I obsess. About music, film, comedy, a clean kitchen counter, the precise folding of my laundry and tying of my shoes… I’m not well. While some of these are a window into much deeper problems relating to my upbringing, others are those joys in which I’ll never mind being enveloped. My obsessions this past year, whether they be new releases, trends or writings, old habits, better-late-than-nevers and I’ll-never-get-overs.

Soul, Soul, Soul!

I was raised on the music of the 60s, in nearly all its vibrant forms, including the dueling camps of Hitsville and Soulsville USA, and its sounds have always commingled with all the traffic in my brain. But in the past year, Soul has taken a firm stance at the center of my musical world, prompting me to ask a question in 2011: “Is ‘Funk & Soul’ music the best music?” And after voraciously ingesting every possible type of recorded sound over nearly 30 years, I am currently of the mind that the answer is Yes. I realize that by the end of 2012 it is possible that I’ll say Tibetan Scream-Singing is the world’s purest tonal expression, but something from within tells me I’ll be sticking with my answer.

While I’ve been obsessing all slack-jawed over the grooves of James Brown over the past few years, this year I absorbed Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971, The Complete Stax/Volt Singles: 1959-1968, the Standing In The Shadows of Motown and Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story documentaries, and the vital Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967 concert film all countless times. And expanding past the the big studios, I discovered the Wheedle’s Groove documentary and compilation of Seattle’s hidden gem of a Soul scene during the 60s and 70s, as well as the utterly unbelievable and essential-for-all-lovers-of-Soul Downtown Soulville, the weekly WFMU program featuring DJ Mr. Fine Wine’s seemingly bottomless stack of Soul 45s. If I could recommend only one thing to you this year, it would be this show. Listen live on Friday nights from 8-9 EST on WFMU or in podcast form.

All of this authentic, raw soul may or may not be the reason for my

WTF? of the Year

I award the WTF? to a record that gets critical acclaim for reasons I cannot understand. In 2011, it’s Adele’s 21. I listened and listened, and all I could hear was a bland, boring, American Idol-influenced recording of commercially palatable R&B-for-WASPS. I mean, even Patti Smith raved about this record! What gives! But even people who reflect some of my opinion in their reviews will champion her vocal talent and rest the accolades firmly on that talent. But technical prowess does not a great record make. Two words folks: Yngwie Malmsteen. Emmiright?

R&B, Meet Indie!

As I mentioned in several of my best jawns of 2011 blurbs, there was a lot of R&B/Indie crossover in the last year. While a popular blogster trend is to shit on musicians trying new things or taking steps outside of their wheelhouse, these amalgams are just the product of cultures commingling because of a much broader, technology-bolstered playing field and the the lowering of “The Irony Curtain” that was my focus in 2010, the idea that musicians can explore sounds they dig that are considered lame foreign or nostalgic purely out of love and not some ironic, winking gesture (Thanks, Bon Iver, GAYNGS and Chromeo!). For a much better take on the “PBR&B” sect, check out Nitsuh Abebe’s New York Magazine article and list. And speaking of Nitsuh…

Rock Journalism Highs!

Many have claimed and continue to claim that rock journalism is dead. But for me, two men showed us in 2011 that such claims are bullshit. Christopher Weingarten made waves in 2009 by launching his @1000timesyes project and giving a speech at the 140 Characters Conference called “Twitter and the Death of Rock Criticism,” shown in its entirety below:

If you use Twitter, you may share my opinion that once you start following over a hundred folks or so, it can be a daunting task to follow. Sometimes I’ll just need to take a break from it and non-virtually play with my dog. But I couldn’t stop following @1000timesyes, and would often bring up Weingarten’s tweets and just read those. And the funny thing was, fifty percent of the time his opinions infuriated me (LINKIN FUCKING PARK?!LOLZOMFG!?). I didn’t agree with a hell of a lot of what he was digging (or hating on) musically, but he is passionate, and his writing always reflects that passion. Weingarten has often spat bile at sites like Pitchfork.com, a site I got into in around 2002-2003. And while I still use it as a source for finding records to sample, their reviews don’t really do it for me anymore. In a recent Nitsuh Abebe article (I’ll get to him soon!), he references an old Pitchfork review by Brent DiCrescenzo, who was one of my favorite writers at Pitchfork. These irreverent reviews, often written from the perspective of a fictional character, were what drew me to the site. They were smart but fun, and even when I didn’t agree with the argument, I loved reading them. But as Pitchfork’s readership grew, its editors began to clamp down on such “nonsense,” emphasizing “serious,” scholarly-sounding reviews that often seem to go on and on. There is still some excellent writing on the site, but a lot of the fun has faded. It got to be that I thought I couldn’t write an acceptable record review if it wasn’t at least 2000 words and void of humor.

Weingarten’s Twitter reviews were such a welcome breath of fresh air, proving, as he set out to do, that good music writing could be concisely edited down to 140-character bursts. And with the momentum he gained on Twitter, he went on to become SPIN Magazine’s senior editor, and just last week launched @SPINreviews along with a plan to review much more albums in this 140-character fashion while focusing the print side on longer, “think pieces” about less, more carefully selected fare. And I gotta say, this music dork finds it absolutely thrilling to be this excited about music writing again!

In addition to his Twitter and SPIN work, I highly recommend Weingarten’s contributions to the Village Voice’s Yes In My Backyard blog, featuring NYC band free mp3 downloads and interviews.

And now, to Mr. Abebe. I first discovered him over at Pitchfork through his masterful aughts-decade wrap-up “The Decade in Indie” (both this piece and Weingarten’s Twitter speech transcript can be found in Da Capo’s Best Music Writing 2010. Please check out Da Capo‘s annual series.) His take on music and pop culture has a knack for eloquently expressing my scattered thoughts on pop music in American society. His work reminds me a lot of Chuck Klosterman’s essays (another of my favorite pop culture sociologists), though Abebe is not quite as aggressively contrarian. For some of the most intelligent takes on pop music, check out his columns in Pitchfork (Why We Fight), New York Magazine, Vulture and his home base Tumblr agrammar. You will not be disappointed.

Tom Scharpling!

If you happen to be both a music AND comedy dork like myself, then you owe it to yourself to check out WFMU’s Best Show with Tom Scharpling. Billed appropriately as “Three hours of mirth, music and mayhem,” Scharpling’s call-in show is the most unique blend of music and comedy this side of The Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Connection. I’m someone who has a huge comedy podcast appetite, but it still took me a little while to get over the hurdle of the show lasting three hours. It didn’t take long for me to become an addict though, and this past year was one of the show’s strongest, especially with the unveiling of Vance, the prog-rock loving puppet that I cannot get enough of. The show airs Tuesday nights from 9-12 EST on WFMU, but you can also listen to the podcast form on iTunes.

In addition to The Best Show, Scharpling recently found his second calling in music video writing and directing. It’s been a while since I’ve been remotely interested in music videos, but his contributions to the medium for groups like Titus Andronicus, The Stepkids, The New Pornographers, The Ettes, Wild Flag and noted apocalypticist John Hodgman have awakened my love for it. Here is his most recent video for Real Estate:

and his video for The Stepkids, maker of my #1 record of 2011:

LCD Soundsystem

As someone who obsessively seeks out new music, it’s always extremely frustrating when you get stuck in one obsession and totally miss the boat on something else. “Better Late Than Never” is a phrase I’ve had to turn to all my life, like last year when I finally got around to checking out LCD Soundsystem. I was focused on indie pop/rock for so long and it was a while before I got into a lot of dance music. In the early/mid aughts I was a single sad bastard, and had little going on that warranted dancing. I loved This Is Happening, and when I dove into their other work, I was knocked off my chair. I spent a lot of 2011 listening to “Yeah (Crass Version)” and kicking myself in the ass for not jumping on the ride in 2005. “But hey, it’s cool, now I know and I’ll catch them live at – what? Last concert?” To quote Napoleon Bonaparte, “Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!” At least I’ll be able to watch this when it comes out, and it looks ridiculous:

The Who’s Live at Leeds

While Tom Scharpling has been championing the Led Zeppelin side of the English Juggernaut Coin, I’ve spent a lot of 2011 revisiting this unholy gutbucket masterpiece, whether it be the original vinyl or the 2001 deluxe rerelease with the live Tommy included (I just started tackling the 40th Anniversary Box Set with the Hull show). It’s such a guttural, violent assault that forces you to stomp your feet to the Keith Moon cacophony. The Who are one of those bands that is a completely different animal live, and much of that has to do with The Ox being turned up to 11, distorted and given the lead instrumental role. Jesus, that guy was inhuman. Listening to this record, it’s almost impossible to imagine him tearing out those lines while standing motionless with that “Keep Calm and Carry On,” bored look on his kisser that he shares with Charlie Watts. Also, besides his monumental drumming, Keith Moon is one funny sonofabitch, and his humor is all over this record.

The Bombay Connection: Funk from Bollywood Action Thrillers 1977-1984

My old boss came into the office one day with this nugget from the local library. Kids, visit your local library, and learn about other cultures’ extreme funkatility, for serious. We could not stop listening, and it has become a mainstay on my playlists. The past few years have seen quite a few extensive compilation releases of African Funk & Soul, But India will not be ignored! This collection is a treasure trove of 70s funky TV theme music and some 80s spacey electro-funk excursions. Hey Indian readers of this blog (Greetings!), is there an equivalent to Baretta-era Robert Blake over there? Because this album channels him. Also, did he end up killing anybody? I hope not! Anywho, I highly recommend you pick this release up from Bombay Connection, and check out some of their other offerings, as I know I will be in 2012.


and finally,

My Good Ladywife’s Jame Blake Impression

Much was written about young Jimmy Blake in 2011, but nobody sums up his embodiment of raw emotion quite like my Good Ladywife, a master impressionist who is said to stare into an artist’s very soul to gain his or her essence for her interpretations. See for yourself:

My Favorite Reissues of 2011

in order of release:

What’s Going On (40th Anniversary Edition) / Marvin Gaye / Motown

The Smile Sessions / The Beach Boys / Capitol Records

Satan Is Real / Louvin Brothers / Light In The Attic

Tago Mago (40th Anniversary Edition) / Can / Mute

Siamese Dream / Smashing Pumpkins / Virgin

My Favorite EPs of 2011

in order of release:

He Gets Me High / Dum Dum Girls / Sub Pop Records

Trimming of Hides / Norwegian Arms / Self-Released

Strange Cacti / Angel Olsen / Bathetic Records

Darn Your Best Frock / Moon Bounce / Self-Released

In Tension / Light Asylum / Mexican Summer

Just Once / How To Dress Well / Love Letters Ink

Atlantic / Southern Shores / Cascine

A Silent Planet / Teen Daze / Waaga Records

Freaking Out / Toro y Moi / Carpark Records

Total Decay / The Soft Moon / Captured Tracks

Tarot Classics / Surfer Blood / Kanine Records

The King Khan Experience / The King Khan Experience / Free Release

All the other records I enjoyed from 2011

in order of release:

Zonoscope / Cut Copy / Modular

Shapeshifting / Young Galaxy / Paper Bag Records

Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will / Mogwai / Sub Pop Records

Ravedeath, 1972 / Tim Hecker / kranky

The King of Limbs / Radiohead / Self-Released

Best of Gloucester County / Danielson / Sounds Familyre

Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light I / Earth / Southern Lord Recordings

Desert Etiquette / Floating Action / Park the Van

Return To The Ugly Side / Malachai / Domino Recording

936 / Peaking Lights / Not Not Fun Records

Mosaik / Siriusmo / Monkeytown Records

No Color / The Dodos / Frenchkiss Records

Helioscope / Vessels / Cuckundoo Records

Mind Bokeh / Bibio / Warp

Creep On Creepin’ On / Timber Timbre / Arts & Crafts

Some Cold Rock Stuf / J.Rocc / Stones Throw Records

Mirrorwriting / Jamie Woon / Polydor

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care / Explosions In The Sky / Temporary Residence

Terra / Julian Lynch / Underwater Peoples

Helplessness Blues / Fleet Foxes / Sub Pop Records

Life Fantastic / Man Man / ANTI-/Epitaph

Past Life Martyred Saints / EMA / Red Eye

Casablanca Nights / Johan Agebjörn / Paper Bag Records

Attention Please / Boris / Sargent House

Circuital / My Morning Jacket / ATO Records

Goodbye Bread / Ty Segall / Drag City

Watch The Throne / Jay Z & Kanye West / Def Jam Recordings

Hearts / I Break Horses / I Kill Love/Bella Union

Coastal Grooves / Blood Orange / Domino Recording

Green Naugahyde / Primus / ATO Records

Wild Flag / Wild Flag / Merge

YT // ST / Yamantaka // Sonic Titan / Psychic Handshake Recordings

XXX / Danny Brown / Fool’s Gold

You’re Never Going Back / Coasting / M’lady’s Records

All Things Will Unwind / My Brightest Diamond / Asthmatic Kitty

Megafaun / Megafaun / Hometapes

The Clearing / Locrian / Fan Death Records

Humor Risk / Cass McCombs / Domino Recording

Take Care / Drake / Cash Money Records

Purple Naked Ladies / The Internet / Odd Future