40) Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Gentle Sons”
Pains of Being Pure at Heart, buoyed by the light pop texture of songs like “A Teenager in Love” and “Young Adult Friction,” drops its guard for four and a half minutes of revamp-drenched kickass. Retaining the sentiment and touchy-feely-ness evident even in their cover art, “Gentle Sons” simply ups the noise, spiraling from ripping power chords into utter chaos.
39) Passion Pit – “Moth’s Wings”
What might pass for a first single in other indie pop realms is probably more akin to a ballad for high-energy newbies Passion Pit. There’s a lot going on here, from the nature-tinged lyrics about expectations and acceptance (“put down your sword and crown/come lay with me on the ground”), the deep, swarming drums, the elegant chimes, and the persistent “ya ya ya”s that instigate the song’s final build. But, somehow, it’s all so miraculously and cohesively lush.
The bassist, drummer, guitar-vocalist rock outfit still has some life left in it, at least here out West (see also: Ted Leo and his pharmacists). Portland-based outfit The Thermals were more a bit less bleak this year than on 2006’s The Blood, The Body, The Machine (as was much of the indie scene: is Obama to blame?). A definite highlight off Now We Can See is the rousing “How We Fade,” which is somehow nostalgic, nihilistic and uplifting all at the same time.
37) The XX – “Infinity”
I didn’t really buy the procalamation that The XX (Dos Equis?) harness negative space as if it were another instrument in their arsenal. And, indeed, over the course of an album, I found the aural vacancies gradually become more burden than blessing. This qualm is not true of "Infinity," a gorgeous take on fidelity that sounds like the futuristic soundtrack for two lovers’ epic seaside quarreling.
36) Camera Obscura – “James”
Simply put, there are not many songs about men. Songs are written about women, about Lola, Julia, Jane, and Angie. Who’s James? Well, apparently longing works the other way too, and when he “broke” our soft-spoken female protagonist, he wiggled his way into the history of decidedly personal, lovingly-executed songcraft. I hope you feel happy for yourself, James.
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