Of Birthdays Past....

Birthdays are a strange thing. As a child, you look forward to them...not simply for the presents, though that helps, but because there is this need to turnover another year, to click your age up one more notch in the seemingly endless march to get somewhere else. There are all these benchmarks we strive for:

When I'm 10, I can stay home by myself for a few hours.
When I'm 12, I'm not longer considered a child by hotels and restaurants.
When I'm 17, I can drive.
When I'm 18, I can vote.
When I'm 21, I can drink.
When I'm 25, I can rent a car.

Eventually that checklist runs out and a birthday is just a reminder that you, like everyone before and everyone after, is just getting older. But that's not all bad either. It's another one of those times when you slow down and appreciate the things around you and contemplate your relative insignificance in the grand scheme of things. Everyone needs to have these days of self-reflection and it's kind of the world to set aside one day a year remind you of that. 

Year End Music Roundup - Best of 2014

Now that it's January, and now that I've spent the past week listening exclusively to my top 75 or so albums of the year, it's finally time to put together my list of best releases for the last calendar year. Looking back, it was, as it is every year, a great year for music. Anybody who says that music was better in the past simply isn't listening to the right music. I honestly believe that what they really mean is to say is that they enjoyed music more in the past. The reason so many people still claim the albums of their youth to be their favorite, myself included, is because of how passionate you felt about it. But you should never confuse that with the quality of music that comes out today. I truly love every album that I'm putting on here. More so than in years past, there truly wasn't any clear cut favorite record. All the top ten or so were pretty even in my praise. And then the next 20 or so were all very close in my level of enjoyment. So pay very little attention to the numbers, and as always, enjoy. 

1. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence: Lana's follow-up to her stunning 2012 Born to Die album. This album is stunning in so many ways. There's a tragic beauty to every song, reminiscent of "Dark Paradise."

2. Antemasque - Antemasque: Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala re-joined forces to form this new band, but instead of picking up where Mars Volta left off, this feels more like the long-awaited follow-up to their previous band At The Drive-In's 2000 masterpiece "Relationship of Command". These ten songs have more in common with that post-hardcore energy than with Mars Volta's prog-rock. The results are pretty spectacular.

3. Beck - Morning Phase: Though I haven't always liked everything he's done, I've always admired Beck's willingness to take chances and try something new. This is a haunting and quiet album that manages to sound fresh even though many others have made music like this over the past few years.

4. o'death - Out of Hands We Go: Since their debut, the Brooklyn band's unique sound catapulted them into my favorite bands, and with each new album they deliver a masterpiece of spiritual death folk. Their last album felt like a redemption from the violence of the preceding album. If that holds, then this album feels like the wandering through the underworld of forlorn soul. Stunning, epic, and undeniably brilliant. 

5. The Icarus Line - Avowed Slavery: My favorite L.A. noise rock band's "mini-album" which they declared to be a companion to last year's phenomenal "Slave Vows" record. These five songs, most longer than 6 minutes, were apparently recorded at the same time as the record and it shows. They have the same dark energy that made that record one of my favorites of last year.

6. Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots: The first proper solo album from the legendary Blur, Gorillaz, and The Good, The Bad, and The Queen frontman. The songs on here represent the softer, more personal side that he's always shown here and there in his other bands. There isn't a single bad song on here, once again proving that Damon is one of the best songwriters of his generation.

7. Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble of Shadows - Mitternacht: Perhaps the most curious album on the list comes from this German darkwave band. Though they've been around for 20 years, I hadn't heard them before this year. Musically, the album carries the same feel. Classical and Neofolk elements combine to create songs that would feel right at home in Neil Gaiman novel. It's rare these days to find something that sounds truly unique and equally wonderful, this is one of those albums.

8. Odawas - Reflections of a Pink Laser: This is one of those under the radar bands that is mesmerizing in a sort of post Syd Barrett, still finding their sound, Pink Floyd kind of way. Their work reminds me of albums like Meddle and UmmaGumma. The most exciting thing about it is how much growth it shows from their previous records. Their sound has expanded into truly epic visions.

9. Natural Snow Buildings - The Night Country: This is the French drone folk band's most focused album in quite some time, and features the welcomed return of vocals to some of the songs, including the epic "Rusty Knives Valley." From the song titles, the theme of this album seems to be the horror of a abandoned countryside and all the terrors, both real and imagined that come to visit. "Sandman Traps" is another stellar achievement, and perhaps one of their best songs ever. This is their most accessible album since Sunlit Stone.

 

10. Ty Segall - Manipulator: Picking up where the last two records left off, there is a spiritual beauty to chaos that shrouds this album. This is the sound of a songwriter hitting his creative peek and exploring whatever direction his muse decides to take him.

 

11. Sivert Hoyem - Endless Love: On his fifth solo album, the Norwegian singer songwriter seems to have recaptured the demon that gave Madrugada their unique edge. His last album, 2011's Long Slow Distance was a brilliant moody album with spiritual undertones, but on this record, he returns to the bleary eyed indie rock of Madrugada's crowning achievement, 2001's The Nightly Disease.

12. Big Blood - Fight For Your Dinner Vol. 1 & Unlikely Mothers: The Portland Maine band's unique blend of psychedelic folk has propelled them near the top of my list of best bands currently around. Their 18th and 19th albums are two more outstanding achievements, sounding like an artifact from an alternate reality where phonographs and traveling oddity shows still reign supreme.

13. Sun Kil Moon - Benji: All year long, this album stayed with me and was one of the most frequently listened to. It's a sad album, looking back at so many who died as Mark Kozeleck revisits moments in his life. A profound portrait of life in America. 

14. Warpaint - Warpaint: An L.A. based dream pop band, this is Warpaint's second record. It's ethereal sound, with psychedelic undertones, works beautifully with the vocals to give the entire thing the feeling of listening to a dream.

15. Secret Colours - Positive Distractions: Great hooks and catchy rhythms commingle with dreamier moments, creating a spectacle of enjoyment. First released in two parts and later it was released as one album, but I like to view it as two, with the Part I being a little more psychedelic garage and Part II a bit more polished psychedelic pop.

16. King Buzzo - This Machine Kills Artists: This album is a pioneering attempt at folk punk with atonal acoustic guitar blended with King Buzzo's familiar growl. It's rare anymore that I hear something that feels new, but this is one of those records. Much like the death folk wave of several years ago, this album touches a nerve that hadn't yet been exposed.

17. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything: The seventh album from the Montreal post rock band is the first 2014 release that I listened to. It has the grand scope I've come to expect from them and reminds me of the more introspective parts of Arcade Fire's The Suburbs. This album is a journey that one must commit to in order to appreciate.

18. Robert Ellis - The Lights from the Chemical Plant: His sound has a country folk feel with a nod to 70's rock, and his songs are straight forward and very well done. These are traditional country tales of lonely life that have a musically modern feel, somewhat like My Morning Jacket though less grandiosity.

19. The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - Midnight Sun: The second album from Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl's evolving band abandons the neo-folk acoustic style of their debut in favor of a psychedelic rock vibe.

20. Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World: Perhaps the most anticipated release of the year for me, actually I've been anticipating ever since the reformed two years ago, this album has not disappointed. Consisting only of guitar and drums (just as The White Stripes and Black Keys) the band manages to squeeze an incredibly full sound out of the instruments, and actually go much heavier than the other mentioned bands. They take their influence from punk rather than blues, and it shows.

21. J Mascis - Tied to a Star: Another beautiful acoustic singer songwriter piece that feels like a trip into a nice hazy world. In some ways it feels like a mellower version of Kurt Vile's "Walkin' a Pretty Daze" but perhaps that's only because Mascis is an obvious influence on him. This is one of those perfect Sunday records to listen to while lazing around and letting your mind drift toward internal stories.

22. Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor: Reinventing himself into a demonic version of Bowie's Thin White Duke, The Mephistopheles Of Los Angeles delivers the most complete music of his career. This is one of his most dynamic albums, reminding me of Mechanical Animals, with softer and heavier elements and super accessible while keeping the edge he's always had.

23. Tweedy - Sukierae: Over the years, Jeff Tweedy's been one of most prolific and exceptional songwriters, both with Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, and he continues his incredible run with this fantastic album. Combining blues, indie rock, and alternative country, the songs are familiar and dynamic, but with a deeply personal touch that causes them to shine. 

24. Stardeath and White Dwarfs - Wastoid: Five years after their amazing debut "The Birth", the psychedelic rock band finally returned with a follow-up. The band is related, both literally and artistically, to The Flaming Lips and they definitely seem to be following the same path as The Lips have over their past few albums. What I love about this album is how expansive it is, taking influence from metal, psych rock, and indie rock and blending it together into something that sounds new and powerful.

25. Electric Wizard - Time to Die: Shrouded in fuzzy guitar and satanic drumming, this blissful noise washes over you like a storm cloud. This record definitely delves deeper into the heavy psych sphere of their last release, the Legalise Drugs & Murder EP. I like this course for them, it allows them to branch away from pure stoner metal riffs and explore a general sense of creepiness, of which these songs are full of.

26. Noah Gundersen - Ledges: A debut folk album with a country twinge that sounds like an album Ryan Adams would make if he made a scaled back acoustic album. There is also a sadness to it that reminds me of Jason Molina's work. 

 

27. First Aid Kit - Stay Gold: Picking up where 2012's The Lion's Roar left off, this album sees the band morph even further in their incorporation of Midwestern country folk. This album is almost certain to continue their climb into being recognized as one of the best acts around today.

 

28. The Growlers - Chinese Fountain: The Long Beach psychedelic garage band has an effortlessly feel to their music, yet it never sounds dull or lazy. There's definitely laid back Cali vibe that works great, completely unpretentious, much like a West Coast version of Kurt Vile.

29. Thurston Moore - The Best Day: The Sonic Youth frontman's album opens with two lengthy songs which are among his best solo efforts since 1995's Psychic ♥♥♥'s. He's always been able to find the space that exists within a song, stretch it out, and reveal hidden moments that you never knew existed. As much as I love these noodling, drone type creations of his, I also love the short quick rock songs and this album has a good number of those, the title track being among the best. A really great album, refreshing and familiar at the same time.  

 

30. The Vines - Wicked Nature: This album goes back to their roots, opting for a more direct garage rock feel on the almost universally short tracks. It's no wonder the band started as a Nirvana cover band, the influence is still clear, but unlike other bands, they are inspired by Kurt's sound rather than attempting to ape it. Super catchy guitar hooks, rumbling drums, and Craig's howl make this album one that will most likely go down as the band's landmark release.

Honorable Mentions: Here's some other albums that came close to making the list, and as I said, on other days may have made it.

Astronauts - Hollow Ponds

Cold War Kids - Hold My Home

The Coral - The Curse of Love

John Frusciante - Enclosure

Mark Fry - South Wind, Clear Sky

Goat - Commune

Goblin Hovel - Wonders Gone Dark, Shadows Brought to Life

Ed Harcourt - Time of Dust

Joker's Daughter and the Bullfrogs -Hybrid

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Make My Head Sing...

Moonface - City Wrecker

Karen O - Crush Songs

Rural Alberta Advantage - Mended with Gold

Sinoia Caves - Beyond the Black Rainbow

The Skygreen Leopards - Family Crimes

Sleepy Sun - Maui Tears

Spoon - They Want My Soul

Sonne Hagal - Ockerwasser

Those Poor Bastards - Vicious Losers

Temples - Sun Structures

Tricky - Adrian Thaws

Sharon Van Etten - Are We There

Mirel Wagner - When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day

Gerard Way - Hesitant Alien

Woods - With Light and With Love

Another New Year....

Another year has passed us by and another has just begun. Frequent readers of this blog, or my novels, know by now that I have a number of odd superstitions that I obey. One such habit is that of saying rabbits. The superstition centers around the first day of the month, and on that day, the first words one speaks aloud should be "rabbit, rabbit" which will bring you good luck for the entire month. 

The earliest record of this superstition dates back to the late 1800's in England where children, to the bewilderment of parents, started shouting rabbit, rabbit up the chimney. As best as anyone can figure, it was something invented by children, which of course makes me believe there is some magic to it, and that of course it must work. 

I modified the tradition slightly back in 2005, when I remembered to say rabbit, rabbit on January 1st. It was only the second time I ever remembered to do it and I figured if it was done on the first of the year, surely it would bring good luck for the whole year rather than just the month. So now, that is the only time I try to remember to do it. 

I succeeded again at the turn of 2013, and then again this past week when I sat up in bad at three in the morning and spoke, rabbit rabbit. So needless to say, I'm hopeful for a lot of luck this year, brought on by the power of childhood imagination and timekeeper rabbits. I'm wishing all of you the best of luck as well.

Weekend Music Rounup

Welcome to the last roundup before I buckle down to choose my favorite sounds of the year. This week I tried to cram in as many of the 2014 releases that I could before I go on a week long process of review. Unlike most years, the last great push produced only a few albums that I will need to rank carefully, but a few on here are definitely under consideration. There's a bit of everything on here so maybe something will jump out at all of you before you put a ribbon around 2014 and call it a year. Enjoy.

Jason Webley & Friends - Margaret: It's been seven years since the Seattle singer songwriter's last solo album, and even this isn't quite a full album with many of the middle tracks being performed by other Seattle area chamber pop artists. But the project was curated by Jason. All the songs were inspired by a scrapbook found in a dumpster containing articles and mementos from the life of Margaret Rucker, one of the founding daughters of Everett, WA. This is exactly the kind of project that Webley does best, reminding me of his Evelyn, Evelyn album from a few years ago. In the end, this tragically sad concept album is moving and soulful. Definitely one of the best surprises of the Fall and high on my list of recent faves.

Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor: Reinventing himself into a demonic version of Bowie's Thin White Duke, The Mephistopheles Of Los Angeles returns with his first album in three years. Ever since Twiggy returned to the band in 2008, Manson continues to deliver the most complete music of his career. This is one of his most dynamic albums, reminding me of Mechanical Animals, with softer and heavier elements and super accessible while keeping the edge he's always had. After a few listens, this may be my favorite of his. Both versions of "Fated, Faithful, Fatal," and "Day 3" are fantastic, as are "Slave Only Dreams to Be King," "Killing Strangers" and "The Fall of the House of Death."

Ty Segall - $ingle$ 2: In April, the Cali psychedelic garage rocker followed up last years two outstanding LPs with one of the best of the year with Manipulator. That album has been followed by this compilation last month. As expected with any comp of B-Sides and other fodder, it's rougher and rawer than recent work, but no less fantastic. Perhaps it's because of his mellower side shining through on recent albums that he wanted to get this out there and remind people that he could make psychedelic weirdness with the best of them. I've been thoroughly enjoying this record. "Cherry Red," "It's a Problem," "Spiders" and "Children of Paul" are my personal favorites.

Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen Resurrected: Back in August the Cali metal band released this resurrected version of their 2003 second album, an album that got them noticed before their breakout third album City of Evil two years later. Packed with demo versions, lost tracks, alternate versions and live versions, this is one those releases that serves as a gift for fans and probably not of much interest to others. I'm one of those people who, at moments, truly loves this band, and at other times couldn't care less. When they are on however, they are really on. Their blistering duel guitar sound and pounding drums is better than any other hard rock sound out there, but the moving back and forth between screamcore and rock vocals has always bothered me, simply because I don't particularly care for screamcore and the singer has a great voice. The live versions on here are the real standouts.

Billy Idol - Kings & Queens of the Underground: Hoping for an Adam Ant style comeback, I was really interested to hear the former pin-up boy of punk's first album in eight years. Perhaps like Adam Ant's comeback record, this suffers from being horribly uneven. There are a few decent tracks where he sings about a fall from grace and the attempt to climb back, but a lot of those sentiments are buried in generic '80s rock chords. A nice curiosity listen, but probably not one I will return to for more.

Wiz Khalifa - 28 Grams: The Pittsburgh rapper put out this mixtap back in May in preparation for his new LP which dropped in August. Over the years, I keeping checking out Wiz's work hoping for the breakthrough that really impresses me. His flow has that kind of potential, but so far it hasn't come through. Like most mixtapes, this is a collection of fragments strung together. And as to be expected from Wiz, every one of them seems to be about smoking weed. Very forgettable, but has some moments. I will still hold out hope that one day he'll come through for me.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - In The Heat of the Moment: I wanted to end this week with a single from last month in anticipation of an album I'm looking forward to in 2015. This is the fist song released off of the former Oasis founder's second record. Even more so that Beady Eye, Noel's post Fab Five work sounds as if it could be leftovers from a recording session with his old band, but I suppose that has more to do with the fact that he was the primary songwriter for Oasis. These two songs are a solid dose of rock 'n roll with more of an ode to Paul Weller than any of Noel's other usual influences. If these are any preview of the album, it should be a good one.

Weekend Music Roundup

This time of the year is always slow when it comes to new releases, which thankfully gives me time to catch up on some albums from the year that I hadn't yet had the chance to listen to. As the year winds down, I like to make sure I hear all of the music that I think might end up on my year-end favorites. It's never possible to get them all in before the calendar turns over, but I try my best. This week I have a few 2014 records that I've wanted to check out for a while. There a nice mix of heavy stuff, hip hop and of course, psychedelic tunes. Hopefully you'll find something that will make your year. Enjoy.

The Oscillation - From Tomorrow: A few months ago, the London psychedelic space rock band released their third record. Like a sonic journey through a future wasteland, this Spacemen 3 sounding record combines the elements of drone and shoegaze with the psychedelic edge of Hawkwind. Being a new band for me, this was the record that really blew me away this week. It's a relentless album that manages to keep up the intensity throughout and never veers into boring or slow. There's an exciting danger that lurks under the surface, something reminds me of early Rapture. Definitely worth checking out. I know I'll be checking out their previous albums. "All You Want To Be," "Corridor," "No Place To Go," and "Chrome Cat" are among my favorites.

Kadavar - Live In Antwerp: For the last two years in a row this Berlin based stoner metal band have released two albums, both of which have ended up on my best of the year list. Without an album of new material, they released this stellar live record over the summer. When a live record sounds as tight as the studio albums, you know a band is in perfect groove. The setlist covers songs from both of their albums and includes a previously unreleased song. A perfect gift for fans of the band or fans of the genre, and a nice way to get the best of both albums in one set if that's your thing.

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2: The second album from the hip hop tag team of El-P and Killer Mike is already showing up on best of the year lists and I figured it was time to pay attention. I've been a fan of El-P's work for years, he's one of the consciousness rappers that also has a great hardcore flow, and his sound pairs well with Killer Mike's style...and both go with the extremely interesting and fresh sounding beats throughout this album. I disagree with some of what I've read because I don't see this as a revolutionary album, but it's still a very exciting return of hardcore hip hop that incorporates a lot of the newer trends of the genre. "Jeopardy," "Lie, Cheat, Steal" "All Due Respect," and "Angel Duster" are my favorites. 

Archie Bronson Outfit - Wild Crush: The fourth album from the UK indie rock band came out this past spring, and what I really like about it is the growth it shows from their previous solid albums. This one evolves their garage rock sound into a psychedelic blues kind of album that feels exciting. I think they benefit from taking time between albums. They've only released four in ten years, which seems to allow them to develop. A lot of late '60s throwback sound on here, but in a positive way. "Cluster Up and Hover," "Love to Pin You Down," and "We Are Floating" are standout tracks.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - +- EP: The San Fran psychedelic band continues their resurgence, following up their brilliant LP from earlier in the year with this brilliant EP. Ever since Matt Hollywood and other original members rejoined the band several years ago, they are once again living up to that potential they showed in the early '90s to become the greatest psychedelic band of their generation. These four songs have a classic BJTM fuzzy bliss sound. "Heat," "Leave It Along," and "Reconstruction" are among their best songs ever in my opinion. Fantastic stuff.

Jean Grae - Gotham Down Deluxe: For the past decade, the Brooklyn rapper has been one of the best MCs around, sadly flying under the radar. The compilation released last year collects a bunch of EPs into one album. Jean's flow is as spectacular as ever on these songs, and the interludes, unlike on many hip hop albums, are actually funny and poignant. She's intelligent and displays deep insights on life that rank right up there with other top conscious hip hop. "Before the Summer Broke," "Kill Screen" and "BITS" are my personal favorites.

The Market of Oddities

There was a time in my life when I dreaded getting editorial feedback because I knew it would mean a lot of rewriting and rethinking of ideas that I'd had completed in a form that felt right. Over time I've learned that thoughts are never really completed and have learned to find enjoyment in returning to worlds of my imagination for further exploration. 

After talking with my agent this week, I'll be returning to the goblin market and the fears that are sold there. It's rare that I'm told to make my work "darker" and "weirder," which are elements that I typically find myself toning down between drafts. Needless to say, I welcome this kind of feedback. Adding unusual scenes and aspects is something I could never tire of...it sure beats adding characters or changing character motivations. 

So as I get ready to dive back in, please send all of your dark thoughts and fears my way. Thank you.

Weekend Music Roundup

I'm finally back! Last weekend I moved out of my home of ten years. There was a ton of crap to pack, a lot of it music and a lot of it toys, and naturally books. Piles and piles and piles of books! Given that the decision was made quickly, leaving little time for packing, I must say I have not had the chance to listen to new music in the past two weeks. What I have been listening to is my record collection which I carefully unpacked and set up in a more central location of the abode. But rather than bore you with reviews of albums I've probably already reviewed at some point, I've decided to focus on the theme of home and share my favorite songs about the topic. Enjoy. 

o'death - "Home"

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "Home"

Simon & Garfunkel - "Homeward Bound"

Nirvana - "Sliver"

Guns N' Roses - "Paradise City"