In the interest of full disclosure, let’s just say we’ve had some server issues this year. And, unfortunately, that meant we couldn’t put as many songs out into orbit as we have in past years. Consequently, that means we didn’t get to show some artists the love they deserved. as far as Watch the Throne goes, the difference in sales was probably marginal. And don’t trip. The big blowout, wrap-up list is coming too. But for now, we figured it was only appropriate to return to a few of the artists a bit further off the radar, who made a major impression. Expect to see a few of these names on our list of favorites for the year, along with a few more. But since not everybody’s combing through Pitchfork all day, here’s a short list of folks to we recommend getting familiar with.
On the surface, it seems like it would be easy for us to find some complaint about the decade-long musical project that is The Black Keys — that say, their garage-rock ethos would have lost its charm by now, that their bluesy traditionalism might be subject to claims of bearded white guy cultural appropriation, or that their revivalist tendencies might just cross the line into kitsch or camp. And it’s not to say that they haven’t occasionally crossed those lines before. But El Camino effectively obliterates them. It rocks them into the ground and refuses to hold back on satisfaction. If it’s not their most dignified album, it’s just too much fun for any of that to matter.
More than anything, El Camino is just a pleasant surprise. With last year’s Brothers still pretty fresh in our memory, Dan and Patrick kept busy over the last few months by putting in work in the studio, crafting a follow-up full of off-the-cuff jams. Heavy on the hallmarks of Keys’ signature sound, El Camino is raw, groovy, and full of great songwriting. And along with those signature elements– crunchy, monster guitar licks, gutbucket drums, downhome bluesiness– come Danger Mouse’s subtle touches on the production end, making some songs as pretty as they are powerful. “Gold on the Ceiling” is one of those shining moments. It’s the sound of masters at work; masters who make producing consistently great shit sound ridiculously effortless.
I don’t think there’s another CD in my car as scratched as Brothers. I played that shit out. It held me down for a massive road trip, a half dozen Bay to L.A. treks, and countless day to day maneuvers. Brothers, like any good Black Keys album, was just a reminder that even in a rapidly evolving, increasingly digitized music climate, there’s always room for some dusty, bluesy, soal-soaked rock and roll music. “Lonely Boy” is the first single from The Black Keys’ latest, El Camino, due out November 25th on limited edition 12″. And excluding the dude in this video, nobody’s more excited about that than me.
It’s hard not to be impressed with Nabil Elderkin. One moment, it’s a high profile video for Yeezy or Frank Ocean. The next, it’s a foray into international photojournalism in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. Over the past few years, few visual artists have had such consistently imaginative output. So given the fact that both he and Justin Vernon are coming off such impressive creative periods (not to mention their mutual ties to Mr. West), it only makes sense that Nabil would tackle the visuals for “Holocene”, one of the more evocative songs from Bon Iver’s self-titled opus.
“I could see for miles, miles miles”, Vernon tells us. So what better place to film a piece than the Icelandic wilderness? Capturing icy mountain ranges, rolling clouds and green fields, Nabil’s sense of scenery is nothing short of breathtaking, providing the song with a backdrop just as expressive, and just as gorgeous.
This one’s been a long time coming, I know. My apologies to Cunningham, and anybody else who’s been waiting. It’s not that there’s been any shortage of dope shit dropping lately — Theophilus London’s full-length debut, and quality projects from Washed Out, Little Dragon, Dom Kennedy and Beyonce to name a few. August tends to sneak up on you with the realization that summer actually ends, and once again today, it hit me. Still, fleeting though it may be, every summer deserves a soundtrack. So here’s a taste of ours.
In describing the creative impetus behind Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the band’s mastermind Ruben Nielson describes the project as his own “escape hatch to a new musical dimension , and “a sound that recalled Captain Beefheart, Sly Stone and RZA jamming on some kid’s TV theme too dark to ever be broadcast”. The melting pot approach has served him well, and it’s what most blogs and critics have picked up on so far. Comparisons to ’70s funk, early Beatles songwriting and Krautrock experimentalism, among others, have come frequently, since last year when “Ffunny Ffrends” popped up on the band’s Bandcamp page. Now a half a year later, UMO is back with their self titled debut. “How Can U Luv Me” is yet another example of Nielson’s eclectic vision and pop songwriting. “How can you love me, when you don’t like me?” he asks. With lo-fi jams like this and “Ffunny Ffrends”, it’s hard not to.
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You’d have to be skeptical of anyone claiming to completely “understand” Justin Vernon’s songwriting at face value. For one, his layered falsetto tends to blend into the rich instrumental textures he’s created, to the point where certain phrases are impossible to catch without the lyrics in front of you. For another, his poetry is unconventional. Obscure turns of phrase, esoteric words, and off-the-cuff observations are everywhere. Both lyrically and musically, it often feels like Justin Vernon is speaking a different language altogether. And yet, the music he’s created as Bon Iver, personal as it may be, has proven to be undeniably relatable.
Pitchfork’s Mark Richardson made the observation that the creation myth behind Bon Iver — “a bearded dude from small-town Wisconsin retreating, heartbroken, to a cabin to write some songs” — corresponds to the sense of “escape” and “intimacy” his music gives us access to. It’s a pretty astute observation, and with For Emma, Forever Ago, the brilliant debut in question, the narrative of escapism adds to the music’s evocative power. Escaping emotional turmoil, escaping to nature, escaping to solitude, and finding solace in personal reflection and music. It’s the kind of broadly applicable sentiment we can all connect to in our own way. Bon Iver however, isn’t just an introspective escape. Instead, it’s an album that turns outward, redefining the Bon Iver project with poetic imagination and radical ambition.
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If there’s a theme to this collection of tracks, it’s that I’ve been sleeping. The tone here should probably be a little apologetic, even. For one, I wasn’t all that impressed with Big Sean until recently. But with the handful of tracks I’ve heard from the album so far, it looks like dude actually has a serious project on his hands. “Marvin Gaye and Chardonnay”, for example is looking like a new anthem. As far as Timber Timbre goes, I’m just glad Jesse put me up when he did. On the other hand, there are some more familiar faces here too. The grimiest Nas track in years, the latest from The Weeknd and some quality Drizzy round things out. Also, not to jump the gun, but that Thundercat album is going to be fucking crazy. Anyway, it’s the weekend. Enjoy yourself.
Dev Hynes is one of those artists that always intrigued me. I suppose a lot of it has to do with how hard he is to squeeze into a box. The early noise-pop of Test Icicles, the genre-bending, often Morrissey-indebted array of music released as Lightspeed Champion, or the work behind the scenes for the likes of Florence and the Machine and Theophilus London. Not to mention the wardrobe choices. There’s always been a certain combination of emotional resonance and tongue-in-cheek humor to it all, which is part of what makes his art so endearing. The transformation from wig-wearing, hipster cliche as Lightspeed Champion to snapback-sporting hoop aficionado as Blood Orange is no different. Even as he’s exchanging personas, the mood of the music feels genuine.
Blood Orange, Dev’s latest project, is a collaboration with Grizzly Bear and Twin Shadow producer Chris Taylor, and so far its yielded two of his strongest singles to date: “Dinner”, a Prince-referencing synth soul jam, and “Sutphin Boulevard”, the first single from their upcoming release. Both are bouncy, funky and synthed out — late night music along the lines of Taylor’s work with Twin Shadow on Forget. The kind of songs that double as makeout or breakup soundtracks, depending on the mood. For more from Blood Orange, check here, and watch the clip for “Dinner” below.
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So summer’s settling in, and as usual, the soundtrack is falling into place. If for whatever reason, you still listen to the radio, you’ll notice a monster of a summer anthem from Wayne, Drake and Ross, and for official purposes only, DJ Khaled. Aside from that, other highlights include some serious grown man soul from Sleepy Brown and Saadiq, some Spaghetti Western fake-soundtracking from Danger Mouse and Norah Jones, and some dope visuals from Frank Ocean and James Blake. The tUnE-yArDs/Yours Truly collab and the Thundercat are not to be missed either. Okay, less reading. More listening. Oh yeah, and Jazz Reggae is this weekend. So cop that ticket.
Mar told me this talk was golden, and I have to say, it’s nothing less. For those who still haven’t gotten familiar with Nardwuar, he might come off as a little eccentric, or a lot weird. But over the past few years, Nardwuar has emerged as easily the most entertaining interviewer out there, in my humble. Having talked with everyone from Jay-Z to Gaga to Basegod, Nardwuar’s taste in artists is matched only by his unusual style of interview. For a few choice examples, check here or here.
The message of this talk, given at this year’s TED Conference, is simple though, and it’s central to his movement as well as ours. If you want to make something happen, get on it. There’s no better time than the present, and no better person to do it than you. You can always come up with reasons to wait for shit to come to you, and being prepared is cool too. But if you know what you want, ask for it. Or better yet, find it on your own. You’ll thank yourself later.
“No man’s land
There ain’t no asylum here
King Solomon, he never lived ’round here…”
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