The albums on my counter

This is a list is some recommended listening. I'll also be supporting local merchants by providing a link to purchase each album from Waterloo. Just buy it. Fair warning, there are at least twenty albums sitting out by the stereo right now, so this will be a long post. I also want to say that these aren't my favorite albums, just the albums that Mrs. LaBlog and I have been listening to at home lately.

All Girl Summer Fun Band - s/t. AGSFB is a quartet from Portland which makes great catchy twee pop. Mrs. LaBlog loves twee.

Ash - Free All Angels. Ash is somewhere between between power pop and britpop. It's probably safe to refer to them as the UK's answer to Weezer. I've liked this guys since I heard them on the Angus soundtrack.

Aerospace - In a Place of Silver Eaves. It may be safe to call them twee simply because they're Swedish. Aerospace is melodic pop that belongs in the same family as Belle and Sebastian. This is another of Mrs. LaBlog's selections.

Chin Up Chin Up - This Harness Can't Ride Anything. Chin Up Chin Up surround you with sound and melody on this album. I think that it is safe to call them indie pop. This Harness Can't Ride Anything is one of the most enjoyable albums that I have listened to in a long time. I am listening to it right now, actually.

Camera Obscura - Underachievers Please Try Harder. If you aren't familiar with Camera Obscura, then that is a personal failing on your part. This Scottish group makes very pretty pop music. The songs are well crafted and the primarily female vocals are great. They can be a little boring live, but they always seem to sound good.

The M's - Future Women. The M's reminded me of the Beach Boys the first time that I saw them live. I credit their white pants for that. Future Women is a very layered album that relies heavily on timing. They pull it off wonderfully. It is a good driving album, very nice rock music.

Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger. I've already briefly mentioned them and Underground discussed this album as well. His description is spot on, so I'll just stand on his work.

Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity. I really love Deerhoof, so it shouldn't be surprising that I like this album. Deerhoof makes very noisy, layered, rock songs. They aren't a single band, they are an album band. Randomly pick any of their albums and you should be satisfied, assuming you like the noise. Apple O is a great place to start.

Various Artists - The Hot Generation. This is a collection of Australian rock from the 1960's. It is billed as punk rock, but punk didn't really exist until 1977, so take it for what it's worth. It is reasonable to call this a precursor to punk rock. The songs are raw and the guitars are jangly. You, dear readers, definitely need to own this album.

the Strokes - Is This It (import). You need the import. Otherwise you don't get "New York City Cops," aka the best song on the album. You know the Strokes, right? Everybody knows them. They were super cool and then they got popular and instantly became super lame and then they released two more fairly well received albums. I don't know if they are cool or lame now, but I do know that Is This It is a catchy album that borrows liberally from old punk rock bands. They put it together pretty well.

the Headlights - Kill Them With Kindness. There is a lot to like about the Headlights. They have male-female harmonies. They use keyboards well. They combine elements of pop with shoegaze really well. The shoegaze is very subtle on the album and serves more to add depth than anything. The album is just really enjoyable to listen to. The live show is even better.

Spoon - Girls Can Tell. This is the redemption album following the embarrassment of being dropped by Elektra shortly following the release of A Series of Sneaks, aka my favorite album. If you haven't caught on that I really like Spoon, then you haven't been paying attention. Do you like the Kinks? Do you like the Clash and the Jam? You should, and you should love Spoon.

Spank Rock - YOYOYOYO. Critics love this album. I like it too. Spank Rock is rap with some electronic thrown in as a bonus. It's not the rap that I'm particularly fond of, it's the way that the noises in the background and the vocals blend to provide a really nice listening experience. Also, it is very raunchy.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Shake the Sheets. Ted Leo writes very political punk rock music, and he does it better than anyone else. Shake the Sheets is immensely enjoyable. His live shows can be somewhat terrifying because the crowds resemble a cult rally more than a rock show audience.


Quasi - When the Going Gets Dark. I don't actually like this album. Neither does Mrs. LaBlog. Oh well. It's just out because we haven't bothered to find a place for it on the shelf.

Peter Bjorn and John - Falling Out. How can one not like Peter Bjorn and John? If nothing else, they should be loved for their association with the Shout Out Louds. Fortunately, there is more to Peter Bjorn and John than that connection, as nice as it may be. As Underground and I have mentioned, Peter Bjorn and John write beautiful melodies over catchy pop tunes and the production value is top notch. They also put on a great live show, but don't just take my word for it,
the Austinist liked them too.

Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block. This has some better songs than Falling Out, but the album isn't quite as good on the whole. It's still better than most albums out there. Peter Bjorn and John may be familiar to those who watch that stupid show, Grey's Anatomy. I'm told that their music is regularly featured on that show.

Yo La Tengo - Ride teh Tiger. Yo La Tengo is the most consistently good and creative band on the planet. There is no active band that come close to the consistent quality that they put out. If you are thinking about U2 or some similar band, I will beat your ass. I own seventeen Yo La Tengo albums and I like all but the reggae ep. If you only have the greatest hits album, then you are doing yourself a disservice. Go to the record store with great haste.

Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass. This is their newest album. Go get it, it is really good. Maybe you don't like good music? If that's the case, go buy some Creed.

Silver Scooter - The Blue Law. Silver Scooter made melodic indie pop songs. Whenever I hear Death Cab for Cutie, I get angry because they got huge writing songs that are essentially Silver Scooter songs that don't go anywhere. Maybe Ben Gibbard is a big Super XX Man fan.

That's all. Feel free to comment. I'll probably find more albums around my apartment, but I'm not going to write about them. I'm tired of writing.