Wavves – King of the Beach (2010)
[Fat Possum]

San Diego beach-punks Wavves’ brand new album, King Of The Beach, has already received rave reviews from Pitchfork; a great first step following last year’s public meltdown and stinging criticism from members of Black Lips and Psychedelic Horseshit.

King Of The Beach dials down the fuzz to focus on surfy Beach Boy harmonies and nostalgic references to the 80s (Nintendo, Super Soakers, baseball cards).

The pot-fueled cover for the album (my favorite cover of the year) was designed by friend-of-the-band Kelly Seagraves. I caught up with her to talk about her inspirations for the cover.

How’d you get hooked up with Wavves? Did you know them?

Yes, I’ve been friends with Billy Hayes (drummer) and Stephen Pope (bassist) for a pretty long time. I did a mural of Stevie Wonder in Billy’s house while he was on tour with Wavves, and the whole band seemed to like it. When they got done recording the album, Billy suggested that me and his girlfriend, Margaret Graves – who collaborated with me on the cover – come up with something. So we started brainstorming.

What inspiration did you have for the cover? Did you have any specific instructions from the band or the label?

I hadn’t met Nathan when Billy asked us to do the cover, so I just asked him, “Well what does this dude like?” Billy gave me a short list. Weed, California, skateboards, cats. When he told me Nathan had a cat named “Snacks”, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. The cover is essentially a portrait of some dude’s cat, but I wanted him to look ancient. Like something you’d see on an Aztec calendar stone. I gave him a black halo, magical weed leaf, and an All-Seeing Eye to ward off evil. Margaret did the blinged out step-pyramid background.

Everything was kind of inspired by 2012 mysticism and drug culture. Snacks is now totally equipped for the apocalypse. Shamanized.

Take me through your process. Do you freehand, or is it all digital? Or a mixture of both.

I freehand everything, paint it, ink it, scan it, then make it look sharp.

Do you have an all-time favorite album cover?

I guess I’d have to say [Michael Jackson's] Thriller. It’s not fancy, but it’s classic, and something about having that image around makes me feel empowered.

When I look at the King Of The Beach cover, I can’t help but think of World 2 on Super Mario 3. Did you ever beat that game?

Holy shit. That was my favorite level. Mario motifs. Yeah, it’s all subconscious now. Mario life.

Do you have any sketches or drafts or other stuff you didn’t get to use for this (or for the Post-Acid cover) that you’d like to share?

A few things. We did stuff specifically for the inside of the album too, so I hope people check that out. Some of the little patterns and flourishes are from older drawings. You can see that stuff at my blog.

Quick! What’s the best episode of Saved By The Bell?

The one where Jessie freaks out on pills. “I’m so excited! I’m so excited! I’m so scared!” Really hits the nail on the head.

Other work from Kelly:

I woke up to thunder today, thanking everything holy that it might not be as hot outside. (Not the case! It was hotter than hell) But heat doesn’t matter when a day full of amazing music awaits, and Day 3 was my most anticipated lineup of the entire weekend.

After an awesome late breakfast at The American Depot near Austin, I arrived at the festival just in time to see up-and-coming blog favorite, Best Coast. Led by Bethany Cosentino, Best Coast was a beautiful way to start the day. The crowd was in full-on beach mode, tossing giant beach balls back and forth as Bethany played through most of her upcoming album, including ‘Crazy For You‘ and new single ‘Boyfriend‘. Her voice sounded stunning and angelic, reminiscent of early-50s girl groups. I already loved these songs, but they were even better live.

I left Best Coast’s set early to check out Girls on the A stage. Main Girl Christopher Owens looked ridiculous and amazing in his long-sleeve tropical Hawaiian shirt tucked into tan khakis. They opened with ‘Laura‘—a perfect fit for a sunny Sunday afternoon—and continued with more laid-back beachy jams until playing a sedated version of ‘Lust For Life‘ near the end of the set. Owens seemed legitimately nice (and humbled) too—at one point shooting video of the crowd, telling everybody to “say hi to mom”.

Beach House continued the relaxing summer vibe on the C stage with an absolutely mesmerizing show. They gathered one of the bigger crowds of the afternoon; played ‘Walk In The Park‘ and ‘Norway‘ back to back to hypnotize us all; and finished with a ravishing version of ‘10 Mile Stereo‘ that ended to massive cheers while Victoria Legrand held the final note for 20-some seconds. The stage décor (silver confetti streamers à la Warhol’s Silver Factory) and Legrand’s deadpan, hypnotic vocals reminded me of Nico, which I’d never thought before.

Lightning Bolt hit the A stage next, and it was absolutely: ear-splitting, eye-melting, awesome. If anyone was going to die this weekend, it was going to be during this show, which redefined loud. I still have no idea how these two guys can make that much delicious noise. Drummer Brian Chippendale was the highlight of the show (wearing a mic-outfitted mask and virtually destroying his drumset with ridiculous fills).

Photo by Marty Perez

I had planned to check out the beginning of Major Lazer before heading over to Neon Indian, but Major Lazer’s show was so insane and amazing that there was no way that was happening. Instead of leaving, I moved closer to the stage. Diplo and Switch (Major Lazer’s two main culprits) were outrageous; this was a partyx3. Switch, has to be completely insane at this point; he came out wearing purple suspender-pants and a bleached Mohawk, taking pulls of Hennessy. There were Chinese dragons (later replaced by ballerinas), half-naked dancers, and seXXX-energy everywhere. Rolls of toilet paper thrown into the crowd; goose-stepping ballerinas; oh my god, this is happening. The show was 100% localized, and Switch gave shout-outs to Chicago and Pitchfork in nearly every song. Diplo was killing it on the breakdowns, (a cardboard sign near his DJ decks accurately stated, ‘Diplo Rulz’) and by the end of the show Switch had the crowd waving shirts in the air as he climbed a 10-foot ladder only to take off his pants and jump to the ground.

Pavement finished off the night—and the festival—with a set heavy on classics and heavy on mood. Stephen Malkmus’s slacker hooks were an absolutely perfect comedown from the hi-heat, hi-energy weekend. They started off the set with ‘Cut Your Hair‘, and played just about everything else, including ‘Shady Lane‘, ‘Stereo‘ (which Malkmus dedicated to Pitchfork security), ‘Trigger Pull‘ and ‘Silent Kid‘. Hearing the solo on ‘Stop Breathin’‘ as the Festival came to a close was incomparably awesome.

Top 7 music moments of the weekend:
7. Modest Mouse opening with a 9-minute version of ‘Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes‘
6. Liars covering Bauhaus
5. Pavement playing the solo of ‘Stop Breathin’‘ as the Festival began to shut down.
4. Major Lazer attempting crowd-seizures during ‘Keep It Goin’ Louder‘
3. Beach House playing ‘Walk In The Park‘/’Norway‘ back to back
2. LCD Soundsystem’s four-on-the-floor stomper, ‘All My Friends‘
1. Nine members of Titus Andronicus and Hallelujah The Hills finishing off ‘…And Ever‘

Other loose ends:
-Oldest Festivalgoer: about 60
-Youngest Festivalgoer: about 3 months
-Most ironic band t-shirt: Billy Ray Cyrus
-Best day: Sunday
-Biggest disappointment: Panda Bear
-Overall favorite band/show: Wolf Parade

Top 5 shows:
5. Modest Mouse/Pavement (tie)
4. Major Lazer
3. Beach House
2. Titus Andronicus
1. Wolf Parade

Photos by Jules Ameel

The first chills-inducing moment of the day came from Titus Andronicus. On a stage decorated with American flags, Titus slayed the mid-90s heat with cameos by tourmates Hallelujah The Hills, including a full set with Andy Dick-lookalike/keyboard guru Elio DeLuca. These guys turned the stage into a party; I counted 9 people playing during the anthemic ‘…And Ever‘. Trumpets turned choruses into monsters, guitarist Amy Klein had The World’s Biggest Smile Ever glued to her face for the entire show, and Stickles was swimming in sweat by the time the set was up. At one point I looked over to see a guy with the longest handlebar mustache I have ever seen, fully decked out in an overcoat and longpants (in other words, exactly the type of Civil War-era dude Titus sang about on The Monitor).

By the time Titus finished, the heat had almost taken me to the grave, so I checked out some of the vendor tents, which featured dozens of stands manned by great poster artists and booths loaded with enough vinyl to make my hands tremble. Amp was giving away free screened t-shirts, and Toyota Antics (whatever that is) was offering free screened tote bags. I grabbed both.

Wolf Parade was the highlight of the day. The guitars were razor sharp, the songs were somewhat faster…and it was LOUD. Spencer Krug’s yelps seem have much more protopunk influence in a live setting. (I definitely got some Stooges and New York Dolls vibes at times.) Awesomely, the band played plenty of older stuff, including a thundering version of ‘Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts‘. They finished things off with the entire 10 minutes of ‘Kissing the Beehive‘, which led to all kinds of freakouts—including dancing makeout sessions in the crowd.

LCD Soundsystem brought the night to a close with a rave-up danceparty extraordinaire. James Murphy pulled no punches, going huge early—the second song was ‘Drunk Girls‘—and turning it to 11 from there. He had the crowd losing its mind 15 minutes into the set with a MONSTROUS version of ‘All My Friends‘ (one of the Festival’s highlights). People were hula-hooping, a six-year-old was dancing on her dad’s shoulders, the crowd was loving every second. The obvious comparison here is Depeche Mode, but LCD more than held their own tonight. After more than an hour of nonstop danceable jams, Murphy put an end to the night with the comedown of ‘New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down‘, which seemed strange at first (but was ultimately perfect).

I went down to P4k fest this year to blog for the wonderful RadioK. Here is what went down:

Finally, Pitchfork 2010 begins! After eating a 2 p.m. breakfast at Louie’s Diner in Oak Park, I made my way over to the Festival—just as Tallest Man on Earth began his set. His vocals were absolutely spot on; an absolute perfect fit to begin the day. Most of Tallest Man’s set was from the new album, The Wild Hunt, but he played some older stuff as well.

Following Tallest Man, oddly, was El-P, but it took me only a few El-P songs to transition from Tallest Man’s sleepy folksy mood to hardcore hip-hop. He absolutely destroyed his set, bringing probably the most intensity of the day.

Photo by Marty Perez

I was super stoked to see Liars, whose performance-art-piece of a set was as weird as I was hoping. Frontman Angus Andrew was (creepily?) decked out in retro gym shorts and a Men At Work Tee, wailing around with limp wrists and frantic yelps while the band played almost entirely Sisterworld material. Andrew opened the set by telling the crowd to “have a go at the water station in my pants” anytime they felt like getting on stage. I’m just guessing, but I doubt that would have gone over well. His antics seemed vaguely Iggy Pop-ian, though an older woman next to me noted that she heard—and saw—some Korn (yes, that Korn) influence. Toward the end of the set, they broke into a cover of Bauhaus’s ‘In The Flat Field‘, which they seemed more energized by than their own songs. They closed out with a hypnotic version of ‘Proud Evolution‘.

Modest Mouse closed out the night with an amazing show, opening things off right with a superb, near-nine-minute version of ‘Tiny Cities Made of Ashes‘ that sounded almost like an entirely different song. The band almost looked like Broken Social Scene up there at times, with up to seven people playing at once—including trumpets, standup bass, an accordian and Brock’s own banjo. By the fourth song—a sexily slow rendition of ‘Satellite Skin‘—the crowd was throwing glowsticks and dancing and singing along. Other highlights included a Tom Waits-y version of ‘The Devil’s Workday‘ and several songs from The Moon and Antarctica. Modest Mouse definitely played more older material than anyone else on Day 1. After leaving the stage, they came back for a two-song encore, with a haunting version of ‘Gravity Rides Everything‘ and ending things for a good with the kick-in-the-balls of ‘Black Cadillacs‘.

Other odds ‘n’ ends:

-Thank God I saw no one wearing a Greenman suit. Hopefully this means the
trend is finally over.

-The crowd was decidedly non-hipster. My Hipster Bingo Card was left virtually
untouched.

You can find part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, part 5 here, and part 6 here.

	#40 Kings of Leon – Because of The Times (2007) RCA Kings of Leon’s gateway to full-fledged radio-ready arena rock; Because of the Times still has that southern grit (‘Charmer‘), but the brothers-and-cousin are clearly making the shift toward Cheap Tricky sheen here. ‘Knocked Up‘ and ‘Ragoo‘ are both excellent mashups of the band’s old and new tendencies.
	#39 Minus The Bear – Planet Of Ice (2007) Suicide Squeeze Records Planet Of Ice gets a little more proggy than previous Minus The Bear records…and its production sheen is nearly blinding (it works here, but was perhaps an early warning sign for the dreadful followup, OMNI). The blithely sexual lyrics remain; and amidst a sea of neo-prog guitar solos is an after-afterparty for those who don’t dig on LMFAO or 3OH!3.
	#38 The Organ – Grab That Gun (2004) Mint Records Grab That Gun—The Organ’s lone LP—is a voyeuristic joyride through every little sister’s teenage diary. The band’s namesake (yes, an organ) provides a warm breath of CPR for the album’s ultra-simplistic, razor-sharp guitar melodies and not-quite-drama-queen lyrics. Several blistering, hopeless jams from the outstanding Sinking Hearts EP appear—in updated, more fully realized forms—as well.
	#37 Brand New – Deja Entendu (2003) Triple Crown Deja Entendu contains all the trademarks of a post-hardcore record—narratives posing as song titles (e.g., ‘Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I Have To Do Is Die‘); confessionalist songwriting and choked-up vocals; a focus on atmospheric aesthetics. But Brand New is also poppy, and that emo/pop-punk vibe means we can sing along and fake our tears at the top of our lungs. This record is pretty high on my nostalgia scale.
	#36 Spoon – Girls Can Tell (2001) Merge The first of Spoon’s albums to fire on all cylinders. (No single Spoon ingredient seems that great in and of itself, but together…together Britt Daniel’s dry delivery melts into churning rhythms, cymbal crashes dissolve into perpetual jams, choruses form what seem like endless grooves.) On Girls Can Tell, these parts are meticulously calculated, meaning this “whole” adds up to a whole lot—from classics (‘Everything Hits at Once‘, ‘Take the Fifth‘) to Spoon’s version of a ballad (‘1020 AM‘).
	#35 Auxes – Sunshine (2008) Lovitt Records Auxes bear heavy Les Savy Fav influence; but Sunshine isn’t just an LSV knockoff—it’s got punk charm (Dave Laney was an original Milemarker member). And Laney’s raspy vocals are a perfect fit for these lurching bits of hardcore-cum-punk. These tracks—13 in 34 minutes—stagger and jerk with just enough swagger to dance to. ‘Greeting Card Perfume‘ pays homage to Tom Waits, while anthems like ‘Brother‘ and ‘Radio! Radio!‘ recall Milemarker.
	#34 Black Lips – 200 Million Thousand (2009) Vice Records Notorious for puking and pissing and making out onstage, Black Lips’ music actually transitions surprisingly well to a non-live setting. 200 Million Thousand contains all the drug references you’d expect (e.g., ‘Drugs‘) and the vocals are AM-ready (check out the doo-wop of ‘Trapped in a Basement‘); Black Lips are well-versed in music history (knowledgable on African protopunk, attempting to tour the entire world—Iraq and China included) and it shows.
	#33 Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004) Merge It would be impossible to overstate the influence or the acclaim that followed the release of Funeral. A conceptual chamber-pop record about death—featuring a collective of Canada’s best musicians—comprised of high emotions and brilliantly composed songs. Yes, Win Butler and Co. became the critical darlings of the decade with this release, but this record (somehow both somber and uplifting) deserved every bit of praise.
	#32 Kings of Leon – Only By the Night (2008) RCA Only By the Night solidified Kings of Leon’s shift to full-fledged arena rock (you’ve heard Sex on Fire every time you’ve walked into an Urban Outfitters or American Apparel). I am probably in the minority on this, but I prefer the radio luster of these songs over the Taper Jeans Girls of earlier albums. The stadium-ready, starry-eyed opener ‘Closer‘ might be the best track in Kings of Leon’s arsenal.
	#31 Blonde Redhead – Misery is a Butterfly (2004) 4AD Kazu Makino’s voice is otherworldly—something between a dream and a birdsong—giving Blonde Redhead’s hypnotic music an enchanting dreamscape straight out of a Murakami novel. Misery is a Butterfly was the first Blonde Redhead album to seize on the band’s strong pop capabilities, and the result is startling and gorgeous; a murderous fairy tale.

You can find part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here and part 5 here.

	#50 The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema (2005) Mint I haven’t been as excited about their recent releases, but The New Pornos brought it on this album. A.C. and Neko sound more at ease here (a lot of their later material seems forced to me). The charity-drive-anthem ‘The Bleeding Heart Show‘ could have been—perhaps ironically—the background music to every post-Mission Project wrap-up slideshow you’ve ever seen.
	#49 The Dandy Warhols – Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000) Capitol The Dandys are a perfect example of a postmodern band: tongue-in-cheek band name with witty song titles, self-indulgent music, clever in-song references, and a post-ironic attitude (seriously…two identical last names, Courtney?). That list may sound cynical, but its actually the reason I love this band. Taylor has a way of turning inside jokes into ridiculously catchy drugged-out singalongs that are both nonchalant and au courant.
	#48 The Sounds – Living In America (2002) New Line Another ultra-stylish neo-new wave band whose newer albums are lacking. In The Sounds’ case, the problem is the group’s attempt to move away from what made them so great—writing simple, modern takes on 80s synthpop anthems (and looking cool as hell). Sure, these aren’t the most technical songs—and the Blondie influence is everywhere—but you can’t deny that ‘Fire‘, ‘Riot‘ or ‘Living In America‘ will have you instantly shaking your ass on a sweat-drenched dancefloor.
	#47 Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (2002) Arts & Crafts Critical darlings Broken Social Scene bottled up 40 years of pop music, put it in a blender, and released it to form this album. BSS utilize complex song structures, layers and layers of instruments, and shimmering choruses that are unpredictable, often brilliant, and always interesting. I haven’t been as enamored with other BSS projects (critics are), but this album is mesmerizing.
	#46 Moros Eros – Jealous Me Was Killed By Curiosity (2007) Victory Records Jealous Me Was Killed By Curiosity was the second and final album by Les Savy Fav disciples Moros Eros. Nothing too original here—Les Savy Fav had already broken these barriers years before—but originality isn’t the only requirement for a great album. These songs are ridiculously catchy, and they contain—by far—enough personality to merit their own successes.
	#45 Hot Panda – Volcano…Bloody Volcano (2009) Mint Records One of the more criminally overlooked records of the decade; Hot Panda defies description: some sort of schizophrenic take on Talking Heads-ish post-punk…with Little Tikes™-sounding keyboard riffs? ‘Whale Headed Girl‘ is a straight-up boogie, the breakdown is hypnotizing; ‘Cold Hands\Chapped Lips‘ births the devil in its chorus; ‘Gold Star Swimmer‘ ends on a Blue Album-era Weezer solo. All that, and this record manages to stay poppy and coherent. I have no idea where all the praise is.
	#44 Tom Waits – Blood Money (2002) Anti Tom Waits has an admittedly difficult learning curve, but once you’re in…you’re in for good. Blood Money features my three favorite Waits songs (‘Misery Is the River of the World‘, ‘God’s Away On Business‘, ‘Starving In the Belly of a Whale‘). As usual, Waits’ songs range from carnivals-in-Hell to Big Easy balladry; always complemented with brilliant lyrics and a jazz-educated, whisky-sipping vibe.
	#43 Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (2009) Domino Good Lord, Wild Beasts; gay-friendly lyrics, stylized falsetto, overtly sexualized, androgynous vocals (“This is a booty call; my boot up your arse hole. This is a Freudian slip; my slipper in your bits“)—all backdropped with the most intricate, haunting electronic pop imaginable. The line keeping Wild Beasts from Drag Queen Night at the bar is thin, but ultimately, Two Dancers knows exactly when to hit you and when to hit on you. Amazing.
	#42 A Place To Bury Strangers – A Place To Bury Strangers (2007) Killer Pimp With an arsenal of homemade effects pedals, Oliver Ackermann bridges the gap—20 years later—between MBV and JMC. With the possible exception of Glifted, I have never heard a band so perfectly meld those two bands into a coherent whole. Lost in the post-shoegaze shuffle was just how deafeningly loud those pioneering bands actually were. A Place To Bury Strangers helps remind us.
	#41 Frank Black and the Catholics – Dog In the Sand (2001) What Are Records? Frank Black’s strongest release in nearly a decade (since 1994′s Teenager Of the Year), Dog In the Sand harkened back ( ‘Stupid Me‘, and ‘St. Francis Dam Disaster‘ in particular) to the effortlessness of his early post-Pixies output. Black’s missteps have tended to come when treading too close to pure Americana—a pitfall he deftly avoids here.

You can find part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here and part 4 here.

	#60 Thurston Moore – Trees Outside the Academy (2007) Ecstatic Peace Indie’s ageless leader takes less chances now (the cost of growing older?) than back in the Sister days, which means safer songwriting…and a little less reward (no Tuff Gnarls or Teen Age Riots here). But while Moore’s newer songs may be less risqué in Thurstonian terms, that doesn’t mean he’s lost that coolly detached moxie we’ve all grown to love; he’s still cooler than we’ll ever be. And he knows it.
	#59 The Ponys – Turn The Lights Out (2006) Matador I love the black-leather nonchalance of Jered Gummere’s vocals; very chic, very chill (à la vintage BRMC). Turn the Lights Out has less bite than Celebration Castle (no Steve Albini), but I generally prefer the ultra-hip detachment here (e.g., ‘Exile On Main Street‘ and ‘Harakiri‘).
	#58 Portugal. The Man – Waiter: “You Vultures!” (2006) Fearless Records Portugal. The Man are one of the most remarkably prolific indie bands around right now (five LPs in five years, with several EPs and an acoustic LP interspersed throughout). The danger of being an experimental prog rock band can mean occasional failure (Church Mouth), but the highs (It’s Complicated Being a Wizard EP, Waiter: “You Vultures!”) are worth it. I also love this album cover.
	#57 No Knife – Riot For Romance (2002) Better Looking No Knife’s distinct San Diego flavor channels everything from Pinback (‘Feathers and Furs‘) to the early British post-punk or Wire and Gang of Four. Its best songs (the title track, ‘Flechette‘, ‘The Red Bedroom‘) even bring a little Fugazi to the table; bridging the gap between post-punk and hardcore. Riot For Romance was sadly the band’s final album, but it’s an excellent curtain call.
	#56 The Strokes – Is This It (2001) RCA Indie rock’s retro garage-rock phase was short-lived, but The Strokes were kings while it lasted. Later albums trended toward Julian Casablancas’s growing infatuation with synthpop, which just don’t compare to the blasé enthusiasm and memorable choruses found on this debut. (That may be unfair to say; a modern Is This It probably wouldn’t have the same impact as it did in 2001—but regardless, this record was perfect for its time.)
	#55 Killing Joke – Killing Joke (2003) Zuma Recordings Not to be confused with their 1980 self-titled album—which is an entirely different beast—this is Killing Joke’s leap into the post-metal arena hinted at on 1996′s Democracy. A six-year hiatus must have been what Jaz Coleman needed to complete the transition; he brings the crazy as usual, and Dave Grohl throws down hammer-and-guantlet tribal beats as guest-drummer. Killing Joke may be a different-sounding band than they were in the 80s, but their roots are alive, and Coleman seems as confident as ever.
	#54 Built To Spill – You In Reverse (2006) Warner Bros. You In Reverse is a bit more understated than other Built To Spill albums; Martsch is so on point, so often, there isn’t much time for the quivering, meandering Dinosaur Jr-isms that characterize so many of Built To Spill’s best songs. The guitar solos are still alive—this is Doug Martsch, after all—but they seem to have a more functional purpose here. Sadly, the album cover is incomprehensibly awful.
	#53 The Wrens – The Meadowlands (2003) Absolutely Kosher The Wrens seem to come and go Salinger-style—armed with something mind-blowing whenever they reappear. I love the dirty-folk feel of this record—a toxic blend of Jersey Turnpike Pollution and maudlin folk-pop (perfect for cool October afternoons). Boozy epics like ‘Everyone Choose Sides‘ and ‘Boys, You Won’t‘ are captivating, transfixing.
	#52 Sparklehorse – It’s A Wonderful Life (2001) Capitol [RIP] Mark Linkous delivers the standard amalgam of hyper-surrealist bedroom pop—complete with guest-spots from P.J. Harvey, Tom Waits, Dave Fridmann, et al. Linkous’s already somber music is even more gloomy in retrospect, giving this record a haunting—even disturbing—vibe. The stunning title track is among the best songs Linkous has ever written.
	#51 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz! (2009) Interscope I wouldn’t say Karen O. has necessarily gotten softer with age, but her recent material is definitely (defiantly?) less abrasive than her art-punk roots would have predicted. With Karen, though, that’s not a bad thing; her Patty Smith-influenced, seXXX-charged vocals are a perfect fit for Nick Zinner’s churning guitar and the band’s newfound taste for new-wavy synth riffs. One of my all-time favorite album covers.

You can find part 1 here, part 2 here and part 3 here.

	#70 The Brian Jonestown Massacre – And This Is Our Music (2003) Tee Pee Records Anton reached his zenith a few years before this release, but his remarkable ability to channel his heroes (the Stones, et al.) is still readily apparent here. In addition to typically brilliant BJM tunes (‘When Jokers Attack’), Newcombe delves into a druggy instrumental world, which he further explores on subsequent material.
	#69 PJ Harvey – Uh Huh Her (2004) Island PJ Harvey brings back the sexy, grungy danger of her early albums, but with it comes a more sophisticated—and daring—sense of songwriting. Uh Huh Her runs the gamut of her strengths, from the Harvey-shrill of ‘Who the Fuck?‘ to the Sade-like quasi-R&B of ‘Shame‘; and of course, that Rodleen-Getsic moan that Harvey is known for. (Also one of my favorite album covers.)
	#68 Silversun Pickups – Carnavas (2006) Dangerbird From the big-muffed guitar fuzz to the Celtic-inspired typeface, Carnavas is a no-holds-barred celebration of [The] Smashing Pumpkins. However, the songwriting has enough originality to leave it at that. A celebration. This record is unquestionably modern; it may wear its inspiration on its sleeve, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
	#67 Pinback – Blue Screen Life (2001) Ace Fu Records I generally prefer the simplistic production of Pinback’s earlier records to the dense, orchestral feel of their recent material, because it gives Rob Crow’s signature guitar lines room to breathe. Crow’s distinct melodic flavor is impossible not to recognize at this point in his career, and Blue Screen Life is an unrivaled showcase of his ability to craft gorgeous vocal harmonies backed by rapid-fire guitar melodies.
	#66 Mazarin – We’re Already There (2005) I and Ear Records Quentin Stoltzfus’s nasally delivery will remind you of The Walkmen or The Wrens, but Stoltzfus’s music is slightly more charming, if more sad. The entire record contains an almost innate hopelessness. ‘Louise‘, in particular, is one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard. That’s not to say the album is riddled in despair, though, because it isn’t; Stoltzfus’s voice gives it a lovely, even endearing quality.
	#65 The Magnetic Fields – Distortion (2008) Nonesuch Records Stephen Merritt gives his sarcastic (‘Too Drunk to Dream‘), sexualized (‘Three-way‘) songs the Psychocandy treatment; the result is an oddly sunny-sounding record…hollow and distortion-drenched, made whole by Merritt’s distinct baritone. Merritt’s genius is hard to overstate, and Distortion is genius more often than not. (The album cover is regrettable, though, to say the least.)
	#64 Band of Horses – Cease to Begin (2007) Sub Pop I think this is what I always wished My Morning Jacket sounded like. If such a quality as an Americana Anthem exists, Cease to Begin has it. Ben Bridwell has a gift for writing monster choruses (‘Is There a Ghost‘, ‘Ode to LRC‘, ‘Cigarettes, Wedding Bands‘) that could burn the roof off of any arena. (Bonus points for naming a song after former NBA cult-hero Detlef Schrempf.)
	#63 Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005) Sub Pop Isaac Brock’s darlings did not disappoint on their highly-anticipated debut. [Dan] Boeckner and Spencer Krug share the same frantic, ambiguous frog-warble (sort of a Canadian-sounding version of Brock), giving standouts like ‘You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son‘ and ‘Grounds For Divorce‘ a punch-packed frenzy that also seems tidily subdued.
	#62 Japandroids – Post-Nothing (2009) Unfamiliar Records Japandroids (one of my all-time favorite band names) mix Beach-Boy harmonies with lo-fi production and a healthy dose of punk energy to create something…exciting. This lo-fi pop-punk sound is the current vogue in indie rock, and Japandroids are head and shoulders above the rest, thanks to superior songwriting that doesn’t need the lo-fi production to make the songs listenable. More bonus points for one of my favorite album covers.
	#61 The Notwist – Neon Golden (2002) Virgin In 20 years, The Notwist have evolved from heavy metal to gloomy indie pop to ego-stroking electronica. Neon Golden marks the period just before the latter. Genre-bending stunners like ‘Pilot‘ and the title track will stick with you for weeks. Stay away from the U.S. release, though, which tacks on three boring and completely forgettable tracks.

You can find part 1 here, and part 2 here.

	#80 I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness – Fear Is On Our Side (2006) Secretly Canadian Excellent post-hardcore out of Austin, Tx.; Fear is on Our Side feels like the logical progression of what Interpol’s later records should have sounded like. It’s a slow-moving crawl with a striking unease that sounds best on cold, rainy nights. This record hasn’t aged as well I thought it would, but its best songs (‘Lights‘, ‘At Last is All‘) remain powerfully nostalgic for me.
	#79 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Underground (2007) Vinyl International Underground is technically the first entry in Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti series, but was the last—most of his material originally saw only limited release on cassette—to see a widespread release. Pink’s outsider-art tendencies are less blatant here (less fractured, less psychedelic/insane), but the songs are still unabashedly lo-fi, and definitely among his best.
	#78 Juno – A Future Lived In Past Tense (2001) DeSoto Records A Future Lived In Past Tense delicately balances the line between gorgeous post-rock and furious post-punk; encompassing mammoth crescendos, shimmering guitar lines and even some traces of early emo. ‘Up Through the Night‘ sounds suspiciously like the Twin Peaks theme, though not in any way related to it. Juno (now defunct) had such an amazing ability to combine aggression with tenderness…that this record maintains a tremendous sense of urgency almost a decade later.
	#77 Tom Vek – We Have Sound (2005) Go! Beat Records The abrasive production on We Have Sound is among my all-time favorites—with nods to 70s protopunk (Richard Hell, Television, Suicide), and early-80s post-punk (Public Image Ltd., Talking Heads). It’s brash, melodic and entirely in the wrong time period. Still, as out-of-place as this record sounds in the 2000s, something gives it a semblance of modernity amidst its throwback vibe.
	#76 Benoît Pioulard – Précis (2006) Kranky Précis is one of the most haunting, graceful albums I have ever heard. Pioulard draws on his history of field recording to add touches of ambiance and atmospheric electronics to every available note and passage. Between stunning breathtakers like ‘Ext. Leslie Park‘ and ‘Palimend‘, he inserts found-sounding segues that could moonlight in a Gus Van Sant film.
	#75 BOAT – Let’s Drag Our Feet (2007) Magic Marker BOAT interweaves Pavement-at-a-carnival vocals with frequent trips to falsetto-land; melodies and choruses enter and exit like 6th- or 7th-grade girlfriends; songs-within-songs abruptly change time and switch tempo…yet, the record flows flawlessly. Let’s Drag Our Feet is a post-Pavement record brilliantly updated for the new millennium.
	#74 65daysofstatic – The Fall of math (2004) Monotreme Since this release, 65dos has sadly gone the way of more conventional post-rock, but this album still destroys everything in its wake. The pulsating, mechanized drums and apocalyptic melodies give it a fevered intensity somewhere between Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music and Explosions in the Sky. There’s just no bullshit here—the songs are short and to the point (in post-rock terms), with no extraneous detail to diminish their strength(s).
	#73 The Distillers – Coral Fang (2003) Sire Another album that I now unfairly undermine due to lackluster later material (Brody Dalle’s awful subsequent band, Spinnerette). Dalle’s guttural punk vocals are effortless and fiery-intense—a quality Courtney Love has been trying to recapture for over a decade now. I more-than-loved this record when it was released, and it still maintains a strong emotional attachment.
	#72 Engine Down – Demure (2002) Lovitt Records Engine Down was and still remains one of the more underrated bands in recent memory. Keeley Davis [one of my favorite musicians working right now] is the king of minor chords and dissonant melodies, and Demure is no exception—Davis’s harmonies are as instantaneously recognizable and fervent as ever. Demure has more in common with the understated zeal of Denali than Engine Down’s ensuing self-titled magnum opus, but it’s an absolutely necessary listen regardless.
	#71 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – The Doldrums (2004) Paw Tracks The first of Pink’s records released on Paw Tracks, The Doldrums is fragmented; [possibly] insane; sporadically brilliant, weird, and oftentimes both. (Think kaleidoscopic GBV melodies tagged with LSD and doused in Valium.) I came late to the Pink party, but after listening to all of his proper records, this stands out at the top.

You can find part 1 here

	#90 Handsome Furs – Face Control (2009) Sub Pop Handsome Furs sound like a post-punk version of Wolf Parade. Face Control is even more instrumentally bare than its predecessor, and that’s a good thing. (Dan Boeckner’s songwriting is so strong, it doesn’t need added frills.) This record brings to mind vintage 80s post-punk (particularly The Sound’s From the Lion’s Mouth—one of the most overlooked albums of the 80s.).
	#89 Weezer – The Green Album (2001) Geffen The Green Album has been unfairly criticized for not rehashing the reference-laden, blissful distortion of The Blue Album nor the Albini-esque bite and emotional openness of Pinkerton. That criticism is entirely unwarranted in my opinion—this record is as catchy as Weezer has ever been. It may be somewhat bland lyrically, but, it’s Weezer! Minus a few witty references and some irony and sarcasm, this is quintessential Weezer. Fittingly, the night after I wrote this, I got into an argument with a dude at a bar who said everything post-Pinkerton sucked. Wrong.
	#88 Spoon – Gimme Fiction (2005) Merge Gimme Fiction is prototypical Spoon; as groove-laden as ever, poppy, subtly hypnotizing, and damned enjoyable. Britt Daniels’ voice (and delivery) is especially engrossing; when added to his rhythmic jazz- and reggae-influenced guitarplay, it becomes downright intoxicating. Gimme Fiction is not Spoon’s best, but it is far from their worst.
	#87 Bear In Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth (2009) Hometapes Bear In Heaven combine bits of psychedelia and electronica with colossal, shoegazey choruses. Parts of Beast Rest Forth Mouth hint at MBV, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin—at times even bringing to mind Brian Eno. Don’t let that confuse you, though; this album is quite cohesive and sounds distinctly “new”.
	#86 The Draft – In a Million Pieces (2006) Epitaph The Draft is basically Hot Water Music sans-Chuck Ragan. But, as much as I love Ragan, I’ve never been able to dive too deeply into Hot Water Music. Admittedly, it’s probably heresy to acknowledge, but I prefer this over the band’s Ragan-fronted era (similarly, I prefer the post-Danzig Misfits). In a Million Pieces is in no way revolutionary, but it’s a solid, well-written and anthemic record.
	#85 Against Me! – As the Eternal Cowboy (2003) Fat Wreck Chords Against Me’s lackluster, overproduced recent material has unfortunately clouded my opinion of their earlier work. I say unfortunate because whenever I go back and listen, I remember that this is an outstanding folk-punk (punktry?) record with no immediate weaknesses. I also love the ridiculously clever song title, ‘Cliche Guevara‘.
	#84 Deftones – White Pony (2000) Maverick I still remember staying up all night and leaving early to buy all three versions of White Pony on the day of its release; it was (and still remains) Deftones’ most ambitious record. Chino’s vocal stylings are as schizophrenically divine as ever, and his lyrics are typically fragmented and ambiguous (both good things). It really is too bad Deftones got lumped into the unfavorable (and ill-fitting) “nu-metal” genre.
	#83 Deerhunter – Microcastle (2008) Kranky The difference between Deerhunter and Atlas Sound is pretty negligible to me. (Deerhunter has slightly less ambiance, I suppose.) Regardless, Bradford Cox’s fingerprints are all over this; his best songs (‘Nothing Ever Happened‘, ‘Never Stops‘) are absolutely dripping with layered melodies. (Play them loud!) Bonus points for one of my favorite album covers.
	#82 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell (2003) Interscope Probably the most noticeable aspect of Fever to Tell (with YYY’s recent albums as context) is its simplistic, raw (mids, mids and more mids!) production. Karen O’s art diva cachet was already oozing through the seams, though, and accordingly, several classics (‘Rich‘, Maps‘, ‘Pin‘) and probably the most underrated song in YYY’s catalogue (‘Y Control‘) will keep this record from being forgotten.
	#81 Local H – Twelve Angry Months (2008) Shout! Factory A concept album about a 12-month breakup written by Local H? Yes, please. As usual, Scott Lucas’s lyrics are biting, snarky and brilliant. (“Give me my Zeppelin CDs you know you took them I know you did/Where’s my Pretenders record you know the one the one with ‘Kid‘/Wheres all my AC/DCs my Interpol my Libertines/Where’s all my Kyuss records you never liked them untill you met me“) Mix that with Local H’s typically thunderous riffs and an hair-raising, climactic 8-minute closer, and you have an outstanding record.