Although 2010 is the year of refinement, if it at some point doesn’t end up similar to this I will consider it a failure. I mean, come on, Calvin’s wearing a suit. That’s refined, right? (Not to mention, his album almost made my top ten.) I’m envisioning something similar to this video will come to fruition in Los Angeles around February 27th, 2010.
While we’re at it, you have to hear Goldie’s remix of this song. I’m aware most of you don’t know who Goldie is but he is a god (or was, in the electronic music scene). And he had a small role in The Fifth Element Snatch. Goldie is the King of Jungle, and made the most epic song of all time, (not debatable, look for it) “Mother”. I submitted “Mother” for a sophomore English project in high school, and how it affected my reading; I got an A. How Calvin Harris got Goldie to remix his track is beyond me. Nevertheless, here it is:
I’m grinning ear to ear. How is your 2010 going? By the way, I was looking for a proper place to post this picture of Goldie; looks like this is it.
Posted: January 9th, 2010 | Author: Chris Walker | Filed under: Music | 2 Comments »
10. STEEL PANTHER: FEEL THE STEEL | BUY AT 7DIGITAL.
I asked Brian, who’s top everything I posted earlier, why he didn’t include Steel Panther in his top ten albums of ‘09. He said he couldn’t put them and Third Eye Blind on the same list; no one would take him seriously. Understandable. Steel Panther released one hell of an album, though. As much as it is hilarious, it’s solid throw-back 80s rock. It’s everything missing from metal now, and what made 80s rock so awesome (whether ironically or not): a debauchery-fueled good time. Hookers, fat chicks, drugs, venereal diseases, it’s all here. If you can make it through Feel The Steel without laughing, I don’t want to know you. My Vegas friends have been raving about Steel Panther’s live show for years. Now I understand why. I probably wouldn’t survive a night out after watching these guys.
STEEL PANTHER: FAT GIRL
09. MSTRKRFT: FIST OF GOD | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
Pitchfork likes to bash MSTRKRFT as a Justice rip-off, even though they’ve been around for nearly the same amount of time, and have distinctly different sounds. (MSTRKRFT also released an album before Justice, and should probably be credited for paving the way for the Justice juggernaut.) None of that matters, though. What matters is MSTRKRFT consistently crank out the most powerful, fist-pumping, dance-friendly electronic music imaginable, and if you like having fun (or driving fast on the freeway) you should like this album.
In a related note, remember Rainbow Brite from Chris Walker Vs. A Return To Manhood? The guy I called out in a final act of tough love; the piece I kinda sorta thought but ultimately knew wouldn’t work to help him reclaim anything resembling manliness? Well, Rainbow and I were both huge MSTRKRFT fans, and I said, “I’ll reach out to Rainbow Brite one more time, when MSTRKRFT releases a new album.” That wasn’t until March of ’09. I thought for sure when he heard the dominating synth and punishing snare of Fist Of God’s opener, “It Ain’t Love,” it would bitch slap him back into man land. It didn’t. Not even the accompanying Will Ferrell a la Old School e-mail helped. Oh well. Doesn’t stop Fist of God from being the most ass-kickingly awesome electro album of the year. And if Rainbow Brite ever snaps out of his “Hi, I’m a doormat, walk all over me” coma, I hope he calls me. I’ll welcome him back to Manhood with open arms.
MSTRKRFT: HEARTBREAKER
08. REAL ESTATE: REAL ESTATE | LISTEN + BUY AT THINKINDIE.
I don’t know anything about Real Estate. I think they’re from New Jersey or something. I can’t tell you what a single song on their self-titled album is called. I just listen to it, in it’s entirety. Over. And over. And over. All the time.
07. PHOENIX: WOLFGANG AMADEUS PHOENIX | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
If Top Forty pop music sounded like this (as it would in an ideal world), I might turn on my radio sometime. It doesn’t, though.
PHOENIX: 1901
06. WASHED OUT: HIGH TIMES / LIFE OF LEISURE – EP | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
Yeah; this is cheating. I’m taking two separate releases, lumping them together, and calling them my sixth favorite album of 2009. Seriously though, Washed Out is too good not to be included on this list. Sounding exactly as the name implies, Washed Out is all synthy, washed out, lo-fi electronic summery goodness. “Belong,” “Phone Call,” “Oliva,” all fantastic. Then there’s “Feel It All Around,” (which is just a slowed down version of Gary Low’s “I Want You” but, really, who cares?) a track I have yet to see anyone escape the magic of. I know I’m not the first to call it: Washed Out will blow up in 2010.
WASHED OUT: BELONG
05. NEON INDIAN: PSYCHIC CHASMS | LISTEN + BUY AT 7DIGITAL.
What can be said about Alan Palomo’s musical endeavor, Neon Indian, that hasn’t been said already? Not much. If you cared, or paid attention, the hype might’ve overshadowed the music; luckily, it didn’t for me. I had a lot of fun listening to Psychic Chasms’ fuzzy, multi-layered, nostalgic-yet-not-at-all soundscape (also, Neon Indian’s live show is a wildly good time); it might as well be my soundtrack for the last quarter of 2009.
04. GRIZZLY BEAR: VECKATIMEST | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
A lazy Saturday afternoon, windows open, sun bleeding in as drapes lightly flutter in the summer breeze, which pulls the aroma of fresh herbs from the kitchen and scatters them throughout the house. Birds happily chirping; the newspaper laid out on the coffee table; wine is in abundance. Veckatimest is spinning on the record player; Michael McDonald is giving you a back massage. All is well with the world.
GRIZZLY BEAR: TWO WEEKS
03. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
I hadn’t listened to or cared about an Animal Collective song since “Prospect Hummer.” That was 2005. Blame it on the same kind of hype I just mentioned with Neon Indian but, I didn’t want to listen to Merriweather Post Pavilion. It was like every dirty hipster and online music publication had called it “album of the year” before it was even out. It was ridiculous. I lasted until July; that’s when I finally broke down and gave it an honest spin. Of course, I was floored. From “My Girls” to “Brother Sport,” the album is solid front-to-back. The appeal of Merriweather Post Pavilion is undeniable; it’s a brilliant piece of work.
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: MY GIRLS
02. DIRTY PROJECTORS: BITTE ORCA | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
“There’s this band I’ve been listening to, I can’t decide if I like them. There’s a lot of janky sounding guitar and the lead singer’s voice is warbly but, for some reason, I can’t stop listening.” That’s how I first described Dirty Projectors’ Bitte Orca to Pockets on a trip to New York. A couple months later, my friend Brian and I found ourselves listening to “Stillness Is The Move” on repeat for several hours, after a hike through Lamoille Canyon in Elko, Nevada. Bitte Orca was an album you had to take time with but if you learned to love it, it would love you back. I still find new things on this album, and I listen to it all the time. Even after countless listens, Bitte Orca hasn’t lost any of it’s shine. It’s still as breathtaking and confusing as the first time I heard it.
DIRTY PROJECTORS: STILLNESS IS THE MOVE
01. ARCTIC MONKEYS: HUMBUG | BUY AT THINKINDIE.
It’s been a pleasure to watch the evolution of the Arctic Monkeys, from Sheffield brats to full-fledged artists, and in a year of eclectic, genre-bending sounds, the Monkeys’ take on “desert rock” proved refreshing. Humbug sees Alex Turner’s always outstanding lyrics even more poignant and polished, and the band’s music tighter and matured. I wasn’t the only one who scratched their head when I heard Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme was producing Humbug (Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford produced a few tracks, as well); the experiment had brilliant results. I didn’t listen to any other album more this year.
ARCTIC MONKEYS: CORNERSTONE
Posted: December 22nd, 2009 | Author: Chris Walker | Filed under: Music | 2 Comments »
Florence Welch (of Florence + The Machine). Source: Unknown.
I asked Art Director, Graphic Designer, and guy who might maybe one day finish designing CHRSWLKRVS, Brian Johnson, to contribute his top ten albums of 2009. He reluctantly did so since, according to him, he only truly loved two albums this year. Here are Brian’s top picks, favorite EPs, and biggest disappointments of the year.
This was the most difficult list to ever do. Seriously. — Brian.
Top Ten Favorite Albums of 2009
10. Third Eye Blind: Ursa Major
09. Owl City: Ocean Eyes
08. The Boxer Rebellion: Union
07. The XX: XX
06. As Tall as Lions: You Can’t Take it With You
05. Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
04. Closure in Moscow: First Temple
03. Anthony Green: Avalon Remix
02. Passion Pit: Manners
01. Florence + the Machine: Lungs
Top Three Favorite EPs of 2009
03. Smiletron: :] – EP
02. Jamies Elsewhere: Unreleased Sessions – EP
01. Washed Out: Life of Leisure – EP
Top Four Disappointments of 2009
04. Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
03. Saosin: In Search of Solid Ground
02. Paramore: New Eyes
01. Alexisonfire: Old Sinners/Young Cardinals
If you’d like to hire Brian, you can find him here: A DESIGN CONCERN (I heard he does work in a more timely manner if you pay him and give him deadlines.)
Posted: December 22nd, 2009 | Author: Chris Walker | Filed under: Music | No Comments »
