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David Obenour
Co-publisher and Managing Editor |
| 1 | Saul Williams – The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust (Self-released) Saul Williams is one smart dude and credit where credit is due, I’ll be damned if Trent Reznor didn’t do a bang up job with this shit. |
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| 2 | Enon – Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds (Touch And Go) If Primal Scream still made good records they would make Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds and not that third rate shit Kasbian is regurgitating to overzealous European fanboys. |
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| 3 | Grinderman – self-titled (ANTI-/Mute Records) Nick Cave is a bona fide genius. Period. |
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| 4 | The Sea and Cake – Everybody (Thrill Jockey) America’s gentle sweet kick in the teeth answer to Belle & Sebastian getting all glossy and shit. |
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| 5 | Devendra Banhart – Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (XL Recordings) The crazier this dude is the better and Smokey don’t get much more crazy. Shabop shalom baby |
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| 6 | Robert Pollard – Coast to Coast Carpet of Love / Standard Gargoyle Decisions (Merge) I know I already used this, but Robert Pollard is a bona fide genius too. Saying you don’t like him is more of a character statement on yourself then it is on Rob. |
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| 7 | Coffinberry – God Dam Dogs (Morphius) Cleveo boys know how to kick out the jams! |
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| 8 | Bill Callahan – Woke on a Whaleheart (Drag City) It’s a grower, mainly thanks to Callahan’s knack for melodies that creep deeper into your mind than about a billion fast food jingles. |
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| 9 | Okkervil River – The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar) Oh wow! I’ve never heard of this record before. Wonder why more critics aren’t putting it on their year’s end lists? (groan… still good though) |
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| 10 | Panda Bear – Person Pitch (Paw Tracks) See above. |
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| 11 | Antelope – Reflector (Dischord) Simple and sparse, but catchy and kinda spastic – if not just slightly off-kilter. Owing a good debt to Joe Lally and other fine folk over at Dischord. |
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| 12 | Copperpot – WYLA? (EV Productions) Tight and creative. I dunno – what more do you want? |
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| 13 | ADULT. – Why Bother? (Thrill Jockey) I’d like to see them go on a double date with Mates of State. Imagine what they’d talk about! |
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| 14 | Bottomless Pit – Hammer of the Gods (Matador) Between Coffinberry, this record from two exes of Silkworm and the completely bitching Pavement reissues I’ve found myself on the receiving end of this year, mid-nineties nostalgia is running high. |
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| 15 | Empty Orchestra – Here Lies… (Thinker Thought Records) Some of the best music comes out of the worst case scenarios, so apparently Flint = Tom Waits + Jawbreaker. Worth all the destroyed lives from corporate greed? Probs not, but still not a bad bi-product. |
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