Zola Jesus

Editor’s Note: I don’t do “Best of” or “Top” lists, but I do like things … as hard as it might seem to believe. I’m going to post a few editorials between now and the end of the year about the various things I’ve liked about 2011.

It seems that every year I have less time to listen to music than the year before. This year proved to be no different. With that said, I did find time during the last 11.5 months to listen to some wonderful albums.

Below is a list of the albums that I own (yes, I still buy music) or happened to get a release through various methods. I’m not including albums that I don’t have in my physical or digital possession.

I’m not going to tell you why I like them. If you want me to justify why I like something, then just bugger off. I like what I like.

So, without any further ado, here’s What I Liked About 2011 – Albums in no particular order*:

Yuck – Yuck
The Antlers – Burst Apart
Other Lives – Tamer Animals
Caveman - CoCo Beware
Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams
Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
Destroyer – Kaputt
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Cults – Cults
Dum Dum Girls – He Gets Me High (EP)
Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy
Washed Out – Within And Without
Real Estate – Days
Zola Jesus – Conatus
Nikki Lane – Walk Of Shame
Active Child – You Are All I See

* – I did really love that Yuck album as well as The Antlers, Caveman. Other Lives, Real Estate, The Middle East and Zola Jesus. Really, I liked them all a great deal, but I go back to those albums over-and-over.

I also reserve the right to add to this list between now and the end of the year. There are a few weeks in the year and I might find time to listen to the Lydia Loveless album or remember one I forgot. I forget things. It happens.

The Antlers - Burst Apart

I sat down a few hours ago with a clear calender and free of obligations other that working on this site. This meant one of those rare opportunities to throw in some CD’s and play them front-to-back. I have a stack of albums from the last few months that I just haven’t had time to listen to – despite forking over my dwindling cold, hard cash for them.

I decided I was going to put together a review of the ones listened to, but rather than do three posts, I’m doing to do all three here. I’m also going to do something I don’t do often, and that’s put a number on an album. Its easier that way.

I’m getting too old to not start taking the easy road every now-and-again.

These reviews are all based on one listen. Yes, I’ve heard or streamed songs from all over them, but this is based on the first listen to the entire album on physical media.

The first album I popped in the trusty CD-player was Burst Apart by The Antlers. It has gotten a tremendous amount of praise since its release and it is worthy of every bit of it. A wonderful, dreamy follow-up album the Brooklyn band. War Eagle.
93/100

When I listen to a great album, it’s kind of hard to put in another album and not expect to be disappointed, but after all the hype over Bon Iver’s new album Bon Iver, I was indeed disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good album, but after listening to The Antlers it was a little too one-sided. I’m sure it will be the best album of the year in many places at the end of the years, which is okay. Many a few more listens will change my mind.
82/100

Last up in this three-album set was Nothing Is Wrong by Dawes. I admit, I am inexcusably later to the party on Dawes. This is the first album I’ve bought of listened to by the Los Angeles-based band. Frankly, my listening has been limited to a couple Daytrotter sessions. I’ll pull out my old excuse of not being able to listen to everything. It’s an excellent alt-country/Americana album.
89/100

The Antlers

The Antlers have added dates to their Summer 2010 tour with The National.

Tour Dates
Wed-Jun-02 – Boston, MA – House of Blues w/The National
Thu-Jun-03 – Boston, MA – House of Blues w/The National
Fri-Jun-04 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory w/The National
Sat-Jun-05 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory w/The National
Sun-Jun-06 – Washington, DC – Constitution Hall w/The National
Tue-Jun-08 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall w/The National
Wed-Jun-09 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall w/The National
Wed-Jun-16 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall w/The National
7/30-8/1-Osheaga Festival – Montreal
Mon-Aug-02 -Columbus, OH – Lifestyle Communities Pavilion w/The National
Tues-Aug-03 – Detriot, MI – Royal Oak Music Hall w/The National
Wed-Aug-04-Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater w/The National
Thur-Aug-05 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave w/The National
Fri-Aug-06 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave w/The National
Sat / Sun-August-07/08 – Chicago – Lollapalooza

The Antlers

The Antlers have announced a headlining tour with Phantogram, beginning with an April 16, 2010 show in Columbus, OH. The band will also join The National for several dates in June, including shows in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Toronto and New York.

Tour Dates
Fri-Apr-16 – Columbus, OH – The Basement w/Phantogram
Sat-Apr-17 – Urbana, IL – Canopy Club w/Phantogram
Sun-Apr-18 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon w/Phantogram
Tue-Apr-20 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre w/Phantogram
Wed-Apr-21 – Iowa City, IA – The Blue Moose w/Phantogram
Thu-Apr-22 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall w/Phantogram
Fri-Apr-23 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig w/Phantogram
Wed-Apr-28 – San Diego, CA – Casbah w/Phantogram
Fri-Apr-30 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour w/Phantogram
Sat-May-01 – San Francisco, CA – Independent w/Phantogram
Mon-May-03 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge w/Phantogram
Tue-May-04 – Vancouver, BC – The Biltmore Cabaret w/Phantogram
Wed-May-05 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s w/Phantogram

Wed-Jun-02 – Boston, MA – House of Blues w/The National
Thu-Jun-03 – Boston, MA – House of Blues w/The National
Fri-Jun-04 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory w/The National
Sat-Jun-05 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory w/The National
Sun-Jun-06 – Washington, DC – Constitution Hall w/The National
Tue-Jun-08 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall w/The National
Wed-Jun-09 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall w/The National
Wed-Jun-16 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall w/The National

The Antlers

The Antlers have announce our dates in January and February 2010 with Editiors and Ra Ra Riot.

Tour Dates
1/29/10 – Legends of Notre Dame – Notre Dame, IN
1/30/10 – Music – Akron, OH
2/05/10 – Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera – Brooklyn, NY*
2/08/10 – Teh Warfield – San Francisco, CA#
2/09/10 – House of Blues – San Diego, CA#
2/11/10 – Wiltern Theatre – Los Angeles, CA#
2/13/10 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO#
2/15/10 – Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL#
2/16/10 – Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto, ON#
2/18/10 – House of Blues Boston – Boston, MA#
2/19/10 – Terminal 5 – New York, NY#
2/20/10 – Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA#
2/21/10 – 9:30 CLub – Washington, DC#

* w/ Ra Ra Riot
# w/ Editors

From Yo La Tengo's Web site: "Atlanta's Masquerade was always just like a home away from home to us, if the people in your family always spelled your name wrong and built the stage right above the pumping techno soundsystem. (June 10, 1995, Atlanta, GA)"

As we wind down this holiday weekend and make our way back to reality, here’s this week’s DeadJournalist.com Sunday Night Videos.

This week’s Video of the Week is from Lo La Tengo from 1997 because “Sugarcube” is one of the best indie videos of the decade. And I had to add Atari Teenage Riot as a nice little tie-in to round out the set.

Other videos this week include: Kurt Vile, Jemina Pearl, Atlas Sound, The xx and The Sounds as well as Thoa with the Get Down Stay Down, Midlake, Crystal Castles, Broken Social Scene and The Unicorns, among others.

Video of the Week

Yo La Tengo – “Sugarcube”

Sunday Sixteen

Atlas Sound (featuring Laetita Sadier of Stereolab) – “Quick Canal”

Kurt Vile – “Freak Train”

Jemina Pearl (featuring Iggy Pop) – “I Hate People”

The Sounds – “Beatbox”

The Unicorns – “Tuff Ghost”

Crystal Castles – “Untrust Us”

The xx – “Crystalised”

LCD Soundsystem – “New York, I Love You”

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wind Phoenix (Live on KEXP)

Midlake – “Roscoe”

Broken Social Scene – “Cause = Time”

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down – “Bag of Hammers”

Port O’Brien – “I Woke Up Today”

The Antlers – “Two”

Skunk Anansie – “Secretly”

Atari Teenage Riot – “Atari Teenage Riot”

The Antlers

Tour Dates
10/29 Los Angeles – Bootleg Theatre
10/30 San Francisco, CA – The Independent
10/31 Orangevale, CA – The Boardwalk
11/1 San Luis Obispo, CA – Downtown Brewing Co.
11/2 Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
11/3 Pomona, CA – Glasshouse
11/4 Flagstaff, AZ – Orpheum Theatre
11/6 Fort Worth, TX – The Door
11/7 McAllen, TX – Las Palmas Event Center
11/8 San Antonio, TX – White Rabbit
11/10 Birmingham, AL – WorkPlay Theatre
11/11 Orlando, FL – Club at Firestone
11/12 Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club