Wavves – “Demon to Lean On” (Plus Preorder Afraid of Heights!)

The second released song from Wavves’ upcoming Afraid of Heights balances its various elements well — a simple riff building to a KROQ-friendly chorus with cool, watery guitars in the verses and soaring vocals. It sounds like the best bits of my high school CD collection condensed neatly to four minutes. Buzz Clips 4eva.

Preorder Afraid of Heights on CD or LP. It’s due March 26 on Mom + Pop. Also check out "Sail to the Sun" from Afraid of Heights.

 

Earl Sweatshirt – “Whoa”

The second taste of the new Earl Sweatshirt album, Doris, is full of sinister sounds — a reverbed out “whoaaa” that descends into the sewer, that ominous piano that creeps up halfway through, and a reference to “ol’ 2010 shit.” Could be referencing his backstory, about being plucked from obscurity by Tyler, the Creator (who appears on this track), joining Odd Future, releasing his first album at age 16 in 2010, then being sent away at  to boarding school in Samoa by his mother for getting into trouble. He’s been slowly re-emerging again, with big guest spots on Frank Ocean’s sublime “Super Rich Kids,” among other places. But from first track “Chum” and now this, Earl Sweatshirt’s past quasi-false starts and reintroduction will be a thing of the past once Doris drops. There’s no release date yet, so just keep an ear out. Am I the only one who wants to see this video made into a full film?

Julia Holter – “Gold Dust Woman”

Julia Holter, who put out this year’s excellent Ekstasis album, sure to be on my top albums of the year list, has contributed a track to Rumours revisited, a Fleetwood Mac cover album (not to be confused with this one, also released this year) with current artists taking on songs from that iconic album. The album, put out with the current Mojo magazine, also includes tracks by Liars, Yeasayer and the Besnard Lakes. (What are the Besnard Lakes up to, anyway? I love those guys.) This cover remains faithful to the original by maintaining and amplifying the scary space in Stevie Nicks’ version, though Holter’s delivery is more slightly detached than Nicks’ sultry vocal. Still, it’s on the warmer end of Holter’s songs, which can range from icy and otherworldly to coy, playful art-pop. Anyone remember the Hole cover of this song (for The Crow 2 soundtrack!) where she messes up the lyric and goes “one less challeoonge” all crazy? Loved that. Find Mojo at Amoeba Hollywood. (See photos of Julia Holter's performance live at Amoeba Hollywood.)

For all you savvy observers, the description “best” was omitted from this year-end post. Why, you ask? Well, for several reasons: a) who the hell am I to say so and so's album was better than so and so; and b) I'm not a jukebox; I simply don't listen to enough albums a year to know whom to accurately give that title to. Furthermore, the ever-expanding field of opinions and critics makes me gag, so I'll pass. Since the bulk of my day is spent discovering, sorting, and devouring music in general, I do have a few things to share at this year's end. Here is a tight list of albums/ mixtapes/ LP’s/ videos and such I couldn’t stop playing this year. In no particular order, here are my favorite musical things of 2010:
 
1) Matthew Dear – Black City (Ghostly)
2) Aloe Blacc – Good Things (Stones Throw)
3) Quantic – Dog With a Rope (Tru Thoughts)

4) Toro Y Moi - Causers of This (Carpark Records)
5) Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here (XL Recordings)
6) Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)  (Universal Motown)
7) Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy  (Roc-A-Fella Records)
8) First Aid Kit - The Big Black & The Blue (Wichita   Recordings/Jagadamba Records)
9) Tame Impala - Innerspeaker - (Modular Recordings)
10) Yeasayer - Odd Blood (Secretly Canadian & Mute Records)
11) Dale Ernhardt Jr - Horse Power EP (Quite Scientific Records)
12) Ninja Tune XX Box  - Ninja Tune Comp