South of Mainstream

Best Albums of 2009

2009-12-31T22:07:00.004-05:00

Okay, so we took a little break, but we'll pick up the pace in the new year. Here's my list of my favorite albums this year. A little different than what you've probably seen elsewhere, but oh well.. Happy New Year!

1. DOOM - Born Like This
2. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II
4. Mos Def - The Ecstatic
5. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
6. The Dead Weather - Horehound
7. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
8. St. Vincent - Actor
9. Lightning Dust - Infinite Light
10. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
11. DJ Quik and Kurupt - BlaQKout
12. Cold Cave - Love Comes Close
13. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
14. O+S - O+S
15. Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper
16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
17. Theoretical Girl - Divided
18. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
19. The Joy Formidable - A Balloon Called Moaning
20. Passion Pit - Manners
21. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
22. Method Man and Redman - Blackout! 2
23. Del the Funky Homosapien and Tame One - Parallel Uni-Verses
24. Isis - Wavering Radiant
25. The Mars Volta - Octahedron
26. The Lonely Island - Incredibad
27. Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
28. U-God - Dopium

- Jake

Skipped It 'Til Now: Comet Gain - Broken Record Prayers

2009-10-04T00:26:00.003-04:00

This week's "Skipped It 'Til Now" record isn't one that I skipped, rather it's the band themselves that I skipped. I haven't heard a whole lot of Comet Gain in my life. A friend recommended their album Tigertown Pictures a few years back, and I thought it was good, but I didn't take any strides to find anything else of theirs afterward. Well, after listening to their new compilation, Broken Record Prayers, I think I have a pretty good idea of what I missed, and I realize I missed a very good band.

Broken Record Prayers is a collection of songs from various releases of the Comet Gain discography. These tracks span about 10 years, but the sequence that they appear in here make it seem as if they were made especially for this album. Comet Gain's sound is sort of unique. I can't think of another band that sounds like them, which is a very good thing. They go from sweet dream-pop to fiery punk with no problem, such as on "You Can Hide Your Love Forever" and the rockin' "Orwell Liberty Dance." "Love Without Lies," the newest song on the record, is an intense post-punk beast with an awesome bassline and wonderful echoing vocals by singer Rachel Evans. It is followed by the Curtis Mayfield cover, "Hard Times," which is transformed from a '70s funk social commentary to a fierce, jangly (perhaps that's an oxymoron..) rock song. Comet Gain take several different approaches to nearly every song, so none of them sound the same, which makes the disc interesting throughout.

At 20 tracks, one would think that this comp would have its share of filler, but Broken Record Prayers is surprisingly strong and engaging. As a career-spanning compilation, this disc does a great job of showcasing the band's strengths and apparent consistency and can serve as a good introduction to a very talented band worth some attention.

- Jake

Lightning Dust's Ghostly "Never Seen"

2009-09-13T10:30:00.004-04:00

I'm a sucker for spooky-sounding electronic/acoustic music, and Vancouver's Lightning Dust are the latest band to fill that void for me. Singer Amber Webber has a voice like a ghostly Bjork who can't let go of the material world. Her voice trembles and cracks, and it's enough to send shivers down your spine. This raw, emotional delivery is perfect for the song, "Never Seen," which has been a daily listen for me lately.

"Never Seen" is a dark, melancholy, emotionally-arresting synth dirge, complete with eerie double-tracked vocals and a distant, decaying beat. It really sounds otherworldly. The melody that kicks in at about 1:34 combines with Webber's ghost choir so perfectly that it makes me imagine spectral flames gathering in a dark cemetery for a chanting session. I'm so good at corny imagery.

At any rate, "Never Seen" is getting serious attention on my playlists, so check it out. Also worthy of mention is their synth-country jam, "I Knew," which is pretty cool as well. These tracks come from Infinite Light, Lightning Dust's second album, which I will be checking out very soon.

Lightning Dust - Never Seen
Lightning Dust - I Knew

- Jake

Twin Atlantic - I Like, Even If You'll Call It Emo

2009-09-07T18:39:00.011-04:00

Okay...so I really have a thing for a Scots or Irish accent. Especially if same accent can be heard while the owner of said accent is singing. So, it's no big stretch that I'm a fan of bands like Frightened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks. So, it's no surprise that I fell for the heavily accented, heavily emotional delivery of Sam McTrusty (sounds like he should be a cartoon character) as the frontman of Twin Atlantic.

There's plenty of the jangling, jarring guitar that often caused me to 4 or 5 star bands in SoM past, plus there's that something extra that always causes me to lean in for that closer listen. It's not just the emotional delivery, though that's always a key for me. Sure, it's going to get a few indie purists out there hollering at me about my emo leanings. Get over it! Nothing wrong with a little emo-appreciation. The genre isn't completely without merit, and if we're giving out emo merit badges, these kids deserve them.

"Light Speed" starts out with an infectious beat and groove, then slapped me across the face with the heavily accented, heavily emotional vocal delivery which is my weakness. Pretty with a gruff edginess, McTrusty's delivery is every young girl's emo-dream, wishing the young hottie singer was delivering each lyric right at her. Even this jaded and experienced girl isn't immune to that kind of angsty romance.

Listen to: Light Speed

"What Is Light, Where Is Laughter" is a little slower, less driven, less angsty, but it's still got plenty of drama and intrigue. It's got the special Brit Isles guitar sound that first rocked my world when Big Country released their self-titled album way back in the early 80's. You know what I'm talking about? That vaguely bagpipe-esque sound? It's here. The vocals are a little less raw, but just as pretty, and still accent heavy.

Listen to: What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?

Vivarium is on pretty heavy rotation in my playlists right now. I'll hope some of you will look past the emo leanings and give these kids a chance. I think you'll be surprised and find yourself liking the heavy accents as much as I do.

Skipped It 'Til Now: Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

2009-08-30T03:11:00.007-04:00

Why did I skip Sleater-Kinney's 2005 album, The Woods? I really don't have an answer for that. I've been a fan of the band since I first heard Dig Me Out back in the day. A new S-K record was an event... so now I'm confused as to why it took me such a long time to check their final album out. Well, I recently purchased The Woods from a clearance rack for the ridiculous price of $4, and it boggles my mind as to why such an awesome album could be ignored by anyone.

The usual brash and sassy sound of Sleater-Kinney has changed a bit on The Woods. There's an overall classic hard rock sound here. The record is LOUD, with cracks and pops adding a certain rawness to every song. It works pretty well from the very beginning as the opener, "The Fox," charges at you with distorted guitars and pounding drums. Singer/guitarist Corin Tucker's Aesop fable-worthy lyrics would seem to be in contrast with the raw music, but her voice (some people hate it, I love it) fits into the mix so well that she could say anything and it would work. Guitarist Carrie Brownstein and drummer Janet Weiss are in top form as usual. The whole album continues in a similar fashion throughout, as hard rockin' behemoths like "Entertain" and "Let's Call It Love" threaten to blow out your speakers (can you believe I listened to it with headphones?). Even the lighter "Modern Girl" (oddly, my favorite) is pretty hard. Songs like "Wilderness" and "Rollercoaster" are more typical S-K fare, but they fit in with the rest of the songs well. For all its Hendrix-like aspirations, The Woods can be compared to previous S-K albums if you'd like, because there are a lot of flashes of things they've done in the past, but they all culminate into something new and forward-looking, making for a rather enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

The Woods is an extremely well-crafted album by an extremely competent band, and I'm ashamed of myself for taking so long to listen to it. There aren't any real issues with the record in my opinion. Can't say that there are any lulls or filler anywhere to be found, and it begins and ends strongly. I have read elsewhere that other listeners weren't fond of the quality of the recording, and while I can understand it, I think it works wonderfully. If you haven't heard The Woods, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It looks like it's selling for ridiculous prices.

- Jake

Song of the Day: Hungry Villagers' "Tree Full of Ghosts"

2009-08-29T02:55:00.008-04:00

There's a song that keeps popping up when I'm listening to MP3s, and I can't seem to escape it. "Tree Full of Ghosts," by the Texas band, Hungry Villagers, is the song that I speak of, and it's a pretty nice song. I've been listening to this song for a couple of months now, and I've liked it from the first moment that I heard it, but after listening to it multiple times every day this week, I've decided that I love it.

"Tree Full of Ghosts" is a dark, melodic song that starts out with a bit of a folk-rock sound and then eventually builds into a bouncy, almost-gospel track with 4/4 drums. I'm not quite sure what the lyrics are about, something about a "heart full of soma" and an "occupation" that "files slowly past your door," but I get the idea that it deals with an inability to let things go and letting problems constantly live around you as a reminder of what may have happened in the past ("carving out your name/ in your hard wood/ of your tree full of ghosts"). Perhaps I'm totally off and that's just what I want it to be about because that's the type of thing that I deal with on a regular basis. Either way, it's an interesting listen, and the sound of the singer's voice really adds that melancholy vibe to it. The overall sound of the song is reminiscent of bands like The National and Interpol, just a little folksier.

Photo Courtesy: Last.fm

I don't know a lot about Hungry Villagers, but I'm interested in finding out more. They are a promising band with an already strong sound. I've read that they have relocated to Georgia to work on their full-length album, so maybe I'll be able to check out their live show. In addition to "Tree Full of Ghosts," check out "Little Fingers."

- Jake

In Rotation: Modest Mouse - No One's First, and You're Next

2009-08-25T01:52:00.004-04:00

I’m always excited when there’s a new Modest Mouse release, even if the material isn’t new. No One’s First, and You’re Next is a collection of B-sides from the Good News for People Who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank sessions, and while all these songs have been previously released in one way or another, having them all compiled onto one disc makes for a pretty good EP.

No One’s First features 8 songs that sound like the two albums that they were originally made for, so if you’re a fan of those releases, then you’ll find a lot to like here. “Guilty Cocker Spaniels” features typical MM almost-rap/ranting vocals over layered guitars, and “Autumn Beds,” with its wonderful sing-along chorus, is possibly the catchiest track on the EP. The lengthy guitar workout, “The Whale Song,” is reminiscent of some of the stuff on The Moon and Antarctica. The common Modest Mouse themes of life, death, God, and the Devil are here in full force, and they are conveyed in the weird and feverish way that only singer Isaac Brock can convey them. The only qualm I have with the disc is that I would have preferred another B-side in place of “I’ve Got It All (Most)” considering that the song has been the most widely available track (it was on the “Float On” single as well as the deluxe edition of Good News..), and I’m not sure that it really fits here.

No One’s First, and You’re Next is another good Modest Mouse EP in the vein of 1999’s Building Nothing Out of Something and 2001’s Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks, collecting the odds and ends of their most recent albums. It’s not as strong as those other releases, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

- Jake

A Sunday For Sad Songs

2009-08-23T07:48:00.005-04:00

Today, I'm feeling tired and sad. Some people would eschew music as unnecessary entertainment when feeling blue, but I find I seek it out when I'm feeling like this...hoping for solace, perhaps a boost. Sometimes you just want to find that perfect song that allows you to wallow in said sadness, sift through it and figure out if any good can come from it.

I'm in need of that kind of music this morning and right now a couple songs seems to be working for me.

Frightened Rabbit - Fast Blood

Photo Courtesty: Last.fm

This track's got it all, an overall melancholy feel with guitars that seem to moan and whimper at the same time. The vocals are raw and emotional, allowing me to quietly contemplate or let a few tears slide from the corner of my eyes. The lyrics are sweeping and simple at the same time, letting you interpret them how you so choose.

"This is the longest kiss good night
Good night
And then I fall down
I stumble
and she said, she said, she said good night"

I'm choosing to interpret that long last kiss as sad and hopeful at the same time. and that's what the best sad songs do...allow you the means to feel the sadness, but look for the underlying hope, the possibility the sadness will lessen.

White Lies - Death

Photo Courtesy: Last.fm

You can interpret this song as simply a song about someone who's scared to death of the thought of death...but that's not how it works for me. Nope. It's more about dealing with the fear, embracing it and the sadness and even anger it might bring with it, and choosing how you're going to deal with it.

The lyrics themselves are the sadness, the driving beat and rising crescendo of the song are the hope that comes when sadness is really looked at and understood.

If anyone else is having a sad Sunday, I can hope these help. I feel a little bit better for having blogged them, for the repeat listens as I blogged. The sadness, very much still there, is tempered with some hope, lots of determination and a sense that giving up isn't the right option right now.

Music made this happen for me. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday or wallow in a little sadness with me.

Skipped It 'Til Now: Colin Stetson - New History Warfare, Volume 1

2009-08-16T00:15:00.008-04:00

This week’s album that I “Skipped ‘Til Now” is one that I didn’t necessarily mean to skip, but I did so because I let a friend borrow the disc before I even listened to it. Now that I have it back, I’ve taken a listen to saxophonist Colin Stetson’s 2007 record, New History Warfare, Volume 1, and I’m rather pleased. The album definitely isn’t for everyone, but fans of more experimental stuff will probably love it.

Colin Stetson has played with people like Tom Waits, The Arcade Fire, and TV on the Radio, but I was first introduced to his brand of sax music when he opened for The National back in May. I didn’t quite know what to expect when he picked up his massive bass saxophone, but when he started to play, I was thoroughly impressed. He ain’t Kenny G, that’s for sure. That’s not an insult to Mr. G because they play two different types of music. Actually, I’m not sure that different is really the word to describe Stetson’s style. Stetson’s music is more akin to the glitchy electronic stuff made by Tim Hecker and Nobukazu Takemura (track 9, "Nobu Take," is obviously inspired by the latter), which is pretty interesting considering he’s doing it with a saxophone. He played his heart out (really, it looked like he was about to explode) during his live set, which couldn’t have been any longer than 25 minutes, but it was definitely enough to make me run to the merch table and buy his CD.

After seeing Colin Stetson play live, I knew what to expect from the 48-minute instrumental album. Most of New History Warfare’s 11 tracks can’t really be described by comparing them to any sort of genre, but there are moments where jazz, tribal sounds, and even hip-hop come to mind. The first song, “And It Fought to Escape,” sets the mood for the rest of the album in its 8 minutes. It is an atmospheric, vaguely Chinese-sounding piece with an insistent melody and pulsing bass line, all demonstrating Stetson’s amazing breath control and ability to “multitask” in his horn-playing. “Stand, Walk” couples a sinister bass line with percussive breaths that act as the song’s drum kit. Played live, this is the track that had everyone in the crowd excited, inspiring the dude standing next to me with the bandana tied around his head to have his own personal dance party. Song #3, “Groundswell,” sounds like a training scene from a kung fu movie with its pseudo-flute melody driving the track. The way that Stetson tends to make his saxophone sound like several different instruments despite it only being one is very impressive. He even uses his mouth and breath to beatbox on the hip-hoppy “Tiger Tiger Crane” (all that’s missing from this song is a verse from a Wu-Tang member).

The songs on New History Warfare make it hard not to envision some sort of scene or imagery in your head while listening. Everything sounds like something I’ve seen or some place that I’ve wanted to go to. The aptly-titled “As a Bird or Branch” makes me think of a forest at sundown (or something similar), and you can practically see a couple breaking up on a rainy day in the mournful jazz of “Our Heartbreak Perfect.” Okay, those images are kind of corny, but you get the picture. You may think of something else, but you’ll be hard-pressed not to think of SOMETHING.

Press Photo Courtesy of ColinStetson.com

Colin Stetson is obviously a master of his instrument, and New History Warfare, Volume 1 is the perfect showcase for his talent. The album has its meandering moments, and some people will undoubtedly call it noise, but it’s an interesting record either way. It’s a good purchase, and I strongly recommend his live show.

Colin Stetson - Groundswell
Colin Stetson - Nobu Take

- Jake

Flash Back Friday...

2009-08-14T18:41:00.002-04:00

Flashback Friday posts were one of my favorite parts of the old SoM blog...so it's definitely one part of the old I want to bring into the new.

I went for a run tonight and generally a dark and slow song like this one wouldn't give you the extra something to get up a hill, but I've always loved the Jesus and Mary Chain.

I admit it. I loved Live back in the 90's. Back before they got preachy and holier than thou. Back when they rocked. This is from a concert in the early 90's. The track is from their first release, a 4-song EP. Sound quality isn't perfect. But they were awesome. And young. Of course, so was I in the early 90's.

Since I've been fighting a pretty constant battle against insomnia lately, I decided that the "recent" flashback should be the "posterchild" for insomnia. I've always thought this song should be the theme song for anyone who takes part in ultra-endurance sports.

Have a great weekend! Mallie

Still Flyin' Are "Entourage" Bound

2009-08-12T19:21:00.004-04:00

A few days ago a new friend introduced me to a used to be from Athens, now make their way in San Fran band called Still Flyin'. He's friends with the band and wanted to share his appreciation. The track he sent me definitely embodied the Athens, GA sound I recognize after years of reviewing discs from Happy Birthday to Me records. Here's the track:

The Hottchord is Struck

I liked it. I thought about blogging about the band after that listen, but it just didn't really immediately grab me, making me want to shout out to the blogosphere.

Fast forward to this afternoon. I got an e-mail from previously mentioned new friend and he shared some good news. His pals had sold a track to the highly popular "Entourage" TV franchise. Way cool. And, let me tell you. The way cool link he sent me definitely got me to that "blog it" state.

What's so special about it? Could it be the almost "rah-rah", "go team" cheerleader-esque female vocals that pulse throughout? Could it be the quirky, but vaguely familiar video? The bouncy jangly guitar goodness? Probably it's all three smashed up and rolled together for one super-duper listening shebang.

I'll let you decide. If you've never heard them...let me know what you think. If I'm too slow on the uptake for you, meaning you've known of their awesomeness FOREVER, at least glory in their good news.

Mallie

Sunday - Skipped It 'Til Now: The Fiery Furnaces' Blueberry Boat

2009-08-09T19:46:00.005-04:00

CD shopping is one of my favorite things to do. Even in this age of downloading and ordering on the Web, I still love to actually go out and look for CDs. There’s an indescribable joy that I get from rifling through stacks of cases and happening upon discs that I didn’t expect to find. A lot of times, I’ll come across something that I wasn’t looking for and isn’t too high of a priority to me, but I’ll buy it anyway. Whenever this happens, it’s a toss-up whether or not I listen to it when I get home or much later on. This feature is all about albums that I’m just now getting around to listening to for one reason or another.

I picked up The Fiery Furnaces’ album, Blueberry Boat, from a clearance rack a few months back. I know I’m pretty late to the game, and I know this album is considered a real gem. I had every intention of buying it back when it came out in 2004, but always hesitated because I was unsure as to how I’d feel about the album considering that I wasn’t overly impressed by what I had previously heard from them. Well, after listening to the 76+ minute epic, I’ll say that I made a pretty good purchase, but my worries were not completely unwarranted.

Blueberry Boat is a rather ambitious record, with all kinds of things packed into every song. Brother-sister duo Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger have made sure that the listener won’t get bored, as they never let a whole song sound the same for very long. The 10-minute opener, “Quay Cur,” begins with a spare electronic beat with a snare that sounds like stretched-out sample of a chirping bird. Add some piano and organ as well as Eleanor’s child-like vocals, and the stage is set for a nice experimental pop song. After about 3 minutes, the song completely changes to Matthew and his acoustic guitar work that lasts for a while before changing into something completely different. Most of the songs on the album follow this kind of pattern, which reminds me of a stage play with several scene and costume changes. It’s very fitting, as all of Blueberry Boat’s songs are of the long and theatrical sort and wouldn’t be out of place in a musical.

With the theater connection being made, I’ll have to say that Blueberry Boat is a bit of an exhausting listen that I’d have to be in the mood for to completely enjoy. The album starts out pretty strong with the electro-weirdness of “Quay Cur,” the kinda-sorta ragtime jam, “Straight Street” (my favorite track), and the cool pirate battle story of “Blueberry Boat.” After those songs, though, all of which I could probably listen to anytime, I find myself getting a bit tired. Don’t get me wrong, every song on the album is good, but there’s so much to process (never mind the instrumental changes, what about the verbose lyrics?), that I feel that a nap is in order before continuing the listen.

Blueberry Boat is a very well-done album that I am glad that I finally picked up and listened to. For fans of theatrical, operatic pop, it really is a gem. The wordy storytelling and near-constant song change-ups make it an interesting record throughout. Just make sure you’re well-rested and ready to pay attention.

- Jake

Saturday - Spanning the Globe: A is for Austria

2009-08-01T07:47:00.003-04:00

Inspired by Filter, Smashing Pumpkins and the Foo Fighters, Austria's Intracardial, wants music to be visual as well as sonic. Makes me think of what V.A.S.T. was trying to do during their early run. He's been working a while to get his sound out, and put out this video in '07. It's not true metal and not really nu-metal. I don't know if you'd call it metal at all. It's hard enough not to be sappy, but melodic enough to inspire a listen.

Flash Back Friday: "China"

2009-07-31T18:46:00.002-04:00

I loved this song when I was doing all of my awkward growing up back in the 80's. Yes, I'm that old! Looking back on it from this vantage of age and reasoning, it's probably pretty damned offensive. Still a great song that I look back on with much fondness!

**Mallie**

Climb on Board With East Hundred

2009-07-29T17:31:00.000-04:00

I don't know what personal angst this quintet dealt with during the recording of their 2009 full length release, Passenger, but it rings strong with me as I'm going through my own rough patch.

Press Photo Courtesy of EastHundred.com

Their web site, EastHundred.com, describes the sound as haunting, and I'm happy to agree. I'll also give it sonic, emotionally charged and edgy. I like loud when I'm feeling blue, preferring a sound kick to whatever ails me, rather than something soothing. The second track off the album, "Plus Minus", certainly makes the grade.

They're offering up the first track off their release as a free download...so go ahead and check out "Slow Burning Crimes".

Making A Return After A Long Hiatus

2009-07-28T18:22:00.000-04:00

So, yeah, I'm Mallie and several years ago I blogged under this same moniker...South of Mainstream. I chose the name because I'm down in the depths of the Deep South, in what I call the Maconga - Macon, GA. The mainstream portion came from, of course, my love of indie music.

I took a long break, no real reason, just that I'd been doing it a long time and I was having a hard time keeping up my enthusiasm and my ability to stay on track. I hated doing it, and thought often about starting back up.

Now, I've taken a couple hard hits personally and I'm looking for solace from music more than I had in some time. It seems the perfect time for a return. I know I'll have to earn my way back into the ranks, and may never gain the old SoM following. But that's not why I did it back then, nor is it why I'm starting back up now.

I'm doing it because I love indie music and love, love, love the pursuit of that unknown listen.

Mallie