Ken Beck Poop ’10



cover of JUNIP – Fields  Buy New or Used via amazon
1. JUNIPFields [Mute]
Jose Gonzales reforms his old band of Swedes who have a thing for 70s keys and synths that John Paul Jones must have leant them.



cover of THE BESNARD LAKES – The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night  Buy New or Used via amazon
2. THE BESNARD LAKESThe Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night [Jagjaguwar]
Blissed-out, droney heaven that Kevin Shields would thoroughly approve. The album Low should have made right after “The Great Destroyer”.



cover of BOB DYLAN – The Witmark Demos  Buy New or Used via amazon
3. BOB DYLANThe Witmark Demos [Columbia]
Spare, nuts & bolts versions of songs we all know, but sound new all over again. The live disc at Brandeis University is not to be missed either.



cover of OF MONTREAL – False Priest  Buy Newor Used via amazon
4. OF MONTREALFalse Priest [PolyVinyl]
Major white-boy funk happening here with some fine knob twiddling by Jon Brion. Kevin Barnes delivers once again and Prince must be totally pissed at him.



cover of DEERHUNTER – Halcyon Digest  Buy New or Used via amazon
5. DEERHUNTERHalcyon Digest [4AD]
I admittedly am late to the game with Mr. Cox and haven’t heard a note of his other project Atlas Sound. Perfect fit for the 4AD label considering they were once home to the Red House Painters whom I’d compare this to.



cover of DR DOG – Shame, Shame  Buy New or Used via amazon
6. DR DOGShame, Shame [Anti-]
Their first for the big indie Anti/Epitaph and doing what they do best. Delivered a far better release than their last “Fate” and likely making Jim James a little nervous as they nip at his heels.



cover of JASON FALKNER – All Quiet on the Noise Floor  Buy New or Used via amazon
7. JASON FALKNERAll Quiet on the Noise Floor [Japanese Import]
Hopefully this album will see the light of day domestically in 2011. Great Be Bop Deluxe cover and the album as a whole is as inspired as ones from his Elektra days.



cover of SPOON – Transference  Buy New or Used via amazon
8. SPOONTransference [Merge]
An odd step backwards and not nearly as accessible as the “Ga” x5. Regardless, they made me happy again.



cover of VAMPIRE WEEKEND – Contra  Buy New or Used via amazon
9. VAMPIRE WEEKENDContra [XL]
Say what you will, but this is a well crafted, well thought-out and joyous 2nd album from this undeservedly and heavily criticized band.



cover of LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – This is Happening  Buy New or Used via amazon
10. LCD SOUNDSYSTEMThis is Happening [DFA/Virgin]
I’ve never been one to like his albums all the ways through as the dance-element bugs me on certain tracks, but I guess the kids just wanna dance. Some really great Brian Eno/Talking Heads moments and worth it alone for “Drunk Girls”.



Ken Beck, Cranford, NJ