Year end wrap up

I started this blog in response to a good year of shows and CDs and this has been a great year of music and writing about it. It's hard to look back and pick highlights, but I'll take my shot and pick some shows and CDs that were especially good.

Thanks to my readers for their comments and recommendations and thanks to the musicians whose music I've enjoyed this year.

Concert highlights

Narrowing down the shows to a handful is hard. In no particular order, I'll offer the following:

Michael Franti (March, Aggie Theater, Ft Collins CO) was a party: high energy social awareness and a sincere performancs. "Everyone deserves music." Alan Vasquez as the opener was a good fit, too.

Easy Star All-Stars (March, Aggie Theater, Ft Collins CO) were another excellent show in March this year. Their reggae take on some classic rock music was incredible and not just a laugh. They played a lot of their Sgt Pepper's Lonely Dub Hearts Band material. Local band, Dub Skin, was a good match with a tight stage show and strong original material.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead (October, Bluebird Theater, Denver CO) was an unexpected surprise. I came out to see Russian rockers Mumiy Troll, who put on a fantastic performance. They were followed by the high energy thrash of Future of the Left. Then, I was blown away by Trail of Dead. They played a heady set of mind expanding progressive rock. Absolutely stunning.

John Doe and the Sadies (July, Lion's Lair, Denver CO) and opener Jill Sobule put on a fantastic show. Jill is such a talented songwriter and sincere performer, she just moves me. Then, X's John Doe came out and brought his own sincerity to some great classic country music.

Finally, any Roger Clyne show (May, Aggie Theater, Ft Collins CO) is sure to be a great show. He radiates positive energy whenever he plays, pulling the audience into his world of banditos and flawed heroes. This show was no exception. Openers, Dead Rock West, added an X/early REM vibe that meshed well.

CD highlights

It's equally hard to pick a small set of CDs from the pile of great music I've gotten this year. I've tried to limit this to CDs released this year, but still I'm leaving off some great music by Mumiy Troll, Navegante, and other wonderful bands. All five of the following CDs have stayed high in my rotation since I got them and I expect to be listening to them for years to come.

Follow the links to my reviews for more details.

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, The Century of Self. A brilliant prog rock concept album with a fair amount of youthful rage to keep things interesting. These songs all fit together into a theme of loss and change.

Eleni Mandell, Artificial Fire. Eleni's retro torch vocals match nicely with the dreamy, thoughtful feeling that permeates this album. It's very evocative and gives up more details with each listen.

Nneka, Concrete Jungle. Worlds collide: reggae, afro beat, and R&B. Silky vocals, but powerful.

Local Natives, Gorilla Manor. Wonderful musical elements to lock in your ears. Again, some progressive rock elements, but tempered by tight harmonies and a heavy bottom end.

Sonic Youth, The Eternal. Thrashing guitars, but the band has been maturing. This album channels a rich psychic zone of angst and edginess. All for your pleasure.

CD review - And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, The Century of Self (2009)

I saw Trail of Dead earlier this year and was quite impressed. I don't often do a separate CD review when I've just covered the show, but, in this case, it's been overdue. The Century of Self has a classic concept album feel, where the songs all fit together into a greater whole. The album has a complex, rich theme. It deals with having no control over the fates and the loss that it entails, then covers the idea of moving past all of that -- and what effect your choices will have on the person you become. Maybe I'm reading more into this than I should, but it's a moving collection of songs. Don't get the wrong idea, though, This isn't a pity party. There's plenty of frustration and rage, all in service to the album as a whole.

Musically, it's quite interesting. There are two main thrusts. On the one hand, the songs mostly follow a progressive rock aesthetic, ignoring simple chord progressions and tight repetition. On the other hand, the vocals and instrumentation assert a punk/hard rock vibe that is emotional and cathartic. It's a bit like Green Day forming a supergroup with Jane's Addiction, playing Porcupine Tree material. There's also a strong element of Who's Next era Who, which seems to be a common prog rock influence.

The songs themselves are all fairly strong. Favorite standout moments include Bells of Creation, Pictures of an Only Child, and Ascending. Each has their own role and strengths.
The lyrics on Bells of Creation are beautiful; there's a sense of dawning opportunity. Musically, it's a bit like a slower version of Oceansize by Jane's Addiction, with a nice percussive groove and a huge sense of openness.

Pictures of an Only Child is a deeply biographical song, sad with a sense of loss. They build the energy perfectly, dropping out to underscore the impact of the lyrics.

Finally, Ascending is amazing. The song is a hard rocker, with some of that Green Day feel. The vocals interlock and relate, but neither quite echoes or leads. What should be the background voice often precedes the narrative voice. Driving and bombastic, this song whipsaws the ears, but it's not noise...

Warm a little brandy by the fire and visit The Century of Self.

CD review - My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (2008)

My introduction to My Morning Jacket was 2006's Okonokos, so I needed to catch up and hear what they've recorded since. Evil Urges has less Wilco and more Flaming Lips influences than Okonokos. It misses out on some of the epic trippiness of the live project, but that's as much due to the mix and the studio as it is the material. This is a solid album, even if it doesn't quite top the bar of the earlier work.

There are a couple of Beck-infused songs (Evil Urges and Highly Suspicious) that are interesting but a bit atypical. There are also several retro sections on the album. But, Evil Urges really hits its stride with I'm Amazed. This big arena rocker would be at home on Okonokos. The great harmony at the start of the vocals makes it sound like a live recording, too. I'm Amazed is a lot like Who's Next era Who -- Jim James' vocal has a bit of Roger Daltrey at its roots and the guitar lead is strong and rich even though it's fairly simple. This song also has a great build up.

Look at You ties back to My Morning Jacket's earlier alt country roots. Musically, it has a bit of the same Flaming Lips vibe that I've loved in their songs. This is a simple, sweet song. The effect is powerful: strong lyrics, smooth steel guitar accents, and clean harmonies. The words toy with a religious theme, but there's a purity here.

Give into your urges, get a fresh pour of Ska Brewing's Modus Hoperandi, and be refreshed.

CD review - Local Natives, Gorilla Manor (2009)

The opening notes of Wide Eyes, the first cut from Gorilla Manor, told me that I was home. Beautiful shimmery guitars, a deep meandering keyboard line, New Order style bass...everything fit together comfortably. When the vocals came in, the voices melded so seamlessly smooth, it was like honey. In that moment, Local Natives claimed a strong place in my musical rotation. Gorilla Manor is planned for release in February 2010, but their music is already making the rounds online at YouTube, LastFm, and Pitchfork.

Local Natives have a rich complex sound. They start with prog rock elements, tied to Massive Attack style bottom end and tight vocal harmonies. They sound like a grown up Trip Shakespeare crossed with a bit of Ryan Adams. The album is full of great songs, but the first single, Sun Hands, is the best. It starts out with a blues influenced guitar riff, but the layers build. The song rolls through several sections, building a tribal complexity that culminates in a psychedelic guitarfest before reprising the main groove again.

These two songs are not just lucky shots -- the rest of the material is strong, too: Airplanes, Camera Talk, and their cover of the Talking Heads' Warning Sign. This is a band to follow. After their success this year at SXSW, they're planning a spring tour to back the release of Gorilla Manor. Give them a listen, they're cognac smooth (a little Remy Martin Extra would be in order).