not quite done with zero-ten.

I've got three things to share with you. Twin Hand Movement by Lower Dens really should have been in my top 20 albums of 2010. It's much better than my previous ranking of 34. After several more listens I'm embarrassed that it was so low on the list. Also, I learned that most of the band is from Baltimore, which gives them several more cool points. The message here: Listen to this album as much as possible.



There are two albums that would have made the best of list had I known about them beforehand. I will tell you about them after-hand or afterwards or...now. The first is called Causers of This by Toro Y Moi. We're talking about one dude, whose real name is Chazwick Bundick, which is awesome. Apparently in the summer of 2009 the music industry experienced something called the "chillwave" movement. I was unaware. Although in my defense, in the summer of 2009 I spent most of my time living as a Trappist monk might: in solitude with books and a journal as my friends and beer as my food. As far as I'm concerned, 2009 only lasted for three months yet contained a lifetime's worth of regret and lessons learned. But I digress. Imagine if early '90s R&B was combined with dance music from later that decade, sprinkle in some Animal Collective-sounding vocals and you'll get a good feel for what Causers of This brings to the table. It's very...chill.



Just after I posted my list Ghostface Killah decided to release his new LP Apollo Kids. Actually, I'm sure he had thought about it before that. In fact, he may not have thought about it at all and left that decision to Jay-Z and the others at Def Jam. At any rate, someone dropped it in stores the week before Christmas, giving folks zero time to stop and listen to it. I didn't even know he had new music in the pipeline and wasn't aware it was in stores until just before the new year. It's a shame because this is a gem. He's spared us the meaningless and mind numbing skits and filler and delivered 12 solid tracks of throwback sounding, Wu-Tang crushing hip-hop. I mean this even manages to make old Wu affiliates Killah Priest and Sun God sound good again, and they may have never sounded good to begin with. And my favorite part? A guest spot by Black Thought from the Roots on In Tha Park. Thought has rarely sounded hungrier. It's about time the Roots and Wu got together in some form.

making a list. checking it at least five times.

Now that I have the first semester of grad school out of the way I have time to sit still and make lists. That's what Christmas is all about, isn't it? I've been pondering which beer and/or liquor would pair best with each of the different theoretical approaches to pyschotherapy. I've made a list of books to read (and made the decision to start with Wendell Berry's A Place on Earth). There are lists of things to buy for my apartment, of preparations needed for next semester and of events, gatherings and celebrations being held now and into the new year. But one list I particularly enjoy making this time of year is that of the best music released in the past 12 months. I'm not alone, of course. Every other music publication or fan who cares to take the time creates a list as well. I especially like to read everyone else's opinions so that I can scoff and mock and compare to my clearly superior selections. So, I present the 40 albums that I most enjoyed this year, in descending order. I've tried to make this simple. The order was determined based on the number of repeat listens or the quality of the listening experience (that probably makes more sense if you're in my head). I've added some videos in an effort to hold your attention. Let the arguing begin.

40. Fang Island - Fang Island
39. S. Carey - All We Grow
38. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
37. Avey Tare - Down There
36. Best Coast - Crazy For You

35. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
34. Lower Dens - Twin Hand Movement
33. Field Music - Field Music (Measure)
32. Wolf Parade - Expo 86
31. Spoon - Transference

30. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
29. The New Pornagraphers - Together
28. The Black Keys - Brothers
27. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
26. Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love

25. Sleigh Bells - Treats

24. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

23. Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago
22. Retribution Gospel Choir - 2
21. Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz

20. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
19. Warpaint - The Fool
18. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
17. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
16. She & Him - Volume 2

15. Broken Bells - Broken Bells

14. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
13. Male Bonding - Nothing Hurts
12. The Besnard Lakes - ...Are the Roaring Night
11. The Morning Benders - Big Echo

10. Menomena - Mines
9. The Roots - How I Got Over
8. Charlotte Gainsboug - IRM
7. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
6. The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme

5. Vampire Weekend - Contra

4. Beach House - Teen Dream
3. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
2. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
1. The National - High Violet

art. music. insight.

I recently had the opportunity to hear an art therapist tell stories about her education, career and clients. She shared pieces from folks she has worked with that either left an impression on the client or on her or on both and it was clear that these simple drawings, illustrations and collages had opened a door to a deeper connection, one that probably would not have been possible with words alone. My classmates and I were invited to participate in this phenomena by simply drawing what our "weather" looked like that day using markers and a blank sheet of paper. Without really even thinking I took to the task and found that it was not hard to translate my emotions into colors and shapes. Before I knew it I had illustrated a story that summed up my entire week, my emotional landscape and my physical health. And the really sneaky part? When asked to interpret my drawing to others I readily divulged a bunch of personal information that I probably would not have considered sharing with anyone otherwise. It really snuck up on me, but it was actually totally natural and I was left in awe at the power of this simple idea.

Later, the connection between art therapy and music was made clear to me. I suddenly understood that I connect to music in much the same way folks connect to the art they create from their feelings. What "moves" me about certain songs or artists is how they somehow represent the things I'm feeling, the mood I'm in, the thoughts I've had or the things I've done. Sometimes this happens in the lyrics. Other times it's hidden in the music itself, somehow intertwined with the instrumentation. This realization has caused me to be more thoughtful in my approach to music and it has made me more intentional in my listening, something I wasn't sure was possible. I've started choosing one song each day as a sort of theme, something that both summarizes where I am emotionally at the time and also appeals to my ears that day. I've found that some songs are sticking with me across several days, in some cases weeks. I carry them with me for a while until the time when I've moved on, of sorts. Then I find a new song. I thought maybe I'd share some of the music that has been a theme for me in one way or another recently. I'll refrain of explaining all the reasons why, mostly because that feels too intimate, but also because a lot of times I don't ask myself to find all the answers. Sometimes I don't know, and that's okay.

Arcade Fire - "We Used to Wait" from the The Suburbs (2010)

I guess I feel like I've done a lot of waiting recently. I think I'm understanding that in some way, the waiting never stops. There is always something to wait for and in many ways, the anticipation is what keeps me going.

J. Tillman - "Year in the Kingdom" from Year in the Kingdom (2009)

This one came up on shuffle last week and I was reminded of how Josh's music finds a way to cut to the core of me. There is a certain kind of melancholy in his voice. It's sad and sweet at the same time.

The Radio Dept. - "A Token of Gratitude" from Clinging to a Scheme (2010)

It's definitely the music I connect to on this one. I think it's mostly the pulsing fog horn sound. I can't really explain it. It's one of the mysteries I've accepted.

Twin Shadow - "I Can't Wait" from Forget (2010)

If "We Used to Wait" is the positive side of waiting, I suppose this is the negative. Waiting is hard and I wish it was over. I like the sleepy dance party feel. Can. We. Please. Gohomealready.

going to sleep

I don't fall asleep to music often but recently I had the urge so, I turned on a record that I don't listen to nearly enough and curled up in bed. Before I knew it I was off to dreamland (which is where former high school classmates meet on submarines to discuss the current state of cd manufacturing and make light hearted jokes about the fact that I'm not wearing any pants while I aimlessly wonder around the room trying to find some very important piece of paper on which I've scribbled the names of my unborn children). The record I'm talking about is called Thom's Night Out. It has nothing to do with Thom Yorke, at least as far as I know. No, it has much more to do with wailing strings and rumbling percussion and pulsing bassoons. The band that recorded this record is called Clogs.

Now, I'll tell you what drew me to this record in this moment, when I decided I would let guitars, violins and pianos lull me to sleep instead of sirens, buses and occasional yelling-into-cell-phone-passerby. Clogs is made up of four members. One of them happens to be Bryce Dessner. Don't know who he is? Well, perhaps you should. He and his twin brother, Aaron, play in another little band called The National. Since I have a not so subtle obsession with The National I was naturally interested in hearing what Clogs have to say. That turns out to be next to nothing because Clogs is an instrumental band, one that sounds very little like The National. It also turns out that Clogs pre-date The National in both real life and in my music catalog. I've had two of their albums for a couple of years now and have never really bothered to get to know them. This is a reoccurring problem for me. Does it bother me? No. I've got so much music just lying around it's become a treasure hunt. Sometimes I never know what I will stumble upon.

So, here's the deal with Thom's Night Out. It's all hand drums and violas and Middle Eastern rhythms. It's almost classical, but really more post rock, in the same vein as Rachel's. It's sweet and scary and dark and alluring all at once. Whoever Thom is, I imagine that his night out was in a place like Morocco or Damascus. When I think of Morocco I think of the Dave Eggers novel You Shall Know Our Velocity!, which is about two friends who decide they'd like to travel around the world and give away cash. I don't remember much about it except that I liked it and that they have some adventures in Morocco. When I think of Damascus I tend to think of the most excellent soft serve at Jimme Cone (check out the guy who complains about it melting too fast) in the heart of Damascus, Maryland...not Syria. (By the way is it jimmies or sprinkles??) In neither of those places do I imagine someone named Thom. But here's where things come together. While listening to this album I was lulled to sleep and encouraged to dream, and in the wonderful world of dreams I can order soft serve at Jimmie Cone in Morocco from a dude named Thom and it's totally normal.

If you can get your hands on this album, do it. Then listen to "Sadness & Obsession" and tell me that at around the three minute mark the growling bassoon doesn't sound like an Egyptian tiger purring while enjoying a chocolate and vanilla swirl with rainbow sprinkles.

Clogs - Thom's Night Out (2001)

no sleep. just beats. pt 2

For one reason or another I haven't been getting much sleep lately. I'll get home from a late class close to 11pm and instead of turning in I crack open a beer and watch consecutive episodes of Entourage. What is wrong with me? No joke, that's a question I have been asking myself a lot lately. Self diagnosis is my new favorite past time. In fact, that may be one of the contributing factors to my sleepiness. I'm analyzing everything these days. So, why not continue that trend with music?

I want to share three more lesser known rap records. I'd venture to say these three are even more overlooked than the Pharcyde, Digable Planets and Gravediggaz albums mentioned previously. Those had commercial appeal on some level. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you see things), the three discussed in this post have never had a radio hit and are really in the "underground" sub genre. If you ask me, it is not easy to find decent rap music down there in the underground, but these three really shine.



Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain (2003)

You may know him better as MF Doom. Of three albums listed here, his name is likely most familiar. Doom has had some strong success over the past few years. It hasn't hurt that he's made friends with some rather famous artists like Danger Mouse, Madlib, Ghostface and the late-great J Dilla, but the truth is that Doom can get the job done without any of them. Vaudeville Villain is proof of that. One of his first titles not to be self produced, Doom enlists relative unknowns (except for the brilliant RJD2) to tweak the knobs on this first release under the Viktor Vaughn moniker. The result is one of the most cohesive and consistent albums of his career (to go along with Operation Doomsday and Madvillainy).

Don't let all the dark language fool you though. True to his style, the rhymes are all over the map, displaying a certain degree of attention deficit in the best possible way. It's really no wonder why he and Ghostface get along so well. Vaudeville Villain is sharp and witty with dense atmosphere and lacks the too frequent vocal sampling that often plague some of Doom's other work. Overall it's the tight production, the creative sense of humor and the non-stop flow that make this one such a winner.




Shape of Broad Minds - Craft of the Lost Art (2007)

On this one Jneiro Jarel, who is one interesting dude, actually splits himself into several parts to create a "group" of three alter egos: Dr. Who Dat, Panama Black and Rocque One. Did you get that? We're talking about one guy pretending to be three different people who compose the rap group Shape of Broad Minds. That fact alone was enough to peak my interest. As it turns out, it's not just the concept for the group that is a bit bizarre but the overall sound and format is kinda out there. I think you could easily say it sounds like no other rap album you've heard.

Jarel has done work with a myriad of artists whose sound ranges from zombie rock to southern funk and he somehow manages to sprinkle all of those influences into Craft of Lost Art to create a perfect blend. This is not an easy listen, however, which is probably one of it's strengths. Dr. Who Dat will challenge your perception of hip-hop. Contributing instrumentalist Jawwaad Taylor highlights rhythms and melodies in a bold, unique way. Panama Black spits a steady flow over dark basement tracks, sparse outer space jams and jazzy tunes. If Goodie Mob, J Dilla, and TV On The Radio birthed a schizophrenic baby it might come out sounding something like Shape of Broad Minds.




Blu & Exile - Below the Heavens (2007)

Blu most recently turned up on the excellent How I Got Over from the Roots and I was pleased to see our hometown heroes giving some love to this slept on LA rapper. Although he's been involved with several other projects since '07 none of them showcase his talent like Below the Heavens. Here, Exile (one half of the duo Emanon) takes care of the production allowing Blu to lay down some of the most insightful and entertaining rhymes of the past five years. Think of him as a more charming, more talented Lupe Fiasco (no offense to Lupe, I'm a fan). The album sounds as hopeful as Blu appears on the cover, regardless of the subject matter. Blu has a way of delivering lines that despite the containing the occasional poison still taste like candy. Take "Blu Collar Worker" for example. The sun is shining, Blu is putting in work, telling all the gold digging ladies he doesn't have time for them in rather stern words but you'll still find yourself bouncing along with a smile on your face. He's gifted and I'm still hoping the dude finds himself in a position to reach a larger audience.

Now, I'm planning to go home, turn on the Phillies game and fall asleep (certainly not due to lack of interest). We'll see how that goes.

no sleep. just beats.

I should be reading about the theory and practice of group psychotherapy right now but instead I have decided to write about three of my favorite hip-hop records. In my opinion, they're a bit underrated and perhaps even overlooked. I've thought about making this a multi-post feature and I just might do that but for now I've got three solid ones I want to talk about.



The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia (1995)

Most folks remember the Pharcyde for smokin' a lot of dope and the classic hit "Passin' Me By." That track is definitely one of the best rap songs of the '90s. It came from their debut album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde in 1992 which was, in fact, bizarre as well as witty and fun and goofy - kind of what you would expect from a bunch of tree smoking MCs with names like Bootie Brown and Fatlip. For their follow up they enlisted the now legendary Jay Dee (aka J Dilla) to handle most of the production and in my opinion, he helped take them to the next level. Labcabincalifornia didn't sell as well and the singles "Runnin'" and "Drop" never quite reached the same cross over status as "Passin' Me By" but this album is strong front to back. The then unknown Dilla provided some really dope beats and the backwards, Spike Jonez directed video for "Drop" is fantastic. That's not to mention the strength of their flow and their cohesion as a group. No, they're not the most technically proficient rhyme sayers out there but they're capable of telling some good stories. It's too bad that they smoked themselves into oblivion after this one "dropped."




Digable Planets - Blowout Comb (1994)

Here's another album that gets overshadowed by it's predecessor. The DPs are known for their debut Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space) and the massive hit "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)." Again, that's a great album and deserves its praise, but Blowout Comb is probably one of my favorite rap albums of all time and I think it comes down to one word: jazz. It was self produced and loaded with jazzy samples and layered melodies. The keys on "Jettin'" stand out. The bass and rhythm on "Dial 7 (Axioms of Creamy Spies)" and "Blowing Down" and infectious. They managed to tie it all together so nicely and each track compliments their soft, smooth rhyme style perfectly. I, for one, was sad to see them split after this gem.




Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep (1994)

For each of the nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan there were probably twice as many side projects. Wu-Tang affiliated releases seemed to hit the shelves every other month throughout the '90s. Most of them were yawn worthy. Sorry, but Sunz of Man and Killarmy were just boring. Although the RZA is probably the household name in this group, producer Prince Paul is the man responsible for putting it all together. Paul (the Undertaker), best known for his work with De La Soul, managed to carve out some really dark and spooky tracks here and the three MCs laid down some spine tingling horror stories. The result is probably the only album from the short lived horrorcore fad worth listening to (no apologies to all you Insane Clown Posse crazies). The RZA (Rzarector), Fukwan (Gatekeeper) and Poetic (Grym Reaper) managed to sound equally psychotic and humorous. That's quite a feat considering the overriding subject is death. Poetic, who has since passed after a battle with colon cancer, really stands out here. He sounds certifiable but can ride a beat with the best of them. If you're into the Wu or you just like unique and creative rap music, this is a must.

Sweet dreams!

be still.

It's a strange thing that in a city with a million and half people living on top of one another so many of us still suffer from an epidemic of loneliness. We deal with other people every day, at work, on the street, in our commute, yet at the end of the day we feel alone. The ways in which we can interact with each other are ever expanding but we so rarely make an actual connection with another human and we feel increasing unknown. Perhaps that's the issue right there. We want to be known. We don't just want to have a laugh over drinks or discuss the news. Those things are fun, but leave us wanting something more, something deeper. That wanting tugs and pulls at us, it grows into a desperation, and we start to feel like being alone is torture and it's not normal and grasp for things and people to fill this gaping hole inside of us. At least this is how it often works for me.

But you know what? Being alone is okay. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, life is best when enjoyed in the company of those you love, those that really know you but sometimes I start to think that I need to have someone with me every time I leave my apartment. And the truth is I don't. If I can quiet the voices inside of me, the ones that are clamoring for me to do something, anything to find relief for the loneliness I'm feeling, I find that I'm perfectly comfortable with myself. I'm good company for me. I try to "cling to the promise," as Henri Nouwen puts it, and I put on some music.

This past weekend I was trolling through my iTunes library and found some stillness in a couple of old, dusty places. Believe it or not, sometimes I forget about all the great music I have at my fingertips but from the very first note of "I'm Old Fashioned" on the Stan Getz/Chet Baker live recording Quintessence 1 I felt myself relax. There is something special about Stan's playing. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not an expert on jazz, but I think the sound of his tenor sax is brilliant. It instantly pushes the "calm down" button inside of me, even when Chet is scatting in my ear. I've read that this is not Baker's best work, but to be honest I really have nothing to gauge it with. Perhaps I should expand my knowledge of his work and the work of other jazz greats in general, but for now, I'm content with the bits and pieces I have from the Stan Getz discography. Baker's presence doesn't really make that much of a difference to me. It's not a distraction, at any rate.


Stan Getz/Chet Baker - Quintessence 1 (1983)

Scrolling further down the "S" section of my library I came across Stars of the Lid. The opening track of their most recent offering, the two disc set Stars of the Lid and Their Refinement of the Decline, had a similar stilling effect on me. I had my headphones on. It was just after 10am on Saturday morning, and I sat frozen in my chair, ears glued to the slow rise and fall of their ambient drone. This was a rare treat, one that I really should enjoy more often but do not take the opportunity to do so because this is not really music to listen to while you're driving or while your doing chores around the house. It requires your attention because it's subtle, it's quiet (most of the time) and you must listen with careful ears to appreciate the dynamics. I tried to listen to more of this album on the way to work on Monday and I ended up drowning it out with the tired, sleepy anger and frustration in my head. The Vine St. Expressway and Stars of the Lid do not mix. Lesson learned.


Stars of the Lid - And the Refinement of the Decline (2007)

Now, if I could find some music that does, indeed, inspire calm in the middle of rush hour traffic that would be terrific. Regardless, I was struck at how quickly and noticeably the two albums above got me into a quiet place of internal stillness.