band meme

The first article you get here is your band name.

The last 4 or 5 words of the very last quote here is your album title.

The third picture here is your cover art.

Now throw it together and post that sucker.

My band is called Yves Boël. The album is "Sorry for the convenience." Here's the album art:

Best Albums of 2008: #1: Evangelicals: The Evening Descends

1. Evangelicals: The Evening Descends

This album has a very strong sense of identity and performs it with a delicacy that one would almost never expect from a band with such an aura of drama and enchantment. Enchanted is exactly what I am every time that I listen to The Evening Descends because of the fantastic scenes it evokes. It is glam in the dark, glitter that you know is there but doesn’t sparkle so much as reflect creepy-green light into a smoke-filled space in which even the sad kids’ eyes sparkle as they play the theramin. There are time-traveling interruptions, like an aural strobe light flashing between long shots, mise-en-scene alternating with montage. Time and space are out of joint, and that is precisely what it means to be present in the moment that the album creates.

It occurred to me a few months ago when seeing Evangelicals how much watching Josh Jones sing must feel like being at One-Eyed Jack’s. There is something obviously unsettling about it, but it is really beautiful nonetheless. That something so dark and curious can still manage to feel as if it belongs in the stack of CDs in my car, alongside a bunch of old, energetic punk rock albums, says something about the part of my mind that it appeals to—the part that needs drama and variation to maintain interest, but can absorb pure affect when it is done well. Luckily, it is done extraordinarily well here, though it is difficult to write about non-phenomenologically.

Anyways, that's the list. You can link to the rest below. I can't really believe it took me 2 months to do all of it, but I will say that I'm glad I took the time to do it and I'm doubly glad that most of my friends did not have Vampire Weekend on their lists.

Happy Valentine's Day to those who celebrate it!

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #2: The Magnetic Fields: Distortion
Best of 2008: #3: Deerhunter: Microcastle
Best of 2008: #4: The Walkmen: You & Me
Best of 2008: #5: Gentleman Jesse and His Men
Best of 2008: #6: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
Best of 2008: #7: Okkervil River: The Stand-ins
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

Best Albums of 2008: #2: The Magnetic Fields: Distortion

2. The Magnetic Fields: Distortion

Truth be told, Distortion started off way lower on the list. For some reason, in memory it is never as great as in experience, a fault that I attribute to the very idea of the concept album. In memory, Distortion will always be that album in which Stephin Merritt tried his hand at Psychocandy, just as i will always be the album on which every song starts with the letter “I” (rather than the album that features career-defining songs like “I thought you were my boyfriend” and “I don’t believe you).

There is something, though, about the experience of listening to any of these albums that makes you think to yourself, this is the kind of extraordinary genius that lesser songwriters only wish they could achieve. There is immense risk and creativity involved in every song, every album, the kind of creativity that manages to include its own voice no matter what form it takes. I’ve spent almost half of my life listening to Stephin Merritt’s work and I honestly fall in love with him again with each song.

The experience of Distortion, to me, was like going on a bunch of dates with someone who, at first, I found boring despite their quirks, but eventually came to understand and love. Their jokes were always funny but it felt like something was hiding, and when it finally came out it, the fact that I had slowly fallen in love hit me really hard. You know what I am talking about—that moment in which all of the excesses seem to fall away and you are confronted with something much smarter and more significant than you are.

Anyway, that is kind of how all of my Stephin Merritt experiences go, in one way or another, but each one gives me a different form or substance to latch onto after the initial honeymoon period has fizzled away. With Distortion, it was the snarkiness and willingness to create ridiculous characters that are altogether unashamed of who they are. They do not apologize for wielding axes or having forbidden fantasies, and despite being fictional characters, they feel more authentic than most people I know. And I’m kind of in love with all of them.

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #3: Deerhunter: Microcastle
Best of 2008: #4: The Walkmen: You & Me
Best of 2008: #5: Gentleman Jesse and His Men
Best of 2008: #6: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
Best of 2008: #7: Okkervil River: The Stand-ins
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

Best Albums of 2008: #3: Deerhunter: Microcastle

3. Deerhunter: Microcastle

Deerhunter is a really good band from the ATL, and I really admire the way they started from incredibly humble roots and ended up where they are now. I was listening to Microcastle on the way to LA on the plane’s XM radio a few weeks ago, and it occurred to me that the speed of technological development has made such encounters almost inevitable. If it hadn’t been Deerhunter, it would have been the Black Lips or another successful local band.

Truthfully, this is the first album of theirs that I could actually get into. It has a lot of stylistic variety, and this may be what has given it some more mainstream appeal and contributed to its popularity. I just really feel like there isn’t a song on this album that could have been made in a different historical moment, and that’s why there’s something about it that stays with you and makes you quietly say, “wow” to yourself long after the disc has ended.

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #4: The Walkmen: You & Me
Best of 2008: #5: Gentleman Jesse and His Men
Best of 2008: #6: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
Best of 2008: #7: Okkervil River: The Stand-ins
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

Best Albums of 2008: #4: The Walkmen: You & Me

4. The Walkmen: You & Me

This is an album that sat on my shelf for awhile before I opened it. It was like this object that I approached with trepidation, because I knew there was something explosive inside that I needed to be ready to experience. One day, while drafting a pattern for a dress, I got out this old CD player, removed the shrinkwrap, and went to town with pink tulle.

It was an odd juxtaposition, I must say, but a romantic one. My stark dining room-turned-sewing paradise transformed into:
-a dreamy island at dusk
-a new year’s eve party in which I sat in a large ballroom full of people and felt completely alone
-a stage with blue and white lights. Bob Dylan’s hair. His voice and his guitar.

I know the Dylan reference is the #1 thing people notice about this band, but I can’t help but wonder what the Walkmen would be without that voice. There’s something so sexy about it, not only because of what it evokes but also because of what it promises—our own generational Dylan, our own generational musical genius. Sure, he isn’t as iconic and probably not as lyrically talented yet. But I am rooting for him and I can see this being a band that stays with me for a very, very long time.

And, a video from Vincent Moon:

The Walkmen - On the Water from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #5: Gentleman Jesse and His Men
Best of 2008: #6: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
Best of 2008: #7: Okkervil River: The Stand-ins
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

2/7/09: The Submarines at the DU

This was a really exciting show for me, because I needed this kind of undying and adorable optimism in my life, especially now that everything is getting super busy and out of control.

First, there was a xylophone covered in pink daisies. Then there was a drumset with white daisies. Then there was Blake in Swedish pigtail braids and a cute little sailor dress. Then there was John, who is a thousand times hotter in real life, with the kind of dimples that are about 3 inches long and. And then they would seriously gaze into each other's eyes with these goofy smiles. It was out of control.

And then there was music. The setlist was to be expected-- a lot of new stuff to appeal to the crowd, and just a couple of songs (but really the best ones) from Declare a New State. My enjoyment of "Vote" was disrupted by DancingFurryRussianHatBro on my right and SeizureFlailingBro on my left, but I'm not complaining too much. At least the rest of the bros knew to keep to themselves. Or they didn't want their ugly polos to get sweaty. And yes, I actually did hear an entire exchange about a couple that discovered the Submarines from the iPod commercial. Ironic, given what that song is about. I'm tired and have had so much cute overload today that I can't stand it. Actually I can.

<3 u submarines.

Best Albums of 2008: #5: Gentleman Jesse & His Men: Gentleman Jesse & His Men

5. Gentleman Jesse and His Men- Gentleman Jesse and His Men

There is a power pop revival happening in the ATL, the kind that shoves all of the crappy pop punk bands out of the way and evokes something much older and more authentic. That this revival is occurring within what appears to be a community of old school punk rockers is curious but also reveals true artistry and a dedication to the craft of music. Gentlemen Jesse and His Men pay homage to old school power pop without being too sentimental and even without following that much in the footsteps of bands like the Exploding Hearts, to whom they are compared a lot. The Modern Lovers comparison is much more accurate, IMO. Gentleman Jesse would have been a worthy adversary and competitor for Jonathan Richman if they had appeared a few decades earlier, though I feel like they have a few albums to go before producing something that influential.

That said, this album is so nostalgia-evoking that its hard not to love it in its totality, even if it does at times get repetitive. It is a homage to a very different moment in musical history, and it pays this tribute skillfully, albeit at times with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Best of all, it creates a contemporary space for sweetness and poppy beats in a musical in a moment and local scene defined by its edginess. These songs have helped me survive many hours of ATL traffic, boring late nights, and lonely hours in which my record player was my only solace. And, it’s kind of cool to see these guys walking around in my neighborhood, too.

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #6: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
Best of 2008: #7: Okkervil River: The Stand-ins
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

Best Albums of 2008: #6: Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes

6. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes

It was really hard to decide where to put this in relation to The Stand-Ins because both are so successfully literary and lyrically strong. Fleet Foxes won the battle because the have the badassery of lumberjacks. I’m not joking. I love lumberjacks, except for the cutting down trees part. Everything else, though—the plaid flannel, the beards, all of the nature references. I’m reminded of Paul Bunyan and snow, mountains and birds, the Rockies and Appalachia. Aesthetics aside, this is a really stunning album, one that demonstrates lyrical and compositional abilities that make it almost universally accessible and timeless. I look forward to anything these guys do in the future. As long as there is no shaving of the beards.



Related posts:
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

Best Albums of 2008: #7: Okkervil River: The Stand-ins

7. Okkervil River: The Stand-ins

The Stand-Ins is slower and brighter than The Stage Names, albeit substantially more morbid. It takes up the sad, slow-motion suicides of the slightly-famous with such grace that they can hardly be cliché, and manages to sound considerably less depressing than the band’s earlier albums while doing it. It kind of reminds me, actually, of Zadie Smith’s novel, The Autograph Man, in which the characters waste their lives away but the book’s quirky tone distracts from the melancholy. Like Smith’s characters, Sheff’s are self-absorbed, entitled, and always fragile in their complexity. They are never just as they appear. We encounter them as they perceive themselves to be, and again as they are. In the space between narcissistic self-understanding and engagement with the world, real human dramas escalate into events far too serious to be understood through the lenses of fame or wealth. The Stand-ins ingeniously captures the moment in which being a rock star is not what its mythology promises, and for that alone, it was one of my favorite albums of this year.

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro

Best Albums of 2008: #8: MGMT: Oracular Spectacular

8. MGMT: Oracular Spectacular

Make fun of me all you want, this album has a lot of really good, catchy songs to which we have all danced for many, many hours. I’m not even an authentic alt/hipster and I can attest to a large portion of 2008’s good times happening while I was rocking out to “Kids” or “Electric Feel.” And the slower, later songs are solid. Sure, it isn’t always clear what any of these songs are about but that really doesn’t matter. They are sequences of sounds, and as such, they successfully rock my socks off.

Related posts:
Best of 2008: #9: Streetlight Manifesto: Somewhere in the Between
Best of 2008: #10: M83: Saturdays=Youth
Best of 2008: #11: TV On the Radio: Dear Science
Best of 2008: #12: Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom
Best of 2008: #13: Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Best of 2008: #14: Ratatat: LP3
Best of 2008: #15: The Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks
Best of 2008: #16: Grand Archives: S/T
Best of 2008: #17: Yelle: Pop-up
Best of 2008: #18: Parenthetical Girls: Entanglements
Best of 2008: #19: The Gaslight Anthem- The '59 Sound
Best of 2008: #20: Billy Bragg- Mr. Love and Justice
Best of 2008: Intro