Micachu and the Shapes “Low Dogg”

Micachu is obsessed with abrasive sounds – scrapes, rattles, clangs, distortions, monotones. She’s not alone in that, but she’s rare in her skill for taking potentially irritating sounds and making them seem seductive or calming in the context of her songs. “Low Dogg” leans very hard on industrial noise, but its rhythms have a lulling quality, as if the song takes a macro view of a life she describes as a dull routine – the agitation and restlessness snaps into a predictable beat, and becomes comfortable in its own strange way.

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The Smashing Pumpkins “Frail and Bedazzled”

The most basic appeal of the Smashing Pumpkins comes from the way Billy Corgan strips out the dull machismo from hard rock and replaces it with sensitive androgyny and ecstatic spirituality. Like a majority of the rock stars of the early ’90s, Corgan rebelled against the dude-ness of his own genre, but thanks to the unavoidable femininity of his voice and his soft baby face, he was able to depart from tradition more dramatically than the more obviously masculine likes of Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder. Unsurprisingly, one of the most dramatic, joyous, and definitive moments in the entire sprawling Pumpkins catalog comes on “Frail and Bedazzled” when he declares “all I wanted was to be a man / but since I gave up / I FEEL FREE! / I FEEL FREE! / I FEEL FREE! / I FEEL FREE!,” which each iteration of those last three words seeming increasingly emphatic and liberating.

Buy it from Amazon. Originally posted on 9/12/2007.

Passion Pit “Constant Conversations”

As it turns out, Passion Pit are pretty good with slow jams. That designation is only superficial, though – the tone and texture nods to modern R&B and post-Kanye production, but the lyrics are pure self-pitying white boy. Which is more interesting, really: Michael Angelakos gets into some great nuance here, singing from the perspective of someone whose drinking problem is right at the edge of costing them their relationship. His sentiment shifts through the “constant conversations,” essentially doing a figure eight that keeps passing through moments of moping, belligerence, self-flagellation and defensiveness.

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Matthew Dear “Her Fantasy”

“Her Fantasy” has a dark, sexually menacing tone, but Matthew Dear’s words are paranoid and insecure, the interior monologue of a guy who is worried that his slick front won’t be enough to protect him from the pains of love. He frets about being unoriginal in his feelings, he obsesses on the cracks in his persona, he wonders “Am I one heartbeat away from receiving a damaging shock to my life?” The title is a bitter joke – you’d have to be pretty cynical to assume that any woman would want to get close to this lothario as he rips his own ego to shreds. As always, Dear’s voice is cold and a bit flat, receding into the music’s sexy ambience and steady beat. The sentiment is more effective this way – the neuroses recede a bit, but are always there buried under the ultra-hedonistic vibe.

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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti “Only In My Dreams”

Ariel Pink approaches music like an art forger, mimicking precise details in composition and style as well as aura and surface texture. He’s hardly alone in his knack for pastiche, but his work is often captivating because there’s a specific ineffable quality in the sound of his recordings – it all sounds as if it’s coming from a particular time and place, though it’s hard to say where or when it could be. It’s like he’s making all this music that belongs on the same found cassette tape, or something like a Sublime Frequencies compilation. A lot of people have written guitar parts like the Byrds-like guitar lead in “Only In My Dreams,” but Pink makes it sound totally alien and out of time.

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Purity Ring “Fineshrine”

Megan James sings about intimacy in grotesque and gory terms in “Fineshrine,” offering to break open her sternum and “pull my little ribs around you.” It sounds like something from a body horror movie, but she sings the words with a tone of genuine affection. Her voice is slightly cold and clipped, giving her a slightly robotic tone – she sounds like she could be an android just past the creepy side of the uncanny valley. With that in mind, the creepy body stuff could just be a glitch, as if the programming just mixed up exactly what humans do when they get close to one another, and took a few things too literally.

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Usher “I Care For U”

Usher may be hopping on a bandwagon in doing a dubstep track like “I Care For U,” but the execution of the song is exceptional, and his voice seems totally natural in this context. This works mainly because the cold tone and trembling bass echoes the lyrical sentiment, in which Usher sings from the perspective of a stoic guy who has trouble expressing his affection but is trying to show his lover that he truly does care. Usher’s voice is great here, conveying hidden passion without forgetting that his character is still playing it close to the vest. The bass wobble is intense, and dramatizes this feeling of trying to break out of an emotional shell, and being a little afraid of what could happen if that shell shatters completely. The steps toward vulnerability are in earnest, but still very measured.

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Frank Ocean featuring Earl Sweatshirt “Super Rich Kids”

Jacking the slow piano groove from “Bennie and the Jets” was a good call for this song – there’s something so luxurious about the way it glides from chord to chord, like it has all the time in the world. Ocean and Sweatshirt slip into the groove like it’s a pair of comfy slippers, matching the chill vibe while getting all Bret Easton Ellis in the lyrics, sketching out a portrait of idle, decadent rich kids. As with a lot of depictions of this element, it’s hard to tell whether the dark side of all this is meant to seem shocking and empty, or actually pretty sexy. Ocean interpolates Mary J. Blige, singing that he’s “searching for a real love,” but in context, it rings a bit false for the character. It seems like a pose — they want to seem soulful and deep, but they’re too far gone with all the spoiled indulgences.

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Joey Bada$$ “World Domination”

Joey Bada$$ draws his inspiration from mid-90s rap in the same way that so many mid-90s rock bands took their cues from 70s rock. This stuff is olllllld to a 17-year-old, but has a way of sounding more pure and natural. Bada$$ was born for this type of rap; he has the rhythms and cadences are so internalized that they just flow out of him. That may be the biggest difference between him and his idols, actually — a lot of vintage mid-90s New York rap has an agitated tone, while he always sounds very relaxed, like he’s just too thrilled to be channeling these vibes to give a little sting.

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Dirty Projectors “Swing Lo Magellan”

David Longstreth asked me for my impression of the lyrical content of his new record when I interviewed him a few months ago and he didn’t like what I said off the top of my head after having the record for a couple weeks and a lyric sheet for a day or two. Maybe I was focusing on something that wasn’t so interesting to him, or missing something he was trying to convey, but in terms of lyrics, what sticks out to me on Swing Lo Magellan is this fixation with death and a fear of malevolent forces beyond one’s control. It takes different forms over the course of the record, but it’s there in most of the songs. The title track is an exception, and it is my favorite on the album. There’s a relaxed, gentle sound through the whole record, and it’s very pronounced here – Longstreth sounds genuinely relaxed. I think the sentiment of the piece has to do with contemplating humanity’s need to understand their literal place in the world, and perhaps how creating maps and boundaries give us a false sense of mastery over the natural world. That’s my read on it, anyway. If David objects, he knows how to reach me.

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Guided by Voices “Class Clown Spots a UFO”

Bob Pollard has written hundreds upon hundreds of songs, but for the most part, he sticks to pretty simple arrangements. It keeps things simple and loose, and it’s part of how he can be so absurdly productive. It’s always exciting when he steps just outside of his comfort zone and gives a song a little something extra. In the case of “Class Clown Spots a UFO,” an oldie revived for the new Guided by Voices album, it’s just a touch more harmony than would normally appear on a GBV record, and a bit more space around the melodies and rhythm. It’s still a bit raw, but the weight of the song feels very different for them. It stands out on the record, for sure — while this one has a lot of polish, most of the other songs are much flatter in terms of dynamics.

FYI, I wrote about Guided by Voices’ show in Central Park this weekend for Rolling Stone.

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Sugar “Your Favorite Thing”

I suppose you could take “Your Favorite Thing” as being a kinda dark song about romantic obsession, but I never want to. Bob Mould’s melody and vocals signal pure intentions, and if there is any negative side to this unrequited passion, it is entirely in the possibility that this love will only be real in the singer’s mind. There are some lines that suggest that he knows he’s being a little crazy, but he’s too overwhelmed with the very thought of the object of his affection to care. Mould’s guitar tone in this period is amazing – basic alt-rock in some ways, but overpowering in its weight and attack. It’s perfect for a song like this, conveying a touch of lightness in the lead parts while blasting your head off with volume.

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The celebration of the 10th anniversary of this site continues on with this collection of the best and most notable music of 2007. It’s a pretty great year, especially if you like up-tempo pop music. There’s a really great spirit to a lot of this stuff, and a sense of joy and passion coming through after a few years dominated by what I think was essentially a Bush-era malaise. I don’t think this year matches the energy of 2003, but in some ways it’s kinda like a really good sequel, with lots of artists who bubbled up around that time delivering their biggest hits.

The survey mixes for 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011 are still up. Check in on August 1st for a look back on 2008.

DOWNLOAD DISC 1

LCD Soundsystem “All My Friends” / Von Sudenfed “Fledermaus Can’t Get It” / Björk “Innocence” / Justice “DVNO” / Ghostface Killah “Supa GFK” / Kate Nash “Pumpkin Soup” / Swizz Beatz “Take A Picture” / The Schema “Those Rules You Made” / St. Vincent “Marry Me” / Rihanna “Umbrella” / Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson “Valerie” / Lil Wayne “I Feel Like Dying” / Spoon “Don’t You Evah” / Grinderman “No Pussy Blues” / Britney Spears “Piece of Me” / Matthew Dear “Don and Sherri” / Burial “Archangel” / A Sunny Day in Glasgow “Lists, Plans” / The Field “From Here We Go Sublime”

DOWNLOAD DISC 2

Sissy Wish “Float” / Pleasure “Out of Love” / of Montreal “A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger” / The New Pornographers “Myriad Harbour” / Maxi Geil & Playcolt “That’s How the Story Goes” / M.I.A. “Paper Planes” / Architecture in Helsinki “Hold Music” / Charlotte Hatherley “Very Young” / Electric Six “Fabulous People” / Girls Aloud “Black Jacks” / Yelle “Tristesse/Joie” / Katy Rose “Rosemary” / Cam’ron “Calm Down” / Lily Allen “Smile” / The Fiery Furnaces “Japanese Slippers” / Lavender Diamond “You Broke My Heart” / Imperial Teen “Everyone Wants to Know” / Tegan and Sara “Back in Your Head” / Feist “1 2 3 4” / The Sea and Cake “Up on Crutches” / Tarwater and Hauschka “The Afterlife of Things”

DOWNLOAD DISC 3

!!! “Heart of Hearts” / Battles “Atlas” / Radiohead “Bodysnatchers” / Deerhunter “Cryptograms” / Wu-Tang Clan “Windmill” / Interpol “No I in Threesome” / Wilco “Impossible Germany” / Celebration “Tame the Savage” / Au Revoir Simone “Stars” / Uffie “First Love” / Dragonette “I Get Around (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)” / Mary J. Blige “Just Fine” / Fall Out Boy “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race” / Miranda Lambert “Gunpowder & Lead” / Shocking Pinks “Emily” / Sophie Ellis-Bextor “Me and My Imagination” / Gui Boratto “Beautiful Life”

DOWNLOAD DISC 4

Animal Collective “Peacebone” / R. Kelly “I’m A Flirt (Remix)” / UGK and Outkast “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” / The Shins “Phantom Limb” / Arthur & Yu “There Are Too Many Birds” / Hank “You Are the Child of Betrayal” / James Rabbit “George Gershwin” / Junior League “Charm” / The White Stripes “You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)” / Kylie Minogue “Wow” / Gameboy/Gamegirl “Sweaty Wet/Dirty Damp” / Muscles “Chocolate, Raspberry, Lemon and Lime” / Mika “Grace Kelly” / The Tough Alliance “Silly Crimes” / Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” / Lil Mama “Lip Gloss” / Future of the Left “Manchasm” / Jay Reatard “My Family” / Ted Leo and the Pharmacists “The Unwanted Things” / The Bees “Listening Man” / Rilo Kiley “Give A Little Love”

DOWNLOAD DISC 5

Panda Bear “Comfy in Nautica” / Marnie Stern “Put All Your Eggs in One Basket and Then Watch That Basket!!!” / Dirty Projectors “Rise Above” / PJ Harvey “Grow Grow Grow” / Birds Fled From Me “The Resisted” / Sonic Youth “I’m Not There” / Thrushes “Heartbeats” / Sally Shapiro “He Keeps Me Alive” / The Honeydrips “Fall From A Height” / Los Campesinos! “You! Me! Dancing!” / MGMT “Time to Pretend” / Air France “Beach Party” / Groove Armada “Out of Control (Song 4 Mutya)” / Jürgen Paape “We Love” / Ne-Yo “Because of You” / The Good, The Bad and The Queen “Herculean” / Underworld “Crocodile” / Jens Lekman “Sipping on the Sweet Nectar”

DOWNLOAD DISC 6

Kanye West “The Glory” / Jay-Z “Roc Boys” / Midnight Juggernauts “Shadows” / Nine Inch Nails “Capital G” / Hilary Duff “Danger” / Erasure “Sucker For Love” / Hannah Montana “Life’s What You Make It” / Alphabeat “Fantastic 6” / White Williams “Headlines” / Róisín Murphy “Overpowered” / Life Without Buildings “Liberty Feelup” / Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” / Jape “Floating (D.I.M. Remix)” / Les Savy Fav “Patty Lee” / Aesop Rock “None Shall Pass” / Yeasayer “2080” / Cass McCombs “Pregnant Pause” / Iron & Wine “Boy With A Coin” / Jonny Greenwood “Open Spaces”

DOWNLOAD DISC 7

Arcade Fire “Black Mirror” / Bat for Lashes “What’s A Girl to Do” / Siobhan Donaghy “So You Say” / Alicia Keys “No One” / The National “Fake Empire” / Michael Dracula “Please Don’t Take This the Wrong Way” / Electrelane “To the East” / Deerhoof “+81” / Dntel featuring Jenny Lewis “Roll On” / Common “The People” / Black Moth Super Rainbow “When the Sun Grows on Your Tongue” / Mims “This Is Why I’m Hot” / Rich Boy et al “Throw Some D’s (Remix)” / 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake “Ayo Technology” / Modest Mouse “Fire It Up” / Home Blitz “Hey!” / Liars “Freak Out” / Say Anything “This Is Fucking Ecstasy” / No Age “Neck Escaper” / Okkervil River “Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe” / Against Me! “The Ocean”

DOWNLOAD DISC 8

Basia Bulat “Before I Knew” / Field Music “A House Is Not A Home” / Joss Stone “Put Your Hands On Me” / Patrick Wolf “The Magic Position” / Caribou “Melody Day” / Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Down Boy” / T.I. “Big Things Poppin’ (Do It)” / Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake “Give It To Me” / Radio Slave “My Bleep” / SuperMayer “Us and Them” / Blonde Redhead “23” / Menomena “Wet and Rusting” / Meneguar “Bury A Flower” / The Smashing Pumpkins “That’s the Way (My Love Is)” / Dean and Britta “You Turn My Head Around” / Magik Markers “Empty Bottles” / Grizzly Bear “Little Brother (Electric)” / Bon Iver “Skinny Love”

R. Kelly “Fool for You”

R. Kelly has spent his last two albums proving that he can effortlessly master virtually any strain of R&B, and do it without even a trace of ironic distance. Both of the records are highly pleasurable, but slightly disappointing – at this point, Kelly’s own quirks are so fascinating and distinctive that it’s a shame to see him dial it down. But at the same time, he’s wise to distance himself from his schtick for a bit. Kelly was right at the edge of tipping over into being a sort of comedy artist, and his talent goes far beyond that, so I understand his interest in reminding his audience that he can play it straight and be just as good, and certainly more smooth and emotionally engaging. “Fool for You,” one of the best songs on Write Me Back, is straight up early 60s R&B pastiche, and it’s just warm and lovely – it’s Kelly playing it by the book, but totally excelling because his understanding of the genre and its craft is so masterful. Still, I find myself wishing there was some kind of curveball thrown somewhere along the way.

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Japandroids @ Bowery Ballroom 6/27/2012

The Boys Are Leaving Town / Adrenaline Nightshift / Younger Us / Fire’s Highway / Rockers East Vancouver / The Nights of Wine and Roses / Wet Hair / Evil’s Sway / The House That Heaven Built / Crazy/Forever / Sovereignty / Continuous Thunder / Young Hearts Spark Fire / For the Love of Ivy

It’s been very hard to find truly great mainstream rock bands since the mid-90s. Even a lot of bands that want to rock out in earnest get tripped up on some level by this notion that being a rock band isn’t cool or powerful anymore, and that it’s just some retro thing. There’s not even a trace of that in Japandroids, a duo who pound out catchy, energetic rockers with the power and intensity of a quintet, and perform with the sincerity of guys who do not for a moment question the vitality of rock as an idea or path to transcendence. The band’s force and momentum is owed to powerhouse drummer David Prowse, but the draw is in frontman Brian King, whose massive charisma is at odds with his deep Canadian humility. It’s amazing to see people like King in action — the kind of performer who just totally surrenders to their music, and seems so thoroughly moved and joyful by the experience that everyone else in the room wants to get to the same place with him. Half the room at the Bowery Ballroom got there by moshing continuously for 80 minutes; the rest pumped their fists and sang along. It’s such a simple and powerful thing, you know? Japandroids work hard to remind you that this sort of thing was never ever stupid or useless, and it doesn’t have to be old fashioned.

Japandroids “The Nights of Wine and Roses”

“The Night of Wine and Roses” is my favorite Japandroids song, but it’s sort of hard to explain why. A lot of it is in the dynamics, and the way Prowse drives King’s guitars further toward this white hot section around the three minute mark that brings me back to the physical rush I remember from early 90s songs like “Cherub Rock.” King’s words are so blunt – it’s a song about getting drunk or high, and enjoying youth – that they short circuit any attempt to distance yourself from a direct, open-hearted sentiment. You can be too cool for this and back away, or you can just dive in and feel this wave of joy and enthusiasm. I listen to this song almost every day lately, and it always makes me feel truly glad to be alive.

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Twin Shadow “Five Seconds”

“Five Seconds” compresses a lot of emotion, lust and fear with such urgency that it all just sort of tumbles out haphazardly because there’s just not enough time for it to come out “right.” George Lewis Jr.’s voice is great in this, approaching a similar balance of fevered sexual intensity and low key intimacy as Dan Boechner in his Handsome Furs material. The drama is at a perfect pitch, and the momentum of the song keeps you in this brief moment while extending it to unpack all these fine nuances, like a snippet of time you keep replaying in your head.

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The Mynabirds @ Mercury Lounge 6/22/2012

Karma Debt / Wolf Mother / Let the Record Go / Give It Time / Buffalo Flower / Radiator Sister / Disaster / Mightier Than the Sword / Ways of Looking / What We Gained in the Fire / Numbers Don’t Lie / Generals / Disarm / Body of Work

The Mynabirds “Karma Debt”

The version of the Mynabirds that I saw two years ago was a very different band from the one I saw at the Mercury Lounge on Friday night. As near as I could tell, the lineup was completely different aside from singer/songwriter Laura Burhenn, and even she seemed like she could have been an entirely different woman. The Mynabirds at the Bell House in 2010 were professional and lovely but sorta meek; the new band is harder, faster and bolder in texture and rhythm.

Burhenn, always a magnificent neo-soul singer, is more outgoing and aggressive, both in performance and artistic purpose. Her first record under the Mynabirds name was an introspective and philosophical take on the collapse of a relationship, but her second, Generals, is a medication on what it would take to spark a true revolution today, and the ways money – or a lack of it – holds us back from standing up for what we believe is right and fair. Burhenn, both in the music, the live performance and her New Revolutionists project, seems hell bent on connecting with her audience, and inspiring a thoughtful dialog. There were moments in the band’s Mercury Lounge set where she seemed frustrated in working up a relatively sedate crowd, but more often, she and her bandmates played these excellent, thoughtful songs with passion, conviction, and best of all, optimism.

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Beck @ Governor’s Ball, Randall’s Island 6/24/2012

Black Tambourine / Gamma Ray / Soul of a Man / Hotwax / Girl / Sissyneck / Modern Guilt / Soldier Jane / Golden Age / Lost Cause / Sunday Sun / Jack-Ass / Devil’s Haircut / Loser / Novacane / Minus / Where It’s At / E-Pro

I have loved Beck for many, many years now, but this was my first Beck show. I wish I could have seen him back in his hyperactive showman period, I wish this show could’ve been twice as long, I wish he would’ve played even just one song from Midnite Vultures. But I was thrilled for every moment of this set, especially during the big crowd pleasers. (I was losing it when he did “Devil’s Haircut.”) I wrote more about this set, and the festival a whole, elsewhere.

Beck “Jack-Ass (Strange Invitation version)”

Most of Odelay falls on the funky, up-tempo end of Beck’s body of work, but the record as a whole is very well-rounded, with a few of his finest ballads sprinkled in for depth and dynamics. I’ve always favored this arrangement for “Jack-Ass” – it presages a lot of what he ended up doing on Sea Change, but it’s not quite as dour in its melancholy. The little bits of surrealism and dark humor – “loose ends tying the noose in the back of my mind” – give the song a warm, lived-in humanity, and there’s something in the way he sings “I remember the way that you smiled” that strikes me as one of the most genuinely romantic moments he’s ever set to tape.

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The Smashing Pumpkins “Panopticon”

There’s something really perfect about how good Billy Corgan’s voice sounds whenever he sings the word “suffer.” In this song, the phrase “don’t make me suffer” is sung in bright notes that light up the melody like a neon sign. “Panopticon,” like a few other tracks on Oceania, plays to musical strengths and dynamics that Corgan has mostly distanced himself from in the past decade, but despite the familiarity, it doesn’t feel like a retread of his 90s material. There’s a different feeling to this stuff – it’s not quite as potent, but there is a sense of inner peace that is very appealing, especially in contrast with lyrics that contradict that bliss. Corgan can turn out gems even in his most fallow periods, so I wouldn’t say this is a “return to form.” I do think it’s wonderful to hear him reconnect with a more joyful sound, and to wholeheartedly embrace a sound that is his entirely his own.

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Stephen Malkmus “Jo Jo’s Jacket”

I was laid off from my associate editor position at Rolling Stone yesterday. My boss who broke the news, who I like a lot, made it clear that my dismissal had nothing to do with my performance, and that everyone has always been really happy with my output, creativity and work ethic. It was just a matter of budgeting, and a new plan to consolidate print and web editorial. I’m not really sure how they are going to pull that off – I wasn’t the only significant web staff member who was laid off – but I’m not really worried about it. It’s not my problem anymore.

I have zero ill will for Rolling Stone or anyone who works there; I will still write for the publication. One of my first thoughts upon learning the bad news was: Aw, I really liked working here! At the same time, I was planning on leaving down the line to pursue other kinds of writing and working, so really, I don’t feel too bad about this. I’ll probably be freaked out about money for a while, but aside from that, I can put my energy into a lot of new projects and challenges.

I am sort of amazed by how optimistic and happy I feel in the immediate aftermath of losing my job. I enjoyed working at Rolling Stone, but it took up a lot of my energy. Both the job security and time investment was holding me back from pursuing things I wanted to do. So instead of getting upset, I feel relieved. The job prepared me to do very well in this moment. I haven’t felt this excited in a while. It’s aggravating to think about the money side of this, but I have a lot of confidence that I can make it all work now.

I keep thinking about this Malkmus song, “Jo Jo’s Jacket.” It’s basically about how he quit Pavement in order to move on with his life and career. I think it’s the happiest song he’s ever written. He makes you feel his thrill at the prospect of moving on. The song smirks off fear with silly jokes; but frames the real meaning in quotes from Yul Brynner and Bob Dylan, and a wordless chorus that is just like — “Wheee! Away we go!” It wasn’t my decision to move on, but I feel the same because, without realizing it, I know this is exactly what I wanted.

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