20 Favourite Albums of 2010: Part II

It's the last day of 2010 and it's been one eventful year. I hope the musical offerings in Singapore get better and better, like it is now, and cheaper too! Go easy on my pocket, you know.

All the best to whoever's reading this and have a rockin' and awesome 2011.



The Morning Benders "Big Echo"


Toro Y Moi "Causers of This"


The National "High Violet"


Sufjan Stevens "The Age of Adz"


Spoon "Transference"


Pantha du Prince "Black Noise"


Delphic "Acolyte"


Delorean "Subiza"


Deerhunter "Halcyon Digest"


Broken Social Scene "Forgiveness Rock Record"


Drop a comment about what YOUR favourite albums are!

100 Favourite Tracks of 2010: Part VII

Moreover, Mr. Chirico, 26, discovered what other young men in New York have begun to notice in recent months: In the city’s more style-conscious ZIP codes, there has been a renaissance of that much-loved old neighborhood standby, the barbershop.

Proving Fran Lebowitz’s oft-cited dictum that “you’re only as good as your last haircut,” authentic-looking barbershops have popped up all over lower Manhattan. Done up with, say, vintage lighting fixtures, antique barber chairs and, of course, a big glass jar of blue Barbicide on the counter, they are offering good, solid haircuts and shaves for less than half the price of a fancy salon cut. And in a kind of tonsorial version of chicken-or-the-egg, their arrival is perfectly timed, coinciding with the twin desires among urbane young men to tame their unruly locks and look neater and sharper from the neck up, and do it in all-American, gentlemanly, modestly priced fashion, far from the salon smells of peroxide and perfume.

- The Barbershop Renaissance in NYT


The Mystery Jets - Dreaming of Another World (mp3)
Kooky and catchy, very driven indie rock laced with lazy dreams and another you.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Sufjan Stevens - Futile Devices
This song could play right out of a movie by Sofia Coppola and it would be so so right. The lyrics tumble out affectingly about a best friend, in that words are rendered useless in expressing the platonic love because it seems trite. The song just seems way too short though, beauty could be extended and appreciated. That said, I'm still in awe of his talent and would really want to see him perform live.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

jj - Let Go
Exquisite and serene, the initial electronic samples glossing over you like a constant warm breeze of air. It alternates with more pertinent drums and the entire time, you feel at peace, almost zen-like. Also, the harmonica sample starting and ending the song just seems... so right.
[myspace] [last.fm]

Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti - Round and Round
Ariel Pink's drone might put some off this song, but it seems very much in character with this freak folk song. He seems to have amalgamated distinct parts - monotonous drone, choir-like singing, muted beats, upbeat chorus - of the song into one cohesive package that somehow ticks.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Aska - There Are Many of Us
Such a beautiful song that tugs at your heart ever so gently.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Deerhunter - Earthquake
The creation of an ambience in this song is eerily effective. Fuzzy vocals like one out of a cranky tv, spooky lyrics that speak of waking up on a dirty couch in a grey fog, the short intermittent scratch. A slow and steady build up before it reaches a miasma of sounds like heckling of ghosts before settling down suddenly, and drifting to an end, leaving you in it's wake wondering what just happened.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Fear of Tigers - Cossus Snufsigalonica
Euphoric dance beat that would make your feet smile. One of the few tracks that was on heavy repeat during my long vacation in europe.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Puro Instinct - Luv Goon
These sisters used to be called Pearl Harbor, and with the name change, it seems more suited to their kind of music.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Hot Chip - Thieves In The Night
Fantastic synth dance number in full glory.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Toro Y Moi - Talamak
Comfort music, really.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

100 Favourite Tracks of 2010: Part III

Ray: You wanna get deep on this shit? All them Catholic scholars say, Everything that we do depends on the free choice. But at the same time, they say we need the grace of God to do what's right and follow that Jeannie. If I do something wrong, it's because God didn't gave me the grace to do what's right. If this world stinks, it's His fault. I am only working with what I've been given.

Jean: So, that way, the people they found with bullet holes in their skulls, they're God's fault? Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

Ray: I'm ashamed of nothin'. I didn't make the world.

Jean: But you aren't doing anything to make it better.

Ray: Yeah, then I'll roast in hell

- vocal sample from The Funeral, (1996) between Ray (Christopher Walken) and Jean (his wife), in No Good Deed Goes Unpunished


ceo - Come With Me
Delightful uplifting synthy bliss. Mama-mia indeed.
[official] [last.fm]

Gayngs - The Gaudy Side of Town (mp3)
Amayzing. Supergroup Gayngs released this as the first single from the album "Relayted". This supergroup started by Ryan Olson features Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame (he seems to be everywhere these days), members from Megafaun and Solid Gold, as well as psych-rockers Leisure Birds. See the entire roster here. Delicious music and it is incredible how all 23 people can coalesce into such a wall of sound - beautifully layered, resulting in a melting pot of rap-inspiration, falsetto highs, breathy ethereal vocals (seems to be a mainstay these days too) and R&B influences.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Crystal Castles - Vietnam
Needs no introduction. It's Crystal Castles, what more can I say?
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Delorean - Real Love
Balearic dance beats provided by Catalans Delorean, so awash in the bright rays of the sun it might make the sun retreat in favour of letting this song shine.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Sufjan Stevens - I Walked
What is Sufjan Stevens not capable of, one might wonder? I have no answer to that. Even more variety added to his increasing repetoire. A brooding electronic beat with reverby vocals.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

As The Stars Fall - No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
I love the sample used in this song, probably the inspiration for the title as well. Well used vocal samples are always appreciated by me. Evocative instrumental piece that conveys the sadness of the entire situation they are in, the sadness of Ray's and his family's warped view of Catholic grace (Waddell, 2003).
[official] [bandcamp] [last.fm]

Broken Bells - The High Road
Calm and collected guitar strumming that belies the seeming urgency as Mercer urges "Come on and get the minimum, before you open up your eyes." Danger Mouse aka Brian Burton makes up the other half of this illustrious duo.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

The Drums - Best Friend
Quirky indie pop.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
Count on Kitsuné to identify an awesome band when they see one. Super catchy synthpop with upbeat hooks and rapidfire vocals.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Inch Chua - Hurt
Local dynamo gives us a treat with her first full length release "Wallflower" which you can get for free at her bandcamp site. Her heart on her sleeve, right there for all to see once again as she sings with such panache and as if she's trying to prevent all her emotions from spilling out of her diminutive body.
[official] [bandcamp] [last.fm]

stopping you would stifle your enchanting ghost

The Golden Filter - Memorial Day
This was put up by the band themselves on youtube, stating that it was written and recorded in summer '07, pre golden filter. It's chockful of dreamy hazy vibes reminiscent of dreampop, quite unlike the electronic dance stuff they're known for currently. It's interesting to note that they've dabbled a bit in other genres, but I think they might have done just as well if they dove into dreampop. Maybe they might surprise us and release such an album after "Voluspa".

Dent May - Eastover Wives (mp3)
I absolutely love this song. Incorporating that oldies charm into Eastover Wives along with a lovely mix of emotive vocals and jazz elements. It's just like being in front of the warm comfort of the fireplace as the snow plunders everything outside the house, reducing all to just a pristine white.

Sufjan Stevens - Enchanting Ghost
A mercurial singer/songwriter of our time, he's suddenly dropped an entire EP of songs. Coming in just under 60 minutes, this is an EP of epic proportions since it is uncommon to have such lengthy EPs. Additionally, he's priced the EP at USD5 on bandcamp which is supremely value for money considering it's almost 60 minutes of awesome stuff. This is what's said on bandcamp, "All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad "All Delighted People," a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s "Sounds of Silence." Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009."

Enchanting and pleasant, at times one would also feel for him as his heart-rending delivery on matters of the heart strikes a chord within. The simple plucking of the guitar drives this song, backed occasionally by the sweet staccato of the piano, he delivers us nothing but the best that one can expect from him.

we have a lot to give one another

Tesla Boy - Electric Lady
Oooh, 80s lush disco.

Jupiter - Mama Used To Say

Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo
Man I don't know what the title's supposed to mean, but I'm kinda loving this track.

Sufjan Stevens - The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
Excellent voice from the man we are all familiar with. The choir joining him in singing the chorus is a cool touch. I like it.

i refuse to let anyone through

Ok, the poll has closed BUT there's only 3 votes. Maybe I should have never started the poll in the first place. HAHA!

I don't know whether this counts as an attempt at a Christmas Eve playlist, but I tried! It's really just a mish-mash of whatever songs I'm listening to.


Acrylics - All Of The Fire

Bon Iver & St. Vincent - Roslyn

Tycho - Coastal Brake
This is just brilliant. Take my word for it.

Local Natives - Airplanes

Great Lake Swimmers - Stealing Tomorrow
Beautiful song, really really wonderful. Well crafted, apt use of strumming to create the mood, and certainly the excellent vocals as well.

Sufjan Stevens - Joy To The World
This is obviously the most Christmas-y song there is here, rather, the only Christmas-y song. Should check out his new album "The BQE", which is a mixed-medium artistic exploration of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.


Note: I'll be doing a favourite songs/albums list. I won't and can't do a ranked list because I'm still not discerning enough.

THIS MONTH: what was and what will be

Well, August is coming to an end, and we're two-thirds through with the year. Music this year so far has been awesome. There's so many albums which could potentially be album of the year, nevertheless, here's some goodies released so far this year.



Of course, the much hyped Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective can most certainly not be left out. In fact, I'd think that MPP would be on nearly every Top Albums List of the Year. Something random, I've come across quite a number of people who say that Animal Collective sounds even better than they already do, when you're on drugs or on a high. Well, I should try listening to them when I'm on a high. Besides, they have this really dope optical illusion for their album cover. It's already making you see weird when you're sober, what more seeing it while you're high. Trippy!

Animal Collective - In The Flowers



This is one of my personal favourites for easy listening, like really, anytime anywhere. An unexplicable attraction to their songs is the easiest I can describe this. It's Au Revoir Simone with Still Night, Still Light. I did a review of it here and they certainly are much to love.

Au Revoir Simone - Knight of Wands



Dirty Projectors sure came a long way, since the time Longstreth struck it out on his own with "The Graceful Fallen Mango" and now releasing the critically acclaimed Bitte Orca, which means Please Orca or Please Whale, since Bitte is please in german and Orca is a species of carnivorous whale (remember Free Willy?) Their fresh experimental music is definitely here to stay.

Dirty Projectors - Temecula Sunrise



They are Robin Pecknold, Skyler Skjelset, Christian Wargo, Casey Wescott and Josh Tillman. They are Fleet Foxes. With their eponymous debut album, Fleet Foxes. Says Robin, who along with Skyler could be said to be the founders of Fleet Foxes, "We aim to be adventurous and true to ourselves and to enjoy our time together—the music we make is a reflection of our instincts... ...We love acoustic guitars, electric guitars, big rolling tom drums, mandolins, dulcimers, bass guitars, bass pedals, organs, pianos, kotos, and most of all harmony and melody.. ..try to draw from the traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, baroque psychedelic, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, and film scores, and are inspired by the music of our friends and contemporaries in the Seattle music family." Well, they've certainly succeeded in drawing from their influences, and clearly in Blue Ridge Mountains, there's the folksy english/irish sound accompanied by what I think is the mandolin.

Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains


There's tonnes more good music out there, these musicians, bands or singers etc, with unrelenting fervour in doing what they do best - creating music. Here's a list of several more albums that have been put out so far this year and is in no particular order. Also, this list is by no means exhaustive, for every album I list here, there's probably 5 more as good/better albums out there. Feel free to add in your comments what you think are your favourite albums so far this year.

Dan Deacon "Bromst"
Reverie Sound Revue "Reverie Sound Revue"
Whites Lies "To Lose My Life"
Bibio "Ambivalence Avenue"
Handsome Furs "Face Control"
The Antlers "Hospice"
Fever Ray "Fever Ray"
Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest"
Phoenix "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"
Miike Snow "Miike Snow"
O+S "O+S"
Ohbijou "Beacons"
Passion Pit "Manners"
Portugal. The Man "The Satanic Satanist"
St. Vincent "Actor"
The Decemberists "The Hazards of Love"
Camera Obscura "My Maudlin Career"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "The Pains of Being Pure at Heart"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "It's Blitz!"
Florence + the Machine "Lungs"



Well, having said what was, now what will be. I'm pretty sure the later third of the year would not be a letdown, what with all the new releases anticipated by everyone out there. Here's some.

Yo La Tengo "Popular Songs"
The Big Pink "A Brief History of Love" The Big Pink - Dominos
Islands "Vapours"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Higher Than The Stars EP" The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
The Twilight Sad "Forget the Night Ahead"
Volcano Choir "Unmap"
Fool's Gold "Fool's Gold"
Memory Tapes "Seek Magic"
Headlights "Wild Life"
Sufjan Stevens "Run Rabbit Run" Sufjan Stevens - The Lord God Bird
Atlas Sound "Logos"
Fuck Buttons "Tarot Sport"
Built To Spill "There Is No Enemy"
Mayer Hawthorne "A Strange Arrangement" Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
The Raveonettes "In and Out of Control"
Neon Indian "Psychic Charm"




See yall in September!

Fleet Foxes - Mykonos

Bon Iver - Blood Bank

Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day

M83 - Kim & Jessie