First off, my list of the best movies of 2013:

1. Spring Breakers
Now with that out of the way, here’s my list of the best albums.



1. Kanye West - Yeezus
Kanye West’s 2010 prog-rap instant classic My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy found him adopting maximalism as his primary aesthetic; his two subsequent collaboration albums (2011’s Watch the Throne and 2012’s Cruel Summer) found him continuing to traffic in fussy beats and samples, to diminishing returns. When he started seeing Kim Kardashian, I predicted the effective end of his career. But of course, Yeezy works best when subverting expectations.

Yeezus finds Kanye trading in prog-rock affectations for punk- and electronic-influenced minimalism. The beats are loud and aggressive, and Kanye alternatingly screams, spits racially-charged political rhetoric, and offers ribald come-ons. This is a mainstream rap album that starts with 20 seconds of straight synthesized noise. God himself is credited as a featured artist. There’s a duet between Bon Iver and Chief Keef. The last public thing Lou Reed did was write a review calling the album “majestic and inspiring.” The thing doesn’t even have a cover. What else could I have picked?

Favorite song: “Blood on the Leaves”

2. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Call it Daft Soft-Rock: the brilliant brothers Punk reject the aggro EDM world in favor of Steely Dan-influenced hi-fi disco. The whole thing is strange and inventive: a blockbuster album made in 2013 featuring a monologue from disco innovator Giorgio Moroder, a smash single combining Chic and Pharrell, and Animal Collective’s Panda Bear over trap-rap hi-hats. It’s an expensive-sounding, misshapen mess of a record. When it came out I originally remarked that my headphones simply weren’t nice enough for me to enjoy it. But miraculously, the pure pop songcraft shines through the flashiness. It’s an ambitious album with pure intentions, and for that I ultimately came around to love it. “Giorgio by Moroder” combines spoken word, disco, smooth jazz, and hard rock, and succeeds. “Instant Crush” makes Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas sound downright adorable. “Get Lucky” was the pop creation heard ‘round the world. And the whole thing sounds flawless on vinyl. Once again the boys in Daft Punk have managed to create an original, distinctive party album.

Favorite song: “Instant Crush”

3. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Recorded and given small release in 2012, Parquet Courts’ wiry post-punk debut was reissued and given wide release early this year. Light Up Gold offers up lo-fi punk with idiosyncratic humor and brazen attitude. 15 inventive, sardonic rock songs in 33 minutes.

Favorite song: “Yonder is Closer to the Heart”

4. Danny Brown - Old
Shortly before releasing Old, Detroit alt-rap prankster Danny Brown said that the album would be the Kid A to his breakout mixtape XXX’s OK Computer. Even though Thom Yorke doesn’t have any songs commanding girls to “Pop the pussy on a handstand,” I can see where he’s coming from - the album has a dark, electronic sound that acts as a stark counterpart to its more accessible predecessor. His signature “Hybrid voice” (a shrill, cartoonish yowl that made him popular with the indie crowd) is mostly gone, in favor of a more menacing cadence. Try not to break out into a cold sweat listening to songs like “Dip,” “Dope Fiend Rental,” and “Smokin & Drinkin.”

Favorite song: “Float On”

5. David Bowie - The Next Day
The Thin White Duke came out of 10-year retirement and delivered this phenomenal comeback album, a clever recontextualization of the man’s legendary status (even reusing and skewing his classic “Heroes” cover) that remarks on his past without falling prey to nostalgia. Bowie has his cake and eats it too, succumbing to old age in songs like “Where Are We Now?” while retaining his edge on the title track and “I’d Rather Be High.” Throughout, the production modernizes his aesthetic without sacrificing his distinct songwriting. At no point does this sound like an “old age” album.

Favorite song: “Where Are We Now?”

6. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
First off, an aside: if Brimstone Blondes bassist Alex Mersinger sees this, he may quit the band. We’ve been sworn Arcade Fire detractors ever since Neon Bible came out, and the decidedly maudlin and serious The Suburbs did nothing to quell my Win Butler-fatigue. But call me a sucker for James Murphy production. Of course, the band still trades in sometimes-too-serious lyrics (“Is anything as strange as a normal person?”), but the music sounds so good! The title track has a groove so funky that it actually warrants its David Bowie cameo; “Here Comes the Night Time” rides a calypso rhythm before exploding into punk fuzz. The gang may still be a bit too arch at points (and that’s not even factoring in their recent concert dress code flap), but Reflektor goes a long way towards loosening them up.

Favorite song: “Reflektor”

7. Disclosure - Settle
With Daft Punk out of the EDM game this year, the world needed a new electronic duo to light up the dancefloor. Enter the British brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, who record surreal deep House under the name Disclosure. Their debut album Disclosure is a thrilling blend of airy synth pads, woozy bass, and immaculate vocals. “When A Fire Starts to Burn” is a manic party-starting anthem, with its infectious hook the incidental invention of a sampled motivational speaker. “You & Me” is a love ballad made up in garage beats. “Latch” rides a two-syllable yelp into a beautiful house track. The whole thing is inventive, surreal, and perfect for parties.

Favorite song: “When A Fire Starts to Burn”

8. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels
Killer Mike and El-P delivered one of the best albums of 2012 with R.A.P. Music. Instead of taking the year off and basking in praise, the two formed supergroup Run the Jewels and released their 10-track debut for free. It sounds tossed off (it probably was), but that works to their advantage. El-P has never been my favorite rapper, but he shines when placed alongside his cohort. The beats are vicious, bass-heavy, and consistently fucking awesome. As opposed to the political lyricism of R.A.P. Music, Run the Jewels focuses mostly on braggadocio and bullshitting. But when it’s coming from two of the most talented rappers working today, it’s not a problem at all.

Favorite song: “36” Chain”

9. Janelle Monáe - The Electric Lady
Janelle Monáe is simply one of the most talented people working today. She has a beautiful voice, incredible dance moves, distinctive style, and a knack for soulful songwriting. Her newest album is a continuation of the Bowie-esque (and speaking of Bowie, check out that Diamond Dogs-aping cover!) Metropolis suite she started on her 2007 EP The Chase and continued on her 2010 masterstroke The ArchAndroid. The Electric Lady finds Monáe expanding in all directions, working with personal heroes Prince and Erykah Badu and including storyline-appropriate interludes. It feels like a transition album in some ways - it’s a bit less surefooted than the ArchAndroid was - but it still has an unbelievable streak of beautiful songs and performances.

Favorite song: “Electric Lady”

10. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
Drake has never been my favorite rapper, but he steps up his game considerably on this year’s Nothing Was the Same. The production is impeccable, opting for a slightly warped, soul-influenced sound that sounds warm while still bumping. The sound Drake opts for on his new album is more akin to the slightly menacing soul of James Blake than the sound of mainstream rap contemporaries. Drake has always sounded a bit uncomfortable with his stature in the rap game - hip-hop’s last gasps of “credibility” came in the backlash to his middle-class upbringing and Degrassi past. 

But the Drake of 2013 has turned the page and come into his own. He is now comfortable enough to allude to hard-rap legends like Wu-Tang Clan (most directly on “Wu-Tang Forever,” and again on album closer “Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2”) while allowing himself to make music that is as far from traditional rap as he has come thus far. This gives him the chance to ditch rapping altogether on some tracks (including the immaculate ‘80’s throwback crooner “Hold On, We’re Going Home”), and allows the moody atmosphere of the production to set a mood he does not break over the course of the album.

Favorite song: “Hold On, We’re Going Home” (Seriously, I cannot say enough about this track. It’s thrilling pop music, a Jackson/Quincy homage convincing enough to have been recorded during the sessions for Off the Wall.)



James Blake - Overgrown
Boards of Canada - Tomorrow’s Harvest
Deafheaven - Sunbather
Death Grips - Government Plates
My Bloody Valentine - m b v
R. Kelly - Black Panties
Tyler, the Creator - Wolf



Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap. Can’t really get over that voice.
Earl Sweatshirt - Doris. I’m convinced he was asleep for the entire album.
MGMT - MGMT. I’m convinced they were asleep for their entire career.
of Montreal - Lousy with Sylvianbriar. I adore oM, but Kevin Barnes needs to put away the thesaurus for awhile.
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City. Okay, I only listened to it once. But, ehh...


The Cascos - Garage on Martha. 
Local boys the Cascos put out a great little garage rock gem this summer. The lo-fi home production only adds to the charm of infectious pop songs like “Andy Don’t Be So Strung Out” and “I Fell in Love with the Flute Player.” But my real reason for writing about it is that track 9, “To the Fans,” contains an intro that seeks to start trouble in the Buffalo music world by dissing me. Lead singer Jacob “Armpit” Smolinski says the Blondes’ motto, “Cool Bible music for the youth of tomorrow,” in a mocking tone, and starts playing the opening riff from our song “Reunion Tour,” before stopping. Guitarist Coleman “Meatball” Berueffy then humorously intones, “Still mad they stole that from us.” This was clearly done to start some sort of East Coast/West Coast-esque division between our respective neighborhoods (the Blondes rep the city, while the Cascos are relegated to the barren suburban wastelands of Hamburg), and it succeeded. Consider this a warning shot, Cascos. 2014 is the year the Blondes come back for ya.
 

One last note:

I didn’t listen to Miley Cyrus’ new album Bangerz because I was terrified it would become my favorite album of the year. I for one like trashy Miley. It’s the weirdest Cyrus career move since Billy Ray’s cameo in Mulholland Dr.

Infringement is making me tired. Too much going on. Oh well. Luckily, the end is near for this year's installment as the festival gears up for what is sure to be a loaded weekend. Despite a great selection of non-Infringement shows scattered over the city, if you want to save some money and stick around Allen, here are a few options for you.

Super Fucking Awesome Thursday
Nietzsche's will host one of our other favorite high school turned college acts this evening, Brimstone Blondes. Normally acts this young are not allowed within sniffing distance of the venue, but I guess Infringement plays by its own rules. Sounding like a hybrid of the B-52's and the Talking Heads, the Blondes future, like their Cascos buddies, is also uncertain due to leaving town for school, but if you haven't had a chance to see one of the best frontman in Buffalo, Matthew Danger Lippman, then this could be one of your last chances. $5 will get you through the doors starting at 8pm. Full lineup can be found here.

The Simian Sonic Showcase
A four act bill of beats and electronics located down at the 20 Allen St. bar has the best combo of the night: a performance from local beatboxer Scantron and a $5 serving of your favorite Bert's Beach Bum fishbowl...

Lobo Marino
Normally, Betty's is not the first place that comes to mind when thinking Infringment, but the wonderful restaurant has two very good things going for it tonight. The first being the soulful folk sounds of Richmond trio Los Marino, which on its own is quite nice, but second is that every Thursday at Betty's, it's two-for-one at the bar. No word on if that deal is pulled during the fest, but only way* to find out is heading down there to see for your self. Music kicks off at 10:30pm.

*You technically could also just call them.

The full schedule for Day 8 of the Buffalo Infringement Festival can be found here.

Buffalo's busiest and most unique summer festival continues today as Infringement kicks off at noon with performances around the city. Sunday's schedule features a typically overwhelming lineup of live music at venues like The Foundry, El Buen Amigo, Rust Belt Books, and Allentown's College Street. Here's a look at some of the shows you'll want to catch amidst all the action.

Chances are, if you've been to the Glitterbox, a cozy West Side basement at 359 Parkdale Ave., you're going to check out tonight's 6 o'clock show featuring Ghost Mice, Brimstone Blondes, and Bill Nehill. As a relative newcomer to Buffalo, I'll leave it to a few friends-who-know to describe the opening acts. 

Bill Nehill, a local songwriter, says on his Facebook page, "Ed Hallborg [and I] ... will be playing mainly new songs...included on a record the two of us will be working on soon, tentatively titled "Ghosts Both Abstract And Human." I am on vocals and guitar while Ed plays piano. If you dig Songs: Ohio, Nick Drake, or Fred Neil, you might want to come down and check it out," then asks us again to "Dig it!" 

Mike Moretti, WBNY D.J., calls Brimstone Blondes "lo-fi, light-hearted... reminiscent of Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, or The Exploding Hearts," then asks us to "Check it out."

As for Ghost Mice, the Bloomington, Indiana  acoustic punk group, I was impressed by a sentiment in the song, "boy meets girl:" "Anyone that doesn't want to die must not really be alive." 

If you want to test the boundaries of happiness at a punk show, this Glitterbox gig is IT! 

Tonight is a very special show.  Three Buffalo-area, high-school-aged bands have come together to throw a show at the Ninth Ward.  No promotors, no funny stuff, just a bunch of kids doing stuff, DIY style.  The show features the garage-rock prodigies in Brimstone Blondes, the multi-instrumentalist indie-pop prodigies in Victory for Poland, and the surfy Vampire Weekend-like prodigies in The Cascos.  It's worth mentioning that despite their age, these bands have some pretty reputable influences i.e. Pavement, Modest Mouse, and Neutral Milk Hotel.  These young musicians are probably going to be at the forefront of the Buffalo music scene in the years to come.
  Show starts at 7:00pm and is only $7.  Come hang out at the Ninth Ward (even if it is a school night).

Brimstone Blondes.  High school age garage-rockers.  I'll keep this intro short and sweet like their upcoming EP, When We Were Blonde.  It clocks in at just over 12 minutes.  

In regards to performances, Matt Danger Lippman (the singer and guitarist of Brimstone Blondes) reveals, "The biggest compliment we can get from a fan is when they come up to us and say 'I don't really know what I just watched' and "Are you Serious" or 'Are you joking'." And before I get the chance to ask him if he's being serious or sarcastic, he answers my question: "I guess we try to blur the line between seriousness and completely joking with everyone." Despite being difficult to register, the group's high energy performance landed them the Judge's prize at Buffalo's own Music Is Art festival. His charismatic stage presence, a mixture of thrashing, pointing (like an impassioned preacher), and foot shuffling make it hard to believe that Lippman is graduating from high-school just this year. At the end of our meeting he says, regarding transcribing the recording of the interview, "Good luck combing through this to find a coherent sentences."

buffaBLOG: So how did the band come together?
I guess it's not all that interesting.  Ever since middle school I was friends with the bassist Alex and the drummer Joe and we all kind of got together.  We would all go to the drummers house and play for hours on end.  We had this one song that was really ambitious; it was this weird jazz, rock, rap song that we never did anything with. We were obsessed with the idea of "premiering" ourselves, and our first song and single to the world would be this bizarre creation. We never did anything with it, but I guess it was a nice headspace to start with.

I saw Titus Andronicus; they're this punk band. I always played with Alex and Joe, but we weren't all that serious about it, but I saw them live and decided that I needed to start playing live shows, and become a real band. After that I talked with Alex and Joe, we decided we'd get down a bunch of songs we've written. Originally, it was sort of your high-school band thing.  We played at the school talent show.  Funny thing is we came in second and the person who came in first place ended up becoming the violinist for our band. We did a cover of "Runaway" by Kanye West, after that it was sort of goofy block party shows. Then we got a call from After Dark and we played at Xtreme Wheels and stuff like that.

buffaBLOG: How did you guys come up with the name?
I like the artists with B's:  Bowie, Beck, Bob Dylan, Beastie Boys. I always thought we could be a mix of the Beach Boys and the Beastie Boys. I always liked the idea of referring ourselves as blondes, because no one in the band is blonde. I also like the dichotomy between the sound of blondes and the sounds of brimstones, because neither of those actually describe us since we're not a metal band or really nice pop. So I like the idea of two completely different words that don't signify our sound to come together. I like two to three syllable names.

buffaBLOG: Who would you say are some of your influences, besides the B's.
When I was growing up, Gorillaz was a huge influence for me and my dad's collection where I got David Bowie and the Talking Heads.  Actually, the Talking Heads and Elvis Costello are probably the two biggest ones. We're a very 21st century band in that we came in an age, for instance, where you can have Kanye West and Outkast and Talking Heads be equal influences. Our biggest influence is having so much access to music where I can love so many things equally that it all comes together in this bastardized twisted way. Like I love hip-hop lyrics, a lot of the directness I take in writing lyrics comes from the hip-hop I listen to, Outcast and MF Doom, the Beastie Boys. I love how in hip-hop, they can't really hide behind bad lyrics, like Led Zeppelin, they kind of immerse themselves in this abstract mythological stuff, but I love directness. Our sound, our music comes from Talking Heads and the Velvet Underground. In terms of attitude, I love punk bands like Bad brains, Big black. I love never making it easy for people, making them try to figure out what they're watching.

buffaBLOG: So, how do you go about writing material?
I'll always have a certain thought or image I want to convey. I always think about how the universal feeling, for instance, of feeling like you weren't made for these times. And I've always felt that way because I listened to a lot of weird classic rock.  I get this annoying feeling ,"how can you really make anything original anymore when everything has been made?", but I fully realize that's a cliche thought, so with one song I tried to half write a song about "I'm tired of these times, I was born for another time" while trying to mock feeling that, exaggerating everything. So I guess I have these thought processes in mind, and I try to simultaneously speak through them and outwardly add some dry disconnected cynicism to them. Cynicism, or at least irony, is a big thing in my song writing. For instance, our song "Reunion Tour"  is just about, as a teen band, planning on selling out and coming back for a reunion tour, how we can't way to cash in on everyone's old memories of us. And there's also "My Neighbor Looks Like Christian Bale" which kind of speaks for itself. I like the idea of using humor in music without being a humorous band. I try to act like everything is serious and then everyone can read what they want. It starts off with a thought and then I try to figure out the music, or chords that comes from that, a certain sound that I want, if I want to make it more like a hip-hop song, if there are chords that I just repeat, or a fluid rock song ,verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge.

Check out their music here.

Tonight, two buffaBLOG favorites, The Tins and Brimstone Blondes, will be playing a benefit show in support of the Senase Project, an organization aimed at eliminating poverty in Africa.  By now, you should know about The Tins' fun brand of keyboard-fueled indie rock that brings to mind Ra Ra Riot, Wolf Parade, or even a bit of Modest Mouse.  As for Brimstone Blondes, think fun and surfy garage-pop like Elvis Costello or even Wavves.  Great show for a great cause!

The show will be held at Iris at 9:00pm, and the organizers urge you to join them for a beer (or four).  There is no cover charge, but they will be collecting donations for the Senase project, so if you can spare a few dollars in exchange for some good music, bring a couple extra bills along.

Victory for Poland:  Victory for Poland were the winners of the Music is Art Battle of the Bands.  For a band whose members are still in high school, their sound and influences are surprisingly mature...  Think Modest Mouse or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.  A young band of talented multi-instrumentalists is something everyone can get into - they'll be playing from 12:45 - 1:00 on Stage #3.