2011 year in music:
I'm not doing a list because at this point I'm sure everyone is as tired of reading them as I am of making them. Instead here is my take on various things that I listened to this year as well as other musical highlights from 2011.
Windmills by the Ocean - II
The breakup of Isis was one that I had a particularly hard time dealing with, but I suppose if one is going to look for a replacement then a band containing a former member probably isn't the worst place to start. Indeed, I'm sure that on paper a post-metal band that combines shoegaze and ambient electronic influence probably doesn't sound that different from a certain legendary Boston band, but Windmills by the Ocean are actually pretty different. WbtO were also around when Isis was together, this is their second album and I was pleasantly surprised with it. Tracks like "Pagan Sun" feature churning guitar roars and beds of electronic ambience with dreamy, reverbed vocals that sound Jesu influenced to say the least, but then tracks like "Azure" and "Occul" are stunning in their unexpected beauty. "Azure" features a delicate, siren song-like vocal over swirling white noise until 70s style synths dance in right at an intense chord change that makes one of the most compelling songs I've heard all year. Its stoned, dreamy beauty that should not be missed.
This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket
This Will Destroy You proved that there were competant at the instrumental post-rock game with Young Mountain, but either they got bored of what they were doing or maybe they realized all those Explosions in the Sky comparisons were well warranted. They knew they were going to have to step things up and they made a big change with Tunnel Blanket, an album of warm, ethereal soundscapes thats actually kind of ballsy. The opening track "Little Smoke" lures you in with delicate murmurs before you're hit quite hard with a wall of ambient, distorted guitar. The song's progression is beautiful, unexpected, and repetitive, a formula you'll be pretty used to as you listen more. Its all the more awesome on pieces like "Communal Blood" which feature epic minimal percussion to accentuate the waves of suspended, mind-drowning sound. To go from making friendly, melodic instrumental rock to an album of ambient drone took some courage, but Tunnel Blanket yields alot of enjoyment with time. Great for meditation too.
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die but You Will
As long as Mogwai are still active then modern music will have something good going for it. One of the greatest post-rock bands not only because they helped invent it but also because they always give a healthy dose of variety; Mogwai always express a great range of emotion without seeming trite or cliche'. You get triumphant cinematic rock with "White Noise", heavy, haunting, fuzzed-out goodness on "Rano Pano", and even dancier, more electronic-based moments on tracks like "Mexican Grand Prix" and thats just a few tracks. Each song has its own unique personality but the album works great as a whole too. "Hardcore" is yet another solid testament to why Mogwai will always be one of the best at what they do.
Tyler the Creator - Goblin
This one took some time to grow on me, and even then I've gone back and forth on how I really feel about it. I guess the main reason I'm writing about this album is that it was certainly a trending topic this year, and to a degree this album actually deserves its hype which is a rarity. I'm not saying what Odd Future does is high art, sure they and their ringleader Tyler's lyrics can sometimes be tasteless, childish, and existent only for sheer shock value, but the fact that they've gotten where they have doing whatever they want regardless of what the public thinks is pretty admirable by itself. Most modern rap is as self-indulgent and self-gloryifing as anything could possibly get, but here's a collective full of talented rejects that aren't trying to get you to like them at all, its actually quite the opposite. Tyler is as self-depreciating as he is relentless, and this album certainly shows off his talent as an emcee (I especially like his vocal delivery). Frank Ocean does the impossible by making me like modern R&B on tracks like "She" and "Fish". Overall, Tyler and company made a splash with this one.
Scale the Summit - The Collective
Most instrumental bands either concentrate on cinematic, shoegaze-y compositions that don't need vocals or they are the kind of band that are so adept at boggling minds with instrumental skill that vocals would only slow things down and take attention away from the shred. While Scale the Summit certainly lean toward the showy nature of prog, they still don't really fit into either of these categories. These well-hyped young dudes may not have hit anything that would be described as atmospheric or "post-metal" on their third LP The Collective, but they have certainly written the best and most textural album of their careers yet. There is still plenty of jaw-dropping musicianship (the opening track "Colossal" features a bass solo which should tell you something) but the quartet's ability to write smart, memorable, and beautiful instrumental metal songs is certainly getting sharper. The song "Whales" never contains a dull moment and constantly keeps you guessing, even with sublime fusion-like volume swells at the end. The Cynic influence is strong here, but no one said that was ever a bad thing.
Bibio - Mind Bokeh
I have been utterly obsessed with Bibio ever since I discovered his one of a kind "folktronica", a genre that he may or may not have made up to describe his combining of low-fi folk with analog electronics and loops. 2009's Ambivalence Avenue took a decidedly more urban turn, featuring soulful rhythm tracks and J Dilla style beats, but still kept the mesmerizing beauty intact. Mind Bokeh continues moving in more danceable directions, which I imagine will either delight or disappoint you greatly. Even though I can't possibly see myself arguing with the excellence that was his former material, there's something essential about Mind Bokeh as well. Songs like "Pretentious" and "Light Sleep" offer hints of vintage soul with electronic glitchiness for pure feel-good weirdness, while some moments like "Take off Your Shirt" are surprising in their modern danceability. Every track on Mind Bokeh is different in its own brilliant way, and this was easily one of my favorite albums that came out all year. You certainly won't need anything else for a pot-addled summer evening party.
Mastodon - The Hunter
I had to take some time to come to terms with this one but its a grower. I've been a fan of Atlanta GA's Mastodon for some time, and I didn't exactly want them to strip away the lofty, sometimes dark concepts and prog posturing that have helped form all of their former albums, but once they did they were still able to make an album full of great songs. The Hunter is the sound of a one of the heaviest and most original bands in modern music somehow finding success, and just having fun with it. While some songs find them at their most radio friendly (Curl of the Burl) others such as "Black Tongue" feature classic Mastodon riffs (and heaviness), and there's plenty of completely new ground on tracks like "Creature Lives" that show a side of this band we've never seen before. I'm a bigger fan of Matt Bayles' style of production but The Hunter still sounds great, and should not be passed up or dismissed. Hopefully their recent popularity will keep introducing kids to the greatness of the Melvins and Black Sabbath and rock radio can be reborn.
Opeth - Heritage
Opeth are a band that will always have a secure spot on any year end list that I do, because they never do anything that doesn't blow me away. Heritage is still a good deal different from any of their past albums, this time the prog-metal legends took away the production and usual epicness out of the equation to concentrate on a classic prog-rock record reminiscent of Jethro Tull and Camel. The production is the biggest thing you're likely to notice first, its refreshing to hear just how organic and analogue that Heritage is with the affinity that modern metal bands have for overproducing everything until you're no longer listening to real instruments. The sinister, winding riffs of songs like "Devil's Orchard" are all Opeth though, and the keyboard/organ/mellotrone work will especially delight old-school prog fans like myself. Best soundtrack of the year for a stroll through a Tolkien-esque fantasy land.
Primus - Green Naugahyde
How long have we been waiting for this? I was excited about the return of Primus but uncertain about which Primus would show up to the studio. Would we have the funk-metal of Frizzle Fry? the weirder and less liked later eras of albums like Antipop? It turns out Primus' new album Green Naugahyde contains a little of everything that made this band so unique and essential. While I'm not saying that this album will be remembered as one of their best necessarily, its still a great return for Claypool and company. As usual Claypool's bass is sitting way up front, he displays some funky lines on songs like "Tragedys a Comin" along with a myriad of odd effects. His vocals also sound distorted and distant, this along with the usual creepy guitar dissonance of Larry Lalonde throw a dash of late-Primus weirdness with the album's early Primus feel. While it isn't the cool almost jam phase of their farewell dvd Hallucinogenetics, its still a great return, and an album worthy of being called Primus.
Grails - New Politics
Maybe its because I just started associating myself with the acid trip voyages of Grails a couple of years ago so I haven't had much of a chance to fully immerse myself in this band's disography yet. Or maybe its because New Politics is an extremely well-realized and put together album, but I've been pretty blown away with how good that this band's latest release is. New Politics listens more like a well-scored movie soundtrack than it does a typical atmospheric or psychedelic rock album. The album displays both great production and a wide range of instrumentation, including a healthy dose of eastern instruments. There's some old-school krautrock influence here, but really what Grails does is hard to define, its simply great music.
Other mentions/thoughts
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
A new full-length LP from Tom Waits is never anything to complain about, but with that being said I wasn't entirely blown away by his latest when compared to his other recent output. Of course by "recent" I mean the albums that he's done over about the past ten years or so, Mule Variations, Real Gone, etc. Bad as Me seems to capture Tom wanting to get back to the gravelly crooning of his earlier work as the album contains everything from his normal rough juke-joints to noir reminiscent ballads. There's not as much of the creepy backwoods blues Tom Waits that I usually love to hear, but as usual there's still plenty of variety. Not one of his best, but Bad as Me still shows a good look at Tom past and present.
Russian Circles - Empros
The latest from Russian Circles is probably one of the most critically acclaimed releases they've done in some time, and Empros certainly catches your attention quickly. Most post-metal bands begin leaning toward the last part of that hyphenation later in their careers and it would seem Russian Circles are no exception; Empros is easily the most aggressive thing this band has ever done. This three piece display yet again, their uncanny knack for telling a story without words, the way they work together to fill in the spaces and keep the song moving with only three members is quite impressive. The drumming is always tasteful and essential, Brian Cook's bass tone is monstrous at the least, and the layering of guitar effects to maintain mood is always clever. However I still can't bring myself to call this RC's best, at only six songs it feels incomplete (even though most of those six tracks are over seven minutes long) for some reason. I wouldn't call it one of the best albums of the year but its still another great release from this talented instrumental trio. Oh and the last track has vocals, tempting me far too much to make the comparison that this album is to Russian Circles what 2009's What We All Come to Need was to Pelican.
Shows:
Didn't go to many this year for lack of money. I missed some great ones like Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Primus, The Flaming Lips, Parliament, Black Moth Super Rainbow, etc. But heres some good stuff I did get to witness.
Yes at the Fillmore in Charlotte
Show of the year. My longtime prog obsession owes alot to Yes. Other than Pink Floyd and Rush they were the first true prog rock band I heard, and they remain one of my favorites to this day. Jon Anderson may not have been on vocals but I can honestly say the guy in his place did a pretty admirable job. I was a little disappointed with the Fillmore's sound at first but they had things mixed pretty well by the time "Yours is No Disgrace" was played. The set was incredible, songs from Relayer were played and I got to hear the ultimate prog epic "Close to the Edge" which was one of the musical highlights of my year. Steve Howe did a beautiful guitar only rendition of "To be Over", and I also got to hear "I've Seen all Good People", "Long Distance Runaround", "Starship Trooper", and many other great songs from their discography. I could have dealt with some more Fragile but other than that I can't complain. Chris Squire did an extended bass jam from "The Fish" which gave me the biggest bass nerd moment I've ever had. Stellar experience from a band truly not of this world.
Clutch at the Handlebar in Greenville
As it turns out, Clutch are just as tight, powerful, and groovy live as you would expect. There wasn't a head that I saw that wasn't nodding, almost everyone sang to every word of every song and as to be expected, many just continued drinking. Condensing back down to their classic four-piece lineup, it made sense that the set contained mostly songs from the middle of the band's discography. Songs from Pure Rock Fury and Blast Tyrant were well received, but surprisingly the band only played two songs from their new album Strange Cousins from the West (those being 50,000 Unstoppable Watts and Freakanomics). The band's tight rhythms and huge riffs were indeed better in a live setting, and Neil Fallon's soulful vocals had an even more commanding presence. This show was a display of classic Clutch instead of the expanded hammond organ-style jam band that we heard on Beale St. to Oblivion in 2007, as a matter of fact they didn't play a single track from that particular album which was dissapointing. If anything, it was an observance of the almighty riff but with more fun, like if Black Sabbath had lightened up and listened to more Allman Brothers. Highlights for me were "Cypress Grove" and the Robot Hive/Exodus hit "Burning Beard". All in all, a pretty satisfying night of rock for only $20, and I have a feeling that those who were there and actually remembered it the next day are certainly agreeing.
Ocoai at Earshot records in Greenville
I was lucky enough to play this one with (young) American Landscape. An absolutely huge sound from a Johnson City, TN instrumental band that conjures up metalgaze, doom, prog, and pure rock. These guys pretty much tore Earshot down and those in attendance were either blown away or just didn't know how to react at all.
East North at the Irish Pub in Greenville
Those outside of the Greenville area might not know this band which is a shame, they are head and shoulders above any other band around here by far. East North's cinematic post-rock is always air-tight and dynamic live, this evening they displayed some new material that showed a greater emotional range than they previously covered. I've seen this band a good deal, but this was truly an awesome set.
The Body and Braveyoung at the Get Down in Asheville
NC post-rock band Braveyoung and doom metal duo The Body sounded like an unlikely collaboration at first, but not only is their album great but the two of them performing together is an experience not to be missed. Braveyoung's hall-reverb moans and overwhelming crescendos sounded amazing even in the dive bar that is the Get Down, and when they joined forces with The Body they unleashed some pretty devastating albeit beautiful noise. I'm talking wall of amps roaring at you noise. It was an honor to open this show. Oh and its worth mentioning that The Body's vocalist screams without a mic...and is heard somehow! Once you hear them you'll realize how un-human of a feat that is.
Things I'm looking forward to in 2012:
New Converge, Baroness, Mars Volta, and probably many more upcoming releases that I don't know about yet.
The possiblity of At the Drive-in and Refused maybe doing some shows other than Coachella....
Maybe seeing Roger Water's The Wall in Charlotte this summer?
Another Isis release even though they broke up
Getting to experience a little touring for the first time (knock on wood)
Other mentions/thoughts
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
A new full-length LP from Tom Waits is never anything to complain about, but with that being said I wasn't entirely blown away by his latest when compared to his other recent output. Of course by "recent" I mean the albums that he's done over about the past ten years or so, Mule Variations, Real Gone, etc. Bad as Me seems to capture Tom wanting to get back to the gravelly crooning of his earlier work as the album contains everything from his normal rough juke-joints to noir reminiscent ballads. There's not as much of the creepy backwoods blues Tom Waits that I usually love to hear, but as usual there's still plenty of variety. Not one of his best, but Bad as Me still shows a good look at Tom past and present.
Russian Circles - Empros
The latest from Russian Circles is probably one of the most critically acclaimed releases they've done in some time, and Empros certainly catches your attention quickly. Most post-metal bands begin leaning toward the last part of that hyphenation later in their careers and it would seem Russian Circles are no exception; Empros is easily the most aggressive thing this band has ever done. This three piece display yet again, their uncanny knack for telling a story without words, the way they work together to fill in the spaces and keep the song moving with only three members is quite impressive. The drumming is always tasteful and essential, Brian Cook's bass tone is monstrous at the least, and the layering of guitar effects to maintain mood is always clever. However I still can't bring myself to call this RC's best, at only six songs it feels incomplete (even though most of those six tracks are over seven minutes long) for some reason. I wouldn't call it one of the best albums of the year but its still another great release from this talented instrumental trio. Oh and the last track has vocals, tempting me far too much to make the comparison that this album is to Russian Circles what 2009's What We All Come to Need was to Pelican.
Shows:
Didn't go to many this year for lack of money. I missed some great ones like Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Primus, The Flaming Lips, Parliament, Black Moth Super Rainbow, etc. But heres some good stuff I did get to witness.
Yes at the Fillmore in Charlotte
Show of the year. My longtime prog obsession owes alot to Yes. Other than Pink Floyd and Rush they were the first true prog rock band I heard, and they remain one of my favorites to this day. Jon Anderson may not have been on vocals but I can honestly say the guy in his place did a pretty admirable job. I was a little disappointed with the Fillmore's sound at first but they had things mixed pretty well by the time "Yours is No Disgrace" was played. The set was incredible, songs from Relayer were played and I got to hear the ultimate prog epic "Close to the Edge" which was one of the musical highlights of my year. Steve Howe did a beautiful guitar only rendition of "To be Over", and I also got to hear "I've Seen all Good People", "Long Distance Runaround", "Starship Trooper", and many other great songs from their discography. I could have dealt with some more Fragile but other than that I can't complain. Chris Squire did an extended bass jam from "The Fish" which gave me the biggest bass nerd moment I've ever had. Stellar experience from a band truly not of this world.
Clutch at the Handlebar in Greenville
As it turns out, Clutch are just as tight, powerful, and groovy live as you would expect. There wasn't a head that I saw that wasn't nodding, almost everyone sang to every word of every song and as to be expected, many just continued drinking. Condensing back down to their classic four-piece lineup, it made sense that the set contained mostly songs from the middle of the band's discography. Songs from Pure Rock Fury and Blast Tyrant were well received, but surprisingly the band only played two songs from their new album Strange Cousins from the West (those being 50,000 Unstoppable Watts and Freakanomics). The band's tight rhythms and huge riffs were indeed better in a live setting, and Neil Fallon's soulful vocals had an even more commanding presence. This show was a display of classic Clutch instead of the expanded hammond organ-style jam band that we heard on Beale St. to Oblivion in 2007, as a matter of fact they didn't play a single track from that particular album which was dissapointing. If anything, it was an observance of the almighty riff but with more fun, like if Black Sabbath had lightened up and listened to more Allman Brothers. Highlights for me were "Cypress Grove" and the Robot Hive/Exodus hit "Burning Beard". All in all, a pretty satisfying night of rock for only $20, and I have a feeling that those who were there and actually remembered it the next day are certainly agreeing.
Ocoai at Earshot records in Greenville
I was lucky enough to play this one with (young) American Landscape. An absolutely huge sound from a Johnson City, TN instrumental band that conjures up metalgaze, doom, prog, and pure rock. These guys pretty much tore Earshot down and those in attendance were either blown away or just didn't know how to react at all.
East North at the Irish Pub in Greenville
Those outside of the Greenville area might not know this band which is a shame, they are head and shoulders above any other band around here by far. East North's cinematic post-rock is always air-tight and dynamic live, this evening they displayed some new material that showed a greater emotional range than they previously covered. I've seen this band a good deal, but this was truly an awesome set.
The Body and Braveyoung at the Get Down in Asheville
NC post-rock band Braveyoung and doom metal duo The Body sounded like an unlikely collaboration at first, but not only is their album great but the two of them performing together is an experience not to be missed. Braveyoung's hall-reverb moans and overwhelming crescendos sounded amazing even in the dive bar that is the Get Down, and when they joined forces with The Body they unleashed some pretty devastating albeit beautiful noise. I'm talking wall of amps roaring at you noise. It was an honor to open this show. Oh and its worth mentioning that The Body's vocalist screams without a mic...and is heard somehow! Once you hear them you'll realize how un-human of a feat that is.
Things I'm looking forward to in 2012:
New Converge, Baroness, Mars Volta, and probably many more upcoming releases that I don't know about yet.
The possiblity of At the Drive-in and Refused maybe doing some shows other than Coachella....
Maybe seeing Roger Water's The Wall in Charlotte this summer?
Another Isis release even though they broke up
Getting to experience a little touring for the first time (knock on wood)
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