Beach House

TUiW spent the past weekend in Indio, CA for this year’s Coachella festival. Here’s our recap of Saturday:

Beach House
When Beach House took the stage, they promised to “cool us off,” and they easily succeeded. Playing their dreamy pop in the middle of the day might not have seemed like the best of situations, but it was perfect, with the crowd gently swaying to tunes from their stellar Teen Dream, as well as favorites like the gorgeous “Gila.” Jay-Z was in the house watching (he reportedly saw The xx too) as the band did a cover of Gucci Mane’s “Lemonade,” which they passed off as a “work in progress.” One of the better sets of the weekend, Beach House started Saturday with a chill bang. (Just a note, we missed both Girls and Camera Obscura thanks to traffic and water lines. Thanks Coachella!)

The Raveonettes
With the rest of their band stuck in Europe due to the volcano in Iceland, the Raveonettes’ Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo played on as a duo. This didn’t stop them from bringing the noise as Wagner’s droning, fuzzy guitar riffs blared over Foo’s bass and steady drumming. Both admitted to being nervous and uncertain about playing just the two of them, but they hardly missed a beat, playing their blend of 50′s and 60′s rock run through a blender with the Jesus and Mary Chain. The Raveonettes were one of the great surprises of the weekend with their really phenomenal set.

Dirty Projectors
In the year since we last saw the Dirty Projectors, they became some of the bigger indie darlings of 2009, thanks in part to their funky hit “Stillness is the Move.” The band didn’t disappoint at Coachella, their syncopated guitar riffs and perfectly timed vocal harmonies intertwining effortlessly. The Dirty Projectors have garnered all sorts of praise and dislike for their unique sound, but regardless of what you think, they are a terrific live act. The set was also made better by the fact that we stood right next to Vincent Chase himself, Adrian Grenier (!).

MGMT
Congratulations bro! MGMT is already getting a lot of flack for their new, different record, but you have to give them credit for sticking to their guns and playing new songs with as much gusto as the older, much loved ones. While the crowed danced and sang along to hits “Time to Pretend” and “Electric Feel,” they mostly seemed bored during the Congratulations tracks, and genuinely disappointed that the band didn’t even play “Kids.” It’s going to be an uphill climb for MGMT.

Major Lazer
Major Lazer was probably the most ridiculous live show of the whole weekend. Their show quickly turned into a sort of rave, with the unhappy MGMT fans coming over to dance and party. A manic blend of hip-hop, trance, and electronica, Major Lazer is all about one thing: dancing.

Flying Lotus
Though he was sadly not joined by Thom Yorke (who appears on his new record), Flying Lotus put on a great set of chopped beats and hooks, and appeared to be having way more fun than your average dude at a laptop. Like Major Lazer, Flying Lotus is all about dancing, but with more emphasis on hip-hop than dance. Those disappointed by the absence of Yorke were treated to an awesome live remix of the Radiohead track “Reckoner,” which stood out in an all around stellar set.

Looks like Lolla has a pretty solid lineup this year. So if you’re in the Midwest and need a giant music festival fix this summer, Lollapalooza is your best bet. The festival is August 6-8 in Grant Park, Chicago.

Festival Season is underway with the release of the lineup for this year’s iteration of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and its a doozy. Jay-Z, Muse, and Gorillaz are the headliners, but the real action is happening with some of the lower-tier artists including Thom Yorke ????, Sly and the Family Stone !!!! and Pavement >>>> (apparently Thom Yorke ???? is what he’s calling his solo show these days). Other bands include LCD Soundsystem, Grizzly Bear, Vampire Weekend, The Specials, Fever Ray, MGMT, Dirty Projectors, Beach House, Phoenix, Spoon, and dozens more awesome bands. I’ve got to say, going to Coachella was never reasonable when I was an East Coaster, but given this line-up and the fact that I’m only a day and a half away by car, I’m definitely considering it.

15. Girls – Album
“I don’t want to cry…I want to do some laughing too” sings Girls’ (male) singer and mastermind Christopher Owens, in a kind of thesis statement for the band’s debut Album. Mixing melancholy vocals and lyrics with summery, triumphant, and weirdly innocent beach rock for an album that felt very much like a throwback to an earlier time. Songs like “Hellhole Ratrace” and “Lust for Life” were among the best of the year, thanks to Owens’ Elvis Costello-esque vocals and clever songwriting.

14. jj – jj n2
The mystery and speculation over who, exactly, jj are could have threatened to obscure their actual musical output. But, fortunately, the band’s first lp is built to last, combining shimmering synths with songs that come dangerously close to adult contemporary without becoming boring. With a sound that references everything from Lil’ Wayne to Enya, jj has crafted the year’s most eclectic record and one of its most pleasant bits of sonic escapism.

13. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Neko Case long ago established herself as a unique voice, but on her beautiful, oft-dark Middle Cyclone, she shows off some of her best songwriting to date. Between grisly stories of murder and running from the law, Case mixes in soulful songs that bring to the front her strong voice, that towers equally over acoustic ramblings and alt-country jaunts. Middle Cyclone is the strongest all around album of Case’s career, which continues to get better and better with every record.

12. Real Estate – Real Estate
In a year when lo-fi ruled, Real Estate’s self titled debut drifted in and established itself as one of the best. The album is mellow without being too slow, and hums along smoothly from beginning to end. What set Real Estate apart from similar lo-fi bands is that their songs have a deliberate pace to them that creates a relaxed record that is equally perfect for snowy days and summer breezes.

11. Micachu and the Shapes – Jewellery
If Lily Allen was a clerk at Other Music, you might get something approximating the bizarre sound of Micachu and the Shapes. Wikipedia lists Micachu’s instruments as “vocals, guitar, electronics, vacuum cleaner” almost as a warning to expect the unexpected. Jewellery is catchy but eclectic, combining hip hop, world music, indie rock, chart-topping pop and electronica into a music comp major’s dream. Songs like the “Tequila” swiping “Calculator” and the insanely catchy “Golden Phone” are wildly experimental without being inaccessible.

10. Woods – Songs of Shame
Unlike most of the fuzzed out lo-fi bands of 2009, Woods reached further back in time than 1990, making a timeless, pastoral album that owes as much of a debt to Neil Young as it does to Robert Pollard. From the Crazy Horse-esque noise jam session “September with Pete” to the lush, country ballad “Rain On,” Songs of Shame is a delicate, beautiful album with a rock edge.

9. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
If you can get past the goofy name, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s self titled debut is a fun, throwback record packed with enough catchy songs to stay in your head for weeks. Between ripping guitar solos, sweet vocals, and swirling keyboards, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is an irresistible pop gem. The band wears their heart on their sleeves, but in such a way that makes you want to listen again and again.

8. Fever Ray – Fever Ray
It didn’t seem like it was possible to make darker music than The Knife, but Fever Ray, Karin Dreijer Andersson‘s solo project, accomplishes just that. A claustrophobic haunted house of synths and drum machines, Fever Ray’s record is the rare album that can be convincingly called Lynchian. The whole record sounds like some kind of bad trip, with Andersson’s frequent pitch-shifting and the record’s sparse feel adding to the psychological unease that permeates throughout the album.

7. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Phoenix was deserving of a breakout record after steadily getting better and better with their first three. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is the band’s most accessible to date, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. Songs like “Lizstomania” and “1901″ became unavoidable and incredibly enjoyable hits through endless performances on SNL and every late night show. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is an absolute blast to listen to, and was perhaps the best pop album of 2009.

6. St. Vincent – Actor
On Marry Me, Annie Clark showed off her guitar chops, unique voice, and flair for songwriting with a timeless feel, but it didn’t come anywhere near the sonic innovation of her follow-up. Actor walks a tightrope, often sounding like the score to a nightmarish version of a Disney film, mixed with Clark’s dark, starkly drawn lyrics like “Marrow’s” booming chorus (“H.E.L.P. Help Me”). By combining swirling strings and woodwinds with electronic noodling, Clark crafted an idiosyncratic gem and continued to raise her already through-the-roof stock.

5. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic
After beginning to stagnate in terms of both songwriting and performance, The Flaming Lips showed that they still had a few tricks up their sleeve. Building on the dark, violent imagery of Christmas on Mars, Embryonic is a sprawling, acid-rock anthem that combines prog ambition, acid-jazz experimentation, and electronic innovation to start yet another exciting new chapter for the Flaming Lips. The album is inaccessible and freewheeling but never overly indulgent and clearly reenergized the band, who sounds more alive and dynamic here than they have in a while.

4. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound must have weighed heavy in the minds of Tracyanne Campbell and co. as they crafted their best record in My Maudlin Career. Long in the shadow of fellow Glaswegians Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura came into their own on a record full of love, love lost, and disappointment. There are few songs as infectious as opener “French Navy,” and tracks like “The Sweetest Thing” ingrain themselves into your brain with their lush arrangements and Campbell’s silky voice. While it flew under the radar compared to the records following it on our list, My Maudlin Career is a phenomenal album that demands repeat listening.

3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors were a surprise break-out hit in 2009 with Bitte Orca, an album that sounds like nothing else out there. The jumping harmonies, odd time signatures, and Dave Longstreths distinct voice combine on a record that is both wonderfully weird and incredibly fun. The popular standout was “Stillness is the Move,” but track “Temecula Sunrise” and the stunning “Two Doves” are equally as great. Bitte Orca is the kind of record that makes a band step up the next level. Here’s hoping for more greatness from Dirty Projectors in the near future.

2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Veckatimest is both throwback and forward-thinking. Grizzly Bear dabbles in influences ranging from turn-of-the-century folk and Americana to avant-garde and pop, but on their third record (and second as a full band), they made a record that feels firmly fixed in the here-and-now. Grizzly Bear’s songwriting shows a patience that can, at times, border on sadistic; each note is so deliberate and thought out that it can take several listens to truly appreciate the breadth of what they accomplished.

1. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion
Animal Collective have been a lot of things this decade – esoteric Brooklyn experimenters, freak-folk weirdos, overhyped, underrated – which can obscure just how great Merriweather Post Pavilion is. The band blends innovative sampling with 1980s electronics, and Afro-pop rhythms to make an optimistic and joyful, yet clear-eyed record that represents yet another bold new identity for a band that wasn’t lacking them. Merriweather Post Pavillion was in many ways the sound of 2009, and it will remain the band’s defining work for years to come.

14. Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wind Phoenix
A song that rises and falls and weaves around throughout its 5+ minutes, “Wind Phoenix” announced Cymbals Eat Guitars as one of the best up and coming new acts. “Wind Phoenix” is pure rock and roll, a song more willing to sound good than sound important.

13. Atlas Sound – Walkabout
Borrowing from The Dovers “What Am I Going to Do” to form one of the catchiest songs of the year, Bradford Cox’s teaming with Noah Lennox came off even better than it sounded in theory. Sounding more like a Panda Bear song than an Atlas Sound one, “Walkabout” is a sunny, poppy wonder that was a definite song of the summer contender. (J)

12. M. Ward – Never Had Nobody Like You
M. Ward has always had a penchant for writing catchy songs, but his collaboration with his She & Him partner Zooey Deschenel that is his catchiest to date. Borrowing George Harrison’s riff and throwing in a nice male-female duet, “Never Had Nobody Like You” easily gets stuck in your head, but in the best way possible.

11. Grizzly Bear – While You Wait for the Others
One of the year’s goofier diversions was when yacht-rock superstar Michael McDonald (ain’t no mountain high! ain’t no valley low!) sang “While You Wait for the Others.” But McDonald’s affably overwrought vocals only brought into light how beautifully restrained Daniel Rossen sounds on this song. “While You Wait for the Others” is essentially, vaguely, a breakup song, but one with the lush orchestration and polite patience that has become Grizzly Bear’s trademark. (J)

10. St. Vincent – Actor Out of Work
Charging guitars, distorted riffs, and a short running time combine on a track that pounds itself through all the way to the end. Annie Clark’s calm, cool voice keeps the track together, acting as the perfect compliment to the noisy chaos around her. A short but sweet track that stands out on a great record.

9. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Young Adult Friction
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart wear their influences on their sleeve, but “Young Adult Friction” adds up to much more than the sum of its parts. Thanks to a great bassline, adorably nerdy lyrics, and that insanely catchy keyboard party, “Young Adult Friction” is a joyful piece of pop music that’s as much fun to listen to now as it was in January. (J)

8. Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Expectations were very high for Justin Vernon’s post breakthrough EP, its title track met them in every way. A song that slowly builds and tells a love story in a blizzard outside of a blood bank, “Blood Bank” is a hypnotic track that highlights a songwriter on the rise.

7. Girls – Lust for Life
Like “My Girls,” “Lust for Life” is all about the simple things in life. A pizza. A bottle of wine. A father. Wait, what? The casual darkness, just barely slipping through the edges of an ostensibly bright song, made Girls’ debut Album so strong, nowhere moreso than on its opening track. “Lust for Life” is a puzzling, ambiguous beach rock anthem that doesn’t have any qualms about jacking the title of one of punk rock’s most beloved songs. (J)

6. Neko Case – People Got a Lot of Nerve
The hard edge of Neko Case’s voice that’s heard with the New Pornographers is nowhere to be found on the best song off her terrific Middle Cyclone. Two part harmonies and Byrds-esque guitars highlight a song that is garunteed to get you singing along with your toes tapping.

5. Dirty Projectors – Stillness is the Move
Yes, yes, we all saw the Solange video, but what was shocking about it was how unnecessary it was. In the midst of a conversation about 3/2 time signatures, African rhythm, and the Talking Heads, the Dirty Projectors slipped in the best Prince song of the last 20 years. With beautiful vocals, glitchy electronics, and the Dirty Projectors’ typically strong guitar work, “Stillness is the Move” made the band’s catapult to indie stardom a foregone conclusion. (J)

4. Phoenix – 1901
If there was a hipster party-going anthem for 2009, it was “1901.” Guitar/keyboard riffs rumble through Phoenix’s break out track that is impossible not to like. Thomas Mars croons over the machine like drumming and charging guitars in a song that’s over before you want it to be. It’s no surprise this is the track that finally got Phoenix some recognition, as it’s a great track from a great band.

3. Camera Obscura – French Navy
On the first track of the transcendent My Maudlin Career, Tracyanne Campbell and Camera Obscura finally stepped out of the shadow those other twee Scots and completed their transformation into a Spectoresque rock band with heartbreaking odes big enough to fill stadiums. “French Navy” is as close to pop bliss as this year was able to reach, with Campbell’s honey-like voice spouting  a gorgeous tale of lost love over an overpowering wall of sound. In a year marked by lo-fi roughness and bedroom recordings, Camera Obscura remembered the old adage about going big or going home. (J)

2. Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
Accented with staccato keyboards, atmospheric “oohs,” and thumping drums, “Two Weeks” is a memorizing, catchy song that turned Grizzly Bear into an indie phenom. When the band harmonizes, “Two Weeks” is like sitting in the sun on a summer afternoon. There aren’t many pop songs better than this.

1. Animal Collective – My Girls
Beach Boy-esque vocals and pounding base drive one of the decades best songs from one of its best bands. Animal Collective made a name for themselves with their unique sound, but “My Girls” blew them into the mainstream. Above all through, it’s just a really fun song to listen to. (M)