My 4 Favorite Spencer Krug Albums

Spencer Krug has so much musical output in so many different bands that he makes Jack White look lazy. Along side the obvious material from Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown—Krug’s discography contains several albums as a member Frog Eyes, a couple as part of the three-head beast that is Swan Lake, and even as outing in a instrumental band. It all equates to a massive amount of music from this prolific artist.

His latest incarnation is that of Moonface, a new solo project. This new solo album Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped will be released on August 2nd via Jagjaguwar. His tour as Moonface hits Austin this Tuesday (07.26.11) at Emo’s.

In anticipation, I look back at my four favorite albums from the many faces of Krug. Why four? Well, five is too many and three is too few. Here they are… countdown:

4. Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslyer (2009)
This LP begins and ends quietly. Yet in between, the mood ranges from epic, to monstrously epic, to epically monstrous. In line with the album’s title, the music here sounds like that which would play as the knights of Camelot ride into battle. “Black Swan” and “”You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)” stand in Krug’s catalog as some of the biggest tunes he has crafted. But what makes Dragonslyer really stand out is the supporting cast. Krug’s right hand "Jane-of-all-trades" Camilla Wynne Ingr steps up her duties and becomes a significant back up vocalist, adding a welcome contrast to his maddening yelps. It's evident here that Krug may have found a circle of partners more suited to his unique song writing structures than his “primary” band Wolfe Parade. After Dragonslayer I had come to the conclusion that I would rather see Krug retire his partnership with Dan Boeckner and focus his main attention on this band. One Wolfe Parade album later (Expo 86) and it looks like that may be the case.

Favorite Albums of 2009

Though it is no secret that writing for ye ol' Blog From Mars has taken backseat to my picking up the creative writer's hat again, I still felt that I was important to post the traditional Favorite Albums of 2009 list. While you will not see some of the standards that are appearing on everyone's lists, I am surprised myself at how much my musical tastes are confirming to the typical indie-blogger. But there are some particulars below that may have been overlooked by some, yet in my eyes are essentials. For anyone who knows me on a personal level there should be no surprise at what my top choice is.

Furthermore this will bring the year to a close at Trinity Stardust. Now even I am wondering what the future of this blog will be. As I immerse myself back into the literary world, my interest in writing about music is waning. But my mood changes erratically on the subject- so who knows what I will feel as the new year dawns upon us.

For now take a look at my favorite albums of the past year, starting with #1...

1. Tegan and Sara - Sainthood

The Quin sisters revive the post-punk revival. With Chris Walla helming the boards again I was scared that we would get a clone of The Con. Thankfully the duo continues their evolution as musicians and songwriters, delivering something brand new. It's new wave, it's punk, it's pop, and barely indie. Plain and simple... I love this band.

2. The xx - xx

The xx are the biggest out-of-nowhere surprise of the year. Technically they’re from London, which is significant in that this album is very reminiscent of the mid-90’s trip-hop sound that came out of neighboring Bristol, England. Not that any of The xx members are old enough to recall that era, but it seems that they learned enough from early Tricky and Portishead to give us something that is equally as sensual and refreshing.

3. Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

Spencer Krug’s “other band” has gained so much recognition that you kind of forget that this is supposed to be a side project. With Krug’s bandmates taking a bigger roll in the album, Dragonslayer takes the Sunset Rubdown epic sound and explodes it to an even grander scale. This band is slowly joining the ranks of indie music’s heavy hitters.

4. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Why is this album so good? Because what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. See my blurb on SSv's Top Albums of 2009 list.

5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

Karen-O was born to make this album. Her wild New York club kid personality seemed poised to make an synth-dance album. It's Blitz! delivered some of the most exciting tunes of the year, "Zero" and "Heads Will Roll."

6. Mos Def – The Ecstatic

Mos Def surpassed everyone’s expectations by going back to what made him an underground legend—Lyrics, Lyrics, Lyrics. Not to mention some spectacular beats provided by Madlib and Mr. Flash. Though Mos really never went anywhere, it’s good to have him back in hip-hop.

6. Crystal Antlers – Tentacles

Ever wonder what it would feel and/or sound like to have instruments thrown at your head for 30 mins straight? Well, no need to keep wondering. Tentacles is a barrage of noise that hits at all the right places.

8. Marissa Nadler – Little Hells

Marissa does very little to make beautiful music. Haunting vocals and guitars turn desert melodies into lush stories. But this time up she added some spice. See my full review on Stereo Subversion.

9. Maxwell – BLACKsummers’ Night

It’s been a long time since I’ve liked an R&B album this much. This is the pure definition of 'smooth.' While his afro may be gone, Maxwell's mojo is jedi strong.

10. Bat for Lashes – Two Suns

Natasha Khan is a trippy chick, and now she has an album that fully embodies her trippines. Two Suns sports a egocentric alter personality and love song to Daniel LaRusso (aka The Katrate Kid). What more does one need in a drug induced hallucination?

11. The Dead Weather – Horehound

Jack White and Allison Mosshart… I couldn’t dream up a better combination. It's like these two are kindred spirits of ancient Greek gods incarnate on earth with the sole purpose of making the powers of rock cower at their feet. Read my blurb in SSv's Internal Debate.

12. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

An album that I wanted to hate turned out to be one that I couldn’t deny loving. Veckatimest lived up to all the buzz build up, and over-hype became due recognition. Grizzly Bear’s attempt to be more accessible churned out an album that I can’t see anyone not liking and gave us the best song of the year in “Two Weeks.” Hell, even Jay-Z praises this album. It’s Hova Approved!

13. Lightning Dust – Infinite Light

Here’s another side project that is starting to eclipse the primary band. Black Mountain members Amber Webber and Joshua Wells break from the psychedelic rock to bring you some psychedelic alt-country/synth/gothic type stuff. In other words, this album is way cooler than any of those lame ones you put on your 'best of' list.

14. Florence + the Machine – Lungs

This year’s UK 'It Girl' is Florence Welsh, and deserving so. Florence and her Machine really pack a punch. It's like getting kissed with a fist.

15. Fever Ray

Introspective and dark is the best way to describe the solo debut from Karin Dreijer Andersson. It's nothing like her former band The Knife. Meant more to reflect on meaning than to make you dance; this is meditation music.

And the rest, In alphabetical order...

Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

Elizabeth & the Catapult – Taller Children

Handsome Furs – Face Control

Idle Warship – Party Robot Mixtape

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. II

Sonic Youth – The Eternal

Ume - Sunshower EP

Warpaint - Exquisite Corpse EP

Sunset Rubdown @ Mohawk, 06.20.09

“If I ever hurt you, it will be in self-defense,” those were the first words to come from Spencer Krug as he began his set last night (06.20.09) at Mohawk. They were sung in his trademark vocal style that sounds like he is either on the edge of bursting into tears or teetering on the brink of insanity. The lyrics themselves are also a brand of their own as most of the time they are so cryptic you never really can tell what he is talking about. “No I’m not the type of that whore, but I am a little lord,” Krug sings and later leads the crowd in chants of “You snake!” The song is “The Empty Threats of Little Lord” and the band he was with was Sunset Rubdown.

The song leads directly into “Idiot Heart,” the first single off of the band’s newest album Dragonslayer. For Spencer Krug it’s his third release in just over a year with as many bands: the others being Wolf Parade’s At Mount Zoomer and Swan Lake’s Enemy Mine. With a constant stream of material coming from him it would be easy for Sunset Rubdown to fall into the cracks, but undoubtedly this band stands out as the most prolific of Krug’s projects. It also stands out as the most critically acclaimed. Thanks is due mostly to the rest of the band. Initially conceived as a solo outlet, Krug has since drafted a mighty group of musicians to make up Sunset Rubdown— most notably vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Camilla Wynne Ingr and Jordan Robson-Cramerwhose drums perfectly complement the theatric moments of Krug. Sunset Rubdown is an epic band in every sense of the word.


The crowd at Mohawk was with Sunset Rubdown at each step. “Idiot Heart” received a welcome response and got more than just a few people dancing. After the two opening songs Krug moved from guitar to his more traditional place at the keyboard. Old favorite “The Mending of the Gown” kept the crowd dancing. From there we were treated to several new tracks including the soft melodies of “Silver Moons” and the blazing movement of “Black Swan.”

Towards the end of their nearly hour long set Krug and company again reached back to their earlier release Random Spirit Lover for the grand “Winged/Wicked Things” with Krug belting out like he was at the top of a mountain “And if chaos is yours, then chaos is mine. And chaos is love, and they say love is blind.” To close out they gave us a pair of newbies: the long and quiet “Dragon’s Lair,” and the larger than live “Nightengale/December Song.”

This being my second time seeing Sunset Rubdown live, I can truthfully say they are one of my favorite live bands. Their performance comes across as epic and majestic as their albums. And listening to Dragonslayer (their third full-length as a full band) as I write this, I can definitely say that I’m hearing one of the best albums of 2009. While there is plenty of Spencer Krug material to go around these days, he has always been strongest when surrounded by his Sunset Rubdown bandmates.

Dragonslayer officially hits stores this Tuesday, June 23. Do yourself a favor and pick this up. It is officially Trinity Stardust approved.