Vitalic - Ok Cowboy (2005)

I had not had a chance to listen to this album until today after seeing a song featured on Pitchfork’s “Best Songs of the 2000s” list. This is an electronic album, I don’t know what kind, my knowledge of electronic styles being very limited. Much of the electronic music I’ve heard, the more acclaimed of it anyway, tends to use a single beat or melody, place ambient sounds and/or samples beneath it, and shift the melody very subtly over the course of 5 minutes or so. It generally requires a lot of attention to catch the nuances. This isn’t your typical hipster-approved electronic “artist.” The melodies change very suddenly, shifting from one really catchy beat to another, the synthesizers and drum machines changing direction at the drop of a hat. It’s so satisfying to hear the changes in each song. “Wooo” is a good example of this. Also, the synth riffs and beats are always very danceable throughout. On my first listen I had to struggle not to shake my head “Night at the Roxbury” style. Anyway, I highly recommend this to folks like myself, who occasionally dabble in electronic music but don’t really know a damn thing about it. mediafire

Also, going to start posting tracklists so it's clear what I'm referring to when I mention song titles.

1. Polkamatic – 1:52
2. Poney Part 1 – 5:22
3. My Friend Dario – 3:37
4. Wooo – 3:52
5. La Rock 01 – 5:25
6. The Past – 4:27
7. No Fun – 3:36
8. Poney Part 2 – 5:12
9. Repair Machines – 3:45
10. Newman – 4:50
11. Trahison – 4:31
12. U and I – 3:39
13. Valletta Fanfares – 2:24

Jose Gonzalez

Jose Gonzalez writes hushed, intimate folk songs that do a whole lot with very little. On record, it’s just him and his acoustic guitar (sometimes I think I hear bongos but if they’re there, they’re so far down in the mix they might as well not be). Live, he sometimes has a percussionist or two. He’s a very talented guitarist, and this helps breathe life into his music. He plays some really intricate, really beautiful guitar parts. His voice, which is soft and soothing, but no especially fragile, is another asset. If you watch him perform his songs he looks so at peace, his mouth barely moving when he sings, you can tell he really pours a lot of himself into his music.

Jose Gonzalez - Veneer (2003)

On “Veneer,” his debut album, he covers The Knife’s electro-pop hit “Heartbeats” and does immense justice to the song given that he used a vastly different medium. As someone who likes my folk or folk-rock to be energetic and warm, this appeals to me because it’s got so much more going on than most solo musicians with an acoustic guitar. His lyrics are simple, but vague, although they play second fiddle to the guitar playing, which really gives the songs their structure. It’s somewhat shocking to hear some depth to lyrics over such mellow guitar parts. mediafire

Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature (2007)

Gonzalez’s second album, “In Our Nature” is much better produced. You can hear each note a bit clearer. Also, his vocals are higher in the mix, which makes the songs more accessible. The increased use of percussion helps as well. The songs, whether due to the clarity of the sound or simply superior songwriting, sound better. His lyrics seem to have improved as well, although only marginally. They were pretty good to start. While his songs tend to be short (appropriately given the style) the better ones leave me wanting more. On “Veneer” only three songs passed the 3-minute mark and not by much. On “In Our Nature” most of the songs are similarly short as well, but the album ends with an 8-minute track “Cycling Trivialities,” which is not too long for a Jose Gonzalez song. mediafire

Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer (2009)

Spencer Krug's side project has been an opportunity for him to play poppier music than he can in Wolf Parade but with a quirkier edge, both in lyrics and song structure. Longtime fans might object to the new style that sacrifices some of the quirkiness of this project for a more streamlined pop sound. I still think it's unique enough to be interesting. "Silver Moon" overflows with confidence, setting the tone for the album. Unfortunately it just isn't as interesting as his past 2 albums have been. It's confident, but not all that energetic. I'll have to update this after I give the album some more time to settle in. mediafire

Hot Water Music - Fuel for the Hate Game (1998)

One of the better punk albums of the 90s. Very rough around the edges. mediafire

The National - Boxer (2007)

This has become one of my favorite albums of all time. Surprisingly, since the only reason I listened to it in the first place was to see what all the hype was about. These guys deserve it though. They're very humble, and their music is relatively accessible, unlike most indie-rock darlings. I guess what I like most about them is that they create a brooding mood with their dense arrangements and Matt Berningers deep voice. The strings and piano contributes nicely to this. Not only that but the subject matter of the songs is often abstract and meaningful. It's probably pointless to describe this, but for those who don't know, this is a mellow, soothing album that also manages to be somewhat unsettling and keeps my interest throughout. Pitchfork (damn them) actually described this album pretty well. "Like those on their last album, these songs reveal themselves gradually but surely, building to the inevitable moment when they hit you in the gut. It's the rare album that gives back whatever you put into it." That's what this did for me. At first listen it was pleasant, well-written indie pop. After a few more listens I suddenly realized this was something special. For those who've somehow lost their copy: mediafire

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)

I assume most people who want this already know about it and have it. Still, it's one of my favorite albums of the past 5 years. It's very intelligent pop/rock with creative arrangements, good lyrics, and a lot of hooks. My favorite tracks is "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" but most of the others are of similar quality. mediafire

Iron and Wine - Around the Well (2009)

A double album of unreleased tracks. For fans of Iron & Wine, or anyone who likes mellow, meditative folk music. 23 tracks is a bit much, but some of these songs are as good as anything he's written, such as "The Trapeze Swinger" (his songs are generally best in small doses, but this 8-minute piece is probably my favorite from him), "Morning," "Swans and the Swimming," No Moon," and "Kingdom of Animals." There are covers of songs by New Order, The Postal Service, The Flaming Lips, and Stereolab. Definitely worth a listen for fans of this type of music, but it won't appeal to anyone else. mediafire

Shellac

First two albums from this Chicago band. They play a type of what would probably be called post-hardcore that's very noisy. The bass is especially crunchy, and is often highest in the mix. The drums are fairly low, giving it a rough, underproduced feel.

Shellac - At Action Park (1994)

Their debut album is really gritty post-hardcore, but it's also very catchy-almost dancable at times. It’s got elements of experimentation, weird guitar effects, really crunchy bass, and is often mid-tempo or slower. The overall sound brings to mind a band playing in dirty basements with a mediocre soundsystem. Check out: “Pull the Cup,” “Crow,” “The Idea of North,” and “Il Porno Star.” mediafire

Shellac - The Futurist (1998)

Not an official release. The band released this to their friends only. According to wikipedia:

"The cover of the album contains 779 names--one for each pressing of the album. At the bottom of the cover is a blank space for anyone not named on the cover to write his/her name. Each person who received the album got a copy with his/her name circled on the cover; this was done for identification of a "culprit" should the album ever end up for sale."

This is highly experimental, consisting of 5 tracks. The first track is almost entirely unmusical. The second is repeated bursts of guitar noise and feedback followed by some mindless riffing. The final track, which is 13 minutes long is kinda epic. Even though this isn't very musical, it still has its beats and rhythms and it has some life to it, and isn't bad, although I much prefer their debut album. mediafire

Blonde Redhead - 23 (2007)

I've read complaints that this represents a poppier direction for the band, at the expense of a more melancholic sound that defined them. I wouldn't know since this is all I've heard from them, but this is just too great to care. It doesn't really get lost in it's swirling haze of guitars, it manages to remain interesting throughout, with each song sounding somewhat different. The drums are very high in the mix as are the vocals. They don't convey anguish or despair like most vocals of this sort of music, but I hear a more positive tone. The production may a bit too crisp for some. I can forgive that though, because this is quite satisfying. Freaky cover art. mediafire

Heavens - Patent Pending (2006)

One-half of this duo is Alkaline Trio guitarist Matt Skiba. They play a poppier version of this gloomy punk rock popularized by the Misfits. It's quite satisfying if you like this sort of thing. Matt Skiba is an excellent pop songwriter, and every song is very catchy. The lyrics may seem a bit too dark, but I think that's the point. Sadly, they have decided not to continue recording, but this is one of my most listened to albums over the past year or so. My favorites: "Gardens," "Heather," "Another Night," "True Hate," "Leave." mediafire