PLAYLIST: A Beach Boys Tribute

I made this playlist a while back, and I've enjoyed it way too much not to share it. It's made up completely of modern tunes that are, to my ear anyway, in some way inspired by the Beach Boys. In some of them, it's just the percussion that does it for me, in others its the harmonies or the production techniques - some are more overt than others (The Explorer's Club and Panda Bear), but a few of the subtler ones are real stand-outs as well (the breakdown in "Quiet Houses"). This started out as a sort of novelty playlist but it's turned into one of my favorite mixes from last year - I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

mp3: The Explorer's Club - Do You Love Me?
from the album Freedom Wind (iTunes)
mp3: Death Cab for Cutie - You Can Do Better Than Me
from the album Narrow Stairs (iTunes)
mp3: Department of Eagles - No One Does It Like You
from the album In Ear Park (iTunes)
mp3: Magnet - Wish Me Well
from the album On Your Side (iTunes)
mp3: Panda Bear - Bros (edit)
from the album Person Pitch (iTunes)
mp3: Animal Collective - Derek
from the album Strawberry Jam (iTunes)
mp3: Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses
from the album Fleet Foxes (iTunes)
mp3: Okkervil River - John Allyn Smith Sails
from the album The Stage Names (iTunes)
mp3: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
from the album Pet Sounds (iTunes)

VIDEO: Fleet Foxes - Mykonos

So if you didn't know, we really like the Fleet Foxes around here. But that isn't the only reason I think the new Sean Pecknold directed video for the Sun Giant stand-out and most recent single 'Mykonos' is first-rate. It's a little artsy, for sure. But I found the origami interpretation of this beautiful song not only fitting, but pretty dang mesmerizing. Sean also gave us the animated and pretty fantastic video for 'White Winter Hymnal'. Check both of 'em out below.

WIAC's Top 15 Albums of 2008

So here it is. Whale In A Cubicle's Favorite 15 Albums of 2008. We know you've probably all been waiting for it with bated breath, wondering what on earth we would finally choose. Well, the wait is over.

Note: This is purely a list of our favorite albums of the year, not necessarily the best albums of the year. If we had to pick what we thought were the very best albums critically, it would be a slightly different list. But we're no critics, so that's not what we're gonna do. These are our favorite albums of the year - the ones that made us laugh, cry, dance, smile, press repeat, wet our pants, etc. These are what we'll remember when we think back on the year.

So.

Here we go:

15. Ode to Sunshine
Delta Spirit
(iTunes)
mp3: People C'mon

I love the bands that take me totally by surprise. I had never even heard of Delta Spirit before I saw them open for Matt Costa but I immediately fell in love with the clangy piano, chunky acoustic guitar, and the joy they exuded as they sang and performed. There are some obvious standout songs, but in the end you'll find yourself falling in love with the more subtle almost soulful tracks. All in all, what a pleasant little surprise. -Logan

14. Unfamiliar Faces
Matt Costa
(iTunes)
mp3: Mr. Pitiful

Speaking of Matt Costa. This is an album that only seems to get better and better with time, I find myself listening to it more now nearly a year after its release than I did when I first bought it. I can't wait to revisit this album 20 years from now. The whole thing is a pleasure; nothing more, nothing less. I can't help but think the world isn't such a bad place while listening to this album. -Logan

13. The Rhumb Line
Ra Ra Riot
(iTunes)
mp3: Dying is Fine

After completely falling for these guys when we saw them back in May, this became one of my more anticipated releases of the year. A short and straight-forward indie rock record; each member of the group contributes just enough to carve out a full, churning sound on just about every track. Though we're also fans of Vampire Weekend's debut, Ra Ra Riot's offering just resonated with us more. It may be due to their more thoughtful lyrics - tackling topics like death and friendship, rather than frat parties and grammatical arguments. Or maybe we just like it better. -Chris

12. Volume 1
She & Him

(iTunes)
mp3: Sentimental Heart

Right from the opening lines of the very first track, Sentimental Heart, this album hooked me. Zooey Deschanel's simple songwriting and rich vocals paired with M. Ward's quirky arrangements made one of the all-around most likable albums of the year - it's a pure AM pop delight. While the second half of the disc has a few minor miss-steps, the first half is nearly flawless, and Zooey is never anything but incredibly lovable throughout. -Chris

11. The Odd Couple
Gnarls Barkley
(iTunes)
mp3: Going On

Ok, this album is just too much fun. I don't even know what else to say about it. -Logan

10. Honeysuckle Weeks
The Submarines
(iTunes)
mp3: You, Me and the Bourgeoisie

It's sheer feel-good music sung by two people who've got a lot to feel good about. They're each married to their sweet-heart (each other) and their song You, Me and the Bourgeoisie, was the official tune for Apple's iPhone this entire year - which may or may not be ironic considering the song bemoans our society's focus on excess and consumerism. Either way, every song is buoyant and fun, always feel-good, never sappy - it's basically a single shot way to feel great about the world. It may only take our number 10 spot, but it's highly recommended. -Chris

9. Re-Arrange Us
Mates of State
(iTunes)
mp3: Get Better

Trading in their straight organ/drum formula for a more textured, piano-driven sound, Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner may have re-invented themselves, but all the best stuff is still here. The opening track, Get Better, has been known to make me cry on occasion. Just putting that out there. -Chris

8. Keep Color
The Republic Tigers
(iTunes)
mp3: Fight Song

In a previous post I described the Republic Tigers as electro-folk and it is that unique blend of acoustic guitars and synthesizers that made this one of my most listened to records of the year. Even with standout tracks like Buildings and Mountains and The Nerve you'll find yourself never wanting to skip a track. It's a solid debut from a band that has found an amazing sound. -Logan

7. Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
(iTunes)
mp3: Kids

Very few things in this world make me want to dance. IRS refund checks, showering, and MGMT are the only things that come readily to mind. I don't know how to dance and I don't actually know if one can even dance to MGMT, but all I know is I sure want to when this is playing. It's really kind of a quirky album, but I think that's why I love it. -Logan

6. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Sigur Rós
(iTunes)
mp3: Inní mér syngur vitleysingur

Translated as "With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly", words cannot describe what I've felt while listening to this album. Arguably their most accessible record to date, it's the first one that's hooked me completely from start to finish. It was my soundtrack during many many long nights at the library this spring, and it only snuggled itself deeper into my heart after I saw them play in Denver. A simply beautiful record. -Chris

5. Narrow Stairs
Death Cab for Cutie
(iTunes)
mp3: I Will Possess Your Heart

I fell in love with this album exactly 1:39 into the first track, it is precisely when the drums come in hard and the guitar distorts. It felt like I had just sunk my teeth into something initially familiar but which became an altogether new sensation to me and frankly, I loved it. I'm a sucker for Death Cab for Cutie and a sucker for rock music and maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I'm hearing, Death Cab with a little more rock. Each song still retains that Death Cab feel, but tracks like Bixby Canyon Bridge and Long Division have made me fall in love all over again. -Logan

4. Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Coldplay
(iTunes)
mp3: Violet Hill

One of the reasons this is so high on our list is the fact that it came out of left field for me and Logan. Neither of us have ever really been Coldplay fans, and we weren't anticipating this album almost at all. But after hearing the whole thing streamed before its release, I can honestly say it floored me - I must have listened to it 4 or 5 times at work that first day. It's a near-flawless album as a whole - a tribute to the band's talent and producer Brian Eno's ability to bring out a group's best. -Chris

3. For Emma, Forever Ago
Bon Iver
(iTunes)
mp3: The Wolves (Act I and III)

I finally stumbled on this gem late in the year, and am I ever glad I did. Spare, honest, powerful writing and performing. One of those rare examples of music as poetry - a catharsis caught on tape. I really can't stress enough how much you need this in your life. -Chris

2. Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
(iTunes)
mp3: White Winter Hymnal

One of two records on our list to sport fine art on its album sleeve (it's by Bruegel if you're wondering), this has probably been the most consistently listened to album for us this whole year. It's good from beginning to end, top to bottom, through each and every song. From the choral rounds of White Winter Hymnal to the resounding swells on Your Protector to the spare closer Oliver James, there just isn't a weak song on here. As a record it's incredible - as a debut it's mind-boggling. If you haven't already heard it, don't put it off any longer. -Chris

1. The Grand Archives
Grand Archives
(iTunes)
mp3: Sleepdriving

To me, there could be no other choice for our top pick. No album this year, or in recent years past, has demanded the amount of attention I have given to Grand Archives. The harmonies, the melodies, and the orchestrations create an almost tangible feeling of peace and warmth. The standout track (among a flawless album I should add) Sleepdriving is simply epic. The strings, the guitars, the grandiose buildups, it all just works so perfectly and although this may seem a little extreme, life is better having this album in it. -Logan

Individual Top 10 Lists (in case you were wondering):

Chris:
1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
3. Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends - Coldplay
4. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - Sigur Rós
5. Re-Arrange Us - Mates of State
6. Grand Archives - Grand Archives
7. Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie
8. Honeysuckle Weeks - The Submarines
9. Volume 1 - She & Him
10. The Rhumb Line - Ra Ra Riot

Logan:
1. Grand Archives - Grand Archives
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie
4. Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends - Coldplay
5. Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
6. Keep Color - The Republic Tigers
7. Honeysuckle Weeks - The Submarines
8. Unfamiliar Faces - Matt Costa
9. The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley
10. Ode to Sunshine - Delta Spirit

A couple of honorable mentions: Mason Jennings' In The Ever, Ryan Adam's Cardinology, The Mountain Goats' Heretic Pride, The Helio Sequence's Keep Your Eyes Ahead, and The Little Ones' Morning Tide. They're also worth checking out.

ARTIST: Time is kindly kicking me around

We got treated to a fantastic show last night by the Fleet Foxes in Salt Lake City - and man, they just continue to impress me. For all you who missed it, here's a little something similar to (maybe) make you feel better...

They call themselves The Old Believers, and after I got past their unfortunate record-cover - it looks like some kind of a uncomfortably-intimate wedding invitation - it didn't take me long to fall for this pretty duo out of Alaska.

'Old' they actually are not - the two of them are just barely breaking out of their teenage years -but the music they're making would never tell it, especially when you hear their soulfully full voices. Their sound falls comfortably somewhere between the AM pop nostalgia of She & Him and the more choral folk sounds of the aforementioned Fleet Foxes - all tossed up with a handful of playful arrangements and gospel swelling that keeps this LP of only eight songs from ever feeling too short.

Here's one of my favorite tracks from it, called There it is. Enjoy!

The Old Believers - There It Is

from the album Eight Golden Greats (Amazon/iTunes)

Also, we heard a new song from those Fleeting Foxes last night! Check out a video of them playing it at the Ballroom here.

NEWS: If you like good music AND making a difference, this is for you

Here are three things I love:

1) Bob Dylan in general

2) Jeff Tweedy's lilting voice

3) everyone's favorite choral chamber pop group, Fleet Foxes

You may have heard that these three things were combined in glorious fashion this summer as the latter two covered a song by the former during their recent tour together. Now, they're offering an mp3 of that little bit of magic for FREE over at Wilco's website - all you have to do is pledge to vote in the up-coming election (click here to go and do it). Classy on just about every front.

And here are a couple of other Dylan covers that I happen to love. They're both a couple years old, but are still pretty great. Enjoy.

Magnet (with Gemma Hayes) - Lay Lady Lay

from the album On Your Side (Amazon/iTunes)

Madeleine Peyroux - You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

from the album Careless Love (Amazon/iTunes)

NEWS: Possibly the saddest sight ever:

I love Fleet Foxes. We got to see them in May at Sasquatch, and since then they've been a regular on my 'Recently Played' playlist (see right). Their wistful choral arrangements and starkly arranged but perfectly timed instrumentation has been one of the most refreshing things I've heard in a long time. So we were excited to see them last night at Salt Lake's Kilby Court - but alas, it wasn't to be. No, we were instead greeted by this sad display outside of the Kilby Court-yard entrance (see above), sending us back out into the night with no direction or plan. Regardless, we did get to see some impromptu fireworks and run into some old friends - so even though the only Fleet Foxes we got to hear were on my car stereo, it still turned out to be a pretty good night.

'Dear Fleet Foxes,

We hope everyone's alright and you're able to get back on the road soon. Because the more people who get to hear your heart-felt folky voices, the better off this world will be.

Love,

whale in a cubicle'

Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood

from the album Fleet Foxes (Amazon/iTunes)

NEWS: Something(s) to move your feet on to...

Just a quick note about two releases that I'm very excited about:

First - Joshua James's debut album The Sun is Always Brighter finally saw a national release on Tuesday, both on CD and vinyl! Friends, this is easily one of my favorite records of recent memory (see what we've already said here and here). The songwriting is beautiful, the production is perfect, and the album is just so well put together its amazing. I've had this little gem in my hands since January '07, and I still come back to it more than just "every so often", and that kind of staying power is worth mentioning. From the raspy opening lines in 'The New Love Song' to the chilling conclusion of 'Commodore', this album needs to be in your collection. Like, now.

*Notice that iTunes has also released a "Deluxe Edition" which includes two additional tracks, 'Winter Storm' and 'Lovers Without Love Like Me' (from Fields & Floods and B-Sides, It's Dark Outside respectively) 'Lovers Without Love...' happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time.

Joshua James - The New Love Song

from the album The Sun is Always Brighter (Amazon/iTunes)

Second - Fleet Foxes' full length hit record stores on Tuesday as well, and all I can say is wow. We saw them at Sasquatch a few weeks ago (read about it here) and were floored by their earthy tones and beautiful harmonies. I was curious if they'd be able to capture the brilliance we'd heard in person for the length of an entire album, and to be honest I thought it was rather unlikely. Well, I'm sorry I underestimated these guys, because this is one amazing record. At its best moments it's purely transportive -- taking the listener to far flung mountain landscapes, and wintery old-world vistas. At its worst (if you can even say that) its just really beautiful songs. Check it out.

Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why

from the album Fleet Foxes (Amazon/iTunes)

ARTIST: Fleet Foxes

We hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend. How was ours you ask? Well, we were lucky enough to head out to the Gorge in Washington for the first day of the Sasquatch Music Festival on Saturday, where we saw some great acts like Beirut, Modest Mouse, R.E.M., the National, Grand Archives, Fleet Foxes, The New Pornographers, Destroyer, and more. Then we headed back home in time to catch Death Cab for Cutie and Tegan & Sara at Thanksgiving Point on Monday night. So yeah, it was a good weekend. Expect to hear some more details from both of us in the next few days.

So briefly here's a taste of one of the more pleasant surprises from this weekend. Fleet Foxes opened up the main stage at Sasquatch on Saturday, and actually ended up playing later on as well due to some re-scheduling issues. I had only heard a couple of their songs before that, but they quickly became one of the highlights of the day for me.

Let's just say that this is a band that makes beautiful music. Relying on choral harmonies and backed by sparse but tight instrumentation, they sound almost otherworldly - like some kind of minstrel music from a bygone era. We listened to their Sun Giant EP while driving home from the festival and their beautiful and textured harmonies were the perfect soundtrack for the green Northwestern landscape that rolled past us. It wasn't long before I could confidently dub them "favorite new music of the trip" - quite a prestigious title. In addition to all this, these long-haired Seattle natives were incredibly personable on-stage, and seemed to be just real people with a real love for making music. Now that's something we should all get into.

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

from their forthcoming album Fleet Foxes (pre-order on Amazon)