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The CHIRP Blog
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesComing Soon: Beats and Blogs, A Musical Hotspot at Subterranean
Mark your calendars now: on Saturday, December 18th, Betta Promotions and Loud Loop Press present a very special showcase of music, as well as a spotlight on 17 of Chicago’s local independent web focused music blogs, inclduing your’s truly, CHIRP Radio!
It all goes down at Subterranean (2011 North Avenue), where White Mystery, Hollows, Rabble Rabble and Radar Eyes will be rocking the house. More info will be posted shortly, but be sure to clear your schedules for what will be a great evening of music and community!
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesClarence Ewing’s Best of 2010
Throughout December CHIRP Radio presents its members' top albums of 2010. The next list is from CHIRP Radio's Assistant Online Media Director Clarence Ewing. (Click here to get the complete list of CHIRP Radio members' picks.)
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Sleigh Bells – Treats (Mom & Pop Music)
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The debut album from duo Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss is a hail storm of big, visceral, static-and-feedback-soaked fun, both anchored and elevated by the sugar and spice of Miller’s catchy-as-hell hooks and Krauss’ assured, flirty vocals. -
Delorean – Subiza (True Panther Sounds)
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Waves of sunny, pastel happiness from the Spanish former punk-rockers. It’s been said that great music transports you to other places. Whenever I listen to this album I want to be somewhere in southern Europe dancing on a beach. -
Laetitia Sadier – The Trip (Drag City)
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This solo effort from Stereolab's lead singer is an expertly crafted, urbane, emotionally open Euro-pop that reflects the melancholy of life without ever becoming maudlin. -
Avey Tare – Down There (Paw Tracks)
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Music as (swamp) water. Listening to Animal Collective or one of its members, I usually get the feeling I'm hearing something intensely personal, expressed digitally. Avey Tare’s solo album is no exception, as is his relentlessly unique uses of rhythm and song structure. -
The Depreciation Guild – Spirit Youth (Kanine)
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Sweeping, romantic guitar-and-synth dream-pop peppered with old-school computer blips. "Dream About Me" was my favorite single from this past summer. -
Reds and Blue – Son of the Stars (Addenda)
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Hip and groovy dance floor post-punk with a distinctly New Wave pop feel, due in no small part to Ellen Bunch’s sharp, slinky vocals. -
Azure Ray – Drawing Down the Moon (Saddle Creek)
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Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor use electronics and acoustic guitars to weave graceful and passionately intimate confessions, with vocals that only occasionally rise above a whisper. -
To Rococo Rot – Speculation (Domino)
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The Berlin trio with the palindromic name conjures up an engrossing collage of deep beats and atmospheric grooves, continuing post-rock’s style of meditation and experimentation. -
Various Artists – Tradi-Mods vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics (Crammed Discs)
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Various Western World artists explore and interpret the urban tribal music of Kinshasa, Congo, and create a kaleidoscope of unique hybrids that never lose the spirit of the source material. -
Blue Giant – Blue Giant (Vanguard)
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A vibrant blend of contemporary pop-country and alternative folk that alternates between thoughtful ballads and driving, anthemic jams.
Honorable Mentions
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Korallreven – "The Truest Faith" + "Loved-Up" + "Honey Mine" + "A Dream (Mix Tape)" (Acephale)
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To me, this Swedish duo’s hypnotic, celestial tracks don’t sound like the “Next Big Thing” as much as “The Next Step” in electronic music, where melodies, samples, effects and grooves all melt together until they become indistinguishable.
Some more outstanding singles from 2010...
Coltrane Motion, "I Forgot There Was a War On"
El Guincho, "Bombay" (including the [NSFW] video)
How to Dress Well, "Ready for the World"
The Radio Dept., "Heaven's On Fire"
Twin Shadow, "Savannah Howel" and "Slow"
Laura Veirs, "Sleeper in the Valley"
Warpaint, "Undertow"
Zola Jesus, "I Can't Stand"
Richard Paul - The Quest writesRichard Paul’s Best of 2010
Chirp Radio's Best of 2010 continues with selections from CHIRP DJ Richard Paul.
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The Books – The Way Out (Temporary Residence)
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We've all always known these guys were geniuses. This is their absolute masterpiece. -
Four Tet – There Is Love In You (Domino)
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Everything this man touches turns to gold. That is 100% accurate for his remixes. After Everything Ecstatic, I was a little worried about his full-length work though. There is Love in You proves Kieren Hebden still has some Rounds left in him yet. -
Pantha du Prince – Black Noise (Rough Trade)
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Track after track of sheer brilliance. -
Hot Chip – One Life Stand (Astralwerks)
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Enjoyable, feel-good album. Noteworthy tracks are "Brothers" and "Alley Cats." -
Faux Pas – Noiseworks (Sensory Projects/Heroics)
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A full-length can't be full enough from Australia's Tim Shiel. After several EPs and sporadic demos this was a very welcome treat in 2010. Highly recommend you frequent his personal blog. -
Foals – Total Life Forever (Sub Pop)
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Solid tracks from UK's Foals. One of the most chill-giving songs of the year, "Spanish Sahara." -
Twin Sister – Color Your Life (Infinite Best)
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Seems this is the most underrated album of the year. Flew low under the radar with songs that should be getting much more time in the spotlight. -
The Chap – Well Done Europe (Lo Recordings)
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I thought these guys were done for with their past two releases being bombs, but they pulled out some nice songs true to their old style in this album. -
Caribou – Swim (Merge)
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Every song is good on this album. But I felt they were all rather similar; the album played it kinda on the safe side, not very exploring. This knocked it back a few spots on my list. -
Balmorhea – Constellations (Western Vinyl)
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I love me some instrumental post-rock.
Close Call
Still havent gotten around to listening to this album all the way through, but sounds to me like one of the years best albums.Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Ozzy Osbourne Edition
He’s the Prince of Darkness, the man driving the Crazy Train, the drug/alcohol waste case who we can laugh with while we also laugh at him. There was a time when Black Sabbath was merely a critically reviled, commercially successful heavy metal band, who many figured would fade out memory. Instead, the Sabs are now highly respected and Ozzy is both a musical and comedic icon. Perhaps he’s lost his menace, but he’s now a pop culture touchstone. Regardless, those Sabbath platters and early solo albums still sound great. So let’s wish Ozz a happy birthday by grabbing the iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle and sharing the first 10 tunes that come up.
- Jim Carroll Band — Three Sisters (Catholic Boy): When I was in high school, this was punk rock. Carroll wrote aggressive, sometimes raunchy or tasteless lyrics, with hyper backing. As time as passed, the music sounds a bit tamer (slightly more spunky than The Rolling Stones or New York Dolls), but Carroll’s attitude still carries the day. This is a really playful number.
- The Jam — In The Street Today (This Is The Modern World): An early Jam number that sounds like a cousin of the classic “In the City”. It has a nice Mod bounce, with Rick Buckler’s drumming really keeping things peppy.
- The Dismemberment Plan — A Life Of Possibilities (Emergency & I): The Dismemberment Plan are a band who either you know about and have a high opinion of, or you have never heard of them. If you are in the latter category, you should really give them a listen, or, better yet, see them live, now that they are doing a reunion tour. There is an emo aspect to their music, but their best music mixes in some arty ideas, especially some of the most interesting use of rhythms (both through drums and bass and guitar lines) since the heyday of the Talking Heads. This is intelligent music that is still pretty darned accessible. They may have been ahead of their time.
- Chuck Berry — Johnny B. Goode (Gold): Chuck will be playing in town on New Year’s Day, and I’m excited to have tickets for the show. You can’t overstate his greatness, both as an early rock ‘n’ roll innovator, or as one of the best lyricists in rock history. This song is his calling card, with the classic oft-copied lead guitar line, acting as the primary hook. But one should also appreciate Chuck’s interplay with the rollicking piano during the instrumental break.
- Pansy Division — Best Revenge (Absurd Pop Song Romance): Between the Illinois civil union law’s passage and the debate over rescinding Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, we are learning who has a really hard time dealing with gay people. This Pansy Division song has a great message on how to deal with the homophobes — as Jon Ginoli sings, “Happiness is the best revenge.” This is a stomping rocker that PD tears into with gusto, a highlight from their best full length.
- The Smugglers — To Serve, Protect & Entertain (Growing Up Smugglers): A short sharp shock of punk-pop from this underrated Vancouver, B.C. band. Compared to most punk-poppers, the Smugs have a real affinity for traditional rock ‘n’ roll and then just play it like they had a few cups of coffee too many. They lived up to this song’s motto.
- Flop — Mendel’s White Trash Laboratory (Whenever You’re Ready): Flop was kinda punky and kinda power pop — they sometimes sounded like a cross between Buzzcocks and Game Theory, which was accentuated by Rusty Willoughby’s sorta whiny vocals. Their second album is full of whimisical melodies with odd lyrics married to pile driving rock.
- Fabulous Poodles — Pinball Pinup (His Master’s Choice): Due to a couple of singles that could pass of as “new wave,” the Poodles were marketed as a hip band. But they were really a Kinks-inspired observational pop band, who stood out because the lead instrument on most of their songs was a violin. This is a lesser song of their, but it would sound real good next to The Kinks’ “Celluloid Heroes” with its dramatic sound.
- Cherrelle — I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On (Fragile): This is one of the best Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis productions. The melody is a little pinched, but that’s okay, because Cherrelle wasn’t the greatest singer of all-time (but much better than Janet Jackson). But the rhythm track is killer. Jam and Lewis pull out all of the stops, using an array of keyboards and some wild programmed drums to create a hyper catchy dance floor monster. Sadly, this song never broke big and Robert Palmer later did a pallid third-rate cover of it that was a bigger hit.
- The Nines — Distance That Remains (Properties of Sound): The Nines are a Canadian pop band whose singer sounds a fair amount like Andy Partridge. The Nines’ music is a mix of ’60s Beach Boys sunniness and ’70s AM gold. This is a really pretty number.
Dylan Peterson writesDylan Peterson’s Best of 2010
CHIRP Radio's Best of 2010 continues with a list from DJ Dylan Peterson.
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Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Def Jam)
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A lot of great albums came out in 2010, but none with quite as much hype as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. In an age when downloading a zip file is the primary means of adding to our music collection, Kanye took advantage of our eager-to-download habits instead of pretending it's still the 1900's. He says it best in "Power": "I'm livin' in a 21st century, doin' something mean to it, do it better than anybody you ever seen do it." He's still just as audacious as he was on College Dropout, and the bravado is as entertaining as ever.
The marketing alone clued us in that this album was going to be huge. Releasing a free song download on his website every week. Directing his own short film. Orchestrating the most memorable live music performance on TV this decade. By the time we're able to even hear the album, it's a miracle we're not underwhelmed. But great albums deserve a lot of hype. Over the last decade, I almost forgot that truth. Kanye made me anxious for an album in 2010. I can't remember the last time I felt that. -
Delorean – Subiza (True Panther Sounds)
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Subiza is the soundtrack for summer days at the city beach, dethroning whatever Beach Boys album that was there for the past 40 years. I had the pleasure of seeing Delorean live this year, which is always a helpful way to more fully understand a recorded album. After seeing their show, I realized that the purpose of Delorean's music is pure enjoyment. Subiza is a bringer of happy thoughts and pleasant dreams, whether it's heard in headphones or a live show. -
The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt and Sometimes the Blues is Just A Passing Bird [EP] (Dead Oceans)
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The Wild Hunt alone is enough to garner a top three spot, but a five song EP never hurt anybody either. The Tallest Man On Earth stretched just a little bit from his acoustic finger-pickin' debut, Shallow Graves, playing more electric guitar and even a little piano in 2010. But the strongest skill of the artist isn't his playing style, which can be heard by the most boring classical guitar virtuosos of the world, Matsson is first and foremost a songwriter. His songs have a timeless quality that seem neither old or new, but just right for whatever time they're being heard. -
Menomena – Mines (Barsuk)
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I didn't expect a "grower" for the new Menomena album, but in retrospect, I guess they were due for one. The band's first three albums hit immediately and satisfyingly. Mines is different. It requires repeat listens. Its beauty is subtle, but possibly more potent than any other Menomena album. -
Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
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I'm still surprised by this ranking. I never really cared about Beach House, but I can listen to Teen Dream at any time of the day, during any season, and I won't skip a track on the album. There's a quiet magic in this music, something simple but something that plunges deep into my psyche. It doesn't transfer over to the live setting very well, but if I can enjoy an album for 12 months out of the year it automatically gets a spot in the top 5. -
The Books – The Way Out (Temporary Residence)
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One of my favorite bands remains. I trust the Books. I can't imagine this gimmick's effect wearing off anytime soon either. The staple that will always keep the Books interesting is their humor. As long as they're funny, and not topically so, we'll remember this music. A surreal absurdity blesses their music in the same way Monty Python had the good graces of silliness. The effect is universal and timeless, and occasionally a laugh riot. -
Here We Go Magic – Pigeons (Secretly Canadian)
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We're too suspicious of musicians. We see talented players, and we condemn them for not having enough heart. But when I listen to Here We Go Magic, I set aside my suspicions. These talents are well placed, like the best Frank Zappa or Radiohead albums. Patience and intelligence are epicenters of Pigeons, prophesying a world of auditoriums and amphitheaters for future Here We Go Magic concerts. And the bigger the better. This is the sort of band I wouldn't mind becoming more popular than Coldplay. They have what it takes too. -
Laura Veirs – July Flame (Raven Marching Band Records)
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July Flame is one of those nearly perfect albums that nobody will remember in a few years. But whenever it comes back on in the shuffle we'll still smile. It's an example of songwriting as king. There is no marketing tactic, no hype machine that can compete with a skilled songwriter. Veirs is one of the best working today, and even if no one recognizes it, the music gods will remain with her and keep her listeners at peace. -
Wolf Parade – Expo 86 (Sub Pop)
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If Canadian power pop could be epitomized, it is Expo 86. By LP number three, Wolf Parade sounds less interested in proving themselves, and more apt to just rock out. It's the Wilco effect, for Canada. Whereas Arcade Fire felt the same old pressure to create a powerfully anthemic album for their day in age, Wolf Parade simply turned their dial up to 11. In my opinion, it's much more enjoyable to simply rock well, for wisdom knows that even grandiosity can become monotonous. -
Janelle Monáe – The Archandroid (Atlantic)
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Like a good Kanye West album, Janelle Monae created something paradoxically eclectic and accessible. The ArchAndroid doesn't follow the formula of a typical pop record, and that's why we love it. All of the hooks and melodies are there for mainstream radio success, but the unpredictability of the album is what earns Janelle heaps of respect from critics and the more stingy listeners like me.