I’m late on getting you my list of the best albums of the decade, but it’s taken some time to dig through all of the incredible pieces of work that we’ve been hit with over the past 10 years. Since 2000, my ears have become keen to the inner workings of song and sound and it is partly due to the music below that I listen the way that I do. This decade has been an exhilarating one with bands like Animal Collective, Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, Death Cab For Cutie, and Sigur Ros solidifying their reach with monumental releases, and acts like Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones, Ray LaMontagne, Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver astonishing listeners with their debuts. I can’t resist including a few albums from smaller artists that are personal favorites, those of Leslie Helpert and The Slip. Dive in.
Zero 7 – Simple Things (2001)
The album combines an alluring mixture of sounds – electronica, jazz, soul, world music – featuring three talented vocalists (Mozez, Sia Furler, and Sophie Baker) to ride the top of these Air-like waves amid deep compositional swirls. mp3: Zero 7 – I Have Seen mp3: Zero 7 – Destiny mp3: Zero 7 – Likufanele Download Simple Things MySpace | Website
I just fell in love with Francois Virot. His stripped down folk pop has a special vocal effect that gets me deep inside. Virot, out of Lyons, France, is becoming a favorite abroad and it’s not hard to tell why. Yes or No may be his first official release, but the fully conceived ideas within the album, achieved with no superfluous additions, are that of a sage. Virot fills out each of the tracks on his own, making it truly hard to believe that this music is made by just one. The bare instrumentation on Yes or No, one guitar, sometimes two, one voice, sometimes two or three, plus handclaps, finger taps, and bits and pieces of percussion, sound like a symphony in my ears. What is created is music that is entirely so much more than what one expects to hear from a “singer-songwriter”. The songs seep with emotion, releasing beautifully suppressed anger, all the while overflowing with generosity and Virot’s open heart. His strum is hard, but the essence is soft, and the melodies soar. You don’t think of a guitarist with a guitar but instead, whatever Virot wants you to imagine.
Not surprisingly, Virot has been chosen over and over to be a part of Blogotheque’s Take A Way Shows. The shorts feature musicians performing in unusual environments, offering an intimate look at the artist. Take the time to get into the one below…
Leslie Helpert perfectly embodies my idea of an artist. She is beautifully quirky, speaks in a language of images, tells you about imaginary friends, and is keen to all that makes life potent. She lives inside of her art and isn’t meant to do much else. Throwing herself into the act of creation, she offers herself as poet, guitarist, songbird, novelist, dancer, and artist (the gorgeous image at the top of Lux Illuminates is hers).
Watching Helpert perform is a captivating, emotional experience. Her body is stirred by the movement of her song, adding bottomless depth to the art she offers.
The American songstress has rendered 5 albums in the last decade, all which resound with her artistry. Ulu is her most recent effort, a 4-song EP recorded in Barcelona with producer Dave Bianchi. Enticed by intuition, Helpert left the states in March for a 6-week tour from Rome to Paris. She was compelled to delay her return and through a series of serendipitous events encountered Bianchi and found herself recording in Barcelona for the month of August. Ulu (December 2009) was then crafted and released on Bianchi’s Barcelona/NYC label “Whatabout Music”.
On Ulu, Helpert conspired with musicians from Spain, Greece, Guinea, Israel, Portugal and California to add cello, harp, Gaida (Greek bagpipes), upright and electric basses, vocals, trumpet and drum-kit to her musings. Helpert’s musicality comes through on the release in the form of guitar, Rhodes piano, electric bass, percussion, beatboxing, and her effusive vocals.
Throughout Ulu, Helpert draws you in with her intoxicating style, using music a modality to deliver art into the moment. “Young Coconut Water”, the EP’s single, embodies this dreamy elegance. As in all of my favorite compositions by the one known as Serpentfly, the song travels through a variety of sections, illustrating the complexity of Helpert’s unique writing style. Soaring horns lift the song up as she wails, woven with nectar-filled harmonies and cymbal crashes.
The rest of the tracks of Ulu are sophisticated and intimate. They capture the potential of this wistful siren, carrying the intelligent listener into a world of living poetry and detailed narrative. Helpert explores the rich timbre of her voice, embodying at once punk music and the sounds of a distant time. Rhythmic lyric and melancholy balladry are accompanied by innovative drumming, sumptuous strings, and evocative vocalizations.
2009 has seen Helpert trying her songs on the keen ears of Europe in small rooms and large theaters throughout Italy, France, Spain, Holland, and England. December still finds Helpert in the romantic lands of Europe.
Below is “Young Coconut Water” along with a few of my favorites from previous releases.
Young Coconut Water
It just so happened, when we were each-others,
We pricked our fingers and became blood brothers.
It was an accident, really, kids climbing on barbed wire,
to go feed the colts little bombs on fire.
And, then again, when we were older,
By coincidence met ice-climbing frozen boulders.
We both anchored the pick-ax and by surprise,
It struck simultaneously in each of our sides,
And so this time we became blood sisters.
I’m your Type A when you’re needing transfusion,
And you’re not to blame, it’s both our confusion.
I, too, walk away like god’s born-again daughter.
Like fresh-pumped-in-the-vein Young Coconut Water,
Ignorant and Ignoble.
Through all adventure, I’ve learned a score.
It’s not your lover you’ve been searching for.
No matter the carriage, the wheel spoke aloud as you drive
They sang it’s not about your lover, this here’s not about your lover.
It’s your genius your longing to keep alive,
It’s your genuis your longing to keep alive.
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros journey back in time, taking listeners on a magical trip into a realm of love, hope, and happiness. The music evokes an era when cynicism didn’t course through the veins of pop music. Echoing the Mamas and the Papas, Arcade Fire, Johnny Cash, even Elvis, and it seems like something indie folk rebel Devendra Banhart could really get into. Bohemian-clothed and bearded, the troupe channels the communal sound of the 60s and 70s, all the while making music that is just as retro as it is forward thinking. It’s just that hippy, love-in, commune sort of vibe that might inspire you to take your clothes off and jump into a lake with them.
Alex Ebert and his collective of kindred spirits are intent on bringing love to the world in the form of feel-good sing-alongs. The vocal harmonies are performed with joyous abandon, intertwined with layers of instrumentation. The eleven members play an eclectic mixture of trumpet, pianos, percussion and xylophone and cause the energy to swirl with a well-executed, harmonious blend of folk, blues and rock. This neo-psychedelic folk troupe is becoming known for the jubilant energy they bring to every performance, having mastered the skill of engaging the audience at every opportunity. They have just as much fun playing their songs as the audience does receiving them. Even the most cynical of listeners, might find themselves jumping up and down in response. The band looks like a collection of hippies and vagabonds and certainly inspire a feeling of freedom. Ebert says he has a firm belief in utopia and you can feel it.
The group is led by Alex Ebert, known for his role as vocalist for electro-clash band Ima Robot, formed in the late 90’s and also rooted in L.A. He left Ima Robot in late 2008 to begin Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, named after the messianic figure found in a novel he was writing at the time, who transcends his dismal world by tapping into a form of universal music. As described by Ebert, Sharpe “was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind… but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.” Ebert met singer Jade Castrinos in Los Angeles, and the two began touring the country with their entourage in a converted school bus during the summer of 2009. Ebert’s vocals are powerful, but it’s the synergy created with Castrinos’ earthy yet angelic voice and boisterous attitude that put the band over the top. The group’s first album, Up from Below, was released this July, and the single “Home” has made its way onto Gossip Girl, Community, and several MTV shows.
To experience the revival, find Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros as they zoom around the country…
Nov 25 – El Macambo Club, Toronto, Ontario
Nov 27 – Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL
Nov 28 – High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI
Nov 29 – The Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN
Dec 1 – Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO
Dec 2 – Sheridan Opera House, Telluride, CO
Dec 4 – The Bell Tower, Pullman, Washington
Dec 5 – Neumos, Seattle, WA
Dec 8 – The Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, British Columbia
Dec 9 – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Dec 10 – WOW Hall, Eugene, OR
Dec 12 – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, California
Dec 14 – The Mayan, Los Angeles, CA
Just found this beautiful duet between Rachael Yamagata and Ray LaMontagne as I forage for music that strikes me. The song appears on Yamagata’s 2008 release, Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart. This song brilliantly captures all the possibility of bringing these two vocalists together, each singing parts of the song on their own and coming together for a “hmmm” and a series of phrases at the end. The essence of Yamagata’s voice invites comparisons to Ray’s as at the core she sounds like a female version of LaMontagne. Her voice is sultry, raspy and raw and offers heartbreaking emotional intensity. Her lovelorn, often mournful songs of relationships and heartache offer a intimate understanding of what is felt deep at heart. This delicate track is no different.
Oh Lover, hold on
’till I come back again
For these arms are growin’ tired,
And my tales are wearing thin
If you’re patient I will surprise,
When you wake up I’ll have come
All the anger will settle down
And we’ll go do all the things we should have done
Yes I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
I’ll be here if you will only come back home
Oh lover, I’m lost
Because the road I’ve chosen beckons me away
Oh lover, don’t you roam
Now I’m fighting words I never thought I’d say
But I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
I’ll forgive you oh
If you just come back home
Hmmm mmmm
Hmmmm mmmm
Oh lover, I’m old
You’ll be out there and be thinking just of me
And I will find you down the road
And will return back home to where we’re meant to be
’cause I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
We’ll be back soon as we make history.
Yamagata began as the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus. After six years writing, recording and touring with the group, and having written a number of songs that didn’t fit Bumpus’ funk style, Yamagata took the plunge into a solo career. In 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista’s Private Music and her self-titled EP was released that October. Yamagata’s first full-length album, Happenstance, came in June 2004, followed by 2 EPs, Live at the Loft & More (2005) and Loose Ends (2008), and a second studio album, Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart in 2008.
This girl has been quite busy over the past few. Yamagata sings on Toots & the Maytals’ True Love (2004), made an appearance on Jason Mraz’s second album, Mr. A–Z (2005), adds vocals to “Barfly” on Ray LaMontagne’s Till the Sun Turns Black (2006), and on “Let it Ride”, “Sweet Illusions”, “Cold Roses”, and “Friends” off of Ryan Adams’ Cold Roses (2005). She was invited to sing backup on six tracks on Bright Eyes’ album Cassadaga (2007). She co-wrote “Kaleidoscope” with Jill Cunniff, formerly of Luscious Jackson, for Cunniff’s solo album City Beach (2007) and plays keyboards and sings. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore’s 2007 release, Wild Hope and supported many of Moore’s live appearances. Yamagata’s songs have also been featured on a long list of TV shows, including Charmed, ER, Grey’s Anatomy and The O.C. Now that’s impressive.
Currently, Yamagata is on tour with The Swell Season (featuring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of the movie Once), both who will appear at the Ogden in Denver on November 29th. For those of you who haven’t seen Yamagata perform live, her honesty unabashedly oozes sex appeal. You should be tempted.
Nov 12 – House Of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana
Nov 13 – Warehouse Live, Houston, Texas
Nov 14 – The Palladium Ballroom, Dallas, Texas
Nov 15 – Paramount Theater, Austin, Texas
Nov 17 – Mesa Arts Center – Ikeda, Mesa, Arizona
Nov 27 – Egyptian Theater, Boise, Idaho
Nov 28 – Jeanne Wagner Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Nov 29 – Ogden Theatre, Denver, Colorado
Nov 30 – Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, Missouri
Dec 2 – Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dec 3 – Chicago Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Illinois
Dec 4 – The Pageant, St. Louis, Missouri
Dec 5 – State Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saw Wye Oak last week at the Fox and got more than I expected. I anticipated the indie-folk rock duo from Baltimore sounding good after listening to their recorded material and seeing their name often. But Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack’s contribution onstage was more than I had hoped for.
Wasner is a true emotive force on guitar. Fierce and technical, she adds deep intuition into her playing which causes every song to soar. She’s dirty with distortion and along with her graceful vocals, it enforces a beautiful dichotomy. I find Wasner to be what is so alluring about the band, but without Stack’s additions, there would be no compliment to her power and grit. Stack intertwines his vocals with Wasner’s, while simultaneously playing drums with his right hand and both legs, and bass lines and effects with his left on keys. Together the two create huge walls of sound that envelope. Their lyrics have an emotional directness, adding romantic hues to this hazy shoegaze fuzzpop.
Wasner and Stack formed Wye Oak in 2006. Their first album, If Children, was released in 2007 and again in 2008, once the group signed with Merge Records. The Knot, their second, was released this year.
Made it out to both days of the Monolith Festival. Crushing acts were Phoenix, Passion Pit, and Chromeo. Sets were packed and dance heavy. Phoenix’s electrifying Sunday performance on the main stage set them up to be huge in Colorado and beyond. Chance had it that MSTRKRFT cancelled, leaving the 2nd to last main stage slot open. Certainly feels fated that Phoenix played for the most sizeable audience of the weekend. Their lightning speed rise has been incredible to follow. Passion Pit’s surging set confirmed that the eletro pop craze is on. And Chromeo’s sex-saturated synth funk throw down triggered a dance freak-out from the crowd and had everyone smiling hard.
New favorites included OK Go (finally saw them live after all that YouTube hype), Health, The Walkmen, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Woodhands, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and The Royal Bangs. Great to see Stars of Track and Field again after they took most of 2008 off. Other sweet catches included Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Grates, Tigercity, and Danielle Ate The Sandwich. The eletronica was also pumping with choice acts The Glitch Mob, Savoy, and Beats Antique.
The setting of Red Rocks couldn’t have been more beautiful and the bands knew and recognized it.
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