Technicolor

Best of 2012

MUSIC

…Records

10. Santigold - “Master of My Make-Believe”

I wish she would have went a bit more dubby, but regardless I love all that is Santigold. A great sophomore album with an excellent production effort. She tapped into help from Diplo, Boys Noize, Q-Tip, and Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) on this record. “Freak Like Me” is knob-tweaked heaven. Notable Tracks: “Disparate Youth”, “Look at These Hoes”

9. Hospitality - “s/t”

I saw Hospitality open up for Archers of Loaf earlier this year, and I’ve listened to this record on repeat ever since. I haven’t heard a fun twee record like this since the early oughts, and I’m sorry but Camera Obscura just doesn’t cut it for me. Can’t wait to hear the next record from these Brooklynites. Notable tracks: “Sleepover”, “Argonauts”

8. Beach House - “Bloom”

It’s no “Teen Dream”, but then what really is? An awesome follow-up, with the same dreamy. Still crushing on Victoria Legrand. If you get the chance, see them live. They play at 11, and make their lullabies dark and loud. Notable tracks: “Myth”, “Wild”

7. Sleigh Bells - “Reign of Terror”

The rumors are true, Sleigh Bells are quite excellent live. They’re as over the top as you would want them to be. This album is also proof that they’re not a one-trick pony, and they have great production ideas. I had this on repeat quite a bit this year, and happy they went a little less pop on their follow-up. Notable tracks: “Born to Lose”, “Demons”

6. Flying Lotus - “Until the Quiet Comes”

In 2013, my resolution will be less hyperbole. Hyperbole aside, the cover for “Until the Quiet Comes” is the best I’ve seen in decades. Art aside, Flylo put out his (very solid) version of a jazz record, and throughout each listen I feel like I’m being bounced around in a late afternoon twilight dream. Not that Twilight. Notable tracks: “”Putty Boy Strut”, “All In”

5. Grimes - “Visions”

Save for one song that reminds me (uncomfortably) too much of Dead Can Dance, I listened to this record a ton in 2012. A shower favorite, Grimes kept darkwave interesting this year. Notable tracks: “Oblivion”, “Genesis”

4. Fiona Apple - “the Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do”

This is a perfect record, front to back. This is Fiona’s stripped down return, and man what a return. She got great reviews over the past year, and they were all very well deserved. In the last few years, I’ve been going back and spending a lot of time with her earlier records, and I’ve been rediscovering just how brilliant of a writer she is—in my opinion one of the best of my generation.

Extraordinary Machine is my personal favorite in her discography, and I just couldn’t wait to hear what was next after 7 years of quiet. This record is the next natural progression in her catalog and it doesn’t disappoint. I got to see her this summer in Hollywood, and her set was much louder than I had expected. And in Fiona fashion, she touted that she was chugging salt water in between songs as she screamed blood curdling wails to ex-lovers with everything she had. Notable tracks: “Periphery”, “Anything We Want”

3. Bruce Springsteen - “Wrecking Ball” 

If Wilco is now dad rock (and on a side note, can someone get that band to stop already?), then this is Grandpa rock. Upon first listen, I hated it. There were songs that just didn’t sound like anything new, and a lot of Irish mandolins that just sounded tired. And shame on me for questioning the Boss.

After seeing these songs live, Bruce is anything but tired. In fact, this was the answer to a tired few years in America. When he played the title track live I kind of lost it, and I was able to understand the economic and cultural metaphors that this record portrays. I realize that this record may not be for everyone, but if you’re a Bruce fan make sure you really sit down with this one. Bruce is screaming every lyric on this record from his heart, and as he always does he truly, truly means what he sings…and he sings it for all of us. 

So on second thought, this isn’t grandpa rock. This is unpretentious dissatisfaction and hope. Notable tracks: “Wrecking Ball”, “Land of Hope and Dreams”

2. Japandroids - “Celebration Rock”

Japandroids did it! They made me start giving a shit about rock again! This record sounds like 1998 without the stylistic sap. It’s a return to sincerity. It’s a driving record. It’s 9 anthems on a loop. It’s a punk rock Cameron Crowe. It’ll make you want to throw away your iPod, or iAnything and pop it in a CD player, or tape deck so that you can start it over when the last firework hits. It’ll make you want to spend time with other people. It’ll make you want to call your best friend. It’ll make you wish you could call in sick tomorrow. It’ll make you call in sick tomorrow. It’ll tell your dad that his music is too quiet. It’ll fill up your glass. It will change your life. It will hyperbole the fuck out of your hyperbole—of all time! Notable tracks: “Younger Us”, “the House That Heaven Built”

1. Converge - “All We Love We Leave Behind”

(Almost?) 20 years together, and they continue to make the heaviest records they’ve made to date with each new release. I keep repeating myself everytime I write about the next Converge record, but it’s simply true. Every other band slows down with time, and Converge speeds up. They speed up, and grind louder. They somehow get technically better, and never repeat.

I personally wasn’t in love with the production on Axe to Fall, and I was really happy to see them return to their raw sound on this record. I spent more time with Converge than any other band this year, and they continue to inspire a lot of people. To all our loves and our wars. Notable tracks: “Trespasses”, “All We Love We Leave Behind”

…Songs

3. Kanye West (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz) - “Mercy”

2. Japandroids - “the House That Heaven Built”

1. Katy Perry - “Wide Awake”

…Music Videos

Kanye West (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz) - “Mercy”

2 Chainz (feat. Kanye West) - “Birthday Song”

Japandroids - “the House That Heaven Built”

FILM

5. Moonrise Kingdom

4. Shut Up and Play the Hits

3. Celeste and Jesse Forever

2. the Master

1. Prometheus

New Sigur Ros

Best of 2011

Music:

5.  Radiohead - “the King of Limbs“ 

I called Adam Ball after hearing this record, and talked about how it was one of the most unlistenable records I had heard.  It’s obvious that you have to spend time with a Radiohead record, but after several listens I kept wondering what the hell they were doing here.  I left it alone for a few months, and then came back to it and it hit me.  I still stand by the fact that this record sounds as like it is 100% driven by Thom Yorke as opposed to all five members, and the least attainable Radiohead record to date.  But tracks like “Little by Little” continue rhythmic explorations that even the biggest hater wishes they had thought up, or at least wrapped their head around in the first place.  Best Tracks:  “Little by Little”, “Feral”

4.  MODESELEKTOR - “Monkeytown”

Monkeytown is their most fluid record to date.  This type of bang your head record doesn’t need to flow conceptually, but MODESELEKTOR just killed it with this record.  There’s a not a lot to cover in a review for this, but in the current world of contrived electronica (see: DeadMau5, Skrillex) MODESELEKTOR is just killing it.  Best Tracks:  “This (feat. Thom Yorke)”, “Berlin Clap (feat. Miss Platnum)”

3.  Drake - “Take Care”

I really should have started listening to hip-hop about 15 years ago.  And I don’t mean playing songs on the radio, I mean really listening.  Back then, things were still in somewhat of an interesting state, but these days hip-hop is just about all I listen to.  And these days just aren’t that great for the culture.  So, it’s a steady dose of Jay-Z, Tribe, and Eric B. and Rakim in my headphones right now.  I can’t put my finger on exactly what hip-hop is missing today…maybe some real consciousness, not just consciousness for the sake of a checklist.  I think a lot of it is just taking risks.  

808s and Heartbreaks took risks a few years back.  In retrospect, it’s the weakest of Kanye’s releases, but please thank him for taking a risk he wanted to take.

Drake’s second record is not a record that makes you reassess your day-to-day.  It’s not a hip-hop wonder.  For that matter, it really doesn’t have a place in a single genre.  But what Take Care embodies is risk.  For a mainstream artist, this is a genre-bending release that the artist wanted to make, without seeming interference with a record label.  It lives mostly in the realm of r&b, with nods to hip-hop and dubstep, but mostly in an area of study all its own.  I’ve spent a lot of time listening to this recently.   I can’t say it’s an perfect record that you absolutely need (honestly, Drake doesn’t have an amazing flow), but I applaud the risk Drake took on a second album…hip-hop needs more of these risks.  Best Tracks:  “Crew Love (feat. the Weeknd)”, “Over My Dead Body”

2.  M83 - “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming”

A double LP concept record that is basically Where the Wild Things Are in space?  Awesome.  Helmed by the only person who can nod to the ’80s without it being ironic?  Check.  This is no Before the Dawn Heals Us, but it’s a great addition to their discography.  I’ll admit that I was honestly wanting something more with this record.  Conceptually, it’s excellent, but I would love some of the fat trimmed off.  My friend Ben just loves the track “Racone-Moi Une Histoire”, but this is the one place I have to disagree with him on.  I have to skip this little girl’s song every time I play this.  Even still, I’ve been jamming this all year, and it’s an excellent record.  Best Tracks:  “Midnight City”, “Steve McQueen”

1.  JAY Z & Kanye West - “Watch the Throne”

I could write a dissertation on how great Watch the Throne is.  It’s a masterpiece, and I’m sure you’re laughing when you read that, but it is just that.  It was hard making a top list this year, because this is the only record I truly was in awe of.

I was so excited when I had first heard about the plans for this.  Not arguably, but the best artists in hip-hop today who have such a mutual history and love for one another are doing a collaboration record?  Battle record—not a, but the (and I’ll admit a huge bias for me as I’m an obsessed Jay-Z fan).  What originally was supposed to be an EP turned into a full record in a comment by Jay last year.  I couldn’t wait.  

And when I first heard it, I remember thinking “are they serious…this is it??”  It sounded cheap.  It was over the top, and all over the place.  But yet I had to keep listening to it.  I had to keep listening.  I had to keep listening.

Then I got it.  So what do we have?  A gold cover designed by an italian fashion designer.  Non-stop self-referential one-ups and praises.  Samples from Blades of Glory.  A video including a blowtorch and a Maybach.  And in the height of the Occupy Wall Street movement this year, Jay and Yeezy got blasted for making a record about over indulgence and wasted wealth.  ”This is the wrong time for this record”, and “Irresponsible”.  Are you serious?

Are you fucking serious?  Have you ever listened to hip-hop?  To quote Jay, “this is black superhero music”…this is a celebration and a battle.  If you want to make the world a better place more power to you, but this type of record is not the forum.  Remember, this is the Throne.

This is it.  This is the top of their game.  This is not Jay’s best record, and it’s not Kanye’s best record.  This is a record that literally guards the metaphorical throne.

Personally, I’ve had some big internals struggle this year.  Nothing earth shattering…first world struggles…whatever, everyone is struggling.  But at the height of anxiety, this record made me feel like I could do anything when I sang with Jay, “if you escaped what I escaped, you’d be in Paris getting fucked up, too.”   The world is struggling.  But if you’ve worked your ass off and made it out alive, you have to celebrate.  Whoever you are.  Be humble, be thankful, stay hungry, and remember where you came from, but if you escaped what I escaped, you’d be in Paris getting fucked up, too.

What else?  Hooks.  This record is one giant chain of hooks.  

Luxury rap / the Hermes of verses / sophisticated ignorance / I write my curses in cursive

Ball so hard motherfuckers want to fine me / but first they gotta find me

Cock back snap back / see my cut through the holes

Last week I was in my other other Benz

Photoshoot fresh / lookin’ like wealth / I’m about to call the paparazzi on myself

I repeat / my religion is the beat / my verse is like church

Graduated to the MOMA / And I did all of this / without a diploma / graduated from the corner / y’all can play me / for a motherfuckin fool if ya wanna / street smart / and I’m book smart / could have been a chemist / cause I cook smart

And I’ll never let my son have an ego /  he’ll be nice to everyone, wherever we go / I mean I might even make ‘em be Republican / so everybody know he love white people

Cause the n*gga that said he’ll… / blast for ya / is now… / blastin’ for ya / that’s an assassin for ya / these n*ggas got a shot they’ll shoot / please lord / forgive him / for these n*ggas / not know / what they / do

Caeser didn’t see it so he ceased to exist / so the n*gga that killed him had keys to his shit / am I my brother’s keeper?

I don’t even know what to say. 

My girlfriend’s amazing siblings got me tickets for Christmas to the final night of the LA dates.  I was there when they infamously played N*ggas in Paris 10 times.  Friends kept saying to me, “that must have just been annoying.  Why would they do that?”  Because they can.  And because we loved it.  And because if you escaped what I escaped, you’d be in Paris getting fucked up, too.  Best Tracks:  “Gotta Have It”, “N*ggas in Paris”

Honorable Mentions:

Bon Iver - “s/t” (by rights, it should be in the top 10, but I couldn’t solidify a full top 10, so this got bumped)

YACHT - “Shangri-La”

Pictureplane - “Thee Physical”

Rihanna - “Talk That Talk”

Beirut - “the Rip Tide”

the Weeknd - “House of Balloons”

Cults - “s/t”

Washed Out - “Within and Without”

Biggest Disappointment:

Justice - “Audio, Video, Disco”

Live Shows:

Archers of Loaf - 6/2 & 6/3 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA

Watch the Throne -12/13 - Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA

Films:

3.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

2.  Terri

1. Super 8

Archers of Loaf Reunion

The fact that I’m writing this is a dream come true.  I’ll try not to be corny, but I feel like a kid at Disney World writing this.  The first time I listened to Archers of Loaf was when I bought “White Trash Heroes” on a whim in 1998.  A few months later, they came through to Orlando, and I didn’t go.  Of course—they then broke up.  As time goes on, I become enamored with Archers of Loaf.  I was amazed with their sound, and would just listen to their records over and over.  In a still formative age for music, I felt like I had found the real sound I had been looking for for a long time (you know, that new sound I was lookin’ for…).

So for the past 12 years, I had always said that I just wanted to see them once.  Hearing something to the effect that they were no longer on speaking terms, I had understood it that seeing them would just never happen.

At a party about a year and a half ago, the question came up, “If there is one band that you could have reunite, who would it be?”  Brian Quain and I unanimously said Archers of Loaf.

So last month, I heard they were getting back together.  And I’ve seen My Bloody Valentine, and some other bands who have gotten back together.  But this was completely different.  This was the holy grail. 

Archers of Loaf were everything I had hoped they would have been live.  Seeing them at the Troubadour in Hollywood (which couldn’t have been more appropriate) was (all hyperbole aside) a dream come true.  Each night was 25 songs with two encores, but they played hard.  They played like they had been waiting for 12 years to play together, and with the same excitement that I had built up since the first time I heard the beginning note of “Fashion Bleeds”.

You could feel the ferver in the room.  Everyone sang at the top of their lungs, and a week later my voice is still recovering.  The band could feel everyone’s excitement, and played as hard as they could while beaming smiles.  I mean, for 2011, I can’t honestly say how relevant their sound is; theirs is a very mid-90s sound that lived somewhere between Pavement and Nirvana.  We’re now gearing up for the apocalypse, and our current sound barely allows for the Archers to exist.  So going into this I was a little nervous.  Were people going to be excited?  Were they going to sell this out?  

Playing all of the “vs the Greatest of All Time” EP, and heavily tapping from “Icky Mettle” and “Vee Vee”, we still got some key tracks from “All the Nation’s Airports”.

I’m still a kid on cloud 9 thinking back to last weekend, and thanks to my incredible girlfriend, I have the videos below to go back and watch over and over.  Setlists are below, and accompanied videos from both nights are linked within. 

6.3.11 Set list:

1.  Step Into the Light
2.  1985
3.  Fabricoh
4.  Harnessed in Slums
5.  Worst Defense
6.  Attack of the Killer Bees
7.  Greatest of All Time
8.  Lowest Part is Free!
9.  Freezing Point
10.  Dead Red Eyes
11.  You and Me
12.  Web in Front
13.  Revenge
14.  What Did You Expect?
15.  Might
16.  Nostalgia
17.  Audiowhore
18.  Slow Worm

Encore 1:

19.  Scenic Pastures
20.  Form and File
21.  Bacteria
22.  Wrong

Encore 2:

23.  Plumb Line
24.  Vocal Shrapnel (???)
25.  All Hail the Black Market

6.4.11 Set list:

1.  Audiowhore
2.  Lowest Part is Free!
3.  Freezing Point
4.  Revenge
5.  All Hail the Black Market
6.  Harnessed in Slums
7.  Dead Red Eyes
8.  Acromegaly
9.  Scenic Pastures
10.  Form and File
11.  Let the Loser Melt
12.  Plumb Line
13.  Nostalgia
14.  You and Me
15.  Might
16.  Web in Front
17.  Wrong

Encore 1:

18.  Strangled by the Stereo Wire
19.  1985
20.  Fabricoh
21.  What Did You Expect?
22.  Greatest of All Time

Encore 2:

23.  ???
24.  ???
25.  Bacteria

 

(mislabeled as Friday night)

The following photos were shot by my girlfriend from the second night.  I actually can’t take credit for many of these photos—I was too busy shouting until my voice popped:

Listen to Crocodiles.  619 represent.