It takes an ocean not to break part 3: US indierock

US indie music had a huge year with older bands such as The Walkmen and The National releasing fantastic albums while a new San Francisco orchestra and stoner surfer girl doing some perfect pop music paving new roads. Today two of those albums are given a closer look:

The Walkmen – Lisbon
I only found the Walkmen’s song The New Year (that I wrote about here) in 2010 and immediately thought it was one of the best songs I’ve heard in years. I think this often but this time the feeling stayed on for longer. As I sat with a troubled mind this summer both in the lyrics and desperation completely smacked me in the head. In a good way. Then came their new album Lisbon and it was pure class all the way through. This fall this was one of the records that was around the most as the desperation and raw power in their music reached whole new levels with this album. Outstanding songs: Juveniles (above) and Stranded.

The National – High Violet
This year my favorite orchestra came out darker and heavier than ever. Hope was nowhere to be seen and Matt Berninger stood in an ocean of angst beating on his heart while screaming ‘it takes an ocean not to break’ during the Way Out West festival this summer. I felt like going home afterwards so I would not risk losing the sheer power this band has on me. Then I ended up staying and dancing to LCD Soundsystem. Many people have written many great things about this band (I can suggest this recent review of a London concert for those interested), and it would surprise me anyone reading this have missed them, so I will not dwell on but just conclude that in my book this is the greatest band on earth. For those of you that do not believe me I will forward you to my last.fm page.

For continued coverage of the 2010 year in music check back after the holidays where Swedish indie pop, strings and magic things will be explained and covered.

Really really really a faliure

http://blogg.svt.se/psl/wordpress/wp-content/themes/psl/flash/player-16-9.swf?movie_id=16363

The pressure is on to create a successful life full of travel, interesting cultural experiences and rising stature in the corporate ladder. There is little room for underachievers (even my favorite Scottish popsters in Camera Obscura titled their 2003 album: ‘Underachievers please try harder’) in today’s world. I still remember watching Michael Owen in the 1998 World Cup and thinking that, ok, too late to be a professional footballer. Some people reach very far very fast these days and sometimes it is difficult to watch these young stars without feeling a bit melancholic when looking at yourself. What exactly have I created so far?

With this in mind I enjoyed watching this PSL-interview with LCD Soundsystem maestro James Murphy and hear that also one of the most interesting and innovative musicians for the past few years also struggled to reach his potential, claiming that he was a big failure. I guess the moral of the story, cause please let’s find one!, is that one should not stress too much, there is still time to do something substantial even though you spent a few years hovering around without a clear goal or aim. I find it comforting to hear, in my hovering.

It takes an ocean not to break

So I forgot the shape of my plan, listened to Frida Hyvönen, pulled myself into my project, stressed out, walked windy streets, made inquiries, felt I was loosing grip, the hours were racing. My heart tried to slow it down, I tried to breath slower. I stared at questions. The days were numbered, and where the numbers came from I don’t know. All I knew is that there were wrong. So I worked, and I got a call. Just the call I needed. Sometimes things just work out just when you need it.’ I’ve had the same feeling’ my Spanish friend told me when we cruised the dark highway between Malaga and Granada this past Monday. The work and plan fell into place cause they had to, cause there was no more time. I went to Göteborg, worked some more, had some brunch in my friends funky apartment. Saw Wu-Tang Clan do a tired set while talking about weed and women. They had humor, I smoked cigarettes, let the work drift off me.

Saw The National, and Matt Berninger was drinking enormous amounts of white wine just as he did when I saw them for the first time five years ago among a hungover and tiny Zürich crowd. He sang ‘It takes an ocean not to break’ and I didn’t want to hear anything else that night after the show. A few hour later I stood dancing in front of LCD Soundsystem, there is no plan that cannot change. Then M.I.A. rolled in the the beautiful forest with her gunshots and completely crazy live show (see picture above).

It was a few days after I almost broke down, when I questioned my own legs and my mind was sitting next to me, shaking its head. Now I shook my head to some of my favorite music. Life is about the small moments, the pockets of utter happiness. I walked into the world and as I sit in an apartment in Granada, with the 40 degree heat outside listening to Stone Roses while drinking cheap beer I am no longer looking for a plan, just a pocket of something to fill the freedom with.