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jaketheaudiophile · 4 years ago

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Best Albums of 2021.

Hooray, it’s that wonderful time of year again! Let’s jump right in.

JAKE’S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2021

HONORABLE MENTION

BROJOB: “The Heaviest Album of All Time”

Self-released by the band on July 23rd

It’s not even fair to include this album on this list. It is unequivocally the greatest piece of music ever released. I didn’t feel right putting it as my #1 of 2021 because it’s clearly the #1 of every year ever. Completely and utterly brilliant. Original and ground-breaking yet accessible. A work of staggering genius. What more can you say?

In all sincerity, Brojob hold the rarified air of groups like The Lonely Island who craft legitimately hilarious (and completely inappropriate) music that is simultaneously better than the majority of “serious” artists in their genre. It’s not the most unique sound ever but it’s done with a level of polish that is unmistakeable. Hats and pants off to these dudes.

#15

JOSE GONZALEZ: “Local Valley”

Released September 17th via City Slang and Mute Records

Props to my best bud (and constant blog reader) Ben for this one. He’s been singing Jose Gonzalez’ praises for years and I took forever to give him a proper chance. I became infatuated with 2007′s “In Our Nature” and now have his catalogue in my regular rotation. This album is a bit more all over the place musically than his traditional solo singer/acoustic guitar style, but it is still quite the pleasant listen. Even the more jokey songs like booty-shake encourager “Swing” are well crafted earworms. If you’re remotely interested in the singer/songwriter or easy listening genres, get Gonzalez on your radar.

#14

TELETHON: “Swim Out Past The Breakers”

Released August 20th via Take This To Heart Records

Self-proclaimed “Hard Pop” Milwaukee troubadours Telethon bring a super fun energy to their happy, introspective tunes. This album features a whole slew of guest musicians and singers, including Limbeck’s Robb Maclean, The Hold Steady’s Franz Nicolay and fellow Wisconsinites Devon Kay and the Solutions. Thankfully, all the guests bring their own flavor and perspective without disrupting the flow, which is an impressive balancing act by the band. Songs change genres or keys on a moment’s notice but everything also flows very well and keeps the listener engaged throughout. There’s a clever boisterousness to the whole thing that keeps me coming back.

#13

FREE THROW: “Piecing It Together”

Released June 25th via Triple Crown Records

I’m learning that every Free Throw record is a good record. 2019′s “What’s Past is Prologue” was my first exposure to the Nashville emo group. You’d be easily fooled by the Nashville part, as the definitely sound like a case study in the Midwest emo factory, but bring a harshness and swagger that separates them from the pack. A lot of this is due to vocalist Casey Castro’s awesome ragged vocals that are abrasive in the best possible way. These guys are the model of consistency and have another record now that I can’t really point out any significant faults.

#12

EVERY TIME I DIE: “Radical”

Released October 22nd via Epitaph

This album and the one that follows it at my #11 spot may well deserve higher spots on my list, but have the unfortunate scenarios of being released very recently. I haven’t really spent enough time with them to rate them properly, but they are definitely great albums and worth mentioning here in some capacity. Buffalo hardcore legends certainly bring the same brutal gut punching menace to their 9th (wow!) album, but something about it isn’t sticking with me like some of their previous efforts. I do tend to love every other ETID album so this may be one of the odd ones out. It’s certainly produced perfectly (shoutout Will Putney) and contains several brilliant moments, but it’s also a monster of an album with 16 songs totally nearly an hour. It becomes a bit more of a slog than an enjoyable listen for me due to this, but maybe time will change my current take.

#11

DELTA SLEEP: “Spring Island”

Self-released by the band via Sofa Boy Records on November 12th

These UK math rock dudes have become one of my favorite bands, so expectations were high for their 3rd record. Again, this album is barely a month old as of this writing, so timing is working against them. This seems to be the most streamlined of Delta Sleep’s catalogue and also comes across as their most tame. Old albums had interlude tracks and instrumental fillers and those are almost entirely absent here. I used to hold the meanderings against the band but now they seem odd while absent. I tend to forget some songs after listening to them but “Old Soul” and “The Detail” are among the best songs the band has written. I guess I mainly leave this record confused, but it’s still quite solid.

#10

ERRA: “ERRA”

Released March 19th via UNFD

Birmingham, AL’s ERRA sound like something you’ve heard before. Their brand of crushing melodic metalcore contains both heavy and clean vocal styles by two separate vocalists who weave together with clever guitar solos, kickass riffs and brutal breakdowns like about 300 other groups. However, there’s something to the arrangements or songwriting that makes ERRA stand out for me. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it is (most like some variation of “because it rules!). Also, crucially, songs are trimmed of any fat and aren’t bloated or meandering, so your attention is held throughout. All in all, it ain’t reinventing the wheel, but it doesn’t need to, and it’s too fun of a ride to notice.

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY: “Big Bend (An Original Soundtrack for Public Television)

Released October 1 via Temporary Residence

Turns out it was a great year for instrumental music. No complaints here! The phrases “soundtrack” and “Explosions in the Sky” have been uttered in the same sentences for a while now. One could also argue that the Texas instrumental luminaries have made scores for the imagination with their non-soundtrack discography. Approached by PBS for a documentary about the least visited National Park in the USA, these gents did their home state proud and created clever, engaging complimentary background pieces for the film. I definitely plan to watch the doc as soon as possible, but I almost feel like I don’t need to; the soundtrack is beautiful enough.

PET SYMMETRY: “Future Suits”

Self-released by the band on August 13th

Another year, another Jake best albums list, another mention of Evan Weiss. I swear it sometimes feels like I’m stalking him, but I firmly believe he’s among the best songwriters and musicians in the indie rock community. This is perhaps the most musically diverse Pet Symmetry record but is also their most well-rounded. Pure enjoyment from start to finish. See you next year, Evan.

BALMORHEA: “The Wind”

Released April 9 via Deutsch Grammophon

Balmorhea is my second-favorite band, so it goes without saying that I was really looking forward to this album. Their last full length (2017′s “Clear Language”) was a bit of a dud, but I feel like the Austin TX duo (and their merry band of guest collaborators) bounced back quite well with “The Wind”. I do feel like the second half of the album kind of loses momentum, but overall the peaceful neo-classical ambiance the band creates is never short of brilliant.

SCALE THE SUMMIT: “Subjects”

Self-released by the band on June 25th

I feel like Scale the Summit and their resident guitar god Chris Letchford are generally met with disdain by a lot of people, and I’ve never understood why. For years he and his rotating crew of brilliant bandmates craft catchy-yet-incredibly technically proficient progressive instrumental music, but for this release they brought in 8 guest vocalists and let them each handle one track. The results are astounding and bring a whole new energy to the band’s usual brilliance. Letchford isn’t new to unique collaboration strategies (2017′s “In a World of Fear” saw him recruit something like 14 guest guitarists), so it’s not surprising that the end result works. I particularly like that the band let each vocalist also compose their own lyrics. Some themes are shared across each song, but in general this approach makes it feel like a well packaged set of short stories instead of 8 unrelated efforts. Bravo all around.

UNWED SAILOR: “Truth or Consequences”

Released May 11th via Spartan Records

This is my favorite band’s 3rd release in as many years, which is a fact that makes me very happy. I heard bassist / bandleader Johnathon Ford say in an interview that on previous Unwed Sailor releases he was hyper conscious of writing and recording bass parts and songs that he could perform live without much difficulty. However, for “Truth or Consequences”, he threw that caution to the wind, and it definitely shows. There are atmospheric layers and fun instrumentation all over the place, and he also stacks bass parts cleverly that grow and grow into awesome masses of sound (such as on the glorious closing track “Dark of the Morning”). It’s been so nice to have this band be so prolific after nearly a decade of inactivity. It’s even nicer that this is the best album that the group has put out in this renaissance.

KALI MASI: “[laughs]”

Released March 26th via Take This To Heart Records

I first heard of these Chicago rockers from my Riot Fest-attending concert friend group (Cheers +realfriends) but didn’t really get hooked until I saw the wonderful music video for “Guilt LIke a Gun”. The song has basically been living in my head since that point, and the same can be said for the rest of this album. This truly is a no-filler brilliant rock record. It’s easily accessible and rewards the listener by sounding fresh and engaging despite repeat listens. It’s almost hard to describe why, but put very simply: It works, and it’s great.

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR: “G_d’s Pee at STATE’S END!”

Released April 2nd via Constellation Records

I’ve had an arm’s length relationship with these Canadian experimental / chamber rock legends for most of my life. I definitely have always respected them but outside of their seminal 2000 release “Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antenna to Heaven”, I’ve never truly embraced another album as a whole. They are perfect sound design fodder, so I’ve always bought every album in case I get tabbed to work another play production. Their newest record thankfully breaks the mold for me. This is a very dark and somber release. It is truly powerful as well. You almost get the feeling listening to it that some downtown city landscape is slowly falling off a cliff into a black hole. Everything is chaos, everything is crumbling, but somehow everything is beautiful. This is exemplified best in the second half of “GOVERNMENT CAME”, which somehow pulls the most uplifting and optimistic refrain out of the sheer depressed miasma. It’s as if there is some kind of amazing party happening in one of the buildings that has already fallen off the cliff towards the black hole. It’s almost as if the cacophony is earned, or that the chaos is being celebrated.

A GREAT BIG PILE OF LEAVES: “Pono”

Released August 13th via Topshelf Records

This record has been my most anticipated release for something like 6 years running, but I didn’t even know it was actually a thing until about 2 months before it’s arrival. I’ve adored these Brooklyn, NY indie rockers for ages, but they’ve been radio silent for several years. I’d see the occasional social media post from the band during this time describing them building their own studio or working on material, but then there’d be 8 months of nothing. I sort of didn’t think this album would finally happen, but I’m so grateful it exists. It really does feel in some ways that they’ve put a decade’s worth of work into it. Each song is ironclad tight; nothing feels wasted, but it also feels like nothing was left out or is missing. This record is, in so many respects, the ultimate surprise and completely worth the wait.

ORIGAMI ANGEL: “GAMI GANG”

Released April 30th via Counter Intuitive Records

One of my favorite mental exercises with this lil’ music blog is to revisit each year-end list every so often and see what albums I would theoretically adjust with a few more years of hindsight. This is largely a fruitless endeavor and it’s not that I ever have regretted by rankings or choices. It’s more of a way to see how my tastes and takes have changed. All that being said, if I were to re-rank my 2019 Best Albums list, I’d like move Origami Angel’s “Somewhere City” from it’s current spot at #6 up to spot #2 (still behind Snooze’s “Familiaris”). In retrospect, it’s a pretty flawless emo record and I may have shortsighted it. This #1 spot this year isn’t an apology for that by any means. Instead, it shows how these Washington DC wunderkinds have even surpassed that high bar and delivered another masterpiece. And they did it while putting out a legit double album! It’s so impressive to me that there is so much variety and ideas among the killer riffs, blastbeats and youthful exuberance, yet everything is streamlined and perfectly arranged. Absolutely sublime from start to finish.

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jaketheaudiophile · 4 years ago

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Best Songs of 2020.

Hi hi hello hello! So, as with previous year’s traditions, here are my personal Top 25 songs of 2020. As a reminder, these aren’t necessarily singles, but were just the songs I enjoyed the most this past year. Also, I set a ten word limit on my description / reasoning for each track because I like pointless challenges and writing a full paragraph about an individual song seems a bit excessive (even if my buddy Pete does it very well).

Furthermore, I have also included a link to each song / music video on YouTube, and have also curated a Spotify Playlist for your listening pleasure:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/77SQVUXUbEyO9JtNaY0VUD?si=zpK3ay62R7COP9OeyaxUkA

Let’s get it on!

TOP 25 SONGS OF 2020

#25

Spanish Love Songs: “Self-Destruction (As a Sensible Career Choice)”

Solid if predictable emo. Respectfully blunt. Fills the room admirably.

#24

Cory Wong: “Massive (feat. Joe Satriani)”

God, that Satriani tone rules! Wong & Company compliments funkily.

#23

Nap Eyes: “Mark Zuckerberg”

Irreverently goofy but light-hearted and catchy. Seems innocent enough...

#22

Knuckle Puck: “Earthquake”

A more “radio friendly single” Puck. Pristine production.

#21

Free Throw: “Tips Are Appreciated”

Excellent single release. Both songs rule. Keep ‘em comin’ boys.

#20

END: “Every Empty Vein”

Will Putney employs feedback so well. Almost it’s own instrument.

#19

PUP: “Rot”

Solid EP from these bratty Canucks. “Edmonton” was runner-up.

#18

Snooze: “Chesapeake”

ALL OF THE VOCAL HARMONIES!

#17

Drug Church: “Bliss Out”

The vocal samples slay me. “Celebrate a life or something...”

#16

Taylor Swift: “Exile (feat. Bon Iver)”

Blame my girlfriend for this one. Can’t deny, it’s gorgeous.

#15

Protest The Hero: “All Hands”

Perfectly arranged. Beautiful half-tempo choruses and blistering guitar leads.

#14

Melted Bodies: “Ad People”

One of the most clever, annoying videos you’ll ever see.

#13

Igorrr: “Parpaing (feat George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher)”

Standard kickass death metal track, then the electronics come in...

#12

ERRA: “Snowblood”

Inject those quickly strummed guitar breakdowns directly in my veins.

#11

El Ten Eleven: “Jejune”

What a great groove and descending lead. Dudes are machines.

#10

Man Man: “Cloud Nein”

Another captivating Man Man sing-along. Simultaneously sad and optimistic.

Touche Amore: “Reminders”

I’ve probably watched this music video 750 times.

Igorrr: “Very Noise”

Clusterfuck. Never heard anything like this before. Unnerving yet inspiring.

Elder Brother: “Projector”

Sultry slow jam. Love the subtle atmospheric guitar leads.

END: “Fear For Me Now”

My quarantine jam. “You’re sick; you need to come home”

Caspian: “Nostalgist (feat. Kyle Durfey)”

My most played song this year according to Spotify Wrapped.

Jeff Rosenstock: “Scram!”

Quirky, bouncy fun track about frustrating people and situations.

Protest The Hero: “From The Sky”

I tear up every time during the final vocal passages.

Hot Mulligan: “*Equip Sunglasses*”

Stuck in my head forever. Adore the percussion in choruses.

Into It. Over It.: “We Prefer Indoors”

The syncopated, woven guitar ending part won me over. Sublime.

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jaketheaudiophile · 4 years ago

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Best Albums of 2020

Hello again friends! Another year has passed and therefore it’s time to reflect on the music and art we enjoyed in the past 12 months. Per my annual tradition, I’m dusting off this ol’ blog to write about my favorite albums and songs of a year that will likely live in infamy in the history books. I’m trying to reflect on the positive in both this essay and my personal mindset, so let’s not discuss social distancing or vote counts or contagious viruses or hand sanitizer and instead focus on the things that distracted us or powered us through them in the form of music.

I generally do a personal Top 15, so I decided to stick with that again for this year’s shenanigans. Best songs and potentially another new list idea soon to follow. And, as always, I welcome dissenting votes or other recommendations from those who read and agree and/or disagree.

Let’s do this!

HONORABLE MENTION:

Snooze

“Still” EP

Self-released on November 27

I normally don’t include EPs in my end-of-the-year lists unless I create a separate list devoted just to them, or 2 years ago when my favorite release of the year was an EP (shout out to Invalids). Snooze’s 2019 release “Familiaris” was my favorite album of last year, and this new EP brings a lot of the same energy and sound, but with a much different mood and circumstance. Bassist Cameron Grom tragically passed in 2020 after a lifetime of battling illness, leaving Logan Voss as the primary songwriter and lone consistent band member. Voss partnered with YouTube drum sensation and producer Anup Sastry for “Still”, and the results are certainly massive and memorable. The songs seem to be significantly sadder and more drawn out on “Still” but the circumstances certainly explain these changes. I’m grateful Voss managed to still put something out that is unique and makes me smile even during his heartbreak and struggles, so this EP is definitely still worth mentioning.

#15

Alpha Male Tea Party

“Infinity Stare”

Released December 4 via Big Scary Monsters

Both this album and the Honorable Mention are ranked pretty low on my personal list despite my personal adoration and affinity with each band. This is entirely based on how little of time has elapsed between their release dates and my compilation of this list. With some additional time to listen and process, I might have put them both higher, but without that I’m inclined to still mention them here but can’t in good conscious put them further up the rankings. Similar to Snooze, Britain’s AMTP took a slightly darker, more morose mood into their newest full length, but there’s still enough ass-kicking riffs and grooves to still inspire movement and energy. Bassist Ben Griffiths has come out of the shadows a bit more on this release as well, sharing the spotlight easily with guitarist Tom Peters and proving that he’s better than just holding down the lower notes. This album’s release was also a complete surprise, so kudos to the band for keeping things under wraps and giving fans an nice year-end present.

#14

Elder Brother

“I Won’t Fade On You”

Released October 2nd via Pure Noise Records

Elder Brother has been an object of my adoration for the past few years, but I’ve never been able to fully embrace an album of theirs as a whole. 2020’s release is no exception, unfortunately. They’ve penned some of their best songs to date (such as the gorgeous slow jam, “Projector”) and have expanded their sound with a full backing band. Unfortunately, meandering songs like “Hair” just drag away energy, and the second half of the album really just sort of panders around without resolution. The first half is top notch, but they really end with a whimper instead of a bang. Still, the great songs do shine brightly and warrant this album being included at this spot.

#13.

Jeff Rosenstock

“NO DREAM”

Released May 20 via Polyvinyl Record Co.

Speaking of surprise releases, perennial punk powerhouse Jeff Rosenstock put out “NO DREAM” with no promotion whatsoever. This left fans obviously surprised and that shock was quickly overwhelmed by a super high energy record full of infectious melodies and garage-rock aesthetics. There are a few clunkers but otherwise this is a charming and pleasant listen with some surprisingly deep and brutally honest lyrics and subject matters by Rosenstock. It was also cool to see Jeff get some solid publicity from this record such as an appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers. More attention for musicians like Rosenstock who have clearly put in the hard work is a worthy cause, so props to him and his merry band of misfits.

#12

Knuckle Puck

“20/20″

Released September 18 via Rise Records

Chicagoland’s Knuckle Puck have been one of the more impressively consistent pop/punk bands of recent years. I’ve always admired their skilled dual vocal arrangements, clean-boosted guitar tones and monstrous hooks. I definitely enjoyed this release but I also have a hard time distinguishing a majority of the moments after the record has stopped spinning. When it’s on, it’s pleasant and fun, but I’m hard pressed afterward remembering what songs are on this release and what are on previous years’ albums or singles. More KP music is never a bad thing, but hopefully future releases give them more sticking points.

#11

Unwed Sailor

“Look Alive”

Released July 12 via Current Taste

After over a decade of near-radio silence, Unwed Sailor have come out with guns blazing in the past two years. Johnathan Ford has put together a new band (most recently including longtime Minus The Bear drummer Erin Tate) and has churned out two full-length records in back-to-back years. I personally prefer 2020’s “Look Alive” slightly to 2019’s “Heavy Age” as it feels more of a throwback to the simpler, jammier Unwed Sailor releases of old. The record doesn’t really have any down points but also tends to drift along without a ton of memorable moments, oddly. Still, though, Ford and company seem to be on a torrid pace and I’m all in favor of enjoying the ride.

#10.

August Burns Red

“Guardians”

Released April 3 via Fearless Records

The model of consistency. August Burns Red are a well-oiled machine at this point. Every few years they hunker down in the studio and churn out another genre-setting collection of catchy metalcore songs. Drummer Matt Greiner is the most outstanding on this release (as per usual) with some truly jaw-dropping fills and beats, and the production for this record is top notch as always. It’s sort of hard to explain what’s good about this because it’s anything and everything. You can set your watch to this band and I’m grateful every time I put them on.

#9.

Melted Bodies

“Enjoy Yourself”

Released September 18 via Plastic Smiles

Another year, another band that Anthony Fantano turns me on to makes my AOTY list. The Internet’s Busiest Music Nerd didn’t formally review this album but did say they kicked ass in a “Y U NO REVIEW” segment. After a few moments of listening, I sprung for the album and it completely took over my music library for the past few months. I equate them as a sort of bizzaro hybrid between “Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job” and System of a Down, with Mike Patton-esque vocals, brutal but fun breakdowns, unique electronic elements and overall weirdness. Seemingly containing every genre of music all at once, this album is all over the place in all the best ways. What an amazing debut. It’ll be fun to see where these oddballs go from here.

Beach Comber

“Parting Cuts”

Self-released on April 24

What a fun surprise this record was; in retrospect it feels like that was a recurring theme for bands and artists in 2020. Beach Comber is Rory Friers, riffmaster general from And So I Watch You From Afar. This album doesn’t sound like anything his main group has put out, but instead was meant to be a wedding present for two of Frier’s friends that would never see a mass release. If there’s one good thing that COVID did, it was to encourage Friers to put this out as a pay-what-you-want release to gather some funds in lieu of touring and playing shows. Because of this, we were blessed with a very different but exceptional collection of minimalist, varied low-fi rock. It feels like a lost Anathallo album or Sufjan Stevens b-side collection, and was a welcome breath of happy fresh air.

Hot Mulligan

“You’ll Be Fine”

Released March 6 via No Sleep Records

It feels like every year I’m thanking my buddy Steve Lee on this list for getting me hooked on a quality emo record. He first sent me the incredibly fun video for “*Equip Sunglasses*”, but I wasn’t immediately hooked. I couldn’t quite get into Nathan Sanville’s scream/sing vocal style at first, and thought the band was slightly generic. Still, I found the song getting stuck in my head for roughly the next rest of my life, and eventually checked out the full album, and was pleasantly surprised by the subtly complex intertwining guitar leads and arrangements. Also, kudos to the band for writing pointed and brutally honest lyrics on topics that some bands wouldn’t touch (go read the lyrics for “Digging In”). And yes, Sanville’s vocals eventually ended up really, really growing on me. These young men from Lansing, MI should be proud of themselves for their strong stances and songwriting, and it’ll be fun to see what they put out next.

Man Man

“Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between”

Released May 1st via Sub Pop

After a few years of relative silence, Philly-based weirdos Honus Honus and Man Man gathered up another pile of instruments and multi-instrumentalists, and the result is yet another collection of supremely catchy songs. Longtime fans like me knew what they were getting, but I think this is one of Man Man’s most complete and accessible albums yet, with not a moment wasted or thrown in without thought. There are so many fun little vocal quips (The random “Went straight to voicemail!” in “Goat”; the solo chorus of “Sucking diiiiiiick” in “The Prettiest Song in the World”) that make the listener smile every time. Everything feels planned out and executed flawlessly, which is impressive when each song features several guest musicians (including Rebecca Black!) and a rotating cast of instruments and players. Keep being weird, Man Man. We don’t deserve you.

Protest The Hero

“Palimpsest”

Self-released on June 18

It had been 7 years since Canada’s Protest The Hero put out a full length after leaving the world of record labels and crowdfunding campaigns. It wasn’t without its difficulties, largely due to singer Rody Walker running into vocal issues during recording sessions. Thankfully, he was able to overcome his difficulties and frankly, he killed it. There wasn’t much more life-affirming than hearing him hit ungodly high notes at the end of “From The Sky” and his joy-filled delivery was infectious on every other song. And of course, the rest of the band also fully delivers with their usual technical brand of metal. No complaints at all, hope the next one doesn’t take 7 years to show up.

Caspian

“On Circles”

Released January 24th via Triple Crown Records

I was very excited about this release from basically the end of 2019 on, as these Massachusetts instrumental rock mainstays released the single “Flowers of Light” at year’s end. Thankfully, the album delivered in spades, and it is easily my favorite instrumental release of 2020. Well, that’s not technically true; 2 of the 8 songs have vocals. One welcome addition is an awesome contribution by Pianos Become The Teeth’s Kyle Durfey for “Nostalgist”, who fits the band like a glove. The second vocal track is the lovely eponymous closing track, which gives a pleasant change-up conclusion. Caspian’s three guitar approach means the listener always has a wide swath of atmospheric noise and full bodied sound, and the formula is definitely still working. There’s a reason this sextet are revered, and “On Circles” is the band firing on all cylinders.

Touche Amore

“Lament”

Released October 9 via Epitaph Records

Touche Amore has been one of my favorite bands for several years running, so expectations were very high for their fifth release. 2016’s “Stage Four” was a massive success but is still very hard for me to re-listen to or encounter due to the heaviness of the album’s subject matter, and “Lament” is at least a change in that pace. Jeremy Bolm is never one to pull punches or address the uncomfortable, and his vocal delivery is as engagingly abrasive as ever. Bassist Tyler Kirby is the most obviously improved, but that may also be the production choice of Ross Robinson, who seems to have received as much publicity by working on this record than the band did. All in all, more the same is never bad with these screamo mainstays.

Into It. Over It.

“Figure”

Released September 18 via Triple Crown Records

Evan Weiss is the one reliable dude. We get a new Into It. Over It. record every 3 or 4 years, and they’re always great. His songwriting and arrangement skills are top notch, and there’s enough cool little moments or unique additions to keep the listener engaged throughout the entire album. Weiss’s skills as a guitarist are in the spotlight as always (”We Prefer Indoors”), but drummer Adam Beck proves his talents throughout (”Brushstrokes”). What truly makes the album great for me are the little moments of variety or subtle changes in instrumentation or delivery that pop up in every song. The best example is the middle of the second verse of “Living Up To Let You Down”, when the band changes up the straightforward beat and chord progression to deliver a double-time feel with differently punctuated guitar chord hits (this is very hard to describe in writing; just listen to the song at 1:28). If the songs on their own weren’t catchy or well-rounded on their own, this album would be great, but it’s the moments like this that truly push it out on top. This record lived up to every high expectation I had and I’m thrilled that Mr. Weiss is a part of my life.

END

“Splinters From an Ever-Changing Face”

Released June 5 via Closed Casket Activities

But enough about positive thoughts and happy feelings...Every piece of writing or commentary on 2020 will likely point out how bad of a year that we all just experienced and how grateful we are to be moving forward. I definitely agree with this sentiment for the most part but do feel like we had a lot of interesting positive moments in the year in general. However, with that logic, no album better summarizes my general aesthetic towards this weird quarantined year than this ungodly amalgamation of brutal hardcore this supergroup has wrought. Counterparts vocalist Brendan Murphy sounds like a completely different beast with a lower delivery and growl than his fans traditionally encounter, and guitarist and wunderkind producer Will Putney makes this record sound horrifying, hellacious and, well, HEAVY. Add in some unnerving audio samples and the fact that most songs are between 1 and 2 minutes, and I can’t think of anything else to best summarize my feelings toward 2020. This was the perfect album to put on and let loose any angry or negative thought with the ferocity of the tsunami of sound this group created, and should be commended as such.

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jaketheaudiophile · 5 years ago

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Best Songs of 2019

Hey hey! In keeping with previous year’s wrap-up activities, here are my favorite songs from 2019, in 10 words or less, with a Spotify playlist for easy listening purposes. Let’s go!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pw2fMtNMLO40lKqNr19ZC?si=etCHoh-YScygWM7VP5y6kw

#25.

American Football: “Uncomfortably Numb (ft. Hayley Williams)”

Hayley kills it. Amazing interweaving vocals. Largely underwhelming record otherwise.

#24.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Bloody Nose”

Speaking of underwhelming records...love the 3/4 bridge tho!

#23.

Owel: “No Parachutes”

...and the award for Most Adorable Video goes to...

#22.

The Hold Steady: “Denver Haircut”

Straight up banger. Killer chorus riff. Typical Craig Finn brilliance.

#21.

PUP: “Scorpion Hill”

Fun bluegrass diversion with a killer half pace chorus.

#20.

Brojob: “Tuff Love (ft. Duncan Bentley)”

I take my joke bands very seriously.

#19.

He Is Legend: “Boogiewoman”

An incredibly sexy yet revolting song. Like rotting fruit.

#18.

Unwed Sailor: “Indian Ocean”

Lovely 7/8 groove. Nice progression of riffs throughout.

#17.

Man Man: “Beached”

The “libido/burrito” line makes me laugh every time.

#16.

Touche Amore: “Deflector”

These incredible singles are such teases. Hopefully 2020 brings album.

#15.

Anamanaguchi: “On My Own (ft. Hana)”

The soundtrack to the most epic anime battle ever.

#14.

Mannequin Pussy: “Drunk II”

What a powerhouse vocal performance! Female vocalists owned 2019.

#13.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: “Plastic Boogie”

My new favorite guitar riff. Adore any song with harmonica.

#12.

Caspian: “Flowers of Light”

Easily my most anticipated album of 2020. Such epic soundscapes!

#11.

Weezer: “The End of the Game”

Sort of Trans-Siberian Orchestra-like. Fun, throwback jam.

#10.

Origami Angel: “Escape Rope”

Breakneck tempo and energy. Amazing pull-off guitar breaks.

#9.

Snooze: “Dig Doug”

Perhaps the best vocal harmonies put to tape. Goosebumps abound.

#8.

Masked Intruder: “Mine All Mine”

Such a classic, doo-wop feel. Pure sugary love.

#7.

Fuming Mouth: “Fatalism”

Brutal dread and gloom. “Nothing will save you” indeed.

#6.

Enter Shikari: “Stop The Clocks”

Best hook writers several years running. Straightforward and extraordinary.

#5.

PUP: “Kids”

Infectious hook and vocals. Stuck in your head permanently.

#4.

Great Grandpa: “Bloom”

...and the award for Most Adorable Song goes to...

#3.

Pedro The Lion: “Black Canyon”

What a gut punch. The dissonant chords add a ton.

#2.

Snooze: “Separation Anxiety”

My 2 favorite songs have “anxiety” in their title, huh?

#1.

La Dispute: “Anxiety Panorama”

Record did not gel with me. This song sure did.

0 notes

jaketheaudiophile · 5 years ago

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Best Albums of 2019

Well hello there! Long time, no see.

In keeping up with my lazy past tactics, I really only use this blog for end-of-the-year recaps anymore, which I’m completely fine with. I still listen to music as much as I always have, but have lost the desire to constantly write about it. I guess this is adulthood, or having a “real job” or something.

Either way, here are my top 15 albums of 2019. What were yours?

HONORABLE MENTION

DELTA SLEEP: “Younger Years” EP

released September 27 via Big Scary Monsters

Delta Sleep completely surprised everyone this year by releasing this EP without any prior announcement or notice. No teaser tracks, no hints at studio time, just completely out of the blue. Props to these British math-rock legends for their secrecy; it was certainly a fun thing to wake up and see all over social media on a random Saturday in September. These guys definitely have a formula or format they stick to on their releases, so this is more of the same for longtime fans, and that’s largely a good thing. I still think they tend to rely on filler tracks or noise too frequently, but the good definitely outweighs the bad. This was easily my favorite EP of 2019 and is definitely worth mentioning for this list.

#15

UNWED SAILOR: “Heavy Age”

released May 3 via Current Taste / Johnathan Ford

Man, was I really looking forward to this one. My favorite band releasing their first full-length album in 11 years? And their first new music in 6 years in general? What could go wrong? Not much, to be honest, but I felt overall underwhelmed with “Heavy Age”. Most of the songs run together or could use editing instead of just repeating passes ad naseum. Also, the 13-minute-plus album closer “When You Want Me There” is largely meandering and pointless. Still, I love Johnathan Ford and his merry band of musicians for a reason, and there are definitely quality songs and moments on this record. I worry that I might be including them here out of obligation, but it still was better than other records I left off my list this year. The band has also already announced another new record in 2020, and I’ll go into that with the same reckless abandon of excitement as I did this album.

#14

SOMOS: “Prison On A Hill”

released August 30 via Tiny Engines

I really, really, really wanted to love this record. Boston’s Somos had been teasing this album’s progress for over a year, and their previous releases have been some of my favorite pop and punk from the decade. I’m not always the biggest proponent of politically charged art, but Somos always did it in a way that was sensible and understated. Unfortunately, this album’s release came prematurely due to tragic passing of guitarist Phil Haggerty. The band was able to put out the album earlier than anticipated with all funding going to Haggerty’s funeral expenses and family, which was a wonderful move by record label Tiny Engines. The album doesn’t feel rushed or unfinished, but is a bit too muddled and all-over-the-place for my liking. Longtime drummer Evan Deges left the band prior to the recording of “Prison”, and Somos decided to go the route of programmed drums instead of a session musician or new band member. The result is sadly a bit soulless, although it does compliment some of the more electronic leans in the band’s sound as well. The truly sad thing is that this will most likely be the last release by this band per their social media and interviews post-release, and I wish that tragedy would not have struck them during a time of a seemingly musical lack of focus.

#13

COUNTERPARTS: “Nothing Left to Love”

released November 1 via Pure Noise Records

I’ve been a huge fan of these Canadian melodic hardcore mainstays for ages, but I wasn’t crazy about their last release, 2017′s “You’re Not You Anymore”. Two of my favorite members (drummer Kelly Bilal and guitarist Jesse Doreen) quit the band right before it came out, and the resulting record felt unpolished and rushed. Thankfully, a bit more seasoning for the new members on the road and in the studio seems to have worked wonders, as “Nothing Left to Love” is back on the quality path for these bruisers. I’ve always adored vocalist Brendan Murphy’s delivery, and it’s legit stunning that he still has a throat after years of brutal barking, let alone how good it sounds on this release. Additionally, the band has a clever skill of interweaving cool triplets or other rhythms and complex structures underneath otherwise traditional breakdowns or song structures, which puts them in rarified air in a traditionally by-the-numbers genre. All this said, the title track / album closer sort of ruins the album for me. It’s essentially an unnecessary clean, polished filler track and feels tacked on to extend the length of the record, and I almost always skip it. Still, it was excellent to hear these guys back on their game, and I’m excited to see where they go from here.

#12

STATE FAULTS: “Clairvoyant”

released June 21 via No Sleep Records

I can’t say that this is the most original record I’ve ever heard. Anyone who is a fan of Deafheaven or any similar noisy / thrashy metal outfits will certainly find this sound familiar. However, it’s done with an unabashed energy and brutality alongside a sincerity that is truly refreshing. There’s a fascinating rawness to both Johnny Andrew’s shrieking vocals and the utter cacophony his bandmates whip up throughout their songs. The dedication to melody throughout everything also makes the songs memorable. This album caught me completely out of nowhere via an Anthony Fantano shoutout and resonated in all its ugly glory.

#11

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD: “Fishing For Fishies”

released April 26 via Flightless Records / ATO Records

Speaking of the Internet’s Busiest Music Nerd, I first heard of these Australian weirdos thru the Needle Drop’s channel, but didn’t really fully deep dive into their prolific catalogue until this year. The fact that they released 2 full-length albums in 2019 is impressive enough (let alone releasing FIVE in 2017), but it’s jaw-dropping that the two most recent efforts are on complete opposite ends in terms of sound and genre. I personally prefer the blues-rock goodness of “Fishies” to the thrash-metal leanings of “Infest The Rat’s Nest”, but unending respect to these dudes for managing to pull both off convincingly. . The album closer “Cyboogie” is a bit too overlong and bizarre for me, but it works as a nice transition to the concepts the band bring out for “Infest The Rat’s Nest”, so I get where they are coming from. This album has some of the most infectious grooves and blues guitar riffs I’ve heard while passing along a necessary message on environmental concerns and conservationalism. The serious bits aren’t require, though, and it’s certainly plenty of fun to kick out the jams and enjoy the ride.

#10

INFANT ANNIHILATOR: “The Battle of Yaldabaoth”

Self-released by the band on September 11

Ok, ok...I get it. Most people will dismiss these grindcore hooligans as an internet joke band. That’s really what I went into this record expecting: Absurd lyrics, hilarious-yet-impressive vocals, blistering blastbeats, etc. I was instead greeted by one of the impressive and intricate technical death metal albums I’ve experienced. Vocalist Dickie Allen truly outdoes himself with his quite frankly ridiculous vocal range, but Eddie Pickard truly deserves credit for the album’s newfound ventures. His guitar and bass work is over-the-top but mesmerizing, and the riffs and structures he crafts here are all sorts of brilliant. As funny as it feels to type out, this band really needs to be taken seriously, or at the very least should be commended for leaning into the joke and delivering something complex, disgusting and awe-inspiring.

JIMMY EAT WORLD: “Surviving”

released October 18 via Exotic Location and RCA Records

Speaking of things I didn’t see coming this year...I adore Jimmy Eat World. “Clarity” is one of my favorite albums of all time, but I’ve largely fallen off keeping up with the band’s recent releases. Some good friends (+realfriends) talked up their latest and 10th release, “Surviving”, so I picked it up out of curiosity and was stunned at how competent and compelling it is. I even love the song with no obvious guitars or drums that I would have probably normally panned as a grab at radio airplay (”555″), and generally find the album to be completely badass. Kudos to JEW for proving they still belong in the upper echelon of emo and rock.

THE GET UP KIDS: “Problems”

released May 10 via Polyvinyl Record Co.

...speaking of comeback records...well, maybe that’s not quite accurate, but this was another surprise from a band I grew up loving that had largely lapses in my regular rotation. I guess 2019 had a theme of revisiting bands of my youth due to them reforming, doing anniversary tours, or releasing new music for the first time in ages. The Get Up Kids fly back to the heights of old with a manic punk barrage of joy. It’s probably my fault for not keeping tabs on these guys, but this record is gutsy and charming and lovely. It’s not really reinventing the wheel, but GUK basically constructed the wheel to begin with, so we really owe them more credit all around.

BARS OF GOLD: “Shelters”

released April 12 via Equal Vision Records

Bars of Gold have been an enigma of sorts throughout their existence. Largely well-known due to rising from the ashes of indie / screamo miasma BEARVSSHARK, the band is content to rest on their laurels and release music and play shows whenever they feel like it, largely due to family and other commitments. This leaves fans like me tripping over their own feet whenever something does come out. The Michiganders truly feel like a group of dads finding the one day a month when they all have a free evening to plug in their guitars and whip up some chaos, and it’s always fun to see the results. Marc Paffi has also always been one of my favorite vocalists, so the opportunity to hear his wacky lyrics and throat is always cherished. Here’s hoping we don’t need to wait 5 or so years for another album, but patience has been rewarded with these guys.

ORIGAMI ANGEL: “Somewhere City”

released November 15th via Chatterbot Records

Props to my buddy Steve Lee for turning me on to this band (as well as 2 others in my top 5). Origami Angel are one of those bands that defies logic: “How can two dudes make so much noise?”, “How can he play guitar like that while singing?”, “How did these guys put out one of the best indie rock records of the year seemingly out of nowhere?”, etc. Regardless of any questions, I was floored by this album and it was definitely the band I listened to the most for the last part of the year. It’s catchy, diverse, well-rounded and doesn’t overstay its welcome by being just under 30 minutes long with all the fat trimmed off. What more could you want?

PEDRO THE LION: “Phoenix”

released January 18 via Polyvinyl Record Co.

I had a strange moment at some point this year where I found a YouTube video of David Bazan performing a song from Pedro The Lion’s first release (2001′s It’s Hard To Find a Friend”). I was struck by how different his voice sounded nearly 2 decades later thanks to touring and life in general. It certainly was not a bad change, but just one that struck me as a sign of the passage of time. That sort of nostalgia and reflection is all over “Phoenix”, which is largely Bazan dusting off his childhood diary and describing memories of his hometown, tales of school, church, regret, family, plans and tragedies. It’s a celebration of memories, lessons learned and where one comes from, and Bazan’s direct delivery and brilliant-yet-understated lyrics paint perfect pictures. Hopefully it doesn’t take us over a decade for another Pedro release, but Bazan and company cement their status as songwriters and storytellers with this release.

PUP: “Morbid Stuff”

released April 5 via Rise Records and Little Dipper

PUP was a new phenomenon for me this year. These Canadian rockers are full of piss and vinegar, supercharging a sound that is simultaneously infectious and off-putting in the best possible way. They take a genre that can be same-y and repetitive and inject a lesser band’s whole back-catalogues’ worth of creativity and energy, leaving the listener enthralled and endlessly guessing what will happen next. Vocalist Stefan Babcock takes some getting used to, but his permanent-sneer delivery and slam poetry has a charm that compliments his playful and honest lyrics. However, it’s the moments where he busts out of his speak-singing or general hollering to delivery a super catchy hook or chorus that truly put him at another level and proves PUP to be one of the most exciting things to happen in the punk and rock genre.

MASKED INTRUDER: “III”

released March 1 via Pure Noise Records

With the exception of Unwed Sailor, this was my most anticipated record of 2019. Masked Intruder is one of those bands I listen to constantly. I usually default to putting my iTunes or Spotify on shuffle, and find it always makes me happier. For “III” the band hotwired their usual fun, tongue-in-cheek poperpop and craft a pretty perfect record in the process. Previous MI albums had a skippable track here and there, but this one is all killer, no filler. I’ve always adored the underlying Motown or doo-wop foundations in their songwriting and vocal harmonies, which add a timeless throwback quality to their song structures. The heart-on-sleeve lonely lyrics and constant references to petty crimes and best-laid plans are the icing on the top of this sugary musical sundae. It might be irreverent and occasionally basic, but sometimes that is all I wanted in music, and these guys delivered it in spades with this record.

FREE THROW: “What’s Past is Prologue”

released March 29 via Triple Crown Records

From the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, Nashville’s Free Throw released a quality emo record that doesn’t focus on pining for lost loves or revisiting relationship heartbreak and instead dives into one’s personal mental health and well-being. Props to vocalist Cory Castro and the rest of the band for completely baring all and channeling their honesty into this powerhouse album. However, there’s also plenty of diversity in the band’s sound and delivery. No song really sounds like the next, largely thanks to the band employing 3 guitar players who rarely play the same thing as each other. Some emo staples are here, though, such as frenetic drumming, clever tapping riffs, and stripped down moments with just a guitar and Castro’s vocals. All in all, this record makes you feel better about yourself and truly feels like the band came to the same conclusion while making it, which is gargantuan. When Castro belts out “TODAY I FINALLY LEARNED TO SAY I LOVE MYSELF” towards the end of the album-closing title track, you can’t help but root for him in his own journey towards mental health, but to not feel inspiring to do the same for yourself. It will encourage and inspire you, and feels deeply personal and universal all at the same time.

SNOOZE: “Familiaris”

Self-released by the band on May 3

There were so many times during this past year where I’d be driving, doing chores, at the gym or doing some sort of menial task where I’d decide to put on music and stop myself short of putting on this record again. I��d say “OK, you have to listen to something else besides the Snooze album. You’re doing to get sick of it if you keep listening to it this much. We don’t want that to happen.” Despite these odd concerns, I can say that this truly never happened. This album is effortlessly relistenable to me and has become my anti-depressant. I can’t help but feel charged up on happiness and charm while this is playing. It’s so chock full of killer vocal harmonies, clever yet crazy guitar riffs, well-restrained double-bass fills and brilliant song arrangements. It’s also a cyclical record, meaning one song runs right into the next and the end of the album theoretically plays right into the start, which makes turning it off quite difficult indeed. Add to all this the fact that it’s a concept album about how amazing dogs are, and you’re left with a spellbinding listening experience. This is one of the best records I’ve heard this decade, let alone this year, and essentially locked its place as my album of the year during my first playthru. Well done, Snooze. Who’s a good boy?

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jaketheaudiophile · 6 years ago

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Best Albums of 2018.

This is the thing I look forward to most every year. I probably start internally ranking albums after purchasing them and have a conversation with friends and fellow musicians about their favorite releases starting in September.

I personally thought 2018 was a very good year for music, and already have some stuff I’m excited about in 2019. Let’s just jump right in.

HONORABLE MENTION

TTNG: “Animals Acoustic” released October 5 via Sargent House

It doesn’t feel right to consider this a “true” new album since it’s only an acoustic reworking of TTNG / This Town Needs Guns’ seminal debut album. However, this is more than just a re-release; there’s unique, varied instrumentation added cleverly to every song, including strings, pianos and The Kraken Quartet on percussion. It also never gets old hearing Stu Smith sing again or hearing Tim Collis recreate his wizardry on an acoustic guitar. It feels like a brand new thing, which is impressive considering the source material is a decade old.

#15.

The Decemberists: “I’ll Be Your Girl” released March 16 via Capitol / Rough Trade

Props to my buddy Branden for recommending this, but in general Decemberists albums are an automatic purchase for me. I wasn’t crazy about their last few releases (particularly the collaborative Offa Rex LP) so I wasn’t completely up to date on their current activities, but this is another solid entry into a pretty stellar catalogue of music. The lead single “Severed” is a bit of a curveball, but it shouldn’t scare off old fans. In a strange way, this album is a reinvention of sorts but also a harkening back to the songwriting and cleverness that made these alt-rockers famous (”Everything is Awful”, “Once in My Life”). Perfect for old and new fans.

#14.

The Wonder Years: “Sister Cities” released April 6 via Hopeless Records

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this is probably my least favorite Wonder Years album. It should have worked perfectly on paper: The old pop-punkers expand their sound and influences and graduate to a new level of maturity and success. And in a way, this is exactly that. However, the last half of the album, particularly the closing track, “The Ocean Grew Hands to Hold Me” just feels uninspired and lazy. There’s something to be said for purposeful dynamic choices, and that was something these Philly rockers nailed on previous releases. Still, TWY are master craftsmen, and there are a few great songs and moments throughout this record (”Pyramids of Salt” in particular), but this feels more like a transitionary phase than a masterpiece.

#13.

Mouse on the Keys: “tres” released May 23 via Topshelf Records

Japanese jazz aficionados Mouse on the Keys were a relatively new band for me this year, and their latest record certainly lives up to hype that I’ve seen them receiving. Bringing in a strong, varied collection of guest musicians works out splendidly at times (such as vocalist Dominique Fils-Aime, who absolutely kills it on “Stars”, and CHON wunderkind Mario Camarena’s solo on “Time”) and falls slightly flat at others (unfortunately, La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer’s spoken word contributions to “Shapeless Man”). When left to their own devices, however, the skills and performances of these three dudes are admirable (”One Hundred Twenty”). The album feels a bit more of a collection of ideas than a full record, but is still worth checking out for any technical music or jazz fans.

#12.

mewithoutYou: “Untitled” released October 5 via Run For Cover Records

This album is a textbook example of what could have easily been a classic, or even an album of the year contender. However, it seems like these Philly indie rock mainstays lost all momentum halfway through and ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. The last two songs on this album are basically useless and meandering. It also seems like the band tried to get in the headspace of their earliest material, maybe pulling some influence on a few album anniversary tours, which is a welcome return to form (”9:27A.m., 7/29″). With that in mind, why are Aaron Weiss’ vocals so low in the mix or drowning in effects to make them unrecognizable? His poetic lyrics are what make so many fans keep coming back, so the choice to completely smother them is an odd one. The highs of this album are here, but they are too dragged down by the uninspired lows to make this a completely stellar record. I hold these guys to a pretty high standard, though, so maybe I’m more critical than most here.

#11.

Between The Buried and Me: “Automata I” and “Automata II” released March 9 and July 13 via Sumerian Records

It doesn’t feel right to separate these albums as its considered one long story and they really do work in tandem. Personally, I like Automata I a smidge more, but they are both pretty damn good. I is a more traditional metal (with the exception of the the epic Dream Theater-esque closer “Blot”) and II allows the band to sow their wild oats a bit, worshipping at the altars of Queen and Danny Elfman at times. Regardless, this is a mammoth achievement for these metal titans, who seemingly never seem to run out of ideas for brilliant, varied albums. Some songs are a bit overlong, and the few purely filler tracks may be a tad unnecessary, but it’s still a rewarding listen.

#10.

Horrendous: “Idol” released September 28 via Season of Mist

Perhaps the only disappointing part of this technical death metal release is the fact that it’s only 40 minutes long. Most bands in this genre would be content to tease out a riff or interlude and create a 12-minute song, but not these guys. Not that there are a lack of ideas; they’re just packed in so tightly and laser-focused to make every track feel adventurous, varied and finely tuned. Combined with one of the most unique vocalists I’ve ever heard (the most apt comparison is “Wolfman transforming from Wolfman back into man”), the listener is left with an album that truly leaves them wanting more. Also, kudos for the creepy Clive Barker-esque cover art.

#9.

Mom Jeans.: “Puppy Love” released July 3 on Counter Intuitive Records

Mom Jeans. scratch an itch I’ve always had for quality emo music and nicely fill a void You Blew It! left when they broke up last year. There’s certainly not a ton of brand new ideas on display in their music, but its earnestness and heart make up for it. I’m willing to overlook a few cliche moments (the acoustic album closing cut, the more-or-less straight up rip off of Weezer’s “The Sweater Song” on “Glamorous”) and instead be grateful that tracks like “Sponsor Me Tape” and “Pickle Bart” took up permanent residency in my head for most of the year. Keep doing what you’re doing.

#8.

Delta Sleep: “Ghost City” released August 10 via Big Scary Monsters

Longtime friends may remember that Delta Sleep’s 2015 effort “Twin Galaxies” was my favorite album of that year. The bar was set pretty high for the follow-up, and for the most part, they delivered. The production is top-notch, the arrangements are all over the place but locked in and expertly performed, and the band cements their status as one of the best in the genre. Unfortunately, there are just a bit too many filler tracks and interlude cuts to really make it stand out, and they tend to make me either skip songs or not want to jump back into the album. This is particularly odd as I didn’t mind this much on their last record or previous EPs, but I feel like they need to ditch this particular crutch in the future. Again, I’m most critical of the bands and groups I adore the most, so maybe I’m nitpicking. This is a really fun record (“After Dark” and “El Pastor”) and is certainly worth your time.

#7.

Tangled Hair: “We Do What We Can” released March 16 via Big Scary Monsters

Without overhyping it, this was easily one of my most anticipated releases for 2018, and something I was hoping for for several years. I quite enjoyed the two EPs this British math rock trio had previously released, and was a huge fan of Colour, a legendary group two of Tangled Hair were a part of. This album did live up to these hopes and dreams, but sadly the last third was lacking that extra “oomph” to make this a perfect record. That said, the drum work of James Trood is well varied and creative (”Keep Doing What You’re Doing”, “Yeah, It Does Look Like a Spider”) and while not full of over-the-top tapping riffs, the songs and riffs have a fun technicality to them (”Nao is my Driver”, “Catalina”). Tangled Hair have a way of crafting songs that don’t beat you over the head with their musicianship but incentivize the listener to pick them apart and then be amazed. This is why I’m a fan, and why I adore this record. Hopefully a US tour is their next big step.

#6.

Antarctigo Vespucci: “Love in the Time of E-Mail” released October 26 via Polyvinyl

For those unfamiliar (which included myself until I heard “Freakin’ U Out” through Anthony Fantano), Antartigo Vespucci is a project made up of Chris Farren (Fake Problems) and Jeff Rosenstock. I have never been a huge fan (mainly out of ignorance) of either’s previous work, but that seems to be at my detriment because I really, really love this record. It’s minimalistic, straightforward and effective. Most songs aren’t longer than 2 minutes and are chock full of hooks and fun instrumentation (”Kimmy”, “Breathless on DVD”) that keep you coming back. The word that resonates and fits most for this record is “sharp”. The songwriting, production and attitude is such. It’s a truly fun little release that came out of nowhere for me.

#5.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Swell” released January 26 via Triple Crown Records

I’m quite impressed with the consistency of these Minnesota rockers. They seem to crank out a quality record every 18 months or so, and their latest offering is no exception. It’s airtight and jam packed with energy and emotion, not to mention the occasional insane guitar tapping lick (”Feel Alive”, “Caution”). Perhaps not as polished as 2016′s “Celebrate” but still damn good. Damn damn good good (”Applause”, “Wishbone”). Anything these guys put out seems to be a lock to be in my Top 5 every time until proven otherwise.

#4.

Justin Courtney Pierre: “In The Drink” released October 12 via Epitaph Records

Like most people, I was incredibly sad to learn Motion City Soundtrack decided to call it quits a few years ago. Frontman Justin Pierre decided to at least make the transition easier by releasing his debut solo album, and it’s full of so many of the things that fans of MCS came to adore. It’s not quite as diverse or well produced as their material, but still contains Pierre’s trademark honest lyricism and songwriting chops. Also present are a few of the members of longtime Pierre side-project Farewell Continental, which makes this feel closer to one of their albums, particularly with the presence of guitar feedback and female vocals. I wasn’t really expecting this to blow away anything Motion City has put out, but it holds its own quite nicely without overstaying its welcome only being 28 minutes long. I’m just so happy Justin is continuing to put out music.

#3.

Vein: “Errorzone” released June 22 via Closed Casket Activities

It’s so fitting that this band is named after a vital part of the human body. They feel essential and basic, but not in a boring way, and aren’t too flashy or breaking any molds. I guess the theme of most of my favorite music of 2018 is “Well, it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s still awesome!”. This bleak and brutal hardcore record sums that up quite nicely. Taking influence from Glassjaw, Deftones and every knuckle-dragging breakdown factory playing on the side stages of every Warped tour and sharpening the edges with razor blades, this album’s raw energy and brazenness makes it feel bombastic and energizing. This is also the band I’m most excited to see what happens in the future, as this is their debut full length, and I imagine giving them room to grow and mature will lead to some outstanding things in the future. The traditional hardcore moments are awesome (”Old Data in a New Machine”, “Demise Automation”), but the occasional breaths of melody (”Errorzone”) and clever electronic samples (”End Eternal”) are surprising. Far and away my favorite heavy music record of 2018.

#2.

Lifted Bells: “Minor Tantrums” released March 30 on Run For Cover Records

Bob Nanna must be one of the coolest people ever. The longtime Braid and Hey Mercedes frontman seems to have his fingerprints all over great bands and projects, and this Chicago indie rock collective is certainly no exception. Each song feels like a symphony of spastic drums, distorted bass and Matthew Frank’s (he of Loose Lips Sink Ships and Their / They’re / There fame) insanely varied and skilled guitar lines (”Inevitable Devil”). Every song feels completely unique and different, making it a pretty perfect rock record (”Follow Me”, “Choir Sings The Cure”). Nothing feels unnecessary and it’s infinitely re-listenable. Pretty good for a first full length, huh?

#1.

Monobody: “Raytracing” released November 1 via Sooper Records

I’ve been playing music in some capacity for 25 years and generally try to go to as many concerts and buy as many records as I can afford. With all that said, I have a hard time fully grasping what this Chicago jazz collective have pulled off on this gargantuan release. Seemingly going in every musical direction at once while somehow being accessible and downright fun to listen to, it’s kind of hard to describe exactly how it all works out, but it does. I can’t really recommend it to casual music fans, but if you’re willing to take the plunge into something dense and different that is truly at its best as a whole album and not individual songs, this will reward you. I can’t put any other full-length record above it, so it is without a doublt my favorite LP of 2018.

...except...

So, about that word “full-length”...

...welp...

ACTUAL FAVORITE RELEASE OF 2018:

Invalids: “Fulfillment EP” released March 28 via Choke Artist

I’ve never been in this situation before. I can’t in good consciousness say that I liked any music that came out this year more than this EP, so it feels wrong giving it any other spot. Invalids is a math rock project that was essentially just guitarist / vocalist Pete Davis until recently. For this EP and a few recent tours, he joined forces with 3 amazing musicians who could keep up with his absurdly technical yet melodic songwriting. I hesitate to use the word “perfect”, but I cannot find a flaw on this EP. Earlier records were perhaps impressively performed but lacking in memorable songs, or meandering or bloated. This EP instead sees Davis and company trimming the fat but still keeping things varied, clever and jaw-dropping. Yeah, it’s a technicality calling this “album of the year”, but it’s a glorious album and one I’m willing to make an exception for. Thank you, Invalids.

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jaketheaudiophile · 6 years ago

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Best Songs of 2018.

Hello again Tumblr world. Hope you’ve had a wonderful 2018. It’s that magical time of year where everyone and their grandmother decides to give out their favorite things of the past calendar year, usually in list form. Far be it from me to withhold my musical opinions on y’all. I decided to randomly do my favorite songs of the year first last year and sort of like that, so we’re gonna do that again this time ‘round the sun.

As with previous years, these aren’t necessarily singles, but are instead just my personal favorite songs that were released in 2018. I also set a ten-word maximum for each track because I enjoy a challenge and writing 4 paragraphs on 230 seconds of music feels weird. I also have included a link to each song or music video on YouTube in the song title, and even created a lovely Spotify playlist of the goodness here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4pYozETLqJlsi8WXjRGJQK

Anyway, enough preamble. Let’s do this.

My Favorite 25 Songs of 2018.

#25.

Between The Buried And Me: “Blot” Dream Theater-esque. Dynamic, genre-hopping and epic. #24.

Lifted Bells: “Choir Sings The Cure” I heart bass distortion chords and Matthew Frank guitar leads.

#23.

The Decemberists: “Once In My Life” Sometimes the simplest Decemberists songs are the best ones. #22.

Mouse on the Keys: “Time (featuring Mario Camarena)” Gorgeous jazz arrangement with an instantly recognizable guest soloist.

#21.

The Hold Steady: “Star 18″ Most of the Hold Steady singles this year were gold.

#20.

DRAM: “Best Hugs” Sometimes I try new genres. I unabashedly adore DRAM.

#19.

Clutch: “How To Shake Hands” Potentially the best song with “democratic process” in its lyrics.

#18.

mewithoutYou: “9:27a.m., 7/29″ Thrilling album opener, throwback to the mwY of old.

#17.

Touche Amore: “Green” Suitable stop-gap to (hopefully) a 2019 new TA album.

#16.

Tangled Hair: “Nao Is My Driver” So glorious to finally have a Tangled Hair full length.

#15.

Pianos Become The Teeth: “Fake Lighting” The drum work of David Haik should be celebrated more.

#14.

Monobody: “Raytracing” Hard to isolate one song only from this record.

#13.

mewithoutYou: “Kristy w/ the Sparkling Teeth” Enjoyed the precursor EP above the album. Simple yet effective.

#12.

The Wonder Years: “Pyramids of Salt” TWY have essentially patented the soaring, emotionally-charged chorus.

#11.

La Dispute: “FULTON STREET I” This getting released recently completely/welcomingly fucked up my list.

#10.

Invalids: “Scourge of a Despot” Epitome of technically musicianship applied towards a diverse song structure.

#9.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Applause” There’s a contagious energy in every aspect of this band.

#8.

Mom Jeans. “Sponsor Me Tape” It’s not reinventing any wheels, but a substantial joy throughout.

#7.

Antartigo Vespucci: “Kimmy” Short, simplistic, and stuck in your head forever.

#6.

Elder Brother: “Wish You Were Here” A perfect alt-rock jam by several miles.

#5.

Delta Sleep: “El Pastor” Best music video, and perhaps the best gang-vocal chorus.

#4.

Vein: “Demise Automation” Textbook definition of bleak with a basic yet eviscerating breakdown.

#3.

Hot Dad: “Just Tell Me What Font to Pick (When I’m Making Websites for Kids)” Incredibly arranged and makes me legit LOL every listen.

#2.

Justin Courtney Pierre: “I Don’t Know Why She Ran Away” Still bummed Motion City Soundtrack is done, but this helps.

#1.

Andrew W.K.: “Music Is Worth Living For” Pressurized optimism. A anthemic party for the music lover’s soul.

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jaketheaudiophile · 7 years ago

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Best Albums of 2017.

Hey friends. Well, time for the big enchilada, as the kids say. Let’s discuss my favorite albums of 2017.

In all honesty, 2017 wasn’t my favorite year for music. I actually really disliked or was ambivalent to a lot of albums, particularly those by some of my favorite bands. Also, to be blunt, 2017 wasn’t the greatest year for me personally as well. I got laid off and spent 2 months being unemployed, went on maybe like 4 dates all year, and in general feel like I sort of stagnated creatively. However, the cream rises to the top and I’ll always be an optimist because I don’t know any other way to be, so I’m still grateful for the releases that truly stood out and made me super appreciate them and how they helped carry me through this year.

I normally do a top 15 with an honorable mention, but in making up my list, I found that the albums that I had selected 16-12 sort of ran together, and I had a hard time ranking them or distinguishing why I felt like including them in this list. So, instead, I decided to stick to a top 10 this year. So, with apologies to Scale The Summit, Entheos, Counterparts, August Burns Red and Balmorhea, let’s get on a goin’...

Top Ten Albums of 2017.

Honorable Mention

Sleep Maps: “No More Good Dreams”

released on March 7 via Lost Future

Throwing a bone to the indie musicians here; heard about this release from the good people over at Feedbands: This is a deep, dark and moody instrumental rock album with some fun / creepy old sci-fi movie sound bites scattered throughout. The result is a fun ride down a twisted path to madness that may lack originality but has enough twists and turns to keep me coming back. Pretty damn impressive to be pulled off by essentially one dude as well. Kudos, Ben Kaplan.

10.

Iglooghost: “Neo Wax Bloom”

released on September 29 via Brainfeeder

I’ve never been a huge fan of electronic music. I don’t have a vendetta against the genre or the people who do like it; it’s just never really grabbed my attention. I’ve found it generally too repetitive or robotic, but this miasma of noise may have just finally changed my mind. The sheer amount of time needed to compose and arrange these songs is staggering, so a huge amount of credit needs to go to Irish mastermind Seamus Malliagh. It’s a little overwhelming but super impressive. Kudos also to Anthony Fantano, aka The Needle Drop for getting me completely hooked on this album (and several other albums / bands over the years).

Chon: “Homey”

released on June 19 via Sumerian

Rather than rest on their laurels and create another album full of guitar trickery, these Cali bros invited in producers and guest musicians to craft a surprisingly varied record with techno or beat-based tracks scattered throughout. Some songs are better than others (“Berry Streets” just sort of exists and floats around) but “Nayhoo” and “Feel This Way” a breaths of fresh air. And then when Chon defaults to their musical wizardry, the tracks feel fresh and inspired, particularly the fun, bouncy “Waterslide”. Props to Chon for not settling and expanding their sound into something completely new.

Minus The Bear: “Voids”

released on March 3 via Suicide Squeeze

After five years of silence and the departure of founding drummer Erin Tate, math rock titans Minus The Bear are back and as good as ever. Picking up largely where 2012’s Infinity Overhead left off, this album is more of the same old, sweet same old for these dudes. There’s a few nice throwback moments to their older guitar-driven sound (such as the sweet tapping riffs on “Invisible”) but otherwise it’s another round of layered electronic backings and memorable pop songs. The only slightly odd choice is when keyboardist Alex Rose takes over lead vocals on a few songs (such as “Call The Cops”). His voice isn’t super distinctive from frontman Jake Snider, and if you didn’t know that Rose was singing (which I didn’t know until I saw the band play live), you’d think the producer added a super weird filter on Snider’s vocals. It’s not entirely a bad decision, but just struck me as odd, but definitely didn’t take anything away from this release.

Knuckle Puck: “Shapeshifter”

released on October 13 via Rise

I quite admire these Chicagoland pop-punkers but felt their debut full-length album Copacetic was a smidge uninspired. Thankfully they step up to the plate and crushed it out of the park with Shapeshifter. Their songwriting and hooks have always been the stuff of legends, but what truly floored me about this record is its production. I hadn’t heard of Seth Henderson prior to buying this record, but I’m gonna do a deep dive into his back catalogue because man, this record sounds pristine and fucking HUGE. It’s a bit bombastic, but it complements the inherent melodrama and drive of these tracks so well. A few of the later songs of the album are a smidge lackluster, but that doesn’t change the fact that “Gone” is my favorite song of the year and Knuckle Puck remain my torchbearer for the genre.

Prawn: “Run”

released on September 22 via Topshelf

There are times I feel like a bad music fan. One of the prime examples from 2017 is my completely missing the release of this album and having an “Oh shit!” moment about two weeks later and immediately buying it. I’m a bit sad / angry with myself that I missed the hype for the album’s release, because this is the best record these New Jersey emo / indie rockers have created. I’ve felt that previous releases by the band have been meandering or lacking focus, but that’s definitely not the case here as this is a fun, streamlined album full of great riffs and refrains. The only odd moment to me is that the album feels like it ends after the ninth track “Leopard’s Paw” and then sort of just continues for the last two songs. I had to look up the tracklist online to see if the final two songs were bonus tracks. Granted, it’s not that these songs are bad; it just seemed like the ending of “Leopard’s Paw” was a natural conclusion. Regardless, I really like this band and this record and have been listening to it nonstop to try to make up for the fact that I initially ignored it’s birth.

Enter Shikari: “The Spark”

released on September 22 via Ambush Reality

This was perhaps the least surprising entry on this list (well, maybe other than my album of the year) as I’ve adored these Brits from day one and generally trumpet everything they do with aplomb. And while this isn’t my favorite album of theirs, I’m genuinely impressed with how optimistic it is considering their usual source material. For a band who generally pull inspiration out of anger towards political and environmental decision-makers, it’s surprising how hopeful and uplifting this record is considering our current political climate. It’s proof to me that the reason I first came into music is for a release from reality, and I’m grateful to Enter Shikari for creating another vessel to bring joy and distraction.

John Frum: “A Stirring in the Noos”

released on May 12 via Relapse

From the complete opposite end of the optimistic spectrum comes this brutal, relentlessly heavy and nauseating black metal record. Apparently taking around 6 years to create and made up of members of the Dillinger Escape Plan and The Faceless, among others, this album is pure terror and bleakness compressed into a dizzying array of heaviness, noise and thrash. It’s not content to just bludgeon you over the head and drag your body to a desolate place, however; tracks like “Memory Palace” and the dreadful instrumental “He Come” are content to slow things down and make your skin crawl without screaming in your face or blastbeat drumming you to death. And speaking of drums, we need to give some kind of award to Eli Litwin for his work on this record. The variety, skill and speed to his rhythm and fills are jaw dropping. This record is not for the faint of heart but is easily the best metal record I’ve heard this year and put lots of hair on my chest.

Alpha Male Tea Party: “Health”

released on June 23 via Big Scary Monsters

I had not heard of this band prior to 2017 but read their name somewhere online and immediately thought, “Yep. I’m gonna love this band immediately”. That was reinforced by hearing their 2014 album, Droids and falling in love with their riff-heavy, layered instrumental rock and then amped up by learning of their impending 2017 followup Health. And man, did these Liverpool dudes delivery. This album keeps you on your toes from start to finish and never lets up with its grooves and happy-go-lucky arrangements. It’s not too flashy or over-the-top, though, and that’s what keeps me coming back. What puts it over the top is the last track, “No More”, which ends in a lovely out-of-nowhere crescendo with the only vocal track on the album. I probably listened to tracks 3-5 on repeat more than most other albums this year, and had it not been for another instrumental rock group from the UK, this may have been my album of the year. But we’ll get to that in a few minutes…

Antoine Dufour: “Back and Forth”

released on March 31 via CandyRat Records

So, this may be the musician that most people reading this are least familiar with, but hear me out: Antoine Dufour is a Canadian fingerstyle acoustic guitarist and a particularly brilliant one at that. This is a genre of music that primarily attracts fellow guitarists and other musicians, so I get that it’s not for everyone. However, Dufour has become one of my favorite guitarists in general for his skills and arrangements, particularly in the myriad of amazing cover songs he’s released over the years. This album was actually an Indiegogo project I was happy to back myself, particularly because I was immediately hooked and smitten by the premise. This release is actually a double album; the first being standard acoustic guitar wizardry, and the second made up of electronic versions of each song by Dufour. The result is staggering, and it’s truly a testament to Dufour’s songwriting ability that both versions of each song works remarkably well. It’s almost impossible to listen to one version of a song without wanting to hear the other, or to listen to just one of the two albums by itself. Due to the immense set of skills on display across multiple genres, this is certainly a record that needs to be celebrated and hopefully gives Dufour the recognition he deserves.

And So I Watch You From Afar: “The Endless Shimmering”

released on October 20 via Sargent House

When it all came down to the end, there is no other record I wanted to crank on high volume on repeat this year. I’ve always set the bar extremely high for these Irish wizards of instrumental rock, and by God did they hurdle that bar with ease while doing several flips and sticking the landing. This album is sublime from start to finish and has so many memorable moments and songs that I can’t wait to tattoo it permanently into my brain and memorize it for the next time they tour America and I can jump around like a fool in joy to these tunes. In a year of somewhat disappointing releases from a lot of my favorite bands, kudos to ASIWYFA for working their butts off to make an impeccable album.

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jaketheaudiophile · 8 years ago

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Best songs of 2017.

Hey friends. It’s that magical time of year where everyone does their annual “Here’s my favorite music that came out” song and dance. I couldn’t be happier.

I decided to start off my lists with my favorite songs of the year for a random change of pace. As with previous years, these aren’t necessarily singles, but just my legit favorite songs that I encountered that were released in 2017. Also, as with previous years, I am setting a 10 word limit in my description of each song for fun. However, I decided to make up a playlist of this list on Spotify as well for my and your listening pleasure. Check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/user/thisguythisjake/playlist/4Fxq3buMGpPbvJn4MhuhUL

So, without further ado, let’s get this train wreck a-rollin’! My Favorite Songs of 2017 Honorable Mention:

Invalids: “A Rather Mediocre Genius” (No ten word limit on this one) This song came out in studio music video form this year but was not actually properly released on any platform that I’m aware of, so I didn’t feel right including it in the official list. However, hot damn did I watch and listen to it on YouTube all the time. Looking forward for the eventual EP release sometime next year. 25. Sleep Maps: “Under The Pyramid”

Dark, moody and epic. Like the album in a nutshell.

24. Code Orange: “Bleeding in the Blur” Who knew a band with 3 screamers could sing too? 23. This Will Destroy You: “Kitchen”

TWDY soundtracking a restaurant is everything I want in life.

22. Monobody: “Equations for a Falling Body”

Jazzy, spastic and all over the place. Unique, tricky arrangement.

21. Antoine Dufour: “Air Ground”

Everything we expect and adore from this acoustic guitar genius.

20. Antoine Dufour: “Air Ground (electronic version)”

...until he hits us with a hell of a curveball.

19. Sleeping At Last: “Atlas: Two”

It’s the string accents and arrangements that move me.

18. Counterparts: “No Servant of Mine”

I didn’t like this album, but there were good bits.

17. Tiny Moving Parts: “Caution”

The short guitar tapping bits are so much fun.

16. Iglooghost: “Sōlar Blade”

The details and layering going into these tracks is stunning.

15. Sleeping At Last: “Atlas: One”

One is slightly better than Two. Ryan O’Neal’s the best.

14. Pet Symmetry: “LTCTLYB”

The album dropped off considerably halfway thru, but this rules.

13. Mastodon: “Toe to Toes”

A throwback riff fest. Life affirming and glorious.

12. Chon: “Waterslide”

I’d adore even if the video wasn’t a skateboarding dog.

11. Balmorhea: “Clear Language”

Staggering beautiful and subtle. Wish the album matched it.

10. Code Orange: “Forever”

Pure anger and fury with a fucking brutal ending breakdown.

9. August Burns Red: “Invisible Enemy”

Far and away the best music video of the year.

8. Scale The Summit: “Witch House (featuring Angel Vivaldi)”

Best guitar song of the year. Slay, Angel, slaaaaay.

7. And So I Watch You From Afar: “The Endless Shimmering”

Contagious optimism, happiness and energy in song form.

6. Pet Symmetry: “You & Me & Mt. Hood”

Simplicity. I’m an Evan Weiss fanboy for a reason.

5. John Frum: “He Come”

Terror and nausea bludgeoning you with staggering, bombastic drums.

4. Enter Shikari: “Live Outside”

Shikari are still the best hook writers in the world.

3. Alpha Male Tea Party: “Nobody Had the Heart to Tell Him He Was on Fire”

Man, can these Brits do joyous riff-y math rock well.

2. Minus The Bear: “Invisible”

A welcome return to form with typical Dave Knudsen skills.

1. Knuckle Puck: “Gone”

Flawless production. Nothing made me happier or more excited.

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jaketheaudiophile · 8 years ago

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Best Songs of 2016

Hey again music nerds. Time for the list of my favorite songs that came out in 2016.

As with previous years, I’m setting a 10-word limit per track,and I’ve included a link to the song on YouTube (and the music video if available). Also, as with previous years, these aren’t necessarily singles, but just the songs I loved most of all throughout the year regardless of how they were released.

Hope you enjoy the read / listen! Let me know what songs you loved this year as well.

#25.

The Gentle Hits: “Walk Out”

Disappointing album, but still nice to hear Ian Metzger’s voice.

#24.

Explosions in the Sky: “Disintegration Anxiety”

Hard to pick an EitS single. Love the palm-muted guitar.

#23.

Little Tybee: “Tuck My Tail”

Great arrangement. The drums on the outro are damn good.

#22.

Animals As Leaders: “The Brain Dance”

Tosin Abasi goes acoustic! Love the extended outro.

#21.

TTNG: “Coconut Crab”

Henry Tremain’s coming out party. Brilliant bass lines and vocals.

#20.

You Blew It!: “Canary”

Sounds like it came from Deep Elm Records in 1999.

#19.

Touche Amore: “Benediction”

Jeremy Bolm’s clean vocals are somehow way more haunting.

#18.

Enemies: “It’sallwaves”

Wish their album sounded more like this and “Play Fire”

#17.

Car Seat Headrest: “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales”

Good luck getting this song out of your head.

#16.

Masked Intruder: “Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt”

These incognito WI weirdos completely owned my admiration all year.

#15.

Weezer: “Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori”

The key change hook between verse and chorus is flawless.

#14.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Birdhouse”

Guitar riff of the year. Love the coda as well.

#13.

Direct Hit!: “Infinite Pills, Infinite Alcohol”

Such a sucker for punk songs in fast 6/8 time.

#12.

Every Time I Die: “1977″

“STAAAARE AT THE SUN! LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN!”

#11.

Into It. Over It.: “No EQ”

Amazing drums, killer hook AND a clever music video.

#10.

The Hotelier: “Piano Player”

Christian Holden is becoming one of my favorite vocalists.

#9.

Injury Reserve: “All This Money”

I’ll never get this horn hook out of my head.

#8.

Look Mexico: “My Superman Seat-grab Barrel Roll? I’m Still Working On It.”

Adore how this band samples speeches or dialogue for songs.

#7.

Somos: “Alright, I’ll Wait”

Incredibly creative drums. Goosebump inducing ending.

#6.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Good Enough”

Infectious and as energy inducing as chugging a Red Bull.

#5.

Enter Shikari: “Redshift”

These lads are the best hook writers in music today.

#4.

Volumes: “Feels Good”

Myke Terry is such a good fit as second vocalist.

#3.

Weezer: “L.A. Girlz”

Like falling in love again as a teenager. Timeless.

#2.

The Hotelier: “Opening Mail for My Grandmother”

Simple but so powerful. Haunting, sad, but hopeful as well.

#1.

Touche Amore: “Eight Seconds”

Too emotionally powerful to only be 92 seconds long.

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jaketheaudiophile · 8 years ago

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Best Albums of 2016

So first off, holy crap: I started this blog over 5 years ago.

I’m sorry that I haven’t really kept it up other than the general “best of (insert year) activities. Maybe 2017 will be the year that I revamp this old thing? Depends on time and such.

Either way, here are my top 15 albums of 2016. Feel free to send me your favorite releases of the year as well. And, as always, this is just my opinion.

HONORABLE MENTION

Car Seat Headrest: “Teens of Denial”

(released May 20 on Matador Records)

I kept hearing a lot of good things about this release so I picked it up with no prior knowledge of the band. It’s certainly a very good record, but I feel it is a bit overlong and meandering to really garner my adoration. Some songs drag on a bit too long and there are odd production choices, like songs featuring with 4 minutes of noise or a refrain being repeated into oblivion. Also, vocalist/songwriter Will Toledo’s vocal delivery is super mellow and laid-back, which isn’t always the most awe-inspiring or memorable despite his brilliant and shockingly honest lyrics. Regardless, the good songs shine pretty brightly (particularly “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales” and “Destroyed by Hippie Powers”) and it’s certainly worthy of the high praise I’ve seen it receive this year.

#15

Look Mexico: “Uniola”

(released June 24 on Tiny Engines)

Look Mexico is what I call a “Principle Band”. This means that every time they put out a record, I’ll buy it on principle even though I’m not the biggest fan of them as a whole. They’ve always been a quality indie/math rock group, but albums as a whole just don’t grab my full attention like other similar artists’ do. Their latest still avoids my full embrace, but it’s still a pretty solid record. I’ve always loved their use of recorded speeches or dialogue to use as fodder over musical passages, which is done expertly in “My Superman Seat-Grab Barrel Roll? I’m Still Working On It” and “That Was The Flame Thrower. Use the Rockets”. Furthermore, the production on this album is dynamite, particularly on the drums and guitar effects, and it’s always fun to see what Vin Diesel quotes they use for their song titles.

#14

You Blew It!: “Abendrot”

(released November 11 on Triple Crown Records)

For the months leading up to this record’s release, every bit of press stated it would be the big change in form or style for these Florida emo kids. Rather than the heart on the sleeve emo throwback the band has become known for, the band promised the album to be darker, moodier and more mature. What that ended up meaning was that it contained a general melancholy hanging over it like a blanket thrown over a lampshade. In a lot of ways, the album feels unfinished, with some songs being nothing more than vocalist Tanner Jones and keyboard noises. What’s really puzzling is the best songs on the album, namely “Hue” and “Canary” are the YBI! of old with quality layered guitars and hooks. I still very much enjoy this release, but the massive shifts in style that were promised were poorly executed.

#13

Little Tybee: “(self-titled)”

(self released by the band and Kickstarter on June 3)

After a successful Kickstarter campaign and various versions of most of these songs floating around the internet in concerts or promotional / studio videos, Atlanta’s Little Tybee finally released their fourth, self-titled record to much appreciation. What’s most impressive about this release to me is the ample space each musician has to show off their incredible skills: Previous albums were basically vehicles to display 8-string wunderkind guitarist Josh Martin (to no complaints from me; the dude is fucking amazing), whereas all 6 Tybee-ers are given turns in the spotlight and shine brilliantly on this release, particularly drummer Pat Brooks. The album gets a bit thin and noodly at 54 minutes, and some moments or directions that songs go are either forced or odd. Also, I do love vocalist Brock Scott’s lyrics and melodies, and his more-or-less constant falsetto vocals are generally very pleasant, but there are moments where they get very grating on recordings (particularly in “More Like Jason”). Otherwise, this is varied, musically ambitious release, and brought the band a whole bunch of well-deserved attention.

#12

Animals As Leaders: “The Madness of Many”

(released on November 11 on Sumerian Records)

Fans of Animals As Leaders know what they’re getting with each of the band’s releases: A myriad of crazy guitar leads, complicated song arrangements, and killer drum rhythms. The slight curveball of this year’s release was the two mainly acoustic-lead songs that concluded the album, “The Brain Dance” and “Aperophobia”, which were fun variations. Otherwise, it’s more of the same old, sweet same old from these dudes. Probably the most “for fans only” release of the year, but those fans were pretty damn happy.

#11

Enemies: “Valuables”

(released on December 9 on Topshelf Records)

Enemies was one of the 3 bands I listened to the most in 2016. I frequently put their entire catalog on shuffle to have as background music while I worked, drove or exercised. Because of this, I was incredibly sad upon learning that this very-recently-released album would be the band’s final recording. After playing a show in their native Ireland on December 18, Enemies officially called it quits. I am also sad to admit that this is probably my least favorite album in the band’s career. It’s a bit more experimental than previous tight-knit instrumental rock-laden records; a greater emphasis is placed on electronic noises and layered vocals than the tight arrangements or brilliant riffs of previous releases. It’s clear there were some creative differences going on among the band members, which may explain why they’ve decided to put this band to rest. It’s a slightly disappointing wrap on the band’s career, but was still a welcome release and a reminder of how brilliant these gents were.

#10

Explosions in the Sky: “The Wilderness”

(released on April 1 on Temporary Residence Ltd)

I was initially very underwhelmed by this record. Explosions in the Sky have long been the standard bearers for emotional instrumental rock music, but this album seemed more subdued and reserved than any of their previous releases. However, it’s an album that grows on you through repeat plays and concentration. There’s not the soaring dynamics or swells from older records, but the arrangements and moods generated in these near-simplified songs are beautiful in a much different way. It’s definitely not the best EitS record, but anything they do is still certainly worthy of admiration.

Somos: “First Day Back”

(released on February 19 on Hopeless Records)

Somos’ first record, 2014’s “Temple of Plenty”, was a near-perfect pop-punk record. Because of that, this year’s release by these Boston gentlemen was perhaps my most anticipated album of this year. They definitely lived up to that hype with more of the same contagious songwriting and hooks with a much more glossy, clean production. However, what knocks the album down a few pegs for me is the fact that there are 4 short interlude-like tracks which are not much more than vocalist Michael Fiorentino singing a half-verse over either a simple guitar part or random noise. The 4 songs kind of fit together on their own, but are otherwise forgettable and skippable when listening to the album as a whole. Still, though, this is a solid second album for a band with a hell of a bright future.

Every Time I Die: “Low Teens”

(released on September 23 by Epitaph Records)

Every Time I Die is a confusing yet awesome band for me. Throughout their career, I find that I enjoy every other one of their albums. As such, because I adored 2014’s “From Parts Unknown”, I figured this release would be underwhelming, but ETID finally bucked this weird, personal trend with this brutal, brilliant album. Vocalist Keith Buckley pulled a majority of his lyrical inspiration from sitting in a hospital waiting room while his wife nearly died giving birth to their child, and that frenetic, hopeless, breakneck fear is present throughout every song (“Petal”, “1977”). When the band slows down, though, on songs like “Two Summers” and “It Remembers”, nothing is lost, which is even more impressive. All in all, it’s a welcome reminder of why these guys have been mainstays in heavy music for two decades and can’t slow down.

Touche Amore: “Stage Four”

(released on September 16 on Epitaph Records)

This record was by far the hardest to rank on this list for me. This is a beautifully constructed, heartbreakingly honest, tremendously sad, and incredibly hard to listen to album. The album centers around vocalist Jeremy Bolm’s mother, who passed away after a long battle with cancer. His lyrics are his reactions to his sadness from this, the fact that he feels like he wasn’t there for her in her final days, his reconciling with having accept that his life will never be the same, and how he reconciles with why he has to rely on religion, memories and other placebos to fill the void she left in his world. Bolm has always been a particularly brilliant lyricist, and as such, his words cut immediately to the heart as he bares his sadness for all to see. Adding even more to this is his vocal style, which truly emphasizes his depression and grief with his throaty yelps and cries. However, Bolm also employs traditional vocal melodies throughout the record, which are a first for the band and somehow even more haunting and heavy than his normal delivery. Adding to all of this are the usual sublime performances by the band, who seem to dip into 90s-era rock riffs to create memorable hooks and passages, which is even more impressive considering most of the songs barely hit the 2 minute mark.

So, with all of these kind words and respect for this record, why is this ranked at 7 instead of, say, 1 or 2 for me? There are two main reasons for this. The first is that I truly dislike the album’s final song, “Skyscraper”. The band decided to feature a four minute meandering album closer with repetitive, blank lyrics, and vocals by guest vocalist Julian Baker that are, frankly, awful. It seems like an odd choice and I find myself always turning off the album before its conclusion instead of playing it in its entirety. I felt I couldn’t in good conscious rate this album above any other album I loved as a whole, which was the case for all 6 of the albums ranked ahead of this one. The second reason is a bit more personal, but still relevant: Since the album is so damn sad and taxing to the emotions, I find I’m rarely in the mood to put it on casually or repeatedly as it truly does affect my mood for the rest of the day. This is actually both a positive and negative affect; it’s stunning that a group could put something together that would always affect me so strongly, but it also works against it that it's so successfully, if that makes sense. All said, this is a gargantuan album and one that cements Touche Amore as one of my favorite artists.

Into It. Over It.: “Standards”

(released on March 11 on Triple Crown Records)

I utterly, completely trust and admire Evan Weiss. I’ve admired basically every release and/or project he’s worked on, and still geek out every time I see him at shows or around Chicago. For his 3rd record under the Into It. Over It. moniker, Weiss decided to hole himself up in a cabin with drummer Joshua Sparks to devote themselves to the album writing process. They emerged with another solid emo record, but one that feels more mature and well rounded than previous releases. There are some odd production choices here and there (such as the bizarre drums in the verses in “Bible Black” and the meandering chords in the bridge in “Adult Contempt”) but other than that not a moment really feels wasted throughout. What was most surprising to me were the inclusion of 2 slower, mainly acoustic tracks right in the middle of the record (“Your Lasting Image” and “Old Lace & Ivory”), and how they didn’t take away from the mood of the record as a whole. Josh Sparks also considerable killed it throughout the record, particularly on “No EQ” and the aforementioned “Adult Contempt”. All in all, I will continue to throw my love and money at Evan Weiss until proven otherwise.

Direct Hit!: “Wasted Mind”

(released on June 24 on Fat Wreck Chords)

I became extremely obsessed with two pop-punk bands from Wisconsin this year. The first, Masked Intruder, were a group whose catalog I frequently put on shuffle and who released my favorite EP of this year. The second, Direct Hit!, took a bit longer to germinate, but then seeped into my brain like a disease. Largely an album about drug taking, partying and the lack of memories, “Wasted Mind” is like the soundtrack to the most fucked-up Disney movie adaptation of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”. The songs are memorable and infinitely catchy, but what really stands out to me are the oddball orchestral instrumentation that the band adds to their sound, including bell and chime embellishments and saxophone solos. This album knows exactly what it is: A raucous, irrelevant celebration of the nights we can’t remember anything about except how much fun was had.

TTNG: “Disappointment Island”

(released July 8 on Sargent House)

The fine gentlemen who got me into Direct Hit! (and several other amazing bands), David Tony Moore, told me earlier this year that “Wasted Mind” was his album of the year mainly because of the fact that he always found himself in the mood to have it on in the background no matter what he was doing. Rather than try to put on something random or nostalgic, DTM generally always ended up putting on the record while cooking, cleaning, etc (much to the eventual dismay of his wife Sheila) because he just always wanted to hear it. That sentiment completely applies to the latest opus from these British math rock veterans to me. This may be a bit expected as I’ve been a tad biased towards them since their formation, but it wasn’t something I was expecting at all upon hearing the album. This is by far the band’s most subdued record, with guitarist extraordinaire Tim Collis sharing the spotlight a bit with the band as a whole. Whereas their latest release, 2013’s “13.0.0.0.0” was largely a vehicle to introduce new bassist/guitarist/vocalist Henry Tremain, this record is more a combined group effort that really emphasizes Tremain’s skills as a vocalist. It’s an album that seems bright and fun at first, but rewards the listener with complex, subtle brilliance in arrangement, riffs, vocals and moods. All in all, a surprisingly infectious listen.

The Hotelier: “Goodness”

(released on May 27 on Tiny Engines)

This album is like walking through the woods on a crisp summer day. You’re looking through trees as leaves crinkle beneath your feet as you come to a clearing. You scan across the meadow as you see rays of sunshine poke through the clouds and emphasize bits of grass and prairie as deer and other animals scatter away from your presence. Maybe a flower blooms, or a the sun warms you up, but you’re left with a general sense of peace and calm. Leaving behind the more schizophrenic genre-swapping of their last record, 2014’s “Home Like NoPlace is There”, The Hotelier focused solely on a gripping, stripped down emo sound and the results are extraordinary. I was sort of lukewarm on this at first, but man did it spread its roots and make itself essential to me as the year went on. Simple, earnest, heartfelt and true.

Tiny Moving Parts: “Celebrate”

(released on May 20 on Triple Crown Records)

I’ve been a fan of this family band for a few years now, but have only liked songs as opposed to albums so far throughout their career. That changes exponentially with this release: This album is streamlined awesome from start to finish, and vocalist / guitarist Dylan Mathteison has created one of the better guitar albums ever in the process. His riffs are technical (“Good Enough”, the bridge in “Headache”), creative (the delay-choked intro to “Breathe Deep”) and downright joy-inducing (“Birdhouse”) throughout, and his backing band of his cousins more than hold up their share of the load. The album clocks in at just under 35 minutes, ensuring that not a single minute is wasted. In summary, the album is perfectly titled; completely infectious, memorable and, well, celebratory.

Weezer: “[self-titled (The White Album)]”

(released on April 1 on Atlantic Records)

The fact that this album came out on April Fool’s Day sort of encapsulates just how surprised I was upon hearing it. As one of the many millions of kids who discovered Weezer in junior high and still have the words (and guitar parts) to the Blue Album and “Pinkerton” memorized, I was stunned at how much of a throwback to those sounds and songs this record was considering it is well over 20 years later. Rivers Cuomo somehow sounds more mature and equally creative at the same time, as his years of songwriting have given him a sort of elder statesmen status while simultaneously he sounds simplistically approaching emotions and ideas that his life presents him. Maybe it’s the fact that this album caught me completely off guard and then lived in my head for months, or perhaps it’s because I’m immensely happy a band from my youth proved they are still one of the best bands in the world, but I can’t think of any album I’d be able to list as my album of the year.

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jaketheaudiophile · 9 years ago

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Odds and Ends of 2015.

Greetings, friends! Here’s a few more end of the year awards and such. Thanks for reading, happy new year, and cheers to more great music in 2016!

BEST EP OF 2015

You Blew It! -- “Pioneer of Nothing”

There weren’t a lot of good EPs released this year (none that I can remember, anyway), so we’re going way back playback to this stellar little EP released in January from emo revivalists You Blew It! All 3 songs are great (particularly the first track, “Lanai”) but the best part of this release is the fact that the band is so well produced. Previous releases had a lovely lo-fi garage-rock quality to them, which fit the band well, but this recording is much better produced, and the band benefits greatly.

BEST SHOW OF 2015

AUDIOTREE MUSIC FESTIVAL: Kalamazoo, MI 9/5/15

C’mon, man. Look at that lineup. The fact that the show was on my birthday helped, but this whole festival was a blast and I loved every second of it. Best in show was probably ASIWYFA, but I’m biased because they’re my favorite live band.

THE “NEW RELEASE I PURCHASED THIS YEAR AND DIDN’T LISTEN TO ONCE” AWARD

Nate Ruess -- “Grand Romantic”

I have been a huge fan of Nate Ruess from his days in the Format and fun., so I was pretty excited when I learned he was releasing a solo full-length. The single “Nothing Without Love” released before the album was fine, but for whatever reason I never really listened to this after purchasing it. It’s been collecting dust on my phone and computer ever since. Maybe it’s time to change that...

THE “NEW FAVORITE OBSESSION” AWARD

Little Tybee

My best friend Ben got me hooked on these awesome folks in 2014. I’ve basically spent the time since obsessing over guitarist Josh Martin’s crazy tapping and finger-picking techniques. I got to see the band live this year, and the experience was me shifting gazes of admiration over each member of the band’s supreme musicianship like a housecat in a room of shiny objects. Looking forward to their upcoming new release this year.

THE “ALBUM I RATED RELATIVELY LOW LAST YEAR BUT IN RETROSPECT WOULD NOW RATE HIGHER BECAUSE I LIKE THE ALBUM A LOT MORE” AWARD

Weatherbox: “Flies in All Directions”

This album completely snuck up me last year, but I can honestly say it’s probably the 2014 release I’ve listened to the most since year’s end.

WORST/MOST DISAPPOINTING ALBUM OF 2015

Citizen: “Everybody is Going to Heaven”

I’d never really call Citizen an original band, but their last two full lengths have been quite good, grunge-y pop collections. However, the Toledo boys’ third release is a lackluster, boring mix of weak atmospherics and barely intelligible vocals. For an album whose release people have been comparing to Brand New’s jump in maturity between “Your Favourite Weapon” and “Deja Entendu”, all I heard was a slab of poorly mixed, bland noise.

MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF 2016

Somos: “First Day Back”

Aside from the aforementioned Little Tybee release, the sophomore album from these stellar emo-punkers is my most anticipated of next year. Particularly since the first single “Alright, I’ll Wait” is so fucking catchy.

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jaketheaudiophile · 10 years ago

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Top 25 Songs of 2015.

Hello again friends. Now that another year has come and (nearly) gone, I’ve started all the “end of the year music ranking” shenanigans and will be starting off with my top 25 songs of this past year. As with previous years’ lists, these aren’t necessarily singles, and I’ll link to each song in each ranking, using the music video wherever possible. Also, since I find writing paragraphs about individual songs to be a bit unnecessary, I’ve set my usual 10-word limit per entry here, because challenges are fun. Additionally, as with everything on this blog, these are all my opinions. Disagreements and counterpoints are always welcome, as are thumbs up and high fives.

Let’s do this.

TOP 25 SONGS OF 2015:

25. Enter Shikari: “Anaesthesist”

Who knew pleas for organized healthcare could be so catchy?

24. August Burns Red: “Ghosts (featuring Jeremy McKinnon)”

Wasn’t into this album, but this song’s good. Killer drums.

23. Prawn: “Seas”

Simple but layered and catchy. Love the time-changed coda.

22. The Decemberists: “Make You Better”

I can never guess the timing of the intro. Great video.

21. The Velvet Teen: “Sonreo”

Casey Deitz is God. All hail Casey Deitz.

20. Foxing: “Eiffel”

So many goosebumps at the atmospherics and falsetto vocals.

19. Counterparts: “Burn”

The moments of silence slay, especially in the ending breakdown.

18. Pet Symmetry: “Give Thanks (Get Lost)”

Everything Evan Weiss touches turns to gold.

17. Knuckle Puck: “Evergreen”

What a beautiful wall of sound during the intro, choruses.

16. Alcoa: “It Won’t Get Better”

Another gorgeous sad sack tale and song by Mr. Archambault.

15. The Wonder Years: “I Don’t Like Who I was Then”

Catchiest/most profane chorus of the year, easily.

14. Death Cab for Cutie: “Binary Sea”

Favorite album closer of the year. Ben Gibbard’s quite talented.

13. Delta Sleep: “Uncle Ivan”

Complex and catchy with enough subtle instrumentations to impress.

12. Frank Turner: “The Next Storm”

Rejoice! Rejoice! Frank Turner hasn’t forgotten how to write hooks!

11. Defeater: “Contrition”

Favorite first track of the year. Those drums, man.

10. And So I Watch You From Afar: “Wasps”

Favorite guitar riff of the year. Unfiltered and unbound energy.

9. mewithoutYou: “D-Minor”

It’s so nice of Aaron Weiss to yell again occasionally.

8. Delta Sleep: “21 Letters”

That math rock intro, that metal outro. Perfection throughout genres.

7. The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die: “I Can Be Afraid of Anything”

Long, but never uninteresting, and full of many cool, detailed moments.

6. Somos: “Streets Upon Streets”

Relatively simple, but will be stuck in your head forever.

5. The Wonder Years: “Cardinals”

Emo/pop punk bliss. Blitz tempo’d, impassioned vocals, general heartache.

4. Counterparts: “Stranger”

Lots of changeups. The ending breakdown is just plain mean.

3. Caspian: “Sad Heart of Mine”

Stellar crescendos, lovely piano. Instrumental rock done flawlessly.

2. Motion City Soundtrack: “It’s a Pleasure To Meet You”

Feel good jam of the year. Pleasant return to form.

1. CHON: “Story”

Such great technicality, musicianship and arrangement. Nothing else came close.

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jaketheaudiophile · 10 years ago

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It's funny how things come around.

I currently have a flat tire on my car, so I have the temporary "donut" fill-in tire on the affected wheel's spot. For whatever reason the one that came with my car is a bright yellow hue that sticks out like a sore thumb. I just put it on yesterday and have an appointment scheduled tomorrow to get new tires put on, so I'll only have to drive on it for roughly 5 miles with the placeholder providing a temporary solution. All of this is completely fine with me because I heard that these "donuts" only have about 50 total miles of shelf life, and I'm fairly certain I'm very close to that total. The reason behind that is I remember the last time it was on my car and how I ignored the possible difficulties that driving a long distance on it would cause and drove a decent distance to go on one of the more interesting dates I've ever been on. The sight of the yellow tire and this particular song coming up in the shuffle on my iTunes library inspired me to write about this for no real other reason that I find it is a funny, random tale. Hope you enjoy it.

I'm going to change the name of the girl in this story. Not because I ever think that in a million years that she'll read this or really have anything to be embarrassed about with it. It just seems appropriate to do so, and she's actually a relatively well known musician in the Chicagoland area, so it's probably best to err on the side of secrecy. Anyway, I met Kim online through some dating website, most likely OKCupid but I really don't remember. We exchanged messages and decided to meet up for our first date around her neck of the woods in a western Chicago suburb. I was living in Blue Island at the time, but not at the house I'm currently living in, and it was roughly a 40 minute drive to get to her city. She had mentioned meeting up at a local brewery, which I was all in favor of. She had asked if I would pick her up at her house on the way, which didn't seem too out of the ordinary. I let her know that I recently had a flat tire on my car, and was currently driving on a temporary "donut" tire, so I wouldn't really be able to drive a whole bunch while we were hanging out. She said that it was fine and we could just hang out in her neck of the woods anyway, which sounded fun and fine to me.

I arrived at her house after a drive that should have been more nerve-wracking than it was. I generally can be nervous before a date, and was grateful for the miles between me and her house where I could relax and just be optimistic about the evening to come. When I got to her house, I was greeted by a gentleman who greeted me and welcomed me into a messy kitchen. He yelled for Kim, who said that she was running a few minutes behind and said she'd be out in a few minutes. I then made small talk with the guy who I learned was one of Kim's roommates at the house, who proceeded to make himself a bowl of cereal for dinner at roughly 8pm on a Friday night throughout our conversation. I learned that he, like Kim, was a musician in the Chicagoland area and primarily played trumpet in a mariachi-type cover band. I'm pretty sure he was high on something or maybe just really, really tired, but he was nice enough and made small talk with me until Kim finally entered from the basement and we were off to some small town brewery for our date.

Conversation came easy to us from the start as we drove to the brewery, parked and got two stools at the bar. As drinks were consumed, the conversations continued in earnest and drunken deep connections were (apparently) made. We added each other on Facebook at the bar, realizing we had one mutual friend in common already, a musician and promoter that has booked my band quite a bit who she apparently has also done shows with. I don't recall exactly how long we were at the brewery, but after a while she asked if I would like to get some beer to go and bring it back to her place to hang out. I quickly and eagerly obliged, picking out a clear glass growler and having it filed with the brown ale of her choosing. We stumbled back to my car and began to make our way back to her house, where I was hopeful of at least a first kiss happening along with this first date, and maybe even more.

On our way back to her house, she asked if I minded stopping at a gas station so she could get cigarettes. "I don't smoke all the time," she claimed. "Just sometimes when I'm drinking. And I really want some now. I hope you don't think that's gross or something", or something to that effect. The same drunken logic behind every social smoker, who feels the need to explain how they really aren't someone who does the activity regularly. I of course didn't mind, so I stopped for her, and waited in my car while she went in to get her smokes. Once she left my car, though, I quickly began to scan my iPod for a particular song, hoping I could have it ready to play once she got back in the car.

Over the course of our conversation, we of course started to talk about the bands we both admired and compared our favorite albums and artists, as two newly-acquainted musicians or audiophiles might do. One of the bands she had mentioned (and had been displayed under a similar category on her online dating profile, I'm fairly certain) were Canadian indie-rockers The Weakerthans, who I didn't know very well. However, as luck would have it, I had recently purchased a live Polar Bear Club acoustic album, and one of the songs they chose to cover was the Weakerthans track "Left and Leaving". I enjoyed the song, but didn't really get as crazy into it as some of the other songs on the covers LP. However, I was grateful I still had it on my player, as the sound of joy and surprise Kim made as I put it on my car's radio as we ventured to her place was all sorts of adorable. And what better way to introduce her to one of my favorite bands as well?

When we got back to her house, the previously mentioned cereal-eating gentleman and another male roommate were there, playing Mario Kart in the house's unkept living room. I still find it a bit odd that she lived with two other guys only, but she explained that she really didn't get along with other women she lived with in the past and preferred to live with dudes, so who was I to judge her choices? We joined the two guys in Mario Kart adventures, each sharing glasses from our growler as well as several more beers. They had muted the TV and were playing records instead of the whimsical Nintendo soundtracks. At one point they asked me if I wanted to play a record, and I chose a Herb Albert LP, which was initially scoffed as a weird choice. However, I found the random, horn-based tunes complemented the cartoonish levels well, and our not-quite-adult party agreed. Now, not only was I making significant progress with Kim, but I was also in with her roommates. Things were looking good.

Things are a bit hazy in my memory after that point. I remember getting legendarily drunk and playing video games for a few hours. We may have busted out GoldenEye or something else on their Nintendo 64, or may have put on a movie at some point as well. All I remember is holding hands with Kim at some point in the evening, and then it all comes to a head much later in the evening. Kim had asked me if I was OK to drive home that night, and I told her I was most certainly not. She then asked if I wanted to stay the night, which I most definitely did. However, I was still not making any assumptions in case something didn't end up happening and was mentally preparing myself to crash on her couch. At one point, Kim excused herself to use the restroom, and the two guys said they were both heading to bed. I had laid down on the couch after they left, assuming Kim wouldn't be too far behind them. A few minutes later, however, Kim came back into the room and asked if her roommates had gone to bed. I said they had, She then came over to the coach, laid down next to me, and started making out with me in earnest. After some time, she said (in some paraphrased way): "So, I don't want to do anything too crazy tonight, but would you like to come sleep in my bed with me?" I, of course, obliged. We then spent a few more hours making out and such. At some point her shirt came off, and I remember asking her if that was too far. She said no, but suggested we just cuddle instead. So we did and stayed that way, eventually falling asleep together.

Maybe I'm weird, but I feel that sleeping with someone in their bed is significantly more intimate and tender than having sex with them. It's certainly not something you would do with someone you don't at least trust, right? I find that the warmth and satisfaction of waking up next to someone you adore is better than the gratification of fucking them, at least.

Anyway, I woke up several hours later to bright daylight in Kim's room, surprisingly not at all hungover. She was still sleeping soundly, so I laid in her bed waiting for her to wake up. I think I woke up around 9 or 10am, but she didn't until at least 12:45pm, so it was a fairly long wait. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to her, but I did end up getting out of the bed a few times for the bathroom and what not, without disturbing her sleep in the slightest. I remember at one point I came back to the bed and she stirred a bit and scooted closer to me, so I snuck my arm back under her body. She curled into me and held me for at least 20 minutes, still snoozing. She was still not wearing a shirt but still had her bra on, and I remember being very impressed with how well her breasts filled said bra, and was hopeful for an opportunity in the future to see them outside of it. I also remember a tattoo she had on the back of her neck, which I discovered matched a framed art portrait on her wall. Her room was actually fairly large and contained a wide variety of musical instruments, none of which I had noticed the night before in the dark.

Kim eventually woke up, alarmed by how late it was, as she had a rehearsal to attend in a few short hours. We talked for a little bit before I excused myself, leaving the clear glass growler for her to use at the nearby brewery again. We kissed each other goodbye and I drove home, praying my replacement tire would make it the entire way. I got back and promptly fell back asleep for a few hours. And I didn't see her or talk to her again for several years.

Despite all of these connections and experiences, she didn't respond to any of my texts or calls throughout the next week. I wasn't texting her every day or anything, but occasionally throughout the next week, and didn't get any response back to any of my initial reachouts. It was weird. I remember telling this whole story to a few friends at a football-watching gathering about 10 days later and them finding it all odd as well. I walked down the stairs of my friends' apartment and called her again, and got her voicemail. I left a message saying something like, "Look, Kim, if you don't want to hang out or anything anymore, I get it. I thought we may have had something, but I understand if you don't feel the same way or want to hang out again." I went back inside and got a phone call back from her a few hours later, saying she was sorry that she was super busy and hadn't got back to me yet. She seemed a little annoyed that I had assumed she wasn't interested anymore, and said she'd get back to me when she had some free time. And then nothing after that. I was a bit annoyed at how she would update her Facebook and respond to people reaching to her on that, but wouldn't answer any calls or texts from me. I eventually stopped trying.

Randomly, about a year ago (which is about 3 years after this whole shindig), I ran into her again at a bar in the south loop. I was watching a Blackhawks Stanley Cup Final game with a few friends, and Kim was our server. She remembered me and was very nice to me, prompting my friends to ask how I knew her. However, we didn't talk much at all outside of drink orders. I left her a pretty large tip, but wasn't too interested in trying to figure out anything else about her.

The onslaught of memories of this evening swelled up in my this evening, and it prompted me to recite the tales of this here. I hope you've enjoyed this story in at least some way. I guess I can end it by saying that I ended up downloading two Weakerthans albums the week after our date, hoping I could get into them to impress her or something. I found that I liked them, but not enough to keep them on me at all times, so they live on my computer, randomly coming up to remind me of the distant girl whose bed I once slept in and yellow tires.

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jaketheaudiophile · 11 years ago

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Best Songs of 2014

Hey again friends!

So, time to do my annual tradition of listing my favorite songs of 2014. In the usual fashion, I will try to write a 10-word limit blurb for each one and include a link to the song and/or music video on YouTube for your listening pleasure. I also usually try to keep this to one song per artist, but that proved to not be the case this year, as you'll soon see. Anyway, here goes nothing!

25. CHON: "Knot"

Another CHON guitar clinic, a catchy track with fun deviations.

24. Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties: "St. Joe Keeps Us Safe"

I adore Dan Campbell, didn't love the album though.

23. Weatherbox: "The Fresh Prints of Bill Ayers"

What a fun, oddball hook. Love the vocals on this.

22. Every Time I Die: "Thirst"

Great video, lovely slam-dancing-inspiring tune.

21. Gates: "Not My Blood"

That ending coda, man, that coda. Amazing layered sounds.

20. Animals As Leaders: "Tooth And Claw"

Narrowly beating out "Physical Education"; Heavy, moving, complex.

19. You Blew It!: "Better to Best"

Great album closer; killer "whoa"s and vocals, inspiring lyrics.

18. Inventions: "Peaceable Child"

Whoever thought up this side project deserves all the money.

17. Andy McKee: "The Reason"

Fun, bouncy, complicated but deceptively simple sounding. Classic McKee.

16. Prawn: "Thalassa"

Great emo jam, brilliant vocals. Permanently stuck in my head.

15. Such Gold: "Faced"

What a bizarre album, but this song is great.

14. Knuckle Puck: "Oak Street"

Spoiler: There are 3 Knuckle Puck songs on this list.

13. Volumes: "The Mixture"

Great grooves, stellar tandem vocals. Inspires in-seat moshing.

12. Suicide Silence: "You Can't Stop Me"

RIP Mitch Lucker. Your bandmates are doing well in your honor.

11. Tim Fite: "No Philosophy"

Hilarious, inappropriate social commentary that's a little disturbing? No.

10. La Dispute: "Stay Happy There"

A welcome return to the La Dispute abrasiveness of old.

9. Knuckle Puck: "Alexander Pl."

Brilliant pop-punk from a stellar EP.

8. The Hotelier: "An Introduction to the Album"

Great title and album starter. Love Christian Holden's vocal range.

7. Iron Reagen: "Your Kids an Asshole"

Short, sweet, and to the hilarious point.

6. Knuckle Puck: "Fences"

From a perfect split EP. These Chicago boys owned 2014.

5. Somos: "Familiar Theme"

Very cool off-rhythm chorus and catchy entirety.

4. United Nations: "Serious Business"

The epitome of brutal. A loud anger management departure.

3. El Ten Eleven: "Nova Scotia"

The kings of looped dance rock return in style.

2. Pianos Become The Teeth: "Repine"

Dark, moody and beautiful. The proper way to surprise fans.

1. This Will Destroy You: "Dustism"

Gorgeous soundscape and amazing second half. Eternal goosebumps.

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jaketheaudiophile · 11 years ago

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Best Albums of 2014

Hey there. So, rather than soliloquize on how rarely I write on this blog anymore, let's just get down to brass tacks and discuss my personal favorite albums of 2014. As always, opinions/disagreements/compliments welcome. 15. Volumes: "No Sleep"

It's really unusual to me that I enjoy Volumes so much because I don't normally like a lot of bands in this genre and find they all run together, but something in the groove-heavy blast and genre-infusion these California dudes craft is magical. The co-vocalists work together really well ("91367", "Pistol Play") and deviations like the techno-interlude "Better Half" only add to the intensity mosh-fests like "The Mixture" deliver. Songs like "Across The Bed", though, with it's subdued intro transitioning to pure brutality, are Volumes at their best. Way to deliver a great sophomore album, dudes.

14. gates: "Bloom and Breathe"

After a couple of excellent EPs over the past few years, NJ's gates come through with a dense, complex full length with some truly beautiful instrumentation and songwriting. gates may be the best band I know of to use 3 guitars to make up their sound, as the axmen weave delay-choked atmospherics and melodies effortless into a web of gorgeous noise. Add in a brilliant rhythm section and a wide vocal range from vocalist Kevin Dye and you have a recipe for a brilliant record. There are definitely some moments and songs that drag or are overlong, but goosebump-inducing moments like the end coda of "Not My Blood" more than make up for any shortcomings.

13. Pianos Become The Teeth: "Keep You"

First off, this band needs to be commended big time for scrapping their screamo sound entirely and releasing an album with entirely clean vocals and more subdued post-rock. What a dangerous limb to go out on. That said, while it is impressive at the band's chameleon-like re-invention, the album is a bit too boring and bland at moments for my personal taste. Songs like "Late Lives" and the brilliant "Repine" show great songwriting, but the album is not as jaw-dropping to me as anticipated. Still, though, I'm quite impressed with their skills in the total changeover of sound, and look forward to what they do from here.

12. Prawn: "Kingfisher"

After a smattering of great split EPs, it was high time Prawn put out another full lenght, and Kingfisher is as good as anything else the band has ever done. Prawn are masters of both the kick-out-the-jams fast tempo rock side of indie rock ("Dialect Of...", "Thalassa") and the more subdued, introspective emo ballads ("Absurd Walls"), and both are woven together here. Tony Clark's tremendous vocal range are the main element that makes Prawn stand out from other indie/emo groups, but the album is a bit too hit-and-miss song-wise to put them over the top.

11. Weatherbox: "Flies in All Directions"

This is perhaps my personal biggest surprise inclusion on this list. When this album first came out, I wasn't very crazy about it, but over time, songs kept creeping up and getting stuck in my head, causing me to re-examine and completely fall in love with Brian Warren's latest weirdo collection. The man can write hooks and killer rock songs so well that it's very hard to pick a favorite song from this (although I'll try, somewhere between "The Fresh Prints of Bill Ayers", "Drag Out" and "Kick-Flips"), and sometimes individual sections of songs are so good that it's almost worth skipping to just to hear it (such as the last half of "Ghost Malls"). Not all of the 53-minutes are good ("The Last White Lighter" and it's auto-tuned vocals are particularly cringe-inducing), but kudos to Weatherbox on another stellar album.

10. United Nations: "The Next Four Years"

Whoa. This album is almost physically painful to listen to, but it is a cacophonous masterpiece of deathcore and heavy metal. Yes, it is cool when you realize that it's former Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly doing all the screaming, but somewhere along the line he really learned how to control his voice, and the results are stunning and kinda frightening. This also is one of the best drummer performances I've heard on an album, as Pianos Become The Teeth's David Haik churns out blastbeat after blastbeat in impressive, creative fashion. The only reason I don't have this higher on my list is because it can be a little hard to listen to and get in the mood to hear, as it really is a bleak record. That said, if you're ever pissed off and need to hear something angry, you can't do much better than listening to this.

9. Inventions: "Inventions"

From the complete opposite end of the spectrum is an album whose creation I was thrilled about from day one. When I heard that Matthew Cooper of Eluvium and Mark T. Smith of Explosions in the Sky were recording an album together under the name of Inventions, I couldn't wait to hear the results, and they delivered everything I was expecting. The atmospherics and electronics are incredibly well arranged, creating dense soundscapes, and Smith's typical brilliant guitar subtleties add an incredible balance to the tracks ("Entity"). At times, it's hard to tell who is exactly doing what, which is really cool. Well-used vocal samples also create very cool moments ("Flood Poems", "Recipient") and the well-used massive techno beat drives some songs into brilliance ("Peaceable Child"). My only criticism is the introduction to the song "Sun Locations/Sun Coda", which has a fast, driving bass beat throughout and is surprisingly annoying, but otherwise this is a great atmospheric record, perfect for putting on and dreaming.

8. Animals as Leaders: "The Joy of Motion"

I feel like I've run out of words to praise Tosin Abasi and his brilliant guitar playing, but I think this is the best Animals As Leaders album yet. Some songs aren't outstanding, but the ones that are shine well bright enough to drown out any doubt. Additionally, drummer Matt Garstka shows his incredible, dynamic playing on his first recording with AAL, outshining Abasi in a few spots. I also love that former drummer Navene Koperweis contributed multiple synth and electronic parts, adding cool elements to songs, but never overstaying his welcome or outmuscling any of the group. It's entirely unfair that this talented of a guitarist is also this creative of a songwriting, but we have great albums like this to show for it, so I guess I should stop complaining.

7. Every Time I Die: "From Parts Unknown"

My personal favorite heavy music album of this year (if you don't count my #1 overall as a "heavy" band, which I don't). Everything that makes fans of ETID love them is present on this album: Keith Buckley's frantic scream and surprisingly witty vocals, great brilliant riffs from guitarists Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams, general nihilism, et al. However, what really pushes this album for me are the great shorter, breakneck songs like "Thirst" and "Pelican of the Desert", which remind me of the band's older material like 2003's "Hot Damn!". Also amazing is the bizarre middle track "Moor", with it's creepy piano and sung intro, showing that these Buffalo boys are still as creative as ever. ETID can be a bit inconsistent at times (I didn't particularly like their last album, "Ex-Lives"), but when they hit, they hit hard and well, and I will always love them for the good that they do.

6. Tim Fite: "iBeenHACKED"

So, yes, I may be biased towards this album because I backed it's creation on Kickstarter and now have a Tim Fite-drawn portrait of myself in my room as a reward. And, yes, I know Tim Fite is definitely not for everyone, but this is another great album in Tim's ever-growing, constantly oddball catalogue. Fite's brilliance as a arranger and electronic music creator is as strong as ever with cool beats, clever samples, and diced-up, weird noises. Additional, Fite's sense of humor and creativity come through not only in songs but also in the many fake ads that pepper the album. This is an album that may make you consider going outside instead of sitting inside staring at your phone or computer, and makes my slightly-disgusted love and respect in Tim Fite continue to grow.

5. This Will Destroy You: "Another Language"

After 2011's "Tunnel Blanket" came out, I was a bit afraid that This Will Destroy You would forever fall in love with slower, atmospheric-based music and would lose interest in their instrumental rock beginnings. These fears were banished with this year's amazing "Another Language", which somehow marries both these concepts into one and creates a bunch of sublime songs in the process. The atmospheric noise fests are shorter, which makes them stand out a bit more and prevents the listener from losing interest or nodding off ("Mother Opiate", "God's Teeth"). Better still are the instrumental rock tracks, which ebb and flow between softer driving moments to bombastic, dense melodies ("War Prayer", the tremendous "Dustism"). By far the best instrumental record of the year.

4. Somos: "Temple of Plenty"

This album, essentially, is the perfect short emo/punk album. Nine songs, all roughly 3 minutes long, and each one catchy, melodic and memorable. These Boston-based musicians join together interesting rhythms, great vocal melodies and a subtle political bite in lyrics to these tried-and-true formula. There's really not much more to say; check 'em out and I think you'll agree. If anything, it leaves you wanting more, so here's hoping their future releases are this well-rounded.

3. You Blew It!: "Keep Doing What You're Doing"

This album makes me nostalgic in all the best ways. It reminds me of all the best parts of the Deep Elm Records samplers I used to buy from the checkout counter at Hot Topic. It's everything great about the emo sound and arrangements comprised into one great record. The guitar parts are somehow both complex and deceptively simple, and are put together brilliantly over the tight backing of the drums and bass. Combined with Tanner Jones' great vocals and brilliant songwriting, and you have what I consider the best emo album in a year marked with a myriad of "emo revival" records. Infinitely re-listenable and memorable.

2. The Hotelier: "Home, Like Noplace is There"

This album is schizophrenic in all the best possible ways. Rather than focus on their excellent emo/indie sound, these guys amped it up and threw in straight-up rock ("Your Deep Rest") and surprisingly competent screamo ("Life in Drag") and the results are fantastic. The album also boasts one of the best-named and best first songs on an record ("An Introduction to the Album") and my favorite cover art of the year as well. Every song is brilliant regardless of its genre, and Christian Holden's great lyrics and melodies/screams make sure each track stays in your head. The amount of times I kept finding myself jonesing to hear this album surprised me, and I couldn't think of any other place this album deserved to be than my second favorite album of the year. Were the first place finisher not head and shoulders above everything else, The Hotelier may have even topped that.

1. La Dispute: "Rooms of the House"

It wasn't even fair. This album came out in March and I knew within a few listens that it would be near impossible for any other band to release anything better. A bit more succinct and subdued than their previous releases, Michigan's finest dialed in some subtle electronics and minimalist instrumentation to their excellent post-rock leanings, and the results came through with flying colors. These slow-burning jam (both of the "Woman ( )" songs in particular are very moving) are melded with vocalist Jordan Dreyer's continued excellent narratives ("THE CHILD WE LOST 1963") and the band's never-ending brilliance in heavier, jarring pieces ("First Reactions after Falling Through The Ice", "Stay Happy There"). Expectations were high and all were met, and La Dispute has cemented themselves as one of the most transcendent bands in this era of complex, talented musicians.

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