for movies in need of mood music. The huge chunks of filler take away from the album as a whole, but it's important to note that whenever Chromatics try to create a pop song, they knock it out of the park. The first five tracks of Kill for Love by themselves represent a stunning stretch of music that showcase a band with complete mastery over the medium.
Whether it's "Back from the Grave," "The Page" or "Lady", these songs effortlessly encapsulate the bleak allure of urban life. The city landscape soundtracked by Kill For Love is harsh, but it's also irresistible. Johnny Jewel, the group's leader, might be a sweet guy in real life, but it's hard not to see him as a dealer of some sort, peddling sounds that will intoxicate another generation and convince them that New York's insane rents are somehow worth the "sexy" 3 A.M. walks down the dark city streets. Note to the fathers out there -- if your daughter comes home with a boy named Johnny Jewel, it's already too late to save her innocence.
Anyways, that's our list for 2012. If we make it to 2013 (fingers crossed), we look forward to listening and sharing new music with y'all.
Oh, and one more thing -- "We Are Young," by Fun? It's straight-up unlistenable. We haven't heard a song in a very long time that bothers us as much as that piece of dog shit. We just needed to say that.
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