Album: Woods - At Echo Lake

Album: At Echo Lake
Woodsist, 2010
Rating: ******** (8/10)

OK, I admit, I'm one of those fickle critics (or wannabe critics) who build a band up and then suddenly turn on them and tear them to shreds. I would fit in well in the UK, where they love to generate insane amounts of hype and declare a band the best thing since the Beatles, then in a fit of sobriety or shame or vengefulness, turn the band into the butt of a national joke. You can't with them, or me.

So last year around this time, Woods were one of my favorite bands. But it's been a long year and my thoughts on music have really evolved since then. I wouldn't take back my reviews of Woods or revoke the nine(!) stars I gave their last album, but I am certainly far less excited about anything related to folk music than I was at the beginning of 2009. The ultraconservative attitudes that have hijacked indie rock have grown increasingly obvious in the last year and I've come to see any music that doesn't challenge the backwards backlash as a dangerous and cowardly abuse of the art form.

On the other hand, I can't ignore or deny that Woods write beautiful music. And I wouldn't even argue that they are derivative. They have forged a unique sound that, yes, pulls audibly from Neil Young and the Grateful Dead but spins it as something distinctly post-2000. Drenched in LSD, their warbly, poppy folk and shimmering, folky pop conveys an intangible sense of mystery, like the band is playing from very far away.

At Echo Lake is pretty much like every other Woods album. Of the four, this has the most consistent quality of songs - and keeps them all well under the five minute mark. The arrangements are the richest and most complex the band has offered to date, showing a growing musical sophistication.

The real skill that has always set Woods apart is their ability to write beautiful melodies and Echo Lake shows they haven't yet exhausted the well. Centerpiece "Time Fading Lines" is a particularly notable melancholy masterpiece. Early on in the album, "Suffering Season" shows Woods exploring new layers of sound while earthy, simple songs like "Get Back" keep the record down to earth. And despite a more major-key opening than previous Woods albums, that same darkness lurks just behind the music.

Woods remain one among the finest songwriters on the indie scene today and their sonic experiments are distinctly their own. After seeing Sleigh Bells tonight, a folk-tinged lo-fi psychedelic band seems pretty insignificant in the progression of pop music, but this is pure beauty, at once saccharine and haunting, in sonic form, and that's worth a listen or ten.

[myspace]

Best Albums of 2009, Part 5: #10-6

PREVIOUS>>
Part 1 - Rules and Runners Up
Part 2 - #25-21
Part 3 - #20-16
Part 4 - #15-11


#10

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Domino

Animal Collective have been charming indie ears for years with their quirky pop and for months before this album was released, leaks and buzz built it up to be the record of 2009. Inevitably, it's slightly overrated - many tracks just aren't that memorable. On the other hand, the best tracks on the album are, simply put, flawless. Every sound has been honed to perfection and mixed into a Brian Wilson-esque three dimensions. And as with the Beach Boys, the band's warm melodies are gently unforgettable.

Read more from the original RFR review...

How I found it: Only, like, the whole internet
Track picks: "Summertime Clothes," "My Girls"
Link: [MySpace]


#9

Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Matador

It's been a year of changes for Sonic Youth, putting out their first indie label release in twenty years and their first release with bassist Mark Ibold. The addition of Ibold, formerly of Pavement, sends the band in their most rock'n'roll direction maybe ever. With dense, heavy guitars, The Eternal is strikingly direct. For Sonic Youth, the songs are bite-sized, though there are still some sprawling numbers and while this is one of the band's more accessible efforts, it certainly sounds like no one else. To say Sonic Youth pushes boundaries isn't accurate because their music is so uniquely the band's own that it can't be described in relationship to rock's boundaries at all. The Eternal is no exception.

How I found it: N/A
Track picks: "What We Know," "Anti-Orgasm"
Link: [MySpace]


#8

Why? - Eskimo Snow
Anticon

Apparently, during the recording sessions for last year's Alopecia, the band recorded another set of songs entirely disconnected from their hip-hop roots. Eskimo Snow is country-tinged indie rock. And that doesn't sound appealing, at least not to me. However, instead, Eskimo Snow is a staggering accomplishment. Yoni Wolf's lyrics are always personal and always clever, but here, for the first time, the cleverness is never used as a shield - Wolf rips himself wide open. The lyrics reveal the deepest pains of early adulthood, and one astounding melody after another make this album extraordinary. Easily one of the year's best and most underrated releases.

Read more from the original RFR review...

How I found it: several ways
Track picks: "Into the Shadows of My Embrace," "These Hands," "Eskimo Snow"
Link: [MySpace]


#7

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II
Ice H2O

Few albums have been as long anticipated as Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, the sequel to Raekwon's 1995 solo debut. It seemed unlikely that after so many years, Raekwon could live up to expectations - after all, his debut was considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time and the Wu-Tang Clan's prime has certainly since passed. But OB4CL2 is every bit what it should be - inventive, hard-hitting and simply a mess of amazing MCing and production. The credits are mindblowing, featuring the entire Wu-Tang Clan (except U-God, who cares), Busta Rhymes, Beanie Sigel, J Dilla, Dr. Dre and a whole lotta others. The only real problem with the album (other than it being a bit musically incohesive) is that it only fulfills expectations, it doesn't defy them. Nothing here breaks the Wu-Tang mold, but it still blows everything else of its kind out of the water.

Read more from the original RFR review...

How I found it: No great story here.
Track picks: "Broken Safety," "House of Flying Daggers"
Link: [MySpace]


#6

Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Warners

I don't think anyone saw this coming. Sure, Flaming Lips have put out great albums many times over, and they have never stopped evolving, but the appropriately titled Embryonic is a rebirth of sorts. Many bands have sought to stay relevant by incorporating electronics, and Flaming Lips numbered among these with 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. But on Embryonic, the band looks back to roots, making their rawest, grittiest sounds in well over a decade. It's not a move backwards though. Embryonic is as bold a step forward as any the band has made today. The dark, hypnotic psychedelia is the band's most professional album, doing away with any hints of indie quirk in favor of large production and unwavering statements. Soft Bulletin remains the band's masterpiece, but Embryonic opens an exciting new chapter and makes Flaming Lips as relevant in 2009 as they were in the 90's.

How I found it: N/A
Track picks: "Convinced of the Hex," "Powerless"
Link: [MySpace]


NEXT>> Part 6: #5-1

Best Albums of 2009, Part 4: #15-11

PREVIOUS>>
Part 1 - Rules and Runners Up
Part 2 - #25-21
Part 3 - #20-16


#15

The Zookeepers - Ballin' Outrageous
self-released

It's been a while I've heard a band that can play in a different genre on every track of an album without sounding like they are having an identity crisis. But Ballin' Outrageous is an explosive record, with creativity flying out in every direction. From the synth-pop anthem that opens the album to the folky indie pop of "Sicky Sweet" to the post-hardcore rant of the title track, it's clear within three tracks, no classification can hold this band. However, the whole album is held together as a single statement because each song captures the same youthful, quirky energy, along with a good sense of melodies and hooks. The album can seem slightly unedited, which is slightly frustrating. But it also makes me think as the band gets older, the next releases will just get better. And this one's pretty damn good!

How I found it: Artrocker, who by the way, has the best "Best of 2009" list I've seen so far.
Track picks: "Chicken," "Ballin' Outrageous"
Links: [MySpace] [FREE* Full Album Download]

*but please donate so they have money to make another album soon!


#14

Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic
Western Vinyl

I've been thinking for a while about how to make Here We Go Magic not sound bad. They've got a certain "world music" influence, as evidenced by the marimba-based groove in the opening track, and such nods to African and Asian music have been widely abused in the last few years. But HWGM does it right - it's understated and doesn't sound co-opted. It fits naturally, on an emotive level, with the type of music the band is trying to make. Like a darker Animal Collective, HWGM have enticing, quiet pop melodies and hundreds of tiny sonic pieces perfectly interlocking in intricate layers of sound.

How I found it: Lotsa places
Track picks: "Fangela," "Only Pieces"
Link: [MySpace]


#13

Screaming Females - Power Move
Don Giovanni

Screaming Females are everything a rock band should be. I don't think Power Move is their best album (Baby Teeth has slightly better songwriting), but it certainly their most sophisticated in terms of stylistic breadth and recording quality. Although the attention usually goes to guitar hero frontwoman Marrissa Paternoster, all three members are exceptionally talented musicians. The shredding, riff-rich guitar playing couldn't thrive without its more steady riff-rich counterpart on the bass. And the bombastic drumming keeps the whole thing from ever touching ground. This might be the greatest indie rock band on earth.

How I found it: They opened for Dinosaur Jr.
Track picks: "Bell," "Lights Out"
Link: [MySpace]


#12

Woods - Songs of Shame
Woodsist

The strange psychedelic folk-pop of Woods is certainly some of the most beautiful music of 2009. The amazing melodies remind me of Neil Young and the Byrds, but there's something more distant about Woods that makes their music haunting. It's a hint of something otherworldly, or like looking at something under water - something you can't quite understand or see clearly. The faint but nagging spookiness lurking in every song makes this album truly original and impossible to forget.

Read more from the original RFR review...

How I found it: the internet
Track picks: "To Clean," "Rain On"
Link: [MySpace]


#11

Songs for Moms - I Used to Believe in the West
Thrill House

This is one of those albums that completely dominated my life when I first started listening to it. I was impatient any time I couldn't spend listening to it, and I was even impatient when listening to it because I could only listen to one song at once. Folk/country-tinted punk from three California girls, Songs for Moms have put out a truly great album. The songwriting and arrangements are simple but brilliant, each part filling its roll in the music better than anything else could. Lyrically, the album is a remarkable achievement, the words startling in their honesty but endlessly clever and never cliche. I Used to Believe feels comfortable as an album, everything circling the same images and ideas without quite becoming conceptual. I can't imagine a better folk-punk album than this.

How I found it: Screaming Females via their "Best Albums of 2009" list
Track picks: "With Shotguns," "In the West"
Link: [MySpace]


NEXT>> Part 5: #10-6
Part 6: #5-1

Album: Why? - Eskimo Snow

Album: Eskimo Snow
Anticon, 2009
Rating: ********* (9/10)

In 2008, Ohio-born, San Francisco-based Why? generated some excitement with their indie rock-styled rap album Alopecia. Though original and ultimately one of the most interesting releases of 2008, Alopecia was not the most sophisticated of records, including quite a few skippable tracks and only a handful of really memorable ones.

It's only 2009, but Eskimo Snow could hardly be further from its predecessor. Gone are almost all traces of rap, replaced with rich indie rock and twangy hints of country and folk. And yeah, that sounds awful, but it simply blows Alopecia out of the water. Introspective and startlingly earnest, the album shows a drastic leap in maturity. (True, this was recorded at the same time as Alopecia, but it sounds eons more grown-up.)

Despite the dramatic stylistic shift, Eskimo Snow doesn't confuse Why?'s identity as a band, probably because founder-singer-leader Yoni Wolf has a distinct unpolished voice and a distinct lyrical style, whether he's singing or rapping his lines. Of course, he's dropped the zingers of last year ("I never said I didn't have syphilis, Miss Listless") in favor of more brooding lines ("You might find me in the white pages yet / my name is next to numbers / like someone's father's father / left listed in the book of numbers"), but if anything, he's gotten more clever. From loaded images to morbid questions, Wolf's lyrics are relentlessly smart and sincerely affecting.

These rhymes are backed mostly with piano and percussion, but with some guitars and more synthesized sounds stepping up as needed. Ever the student of hip-hop, Wolf keeps a certain rhythmic sensibility even while departing fully from the genre (for the clearest example, check "On Rose Walk, Insomniac"). The best part of the album, however, may be the melodies. Foregoing simple catchy hooks, Eskimo Snow takes on the harder task of making complex melodies while not drifting off course. And in this, it succeeds far beyond expectation, keeping each song memorable and purposeful despite the lack of short-scale repetition. After each moment of excellence, one expects something a bit weaker to follow, but every single one of the album's ten tracks is as good as the last.

Why? albums have all been frank, but until now, Wolf has diluted his vulnerability with wit and the aforementioned "zingers," plays on words and general badassery. On Eskimo Snow, he rips himself open. It's courageous and profound, as he struggles with early adulthood and its profound fears and realizations. Emotional pain, personal battles and insecurities come flooding out, all with intelligence and a very healthy sense of humor.

Mid-way through the album, Wolf muses "Saying all this in public should make me feel funny / but you gotta yield yell[?] something that you never tell nobody." A surprisingly mature, accomplished and touching album, Eskimo Snow may be an upset in critics' year-end and even decade-end lists. And you should definitely get it in touch with your ears as soon as possible - i.e. its official release date, tomorrow.

[MySpace]

Live: Steve Soto, X

When: 5/30
Where: Bowery Ballroom

So I have a small backlog of live reviews that never got published because things got so messed up this month. Here's the first:

Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts appear to be a reasonable opener for X, Steve Soto himself having once been in not one but two of LA's finest punk bands, the Adolescents and Agent Orange. But five minutes of his new band, and my only reaction was "what were they thinking?" What were X thinking? What was Soto thinking? I don't mind hardcore punks growing up and calming down. I don't even mind them playing country music. There's nothing inherently wrong with country music! But to see one of the leading figures in early hardcore play mediocre-at-best formulaic country-rock - it just doesn't make sense. Not only was it some of the least edgy music imaginable, the songwriting and performance weren't even good. Not terrible either, but Soto is not someone who should be aiming for the middle.

If you were there, I was the person at the back loudly calling for "Kids of the Black Hole." I don't think he heard me, but if he did, he certainly didn't honor the request. After the set, I noticed someone on stage was wearing an Adolescents t-shirt and I just found it depressing.

When X took the stage, things got a lot better. First of all, the band had allowed the audience to somehow select the set list before the show - I don't know how this was done, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a mix of the band's poppier material and their most classic punk cuts.

Front-couple Exene Cervenka and John Doe were in fine form. Though they do look a bit weathered (X formed more than thirty years ago, after all), they had a lot of energy for old fogeys. The lanky and still boyish Doe really put his heart into playing, lurching and jumping and holding nothing back. Cervenka was a more stable presence, friendly and grounded in center stage. Her performance was cool, comfortable and straightforward, but not without a lot of passion as well. Sadly, her mic was too low in the mix, but her focused delivery carried her parts when the volume couldn't.

Billy Zoom cut an odder figure on stage. Like the others, he was clearly having fun, but his wide smile remained entirely unchanged throughout the set. He played amazingly, as one would expect, and he definitely rocked out, but in comparison to the others on stage, he seemed the furthest removed from the band's youthful punk beginnings.

No matter what, the chance to see a band like X live in incredible for those of us who were in diapers or even just a twinkle in our parents' eyes when X rocked L.A. After Steve Soto's depressing performance, it was nice to see someone who was keeping the spirit alive.

This person put up a ton of pictures from the show, if you're interested.

Album: Meat Puppets - Sewn Together

Album: Sewn Together
Megaforce, 2009
Rating: ******** (8/10)

Seminal cow-punk freaks the Meat Puppets were one of American punk's earliest and most important groups, back in the early 80's glory days of Black Flag's SST label. Though they helped jumpstart the hardcore scene, the Puppets have always been far more relaxed than most of their West Coast peers, drenching their music in country and psychedelia to the point that it's only recognizable as "punk" by its historical context.

A lot has happened since those days, though. The lines between indie and mainstream have blurred and American punk has undergone a disturbing metamorphosis to become "alternative rock." And in this new context, the Puppets seem to have had some trouble getting their footing.

Sewn Together is the second album since Kirkwood brothers Cris and Curt reunited in 2006. Their 2007 release, Rise to Your Knees, hearkened back to the Puppets' best era but fell short of the excitement of their SST records. On Sewn Together, the band takes a different tack. Following a label change (their sixth move in as many albums), the Puppets recorded their most polished, commercialized music to date.

I'm not one to begrudge a band the use of technology out of some false nostalgia, nor am I one to criticize a band for relying heavily on the producer's engineering to shape their sound. But fans of classic Meat Puppets material will likely be disappointed. In addition to the slick production, Sewn Together has toned down both the velocity and the volume of the band's earlier work. Everything is cleaned up and consequently, it's far less in-your-face than the old material.

Now, if this is the band "selling out" and attempting a commercially viable album for once in their careers, I really can't hold it against them. After all, they deserve some fans and some money for all they've contributed to the evolution of rock music. And if this is how they have to get it, so be it. Or maybe it has nothing to do with moving units, maybe they just like the way this sounds. And that's fine too. It's a totally solid album and would be from any band - it just might not appeal to the same crowd as did, say, Meat Puppets II.

And the Puppets haven't lost any of their real strengths either - as always, they boast masterful songwriting, addictive melodies and some stunning lead guitar. "Blanket of Weeds" boasts a brilliant guitar line and well-conceived stops, as well as some cool sonic disintegration at the end. "Sapphire" and "Go To Your Head" waltz through slow 6/8 rhythms, while "I'm Not You" launches into a high-speed two-step (and sounds more like classic Meat Puppets than anything else on the album).

As the album wears on, it becomes slightly less worthy of note. None of the songs clock in under three minutes (compared to their first two albums which had one song between them over the three minute mark). That's not inherently bad, but some of the songs on Sewn Together do drag on too long and end up stagnant. The arrangements are also rather monotonous. There's quite a bit of piano and even some whistling on the album, so there is variety between the songs. But within each track, all the instruments tend to just carry on together right through doing about what they did from the start. This might work with shorter songs, but in the three to five minute range, it's hard not to thirst for something less predictable.

Despite the lack of momentum on some tracks, though, Sewn Together is a great album. Few songwriters can match the Kirkwood brothers and that alone could carry the record. This album may not be the dream of old-school fans, but its more tempered psychedelic country twang will bring a new audience into the fold.

[MySpace]

Album: Soft Black - The Earth Is Black

Album: The Earth Is Black (and Other Apocalyptic Lullabies for Children)
Plays With Dolls Records, 2009
Rating: ******* (7/10)

After my tepid live review of Soft Black last fall, frontman/songwriter Vincent Cacchione made the arrogant - or ballsy - move of asking for my opinion on his 2009 record, The Earth Is Black (released today). Arrogant in that he seemed to think he could win me over, but ballsy to ask for an (inevitably public) opinion from someone he knows won't hold back harsh words.

Given this history, I wish I could come down strongly one way or the other on this album, but unfortunately, my reaction was a bit mixed. I can say definitively, though, that I did find it much more satisfying than the November show - as an album, it makes clear what Cacchione is trying accomplish in his music and ultimately, it succeeds in its mission.

A cohesive record, The Earth Is Black is immediately reminiscent of country-rock classics like Neil Young. But there's something more beneath the surface, a hint of Young's more edgy contemporaries - the Stooges and even the Doors are lurking in the background here. I suppose there are also pieces of psychedelia (think Grateful Dead) but that seems more deliberate and less integral to the album's ultimate vision than the touches of garage rock and under-the-radar pop.

The album boasts masterful songwriting throughout, with title track standing as the most memorable example. The sonic experimentation of "The Flesh Of The Sky" is also a highlight - it is definitively post-punk, but somehow fits smoothly with album's overarching late-60's attitude. The second half of the album can also hold its own. "The Lions" is a notably pretty little number, while "Did You Put A Spell On Me?" rocks hard as it branches out in new noisy directions.

However, some tracks fall short of that mark. "I Am An Animal" is the most disappointing example - this clearly should have been an album highlight. Instead, the sparse arrangement in the verse makes the song a glaring weak point. In pitch and tone, Cacchione is a fine singer, but his voice simply isn't rich enough to carry the song. The songwriting is still solid, and the arrangement is a good idea in concept, but the execution only highlights Soft Black's amateur side.

Thankfully, that side is well hidden for most of the rest of the album. Despite some weak moments, The Earth Is Black is a mature and accomplished record. I don't think Soft Black has peaked yet - the album's shortcomings reveal problems that a musician as talented and eager to improve as Cacchione will be able to fix with time.

Stylistically, Soft Black may not be for everyone. But if you've always wondered what it would sound like if Neil Young or James Taylor had joined a garage rock band from Cleveland in 1972, grab a copy now!

MySpace

Radio Flyer's Recommendations for Valentine's Day Blues

Hi everyone,

Sorry if you've been trying to avoid the fact that Valentine's Day is this Saturday - but you were bound to be reminded somehow, and how better than Radio Flyer Review's Valentine's Day recommendations? I have identified which recommendations fit with which circumstances and have included a key so you can figure out which music will match your situation. If you're planning to have a happy Valentine's Day with your significant other, sorry, but this list is not for you.

Key:

*	Music for the broken-hearted
**	Crying in your beer music (a specific subdivision of music for the broken-hearted)
#	Music for the angry and bitter
+	Music to make you feel good about being independent (I don't have much of this because I really don't own or listen to much music to make anyone feel good about anything, but I tried...)

In no particular order:

1. Rid Of Me by PJ Harvey #
Break-up albums don't come angrier than PJ Harvey's masterpiece. Every line of every song is pretty much another kick in the face whoever it was who pissed her off. There's something darkly empowering about the album, but it never once feels good. Of course, the title track takes the cake: "I'm gonna twist your head off, see? / Till you say don't you wish you never never met her."

2. "In My Life" by the Brian Jonestown Massacre #
This has got to be my favorite bitter break-up song in the indie rock canon. "I'm gonna take you out / I'm gonna make you cry," etc. Word of advice: never break up with Anton Newcombe.

3. Country Music ** (and sometimes #, +)
The entire genre of country music (well, at least all of it that isn't completely crap) is made for this situation. It's hard to go wrong, but if you really have no idea where to start, I'd suggest going back to the classics, either the genre's leading ladies (Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt) or even back to Mr. Johnny Cash himself. But really, just about anything from the genre will do.

4. "Fuck You (An Ode To No One)" by the Smashing Pumpkins and "Violet" by Hole #
Pumpkins' leader Billy Corgan was once romantically involved with Hole's Courtney Love, and rumor has it, they wrote these songs to/about one another, obviously post break-up. Seems like there may have been some hard feelings.

5. No Shouts, No Calls by Electrelane *
I know, I know - will you shut up about Electrelane already!? The answer is no, I won't. I love this band and I can think of very few lyricists who capture heart-break as honestly and accurately as Verity Susman. If this album isn't enough for you, also try "Birds" off The Power Out ("It's not that I can't go on without you / Got a lot of things to do / I'm busy, busy all the time / Still I can't stop thinking about you")

6. "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms" by Frightened Rabbit **
Hands down, the best crying-in-your-beer song of 2008. Key lyric: "I'm not ready to see you this happy"

7. Pre-war blues *,#,+
There's something very cathartic about hearing someone 80 years go saying exactly what you're thinking now, and particularly saying it on a crackly old recording over some nice guitar lines. There's a lot to chose from here, but here are some recommendations:

	> J. T. Smith - "Howling Wolf Blues" (*) or "Heart Bleeding Blues" (*,#)
	> Lucille Bogan - "You Got To Die Some Day" (#) or "Lonesome Midnight Blues" (*)
	> Martha Copland - "I Ain't Your Hen Mr. Fly Rooster" (+)
	> Robert Johnson - "Love In Vain" (*)

8a. Disintegration by the Cure *
This is an obvious choice, but still merits mentioning. One of the greatest break-up albums ever, this is perfect for crying your eyes out to for hours on end. Track picks: "Pictures of You" and "Disintegration"
8b. "Doing the Unstuck" by the Cure +
This isn't exactly a happy song, to say the least, but in a way, it can be helpful to have a I'm-Getting-Over-It song from someone you know feels just as miserable and hopeless as you (in this case, Robert Smith). Yes, it's sarcastic, but there's something empowering about it anyway.

9. Late 90's American indie pop *,#
For some reason, at least in the US, the late 90's were a great era for honest, direct lyrics. Some examples to get you started:

	> Magnetic Fields: "I Don't Believe In The Sun" (*) or "I Don't Want To Get Over You" (*)
	> Quasi: "I Never Want To See You Again" (*,#)
	> Elliot Smith: "Somebody That I Used To Know" (#) or "Everything Reminds Me Of Her" (*) (OK, these weren't technically released in the 90's, but what's a couples months' difference?)

10. "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" by the Ramones +
It doesn't get more direct than this.


Last resort...
Now, I happen to know a lot of people going through a really hard time right now, be it the stupid holiday this weekend, the economy, or just a string of bad luck. Now, I really hope none of you reading this are bad off enough to take these recommendations, but sometimes you just need music that's as low and messed up as you feel. So just in case...

For the very, very sad: Things We Lost In The Fire by Low

For the very, very angry: I'll Sleep When You're Dead by El-P or Broken by Nine Inch Nails (cliches exist for a reason!)

For the utterly miserable: Still by Joy Division or Spiderland by Slint