• Best of Lists

    Mark’s Best of 2011

    2011 was truly a blessed year for music. Many of my favorite groups released new records and, as always thanks to NME, I found some fab new ones to geek out over. Without further adieu, here are my Top Ten Albums and Top Ten Tracks of 2011 (Click on the album or track to purchase).

    Albums

    10. Unknown Mortal OrchestraUnknown Mortal Orchestra

    This Portland, Oregon band have a a combo lo-fi, groovy throwback sound that makes me smile. “Thought Ballune” is a must download.

    9. American RevivalThe Worst Is Over Now

    My fave new local band by way of Pete getting me back into alt.country. Their debut is magnificent. Here is their first video which showcases one of the best local bars, Williams Pub.

    8. ElbowBuild A Rocket Boys!

    Yes, these Ramsbottom, Bury lads sound like Genesis avec Peter Gabriel but so what? Every new release sees treasure after treasure.

    7. The VaccinesWhat Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

    I can’t wait to see all the music this band is going to make over the years. Caught them live in a warm up for the Arctic Monkeys last spring. Bril!

    6. Noel GallagherNoel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

    It’s about time that Noel did his own thing. I say it all the time – he’s the better singer. This album has been like a comfy blanket to me of late.

    5. Beady EyeDifferent Gear, Still Speeding

    I was pleasantly surprised to see Liam try on some different musical styles. The results speak for themselves.

    4. The Arctic MonkeysSuck It And See

    Another great fucking record from the Sheffield lads. I don’t think it’s possible for them to make a bad one.

    3. The KooksJunk Of The Heart

    Every three years The Kooks make an album that is seamless from the last one in its perfection. Just a joy to play over and over again…like this Simon and Garfunkel-esque gem..

    2. The Original 7venCondensate

    This barely missed being the album of the year. The only thing that honestly held it back was it came out later in the year (October) and I haven’t lived with like I did with my #1 pick. Morris, Jerome, Jimmy, Terry, Jesse, Monte, and Jellybean made the best Time album out of the five with this absolute corker of a record. Done without the help of that dude from Chanhassen, the greatest band in the history of funk delivered a stunner that has deepened my desire to be Morris Day.

    1. Friendly FiresPala

    The soundtrack to my summer and, indeed, the entire year. I think I have played this disc at least 200 times start to finish since it came out and I still find layers to it previously unheard. Pala sets a mood that is sorely lacking today, not just in music, but in our culture in general. I’m not entirely certain I can describe it in words but it’s reminiscent of what the most gorgeous flower would sound like as it blooms…in a club at 1:30am with piles of sweaty bodies writhing around to massive and thumping beats. And if it could tell Robert Browning-esque love stories. Like their self titled first release, Pala deserves to be forever enshrined in any Hall of Fame.

    Lay back in the sun and listen to the title track…

    Tracks

    10. “Whirring” – The Joy Formidable

    I imagine this song as being the soundtrack to an indie love story. A true gem from this North Wales group.

    9. “Endless Blue” – The Horrors

    It begins like a gentle kiss from a beautiful woman and switches mid way through into a full on frenetic, saliva-dripped shag…just like love making should be.

    8. “Boogabear” – American Revival

    “I’m so tired of fighting the battle for who could care less…” singer Thomas Pendarvis croons in my fave from the Mpls alt. country outfit’s debut. This song is now officially the anthem of every bar in every small town for every person having a cold one. (No video here so go listen to the track by clicking on the song).

    7. “Minnesota, WI” – Bon Iver

    The Eau Claire, WI natives perfectly captured that autumnal shimmer that I write about constantly. A nice shout out to my neighborhood of the country.

    6. “Wasted” – Glass Rock

    I love the mood this song sets and the album cover art is the best of the year. It’s a photo I would take. And it came out on my birthday! (No video here so go listen to the track by clicking on the song).

    5. “Shuffle” – Bombay Bicycle Club

    This Crouch End, London group may become my new Brit Rock darlings. This track struck me as sounding very different from what I normally hear from across the pond. It’s free on Amazon!

    4. “Days” – The Drums

    This is my son’s best track of 2011. He wanted me to make note of it and it’s funny because it’s appropriate considering the video below. This Brooklyn based guitar pop outfit continues to make great music with their third release, Portamento.

    3. “Post Break-Up Sex” – The Vaccines

    If Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks is the best break up album of all time, this track holds the best break up song mantle. We’ve all been there, and it’s wonderful.

    2. “Junk Of The Heart (Happy)” – The Kooks

    A perfect pop song in just about every way. Luke does it again!

    1. “Blue Cassette” – Friendly Fires

    Not simply the best track of 2011, but one of the best of all time. Friendly Fires really outdid themselves with this stunning song that waxes nostalgic about cassette tapes and lost love. My heart melts every single time I listen to it.

    Those are my albums and tracks. What are yours?

  • Live

    How’d You Like That, How’d You Like That, How’d You Like That…I Liked It!!! [The Kooks at First Ave]

    “How many bands can you name that have only three albums out and, after a 21 song set, you still want more?

    Not many. But that’s the beauty of Brighton’s The Kooks. The recently released Junk of the Heart is yet another example of how Luke and the East Sussex lads are extremely gifted when it comes the composing pure pop songs. Like their first two releases (Inside In/Inside Out, Konk), every track on their third offering is fantastic.

    Last Sunday night, the Main Room at First Avenue saw the Kooks bring their uncanny knack for the 3 minute, insta-catchy tune to town. Their set list included tracks from all three of the records.

    THE SETLIST
    Is It Me?
    Always Where I Need To Be
    Sofa Song
    Matchbox
    Rosie
    She Moves In Her Own Way
    Sway
    Runaway
    Eskimo Kiss
    Killing Me
    Seaside (Acoustic)
    Tick of Time
    See The Sun
    How’d You Like That
    Mr Nice Guy
    Ooh La
    Shine On
    Do You Wanna
    Encore:
    The Saboteur
    Junk Of The Heart (Happy)
    Naïve

    Highlights for me were some of the new songs (“Rosie,” “Runaway,” “Junk of the Heart”) as well as the ever sturdy “Sofa Song,” “She Moves In Her Own Way” and “Sway.” “Eskimo Kiss,” a track from the new record, was really a treat and managed to capture a Simon and Garfunkel sentiment both thematically and stylistically. Luke ran around the stage doing his best to capture all our attention with his Jim Morrison-esque affectations.

    After asking the question posed above at the end of the 75 minute set, my favorite show companion and I started listing the songs we wished they had done as well.

    “Eddie’s Gun?”
    “Yep.”
    “Love It All?”
    “Oh, that would have been mega!”
    “Jackie Big Tits?”
    “No doubt!”

    We kept going until we had named all their songs on all their albums and singles.

    The Kooks are heading out west which includes a stop on December 9th at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, AZ for our esteemed host. Catch them if you can!

    Here’s the video I took of the last song of the night, “Naive.” I apologize for the bumpiness…I was dancing around and being pleasantly jostled.

  • Best of Lists

    Markadelphia’s Best of the Noughties

    The last decade of music was fucking amazing. One would think that being the Brit Rock maniac that I am I would be all about the 90s. While I did enjoy that decade, the music that came out in the last ten years made me wish it was a woman that I could kiss deeply and shower her with love and affection.

    So what were the best ones? Here is my Top Ten with comments followed by my other 40 to round out the Top 50 CDs of the Noughties!

    10. The Coral – Roots and Echoes (2007). Haunting, beautiful and brilliant. The best album of their career. Also contains my son’s favorite song of all time–“Cobwebs.” A psychedelic kiss…

    9. Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires (2008).

    Like Ennis Del Mar, I can’t quit this album. They musically illustrate what it’s like to “Jump in the Pool” on the track of the same name. Wow! Every track is a dime. And they are a great live band. See them.

    8. Mercury Rev – The Secret Migration (2005). From the first sound of this disc, the listener begins a sacred feminine journey that is a kiss to be cherished forever.

    7. Coldplay – Parachutes (2000). Their first album is still my favorite. “High Speed” is the very definition of dream pop. Memories of those I love wash over me when I hear it…

    6. The Kooks – Inside In/Inside Out (2006).

    A stunner of a debut. Pop bliss wrapped in an amorous red bow.

    5. The Fratellis – Costello Music (2006). Sometimes you hear a record for the first time and yet you have known it your whole life. This is one of those records. “Her’s is the tonic and mine is the gin”–mega…

    4. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am Not (2006).

    The heirs to the Beatles and Oasis. This disc is filled with love soaked Brit tales that are guaranteed to warm the heart and make us all Holy Knights of the British Empire.

    3. Sterephonics – Just Enough Education To Perform (2001). Their finest album.  NME will never forgive Kelly for “Mr Writer” and I think that is fucking wonderful.

    2. The Subways – All Or Nothing (2008). The album that has defined my life. I think Billy and I are kindred spirits. Listening to this record is an answer to the question “Just what is Mark’s romance with women and music all about?”

    1. Brian Wilson – Smile (2004).

    An album 38 years in the making. Even in 2004 (just as in 1966), the concept of this album is light years ahead of its time. Brian Wilson is a genius. He is the American John Lennon. I was fortunate enough to see this album performed live in its entirety. It left me with no doubt that there is a higher power because, in addition to being the best show I have ever seen, Smile is one of the purest forms of beauty I have ever heard.

    The rest of the best…

    11. The Verve-Forth, 12. Keane-Hopes and Fears, 13. Doves-The Last Broadcast, 14. Snow Patrol-A Hundred Million Suns, 15. The Subways-Young For Eternity, 16. Delays-Faded Seaside Glamour, 17. Joe Jackson-Volume 4, 18. Ryan Adams-Love Is Hell, 19. The Kooks-Konk, 20. Coldplay-X and Y, 21. Snow Patrol-The Final Straw, 22. Stereophonics-You Gotta Go There To Come Back, 23. Doves-The Last Broadcast, 24. Saint Etienne-Finnesterre, 25. Travis-The Invisible Band, 26. U2-All That You Can’t Leave Behind, 27. Todd Rundgren-Liars, 28. Planet P Project-Go Out Dancing Pt.1, 29. The Last Shadow Puppets-The Age of the Understatement, 30. Kings of Leon-Holy Roller Novocaine EP, 31. Tom Petty-The Last DJ, 32. Doves-Some Cities, 33. Stereophonics-Language, Sex, Violence, Other, 34. Phoenix-United, 35. The Libertines-Up The Bracket, 36. Muse-Black Holes and Revelations, 37. Green Day-American Idiot, 38. Neil Young-Silver and Gold, 39. Beck-Guero, 40. Starsailor-Love Is Here, 41. Captain-This is Hazelville, 42. Kaiser Chiefs-Employment, 43. The Strokes-Is This It? 44. The Vines-Highly Evolved, 45. Paul McCartney-Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, 46. Stereophonics-Keep Calm and Carry On, 47. Yeah Yeah Yeahs-EP, 48. Neil Finn-One Nil/One All, 49. John Starkey-Live at Jitters, 50. Oasis-Dig Out Your Soul