Best of the Decade: #10 - #1

It's February, which means it's finally time to say goodbye to the last decade. For the rest of the top 50, click HERE.



10) Spoon: Kill the Moonlight (2002 on Merge) – The second Spoon album on my list. Probably the most consistent band of the decade - Girls Can Tell, Kill the Moonlight and [editor: fixed this]Gimme Fiction all get mixed up in my head.

The Way We Get By - Spoon

9) The New Pornographers: Electric Version (2003 on Matador) – Still a go-to record when I want to hear something upbeat and fun. The New Pornographers are another contender for band of the decade.

The Electric Version - The New...

8) Beck: Sea Change (released in 2002 on Geffen) – This was Beck’s last really consistent album. Hopefully the record club thing and the production work with Charlotte Gainsbourg will re-invigorate him. You know there’s another mind-blowing album in there.

Lost Cause - Beck

7) The White Stripes: White Blood Cells (2001 on Sympathy for the Record Industry) – I can count my friends who like Jack White on one hand, but he was a big part of six really strong records this decade (De Stijl, White Blood Cells, Elephant, Van Lear Rose, Broken Boy Soldiers and Consolers of the Lonely). Impressive.

We're Going To Be Friends - Th...

6) Pernice Brothers: The World Won’t End (2001 on Ashmont) – I enjoy pretty much everything Joe Pernice does, but this one’s his masterpiece.

Bryte Side - Pernice Brothers

5) Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise (2005 on Asthmatic Kitty) – This record holds up surprisingly well. I like an indie artist with some ambition.

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. - Sufjan ...

4) Brian Wilson: Smile (2004 on Nonesuch) – Darian Sahanaja did an amazing job getting this out to the public. After listening to bootlegs for years, it’s great to hear a final product that stays true to the era. Some of the versions don't quite live up the originals, but seeing this performed live was one of the live music highlights of the decade.

Heroes and Villains - Brian Wi...

3) The Shins: Oh, Inverted World (2001 on Sub Pop) – Chutes Too Narrow might be a little bit catchier, but it didn’t “change my life” the way this one did. This digs way deeper than the rest of the music labeled indie pop.

Caring Is Creepy - The Shins

2) Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002 on Nonesuch) – I’m still more of a Summerteeth guy, but this one’s fantastic too.

Kamera - Wilco

1) Arcade Fire: Funeral (released in 2004 on Merge Records) – This one was a game changer. Unfortunately, we’ve all had to endure five years of overwrought indie bands with similar ambition, but far less talent.

Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - ...

What's Happening In LA: 11/30/09 - 12/6/09

Girls Play the Troubadour on Saturday Night

Not the most stellar week for touring acts (Girls, Cold Cave and Little Dragon are the biggest buzz bands), but plenty of local bands to check out...

Monday 11/30/09
[Pick of the Night] The Happy Hollows / The Pity Party / Twilight Sleep / Traps, PS @ Spaceland (Free) – This is the last night of The Happy Hollows Monday night residency.
[Recommended] Olin & the Moon / Brandon Intelligator and the Sheriffs / Dios / Mini Mansions / Imaad Wasif / Tiny Television @ Hotel Café – I like Dios and Imaad Wasif – not familiar with the other bands.
[Recommended] The Blind Boy Paxton & Frank Fairfield Show @ Redwood
[Recommended] Restavrant / Saviours / Eight Frozen Modules @ The Strange [4319 Melrose] (Free) – Free Colt 45 while it lasts.
Seasons / Downtown Union / Jack Wilson Jr. / Regrets and Brunettes @ The Echo (Free)
Mississippi Man / Last American Buffalo / What Laura Says / Slipping Into Darkness @ Silverlake Lounge (Free) – Mississippi Man is doing the Monday night residency this
month at the Silverlake Lounge.
Dashboard Confessional / New Found Glory @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – solo acoustic
Batwings Catwings / The Choke / Aristides / Trudges @ Pehrspace
Steel Panther @ the Roxy ($15)

Tuesday 12/1/09
[Pick of the Night] Vic Chesnutt Band / Warpaint / Liz Durrett @ Echoplex ($15)
Green Umbrella: Adams and Kronos Quartet @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($26 - $51)
The Section Quartet Holiday Show @ Largo ($20)
Paul F. Tompkins CD Release @ Largo Little Room ($5)
The Swords of Fatima / New Rome Quartet / Lightnin Woodcock @ The Echo (Free)
Vise Virsa / London to Tokyo / AM vs FM @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Furcast / Bear Face @ Bootleg (Free)
Patrick Park / Gregory Alan Isakov / Bobby Long @ Hotel Café ($15)
Ten Out of Tenn @ Troubadour ($15)
Split Lip Rayfield @ Viper Room ($15)
Dashboard Confessional / New Found Glory @ The Glass House ($25) – solo acoustic

Wednesday 12/2/09
[Pick of the Night] Helen Stellar / Kav / Square on Square / Nightmare Air @ The Echo ($8) – Helen Stellar is a favorite of Cameron Crowe. Kav was in the Happy Mondays. Square on Square features Evan Slamka of Marjorie Faire. Nightmare Air features Dave Dupuis and James Smith from Film School.
[Recommended] Useless Keys / Samuel Stewart / Twinfight / Wrong Way Driver @ Spaceland ($8)
Low End Theory Club @ Airliner ($10)
Kevin Pollak @ Largo ($25)
Salt Petal / Bollweevil @ Pershing Square (Free) – 7:00 PM
J. Tillman / Pearly Gates Music @ Troubadour ($12)
Corinne Bailey Rae @ Hotel Café (Sold Out) – Two shows – 7PM and 10:30 PM
Gamble House / The February Fifths / The Sounds of Wyoming @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Jubilee / Seaspin / Woah Hunx / Little Girls @ Bordello ($8)
The Sonus Quartet @ Bootleg ($10)
Royal Crown Revue @ The Mint ($18)
Steve Abel @ Redwood
Trainwreck @ the Roxy ($10) – Kyle Gass of Tenacious D
Maxwell @ Club Nokia ($35)

Thursday 12/3/09
[Pick of the Night] Baroness / Earthless / Iron Age @ Troubadour ($15) – Stoner rock
Chris Cornell / Jim Bianco / Austin Hartley Leonard @ Hotel Café (Sold Out)
Andy Clockwise / Trixie Whitley / Marvelous Toy / Globes on Remote @ Spaceland ($8)
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Dirt Dress / Spirit Vine / Allah Las @ The Echo ($10)
Slatkin and Kronos Quartet @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($42 - $160)
OSO / Warm Climate / Rats @ Echo Curio
Margaret Cho @ Largo ($25)
Jim White @ Largo Little Room ($10)
See Green / Cue the Moon / Ben De La Cour @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)
Bobby Long @ The Mint ($15)
Forever the Sickest Kids @ Avalon
The Colourist / Links / Red Cortez @ Detroit Bar ($6)

Friday 12/4/09
[Pick of the Night] Bobb Bruno / Subtle Selves / Los Fantasmas Carmesi / Cardio Pulmonary @ The Smell ($5) – Bobb Bruno’s always cool and Los Fantasmas Carmesi is a Misfits cover band.
[Recommended] Old Californio / Paul Chesne @ Redwood
Todd Rundgren @ The Orpheum ($48 - $78)
Cold Cave / Abe Vigoda / Former Ghosts @ Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock ($10)
The Airborne Toxic Event @ Walt Disney Concert Hall (Call for availability) – Appearing with the Calder Quartet – Big night at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Jon Brion @ Largo ($25) – Always worth checking out.
Fink / Family of the Year / The Sweet Hurt @ Spaceland ($10) - Acoustic set from the Sweet Hurt
Little Dragon / Hecuba @ El Rey ($17)
NOFX / The Mad Caddies / Dead to Me @ Fox Theater in Pomona ($27)
The Shys / Castledoor / The Black Hollies @ The Echo ($10)
Slatkin and Kronos Quartet @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($42 - $160) – Early show at 11:00 AM
Cinematic Sunrise @ Troubadour ($14)
Camp Freddy @ the Roxy ($20)
PROTECT ME / David Scott Stone / Common Eider, King Eider / TEARIST / Mike Vidal @ The Smell ($5)
Less Than Jake / Fishbone @ House of Blues Sunset
The Cranberries @ Club Nokia (Sold Out)
Big Whup / Watercolor Paintings / So Many Wizards / Cobra Lillies @ Echo Curio
Peter Case @ McCabe’s (Sold Out)
Marcus Foster @ Hotel Café
Charlie Hunter @ The Mint ($25)

Saturday 12/5/09
[Pick of the Week] Girls / The Morning Benders / Tamaryn @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – I’m still digging the Girls record – it will be on my top 10 for the year. Girls will be playing a free show at Space 1520 (1520 Cahuenga) for those who aren't going to the Troub....
[Recommended] Kidrockers: The 88 / Flying Tourbillon Orchestra @ The Echo ($12) – Early show at 1:00 PM
[Recommended] Amps for Christ / Avi Buffalo / Foot Foot / Big Death @ Pehrspace
Rockdrive ’09 @ Hotel Café
Master Chorale: Holiday Wonders! @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($29 - $84) – Early show at 2:30 PM
Stellastarr* / Transfer @ Spaceland ($15)
Adams and Josefowicz @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($47 - $160)
Jingle Ball After Party @ Club Nokia ($23.50)
Aziz Ansari @ Largo ($25)
Sara Watkins & Tom Brosseau @ Largo Little Room ($10)
Tom Russell @ McCabe’s (Sold Out)
Charlie Hunter @ The Mint ($25)
KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball: Taylor Swift / Kerri Hilson / Fabolous / Ting Tings / 3OH3! / LMFAO @ Nokia Theatre (Sold Out)
Speedbuggy / Los Duggans / Los Creepers @ Redwood
Less Than Jake / Fishbone @ Glass House ($25)

Sunday 12/6/09
[Pick of the Night] Songs of the Sun – Brian Wilson, Dave Alvin, The Living Sisters, Harper Simon @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($28 - $42) – Brian Wilson’s doing an acoustic set
[Recommended] Part Time Punks: Cold Cave / Nite Jewel @ The Echo ($10) – Cold Cave’s well received debut came out earlier this year on Matador. “Love Comes Close” is a catchy tune.
Adams and Josefowicz @ Walt Disney Concert Hall ($47 - $160) – Early show at 2:00 PM
Luke Rathborne @ Largo ($20)
Sharon Temple / Siva Noir / Julie the Band / Puppies and Kittens @ Spaceland ($10)
Rude & Crude Ska & Rockabilly Festival @ Glass House ($25)
Tamaryn / Mack Winston and the Reflection @ Bootleg ($8)
Jackshit @ McCabe’s ($15)

New Music Releases: 9/2/08

A pretty light week this week. Expect things to pick up again next week....

Albums I’ve Heard:

Brian Wilson: That Lucky Old Sun (Capitol) – It’s a pretty good, later day Brian Wilson solo album. It’s got an LA theme and the songs are broken up by spoken word interludes. The worst song is “Mexican Girl” and the best song is “Southern California.” It’s really hard for me to get too critical of it. See him at the Hollywood Bowl from 9/12/08 – 9/14/08.

Local Release:

Rainbow Arabia: The Basta EP (Manimal Vinyl) – I saw one of their first live shows, and I’d like to reserve judgement. The band features Danny from Wiskey Biscuit and Future Pigeon. Pitchfork gave it a pretty good review. Download “Let Them Dance”

Other noteworthy new releases:

Apollo Sunshine (mp3) – at Spaceland on 9/26/08
Birdmonster – at the Troubadour on 9/2/08
Bjork singles box set
Bones soundtrack – featuring Placebo, BRMC (amongst others)
Broadfield Marchers
Calypsoul 70 – compilation of 1970s Caribbean Soul – Jeff Weiss loves it and he’s giving away a couple of tracks today.
Chemical Brothers best of
Rodney Crowell
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pop – at the Echo on 9/30/08
Lila Downs – at the Hollywood Bowl on 9/21/08
Giant Sand – at the Echo on 10/8/08
Henry Poole Is Here soundtrack – features Hellen Stellar and the Eels (amongst others)
Terrence Howard – the actor
KCRW’s Sounds Eclectic – Amazon.com exclusive, features Oliver Future, Seawolf, Great Northern, Spoon and the Shins (amongst others)
New Kids on the Block – at the Staples Center on 10/8/08
Nightmares on Wax
Bruce Robison
The Smithereens – covering Beatles b-sides; I saw them once back in high school
Southside Johnny with La Bamba’s Big Band – Tom Waits covers in a big band style
Teenage Jesus & the Jerks – obscurity compilation
TK Webb & the Visions - Download “Teen Is Still Shaking” - At the Echoplex on 9/7/08.
Shugo Tokumaru
Various Artists – tribute album to Jon Dee Graham
Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby – at the Cinema Bar on 9/3/08
Young Jeezy

Convenience Charge This

I just got a coupon in the mail for 25% off Brian Wilson tickets. I was thinking, not bad, not bad. Then I went on Ticketmaster. LOOK AT THOSE convenience charges. $22.40 per ticket on a $42.75 ticket. That's outrageous. 52%. If anybody's interested, good tickets still remain for Tuesday's show.


Brian WilsonThe Pasadena Civic, Pasadena, CA Tue, Jun 12, 2007 08:00 PM
Your Ticket(s)
Section
Row
Type
Ticket Price US $42.75
Building Facility Charge US $2.00
Convenience Charge US $22.40