Partyin' Like It's 2008

2008 was a pretty good year for music for me. Vampire Weekend's debut album basically owned it, alongside Tokyo Police Club's debut Elephant Shell; I also discovered Band of Horses that year. It was a good time.

Today I felt a random inclination to jam to "Oxford Comma." I remember not liking it a lot when I first heard it. I mean, I liked it, but I much preferred "A-Punk," "Walcott," "Mansard Roof," "One (Blake's Got a New Face)," and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance." I would listen to it but throughout its entirety feel antsy to hit the back button and listen to "Mansard Roof" again, or skip forward to "A-Punk."

But then the music video was released and -- see, I have a disorder known as Video Affection Syndrome. Once a song has a video accompaniment, whether it's a video or a commercial, I immediately love it more. That's what happened with "Oxford Comma." I loved the video SO MUCH that immediately my liking for the song grew and grew and grew. It's not like it's some random video, either; I legitimately love the "Oxford Comma" video on its own. Shot in one take, I find it fascinating, cool, and fun.

Check it out and I hope you have a reaction as (positively) strong as I did the first time I saw it, three years ago.



P.S. I just found out that the video was directed by Richard Ayoade, who is the amazing IT Crowd and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace actor and occasional director of such things as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll" and the latest episode of Community, the great one with the My Dinner with Andre/Pulp Fiction send-ups. Awesome!

My Year in Lists, Part 2: La Musica

"My Year in Lists" by Los Campesinos!

Yesterday I said I was going to write about TV. I had the full intention of doing that as I powered on my laptop this morning. However, I soon realized: crud. When am I supposed to talk about music, then? Tomorrow is not only the last day of the year but my last blog post of the month/year/whatever, so I thought it would be best to write about movies then. There was no room in the schedule for music if I did TV today. So instead I'm combining TV and movies (since I was having trouble coming up with TV ideas anyway) and I'm going to rattle off names of songs and albums that I liked to you incoherently.

  6 GREAT ALBUMS FROM 2010*

*I'm not really an album person, at all, so there will be a lot of glaring omissions here. Don't worry! I'll get to the stuff people actually liked soon enough!

Assailants by Lydia

  

Lydia's final album not only wins a place on my list, but also a Fonzie for Ugliest Cover of 2010 (tied with Sleigh Bells' Treats). Lydia was never very well-known, despite releasing 2 albums, the second being 2008's Illuminate, a beautiful and heartbreaking album that should have cemented them as an up-and-comer on the "indie" scene. The problem was that there was a lot of problems within the band itself, causing them to change their line-up multiple times. This truncated EP-length album is the product of the band's most conflicted time, albeit not together, considering that most of them had left by the time this album came to fruition. Lydia was really lead singer Leighton Antelman's baby, and Assailants shows us that we should look forward to whatever solo project he has planned for the future. Like Illuminate, Assailants features a strong collection of songs with almost no clunkers. (Well, the two songs that are under 2 minutes are not really worth your time, unlike "...Ha Yeah It Got Pretty Bad" from the previous album.) In fact, the 5 "real" songs on here may be amongst the band's strongest, with great production and ambiance. Listen to "I've Never Seen a Witch" or "Empty Out Your Stomach" and try to tell me otherwise. Those two songs stand up with the best of the band's catalog, and in the case of the former, may even rank as one of their very best songs. They're tightly, and lovingly, made. Lydia died young, but now is as good a time as any to check them out. Buy Assailants here.

Best songs: "We Clean Up So Well," "I've Never Seen a Witch" (click to download)

Come On Kid by Josiah Leming

Maybe you remember Josiah Leming as the crybaby with the weird pseudo-British accent from American Idol? Yes, well, that was him. Don't let that deter you, because the kid is actually extremely talented! Before and after Idol Leming self-produced and released a ton of his original material, including my absolute favorite "Her," and the publicity he got from the show led to him inking a contract with Warner Brothers. Unfortunately, Come On Kid, originally slated to come at nearly 2 years ago, was stuck in development turmoil (for reasons unknown to me), and Josiah instead released 2 (excellent) EPs a year apart. However, this album finally released this year and it did not disappoint. While Come On Kid features newer versions of two old songs, fan favorite "To Run" and MY favorite "Arctic Outcry Wind" (such a great song, ugh), the brand new songs are what is most interesting here. Title track "Come On Kid" and "Maybe" are poppy and radio-ready, but have a lyrical edge over their more popular counterparts; "Song Without a Reason," about Josiah's recently deceased mother, and "Joy and Happiness" hearken back to his roots as a singer-songwriter at the piano. This mix between the new and old styles gives the impression that Josiah has grown as a songwriter and also lends to a very listenable slew of songs. Come On Kid may not be perfect, but if this is any indication of where Josiah Leming is going then I'm ready for the ride. (Similarly, if this is the last album he ever releases, then at least I'm satisfied.) Buy Come On Kid here. 

Best songs: "Maybe," "Song Without a Reason," "Day and Night," "Body and Mind"

Crazy For You by Best Coast

I only acquired this album recently, but it quite easily earns a place on this list. (Well, considering I only listened to 5 other albums from this year...) Best Coast sounds like a band of time travelers from the California surf pop era of the 50s/60s, with the simple lyrics, harmonies, and jangly guitars. Crazy For You is a perfect album for the summer, but manages to heat up your day whichever month it may be. A lot of the album may be about cats and drugs, sure, but the songs aren't really carried by their lyrics; instead, frontwoman Bethany Cosentino sells them by singing sincerely. Also, it sort of helps that she has a great voice. I'd say that songs like "Goodbye" and the title track carry the message that's trying to be conveyed here, and that message is: love sucks. And if that's not a message to get behind then I don't know what is. This album is just fun, pure and simple. Buy Crazy For You here.

Best songs: "Boyfriend," "Bratty B," "Each and Everyday," "Our Deal"

Champ by Tokyo Police Club

Like Best Coast, Tokyo Police Club is more known for its catchy songs than its lyrics. Thankfully, Champ is chock full of catchy songs, while also giving us some clever lines, my favorite being the "Wait Up (Boots of Danger)" line "You never wear shoes without your socks." Okay, maybe that's just because that perfectly describes me, but whatever! Debut Elephant Shell didn't have a single song over 3 minutes long, so Champ shows that the band can sustain a song for this length of time with an even mix of 2 and 3 minute songs. They also slow down the pace a bit; even a song called "Breakneck Speed" is slower than TPC standards, and it doesn't suffer for it. Dave Monks' unique voice stretches all over the place here, from the lows of "Favourite Food" to the highs of "Gone," and it works every time. This is a strong list of songs here, with only the closer, "Frankenstein," failing to leave an impact on me. Champ shows a lot of growth for the young crew here, and I'm proud of them, as if I was there mother or something. Maybe this isn't as immediately wonderful as Elephant Shell, but it's definitely a charmer all the same. Buy Champ here.

Best songs: "Favourite Food," "Favourite Colour," "Hands Reversed," "Not Sick"

Contra by Vampire Weekend

I'll be upfront: Contra was a disappointment. Vampire Weekend's debut was immensely enjoyable, and I got a lot of mileage out of that record. Contra, on the other hand, was something I tired of rather quickly. At least, this was how I felt at first. However, since the album's release in January, it's grown on me. The crop of songs may not be a strong as the ones on the first album, but the best ones are really, really excellent. Vampire Weekend, like all bands making their sophomore album (see Champ above), toyed with their formula, experimenting with their signature Afrobeat pop and coming up with songs like the amazing "Diplomat's Son," which is not only the band's longest song at nearly 6 minutes long but also one of their greatest. Lyrically, this song is based on a short story lead singer Ezra Koenig wrote, and it provides for a really interesting theme and story. "Diplomat's Son" doesn't sound like anything else the band has ever done, throwing together a bunch of styles and genres, but this new direction is one I embrace and hope they go for again in the future. Old style tunes like lead single "Cousins" and "Holiday" may not be as interesting but they are just as good (especially in the case of the excellent "Cousins"). Overall Contra represents evolution for the band, and it has definitely grown on me. Also, with the title referencing the classic game, how could I not like this? Buy Contra here.

Best songs: "Diplomat's Son," "Cousins," "California English," "I Think Ur a Contra"

Gorilla Manor by Local Natives

That picture is super-big because this is my favorite album of the year by far. I mean, I know that that's a small list, but I think that even if I had listened to three times as many records I would still love this one the most. Gorilla Manor is just near-perfect in every way; it's full of great melodies, beautiful lyrics, wonderful vocals and harmonies, and it sounds like pure fun. The songs range from the sad and beautiful ("Airplanes," "Cards and Quarters") to the toe-tappingly great (all-star "Sun Hands" and "Camera Talk"); Local Natives are able to cultivate every emotion in the book for this debut and they hit home runs every time. They even tackle a cover with the Talking Heads' "Warning Sign" and that may just be my favorite track on the album. There is not a single bad song on Gorilla Manor; there are only perfect songs and ones that are slightly less perfect but great all the same. Some critics have complained that the album does not distinguish itself well enough from the "Fleet Foxes/Grizzly Bear" school of music but I disagree completely. Local Natives have established a style that combines Afropop, great guitar, wonderful harmonizing, and deep lyrics, and I can't get enough of them. Do yourself a favor and buy Gorilla Manor today, right here. (The CD comes with a poster and is pretty cool looking, if I do say so myself.)

Best songs: "Warning Sign," "Sun Hands," "Airplanes," "World News," "Stranger Things"

20 OF THE BEST SONGS OF 2010*

*I listened to 131 2010 songs this year, according to iTunes, but realize that I didn't cover a ton of bases or anything.

I'm feeling lazy so this will mostly be a bulleted list. Sorry.

• "Nothin' On You" by B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars: I've talked about this song before but let me once again shill the music video. It's a great watch.
• "I Want to Be Well" by Sufjan Stevens
• "Tightrope" by Janelle Monae
• "Becoming a Jackal" by Villagers
• "Ghost Town" by First Aid Kit
• "Daisy" by Fang Island: Apparently available on the Rock Band Network. Awesome!
• "The Mermaid Parade" by Phosphorescent  
• "I Can See Your Tracks" by Laura Veirs
• "On Melancholy Hill" by Gorillaz: From Plastic Beach. Let me know how it is if you've listened to it. I quite like Gorillaz.
• "We Used to Wait" by Arcade Fire: I'll get around to listening to The Suburbs in its entirety one of these days. I mean, I only pretty much completed Funeral this year! I'm slow when it comes to these things. (I've heard most of Suburbs though and it's great. I love the lyrics. Being a suburbanite I can relate.)
• "I'm in Love" by Antony and the Johnsons
• "Change" by the Young Veins: This band is fronted by Ryan from Panic at the Disco. Please don't let this turn you off.
• "Location" by Freelance Whales
• "Windstorm" by School of Seven Bells
• "Rill Rill" by Sleigh Bells
• "Undertow" by Warpaint: I love these girls. Even though their album The Fool, which came out this year, was apparently not the greatest, I'm glad that they're now on my, and other people's, radar.
• "In the Dirt" by S. Carey
• "Jennasea" by The Morning Of
• "Dog in a Burning Building" by Miles Kurosky
• "EXCUSES" BY THE MORNING BENDERS!: How did I forget this song?! Easily my favorite song of the year. Easily. No contest!  Download "Excuses" right now!

Hooray! That took forever. Tomorrow on My Year in Lists, Part 3: The Final Part, I will somehow manage to talk about both TV and movies. It will be a disaster, and like Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark, that should make you all the more excited to see it. 

The Problem with iPods

OKAY. SO. ALL CAPS TIME, PEOPLE:

My BLEEDING iPod, whom I named Floyd after Jason Sudeikis' wonderful character on 30 Rock, has decided to stop scrobbling my play counts WHICH I AM QUITE OBSESSED WITH MAINTAINING. OKAY, FLOYD, BE A JERK. THAT'S TOTALLY COOL. REALLY.

I'm going to murder this iPod one day. If only it wasn't so shiny and red and otherwise quite competent. BLARGH.

Since listening to my iPod is a worrisome process now, since Floyd is apparently extremely finicky and I guess only likes me listening to, like, "Move Your Feet" by Junior Senior as opposed to the album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel like I'd RATHER be listening to (even though "Move Your Feet" is a really awesome song, it's probably one of the only songs my iPod will actually properly sync these days and it's frustrating, urgh), here's a little playlist of the songs I'd actually be "jamming" to, once again, if Floyd WASN'T SUCH A BRAT. Yeah, Floyd. You stay in Cleveland. YOU STAY IN CLEVELAND UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO LOVE A WOMAN. ;_;



Create a playlist at MixPod.com

1. "Ghost" by Neutral Milk Hotel
From Aeroplane Over the Sea, this song is my latest favorite. Jeff Mangum, who if his last name was a Latin neuter singular noun as it looks to be would be called Jeff Manga in the plural, is/was a talented songwriter, even though his lyrics are quite out there sometimes (see: "The King of Carrot Flowers," Pts. 1, 2, and 3, the second of which features the repetition of "I love you, Jesus Christ/Jesus Christ, I love you, yes, I do"). This song can be a bit odd in parts but overall I think it's coherent. Either way it's wonderful. And the transition from this to the next song on the album, "Untitled," is perfect. Favorite line: "One day in New York City, baby/a girl fell from the sky/from the top of a burning building/fourteen stories high."

2. "Becoming a Jackal" by Villagers
Hopefully you remember this brother from a post I created a week ago by literally banging around violently on the keyboard until something made sense. Not to discredit this guy or that song ("That Day") but that post was extremely lazy. I'll make up for it by waxing philosophical about this song! Hahaha, just kidding. I do love this song, though. It's just very sweet and a little idealistic, maybe, and it just sounds like the musings of a dreamer. That's why my favorite line is: "I was a dreamer/staring out windows/out onto the main street/'cause that's where the dream goes."

3. "The Transfiguration" by Sufjan Stevens
This song is great, but something about it puts me off. The whole "Lost in a cloud/a voice/Have no fear!/We draw near!," although my favorite part of the song, sounds really familiar: it sounds like Stevens' "Chicago!" Apparently I'm not the only one to think so, either. The comments there say that they hear "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!" as well but I haven't noticed that yet. Let's listen to it again...together. It's interesting how this song is SO EXPLICITLY about God and yet no one would consider Soof a Christian artist...at least, not in the same way as, like, Relient K (whose song "Sadie Hawkins Dance" I just listened to, haha) are. It's also interesting that much of his fanbase is made up of completely non-religious people. Favorite line: "Lost in the cloud/a sign/Son of man!Son of God!"

4. "Firework" by Katy Perry
Wow, this is a fantastically weird transition. I personally think "Firework" is an awful song; so then, why is it on my list of songs I wanna listen to? (Please note, this song is not on my iPod.) It's because it's in that Just Dance 2 commercial! The version in that commercial is a much catchier remix of the boring and conventional original, so I like that one better. "Firework" is probably the most boring Katy Perry song I've heard, honestly, but it is also one of the catchiest. It's ALWAYS stuck in my head. Always! Favorite line: "Baby, you're a firework/Come on let your colors burst/Make 'em scream/"Aah, aah, aah!"/You're gonna leave 'em all in/awe, awe, awe!"

5. "Each and Every Day" by Best Coast
I think a lot of people find this band to be overrated, but I really like them! They just make simple "surf pop." All of their songs are about wanting people to be their boyfriends, or being hopelessly in love with people, and their lyrics are just simple and cutesy; the music itself is catchy and fun. What's to dislike? I think this is my favorite song by them (not that I know that many, I only know 3), and you know, now that I think about it, it's the saddest one of theirs that I know. Actually, no, that's "Boyfriend." But with lines like "You will never fall in love" this comes close. Also I like this song because it mentions being seventeen and I'M seventeen so obviously we are perfect for each other and are going to get married. Favorite line: "Everything I said to you last night might have been crazy/but I want you to know that I meant it/I meant it/I meant it/Oh, baby!"

6. "My Night With the Prostitute from Marseille" by Beirut
I love dramatic singers. Zach Condon, which is an unfortunate last name I'd think, is one such dramatic guy. "And weeeee/belieeeeeeeved/her thennnn/oh, ohhhhh" is the line that justified my purchase of this song. Even though I bought it for $0 from Amazon. But still! I don't know a ton of Beirut songs, just this and "Scenic World" and something else, but I should check them out, I guess. (I really like this song despite this seemingly apathetic review!) Favorite line: "And now/outside/I see your eyes meet the sky/and I/I won't lie/I kept you hear tonight." Subtly sad.

7. "I'm in Love" by Antony and the Johnsons
My favorite drama king! Just a great voice. This new album of his seems to be his happiest ever, if this song is any indication. It's definitely the least depressing thing I've ever heard him sing, and I've heard him cover "Crazy in Love." I read a review that said that in this song Antony sounds like he's about to "pass out" from his delirious, mad loving and I think that's apt. Favorite line: "I've been touched/oh, I've been touched/It means too much/it means too much!"

8. "Black Sheep" by Metric
From Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, this was the song by The Clash at Demonhead. The music was one of the best parts of this movie, and this song was my favorite! It's just a great song to listen to; a sing-along, I promise you, you will want to sing along to constantly. It's just plain addicting. Try not singing the chorus!: "Send you my love/on a wire/Lifts you up/every time/Everyone/ooh, pulls away/Ooh, from you!" Love it. Favorite line: "Hello/again/friend of a friend/I knew you when/our common goal/was waiting for/the world to end."

9. "Holiday" by Vampire Weekend
You may recognize this song from one of the 12,000 commercials it features on at the moment, most notably a car commercial and a preppy clothing commercial. Floyd and I, we get it. This is the perfect time for this song to get popular; it's holiday season! It's about a holiday! Although I always perceived it to be about a vacation type of holiday, not a Christmas one, kind of like "Holiday" by Weezer (similarly great, featured on my last playlist), but it still works, right? New York called Contra the best album of the year and while I liked it, I definitely disagree. The album was kind of boring, this, "Cousins," "I Think Ur a Contra," and my personal favorite "Diplomat's Son" aside. My album of the year personally is Gorilla Manor by Local Natives, and I even liked the mildly-received Champ by Tokyo Police Club more than this. But "Holiday" is still a catchy tune. Favorite line: "To go away/on a summer's day/never seemed so clear."

10."Rill Rill" by Sleigh Bells
This song makes me nostalgic for sixteen. How I miss it! This song is like a slow jam that I'd play at the prom I'm DJing in my head. Guest list: 1. Floyd. Floyd, I'm trying to win you back, you see? Stupid iPod. But can't you see people slow-dancing to this song, sort of? Maybe slowly dancing? I don't know. I tried. This song is pretty adorable and inoffensive but the album cover for this album is so darn ugly, I hate it, it detracts from the song even, so that's the one good thing about not listening to this on my iPod, because it means I don't have to look at the stupid album cover (which I theoretically could delete but what's the fun in that, man?). Favorite line: "Wonder what your boyfriend thinks about your braces/What about them/I'm all about them!" I find that so funny!

Now, back to whispering sweet nothin's to Floyd the iPod so that he will work properly the next time I sync him to my computer.(If anyone else is having the problem of their iPod Nano 5G not counting their plays after syncing to iTunes, please let me know! Let's find a solution, darn it!)

Ashamed and Barely Awake

Right now I'm writing something that I hope to get posted for tomorrow/Saturday. Guess what it is? GUESS.

No, whatever you guessed is wrong. I'm writing a story starting Justin Bieber. And it's truly awesome. Maybe you'll get to read it. I hope so, because I really like it. J. Biebs is kind of stupid, kind of jerky in it, but that's what makes it fun. If I post it, then consider this my apology in advance.

I'm pretty tired and don't feel like writing much so I'm just going to leave you a bunch of articles that you should read. Consider it your homework even though it's not graded or even looked at. LIKE ENGLISH 9 HONORS WITH SCHLIEFY HOMEWORK! OR ENGLISH 10 HONORS HOMEWORK! OR AP LANG HOMEWORK! (oh, you know it's true.)

• Whatever Happened to the Box-Office Bomb? from Slate.com
• Vampire Weekend Sued by Contra Cover Model from The AV Club
• Work of Art Recap by Judge Jerry Saltz from New York.com
• Warner Gambles On an Unproven Commodity (Inception) from The L.A. Times

Have a good day. Let me know what you think of those (relatively short!) articles when you read them, which you most definitely will. Right?

Remember That SNL Post From A Week Ago?

Yeah, well, I hadn't seen this yet: ZACH GALIFIANAKIS HOSTING. Zach G. is my rock. He is my sovereign. He is my bearded guidance. He is my EVERYTHING.

Well, not really. But I think he's hilarious, and that's more than I can say for most people. Seriously, Between Two Ferns is required viewing for readers of this blog. I knew he was hosting but then I forgot because, well, it's Saturday Night Live and it sucks.

But today I came home with a migraine so I decided, what the heck, let's watch something on Hulu. Originally I was going to watch Gabba Gabba Rey!, who hosted last Saturday, but then I saw a beard with Zach G.'s eyes above it, staring at me, and I had to watch.

HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS, BECAUSE YOU DESERVE THEM!

OHEMGEEEEE DYING HERE. Bullet points!

• "It's great to be back hosting Saturday Night Live..."
• "Putting on chapstick daintily"
• "Homeless professor;" "Vice President of Ultimate Frisbee;" "Alpaca message boards"
• "I live in Brooklyn...and I hate it." I guess a lot of hipsters are in the audience.
• "Excuse me, I've been in Canada...opening up for Miles Davis. Kilometers Davis."
• "I like dark comedies; that's why I like the Wayans Bros." I cracked up at that one. That is just bad. Love it.
• "I went to my high school reunion awhile ago, and it was very weird because I was home schooled...and why I rented that limousine, I have no idea."
• "That is so Raven." He uses that joke a lot, but it's still funny.
• He doesn't really have a blog :(
• "Hoobastank is here!" Hoobastank. Haven't heard that name in awhile. Not since the last Singstar party. Oh, Singstar.

Digital short, so of course it's awesome. I think if Zach Galifianakis crashed the set of some show that I was watching, I'd freak out due to fear and amazement. Dude, if Zach G. crashed The Tyra Show or something horrible like that, I would love it. I would die. And then Tyra would bring me back to life so she can hold onto each and every viewer she has with those disgusting Tyra-fingers of hers and then I would die again.

Zach G. AND Vampire Weekend?! Seriously, why did I not watch this live? Contra stuff isn't that good live but the band is too adorable for it to be a big deal. I love Ezra's new hair, and did he grow five inches? Because he is usually not that tall. And Rostam has this weird way of dragging his feet while he plays guitar that I can totally relate to because I can't dance/stand up like a normal person, either. During the bridge, Ezra was watching him with the intent of a love-stricken bachelor. He, too, was enamored by his band mate's oddness. Oh, and I picked their "Cousins" performance over "Giving Up the Gun" because "Cousins" is a way stinking better song. I could go on and on and on and on about this but I'll stop geeking out now and move on.

PAUL RUDD TOO? And Frank Rich, whose presence/existence I find hysterical because he has the same name as my dad except backwards?! WHAT IS THIS? WHY DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS? This sketch was not particularly funny other than Paul Rudd's being there and Kenan calling Frank Rich "sexy and sinister" and his "wut" face afterwards, but that "What's Up With That" song is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Zach's outfit was great and I liked Jason Sudeikis', too. And his dancing! We dance similarly, except his dancing is actually SOMEWHAT DECENT. Yeah, I'm feeling self-conscious about my dancing today. Isn't that random?

Whatever, here's "Giving Up the Gun." I have to post it for Rostam's Michael Jackson faces. He looks like Michael Jackson! And why did Chris Tom change his shirt? ...Can I have his old one? Oh, and Chris Baio's footwork is cool. Am I the only one who sees a slight resemblance between Ezra and Devon Werkheiser?

Oh, dear.

Well, that was awesome. I think I feel a little better now. Thank you, Zach Galifianakis. You may look like Marijuana Santa Claus, but to me, you're...well, yeah, I don't know, I guess you're just Marijuana Santa Claus.

Go watch Between Two Ferns now while I watch the Gabba Gabba Rey! episode. Bye.