To recap (nerd out on) this years musical listening experience, rather than blab about what albums got the most attention, I thought I’d do something a little different and blab about a select group of songs. Each of these I’d liken to that Seinfeld moment where Elaine’s boyfriend shushes her when “Desperado” comes on, completely enraptured into his own world, a world in which no one else is apparently invited. Most likely I’m not quite that big a jackass with these tunes, but they all certainly did hold a power over me, and continuously throughout the year. Some are from ‘07, others are older, but each I feel carry that inexplicable air of otherness.

Listening to them, I’m reminded of a scene from the Béla Tarr film Werckmeister Harmonies (2001) in which a music theorist talks about tonal scales. He explains that the Werckmeister scale, of which musical octaves are based, is a false construct, and is not true to natural sound since it cannot convey the full range possible in nature. He goes on to elaborate that since all music is based on this faulty foundation, it is all inherently false.

With that in mind, this would be the least-false music I heard this year…

let the hyperbole begin!

Cinematic Orchestra - “To Build a Home” [Ma Fleur]

I’m a sucker for guys who sing as beautifully as women. Antony, Jeff Buckely,
Tom Waits…
Patrick Watson is a newer face. An immensely gifted Canadian (aren’t they all?), his voice, featured strategically throughout this album, bears more than a passing resemblance to the aforementioned Buckley. What seals it here though is the accompaniment, its ebb and flow, its understated but forward pace. So natural a sound, so stately the lyrics, I become conscious of my own breathing when this plays.
________________________________________________________

Nina Simone - “Sinnerman” [Pastel Blues]

What a colossal statement. I only first heard the song this year. It was at the tail end of David Lynch’s “I’m-so-good-a-filmmaker-I’m-just-gonna-fuck-with-you” Inland Empire. Simone’s unmistakable voice, the hand-claps, her fire and brimstone delivery, the unrelenting piano and percussion, were beyond spine-tingling to hear in that moment. With each successive listen, “Sinnerman” has only burrowed deeper under my skin.
________________________________________________________

King Crimson - “Waiting Man (live)” [Absent Lovers]

Adrian Belew can SING! I remain amazed at the emotion and drama wrought out of these guys’ instruments. That coupled with, and arguably in spite of, the technical brilliance on display. The performance is from their Absent Lovers release which documents this lineup’s final concert in 1984. They’re apparently reforming in 2008, and with Tony Levin back. We’re gonna make this the year Duncan, when you finally get to see Fripp play!
________________________________________________________

Akron/Family - “Pony’s O.G.” [Love Is Simple]

Brian Eno once remarked that almost everything is improved by the addition of truffle oil or backing vocals. I don’t know how they cook, but Akron/Family do backing vocals and harmonies very very well indeed. The trail off melody at the end… oh my how lovely.
________________________________________________________

Talk Talk - “I Believe in You” [Spirit of Eden]

This song is pure fucking grace. Not a graceful way to put it, but no matter. Released in ‘88, it still sounds ahead of the curve. Like, way ahead. From their Spirit of Eden album, a collection of songs which run as a dissertation on the concept “less in more.” I don’t know who decides what human artifacts get radioed out into the universe, but there’s a strong argument for this record.
________________________________________________________

Tinariwen - “Imidiwan Winakilin” [Aman Iman: Water Is Life]

As celebratory and life-affirming as music gets really, and that goes without even mentioning the Tuareg nomads remarkable back story (as in, these guys were actual nomads). Their music transcends context though. Its guitars carve out a wide open space for the mind to fill, its pulse beats from the Earth a world-weary and yearning rhythm we all inherently know. There wasn’t an album this year that felt more lived in, more familiar and personal. And it was one sung in a language I know not a word of.
________________________________________________________

Wilderness - “The Blood on the Wall” [Vessel States]

Another band utilizing a fairly minimal aesthetic, this song is a simple study in addition. A slow and methodical start, when the drums finally shuffle in and pound the shift is deceptively monumental. I can recount a few times in the shaping room this year where this came on and I had to stop working so as to not unconsciously shape through the board. And dig the town crier vocals! I gotta hire this guy to walk around town with me on my birthday, just to have him obnoxiously ring a bell and shout I was born. You in Ian?
________________________________________________________

Arcade Fire - “Keep the Car Running” [Neon Bible]

A highlight to the wonderful nightmare that was Coachella this year had to be sprinting across the grassy field to catch these guys at sound check before day 2 started. They ran through a few songs, and to a group of maybe 15 people belted out this one as passionately as they would later that night to a crowd of 10,000. Truly inspiring stuff. Enough to make any receptive human being comprehensively lose their shit dancing and singing like an idiot. I witnessed it. Hell I took part in it.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

books…

________________________________________________________

Onward 2008!
00oo00
////\\///\\
/////O\\/////O\\
////O\\\\\\////O\\\\\\
//////\\\\\\\\\//////\\\\\\\\\
/////////O\\\\\\\\\/////////\\\\\\\\\
//////////O\\\\\\\\\//////////O\\\\\\\\\

\\\\\\\\\O////////// \\\\\\\\\O//////////
\\\\\\\\\///////// \\\\\\\\\/////////
\\\\\\\\\////// \\\\\\\\\//////
\\\\\\O//// \\\\\\O////
\\O///// \\O/////
\\//// \\////
\// \//
OO