But to get back to my original premise, I, of course, took the offer (or would challenge be a better description?) to heart, and I proceeded to collect a mass of "essential" albums. I collated them by genre, lovingly referencing them, and even went so far as to include the occasional blurb on what to expect. Of course, after all this, the disc didn't work, and the project was ultimately forgotten. It is a common story, as best intentions too often go astray. I have to admit as well that I am also becomingly increasingly disconcerted by the manner in which life increasingly intervenes, and time becomes somewhat of a commodity.Anyway, I did eventually get a portion of the collection across, although in somewhat hurried and restricted circumstances.
I have never been much for the Desert Island Picks, as I find myself far too fickle and fleeting to tie myself to one thing. I know of a few albums that I regard as absolutely essential to my musical livelihood but beyond those, it is entirely a mood dependent question, and personally, with so much available, I cannot see any reason to only have few albums to rely upon. So what follows is simply the "Nobody's Business But My Own" Top 20 picks of semi-recent releases, in no particular order, on this September morning (even if this will only see publication in October...) I dare not wonder as to the future self that disagrees violently with my choices here, as is probably inevitable, or perhaps the shudder at the drivel I have recorded, but then so be it. I shall not face tomorrow's problem today.
1. Volcano Choir - Unmap
One of the darlings of the indie-verse, much as he loathes the idea, is Justin Vernon, the author of the Bon Iver's seminal For Emma, Forever Ago. This is the sort of release that rarely comes around, garnering attention across a huge spectrum of the music industry. As a result, it appears that Bon Iver is on hiatus, although, this has not stemmed Vernon's creative juices, as he has gone on into a variety of other projects and musical collaborations. In this release, he teamed up with Collections of Colonies of Bees, a post-rock outfit, to create this gorgeous album under the name of Volcano Choir. Vernon's voice is used often more as an instrument than to deliver lyrics, and the music is probably best described as a drifting ethereal version of folk. The songs are gently deconstructed, as with the emphasis very much on ideas being given space to breathe and formulate. It can be achingly beauitful in its construction, and if nothing else, it is manifesto that more than warrants the listen.
2. Horse Feathers - Thistled Spring
I suppose I have to admit that this album is one of my new rallying cries, as I consider this to be one of the strongest releases of the year so far. Of course, it is extremely difficult to get noticed within the genre of indie-folk - and honourable mention in this regard must go to Will Stratton for his excellent, and criminally neglected, No Wonder. Horse Feathers have been quietly plying their trade for some time now, and although I have listened to a few of their previous albums, I cannot say that they were ever available to truly capture my imagination. However, Thistled Spring, has profoundly altered my perception of them, as this album reflects a maturity of song-craft that is quite breath-taking. The subtle use of strings, and classical elements gives the sparse folk a brevity that few artists are achieve, and when combined with the artfully written songs, they have created an absolutely fantastic album that is once beautifully melancholic but at times also reverential.
3. Fang Island - s/t
This is that band that quite a few have been trumpeting over the course of this year. And it is true that they garnered a rave review from Pitchfork and a fair amount of blog buzz. For most listeners, this is largely a put off, as, apart from going against the grain of the indie mentality, it is irritating to have something shoved down your throat. But I have found myself increasingly intrigued by this release, as a unique take on the indie machine. It is a sugar rush of guitars and ideas, a plethora of controlled chaos in a world of creative ADD. One barely has a moment to hear the idea formulated before it is whipped away and replaced with something else. It is rare to hear a band able to fit this many hooks into a song, never mind the almost complete lack of song structure and linear song-writing. But the songs also have a wide-eyed giddiness, as power chords ring through with gleeful abandon. This is anything but the austerity of jazz influenced indie rock, but rather a fascinating new take on stadium rock, played with all the joy of a pet project that is just too much fun to play without a smile.
4. Deerhunter - Microcastles
I know it is a cop-out as this release is regarded as one of the seminal indie albums of the past decade. Bradford Cox is now a byword, and anything he releases is greeted with hushed anticipation. I suppose it was inevitable that Deerhunter were building to this release, as evidenced by the excellent Cryptograms, but in Microcastles that Deerhunter truly captured the essence of their alternative dream pop, creating an album that is its own unique world, where the genres of indie and art collide in a dreamy explosion, filled with suble hooks and a sense of constantly grasping towards something even if you're not sure you understand it. There is something alien about this album, at once strange and curious, but then equally inviting, and helplessly intriguing. And, of course, how many artists can include a second disc, supposedly of B-sides, Weird Era Cont., that is almost as good as the principal release?
5. Asobi Seksu - Citrus
C-86 has had somewhat of a revival in the past year or so, as a number of artists have come through pronouncing their devotion to this original lo-fi format. The Vaselines are back with retrospectives, and new albums, Young Marble Giants get a deluxe reissue and a host of new artists come out brazenly displaying their love of these artists. So of course, I cannot write this without mentioning the self-titled debut of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, or the final album by Pants Yell!, entitled Received Pronunciation. The latter, of course, were also the authors of the deliberately titled Alison Stratton, as blatant an a homage as to their loyalties as one can have. Anyway, I know that this is not really a C-86 release, however, personally, this album by Asobi Seksu is the one that really announced the reincarnation of the C-86 aesthetic for me. It marries a slightly more sophisticated notion of the famously amateur idea, within a big flurry of instruments, and something of an other-wordly feel, but whilst also retaining a form of the twee charm. This is a dream-pop album at its heart, even if the band indulges a little along the way.
6. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
I am the first to concede that this is not really the sort of album one expects to find within the grimly artistic choices so often associated within the collection of the "true" indie fan. A pop-punk release? Excuse me? But I find myself listening to this album so often that it is probably unhealthy. There is a self-referencing awareness to this band, who trade on working class roots, to create big Springsteen inspired punk. Their world seems mired in 50's inspired characters, as if, somehow, there was something innocent and naive in the oppression of those years. As if we are missing something in the modern world- perhaps a sense of youthful abandon of simpler times- and this is a sense of loss to be mourned. It is almost as if lead singer Brian Fallon longs to be something that he knows he cannot be, and even if he cannot think away the world we live in, he is going to do his utmost to reflect with nostalgic happiness on some imagined time.
7. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
It is strange how certain albums just evoke passion within specific listeners. This is one of those albums for me, and although I concede that it may not be one that is going to earn great indie-cred, its mix of acoustic rock songs, combined to solid rhythms, and earnest, heart on your sleeve lyrics, creates an incredibly catchy and memorable release. The Modern Leper is up there amongst the best pop releases in Brit Rock, in my opinion, with the rest of album indulging in similarly upbeat rock displaying folk tendencies. Sadly, it appears that the fame garnered from this release has done the band few favours as the rawness of this album has now been replaced by studio sheen in their most recent album. But they have a long way to go still, and it remains an exciting future if this album is anything to go on.
8. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
I suppose I should admit that I am an unabashed fan of this band, and it seems to me that with the lengthening years in the music industry, they are just growing stronger and stronger. This is the follow up to the triumphant I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass, and with it comes another escape into the realm of Yo La Tengo where influences are bountiful, and music is the only priority. There are flashes of 90's alternative, classic rock, shoe-gaze, noise rock, bossa nova, jazz, its all in there, and more.
9. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
It vaguely amusing to see that when Broken Social Scene produce a solo album for lead singer Kevin Drew, they succeed only in producing the most quintessential Broken Social Scene album to date. It is our gain, of course, but this indie juggernaut have such a ubiquitous sound that they have suceeded in being the forerunners in the great Canadian indie fleet. There are the cascading levels of sound, the gasping pauses, the melodic interludes, the oft-time jazz atmosphere, the crashing guitars and, of course, the sometime soft intonations of Drew, replete with his distinctive throaty yelp. Of course, the lyrics also show his particular focus in lyrical topics, but all in all, this is logical step from their masterpiece, You Forgot It In People. But, this takes those elements and adds a bit more bounce with the slightly more upbeat tone adopted in their previous self-titled album.
10. Antlers - Hospice
Admittedly, this is not an album to approach lightly. Any particular investment into the lyrics, displays an album about dying and being ill in hospital. Dreary subject matter, however, there is an amazing clear eyed depiction within this album, with its falsetto voices, and ethereal instrumentation that I cannot help but be drawn to it. The reverb is cranked to the max, and the songs churn and sway, in a way that evokes something of that big sound that Arcade Fire made their own, however Antlers have also been able to retain the intimacy of an artist such as Bon Iver or Grizzly Bear. As a debut album, this one sets quite a mark to be reached.
11. Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing
This is an easy album to get obsessed with. A review described it as embodying the wide eyed-excitement that made Dazed and Confused such a great film. It is true, the album is a unapologetic homage to 70's rock 'n roll. Thin Lizzy and David Bowie loom large, as this album rollicks from one stadium rocker to the next. This is 70's cock rock at its most beloved peak, with all the jocks in their muscle cars, prowling the streets in search of a good time. Of course, much has happened since the 70's, and Free Energy don't deny it. As a result, there is another element to this release, something of the radio-friendly intonations of the 90's alt-rock movement. It is hard to define, as although this is undeniably 70's rock 'n roll, it isn't quite. But whatever one may think, it is certainly a fun listen.
12. Bottomless Pit - Hammer of the Gods
This is another album that I have harped on about repeatedly, but it still remains one of my favourite releases, even if many don't agree with me. This band consists of the remaining members of 90's indie stalwarts Silkworm. They have been on the roster of most large indie labels, so this is a group that has more than served its due time. There is something about these bands that have been around for some time, and have perfected their craft through thousands of gigs, and uncounted hours just being in a band. They develop a pathos and brevity that comes across strongly in their music, in the sense that they are so comfortable with what they are doing, but at the same time, not trying to prove anything. This brings to my mind Medications' Completely Removed or the career defining American Gong by Quasi. The latter may be a supergroup, of sorts, but somehow, their albums always seemed to waver between indulgence and clatter. The songs were there, but somehow often became lost in their translation to disc. This is not true of American Gong, and as a display of neo-American college rock, this is right up there. But to get back to Bottomless Pit, this is a band playing 90's college rock but without the angst. Rather, there is a strong sense of sadness, but also a simple pure need to just play the kind of music they love.
13. Hauschka - Ferndorf
I have never been particularly inclined towards classical music, and although age may have softened my views, I cannot say that I stray much from the meat and potato of rock-influenced music. But this album, together with a mention for Akira Kosemura's Polaroid Piano, was a completely new experience for me. I have become helplessly intrigued by the world of avante-garde pianists. Following in the steps of John Cage, Volker Bertelmann has created an album in homage to his hometown of Ferndorf. His piano generally charts a cyclical rhythm, together with an array of items placed within his piano, to create various pops and clicks, which create the core of each song, but then fleshes each song out with a wealth of string instruments. He treads the line between careful minimalism and full blown orchestration with gorgeous finesse, that this album is truly one to open your eyes to a different musical style.
14. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
This another of these bands plucked from obscurity to the dizzy heights of vague indie fame. Admittedly, this is not a band that many will trumpet too loudly, but honestly, I believe them to be one of the better exponents of marrying the huge songs made by Built To Spill, towards the more shouting emo-aesthetics of a band such Titus Andronicus. But where the latter band are defined by the boozy depression, rollicking drunkenly from Boss inspired anthems produced in a shed, Cymbals Eat Guitars have sharper, crisper edge to them. The loud soft dynamic is there, together with yelping vocals and the edgy, howling guitars. It is almost as if they were able to distil the vision of Doug Martsch, but without having to rely on his manifest guitars skills, and in so doing, create their own take on whatever is they happen to find to hold their attention. Its a smorgasbord of ideas, and, perhaps knowingly, a reverential take on any number of indie aesthetics.
15. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
There is a primal immediacy to two-member bands. The rawness of the early Black Keys was precisely what drew me to their rock 'n roll influenced blues, and I suppose in much the same way, this band holds a fascination for me. They are perhaps the new-wave influenced version of the old blues outfit, riffing off the minimalism of Rhys Chatham, but plugging their way through big fist-pumping anthems. The guitars grinds and throb, whilst the drums are the true heartbeat of each song, pounding and driving the whole album. It just demands to be played loud.
15. Handsome Furs - Plague Park
The world seems to be somewhat divided on this release. On the one hand, they are so obviously hip to the movements of indie music, that it is hard not to feel some cynical derision towards them. But on the other hand, this is Spencer Krug, part member of the Sub-Pop giants, Wolf Parade. This is a prolfiic songwriter, whose pop sensibilities are, in my opinion, amongst the best in the business. The attraction of this album is the synthetic, minimalist marrying of synths and canned beats, to the straight forward meat and potatoes rock that Krug so adores. Alright, it may not sound the most original concept, but there is a remarkable, and deliberate, restraint to the manner in which each song is constructed. Krug's hooks, delivered with a tension that is distinct from the urgent paranoia of Wolf Parade, serves to create a really intriguing listen that is rather better than simply being written off as of its time.
17. Beach House - Teen Dream
This was the band that always promised a great deal, but after the success of their debut album, it seemed that they had succumbed to the fatigue of the second album syndrome, and perhaps had taken their sound as far as it could go. The band was making good albums, but always seemed to be building towards something. Namely, a move on to the Sub-Pop roster, and the release of their third album that revealed the true scope of their vision. This is an extraordinary album, weaving its way through dream landscapes, coloured with gentle synths and their pop aesthetics. The songs almost roll, as opposed to announce themselves, and simple ideas shimmer and drift through the listener's consciousness. They have successfully captured something of the Northwest indie sound within their largely electronic universe, with the result that they have produced an album well worth all the attention it has garnered.
18. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
It is rare to actually be able to speak of a band that have their success rooted in Internet buzz. The Rural Alberta Advantage, although perhaps, now not the most widely spoken of group, managed a deal with Saddle Creek, who kindly reissued their debut album. Admittedly, this is indie rock of its time, as they exist in a somewhat toned down Arcade Fire type universe. The songs are largely acoustic driven, punctuated by stabbing, and at times urgent, drumming, and subtle production tricks to colour otherwise simple songs. The lyrics are delivered in that uniquely indie sound, something of the shouting, drawl popularised by the legendary Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, but for all the genre signifiers one may find, there is an upbeat aspect that has made this album one of the most durable I have recently encountered.
19. The Soft Pack - s/t
I am a sucker for this type of music. The Soft Pack, formerly the Muslims, are still rocking their particular brand of retro-garage rock. This would not be wholly out of place in the 60's retro rack, as obvious winks to the Monks and early Kinks are in abundance, never mind any of the other influences one may hear. It is almost with a sigh that one hears another song with the chorus "C'mon" (they will certainly not be the last) but there is a joyful urgency, despite the deadpan drawl that the lyrics are delivered in. In contrast to other garage rock outfits, such as the Detroit Cobras, whose albums, despite only consisting of grimy covers of old R&B tracks, the Soft Pack have smartly allowed for a bit more air to their sound. The traditionally lo-fi genre is polished up, given a studio gloss, in such a way that it never detracts from their overall sound- one that is urgent, breathless and inescapably fun.
20. The Walkmen - You & Me
Lastly, but certainly not least, one of my all-time favourite artists had to receive a mention. The Walkmen are very much a New-York sounding band, embodying that urban cool that artists such as Interpol and the National are so famous for. I must interject with an honourable mention for the National's High Violet, which is an excellent release, reflecting the growth of the band since the release of Boxer, but also, with due acknowledgement being paid to their prior releases, Alligator and Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers. But the Walkmen have a much worldlier sound, that revolves more around playing with the notion of atmosphere within a song, whilst also retaining the hook aesthetic. There is always something distant about this band, but not in an alienating way. It could be due to their obsession with distinctly vintage elements, but this is in the Walkmen universe that consists of an ever growing palette, replete with organs and horns, and the result that they have created a sound uniquely their own. Somehow, I regard it quintessentially of New York- big, cultured, artistic, and deeply proud. And with the release of their new album, Lisbon, there is another exciting installment in the career of this group to now enjoy.
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