How exciting that even now, while we’re so close to the year’s end, there is STILL such phenomenal music being released at every turn – which is why I’ve still got a shred of hope in me that Radiohead will end up capping the year with their promised new album that has been drooled over for some time, now. In any case, here’s a quick run-through of my top tracks for November; as usual, please feel free to include your own favorite tracks of the month. Aaaand let’s get on with it.

Daft Punk – Derezzed

The legendary house duo may not have seemed the obvious choice to score the upcoming Tron: Legacy, but as they display here, it’s rather unlikely that anybody else could’ve done it better. Derezzed is basically Daft Punk toying with a simplistic, futuristic beat for just under two minutes, and it absolutely screams Tron. The whole soundtrack is rather impressive, but it’s the moments like these where they let their electronic sensibilities take the forefront that it really shines. This track is doesn’t even come close to wearing out its welcome; it’s fun, addictive, and most importantly, it makes me want to see the shit out of this movie.

PJ Harvey – Written on the Forehead

Probably the most criminally unsung musical chameleon around, the new song off of PJ Harvey’s upcoming tenth LP shows yet another drastic change in direction, and once again it sounds great. The highly visual lyrics detail the horrific aftermath of war, but with a lightly treated vocal that sounds utterly beautiful over the hazy guitars, rhodes piano, additional vocal samples, and upbeat drums. It’s oddly sad but uplifting, and it’s got my expectations for the new album ridiculously high.

Jamiroquai – Never Gonna Be Another

While there was certainly nothing wrong with Jamiroquai’s last few rather dance-heavy albums, the second half of their latest, Rock Dust Light Star, is a most welcome display of just how diverse this band’s sound really is, with Never Gonna Be Another being the peak for me. Bluesy and longing, but managing to sound more soothing than depressing, Jay Kay beautifully mourns the loss of a lover over tastefully sparse keys, guitar, and of course that ever-present bass. It was fairly difficult choosing which song to include off of this album, but the more i listen to this smoky, downtempo gem, the more I fall in love with it.

Rihanna – S&M

Rihanna really puts her best foot forward on her latest album, kicking off with this banger of a track. S&M drips with an unabashed sexuality that never comes across as classless, and let’s not forget the maddeningly sing-a-long melodies and that delightful nod to The Cure’s Let’s Go to Bed. The confident and upbeat songs like this off of Loud probably do the best job of showing just how well Rihanna is coming into her own.

Hercules and Love Affair – My House

Andy Butler and co. have got the follow-up to their excellent debut just around the corner, and My House – a slab of old fashioned disco house, livened up with a series of dirty glitches – is the taster. And it tastes damned good, let me tell you. It’s always so remarkable when an artist can take such a dated sound and make it sound fresh, and if My House‘s ability to walk the line between fun and cheesy is any indication, the upcoming Blue Songs is going to be fantastic.

Kid Cudi – Mr. Rager

Now here was a pleasant surprise – while Man on the Moon 2 is by no means perfect, it shadows its predecessor simply because Scott Mescudi has gotten better at embracing his strengths. On tracks like this one, he absolutely nails it with the production, the harmonization, and themes of loneliness and alienation, without indulging in any one quality too much. His listless vocal and the intricate, downtrodden beat go together perfectly, and unlike several moments on his debut, it never goes over the top.

Home Video – The Automatic Process

The title track off of Home Video’s long awaited new album starts out with what sounds like a typical euro-trash hook, but the way it’s built upon is truly remarkable. Even with the band’s notoriously minimalistic style, vocalist Collin Ruffino’s voice is weighed down with unmistakable despair, which in a recent interview he chalked up as an attempt to reflect the current state of the world through personal struggle. Once the snare drum and guitar kick, the song just takes off, and you can really feel what Ruffino is trying to express.

Iron & Wine – Walking Far from Home

Yet another tantalizing new single hinting at greatness to come, Walking Far from Home shows Sam Beam trying on a new sound, keeping the band behind him and dropping the intimate, potentially haunting aura that he’s been known for through his career. Walking hinges more on its lyrics than the cleverly progressing music, though – it’s very impressive how Beam draws out such intense introspection from merely observing (Sam Beam? Yup! Just sits there all day, singin’ about what he sees…), and with how Sufjan Stevens branched out so brilliantly this year, it’ll be interesting to see what Beam’s got up his sleeve.

Kanye West – So Appalled

Kanye and his slew of guests (who, even without the RZA’s quick appearance near the track’s conclusion, all display a trade-off worthy of comparison to the Wu-Tang Clan) all say it best – this song is fucking ridiculous. Everybody does such a great job (Jay-Z’s verse in particular is excellent), and Kanye really outdid himself with the beat; it has this intense air of paranoia about it and doesn’t let up once throughout its six-plus minute length. Just another example of why this album is far and away the best thing the man’s ever done.

The National – You Were a Kindness

The reissue of The National’s jaw-dropping album High Violet has a good number of previously unreleased tracks to boast, with You Were a Kindness resting easy at the top of the heap. Yet another tale of mourning over a departed lover, Matt Berninger delivers one devastating line after another (“I was careful, but nothing is harmless,” “Why would you shatter somebody like me,” “It doesn’t work that way, don’t leave me here alone,” etc.) with the band’s gorgeous harmonization backing him up along with a somber piano, guitars, and (I think?) an organ. This one is a heartbreaker, plain and simple.

More than a bit later than I had originally intended, but it’s here all the same; my usual roundup of monthly tracks for October. Aren’t you excited??

…that’s okay, I probably wouldn’t be all that excited either. In any case, let’s get on with it; and as usual, please feel free to suggest anything I may have missed.

Crystal Castles and Robert Smith – Not in Love

This is one where I am yet to hear anybody express a disliking for; it feels like Smith’s vocals couldn’t possibly be more well placed throughout the shuffling verse, but when that bright, overpowering chorus hits, it somehow sounds even better. While their second LP from earlier this year definitely proved the duo to be more than the flash in the pan act their debut made them seem to be, this ridiculously captivating collaboration has proven them to be quite a growing force in the indie electronica field.

Kno – La Petite Mort (Come Die with Me)

On Kno’s solo debut, he masterfully combines a storyteller-like flow reminiscent of Atmosphere’s Slug with the emotional, heartfelt subject matter of Kid Cudi – except he succeeds far better than Cudi ever did, with this track being a prime example. Over a dark yet seductive beat, Kno examines death (in one of the many shades taken throughout his consistently impressive album, Death Is Silent) without once coming across as self-pitying or shortsighted, always offering insight and always explaining why he feels what he feels, and is thinking what he’s thinking. With a flow, beat, and lyrics this good, it’s a wonder why he hasn’t taken off.

Be My Enemy – Disintegration

Another solo debut, this time from Phil Barry (half of the mighty industrial unit Cubanate from the late 90s), caught my ear in October, and it’s a fuckin’ scorcher. It may not be anything particularly new, but This Is the New Wave (and Disintegration especially) is a stomping, furious affair that is going to be every good industrial DJ’s secret weapon for some time.

Digitalism – Stratosphere

While the electro duo’s long awaited new single Blitz has been met with mixed reactions (and I personally found it painfully average), its parent EP of the same name is also home to the delightful Stratosphere. Gentle, hazy, and toying with its layers just enough to keep its simple elements interesting all throughout its length, this is a fun and downright euphoric house-y jam that’s got my faith in the group still going strong.

Agalloch – The Watcher’s Monolith

“Epic” is a term thrown around far too liberally these days, but it’s always been closely associated to this progressive black/folk/post/whatever-you-want-to-call-it metal group, and appropriately so. Not only is this typically long (clocking in at an anything but lean twelve minutes), but offers such depth that each listening gives a new perspective, and a song of this length that is able to ceaselessly grow on you deserves quite a lot of credit. An excellent set-up that threatens to meander but never does, a blasting, raging midsection, and a beautiful, piano led conclusion. Great stuff.

Sufjan Stevens – I Want to Be Well

It’s a wonderful thing when an artist capably moves on past their trademark sound, but it’s even better when they create a bridge of sorts and blend their previous element with the new – and that’s exactly what Sufjan Stevens (someone else who is no stranger to the “Epic” tag) does on I Want to Be Well. The woodwinds battling against the subdued, almost danceable glitches on this track could be one of the best musical moments of the year for me, it’s just so cleverly implemented that it becomes one of those songs where you’re baffled by the idea of someone not liking it. For anybody underwhelmed with the All Delighted People EP, this glorious standout off of The Age of Adz should be a breath of fresh air.

Trophy Scars – Sad Stanley

Post-Hardcore has become a very large blanket term for bands embracing hardcore’s energy, but Trophy Scars just might embody the very term with their new EP. Dropping the punk tendencies in favor of bluesy jams, jazzy playing styles, and progressive song structures, but maintaining that aggression has made their latest release an endlessly fascinating one. Sad Stanley finds them taking on blues quite strongly, but without sounding like anything but a hardcore band with more ideas than any one group could possibly have. It’s the perfect representative of Darkness, Oh Hell.

Skrillex – Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites

Speaking of bursting at the seams with ideas, Skrillex’s latest release offers an ungodly meld of beautiful melodies and a downright filthy wobble,  registering somewhere in between dubstep and house. Considering that this is barely even a mid-tempo track, the sheer energy it gives off is insane, boasting relentless glitches and some the deepest, dirtiest synths around.

Ulcerate – Dead Oceans

Any death metal fan who is unfamiliar with these guys needs to be formally acquainted ASAP, and Dead Oceans is a great example of why. Off of their highly anticipated new album to be released in early 2011, Oceans is both blistering and groovy, with some of the best and most intricate drumming you’re going to hear in this genre (which is admittedly is a claim and a half, but still). Rousing beyond belief all throughout its seven minutes, and a bit more straight-forward than their previous album, it’s got me looking forward to what’s coming next.

Deadmau5 – Sofi Needs a Ladder

The house community is teeming with anticipation over Deadmau5′s upcoming compilation 4×4=12, and its first official single has only heightened the sentiment. While there is a bit of a difference in opinion over Sofia Toufa’s rather in-your-face vocal performance (with many fans preferring the original instrumental, You Need a Ladder), there’s no argument that the beat is spectacular. Starting out with pounding psychedelia that gives way to Joel Zimmerman’s trademark thick, dirty sounding bass, Ladder is a damned exciting track, one that frankly makes me feel as though I could use a ladder myself.

Take a moment to think of your favorite band, or if it’s too difficult to pick just one, grab a favorite at random. In the unlikely event that you’ve selected an artist with a single album, well.. this week’s list is for you. This is going to be all about bands who’ve put out a lone full-length, and left fans wondering what could have been.. would they have gone on to release one fantastic album after another? Or simply fall back into mediocrity, or worse, become total shit? In any case, here are ten bands and their solitary albums, which have surely made far more people than just me why the hell they didn’t just crank out at least a few more albums. Anyway, on with the list…

Operation Ivy – Energy

BOO

Well before both ska and pop-punk exploded in the mid to late 90s, Operation Ivy put out their one, highly influential, incredibly fun, and highly appropriately titled album, Energy. While clearly drawing on early 80s punk and second wave ska, Energy was really groundbreaking not just in its approach with blending the styles but with how fucking energetic the whole thing is. The twenty seven tracks breeze by, and even the songs that are less pleasant lyrically (Officer comes to mind) have such a carefree attitude that it rubs off on the listener. While Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman went on to bigger things with Rancid, Energy remains a stone cold classic.

Deltron 3030 – Self Titled

All futuristic n' shit

Del the Funky Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and Kid Koala are all quite familiar with collaboration, but here they were each arguably at their peak. Armed with great futuristic beats to match the album’s sci-fi theme (laid out brilliantly by Del, with humor laced social commentary) yet never taking itself too seriously, Deltron 3030′s debut is textbook alternative hip-hop. There’s been a lot of talk of a sequel to this, but sadly it remains mostly that, and this is a story that deserves a quality follow-up.

Circle Takes the Square – As the Roots Undo

Wow what a crappy drawing

There are so many original takes on post-hardcore here that it boggles the mind. Ambient sections, traded off male and female vocals, thrash metal-inspired guitar, frantic, grindcore-inspired drums, mumbled poetry, harps, and so on and so forth. So much random shit is thrown into this album that it’s a wonder it worked at all, much less as tremendously well as it has. Perhaps a follow-up never came because the band was conscious of this, and feared never being able to get everything to click this well again.

The Avalanches – Since I Left You

"You're here to save us!" "Uh... yeah, that's what it is.."

Second only to DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing, Since I Left You is the most impressive mix of samples on an album. Everything is mixed perfectly, which is even more impressive when you consider how varied the sampled artists are – and yes, if you’re not familiar, the Avalanches blow Girl Talk away. This is perfect party music – it’s fun, it’s relentlessly feel-good, and if you pay attention you’re bound to recognize something. Now there’s just the matter of following it up… the joke is that the second album has long been completed, and the band is still waiting for all the samples to clear.

Radiation 4 – Wonderland

Wheee!

Likely to be some of the most bizarre and challenging metal you’ll ever hear. Radiation 4 forcibly puts awkward time signatures, styles, and even genres together (Tick. Tock. Tick.‘s angry offbeat hardcore concluding in that almost clown-reminiscent “la-la-la-la-la-la” being a perfect example) and makes it sound not only easy, but even charming. From epic to silly and everything in between, it’s easy to imagine that perhaps the band said everything they wanted to with Wonderland, but you can’t help wondering if they could’ve gotten any weirder than this.

Gospel – The Moon Is a Dead World

I don't even know what this means

One doesn’t really associate progressive rock with genres names like “Emo” (or the even more unfortunately named “Screamo”), but that’s exactly the angle Gospel took with their one and only album, The Moon Is a Dead World. The music is heavy, erratic, and raw, but its aggression really comes second to the emotional aggression, which is even more unrelenting and engaging. Post-hardcore, screamo, whatever you want to call it, this album is one of the most unique of its kind, and is a definite must-hear.

Mad Season – Above

Let's make out... TRAGICALLY

An excellent effort from a mid 90s supergroup comprised of members of the grunge elite, Above is a dark, harrowing trip through Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley’s mind, with a bluesy approach to the music courtesy of Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready on guitar and top blues bassist, John Baker Saunders. The rockers are harsh, the blues jams are fun, and the gentler tracks are downright haunting. This is clearly all we’re going to get, what with both Saunders and Staley being dead (and both due to heroin use), which is a damn shame – Above suggested that this band was capable of even better.

Jimmy Chamberlin Complex – Life Begins Again

Purty burdy

While we’re on the subject of 90s alternative, how about that Jimmy Chamberlin! The Smashing Pumpkins drummer founded a solo project in the early-mid noughts with a jazz fusion-meets-alternative rock sound in mind, and it’s accomplished surprisingly well on their debut. Along with songwriter Billy Mohler, Chamberlin constructs highly progressive (and at times beautiful) fusion built around his excellent drumming, with a revolving door of guest musicians (including Billy Corgan) helping out. What with Chamberlin’s involvement in the resurrected Pumpkins, this may end up being a one-off, which is a shame – it’s easily the most accessible and fun that any recent rock-based approach to jazz fusion has been, and Pumpkins fans would do well to give it a listen.

Yndi Halda – Enjoy Eternal Bliss

Here we see the hopeless, desolate town of... Candyland

What with the post-rock scene burgeoning at the time of this release, it’s remarkable how well it was able to stand out. Yndi Halda prove themselves to be masters of not only establishing tension and progression, but with instrument application as well – there are special little moments where a traditional drumbeat with pop up with a sweet violin hook riding it before crashing into something else, or a lone, intensifying bluesy guitar being joined by strings, horns, and marching drums, but they never feel random or the result of meandering. The approach used here is very similar to that of post-rock pioneers Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but much brighter and uplifting. And four years later, it’s starting to look sadly as if they’ve nothing else to say.

The Postal Service – Give Up

Jump out the window! NOW

Here’s one where it’s easy to think that perhaps it’s for the best that the musicians involved (Death Cab’s Ben Gibbard and Dntel, or Jimmy Tamborello) don’t seem anywhere near following up their collaboration’s debut. Give Up just has a certain air about it, like it was created at just the right point in not just the collaborators’ lives, but in the music scene as well.  Everything, from Gibbard’s lyrics to Tamborello’s quirky electronic flourishes, feels so genuine, and even fresh – upon its release, there really wasn’t anything else that sounded like it, and it’s spawned quite a bit of mimicry, both well-conceived (Bright Eyes’ Digital Ash in a Digital Urn) and god-awful (anything by Owl City) alike. Even now, seven years after its release, it still sounds unique, and stands quite well on its own.

"You didn't draw my nose too big, did you?" "Nah"

Earlier this year, the Parenthetical Girls started a five-part series of EPs which will eventually form their fourth album, and Privilege Pt. II: The Past, Imperfect, is, as you might guess, the second installment. It’s hard to imagine it not being the first, however, what with how bold and forward-thinking opener  The Common Touch is. Nearly all four tracks share this quality, with a clever application of the broad instrumentation not unlike These New Puritans’ spectacular album Hidden from earlier this year. The one exception is the single Young Throats,  which makes up for this with how sparingly it tosses off hooks; pleasant melodies are abound in both the lead and harmonizing vocals alike as well as the bright, poppy synths, and even the snare drum has an oddly cheerful quality about it. The more somber Weaknesses starts with a dramatic string and drum combo before delving into a gentle, organ-led verse and chorus, with more and more keyboards bubbling up to the surface as its conclusion nears.

The closing Present Perfect (An Epithalamium) almost marries it all together very smoothly; with the exception of a few awkward changeovers, the interesting breakdowns and thoughtful instrument application go startlingly well with the bright melodies and Zac Pennington’s fragile vibrato, and it closes things out in fine fashion. The only flaw one can attribute to Parenthetical Girls, really, is that with as prolific as they’ve been over the last six years, they still have give off the same impression of being just about to come into their own, and still haven’t. Still though, if this is the best we’re going to get from them, it’s hardly anything to complain about.

Flying Lotus: I'M WATCHING YOU BITCH

Coming off the heels of the incredible (and massively well-received) Cosmogramma is yet another release from celebrated Los Angeles DJ Flying Lotus, a seven track EP that’s just shy of twenty minutes. Pattern+Grid World has all the characteristics of FlyLo’s last LP, and in fact was probably even recorded around the same time, given how soon after it saw release, but definitely has its own feel. The tracks don’t bleed together, and while brief, each gets a great chance to stand out with its own qualities. The opening combo of Clay and Kill Your Co-Workers serve as excellent examples of this, with the former’s smooth, jazzy beat and the aggressive, yet oddly relaxing, chiptune dominated latter track.

Speaking of aggressive, closer Physics for Everyone! is a scorcher. At once ear piercing, melodious, catchy, and fun, FlyLo piles on effect after effect with such finesse that you can scarcely even notice him toying with the underlying beat all the while. Even among these other great songs though, the previously released Camera Day still holds its own with ease. Those kick-back melodies wash over one another so wonderfully, and it gently bobs to its conclusion with all the elements meeting up in some way or another.

A few of the tracks really do feel like throwaways, particularly PieFace and Jurassic Notion/M Theory. PieFace starts off sounding great, with house-y whistles and erratic percussion, but never really ends up going anywhere. Jurassic Notion is loaded with great ideas sonically, but from a songwriting standpoint it, again, simply goes nowhere. Halfway through there’s a hint of a build-up towards an intense, percussive zenith, but it never comes, and ultimately the track just fizzles out. Still, the tracks that work are pretty damn good, and the strength of this EP is that the songs get to stand out as such, as opposed to just pieces of something larger – which is not to slight Cosmogramma in the least, it’s just a welcome change of pace. It’s not a step forward, but frankly it’s impressive to get anything new after something as massive as FlyLo’s last album, and for the most part it’s a very fun listen.

They look kinda delighted.. I GUESS

Having given up on his “50 States Project,” Sufjan Stevens resurfaced out of just about nowhere with a new EP after five years of silence. And while All Delighted People is an EP, it’s staggeringly ambitious – even by Stevens’ standards. Producing an hour long EP with the bookend tracks totaling nearly half that on their own is not necessarily a bad idea, but here it’s crushed under the weight of its own aims. All Delighted People (The Original Version) and Djohariah, the opening and closing tracks, respectively, have tremendously beautiful, tightly composed sections. However, the peaks of these songs are just that – sections. Not only are they surrounded by far lesser parts, but there’s barely any flow connecting any of it. There’s no feel of a build-up, of a purpose to the pomposity of these two songs, and it’s truly a shame because had they been shaved down to their best moments, they would be practically flawless.

There are some songs that work wonderfully, one fine example being Heirloom, which is the exact opposite of the aforementioned cuts. It’s short, pared down, and intimate, and could well be the most striking song here simply for those reasons. All Delighted People (Classic Rock Version) is slightly more straight-forward than its meandering counterpart, but not by much (though it does have a great synth backed oddball guitar solo to boast), and the dark, almost chilling The Owl and the Tanager is another choice cut, but ultimately this is just something to tide fans over until Stevens’ next full-length is released, which hopefully will not suffer from ambition overshadowing skill as All Delighted People tends to do here and there.

Outside looking in *snif*

It’s very seldom that a band can wear their influences on their sleeve without coming across as derivative, but the Black String Theory is able to pull this off far better than one might think. One of the chief deal breakers of a group that emanates others is that there’s minimal to no soul to their sound, but this is something nobody can pin on Scott Van Dort, who performed all the vocals and instruments himself on the project’s self-titled EP. Van Dort has a knack for creating a big chorus without succumbing to bombast or predictability, as either From Where I Stand or A Lifelong Mystery show in spades. Then there’s the genuine mourning of Too Late, which piles a bluesy guitar and light synth tastefully over a lonesome vocal and piano.

The Black String Theory gives the pop rock format a solid, creative edge, embracing influences while keeping in tact an unshakable genuine nature. For anybody who has wished that Muse, Keane, or even Coldplay could just take their best traits and start over again from scratch, The Black String Theory is a band to keep your eye on.

Vagina, dead body, general occult imagery. YUSS

For any pioneer of any genre, a comeback nearly twenty years after their prime is going to be tricky, and met with a blend of skepticism and excitement. So here’s Autopsy, infamous in the death metal community, coming back together after a less-than-successful bid as death/punk hybrid Abscess, returning back to their classic death metal roots. For better and for worse, in most regards, the band picks up exactly where they left off (well if you don’t count 1995′s terrible-as-it-sounds album Shitfun) with the same heavy riffs and alternately grinding and blistering tempos.

The Tomb Within really delivers everything one could expect from the band, and the songs are crafted as well as they’d ever been (particularly the frantic Seven Skulls and the delightfully filthy sounding Human Genocide), but there’s just nothing new here; it really sounds like something that could have been released fifteen years ago. The fact that the group has lost none of their ability (though Chris Reifert’s vocals certainly aren’t what they used to be) is a good sign though, and keeps the promise alive for their upcoming full-length, Macabre Eternal. Besides, while Autopsy is doing the exact same thing they were doing back in the early 90s, they still do it very well.

"Enough with the Bob Dylan shit!"

Like Flying Lotus, Kristian Matsson follows up a massive album with a fantastic EP within a few scant months. Unlike FlyLo, however, the Tallest Man on Earth’s latest collection shows some interesting new shades, like how Like the Wheel shows that Matsson can implement multiple elements into his songs quite well when he wants to, or  the way The Dreamer makes you wonder why he hasn’t picked up an electric more often. Sometimes the Blues… is dynamic also in the emotive muscle it flexes; at times it feels much softer and gentler than The Wild Hunt, but every so often he’ll belt out a powerful line, such as the EP’s namesake’s “Sometimes the blues is just a passing bird, why can’t that always be?” or his sheer determination in the repeated “I’m not leavin’ alone” that concludes Tangle in This Trampled Wheat.

Even the EP’s bookends, Little River and Thrown Right at Me, which constitute both the most familiar and most gentle moments here, carry such charisma that they feel fresh and attention grabbing – when he begins a musing with “there is something ’bout the leaving of a lover,” your ear perks and you’re hanging on every word, just waiting for him to finish that thought. This EP accomplishes quite a bit over the course of five songs and seventeen minutes, illustrating once again how incredibly talented the man is and that while he’s already quite possibly the best folk act around today, he’s just getting started.

Perhaps the best thing a band can do when covering a song is to interpret the track in their own unique way and truly leave their stamp on it; after all, very few covers that play it safe are particularly interesting. Most of the covers on this week’s list radically rework their original counterparts, or at least give a new general perspective, which I think should be the whole point of re-doing a song in the first place. Also, I’d like to give a mention to the Deftones’ spectacular cover of the Cars classic Drive, which I would’ve included, but didn’t want to use a band two weeks in a row.

….though I guess this is really the same thing more or less, isn’t it?

Anyhow! Enough rambling, let’s get on with the list.

Mindless Self Indulgence – Bring the Pain

I hope I get it, how many people does he need how many boys how many girls...

Making a Method Man track sound tame is not the easiest thing to do, but Mindless Self Indulgence pull it off with abundant style here. This cover is all over the place, with the only thing bearing resemblance to the original being the lyrics – even the flow is different, which James Euringer spits furiously, and while he may not be as smooth as Clifford Smith, he makes up for it with sheer energy. Euringer’s trademark random falsettos along with that frantic beat really make this feel like an MSI song.

Bjork – It’s Oh So Quiet

Coc-a coc-a cock

Easily the most faithful rendition here, the reason this song is here is simply because Bjork is so startlingly good at capturing the jazzy, vocal style of Betty Hutton’s Blow a Fuse, particularly in how it descends into chaos and back again, and making it sound like her own. It’s Oh So Quiet really should stick out like a sore thumb on Post, but Bjork injects so much of her personality into this that it manages to blend in with the throbbing trip-hop of her sophomore album quite well.

Tricky – Black Steel

I got no idea what's goin' on

While the Public Enemy original is an outstanding song in its own right, Tricky gets massive points for throwing so many unlikely elements together and still making it all work. The original beat is completely gone in favor of a heavy, distorted guitar, clanging percussion, and Martina Topley-Bird’s sweet vocals singing harsh lines like “picture me giving a damn, I said never” with a vocal pattern not terribly far removed from Chuck D’s. All the anger of the original is still in tact, but with a bit more of a mystique to it; a hallmark of Tricky’s great debut (and this song’s parent album), Maxinquaye.

FM Belfast – Lotus

80s sunglasses 4 lyf

Lotus is one of those covers that strips just about everything from a song and rebuilds it from the ground up. On the first listen, it might take a while to recognize Zach De La Rocha’s lyrics for Killing in the Name, particularly given the rather indifferent vocals and trippy, sexy beat, but that’s exactly what this head-bobbing track is tackling. It’s a very clever take on the raging (augh, pun) original.

Chris Cornell – Billie Jean

Do you mind? I'm trying to lounge

Speaking of rebuilding a song from the ground up, this is precisely what Chris Cornell does with Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. Doing away with the dance beat entirely and giving it a bare, singer-songwriter approach, Cornell’s vocals and acoustic guitar are on the verge of sounding totally off throughout the verse before the band kicks in for the chorus. The frustration in the lyrics that were masked by the original’s fun sound are brought directly to the forefront on this version, with Cornell milking it for all its worth, and to an unexpectedly great effect.

The Helio Sequence – Satellite

"HIIIIIII" "Oh my god you're a douche"

There are two highly unlikely accomplishments this cover pulls off – firstly, while it appears on a compilation of nearly all unknown bands covering a single artist, it’s actually really good (these kinds of compilations rarely yield anything all that great). Secondly, and more importantly, it manages to make an Elliott Smith song sound even MORE depressing. Brandon Summers’ voice matches Smith’s surprisingly well, and while really all that is added are a few synthesizers, the resulting atmosphere and depth is phenomenal. None of the emotion from the original is lost; in fact, it actually feels sharpened here. One of those rare instances where the cover just might be better than the original.

Dynamite Hack – Boyz-n-the-Hood

Suburbia is pretty gangsta.

Mid 90s one hit wonder Dynamite Hack struck gold with this almost folksy reworking of Eazy-E’s hip hop classic. The mellow music backing softly delivered lines like “I went in the house to get the clip, with my Mac 10 on the side of my hip” sounds charming well after the initial humor passes, and the nuances in the music suggest that this is more a goofy tribute than an all-out parody. Even better is the video, which shows the gritty details of the suburbs: dinner parties, strolling through parks, playing golf, and waving hello to police officers.

Anal Cunt – 311 Sucks

What're you fags lookin' at

I’ve been a 311 fan since they burst onto the scene back in 1995, so make no mistake – you don’t need to be a detractor of the band to enjoy this mocking reworking of Down (though I imagine it couldn’t hurt). While admittedly derisive, it’s just so funny to hear Seth Putnam replace S.A. Martinez’s raps with complete gibberish, only to explode at the end with that “YOU FUCKIN’ SUCK!!” As with the rest of Anal Cunt’s catalogue, this is only to be listened to with tongue firmly in cheek. Now that I think of it, I could’ve made an entirely separate list of amusing covers and parodies… oh well, too late now.

Johnny Cash – In My Life

Hi, I'm dead

On the same album featuring his infamous (and deservedly loved) cover of Hurt is this intensely personal take on a classic song of retrospection. Hearing something written by a 25 year old John Lennon being reinterpreted by a 70 year old Johnny Cash is already guaranteed to be astounding, but given the song’s subject matter (and the fact that Cash died a scant few years after recording this), this one can’t help but be an overwhelming listen. The fact that this was slammed by music critics upon the album’s release utterly baffles me.

Fever Ray – Mercy Street

Ooga booga

Peter Gabriel has long been renowned for his originality and creativity, so when someone comes along and makes what is probably his darkest, creepiest song sound even more dark and creepy, a lot of credit is due. Karin Dreijer Andersson’s typically moody synths, vocal treatments, and oddball percussion replace the eerie sparsity of the original with a full, downright sinister sound, but without sacrificing any of the nuance or drowning out the beautiful melodies. I wouldn’t be surprised if this popped up on numerous ‘Best Songs’ lists at the end of the year.

Wow, this Tuesday is kind of late into the month! In any case, here’s the usual monthly list of new tracks I think everyone should know and love as much as I do. Just like last month, I guess there’s not much of an intro I can write (boy, wasn’t August great?!) so I’ll just get on with it. As usual, any and all suggestions are welcome.

Eels – What I Have to Offer

Chompin' on a cigar makes me look cool

As if it wasn’t enough to put out the wonderful and cathartic End Times, E went ahead and released a complete polar opposite (in the same year, no less) with Tomorrow Morning, a startlingly convincing, positive affair. What I Have to Offer is the perfect representative of the album, in that while it is hardly a musical departure, for the first time you can see E cracking a smile that is free of irony. This is music for appreciating one’s self, love, and looking forward… who knew a band like the Eels would be the one to capture that so well?

Atmosphere – To All My Friends

And now I will make your cigarette DISAPPEAR

Two years after their excellent album When Life Gives You Lemons… comes this positive, upbeat single with a predictably catchy beat from Ant and great storytelling from Slug. To All My Friends is basically in praise of the duo’s career as musicians, and Slug’s flow over the almost bluesy guitar sounds so genuine and contented that you can’t help but feel optimistic while listening to him.

Fleshwrought – Inner Thoughts

Closest to a real picture I could find...

Death metal of the tech and melodic varieties tend to get a bit too self indulgent with the instrumentation and sport production that is way too clean for this kind of music, at least for me, and the fact that Fleshwrought’s debut has neither of these flaws, and in fact embodies each of these qualities to just the right degree, is reason enough to like them. There’s a great flow to each song’s multiple sections, and Inner Thoughts has not just this, but a saxophone solo near the end that sounds as well-placed as it is unexpected. Killer stuff.

Nils Frahm – Über

Rockin' out n' shit

Modern classical, ambient, piano music, whatever you want to call it, the B-side off of Nils Frahm’s latest single is just about too beautiful for words. With such a seemingly basic series of melodies, Über‘s lone piano gives off such a reflective feel, but not so definite as to make one feel particularly happy or sad. Anyone who likes this kind of music would do well to check this track out.

Skream – Wibbler

Flannel can still kick ass.. er I guess

While most of the dubstep pioneer’s latest is sadly bland, this track is one of the few exceptions – tremendous bass and reverb, pummeling layers of sound, and it’s just simple enough to be catchy and danceable without losing its hard edge. Looking for crossover success seems to have watered his music down more than making him accessible, but in neglecting this formula, Wibbler finds the DJ with his energy still more than in tact.

Autolux – Spots

"Don't shoot while I'm picking my no- ...you prick"

After a four year wait, Autolux have finally returned with another set of songs too good to make you wonder for very long about how much Sonic Youth they’ve been listening to. Still, they’ve adopted more dimensions this time around, which the moody, jazzy Spots illustrates beautifully. The passive vocal harmony floats over that clean piano, with more and more elements (keyboards, feedback, what I’m guessing to be a xylophone?) subtly thrown in, making a highly somber mood sound absolutely lovely.

Comeback Kid – Symptoms and Cures

HAH that's silly

2010 has seen some spectacular hardcore releases, and as you might guess I’m including Comeback Kid’s latest. A great quality that shines throughout the album is the ability to blend almost melancholic melodies with a raging fury, which the album’s title track (while it’s a close call) probably does the best. Vocalist Scott Wade roars on against the wailing guitars while the song grows all the more forceful, with the music catching up to his energy by the end.

Matthew Dear – You Put a Smell on Me

Ah em heah fo ze wimenz

The inspiration for the ‘Lust’ list a few weeks back, this song throbs with sexual energy, presented in an aggressive, brooding package. The almost cheesy 80s sounding intro doesn’t stay as such for long, as the atmosphere darkens by the moment with the muffled backing falsettos, blasts of bass, and that moaning climax. It’s Dear himself who really steals it though, sounding almost too much like a predator on the prowl.

Cee-Lo – Fuck You

Hey it's Yogi

Cee-Lo’s first post-Gnarls Barkley release still reeks of neo-soul, and is as usual stuffed to the gills with his personality. How many other singers could take break-up angst and tweak it to sound not just this funny and cheerful, but with such an addictive, sing-a-long quality? The sentiment of telling someone to fuck off should always sound this fun.

Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

God dammit... my heart is still beating.

In true Arcade Fire fashion, their third LP The Suburbs is finished off with a soaring, epic closer – although I’m sure nobody expected such an unabashed synth pop sound. When the second verse comes along and that dancing synth pops in along with Régine Chassagne’s typically vulnerable, gorgeous vocals, I can’t help but grin like an idiot – despite the daunting subject matter, everything sounds so positive; like I’ve said before, hoping in the face of hopelessness really is what this band does the best.

For whatever reason (most likely the rather grumpy mood I’ve been in for the last two days), obnoxious and abrasive noise seemed quite an appealing topic for this week’s list. So if blaring loud and aggressive music or even avant-garde gibberish to annoy those around you is your thing, by all means read on. As usual, please feel free to add any suggestions.

Sunn O))) – Death Becomes You

Off to the merry old land of Oz

Thirteen minutes of a sludge sounding riff, that’s all this song is. And yet it sounds so huge, dark, and brooding… it’s amazing that a few guitars can create this much fucking noise. Then there’s the finishing two minutes, with that absurdly rumbling bass and the odd way the track seems to collapse into itself – odd because there wasn’t really much going on to begin with, mainly. How this kind of music can actually sound good still baffles me.

Aphex Twin – Ventolin

Hello, in accordance with Megan's Law...

Leave it to Richard D. James to take such deliberately ear piercing noises, throw them together, and make a followable melody out of them. Yeah, it sounds like taking repeated sonic blows to the ear drums until they draw blood, but it’s strangely appealing; even stranger considering that the abrasiveness only gets worse as the track progresses…

Melt-Banana – Giggle on the Stretcher

Nyaaaahhhh

Contemporaries like the Locust or Boredoms cover a lot of the same ground this Japanese noise rock group does, but there’s a certain quirky personality to Melt-Banana, most of it courtesy of Yasuko Onuki’s vocals… er, shouts, and guitarist Agata’s wide array of effects pedals and tremendous creativity with the treatment of the sounds produced. Giggle is an early example of both at their finest.

Hour of Penance – Thousands of Christs

GRAAGGG WE'RE SO TOUGH

There are several death metal groups getting great acclaim this year; some understandable (Immolation) and some puzzling (Defeated Sanity), but Hour of Penance’s latest easily blows the competition out of the water. Not only is this unrelentingly brutal (and LOUD), but the incredibly tight structure is evident right away, and it even has what is probably the best quality a death metal record could have – you can actually tell the difference between the songs!

Venetian Snares – One Eye

Straight pimpin' mayhem, yo

Chopped up snare and bass drums, mangled guitars, spliced vocal samples, and fuck knows what else propel this pounding cacophony through its four minute length. Not only is it unforgivingly ear scraping to begin with, but Aaron Funk teases with the slightest traces of a melody in spots, before piling on even more confrontational noise to mask them.

Sonic Youth – Pacific Coast Highway

We're too cool for everything

Certainly no strangers to creating noisy (and at times in their earlier days, downright deranged) soundscapes, this cut off their 1987 album Sister shows everything that makes Sonic Youth so damn fun to listen to – that loud, creepy opening for instance, with Kim Gordon sounding as unsettling as ever, making lines like “Come on baby, just like that, you say,” sound far more frightening than they should.

Pig Destroyer – Boy Constrictor

CEREAL TASTES GOOOOOOOD!!!

This track carries more unreasonable rage in its minute running time than most songs can accomplish in five. Random injections of groove, instruments pounding in conjunction, and of course J.R. Hayes’ towering screams.. it’s no surprise that this band is such a huge favorite in the grindcore scene right now.

John Zorn – Demon Sanctuary

Mmm make luv 2 da rekkedz

However John Zorn got the idea to mix surf rock, grindcore, and jazz fusion is beyond me… but the the results are ingenious. The utterly insane gibberish being shouted over everything is the icing on the cake, and is pretty much guaranteed to get anybody in your vicinity to wonder just what the hell it is you’re listening to.

Boom Bip & Dose One – Questions Over Coffee

OH MY GOD WHAT DID YOU DO

DJ Bryan Hollon (also known for his part in the popular duo Neon Neon from a few years back) provides some seriously spacey, drugged out production to back up MC Adam Drucker’s borderline pretentious ramblings that frankly seem to drift in and out of any sort of  genuine sense, until the point where he bluntly admits that he’s making it all up as he goes along. “And it feels goooood.”

Ween – Mister Richard Smoker

Looks like they're HUNG OUT to DRY LULZ

No one has ever made such obnoxious music sound so appealing and… well, good. Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo Jr. have always been spectacular songwriters and musicians, and their country parody/tribute album, 12 Country Greats, was no exception. Some of the tracks feel like genuine (if a bit silly) takes on old country and western, but the songs like this feel as if they were made for the sole purpose of making people think “…what the fuck is this shit??”

Well, July has come to an end, and it shouldn’t come as a shock that yet again, a shitload of fantastic music came out. In any case, there’s not a whole lot more I can say about July being over, so without further ado let’s get on with yet another rant about ten different artists… as usual, whatever you think I’ve missed, please feel free to comment below.

M.I.A. – Meds and Feds

AROUSING.

As we all know, M.I.A. is one ballsy broad – calling out less-than-talented songstresses, feuds with reporters, performing shows when she knew full well she was about to pop, controversial music videos, and now releasing what will likely be the most polarizing album of the year. The tastes of dubstep and industrial all throughout the album are great in how cold, robotic, and ultimately challenging they are, but what makes this Sleigh Bells sampling track stand out for me is that it really underlines what this album is about with M.I.A.’s glitched-out “I just give a damn.” The loud and confrontational Maya isn’t out to make people love or hate it so much as to get in the listener’s face and force an opinion out of them, and on those grounds this album has been spectacularly successful.

Brandon Boyd – Runaway Train

This guy will probably be pretty 'til he dies. At 104.

Had it not been Brandon Boyd singing on this track (or really any on his solo debut), it’s highly unlikely that you’d be able to sniff out any trace of Incubus. Along with its predictably creative video, lead single Runaway Train shows Boyd exploring his musical boundaries, but smartly never reaching beyond his grasp. With a maddeningly sing-a-long chorus and a simple melody backed with busy acoustic instrumentation, this is a hard one not to get addicted to.

Cut Copy – Where I’m Going

How many fucking pictures are we going to take...

Still riding high on the monstrous success of their superb 2008 album In Ghosts and Colours, the Australian synth pop trio released this single as a teaser for their follow-up, which is slated for a January ’11 release. And this thing is loaded with hooks, from the verse’s lush harmonization to the psychedelic,  Lennon-esque bridge. And while the “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! WOO!!” of the chorus feels like it should be obnoxious, it’s just done too damn well, and I’m not gonna lie – when it doesn’t appear in the final chorus, there’s always a split second where I’m looking for it. Quite possibly the feel-good anthem of the summer.

Japanese Cartoon – All Sabotage!!! (STSO)

Wutchoo lookin at bitch

With his alternative rock based side project, Japanese Cartoon, Lupe Fiasco mostly succeeds where Lil Wayne failed miserably. One of the few tracks on In the Jaws of the Lords of Death where Lupe’s faux English accent doesn’t get to be a bit much, All Sabotage!!! (STSO) (if the abundance of exclamation points isn’t a hint) is pure energy. An incredibly inspired blend of punk, electronica, and hip-hop, this track proves that these kinds of crossovers are not always bad ideas.

The Books – I Am Who I Am

Get it?? BECAUSE THEY'RE CALLED 'THE BOOKS' LOLZ

Probably the most aggressive thing this duo has ever done, which may not be saying much given their more downtempo early material, but it’s a workout all the same. I Am Who I Am feels strangely faster than its BPM, what with how quickly all the samples fly at you. Some are distorted, some are buried underneath the main synth, but just about all of them feel utterly bizarre and strangely unsettling. Nuttiness.

Mount Kimbie – Blind Night Errand

Don't take the picture while I'm squi-*CLICK*...squinting.

One of the most appealing things about Mount Kimbie’s full-length debut is how it avoids dubstep extremes, particularly how it has a bit too much kick to feel loomingly atmospheric but not enough bass to feel as if it should be played in a club. With how well it’s produced though, and how alluring the simple, warped hooks are (this track being a glaring example), this is hardly a criticism. Blind Night Errand is some very ear catching stuff, particularly in how the beat progresses into an almost R&B sound near its conclusion.

Sun Kil Moon – Sam Wong Hotel

Bummed.

One thing that takes a bit of the momentum from Sun Kil Moon’s latest is Mark Kozelek’s admittedly excellent, but at times over the top classical guitar. The virtuoso stylings don’t always mesh particularly well with the singer-songwriter format, but on tracks like this, he nails the balance perfectly. His playing is gorgeous, his voice is haunting, and the melodies are relentless, even more so throughout the instrumental sections.

Cyanotic – alt machine.edit

We're gonna be serious. Even though my beard looks dumb.

I know I’ve already gushed sufficiently over just how good this band is in my review of their latest, but they really deserved a spot on this week’s list. alt machine.edit is textbook industrial – brilliant electronics and samples, sharp guitars, and a pounding, danceable beat. I know I already stressed this in the review, but I’ll repeat myself anyway: this really is how industrial should be done.

Menomena – Dirty Cartoons

"Ooohhh shit" "Sorry dude" "Haha, NOW what's goin' on back there?"

Though this album leaked quite a while back (a fact the band understandably griped about on their twitter), it seemed appropriate to place on this list. The intense longing in the vocals is enough to reel you in, but the instrumentation merits multiple repeat listens all on its own. Steel drums, buried strings, and that throbbing bass are just a handful of things that are woven through this masterfully layered track. About as lovely as a song this sad can be, Dirty Cartoons is destined to be on many, many depressed playlists this year.

Big Boi – Tangerine

Too. Damn. Stylin'.

One of the few moments on Big Boi’s solo debut that can top the ridiculous ear candy of Shutterbug (if only by a hair) is a song about getting blown that is far more catchy than it should be. Tangerine is so loaded with hooks and fun melodies that it can almost distract from not just how great Big Boi himself is (as are Khujo Goodie and T.I.) but how damned graphic this song is! The colorful slang for ejaculation alone makes it a wonder that this song doesn’t feel sleazy in the least.

Last week’s list reminded me just how overly fond I am of music from the 90s, so for this week I wanted to go over favorite tracks from the decade. But the more I went through my music… the more I realized what a fucking joke it would be to try slimming down that many favorites onto a list of ten. So to make it easier, I neglected the more obvious selections and decided to pick more unsung (ha-HA, see what I did there?) tunes that though less people know about, I think everybody should love as much as I do. As always, if you have any suggestions please feel free to add.

The Dismemberment Plan – Memory Machine

The band seconds before a tragic accident

A great example of what a wildly imaginative indie rock band the Dismemberment Plan was, Memory Machine combines clever time signatures with a nearly anthemic, poppy chorus. The beginning is almost awkward, sounding as if it had been meant for the middle of a completely different song, and then it’s followed by a quick barrage of guitars and keyboards before finally settling into the verse. Experimental and weird, but never alienating, and extremely catchy to boot.

Screeching Weasel – Slogans

Yeah, red pants. Got a problem with that?

Whatever pop chord progressions the Ramones, the Buzzcocks, and the Descendents may have missed, Screeching Weasel managed to pick up. It’s a shame the band never saw much popularity; this song’s parent album, My Brain Hurts, predates the mid-90s pop punk explosion by a good three years, was hugely influential to all of the bands involved, and arguably did it the best. Slogans, like the rest of My Brain Hurts, is fast, catchy, and loaded with genuine personality. Plus, I can’t think of any other time that “I don’t really give a shit” has ever sounded so cheerful…

I-F – Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass

"Oohh yeeahh take off that top"

Mumbled robotic vocals, well layered electronics, and a thick, hook-ridden collective of dirty synths make this one a great electro dance number, but really it’s all about that bass. The back end in this song is absolutely towering, and with as much as he throws on top, it never loses control of the song. This is in that rare breed of electronic dance music, where it’s actually good enough to be repetitive for six minutes without getting boring.

The Beatnuts – Watch Out Now

Now there's a good example for the children.

For the life of me, I don’t think I will ever understand how this didn’t become a monstrous hit. Oh wait it did, when Trackmasters and Cory Rooney all but stole the beat in 2002 for Jennifer Lopez’s Jenny from the Block. Ba-dum tsh. That addictive flute loop beat is great enough, but JuJu and Psycho Les are relentless over it; seamlessly switching between English and Spanish (which is not something I’m normally into), goofy shit talking, and a highly melodic chorus. Sooner or later, I’ll be at a party and hear this come on, and I’ll go fuckin’ apeshit.

God Lives Underwater – From Your Mouth

...we're fighting.

Toning down the industrial sound of their first album and incorporating more trip-hop influence resulted in a very hit-or-miss sophomore effort, but this song nearly made up for it all on its own. The unsettling synths and incessant scratching over that heavy beat go together beautifully. From Your Mouth manages to be catchy, intricate, and very chill all at once; if you’ve ever wondered what Depeche Mode might sound like with a bit of a hip-hop flavor to the music, check this out.

The Jesus Lizard – Boilermaker

Do you need assistance? I have three arms.

The opening track on their third album, Liar, Boilermaker‘s intensity gives the listener an idea of what the band’s notoriously chaotic live show might feel like. It wasn’t even just how crazy the music was; the songs were all tightly composed (especially here) and immediately engaging.  Right out of its gate, the guitar and snare are working in furious conjunction, while vocalist David Yow screams over it all like a madman. Best when enjoyed as loudly as possible.

Brainiac – Nothing Ever Changes

"BLOO-PEE-DOOOOOOH" "Shut. Up."

One of the most unique and insanely creative alternative rock bands to ever be so criminally slept on. In the thirteen years since vocalist Tim Taylor’s unfortunate demise, no band of this genre has come close to capturing their imagination, or handling their patented blend of punk, synth pop, and noise rock as well as they did. Brainiac had a spectacular way of taking wonderful melodies and deliberately fucking them up by playing them with odd sounding moog synths, bent guitar notes, and gleefully bizarre vocal treatments. A must-hear, even if only to think “…the hell is this?”

Prong – Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck

Tonight.... YOU

Tailor-made for metal dancefloors (yes, there is such a thing), Snap Your Fingers boasts a crunchy guitar hook that could possibly be the heaviest earworm ever written. It almost feels unnatural for something this crushing to be so immediate, but Tommy Victor and co. made it work. Dark and menacing with just enough pop sensibility, while groups like Pantera and Machine Head may have been given the groove metal tag, this was the real thing.

Fantastic Plastic Machine – Take Me to the Disco (FPM Original Mix)

Like if Mr. Cleaver was a DJ. And Japanese.

I am cheating a bit with this one, unless of course you judge the decade as 1991-2000 instead of 1990-1999. In any case, the trumpets and aggressive piano give this a very swinging start before the keyboards and female vocals come in, along with that trademark thumping beat that house is so.. er… known and loved for. Extremely cheesy, but never going over the top, and frankly it’s so bright and danceable that I doubt I’d care if it did.

The Tea Party – Army Ants

....we're a little confused

Mixing Nine Inch Nails and Led Zeppelin may not sound like the best idea, but on their fourth full-length, Transmission, the Canadian trio managed to pull it off with impressive style. The whole album has a great blend of eastern tinged hard rock with industrial sounding guitars and electronic effects, but they’re easily at their most aggressive on Army Ants. Jeff Martin switches between his much praised/criticized Jim Morrison-esque croon and an angry roar to great effect, with cleverly laced samples and excellent cymbal work propelling the song from behind him. A shame they didn’t stay with this style, it’s tempting to wonder where they could have taken it.

If there is one thing I have learned from my many late, drunken nights in karaoke bars, it is this: no karaoke bar in this country will EVER have a night in which Alanis Morissette’s You Oughtta Know will not be sung (Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats seems to be reaching this status as well, sadly). Now don’t get me wrong, I can certainly see why. While the song irritates me to no end, I have to begrudgingly admit that it is not just a 90s staple, but an admirably enduring breakup anthem. However, every time I hear someone butcher this song, I can’t help but wonder why there aren’t several other angry songs from the female view that are so cherished. Obviously I’m hardly an expert on the matter, but I thought it as good as anything to dedicate this week’s list to. As I’m sure there is much I am leaving out, please feel free to add your own suggestions. And with that, let’s get started.

Tori Amos – The Waitress

Hand bone connected to the keyboard connected to the google connected to the government

If there’s a more gloriously catty line than “I believe in peace, bitch,” I am yet to hear it. The verses detail an unreasonable hatred for a coworker, which I’m sure we’ve all had in some shape or form. Why do I hate this person so much? It’s just some douchebag, they don’t matter… but FUCK, they piss me off! The matter-of-fact “So I want to kill this waitress” starts things out perfectly, and that whip sounding noise in the background certainly doesn’t hurt things either.

Poe – Angry Johnny

mumblemumblemumblescream

This sadly forgotten 90s gem feels like a detailed revenge fantasy gone awry, but delivered with a cleverly sexual guise (the pause after “I want to blow you” and before “away” being a prime example). By the time the bridge hits though, and Anne Danielewski is taunting “where’s your pleasure now, Johnny,” the song starts to feel downright unsettling, and quite a bit more becomes open for interpretation than you might have cared for.

L7 – Shitlist

Oh my god this is so 90s

On a list like this, there’s no way a band with a tampon story this infamous could be neglected. Probably the perfect choice for the moment in Natural Born Killers where it pops up, Shitlist is classic L7; sleazy, pissed off, and able to express all of it with a simple snarl. Still, the best part is when Donita Sparks loses her cool around the minute and a half mark and screams out the second verse, only to slip back into that (somewhat) calm demeanor for the rest of the song.

Elastica – Stutter

They were talking shit about your hair Justine

Taken literally, Stutter is about irritation over a boyfriend’s impotence. With the passion that Justine Frischmann delivers in this incredibly catchy slice of britpop though, it feels like more of a metaphor for a failing relationship. It’s remarkable too, how clearly frustrated she sounds, and yet how bright and poppy she is as she gets her point across. Yet another example of a great band undeservedly damned to one hit wonder status.

Ladytron – Ghosts

A wed wose... how womantic

No, not really angry in the traditional sense, but there’s something to be said for a band that can sound so dreamy and so snarky at the same time. With as pretty and soothing as Helen Marnie’s vocals are, you can still picture her sneering as she sings “clock strikes and I know you will be drinking alone” or the rather harsh conclusion to the chorus, “doesn’t mean I’m sorry.”

PJ Harvey – Rub ’til It Bleeds

Insert generic 'all business' joke here, I guess

I’ve heard this song called “Handjob of Death” more than a few times, and it’s a difficult alternate title to dispute. There is such wonderfully brutal teasing in this song’s lyrics, as she goes from sweetly crooning “Baby, I’m your sweet thing” to viciously shouting “I’m calling you weak.” The music has that sexy, rough-around-the-edges blues sound to it, and when it builds up and explodes at the end, it’s almost as if it’s simulating.. well, you see where I’m going with this.

Snake River Conspiracy – Vulcan

Yeah we did her hair, what of it

Vocalist Tobey Torres is startlingly intimidating on this song. She starts the song with a resounding “FUCK!!”, and her seething roars are only delivered with more authority as the song continues. The way she screams “you fucking faggot” actually puts me into this odd state where I honestly can’t tell if I’m frightened or turned on. It’s not even the commanding vocals really, but the charisma behind them. As she asserts herself all throughout, you’d believe her even if it was just expressed with mere whispers. Plus the music is just so crushing; it’s hard to believe that a key role in the band is held by none other than Third Eye Blind’s Jason Slater.

Tracy Bonham – Mother Mother

I can almost hear the gruffy narration

Delving yet again into 1990s alternative. What really clinches this song for me, even more than those intense choruses that are frankly impossible to not get behind, is how personal yet relatable it is. It really captures lashing out against a strained relationship with a parent almost as well as the disillusionment that can sometimes follow striking out on one’s own.

Nikka Costa – Hope It Felt Good

She looks like a snorter

Nikka Costa’s biggest song is easily Everybody Got Their Something, which isn’t so much a hit as it is one of those songs that most people know but don’t realize it. Why she never achieved widespread fame has always baffled me; her voice is incredible, her lyrical subject matter is diverse, and the neo-soul sound backing her is fantastic. In an alternate universe somewhere, Hope It Felt Good became the smash hit it truly deserved to be. She absolutely rages over a sharp 70s funk beat, singing with a fire reminiscent of Janis Joplin. As far as jilted ex songs go, this isn’t an easy one to beat.

Bjork – Declare Independence

Damn this pic is old

God, what a great song. The synth alone sounds pissed off; it’s so heavily distorted and dirty sounding, and while Volta certainly isn’t her best album, this could well be the most sinister and brooding song she’s ever done. The pounding beat and crashing cymbals get so intense as the song progresses, but this is nothing compared to Bjork herself – you can practically hear her gnashing her teeth before she breaks into that blood curdling scream at the end. The best thing though, has to be the lyrics; written for (and dedicated in concert many times over to) various oppressed nations, they’re also just vague enough to be applicable to anything from an overly advantageous workplace to an abusive spouse. An easy track to leave on repeat.