Tapes on the Floor's Favorite Tracks of 2012 (Pt. I)

Can you feel that chill in the air? It must be time for the annual flurry of year-end lists. Following the precedent I set forth with last year's volley of meticulously annotated inventories, I'll be presenting my 40 favorite tracks of 2012 in two parts, followed by a list of my favorite albums released over the past year. I'll also be including the obligatory Spotify playlists for those of you who would prefer to listen to music instead of reading about it.

Album Review: Dosh "Tommy"

Tommy is Dosh's fifth studio album, a tribute to Martin Dosh's former soundman, the late Tom Cesario. As such, one might expect the record to be a rather somber affair, rife with the kind of melancholy that so often accompanies the passing of a loved one. Instead, Dosh chooses to celebrate Cesario's life with his usual arsenal of upbeat, loop-driven arrangements. The result is an album that combines the many disparate elements of Dosh's more recent work into a fitting tribute for a fallen friend.

Opening track "Subtractions" sounds like it could have come straight off of 2006's The Lost Take, characterized by its bouncing synth and saxophone embellishments care of Happy Apple's Mike Lewis. It's a highly enjoyable showpiece of a song, taking just about every trick up Dosh's sleeve and combining them into a track that sounds both familiar and fresh. "Number 41" marks the first appearance of Andrew Bird on the record, providing his usual brand of carefully measured vocals over Dosh's dense instrumentation. Bird's last record was missing the sort of full-on collaboration with Dosh that Armchair Apocrypha's "Simple X" hinted at, so his appearance on this record is definitely a welcome occurrence. Rounding out the A-side of the record is a track called "Airlift"; one of the more grandiose and cinematic compositions ever to grace a Dosh album. With its swelling strings and organs, it's a sound we haven't heard from Dosh in the past, but one that provides another of Tommy's many highlights.

Tommy's 'Be-side' commences with a retread of sorts, finding Dosh reworking "Call The Kettle" which previously appeared on the Powder Horn EP. Here the track is expanded upon, building slowly until climaxing in the familiar riff that has made this particular song a staple of Dosh's live performances. Andrew Bird make another appearance on "Nevermet", a dusty acoustic ballad that provides the perfect backdrop for Bird's nuanced vocals. Closing track "Gare de Lyon" starts out innocently enough, with a snippet of dialogue setting off a simple drum beat which slowly builds into a laid-back groove. As the song progresses, it begins to sound more frantic before dissolving into a wave of feedback that is joined by another vocal recording. The final two minutes are best described as raw sonic emotion; an outpouring of the kind of joy and sorrow best communicated through music. It's a fitting finale to an album that takes so much pleasure in the subtleties of sound.

On Tommy, Dosh continues to solidify himself as one of the most unique forces in modern music. While his songs have always been deeply personal, this record manages to plunge into even greater emotional depths. Dosh found his voice through his music long ago; with Tommy he's shown that he has something to say.

The New Year, So Far

Well, we've all survived the first week's worth of 2009, and I thought it would be a good time to catch up on a few things I missed in 2008, as well as highlight some more recent happenings.

First up, I've been listening to David Byrne's and Brian Eno's latest release, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, quite a bit after hearing some very kind words about it in several end of the year retrospectives. When I first heard of it, I kind of assumed it was something along the lines My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, the sample-based record that Byrne and Eno collaborated on in 1981. It was a bit suprising to find that Everything That Happens... is a straight-up pop-rock record along the lines of latter-day Talking Heads. The lead single "Strange Overtones", which is available for free right here, is pretty damn catchy and has been showing up on my playlist quite a bit lately. Byrne sounds just as great as he ever has, and Eno's work on the sonic-end is for the most part extremely enjoyable. I'm kicking myself for not catching this one earlier...

Next up, I feel it's once more time for me to comment on happenings on the Watchmen movie front. There have been a number of developments in the past few days over the date for the trial which will ultimately decide when or if this movie will be released. Warner Bros. wants the court date moved up from January 20 to the 12, because they claim they need to make decisions about marketing (Watchmen Movie News has a piece on that here). Really, I'm becoming more and more skeptical about this movie coming out on time. Unless Warner Bros. knows something we don't, it seems pretty clear Fox has a valid stake in this film. I'm really pretty suprised Warner Bros. is going ahead with this trial after the Judge's early decision in Fox's favor. Here's hoping there's some kind of ace up their sleeves that will result in the movie releasing on time. For a quick catch-up on the events surrounding and leading up to this trial check out this piece that MTV did, which features some quotes on the subject from 'Silk Spectre' Malin Akerman. The more interesting Watchmen tidbits that have popped up in the last few days are this viral website and the Japanese trailer, which showcases alot of alternate-history footage, some great looks at Nixon's Dr. Strangelove-esque situation room, and some great new shots of Rorschach.

NPR has a stream of Andrew Bird's newest record Noble Beast, in its entirety. I liked what I heard; it's way more acoustic guitar/violin based than Armchair Apocrypha was, more in the vein of Mysterious Production of Eggs. My only complaint is that Dosh (who I gush about on a regular basis) is relegated almost exclusively to the drums on this record. I was a big fan of the keyboard parts on Armchair, and his talent just seems wasted when he's confined to a drum set. I did really enjoy the musical quoting of Dosh's "First Impossible" from Wolves and Wishes in one of the songs, but overall I felt his presence was sorely missing from alot of the tracks. I know, this IS an Andrew Bird album, but when these two guys are collaborating full-steam they're a force to be reckoned with and I didn't get that feeling here. Bird turns in some great violin looping performances as usual, and I think many of the fans that were a bit disappointed with the more electric direction of Armchair are going to be very happy with this one. But what's up with the horrible album art on the standard edition of the album? The deluxe edition's art (which I posted) is way cooler than that boring picture of a tree and some grass. The physical edition of the album hits your local record store on January 20, so I'll have a more in depth review sometime after that.

That's all I've got for today. I'll leave you with this Kotaku story which firmly positions the Nintendo Wii as the presidential console of choice. Look for the new year's first Long Box post this weekend...

MusicNOW Festival Review

Just got back from Cincinnati yesterday, a very interesting city. Looks like a nice place until you start driving through the city streets and seedy neighborhoods. I spent most of my visit on the University of Cincinnati campus, which is also a pretty unique place. Lots of abstract architecture, sculptures, installations, etc. spread across the school. I got to visit Shake It Records, which from the looks of it is the premiere record store in the Cincinnati area. A great selection of CDs, and a respectable amount of new and used vinyl. However, my main reason for the trip was the MusicNOW festival, now in it's third year, which took place at the beautiful Memorial Hall in downtown Cinci.

The festival was a four night series of concerts, curated by Bryce Dessner (the guitarist for the National, and a Cincinnati native). I only made it to the Friday and Saturday night shows, so I'll be focusing my attention on those, although I heard that Wednesday and Thursday weren't too shabby, with guest appearances from Sufjan Stevens and the Arcade Fire's Richard Reed Parry.

Friday night's show was split between the jazz guitar styling of the Dirty Projectors and the Bang on a Can All Stars, a modern music ensemble which featured Bryce Dessner sitting in on guitar and Glenn Kotche on drums. Having not really listened to much of the Dirty Projectors before, I was pretty impressed, especially with the lead guitarist. The guy is very talented, and the band overall was in pretty fine form, despite the fact that both the bassist and rhythm guitarist were suffering from a case of the flu. Their set was quick, and soon enough the Bang on a Can All Stars took the stage. The ensemble started off the their set with some pretty standard modern pieces, enjoyable enough, but definitely not what I was there to see. Glenn took the stage after a short introduction, care of Dessner, and began to talk the crowd through what they were about to hear. The first piece was one commissioned by Bang on a Can, entitled "Snap"; a tribute to the Stax Records label of the 1960s. Kotche's composition genius really shown through in this piece, his experience with composing for the Kronos Quartet has obviously emboldened him. Kotche's next piece with the group was an ensemble arrangement of the Mobile suite, from his Nonesuch solo release of the same name. Having seen Kotche play this piece solo with the help of a prerecorded backing track, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to see this composition entirely live. This performance was the fulfillment of that dream, and was just as great as I imagined it would be. Some liberties were taken with the material due to the makeup of the quartet, but it was still an extremely impressive song to see an ensemble play.
Saturday's bill featured the group Grizzly Bear as well as a solo performance by Andrew Bird. Grizzly Bear's set was great, albeit a little too short in my opinion. The group is definitely one of my favorite new groups of the past few years, particularly their recent release Yellow House which has been in frequent rotation on my playlist as of late. They got through most of the songs that I wanted to hear, with the glaring exception of "Easier" which seems like an obvious opener to me. I also had no idea the band's bassist did so much work, he barely seemed to touch his bass, usually providing clarinet or flute instead. A really impressive performance, and one that I wish would have gone on a little longer, especially in light of the next performer. Don't get me wrong, I'm an Andrew Bird fan. However, I've had the unique pleasure of seeing him play with his band and his solo performance at this festival got a little stale to say the least. It was also not helped by the fact that he played very few familiar songs, opting instead to debut songs off of the record he is currently recording. The older tunes he did play lacked the polish that he usually provides; many forgotten words and chords were scattered liberally through the set. While I understand the circumstances under which this performance were taking place; a one-off show likely as a favor to Dessner, I don't think that excuses Bird entirely especially since the guy is so damn talented to begin with. At least we got spirited renditions of "Why?", "Plasticities" and "Weather Systems", and most of the new songs sounded pretty solid although I'm sure I'll like them more once their fleshed out with some Rhodes and drums care of Dosh. Not the best way to cap off the fest, but I was still more than satisfied and hope to come back next year.

Favorite Albums of 2007

Let me get you up to speed; yesterday we took a look at some albums that should have been on today's list, if not for a few missteps or the simple fact that they didn't make it out this year. It's always interesting to look back through the year's music and rediscover a few neglected tunes, or realize just how much you're (still) listening to releases from the past year. I'm always a little bit worried that I'm neglecting new music; I've done a much better job of keeping up with new releases this year, but I'm the still kind of guy who also likes to complete the back catalogs and find interesting old stuff to listen to. Anyways, here it is; my favorite albums of the year arranged alphabetically by title:

Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird
This one has been criminally overlooked on all of the year-end lists I've looked through so far. Bird's latest not only tops his previous record, the critically lauded Mysterious Production of Eggs, but also substantially improves upon the unique style which powers his work. The addition of Dosh into Bird's inner circle of collaborators is one of the most perfect matches ever made, and the results are some of the best tracks on the record.

Boxer - The National
The subdued arrangements and flat vocals are an acquired taste, but once this one grows on you it's hard to stop listening. The National deliver a hauntingly beautiful record that strays from the all out rock of their previous release, instead concentrating on building an atmosphere and accentuating the subtleties.



Challengers - The New Pornographers
I initially panned this one for not living up to it predecessor, the high energy whirlwind of Twin Cinema. Since then, I've come to appreciate this as the Porno's maturing, so much so that the few bombast moments left in the wake sound forced in comparison. A.C. Newman and company have become an entirely different animal; this is the album where the New Pornographers stop sounding like a supergroup and start sounding like a band.

Drums and Guns - Low
Low's latest takes the band back to their slowcore roots, shying away from the more rock-oriented direction of their 2005 release The Great Destroyer. The songs are just as beautiful and sparse as ever, vocals in the foreground with instruments providing texture and context. Drums and Guns brings the slowcore genre comfortably into present day, with pertinent lyrics and the same old haunting sound.

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
By now, Spoon is a well oiled machine and any album they decide to put out is met with impossibly high expectations. The band's latest manages to deliver, providing a marked improvement over it predecessor. Britt Daniel upholds his title as reigning master of the pop-rock song, and even manages to inject a little bit of studio weirdness without seeming pretentious. Jim Eno also gets a shout out for immaculate production, and some of the most precise drumming around.

I'll Follow You - Oakley Hall
I discovered this group just in time for their inaugural Merge release, which was good timing on my part. I'll Follow You tones down some of the noisier elements of the group, likely to appeal to a wider audience, but keeps all the alt-country vibe intact. From the vocal harmonies to the Skynard-esque guitar solos, it all makes for one heck of a solid record.



In Rainbows - Radiohead
With only ten day's notice, the world's premiere reclusive rock band released their best album since OK Computer. In Rainbows doesn't fizzle out (Hail to the Thief) or get too weird for it's own good (Kid A), it just delivers in spades. The band has never sounded better, so much so that it might even be worth picking up the forthcoming physical release, if only for the miniscule jump in sound quality.

Liars - Liars
The art-rockers tone it down a notch and release their best record to date. There's still plenty of deft studio manipulation and a healthy dose of electronics, but it's all packaged into some of the most rocking songs the band has ever wrote. It's a dark, at times abrasive, record but it's one of the most continuously enjoyable listens of the year.



Mirrored - Battles
Before this year the term 'math-rock' would have been met by most (myself included) with blank stares and disinterest. Battles' first full-length puts the genre firmly on the map with an album that sounds as fun as it is nonsensical. Somewhere between kraut-rock and aimless noodeling, Mirrored is one of the more unique records to hit my speakers this year.

Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
While not quite on par with their impeccable debut, the Canadian rockers' second release is far from a sophomore slump. Neon Bible is a bigger, bolder statement from a group that has the talent to make such melodrama work in their favor. The instrumentation, from booming pipe organs to swelling strings, is just as lush as it needs to be. I'm still listening to it well after its early 2007 release, so just like its predecessor; it has some staying power.

Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
Not the weird record that everyone expected for Nels Cline's first trip into the studio with the band, but certainly not a disappointment by any means. The album oozes with the ambience of laid back classic rock, while the spiraling solos on tracks like "Impossible Germany" and "Side With the Seeds" plant it firmly in the present. It's the next unexpected evolution from a band that seems comfortable in any number of genres.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
I think many people wrote this album off as just another one of Damon Albarn's side projects, which doesn't make much sense because Albarn has an amazing track-record within the side-project arena. Couple that with the fact that this is more of a British supergroup than anything, and you're in for a very interesting record. Albarn and company churn out what can only be described as apocalyptic brit-pop. It's dark and seething at times, but all catchy as hell.

Live Review: Andrew Bird

I've seen quite a few very talented musicians live, but I don't think any of them exude with said talent as much as the amiable Mr. Bird. Joined on-stage by drummer/keyboardist Martin Dosh and bassist Jeremy Ylvisake, this small group of performers created music with a lushness that defied their numbers. Assisted by a sampling pedal and an array of effects, including a rotating horn speaker, Bird paced the stage like a mad conductor, fiercely urging his orchestra on to sweeping crescendos. The set was mainly a showcase of his newest release Armchair Apocrypha, but Bird has a reputation for live interpretations that significantly deviate from their studio counterparts. Perhaps the most striking example of this was "Heretics", a song in which the string arrangements present on the record were conspicuously absent in the live setting, turning the tune into what could almost be described as the 'rocker' of Bird's set. The unique looping and rhodes skills of Dosh (I've been listening to his album Lost Take all week, amazing stuff) were showcased on "Simple X", the intro of which was an exercise in sampling, in order to provide the backing tracks for the rest of the song. The night was not was not strictly a one-album affair however, seeing Bird reach into his recent back catalog with live renditions of The Mysterious Production of Eggs' "The Naming of Things" and "Tables and Chairs". The main set ended with "Scythian Empires", just one of the more 'dreamy' songs played that Bird said he felt were appropriate for a venue as beautiful as the Southern Theater. A one song encore of "Weather Systems", played solo, capped off the evening with a veritable showcase of violin mastery (or something close to it). It's hard to pin Andrew Bird within a genre, he's almost in a class by himself, with a similarly undefinable live show that's a spectacle worth witnessing.

Birds & Ships

Is it just me, or did the labels perform a veritable dump of notable new releases this week? While I appreciate the gesture, an unemployed student such as myself can only buy so many new records. After weighing my options (and considering the fact that I recently blew far too much money pre-ordering Sky Blue Sky), I settled on obtaining genuine compact discs of Andrew Bird's Armchair Apocrypha and Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. I now present you with my reviews, to assist with your own purchasing dilemmas:

Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird
Not content to merely stick to the formula that seemed to work on his acclaimed 2005 release, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, Andrew Bird forges forward on his newest record, covering new ground while revisiting notable songs of his past. Perhaps the biggest departure for Bird is his use of guitar, an instrument he has shied away from in the past. However, it all works brilliantly, which can only be expected from such a talented arranger. Guitar riffs are featured prominently next to the usual violin strains and whistling on upbeat tracks such as "Heretics" and "Plasticites", backed by the minimalistic beats of Martin Dosh. Bird's lyrics are as interesting and far fetched as ever; "Dark Matter" is about his dream of being a surgeon, while "Scythian Empires" compares current US foreign policy to the conquests of an ancient Iranian tribe (yes, I had to look that one up on the Wikipedia). What impresses me the most is the album's excellent flow, effortlessly drifting from song to song, and making use of an instrumental interlude as well as a two-song closer. Bottom line; if you're a fan of Bird's work you'll enjoy this record, but even if you're not, this is the one that will change your mind.

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
After the "Float On" driven debacle that was Good News People for People Who Love Bad News, Issac Brock inches his way closer to radio-friendly rock with his band's newest lengthily-titled release. However, now more accustomed to their new-found pop sensibilities, Modest Mouse is finding their niche in a genre crowded with blandness. The addition of ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is more appropriate than I thought it would be, he hangs with the usual herky-jerky riffs but also brings the wailing solos on a few tracks. Songs range from the incredibly pop-y ("Dashboard", "Florida") to more tradition Mouse fare ("March into the Sea", "Steam Engenius"). My favorite of the bunch, "Missed the Boat", finds Brock and company channeling an almost Wilco-esque vibe (mainly because the intro reminds me of "Muzzle of Bees"). I'm also quite partial to "People as Places as People", which almost sounds like an outtake from the Moon and Antarctica sessions. The production is slick throughout the entire album, sometimes a little too much so. Those expecting the semi-lo-fi vibe of Long Drive have probably already given up on the Mouse by now anyways. But if you're willing to look past the slightly different sound, there's an album here that's worth listening to. It's certainly better than Good News was, and I doubt you'll be bombarded with any of these tunes a la "Float On" anytime soon.

Podcast No. 1

A few weeks ago I hinted at the possibility of a future podcast and, lo and behold, here is my first attempt. It's very bare bones, just 4 tracks of music and some commentary. Nevertheless, enjoy, and if the link goes down for some reason, just comment and I'll re-post. Tracklisting is as follows:
Tapes on the Floor Podcast No. 1
1:51 Scott Amendola Band - Oladipo
10:06 Andrew Bird - Heretics
14:07 TV on the Radio - Dirtywhirl
19:01 Wilco - You Are My Face

Let's Get Carried Away

Usually I shy away from regurgitating news, but in my mind, this seems too good not to repost. This morning saw the release of the tracklisting for Wilco's forthcoming Sky Blue Sky LP. Click the link if you're not in the know, I won't bother copying it here. So here are my thoughts on the tracklisting, based only on some limited bootleg listening (I don't think I've heard all the tracks available, I'm actually trying to give myself something to look forward to on May 15). First of all, I'm very happy, and not the least bit surprised, to see that both "Impossible Germany" and "Walken" managed to make the cut. These are the two tracks that really sold me on how great Wilco's new line-up can sound, and gave me faith that Jeff Tweedy is still capable of writing great songs. I'm also down with the inclusion of "Side With the Seeds" and "Shake it Off", both of which were revealed at Wilco's last two shows in Chicago this past Thanksgiving. "Side With the Seeds" is the kind of pensive ballad that every Wilco album needs, while "Shake it Off" is the kind of rhythmically challenging showpiece that I expect from such a talented group. I'm on the fence about "What Light" as well as "On and On and On", especially as the album closer. "What Light" always struck me as a pretty generic pop song, not exactly what I expect from the guy who penned the tongue-in-cheek anti-pop of "Can't Stand It". As for "On and On and On", my problem with the song is pretty much addressed by its title. It keeps going, and it doesn't really get anywhere, no climactic Nels solo, no pounding Glenn breakdown, just a plodding piano driven ballad. Not the kind of thing I want to end a Wilco album with. I'll hold final judgment until I hear the final studio versions, as Wilco has a habit of drastically changing tracks during the recording process. And now on to the tracks that AREN'T here. Tweedy revealed in January that "Is That the Thanks I Get?" wasn't album-bound, so no surprises there, but what's with the axing of rocker "Let's Not Get Carried Away"? A ghost is born had "I'm a Wheel", I really expect my Wilco albums to have at least one raucous party tune (which perhaps will be fulfilled by one of the songs I haven't heard yet). My compliments to the band on seeing that "Let's Fight" wasn't really working out. The live versions were an exercise in shoddy string pads and strained falsetto. I've been hearing good things about "Sky Blue Sky" and "Please Be Patient With Me", both of which have been played heavily of Tweedy's recent solo acoustic tour, but so far I've resisted the temptation to download. So, with a few mystery tracks to spare, that about wraps up my thoughts on the tracklisting. And so begins the arduous wait until May 15...

On a lighter note, I've added a few new concerts to my list for the year. On April 13, violinist Andrew Bird and his band will be coming to the historic Southern Theater. I know his show at the Wexner Center a few years back sold out pretty quick, so my attendance is mainly based on if I can get tickets or not. I've also learned, though not confirmed, that Chicago post-rockers Tortoise will be stopping by the Wexner Center on June 14. Being able to see Jeff Parker twice in one year is simply an opportunity I cannot pass up, so if this comes to fruition I'll most definitely be there. On an unrelated note, I've heard that the Arcade Fire will be performing on SNL at the end of this month. How long is it until we see Wilco on the show? I'm sure the band could provide comedy on par with what is usually seen on the show these days. More postings as motivation permits...