Top Albums #1 - Destroyer – Kaputt

When I played this record at my cottage this summer, both of my parents said it sounded like the eighties. Another description I’ve heard is “sad disco music.” I think both of them work quite well at summing up what Kaputt is all about. 

The strength behind this album is in its mysterious familiarity. Like other albums this year, the charm comes from the melody - but also that one thing you can't quite figure out.

The fun really comes into play when you begin to catch some of the themes in the subtext. At first I thought I was listening to the same song twice – but when I realized what Dan Bejar had actually done, it just made me smile. The songs aren’t repetitive, they’re fluid. 

Kaputt is one of those records that will really stand the test of time. It could be because of its drawing on the past to do so, but it does it so well that it's hard to believe it took this long for it to be written.

Favourite Tracks -Chinatown http://tinyurl.com/4rl23wn , Kaputt http://tinyurl.com/7drrq7d , Savage Night the the Opera http://tinyurl.com/6s8eee4

Top Albums # 2 - Bon Iver – S/T

One of the things I love most about new music is seeing where musicians decide to take the genre. In this record's case, it’s like there was a fork in the road. In many ways Bon Iver is going forward, but I also heard a huge nod to the past.

For the longest time I would listen to it and try and put my finger on what I found so familiar. Finally it dawned on me that it was everything. I heard sprinkles of Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and even a little Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. That sounds like a ridiculous concoction – but it works because it’s Bon Iver.

While I loved For Emma Forever Ago, I actually find this follow-up far more accessible. The falsetto is still there, but Justin Vernon reminds us that he actually has quite a deep singing voice too. Because of that change in tone, it breaks up the album a lot more, helping your ear follow along. Both the lyrics and instruments, while still wistful and melancholic are more upbeat this time around as well.

It’s a no-brainer that being happy and mono-free should make your music sound lofty. Thankfully Vernon's good health does a huge credit to Bon Iver’s music.

Favourite Tracks: Calgary http://tinyurl.com/7cb62sm , Perth http://tinyurl.com/4ynjjye , Wash. http://tinyurl.com/3m6rl6z

Top Albums #3 - Miracle Fortress - Was I The Wave?

Graham Van Pelt is the strong silent type. But only off stage. When you see him at a gig, he easily blends in with the rest of the crowd while he wanders around politely chatting with people who recognize him. When the stage is his, it’s like watching the real man come out of his shell. 

After a long break between records to tear it up with Think About Life, Van Pelt’s return to Miracle Fortress was exciting. After falling in love with Five Roses, everyone wanted to hear what he had come up with after such a long break. I couldn’t be more surprised with what he had come up with.

Where Five Roses followed a mellow and dream-like path, Was I the Wave? cranks up the tempo. I know some people were initially disappointed by his move toward a more electronic sound – but not for long. At its core, this record is closer to Five Roses than you might think. 

Van Pelt always has an affinity with writing lyrics that sound like they’ve floated in on a breeze. Like Beach House, he makes music that doesn’t just inspire daydreams – it does most of the legwork for you.  The only difference between the fantasies you have with Five Roses and Was I the Wave? – is the added beat which allows you to bob along.  

Because Miracle Fortress’ ability to focus on what people hear inside a song, this record is easily one of the strongest electronic releases this year. There aren’t many albums that encourage you to lay on a beach and stare at clouds while at the same time recommend you get up and dance. Was I the Wave? is the exception. 

Favourite Tracks – Raw Spectacle http://tinyurl.com/7jrqx54 , Everything Works http://tinyurl.com/cha6dn7 , Miscalculations http://tinyurl.com/bnw8c4e , Tracers http://tinyurl.com/7xmycc2

Top Albums #4 - St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

Annie Clark’s voice had me wrapped around its finger this year. It’s just a sound you want to trust. 

Strange Mercy is one interesting record. The first time I gave it a spin, I was surprised at how easily Clark was able to move from style to style with as much ease as she does. It’s up one minute and down the next. Some songs build to a frantic pace before disappearing at their peak – giving way to a mellow track to follow.

While that might sound a tad disorienting, it’s anything but. The strength behind Clark's songwriting gives her a degree of certainty in where she’s taking you. Credit her abilities as a singer and a guitar player for that.

The lyrics help too. Clark is one of the most cerebral writers I was lucky enough to come across this year. Words just seem to flow with an ease that you wouldn’t think was possible. They follow a track of heartache, strength, with just a few secrets that she’s willing to give you a peek at without giving too much away.

Every time I put this record on I feel like I’m peering into a box that was hidden under my bed by Annie Clark. Each time I hear her songs I feel like I’m learning a little more about where she was coming from. 

Favourite Tracks: Strange Mercy http://tinyurl.com/3sbu6nm , Year of the Tigerhttp://tinyurl.com/3qzozyl , Cruel http://tinyurl.com/3fmp5qj

Top Albums #5 - Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

There are just some albums that make you feel cool while listening to them. The best way I can describe it, is by telling you about something I like to call “Airport Songs.” An Airport Song is basically your soundtrack while walking through the terminal. 

I came up with the expression after watching the movie Blow where Johnny Depp struts through an airport while Ram Jam’s “Black Betty” blares in the background. 

Ever since I first saw that movies, I have a habit of finding a great song to listen to while I make my way to my luggage. Arabia Mountain is an entire record of Airport Songs.

It sounds a hell of a lot like the Ramones, the Kinks, Sex Pistols, and at times a few hints of the Stones. Not in the kind of way where someone can accuse them of ripping off those bands. No, this is more of a love letter to dirty rock and roll – just the way it was supposed to sound. 

This record is also special to me because it was the final album I bought from my favourite store Criminal Records before it closed. I remember that hot afternoon in Toronto like it was yesterday. I walked in, looked around, and then asked what they were listening to lately. Arabia Mountain was the record that he put on. 

I’ve been blasting it ever since then.

Favourite Tracks: Raw Meat http://tinyurl.com/c5zurxs , Family Tree http://tinyurl.com/3crmkfq , Modern Art http://tinyurl.com/bwn65xb , Dumpster Dive http://tinyurl.com/cx46ekw