Feedback File

• Wilco's latest album, The Whole Love

• Mayer Hawthorne — How Do You Do (Universal Republic)
I had a friend tell me that she was getting her mother Mayer Hawthorne’s discography for Christmas, but she was a little scared to do so because she didn’t want another sibling. You may think that’s something silly to worry about, but let me warn you right now — this is real baby-making music. Ann-Arbor producer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Mayer Cohen has created a record that’s not only a revival of the type of music that made legendaries Curtis Mayfield, Smokey Robinson, and Isaac Hayes great, but stands out as a modern take on the whole business of soul. And with all its busy-horn-funky-bass-piano-riffed glory, you’re not going to be able to keep your hands off the person next to you, even if you’re only dancing.

• Cut Copy — Zonoscope (Modular Recordings)
Bands from Melbourne, Australia’s electronica scene are quickly becoming my most played tracks on iTunes. Between this group and Miami Horror, the Australians may soon prove to be my new favorite electronic obsession, possibly even surpassing longtime European favorites like Daft Punk and Justice. I love this particular brand of electronica because it harks back to the genre’s origins in disco and ’80s synth-pop, which makes for a cleaner, more classic form of electronic music than most of the jarring over-produced and over-stimulated stuff we hear today (Yeah, dubstep, I’m talking about you). DJ and lead singer Dan Whitfield’s deep voice reminds me of a contemporary Curt Smith, while his drawn-out enunciation is like that of Morrissey circa the Smiths’ “Still Ill.” The tracks are clean and retro (they even squeeze some awesome and surprising Afro-beat influence), but this record still manages to sound completely modern, and undoubtedly reinvigorates the saturated genre.

• Oddisee — Rock Creek Park (Mellow Music Group)
Fans of producer/MC Oddisee will undoubtedly argue with me on this one. I almost chose his other 2011 release, Odd Seasons (a collection of four EPs each released at the start of a season), which is arguably more popular and definitely a better primer to the D.C. native’s music. And don’t get me wrong, it’s a great record, but I just can’t stop listening to Rock Creek Park. It’s almost entirely instrumental, save for a few instances, and will remind most folks on the street of ’90s-era hip-hop groups like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. But this 10-track LP has everything I love about good hip-hop; it’s funky, smooth, jazzy, and even has a few muted disco influences hidden in there. You’ll be hearing from Oddisee and his group Diamond District soon enough — they’ve just been shortlisted for a 2012 Grammy.

• Miles Davis Quintet — Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1 (Columbia/ Legacy)
The legendary jazz trumpeter’s second great quintet — consisting of Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, and Wayne Shorter — was formed after Kind of Blue and before the great crossover of Bitches Brew. These five musicians were the cream of the crop. Each was a virtuoso of his instrument, and this box-set full to the brim of pristine live recordings never previously released demonstrates the innate chemistry and musical rivalry that made this quintet one of the most complex interactive groups in jazz history. Although you may recognize some of the track names, they are performed here unlike you’ve ever heard them, and truly illustrate each of the participating instrumentalists’ impending leap to experimental/fusion jazz that would come only a few years later.

• Wilco — The Whole Love (dBpm/Anti-)
I love Wilco. I always have always will. And although this isn’t Mmy favorite album of theirs, it’s better than most bands best work. The absolute greatest thing about this record, though, which is their first since ending their contract with label Nonesuch, is that it returns the Chicago band to its Yankee Hotel Foxtrot roots. For years, they seemed to have shied away from the experimental production that made YHF one of the best records of the decade, which was all at once a homage to their alt-country/Americana beginnings and an industrial-inspired atmospheric modern masterpiece. This is the first I’ve heard of that side of Wilco in a long time. And although it seems they haven’t completely embraced it yet, I’m glad it’s back.

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• TV on the Radio's Nine Types of Light

As 2011 draws to a close, Top Albums of the Year lists are sprouting like daffodils at the first sight of spring sunlight. While I consider myself no sort of authority on the subject of music rankings, I’m certainly a fan. So, rather than creating a “best of” hierarchy, I’d much rather simply list a few albums I enjoyed this year. In the sophisticated words of Lil’ Wayne (who didn’t make the cut, sorry Weezy), “If you don’t like me and my shit, then fuck you and your shit.” Not really, though — I have a burning fear of confrontation and vulgarity.

• Drapht — The Life of Riley (Ayems/Sony Music)
You’ve probably never heard of Drapht. You’re not alone. The Australian hip-hop artist has little fame in America, but his following Down Under is incredible. The Life of Riley, released on his own label and distributed through Sony Music, debuted at No. 1 on all Australian charts. Boasting bouncy, refreshing hip-hop, it’s only a matter of time before Drapht catches on in the States.

• Feist — Metals (Polydor)
Big Sur has long been a sanctuary for artists, and it was in an ocean-side barn in the California town where Leslie Feist recorded her fourth studio album, Metals. It is not only the popular single, “How Come You Never Go There,” which echoes pulsating guitar riffs to accompany Feist’s soothing vocals. Metals is the perfect rainy-day, fold some laundry, kick-back-and-relax kind of album.

• A$AP Rocky — LiveLoveA$AP (RCA)
Another obscure choice is A$AP Rocky’s LiveLoveA$AP mixtape. The Harlem-based rapper is relatively new to the scene, but viral hits like “Purple Swag” and “Peso” have him blowing up in his native locale. Check out the mixtape, and keep an eye on this up-and-coming rapper.

• Destroyer — Kaputt (Merge)
At first listen, Destroyer might sound a little strange. At second listen, they still might, but the soft, synth-filled, almost jazzy ensembles that make up Kaputt are hard to ignore. Poetic lyrics make up each song on the album, which may have been forgotten by many composing their year-end list because of its release on Jan. 25, 2011.

• Portugal. The Man — In The Mountain, In The Cloud (Atlantic)
Is Portugal. The Man this generation’s Beatles? That’s an incredibly big stretch, but their sixth studio release brings with it more of their constantly changing sound. The trippy tracks are full of shimmering riffs and almost Bowie-like vocals to create a feel-good album with no two songs sounding the same.

• Toro y Moi — Underneath the Pine (Carpark)
When I discovered Toro y Moi, I had no idea the chill, groovy, and, at times, discoesque tracks were coming at the hands of a local artist. The stage name Toro y Moi belongs to Chazwick Bundick who was born in Columbia and graduated from the University of South Carolina before embarking on a music career. His second album, Underneath the Pine, incorporates a variety of sounds and styles that are easy to vibe to.

• Jay-Z and Kanye West — Watch the Throne (Roc-A-Fella)
To omit this album from any list, be it a “best-of” or not, would be blasphemous. The two godfathers of hip-hop put together what is undeniably one of the most star-studded collaborations in recent memory. It is rare when an album works its way into everyday culture and conversation, but Watch the Throne certainly has, and that shit kray.

• The Black Keys — El Camino (Nonesuch)
The Black Keys’ latest, which was co-produced by DangerMouse, snuck in just before the year’s end, and it rocks. A healthy collection of bass and vibrant guitar guarantee this irresistible album will get plenty of airtime.

• tUnE-yArDs — w h o k i l l (4AD)
tUnE-yArDs combines an array of sound to create a smorgasbord of musical genius. The group, headlined by vocal goddess Merrill Garbus, meshes funk, rock, folk, and a variety of other ingredients for a unique treat with their second album, w h o k i l l. If tracks like “Gangsta” and “Bizness” don’t make you want to move, you’d better check your pulse.

• TV on the Radio — Nine Types of Light (Interscope)
With a definite theme of love echoing from their fourth album, TV on the Radio delivers another gem. Singer Tunde Adebimpe, backed by guitarist Kyp Malone, effortlessly conveys affection and heartache with tracks like “You” and “Will Do,” while keeping true to the group’s roots with ominous ballads such as “Repetition” and “New Cannonball Blues.”

I’m at that pivotal point in my music fandom: the bands I love have grown up and out of what was traditionally considered “indie.” Save for Adele, most can be best described as indie 2.0: they have publicists, tour managers, sold-out shows and make their livings as musicians. Some even have Grammy Awards, or at least nominations. And sure, most may not move Black Eyed Peas numbers or sell out arenas, but that’s not what their music is about — and that’s why I love them. Theirs isn’t music that just floats in the background, or passes off trite cliches and lazy repetition as lyrically significant.

The albums on this list have rearranged my relationships — with myself, others, and even the saxophone; forced me off my ass and onto my feet to dance my blues away; and inspired me to stay true to whatever unique, weird, beautiful vision I have of individuality. And let us not forget: they also freaking rock, albeit in their own special way.

• Bon Iver — Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)
On the follow-up to his gloriously fragile debut, For Emma, Forever Ago, Justin Vernon layers his strengths: an urgent falsetto buoyed by beautiful ’80s flourishes, from synthesizers to wailing saxes, start (“Perth”) to finish (“Beth/Rest”). It’s a triumph of excesses that both warms and chills the soul.

• The Decemberists — The King is Dead (Capitol)
The indie folk rock band has never been content with any one sound, and this deviation into alt-country is one of their best albums yet. At turns rollicking (“Down By the Water”) and emotionally resonant (“June Hymn”), there was still the sense the ever-literate band had even more to say — and they did, on the brilliant companion EP six months later, Long Live the King.

• Adele — 21 (Columbia)
Yes, the single “Someone Like You” is as inescapable as that lingering memory of your ex, but there’s no denying the powerful pull of the 23-year-old Brit’s achingly vulnerable second album.

• Feist — Metals (Arts & Crafts / Polydor)
A sonic wonderland of guitars, piano and percussion where every single moment counts and each listen leads you farther down the rabbit hole. There’s as much precision as artistry, and as much experimentation (“A Commotion”) as craft (“How Come You Never Go There”). It’s the sound of confidence.

• St. Vincent — Strange Mercy (4AD)
Annie Clark’s experimental art pop has never been more accessible, but that’s not to say it’s less ambitious. An electronic ghost haunts the edges of every song, with deliberate punctuations marks of percussion, synthesizers, and crunchy guitar riffs (“Dilettente”), and Clark’s strong, deceptively soothing vocals snaking in, around and above the instrumentation (“Champagne Year”).

• The latest from the Black Lips

There’s clearly plenty I’m not getting from the purely unfamiliar (dance-punk cum dream popsters Metronomy, droning alt-country newcomer Josh T. Pearson) to personally unappealing but popular “soul” artists (Adele, Drake, James Blake) to sputtering Euro electro-pop (M83, Austra, Little Dragon, Robyn) and just plain overrated acts (Stephen Malkmus, Girls, Cults, Wild Flag).

It makes my list seem rather staid, full of pretty established artists continuing strings of strong releases. For me (excluding tUnE-yArDs), this year lacked unusual breakthroughs of years past like Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Japandroids, or Baby Dee, which I see as a balkanization effect springing out of the loss or radio as a driving tastemaker and an increasing void of common musical ground to birth new trends any more substantial than Chillwave. In loose order:

• Fucked Up — David Comes to Life (Matador)
These guys are no joke. Though they began in hardcore, and that heritage remains (mostly in singer Pink Eyes’ feral growl) with their heavily-layered palette’s as expansive as King Crimson. The follow-up to 2008’s Polaris-winning The Chemistry of Common Life is an exultant 18-song, four-act ode to life, love, death, and rebirth worthy of rock’s seminary.

• Mastodon — The Hunter (Interscope)
After taking their intricately plotted yet ferocious prog-metal to Blood Mountain and beyond to Crack the Skye, they accomplish something even more impressive — paring their wild, woolly, aggressive sound into suitable bite-size, radio-ready chunks. The Hunter is the kind of great, wide appeal hard rock that’s a rarity these days.

• Wilco — The Whole Love (Anti-)
Finally free of a major label, they make their most immediate, accessible music at least since Summer Teeth, while still retaining a tasteful amount of sonic experimentation and ambition. The back-to-basics approach suits them, and compensates for several years of navel-gazing.

• PJ Harvey — Let England Shake (Vagrant) / St. Vincent — Strange Mercy (4AD)
Rock’s two most visionary female artists, Annie Clark of St. Vincent and Polly Jean Harvey, are going in different directions to the same place. St. Vincent’s latest remains some of the most unsettling pretty music around, full of odd tones and noises inhabiting catchy, often beatific soundscapes spiked with bursts of noise. Harvey’s gone the other way getting quieter, culminating in her latest, which compensates for reduced volume with emotional intensity and well-wrought lyrics, surveying the cost of war and England’s declining fortunes. Both discomfiting in different ways.

• TV on the Radio — Nine Types of Light (Interscope)
Since Return to Cookie Mountain, TVOTR has been on a crusade to simplify. Their latest is their least layered, most minimalist — and as a result — direct release. Its accessibility increased as the crisp grooves and immediacy of the hooks has become at least as important as prodigious displays of sonic frippery and experimentation.

• Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)
They find this pretty soft spot between ’60 British folk, ornate Brill Building pop, and harmony-enriched ’70s rock acts like Fleetwood Mac. As splendid as their debut is, there’s an even greater craft and magic present on the follow-up. Like the Keebler elves, if they side-lighted in rock.

• tUnE-yArDs — w h o k i l l (4AD)
The quirky, sample-laden songs percolate like Richard Simmons on simmer, as rife with vocal harmonies as the last Dirty Projectors disc. Merrill Garbus performs it all, offering a surprisingly fresh take on soul, crossing airy Kate Bush-like expansive/weird-ness and torchy Nina Simone exoticism with a touch of clubby glitchiness. It effervesces like 7-Up.

• The Feelies — Here Before (Bar/None)
One of the great unsung acts of the ’80s, the Feelies return two decades after their last album with a baker’s dozen tracks of rootsy rock. A blend of R.E.M., Pylon, and Camper Van Beethoven, it’s somewhat moody, spiky, Southern jangle-pop with really indelible vocal melodies.

• Black Lips — Arabia Mountain (Merge)
It was a pretty good year for garage rock, with fine albums by Ty Segal, Jack Oblivian, and Times New Viking. The Lips’ effort was the best, recruiting producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Adele, Kaiser Chiefs), polishing away some grit (much like TNV) and crafting their finest batch of songs to date, aided by their rowdy, infectious energy.

• The latest from Feist

• Tedeschi Trucks Band — Revelator (Sony/Masterworks)
A dream band finally makes it official. This album makes me unbelievably happy every time I play it.

• Carey Murdock and NoStar — Baby Don’t Look Down (NoStar)
This album technically came out in December 2010, but I didn’t hear it until a month later. The unknown Augusta singer-songwriter (and pal of Cary Ann Hearst) sounds like a gravelly, wisened 60-year-old man. Then you Google him and realize he’s a baby faced kid. His voice, songwriting, and song arrangements are downright incredible.

• Béla Fleck and the Flecktones — Rocket Science (Entertainment One Music)
Howard Levy, welcome back to your band. The level of musicianship on this recording is staggering. One second they’re the Bad Plus, the next they’re Tinariwen. It’s the Flecktones at their best.

• Wilco — The Whole Love (Anti-)
By the end of the first song, it’s unclear what’s happening, but there’s no question it’s amazing. Turn it up loud.

• Bon Iver — Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)
Could Justin Vernon come close to matching his amazing For Emma album? Yes, and then some. He’s here to stay.

• The Deep Dark Woods — The Place I Left Behind (Six Shooter)
This will be the album that finally puts this incredible Saskatchewan band on the map. They’ve got all the soul, harmonies, and backwoods boogie that made the Band immortal.

• Gaslight Street — Idle Speed (independent)
I should immediately mention that I am a friend of the bands, and I help them with their tour promotion. But I do that because the music is so damn good. Cary Ann Hearst’s singing on “Vicksburg” makes me smile with hope for the growing Lowcountry music scene.

• Iron and Wine — Kiss Each Other Clean (Warner Bros.)
The first time I saw Sam Beam play, I wanted to John Belushi his guitar into a million pieces on the wall. This album changed my mind.

• Adele — 21 (Columbia)
Take your AutoTune and shove it. Thanks Adele for being a light in the black hole of FM radio.

• Feist — Metals (Polydor)
Feist debuted these songs during a concert in a crypt underneath New York City. How could anyone not love this girl?