Things to note about this set:
- Trail of Dead's cover art is comically bad
- I hate it when music videos have children in them
- I don't hate children
- Yokola is so perfectly out of place
- Austin, Texas, doubly represented
Enjoy, and if you don't, remember that things will only get better. I mean, it IS a countdown.
30: Bandcamper by Yokola
I don't know who or what Yokola is. There is precious little information about Yokola out there in Internetland, save for Bandcamp where a handful of outstanding tracks are free to download. I don't even know if Bandcamper can be classified as a proper release as it was obviously made exclusively for the purpose of existing on Bandcamp. I WANT ANSWERS. I do know Yokola is based in Sweden and the chill Nordic ambiance and attitude that permeates the work of so many other Swedish musicians also does so here. And chill is a good way to describe the music. Dude is so chill it sounds like he doesn't care about life's problems (even as he acknowledges them), and this is so completely at odds with the jangly jazzy music. Yet it works, and it works well. In addition to downloading Bandcamper, I highly recommend downloading the six-song Hello, especially if you're looking for a good summer jam.
Yokola on Bandcamp.
29: The King Is Dead by The Decemberists
I am so glad the Decemberists have moved away from the proggyness of The Hazards of Love and put together an album full of nice hooky folkish rock music. It is what they do best, and, upon my strongest recommendation, they shouldn't do anything else. There is a lot to like about The King is Dead, such as the ample use of accordion, the backing vocals of Gillian Welch, and Peter Buck lending some instrumental support. And of course there is Colin Meloy's thin warbling voice that gives each song a nuanced delicateness.
28: The Tao Of The Dead by ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
The curse of creating one of the best rock albums of all time is that every follow-up release, no matter how awesome it is, will be somewhat disappointing. And while nothing Trail of Dead can do will ever compare with Source Tags & Codes, the band is still capable of delivering solid rock and roll. Tao of the Dead is, from start to finish, nice and consistent. The tracks, in fact, flow right into each other and this album, more so than most others, forms a complete and cohesive body. When you pop in Tao of the Dead you must be ready for an extended listening experience. Recommended as the soundtrack to a long aggravated drive.
27: I Am Very Far by Okkervil River
I Am Very Far is different than prior Okkervil River projects. It is noisier, busier, more in-your-face, and if it is louder it is because I am cranking the volume up up up. There are quieter tracks to be sure, and nothing squeezes the soul quite like a soft Okkervil River song, but the album was meant to be an experimental departure and that's where the focus lies. But even all the studio mish-mash can't detract from the fact that Will Sheff is one of music's best songwriters and every track -- be it loud, soft, frantic, or grounded -- sounds like a personal note scribbled directly for you.
Okkervil River - "Wake And Be Fine" via Jagjaguwar Records
"Your Past Life As A Blast" video.
26: Minnesota by Mason Jennings
Just over half-an-hour long, Minnesota is short and sweet. Jennings still touches on his familiar topics of love, religion, and booze -- and does so with that smooth crooning voice of his -- but he does well not to duplicate past releases. More piano-centric than his previous albums, each song tells an individual story, some more abstract than others, some more resolved than others. Jennings mood feels a little more dour than usual, and the very last track is a lyrical killjoy, but ultimately he can't restrain the optimist within himself. Minnesota, through its mini-journeys full of downward twists and turns, is a feel-good album, but only in the way that existence, despite its wretched plot-twists, is ultimately a feel-good experience.
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