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	<title>FensePost &#187; a silver mt zion</title>
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		<title>Fense’s Radio Show: November 11, 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2011/11/14/fense%e2%80%99s-radio-show-november-11-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2011/11/14/fense%e2%80%99s-radio-show-november-11-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Headline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lists And Mixes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a silver mt zion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alameda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bombadil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breathe owl breathe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dead confederate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[destroyer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[espers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gold leaves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jared mees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[madeline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mandolin orange]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meg baird]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[robin grey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the cave singers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the decemberists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the devil whale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the explorers club]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the lower 48]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fensepost.com/main/?p=17900</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I am becoming more and more confident in talking on the radio.  I am slowly developing my voice &#8212; my on-air personality.  There is still room for improvement; namely in the transition from Stuarto&#8217;s show to mine, but I&#8217;ll get there eventually.  Last Friday&#8217;s show was centered around indie-folk again, with plenty of psychedelic folk, orchestral folk, and folk-pop as well. 
As started last week, two songs will be featured at bottom.
&#8220;Notorious Lightning&#8221; by Destroyer off Your Blues
&#8220;Shanty for the Arethusa&#8221; by The Decemberists off Her Majesty
&#8220;Share&#8221; ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/IMG_1539-575x575.jpg" alt="KSVR 91.7 FM Mount Vernon" title="IMG_1539" width="575" height="575" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-17907" /></p>
<p>I am becoming more and more confident in talking on the radio.  I am slowly developing my voice &#8212; my on-air personality.  There is still room for improvement; namely in the transition from Stuarto&#8217;s show to mine, but I&#8217;ll get there eventually.  Last Friday&#8217;s show was centered around indie-folk again, with plenty of psychedelic folk, orchestral folk, and folk-pop as well. <span id="more-17900"></span></p>
<p>As started last week, two songs will be featured at bottom.</p>
<p>&#8220;Notorious Lightning&#8221; by Destroyer off <em>Your Blues</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Shanty for the Arethusa&#8221; by The Decemberists off <em>Her Majesty</em><br />
&#8220;Share&#8221; by Meg Baird off <em>Seasons on Earth</em><br />
&#8220;Miriam&#8217;s Cake&#8221; by Robin Grey off <em>The Nearest Door</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Flaming Telepaths&#8221; by Espers off <em>The Weed Tree</em><br />
&#8220;Red Light Bulb&#8221; by Madeline off <em>Black Velvet</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Run From The Gun&#8221; by Dead Confederate off <em>Sugar</em><br />
&#8220;Swim Club&#8221; by The Cave Singers off <em>No Witch</em><br />
&#8220;Weight Of The World (Under Construction Mix) by The Explorers Club off <em>The Californian Suite</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Leather Belt&#8221; by Bombadil off <em>All That The Rain Promises</em><br />
&#8220;Golden&#8221; by The Devil Whale off <em>Teeth</em></p>
<p>&#8220;God Bless Our Dead Marines&#8221; by The Silver Mt. Zion &#038; Tra La La Band off <em>Horses In The Sky</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Own Stunts&#8221; by Breathe Owl Breathe off <em>Magic Central</em><br />
&#8220;Hungry Like A Tiger&#8221; by Jared Mees &#038; The Grown Children off <em>Only Good Thoughts Can Stay</em><br />
&#8220;The End&#8221; by The Lower 48 off <em>Where All Maps End</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Big Men In The Sky&#8221; by Mandolin Orange off <em>Hard Hearted Stranger [Disc 2]</em><br />
&#8220;The Silver Lining&#8221; by Gold Leaves off <em>The Ornament</em><br />
&#8220;Silver Hands&#8221; by Alameda off <em>Seasons/Spectres</em></p>
<p>The first feature song is by Chapel Hill, NC band Mandolin Orange.  Duo Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz create folk-country songs featuring acoustic guitar, electric guitar, fiddle, and (no surprise here) mandolin.  Their new album, <em>Haste Make/Hard Hearted Stranger</em>, came out last week and is a double-LP filled with 18 songs.  Check out &#8220;Big Men in the Sky&#8221; below.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Big Men In The Sky&#8221; by Mandolin Orange</p>
<p>The second song is one I simply cannot get enough of these days.  It&#8217;s the opening track off the new album by Minneapolis band The Lower 48, and it&#8217;s called &#8220;The End&#8221;.  What does it for me is the vocal harmonies.  They are intricate and interesting; the clash of male and female dual leads create unique patters, pleasant and endearing.  &#8220;The End&#8221; is off the band&#8217;s new LP, <em>Where All Maps End</em>.  </p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/111114-lower-48-the-end.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;The End&#8221; by The Lower 48</a></strong></p>
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		<title>FensePost Podcast #5: Soundtrack to the Zombie Apocalypse</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2011/03/08/fensepost-podcast-5-soundtrack-to-the-zombie-apocalypse/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2011/03/08/fensepost-podcast-5-soundtrack-to-the-zombie-apocalypse/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:00:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a hawk & a hacksaw]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a silver mt zion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aristeia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ólafur Arnalds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[black heart procession]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[borcarea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emmalee crane]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[explosions in the sky]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ghost box orchestra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[glorie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[i love you but i've chosen darkness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[john murphy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[m83]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mogwai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[morrow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mount eerie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[naked city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oneida]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the polyphonic spree]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fensepost.com/main/?p=14845</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
About six months ago, I became completely obsessed with zombies films, mostly due to the brilliance behind Robert Kirkman&#8216;s The Walking Dead books and the airing of the series on AMC.  As Season 1 comes out on DVD and BluRay today, I figured the time was right to post this.  So I buckled down and finished my zombie soundtrack podcast, filled with songs I felt perfect for a zombie film.  Be assured: this will not be your typical zombie mix. 
There&#8217;s good reason for this.  When ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_1037-575x575.jpg" alt="IMG_1037" title="IMG_1037" width="575" height="575" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-16089" /></p>
<p>About six months ago, I became completely obsessed with zombies films, mostly due to the brilliance behind <strong><a href="http://kirkmania.com" target="_blank">Robert Kirkman</a></strong>&#8216;s <em>The Walking Dead</em> books and the airing of <strong><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/" target="_blank">the series on AMC</a></strong>.  As Season 1 comes out on DVD and BluRay today, I figured the time was right to post this.  So I buckled down and finished my zombie soundtrack podcast, filled with songs I felt perfect for a zombie film.  Be assured: this will not be your typical zombie mix. <span id="more-14845"></span></p>
<p>There&#8217;s good reason for this.  When I think of b-movie zombie films and big budget ones alike, I think of bad metal.  It&#8217;s terrible.  <em>So</em> many Zombie movies feature it.  They should be about scaring the shit out of you, chilling your very soul, not subjecting you to bad taste.  The zombie apocalypse soundtrack should be filled with mystery, hope and terror, pain and suffering, and an underlying and general appreciation for life.  </p>
<p>There will be moments of calm, moments of anguish, and moments of unabashed terror.</p>
<p>As the term &#8220;soundtrack&#8221; suggests, I set out to create my own zombie movie in my head.  Being a soundtrack, this means there will be plenty of instrumentals.  And when your life hangs in the balance on a daily basis, as it would in a zombie movie, pleasant moments will suddenly twist into terror; there is no better genre to embody this than post rock, so there will also be plenty of that.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve pared it down significantly to save time and sanity.  It was originally two, maybe even three times this length, and I struggled greatly in organizing it appropriately.  It&#8217;s not perfect, and I&#8217;m sure there are plenty of truly great songs that should be contained within, but I digress.  It may be cool, or it may really suck. It is what it is, and, in my opinion, it&#8217;s a solid start. </p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/fppc-v2i1-soundtrack-to-the-zombie-apocalypse.mp3" target="_blank">FensePost Podcast Volume #2 Issue 01: Soundtrack to the Zombie Apocalypse</a></strong></p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/fensepost-podcast-v2-300x300.jpg" alt="fensepost-podcast-v2" title="fensepost-podcast-v2" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-16091" /></p>
<p><b>Phase 1: From Calm to Despair</b><br />
&#8220;Diagnosed With&#8221; by Borcarea off <em>Corpus</em><br />
&#8220;We Came From Monsters&#8221; by Emmalee Crane off <em>Formantine</em><br />
&#8220;When We Reach The Hill&#8221; by The Black Heart Procession off <em>2</em></p>
<p><b>Phase 2: Realization becomes Terror</b><br />
&#8220;3326&#8243; by Ólafur Arnalds off <em>Eulogy For Evolution</em><br />
&#8220;The Call Of The Wild&#8221; by The Polyphonic Spree off <em>Thumbsucker Soundtrack</em><br />
&#8220;Fields, Shorelines, and Hunters&#8221; by M83 off <em>Before The Dawn Heals Us</em></p>
<p><b>Phase 3: Encounters</b><br />
&#8220;The Might Of The Sword&#8221; by AristeiA off <em>How To Kill A King</em><br />
&#8220;Mouth Of Sky&#8221; by Mount Eerie off <em>Wind&#8217;s Poem</em><br />
&#8220;Who Will Be King Over All The Dead&#8221; by Morrow off <em>Morrow</em></p>
<p><b>Phase 4: Hope, Horror and Despair</b><br />
&#8220;Nightmare Then Sunshines&#8221; by Glorie off <em>Glorie</em><br />
&#8220;Catastrophe And The Cure&#8221; by Explosions In The Sky off <em>All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone</em><br />
&#8220;The Triumph Of Our Tired Eyes&#8221; by A Silver Mt. Zion off <em>Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upward</em></p>
<p><b>Intermission</b><br />
&#8220;In A House &#8211; In A Heartbeat&#8221; by John Murphy off <em>28 Days Later Soundtrack</em></p>
<p><b>Phase 5: Peace / Death / Resurrection</b><br />
&#8220;I Know You Are But What Am I?&#8221; by Mogwai off <em>Happy Songs For Happy People</em><br />
&#8220;Oporto&#8221; by Hawk And A Hacksaw off <em>The Way The Wind Blows</em><br />
&#8220;Bonehead&#8221; by Naked City off <em>Naked City</em></p>
<p><b>Phase 6: Closing Credits</b><br />
&#8220;Did I Die&#8221; by Oneida off <em>The Wedding</em><br />
&#8220;Oh, The Moon Hangs Low&#8221; by Ghost Box Orchestra off <em>The Only Light On</em><br />
&#8220;The Ghost&#8221; by I Love You But I&#8217;ve Chosen Darkness off <em>Fear Is On Our Side</em></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A Retrospective Top 25: Best Albums of 2005</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/12/04/a-retrospective-top-25-best-albums-of-2005/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/12/04/a-retrospective-top-25-best-albums-of-2005/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lists And Mixes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a silver mt zion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acid house kings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew bird]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[animal collective]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloc party]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clap your hands say yeah]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[devendra banhart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lcd soundsystem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[m83]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mew]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[of montreal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oneida]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[page france]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[piano magic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[saint etienne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[saxon shore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[silver jews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sons and daughters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spoon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sufjan stevens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tapes n tapes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the clientele]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the decemberists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[voxtrot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wolf parade]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fensepost.com/main/?p=8171</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
2005 opened my eyes to a world of new music.  I joined the crew at KZUU over the summer, my first summer back in Pullman working toward my Masters in Business.  I&#8217;d spend my two-hour show pouring over thousands of obscure albums, looking for anything that might spark my interest.  While music had always been a borderline obsession, until now it was just that &#8211; borderline.  In the days that passed, it became a full-fledged consumption of everything me.  There are turning points in all ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/best-albums-of-2005.jpg" alt="best-albums-of-2005" title="best-albums-of-2005" width="575" height="350" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8410" /></p>
<p>2005 opened my eyes to a world of new music.  I joined the crew at KZUU over the summer, my first summer back in Pullman working toward my Masters in Business.  I&#8217;d spend my two-hour show pouring over thousands of obscure albums, looking for anything that might spark my interest.  While music had always been a borderline obsession, until now it was just that &#8211; borderline.  In the days that passed, it became a full-fledged consumption of everything me.  There are turning points in all of our lives, and DJing at KZUU was absolutely one of mine. <span id="more-8171"></span></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve once again expanded the list, this time to 25.  Eventually we&#8217;ll get to the top 33 and 1/3 albums, which debuted on FensePost in 2008.  Will it be 2006 or 2007?  Who knows? Certainly not me at this point in time.  My focus right now is 2005.  Here are my favorites&#8230; </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE: 2009.12.15</strong></p>
<p>It was bound to happen &#8211; I&#8217;d forget an album somewhere on this list and unfortunately it was one that would have not only made the top 10, but should have chimed in at around #3 or #4.  Here&#8217;s a retrospective for my <em>A Retrospective</em>&#8230;</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/legends-public-radio-300x300.jpg" alt="legends-public-radio" title="legends-public-radio" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8856" /></p>
<p><strong>A Late #3 or #4.  <em>Public Radio</em> by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/heknowsthesun">The Legends</a></strong><br />
Their debut album, <em>Up Against The Legends</em>, was my top album of 2003 so it&#8217;s only natural for this one to come close.  It was a change from that first album, which was ahead of its time with the fuzzy pop that&#8217;s become so popular this year (2009).  Instead, <em>Public Radio</em> was dark and filled with reverb.  Still, it was no less mesmerizing.  Listen and hear for yourself:</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/090411_the_legends_-_he_knows_the_sun.mp3">The Legends: He Knows The Sun [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/bloc-party-silent-alarm-300x300.jpg" alt="bloc-party-silent-alarm" title="bloc-party-silent-alarm" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8402" /></p>
<p><strong>25. <em>Silent Alarm</em> by Bloc Party</strong><br />
A hype band of a more mainstream sort, <a href="http://www.blocparty.com/">Bloc Party</a>&#8216;s <em>Silent Alarm</em> was, in its day, quite good&#8230; and it remains so to this day.  Songs like &#8220;Helicopter&#8221;, &#8220;Banquet&#8221; and &#8220;Blue Light&#8221; are what carried this album, and this band, to the mainstream.  And it was worth it &#8211; these songs are catchy, and full of a powerful punch.  </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/oneida-wedding-300x300.jpg" alt="oneida-wedding" title="oneida-wedding" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8401" /></p>
<p><strong>24. <em>The Wedding</em> by Oneida</strong><br />
Boy do I love &#8220;Lavender&#8221;, the second track on this album.  In their extensive time as a group, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/oneidarocks">Oneida</a> come to define experimental rock, slipping ever further into its abyss.  <em>The Wedding</em> was by no means their first foray into experimentation, and it was far from their last (see their most recent works for that), but it did find a comfortable balance between a sound somewhat accessible and enveloped in avant garde.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-oneida-run_through_my_hair.mp3">Oneida: Run Through My Hair [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/clientele-strange_geometry-300x300.jpg" alt="clientele-strange_geometry" title="clientele-strange_geometry" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8400" /></p>
<p><strong>23. <em>Strange Geometry</em> by The Clientele</strong><br />
The opening track, &#8220;Since K Got Over Me&#8221;, was by far the most powerful on <a href="http://www.theclientele.co.uk/">The Clientele</a>&#8216;s <em>Strange Geometry</em>.  When I think of this album, I always go straight to that song, but others hold weight as well, like &#8220;My Own Face Inside The Trees&#8221; and &#8220;Geometry Of Lawns&#8221;.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-clientele-empty.mp3">The Clientele: E.M.P.T.Y. [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/andrew-bird-the-mysterious-production-of-eggs-300x300.jpg" alt="andrew-bird-the-mysterious-production-of-eggs" title="andrew-bird-the-mysterious-production-of-eggs" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8399" /></p>
<p><strong>22. <em>The Mysterious Production Of Eggs</em> by Andrew Bird</strong><br />
Two words, one song: &#8220;Fake Palindromes&#8221;.  I never really thought much of <a href="http://www.andrewbird.net/">Andrew Bird</a> until I heard this song, mainly because I hadn&#8217;t really spent the time to listen to his post Squirrel Nut Zippers solo work.  This song alone was impressive enough to spark my interest and make me seek out his back catalog.  Again, the rest of the album was pretty good as well.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/saint-etienne-tales-from-turnpike-house-300x300.jpg" alt="saint-etienne-tales-from-turnpike-house" title="saint-etienne-tales-from-turnpike-house" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8398" /></p>
<p><strong>21. <em>Tales From The Turnpike House</em> by Saint Etienne</strong><br />
Still a far cry from their glorious 1991 release <em>Foxbase Alpha</em>, 2005 saw <a href="http://www.saintetienne.com/">Saint Etienne</a> giving us <em>Tales From The Turnpike House</em>, their best album in a very long time.   Other releases were pretty good, but they outdid them with tracks like &#8220;A Good Thing&#8221; and &#8220;Slow Down At The Castle&#8221;.  Blending their signature 60s pop sound with more modern electronic dance, Saint Etienne once again succeeded at producing excellence.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/devendra-banhart-cripple-crow-300x300.jpg" alt="devendra-banhart-cripple-crow" title="devendra-banhart-cripple-crow" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8397" /></p>
<p><strong>20. <em>Cripple Crow</em> by Devendra Banhart</strong><br />
<a href="http://devendrabanhart.com/">Devendra Banhart</a>&#8216;s <em>Cripple Crow</em> has become the ideal album when it comes to the clash of modern folk with world music.  It found Banhart collaborating with countless musicians across many lands, and it became a masterpiece in its own right.  At times a bit strange, with 22 tracks in total, there were plenty of songs to make up for those that were a bit too far out there.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/saxon_shore-exquisite_death_of-300x300.jpg" alt="saxon_shore-exquisite_death_of" title="saxon_shore-exquisite_death_of" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8396" /></p>
<p><strong>19. <em>The Exquisite Death Of Saxon Shore</em> by Saxon Shore</strong><br />
With epic, screaming heights and soft dulcet lows, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/saxonshore">Saxon Shore</a> is instrumental post-rock at its best.  Following the path of artists like Explosions In The Sky, this band has a full and dreamy sound, whether loud or soft, that is impossible to ignore. </p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/piano-magic-disaffected-300x293.jpg" alt="piano-magic-disaffected" title="piano-magic-disaffected" width="300" height="293" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8395" /></p>
<p><strong>18. <em>Disaffected</em> by Piano Magic</strong><br />
The music <a href="http://www.piano-magic.co.uk/">Piano Magic</a> creates is part dream, part uncanny and supernatural.  The guitars echo shoegaze, while the vocals in songs like &#8220;Your Ghost&#8221; find a comfort in their similarity to masters like Leonard Cohen.  &#8220;Deleted Scenes&#8221; and &#8220;Disaffected&#8221; give the album an electronic presence, also dark, mysterious and hypnotic. <em>Disaffected</em> is truly a beautiful album.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-piano_magic-night_of_the_hunter.mp3">Piano Magic: Disaffected [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lcd-soundsystem-300x300.jpg" alt="lcd-soundsystem" title="lcd-soundsystem" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8394" /></p>
<p><strong>17. <em>LCD Soundsystem</em> by LCD Soundsystem</strong><br />
I&#8217;d always thought the hype surrounding <a href="http://www.myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem">LCD Soundsystem</a> was a bit of an overkill.  Then select songs like &#8220;Tribulations&#8221; and &#8220;Great Release&#8221; would pop up on my iPod and I began to realize that it was I that couldn&#8217;t see beyond my own pretentiousness.  There&#8217;s plenty of merit here.  Plenty.  </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/clap-your-hands-say-yeah-299x300.jpg" alt="clap-your-hands-say-yeah" title="clap-your-hands-say-yeah" width="299" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8393" /></p>
<p><strong>16. <em>Clap Your Hands Say Yeah</em> by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah</strong><br />
Alec Ounsworth&#8217;s vocal whine is instantly recognizable and quite unique.  Paired with the poppy beats that back <a href="http://www.clapyourhandssayyeah.com/">Clap Your Hands Say Yeah</a> on their self-titled debut, and it&#8217;s a match fit for success.  &#8220;Let The Cool Goddess Rust Away&#8221; and &#8220;The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth&#8221; have once again entered my playlist; like <em>Give Up</em>, I&#8217;d forgotten how great these songs were.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/page-france-hello-dear-wind-300x300.jpg" alt="page-france-hello-dear-wind" title="page-france-hello-dear-wind" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8392" /></p>
<p><strong>15. <em>Hello, Dear Wind</em> by Page France</strong><br />
Before <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pagefrance">Page France</a> released <em>Hello, Dear Wind</em>, the name Michael Nau likely meant little to anyone outside friends and acquiantances of the man himself, but upon its release began a trail to Nau&#8217;s installment as one of indie-pop&#8217;s most promising individuals.  His ability to craft the most lovable of melodies is, in terms of the pairing of psychedelic-folk and indie-pop, virtually par none, as demonstrated in &#8220;Chariot&#8221; and &#8220;Windy&#8221; and &#8220;Elephant&#8221;.  </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/spoon-gimme_fiction-300x300.jpg" alt="spoon-gimme_fiction" title="spoon-gimme_fiction" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8391" /></p>
<p><strong>14. <em>Gimme Fiction</em> by Spoon</strong><br />
Yet again, <a href="http://www.spoontheband.com/">Spoon</a> achieves.  With each new release, the band gains more attraction from the masses and <em>Gimme Fiction</em> was no exception.  The funky beats in &#8220;I Turn My Camera On&#8221; and the catchy swagger in &#8220;I Summon You&#8221; near pop-rock perfection.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/silver_jews-tanglewood_numbers-300x300.jpg" alt="silver_jews-tanglewood_numbers" title="silver_jews-tanglewood_numbers" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8386" /></p>
<p><strong>13. <strong>Tanglewood Numbers</strong> by Silver Jews</strong><br />
I didn&#8217;t really get into <a href="http://www.myspace.com/silverjews">Silver Jews</a> until late last year, but since then they&#8217;ve become quite regular in my playlist.  Thanks to tracks like &#8220;Punks In The Beerlight&#8221; and &#8220;Sleeping Is The Only Love&#8221;, David Berman has shown here that he&#8217;s capable of being one of modern-day&#8217;s most appreciated and praise-worthy folk-rockers.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/decemberists-picaresque-300x300.jpg" alt="decemberists-picaresque" title="decemberists-picaresque" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8390" /></p>
<p><strong>12. <em>Picaresque</em> by The Decemberists</strong><br />
I thought for sure that <a href="http://www.decemberists.com/">The Decemberists</a> wouldn&#8217;t remain in these lists past those first few albums, but revisiting <em>Picaresque</em>, I knew I was kidding myself.  I remember watching the band play &#8220;The Infanta&#8221; and seeing Chris Funk run through the crowd with a large pair of cardboard whale jaws in &#8220;The Mariner&#8217;s Revenge&#8221;. This album is packed with excellent tunes in the vein of The Decemberists&#8217; signature educated, melodic nerdy theme.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-the_decemberists-the_engine_driver.mp3">The Decemberists: The Engine Driver [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/sufjan_stevens-chicago-300x300.jpg" alt="sufjan_stevens-chicago" title="sufjan_stevens-chicago" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8389" /></p>
<p><strong>11. <em>Illinoise</em> by Sufjan Stevens</strong><br />
Nontraditional instruments, full orchestration, and a blend of folk and pop sensibilities, <a href="http://www.sufjan.com/">Sufjan Stevens</a> has made a name for himself as one of indie&#8217;s most appreciated and unique modern artists.  <em>Illinoise</em> was the album that truly ballooned his trajectory to independent music fame with songs like &#8220;Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL&#8221; and &#8220;Chicago&#8221;.  </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/animal_collective-feels-300x300.jpg" alt="animal_collective-feels" title="animal_collective-feels" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8388" /></p>
<p><strong>10. <em>Feels</em> by Animal Collective</strong><br />
Yet another strong release by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/animalcollective">Animal Collective</a>, with each new release the band gets better despite insurmountable prior greatness.  &#8220;Grass&#8221; was an early favorite, as well as &#8220;Bees&#8221;.  <em>Feels</em> opens strong with &#8220;Did You See The Words&#8221; and continues as such through &#8220;Turn Into Something&#8221;, what remains their most gripping closing track yet. </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/silver_mt_zion-horses_in_the_sky-300x300.jpg" alt="silver_mt_zion-horses_in_the_sky" title="silver_mt_zion-horses_in_the_sky" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8387" /></p>
<p><strong>9. <em>Horses In The Sky</em> by A Silver Mt. Zion</strong><br />
Opening opus &#8220;God Bless Our Dead Marines&#8221; is an ode to the anti-war movement &#8211; an exposé to the horrors of post-war personalities, the harm that comes from witnessing and committing atrocities.  And <a href="http://www.myspace.com/silvermtzion">Silver Mt. Zion</a> conveys it with heavy post-rock orchestration in the vein of their brothers and sisters Godspeed You! Black Emperor.  </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/m83-before_the_dawn_heals_us-300x300.jpg" alt="m83-before_the_dawn_heals_us" title="m83-before_the_dawn_heals_us" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8385" /></p>
<p><strong>8. <em>Before The Dawn Heals Us</em> by M83</strong><br />
There&#8217;s something entirely great about the spooky track &#8220;Car Chase Terror&#8221; that I absolutely love.  <a href="http://www.myspace.com/m83">M83</a>&#8216;s <em>Before The Dawn Heals Us</em> differed from that which came after (<em>Saturdays=Youth</em>) in that it&#8217;s not an album concerned about generating hype.  It&#8217;s mysterious and really quite good, but it&#8217;s not one that will ultimately get overplayed by the masses; and that&#8217;s what makes it better than <em>Saturdays=Youth</em>.  <em>Before The Dawn Heals Us</em> is almost a concept album, flowing from beginning to end with an electro-version of a horror movie soundtrack.  It has staying power outside of the hipstery ballyhoo, and you can hear it throughout the album, from the mostly instrumental opener &#8220;Moon Child&#8221; to the lengthy epic closing track &#8220;Lower Your Eyelids To Die With The Sun&#8221;.  </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/mew-and_the_glass_handed_kites-300x300.jpg" alt="mew-and_the_glass_handed_kites" title="mew-and_the_glass_handed_kites" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8384" /></p>
<p><strong>7. <em>And The Glass Handed Kites</em> by Mew</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/mew">Mew</a>&#8216;s <em>Frengers</em> didn&#8217;t really do anything for me, but boy did my opinion of these guys change when they released <em>And The Glass Handed Kites</em>!  Such an interesting album, filled with epic rock that strays between prog, psych and art.  The album works well as a whole, from the flawless transition from &#8220;Circuitry Of The Wolf&#8221; into &#8220;Chinaberry Tree&#8221; to the catchy &#8220;Special&#8221; and the amazing &#8220;The Zookeeper&#8217;s Boy&#8221;. </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/the_lovekevins-max_leon-299x300.jpg" alt="the_lovekevins-max_leon" title="the_lovekevins-max_leon" width="299" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8418" /></p>
<p><strong>6. <em>Max Léon</em> by The Lovekevins</strong><br />
<em>Max Léon</em> is one of two EPs to make the top ten.  Sure, an EP isn&#8217;t necessarily an album, per se, but both warrant their inclusion in this list.  In <em>Max Léon</em>, The Lovekevins (who after this release shortened their name to The LK) pulled together four exceptional tracks.  </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-lovekevins-soviet_se.mp3">The Lovekevins: Soviet.se [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/wolf_parade-apologies_to_the_queen_mary-300x300.jpg" alt="wolf_parade-apologies_to_the_queen_mary" title="wolf_parade-apologies_to_the_queen_mary" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8383" /></p>
<p><strong>5. <em>Apologies To The Queen Mary</em> by Wolf Parade</strong><br />
God, when I first heard &#8220;You Are A Runner And I Am My Father&#8217;s Son&#8221;, the opening track off <a href="http://www.myspace.com/wolfparade">Wolf Parade</a>&#8216;s <em>Apologies To The Queen Mary</em>, I was absolutely floored.  And then the album continued&#8230; &#8220;Modern World&#8221;, &#8220;Grounds For Divorce&#8221; &#8211; these are tracks that continue to possess a special power.  And it just moved forward from there, with greats like &#8220;Fancy Claps&#8221;, &#8220;Same Ghost Every Night&#8221; and on through &#8220;This Heart&#8217;s On Fire&#8221;.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-wolf_parade-you_are_a_runner_and_i_am_my_fathers_son.mp3">Wolf Parade: You Are A Runner And I Am My Father&#8217;s Son [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/tapes_n_tapes-loon-300x300.jpg" alt="tapes_n_tapes-loon" title="tapes_n_tapes-loon" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8382" /></p>
<p><strong>4. <em>The Loon</em> by Tapes N Tapes</strong><br />
Whenever I hear select tracks off <em>The Loon</em> by <a href="http://www.tapesntapes.com/">Tapes &#8216;N Tapes</a>, I can&#8217;t help but think of Clell Tickle, the fictitious record promoter played by Aziz Ansari, the pretentious French blogger played by Paul Scheer, and the bouncer played by Rob Riggle.  All have gone on to fame, and Tapes N Tapes continues to pump out great music.  Still, it&#8217;s a tough one to beat with tracks like &#8220;The Insistor&#8221; and &#8220;Jakov&#8217;s Suite&#8221;.  </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-tapes_n_tapes-insistor.mp3">Tapes &#8216;N Tapes: Insistor [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/of_montreal-sunlandic_twins-300x300.jpg" alt="of_montreal-sunlandic_twins" title="of_montreal-sunlandic_twins" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8381" /></p>
<p><strong>3. <em>The Sunlandic Twins</em> by Of Montreal</strong><br />
Capturing yet another top five spot, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ofmontreal">Of Montreal</a> matched <em>Satanic Panic</em> with their 2005 release <em>The Sunlandic Twins</em>.  I remember the first time I heard &#8220;The Party&#8217;s Crashing Us&#8221; and despite nearly five years between then and now, the song still wows me.  And despite the Bonus EP&#8217;s understandable folly (&#8220;Everyday Feels Like Sunday&#8221; being lent to Outback Steakhouse ruined the song for me, but ultimately helped out the band &#8211; I&#8217;m not above giving them the nod for that), it has the excellent &#8220;Art Snob Solutions&#8221;.  And the rest of the album is just as great, with tracks like &#8220;Oslo In Summertime&#8221; and &#8220;I Was Never Young&#8221; to name a few.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-of_montreal-so_begins_our_alabee.mp3">Of Montreal: So Begins Our Alabee [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/voxtrot-raised-by-wolves-300x300.jpg" alt="voxtrot-raised-by-wolves" title="voxtrot-raised-by-wolves" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8403" /></p>
<p><strong>2. <em>Raised By Wolves</em> by Voxtrot</strong><br />
True this is an EP, but it warrants the number 2 spot.  &#8220;The Start Of Something&#8221; by <a href="http://www.voxtrot.net/">Voxtrot</a> is my second favorite track of 2005, coming very close to topping a track off my #1 album of this year.  Songs like title track &#8220;Raised by Wolves&#8221; and the band&#8217;s first (and quite rare in 7&#8243; form) single &#8220;The Start Of Something&#8221; have come to be givens in my continuing playlist of best songs.  Rounding out the EP are &#8220;Missing Pieces&#8221;, &#8220;Long Haul&#8221; and &#8220;Wrecking Force&#8221;, all viable tracks.  </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-voxtrot-the_start_of_something.mp3">Voxtrot: The Start Of Something [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/acid_house_kings-sing_along_with-300x300.jpg" alt="acid_house_kings-sing_along_with" title="acid_house_kings-sing_along_with" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8380" /></p>
<p><strong>1. <em>Sing Along With The Acid House Kings</em> by Acid House Kings</strong><br />
A hair&#8217;s difference is what splits <a href="http://www.acidhousekings.com/">Acid House Kings</a>&#8216; &#8220;Do What You Wanna Do&#8221; and Voxtrot&#8217;s &#8220;The Start Of Something&#8221; as my favorite song of the year.  Easily one of my favorite songs of the decade, in <em>Sing Along With&#8230;</em> Acid House Kings created an album packed with pure pop genius.  As the band prepares their follow up to this album, they&#8217;ve been critiquing their past songs on Twitter.  In my opinion, &#8220;Do What You Wanna Do&#8221; get a full five stars, as do &#8220;7 Days&#8221;, &#8220;Tonight Is Forever&#8221; and &#8220;Will You Love Me In The Morning&#8221;.  The remaining songs are close behind.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091204-acid_house_kings-do_what_you_wanna_do.mp3">Acid House Kings: Do What You Wanna Do [mp3]</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A Retrospective Top 15: Best Albums Of 2000</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/10/30/in-retrospect-top-10-albums-of-2000/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/10/30/in-retrospect-top-10-albums-of-2000/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lists And Mixes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a silver mt zion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[belle & sebastian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blonde redhead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bright eyes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[built to spill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carissa's wierd]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crooked fingers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death cab for cutie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[godspeed you black emperor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jason molina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[microphones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[modest mouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[radiohead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[songs: ohia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the anniversary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the delgados]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
I&#8217;ve decided to create an installment in which I do a recap of my favorite albums of the past ten years now that we&#8217;re coming up on the turn-of-decade &#8211; yes, 2010 is upon us.  They key: I do them one at a time.  I figure contemplating the weight of albums that have been instituted in my library for the better part (or even just half) of a decade would warrant a skewed opinion when comparing them to those released just this month.  And, as these things ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/volvo.JPG" alt="volvo" title="volvo" width="500" height="300" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7019" /></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve decided to create an installment in which I do a recap of my favorite albums of the past ten years now that we&#8217;re coming up on the turn-of-decade &#8211; yes, 2010 is upon us.  They key: I do them one at a time.  I figure contemplating the weight of albums that have been instituted in my library for the better part (or even just half) of a decade would warrant a skewed opinion when comparing them to those released just this month.  And, as these things are all truly opinion-based, well I just couldn&#8217;t have that.  <span id="more-6957"></span></p>
<p>(Besides, an appreciator such as myself would have an even larger and more time consuming task ahead of them were they to go through the thousands of albums that have been released, listened to, loved, etc. over the past ten years.  No, much easier to split it year by year.  And yes, when available for public consumption, I&#8217;ll include an mp3 for your enjoyment.)  </p>
<p>These are the albums that stick with you &#8211; or at least the ones that have stuck with me; they have longevity.  They&#8217;re ones I&#8217;ll listen to for decades to come.  We begin with my freshman year of college, 2000.  Well, second half of my freshman year, that is. That being said, I would love for this to be a friendly dialog.  So please feel free to chime in with some of your favorites as well&#8230;</p>
<p>Here we go: my top 15 albums of 2000&#8230;</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/bright_eyes-fevers_mirrors-300x300.jpg" alt="Fevers &#038; Mirrors by Bright Eyes" title="bright_eyes-fevers_mirrors" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7049" /></p>
<p><strong>15. <em>Fevers &#038; Mirrors</em> by Bright Eyes</strong><br />
Odd as it may seem here, <a href="http://www.thisisbrighteyes.com/">Bright Eyes</a>&#8216; <em>Fevers &#038; Mirrors</em> was a favorite of mine around 2000 and 2001.  Songs like &#8220;The Calendar Hung Itself&#8221; and &#8220;When the Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass&#8221; just fit with my persona at the time.  I was a sad bastard back then, but I&#8217;ve outgrown that phase.  Still, every so often I revisit those albums of old and it still astonishes me that I can feel <em>good</em> while listening to them. <em>Fevers &#038; Mirrors</em> is one such album.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/crooked_fingers-crooked_fingers.jpg" alt="Crooked Fingers Self Titled LP" title="crooked_fingers-crooked_fingers" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7050" /></p>
<p><strong>14. <em>Crooked Fingers</em> by Crooked Fingers</strong><br />
Like <em>Fevers &#038; Mirrors</em>, <a href="http://www.crookedfingers.com/">Crooked Fingers</a>&#8216; self-titled LP had me in its grip for a long time.  &#8220;A New Drink For An Old Drunk&#8221; was a perfect song back then, and in various scenarios today it works just as well.  And who could forget &#8220;She Spread Her Legs &#038; Flew Away&#8221;, or &#8220;Juliette&#8221;, or even &#8220;The Man Who Died Of Nothing At All&#8221;?  <em>Crooked Fingers</em> was a difficult one for Eric Bachman to top; he didn&#8217;t until last year&#8217;s <em>Forfeit/Fortune</em>.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/delgados-the_great_eastern-300x300.jpg" alt="Delgados: The Great Eastern" title="delgados-the_great_eastern" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6975" /></p>
<p><strong>13. <em>The Great Eastern</em> by The Delgados</strong><br />
I don&#8217;t think I started listening to <a href="http://www.myspace.com/getaction2">The Delgados</a> until sometime around 2004, possibly even 2005.  And while my initial love was <em>Hate</em>, eventually the power of <em>The Great Eastern</em> took hold.  Sure, specific tracks on <em>Hate</em> may stand out more than some on this record (&#8220;All I Need Is Hate&#8221;, for example), but as a whole I think <em>The Great Eastern</em> is more consistently <em>good</em>.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/godspeed_you_black_emperor_lift_your_skinny_fists-300x300.jpg" alt="Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor" title="godspeed_you_black_emperor_lift_your_skinny_fists" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7045" /></p>
<p><strong>12. <em>Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven</em> by Godspeed You! Black Emperor</strong><br />
Containing only four songs, only one of which was under 20 minutes (&#8220;Antennas To Heaven&#8221; came in at just under 19, far from brevity), <em>Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven</em> is all about building up to those epic climaxes and throwing out spacey shoegaze-like drones while maintaining that almost classical music approach signature to <a href="http://www.myspace.com/gybeconstellation">Godspeed You! Black Emperor</a>.  To say this album is breathtaking would be an understatement.  I&#8217;ll probably kick myself later for not putting it in the top 10.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/songs_ohia-lioness-300x300.jpg" alt="The Lioness by Songs: Ohia" title="songs_ohia-lioness" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6976" /></p>
<p><strong>11. <em>The Lioness</em> by Songs: Ohia</strong><br />
<em>The Lioness</em> remains one of my all-time favorite releases by Jason Molina, no matter which moniker he may be using at the time of release.  The only LP truly capable of exceeding its greatness is <em>Trials &#038; Errors</em> (2004) by Magnolia Electric Co.  Molina excels, especially under the guise of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/songsohiajasonmolina">Songs: Ohia</a>, at creating minimalistic country-folk tunes that on <em>The Lioness</em> dabbles lightly in a bit fuller sound.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091030-songs_ohia-lioness.mp3">&#8216;The Lioness&#8217; by Songs: Ohia</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/modest_mouse-moon_antarctica-300x300.jpg" alt="Moon &#038; Antarctica by Modest Mouse" title="modest_mouse-moon_antarctica" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7005" /></p>
<p><strong>10. <em>Moon &#038; Antarctica</em> by Modest Mouse</strong><br />
Like many albums in this list, <em>Moon &#038; Antarctica</em> remains a favorite of mine from the <a href="http://www.modestmousemusic.com/">Modest Mouse</a> catalog.  It was around this time I really began expanding my music horizons and Modest Mouse was a band that helped push me down this path.  Tunes like &#8220;I Came As A Rat&#8221;, &#8220;Gravity Rides Everything&#8221;, and &#8220;Dark Center Of The Universe&#8221; all carried me toward this true obsession with music, from which I doubt I&#8217;ll ever return.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/silver_mt_zion-he_has_left_us_alone-300x300.jpg" alt="He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms by A Silver Mt Zion" title="silver_mt_zion-he_has_left_us_alone" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7007" /></p>
<p><strong>9. <em>He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms</em> by A Silver Mt. Zion</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.tra-la-la-band.com/">A Silver Mt. Zion</a> snared me in its trap &#8211; looking for some great study music but not willing to seek out the limited classical music of my parents and their parents (and not knowing the immense modern artists who were more than worthy), I ended up landing on A Silver Mt. Zion.  And while it wasn&#8217;t always instrumental, at the right volume it worked perfectly.  Only later did I come to truly fall in love with this album, as well as their brethren, Godspeed You! Black Emperor.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/carissas_wierd-ugly_but_honest.jpg" alt="Ugly But Honest by Carissa's Wierd" title="carissas_wierd-ugly_but_honest" width="299" height="300" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7063" /></p>
<p><strong>8. <em>Ugly But Honest</em> by Carissa&#8217;s Wierd</strong><br />
I discovered <a href="http://www.myspace.com/carissaswierd">Carissa&#8217;s Wierd</a> from a magazine.  It was a fairly random encounter, actually, but it led to an obsession like no other.  I ultimately downloaded everything I could find from the band.  Eventually, I would collect every album of theirs I could find &#8211; all in physical form, of course.  To this day, the only item that eludes me is a rare 7&#8243; single containing a remix or two; I even snagged a copy of that rare <em>Scrapbook</em> disc.  I still find songs like &#8220;Drunk With The Only Saints I Know&#8221; and &#8220;Fluorescent Lights&#8221; to be among the most moving and personal songs around.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/microphones-it_was_hot_we_stayed_in_the_water-300x300.jpg" alt="microphones-it_was_hot_we_stayed_in_the_water" title="microphones-it_was_hot_we_stayed_in_the_water" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7008" /></p>
<p><strong>7. <em>It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water</em> by Microphones</strong><br />
The great thing about <em>A Retrospective</em> is that it allows me to list all those albums that truly <em>should</em> have made my &#8216;best of&#8217; list back in 2000.  (Had I created one at the time, it is highly unlikely <em>It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water</em> by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/toocoolforairorthewayibreathe">The Microphones</a> would have made it on the list.  It was just a little beyond my temperament at the time.)  But these days, I cannot get enough of practically everything Phil Elverum does, this album included.  That being said, as soon as I can muster the cash, I&#8217;m gonna snag one of those &#8220;Books 6 &#038; 7&#8243; copies by Mount Eerie from Easy Street Records.  Damn.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/built_to_spill-live-300x300.jpg" alt="Live by Built To Spill" title="built_to_spill-live" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7044" /></p>
<p><strong>6. <em>Live</em> by Built To Spill</strong><br />
A collection of some of <a href="http://www.builttospill.com/">Built To Spill</a>&#8216;s best tracks recorded prior to 2000, from the astonishing <em>Perfect From Now On</em> (1997) to selections from <em>Keep It Like A Secret</em> (1999).  It also includes an epic 20-minute rendition of Neil Young&#8217;s &#8220;Cortez The Killer&#8221; and one of the best lyrical songs of the 90s: &#8220;Car&#8221;.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/blonde_redhead-melody_of_certain_damaged_lemons-300x300.jpg" alt="Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons by Blonde Redhead" title="blonde_redhead-melody_of_certain_damaged_lemons" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7009" /></p>
<p><strong>5. <em>Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons</em> by Blonde Redhead</strong><br />
This is really a no-brainer.  <em>Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons</em> has always been an album to look up to since its release in 2000.  With songs so different &#8211; I mean, just listen to &#8220;In Particular&#8221; stacked up next to &#8220;This Is Not&#8221; and jump back to &#8220;Hated Because Of Great Qualities&#8221; &#8211; it&#8217;s amazing they go so well together.  Then again, that&#8217;s something of which <a href="http://www.blonde-redhead.com/">Blonde Redhead</a> has always excelled: putting together exceptional tracklists.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091030-blonde_redhead-this_is_not.mp3">&#8216;This Is Not&#8217; by Blonde Redhead</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/belle_sebastian-fold_your-hands-300x300.jpg" alt="Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant by Belle &#038; Sebastian" title="belle_sebastian-fold_your-hands" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7011" /></p>
<p><strong>4. <em>Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant</em> by Belle &#038; Sebastian</strong><br />
I could say that <em>Tigermilk</em> was my first true love when it comes to <a href="http://www.belleandsebastian.com/">Belle &#038; Sebastian</a>, but I&#8217;d be lying.  No, it was actually <em>Fold Your Hands</em> opening track &#8220;I Fought In A War&#8221; that sold me on this band.  Afterwards, songs like &#8220;The Model&#8221; and &#8220;Don&#8217;t Leave The Light On Baby&#8221; dominated my playlist, even through the release of <em>The Life Pursuit</em> and beyond.   </p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the_anniversary-designing_a_nervous_breakdown-300x300.jpg" alt="Designing A Nervous Breakdown by The Anniversary" title="the_anniversary-designing_a_nervous_breakdown" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7010" /></p>
<p><strong>3. <em>Designing A Nervous Breakdown</em> by The Anniversary</strong><br />
I can name few albums that have not only stuck with me through the years, but that also so heavily influenced my love for pop music.  <em>Designing A Nervous Breakdown</em> by <a href="http://www.vagrant.com/artist/index/39">The Anniversary</a> is absolutely such an album.  The male/female vocals of Adrianne Verhoeven, Josh Berwanger, and Justin Roelofs were perfection back then.  And songs like &#8220;The D In Detroit&#8221; and &#8220;The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter&#8221; continue to wow me today.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/death_cab_for_cutie-we_have_the_facts-300x300.jpg" alt="We Have The Facts by Death Cab For Cutie" title="death_cab_for_cutie-we_have_the_facts" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7003" /></p>
<p><strong>2. <em>We Have The Facts &#038; We&#8217;re Voting Yes</em> by Death Cab For Cutie</strong><br />
By far, <em>We Have The Facts</em> continues to dominate as my all-time favorite <a href="http://www.deathcabforcutie.com/">Death Cab For Cutie</a> album.  The lackluster way Gibbard sings about driving down the &#8220;405&#8243; and the contemplations on friends and girlfriends reminds me of my college days and, later, grad school; it was the perfect accompaniment as I made my way out to Pullman from Portland, driving through the Palouse doing 75 in my Volvo wagon and watching the moon crest orange over hills at 1am.  Yeah, even songs like &#8220;Scientist Studies&#8221; and &#8220;The Employment Pages&#8221; ring true today.  Calm beauty seeps through every single moment of this album.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091030-death_cab-for_what_reason.mp3">&#8216;For What Reason&#8217; by Death Cab For Cutie</a></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/radiohead-kid_a-300x289.jpg" alt="Radiohead: Kid A" title="radiohead-kid_a" width="300" height="289" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-7001" /></p>
<p><strong>1. <em>Kid A</em> by Radiohead</strong><br />
I mean <em>c&#8217;mon</em>!  How could you <em>not</em> place this as your favorite album of 2000?  It was <a href="http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/">Radiohead</a>&#8216;s follow-up to the amazing <em>OK Computer</em> and was really their first foray into a sound much more experimental than they had previously tampered with.  &#8220;Idioteque&#8221;; the song remains to this day one of my all-time favorites by Radiohead.  The tracklist is flawless &#8211; a feat they hadn&#8217;t achieved before, and wouldn&#8217;t again until <em>In Rainbows</em>. </p>
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