Decade Recap

[RadioBallet]

So I discontinued that discographies journal, its ambition and lack of finish line tiring me out before even attempting to expand it. Now, although I have a lot of fun with the random album button I need a grounded, systematic way to explore music alongside it. Now considering that I have recently gained access to decade charts and wanting to get a good start on 2020 I thought it would be a good idea to build one for the 2010's as they come to a close.

I've thrown away the thorough game plan I had for a more time-efficient one. Forgive me!

Only albums with a rating of 70 or above will make it on to the charts.

I'm well aware this is only skimming the surface along with a couple shots at the dark but I just want better context going into the next decade. If you wanna PM me a SURE gem please do so.

[RadioBallet]

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The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
August 2, 2010 // Indie Rock

I've always admired Arcade Fire's ability to make albums that embrace their theme in all possible aspects and The Suburbs is one of their best examples of this. It has an identity which does not deviate or lose focus from start to finish. I'd describe it as nostalgia with an undertone of regret. This regret nags at you from behind just when you forget it's there, but you never grow the courage to face it. This album doesn't have a single weak track, but it also lacks tracks that stand out. Yes, you have the opener and closer (Sprawl II, not the ditty) as exceptions, but their placing in the track listing leaves the middle section of the album needing a bit of a push. This gives the impression that The Suburbs lacks the explosiveness and risks of previous albums, not to mention that the run time, I think, is just a tad long. Good listen, nonetheless.

Rating: 75/100

[RadioBallet]

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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
November 22, 2010 // Hip-Hop/Rap

On first listen I was somewhat annoyed by the many idiosyncrasies and silly details of this album, though as it progressed I couldn't help but notice that those very things gave the album a really quirky, oddball personality. In a way this album reflects its maker really well. It couldn't care less what I thought about it. I had to give it a second listen and upon doing so I was able to see how lighthearted and borderline satirical the project is, while at the same time keeping its feet on the ground. Not only are the lyrics clever and funny enough to mask flaws, but Kanye's attitude and confidence somehow makes any apparent weaknesses add to the aesthetic of the album. That is a quality which is really hard to find. On further listens I've found that rather than opening up like I thought it would, most tracks sort of settled down into a positive though lower rating. The clever lines, quirky details and Kanye's spotlight personality make an otherwise decent collection of songs into a memorable and entertaining enough experience.

Rating: 68/100

[RadioBallet]

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Llyrìa by Nik Bärtsch's Ronin
October 12, 2010 // Jazz

Well, I don't know much about jazz other than the common classics, but I'm excited to cast my line into the less explored waters of modern jazz. This album sets the tone as soon as it opens with seven seconds of silence, followed by a complex syncopation which manages to create an eerie and mysterious air. Later on in the track as intensity builds, it is evident for the first time that this album finds its strength in the restraint of what is a great amount of pent-up energy. Llyrìa follows a similar pattern for all the tracks on it. It sets an atmosphere that is tense and suspenseful with even hints of the mysterious and mystical for good measure. It's like walking through a foggy forest after dusk and running into some ancient temple ruins that happen to be haunted. What the album does with this foundation is that it slowly raises its complexity and intensity, building it to the point where it's ready to burst into flames. It's at this point where the group opts for a slow die-out instead of the more popular spectacle finish. I think one of the best ways to describe it is as a slow-burner, which is a great thing in this situation. It's like sitting by the full, heavy, radiating heat of embers instead of a flashy, quick-burning pile of crumpled paper, a route that the album could have easily gone in. Each piece introduces rhythmically complex, hypnotic and even frenetic sections of impressive playing, which somehow manage to sound very natural and unforced. This album really took me somewhere and never forced me along a path to walk on, it simply lit the way and I was able to just sit back and enjoy the experience. It certainly doesn't have the ambition to rank as something special in my books, but it is certainly as good as an album can get before that point. Very impressed. I would recommend Modul 47 or the closing track if you want a taste.

Rating: 78/100

[RadioBallet]

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Teen Dream by Beach House
January 26, 2010 // Dream Pop

I listened to this album a handful of times while riding the bus a few years ago and I really enjoyed it, but now that I sit down and really focus on it I can see some things I don't like very much that I hadn't noticed when passively listening. First I'll say, I'm a fan of the Beach House sound. It's irresistible, that fragile, ethereal, weightless take on pop. It's easily recognizable and very easy on the ears. They are consistent with this style on Teen Dream. Now, having a great sound is only half of the picture. I think equally important, is that this sound has compatible songs to go along with it, something that I wish was done better here. For example, Silver Soul really nails that sweet point where the songwriting compliments the band's style, while 10 Mile Radio, particularly in its climax, attempts to be fast-paced and stadium-filling in nature but the band's sweet synths and sleepy guitars are soft as a pillow and struggle to keep up. Though this is the clearest case I see this happening in many other tracks. I'm also not the biggest fan of the vocals on some points of this project, though for the most part they're okay. I also find the lyrics decent enough but there is a lot of room to grow and expand. I guess in the end, I don't dislike the album but I also don't enjoy it. It does display some potential but I wouldn't revisit very often.

Rating: 58/100

[RadioBallet]

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Mulataje by Grupo Bahia
April 1, 2010 // Currulao

Colombia is a country rich in culture and musical tradition, being the birthplace of popular Latin genres like cumbia and vallenato. Now, though the Caribbean coast of Colombia is far more appreciated than the Pacific coast, not only in touristic terms but in a musical sense also, the west coast is home to another genre indigenous to the country called Currulao. Colombia's west coast, which ethnically is composed almost entirely by people of African decent, hosts music that runs very close to its roots across the Atlantic. Currulao consists, in its most simple form, of a few percussion instruments for rhythm and a competent marimba player to work the melody and harmony. More often than not vocals with heavy call-and-response will be added. Mulataje, which I ran into by luck earlier today, is perhaps one of the genre's best and most accessible exports. Though run-time is a little long and leads to some monotony, there is nothing but great vibes and sunshine on this album. It also takes the base of the genre and adds an occasional clarinet for some cumbia flavor and a guitar for texture. I also don't know much about the instrument but the guy playing the marimba has some virtuoso-caliber solos on here. I'd recommend you listen to the title track and Liberando for a taste, though I did find that nearly every song on the album was solid in its own right. I do wish there was a little more genre blending, an experiment that has a wonderful palette to play with in this part of the world. Nevertheless, I'm really glad to have found this little gem.

Rating: 85/100

[RadioBallet]

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High Violet by The National
May 11, 2010 // Indie Rock

I've never listened to The National before so I'm glad to get the chance now. I appreciate the album's sound but halfway through it I began losing affinity for the very surface-level melancholy that the band offers. I do wish it went a little deeper, a little darker, but then again the album has redeeming qualities. The drumming and bass playing are sharp and effectively serve as an energy source for an album that would otherwise have been very underwhelming. There are also many well-written songs like Bloodbuzz Ohio, which sticks its head out above the rest. The cherry on top is without a doubt the sincere, crooning baritone vocals. They really carry the album. I think on their own they must raise the album's score by ten points or something like that. In fact, they would be the only reason I'd revisit this project. Anyway, if you want something melancholy but weightless on the soul and easy on the ears this is a good choice.

Rating: 60/100

[RadioBallet]

Broken Dreams Club by Girls
November 22, 2010 // Indie Rock

These are some exceptionally well-written songs. They're so complete that I'd go as far as to say that they could be masterpieces if they were paired up with the right arrangements. See, the band doesn't have a a very distinctive sound but it certainly isn't bad. Their performance is also good. Their excellent songs are paired with an almost generic sound. The album is also cut a little short in my opinion. The title track is probably my favorite of the bunch. Good listen, very fun.

Rating: 68/100

[RadioBallet]

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Ashcan Rantings by Adam Lane's Full Throttle Orchestra
September 8, 2010 // Jazz

An hour and a half long jazz double album reminiscent of Mingus and Ellington's adventurous big band orchestra sound. I'll hit the good first, this album is a masterclass when it comes to the rhythm section. Adam Lane's rock-solid bass lines and performance are in constant cooperation with the sharp, aware drumming of Igal Foni (I just looked up their names because they were that good, I don't actually know anything about this, haha). I'd come back to the album just to hear them play. Together they provide both a concrete though unlimiting foundation and an energy source for the madness going on in the spotlight. It's this madness I want to speak about and I sometimes have a problem with. I'm not sure if it's just my relatively untrained ear for jazz, but some songs could have been a little more concise. Many times this lacked a clear sense of direction, which is a really big no-no for me if I'm going to listen to such a long album with undivided attention. Perhaps some songs could have cut down on the improvised sections. Now, I'm not saying they weren't well-performed, as there is astounding technical ability behind each instrument, but it just wasn't my cup of tea under the circumstances. This also prevented the album from really taking me somewhere like that other jazz album I covered a few days ago. Despite this fact, there were some really fun moments to this madness, such as when the horns sounded like horses, or screaming and even like they were running out of breath. Can't deny that there is a lot of fun and free spirit throughout the album due to the space for improvisation given but it really sacrificed direction. This was simply a collection of compositions that were good, but never crossing over the line to become something really special. Perhaps my favorite tracks were the first two (the album gets off to a great start). Also, if you wanna hear what I'm pretty sure is a Heavy Metal/Jazz fusion listen to the title track. I swear I hear a Black Sabbath similarity here (upon some research this was later confirmed as an influence, who would have thought, huh?). Upon listening again I can't help but feel like there's something I'm not getting about this. Maybe I'll come back to it down the road when I'm more well-versed in the genre.

Rating: 56/100

[RadioBallet]

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This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem
May 18, 2010 // Dance-Punk

It was good to listen to this again, it's always a blast. Most tracks on this album are seven to nine minutes long, with a sound that is more dance-oriented than LCD Soundsystem's previous stuff. A nine-minute dance-punk song seems like an ambitious task to accomplish but that's not at all what comes to mind as you listen to the album. With tracks this long, you'd think that the song structures would become complex, but they're deceivingly simple (and thus running the risk of becoming repetitive). This risk is evaded as something is always shifting, be it some detail in the music, a change in the vocal delivery or a clever line in the lyrics that just catches you off guard. None of the songs even feel as long as they are. Not once does the album drag, or become boring. Each song is very carefully crafted to squeeze all the juice possible out of them, and if you're in the mood, you get gallons of it. I think all the tracks on here are exceptional, many I'd even consider masterpieces. Consider Dance Yrself Clean and I Can Change as exemplary of the album's sound. Drunk Girls is also worth noting, being the shortest and most accessible song on the project. This album is always a good choice if you're just looking to take a load off and not worry about much, that being the essence of the album in the first place.

Rating: 91/100