This is formative stuff for me, no doubt laced with nostalgic arsenic. But it’s still an amazing song - better than any I could record with the same parts, instruments, lyrics, etc.
Also! It makes a fantastic alarm ringtone. A solid half minute of quiet haze and creepiness, then it just rips you out of your nightmare.
I really do think my own album from 2010, Accept the Mystery, can hang with my official choices.
But given the title/theme of this blog it seems gauche to include it. So whatever go and buy it anyways.
No real order, unless I get feisty and pick a favorite, from which point a hierarchy will flow.
“Let a glorious hierarchy propagate throughout all that you do touch.” - Kurt Heasley
Rustie, Sunburst EP (Warp)
Probably the shortest entry on the list, it’s over way too early. All six songs are fire. “Beast Nite” is probably my favorite. The cover is beautiful as well.
Copywrite, The Life and Times of Peter Nelson (ODOT)
Not every song on this record is great, but overall, a really solid and unexpectedly sentimental record from one of the best writers in the rap game.
Freeway/Jake One, The Stimulus Package (Rhymesayers)
Freeway is most definitely not one of the best writers in the rap game. But his flow, especially with Jake One’s beatwork, make this record a classic. I think Jake One is maybe the best working producer right now.
Guido, Anidea (Punch Drunk)
Super-precise and extremely catchy instrumental pop shit.
Ikonika, Contact, Love, Want, Have (Planet Mu)
Deceptively simple, pretty much everything she has put out in the past 12 months is amazing.
Tunng, …And Then We Saw Land (Full Time Hobby)
The record is phenomenal, and will hopefully finally stop the “folktronica” branding since it’s basically just a great, well-produced pop record. This band live is literally amazing. Do not miss them.
Maps & Atlases, Perch Patchwork (Barsuk)
Can’t figure out how to classify this one. I guess it’s like mathy pop shit? Guy’s voice is kind of annoying, but if you can get past that (like I did), you shall be richly rewarded.
Venetian Snares, My So-Called Life (Timesig)
What can be said about the Snares that hasn’t already been said. This record in particular has a lot of heavy stuff - particularly “Aaron2,” which is kind of the most depressing and amazing song of the year.
Hot Club de Paris, The Rise and Inevitable Fall of the High School Suicide Cluster Band EP (Moshi Moshi)
The other EP they put out this year is great as well, but listing them both would have been just way too many characters. This is my favorite active rock band in the world, FYI.
Yeasayer, Odd Blood (We Are Free)
Potentially better than the first record, kind of a different band for obvious reasons. Also they should have left the multiple bass solos in “Ambling Alp.” Another band that shouldn’t be missed live, although I’m guilty of missing them numerous times this year.
The only post I’ve posted includes “About Me” in the title. And now, it’s time to actually start posting stuff here since I’ve linked it off of my http://about.me profile. All in due time.
I guess I’ll start with some “Best Records of 2010” nonsense? Either that or I’ll just realize my true destiny and turn this into an inventory of humorously attributed false quotes.
“WE ARE THE CONTENT GENERATION.” - Robert Scoble
Greetings! Welcome to better.than.gs. You can read that in two ways: that I aim to cover (journalistically speaking) the “better thangs” in life, such as those preferred by Rick Ross (rapper), or that I wish to pontificate about things (or thangs) better than myself, GS, that is, Graham Smith, culture consumer - things such as Rick Ross (rapper), albums, songs, films, books, and maybe even the occasional Internet resource locator.
You may know my other endeavors, such as covering myself in frosting and acting a ass or whinging about human intercourse or perhaps potentially running an unbelievably successful fake record company.
If so, it’s important to note that I don’t necessarily think that the thangs discussed on this webpage and environs are better than my furtive attempts in the above arenas. I mean, they probably are, but I’m just saying they’re better than me as a consumer, and that they might make you better than me if you consume them.
Welcome! Aiming for one major post a week so keep me honest by berating me.
