Hell yeah, and I just came here to point out how VERY UPSET I STILL AM about The Underside of Power not being included in this list:
https://www.stereogum.com/1974884/10-protest-songs-that-defined-2017/franchises/2017-in-review/
This will forever be my 'need to have a good cry' album. I saw Antlers play at the Monolith Festival in summer 2009 (not the main Red Rocks stage, but a small indoor one) and it was phenomenal. There's a lot of great music out today but I might have to revisit their catalogue instead.
"On a heavier note, those who know Berman’s story might be alarmed at the unrelentingly bleak “Nights That Won’t Happen,” where he professes, “The dead know what they’re doing when they leave this world behind.” Berman says the song is about his regret over not being there for an old drug buddy when they passed away, but at first I worried about what those lyrics might mean for his own state of mind, especially given the album’s occasional resemblance to Johnny Cash’s American Recordings and Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker, morbid dispatches from men who sensed death was imminent."
https://www.stereogum.com/2048863/purple-mountains-review-david-berman/franchises/album-of-the-week/
You can certainly feel it in the album, but still so shocking and sad.
HEY I made the playlist in Apple Music, for those of that streaming service: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/essential-chillwave-via-stereogum/pl.u-11zB96BhZ3z07K
I went to the very short lived Monolith Festival at Red Rocks in 2009, which had just a indie kid's dream lineup: Phoenix, Passion Pit, YYYs, Mars Volta, Antlers, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Frightened Rabbit, Chromeo, Neon Indian (in what I think was like, their first show as Neon Indian? IIRC they were playing a few shows in NY as Vega? This was months before Psychic Chasms came out.) Lots more that I can't even remember.
Anyway the festival had 5 stages (2 indoor, 1 small outdoor, 1 at the top of stands, and the main stage) someone higher up on the billing cancelled, moving Phoenix to the main stage early in the evening. I took shrooms earlier and man I was feeling it when 1901 came on. Great festival at the best venue in the U.S. It's where I'd like to be for a concert when the bombs drop.
I honestly don't remember when I stumbled upon Stereogum either ('03? '04?) but it was on a recommendation from a friend who thought Pitchfork was bullshit. You could argue he was ahead of the curve or that Pitchfork has always been bullshit. But I digress.
I actually didn't start commenting here for quite some time (opinions on music? ugh the worst) but did comment quite a bit on GODDAMN VIDEOGUM, WHERE MY MONSTERS AT?!?
Miss you Gabe, miss you Kelley.
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