Five Things I Would Love to See Declan McKenna Do

In 2016 Declan McKenna entered the indie scene just south of 17 and with the masterful "Brazil", a reflection on his native land's hosting of both a World Cup and the Olympics. In addition to not sounding like anything else out there at the time, it sounded like the result of someone who feels comfortable making music. In the time since, McKenna's comfort and sound have grown. Now, after a few EPs and a full album release, there are five things I would love to see this young star do:

1. Record and EP with John Mayer:
What is great about an EP is that it can be experimental in a lot of ways. The music does not need to extended out to a full album. Four or five songs is enough. Even further, it can be recorded in a finite amount of town. Mayer could have McKenna down for a long weekend and they could hash out only what feels right. I particularly want Mayer to be the"elder statesman" because of who he has been playing with lately, The Grateful Dead. As evident in the songs on his latest release "The Search for Everything", Mayer learned from Bob Weir and Company what matters most is whatever makes the best music. The Dead brought in disco, Mayer brings in drum loops and partial pop production, along with his staples of blues and Neil Young arrangements. A cover of "Sugar Magnolia" or "Old Man"would sound fresh and alive with these two.

2. Jam with Arcade Fire:
It could be the result of being the opening act being welcomed onto stage during the main set or McKenna could be a special guest for a couple of nights, either way, I feel he could grow a lot by learning how to fit into a band of that size with such a large crowd on stage. Let him work in playing certain chords to go along with the other guitars. Let him dabble in a little percussion. Let him find himself front and center between Will and Régine and picking up a solo. He could definitely at the least add to the chorus of voices during a cover. Out of the experience, he would be able to enter into indie royalty and learn songs that have aged gracefully.

3. Contribute to a tribute/charity album:
This is a small, simple thing but it can be a lot of fun. Compilations in tribute/celebration to/of Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, and Paul McCartney have brought together acts from across the spectrum of genres and in particular, some of today's most loved indie darlings. My Morning Jacket, The Black Keys, She & Him, and others have been brought in and put an unique spin on some of rock n roll's greatest songs. What I believe happens is they come to appreciate the art of someone from another time and learn to work into their own songs. Similar to covering the Dead or Neil Young, it would only lead to better Declan McKenna songs. 

4. Perform at the Grammys during the tributes:
Once again, he could get himself out there while paying tribute to the greatness of others who have come before him. I can still remember when Foster the People played as part of the honoring of The Beach Boys. It allows for music fans of a different generation to be introduced and become interested in today's talent. Plus it shows how everyone lines up in the lineage. He could assert his place music's family tree. 

5. Play with a legend:
This time he would be directly engaging with those who have come before him. He could contribute guitar to a release from Ringo (possibly with McCartney on bass), go on stage with Johnny Marr for "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", or after playing a set at either the Global Citizen Festival or The Bridge School benefit, being part of the ensemble while "Living in the Free World" or "Twist & Shout" closes things down. Have him quickly look around at those also on stage and be inspired to find himself still there 20, 30, 40 years later. 

I know some of these are simple and others are lofty but I believe all of them would make for a long-lasting and once-in-a-lifetime career.

Best of Summer 2017

Technically Summer comes in on June 21st and lingers into September, but let's be real, the season really begins Memorial Day Weekend and says goodbye on Labor Day with a final cookout or beach trip. Along the way this year, there has been some notable music:

Album of the Summer:  
A Deeper Understanding The War On Drugs
The big label release for these indie rock Gods from Philly, delivers consistently on each track for providing the perfect score for driving late at night, contemplating the next phase in your life, or just getting lost in a masterful guitar solo. The sound is consistent throughout and is a cross between Blood on the Tracks Dylan and 80's synth focused arrangements. Both forces feel at home with one another. More importantly, the band feels at home with their sound and have become masters of their craft. They are poised to "break through" with this album and I predict a SNL performance come the Fall/ early Winter. The only thing that may inhibit some music fans from giving themselves to these songs is the length of them. But that is half the fun. Key songs: "Pain", "Thinking of a Place", "Holding On", "Nothing to Find".

Honorable Mention:  
Waiting On A Song Dan Auerbach
Taking a break from producing indie and rock stars alike to throughly enjoy life in Nashville, The Black Keys lead singer and guitar player brings in as many music friends as he can find and I am sure made some more along the way. It can be best described as an instant sing-along and each song is unapologetic in having a chorus enlarged by what seems like harmonies from whomever was in the studio at the time.  Less blues and more American rock n roll in sound, it will be interesting to see how any of this is incorporated into the next Keys album. For now, we can just enjoy and sing along. Key songs: "Waiting On A Song", "Shine On Me", "Cherry Bomb", and "Show Me"

Song of the Summer:
"Everything Now" Arcade Fire
If there was ever a phrase to capture the typical attitude toward the summer, it is "everything now". Arcade Fire are back and bring along some ABBA 70's disco for this both catchy and artistic title-track. You can hear the whole band, all six of them, with even more instruments contributing the all-around sound that you feel a part of almost instantly and quickly learn the lyrics. The group's two leaders, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne shine as always. After listening, you will want the album now.

Honorable Mention: "Baseball Diamond" Beach House
Both a song title and band name perfect for the summer, this new song included on a release of B-sides and rare songs, welcomes you in typical Beach House fashion. That is not to say it does not sound new or original, just familiar and comforting. Lead singer Victoria Legrand sings just above a whisper and seems slightly excited by what she has to sing. The keyboards and shoegaze swirl and create a world around you. There is a chord progression reminiscent of an ice cream truck jingle. Instant indie nostalgia and immediate re-listen.

What I am Currently Listening To

Just some thoughts on what I have been listening to lately. And by listening to, I mean almost daily/cannot get enough of:

Bookends Simon & Garfunkel
 Via the means of an original pressing on vinyl (complete with the fold-up poster inside) I have been playing this 1968 release from Queens' finest songwriting duo almost daily. In the best sense, it is compact and self-contained. I would argue that the concept explored on Side A is easily identified and enjoyed. It about two friends growing old, growing apart, and looking back. Possibly a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is "America" which found new life last year after its infusion into a Bernie Sanders ad. I guess we are still in search of that America.  Either way, their unique craft and mastery is on full display. Side B sans a theme still shines and contains the staple "Mrs. Robinson". I have enjoyed hearing old favorites and discovering new ones.
One thing in particular I have enjoyed is the way Simon & Garfunkel made music that was nostalgic for just five years earlier. They froze the early 60's harmonies of The Beatles and Beach Boys in Dylan's pre-electric folk. They made music for people in 1968 for who longed for 1963. Johnson wasn't working out like Kennedy could have. Today, it sounds both classic and timeless. Their genius has not been matched and possibly best captured on this album

Surf Rock is Dead
I discovered this indie outfit via bandcamp. To their credit and to my benefit, everything they have up there is name your own price. I applaud them for simply wanting their music to get out there, get people listening, and in my case, listening often in anticipation of any new music or news. They are scrappy, filled with ambition, and have more than enough talent to make ambient indie that doesn't stray as far as space, but instead hangs in the clouds and feels good. Like swimming in the ocean in the summer.
I think they show as much knowledge and ability as anyone going at these days and I think it is a matter of when not if they get discovered, play late-night, and find themselves at a festival or two. Still no true album from them but two singles and an EP to hold us over.

Made to Love Magic Nick Drake
Posthumous compilations of Drake's work now double the actual album output he was able to achieve in his brief life and career. This 2004 release brings together outtakes and remixes, some of which involve the inclusion of instruments not originally on the track. It plays like a love letter to the possibility that was Nick Drake. Could he have been Dylan? Cohen? He has both of them in his approach and his mood.
The tracks span the arc of his career, ending "Tow the Line" possibly the last song he ever recorded. I recommend it to anyone who is already obsessed with Pink Moon and just craves more. I recommend it to anyone who heard "One of These Things First" in Garden State and wants more contemplative music that is well crafted. Overall, there is a feeling and cohesiveness amongst the songs. Perfect for a twilight drive when each night there is a little more light.
A documentary on Drake: A Stranger Among Us Nick Drake


"Gypsy" Gardens & Villa 
This Fleetwood Mac cover is from 2012 and the tribute album Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, a release that brought in the likes of Best Coast, J. Mascis, and MGMT to pay homage. I am impressed by the indie reworking of a radio staple from a time where its production was lost on most. Now, countless bands are going back over that 80's style and time in music. This group, of which I know nothing else, is beautifully spooky in keyboard and synth playing.
It really does sound like a celebration in how much the chorus was left to still be a sing-along. I feel like I am transported to another world, over the garden wall if it were. The song fits in as much with any indie from the past 10 years and shows the diamonds that can come from random tribute albums.
A trailer about the album
 

Four Upcoming Releases to Get Excited About

Now that it is a new year and we have wrapped up the countdown lists for 2016, it is time to get excited for new music to be released in 2017. Below, in order of release, are four albums due out between now and the start of Spring:

Cloud Nothings Life Without Sound 1/27
A little indie-angst to start off the year, this album was previewed with the lead single "Modern Act" as 2016 came to close. It showed off a mastery for a certain sound, one that endures with purposeful balance in the music. Trading Cobain's loud/quiet for busy/simple. There are moments when it is just strumming and signing and there are others when the whole band is on display. It is never so complicated that the melody and hook are lost. "I want a life, that's all I need lately" rings pretty true in a new year.
Also released in anticipation of the album, "Internal World" is a furthering musing on their style and sound. For me, it further intrigues me of this release. I believe that the band is poised to breakthrough with this one. I expect some late-night appearances and three or four singles played on college rock between now and when the next album comes out.

Japandroids Near to the Wild Heart of Life 1/27
Biting guitar, fast drum fills, and lyrics contemplating maturation sung in harmony with a Canadian accent, the third album from Vancouver's Brian King (vocals and guitar) and David Prowse (drums and vocals). Indie darlings whose last release was named in the top ten for 2012, there is a lot of anticipation for this one. Quite appropriately, the lead single title track contains the lyrics "It got me all fired up",  fans and critics alike are excited to see if the duo sticks to their formula that has worked thus far.  The test will be to see if there is still enough there in mixing classic 70's rock n roll style with 80's indie/college rock angst. Maybe spacing out releases five years apart is key. Maybe there is just enough talent between these two. My bet is on the latter.

Ryan Adams Prisoner  2/17
The followup to his 2015 cover album of Taylor Swift's 1989, Adams is back to form of pulling in every influence and sound since 1950. He is still playing rock and he is still singing about love and he is still doing it with the mastery displayed since the beginning, but now as a statesmen of the business, he gets the press and coverage he deserves. Two teaser singles have been released in the last month "Do You Still Love Me?" and "To Be Without You". The former has the classic backing Adams is know for, some strumming and signing, complete with a breakdown for a brief guitar solo. The latter is a little more Neil Young and slowed down. It is an instant head-bobber, foot tapper, perfect for winter's thaw to come. If these two show the range that is to be displayed on Prisoner, we are in for a possible instant classic.

The Shins Heartworms 3/10
The Shins are back and they are weird. Having one previous album and a couple of one-off singles under his belt with this new line-up, James Mercer feels once again comfortable making music as The Shins. In fact, he produced the album and even pens a song to his daughters, "Name for You" which is super sweet and catchy. Mercer seems excited for this release, becoming extremely active on social media and connecting with the fans that have stuck by the band. In fact, the unveiling of "Dead Alive" on Facebook read "Happy Halloween". This album has all the making of welcoming in a time when cone again, it is wonderful to be a fan of The Shins.

 

Top Ten Songs of 2016

10. “Tiny” – Dinosaur Jr.

A little smoother around the edges but just as fuzzy in the middle, this single from Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not”, fits into the sonic landscape of the year and continues the trend of indie Gods getting another chance to add to their canon. This song has all the potential to be treasured by their die-hards and by those just discovering the band. There is still only one J Mascis, who of recent has had his hand in several projects and tribute albums, and he can still move his hands over guitar strings like no other (while pressing down on any number of pedals). Praise is also deserved for how he sings, clear enough to communicate his confusion. The band plays right along and fits nicely. 

9. “Heathens” – Twenty One Pilots

Coming off 2015’s Blurryface, this contribution to the Suicide Squad soundtrack both encapsulated the movie’s mantra and spoke to the aesthetic of the band and its fans. They are a little different than the “mainstream” but they have found commonality amongst each other. Five years from now, we might look back and see this song as the closing of one chapter for the band. Who knows what awaits them and their sonic quest. For now, this is a perfect capturing of the band. 

8.  “Wow”- Beck

Doubling down on the pop motifs also heard in his 2015 release “Dreams”, Beck once again released a single showing off his production knowledge and ability to create in the studio. This time, the tension between indie and pop is lost and instead cohesion of beat takes over. (Both songs are supposedly part of yet to be released album)  This direction could be seen in contrast to his 2014 Album of the Year Morning Phase, yet still it is in the Beck canon of inventive music. Supposedly he was inspired by children to pass it along to the record label.  Call it indie, call it pop, its both and a fun song from the summer. 

7.  “Normal American Kids” – Wilco

Before seeing bands on the landing, Jeff Tweedy spent his summers  “high behind the garden shed” and “Lighting crazed and cracked like an egg.” Not nearly as mellow as other songs on Schmilco (named as homage to Nilsson’s Nilsson Schmilsson) this relaxed album opener already sounds like a Wilco classic and paints with the same nostalgia the band has perfected. Instead of reflecting on sunny days lost, it is innocence mourned, with the backing of the band at its understated best. All of the traces of their talent can be found and lead you into the album. And I am sure for some fans, lead them back to being the most normal they once were.

6.  “No Matter Where We Go”- Whitney

This truly has been a big year for indie-darlings Whitney, landing on several end-of-the-year lists. This up beat, peppy song of affection and adoration sounds like a bumpy back road ride in the “trash heap two seat”. The story could be that of both a 17 year old first learning to drive and a twenty-something trying to have something to drive in today’s economy. An arrangement highlighted by guitar chops, falsetto vocals, and complimentary keyboards, it sounds like both homage to songs past and a possible direction for music to come. We can hope. 

5.  “Best Kept Secret”- Case/Lang/Veirs

A fun sing-along from a formidable super group of sorts consisting of Neko Case, k.d. lang, and Laura Veirs. Any one of these artists could have been capable of releasing this sweet song about someone’s hidden gem, all of their talents come together and their collective mastery really shines. The strings in the background add prominence to the song and show that thought was given to the arrangement. No shock there. This one is destined to be heard on the lower end of the dial for years.

4.  “Wristband” Paul Simon

Thirty years on since Graceland, Simon offers up a meditation on modern life where credentials are key, he highlights his for being ability for being possibly America’s greatest conductor of simply what sounds good. The metaphor for a wristband being the entry to a better life, both on Earth and what comes next (he name drops Saint Peter) flows through a couple of verses and into a chorus. The opening lines about stepping out outside to “breathe some nicotine” and hoping he can “read the screen” while checking his email are updated antidotes from everyday life. In other words, he still got it. 

3.  “33 “God””- Bon Iver

Don’t get fooled by those opening piano strokes, this isn’t dusty Midwest folk found on For Emma, Forever Ago. This isn’t even the big band, large arrangements of the self-titled second release. This is Justin Vernon coming out of the other end of the rabbit hole known as the studio. He brings with him just as much as lament as any of this other songs. There is also a back-up chorus of altered voices and distortion. Still there is beauty in all the unsettling and unorthodox sounds. Like cracked stained glass, his genius and unique touch shine through. Plus the line "I'd be happy as hell if you stayed for tea" is about as sweet as Vernon can get in a song. As sweet as anyone of us can get.

2. “Real Love Baby”- Father John Misty

The most reverend J. Tillman continues his celebration of Love found on 2015’s I Love You, Honeybear with another beautiful reflection on the romantic and sexual and how they come together for a life shared. In Tillman’s case, it is a perfect match “I’m a flower, you’re a bee.” The same can be said for the instrumentation and sentiment. Both subdued and celebratory, it rises and falls, but never too far in either case. Some strumming draws in the listener and soon you are clapping and singing along. The chorus is just fun and for a non-album single holdover, there isn’t much more we could ask for. 

1.  “Casual Pary” Band of Horses

If only 2016 was just a casual party we could have exited at any time and the conversations didn’t have to be so serious. Either way, this is not only the jam of the year, but also the song of the year, giving voice to the delusion of standing there, trying to make sense of what is around you. Why Are You OK” saw a return to form for the group and this one rocks as much “The Great Salt Lake” or “Laredo”. It is both a treat for their loyal fans and an invitation to new ones to get in on the party. It was almost everywhere and ruled the alternative/indie radio ways for a little bit. For me, it was a great mindset for life, it is just a casual party, it will be OK.

 

A Review of Temporary EP by Lost Films

Often unheralded are the benefits of a release being an EP. Chief among them is the ability for the set of songs to seem complete together and operate with a certain strict economy, almost like a short story. And similar to a short story, a good EP is hard to make. Jimmy Hewitt, the man behind the name Lost Films, succeeds in making a great EP with the Temporary EP

The four songs feel like a quick breath or cup of tea. It is a span of time that is passing and you are fully aware of this when you enter it, but that does not mean that it can not be enjoyable or lingering. I have found myself beginning the past two mornings by having to hear the title track, which sets the tone for the listening experience. Yes, the EP will not last that long but a lot can be found throughout the four songs.

Hewitt sings in a manner that requires a couple of listens. Each time, you enjoy re-entering the scene set by sounds (guitar, percussion, etc) that all seem to have a purpose. In particular, listening along to the guitar is very enjoyable. All of the instrumentation helps to accent the emotion and form a very soothing listening experience. Further, with each song, a mastery of making music is exemplified. Upon first listen, I found myself wanting to follow the thread and see the possible range. I now find myself feeling that way about the rest of Lost Films' discography.  

A quick read of the bandcamp article for the EP reveals that this style of making music (one man, many instruments) is Hewitt at his most pure. The outfit has released a full band album, but this approach brings him back to who he is as a musician. I find him to be a part of a budding genre of music that has yet to be named, but includes the like of Day Wave, Beach Fossils, and Surf Rock Is Dead.

All of those names convey summer and I think Lost Films fits in with them both sonically (similar approach to how a guitar can "ring" in a song) but in that shared connection. Summer is certainly a good time to discover lost films. I would say anytime is a good time to discover Lost Films. Even better, the Temporary EP is solid place to start. 

Bandcamp page

The songs:

1. Temporary
2. Assurance
3. Still Youth
4. Closer 

First Listen Review: “PersonA”- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

First Listen Review: “PersonA”- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

If you come into this album, looking for the lost voice of vocalist Jade Castrionos, pretty quickly you call off your search and enjoying this latest offering of indie-folk hippie fun.

Starting off with the seven minute “Hot Coals”, which serves to show off the band in its full form. All of the other unnamed cast of characters who were not called out by Edward Sharpe (Alex Ebert) in previous releases, come together and fill out a sonic landscape, true to the form perfected on the band’s first two releases. Unlike the tracks from the self-titled album/last release, this song seems a little more determined to get in you involved, if not singing along, from the opening chords. It is possible that they wanted to cover all bases left empty by Jade and make up for anything perceived to be lost. Or as they put it on the second song, be a little “uncomfortable.”

“No Love Like Yours”, a piano-driven lead single shines just as much in the context of being a midway point on the album. It is certainly a sing-along song and should be held in the same regard as “Home” or “Dear Believer”. It is the strongest on the album as far as I am concerned and will most likely be the only track to garner some radio play (even if has to be on your favorite college rock or independent station). It celebrates Love, with some clever rhymes and lyrics.

“Wake Up The Sun” is another long-song built on the talents of the whole group and fit well within their canon and feels like an old favorite right away. You will definitely circle back to it after your first listen and might even throw it onto a dinner party playlist. “Free Stuff” was another preview released before the album and has some of the guitar from “Dear Believer” with some thumps from The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (Indie-folk referencing indie-folk is just good for everyone).

The album ends with the understated “Lullaby” and the kind of goofy but purely fun “The Ballad of Yaya”. The former, once again centered on the piano and could serve to gather the band all-around on stage to sing along, the audience joining in as well. As it exists on the album, Alex offers up some thoughts on the life, as always preaching just enough to reach all those who matter.

The latter is hinged upon you not questioning who Yaya is and wanting to hear her(?) story many more times. It has a light atmosphere Donovan would be happy to sing and play along to. Also, wisely chosen horns join in to create that finale feel. A solid choice as the album closer.

I think that the band can live in this space created by this release for a little while. Go on tour, make late-night appearance, maybe a commercial spot or two, but then they should record their follow-up, because as the band stands now, it is not a march led by two leaders up at the front, but as the slash through “Edward Sharpe” on the album sleeves expresses, Alex Ebert has slid back into his band, and everyone and the music is stronger because of it.

18. "Tim"- The Replacements

The Replacements were one of those bands I more knew of before I actually knew their music. I had heard of their songs before actually making the conscious choice to listen to them and bring them into my life. Lucky for me, one of their classics “Left ofthe Dial” crawled its way in via the means of a mix CD given to me at my high school graduation party.

I immediately gravitated towards it and enjoyed the artistic quality to it. It comes across as a strong sampling from something larger. It represented both the music scene from which it came (and spoke to) but also the album that housed it. At the time, I chose to explore the former, not the latter, an exploration that would eventually lead me to buy the album in January of 2014.

I had put it together that this album is in many ways was the climax of the career of The Replacements. The balance between loud and quiet is at its best on this release. It is able to occupy the space between their beginning and their end. In many ways, it is a perfect study of the band.

For my first listen, I actually began with the last track “Here Comes A Regular”. It was one that I must admit took a couple of listens for me to fully appreciate it and be able to insert myself into it. In fact when I first heard of the song, I thought it was a metaphor for normalcy coming into a scene of chaos. I came to discover that it is a lament told from a young person who is still living at home long after he should have moved on. He is the one who stayed in town and never got out. He isn’t glamorizing his life but he isn’t asking for permission either. He is just telling it for what it is. The acoustic guitar drives the point home and the synthesizer in the background is a nice touch. Although I am not someone who will end up spending his days in the local townie bars looking for his buddies to come in, I can certainly relate to the song nonetheless.

“Hold My Life” and “I’ll Buy” come across as songs from the perspective of someone who has just discovered fame and wealth and is at a crossroads. There is this magical, unbelievable story about to unfold and you just want to make sure you can hold onto what you came from, what makes you the person you are. For Paul and company, that was their story at the time. This was their big, critically acclaimed album.

“Kiss Me On TheBus” shows that they can still connect with the life they are leaving behind. I really enjoy its playfulness and I fully plan on signing it to my next muse when we take a bus somewhere. It is just such a fun song that is probably lost to time. Same goes for “Waitress In The Sky”. Who would think to make a song about a stewardess and to almost villainize her?  It is another travel related song that is fun to learn the words and sing along to. It shows that Paul Westerberg can almost write a song about anything. In both cases, I characterize the instrumentation as just enough. The band is present and the playing is original but it is not over the top. The songs are not long either.

One thing in particular on this album that Paul chooses to cover is insecurity. He does it from a position of strength. On “Swingin' Party” he does not sound weak, just clever and because of this, he comes to own his shortcomings. It is also the closest to a Smiths song the band ever made, in Morrissey like lyrics and near jangle-pop guitar playing. “Bastards of Young” is the lost anthem for a generation without a war to name it. I think having a general sense of U.S. cultural history helps to appreciate this song and give it context. I give Paul a lot of credit for writing it, being able to recognize it in his time. Plus it gives the green light for some raw and rough playing from the band, reminiscent of their early days. Just a solid sampling of the band’s strength.  

Returning to “Left of the Dial”, there is just so much in it that stands out. The story of angst and earning told in the lyrics, the masterful playing with a well-placed solo, the deliberate inversion of “playing makeup, wearing guitar”, all come together in a package of classic college rock, forming a standard that will last the test of time.

Overall, I feel it is a complete album. From start to finish I am able to listen and enjoy both the variety in music and cohesiveness in themes. It is on the level that I would buy it for someone and give it to him or her to listen to in its interiority, almost like a book. I am glad to have it on my shelf.

  

19. "Is This It?"- The Strokes

For as long as the other albums on this list have been in my life, this one has only recently entered it. The Strokes were always a band “just outside my radar.” In other words, I listened to and greatly enjoyed bands and artists that sounded like them but I never made the jump to listen to them myself, always knowing that I would most likely highly enjoy them. Over the years, I had heard “Reptilla.” In fact I first came across it at a party in 8^th grade. I wasn’t ready.

In my study of music, I had gathered a sense of the Strokes and the space they occupy as a band. Very similar to The White Stripes, they were heralded as pioneers ahead of their time sonically by borrowing from sounds of the past. Both bands standing out from the rest of the musical landscape of the time and both primarily enjoyed by critics and college students.

This past winter, being slightly past the age of a college student and fancying myself a music critic, I decided it was time to give this highly praised debut a try. I was impressed from the start. I love the gumption to begin an album and a career with the phrase “Is this it?” Instead of an all out showcase of skill and talent that is loud and attention grabbing, Julian and crew are subdued and almost passive. If you as a listener chose to enter in, that’s your call and they will carry on either way. As the last track declares “Take It or Leave It” Needless to say, I walked right in.

I found a collection of songs that are essentially reflections and brief stories from a time in life that I could at last relate to: early adulthood. I know that I would not have been able to relate the songs when I was in high school or even early on in college. Now, on the cusp of 24, I had my share of “Last Night”s so to speak. I also feel like I probably would have looked for more musically from the band when I was younger. The deliberate choice to do less would have been lost on me. I would not have been able to appreciate the tradition that the band enters into with this album.

In so many ways, “Someday” and “Last Night” are instant classics. Both quick and equipped with a catchy chorus fun to both sing and shout, they have infiltrated pop culture and do serve as landmarks to the large album overall. It is hard not to tap along to them with your feet.

Having gotten into this album almost fifteen years after its release, I able to enjoy it in context of the bigger picture. Like I wrote, I can see them standing on the shoulders of the Ramones. I can also hear bands like Rooney and The Bravery taking notes and preparing for their careers to start. It does not have to be this collection of songs serving as contrast to its contemporaries. It just has to sound good. 

20. "The Unforgettable Fire"- U2

I cannot remember exactly when I started listening to this album. Sure, I had heard of U2. In fact, the purchase of “U218 Singles” in 10^th grade was a big moment musically in high school. I listened to that album constantly, enjoying the pop sensibility exercised by the band throughout their career. I heard each track as a testament to the band’s ability to make great music no matter the decade.

I imagine that I first “ripped” this album from a copy belonging to a library. I think it occurred around 2010. I can remember listening to it during the summer of 2011, but I do not know if it started then. I guess along the way I  had absorbed the history of the album and the album's place in the discography of the band and became curious. I pieced together that the album followed three loud albums and that it came right before the big, breakout of “Joshua Tree.” I am sure I liked the idea that possibly it could have been a forgotten album, or at the very least, an overlooked one. For that quality is what I love about a lot of the music from the 80’s that I enjoy i.e. The Smiths and The Replacements.

At some point, it must have clicked, and I found myself drawn in by the opening drums and shimmering guitar of “A Sort of Homecoming.” A track full in instrumentation and Bono vocal range, it runs into the better known “Pride (In The Name ofLove)", which I first enjoyed as a part of the compilation and now hear in the context of the other U.S. themed tracks on the album. Throughout the album are numerous references to recent (at the time) American history and staples of the “American Dream.” Coming from the perspective of an Irish Band in the 80’s, I just find it fascinating that they found it so fascinating.

“Wire” is just fun. There are loud, almost industrial sounds on it. The song seems to pick up pace and slow down at moments. I love the opening lyric “Innocent, and in a sense I am.” I do not use that nearly enough but it shows that Bono can sing and wink at the same time. This playfulness would fully come out during the “Achtung Baby” era. Also, some of the grunts toward the end of the song foreshadow “Bullet The Blue Sky” on the album to come.

The song that is my absolute favorite is the title track. I have taken many a walk at night, during twilight to it, and gotten lost in the sky. I just think the playing on it is so beautiful. It is the kind of performance where I do not feel like I have the musical knowledge to talk about it properly. I won’t pretend to. I can only say that it remains one of my favorite things ever. I will listen to it independent of the album. Each time, the listening experience brings me peace. I feel a swelling of joy. It is something very special to me. I always try to put it on a mix CD or tell a friend about it.

From there on out and the second half of the album especially, the band shows off their ability to be artistically ambient. In many ways, the mood of the title track contains. It is a talent that I feel often is not highlighted enough when it comes to the band. Sure, folks marvel at their beginning, watch as they rise as a band in the late 80’s, only having to then reinvent themselves in the 90’s, redefine touring forever, and then permanently take their place in the hierarchy of modern music. 

For me, this is the period of U2 I feel I would have enjoyed the most if I were alive at the time. I find myself today drawn to a lot of music that sounds very similar. I think a lot of today’s alternative and college rock draws from this album, both consciously and unconsciously.

Ultimately, a lot this album remains a mystery for me. Despite my best attempts, I can never know what it was like to be a fan at the time. I have the knowledge of all that would come next, the full story, not just what happened up until this moment. Also, like I said, I find a lot of the sounds a mystery. I am simply left to allow them to have an affect on me. Much of Bono's singing is also hard to figure out.  And what is up with that album cover? Where does that place exist on Earth? 

All of this is why I come back each time. I am able to engage with the mystery once more, maybe solve some of it, but at the very least, have an enjoyable listening experience.

                                                                                        

21. "Dancethink LP"- My Dear Disco

It is always special when you get to experience a band for the first time by seeing them live. That was the case with My Dear Disco. It was at the first ever Jamnesty festival held in the spring of my freshmen year at Stonehill. The band closed down the first night with an incredible performance. As with many of the moments that year, it just seemed to come out of nowhere and I was afforded the ability to be fully present. I am happy to say I have a lot of snapshot memories from the night. I can think back and put myself in the scene.

That night, after they were done playing, I bought a CD from them and got two bumper stickers. Needless to say that sticker went right on almost immediately and the CD joined the others in the car. It became part of the rotation for the summer and still stays with me to this day. In fact, when I took my “final lap” around St Andrews, in the midst of a rainy, raw night, I put this album on. I was connecting a special memory from my freshmen year with an important moment from my senior one. I like to think as almost bookends.

My reasoning for putting the album on that night is the same one every time I chose to give a listen: it is an album I am able to get engulfed in. I am drawn in by the opening “WhiteLies” a bold opener of over seven minutes, it serves to introduce all the parts of the band. Together they build toward the second track “For Your Love”, more of a blend of the different sounds, instruments and voices, and a little more catchy and pop. From there the album spills out to a collection of songs that do exactly what the title claims: dance and think.

I have always been impressed by the choice to cover Stevie Wonder. They do a wonderful rendition of “All I Do” and showoff an appreciation for what had come before them, thus earning a lot respect in my book. It also helps that they own it and make it sound like their own. Maybe one day, some band will be doing the same with one of their songs.

After that, the songs grow in length and a story is even told in two parts with “Madam Eon.” The true gem of the album, the song that really crystalizes their style and their mantra is "M.Y.F. (Move Your Feet)". It is an epic indie-electronic, dance smash, lasting six and a half minutes. I have passed it along on countless mix CDs and played it on a number of my radio shows in college. I hear it as the honest confession of a young woman who is looking for a good time on her terms. I always took it that I could have the same in my time in college, that I could dance and think and that fortune would allow for both in the same moment. In many ways, this album came at the perfect time.

Now the story of My Dear Disco would not be complete without acknowledging the fact that they are no more. After this release, they would change their name to Ella Riot and release one more cd. Not much more was heard from/about them until 2013 when the lead singer Michelle Chamuel competed on The Voice and began her solo career.

For me, this album is more than enough. It fills me with so much joy to hear it every time. I am reminded of a night where I heard great music played live at a place I love, a standard I hold for every concert going forward. I am reminded of the possibility I felt at the close of my freshmen year and how happy it made me. Once again, “dance and think”. Not a bad binary/expectation for a life going forward.

22. "Kiss Each Other Clean"- Iron & Wine

Like a lot of great music in my life, this album started out as a CD in the playlist for WSHL. Every semester there would be two racks of them that we, as DJs, we required to play from. I always thought of it as returning the favor to the labels for sending them to us. Plus, it would lead us to sometimes align with what was being played on other radio stations at the time, while also being able to sound original or different. (I think that description can also be applied to this album.)

The first song I played on air from the CD was “Glad Man Singing.” It was leading into Spring Weekend my Sophomore year and I attempted to connect it with the artists for the concert on Friday night. I can remember saying something to the effect of “and K’naan will be a glad man singing up there on the stage.” In all actuality, I liked the groove of the song. It starts out slow with some strumming and grows to incorporate other instrumentation. Plus Sam Beam sings in this really relaxed style. It sounds like he is having a good time, so the listener might as well also.

I found myself playing that song in random moments when I wanted to hear something to pump me, most frequently for a walk across campus. I was usually leaving a place, such as my room or the dining commons, for either going to work or going to do work. I would end up strolling in with a smile, ready for what awaited me.

As the summer between sophomore and junior year unfolded, so did the rest of the album for me. Similar to “A Rush of Blood to the Head”, I too discovered this album track by track. I would say in six months time, I would start at the beginning and let it play from there. What is great is the over seven minutes long closer “Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me” that allows the album to not end so quickly. There is a wide array of sounds and tempos. You get your money’s worth as the curtain falls.

What is significant about this album is that it led me to more Iron & Wine. I did not have the benefit of being “of age” when Sam Beam started his career. I did not have my ear to the ground so to speak to music like his. With my interest peaked because of this album, I would in turn check out his earlier release “Our Endless Numbered Days”. Drastically different in style, I still heard thoughtfully made music characterized by accessible sounds and stories. With both releases in mind, I was able to further appreciate Sam Beam as an artist. I also the fact that they both end with a track that has the line from which the album got its title.

Overall, this album occupies a space between the beginning and the latter stages of Iron & Wine music. There is plenty of acoustic strumming, while there is a mix of studio prowess. The album is not a grand statement nor is it a quiet whisper. It simply a great way to get into a great artist.

23. "The Airborne Toxic Event"- The Airborne Toxic Event

I first encountered this album via the means of hearing the hit single “Sometime Around Midnight” on the radio in the spring of 2009. I am happy to say that the album basically carried me through that summer before college. I can remember in that initial listening, the balance of angst and art intrigued me. I could sense intent to balance both in an attempt of creating a defined listening experience. At that time, it was one I could very much so identify with. Today, I listen to it to identify with myself at the time.

The Airborne Toxic Event are in a select group of artists who on the opening track of their debut album, drop a F-bomb. I think it is wonderful. They do it in a song, “Wishing Well” that has all the pop-alternative sensibilities to garner some radio play while requiring a bleep. The album as a whole quite masterfully occupies the space between simple and complicated. The same can be said for between quiet and loud. You can sing along to the songs and feel like it is a mix of The Beatles and the Ramones. This contrast coming together in harmony is what Cobain strove for. The spring of 2009, a turning point for modern alternative, this album came along at the right time.

Another binary I associate with this album is innocence and experience. A song like “Gasoline” captures this quite well. “We were only 17, we were holding in our screams.” At the time, I was 17 turning 18. I enjoyed hearing the perspective of a 17-year told trading some innocence for experience. It inspired me that I could and should do the same. The sing makes it sound like so much fun. At the very least, it was fun to sing along to.  The line “Oh my dear, I fear I can’t understand how” ranks right up there with “baby better come back later next week, cause you see I’m on a losing streak.” I loved the playfulness of the line “Your father would find my hand inside your blouse.”

“Sometime Around Midnight” is the grand, sweeping emotional tour de force on the album that is as much a ballad we can stand this side of Springsteen. Very similar to the second half tracks on “A Rush of Blood to the Head”, I only hoped that I could one day have a love to lose like the one the singer had lost and that I would feel things so strong to create a chorus that epic and accessible. At the very least, I could align the song and its sentiment with any crush I had ever carried. I also found it to be very similar to Keane’s “You Don’t See Me” which was also released around that time.

“Missy” is just fun. It makes no apologies for a simple rhyme scheme and incorporating a passed down prayer. I always enjoy the easily identifiable piano throughout it. It is a song that I sometimes just play on its own. A quick burst of fun during a drive on a familiar road or walk around a high school track. Very much so a track for a mix cd.

Great summers only happen once in your life. If you are like me, after a great summer, an even better one can sometimes follow. That is what happened with the summer after my first year at Stonehill. I had traded some innocence for an experience and picked up some new albums to listen to. But I will always feel a strong connection with Summer 2009 and this album that inspired me to embrace it all. I knew that I could later recount my stories in the form of art that isn’t more complicated than it needs to be while still containing some knowledge. Not a bad mantra for the years to follow.

24. "A Rush of Blood To The Head"- Coldplay

I think it is fitting to begin with the first CD I ever I bought for myself. Having first heard of it from a 7^th grade classmate, who I always assumed in turn heard of it from his older brother, I was intrigued by what I perceived to be an “instant classic” quality to the album. I am happy to say that what I love most about this album are the characteristics that have only presented themselves because of the passing of time.

Sure at first was I was struck by its ability to be sweeping in sonic nature. To have grand expanses of instrumentation in “In My Place” and have a guitar and piano co-lead in “The Scientist.” But now, it is the full album that I return to with joy. I see it as a listening experience characterized by an uplifting, triumphant first half and a second half that it is at times is sad and slightly defeated. Also, as much as Chris Martin is discovering his full range of emotion, his band mates are finding theirs in terms of playing ability. As the tour that would follow proved, they were able to combine both together for a truly original music experience. (Something I only got to experience with the live album released from the tour, “Coldplay Live 2003”)

Of all the songs in this countdown, these are the ones I have been listening to the longest. Like I just said, it is the first half singles that first drew me to it. I can remember clearly, slowly discovering the songs that follow, one by one, as I allowed myself to listen little more. I was being given glimpses into emotional moments I only hoped to experience. Also, with each song, I was discovering more and more why I loved Coldplay. They were able to create music that I could wrap myself in. It was all encompassing. For me, it always felt like a soft blanket. Now, some folks would argue, that makes it weak or wimpy. I just think of it as complete. It is so thorough; it has a texture to it. And as someone with heightened sensory awareness and as a result, at times, I become overwhelmed and tired from life, it is nice to have some comfort music. My junior year of high school, after a period of four days that included a license test, a Model Senate conference, State Science Fair, the SATs, and Junior Prom, I found myself wrapped up in a blanket with both the ceiling fan and this album on for the afternoon.

This album has always been one I listened to. Still, in the CD boombox in the bathroom of my Dad’s house, there is a burnt copy that serves as a go-to for the soundtrack to getting ready. It has filled the air on plenty of summer afternoons. It is this long history that truly endears me to these eleven songs. Together, they have been a touchstone throughout my life. I can listen to them and connect back to different parts of myself. Most importantly, a specific part of myself that I today take a lot of pride in: the desire to have music in my life. Something in me moved me to buy that first CD and I am glad I still have it today.

FourFive Collaborations

Given his recent activity, collaborating with first Kanye and then Kanye and Rihanna, I would like to suggest 5 more collaborations Sir Paul could explore to further his reach in culture:

1. Bon Iver: Kanye could actually introduce Paul, for he collaborated with Justin Vernon back in 2010 and again in 2013. Bon Iver as always worked well with Vernon as the band leader and I think it could also exist with two musicians leading the way. I picture Paul and Justin writing together and then turning to the rest of the outfit to bring some indie-synth ambient folk to life, spiced with just the right amount of some Paul punch. He would deliver a key verse, coming to the forefront of the sound making it know that for this project, he's in charge.

2. The Roots: Once again, there is a friend with a connection. Elvis Costello, a past collaborater with Paul, cut an album with Quest Love and crew last year. As much as he can function as a solo artist, Paul does well with a band. One as talented and able to transform as The Roots would allow Paul to explore a full scope of genres. I see an album with both original work and covers from his early years.

3. Morrissey: Deep within the lore of The Smiths is the story that the late Linda McCartney almost came into the studio to play piano on a track for Meat is Murder. Unfortunately, it never worked out. Today, Paul and Morrissey could connect on their thoughts about eating animals. Together they could make a track protesting the act. There would undoubtedly be tension between pop accessibility and musical uniqueness but I feel that it could be worked out for at least four minutes, with shared vocals on a chorus while taking turns with the verses.

4. Ringo: As long as these two are alive, they should collaborate. I envision something grander than a cameo on a track on the latest release. Never once was a Beatles track credited as "McCartney-Starkey". To invoke a recent Starr album, "Y Not Now?" They could call back to the music they first heard in Liverpool, while possibly covering some of their band mates' better known solo songs. Just for the novelty, it would be noteworthy. It wouldn't be called "Beatles" but it would be close.

5. Brian Wilson: In many ways, his American counterpart, these two songwriting bass players have developed an immense amount of respect for and friendship with each other over the years. So the story goes, Paul was inspired by Pet Sounds to make Sgt. Pepper's. Today, in the Beach Boys museum you can find an autographed copy of each album signed by the other person. Both masters of their craft, also known for not always being in full agreement with their former band mates yet able to reunite when the time calls for it, they could make an album that would stand alone in music history and only serve to add to their legend. Another chapter written together in a big book of being original and innovative. There is enough talent between them to make something worth listening to.

The Case for "Last Night"

One of my favorite things about the phenomenon known as Rock 'n' Roll is that it has spawned a handful of songs over the years that will last throughout the ages. Now that list is for another music review outlet (Rolling Stone), I only wish to reflect on a turn of the 21st century tune that I feel should be heard and learned for years to come.

If look through Dylan's discography you will find the musical credit "Trad. arr. Dylan" meaning that the song goes so far back that not one person is recognized as the author. In other words, people have been playing that song so long, no one remembers who the was the first. I really like that. For me, these are the hymns of humanity. Shared by all to be interpreted for the times they find themselves in. Dylan certainly did all he could for his time.

Along these lines, I believe that some songs from recent history will reach that same status. I am not saying that their authors will be forgotten (thank you internet) but that they will be passed down, learned by new artists, and serve as opening tracks to careers. "Last Night" by The Strokes is one of those. 

I can almost see it, four or five guys, roughly 16 or 17 in bad jeans and sneakers, starting off the set at a coffee house. If they have any rock n roll in them, they are doing it to wake everyone up. They are probably doing it because it is the only song they know. Still there is something there.

From the opening lick, soon joined by the drums, then joined by another guitar, and at last the singer, it allows the whole band to introduce themselves as they come together to play in a style that would make The Ramones proud. Although I cation against calling it punk in statement, I see it more in style.

The real bite of the song comes two and minutes in with an honest confession and vocal explosion. Julian Casablancas proclaims "Me, I'm never gonna understand.... LAST NIGHT!!!" It causes you to go back and listen to whole song over again ( All three minutes and eighteen seconds). You enjoy again the lead up, complete with lyrics telling a story of confusion and leaving, no big love lost but still something is gone,  while name checking a laundry list of people who are also in the dark.  There is enough word play that it doesn't become stale and becomes a fun challenge to sing along and get the nouns right, in the style "It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)". There are also instrumentation breaks that, to return to that image of the coffee house, are probably just as much fun to play as they are to listen to. There is a handful of chord changes to give it some rhythm and beat. It gets your foot tapping in a familiar way while still sounding new.

And that is what made all those traditional songs so appealing to Dylan. They were familiar, but he knew, he could make them new. I feel the same for "Last Night." So Julian, my grandsons might actually understand.