The best local music of 2008
Head Of Femur
Throughout the year we hear a lot of local records at Decider HQ. Some of them are good, a lot of them aren’t, and a select few never leave the CD player. The following records belong in the last category.
Aleks And The Drummer
May A Lightning Bolt Caress You
Perhaps no local release this year has been more bewitching as Aleks And The Drummer’s May A Lightning Bolt Caress You. Singer Aleks Tomaszewska strikes an impressive balance between Ray Of Light-era Madonna and Judy Garland, and the local duo make the most of a spare set-up (Tomaszewska plays keyboards, Deric Criss plays drums) by restlessly exploring their creative options. Opener “I Want To Melt His Eyes” starts with a surf-rock rumble of drums, as “Eyes” careens into a blend of gothic atmosphere and Eastern European minor-key melody, while the skittering, electronic stop-starts of “Paper Crown And Sugar Shoes” provides the listener ample time to be utterly thrilled. The band’s MySpace page currently states the group will record more as soon as they sell out the run through of the EP. Help them along. It’s as much for your benefit as it is theirs.
May A Lightning Bolt Caress You
Perhaps no local release this year has been more bewitching as Aleks And The Drummer’s May A Lightning Bolt Caress You. Singer Aleks Tomaszewska strikes an impressive balance between Ray Of Light-era Madonna and Judy Garland, and the local duo make the most of a spare set-up (Tomaszewska plays keyboards, Deric Criss plays drums) by restlessly exploring their creative options. Opener “I Want To Melt His Eyes” starts with a surf-rock rumble of drums, as “Eyes” careens into a blend of gothic atmosphere and Eastern European minor-key melody, while the skittering, electronic stop-starts of “Paper Crown And Sugar Shoes” provides the listener ample time to be utterly thrilled. The band’s MySpace page currently states the group will record more as soon as they sell out the run through of the EP. Help them along. It’s as much for your benefit as it is theirs.
"I Want To Melt His Eyes"
Allá
Es Tiempo
Based on the light, airy strings and Latin-flavored rhythms that begin Allá’s years-in-the-making debut album, Es Tiempo—the album’s creation story is like a working-class version of Chinese Democracy—you might think the Chicago trio was Os Mutantes’ Mexican, non-union equivalent (or maybe Stereolab’s). But rather than be the Señor Spielbergo of modern psych-pop, the group is slowly setting up the listener with a nice sense of comfort as the band subtly travels down the rabbit-hole of psychedelia. Es Tiempo’s first half contains many lush, romantic forays into indie-tronic (“Tu Y Yo”), romantic bossa novas (“Segue Tu Corazon”), and orch-pop (“Tu Pedazo”). But it’s the record’s second half that contains its best pleasures, whether it’s the celestial soundscapes of “El Moviemento” or the album’s title track, which packs a prog-worthy instrumental wallop in a scant 4 minutes. The album’s title translates to “it’s time” for a reason.
Es Tiempo
Based on the light, airy strings and Latin-flavored rhythms that begin Allá’s years-in-the-making debut album, Es Tiempo—the album’s creation story is like a working-class version of Chinese Democracy—you might think the Chicago trio was Os Mutantes’ Mexican, non-union equivalent (or maybe Stereolab’s). But rather than be the Señor Spielbergo of modern psych-pop, the group is slowly setting up the listener with a nice sense of comfort as the band subtly travels down the rabbit-hole of psychedelia. Es Tiempo’s first half contains many lush, romantic forays into indie-tronic (“Tu Y Yo”), romantic bossa novas (“Segue Tu Corazon”), and orch-pop (“Tu Pedazo”). But it’s the record’s second half that contains its best pleasures, whether it’s the celestial soundscapes of “El Moviemento” or the album’s title track, which packs a prog-worthy instrumental wallop in a scant 4 minutes. The album’s title translates to “it’s time” for a reason.
Brighton, MA
Amateur Lovers
Coming in at a compact 10 tracks, Brighton, MA not only has the Dylan-with-a-hangover vocals, courtesy of singer Matt Bernstein, but also the hazy, nostalgic, and reverb-heavy romanticism that permeates songs like the sardonic break-up reflection “Let’s Be Friends Again” and “Your Sweet Time.” Amateur Lovers isn’t as varied as the band’s previous self-titled EP, which had the band trying on shoegaze and funk for size, but the lack of sonic diversity also means that Brighton, MA has come into its own. Alt-country tracks like “Sunblinded” and soul-influenced songs like “Eskimos” showcase a band that’s anything but Amateur. This record is pure pleasure all the way.
Amateur Lovers
Coming in at a compact 10 tracks, Brighton, MA not only has the Dylan-with-a-hangover vocals, courtesy of singer Matt Bernstein, but also the hazy, nostalgic, and reverb-heavy romanticism that permeates songs like the sardonic break-up reflection “Let’s Be Friends Again” and “Your Sweet Time.” Amateur Lovers isn’t as varied as the band’s previous self-titled EP, which had the band trying on shoegaze and funk for size, but the lack of sonic diversity also means that Brighton, MA has come into its own. Alt-country tracks like “Sunblinded” and soul-influenced songs like “Eskimos” showcase a band that’s anything but Amateur. This record is pure pleasure all the way.
"Sunblinded" live at Reckless Records.
Head Of Femur
Great Plains
Chicago’s orch-pop scene has been host to many fantastic records, but this year none has surpassed Head Of Femur's Great Plains. Though it trips out of the gate with a few frenetic, kitchen-sink-style pop tracks, Plains settles into an astonishingly easy-going, remarkably consistent set of songs, ranging from the upbeat sunshine of “Jetway Junior” to the whimsical “Open The Door, Lucielle.” The band channels They Might Be Giants in “Where’s The Fire?” and The Arcade Fire's “Intervention” in the reflective and melancholy “Covered Wagons.” Even when paring back the arrangements when compared with its past work, Head Of Femur has come up with a record that sharpens both the focus and the quality of its songwriting. This is simply one of the best pop albums of the year—locally and nationally.
Great Plains
Chicago’s orch-pop scene has been host to many fantastic records, but this year none has surpassed Head Of Femur's Great Plains. Though it trips out of the gate with a few frenetic, kitchen-sink-style pop tracks, Plains settles into an astonishingly easy-going, remarkably consistent set of songs, ranging from the upbeat sunshine of “Jetway Junior” to the whimsical “Open The Door, Lucielle.” The band channels They Might Be Giants in “Where’s The Fire?” and The Arcade Fire's “Intervention” in the reflective and melancholy “Covered Wagons.” Even when paring back the arrangements when compared with its past work, Head Of Femur has come up with a record that sharpens both the focus and the quality of its songwriting. This is simply one of the best pop albums of the year—locally and nationally.
Russian Circles
Station
“Subdued metal” might seem like an oxymoron, but Russian Circles specializes in the kind of forward-thinking post-metal that finds that unthinkable common ground. Station, their sophomore LP, starts off slowly and steadily, with the ambient soundscapes and cresendoing octave-riffs of “Campaign” giving way to the bone-crushing riffage of “Harper Lewis.” From there, the instrumental trio explore epic sounds even further, with centerpiece “Verses” starting off with a church organ seguing into a mélange of thick, distorted bass lines, cellos, and clean guitar arpeggios. This is an album that rewards patient listening.
Station
“Subdued metal” might seem like an oxymoron, but Russian Circles specializes in the kind of forward-thinking post-metal that finds that unthinkable common ground. Station, their sophomore LP, starts off slowly and steadily, with the ambient soundscapes and cresendoing octave-riffs of “Campaign” giving way to the bone-crushing riffage of “Harper Lewis.” From there, the instrumental trio explore epic sounds even further, with centerpiece “Verses” starting off with a church organ seguing into a mélange of thick, distorted bass lines, cellos, and clean guitar arpeggios. This is an album that rewards patient listening.
"Verses" live in Spain.
Volcano!
Paperwork
Paperwork is the work of a bizarre, bilingual Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on an alcohol-induced prog-pop blender. But it gets even weirder: Like "Astronomer's Ballad," which starts out as a Spanish-sung serenade before atrophying into something more concentrated, yet freeform at the same time. Other songs go for a more satirical bent, such as the Bono-lampooning funk of “Africa Just Wants To Have Fun.” Like with Russian Circles’ record, most of the fun in Paperwork lies in patiently figuring out which direction the band will take you next, and then indulging them.
Paperwork
Paperwork is the work of a bizarre, bilingual Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on an alcohol-induced prog-pop blender. But it gets even weirder: Like "Astronomer's Ballad," which starts out as a Spanish-sung serenade before atrophying into something more concentrated, yet freeform at the same time. Other songs go for a more satirical bent, such as the Bono-lampooning funk of “Africa Just Wants To Have Fun.” Like with Russian Circles’ record, most of the fun in Paperwork lies in patiently figuring out which direction the band will take you next, and then indulging them.
"Africa Just Wants To Have Fun"
Alltruisms
Clusterbombs
The most disappointing aspect of Clusterbombs is the degree to which it's been ignored—the rapper behind it left Chicago for Mexico for four months, leaving behind him only a MySpace blog entry titled "Dear Chicago: F*ck you, I'm leaving." Hopefully, the Giraffe Nuts crew member’s solo debut (featuring help from fellow crew member Verbal Kent) will reach enough people who will catch on to his incendiary, insightful politic-rap to the point where he stays in the game for good. Produced by J-Zone, who strikes a blend between Rhymesayers’-style working-class anthems and Dr. Dre G-funk, Clusterbombs is 16 tracks of pointed, hilariously observed (“Hire Me” should be the official unemployment anthem) rap music.
Clusterbombs
The most disappointing aspect of Clusterbombs is the degree to which it's been ignored—the rapper behind it left Chicago for Mexico for four months, leaving behind him only a MySpace blog entry titled "Dear Chicago: F*ck you, I'm leaving." Hopefully, the Giraffe Nuts crew member’s solo debut (featuring help from fellow crew member Verbal Kent) will reach enough people who will catch on to his incendiary, insightful politic-rap to the point where he stays in the game for good. Produced by J-Zone, who strikes a blend between Rhymesayers’-style working-class anthems and Dr. Dre G-funk, Clusterbombs is 16 tracks of pointed, hilariously observed (“Hire Me” should be the official unemployment anthem) rap music.
"Nine Digit Number"
