Hot damn!! Both the song itself and its video are even better than I could have possibly imagined, or wished. Here’s an easy prediction: Jamie Lidell will be everywhere in 2008. I bet my parents will be listening to him before long (likely if I buy them his new album) and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends on up Letterman too. This is huge.
btw, a comment on the YouTube page says that he’s backed by Beck’s band here. Anyone know for sure?
Download all ten songs Just like last year, though admittedly much less ambitious, I want to mark the passing of another year of with my thoughts on the most distinguished artists and albums of 2007 (according to me), and give you a song from each one to take with you.
If there’s one common theme in this disparate mix, it’s a delicate balance between such lush and abundant instrumentation and a sparse and minimal sound. As I’m fond of saying, it’s the space in between that’s most interesting, and that’s clearly the case in these ten songs, listed below in alphabetical order. Enjoy!
Animal Collective · Strawberry Jam · Unsolved Mysteries
I would have never known about AC if not for my brother Kevin — he was the first to suggest Sung Tongs and Feels and even sent me some pre-release mp3s from Strawberry Jam. While I liked songs from the first two, SJ was so dense (and unbelievably tense) that I found it difficult to listen to in the very beginning. But again, on his recommendation, I bought tickets to see them live and then also began to listen to SJ more intently, often for days on end, as the show approached. It’s safe to say I was absolutely blown away by their show (see my pictures and my videos from it) and now I’m completely hooked on the album in its entirety. Definitely at the top of my list for 2007.
Battles · Mirrored · Tonto
Warp heavily promoted the new BTTLS album for a number of months, but it never really caught me the way it seemed to hook everyone else. My good friend Andrew ‘Japandy’ Tweed insisted I take a second look, and I did to my great delight. I wrote about both of their incredible videos, and was lucky enough to see them live not so long ago in San Francisco (need to upload that video to YouTube, it’s amazing). I have yet to see anyone or anything play with such pace, precision, and passion; the only way I can describe it is to say that I can’t listen to their incredible album anymore: it’s too slow, too lifeless (that’s a preposterous thing to say, btw). I was exhausted at the end of their show and (still) incredibly inspired by the whole thing.
Beans · Thorns · We Rock
I came to follow Beans when Warp signed Anti-Pop Consortium (apparently soon to be reunited, thankfully). Most hip-hop bores me — even though I would listen to nothing but hip-hop if there were more artists like Beans — instead I often find nothing but unimaginative rhythms and even more mindless lyrics. I loved many songs on Tomorrow Right Now and even more on Shock City Maverick, so I eagerly awaited Thorns. After hearing Thundermouth for the first time, I thought it would be near impossible to top that track, but he did it with We Rock. Show me someone, anyone, who rocks it harder than Beans — it can’t be done.
Björk · Volta · I See Who You Are
Abby absolutely loves Björk, and while I do too, it’s not with the same intensity. I was definitely excited to see her show this summer, but after having seen her on the Vespertine tour before, I wasn’t expecting such an intense and high energy show. This song is equally intense, even though it’s much more sedate. I love the delicate instrumentation on this track and her beautiful lyrics, it’s yet another exquisite collaboration with Mark Bell (LFO). Tops.
Burial · Untrue · Archangel
The reviews on Warpmart practically begged me to buy it, but the lo-fi samples on bleep sounded flat and uninspired. I debated it for several weeks, but finally gave in and bought the album just to hear it for myself. I was immediately taken by it, no doubt egged on by my then new Shure SE530 headphones (such a guilty pleasure, but damn worth it — find ‘em new on eBay, they’re way cheaper there). This album is incredible, infinitely complex and yet just right there where it should be. I find new twists and turns every time I play it. If you haven’t heard it, you owe it to yourself to get it. btw, Abby’s first impression: “It sounds like Jamie Lidell meets Boyz II Men meets Autechre”. Yep, classic.
Flying Lotus · Reset EP · Dance Floor Stalker
When the news of his signing to Warp hit, I immediately went searching for his prior release 1983 on Plug Research. It’s an epic instrumental effort, notable for its brief but incredibly thick and dense tracks. I was immediately hooked and kept it in heavy rotation on my peaPod this past summer. Luckily, the Reset EP is all of that and a whole lot more. I played this six-track EP over and over without ever tiring of it. The bass is monstrous, the beats are genius, and the flow is absolutely out of this world. FlyLo deserves his place on Warp’s legendary roster, I can’t wait to hear what comes next.
Matthew Dear · Asa Breed · Don and Sherri
I almost left this one off, as much as I love this album and listened to it non-stop for a month straight. I saw his show in San Francisco this fall, and well, to put it kindly… It sucked. Ass. The crowd was sparse, poor promotion perhaps, but he failed to connect with it, preferring instead to plod along with his pre-canned rockstar shtick. The highlight of the show was the next to last song, the epic Don and Sherri, also known as that sick track on the Hummer commercial. Even with the goofy lyrics, this track makes me want to shake my booty. I still love the album, in spite of the awful show. I do believe he will learn so much from this tour, and I expect to see a better show next time. I still believe!
Radiohead · In Rainbows · Bodysnatchers
Yes, I whined about the 160kbps thing, impugned their motives, and generally disparaged In Rainbows in the very beginning. But the more I listened to it, the more I came to see that the music on this album is as revolutionary as all that surrounds its internet-only release. No one makes music like Radiohead, and Bodysnatchers in particular has my head bouncing from side to side the moment it comes on. But nothing, nothing tops the breakdown shortly after the two minute mark, and the way it builds back into the first part of the song just makes me want to play it all over again. And again. And again. I absolutely love this track.
Sky Observer · Sky Observer’s Guide 070707 · Skyway Drive
“Space, space, space.” It’s true, Stewart Brown and I go way, way back, and I played a small part in getting this release out to the world, but that has so little to do with how strongly I feel about it. At once timeless and yet clearly of this very moment, Brown succeeded in capturing the dichotomy of his youthful, irreverent energy and his measured, masterful touch. With no hesitation whatsoever, I predict that years from now people will love this effort the way they love Boards of Canada’s In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country, as an old friend indeed. Listen to the other four songs for free at FORKLIFT ENTERTAINMENT.
The Tuss · Rushup Edge · Synthacon 9
C’mon, we all know it’s Aphex Twin. And it’s without a doubt the most magnificent track ever created.
Late update: Here’s a pic of Sawyer helping me write this post:
I thought they would be hard-pressed to top the video for Atlas, which I still maintain is the most ‘techno’ — whatever that means — video I have ever seen. This one has all the classic elements: richly detailed organic textures enlivened by the dancing light, quick step editing synched perfectly to the beat, all mixed as precisely as a dj might. And, of course, you know I absolutely love the way the lights drip like candles…
But it’s the last three minutes that truly blow me away, where the slow fade of the song is matched perfectly to the dawn of a new day. With rare exception, most live music is experienced as day turns to night. I don’t know that I have ever seen anything quite like this; it’s so peaceful, so tranquil, especially after such a blistering song.
I couldn’t be happier to see my beloved Warp Records continue to push the bounds of music and now video. I can’t wait to see and hear what they think of next. As for Battles, they sold out San Francisco the last time through, but I will not miss their next show on November 1 at the Great American Music Hall, one of my favorite places to see live music.
Until then, watch for the Making of Tonto dvd on October 22. I can’t wait.
I have looked high and low for a live clip of Jamie Lidell that fully captures the essence of his appeal to me. He has a charm and wit unlike any other modern musician, and a vulnerability too (perhaps that black trench coat is the armor that lets him stand alone on stage, or maybe it’s just the perfect setup to the Morrissey-esque gold lamé shirt surely hiding beneath… or is that an Elvis thing?). Either way, if you’ve ever seen him live you know what I mean.
Lidell has a child-like wonder at what he can do with his mind, his voice, and his creativity (note the yawn at the beginning of this clip, the ancient tape reel strapped to his hip, and the way he ends the song, though I wish he would have really let loose). I still remember buying his first record on Warp from John at Bent Crayon in Cleveland, Ohio. Not knowing much about him or it, I asked if it was as good as promised, so of course he sold me on it, and still to this day I don’t know if he believed it or was just grateful to get rid of it. To be perfectly honest, that release is unlistenable in the most enjoyable way. It’s completely jarring and disjointed, yet dripping with funk and soul and the promise made real with his most recent incarnation.
It’s hard to believe that this album is nearly two years old now, but it still sounds as fresh as the day I found it. I absolutely love this song, especially this rendition, in spite of (or is it because of?) the lackadaisical audience of this late night dutch tv show. I hope you do too.
↓ Download all ten songsI started this project back in December, but work and life in general have conspired to slow me down considerably. That said, I have been slowly picking away at my list, and eagerly awaiting my next chance to work on this particular piece of the puzzle. I think the added time made this a much better mix, and hopefully a more entertaining read. I certainly had a blast pulling it all together.
All told, I have about eight hours into this post alone, not counting the hours spent pouring over each and every album I purchased in 2006. Luckily hours and hours of work make that task a pleasant one (good headphones are a must, if only to concentrate in the midst of that madness).
You should also know I have my favorite singles from 2006 picked out, and I’ll start work on that next. When I’m done with that, as well as two other brief best-of lists, I’m going to go back through and hyperlink the crap out of these posts (oh, and add tags too), just for the fun of it, all the while hopefully resisting the urge to add more nonsense in the process.
And one last thought before I dive into the songs, if I could somehow make this my job, and by that I mean the crafting and condensing of these silly stories into something you can consume each and every day, I’d be the happiest person in the world. I know very few of you have both the time and inclination to indulge me like that, but Ze Frank gets away with it on a daily basis, and that has to be a hoot…
Here are my favorite albums of 2006, along with an mp3 from each (caution: honkin’ big 102 MB zipped file), sequenced in the following order, for you to enjoy with this post. I sincerely hope you do and look forward to your thoughts.
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Song outlined view Artist Ms. John Soda Album Notes And The Like Label Morr Music |
I absolutely love the pace of this song, the way it gently rises in intensity only to completely take off in the middle then drift off perfectly at the end, all made even more dramatic by the way her voice soars without the heavy filters at the beginning of the song. I was hooked on Ms. John Soda from the moment I first heard “Solid Ground” in 2002, and eagerly awaited their new album. I was lucky enough to grab this on bleep.com at the end of 2005, even though it wasn’t officially released until March 2006, not sure why it was there but I bought it on sight, knowing the three month wait would drive me crazy. It’s the perfect song to start to this mix. |
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Song Harmonise Artist Herbert Album Scale Label Accidental |
I’ve been buying Matthew Herbert records off and on forever, from the Dr. Rockit releases on Clear Records (two of just a handful of 10” records in my collection) in 1996 to the strangely wonderful Let’s All Make Mistakes mix on Tresor in 2000 (almost lost that one to Andrew Babson and Geoff White some years later… I still love to bump that in the A3). I did see him DJ at the Rickshaw Stop in SF in 2005—I haven’t danced that much or that hard since—though I didn’t buy much of anything in between. But when I heard this song on bleep.com I bought the entire album right away. This song literally bounces. There is no way for me to listen to this song and not wiggle first my head, then my shoulders, then my arms, then my hips, then my booty, finally my feet. I look like a wet dog shaking dry. Oh, and the lyrics are stunning as well, in particular:
As much as I love this album, Matthew Herbert was one of if not the worst show I saw last year. I was so excited to hear Dani Siciliano only to get an imitation Barry Manilow (not a compliment) instead. Abby and I left after five songs. The music was phenomenal, but the vocals completely ruined the mood. : ( That said, I love this song. |
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Song Sexual For Elizabeth Artist Tortoise Album A Lazarus Taxon Label Thrill Jockey |
I was never really into Tortoise like so many other people. I have a number of their more recent releases, each of which has some decent to excellent songs, but I was usually bored of them after a week or so of listening. It wasn’t bad per se, just not enough to keep my attention. I’m not sure which if any song made me purchase this release, but I thoroughly enjoy almost every song on it, especially this one. Sure, I’m a sucker for pretty much any song with a vocoder, but this is one of the best. I never noticed it before, but I always listen to the first half of the song three or four times before I can let it ride out at the end… it just isn’t long enough. I also love that this is a remix of a Five Deez (from Cincinnati, Ohio) track, though the original has none of the “We Rock On” vibe that first drew me into their sound. I can only imagine how silly I must look when I’m bumping this on my rides to and from work, and believe me I’m nodding my head like a fool, tapping out beats on the wheel, and wishing I could sing like a robot… |
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Song Planetarium Artist Squarepusher Album Hello Everything Label Warp Records |
If I had to rank these ten albums, Hello Everything would be in my top two without any hesitation. This is the album I always wanted him to make. In many ways it sounds like a greatest hits album, with all of the raw emotion of Feed Me Weird Things from 1996 and Hard Normal Daddy from 1997 to the much more experimental / instrumental sound of Music is Rotted One Note from 1998 to the spastic Go Plastic from 2001 to pretty much everything since. I still remember finding my first Squarepusher record, with it’s distinctive rounded-square die-cut purple Warp record bag, and the Squarepusher brandname across the top (I didn’t even listen before buying it, there’s no way it could have been anything less than spectacular to get that kind of treatment). Of course I can’t omit the fact that I always played it on 33 instead of 45, something I never realized until I heard it on cd much later, but then again Stewart Brown, Myungho Choi and I were always doing that back in the day, especially when it came to Autechre’s “Anvil Vapre” and “Envane” singles. I wonder why… At any rate, this album is the first of his that I can listen to from beginning to end without skipping more than two tracks (so many, well, pretty much all of his prior releases left me wanting for long stretches at a time… believe me I tried to love them, MIRON for instance, but it wasn’t easy). I really struggled to find the one song for this mix that best represents the full range of the album, but in the end I kept coming back to this one, even though it only shows one small side of it. It’s a monster of a track, almost ripped directly from FMWT (reminds me of “Tundra” and “Theme from Ernest Borgnine” in particular). Blisteringly fast, the bass is thunderous, but the melodies are perfectly sublime. The production is exquisite too, even with each and every element present (those high-hats throw me over the top!) it’s still remarkably well-spaced. Hello Everything has completely taken over slot number six in the A3. I haven’t been able to take it out yet, and don’t expect to anytime soon. And if by chance I were limited to only one slot, much like my old ‘87 SAAB 900 with Midnight Mauraders stuck in the cassette deck (I could rap that thing up and down, forward and back, in an Asian or Indian accent or any number of other ridiculous voices), I’d be thrilled with this one. It’s simply that good. |
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Song Bump Artist Spank Rock Album YoYoYoYoYoYo Label Big Dada |
“YoYoYoYoYoYo” is without a doubt the second of my top two albums. I found this one on bleep.com as well, a completely random score since I rarely find anything outside of Roots Manuva on Big Dada. But this description had me more than just a little interested… I was practically salivating!
I’m not sure which Californian tarmac they’re referring to, but it clearly isn’t SF (it’s cold here!). While I never placed much faith in British music rags, this was too good to pass up. Like most of my favorite albums, this one took a while to fully wrap my head around it. With the exception of the last few tracks (they bore me for one reason or another), it’s quite possibly the first / best pure party cd since Bizarre Ride II from 1992. This song in particular sends me over the top when I hear it, especially when Amanduh Blank launches into double-time at the end of her rap. It’s a perfect blend of old and new, at once strangely well-known (it sounds exactly like it should) and completely new (perhaps because its elements are so familiar, yet pushed together for the very first time?). Either way, Armani XXXchange’s typical tight production pulls it all together. I have missed three chances to see them, for good reasons each time, but I don’t want to miss out again. I absolutely love this album and everything I’ve heard from them since. |
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Song Do The Pigeon Artist Pigeon John Album Pigeon John & The Summertime Pool Party Label Quannam Projects |
Sterling Hughes and I (maybe Will Bell and / or Keith Brown—can’t say for sure, too many vodkabulls that night) saw Pigeon John open up for Lyrics Born back in October 2005. Sterling was (is) way more into the hiphop scene than me, so I had no idea what I was getting into, but I went along because I trusted him and genuinely liked the venue. LB blew my mind, but I was absolutely mesmerized by Pigeon John. He worked alone in front of a dj in the shadows, never losing his trademark fedora even as he bounced up and down on stage. His clever (and clean) rhymes, humble (and hysterical) lines took me way back to my most favorite hiphop of old: a freshness / uniqueness like early Tribe, a seriousness / rawness like Special Ed, an innocence / goofiness like Kwame, modesty / humility like the Pharcyde, and on and on… This song became a bit of an anchor for me in my life over last summer. I mean, how can you go wrong with a chorus like this?
It’s borderline over-produced in my opinion, but the song hops and makes me smile from ear-to-ear every time I hear it, like a bolt of sunshine, no matter the weather. And who can argue with rhyming pigeon and smidgen?? PJ is brilliant! One more thing, the next time you see me, ask me to do the pigeon for you. It’s rad, and I’m really good at it. There’s a small chance I’ll hurt myself in the process, but it’s totally worth it. |
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Song Pudpots Artist Nightmares on Wax Album In A Space, Outta Sound Label Warp Records |
Abby and I were lucky enough to see NoW perform as a full band in November 1999. I’m still not sure how I convinced her that we should go to London to see three nights of music at Warp’s 10th anniversary parties, but we did and had such an incredible time together. The first night was kinda lame if I recall, but NoW was an unannounced special guest, much to our delight. Abby and I were whacked from arriving early that morning, plus this was my first (and only) trip to Europe (sad to say that), so I was completely lost. We left briefly after Jimi Tenor (soooo lame) to get some fresh air and water, only to come back as NoW was picking up their instruments and starting their set. The crowd went absolutely wild when they released what was happening. I had never really heard them “live” like this (blunted hiphop played by a eight-piece full-on funk band, that’s what LB did for me that night, and then some). I was instantly hooked from that moment on… NoW albums have this uncanny way of settling in my subconsciousness. I don’t often seek to play them, but they tend to bubble up at just the right moment. I didn’t have this album on my original list, but as went back through my purchases from 2006 this one easily pushed its way in. This particular song is maybe my third or fourth favorite on the album, but it’s so damn funky… the utterly sick fills, phat-ass bass-kick, snappy snares, and that exquisite breakdown at two minutes in. There’s so much room to move around within it, in fact, it’s the space in between the notes that make it (and me) pop. I absolutely love this song. |
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Song Black Swan Artist Thom Yorke Album The Eraser Label XL recordings |
I remember Darryl Levering and Kate Gresham raving about Radiohead way back in 2000, but I never really listened to them until Kevin hipped me to Amnesiac several years later. It didn’t take long before I devoured the rest of their cds, and was then searching for the rumored bootleg mp3s of Hail to the Thief before its official release. I downloaded them, even though Thom suggested the album was way better and well-worth the wait. Of course it was, and remains one of my favorite albums of that time, especially since Abby and I went with Kevin to see them live at Blossom that summer of 2003. I’ll always remember how unbelievably hot it was that night. We were wringing wet from the heat and humidity, and even pouring bottles of water over our heads and down our backs did nothing at all to help. Kevin snagged excellent seats, just under the shelter (he’s always finding his way into amazing concerts, especially now with Kate by his side, and almost always finding some way to get upfront and center). The show was astonishing from start to finish, visually enthralling (they understand the theatrics of performance as well as if not better than anyone else), musically hypnotizing, just totally and completely mind-blowing. That said, as much as I dig Radiohead, they’re barely in my top ten according to Last.fm. And I’ll be honest, I had very little interest in this album prior to its release, and even after Kevin gave us the mp3s in February, I still didn’t listen to it right away. Keith bugged me about enough that I finally sat down and listened to it. It’s quirky and downright weird at times, but songs like this one are so completely infectious that I can’t stop listening to them over and over again. There’s that innocence again, and a rawness that runs counter to the polish of Radiohead. This is a definite favorite of 2006. |
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Song The Ray And Whistle Artist Posthuman Album The People’s Republic Label Seed Records |
Yet another find on bleep.com, but with press like this (aforementioned caveat remains), how could I not buy it?
This album is deceptively simple at first, but further listens pull me deeper and deeper into its trance (still!). Much like Boards of Canada, but nowhere near its league, these songs float so effortlessly and organically that I often lose track of my place, even when I’m actively listening. I absolutely love that sensation, and yes, you guessed it, this song. |
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Song A Whistle And A Prayer (featuring Fog) Artist Coldcut Album Sound Mirrors Label Ninjatune |
Like The Eraser, this one wasn’t in my original cut either. Initially, I liked a handful of songs, especially the second track with Roots Manuva (I almost, almost wore myself out on that one… what a phenomenal track!). But as I went back through and listened to everything all over again, I simply could not ignore this album. Much like NoW, I don’t often listen to it from beginning to end on purpose (there are some odd songs), but it’s stunning in its depth and breadth. The sheer variety of guest vocalists and their musical styles is astounding but easily made whole when matched with Colcut’s masterful production skills. Plus, their show at Mezzanine in May was one of my favorite shows of last year, even more a dj feel than most djs in SF. Simply amazing. I was tempted to share the RM track, or maybe the first track with John Matthias that I love so much (I really should look for more of his stuff), but then I stumbled across this one and really, really listened to it for the first time (and also flash-backed to when they played it live). Aside from the lyrics and vocals (which are haunting yet strangely uplifting: “The big joke gave you a toy flute so you have to blow on it”), the music itself is thick at once yet shockingly sparse. I have no idea how they do that, not only without sacrificing the richness but quite possibly creating it and then some. This song is exquisite. And the ending is perfect way to close this mix, leading you flawlessly back to the beginning with Ms. John Soda and another pass through my favorite albums of 2006. |
As always, more soon.
