2009 Wrap #11: Ben Swanson
Monday, December 28, 2009
jj no. 2 The soundtrack to my summer, heard it at too many parties and in too many cars…but still not enough
Neon Indian Psychic Chasms The soundtrack to my summer, pt 2. Me and (noted Bloomingtonian) Jon Coombs jamming this in the middle of Indiana outside some greasy pizza joint, again through the corn fields for a pee break, and again in the middle of the night on the way back home from some show.
Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix It’s Never Been Like That never did it for me, but Phoenix came back huge with this album. And killed it on SNL where so many bands failed this year. Certain people I work with cringe when I play this record. That’s fine, they can keep their Toad The Wet Sprocket.
The xx – s/t Being pretty late to the party, I was pretty shocked when I finally got around to hearing xx for the first time. I expected something more snotty and in your face from the imagery, hype, etc. The restraint and beauty on this record goes well beyond the band’s years. Very, how you say….chuffed?
Animal Collective Merriwether Post Pavillion Yeah, yeah, its obvious. But its undeniable.
El Perro Del Mar Love Is Not Pop Ms. Del Mar has yet to receive her fair shake stateside, which is a real shame. She took an incredibly boring overdone subject of a break-up record and turned it into something sublime. Studio’s production was the perfect antidote to Del Mar’s previous Spector explorations. Its a rare treat when a musician realizes they’ve fully tapped the potential of a certain sound and owned it completely, only to abandon for new lands.
Bill Callahan Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle My lady and I have fought more than once over which is Callahan’s best record. This has led me to believe that there are exactly two camps for fans: those that appreciate Knock Knock and those that don’t. Well, I’m glad to say this is no Knock Knock. This is also some of his best, most consistent work in a long (too long?) time.
Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca DP’s rose to the challenge of expectations with such a graceful record.
Jenny Wilson Hardships! Jenny’s your typical art-Swede who combines R&B vocal melodies with weirdo Scandinavian pop. Someday she’ll be a star outside her homeland.
Mount Eerie Wind’s Poem I heart Mount Eerie.
A true native of Arizona, Ben Swanson knows a thing or two about the East Valley and believes that hard work truly pays off. Since the age of 16, his biggest challenge in life was living on his own and supporting himself. At age 19, he purchased his first home and made the leap to pursue a career in real estate in Arizona. When Ben is not hard at work, which is a rarity, he can typically be found taking in a Suns game with his wife Chelsea and their puggle Sampson. In his spare time, Ben helps run the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans label empire in Bloomington, Indiana.