We’ve had plenty of people weigh in on the best music of the past year, reinforcing my conviction that 2009 was a superlative year for aural fetishists. However, let us not forget the dross, for there has also been a whole lot of crap. In recognizing some of the worst these past twelve months have had to offer, be grateful you have discriminating tastes. Some people eat this shit up.
Chickenfoot – Chickenfoot
The debut from this “supergroup” is the sonic equivalent of Roger Moore’s performance in View to a Kill, in which a 57-year-old Moore phones in an awkward farewell performance as James Bond, a role he should have given up fifteen years prior. Sammy Hagar (Van Halen), Marc Anthony (Van Halen), Joe Statriani and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) are clearly trying to carry the Led Zepplin mantle but simply come off as a terrible bar band. Even if you love Joe Satriani and Hagar-era Van Halen, this album has nothing to offer you but incompetent riffs and the death-rattle like rasps of a man who used to be able to carry a tune.
Asher Roth – Asleep in the Bread Aisle
With any other album on this list, if you were to say to me, “Herb. I know it’s not your thing, but I like it,” I’d let you have it. Lord knows I listen to plenty of stuff that other people despise. The exception is this musical abomination by Asher Roth, who’s break out single “I Love College” is lazy, derivative and repugnant. The kind of lifestyle Roth celebrates with his music is characterized by merry ignorance, lecherous sexuality and milquetoast wit. Roth is the embodiment of the worst qualities of mainstream music and the manufactured personalities it produces.
Owl City – Ocean Eyes
Tacky. Saccharine. Overly-sentimental. Garbage. Ocean Eyes is a Postal Service record filtered through a Family Circus cartoon. Every song is a polished-to-nothing and empty-headed epic-ballad that makes Captain & Tennille sound like Black Sabbath. I feel a little bad writing this, because I believe Adam Young, who is Owl City’s sole member, is a sincere songwriter. Unfortunately, he gives me a severe allergic reaction.
Various Artists – The Michael Jackson Remix Suite
The crass commercial exploitation that follows a celebrity’s death is as likely as the wetness that follows rain, but as often and inevitably as the macabre exercise occurs, it never loses its capacity to disgust. There were a number of releases in the wake of Michael Jackson’s death that exemplified this, but none more so than The Michael Jackson Remix Suite, a collection of profoundly boring remixes of Jackson’s hits that have sapped the originals of their vitality and charm. If the goal of this album was to reflect via Jackson’s songs what Jackson did to himself, mission accomplished. Like the former King of Pop, these songs are grotesque, unnatural caricatures that have been sedated to death.
Hey, it’s my top ten list for this year. Hope you like. It’s been a rough year for me. High school sucks.
7. The Jesus And Mary Chain, “Automatic”
This tape is really cool, but too short even though it has two extra songs on it. It has a really neat rocking sound with electric drums. Triple-X has been playing “Head On” a lot but I like “Blues From A Gun” way better. I don’t care about the state of my hair!
Ten years ago I was enrolled at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. It doesn’t feel like a long time ago, but looking over my haphazardly-compiled best-of-the-decade list, I’m forced to consider the range and scope of the experiences that I will forever associate with these fantastic albums. It’s been a hell of a decade.
Apparently 2003 was a particularly great year in music for me. It occupies about half this list. Also, the second half of the decade only provided me with two albums. Is that a consequence of my growing cynicism? I’d like to think it’s simply a matter of these albums not having had a chance to resonate as deeply as something like Pig Lib, which was a daily source of comfort and inspiration during a tough time.
If I were to reconsider this tomorrow, I think about half the list would stay the same. Contrary to what some might say (Casey Rea, I’m looking at you), the aughts have been a fertile decade for music. (At least the first half. The second, I think, may belong to television, but I digress.)
My favorite album’s of the decade:
Deltron 3030 – s/t (2000) – The best thing Dan The Automater, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien or Kid Koala have ever done is this early-millennium masterpiece. The production is staggering and Del is in fine-form. This is a genre-transcending hip-hop record.
Super Furry Animals - Mwng (2000) – I was pleased to see Casey The Contrarian include Rings Around The World on his list, but I’m going to have to side with its predecessor, Mwng. With their former label bankrupt, the band had a lot to prove. Rather than play it safe, SFA released an all-Welsh home-brewed triumph. They put it out on their own and managed to parlay its acclaim into a deal with a new label.
Daft Punk – Discovery (2001) – Possibly my favorite album on this list, Discovery raised the bar. Infectious, upbeat, moving and witty, there’s not really anything that compares. It towers over the rest of the band’s catalog as well as the rest of the French House scene.
Steve Malkmus – Pig Lib (2003) – With his solo debut, Malkmus demonstrated that he’d be just fine without Pavement. With Pig Lib, he almost made you forget about his former band. Everything about this record is seeped in excellence.
5. 2009 Has Been a Great Year for Music: Whatever your genre preference, there’s been a lot of wonderful stuff coming out in 2009. It’s impossible to be brief and concise conveying the scope of quality 2009 titles. Some of my personal favorites include Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, The Fuck Button’s Tarot Sport, Fever Ray’s Fever Ray and Beirut’s March of the Zapotec/Holland. Of course, I’ve barely scratched the surface.
4. Vinyl’s Still Going Strong: The resurgence of vinyl’s popularity over the last few years has been an absolute blessing for audiophiles. We’re at a point now where it’s safe to assume any given album will see a vinyl issue, often coupled with a voucher for an mp3 download of your purchase. These days, it’s a no-brainer picking sides in the format war. (Incidentally the only new record I purchased on both cd and vinyl this year was Bad Lieutenant.)
3. Reissues Abound: The extent to which an old album can be cleaned-up, remixed and remastered is staggering. 2009 saw the best-sounding records of the 60′s, The Beatles catalog, reissued and sounding vastly improved. It’s nothing short of revelatory to listen to one of your favorite albums after a top-notch remastering. Currently, about half our staff are obsessively listening to and extolling the virtues of the magnificent sounding reissue of King Crimson’s Red.
2. A Good Showing From The Elder Statesmen: Question: What do Bob Dylan, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr and Yoko Ono have in common? Answer: They’ve all been producing music for over twenty-five years and they all released great albums this year. 2009 has been kind to the old guard, or should I say the old guard has been kind to us in 2009? There’s been so much good stuff from established acts this year, one could ignore all the newer artists and still have plenty to listen to.
1. We Are Still Here: It’s been a tough decade for the music retail industry. CD burner’s, legal and illegal digital music distribution and the prevalence of mp3 players have all put a tight squeeze on our livelihood, and yet we’re still here. Truthfully, it’s a bit of a miracle we’ve managed to hang in, and for that, we are greatly thankful. It’s a lot of hard work, but we believe in it and are proud to continue to make tangible music product available to those who want it.
You’re probably wondering why we’re posting a Christmas list when we’re still a week away from Thanksgiving – I’m not going to lie to you, I listen to Christmas music around the holidays starting as early as now. Yes, behind this cold cynical record store clerk exterior beats the heart of a warm blooded sentimentalist.
While the beloved classics; Vince Guaraldi, Bing Crosby, The Chipmunks – are never far away from our 8-track decks (am i right?) sometimes we need a little push in a bold new direction, and by we, I mean you. So here’s Pure Pop’s list of 5 Christmas Albums you may not have heard of yet but which are definitely worth checking out.
5: Jethro Tull – The Jethro Tull Christmas Album
For a band that’s been making music about minstrels, peasants, kings, paupers, and the like for 40+ years it would seem like a no brainer that in 2003 they came out with a Christmas album. Filled to the brim with a combination of 70′s prog-rock, traditional british folk, and their own blend of oddball Dickensian lyricism and wit, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album feels like a lost relic from their creative heyday, entirely listenable as a holiday album, or just a great collection of Tull Songs.
4: My Morning Jacket – Does Christmas Fiasco Style EP
Bet you didn’t know about this little diamond in the rough, but yes – My Morning Jacket did in fact put out a Christmas EP, and if you’re a fan of MMJ (and if Pure Pop’s sales figures are correct, you’re legion.) than this one should certainly be playing at your next ironic holiday sweater party. (Note: Pure Pop Records does not condone the wearing of sweaters for ironic purposes at any time.) Just throw this well crafted little number in to the mix with some other well known classics and see how well it blends. And for those who care, there’s even an excellent cover of Nick Cave’s “New Morning”.
3: Reverend Horton Heat – We Three Kings
This is the Christmas album that you play at the Christmas party, that gets out of hand. It’s classic Reverend HH straight up Punkabilly fun and the boys in the band are in top form on a great collection of classics. I’d write more about it here, but there’s really nothing else to say.
2: Sufjan Stevens -Songs For Christmas
This is a 5 CD box set compiling 5 years of Stevens’ yearly Christmas offerings and if you’re familiar with the man’s output you know that while he’s fairly prolific, level of quality in his output is remarkably high. His string arrangements alone on these pieces take tired old holiday classics and bring out their original luster. Pretty much essential for any fan of delicate and maudlin Indie Rock.
1: Bob Dylan – Christmas In The Heart
Nevermind all the pundits pointing out the irony of Mr. Zimmerman making Christmas music, that’s not the point… Actually I’m not sure what the point is with this one. Is it a joke? A joke that no one but Bob himself is in on? Or is a serious attempt at making entertaining, timeless holiday music… Who knows, all we know is that it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds on paper and it’s often surprisingly good in places, with a ragged thrown off quality and subtle unfettered playing. Perfect for a night around the fire drinking heavily spiked eggnog.
We probably pay a bit too much attention to Morrissey on this site, but that’s because we love him. As many of you may know, he recently collapsed on-stage after performing just one song, “This Charming Man”. He’s been ill with what’s apparently some sort of respiratory problem. Morrissey’s been working hard the past few years, touring aggressively in support of a string of wonderful albums. Perhaps it’s all caught up with the fifty-year-old.
In tribute to our favorite melancholy crooner, here’s five great Morrissey songs. Get well soon, Moz!
(None of these songs are terribly obscure, but we also wanted to avoid anything too obvious. The most well known Morrissey songs, though they don’t appear here, are certainly among his best.)
1. “You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side” - The opening track for one of the man’s finest records, Your Arsenal, the track and album are a little more rocking than Morrissey one would expect Morrissey to be. (That’s not to say it’s rocking enough to bring new fans into the fold.)
2. “Sunny” - After Morrissey switched to RCA, EMI released this track as a single, hoping another label’s marketing push would send some dollars their way. It subsequently appeared on the terribly uneven My Early Burglary Years compilation. The track is a lovely little bit of Morrissey whimsy.
3. “Irish Blood, English Heart” - In the late 90′s, it seemed Morrissey had all but completely run out of steam. In 2004, he heralded a true return-to-form with You Are The Quarry, arguably the man’s best solo material to date. After spending nearly a decade as the de facto has-been press punching-bag, Morrissey proved he could still be great. This is a fine example of the caliber of that material.
4. “Reader Meet Author” - Even the worst Morrissey albums have decent tracks. Take this number from Southpaw Grammar, a misfire from 1995, and the only proper Morrissey album not to feature a picture of the man on the cover. (Is it a coincidence that it was also one his most poorly received?) This track is a highlight.
5. “We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful” – Say what you will about Morrissey, the man loves reflective shirts. Another tune from Your Arsenal, this one finds Morrissey humorously reflecting on the way success seems to breed a certain kind of alienation.
Tanner, who since he was twelve spends most of his time planning an ever-more-elaborate, ever-less-likely-to-happen wedding for himself, came upon this dull website for what appears to be a collective of wedding dj’s. Amusingly, there’s a page of indie-rock themed wedding mixes, all of which look like rough drafts for the Garden State soundtrack. Being the bitter, dry husks of human beings that we are, the first thing we thought was, “What would the opposite of these mixes look like?”
In that spirit, we proudly offer you seven tracks to spoil the mood at a wedding.
1. The Big Pink – Dominos
“As soon as I love her it’s been too long.
And I really love breaking your heart”
2. The Mountain Goats – No Children
“And I hope when you think of me years down the line
You can’t find one good thing to say
And I’d hope that if I found the strength to walk out
You’d stay the hell out of my way
I am drowning
There is no sign of land
You are coming down with me
Hand in unlovable hand
And I hope you die
I hope we both die”
3. XTC – Your Dictionary
“Now your laughter has a hollow ring
But the hollow ring has no finger in
So lets close the book and let the day begin
And our marriage be undone”
4. Rolling Stones – Out of Time
“You’re out of touch, my baby
My poor discarded baby
I said, baby, baby, baby, you’re out of time”
5. Husker Du – Never Talking to You Again
“I’d put you down where you belong
But I’m never talking to you again
I’d show you everywhere you’re wrong
But I’m never talking to you again”
6. The Misfits – Last Caress
“Well, I got something to say
I killed your baby today
And it doesn’t matter much to me
As long as its dead”
7. Jarvis Cocker – Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time
” ’cause the years fly by in an instant
and you wonder what he’s waiting for
and then some skinny bitch walks by in some hotpants
and he’s running out the door”
I Wanna Hold Your Hand ($4.88) - Before the Back To The Future Trilogy or Forrest Gump, Robert Zemeckis made his film debut with this charming tale of three young women who want to encounter The Beatles during their legendary 1964 New York visit for three very different reasons.
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny ($8.88) – Skeptical audiences skipped this one at the box office, all but ensuring we’ll never see a sequel. It’s too bad, because this Tenacious D origin story/fantasy epic is a sturdy piece of comedy loaded with inspired gags, hilarious cameos and classic D tracks.
Cry-Baby ($9.88) - John Waters‘ 1990 nostalgia fest stars a very young Johnny Depp as a 50′s gang member who falls in love with a straight-laced girl. Spoofing the conventions of teen musicals and mainstream portrayals of sub-culture, Cry-Baby is endlessly entertaining.
Nashville ($6.88) - Robert Altman directed a handful of truly great films in his vast career, and Nashville is one of the best. It features most of Altman’s hallmarks, including massive group action, overlapping dialogue and a dizzying number of intertwining plot threads. Even people entirely disinterested in the music culture of Nashville, Tennessee will find a lot in this film to fascinate them.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai ($6.88) – Allright, this is not a music-themed film by any stretch of the imagination. It is a great movie by the incomporable Jim Jarmusch about a modern man living by the samurai code who owes a life-debt to a local mobster. It gets a little complicated from there. Why is it on this list? Well, RZA did the music. Duh.
When all that Beatles stuff came out a coupla weeks ago, mountains of hyperbole, most of it warranted, were tossed around. For example, many people remarked that the band’s creative evolution was the broadest in all of rock. From their conventional beginnings, through their psychedelic studio alchemy to the majesty of Abbey Road’s side 2 suite, it’s hard to dispute that The Beatles covered more ground in their seven or so years then any had before them or has since.
On the other hand, maybe that’s something of a rigged accolade. There was a lot of room for rock n’ roll to open up in the early sixties. Throughout the decade, many artists pushed boundaries and pioneered innovations. The Beatles, with their vast financial resources and army of “best-in-the-biz” studio mechanics, could easily streamline cutting edge-trends into their sound.
The Beatles were a great band, and if anyone deserves the “best-of-all-time” title, it’s those lads, but isn’t their embodiment of the 60′s sound more a result of their ability to follow trends than build them?
Consider a band like Big Star. In three short years, Big Star went from upbeat power-pop to music that was despaired, esoteric and nigh unclassifiable. This did not go-with-the-proverbial flow of their contemporaries. Big Star cultivated their own sound and subsequently evolved via their own aspirations and frustrations. Sure, they proudly wore their influences on their sleeve (Velvet Underground, The Kinks and yes, The Beatles.) What separates their evolution from a band like The Beatles is that Big Star didn’t streamline. In fact, they seemed incapable of making their music palpable for mass audiences. Their third (and dare I say best) album didn’t see release for a half a decade after its creation because labels deemed it “un-listenable”.
So, speaking of Big Star, Rhino’s Keep An Eye on the Sky release of just about everything you could ever want or need by the band is an absolute must-own. I didn’t realize how in-need of a clean-up job their material was before listening to the glorious job the ever-reliable Rhino has done with Big Star’s material. You know how a sip of water can make you realize how thirsty you’ve been? That’s the sort of sensation one has listening to this set for the first time.
In honor of this fantastic release, we’ve compiled a list of what we consider to be highlights from the set.
1. “Oh My Soul” – The opening track of Radio City, Big Star’s second album, is one of their finest. Lively and jaunting, it features some of Alex Chilton’s most creative songwriting and guitar work. The remastered version’s added fidelity highlights the nuance of the song’s arrangement.
2. “Downs (demo)” - In it’s official incarnation on Third/Sisters Lovers, “Downs” is a particularly eccentric piece. It sounds both over and under-produced. The demo version, a simple and straight-forward solo-acoustic rendition, reveals a tight structure and fantastic melody. Both are on the box set. Compare and contrast!
3. “Hot Burrito #2 (live)” & “Slut (live)” – Big Star weren’t shy about covering their favorite songs. On these versions of songs by The Flying Burrito Brothers and Todd Rundgren respectively, Big Star meet the originals halfway by not corrupting their essences while making them their own.
4. “I Got Kinda Lost (demo)” – Contrary to the stripped-down “Downs” demo mentioned earlier, this version of “I Got Kinda Lost” features the whole band performing the song together. The raw and immaculate performance is invigorating, leading up to a highlight of the entire box-set. “How was that?” asks a member of the band at the song’s conclusion.
“It’ll do” replies what I can only assume is an engineer or producer, making the understatement of the 70′s.
5. “For You” - I hate to use the word sublime, but it really describes this song. Composed and sung by drummer Jody Stephens, it’s a simple tribute to the object of Stephens’ affection. “For You” features a haunting string arrangement that benefits greatly from Keep an Eye on the Sky’s remastering job. This track is reason enough alone to buy the set.
I worked at Pure Pop for exactly a year. My favorite part of the job was grading the condition of the used vinyl. My least favorite was selling concert tickets. Anyway, the music you hear when you shop there is an employee’s pick. You get to pick one album and then you have wait for the other employee’s picks to run through before you get play another. These days I’m a bartender at The OP, which means I can play whatever the fuck I want all day long. Sometimes people will make suggestions or requests (one customer got really steamed when I skipped over Donna Summer‘s 18-minute rendition of “MacArthur Park.” Um, sorry…NO), but I usually ignore them. Also, there are 10,000 songs on my iPod. I have lots of music to choose from on any given day for any kind of shitty mood I might be in. So, this is The OP top five.
1> The Rolling Stone 500 Songs playlist and The Pitchfork 500 Songs playlist.
People on the internet are crazy. Somebody actually took these lists of great songs, spent time compiling them, and then put them on the internet as a bit torrent file. The Rolling Stone one is great for the older patrons, who sometimes look very surprised that I know who Little Richard and Bill Haley are. The Pitchfork one is for the younger folks. Either way, all I have to do is open the playlist up, hit shuffle, and it’s great songs all day long. Also, it’s like radio. When a song you dig comes on the radio, it’s different than playing it at home. It’s more fresh because it’s unexpected. The Rolling Stone playlist will make you realize how many songs are about losing the one you love. I’m gonna go with 98%.
2> LCD Soundsystem, “Sound Of Silver”
Whenever I put this on at least five people will come up and ask me who it is. I’m pretty sure by the time they sit down they’ve already forgotten. No matter. I’ve watched old drunk people dance to it. On multiple occasions. Sounds like silver to me. It’s a lot like the Beta Band scene in “High Fidelity” except nobody goes out and buys it.
3> Pavement, “Grounded”
I never get tired of this song, but every time I play it at the bar at least one person locks eyes with me and nods. They know. I know.
4> Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Playing this makes the girls in the bar very happy, especially when it’s late and they’re all drunk. It makes me happy, too.
5> Silence.
The first example of silence I’ll use is its use at the end of the night when you want people to leave. Lights bright, music off. Usually effective. The other example occurred yesterday, during Beatles Day. When I worked at restaurants if the customers talked too loud (sometimes it’s deafening) I’d simply turn the music down a bit and they’d get a little quieter. Yesterday, a few drunken patrons were shouting their opinions over horse racing at increasing volumes. I tried the quiet trick. It didn’t work. Oh, well.
