It’s hard to imagine that just a few short months ago we were enjoying sunny summer days. 2011 was my best year yet, having achieved a few milestones: four and a half years running FensePost, riding my bike from Seattle to Portland and logging over 1,000 total on those two wheels between January and December, enjoying life with the love of my life (Andi), and a few defining mindset changes that put the two of us on a path to minimalism and frugality.

Being sick is terrible. I’ve been fighting something nasty since Tuesday. Luckily the worst was out of the way fast — after recording a 101 degree temperature Tuesday night, the fever subsided and I’ve slowly returned to a state that’s manageable. I was still a bit stuffed up on the 25th, but by 10pm all that was left was sniffling and the occasional cough — my regular voice was back.

One thing you can always count on with Letting Up Despite Great Faults is their ability to put together an astonishing video. With both “Teenage Tide” and “Our Younger Noise”, the band found a great balance between the modern world and fantasy. They do it again with “Sophia In Gold” off their 2011 EP, Paper Crush.

For me, Letting Up Despite Great Faults has always evoked a sense of youthful bliss, carefree and unburdened by the trials of life, and elevated by the prospect of new love. These feelings are, frankly, what could only be described as beautiful. The band has returned with a new video for the song “Teenage Tide” and, like that of “Our Younger Noise”, it has a young playfulness about it. It is very present; in the moment.

I really dug Letting Up Despite Great Faults‘ debut self-titled LP. In fact, “Our Younger Noise” was one of my favorite videos of 2009. So getting wind of a new EP in the mix was pretty exciting. “Teenage Tide” is off that EP and it finds the band picking up where their debut left off. The song maintains that perfect dream-pop sound, with consistent guitar riffs draped softly in a fuzzy reverb and fronted by airy vocals.

Creating a music video, in my opinion, should be about creating art. There are so many intricate elements that should go into a video that are so often left forgotten or, at least, unattended. First and foremost is the song itself — a video must compliment the art to which it is expanding from audio to video. Connecting the two is extremely important. Second is theme. The best videos have some storyline, vague or distinct. Or at least something visually interesting.

It’s been a few months since I threw together a podcast, so I figured it was about time for another one. Besides, I’ve been working diligently on a mix-tape for a new local pal, Brett Sandström, whom I met after purchasing a Tullycraft single on eBay – he being the seller, both of us being astonished to find other Tullycraft fans in Skagit County. What began as a modern tribute to light garage pop ultimately changed direction to hint at songs that fit a sweltering, hot summer day.

The debut self-titled LP by Letting Up Despite Great Faults reminded me a lot of the early stuff by The Radio Dept. which ultimately landed the album a spot on my Top 50 of 2009. “Our Younger Noise” is one of the better tracks off the album and the band now gives it video treatment courtesy director Christopher Ewing. Ewing assists the band in creating a tale of fleeting romance and new youthful teen love. The video meshes well with the fuzzy electro-pop of Letting Up Despite Great …

2009 is a tough year to judge. I’ve checked out more albums this year than any year in the past. Well over 1,000. And there have been quite a few great ones as well. When this list began, it had 110 albums. I abandoned my top 33 and 1/3 for 45, and then said “screw it” and upped the number to an even 50. These are the top notch albums of the year, all worthy of praise.

The name Letting Up Despite Great Faults stems from Blonde Redhead’s “Loved Despite Great Faults” off Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons. They often gets comparisons to The Postal Service, but I just don’t see it. Sure, it’s electronic pop at its best (a bit of a similarity) and there are occasionally some Tamborello-esque beats, but Letting Up Despite Great Faults isn’t nearly as clean nor does it possess those cut-and-dry vocals signature to Gibbard. The primary similarity is the band’s ability to create dreamy electronic indie pop …