19. Bats for Lashes-"Two Suns"
Although Natasha Khan (Bats for Lashes) claims to be from London, she's got to be from some nearby planet that still practices medieval courtship and sequesters pretty ladies in castles. Her music is so other-wordly and so over the top one can't comprehend how she grew up in Wembley. By sprinkling helpings of her idols (a little Kate Bush on "Glass", Bjork on "Sleep Alone", Tori Amos on "Siren Song") Khan has built quite an eclectic taste on her second record Two Suns. But don't be confused; Khan is her own woman. On the aforementioned "Glass," Khan's voice rises and soars over a new-age/metal (?) clangor. On "The Big Sleep" she outduels vocal partner Scott Walker in creepiness, something that is not accomplished very easily. But her strongest moment is "Daniel" in which her voice calmly emotes over a chilly 80's synth line.
Listen to this: "Daniel"
18. Girls-"Album"
I was recently watching a documentary of HBO about the Children of God cult. It was poorly made (albeit by someone without documentary training) but stark in its portrayal of the cult. Separated from the parents from a young age, children in the cult were forced to preform sexual and scarring acts to their nannies/male enforcers, the people left in charge of them. Vocalist and songwriter Christopher Owens of Girls is an escapee of the Children of God cult. Knowing that, it's hard not to hear the lyric "I wish a loving man in my life/I wish I had a father/then maybe I would of turned out right" and not think that the cult in some sort affected him. But the music on Album points to otherwise, from the scuzzed up Beach Boys hoedown of "Big Bad Motherfucker" to the uplifting shoegazy blast of sun "Morning Light." But with all of its Spector inspired fun, lies its emotional core "Hellhole Ratrace" in which the dejected Owens doesn't want to "cry his whole life through/die without shaking a leg or two." Surviving the cult, bad breakups, drug addictions, Girls know that they have to keep a happy face indeed.
Listen to this: "Laura"
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17. Jay Reatard- "Watch Me Fall"
Jay Reatard's Watch Me Fall seems amply named. Over the past year, Jay has stormed off numerous stages, had his band quit on him (and join Wavves, who is, to be quite honest, Jay Reatard lite), and most recently, had two drunk fans attack him in Austin. So why does everyone put up with his shenanigans? Because the dude is a powerpop/punk mastermind. Go listen to Blood Visions again and tell me that he isn't the best thing to happen to his genre since the Buzzcocks. I'll wait. Back? Good. On Watch Me Fall, Jay makes gigantic steps forward. From the echoey "I'm Watching You" to the Violent Femmes except sung by a complete lunatic who wants to kick your ass feel of "Wounded." He even ends the record with a genuine ballad "There is No Sun." Not content to stand on his laurels, Watch Me Fall will get Jay more comparisons to Elvis Costello rather than Johnny Lydon. Yeah, Jay Reatard might be a jerk with a chip on his shoulder but when the music is this good, who the hell cares?
Watch This: "It Ain't Gonna Save Me"
British music magazines suck. Everyone knows that. To pick on them would be like picking on Shannon Sharpe for not being able to speak clearly or Spencer Pratt for being the most insufferable human being alive; fun, yes, but already gone over ad nauseam. So when they hype up "The Next Big Thing," one has to look over with skeptical eyes and wondering ears. The XX was "The Next Big Thing" in England at the mid-point of this year. But unlike most bands hyped up overseas that prefer style to substance and seem to lean heavily on their copies of The Kinks and U2, the XX seemed to prefer to remain ambiguous and seemed to liken their sound to American R&B such as Aaliyah and minimalist punk of Young Marble Giants. And it helped that they didn't have one defining song; they had at least five. "Crystalized" skims and beats like a dubstep record while "Basic Space" sounds like vintage Timbaland. But what makes this record work so well is their overall inexperience. Afraid to do to much or too little, the record finds a perfect middleground that can both demand your attention and be background fodder, ideal cool kids make out music. These are songs about sex, plain and simple, and the foibles young kids go to get it. It's going to be hard for these lads to top this on their next record, but let them enjoy their time as "The Big Thing."
Listen to this: "Infinity"
15. Dirty Projectors- "Bitte Orca"
Dirty Projectors have always made music for indie journalists. Frontman Dave Longstreth has a voice that is so dividing that many will turn away before giving it a chance (major kudos points) and his guitar playing can range from "precious" to "running in the beach sand" to Stephen Malkamus "freakout but still deeply in control" in the blink of an eye. It gives the chance for journalists to throw out big words and use that vast vocabulary of theirs when describing the band's art pop. But at times, their music has seemed forced and too, too fragile. Bitte Orca is a record that wants to change all that. Still building on their strengths (check opener "Cannibal Resource" which builds upon Longstreth's guitar line, the girl's connecting harmonies, and mid-song harp) the Projectors show that they have some new tricks up their sleeves. "Useful Chamber" starts off as a Kraftwerk style burner, only to dissolve into a guitar freakout midway, build back up with a Bohemian-like Raspody choral performance from the ladies, only to dissolve once again into an even more circling guitar line. But the strongest part of the record has to be centerpiece "Stillness is the Move." Sounding like the Tom Tom Club and Mariah Carey combined in a SlamChop, the song has major song of the year potential. It's no wonder Solange Knowles (Beyonce's sister) is a big fan of the song; she knows a good pop song when she hears it.
Listen to This: "Stillness is the Move"
14. Cymbals Eat Guitars-"Why There Are Mountains"
Well, at least something good comes from Staten Island (zing!). The Staten Island crew Cymbals Eat Guitars debut Why There Are Mountains is a definite keeper and one of the surprises of the year. Many a comparison to Built to Spill, the foursome build their sound around so-called canyons of sound. For example, opener "And the Hazy Sea" opens mid-scream, only to slow into a calming piano line, only to build up again, only to spread out again into a droning guitar, only to blast off even louder, which then furrows into an epic screeching feedback. End of song. But they are not ready to back themselves into a Explosions in the Sky corner, they cover various ground. For example, "Some Trees" is a short, post-punk song about watching some girl hang herself outside of their window, while "Indiana" starts off with a slow-building echo until it falls into a drunk Elliot Smith on the piano romp. The record takes so many left turns, like driving around a literal mountain, it's hard not to be entertained and wonder what's coming next.
Listen to this: "Wind Phoenix"
13. Bear in Heaven-"Beast Rest Forth Mouth"
Why is no one talking about these guys? They sound like no one really making music right. By mixing in This Heat, Kid A Radiohead, and Rush, setting the blender to puree, and coming out with a pyschedelic/tribal/new wave/synth pop smootie, Bear in Heaven made one of the most exciting records of the year with Beast Rest Forth Mouth. With a definitive sound or pulsing single (although "Lovesick Teenagers" is an absolute banger) the record never falls into a pattern and it's really hard to figure out which way the music is going to go. For example, "Ultimate Satisfaction" jumps out the box sounding like a sped up Phoenix song, only to have "Dust Cloud" follow it with its "I want to kiss your mouth refrain" and ambient shoegaze pulse, only to follow with "Drug a Wheel" which sounds like Dr. Dre and Nick Cave got together and procreated some messed up baby. Just listen to this record, man. Don't let these guys remain an underdog forever.
Listen to this: "Lovesick Teenagers"
12. Future of the Left- "Travels with Myself and Another"
I love Mclusky. Pretty much any record that comes out that sounds like Mclusky or has members of Mclusky in it has an unfair advantage in accordance to how much I'm going to like it. Sounding like the Pixies, except louder, cruder, and more fear-inspiring, Mclusky was one of the bands that I was generally upset when they split up. They had such a good thing going. So when lead singer Andy Falkous and drummer Jack Egglestone formed Future of the Left with new bassist Kelson Louis Matthias, I was all ears. And their sophomore release Travels with Myself and Another builds on everything Mclusky did well. In "I Am Civil Service" Falkous leers that "if I eat what I fuck and I fuck what I eat, am I worthy?" while the band crushes along and "Stand By/Your Manatee" sounds like Vintage Mclusky: speedy noise rock riff, thundering bass, while a man is lamented for having parents that "used plastic forks." But on this record, Falkous and crew seem to actually believe they can write pop songs, as demented as they might be. For example, "Throwing Bricks at Trains" dirties a danceable synth line while "The Hope That House Built" sounds like a barbershop quartet that decided that pub rock was a great way to show off their talents. Mclusky might still be alive when Falkous screams "What kind of orgy leaves a deeper sense of love?" but his new group seems intent on accomplishing something else, pop stardom.
Listen to this: "The Hope That House Built"
11. Sunset Rubdown-"Dragonslayer"
Spencer Krug gets a lot of acclaim in the indie world for being uber-prolific, utterly strange at times, and a lyrical genius. Some of it is well-deserved while some of it borders on over praise (I mean, someone compared him to Bowie). His work on the last Wolf Parade record was scattershot at and his first record with Sunset Rubdown, Random Spirit Lover, had moments of brilliance only to be plugged with pompous overindulgence. But on his second record, Dragonslayer, Krug seems to have re-surfaced. Instead of trying to build some extended strand throughout the record, Krug and Co. let each song stand for themselves and leave open doors for the listener to interpret. And it doesn't hurt that it boasts some of his best songs yet. The beautifully baroque opener "Silver Moons" focuses on growing old, having the parties pass you by, only to have the memories of a woman who might of loved you long ago. "Black Swan" shows the band in full swing and actually might be the closest Krug ever gets to writing a so-called "sex" song (well, it is at least about the subject). Although many journalists want to christen him the new Bowie, Krug has always been a proggy type of guy at heart, living in a fantasy world to escape the heartache of the real world. Dragonslayer perfectly demonstrates that.
Listen to this: "Black Swan"
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