#22 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar

And here we are again. If you recall, the last time I featured Kendrick Lamar on the Top 31 (his third album To Pimp a Butterfly was a reluctant #29 in 2015), I was conflicted. While I enjoyed listening to the music, it’s deep-seated (and appropriate) anger was too much for my liking, and pushed things too far.

And now DAMN. Every bit as angry and difficult as Butterfly, this album has done little to make Lamar’s music less confrontational to my core being. I’m convinced that most of my difficulty with it centers around my inherent white male privilege, and there’s nothing I can do about it. A white man talking about his privilege is in itself problematic, and I’m not proud of myself for leaning on that crutch, especially in this day and age.

This album is good. Lamar is clearly and infinitely talented. He’s even being tasked with producing the score to the new Black Panther movie, of which I am most excited. And I’m sure I’ll continue to listen to him, and continue to question everything about that action. Such is my lot.

Lamar has created many videos for this album. In addition to “Element,” above, you can watch the rest here:

• Humble
• DNA
• Love
• Loyalty

I’m curious what you think about this album, and about him. Please share!

__________________________________________

23. Capacity by Big Thief
24. The Tourist by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
25. CCFX EP by CCFX
26. Woodstock by Portugal. The Man
27. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

Subscribe to the 2017 Top 31 Apple Music playlist
2009-2016 Top 31s

#23 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

Capacity by Big Thief

Oh, Brooklyn. It must be nice having so much indie rock talent just laying around. Such as Big Thief, whose sophomore album Capacity comes in at #23 on the Top 31.

Nothing about Big Thief is shockingly good; the band fails to shock at every turn. Instead, this is a great, quiet, peaceful album that may just put you to sleep if you’re not careful. If you’ve enjoyed other female singer-songwriter acts I’ve featured in the past, such as Sharon van Etten or Fiona Apple, then you’ll find something to enjoy in this album. Adrianne Lenker’s voice is low and steady, and will cause you to lean in just a bit to truly hear what she’s trying to say.

I was not familiar with Big Thief before this album hit my radar, so I can’t speak to their first album, Masterpiece, which came out in 2016, although in poking around the internet it looks as if I should have heard. Excuse me, I have some further listening to get to.

__________________________________________

24. The Tourist by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
25. CCFX EP by CCFX
26. Woodstock by Portugal. The Man
27. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

Subscribe to the 2017 Top 31 Apple Music playlist
2009-2016 Top 31s

#24 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

The Tourist by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

What else can I say about Clap Your Hands Say Yeah that I haven’t said already? The band has been on the Top 31 twice before (Their third album, Hysterical was #16 on the 2011 Top 31 and their fourth, Only Run, #19 in 2014). Additionally, front man Alec Ounsworth’s 2009 solo record, Mo Beauty, was #20 on that year’s, the inaugural, Top 31.

Go read those prior reviews to learn about CYHSY’s backstory. The band members continue to evolve, with this new album featuring nobody that was on previous albums aside from Ounsworth. But it’s his voice and energy that draws me to the band and their music, so dutifully back into the fold I go.

Ounsworth and band will be coming to the Tractor on February 12, in support of the reissue of their 2007 sophomore album Some Loud Thunder. That show will be worth it if only to hear them perform “Satan Said Dance” one more time. Maybe I’ll see you there?

__________________________________________

25. CCFX EP by CCFX
26. Woodstock by Portugal. The Man
27. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

Subscribe to the 2017 Top 31 Apple Music playlist
2009-2016 Top 31s

#25 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

CCFX EP by CCFX

The band at #25 represents the first “new” band on this year’s list. CCFX are the combination of two Olympia bands (neither of whom I was familiar with before writing this line) CC Dust and Trans FX, but they don’t sound like they’re from the Pacific Northwest. They do sound like they’re from another era.

This is a continuation of where The Cure or the Cocteau Twins (good Cure and good Cocteau Twins) left off a few decades ago. You’ll recognize it immediately in the jangly guitars and the warbly, buttery vocals from frontwoman Mary Jane Dunphe. Unfortunately, the band has only this four song EP to their name, for now.

The above song, “The One to Wait”, is the shining highlight. This song is SO good. Please give it a listen by clicking play, above. I’ve listened to this song nearly every day since I first heard it a couple months ago. There are other good songs on the EP as well — “Venetian Screens” is almost as good as “The One to Wait.” And while the EP only has four songs, it leaves me hopeful that CCFX will go on to produce a fantastic debut album in the coming year.

__________________________________________

26. Woodstock by Portugal. The Man
27. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

Subscribe to the 2017 Top 31 Apple Music playlist
2009-2016 Top 31s

#26 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

Woodstock by Portugal. The Man

(I’ll start this review by apologizing for how difficult it will be to read. The band’s name has punctuation in it, and I’m beholden to include that punctuation every time I mention the band’s name. It will cause difficulty in reading, and I’m sorry.)

Sometimes it takes a while for me to notice a band. I’d heard of Portugal. The Man over the years, and while I always loved the band’s name (who doesn’t love a band with a period in their name? For the same reason I always loved seeing Panic! At the Disco’s name in writing), I’d not heard anything that really caught my attention until this, Woodstock, their 8th album. And it was the power of one song in particular that drew me in: “Feel It Still,” which is featured in the video above.

Please hit play now, and revel in the song’s glory.

Isn’t that nice? The rest of the album, while nice, pales in comparison to that magical number. I’m not sure if Portugal. The Man has other songs of this magnitude, but this song alone makes picking up Woodstock worthwhile.

Being a designer, it’s always nice to see a band with a visual style and true attention to detail. I mean, having a period in the middle of your band’s name is a considerable commitment to detail. But check out the band’s video output as well. There are so many great videos for this new album alone:

• “Live In The Moment” features a larger than life marionette “surfing” atop a moving car
• “Number One” is a combination of live action and animated laser lights shown around children blankly staring at a screen in the creepiest way possible
• “Rich Friends” has a full interactive experience where you can start and stop pieces of the video on your own that lives at chardonnayandadderall.com

There is power in the visual representation of song, and Portugal. The Man understands this. If you’re not swayed by hearing these songs and seeings these amazing videos, I don’t know what else to say!

__________________________________________

27. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

Subscribe to the 2017 Top 31 Apple Music playlist
2009-2016 Top 31s

#27 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent

It’s been a while since I musically connected with Annie Clark, otherwise known as St. Vincent. I quickly fell in love with her stage presence ten years ago, amidst the release of her debut album, Marry Me. She was a force on the stage, and I made sure to let everyone know about it.

Her 2nd album Actor appeared on the first Bacon Top 31 in 2009, but her third and fourth albums failed to hook me enough to break into the Top 31 in 2011 and 2014. She did, however, appear again on the Top 31 in 2012, because of the fantastic Love This Giant album she made with David Byrne.

But sometimes good things come to those who wait. With MASSEDUCTION, her fifth full-length album, St. Vincent has found new musical ground to cover. This album is solid from start to finish, and helps her escape that “sonic safe zone” my brain had put her in back in 2011.

On top of the great music, Clark has always been a visually stunning musician, both physically and in how she portrays her image in the world. She clearly takes many cues from David Byrne and his chameleon-like transformations over the years. The videos that have come out in support of MASSEDUCTION demonstrate this visual acuity: be sure to watch the above video for “New York,” as well as these great videos for “Pills” and “Los Ageless”.

If you’d given up on St. Vincent like I had, give this new album a listen. You may find you like what you hear.

__________________________________________

28. On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

2009-2016 Top 31s

#28 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band

I like horns. A good horn section is often the only thing a band needs to make it into my regular rotation. I consistently go back to the large ensembles of the late 60s / early 70s, like Chicago’s first couple albums, or Blood, Sweat & Tears’ eponymous sophomore record. I’m convinced I will be listening to those albums until I die, and it’s the horns that keep me coming back.

The Hot 8 Brass Band is a new spin on “good horn section”. “Brass” is in their name! It’s the center of the band. But they’re also so much more. The band hails from New Orleans, which has a fantastic history of loving horns itself. The band has been around for over 20 years, and the membership has morphed a little over that time (a few current members were not even born when the band formed in 1995). They blend traditional New Orleans brass sounds with a touch of hip-hop and funk that just totally wins me over.

Be warned, this album is a bit sloppy — it’s hard to record 10+ horn and percussion instruments and mix them well together — but it’s fun and energetic. The above video, for their version of the jazz standard “St. James Infirmary Blues” which was first made famous by Louis Armstrong in 1928, is beautiful, but not indicative of the rest of the album. For an example of the more upbeat songs, give “Working Together” or “Can’t Nobody Get Down” a listen. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

__________________________________________

29. A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

2009-2016 Top 31s

#29 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs

If you were following The Bacon Review back during the Top 31 of 2014, then you’re already familiar with the band here at #29, The War on Drugs. Their third album, Lost in the Dream, appeared at #13 that year. A Deeper Understanding is their fourth album, and it’s a clear continuation of what they had back then.

My view of the band hasn’t changed — this is dad rock of the highest caliber. Think of the music made towards the end of the Grateful Dead run, or any solo music made by the Eagles after the band went their separate ways (before reuniting, of course), and that’s exactly where The War on Drugs is.

This is a good, poppy album from start to finish. There have been a few good videos from it, including the one for “Holding On” above (the best song on the album), as well as “Pain” and the quirky “Nothing to Find”. If you liked their last album, you’ll like this one every bit as much.

__________________________________________

30. Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
31. A Moment Apart by Odesza

2009-2016 Top 31s

#31 on the 2017 Bacon Top 31

Happy new year! Here we are again, at the beginning of yet another Top 31.¹ 2017 was an exciting year for me, personally (I married my lovely wife in August, and together we have a beautiful daughter who was born in October).

Politically, 2017 felt like shit. It helps to think there have been many much worse years in American history, but it’s hard to keep that perspective when those worse years all came before I was politically aware.

Musically, the year felt muddled and off. There are many albums I discovered and enjoyed (well more than the 31 I’ll feature here), but overall it feels like there were no amazing albums in 2017. Part of that surely has to do with how busy I was personally, and how terrible things were politically. But I think it also has to do with how I discovered and listened to music. My Apple Music account allowed me to look at all the new releases every week and add any album to my active 2017 playlist, resulting in 111 2017 albums ending up in my music library (which is about 50% more albums than I typically listen to in a given year). That’s a lot of music to absorb in one year (3.7 days worth of music, to be exact).

I’ll be paying attention to my listening habits in 2018 to see if how I’m discovering and listening to music is affecting my opinion, or if the muddle lies in other, currently unknowable factors. I did manage to arrive at 31 favorites for the year. In some ways it was much easier to compile the Top 31, since I had so many more albums to choose from. And there’s even a #1 album. But first, we need to get through the 30 other albums I loved this year. Let’s get started, shall we?

A Moment Apart by Odesza

First up is an electronic duo out of Seattle you’ve probably heard of: Odesza. These two guys who met at Western have made quite a name for themselves in the past five years, going from obscurity to #3 on the US Pop chart in that short time. I hadn’t paid much attention to them or their two previous releases, but A Moment Apart caused me to sit up an listen intently.

The album has a few stellar guest appearances (including Regina Spektor). The song above, “Across the Room” features Leon Bridges, whose own album was #2 on the 2015 Top 31. I recommend watching this nice little documentary about the making of that song. A Moment Apart is fantastic from start to finish. It works best as background music, but beware: you’ll soon find yourself annoying the person next to you with your toe tapping toe and bouncing up and down.

And there we are — another year’s Top 31 is underway. I look forward to talking and listening with you over the next month as we count down to #1 together. Please share your own favorites when you can — I’d love to talk about them and compare with you.

^{1. In case you missed my note at the beginning of December, the Top 31 got pushed out a month this year (and will begin on January 1 in every future year). I’m glad I made this decision, as it allowed me to enjoy the holidays without concern about getting the next day’s post out, and to enjoy all of 2017’s music for the full year. But this also means I need to accommodate the last two months of 2016 that didn’t end up in last year’s countdown. So for those paying attention at home, this year’s countdown actually covers 14 months of music, from November 2016 through December 2017.↩}

__________________________________________

2009-2016 Top 31s