A Life
Too overwhelmed to make a Best of 2010 list this year, I instead directed my energies toward a project that quickly became even more absorbing. I attempted to create a playlist that would begin in the womb, end in the afterlife and include every major life stage between. Once I’d begun, I realized that I wasn’t satisfied making a guitar-and-drums playlist. To Americanize the human experience would be an incredible crime. I scrapped my old playlist, created another, and this is the final product:
[P.S. I'm not including a link to videos because most are either lacking a video or have a crap video that would really damage the integrity of the song.]
-Birth: Samskeyti by Sigur Rós (Iceland)
First of all, I thought it was important that the birthing experience be instrumental because lyrics would have taken it to a level of consciousness that doesn’t exist at this stage. I love that this song begins quietly, swells, and returns to silence. I can’t help but imagine that I’m emerging from a place of complacency to a different, but equally as complacent place. The song is the perfect marriage of wonder and purity. The fact that it’s the first track of the second disc of the album it comes from (Hvarf-Heim) is also perfect; it’s singly able to tie the first part of the album to the second, as birth does from the life before it to the life after.
-Infancy/Early Childhood: Sala by Abigail Washburn & The Shanghai Restoration Project (China/America)
Fast forward to a child’s first steps, his or her first words, or the child’s growing ability to have fun and be curious. That’s this song. The simplicity and purity of the harmony and melody, the vocals and instrumentals, give this song a childish vibe and a sweet playfulness.
-Youth: Children Go ‘Round (Demissènw) by Dee Dee Bridgewater (Mali/America)
I first debated whether I should include this song or the former, but decided to keep both. This one is a bit more mature than the last, with what seems to be more layers and a deeper vocal. The child we’re now watching grow is becoming more mischievous and is taking on more responsibilities. There’s a more complex dynamic between the child and his or her social surroundings, as Bridgewater notes about 3 minutes in.
-Adolescence: Girl You Move Me by Seu Jorge and Almaz (Brazil)
Teenage angst. Tortured lust. Dark confusion. Seu Jorge and Almaz get it perfectly. The song itself, which transforms from calm to rough and stormy, is much reminiscent of the spikes in hormones and moods that leave most adolescents groaning. This is the stage of life rock and roll speaks to best.
-Sex: Fire Dance by Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (Nigeria)
Sex: The ultimate fire dance. No, this song doesn’t speak much for passion. It’s not loud and rough and grimy and it doesn’t necessarily have you screaming for more. But not all sex is power. Sometimes sex is fun and play and simple. It’s not until you reach the next stage—love—and you start to incorporate feelings into that play—that sex takes on a different dynamic.
-Love: Sur Les Quais Du Vieux Paris by Juliette Gréco (France)
It’s sung in the language of love, it’s sexy, and its content is both poetic and romantic. Translated by Lyrics Translate: “When you quietly lean over / whispering: ‘It's Sunday, / What if we had a wander in the suburbs / Under the blue summer sky?’ / A thousand plans entice us / But, sharing the same smile, / We retrace the sweet and simple steps / Of our very first dates ... / On the banks of old Paris, / along the Seine / Happiness smiles, / On the banks of old Paris, / Love wanders along / Searching for a nest. / Old bookseller, / Beautiful florist / How we love you, / Living poem! / On the banks of old Paris, / Bohemian love / It's paradise ... / All the old bridges know us, / Witnesses to the crazy promises, / That the echo in the current will recount / To the merry, cheeky sparrows ... / And, in your arms which hold me, / Listening to the sirens, / I let my heart, overcome with happiness, / beat next to yours ... / On the banks of old Paris, / along the Seine / Happiness smiles, / On the banks of old Paris, / Love wanders along / Searching for a nest. / Old bookseller, / Beautiful florist / How we love you, / Living poem! / On the banks of old Paris, / Bohemian love / It's paradise ...”
-Heartbreak: Mal De Mer by Rupa & The April Fishes (America/France)
Completely coincidentally, the love song and the song I’ve chosen for heartbreak are both of the same tongue. Simply put, this song is sad. I love this band and I love the use of different instruments to communicate a different level of emotion.
-The Coming of Contentment: Mandra by Kottarashky (Bulgaria)
“Mandra” does such a swell job of communicating routine. The loops in this song and repetitive elements are similar to the patterns we start detecting as we get older. Yet, this song isn’t tough listening. In fact, it’s almost fun. It embraces redundancies and patterns, as we learn to do.
-Aging: Fafa by Vieux Farka Touré (Mali)
The vocals alone in this piece are really aged, which I adore. I don’t think I can explain it, but I just imagine an old man, weathered and wrinkled, sitting in his rocking chair on the front porch. It’s one of those songs that make me feel like the sun is beating down on me, which is a fantastic metaphor for old age. It’s agonizing at times and unremarkable at others, and yet the entire thing is something to be respected.
-Dying: Rain Rain Beautiful Rain by Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa)
I have no words. I can only hope this is what death is like.
-The Afterlife: Videotape by Radiohead (England)
I couldn’t not include this song in this playlist. It’s essentially purgatory, which makes the playlist take a much unexpected turn after such a pleasant track list. However, I think it’s an important inclusion. Does doing everything according to plan, does walking through life “pleasantly,” guarantee a smooth transition to the hereafter? Possibly not.
-The Quiet: SÃðasti bærinn 5 by Kjartan Sveinsson (Iceland)
What better way to end a playlist about life than where it started? Kjartan Sveinsson is actually a member of Sigur Rós, which allows me to begin and end in Iceland. This piece is incredibly moving. To me, it speaks of sad defeat, which makes this another odd addition to the playlist. However, it’s intentional, which I hope leaves you something to think about.
Honestly, I don’t think 2010 was a terribly great year for music. Sure, there were some solid albums, but nothing earth-shatteringly awesome. I’m still at a loss as to what my #1 album of the year is (and will probably decide next year). Enough of the bummer stuff, though. I figured since most folks would post tunes from their top 10 albums, I’d do something a bit different. I compiled a list of songs I enjoyed (not necessarily the album, though) as well as tunes from albums I dug this year. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Happy to send the mix to you, too.
“Pull Me In” – the Graduate
Full disclosure – I helped market these guys. I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it. The build here is epic and the lyrics are quite touching. Pretty good album too – think a mix of Jimmy Eat World and Owl City, but in a good way (not hating on Jimmy there, Ash!).
“All The Best” – My Morning Jacket
I’m a huge MMJ fanboy. Easily, my show of the year was them at Merriweather Post Pavilion. I drove 4 hours to see the show on an unbelievably warm day in May and it was worth the trek. The 6th row amphitheater seats might’ve helped! Regardless, an amazing, amazing show and I can’t stress enough how much you need to see the Jacket live. I suspect you’ll get many opportunities in 2011 since they have a new album on the horizon. In the meantime, check out this wonderful song, which was part of a John Prine tribute album.
“The Wig He Made Her Wear” – Drive By Truckers
In my mind, the Truckers have never made a bad album. They’re probably one of the most consistently good bands out there (their live shows slay). While The Big To-Do wasn’t the breakthrough I thought they deserved, that’s not a comment on the music itself. The Truckers deliver another solid album’s worth of well-written characters and stories, bolstered by the band’s signature stew of Southern rock, folk, country and garage stomp. Far and away my favorite track on the album, “The Wig He Made Her Wear” showcases the Truckers’ talent for dark Southern sagas. Just an utterly amazing song.
“Father’s Son” – Fistful of Mercy
By and by, super groups suck. They sound great on paper, but the final product is usually underwhelming. Not so with Fistful of Mercy. The group is comprised of Ben Harper, cult hero Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison (George’s son). Perhaps the fact that it’s a fairly odd collection of musicians made this work. The mostly acoustic album As I Call You Down shows some strong collaboration between the trio. A very loose but engaging listen.
“Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing” – Preservation Hall Jazz Band, feat. Tom Waits
Never thought a jazz band would be a favorite record of mine, but stranger things have happened. The Preservation Hall in New Orleans, a bastion for jazz, was closed during Hurricane Katrina. In order to re-open, keep the venue going and educate future generations about the history of the genre, RED Distribution put out a killer benefit album. Needless to say, do the right thing and buy this album. Its chockfull of guests – Andrew Bird, Jim James, Ani DiFranco, Dr. John, Pete Seeger and many other big names. None bigger than the reclusive Tom Waits, however, whose rugged voice beautifully accentuates the Dixieland tune.
Since a Tom Waits show is about as rare as a dodo, I cheated a bit and posted a video of the band performing “Louisiana Fairytale” with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James.
“Pickin’ Up The Pieces” – Fitz and the Tantrums
A late entry into this list, I recently got into Fitz. Just a really fun listen, in the vein of throwback outfits like Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings or Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed & the True Loves.
“The Bike Song” – Mark Ronson feat. Kyle Falconer and Spank Rock
Say what you will about Ronson’s liberal use of guests in his albums, but at the very least, they always make for an interesting listen. None more so than on “The Bike Song,” which includes producer Spank Rock and Kyle Falconer from Brit band The View (check out their tune “Same Jeans,” one of my fave songs from the past few years). Try getting this slick song out of your head, I dare ya.
“We Got The System To Fight The System” – Maserati
If you dig !!!, you should like Maserati. Both bands offer an instrumental take on the post-punk genre, but Maserati has a slight psychedelic feel whereas !!! is much more dance-oriented. Sadly, the band’s drummer Jerry Fuchs passed away before the album Pyramid of the Sun came out (and he also played with !!! for a bit). Quite a shame, as he was quite a drummer and could have led Maserati to bigger things. Still, with songs this awesome, the group is poised for future success.
“Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?” – Tame Impala
These guys have been included on a few mixes already, so I’ll keep it brief. If you’re looking for an album to bliss out to, you’d be wise to snag Innerspeaker. I was looking forward to the album and it did not disappoint.
“Don’t Break The Needle” – J. Roddy Walston & the Business
I’m at an utter loss as to explain this band’s sound properly. Something like “piano-fueled snotty garage rock” doesn’t really do it justice. Check out the vid, decide for yourself and if you dig it, check out the album. I’ve been a fan for a bit and am thrilled that Vagrant gave these guys a shot, as they deserve a day (or many more) in the sun. That chorus is killer!
“Someone’s Daughter” – the Whigs
Its been satisfying to watch the Whigs grow from a college garage rock group into a full-fledged rock powerhouse. Each album adds new elements to the band’s sound. While they’re not reinventing the wheel, the Whigs are coming into their own as songwriters. Drummer Julian Doro continues to be a beast behind the kit. The group has lucked out, becoming the perennial opener for Kings of Leon’s arena tours.
“Bottled Up In Cork” – Ted Leo/Pharmacists
Another act that has put out consistently good records is Ted Leo/Pharmacists. The streak continues with The Brutalist Bricks, their first for Matador. Insanely catch tune that was one of my most listened to this year. The real treat here, though, is the video, which is an amusing parody of the mediocre American Idiot Broadway play (bolstered by cameos from Paul F. Tompkins and John Hodgman). The shot of a lipsticked Leo is priceless.
