2010 started off strong, producing some of our favorite tracks off the summer playlist. As the weather heated up, things fell into a summer doldrum. Now, as we develop our end-of-the-year lists, we’re finding the year coming to a conspicuous end. Similar to 2009, the list is somewhat album-heavy, as we were drawn to several stand-out records among our favorite artists. Here is our very biased list of our 50 favorite tracks from 2010 (give the page a minute to load the SoundClouds):
1. LCD Soundsystem – “Dance Yrself Clean”
2. Caribou – “Odessa”
3. Sufjan Stevens – “I Walked”
4. Deerhunter – “Helicopter”
5. HEALTH – “USA Boys”
6. LCD Soundsystem – “I Can Change”
7. Crystal Castles – “Empathy”
8. Avey Tare – “Laughing Hieroglyphic”
9. Broken Social Scene – ‘World Sick”
10. Owen Pallett – “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt”
11. The National – “Afraid of Everyone”
12. Autolux – “Transit, Transit”
13. Sufjan Stevens – “Impossible Soul”
14. Jonsi – “Boy Lilikoi”
15. Arcade Fire – “The Suburbs”
16. Sufjan Stevens – “Vesuvius”
17. Caribou – “Jamelia”
18. Crystal Castles – “Not In Love (feat. Robert Smith)”
19. Beach House – “Norway”
20. Arcade Fire – “We Used To Wait”
21. The Black Keys – Tighten Up
22. Yeasayer – “Mondegreen”
23. Deerhunter – “He Would Have Laughed”
24. Owen Pallett – “Midnight Directives”
25. The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
26. Crystal Castles – “Vietnam”
27. How To Destroy Angels – “Fur-Lined”
28. The National – “Terrible Love”
29. Sufjan Stevens – “Too Much”
30. White Lies – “Bigger Than Us”
31. Panda Bear – “Slow Motion”
32. Avey Tare – “Lucky 1″
33. Liars – “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant”
34. Dr. Dog – “Jackie Wants A Black Eye”
35. Ratatat – “Party With Children”
36. Tobacco – “Lamborghini Meltdown”
37. The Walkmen – “Angela Surf City”
38. Middle Class Rut – “New Low”
39. HEALTH – “Before Tigers (Gold Panda Remix)”
40. Four Tet – “Plastic People”
41. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Bright Lit Blue Skies”
42. Jonsi – “Tornado”
43. Menomena – “Five Little Rooms”
44. Yeasayer – “ONE”
45. Of Montreal – “Like a Tourist”
46. Matthew Dear – “You Put a Smell On Me”
47. Delta Spirit – “Bushwick Blues”
48. Avey Tare – “Oliver Twist”
49. MGMT – “Flash Delirium”
50. Flying Lotus – “…And The World Laughs With You (Ft. Thom Yorke)”
Tags: arcade fire , ariel pink's haunted graffiti , autolux , avey tare , beach house , broken social scene , caribou , crystal castles , deerhunter , delta spirit , dr. dog , flying lotus , four tet , HEALTH , how to destroy angels , interpol , jonsi , lcd soundsystem , liars , matthew dear , menomena , mgmt , middle class rut , of montreal , Owen Pallett , panda bear , ratatat , sufjan stevens , the black keys , the national , the walkmen , tobacco , white lies , yeasayer
Future Perfect is one of those perfect records that is impossible to follow up. It probably flirts on my shortlist of all-time favorites. So it’s no surprise that Transit Transit , Autolux’s follow-up is a slight disappointment, especially after a six-year hiatus by the band. The album is book-ended by its strongest tracks, the title track and the brilliant closer, “The Science of Imaginary Solutions.” I remember anticipating the latter track for years after watching it performed live at the Museum of Natural History in a shitty-quality YouTube recording . The studio version is definitely a highlight of the record.
I also saw Autolux play some of these new songs live at Johnny Brenda’s last summer in Philly, and most of them seemed to underwhelm, compared to tracks they played off of Future Perfect . And that underwhelming nature continues with the release of the studio versions. Lead singer/bassist Eugene Goreshter’s vocals, which were absolutely mesmerizing on Future Perfect , seem to suffer a creative setback; and he’s even become a cliche of himself on “Supertoys.” All three members of Autolux sing on the record, and vocals by guitarist Greg Edwards (ex Failure) and drummer Carla Azar are a welcome change from Goreshter’s formulaic delivery.
All of this may hint at why the album may have suffered delays which echo that of Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. We’ve been told Azar’s shattered elbow and label troubles were the main culprits, but results on par with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot are not here and do not make up for the eternal holdup. This album may be an initial disappointment, but continuing to explore some of the more challenging and original songs will bring new elements to light on subsequent listens. With all of that said, this is still one of the best albums in a somewhat weak year for indie releases. You can listen to a stream of the entire album below via SoundCloud:
Transit Transit by Autolux
Future Perfect . After years of delays and record company issues, Autolux’s sophomore effort will be released via ATP Recordings on August 2. Download their brand new single “Supertoys” here or stream it below:
For fans of Failure, don’t forget that Greg Edward’s former band recently released 1996′s Fantastic Planet on vinyl. You can pick it up at Amazon .
It was another full year of remarkable live shows in 2009, which was also not immune to a few train wrecks (Enon, Dan Deacon). Whether it was a cold and rainy night in Philly to see White Lies overcome a historically shitty venue to play a show for the ages or a late night train ride to the East Village to see Karin Dreijer Andersson’s Fever Ray outfit put on a visually stunning performance, this past year reinforced our music fandom. Here’s a list of our favorite shows of 2009:
White Lies @ First Unitarian Church Grizzly Bear @ Trocadero Fever Ray @ Webster Hall Tapes N’ Tapes @ Johnny Brenda’s Animal Collective @ Bowery Ballroom Morrissey @ Carnegie Hall Vic Chestnutt & Elf Power @ Bowery Ballroom Autolux @ Johnny Brenda’s Built to Spill @ SIREN Festival Monsters of Folk @ United Palace
Least Favorite:
Tags: animal collective , autolux , Built To Spill , dan deacon , deerhunter , elf power , fever ray , Grizzly Bear , Jane's Addiction , morrissey , NIN , no age , tapes N tapes , vic chestnutt , white lies
This is an attempt at the impossible. Here are our 100 favorite songs of the past decade (featuring multiple tracks from Animal Collective, The Knife, Radiohead, and Elliott Smith). Our top two choices are more like 1a and 1b. Be patient, as the page needs to load the embedded songs.
1. Panda Bear – “Bros” (2007)
2. The Knife – “We Share Our Mother’s Health” (2006)
3. Animal Collective – “For Reverend Green” (2007)
4. Grizzly Bear – “While You Wait For The Others” (2009)
5. The Knife – “Heartbeats” (2003)
6. Grizzly Bear – “The Knife” (2005)
7. LCD Soundsystem – “Someone Great” (2007)
8. TV on the Radio – “Staring at the Sun” (2003)
9. Crystal Castles – “Crimewave” (2008)
10. Beirut – “Ciloqut” (2007)
11. Thom Yorke – “Harrowdown Hill
12. Animal Collective – “Derek” (2007)
13. Nine Inch Nails – “Me, I’m Not” (2007)
14. Beck – “Lonesome Tears” (2002)
15. At The Drive-in – “One Armed Scissor” (2004)
16. Animal Collective – “Grass” (2005)
17. Deerhunter – “Nothing Ever Happened” (2008)
18. Atlas Sound – “Recent Bedroom” (2008)
19. Panda Bear – “Comfy in Nautica” (2007)
20. System of a Down – “Chop Suey” (2001)
21. Animal Collective – “Peacebone” (2007)
22. Battles – “Atlas” (2007)
23. Error – “Jack the Ripper” (2004)
24. Enon – “Pleasure and the Privilege”
25. Elliott Smith – “Son of Sam” (2000)
26. Animal Collective – “Did You See the Words” (2005)
27. The Knife – “Marble House” (2006)
28. LCD Soundsystem – “All My Friends” (2007)
29. Thom Yorke – “Analyse” (2006)
30. The Flaming Lips – “Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell” (2002)
31. Girl Talk – “Smash Your Head” (2006)
32. A Perfect Circle – “Judith” (2000)
33. Radiohead – “Idioteque” (2000)
34. Tapes N’ Tapes – “Manitoba” (2006)
35. TV On The Radio – “I Was A Lover” (2006)
36. Radiohead – “Reckoner” (2007)
37. Fever Ray – “Coconut” (2009)
38. Animal Collective – “My Girls” (2009)
39. Built to Spill – “Things Fall Apart” (2009)
40. Wilco – “I’m Trying to Break Your Heart” (2002)
41. Modest Mouse – “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” (2000)
42. Animal Collective – “Leaf House” (2004)
43. Modeselektor – “Happy Birthday” (2007)
44. Arcade Fire – “Wake Up” (2004)
45. Autolux – “Blanket” (2004)
46. MGMT – “Time to Pretend” (2007)
47. Built to Spill – “Conventional Wisdom” (2006)
48. Wilco – “Side With the Seeds” (2007)
49. Elliott Smith – “Happiness/The Gondola Man” (2000)
50. Avey Tare – “I’m Your Eagle Kisser” (2007)
51. Department of Eagles – “Waves of Rye” (2008)
52. Animal Collective – “Summertime Clothes” (2009)
53. Radiohead – “2+2 = 5″ (2003)
54. Dredg – “Sang Real” (2005)
55. While Lies – “Farewell to the Fairground” (2009)
56. Grizzly Bear – “Ready, Able” (2009)
57. Matisyahu – “King Without a Crown” (2005)
58. Modest Mouse – “Paper Thin Walls” (2000)
59. Dillinger Escape Plan – “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” (2002)
60. Elliott Smith – “Twilight” (2004)
61. Deerhunter – “Flourescent Grey” (2007)
62. Holy Fuck – “Lovely Allen” (2007)
63. LCD Soundsystem – “Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up” (2006)
64. The Notwist – “Boneless (Panda Bear Remix)” (2008)
65. Liars – “Nothing Is Ever Lost or Can Be Lost My Science Friend” (2004)
66. The Mars Volta – “Inertiatic E.S.P.” (2003)
67. The Notwist – “Solitaire” (2002)
68. Of Montreal – “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” (2007)
69. Queens of the Stone Age – “Tangled Up in Plaid” (2005)
70. Radiohead – “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” (2007)
71. Saul Williams – “Raised To Be Lowered” (2007)
72. Autolux – “Great Days for the Passenger Element” (2004)
73. Sigur Ros – “Untitled 8″ (2002)
74. Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs – “Maps” (2003)
75. Portishead – “Threads” (2008)
76. Sufjan Stevens – “Chicago” (2005)
77. Ugly Casanova – “Things I Don’t Remember” (2002)
78. Animal Collective – “Brothersport” (2009)
79. Radiohead – “Pyramid Song” (2001)
80. Nine Inch Nails – “Only” (2005)
81. El-P – “Flyentology” (2007)
82. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows” (2002)
83. Ghostface Killah – “Shakey Dog” (2006)
84. Modest Mouse – “Missed the Boat” (2007)
85. UNKLE – “Persons and Machinery” (2007)
86. Amon Tobin – “Verbal” (2002)
87. The White Stripes – “Denial Twist” (2005)
88. Tomahawk – “Captain Midnight” (2003)
89. Modest Mouse – “Bukowski” (2004)
90. Sigur Ros – “Hoppipolia” (2005)
92. Fuck Buttons – “Sweet Love For Planet Earth” (2008)
93. Bon Iver – “Skinny Love” (2008)
94. Built to Spill – “In Your Mind” (2001)
95. The White Stripes – “Icky Thump” (2007)
96. Does It Offend You, Yeah? – “We Are Rockstars” (2008)
97. Dub Trio – “Not Alone” (2006)
98. Modest Mouse – “The World At Large”
99. The Walkmen – “In the New Year” (2008)
100. Nine Inch Nails – “The Great Destroyer (Modwheelmood Remix)” (2007)
Tags: a perfect circle , amon tobin , animal collective , arcade fire , at the drive-in , atlas sound , autolux , avery tare , battles , beck , beirut , bon iver , Built To Spill , crystal castles , deerhunter , department of eagles , dillinger escape plan , does it offend you yeah , dredg , dub trio , el-p , elliott smith , enon , error , fever ray , ghostface killah , Grizzly Bear , holy fuck , lcd soundsystem , liars , matisyahu , mgmt , modeselektor , modest mouse , nine inch nails , of montreal , panda bear , portishead , queens of the stone age , radiohead , saul williams , sigur ros , sufjan stevens , system of a down , tapes N tapes , teh notwist , the flaming lips , the helio sequence , The Knife , the mars volta , the white stripes , thom yorke , tomahawk , tv on the radio , ugly casanova , unkle , white lies , wilco , yeah , yeahs
Compiling a list of your favorite albums for an entire decade is quite the challenge, especially when that decade was as strong as the 2000s were. Six of our favorites come from two bands (Animal Collective and Radiohead), and two were from this past year (Veckatimest and Merriweather Post Pavilion). This list is by no means a definitive statement of the best music from last decade. Instead, these are our favorite albums that were on heavy rotation in our iPods and scrobbled endlessly on Last.FM.
1. Strawberry Jam (2007) – Animal Collective
2. Silent Shout (2006) – The Knife
3. The Moon and Antarctica (2000) - Modest Mouse
4. Kid A (2000) – Radiohead
5. Figure 8 (2000) – Elliott Smith
6. Veckatimest (2009) – Grizzly Bear
7. De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003) – The Mars Volta
8. Future Perfect (2004) – Autolux
9. The Eraser (2006) – Thom Yorke
10. Person Pitch (2007) – Panda Bear
11. Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) – TV on the Radio
12. Sea Change (2002) – Beck
13. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) – Wilco
14. High Society (2002) – Enon
15. The Loon (2006) – Tapes N’ Tapes
16. Microcastle (2008) – Deerhunter
17. Feels (2005) – Animal Collective
18. Sound of Silver (2007) – LCD Soundsystem
19. In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead
20. Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009) – Animal Collective
Tags: animal collective , autolux , beck , deerhunter , elliott smith , enon , Grizzly Bear , lcd soundsystem , modest mouse , panda bear , radiohead , tapes N tapes , The Knife , the mars volta , thom yorke , tv on the radio , wilco
September 14, 2009 by Mark MP3s
here . You can download “Untitled 1 (Live) ” and “Untitled 2 (Live) ” or stream them below:
“Untitled 1 (Live)”
“Untitled 2 (Live)”
Future Perfect may be my favorite album of the decade, so I’ve been looking forward to seeing them live for quite some time. The band opened for Nine Inch Nails a few years back, but we caught Queens of the Stone Age as the opener for the NIN shows we attended during that tour. This time around Autolux was headlining their own small clubs tour, so we hit up 2008′s favorite venue, Johnny Brenda’s. Brenda’s is unique in that bands usually hang out by the bar before shows. This was no exception as we enjoyed a few of Philly’s best microbrews next to Greg Edwards. Although Edwards is the creative genius behind Autolux, he is better known for his tenure in the criminally underrated 90s band Failure. If you don’t know Failure, check out their 1996 magnum opus Fantastic Planet Free Mars here . Edwards is no longer a contributing player as he was with Failure and Lusk. His mountain of guitar pedals is front and center in Autolux.
Transit, Transit . Although the band tore through the sonic soundscapes of their set, the sound at Brenda’s couldn’t seem to handle the complexity of Edward’s distorted guitar feedback. A drowned out mix made the vocals of bassist Eugene Goreshter nearly inaudible. Although Edward’s guitars are what make Autolux go, Goreshter’s vocals juxtapose perfectly against the reverbed chaos. Drummer Carla Azar was actually the highlight of the night, as she pounded her skins perfectly on percussion-heavy tracks “Turnstile Blues” and “Robots in the Garden.” Highlights of the night included Future Perfect centerpieces “Blanket” and “Capital Kind of Strain.” “Great Days For The Passenger Element” was suspiciously absent from the setlist. While the four new songs the band played didn’t instantly impress the crowd of 200, they played an unknown Transit, Transit track as a encore. It was an epic and highly distorted composition that fit well within the band’s catalog.
Autolux supposedly finished their follow-up effort two years ago and have been dealing with relationship nightmares on the business side. Once advertised to be released in Fall of 2008, Transit, Transit is now set for a January 2010 date. I’m not sure if we can count on that, especially since the band remains unsigned with a future that doesn’t seem so perfect.
Setlist:
Next Page »
This track has apparently been floating around for years, but it just recently came to our attention. Lusk’s Free Mars is one of our favorite, but tragically unknown, records from an equally unknown project. I remember severely overpaying for a copy of the album on eBay years ago and later realizing how worth it that purchase was. Lusk is a supergroup from the mid-90s comprised of Paul D’Amour (ex-Tool), Chris Pittman (Guns n’ Roses, SexTapes), Greg Edwards (ex-Failure, Autolux), and Brad Laner. Free Mars’ 1997 release was a commercial failure but was nominated for a Grammy for Best Recording Package in 1998 and featured several guest performances, including Danny Carey of Tool. “Hate the Sun” is a song from a four-track EP the band never released. It’s difficult to imagine why, as the track is as good as anything on the brilliant Free Mars. Download “Hate the Sun” by Lusk here or stream it below:
Danish electropop trio Giana Factory is releasing a series of remixes done by friends and tourmates. The latest remix was done by Fishpork favs Autolux for the track “Pixelated Truth.” The original version and remix are available on 7″ and download at Giana Factory’s website. Download “Pixelated Truth (Autolux Remix) by Giana Factory here or stream it below: