I'm not nearly as organized as my colleague, so I'm just going to throw another trio out there. While there are only three individuals pictured, there's a reason why one should consider the following albums side projects rather than solo albums, and not simply because Thom is taken aback by the term. As always, there are many artists who contribute, but aren't necessarily given attention. Also, while the medium is generally far mellower than each of their respective band incarnations, the essence of their art is very much intact, and in many ways, their vocals have far more presence.
Over the course of the year, Emily Haines became one of my favorite frontpeople. While my first go-through in Live It Out wasn't a particularly memorable experience, by delving through her rather hefty history, I've really grown to appreciate her. After seeing her at Joe's Pub, I can really attest to her stage presence. For one thing, she has one of the most distinctive voices, whether intoning gently in "Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl," or delivering the scorching "Monster Hospital."
Knives is more of the former than the latter, and admittedly, all three artists on this list suffer a bit from homogeneity. This is a moody album, and it's an abrupt change in light of Metric's recent work. However, contributions from Sparklehorse's Scott Minor and various Broken Social Scensters make for a lush album, yet one that's incredibly vocal-driven. While I still look forward to (finally) seeing Metric, this was one of the nicest surprises of the year. Incidentally, she's in the midst of a winter tour, including a January 9th stop at the Hiro Ballroom (unfortunately, it's 21+).
The Lottery, courtesy of Spin
Buy: Here
Official Site: Here
Previous Posts: Here
My first introduction to Amy Millan was the wonderful Stars track, "Ageless Beauty." Unfortunately, nothing on this album approaches the heights of that song, but I've realized that distancing herself was crucial in distinguishing this album from her previous work. This was a year dominated by like-minded singers, including Neko Case, Cat Power, and Jenny Lewis, and unfortunately Amy seems to have been overshadowed. However, her smooth delivery is very much intact, and its warmth is always welcome, even if she has partially eschewed the pop-minded outlook or something...twangier.
Last week, she stopped by KCRW, and you can stream the set here. Also, don't forget that fellow Star Torq Campbell recently released an album with Memphis as well.
Skinny Boy, courtesy of Joe's Pub
Buy: Here
Official Site: Here
Previous Posts: Here
Thom Yorke's new album has its sublime moments, particularly in "Black Swan" and "Harrowdown Hill." As if producing Charlotte wasn't enough, Nigel Godrich does a great job here of emphasizing Thom's voice, which is downright pretty at times. This album doesn't possess nearly as much claustrophobia as Kid A or Amnesiac-era Radiohead. It's is actually quite relaxing, if you overlook the various disturbing political and social themes. However, the focus is a bit too narrow, and there's a conflict between the gentleness of the sound and attempts of extracting the aforementioned meaning. Having said that, Thom's fascination with minimalism has yielded a far more interesting work than its components would suggest.
In a case of rather auspicious timing, Thom just released a couple of remixes:
The Clock (Surgeon Remix)
Analyse (Various Remix)
As Pitchfork reports, more remixes will be upcoming, including one from my current favorite, Ellen Allien. Definitely look for an overview of Orchestra of Bubbles in my next Ü2K6.
Buy: Here
Official Site: Here
Previous Posts: Here
Postscript:
I realized that I neglected one of the more prominent re-issues of the year in the last post, Mew's And The Glass Handed Kites. I never conceived that they'd blow up to such a huge extent even a year ago, but I suppose it's just another sign of the changing times. Unfortunately, I haven't heard enough of Kites to really write anything definitive, but I highly recommend listening to their previous work, particularly if you've enjoyed the new(ish) album. You can download three tracks from their Purevolume, which seems reassuringly much the same as when I looked last year.
Oh, and for all you metal-heads, check out this Pitchfork feature; it's Arivia approved!
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