Tone Marrow Reviews’ Favorite Albums of 2008

Well, if there is only one thing a music critic loves to do, it is making a year-end list. Some do ten, some do fifty, some do twenty. Any number is really just as arbitrary as the next one, so I’ve chosen to do fifteen. Of the all the albums I heard this year, these were my favorite, not necessarily the best–though I like to think there is some significant overlap in those two categories. (See also my 2008 lists of Honorable Mentions, Favorite Songs, and Special Releases.)

15. Department of Eagles – In Ear Park

Perhaps one of the more unsettling albums this year, Department of Eagles’ In Ear Park, provided listeners with songs that featured layers of sounds and textures that give it a somewhat creepy vibe. Though it bears much resemblance to DoE’s co-founder Daniel Rossen’s other band, Grizzly Bear, this record was able to step out of GB’s shadow and stand on its own two feet. Department of Eagles seek to combine elements of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s with indie pop tendencies to create a truly unusual record that delights with its straightforward melodies and labyrinthine intricacies. (REVIEW)

14. Randy Newman – Harps and Angels

I’ll admit that I was not a huge Randy Newman fan before this year. In fact, I flat out didn’t like his music. But I listened to this record and just fell in love immediately. Newman doesn’t really try any new tricks here (forcing me to reconsider all of his previous music), he still is crafting witty, thoughtful songs in his classic, piano-driven New Orleans style. Newman delivers his lyrics like an aging prophet, is he singing or is he just talking in a sing-song voice? Is he celebrating life or declaring condemnation on the unrighteous? This album is a rare treat as it is at once among the funniest albums of the year as well among the angriest. On this record, Newman places songs that call for happiness and joy in living next to songs that vent his frustrations with the current political climate in America, he places love songs next to songs that cast a misanthropic eye on his fellow humans–and throughout all of them, his pen combines lyrical wit and effortless melody like few other artists could. (REVIEW)

13. Q-Tip – The Renaissance

Q-Tip’s first record in almost ten years was certainly worth the wait–and it reveals why he is still one of the heavyweights in hip-hop. Tip continues to do what he did in his days in A Tribe Called Quest by creating songs which feature beats that burrow into the skull and words that stimulate the mind. The Renaissance is not so much a rebirth as it is a reminder. Its music is jazzy and smooth putting it in clear contrast to many of the rough, jagged beats of other rappers of the twenty-first century. Q-Tip has made an album without an ounce of fat on it–no gimmicks, no skits, just straightforward songs that grab the listener and refuse to let go. It reminds us that Tip is still one of the most focused and enjoyable rappers making music today.

12. She & Him – Volume One

Actress Zooey Deschanel has found her musical match in singer/songwriter M.Ward. Both Ward and Deschanel have a great appreciation of 50s and 60s pop music which Ward has shown on his own work and Ms. Deschanel displays in this batch of songs she’s written. Ward functions as producer and musician only singing in a couple duets with Deschanel here. But, after all, the focus here is on “She,” not “Him.” Deschanel has made an album that certainly does not sound like most actresses’ debut records. She has a splendidly timeless voice and she is a darn good songwriter. These songs tap into the qualities of the country and pop of yesteryear so smoothly, its hard to believe these songs are a product of the twenty-first century. Yet, they never sound antiquated–truly an amazing feat in this amazing debut.

11. Barry Adamson – Back to the Cat

Barry Adamson has crafted a jazzy rock record that will add a layer of smoke to the cleanest of rooms in which it is played. Back to the Cat is oozing with atmosphere and tension. The album is almost like a book of short stories focusing on various people from the “beaten side of town” with Mr. Adamson as the narrator. Adamson croons like a lounge singer from hell and even the instrumental songs deliver narrative arcs. Its a sticky, humid album which is a rare accomplishment and probably would have ranked higher had I spent more time with it. (REVIEW)

10. Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – Rattlin’ Bones

Who knew that an Austrailian husband and wife could tap into the country-folk tradition so well? Rattlin’ Bones is an album replete with gorgeous vocal harmonies, sweeping guitar and banjo interplays, and electric melodies. The duo share vocal responsibilties, often alternating the melody and harmony parts, but allowing each other to have a little time to call their own here. They explore life and death, faith and family, and love and regret in a set of songs so strong that it would be nearly impossible to spot a weak link. It’s an album with heart and soul and is easily better than all the drivel on pop-country radio today–probably the best country record in the last couple years.

9. Loudon Wainwright III – Recovery

Loudon Wainwright III teams back up with producer Joe Henry as they attempt to excavate an album’s worth of songs from Wainwright’s first four albums from roughly 35 years ago. The music is fleshed out with a full band backing this time around and the words are bursting with new meanings. Many of these songs were already focused on the past and so they are even more potent being sung by 62-year old Wainwright who sounds like he might reach retirement age before he hits the peak of his creative powers. What makes this record so special, so essential, is the wisdom and tenderness with which Wainwright sings the same words he wrote as a cocky twenty-something up-and-comer. In many ways the man who wrote the words is a different person than the one singing them here, making this a wonderfully conversational record. (REVIEW)

8. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks – Real Emotional Trash

Beginning in his days leading Pavement and throughout his solo career, Stephen Malkmus has always wielded his guitar and his voice in much the same way. Both of them flow along in an almost unpredictable manner which can be initially off-putting. Yet, after a few listens, it all starts to fit together and make sense–as a result, warming up to his records is a very organic experience. Real Emotional Trash finds Malkmus continuing his recent pattern of delving into long jam sessions in the middle of songs, and there are some great ones here. Malkmus’ songs are not as intentionally sloppy as the songs he used to write back in his Pavement days, but they are nearly as funny and charming. Here is an album that never tackles its aim head-on, but approaches it from several angles, leading the listener to the intended conclusion slowly. (REVIEW)

7. Deerhunter – Microcastle/Weird Era Continued

Deerhunter might be one of the most annoying bands around. There is a never-ending hype surrounding the group and a never-ending string of controversies following around front man, Bradford Cox, ranging from his on-stage antics, to his bizzare blog posts, and his uncomfortable, personal, childhood admissions. Yet, cut through all that mess and what you have is a really amazing album that they’ve released this year. The two discs really work well as a single unit but clearly have their own personalities. This proves that Cox and company truly have some pop tendencies and can make music that is less abrasive than their 2007 effort, Cryptograms. Its a sprawling opus in length, and yet maintains a somewhat tight focus providing an enjoyable and unforgettable listen.

6. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago

Bon Iver, aka Justin Vernon, has created in For Emma, Forever Ago what will probably be the reigning indie break-up album for years to come. Though essentially a folk album, it has enough weird techniques and textures to make it appealing to the indie crowd. Vernon sings with a chilling heartache in his voice and has crafted some tender, beautiful songs that sound as lonely as the Wisconsin wilderness in which they were written and recorded. Its probably Vernon’s unusual vocal style of going in and out of falsetto that initially captures the listener. Its a record with bizarre lyrics that really don’t matter much anyway since the meaning is all in the tone of the voice. (REVIEW)

5.  Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Hot off the success of their primitive, noisy side project, Grinderman, Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds have created an album in Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!! that sounds smaller and more stripped down compared to their gospel-saturated, double-disc masterpiece, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus, yet it still packs a punch with its thematic weight and textured sounds. The Grinderman project seems to have done them some good as Cave and Co. are experiencing some fresh creativity in the studio, even combining some of the elemental guitar tones and drones in a song or two here. Nick Cave is still just as obsessed with Christianity and Religion as he’s always been, displayed clearly in the title track which depicts Lazarus, the man raised from the dead by Jesus in the Gospel of John, journeying through twenty-first century America experiencing the good and lots of the bad it has to offer. (REVIEW)

4. The Tallest Man on Earth – Shallow Grave

Kristian Matsson, the Swedish man performing under the moniker The Tallest Man on Earth, has made what is easily the simplest record I heard this year. Yet, it was a record that I returned to often. Matsson’s nasally yelp is delivered with such energy and conviction that, even when his subject matter uses the logic of fairy tales and dreams, its enthralling and engaging. Matsson will immediately draw comparisons to Bob Dylan, and he actually warrants them though that doesn’t appear to be what he’s seeking. Shallow Grave is a simple set of songs that demands countless repeat listens. I, for one, hope that Matsson does not follow in the footsteps of many other here-today-gone-tomorrow artists who received the cursed “new Dylan” label. (REVIEW)

3. Ezra Furman & The Harpoons – Inside the Human Body

Another group following in the tradition of Bob Dylan, is Ezra Furman and the Harpoons. After the high-energy, acoustic songs from 2007’s Banging Down the Doors, Furman and Co. have gone electric, expanding their sound while staying true to their messy, furious style. Furman still hasn’t taken any vocal lessions and the record is better for it. Though the songs on Inside the Human Body might actually be a little weaker than the songs on Banging Down the Doors, it is still a very worthy follow-up and one of the most refreshing, enjoyable records of the year. (REVIEW)

2. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes must be feeling an awful lot like President-elect Obama right now. After all the buzz and the hype, they are atop many year-end lists, so everyone will be watching closely what they do next. Many are expecting them to continue their reign over the indie rock kingdom, while others are waiting to see them fall off the face of the Earth. After these guys released a few tracks on their Myspace in Janurary, their record was one of the most anticipated of the year, and after its release in June, it has been one of the most talked about. Their self-titled debut is a terrific throw back record borrowing stellar melodies and vocal harmonies from The Beach Boys and acoustic rockish-folk from Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. As 2008 winds down and a new year begins lots of eyes in the music world will be waiting to see what one of the most talked about bands of the year will deliver next. (REVIEW)

1. TV on the Radio – Dear Science,

Though there have been lots of great records in 2008, none packed a stronger punch or was as much fun to listen to as the messy, apocalyptic dance-rock party on TV on the Radio’s Dear Science,. It is a record that wows on the first spin and just continues to provide new gems with each listen. Including brilliantly composed lyrics, the musical wizardry and producton of David Andrew Sitek, and the soulful crooning of Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, no album this year achieved greater breadth or depth as what is displayed by these guys from Brooklyn. Much like TVotR’s last effort, 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain, this record chronicles the frightening paranoia that composes so much of the ethos in post-9/11 America—including distrust of government, fear of death, and the paranoia of being watched. Yet, unlike Cookie Mountain, this record is approachable, accessible, and hopeful as it indicates that a day of peace and redemption is not too far away. All that, plus the fact that each song provides a beat you can dance to, makes Dear Science, the best record of TVotR’s career and my favorite record of 2008. (REVIEW)

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: “Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!”

Nick Cave is in full mid-life-crisis mode. As his hair starts to thin on top, he grows it longer in the back and adds a retro mustache. As most musicians his age begin to slowly fade away out of the music world, Cave is churning out arguably the greatest material in his career. As many of his peers are beginning to do less, he is doing more–he, along with three of the Bad Seeds, created a side project called Grinderman whose 2007 self-titled debut was vicious, vulgar, and primitive. It experimented with unusual tones and drones on the guitar and featured Cave’s first recording playing that instrument. Cave and the Seeds took what they learned from Grinderman and created Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!, a record which might not be as magnificent as his previous studio album, the sprawling double-disc masterpiece, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus, but it’s just as much of a testimony to this group’s genius as that record was.

Abattoir/Lyre was a big, grand worship/gospel record with a gospel choir on many of the songs. Lazarus intentionally goes the other direction musically, seeking the subtle and the moody, while incorporating some of the tones and drones of Grinderman. As a result, on the first listen, many of these tracks might not stand out much, but there are truly some impressive cuts on this record. The title track opens things up with a swaggering rock song about the man raised from the dead by Jesus in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John. Cave imagines Lazarus, who goes by “Larry,” coming to modern-day America and experiencing the good and much of the bad here. This song also reveals Cave’s focus on America with this record. “Moonland” is driven along by rapid conga beats and the song reaches a fitting climax with Cave’s whispered lyrics. “Night of the Lotus Eaters” sounds like a Grinderman left-over as it makes use of some repeating guitar drones–its a nice, overt connection to the Grinderman album. There are a couple of good rockers in “Albert Goes West” and “We Call Upon the Author,” but some of the real magic of this record is in its conclusion. “Hold On To Yourself” is a creepy, unsettling song with its spiderlike strings and haunting guitar lines, Cave’s vocal delivery is perfect here. “Jesus of the Moon” is a slower ballad reminiscent of Cave’s beautiful album No More Shall We Part. “Mightnight Man” features a organ that could be from tons of late 60s American rock songs, and it picks the pace back up leading in to the closer, “More News From Nowhere,” which features the same sort of swinging, swaggering beat as the opener and functions as a perfect bookend.

Cave is still obsessed with religion, still haunted by Christ, still dropping literary references in his songs (see “We Call Upon the Author”), and still creating some of the best music around today. Lazarus doesn’t match the grandeur of Abattoir/Lyre, but it doesn’t matter because it isn’t trying to. It feel tighter, more subdued, and more focused than Cave’s recent work–making it at first to appear simple and naked. But that isn’t necessarily the case, Lazarus is rich in texture, lyrically hefty, and a pure joy to listen to–easily among Cave’s finest moments. This just proves that Cave can do almost anything better than his contemporaries, he can even make mid-life-crises look cool.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
Anti-, 2008
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Some Christmas Cheer from Tom Waits

Tone Marrow Reviews wants to help you wish you a Merry Christmas with some music from one of our favorite artists, the one and only, Tom Waits.

Tom Waits and The Blind Boys of Alabama — “Go Tell It On the Mountain”

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AND:

Preparing the Way for Tone Marrow’s Top Fifteen List

At the end of this week I’ll be posting my top fifteen favorite records of 2008. In order to pave the way, here is a post including the records that almost made the cut, my favorite songs of the year, and three special releases that would have demolished my list.

(All lists in alphabetical order)

Honorable Mentions of 2008:

Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band – Seasons of Change
Lindsey Buckingham – Gift of Screws
David Byrne/Brian Eno – Everything that Happens will Happen Today
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
The Dodos – Visiter
The Fireman – Electric Arguments
Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
Johnny Flynn – A Larum
Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Favorite Songs of 2008:

Barry Adamson – “Beaten Side of Town”
Bon Iver – “Flume”/”Skinny Love”
Department of Eagles – “No One Does It Like You”
Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal”/”Blue Ridge Mountains”
Johnny Flynn – “Tickle Me Pink”
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons – “Take Off Your Sunglasses”
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – “Hopscotch Willie”
MGMT – “Kids”/”Time to Pretend”
The Tallest Man on Earth – “Shallow Grave”
TV on the Radio – “DLZ”/”Lovedog”
Loudon Wainwright III – “The Drinking Song”

Special Releases of 2008:

Had I included these next records in my top fifteen list, they surely would have occupied space in the top five. So I’ve decided to honor them here separately since they were all recorded a while back. These were three of the best records released this year. Stop reading this and go pick them up.

Bob Dylan – Tell Tale Signs [Bootleg Series Vol. 8]

Yes, this is an album of outtakes and unreleased extras that have been lying around for years, and yes, it is worth it. It’s collections like this that prove Bob Dylan is an unparalleled musical genius. The songs here were all recorded between 1989’s Oh Mercy sessions and 2006’s Modern Times sessions. Really, really wonderful stuff here. Highly recommended. Rating: 5.0/5.0

Nick Lowe – Jesus of Cool [30th Anniversary Edition]

Nick Lowe’s Jesus of Cool rocks just as hard and its sarcastic, humorous critique of the music industry is just as potent after thirty years as it was on the day of its release. This is an unappreciated, lesser-known gem that you should hear. This 30th anniversary edition features some nice packaging which includes a great booklet as well as ten extra songs. No one really does it like Nick Lowe. Highly recommended. Rating: 5.0/5.0

Pavement – Brighten the Corners [Nicene Creedance Edition]

A very good album by one of the best bands of the 1990s. Though Brighten the Corners isn’t typically considered one of Pavement’s masterpieces, hearing it remastered with a disc and a half of mostly unreleased material will make some fans reconsider its place in the Pavement canon. Highly recommended. Rating: 4.5/5.0

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons: “Inside the Human Body”

On July 25, 1965, music history was made at the Newport Folk Festival as Bob Dylan went electric with his rip-roaring protest song, “Maggie’s Farm.” So it seems very natural that Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, who garnered many comparisons to Dylan in 2007 with their acoustic, high-energy folk album, Banging Down the Doors, and their singer’s unusual vocal style and penchant for bewilderingly funny lyrics, would plug in for their sophomore effort, Inside the Human Body. Dylan’s fans really shouldn’t have been that upset, his electric songs on Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited really built on the work that Dylan had already done on his acoustic albums. He still wrote phenomenal songs and lyrics, he still had a style that was all his own–leaving behind an exclusively acoustic sound simply allowed his songs to flourish with endless possibilities. The same can be said for Ezra Furman & The Harpoons. All the things that made their debut so unique are here on Inside the Human Body: the high-energy tempos, the hilariously strange lyrics, and that voice that cracks and wobbles so wonderfully. Going electric has opened up their sound, allowing the band to experiment with rock conventions (even touching on some punk rock elements) while staying true to their style.

The cover art for Inside the Human Body shows a stage full of cartoonish bodily organs and musical instruments–it’s a perfect companion to this record as it matches the messy playfulness of these songs so well. From the very first words of the album, “I wrote this song in a paper bag,” it’s clear that Furman is once again employing the fairy tale logic and absurdist humor from the first album. (For an example on this record, how can “The Faceless Boy” cry?) Its evident from the opener, “We Should Fight,” that Furman has a clear concept in mind for this record as he declares, “I’m not a monster, I’m a human being, whoa-oh-oh/And I’m the greatest thing you’ve ever seen.” The song celebrates the physicality of life and being human and this theme is woven through each track on the record. As Furman himself has described this album: “The last record had a song called ‘My Soul Has Escaped From My Body.’ I feel that every song on this record could have that title.” Whether he’s singing about burning his hands on hot, clean dishes, or wearing sunglasses, or living as a baby, or having weak knees–there is mention of the human body in every cut on this record.

“We Should Fight” also reveals the musical change from the last record. It features a country-rock-infused Strokes-y guitar over which Furman carefully delivers his lyrics in a perfectly sloppy manner and occasionally channels Paul McCartney with “Oooos” and “Whoa-oh-ohs” at the end of certain lines. At times, Furman, whose voice sounds like a cross between the sing-song voice of Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano and the yelp of the Pixies’ Black Francis, sings as if the world will end in five minutes and he still has six songs to sing. This technique adds an energy and vitality to these songs that causes them to blossom right in your ears. This record also features easily one of the best songs of 2008 in “Take Off Your Sunglasses.” Its melody and words sound so comfortable on the very first listen that it feels like a classic. Furman also goes a little punk rock on “Big Deal,” and it works well. The song opens as he declares in his distinctive yelp, “In a trance in France, I learned to dance,” before he moves at a blistering pace through the verses. Yet, even on this song, the hardest rocker in the set, Furman never strays too far from the tone of the rest of the album. This makes for a record that sticks together really well. Yet, the acoustic guitar is not gone–in fact, it still provides the backbone on several of these tracks and there are a few numbers which are almost completely acoustic. “Springfield, IL” is a mostly acoustic number following two of the best songs here: the bouncing “The Worm in the Apple” and the break-neck “The World is Alive,” both of which would have fit nicely on Banging Down the Doors.

This is a very solid follow-up to Banging Down the Doors and both records should be essential listening. Ezra Furman & The Harpoons is a group with a bright future and this record will likely convince those who take the time to listen to it. Inside the Human Body is an album that is busy, messy, funny, and curious. It reminds us of the joys of being human and living in the physical world–which as strange as it may seem, can sometimes be forgotten in a world so enamored with technology. Inside the Human Body is an energetic and refreshing record making many of the other 2008 releases around it seem colorless, clammy, and cold.

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
Inside the Human Body
Minty Fresh, 2008
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Randy Newman: “Harps and Angels”

Humor and anger have always been closely related in the songs of Randy Newman. That was true back in 1977 with his first hit song, “Short People,” which humorously joked about folks who are vertically challenged. It caused some people to view Newman as a nasty fellow, when in reality it is a mordant song reacting against the strict standards society forces individuals to meet in order to find acceptance. Like many great comedians of the last fifty years, Newman’s anger is expressed through comedy. Newman has gone on to develop his knack for combining wit and fury into an art and there is no better evidence of that than his latest record, Harps and Angels. There have been lots of angry protest albums during the first eight years of the twenty-first century, in fact, one of the best things about tumultuous times is the music that is birthed from them. Sure, the 1960s was a tough decade for America and no one wants to go back to that–but consider all the great music which that decade produced.

Newman’s anger is quite evident on Harps and Angels, his first studio album since 1999’s Bad Love. This is most notably heard on “A Few Words in Defense of Our Country,” in which Newman defends the good ole U.S. of A against the rest of the world’s collective hatred of it (though he manages to insert a few of his own complaints along the way). It should come as no surprise, considering Newman’s abilities, that this is also one of the most humorous songs on the album. To quote lyrics would be as pointless as removing punchlines from their context–suffice it to say, this song still makes me chuckle after repeat listens. After defending America, Newman spends time on the next track, “A Piece of the Pie,” to turn his own critical gaze at America with words that are both biting and hilarious: “You say you’re working harder than you ever have/You say you got two jobs and so’s your wife/Living in the richest country in the world/Wouldn’t you think you’d have abetter life…Bono’s off in Africa – he’s never around/The country turns its lonely eyes to who?/Jackson Browne/Jackson Browne/Jackson Browne.”

Yet, Newman also displays that he has a soft, tender side. One obvious past example of this being the already classic, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” from 1995’s Toy Story. On Harps and Angels, Newman spends some moments considering his own life and death on the title track which provides for a very poignant, yet light-hearted, opener. Newman also crafts some heart-warming love songs on “Feels Like Home” and  “Only a Girl.” Then he celebrates the joys of life on “Potholes” and encourages his listeners to do the same on “Laugh and Be Happy.”Whether the songs are happy or angry, his lyrical wit is always present accompanied by his New Orleans-inspired arrangements and melodies, as well as his unique half-singing/half-speaking vocal delivery.

What’s truly delightful about Harps and Angels is that Newman places the political rants, the love songs, the joyful celebrations, the rage, and the jokes all right next to each other–mixed together in a melting pot resembling Newman’s mind. And surely it resembles many Americans’ minds this year. We are frustrated with the way things are, and yet, we can’t help but feel some pride about this piece of land we call home; we are afraid of the future and the frailty of life, and yet, we can still think of things to celebrate. Randy Newman has been perfecting the welding of anger and humor for years and it paid off as he served up one of his best records just in time for the 2008 election season. This record also demonstrated that he still possesses the ability to tap into the American conscience and say things that are on the hearts and minds of so many people, reminding us once again why he is one of our most cherished songwriters.

Randy Newman
Harps and Angels
Nonesuch, 2008
Rating: 4.0/5.0

“A Few Words in Defense of Our Country”

Welcome Wagon: “Welcome to the Welcome Wagon”

Welcome to the Welcome Wagon may be the most appropriately named record of the year. The title functions as a simple, friendly invitation to get to know the duo who make up the Welcome Wagon, Presbyterian pastor Vito Aiuto and his wife, Monique. The songs on this record connect the listener to the musicians because they come straight from the heart and soul of their creators. This debut album is a collection of twelve songs firmly rooted in the traditions of folk and gospel in which the themes of life, romantic love, and the more melancholic aspects of the Christian faith are explored.

Welcome to the Welcome Wagon is a gospel-folk album which is comprised of songs that were recorded in homes and churches around New York City between 2001 and 2008. The record’s charming warmth is amplified because it sounds like it was recorded by a bunch of friends who were having a great time together. Other than the two cover songs and a few hymn texts scattered throughout the album, most of the songwriting credits go to Vito Aiuto, though the orchestral arrangements are clearly the handiwork of Welcome Wagon friend, Sufjan Stevens, who also recorded and produced the record. Stevens doesn’t hi-jack this record as his own, though his presence is strongly felt—particularly on the more boisterous tracks like  “Sold! To the Nice Rich Man” and “Hail to the Lord’s Appointed.”

If compared to something in Stevens’ own body of work, this has much more in common with his subtly brilliant Seven Swans (in content and sound) rather than his sprawling opus, Illinoise. Many of Stevens’ weapons of choice are present here including the banjo, the glockenspiel, the horns, and the choral singing—yet they don’t overwhelm these songs, which allows the album to sound pleasantly simple and accessible. Vocal responsibilities are split between Vito, whose soft voice sounds not unlike his producer’s, and Monique, who sings with an awe and innocence that is ideal for these songs. And it’s clear that these songs were designed for singing—the melodies are simple and infectious and will follow you around after only one or two listens.

Some of the greatest moments of the record are also its most mellow and visceral. The set opens with the tender “Up on a Mountain,” which begins with the careful, youthful voice of Monique. She is soon joined by a chorus of singers, setting a communal tone which is maintained throughout the record. “He Never Said A Mumblin’ Word” is a powerful, moving, country-folk dirge about the suffering of Christ. There’s also a stompy, sing-a-long in “But For You Who Fear My Name,” which features several layers of banjos and guitars circling one another. One of the finest songs here is “American Legion,” a touching, folk-y, love song with boasts some well-placed opera singing in the background that appears on more than one song in this set. “I Am a Stranger” is the longest cut here, clocking in at over six minutes, and it features a stellar, soulful gospel choir and some spindly electric guitars–it stretches the record to new places as it builds higher and higher to a glorious climax. The closer which follows is a short, gentle, and humble song, “Deep Were His Wounds, and Red,” which takes a joyful look at the work of Christ and its made all the more endearing by a female voice admitting, “I screwed up twice” at the end of the song.

Though most of the record is original material there are a few covers revealing a little bit of what might be playing in this pastor’s study. There is a cover of Velvet Underground’s “Jesus,” which features a heavenly chorus of voices that reaches for the sky as it tingles the spine. The other cover is a lesser known song by The Smiths called “Half a Person,” which you may have heard it if you managed to pick up this year’s The Sound of the Smiths [Deluxe Edition]. It’s song choices like this that indicate that the Welcome Wagon are making a record that they love and enjoy–with songs that are meaningful to them. Even these cover songs from the early New York rock ‘n’ roll of the 60s and the British alternative rock of the 80s are filtered through the gospel-folk style of the songs around them causing the whole album to stick together really well.

What makes this recording so endearing and unique is that it is such a personal, inviting album. Listening to it allows the listener to feel as if they know the passions and joys of the people who made it. Though the record is firmly rooted in the Christian tradition, it’s never saccharine or heavy-handed, which, sadly, is a somewhat rare feat for Christian musicians—making this achievement all the more impressive. The Welcome Wagon have been able to craft songs that honestly express their faith without neglecting the art, beauty, and pleasure of music. As a result it is not difficult to imagine listeners outside of the Christian faith enjoying these songs. I can’t remember the last time I heard a record that bore the heart and soul of its creators as well as Welcome to the Welcome Wagon and because of that it’s as welcoming and winsome as any record you’re likely to hear this year.

Welcome Wagon
Welcome to the Welcome Wagon
Asthmatic Kitty Records; 2008
Rating: 4.0/5.0

Byrne-ing Down the House: David Byrne/Charlotte/12.10.08

photo of Baltimore, MD show in September 2008

Last night, I had the great pleasure of seeing one of the best showmen in music, David Byrne in Charlotte, NC. Byrne, former front man of the Talking Heads, is touring in support of his newest collaboration with Brian Eno called Everything that Happens Will Happen Today, a really great record released this year. Byrne was accompanied by a band comprised of a bassist, keyboardist, drummer, percussionist/multi-instrumentalist, three back-up singers, and three dancers–all of them clad completely in white.

As you probably know from the Talking Heads videos, Byrne is a very visually-oriented person–trained in the visual arts, in fact. He is putting his know-how to great use in this tour as the lighting work is fantastic and the dancers throw down dance moves that are as delightfully awkward as Byrne’s vocal delivery. Byrne joins in on the dancing quite bit himself as well.

The show was billed as “The Music of David Byrne and Brian Eno,” allowing them to play anything from the two albums that Byrne and Eno have made together as well as the Talking Heads albums which were produced by Eno: More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, and Remain in Light.

The set was split up between Talking Heads songs and songs from the new album–however, it seemed to weigh a little heavy on older stuff, which the crowd loved. Byrne and Co. played some classics like “I Zimbra,” “Houses in Motion,” “Take Me to the River,” “Air,” “Crosseyed and Painless,” “Life During Wartime,” and “Heaven.” There were also one or two songs from other Byrne/Eno collaborations like 1981’s My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. And they played some tunes from the new record including “My Big Nurse,” “Strange Overtones,” and “I Feel My Stuff.”

The show was amazing–every song adapted really well to a live performance. The entire vibe of the show changed when they played “Once in a Lifetime” a little over halfway through their set. Everyone in the multi-generational crowd was up on their feet–dancing and singing–and they stayed there for almost the rest of the evening.

Here is a video of “Once in a Lifetime” from the Boston show on 10.31.08.

For the first encore, they played a wonderful rendition of “Take Me to the River.”

For the second encore, they played another classic, “Air.”

After this, we thought we might have to leave without hearing “Burning Down the House,” which we feared might not be eligible since it is not a Byrne/Eno composition. The house lights stayed down, the crowd was going nuts and Byrne, band, and dancers appeared on stage again. We hoped. We prayed. As the first notes of it began to play the place went berserk. As soon as the singing started the house lights came up and we could see that everyone in the room was singing, screaming, and dancing. It was one of the best audiences I’ve ever seen. He literally burned the house down–it is no longer there. In video below, he’s wearing some kind of mask, at our show he and everyone else on stage were wearing tutus.

Here’s “Burning Down the House” from the Boston show:

Take a look around Youtube and you can find various videos from recent shows of almost all the songs mentioned above. Also, take a listen to the newest Byrne/Eno album–you can stream it for free at there website: http://www.everythingthathappens.com/ And if this show comes to your town, by all means, go see it!

Neil Young: “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968″

As the story goes, Neil Young’ manager had to force him out of his hotel room to perform the shows that ended up on this record. You can’t blame Young for feeling a little nervous. These legendary shows were recorded at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Michigan less than a month before his 23rd birthday. It was a short time after the demise of Young’s band, Buffalo Springfield, and just a month before his self-titled, debut solo album was released. Young was afraid he didn’t have enough songs to fill a set by himself (perhaps he would have felt a little more at ease had he planned the set, which he tells the audience he never does). This album features only Neil and his guitar and material that was recorded over a two-night stint  at the Canterbury House. Sugar Mountain, which is the third in Young’s Archives Performance Series, includes thirteen songs and several tracks of delightfully awkward, rambling stories stuck in between.

The set opens with a somewhat cliche, late ’60s stoner-type introducing Young and commenting on the surprising number of people that showed up causing the show to sell out. Neil opens with a fine performance of “On the Way Home” before commenting on the length of his hair and his songwriting. It is this kind of quirky, personal touch that makes this such a charming record. It also provides a unique listening experience to hear this legendary musician while his landmark albums Harvest, On the Beach, and Rust Never Sleeps were still simply circulating deep inside him.

The name of the album comes from the legendary performance of “Sugar Mountain” (which Young claims he wrote when he was still in his teens). This track was officially released in the late ’70s on a Young collection and fans have been wondering if there were more from the show still intact ever since. On this record, Young relies pretty heavily on some of the songs he penned for Buffalo Springfield including “Mr. Soul,” “Expecting to Fly,” “Birds,” “On the Way Home,” “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing,” “Out of My Mind,” and “Broken Arrow.” But he also includes several tracks from his debut record, “If I Could Have Her Tonight,” “The Last Trip to Tulsa,” “I’ve Been Waiting for You,” “The Old Laughing Lady,” and “The Loner,” which would have been brand new to the listeners in December 1968.

There are some funny moments in Young’s banter with the audience, particularly in his discussion of his previous job at a bookstore and his claim that he “used to be a blues band.” Yet what really makes this set notable is the intimate, personal nature of these performances. This record boasts a strong set of songs and awkwardly funny stories which create an intimate atmosphere that shouldn’t be missed. Young’s vulnerability draws the listener in, making this a thoroughly enjoyable listen for fans of folk-rock and it stands as an absolute must for those who follow Neil Young and have been awaiting the release of this show for years.

Neil Young
Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968
Reprise, 2008
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam for $2.99!

Now is your chance to pick up a Tone Marrow favorite at a dirt cheap price. Animal Collective’s 2007 release, Strawberry Jam, can be purchased (in mp3 form) for a mere $2.99 at the Amazon Music Store thanks to the good folks at Stereogum.

Check out Stereogum for the details.

This is probably Animal Collective’s most accessible release to date. They still play to their bizarre, free-form, noisy style, but with some noticeable pop tendencies showing up on this record. The singing has improved, the musical style is less abrasive, and in general, the album is friendlier to the average music lover’s ears. If your record (or mp3) collection is feeling a little bland lately, smear a little Strawberry Jam on it. You can’t go wrong at this price.

A taste of Strawberry Jam:

“Fireworks”

“Peacebone”