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Matt Garman writesMatt Garman’s Best of 2010
Throughout December CHIRP Radio presents its members' top albums of 2010. The next list is from CHIRP Radio DJ Matt Garman.
(Click here to get the complete list of CHIRP Radio members' picks.)
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Spoon – Transference (Merge)
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The reason Spoon is my favorite working studio band today: sharp, clean pop songs; a skewed, restrained approach to recording; lyrics that emotionally resonate without being trite; and Britt Daniel's enviably raspy voice. I love Spoon, and on a certain level wish I were their bass player. ("Who Makes Your Money") -
Menomena – Mines (Barsuk)
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The fourth (or third) album from this Portland experimental pop trio is what resulted from a dark period in the personal lives of all the members. Ruptured relationships abound. Their eclectic approach to songwriting and instrumentation is magic in my ears, topped by huge, thumping, walloping drums. ("Taos" and "Five Little Rooms") -
Les Savy Fav – Root For Ruin (Frenchkiss)
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The NYC band's fifth album of accessible post-hardcore is rife with meaty hooks, compelling shout/singing, and eloquent lyrics. While it's just weird enough to keep the normals at bay, Root For Ruin is the group's straightest shot at success thus far, and whether they break through or not, it sure is extraordinary fun. ("Excess Energies") -
The Ruby Doe – Getting Ahead In The Music Business (Hometown Tragedy)
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This uncompromising Seattle trio delivers powerful, heavy music incorporating elements of math rock, thrash metal and hardcore punk. Standing at the peak of their powers and perhaps a little pissed, the band's 4th LP hits like a merciless lahar of mud and lava. It's a wonder they're not from Chicago. ("Papermate") -
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone (Anti)
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An instant Chicago classic from a soul-music legend, produced by an indie rock hero, Jeff Tweedy. The songs here are heavily gospel-oriented with an eye toward the blues. Staples' voice is warm and relaxed, the instrumentation balanced and subtle, and the performances are sensitive. Open up, this is a raid. ("You Are Not Alone") -
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding (Merge)
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Taking a decade-long hiatus brought this NC band full circle to a sonic space familiar to their fans: melodic, crunchy power-pop built atop a punk ethos. Where they had been gradually softening their tone as of ten years ago, Majesty Shredding is a blistering return to form that shows no signs of lag. Many bands have ripped Superchunk off; none have done it better. ("Digging For Something") -
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Let It Sway (Polyvinyl)
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Exuberant pop from the Springfield, Missouri quartet makes the strongest effort in their ten-year history. The band's exhilirating choruses and catchy hooks recall pop stalwarts Big Star and classic Fountains Of Wayne, while the mid-tempo numbers evoke The Smiths' maudlin Britpop. Plus, indiecelebrity Chris Walla from Death Cab co-produced! ("Sink/Let It Sway") -
The Bismarck – Great Plains (Pride of Dakota)
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Loud, angry Midwestern post-hardcore from a band of ex-North Dakotans. Their dark, blistering, snarky rock, full of vitriol and relentless heat, screaming vocals and frenetic guitars awaken my repressed inner punk. The Bismarck are named after a battleship, a city, a statesman, a delicious pastry, all of the above, or nothing at all. ("Poor Born") -
Devo – Something for Everybody (Warner Bros.)
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DEVO's 9th studio album, their first in 20 years, market-tested to fans before release, is a solid comeback worthy of their enduring cultlike influence. Using signature robotic blips and distorted guitars, DEVO builds concise new-wave pop jams, cleverly packed with their reliably cynical, political lyrics. Crack that whip! ("Fresh") -
Rusty Willoughby – Cobirds Unite (Local 638)
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Acoustic, roots-tinged pop from one of the Pacific Northwest's most gifted, underrated singer-songwriters. Willoughby crafts gentle, irresistibly hummable, dark country-folk tunes with honeyed vocals. You may remember him as the lead singer of Seattle power-pop bands Flop and Pure Joy, but here he strikes a chord that sounds closer to the heart. ("Wrecker of Hearts")
Top 3 EPs of 2010
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The Lonely Forest – The Lonely Forest E.P. (Trans-Atlantic)
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Crisp, buoyant pop from this Anacortes, Washington band's s/t EP, polished and grounded, permeated by catchy choruses and a defiantly small-town outlook in the lyrics. The band's fiendishly earwormy approach to pop songwriting is augmented by lifelong friendships between the members. (Turn Off This Song And Go Outside") -
Future Islands – Undressed (Thrill Jockey)
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The Baltimore synthpop band performed acoustic versions of their songs in an art gallery, and decided to release the result as an EP on vinyl. These organic renderings display a warmth ordinarily hidden behind a chilly, computed exterior. I also enjoy the striking resemblance this recording bears to The The! ("In The Fall") -
Sóley – Theatre Island (Morr Music)
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This Icelandic singer-songwriter's debut EP is pretty, delicate, and a little bit weird amorphous in places. Being a fool for sprightly piano pop, this release pushed all my happy buttons. Sóley has that classic elfin quality you expect from all Icelandic people: childlike but somehow sophisticated at the same time, and maybe a little magical? ("Theatre Island")
Top Series of Monthly Singles of 2010
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Half Acre Day – Lunar Singles (Right Mind Media)
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This indie pop band boasts five songwriters who each bring a distinctive style to the table, while contributing to one another's work in a way that allows Half Acre Day's overall sound to gel. Their challenge for the year was to write, record and release a new song each month (on an unsigned band's budget, with day jobs), and the result is an album's worth of confident, nuanced, catchy rock. Get one, or get them all. ("Skeletons")
Karin Fjellman writesTONIGHT! CHIRP Night at the Whistler with Ken Camden & Magical Beautiful!
Join CHIRP tonight, Monday, December 20, at the Whistler for an ethereal evening with improvisational guitarist Ken Camden, accompanied by the experimental DIY rock explosion Magical Beautiful — both local acts you won’t want to miss. CHIRP receives a percentage of bar sales from the evening, and CHIRP DJs spin after the performance.
Released in March of this year, songs from Ken Camden’s debut album “Lethargy & Repercussion” promise to be powerfully enchanting. The album title alone sets the mood for a single malt of melody. ‘Birthday’ opens the album with carefully plucked guitar solos that sound like stars and the album ambiently moves to rusty experimental techno. Expect to hear live variations of songs from the album or new improvisational experiments. The guitarist will most likely navigate his way through warmth of new texture and sound in the presence of an active audience.
Magical Beautiful is sure to continue to lend trance-like live music manipulation to the scene. Formally trained and performing from the ground up, the quartet has a penchant for innovation and ritualistic sound. Songs like ‘Ghetto Tourist’ bring both synth and reggae into the band’s tinny, heavy soundscape. Well-known in the Chicago improvisation scene, Magical Beautiful will impressively add to the dream-like sequence of upbeat electronica, percussion, and acoustic experimentalism. With never a dull moment in its search for rhythm and a history of improvising with some of Chicago’s most well-respected musicians, this band can’t help but enchant you.
A perfect pairing for CHIRP and the Whistler, the combined sequence of Camden and Magical Beautiful will certainly lend to a low-lit evening of listening, mixology, and sound.
-Sondra Morin
Ken Camden ([url=http://www.myspace.com/kencamden]http://www.myspace.com/kencamden[/url])
Magical Beautiful ([url=http://www.myspace.com/magicalbeautiful]http://www.myspace.com/magicalbeautiful[/url])
The Whistler ([url=http://www.whistlerchicago.com/]http://www.whistlerchicago.com/[/url])
9:30pm – 2am
No cover
Percentage of bar sales benefits CHIRP
CHIRP DJs spin before and after bands!
Raffle tickets sold throughout the night — win killer prizes!
Erin Van Ness writesErin Van Ness’ Best of 2010
Throughout December CHIRP Radio presents its members' top albums of 2010. The next list is from CHIRP Radio's Development Director, Erin Van Ness.
(Click here to get the complete list of CHIRP Radio members' picks.)
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The Tallest Man on Earth – Wild Hunt (Dead Oceans)
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What more do you need than a man and his guitar? Judging from this album, not one thing. -
Hey Marsailles – To Travels and Trunks (Onto Entertainment)
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Songs about love, breakups, and traveling to get over it, coupled with lots of instrumentation like piano, violins, trumpet, and accordion—it’s like this album was made for me. -
Dinosaur Feathers – Fantasy Memorial (Dinosaur Feathers)
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I don’t even know how to describe the sound of this album, but it’s fun, with funky beats, a good vibe, and a just a pinch of eccentricity that makes me want to listen to it over and over again. -
Jenny and Johnny – I'm Having Fun Now (Warner Bros.)
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And so am I! This is the Jenny Lewis album I have been waiting for since Rilo Kiley’s More Adventurous. -
Owen Pallett – Heartland (Domino)
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Heavy orchestration. Stunning textural layers and complexity. Sounds like drinking a fine wine. -
LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening (DFA)
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The fun and humor are still here, but there’s also a lot more emotion and honesty in this album that was lacking in previous efforts. -
Janelle Monáe – The Archandroid (Atlantic)
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Genre-bending songs combined with ridiculously catchy hooks make this album an all-around standout. -
Junip – Fields (Mute)
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Jose Gonzalez’s voice is hypnotic, and each song on this album has this mysterious feel to it that just kind of puts me under a trance-like spell that isn’t over until the music stops. Absolutely beautiful. -
Breathe Owl Breathe – Magic Central (Hometapes)
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Songs about a pen pal relationship between a princess and a dragon and a love of swimming are just kooky enough to be endearing instead of outright odd. -
Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me (Drag City)
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Weird and whimsical, but also smart and stunning and magical.
Runner Up:
I can put this album on at a party and absolutely everyone will find something they like about it. Bonus points for including a sample of “Hocus Pocus” by Focus, which was one of my favorite songs as a kid.Matt DeRose writesMatt DeRose’s Best of 2010
Throughout December CHIRP Radio presents its members' top albums of 2010. The next list is from CHIRP Radio DJ Matt DeRose.
(Click here to get the complete list of CHIRP Radio members' picks.)
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Mimicking Birds – Mimicking Birds (Glacial Pace)
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The ultimate grower. Subtle. Restrained. Consistently heartbreaking. More, please. Favorite Song: "Pixels" -
Phosphorescent – Here's to Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)
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Matthew Houck’s moody, atmospheric, perfectly executed opus. Favorite Song: "Los Angeles" -
Suckers – Wild Smile (Frenchkiss)
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An indie rock buffet – a little bit of something for everyone. Favorite Song: "You Can Keep Me Runnin’ Around" -
Active Child – Curtis Lane [EP] (Filter US Recordings)
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When you’re this efficient, short and sweet gets the job done just fine. Favorite Song: "I’m In Your Church At Night" -
Sun Airway – Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier (Dead Oceans)
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It’s like Chris Martin wasn’t dying to be Bono. Favorite Song: "Oh, Naoko" -
Small Black – New Chain (Jagjaguwar)
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I’m not sure I’ll have fully digested this one for a while yet. Favorite Song: "Hydra" -
Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
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Teen Dream’s a slippery little gem but it sure is pretty. Favorite Song: "Real Love" -
Frightened Rabbit – Winter of Mixed Drinks (Fat Cat)
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Who knows how long I’ll love this album, or this band, but for now they’re hitting the spot perfectly. Favorite Song: "Foot Shooter" -
The Books – The Way Out (Temporary Residence)
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A lopsided effort from a great band with a few of the year’s best songs. Favorite Song: "All You Need Is A Wall" -
Lower Dens – Twin–Hand Movement (Gnomonsong)
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Whiskey to Beach House’s soda. Favorite Song: "I Get Nervous"
10 Singles from other Albums:
Damien Jurado, “Cloudy Shoes”
Emeralds, “Candy Shoppe”
Eskmo, “Cloudlights”
Shearwater, “Castaways”
Menomena, “Tithe”
Black Dub, “Surely”
The National, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
Breathe Owl Breathe, “Lion’s Jaw”
Bear Hands, “Belongings”
Foals, “Miami”
Shawn Campbell writesLocal Community Radio Act Passes Congress
After ten years of effort by low power FM activists, the Local Community Radio Act has passed Congress and goes to President Obama for his signature!
CHIRP volunteers and supporters have worked to pass the Local Community Radio Act since the organization’s founding in 2007. The bill’s passage means that the FCC will be able to license hundreds of new LPFM radio stations – stations licensed at 100 watts or below – nationwide.
What does this mean for CHIRP? The path to a LPFM signal for station hopefuls in the country’s largest markets still will face a tough, but not impossible, road. With the power to license back in the hands of the FCC, the hope is that groups in top five markets like Chicago will be able to use alternative means of finding space on the dial. The FCC has expressed openness to these methods.
Now that the bill has passed, we should learn in coming weeks and months just what new LPFM applicants can expect from the FCC.
Regardless of what the future holds in terms of a broadcast license for CHIRP, this is a tremendous victory for the country’s media democracy movement. We’re so excited to be a part of it, and are optimistic that we can work with the FCC to find a path to a broadcast license.
Thank you so much to all our wonderful supporters and volunteers for all the work you have done over the years, writing letters, making phone calls, and generally spreading the word about this issue. You made this victory possible!