Seth Carpenter of Bucolic's Top 5 Albums of the Decade
Seth Carpenter is a musician from South Jersey and the driving force behind the Bedroom Pop project Bucolic.
Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective (2009)
This album ranks number 1 on my list of top 5 albums of the past decade, and would probably land a spot on the top 10 favorite albums of my life. Animal Collective’s 8th studio album is one of the most influential experimental pop albums of all time and has had a major influence on the way I look at and approach writing my own music. The group’s prior releases often sounded more experimental than structured and would frequently seem as if some of their songs were almost entirely stream of consciousness. Merriweather Post Pavilion shows off the band’s ability to create a truly abstract and experimental sound that is packaged in an accessible and cohesive way. This album came during a hiatus of the band’s guitar player, Deakin, which resulted in an album completely devoid of guitar, an instrument the band relied heavily on in the past. The absence of guitar resulted in an entirely electronic album (minus vocals) that relies heavily on samples, synthesizers, and drum machines but somehow has a very organic sound at the same time. With songs like “Daily Routine” that take the listener to the deepest depths of psychedelic experimentation, to “Summertime Clothes” that plays like a catchy anthem for those who’d rather walk through the woods on LSD than spend their time partying at the bar, this album feels like one big trip that I hope never ends.
Eskimo Snow - Why? (2009)
Number two on my list comes from Cincinnati’s own Why? Eskimo Snow is Why?’s 3rd studio album that came on the heels of their breakut genre-defying LP Alopecia. The album seemed like an effort to explore a more traditional and accessible sound. Both Alopecia and Eskimo Snow were written in the same year (2007) which speaks to the band’s frontman, Yoni Wolf’s impressive range and ability to write any type of music he wants, and do it well. It’s difficult to assign a specific genre to the band but one element that was always present in their earlier albums and EPs was hip-hop. Eskimo Snow is unique because it distances itself from the band’s typical experimental hip-hop roots and draws from a more classically structured, melodic song writing style, but it’s not at all boring or stale. If you ask fans what they love about Why? you’d be hard pressed to find one that doesn't mention Wolf’s cleverly crafted lyricism. Wolf’s lyrics are brutally honest, poetic, dark, and disturbing but he never seems to take himself too seriously. When I listen to Eskimo Snow, I imagine walking through a quiet suburban town cloaked in fall foliage while ruminating on a dark secret I need to get off my chest. This album will always hold a special place in my heart.
Beach Fossils - S/T (2010)
The third album on my top 5 of the decade comes from Brooklyn’s Lo-fi Surf Rock heroes, Beach Fossils. Their debut, self titled LP was written and recorded by the band’s frontman and founder Dustin Payseur in his New York apartment. This is a quintessential album for any Bedroom Pop lover. Unlike the other albums on my list, Beach Fossils doesn’t necessarily push any boundaries or explore new soundscapes, but not every great album has to do these things to be great. With simple, jangly guitar lines on a continuous loop, dry drum parts that gently chug along and vocals drenched in reverb, Payseur creates a hazy, nostalgic atmosphere that seems to both lament the past and revel in the beauty of moment. Beach Fossils proves that you don’t need a studio or even a band to create a fully formed album that can really make an impact on it’s listeners.
Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter (2010)
The first time I heard Deerhunter’s 5th album, Halcyon Digest, I was in a car with a friend, talking about new music we liked. She told me about a song she had just heard but she couldn’t remember the name or the band. A few minutes later I became distracted from our conversation by a song that began to play on the radio. As I reached to turn up the car’s stereo my ears were greeted by a ghostly yet beautiful voice gently crooning over a heavily effected acoustic guitar and watery drums. My friend said “This is it!” and we sat silently transfixed as the song completely enveloped us in a dreamlike landscape. As the song came to an end, we anxiously awaited the name of the track. It was Deerhunter’s new single “Helicopter.” Excited by our new discovery, we couldn’t wait to explore the rest of the album. As we carried on with our night, aimlessly meandering about town, smoking cigarettes in her little sedan, we heard the song 3 more times on the same station. It seemed the DJ was as mesmerized as we were. After I downloaded the album and listened to it in it’s entirety, I was taken by the band’s frontman Bradford Cox’s ability to create a sound so unique, but easily “digestible.” This album has a sort of eerie elegance that is hard to explain without feeling as if I am doing it an injustice. With tinny acoustic guitars dripping electronic effects that often sound more like a synthesizer than a wooden instrument, a mixture of acoustic and synthetic drums that give the more upbeat tracks a delightful bounce, and the unmistakable voice of Cox tying it all together, this album is as brilliant as it is odd. I always find something new to appreciate when I put on Halcyon Digest; it’s truly a listening experience unlike any other.
Gliss Riffer - Dan Deacon (2015)
Have you ever discovered an album that speaks so directly to the current place you are in your life it feels like the universe delivered you a gift, specifically designed for you? Dan Deacon’s 4th studio album, Gliss Riffer, was that album for me. A year before it came out, I was at a major crossroads and had decided to change my life in a drastic way. I was on a path of self discovery, spiritual rebirth, and just trying to wake up every day and live like I had never lived before. I then saw that one of my favorite artists, Dan Deacon was about to release a new album and had released the single, “Feel The Lightning”. The first time I listened to this song, It was like I had placed my hands on one of those games you’d find at an arcade where you are trying to hold onto two metal posts as the machine sends an increasingly powerful electric shocks throughout your body. This song drilled into my core and set it on fire. With Deacon’s signature wall of static sound, and the chorus shouting “I’m having visions, infinite visions of something new” I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be in that moment. I thought that this had to be one of those albums where the initial single was fantastic and the rest of the album couldn’t possibly compare. And then I heard “When I Was Done Dying”, a triumphant piece about death and rebirth. Dan seems to almost desperately deliver the beautifully poetic lyrics while creating fully synthetic and energizing soundscape beneath that makes it almost impossible not to sing, or even shout along. While these two tracks are easily my favorite of the bunch, that doesn’t discount the rest of the album in any way. With songs like “Learning To Relax” and “Sheathed Wings” that are equally as powerful and special in their own way, this album is the gift that keeps on giving. I had been a big fan of Dan Deacon for years, especially of his most popular album Bromst but had begun to wonder if he would create something that spoke to me and so many others like his song from that former album had. This album is proof that he is still here, still giving it everything he has and still one of a kind.
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