Matt Wiens

ALBUMS

J. Tillman - Vacilando Territory Blues ("Firstborn")
The Fleet Fox drummer released two folk albums this year–the other, Year In The Kingdom, is also good.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amedeus Phoenix ("1901")

Fanfarlo - Reservoir ("Harold T. Wilkins")
Like Arcade Fire but hookier and not so depressing all the time.

Roman Candle - Oh Tall Tree In The Ear ("Why Modern Radio Is A-Ok")
A present-day Whiskeytown from Chapel Hill, NC.

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca ("Ascending Melody" - from Temecula Sunrise EP)
Brooklyn, represent.

Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali ("Djama")
Absolutely solid through all 16 tracks.

Discovery - LP ("Carby")
I don't seem to get tired of this album.

Micachu & The Shapes - Jewellery ("Golden Phone")
Not an easy listen, yet extremely catchy. See also tUnE-yArDs.

White Denim - Fits ("Say What You Want")
Unpredictable Texas garage-rock.

St. Vincent - Actor ("Marrow")
Brooklyn, represent.

Real Estate - Real Estate ("Fake Blues")
New Jersey band with a great, mellow vibe.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest ("While You Wait For The Others")
Brooklyn, represent.

SONGS

Brendan Benson - "A Whole Lot Better"
Julian Casablancas - "Glass"
Surfer Blood - "Swim" (whole album is good, too)
The Low Anthem - "Charlie Darwin"
Mos Def - "Twilite Speedball"
The-Dream - "Put It Down" (key lyric: I'm all up on you / like a monster truck...)
Animal Collective - "Brother Sport" (Brooklyn, represent)
A.A. Bondy - "When The Devil's Loose" (like good Ryan Adams)
Andrew Bird - "Fitz & Dizzyspells"

DECADE ALBUMS

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
Radiohead - Kid A
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
The Strokes - Is This It
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head