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1. In Sides, Orbital
Techno has been much derided as a form of music, ever since its initial evolution. Long written off as mindless dance music or drug-induced rave fodder, it can sometimes be a difficult brand of sound to stand up for. But Orbital makes the argument considerably easier to pull off. Kings of the Intelligent Dance Music genre, brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll have put together one of the longest running and most acclaimed acts in the history of techno. The secret is simple to understand, and rather more difficult to execute: Orbital manages to take infectious melodies and beats, and weave them together with complicated, slowly evolving musical layer cakes that have more in common with classical music than dance music. This isn't to deny that Orbital has done some terrific, straightforward rave anthems. They have. But they also do songs like The Box, a 28 minute, four movement masterwork that uses variations on a central theme to propel the listener through something dark, complicated and gorgeous. Tracks like Out There Somewhere I & II are also awe-inspiring; they contain breaks that are amazingly abrupt and complete, but also smooth and non-jarring. There's no doubt about it: Orbital is serious music, as well as being seriously enjoyable. |
Elvis Costello may be the consummate songsmith of the latter half of the latter half of the twentieth century. His acidic, poetic, cutting lyrics have a way of being at once amazingly witty and glib, and also emotionally revealing; he's the court jester of pop music, and behind the jokes lie the brutal truth.
Get Happy!! is a collection of some of Elvis' earliest and best stuff, reflecting the angry, suit-wearing two-tone punk that Costello was at the height of his powers. Packed to the gills (my CD player can't even play it all the way through) with great songs, Get Happy!! sports a collection of mostly straightforward pieces of rock music containing some of the snappiest lyrics in songwriting.
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3. Doolittle, The Pixies There is no band that rocks harder than the Pixies. There are bands that rock noisier, or flashier, or in a more elaborately-staged manner, but for pure, evil, hard, serious rock, The Pixies are unstoppable. Doolittle showcases their talents at their height: loaded with south-of-the-border flavor and surf rock energy, frontman Frank Black also manages to toss off some stunningly effective and poetic lyrics. Deadly serious, but far too energetic and musically talented to be anything but a shitload of fun, The Pixies rule. |
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4. John Henry, They Might Be Giants It's impossible to deny that They Might Be Giants have had more of an effect on me than any other music group alive. I was lucky enough to have interviewed John Linnel, and speaking with the more subdued half of the group only confirmed for me that TMBG are a couple of really swell guys. But what's more important than the fact that John and John are really great people is that TMBG's lyrics are exactly the sort of clever, deliciously biting, off-kilter, giddy and sarcastic packages of wit that I required for sustenance as a teenager and young adult.
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"Wake me when it's over, touch my face, tell me every word has been erased..."
As a youngster, I was very hesitant to buy into empty rebellion; most of it seemed stupid. And yet, most of the upbeat pop surrounding me was also, quite clearly, nothing but crap. They Might Be Giants had the amazingly disgestible, synth and guitar-based melodic candy that I craved, without anything insulting to the listener's intelligence; the lyrics were smart, snappy, and lovably offbeat. "The colorful spell under which I live protects me from all I write..." Add to this live concerts that are about as high-energy, intense and amusing as anything performed everywhere. Without a doubt, TMBG's live act serves as living proof that that which is smart does not have to be sad, and that which is happy does not have to be stupid. Glorious stuff. And, quite often, it must be said that they rock. |
5. Life's Rich Pageant, REM
REM used to be a really, really terrific band. Starting with the quiet beauty of Murmur and, thereafter, moving ever forward into the realm of pop mega-stardom and self-reflection, REM reached its peak with Life's Rich Pageant, an album that is stuffed to the breaking point with lyrical beauty, passion and artistry.
The line between folk and rock is a blurry one, and Life's Rich Pageant has songs that lie squarely in either camp, as well as several fence straddlers. But what makes the album a masterpiece is the overwhelming sense of momentum and grace that carries the listener straight through, from "Begin the Begin" to "Superman". Life's Rich Pageant is intoxicating stuff, and the finest work of a band which, at point, stood for a lot more to a much smaller group of people.
Not including myself. I've only been a fan since 1991, or so. I don't mean to imply any hardcoreness, here.
6. OK Computer, RadioheadConcept albums are great, in theory, but seem to generally boil down to forced, awkward collections of musical mush, straining to fill a giant hole of anticipation created by an over-eager group of artists. With Ok Computer, however, Radiohead has done a brilliant job of conveying the genuine pain and struggle of just living an everyday, hopeless, boring life.
This may sound somewhat loaded with pretense, but one listen to OK Computer and you'll know what I mean; the tracks are dark, brooding, depressing and elegently assembled, wrapped around some of the most pure and riveting lyrics written since Sgt. Pepper's. An incredibly strong album with a lot to say, OK Computer is necessary listening for anyone who has ever felt crushed by the modern world. A word of advice, however: don't listen to it too many times in a row.
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7.Hello Nasty,The Beastie Boys
For better or worse, this album's been in my top 5 rotation for the past nine months. With Hello Nasty, The Beastie Boys have taken hip-hop to a new, unexplored, plateau. Working together with legendary beatsmith Mix Master Mike, the Boys throw down a series of lyrics that are addictive, entertaining and smart. Add to this a terrific collection of samples, hooks, scratches and beats, wrap it up in super-sharp graphic design, and you've got yourself one hell of an album. |
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8.This is How it Feels,The Golden Palominos
The Golden Palominos are sort of a musical oddity. An ongoing project with a number of personnel rotations taking place every album, the Palominos are amazingly inconsistent and irregular in their product. This is How it Feels is a pinnacle, however, and it's an enviable one. Cool, sultry, trip-hoppy and seductive, This is How it Feels takes deliciously sweet female vocals and wraps them up in a winning combination of beats and electronic melodies. |
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9.The Scofflaws
Halfway between ska and jazz, The Scofflaws trade on cool and make their money with a horn section that won't quit. It was always hard to get too openly or seriously into ska, because so many ska bands were just so damn silly. And that, of course, was part of ska's joy. But The Scofflaws had a neat formula: they played nice, horn-heavy, upbeat-laden ska music that was well-orchestrated and capable of straddling the border with jazz. It was, in a word, cool. Deadly musicians and solid songsmiths, The Scofflaws were one of the sharpest acts to ever claim a part of the Third Wave. |
It can be hard to be dark and mysterious while maintaining a some semblance of musical adventure and energy. It can also be hard to blend many different forms of music, as the resulting cultural overlap and interferance can be devastating. But Delerium manages a brilliant blend of techno, tribal, chant and pop with Karma, an album that should stand as a classic amongst the many pop/techno blends that have been attempted over the years.
While Karma manages to haunt with its breathy vocals and dark, moody, melodies, the pop beat and strength of its choruses are irresistable. It's an amazingly smooth and pleasureable album to listen to, and it packs a number of musical suprises, making it a welcome addition to almost any techno or pop fan's collection.