I’m a big fan of minimal desktop backgrounds, flat color, nice type, relaxing and not complex. These fit the bill. I figured maybe someone else out there might want a minimal background and might also like the phrase.

Brown, Black/Gray or Orange 1680 x 1050

Right-click=“save link as”. Sharing is caring.

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PHP experts, please ignore my n00bness, this post is not for you. This is for folks who aren’t strong in hand-coding PHP, but somewhat grasp “the loop”.
I’m a front-end developer & designer who tries to dabble as much as possible in PHP and JS. I’ll probably never fully grasp PHP, simply because I’m not sure my brain works that way. Time will tell.

The Problem

By default, the “Sticky” post seems to pull-in the regular “index” loop assets via loop.php. I wanted to control the way the sticky post was called-in and could not find documentation or any relevant articles on the googles. I wanted the sticky post to act more as a “welcome message” than as a full post. This would involve re-structuring the loop.

By default, the Sticky Post loop pulls-in:

• the title (linked to full article)
• the meta data
• the excerpt or the content.

I only wanted to pull-in:

• the title (unlinked)
• the content
• edit post link

My Solution

For this example I’m referencing the default loop.php included with WordPress’ Twenty Ten theme — which calls-in three different loops based on specific parameters.

In the “loop.php” file, simply add in the following at the start of the loop (directly after the large commented area “Start the loop”) :

<?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
<?php /* Sticky post loop structure. */ ?>
	<?php if ( is_sticky() ) : ?>
		<div id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>" <?php post_class(); ?>>
                       /* sample loop */
			<h1><?php the_title(); ?></h1>
				<?php the_content(); ?>
			<?php edit_post_link( __( 'Edit', 'twentyten' ), '<span class="edit-link">', '</span>' ); ?>

		</div><!-- #post-## -->

Hopefully someone else will find this post helpful. I’m aware it’s a simple statement, but it was fun to play around with and figure out. I plan on modifying and utilizing my own sticky posts someday soon. I’m happy WordPress added the function to the core.

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A step toward fluid layout

I made the decision to take-on the challenge of going super-minimal and designing a fluid theme based on WordPress’ Twenty Ten core theme. I feel my minimal effort is far enough away from the core theme to be acknowledged. I do not feel it is as far as I want to go, nor how far I will invariably go. It is a small step.

It should now be more legible on mobile devices and cross-browser/resolution display. The large background image is managed through WordPress’ back-end and is set to a fixed position. I have a semi-transparent .png image repeated through the <wrapper> of my site structure. I know that I could have approached my site design from this viewpoint anytime I wanted. What gave me a kick in the pants was the added function on the back-end interface. It put my mind into that kind of simplistic mode. I love the idea of changing the feel of my website utilizing a large background image — and not having to SFTP into my site to do it. Sure, it’s been done to death, but I’ve never done it. This is my time to do it and it’s damn practical.

Fluid Layout at 1680 pixels wide

Fluid layout at much smaller resolutions

Whoa, what’s with the logo?

I’m trying out a new logo. I hate, hate designing logos for myself. I wanted to stay away from initials, as they are just not alright with me at this time. I have chosen to take on a semi-nerdy (glasses) plus awesome (beard) kind of joe-like grangler logo. Let me know what you think.

Overall

I’m striving for minimal layout and styling — mixed with some WordPress 3.0 features (background images through the admin interface) and sensible typography. Most elements are structured using percentages for width, margin and padding. This way at any resolution elements will expand and contract accordingly. Where this fails, currently, is where the “featured image” items are displayed/styled in the “index” loop. At large resolutions (larger than 1680 wide) the featured image and the post content will noticeably separate.

I have nothing else to say at this time. Thank you for being grangley.

Update: 7/21/10

I totally changed some minor things around, mostly styling. I’m no longer using WordPress’ background-image function or image-header function. They became too cumbersome and I didn’t like the code output structure (not the most semantic or load-friendly). I am going to continue refining the styling throughout the site. My goal is geared more toward content right now, over design elements. I need to go minimal, and I’m never, ever happy with my own website. With these steps toward a fluid-flowing, expandable layout, I plan on working with the pixel vs percent relationship, in an effort to allow the sidebar to fall below content on mobile devices.

More later…

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Some key ideas

The body background is a transparent PNG with a halftone dot pattern repeated from MRI’s logo. The actual header div utilizes another dot pattern. When the two are combined it creates a completely different effect than either would solely, on their own. This is a very minor design touch but I plan on making this idea a fundamental design element throughout MRI’s branding. It embodies everything about light painting in overlapping colors.

Bright, bold colors

The theme is very minimal but it relies on bold color to re-enforce your eye’s focus.

CSS 3 and Internet Explorer

I do not expect anyone using IE to see the website as intended. This is similar to a director’s cut of a film. I will no longer go out of my way to dumb-down websites I design, just for IE — at least when I can avoid it, anyway. I chose to utilize border-radius (rounded corners) and text-shadow via CSS 3 and only folks using current web standards-compliant browsers will see the website as intended. IE users will not see rounded corners, drop-shadows or text shadows. Internet Explorer 9 is supposed to support CSS 3, finally, we’ll see. Microsoft, please stop making your own browser — use it in your operating system all you want but stop allowing people to use your shitty browser. Please, focus your energy and resources on making a semi-decent operating system.

Future ideas for expansion and refinement

• Play with sidebar widgets — how to display them in a not-so-default manner
• The heavily desired “where’s the beef” footer — more interesting footer business
• Creative ways to present post-sharing/social media badges
• Implement some @font references for headers/typography
• Strive to remember that simplicity is usually the best route to take

Click image to visit the new website.

I want to thank Michelle and Ryan for being awesome and letting me use their website as a design playground. I love you guys. This post is like, 4 months past due, but whatever. Better late than never.

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.

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Grieves featuring P.O.S. — War For The Crippled (single)

I’ve been obsessed with this song and P.O.S’ verse in particular since the Confessions of Mr. Modest EP was released — coinciding with the re-release of 88 Keys and Counting and Grieves’ own induction into the Rhymesayers family. I’ve done a few design-related things to get it out of my system — mainly revolving around P.O.S’ slightly whispered lyrics “How come your eyes hurt me so bad”. So I played with it. Nothing super involved but I dig it and think it fits in with the EP’s album cover, in my own way at least. Imagery utilized from Shorpy.

Aesop Rock — Music For Earthworms

So I said I’d do this someday and now is that some day. It is very similar in style to the Appleseed cover. Again, relying heavily on the main image. I definitely dig it more than the old school original cover. Imagery utilized from Shorpy.

Waterbear — Untitled But Moustached Lady

This is seriously just for fun and is absolutely ridiculous. Nicholas and Tom need to put out an album and maybe this in some small way will help them along their way — motivation. If you’re reading this stop and go make some music. Put down the fish and beans. Stop shitting your pants, wearing wild life sweaters and make some music. Imagery utilized from Shorpy.

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Saul Williams — NGH WHT

This is a digital-only download available here. It features Saul’s voice reading passages from his books, including the Dead Emcee Scrolls, accompanied by the fantastic Arditti String Quartet. I was sad there was no artwork included with the download so I made some. The album includes three FLAC versions of the record — one with both Saul and the quartet (the album), one with just Saul (a capella) and one with simply the quartet (this is the remix, son). The idea is to inspire remixes and submit them on Saul’s main website — saulwilliams.com. The release is well worth the $6 price tag. Go cop that dunny.

Omnii — Omniishell

This is for (an old friend of mine) Colin Swenson’s musical persona Omnii (one of many projects) and his album that may or may not be released, but he was kind enough to share it with a few friends. I, for one, think it’s pretty awesome and wanted to make a quick cover for it. I also realized that though this and NGH WHT were made many months apart, I chose to utilize the same typeface. Which also led to the inspiration for MRI’s logo design typeface, a modded version of a font called Mod.

Aesop Rock — Appleseed EP

Ah the elusive and rare Aesop Rock EP (1999) that will never again be officially re-released. Man I still kick myself for not purchasing a copy when I had a chance. I recently re-downloaded this, FLAC-style and needed high resolution artwork to print out for my shelves, along with it’s digital companion. The photo used is from this amazing photo archive website called Shorpy. I felt it was a perfect fit and I adore the photograph. So really, this is minimal on the design, heavy on imagery — I did do a tray card too. Some day I’ll do one for “Music For Earthworms” as well. If you haven’t checked out Shorpy and like nostalgia for the sake of living vicariously through dead people, go there — or if you simply like neat photographs.

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This year has, yet again, offered a wide variety of incredible new artists/bands and some crowning achievements for already established musicians. Here are my personal picks for the best of 2009. Unfortunately, I didn’t have as much time to invest in this as last years and the write-ups suffer a bit toward the middle. Regardless, it is what it is and I hope you enjoy reading.

#15 Xasthur — All Reflections Drained

Listen to “Dirge Forsaken” from this record:

Xasthur is an artist that took a long time to sink-in and appreciate. His work has been fairly consistent, intriguing and full of depth. It has taken me ten years to digest and grow to appreciate isolationist black metal. It requires getting past the “horrible production value” — you just don’t know how to interpret it. Once digested and a foundation for understanding exists, you begin to immerse yourself in the massive guitar layering — becoming obsessed with their hypnotic power. Each little intricate facet becomes appreciated and often time, leaves the listener dumbfounded by what they have experienced. To the extreme we have such albums as, Velvet Cacoon’s Genevieve, Burzum’s Filosofem and Xasthur’s own Nocturnal Poisoning. These dense records deserve the “headphone listening experience” to be fully absorbed. You can listen countless times and discover more layers with each listen. This offers the listener a complex, challenging and meditative soundscape.

All Reflections Drained is Scott Connor’s 7th full-length release as Xasthur. It is far more instrumental, offering less vocals, than previous releases. Some have called it an extension of 2007’s fantastic Defective Epitaph. The first track, “Dirge Forsaken” slowly builds to a more disturbing and disjointed rhythmic assault. It feels drunk and depressive — dark, ominous and almost sickening. The middle has carnival-esque keyboard melodies that further push the bleak soundscape. These ambient tracks cycle through the above, over and over. The production on this release feels more depressive and hypnotic than previous albums. The hollow, muffled barrier between you and what’s happening far off in the distance, simply adds more intrigue. The album almost makes you feel hung-over. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it’s good enough to land at number 15.

Stand-out tracks include: Dirge Forsaken, Maze Of Oppression, Obfuscated In Oblivion and Inner Sanctum Surveillance.

#14 Gavin Castleton — Home

Listen to “Cofflelocks” from this record:

Gavin Castleton holds a special place in my music collection. Since 2004’s spotty release Hypotenuse and the incredibly haunting songs “Builder” and “When You Come Home Bring Novocaine”, I have been sure to keep tabs on his progress. All his releases have been spotty but almost always have a few “hidden gems” within.

2009 brought us his most complete, compelling and overall strongest piece of work to date. Home is simply a fantastic album and by far one of my most listened to albums this year. It’s a comfortable album — a great go-to on those rough days. The vocals of Lauren Coleman (of Pebaluna) are simply fantastic. The musical conversations between her and Gavin create a beautiful balance that achieves something special. The album is as delicate as his most intimate songs. The haunting vocals, often revolving around relationships and interactions between people, while interacting with the listener like a play. It’s a playful concept album about love, relationships, zombie attacks and ridiculousness. Gavin’s greatest weakness has been his biggest strength, but this is the first time it’s been executed perfectly. All of his albums have been riddled with an eclectic barrage of genres, which while interesting, have ultimately failed. On Home he gets it right — while infusing pop, disco-like funk, hip-hop and more. I don’t know how he did it, nor do I care to put it under a microscope. It doesn’t feel as forced as previous efforts.

“Cofflelocks” offers a more commercially appealing structure and form, while “Stampede” is the aforementioned disco-like funk — his vocals remind me of Justin Timberlake at times. The incredible “Layers” could provide my favorite vocal performance on the album — from both Gavin and Coleman. I mean wow, it’s a truly special trade off here. “Unparallel Rabbits” borrows the melody from his song “Bad Rabbits” from 2005’s FortNightShift EP release. To this day I still love that song. Anyway, “Unparallel Rabbits” is the only song Gavin raps on and is very different in tone and content than the O.G. “Bad Rabbits”.

Gavin Castelton continues to impress the hell out of me. I highly recommend this release to any eclectic music listener that simply wants something different, challenging, fun and profound. He is crazy and I love him for it. Flat-out impressive musical genius.

Stand-out tracks include: Buggouts, Cofflelocks, Warpaint, Layers and Oregon…

#13 Velvet Cacoon — P aa opal Poere Pr. 33

Listen to “2” from this record:

Most people seem to have completely dismissed Velvet Cacoon since their whole misrepresentation fiasco in 2006 (or so). Whether you love them or hate them, you have to admit that Genevieve was a pretty significant release. Their approach to Black Metal was unprecedented. The intrigue surrounding their mysterious and cryptic nature wore out it’s welcome fast. After that fiasco I stopped buying-into any drama surrounding them and simply wanted more music.

P aa opal Poere Pr. 33 does not hold up to the brilliance of Genevieve. I never expected it to — it is commonly referred to as a watered-down version of Genevieve. I can definitely see the merit in that. It was recorded shortly after Genevieve but apparently took 4 years to see the light of day.

With all that nonsense out of the way, some thoughts on the album. The opening track “2” is easily the most solid track on the album. The hypnotic cathartic layered guitars create that Genevieve-like feeling, the almost operatic vocal undertones (less prominent in Genevieve). The buried screamed vocals add an interesting emotive depth, especially behind operatic droned voices. I truly can’t express how much I love this track. Unfortunately it is the highest high here. The album is very lethargic, it feels like Genevieve slowed-down, on drugs and approaching coma-like state.

The weakest aspect of P aa opal Poere Pr. 33 lies in the lack of musical composition. The album needs more highs to contrast the lows. Everything is muddy and washed-out. I’d like to hear more pieces highlighted — perhaps in a more epic fashion. The albums drags rather than building, climaxing and relief. “Aventine” offers the greatest stylistic departure on the album, filled with hollow wind-chime like keyboards (maybe? not sure) and overall eerie atmosphere. So, you may ask yourself why I put it on here? Well, I have found myself listening to it a lot, perhaps, trying to discover more about the release. Overall, I find this to be a challenging piece of work and drastically different to their ultra-minimal second release of the year, the 2-disc Atropine. Supposedly, as of December 2009 Velvet Cacoon is no more. Whatever, it’s probably bullshit. Either way, I’m glad we have another fine release from them. When Velvet Cacoon have been at their best, we have seen stunning atmospheric passages that may rival the most revered black metal releases ever. That in itself deserves praise.

Stand-out tracks include: 2, Claverie, Aventine, Oviamoire and Sovarine.

#12 Wolves in the Throne Room — Black Cascade

Listen to “Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog” from this record:

Wolves in the Throne Room have consistently delivered stellar black metal releases. This, being their third full-length release, finds them at a familiar place. They create some of the most forward-thinking, outstandingly refreshing black metal being produced today. Black Cascade is a welcomed addition. It does not carry the overwhelming surprise that came with Diadem of the Twelve Stars, nor have they re-written the book, so-to-speak. They have, however, put out one of the best black metal releases of the year, again.

While, over the past few years I have become enamored with isolationist black metal styling of Xasthur, Burzum and Coldworld; Wolves in the Throne Room have always stood out among the regular (more traditional) BM acts because they can write fantastic riffs and truly epic pieces of music. While only carrying four 10+ minute songs, Black Cascade never feels boring. It lays out brilliant guitar riffs that rise and fall through vocal barrages and raging drums. The magic lies in artistry. The meticulous selection of peaks and valleys, the intricities, often Opeth-like in epicness and contrast. Wolves continue to surprise me with their consistency and can still throw in some surprises. After 2 solid follow-ups, I want something that blows me away like Diadem of the Twelve Stars did.

Stand-out tracks include: every single one — all 4 of them.

#11 Amadou and Mariam — Welcome To Mali

Listen to “Ce N’est Pas Bon” from this record:

This album was technically released in 2008, but was not released in the United States until this year. I believe I first heard it in January, so I’ll include it as a 2009 release.

Amadou and Mariam have had a long career as brilliant musicians. Not only do they write incredible culturally-spanning music, they are both blind. Listening to Welcome to Mali takes me away to an almost utopian getaway and overwhelms me with positivity. Though they have been making music for decades, they made their biggest splash in the United States this year. I am grateful to have found their music and look forward to the next release.

Stand-out tracks include: Ce N’est Pas Bon, Je Te Kiffe, Africa and Welcome To Mali.

#10 Gossip — Music For Men

Listen to “Pop Goes The World” from this record:

I’ll make this one fairly short, since I did an initial review on the album earlier this year. The Gossip have refined their sound with this release. Some may say it’s more commercial and more polished — those are completely true. I find Music For Men to be flat-out catchy, memorable and each track makes you want to dance your ass off. They effortlessly create melodic musical passages that appeal to a wide variety of people — gay or straight, male or female. They have the special gift of overall appeal — not to mention one hell of a singer in Beth Ditto.

I’ve listened to this release countless times since it’s release — often on repeat for a whole work day. It keeps me focused, motivated and is just plain fun. It is a fun album that just plain kicks ass.

Stand-out tracks include: Heavy Cross, 8th Won­der, Pop Goes The World and the title track Men In Love.

#9 Neko Case — Middle Cyclone

Listen to “Polar Nettles” from this record:

Years ago I just didn’t get what Neko Case was all about. I liked female vocals but couldn’t get past her country roots and the influence it had on her music. After re-listening to 2000’s incredible Furnace Room Lullaby release, I began the typical obsession to absorb everything she’s put out. From her work with the New Pornographers to her most recent work at that time, the brilliant 2006 release Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. I finally understood why so many adored her work.

From the sultry, sexy, elegant and pitch-perfect soaring vocal performances to the unique interest in frogs, Neko Case is one hell of an artist. Middle Cyclone finds her at possibly her most intimate, from both a lyrical and production standpoint. Case had recently purchased a farm in Vermont. The farm had a barn on the property, which she ended up using as a recording studio for some of the album. The result offers a unique overall sound, especially the half hour closing track “Marais La Nuit”, appropriately titled, as it means “The Night Marsh”. The overall theme on Middle Cyclone is environmental in nature. She keeps up past themes of the disastrous affect humans have on the wildlife population, as seen most profoundly on “People Got A Lotta Nerve”. She seems to have an affinity for tigers and/or big cats, especially.

The piano pieces also need to be pointed out on this release. “Polar Nettles” offers very unique string and piano/organ arrangements. It is deliberately sparse in places, effectively highlighting Case’s unbelievable emotive range. It’s intimate and vulnerable, but always strong and assertive. She has a rare gift for delivery and storytelling.

Tip of the hat to Neko. If we have to wait another three years and get another album of this quality, well, I’ll be a happy guy.

Stand-out tracks include: This Tornado Loves You, The Next Time You Say Forever, Polar Nettles and Magpie To The Morning.

#8 Meshell Ndegeocello — Devil’s Halo

Listen to “Slaughter” from this record:

Meshell is one of those true tortured artist types. I have listened to her albums on and off over the past 10 years and always found something thought-provoking, vulnerable and unique about individual pieces scattered throughout. I have never fully appreciated a complete album from start to finish, until now.

Devil’s Halo is perfectly vulnerable and intimate. It’s greatest gift lies within the gentle and harsh. Each track is delicate and fragile. The general theme is as crushingly focused on relationships as ever. She explores her desires, failed relationships and emotional relief from the pain she’s held on to.

“Slaughter” is just that. Slow and intimate, crushing and harsh. The contrast of violent outbursts and subtle under-your-breath insults. “Tie One On” is an appeal to stay, hold on to love and togetherness. “Lola” is a more lively song about lack of contentment in relationships and how people move on. “Did you really think you were special”. There are sparse tracks like “Hair Of The Dog” that seem almost like drunken stupers, interludes between relationships, a break to think about what has happened. “Mass Transit” is easily the most radio-friendly, which is why it makes such a great single. The riff is unforgettable and infectious. Her voice is, arguably, the most lively in this track as well. “Love You Down” is percussively-heavy, offering an almost funked-out slowdown.

Front-to-back this is a strong release from someone with a unique voice. Always the artist, the innovative type. I adore her artistry.

Stand-out tracks include: Tie One On, Mass Transit, Love You Down and Die Young.

#7 Volcano Choir — Unmap

Listen to “Island, Is” from this record:

Justin Vernon is a busy man on a mission. He has been all over the place for the better part of the last decade and has never slowed down. Bon Iver was one of the best debut albums I’ve heard in years — and still stands as one of my favorite albums in the last 10 years. Volcano Choir dives into his most progressive, challenging and innovative music to date. This album succeeds because of Vernon’s vocals and the musical collaboration with the post-rockish, meandering Collections of Colonies of Bees. It’s part post-rock, part Vernon’s signature sound and for the most part works very well.

Vernon will most likely continue his career with hundreds of projects, all different names, containing various members, spanning every known genre and then some. For some odd reason I am very comforted by that. My biggest hope is to hear something that blows me away as much as For Emma, Forever Ago.

Stand-out tracks include: Island, Is, Husks And Shells and Still.

#6 Amesoeurs — S/T

Listen to “Les Ruches Malades” from this record:

This was one of the most talked about and anticipated albums of 2009, at least within some of my music micro-communities. Amesoeurs were a French band that composed a mixture of black metal, shoegaze and post-rock structures, with the brutal vocal stylings of Neige (of Alcest fame) and the haunting Audrey Sylvain. I can’t speak too much about the sorted history of this band, their personal issues or ultimately why this will be their only album. This albums succeeds through it’s unique ambition — it appeals to a fairly broad music base.The only drawback I see lies in the almost too-polished production. I’d like to hear this album with a bit more grit. “Les Ruches Malades” and much of the album remind me a bit of Klimt 1918’s album Undressed Momento in production and sound. The 4th track, “Recueillement”, has typical black metal vocals, however, they create a different atmosphere through song structure and approach. I hear glimpses of Day Light Dies in this track especially — actually, all the heavier “metal vocal” tracks do. Overall, Amesoeurs is a very eclectic experience that works very well. I strongly hope they reconcile their issues and make more music.

Stand-out tracks include: Les Ruches Malades, Recueillement, I XIII V XIX XV V XXI XVIII XIX ˆ IX XIX ˆ IV V I IV and Faux Semblants.

#5 Mos Def — The Ecstatic

Listen to “Casa Bey” from this record:

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Mos Def has been, perhaps, the most significant voice of thought-provoking, intelligent hip-hop in the last decade (maybe ever). As Black Star, along with friend and equally prolific emcee Talib Kweli, he cemented his legendary status. His instant-classic debut, 1999’s Black on Both Sides was unprecedented and remains a flawless album. I truly miss the powerhouse that was Rawkus records. Through the years he has continued nurturing the hip-hop community through acting and his residency as the host of Def Jam Poetry. I wish I could say such kind things about his albums between Black on Both Sides and The Ecstatic, but I can’t. 2004’s highly anticipated New Danger was a mess, filled with throw-away generic Black Jack Johnson session tracks and mediocre rap tracks that overall felt uninspired. 2006’s awful True Magic furthered the rumored Geffen (absorbed Mos’ contract after Rawkus collapsed) “label obligation” trend. Mos just wasn’t feeling the whole music thing. At least, that is the conclusion I came to. Either that or he just couldn’t create what he wanted within the confines of hid contract and/or the parties involved.

So now it’s 2009 and we finally received the Mos Def album we waited for and hoped to hear in 2004. The album cover is no longer the typical portrait of Mos Def himself, it’s a screen still (with added red overlay) from Charles Burnett’s 1977 film Killer of Sheep. What we have here is a fantastic album from start to finish. The Ecstatic brings back the Mos flow and socially-conscious lyrics we’ve missed, and once again on top of stellar production. Mos has been steadily refining his singing voice and it shows. I’ve always liked the singing attempts on previous albums (“The Panties”, “Boogie Man”, “Rock and Roll”) and he succeeds through conviction — even when it’s kind of weird and awkward, like on “Worker’s Comp”. The Ecstatic as a title really says it all, Mos is Ecstatic through liberation.

I am excited about Mos Def again.

Stand-out tracks include: Auditorium, Priority, Quiet Dog Bite Hard and Casa Bey.

#4 Arizmenda — Within The Vaccuum of Infinity

Listen to “Those Beaten Paths of Confusion” from this record:

Arizmenda have created a stunning and brilliantly-crafted atmospheric black metal album, the best Black Metal album of the year in fact. They also get my praise for best debut album of the year. Beginning with “Those Beaten Paths of Confusion” (which is an accurate title in itself), it builds, pummels and falls — it’s tortured, haunting, dark and hypnotic. Around about the four minute mark I knew I was listening to something refreshing and special. This is an album that craves headphones. I have a hard time coming up with descriptive words that cut to the core of atmospheric, depressive, dense and isolationist albums. You either get it or you don’t and as I stated earlier, it took me a very long time to understand and appreciate albums like this. Black Metal is not unlike any other genre, you have your more obscure albums that push conventions and the genre forward, and you have the ones that simply exist to fulfill the given genre label. Arizmenda is luckily the former and this is the kind of album I search for constantly. It is epic in nature, bold and forceful where it needs to be and offers the perfect balance of breathing space — necessary to any composition.

Arizmenda have given me countless hours of eargasms and I look forward to coming back again and again. I really can’t further elaborate my admiration for this genius piece of work, so I’ll leave it alone and keep listening to it instead.

Stand-out tracks include: At only five songs, just listen to the whole damn thing.

#3 Katatonia — Night is the New Day

Listen to “Onward Into Battle” from this record:

Katatonia have defined a style of their own. Every time they release a new album I get excited, listen to it and sometimes forget about it completely. Then the winter comes and it finds me again. Then it won’t leave me alone for months — always the perfect soundtrack to aid any hint of seasonal depression. Over the past 15+ years they have perfected a unique, unmatched sound. The unique production style, Renske’s depressively haunting vocals, Nyström’s unparalleled guitar craftsmanship and a few like-minded musicians to fill in the rest. Their production and composition have always been fascinating in themselves. At the core, Katatonia have conformed to a more conventional song structure than fellow Swedes and friends Opeth, but they have done so with grace. Their songs are deceivingly complex. At the surface lay brilliant melodies and song arrangements, backing unique and varying vocals. When you dig further and start examining each piece, well, that’s where Katatonia really become something special.

Night is the New Day is simply a solid album. It is, dare I say, the most refined and interesting album Katatonia have released. I believe the addition of more pronounced keyboards has completely changed the density and complexity of each composition — while coming across as effortless almost over-produced pieces. Renske’s vocals have never been more perfectly aimed, refined and jaw-droppingly appropriate. His voice has become the perfect instrument to accent a perfectly structured canvas. Every single song stands out on it’s own and flows effortlessly as an entire piece. There is also an underlying urgency to each song.

“Forsaker” holds crushing drum passages, brilliantly executed keyboards and an overall stellar vocal performance. “The Longest Year” is insanely catchy and again, Renske’s vocal dynamics are insane. Katatonia have never been known for outstanding lyrics. Their lyrical content is usually comprised of emotional language, feelings and words themselves — rather than holding any consistent conscious stream or telling a story. However abstract or nonsensical they may be, they fit the music brilliantly. “Idle Blood” changes things up a bit with some acoustics and more down-tempo instrumentation. This highlights Renske’s outstanding vocals, yet again. This is perhaps the most Åkerfeldt-like track, as I could easily see the vocals being sung by Mikael Åkerfeldt. Actually, it is the most Opeth-like song I’ve heard from Katatonia — well, aside from Brave Murder Day, obviously. “Onward Into Battle” instantly draws you in as it builds and propels forward. The chorus is insanely infectious and catchy. This song plays off a few abrupt tempo changes, which come across effortlessly.

“Liberation” is a more typical Katatonia song, reminiscent of Last Fair Deal Gone Down or The Great Cold Distance. “The Promise of Deceit” highlights the keyboards as an overarching atmosphere and background element. Once again a few abrupt tempo changes, emphasized by Renske’s vocals. “Nephilim” is vulnerable and slow. Again, this track really highlights Renske’s more instrumental vocal approach. No one can sing a song like Renske. Also, I’m not sure who supplies backing-vocals on this track but they are executed well. “New Night” holds the more typical Katatonia sound and furthers the underlying feeling of urgency. “Inheritance” is eerie and slow, and once again really highlights Renske’s unique vocal approach. Seriously, who changes up their vocals like he does? Each passage becomes uniquely emphasized through vocal inflections, to an absolutely fascinating degree.

“Day and Then the Shade” is like a final moment of clarity and freedom before the albums close. It holds a sense of immediacy — again with the urgency sentiments. “Departer” is the most haunting and vulnerable track I’ve heard from Katatonia. It is extremely delicate, each vocal passage is delivered ever-so-cautiously. The almost characteristically delicate vocals of Krister Linder give this track added interest and depth — though even more delicate than usual. This is one of the best album closing track I’ve heard in years.

So there you have it, my long-winded track-by-track commentary. I say this after every release but seriously, Katatonia I hope to hear a new album for Winter 2012’s soundtrack.

Stand-out tracks include: Forsaker, Onward Into Battle, Inheritance and Departer.

#2 Antony and The Johnsons — The Crying Light

Listen to “Another World” from this record:

Antony Hegarty could easily be described as one of the most gifted musicians living and creating music today. Not only is he, arguably, the best male vocalist alive today, he writes stunning compositions. He may be a towering human in physical form, but he is a delicately beautiful person — often seen as a “gentle giant”. Admittedly, he is not for everyone and is often off-putting to folks I try to initiate and expose him to. Not to mention those who aren’t comfortable with their sexuality. Watching Antony sing is one of the most hauntingly real testaments to the beauty of the human race I have ever witnessed. He personifies everything I love, neigh, adore and obsess, about music. He is why I become so enamored and immersed, why I lament over coming up with 15 favorite albums every year. Antony is among the rare breed of talent, passion and conviction. He is why I hate everything about mainstream music — rather, music devoid of passion, innovation and conviction.

The Crying Light is nothing short of brilliant. Each composition comes to life, as an organic piece that grows with every listen. In lyrical content it appeals more to an audience than as a personal journey (I am A Bird Now). The content often revolves around nature, animals and our future on this planet. Also a strong theme of Antony finding his purpose in the world. Lyrically, he takes inspiration from the Japanese art of butoh dancing.

The Crying Light is far more “full of sound” than 2006’s masterpiece I am a Bird Now. It is not as delicate and personal but retains Antony’s intimate understanding of composition and structure. He succeeds in volumes through the little intricities scattered throughout the album. Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground is a fairly macabre ballad about death, being buried and it comes across as personal — an event holding profound impact in his life. Epilepsy is Dancing is a spiraling whirlwind comprised of beautiful string arrangements and a shining example of Antony’s vocal range. The layering vocals entrance and pull you into the song. Another World appears here (from the 2008 EP of the same name) and remains one of my favorite songs he’s written — truly one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. Daylight and the Sun is another plea for our earth and life as we know it. Antony writes with a haunting sense of fatality and fear of death. This is one of the reasons I adore his work so much. It is beautifully human, outstandingly fragile and devastatingly real. Aeon starts out with a beautiful piano and string arrangement, which quickly morphs into an electric guitar ballad. It steadily rises and fades. Dust and Water is the most sparse track on the album, as the backing atmosphere merely resonates low-key hums. It effectively puts Antony’s vocals on display. Everglade is a strong closing track that again, steadily builds and falls.

I highly recommend you find Antony if you haven’t already. Everyone needs someone like him in their music collection.

Stand-out tracks include: Epilepsy is Dancing, Another World, Daylight and the Sun and Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground.

#1 P.O.S. — Never Better

Listen to “Let It Rattle” from this record:

Shortly after it’s release earlier this year I wrote an initial impressions review of Never Better. I was never happy with it but chose to save any additional thought or refinement until the end of the year. As you can see my opinion of the album hasn’t changed, even after almost a full year. P.O.S successfully outdid himself and that is no easy feat. More so than all my Doomtree fan-boyisms, Never Better deserves to be my pick for album of the year. I definitely listened to it more than anything else released this year. I typically measure my favorite albums and their subsequent ranking on the list by how much I listened to them throughout the year. Never Better was listened to almost non-stop for the first 5 months of the year. Admittedly, I have not been listening to it much over the past few months, as new albums have been introduced to my thirsty brain. As I write this I am listening to the whole album all the way through for the first time in several months.

While nothing Stef records may ever impact me as much as 2004’s Ipecac Neat, I give him infinite praise for innovation and refining the hell out of what he creates. He has surpassed any other hip-hop artist to come out of Minnesota — in my mind at least.

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Other Notable 2009 releases

Miike Snow — S/T

I really love this record and it was hard to not include in the top 15. In retrospect I probably could have squeezed-out an album for this.

Dirty Projectors — Bitte Orca

The same can be said for this one too. Absolutely stellar release that I listen to daily, currently.

Brother Ali — Us

This might be one of my biggest disappointments of the year. I want to adore Ali. His voice is commanding, he has charisma and he crafts sometimes brilliant, thought-provoking songs. Unfortunately, since Shadows on the Sun those moments of brilliance have been mere glimpses, when I’ve wanted an eclipse.

Doomtree — False Hopes XV

While not an album, this EP is still worth many listens. This definitely exhibits Sims, Dessa and Mictlan in full force and in top form. I personally don’t care for some of the hooks, but for the most part the verses are solid.

Felt 3 — Tribute To Rosie Perez

This is possibly the best Felt release in the series. Unfortunately I’ve never found substance in any release. Even with Aesop Rock’s stellar production, I couldn’t find a place for this in the best of the year.

Eagle Twin — The Unkindness Of Crows

A massive sludge-fest of music fuckery. Yes, I said fuckery. This is one grimy-ass album full of 70’s grangely-ass dumps.

Imogen Heap — Eclipse

While I adore Imogen in brief intervals I’ve found a whole album too much to take. She has something special but it’s just not quite there…I guess?

Jeremy Enigk — OK Bear

Very solid album and I can’t really say anything bad about it. Sidenote: Mad props to Jimmy Fallon for the Sunny Day Real Estate reunion that took place this year — amazing!

Korouva — Sleepwalker

Good album, I feel sleepy.

Lushlife — Cassette City

Awesome production and some quality rhymes.

Patrick Wolf — The Bachelor

Pretty solid album that I listened to quite a bit.

St. Vincent — Actor

A nice sophomore release and I plan on listening to it more this year.

Sunn O))) — Monoliths & Dimensions

Awesome, not for everyday consumption. Massive and dense.

Tiny Vipors — Life on Earth

Recommended listening.

K’naan — Troubadour

I listened to this album a lot this year and I still really dig it. I admire what he has done and where he has come from. This is an excellent follow-up to The Dusty Foot Philosopher. Also, Kirk Hammett.…what!

Metric — Fantasies

One of the best singles of the year “Help I’m Alive”, too bad the rest didn’t match up.

Bat For Lashes — Two Suns

Kate Bush and Tori Amos had glorious sex. Tori’s testicular fortitude dominated their co-egg and birthed Natasha Khan. This album may grow on me more this year. It’s good but not quite digestible in one sitting.

Grizzly Bear — Veckatimest

Good album, not great.

Raekwon — Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II

Yes! Awesome sauce.

Doom — Born Like This

Pretty decent record. I’m kind of sick of MF Doom and his ridiculousness — though his talent is stunning. My opinion of him changed quite a bit after seeing him “perform” live at Soundset 2009. What a boring anticlimactic mess.

Passion Pit — Manners

Solid album, just plain fun.

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There you have it, my favorites and then some.

As always, thank you for reading and please share your favorite albums of 2009.

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MRI Lightpainting is Ryan Warnberg and Michelle McSwain. Ryan is a talented story teller, writer and works for a living as a music industry marketing nerd at Sony. Michelle is a ridiculously talented photographer, together they form the uniquely creative duo MRI Lightpainting. They are quickly making a name for themselves throughout New York and the world. After designing business cards for both Michelle and Ryan, they came to me to design a logo for their new adventure. After several months of back-and-forth emails and phone calls (they live in NY), we solidified a concept.

The Process

The initial goal of the logo was to express the act of light painting, which is no easy task. After brainstorming, sketching on and off for a month or so, I started to realize that the logo did not have to express what they do. The logo needed to be stylish, simple, memorable and flexible for wide-application. Some of my initial attempts at creating a “lightpainting effect” were successful, however were not versatile enough to work in one color and still carry it’s message. Their work expresses what they do far greater than any logo ever could. The final colors had been determined early-on, as the print colors CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). They wanted bold colors to match the light effects utilized in their work.

Now, my personal favorite for a long time was the simplicity of the top right — semi-circle. However, it does remind me of a few other logos out there. The kerning is a bit off in the version above, oh well. I do still really like it — and I adore the Avant Garde Gothic typeface.

End Result

Here are some final interpretations of the logo. It is versatile enough to work in one color or in a layered fashion, which I am a big fan of. The letter forms are half half-tone, half solid, largely filled-in with slight bottom insets, to hint at their full form. When over-laid in three color, they resemble a screen printed element. They also effectively illustrate light painting, in colors overlapping one another. This can also be manipulated/layered further, offering an endless combination of the original logo, to appear in various mediums.

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Matt Wells is a talented illustrator who is extremely active in the local art community. I always enjoy the chance to work with him and occasionally partake in some fine beer drinking. From providing illustration and design for annual events like the Red Hot Art Festival, to his own successful art shows, like 2009’s Rush Hour, he always produces high-quality noteworthy artwork. Some may also have noticed his work for 2008’s Doomtree release Hand Over Fist, which made my top 15 of that year.

I had designed and coded a very simple website for Matt years ago. It was completely static and tedious to update. Over the past few months he came to me for some new thoughts and advice in resolving some server problems. I suggested we migrate his current site into WordPress. The biggest reason, his previous hosting provider was not secure. His website became listed as having malicious content (in Google’s eyes) and as a result, his domain was developing a bad reputation. I suggested he ditch that hosting provider because they obviously couldn’t resolve the security issues. After he received a humorous email from some Motorcyle-enthusiast wanting a link exchange it became increasingly necessary. He clicked the link in the email and was directed to a page on his site that was essentially a link farm. This was baffling to me and I have never seen this happen before. Long story short, he is now hosted elsewhere, securely and has WordPress as a content management system.

Design Notes

The layout is extremely minimal, clean, holding some subtle touches. Above everything, it serves to provide the public with an overview of his stunning work. That was the most important goal of the website, as it should be with any artist portfolio site. I am a huge fan of big bold headings, in this case I used Helvetica. I feel the site is now professional, clean, easy to navigate and simple. His work can really shine and updating the various galleries of work could not be easier.

Visit: The New Lizardman Art Website

Let me know what you think!

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Emily came to me for a slight redesign of her current site, which I designed some years ago. The previous site was completely static (no administration installed on the server) and required her to learn HTML and proved to be more work to update. Since that time, her business has grown and I have grown to love WordPress, specifically using WordPress as a content management system. We decided that this was this best solution to show-off and maintain her gallery of incredible jewelry! Also, she can now easily update her monthly events and news.

Design Notes

The layout is very clean, minimal and stays true to her business card design, while furthering her brand.

On a personal note, I was thrilled to work on this because it challenged me to learn more about how WordPress functions, from the hierarchical templating to more robust and specific features.

Visit: The New EC Design Studio Website

Let me know what you think!

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