Continuing the year-end housekeeping, here's the songs that kept me going throughout 2012. Some were the singles/focus tracks...whatever the hell they're called these days, and some are deep cuts that jumped out and grabbed me, and refused to let go. There's no small amount of crossover with the previous Favorite Album List, but this is the place to explore the nooks and crannies of stand-alone tracks and EP's released during the year. For obsessive compulsives, here's the top 10:
10) "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" TAME IMPALA from Lonerism (Modular)
9) "Give Out" SHARON VAN ETTEN from Tramp (Jagjaguwar)
8) "Seaside, Lowtide" CATE LE BON from Cyrk II (Control Group)
7) "Gun Has No Trigger" DIRTY PROJECTORS from Swing Lo Magellan (Domino)
6) "Erika America" JENS LEKMAN from I Know What Love Isn't (Secretly Canadian)
5) "Star Of The Age" SHEARWATER from Animal Joy (Sub Pop)
4) "Troublemaker" BEACH HOUSE from Bloom (Sub Pop/Bella Union)
3) "Now I'm Learning To Love The War" FATHER JOHN MISTY from Fear Fun (Sub Pop)
2) "Sleepover" HOSPITALITY from Hospitality (Merge)
1) "Somewhere There's A Someone" JASON LYTLE from Dept. Of Disappearance (Anti-)
Here for your convenience on this handy dandy playlist:
On a personal note, this post marks four years of this blog. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to visit, comment, heckle, and otherwise keep the faith. There's always another show on the horizon...
(Stay tuned for the final housecleaning episode: The Year In Photos)
Just about 1AM (EST) last night, out of nowhere, Baltimore duo Beach House randomly sent out a Tweet that simply said: "Hello again", with a link to a new song, "Myth". Enjoy!
Their new album Bloom is tentatively scheduled for May on Sub Pop.
Word passed heavy today about the fate of the Fonda MusicBox Theater, with rumor having it closing soon, if only temporarily. The picture became somewhat clearer, thanks to quick reportage from LA Weekly and the LA Times.
It took me years to deal with going all
the way to LA for shows, (with day traffic a six hour round trip), but a
crucial part of what turned the tide for me was the 1300 seat oasis on the
corner of Hollywood and Gower.Many a night I would hang out on the roof between sets, eyeballing the
Capitol Records building, gazing up the street towards the Roosevelt.
With proximity to Amoeba Records and Roscoe’s Chicken &
Waffles, it is/was the epicenter of my LA Bermuda Triangle, and will be very hard to replace.
Some favorite memories from the venue include:
-the last LA show of Stereolab in 2008
-a stunning Superchunk show done to a half filled house, not to mention a comet-like appearance from The Vaselines as openers
-a transcendent Beach House gig last February when the crowd became one,
-the Gang of Four returning to LA for the first time in too many years
-an electric solo performance from the Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer, introduced by none other than Neil Gaiman. What little did we know that down the road they would be married!
Not to mention the ones that got away:
-Nine Inch Nails did a spot as part of their 'Wave Goodbye' tour. I never got close to getting tickets...
-Radiohead picked the Music Box to put on their relief benefit for Haiti. I dropped out of the ticket bidding at $350, no harm done. Still regret that!
Got an email tonight from Goldenvoice, who are going ahead with putting tickets on sale for the Cults gig in March. I'm sure they'll have a backup in place, but if anyone can help leverage out this mess, it would be GV, (who just celebrated their 30th anniversary).
One of the biggest unanswered questions will be the fate of the adjoining restaurant, The Blue Palms, which has managed to carve a fine little niche among craft beer lovers.
Hopefully new ownership will be kind in renovations and not destroy the loving recreations of Bosch's 'Garden Of Earthly Delights'. It might be that that I miss the most...
Beach House seems to be one of those all or nothing propositions. My friends, by and large, don't Abide, so for me, they're a private vice. A hard thing to quantify, it's all about the atmosphere they capture. On this second of two sold out nights at the Fonda Music Box in LA, one thing apparent is how far they've come as a live band in the last few years...
The night seemed to be a bittersweet farewell to Teen Dream, the LP they've spent the last full year supporting. It blew up beyond anyone's expectations, and was a staple of many top ten lists. Now it appears a well earned break is in the offing, and it will be interesting to see where they musically go to next...
Holding down opening duties admirably were The Papercuts, (from San Francisco), whose new LP Fading Parade has just come out on Sub Pop.
Their fuzzy dream pop was the perfect table setter for Beach House, and added to an unforgettable evening.
So this post was inspired by a great tweet from GW in DC, grumping about not 'getting' certain new music. I caught it on a long drive, and filed it away, laughing because pretty much 3/4 of what i listen to doesn't pass muster w/my peers, and that's ok, I'm totally used to it. His other case in point, (Sleigh Bells), i totally agree with, and just file under 'Of Montreal' in terms of ambition overstepping execution.
But it stuck with me, and now i'll spit it out, not that Beach House need any defending, (let alone from me...).
The dream pop duo from Baltimore has truly come into their own this year, backing up the haunting 'Teen Dream' with extensive touring.
The quick, tongue in cheek answers that jumped to mind were: 1) drug music for people who don't do drugs anymore 2) best white 'boudoir' album since Roxy Music's 'Avalon' 3) very definition of 'grower', a song cycle in an age weighted against the very existence of albums with melodies like tentacles...
I was wary before its release, heralded by a wave of internet hype...call it the 'Animal Collective' response, but anything paraded as the record of the year before it's released, or two weeks into the new year, is just not cool. After buying it, i dug the first few listens, but didn't really connect until catching it on the back leg of my commute, sick and feverish and shivering through a long drive home. Cranked up to the point of pain, it was like being immersed in a giant bath of Benadryl... And with all the good stuff that's come out this year, I still find myself going back to it, now almost halfway through the year...simply put, it fits my definition of a great record, which has nothing to do with genre, speed, beat, or really anything...It just Makes Things Better.
Saturday...Saturday...Saturday...started on the bleary tip, being that the early bands were mostly outdoors and the sun sucked the life out of me...
Chugging water and still ended up dehydrated. Today fit the ideal...all the early shows were in tents.
Laid out on the grass in the tent shade, digging on England's Frank Turner, who was either over here touring already, or has God for a travel agent. His brisk set put the right spin on the day, and helped rouse me to life.
And if i wasn't awake at that point, an hour with John Waters surely would have done the trick. He used his oeuvre, (heh heh...oeuvre), as a touchstone, and freelanced amongst basic topics of interest to those who find his work compelling. Once again, a missed opportunity in the taping department, but needless to say, the hardest i've laughed in a long time.
The Almighty Defenders were entertaining, but not captivating...The group is comprised of members of the Black Lips & the BBQ Show.
Good sloppy fun...
Portugal. The Man, from Alaska originally, via Portland, conducted their business in the Gobi tent. They amped up the volume level and showed off one of the more traditional rock sets, along with Band of Skulls, to grace the festival.
The volcano related cancellation of Frightened Rabbit was a shame, another one that I'd been looking forward to on the heels of their newest record: 'The Winter Of Mixed Drinks'.
The hole in my lineup was quickly filled by Scottish veterans Camera Obscura, working off of their last record: 'My Maudlin Career'. The band warmed the hearts of those who were there, and kept on gamely when nearby tents threatened to overwhelm their sound.
Girls, from San Francisco, brought their Noise Pop A-Game to the Gobi tent, with each song seeming to be deliciously louder. They dropped great chunks of their debut album, and threw in some new stuff as well, (or covers i'm not hip to).
One of the high points of the day for me.
Back to the Mojave tent for Beach House, who've made plenty of waves with 'Teen Dream', one of the years better considered records, thus far. The question was how it would translate to the stage, and i'd heard their stage presence questioned, but i was totally captivated.
Snuck over to see Band of Skulls...they were fine; it was me. Had to return to see the end of Beach House.
Opinions are all over the place on the recorded work of the Gossip, but i've heard very few question their live prowess. Beth Ditto is compelling, and in the bands first Coachella appearance, she gave a performance worthy of the main stage.
She owned the tent, and gave no quarter, controlling the band, and playing with, and off of the audience, culminating in a stroll through the front row, parting the sea of people like you know who...
Caught the brutal ending of a set by the Raveonettes, sorry both that it overlapped with the Gossip, and that i couldn't get close enough for pictures.) Debated running down to see the XX, but given the mass of people at the outdoor stage for them, i sacrificed, and decided to err on the side of pole position for the Dirty Projectors, who did not disappoint.
Hard to explain the band's combination of African polyrhythms on electric guitar with an angular, Gang of 4ish tilt, over which is poured the elastic vocalise of the groups singers...Pretty polarizing for most, but right up my alley.
After a few songs, I extricated myself from the sweaty hordes and plopped down on the grass outside, when i fell prey to one of those moments that makes Coachella magic. I was singing along to the Dirty Projectors and staring off vacantly, when i happened to focus, and notice a young lady staring intently at me. I thought she was mouthing the words: 'are you talking to me', and i shouted: 'I'm singing...', and got that 'oh, here we go' feeling.
She came over and continued to stare, and she said: 'i think i know you', and suddenly all the pieces fell into place...It was Dru, who i worked with a dozen years ago, if it was a day. Since long decamped to the bay area, she had come after a friend bailed out on her. I never ceased to be amazed by the randomness of the world.
A truly, (for me), unexpected treat was the Faith No More set on the main stage. I always felt bad that, having set the Nu Metal template, many lesser bands cashed in on what was theirs, without their style, sense of humor, and presence.
Presence being the operative word; Mike Patton hit the stage in a Pimp.a.licious red outfit, and restaked his claim.
Light flashed across the dark stage, and pin lights spotted various members as they took verses on Peaches & Herb's 'Reunited'...Absolutely...they had me from there on. Bonus points for inserting a riff from Stevie Wonder's 'Sir Duke' into the middle of obvious. The band was tight and hungry, and compelled me to listen to music that isn't in my wheelhouse. No higher praise can i give...if only for a night, Faith No More came back home.
