He’s also a comedy writer and performer having written for TV shows Monk, Squidbillies, Tim and Eric Awesome Show and other Adult Swim programs. Lastly, he’s half of the comedy duo Scharpling and Wurster; calling into The Best Show hosted by Tom Scharpling on WFMU, performing many characters he’s created over the years including the Gorch, Philly Boy Roy, Corey Harris (of Mother 13), Hippy Johnny, Timmy von Trimble (the two-inch racist), Sean (airhorn guy), Stepuncle Mort, Bernie Taupin (lyricist), a stoner named Bryce, and Maurice Kern (owner of Kern Pharmaceuticals).

Follow Jon Wurster on Twitter

Sock Monkey Sound

Danger @ Pitchfork Music Festival: Sunday Part 1

Danger @ Pitchfork Music Festival: Sunday Part 2

Danger @ Pitchfork Music Festival: Sunday Part 3

Danger @ Pitchfork Music Festival: Sunday Part 4

Danger @ Pitchfork Music Festival: Sunday Part 5

Sock Monkey Sound

Fleet Foxes will be in Chicago on July 16th as part of the Pitchfork Music Festival, along the likes of Superchunk, James Blake, Animal Collective, Das Racist, Odd Future, Neko Case, No Age, The Radio Dept, and many many more.  You can pick up tickets for that here.  For more Fleet Foxes and their updates, as well as when tickets go on sale for new dates, please head over to their official site.  Here are the tour dates below, with the recently added dates in bold:

Fleet Foxes summer-winter tour 2011

6/23/11 Wolverhampton, United Kingdom @ Wolverhampton Civic Hall
6/24/11 Glastonbury, United Kingdom @ Glastonbury Festival
6/2511 Belfast, Ireland @ Custom House Square
6/26/11 Cork, Ireland Live at the Marquee (IRE)
6/28/11 Manchester, United Kingdom @ Apollo Manchester
6/29/11 Edinburgh, United Kingdom @ Corn Exchange
07/01/11 Eden Sessions,
07/02/11 Arras, France @ Main Square Festival,
07/04/11 Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter
07/06/11Poznan, Poland @ Malta Festival
07/08/11 Lisbon, Portugal @ Optimus Alive Festival
07/10/11 Turku, Finland @ Ruisrock
07/14/11 Toronto, Canada @ Massey Hall*
07/16/11 Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival*
07/17/11 Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre (MN)*
07/18/11 Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater (MO)*
07/19/11 St Louis, MO @ Pageant*
07/21/11 Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium (CO)*
07/22/11 Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden Ampitheatre*
07/23/11 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory (ID)*
07/24/11 Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Amphitheater*
08/11/11 Oslo, Norway @ Oya Natt Festival
08/12/11Göteborg, Sweden @ Way Out West Festival
08/13/11 Rees-Haldern, Germany @ Haldern Festival
08/14/11 Saint-Malo, France @ La Route du Rock Festival
08/16/11 Brighton, United Kingdom @ Brighton Dome
08/18/11 Kiewit / Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
08/19/11 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands @ Lowlands Festival
08/20/11 Brecon Beacons, United Kingdom @ Greenman Festival
09/06/11 Seattle WA @ Paramount Theatre**
09/07/11 Seattle WA @ Paramount Theatre**
09/09/11 Fri – Reno NV @ Grand Sierra Theatre
09/10/11 Sat – Berkeley CA @ Greek Theatre**
09/11/11 Sun – Big Sur CA @ Henry Miller Library**
09/13/11 Tue – Santa Barbara CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl**
09/14/11 Wed – Los Angeles CA @ Greek Theatre**
09/17/11 Sat – Tulsa OK @ Cain’s Ballroom**
09/18/11 Sun – Austin TX @ ACL Festvial
09/20/11 Tue – Jacksonville FL @ Florida Theatre**
09/21/11 Wed – Raleigh NC @ Raleigh Amphitheater**
09/23/11 Fri – Columbia MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion**
09/24/11 Sat – Brooklyn NY @ Williamsburg Waterfront**
09/25/11 Sun – Holyoke MA @ Mountain Park**
09/29/11 Thu – Ann Arbor MI @ Hill Auditorium**
11/10/11 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Falconer Theatre
11/11/11 Weissenhauserstrand, Germany  @ Rolling Stone Weekender
11/14/11 Zagreb, Croatia  @ Tvornica
11/15/11Vienna, Austria @  MuseumsQuartier
11/17/11 Rome, Italy @ Atlantico
11/19/11 Bologna, Italy @ Estragon
11/ 20/11 Milan, Italy @ Teatro Smeraldo
11/21/11 Zurich, Switzerland @ Komplex
11/22/11 Fribourg, Switzerland @ Fri-Son
12/01/11 Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy
12/02/11 Butlins, Minehead, Somerset, UK @ All Tomorrow’s Parties

*w/Alela Diane and Wild Divine
**w/The Walkmen

Sock Monkey Sound

In last year’s list, I commented on my newly found dedication to immerse myself in new music.  This year acted as a continuation and expansion of that dedication.  In assembling the list, I found myself with somewhere in the range of 30 albums that I enjoyed and had to consider for the top spots.  Does this mean anything to you, the dear reader?  It’s hard to say.  Probably not but I have to question your motivation in indulging my already established myopia (excluding those of you who are first time readers or indulging in some morbid curiosity:  Hi. Welcome. I <3 you) if you have issues with personal narrative as record review.  Where last year was dominated by cerebral, super well crafted pop and indie rock, this year takes a step towards the raw.  Whether it was a rawness of emotions (releases by now reliable veterans like The National and Frightened Rabbit) or that of style and production (staticy blasts of youth from Male Bonding, Titus Andronicus, and Dum Dum Girls), my listening was largely dominated by various acts of flagellation and uplift.

In that order.

Repeat.

*Fair warning: Zero portions of this list make mention of releases by Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, anything connected Animal Collective, or whatever the hell Chillwave is.  I either thought they were not as good as other releases, hated them, or didn’t listen because of philosophical or moral issues.  You can decide amongst yourselves which is which.*

Top 10 Albums

1. The National-High Violet: The members of the National worry about a lot of things.  They have responsibilities and they’re afraid.  That these themes have been explored in full throughout all of The National’s releases over the past 5 years is of little consequence.  High Violet comes across as a summation of everything the band has strived to be.  That the same themes of self doubt and alienation are presented in such a lush, spacious, beautiful manner is of full consequence.  To say that the songs slowly burn their way through one’s psyche as they deliberately build and retreat is hyperbolic, but only slightly.  I previously described this album as both a scalpel and suture for one’s mental wounds and it remains true.  High Violet offers little unearned catharsis. Songs often end in a whisper rather than a triumphant roar.  When it does allow the listener moments of healing, they feels all the stronger for it.  Over a hushed, gorgeous arrangement on, “Runaway,” Matt Berninger sings, “No, I won’t be no runaway.  Cause I won’t run.  No, I won’t be no runaway.  What makes you think I enjoy being led to the flood?  We got another thing comin’ undone, and it’s taking us over.”  At first it’s a fearful declaration, evoking the things that can go wrong when love instills the dedication to follow someone anywhere.  Over and over, upon itself, the refrain is repeated, finally instilling a quiet confidence of survival.  I loved this album six months ago because of the unstoppable way it poked and validated my frailties.  The more I listen, the more it feels like the inklings of a road toward feeling okay.

2. Titus Andronicus-The Monitor: If punk rock has one overriding motif, it’s that of Us v Them.  Titus Andronicus took in their first album (2008’s The Airing of Grievances) and blew it up to epic proportions on The Monitor.  Andronicus takes the concept of our nations ultimate instance of Us v Them, telling the story of doomed battalions in the American Civil War and what it means to be young and confused in today’s America; contrasting the fate of a literal lost generation (620,000 young men died in the civil war during a time when the United States population hovered around 27 million people) with that of the figurative, directionless bewilderment of most youths over the last 60-100 years.  When singer Patrick Stickles bellows, “Rally round the flag,” he speaks not only of sailors standing fast on the gun deck of the beached USS Minnesota, but of anyone banding together against the forces of fear,  depression, and an unknowable future. Those who are overeducated and undersexed, searching for anything but nihilism.  The Monitor’s US incorporates anyone who needs an anthem to battle against the Them of confusion and the death of hope.  Stacking quotations from Walk Whitman, Jefferson Davis, and Abraham Lincoln up against references to Billy Bragg and Bruce Springsteen, Andronicus urges us to fight against these metaphoric enemies spread everywhere, even if only for one song.

3. Superchunk-Majesty Shredding: Superchunk are better than the vast majority of bands.  I’m not even going to bother debating that fact.  Every year they release an album is a year that ends with a Superchunk release in the top ten.  Some have dismissed the outpouring of affection for this record as being mostly fueled by nostalgia; as if its praise is similar to the way that Rolling Stone gives every new Springsteen release 4 stars.  I would like to kick those people in the shins.  Anecdotal evidence is often weak but I’m going to use it anyway.  I’ve only become aware of Superchunk as a thing that exists within the past 7 years.  My love for the chunk is entirely based in the present and I will attest as strongly as I can that this album is equally as good as On the Mouth or Foolish. It is noisy, joyful, and invigorating in ways that every indie rock band must strive for but will never match.  If Majesty Shredding cannot make you smile, you are one sad motherfucker.

4. LCD Soundsystem-This is Happening: Speaking of Us v Them, the latest (and potentially last) LCD Soundsystem takes the battle to the hearts of those who think it is not possible to shake one’s ass while feeling introspective.  This is Happening is filled with 12” club mixes dedicated to your sometimes grumpy, often wry older friend who likes to get drunk and make self serving references to the Berlin Sessions.  This is Happening is that one house party where your professional friends got super loose and danced until one accidentally vomited in the kitchen sink.  It’s the smartest paean to making mistakes you’ll hear this year.  There are times for words and times to shut up and dance.  This is Happening ends up being both.

5. Male Bonding- Nothing Hurts: I previously described Male Bonding as, “loud, fast, and dirty.  The tones are skuzzy and the songs are short.”  Nothing Hurts is grimy lo-fi made by three young English gents.  If I wanted to intellectualize it, I’d suggest that the album acts as a refutation of the pain expressed by Titus Andronicus and The Promise Ring’s seminal 2^nd album by arguing that any pain can be pushed away if you just turn up the volume.  I have no interest in intellectualizing this album.  It’s a punk album, first and foremost.  The songs are catchy and the songs are muddy.  The noise washes over everything and batters the walls a bit, and then it’s over.  It sounds like a lost release from the Sup Pop Singles Club filtered through a broken reverb pedal.  These are good things and, like Shoegazer Jon, I spilled my beer.

6. Beach House-Teen Dream: Beach House sound like a warm summer breeze.  Lush and warm, they’re the sunlight peaking through a curtained window during a late afternoon nap.  Like many albums on this list, Teen Dream finds Beach House taking the aesthetic of prior albums and purifying it; finding the most direct means of communication and running with it.  Smooth guitar lines ping into the distance as warbled organ alternates between fuzzy, muted drone and icy stabs of melody.  Singer Victoria Legrand’s voice is the most upfront it has ever been, wrapping everything in a caramel blanket.  This is dream pop at its most literal; sounding like those quiet seconds after one has awoken but yet to open their eyes.  It’s also a fantastic make out record.

7. Surfer Blood-Astrocoast: In a year when drum machine duos, and bands dripping with reverb and 1988 were all the rage, Surfer Blood’s debut has a sound that could be popular at any point within the Indie rock era.  Mixing influence from garage rock, Weezer’s golden era, and the new wave of The Cars, Surfer Blood shows that one doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel to make it roll (worst metaphor ever!) .  Astrocoast is a record for couches, and car seats, or whatever people mean when they say, “chilling out.”  The tempos are easy and the melodies even more so.  What’s impressive about this record is how (a)live it sounds.  It’s the sound of a tight band going into a studio with a few guitars and keyboards and just playing.  Such things are difficult to fault.

8. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest: Deerhunter are a psych pop encyclopedia in a time when standing out has been increasingly muddled by every yahoo with a Syd Barrett album, a pedal board, and a cursory knowledge of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine (Hi).  Bradford Cox seems aware of this conundrum and responded by pairing down some of the aggressiveness of Deerhunter’s prior releases and replacing it with songs that are really fucking good.  Why hasn’t everyone come up with such a solution?  Sometimes the songs on Halcyon Digest are obscured by static and sometimes they breathe through in their shimmering glory.  Few things connect songs like the rollicking boogy of, “Coronado,” with the epic, mystical beauty if, “He Would Have Laughed,” but Cox and Deerhunter have the mastery to make them one and then same.

9. Dum Dum Girls- I Will Be: The debut from Dum Dum Girls is fuzzy and hissy in familiar ways.  The concept of 60s pop songs sounding like a tape cassette left out in the sun is nothing new but Dum Dum Girls figured out a way to take the form to new heights.  Filled with tales of bad girls, best friends, and love lost, I Will Be manages a fairly astounding feat by putting emphasis on writing songs as good as those that inspired them instead of focusing on the noise that obfuscates them.  There is no denying the giddy pleasure of songs like, “Bhang Bhang, I’m a Burnout,” “Jail La La, and, “It Only Takes One Night.”  Under everything else, I Will Be is bubblegum bliss.

10. Frightened Rabbit-The Winter of Mixed Drinks: Do we really need to discuss the appeal of Frightened Rabbit?  Remember how great The Midnight Organ was?  This album is just as good.  From the full bodied uplift of, “Swim Until You Can’t See Land,” to the lingering discontent of, “Foot Shooter,” these are songs that don’t stop building until they tumble over the end.  They sound and feel like the brogueish stories of a man who has seen some, but not all, of what life has to offer and must come to terms with the rest.  As the title suggests, this is an album for January nights spent next to the fire with a glass and a story.

Just missed the 10

1. Crankupmadonna-Hit the Sound

2. The Thermals-Personal Life

3. Wild Nothing-Gemini

4. No Age-Everything in Between

5. Mavis Staples-You Are Not Alone

6. The Walkmen-Lisbon

7. John Legend & The Roots-Wake Up!

8. Dr Dog-Shame, Shame

9. Best Coast-Crazy for You

10. Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin-Let it Sway

20 Best Songs

1. She & Him-Theives

2. The National-Afraid of Everyone/Bloodbuzz, Ohio

3. Mavis Staples-You Are Not Alone

4. Cee Lo-Fuck You

5. Jim O’Rourke feat Haruomi Hosono- Close to You

6. LCD Soundsystem- Pow Pow

7. Kayne West (featuring everyone ever)-Monster

8. Regina Spektor-No Surprises (Radiohead cover)

9. Wild Nothing- Summer Holiday

10. Male Bonding-Crooked Scene

11. The Mynabirds-Numbers Don’t Lie

12. Best Coast-Boyfriend

13. Surferblood- Swim

14. The Thermals-Your Love is So Strong

15. Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin-All Hail Dracula

16. Girls-Broken Dreams Club

17. Dum Dum Girls-Bhang Bhang I’m a Burnout

18. Sex Bob-omb- Garbage Truck

19. Crankupmadonna-One Good Lie

20. Sufjan Stevens-Too Much

Local Considerations (aka bands who had fantastic releases and you got sick of me writing about)

1. Joie De Vivre- The North End

2. Geronimo- Fuzzy Dreams

3. Mountains for Clouds-Some People Buy Scenery Like This

4. Staasanator Rex-62

Why in blue blazes wasn’t Lisbon in your Top 10?

That’s a fair question because I get the feeling that Lisbon is an amazing album.  Honestly all the blame lands on The Walkmen for this one.  They know of my well established timeline for appreciating their albums.  I can never fully realize the quality of a Walkmen album until I’ve listened to it for 6 months.  If they really wanted to make my top list, they would have released Lisbon in June or earlier instead of September.

Someone hire this guy an editor

Sufjan Stevens-The Age of Adz: At some point during the last three years Mr. Stevens completely lost his faith in the ability for normal songs to convey any meaning.  That’s awesome. Existential crisis always makes for compelling, interesting music unless your name is Metallica.  Stevens apparently decided that the way to solve this crisis was by setting out to soundtrack a non-existent animated reimagining of Blade Runner (my explanation).  That is also awesome because just read the preceding sentence.  The Age of Adz has a lot of straight up amazing ideas and musical moments.  The only problem is that these moments of genius are strangled by the sheer bulk of ideas.  There are so many things happening that, in the process of making it from beginning to end, one forgets that the amazing moments happened.  It’s like one of those days when you’ve worked for 12 hours and come home having forgotten that seeing those two pigeons having sex on the sidewalk happened that very morning and not last week.  If a glut of ideas are chins, this album has more chins than my Aunt Brenda at Thanksgiving.  It has twelve songs, one of which is 25 minutes long and is followed by a six minute song.  That’s not a thing musicians can do, Sufjan. It doesn’t work.  I like to pretend that there was a release called The Age of Adz EP.  It contains, “Too Much,” the title track, “All For Myself,” and, “Ring Them Bells.”  It’s amazing.

ADS

Sock Monkey Sound

By Brandon Lütmér

I did a proper review for the first ten you’ll see below here and then 20 second reviews for the remaining best of. Just because something got a longer review doesn’t mean it’s better than any others.  I just had more to say about it.  These are reviews of the BEST albums that I heard from 2010, NOT a top ten list becuse it’s too hard to narrow these down to ten.

Full Reviews
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me
Beautiful is a pretty good description of this record.  The songs kind of just float along with a delicacy that no other record this year has captured.  Once again, as in every one of her releases it’s her sense of melody that really keeps you coming back.  The songs are lush and big but don’t ever become too weighty.  If you’re not familiar with Joanna Newsom then this might be a good starting point.  Her voice is  a little less frail and harsh as on The Milk Eyed Mender and the songs aren’t epically long like Y’s. If i had to complain i would say it’s a little lengthy… three LP’s can be a little much unless you’re Philip Glass or Sam Cooke.

It’s A King Thing – Buffalo buffalo Buffalo… {FREE!}
I discovered this band when i was trying to figure out why my friend Andrew named his show house It’s A King Thing.  Turns out they are an amazing pop band from Philadelphia.  Now, there are some bands who can get away with having cheesy lyrics; bands like The Smoking Popes and Weezer seem to have a knack for saying things that I would normally consider lame but sound endearing and clever when sung by these guys.  This is a gift I do not have, but It’s A King Thing definitely have this gift and use it well. The melodies are so catchy that I kept listening to every song on repeat.  How can a band write a whole album of nothing but hooks?

Hanalei – One Big Night
I’ve been listening to Hanalei since I was in High School.  I remember when it was just Brian Moss and a laptop.  I also remember when they were a full country-ish indie rock band and now, for their third full length release, Hanalei is back to being just One person.  not even a postal-service-y laptop to back him up or anything.  That one of my favorite aspects of One Big night:  it sounds like it was recorded with a four track in his bedroom.  This lo-fi quality really brings out the subtle beauty and grace his songs carry. Straight faced, honest lyrics with not much more than an acoustic and the occasional drum machine makes this album perfect for lazy days or sleepless nights.

Everyone Everywhere – Everyone Everywhere
I first heard these guys when we played A.R.M.s Fest with them in Akron.  I was immediately impressed with the song structure – they have a classic early 2000′s emo sound i.e. The Promise Ring, mid era Get Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World.  This is something you don’t see too often in the emo revival scene, most of that scene is super noodly guitars and epic sing-a-longs so it’s a breath of fresh air to hear a good poppy emo band that writes catchy songs.

Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love
My roommate Brian gave me this record for my birthday. Belle & Sebastian have never released an album that wasn’t good and this one doesn’t disappoint either.  Another perfect pop record by the aging Stuart Murdoch and company.  As with their last few release it lacks a little of the youthful zest and wit that their first few records had, but that’s to be expected.  I’d rather their songwriting change over time than hear them say the same shit over and over again. It makes it more believable too – there’s no way they’re going through the same shit now as when they were in their 20′s.  Kudo’s to Belle & Sebastian for staying relevant for so long!

Bonnie “Prince” Billy & The Cairo Gang – The Wonder Show
Anything Will Oldham puts out is awesome.  If you’re not familiar with him or his many monikers than you should grow up and download “I See A Darkness.”  This album with The Cairo Gang is a little more Lo-fi and minimalist than his country-twinged releases of late – and that’s definately a good thing.  I appreciate him switching things up a bit. ‘The Wonder Show’ is a slow-moving, beautiful record that deserves a lot of plays when you’re alone in your bedroom.

Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
For a comeback record this was really good.  It’s rockin, catchy, and fun as all hell. It’s loaded with ketchup, mustard and all the condiments that make a tasty sandwich great instead of just good. It’s a good place to start for the younger generation who might be unfamiliar with the band.  Don’t get me wrong, the old tride and true Superchunk fans will love it too, but where it has stayed on track in the hook department it seems to have failed a little in the lyrical.  I’m not saying the lyrics are bad… just not as good as any other Superchunk album.  I mean you can’t blame him really, what’s he going to sing about being successful and loving his life as he approaches becoming middle aged?  Hey, it’s better than the Smoking Popes comeback record.

The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
This record took me by surprise.  Before this year I had never heard Kristian Matsson before and upon my first few listens I honestly didn’t care for it.  The same thing happened to me three or four years ago when I first heard Joanna Newsom.  In both cases i didn’t care for their voices at first but their sense of melody and songwriting kept me coming back until I couldn’t stop listening.  At this point I consider them to be two of the best songwriters/performers around and to have beautiful and distinct voices.  His voice is the main thing that sets him apart from every other Bob Dylan loving songwriter with an acoustic guitar and a flair for surrealistic lyrics. Just start The Wild Hunt from the beginning and take it in. The great lyrics and expert hooks start immediately and dont stop until the record’s over. Absolutely fantastic.

Annabel – Here We Are Tomorrow
I know these dudes from Akron, OH personally so I’ll try and not be too biased on their ep released last month.  This was probably the best 7″ I heard all year and rules so hard… that’s the truth. Annabel is a poppy indie rock band from the Midwest and this ep is a step up from their already catchy full length that came out last year.  Killer melodies and pop sensibility with equally great instrumentation.

The Black Keys – Brothers
I have never really been a fan of The Black Keys.  I never hated them or anything, but I just didn’t see what the big deal was about.  I’m still not sold on their older records, but Brothers is a superb album.  It seems to blend the perfect amount of honest indie rock with 60′s Motown style and flair.  This record is so awesome that I might even check out their previous records… maybe not; but I do think Brothers will stand out this year for being not only a fantastic album from beginning to end, but a rousing commercial success as well.  Something you don’t see too often these days.

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20 Second Reviews

Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
Just as good as their last record “The airing of grievances” but standing a little more firmly on it’s own two feet.  ”The Monitor” is full of sprawling loud raucous indie rock songs that make you want to throw your fist in the air and sing along.

The Please & Thank Yous – Mind Your P’s And Q’s
TPATY are an amazing pop/punk/emo band from Chicago that obviously love The Ergs. This album is a smart, clever, and well-constructed punk record that deserves far more attention than it got.  This may sound lofty, but it’s probably my favorite punk album to come out of Chicago in years.  There’s not much I don’t like about this record. Word on the street is that it’s being sent for it’s second pressing… so go buy it

Merchant Ships – For Cameron
Merchant Ships was a spectacular traditional emo/screamo band from south bend Indiana. they broke up this year after recording For Cameron so this never got a proper release.  It’s a shame because this is youth angst and honesty backed by noodly guitars with more sing-alongs than you can shake a stick at.

The Ground Is Lava – Freeze Tag
TGIL is and super fun emo band from Ohio with lyrics as quick and witty as their guitar lines. listen to this if you have a heart and enjoy having a good time. Everybody should see these guys live, but make sure you get this album first and memorize every song on it.

Snowing – I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted
Snowing is a wild, smart, and talented band from Philadelphia who play some good classic emo.  It reminds me of Woodson by The Get Up Kids but with more balls. This is their debut full length and a step up in songwriting from their 7″.  I’ve heard some negative opinions of this record from people who liked the 7″ and I don’t understand why.  oh well.

The Reptilian – Full Health
Full Health is The Reptilians 3rd proper release and by far their best. Traditional Screamo from Kalamazoo, MI with enough honesty to pull in fans of any similar genre.  The songs On Full Health are short and sweet and leave the listener wanting more.  this is great for me because if a screamo song is too long and epic I get bored. See them live. it’s toally awesome.

The Love Of Everything – Best In Tensions
The Love Of Everything is the moniker of long-time kinsella affiliate Bobby Burg.  This record gives you more of the same as all his previous records.  Smart, bizarre, and loopy pop songs sung out of tune(and that’s not a band thing).

The Hold Steady – Heaven Is Whenever
The Hold Steady is a great band.  This record is great too.  Not nearly as good as their first three albums but better than #4, Stay Positive. This album finds them without keyboard play Franz Nicolay- and it shows. It’s more straight forward guitar driven rock-n-roll.  ’Heaven is Whenever’ doesn’t have as many stand-out tracks as any other Hold Steady album but stands on its own as a whole.

Coping – Lawndale
Coping is a traditional emo band from Chicago.  More emotional than fun, but more fun than sad.  Lawndale is full of great sing-a-longs and youthful vigor. This tape only release is too short and needs to be listened to on repeat over and over again.

Sun Kil Moon – Admiral Fell Promises
I will always love anything Mark Kozelek does.  His minimalism music and mopey voice just get me. this album is good, but not as good as 2008′s April. AFP is more spacey and full of a meandering acoustic guitar that distracts me from the songwriting. Still a solid album though, worth a listen if you’re down for some down-tempo.

Tigers Jaw – Two Worlds
I didn’t realize this band was as big as they were. Tigers Jaw is a great pop/indie/punk band that sounds like they would be on Vagrant records when I was in High School. Two Worlds is a good record but I don’t think it’s any better than their Self titled album.

Dr. Dog – Shame Shame
Great album from the Philadelphia indie giants. Although it’s not significantly different than their breakthrough 2008 album Fate.

Spoon – Transference
Spoon is a great rock band.  They’ve had a long career (in Indie Rock terms) and keep putting out great albums.  This one is a little more out-there and experimental compared to Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and Gimme Fiction, but that’s not a bad thing at all.

Mountains For Clouds -Some People Buy Scenery Like This
Mountains for clouds is a sometimes instrumental twinkly emo band from Michigan.  This is their debut ep and won’t disappoint anyone who loved Low Level Owl.  Remember when you were nineteen years old and you went through that stage where you really liked Explosions in the sky?  It feels kind of like that but better and you wont get bored as fast.

The National – High Violet
Tha National is awesome. High Violet is as good a all their other albums. If you’re not familiar than that’s too bad.

Rufus Wainwright – All Days Are Nights
All Days Are Nights is an interesting departure from the usual big bombastic orchestral pop that I’m used to with Rufus McGoofus.  I have been a fan of his for years.  This record is more straight piano and voice, which in turn makes it much more easy to focus on the songwriting.  Apparently his mother died right before he started recording this record.  I suppose that makes sense considering this album is one of the most heartbreaking of the year.

The Walkmen – Lisbon
The last two months have cemeted The Walkmen’s place as one of my favorite bands ever.  After having not listened to this band in at least three years I downloaded the rest of their albums and realized i had been missing out. They’re all great and Lisbon is the cream of the crop.  Good reverb-y indie rock that would make Interpol very horny, evil (like they wish they could be) and jealous.

BL

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{About the Author: Brandon Lütmer is the star personality & lead actor of Sock Monkey Sound podcast.  He’s also a member of the midwest band, Joie DeVivre. This is his first official written entry for the Monkey bunch but 2011 brings many many new adventures for our ex-Survivor TV show contestant- which may keep us waiting for his next one.  Either way we will- with fervor we will wait for Lütmer! – SMS Ed.}

Sock Monkey Sound

All readers are still welcomed to submit their own best of lists.
Please email your lists to: andy@sockmonkeysound.com
Please check back soon, we’ll be adding additional lists to this list.

Thanks yawl. Enjoy.- SMS Ed.

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Chip Copeland
My Top 25 of 2010

1- Superchunk – ‘Majesty Shredding’
2- Arcade Fire – ‘The Suburbs’
3- The National – ‘High Violet’
4- The Felix Culpa – ‘Sever Your Roots’
5- Crankupmadonna – ‘Hit The Sound’
6- Elsinore – ‘Yes Yes Yes’
7- The Thermals – ‘Personal Life’
8- Field Music – Measure’
9- Stars – ‘The Five Ghosts’
10- The Projection People – ‘The Projection People’
11- Blonde Redhead – ‘Penny Sparkle’
12- Ex Norwegian – ‘Sketch’
13- Wye Oak – ‘My Neighbor / My Creator EP’
14- Son of Rams – ‘Frolics in the Pink EP’
15- Family Band – ‘Miller Path’
16- Broken Social Scene – ‘Forgiveness Rock Record’
17- Darren Garvey – ‘Under A Common Ceiling’
18- Hey Champ – ‘Star’
19- Cameron McGill & What Army? – ‘Deserters EP’
20- Interpol – ‘Interpol’
21- Geronimo – ‘Fuzzy Dreams’
22- Teenage Fanclub – ‘Shadows’
23- Local Natives – ‘Gorilla Manor’
24- Admiral Radley – ‘I Heart California’
25- The Besnard Lakes – ‘The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night’

New to me top 12 in 2010:

1- Sun Kil Moon – ‘Ghosts of the Great Highway’
2- Wye Oak – ‘The Knot’
3- Telefon Tel Aviv – ‘Immolate Yourself’
4- The Wiitala Brothers – ‘Bad Blood’
5- The XX – ‘XX’
6- The Seldon Plan – ‘Lost and Found and Lost’
7- Telekinesis – ‘Telekinesis!’
8- Feist – ‘Let It Die’
9- Akira Yamaoka – ‘Silent Hill 4 – The Room (Original Game Soundtracks)’
10- The Appleseed Cast – ‘Sagarmatha’ + ‘Two Conversations’
11- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – ‘The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’
12- P.O.S. – ‘Never Better’

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Alex Danger Stewart
Top 10 of 2010 (In Order)

(Read an extended cut version article from Danger on his year end favorites, click here.)

1- The National-High Violet
2- Titus Andronicus-The Monitor
3- Superchunk-Majesty Shredding
4- LCD Soundsystem-This is Happening
5- Male Bonding- Nothing Hurts
6- Beach House-Teen Dream
7- Surferblood-Astrocoast
8- DeerHunter- Halcyon Digest
9- Dum Dum Girls- I Will Be
10- Frightened Rabbit-The Winter of Mixed Drinks

Just missed it
Crankupmadonna-Hit the Sound
The Thermals-Personal Life
Wild Nothing-Gemini
No Age-Everything in Between
Mavis Staples-You Are Not Alone
The Walkmen-Lisbon
John Legend & The Roots-Wake Up!
Dr Dog-Shame, Shame
Best Coast-Crazy for You
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin-Let it Sway

20 Best Songs
She & Him-Theives
The National-Afraid of Everyone/Bloodbuzz, Ohio
Mavis Staples-You Are Not Alone
Cee Lo-Fuck You
Jim O’Rourke feat Haruomi Hosono- Close to You
LCD Soundsystem- Pow Pow
Kayne West (featuring everyone ever)-Monster
Regina Spektor-No Surprises (Radiohead cover)
Wild Nothing- Summer Holiday
Male Bonding-Crooked Scene
The Mynabirds-Numbers Don’t Lie
Best Coast-Boyfriend
Surferblood- Swim
The Thermals-Your Love is So Strong
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin-All Hail Dracula
Girls-Broken Dreams Club
Dum Dum Girls-Bhang Bhang I’m a Burnout
Sex Bob-omb- Garbage Truck
Crankupmadonna-One Good Lie
Sufjan Stevens-Too Much

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Lindsey Bakker
Top 5 Concerts of 2010:
Wootstock @ Park West
Riot Fest @ Congress & AAA (Less Than Jake Secret Show @ AAA, Lawrence Arms/Bouncing Souls @ Congress)
Flatfoot 56/Street Dogs @ Reggie’s
Butch Walker @ Schubas (3 of 4 nights)
Deftones @ Majestic Madison

Top 5 Concerts of 2010 that I DIDN’T Go To:
Propaghandi @ Metro (Riot Fest)
Jimmy Eat World @ Riviera
Matt & Kim @ Metro
MC Chris @ Middlewest
KISS/The Academy Is… @ multiple locations

Favorite Movies of 2010:
Catfist
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Shutter Island
Crazy Heart
Harry Potter, Part 1
Honorable Mention: Human Centipede

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Mark Gustafson
Best music I’ve heard this year
Dead Weather – Sea of Cowards
Them Crooked Vultures –  Self-Titled

Best Festival
Middlewest Festival

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Patrick Delehanty
Best albums (no order)
Snowing – I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted {FREE – Click Here}
The National – High Violet
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
Mountains for Clouds – Some People Buy Scenery Like This
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks
Merchant Ships – For Cameron

Throwback Albums of 2010
Colossal – Welcome the Problems
Common – Go
Death Cab for Cutie – The Photo Album

Best Drinking Artists of 2010
Al Green
Marvin Gaye
The Smoking Popes

Best Show of 2010
Snowing at The Fire (Philadelphia), June

Most overplayed artist of 2010 (rightfully so and still spinned)
Algernon Cadwallader

Bands I still don’t see the hype about in 2010
La Dispute
MGMT
La Roux

Album I need to give an honest to God listen to before I pass judgement in 2010
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Biggest guilty pleasures of 2010 (yes, I said these and I’m sadly serious)
John Mayer – “Heartbreak Warfare”/”Half of My Heart”
Katy Perry – “Firework”

Most Overrated Artist of 2010
She & Him

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Andy Whorehall
Best Album 2010
Trevor Menear – Some Kind of Sunshine
(Read an extended cut version of this record’s review, click here.)

Best of the Rest  -  2010
Sharon Van Etten – epic
Spoon – Transference
GAYNGS – Relayted
LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
Staasuhnator Rex – 62: V.1 Tracks 1-8
Matt Hopper – Jersey Finger
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot…The Son Of Chico Dusty
Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos – Buzzard
OK Go – Of the Colour of The Blue Sky
Peter Wolf – Midnight Souvenirs

Honorable Mention –  2010
Damien Jurado – Saint Bartlett
Old 97′s – The Grand Theatre Volume 1
The National – High Violet
The Pimps – Fuck This Shit We’re Outta Here
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Grinderman – Grinderman 2
Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – III/IV
The Mynabirds – What We Lose in The Fire We Gain In The Flood
The Pernice Brothers – Goodbye, Killer
Teenage Fanclub – Shadows

ALBUMS REVISITED IN 2010
Teenage Fanclub – Bandwagonesque
Big Star – Keep An Eye on The Sky {Box}
Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Schmillson & Knnilllssson
Kris Kristofferson  - Kristofferson
Neil Young – American Stars n’ Bars
Mr. Lif – I Phantom
Old 97′s – Too Far To Care
Loudon Wainwright III – Unrequited
Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love
Sparklehorse - Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
The Flamin Groovies – Teenage Head

BEST SONGS 2010
Alright, Alright – by Trevor Menear
Don’t Do It – by Sharon Van Etten
All I Want – by LCD Soundsystem
Newport News- by The Pernice Brothers
Anyone’s Ghost – by The National
Slippin n’ Slidin – by Justin Townes Earle
Champaign, IL – by Old 97′s
Please Pay By… – by Staasuhnator Rex
This Too Shall Pass – by OK Go
Send/Receive – by Matt Hopper
Zebra – by Beach House
You Are Not Alone – Mavis Staples
Space Eels – Lizard Skynard
Lost in the World/Who will Save America- by Kanye West, Bon Iver, Gil Scott-Heron
Sad Ambassador- by Cameron McGill & What Army
8 Hundred and 5 Words on Fear & Confusion-by Boys Like Jason
I Saw the Light – by Spoon
She’s a Lunatic – by Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos
I.M. ‘Merica – The Pimps
Tangerine – by Big Boi Feat. T.I. & Khujo Goodie
The Last Prom on Earth – by GAYNGS
Baby Lee – by Teenage Fanclub
Upper Deck San Diego – by Joie De Vivre
Scientists – by Versus

SONGS REVISITED IN 2010
Whatever Happened to Us – by Louden Wainwright III
For The Good Times – by Kris Kristofferson
Woods – by Bon Iver
Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins
Brilliant Disguise – by Bruce Springsteen

BEST COVER SONG 2010
By Your Side – GAYNGS (Originally by Sadé)
Follow Me-  Damien Jurado & Richard Swift (Originally by John Denver)
Gigantic – OK Go (Originally by The Pixies)

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Brandon Lütmer
{Read an in-depth, director’s cut version of Mr. Lütmer’s best of 2010 suggestions, click here.}

The 2010 Oscar Award Worthy Listens go to:
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me
It’s A King Thing – Buffalo buffalo Buffalo…
Hanalei – One Big Night
Everyone Everywhere – Everyone Everywhere
Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love
Bonnie “prince” Billy & The Cairo Gang – The Wonder Show
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
Annabel – Here We Are Tomorrow
The Black Keys – Brothers

The Emmys go to:
Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
The Please & Thank Yous – Mind Your P’s And Q’s
Merchant Ships – For Cameron
The Ground Is Lava – Freeze Tag
Snowing – I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted
The Reptilian – Full Health
The Love Of Everything – Best In Tensions
The Hold Steady – Heaven Is Whenever
Coping – Lawndale
Sun Kil Moon – Admiral Fell Promises
Tigers Jaw – Two Worlds
Dr. Dog – Shame Shame
Spoon – Transference
Mountains For Clouds -Some People Buy Scenery Like This
The National – High Violet
Rufus Wainwright – All Days Are Nights
The Walkmen – Lisbon

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Jojo Wrinkles
{Read an extended cut version of Mr. Wrinkles’ best & worst of 2010 suggestions, click here.}

A list of the best & worst things about my year, 2010
Harry Nilsson
Panda Bear
Animal Collective
Harry Belafonte
Flaming Lips (pre-Yoshimi)
Blind Willie McTell
Son House
Bukka White
Charlie Patton
Miles Davis
Fela Kuti
Birkenstocks
LaLa
Apple
Poor People
Arcade Fire
Lango Spanish
Spencer
Beatles Stereo Box Set
Tom Waits
Katherine Dunn
Tana French
Scott Pilgrim
Buddhism
Catholicism
Safran Foer
Anthony Bourdain
Taste of Philly
Twist & Shout
White People
Campbell’s Soup
Peet’s Coffee
Starbucks
Records
MP3s
Liner Notes
Netflix
Social Media Sites
Kindle

JW

Sock Monkey Sound

by Chip Copeland

Majesty Shredding = Awesome!

Just a fair warning to our readers, I’m sure when we run our end of year lists here at Sock Monkey Sound this will quite possibly have a spot on at least 3 of our writers lists. Something that is quite justified as well cuz Superchunk crafted one of the finest albums of their career. After all the praise that has been heaped on this record by so many other reputable music blogs and websites I figured that I would jump on top of that heaping pile of indie music fans and 90′s alternative kids pushing 40 with my own take on Majesty Shredding.

I’ve been a Superchunk fan ever since I saw them open up for Sonic Youth back in the early nineties. Yes, I’m that old if you’re wondering. As a matter of fact, this was the first concert I ever attended without parental supervision; hitting the town with by buddies Mike, Sean, and some chick named Maggie that came along at the last minute cuz another friend got grounded. It was my first mosh pit, back when they were coolest thing to do ever, and I think it was the first time I touched a boob (accidentally of course) when I was helping a girl crowd surf. That was the first time I caught them live and it certainly wasn’t the last. I saw them at just about every venue in Atlanta between 1993-2001; The International Ballroom, The Masquerade (3 times), The Cotton Club (the older, better venue), The Point (gone but not forgotten), and an awesome 1996 Halloween show in Athens, Georgia at the legendary 40 Watt Club where Superdrummer Jon Wurster dressed as the Jerry Lewis nutty professor and Mac McCaughan was a Playboy Bunny. Those were the days and rarely did my friends and I miss an opportunity to see “The Chunk” bang away Precision Auto when they came anywhere near our southern state.

Right around the time Superchunk decided to take a break, I decided to move to Rockford, IL. That era of my life seemed to be over and in some ways so did Superchunk. Their 2001 release was named Here’s to Shutting Up for crying out loud and right after Sept. 11th happened and seemed to make everyone, the band, and myself question what the f*ck we were doing with our lives. In the documentary bonus features section of their music video compilation, Crowding Up Your Visual Field, you can tell something was going on. Maybe they were wanting more out of life; maybe they were tired of pogoing in cut off jeans to the strains of ‘Mower.’ Who knows really, but it was evident that change was in the air.

Fast forward to 2010. To say shit has changed in the music industry, since the release of that last record, is an understatement. (I might have to make you eat a crap taco just for stating the obvious. Or eat one myself for stating it in this review.) iTunes was still embryonic, Napster was still the shit, and the major record labels were still kings of the castle.

Now-a-days, digital distribution is no longer a bane but the norm- and there’s even a question whether a band even needs a record label to succeed; which certainly runs anathema to the recent rise of Merge Records, the record label started by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance in 1989. While Mac and Laura built Merge through the decade they were keeping a keen eye on what was going on with the industry and taking notes. At least I think they were by the sound of the new album. But then again Superchunk has always been ahead of their time.

Majesty Shredding is a lean, mean, rocking machine that seems to channel the energy of early records like On The Mouth and No Pocky for Kitty. At the same time it retains the lyrical maturity and refinement of song craft that is only gained through years of experience. This is a band at the top of their craft while also seeming to be excited and energized to be the band called Superchunk once again.

Superchunk | Promo Photo

The first time I listened through the record I honestly couldn’t feel a low point at all. The album starts off with Digging for Something, a strong opener for sure; but then kicks into a pogo friendly, high energy romp, My Gap Feels Weird. By the time Rosemarie hits the chorus I realize that this IS the Superchunk of my youth. The same band, just a bit smarter, sharper; rested and ready to rock my face! Mid-point you get Fractures in Plaster, a song reminiscent of Kicked In or Keeping Track off of Foolish. Superchunk has always been able to mix it up, playing fast and loud with kinetic fury, then slowing it down as if to let you know that it’s OK to push the pause button from time to time. Several other strong rockers that scream SUPERCHUNK! SUPERCHUNK! SUPERCHUNK! round out the album.

When the last track Everything at Once started, I decided to take a listen with my eyes closed. I’m immediately transported back, jumping up and down at all those shows with my close friends in Atlanta. “So here’s a song about nothing and everything at once. All the minutes and the months…”. It feels like home when I listen to Superchunk.

This is the kind of album and collection of songs you hope for from a band. It’s the kind of music that makes you realize that these songs, this band, and what you feel when you listen to them are more important to you than anything else in the world. Even though I know Superchunk has always made music for themselves first and foremost, it has always felt like they have been making music for me. That’s what makes them great.

Superchunk will be at the Metro in Chicago, IL on 12-02-10

CC |  SMS

Sock Monkey Sound