A Free Man

No, not Christmas. Christmas can bite me. I’m talking about the time for end-of-year Top 10 lists. I love a good top 10 list and have always wanted a venue on which to present one. When I was thinking of starting a blog, and this is true, one of the things that motivated me to get it together was that I would finally be able to put together a list of my 10 favorite albums of the year. Just like the magazines. Except nobody cares about mine.

Bit of a twist this year. Because of my loosely enforced boycott of the major labels, this year’s top ten list will be the Top 10 Albums from Unsigned Artists or Artists Associated with Independent Record Labels.* Catchy title, eh? I don’t want to give any press to the Big 4, so I’m going to focus on the little guys. Guys that may not get the attention of an R.E.M. or a Kings of Leon but may be making better music. Now, I don’t own every album that was released in 2008, so this list is really just personal favorites. I’ll feature one of my Top 10 every couple of days until the end of the month.

Christmas blows but I’m not completely opposed to the Season of Giving concept. I’m working on a repeat of last year’s musical giveaways and am hoping to scale it up a bit this year. So, stay tuned for some reader rewards that will hopefully give me a chance to say thanks to those of you that enjoy the music that you find here at A Free Man.

So, we’ll start off today with the Honorable Mention albums:

The Pharmacy - “Choose Yr Own Adventure”: I fell in love with this cheeky Seattle trio earlier this year. I’m a sucker for the harpsichord as well as Kinky psych-pop and The Pharmacy has both. Their debut LP is a Buy it directly from Don’t Stop Believin’ Records or download from .

MP3: The Pharmacy - “Black Ice Cream”

Motel Motel - “New Denver”: I get a load of music through my inbox, the bulk of which goes pretty rapidly into my trash. If something doesn’t make me sit up and take notice on the first listen then it rarely gets another shot. So, the unsigned bands that I feature on this site are the ones that make it to the second listen. Every now and again, one gets a third or fourth or fifth. One of those is Brooklyn’s Motel Motel. The album is kind of all over the place, but when these guys are good they’re damn good. Check out their debut LP, “New Denver” available from .

MP3: Motel Motel - “Coffee”

Cat Power - “Jukebox”: I love Chan Marshall. She is my rock and roll fantasy girlfriend. But her record company, Matador, has been heavy handed with bloggers. This is really a shame, because they’ve got some great acts in their stable. Matador, I’d like to be friends, really I would. But until you make an effort to be friendly to bloggers, I’m afraid I have to treat you as a Major label. At any rate, Cat Power put out one of the best records of 2006 with “The Greatest”, but this follow up pales a bit. It’s kind of a step backwards for Chan. Still pretty good, though and certainly worthy of mention. As Matador will send the sheriff after me if I link to a song from “Jukebox” here’s an excellent live version of”New York, New York”.

MP3: Cat Power - “New York, New York” (Live)

We Grow Up - “Night Kitchen”: There seems to be a real movement in music right now toward simple, almost primitive, melodic pop. I’ve got to tell you, this makes me happy. I ran across an unsigned Aussie band from right here in Adelaide a while back and was immediately enchanted. Their sophomore LP, “Night Kitchen” is just a joy to listen to and they’re surprisingly mature songwriters for a young band. They’ve signed with Half A Cow and “Night Kitchen” is available from the label.

MP3: We Grow Up - “Celia” 

The Mountain Goats - “Heretic Pride”: John Darnielle, the brain behind The Mountain Goats, has a discography stretching back to the early 1990’s but he just really got on my radar this year with the lyrically stunning “Heretic Pride”. Two of my favorite music bloggers are huge fans and convinced me to have a proper listen. Man, am I glad that I did. I’ve always been a lyrics man and Darnielle is a poet. Have a listen to “Autoclave” and if you like what you hear, you won’t be disappointed by the LP. Buy it from 4AD.

MP3: The Mountain Goats - “Autoclave” 

Bon Iver - “For Emma, Forever Ago”: Another folky, lyrical guy is Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. He’s making spare, slightly spooky and gently ethereal music that is perfect for lullabies, among other things. I have a bit of experience. But beyond its usefulness to parents, Bon Iver makes beautiful and subtle music and “For Emma, Forever Ago” (Jagjaguwar) is a treat. Buy the record direcly from the label. By the way, remember that name (Jagjaguwar) you’ll be seeing these guys again, they’ve got some fantastic artists in their stable.

MP3: Bon Iver - “For Emma”

Super XX Man - “Volume XII: There’ll Be Diamonds”: Must be something about the rain in Portland, because that city is home to some wonderfully wistful, lo-fi artists here at the end of the 00’s. The latest to make me long for the Pacific Northwest is Super XX Man. The musical vehicle for Scott Gerrard is prolific, with their latest “Volume XII: There’ll Be Diamonds” (Tender Loving Empire) marking their twelfth (or so) long player. It’s addictively and simply charming and is available from the band.

MP3: Super XX Man - “There’ll Be Diamonds”

The Bell - “Make Some Quiet”: One of the unexpected, and pleasant, surprises of spending so much time in Sweden over the last few years was the discovery that Sweden right now is to melodious, beautifully crafted pop music what Florence in the 1400’s was to religious painting. There’s just an amazing number of incredibly talented pop bands coming out of the frozen north. One of my favorites is Stockholm’s The Bell, an heavily 80’s inspired trio. Their debut LP, “Make Some Quiet”, made some noise earlier this year and if you’ve got a taste for some of the darker music from the totally awesome decade it may just be for you. Check out my interview with Matthias Strömberg and if you like what you hear, buy their record from .

MP3: The Bell - “Do You Know How To Feel”

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* Independent means really independent. No boutique labels, no distribution deals (see Sub Pop).

Popularity: 15% [?]

A couple of bands from my old home of Athens, Georgia have been on repeat on A Free Man’s iPod this week and I’d like to kick things off with them. First is Dead Confederate, a five piece that may be single-handedly redefining the sound of ‘Southern Rock’ as The Drive-by Truckers did before them. These guys are making dense, guitar driven music that owes more to Kurt Cobain than to Duane Allmann. Dead Confederate released their debut LP, “Wrecking Ball”, this week. Check it out on . Thanks to News from Space for bringing these guys to my attention.

MP3: Dead Confederate - “The Rat”

I’ve got to give a nod to Bop at Catfish and Cornbread for turning me on to the second Athenian act of the week, The Whigs. It took me the longest time to realize that when referring to this band people weren’t talking about some pared down, reformed Afghan Whigs. But, this trio definitely takes some inspiration from the early 90’s so it’s not that far a stretch. Check out their second LP, “Mission Control” on .

MP3: The Whigs - “Hot Bed”

Moving west from Athens finds Omaha’s Tilly & The Wall. Apparently these guys performed on the premiere of the new 90210, but I’m not holding that against them. Gorgeous harmonies and sugary sweet vocals from this co-ed quintet. Their latest, “o” is out and available from .

MP3: Tilly and the Wall - “Alligator Skin”

Old Crow Medicine Show will always remind me of a couple of weeks that I spend in Ithaca, NY doing some field work. I stayed with a bluegrass banjo player who introduced me to a number of great contemporary bluegrass acts, including this tight Nashville outfit. They’re one of the best bluegrass bands around. You can pre-order their upcoming LP “Tennessee Pusher” here.

MP3: Old Crow Medicine Show - “Caroline”

Fuzzy guitar from the Pacific Northwest is nothing particularly new, but Seattle’s Moondoggies mix it up a bit, bringing in a little Midwestern twang a la Jayhawks. I’ve been listening to this one over and over this week. Their debut, “Don’t Be A Stranger” is out and available from .

MP3: The Moondoggies - “Changing”

From the other side of Fortress America comes Brooklyn’s Forest Fire, a quirky, shambling collective that evokes late night sing-alongs. If that doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, have a listen to this one from their latest, “Survival” (Catbird). It’s dead catchy in that charmingly slack way that appeals to aging Gen X-ers like your underwhelming correspondent.

MP3: Forest Fire - “I Make Windows”

My current troubles with avian antagonists may have made me perk up a bit when Caw! Caw!’s e-mail came chiming in, but it was their music that really made me sit up and take notice. This Chicago is making loose, swirling punk inspired music and have an EP due out next week. I’ve got no purchase info, but check their MySpace for updates.

MP3: Caw! Caw! - “Organisms”

Last but not least this week is Delta Spirit, a California act that’s been getting some well deserved attention here in Oz after their visit here this winter. These guys are making slick, but compelling power pop. Check out this track from their latest, “Ode to Sunshine”. Sing it and bring some to South Australia, boys .

MP3: Delta Spirit - “Trashcan”

Popularity: 67% [?]

The older I get, the more I appreciate the darkly twisted Nick Cave. He and his Bad Seeds have a new record out, “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!” which is just pure art. Check out the title track for a glimpse.

MP3: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!”

London based singer-songwriter Owen Duff has offered up his latest EP “The Stop Gap”as a free download. A little reminiscent of Badly Drawn Boy, but definitely worth a listen.

MP3: Owen Duff - “Act of War”

Over on the other side of the Atlantic, New York’s Baskervilles have just released their latest LP “Twilight. Chirpy Mitch Easter produced indie pop.  

MP3: Baskervilles - “A Little More Time”

Toronto’s Luke Doucet wrote my favorite track of the week. Solid roots rock fueled by fierce song-writing. His debut, “Blood’s Too Rich” is out Tuesday.

MP3: Luke Doucet - “Blood’s Too Rich”

Los Campesinos is the self-declared second most punk-rock band in Britain. The Welsh septet’s latest LP, “Hold On Now, Youngster” was out earlier this year on Wichita.

MP3: Los Campesinos - “Death to Los Campesinos”

Gotham’s Dream Bitches are the second act from the Big Apple that caught my attention this week. Four of five Bitches are women, but this act is not your little sister’s girl band. Their sophomore LP “Coke and Spriters” is out on Recommend If You Like Records.  

MP3: Dream Bitches - “Me & The Major”

Thomas Bryan Eaton is another member of the burgeoning music scene in Brooklyn. Like fellow Yankees the Felice Brothers, he’s making music that sounds like it should be coming out of the Midwest or the South. Solid Americana.  ”Dreams, Demons & Butterflies” is his new one,  due in July.

MP3: Thomas Bryan Eaton - “Meant To Last”

Philly quintet Dr. Dog is staying busy. Their newest record, “Fate” is out in July and their supporting that release with live dates all over the U.S. and Europe for the rest of ‘08. Look out for these guys.

MP3: Dr. Dog - “The Old Days”

One-woman band (and purported elementary school teacher) Cannonball Jane is making some wonderfully creative homemade music. Get her latest effort, “Knees Up”, direct from Jane.  

MP3: Cannonball  Jane - “The Secret Handshake”

To finish up this week, a new feature here on A Free Man - the week’s best remix. During my time in the City of Dreaming Spires I was often enchanted by the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry (Top Toffs?). London producer Nikolai Levey captures that competitive spirit in his Cambridge remix of Vampire Weekend’s “Oxford Comma”.

M4A: Vampire Weekend - “Oxford Comma (Nikolai Levey’s Alternate University Version)”

Popularity: 37% [?]