Music Mandate: The Two-Thirds 2010 Fantasy Mixtape

The story of music 2010 has been an interesting one so far from my perspective. But who cares what I think. I summoned a few of the finest music minds I know to help me put together a little review of the year so far. Half of the year is so cliche, so we we wanted to look at 2/3 of the year which may reveal a bit more about the year’s themes and scene. And instead of a standard list, which let’s be honest is stupid, my buddy Jim had the brilliant idea to do a Fantasy Mixtape Draft. So I asked him and two other friends and regular contributors who I know have been strong on 2010 music to really get a picture of what’s going on in the music scene this year. Without further ado:

Round 1- Jim, Brad, Greg, Seth

1. Robyn- “Dancing on My Own”
I’m going to start things off with my indisputable #1 kick-ass track of 2010 so far.  That track is “Dancing on My Own” by Swedish teen-pop-sensation-turned-indie-pop-genius Robyn.  To like Robyn generally, you need to have somewhere deep down a 13-year old girl that just wants to rock the Tiger Beat style and kill it at the upcoming Middle School Dance.  Personally, Robyn has helped me discover this part of myself (a part I never knew existed…), but this song shouldn’t even require that.  “Dancing on My Own” is a pop-gem, a completely un-ironic, pure, soulful expression of what it means to lose yourself on the dance floor.  It has all the elements of a great song, a killer hook (I’ve opined at length about the resurgence of “Whoah” as the ultimate musical word elsewhere), unintrusive use of auto-tune, and a break down to end all break downs (the snare run at the end of the bridge is just jaw-droppingly perfect).  Ultimately, in a time when pop music is for the most part utter poo, Robyn is here to remind us that there is a reason we all (however secretly) dug Britney and *NSYNC and Backstreet back in the day.

2. LCD Soundsystem- “Dance Yrself Clean”
First why it rocks. Well, it emphasizes what LCD Soundsystem is like when they’re hitting on all cylinders–drawn out, unforced, beatastic, intrinsically danceable, weirdly nostalgic. Sometimes the lyrical approach James Murphy takes to his jams are a little on the sloppy side, but this is an example of a song where the beat and melody call for his simple, direct line reading.

Why it comes next? Well it follows the theme (albeit a bit more closely) of the cleansing power of dance in forgetting yourself and your situation. You could even maybe argue that Robyn is singing to James and this is his rebuttal. He’s probably somewhat intoxicated during his rebuttal, which explains his inability to be as forward as Robyn is during her song.

3. The National- “Bloodbuzz, Ohio”
Whoa whoa whoa!  There’s too much carefree, upbeat happiness going on here.  Time to dial that back.

This band came really out of nowhere for me and I have been burning this album up since it came out, no track more than this orchestrated, washed out love story with it’s simmering slow build and swooning vocals. It’s all slow-rolling, quietly-building then heart-filling Brigade of Sound (Take that Phil Spector). And as far as content goes, what’s better than a love song about a relationship from start to finish and when I listen to it I hope I’m lucky enough to have something as sweet and complex as their relationship and this tune.

This took me awhile to think of, then I kicked myself for not thinking of it immediately. I personally love shouting aloud at this song. It just rocks. And despite the repetition of the chorus, this is what rock n’ roll can sound like when you just don’t know better than to lay on heavy reverb, shout into the microphone, and kick over amplifiers. It’s a sound I missed and it’s infectious on the whole album, but this song epitomizes the effervescence of a band that just doesn’t know better and still has the spring in their step to show us some muscle. They stay true to their surfer roots and explores what they can do when they just let it all hang out. We could use a little more derring-do in our lives and this song supplies it.

This guy is folksy metaphysics straight out of unplugged Bob Dylan only more reflective than protest/commentary.  Set to a gently twanging guitar this song exudes hope  in the face of hardship and frustration.  Stripped down to just a guitar and a voice, the melody repeats itself throughout but remains engaging.  You get this image of driving down the highway of life and a series of metaphors for the varying troubles a man can encounter.  A basic premise but it all comes together well.

Let’s keep this in the good ole USA WITH THEEEE SUMMAAAAA HIIIIIIT! Just cuz, we’re seven songs in–we gotta throw people a bone.

This one’s gonna be a little off the wall, but I’m pulling the theme of nostalgia from BoB and taking it farther back in time to the Civil War with Titus Andronicus’ Bruce Springsteen-meets-Iggy Pop uber anthem “A More Perfect Union”.  These guys are the shit.  Front man Patrick Stickles has this great knack for scuzzy but catchy riffs and profanity laden gutter poetry that is at once grouchy old man and tough young punk.  The tune also appropriates the Boss in such a way that borders on cheesy but somehow works.  “Tramps like us, baby we were born to die!”

I’m sticking with the mature nostalgia theme and going with the standout track from Acrade Fire’s just released album.  Almost every review I’ve read has picked “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” as the best track, and, well, they’re all right.  The track shows AF dropping the sort of over-the-top drama act for a pulsating disco number that reminds you of Blondie or Depeche Mode.  This album is overall a really good album, better I think than many even expected, and I for one was really surprised that the strongest track was one of Regine Chassagne’s (wife of head mopester Win Butler) tunes because I’ve always been of the opinion that her songs were the weaker ones.  This song, and the killer rendition of Funeral’s “Haiti” at the Mann     Center last Monday have converted me.

I’ma go with my main men so far this year–Frightened Rabbit with “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”. Mind you, I don’t think this is the best song on the album, but it really is the most representative of their anthemic abilities. Also, I may not think it’s the best cuz I played the CRAP out of it when the single came out last November. Frightened Rabbit, much like The National, are a perfect cold weather band. Anyways, this jam is really just taking the Arcade Fire song another step–going from needing to be out of the encompassing and suffocating framework of urban development and saying “YEAH? Well how about I just forget land altogether and disappear into the ocean? Suckers.” That’s probably exactly what the song is about.

3. Crystal Castles- “Celestica”

Not sure why I love this song so much but I do.  In the world of disco pop, these jokers slant more towards the disco end of the spectrum.   Its hard to describe this song without a little context.  This band shifts between dance inspired electronica with a great set of vocals and ear shattering noise with distorted scream/singing.  Strange, I know.  This is one of the pretty ones. It’s based on a solid beat that’s not too fast and well layered melodies and counters.  From the lyrics and music you get this feeling of the duplicitous nature of life toying with the desire for stability and insecurity.  The back and forth of one of the counter melodies as they play with the stereo function, changing the direction of sound nails this well. I can’t say I know many bands to compare them to so I won’t try.  Check it out.

An atypical VW song which works in their sound with a more beat-heavy, electronic sound. I think it might be a sign of things to come because it was one of the only songs Rostam really got pumped for when I saw them in April. It’s heavier on beats/electronics than guitars backing Ezra’s smooth vocals and it works to create a nice little dancey tune. I’m currently bobbing my head along with it. It also has one of the best videos released this year.

I mean I don’t really know what to say about this one other than it’s a love story involving a mummy. I love the sentiment of this song not because it’s sweet and dialed-in, but because it’s real. In essence (in my mind) it’s about a guy (the mummy), who’s been turned off love and then he meets a girl who wakes him up out of his love slumber (cheesiest term ever). Once she fixes him, they are together but grow apart. And then she dies! WTF! But seriously I love this song, it will DEFINITELY be in my top 5 come end of year countdown time.

I had some problems with this last pick but this song is money.  What can I say, I love the Lips and even though it wasn’t written entirely by them, it has their fingerprints all over it.  No surprise this song is all about revenge and its corrosive qualities.  A chill tune with several parts that compliment each other well.  A warbly electronic twitter in the background with direct and sincere lyrics, with a sparse chime for punctuation.  The outro lead by a marching snare drum gives a great ending statement.

This song is musically a nice companion to “Revenge.” This is probably the strongest song on the album (see: most likely to win her new fans). In it, she effortlessly moves between bouncy, melancholy, then back to bouncy. One of those seven minute songs that doesn’t feel like seven minutes.

I have mixed feelings about this album, it’s the first one they produced on their own, and I think they indulged their studio quirks a little too heavily, but this song has all the tightness of “The Way We Get By” or “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb” and reminds you that there’s no better groove machine in music today than this lock-tight group.

My reasons are short and simple. This is one of the few albums I’ve dug this year, even though it’s not nearly as good as their last one. There’s a few stand out tracks but this one is the catchiest. Kinda of a sad sentiment, but peppy beyond belief. Also named after a funny character on Mighty Boosh.

Although I have no business identifying with a song about overcoming the rough streets of indifference, it’s a damn good song and I enjoy it.  This song is everything we’ve come to expect from The Roots combining old school R&B with modern hip-hop.  Great rhythm section at the core with a sweet organ melody and earnest lyrics.  Good.

This song is the song playing at the party that happens to be about that very party. I love the over-the-top, 70′s referencing gloss rock that these guys employ and this song combines those leanings with some pop sensibilities to create for me the strongest song on one of the best albums of the year. You’ll recognize all the riffs immediately and that’s part of the good feeling about this band. They lay it down like they’re from another era and all they want do is soak up every ounce of the evening. Can’t help but feel the same way when I hear this jam.

Fuzzy electronica. With a disconnected voice. Weirdly it sounds so much warmer than how I just described it. This song could easily have been released during the 90′s, but I love it. I’m ashamed I forgot it.

The chill closing statement to a solid electronica album.  This tune backs off some of the more unique turns they take in the album but it’s a fitting end.  Mellow sounds throughout with meandering guitars and sparse percussion this song is made for quiet reflection.

3. Gorillaz- “Superfast Jellyfish”

Well for my final one I have to go with really the only track I liked off the Gorillaz release–I mean “Stylo” is ok, and I’m sure if I gave the record a more dedicated listen then I might find others, but “Superfast Jellyfish” was really the first one to pop off the record. Just really stupid imagery but multiple hooks so I gave it the benefit of the doubt for my last pick.

4. Future Islands- “An Apology”

I’m gonna polish things off on a weirder note.  This band is from Baltimore.  The lead singer has one of the most awesomest voices.  It’s like a more melodic Tom Waits.  The way he delivers the line “We move in precarious ways” is just perfect.  The music is synthy, cinematic, but not overburdened in any way.  Definitely something to groove to.

24 Songs to map out a year. Well 2/3 of a year. Lots of electronica, some good dance jams, some audacious rock. I’d say that overall, the electronic-dancey music is winning so far. Listen to the 2/3 mixtape at the top of the page and tell us what you think!