Nostalghia is bent on proving that they are a serious band making serious music. The 10 tracks that comprise I am Robot form a distinctive electronic voice – highly produced, a touch dramatic, and sometimes fraught with tension. And while the production is quality, it seems to be too much too often. There is a lot going on in each song. And it’s not all extraneous. But instead of being expansive, it feels bogged down by trying to be “important”. I found myself often repeating “lighten up”! All of the added clicks,hisses, drums, squeals, piano tinkers, accordions, etc. all made for a heavy landscape of sound. This combined with Ciscandra Nostalghia’s voice provided a heavy handed solution to their artistic vision.

Let’s take a moment now to discuss that voice – her voice switches from the stark, accented singing mastered by Fever Ray/The Knife with a somewhat more baudy, lush burlesquey tamber. It’s an odd combination. I often wished Ciscandra would pick one and stick with it. And hopefully not the one that tends to go towards the shallow, “baby-talk” element that creeps in. It felt put on and insincere. I do think she has an instrument to work with, I just wish it wasn’t so overworked.

As a debut, I Am Robot will easily find supporters in the landscape of female driven electronic soundscape art. I think this group has plenty of room to grow, but have a lot of growing to do.

So, I’m getting a bit better on posting my favs from the prior year. 2010 theme: size and depth. It was a good year for the grandiose and high minded concepts. Amidst the cacophony, it was also a notable year for thoughtful lyrics. Put it all together and it was a great way to end the first decade of the aughts.

Honorable Mentions

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – I told you. I respect it as a work of high art. There is a ton of talent on display. And it really can’t get any more (tastefully) bombastic. But there is too much lacking in lyrical quality to deign a top ten placement let alone the top spot.  Maybe next year.

Girl Talk, All Day – I just listened to this album again. Like today. It’s damn good. The formula is familiar but it stands on it’s own. No revolution starting with this one, but it’s supremely solid.  It’s been a let down year for Pittsburgh in general – abismal baseball, underachieving hockey, and let down superbowl dreams. Here’s to Greg Gillis holding up his end of the bargain (oh, and this guy was on too).

The List
7.The Morning Benders, Big Echo – This album definitely filled the space of “new indie rock group with a definitive album of the moment but will inevitably fall off the radar in 3 months”. Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear can both count themselves as alums. This does not diminish the strength of each band’s respective album. Nor does it limit my desire for each band to come back and amaze me with new work. Just sayin, sometimes one great album is all you’ve got. And that’s not entirely a bad thing. For this genre, The Morning Bender’s seem to have the most range with a possibility of heading in many different directions. I’m hoping they realize their potential.

6. Big Boi, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty - Bar none, the best hip hop album of 2010. Pure in it’s delivery, varied in subject matter, bouyant, boistrous, and terribly Atlanta. For all of the gains in regional, emo, ringtone, and whatever rap, a good old fashioned Deep South R&B laden, sizzurp sippin album with the talents of half the best rap group ever (yeah, I’m making that claim. That’s probably another post altogether. Stick with me until I get there) still bubbles to the top of the fray. Full of (non- Solja Boy) swagger and delightful, slippery energy, Big Boi delivers a great resurgence to the forefront of hip hop.

5. Janelle Monae, ArchAndroid - Partly based on the actual quality of the music, partly based on the aesthetic and future possibilities of the emerging genre, The ArchAndroid has vaulted Janelle Monae towards the top of my pile. Her voice is undeniable – cheeky, brash, energetic, and more experienced than she lets on. She has mastered the appearance of youth and wide eyed idealism through many years of practice. It’s easy to sense there is much more to come from Janelle. But what she has already done is surprisingly well formed – a concept that is well shaped but not to the point of feeling put on. And potentially ready for world domination. If this world will have her.

4.Arcade Fire, The Suburbs – The consummate band creating another killer concept album. It is such a pleasure to witness a truly talented band slowly but surely take over the world.  I’ve been waiting, hawkishly, for any of their efforts to be less than worthy. Or at least not as good – on some level – than the previous. Looks like it may be a long wait. The Suburbs further cements their prowess as in depth documentarians. First is was our relationships, then it was the world at large, now it’s our (so called) lives. Everything is under review and very little get’s past the rueful gaze of Win & Co. They are one of the artists that I can listen to and actually feel smarter for just listening to them. Strident, assertive, and on point. And now that the rest of the world knows of their prowess, let’s hope we all get smatter.

3.Robyn, Body Talk – By now you know that I tend to throw in some Euro dance album into the heap as a good faith nod to dance music actually staying relevant beyond the dance floor. The world has their Gaga, I have my Robyn.  Taking the unusual approach of releasing drafts via mini albums, Body Talk is so jam packed with hits, it almost doesn’t build into a sensical flow. Robyn is obviously on form and not afraid to prove it at every possible instance. Write a hit about a spurned girlfriend who can only seek solice on the dancefloor? Check. What about an anthem to giving love a second chance after you have been burned? Check. How about something completely goofy, with Snoop Dogg? Absolutely. What sets her work apart is the absolute attention to crafting lyrically significant dance songs. These songs stick in your head not only for their beats, but for the endearing and often introspective concepts. Falling in and out of love is only cliche if you fall on cliches to describe it. Robyn, thankfully, knows no such easy cliche. There is a lot of grey area in relationships and she is more than happy to frolic merrily in these waters. And now we all get to reap the benefits.

2.Menomena, Mines – Yes, I am using my wild card on a band no one recognizes in hopes of everyone starting to recognize them I think I did a pretty good job summing them up here, so take a gander. It’s really worth a few good hard listens.

Top Drop. LCD Soundsystem, This is Happening - If this is the last album for LCD (and I BEG of you to please make this untrue, Mr Murphy…), it is the only way to go. Emotive, contrite, and utterly poignant. As I stated earlier, I really didn’t think you could top “All My Friends”. When you’ve already created a song that is in the pantheon of life changing music, where do you go? Apparently to Drunk Girls. I don’t think anyone can say enough good things about this band or this album. Each listen only makes you want to dig deeper. James Murphy has such a way of striking to the heart of a subject that is at once obtuse and yet so familiar. See “Pow Pow” as an example. His signature vocal style of rambling stream of consciousness dissecting the dynamics of perspective paired with heavy disco levity. Who gets away with this? Ever? Only LCD. It’s simply amazing. It’s visceral and conceptual at the same time without relying on histrionics. A fitting achievement for a man who genuinely believes that he isn’t worth the accolades. Humility never sounded so good.

The album is indisputably phenomenal. It’s an achievement. No doubt. However, it does not convert me. I still see exceptional flaws in his work. Flaws that are broad and frankly mystifying given he is “the voice of a generation”. Yes, it is that voice that I take most exception to. No matter how well he cloaks himself in epic production – and Twisted Fantasy runs long on largeness – I can’t help but hear his limited ability as a rapper. He has shown some improvement on a few albums, but nowhere near the MVP status that is often attributed to his works. Furthermore, his lyrical content shifts decisively between 2 subjects: his asshole nature and his sorrow for being an asshole. Thus, the finished product is a beautifully constructed broken record. I can see how people can get hung up on the production value as a means to relating to his work. But the idol worship of his catalog and status in overall pop culture as the great tastemaker (when in fact, he has been more of great regurgitater) will continue to be lost on me.

But it is a memorable album. If for no other reason than Kanye pushed the overdrive button on the mixer. It is a shining symbol of maximalist tendencies, that works more often than not. More samples, more beats, more collaborations. All working in concert to build this gargantuan, ruthless, overflowing jumble of sound that ends in a sprint – breathless, excited and agitated. And it is good. A miracle really. And I recognize it as such. For this, I can’t help but keep turning to it. Waiting for a seminal moment of inception where “the turn” will occur and the album will show it’s true self as genius work. But I’m not holding my breathe. And for the time being, I’ll relegate it to aural tease instead of indisputable pleasure.

Typical. How many times can we keep extoling the virtues of the best thing to come out of Atlanta since…Atlanta? Well, if either member of Outkast keeps on creating consistent heat, there’s nothing else to do but call it fire.

Big Boi has been working hard as of late. What with his record label, some guest work with a certain other Atlantan, and general hilarity on his blog (take this post for example). Oh, and he decided to throw out an album. Tried to do a couple of songs with his other half, but that got squashed. So how did the finished product end up? I’d say shooting for the best hip hop album of 2010 (or any year) is not a bad idea when you’re the son of Chico Dusty. The devil is in the details once again as the flow, lyricism and wit take center stage on another woozy drive around 285. Big Boi has perfected his regional sound while still maintaining a nuance that begs you to listen for more. I mean, he made the Grand March from Aida into East Side stompin music.  That takes guts AND skill. Furthermore, he is one of the few artists that rarely gets upstaged on his own album on spite of the rampent guest appearances. Bring on T.I., Jamie Foxx and anyone else you care to remember. Good additions but never quite like the star.

Now, I haven’t yet said my piece on Kanyevil so I will resist the comparisons of what a real rap album can do for hip hop. However, it is to be noted that it is terribly nice to have a rapper who can actually rap well. Just sayin.

Now, I came to Bilal late in the game. And still don’t have a fine reason why anyone should merely stumble on his work. It’s not that it isn’t good. It’s just not easily accesible, teetering on niche driven on over half of the tracks. There are no obvious hits, the hooks run thin, and his voice is pretty distinctive. And I like it. 2010 was a great year for forward thinking  R&B/jazz/soul artists. I get hope that these oddity albums that are marginally successful in critical circles will somehow filter there way down through the chain and hit mass music (aren’t we but a few beats away from a Kanye West sample after all…). Airtight’s Revenge shares such similarity with Erykah Badu’s later works that it’s easy to cast it as kissing cousin and let it lie as a secondary, masculine version. Which deprives it of the respect it deserves. Although my enthusiasm for the album wanes after 6 or so tracks, those first 5 are gripping. Intelligent, unique, and down right memorable. It’s a headphones type of album, so invest in a good pair if you need to. Lyrically, it falls off the deep end (as Erykah is also prone to do) but saves itself by being honest. Thus, the cliche becomes less shallow and more frank.  Did I mention that it’s just plain nice to have so much fresh black music?  All in all, I can not give this a resounding seal of the highest approval, but it is terribly interesting. So give it a whirl, let it sit for a bit, come back in a couple of months, and see if you still like it, no?

Treats –  

Treats seems like such a predictable format – hip hop with grungy guitars and sing song rock lyrics. Danceable, yet not dance. Anthemic yet accessible. Blah, blah, blah. All of this hype which may work for others, but doesn’t sound anything new to me. I swear I heard this album in 1994 by the Beastie Boys. Only done better. I’m sure there are those that will claim that this is a revelation and a revolution. I think it’s a bit of fun that gets very repetitive. I imagine these two are great live. But like Vampire Weekend, I don’t see this as life changing stuff. Or even year changing work. I know I am in the minority on this, but hey, that’s why I’m a minority.

I love Feed the Animals. I love the energy, the mixes, the bigness, the audacity, the Journey ending. All of it. And I thought that Feed the Animals was Girl Talk. And that’s where I got hung up for All Day. I mean, with a title like All Day, wouldn’t you expect craziness? Wouldn’t you want over the top? I blame Mr. Gillis for the inappropriate naming. However, I commend him for the overall output. All Day starts out fast out of the gate but then hits a mid tempo stride. That’s where I got (initially) lost. Where was Kelly Clarkson fighting against Nine Inch Nails? Shouldn’t it be getting bigger? Well, bigger isn’t always better. I didn’t know I needed to let this album simmer, but upon subsequent listens, it’s greatness shown. It gets in your head, it ruminates, it gets self referential. Overall, it’s more thoughtful. And it burns longer. Literally. At a weighty 71 minutes, it’s a stretch. Yet, it finds a way to stay relevant throughout the entire mix. Now, I still take issue to the ending – Imagine just seems ill matched for the overall tone of the album.  But I’ve found more of the mash ups taking root in my brain than anticipated. It still doesn’t match the sense of tapping into the contemporary zeitgeist that Feed the Animals did upon release. But it does make a lasting impression.

Mines –

I still wonder why this band isn’t more well respected? Where Friend and Foe took liberties to be a little willd and free while still sticking in the boundaries of non-jam band rock, Mines steps up with added refinement. Your mind still feels like it will explode, albeit from the precision and care they have taken from the mix.  It’s defiant, expansive, nuanced, and all too fun to try to pick apart. In the same way that Girl Talk becomes an extended game of Name That Tune, Mines is a dreamy way to spend an afternoon lingering about the next piano riff taking flight in your right eardrum.  In spite of the eccentricity spent in the details of added tracks, nothing feels extraneous or out of place. Rather, it unfolds and deepens over time (note – I have just returned from wine country. Lingering comments from vintners may now be manifesting themselves in other arenas). No other album of 2010 has held my greater fascination than Mines.  “O Pretty Boy, You’re Such a Big Boy” is no less thrilling as a centerpiece and “Intil” is no less haunting as the conclusion. I find myself hitting replay more often than not, which is simply sensational and rather tough to do in album form nowadays.  Although overshadowed by the stellar production work, the lyrics aren’t too far off as gravity and delivery go.  I think LCD probably beat out everyone in 2010 in the visceral lyricism game (Kanye does NOT count – you can not rhyme “Austin Powers” and “Colin Powell” and have me take you the least bit serious), but this holds its own.

I guess I can not say enough good things about this band and this album. I’m just surprised that the mainstream kingmakers do not have the same feeling. One day…

I must admit, this album was not what I wanted. Or expected. The Suburbs is an apt title – slow, sprawling, indefinite, sometimes underwhelming, sometimes shocking. To be very candid, I didn’t really give it my full right brain until I saw them live.  The entire album suddenly popped with utter clarity that I hadn’t had the time to explore when it was just me and my headphones. True, sharing music communally is often a more enriching experience than listening alone. True, Arcade Fire are probably the best touring band currently performing, thus pretty much anything they sing/do/play/attempt will come out fairly excellent. Nevertheless, I needed that extra push to help me appreciate all that The Suburbs brings.  What I essentially missed was how important introspection is. Yeah, it’s kind of a big idea to miss. But seriously, if you look at Funeral and Neon Bible, the finger is squarely pointed at others (parents, relationships, the “man”). The Suburbs starts to turn all of that inward, sometimes reluctantly, often wistfully.  Often, the sound and themes were repeated (not to be confused with repetitive) which is often how inner monologues and diatribes work themselves out.  At least in my head. And possibly in theirs.  Even without the semi psychoanalytic babel, Suburbs excels as a framework for considering all of the tid bits in life that, accumulated over decades, drives you nuts. But done in a way that won’t drive you nuts.

Is this not just a really awful, long and arduous way of saying “good job”?