indie-cent speech

INDIE-CENT SPEECH HAS MOVED

2010-08-25T22:54:00.005-04:00

I've decided to move indie-cent speech from a Blogger format to a Tumblr format. There are several reasons for doing so, but I feel like the principle reason is because I wanted a service that was more attune to micro-blogging.

You can get all the same great content and commentary in an all new format here:

http://indiecentspeech.tumblr.com/

Follow me into the micro-blogosphere, won't you?

Bridging the Rock Generation Gap

2010-06-21T13:00:00.002-04:00

Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem lives my dream and performs "No Surrender" alongside Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Hearing Fallon singing the second verse, you quickly realize how this could have just as easily been a Gaslight Anthem song, had Bruce not written it all those years ago. Such an inspiring song, and this moment just gives Bruce that much more street credit with my generation, as if he needed it.

TWO NEW ARCADE FIRE SONGS!

2010-05-26T15:58:00.004-04:00

While the 12' single featuring the two new Arcade Fire tracks "Month of May" and "The Suburbs" is supposedly not to be released until tomorrow, indie-cent speech has done the digging for you and found radio rips of each of the songs that were reportedly aired over BBC Radio. Without further adieu, I present these two tracks to you, my loyal readers.

"The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire

"Month of May" by Arcade Fire

D.C Record Fair: Sunday May 23rd at The Black Cat

2010-05-20T14:34:00.003-04:00

The D.C Record Fair is back at The Black Cat this Sunday May 23rd from Noon until 6PM! It's only $2 to get into the event, and the great tunes that will be spun by the slew of guest DJ's will be more than worth the price of admission alone. Aside from the jams, you'll get to spend hours rummaging through the bins of dozens of vendors alongside D.C's growing vinyl collector community. The turnout was about 1,500 in February, so make sure to come out early if you want to get an early look at the bins before they're picked apart!

indie-cent Album Reviews: Super Tuesday Roundup

2010-05-13T17:22:00.034-04:00

Last Tuesday, May 4th, marked one of the most anticipated days in indie music releases in 2010. In the beginning of the year, when Pitchfork and other indie music publications were charting out the year in music, we knew that May was going to be chock-full of albums from celebrated acts, but we had no idea that May 4th would mark the perfect storm. Here's a list of the albums that hit the shelves:

Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record
Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma
The Hold Steady: Heaven Is Whenever
Minus the Bear: Omni
The New Pornographers: Together

While I would love to write reviews for all of these records, and perhaps in time I will, I'm going to focus my attention on the three that I think will play the biggest role in shaping the musical legacy of the year 2010: Heaven Is Whenever, Forgiveness Rock Record, and Together.

The Hold Steady: "Heaven Is Whenever"

"We're good guys, but we can't be good every night. We're good guys, but we can't be good our whole lives."

The fifth record from the Minneapolis-bred self-proclaimed bar band The Hold Steady offers a lot of the familiar tricks that Craig Finn and gang have relished in since 2004 while offering a slathering of new layered guitar elements and lyrical themes. Yes, you'll still hear songs filled with religious imagery mixed with adolescent debauchery, and some of these "psalms" are still "sing along songs;" but this time around, the band tackles the role of personal struggle in a joyous life and the rewards that can be reaped from those struggles. Where their last album, "Stay Positive" was admittedly about "being able to age gracefully," this record examines the joys that can be found even in times when life doesn't seem all that graceful.

When the band announced the release date for the record a few months back, following the departure of beloved keyboardist Franz Nicolay, they promised a more guitar-heavy, less-anthemic record. While one can certainly notice the added layers of guitar over the album's ten tracks, but after hearing some of the tracks that dropped before the record was released, including "hurricane J" and "The Weekenders," it was hard to see how this album would be any less anthemic. After heavy listening and some major reflection, I can see exactly what Craig Finn meant. While "Hurricane J," "Soft in the Center," and Rock Problems" define some of the more up-tempo moments of the record, they certainly don't come close to the clap-along, chanting of "Constructive Summer," "Stay Positive," or "Stuck Between Stations." The departure of Nicolay certainly has something to do with that, as his keyboard rhythms often laid the foundation for those almost arena-rock anthems, but the more reflective subject matter also stunts the fist-pumping expression.

Even in it's diluted anthemic nature, this record still shines as one of the best releases of 2010 and has rightly given the band an unprecedented amount of exposure. Everything that you loved about the Hold Steady is still packaged within "Heaven is Whenever" along with some new harmonic and guitar tricks that will make you appreciate the compositions as much as the deep, inspirational lyricism that has come to define the band. It might take a little more listening for this record to grow on seasoned Steady fans, but a growing appreciation is almost inevitable. If this is the first record that you've heard from The Hold Steady, which because of it's exposure I expect it will be for some people, revel in it's beauty for a few weeks, and then take a look back at the band's discography, because the consistency of their records is almost unmatched in this era of modern rock music.

9.0 out of 10

Broken Social Scene: "Forgiveness Rock Record"

The fourth record from the supergroup-before-it-was-a-supergroup Broken Social Scene is their latest record as a group in five years, following a few releases from the "Broken Social Scene Presents..." and the individual success of some of it's early members, including Leslie Feist, members of Stars, members of Metric, and member of Land of Talk among others. "Forgiveness Rock Record" sees the return of Kevin Drew and his band of regulars as they literally and figuratively explore the vastness of forgiveness. I think Pitchfork really hit the nail on the head when they wrote

Their epochal 2002 breakout You Forgot It In People was the joyous sound of friends banding together to boost each other up, while 2005's Broken Social Scene was the dizzying sound of friends fizzing out into solo endeavors and outside pursuits. Now they're back and they're forgiving.

I'm not going to let Pitchfork write my review for me, but I just found that statement to be so true to what their records have been about under the swirling melodic landscapes, which lose no breadth or scope on "Forgiveness Rock Record." From the first track of the album, "World Sick" which also just so happens to be the record's first single, the listener is thrown into a cascade of everything from primitive percussive flourishes to serene electronic progressions. This musical diversity is stretched throughout the entire record, and it never seems to be stretched too thin. "Forgiveness Rock Record" seems to aptly accomplish a near impossible task in modern music: presenting a diverse record while justifying why each track should belong to that record and that record alone. On your first listen, you'll continue to be surprised at how consistently infectious each track is, and you'll find it difficult to get through without playing some of the tracks over again making the album seem almost twice as long as it actually is. This of course, is a compliment to the careful craftsmanship Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning.

If you're familiar with the previous work of Broken Social Scene, you're going to notice that this record, while still diverse in texture, is still a bit more repetitive than their previous works; however, the songwriting shines far and above their previous efforts. In this way, and in it's more accessible compositions Broken Social Scene seems to have finally surrendered to the power of pop, though they maintain their individuality through lucid scope. That being said, while I listened to this astounding record, I never felt a replication of the feelings I had the first time I heard tracks like, "Major Label Debut" or "Anthems of a Seventeen Year-Old Girl." While this may be Broken Social Scene's most ambitious record yet, there's just something about it that make me feel like it lacks the raw emotion of their previous records. Nonetheless, this will most certainly be a record that will hold it's own on the year end Top Albums lists.

8.8 out of 10

The New Pornographers: "Together"

"Together," the indie folk-rock band The New Pornographers almost quite literally pick up where they left off on their previous record, "Challengers." While this came as somewhat of an unwelcome surprise, considering "Challengers" is almost unanimously accepted as their weakest effort (kind of like saying "Gangs of New York is Scorsese's weakest picture, still fantastic), "Together" almost immediately transforms into a record all it's own, if not at least hankering back to the bag of tricks that was utilized to construct "Twin Cinema/"

The New Pornographers seem to know where their strengths lie, and this record plays out as pure exploitation of those strengths, with only a few diversions. Namely, "Your Hands (Together)" stands out because it is uncharacteristically crunchy and hard for A.C Newman and his bards, making the track come off as somewhat unnatural amongst its surroundings. The beauty of this album lies in the angelic vocal harmonies and the sunny orchestration and composition that litters just about every track. "My Shepard" stands out as a prime example of these crafty arrangements because it flourishes not only during the simplest moments of vocal/guitar harmony, but also in its instrumentally-ample, thundering chorus.

With all of the talent in this band, with just about every member maintaining some kind of music career outside of The New Pornographers, it seems to be impossible for them to fail. "Together" shines because it profits from the artistic growth of each of its respective members and effectively illustrates how they can do folk-rock just as well as power pop just as well as ballads. While this album doesn't stray far from the formula that makes every New Pornographers album memorable, it rewards us with yet another collection of beautiful arrangements and blissful choruses that will no doubt haunt our musical consciousness in the coming months.

8.3 out of 10

An Atonement

2010-05-12T13:34:00.004-04:00

I apologize to all of my readers for being away from my blog for almost a month. I could easily construct a litany of excuses as to why this is, but basically what it boils down too is my own dissatisfaction with getting caught up in long, drawn out posts. While I feel that lengthy posts are good in moderation, it occurred to me that my blog had become all about these lofty, far-reaching commentaries, and this fact didn't please me. While i did create this blog as a platform for my to express my opinions on music, politics, and pop culture in more that 140 characters, this doesn't necessarily mean that I should go through the same processes I did to write undergraduate papers whenever I want to say something.

So from now on you can expect more concise posts, with a lengthy diatribe only now and then, when I'm feeling extremely passionate about a certain affair. This blog will also become more multimedia oriented. I will be posting new singles and music videos, with or without my own commentary, in order that my readers become exposed to more new music. When I was writing album reviews, which I will still continue to do but in a more concise manner, I felt that I was not covering a lot of good releases simply because I did not have enough free time to compose a complete review. Henceforth, I will not only be able to expose my readers to the plethora of good tunes that continue to be released, but also give them an in-depth look at some of the more significant or anticipated releases.

I am really excited about the new direction of indie-cent speech and sincerely hope that it pleases not only my loyal readers but also those who have yet to discover this blog.

Cheers,

SNC

Best of 2010 (So Far) Indie Playlist

2010-04-15T14:30:00.010-04:00

We're only one-fourth of the way through 2010, and already there have been so many quality indie records released to the masses. Though I would argue that the best is yet to come (Arcade Fire, Hold Steady, The National, The Strokes, among countless others) the first quarter of 2010 has already made a significant impact in the sphere of music. While I have reviewed some of the highlights, and some unfortunate disappointments, I unfortunately have not been able to review nearly as many records as I would have liked to this year. After all, I am only one man, and much to my dismay, I do not get paid to blog. However, to remedy this situation, I have constructed a makeshift playlist to get my readers caught up on the greatest tracks to be released this year. If you have been following my album reviews so far this year, then you have heard only SOME of these tracks. If you've been living under a rock for the past three-and-a-half months, then all of these songs will be new to you and you'll be all caught up just in time for the onslaught of new releases in May and beyond.

(Note: These tracks are in no particular order. As much as I love lists, I also enjoy making good playlists without being bound by order.)

Vampire Weekend: "Giving Up the Gun"
Off of their sophomore record, "Contra," released on January 12th, 2010

Surfer Blood: "Harmonix"
Off of their debut LP, "Astro Coast," released in January 2010

A More Perfect Union

Titus Andronicus | MySpace Music Videos
Titus Adnronicus: "A More Perfect Union"
Off of their debut LP "The Monitor" released March 9th, 2010

Broken Bells: "The High Road"
Off of their debut record, "Broken Bells" released on March 9th, 2010

Beach House: "Silver Soul"
Off their latest LP, "Teen Dream," released January 26th, 2010

LCD Soundsystem: "Drunk Girls"
Single released in March 2010, album due out in May 2010

The Morning Benders: "Excuses"
Off of their latest record, "Big Echoes" released on March 9th, 2010

She & Him: "Thieves"
Off of their sophomore record, "Volume II" released on March 17th, 2010

The Hold Steady: "The Weekenders"
Single released in March 2010, album due out May 4th, 2010

Frightened Rabbit: "Nothing Like You"
From their 3rd LP, "The Winter of Mixed Drinks," released on March 1st, 2010

MGMT: "Flash Delirium"
Off their sophomore LP "Congratulations," released on April 13th, 2010

Bright Eyes: "Happy Accident"
Off of the "One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels" re-issue released March 23rd, 2010

Broken Social Scene: "World Sick"
Single released in February 2010. Album due out in May 2010

Hot Chip: "One Life Stand"
Off of their 4th studio album, "One Life Stand," released on February 1st, 2010

Pardon My Dust

2010-04-12T20:43:00.008-04:00

Making some template changes in order to better accommodate a Youtube-heavy post that is in the works. The blog should be back up and running tomorrow.

For My Sheer Amusement: Some Great Songs with "Dust" in Their Title

Kansas: "Dust in the Wind"
Queen: "Another One Bites the Dust"
Bruce Springsteen: "Devils and Dust"
Jeff Beck: "Diamond Dust"
Fleetwood Mac: "Gold Dust Woman"
David Bowie: "Ziggy Stardust"
Ringo Starr: "Stardust"
Woody Guthrie: "Dusty Old Dust

indie-cent Album Review: MGMT "Congratulations"

2010-03-30T12:08:00.008-04:00

The eagerly-anticipated follow up to MGMT's 2008 smash-hit album, "Oracular Spectacular" is set to hit record store shelves on April 13th, and unfortunately for this talented duo, the hype is virtually insurmountable. "Oracular Spectacular," while a bit top-heavy, unleashed a string of hits on the mass public with a magnitude comparable to Outkast's epic, "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below." Listeners just simply could not deny the catchy, intoxicating grooves of "Time To Pretend," "Kids," Electric Feel," and even the less-heralded "Weekend Wars."

The new album, titled "Congratulations," steers away from the the hit-after-hit format in favor of more of a concept album feel, which is precisely why the band has already announced that they don't plan to release any singles off of this album. In an interview with the English publication NME, the duo stated,

"We'd rather people hear the whole album as an album and see what tracks jump out rather than the ones that get played on the radio – if anything gets played on the radio. There definitely isn't a "Time to Pretend" or a "Kids" on the album. We've been talking about ways to make sure people hear the album as an album in order and not just figure out what are the best three tracks, download those and not listen to the rest of it."

Before delving deeper into the tracks of this record, I just have to come out and say, "Nine tracks? REALLY?" I know the band is going for a concept album feel, but come on, unless you're trying to be the next "Dark Side of the Moon" or the tracks contain multiple movements and are epically long, and this album doesn't approach either of these possibilities, you can't expect to get away with such a finite album length. "Finite" is probably the kindest word I could have used in that sentence, and for good reason, because while this album is short enough to not have to scroll down to see all the tracks on a standard iPod, that's not to say it's not good. It's just disappointingly concise.

The lead-off track on the new record is titled, "It's Working," and aptly so, as it works as a great introduction to the feel of this record. The entrancing feel of the verses and the diverse instrumentation presented in each of the verses, everything from rapid-fire bongos to some Bach-esque harpsichord, provide a solid infrastructure for some kind of concept, though I have yet to decipher exactly what that "concept" might be as of yet, but it's definitely psychedelic.

"Song for Dan Treacy" follows up "It's Working" and is a bit more frantic than the lead of track. The synth riffs that layer the track may be far from catchy, but they are certainly bouncy. As I finished writing that sentence, I realized how truly difficult is is for me to describe the sounds that are being emitted from my headphones, but their definitely pleasurable. I may not be humming the later, but listening to it while walking the sidewalks of the city might certainly put some spring in my step.

My favorite piece of this album comes in the third track "Someone's Missing," but unfortunately, it doesn't develop until the last 40 seconds of the 2-minute track, and it's almost too brief to be truly satisfying. As instruments an layers continue to be added to the basic song structure of the first minute of the track, the song finally erupts into something that could loosely be referred to as a chorus, completely with a funky "Electric Feel"-esque guitar riff and danceable percussion. I just want the end of that track to go on forever, but sadly, before you can even begin to get your groove on, it fades into nothingness.

"Flash Delirium" is probably as close as this record comes to replicating the poppy bliss of the "Oracular Spectacular" singles. Though the track begins very minimalist, it ends up far from it's humble beginnings. While the chorus of "Flash Delirium" is certainly unique and catchy, the instrumentation and vocal effects make me wonder, "Hmmm, I wonder when the band met Of Montreal and which one of them snagged the sheet music."

"Siberian Breaks" is the only track on the record that breaks the five-minute mark, clocking in at a hefty 12:09. The swirling nature of the vocal effects around the surprisingly authentic instrumentation of the beginning of this track makes it feel very "White Album." The 8-bit synth forces the flow of the track until most of the instrumentation drops out to begin a very thunderous movement. I say "thunderous" because the reverberations end echo of the percussion create a very surreal effect and consequently make the swooning of the coming strings that much more pleasant until the end of the track takes the listener for a ride on a psychedelic superhighway Personally, the polarity of the simplistic and complex elements of this track make it the opus of the album for me, but unfortunately, none of those elements necessarily make it accessible to new listeners.

I am aware that I haven't really touched on the lyrical content of this record yet, and it's not necessarily on purpose, but I feel that the lyrics of this record take a backseat to the musical textures. That is, until "Brian Eno." The lyrics of this track are definitely as "fun" as any others that I have heard from MGMT, and I'm not sure if they were supposed to make me laugh, but they certainly did. If you're familiar with the Eno's production work, and I'm sure you are but you just don't know it, you will totally understand the hilarity and truthfulness of the lyrical content. "So tired, soul searching, I followed sounds to a cathedral. You can imagine my surprise to find that they were produced by Brian Eno."

After a lackluster instrumental piece entitled "Lady Dada's Nightmare" (perhaps because it lack's any catchy lyrics) the album concludes with a soothing ballad called, Congratulations." This might be perhaps the most "normal" song in terms of song structure on the record. I hate to use that word, "normal" because it is so relative, but the rest of this tracks just seem like such musical outliers that you actually legitimately notice when a song applies to standard structural formats. One reason I may love this song so much may be because the bass-line sounds so similar to that of my favorite song of all time: The Band's "The Weight." The acoustic guitar, complimenting percussion, and surprisingly accentual key strokes make this piece more than worthy of the applause that closes out the record.

If you enjoyed the rich textures that defined the second half of "Oracular Spectacular" then you are in for a treat with "Congratulations." If you're looking for a string of radio-friendly hits, you're not going to find it here, but that's no reason to shy away from the record entirely. Personally, I have grown to really appreciate the qualities of the record, but unfortunately, it has left me wanting too much more. I know it is the goal of any good artist to leave the listener wanting more, but this nine-track album makes me wonder if it has true staying power.

7.8 out of 10

indie-cent Album Review: Broken Bells "Broken Bells"

2010-03-20T16:36:00.004-04:00

I know that I'm a bit behind the ball on this review, considering that this record was released on March 9th, but I've just been so inundated with new music lately, that it has been very difficult to focus on one album at a time. Because it's the beginning of a new decade, I feel that a lot of artists are doing their best to mold a part of the sound that will eventually define the decade, much like Radiohead arguably did in 2000 with the release of "Kid A." While their intention may not have been to define a new sound, they certainly laid the framework from which many bands built their respective sounds in the decade to come. Anyway, I digress. My point is that there has been such an influx of new releases from new artists as well as established ones that has created a virtual mixtape in my headphones for the past week or two. With the free time that I have today, soaking up the warm weather on my porch and taking in the sounds of the great city of Washington D.C, I want to review one of these many records that has really stood out as a significant release: Broken Bells debut, "Broken Bells."

For those of you who don't know, Broken Bells is a new indie rock "supergroup" consisting of The Shins' vocalist and guitarist Brian Mercer and artist/producer Danger Mouse, billed more formally as Brian Burton. Burton is not only a multi-instrumentalist and member of Gnarls Barkley, but he has also produced Gorillaz "Demon Days," and Beck's "Modern Guilt" among others. His fingerprints are all over this record while Mercer grounds the record with flourishing guitar as well as his all-to-easily recognized vocal track.

The first track of the record, "The High Road" was also the first single to be released by Broken Bells, and it's easy to see why. This song is easily the most accessible on the album and most accurately showcases all of the bright spots that you could imagine would come from this collaboration. A wavy, dream-like beat accented by the all-too-fitting vocal track from Mercer. As soon as your start to bob your head to this track, you realize that this track really doesn't need to stray too far from the formula, but it actually manages to get even better in the breakdown as Mercer sings, "It's too late to change your mind, you let loss, be your guide." Such a wonderfully layered track that really sets the mood for the rest of the record, which elongates the spacey, atmospheric sound.

"Broken Bells" follows up "The High Road with another particularly strong track, "Vaporize." The track starts out like a typical Shin's track, with Mercer laying heavy on the vocal reverb and strumming a familiar chord progression, but as soon as the relentless beat kicks in you feel the true strength of the track. The vocal effects help build atmosphere that "The High Road" laid the foundation for, and there are several points in the track the just feel weightless, in a good way.

The major problem with this record is that this spacey atmosphere is stretched way too thin, and after the first two really strong tracks, the individuality of each song really takes a backseat to the overall theme. One of the biggest examples of this phenomenon is "Your Head is on Fire" which just seems to push itself into the background with it's droll simplicity and chants. "Trap Doors" isn't much better.

That being said, there are still some gems to be found on this record. "Sailing to Nowhere" sounds very familiar, most definitely a page out of Radiohead's book, but it serves as a prime illustration of what the individual aspects that these artists bring to the table can produce. The chorus of "Citizen" offers not only haunting lyrics, but an exquisite melody that dances around the keystrokes of accompaniment.

After all is said and done, this record will grow on you the more you listen to it: however, actually listening to this record without your full attention will prove to be a bit difficult. While the qualities of this record are spellbinding, the atmosphere that these qualities create makes it so easy for the music to push itself into the background. Eventually, you'll find yourself not even listening to Mercer's lyrics, but instead just thinking of his voice as another sonic instrument within the swirl of sound. If you give this record your full attention and see how the lyrics content seems to intrinsically weave itself around the universal atmosphere, it will definitely stand out as one of the best records to be released thus far in 2010.

8.4 out of 10

indie-cent Showdown: Pandora vs. Slacker vs. Last.fm

2010-03-10T12:31:00.014-05:00

If I had a dollar for every time somebody asked my opinion regarding which Internet radio service is superior, I certainly wouldn't be rich, but I'd at least have some foot-long subs from Subway lined up for lunch for the next few days. Don't get me wrong, I love sharing my informed opinion with friends and the general public. That is, after all, why I started writing a blog in the first place. However, this question has been posed to me so frequently that I figured it was about time I dedicated a blog post to the subject, so that next time someone asks me, and there's no doubt in my mind that someone will ask me, I'll have a handy link to give them to give them a detailed breakdown. So, here it is: the indie-cent showdown of the Internet radio giants.

Pandora Radio

I chose to begin the analysis with Pandora Radio simply because I have gotten the impression that it is the most popular among casual music listeners. I can understand the appeal of Pandora for two reasons: it has the most aesthetically pleasing using interface and it create good stations for a certain mood. However, beyond that, Pandora actually has very little to offer.

When you first create your free account on Pandora, which is a very easy process, you are prompted to type the name of a band into a provided field. Then, Pandora creates a station around that band. More than likely, the first song that is played on that station will be a song by the artist that you originally entered. From there, you can provide "thumbs up, thumbs down" feedback for your songs, and based on that feedback, Pandora will continue to play music similar to the songs that you like and shy away from songs similar to those you dislike. The most important word that I used in that last sentence is "similar." The reason I say that is because Pandora's "Music Genome Project" takes in your feedback and analyzes the musical elements of the tracks you like, for example if they are in a major or minor key, if they are upbeat or mellow, and what kind of instrumentation is utilized. The ultimate result is that you won't hear more songs from the artists you like, but more songs that are similar to the songs of artists you like. I know this sounds a bit convoluted, so I'll provide an example.

Let's say that I just joined Pandora. The first artist that I enter into the field is "The Band." The first song that appeared on my playlist was, "The Weight" from "Before the Flood," the live album with Bob Dylan. I gave the song a thumbs up, because this is probably my favorite song of all time, even if it's not necessarily my favorite version (my favorite version is the one from The Last Waltz, with the Staples Singers). Anyway, the song concluded. Now, based on my feedback so far, you'd think the next logical choice would be a Bob Dylan song, maybe a softer Zeppelin track, or maybe some Allman Brothers, right? False. Literally, the next song it played was an all steel-drum version "Redemption Song" by Bob Marley. Now, if it would have been the original Bob Marley version, ten MAYBE it could have been applicable. I mean, Bob Marley was a folk singer, but his music falls under more of a reggae umbrella. This is the point that I'm trying to make. Pandora analyzed the musical elements of the song rather than analyzing the artist and genre. Sometimes, it fails to take era into account and it will play a more modern-era track that has similar musical elements.

Now, I know that you can "Add Variety" to your stations by adding more artists, because I've done it extensively. It doesn't help, trust me. I have put hours of both artist feedback as well as "thumbs up, thumbs down" feedback into Pandora and it doesn't change the fact that Pandora's "Music Genome Project" creates mood stations rather than stations full of artists that you like. It's also worth noting that the variety seems to be lacking. I can't tell you how many songs I've heard from Death Cab for Cutie on my "indie" station. It doesn't matter how many times I thumbs down some of their songs, they just keep popping up, based solely on thumbs up feedback that I give for other artists that are not Death Cab for Cutie.

To end the section on Pandora, I would just like to mention that I am still listening to "The Band" station that 'i created as an example for this post, and "Come Sail Away" by Styx came on. Case closed.

Slacker Radio

Slacker Radio is the new kid on the block in terms of Internet radio, but as it turns out, this free service has worked that to it's advantage. Slacker has taken all the best features from Pandora, added what seems like a vastly superior library, included a diverse collection of well-designed preset genre stations, and increased the user's ability to fine tune stations to their liking.

Let me begin with the preset radio stations. Not only does Slacker Radio let you make your own station and design them more accurately than Pandora does, but it also comes packed with tons of radio stations categorized by genre and sub-genres that are designed by music experts. It's basically free satellite radio! When I created my free account, the first thing I did was go to the preset stations and click on the "Alternative" genre. Now being a long-time fan of independent music, my expectations were that there would be maybe two or three stations within the "Alternative" genre category, but I was wrong. Not only was there an "Indie" and an "Indie Hits" station, but also "Party Alternative," "Alternative Hits," "Singer-Songwriter," and about 12 other alternative stations. I've been switching off between these stations, and while they are all filed under the umbrella of "Alternative," each station maintains it's independence and seems to greatly differ from those that surround it.

One of the many features that makes Slacker unique is the fact that you can actually edit and fine tune these stations to your liking. So, instead of starting from scratch building a station, you can actually start with a quality foundation and make adjustments from there. It definitely saves you time and some of the frustration of coming across songs that you completely dislike.

My favorite feature of Slacker is how you can actually make a station that plays ONLY the artists that you program it to play. If I made a station around "The Band" like I did on Pandora Radio, I could actually enable a feature within the station that ensures that the station plays songs ONLY by "The Band." And trust me, the station isn't just playing "The Weight," "Up On Cripple Creek," and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" over and over again because Slacker is equipped with an incredibly extensive library.

Finally, Slacker offers an abundance of features that give the user more control to fine-tune their custom stations, which in turn makes those stations make more accurate musical suggestions. Slacker refers to these features as "FineTune" features. These features allow the user to edit the amount of "Artist Discovery" that your station offers you, the level of popularity achieved by the songs that are played, the frequency that your favorite songs are played, and the musical era of the songs that are played on your station. This amount of control give the user seemingly infinite possibilities to both hear a lot of their favorite songs while discovering new ones that they will actually enjoy.

During the course of writing this section of the post, "The High Road" by Broken Bells was played on the preset "Indie" station. That album hasn't even come out yet. You can't argue with results.

Last.fm

As of a couple of months ago, I didn't even know that Last.fm offered a free online radio service. I mean, I guess it makes sense based on their name, but I primarily used Last.fm as a tool to track the artists and songs that I listened to in my iTunes library. Based on my statistics, Last.fm would offer some suggestions for artists that I would like, but more often than not, those artists were already somewhere in my iTunes library. The novelty of tracking my music listening stats wore off when I would frequently leave my iTunes running when I went to class or went out to party, and a bunch of stuff would be played that I didn't even technically listen to. I recently examined their free Internet radio service and realized that it has given me no significant reason to start using Last.fm again.

What makes Last.fm unique from the other free Internet radio services is it's social networking features, tracking statistics, and music community.

When you join Last.fm, you install an application on your computer that tracks the songs that you play in your iTunes library. It keeps track of how many times you play a certain artist as well as certain songs and gives you weekly breakdowns while keeping track of overall statistics. It's kind of a unique tool, and you'll wish you had it sooner so you could see your musical breakdown over the the past few years, but as I previously stated, the novelty might wear off rather quickly if you're not attentive to turning off your iTunes whenever you're not listening.

Using the feedback received from your iTunes, Last.fm will not only give you recommendations of music you should check out, but also a list of users who listen to similar music as you. This is where Last.fm becomes kind of "Myspacey." I don't really care about people that I don't know who listen to the same music as me. I'm not going on Last.fm to make friends. I do think it is nice that I can add people that I'm actually friends with and follow what they're listening to, but past that, the community features seem kind of senseless. Adding to the Myspace feel of Last.fm is the fact that unsigned bands can add their music to the site and collect royalties.

All of this content aside, the Last.fm radio service is decent. I like how you can listen to a station comprised purely of music recommended to you based on what you have listened to previously and the feedback you have provided. Most of the time the reccomendations are pretty accurate in terms of artists, but I don't feel like it really takes any big chances, instead recommending really safe bets. I guess that's kind of the Catch-22 of Internet radio. On one hand, you want to be brave and discover new music, but sometimes when one of these services actually take a chance on a recommendation, it turns out to be something really off-the-wall and really turns you off of the service.

I also like how you can "tag" tracks that you hear on Last.fm. It's kind of a wiki-style of genre-naming as well as song and artist categorization. It's kind of an intriguing concept, but because it's basically open source, it's only become less and less reliable.

The Bottom Line

All three of these services now have Apps in the App store for the iPhone and iPod Touch, so you can take your Internet radio with you on the go, provided you maintain Internet connectivity. I've used all three of them while walking around D.C for the past couple days and found that I only lost service while riding on the Metro. So, whatever platform you choose, just know that you can take it with you wherever you go,

Clearly, while each of these services has their strengths, if you're looking for the best, most customizable Internet radio, Slacker is the way to go. Not only does it provide what is essentially a free customizable satellite radio service, but you can also build stations from scratch that will provide the most accurate music recommendations. The additional feature that allows you to create stations that play only the music of the artists specified by the user is really the icing on the cake.

Pandora's "Music Genome Project, while interesting as a concept, merely provides you with decent stations based on a particular mood that you might be in. You're not going to get a plethora of recommendations or hear a bunch of music that you haven't heard before.

Last.fm provides a more customizable platform than Pandora; however, the user interface is not as simplified, and the onslaught of unnecessary community features doesn't really help it's cause. Last.fm is a great service if you'd like to track your own musical statistics or follow the musical statistics of your friends (if they actually keep up with it) but beyond that I found the Internet radio service to be mediocre at best.

So, there you have it. The conclusion of an epic showdown. I sincerely hope that my research and opinions have provided you with enough information to make an informed choice in free Internet radio providers based on your particular tastes. Good day.

indie-cent Album Review: Gorillaz "Plastic Beach"

2010-03-01T20:31:00.007-05:00

Remember 9 years ago when the virtual band Gorillaz turned the music industry on it's head when it released its self-titled debut record, featuring the smash hit, "Clint Eastwood?" Yeah, it was a pretty unique and interesting concept, and the music was so genre-bending that it became universally accepted across multiple music scenes. Damon Albam took a big chance putting the musical reputation that he'd built after putting in more than a decade of solid musicianship as the frontman of Britpop band "Blur." Luckily for Damon, his collaborations across genres paid dividends as the record successfully blended alternative rock, hip-hop,and Britpop. Gorillaz seemingly fell off the grid for a couple of year until triumphantly returning to the airwaves in support of their new album, "Demon Days." Remember that track, "Feel Good Inc.?" That song not only dominated the playlist of just about every radio station, but it's music video momentarily revived the art form during the waning years of music videos on television. Now, Gorillaz have emerged once again with a third studio LP entitled, "Plastic Beach." Thanks to NPR Music (www.npr.org/music), I'm able to review this record an entire week before its release, which makes me feel like I'm back at the college radio station all over again.

The album opens with a basic, and a bit somber, instrumental piece, like something that you would expect the scenery at the beginning of a darker Disney movie, and then suddenly transitions to electronics as the unmistakably smooth voice of Snoop Dogg leads in the second track, "The World of the Plastic Beach." While it did excite me that Albam was able to cash in some street cred to get Snoop Dogg on the track, I was soon disappointed to discover that Snoop really phoned it in. His rhymes are week, and eventually the legendary hip-hop artist is basically reduced to the role of a hype man, not unlike Flavor Flav or Lil' Jon. While Snoop Dogg doesn't shine, the track itself is actually well composed and layered, almost a waste on such a poor vocal track.

This pattern of disappointment would continue throughout the next several tracks. While the composition and mixing of the tracks often stood out and got my head bopping, the lyrical content and vocal delivery continued to present itself as stale, and on some tracks, such as "White Flag" those sub-par elements drowned out the unique instrumentals. On the converse, in the few instances that the lyrical tracks are strong, such as on "Rhinestone Eyes," the instrumental tracks are basic, less layered, and less satisfying. That being said, this is probably the best track on the album next to "Melancholy Hill."

Now, that's not to say these instrumental tracks are groundbreaking, because they're not. They would have been immaculate based on the standards of the early Aughts, but by today's standards, they're faces in the crowd. Albam broke new ground early last decade, but the achievements of that risk have brought on an onslaught of artists and groups that sought to duplicate and perfect the sound that Gorillaz had laid the ground-work for. Some of those artists, such as Ratatat, MGMT, LCD Soundsystem, and Santogold effectively pushed the boundaries of the electro-pop genre. What Albam needed to do on this record is continue to push those boundaries to stay ahead of the pack, but it becomes evident by the 6th or 7th track that this task is far from accomplished.

The funk really doesn't kick in until the middle of the record, only to be interrupted by at atmospheric tracks such as "Empire Ants." This album just doesn't flow! I know that the beauty of this virtual band is that they have the musical know-how to appeal to a vast array of listeners, but it almost comes across as if they know that, and they designed the album to showcase those techniques in some kind arbitrary order, sacrificing the fluency of the album. It's almost like Albam and the produces sat down and said, "O.K, we'll start with the hip-hop track, then we'll hit em with the technical instrumentals, then the stoner atmospheric track, then we'll brong the funk."

"Melancholy Hill" provides a glimmer of hope with it's smooth vocals and catchy synth, but the track just doesn't end up amounting to anything but background noise. While it's probably the strongest track on the album in terms of finding a balance between strong vocals and worthwhile instrumentals, it's not going to be played on repeat on your iPod.

The album doesn't play through well, and if it has a couple of stand-out tracks like, "Feel Good Inc." or "D.A.R.E" did on Demon Days, then this might be able to be overlooked. Instead, it's mediocre track after mediocre track. This album is simply forgettable. If you're a die-hard Gorillaz fan, there is probably nothing I can say to convince you that this is a sub-par effort. However, if you're a casual listener and your looking for a track or two to duplicate the pop bliss of "Clint Eastwood" and "Feel Good Inc," you won't find it here.

4.6 out of 10

indie-cent Film Review: Shutter Island

2010-02-23T15:41:00.013-05:00

It's no secret that Martin Scorsese has developed an amazing track record directing films over the past four decades, though you might think so if you consider the fact that he has only won ONE Oscar; for his achievement in directing the 2006 crime drama, "The Departed." For those readers who are not entirely familiar with Scorsese's legendary roster of directing credits, his works include, "Mean Streets," "The Last Waltz," "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," "Taxi Driver,"Raging Bull," "The Color of Money," "Goodfellas," "Casino," "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," and "The Departed." Satisfied???

"Shutter Island" stands out among Scorsese's rap-sheet not because it's necessarily a better film, but instead because it maintains the quality that you have come to expect from this landmark director while taking steps outside his comfort zone and into the realm of the psychological thriller. Don't let the trailer and advertisements fool you, this is not a horror movie. This film is a phycological thriller with a horror edge. Think, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" meets "The Shining." I wouldn't use two shining obelisks of film history to compare to Shutter Island if the film didn't match up to the standards, so rest assured that this film measures up to the highest caliber.

The two tools that Scorsese wields like a surgeon, along with provoking some superb acting from his spectacular cast, to most effectively engulf the audience into the darkest depth of Shutter Island are imagery and atmosphere.

Let's start with the atmosphere. First of all, the film is set on an island outside of Boston Harbor that is basically the East Coast's answer to Alcatraz, except instead of housing a prison with the nation's most dangerous criminals, it houses a mental institution filled with the nation's most dangerous criminally insane "patients." The cells are dark, the hallways are damp, and the screams of the mentally tormented echo through the narrow corridors. The weather serves a purpose too, as a torrential rainstorm inhibits the U.S Marshalls from leaving the island and casts a shadow over the murky grounds and the dense forests. I know this might sound a little cliche, but trust me, it works and it most definitely serves a purpose. Unlike a lot of thriller and horror movies, the setting isn't gloomy for the sake of being gloomy, but rather sets the tone for the true isolation and abandonement that oozes from the inhabitants of the facility.

Sure, the undertones of the ambiguity of the psychiatric practices and procedure has been done before, and done very well, by films such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Girl, Interrupted," but there something about the way Scorsese illustrates the cryptic nature of the field that sets "shutter Island" apart. What I've concluded is that Scorsese tries to blur the line of morality. You're not sure whether to sympathize with the insane or turn a cold shoulder to their criminal nature. It's this added element that makes the atmosphere of this film that much cloudier.

Imagery really comes into play when unfolding the past of Leonardo DiCaprio's character, U.S Marshall Teddy Daniels (he's no Sam Gerard, but hey, who could really compare?) Daniels is a veteran of WWII and a witness to the liberation of Dachau and the images from the war seem permanently imprinted on the back of his eyelids. While human events of this magnitude would shake even the strongest of men, Daniels maintains the arogant demeanor that you would expect from a seasoned United States Marshall; however, the blurred morality of the Shutter Island facility, where him and his partner (Mark Ruffalo) are sent to investigate the dissapearance of one of it's criminally insane tenants, unearths the memories of his service. These memories are where Scorsese's talent really shines through. Shot completely in technicolor, Scorsese seems to make time sand still with dramatic imagery and truly lets the audience place itself behind the eyes of Teddy Daniels during the most significant moments of his life. This imagery serves not only to allow the audience to better understand the background of the main character, but also makes the mysteries of the Shutter island facility that much more enthralling, because you understand the exact emotions that DiCaprio's character is feeling even before he expresses them. This level of character development is something that is rarely seen in modern film and is achieved through Scorsese's brilliant imagery.

Finally, a review of this film would not be complete without complimenting the acting efforts of the films cast, most notably Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley. DiCaprio' experience as a rugged Southie in "The Departed" serves him well in this film as well, and he's certainly come a long way since the days of "Titanic" and "The Beach." Scorsese really seems to be able to invoke the best out of DiCaprio, and at some point in the movie, you seem to forget that this is his name. He truly becomes the character, and that is a feat that is not easily accomplished in modern cinema where names seem to outshine the characters and works themselves. Mark Ruffalo plays DiCaprio's partner, rookie U.S Marshall Chuck Aule. He follows DiCaprio's lead for the most part, but becomes more of an independent character as he starts making investigative decisions of his own after learning the ropes. Last, but certainly not least, is Sir Ben Kingsley who portrays lead psychiatrist at the Shutter Island facility, Dr. John Cawley. Kingsley best personifies the ambiguous morality of this film because he essentially serves as a form of a devil's advocate. He see's himself and the Shutter Island facility as the final sanctuary for society's rejects, but he also knows what kind of power that position can weild. While he'd like to think that he is the savior of the untouchable, he knows that in order to maintain such responsibility, he has to produce results. Watching his narritive play out is perhaps the most satisfying of all throughout the film.

"Shutter Island" is not only a brilliantly acted and directed film, it has everything that you want in a thriller with none of the trappings. It's intense without feeling like it has to make you jump once every 5 minutes. It sets a dark and gloomy tone without blacking out the dreary scenery and atmosphere. "Shutter Island" hold secrets without wearing them on its sleeve. Not only that, it actually has satifying answers for those secrets (a little bit of my LOST frustration coming out there, sorry).

9.3 out of 10

The 2010 D.C Record Fair: The Search for the White Whale

2010-02-14T18:58:00.009-05:00

I've been anticipating this day for a little more than a month now, since the District first caught word that this year's D.C Record Fair was being set for Valentine's Day at one of D.C premiere live music venues, The Black Cat. I really didn't know what to expect going in because this is my first record fair, though I'm not necessarily new to the record collecting scene. I've always been an avid audiophile, but only started building a vinyl collection in 2007. As of right now, my stockpile stands at about 300 records, but I'm only beginning to build the foundation of a respectable collection. At this point in my vinyl journey, I'm not generally hunting for the ultra-rare pressings, foreign imports, unreleased b-sides, mono recordings, or even singles. Instead, I've been starting out building a solid base of older records that I actually enjoy listening to repeatedly and that I think would sound great on vinyl. Flipping through my crates you'd find a lot of Bob Dylan studio albums, some Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Yes, David Bowie, Rush, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, The Beatles, and Fleetwood Mac. I just like to have physical copies of records that are considered legendary, so I started working from there and have branched out here and there. I have a smattering of newer indie records from bands like Interpol and the Decemberists, as well as lesser known records of well-know artists, like "Flowers" from the Rolling Stones, "After Bathing at Baxter's" by Jefferson Airplane, and "Walls and Bridges" by John Lennon.

As I walked upstairs to the main floor of the Black Cat, I honestly felt like I had fell down the rabbit hole. It took my eyes a minute or two to adjust to the low lighting after coming out of the bright sunshine, so I just stumbled around the open spaces of the floor until I could make sense of everything. I was just in awe of everything that surrounded me. I saw bins upon bins of records in every direction and I didn't know where to begin. I went over the bar to partake in a complimentary cup of water while I gathered myself. I watched as the DJ on stage bobbed his head to the soul record that he blasted throughout the hall and took in the general layout of the floor. As I finished my water, I gave my arms a good stretch (I knew they'd get a work-out) and approached an empty bin. Time for the foraging to begin.

I've got to say, as music as I consider myself a music aficionado, I think that just about anyone's confidence in their musical knowledge could be shaken by the vast array of genres and artists represented at the DC Record Fair. Not only that, but some of the vendors seem like musical gurus, the way that they describe what to expect on a certain record or the histories of bands that I have never even heard of in my many years of musical exploration. It all adds to the experience, but it definitely puts the music world in perspective. You're not going to find any Britney Spears or Jonas Brothers records amongst these stacks. Hell, it was tough enough to find Dylan and Neil Young records among the vast representation. As I flipped through crate after crate I just couldn't comprehend the sheer amount of music that was housed within the walls of the Black Cat and how much of that music I may have never heard a single note of. If I were in a position where I was flush with funds, I definitely would have picked up a couple records from artists I'd never heard before but that the vendors recommended based on the tastes that illustrated by the records I pulled out of the bins, but unfortunately, this is not the case at present.

All told there was probably a couple hundred people in the music hall atone time, and during my 4 and 1/2 hour stay at the record fair, I felt like I saw a lot of the same people over and over again. There were probably about 400 committed shoppers there, with a few other hundred people that seemed to trickle in and out of the hall. While this made for a very crowded record browsing space, shoppers seemed to develop an unwritten code of conduct while browsing through the seemingly endless rows of bins, which was just as amusing as it was relieving.

Now to get to the white whale part of this adventure. For those of you who might not be familiar with this analogous term, it used by vinyl collectors, or I guess maybe collectors in general, to describe a particular item that has seemed to elude the collector, much like the white whale eluded Captain Ahab in the literary classic, Moby Dick. I never really thought that I had a white whale, but I was wrong. I know I said at the beginning of the post that I don't necessarily look for rare records because I'm not really in that stage of building my collection yet. Well, there is one exception to that rule. I've always wanted an original pressing of my favorite Bob Dylan record, "Blonde on Blonde." I think that the main reason that I wanted a 1st pressing of this record is because I want to know that I am holding one of the original records that was pressed for the initial release. I don't necessarily need this to be the case for all my records, but I always thought it would be satisfying to have this be the case for my favorite record by my favorite artist. While combing through thousands upon thousands of record, I stumbled upon it today and I think my heart actually stopped for a few seconds. Here's a quote from the Wikipedia article about the album:

"The original inside gatefold featured a photograph of the Italian Tunisian-born actress Claudia Cardinale that was used without her permission. Some critics at the time questioned if the photo was of Dylan himself in drag. From 1968 onward, Cardinale's photo was removed from all American pressings of the album, making copies of the record sleeve featuring the actress a collector's item."

This original pressing has the photograph mentioned, so you can imagine my excitement.
All in all, this was an incredible adventure into the depths of D.C's music collection community and the world of music in general. Here's a list of the records that I picked up:

- Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Everyone Knows This is Nowhere
- David Bowie - Hunky Dory
- Bob Dylan - Planet Waves
- Bob Dylan - Nashville Skyline
- Bob Dylan - Original pressing of Blonde on Blonde

The following is the list of DJ's that spun vinyl at the event:

Kid Congo Powers
Geologist (of Animal Collective)
Eric Hilton (of Thievery Corporation)
Rob Pierangeli (of Casper Bangs)
Ryan Holladay (of Bluebrain)
Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Minor Threat, the Evens)

Three Shocking Facts That You Might Not Know About the Grammy Awards

2010-02-08T21:26:00.003-05:00

Note: I wrote this blog post one week ago, but because I have been having computer issues, I haven't been able to access the draft. Regardless, I think it's a pretty informative post. Enjoy.

If you were anywhere within the proximity of any social media network on Sunday night, then you already know most of the details about the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. Luckily for you, I'm not writing this blog post to recap any of the night's events, because frankly, I didn't tune in.

It should come as no surprise to you if you read this blog and understand my taste in music that I do not have a favorable opinion of the Grammy Awards. While I certainly support the idea of honoring the musical accomplishments of bands and artists, I don't think that the process that has been in place for the past 52 years has accurately recognized some of the biggest achievements within the music industry. The Grammy committee seems to be almost completely out of touch. While some of their nominations may be on point, most of them seem to be justified based only on the name of the artist or group or album sales. These shouldn't be the factors that define musical accomplishment. Proven artists don't always produce quality albums, and just because an album makes a lot of money doesn't necessarily make it a musical accomplishment. The Grammy Awards should reward musicianship and musical innovation, and not just hand out statues to the flavors of the week.

To prove how inaccurately the Grammy Awards reflect the accomplishments of the music industry, I've done some research and assembled three jaw-dropping facts that I believe serve as the strongest exhibits to my case.

1. Until Sunday night, Neil Young had never won a Grammy Award

You've got to be kidding me! When I saw someone tweet this while I wasn't watching the awards show, I immediately looked into it and confirmed this seemingly unbelievable fact. Neil Young has not only composed some songwriting masterpieces, he has written several albums that are worthy of the Grammy committee's recognition, or at least more worthy than some of the garbage they have deemed worthy as of late.

As if that weren't bad enough, I've compiled a list of legendary bands and artists who have NEVER WON a Grammy Award. Prepare to have your mind blown:

- Bob Marley
- Diana Ross
- The Supremes
- The Who
- The Doors
- Jimi Hendrix
- Led Zeppelin
- Buddy Holly
- David Bowie (Won a Lifetime Achievement Award, but no Grammy)
- Queen
- The Four Tops
- Grateful Dead
- Janis Joplin
- Lynyrd Skynyrd

Disgusted yet? How about this fact:

2. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" won 8 out of 12 Grammy nominations, whereas U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" won 9 out of 9 nominations

Usually, when you do a comparison of Grammy wins between two albums separated by a time-span of 20 years, one could usually make the argument that the Grammy Committee has been consistently adding new categories over the years, so newer albums might look more successful. However, because Michael Jackson's legendary "Thriller" album actually received 12 nominations as compared to the 9 nominations given to U2's mediocre effort "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," that argument is essentially null and void.

I don't think there is any plausible argument that could be made that "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is a better album than "Thriller", yet the Grammy Awards have deemed it so by awarding 9 out of 9 Grammy nominations to the Irish lads for a piece that is a long way away from their best work, though certainly not their worst. By awarding an album 9 out of 9 Grammy Awards, you are essentially deeming it flawless and making a statement that no other album in the field could surpass it's greatness in any sense. It's like having a perfect QB rating or getting a perfect score in any judged Olympic event: it's just something that should happen unless it is ABSOLUTELY TRUE, and in this case, it's far from the truth. Don't get me wrong, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" isn't a terrible album by any stretch of the imagination, but the Grammy Awards have made it stand out as a beacon of achievement for the music industry, and that is something that it is not. "Thriller" should be that beacon! "Thriller" deserves that perfect score!

This fact serves as a prime example of how far the Grammy Awards have been willing to reach in present years in order to justify musical achievement out of mediocrity. What's worse is that while the Grammy committee tries to manufacture false achievement, they seem to completely ignore the true achievement produced by independent artists, secluding these artists to one sole category, "Best Alternative Album." What does that even mean? How do you define "alternative?"

The final fact that I will present should make you wonder, "Was the Grammy Committee even trying?"

3. Lenny Kravitz won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance Four Years in a Row (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)

I'm completely serious. Go ahead, open up a new tab in your browser and take a look if you don't believe me. I wasn't even sure if Lenny Kravitz had released four singles within those four years. Apparently, he did, and according to the Grammy committee, they were all pure gold. One of these singles, "American Woman" was a COVER of a Guess Who classic.

I just can't see how one single artist could win this category for four years in a row, unless somehow all of the other nominees got sex changes and were technically disqualified. Let's take a look at a list of some of the other nominees so we can officially rule out that possibility.

- Jeff Buckley
- John Fogerty
- John Mellencamp
- John Hiatt
- Chris Cornell
- Everlast
- Bruce Springsteen
- Tom Waits
- Ryan Adams
- Eric Clapton
- Bob Dylan

Wow, so, Lenny Kravitz produced rock vocal performances that were so consistently spectacular, that none of these incredible artists were able to respectively compare for four years? I think not.

As usual, I'd like for the reader to draw their own conclusions based on the data and facts I have presented. I'm not so naive to think that my opinions and presentation of facts will convince everyone that the Grammy Awards are irrelevant, but I'd like to think that some people will take a second look into their history and draw their own conclusions.

This Blog Post Paid for By Exxon-Mobil

2010-01-21T12:26:00.005-05:00

As if the hype surrounding Senator-elect Scott Brown from Massachusetts wasn't enough to stir the political cauldron this week,the Supreme Court has overturned two precedents today when they ruled against limits on corporate political spending. Though Supreme Court justices are to remain apolitical, it's no secret that this decision came down to a party line vote, with the five conservative judges (Kennedy, Alito, Scalia, Roberts, and Thomas) outvoting the Court's four liberal justices (Stecens, Breyer, Ginsburg, and Sotomayor). Even a year after he left office, our country cannot seem to escape the stranglehold of the second Bush administration, which appointed conservative justices Roberts and Alito to the Court.

Ultimately, this decision will have two major effects on political campaigns: the strengthening of the political capital of corporations and unions, and the weakening of the Political Action Committee system.

If you think that corporate marketing is too ingrained in our society now, you haven't seen anything yet. You thought that the "Poulan Weed-Eater Independence Bowl" was ridiculous? Just wait until this summer, when you'll not only see political advertisements from candidates themselves, but also advertisements funded by corporations such as Exxon-Mobil (oil), Pfizer (pharmaceutical), Citigroup (banking), and AIG (insurance).

"The majority’s approach to corporate electioneering marks a dramatic break from our past. Congress has placed special limitations on campaign spending by corporations ever since the passage of the Tillman Act in 1907." - From the dissenting opinion of Justice John Paul Stevens

Now, I'm not usually a person that evokes the "slippery slope" argument, but let's take a look at the logical progression of this argument. So we start with the fact that individuals are allowed to contribute directly to political candidates because it is deemed as a form of freedom of speech under the First Amendment. As of today, it has been determined that it is the First Amendment right of corporations and unions to directly contribute to political campaign advertisements. While corporations still cannot directly contribute to the candidates themselves, I argue that this is most certainly the next step in this logic, and at that point, I believe political campaigns will lose any sense of authenticity and credibility.

The Court’s ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution." From the dissenting opinion of Justice John Paul Stevens.

By rejecting the limits of political campaign spending by corporations, the Supreme Court is also rejecting the rationale of political actions committees or PACs. These committee are set up in order that union members and shareholders in large corporations are not forced to support, through union dues and corporate profits political causes or political candidates that they may strongly oppose. Not all union members are Democrats and not all shareholders are Republicans; however, because of this ruling, the contributions of unions and corporations towards political advertisements will make it appear this way. What kind of freedom of speech is that?

I'll conclude with a final quote from the dissenting opinion of Justice John Paul Stevens, whom I think makes my argument most clear.

"At bottom, the Court’s opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self-government since the founding, and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. It is a strange time to repudiate that common sense. While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics."

indie-cent Album Review: Spoon "Transference"

2010-01-19T17:44:00.007-05:00

As unique and creative a band as Spoon is, I would definitely say that I was a late-comer on the Spoon bandwagon. Sure, I had known that the band existed, but until "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" came out in 2007, I hadn't listened to an entire album of theirs from start to finish. I'm not really sure why, I'm just being honest. However, I thought "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" was a fantastic album, despite the title, and after seeing them perform live at Austin City Limits in September 2007, Spoon became a band that would see high play-counts on my iTunes. In fact, their "Kill the Moonlight" record might still be floating around my car somewhere. I became familiar with the band's entire discography and anxiously awaited the release of their next album. Finally, that day has come.

Unfortunately, I have found very little to like about Spoon's latest effort. To be frank, while there are a few gems, I find most of the tracks to be musically dull and lyrically uninspired.

I've come to expect a strong opening track from Spoon, (think "Everything Hits at Once" or "Don't Make Me a Target") but this album failed to deliver right out of the gate. The first track, "Before Destruction" starts off very lo-fi, with just a muffled guitar and a distant vocal, and while the track does eventually find its way to the foreground, it fails to fully deliver a sufficient build-up before its abrupt end.

The Spoon that I have come to know and love doesn't appear until the third track on the album, entitled "The Mystery Zone." This track's driving beat and finicky guitar riffs deliver the funk, while Brit Daniel chimes in with a vocal track unscathed from cheesy effects. This is definitely a highlight of the record and one of its few saving graces.

Everything negative point that I will make against this record is on display in the track, "Who Makes Your Money." I was actually tempted to change tracks before this piece ended, but for the sake of the review, I soldiered on. Readers, just know that you owe me. This track just never seems to go anywhere musically, like a slightly more pleasant-sounding alarm clock. The lyrics are uninspired, and heavy vocal effects are added to the track without adding any significant structure to the track. I can't imagine what it would be like for the audience to hear this song in concert. It lacks energy and musical prowess and would seem to bring the live act to a complete halt. I just wonder what song was cut so this track could make it on to the record. For shame.

Thankfully, this track is followed by two really strong efforts: "Written in Reverse" and "I Saw the Light." "Written in Reverse" hits hard right off the bat with instrumentation and lyrics reminiscent of Jack White of the White Stripes. "I'm writing this to you in reverse, someone better call a Hearse." A hard-thumping toe-tapping bass drum is complimented by some scatter piano, a walking bass groove, and Britt Daniel's most authentic vocal performance of the entire record. The straight-forward, though somewhat predictable, rock-n-roll qualities of "I Saw a Light" make it stand out as well. The driving distorted guitar riff really keeps this track alive, until it abruptly drops off into what I thought would be a significant build-up. What I got instead was a 2-3 minute instrumental jam that, while it was aesthetically pleasing, ultimately led the song nowhere.

"Trouble Comes Running" reminds me of an early Who track, "Goodnight Laura" offers a pleasant piano melody and soft vocals, but not much else, and the tambourine, which seemed so ingrained in "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" makes a resurgence in "Got Nuffin." The album ends abruptly and without a lot of musical satisfaction on "Nobody Gets Me But You."

All in all, if you're not a fan of Spoon, this album certainly isn't going to make you a fan of Spoon. If you dig the few musical gems that shine through on this album, check out some of the band's earlier works, because despite this sub-par effort, they are still a band that are worthy of your attention.

6.4 out of 10

Humanity's Gut-check: What Haiti Has Shown Us

2010-01-18T17:15:00.008-05:00

It's hard for me to believe that it has almost been a week since I was sitting here at my desk, writing a blog post about Google leaving China, when I got an AP Mobile push notification about a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that had struck Haiti. I turned on CNN so I could hear the coverage in the background as I continued to write.

Originally, I had made the conscious decision not to write a post about the tragedy. Frankly, I didn't really feel like I had any unique input to add to the dialogue. While I felt, and continue to feel, the utmost sympathy for the people of Haiti, I didn't feel as though I had anything to say about the initial reactions following the quake that hadn't been sufficiently covered by the mainstream media.

However, almost a week later, I feel like there is a lot to be said about what a true test to humanity this tragedy has proven to be. This catastrophe, while heart-wrenching at its core, has brought out the best in a lot of people, groups, and countries. That being said, I believe it has also shown how much ignorance and intolerance still exists in modern society.

I can't even begin to express the pride that I have for the people of the United States who, as of today, have donated $22 million dollars to the Red Cross, and that's only through text messages. During a time in our country's history when people seem to be tightening their belts financially, to see such an outpouring of financial support really makes me proud to be a citizen of this country. In addition to individual support from people all over the world, large companies and small businesses alike have stepped up to the plate to both directly and indirectly aid the Haitian people. Whether it's wireless providers dropping texting charges on text donations to Haiti or small businesses donating percentages of their profits, all of these acts of charity are adding up to an incredible humanitarian effort.

I would be ecstatic if that were all I had to say about the reaction to this tragedy. Unfortunately, this tragedy has been used by political commentators on both sides of the aisle, activists, and a certain T.V evangelist as a pawn in their individual games of political chess, and that is beyond shameful.

I'll begin with T.V evangelist Pat Robertson, who pontificated on January 13th that the earthquake in Haiti was a direct result of a "pact" that the Haitian people had signed with the Devil. He elaborated, claiming that,

"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it... they were under the heel of the French and got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you and you'll get us free from the French. And so the devil said, OK, it's a deal. But ever since they've been cursed. But it may be a blessing in disguise."

This is absolutely unforgivable. I honestly can't believe that so many people listen to, and believe the words of this ignorant bigot. Honestly, as a member of the Catholic faith, I feel that are so many things that Pat Robertson could have drawn from religious scripture that would have more accurately described in a religious context why a tragedy like this might have occurred. I would think this would be a time to comfort the people of this devastated nation, not blame them for something that has no factual evidence whatsoever. So much of Christianity is about comforting the downtrodden and helping those in need, but I guess Robertson must have just skimmed those pages in preparation for his service on this particular day. I couldn't be more disgusted.

The following is a retort from a member of the Emergency Relief Committee:

Next up in front of the firing squad: Rush Limbaugh. On his radio show the day following the disaster, Limbaugh claimed that the tragedy would,

"play right into Obama's hands. Humanitarian, compassionate, they'll use this to burnish their credibility within both the light-skinned and black skinned community within this coutry. It was made to order for him."

Again, I must express my disbelief concerning how many people listen to this extremist, racist zealot and take his words to heart. I have no doubts that this will be the first of many Limbaugh offenses that I will comment about on this blog.

You know what, Rush, I'm confident that Obama's first thought when he heard about the Earthquake was, "JACKPOT." You know why I might think that? Besides common sense, I would probably say that because as much as I despise President Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove, I don't even believe that they could have thought of something so diabolical following Katrina. If that was an opportunity for Bush to bolster his humanitarian hand, he missed the boat by not showing up to New Orleans. Oh, but that's right, maybe Bush didn't want to hear all of the "whining and moaning" of the Black Katrina victims, as you so artfully spoke of them, while you touted the achievements of White Iowan flood victims as the "backbone of America." Oh by the way, during that flood relief effort, the Obama campaign was on the ground 5 DAYS before the McCain campaign and President Bush visited the flood zone. But I'm sure that Iowa flood just "played into Obama's hand" as well, huh?

Finally, I want to touch on the comments of actor / activist, Danny Glover, who said yesterday that,

"the threat of what happens in Haiti is the threat that can happen anywhere in the Caribbean to these island nations, you know? They're all in peril because of global warming; they're all in peril because of climate change. When we see what we did at the climate summit in Copenhagen, this is the response, this is what happens, you know what I'm saying?"

While this comment isn't in any way intolerant of the Haitian people, it's still incorrect. The movement on tectonic plates (or seismic activity) has not been proven to be affected by climate change. Climate change concerns weather conditions and the condition of the Earth's atmosphere. It's comments like this that give false credibility to people who actually believe that global climate change is a myth, despite decades of scientific data and research that proves otherwise. Global climate change is a serious issue, but it has no place in the dialogue of this tragedy. I'm sorry that you're disappointed that Copenhagen was a big flop. I'm disappointed too, but that's no reason to bring global climate change into every current event that grabs media attention.

All in all, thought I am totally disgusted and disappointed in some of the comments that have been made by the aforementioned individuals, I'm ultimately happy that the people of Haiti are receiving such an outpouring of international aid. While we hope that countries would never have to face catastrophes such as this, it's comforting to see the international community acting so quickly despite the dangerous conditions.

DC Record Enthusiasts REJOICE!!!

2010-01-15T10:20:00.003-05:00

February 14th at the Black Cat
1811 14th St. NW WDC 20009

indie-cent Album Review: Vampire Weekend "Contra"

2010-01-14T18:56:00.016-05:00

I want to start by stating flat out that I did not have high hopes for this record, primarily because of the after-hype that surrounded the first record. I remember sitting in the office at WDCE 90.1FM at the University of Richmond in 2007 as I pulled Vampire Weekend's self-titled debut out of its mailing envelope. My first thought was probably something like, "Whoa, solid band name," only to find out later that it was the title of a film project or amateur screenplay written by one of the band members. We received hundreds of records each week from independent record labels from all over the world, and seeing as though we had a small staff at WDCE, a majority of these records fell by the wayside. We just didn't have the manpower to review all of the records. For whatever reason, I decided that this would be one of the few records that I would review that day. I was taken aback by the originality of that record. The songs were so catchy, the melodies were so clever, and the instrumentation was so unique. While I thought I had stumbled upon a secret goldmine of indie treasure, the next few weeks would see the band's popularity among indie circles reach astronomical levels. They hit the festival circuit and never looked back.

Now it's time to back up the hype that surrounds this band. Sure, they put on a phenomenal debut record, but could they walk that fine line between consistency and originality? If you remain too consistent, you're deemed unoriginal and the magic is gone. You do something too original, you lose the luster that defined your band in the first place.

I'm actually rather happy that my initial predictions about this album were dead wrong. Vampire Weekend have done what seemed impossible and followed up their debut with a record of comparable scope and depth. Their lyrical prowess has progressed, their genres have varied, and the structure of their new tracks seems bolder than those on their debut album. You'll still get that staccato intonation that seemed to define their sound two years ago, but now with more complex breakdowns and more original percussive fills. "Holiday" serves as a prime example of this phenomenon.

Another element that has enhanced the scope of the band's sound is the fact that they seem to have further embraced electronic elements without compromising the instrumental integrity that they're fan base has come to know and love. Check out the eight-bit samples on "Run" and the M.I.A sample on "Diplomat's Son." Hell, one could even classify "Giving Up the Gun" as "dance-able."

It sounds as if the band perfected the opposite poles of their musical spectrum on "Contra," whereas their debut effectively established their middle ground. What I mean by this observation is that the songs on "Contra" further explore the mellow and frantic tendencies of their music, respectively. The scatter-brained strumming of "Cousins" conversely compliments the softer tones of "Taxi Cab." The opposite ends of this albums effectively demonstrate this observation as well. Where "Horchata" seems to make a statement about the bands musical progression and melodic complexity, "I Think Ur a Contra" fades the record out with an eerie simplicity.

My one gripe with the record, and this could very well be a personal gripe, is the fact that the band has lyrically moved to a place that is harder to relate to. While most of the songs on their debut album seemed like they would suit a quiet Sunday afternoon on campus quite perfectly, the lyrics feature on "Contra" make me feel like the band has grown up a lot faster than I have. I enjoyed "Little John, he always tells the truth" infinitely more than "In December, drinking horchata, I'd look psychotic in a balaclava."

Ultimately, this record has me excited about the state of music in 2010. While I thought I would be starting out the year reviewing a disappointing sophomore effort, I've instead been pleasantly surprised.

8.9 out of 10

Google out of China? I'm Not Feelin' Lucky

2010-01-13T14:35:00.007-05:00

While I was looking through the Washington Post yesterday, I came across an interesting story concerning the relationship between internet giant "Google" and the Chinese government. Apparently, because of recent sophisticated cyber-attacks on the Gmail accounts of numerous Chinese human rights activists, Google has threatened to pull out of the Chinese market, which could not only strain the Chinese business community, but also U.S Chinese relations. The idealist within me cheered, because this development could send a significant message to the Chinese government regarding their censorship policies; however, more recently the realist within me is becoming increasingly more aware of the emptiness of this threat.

To give you a better sense of the context of these developments, a bit of background on the relationship between Google and China is necessary. In 2006, Google and the Chinese government came to an agreement that Google could enter the Chinese market on the condition that the company rid search results within the country of topics that were banned by Chinese officials. For example, if you used Google in China and you searched "Tienanmen Square," you might get results about the geographic area of the location, but you wouldn't see any results regarding the infamous protest that took place in the Square in 1989. This censorship serves the strict policies of the Chinese officials to prevent its citizens from publishing or viewing content in dissent of the Chinese government.

What got me so excited about the prospect of this threat is the statement that it would send to the Chinese government and the world. The biggest search engine in the world pulling out of the Chinese market says, "The rest of the world will not tolerate the policies of censorship and human rights violations of the Chinese government. If you wish to have major providers like Google within your borders and help bolster your economy, you will have to learn to adapt to our standards, and not the other way around." Imagine if Google was the first domino in a long line of companies that fought for the same cause? Then, the Chinese government might actually have to work towards the "free Internet" that they supposedly promote.

Feeling inspired? You should stop reading now.

Today, I did some more research into Google's relationship with China and have come to the conclusion that, even if Google sticks by their guns and pulls out of the Chinese market, it might not be for all of the right reasons.

According to a recent JP Morgan estimate, Google is projected to make $600 million dollars in the Chinese market this year. While that amount of money seems like a fortune, it amounts to a little more than pocket change for this Internet juggernaut. The truth of the matter is, Google's business wasn't doing all that well in China. The former head of Google's Chinese division, Kai-Fu Lee, said in an interview with TechCrunch last October that his primary reason for leaving Google was because, "it was clear the company was never going to substantially increase its market share or beat Baidu." Baidu is a search engine controlled by the Chinese government and is the leading search engine in China.

At bottom, I think Google is using is trying to turn a financial negative into a marketing positive. They realize that they don't have the top market share and that their long-term growth numbers aren't working out as they had hoped against Baidu, so they are playing the human rights card in an attempt to improve their image worldwide. Perhaps if Google really wanted to make a social statement, they would have made a move like this before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Don't get me wrong, if Google does pull out of China, I will be happy about the message sent to the Chinese government, I'm just incredibly disappointed that their withdrawal wasn't for the right reasons.

The Surreal World

2010-01-07T19:30:00.003-05:00

Last night, I tuned in to watch the second episode of MTV's "The Real World DC." I had watched the previous episode the week before and was treated to the obligatory introduction of the house-mates, finding out who is gay and who is straight, and learning (through an argument that, surprise, ended in tears) who believes in what God. This week, I was interested in watching because I wanted to see the reactions of these characters as they were thrust into a "real world" that I imagined that I would be able to relate to on some level, seeing as how I only moved to D.C last month. What I came to learn very quickly was that the setting of this "reality" show was set far away from anything that I would call reality.

I guess now would probably be the best time to inform you that I have never watched "The Real World" previous to this season. Sure, I may have flipped to it occasionally as a curious hormone-driven teenager, hoping that I would get to see a blurred boob or two, but I have never watched as much as two episodes sequentially until last night. After doing some research on the history of the show, I have outlined some arguments that contest the "real-ness" of the world surrounding the cast.

The House

If you've seen the show before, you know that there is little more that really needs to be said on this subject. The house that the cast lives in is humongous, outrageously furnished from top to bottom, and conveniently located in one of the priciest areas of the city: Dupont Circle. Honestly, their "confessional" room looks like it is as big as my bedroom. Now, I understand that the house needs to fit the 8 cast members, plus crew equipment and whatnot, but I know for a fact that there are group houses in other areas of the city that could not only accommodate the needs of the cast and crew, but also provide a more realistic living setting. How do I know this? Because I only recently ended a two-month tour of these types of living quarters in my own housing search.

Now, I'm not necessarily saying that you have to put the cast in harm's way in an area like Petworth or Trinidad, but at least surround the cast with the local flavor of D.C, and not just the wealthy elite. Put them up in Columbia Heights, or the Atlas District, or even Adams Morgan. All three of these environments would provide a more realistic D.C experience than that provided within the Dupont bubble.

Fiscal Responsibility and Sense of Capitalism

Basically, there is none. As of yet, the D.C cast has yet to be introduced to the the jobs that they will work at while living in the house. In past seasons of "The Real World," the cast has had to maintain employment with companies that the producers of the show have worked have worked out agreements with in order to stay in the house. However, while maintaining that job seems to be a condition of staying in the house, that seems to be the only purpose for employment. There is no evidence that the cast members receive paychecks, pay any kind of rent or utility bills, or even spend their own money on food or drinks. How "real" is a world where an unskilled labor job lands you a huge house in the nice part of town and an endless bankroll to spend on drinks for you and your friends?

Sense of Time and Context

Again, there is very little of either of these present in MTV's "real" world. We can gather that the D.C season takes place in the Summer of 2009, and this can be confirmed by not digging too deep into social media outlets, but this is the extent of what can be gathered. There aren't any other clues as to what is going on outside of the Real World house that might indirectly be affecting the lives of the cast, and that is just not realistic. The cast doesn't have a T.V, I have yet to see any laptops or computers, and I also don't see any newspapers lying around. To me, it is this fact that places the cast of the show furthest out of what you and I might call "the real world." If the show were taking place today, I would want to know how the cast feels about the attempted Christmas Day terror attack, whether they still feel safe flying. I would want to know their thoughts on the health care legislation being pushed through the houses of Congress and the decision to forgo the conference committee process. Hell, it doesn't even have to be about politics, it would be fun just to know who they thought would win the BCS Championship game. Give the cast members a source to develop and mold real opinions around real issues in real time.

The Cast and the 4th Law

Needless, to say, the cast of "The Real World D.C" is a collection of genetically superior super-beings. The boys basically fit the model of every boy band birthed in the 1990's. We've got the funny one, the douchebag one, the cute one (who just happens to be gay,) and the tough one (who just happens to be black.) Each of the girls on the show could have their own respective modeling contracts, and perhaps they do, now that filming has ended. I'm not saying that the color and creed of the house-mates has to accurately represent national demographics, but come on, the show needs at least one overweight person. This is America after all. Another minority couldn't hurt either, maybe someone of Hispanic or Middle-Eastern descent. Let's get real.

Finally, the issue of the Fourth Law. I understand that there are certain rules that the cast has to follow regarding the camera, and that they are allowed to talk directly to it in the "confessional" room, but I think the presence of large camera equipment with the cast in public places is making their world less real. This fact is only amplified now that the power of social media can help keep tabs of the cast's location at all times. Everyone acts differently when they are in front of the camera, but my concern is not with the cast, but with the public that surrounds the cast. Everyone wants to be on T.V, and some people are willing to do things that they might normally not do in order to achieve that goal, like flirt and even sleep with one of the cast members. Not that the super-hotties need any help, but the allure of reality stardom takes people out of their element. The producers of the show are going to have to learn to adapt to the presence of social media in order to keep any integrity that this show might have intact.

Decade-End List: 100 Best Albums of the 00's

2010-01-07T14:15:00.001-05:00

I started this endeavor hoping to make a list of the "50 Best Albums of the Decade;" however, when I had finished the list, I just couldn't live with some of the important works that I had left out. After a lot of thought, and a lot of time spent switching up the order, I have finally constructed a list of albums that I can stand behind and defend.

This decade is difficult define so soon after it's conclusion, but I am certain that after the trends and gimmicks of the 00's fade away, it will be these works that will stand the test of time.

100. Secret Machines: Now Here is Nowhere
99. Of Montreal: Hissing Fuana, Are You the Destroyer?
98. Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
97. The National: Boxer
96. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova: Once
95. Neil Young: Prairie Wind
94. Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped
93. The Gaslight Anthem: The ’59 Sound
92. Kings of Leon: Aha Shake Heartbreak
91. Coldplay: Parachutes
90. T.V on the Radio: Dear Science
89. Animal Collective: Feels
88. Antony and the Johnsons: I am a Bird Now
87. Say Anything: Is a Real Boy
86. Modest Mouse: Good New for People Who Love Bad News
85. Tokyo Police Club: Elephant Shell
84. St. Vincent: Actor
83. My Morning Jacket: Z
82. Jimmy Eat World: Bleed American
81. Yo La Tengo: And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
80. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium
79. Band of Horses: Everything All the Time
78. Ben Kweller: Sha Sha
77. The Hives: Veni Vidi Vicious
76. Danger Mouse: The Grey Album
75. Wilco: A Ghost is Born
74. John Mayer: Continuum
73. Girls: Album
72. Bruce Springsteen: Magic
71. The New Pornographers: Mass Romantic
70. The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
69. Franz Ferdinand: Franz Ferdinand
68. The Walkmen: Bows + Arrows
67. Girl Talk: Night Ripper
66. Belle and Sebastian: The Life Pursuit
65. PJ Harvey: Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
64. Bob Dylan: Modern Times
63. Outkast: Stankonia
62. MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
61. Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha
60. Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
59. Feist: The Reminder
58. Peter Bjorn and John: Writer’s Block
57. Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun
56. Johnny Cash: American III: Solitary Man
55. Panda Bear: Person Pitch
54. Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
53. M.I.A: Kala
52. Coldplay: Viva La Vida
51. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
50. Cat Power: You Are Free
49. Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
48. Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor
47. Radiohead: In Rainbows
46. U2: All That You Can’t Leave Behind
45. The Libertines: Up the Bracket
44. Jay-Z: The Blueprint
43. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
42. Stars: Set Yourself on Fire
41. Sonic Youth: Murray Street
40. LCD Soundsystem: Sounds of Silver
39. Lil’ Wayne: The Carter III
38. Elliot Smith: Figure 8
37. Bright Eyes: Lifted or the Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
36. The Hold Steady: Separation Sunday
35. Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head
34. The Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
33. Beck: Sea Change
32. Spoon: Kill the Moonlight
31. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
30. The Shins: Oh, Inverted World
29. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells
28. Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
27. Broken Social Scene: You Forgot it in People
26. Bloc Party: Silent Alarm
25. Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend
24. New Pornographers: Electric Version
23. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising
22. Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker
21. The Killers: Hot Fuss
20. Brian Wilson: Smile
19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever to Tell
18. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
17. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
16. Modest Mouse: The Moon and Antarctica
15. Kanye West: The College Dropout
14. Andrew Bird: Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
13. The Postal Service: Give Up
12. The Decemberists: Castaways and Cutouts
11. The Strokes: Is This It?
10. Sufjan Stevens: Come On, Feel the Illinoise!
09. The Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America
08. Radiohead: Kid A
07. The White Stripes: Elephant
06. Green Day: American Idiot
05. Bright Eyes: I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
04. Bob Dylan: Love and Theft
03. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
02. Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights
01. Arcade Fire: Funeral

There they are. The 100 Best Albums of the 00's. Hopefully, future generations will look back upon this decade and find the quality music that defined it.

Year-End Music List: 2009

2010-01-06T13:15:00.003-05:00

The following lists comprise of my feelings and opinions in the world of music released in the year 2009 A.D. If you know me, you probably already know that this list isn't going to include a lot of music that is generally considered "popular," but that's because I don't find most popular music to be as honest or fulfilling as the music of more independent artists. I know this make me seem like some kind of audio elitist, and maybe I am, but as I mentioned in my first post, few things give me more pleasure than introducing someone to a particular artist or song that they most likely wouldn't hear on commercial radio waves and seeing the pleasure that it brings to them. So, before I type a completely unrelated note on my views on the music industry and popular music, here are my year-end music lists for 2009.

25 Best Albums of 2009:

25: Antony and the Johnsons: The Crying Light
24: Jay-Z: The Blueprint III
23: Japandroids: Post-Nothing
22: A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Ashes Grammar
21: Florence and the Machine: Lungs
20: Silversun Pickups: Swoon
19: Cymbals Eat Guitars: Why There Are Mountains
18: Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
17: Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
16: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down: Know Better, Learn Faster
15: Bob Dylan: Together Through Life
14: We Were Promised Jetpacks: These Four Walls
13: The Dead Weather: Horehound
12: Andrew Bird: Noble Beast
11: Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
10: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
09: Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young
08: The Flaming Lips: Embryonic
07: The Decemberists: The Hazards of Love
06: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It’s Blitz!
05: Monsters of Folk: Monsters of Folk
04: St. Vincent: Actor
03: The Avett Brothers: I and Love and You
02: Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
01: Girls: Album

10 Best Tracks of 2009:

10: Animal Collective: My Girls
09: Andrew Bird: Anonanimal
08: Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Heads Will Roll
07: Monsters of Folk: Say Please
06: Julian Casablancas: 11th Dimension
05: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Young Adult Friction
04: Grizzly Bear: Two Weeks
03: Phoenix: 1901
02: Girls: Lust for Life
01: Dirty Projectors: Stillness is the Move

10 Best EP's of 2009:

10: Atlas Sound: Rough Trade
09: Death Cab for Cutie: The Open Door
08: Andrew Bird: Fitz and Dizzyspells
07: Modest Mouse: No One's First, and You're Last
06: The Drums: Summertime
05: Jim James (or Yim Yames): Tribute To
04: Blitzen Trapper: Black River Killer
03: Lil' Wayne: No Ceilings (technically a mix-tape, still great)
02:The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Higher Than the Stars
01: Bon Iver: Blood Bank

5 Most Disappointing Albums of 2009:

05: Volcano Choir: Unmap
04: Franz Ferdinand: Tonight
03: Arctic Monkeys: Humbug
02: Wilco: Wilco (The Album)
01: Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream

5 Most Overrated Albums of 2009 (Where I Will Undoubtedly Draw the Most Flak)

05: Neon Indian: Psychic Chasms
04: Fever Ray: Fever Ray
03: The xx: The xx
02: Wavves: Wavves
01: Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (The Perfect Album? Really?)

I do welcome any feedback that anyone might have about any of my lists. I am more than prepared to defend any and all of my choices, maybe even to the death. We'll see.

Welcome

2010-01-05T23:07:00.007-05:00

Welcome to my new blog, entitled, "Indie-cent Speech." The name of the blog comes not only for my appreciation for independent music artists, but also for independent thought. Both of these subjects, as well as a random smattering of others, will no doubt define this blog.

Ever since I was a little kid, I can always remember being fascinated with the fact that I live in a country where I am free to say whatever I wish, with only few exceptions. As I have come to maturity, and now living in Washington D.C, I have come to realize that this right is in fact a double-edged sword. While there are a lot of intelligent people on both sides of the aisle who can effectively contribute to a national dialogue, more often than not, these are not the people who speak the loudest.

I'm not going to pretend that I am a neutral moderate, because I'm not. While I was raised in a split-household in terms of political ideology, I am an active registered Democrat. I have canvassed for Democratic candidates, including President Barack Obama, for the Democratic National Committee and have served as an intern in the office of a prominent VA State Senator. However, I don't let this political classification define all of my political thought and I'm not going to spend my time spouting only the words of liberal commentators such as Keith Olbermann, because I don't agree with him all the time either. Instead, I'd like to think that I enter most discussions with an open mind, but after weighing the facts, I usually come up on the left. I also don't sign on to the slogan that, "the left is always right," even after all of the times it was shouted before DNC canvassing. There have definitely been plenty of times since the dawn of my political awareness that I have disagreed with the words or actions of Democratic officials, but I definitely disagree with conservatives more often.

Politics will most certainly not be the only topic of discussion on this blog. Along with my passion for politics, I also have a deep-seeded obsession with music. I'm really excited to have a place where I can express my thoughts about the music industry, popular music, and independent music. I am particularly intrigued by the history of rock and roll and the blues, and in recent years I have been heavily influenced by the music of independent artists. There are few things give me more pleasure than introducing someone to a particular artist or song that they most likely wouldn't hear on commercial radio waves and seeing the pleasure that it brings to them. This blog will be a tool for this type of expression as well.

Ultimately, I would like this blog to be a learning experience for me and for the people who read it. I think it will provide a great outlet for me to produce something tangible from the stream of thoughts that run through my head all day.

I'd like to conclude by stating that some of my views and opinions will not sit well with everyone, perhaps even some of my closest friends, but there's nothing that I would like more than to spark friendly, intelligent discussion.

Cheers,

SNC