#probably play in a garage band too. they make pure noise music

[syntheticsoda]

pre-hotel Inko & Kinko . got that mischievous nonbinary twinkle in their eye

ignore the 2013 that’s just the year I imagine them showing up at the hotel lol

[n0wornever]

Remember Me - Luke Patterson x Reader

“So I have this idea where the reader died with the boys she's like their friend/fan/manager type stuff but like she has this crush on Luke since forever but never acted up on it and so when they met Julie and stuff the boys kind of neglect her because they were so focused on making the band and stuff and she also sees the chemistry between Luke and Julie. After that she went and met Willie where they talked about their unfinished business and like the reader knows her unfinished business and it's not Luke...”

So this is....the saddest piece I’ve ever written, sorry in advance

It had been about two months since Y/N and the boys were planted in Julie Molina’s life. In that short period of time, Luke, Alex, and Reggie were able to creatively connect with the girl and start to play music again. As much as she loved to watch the boys succeed, she couldn’t help but feel a pain in her chest.

As the boys grew closer to Julie, Y/N slipped into the background. Unable to contribute musically and her death making it impossible for her to help with the marketing piece she used to take on, she was often relegated to an audience member and cheerleader. She didn’t mind encouraging her boys, but she couldn’t help but feel like an outsider from the group.

As she sat on the white sand, she looked out at the open water, listening to water whip around. A jolt pushed her back a few feet, leaving her breathless. As she came back from the sudden pain, she thought about what Willie had said to Alex about completing their unfinished business. With the physical pain of whatever Caleb ejected into their system, and the hidden pain her chest, she was aware of the fact that she couldn’t last long. 

She knew she needed to talk to someone about it. Her best friend had been the one she turned to when she felt her lowest. She had hesitated to say anything to him before because looked so happy with this second chance. He was writing and singing again, and most importantly, he was smiling again. She had ignored the fast beating of her heart when he grabbed her hand in excitement over the Phantoms’ first gig and definitely ignored the ache in her chest when she saw the way that Julie and Luke sang with each other on the stage. However, she knew this feeling in her gut wouldn’t go away with her letting it build inside, so she was finally going to rip off that bandaid. 

She snapped her fingers and was instantly brought back to the garage. She looked around the garage and didn’t see anyone initially. As she waited, she started to hear the muffled sound of voices outside the door. She walked over, opening the door a crack and peeking outside. She saw Luke and Julie, a soft smile across his face as he looked at her. One she once thought was reserved for her. She swallowed hard as she listened.

“Julie, you’re incredible, please talk to me. You know that you can tell me anything, right?” 

The girl looked up at him with wide eyes and a sweet smile. They moved to try to connect hands, his slipping through hers. She turned to face the house and he smiled at her side profile.

“This is an interesting little relationship you and I have…”

Y/N felt tears bubble toward the surface as she watched the pure encounter in front of her. She had felt like she had been replaced for a while now, but this was the physical proof she was looking for. She slid the door closed and fell against it, letting silent tears fall from her face for a moment before snapping her fingers again.

She landed in the middle of the quiet dance floor of Caleb’s club. She heard the sound of tires wheeling toward her and turned to see Willie racing her way. He slid up to meet her, picking up his board in his hand and smiling at her.

“Y/N, what are you doing here?” 

She clutched her wrist in her opposite hand, refusing to meet his eyes. She felt his hand grab hers and she finally met his gaze, unable to stop the tears from flowing. 

“What’s going on?” He pressed, his eyebrows raised in concern. 

She let go of his hand and moved hers to wipe the tears away. “I just wanted to talk to you about something.” She shoved her hands in her pockets as she looked up at him. 

He sighed, leading her over to the table. He sat his board on the chair next to him and turned to face her. She took a deep breath before speaking again. 

“You know how you said that by completing your unfinished business you could pass on…”

“Uh-huh…” He said slowly, one eyebrow raising at her. 

She rubbed the back of her neck “I was wondering...how do you find out what that is exactly...to do that…”

“Y/N have you talked to the boys-”

She stopped him, holding a hand out to his face. “I am certain it doesn’t have anything to do with them.” He stared at her blankly “You know that. We talked about how their scheduled performance will probably be the anecdote for them. That won’t work for me… I need to do this alone” 

He nodded at her, waiting a moment before talking again “Okay, so let’s think about this…. Do you have anyone that you have unresolved issues with? Anyone that you might have left on bad terms with?”

She thought hard about this question. There were many people that she never received clarity from, but one stuck out. Her mom and her were never really on great terms. She remembered the last argument they had the last night before she left for the Sunset Curve show. Her mom had been frustrated with her slipping grades and her continued focus on the boys’ career instead of her own. 

What really broke her was her mom’s stance that Luke “wasn’t good enough for her” and that she was wasting her time on him. The screaming match that followed this comment had left Y/N’s face red and her heart racing as she screamed ‘I hate you’ at her mother and slammed the door as she left.

She regretted that the moment she said it. She knew her mom was just looking out for her, that she wanted the best for her daughter, and was genuinely worried about her. She knew she didn’t like Luke, but it wasn’t because she disliked him, she felt like the boy was leading her daughter on and didn’t want her heart to hurt anymore. Her mom was there the nights she cried when Luke would go on dates with other girls or when he would cancel plans last minute. Her mom would console her into the early hours of her morning. Although they didn’t always see eye to eye, her mom cared about her and loved her more than anyone she ever knew. 

She felt her chest get heavier the longer she thought about that moment. She met Willie’s eyes again, placing her hands on the table as she told him the story. 

“I think I know what I need to do, thanks, Wille.” 

The right side of his lips rose at her, grabbing her hands and squeezing them. “You sure that this is what you want?” 

She nodded, standing up. She wrapped the flannel she stole from Luke this morning and pulled it over her shoulders. The pair exchanged a hug and a last goodbye before she poofed out of the room. As she opened her eyes, she was met by a scene she was all too familiar with. The tree was already decorated for the Christmas holiday, the dining room set the way her mom always did even though they rarely ate there. She walked forward, entering the living room. That is when she saw her, she almost cried at the sight of the grey-haired woman, knitting in her favorite chair. As she approached her and watched her stoically watching the screen in front of her, she shook from the emotion that fell from her body. Y/N tried to wave her hand in front of her face, but the woman did not react to the movement. She watched her for another moment before she walked over to the table.

She saw the pen and notepad on the table and concentrated on them. She exhaled as she was able to hold the pen in her hand. She touched the notepad, pressing the ink to the page. The words flew like water from her as the pen hit the paper. She got to the end and thought carefully before she wrote “Your Sunshine” at the end in neat cursive. She ripped the paper from the rest and folded into a perfect square. She held it up to her and kissed it gently. She walked to the kitchen, placing the note next to the coffee machine that she’d know the woman would eventually wander to. She looked around the room one more time before stepping through the back door. 

She sat down on the outside steps and took a deep breath. She rested her elbows on her knees and brought her hands up to cover her face. She finally took a moment to let go, crying into her hands, the tears collecting in her palm. She knew that she couldn’t bear to evaporate into thin air or whatever would happen at her home. She felt like that would be like her mom losing her twice, even if she didn’t see her. 

She snapped her fingers and heard the familiar noise of the waves around her. She let her eyes set on the water furthest from her. Sitting in silence as the grey day consumed her. 

Later that night

Luke’s body drew a subtle hue as he hugged Julie, feeling the strength reenter his body after a near-death after their last performance. The band hugged each other closely, spinning around in a circle at the opportunity for another chance to be around each other. As they separated, Luke looked around the room with wide eyes.

“Hey, where’s Y/N, I know she’s not formally a part of the band...but maybe this will work for her too?”

He looked over to the chair where he normally found her reading and didn’t see her lamp on. He ran over to the other side of the room by the stereo and found nothing. He ran his fingers through his hair as he sprinted back over to his bandmates. 

He jogged back to his bandmates, scratching his head “Did she say she was going somewhere tonight?” 

Before any of them could answer, they heard the turn of wheels near the entrance of the garage. They turned to see the long-haired skater frantically trying to catch his breath. His eyes darted between all of the boys eyes before he met Luke’s, fighting the tears he already felt coming. 

“Willie, what’s going on?” Alex asked, approaching the boy.

Willie looked up at Alex with tears welling in the corners of his eyes. He bit down on his bottom lip before speaking to the group.

“She didn’t want me to tell you guys, but my heart can’t take you all not knowing. I think Y/N is gone.”

Luke scoffed, pointing at the empty room behind him “Yeah, I just tried to look for her-”

Wille interrupted him, swallowing hard “No...she’s gone gone.” 

Luke’s face moved to a scowl, approaching the man with his fists balled “What do you mean? What the hell did you do?”

Wille pressed backward, and Alex intervened, pushing against Luke’s chest to separate the boys. The skater put a hand on Alex’s shoulder and moved him out of the way to meet Luke’s angry expression again.

“I didn’t do anything. SHE came to me this afternoon and asked about completing unfinished business. She told me she had to do this. She said something about it being her last hope.” Luke felt his eyes fill with water. He turned away from the group and slammed his hand against the wall, knowing well that it would bruise his knuckles.  

He screamed out in anguish before moving back over to her seat on the couch. His bandmates watched as he terrorized the room, ripping papers and pushing over furniture. Willie moved forward to try to console him but Alex’s arm rose, blocking the boy from walking forward. Alex nodded at his bandmates and Willie, the four of them leaving the boy alone in the room. 

Luke noticed a neat little square of paper sitting on top of the last book she read. He picked it up and saw his name written in her perfect penmanship. he sat down in her chair and wiped his tears aways on his ruffled top, steadying his breathing before unraveling the piece of paper. 

“Luke,

I didn’t want to do this, but I think leaving will be the best thing for my heart. I hope that your work with Julie gives you and the boys the second chance that you all deserve. I have never been prouder of you and no one in this world and afterlife deserves another shot of happiness like you do. I hope Julie takes care of your heart because I know that you deserve so much love,  I hope she’s willing to give that to you for as long as she can. Thank you for being my first friend, my first ‘boss’, and....my first love. I hope you never forget me because I know that it will be very difficult for me to forget you.

Love,

Your Sugar, Y/N”

He didn’t notice that he was crying until a few rogue tears hit the paper, drenching the words. He read the words “first love” several more times before folding it back up into her perfect square. He brought the note up to his lips and kissed it gently before holding it to where his heart used to beat. He looked up at the ceiling and whispered “I love you so much, I’m so sorry Sugar” to the air around him, letting the tears continue to fall as he sat in silence.

.

.

.

.

Tag list: @xplrreylo​ @lovesanimals​, @anythingandeverythingfandom​, @crybabyddl​, @oswin05​, @joshy-obx​, @lukeys-giggle​, @bumbleberry-pie​ @kiss-themoongoodbye​  @marinettepotterandplagg​, @lolychu​, @bathtimejish​, @dasexydevitt13​ @musicconversedance​, @txrii​  @bestdressedandstressed​ @daisiesforlacey​  @epikskool​  @bookfrog247​ @carleywhittaker​ @princessvader15​ @rudysbay​ @spooky-season-bitch

[soft-luke]

Welcome home │ Luke Hemmings

Request: Hi! I don’t know if you’d be interested but could I please request a imagine to Luke’s reaction to the reader suddenly stepping out, wearing a kimono robe like Rose’s from the Titanic movie? Sorry, I’ve never requested something leading a little towards smut. If you want to write it, you can choose to lead it to smut if you want. I mean, I wouldn’t complain. Your writing is fantastic and I love it! 🥰

A/N: I expanded this a lot, when I intended it to be very short. Here we are, with 1.5k words.

Word count: 1.5k

Warnings: oral (female receiving)

You’ve been counting the days since Luke had left to go on tour with the band. For the last week, you had started to count the days until he would be back. You had to survive one more night without him until you could drive to the airport and meet him there again. It wasn’t the same to sleep in your bed without Luke, it wasn’t the same to cook something in the kitchen. He was at the other end of the world, performing in various cities and countries. Of course, you were insanely proud of him, but you also missed your boyfriend. One side of your bed was always cold against your skin, pillows on the sofa were looking as good as new, his favourite food was missing in the fridge and you even missed his clothes that were usually scattered around the house. Eventually, you decided to use the remaining time to prepare the house for Luke’s arrival.

When you had dressed and grabbed the car keys, you headed to the garage and jumped into the car. Your phone ringed and with a smile, you took it out of your pocket, smiling at the picture on the screen. Warmth filled you at the sight of Luke’s smile on the picture. You picked up the call, the smile resting on your lips when you leaned back into the driver’s seat. “Lu?” The excitement could be heard in your voice, making Luke smile as well. “Good morning, baby,” he chuckled, brushing through his curls. “We will head to the airport soon,” he continued, making your heart jump for a second. You finally started to properly realise how close you were to seeing your boyfriend again, to hold him in your arms, feel his warmth and hear his laugh. “I am so excited to see you again. I am about to go and buy us sweets,” you admitted, closing the car door. Luke’s laughter could be heard through the phone, giving you chills almost immediately. It sounded like music in your ears, something pure and heart-warming whenever you heard it. “Just around 24 hours to go,” he assured again, a crackling noise interrupting him. In the next moment, Luke sighed. “I have to go now. I’ll text you and I love you.” He had hung up before you could tell him you loved him too. It wasn’t the first time this happened. You understood he was often in a rush and didn’t have the time to stay in hour-long calls with you. A sigh fell from your lips, before you started the car and drove to the city.

After you had bought sweets and a few more drinks for you and Luke, you went into a clothes store for new Pajamas. Your old ones weren’t comfortable anymore and the ones your mum had gifted you had been burnt when you managed to set them on fire because of a candle on the sofa table. A black Kimono robe caught your attention and you walked towards it, looking for your size. That would be a perfect surprise for Luke and you loved to surprise your boyfriend. A Kimono robe was something you had never brought up before or even thought of, so it would be a nice experience as well, one that would be connected to more intimacy. It was welcomed though, after you didn’t see Luke for such a long time.

The rest of the day was uneventful and consisted of you cleaning the house a bit, playing with Petunia and waiting for the day to find an end. Sunset arrived eventually, shortly after your pizza arrived as well and after that, you went to sleep, tightly hugging Luke’s pillow again. You were quick to dress the next morning, taking Petunia with you when you walked to your car to pick Luke up from the airport. The closer you got to the airport, the more your body filled with excitement. You waited in the car, knowing the paps would love to get a picture of you. Quickly, you texted Luke, a shiver running down your spine when he sent you a message back, telling you he was on the way. You really couldn’t wait until your boyfriend would be in your arms again. And it really didn’t take too long anymore until you could see Luke on the outside of the car door. With a big grin, you unlocked the door, letting him inside. His curls were messy, eyes a little tired, but the smile on his lips was very much present. “I missed you,” you immediately whispered, almost tearing up. “I missed you too.” Luke leaned over, pressing a kiss to your lips and sending chills through your body. You had missed the feeling of his lips on yours, the warmth of his hands when they rested on your waist. He carefully pulled away, leaning his head against the door window, while you started to drive again. Just when you wanted to ask him about the tour, snoring filled the silent car and a chuckle escaped your lips. He tended to be quite sleepy, but that he fell asleep almost immediately was surprising enough.

When you parked inside your garage, you glanced to see if Luke was awake yet. Your boyfriend moved a hand through his curls, the other hand rubbing over his eyes. “Good morning,” you smiled, catching a tired smile from him. “I missed home,” he admitted, before leaving the car and letting Petunia outside as well. The dog was quick to try and jump into Luke’s arms, who was still a little too tired to pick her up. You left the car and leaned against it, watching your boyfriend stroke his dog. “I missed you a lot,” he chuckled, before finally picking Petunia up and carrying her inside. You went ahead and grabbed Luke’s bags, heading inside after him. He seemed to be fairly awake again. Luke was sitting on the floor, jacket hanging over the sofa while he played with the happy dog. You used the opportunity to go upstairs and place his bags down, but also change into the robe you had bought. You put your hair into a messy bun, since Luke had told you many times how he loved to see you like this. For a moment, you hesitated and looked into the big mirror, not being confident anymore. What if Luke didn’t like this? Would he be angry? Disappointed? You gulped, closing your eyes for a second. It had to work out. Luke would never turn something like this down.

You walked downstairs again, already hearing your boyfriend in the kitchen, probably making tea. “Luke?” You asked slowly, not getting him to look at you yet. He was fixated to his phone, scrolling through messages while moving waiting for the tea. You hid your disappointment for now, stepping closer, until he looked at you. For him, this sight was not only surprising, but also amazing. You looked wonderful in that robe, but at the same time, he felt his fingertips burning with the desire to touch you. “Baby, that looks amazing.” He placed his phone down on the table, stepping a little closer to you. You could feel his breath against your lips, his left hand going around your waist to pull you against his body. “I love you,” he whispered, leaning further down to press his lips against yours. The kiss started out slow and innocent, his hands roaming over your back, taking in the feeling of soft silk, while you had your arms around his neck. Luke lifted you up, placing you down on the kitchen table and pulling away from the kiss, leaving you almost breathless. “You look simply amazing,” he breathed out, fingers lingering from your hands over your arm, before they started to open the Kimono robe. When it was off you, cold air hit your body, goosebumps spreading on your skin, before warmth returned with Luke’s kisses. He started with your shoulder, making his way down over your breasts to your middle. His fingers hooked into your panties, pulling them down. You were already wet, excited to finally be this close again to your boyfriend. Luke grabbed your thighs and pulled you closer to the edge of the table, before starting to circle his tongue over your clit. A shiver ran down your spine, excitement filling your body while Luke’s movements became faster. Your legs started to shake, Luke grabbing them and holding them spread apart. His laugh against your core made you moan, closing your eyes in the same moment. His tongue moved through your folds, making your body shiver over and over again. His picked up the pace, the grin not leaving his lips and when you got closer to your high, he started to eat you out a little faster. Waves of pleasure rolled over you, your hands pulling at his hair while a loud moan escaped your lips again. It took you a second to calm down, Luke standing up again and pressing a kiss to your shoulder. “Time for the next round, love.”

[thedollarcrate]

50 Best Albums (That I Own on Vinyl) of the Decade

It’s hard to comprehend how much transpires over the course of a decade or wrap your head around how long (or short) of time that really is.

But what better way to try than to make a list!

Now, I know “Best of” lists like this one are inherently subjective – and probably say more about their maker’s preferences than actually reflecting the best music released in a particular time period. And, I’ll be the first to admit that the list below is incredibly limited, and that I need to widen my exposure to more artists and genres.

But hey, this is all in fun.

So feel free to debate, pick apart or share your own favorite albums from the past decade. But before you dive in, just a few quick points for context:

-I only ranked albums I actually own on vinyl released between 2010 and 2019, which limited my choices to about 170 records.

-I only ranked new music released this past decade, so no reissues or older material released for the first time (sorry Prince’s Piano & A Microphone and Originals).

-I first started buying vinyl around ’09-’10 and started off purchasing mostly new releases before my habits shifted and I started looking for older records. This shows in the list below – nearly a quarter of the albums below were released in 2010 and almost 70% from the first half of the decade.

And we’re off…

50. Centipede Hz, Animal Collective (2012)

Let’s be honest, it was impossible for Animal Collective to top a universally acclaimed and era-defining album – and it was unfair to expect them to. But maybe the continuous onslaught of bizarre and eclectic music found on Centipede Hz was just what we needed after all.

49. Singles, Future Islands (2014)

So much more than Sam Herring’s pelvis busting dance moves and “Seasons (Waiting On You),” every track on Singlesbursts with life and heart pumping  energy. To quote Letterman: I’ll take all of that you got.

48. Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph, Frog Eyes (2010)

I don’t think I’ll ever understand Carey Mercer’s lyrics, but I’m certain I’ll never tire of getting lost in his hidden words and knotty melodies.

47. Leaving Atlanta, Gentleman Jesse (2012)

Thirty seven minutes of Pure Power Pop Perfection (note the capital “Ps”).

46. Burst Apart, The Antlers (2011)

If there’s another album with a song titled “Putting the Dog to Sleep” that is as haunting and beautiful as this one, I don’t want to know about it.

45. Carrion Crawler/The Dream, Thee Oh Sees (2011)

With John Dwyer churning out record after record in the ‘10s, it should come as no surprise that at least one landed on this list (and they’re all great). Garage rock. Surf rock. Post-punk rock. Psych rock. Noise rock. Rock rock. I don’t care what you call it, Thee Oh Sees put the pedal to the metal on Carrion Crawler/The Dream, taking you for a wild ride that never lets up.

44. 1989, Taylor Swift (2014)

Irresistibly catchy, everyone needs to satisfy their pop sweet tooth every now and then. 1989 is so sugary, it might just give you a cavity or two.

43. City Music, Kevin Morby (2017)

The city. The countryside. A beach. Aboard a train. At the pearly gates. It doesn’t matter where you listen to City Music because Kevin Morby’s jams will immediately transport you to your own laid back, happy place.

42. Remind Me Tomorrow, Sharon Van Etten (2019)

You’ll regret it if you keep waiting to listen this powerhouse – and powerful – synth-soaked record.

41. You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen (2016)

It doesn’t get much darker, bleaker or sparse than this, but I wouldn’t want it any other way from the masterful Leonard Cohen.

40. American Dream, LCD Soundsystem (2017)

Retirement never sounded so good.

39. Capacity, Big Thief (2017)

Quietly captivating, mesmerizing and elegant, Big Thief knock you out without you even realizing it.

38. St. Vincent, St. Vincent (2014)

Annie Clark’s shapeshifting album won’t only shred your face off, it somehow makes you feel smarter, too.

37. Before Today, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (2010)

So, so weird and so, so good.

36. Expo 86, Wolf Parade (2010)

Like #50, Wolf Parade might always live in the shadow and expectations of a towering classic, yet somehow Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner still continually craft eccentric and bombastic rock albums. Expo 86 is no exception, and it is an underrated classic in its own right.

35. Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves (2018)

Like a sunset or sunrise, Golden Hour radiates beauty and warmth with each of its glowing tracks.

34. Yuck, Yuck (2011)

Despite their name and its hideous album cover, there’s nothing gross about Yuck’s infectious indie rock.

33. Play It Strange, The Fresh & Onlys (2010)

I once saw The Fresh & Onlys play at a tiny club in D.C. It might’ve been the loudest show I’ve ever been to – my ears rang for days. This record is just as rollicking, hazy and good as that show was loud.

32. Natalie Prass, Natalie Prass (2015)

There’s a reason “Welcome to 1979” is stamped in tiny letters on this vinyl’s inner ring – it’s silky smooth, filled with impeccable soft ballads and finely tuned jams – and just a tinge of funk.

31. I Am Easy To Find, The National (2019)

Few bands matched the consistent output of quality albums in the ‘10s as The National. They had one heck of a run, and I Am Easy To Find was a fascinating way to end it – a 21st rock album that felt more complex and expansive than anything they’d done before.

30. Melodrama, Lorde (2018)

Everything a pop record should be and then some – bold, breathtaking and exuberant.

29. Just Enough Hip To Be Woman, Broncho (2014)

If you can’t tell from its playful title, this pop rock album wants nothing more than to have fun – and it succeeds on every level.

28. Avi Buffalo, Avi Buffalo (2010)

Sometimes all you want is a light, sunny and meandering album to wash over you and get lost in, and this one will do the trick every time.

27. Hippies, Harlem (2010)

Imagine a band practicing inside a garage inside a garage inside another garage and you’ve got Harlem. This is garage rock to the max – and at its rambunctious best.

26. Puberty 2, Mitski (2016)

It’s hard to describe Puberty 2. Sure, it might sound like simple dreamy indie rock, but it ebbs and flows in unexpected ways that leaves you guessing where it’s heading next.

25. mbv, My Bloody Valentine (2013)

Picking up right where they left off – even if it was more than a decade later – My Bloody Valentine reminded everyone why they are the masters of reverb soaked shoegaze.

24. A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead (2016)

Even after all these years and albums, Radiohead still found a way to reinvent themselves and push the boundaries of rock music – and our expectations of them. With gorgeous arrangements and slow-burning, tension filled tracks, AMSP proves that even Radiohead can still take risks – and proves rock bands can make quiet, intimate songs sound epic. Oh yeah, and it has “True Love Waits.”

23. Art Angels, Grimes (2015)

Grimes gave us the future of pop music before most could even envision it. This laid the groundwork for all the challenging and intricate – and danceable – pop music that would follow. And it still sounds ahead of its time.

22. Meet Me At The Muster Station, PS I Love You (2010)

The first sounds out of Paul Saulnier’s mouth on Meet Me At The Munster Station aren’t words at all but two short, ecstatic yelps. And this same boundless energy and passion bleeds through on every fuzzy, raucous second of every track. Did I mention there’s a song called “Butterflies & Boners”?

21. More Than Any Other Day, Ought (2014)

You really ought to listen to Ought if you aren’t already. Tim Darcy and co. sound a bit uneasy, paranoid and self-aware, but they make the most minute challenges sound so exhilarating and life-altering – even the struggle deciding between two percent and whole milk at the grocery store.

20. Lemonade, Beyoncé (2017)

All hail Queen Bey.

19. Twin-Hand Movement, Lower Dens (2010)

This album sounds like 2 am on a dark, rainy Saturday night – in the best way imaginable.

18. Tomboy, Panda Bear (2011)

You can always count on Panda Bear to make hypnotic, loopy electronic music sound so breezy and effortless.

17. Modern Vampires Of The City, Vampire Weekend (2013)

I don’t know why, but I want to dislike Vampire Weekend so much. But that’s impossible when their music is so damn good and every note sounds so neat and perfect.

16. Past Life Martyred Saints, EMA (2011)

Just do yourself and listen to this album please.

15. The Archandroid, Janelle Monáe (2010)

Blending too many genres to count, this is what I imagine music sounds like in space.

14. Carrie & Lowell, Sufjan Stevens (2015)

I’ll let you know how I feel about this one after I stop crying.

13. The Suburbs, Arcade Fire (2010)

It’s everything you either love or hate about Arcade Fire. Grand, sincere and sweeping rock that swings for the fences with every guitar chord, drumbeat and horn blast. I love it.

12. Silence Yourself, Savages (2013)

Savages grab you by the throat and never let go – this is one intense album.

11. Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes (2011)

This might be the epitome of ‘10s indie rock – and for good reason. Introspective, sensitive and searching for some greater meaning, Robin Pecknold holds nothing back and lays it all out on Helplessness Blues.

10. Kaputt, Destroyer (2011)

Dan Bejar is an enigma and seemingly reluctant rock star. I saw him perform an acoustic set where he spent a majority of the time playing with his back towards the audience (although in fairness, it was at a free outdoor show on a college campus with people mostly chatting obnoxiously over him), and yet it’s as if his creativity requires him to constantly release new albums and show them off. Kaputt is as equally strange and mysterious – and just as creative – as its maker.

9. Black Star, David Bowie (2016)

Take away the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding this album’s release and it would still be in the top tier of David Bowie’s extensive catalogue. Experimenting until the very end, Bowie morphed into something entirely new one last time. Part jazz, part rock and part I’m not sure what you would call it, the results were once again out of this world. He couldn’t give it all away, but we’re sure thankful for what he could.

8. Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)

Shedding the cabin in the woods vibe, Justin Vernon took a giant leap forward with Bon Iver and made ‘80s soft rock popular.

7. Celebration Rock, Japandroids (2012)

Perhaps the most aptly named album on this list, no other album exudes the joy of making music and rocking out with your buddy than this one. It’s hard to believe all that noise and energy comes from just two people.

6. Burn Your Fire For No Witness, Angel Olsen (2014)

Angel Olsen’s hypnotic and seductive vocals, lyrics and guitar suck you in immediately, mesmerizing you from the first gentle strums to the peaks and valleys of “Lights Out” and “Stars” all the way to the closer’s pulsing drumbeats and majestic piano.

5. Black Messiah, D'Angelo And The Vanguard (2015)

Oozing with cool, sexy and confident R&B funk, D’Angelo returned after 14 years with an instant soul masterpiece.

4. The Monitor, Titus Andronicus (2010)

It says a lot when a band can a.) make an hour plus punk rock record b.) loosely base it on the Civil War c.) quote Abraham Lincoln d.) close it out with a 14 minute track inspired by a famous naval battle and e.) still make you want to listen to it over and over and over again.

3. Lost In The Dream, The War On Drugs (2014)

The rare album that can feel vast and ambitious and yet deeply private and personal all at once. You really will get lost in these soaring songs.

2. Halcyon Digest, Deerhunter (2010)

At times perfectly melodic and structured and at others feeling on the brink of falling apart, Halcyon Digest is a paradox – sounding peaceful, bright and idyllic while also peering over the edge into something darker. This is a remarkable record from a remarkable band. If not for the abrupt end to the darkly beautiful closer “He Would Have Laughed,” Halcyon Digest sounds like it could go on forever.

1. Let England Shake, PJ Harvey (2011)

A stunning, thought-provoking, and moving – not to mention endlessly listenable – transcendent piece of art about life and the Great War. PJ Harvey doesn’t hold back on the brutality and absurdity of armed conflict, and the album’s devastating closing track – “The Colour of the Earth” – will linger in your mind long after the record stops spinning. As powerful today as it was eight years ago, this album will remain timely and important for years – and decades – to come.

[noiseartists]

HOIRONG, talented post-indie noise bringers from India

Noise manipulators, from the Indian sub-continent, HOIRONG is a brainchild of frontman/guitarist - Kamal Singh. “The fat and ugly stepsister of pop music” is how they describe their music, and their latest album, Cow Gives Milk, is one of the best releases of 2019 from India that delivers an interesting mix of cleverly crafted Noise, Shoegaze, Punk and everything in between.

Basically you alternate between Madness and Pure Joy in beautifully crafted songs. Be ready to be entertained, enjoyed and surprised.

Here are a few example to listen to, illustrating the band’s variety of sounds and influences:

Note that they are part of Noise Artists Indian Shoegaze, Noise & Dream Pop volume 1 with other great bands We invite you in this piece to discover their music, who they are (interview, as whacky as their music can be), where to find their music and more information on the band.

THE BAND

The current line-up is:

Kamal

Akhil

Akshat

THE MUSICAL WORK

HOIRONG diverse musical work to date is as follows:

Cow Gives Milk (April 2019)

Mwah, LP, (May 2016)

The Old Newz, EP, (April 2015)

Dandaniya Apradh, LP, (August 2014)

Nursery Lies, LP, (2014)

A Hoirong Christmas (2013)

The Resurrection Of The Princess Of Woe And Her Vampire Hound Posse, LP, (March 2013)

Singles:

If I Slit Your Throat Would Your Blood Turn To Doves That Fly Out From Your Neck And Leave Me In Complete Awe, Nov 2014

23/24 (Dennis Rodman Tribute), Nov 2014

Under Section 87, 2014

Covers:

I Swear (All For One), March 2015

Lakhan (From The Movie - Ram Lakhan), July 2015

1979 (Smashing Pumpkins), June 2018

Titanium (David Guetta), 2013

Aaja Meri Gaadi Mein Betja (Baba Sehgal, Anu Malik), 2013

2 Become 1 (Spice Girls), 2014

Enter Sandman (Metallica), 2014

Smile (Unknown Artist), 2014

THE INTERVIEW

What is your music about?

Kamal: Living, Love, Laughter and Food

Akshat: Living, Love, Laughter, Food and Suicide

Tell us about the artists you have worked with.

Kamal: They are very good and it was a pleasure to work with each and every one of them.

We look forward to crossing paths once again in this lifetime.

Having said that, there are some people we have never worked with and never ever, ever…. like EVER want to work with them. We also have very bad things to say about them.

Akshat: Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, that Masterchef guy, and many others. We like to work with Hoirong’s.

Where are you from? Where are you living now?

Kamal: India, We live in different cities…but we could say that we are based in Delhi/Bangalore

Akshat: What Kamal said, But additionally, seems like Akhil lives on twitter since we barely hear from him other than his tweets.

Akhil: We are a dysfunctional group where, half the time, we have no idea what the others are up to. But we get together (digitally) every few months when it’s time to work on music or release something.

What did you study?

Kamal: Quite a few things that I now realise I completely wasted my time on. That does not mean in any way that I had or have better things to do. Not at all. Not one millisecond of that thought even crosses my mind but maybe it did and I am in denial because I am mentioning it and in some way defending it. If it was not true why would I even be saying it.

Akshat: The art of following pursuits which will probably amount to nothing or very little at all

Akhil: Kamal is trying to say in a roundabout way that he studied music therapy. Akshat dropped out of engineering college I think. I studied English literature and journalism for some reason.

Kamal: No, I’m not. I was talking about school and the many things I tried to study and tormented myself.

What is your day job at present if any?

Kamal: Music Therapy

Akshat: New media Artist / FIlmmaker

Akhil: Writer/journalist.

Do you dream to live from your music or is it a passion you do not want to spend your full time on?

Kamal: This is definitely a trick question. My answer is … None of the above…. and …. Music is a dream and time is life. And to freely misquote Steve Vai “Passion is Warfare”

Akshat: No I don’t dream to live

Akhil: Never. Have you heard our music?

You have a great history. Could you tell us more on how the band came to be and its history really?

Kamal: The band came as a surprise. Hoirong began out of the intention of never being a band. It’s just misery to be a band and totally unproductive and completely useless. Why would anyone want to be in a band??? Everything I’ve just said here is a lie. This is just total reverse psychology to myself and everyone who has stood with us through the thick and thin that life has offered us. I would like to apologise on behalf of the band for all our mistakes and for the utter irresponsibility we have carried ourselves with. We have disappointed you and therefore, we hang our heads in shame and self disgust.

Akshat: I was and am a fan of Kamal’s writing before joining the band. One day he asked me out for a date, and I was like “Really”, and he was like “Really” and I was like “Damn, this is a dream come true”, and he was like “Give me 3 Rohypnol” to the chemist. Things are a little blurry after that, but safe to say nothing was the same ever since.

Akhil: Short answer: Kamal started it off as a solo thing to put out his music and Akshat and I barged our way into it and insisted he play with us.

Could you tell me how the band meet and decided to do music together?

Kamal: Mostly we just text each other. Recently we started sending each other voice messages on whatsapp.

Akshat: We usually try not to communicate unless absolutely necessary.

Akhil: Same as above.

Can you tell me the inspiration behind your band? You can detect the influences of noise and punk rock. You took these influences to make your own music, your own sound, which is not easy. Could you tell more?

Kamal: Yes, this is true. We might have done this without realising. By the way, the Air Jordans on Snapdeal, I am told, are fake.

Akshat: The 80’s No-wave movement, the 90’s garage and alternative movements, and basically every sound made by people dressed as bums.

Akhil: All the pretentious art movements of the last many decades.

Kamal: Wow! That’s a lot of putting together. We might have outdone ourselves.

Can you tell us about some of your favourite bands, the music you listen now, some you may want to bring the attention from the reader to?

Kamal: I like the music of Space Behind the Yellow Room and my new favourite band is Lo! Peninsula. Yes, both the bands paid me to say that and yes, I am the promoter for both the bands and so I just take every chance I get to plug them? Yeah!! we plug them both as hard as we can. Plug it to ya! Its plugged in!!!

Having said that, both these band would sound terrible unplugged.

Akshat: Indian bands I love are Lifafa, The Superfuzz, and HOIRONG.

You should definitely listen to HOIRONG. They are better than the other two I mentioned.

Akhil: Hoirong and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Was there a vision of sorts or did you know what you wanted to do when you started up?

Kamal: Yes. It was very clear - don’t waste my time. I did not mean that you are wasting my time. I meant that I and we as some sort of band should not waste time. Please believe me.

Akshat: Yeah there was a vision. It was meant to be like the opening 20 minutes of ‘Almost Famous’, but ended up being more like the ending 10 minutes of ‘The Shining’

Akhil: Just playing music.

Do you have any other musical side projects apart from this band?

Kamal: Yes, we have a few.

Akhil: We’re all always doing something or the other musically. Most of it is shit.

Could you tell me more on the band composition? Do you have plans to add new members, or is there possible departure scheduled from existing band members?

Kamal: Yes, we plan to add band members because there has always been a possibility that Akhil actually finally leaves us and joins a very famous world music fusion band. Well!.... good for him and good for them.

Akshat: I really hope Akhil stops holding us back after this album and quits. Akhil i hope you are reading this.

Akhil: We might get rid of the drummer.

Can you tell us more how you came to have the band’s name?

Kamal: It suited us so well, we had no way to talk ourselves out of it.

Who writes the song and the music and how do you get to the final song? Is it a community process, do you have leaders in composing or arranging music?

I, Kamal, the control freak Dictator won’t let anyone do anything.

Akshat: Supreme Leader and Commander in grief, Kamalala writes the frame, and then together we create the painting which eventually makes people eyes and ears bleed.

Akhil: Kamal writes all the songs (because we let him) and then we work on them - sometimes together, usually individually.

Do you listen to the advice of your band mates? What would you do if they said a song was shit but you liked it?

Kamal: Best way to deal with these situations is not to answer phone calls, ignore text messages and never make the mistake of opening whatsapp messages, you know what I mean? because if you do then the blue double fake nike logos change colour and... that’s that then.

Akshat: Never. I am the best and know better than everyone else in this band. +1 to what Kamal said

Akhil: No.

Was it kind of intimidating going to record knowing people might not be engaging with the songs in terms of hooks and such and trying to deliver an engaging sound on record?

Kamal: Oh! No! not at all. We are very confident and self assured as individuals. We have very high self-worth and self-esteem.

Akshat: Every night while finishing my daily bottle of scotch, I think, nay hope, that people will get our music, but know that it is too ahead of its time, and that they will never, and then I cry myself to sleep. Every night.

Akhil: No, I think we’ve gotten past those insecurities for the most part.

Talking about the lyrics: who write them? Is there a common thread in them, a theme? Who chose the songs’ name?

Who else…. that Dictator control freak.

Do you labor over your lyrics? Is that something that comes easy?

Kamal: Not at all. I wouldn’t say it was easy…. I think it comes fairly easily. Like… not too bad types. Yeah, medium speed and medium pace.

Do you have a message that you want to get across in your music? If so, what are some of the messages you want to spread?

Kamal: Yes we do. Love, Beauty, Peace, Child Labour, E-waste and Save the Forest and also Save the Tiger.

Did your listening habits changed over the years and does it affect what you write?

Kamal: Yes, We have gotten more impatient and maybe that has made us very idiotic as people too. I don't think we'll make it very far if we don't do something about it soon.

Akshat: Yes listening habits have changed. Earlier there was lesser access, but more meaning. Now there’s infinite access, but far lesser meaning, there’s an overpopulation of content and that is diluting the value and timelessness of art. but that’s just me. It affects how one thinks, feels and of course writes music. I think there is more pressure now than ever to write meaningful music and not contribute to the pile of crap already out there.

Akhil: My listening habits change every few months but I think we all will continue to like punk and the dirty guitar rock that informs Hoirong often.

How is your recognition going worldwide? Is it growing? Are you happy with it?

Kamal: It’s terrible. No we are the opposite of Happy. We are turning into a bunch of jealous crocodiles.

Akshat: We are world famous in India

Is it easy to find producers and studios where you live for indie-rock?

Kamal: Yeah, but none of them want to work with us. We keep asking for discounts and tell them we will pay them when we become famous or from the gigs we play but we never do and now they know all this too well to make fools of themselves anymore. I totally get it. No offense meant and none taken.

Your recorded sound is very good, which is not easy. Did you engineer the sound yourself, or did you have a sound engineer with you? If yes could you tell us more about him/her?

Kamal: No one wants to work with us. Viraj Mohan took bait once along with Keshav Dhar but now they know all our tricks.

Akhil: Not that he needs any more flattery, but the new record - as with a lot of the old ones - has been produced by Kamal on his Acer desktop.

Was it a community work to try to have the best sounding music possible or mainly driven by the sound engineer or by the band?

Kamal: Ok. Now you’re just trying to rub it in no?

Can you tell us how the recording process was?

Kamal: Terrible. Boring and very very tiring.

Akhil: For me, it was just recording hundreds of guitar parts to the songs at home and waiting for the mixes to see what made it and how the songs changed shape.

Could you let us know some important technical tricks you learnt during the process that could help other musicians not as experienced?

Kamal: Making Akhil play his parts and not recording him.

Akhil: He’s talking shit.

How did the recording work differ over time?

Kamal: We started paying more attention to the complaints we were receiving. This decision has led to purchasing a new sound card and a couple of headphones along with a laptop charger.

Akshat: We are very democratic and heard the public and acted upon it. One of the main issues people had with our music was Akhil’s crap guitar playing. So now, in this new album, we have basically buried his parts waaaaaaayyyyy in the back of the mix so that they are there but not there.

Akhil: Why is the drummer answering music related questions? Learn to play a real instrument first.

Is the recording material yours when you are out of a studio or do you borrow/rent it?

Kamal: No, no. We own everything we have.

Akshat: We mostly just burn the evidence after. That’s why no two albums of ours sound the same.

Akhil: I bought a brand new soundcard just to record my parts for this album.

Any interesting anecdotes on some recording session you would like to share?

Kamal: No, not really.

Did getting the live experience across on record create any pressure for yourselves in the recording process?

Kamal; No, the other method is severely pressurising, demotivating and very very emotionally destructive.

Akhil: If anything, Hoirong’s live sound (if we ever play live) tends to be very different from how we are on record.

Instruments: Are you mainly a Fender band?

Kamal: We don’t own any fenders but having said that we have seen some of them here and there *ahem* *cough* *cough* *hint* *hint*

Akshat: Dude there is a drummer in this band as well, what the fuck? Couldn’t you have mentioned a drum brand just for courtesy? That’s it, my interview is over.

*throws rock star tantrum and stops answering questions*

Akhil: Fender sucks. I am a left-handed guitar player and I play a PureSalem. I originally wanted a Fender Jazzmaster. But while the righty version was some $700, the EXACT SAME GUITAR left-handed would have cost me $3500 as well as import duties and a waiting period through the custom shop.

Kamal: Ooooo so much to talk about suddenly. “PureSalem”

Do you have one favorite instrument or do you change often?

Kamal: I change often.

Tell us what you are looking when trying to achieve your sounds? Do you experiment a lot or have a clear idea of what you want?

Kamal: Both.

Who is the more knowledgeable with pedals? You use them a lot, to great effect.

Kamal: Akshat is the expert.

PS - I just realised that pedals could mean 5 different things.

He could be the expert in selling drugs.

He could be an expert bicycle guy.

He could be an expert in guitar effects.

He could be an expert in hi hat and kick drum pedals.

He could be an expert race car driver.

See...Now… we will never know the correct answer.

Akshat: Kamal knows me so well.

How many concerts a year would you do on average and what would be the size of the venue?

Kamal: Last year we did one concert. The size of the venue was good. The stage was small so one of us had to stand off stage. It was difficult to concentrate on the gig trying to make sure our bandmate was not feeling out of place.

Akhil: it wasn’t last year, it was 2016.

Kamal: Oh!

Would you mind sharing some good anecdotes from your concerts/touring?

Kamal: Not enough experience to share any anecdotes.

Akshat: Kamal lies. He has a knack of getting into fights with people, which Akshat tries to diffuse, and then he gets angry at Akshat and beats the shit out of him. This has happened at 2 different festivals with people of 2 different nationalities.

Kamal : Akshat????

What are some places around the world that you hope to take your band? Do you have any plans at present to tour in other countries?

Kamal: Yes, we hope to be able to play in at least one more country apart from India.

Is there any reason in particular that you want to go to these places? Is there something about the music scene in those places that makes you want to go there?

Kamal: No reason really.

THE SCENE

Is it easy for an Indian indie bands to be known internationally? Do you have any example?

Kamal: Maybe it is. We hope it is.

Akshat: Not really. No one really cares about Indian bands not singing in Hindi since its not exotic enough.

Has the scene changed since you began, and if so how?

Kamal: Yes, the cover bands have come back. Yay!

Akshat: Yes, when we started there was a live band scene in India, quite a nice one at that. Then the Dj’s and EDM took over and now we don’t have that many live bands and a scene as such. But such is life , and thats a trend everywhere. Not hating, just stating.

Akhil: Not hating just stating lol.

Could you tell us a bit more about your record label and your relationship with it?

Kamal: We have no relationship with any record label.

How did the funding worked for the LP? Did you invest a lot yourself? Was your label supportive in that respect?

Kamal: No, no one supported us. We have no funding and we don’t really invest in ourselves. We learned the hard way. The only reason we are still around is because we believe in ourselves and would not give up no matter what.

Akshat: lol, what funding?

Where does the majority of the money go when you’re paying your own way?

Kamal: The funny part is there actually is no money that comes or goes anywhere when you are paying your own way. The money is just over, finished!

Akshat: lol, what money?

Do you make a decent revenue from your music or is it still very much a hobby?

Kamal: Not at all, we make a killing.

Akshat: Lol, What revenue?

How do you sell your recordings (shops, online, …)?

Kamal: Please Akshat, please surprise me by saying. “Lol, what shops?, Lol, what online?”

Akshat: Shops selling physical music in this digital age? Lol, … (stops himself)

Kamal: Rolls eyes dramatically.

Akshat: Rolls eyes back with double drama.

Akhil: Bandcamp is great. Other than that, we’re now on all the major streaming services, so we expect to make around $0.00006 for every thousand plays.

When is the next album due?

Kamal: Very soon. Akshat: With Akhil, probably in 2 years. Without Akhil, Yesterday

Akhil: Once we figure out our drummer scene.

Any other project (ie movies soundtrack, …) or plans.

Kamal: Yes, A collaboration with traditional Manipuri folk music.

Akshat: I’ve been writing some music independently, and with another band called Mag Phos so more music there

Akhil Sood: I write aimless music at home under the name Free Drone. I recently got a Chinese four-string guitar called a xuian (sp?) so maybe something with that.

Do you plan to continue music for a long time or are you tired of it?

Kamal: Both, I am tired of it but I plan to continue making music for a long time.

Akshat: It’s like that first girlfriend you had, whom you truly fell in love with but are also horrible together. You know you are bad for each other, because it’s all so volatile, but that’s also what keeps bringing you back to it. But it’s also like you’ve both become middle aged now, and are kinda like friends with benefits. How long that is going to last, well we’ll find out.

Kamal: Middle aged?

Akshat: Yeah, middle aged.

Kamal: Ok.

Akhil: Same answer as Kamal.

Anything else you want the reader to know?

Kamal: This interview is very long. Don’t hesitate taking a piss break or having a snack in between, do some stretches, a couple of push ups, watch some tele and then come back.

A good music video to watch

Watch the video of Oppurtunity on youtube.

Where to find your work? Where can people buy you music

Ok Listen, Bandcamp, Spotify and Itunes.

Provide some bands from your country, that would be worthwhile listening.

Space Behind the Yellow Room, Lo! Peninsula, MC Kaur

Anyone you like to thank?

We want to thank ourselves for hanging in there.

Follow HOIRONG here:

Facebook

Twitter

Youtube

[grimelords]

My May playlist is finished and it’s got everything from Rachmaninoff to Peaches across 3 and a half hours, I hope you enjoy it.

If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead - James Blake: James Blake has got such a big brain and this song is unbelievable. He has such a way of taking things that could be gimmicky like this vocal stuttering, or looping vocals and making them totally heartrending.

The Boxer - The Chemical Brothers: The central melody of this song is constantly stuck in my head and complete proof that you can make an incredibly catchy hook with just three notes if you need to.

known(1) - Autechre: I think this is maybe Autechre's most straightforward song but it still sounds like a harpsichord concerto getting sucked into a black hole. The way the violin-ish part swoops around throughout the whole thing, disintegrating and reforming before your eyes is hypnotising.

Sundown - Boards Of Canada: Guess who started crying this month listening to an ambient Boards Of Canada song thinking about how the end of soil is within my lifetime and we have destroyed our only home the earth!!

Do I Wanna Know? - Arctic Monkeys: With their new album coming out I went back and listened to AM for the first time in a while and it's still really astonishing what they pulled off. This and R U Mine? completely blew me away when they came out. Having the audacity to completely change your sound and style and have it work perfectly is amazing, and then disappearing for five years and trying to do it again? Bold.

FML - Kanye West: I was listening to this a lot when Kanye was off his lexapro and fucking his whole life up. And now there's a sequel to this on the new album where Kim's begging him not to fuck the money up, which I think is a very good kind of storytelling.

United P92 - Venetian Snares & Daniel Lanois: I love the idea of ambient Venetian Snares and this is the song on the album where their two ideas meet in the middle the best I think. Also the way this builds and builds into total chaos I always forget that it's coming and get surprised when it says 'the machine can cum', what a funny song.

Turnstile Blues - Autolux: I saw Autolux's drummer in Jack White's band when he played on SNL a couple of weeks ago and suddenly remembered how perfect this song is. A true testament to the power of a simple groove that sounds like it was recorded in a concrete garage.

Young For Eternity - The Subways: Yet another great song about being a vampire and all the benefits that vampirism can bring to your life! Thank god for Dracula! He sucked the shit out of me, now I can leave my work for nights and leave my days for sleeping! Young for eternity!

Oh Yeah - The Subways: I bought a 7" of this song a couple of weeks ago in honour of the time it inexplicably caused me a mental breakdown and made me sprint out of my house to drive around town crying and listening to it on repeat for some hours about 5 years ago. Not sure what that was about!

The Blues - Defeater: As far as songs that go for less than a minute go, I really can't fault this one. Pure power, it does absolutely everything it sets out to do and still manages to get two choruses in under the wire.

Bombay - El Guincho: I saw Holy Mountain this month in a double feature with El Topo, and although El Topo kind of sucked I loved The Holy Mountain a lot. There's a part where there's been a battle and a whole lot of protesters are dying on the ground bleeding, except you can see that the blood and guts are obviously special effects, you can see the hose that she's using to pretend to cry and the guts are green balloons and things like that. Hold on I found it on youtube anyway I know I've seen it before and I thought it was in the video to this song or another one of CANADA's videos but I watched them all and can't find it! If anyone can tell me the music video I'm thinking of, thankyou. This song is also, of course, good.

Swim Good - Frank Ocean: Honestly has there ever been a better song about wearing a cool suit and driving your car into the ocean?? Never. This is perhaps the best sing along song ever because you've got to do your smoothest voice ever until he does his little emo yells of 'I'm goin out!' near the end.

Batphone - Arctic Monkeys: I think this is my favourite song off the new Arctive Monkeys, it's the most '3am slamming away at a club piano' type vibe of them all, but most of all I love the little spiralling into space guitar noise that keeps happening whenever he finishes a line.

An Open Letter To NYC - Beastie Boys: I'm almost always thinking about the time Beastie Boys made a very serious song about how good New York is after 9/11 and they said 'dear New York I know a lot has changed, we're two towers down but we're still in the game'.

Black Car - Beach House: I can't get enough of the new Beach House album, and this song in particular. It's some of my favourite lyrics of theirs ever, a good song for when you're trapped in a dark labyrinth of your own creation.

Midnight Radio 1 - Bohren & Der Club Of Gore: Got quite heavily into Bohren & Der Club Of Gore again this month. This is from the album before they got rid of their guitarist and replaced him with a saxophonist, which pretty dramatically changed their sound from 'extremely brooding night music' to 'film noir soundtrack', which is still very good but really not the same. Anyway this song goes for 20 minutes and it feels illegal to listen to it any time before 2am.

House In LA - Jungle: I am so excited that Jungle are finally back and with such an amazing song too. I love how spacious this is, it feels very different to their first - a lot more grown up and I really can't wait for the album.

Lemonworld - The National: Someone had a tweet a while ago that was like 'the guy from the national sounds like he's been going through a divorce for ten years now' which is very true, but this song feels like it's from happier times when he went to see his sister in law and had an morosely horny time. This song feels like the entire experience of reading a literary novel condensed into 4 minutes: a depressed older man in New York having a sort of backwards, confusing sexual thought. This is a song I regularly listen to on repeat and sing along to, it's a very specific feeling and I think "it'll take a better war to kill a college man like me" is one of the best lines he's ever written.

Rigamortis - Zomby: I put off listening to the new Zomby album for so long because his last one was just so boring but he's completely redeemed himself on this, it's really something. It feels like one long piece, which is amazing when any sort of thematic coherence is a rarity for Zomby albums. There's a lot of recurring sounds and motifs, and almost zero drums in the traditional sense. It feels like a really mature reflection on grime that he's been building up to for years.

Indoors - Burial: Whereas this song sounds like you're waiting outside a club in hell.

Segeln Ohne Wind - Bohren & Der Club Of Gore: Another Bohren song but from much, much later. I love the way the brass sounds in this when it finally comes in, it's so rich and overpowering.

Isle Of The Dead - Segei Rachmaninoff: Wikipedia says "The piece was inspired by a black and white reproduction of Arnold Böcklin's painting, Isle of the Dead, which Rachmaninoff saw in Paris in 1907. Rachmaninoff was disappointed by the original painting when he later saw it, saying, "If I had seen first the original, I, probably, would have not written my Isle of the Dead. I like it in black and white." and it also says "Prints were very popular in central Europe in the early 20th century—Vladimir Nabokov observed in his novel Despair that they could be "found in every Berlin home". Folks what is going on with this spooky painting.

Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction: For a long time this was the emergency dead air song on Triple J, which is an inspired choice in my opinion because there'd be ten seconds of eerie silence because something's gone wrong at the station and then suddenly two huge loud chords! and dogs barking! A BEEN CAUGHT STEEL IN! ONCE!

Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel: I was sitting on the toilet when I saw a news article that said Peter Gabriel has finally made his music available on Spotify and I said 'yessssssss' loudly myself and then played Sledgehammer. Honorable mention to the best ever sample of this song in Contemporary Man by Action Bronson, which is unfortunately still unavailable on Spotify.

Reaching The Gulf - Dylan Carlson: I saw a review of this album saying Dylan Carlson is the only choice for soundtrack if they ver make a movie of Blood Meridian and they're completely right. I'm also so glad that he collaborated with Emma Ruth Rundle on this, it feels like the closest I'll get to bonus tracks to her Electric Guitar One album.

T-1000 - Swarms: I have no idea where or why I first heard this album but it's been in my rotation for a long time. It's in the general canon of post-Burial dubstep before dubstep got americanized and it's just very nice. When the vocals finally come in on this it's a very emotional moment for me.

Casino Trem - Tyondai Braxton: It's really surprising listening to Tyondai Braxton's work after Battles because he has such a distinct melodic style it's shocking to realise how much he brought to that first album. After listening to a lot of his solo stuff it becomes so recognisable it almost feels like you can go back through Mirroroed and pick out every single guitar line of his making. Anyway this song is great. Starts out sounding like what it feels like to be trapped in a pokie and ends up like you're trapped in a databent Banjo Kazooie cartridge.

Kick It - Peaches & Iggy Pop: The first time I ever heard this song, and the first time I ever heard of Peaches or Iggy Pop was on the soundtrack to Midnight Club 3 so I didn't really know what the fuck was going on. I still don't really. I love that this is supposed to be like a dangerous sexy song but the whole time Iggy Pop is just rebuffing her advances and bullying her. Then she's like 'go to berlin' and then the song ends. Still not sure what this one's about still!

If You Know You Know - Pusha T: GOD this song is good, I've been listening to it on repeat. What I love about Pusha T is where a lot of other rappers talk sort of frivolously about drug dealing and everything, he often feels like he's putting his hand on your shoulder and looking you straight in the eyes saying 'I am not fucking around. If you need drugs of any calibre or kind I can get them for you in massive quantities.' The impish way he's saying 'if you know you know', absolutely kills me, like he's a cartoon man winking at me while hiding drugs inside a tennis ball.

Hacker - Death Grips: I think I put this on my playlist last month but I'm still on it so. My new favourite part of this song is when he says "The table's flipped now we got all the coconuts bitch / Burmese babies under each arm / Screaming beautiful songs".

Cavity - Hundred Waters: Hundred Waters feel like a really underrated band to me, I've been listening to their last two album a lot this month and they're just stunning. The long build up towards the end before the two note melody comes back and kills me? What a moment.

Music For The Long Emergency - Polica: I didn't love this album when it came out but I've been listening to it more and more and it's really growing on me. I think I put this song on a playlist a month or two ago so I won't write more but let me say this: Polica rules.

On The Grid - Lime: tfw you turn the knob and you do a good job and you wind up on the grid :/

Elephants - Them Crooked Vultures: I feel like Them Crooked Vultures gets forgotten when people talk about Queens Of The Stone Age albums. People bring up Desert Sessions and Kyuss but somehow forget that this giant album happened. Anyway this is far and away the best song on it because it just keeps on giving and giving. It's just a huge jam about riding an elephant and having cool hair(?).

Particle - Hundred Waters: This song feels like it could be the EDM hit of the summer if it was structured slightly differently, but instead it's the biggest brain pop song I've heard in a long time. I love how much power the bass has in this, it really feels impactful when it comes and goes. The vocal performance is obviously incredible as always but I really love the distorted vocal line that sort of tears itself apart now and then, against how clean everything else in this song sounds it really makes it.

Me Or Us - Young Thug: Thinking hard about when Young Thug sampled First Day Of My Life by Bright Eyes and made it into a really really good song.

Because I Love You - Montaigne: God this song is good. All the time the lyric 'I ate a salad today, I ate one yesterday too' pops into my head and makes me laugh. She tweeted about this song a couple of days ago and it really made me laugh: "My ex-boyfriend & I once watched BBC Sherlock & during the ep he paused & basically soliloquised about how he’s a tortured genius just like Sherlock & I’m his Watson in as condescending a way as you’re probably imagining then poured a shot of whiskey & now you know the story"​

listen here

[dustedmagazine]

Five Records That Matter

A few weeks ago, when we decided to try to find a few new writers, we asked applicants to list five records that mattered to them.  That was all the instruction we gave, purposely open ended.  Not the best records.  Not the most important records.  Just the ones that mattered to the person making the list.  It was mostly to find out whether people liked drone or hardcore, DIY garage or free-jazz, you know, to get a handle on new writers, where they were coming from and what they listened to.  There was no right or wrong answer (well, okay, maybe there were some wrong answers but nobody sent us any).  

We realized, though, that it’s sort of impossible — and also kind of fun — to pick just five records that matter.  We know this now, because most of us went through the exercise ourselves. We defined “matter” in different ways, some of us opting for personal relevance, others emphasizing objective quality, some looking back over their whole listening lives and others confining the search to specific time periods.  And then, because it was so much fun, we decided to share the results with you. Contributors include Jason Bivins, Joseph Burnett, Justin Cober-Lake, Ben Donnelly, Mason Jones, Jennifer Kelly, Brett Marion, Ian Mathers, Eric McDowell, Bill Meyer, Lucas Schleicher and Derek Taylor.  And by the way, you may notice a couple of unfamiliar names in there, because it turned out that asking for five records that matter is a pretty good way of finding new Dusted writers.  

Jason Bivins

Bad Brains — Rock for Light

It’s genuinely difficult for me to pick just one album from the vast worlds of “hardcore” and/or “metal” (not that I need just one, but the albums below are kinda too crucial, so that’s my logic today). And I could easily see myself going for, say, Sister or Locust Abortion Technician or something (maybe even something really goth-y from my very early adolescence). But I’m from D.C. and this is probably, soup to nuts, the album that still captures my attention in this idiom. The Brains were obviously fierce and fast, and H.R. was just bonkers live, but to me it was their astonishing instrumental technique and facility that made these tunes so righteous (although it’s got to be the LP mix, not that CD mix with too much reverb and Dr. Know’s solos buried away).  

King Crimson — Red

In many ways the perfect balance of smart, proggy music with serious heaviness. Stripped down power trio Crimson, minimalist by their standards, with my first hearing of several key English improvisers to boot. Not a massive fan of Wetton’s vocals usually (RIP) but they really work here. Twisty, turny rhythms. Banging riffs. And mind-scrambling repetition, especially on the concluding, very emotional “Starless” (which is responsible for one of the peak aesthetic experiences of my life, as I heard it for the first time when I was reading the final pages of Moby-Dick for the first time — intense!).

 Miles Davis — Live Evil

When I first started getting into jazz music, very little about the Miles of Kind of Blue (still colossally overrated) or Birth of the Cool moved me that much. But this freaked-out, expansive epic — which I heard passed around on third-generation tapes, long before the Columbia U.S. reissues — seemed like a document from some secret electric cult captured at the moment of full ecstatic transport. What gets me going still is the kinetic propulsion of DeJohnette here, that loose kick drum style perfectly goosing things along. Deep funk, odd percussion, moments of witchy noise, and John McLaughlin in supreme interstellar overdrive. Holy fucking grail.

 John Coltrane — Live at the Village Vanguard

In my freshman year of college I acquired a cassette containing the original release plus the two live tracks from “Impressions,” though of course I also love the 4-disc edition that Impulse put out in the 1990s. As much as I loved almost all the records Coltrane recorded during this period, there was something the extended, dark intensity of these performances — and Dolphy was so key to this, naturally — that seemed otherworldly and deeply organic at the same time. Yes, there was the absolutely riveting playing, but the incessant throb of “India,” the gallop of “Chasin’ the Trane,” the incredible emotionality of “Spiritual” — this was one of those records that converted me not just to a Coltrane fanatic but a full-on jazz nerd.

 AMM — Laminal

The deep dive into slabs of marvelous pure sound. Before I got this essential 3-disc portrait of AMM live during different periods, I had The Nameless Uncarved Block and maybe one other disc, which I dug. I was, in particular, transfixed by the range of textural contrasts that were central to AMM in its many iterations. But the 1982 concert at the Great Hall at Goldsmith’s College was where — right as Keith Rowe dialed up “Bang a Gong Get It On” atop his buzz saw guitar — the aesthetic wizardry clicked in for me.

Joseph Burnett

Neil Young — On the Beach

Tonight's the Night (and Lou Reed's Berlin) introduced me to the idea of a mainstream artist "heading for the ditch" but I didn't properly "get it" until I heard On the Beach with its songs of death, murder and depression. I still can't decide which Young album is my favorite, but my love affair with the dark side of popular music started here.

Fairport Convention — Liege and Lief

I never had much interest in the culture of my home country until I tuned in to this. There are many UK folk albums that come close in their own way, but nothing quite reaches Liege and Lief.

Albert Ayler — Spiritual Unity

Miles introduced me to jazz, 'Trane made me love it, Ayler made me realize how far ahead of its time it can be.

Throbbing Gristle — The Second Annual Report

My introduction to noise, really, and the concept of non-musical elements being used in music.

Tony Conrad and Faust — Outside the Dream Syndicate

Through which I fell in love with both minimalism and (along with the first Neu! and Cluster albums) krautrock. Conrad's passing last year left me more bereft than even Bowie's.

Frustratingly, there's no room for electronic music (of a different sort to TG) or free improv here. Man, this was tough.

Justin Cober-Lake

The Who — Quadrophenia

Without a doubt the singularly most important record in my life. I still consider it the best record by my favorite band, and it's the one that holds that save/change/influence your life slot for me.

Miles Davis — Kind of Blue

I picked this up in college when I decided I should try out some jazz and this seems to be at the top of every list and, huh, jazz was interesting. I'm sure something else could have flipped the switch for me, but something else didn't. More specifically, it launched my love of Coltrane. "So What" is the quintessence of cool.

Bon Jovi — Slippery When Wet

My first favorite album. It went well with the fast skate at the Roll-Arena and it helped form my idea that rock goes best in stadiums, ideally with a lead singer flying out over the crowd. It would take at least until grunge hit for me to re-think that idea, and I'm not sure I have.

 Bob Dylan — Blood on the Tracks

This one was good at first, convincing me that my dad was right on this Dylan guy. At the very least, I liked the story of "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts." After a few years, it became significant in its catharsis and its artistry.

 Wilco — Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

My other four choices are mainly about me alone with my cassettes. This one's about the entanglement of music and relationships. YHF blew me away on first listen to my friend's copy, but the whole experience is closely connected to meeting, dating, and marrying my wife. The record fit (and developed) my tastes; the sound still resonates.

Ben Donnelly

Various Artists — Music of the Ozarks  A National Geographic mail order compilation of field recordings that appeared in our house when I was in elementary school. My mom lived in Arkansas when *she* was in elementary school, and it brought back a lot of memories for her. While there's great fiddle and guitar melodies that gallop up and down traditional scales, there's also mouth-bow and dulcimer drones that hypnotize. The storytelling can be haunting but the wordplay is fey— "the prettiest girl I ever did see was down in the Arkansas"

The Cars —  S/T Their still-newish debut album showed up in 8-track form when my cousin moved in with us. He had a single-speaker 8-track player that looked like a TNT detonator, and the flow of this record blew me up. I knew the singles from the radio, but hearing the non-stop deadpan hooks set me up with an aversion to singers who try too hard. The resonances of distorto guitar over synth arpeggios are a source of permanent affection for me, whether they show up in the Fall, an Arthur Baker remix, or some random Dirtnap punk band. I immediately latched on to the least-known cut, "I'm in Touch with Your World", which is retrospect is pretty jagged stuff for a power pop album. They hardened American ears for the late-breaking influence of the Velvets.  Moody Blues —  In Search of the Lost Chord Anyone can enjoy the well-crafted songs of Magical Mystery Tour, Sell Out or Their Satanic Majesties Request, but how about when the acid hits third rate beat bands? There's wonderfully wussy twee in places (I've seen polar bears and seals, I've seen giant Antarctic eels, I've still not found what I'm looking for) but "Legend of Mind" balances harmonies with some really heavy riffing. "Ride My See-Saw" seems like the lynchpin freakbeat for Thee Oh Sees and their kind. This record has some forgettable and laughable material, but the Moody's dedication to total soft-headedness set me on the path to deep psych. Donna Summer — Walk Away I think mom bought this for exercising as much as dancing, and boy is it a workout. Not her greatest hits, but so many of the Summer/Moroder peaks are here. They set up our modern day pop cocktail of American r'n'b with European dance production. "I Feel Love" remains the music of the future, just as Eno predicted, but the collection closes with "Our Love", one of the greatest feats of drum machine programming ever. After I went all underground rock, I still found it immensely satisfying when the Celibate Rifles closed their set with a take on "Hot Stuff" that wasn't too jokey. Turn of the century, when disco became hip again, all my love for the stuff came gushing out. Dumb of me to hold back.  Jethro Tull — Stand Up This only album here I shelled out my lawn-mowing cash to procure, the rest just drifted into the house. I recently gave Stand Up the first thorough spin in years, and its fine set of songs, as close as they got to the more socially acceptable Fairport/Pentangle school of folk rock. The balalaika-lead "Fat Man" may have been my introduction to Balkan textures. "Back to the Family" is dourly amusing. "Reasons for Waiting" quite cleverly fuses flute and organ for the kind of rave up you'd expect from guitar and bass, and turns it into maypole dance. You could imagine this iteration of the band going full Wicker Man, like Comus, had their lineup not quickly solidified around Aqualung riffs and multi-part suites.

Mason Jones

The five records prompt made me think about albums that were part of my formative listening years, which is certainly very different from the albums that are currently important. Going with the early formative albums I'm coming up with:

 Coil—Horse Rotorvator

Back in the 1980s I had started discovering early industrial music and was buying albums and magazines at Schoolkids in Ann Arbor. I had heard of Coil but hadn't found anything yet, when I discovered a used promo cassette of this album in Wazoo, and it completely upended my world. It remains a strong favorite to this day.

 Bauhaus — In the Flat Field

When I was early in my guitar-playing, the sonic variation from Daniel Ash was really important, and despite the passage of time I can still listen to Bauhaus.

 Jimi Hendrix Experience—Axis: Bold as Love

Again from a guitar player standpoint, this album has everything.

 Foetus — Nail

Alongside the Coil album, this one remains essential to me for its cohesion and focus, and dark humor mixed with brilliant sounds.

 Fushitsusha — PSFD 15/16

Doesn't really have a name, but the second volume of Fushitsusha's live 2CD offerings was a big push toward forming SubArachnoid Space back in the day, and Haino's guitar work is unimpeachable. It also later led to my organizing SF shows for the band and releasing a Fushitsusha album on Charnel Music.

 It's very hard not to include Skullflower, Big Black, Crash Worship, Pink Floyd, and ELO (!) albums in this list... 

Jennifer Kelly

The Stones -- Sticky Fingers (or Exile or, if I'm honest, Hot Rocks, of which I have worn out at least three cassette copies)

As a relatively straight-laced young lady in pre-internet Indiana, my choices were limited and few of the things that I liked as a teenager are relevant anymore.  But Stones (up to maybe Tattoo You) have held up, still dark, still sexual, still exuding a kind of threat and coolness that was out of reach for me then and now, but still holds some appeal.  I’m going with Sticky Fingers because it has both “Bitch” and “Moonlight Mile,” two of the respectively nastiest and the most beautiful songs in the Stones catalogue.  

 The Who -- The Who Sell Out

I don’t want to get into a fight with Justin, but to me this is peak Who, trippy and transcendent (I could listen to “I Can See for Miles” all day), goofily tongue-in-cheek (“Heinz Baked Beans”) and still so very far away from slipping into the rock band cliché of later years.  

 The Clash -- London Calling

As I mentioned above, I grew up with radio in Indiana, the good stuff, such as it was, was mostly R&B, and so I got to college in 1981 and was OUTRAGED to find out that punk rock had happened without me. I’ve probably listened to London Calling more than any other record in my life.  I actually had to take this off my iTunes a few years ago because I just could not listen to it again, but no question that it was formative.

 Jay Reatard -- Blood Visions

We saw him in Northampton a couple of months before he passed, and god-damn, talk about the real deal. Punk rock is never dead, but it sure is always dying.  

  Sleater-Kinney -- Dig Me Out

After my son Sean was born, I spent about a year listening to nothing but opera, specifically Tannhauser, specifically the overture to the first act...and it was this record more than anything -- well, okay, Elliott Smith and Pavement and Neutral Milk Hotel played a role too -- that brought me back.  But Sleater-Kinney was special because they rocked so hard and in such a very female kind of way, with their trembly vibrato voices and looping collaborative guitars and bang-out-loud anger and heedless engulfing joy.  “Words and Guitar,” it’s all you really need.  

Brett Marion

The Jesus & Mary Chain — Psychocandy (Blanco y Negro, 1985)

Advancing rock music’s mission of moral decay at light speed through the simultaneous paying homage to and annihilation of doo-wop melodies and early pop-rock and blues forms through ridiculous amounts of industrial buzz and clatter.

 Brian Eno - Thursday Afternoon (EG, 1985)

Off-putting, in equal measure, by its rather domestic title and daunting hour-long playing length, a peek inside is a sensory tank full of narcotic luxury—its every-so-often recurring Doppler-like bass swells effectively bending all notions of time and space. Ambient plus plus.

 Felt — Poem of the River (Creation, 1987)

Growing up in the 1980’s suburban American Midwest, you considered yourself lucky if you walked into a shop and found one row of imports relegated to the end of the Pop/Rock section, overpriced and gathering dust. After weeks, perhaps months, I finally found the nerve—and cash—to blindly purchase this gorgeous-looking mini LP (the perfect format, btw). Produced by Mayo Thompson, Poem of the River is a dazzling mix of Lawrence’s self-referential poetic satire, Neil Scott and Tony Willé’s exquisite Verlaine/Lloyd-esque guitar interplay and Martin Duffy’s oddly prominent ballpark organ contributions.

 Spacemen 3 — The Perfect Prescription (Glass, 1987)

Light-years beyond the monotonic two-riff (one-riff?) Stooges’-smothered debut, The Perfect Prescription mainlines the blues, gospel and drug-rock forms with a soul-searching, seldom formulated lyrical honesty, “Oh, listen sweet lord forgive me my sin/ ‘cause I can’t stand this life without all of these things/ Know I’ve done wrong ‘cause I’ve heaven on Earth/ Know I done wrong but I coulda done me worse.” Cue goose bumps.

 Royal Trux — Accelerator (Drag City, 1998)

From the opening blat of “I’m Ready” to the closing guitar solo sunset fade of “Stevie,” Accelerator is a hedonistic rock’n’roll juggernaut that works whatever your drug of choice.

Ian Mathers

Massive Attack — Mezzanine

I might slightly prefer Blue Lines, but in what might be a running theme here, growing up in a small town with no record store in pre-Napster/pre-YouTube days, I was often lucky to get my hands on even one album from a band the internet could now let me read about if not actually hear. I thought I knew electronic music at the time, but really I knew Aphex/Squarepusher style pranksterism and the cheesy end of trance and not much in between (or further afield). I don't think I'd heard anything at the time as beautifully produced or relentlessly, darkly, menacing; from the first time the scything, processed drum loop gnashes against the subterranean bass pulses on "Angel" I was absolutely entranced, and that's before they threw a goddamn guitar solo in there. I know other bands who've made as many records I adore as Massive Attack have, but not many where all of those albums could be the work of entirely distinct outfits. Still, this is the one that got its hooks into me first, and arguably the first (spiritually) Goth album I ever loved.

 Prolapse — The Italian Flag

In said small town, one of the few ways to actually hear the kind of thing I was getting into (thanks to my dad's record collection and an obsession with Radiohead's OK Computer that means I would have picked it here except I haven't had anything interesting to say about that album other than it got me reading UK music magazines online in years) was watching the Wedge late at night on MuchMusic. MTV existed and we knew about it, but nobody I knew had access to it in Canada. One night they definitely (and wonderfully) played the video for "Killing the Bland", a song that I was instantly obsessed with. As a teenager devoted to finding the fastest, loudest, most aggressive guitar music I could but who somehow never got into hardcore punk or speed metal the fleet, clattering assault of Prolapse was catnip, I loved "Scottish" Mick Derrick and Linda Steelyard's dueling accents, and the video was hilarious. I wouldn't be another seven or eight years or so before I'd know or hear anything more of Prolapse, a band it's still risky to google, thanks to Will Swygart's fine assessment at Stylus where I was writing at the time. I've since tracked down physical copies of everything the band's put out that I can, and I'm still bitter that I couldn't see them open for Mogwai a while back, probably my only chance to hear one of my favourite bands live. At least I still have The Italian Flag, a record where basically nothing else sounds like "Killing the Bland" (also there) but everything does sound like the way indie rock maybe should have gone in 1997: dense, abrasive, scabrous, almost magnetically pessimistic, and very funny.

 Low — Secret Name

If you ever doubt the power of people writing about music, let me tell you about Low (the source, incidentally, for the largest tattoo I have). A band I don't think I'd heard about when I ran into this when I was in first year university and reading through all of glenn mcdonald's (yes, he prefers lower case) ten-year writing project The War Against Silence. These days glenn is more well known for doing a lot of the number crunching for the big Village Voice music critic annual poll, but so much of his writing is so important to me in so many ways. And his description of this band that he was so enthralled by hit me so hard that the next time I had some disposable income I walked into my local record store and bought the Low album they had in stock, sound unheard. That record was, err, Things We Lost in the Fire. An amazing album, but Secret Name is here instead because when you've listened to all of a band's work as much as I have with Low's, that first impression sometimes gets outweighed. If pushed I might even pick another LP as my 'favorite', but there's something beautiful and pure and terrifying in the depths of Secret Name, something I can't escape, something that comes closest to giving me what I read in glenn's writing. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they've continued to grow and change, and not just because I love Ones and Sixes so much; neither the world nor this band need Secret Name II or the time and effort that could be wasted trying to make it. But more than anything else, this record is probably the reason I have the Chairkickers' Union seal inked on my back.

 Spacemen 3 — Performance: Live at the Melkweg 6/2/88

I got really into Spiritualized then when one of the few albums I could find to listen to was their two disc live Royal Albert Hall October 10 1997 I decided that was by far the best thing they'd ever done, then on a school trip knowing they were some kind of proto-Spiritualized I bought a Spacemen 3 album. I still love Spiritualized, but in some ways Spacemen 3 were more relevant to me as a young adult and when I bought this dodgy-looking live album essentially on a whim, it nearly ruined me for anything else Jason Pierce has touched. Specifically the dodgiest version of the album, with the naff cover art and the typos in the track listing and three extra tracks including a monumental, maddening, ear-splitting version of "Suicide" that ended with a loop of crowd noise, as if to let the listener recover. This is, as far as I'm concerned, the only version of the album, and one of the best rock records of all time. When my wife and I were first dating and she still lived down in Florida and I saw that version in the store again I bought that copy and brought it to her. As much as The Perfect Prescription is an amazing album, after I heard Performance I almost couldn't stand to listen to it for a number of years. Pretty much everyone else I know who has listened to Performance thinks it's, you know, okay.

 Mogwai — Come On Die Young

The thing about having to buy records without hearing even a single song on them first is that sometimes you're disappointed. But the thing about not having many other records to listen to is that you sometimes wind up giving those disappointing records another chance, or a third, fourth, fifth... all I'd heard about Mogwai was how crack-the-sky huge they were, and here I was with an almost obtuse feeling album, one that started with a ballad and made you wait for the big explosion until track nine. Part of my understanding and appreciation for Come On Die Young now is simply a matter of historical context I couldn't have had then, namely that this (and the EP+6 compilation released the next year) represented some kind of small apotheosis for Mogwai as a nocturnal, abstract, guitar-based band. From 2001's Rock Action on, they'd more fully integrate Barry Burns and turn into a slightly different if still incredible band. But there's a weight and a solemnity to Come on Die Young that's very different from everything they'd do after. Also "Ex-Cowboy" is the great overlooked epic in their discography. 

Eric McDowell

Slap Happy — Casablanca Moon (1974)

Just when you think you've heard it all... A reminder of how much great music from the classic rock era is out there waiting to be loved. Dagmar Krause's singing is startlingly good, as are the lyrics ("Out on the street, sobbing with lust / I hoped for a banquet, she denied me a crust"!). Also look for the earlier version recorded with Faust, Acnalbasac Noom. 

 Arthur Blythe — Illusions (1980)

Incredible group including James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Abdul Wadud on cello, and Bob Stewart on tuba (among others). I want to buy this album all over again whenever I see it and have tried (in vain) to get strangers at record stores to take it home. Luckily this was recently reissued in a set with some other Blythe albums, including the killer Lenox Avenue Breakdown. 

 Pauline Oliveros — Accordion & Voice (1982)

My introduction to her work and still my favorite. 

 Oren Ambarchi — Hubris (2016)

After a peek into Ambarchi's discography, I couldn't get enough of him— especially his albums on Editions Mego. This one came out on my birthday. 

 Anna Meredith — Varmints (2016)

For some reason I've come back to this more than anything else these first months of 2017... Whatever works!

Bill Meyer

Brian Eno — Another Green World 

I checked this out of a library when I was still a high school prog dabbler and classic rock radio/NPR listener in Michigan in the late 1970s. While I had heard a little Eno before, I had had never heard anything like this and it opened me up to the intersection of sonic novelty, pith, creative playing, wit, and song-craft divorced from literal meaning. 

Velvet Underground — Live 1969

Economy, open-endedness, the most brilliantly rudimentary drumming in rock and roll, and some marvelous songs performed with a casual confidence that Lou Reed would rarely evidence in his subsequent solo career.

Art Ensemble of Chicago — Nice Guys

Not necessarily their best, but my first AEC record, and also one of my first brushes with free jazz, Afrocentric theater, and even modal jazz. 

Alastair Galbraith — Morse

The feeling you have before remorse. Naked emotion, songs boiled to barest essentials, marvelous sounds all forged in drafty rooms in one of the world's southernmost cities.

John Fahey— Return of the Repressed

Again, not my first encounter with Fahey. But the sheer preponderance of blues-derived picking, dissonance that resonates with corners of the soul untouched by the sun, rhythms driven by a thumb that just would not stop, and great, great tunes set off an obsession with the man and with the myriad manifestations of American Primitive Guitar that remain strong over two decades on.

Lucas Schleicher

I'll play with the format a bit. Here are five albums that matter to me that were either released in the last five years or that I heard for the first time in the last five years. I'm counting as far back as 2011 since 2017 is still new, so fuck it.

 Michael Pisaro / Taku Sugimoto — 2 Seconds / B Minor / Wave (Erstwhile, 2010) This came out almost 7 years ago now, but I didn't hear it until 2011. After reading Bill's reviews of Close Constellations and Asleep, Street, Pipes, Tones, I started listening to a lot of Pisaro's music and reading a lot of his essays and I fell in love quickly. This was the first thing I got my hands on and I still think it's one of the more amazing records he's put together. The first two pieces, "2 Seconds" and "B Minor," are especially beautiful and far easier to approach than you might think. The premise guiding the performances are similarly straightforward, but they produce some amazingly synchronous improvisations. If Pisaro or Wandelweiser interest you at all, I think this is as good a place to begin as any.

 The 25-Year Retrospective Concert of The Music of John Cage (Wergo, 1994, originally released in 1958 or 1959) I knew a tiny bit about John Cage before 2011, but most of it was so superficial as to be useless. After hearing the rendition of "Sonatas and Interludes" on here (by Maro Ajemian), I realized just how little of Cage I actually knew (never mind how little I understood). His music wasn't just controversial (the silent piece!) or "ahead of its time" (Variations II), it could be beautiful and approachable and elegant. After listening to this collection for months on end, I went and bought Silence, and reading that was basically life-changing. Cage opened my head and ears to all kinds of art and music that I'd never given much attention before, so this is a significant, best-ever record for me that came well after my teens/early 20s.

 Eliane Radigue — Trilogie De La Mort (Experimental Intermedia Foundation, 1998, composed b/w '85 and '93) Radigue is responsible for some of the most unusual and psychedelic listening I've ever been a part of, and that's without drugs. Some friends at work knew I liked drone-y ambient music and were shocked that I didn't know hers. The Trilogie was on my stereo at home for months in 2012. I listened closely, I let it play quietly in the background, I fell asleep to it, I dreamed lucid dreams to it, and I'm almost certain I hallucinated to it in the middle of the night one week when my wife was back home in NY and I had the chance to play it overnight on repeat. I had a full conversation with her in my kitchen and awoke the next day to find that I had left food out on the table that wasn't there when I went to bed. I chalked it up to sleepwalking, but it took me a little while to figure out Laura wasn't back from NY early. Besides being a lot of fun to listen to, Radigue's approach to sound and the way she handles time blows my mind. I think of her a lot and am always impressed by how she can make very little sound like so much. 

 United Bible Studies ‎— The Ale's What Cures Ye: Traditional Songs From The British Isles. Vol. 1 (MIE Music, 2015) this is just a brilliant record with wonderful songs interpreted in exciting ways by an excellent band. I have a weakness for British folk music and hearing this band in this mode was very exciting in 2015. I still listen to it almost every month and find new things to like about it. After hearing this for the first time, I went back down a deep rabbit hole that I had once managed to climb out of: Shirley Collins, Albion Country Band, Fairport Convention, Fotheringay, etc. etc. I guess getting away from this stuff is impossible. It's always lurking there in the back of my brain and I always turn it up when it comes on. 

 Hala Strana — Fielding (Jewelled Antler, 2003, reissued 2005, now available on Worstward Bandcamp) I knew Steven R. Smith from as far back as Tableland, but somehow I missed this Hala Strana 2CD from 2003, and in fact knew almost nothing about his Hala Strana records until a couple of years ago. I absolutely love Smith's work; he's a brilliant multi-instrumentalist, he writes excellent songs, and he works so well in various genres that it'd be easy to miss that the Ulaan releases are by the same guy responsible for the Hala Strana releases. Fielding is full of the music of Eastern Europe, either in the form of covers of traditional songs or as original pieces written with Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, and others in mind. Smith plays virtually everything you hear: guitar, hurdy-gurdy, bouzouki, etc. I think he might have a band on some songs, but I don't have the liner notes with me to confirm. Anyway, this album reminded me that, despite my constant listening to avant-garde whatever, I still love songs and popular song forms (just like the UBS album did). Now I buy everything by Smith that I can get my hands on. He hasn't disappointed me yet. 

Adam Strohm

Sonic Youth — Dirty (1992)

This isn't my favorite Sonic Youth record, and I haven't listened to it much for at least 15 years, but this is where it all started for me. As a kid in rural PA who was dipping my two into alternative music through the usual avenues (Nirvana, REM, etc.), I'm not even sure I totally understood why people considered Sonic Youth so important, but something clicked with me, and like so many other people my age, this band was the gateway to so much more. I can probably trace 70% of what I currently listen to back to Sonic Youth in some way, so there's no way I can leave them off of this list, even though their records rarely hit the turntable (except for Rather Ripped, for some reason that one resonates more with me now that it did when it came out). I feel as though this is the most boring entry that will be on any of these lists, but I have no idea what I'd be into these days if I hadn't gotten hooked on Dirty back in 1994 or 95.

Queen — The Game (1980)

I probably listened to more Run DMC or Michael Jackson than anything else as a kid, but Queen was my first favorite band. My dad tells stories about me singing "Don't Try Suicide" in a shopping cart at the grocery store and the weird looks people gave him, and at some point, I found a cassette with a fragment of me singing "Another One Bites The Dust" as I lug the recorder around the house. My Queen fandom simmered for many years, but when I finally decided in college than rock music that predated punk could be good, Queen again loomed large. Their records still surprise me with regularity, and I still love introducing someone who only knows "Bohemian Rhapsody" to "Ogre Battle" or "Brighton Rock," which, to me, may be the best thing the band ever recorded.

Glass — Koyaanisqatsi (1983)

The synthesizer in "Baba O'Riley" was probably the thing that hooked me on minimalism, but it took me a regretably long time to connect the dots from my favorite moment in the Who discography to Terry Riley. By then, I'd already gotten a tape from a friend with Koyaanisqatsi on it. He'd thrown it on the tape thinking I might dig it, and it took some time, but I found myself increasingly and unexpectedly drawn to something I'd thought was cheesy and boring on first listen. Getting comfortable with this music sent me down a path than included, of course, Terry Riley and Steve Reich, but also helped me finally wrangle with drones, and made me really, really glad I'd kept a Phill Niblock promo that I'd been sent years before. The cd that my friend sourced the cassette from skipped at one point, which he didn't know when he sent me the tape. Some days, I miss that version of Koyaanisqatsi.

Frith — Gravity (1980)

College-aged me was a little insufferable when it came to talking music, I think. If there weren't guitars, things usually needed to be harsh, weird, or chaotic for me to care. I professed disinterest in any Coltrane prior to Interstellar Space, and had a hard time knowing how to handle anything that felt too traditional, straightforward, or linear. I saw Fred Frith perform in Vienna in 1999 and loved his style of improvisation; diving into his discography not long later, I came home with Gravity, something decidedly different. It was a bit of a lark for me at the time, something I'd put on to inspire a particular mood, or to confuse my friends, but in quick time, I was in love. This record, along with some others, opened the door for me to let my guard down a bit and let in the stuff I'd found too "normal" before; though Gravity is anything but a normal record, it was a pivotal album for me when it came to branching out as a listener, and it's still a favorite.

Devo — Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (1978)

This fifth spot is a tough one. So many things could (and maybe should) go here, like Nirvana (duh), a Pavement record, some Coltrane or Ayler, Oren Ambarchi, or maybe Bob Dylan. But Devo gets the nod, partially because their debut has been a favorite and one of the albums I can listen to no matter the situation, and also because there's something about this band and their sensibilities that had a huge effect on me as a young spud. The idea of this sort of strangeness and absurdity as a vehicle of delivery for social commentary, political critique, and subversive sexuality rewired some parts of my brain, and, for a while, made me very serious about making very goofy music. I haven't played in a rock band for years (you're welcome, world), but this record was a huge influence when I did, and shifted the way I thought about the way humor, shock value, and weirdness could work in music.

Derek Taylor

Jimi Hendrix — Electric Ladyland

Religious, lights-out, prostrate-on-the-bed-with-ear-goggles-affixed immersive listening throughout my teen years and a central pillar of my fealty to music appreciation this day. “Little Miss Strange” is the floating turd in an otherwise pristine Porcelain God of a double-album.

 John Coltrane — First Meditations

Classic Quartet dry run for the more widely heralded session with esteemed guests added & bridge to the instrument-transcending utterances that would become Trane’s untimely end-game. “Compassion” still irrigates the eyes to overflowing under the right circumstances.

 John Fahey — America

Prerequisite companion to nearly every post-teen road-trip I’ve ever taken. “Dalhart, Texas 1967” in particular is as indelible an evocation of time and place through sound as I’ve ever heard.

 Minutemen — Double Nickels on the Dime

Didn’t discover these guys from Pedro until college, but their weird nexus of post-punk, funk, jazz, politics & SoCal see-if-shit-sticks DIY credo instantly won me over. Add to that an unapologetic affection for classic rock staples like CCR and Van Halen and any associative contradictions got ironed out by their unabashed allegiance to humanism.

 ZZ Top’s First Album

Three dudes from Tejas who put so much into their debut that coming up with an actual title seemed incidental. Although I never kept count it was probably my most-played cassette in high school and Billy Gibbons’ tenure as Hendrix roadie & professed favorite guitarist brings the list full circle. 

[whitencises]

Interview With Derek

The inside scoop on Living Proof, plus songwriting, touring, and behind the scenes with Derek DiScanio

VIEWABLE IC

Interviewer: We’re here live on 107.9 The Sound New York with State Champs front man, Derek DiScanio. Champs just dropped their latest album, Living Proof on June 15th through Pure Noise Records. We’re all dying for some insider information about what it took to create the new record! Derek, thank you so much for being here with us today.

Derek: Hey, great to be here!

I: The new Champs album is hot off the press--vinyl press, that is. How does it feel so far?

D: We’ve done this three times now, you know, but it doesn’t get any less surreal. The excitement just keeps building and finally the day comes. It’s huge.

I: What exactly were you feeling on June 15th?

D: We dropped the album at midnight, so of course we were up all night. The entire day before was excitement and a little anxiety, I won’t lie. We were really busy playing in-store shows and pop ups leading up to the release so we were busy.

I: Fans instantly went wild when you released three singles, “Dead And Gone,” “Crystal Ball,” and then “Mine is Gold” leading up to the full album dropping. Why did you pick those three?

D: I think we wanted to give fans a taste of what we’re still all about. We’d been saying how Living Proof is like The Finer Things and Around the World and Back but better, on steroids, and maybe those three were some proof.

I: Do you have a favorite song off the album?

D: This’ll sound pretty dumb but I’ve got a connection to each of the songs because I write them, y’know? But in particular I vibe with “Frozen.” It’s got a great sound, in my opinion.

I: For sure! That’s been a fan favorite as far as we’ve seen. All the songs off Living Proof sound pretty personal and deep, many of them maybe... intimate?

D: *laughs* Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Maybe.

I: Any further comment?

D: *laughs* Uh, “Criminals.” For sure. Maybe.

I: *laughs* Oh, really?! Interesting! You’ve gotta give some details now.

D: *pause* Honestly, there’s not a ton to say... It’s about a girl I had a brief thing with who kind of came out of nowhere. Really gave me a run for my money.

I: Is this anyone who might be back in the picture?

D: Nah, I don’t think so. Things went south and we parted ways.

I: Sorry to hear about that. 

D: *amused half smile, no comment*

I: Shifting gears a bit: you’re out on the very last Van’s Warped Tour this summer! Now, you were also on Warped in 2014. What’s different this time around?

D: Not too much has changed! Still the same great, high energy atmosphere and awesome crowds. New places every day. The biggest difference for us, at least, is crowd size. In 2014 we were still emerging and now we’re blown away by how many fans stop for our set. It’s so dope.

I: Besides performing, what’s the best part about this tour?

D: I gotta say being around all the other groups. It’s so sick to chill with guys we listened to and idolized when we were in high school. Never would have guessed in a million years this would happen, now here we are! *laughs*

I: If you were to tell your 18 year old self that this would be your life in seven years, what would he say?

D: “Uh, no way, man.” He’d think I was bullshitting him probably. When I was 18 we were in our prime garage band days, just making music, annoying the neighborhood’s elderly with it.

I: That’s definitely a common theme, though. You made it out!

D: We worked so hard, seriously. I know everyone says that but it’s true and it’s what you gotta do if you’re serious about music.

I: Of course. And where do you see yourself and the band in 10 more years?

D: That’s a long ass ways away to me. Hopefully State Champs is still banging out the tunes. As for me, I’ll be kick flipping stairs downtown until my back gives out from old age.

I: *laughs* That’s fair enough! We’re so glad you sat down to talk with us today, Derek. Our listeners can pick up a copy of Living Proof online and at any major music retailer, or at Target for an exclusive band member poster. Thanks for tuning in!

[paulisded]

Live Ledge #314: Best Records of 2017

As I was putting together this year’s list of my favorite records I came across a article from a music journalist claiming that lists such as this are idiotic. Since it’s impossible to hear every single album that was released over the year, nobody has the needed knowledge to proclaim anything as the year’s best records.

Come on. This is ridiculous. Nobody is claiming to have the definitive look at the year in music. I’ve never read any music critic claim to have heard each and every record.

But that doesn’t mean these sorts of think pieces aren’t worthwhile. Every writer, fan, or publication has an area of expertise, and if they’re honest they’ll admit to their cultural shortcomings. Mine just happens to include pop, hip-hop, and bro-country. I know that the new Kendrick Lamar is probably the year’s greatest musical achievement, but it’s not my thing. At the same time, I don’t need to hear the latest records by the likes of Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, or whatever Jonas Brother that still makes music. Why would I waste my time when I know I’m going to hate it?

The purpose of these lists aren’t for people to proclaim themselves as the world’s biggest music expert. They exist mainly because as fans we want people to discover records they may have overlooked. I look at dozens of these types of articles, from giant publications to local music nerds, hoping to discover something that I’ve missed. Inevitably, I find quite a few, and I hope that my yearly list does the same for others.

This is a good year for this type of exploration. It’s been the best year in music in quite some time. Oftentimes, finding 40 records worthy of inclusion is not easy. This year, I started with over 80 candidates, and it took quite a bit of soul-searching to cut it down to my usual length. It’s such a good year that artists that routinely reside near the top (The National, Spoon, Steve Earle) didn’t make the cut.

What is it about 2017? Why was this a fertile year for music? Given the state of the music industry these days, there really shouldn’t be such an abundance of fabulous tunes. My theory is that as the possibility of fame and fortune fades away we’re left with artists who just HAVE to create. It’s in their blood. A musician and/or songwriter is who they are, and they’ll carry on as long as they can.

What’s even more surprising to me is the number of great releases by veteran artists. So many of my favorites from years past came out with their best records in decades. Who would have predicted the return of The Jesus and Mary Chain? Or that Robyn Hitchcock would put out one of his best records? Or that Guided By Voices would release not one but two albums that weren’t full of half-assed, seemingly unfinished tracks?

So here are 40 records that I consider the best albums of the year, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on my picks. Let me know what records have turned your crank this year. Tracks from each of these albums were also aired on Live Ledge in a reverse, countdown format. Click here for Live Ledge #314, or nab it via iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, or many other online spots.

1. Bash & Pop, Anything Could Happen. Anybody that knows me well probably knew this would be my favorite record of year. Yet the return of Tommy Stinson’s first post-Replacements band is even better than I ever predicted. It’s every bit as good as the 1993 Bash & Pop debut. In fact, it may be even better, as the original was Stinson’s first serious stabs at songwriting. Almost 25 years later, Stinson’s skills as a tunesmith has deepened, and combined with the Faces-ish feel of his outstanding bandmates this would have been towards the of any year’s list.

2. The Courtneys, II. The best description I’ve read of this great Canadian trio is “fuzzy, slacker pop”. Yeah, that’s pretty much it. Yet that would be meaningless if it wasn’t combined with sugary, singalong melodies. There’s a bit of a Blake Babies influence, but I also hear elements of late 80’s post-Jesus and Mary Chain bands such as The Primitives.

3. Ty Segall, s/t. James Brown used to be called the “hardest working man in show business”, but he’s a slacker compared to what Segall accomplished in a given year. Besides his usual album and a handful of singles, he’s involved with at least a half dozen other bands, and is inevitably a contributor as a musician or producer on a ton of his friend’s records. This year’s main release is also among his best, as it flows in and out of a number of styles.

4. The Jesus and Mary Chain, Damage and Joy. It was a big enough surprise that the warring Reid brothers reunited for a tour in 2007, but few thought that would result in a new album by the groundbreaking 80’s noise-pop veterans. The fact that it took a decade for it to happen is probably a sign that not all wounds have healed over the years. Yet this album is a pure joy for any fans of the original run. Yeah, it rarely deviates from the patented J&MC formula, but if it works why fix it?

5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, The Nashville Sound. Easily the most acclaimed Americana album of the year, and it deserves each and every accolade. Isbell is at the top of his game, as rousing anthems comfortably sit next to heart-wrenching looks at crumbling relationships and the difficulties of chasing the American dream.

6. Guided By Voices, August By Cake/How Do You Spell Heaven. Robert Pollard has always been one of rock’s most prolific songwriters, and is also quite possibly the worst at quality control. Each and every year has seen a handful of albums that are frustratingly dominated by half-baked song fragments. 2017 saw the release of his 100th and 101st albums, and both of them Pollard’s best efforts in well over a decade.

7. Juliana Hatfield, Pussycat. How can a record of bitter politics sound so sweet? Juliana Hatfield is not happy with what’s happening these days, but it’s somehow inspired her to write some of her catchiest songs ever.

8. Warm Soda, I Don’t Wanna Grow Up. Let’s get this out of the way. Matthew Melton found himself dropped from his label earlier this year for comments he and his musician wife said about immigration. Having said that, the final record by Warm Soda is easily the best power pop record of the year. Can one separate the music from the opinions of the person who creates the music? That’s definitely a major question these days, and I’m not sure that’s entirely fair.

9. Kevin Morby, City Music. One of my favorite new finds of this year. Formerly of Woods and The Babies (not the 70’s pop band), Morby’s fourth album has been described as a tribute to New York City. While there is a definite nod to the Ramones (“1234”), the record’s nods to the metropolitan experience works with almost any skyline.

10. The Feelies, In Between. Hoboken’s greatest band’s first album in six years actually feels like a sequel to 1986’s The Good Earth. Those same loud/quiet dynamics are again the focus, but not in the Pixies/Nirvana way. Instead the record’s best songs feature a gradual buildup that ultimately turns into a cacophonic roar.

11. Beaches, Second of Spring. Certain albums deserve to be played in full. This is one of those records, even if it’s a 17-track double album. Each and every song of the all-female Australian psych rockers’ third album perfectly fits with what precedes and follows it. Sonic landscapes of fuzzy instrumentals dissolve into catchy pop nuggets, which then spins into more experimental fare.

12. L.A. Witch, s/t. This fabulous new trio is pretty much impossible to pin down. There are elements of 60’s girl groups, but it’s mixed with surf, rockabilly, psych, and garage rock. It’s sort of like if The Runaways had a bigger record collection (and minus the dictatorship of Kim Fowley).

13. Matthew Ryan, Hustle Up Starlings. Only a handful of songwriters can create intense environments with (relatively) quiet sounds. Matthew Ryan is one of them, and it’s simply because he completely inhabits the identities of the subjects of his songs. Those subjects tend to be the forgotten members of society. The people who struggle to find work, let alone keep their jobs. The people with regrets over past mistakes. People who need their voices heard.

14. Danny Dodge, Baby Let Me Be Your Mess. I know next to nothing about Danny Dodge except that I love this record. Discovered via bandcamp, the only information I’ve been able to find is that he’s a veteran of various garage and glam bands in Portland. This album definitely has elements of those genres, but there’s also a does of sugary jangle pop.

15. Waxahatchee, Out in the Storm. I’m not going to lie. I’ve found most of Kate Crutchfield’s prior releases to be a bit hit and miss. However, her fourth album under the Waxahatchee name is great from beginning to end. Credit may have to go to producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth), who primarily recorded the band playing live in the studio.

16. John Moreland, Big Bad Luv. After the success of 2015’s mostly acoustic High on Tulsa, it would have been pretty easy for Moreland to just copy the sound and production of that record. Instead, he wisely expanded into a full-band sound that accentuates his hook-laden songs of heartbreak.

17. John Murry, A Short History of Decay. Murry has lived quite the life. A second cousin of William Faulkner, his childhood was marked by undiagnosed autism. He eventually turned to drugs, and was hospitalized for both psychological and drug issues. Music may have saved his life, but it also led to other issues too numerous to list here. His second solo album was recorded in five days with help from members of Cowboy Junkies, and his heartbreaking songs detail much of his life’s lower moments.

18. The Cairo Gang, Untouchable. Discovered due to his summer appearance in town, Cairo Gang leader Emmett Kelly is best known for his presence on the last two Ty Segall records along with various Bonnie “Prince” Billy releases. The fifth album under The Cairo Gang, produced by Segall,  is truly a solo album, as Kelly plays that vast majority of instruments.

19. The Buttertones, Gravedigging. Another great bandcamp find, the debut release by this Los Angeles band is sort of like rock and roll history condensed into one full-length album. What other record combines surf, rockabilly, post-punk, garage, and psych with elements of The Clash and Cramps?

20. Meatbodies, Alice. I’m not going to lie. The name Meatbodies threw me off a bit. Yet once I heard this latest album by Chad Ubovich and crew I was itching for the rest of their discography. A little bit of research explained exactly why. Ubovich has spent time in Mikal Cronin’s band, and also plays in Fuzz with Ty Segall and Charles Moothart. Yep, it’s part of that L.A. orbit of musicians and bands.

21. Hurray For the Riff Raff, The Navigator. This record could have easily made the top ten, as the first half is about as exquisite as one could expect. Most of the second side doesn’t live up to that standard, though, so while it contains one of the year’s most inclusive record. Inclusive? Yes, leader Alynda Segarra combines various elements of Latina styles with classic American doo wop, folk, gospel and Motown sounds.

22. Alex G, Rocket. Alexander Giannascoli started off as a bedroom singer/songwriter who somehow got the attention of Frank Ocean. This led to his guitarwork appearing on a recent Ocean album, which has given him a weird notoriety that has very little to do with the lavish dream pop-ish sounds of his latest album.

23. Together Pangea, Bulls and Roosters. I first discovered this great band thanks to Tommy Stinson, who recorded their 2015 EP, The Phage. Their sound is firmly established in garage rock, but a bit quirkier than most bands of this type.

24. CFM, Dichotomy Desaturated. Here we go again. CFM is Charles Francis Moothart, who we’ve already noted is Ty Segall’s drummer. He’s also toured in Mikal Cronin’s band, is the guitarist/vocalist with Segall in Fuzz, and also participates in other Segall side projects. CFM is his band, though, and this second album is a great companion to that self-titled Segall album at the top of this list.

25. Old 97’s, Graveyard Whistling. After a few albums where the alt-country veterans took some mini-detours, this year’s model harkens back to the mid-90’s revved-up country roots. Leader Rhett Miller is still a master at turning a clever phrase, and the rest of the band has not lost a step.

26. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Lotta See Lice. This is something I’d love to see more often. Two critically acclaimed songwriters befriend each other on the festival circuit, and decide to collaborate on an album. Each of them brings some new tunes, and they both sing a song written by the other. Plus they cover a Belly song, and another tune written by Barnett’s girlfriend, Jen Cloher.

27. John Wesley Harding, Wesley Stace’s John Wesley Harding. Let’s get everything straight. The artist known as John Wesley Harding was born Wesley Stace. He uses his birthname on his novels, and has also put out a few records under that name. This year’s album, his best in decades, attempts to clear up the confusion over his name. His writing is still full of wit and snark, and who can’t love an artist who makes fun of the music industry? It’s also worth noting that his band on this album is The Jayhawks, who do a masterful job at staying out of his way but adding whatever elements are needed.

28. Flat Worms, s/t. Flat Worms would be considered a supergroup in some circles, as everybody in the band has played with artists such as Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Kevin Morby, and Dream Boys. Regardless of where they’re from, this collaboration doesn’t rely on the usual sounds that generally come out of the Segall/Cronin/Thee Oh Sees circle of friends. Instead, this is a bit of a tribute to the heavier postpunk bands of the past. There’s a bit of Wire, later Buzzcocks, and even some pre-grunge Seattle in their sound.

29. Wand, Plum. You know what I love about this band? First off, they’re prolific, as this is their fourth album in three years. They’re also a band that’s constantly changing, as none of their albums sound the same. Plum may be the best of the bunch. It’s certainly their most varied, which makes it next to impossible to describe as it flows in and out of various subgenres.

30. Dream Syndicate, How Did I Find Myself Here? Here’s another band I never expected to see release new music. And I certainly would have never predicted that anything they did record would be so great. Their first new studio album since 1988 is similar to the new Feelies record in that it’s like there hasn’t been any time between releases. It’s a perfect companion to their neo-psychedelic classics The Days of Wine and Roses and Medicine Show.

31. Palehound, A Place I’ll Always Go. Palehound leader Ellen Kempner recently lost her grandmother and best friend, and poured all of her grief into her second album. While that may sound depressing, it’s tempered by the fuzzy, alt-rock guitar rock that fans of Waxahatchee should love.

32. Son Volt, Notes of Blue. It’s been quite some time since anybody but the biggest Jay Farrar fans paid any attention to Son Volt. Weirdly, it took a recent obsession with Skip James and Mississippi Fred McDowell that led to a record that’s reminiscent of the band’s classic early records.

33. Robyn Hitchcock, s/t. Again, a veteran artist puts out his best album in decades. For his 21st album, Hitchcock actually gives a few nods to his Soft Boys power pop days, and that energy permeates through the entire album.

34. Ne-Hi, Offers. Chicago’s place in indie rock circles has certainly grown in recent years, thanks to the likes of Twin Peaks, Whitney, and our very own The Kickback. As they told me in an interview before playing Total Drag earlier this year, Ne-Hi originally formed to record a soundtrack for a friend’s film, and it worked so well they decided to become a “real” band. After a debut recorded in a basement, they hit an actual studio for this record, but the resulting still feels like the result of a marathon jam session.

35. Micah Schnabel, Your New Norman Rockwell. Two Cow Garage is one of our country’s most underrated musical jewels that took Americana and gave it a Replacements-ish edge. This record may be a solo record, but it’s really a more stripped-down version of a typical Two Cow Garage album. Which means, of course, that it’s brilliant.

36. Daddy Issues, Deep Dream. This list doesn’t have enough snotty all-girl punk rock, even though it’s been a great year for bands such as this. As my friend Gorman Bechard says, they’re so good that they can even make a Don Henley cover (“Boys of Summer”) sound great.

37. POW!, Crack an Egg. This is a record that one needs to hear on vinyl. The first time I heard this was a digital version, and it was way too dominated by their propulsive synths. The vinyl version, though, obviously still has this despised (by me) instrument prominently in the mix, but the analog version is highlighted by the deeper, fuller sounds of the entire band.

38. Damaged Bug, Bunker Fun. John Dwyer is another artist who obviously had little to no free time this year. Besides running a busy, successful indie label that’s well-represented on this list, Dwyer released records under the names Oh Sees and OCS. (Thee Oh Sees name was retired after two 2016 releases.) He also had time for his solo side project that relies more on electronics than his other bands. His third release under this name is a bit heavier, a bit funkier, and heavier on prog elements than his main band.  

39. Greg Ashley, Pictures of Saint Paul Street. Although a veteran of Texas garage-punk bands, along with a number of solo records, this record was my first hearing of this interesting songwriter. From the very first song, I heard a bit of Flowers-era Stones, mid-period Kinks, a pinch of Dylan, and even a touch of Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen. Ashley’s songs may primarily deal with despairing, hopeless characters living on the fringes of society, but he manages to turn them into messengers of righteous anger.  

40. David Nance, Negative Boogie. Describing this lo-fi Omaha musician is next to impossible, as he’s anything and everything. There’s a bit of Crazy Horse at their one-take coked up best, quite a bit of Pere Ubu-weirdness, and maybe a bit of the Velvets and The Chills, and even a touch of 70’s outlaw country. Yet it somehow works, even when he throws in a surprise shambolic cover of Merle Haggard’s “Silver Wings”.

[theshmaylor]

I meant to do real things this evening, but instead I spent 3 hours making a Tegan and Sara primer. Soooo enjoy if you want

Okay so Analise010 asked for a Tegan and Sara primer, but I didn't find any I liked, so I had to make my own. And then well...it became a lot. SORRY FOR THE EXCESSIVE LENGTH.  But also I'm lazy and didn't include photos, that was a step too much effort.

The Basics Tegan and Sara are a band. It feels weird to call them a band when it's just the two of them (plus whoever's in their backing band at the time), but wikipedia calls them an "indie pop singing duo" and that's worse, so let's go with 'a band'. They are both lesbians. No, they're not dating. They're identical twins. Their faces are incredibly similar so I don't know why I even have to say that, but a surprising number of people think they're dating, so. For a while it was very easy to tell them apart, but then Tegan took out her labret piercing, and their hair for the Love You to Death tour is more similar than it's been in years. But I think Tegan cut her hair sometime in the past few weeks, so hopefully it's simpler again. Sara has a narrower face than Tegan. You can also use their tattoos to tell them apart, but honestly we'll be here all day if I continue at this level of detail.  When they're preforming, Tegan always stands on the left side of the stage and Sara on the right (from the perspective of the audience). Both of them write songs, sing, and play instruments. Generally, they don't create together. They each write their own songs and then work together to polish and edit them. Whichever sister wrote the song is the one who sings lead vocals on it. They have EIGHT albums. So many! And as far as anyone knows, they're planning on making even more music.  We're gonna do this shit chronologically. 1. Under Feet Like Ours (1999) Listen, maybe don't start here. There are some gems to be found, but they were babies (only 19 years old!), and it shows. Plus, about half the songs also appear on their second album, so you won't be missing a lot.  It was initially released with the band name "Sara and Tegan" until they decided it sounded better the other way, changed it, and haven't looked back since. My fav tracks Clever Meals This is Everything 2. This Business of Art (2000) Again, about half the tracks come from Under Feet Like Ours and it was only released a year later, so it feels a little young too. But by picking the best bits of their previous album and adding in new material, it definitely feels like a step up. My fav tracks My Number Not With You Hype 3. If It Was You (2002) This is where we start to get a little less folky.  More pop-y, more electronic, and definitely more upbeat. More love and breakup songs, less undirectional teenage angst. My fav tracks Living Room - This is a Tegan and Sara CLASSIC. If they play it at a show, it's usually in the encore, and the entire room ERUPTS when it starts. Underwater I Hear Noises Terrible Storm 4. So Jealous (2004) This is kind of the beginning of their mainstream success. A lot more critical attention and some radio play for their singles. The first time I ever heard of Tegan and Sara was between this album and the next.  I was in high school and fell for them hard, and honestly they've been my favorite band ever since. My fav tracks I Was Walking With a Ghost - The White Stripes covered it, which honestly probably contributed to T+S's popularity a lot, but I think that fucking cover is awful Where Does the Good Go Speak Slow Fix You Up

5. The Con (2007) This is it. This is the album. This is the one that cemented their success and brought in many of their lifelong fans. And it's the reason I'm even writing this fucking thing in the first place. Today they announced The Con X - a tenth anniversary tour where they'll be playing an acoustic arrangement of all songs in album order, and I've been excitedly swooning about it all day, which is why Analise asked for a primer.

My fav tracks The Con Hop a Plane + Soil, Soil - two tracks that appear in that order on the album and you have to listen to them in a row. The mood change is just everything and so perfect.  I'm probably in the minority for putting Soil, Soil on my favorites list though, so do what you want with that... Burn Your Life Down Nineteen - listen, this probably isn't the best track ever, but it's so satisfying to wail along with. Great stuff at live performances Back In Your Head Dark Come Soon

(I know it's a lot, but count yourself lucky that I didn't just list the whole album)

6. Sainthood (2009) Getting even more electronic here! This was probably their most experimental album I think. It's also the first time they co-wrote a song, "Paperback Head".  That's not one of my favorite songs, but I'm glad they tried out something new.

My fav tracks Hell Alligator - which I mostly just love because Sara says it was inspired by Rihanna, which makes no sense to me when you listen to the song The Ocean Sentimental Tune Someday - for this one, I'm just gonna leave you with a quote the Autostraddle review, which imprinted on me very early after I first listened to it and now it's all I can think about every time I hear the song:  "At first listen, this track may sound like an anthem a garage band might   be inclined to write, one of those “fuck you, world! we’re gonna be   famous one day!” tracks – but IT’S NOT, and that’s partly why it’s so   great. This isn’t about how the world has wronged Tegan. It makes me   think of a 17-year old Tegan getting over a first relationship and   putting on a false bravado to prove she’s going to become something,   like she’s trying to convince herself rather than anyone else."

7. Heartthrob (2013) This is where people started throwing around the word 'sellout'. Which, in general, as a concept can just fuck off entirely. Yes, I think they were trying to reach for more mainstream success, but why is that a bad thing? More success = more chances to hear them live and a better likelihood of getting even more music. Plus, there seems to be this idea that musicians at the start of their careers have the most artistic freedom and are the most 'real', and after that they're doing what the record label wants. But that doesn't make any goddamn sense. Do you think 19 year old Tegan and Sara had any clue how to navigate the music industry and ensure that their artistic vision got out there? No. They've said in multiple interviews that they're originally piano players who were basically forced into the indie folk acoustic guitar thing. This album brings those keyboards to the forefront and they don't have to pick up guitars at all if they don't want to.  Plus, no matter the change in sound, the lyrics are pure Tegan and Sara. That's never going to change.

My fav tracks Closer - the music video is an amazing giant queer sleepover party and everyone should watch it I'm Not Your Hero Drove Me Wild How Come You Don't Want Me I Couldn't Be Your Friend

8. Love You To Death (2016) It's just over a year old and they're currently touring in support of it.  This is the album where (in addition to their songs about romantic relationships) they have some distance from some of the rough patches they've had as sisters over the years and can finally write music about that. White Knuckles and 100x are both songs inspired by those times. Plus, they made a video for every single song on the album.

My fav tracks Boyfriend - their queerest song to date, don't let the name fool you U-turn - oh god I love this song but the music video is terrible. Okay so it's not a terrible video in and of itself, but I don't like it at all for this particular song Dying to Know Stop Desire Hang on to the Night

Misc

Yay! You made it to the end of my babbling about each album, so do you know what that means? MORE BABBLING ABOUT OTHER THINGS. I'll try to keep it short though (mostly because I'm lazy and want to eat dinner soon)

- When they recorded The Con, they also filmed the entire thing and turned that into a movie with a 'chapter' (about 10 mins each) for each track. It is DELIGHTFUL and a great entry point for getting a feel for their personalities and learning more about them beyond just liking the music. A wonderful person has collected the chapters here and here

- Banter! A super important part of Appreciating Tegan and Sara is their concert banter. They talk more during shows than any other band I know of and a lot of it is fucking hysterical. It also feels like their way of setting boundaries, you know? They share so much and talk about things from their past very freely, which stops people from poking into their current personal lives more than they might otherwise.  Maybe at some point I will make a curated list of my favorites, but see above re: lazy etc. For now, just search youtube for Tegan and Sara best banters. You'll find plenty.

- Live screw-ups. There is always one song that Tegan can not remember the words to or play all the way through. As soon as she figures it out, it'll happen to another song (Admittedly, this is happening less lately as they play more festivals  and want to look good in front of randos who don't know much about them). Which leads to plenty of fabulous footage of Tegan fucking up a song and swearing. Sara also fucks up occasionally, but less often. Sometimes they power through, sometimes they restart, and sometimes they have the audience sing it.  And I can't explain why it's so adorable and precious but it just IS. Again, not gonna link to vids, but the song "Northshore" has some of the best because it's so fast.

And now I'm done typing for real this time :)