Tristen: Charlatons At The Garden Gate

About a year ago, Nashville trio(plus guests) Tristen, led by Vocalist Tristen Gaspadarek, released their debut album Charlatons At The Garden Gate.  After sliding under my radar for nearly a year, I have finally listened to this album, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement. 

Charlatons At The Garden Gate is a neo-folk gem, full of idiosyncrasies.  Throughout the album, Tristen recounts, with impeccable storytelling ability, her struggles with finding love and untangling her emotions.  She tackles these heavy emotions with light and cheery music; where a lesser artist would have released a bogged down, depressing album, Tristen keeps it playful and optimistic.  The heavy instrumentation creates a layering that delicately ricochets from minimal to extravagant.  The songs are short, and lead little room for interpretation.  Tristen does not seem to be over analytical of her feelings, but rather a reporter of them.  Her simple beauty and use of figurative language is as addicting to her listeners as it is accessible.

Tristen does well not falling into the easy trap of lovelorn singers.  She does not pine and brood over her lack of love, but playfully refuses to succumb to the traditional mores of relationships, and her desire to be happy on her own terms.  It is refreshing and devoid of cliche.

Tristen has proven to be a toure de folk force.  She has the original words, pretty music, and lively personality to go far in the now popular indie folk scene. 

The Weekend: Echoes Of Silence.

    A year ago, few knew who "The Weekend" was.  There was merely a cache of songs produced by an anonymous voice.  The cat is now out of the bag, and Abel Tesfaye has been outed as the owner of that angelic voice.

      Echoes of Silence was released at the end of 2011, and is the final of album of  a trilogy (the first two being House of Balloons, and Thursday.)  Tesfaye continues his claim to fame, which is depraved lyrics coming from his truly beatific voice.  The resulting juxtaposition is very haunting.  His production is a perfect for him; loaded with minimalist instrumentation, usually led by percussion and reverb, followed by grand swells.  The resulting product has taken both the Hip-Hop/R&B, and indie scene by storm. 

     While Echoes of Silence lacks the surprises of its predecessors, it is comes through as another strong album.  The Weekend exudes the same confidence and tragic narcissism that has made him so acclaimed.  He elaborates to his audience his late night tales of casual booze, drugs, and sex.  Musically, his songs establish that same strong sense of mood and longing, setting him above the other, more prominent, self disclosing, confessional, R&B artists (such as Drake).  There is an authenticity in Echoes that the listener becomes engulfed in, which creates in invested interest in the Tesfaye's eventual demise by the albums ending.  Echoes is an evocative journey through a tortured soul.
     The Weekend has finished his epic trilogy with a strong, albeit predictable ending.  Echoes of Silence once again displays an R&B toure de force at his most bare and brazen.   Only time will tell where and how The Weekend will evolve, but his credibility and authenticity as an artist certainly not be questioned.    

TV on the Radio: The New Elite.

     

     TV on the Radio has entered the pantheon of alt-rock supremacy.  The Brooklyn based ensemble have been inducted to an elite group of post-grunge indie bands that have consistently released flawless albums, and have yet to hit a creative lull.  They have created a sound lush eclectic sound that is undeniably "TV on the Radio," but still evolves and matures with every passing release.  TVOTR tactfully walks the line of artistic integrity and commercial success; selling records without selling out.  They have put in their effort and now reaping their rewards.

   TV on the Radio formed in Brooklyn around 2001.  The band is multiracial, and multi-ethnic.  Much of the bands diverse spectrum of sound can be attributed to its' scores of different influences.  Residing in Brooklyn also gave way to a mountainous amount of culture to be absorbed.  The band tinkered around and released an album of demos titled OK Calulator (Haha, Radiohead fans.)  This release only featured two members of the subsequent lineup, and is merely a skeleton of the sound the band would later achieve.  The band kept at it, though, and the band eventually settled on its members, most notably Kyp Malone(he as well as most of the band is a multi-instrumentalist).  Armed with a new lineup, TVOTR entered the studio to cut an EP, Young Liars.  Released to critical acclaim, showing off the band's penchant for eclectic sounds within a single piece of work.  With their newfound adulation, TVOTR re-entered the studioto try their hand at a full length album, 2004's Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes.  The LP was decent, but still showed their immaturity as a band.  Desperate Youth... was an example of an amazing band slowly coming together.  Despite the occasional clunker, the album was received well (most remarkably by rock-god, David Bowie), and TVOTR was signed on to Interscope Records.

     Now set with a permanent lineup and a major label budget, TVOTR entered a Brooklyn studio to record 2006's Return to Cookie Mountain.  The most exceptional moment of the recording process was surely the inclusion of David Bowie on the song "Province." The results were epic.  TVOTR found their niche as eclectic art rock royalty.  The album, even the songs jettisoned from funk, to art-rock, to indie pop.  The sound was ....TV on the Radio.   Cookie Mountain was recepted wonderfully, blowing up the rating systsem of all music reviewers.  In all of the major year end reviews, (Spin, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Slant, rhapsody) the lowest rank Cookie Mountain received was #4.  Uber-critic, Pitchfork, ranked the album #2, no easy feat.  TV on the Radio had made it, but nobody knew what was coming next.

     In 2008, the band released Dear Science.  An exceptional album that somehow dwarfed the acclaim of Cookie Mountain.   The album pushed the envelope of the term "genre" and Dear Science's style was a high-watermark for the band.  The album so delicately interwove its influence to create a sound that is indelibly TVOTR.  The sound of Dear Science, with its' subtle combination of electro/indieart/rock/alternative/world sound, has been mimicked by an immeasurable amount of subsequent bands and albums.   This album blew the lid off the indie rock world, and the album has been put in the upper echelons of modern music genius.  The unbelievable talent was not lost upon critics, either.  Dear Science was ranked #1 in literally EVERY credible year end rank list.  It has also been placed on almost every "best of the decade" lists, such as Rolling Stone and Pitchfork.  Jamband gurus Phish even champion the album, often covering the song "Golden Age." (Sorry, had to reference it).

      After extensive concert and festival appearances, along with guest spots on most every late-night talk show, TVOTR went back into the studio, this time in Los Angeles.  Despite the change in scenery, the results were the same.  In March, Nine Types of Light, TVOTR's newest album, was released to the world.  Though the acclaim was not as austere as its' predecessor, it was by no means panned by critics, and unanimously regarded as one of the better albums of 2011.  Nine days after the release of  Nine Types of Light, bassist/keyboardist, Gerard Smith passed away from the lung cancer he was diagnosed with a couple of months earlier.  The loss of the revered and lovable Smith left a monumental void in the band, who prided themselves on evolving so organically.  A replacement was found for the remainder of TVOTR's scheduled 2011 tour dates, but no further plans as a band has been made since.  

     Despite its' muddied future,  TV on the Radio is sure to continue as a band.  Quite frankly, the project is too genius to abandon.  It is hard to replace a member as unique as Gerard Smith, but the intellect of the remaining members will allow for the creativity to continue to flow.  The future is endless for this hardworking Brooklyn band, and the ever growing fans are waiting for their next big thing.

    

Changing of the Guards: Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?

Chicago Bears offices were swarmed in chaos on Tuesday, as Jerry Angelo and Mike Martz were relieved of their duties.   This news has come just days after the Bears finished their disappointing 8-8 season.  While the coaching and managerial staff was certainly not without its' concerns, these two were seem to be the whipping boys for a season plagued with unfortunate circumstances.  Is their apathy worthy of unemployment? 

The 2011 Bears were bound for the playoffs.  They had a 7-3 records, and its offense was firing on all cylinders; making the absolute most out of a mediocre, at best, offensive line.  Whether you love him or hate him, Jay Cutler provided a sold backbone for the team.  Steady workhorse Matt Forte also lended his best performance since his wunderkind rookie season.   The defense was strong as usual, and  This all changed quickly however, as week 11 gave the entire Bears organization a harsh reality check.  Cutler went down with a broken thumb on his throwing hand.  Unfortunately, this minor break in a major spot abruptly ended his season.  A couple weeks later, Forte went down with a season ending MCL sprain.  Combine that with the agonizing back injury to Johnny Knox (and his backup's agonizing drug trafficking charges), and the Bears finished the season 8-8; a mere shell of an NFL football team.

Angelo needs consequences assessed for his languor in the situation.  He is the primary reason why the Chicago Bears were left so painfully unprepared when its main ships went down.  Fans patience were further tested when he rested on his laurels, opting to use Caleb Hanie, a decent QB, but profoundly unready for professional level of play.  While some of his great acquisitions of the past, most notably Cutler, and defensive powerhouses Julius Peppers and Orlando Pace, are what brought the team back to the NFC Championship game (narrowly losing to subsequent Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers), the crime of apathy that cost them a playoff birth. 

  

Despite this, should this cost Angelo his job?  While he was flat-footed in the face of disaster, this season would not have ended well regardless of the backup situation.  Even with quality backups, the Bears could not have compensated for a completely shattered offense.  The team may have not lost five games straight, but they could not have went far.  It was just too many luckless events to give way for successful playoff performance, if they did make it to postseason.  Perhaps resting on his laurels, and chalking this up to a ill-fated year wasn't that terrible of an idea. 

Mike Martz really seems to be a scapegoat in the situation.  The reasoning for his departure was vague...claiming he and head coach Lovie Smith had "different philosophies."  Considering what Martz was working with, few offensive coordinators could have done better.  In the past two seasons, he led the Bears to the aforementioned NFC Championship, and a great 2011 season before the shocking amount of injuries.  He brought the best out in his team, and most fans would agree that the offense was coming together as a single unit.  The notion that he could be faulted for an unfortunate chain of events seems unreasonable by even the most critical fans.

Perhaps changes needed to be made.  Where ANY professional team would have made quick changes, and well equipped standbys, the Bears had nothing but regret, and time for its players convalesce.  The reality,however, is that there was no direction to point the finger.  It was bad luck, and the old Chicago adage remains, 'just wait 'til next year."

Africa Hitech: 93 Million Miles.

 Africa Hitech is a noble DJ experiment created by producers Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek. Separately, they have each have a lengthy list of credits to their name, but this is the groups first experience working together.  While it is risky and challenging for two producers to collaborate on a single album, the two do it flawlessly on 93 Million Miles.  Africa Hitech combine a myriad of styles and sounds to come with a album that is both driving yet cerebral.  It is no easy task to have genres of music careening off each other without the album sounding scattered and unfocused, but Pritchard and Spacek created a very cohesive album.  The heavy use of the drum machine as a backbone, and reliance of short blips help 93 million miles sound uniform throughout the album, and allow for a thematic resonance amid a galaxy of tones and styles. The two producers also do a spectacular job transitioning the album.  93 Million Miles opens with the the songs being sped up jittery and, throughout the album leads to a strong finish of jazz and loungey downtempo.  The smooth movement makes mixture of music easier for the listener to take in, as well as achieve Africa Hitech's objective of two producers creating a single DJ mix.  93 Million Miles is a perfect example of organized chaos and two artists creating excellence through fun.

Radio Tragedy!

On December 15th, Howard Stern announced on the air that he would be the new host of NBC's Americas Got Talent.  Stern has long admitted to being a fan of this, as well as other, reality talent shows, and the show's hardcore following of daily listeners were probably not surprised by the seemingly surprising announcement.

Stern's reintroduction into the NBC community, to many, is the nail in the coffin of a once heroic icon of the media, and the ultimate betrayal of an underground leader.  It is certainly Stern's withdrawal from the fringe, and into the mainstream, and will be looked on disdainfully by his audience.  For three decades now, Stern has been "our" thing: a cult of responsible adults abandoning their maturity for 4 hours a day to laugh at dick and fart jokes.  In a world where the masses are pushed to be adults, the Stern show gave listeners the ability to be kids.  We waited with baited breath as a guest told a sex story, and gasped when a juicy revelation was told on the air.  Stern was not for everyone; it was not for most.  While most people looked at him as a pervert, racist, or asshole, we knew better.  We were not afraid to laugh.  Stern, with his new AGT venture,  is no longer "our" thing...but "their" thing.  He is now a watered-down, virgin cocktail of what he used to be....he has all the ingredients, except the kick that really matters.  He is no longer subversive, but ready to be honored by the masses, and a parody of the rebel he claims to be.

Stern's death of credibility was solidified with his contract with Americas Got Talent, but it was a slow and painful fate that his audience foresaw long ago.  Stern has gradually, as he put it, "evolved" into something else, and several precipitating events lead to his infamous December 15th announcement.  Each event is a small crack in the facade of a now broken legend.

Politically Correct Stern:
Howard Stern fans are not that different from the rest of America.  We, as well as Stern himself, know racism, sexism, and homophobia is wrong.  That being said, there is nothing inherently wrong with laughing at satire.  No subculture was safe from Stern's wrath.  He strived to point on the ignorance of humanity.  For every "Out of the Closet Stern" or "Black Jeopardy" bit making fun of their respective demographic, Daniel Carver (Grand Wizard of the KKK) was on the airwaves making white people look stupid.  For every porn star he had on the air taking her clothes off, he had a TRULY pathetic man trying to sleep with her, usually failing and mocked.

Stern has abandoned the cultural satire for refined, safer, critiques on pop culture.  He now discusses reality stars and talking heads who are open season for all on air opinions.  Stern's drifting from the taboo to the acceptable weakened his rebellious notoriety, and softened his image.  One of Stern's greatest traits is his ability, through his satire, to exhibit an exaggerated image of the world at large.  He can no longer achieve this with his increasingly vapid discussions.

The Sybian and Sirius:
When Howard Stern began his reign on Sirius Radio, there was a noticeable revitalization of Stern. For the first time in years,  he was excited to be on the air.  He had carte blanche over the airwaves, and his enthusiasm was contagious....it didn't last.  The paycheck, not contingent with ratings, quickly led to an apathy; and the ability to be no holds barred on the air paved the way for easy, bland, comedy.  When on terrestrial radio, his shock value was based on pushing the envelope of convention.  He can now says what he wants, and it takes away from the show.  He no longer has to find a clever way to be x-rated....he can just be x-rated.  If one of his diatribes isn't funny, he will throw in a shelling of "fucks" to make it more extreme.  If an interview is floundering, he will ask about "anal." Clever, I know.

If his team of writers cannot think of something funny, or the guests simply aren't available, Howard always has his ace-in-the-hole: The Sybian.  The Sybian is a sex toy, where a woman rides this object to climax.  Countless times on The Stern Show, beginning from the early 80s, a woman has achieved orgasm on the air; this is no longer funny or edgy for Stern, but a cop out.  It is an unintelligent failsafe for when decent comedy writing is at a loss, and the ride, and the post interview is an easy way to eat time between commercials without the effort of creativity.  (Note* When Stern brought Dave Lampert, the now ancient Inventor of the Sybian, into the studio, it WAS radio gold.)


Who to Fill "The Chair?"
2010 ushered in a new era for The Howard Stern Show.  After nearly a decade, Artie Lange left the show to stabilize his life.  This left the show without a fifth member, and a void Stern now has no intention of filling.  Between the departure Jackie Martling and Lange, the show has been left without an anchor: someone to offer checks and balances between cast members, namely Howard and Robin.  Stern and Quivers have been partaking in increasingly self indulgent, and downright bizarre, behavior.  Quivers travels the world on trendy philanthropic endeavors lacking true altruism or substance, and Stern has become increasingly pompous and detached; unrelatable to his audience.  These behaviors are tee-offs for Martling, who NEVER had reluctance to call the mighty into question.  Lange, while not as open to criticize as his predecessor, created common ground between the listeners and the show.  Unlike Stern, Lange had no interest in "Dancing with the Stars" or Hamptons soirees.  The absence of this dynamic takes commonality that made the show successful.    

The New Cast:
There is definitely some high points of the new ensemble.  Many of the new cast have truly funny moments.  The issue lies in Howard Stern's  reliance on these characters and their one-trick schtick.  Instead of creating funny bits or provocative interviews (Yes, Stern used to do both,) Stern excessively calls into question one trait of each second tier member of the show.  Ronnie is an angry cocksman, Sal is a pervert who's marriage is falling apart, Richard is a dirty hillbilly, ETC.  At one time, pointing out these traits was hilarious, and made for great listening for the fans.  Stern, however, took it and ran with it.  Now, Stern makes up faux arguments to get the cast on the air, thereby taking pressure and creative responsibility off Stern himself.  The end result is are bland, obviously contrived, squabbles between staff members, where Stern serves as a mediator.  Being as how these cast members were once fans, and never part of the entertainment or comedy industry, they are equally uncreative, and amplify their trademark behaviors.

Stern is a very funny person...he has made a career out of his humor.  It is a shame that, in recent years, Stern has taken the attention off of him and his primary cast, and on these second tier workers surrounding him.    The peak moments of the show lie within the banter of five friends talking together.  Those organic discussions, and resulting arguments and resolutions, are what made the show incredible.  The show has always had fans as part of the show, with regular callers, wackpackers, ETC, but they were used sparingly. The implementation of this ensemble cast puts the emphasis away from the talent, and expected primary focus, of The Howard Stern Show.

Hampton's Howie and the Amaaazing Beth O:
Shortly after his divorce from Allison, Howard told his audience that the marriage ended because he was becoming "too much like his character on the radio."  Many fans suspect infidelity, an accusation that has never been confirmed absolutely.  The real issue, however, was not that he became the cocksman he portrayed on the radio, but the angry curmudgeon, surlily watching television in his basement, then voicing his sexless misery to millions of listeners.  Too much of his world was divulged onto the radio, and the water became muddied as to where the Stern show ended and Howard Stern, husband and father, began. Since the inception of his newest relationship, he has clearly made a conscious attempt to leave many details of the two privy to only the parties involved.  This practice may be wise for Stern, as radio success is not worth, especially at this point in his career, personal unhappiness.  However, if this portion of his life is off limits, then Stern should leave it as such.  He needs to abandon the praise that is becoming more and more omnipresent on the air.  If she is immune to to fodder, then she should be immune to adulation.  Advertising her books and causes (the exact same thing he made fun of Imus for) is jading the fans, and the irrepressible praise, and more importantly, her exemption from critique, is perverting the nature of the show.   Many listeners consider her a gold-digger because of her CONSTANT presence on Page 6.  This notion is only exacerbated by Howard plugging her book and charities, and glorifying her existence throughout the show on a daily basis.  The dynamics of Howard and Beth's relationship is of no business to the audience, so it is his responsibility to leave her off the airwaves.

Sirius Radio OFFERED Howard Stern an obscene figure to switch to satellite radio , and he would be stupid not to take it.  For much of his professional career, Stern has been well off financially.  The amount of money Stern earns, or the amount of chimneys in his Hamptons abode, has no bearing on the quality of the show.  His reaction, sadly, does.  In his finest days, Stern's greatest strength is his ability to separate from, and highlight, the bullshit of the culturally successful.  He hated phoniness, and his most notable feuds stemmed from his cognizance and broadcasting of it.  Those feuds are now buried with the edge of the show.  He now schmoozes and placates Rosie and Chevy, hanging out with them at Billy Joel's private concerts.  Ostensibly there is nothing wrong with famous friends, but being best friends with a recently sworn enemy is either artificial or juvenile: neither is admirable. Outside of his now overplayed vendetta with Jay Leno, he is completely benign to all levels of the Hollywood world, from A-List to Tila Tequila.  He is obviously afraid of creating potential enemies, both for him and Beth, as highlighted by his new found praise of Tyra Banks' talent.  Where Stern was bitter, and celebrated, for being ostracized from the cool, he is now as hip (phony baloney) as all those he once cranked called and sabotaged.

Stern has evolved, and perhaps his audience (myself included) is wrong to fault him for it.  We have come to expect more out of him, though, and Americas Got Talent is not what we were looking towards.  If anything, fans crave a retreat into the depths of himself, and the brutal honesty he would spew on the air.  His introduction in the most mainstream of cultures is the exposure of a truth we have long been fearing, but subliminally aware of...that Howard Stern is not the comedian we thought he was.

Best of 2011!

It's that time of year again.  Same rules apply...
-No live releases or reissues.

-No jambands, bluegrass, or bands that I have traveled extensively to see.
-No bands I have an invested interest in.

-No rating hierarchy, just great albums side by side.

*NOTE:  Sometimes I struggle with interchanging a producer's name with his stage/production name,  sorry for any confusion.

Anyways, Here you go:

 

Middle Brother: S/T-     Members of Deer Tick, Dawes, and Delta Sonic came together late in the evening, in a tiny bar, during the 2010 SXSW festival.   All parties involved felt the resulting magic needed to be captured on tape.  In early 2011, armed with their new official moniker,  Middle Brother released a beautiful album of folk rock and Americana tunes.  Throughout the album, each band members influence appears equally and organically.  In an era where textures and synths are increasingly valued (respectively), it is refreshing to hear bear bones folk.

Portugal, The Man:  In the Mountains, In the Clouds-  The major label debut from glam-rock Alaskans proves to be a successful endeavor.  Portugal incorporates all the great pop hits, and grandeur of its 70s influences (most notably, T-Rex.)  Unlike many modern bands who's catalog is an homage to bands and genres past, In the Mountains, In the Clouds sounds relevant; devoid of the schtick and cheese.  The albums poppy chorus' will stick in the heads of the most idiomatic listeners for days, and it's tactful layering will impress the most cynical critics.  

      Yuck: S/T-     On their debut album, the London Band does an amazing job capturing the 90s alternative concept.  As much of the indie world is aligning with the synth of 80s pop, it is refreshing and unique to hear a band identify the fuzzy distortion and grit of the grunge era.  The lo-fi garage rock sound is so authentic, the listener could easily imagine it on the Singles soundtrack.  Though it is yet to be determined, Yuck's album may also pose as an important fulcrum in the direction of rock.  Never before has a band so accurately captured the sound of the early nineties with such critical acclaim.  The opportunity is ripe for this sound to be the new tangent of the "hip."  

    Toro y Moi:  Underneath the Pine-  2011 just may well be the watermark and, downfall, of the chillwave movement.  Coffee shops and dinner parties are now oversaturated with mediocre bands creating benign melodies over temperate synth sounds.  Chaz Bundick (Toro y Moi), a pioneer of this subgenre, opted to not rest on his laurels and drown in the reverb sea.  The resulting product is this 2011 masterpiece,  where Bundick adds color and panache, along with a band, to a style of music that typically celebrates sparseness.  Underneath the Pine transcends all the traditional rules of chillwave, and allows Bundick to make his own.   Toro y Moi uses lush textures and and vibrant dance rhythms to create something that the chillwave movement that has long been devoid of: Fun!  Truly one of my favorite albums of the year.

Radiohead: King of Limbs-  The release of a new Radiohead album is always a big deal, and this was no exception.  King of Limbs has been Radiohead's most highly scrutinized album to date.  Many fans were critical of the band's minimalist, electronic, production, along with its concise 37minute time elapse.  The fact is that no Radiohead release can live up to its expectations, and no band since the Beatles have had the excruciating task of having to continuously release masterpieces to a tremendously demanding fanbase.  King of Limbs has beautiful melodies and vocals, and evokes emotion as well as any Radiohead album.  It is unfair to fault the band for going off on a different tangent, as this is the trait that made the band the darlings that they are.  If some listeners do not like this album, they will like the next one....."if you think this is over, then you're wrong."

*NOTE:  Those upset over the length of the album can be comforted that the band has since released four new tracks via internet.

The Decemberists:  The King is Dead-   It's been a long road for The Decemberists to release an album this great.  The Portland quintet went spent the previous two albums delving into increasingly avant-gard projects before deciding to strip down to the basics. For their efforts, the band compiled an amazing set of simple, alluring world folk songs.  For this album, the proggy concepts of the past were abandoned in favor of acoustic guitar and harmonica.  The Decemberists wore this traditional sound well, and have been critically rewarded for it.

tUnE-yArDs: W H O K I L L-  Merrill Garbus, brainchild of Tune-Yards, is hip...really hip.  Aesthetically, she easily blends into the crowd of the most pretentious coffee shop,  and she creates music with the same elitism.  It is painfully non commercial, and not accessible upon first listen.  But after a few turns, the sing-songy feel of the album becomes contagious and eventually get heads bobbing.  The addition of a band for this album really helped out the sound, as Tune-Yards now sounds like a full musical experience; the instruments converse with each other, and expunges the unintentional isolation that often accompanies one person solo projects as this.    

 Fleet Foxes:  Helplessness Blues-  There were no surprises with Fleet Foxes sophomore release, but that is a good thing.  The band has already set the bar for modern, harmony driven, folk rock, so they have nothing further to live up to.  So, what does a harmony heavy, beautifully folky, band do for their to keep their momentum?  They make an album that is more harmony heavy, and more beautiful.  The influence of CSNY and Joni Mitchell still shine through the sun soaked acoustic guitars, but Fleet Foxes are clearly cultivating a style all their own, and its only a matter of time before new bands cite this album as THEIR influence. 

Steven Tyler: (It) Feels So Good-  I haven't heard a song off this album, and I just saw the cover for the first time....it made me laugh out loud.  I thought I would share it. I'm sure (it) sucks.

The Roots: Undone-  After a disappointing release by Atmosphere, I was left with a noticeable void of conscientious, introspective, hip-hop.  That was finally filled in December, with The Roots 13th studio release.  This album is The hip-hop (BAND's) first foray into concept albums; a reverse tale, beginning with the death of a street hustler, and subsequently unwinding the story that lead to his fate.  The tone of the album is more subdued then the aggressiveness of previous efforts, but the emotion is just as powerful.  Another home-run by the hardest working, and most prolific, hip-hop group in the game.

Blitzen Trapper: American Goldwing-  It seems that most artists draped under the expansive indie rock umbrella keep attempting to push the envelope.  While, in and of itself, that is not a bad thing, it leads to a muddying of talent, and the artist's emotion is exchanged for hipster convolution.  Portland based Blitzen Trapper have recognize this problem, and combated it.  The band utilizes to classic rock tact to create an album that is truly amazing.  Heavy on guitar, and with melodies as contagious as the plague, this album sticks in the listeners head for days on end.  There are few albums in 2011 that perfect the art of collective songwriting as American Goldwing.  This album has a drive that is lacking in the intelligent music scene, but still avoids the schtick of top forty rock bands.  EASILY one of the best albums of 2011!

Washed Out:  Within and Without You-  Washed Out, Brainchild of Georgia based producer Ernest Greene, is one of the latest electronic based chillwave acts to hit the semi-underground music scene.  His debut LP, Within and Without You, was met with some criticism by chillwave purists, as the production forewent the haziness of chillwave for the polished sounds of classic electronic.  Praise should be given to Greene, however, as he opted to tweak his sound, and separate himself from the ever-expanding list of similar artists revered in the indie music scene.  This album still holds true to the dreamy beach vibe chillwave fans have come to expect and appreciate (he did not do what Toro y Moi did)  but the warm sound is more accessible to casual listeners.  

Real Estate: Days-   Music of this nature must be approached with tact and subtlety, and this New Jersey rock outfit does so flawlessly.   There is no sophomore slump with this album.  Real Estate incorporate spacy, languid, guitars, and soft echoes to make an album that seamlessly transitions from beginning to end.  The catchy hooks and lyrics celebrate simplicity, and it easily comes through to the listener.  However, after listening closely to the melodies, and clever layering of its instruments, it can be seen that this album is nowhere near as simplistic as it sounds.  Real Estate put in LOTS of work to sound this relaxed.

Wilco:  The Whole Love-  After releasing a string of albums that redefined Americana rock,  the world has come to expect a lot from Wilco.  Despite being good albums, fans harshly called the band's work ethic into question, misinterpreting quality (rather than genius) for complacency.  Wilco released another great albums to similar reviews in 2011.  However, The Whole Love shows the band taking more chances than they have with their previous couple of efforts.  The clearest example of this is the opener "Art of Almost," where the band utilizes glitches and pecking keyboards that departs from their expectant sound.  The album is still unmistakably Wilco, featuring tight melodies, folky guitar, and alt-country aesthetic, but the band pushes itself farther than they have as of late.  It may not reach the greatness of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but the attempt is appreciated.  

Bon Iver: S/T-  Justin Vernon (AKA Bon Iver) is no longer heartbroken.  After becoming famous by retreating to the snowy woods of WI., and writing brilliant songs of lovelorn for his epically minimal debut,  For Emma, For ever Ago, Vernon has made peace and is ready to move on, both emotionally and musically.  The first thing listeners will notice on this album is the transition from folk to experimental pop.  He has put far more focus on his band, rather than the man and his guitar.  Furthermore, his soft voice remains, but the words are different.  They are far more indirect.  In For Emma..., Vernon was clearly pining for love, but for Bon Iver, he seems to be longing for something more existential.  He sings about geography and intoxication;  Vernon is clearly looking outside himself.  Bon Iver is no less brilliant than its predecessor, and is still emotional despite its increased musical complexity.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.:  It's A Corporate World-  The two members of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (Johsua Epstein and Daniel Zott) came together due to a mutual, nerdy, love of electronic production.  Their debut LP (They have previously released an EP, and all three songs have subsequently been released on this album) is a shining example of electro pop.  It's A Corporate World is a collection of simple lyrics and melodies, combined with relatively skeletal bleeps mixed with a drum machine , that create a brimming lush sound.  It's A corporate World's sum far exceeds its parts, and shows the beautiful simplicity of pop structure.

Kurt Vile: Smoke Ring For My Halo-  Few artists have reached the critical acclaim with as little mainstream success as Kurt Vile.  Through his eccentric lyrics and Folk guitar tinged with psychedelia,  Vile creates a masterpiece.  His eclectic classic rock influences are all on full display throughout the album, as he pinballs from soft fingerpicking, to distorted power chords, to simple acoustic melody.  He also employs charmingly cynical lyrics (complaining about not wanting to get off the couch) to capture the zeitgeist of the times.  Production-wise, Smoke Ring is also a masterpiece.  The juxtaposition with a man and a guitar, and the effects he utilizes cannot be ignored.  Vile's lonlieness and isolation comes through in the sparseness, and is exacerbated by the expansive reverb of his voice. The guitar effects, and competent backbones of the songs add a warmness to it, so its not a total downer.  This album makes perfect representation of the times; bouncing wildly from optimistic to pessimistic, and from apathetic to dynamic: "I've got it made....most of the time."

The Field:  Looping State of Mind-  Sometimes gimmicks work.  Axel Willner (The Field) has a schtick that has paid off.  This one man Swedish electronic project has created a beautiful album, based on the titles suggestion.  The album is nothing more than series of looping electronic samples, but they are incorporated beautifully.  Each song seams together to create a melange of Ambient and minimalist house, creating a unique style of IDM soundscapes.  Though Willner's approach to music may be simple, Looping State of Mind blooms with the sound of tactfully placed layers and textures. 

The Woods:  Sun and Shade-  Many would think releasing five albums in as five years would exhaust a band.  That is certainly not the case with Brooklyn based workaholics, The Woods.  This band are some of the forefathers of the freak-folk movement.  This latest release, Sun and Shade, continues the bands consistent output of folk songs laden with psychedelia.  It's use of reverb, jangly guitars, and extended instrumentals sound just as welcome in the 60s golden era as present day indie meccas.  The band's sound, however, is authentic, and devoid of cliches.   Most of the song structures on Sun and Shade are crafted in the folk vein, lush with CSNY harmonies and conciseness, so the songs are still accessible and easy to listen to.  Twice in the album, major psychedelic instrumental breaks occur, but other than that, the spacey sounds are relegated to the background of traditional songwriting to give the album and beautful, ethereal vibe.  Another great album by a great band.

 M83:  Hurry Up, We're Dreaming-  Anthony Gonzalez had a specific plan when coming up with his latest album.  Inspired by Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness, he wanted a double album, and he wanted it "epic."  He certainly achieved that with his blockbuster 2011 release, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.  The album starts with a five and a half minute intro,  building steam, before the anthemic "Midnight City."  The song creates the mood of the album, which is big sounding retrolectro pop.  The album adds multiple short segue tracks, giving the listener a much needed break between grandiose songs.  Often, within the shoegaze genre (the closest subgenre M83 can be classified as), less is more.  It is amazing to hear the ambition painted within the songs of these momentous songs.  Anthony Gonzalez certainly achieved his goal, and in the process, created one of the best albums of 2011.

The War on Drugs:  Slave Ambient-  Though relatively unknown, this indie/folk/psych/rock band has created one of the best (and my favorite) albums in years.   Slave Ambient employs amazing American rock and roll music, but adds more texture and substance.  Subtle electric instrumentation and synths make for a sound of Springsteen deep in lysergic trance.  Often in modern indie music, bands go two ways:  They either sleek up, or strip down.  The War On Drugs have done both. The backbone of their sound is accessible and straightforward, but layered with complexities.  It is folk, but flourishing with energy.  The sound is intricate, but not pretentious. Though it fits into any urban coffee shop or used book store, Slave Ambient is not a polaroid of flash-in-the-pan 2011 hipster culture; this album can easily stand the test of time ...an incredible masterpiece of an album.

***For some notable live releases, reissues, and jamband albums, check out...

-Phish: Hampton/Winston-Salem '97
-Grateful Dead: Europe 72 Vol.2
-Frank Zappa: Live at Carnegie Hall
-Miles Davis Quintet: Bootleg Series Vol.1
-STS9: Axe the Cables
-Medeski Martin Scofield and Wood: In Case the World Changes it's Mind
-Umphrey's McGee: Death by Stereo
-Disco Biscuits: Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens
-Greensky Bluegrass: Handguns
-Infamous Stringdusters: We'll do it Live!