Since I started working at Tower Records in 1999 and working with other snobs, I had made Cd's of the years best. Ironically enough, my first ever "best of" was in 2000! This is my first foray into actually sharing in words what I thought, so bare with me while I go through the tracklisting one at a time.
1. The Mercury Program - Flourescent Laces
I first heard this band through my friends By Sunlight. It's beautiful, sweeping, etc etc instrumental music in the vein of Tortoise and Mogwai. This kind of music has been the soundtrack to this year for me, so I had to start the disc off right. This is from their record, "Chez Viking".
2. Miike Snow - Animal
Another friend suggestion. It's as if Justin Timberlake made love to The Shins.......Or something.
3. Andrew Bird - Effigy
This songs real pretty...uk yuk.
4. Bob Dylan -
Aside from instrumental "indie" rock, this year was another year for Bob Dylan. I suppose he's comfort food for me. He released Together Through Life. (I bought it Target!) this year and I can't say I hate it. His band is great and I enjoy the Ry Cooder, Los Lobos thing he does now. Plus, Bob Dylan can throw up a bowl of alphabet soup and come up with a better grouping of words than most people alive... Asshole. I like these words a lot.
5. Le Switch - I'm Not On
My fave LA band at the moment. Probably because they sound old and I gravitate toward that. This song just clicks. You can tell they knew they were on to something. Words, music, melody.. All of it. Beautiful song. Notice the trend yet?
6. Dead Man's Bones - My Body is A Zombie For You
A mix between "The Good The Bad and The Queen" and "Langley School Music Project" this group consists of a famous actor and his friend. It may be a one trick pony, but I kinda love it!
7. Monsters Of Folk - Magic Marker
It was hard picking one song from this record. It's mostly pretty outstanding. MOF may not be as strong as the groups they come from, but it's still damn good. I think the lyrics are especially poignant on this tune.....AND YES! it's better than the Traveling Wilburys!
8. Karen O and The Kids - Worried Shoes
Beautiful song from a beautiful film (Where The Wild Things Are if youre keeping track). Theres a sincerity in her voice that I havent really heard in The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
9. Menahan Street Band - Home Again!
My intermission of sorts. I think I listened to this record more than any other release this year. It makes me feel good. As you may have noticed so far, the tunes thus far have been kinda sad... Menahan Street Band is the light at the end of the tunnel.
10. Green Day - Peacemaker
Green Day never lets me down... Sorry, assholes of the world! They try harder than any other unit shifting band, thats for damn sure!
11. Them Crooked Vultures - New Fang
Yeah, that's Dave Grohl. And Josh Homme. And JOHN PAUL JONES.
12. Wilco - You Never Know
"Idontcareanymoreidontcareanymore" You get it?
13. Weezer - If You're Wondering If I Want You To....
Stupid, stupid Weezer. This is their best single in a long time, and not THAT stupid.
14. Animal Collective - No More Running
If I drowned, I hope that the ocean palys this song on repeat. This would be last thing I wanna hear.
15. The Flaming Lips - Watching The Planets
"Hi, we're the Flaming Lips and Warner Bros let's us do whatever the hell we want, like make our own version of Bitches Brew and Piper at The Gates of Dawn" Fuckers.
16. Zombi - Spirit Warrior.
Spirit Warrior from the album Spirit Animal.. C'mon. It's amazing. If you can stomach the John Carpenter synths for 3 minutes, wait for the beautifully epic middle section. Totally worth the wait and a totally rad ending to a CD.
As a tribute to my favorite film of the year, Inglorious Basterds, I called the Cd "That's A Bingo"....See below.
Love, Me
