Life's Little Luxuries

A friend of mine asked me today what I was listening to and I thought he'd seen the list I put together of what I was listening to in 2010 a while back. Well, it turns out I had just saved the file instead of hitting the "publish" button. So, while this now seems a bit long in the tooth, I thought I'd post it anyway. Feel free to tell me what I missed or scorn me on some of my guilty pleasures.

The Jim Jones Revue - Burning Your House Down

The Jim Jones Revue is a kick in the face to the tired cliche that Rock 'N' Roll is dead (or that it should be). There are plenty of cliches in this stuff, they simply aren't tired. The music combines standard 12-bar blues with some nice boogie woogie piano a la Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis, a front man with a bit of Nick Cave in him, and an energy that makes everything sound fresh again, just like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was doing in the Nineties. And the energy comes across in the disc. Quite often bands have great intensity live but they can't seem to translate that to a record. That is not the case here. Jim Jones was the former front man for the Nineties band Thee Hypnotics. And while I always wanted to like them more, I didn't. Their psyc drenched garage music was always a sort of right street, wrong address thing for me. Not so here where everything is right. I'm only sorry I hadn't heard of them before this year as their first record came out at the end of 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k_cd44iBuU
The Liminanas - s/t

This French duo of Marie and Lionel Liminana has put out one great dubut. It is a mix of garage rock, psych, and French pop. Most of it is sung in French, with a sultry, noir feel. And there is definitely a strong Serge Gainsborg influence here. One song even has some hiccup vocals ala "Bonnie & Clyde." Most of the instrumentation is sparse, but has some nice organ in the mix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_h7RhayFYM
Black Keys - Brothers

Yet another fine release from the Black Keys. And while Danger Mouse only produces one song here, they've continued in the vein of their last record Attack & Release, where Danger Mouse brought in fuller instrumentation with organ and elements of soul music to their blues-rock mix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaPBCBjSVc
Peter Wolf - Midnight Souvenirs

This was the surprise of the year for me. While I really love the J Geils Band and their early R&B influenced blues-rock, I hadn't listened to any Peter Wolf solo work since the mid nineties. This record has a great laid back vibe that sounds like it was recorded live in the studio (whether it actually was or not). It reminds me a bit of how Chuck Prophet records sound, so I guess it is no surprise that Chuck co-wrote one of the songs on the record. There is a tribute to recently departed singer Willie 'Mink" DeVille as well as guest duets with the likes of Merle Haggard, Neko Case, and Shelby Lynne. The duet with Lynne that is the opener, 'Tragedy,' is worth the price of admission alone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPN9EV7azio
Dead Ghosts - s/t

So apparently Montreal isn't the only city in Canada producing great garage rock. Vancouver's Dead Ghosts full length (they've put our several 7" singles before this) has a nice sixties sound with jangly guitars and a ton of reverb. And even though the whole record is drenched in reverb, I think they may have turned it down a notch from their previous recordings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBwB6I3Er7A
Fitz & the Tantrums - Pickin' Up the Pieces

A group from Los Angeles that is doing the old soul thing, replete with guy-girl vocals, a horn section, and terrific organ work. What's not to like?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6cBKE3WzQ
Trombone Shorty - Backatown

Troy Andrews, otherwise known as Trombone Shorty, is a horn player that grew up in the famous Treme district in New Orleans (he even had a guest apperance on the HBO show 'Treme'). He got his name from playing the trombone even before his arms were long enough to move the slide all the way down. The music is a mix of jazz, funk, and rock. It is the funk oriented stuff that stands out the most for me and tracks like 'Hurricane Season' make it sound as if the Mothership has just landed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoZhBKZhmT4
Best Coast - Crazy for You

Another record that is drenched in reverb, this one differs in that is it very indie pop/surf sounding record. It is often thrown into the garage rock genre, but I don't hear much of that. The songs though are some very nice pop gems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fjMYI33E8Q
Strange Boys - Be Brave

The follow up to last year's The Strange Boys and Girls Club isn't quite as strong, but it still has several great moments. They have still kept their mix of garage rock, early Rolling Stones, and nasaly, Dylan-like vocals. But, they have also added in some saxaphone to a few songs, included the title cut, from former Mika Miko member Jenna Thornhill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hEQd-1XdIs
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - I Learned the Hard Way

On their fourth record, Sharon Jones' vocals just keep getting stronger, or so it seems. It might be that right off the bat there are some slower numbers that put the spotlight on her Tina Turner-esque voice. But, there are still a number of uptempo soul/funk numbers on this record to keep your toes tapping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txGOV7bhqR0
Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU
Stephanie Finch & the Company Men - Cry Tomorrow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdSxkA7Buf4
Parting Gifts - Strychnine Dandelions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4H3zwD0QPQ
Jaga Jazzist - One Armed Bandit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3kOVxteDAQ
The Ding Dongs - s/t
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgT8tnlD9cg
The Fresh & Onlys - Play it Strange
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rQmjdSN7KE
GB3 - Damaged/Controlled
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYI8XbbkiP0
Beach House - Teen Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ipyWYO3LM
Paul Weller - Wake Up the Nation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPaoGccYfAE
Spoon - Transfereence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMI5w_RVLI
Grinderman - Grinderman 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30U1-5-k1P4
Diplomats of Solid Sound - What Goes Around Comes Around
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwuavmjxr6w
Seasick Steve - Man from Another Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYNyYU5crw
Red Mass - Jesus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiItqPUAsPo
Woven Bones - In and Out and Back Again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3262YiKYo
Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
Bare Wires - Seeking Love
Broken Bells - s/t
Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
Steve Wynn - Northern Aggression
Tallest Man on Earth - Wild Hunt
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot / The Son of Chico Dusty
Various - Daddy Rockin' Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong and the Diablos
The Moonhearts - s/t
The Roots - How I Got Over
The Fall - Your Future Our Clutter
The Underbelly - Seven Feet Under
V.V. Brown - Travelling Like the Light
Demon's Claws - The Defrosting of
So Cow - Meaningless Friendly
Mavis Staples - You are not alone
Eivind Aarset & the Sonic Codex Orchestra - Live Extracts
Mark Sultan - $ (Dig)
Katharine Ruestow - s/t
Karen Elson - The Ghost Who Walks
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
Thee Oh Sees - Warm Slime
All India Radio - The Silent Surf
Peter Case - Wig!
Roky Erickson & Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil
Tandori Knights - Curry Up
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Hawk
The Sword - Warp Riders
Eli Paperboy Reed - Come and Get it
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Stan Ridgway - Neon Mirage
Alejandro Escovedo - Street Songs of Love
Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions
John Grant - Queen of Denmark
The Like - Release Me
Hoodoo Gurus - Purity of Essence
Nobunny - First Blood
Dead Ghosts - Live
Dungen - Skit I Allt
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
White Wires - WWII
Velcro Lewis Group - White Magick Summer
Lloyd Cole - Broken Record
Crowded House - Intriguer
Robyn Hitchcock - Propellor Time
Reading Rainbow - Prism Eyes
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Sarena Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor
Retribution Gospel Choir - 2
Posies - Blood/Candy
Ty Segall = Melted
Aloe Blacc - Good Things
Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards
Wolf Parade - Expo 86
Teenanger - Give Me Pink
The Greenhornes - 4 Stars
The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
New Pornographers - Together
Haunted George - American Crow
Mondo Drag - New Rituals
Various - Our Boy Roy
Matt K. Shrugg - Gone Ashtray
Red Mass - Sadness
White Mystery - s/t
Circle Pit - Bruise Constellation
Dex Romweber Duo - Live @ Third Man Records
Elvis Costello - National Ransom
Prince - 20Ten
Stephen Cummings - Good Bones
Midlake - Courage of Others
Len Price 3 - Pictures
Mark Olson - Many Colored Kite
Mark Ronson & the Business Intl - Record Collection
Girls at Dawn - Call the Doctor
The Flaming Lips - Dark Side of the Moon