Be sure to read Jaymo's Vampire Weekend review below as I feel it is not only pretty much spot on, but posts usually get a bit more time in the 'most recent post' slot than just a few days and I feel slightly bad about unseating it so quickly.

That said, here's the continuation of my 100 favorite songs of 2000-2009:

90: Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day



Just a stunningly simple song.

89: I Am Kloot - Untitled #1

Untitled #1 - I Am Kloot

A shining example of the power of laid-back, still-lying-in-bed vocals juxtaposed with shuffling drums.

88: The Decemberists - Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect



This was the first Decemberists song I ever heard, having stumbled across their website on one of my many late night/early morning scourings of t'internet. I told a friend at the time that the vocals reminded me of I Am Kloot (number 89) and I still stick by that.

87: Hope of the States - The Red, The White, The Black, The Blue



The forcefulness of this song is staggering... and, as with all Hope of the States songs (or at least the good ones) it gives one full reign to use as many synonyms for 'epic' as one could possibly ever want.

86: The Stills - Lola Stars and Stripes



A glossy exercise in noise-pop that resulted in many drunken nights with my hands in the air and no voice in the morning.

85: Interpol - NYC



I never fully jumped on the Interpol bandwagon when "Turn on the Bright Lights" came out, but it's impossible to deny that NYC is simply a fantastic song.

84: Band of Horses - The General Specific




Honestly, what's more fun than harmonizing while clapping your hands and stomping your feet?

83: Ambershades - Clap, Clap, Clap



The amount of fun that it sounds like Ambershades are having on this song is almost unfair. Makes me want to harmonize in a high-pitched Super Furry Animals-like voice too.

82: Coldplay - Brothers and Sister



I know what you're thinking... "Really? Brothers and Sisters? You're full of it."

For reasons that I cannot even begin to comprehend myself I simply love this song. I sang it accapella on the way to school senior year of high school every day (literally every damn day) because our family computer didn't have a CD burner.

81: Helio Sequence - Hallelujah



I've posted this video before, during my top ten of 2008(which was posted quite a ways into 2009, much like, it seems, my forthcoming 2009 list), so if anyone reading this didn't check it out previously, feel free to bask in the space-guitar stomp.

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Does anybody remember those carpet commercials from the 90s in which some deep, mysterious voice announced financing deals with such reverb and circumstance that it seemed the heavens would fall from the sky, all the while managing to come up with a ‘fresh’ rhyme every year?

“It’s a deal from heaven! You don’t pay ‘til 1997”
“Your payment will wait… until 1998!”
“You don’t pay a dime… until 1999!”

Well, do you? Maybe? Doesn’t really matter, the title of this post simply reminded me of those commercials.

On to the reasons why 2008 already is, and will continue to be, great!

The video for We Are Scientists’ “After Hours”:

We Are Scientists are quite possibly the perfect band: Insanely catchy songs, sweet haircuts, the occasional moustache (!), and top notch videos. With their first single off of their second (proper) album We Are Scientists have raised their game to a whole new level. “After Hours” is not only easily one of the best songs to be released thus far this year, the video is pure perfection. The boys from We Are Scientists have always shown a penchant for interesting and comical videos, but “After Hours” showcases their strange sense of humor melded with classic songwriting and a heartfelt honesty which serves as the foundation for most of their best work.

The video begins with Keith and Chris having a double date night. Unfortunately something goes horribly (and hilariously) wrong, much to the apparent satisfaction, and later, the dismay, of guitarist/vocalist Keith Murray.

Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv2_LSIujHk

The Return of Elbow

Anyone who knows either me or my fiancée Allison knows that we are obsessed with Manchester based band Elbow. This could stem from the fact that we once got drunk and bowled with them, but more likely is the result of the fact that they are simply one of the most innovative and interesting bands to ever produce music. Add in Guy Garvey’s distinctive and pitch perfect, soul-melting voice and there is no chance for us to ever wriggle away from the clutches of Elbow’s grip.

So it is with great excitement that we await the official release of Elbow’s fourth studio album, “The Seldom Seen Kid”. Although I do not advocate piracy, I have heard the new album many, many times already even though it has not been released yet and it is simply stunning. It’s already penciled in for the number one album of 2008 in my own eyes and I doubt many other albums will come close to measuring up to its loveliness. It is simply great.

For now surf on over to youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL4mywCOJXA and get a sampling of the album by listening to first single “Grounds for Divorce”: a rollicking, bluesy, tour-de-force of exploding guitars, thumping beats, chain-gang wailing, and Guy Garvey playing a mug, not to mention Pete working his bass like a madman.

While you’re at youtube do a search for Elbow’s video for “Fallen Angel” as well… you won’t be disappointed.

The Letter K

It has been revealed that the title of the new Coldplay album will be Prospekt, although Coldplay has sort of half-denied this despite using “Prospekt” all over the place. Either way, despite early reports that the album would have a “latin” feel to it, the last time Coldplay used a K where a C normally appears (Politik), the results were spot on genius. Here’s hoping that the fact that the new album could have a ridiculous K somewhere in it means it’ll be better than the last album which was just a bit too much on the cheese side of things.

Random Vowels

David Brewis from Field Music has just recently put out a new album under the name of School of Language, taking his fanciful view of modern indie-pop and putting a heavier, rockier spin on it. The results are quite enjoyable, particularly the songs “Rockist Part 1”, “Rockist Part 2”, “Rockist Part 3”, and, the best of the lot, “Rockist Part 4”. Anyone see a trend?

It’s true that four of the songs on the album are brothers with each being built off of one hell of a hypnotic and driving guitar riff, but the real treasure here is the backing track throughout each song. Brewis sings random vowels and phrases (ooo, aaa, eee, ayy, errr, iii, nnn), cuts them up, and then layers them behind the music to form sort of beat-boxing, random human phrase generator bit of weirdness which is strange at first, but which quickly gets stuck in one’s head. Brewis has already established himself as one of the revolutionaries of British indie-rock along with his brother Peter and his work on the School of Language album only solidifies his stance as a genius.

Here’s the video for “Rockist Part 1”, which apparently had a production budget of $10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loBjjI44V_E

In related Field Music awesomeness here’s the video to “She Can Do What She Wants” from my number 1 album of 2007, “Tones of Town”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3ml5_DgLSI



Keep checking back… this is going to be an ongoing series…

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