Albums of the Year (Page 4)

If you’ve ever purveyed your local dance/ trance halls, you’ve probably noticed that there’s much too much bad dance music. You know, the kind of stuff that requires that extra drink just so you can try out that new dress on the dance floor. With “Disconnect from Desire,” the sophomore album from the trio composed of twin sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza, as well as former Secret Machines rocker Ben Curtis, you’ll gladly get out and groove in a potato sack. The reason why is simply: good dance music grabs you and puts you on your feet. Whether it be “I L U” or “ByeRead More →

Top CDs of 2009: Our Big One! This is it. Animal Collective have outdone themselves when it comes to complex, interweaving sound structures, Beach Boy-like harmonies, double choruses, and pure, distilled sonic bliss. Fair warning: “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is not necessarily for everyone, unlike Grizzly Bear’s, which is more pop-oriented. But here, if you have a bit of time to give to the Collective, you’ll easily find this one of the most rewarding listens in your collection. Their dense electronic pop somehow maintains both a nostalgic and modern feel to it (we’re still trying to figure out how!), but enough description: listen to “My Girls,”Read More →

Top CDs of 2009: Part V As we’re nearing the end, we find ourselves repeating what several other magazines must already have repeated: Grizzly Bear’s album is a must-have. But so what if everyone on the indie scene is still talking about it? We’re not afraid to jump on board and throw laurels at “Veckatimest,” their third studio album. Quite frankly, it’s chock-a-block with harmonies and flavor, and making their structured pop a top pick of this or any year. Among the several highlights are “Two Weeks,” with an utterly Animal-Collective chorus, and “While You Wait for the Others,” which crashes into you like aRead More →

Top CDs of 2009, Part IV (con’t) Boom. Chack. Boom. Chack. From the opening synth of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s third full-length to the last strike of the drum, there is no doubt that Karen O is trying to get you up and dancing. The pure glissful disco-rock of “It’s Blitz!” is engrossing, infectious, and glorious: there is little doubt that these ten electro-shock tracks are some of our favorites of the year (with “Zero,” “Hysteric” and “Dull Life” the favorites of our favorites). It’s simple, really: good performances, good lyrics, and crazy energy drive this album through and through, and if you’re the kindRead More →