One Word Review: The Happening

14: Shyamalamadingdong

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #25: Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

When I was assigning the Top 50 at the start of this project, I felt really happy with the order. I had given it a ton of thought. But when I returned to the album to do my "research" (enjoying another listen), I realized I had to make an amendment. The Loon by Tapes 'n Tapes is perhaps just not an album that sticks in your head when it's not on. But once you give it a spin, you have it stuck in your stereo for weeks before are ready to put it down. So perhaps it's fitting that this album arrived at #25, just barely getting into the top half of the list. I'll be honest, some of these entries have been a bit hard to get written. The rest should be loaded with nothing but high praise, and this record is no exception.

Tapes 'n Tapes really don't give a fuck. You can tell this because they called a song "Ten Gallon Ascots." But more than that, it's clear that they are not going to follow any convention laid out for them. While they get compared to Pavement and various other 90s bands that packed fuzz into their guitar work, they are have easily transcended any of those comparisons.

There's something unsettling in this album. A big part of that is Josh Grier's vocals. He consistently sounds like a teenager about to cry from some deep seated frustration. It's hardly welcoming. On top of that, the guitars and drums are not here to present a pretty melody. But the quirky rhythms in this album are so compelling, that all of that fuzzy weirdness settles in around them.

"Insistor" is a masterpiece, and would get this album into the Top 50 all on its own. Part spaghetti western, part Pixies homage and all energy all the time (even when Grier is whispering), it is one of my favorite songs of all time. I will never have enough Insistor in my life. I will listen to it again and again until the day I die. From there the album really pushes the listener, taking unexpected turns and winning on most of them.

The last track, "Jakov's Suite" is the dessert and coffee you didn't think you had room for, but gleefully stuff down your throat. Well, at the beginning, it's all coffee - a jittery, frenetic assemblage of wild riffing and light drumming. But then a minute and a half in, someone dumps a gigantic piece of black forest cake in front of you. You down it bite for bite, and when you're done, you're so damn full, someone else has to drive you home.

The band's second release, Walk It Off, was missing something. I can't say what exactly. Perhaps after the indie attention they gained with The Loon, they started to give too much of a fuck. Here's hoping they try to wild things up again in the 10s. Lord knows they're capable.



Previous Entries:
#26 - Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
#27 - Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows
#28 - Common - Be
#29 - The Futureheads - News and Tributes
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #26: Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

Kings of Leon consists of three brothers and a cousin from Tennessee who were raised to play music with their evangelical father, but this hardly sounds like gospel. Whether their fuzzy rock and roll is meant as an act of rebellion is hard to tell, and in the end totally unimportant. What matters is that through all the disarray of this record, you feel like you stumbled into some kind of messed up party, but rather than feeling apprehensive, you're going to live it up. This is just a shit-kicking good time. And that's precisely the point.

I would comment that the lyrics are hardly inspiring, but that's more of an assumption than anything since most of what Caleb Followill's vocals range from unintelligible to cryptic. Somehow this void of meaning and male aggression appealed to indie hipsters and frat boys alike and led to the band's current overwhelming success. While I don't want to count myself in either of those groups, I must say that even though they came to this band for different reasons, they're both right. This is music to get wasted to, whether your cheap beer of choice is PBR or Natural Light.

Aha Shake Heartbreak. I can't think of a more aptly titled album. It sounds just like it sounds. Their first record, Youth & Young Manhood had the same feel, but the songs lacked the drunken punch featured here. The band had been working on their game and it showed. I realize that this undermines everything I just said, but Aha Shake Heartbreak is simply more on point.

A tour opening for U2 perhaps showed the band what they could be capable of. Their following records showed more and more polish. And that may say something about their craft. But I still believe this is where they were most in their wheelhouse. At this point they're still moonshine-drinking hillbillies, but it's well prepared moonshine.







Previous Entries:
#27 - Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows
#28 - Common - Be
#29 - The Futureheads - News and Tributes
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #27: Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

On their debut album, Hope Is Important, Scottish rockers Idlewild really hadn't figured out what they were doing yet. Their output was a rough attempt at grungy punk which really doesn't deserve more than one spin. So the polished evolution featured on their sophomore effort, "100 Broken Windows," was certainly a surprise.

Suddenly this was a band with talent. They could write songs, deploy catchy-as-hell riffs, and singer Roddy Woomble even discovered a capable croon. But I am not trying to say that this is a band simply getting their act together. These are shimmering pop songs buoyed by an incisive edge that few bands can muster without screeching. The thing is, often times you hear a catchy tune, you dig the hell out of it for a few weeks and then it fades away as quickly as it arrived. These gems simply don't quit.

The record begins innocently enough, with a mathy riff that pops from the strings of a guitar before Woomble displays his improved vocals. But once that chorus hits, you can't help singing along, agreeing that "All I need is a little discourage." From there, the band pumps out winner after winner. I could list them, but check out the Youtubes below and then go get the rest of the album.

The records that followed have their high points, but they are just a bit too slick. On 100 Broken Windows, the band found the perfect blend of their past and future. And I know I'm going to keep reliving that moment in their timeline for years to come.








Previous Entries:
#28 - Common - Be
#29 - The Futureheads - News and Tributes
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn

One Word Review: Along Came Polly

34: Dopey

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #28: Common - Be

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

That we've made it this far into the list and are only now getting to a Hip Hop record indicates pretty clearly what I thought of the decade's output in the genre. This isn't the only rap record to make the Top 50, but it is one of just two. Were this same analysis performed on the 80s or 90s, we would find the beats comprising a much bigger part of the mix. Alas, hip hop has really been on a stead decline, with few artists looking to break new ground these days. Call it a Jay-Z-ification if you will, but I just can't get with the "remix an old song by jacking up the bass and then throw some contrived, unintelligent lyrics over the top" thing.

But Chicago's Common had been toiling away in the underground for well over a decade, putting together songs with real weight and intelligence. That certainly didn't do his popularity any favors during the height of faux gangsta posturing. But he was able to build a strong core following and keep pushing his own limits.

The album starts off with a bass riff that would make James Jamerson proud and within a minute, we're deep in Curtis Mayfield territory. For me, that's enough to declare the record successful already. When Common's voice comes into the mix, it is with a heavy authority. This is no party album. My point is that he is totally in control of his instrument, bouncing his way through every track like he'd known them for years. The end result is a cogent treatment of the day buoyed by a fantastic groove.

Soon after the success of this record, Common turned to Gap commercials and crappy sci-fi sequels. So perhaps I shouldn't hold it in such high regard. It pretty much led to the end of his significance. The ironic thing is that listening to this record he sounds like a huge hypocrite. But I don't really give a damn. I can try to ignore those other things and remember how groovy these tracks sounded when I first heard them. The music's just that good.





Previous Entries:
#29 - The Futureheads - News and Tributes
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn
#38 - The National - Boxer

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #29: The Futureheads - News and Tributes

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

The Futureheads are English as can be, right down to their crooked teeth. So English in fact, that when they try to rawk hard, it all comes out a bit, well, fey. I bring this up not to insult them but because in a way, they remind me of the Beatles. All four members sing with pitch-perfect harmony. When they're clicking, their tunes far outreach the contemporaries.

Their eponymous debut had its moments, but it was telling that the standout track was a Kate Bush cover. On News and Tributes, we get a plethora of songs that meet with the band's potential. From the peppy to the morose, the tunes are more in touch with their own style, bringing a subtle energy that never leaves the record. It could be that they are simply so on point that they are able to surpass the expectations for a rock band.

Tracks like "Back to the Sea" blend the best doo wop has to offer with the energetic beat of new wave revival. This of course means they may have made this album specifically for me. But you can't listen to these songs without feeling the urge to join in. With all four singing at once, there's always a voice to cover any sharps or flats you may produce. And while that's all fine and fun, the bigger accomplishment is capturing that aforementioned energy. Without such tightly created songs, all the harmonies in the world wouldn't be so compelling.

I should note that despite the praise I am heaping on them here, they may have made some pretty big mistakes. As good as this album is, the US-only bonus tracks are even better.







Previous Entries:
#30 - The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn
#38 - The National - Boxer
#39 - Hot Water Music - Caution

Hey Rube!

Freaking fantastic:

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #30: The Black Keys - Rubber Factory

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

Music history is riddled with white folks stealing from black folks and making millions. One could look at this modern(ish) take on the dirtiest blues available and say the same thing. But to say that The Black Keys (a group comprised solely of guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney) is merely retreading ground already laid by others would be to miss the point. Taking the best elements from John Spencer Blues Explosion and bringing it all back down to earth, they have gone to great lengths to live up to their Akron, Ohio roots. The whole album sounds like it could indeed have been created within some kind of industrial factory.

The plodding opening track, "When the Lights Go Out," indicates that we are here for darkness. It is a murky, dirty groove with the simplest of beats. But then "10 A.M. Automatic" kicks in and quickly sets us right, bringing the needed energy to get through an entire album of bluesy riffs and rootsy crooning.

This is not music meant to inspire or antagonize. The whole point is the groove, hip enough to dance to, and soulful enough to drive to with the top down. I must admit that I did not expect to dig these guys. The whole prospect of "just two dudes" indicates that it should just be too damn minimalist for me. But I can't let this record go. When I have the urge to simply feel good, it's the perfect soundtrack. Well, once we get past that first tune of course.







Previous Entries:
#31 - Wolfmother - Wolfmother
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn
#38 - The National - Boxer
#39 - Hot Water Music - Caution
#40 - Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy

One Word Review: Nick of Time

34: Unapt

One Word Review: The Getaway (1972)

70: Feral

One Word Review: Sherlock Holmes

57: Forgettable

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #31: Wolfmother - Wolfmother

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.

It seems so obvious now, but nobody thought of it before. Or at least if they did, they didn't execute it correctly. Just take equal parts Black Sabbath and The White Stripes, and what do you get? Simply one of the most successful hard rock albums of the decade.

This is some fun freaking rawk, hitting all the buttons we need. It's fast enough to bang your head, but slow enough to rattle your ribcage. The success of this record is evidence that we had been waiting for something like this to roll through town. That a trio can pile so much sound together is a credit to the album's production.

Of course, the goofy scream that begins the album is almost daring us to run away. Its utter stupidity is a signal that there will be things we must accept if we wish to continue. Make no mistake, the majority of the lyrics are horrendous. But then again, it's not like Ozzy Osbourne was ever mistaken for John Keats, and that has never reduced my adoration for Sabbath. There were many ways they could have approached this record, but the choice to forge brazenly ahead is the only one that would have worked. Good thing they made the right one, even if it may have seemed a bit silly. Seriously, just look at that album cover!

But it's all totally acceptable. The point is not to make great art here. The point is to rock your face off. And that's what they do. When I caught the band just before the peak of their rise at Lollapalooza 2006, they put on one of the most impressive performances of the weekend. So impressive that some big doofus behind me wouldn't stop hollering, "They stole the show!" as soon as it finished. Well, he was pretty much right.

In sum, I have zero complaints about this record, and have the urge to spin it frequently. Their follow-up, Cosmic Egg, left me totally uninterested, but with the debut I can be 17 in the 70s again whenever I want, banging my head until my shaggy locks get split ends.





Previous Entries:
#32 - Juno - A Future Lived in Past Tense
#33 - Bad Religion - The New America
#34 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
#35 - Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela
#36 - Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
#37 - Crooked Fingers - Red Devil Dawn
#38 - The National - Boxer
#39 - Hot Water Music - Caution
#40 - Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy
#41 - Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike