Clues Write Their Own Pitchfork Review

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ZACH THAT:

I was checking out the website Villa Villa Nola (spend some time checking out their artists) when I found a very humorous post from Clues. They decided to write their own Pitchfork review of their own album. I guess they agree with me and feel that the real Pitchfork review is a surface level write up and really doesn't say anything. Here is Clues...writing their own Pitchfork review:

69 Pits!!!!! A first. Thank You!!!
“In many ways the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgement. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But, the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things… the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something… and that is in the discovery and defense of the new.

The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.
Last night I experienced something new, an extraordinary record from an singularly unexpected source. To say that both the record and its makers have challenged my preconceptions about music, is a gross understatement– they have rocked me to my core.

In the past I have made no secret of my disdain for Clues Collective’s famous motto: “Anyone Can Play Guitar”. But I realize only now do I truly understand what they meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.

It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now recording at Constellation, who are, in this critic’s opinion, nothing less than the finest Clues in North America.” -Pitchfork Media"

R.I.P. Vic Chesnutt

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HANK ALTOGETHER:

After rumors and comas, the NY Times confirms that a few hours ago Vic Chesnutt has died. Growing out of the Athens, GA music scene, Chesnutt was a widely regarded musician of the early 90s. At 18, Chesnutt was severely injured in a car accident and lived the rest of his life as a paraplegic. Undaunted, Chesnutt's music became more focused and raw. Listening to him is like hitting a frightened raw nerve inside yourself over and over. He released two albums this year At the Cut and Skitter on Take-Off. The prior held the song "Flirted with You all My Life," where Chesnutt frankly and almost apologetically broke up with Death. In a career where Chesnutt never shied away from the negative, "Flirted with You all My Life" was a playful, heartfelt ode, which seemed to push the singer away from of his own destructive impulses. On the occasion of his death, today, I'll reprint the lyrics for you and post the song.

"Flirted with You all My Life"

I am a man
I am self-aware
And everywhere I go
You're always right there with me

I've flirted with you all my life
Even kissed you once or twice
And to this day I swear it was nice
But clearly I was not ready

When you touched a friend of mine
I thought I would lose my mind
But I found out with time that
really I was was not ready, no no

Oh, Death
Oh, Death
Oh, Death
Really, I'm not ready

Oh, Death you hector me
Decimate those dear to me
Tease me with your sweet release
You are cruel and you are constant

When my mom was cancer sick
She fought but then succumb to it
But you made her beg for it
Lord Jesus, please I'm ready.

Oh, Death
Oh, Death
Oh, Death
Really, I'm not ready (repeat)


RIP Vic. All you others, we hope you have a great Christmas.

WLFY's Top 10 Albums of 2009

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10.) Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms











09.) The Flaming Lips - Embryonic










08.) Atlas Sound - Logos














07.) Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest











06.) Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer











05.) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart












04.) Clues - Clues












03.) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion











02.) Neko Case – Middle Cyclone












01.) Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Hank's Top 25 Albums of 2009

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25.) Uninhabitable Mansions - Uninhabitable Mansions


24.) Brian Harnetty & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Silent City


23.) John Vanderslice - Romanian Names


22.) Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine


21.) The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You


20.) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion


19.) Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11


18.) Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind


17.) Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy


16.) Bad Veins - Bad Veins


15.) Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle


14.) Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukuele


13.) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix


12.) Clues - Clues

11.) Andrew Bird - Noble Beast


10.) Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - Know Better Learn Faster


9.) Royal Bangs - Let it Beep

8.) Vic Chestnutt - At the Cut


7.) Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest


6.) Various Artists - Dark Was the Night


5.) The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come

Sometimes you forget how great something is until your friends call you to tell you that you have to list your favorite albums of the year. John Darnielle, of The Mountain Goats, this one's for you. The band's taken a distinctly religious turn, this time titling every song of Life of the World to Come from a Bible verse. There's always been something biblical in Darnielle's writing. It comes from a time when the stakes are high, when brother vs. brother has an epic dimension (as well as a physical one), when we all have a chance to change. In what is, undoubtedly, the most philosophical album of the year Darnielle manages to turn religion back to its roots to expound on grace and transformation in a world that wants proselytizing and conversion (I'm looking at you Kirk Cameron), The Mountain Goats use music to move back to religion as myth and in so doing make it able to wipe us clean.

4.) Alela Diane - To Be Still

Nevada City, CA's own Alela Diane totally snuck in to my top 5. But, to be honest, she was the first one I turned to when about to embark on my day. Within the effortless tangle of plucked strings and a rustic stream of consciousness that would make 2004 Joanna Newsom (also from Nevada City) blush, Alela Diane carves out a record that is at once old-timey and relentlessly contemporary. Her lyrical stroke is only matched by the dense brambles of natural imagery that profligate these songs. It's just the kind of thing that you'd expect from the Sierras -- beautiful, a little tragic, original, and impossible to tear your attention from.

3.) Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

How about some love for Spencer Krug? I mean, have you HEARD a bad Sunset Rubdown album? I must confess I haven't. And though I thought Random Spirit Lover wasn't quite up to par with Shut Up I am Dreaming..., Dragonslayershows up and seamlessly marries both. Just when you thought the metaphysical jeremiad record was laying low sinceYoshimi, Sunset Rubdown take the breakup record and imbue it with a little tongue in cheek, a little post-relationship pain, and more head-splitting riffs than should be humanly possible. Despite all this, Krug & co. seem to be continually underrated. Maybe this'll change that.
2.) Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Somehow, for this blog, I've become the Dirty Projectors guy. It's not that I mind. But, well, I feel that -- like your cousin who shows up to the X-mas party with the same tie -- I'm trotting out the same thing that you've already seen before. So, I'll just lay it out plain for ya this time. This is by far the most intriguing listen of the year. By the end of one spin, you'll have completely changed what you thought of music before you heard it.

1.) Neko Case -
Middle Cyclone



Neko Case's music is instinctual, animalistic, and downright gorgeous. Middle Cyclone is the sort of thing that you would expect to hear in a tornado. But, what brought this album to the #1 spot on my list this year is the impecable lyrical content. From the sly wink of "the next time you say forever...I'll punch you in your face" to the pale desperation of "The Pharoahs" where Case declares "I want the pharoahs, but there's only men," Neko seems to be able to weave everything together in one intoxicating melody after another. Earlier, when I reviewed this album, I said that it was Case was accepting her animal side. I was wrong. If anything, Case reminds us with this album that being human is about obeying instinct, perhaps that's why everything in Middle Cyclone feels authentic, right-in-place, and can shake you to your bones.



Best Song of 2009: Vic Chestnutt - "Flirted with you All My Life"
Worst Song of 2009: Vampire Weekend - "Horchata"


Zach's Top 25 Albums of 2009

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25.) Bowerbirds - Upper Air

24.) WAVVES - WAVVES


23.) Royal Bangs - Let It Beep

22.) Dan Deacon - Bromst

21.) Antlers - Hospice
Two

20.) Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
19.) Atlas Sound - Logos

18.) Sophie Madeleine - Love. Life. Ukulele
17.) Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - Know Better Learn Faster
Know Better Learn Faster

16.) Uninhabitable Mansions - Nature Is A Taker
15.) The Black Heart Procession - Six
14.) Chat - Folie Douce
13.) The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

12.) Dent May - The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Meet Me In The Garden

11.) Crocodiles - Summer Of Hate
10.) Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
09.) Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want
08.) Tap Tap - On My Way
07.) Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
06.) The Mint Chicks - Screens
05.) Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

An album that acts as a tip of the hat to a decade of synth sounds. It's a dreamy journey through both the beautiful and grimy sides of sound. Listening to this album makes your ears feel like they're on drugs...and they like the trip.

04.) Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

The most unique album of 2009. They push the envelop track after track and take music to the highest form of artistic exploration. When the needle lifts and jaws are tucked safely back in their upright position, this album is neatly stored forever in its own little nook of the mind.

03.) Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

No other album has the simple grace of this one. It's as smooth as silk and hits all the right spots. Imaginative and bold, Neko Case continues her march to music goddesses hall of fame with Middle Cyclone.

02.) Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

Spencer Krug is a damn genius. The album is a relentless assault on the imagination. Dream scapes of floating notes are created and the lyrics act as floating blueprints to guide the way. The melodies disrupt the beauty of the sound only to present something even more beautiful. Every moment is a treasure.

01.) Clues - Clues

The perfect album. Comparative to waves crashing against tall rocks. The hands of two lovers, clinched tight, hitting at great force. The duality of dark and light is an age old theme in art, but Clues brushes off the dust and harnesses the theme to create the most emotional album of the decade. People say there is no such thing as perfection. When I hear this album, I think all those people are liars.

Best Song Of 2009: Andrew Bird - Anonanimal
Worst Album Of 2009: Discovery - LP

THE TEN MOST IMPORTANT MUSICIANS OF THE DECADE

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ZACH THAT:


10.) Kevin Barnes
Responsible for six LP’s and four EP’s this decade as the front man for Of Montreal. Barnes is the David Bowie of our time, constantly testing boundaries between performance and character. When all is said and done, the quirkiness of Barnes will be forgotten and the preciousness of his music will be in the spotlight.

09.) Joanna Newsom
She only released two studio albums (two demo recordings) and an EP, but Newsom is a musical force that will help define one of the best decades in music. Never before could I ever imagine a five-track album holding such power over its listener. Her music is timeless and one of the most unique collections in the last ten years.

08.) Pharrell Williams
In the end he might be remember for all the bad he put out into the world, but I can’t leave him off this list due to the quantity of impressive works he helmed this decade. Starting with his own project NERD, “In Search Of…” might be the best hip hop album of the decade. Every big hit was basically produced by Pharrell or in partnership by The Neptunes. Kanye West, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Clipse, Snoop, Jay-Z…the list goes on forever…he helped the biggest names make their best songs. The next decade might be a disaster for Williams, but he truly left his mark on this one.

07.) Matthew FriedbergerI love Eleanor, don’t get me wrong, but the Fiery Furnaces breath through the brilliance of Matt. I consider him to be the smartest musician we have working today and if you need proof, just listen to Blueberry Boat…an album that would have made classical composers blush in embarrassment that they couldn’t write such an album. He wrote eight albums this decade as part of The Fiery Furnaces, including a sadly overlooked solo album in 2006. The guy was busy, but quality never suffered.

06.) Sufjan Stevens
Yeah, he’s not going to make the 50 states but check out these numbers: eight studio albums (that’s crazy for a solo artist), over twenty Compilation appearances, short film, and helming Asthmatic Kitty, one of the most successful labels of the decade. The guy had a great decade.

05.) Spencer Krug
His work alone with Sunset Rubdown (Six albums) would have him in the top twenty…but add three albums with Frog Eyes, two with Swan Lake, one with Fifths of Seven, and three LP/three EP with Wolf Parade…it shoots him close to the top. Where does he find the time? With the exception of Wolf Parade’s “At Mount Zoomer” (which wasn’t bad…just not incredible), Krug has a perfect batting average when it comes to putting out amazing albums.

04.) Bradford Cox
Two albums under Atlas Sound, four with Deerhunter, and a combined ten EPs…and he weighs sixty pounds. Bradford Cox might just be the poster boy for this decade in music…aggressive, full of life, introspective, dark, and all the while nothing short of beautiful. This was a decade of unorganized noise that just made sense. When I listen to his music, I feel like he has a closer relationship to sound than most…it’s as if he can bend music with his mind…crafting a different shape, feel, and lasting product than most. The collection he left behind this decade is truly special.

03.) Jack White
The best guitar player we have was all over the place this decade. Five White Stripes albums, two Raconteurs, Dead Weather, work on/with Von Bondies/Loretta Lynn, Whirlwind Heat, and The Mildoons…soundtrack work on Cold Mountian, appearances in Jim Jarmusch films, playing Elvis in “Walk Hard”, and having his own documentary “It Might Get Loud”…man oh man…the list goes on forever. With the massive amount of artists out there this decade most of the people on this list can be debated/argued over…for me, Jack White is the only one who should be on every list…he did that much for the decade.

02.) Alden Penner
This is a personal pick, so don’t slam the laptop. He only has two formal releases with the bands The Unicorns and Clues. Here’s the deal. They’re both perfect. Yes, perfect. The reason why Alden is number two is that unlike other artists, in my mind he has not made an album that wasn’t a 10/10. How could I leave off an artist who in my mind is perfect? I can’t. There will be a day where Alden lends himself to a project that doesn’t hit me like the other two…but it hasn’t happened yet and in my mind he is the most flawless creator of music this decade.

01.) Jonny Greenwood
WHAT! No Thom Yorke??? Sorry, but I consider Radiohead to be one the greatest bands of all time because of Mr. Greenwood. His guitar riffs are viciously emotional and is responsible for pushing the boundaries of sound further than anyone this decade. I think Yorke is very important and amazing, but Greenwood is what makes Radiohead stand above the rest…listen to Yorke’s solo work…listen to Kid A…notice a difference? On top of this, Greenwood is responsible for one of the most haunting film scores of the decade with his work on “There Will Be Blood”. People know Greenwood, they understand he is important…I’m saying he is the most important.

Wayne Coyne fan? Karen O? Leave a comment with who you think should have made the list.

Fugazi Banter

1 comment
HANK ALTOGETHER:

Fugazi is the greatest band of all time. It's true. Don't give me that Beatles or Radiohead crap. They are the greatest. The only problem? I never saw them live. But, as my friend Sam showed me today, over at Chunklet they've collected a pretty astonishing compilation of 40 minutes of Fugazi live banter, much of it centered on Fugazi's intense hatred for assholes that just went to shows to push people around. It may be close to 10 years since Fugazi released their last album and had their (final?) tour. But, I'll be damned if this didn't bring 'em right back into my living room.

Having Fun on Stage with Fugazi (40 min of banter)