Links to all my year-end/decade-end lists, for my own convenience and yours.
Happy New Year!
Favorite Shows of 2009
Favorite Shows of the Decade (+ Favorite ResideNYC's of the Decade)
Favorite Albums of 2009
Favorite Albums of the Decade
Favorite New (To Me) Artists of 2009
Favorite Artist of the Year
Favorite Artists of the Year for the Decade
Favorite Movies of 2009
Favorite Movies of the Decade
Another great year of live music! Almost got to the century mark, but hit a wall of inertia, weather and holidays in early December and haven't been out in 3 weeks. That's OK, had my fill. One more show to hit this year tomorrow night, Bad Plus on New Year's @ Village Vanguard. Something tells me there's room for that on on this list.
The raw data:
Number of shows: 95
Number of different bands seen: 180+
Number of bands seen for the first time: 119
Band seen most often: Phish (12)
Number of different venues: 39
Venue hit most often: Mercury Lounge (15)
Number of cities hit: 16
Number of states hit: 7
Number of festivals: 4 (in 4 different states)
Here are my favorite 50 or so...
An addendum to the last post about my favorite shows of the 2000's, here are my favorite NYC residencies, either long-running or one-off's, that made the decade what it was...
OK, so keeping tabs on these things, I was able to go back and see that I've seen right around 850 concerts in the past decade -- ~85 a year! Not too shabby seeing as I also had two children, got a PhD and maintained a happy marriage over the same period.
Here is a limited list of some of my absolute favorites over the past 10 years, with some comments where appropriate; it's possible that more recent shows got more love due to my fading memories
Just looking back over my list from 2008 and realized I've got nearly the same number of albums for this year and can recommend about the same. Few disappointments and plenty to pick at. Here are my favorite 60, grouped in 10's. Usual caveats apply: these are my favorites, not pretending these are the "best" or that your opinion will jibe with mine; also not pretending that I've heard every album there is... if your favorite isn't listed, there's a good chance I didn't hear it. Don't whine, just recommend, I promise I'll take your opinion to heart.
Here it is:
The top ten (alphabetical):
The Bad Plus (w/ Wendy Lewis) -- For All I Care
The list of "can't do no wrong in Neddy's eyes" musicians is a short one, but any regular reader should know that The Bad Plus is near the top. The most postmodern piano trio in the history of the piano takes it to the next logical step, adding a vocalist on an album of covers. I could write 10000 words on the levels of deconstruction and meta-music and commentary on music and jazz and pop and how we listen to what we listen to and like what we like that may or may not be going on over the course of this album, or I could just tell you that it's plain brilliant.
Andrew Bird -- Noble Beast
Usually a musician with the set of talents that ABird has at his disposal ends up lacking something in the soul department. That doesn't seem to be a problem here as Andrew has (once again) put together an album made up of lots of little masterpieces. Each track stands on its own and within each song, each moment seems to do the same. But taken together... mmmm. Be sure to get your hands on the companion "just messin' around" Useless Creatures release: instrumental forays from a self-admitted instrumental hater. Good stuff.
Neko Case -- Middle Cyclone
With this album, Case has evolved into her own entity: untethered to another band or musicians, disassociated with any genre or type. Haunting voice, unique point of view, wonderful songs from top to bottom.
The Flaming Lips -- Embryonic
For Wayne Coyne, going into cruise control would seem to be so easy and yet, at the same time, utterly impossible. It's not like they've zigged when you thought they'd zag, but rather that in some manifestation of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, once you've tried to pin them down and get a good look at the Flaming Lips, you've lose total track of how fast and in what direction they were heading. This is a psychedelic epic, hard edged and yet totally accessible -- on the scale of "Yoshimi."
Bela Fleck -- Throw Down Your Heart
The synopsis of this story is: Bela Fleck goes to Africa and makes music with everyone he meets. What could be bad? Once again, Fleck rises above. What is banjo music? What is music? Seems like these are the questions Bela is always trying to answer, but never before in such a fundamental way. Mixing old and new, western and African, traditional instruments with their forebears as well as voices and smiles that shine right through the stereo, Bela Fleck has done it again.
Heartless Bastards -- The Mountain
Looking at this list, it seems like maybe I forgot how much I love the f'in rock and roll. Well, I'm not sure anyone rocks harder and with higher fidelity than the Heartless Bastards. The ingredients are few: guitar, drums, bass and the baddest female rock vocals you'll ever heard. They are mixed together at just the right proportions and poured into some kick ass songs right to level. The title tracks may be my favorite song of the year.
Portugal. The Man -- The Satanic Satanist
I couldn't have written all this and not had PTM on this list. In the studio, the songs that trip the light fantastic live reveal themselves for the well-crafted gems that they are. Just as powerful through the headphones as blared through the loudspeaker, just as penetrating acoustic and quiet as they are loud and electric. Pull them out track by track and dig deeper, or play the whole thing and let yourself go. And don't sleep on the psychedelic packaging which only enhances the listening experience.
Dave Rawlings Machine -- A Friend of a Friend
This is the machine that drives Gillian Welch, now out front with his own thing. This release is one of those perfectly formed pieces of Americana with fantastic covers, heartfelt originals, plenty of tasty guitar picking and the most genuine pair of voices you can find.
Charles Spearin -- The Happiness Project
In 8 tracks Spearin (of Do Make Say Think) has reinvented, for me, what music, sound, speech, love and happiness. You can learn about the Happiness Project here, but in a nutshell, Spearin went out and recorded people talking, nominally about "happiness." Taking snippets of these recordings or large swaths of speech, he wove a tapestry of music, pulling meaning not just out of the words but the way that they are spoken, finding music in the syntax and beyond. The result has given me the chills, literally, every single time I've listened to the album... which has been plenty - I think I had it on repeat for about a week straight when I first got it. My description does it no justice, if you buy one CD this year, let this one be it.
Wilco -- Wilco (The Album)
Yeah, this is kind of a surprise to me, too. But it shouldn't be. Is there a band out there that consistently comes out with new great music so regularly for so long? Maybe Radiohead? Here Tweedy and Co. are evolving only slightly from their former selves, slowly integrating Nels Cline into the sound more and more, but remaining true to the Wilco sound.
(11-20 alphabetical)
Black Joe Lewis -- Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!
The Decemberists -- The Hazards of Love
Do Make Say Think -- Other Truths
Medeski, Martin & Wood -- Radiolarians III
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band -- s/t
Elvis Perkins -- In Dearland
Phoenix -- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Thao and the Get Down Stay Down -- Know Better Learn Faster
Various -- Dark Was the Night compilation
John Zorn (Cohen/Perowsky/Burger) -- Alhambra Love Songs
(21-30)
The Black Hollies -- Softly Toward The Light
The Dead Weather -- Horehound
Doves -- Kingdom of Rust
Iron & Wine -- Around the Well
Grizzly Bear -- Veckatimest
Norah Jones -- The Fall
Jorma Kaukonen -- River of Time
Medeski, Martin & Wood -- Radiolarians II
Wolfmother -- Cosmic Egg
John Zorn -- Filmworks XXIII - El General
(31-40)
Air -- Love 2
The Avett Brothers -- I and Love and You
Andrew Bird -- Useless Creatures
The Clientele -- Bonfires on the Heath
Dirty Projectors -- Bitte Orca
Lisa Hannigan -- Sea Sew
The Phenomenal Handclap Band -- s/t
Jonah Smith -- Lights On
White Denim -- Fits
John Zorn -- O'o
(41-50)
Akron/Family -- Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free
The Bakerton Group -- El Rojo
Derek Trucks Band -- Already Free
The Fiery Furnaces -- I'm Going Away
Hopewell -- Good Good Desperation
Masada Quintet -- Stolas
Elvis Perkins -- Doomsday EP
Rashanim -- The Gathering
Tortoise -- Beacons of Ancestorship
The Wooden Birds -- Magnolia
(51-60)
Apostle of Hustle -- Eats Darkness
Califone -- All My Friends Are Funeral Singers
Eels -- Hombre Loco
Feldman/Caine/Cohen/Baron -- Secrets
Bill Frisell -- Disfarmer
Patterson Hood -- Murdering Oscar
Marissa Nadler -- Little Hells
Roman Candle -- Oh Tall Tree in the Ear
St. Vincent -- Actor
Southeast Engine -- From the Forest to the Sea
Get in touch w/ your email if you're interested in links/track listings for my recently posted favorites of the 2000's mixes.
updated 1/3/2010:
Kid-free this week, so got to see a couple movies. Updated list (original below):
More than you need to know... of course, there are plenty I haven't seen, particularly in the last year.
In Super Bowl numbers, X means 10; sometimes it means "prohibited," but on a pirate's map, X is where the treasure is buried and mighty fine booty is what you're gonna find at Freaks Ball X. In 10 years of Freak Ballin' it, we've always tried to balance great party with great music, big-time kick-ass national acts with local up-and-comers and old friends-of-Freaks favorites.
For the big 10th anniversary, we've pulled out the stops and got it all...
Freaks Ball X
X Marks the Spot
January 23, 2010
Sullivan Hall - NYC, USA
Doors at 8:30
Music at 9:00
Featuring:
Anders Osborne from NOLA (2 sets)
The Black Hollies from NYC/NJ
3rd act to-be-announced
Tickets: $27 ($30 d.o.s.)
Onsale now at Ticketweb or with no service fees at Sullivan Hall on any night they're open for a show.
Freaks Ball X on Facebook
* I don't think Anders Osborne needs any introduction to you Freaks.
Whether in NOLA or NYC, the man can flat out wail and the party can
never be far behind. His last Sullivan Hall show is quickly becoming
the stuff of legend (see some of it here, starts around 8mins in), and no doubt his next will be much of the same.
I hope you're psyched, because this will be a Freaks Ball for the
ages.
* I've been wanting to check out the Black Hollies for a while now and
earlier this year I finally got my chance and I do not exaggerate when
I say they blew me away. Old school, psychedelic garage rock music --
the kind your grandparents rolled joints to. It's a total magic
carpet ride with fuzzy guitars and possibly the best drummer you've
never seen.
* We're still ironing out a couple details on the third act, but
didn't want to wait to get this officially announced and on sale.
Never fear, it'll be plenty more of the awesome friend-of-Freak rock
you've come to expect from the Freaks Ball.
So come early, stay late... stay until late becomes early again. Get
your peg legs and eye patches at the ready and let's celebrate 10
years of being freaky.
Spread the word, see you there.
There will be reminders.
Enjoy some vids:
I no longer post links for my weekly mixes here, but if you're interested in getting them in your email, please drop me a line.
More quantifying the unquantifiable to come...
OK, here's one of my more ridiculous lists yet... this is a somewhat arbitrary snapshot of what I'd consider my favorite albums from the last decade. A bit all over the place and if I sat down and listened to all of them right now, the list would probably change drastically. So take it for what it's worth.
Still a fun exercise.
Presented without further comment:
This year I was lucky to get turned on to a lot of new music. A lot! Both live -- I saw over 180 different bands this year and more than 40% of them were musicians I had never heard or seen before -- as well as on CD from great recs from friends and the web. And most of it was really great. So, I'm passing these on as recommendations to you.
Some of these have been around for a while and are just new to me, or stuff I was aware of and finally got to check out this year. I've marked each with "l" for a band I've seen/rec live and/or "cd" for studio stuff worth checking out. The lack of one or the other most likely means I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Links provided to any reviews, etc. written during the year, otherwise it's up to you and Google to find out more, it's worth it, I assure you.
Without further ado, my favorite "finds" of 2009 in some sort of order. Should be something for everyone in there...
Picking up where I left off with my artists of the decade list...
By all metrics, it would make sense that my personal band of 2009 was Phish. I mean, in case you haven't heard, Phish is back. I saw them 12 times in 5 different states with the results ranging from impressive to downright, flabbergastingly good. And yet, and yet... there was another band who blew me away with virtually every note I saw them play, released an album that is truly one of the best of the year (in my opinion) and, were you to ask me to choose between seeing them and the big PH tonight, I would probably have to choose them.
That band is Portugal. The Man.
At Bonnaroo this past June I saw a crapload of music, almost all of it amazing, but nothing touched me like PTM. And to think, maybe I wouldn't have seen them at all, amazing how fickle fate can be. I was in one of the tents checking out Hockey who had come very highly recommended. They were good, not mind-blowing, but I could see what the big fans saw in them. Fortunately, in these situations I get a bad case of festival ADD and found myself twitching to see what else was afoot. I crossed the grounds and made it to the other big tent halfway through the opening song for PTM.
It took less than a minute before I was utterly floored. Another reason to love Twitter, I can go back and pinpoint the moment:
June 11, 8:57: "Portugal The Man = some heavy, proggy shit. Awesome. Wish I was closer.
June 11, 9:17: "Holy shit! Just wow!I think Portugal The Man is my new favorite band. Like My Morning Jacket crossed with Trespass-era Genesis (but better)"
Quick judgments aren't the best, but after 4 more PTM sets in the ensuing months, including an acoustic afternoon set the next afternoon in Tennessee and a two-river jaunt to Hoboken, I still do declare that they are my new favorite band. These guys are deep in my wheelhouse: extended, rocking explorative rock and roll (think 21st century Pink Floyd/old Genesis) crossed a Motown falsetto-heavy soulfulness and songwriting that stands tall both as arena rock and quiet acoustic gem.
These guys have dumped out an album a year for the last couple and their newest, 2009 release: The Satanic Satanist is probably the best of all of 'em and evidence that the best for these guys is probably ahead of them. The track "People Say" has got to be one of the best songs of the year and will dig a hole in your brain and burrow down for a couple weeks requiring repeated listens and lots of shampoo shower serenading. A warning: don't just download the album or a few tracks, buy the CD itself, the actual thing. The physical packaging is a stunning, confounding trippy tangle of paper and artwork that only enhances the listening experience.
I have but only a couple regrets -- 1) that no one had once mentioned the existence of this band to me beforehand. I can't imagine a better fit for my musical tastes and going to shows with 250 people already deeply in tune with the material was a bit distressing to me who considers himself an early adopter. I even went back and searched 3+ years of GMail archives -- not a mention. How did this slip past my radar? What else am I missing? Don't hold back on me, people! 2) that even with getting in 5 Portugal. The Man shows this year, I still ended up missing 2 or 3 area shows due to those darned circumstances.
C'est la vie. Last year's artist was Apollo Sunshine who rubbed me the right way all up and down 2008. Sadly, they disappeared in 09 completely -- totally off the map. So, my one wish for 2010 is that the same doesn't happen with Portugal. The Man.
A few links:
So, now it's December -- time to start looking back. This year's a bit different as it's also the last month of the decade. The rest of the month I'll be sprinkling a couple year-end and decade-end lists on the ole blog. As always, these only reflect my personal opinion or experience, nothing more, nothing less.
First up, I'm anointing my own personal "artist of the year" for each year in the decade. Last year was the first year I actually picked one, but fun to go back and see who was making it happen for me over the course of each year.
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