Steve’s Tops of 2012

So, even though (or especially because?) it will piss Ryan off, I’m doing my list a little differently. This is the list of my top things in, or tangentially related to, music from the year 2012. Let’s begin, shall we?

Top Album of 2012
This is a no-brainer, it’s Synthetica by Metric. definitely check out Ryan’s review of it if you haven’t listened yet. It’s spectacular.

Most Predictable Album of 2012
Babel from Mumford & Sons gets the nod here. It sounds pretty much exactly the same as Sigh No More, which is both good and bad.

Most Annoying Song of 2012
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”

If Not Now, When? – Incubus

If Not Now, When?

Incubus

2011

Epic

Incubus is a curious band to me; I heard of them about the same time as most people did, when “Drive” seemed to be playing on at least two radio stations at any given point of the day.  In fact, I even went out and purchased that album, but I just couldn’t quite sell myself on the band.  Fast forward to earlier this year, when a friend of mine and I were swapping music.  She told me about Brandon Boyd and I thought to myself, “wow, I can’t get over how familiar his voice sounds…”  It was like having an epiphany when I came to realize that he was the lead singer of Incubus.  I highly recommend checking out his solo offering, but more recently Incubus has released a new album:  If Not Now, When?

The album starts off with a tune that is reminiscent of Blondie’s sound to me, but doesn’t have quite the synthesized sound that protrudes through Blondie’s catalogue.  The album’s title track sets a nice tone for the album as a whole and especially for the next track, “Promises, Promises.”  This being the first song I had heard off this album, I’m inclined to like it very much but that’s not the only reason to do so.  It’s quite a good song, and exemplifies how Boyd can evoke emotion in the lyrics without needing to yell.  It’s something he does really well, and does through the whole album.

“Thieves” is another standout track featuring wonderful lyrics, which Boyd spews flawlessly.  One example of a line that really makes you think is “Oh everything is fine/As long as you’re a god-fearing, white american.”  To continue quoting some of my favorite lyrics, this time from “The Original,” we have “you’re a skeleton key, opening me.”  The entire track is quite good, but I am partial to the bridge near the end of the song.  It’s simple, but something about it just clicks with me.

I made mention of Boyd’s solo work (The Wild Trapeze) earlier in the review, and the best way to gauge if you’d enjoy it or not is to listen to “Defiance” off of this Incubus album.  It’s short and simple, but damn if it isn’t one of my favorite tracks off this record.

“In The Company Of Wolves” is an interesting track.  At first glance, the length seems somewhat daunting, though not quite to Sufjan levels (“Impossible Soul,” anyone?).  However, it’s definitely a good thing they didn’t cut the song down like most bands today might.  In the middle, there’s a short interlude before the melody returns, then fades into a slight cacophany as the song soldiers to it’s conclusion.

“Switchblade” seems an interesting with it’s verses, but the chorus reminds us that it’s Incubus, and not Chronic Future on ritalin.  “Adolescents” is the track where we most see the whole band come into play, their parts outshining Boyd’s vocals at times.  This isn’t a bad thing though, and I think it actually reminds us that there’s more to the band than the frontman.  The album closer, “Tomorrow’s Food” just forces me to draw comparisons to the Shins.  It’s a slow, mellow song with not a lot of vocals, though they aren’t as understated as Mercer’s tend to be on such tracks.

Overall, I can make two comparisons with this album.  On some tracks, it sounds like an American Analog Set album with less electronic effect.  On others, like a collection of mellow Foo Fighters songs.  We can discuss how Boyd is a much more refined vocalist than Grohl another time.  For now I’ll just say that I like when Dave belts out his lyrics, so no negative meaning was implied with that statement.  At any rate, I’ve enjoyed this new album, and it definitely has made me go back and re-listen to Make Yourself and indulge in more of Incubus’ catalogue.  Nothing on this album may match the success that “Drive” had some years ago, but that may not be a bad thing.  After listening to this record a few times, I can definitely offer my opinion that it isn’t.

Wasting Light-Foo Fighters

Wasting Light

Foo Fighters

2011

RCA

It seems these days that a lot of bands are grasping at straws to draw in listeners any way they can muster. With the death of the stereo hanging over our heads, a lot of bands come across as desperately seeking uniqueness and novelty. Not the same can be said of the Foo Fighters. In times where music arrives so quickly on the internet, streaming quietly through our ear buds, Dave Grohl and his band mates have taken it back to the basics for their seventh album “Wasting Light.” They’ve taken it way back to garage sounds.

Recorded in Dave Grohl’s garage “Wasting Light” is driven by raw emotion and music that takes the Foo Fighters sound back to the old and around to the new in every way. It melds into a brilliantly crafted album that brings fans to a realm of matured and creatively navigated 90’s grunge.

“Wasting Light” is the first Foo Fighters album to reach number one on the Billboard charts. It was also produced by Butch Vig, who also produced Nirvana’s “Nevermind.” With Grohl on vocals and lead guitar, Taylor Hawkins on drums, Nate Mendel on the bass, Chris Shiflett on guitar, the band welcomed back original member, Pat Smear playing guitar. Featured guests on this album include Huskur Du’s Bob Mould, Motorhead frontman, Lemmy, and to the pleasure of Nirvana fans, Krist Novoselic.

Novoselic is featured on the bass and accordion in “I Should Have Known” a tune that seems to purge the pent up emotions of Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994. The song inhabits a 90’s low-key tone, successfully delivering the rough and beautiful sound only at-home recording can bring. With the lyrics,“I should have known./Couldn’t read the signs./Couldn’t see the light./I should have known,” it’s as if Grohl is facing an inner-battle of grief and frustration before us.

Songs on the album like the hit “Bridge Burning” and “White Limo” which features Motorhead’s, Lemmy, pack more of a heavy metal sound. Others toe the line of melodic pop-punk, and a pleasing nostalgic alternative concoction.

“Back and Forth” begins “Once upon a time/I was somebody else./In another life/I saw myself./Way back then,/back when I was new.” The song is reminiscent of toe-tapping catchy songs like “Monkey Wrench” and “Big Me” but brings something new to the table with a solid and seasoned sound, lead by Grohl’s powerful vocals.

“Wasting Light” brings the career of this talented band full circle. While staying grounded to their roots, they expand into new directions all at once. It’s clear they’ve been through a great deal and their experience is not in the least left unheard on this album.

Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures

Them Crooked Vultures

Them Crooked Vultures

2009

DGC Records

 Them Crooked Vultures is the new supergroup consisting of Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana (like you didn’t know that), Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and John Paul Jones.  Do I really even need to state where he’s from?  It’s John Paul Jones.  Alright, of Led Zeppelin.  I don’t think you’re catching on…  JOHN PAUL JONES of LED ZEPPELIN.  Grohl and Homme must’ve been the most ecstatic people on the planet.  Ever.

So, the group formed in 2005, and… wait.  2005?  Is that true Wikipedia?  If it is (which apparently it is, since Grohl provided an interview with Mojo about the collaboration), why wait so long?  It’s been four years!  I understand that yes, they’re all busy people.  Grohl has the Foo Fighters, Homme has QotSA, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal, whatever.  And yeah, Jones does a lot, but nothing extremely substantial.  If I were Grohl and Homme and I heard I’d be collaborating with John Paul Jones, excuse me, Mr. JOHN PAUL JONES of LED ZEPPELIN, I’d drop everything.  Foo Fighters can take a backseat for a little bit.  This is more important.  By far (and I like the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age.  Imagine if they were bands I didn’t like, what I’d say?).