dont make lists

#253 - Bratmobile - Fuck Yr Fans

A lot of bands would probably benefit from taking a leaf out of Bratmobile’s book and peaking their songs at two minutes.

#278 - Unwound - Nervous Energy

this is the most mentally busy 5 minutes of my life

#307 - Modest Mouse - Styrofoam Boots/It’s All Nice On Ice, Alright

A confession: I’ve never really delved into pre-Moon & Antarctica era Modest Mouse, and i’m sure a lot of people will argue that Long Drive & Lonesome Crowded West are their two best records. But this is something that makes little sense in any logical way, but do you ever love a record so completely inside-out that listening to a band’s other records just somehow doesnt even appeal? Well, that. And Moon & Antarctica is a record i’ve probably not listened to for years but will always appreciate as a legit classic of contemporary indie-rock, and sneer away, but such things definitely exist. 

Anyway, this is one of the few tracks I really do know from their 90s output, I think there are certain times when you can tell that it’s Calvin Johnson assisting with the production.

Indie music, huh?

#342 - Tullycraft - Look How We Killed The Riot Grrrls

Another one to file under my internal struggle with indie pop. Not sure if i’ve ever heard a proper studio version of this. Hm.

#351 - The Microphones - Moon Moon

Early 7” from Phil Elverum that’s not totally unlike the more tender stripped back moments on The Glow Part 2. Features backing vocals from The Blow. Quite pretty and totally has that pacific northwest feel that I’ll never adequately describe.

#353 - Damien Jurado - Ohio

Been a long while since i’ve listened to any real singer-songwritery stuff like this but knew when I was compiling that this was totally essential; listening to it now after years and I wasn’t wrong.

#29 - The Microphones - I Want Wind To Blow

Fitting that after trying and failing quite a few times this year to describe the atmosphere and aesthetic of a lot of Pacific Northwest artists (Karl Blau, No Kids and Thanksgiving in particular come to mind), I’ll find my voice and articulacy when it comes to the magnum opus of not only Phil Elverum’s career but of that whole scene - The Glow Part 2.

While the previously mentioned Thanksgiving record Cave Days & Moments is just as flawless in it’s production and atmosphere, The Glow Part 2 just takes on a whole other scale and level of ambition; thematically, atmospherically and most crucially of all, sonically. Phil Elverum provides the Twin Peaks to Adrian Orange’s Northern Exposure. 

There’s been a lot of talk recently about sleep-like hypnagogic music like Ducktails, OPN and James Ferraro (all of which I hugely enjoy, don’t get me wrong) Elverum’s work and production just feels far more sleep-like to me, despite the music contained within often being totally blistering and noisy. Easily my favourite production job ever and one of the only records that won’t make me cringe at myself using words like womb-like and visceral.

And like any ‘Magnum Opus’ when it comes to the LP, it’s ridiculously difficult to choose just one track when as a piece of art it feels so complete. The opener just summarises what’s so great about the record as a whole though - twentieth time i’ll mention the production, oh my god those drums towards the end, Elverum’s imagery and writing, a totally otherworldly atmosphere that I’ll never truly be able to explain. 

Maybe i should get a bit drunk more often and not feel so self-conscious writing, huh? Probably not when I read this in the cold light of day

#49 - Mount Eerie - Great Ghosts

Must admit this version doesn’t have the weight and solemn delicacy of the version on The Microphones’ Live In Japan, but - spoiler alert - there’s a different Microphones track to come. And when a song is as beautiful as this you could record it down a well and it’d still be worthy of a place on this list.

#58 - The Intelligence - Tropical Struggle

the? no the?

#63 - Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything

the moon and antarctica is probably one of the best indie guys who play guitars and emote and etc albums, huh