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Best of 2009 | Week 3 »
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Jon Brion

Blog

12…18Próximo
  • Albums of 2009

    Dez 13 2009, 1h37 por y2penni

    1) Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

    A blogger fittingly described it as, “A glittering whirlpool of synthetic sound”. On form, Animal Collective are untouchable. Comparing MPP to their last records, it’s more refined, more accessible, but a step forward in the contemporary world of Indie Pop. I feel they’ve reached their apex of creativity with a sound they’ve been experimenting on since Sung Tongs. It’s certainly a refinement on Strawberry Jam, and it’ll be a benchmark for future electronica records to come. I love its textures, its energy, its desire to be new and original, its flexibility, and its fluency. MPP is a sonic representation of its album cover, it’s vividly mesmerizing. Technically, the rhythms are pretty complex. The harmonies are gorgeous, with much homage to The Beach Boys, owing to Panda Bear. His partnership with Avey Tare on this record works so well (see My Girls). The production is full and meticulous, with layers and layers of drones, filtered synth warbles, and dizzying beats that are rooted in a spaced-out cosmos of psychedelia. What I like most about MPP is its versatility; the music could suit so many different environments - in the bedroom during an afternoon nap, long road journeys at night, or rather conversely, there are songs that wouldn’t stand out of place on the dancefloor. Where MPP is quite approachable for new listeners, their live shows can be quite the opposite and even less audience-friendly, which might drive away listeners - just don’t expect them to play the “hits”. They are usually a mix of blissed-out droning experiments, loops, and the occasional track that you can just about hear under the noise. But experimentation is the secret ingredient to this band. If they played conventional and predictable electropop at their concerts, then this would just label them under ‘dance music’, and I respect them for trying out new ideas in their shows, and pushing boundaries of electronic music.

    Despite its electronic-ness, the listening experience feels so very human and it has this organic core that feels somewhat indigenous and authentic. I feel this is down to Geologist and his characteristic ability to generate natural and earthly impressions in his sound manipulating. Credit is also given to Panda Bear’s African tribal chant influences (see Brother Sport) and Avey Tare’s folk vivacity. In the Flowers is a dreamy lullaby that floats and undulates like a smack of jellyfish on LSD doing the salsa, and soars into transcendental bliss when the chorus hits. There are several moments like this in MPP where there is a certain spiritual exploration in the music. For instance, the wall of sound in Also Frightened is so clustered and hypnotic; one could almost dissolve into a deep meditation. The transition of one decade into another is best captured in this song. It was hard to pick one track from this brilliant album. AC are casually known for their talents in sonic craftsmanship, but for me, Also Frightened is a model for modern pop music composition that recognizes the trio as talented songwriters, and pushing boundaries of pop hooks and sonic aesthetics. Allusions to The Beatles and The Beach Boys are humble and effective. The dense textures, complex rhythms and eastern harmonies combined with the effervescent blend of Tare/Bear's interplaying vocals are a tour-de-force. The lyrics could be interpreted as the fears of growing up, or general anxieties of modern society as another decade of uncertain future beckons.

    The songs on MPP flow into the other with ease and purity so there is a real conceptual harmony that moulds the music together; the best example of this is from Daily Routine into Bluish. This transition is extended in their live shows for euphoric effect, but on record, it serves as a breather from the denser, rhythmic tracks preceding. With regards to track order, the balance is spot on, but I feel there is hardly a weak track. Returning to the “glittering whirlpool” quote, this largely describes their efforts on reworking Guys Eyes. The evolution from the original (a live demo from a Panda Bear concert, consisting of a sample or two accompanied by Panda Bear vocals and some live mixing) to the album edit, is astounding. The additional layers, melodic counterparts and mysterious noises (all meticulously arranged) are an illustration of MPP’s striking immediacy and a glimpse into Animal Collective’s sound-crafting talents.

    This album has surely clinched their territory as the most important band of our time.

    Further listening: Fall Be Kind EP, Brother Sport [Single], Summertime Clothes [Single]

    2) Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue

    Ludicrously catchy tunes and heart-warming harmonies. There is an unusual blend of Simon & Garfunkel folky ballads with old school hip-hop/dub-step/electronica, but it works wonders. The detuned lo-fi quality is the trick that gives Ambivalence Avenue that timeless scratched vinyl feel, with its cut & spliced pop samples moulding together some really sweet tunes. It’s a record that could have come from the 60s, but took a shortcut through the 80s. Boards of Canada fans will like this. Also, have a listen to the brilliant remix album, The Apple And The Tooth, for a sexy remix of All The Flowers.

    Further listening: The Apple And The Tooth EP

    3) The Horrors - Primary Colours

    This one grew on me. It boasts some great songs with excellent production and chunky guitar sounds, evoking the days of My Bloody Valentine and Joy Division. I’m pleased they’ve stepped out of NME’s deathly shadow with this record; they’ve got a good sound and a cool gloomy image. Faris’ vocals are immense and I don’t know how they perform live, but the band just spews confidence with tunes like Sea Within a Sea and I Only Think of You.

    4) Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

    Dirty Projectors have set the standard for the next decade’s modern rock album; virtuously executed guitar solos and fragmented riffs, complex layers of harmonies and melodies. Avant-Rock? Experimental Indie? Chamber Pop? Afro-Jazz? Bitte Orca is alive and a breath of fresh air right from punchy opener Cannibal Resource, through to the killer combo of Stillness Is the Move – Two Doves – Useful Chamber – No Intention... a run of songs that will be difficult to match by any band of their calibre. Production is lucid and you can just feel every instrument, every note, every slide, and it just hits the sweet spot. There’s so many good things to describe... the dancefloor grooves of Stillness which brilliantly evolve into a swelling string-led coda. Two Doves surpasses Radiohead’s TocarFaust Arp as the most exquisite string-accompanied acoustic guitar song I’ve heard, since the world lost Nick Drake. And then there’s Useful Chamber... pretty much blew my mind when I first heard it. It’s adventurous, stylish, sophisticated, and peppered with intricate melodies and a militaristic beat that tepidly undulates beneath woozy synth waves. The chorus packs a punch that is full of power and urgency, and everything is going swimmingly until halfway through, when the music suffers a coma, and morphs into a mind-melting wail from the angels. It's unexpected but utterly brilliant - I've never heard anything like it.

    Further listening: Temacula Sunrise EP, Stillness Is the Move [Single]

    5) Reigns - The House on the Causeway

    The House on the Causeway is a confident and well-crafted mix of experimental electronica and post-rock. It’s an exquisitely beautiful and dark record full of melancholic piano arrangements, attention-to-detail electronics and slow broody guitar riffs that recall Massive Attack and Radiohead. It’s a close depiction of living in remote isolation as the music is quite reflective and immersive, but underneath looms a terrible nightmare. Where there are vocals, most often they are sinister, emotionless and monotone – to great effect. The combination of melodic piano interludes (reminiscent of Donnie Darko), waiflike guitar tones and glitchy noises build an air of reclusion and loneliness, which verges on creepiness, particularly in TocarTake It Down. TocarMab Crease and TocarThe Black Cramp are songs that demonstrate their compulsion to break out of experimentation/soundscapes and explore the sonic spectrum (which I feel this album needs some more of), and songwriting, but this record excels in its softness and fragility, particularly in the loneliness of the narrated lyrics and the gentle piano interludes. The mystery and ambiguity that surrounds the band (a common theme in the underground electronica scene) is something that draws intrigue; they call themselves “Operatives A & B” on their website), but it’s a method that this record takes great value in. The ghostly piano arpeggios in the disorientating Vaulted captures a scene of an enchanted forest, and TocarMirrors at Night is a delicate acoustic guitar-picked reverie evoking the horrors of the night. Reigns drag you into their dystopian world with House on the Causeway, and it feels like a record that’s been uncovered years into the future. Like a fog, the album begins with looped piano chords settling in and establishing a dark ambience, and finishes with the same but altered chords, as they disperse and fade out.

    6) Asobi Seksu – Hush

    This is a dreamy pop album from New Yorkers Asobi Seksu. The soft floating textures are well complimented by some truly beautiful vocals from Yuki Chikudate. Her melodies soar above the pedal-driven guitars with grace and elegance, and her whole far-eastern cultivation brings an mysterious allure to the music. The crunchier songs like In The Sky, Familiar Light, and Meh No Mae are the most enjoyable songs, but the most immediate standout song for me, is Me & Mary, which is hugely fun and exciting – any teenager would love it. Cocteau Twins/My Bloody Valentine influences are only occasionally distinguished, but apart from that, it’s a brilliant record.

    Further listening: Transparence EP

    7) Son of a Bricklayer/Shitao – La Jetée

    This Ground Floor Records release is a fusion of two of its musicians, Song of a Bricklayer/Shitao who have written music inspired by 962 film La Jetée (or The Pier), which is a 28-minute black and white film by Chris Marker. Constructed almost entirely from still photos, it tells the story of a post-nuclear war experiment in time travel. Ageless downbeat trip-hop... one of those rare gems.

    8) Crippled Black Phoenix - 200 Tons of Bad Luck

    My favourite post-rock album of the year. Time of ye life is a stirring piece of music that contains a brilliant audio clip of Evel Knievel being wise and philosophical. Other tracks such as TocarWendigo and TocarCrossing the Bar are ethereal and captivating; it compensates for a lack of A Silver Mt. Zion in 2009.

    9) Tosca - No Hassle

    More downbeat electronica that is a suitable cohort to last year’s Quiet Village, except this one feels effortless because it doesn’t attract much attention. It just flows like an autumn breeze and you hardly notice it until it’s there, but you feel its impression. Imprints of Jazz and Blues are here and there, but the natural ‘acoustic’ sound is what brings these soundscapes to a level of high technical quality. No Hassle is not groundbreaking. It’s one of those records that feels the body’s rhythmic pulsations and helps you through the night, comforting you like a million glistening stars, or a burning fireplace.

    10) Broadcast & The Focus Group – Broadcast & the Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age

    Spooky and beautiful. This otherworldly electronic effort from Broadcast is an entrancing blend of 60s psychedelia and retro-futuristic pop that draws influence from the sample-splicing BBC Radiophonic Workshop. On a few listens, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing; it sounds so mysterious, save Trish Keenan’s delightful vocals, their experiments in sound design are carefully constructed, and the haunting mini-compositions that link the songs help a great deal to shape the album structurally. At times resembling The Beatles’ Revolution #9, this is as close to an exploration into a world of dreams as music can get.

    11) Taken By Trees - East Of Eden

    12) David Sylvian – Manafon

    13) Sonic Youth - The Eternal

    14) Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
    15) Atlas Sound - Logos

    16) Blue Roses - Blue Roses

    17) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

    18) PJ Harvey & John Parish - A Woman A Man Walked By

    19) Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People.. Lazers Do

    20) Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

    21-50

    21) Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
    22) Susumu Yokota – Mother
    23) Andrew Weatherall - A Pox On The Pioneers
    24) Evangelista - Prince Of Truth
    25) Empire of the Sun - Walking On A Dream
    26) Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us
    27) The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead
    28) The Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want
    29) Hudson Mohawke – Butter
    30) Antlers – Hospice
    31) Various - Warp20
    32) Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem/White Stag EP
    33) Nosaj Thing - Drift
    34) Riceboy Sleeps - Riceboy Sleeps
    35) HEALTH - Get Color
    36) Kings of Convenience - Declaration Of Dependence
    37) Julie Doiron - I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day
    38) Jamie Vex'd - In System Travel EP
    39) Wooden Birds – Magnolia
    40) The Invisible - The Invisible
    41) Seeland - Tomorrow Today/Captured EP
    42) A.A. Bondy – When The Devil’s Loose
    43) Jóhann Jóhannsson - And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees
    44) Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
    45) Gary War - Horribles Parade
    46) Boys Noize – Power
    47) Gui Boratto - Take My Breath Away
    48) Various - Echodub Loves (Vol. 01)
    49) Telefon Tel Aviv – Immolate Yourself
    50) Various – Dark Was The Night

    51-80

    51) The Mountain Goats - the Life of the World to Come
    52) Pastels & Tenniscoats - Two Sunsets
    53) Clint Mansell - Moon
    54) Bell Orchestre - As Seen Through Windows
    55) Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
    56) OOIOO - ARMONICO HEWA
    57) JJ - jj No.2
    58) Mr. Oizo - Pourriture EP
    59) Thee Oh Sees – Help/In the Shadow of the Giant EP
    60) Volcano Choir - Unmap
    61) The Field - Yesterday & Today
    62) Sally Shapiro - My Guilty Pleasure
    63) Animal Hospital -Good or Plenty, Streets + Avenues
    64) Tadeo - Contacto
    65) The Dead Weather – Horehound
    66) Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Twice Born Men
    67) High Places & Soft Circle - Split 12"
    68) St.Vincent – Actor
    69) DM Stith - Heavy Ghost
    70) Jon Brion - Synecdoche, New York
    71) Mos Def - The Ecstatic
    72) Clark - Totems Flare
    73) Twin Sister - Vampires with Dreaming Kids EP
    74) Sparklehorse & Fennesz - In The Fishtank EP
    75) Pantha du Prince - This Bliss
    76) Humcrush - Rest At Worlds End
    77) YACHT - See Mystery Lights
    78) Girls – Album
    79) Woodpigeon - Treasury Library Canada
    80) Sufjan Stevens/Osso- Run Rabbit Run
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  • Tracks of 2009

    Dez 12 2009, 18h45 por y2penni

    1) Empire of the Sun – TocarWithout You

    A stone-wall classic. In recent years, there haven't been many songs that have evoked the sound of the 80s with such modesty and confidence. But this commonplace connection with the New Romantic era isn't the only aspect that justifies a number one spot; the music is rich in every one of these emotions: heartache, requited love, apprehension, regret, obsession, jealousy, selfishness, and self-pity. It only takes a second of the music, and you're drawn into a wistfully contemplative reflection. The chorus is the heart of the song, as Steele belts out with full emotion and honesty: "I get the feeling when we're apart / I get the teaching that I can't be without you". The song is essentially about love, and could easily be imagined at the end of a wedding disco as the chills are felt through the kindred spirits, or the broken-hearted. 80s throwbacks aren't uncommon in music today, but this feels like more of a synth pop song for the 'teens' (2010-20), than a Spandau Ballet ripoff, but it shouldn't be discouraged for drawing comparisons to their seminal track, True.

    2) Animal Collective – Also Frightened

    The transition of one decade into another is best captured in this song. It was hard to pick one track from the brilliant Merriweather Post Pavilion. AC are casually known for their talents in sound craftsmenship, but for me, Also Frightened is a model for modern pop music composition that recognises the trio as talented songwriters, and pushing boundaries of pop hooks and sonic aesthetics. Homages to Beatles and Beach Boys are humble and effective. The dense textures, complex rhythms and eastern harmonies combined with the effervescent blend of Avey Tare and Panda Bear's vocals are a tour-de-force. The lyrics could be interpreted as the fears of growing up, or general anxieties of modern society as another decade of uncertain future beckons.

    3) Asobi Seksu – Me & Mary

    Daydreamy pop from the New York shoegazers. Brings back the memories of being a 16 year old girl.

    4) Dirty Projectors – Useful Chamber

    Adventurous, stylish and sophisticated avant rock peppered with intricate melodies and a militaristic beat that tepidly undulates beneath woozy synth waves. The chorus packs a punch that is full of power and urgency, and everything is going swimmingly until halfway through, when the music suffers a coma, and morphs into a mind-melting wail from the angels. It's unexpected but utterly brilliant - I've never heard anything like it.

    5) OOIOO – Hewa Hewa

    Don't be afraid to let loose the chimpanzanee inside you.

    6) St. Vincent – The Party

    The coda is the the most beautiful and soul-stirring thing I've heard all year.

    7) The Twilight Sad – Reflection Of The Television

    I was impressed by their first album, and this song takes off from where they left off. Moody atmosphere and gnarly guitars, but what brings it all together is Graham's strong Scottish tones that bleeds honesty and desolation. There is beauty in the lyrics, despite the lack of: "There's people downstairs / I'm more than a fighter", shows the internal struggle with confidence and self-esteem.

    8) PJ Harvey & John Parish – A Woman A Man Walked By

    PJ Harvey at her most frank and vulnerable is usually her best. The composition is brave and it's a brutal execution from Parish. Great combo.

    9) Major Lazer – Pod de floor

    Brings back memories of Bonde do Role's 2007 debut with it's brazilian-esque electronica and old school beats. Exciting and catchy.

    10) The Horrors – I Only Think of You

    Droning guitars and Badwan's moody vocals provide the depth and exuberence in this towering song. Production is well handled by Portishead's Geoff Barrow and musical influences are unmistakably clear but well channelled for this NME-birthed group.

    11) Wild Beasts – All The King’s Men

    12) Blue Roses – Greatest Thoughts

    13) Taken By Trees – Watch The Waves

    14) Mos Def – Quiet Dog Bite Hard

    15) JJ – From Africa To Malaga

    16) Grizzly Bear – I Live With You

    17) Neon Indian – TocarDeadbeat Summer

    18) Sonic Youth – Antenna

    19) Julie Doiron – Consolation Prize

    20) Phoenix - Rome


    21-50

    21) Reigns – TocarMab Crease
    22) The Mountain Goats – Romans 10:9
    23) Wavves – TocarNo Hope Kids
    24) Joy Orbison – TocarHyph Mngo
    25) Hudson Mohawke – Allhot
    26) Animal Collective – My Girls
    27) Jay-Z – Empire State of Mind
    28) Shitao - TocarWe
    29) Bibio – Fire Ant
    30) HEALTH – Die Slow
    31) Kings of Convenience – TocarRiot On An Empty Street
    32) Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader
    33) Susumu Yokota – Meltwater
    34) Gary War – TocarAnhedonic Man
    35) The Dead Weather – Treat Me Like Your Mother
    36) Mr Oizo – Steroids
    37) The Invisible – London Girl
    38) casiotone – White Jetta
    39) Timbre – Lay Down In The Tall Grass
    40) The National – So Far Around The Bend
    41) Sally Shapiro – TocarDying In Africa
    42) Sufjan Stevens – Impossible Soul
    43) Atlas Sound – Quick Canal
    44) Telefon Tel Aviv – Helen of Troy
    45) Lykke Li – Possibility
    46) BURIAL/FOUR TET – wolf cub
    47) Sparklehorse + Fennesz – Tocargoodnight sweetheart
    48) Atlas Sound – Walkabout
    49) Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
    50) DM Stith – Braid Of Voices

    51-100

    51) Bat for Lashes – TocarDaniel
    52) The xx – Crystalised
    53) Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky
    54) Black Moth Super Rainbow – TocarTwin Of Myself
    55) No Age – Genie
    56) Empire of the Sun – TocarWe Are The People
    57) Why? – The Blackest Purse
    58) Thee Oh Sees – She Said To Me
    59) Clark – The Magnet Mine
    60) Crippled Black Phoenix – Time of ye life
    61) Andrew Weatherall – Selective Walking
    62) The Papercuts – Jet Plane
    63) YACHT – The Afterlife
    64) Seeland – Captured
    65) Boys Noize – TocarTransmission
    66) The Wooden Birds – Sugar
    67) David Sylvian – Random Acts of Senseless Violence
    68) Mt. Eerie – Through The Trees
    69) Johann Johannsson – Theme
    70) Yo La Tengo – Avalon or Someone Very Similar
    71) Richard Youngs – Like A Sailor
    72) Au Revoir Simone – TocarShadows
    73) Espers – Caroline
    74) Humcrush – Steam
    75) The Horrors – Scarlet Fields
    76) Andrew Weatherall – Privately Electrified
    77) Thom Yorke – TocarAll For The Best
    78) Broadcast – Ritual/Looking In
    79) Nite Jewel – Falling Far
    80) Black Moth Super Rainbow – TocarGold Splatter
    81) Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is the Move
    82) Au – TocarIda Walked Away
    83) HEALTH – Death +
    84) Bell Orchestre – Air Lines, Land Lines
    85) The Twilight Sad – That Room
    86) Nosaj Thing – Fog
    87) Populous – Zodiac
    88) Sonic Youth – Anti-Orgasm
    89) Telefon Tel Aviv – The Birds
    90) Bibio – The Palm Of Your Wave
    91) Micachu – TocarVulture
    92) Sweet Billy Pilgrim – TocarJoy Maker Machinery
    93) Evangelista – Iris Didn't Spell
    94) Os Mutantes – Neurociencia Do Amor
    95) Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard – Bugs & Flowers
    96) Jon Brion – Little Person
    97) Clark – Future Daniel
    98) Tadeo – Virgo
    99) Shugo Tokumaru – Rum Hee
    100) Broadcast - In Here the World Begins
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  • Top 50 Most Listened To Albums

    Nov 18 2009, 16h46 por bensteinsmoney

    bensteinsmoney's top albums (overall)
    1. OutKast - Stankonia (560)
    2. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News (498)
    3. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (416)
    4. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (374)
    5. Sly & The Family Stone - Fresh (370) 6. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (369)
    7. Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (354)
    8. The Beatles - Let It Be (350)
    9. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (309)
    10. The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile (297)
    11. Kanye West - College Dropout (297)
    12. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die - The Remaster (277) 13. The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? (266)
    14. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (262)
    15. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold as Love (254)
    16. Paul Simon - Graceland (249)
    17. Iron & Wine - The Creek Drank the Cradle (224)
    18. The Beatles - Help! (211)
    19. Talib Kweli - Quality (208)
    20. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang-36 Chamber (198) 21. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee (196)
    22. audiobytes for autobots - 2.0 (183)
    23. Sondre Lerche - Two Way Monologue (178)
    24. Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle (177)
    25. John Lennon - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (174)
    26. Annuals - Be He Me (164)
    27. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (163)
    28. OutKast - ATLiens (163)
    29. U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind (160)
    30. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (156)
    31. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (153)
    32. Frank Zappa - We're Only in It for the Money (151)
    33. The Beatles - Revolver (151)
    34. David Bowie - The Singles 1969 to 1993 (disc 1) (150)
    35. The B-52's - Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation (148)
    36. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (146)
    37. The Beatles - Rubber Soul (144)
    38. Sublime - Sublime (142)
    39. The Beta Band - Three Eps (141) 40. Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (140)
    41. Jon Brion - Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (139)
    42. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (136)
    43. The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You (135)
    44. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street (134)
    45. The Arcade Fire - Funeral (131)
    46. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs (131)
    47. The Beatles - Abbey Road (131)
    48. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (129)
    49. OutKast - Aquemini (129)
    50. The Rolling Stones - LET IT BLEED (127)

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  • Top Albums and a few podcasts

    Nov 13 2009, 19h50 por infinite93

    infinite93's top albums (overall)
    1. Jack's Mannequin - Everything in Transit (829)
    2. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (808)
    3. Nada Surf - Lucky (803)
    4. Jon Brion - Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (775)
    5. The Clash - Essential Clash (637)
    6. The Kills - Midnight Boom (483)
    7. Sia - Colour The Small One (460)
    8. Panic at the Disco - Pretty. Odd. (452)
    9. Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony (429)
    10. Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger (409)
    11. Produced by ABC, Inc. - The Official Ugly Betty podcast (408) 12. The Strokes - Is This It (403)
    13. Say Anything - Say Anything Is a Real Boy (384) 14. BBC Radio 2 - Russell Brand (377) 15. Muse - Absolution (375)

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  • Friday Night at Largo: Blackout Edition

    Out 21 2009, 6h59 por wires_and_waves

    October 16, 2009

    Only at a Jon Brion show could a power outage add to the fun and spontaneity of the evening.

    Brion started the show off by playing some slow and quiet instrumental pieces on the piano. He then walked over to the drums, played them, sampled them, did the same with the piano, and then broke out the electric guitar. The result was an ardent version of the (sadly) unreleased song “Get Over Yourself.”

    For his next song Brion picked up what looked like a part of a blow torch and started banging a rhythm on the top of the piano. He then looped this rhythm and added several more sounds on top of it to create a melody that quickly became “Same Thing.” Towards the end of the song all of the lights in the theater (and the whole block) went out. With the aid of audience cell phones and a flashlight Brion promptly picked up an acoustic guitar and started playing “Knock Yourself Out.” “It’s okay,” he said. “Ray Charles played like this his whole career.”

    Whereas lesser musicians would have seemed flustered or even quit altogether, Brion seemed completely unfazed by the power outage. It was clear he was content to play with or without the aid of electricity. A few candles and flashlights were soon brought out on stage to help him play and find his way around the stage.

    For more than an hour Brion took requests and played a mix of his own songs and covers. Highlights included performances on a pump organ, vibraphone, and an audience singalong of “When Doves Cry” on some kind of mini keytar.

    Trying to keep things interesting, Brion decided to form a band and invited members of the audience who could play “Norwegian Wood” on acoustic guitar to come up on stage. One audience member shouted out he could play tambourine so Brion invited him up as well. As the band started and the audience sang along, the electricity in the theater resumed.

    After “Norwegian Wood” and making sure the instruments were working properly again, Brion performed a heartfelt version of his (again, sadly) unreleased song “Love of My Life So Far” on acoustic guitar.

    He ended the first part of the show with an epic performance of “Maybe I’m Amazed” with looped drums, piano, electric guitar, and other sounds from videos being projected on two screens near the back of the stage. These videos included an orchestra conduction and another of a saxophone player. He even sneaked in a few lines of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” towards the end of the song. It’s unfortunate Brion does not get a lot of credit as a singer because he sounded great on this one. I’ve heard him sing as high as Prince and as low as Barry White. Not to mention the fact that he does hilarious (and spot-on) impressions of Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen. After the song faded out Brion sweetly thanked the audience and said goodnight before leaving the stage.

    The audience continued to applaud and shout for him to play an encore. Within a few minutes Brion returned to the stage. “Really?” he sheepishly asked. “I mean…really?” For an encore he invited the acoustic band members back on to the stage for “You Wont See Me.” When one guitar player asked what their band should be called, Brion joked, “See! This is why we’re breaking up tonight!” During the song Brion twice called out for a tambourine solo, in which the tambourine played happily obliged. For the record, the guy was pretty good.

    In the end, the evening was not only a testament of Brion’s talent, but how much his personality and wit adds to show as well. One of the comedic highlights during the blackout was, “…and well, I just…WHY AM I TALKING INTO THE MICROPHONE?” he shouted before knocking it over on to the ground. He also said that his long sleeve dress shirt was a “painful fashion mistake” now that the air conditioning was out. Brion also continued to profess his love for Guinness by stating if the rest of the world ever went off the grid he would just move to Ireland. “They powered the factory before electricity,” he joked.

    The blackout portion of the show could probably best be described as what it would be like to sit around a campfire and singalong with Jon Brion (if he brought a pump organ and vibraphone along). His sense of humor, creativity, and up-for-anything attitude turned what could have easily been a show of monotonous acoustic numbers into a fun and exciting night that was nothing short of magical. It was my seventh time seeing his show and would easily rank it as one on my favorites. I know I’ll never forget it.

    SETLIST:
    Instrumental (piano)
    Get Over Yourself (looped drums / piano, electric guitar)
    Same Thing (piano, looped sounds)
    Knock Yourself Out (acoustic guitar)
    I’m Gonna Lock My Heart and Throw Away the Key (acoustic guitar)
    Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies (piano)
    Maple Leaf Rag (piano)
    When Doves Cry [Prince]
    Little Person (piano) (“I may need prompting on the lyrics. I never had to sing it.”)
    Ruin My Day (guitar and harmonica)
    Instrumental (vibraphone) (“This is a vibraphone. But tonight it’s just a phone.”)
    Trouble (piano)
    Creep [Radiohead] (piano)
    Instrumental (pump organ)
    I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times [The Beach Boys] (pump organ)
    Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) [The Beatles]
    Love of My Life So Far (acoustic guitar)
    Strings That Tie to You (piano)
    Maybe I’m Amazed [Paul McCartney] (looped drums / piano, electric guitar)

    Encore:
    You Won’t See Me [The Beatles]

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  • Top 100 Songs Of The Noughties

    Ago 19 2009, 17h17 por nalwor

    This is it. My top 100 songs of the decade.

    Also, some of my fav vids.

    1. Nude– Radiohead

    2. TocarNew Slang – The Shins
    3. I’d Rather Dance With You – Kings of Convenience

    4. Wolf Like Me – TV on the Radio

    5. Jesus, ETC – Wilco
    6. Gettysburg – Ratatat

    7. TocarToo Young – Phoenix
    8. Atlas – Battles

    9. Wake Up – Arcade Fire

    10. TocarWitness (1 Hope) – Roots Manuva

    11. TocarSingle Ladies (Put A Ring On It) – Beyoncé

    12. Roscoe – Midlake
    13. Decatur – Sufjan Stevens

    14. Hoppípolla – Sigur Rós
    15. Elephant Gun – Beirut

    16. TocarYou And I Are A Gang Of Losers – The Dears
    17. TocarBanquet– Bloc Party
    18. The Rat– The Walkmen
    19. TocarThe Art Teacher – Rufus Wainwright

    20. TocarNo I In Threesome – Interpol

    21. TocarHard to Explain – The Strokes

    22. Winter’s Love – Animal Collective
    23. You Could Easily Have Me – Metronomy
    24. Canadian Girl – The Walkmen

    25. B.Y.O.B – System of a Down
    26. TocarParty Hard - Andrew W.K.

    27. TocarWater Here – Bodies of Water
    28. TocarLong Distance Call – Phoenix

    29. TocarShort Skirt, Long Jacket– CAKE

    30. Impossible Germany – Wilco

    31. TocarPyramid Song – Radiohead
    32. Tocar10 A.M. Automatic – The Black Keys

    33. Crips – Ratatat
    34. TocarReckoner– Radiohead
    35. Here We Go – Jon Brion
    36. Hope There’s Someone – Antony and the Johnsons
    37. TocarLe Long De La Riviere Tendre – Sébastien Tellier
    38. TocarMaps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

    39. TocarGirl – Beck
    40. Postcards From Italy – Beirut
    41. TocarHearts On Fire – Cut Copy
    42. These Are The Eyes – Bodies of Water
    43. Bandits – Midlake
    44. White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes
    45. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear
    46. No One Does It Like You – Department of Eagles

    47. Soldier Girl – The Polyphonic Spree

    48. Face To Face – Daft Punk
    49. TocarStrawberry Swing – Coldplay

    50. Playground Love – Air
    51. TocarOne Pure Thought – Hot Chip
    52. My Girls – Animal Collective

    53. No Cars Go – Arcade Fire
    54. TocarHurt – Johnny Cash
    55. TocarGrace Under Pressure - Elbow

    56. TocarDarling, Be Here – Bodies of Water
    57. TocarFirst Day Of My Life – Bright Eyes

    58. TocarKim & Jessie – M83
    59. PDA – Interpol
    60. TocarSomeone Great – LCD Soundsystem
    61. TocarShe Is Beautiful – Andrew W.K.
    62. All The King's Men - Wild Beasts

    63. TocarHide and Seek – Imogen Heap
    64. TocarOver And Over– Hot Chip
    65. Mirando – Ratatat

    66. 2080 – Yeasayer
    67. TocarUnderneath The Weeping Willow – Grandaddy
    68. I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News) – Eagles of Death Metal
    69. Kidz Are So Small – Deerhoof
    70. Woozy With Cider – James Yorkston
    71. Knife – Grizzly Bear

    72. TocarWest Coast – Coconut Records
    73. Lex– Ratatat
    74. TocarI Want Love - Elton John
    75. TocarDecent Days And Nights – Futureheads

    76. TocarChicken Payback – The Bees
    77. TocarMovies – Alien Ant Farm

    78. Getting Up – Q-Tip
    79. Flume – Bon Iver

    80. Flakes – Mystery Jets

    81. TocarWhoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh – The Rapture
    82. TocarStarlight – Muse
    83. Bathroom Gurgle – Late of the Pier

    84. Untitled 4 – Sigur Rós
    85. Chicago – Sufjan Stevens
    86. Fake Empire – The National
    87. Just Got To Be - The Black Keys

    89. Province – TV on the Radio
    90. Ringing in My Ear - Adem

    91. I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree – The Sleepy Jackson
    92. Step By Step (feat. Hot Chip) – Wiley
    93. TocarOxygen – JJ72
    94. TocarThere Goes The Fear – Doves
    95. Must Be The Moon - !!!

    96. Myriad Harbour – The New Pornographers
    97. The Pills Won’t Help You Know – The Chemical Brothers
    98. TocarIf I Ever Feel Better – Phoenix
    99. In The New Year – The Walkmen

    100. Dear Lord – Joseph Arthur
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  • My top 100 favourite/most listened to albums of the 00s

    Ago 18 2009, 17h45 por nalwor

    Inspired by Pitchfork's countdown of the decades best music, here's my top 100 albums:

    1. In Rainbows - Radiohead

    2. Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
    3. Ratatat – Ratatat
    4. I’m A Bird Now - Antony and the Johnsons
    5. Kid A – Radiohead
    6. Funeral - Arcade Fire
    7. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
    8. Discovery - Daft Punk
    9. Trials Of Van Occupanther - Midlake
    10. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
    11. Wolfgang Phoenix - Phoenix

    12. Turn On The Bright Lights - Interpol
    13. Before The Dawn Heals Us - M83
    14. Myth Takes - !!!
    15. Dear Science, - TV on the Radio
    16. Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective
    17. Ágætis Byrjun - Sigur Rós
    18. Yellow House - Grizzly Bear
    19. Silent Alarms - Bloc Party
    20. The Boxer - The National
    21. The Renaissance - Q-Tip

    22. Classics - Ratatat
    23. Lamb Anger - Mr. Oizo
    24. Return To Cookie Mountain - TV on the Radio
    25. Mirrored - Battles
    26. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
    27. You and Me - The Walkmen
    28. Antics - Interpol
    29. Seven Swans - Sufjan Stevens
    30. Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? - of Montreal
    31. In Ghost Colours - Cut Copy

    32. The Reminder - Feist
    33. Want (One & Two) - Rufus Wainwright
    34. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
    35. Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State - Sufjan Stevens
    36. Takk… - Sigur Rós
    37. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
    38. Black Fantasy Channel - Late of the Pier
    39. Made In The Dark - Hot Chip
    40. Gold - Ryan Adams
    41. Demon Days - Gorillaz

    42. Nights Out - Metronomy
    43. Amnesiac - Radiohead
    44. A Ghost Is Born - Wilco
    45. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
    46. Pause - Four Tet
    47. Give Up - Postal Service
    48. Parachutes - Coldplay
    49. Los Angeles - Flying Lotus
    50. The Greatest - Cat Power
    51. Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon

    52. Veckatimest - Grizzly Bear
    53. Its Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    54. Rubber Factory - The Black Keys
    55. Stories By The City, Stories By The Sea - PJ Harvey
    56. Third - Portishead
    57. You Forgot It In People - Broken Social Scene
    58. Feels - Animal Collective
    59. The Last Broadcast - Doves
    60. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
    61. Person Pitch - Panda Bear

    62. Sound Of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
    63. Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors
    64. Our Endless Numbered Days - Iron & Wine
    65. Louden Up Now - !!!
    66. Jewellery - Micachu
    67. Lookaftering - Vashti Bunyan
    68. Talkie Walkie - Air
    69. Friend Opportunity - Deerhoof
    70. Attack Sustain Release - Simian Mobile Disco
    71. Sung Tongs - Animal Collective

    72. The Flying Club Cup - Beirut
    73. From Here to Sublime - The Field
    74. Eternal Sunshine And The Spotless Mind - Jon Brion
    75. I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning - Bright Eyes
    76. Nite Versions - Soulwax
    77. Cast Of Thousands - Elbow
    78. Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle and Sebastian
    79. When The Haar Rolls In - James Yorkston
    80. Hour of the Bewilderbeast - Badly Drawn Boy
    81. Heathen - David Bowie

    82. Is This It? - The Strokes
    83. ( ) - Sigur Rós
    84. Brainwasted – George Harrison
    85. Cross - Justice
    86. Black Holes And Revelations - Muse
    87. Hello Mom! - Modeseleckor
    88. Think Tank - Blur
    89. Untrue - Burial
    90. Z - My Morning Jacket
    91. The Warning - Hot Chip

    92. Toxicity - System of a Down
    93. The Futureheads - The Futureheads
    94. Graduation - Kanye West
    95. Mothers Daughter and Other Songs - Tunng
    96. Happy Songs For Happy People - Mogwai
    97. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
    98. Since I Left You - The Avalanches
    99. Silent Shout – The Knife
    100. Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires
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  • BacktoMine Spotify Playlist - Songs I Never Get Tired Of Listening To.

    Ago 17 2009, 12h27 por nalwor

    http://open.spotify.com/user/goldencat/playlist/0qhs8ppKJgwi7djgsNKq7e

    A Spotify playlist of songs that I never get tired of listening to. Plz enjoy

    Playlist:

    The King Of Carrot Flowers, Part One - Neutral Milk Hotel
    Canadian Girl - The Walkmen
    Crips - Ratatat
    Le Long De La Riviere Tendre - Sebastien Tellier
    No Cars Go - Arcade Fire
    Elephant Gun - Beirut
    Flume - Bon Iver
    Water Here - Bodies of Water
    Irene - Caribou
    Deep Blue Sea - Grizzly Bear
    Bandits - Midlake
    Winter's Love - Animal Collective
    Made In The Dark - Hot Chip
    No I In Threesome - Interpol
    Would You Have Me Born With Wooden Eyes - James Yorkston
    Row - Jon Brion
    Long Distance Call - Phoenix
    I Guess I'm Floating - M83
    The Sun Smells Too Loud - Mogwai
    The Big Ship - Brian Eno
    Pink Moon - Nick Drake
    Peer Pressure - Jon Brion
    Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
    Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    Radian - Air
    Narc - Interpol
    Dancing With Friends - Julianna Barwick
    Tarnation - Max Avery Lichtenstein
    Roscoe - Midlake
    Cold Wind - Arcade Fire
    Metal Heart - Cat Power
    Becalmed - Brian Eno
    Deep Water - Portishead
    Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
    When You Leave - Maps
    Staralfur - Sigur Ros
    Soldier Girl - The Polyphonic Spree
    Lapland - Ratatat
    Turn On Me - The Shins
    Redford (FOr Yia-Yia & Pappou) - Sufjan Stevens
    Jenny Again - Tunng
    Province - TV on the Radio
    In The New Year - The Walkmen
    L'Echec - Yann Tiersen
    When Butterflies Leave - Cat Stevens
    Hysteric - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    In The Morning Of The Magicians - The Flaming Lips
    Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros
    Willow Tree - Chad VanGaalen
    Derek - Animal Collective
    Kidz Are So Small - Deerhoof
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  • My top 50 albums in last 6 months

    Jul 26 2009, 14h15 por yippeecz

    2009-07-26 (by Last.fm)
    1. Troy von Balthazar - Troy von Balthazar (173)
    2. Mansfield.TYA - Seules au bout de 23 secondes (131)
    3. The Kazoo Funk Orchestra - Midnight Finger Painter (115)
    4. K'naan - Troubadour (102)
    5. Tally Hall - Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum (100)
    6. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (96)
    7. Orchestra Baobab - African Classics: Orchestra Baobab (87)
    8. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali (83)
    9. Jason Webley - Against the Night (81)
    10. Ugress - Film Music - Selected Cues 2002-2006 (78)
    11. Cesária Évora - Best of Cesária Évora (74)
    12. Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light (74)
    13. Benni Hemm Hemm - Murta St. Calunga (73)
    14. Max Richter - Waltz With Bashir (73)
    15. Matt Costa - Unfamiliar Faces (72)
    16. Владимир Высоцкий - Taganka (67)
    17. Mansfield.TYA - June (64)
    18. Benni Hemm Hemm - Kajak (64)
    19. The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing (61)
    20. Les Bantous de la Capitale - Bakolo Mboka (60)
    21. Destroyer - your blues (60)
    22. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover (60)
    23. Emiliana Torrini - Me And Armini (60)
    24. Michael Knight - Youth Is Wasted On The Young (57)
    25. Kašpárek v rohlíku - Bejbypank (56)
    26. Regina Spektor - Far (56)
    27. Irie Révoltés - Les deux Côtés (56)
    28. Ólafur Arnalds - Eulogy for Evolution (56)
    29. Jason Webley - The Cost of Living (55)
    30. Clint Mansell - The Fountain (53)
    31. Sexy Sushi - Marre marre marre (53)
    32. Soda Fountain Rag - It's Rag Time! (53)
    33. Jon Brion - Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (53)
    34. Shearwater - Palo Santo (52)
    35. DeVotchKa - How It Ends (51)
    36. Mark Geary - opium (51)
    37. CocoRosie - La Maison de Mon Reve (50)
    38. Klaus & Kinski - Por Que No Me Das Tu Dinero (49)
    39. Mario Lucio - Badyo (48)
    40. Benni Hemm Hemm - Benni Hemm Hemm (48)
    41. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst (48)
    42. Manu Chao - Sibérie m'était contéee (46)
    43. Le Fils des Trois Mousquetaires - pendant ce temps-lŕ, en 1942 (46)
    44. Boduf Songs - How Shadows Chase the Balance (46)
    45. Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs (45)
    46. Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper (44)
    47. Cesária Évora - Radio Mindelo (44)
    48. Klaus & Kinski - Tu hoguera está ardiendo (43)
    49. The Cool Crooners of Bulawayo - Blue Sky (42)
    50. I'm From Barcelona - Who Killed Harry Houdini? (41)

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  • Review #2: Keane - Perfect Symmetry (2008) [Portuguese]

    Abr 26 2009, 5h51 por RaulRoque


    Perfect Symmetry - Keane
    "Um dos melhores - e mais experimentais - álbuns de 2008!"

    Detalhes do Álbum:

    Nome/Músico: Keane (Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin)
    Nome/Álbum: Perfect Symmetry
    Lançado: 13 de Outubro de 2008
    Gênero: Rock/pop
    Duração: 50:45
    Gravadora: Island
    Produtores: Jon Brion; Keane; Stuart Price

    Avaliação Faixa a Faixa:

    1. Spiralling
    Jesse Quin; Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    A responsável pela introdução do álbum nos transfere a um universo quase totalmente distinto do formulado em obras antecedentes do Keane. "Spiralling", primeiro single do álbum, comenta sobre o fato de nos apaixonarmos por alguém e muitas vezes agradarmos de forma incondicional esta pessoa, embora não sejamos totalmente correspondidos. Ela possui trechos que denotam o comportamento de um indivíduo que fora e é continuamente rejeitado, entretanto segue persistindo na relação e exibe todas as reações que ele tem para com a condição de desprezo que sua pretendente estabelece. Também é proposta a idéia de que, quando nos apaixonamos, nos apaixonamos por nós mesmos, talvez exercendo um conceito de que sempre nos apaixonamos por pessoas que preenchem todas as qualidade que nós mesmos julgamos apropriadas em alguém. Melodicamente, a faixa representa um dos exemplos mais observáveis da alteração e do experimento sonoro que o Keane realizou neste último projeto. A idéia para "Spiralling", que em tradução para o português significa mover de forma espiral, é a de que, quando em relacionamento, ora estamos insatisfeitos e ora satisfeitos, e assim, consequentemente, estamos impostos a um ciclo que alterna entre felicidade e infelicidade, ou seja, uma espiral de emoções. Ela é vibrante, objetiva e vigorosa. Seguramente um dos melhores singles de 2008!
    Nota: 5.0/5.0



    2. The Lovers Are Losing
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Mantendo a sonoridade exacerbadamente gritante e potente, eles nos guiam à segunda faixa do disco, afirmando que os românticos estão perdendo. Aparentemente a música ostenta um tom de revolta e indignação por parte do narrador perante as práticas aderidas por outra pessoa, discorrendo que ela tenta modificar e controlar todos os sonhos que possui, simplesmente porque eles não a agradaram. "Lovers Are Losing" provavelmente é a faixa mais estrondosa do álbum, evidenciando novamente a mutação melódica que o grupo se incumbiu. Ela soa bastante anos oitenta e parece transmitir uma mensagem à sociedade moderna que constantemente ignora o amor e a compaixão para com seus semelhantes. Embora esta outra pessoa tenta organizar novamente seus sonhos na esperançosa tentativa de alcançar sua satisfação, a única e permanente impressão que ela tem é a de que a paixão está aos poucos se esvanecendo...
    Nota: 4.5/5.0

    3. Better Than This
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Aqui é possível perceber concretamente o rumo que o álbum se objetiva, ao menos em seu sentido lírico. "Better Than This" diz ao receptor da mensagem que ele poderia fazer muito melhor do que ele efetivamente já faz. Paralelamente, o narrador também fornece conselhos e um ponto de vista bastante realista e um tanto cético de mundo, comentando que ele deveria se atar mais aos fatos e preterir fantasias, ilusões ou sonhos racionalmente improváveis. Em outras palavras, a música diz que devemos encarar as coisas como elas verdadeiramente são, independente se trágicas ou desanimadoras. Também argumentam que precisamos de mais atos e iniciativas do que meros pensamentos positivos ou crenças em algo superior. Ela efetua uma oposição à postura acomodada que muitas vezes possuímos quando em posição ou estado cômodo, exprimindo que sempre podemos fazer algo melhor do que já fazemos. No entanto, sempre de acordo à razão dos fatos e fazendo por onde.
    Nota: 4.0/5.0

    4. You Haven't Told Me Anything
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Em mais uma faixa com um instrumental animador e contagiante, o grupo expressa, por meio da letra, uma relação entre duas pessoas em que uma parece não esclarecer e se apresentar com transparência e franqueza ao outro, omitindo talvez os seus problemas ou assuntos que não queira comentar ou conversar sobre. Em meio a esta situação, o eu-lírico diz que desconhece grande parte das particularidades e confidências da pessoa com a qual dialoga, afirmando que ela não havia contado a ele nada além do que ele já sabia. Possivelmente a canção engloba uma situação bastante pessoal envolvendo dois elementos que, ao que tudo indica, carece de intimidade e liberdade entre eles. Acredito que vingaria como single sim, bem como a maior parte do conteúdo contido no álbum. Apesar do significativo fracasso crítico da banda, "Perfect Symmetry", por aqui, caminha surpreendentemente bem, com destaques para a elogiável consistência lírica e a aventura sonora engajada em cada um de seus momentos.
    Nota: 4.5/5.0



    5. TocarPerfect Symmetry
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    A minha favorita do álbum. Ela se inicia silenciosamente e aos poucos emerge em uma melodia apreciável e envolvente, com o acompanhamento da já marca registrada do Keane: o piano. Quanto ao lírico, sem dúvida alguma é uma das melhores e mais maduras letras que o grupo já escreveu até hoje, estabelecendo-se como um verdadeiro hino moderno. A concepção da música é a de que nossas vidas são vividas em simetria perfeita, portanto, feita de modo racional. Em alguns versos é plausível verificar que ela possui uma intenção contrária às idéias de que há vida após a morte ou de que teremos vida eterna garantidamente. "Perfect Symmetry" diz que devemos viver o que há agora por aqui, compreendendo quem genuinamente somos e desprezando tudo o que é dito transcendente, no campo religioso, ou primariamente impertinente à realidade que visualizamos nesse mundo. Creio que seja uma das poucas músicas recentes que lidam de forma intrínseca com esta postura que, acredito eu, é uma tendência mundial. A letra é uma das mais fortes do grupo e com certeza representa um marco evolutivo na carreira da banda.
    Nota: 5.0/5.0

    6. You Don't See Me
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Ilustrando um dos momentos mais serenos do álbum, "You Don't See Me" remete parcialmente às obras anteriores do Keane, com a voz do Tom mais cadente e uma melodia relaxante. Referente a letra, a faixa trata sobre o fato de uma pessoa não compreender realmente o significado e grandeza de outra, explicitando que ela não é capaz de constatar na outra, todas as boas qualidades e a sua existência em si. Talvez neste caso, seguindo a temática "carpe diem" adotada no disco, ela queira relatar que muitas pessoas frequentemente não percebem o quão bela a vida é por si só, dispensando demais agregações explicativas que tentam atribuir algum sentido existencial a cada ser humano. Aqui, eles dizem que devemos ser mais atentos uns com os outros e sempre considerarmos o próximo como alguém exatamente como nós mesmos. Súplica à solidariedade, empatia e compaixão são alguns dos termos que surgem quando escutamos essa.
    Nota: 3.5/5.0



    7. Again And Again
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Retornamos à sonoridade ruidosa nesta. "Again And Again" possui grandes semelhanças, no lírico, a "You Haven't Told Me Anything", revogando a integridade das palavras do receptor da mensagem que, segundo o narrador, soam sempre as mesmas para ele, sugerindo inclusive que elas seriam mentiras e de fato não configuram à verdadeira condição de quem as emite. A música possui uma ambientação bastante dinâmica e permanece nesse estado caloroso até o fim, mostrando ser uma das mais enérgicas do álbum. Um uso apropriado para ela, sem dúvida alguma, seria em apresentações da banda, nas quais a sua euforia certamente atingiria o público. Apesar de, novamente, explorar com certa profundidade o ritmo e harmonia dos anos oitenta, a faixa consegue realizar muito bem o seu intento. Esta mostra um lado mais dançante e pegajoso do grupo, opondo-se ao seu estigma mais retraído antes empregado em virtude de suas obras mais melancólicas.
    Nota: 4.5/5.0



    8. Playing Along
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    A sonoridade inicia-se calma, com Tom dissertando que gostaria de esquecer ou simplesmente abstrair-se de todos os malefícios que atualmente nos deparamos no mundo contemporâneo, citando que ele quer ir a um lugar onde ele não consiga escutar o barulho de bombas e quer se distanciar dos fogos, isto é, do caos e tumultos que rotineiramente, em maior quantidade, os centros urbanos geram. Entretanto, na tentativa de fuga de todos estes aspectos, ele complementa que gostaria de cantar algo por meio de uma potência sonora tão alta, que até mesmo não conseguiria mais pensar em todos estes problemas. Abruptamente, logo depois do ponto intermediário da música, ela gradualmente eleva sua melodia, à medida que ele canta os trechos relativos a aumentar o volume da canção, com o objetivo de se esquecer de todas as complicações. A música cresce aos poucos até atingir seu ápice, onde ruídos sonoros aparecem e o vocal submerge adentro do instrumental, ficando quase inaudível em meio à tamanha poluição sonora. Aqui, seguramente, é o instante mais conturbado e intenso sonicamente. Também são adicionados longínquos berros e gritos femininos ao fundo, talvez tentando representar algum estado de transe ou desesperador. Quanto à melodia, este é um dos momentos mais audaciosos e impactantes do disco.
    Nota: 4.0/5.0

    9. Pretend That You're Alone
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Novamente nos introduzindo a um plano muito diferente dos apresentados em trabalhos anteriores do Keane, "Pretend That You're Alone" é dançante, envolvente e divertida. Ela é, na letra, uma das minhas particulares favoritas do álbum e comenta sobre nos esquecermos dos padrões, regras ou dogmas existentes numa sociedade e vivermos uma vida libertária e natural. Mais uma vez, aqui, focam o desejo e a importância da vida, seja como ela é vivida por alguém. Eles dizem para ignorarmos preconceitos, moda, as leis e até mesmo as religiões. Além disso, propõem a idéia de que somos apenas uma evolução dos macacos, ou seja, tão animais quanto. É notável o teor lírico bastante modernista que quiseram transmitir através do álbum, inclusive incluindo conceitos concretos e científicos, preterindo suposições mais ilusórias ou imaginárias. A música parece conversar e aconselhar alguém, dizendo também que ela não deve ter vergonha de quem é e do que faz. Ela deve simplesmente viver a sua vida da forma como lhe convém, independente se aquilo não é universalmente aceito.
    Nota: 4.0/5.0



    10. Black Burning Heart
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Com um clima bastante dinâmico e a extasia em sua plenitude, "Black Burning Heart" parece lidar com um narrador que anseia também fugir de todos os seus problemas e viver uma vida livre e de devoção completa a alguém. Mais uma vez, enfoque ao amor e ao repleto desejo de vida. O instrumental da música é bastante motivador, porém, em contrapartida, ela transmite uma sensação utópica ou intangível. Realiza muito bem a fusão que tanto o grupo consegue desenvolver com maestria: letras sutilmente tristes com uma melodia viva e excitante. Apesar deste breve sentido lírico apresentado, ela parece ser incerta e livremente adaptável a qualquer interpretação que o ouvinte execute. Outra faixa perfeita para apresentações ao vivo e levantar multidões. Abarrotada em emoção, exaltação e comoção.
    Nota: 4.0/5.0

    11. Love Is The End
    Richard Hughes; Tim Rice-Oxley; Tom Chaplin

    Encerrando com uma maravilhosa e tristonha balada, Keane regressa à sonoridade que todos os seus fãs sempre aderiram. Mais uma vez, o piano, elemento essencial no grupo, permeia confortavelmente por toda a música, com o apoio de alguns instrumentos orquestrais de fundo. A voz de Tom está relativamente mais erma e conta um romance entre dois indivíduos: o próprio narrador e uma segunda pessoa. Obviamente, como em grande parte das letras do Keane, a relação parece instável e degradante. O narrador recorda, no início, todos os momentos que teve junto a essa pessoa: seus hábitos, atos e pensamentos. Logo ao refrão ele afirma que o amor significa o fim... Particularmente, acredito que esse trecho indique que, quando amamos e por ventura esse amor acabe por parte da outra pessoa, é natural que nos sintamos magoados e muitas vezes sem esperança. Mais a frente o eu-lírico diz que tenta se esquecer deste alguém, mas quanto mais persiste, mais carente dela ele se torna. A conclusão é de que o amor não correspondido ou rejeitado, geralmente representa um trágico e sofrível processo na vida de alguém. Processo o qual só pode ser revertido caso haja a aceitação ou o mesmo se renove, isto é, inicie um novo relacionamento ou adoração por outra pessoa.
    Nota: 4.5/5.0

    Considerações Finais:



    Nota do Álbum: 4.5/5.0
    Escolhas do Álbum: Spiralling; The Lovers Are Losing; TocarPerfect Symmetry; Love Is The End

    Comentário Pessoal:

    Um dos álbuns mais cativantes de 2008! Antes do "Perfect Symmetry", gostava de algumas músicas isoladas deles, tanto lançadas no primeiro e clássico, "Hopes And Fears", quanto no segundo, "Under The Iron Sea". Com este brilhante terceiro projeto, eles mostraram que são talentosos o suficiente para migrarem-se espetacularmente entre diferentes gêneros musicais de forma simultânea: ouvindo o álbum você verifica que há fortes e constantes influências dos anos oitenta, tais como o próprio Pet Shop Boys, Tears for Fears, The Smiths ou, por que não, U2. Embora ainda haja alguns trechos bastante vagos e ambivalentes nas letras do disco, também é visível o progresso lírico que realizaram, principalmente em um dos melhores momentos dele: a música "Perfect Symmetry". Esta última é um exemplo incrível de hino moderno mediante as circunstâncias as quais estamos submetidos. Digamos que ela seja um discurso jovial de amor e valorização à vida. É bem provável que esta entre como uma das obras-primas da banda dentro de pouco tempo. "Spiralling" é um dos fragmentos mais dançantes da gravação, denotando um lado que desconhecíamos com maior notoriedade do Keane. Semelhantemente forte, "The Lovers Are Losing" também opera como uma música de protesto às práticas atuais contrárias ao amor infelizmente disseminadas no mundo. "Love Is The End" é uma das canções mais lindas que o grupo produziu, provendo um envolvimento sentimental indescritível a qualquer ouvinte. Enfim, um álbum impressionante e ousado, que deveria ter sido avaliado com maior atenção pelos críticos.

    Sua recepção por parte dos fãs foi em partes bem aceita: houve o grupo dos insatisfeitos e mais conservadores, que ainda reivindicam o retorno do "antigo" Keane e desaprovaram o novo álbum e o grupo dos satisfeitos e menos conservadores, que concordaram com a perceptível mudança. Também houve inúmeras comparações do vocal de Tom com o do Brandon Flowers, da banda norte-americana The Killers, que está, coincidência ou não, em similar ascensão atualmente. E claro, apesar da banda ter conseguido se afastar das associações de sua sonoridade com a do Coldplay, agora o foco parece ter sido o U2. Pessoalmente, acho que ambas as bandas, tanto U2 quanto Coldplay, não possui íntimas correlações sonoras com Keane não. Keane, a partir deste último trabalho, parece ter tendido a um ritmo e melodia efetivamente mais vibrante e animado, contrapondo as pretensões que outros do mesmo gênero nortearam. No lírico, a banda ainda possui extremas semelhanças com o método de composição do Radiohead, por exemplo, onde muitas vezes a subjetividade é elemento indispensável em suas letras. O Radiohead de fato foi e ainda é uma das bandas responsáveis pela formulação da musicalidade melancolicamente alternativa/rock, que hoje em dia é adotada pela grande maioria dos grupos condizentes a este estilo na indústria.

    Keane representa um prisma mais oitentista, clássico e deliberadamente romântico em meio a tantos que se agrupam pelos arredores do mesmo gênero musical no qual ele está inserido. Ao mesmo tempo que também são experimentais no som e em suas letras, conseguem com perspicácia manter a qualidade que sempre dispuseram. É uma grande e expressiva banda que merece a atenção de todos nos próximos anos. Certamente ainda teremos estonteantes e lisonjeáveis surpresas do grupo no futuro, considerando a inegável habilidade musical que o trio exibe.

    Raul Gonçalves Roque
    São Paulo/SP - Brasil

    Confira!

    Keane - TocarPerfect Symmetry




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