With the hassle that it takes to listen, rank, order, write-up, and post an “Albums of the Year” list, it’s nice to sit back and relax a bit tackling a considerably lesser challenge: determining favorite 7’’s. Nowadays, with the ability to instantly acquire a colossal music library with only a couple of mouse clicks and a premium rapidshare account (after all, we can’t be bothered with waiting 45 seconds for a download link to “free” music!), it’s nice to purchase something tangible every now and then. For those with not enough money to shell out about $20 for an LP, 7’’s provide the perfect solution for the aspiring music collector. This past year I had a borderline obsession with purchasing these mini-wax works and was able to accumulate an impressive set, rivaling even my bought 12”s in numbers. In an effort to provide me with a slight reprieve in having to constantly judge, the following are just my favorites of the year and are not ordered by preference:


Girls // Lust for Life | Life In San Francisco[True Panther/Matador]

Featuring as its A-side arguably the best song from 2009′s #17 album (and also Pitchforks ninth best track of this year), it really doesn’t matter what you put on the other side of the record; however, “Life In San Francisco” matches the charm of its flipside counterpart as best as you can hope for. Contrary to the get-up-and-move pace of “Lust for Life”, “Life In San Francisco” is a more downtempo melodic track about missed connections and love longings — you know the standard adolescent late-night phone chatter you’d expect from a Girls track. Check out a stream of the song here.

Wavves // To the Dregs [PPM]

Released on No Age founded label Post Present Medium Records at his buzz-zenith (the repeated z’s are not a coincidence), it’s no wonder that Wavves’ “To the Dregs” blazed through its 1000 pressings in little under forty-eight hours. Featuring two versions of Nathan William’s hit and one of my favorite album covers of the year, it’s unfortunate that so few people got to enjoy it. Although the A-side is the standard album version, the B slows it down to molasses speed creating, accurately described by the label, “a slightly more relaxed and twisted rendition” of the song.

Wavves // To the Dregs

The Sandwitches // Back to Sea | Beatle Screams [Southpaw]

If I haven’t convinced you yet of the awesomeness that is The Sandwitches, I sure as hell won’t change your mind with a couple of gushing sentences. If your a fan of modern spins on 50s pop (The Raveonettes, God Help the Girl, The Pipettes), you are bound to dig this trio of females as well. If there was a better adjective than catchy, I would use it, but alas a quick glance in the thesaurus reveals unsatisfactory results. Do yourselves a favor and cop this record before the paltry 250 pressings fly off the shelves.

The Sandwitches // Back to Sea

Vampire Weekend // Cousins | California English Pt. II [XL]

Now for anyone who knows me, it comes as no surprise that I think Ivy-leaguers turn indie-darlings Vampire Weekend are, how do I say this tactfully…, over-rated? However, this doesn’t mean I can’t change my opinion — and a pretty slick sounding 7” certainly helps. Markedly different than anything off of their S/T debut, both “Cousins” and B-side “California English Part II” could be loosely defined as experimental indie-rock (with cut-up, uncomfortable rhythm and Animal Collective-esque looped synth swells respectively). What this 7” provided me with is excitement for the future of Vampire Weekend — something I didn’t get with anything from their debut.

You can watch the video to “Cousins” at their official website.

Thrift Store Cowboys & One Wolf Split // Nothing | Everything’s On Fire [Mt. Inadale]

It’s the rainy season here up in the Northwest, so it’s natural I would long for those sometime-crazy-but-most-likely clear skies of West Texas. When I get too stricken with homesickness and can’t help myself from reminiscing about my past life in Lubbock, the best remedy I’ve found is busting out local acts Thrift Store Cowboys and One Wolf’s latest 7” split and get lost in the beautiful country melodies. On the A-side entitled “Nothing”, Thrift Store’s singer Daniel Fluitt immediately takes charge of the song with his powerful-yet-delicate vocals, meshing perfectly with the slow-moving mellifluous instrumentals him and the rest of the Cowboys provide. Channeling a little bit of Rock N Roll era Ryan Adams, One Wolf (fronted by singer/guitarist Daniel Markham) provides an uptempo counter to Thrift Store’s somber track. “Everything’s On Fire” is without a doubt a stadium jam that, in a just world, would have scores of fans shouting along in unison to all the “Everything’s on fire”s and “I guess I’m just a liar”s of the chorus. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years it will be like that — we can only hope.

Here’s a video of Thrift Store Cowboys performing “Nothing” live on their latest West Coast US Tour:

Rainbow Bridge // Big Wave Rider | Bird Cage & Sensitive as a Dream [True Panther]

It was only a week ago since I purchased Washington-based garage rock duo Rainbow Bridge’s debut 7”, but it has made enough of an impression on me that I had to include it in my year-end favorites. With dirty White-Stripes style guitar & drums (I’m sure they are probably getting sick of that comparison), they come off as the perfect counter to the excessive amount of “glo-fi”-ness infiltrating the blogs these days. With their relaxed pace and strong guitar riff interjections, all songs on this 7” are perfect when you need something to kick back and zone out to. Indisputably, their biggest hit-to-date is the kick ass “Big Wave Rider” which you can download below:

Rainbow Bridge // Big Wave Rider

Explode Into Colors // Paper | Heat [M'lady]

Another belated acquisition from another NW band, Explode Into Colors last entry to their tryptich of 7” releases is arguably their best to date. With groovy bass lines from singer/bassist Claudia Meza paired with standard garage drums, Explode Into Colors would be at home sitting next to any Mika Miko, Finally Punk, or Vivian Girls record on the shelf. Here’s the B-side “Heat” so you can judge for yourself:

Explode Into Colors // Heat

Moonface // Introducing Moonface [Aagoo]

Prior to the release of his insane 20-plus-minute marimbad and shit drums EP, Spencer Krug put out a tame-by-comparison 7” under the moniker of Moonface. Part of a series of David Horovitz picture disks, Introducing Moonface exhibits Spencer Krug at his most vulnerable: by himself with a lone piece of musical equipment. Opting for the piano for Side-A’s “Coming to At Dawn” and his instrument du-jour electric guitar on “Insane Love is Awakening”, no one, and I mean NO ONE, could fathom what Krug had in store for us with his Marimba EP. Nevertheless, he was able to stitch together a pleasant sounding pair of songs that definitely belong on this list. Here’s a video of a full band arrangement of “Coming to At Dawn” performed live in Austin, TX over the summer:

Grouper // He Knows | He Knows [Collective Jyrk/Yellow Electric]

Oh the perks of living in Portland! Not only do we have the highest bicycle commuters in the US and enough vegan food to, well, choke a horse, we have the added benefit of being able to easily cop obscure releases from well-recognized local acts. Portland-based mysterious experimentalist Grouper certainly ranks as one of the most talented the city has to offer, and with the haunting sounds on her He Knows 7”, it’s no wonder that she’s gain a sizable fan base in her hometown. Chalk-full with reverb heavy guitar and looped fuzzy cassette recordings, both sides would be fitting music to scare off any Halloween trick-or-treaters.

Finally Punk // Hypertension EP [M'lady]

I’m unsure if Austin’s Finally Punk‘s Hypertension EP was recorded this year or in 2008, but I’ll go ahead and include it in the list because it’s that kick ass. Able to somehow fit four songs on this 7” (hell, it take longer to read the titles of the tracks than listening to them), Finally Punk is able to eliminate the passively degrading connotations which the term “girl-punk” implies (you know, the whole “she’s good…for a girl” type shit) — and eliminates the hyphenation by making flat out great music. With songs all clocking in at under two-minutes, the EP is a whirlwind that you want to get caught up in. Here’s a video of “Missiles” (which is not on the EP), just to give you an idea of their style (courtesy of The Llano Idea):

Best Coast // Make You Mine EP [Group Tightener]

Not to be confused with Best Coast the record label, Best Coast the band is the brainchild of Californian child-actor turned musician Bethany Cosentino. Nicely fitting into the chillwave vibe of the summer, Cosentino is able to do fuzzed-out bedroom indie-pop as good as the rest of them. Instead of blazing through four songs like Finally Punk, Cosentino takes her time with hazing pleasant melodies and putting it together with blurry vocals to make some of the best songs of the year.

Best Coast // In My Room

The Fresh and Onlys & Dan Melchior UDM // Split 7” [Volar Records]

Rushing through at tempos easily over 100 bpms, The Fresh & Onlys start off fast and furious with their opening track “A Taste of Hunger” and release their foot slightly from the accelerator for the following track “Black Coffin”. Making lo-fi indie-rock, this San Franciscan band is one I am certainly keeping my eye out on for the future (or the present, if you count their ’09 Woodsist released 7” and LP). Providing a nice flip-side complement, British born NC resident Dan Melchior und das menace‘s music likens itself to the hypothetical situation of Art Brut‘s Eddie Argos recording two tracks while tripping out of his mind on acid.

The Mayfair Set // Already Warm | Desert Fun [Captured Tracks]

Rounding out the end of my 7” favorites is the collaborative project between members of LA’s Dum Dum Girls and one of Brooklyn’s most prolific band Blank Dogs that goes by the name The Mayfair Set. A fitting ending to the string of fuzzy indie-pop outfits appearing on the list, The Mayfair Set might be the best in the bunch. I think popular blog Gorilla vs. Bear describes their sound the best by saying that they “combine Blank Dogs’ dark, Joy Division-like baritone with Dum Dum Girl’s bright, shimmering, ’60s informed vocal melodies to create a warm sound that is at once haunting and hopeful.” Well said, my friend. Well said.

To let you know what they sound like, here’s an mp3 off their Woodsist/Captured Track Young One release:
The Mayfair Set // I’ve Been Watching You

So to recap, here are my favorites:

• Girls // Lust for Life | Life In San Francisco
• Wavves // To the Dregs
• The Sandwitches // Back to Sea | Beatle Screams
• Vampire Weekend // Cousins | California English Pt. II
• Thrift Store Cowboys & One Wolf Split // Nothing | Everything’s On Fire
• Rainbow Bridge // Big Wave Rider | Bird Cage & Sensitive as a Dream
• Explode Into Colors // Paper | Heat
• Moonface // Introducing Moonface
• Grouper // He Knows | He Knows
• Finally Punk // Hypertension EP
• Best Coast // Make You Mine EP
• The Fresh and Onlys & Dan Melchior UDM // Split 7”
• The Mayfair Set // Already Warm | Desert Fun

Stay tuned, I’ll have my favorite songs up tomorrow!

Tags: 2009 Best of, 7'', mp3

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 5:27 pm and is filed under 7'' Series, Lists, Musical Musings, The Llano Idea, Youtube Finds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.