100 Favourite Tracks of 2010: Part V

Everything’s a compromise. For instance, you’re not going to get Marlon Brando to do your script, you’re going to get someone lesser. The room you see in your mind’s eye is not the room you’re filming in. It’s always a question of high aims, grandiose dreams, great bravado and confidence, and great courage at the typewriter; and then, when I’m in the midst of finishing a picture and everything’s gone horribly wrong and I’ve reedited it and reshot it and tried to fix it, then it’s merely a struggle for survival. You’re happy only to be alive. Gone are all the exalted goals and aims, all the uncompromising notions of a perfect work of art, and you’re just fighting so people won’t storm up the aisles with tar and feathers. With many of my films—almost all—if I’d been able to get on screen what I conceived, they would have been much better pictures. Fortunately, the public doesn’t know about how great the picture played in my head was, so I get away with it.

- Woody Allen in an interview with the Paris Review


The National - Conversation 16
Another great track from "High Violet" set to a literal depiction of the song. Oh what gloom and doom, so sweetly done by The National. I love the chorus in particular as Berninger says matter-of-factly "I was afraid I'd eat your brains".
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Beach House - Zebra (mp3)
I'm surprised that Beach House opened for Vampire Weekend, as said in the top rated comment on the youtube video for this song. I would think Beach House is almost as popular and many would have been clamouring for a full set from Beach House as well. Can't get enough from this prodigious duo and can't wait for Laneway!
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

GROUPLOVE - Colours (mp3)
Good old rockin', just having fun together and making music as a group, GROUPLOVE indeed! This song is such a ball of fun.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Ooh, I love this song. Régine Chassagne, who is also Win Butler's wife as well provides vocals for this outstanding track. Taking a more experimental approach, they dip into the electronic pool and come out with Sprawl II to a beautiful outcome. Their rock roots are still very much present, which makes this song even better, even nicer a listen.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Yeasayer - O.N.E
Experimental rock group dishes out what's notably missing this year, experimental random stuff. It's catchy, quirky and tribal-ish, it's fun. Wonder what their performance at Laneway is gonna be like, hope it's gonna be raving!
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Villagers - Becoming a Jackal
Becoming a Jackal is a heart-wrenching, melodic piece full of lyrical finesse; its the sort of song you want to play on repeat until every last note is engrained in your mind. - Domino Records

They're coming down to Singapore on Jan 31. Try this lovely brilliant acoustic version here.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Caribou - Leave House
Good stuff from Caribou, still remember what got me listening to him was Hello Hammerheads, which is very different from his deeper electronic stuff now, like Leave House for instance.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Owen Pallett - Lewis Takes His Shirt Off
Sweet and tender with a conspicuous trombone(?) sound, Pallett is such a delight here. It always seems as if he's teetering on a tightrope, but singing his heart out at the same time.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

Stars - Wasted Daylight
A lot of Canadian magic this year. Stars, Owen Pallett, Broken Social Scene, Basia Bulat, Caribou, Arcade Fire and Crystal Castles just to name a few. I just realised in this post alone, there're already 4 of them! Amy Millan's silky vocals shine here, dancing unabashedly amidst the twinkly electronic beats.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

White Hinterland - Icarus
Big booming bass that rattles at the start, toned down subsequently to provide a neat toe-tapping back drop as Dienel's swooning vocals charm the socks of me. Sounds like magic.
[official] [myspace] [last.fm]

i tell you miserable things after you are asleep

In the wild land around the farm, there is constant change, yet it feels timeless. The beeches and hemlocks along the creek look the same. The ship-rock that always seems to be sinking in the middle pasture hasn’t sunk an inch in all this time. This is a rabbit year, but these look like the identical rabbits I saw a few years ago.

None of this is true in the garden. You can plant for shape, color, scent, whatever you like. But unless you confine yourself completely to annuals, you’re cultivating your consciousness of time. Every garden leaves the traces of its origin in the gardener, which means that it’s hard to look at even the maturest beds and borders without remembering the digging and planting and waiting it took to bring them to this point.

- Garden Time by Verlyn Klinkenborg


Ra Ra Riot - Boy
Ra Ra Riot having laid low for a little, except for Wes Miles who was active with Rostam Batmanglij as Discovery, are back with a new offering simply titled "The Orchard". Apparently the tracks have been out for a little more than a couple of weeks. A real nippy number, it's perky and Wes Miles' vocals drip with earnestness and longing. The hooks are definitely present but their signature strings are pretty much non existent here. Obviously, these guys are back and ready to roll.

Ra Ra Riot - Too Dramatic
You know what they say about the apple not falling too far from it's tree. Well, it's analogous to some extent. It's real rambunctious pop, with lovely interplay between their strings and drums/guitar. It segues real neatly as he croons about over-dramatic girlfriends that is beyond his comprehension.

Yeasayer - Madder Red
Yeasayer are up with their usual unusual stuff. The tribal melodies that permeate is part of the overall package that is an experimental yet folk-ish sound balanced with some slightly vague lyricism. The might seem pretentious and thought of as trying too hard initially, but I actually warmed up to the song after 2 listens. If you strip away the heavy sounds, the song might actually appeal to even more, but this is Yeasayer for you. Here's the official video. But it is really queer and disturbing (in a non gory/grisly manner). Check it out if you want, but it's highly likely to put one off.

The National - Conversation 16
I'm not exactly sure why I'm only posting this song now. Somehow, their new album "High Violet" didn't register with me. I don't know why. But the odd listens here and there, and suddenly I'm taking to most of this album, particularly Conversation 16. I think it's understated brilliance. Introspective and mellow; sombre yet glorious, the drums fill out the very little space left by Matt Berninger's deep and curiously affecting baritone. It resonates within you, and singing about zombies, be it metaphorical or literal, makes you wonder what is going through his mind. It could be an epiphany, but whatever it is, this is utter satisfaction.

The Saturday Mix #36

Massive Attack - Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto Remix)

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp (Memory Tapes Remix)
I like the remix, except for that odd bit starting around 2:20, it kinda spoiled the whole shizzle. Damn it.

Broken Social Scene - World Sick
Anomaly here, but just in from here, Broken Social Scene's releasing their new album "Forgiveness Rock Record" on May 4. Say what? What's music without BSS and their motley crew of talented musicians? Oh have we been waiting for this day. Get a listen on the free track they've provided, World Sick. It's one massive track and let's hear a collective O-M-G please. Gradual build up of the intro built around country-ish strumming that is an indication of how wonderful this song could/would/will be. You think that the song title is about how the world is "sick", still on the road to recovery from all the what nots that have happened in 2009? Smooth pace and strong vocals with prerequisite rock stuff and precise orchestration from BSS ensure that hype for their upcoming album will build. Will it be a climatic explosion like around 4:00 or lukewarm like around 5:05? I sure hope it's the former and will be waiting for May 4 with eager anticipation.

Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed
Pop at it's boppy best. A few remixes here and there and it's all primed for the sweaty grinding of the dance floor. Pretty fanciful video.

Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed (Monarchy Remix)
Slowed down remix suited for closing the night but it totally belies the fact that it's two hot new acts in one song, cue supernova. Spacey feel tendered by Monarchy that makes you feel all doozy and Ellie Goulding's vocals messing with your mind. Lovely.

Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed (Penguin Prison feat. Theophilus London Remix)
Solid and power packed, Theophilus London gives it his treatment with some additional vocals for that R&B touch and Penguin Prison runs it through the works. Voila, let's roll people.

Monarchy - Gold In The Fire (Flak Attack Remix)
Got your order! One dope remix coming right up. I don't know who Flak Attack is, but one thing for sure this is a fucking sick remix. It definitely can stop a raging bear right in it's tracks, much less me. Beam me up Scotty! Maybe a new autoKratz + Delphic. Don't bet against it, but Monarchy's gonna be huge.

The Saturday Mix #31

We're well into the 9th day of the new year, and boy does the hype machine not stop. First up is obviously Vampire Weekend's new album "Contra".

Vampire Weekend - Cousins
Fun. Unadulterated fun. Uproarious unadulterated fun. I'm still stuck on the fact that I can't find any remixes (or good ones amongst the handful out there for that matter). So, we'll settle for a remix of a track from their fantastic debut album. But will they reuse those tricks that made "Vampire Weekend" such an awesome album? Looks like we'll know in 2 days time (but I heard it's available on iTunes. lazy to check though).

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Miike Snow Remix)
Elements so familiar to all Miike Snow listeners are present in this remix, which might explain why the short synth intro sounded so familiar. I like this remix, well, not surprising. Anything with a good deep bass beat is generally good to me, the rest is how the remixer makes of it.

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Chromeo Remix)
A Chromeo remix.

Delphic - Doubt (Joey Silver Remix)
Also hitting the racks on 11 Jan is Delphic's much hyped "Acolyte". Hype works two ways, they could "make it or break it". When hype builds, expectations increase. What if someone (esp those major reviewers) pan it, then does it all go to waste as the hype becomes backlash? But I've got much confidence in their debut album. With singles such as This Momentary, Counterpoint and Doubt already circulating for quite a while, "Acolyte" will certainly do well in my opinion. And I guess the hype stems from the fact that these tracks have been around for a while, and people totally dig it. Oh well. That's hype for you.

This is what Richard Boardman said: "The word backlash has more realness than the word hype for us. There’s a danger and there’s nothing we can do about it. We are just who we are. We’ve already written these songs and we’re still learning how to play some of them live so, to be hyped and then to be backlashed is just one of those crazy things that can happen, but hopefully we can just live up to it and be better." Also, Delphic came in third in BBC's Sound of 2010 list. In the very same list, Ellie Goulding came out tops. Hype indeed.

Yeasayer - O.N.E

Yeasayer - O.N.E (MMMathias Remix)
Well, I kinda like the song as a song. But as a remix of O.N.E, I'm lost. I can't hear the original at all!

Vitalic - Poison Lips (Captain Flash Remix)

the elegant present comes at dawn

Here's a poll for what you think is the top album for this year. Please vote once only and it's closing a week later. (Not that I expect many voters.) However, that said, there's prolly tonnes of good albums out there but I have to make a top 10 list to vote from so inevitably a lot get the cut, so you could just drop a comment with your favourite albums if they aren't in the list.





Atlas Sound - Shelia
Oh sweet, RCRDLBL has dropped a free download of this fantastic track off "Logos". Go get it!

Music Go Music - Warm In The Shadows
Oooh, it makes me feel so good. And swanky guitar riff 2/3s through the song, interesting! I like the voice, that hollowness present in it. This is what is said of them, "Music Go Music have the simple syrup of pop extravagance running through their veins. These arena-sized songs are composed with such savage efficiency that you find yourself humming along before two bars have gone by."

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
I think this song is damn awesome. Looking forward to "Odd Blood". Dips on it to be a best album of 2010.

Phoenix - Girlfriend
This is Phoenix, nuff' said.