Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #3 - Weekend

Why I Decree it to Be So:

The manner in which I fell in love with the Weekend album Sports was rather unusual. For the first few listens, I only listened to "Coma Summer." Then, I only listened to "Youth Haunts." And then, only "Monday Morning." Every few days it was a different song. And every few days, I fell deeper down the Weekend rabbit hole. Sports is an almost unfathomably wonderful record, my little warm fuzzies. There is a richness to it, a warmth, this despite the cutting precision and decimating distortion that courses through its veins. My first love, "Coma Summer," is an epic mess of the aforementioned distortion, along with muddy vocals and an unrelenting exuberance. Contrast that with "Youth Haunts," a haunting echo of a song very much akin to those LET favorite sons A Place To Bury Strangers with a cruel crackle and raging bull aggression. A few songs later, along comes "Age Class," building a wall of hypnotic, monotonous drum beat with a whole lot of increasingly loud, ferocious guitar riffs. And "End Times," well, that might be my most favorite of a record of favorites. There's a hint of the pop meets post punk of early Joy Division to it, and it practically bounces off the walls. The way Weekend constructed these songs is nothing short of magical. Sports is magnificent I tell you. Simply magnificent.

mp3: Coma Summer (Weekend from Sports)

Otherwise Engaged: Weekend

It is an unfortunate reality for the serious concertgoer that on occasion, there will be more than one show on any given night that you really, really, REALLY wanna go to. Since the vast majority of us don't own a time machine, nor have the ability to either clone ourselves or split ourselves in half (or thirds or quarters, depending on the night in question), this tends to present a problem. Difficult decisions are made based on a multitude of variables (perhaps some of you even make lists of pros and cons), and ultimately, a show is chosen. But those other shows are still gonna be killer, and I'd like to give a little face time to the shows that, while I can't go myself, are highly recommended all the same.

Tomorrow night, otherwise known as the night before turkey, is a seriously flummoxing evening. Too much to do, too much to see, too much to hear! If I wasn't already booked, chances are I'd probably be getting pretty dang psyched about this here Young Prisms and Weekend show over at the newly-minted Red Palace. I suspect much noice of a rather pleasing variety, which of course means a good time is sure to be had by all. If you're inclined to dig some abrasion with your music, well, this one's for you.

mp3: Coma Summer (Weekend from Sports)