Album: Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils

Album: Beach Fossils
Captured Tracks, 2010
Rating: ******* (7/10)

Here's a shocker! I don't hate the Beach Fossils album (self-titled, out today). I really thought I would, cause when I saw this band live, they just annoyed me and my tolerance has certainly not grown over time. But I have to admit, this album has its moments that are not just passable, but actually good.

Now, let's not get carried away. Beach Fossils still sound pretty much like the 9,000 other reverby, lo-fi-ish indie bands that are so popular right now. You know, the kind that make up 95% of Todd P bills and 50% of Stereogum playlists. But as I remarked after the last show, this band is definitely better in than most of them - they have good songs and hooky melodies and even some variance, track to track.

The opening track, though hitting it off in a major key, seems to herald something subtly sinister. Post-punk darkness casts a shadow over the sound. In fact, despite the name, this band little to do with surf and sun - the jangly reverb may take a page from Brian Wilson's book, but the melodies are more British post punk and even C86 than they are surf. In other (non-geek) words, the tunes are at once tight and open, warm and melancholy. "Vacation" is the perfect example - measured vocal harmonies over sparkling, appreggiated guitar chords and a quick but hushed, marchy beat.

A little further on, "Twelve Roses" finds the guitar with a richer, more immediate tone while a simple earworm of sung melody rings out in warm layers. "Daydream" falls in and out of step in a touchingly human way, while "Golden Age" kicks out a stronger beat over which guitar and vocals meld to almost indistinguishable tones. Near the end, the explorative guitar riff and sad singing of "Wide Awake" obscure a soft, intensely poignant bass line.

The album also has its share of forgettable tracks, especially arriving as it does in the heyday of its genre. The jazzy bass on the closer, "Gathering," is way overdone (despite being low in the mix) while songs like "Youth" and "Window View" fail to stand out from so many similar songs by similar bands on similar albums.

Still, if we're going to pay attention to anyone in this bloated DIY scene, it may as well be Beach Fossils. There are some moments of real beauty and meaning on Beach Fossils and some signs of real talent. Do you need this album? No. But if this kind of stuff floats your boat, throw out Real Estate and make space on the shelf for these guys.

[myspace]

Live: The Vandelles

When: 3/26
Where: Cameo Gallery

Just a quicky here, since I've reviewed the Vandelles more times than anyone should. I just can't help myself.

The Vandelles set at Cameo featured their usual musical onslaught of wall-to-wall feedback and their usual irresistible surf and rockabilly-esque ditties. The band is ferocious.

Among the many remarkable attributes of the Vandelles is the fact that they keep getting better. You can tell how hard these guys work and you can see exactly what they've been working on between each show.

Now, in one review of the Vandelles at Cameo, I remarked that guitarist Christo Buffam was "the least immediately captivating" member of the group. I didn't mean that as any insult then - the man is response for every nuance in the band's sonic attack - but in this round, he proved he's got the intense stage presence to match his intense noise. Brandishing his guitar as a weapon, he spent the show silhouetted in corporal battle with the pealing waves of sound.

The rest of the band were no less engaging. Jason Schwartz has a classic frontman's charisma while to his left, bassist Lisha Nadkarni dominates her instrument and her audience with a solid stance and cool focus. And in the back, the ever impressive Honey Pagliorola threatens to split every drum in half with each deadly stroke.

This band is about to catch on big time and all I can say is, it's about damn time.

[myspace]

Album: Japanther - Rock'n'Roll Ice Cream

Album: Rock'n'Roll Ice Cream
Menlo Park, 2010
Rating: ******* (7/10)

Pop-punk/art-punk duo Japanther have long been a bit of an oddity in the Brooklyn music scene - you won't see them with a lot of other NYC punks or underground popsters. Instead, the bands with whom they are most closely associated are stylistically far away, united instead by attitude, and unsurprisingly, attitude more than sound defines Japanther.

That attitude, for better or worse, is clear from track one of Rock'n'Roll Ice Cream. Japanther are (usually) two dudes from Pratt and their music hints at that combination of artistic inclination and obnoxious privilege so commonly associated with their alma mater. They have always had an anti-corporate bent, this time most clearly in the opening track, a catchy pop blast called "Surfin Coffin." Their lyrics on the rest of the album, as in their previous songs, range from the excitement of being young and maybe hanging out with a girl you like a lot to the frustration of being surrounded by a seemingly passionless, anticreative world.

But it's not all good. The band runs into trouble from time to time when, as on "Surfin Coffin," their arrogance dominates their social critique. Rather than uniting, as such mildly political punk should, this divides by pretty clearly indicating that Japanther think they're better than you. And maybe they are, but they shouldn't sing about it. However, on one level, even this can be a bit charming. It reminds me of the arrogant phase most of us went through around age 14 - remember that? When you were so much more enlightened than your parents and teachers and had the world just about all figured out? It's kind of cute that Japanther have, apparently, not yet realized the error of their conceit.

Enough! Let's talk about the music! There's plenty to say... First of all, Japanther grew a bit for this record, adding Anita Sparrows not only for female vocals but also as a full-on band member with writing and recording contributions across the board. Sparrows's presence clearly opened many doors for the band and they made the most of these opportunities, all while staying true to their band's identity. It's certainly one of the most successful add-a-member attempts I've heard in a long time. Sparrows has a wide stylistic range, tackling girl-group meets surf back-up vocals on "None's Listenin" as well as her punky chant on "Surfin Coffin."

If you haven't guessed it yet, the album has a surf thread running through it, but I'm thankful to say it's not overdone. With everybody and their grannie making Beach Boys-influenced indie pop these days, I'm glad to hear someone make it work without compromising. And Japanther, though never the edgiest band on earth, are still defiant and uncomplacent even in their seaside harmonies.

Sonically, the album is subtly unique. Bringing in mainstream, big-name pop producer Michael Blum but keeping their good ol' telephone mics (which sound worse than the computer mic I sometimes use for home recording - and that came free with my parents' PC back in the mid-90's), Japanther sound muddled - but not necessarily in a bad way and certainly in an interesting one. The sound crafted is far larger than ever before, but it's as raw, young and immediate as always.

Not every song on Rock'n'Roll Ice Cream is a winner, but it's got enough syrupy sweet melodies and enough fuzzy, rumbling guitars to be worth a listen. It's not gonna change your life, but it's fun. And we all need some fun from time to time.

[myspace]

Most Overrated Albums of 2009

This isn't going to be the most surprising list, but I don't want a miss a chance to hate on some bad music!

5. A Sunny Day in Glasgow - Ashes Grammar Borrrrrring. They may make some cool sounds, but they can't write a song to save their lives. And I used to be a big fan of the band. Easily the most disappointing album of the year. [MySpace]

4. Health - Get Color The album art is awesome, but the music, not so much. Like ASDIG, poor composition lands them on this list. This music has been made before and here, it's neither new nor improved. [MySpace]

3. Girls - Album Unlike the two above, Girls succeed as songwriters. Great melodies and tight pop compositions abound. It's just that this is some of the most un-edgy music to come out this year. Don't get me wrong. It's enjoyable. But one of the best albums of the year is young man imitating the Beach Boys in an attempt to get laid as much as possible? I don't think so. [MySpace]

2. The XX - xx This band is just so generic. I don't hate the music, but I don't understand how anyone can get excited about it. Hype works in mysterious ways. [MySpace]

1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca OK, who didn't see this coming? Dirty Projectors suck, folks. They are offensive on too many levels to count. They go against everything rock music was ever supposed to be (as evidenced by their version of Damaged). Hell, they go against pretty much everything art was ever supposed to be. And I still maintain the band is unfeminist, though I know it's only a matter of time before someone loses their shit at me for saying that. (Go ahead...) This band is the distillation of everything wrong with indie music today - the privilege and entitlement that dominates the Brooklyn music scene, the thinly masked 1950's-esque conservatism and the complete, total lack of having any balls. This music is cowardly and unbearable. [MySpace]

Live: Wavves + Beach Fossils, Ganglians

When: 9/25
Where: Market Hotel

I've got a bit behind on live reviews here, but luckily, I took a few notes from this show almost two weeks ago, at which Wavves packed Market Hotel wall-to-wall.

The first band we caught was Beach Fossils. Honestly, I don't know what to say about them. There are so many of these lo-fi punk bands right now, and so many of them with some sort of beach/surf theme, that it's just impossible to think of anything new to say. Beach Fossils were okay in that they had decent melodies and songwriting. They weren't particularly exciting on stage, but you could hop around to their music if you wanted to. They are definitely in the upper 50% of bands of their type, but such bands are a dime a dozen right now, so I can't say you should go out of your way to check them out. But neither should you go out of your way to avoid them. [MySpace]

Ganglians, a California band, followed. It's a name you hear around a lot if you're following the DIY scene, but I have to say, they were very disappointing. The long-haired, bearded singer seemed like he was aiming for the ironic lumberjack look, which worked well in 1991 but doesn't really cut it anymore. He made me think of that Le Tigre song title "Dude Yr So Crazy!!" because I got the impression that's the reaction he was hoping to illicit. But the dude isn't crazy, and it's a pretty weak put-on.

All this would be irrelevant if there was some good music to back it up, but there wasn't. The "melodies" were hardly melodies at all, barely wavering from monotone. The riffs were immensely predictable, the kind you've heard already in a dozen different songs, with slight variation. The band does have a knack for arrangements, and the interesting, creative decisions did give the songs a sense of structure. Of course, that skill is kind of wasted when there's no melody. And when the music has no heart. [MySpace]

Wavves, of course, is the opposite in many ways. There are great melodies and quite a bit of genuine expression in the songs. Nathan Williams may not exactly be turning himself inside out, but it's clear he's putting some part of himself into the music. He's having fun, but he's a real musician with a real artistic contribution too.

The audience was young and very excited. The crowd surfing and dancing was alright, but rushing the stage became a problem when it resulted in equipment failure, cutting Williams off. He was clearly unsure of what to do about the kids, but Todd P. dashed over and scared them off. At the end, Williams himself lept into the fray, riding the crowd while his drummer finished out the set alone.

Williams has improved his playing and singing since I saw him last, but he's still looking down a lot to check his power chords. And that's exactly what's so inspiring about Wavves - if this kid can do it, anyone can do it. He's got no special gift and he clearly didn't have the privilege of childhood lessons (or if he did, his parents should demand their money back). That's why he, more than anyone else right now, is the hero of DIY.

His drummer, however, does not really fit. The drummer is excellent - too excellent. As a young man, he clearly has some impulse to show off his skills, and as a talented drummer, he clearly gets bored with Williams's ultra-simplistic punk. I sympathize with him, but all the fills and frills in his playing distracted from the essence of the music. Great drummer, bad match.

But despite these problems, Williams cranked out familiar songs from both albums as well as some new ones, all of them catchy, inspired gems. The sound was a little out of control with feedback - "Jasper" described it as "Wavves: the Jesus & Mary Chain version." It seems all the racket was neither intentional nor unwanted, but rather, in appropriate Wavves style, was just shrugged off with an implied "whatever." And despite the fact that a large proportion of people left clasping their ears, I'd be surprised if anyone didn't have fun. [MySpace]

Live: Ringo Deathstarr + the Vandelles

When: 7/31
Where: Cameo

I reviewed the Vandelles pretty recently, also at Cameo, so I won't repeat myself. The band still rocked and this time, seemed to be genuinely having fun too.

I have said many times that Ringo Deathstarr is the best contemporary shoegaze band around. And that's because they absolutely are. The thickly layered, distorted, tremolo guitars are straight from Loveless, but coupled with the melodic sensibility of the Jesus & Mary Chain. No, it's not the most original music out there, but that doesn't change the fact that it's some of the most enjoyable.

To be honest, the band is about average live, not boring to watch by any means, but not anything unusual. To me, this point is almost negligible because hearing shoegaze live and loud is always rewarding. And though not particularly active or engaging while playing, the band still managed to gain momentum in their set by keeping the sound and songs flowing.

The band played the best songs off their 2007 EP and a couple other familiar songs, along with some new material. I heard one good Manchester-esque beat and some catchy new melodies too. I think there's an album on the way, so get ready!

The night was finished off by Blacklist, but I'm saving that for a separate review. Stay tuned...

Dust It Off: The Fizzbombs - Surfin' Winter

Album: Surfin' Winter [EP]
Calculus, 1988

With all the hullabaloo over the Pains of Being Pure at Heart this spring, I've been thinking a lot about the fuzzed-out indie pop bands of yesteryear. One of the fuzziest and certainly one of the best was Edinburgh's Fizzbombs.

As compared to the Pains, the Fizzbombs' guitars are bit nastier and their noise a bit noisier. There are all sorts of strange, chaotic sounds in the background of each song. In fact, the roughness of the sound, coupled with the surf element of this release, might make a comparison to Wavves more apt than one to the Pains. Either way, the Fizzbombs would fit right in in today's indie scene.

There's more than a little humor in a Edinburgh band putting out a surf album, but the surf roots of the music and beach-bum lyrics fit together perfectly. There are plenty of other obvious reference points - the jangly indie pop of C86, the full melodies of post-new wave 80's pop, the guitar roar of the Jesus & Mary Chain. Anyone who likes both pop and noise will find the Fizzbombs irresistible.

Boasting two women of three members (originally three women of four members), the Fizzbombs were part of a greater movement in the 80's UK that brought increasing numbers of female musicians into the indie rock scene. The band members all played in other bands, most notably bassist Sarah Kneale of the Shop Assistants.*

Often, EPs are really just extended singles, with one great song and some chaff to fill up the rest. But if that was the intention with this record, it's difficult to say what song they were emphasizing. All five tracks are positively gems. "Beach Party" has got some bizarre back-up vocals in a bass register and a fast, driving guitar riff. "Blue Summer" and "Test Pilot" are noisy and rich, but with equally addictive melodies. "Surfaround" is the most surf-influenced track on the album, with a Beach Boys-esque tune and a quick, skipping surf rhythm on the drums.

The EP's centerpiece, "Cherry Cherry," is perhaps the highlight (though as I've said, it's hard to pick). The 80's pop melody is reminiscent of the catchiest of Blondie or the Go Go's. As such, it's most mature and bold track on the record. That may sound counter-intuitive, but jangly surf-imitations were a dime a dozen in the UK underground around this time. Serious songwriting far less so.

If you like high levels of distortion laced with sunny melodies, look no further. If Surfin' Winter doesn't satisfy you, nothing will.


*I owe a big thanks to this blogger for explaining the line-up changes as relative to the releases. I never would have got that on my own.

Live: The Vandelles + SikSik Nation

When: 5/15
Where: Cameo

I can't believe it, but looking back, I have not yet reviewed the Vandelles, one of my favorite NYC bands. The Vandelles run with folks like A Place To Bury Strangers, but their music isn't quite like anyone else's on the scene. Yes, it's pop songs laden with feedback and noise guitar, but these pop songs hearken back all the way to the 1950's and 60's, rockabilly and surf tunes at the core, despite the psych-influenced walls of sound.

The Vandelles are good on record but their live show is what's really outstanding. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the band consists of some of the best lookin' indie kids in New York. And they make the most of that fact by knocking out their tunes with maximum sexiness. They are an easy band to watch, let's just leave it at that.


The Vandelles* (photo by Eileen Schwartz)
The Vandelles showed remarkable chemistry on stage on Friday, locking in tightly with one another and delivering one roaring number after another with compelling confidence. Cameo is not nearly a big enough space to hold this band. Though their popularity does not yet justify a major venue, their stage presence is absolutely massive. Frontman Jason Schwartz's bold posturing and bassist Lisha Nadkarni's powerful poise lend the band a sense of professionalism. In the back, Sue "Honey" Pagliorola defies her slight build and girlish looks, proving herself one of the most aggressive drummers on the scene today. She slams the drums with mechanical fury. The least immediately captivating is new guitarist Christo Buffam, but that's only because he's pouring his attentions into his guitar and pedals, painstakingly crafting the subtleties of the band's sound.

Top-notch musicianship is not lacking from any of the four. The band's rhythms are unusual, but the term "syncopated" would be misleading, since most beats the term has been applied to are light-footed, and the Vandelles are anything but. Their syncopation so heavy, it obliterates the beat for everyone - except, apparently, the band, who somehow always reemerge from such passages as tight as ever.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave it there for now. Definitely, definitely, definitely a band to watch.

[MySpace]

Next up was SikSik Nation, a Detroit-based psychedelic trio making their first-ever stop in New York City. I didn't have the highest of expectations (for no reason except that I don't usually), but I'm very glad I stuck around for their set! It's easy to forget there's an indie-music world beyond the New York-Boston-DC axis, if only because there's so much going on here. But a band like this, fresh from Motor City, illustrates how insular the East Coast can be. Though the components of SikSik were not particularly original, their music explores a different alley from those inhabited by their New York counterparts, giving indie-psych fans a breath of fresh air.

The band's sound is more spacious than the shoegaze-inspired East Coasters', with more room for the listener to jump right in. Instead of arty noise rock, their music gains its kick from ever-so-slight nods to the garage rock that once made Detroit a rock music capital. Their playing was tight but flexible, working in the unearthly sounds of a theramin and a restrained amount of electronics while still kickin' it out old-school.

SikSik isn't groundbreaking, but they're solid and satisfying, and an hour in their audience is an hour well spent. Come back to New York soon!

[MySpace]

*The original guitar player (second from left in this picture) has been replaced with the talented Christo Buffam, but the only picture I could find with him kept looking really pixelated. Sorry!

Live: Wavves, DD/MM/YYYY

When: 3/30
Where: Mercury Lounge

After numerous failed attempts to see Wavves live, I finally caught them last week at Mercury Lounge. Wavves, the ultra-lo-fi punk/surf/pop of San Diego's Nathan Williams, has been one of the most exciting musicians to appear in the last few years.

The band (Williams and a touring drummer) slammed out a short set of many of the best tunes off both his recent albums, along with one or two I didn't recognize. As I was hoping they would, Wavves struck the perfect balance of cool and enthusiasm, devoid of the lazy, entitled attitude of some of their colleagues (cough cough crystal stilts cough cough). They had energy, but still had a confident ease that's particularly striking given their obvious youth.

Technically, Williams is terrible - he's been touring for two months and still, his simple guitar parts aren't quite down pat. He's got a nice voice but had trouble more than once hitting the right notes. And all of this just makes him even more awesome. Because this is lo-fi, this is punk rock, and that's what makes Wavves so great - they are exactly what punk is about - kids flipping a finger at convention and pretension and just rocking the fuck out!

Of course, that's not to say Wavves is without talent - quite the opposite! They are not technically proficient instrumentalists, but Williams's songs are outstanding pieces, little fragments of pop that never overstay their welcome. And while his use of noise is definitely not new, he somehow manages to deconstruct even further the sounds of his noise-pop antecedents (Jesus & Mary Chain, Sonic Youth, Guided By Voices) and his loud-as-hell minimalism is the most youthful, badass, refreshing music I've heard in ages.

Between two songs, Williams's phone started ringing. The audience, heckling him about his youth, asked if it was his mother. It was. For anyone nostalgic for the good old days of the early 80's, when second generation American punk was still pure, when it symbolized an alternative world for misfits just coming of age, Wavves may well be the greatest thing since the Wipers and Minor Threat. [MySpace]

Next up, the confusingly titled DD/MM/YYYY, a math-rock ensemble from Canada. Their jarring experimental sounds were heavy and fast, but despite that, I couldn't get interested, just annoyed. That's because a whole generation of bands, among them some of my favorite groups ever, played exactly this style of music - only way better - back in the early 90's. Any of these bands could kick DD/MM/YYYY's ass - June of 44, A Minor Forest, Chavez, Polvo, Rodan, Bastro and of course Slint, to name a few. But most of these 90's bands never got due credit and have been almost entirely forgotten in the years since their demise.

So, while DD/MM/YYYY may not be bad, they seem like a big step backwards to anyone versed in the history of this style of music. Yes, they play tightly through ever-changing time signatures, they make nice noises and slam out some sweet dissonance. But it's only a weak imitation of what came before. If you need to see this kind of music live, I guess it's the best you'll do. But on record, this is kid's stuff - hit up the old catalogues at Touch & Go and Quarterstick for the real deal. Trust me. [MySpace]

Album: Wavves - Wavvves

Album: Wavvves
Fat Possum, 2009
Rating: ********* (9/10)

In 2008, Wavves, the vehicle of San Diego-based Nathan Williams, put out a self-titled album (only two v's) on the very underground label Woodsist. A raw, ultra-lo-fi burst of punk and surf recorded on a four-track in Williams's bedroom, Wavves won my respect from its first note on. It made #3 on my "Best Albums of 2008" list and has been in heavy rotation on my stereo since I first heard it.

I wasn't the only person to fall in love with Williams's independent, self-assured sound. Since the release of Wavves, he's shown up on Pitchfork Media, signed to Fat Possum and started touring. It was inevitable that such a rapid and dramatic change would affect Williams's music. But I'm happy to report that so far, all the success has changed Wavves in only the best possible way.

Wavvves has all the fuzzy lo-fi roar of the first album, with drums, vocals and guitars buried and blended under layers of distortion. However, this time around Williams obviously had more recording resources, or at least more time. The sound is better controlled and crafted, with more layers of guitar, percussion and vocals on many songs.

Moreover, the songwriting itself has vastly improved from the first album. Though Wavves had a few really great tracks, many others were simply unmemorable. On average, Wavvves has better hooks and melodies, better lyrics and better compositions. "Beach Demon" starts out with a veil of noise that's almost beautiful, giving way eventually to a brilliant reprise of the song from the first album. "Sun Opens My Eyes" opens with a bold, clattering beat and "Summer Goth" even has a slight swing.

But Wavves is still Wavves, the ultimate disaffected southern California youth. Songs like "So Bored" and lyrics like "I'm getting high / to pass the time" are reminiscent of the suburban angst that gave rise to California's 80's hardcore scene. Sometimes (for example, on the obviously-titled "No Hope Kids") the whole "I'm a slacker from California" thing feels a little like overkill. But for the most part, Wavves manages to be an epitome of youth culture in a way that still sounds fresh. This is everything punk rock should be - stubbornly independent, unabashedly young and hella noisy. Props.

Upcoming Shows: New Years Eve

So many bands I love are playing shows in NYC on New Year's Eve, but I can only really recommend one event because going to any of the others would mean missing this:

MERCURY LOUNGE, 12/31
8 PM My Best Fiend
9 PM The Vandelles
10 PM Dirty on Purpose
11 PM A Place to Bury Strangers

Do whatever it takes to get tickets - they are kind of expensive ($25) but it's NYE in New York, so that's just how it goes. The show hasn't sold out yet, but it probably will. The entire line-up is amazing, but the real reason you must not miss this show is that it's the LAST SHOW EVER for noise pop champs Dirty on Purpose. Of course, the rest of the bands are swoon-worthy as well - the fuzzed out dark psychedelia of APTBS is always amazing and the Vandelles' massively feedback-laden, rehashed rockabilly is a great way to ring in 2009.

I'm nowhere near New York, so I guess I'll go to my grave without hearing Dirty on Purpose. But if I had known about this show before I bought plane tickets last month, I would have cut my vacation in half just to go to this. If you are in New York, you have no excuse!

Best Albums of 2008 - Part 5 - #5-1

Although this list has shifted a lot, there's never been any doubt that these five albums would top it. They are not only the best of 2008, they are a full head and shoulders above everything else.

PREVIOUS>>
Part 1 - Rules and Runners Up
Part 2 - #20-16
Part 3 - #15-11
Part 4 - #10-6


#5

Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
The Social Registry

I have searched and searched for some criticism to make of this album, but I haven't come up with much. Gang Gang Dance have always been innovators, but in this release, which fleshes out their club/dance tendencies, the band has at last fully lived up to their immense potential. Saint Dymphna is one of the only true masterpieces of 2008, and if this were not explicitly a rock/pop list, this album might have placed even higher than #5.

An epic electronic album, Saint Dymphna draws on influences from My Bloody Valentine and Brian Eno to "world-beat" (in the rawest, most "tribal" sense) to trip-hop, and uses elements from each style so smoothly, you could swear each one was invented specifically to be a tool in the dub toolbox. Of all the electronic acts who are supposed to be lovable to rock critics (Aphex Twin, DJ Shadow, Mouse on Mars, etc.), this is the first one to really win me over. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because the music has genuine feeling but none of the machismo that usually accompanies it in the genre. In any case, the album shows brilliance in inspiration and meticulous care in execution. It's as close to perfect as 2008 has to offer.

Tinchy Stryder, guest rapper on "Princes," puts it best: "Oh shit! Gang Gang!"

Track picks: "Blue Nile," "Desert Storm"
MySpace


#4

Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
Troubleman Unlimited

For all of us who thought the twenty-first century and hardcore punk would never really find a meeting point, Titus Andronicus has proven us wrong. The subversive edginess of hardcore is alive and well in Grievances, but the album is as far as you can get from revivalist - the punk of Titus Andronicus is fresh and original, smart, innovative and unrestricted by convention. It takes into account the important musical developments of the last few decades, borrowing guitar techniques from shoegazers, songwriting ideals from British indie popsters and experimentalist cues from post-hardcore burners. Punk, meet 2008. 2008, meet punk.

Track pick: "Titus Andronicus"
MySpace


#3

Wavves - Wavves
Woodsist

I think what's most compelling about Wavves is that its only member, Nathan Williams, delivers his songs with the confident ease of someone who knows his music could kick anyone else's music's ass. It's dope to the point where if you don't like it, everyone will know it's because you're not cool enough, not because there's anything wrong with the music. Yeah, that's not fair to say about any band, but Wavves are the best candidate for getting away with such cooler-than-you trickery since Sonic Youth's heyday.

But it's not really trickery, because the album really is that good. Wavves sounds like it may have been recorded through a jet engine - the guitars are distorted, the drums are distorted, the vocals are distorted, absolutely everything is distorted. But the pseudo-surf, pseudo-punk numbers are short and catchy, if you can make them out through the roar of static. Most importantly, the album is fiercely independent, fearless and self-assured to an degree very few bands have ever achieved.

Track picks: "Teenage Super Party," "Wavves"
MySpace


#2

Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster...
Wichita Recordings / Arts & Crafts

I can't possibly tell you how obsessed I am with this album. Los Campesinos!'s second album of the year, We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed placed at #15 on this list, so I've already said a little about the band. While Hold On Now is a less refined effort, it won out for top spot because it's got the best songs and the higher level of originality of the two releases.

Los Campesinos! are a manic Welsh pop band that boasts seven or eight members - who all together generate a hella lot of noise. They play ping-pong with melodies, passing them back and forth, at times by the word, and there's always a half-dozen different parts at once, making this an album worth hearing many times through.

Most importantly, the melodies and hooks are hands-down the best pop music offered up in 2008. Keeping in mind I don't even nod my head at most concerts, you can take as evidence of the album's catchiness the fact that I've been seen jumping up and down like a maniac on subway platforms because this was playing in my headphones. True, the band goes right up to the very brink of overly self-aware, puke-inducing preciousness, but just when you think you're going to start hating them, they pull something else awesome out of their hat and you're back to being madly in love again. In the world of straight-up pop, this album is not only the best of the year, it's one of the best of the decade.

Track picks: "My Year In Lists" (how appropriate!), "Death to Los Campesinos!"
MySpace


#1

Marnie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That
Kill Rock Stars

No, this isn't a "worst album title" list, though This Is It would score just as well in that competition. But this is a "Best of 2008" list and this album is the best of the year. To be honest, I ignored Marnie Stern for a long time because I saw the individual name and wrote it off as "boring solo project" without giving it a try. But I heard so much about Stern this fall that I decided to give the album a fair chance - and it was not remotely like anything I might have expected. It's a high-speed riot-grrrl-inspired noise-rock explosion featuring a dozen tracks of non-stop shredding, lightspeed drumming and raging, enveloping melodies. It's like nothing I've ever heard.

I put a lot of consideration into the placement of This Is It at the top of the list, and I feel confident that this is where it belongs. The reason is simple: while most of the standout albums of 2008 will be surpassed and fade into the background of their respective genres with time, I really believe in ten or twenty years, Marnie Stern's record will still sound fresh, and that it will still have the power to move and inspire. Time might prove me wrong, but of anything released this year, it's the most worthy of becoming a classic in the world of rock and roll.

Track picks: "Transformer," "Steely"
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That's it! Comments welcome!