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		<title>Valentine&#8217;s Day Special: 21 Great Singles You May Have Missed</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2011/02/14/valentines-day-special-21-great-singles-you-may-have-missed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2011/02/14/valentines-day-special-21-great-singles-you-may-have-missed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lists And Mixes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alaska]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[busytoby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diee soc's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ego]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fireflies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gamma rays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heartworms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[javelins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[karate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[no kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poprace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[red letter day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sweater girls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tender trap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the cave weddings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the legends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the make-up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the organ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unnatural helpers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[versus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wolfie]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fensepost.com/main/?p=15560</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I&#8217;ve been contemplating doing something for Valentine&#8217;s Day for years, and I finally settled on something good &#8212; a massive post packed with great singles from the past.  Seems fitting, being the romantic holiday can be a bit alienating for the single person. Or that the seemingly comfy nature of the 7-inch single, with two (well, typically, with an occasional three or four) great songs placed back to back and stuffed in a typically well-designed sleeve, is a bit romantic in and of itself.   
So for the ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/retro-sears-record-player-575x575.jpg" alt="retro-sears-record-player" title="retro-sears-record-player" width="575" height="575" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-15863" /></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been contemplating doing something for Valentine&#8217;s Day for years, and I finally settled on something good &#8212; a massive post packed with great singles from the past.  Seems fitting, being the romantic holiday can be a bit alienating for the single person. Or that the seemingly comfy nature of the 7-inch single, with two (well, typically, with an occasional three or four) great songs placed back to back and stuffed in a typically well-designed sleeve, is a bit romantic in and of itself.   <span id="more-15560"></span></p>
<p>So for the past few weeks, I&#8217;ve been burying myself in my collection of singles, digging through to find a few rare (or at least little known) ones to share and others more familiar, some from long ago and others from fairly recently.  Today I present them to you, my avid reader.  One for almost every letter of the alphabet (with exception to a few of the more obscure letters).  There&#8217;s a good chance you haven&#8217;t heard of several of these bands before, and others you may know well and love &#8212; all are, in my opinion, worth checking out.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/alaska-kings-of-the-class.jpg" alt="alaska-kings-of-the-class" title="alaska-kings-of-the-class" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15561" /></p>
<h2>Alaska&#8217;s <em>Kings Of The Class</em></h2>
<p>I discovered Alaska&#8217;s <em>Kings Of The Class</em> thanks to Jigsaw Records.  The band originated in Hamburg, Germany, and Chris over at Jigsaw recommends them to anyone who digs Belle &#038; Sebastian and Felt.  I&#8217;d agree, although I&#8217;d slap an &#8220;early&#8221; in front of Belle &#038; Sebastian.  And possibly add in an early Acid House Kings name drop as well.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Kings Of The Class&#8221; by Alaska</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/busytoby-unlonely-songwriter-299x300.jpg" alt="busytoby-unlonely-songwriter" title="busytoby-unlonely-songwriter" width="299" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15577" /></p>
<h2>Busytoby&#8217;s <em>The Unlonely Songwriter &#038; A Piano Ablumbler b/w The Sun Is A Very Magic Fellow</em></h2>
<p>Bouncy twee pop (with hints of lo-fi psychedelic pop) in the vein of a stripped down Beulah or super early Of Montreal, Busytoby consists of Jennifer Mangun and Joseph Ziemba, both members of the band Wolfie.  I do not recall how this single came into my possession, but it is one of those hidden favorites you don&#8217;t expect.  Every so often this Japanese import 7&#8243; pops up and stuns, only to fade back into the collection to be rediscovered months or more down the road.  All songs are worthy, but my favorite is the B-side, &#8220;The Sun Is A Very Magic Fellow&#8221;.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;The Sun Is A Very Magic Fellow&#8221; by Busytoby</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/cave-weddings-bring-your-love-300x298.jpg" alt="cave-weddings-bring-your-love" title="cave-weddings-bring-your-love" width="300" height="298" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15578" /></p>
<h2>The Cave Weddings&#8217; <em>Bring Your Love b/w Let&#8217;s Drive</em></h2>
<p>The Cave Weddings find an excellent middle ground between raucous garage and gritty rockabilly.  Both &#8220;Bring Your Love&#8221; and &#8220;Let&#8217;s Drive&#8221; are wild and fun.  These are songs you&#8217;d expect to hear sitting around a campfire, as long as it was dry and there was a way to plug in.  Yes, these songs get loud.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Bring Your Love&#8221; by The Cave Weddings</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/diee-socs-ready-steady-socs-295x300.jpg" alt="diee-socs-ready-steady-socs" title="diee-socs-ready-steady-socs" width="295" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15584" /></p>
<h2>Diee Soc&#8217;s&#8217; <em>Ready Steady Soc&#8217;s</em></h2>
<p>When I lived in Seattle, I would visit the record store weekly and drop an average of about $60 with each visit.  This was a bad habit, but it&#8217;s how I built a big part of my vinyl collection.  There were plenty of times where I&#8217;d peruse the used section and pull out a bunch of random singles.  This was snagged during one of those binges.  No, it wasn&#8217;t the near naked woman on the cover did it &#8212; this had a &#8220;GERMAN INDIE POP/ROCK&#8221; label and it was pressed on clear green vinyl.  I couldn&#8217;t resist.  To tell you the truth, I&#8217;m kind of in love with &#8220;The Numbers Of Love&#8221;.</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-diee-socs-numbers-of-love.mp3">&#8220;Numbers Of Love&#8221; by Diee Soc&#8217;s</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ego-question-mark-300x300.jpg" alt="ego-question-mark" title="ego-question-mark" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15616" /></p>
<h2>Ego&#8217;s <em>The Question Mark EP</em></h2>
<p>This delightful three-song EP from 1998 was the debut release from this French jangle pop band.  All three songs surround the topic of love; all are posed as questions.  It&#8217;s enough to make you feel like a teenager all over again (that is, unless you <em>are</em> a teenager, in which then I&#8217;d assume it feels homely).  &#8220;Will You Love Me &#8216;Till 1998&#8243; is the A-side at 45 RPM and the track hints of Morrissey and Field Mice with piano and violin and, of course, highly lovable jangly guitars.  The two B-sides require a drop to 33 RPM, but I don&#8217;t mind.</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-ego-be-my-love-till-1998.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;Do You Want To Be My Love &#8216;Till 1998?&#8221; by Ego</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/fireflies-cherry-blossom-girl-300x295.jpg" alt="fireflies-cherry-blossom-girl" title="fireflies-cherry-blossom-girl" width="300" height="295" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15859" /></p>
<h2>Fireflies&#8217; <em>Cherry Blossom Girl</em></h2>
<p>I&#8217;ve been into Fireflies&#8217; whisper-y bedroom-style pop since, I believe, Lisle Mitnik&#8217;s earliest releases under the moniker.  I snagged this 7&#8243; from Disque Paillons Noirs like I did the rest of the Fireflies release &#8212; as quickly as I could &#8212; not even realizing the title track was actually something I&#8217;d heard many times before.  &#8220;Cherry Blossom Girl&#8221; is originally a song by Air and Lisle remakes it as a bedroom pop song, then backs it with a pleasant near-lullaby, music-box-like instrumental.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Cherry Blossom Girl&#8221; by Fireflies</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/gamma-rays-lovely-forbidden-300x289.jpg" alt="gamma-rays-lovely-forbidden" title="gamma-rays-lovely-forbidden" width="300" height="289" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15656" /></p>
<h2>Gamma Rays&#8217; <em>Lovely b/w Forbidden</em> on Teen Beat</h2>
<p>To be honest, I wasn&#8217;t expecting much from this used 99-cent Teen Beat single from the early 90s (in fact, further digging revealed it was the first single the label dropped!), but it turned out to be a pretty solid twee-pop girl group with lovable light pop hooks in the vein of, oh, say The Organ and Amelia Fletcher&#8217;s Tender Trap.  Although primarily Fletcher&#8217;s work.  Not a bad list of bands to join in a list, if you ask me!</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Lovely&#8221; by Gamma Rays</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/heartworms-thanks-for-the-headache-300x298.jpg" alt="heartworms-thanks-for-the-headache" title="heartworms-thanks-for-the-headache" width="300" height="298" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15649" /></p>
<h2>Heartworms&#8217; <em>Thanks For The Headache b/w Little Hands Of Concrete</em></h2>
<p>This little single on bright white vinyl was the third release by the now famed Darla Records, released way back in &#8217;95.  My favorite is the A-side; it reminds me of those mopey jangle-pop songs by artists that would follow, like The Lucksmiths and The Lodger.  Not only do you get two great (and very different) songs on white vinyl, the sleeve is a cool text-weight paper stock.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Thanks For The Headache&#8221; by Heartworms</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/javelins-we-paid-a-lot-for-our-style-300x295.jpg" alt="javelins-we-paid-a-lot-for-our-style" title="javelins-we-paid-a-lot-for-our-style" width="300" height="295" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15562" /></p>
<h2>Javelins&#8217; <em>We Paid A Lot For Our Style</em></h2>
<p>You may recognize this band&#8217;s sound, and if you do you get mad props.  Swedish band Javelins bailed on their name years ago &#8212; possibly something to do with another band from the states with the same name, or not &#8212; and donned the moniker The Faintest Ideas.  They released a record on Magic Marker Records, which was pretty damn good.  This was a split release between Yellow Mica Recordings and Zenith Recordings &#8212; with their signature rapid percussion and European-style punk, this 7&#8243; was well worth it!</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;All Stars&#8221; by Javelins</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/karate-operation-sand-empty-there-300x300.jpg" alt="karate-operation-sand-empty-there" title="karate-operation-sand-empty-there" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15563" /></p>
<h2>Karate&#8217;s <em>Operation: Sand/Empty There</em></h2>
<p>I have a friend that swears by this band, and though I&#8217;ve collected a few of their records over the years (including this single) I haven&#8217;t really given them a good listen.  Count me self-scolded.  With a solid 90&#8242;s indie rock sound, thick with distorted guitar riffs and heavy drums, all of it precise and measured, they fit the era&#8217;s post-rock sensibilities perfectly.  You can hear this sound on both tracks here, but my favorite has to be &#8220;Operation: Sand&#8221;.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Operation: Sand&#8221; by Karate</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/legends-call-it-ours-300x300.jpg" alt="legends-call-it-ours" title="legends-call-it-ours" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15651" /></p>
<h2>The Legends&#8217; <em>Call It Ours</em> on Little Teddy Recordings</h2>
<p>If you know my music tastes, you&#8217;ll know that <em>Up Against The Legends</em>, the debut LP by Sweden&#8217;s The Legends, is one of my desert island top 5s.  &#8220;Call It Ours&#8221; comes from that album and appears here as the lead single.  Backed by three exclusive tracks, this single is to die for.  &#8220;The Ballad Of The Band&#8221; is full-on fuzz more in line with the band&#8217;s 4th LP, <em>Over And Over</em>, while closing track &#8220;Change&#8221; may very well be my favorite non-LP song from the band thus far.</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-legends-call-it-ours.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;Call It Ours&#8221; by The Legends</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/make-up-u-r-my-intended-298x300.jpg" alt="make-up-u-r-my-intended" title="make-up-u-r-my-intended" width="298" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15704" /></p>
<h2>The Make-Up&#8217;s <em>U R My Intended b/w The Choice</em></h2>
<p>If you&#8217;ve never listened to The Make-Up, you&#8217;re missing out.  Don&#8217;t be dissuaded by their inclusion in the post-punk genre, or the fact that their vocals are more &#8220;spoken groans&#8221; than actually &#8220;sung.&#8221;  These are the elements (along with lewdity, which is not really present in The Make-Up) that drew me to Seattle&#8217;s Partman Parthorse.  This single appears to be an OOP one from K.  Snag it if you find it!  (That seems to be the trend in this post, eh?)</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;U R My Intended&#8221; by The Make-Up</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/no-kids-cherry-trees.jpg" alt="no-kids-cherry-trees" title="no-kids-cherry-trees" width="300" height="294" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15703" /></p>
<h2>No Kids&#8217; <em>Cherry Trees b/w An Afternoon With The Pendleton&#8217;s</em></h2>
<p>I&#8217;ve been into No Kids for quite some time.  Krgovich, the main man behind the band, and his K cohort Rose Melberg join voices for both these songs, which match the rest of No Kids&#8217; impressive library of unique pop music.  This picture disc is on Aagoo Records and there are <strong><a href="http://aagoo.bigcartel.com/product/no-kids">still copies available</a></strong>!</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Cherry Tree&#8221; by No Kids</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/organ-let-the-bells-ring-300x276.jpg" alt="organ-let-the-bells-ring" title="organ-let-the-bells-ring" width="300" height="276" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15701" /></p>
<h2>The Organ&#8217;s <em>Let The Bells Ring</em></h2>
<p>&#8220;Let The Bells Ring&#8221; was given away as a freebie when the band released its posthumous EP of singles and rarities, <em>Thieves</em>.  The song is pretty solid, and should have made it onto their solo LP, <em>Grab That Gun</em>.  It was, however, released after that album dropped.  The B-Side is a remix by Dustin Hawthorne of the <em>Grab That Gun</em> track &#8220;Memorize The City&#8221; and while I&#8217;m not the biggest fan of remixes, this one complements the track beautifully.</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-organ-let-the-bells-ring.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;Let The Bells Ring&#8221; by The Organ</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/pop-race-clear-300x293.jpg" alt="pop-race-clear" title="pop-race-clear" width="300" height="293" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15702" /></p>
<h2>Poprace&#8217;s <em>Clear</em></h2>
<p>Poprace is from Sweden and features members of Acid House Kings (one of my all-time favorites), Club 8, the Legends (who we heard earlier) and Starlet.  Four songs on clean white vinyl, I snagged this single a few years back and still get giddy about putting it on the record player.  Poprace creates indie pop music in the vein of early AHK, but a little more lo-fi and twee.  According to the <strong><a href="http://www.elefant.com/shop/singles" target="_blank">Elefant Records shop</a></strong>, it&#8217;s still in print!</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;All I Wanted&#8221; by Poprace</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/red-letter-day-hibernation-300x298.jpg" alt="red-letter-day-hibernation" title="red-letter-day-hibernation" width="300" height="298" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15840" /></p>
<h2>Red Letter Day&#8217;s <em>Hibernation</em></h2>
<p>Sarah Records and Go-Betweens-inspired indie-pop from Germany, Red Letter Day creates indie-pop using thumpy bass-lines, a violin, a jangly guitar and softly-sung vocals.  The words &#8220;German Indie Pop&#8221; caught my eye when I snagged this single a few years back, and I was even more delighted to see it was released on Marsh-Marigold Records all the way back in 1989. An obvious nod to the twee movement!</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-red-letter-day-hibernation.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;Hibernation&#8221; by Red Letter Day</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/sweater-girls-pretty-when-you-smile.jpg" alt="sweater-girls-pretty-when-you-smile" title="sweater-girls-pretty-when-you-smile" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15769" /></p>
<h2>Sweater Girls&#8217; <em>Pretty When You Smile</em></h2>
<p>I really enjoyed the first single by Sweater Girls, but I&#8217;m absolutely in love with this one.  The guitars seem heavier without dropping any of the pop sensibilities; the drums have an increased playfulness.  And the vocals and lyrics are just as light and twee.  It&#8217;s like that first one times three.  Grab a copy of <em>Pretty When You Smile</em> from <strong><a href="http://hhbtm.com/item.php?item_id=257" target="_blank">HHBTM</a></strong>, and while you&#8217;re at it, pick up <strong><a href="http://hhbtm.com/item.php?item_id=243" target="_blank">Sweater Girls&#8217; other one</a></strong>!</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-sweater-girls-pretty-when-you-smile.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;Pretty When You Smile&#8221; by Sweater Girls</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tender-trap-face-of-73.jpg" alt="tender-trap-face-of-73" title="tender-trap-face-of-73" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-15849" /></p>
<h2>Tender Trap&#8217;s <em>Face Of &#8217;73</em></h2>
<p>Amelia Fletcher&#8217;s deep, dark vocals have haunted the twee-pop world for decades and <em>Face of &#8217;73</em> is one of my favorites from her work under the Tender Trap guise.  The A-side is an electro-infused twee-pop song that&#8217;s catchy as all hell, and it&#8217;s backed by &#8220;Fin (Downfall Mix)&#8221; which ends up being the dreamy, soft song.  This particular single is on K, but you can find my favorite LP of hers on Matinee Recordings (<em>6 Billion People</em>).</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Face of &#8217;73&#8243; by Tender Trap</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/unnatural-helpers-sunshine-pretty-girls-300x300.jpg" alt="unnatural-helpers-sunshine-pretty-girls" title="unnatural-helpers-sunshine-pretty-girls" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15844" /></p>
<h2>Unnatural Helpers&#8217; <em>Sunshine / Pretty Girls</em></h2>
<p>One of the best songs out of Seattle last year was &#8220;Sunshine / Pretty Girls&#8221; by Unnatural Helpers.  Here is the single, with three additional exclusive tracks including &#8220;Did the Lawn Get Mowed?&#8221;, &#8220;Shakes&#8221; and &#8220;Waiting Such A Long Time&#8221;.  Hand numbered and limited to 500 copies, you can&#8217;t pick this one up in physical form anymore, but it&#8217;s still available digitally.</p>
<p>Download: <strong><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/110214-unnatural-helpers-sunshine-pretty-girls.mp3" target="_blank">&#8220;Sunshine / Pretty Girls&#8221; by Unnatural Helpers</a></strong></p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/versus-bright-light-298x300.jpg" alt="versus-bright-light" title="versus-bright-light" width="298" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15855" /></p>
<h2>Versus&#8217;s <em>Bright Light b/w Forest Fire</em></h2>
<p>Ringing with those enormous mid-90s distorted guitar riffs and fronted by dual male/female vocals, this Versus single was the band&#8217;s second release and dates back to &#8217;92.  It is gritty with occasional harmony and dissonance, sweet with epic chord progressions, and upbeat as you&#8217;d expect from a much lighter indie pop band.  The combination is that only Versus could master. This is a truly great single &#8212; a simply <em>must-have</em> &#8212; for the lover of 90s indie rock and indie pop.</p>
<p>Listen: &#8220;Bright Light&#8221; by Versus</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/wolfie-mockhouse-299x300.jpg" alt="wolfie-mockhouse" title="wolfie-mockhouse" width="299" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-15860" /></p>
<h2>Wolfie&#8217;s <em>Mockhouse</em></h2>
<p>Look back to 1998 and you&#8217;ll find this little single by Champaign, Illinois band Wolfie.  Their second single and third release overall, Wolfie included Joe and Amanda Ziemba who we heard from before under the name Busytoby (although Amanda apparently was not involved in that single).  The duo also went on to record under the name The Like Young.  This single on Mud Records is a wonderful little gem with three super poppy sings that blend that late 90s indie rock sound with the playfulness the duo has become known for creating.</p>
<p>Download: &#8220;Mockhouse&#8221; by Wolfie</p>
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		<title>A Retrospective Top 20: Best Albums Of 2004</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/11/25/a-retrospective-top-20-best-albums-of-2004/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/11/25/a-retrospective-top-20-best-albums-of-2004/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:00:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lists And Mixes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[animal collective]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arcade fire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brian wilson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cut copy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[destroyer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iron & wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kings of convenience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[modest mouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[of montreal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pinback]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the album leaf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the fiery furnaces]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the organ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the robot ate me]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the streets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the walkmen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tilly & the wall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tv on the radio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[xiu xiu]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fensepost.com/main/?p=7041</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
What a decade it&#8217;s been.  2004 was my first year in the so-called Real World; jobs, car payments, instability everywhere.  Things weren&#8217;t all happy and seemingly upbeat like the mid 90s.  After eight months in Seattle, I found myself unemployed and decided it was time for more education.  I moved to the greater Portland area and began prep to enter a Masters in Business Administration program, taking night classes at WSU Vancouver and making a frequent trip out to Pullman, where I&#8217;d soon attend graduate school. ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/seattle.JPG" alt="seattle" title="seattle" width="575" height="350" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8207" /></p>
<p>What a decade it&#8217;s been.  2004 was my first year in the so-called <em>Real World</em>; jobs, car payments, instability everywhere.  Things weren&#8217;t all happy and seemingly upbeat like the mid 90s.  After eight months in Seattle, I found myself unemployed and decided it was time for more education.  I moved to the greater Portland area and began prep to enter a Masters in Business Administration program, taking night classes at WSU Vancouver and making a frequent trip out to Pullman, where I&#8217;d soon attend graduate school.  The overall instability and open-your-eyes wake-up calls of 2004 seemed to extend beyond me.  Two of the most honest and disturbing albums I&#8217;ve ever heard were released this year &#8211; another strong one in music overall.  <span id="more-7041"></span></p>
<p>Here are my favorite albums of 2004.  Leave a comment if you have a favorite I didn&#8217;t include here, and feel free to let us all know why it would have made <em>your</em> list.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/fiery_furnaces-blueberry_boat-300x300.jpg" alt="fiery_furnaces-blueberry_boat" title="fiery_furnaces-blueberry_boat" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8181" /></p>
<p><strong>20. <em>Blueberry Boat</em> by The Fiery Furnaces</strong><br />
From one that can tolerate some pretty out-there music, <a href="http://thefieryfurnaces.com/">The Fiery Furnaces</a> have always been a hard pill for me to swallow.  Their harmonies are sometimes a bit too crazy, or their abruptness catches me off guard in the wrong way.  <em>EP</em>, for me, was a bit more accessible with songs like &#8220;Single Again&#8221; and &#8220;Here Comes The Summer&#8221;, but there are some excellent tracks here as well, like &#8220;Blueberry Boat&#8221; and &#8220;My Dog Was Lost But Now He&#8217;s Found&#8221;, despite their sometimes 90 degree turns. </p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/cut_copy-bright_like_neon_love-300x300.jpg" alt="cut_copy-bright_like_neon_love" title="cut_copy-bright_like_neon_love" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8182" /></p>
<p><strong>19. <em>Bright Like Neon Love</em> by Cut Copy</strong><br />
Like many, I wasn&#8217;t familiar with <a href="http://www.cutcopy.net/">Cut Copy</a> when this album was released, nor was I in the years that followed.  It wasn&#8217;t until <em>In Ghost Colours</em> was released in 2008 that this album came into view.  &#8220;Time Stands Still&#8221; and &#8220;Saturday&#8221; are the album toppers here, and they channel the 80s electro-synth-pop and a Pet Shop Boys sound that&#8217;s become so popular today.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/robot_ate_me-on_vacation-300x300.jpg" alt="robot_ate_me-on_vacation" title="robot_ate_me-on_vacation" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8184" /></p>
<p><strong>18. <em>On Vacation</em> by The Robot Ate Me</strong><br />
Odd that Anacortes is a hot spot for some of the best truly underground music around.  <em>On Vacation</em> by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/therobotateme">The Robot Ate Me</a> is one of the most disturbing albums I&#8217;ve ever encountered.  With subject matter on holocausts and mass genocide, and backed by sampled music from the 1920s and 1930s, this double disc is more than capable of creeping you out.  Songs like &#8220;The Genocide Ball&#8221;, &#8220;Crispy Christian Tea Time&#8221;, and &#8220;Oh No! Oh My! (1994)&#8221; reminisce on old children&#8217;s tunes, a dance number your grandparents may have listened to, or the feel-good tunes of a long-forgotten yesteryear.  Hearing that last number, &#8220;Oh No! Oh My! (1994)&#8221;, recounts the largest failure of the Clinton Administration &#8211; the refusal to do anything during the genocide in Rwanda.  <em>On Vacation</em> is a masterpiece with shock value that will have you tapping your toes and singing along while you cry for humanity&#8217;s lost soul.  It&#8217;s a portrayal of the civilized world at its worst &#8211; a political plea for us all to open our eyes and take a renewed look at the world in which we live.  And it works.  </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-robot_ate_me-on_vacation.mp3">The Robot Ate Me: On Vacation (Pt. 2) [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/brian_wilson-smile-300x300.jpg" alt="brian_wilson-smile" title="brian_wilson-smile" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8185" /></p>
<p><strong>17. <em>Smile</em> by Brian Wilson</strong><br />
The infamous <em>Smile</em>; the album that <em>should</em> have followed The Beach Boys&#8217; <em>Pet Sounds</em> decades earlier (<a href="http://www.brianwilson.com/">Brian Wilson</a> began work on <em>Smile</em> in 1966).  <em>Smile</em> is a far cry from <em>Pet Sounds</em> , but Brian Wilson does his best in capturing the sound of that day, minus his then decaying mental state and the internal strife of his band.  That Wilson resurrected the legendary lost Beach Boys album and finished it nearly forty years after initiation is astonishing, and listening to &#8220;Good Vibrations&#8221; and &#8220;Heroes And Villians&#8221; and even &#8220;Roll Plymouth Rock&#8221; &#8211; I for one am glad he did.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/album_leaf-in_a_safe_place-300x300.jpg" alt="album_leaf-in_a_safe_place" title="album_leaf-in_a_safe_place" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8183" /></p>
<p><strong>16. <em>In A Safe Place</em> by The Album Leaf</strong><br />
<em>In A Safe Place</em> was my introduction to <a href="http://www.thealbumleaf.com/">The Album Leaf</a>, and it remains a favorite by Jimmy LaValle.  Recorded with a few members of Sigur Rós in their studios, the album is a captivating instrumental dream.  When vocals are added in tracks like &#8220;On Your Way&#8221;, the songs come full-circle for a truly affecting presence.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-album_leaf-on_your_way.mp3">The Album Leaf: On Your Way [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/iron_and_wine-our_endless_numbered_days-300x296.jpg" alt="iron_and_wine-our_endless_numbered_days" title="iron_and_wine-our_endless_numbered_days" width="300" height="296" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8186" /></p>
<p><strong>15. <em>Our Endless Numbered Days</em> by Iron &#038; Wine</strong><br />
I tend to like <a href="http://www.ironandwine.com/">Iron &#038; Wine</a> when their folk takes on a pop edge, as it did here on <em>Our Endless Numbered Days</em>.  There&#8217;s more melody; a fuller overall sound.  From the slide guitar in &#8220;On Your Wings&#8221; to the pure beauty that is &#8220;Love &#038; Some Verses&#8221;, this is Sam Beam&#8217;s strongest album yet, with possible exception to his collaboration with Calexico for <em>In The Reins</em>.  Some of the EPs and singles come close but they just don&#8217;t hold the overall power of this album. </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-iron_and_wine-naked_as_we_came.mp3">Iron &#038; Wine: Naked As We Came [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tilly_wall-wild_like_children-299x300.jpg" alt="tilly_wall-wild_like_children" title="tilly_wall-wild_like_children" width="299" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8187" /></p>
<p><strong>14. <em>Wild Like Children</em> by Tilly &#038; The Wall</strong><br />
Boy do I love multiple vocals and the hand-claps, knee-slaps, and foot-stomps (and even the tap-dancing!) in &#8220;Fell Down The Stairs&#8221;, and how they made a zombie-themed angsty teen-romance pop song with &#8220;Nights Of The Living Dead&#8221;.  And the piano/percussion masterpiece &#8220;You And I Misbehaving&#8221; and &#8220;Reckless&#8221; and the list goes on!  <em>Wild Like Children</em> by <a href="http://tillyandthewall.com/">Tilly &#038; The Wall</a> is an album that will absolutely have you singing at the top of your lungs, clapping along, and slapping your knees in delight.  The songs are indubitably catchy, and it&#8217;s hard to not get caught up in their glorious pop power.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-tilly_and_the_wall-fell_down_the_stairs.mp3">Tilly &#038; The Wall: Fell Down The Stairs [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/xiu_xiu-fabulous_muscles-300x300.jpg" alt="xiu_xiu-fabulous_muscles" title="xiu_xiu-fabulous_muscles" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8188" /></p>
<p><strong>13. <em>Fabulous Muscles</em> by Xiu Xiu</strong><br />
Like <em>On Vacation</em>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/xiuxiuforlife">Xiu Xiu</a>&#8216;s <em>Fabulous Muscles</em> is among the most disturbing of albums I&#8217;ve ever heard.  Definitely in the top five.  But it&#8217;s also one of the more accessible pieces of work by front-man Jamie Stewart.  Songs like &#8220;I Luv The Valley OH!&#8221; and &#8220;Clowne Towne&#8221; are almost radio-friendly (we&#8217;re talking late-night college radio-friendly here).  Yet songs like &#8220;Fabulous Muscles&#8221; and &#8220;Support Our Troops OH! (Black Angels OH!)&#8221; are almost painful to hear, not because of Stewart&#8217;s sometimes abrupt shrieks but because of their lyrical content about the tragedies of rape and war.  </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-xiu_xiu-clowne_towne.mp3">Xiu Xiu: Clowne Towne [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/organ-grab_that_gun-300x300.jpg" alt="organ-grab_that_gun" title="organ-grab_that_gun" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8189" /></p>
<p><strong>12. <em>Grab That Gun</em> by The Organ</strong><br />
Channeling an 80s jangle sound, but swept away in the darker side of that era, this girl-group is fit for comparisons to The Smiths/Morrissey, The Cure, and Joy Division.  Fronted by Katie Sketch&#8217;s powerful deep vocals, and backed by clever guitar and synth hooks, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theorgan">The Organ</a>&#8216;s short-lived existence is one that saddens by all who lay ears on their songs.  Why did this band call it quits after just one album &#8211; an album that is so unbelievably good?  In Hornby&#8217;s <em>High Fidelity</em>, Barry asks if it&#8217;s better to burn out or fade away.  Had The Organ given us a disappointing second album, I doubt <em>Grab That Gun</em> would hold the power it does today.  Now you know my answer to that question.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/kings_of_convenience-riot_on_an_empty_street-300x300.jpg" alt="kings_of_convenience-riot_on_an_empty_street" title="kings_of_convenience-riot_on_an_empty_street" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8190" /></p>
<p><strong>11. <em>Riot On An Empty Street</em> by Kings Of Convenience</strong><br />
Not nearly as powerful as <em>Quiet Is The New Loud</em>, <em>Riot On An Empty Street</em> is still a more than worthy album.  It differed from its predecessor slightly in that it the songs contain a hint more production, and the harmonies are a bit more refined.  Many songs are just as good as that earlier album, like &#8220;Homesick&#8221; and &#8220;Misread&#8221;, and when they harmonize with female vocals on closing track &#8220;The Build Up&#8221;, pure bliss is experienced.  <a href="http://www.kingsofconvenience.com/">Kings of Convenience</a> are among the best folk-pop musicians in the world, and it shows in virtually every song they write.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/modest_mouse_good_news_bad_news-300x300.jpg" alt="modest_mouse_good_news_bad_news" title="modest_mouse_good_news_bad_news" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8191" /></p>
<p><strong>10. <em>Good News For People Who Love Bad News</em> by Modest Mouse</strong><br />
Let&#8217;s face it: when &#8220;Float On&#8221; came out, it remained on many of our playlists for some time.  Even after that excellent video hit MTV and was subsequently overplayed by mainstream radio.  While some of their earlier tracks (&#8220;Dramamine&#8221;, &#8220;Cowboy Dan&#8221;, &#8220;Dark Center Of The Universe&#8221;) will always maintain a higher level of greatness in our minds than most songs on <em>Good News For People Who Love Bad News</em>, <a href="http://www.modestmousemusic.com/">Modest Mouse</a> was still able to capture some of their early greatness despite major label treatment for this album.  It was good back then, and it remains good to this day.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/the_streets-grand_dont_come_for_free-300x300.jpg" alt="the_streets-grand_dont_come_for_free" title="the_streets-grand_dont_come_for_free" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8192" /></p>
<p><strong>9. <em>A Grand Don&#8217;t Come For Free</em> by The Streets</strong><br />
Some of the best concept albums have plots that span the album&#8217;s entirety.  <em>A Grand Don&#8217;t Come For Free</em> absolutely fits that statement, and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thestreets">The Streets</a>&#8216; hip hop sensibilities fronted by that immense British white-guy accent make it even better.  &#8220;It Was Supposed To Be So Easy&#8221; properly conveys the stress of losing a grand, while &#8220;Blinded By The Lights&#8221; plants the listener in the protagonist&#8217;s mindset as the drugs take hold and club lights begin flashing.  &#8220;Fit But You Know It&#8221; is the perfect wacko post-break-up, looking-for-a-rebound track.  And &#8220;Dry Your Eyes&#8221; makes you want to weep like it was your heart that she broke.  </p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tv_on_the_radio-desperate_youth-300x298.jpg" alt="tv_on_the_radio-desperate_youth" title="tv_on_the_radio-desperate_youth" width="300" height="298" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8193" /></p>
<p><strong>8. <em>Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes</em> by TV On The Radio</strong><br />
God &#8220;Staring At The Sun&#8221; was a great song.  <a href="http://http://www.myspace.com/tvotr">TV On The Radio</a> has always been able to create an entirely dark song, conjuring mystic beasts of old, without being overly doom-oriented.  They&#8217;ve proven it over and over again with tracks like &#8220;Wolf Like Me&#8221; and &#8220;Halfway Home&#8221;.  And &#8220;Staring At The Sun&#8221; follows suit; sure, they may not be <em>about</em> such creatures but there&#8217;s something incarnate about these songs, a possession that isn&#8217;t entirely positive.  TV On The Radio&#8217;s ability to create unique music further enhances their greatness.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/pinback-summer_in_abaddon-300x300.jpg" alt="pinback-summer_in_abaddon" title="pinback-summer_in_abaddon" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8194" /></p>
<p><strong>7. <em>Summer In Abbadon</em> by Pinback</strong><br />
This is easily one of <a href="http://www.pinback.com/">Pinback</a>&#8216;s greatest works, as a whole and singularly.  This band has mastered the staccato rhythm &#8211; that pointed, edgy, angst-filled riff &#8211; and it shines brightest on <em>Summer In Abbadon</em>.  Their smooth rock vocals heighten that punch in the guitar, as does the consistency in percussion.  I never truly loved this band until I heard &#8220;Syracuse&#8221;, even after fully enjoying some of their earlier work.  </p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/destroyer-your_blues-300x300.jpg" alt="destroyer-your_blues" title="destroyer-your_blues" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8195" /></p>
<p><strong>6. <em>Your Blues</em> by Destroyer</strong><br />
My love of Dan Bejar&#8217;s <a href="http://www.myspace.com/destroyer">Destoryer</a> project didn&#8217;t really take hold until one night when my friend Andy (yes, I have quite a few that bear the name, including my girlfriend) made a mix-tape for his friend Katrina.  We were at this ancient tiny turquoise one-bedroom in Belltown (Seattle&#8217;s downtown neighborhood).  It was her place and she was having a party.  I didn&#8217;t know anyone but her, Cassie and Andy, and I just sat around and drank red wine, which is what I tend to do in such situations, and which I am doing now.  &#8220;Notorious Lightning&#8221; came on, and from there I was hooked.  Those synth patterns were and are perfect, and when Bejar jumps in front of them yelling <em>And someone&#8217;s gone too far before someone goes freeeeeeeeeee</em> as a trumpet mimics his vocal pattern&#8230; it&#8217;s totally freakin&#8217; breathtaking.  Oh yeah, and the rest of the album is pretty decent too.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-destroyer-its_gonna_take_an_airplane.mp3">Destroyer: It&#8217;s Gonna Take An Airplane [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/walkmen-bows-arrows-300x300.jpg" alt="walkmen-bows-arrows" title="walkmen-bows-arrows" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8196" /></p>
<p><strong>5. <em>Bows + Arrows</em> by The Walkmen</strong><br />
For the time, <em>Bows + Arrows</em> by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thewalkmen">The Walkmen</a> was about as good as it got.  Those excessive unceasing percussive rhythms provided by Matt Barrick, namely in &#8220;The Rat&#8221; but also in &#8220;Little House Of Savages&#8221; as well as elsewhere on <em>Bows + Arrows</em>, were damn near perfect.  Then there was that smokey haze of a vocal tenor provided Hamilton Leithauser was too, and the drone-ridden noisy guitars made it all the better.  The lyrics <em>When I used to go out I would know everyone I saw / Now I go out alone if I go out at all</em> from the bridge in &#8220;The Rat&#8221; described perfectly my transition from college to the real world, and would eventually describe the same from grad school to my so called <em>Real World Season 2</em>.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/stars-set_yourself_on_fire-300x280.jpg" alt="stars-set_yourself_on_fire" title="stars-set_yourself_on_fire" width="300" height="280" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8197" /></p>
<p><strong>4. <em>Set Yourself On Fire</em> by Stars</strong><br />
What I like about doing these Retrospective thingies is that it allows me to include the &#8220;sleeper albums&#8221;; those that didn&#8217;t catch on right away.  For me, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/stars">Stars</a> have always been such a band.  I&#8217;ll give the album a listen, and be entirely disappointed.  It&#8217;ll sit on the shelf for a month, three months, half a year, sometimes more.  Then I&#8217;ll pick it up again and it&#8217;ll blow my f*ing mind.  <em>Set Yourself On Fire</em> took a very long time to enter this realm, probably not doing so until nearly 2006.  But man, whenever I hear that intro sample in the opening track, or that wild solo in &#8220;He Lied About Death&#8221;, or the beautiful arrangements in &#8220;Celebration Guns&#8221;, I come a hair closer to dying a happy man.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/animal-collective-sung-tongs-300x295.jpg" alt="animal-collective-sung-tongs" title="animal-collective-sung-tongs" width="300" height="295" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8198" /></p>
<p><strong>3. <em>Sung Tongs</em> by Animal Collective</strong><br />
Each time I listen to <em>Sung Tongs</em>, I shuffle between &#8220;Leaf House&#8221; and &#8220;Who Could Win A Rabbit?&#8221; a few times before continuing.  The tracks are just <em>that</em> good.  Every time; never fails.  Aside from the super strong introduction, <em>Sung Tongs</em> was really the introduction to <a href="http://www.myspace.com/animalcollective">Animal Collective</a> for many of us who now consider the band among our favorites.  And while it wasn&#8217;t really the first to enter this experimental electronic folk arena, I would absolutely credit AC with inspiring the current movement of artists that fit this realm, of which there are plenty.</p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/of-montreal-satanic-panic-in-the-attic-300x300.jpg" alt="of-montreal-satanic-panic-in-the-attic" title="of-montreal-satanic-panic-in-the-attic" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8199" /></p>
<p><strong>2. <em>Satanic Panic In The Attic</em> by Of Montreal</strong><br />
Psychedelic pop never sounded so dreamy as it did on <em>Satanic Panic In The Attic</em>.  <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ofmontreal">Of Montreal</a> has always been a bit out there with their concepts &#8211; after all, they did release an entire album in which each song had &#8220;Dustin Hoffman&#8221; in the title.  <em>Satanic Panic</em>, in my opinion, was the beginning of the Of Montreal heyday in which some of their best music was made.  As a whole this kicked off a trio of genius psych pop.  It&#8217;s hard to find a collection as strong, before or since.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-of_montreal-disconnect_the_dots.mp3">Of Montreal: Disconnect The Dots [mp3]</a></p>
<p>* * * * * </p>
<p><img src="http://www.fensepost.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/arcade_fire-funeral-300x300.jpg" alt="arcade_fire-funeral" title="arcade_fire-funeral" width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-8200" /></p>
<p><strong>1. <em>Funeral</em> by Arcade Fire</strong><br />
Any other year between 2000 and 2009, I would say it would have been near impossible to beat <em>Funeral</em> (with exception to 2000 thanks to <em>Kid A</em>).  But 2004 was packed with so many great albums.  Still, <a href="http://www.arcadefire.com/">Arcade Fire</a> reigns supreme.  <em>Funeral</em> is a brilliant album, and this band will have a very hard time topping it.  The tracklist was superb, from the &#8220;Neighborhood&#8221; tracks to &#8220;Rebellion&#8221;.  No weak points, whatsoever. </p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/091125-arcade_fire-rebellion-lies.mp3">Arcade Fire: Rebellion (Lies) [mp3]</a></p>
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		<title>The Organ: Thieves [Album Review]</title>
		<link>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2008/11/14/the-organ-thieves-album-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fensepost.com/main/2008/11/14/the-organ-thieves-album-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:11:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Fense</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Album Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the organ]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fensepost.com/main/?p=740</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Written by Fense
Very few groups can consider themselves a true girl group, especially if their numbers are greater than three, let alone four.  But The Organ boasts five.  After a very well-received debut release in Grab That Gun, the ladies of The Organ sadly parted ways.  Luck for us, they decided to patch things up long enough to finish recording their followup EP, Thieves &#8212; or else, at least, treat us with a posthumous little gift.  
The EP features previously unreleased and rare material.  While ...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://fensepost.com/main/images/bands/o/organ.jpg" alt="The Organ" /></p>
<p><em>Written by Fense</em></p>
<p>Very few groups can consider themselves a true <em>girl group</em>, especially if their numbers are greater than three, let alone four.  But <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theorgan">The Organ</a> boasts five.  After a very well-received debut release in <em>Grab That Gun</em>, the ladies of The Organ sadly parted ways.  Luck for us, they decided to patch things up long enough to finish recording their followup EP, <em>Thieves</em> &#8212; or else, at least, treat us with a posthumous little gift.  <span id="more-740"></span></p>
<p>The EP features previously unreleased and rare material.  While Wikipedia will quote it as simply <em>unreleased</em>, &#8220;Let The Bells Ring&#8221; saw the light previously as a limited pressing 7&#8243; single.  As an EP, <em>Thieves</em> holds together quite a bit more than your typical collection of unreleased material &#8212; that being <em>Thieves</em> gives the impression that all the songs were recorded and mixed together.  </p>
<p>And they very well could have been; with The Organ&#8217;s quite limited existence and minuscule amount of previously released material, one would not necessarily be surprised if <em>Thieves</em> was merely a collection of six <em>Grab That Gun</em> B-sides.  </p>
<p>In my review of <em>Let The Bells Ring</em>, I noted how the songwriting and lyrical styling of The Organ drew similarities to The Smiths, were the epic Morrissey-fronted band to instead be comprised of five women.  Again, &#8220;Let The Bells Ring&#8221; is a major high point on the album &#8212; though upon closer listen, this may be an alternate version from what was released on the single.</p>
<p>Katie Sketch is the woman behind the mystically deep and dark voice, and she comes across much like Morrissey did in his early days with The Smiths.  At the most rudimentary level, a vast power is discernible each moment Sketch opens her mouth to sing.  In fact, calling it <em>singing</em> is almost a disgrace to what Sketch is doing &#8212; as, much more than your typical musician, she is merely reciting the most beautiful poetry, belted out melodically in an echo-y cavernous room.</p>
<p>Those who were devastated in The Organ&#8217;s demise can relish in six outstanding tunes, none of which stand out as much as &#8220;Memorize The City&#8221; or &#8220;Brother&#8221; or even &#8220;Steven Smith&#8221;, but that can easily match the strength behind anything else off <em>Grab That Gun</em>.</p>
<p><a href="http://fensepost.com/main/audio/1114_the_organ_-_let_the_bells_ring.mp3">The Organ: Let The Bells Ring [mp3]</a></p>
<p><img src="http://fensepost.com/main/images/albums/o/organ_thieves.jpg" alt="Thieves by The Organ" /></p>
<p><em><a href="http://mintrecs.com">Mint Records</a> [CDEP, 2008]</em></p>
<p>1. Even In The Night<br />
2. Oh What A Feeling<br />
3. Let The Bells Ring<br />
4. Fire In The Ocean<br />
5. Can You Tell Me One Thing<br />
6. Don&#8217;t Be Angry</p>
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