Jam of the Day: The Juan Maclean - "Feel Like Movin'"

More euphoric house music perfection from The Juan Maclean and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem. This is the perfect song to get you amped up for the weekend.

My Favorite 25 Albums of 2014: 25-21

It was an odd musical year for me, with a lot of strong releases coming out right at the beginning of the year then the rest of the year plodding along with many good, but disappointing records. This is one of the first years in a long time that I could not come up with 50 top records so, instead, I will be short and sweet this year with my Top 25:

25.

Phantogram - Voices

While not completely ditching the glitchy beats and edgy tension of their debut album Eyelid Movies, Phantogram's major label debut Voices does up the gloss factor more, and that push and pull between two worlds is what creates the magic this go around. Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter know their way around a hook, and blast forward with some of their catchiest singles like "Nothing but Trouble," "Black Out Days," and "Fall In Love;" but also can dial things back on the excellent ballads "Bill Murray" and "My Only Friend."

24.

Taylor Swift - 1989

1989 is a proudly glitzy, 80s synthpop throwback that wears its heart and influences on its sleeve. It's a bold move from the 25 year old Swift, and one that she expertly executes. While there will always be debate about the relevance of Swift's work, is she really brilliant or just brilliant at appropriating pop trends, there is almost no debate here that 1989 is the most hook-filled pop record of the year, and is just plain fun.

23.

Clark - Clark

When we reach the end of the world and are staring into the abyss for the last time, Clark's self-titled album is likely the soundtrack to the event. The music here is simultaneously humane and annihilating. Machines churn and burn against one another while small rays of light are briefly allowed in and, just as your body starts to feed off the warmth, Clark throws you back into the blistering maelstrom, tossing aside all hope of survival.

22.

The Juan Maclean - In a Dream

With the ending of LCD Soundsystem, The Juan MacLean became DFA Records' de facto flagship act. Known more for killer singles ("Happy House"), The Juan MacLean had put out good records, but never something consistent enough to be considered a "great" one. In a Dream is the first step in rectifying that situation. With only a couple of slight missteps, the record is a fun, buzzy analogue daydream, full of killer singles like the sleek "A Simple Design," the shimmering and trance-like "I've Waited So Long," and the day-glow house of "Here I Am."

21.

Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else

Sometimes you just crave a great rock n' roll record, with blistering, hook filled guitars, pounding drums, and rumbling bass lines; no muss no fuss rock. On their last record Attack On Memory, Cloud Nothings almost made a perfect record which, for me, was only hampered by some needlessly long songs that tended to overstay their welcome. Here, their latest record Here And Nowhere Else takes off brilliantly from that last record's template and aside from one 7 minute track, blasts through perfect three minute tracks full of amazing melodies, bratty attitude, and enough force to blow a building down. Moving from Steve Albini's more murky production on Attack On Memory to a clearer, more focused approach from John Congleton, Here And Nowhere else has a singular focus that propels the record forward at a breakneck pace, which makes each moment more dazzling than the next.

Non-Sequiturs

Beefy Daddy.

Handsome.

Love the fur.

Awesome chesticles.

Swoon.

Smoody = sexy + moody.

Lovely pelt of fur.

Ditto.

I would kill for his build.

Peek of fur and smirk.

Bubba hotness.

Damn.

Ginger hottie.

UNF.

Daddy!

Grrrrr.

Nice view.  The mountains are pretty too.

Sweet Baby Jebus.

Lean and mean.

Cute.

Cute too.

Cute three.

Leather bear.

So damn hot.

Woof.

Adorabear.

Sup?

Beach bear.

I would love to be that t-shirt.

Damn and Damn.

Yes, please.

Gorgeous.

Wow.

Beefy bull.

Yes.

Personally, I am very excited to get one of the new iPhone 6s. I shake my head at everyone jumping on one side of the bandwagon of either loving or hating Apple. It is a consumer product. You either like it or not, there is no one forcing you to buy one, and if you feel like owning one (or some other phone) makes you somehow better, more important, or elitist in some way, you have some fucked up priorities.

I will admit to being a classicist in one area, the iPod. I enjoy being able to carry around all my music in one place and not having to utilize my phone to transport or listen to it. With the announcement of the iPhone 6 on Tuesday, Apple also announced they are discontinuing the iPod. RIP iPod. I will miss you once my beloved one plays its last track.

I just love brown rice.

Please learn how to use these fucking words.

Sam Smith's cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" is one of the most abysmal covers I have ever heard. He might be able to sing, however, at this point, he doesn't know how to interpret songs.

"Are you crying?"
"No, I am leaking dreams."

I hate when you get toasted bread on a sandwich that is so hard that it cuts your lip.

Why do people have to get weird?

I am sure all cats are like this.  Which is why I love them.

The new U2 album Songs of Innocence is a beautiful bore.

I don't see how people have the energy to go out on a Sunday night and then make it through work on a Monday.

All of a sudden, the real estate market in my neighborhood has not only woken up, it is growling for coffee.

Volker is a pretty cool name.

Exactly.

Some people's smiles are creepy.

In theory, The Juan MacLean should be huge. They have a similar aesthetic to LCD Soundsystem and all, however, there is a slight archness to them that seems to prevent them from being widely accepted. Regardless, I still enjoy them, and their new record In A Dream is very solid.

The minute I start writing for someone else, or a specific audience, I lose any sort of passion I have for the subject. I don't write my blog for anyone but myself.

People seem to sling around the term "bestie" a lot. You have one. Period.

Yes.

Why is there any debate about what side the toilet paper roll is facing?

On a related note, when women complain about the toilet seat being left up, why does it always have to be down for you? Why don't you put it back up after you are done with it? Better yet, why don't you stop complaining about something that takes all of 2 seconds to complete.

It's always nice when you see someone crazy getting together with someone equally as crazy.

On Tuesday, I was woofed at on Scruff by The Lion King, a former member of Color Me Badd, and what looked like a member of the Lollipop Guild.

I don't think any of our Australian friends are coming to Folsom this year. I'm very sad about that.

If you were a doctor/PA/nurse, why would you refer me to a specialist where your exact words to me are "to warn you, we haven't heard good things about their office staff"?

Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Innocent idols who turn me on
While selling bibles to babies
We sleep for a while but then you are gone
All I have left is the story

All I can see before me is the darkest blues
Because I slip to the depths without you

If I met a waitress could she turn me on
I got the time to let her know me
I keep my focus but my dreams keeps me strong
I come abreast of it slowly

All I can see before me is the darkest blue
Because I slip to the depths without you

So many hours that I see before me
Now the stars are out of view
Because I slip to the depths without you."

Interpol
"The Depths"

"It takes a lot of effort
To hold on to all your rules
It can take years to fight movement
It can take years off you!

Out I've been good intentions
While nothing a waiting game
It's been 3 years of then holding the wrath,
But holding on is something wrong

Time after time, when what you're hoping to find
Is not a SIMPLE DESIGN, but a headache
When everything you've built comes falling down
But if you open your mind to a slippery life
When that's look for the time
When that's ready
and everything you need falls to you!

If like to consider the measure
Measure the risk of reward
What makes you think they will love you?!
They just wanna love you more
Take up your sleep in giant
Wake up your terrorcell
They've let the path and you're well on your way
You'll FIGHT THIS TIME

Time after time, when what you're hoping to find
Is not a SIMPLE DESIGN, but a headache
and everything you've built comes falling down
But if you open your mind to a slippery life
When that's look for the time
When that's ready,
And everything you need falls to you!

Falls to you, falls to you
It's all on you
Falls to you, falls to you ready
It's all on you
Falls to you, falls to you ready
That's all on you, ready
Falls to you, falls to you ready
That's all on you, ready

Time after time, when what you're hoping to find
Is not a SIMPLE DESIGN, but a headache
When everything you've built comes falling down
But if you open your mind to a slippery life
When that's look for the time
When that's ready
And everything you need falls to you."

The Juan MacLean
"A Simple Design"

Appealing Things

Slow Magic
The Maze Runner
Totemo
Looking ahead to quiet weekends

Annoying Things

Surly office staff
People who tell me to smile
Those days between summer and fall where the temperatures have no clue what they are doing

Jam of the Day: The Juan Maclean - "A Simple Design"

Sleek house music from The Juan Maclean, featuring the deadpan vocals of Nancy Whang.

New: The Juan Maclean - "You Are My Destiny"

New single from The Juan Maclean.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Twenty-One - A Song You Listen To When You Are Happy

Day Twenty-One - A Song You Listen To When You Are Happy
The Juan Maclean
"Happy House"

Duh! No brainer.

Cut Copy: Zonoscope

Cut Copy
Zonoscope
Rating: Grrrr

Cut Copy's second album In Ghost Colours, was a blast of nostalgia mixed with a modern sheen; a rush of sparkling New Order-esque synths and 80s guitars with so many hooks, you could hang meat on them. Their latest release Zonoscope is thankfully not a verbatim repeat of In Ghost Colours, instead, it takes what was great about that album and filters it through a more mature, updated lens.

While In Ghost Colours was filled with short, super poppy songs, Zonoscope allows more room to breathe. Most of the songs are north of 5 minutes in length, and experiment with more foreign textures and percussion, sounding almost like a cross between New Order, Talking Heads, and early Thompson Twins.

The album opens with the droning, pulsating "Need You Now," which erupts into a barn burning finale full of driving beats and twinkling synths:



"Take Me Over," features some lovely new wave guitars over an almost calypso beat:



And first single, "Where I'm Going," is probably their most straightforward song, mixing Beach Boys harmonies with a Beatlesque backbeat:



The album is the perfect mix of standard Cut Copy killer dance tracks, filled with moments of beautiful experimentation; and when the two meet, it is sublime.

"Pharoahs and Pyramids," rides along on a bouncing bass synth line and whooshing synths, moving almost into deep house territory:



"Corner of the Sky," takes a simple chanting vocal and dense patchwork of buzzing synths, building into a delicious guitar raveup:



And it all culminates with the 15 minute trance epic "Sun God,"



Of course, what generally draws listeners to Cut Copy is their brilliant way with a pop song. Although Zonoscope slants a little more to an experimental release, there is no shortage of great singles.

The bouncy, Thompson Twins meets Juan Maclean "Blink and You'll Miss A Revolution," gets by on its dreamy swagger:



And three beautiful guitar centric pieces, the hauntingly lovely "This Is All We've Got," which almost borders on shoegaze, "Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat," a delicate psychedelic tinged ballad, and the delightful "Alisa," with its effect heavy guitars and lush string-filled chorus:







Zonoscope is the perfect follow up to a hit album. It retains enough of the charm of In Ghost Colours without seeming like a retread, but also offers enough experimentation and expansion of their sound to challenge the listener and bring in new converts. Each listen brings new discoveries, and makes the album a difficult one to stop listening to.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.