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defrogContinuing up our coverage of Team Def's favorite music of 2010.
Part 1 is here.
Part 2 is here.
And Part 3 is now.
TOP 20 DEF LPs/EPs/DOWNLOADS OF 2010 (#1-10)
1. Roky Erickson and Okkervil River, True Love Cast Out All Evil (Anti-)
2. The Fall, Your Future, Our Clutter (Domino)
3. Grinderman, Grinderman 2 (Anti-)
4. Laurie Anderson, Homeland (Nonesuch)
5. Devo, Something For Everybody (Warner Bros)
6. Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures (RCA)
7. !!!, Strange Weather, Isn't It? (Warp Records)
8. NanowaR Of Steel, Into Gay Pride Ride (n/a)
9. Deadbolt, Voodoo Moonshine (Cargo)
10. The Hundred In The Hands, The Hundred In The Hands (Warp Records)
TOP 20 DEF LPs/EPs/DOWNLOADS OF 2010 (#1-10): EXTENDED PLAY
1. Roky Erickson and Okkervil River
True Love Cast Out All Evil (Anti-) I’ve been a Roky fan for ages, but even given his improved general state of mental health, I never expected him to put out another new album. And technically none of the songs here are new. But they are new recordings with the help of Texas indie band Okkervil River, and the results are stunning. Roky sounds rough but strong, the songs range from acoustic gospel and breezy psychedelic pop to hard-rock, and the production choices blending old sound bites from home movies and demos into the mix probably make this album closer than anything to capturing what it must sound like inside Roky’s mind. If this is his last ever studio album, it’s a great note to go out on.
2. The Fall
Your Future Our Clutter (Domino) I’m a recent convert to The Fall, and their most recent release is better than you’d think for a band’s 28th album that basically keeps the formula of Mark E Smith ranting incoherently over basic riffs with experimental/possibly random production values. On the other hand, it’s a formula that serves The Fall well, and YFOC is such fun to listen to, so why not?
3. Grinderman
Grinderman 2 (Anti-) Nick Cave and three of his Bad Seeds reconvene for another side-project helping of sex blues, sticking their fingers in yr biscuit jar and whatnot. It’s the sound of Cave talking trash and delivering pick-up lines to drunk women in the seediest bar in town, with Warren Ellis, Martin P Casey and Jim Sclavunos as his wingmen. If you liked the first Grinderman album, or Nick Cave in general, you probably already own this.
4. Laurie Anderson
Homeland (Nonesuch) Anderson’s first studio album in nine years, in which she cogitates on the state of post-9/11 America with a mix of humor, whimsy and detached anger. As usual when Anderson is on top form, the music is hypnotic and beautiful, and the lyrics pointed and thought-provoking. Which in this case means people who don’t take criticism of America well or will argue with poets over the factual accuracy of their lyrics may not like this. For me, it’s the best thing she’s done since The Ugly One With The Jewels.
5. Devo
Something For Everybody (Warner Bros) Possibly the most controversial entry on this list, not least because a lot of people I know thought Devo’s first new album in 20 years was both pointless and terrible. I would normally agree on the first point – we didn’t really need a new Devo record, and it’s hard to argue that there’s anything here to rival their classic albums. On the other hand, there’s some really good songs here, and while the Devo manifesto of de-eveolution might seem dated, in some respects it seems more relevant than ever. Either way, Devo have more to say than most bands with a major label contract – who else could work in the catch-phrase “Don’t Tase Me Bro!” into a song and get away with it?
6. Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures (RCA) Another side-project album, this one from Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones (yes, the one from Led Zeppelin), paying homage to Big Dumb 70s Rock. It shouldn’t work, but it does, thanks to some solid riffage and lyrics that don’t take themselves too seriously. If nothing else, I like it a lot more than Homme and Grohl’s respective day jobs in Queens Of The Stone Age and Foo Fighters.
7. !!!
Strange Weather, Isn't It? (Warp Records) Fourth album from the band also known as Chk Chk Chk (which is how you pronounce their name), and they improve on their art-surf-disco template that hooked me on their previous album. I can’t say whether credit goes to the band traveling to Berlin to record it, but either way it’s a darker and more focused record. And you can dance to it.
8. NanowaR Of Steel
Into Gay Pride Ride (n/a) In which NanowaR Of Steel (formerly NanowaR) – reputedly the world’s only gay metal band from Italy – return with an album top-loaded with epic metal, shredding guitar solos, sound effects, operatic la-la-la choruses, pretentious madrigals with lots or Lords Of The Rings references, Satchmo imitations, Pink Floyd/Ennio Morricone mash-ups and, yes, lots of camp gay references. It veers between funny and just plain weird, and the rap song was probably unnecessary. But it’s great if you like metal but don’t take it seriously, and aren’t very easily offended.
9. Deadbolt
Voodoo Moonshine (Cargo) The self-proclaimed “scariest band in the world” returns with another helping of redneck surf-twang, with songs about moonshiners, hit men, zombies, cursed guitars, etc. And voodoo, yes. Not in the least scary, and you’d never accuse Deadbolt of musical innovation, but they do sound like they’re having a good time.
10. The Hundred In The Hands
The Hundred In The Hands (Warp Records) Debut album from Brooklyn duo Jason Friedman and Eleanore Everdell, who reportedly used to be in folk bands before teaming up to do post-punk-influenced electronica. It’s packed with catchy tunes, and Everdell’s voice really brings things to life (even if she does sometimes sound so much like a dead ringer for Siouxsie Sioux that you start to wonder if it’s intentional). Recommended if you like bands like Metric.
And so much for 2010. The annual and 100% illegal podcast of this year’s winners is coming soon to an Internet near you.
Two big humps and then I’m gone,
This is dF
Part 1 is here.
Part 2 is here.
And Part 3 is now.
TOP 20 DEF LPs/EPs/DOWNLOADS OF 2010 (#1-10)
1. Roky Erickson and Okkervil River, True Love Cast Out All Evil (Anti-)
2. The Fall, Your Future, Our Clutter (Domino)
3. Grinderman, Grinderman 2 (Anti-)
4. Laurie Anderson, Homeland (Nonesuch)
5. Devo, Something For Everybody (Warner Bros)
6. Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures (RCA)
7. !!!, Strange Weather, Isn't It? (Warp Records)
8. NanowaR Of Steel, Into Gay Pride Ride (n/a)
9. Deadbolt, Voodoo Moonshine (Cargo)
10. The Hundred In The Hands, The Hundred In The Hands (Warp Records)
TOP 20 DEF LPs/EPs/DOWNLOADS OF 2010 (#1-10): EXTENDED PLAY
1. Roky Erickson and Okkervil River
True Love Cast Out All Evil (Anti-) I’ve been a Roky fan for ages, but even given his improved general state of mental health, I never expected him to put out another new album. And technically none of the songs here are new. But they are new recordings with the help of Texas indie band Okkervil River, and the results are stunning. Roky sounds rough but strong, the songs range from acoustic gospel and breezy psychedelic pop to hard-rock, and the production choices blending old sound bites from home movies and demos into the mix probably make this album closer than anything to capturing what it must sound like inside Roky’s mind. If this is his last ever studio album, it’s a great note to go out on.
2. The Fall
Your Future Our Clutter (Domino) I’m a recent convert to The Fall, and their most recent release is better than you’d think for a band’s 28th album that basically keeps the formula of Mark E Smith ranting incoherently over basic riffs with experimental/possibly random production values. On the other hand, it’s a formula that serves The Fall well, and YFOC is such fun to listen to, so why not?
3. Grinderman
Grinderman 2 (Anti-) Nick Cave and three of his Bad Seeds reconvene for another side-project helping of sex blues, sticking their fingers in yr biscuit jar and whatnot. It’s the sound of Cave talking trash and delivering pick-up lines to drunk women in the seediest bar in town, with Warren Ellis, Martin P Casey and Jim Sclavunos as his wingmen. If you liked the first Grinderman album, or Nick Cave in general, you probably already own this.
4. Laurie Anderson
Homeland (Nonesuch) Anderson’s first studio album in nine years, in which she cogitates on the state of post-9/11 America with a mix of humor, whimsy and detached anger. As usual when Anderson is on top form, the music is hypnotic and beautiful, and the lyrics pointed and thought-provoking. Which in this case means people who don’t take criticism of America well or will argue with poets over the factual accuracy of their lyrics may not like this. For me, it’s the best thing she’s done since The Ugly One With The Jewels.
5. Devo
Something For Everybody (Warner Bros) Possibly the most controversial entry on this list, not least because a lot of people I know thought Devo’s first new album in 20 years was both pointless and terrible. I would normally agree on the first point – we didn’t really need a new Devo record, and it’s hard to argue that there’s anything here to rival their classic albums. On the other hand, there’s some really good songs here, and while the Devo manifesto of de-eveolution might seem dated, in some respects it seems more relevant than ever. Either way, Devo have more to say than most bands with a major label contract – who else could work in the catch-phrase “Don’t Tase Me Bro!” into a song and get away with it?
6. Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures (RCA) Another side-project album, this one from Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones (yes, the one from Led Zeppelin), paying homage to Big Dumb 70s Rock. It shouldn’t work, but it does, thanks to some solid riffage and lyrics that don’t take themselves too seriously. If nothing else, I like it a lot more than Homme and Grohl’s respective day jobs in Queens Of The Stone Age and Foo Fighters.
7. !!!
Strange Weather, Isn't It? (Warp Records) Fourth album from the band also known as Chk Chk Chk (which is how you pronounce their name), and they improve on their art-surf-disco template that hooked me on their previous album. I can’t say whether credit goes to the band traveling to Berlin to record it, but either way it’s a darker and more focused record. And you can dance to it.
8. NanowaR Of Steel
Into Gay Pride Ride (n/a) In which NanowaR Of Steel (formerly NanowaR) – reputedly the world’s only gay metal band from Italy – return with an album top-loaded with epic metal, shredding guitar solos, sound effects, operatic la-la-la choruses, pretentious madrigals with lots or Lords Of The Rings references, Satchmo imitations, Pink Floyd/Ennio Morricone mash-ups and, yes, lots of camp gay references. It veers between funny and just plain weird, and the rap song was probably unnecessary. But it’s great if you like metal but don’t take it seriously, and aren’t very easily offended.
9. Deadbolt
Voodoo Moonshine (Cargo) The self-proclaimed “scariest band in the world” returns with another helping of redneck surf-twang, with songs about moonshiners, hit men, zombies, cursed guitars, etc. And voodoo, yes. Not in the least scary, and you’d never accuse Deadbolt of musical innovation, but they do sound like they’re having a good time.
10. The Hundred In The Hands
The Hundred In The Hands (Warp Records) Debut album from Brooklyn duo Jason Friedman and Eleanore Everdell, who reportedly used to be in folk bands before teaming up to do post-punk-influenced electronica. It’s packed with catchy tunes, and Everdell’s voice really brings things to life (even if she does sometimes sound so much like a dead ringer for Siouxsie Sioux that you start to wonder if it’s intentional). Recommended if you like bands like Metric.
And so much for 2010. The annual and 100% illegal podcast of this year’s winners is coming soon to an Internet near you.
Two big humps and then I’m gone,
This is dF
