After learning the Bon Iver had declined to perform at the Grammy Awards, I felt a little better about the long list of artists who turned down an opportunity to perform at the Dynammy Awards.
The Fleet Foxes wouldn't return my phone calls, Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio's only comment was "How did you get this number?", while the Mumford Brothers refused to attend until I stop getting them mixed up with Avett & Sons.
Bon Iver also declined to perform at the Dynammy ceremony, which may have something to do with the fact that he wasn't actually nominated for anything, and that I had asked him to perform a duet with Lana Del Rey.
Showing posts with label Dynammy Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dynammy Awards. Show all posts
2011 Dynammy Award Nominees
It's that time of the year again, when a young man's fancy turns to obsessively listing the best music of the past year.
As usual I've chosen enough Song Of The Year nominees to round out a compilation album, while limiting myself to the more traditional five nominees for Album Of The Year and Best Sound Quality.
So, without any further ado, here are this year's nominees:
As usual I've chosen enough Song Of The Year nominees to round out a compilation album, while limiting myself to the more traditional five nominees for Album Of The Year and Best Sound Quality.
So, without any further ado, here are this year's nominees:
Dynammy Award Winners
With the record industry's annual back-slapping session less than 24 hours away, its time to reveal the winners of the Dynammy Awards, my own highly subjective list of the very best music of 2010. If nothing else, I hope this list encourages a few people to check out these songs and albums so they can have something good to listen to while not watching the Grammys.
Song Of The Year: I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem walked away with Song Of The Year in the very first Dynammy Awards thanks to "Someone Great
" and now James Murphy picks up a matching trophy thanks to a song I love for all the same reasons. With its insanely catchy, uptempo, old-school synthpop backbeat, its soaring, singalong melody, and its pathetically poignant lyrics, the overall effect is cathartic, bittersweet, and ultimately uplifting.
"I can change, I can change, I can change, if it helps you fall in love."
Runners Up: Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons
, Black Eyes - Shearwater
Album Of The Year: The Golden Archipelago - Shearwater
When I first put together the list of nominees I thought that LCD Soundsystem would be my likely choice with Mumford & Sons being their main competition. The Golden Archipelago was an album I threw in to round out the list to five along with The Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. Then one day I happened to listen to the album from beginning to end for the first time since it was originally released and I realized how many gems I'd overlooked beyond the first single, Black Eyes. I also tend to root for the underdog which probably factored into my decision since LCD Soundsystem finished near the top of virtually every year-end list I read and Mumford & Sons turned out to be a big seller while Shearwater continue to fly well under the radar. Also, there are a lot of other bands who sound like LCD Soundsystem or Mumford & Sons, yet artists like Shearwater are harder to find. Their epic, grandiose, progressive sound combined with vaguely Celtic motifs and powerhouse, dynamic drumming harkens back to Kate Bush or my beloved Big Country, plus I've always been a sucker for nautical imagery, which all adds up to a come from behind victory for Shearwater.
Runners Up: This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem, Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons
Best Sound Quality: This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem
After picking up two trophies in the inaugural Dynammy Awards, LCD Soundsystem is now the most honoured artist in the not particularly long nor storied history of the Dynammy Awards. Electronic artists continue to dominate this category, and if you want to hear a great example of dynamics in action, check out the way the lead soars over the rest of the track near the end of All I Want, the exciting and irresistibly bouncy hooks of I Can Change, or the tension generated by the the ultra quiet, lengthy intro to Dance Yrself Clean.
Runners Up: Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
, The Golden Archipelago - Shearwater
So those were my picks, but what about yours? Here are the results of the Listener's Choice Awards which, I'm happy to say, had more votes than in any previous year.
Song Of The Year: I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem
A total of eight different songs received votes this year, and one wacky listener named Kurt even nominated Scissor Runner
by Jenny And Johnny, a track that isn't even on the playlist! Tsk, tsk! In the end, the listeners chose the same song I did, so obviously I approve.
Album Of The Year: This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem
This Is Happening received twice as many votes as the runners up, The Suburbs by Arcade Fire and Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons, so the listeners made their voices clear.
Best Sound Quality: Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
LCD Soundsystem is denied a clean sweep by a very clean-sounding album from the Gorillaz, although This Is Happening did finish tied for second place alongside Mumford & Sons in a category where all five nominees received votes.
That's it for this year, but I'll be back same time next year for what's already shaping up as a dog fight between The Decemberists and Iron & Wine. Will the forthcoming Steve Earle album have enough teeth to compete, and what other songs will come along to make things interesting? Stay tuned throughout the year to find out.
Song Of The Year: I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem walked away with Song Of The Year in the very first Dynammy Awards thanks to "Someone Great
" and now James Murphy picks up a matching trophy thanks to a song I love for all the same reasons. With its insanely catchy, uptempo, old-school synthpop backbeat, its soaring, singalong melody, and its pathetically poignant lyrics, the overall effect is cathartic, bittersweet, and ultimately uplifting."I can change, I can change, I can change, if it helps you fall in love."
Runners Up: Awake My Soul - Mumford & Sons
, Black Eyes - ShearwaterAlbum Of The Year: The Golden Archipelago - Shearwater
When I first put together the list of nominees I thought that LCD Soundsystem would be my likely choice with Mumford & Sons being their main competition. The Golden Archipelago was an album I threw in to round out the list to five along with The Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. Then one day I happened to listen to the album from beginning to end for the first time since it was originally released and I realized how many gems I'd overlooked beyond the first single, Black Eyes. I also tend to root for the underdog which probably factored into my decision since LCD Soundsystem finished near the top of virtually every year-end list I read and Mumford & Sons turned out to be a big seller while Shearwater continue to fly well under the radar. Also, there are a lot of other bands who sound like LCD Soundsystem or Mumford & Sons, yet artists like Shearwater are harder to find. Their epic, grandiose, progressive sound combined with vaguely Celtic motifs and powerhouse, dynamic drumming harkens back to Kate Bush or my beloved Big Country, plus I've always been a sucker for nautical imagery, which all adds up to a come from behind victory for Shearwater.
Runners Up: This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem
, Sigh No More - Mumford & SonsBest Sound Quality: This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem
After picking up two trophies in the inaugural Dynammy Awards, LCD Soundsystem is now the most honoured artist in the not particularly long nor storied history of the Dynammy Awards. Electronic artists continue to dominate this category, and if you want to hear a great example of dynamics in action, check out the way the lead soars over the rest of the track near the end of All I Want, the exciting and irresistibly bouncy hooks of I Can Change, or the tension generated by the the ultra quiet, lengthy intro to Dance Yrself Clean.
Runners Up: Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
, The Golden Archipelago - ShearwaterSo those were my picks, but what about yours? Here are the results of the Listener's Choice Awards which, I'm happy to say, had more votes than in any previous year.
Listener's Choice Awards
Song Of The Year: I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem
A total of eight different songs received votes this year, and one wacky listener named Kurt even nominated Scissor Runner
by Jenny And Johnny, a track that isn't even on the playlist! Tsk, tsk! In the end, the listeners chose the same song I did, so obviously I approve.Album Of The Year: This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem
This Is Happening received twice as many votes as the runners up, The Suburbs
by Arcade Fire and Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons, so the listeners made their voices clear.Best Sound Quality: Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
LCD Soundsystem is denied a clean sweep by a very clean-sounding album from the Gorillaz, although This Is Happening did finish tied for second place alongside Mumford & Sons in a category where all five nominees received votes.
That's it for this year, but I'll be back same time next year for what's already shaping up as a dog fight between The Decemberists and Iron & Wine. Will the forthcoming Steve Earle album have enough teeth to compete, and what other songs will come along to make things interesting? Stay tuned throughout the year to find out.
Dynammy Award Nominees 2010
It's that time of the year again when people feel obligated to give presents to relatives they can barely remember, and websites feel obligated to give awards to artists they've never met. The main difference is that I thoroughly enjoy putting together the annual Dynammy Awards, while I can't stand the thought of elbowing my way through a crowded shopping mall at this time of year. Another difference is that I'm far more likely to receive a thank you note from my Aunt Edna than I am from Arcade Fire.
Yes, it was a good year for the Arcade Fire who achieved the kind of success most alternative artists can only dream of, with the Suburbs hitting #1 in the US, UK and Canada, so it's hard for me to label them as alternative any more.
Putting together this list made me realize what a great year this was for Canadian music with terrific releases from Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade, Tegan & Sara, The New Pornographers, and The Besnard Lakes. Any one of these bands could be the next Canadian artist to break through to the next level.
An expatriate Canadian who scored two more Dynammy Award nominations this year is Dan Snaith, better known as Caribou, who lives in London, England but was born in London, Ontario. He's contending for Song Of The Year and Best Sound Quality, an award he won in 2008 for Andorra.
He'll be competing against another former winner, LCD Soundsystem, who won two awards in the very first Dyanmmys for Best Song and Best Group, and in retrospect they probably should have won for Best Sound Quality as well.
Here's the complete list of nominees, as chosen by yours truly, and you can place your vote for the Listener's Choice Awards where you can tell me your favourites or tell me which artists I missed. I'll be announcing my choices and yours on Grammy weekend so you can compare and contrast. I'm pretty sure our choices will be better.
Here's the complete list of nominees, as chosen by yours truly, and you can place your vote for the Listener's Choice Awards where you can tell me your favourites or tell me which artists I missed. I'll be announcing my choices and yours on Grammy weekend so you can compare and contrast. I'm pretty sure our choices will be better.
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.
Here's some mp3 clips of all the nominees in case you need help deciding:
Dynammy Award Winners 2009
I've been laid up for the past week with an injured elbow and too much computer use will only aggravate the problem, so I'll keep this short.
After much consideration, I can't possibly choose just one winner in any of these categories, so consider them all winners.
Sorry for the anti-climax, but there really wasn't a single song or album that stood out this year. Some were more emotionally satisfying, some were more fun, some had better dynamics, but when I put it all together it was impossible to narrow it down any further. I recommend each and every one of these songs and albums whole-heartedly and let's leave it at that.
Here's the complete list ofnominees winners for anyone who may have have missed it the first time.
After much consideration, I can't possibly choose just one winner in any of these categories, so consider them all winners.
Sorry for the anti-climax, but there really wasn't a single song or album that stood out this year. Some were more emotionally satisfying, some were more fun, some had better dynamics, but when I put it all together it was impossible to narrow it down any further. I recommend each and every one of these songs and albums whole-heartedly and let's leave it at that.
Here's the complete list of
Song Of The Year
The Airborne Toxic Event - Innocence
Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Dido - Us 2 Little Gods
Editors - Bricks And Mortar
Florence And The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
Great Lake Swimmers - Pulling On A Line
Handsome Furs - All We Want, Baby, Is Everything
Monsters Of Folk - Ahead Of The Curve
Muse - Undisclosed Desires
Joel Plaskett - Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'
One Hundred Dollars - Nothin's Alright
Rae Spoon - I'll Be A Ghost For You
School Of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
Album Of The Year
The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe
Handsome Furs - Face Control
Monsters Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk
Best Sound Quality
Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe
One Hundred Dollars - Forest Of Tears
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
Dynammy Awards: 2009 Nominees
I had a hard time narrowing down the shortlist for Song Of The Year nominees, as usual, so I went with a full fifteen nominees, which is a nice round number, and roughly the length of a mixtape.
I'm pressed for time this year, so I've limited the categories to the basics, but I've put together a listeners' choice poll just like last year, so feel free to tell me what you think the best music of last year was. Click here to take survey
I'll announce the winners shortly before the Grammy awards are announced in a few weeks time
Song Of The Year
The Airborne Toxic Event - Innocence
Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Dido - Us 2 Little Gods
Editors - Bricks And Mortar
Florence And The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
Great Lake Swimmers - Pulling On A Line
Handsome Furs - All We Want, Baby, Is Everything
Monsters Of Folk - Ahead Of The Curve
Muse - Undisclosed Desires
Joel Plaskett - Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'
One Hundred Dollars - Nothin's Alright
Rae Spoon - I'll Be A Ghost For You
School Of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
Album Of The Year
The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe
Handsome Furs - Face Control
Monsters Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk
Best Sound Quality
Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe
One Hundred Dollars - Forest Of Tears
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
I'm pressed for time this year, so I've limited the categories to the basics, but I've put together a listeners' choice poll just like last year, so feel free to tell me what you think the best music of last year was. Click here to take survey
I'll announce the winners shortly before the Grammy awards are announced in a few weeks time
Dynammy Awards: 2008 Winners
Album Of The Year
New Wave - Against Me!
Song Of The Year
Thrash Unreal - Against Me!
Breakthrough Artist
Santogold
Best Sound Quality
Andorra - Caribou
Worst Sound Quality
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
So the big winner this past year according to yours truly was Against Me!, a band I'd never even heard of until I saw them on the cover of Spin Magazine in January of 2008. I don't usually pay much attention to critics or music magazines, but for some reason that article caught my eye, I browsed through it on the newsstand, then made a mental note to check out the band online when I got home. The album wound up in heavy rotation soon after, and I'm equally passionate about it a full twelve months later.
It packs a real wallop, both musically and emotionally, which is a rare combination, and when you throw in the intelligence and introspection of the lyrics, the end result is a very special album that stood out from the pack, at least for me. It's energetic and heavy in a way that reminds me of Soundgarden in their Badmotorfinger days, yet the lyrics are not what you'd expect. For example:
The Ocean
by Against Me!
If I could have chosen where god would hide his heaven
I would wish for it to be in the salt and swell of the ocean
Carried by the currents to all continents and shores
Reaching into the depths where the sun's light has never shown
Mixed with algae and coral, breathed in by sharks and dolphins
Sailed by tanker ships, private yachts, swam in by tourists
Working its way up through inlets, lakes, and rivers,
Swamps, and estuaries, down through limestone into the aquifer
Purified by the county, pumped through pipes and out faucets
Filled into a glass to meet the thirst of our children
And if I could have chosen, I would have been born a woman
My mother once told me she would have named me Laura
I'd grow up to be strong and beautiful like her
One day I'd find an honest man to make my husband
We would have two children, build our home on the Gulf of Mexico
Our family would spend hot summer days at the beach together
The sun would kiss our skin as we played in the sand and water
We would know we loved each other without having to say it
At night we would sleep with the windows of our house left open
Letting the cool ocean air soothe the sunburned shoulders of our children
There is an ocean in my soul
where the waters do not curve
For the Song Of The Year I easily could have gone with The Ocean, but instead I went with Thrash Unreal, another song off New Wave that typifies what I love about the album. The lyrics are about an aging rocker chick still going to clubs and drinking all night even though she's far too old to be carrying on that way, but where most youthful rock bands would simply mock that behaviour, Thrash Unreal shows empathy even while acknowledging that her behaviour is somewhat pathetic to behold. And Thrash Unreal's chorus is the only lyric of the past year that sent chills down my spine.
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's going to grow up to be a junkie
No mother ever dreams that her daughter's going to grow up to sleep alone
So simple, and when you hear it, so powerful. Awesome stuff.
I probably could have given the Breakthrough Artist to Against Me! as well, but they've been around for a while now, even if I wasn't aware of them, so I decided to give the best debut kudos to Santogold, whose eponymous album was one of my favourites from last year. Danceable, fun, eclectic, and clever, it was one of the most purely entertaining albums of the year, and her distinctive voice is one that I suspect I'll be hearing a lot from in the future.
When it comes to sound quality, I have to say that neither of the two albums mentioned above deserve top marks. Both are mastered too loud, which is inexcusable and easily avoidable, but great music can sometimes overcome the sheer idiocy of the everything-louder-than-everything-else mentality. However, great sound quality also deserves to be rewarded, which is why I'm singling out Andorra by Caribou.
This is the second year in a row that I've given this award to an electronic artist -- last year it went to LCD Soundsystem -- so even though rock is my first love it seems like the people who truly care about sound quality need to look beyond that genre. The album features some amazing soundscapes and unusual quirks, and was definitely in the running for album of the year, but New Wave had the edge because of the emotions it triggered, so that left Caribou's no-less outstanding album settling for the Sound Quality award.
And in a final parting shot, I have to single out Vampire Weekend for having the worst sound quality of any album I've heard this year. What makes me really angry about this album is the fact that their songs are so good, and they sounded brilliant when they played on Saturday Night Live, but the sound quality of their album is so dreadful that I don't feel right putting it in heavy rotation. Vampire Weekend's songs deserve better, and so do their fans.
And finally, here's a full list of the nominees who made the short list. I recommend you check out every single one of these nominees immediately, assuming you haven't already, since they're all must-haves as far as I'm concerned.
And if you've bought any of the albums on the Worst Sound Quality list, you have my condolences. Maybe someday we'll all be issued refunds for the defective products record companies have been dealing us.
Song Of The Year
Detlef Schrempf - Band Of Horses
Geraldine - Glasvegas
Go To Sea - Ocean Colour Scene
I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria
Rockist Part 4 - School Of Language
Run To Your Grave - The Mae Shi
Shout Me Out - TV On The Radio
Thrash Unreal - Against Me!
Time To Pretend - MGMT
Waving Flags - British Sea Power
Album Of The Year
Andorra - Caribou
Dear Science - TV On The Radio
Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power
New Wave - Against Me!
Santogold - Santogold
Breakthrough Artist
Glasvegas
Fleet Foxes
MGMT
Santogold
Vampire Weekend
Best Sound Quality
Andorra - Caribou
Dear Science - TV On The Radio
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Worst Sound Quality
Rockferry - Duffy
Stay Positive - The Hold Steady
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Dynammy Awards: 2008 Nominees
It's that time of the year again, when everyone looks back at the year that's come and gone, and here at Dynamic Range Radio that means it's time for the second annual Dynammy Awards, honouring the best music of 2008 according to yours truly.
Those of you who are even more anal than I am might notice that some of these nominees were released in late 2007, but they made a big impact on Dynamic Range Radio's playlist in 2008, so that's my main criteria. When I did this last year there were a few albums that had just been released that probably deserved to be nominated then, but I wanted to live with them for a while and see if I was equally impressed with them six months down the road. Several of those songs and albums were too good to be ignored a second time, so I included them in this year's nominees.
So, without any further ado, here are the finalists for the 2008 Dynammy Awards.
I'll be picking my winners from these nominees, but I'm also letting the listeners have their say. Click here to choose your favourites among the nominees, or write in your own choice on any of the categories.
I'll be announcing my selections along with the listeners' choices on February 7th, one day before the Grammy awards hand out their trophies, so even if you're not familiar with all the nominees you've got a full month to catch up on some of this great music you may have missed.
Those of you who are even more anal than I am might notice that some of these nominees were released in late 2007, but they made a big impact on Dynamic Range Radio's playlist in 2008, so that's my main criteria. When I did this last year there were a few albums that had just been released that probably deserved to be nominated then, but I wanted to live with them for a while and see if I was equally impressed with them six months down the road. Several of those songs and albums were too good to be ignored a second time, so I included them in this year's nominees.
So, without any further ado, here are the finalists for the 2008 Dynammy Awards.
Song Of The Year
Detlef Schrempf - Band Of Horses
Geraldine - Glasvegas
Go To Sea - Ocean Colour Scene
I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria
Rockist Part 4 - School Of Language
Run To Your Grave - The Mae Shi
Shout Me Out - TV On The Radio
Thrash Unreal - Against Me!
Time To Pretend - MGMT
Waving Flags - British Sea Power
Album Of The Year
Andorra - Caribou
Dear Science - TV On The Radio
Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power
New Wave - Against Me!
Santogold - Santogold
Breakthrough Artist
Glasvegas
Fleet Foxes
MGMT
Santogold
Vampire Weekend
Best Sound Quality
Andorra - Caribou
Dear Science - TV On The Radio
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Worst Sound Quality
Rockferry - Duffy
Stay Positive - The Hold Steady
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
I'll be picking my winners from these nominees, but I'm also letting the listeners have their say. Click here to choose your favourites among the nominees, or write in your own choice on any of the categories.
I'll be announcing my selections along with the listeners' choices on February 7th, one day before the Grammy awards hand out their trophies, so even if you're not familiar with all the nominees you've got a full month to catch up on some of this great music you may have missed.
Dynammy Award Winners
Well, the first annual Dynammy Awards have come and gone, and the excitement surrounding them was truly overwhelming. For those of you who couldn't get tickets and didn't catch the simulcast on CBC, ABC, BBC2, or MTV Europe, let me just say that the gala awards ceremony was stupendous. And very gala. The red carpet, the flashbulbs, the celebrities... wow! It was just like the Grammys, except all in my mind. The red carpet was just an old wine stain, the flashbulbs were actually the onset of a migraine, and the only celebrity who showed up was Paris Hilton, which was awkward. Still, it was all very gala.
But the Dynammys are not about champagne and gift baskets. No, the Dynammys are all about the music. And so, without any further ado, here are the winners.
As for the People's Choice Awards, I'm sorry to say that the number of votes was a little underwhelming, so the final results weren't all that meaningful, statistically. Instead, I decided that since I'm randomly choosing a voter to win a t-shirt and Amazon gift certificate, I may as well post their choices as the winners of the People's Choice Awards.
So, the winner of that highly coveted t-shirt and $25 gift certificate is...
Will Hodgins from somewhere in Canada.
I'll be emailing Will to let him know about his prizes, and here are Will's selections for the People's Choice Awards.
All excellent choices.
To those of you who voted, better luck next year. The inaugural Dynammys were something I threw together at the last minute and didn't have much chance to promote, but I plan to do it again next year, and hopefully it'll be bigger and better. I can't promise a lavish ceremony, but I'll definitely run another People's Choice Award and honour the music that moved me the most in 2008.
But the Dynammys are not about champagne and gift baskets. No, the Dynammys are all about the music. And so, without any further ado, here are the winners.
Album Of The Year: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Baby 81
In the fall of 2007, I wrote a reviewof Baby 81 on Amazon.ca and said that it was my favourite disc of the year so far, and that time was running out for any album to come along and replace it. Even though other albums came very close, and I did debate giving the award to Iron & Wine’s The Shepherd’s Dog, my earlier conviction held true and BRMC’s latest remained my favourite of the year. As I said in that review, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club aren’t trying to re-invent the wheel, merely perfect it. And on most of these tracks, they succeeded.
Song Of The Year: LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great
The sheer volume of great songs this year made it very difficult to single out just one track, but in the end I chose the six-minute album version of Someone Great because it follows a template that’s worked for me in the past. Some of my favourite songs of all time are ones that combine a sad, poignant lyric with uplifting, infectious music, whether it be the Cure’s In-Between Days, Big Country’s Chance, or Someone Great. These songs acknowledge that there is pain and suffering in the world, but the inspirational music is a way of saying “Don’t let the world drag you down” or “Fight on to live another day.” These types of bittersweet songs are very cathartic to me and have helped me through some tough times, and you can’t ask more than that from a piece of music.
Group Of The Year: LCD Soundsystem
This was another tough choice since all five nominees were very worthy, but LCD Soundsystem produced not one but two well-received albums this year, and that pushed them over the top. Sound Of Silver quite rightly made the top ten lists of many critics, but later in the year the band also released an EP called 45:33 to critical acclaim, which was surprising since the album had been originally commissioned by Nike for a promotional tie-in. The anal-retentive indie hipsters among needn't bother writing comments pointing out that 45:33 was digitally released on iTunes in late 2006, long before the physical disc hit stores, so it shouldn't qualify for a Best Of 2007 list, because that won't stop me from using the EP as a tie-breaker in this tough decision. For managing to turn a corporate marketing tool into art, for the sheer audacity of releasing a 45 minute track, and for the uniformly excellent Sound Of Silver, LCD Soundsystem deserves to be rewarded.
Male Artist Of The Year: Steve Earle
After several tough choices, it was nice to finally have a no-brainer. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the efforts of the other nominees this year, but Steve Earle has been an icon of mine for more than a decade, and his latest album Washington Square Serenade didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t the best album of his career, but it was easily my favourite album released by a male solo artist this year.
Female Artist Of The Year: Feist
After compiling the list of female artists, I realized that I’d omitted Loreena McKennit, who probably should have been in the top five. After Amy Winehouse skanked her way out of contention, that left Feist and Lily Allen as my top two choices. In the end, I relied on the old adage “When in doubt, choose the Canadian.” That isn’t really an old adage, BTW. I just made it up.
Breakthrough Artist: Feist
Before writing this blurb, I decided to sit down and finally watch the video that made Feist a star among the YouTube generation. For an evil empire bent on world domination, Apple does manage to choose some decent music for its iPod commercials, and 1234 was no exception. For her sudden explosion in popularity, Feist seemed like the obvious choice for this award, and any artist who can get kids listening to banjo music is all right in my book.
Comeback Of The Year: Smashing Pumpkins
The Police and Led Zeppelin were certainly the highest profile reunions of the year, but it doesn’t count as a proper reunion for me unless you go back into the studio and record new material. That narrowed the field to Crowded House and Smashing Pumpkins, and of the two I thought the Pumpkins’ Zeitgeist was a slightly better album, ergo the award.
Best Sound Quality: Queens Of The Stone Age – Era Vulgaris
This is one of those albums that reminds people it’s possible to make a hard rockin’ record while leaving lots of room in the mix for the various instruments to breathe. Throw in plenty of interesting sonic quirks, and what you have is the best sounding album of the year, as far as I’m concerned. Yes, it’s mastered too loud, leading to clipping, which is pretty much a given these days, but there wasn’t any noticeable distortion once I used MP3Gain to bring the volume down. (PS - If you're not using that program to normalize the volume of your MP3 collection, you really should be.)
Worst Sound Quality: Bruce Springsteen – Magic
The other nominees all sucked for various reasons, but I expect horribly compressed sound from major label mainstream music like KT Tunstall and Mika, so it’s hardly worth mentioning how awful their albums sounded. I was also tempted to throw Radiohead’s In Rainbows on this list for not mentioning beforehand that the MP3s they were selling were encoded at 160k. But Springsteen’s Magic easily won the dubious distinction of being the worst sounding album of the year because it was shocking to hear such horrific sound on an album by such an industry icon. The distorted, compressed sound actually works on Radio Nowhere, making it sound like classic garage rock, but the rest of the album is an example of the sound quality being completely inappropriate for the type of music being presented. But don't just take my word for it. Just skim through some of the reviews on Amazon.com.
As for the People's Choice Awards, I'm sorry to say that the number of votes was a little underwhelming, so the final results weren't all that meaningful, statistically. Instead, I decided that since I'm randomly choosing a voter to win a t-shirt and Amazon gift certificate, I may as well post their choices as the winners of the People's Choice Awards.
So, the winner of that highly coveted t-shirt and $25 gift certificate is...
Will Hodgins from somewhere in Canada.
I'll be emailing Will to let him know about his prizes, and here are Will's selections for the People's Choice Awards.
Album Of The Year: Myth Takes - !!!
Song Of The Year: Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire
Group Of The Year: Iron & Wine
Male Artist Of The Year: Bruce Springsteen
Female Artist Of The Year: Feist
Breakthrough Artist: Feist
Comeback Of The Year: Led Zeppelin
Best Sound Quality: LCD Soundsystem – The Sound Of Silver
Worst Sound Quality: Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
All excellent choices.
To those of you who voted, better luck next year. The inaugural Dynammys were something I threw together at the last minute and didn't have much chance to promote, but I plan to do it again next year, and hopefully it'll be bigger and better. I can't promise a lavish ceremony, but I'll definitely run another People's Choice Award and honour the music that moved me the most in 2008.
Dynammy Award Song Of The Year Nominees (Part One)
As promised, here are links to some of the more obscure Dynammy Award nominees for Song Of The Year, courtesy of YouTube and Amazon. The goal here is to make sure that voters are at least somewhat familiar with all the nominees before casting their ballots.
Wintersleep - Weighty Ghost
The official video for a terrific song from this young Halifax band. The mix is quite different from what I'm used to, but people who crave sound quality know better than to look on YouTube. Still, it's a good preview of the song for those who haven't heard it before.
Dean & Britta - You Turned My Head Around
This song has no official video that I could find, so the best I can offer is this short clip from a concert in Nashville. There are a couple of different live performances of this song available on YouTube, but this one features sound and video quality that are almost tolerable. Or click the song title above for a short preview from Amazon.
Steve Earle - Satellite Radio
I still can't find anything for this track on YouTube, so the 30-second Amazon preview will have to do:
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
Embedding has been disabled for this video, so you'll have to follow this link to watch it. This four-minute radio edit doesn't have the same transcendent magical appeal of the full six-minute album version, but it's a nice introduction for anyone who isn't familiar with this brilliant band.
Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere
This one's hardly obscure, but five's halfway to ten and highlighting this track lets me easily find a link before wrapping up this post. To see this video, the best place is Amazon's listing for the album Magic.
I'll be posting links for the remaining five nominees some time tomorrow. If you can't wait until then, there's nothing stopping you from voting now.
Dynamic Range Radio
Your Eclectic Alternative
Wintersleep - Weighty Ghost
The official video for a terrific song from this young Halifax band. The mix is quite different from what I'm used to, but people who crave sound quality know better than to look on YouTube. Still, it's a good preview of the song for those who haven't heard it before.
Dean & Britta - You Turned My Head Around
This song has no official video that I could find, so the best I can offer is this short clip from a concert in Nashville. There are a couple of different live performances of this song available on YouTube, but this one features sound and video quality that are almost tolerable. Or click the song title above for a short preview from Amazon.
Steve Earle - Satellite Radio
I still can't find anything for this track on YouTube, so the 30-second Amazon preview will have to do:
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
Embedding has been disabled for this video, so you'll have to follow this link to watch it. This four-minute radio edit doesn't have the same transcendent magical appeal of the full six-minute album version, but it's a nice introduction for anyone who isn't familiar with this brilliant band.
Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere
This one's hardly obscure, but five's halfway to ten and highlighting this track lets me easily find a link before wrapping up this post. To see this video, the best place is Amazon's listing for the album Magic.
I'll be posting links for the remaining five nominees some time tomorrow. If you can't wait until then, there's nothing stopping you from voting now.
Dynamic Range Radio
Your Eclectic Alternative
Dynammy Award Song Of The Year Nominees (Part Two)
Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
I was initially unimpressed by the album Neon Bible, so I set it aside and didn't listen to it for a long time afterwards. My disappointment was partly due to the endless adulation the band was receiving from Canadian critics, and I saw the re-recording of No Cars Go as a sign that the band was running out of ideas. After the hype had died down, I heard Keep The Car Running on some other station and saw it in a whole new light. I'll have to re-visit the album one of these days.
Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches
The first time I saw a Bloc Party video I was quite surprised to learn that their lead singer was black. It's not a racial thing, but when I hear a band I tend to form a rough image in my mind of what the singer looks like, and Kele Okereke's voice made me think of a stereotypical skinny, pale, greasy-haired Brit like Jarvis Cocker. It's similar to years ago when I first heard the Eurythmics and imagined Annie Lennox as a sultry platinum blonde diva, only to be stunned by her bright orange closely-cropped haircut and men's suits. What does this have to do with anything? The riff from Hunting For Witches does sound a bit like Sweet Dreams if you think about it.
Bat For Lashes - What's A Girl To Do?
In addition to being one the best songs of the year, this is my choice for the best video of the year, as I mentioned a few days ago. There are quite a few terrific songs on the album Fur And Gold, so Bat For Lashes just might be around for years to come, although I am concerned about Natasha Khan's safety. If you're being stalked by the rabbit from Donnie Darko and his cohorts, I think a bike helmet would be in order .
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
I could have just as easily put You Don't Know What Love Is on this list instead, but I decided to go with the title track just for the hell of it. Jack White is a twisted kind of genius, and no offense to the other guys in the Raconteurs, but it seems like he does his best work with Meg at his side. She either brings out the best in him or simply doesn't get in his way. In either case, I'm glad that red and white were back in fashion this year.
Queens Of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu
This was another tough choice because there were several other songs from this album I could have gone with, and plenty from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as well. Maybe my comments for these last two songs have given away too much and revealed that neither of these tracks will be getting my vote. Maybe so, but they deserve to be nominated so don't let that influence your choice. You'll have to follow this link to watch the video because embedding has been disabled, which is ironic because there's a lot of embedding going on in the video.
Now that you're informed enough to make the most important decision of your life so far, you can click here to cast your vote for Song Of The Year as well as all the other categories in the first of what I hope to be many Dynammy Awards.
Dynamic Range Radio
Your Eclectic Alternative
I was initially unimpressed by the album Neon Bible, so I set it aside and didn't listen to it for a long time afterwards. My disappointment was partly due to the endless adulation the band was receiving from Canadian critics, and I saw the re-recording of No Cars Go as a sign that the band was running out of ideas. After the hype had died down, I heard Keep The Car Running on some other station and saw it in a whole new light. I'll have to re-visit the album one of these days.
Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches
The first time I saw a Bloc Party video I was quite surprised to learn that their lead singer was black. It's not a racial thing, but when I hear a band I tend to form a rough image in my mind of what the singer looks like, and Kele Okereke's voice made me think of a stereotypical skinny, pale, greasy-haired Brit like Jarvis Cocker. It's similar to years ago when I first heard the Eurythmics and imagined Annie Lennox as a sultry platinum blonde diva, only to be stunned by her bright orange closely-cropped haircut and men's suits. What does this have to do with anything? The riff from Hunting For Witches does sound a bit like Sweet Dreams if you think about it.
Bat For Lashes - What's A Girl To Do?
In addition to being one the best songs of the year, this is my choice for the best video of the year, as I mentioned a few days ago. There are quite a few terrific songs on the album Fur And Gold, so Bat For Lashes just might be around for years to come, although I am concerned about Natasha Khan's safety. If you're being stalked by the rabbit from Donnie Darko and his cohorts, I think a bike helmet would be in order .
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
I could have just as easily put You Don't Know What Love Is on this list instead, but I decided to go with the title track just for the hell of it. Jack White is a twisted kind of genius, and no offense to the other guys in the Raconteurs, but it seems like he does his best work with Meg at his side. She either brings out the best in him or simply doesn't get in his way. In either case, I'm glad that red and white were back in fashion this year.
Queens Of The Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu
This was another tough choice because there were several other songs from this album I could have gone with, and plenty from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as well. Maybe my comments for these last two songs have given away too much and revealed that neither of these tracks will be getting my vote. Maybe so, but they deserve to be nominated so don't let that influence your choice. You'll have to follow this link to watch the video because embedding has been disabled, which is ironic because there's a lot of embedding going on in the video.
Now that you're informed enough to make the most important decision of your life so far, you can click here to cast your vote for Song Of The Year as well as all the other categories in the first of what I hope to be many Dynammy Awards.
Dynamic Range Radio
Your Eclectic Alternative
Dynamic Range Radio Presents The First Annual Dynammy Award Nominees. Vote Now!
The Dynammys are an independent-minded alternative to the Grammys, with nominees picked by yours truly. In keeping with Dynamic Range Radio's alternative spirit, I chose to honour what I deemed to be the best music of 2007, regardless of sales or mainstream media attention. What a concept!
If listeners don't agree with my choices, they're free to add in their own nominees, since the final results will highlight both the Listener's Choice awards as well as my personal selections in each category. But be warned, I don't care how many people nominate Avril Lavinge as a write-in candidate, she ain't winnin' squat.
Listeners are invited to vote for their favourites between now and February 8th when voting will cease and results will be tabulated. Winners will be announced on February 9th, one day before the Grammy awards ceremony.
And as an added bonus, voters who provide a valid email address at the end of the ballot will be entered into a draw for a $25 gift certificate from Amazon, as well as a one-of-a-kind Dynamic Range Radio t-shirt. (Yes, it the same soon-to-be collector's item I couldn't give away a few months back.)
Vote Now!
PS - Since some of my Song Of The Year nominees are a tad obscure, I'll be providing YouTube links as soon as I can put them together. Of course, if you'd been listening regularly over the last few months, you'd probably know these songs by now.
Dynamic Range Radio
Your Eclectic Alternative
If listeners don't agree with my choices, they're free to add in their own nominees, since the final results will highlight both the Listener's Choice awards as well as my personal selections in each category. But be warned, I don't care how many people nominate Avril Lavinge as a write-in candidate, she ain't winnin' squat.
Listeners are invited to vote for their favourites between now and February 8th when voting will cease and results will be tabulated. Winners will be announced on February 9th, one day before the Grammy awards ceremony.
And as an added bonus, voters who provide a valid email address at the end of the ballot will be entered into a draw for a $25 gift certificate from Amazon, as well as a one-of-a-kind Dynamic Range Radio t-shirt. (Yes, it the same soon-to-be collector's item I couldn't give away a few months back.)
Vote Now!
PS - Since some of my Song Of The Year nominees are a tad obscure, I'll be providing YouTube links as soon as I can put them together. Of course, if you'd been listening regularly over the last few months, you'd probably know these songs by now.
Dynamic Range Radio
Your Eclectic Alternative
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