Valley of the Deep Beats: Danny Brown

Friday, December 9, 2016

one good thought. (best of 2016)

Here are a few reasons to hate 2016:
Zika.
Terror attacks in Brussels and Istanbul.
Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Keith Lamont Scott, Terrance Crutcher murdered.
Five Dallas police officers murdered.
Brock Turner.
Attack at Pulse Nightclub.
Trump.
David Bowie dies.
Glenn Frey dies.
Phife Dawg dies.
Merle Haggard dies.
Prince dies.
Muhammad Ali dies.
Prince Be dies.
Gene Wilder dies.
Arnold Palmer dies.
Leonard Cohen dies.
Sharon Jones dies.
Brexit.
Trump.
Attack at Ohio State.
Standing Rock.
Tennessee burns.
Trump.

I'm sure that I've missed something.
Lots of sucking happening in that list, huh? But you know something...when I stood on the banks of the Currituck Sound, days after the attacks in Brussels, holding my four-year old daughter and watching the sun gleam off of the water the only thing I could think about was how such beauty could never be taken by terrorists.

In October, when I stood in a crowd at the feet of Kelsey Lu, whose name I had never heard before, and listened to her voice and her cello I was not thinking of any of the terrible things that happened this year. In that moment all I could think was about was how such beautiful sounds could transfix a room full of strangers.

We need these moments. They give us life and hope and strength. Angel Olsen has reminded us that "some days all you need is one good thought strong in your mind." This year seemed to provide a never ending stream of loss and suffering. But when I really reflect on it I can see the beauty and joy and love sprinkled into it.

Music always helps. I have my favorites. Here are some that helped me through.

Kelsey Lu - Church

DIIV - Is The Is Are

Angel Olsen - My Woman

Anderson .Paak - Malibu

A Tribe Called Quest - We Got it From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service

Mary Lattimore - At the Dam

Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein - Stranger Things, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

Ty Segall - Emotional Mugger

Thee Oh Sees - A Weird Exits

The Men - Devil Music

Parquet Courts - Human Performance

Kevin Morby - Singing Saw

Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition

Solange - A Seat at the Table

Quilt - Plaza

Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam - I Had a Dream that You Were Mine

Isaiah Rashad - The Sun's Tirade

James Blake - The Colour in Anything

Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered

Friday, December 20, 2013

best of 2013

You ever notice how impatient we are when waiting for things to finish or conclude? And then, when whatever it is we're waiting for finally arrives we very quickly move on to the next thing that needs to be done and start to impatiently wait for that? Like, "I'm looking forward to getting this year over with." And then, "I can't wait to see what this next year has to offer." Or, "I'm really looking forward to finishing this semester so that I can graduate." And then, "I can't wait to find a job so that I can make some money." Or, "I'm really looking forward to the day that my daughter learns to walk." And then, "I can't wait until my daughter can do whatever next thing is developmentally appropriate."

This past year I found myself doing a lot of that. Complete self-disclosure - I started making a list of the best albums of 2013 in January. This year more than ever before I have compiled a list more out of obligation than anything else. I have thought, "I'm looking forward to the end of the year so that I can write a post about it." And I have already caught myself wondering what albums will make my list next year. The problem here is a rather obvious one - in focusing so much on results or conclusions it's easy to miss things in the present, in the here and now. This is, of course, not the first time I've had to learn this lesson. I've done my fair share of waiting and held my fair share of regret about the things I've missed in my impatience. I suspect that it is a lesson that I will spend most of my life trying to learn. After all, there are an unending number of things to distract us from the here and now.

In reviewing the albums on my list for 2013 I have found there are things that I missed. There are records that I wished I had spent more time with, some that made the list and some that didn't. I suspect that if I'd taken more time with Modern Vampires of the City that I would have valued it more. The same could be said for several others in the list below. Over the last week or so I tried to make up for lost time and have been reminded just how great some of the music of 2013 was. In compiling the list, I've simply put the albums I spent the most time with at the top. If I made this list again next week it would likely be different. My hope is that maybe somebody will discover something new, something worth spending time with in the here and now. And if not, there is sure to be more in the weeks, months and year to come.

50. Oddisee - Tangible Dream

49. The Belle Game - Ritual Tradition Habit

48. Mitzi - Truly Alive

47. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II

46. Deafheaven - Sunbather