Stuarto Glasser, host of the All Around the World Music Show, called me up a little after 5pm Friday and asked if I could fill in for him. Thinking it would be a great way to attract a few more listeners I agreed. I headed home and put together a playlist of some of my favorite indie artists from around the world.

The first half of the list below aired as the split show: The Indie Music Show from All Around the World. I began with some lovable indie pop and transitioned into something a bit more energetic and beat-heavy. This was good, as 4 hours by myself in the booth is a bit exhausting, especially for someone with a fairly early bedtime (around 10:30pm).

“Orienteering” by Little Name off How to Swim & Live
“The Ground Falls Away” by The Zebras off New Ways of Risking Our Lives
“Smokers In Love” by The Lucksmiths off Staring At The Sky

“When Sun Falls On My Feet” by Starlet off When Sun Falls On My Feet
“Mad World” by The Snowdrops off Mad World
“A Lighthearted Lovesong” by The Pets off Love & War

“Boat Behind” by Kings of Convenience off Declaration of Dependence “Piazza New York Catcher” by Belle & Sebastian off Dear Catastrophe Waitress
“My Maudlin Career” by Camera Obscura off My Maudlin Career

“Where Have We Been?” by Acid House Kings off Music Sounds Better With You
“Slapp Inb Solen” by [ingenting] off Labrador 100 “Soviet.se” by The Lovekevins off Max Leon

“Velveteen” by Still Corners off Creatures of an Hour
“Waving Surface” by Anois off Foreign Tragedies

“Shed Like An Hour” by Snails off Shed Like An Hour b/w Daylight Ends
“Drover” by Bill Callahan off Apocalypse

“Western Hospitality” by Club 8 off The People’s Record
“Your Cover’s Blown” by Belle & Sebastian off Books
“1517″ by The Whitest Boy Alive off Rules

“Only Love Can Break Your Heart” by Saint Etienne off Foxbase Alpha
“Verdens største land” by Casiokids off Topp stemning på lokal bar
“Unessa” by Regina off Soita Mulle

“Bad Street” by Twin Sister off In Heaven
“What Became of You and I?” by Treefight for Sunlight off A Collection of Vibrations for your Skull
“Olio” by The Rapture off Echoes

“Another Heaven” by Pallers off The Sea of Memories
“Raise Me Up” by Hercules And Love Affair off Hercules And Love Affair
“Eyes Be Closed” by Washed Out off Within And Without

“Our Own Dream” by Keep Shelly In Athens
“Honey Mine (feat. Victoria Bergsman)” by Korallreven off Honey Mine 7″ Single
“Good Evening” by The Concretes off WYWH
“Who Do You Love” by Museum of Bellas Artes off Force Majeure

“New Violence” by White Williams off Smoke
“Courtship Dating” by Crystal Castles off Crystal Castles
“In Heat (Javelin Remix)” by Health off Disco2

“Guys Eyes” by Animal Collective off Merriweather Post Pavillion
“Photojournalist” by Small Black off New Chain
“Walkabout (with Noah Lennox)” by Atlas Sound off Logos

“17″ by Youth Lagoon off The Year Of Hibernation
“Natural” by Okay off Huggable Dust
“While We’re Young” by Inspired And The Sleep off Teenager

“Run Through My Hair” by Oneida off The Wedding
“The Wayward Granddaughter” by The Fiery Furnaces off Rehearsing My Choir
“I Was Never Young” by Of Montreal off The Sunlandic Twins

“The Messiah Is Falling” by Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters off Underrated Silence

The Lucksmiths broke up just over a year ago now, and they’re finally giving us what they promised at the time — a posthumous single of what may have been their last original recordings. The single is titled Get-To-Bed Birds after the A-side track, and it is available via Lost & Lonesome Records of Australia and Matinee Records in the US.

The B-side is titled “The World of Professional Golf 1994″. Limited to 1000 copies, the single is hand-numbered with half (evens) going to Matinee and half (odds) going to Lost & Lonesome.

I feel that most things that can be said about The Lucksmiths already have been said, and probably in a more eloquent fashion than any words I can conjure. So I’ll just let the good tune speak for itself. They’ve made “Get-To-Bed Birds” available as a free sneak peek:

Download: “Get-To-Bed Birds” by The Lucksmiths

Another Cover Art piece transferred over from that site, this time covering three out of print singles by one of the greatest Australian bands to ever exist — The Lucksmiths. The band may no longer be together, but their music stands just as strong as it did one the day it was released, be it from their humble beginnings in the early 1990s to their final release just a year or so ago. Here’s the original post:

Matinée Recordings recently sent out one of their occasional newsletters, and it included a note that immediately caught my attention. In the cleaning out of their storage room, they found a box or so of old deleted singles, items that until then were thought to be out of print. This news applied to artists like Harper Lee, The Fairways, and, one of my favorites, The Lucksmiths.

Of course, I couldn’t help but indulge a bit. Here are a few snapshots from the “dig.”

The list, chronologically:
Untidy Towns [1998]
Southernmost [1999]
T-Shirt Weather [2001]

If you dig Australian indie pop, obviously influenced by the twee movement and (no surprise) The Smiths, this band is for you!

When I compiled my original Best Of 2008 list last December, it was a snow day. The sky dropped about a foot, maybe a foot and a half of fluffy white stuff and we lowly sub-compact drivers could go nowhere. Between ranking albums and locating album art, I took a stroll around town with my camera. The above image comes from that trek. Overall, I was pretty happy with last year’s list but, in revisiting all the albums from 2008, I now see quite a few that I left out.

Sub Pop dominated the year with a total of 4 albums in the top ten with a fifth just outside. A few albums are now on this list that weren’t on my radar last year, or that I left off for some reason or another. And because of that, some albums have dropped in rank; but that’s not because they’re no longer as valid. All albums on this list are great, and you should check them out. I’m going to begin with a few honorary EPs (in alphabetical order). Three to be exact.

Let’s begin…

* * * * *

Honorary EP #1. Crystal Antlers EP by Crystal Antlers (Previously #17)

Influenced, in my opinion, by bands like Comets On Fire, Crystal Antlers blend experimentation with psychedelic noise. Wild solos and epic squeals made their self-titled EP more than worthy of checking out.

Crystal Antlers: A Thousand Eyes [mp3]

* * * * *

Honorary EP #2. Weepy EP by Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band (Previously #26)

Four powerful songs which ultimately led to one of 2009′s most anticipated debut albums, Weepy EP is brilliant in every form possible. Plus it features an outstanding homemade cover.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Dull Reason [mp3]

* * * * *

Honorary EP #3. Love Yourself EP by Thunder Power

Love Yourself is without question bouncy mid-western pop. Songs like “(Why Don’t You Go) Take A Hike?” and “Cassanova” launched Thunder Power into one of the year’s most promising acts. Yeah, we’re still waiting for that debut LP, but this EP is worthy of keeping us company until that happens.

Thunder Power: (Why Don’t You Go) Take A Hike? [mp3]

* * * * *

1/3. Topps 7″ Single by BOAT

Topps remains the top single of 2008. It’s hard to beat with trading cards and 80s-style baseball card chewing gum. “Topps” and “Three Beds For Boat” are both excellent portrayals of the band and their dreams.

BOAT: Topps [mp3]

* * * * *

33. Who Killed Harry Houdini? by I’m From Barcelona (Previously #19)

In last year’s Best Of list I noted that this album held together better than I’m From Barcelona’s debut, and that statement holds. I also mentioned that it didn’t have those standout tracks like “We’re From Barcelona” and “Oversleeping”. Also true. Still, I’m pretty obsessed with the track “Andy” for obvious reasons.

I’m From Barcelona: Music Killed Me [mp3]

* * * * *

32. Partie Traumatic by Black Kids (Previously #28)

In many ways, the best parts of Partie Traumatic were the songs that were originally released on Wizards Of Ahhhs. Still, revisiting the album there are plenty of new tunes that were just as enjoyable (well, almost).

* * * * *

31. Moonbeams by Throw Me The Statue (Previously N/A)

Of all the bands that dub themselves tropical, none hold the weight as well as Throw Me The Statue. For the longest time, I didn’t care for “Lolita”, but the song grew on me. Moonbeams is a strong debut from one of Seattle’s most cherished new groups.

Throw Me The Statue: Lolita [mp3]

* * * * *

30. Glistening Pleasure by Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head (Previously N/A)

A local hype band of sorts, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head took Seattle by storm. Especially the young. It’s easy to hear why – songs like “Me + Yr Daughter” and “Iceage Babeland” are easy songs to obsess over with their glam-like dance-worthiness.

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head: Me + Yr Daughter [mp3]

* * * * *

29. In Case We Lose What We Have by Letters (Previously #23)

I just found out my neighbor knows the parents of one of Letters’ members. It’s an odd coincidence. In Case We lose What We Have is one of this list’s more eclectic artists, and one of the least known. But they should be known, as the songs on this album are pretty astounding.

Letters: Ode To Yr Medicine [mp3]

* * * * *

28. Trouble In Dreams by Destroyer (Previously #33)

Following power albums like Rubies and Your Blues is a damn near impossible feat. Trouble In Dreams didn’t achieve the greatness of those albums, but it had plenty of excellence to drop it right behind them as Destroyer’s third best album.

Destroyer: Dark Leaves Form A Thread [mp3]

* * * * *

27. Cove by A Weather (Previously N/A)

Portland’s A Weather brought back bedroom pop with their debut LP Cove. Soft lullabies and whispered harmony vocals can lead a band to bore, but A Weather never approaches that point thanks to songs like “Oh My Stars” and “Spiders/Snakes”.

A Weather: Spiders, Snakes [mp3]

* * * * *

26. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge by Lightspeed Champion (Previously #25)

Acoustic guitars, light strings, and bouncy melodies aren’t exactly what you’d expect from rock music, let along rock music fronted by a hefty British accent, yet here they are. Lightspeed Champion made rock music beautiful.

* * * * *

25. First Frost by The Lucksmiths (Previously #22)

In 2009, after a decade-and-a-half tenure as Australia’s greatest pop group, The Lucksmiths called it quits. First Frost was their final full-length and, in reality, it is one of their best.

The Lucksmiths: Good Light [mp3]

* * * * *

24. The Stand Ins by Okkervil River (Previously #12)

Over the past few years, Okkervil River has really grown into their sound, and with it they’ve strengthened their abilities, from the instruments they perform to the songs they write. This rang true throughout The Stand Ins just as it had in 2007′s The Stage Names.

Okkervil River: Lost Coastlines [mp3]

* * * * *

23. Forfeit / Fortune by Crooked Fingers (Previously N/A)

After their self-titled debut, Crooked Fingers seemed to lag a bit. I didn’t really get into the albums they released after that outstanding debut. It wasn’t until Forfeit / Fortune was released that I began to see merit return to the Eric Bachman-fronted group. And there is plenty here to enjoy, from the Tilly & The Wall-esque “Luisa’s Bones” to the Ricky Martin (WHAT? Yes!) musical styling in “Phony Revolutions”.

Crooked Fingers: Phony Revolutions [mp3]

* * * * *

22. Fear Of Flying by David Karsten Daniels (Previously #21)

“Falling Down” is one of the coolest songs of 2008. David Karsten Daniels is a storyteller that has the uncanny ability to translate narrative into song, and he does so perfectly on Fear Of Flying

* * * * *

21. Huggable Dust by Okay (Previously #20)

A curious mix of Electric President, Page France, and Bright Eyes for its oft electro-pop meets psychedelic-pop with simple mopey lyrics, Huggable Dust is truly a unique piece of work. A wonderful album!

Okay: Beast [mp3]

* * * * *

20. The Plum Album by Haakon Ellingsen (Previously #18)

Looking back over the past year, there have been a few truly underground artists that have made a splash with folks at work. These artists are ones that deserve an exponentially greater audience. Two from 2009 include We Swim You Jump and The Banyans. From 2008, the most prominent of the artists is Haakon Ellingsen. The Plum Album could have been how The Beatles would sound had they originated in Scandinavia.

Haakon Ellingsen: Sunshine Girl [mp3]

* * * * *

19. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea by Silver Jews (Previously #32)

2008 was really my introduction to Silver Jews. It’s sad, really, as they recently called it quits. Like David Karsten Daniels, Silver Jews’ David Berman is a phenomenal wordsmith whose ability to craft a damn good song nears par none.

* * * * *

18. If Children by Wye Oak (Previously #13)

Simplicity and complexity are both descriptive terms you can associate with If Children by Wye Oak. From minimalist moments to insanely epic heights, this duo’s modern version of post-shoegaze rock-pop demanded to be heard. Listening again to songs like “Please Concrete” and “Family Glue” I’m reminded at just how great this album is.

Wye Oak: Family Glue [mp3]

* * * * *

17. She’s The Dutchess & He’s The Duke by The Dutchess & The Duke (Previously N/A)

Another shocker in that it wasn’t on my original list, The Dutchess & The Duke’s lo-fi sounds were fit for the 70s. The male/female vocals and heavy guitar strums put forth a sound that is as infectious as the swine flu, but without need for vaccine.

The Dutchess And The Duke: Reservoir Park [mp3]

* * * * *

16. In Field & Town by Hayden (Previously #10)

What makes In Field & Town such a great album is it’s shock value. Similar to that found in Hayden’s video for “Where And When”, this album was startling. No longer were Hayden’s lyrics and songs utterly depressing. He had matured and with it was able to craft a wonderful album; not that the prior albums weren’t excellent on their own, just that this new direction was what Hayden needed in order to continue in the path of progression.

* * * * *

15. Second To The Last Frontier by Feral Children (Previously #15)

One of the few albums to keep its ranking outside the top 10, Second To The Last Frontier is truly wild. A local favorite, Feral Children effortlessly translates these crazy sounds into one of the best live performances around.

Feral Children: Spy/Glass House [mp3]

* * * * *

14. Everything Is Alive by Pomegranates (Previously #11)

Pomegranates’ Everything Is Alive is so unbelievably catchy, it has the instant ability to put a bounce in your step and a smile on your face. This is an easy band to love, one with graceful pop melodies and outstanding songwriting to boot.

Pomegranates: Thunder Island [mp3]

* * * * *

13. We Brave Bee Stings And All by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down (Previously N/A)

This is a hard album not to love. Entirely made of bouncy pop riffs, but inundated with folk sensibilities, Thao With The Get Down Stay Down really proved with We Brave Bee Stings And All that they are one of today’s most promising artists. “Beat”, “Bag Of Hammers”, “Geography” – this album has so many great tunes, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Thao: Beat [mp3]

* * * * *

12. Hospital Blossom by The Wailing Wall (Previously #9)

A unique songwriter, Jesse Rifkin deserves indie fame. Hospital Blossom is an experimental folk album like no other, featuring plenty of eccentricities and a fair share of praise-worthy lyrics. The performances all around are near perfect.

The Wailing Wall: Hospital Blossom [mp3]

* * * * *

11. At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade (Previously N/A)

How At Mount Zoomer didn’t make the list last year is beyond me. The year’s best lengthy track goes to album closer “Kissing The Beehive”. Once thought not possible, Wolf Parade topped their debut with ease. At Mount Zoomer is a must-have album.

Wolf Parade: Call It A Ritual [mp3]

* * * * *

10. Eight Golden Greats by The Old Believers (Previously #8)

Listen to The Old Believers and your first impression might be that it’s something both you and your grandparents would enjoy. Eight Golden Greats fits that old-time-y sound perfectly, yet has a strange modernity to it that makes it more than appropriate for today’s youthful music fans.

The Old Believers: Granny’s Song [mp3]

* * * * *

9. Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us by Death Vessel (Previously #14)

What I like about these retrospectives is that I can re-categorize the albums in a way they should have been organized originally. In the months after creating my original Best Of 2008 list, Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us took on a new light. “Peninsula” remains one of my favorite songs from 2008, and the album remains an integral part of my playlist.

Death Vessel: Bruno’s Torso [mp3]

* * * * *

8. This Is Ivy League by This Is Ivy League (Previously #7)

This album, in my opinion, channels four historic artists: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and Kings Of Convenience. Blending the best parts of each artist and concocting various recipes of these influences, This Is Ivy League progressed folk-pop while giving a hefty nod to the genre’s past.

This Is Ivy League: London Bridges [mp3]

* * * * *

7. Grand Archives by Grand Archives (Previously #6)

Grand Archives’ debut LP was easily my most anticipated release of 2008 and it lived up to all expectations. “George Kaminski” was reworked beautifully and “The Crime Window” was the epic album climax. Few weak points on the album and several phenomenal live performances, Grand Archives quickly rose to be one of my favorite bands.

Grand Archives: Torn Blue Foam Couch [mp3]

* * * * *

6. A Certain Feeling by Bodies Of Water (Previously #5)

A Certain Feeling remained a constant on my playlist for quite some time after I discovered it in 2009. These songs are filled with the perfect amounts of vocal harmonies and plush instrumentation, all of it anthem-worthy. Truly one of 2008′s most cherished releases.

Bodies Of Water: Under The Pines [mp3]

* * * * *

5. Soft Airplane by Chad VanGaalen (Previously #4)

Soft Airplane remains an obscure but brilliant album. You just cannot deny the power of “TMNT Mask”, with its erratic solo and the outstanding cartoon video of “Molten Light” that VanGaalen did himself. Truly a master of odd things; odd but brilliant.

Chad VanGaalen: Willow Tree [mp3]

* * * * *

4. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes (Previously #5)

When they debuted on the national scene in 2008, Fleet Foxes could do no wrong. Their sound brought all the great elements from the folk-rock of the 60s and 70s into modern times. With four-part harmonies and epic instrumentation, this self-titled release may ultimately go down as one of the all-time greats.

Fleet Foxes: White Winter Hymnal [mp3]

* * * * *

3. Lost Wisdom by Mount Eerie (Previously N/A)

On Lost Wisdom, Mount Eerie strips down his occasional dissonant distortion and wild erraticism for a fully acoustic sound. Title track “Lost Wisdom” is a true masterpiece. Phil Elverum has proved over and over again that he is one of most clever and brilliant minds when it comes to modern songwriting.

Mount Eerie: Voice In Headphones [mp3]

* * * * *

2. Bury The Cynics by The Lovely Sparrows (Previously #2)

Also no movement in The Lovely Sparrows’ Bury The Cynics. This album remains a folk-pop masterpiece, filled with some great tunes like “Wraith” and “Bury The Cynics”. Just this past week we posted a new video from the band; it is with great anticipation I await Shawn Jones’ follow-up to this album.

The Lovely Sparrows: Department Of Foreseeable Outcomes [mp3]

* * * * *

1. Na Na Ni by Fredrik (Previously #1)

Fredrik remains at #1 with Na Na Ni, my favorite album from 2008. Words cannot describe how excited I am for their follow up, Trilogy, due out early next year on The Kora Records. “Black Fur” and “11 Years” top this album, chalk full of great tunes. Close behind are “Evil And I” and “1986″.

Fredrik: Black Fur [mp3]

The summer of 2003 was a hot one in eastern Washington, and my concrete bunker of an apartment contained the heat like no other. Granted, the above image wasn’t shot by yours truly until 2004, but it sure seemed hot enough to ignite even the least combustible of items. I wrapped up my undergraduate that December, which was cold as Antarctica, and upon that milestone I moved to Seattle. It was a good year for the Northwest; many of my favorite albums came from Seattle labels like Sub Pop and Barsuk. As for the list, I’ve expanded it to 20. Couldn’t help it.

Do you have an album from 2003 not included below that would have made your best of list? Feel free to add a comment and include what makes it special to you. As all of these Retrospectives go, we’re reminiscing on good times. Here is my list of favorite albums from 2003:

* * * * *

20. Mouthfuls by Fruit Bats
Folk-pop tinged with a hint of back-country with highpoints “A Bit Of Wind” and “Seaweed”, and Mouthfuls by Fruit Bats gets the number 20 spot on my top albums of 2003. You just can’t lose with lyrics like It takes mouthfuls of Niagara Falls. It seems this album is a bit more centered around folk than their newer stuff, and these sensibilities keep the songs on the verge of subtlety; soft and subdued, they were perfect for unwinding after a long day. Grab a glass of wine, and let the good tunes flow.

Fruit Bats: A Bit Of Wind [mp3]

* * * * *

19. Hate by The Delgados
As much as I liked Emma Pollock’s 2007 solo release, Watch The Fireworks, revisiting The Delgados‘ old albums it’s easy to hear that there’s no comparing them. Hands down, The Delgados win. “All You Need Is Hate” tops the group’s library as one of their best songs, playing off The Beatles “All You Need Is Love”, giving it a super catchy chorus and packing the instrumentation with beloved strings.

* * * * *

18. Dusk In Cold Parlours by Norfolk & Western
Dusk In Cold Parlours may not be as hard-hitting as its dual 2006 successors, A Gilded Age and The Unsung Colony, but it is good melodic orchestral folk. Looking back, yes I do miss those freak-outs, those forays into loud instrumental breakdowns (“Barrels On Fire” and “A Porch Destruction”) that really defined the persona of Norfolk & Western. Dusk In Cold Parlours just didn’t have them, at least to the extent of those which came later. Instead, we got real orchestral folk pop, and that in itself is worth of lauding.

Norfolk & Western: Impossible [mp3]

* * * * *

17. Dear Catastrophe Waitress by Belle & Sebastian
There’s a reason I consider Belle & Sebastian one of my all-time favorite bands. Dear Catastrophe Waitress is, as a whole, one of my least favorite albums by the group, yet it’s still in the top 20. This is in part due to the fact that few songs are mainstays on my playlist. Exceptions exist, like “Stay Loose” and “If She Wants Me” and “Piazza, New York Catcher”; it’s also in part due to the fact that I haven’t listened to it in its entirely with much frequency.

* * * * *

16. No Culture Icons EP by The Thermals
Is it wrong to include EPs in lists of so-called Best Albums? I could put in More Parts Per Million but that album wasn’t quite as taking as No Culture Icons. The song, “No Culture Icons”, is my all-time favorite by The Thermals. The lyrics Hardly art, hardly starving may be what gave the Sub Pop spin-off label Hardly Art their name. True or not, it doesn’t discount the fact that the song, and album, are a stunning display of social and political commentary in the form of lyrical poetry. Backed by punk-pop noise, The Thermals’ fuzzy guitars and basement drums are the perfect accompaniment. Their more recent works seem to lose some of that crude early production, which fit so well with the topics at hand. What really set this EP apart from their debut LP was “Everything Thermals”, a self-anthem that fit their brand of wild but cohesive punk rock/pop.

The Thermals: No Culture Icons [mp3]

* * * * *

15. Down With Wilco by The Minus 5
I never could tell whether this album was titled sarcastically or not, at least from the songs held within. Knowing that the album actually included contributions from Wilco (something not entirely unheard of from The Minus 5) made complete sense as Down With Wilco has a very Wilco-esque nature to it. It also includes collaborations with Ken Stringfellow (The Posies) and Peter Buck (R.E.M.).

The Minus 5: The Town That Lost Its Groove Supply [mp3]

* * * * *

14. The Concretes by The Concretes
There’s something truly special about that Swedish accent, namely the accent sung in a female voice; it’s enough to make you wonder if the sirens from Greek Mythology hailed from Scandinavia. In my world, they do. Former lead singer Victoria Bergsman coos like no other on “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Lonely As Can Be”. Revisiting this album, as well as others by The Concretes, it’s easy to hear why this band deserves inclusion in these lists; their music is romantic and sad and heartfelt, yet not overly sappy. It’s pop music at its finest.

* * * * *

13. Son by Jeff Hanson
I met Jeff Hanson a few years after this album was released, shortly after the release of his self-titled follow-up. And what I remember of him is contrast. His music was that of mystery; the pleasant falsetto vocals and acoustic guitar was surprising coming from a burly man with thick stubble. But this man was gentle and kind, and his songs were true to his nature. We lost a great musician this year (he passed a few months back), but he won’t be forgotten. Nor will his music.

Jeff Hanson: Hiding Behind The Moon [mp3]

* * * * *

12. Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.
“Where Damage Isn’t Already Done” by The Radio Dept. is one of my favorite songs of 2003. It contains a rapid percussion that doesn’t quite rival that of The Walkmen’s “The Rat” which would come soon hereafter, but the concept is similar. Backed by fuzzy, jangly guitar pop and an up-close-and-personal vocal style, Lesser Matters remains among The Radio Dept.’s best work yet. Many would side on the newer, more electronic side the band is taking on, but this early stuff totally takes the cake for me.

The Radio Dept: Why Won’t You Talk About It? [mp3]

* * * * *

11. Naturaliste by The Lucksmiths
The Lucksmiths have always written song lyrics as though they were poems with plots. Staring At The Sky neared perfection for the band and that trait lent much to the EP’s greatness. Still, one of their most admired songs, a cross-section of falling in love, is “Camera Shy”, the opening track off Naturaliste. The album doesn’t stop there, going on to give us greats like “Midweek Morning” and “There Is A Boy That Never Goes Out” (a play off The Smiths’ “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, which the band covers on the Romantic & Square Is Hip & Aware comp).

* * * * *

10. The Long Goodbye by The Essex Green
The Essex Green have always put out great pop records, from the Kindercore release Everything Is Green (on wonderful green vinyl nonetheless) to The Long Goodbye. Where other artists rely on sad stories and homeless romanticism, The Essex Green always seemed to contain more purity. Those other things may have been there, but songs like “The Late Great Cassanova” and “Our Lady In Havana” just don’t sound like it. They’re upbeat and joyful.

The Essex Green: Our Lady In Havana [mp3]

* * * * *

9. Her Majesty The Decemberists by The Decemberists
For a very long time, “Shanty For The Arethusa” remained my favorite song by The Decemberists. Castaways & Cutouts was great, but this new theatrical element the group added in Her Majesty The Decemberists allowed their music to expand to new heights. As a whole, C&C may have been stronger, but Her Majesty had a few tracks that trumped their debut, like “The Bachelor & The Bride” and “The Soldering Life”.

The Decemberists: The Soldering Life [mp3]

* * * * *

8. Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone by The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone was an album ahead of its time. Case in point is the popularity of post-The Unicorns group Islands. The songwriting style is no more mature than found here, and only a hair more produced and refined. The Unicorns were truly unique when it came to wacko tracks like “I Don’t Want To Die” and “Jellybones”. Odd as they were, you couldn’t help falling in love with each and every one of them.

* * * * *

7. The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place by Explosions In The Sky
The name Explosions In The Sky bears is so undoubtedly fitting; they always live up to the moniker and The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place is no exception. From the breathtaking gradual build in “First Breath After Coma”, continuing with “The Only Moment We Were Alone” and on through “Your Hand In Mine”, The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place remains EITS’ best album to date.

Explosions In The Sky: Your Hand In Mine [mp3]

* * * * *

6. Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins
Oh, Inverted World was pretty damn great. No question about it. But boy Chutes Too Narrow came close to being just as powerful and noteworthy as its predecessor. I’d forgotten just how great an album it was until just now, revisiting songs like “Kissing The Lipless” and “Pink Bullets” and “So Says I”. This is an album that really should never be forgotten, and its a travesty I haven’t listened to it, or anything by The Shins for that matter, in well over a year. Seriously.

The Shins: Kissing The Lipless [mp3]

* * * * *

5. When I Pretend To Fall by The Long Winters
Such a straightforward pop record, When I Pretend To Fall was The Long Winters‘ second album and it matched their debut stride for stride. The Long Winters have always succeeded in creating unambiguous pop-rock music entirely accessible yet just escaping the dreaded “contemporary” label. John Roderick is a rocker with a soft side, an educated songwriter with a sense of humor and whit. And it shows throughout When I Pretend To Fall.

The Long Winters: Stupid [mp3]

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4. Give Up by The Postal Service
I’d say 2007 was the last time I really gave Give Up by The Postal Service a good listen, maybe even 2006. In the time between its release and my last listen, I overplayed the album extensively. The hiatus in the time that followed is the curse of incessant repeat listens. Revisiting the album now, it’s easy to hear why it became such a regular for so long. Give Up really was a great album, and it is more than worthy of both praise and a high spot on any best of 2003 list.

The Postal Service: Such Great Heights [mp3]

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3. Electric Version by The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers really outdid themselves on Electric Version. The album is jam-packed with solid tracks, from the awkward-ish, title-track opener to the Dan Bejar-fronted “Testament To Youth In Verse”. Many would credit Mass Romantic, the group’s debut, as an all-time favorite; in my opinion Electric Version trumps them all. “Ballad Of A Comeback Kid” and “From Blown Speakers” round out some of my favorite tunes by the supergroup (yes, I called it that, despite knowing they frown on the association). Really, they are. Not because their members make up some of today’s most appreciated artists, but because they pack their albums with stellar tracks and because each member’s contribution refuses to go unseen.

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2. Echoes by The Rapture
When greatness occurs early on, it’s tough to live up to it in that which follows. That’s the curse of having a stellar debut. Echoes may not have been The Rapture‘s debut, but it was definitely great. Songs like “Olio” and “Sister Savior” were instant favorites, easily followed by “House Of Jealous Lovers”, “Heaven” and “I Need Your Love”. The inclusion of DFA, in hindsight, demonstrates perfectly the intricacies and influence this album possesses; and, in a way, you could almost say that early LCD Soundsystem gives Echoes a few healthy nods.

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1. Up Against The Legends by The Legends
Few records have had more impact on me as a person than that of Up Against The Legends by The Legends. Coincidentally, another such album is Sing Along With The Acid House Kings by Acid House Kings, also of Johan Angergård’s collection of groups. With Up Against The Legends, The Legends debuted with a gritty, raw album of distorted fuzzy garage pop well ahead of its time. To this day, this remains one of my all-time favorite albums, and one 2009′s garage-y fuzz-pop obsessives should get to know.

The Legends: Call It Ours [mp3]

It was mid August, 1999 and my parents pulled into the small college town of Pullman, Washington. They left me standing at the side of the road as I waved goodbye. Thousands of miles away in Paris, The Lucksmiths were recording an EP. Years later, the music they defined themselves by would become the pleasant music of my dreams. The EP was Staring At The Sky, a well crafted pop album that comes to us from a group of Australians whose mastery of song brings pleasant twists and turns, accented harmonies, and a variety of instruments true to the genre of twee. The Lucksmiths are true masters at songcraft, each one presenting a new aspect of common life like a nostalgic existential poem.

“Smokers In Love” opens the album on a high point. Harmonies add depth and a melodica adds mystery. This upbeat peppy song is an obvious hit that will have feet tapping to the beats and voices humming to the la las from the first note. “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better” slows things down and features the piano with an occasional trumpet and trombone duet in the background. The final track on the A-side of this 10-inch, “ie, eg, etc”, replaces the horns and melodica for the harmonica.

A nice aspect of 10- and 12-inch records is that the B-Side allows an artist to make a second first impression and The Lucksmiths use this to full advantage. The song kicks off with a sample from what sounds like an old movie or an old news interview. Piano heavy with a light guitar shuffle, “The Golden Age of Aviation” makes awkward rhymes pure art in the catchy chorus:

And the novelty wore off
When the pilots still wore goggles
But your eyes look skywards
And your mind still boggles…

Horns take the bridge and carry through the closing chorus of “goggles/boggles” to finish out the song. “Before the Sun Came Up” continues the acoustic theme. It’s a shame the vocals are barely audible though, as The Lucksmiths are excellent storytellers. “The Opposite of Coffee” could easily be what influenced Pehr Records English darlings Arco. The bass leads the melody while an acoustic guitar keeps the rhythm. Soft, melodic and ballad to the core, the song is a perfect closer for a perfect pop EP.

This review was originally published June 21, 2006 on the old version of FensePost.

Staring At The Sky was recently featured on Cover Art.

1. Smokers In Love
2. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better
3. ie, eg, etc.
4. The Golden Age Of Aviation
5. Before The Sun Came Up
6. The Opposite Of Coffee

The Lucksmiths’ recently hit the states on a rare tour for the Australian quartet in support of their latest album, Spring A Leak: A Collection Of B-Sides, Covers, Rarities, And Other Treasures Of The Deep. With select exclusive material, the album does take several vinyl-only tracks and gives them a digital edge. It’s the unreleased live versions and hard to find b-sides that make Spring A Leak a joy.

Even casual fans will recognize several tracks on Spring A Leak, and will likely find some new favorites — select b-sides are out of print on 7”. Other tracks are alternate versions of their more popular tunes, such as a live version of “Camera Shy” from the 3B Tavern in Bellingham [I'm currently writing from this town, visiting the girlfriend’s parents] and a previously unreleased version of “Smokers In Love” recorded live for P3 Swedish National Radio in Stockholm.

Other tracks are a bit easier to find, such as The Lucksmiths’ cover of “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths, which can be found on Romantic And Square Is Hip And Aware on Matinee Records—a lovely compilation of Matinee artists covering various songs by highly loved 80s band. Spring A Leak provides fans with an additional takeaway; it’s one of those Anthology-ish albums packed with exclusive and hard-to-find material that, simply put, gets me a bit giddy.

This review was originally published November 13, 2007 on the old version of FensePost. The Lucksmiths have since released First Frost and, two months ago, called it quits after sixteen years. Visit Lost And Lonesome for the scoop on that.

The Lucksmiths: A Hiccup In Your Happiness [mp3]

Matinee Records [2xCD, 2007]

Disc 1
1. Falling Off Of My Feet Again
2. Point Being
3. The Invention Of Ordinary Everyday Things
4. Synchronised Sinking
5. Postcard
6. The Year Of Driving Languorously
7. Even Stevens
8. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
9. Macintyre
10. The Winter Proper
11. Anyone’s Guess
12. $30
13. Get Well Now
14. A Hiccup In Your Happiness
15. Deep Sea Diving Suit
16. Punchlines
17. Snug
18. I Prefer The Twentieth Century
19. To Absent Votes
20. Make A Wish
21. Smokers In Love
22. Are You Having A Good Time?

Disc 2
1. From Macaulay Station
2. I Started A Joke
3. Once Again
4. How To Tie A Tie
5. Rushes Of Pure Spring
6. Rue Something
7. Off With His Cardigan!
8. Camera Shy
9. Requiem For The Punter’s ClubYunta Hair
10. Dignified And Old
11. Caravanna
12. The Thought That Counts
13. Up
14. Boat
15. Broken Bones
16. Danielle Steel
17. Dolly
18. Shine On Me
19. Transpontine
20. The Tichborne Claimant
21. I’ve Got It And It’s Not Worth Having
22. Your Favourite Shirt

I cannot decide which item I’m more excited about, the free mp3 of “Dead Hour” or the video of “Mouse Vs. Mountain” by The Guild League. This band has been around a while and hints strongly of The Lucksmiths (thanks to their indie-pop nature, Australian home, and the frontman being none other than Tali White), and their following even includes… President Obama?

Yeah, so I guess he used a line from Inner North in a speech late last month: “The quiet burden of your absence.” A bit odd, but pretty damn cool if you ask me, even if it was simply pulled from the speech-writer’s playlist.

Well the video for “Mouse Vs. Mountains” is pretty sweet, in the vein of, say, The Mountain Goats’ “Sax Rohmer #1″ but using a dictionary and stop motion photography instead. It’s worth a viewing or two. And then there’s “Dead Hour”, which, in my opinion, is worth several repeat listens. It’s a brilliant and moody pop tune that demands your attention.

The Guild League: Dead Hour [mp3]

This material, though new, is not really new. There are so many parallels between First Frost and the earlier work of The Lucksmiths (MySpace), that it virtually dwarfs any element that could be considered a fresh direction from Australia’s pop darlings. And that is what makes First Frost both extremely comforting and a damn great album.

Take opening track “The Town & The Hills” as a prime example; it’s got all the elements that make The Lucksmiths one of the best pop groups in the world — it tells a story, includes elements of orchestration including trumpet, has memorable guitar and vocal hooks, and is totally lovable. That continues in “Good Light”, as it does throughout the rest of the album, all the way to closer “Who Turned On The Lights?”

What makes First Frost even more impressive is that it’s… like… the fifteenth album these guys have put out. And their abilities are not fading. They are not getting burned out. They’re just as strong today as they were a decade or more ago. While its late entry into the scene may knock it out of the top ten albums of the year, simply because it hasn’t had the time to sink in, you better believe it’s a damn good competitor for those prime spots. As I prepare to compile the list, who knows, it may just slip in.

The Lucksmiths: The National Mitten Registry [mp3]

Matinee Records / Lost And Lonesome Recordings [CD, 2008]

1. The Town & The Hills
2. Good Light
3. A Sobering Thought (Just When One Was Needed)
4. California In Popular Song
5. South-East Coastal Rendezvous
6. The National Mitten Registry
7. Day Three Of Five
8. Never & Always
9. Lament Of The Chiming Wedgebill
10. How We Met
11. Song Of The Undersea
12. Up With The Sun
13. Pines
14. Who Turned On The Light?