AWmusic

Next in the series:
Part 4: #1-25
#26 Teen Creeps by No Age (myspace/live)
I’m feeling regretful of not including Nouns in my list.
#27 Eraser by No Age (video/live)
Can be #26 (tied), both are equally good.
#28 Feel The Love by Cut Copy (myspace/live)
“All the girls I’ve known are crying” Conceited but catchy.
#29 Bare Feet On Wet Grip Tape by Chad VanGaalen (myspace)
Soft Airplane’s most accessible song.
#30 God? By The Dodos (myspace)
“Oh God, where’d you go?” Agnosticism at its finest?
#31 Ottoman by Vampire Weekend (myspace)
At least we got this song from a shitty movie.
#32 Beat (Health, Life and Fire) by Thao Nguyen With The Get Down Stay Down (myspace/live)
Upon listening to this track, I’ve become a big fan.
#33 Heart of Chambers by Beach House (myspace/video)
My favorite song off Devotion.
#34 Dying Is Fine by Ra Ra Riot (myspace/video-ep version)
Sounds emo without reference to this poem.
#35 Hitten by Those Dancing Days (myspace/video)
All girl indie pop bands ftw.
#36 Let’s All Sleep Together by Team Genius (myspace)
Orgies ftw. (All girl orgies ftw?)
#37 For Emma by Bon Iver (myspace/live)
This song is simple but captures the atmosphere of loneliness.
#38 The Modern Leper by Frightened Rabbit (myspace/live)
“You must be a masochist, to love a modern leper”
#39 Rabid Bits of Time by Chad Van Gaalen
Beautifully sung.
#40 Winter ’05 by Ra Ra Riot
This song makes Winter depressing. Sad in general.
#41 Agoraphobia by Deerhunter (myspace)
“Cover me, comfort me” is stuck in my head.
#42 Skeleton Man by The Evangelicals (myspace/live)
“When someone loves you very much, you’re fucked”
#43 Why Do You You Let Me Stay Here? By She and Him (myspace/video)
Fuck you Ben Gibbard!…oh I meant congrats.
#44 Move by Cansei De Ser Sexy (myspace/video)
Another catchy CSS track.
#45 Another World by Antony and The Johnsons (myspace/video)
Antony apparently doesn’t think much of us. Still beautiful though.
#46 Uncalibrated by Bridges and Powerlines (myspace/video)
This song puts the power into powerpop.
#47 Shut Up And Let Me Go by The Ting Tings (myspace/video)
The Ting Tings are a guilty pleasure.
#48 Poison Dart by The Bug ft. Warrior Queen (myspace/video)
My introduction to The Bug. I was amazed.
#49 My Year in Lists by Los Campesinos (myspace/video)
“Send me stationery to make me horny” Mail-sex ftw?
#50 I Hate Dell by Oldfolks Home (myspace)
Dell pissed off the wrong guy.

Set It Off by Girl Talk
Hands In The Air by Girl Talk

#19 Portishead – Third
Original Rating: 4.25 out of 5
I probably would’ve left this off my top 20 but the other writers have spoken. I was unsure about this album, I think it was going to an album I would forget and not listen to and that’s exactly what happened. Beth Gibbons has an amazing voice and Machine Gun will be on the best tracks of the year. I still feel like this album is a bit hit or miss, it’s definitely unique and stands on its own so there is merit to having it included in the top albums of the year discussion, I just happen to be one who disagrees that some of the music doesn’t work quite as well.
Machine Gun by Portishead
#18 Cut Copy – In Ghosts Colours
Rating: 4 out of 5
If you looked at previous scores, you’ll realize that 4 out of 5 is on the low side compared to other albums. I’ve got a good explanation. At first I wasn’t as impressed as many of my fellow bloggers and various other critics. I think this album takes time to grow and reach it’s full potential and this was 4 months or so after the initial review. It’s kind of hard to believe an electro album as a grower but In Ghost Colours is exactly that, there’s much to absorb in the initial listens and attention is diverted from the great moments at first. Top to bottom though this is a great album and I’m willing to admit my mistake.
Far Away by Cut Copy
Unforgettable Season by Cut Copy
#17 Pomegranates – Everything Is Alive
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
In my original review, I went on a rant on how people are scared of the word “Emo” and are willing to dismiss it off the bat. The Pomegranates aren’t full on emo but emotive indie rock would be a proper term to classify their music. With two lead singers they have arguably one of the better balances in indie, despite not many people hearing as much about them. I’ve seen some of the WORST reviews given to this band (not exactly bad reviews but actually poorly written ones). With a mix of keys and awesome guitar work, this album is definitely deserving of whatever praise its given despite being under the radar. This album is just way too good not to include it on this list.
In The Kitchen by Pomegranates
Appreciations by Pomegranates
With/Whom by Pomegranates
#16 She & Him – Volume One
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
At first, I felt like I was overrating this album but perseverance prevailed after writing the initial review and I’ve become a big fan of Zooey Deschanel’s songwriting and singing talent (not that’s she not hot or anything). While pop country/folk isn’t the most immediate genre that I would recall to liking Zooey makes the genre likable with romantic ballads about the various men in her life. It’s almost surprising at first how good this record actually is but it has won over quite a few people and if you’ve seen her live, you’ll see exactly how genuine her talent is. (She’s got a voice that rivals many established female vocalists).
Sentimental Heart by She and Him
Why Don’t You Let Me Stay Here by She and Him
#15 Those Dancing Days – In Our Space Hero Suits
Original Rating: 4.75 out of 5
I always have a spot for pure pop and usually one or two albums sneak into the end of the year lists but this all-girl group out of Sweden has released a solid album top to bottom with great singing from Linnea Jonsson. She really steals the show on tracks like Hitten and Home Sweet Home which features some singing in her foreign language. I’d actually like to hear what she could offer in a non-English song. Some pop albums are just undeniably good though I guess with indie records it’s customary to disregard these types of albums, it seems not as many people are finding out about this album due to this shyness. I do go back and forth on where this album belongs but I absolutely love it.
Hitten by Those Dancing Days
Space Hero Suits by Those Dancing Days
#14 Walkmen – You & Me
Original Rating: 4.75 out of 5
This was my first exposure to the Walkmen, which while difficult to admit, I’m glad I finally gave them a shot. The problem with this album (hardly any) is that I keep forgetting how good it really is. It’s an amazing subtle album that has its emotions wrapped into tiny crevices. I almost forgot to include it in my top 20 and sometimes I find it difficult to go back to which is why they may be lower on the list then you’d list. There are more then a few amazing tracks though but no real stand outs.
Canadian Girl by The Walkmen
In The New Year by The Walkmen

#13 Chad Van Gaalen – Soft Airplane
Original Rating: 4.25 out of 5
I’ll admit that the album score for this album is a little low but the album still has some flaws. However, I would qualify them a good flaws since it had to do with VanGaalen over experimenting in some sections of this album, so there really is no argument that this album isn’t great (I’m looking at you Now Magazine). VanGaalen experiments with a variety methods using some electronic elements in TMNT and his singing and writing is top notch. You probably wouldn’t know it but VanGaalen records this in his basement and he makes it sound like he’s in some expensive recording studio. Maybe he’s just super talented? He also creates the artwork to his own videos in addition to to the artwork on his album, showing us just how inhuman he actually is.
Bare Feet on Wet Grip Tape by Chad VanGaalen
Rabid Bits of Time by Chad VanGaalen

#12 Wolf Parade – At Mt. Zoomer
Original Rating: 4.75 out of 5
The best duo vocalists in indie rock, period. A Wolf Parade record is always a schizophrenic affair with Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner, they teamed up on super track Kissing The Beehive, however the lead up to grand finale is as good as you’ll find anywhere. I think the main problem with this record is that their first record was out of this world amazing that any album would be hard to top it. I am lamenting the fact that I was still on crutches when they came into town… The album itself is much less accessible then their predecessor but it explores more elements that the band didn’t show off on Apologies to the Queen Marry but bringing more of what they brought on their great side projects (Sunset Rubdow, Handsome Furs etc).
Fine Young Cannibals by Wolf Parade
Call It A Ritual by Wolf Parade
#11 Thao With the Get Down Stay Down – We Brave Bee Stings And All
Original Rating: 5 out of 5
When I first heard Beat (Health, Life and Fire), I instantly fell in love with Thao Nguyen and her backing band the Get Down Stay Down and it’s hard not to. She’s has an instant charm where she sings about kid and being an adult finding herself. I may have been overly too excited at first about this album but it does hold up strongly as Thao becomes one of my favorite singer-song writers. I really can’t say enough about her, she conveys duel emotions strong/weak, assertive/hesistant, strong and confidence and weak and shy all at the same moment. It really gives her an edge over many artists within the same genre.
Beat (Health, Life and Fire) by Thao Nguyen With The Get Down Stay Down
Geography by Thao Nguyen With The Get Down Stay Down

Being a sports writer at Sport Chit Chat (shameless plug) I’m glad it’s over as I can begin writing commentary on sports again. Then again, let’s celebrate it with a playlist.

1. Exo-Politics by Muse – the lead up before the games were all about politics
2. The Opening Act by Drive-By Truckers – the opening ceremony was amazing
3. Expecting by The White Stripes -as Canadians we expect to suck, Americans expect nothing else but gold
4. Gold Lion by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5. Swimming Pools by Thao Nguyen With The Get Down Stay Down
6. The First Five Times by Stars – it was jaw dropping after the first five times
7. You Are A Runner I Am My Father’s Son by Wolf Parade
8. Too Too Too Fast by Ra Ra Riot
9. Missing The Boat by Modest Mouse
10. Late Night Television by The Pomegranates
11. What’s My Age Again by Blink 182 – the age debate is comical
12. I Am History by The Bell

This show was actually really funny and most of all meaningful as a teen grows up in high school. The sad thing is that it wasn’t promoted and many viewers from outside of the US were forced to download the show via torrents. They also switched their lineup days and lost half their viewership. The Canadian channel fucked me over by not playing it and I looked forward to downloading this show weekly.

I guess the problem is that a sitcom with rather real situations when a Muslim exchange student is living in the US but it’s a shame that the stuff on TV is that popular do you people buy into that crap? This television show had SOUL and was just hilarious.. it didn’t glamorize the rich and fashion and the idiotic. It was believable and sometimes I just don’t understand why things are popular.. Like Undeclared, this show is only going to last one season. It’s officially canceled with one more episode to go. I think that I just hate people and “pop culture” in general or else shows like these would stay alive and that bitch Tila Tequila would be off the air. Like Undeclared this show is ahead of its time I guess. Judd Apatow sure has been successful since Fox are a bunch of retards. Stupid CW.

If you’re in the US you can watch episodes here. Otherwise just download the first and ONLY season on The Pirate Bay.

Watch the pilot here it still makes me laugh and I’ve seen this episode 50 times:

Right now I’m still pretty sad about the cancellation but here’s a playlist.

1. Futuristic Kids by Siberian
2. Subterranean Homesick Alien by Radiohead
3. Alone in The World by Everybody Else
4. Teen Creeps by No Age
5. Little Sister by Queens of The Stone Age
6. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin
7. Island of an Honest Man by Hot Hot Heat
8. F–K Up Kid by Kevin Drew
9. We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives by Los Campesinos!
10. Big Kid Table by Thao Nguyen & The Get Down Stay Down

First off Thao Nguyen (pronunciation is more like winn not new-yen which my friends had it as) is from Virginia originally and now out of Washington, DC and San Francisco. Together with her backing band The Get Down Stay Down, they combine elements of pop and folk with others mentioning Thao sounding like Cat Power and Feist. I think one the interesting things surround Thao Nguyen is when I mention her among friends. Some assume she’s from Vietnam singing in her native tongue, one thing for sure is that they definitely don’t have in mind what she sounds like. The fact that she’s Asian (as all of the writers here happen to be) doesn’t make a difference to me. She’s just that good. As a disclaimer, when it comes to females artists I am usually drooling over at how hot they are but I must say I don’t find Thao attractive (though her talent definitely makes her attractive) and even the other indie foxtresses like Jenny Lewis and Feist I don’t find that hot but I just love their music (my shallowness could explain why I’m still single).

Off to discuss “We Brave Bee Stings And All”. This album was released on January 29 so it’s flying under the radar with the likes of Vampire Weekend and Hot Chip getting considerable hype. It did get a respectable 7.7 from Pitchfork otherwise it seems rather quiet. The title seemed rather odd as it’s something I would say when I’m occasionally mumbling but the way Thao executes the same very lyrics in “Swimming Pools” with brilliance. I’m almost flabbergasted that she makes something that doesn’t seem to roll off the tongue sound so natural. Her voice is quite beautiful and it’s the type where I can fall asleep to like a baby. The album doesn’t have a specific theme and at times it feels rather random/obscure which I don’t mind at all, I didn’t fully see the interpretation that Pitchfork laid out but that’s what so great.

The album doesn’t necessarily demand your attention as it’s rather soft and mellowy but it will steal your heart if you let it.

This album is getting a 5 out of 5 from me. I strongly debated this as I feel the need to be more critical and not seen as some guy who gives a 5 for everything. This is my blog though so I’ll do as a please and I feel this album needs the recognition it deserves. I had a wonderful experience listening to this album the last few weeks and take my word for it that it’s absolutely flawless.

Beat (Health, Life and Fire) by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down


Geography by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down

Big Kid Table by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down

Get We Brave Bee Stings and All at Insound/CD Universe/Amazon