Listening Habits 07-08.10

In case you were wondering what Cool Music Central's summer soundtrack was, here's the long-delayed post with our favorite albums and tracks of the last couple of months:

At the top of the album list we have the third efforts from two of Canada's best rock acts of the last decade. Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" has given the band the widespread success it deserves, with sales matching its critical acclaim and number one positions on both the US and UK album charts (not to mention the dazzling number 3 it has reached in the Greek international chart, meaning it might have sold around a hundred (?) copies here).

Wolf Parade might not be as successful commercially, but "Expo 86" is an equally astounding record where the remarkable songwriting talents of Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner combine better than ever. The intense "Cloud Shadow on the Mountain" kick-starts the album with frenetic pace and urgency that rarely lets off until the very end of the record with the equally explosive "Cave-O-Sapien". A wild ride from start to finish, certain to satisfy your inner wolf!

We have already raved about Best Coast on a couple of occasions this year, declaring the single (and bonus track on the album) "When I'm With You" a Killer Track and praising their performance at Primavera Sound 10 Festival. Bethany Cosentino and her band that includes multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno and former Vivian Girls drummer Ali Koehler have provided us with further proof of their ability to write catchy, bittersweet guitar pop that channels the '60s girl-group sound with the release of their outstanding debut "Crazy For You". Best Coast's combination of lovelorn lyrics and summery sounds not only lands their album at the number 3 of our humble list, but it has also earned them the prestigious number one spot at NME's 50 Best New Bands Of 2010 list. This list also features two other of our recent favorites near the top, The Drums at number 2 and Sleigh Bells at 4, but it is strangely missing my personal number one new band, which, as you might have guessed, is none other than the mighty fine Dum Dum Girls!

Among our top choices we also have the sophomore, more dance-oriented, School Of Seven Bells effort (a record that brings back memories of bands like Cocteau Twins, Lush or Chapterhouse and reminds me that I should bring back Vintage Tracks posts), the also sophomore LP from Crystal Castles who continue exactly where they left off with their violently dreamy, noise-dance debut, and M.I.A. who confounded fans and critics alike with her turn towards an abrasive, dance-punk sound in tracks like "Born Free" on her third LP, "/\/\/\Y/\" (did I spell this right?), but the end result, despite its lack of the next "Paper Planes", is just what the doctor ordered for C.M.C.'s noise-hungry ears!

Top 20 Albums

1.  The Suburbs - ARCADE FIRE
2.  Expo 86 - WOLF PARADE
3.  Crazy For You - BEST COAST
4.  Disconnect From Desire - SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS
5.  Crystal Castles (II) - CRYSTAL CASTLES
6.  Maya - M.I.A.
7.  The Drums - THE DRUMS
8.  Avi Buffalo - AVI BUFFALO
9.  Brothers - THE BLACK KEYS
10. The Five Ghosts - STARS
11. Totaled - INDIAN JEWELRY
12. Possession Sound - GUN OUTFIT
13. This Is Happening - LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
14. Latin - HOLY FUCK
15. Swim - CARIBOU
16. Champ - TOKYO POLICE CLUB
17. XXXX - YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE!
18. Nothing Hurts - MALE BONDING
19. Where Did The Night Fall - UNKLE
20. Before Today - ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI

Top 20 Tracks

1.  Ready to start - ARCADE FIRE
2.  Cloud shadow on the mountain - WOLF PARADE
3.  Next girl - THE BLACK KEYS
4.  Teqkilla - M.I.A.
5.  Empathy - CRYSTAL CASTLES
6.  Excessive moonlight - INDIAN JEWELRY
7.  Windstorm - SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS
8.  Boyfriend - BEST COAST
9.  Forever and ever amen - THE DRUMS
10. What's in it for - AVI BUFFALO
11. Bright lit blue skies - ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI
12. Wasted daylight - STARS
13. Bambi - TOKYO POLICE CLUB
14. Pow pow - LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
15. Red lights - HOLY FUCK
16. Sun - CARIBOU
17. Ablivion - UNKLE
18. Laura Palmer’s prom - YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE!
19. The flower beneath the foot - GUN OUTFIT
20. T.U.F.F. - MALE BONDING

 

Wolf Parade -  Cloud Shadow on the Mountain (live)