-Seth's 2006 music roundup-
ANNUAL DISCLAIMER:
I've been doing this for a few years now, and each year more people notice,
and that's great, but don't forget that this is simply a collection of opinions.
I know full well that I irritate people who don't agree with my assessments,
but the fact is; this is simply a list of my observations, and music is something
I observe carefully and feel strongly about. Feel free to a) NOT read this
at all or b) disagree wholeheartedly, but really, hopefully... do yourself
a favor and check some of these artists out if you don't know about them yet...
if good music becomes popular music, the world becomes that much better of
a place. Happy new year.
Oh! And if you want to hear more of any artist, click on the album cover!
1.
The Animators - How We Fight
Though they released this so early in the year it actually got a 2005 copyright
date, this album should NOT be forgotten. I've watched these guys grow out
of an eclectic side-project into one of the coolest buzz-bands on the planet,
and they're always writing fantastic songs; their debut was my pick of the
year back in 2003. Well whaddaya know... they've done it again. This is just
a great, great, great album, filled with one great song after another; it's
so rare to come across an album that is strong from start to finish anymore,
you know? An album that has so many good tunes on it that you keep saying
to yourself, "this one's my favorite... oh, no wait; THIS one is. Oh!
I forgot about this one... yep; definitely this one... Oh wow, but this one
RULES..." and it just doesn't let up. What identifies their sound is
a 50/50 mix of gurgly, synth-laden electronica and trashy power pop-rock underneath
the coolest harmonies you've heard since the Beatles, Beach Boys and Jellyfish...
within that, it varies. It may come off that I'm saying these guys don't have
a sound, and that's not true at all; it's that they are pop-rock ninjas, and
are one of the most powerful bands out there, so they can get away with anything.
Songs like "I Won't Tell", "Good To Be Here", "How
Do I Get Over You", "Die In LA", and "Good Day" should
be included as examples in the textbook definition of "great song".
At first, the album seemed front-loaded to me; the second half wasn't as easy
to get into... but as is usually the case with tracks like that, over time,
they actually become better than the instant-gratifiers. The title track is
a brilliant piece of music, as is "Ordinary Moment" and the closer,
"The Golden Age" has a haunting, understated lyric that stays with
you after the disc stops spinning. Favorite moment of surprise-awesomeness:
"The Senator Goes To Hell"; it's a nasty Creole funeral march that
will leave any real patriot smiling. I can't recommend this band, or this
album, enough.
2.
Peter Mulvey - The Knuckleball Suite
A brilliant album from a brilliant songwriter. This guy became a favorite
very quickly for me; once I heard his stuff, I started buying his albums just
because it was HIM, before I'd heard a note. (There are very few artists anyone
will do that for nowadays... we always want to HEAR something first; sadly,
trust in an artist is almost unheard of anymore...) I'd have bought this even
if I didn't know a song on it, but I didn't need to make a leap of faith;
I finally got to see him live for the first time over a year ago in Massachusetts,
and was just MOVED for two hours. Aside from being a master guitarist who
melds his respect for vaudvillian swing with his prowess for folk and pop,
he's terribly smart, and he unabashedly pours forth his intelligence in his
lyrics. If you're dumb, you may not get it, and that's fine with him... he'd
be delighted to have you wrap yourself around his words and have you climb
up to join him, but even if everything he says whizzes right over your head,
he'll still flash you the warmest of warm smiles as you nod along to every
catchy chord he plays; he won't rub it in. The songs are puzzles, and he knows
he wrote them that way; he'll give you time to figure it out on the next listen.
And when you do, it'll stun you and you'll stop the CD player, eyes abug,
and you'll just stare at the display, mystified, mumbling, "...genius..."
It's not like he doesn't throw you any rope, though. His strongest facet is
that he is a 7th degree blackbelt in "delivery". A master at the
top of his game.
3.
Ani DiFranco - Reprieve
Every year someone gives me shit, because every year Ani makes it to my top
10. Just so you know, there was one year she very nearly didn't make it, and
I would never include her "just because she's Ani". Quite simply,
she is probably the most relevant artist of my generation, and I didn't decide
to give her my attention so she'd be great... she just keeps being GREAT,
and that is why I give her my attention. If someone puts out two great albums
in a row, you're damn skippy I'm going to be sitting out in front of the store
the day the third one is released... and in Ani's case, she's put out like,
SIX in a row, so I make no bones about being a fan. As I will make a case
for later on, I'm no syncophant when it comes to artist loyalty. Now then...
Sonically, this record draws you in and keeps you rapt, and that is thanks
in no small part to Todd Sickafoose, her double bassist-cum-arranger-and-multi-instrumentalist
partner-in-crime. Musically, a good portion of the record seems to come from
the same personal place as last year's "Knuckle Down", but just
when you might be feeling too comfortable, she throws in a creepy tune like
"Nicotine" (opening line: "I hate you sometimes..."),
"Millenium Theater" (sums up the Bush/Cheney administration), or
the biting spoken word of "Reprieve" (the most intelligently-pissed
off feminist at her phrase-twisting best)... and you will be kept on your
toes. Her voice is as vulnerable as it's ever been, and yet has never sounded
more mature. Her lyrics have never rung as true or as wise. Her detractors
think it's unfortunate that she will never again play a simple, cute chord
progression like "Both Hands" or "Untouchable Face" and
slip in four-letter words for shock value. I think she knew just what to say
back then when she said it, and she knows just what to say now, and we should
just let her be and continue to do what she does.
4.
Joel Ackerson - Happy Songs For The Broken Hearted
In a way, I'm glad this record took so long to be released, because if it
had come out while I was touring with Joel, I'd probably have been too close
to it to have any objectivity. As it was, I had time to be distracted by plenty
of other things, and so when I finally heard these finished tracks, it was
like discovering them for the first time, and what a great and powerful album
it is. It's true that I played on the opening song, but this in no way influenced
my appreciation for the other ten tracks. These songs are, as the title suggests,
about dealing with issues of a heartbreaking nature, and it... it... (oh,
I don't wanna...) it.... (oh, fine... I'll say it)... dammit, it hurts so
good. For the better part of an hour, you can lose yourself in this album
and bask in frustration, sadness, anger, grief, desperation, pity, fury, and
all the emotions in-between as you are taken on a seriously intense roller-coaster
of relationship reflection. This record is NOT a wrist-slitter, though, to
be clear; every song is delievered with the passion that has gained Joel his
powerhouse reputation; you're not going to hear emo-style mewling and caterwauling
out of Ackerson; he's been wronged by just about everyone he trusted; and
he's taking out his pain with a slamming acoustic rock band behind him on
most of these tracks. This records' strength lies in the contrast between
anthems like "Change", "Happy Song", and "Lead You
On", and the stark delivery of ballads like "Put Me Down" and
"Your Goodbye", which still makes me cry every single time I hear
it. "Thank You", about being left by your girlfriend... for your
best friend, is the album's barn-burning moment, but I don't think it gets
any more intense than the journey from sensitive whispering to an all-out
roar on "Waning Crescent"... Ackerson wails like he's been shot,
and it's riveting. Then, just when you think you might be getting exhausted,
the ultimate track, "Wake Up Smiling", slams out of left field and
righteously reminds you to take the reins and not get bogged down by problems;
in short, to hope, no matter what. Go listen.
5.
Adrianne - Sweet Mistake
I met Adrianne back on the L.A. open mic circuit in 2001; she floored me back
then, a kindred spirit who dug on Ani and Jonatha as hard as I do. As I meandered
around the country for the next few years I lost all touch with the L.A. scene,
but wasn't surprised to see her name on the schedules of the same venues I
was playing. Now she's on a subsidiary of RykoDisc, and is putting out fantastic
records. She doesn't sound the same as she used to; she's definitely been
influenced by more of a steady-8th-note-pop element than in her earlier days,
and usually, artists totally lose me when they do this, but her frank-yet-poetic
lyrical approach and her soaring hooks make her songs so classic that it's
just undeniable greatness. It also makes this the Best Driving Record of the
Year; if you've got nothing but highway ahead of you for seventy to ninety
miles, turn this up and go, baby. It's hard to pick favorites, but the title
track, "Shooting Star", "No Braver Thing", and "Crash"
may each have half a star more than any of the other excellent tunes on this
record... no wait; I can't leave out "Who You've Become"; that's
one of my personal faves, though other people who know this album seem to
miss it - it's got this stripped-down, Maia Sharp-style production to it that
reminds me slightly of her older material, and the harmonies on it are so
kick-ass I can't turn the stereo loud enough when it plays. I missed her last
two shows in Reno, and am still bummed. If you see that she's playing anywhere
near you, GO; you will not be disappointed.
6.
John Mayer - Continuum
No surprise, here. He won't become complacent; he won't stick to a formula;
if something he does succeeds, he won't dumb it down or try to repeat it.
He's no longer the bright new kid... he's the MAN. And he's never had a better
band... in Steve Jordan and Pino Paladino, it seems he has found a rhythm
section that he respects and is intimidated by just enough to let them drive
the bus. And it seems that was the last thing he needed to get over, and he
got over it. After listening to this album, you can't go back to John Alagia's
wall-of-sound production on "Room For Squares" and think anything
except "wow; that sounds really... cluttered". There is a new appreciation
for SPACE now, and it's bloody fantastic. Maybe he's finally found the right
microphone, maybe he's changed his diet, or maybe his voice just changed again,
but whatever happened, this is the best singing we've ever heard from him;
it's more honest, more ON, and more soulful than ever before. And to boot,
he's finally playing lead guitar on a studio recording the way we all know
he can. He's also bringing out some new tricks; the country-style fingerpicking
on "The Heart Of Life" and "Stop This Train" is a refreshing
change of pace for Mr. Mayer, as is the piano-balladry of "Dreaming With
A Broken Heart", and of course, there's a much heavier blues-influence
on about half the tracks here. That's another thing; you'd swear he tried
to arrange this album as if it was an LP or a cassette; the order of the songs
definitely has a "Side One and Side Two" quality; I don't know if
that makes for the best continual listening experience (especially on an album
called "Continuum"), as getting through the album from start to
finish is sort of draining for me with the bulk of the ballads and bluesy
material at the end.
Lyrically, it looks like he's getting over not being over girls. Sure, he
still sings to them, but it's not from the in-the-moment perspective of desperation;
it's from the reflective place of resignation, and after the decade this guy
has been having, he's gained some wisdom, for sure. Favorites: "Stop
This Train" & "Belief". (Addendum: I just checked out the
acoustic-version limited edition EP, "The Village Sessions", and
in some cases, the songs themselves shine through even better as acoustic
duo tunes with John playing with slide guitar player Robbie McIntosh.)
7.
Foy Vance - Live Sessions/Watermelon Oranges
I don't care that a) this is actually two EPs; not one full album, b) one
EP is from this year, the other from '05. Foy is from Ireland, and I just
found out about him from my friend (and music sponge) Kent Muira; Kent came
over for his bass lesson and demanded that I come sit in his car and listen
to a song. Five minutes later, I was stunned and on the verge of tears, and
sang the song to myself for weeks straight afterwards. "Indiscriminate
Act of Kindness" is the song of the year; I don't care when it was written
or released. As fate would have it, I was on my first visit to Scotland just
a month later, and who should happen to be playing across town the same day
I'm there? Foy Vance. It was a tie with Ani for best show of the year. The
timbre of Foy's voice is hard to place; he goes from this timid, light lilt
that makes you think he's an irish tenor, to this full-on, open throated,
raspy belt that makes you swear Van Morrison is young and passionate again,
and his songs will move you; his lyrics are fantastically candid, and though
he always respects the folk-style melody, he's got huge gospel sensibilities,
and he's absolutely dripping with soul. It takes jumping through a few hoops
to get his albums sent to you, so I recommend iTunes, though you'll be denied
the short film that opens up if you put "Live Sessions" into your
computer. I hear tell he's about to put out a new record in 2007, and it's
going to shatter people's brains, I am certain.
8.
David Wilcox - Vista
This album had just come out when I got to open for David this past spring,
and he played a lot of the songs off it that night, so I got a startling preview.
Listening to some of David's earlier stuff had given me perspective on feedback
I'd been receiving about my own music; that less is usually more, and that
if people get to know your music through live solo performance, you shouldn't
necessarily throw a huge backing band on the album and expect them to like
it. A David Wilcox concert can be a life-changing experience, so his studio
albums have a lot to live up to, and for awhile, they weren't quite cutting
it. Not so this time. "Vista" acheives a great balance in the way
it seems to 'surround' the David we know and love with production rather than
burying him IN it so far that we don't recognize the song anymore. On top
of that, this is just a great collection of songs, from the soul-influenced
"Same Shaker" and "No Doubt About It", to "Hard Part"
and "Grateful For Her Beauty", which are classic David, to the fantastic
title track, it sounds like he's been really inspired. David is a christian,
and he's a songwriter, but he's not a "christian songwriter". He
can get across a message about loving and being kind without being enormously
preachy; a trait he may alone possess in the religious music world. But David
is willing to tackle the UGLY side of being human, and to sing about negative
emotions and the struggle to overcome them, and about the thing he seems to
push more than anything else in his music: acceptance. I admire this guy more
every time I listen to him, and this is a fine way to get aquainted with the
man if you haven't heard him before.
9.
Amber Rubarth - Unfinished Art
A brief summary: I met Amber in April of 2003. She could barely play the guitar,
but she could sing her ass off and she had GUMPTION. I toured with Amber in
June of 2004, and I could not believe how quickly she was growing into a songwriting
musician. At the end of August I played bass on one song for her first album,
which was what she toured relentlessly for during 2005. This young woman seems
to have lived two years for every year she's been at this, because her intensity
just kept increasing every time I saw her. Then she relocated to Southern
California for a while and got her heart stomped on, and this year she emerged
with a stunning collection of songs that punched me in the face and said "listen
to me, bitch!" I thought it was just a 5 song EP, but she has been distributing
the rest of the "unfinished art" on the internet, one song at at
time as she finishes the tunes in the studio. That's forward-thinking, edgy,
and wicked cool in itself, but the material is all gripping, and tells a bittersweet
story. "Washing Day" will make you forget where you are and what
you are doing, and gets additional mad props for including one of the most
beautiful bass solos I've ever heard, courtesy of Michael Valerio. In a word,
Amber? This album is HAWT. (those who know it, know what I mean. ;)
10.
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
Joel Ackerson turned me on to this band, and I can't believe it. They are
without question the best prog-rock band I've heard in years... and though
they embody in their extensive repertoire elements of Jethro Tull, Emerson
Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, Yes, and old-school Genesis that I know Joel
absolutely cringes at, they shy away from the more testosterone-ish sounds
of the aforementioned acts, and they manage to apply these influences so subversively,
it might be hard to place unless you grew up listening to Buffalo classic
rock radio. The lyrics are like passages from classic literature... every
song is a novel, and requires a serious, active listen. If you use this as
background music, you'll miss out on the best part. Conceptually, these guys
are genius... there is as much art in the way the songs are ordered on this
album as there is in the songs themselves... this is not the kind of band
you can listen to once or twice; these compositions are epic pieces on a grandiose
scale, and can't be assimilated by the shallow. We're talking eleven minute
songs, sometimes. And they're GREAT. They're like mini-rock operas. I'm still
in the discovery-phase with this band, but I'm truly floored by this record;
it's wonderful. If you're looking for something to challenge you that you'll
still enjoy, look no further.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Chris
Thile - How To Grow A Woman From The Ground
Very few musical artists have the public's ear these days about which can
be said, "there's nothing they can't do". You can totally say this
about Thile... he's so talented it's unnerving. As an lyricist, his perspective
seems to mature exponentially every time he puts a pen to paper, and he came
out of the womb as a virtuoso musician, so it's hard not to like anything
he touches... when he's collaborating with Sean and Sara Watkins in Nickel
Creek, they are absolutely unstoppable. I was intrigued to find that this
record is almost entirely straight-ahead BLUEGRASS... it's almost all in 4/4
time, too! Startlingly traditional compared to both his other solo material,
and even to the latest Nickel Creek stuff. There's not much that could be
considered crossover-pop here, but the instrumental performances are nothing
short of jaw-dropping. And there are a lot of them; Chris doesn't feel the
need to sing on much more than half of this disc... fans of Nickel Creek's
instrumental material will freak OUT over this. From what I can tell, it's
a traditional bluegrass setup of Chris on mandolin, and a bassist, violinist,
and guitarist (occasionally a banjo) all positioned around a stereo microphone,
all playing live. Occasionally, Chris's voice gets a bit overpowered by the
group in a way that never happens in overdubbed recordings, and from time
to time, you can hear his voice move from left to right in the speakers if
you wear headphones... if this is true, and these songs were performed live...
good GOD, man... wow. If you are a fan of bluegrass (fans of Bela and Victor,
THIS MEANS YOU!), pick this frigging album up; it's a stellar example of how
new life can be given to what was, until recently, considered by many to be
a dead art.
Behind
Every Word - Steve Lawson
Sometimes I feel like the rest of the music world looks at the solo bass genre
like it's the Special Olympics... like they hear the music and say "aww...
that's so GREAT that you're making the most of what you've got to work with".
And that's pretty frustrating, though all too often I understand that attitude.
Many solo bassists just make noise: "slappa-tappa-tappa-wank-wank-wank-pickata-pickata-pickata-BOINGGGGGG...."
and THEN they "take a solo". I hate it. Steve Lawson is a pillar
in the solo bass world, because he's a shining example of how to play MUSIC
on the bass guitar. He's also pretty much hailed as the Authority on playing
solo with a loop pedal, and with good reason. This collection of compositions
is simply beautiful, and is arranged in an order that make for a captivating
listen. You don't have to be a musician to appreciate the sonic pictures Steve
paints, though if you are, you may well be floored by the range of sounds
he can coax out of his instrument and the way he weaves them together. I find
myself listening to this record on repeat while I do my work, and each day
I do, I'm bursting to pick up my bass and play by the time I'm finished. Bravo,
Mr. Lawson!
Buddy
Wakefield - Run On Anything
A slam poet has never brought me to tears before this man. He opened for Ani
when she played in town this fall, and this little, unassuming bald dude came
out on stage and spoke to the crowd. At first that's all he did; speak. He
roped us in so seductively we didn't even realize how he was gradually adding
cadence to his words until it was too late; and then we were hanging on to
every syllable, not blinking, hardly breathing in case we missed anything.
I went and bought his CD instantly. Pros: it has all the pieces he did the
night I saw him, and they are just as powerful, plus a couple more poems that
are just as good. Cons: it also contains Buddy's experiments with straight
up rap and dub ala Sublime... these ventures are not even remotely as successful.
If he sticks to slam, he might just change the world. Stay tuned.
SURPRISES:
Every year there's at least one album that stomps on my expectations. This
year there are three, backwards from marginally upsetting to downright WRONG.
#3)
Glen Phillips - Mr. Lemons
This might be unfair to do to 'ol Glen, because he's one of my favorite songwriters
EVER (see boundless praise in last year's top 10). But with that title comes
the responsibility to use one's superpowers for GOOD, and this record, while
it has three great songs, is inconsistent at best. It has a plethora of lifeless-sounding
filler on it, and in his first-ever crime against music, he has included an
irresponsible cover of, of all things, "I Want A New Drug" by Huey
Lewis and the News, done as a poorly arranged, cheesy shuffle. It hurts, because
"Everything But You" and "Marigolds" are classic, and
"I Still Love You" might be the best song he's ever written. For
me to say that and still include this album here gives you an idea of how
the rest of the material stacks up. Could've been an earth-shattering EP.
#2)
Barenaked Ladies - Are Me
Woe is BNL. I really did like "Everything To Everyone" even though
most people trashed it, but the things I liked about it were the things everyone
who didn't like it hated, and maybe this gave them the wrong idea about what
direction to go in...? Last year I went and checked out Steven Page's "Vanity
Project" and got disgruntled, declaring that once he started writing
with Ed Robertson again, things would return to genius. Then I heard that
BNL had left their label and that "Are Me" was their Declaration
of Independence; the first of many albums that would return them to their
creative prime. Sadly, this has not come to pass. It's not like they did a
rush-job; the production seems perfectly well thought out, the performances
are, as usual, spot-on, and they're as tight as ever, with all the hallmarks
of "Born On A Pirate Ship" and "Stunt"... but with none
of the hooks. To paraphrase the old saying, polishing a turd will only get
you so far, and these turds are damn shiny. This band was always a favorite
because they wrapped the most ironic or morose or sensitive subject matter
in the most palatable and memorable melodies, and they rode a line where they
could tell you a story about the deepest, darkest anything while still making
you have a great time, because no matter what, they always ENTERTAINED. That
is utterly gone on this album. They try, and they come close on two cuts,
the opener: "Bank Job", and a track called "Easy", but
they're really not all that, and the rest of these songs are just depressing,
with no silver lining, no sly smile, no fun at all. The irony is almost absent;
when it's present, it's weak. The melodies don't grab like they used to, and
when they get close, it's because they're reminiscent of older material. Performance-wise,
it's lifeless; whereas the energy from previous BNL records is infectious,
this one sounds sterile at best; before, you'd swear they were all playing
in a room together. Now, you'd swear each band member came in and laid the
tracks down one-at-a-time, maybe in separate cities. Quite upsetting.
#1)
LIVE - Songs From Black Mountain
Okay; this crap is inexcusable, and begs Jack Black to ask yet again: Is it,
in fact, unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for latter day sins?
Is it better to burn out or fade away? Live once had a death grip on being
one of the top rock acts of all time; the fact that they have fallen so far
is infuriating. Ed Kowalczyk once paralyzed me with his lyrics; now it seems
it is he who has been paralyzed after taking a horrible beating from the IQ-sucking
"stupid cliche" monster. Think about it; if you are ready to hate
a song, you will look for the worst in it, but if you want to love a song;
if an act you care a lot about has put out a new record for the first time
in a long time and you WANT to love it with all your heart... if you're ready
to love it before you even hear a note, you'll forgive a LOT. So you go through
phases. First is "oh, we'll let that slide"... you stay on that
for awhile until it's too much to take... then it's "maybe they're kidding"...
then it's "NO... they DIDN'T"... after that comes "are you
SHITTING me?"... and finally, after hearing the end of this album, you
just stare off into space and lament the downfall of a legend. When Mighty
Casey struck out, a hush fell over the crowd, remember? So expect to be stunned
silent; just not for a good reason.
One of the most important
things about delivering a lyric is your honesty; whether or not people believe
what is coming out of your mouth... and now, from the same man who once observed:
"and to love: a god; and to fear: a flame; and to burn a crowd that has
a name; and to right or wrong; and to meek or strong; it is known, just scream
it from the wall."
...or more importantly:
"in the morning there are things to be read, words to be said, and food
to be fed, but I won't be there. I'll be clutchin' on a megaphone pointed
at my head, would you be there? Would you kindly read this word for word so
loud and clear, I can't remember it all; it needs to be clear, I tell you.
If the feeling drops out of your voice, would you kindly pick it up."
...remember him? Well, here is just a small sampling of his new-found penchant
for jaw-dropping banality:
"ooh baby, let my
lovin' ease your pain
Bring your burning skin to my river once again (I'll give you life)
ooh baby, let my lovin' ease your pain (I give you life)
(ooohhh) I'll give you life, baby
(oooh) I'll give you love"
"Baby, my love is
here to stay
My love is here to stay
Open your heart
You can find your own way
I found they're all the same
My love is here to stay, yeah"
"Show a little love
to me
Show a little love to me
Darlin', I'll show you free
I'll show you free tonight"
here is another startling display of wordplay:
"Sofia, I need ya
Like a junkie needs a vein
And I wanna feel ya, Sofia
Fallin' down on me like rain"
Ed, I've known the power of love, too, but it didn't make me vapid. You used to be a poet, and now you're a Spice Girl.
I was tempted to try
and redeem the band by noting that Patrick, Chad, and Chad are still great
musicians. But as the album drones on, you start to do ask yourself, "didn't
I just hear this song ten minutes ago?" Such a lack of original musical
ideas, and a full-on EMBRACE of butt-rock-bar-band arrangements... it's pure
tragedy.
Sure; play their asses off, but the fact is, they apparently don't care about
saying anything musically anymore, and they don't care that Ed isn't saying
anything lyrically, so they are just as guilty. I'm crushed. What a waste.
LOOKING FORWARD TO '07 BECAUSE OF:
Petteri Sariola (22-year
old fingerstyle guitar maniac from Finland)
Foy Vance (see above)
Jonatha Brooke (if you haven't checked her out yet, it's probably time)
...oddly enough, also looking forward to Barenaked Ladies "Are Men"...
to find out if they've been waiting to sucker-punch me. ;)
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