Jack McManus

Jack hails from Cambridge, MA and currently attends college in snowy Central New York. He was raised on a strict diet of his father's Bruce Springsteen and Clancy Brothers records and has since developed a taste for American folk music, jam bands and indie rock. He used to play the saxophone and currently pretends to play guitar and stuff like that. He spends his summers driving boats on Block Island and knows more about 18th-century pirates than anybody else he knows.

On Jack’s Favorite Songs of 2011 List: #6-10

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Dec 272011

Just like my top 10 albums of the year list, my favorite songs list is a little bit all over the place. These are the songs that I gravitated to this year, as well as the ones that I think best represent the year in music. They’re all fantastic I promise. Stay tuned for my top 5 coming sometime soon.

10. Vagabond / Beirut

I’ve always loved Beirut, mostly for Zach Condon’s voice and their fascinating instrumental tendancies. The new album is full of great songs, but this one stands out as my favorite. The piano intro/riff and drum parts have a poppy approachability to them, the horns give it just enough of their trademark French style, and Condon’s singing is just dramatic enough. I’m also obsessed with the Calliope-esque break and the transition out of it. Its exciting and different, but it still appeals to things I love about rock music.

9. Valentine / Dispatch

Until this summer I had fully accepted that Dispatch, one of my first favorite bands, was over and finished releasing new material. To be honest, after this summer’s new self-titled EP it still doesn;t really feel like they’re back, but this one song ranks amongst their best acoustic offerings, and that’s saying something. The acoustic riff has an appealing, relaxed quality, and Pete Heimbold offers one of his best vocal performances to date, capturing the laid-back, beachy feeling of the song. It’s a great summer song, even though it might be winter right now.

8. Freaks and Geeks / Childish Gambino

Another polarizing figure of this year, Donald Childish Gambino Glover first attracted my attention with this cut, and I still think its his best. Lyrically, he’s absolutely obsessed with hip-hop conventions, especially mysogeny, gross-out humor and over-the-top bravado. Under this veneer though, Gambino has some real, honest emotion in many of his songs. I think Freaks and Geeks really sums up his lyrical approach and shows off his undeniably impressive flow. I think he’s a really interesting figure in rap and the indie world as a whole.

7. Perth / Bon Iver

This album made #1 on some 2011 year-end lists, and even though it didn’t make mine I do love Bon Iver, and I think this song stands out on an otherwise interesting but kindof forgettable album. Justin Vernon has a fantastic ear for melody and the technical skills to put the sounds from his head on record without too much interference. His billion side projects have definitely changed him as a musician since the first Bon Iver album (which I absolutely love), and as creative as he is here, I wish he’d return to more of a focus on conventional song forms. That being said, I think the melody of “Perth” just sounds so natural and intuitive, and the layered production is absolutely gorgeous.

6. Doorstep / tUnEyArDs

Merill Garbus, the formidable voice behind tUnEyArDs, really introduced the world to her crazy african-inspired melodic pop this year, and it left an impression on me as it did many others I think. This was the first song I ever heard of hers, highlighting her unique voice and innovative instrumental approach, which features the ukulele and relies heavily on looping. Her voice is crystal clear and perfect for her super-melodic style, and her joyful spirit is absolutely infectious. I wanna see tUnEyArDs live really badly.

On Jack’s Turntable: Silent Night / Lisa Hannigan

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Dec 252011

Silent Night, Lisa Hannigan
Merry Christmas to everybody celebrating! I’m taking a decidedly unconventional approach to this holiday post. While I earnestly hope that all of our readers are having joyous celebrations today, the holidays can also be a viciously sad time. Its unfortunate, but realistic. Accordingly, I have a gift for anyone who might not be feeling their best today: quite possibly the saddest song in the world. A hidden track on Damien Rice’s classic album O, this startling revision of the holiday classic “Silent Night” turns it into an absolutely heartbreaking tale of loss and resentment. Rice’s female vocal partner Lisa Hannigan preforms it with haunting, empty beauty and without accompaniment, driving home the loneliness that pervades this track. I actually find this song strangely comforting whenever I feel sad myself, because, no matter how depressed I am, my own emotions never seem as bad as what the character in this song feels. It pretty much contains the maximum possible sadness that you can fit in 1:28 of recorded music. If you’re having a blue Christmas hopefully this will ease your pain a bit, and if not, save this song for the next time you need to shed a few tears.

On Jack’s Favorite Albums of 2011 List:

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Dec 222011

Its that time of the year again, when the huge music media firms put out their massive lists of their favorite albums and everybody gets mad about them. Outrage aside, these lists create discussion and help readers discover releases they might have missed out on, while forcing the creators to think critically and be decisive for once. Our lists here on Turntablr are completely subjective and non-quantitative, ignoring any genre restrictions, sales figures, or elaborate voting system. Simply put, these are the albums I like the most and am most likely to keep listening to in the future. Also some of them are EPs instead of LPs, I think its nitpick-y to separate them though.

1. Middle Brother / Middle Brother: Portland

This act won me over at the Newport Folk Festival with their potent blend of vintage country grit, lyrical vulnerability, simple songs and confident vocal harmonies. A supergroup of sorts, this trio of frontmen all bring in unmistakable elements of their own bands (Dawes, Delta Spirit and Deer Tick) and assemble them into a record that truly is greater than the sum of its parts, showing a rare chemistry between these young, like-minded rockers. From the oldies-pop of “Someday” and the barnstorming “Middle Brother” to the charming acoustic ballad “Wilderness” and heartbreaking “Million Dollar Bill,” this album really has something for everyone while maintaining an impressive coherence. Some of the mid-tempo rock burners like “Mom and Dad” and “Blue Eyes” really show all these musicians at their best. Its one of the most memorable, versatile and well-crafted collections of songs I’ve heard in a long time. Giving it the top spot on my list barely demonstrates my respect and gratitude for the album.

2. Nostalgia/ultra / Frank Ocean: Songs For Women

Love or hate them, the controversial hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All made a huge splash in the musical landscape this year, drawing protesters and huge crowds alike to their festival shows and effectively hijacking the indie media with their brazen, unapologetic attitude. Controversy aside, the crew produced some fantastic releases during their time in the spotlight, my personal favorite being this debut release from smooth-crooning vocalist Frank Ocean. On Nostalgia/ultra, which has since been re-released on Def Jam without some of the more sample-heavy tracks, Ocean plays with radio conventions to craft intelligent, well-written and musically-interesting pop songs that match crazy-catchy hooks with emotionally-substantial lyrics. In many ways this album is exactly what commercial pop has needed of late: a dose of musical creativity and a rejection of lyrical superficiality from an artist working outside of the overly-mediated major label system. Ocean has played a few new songs live recently, I’d love to see his first official LP (this is an EP) get some attention from mainstream audiences

3. Turtleneck and Chain / The Lonely Island: Attracted to Us (feat. Beck)

You may not see this album so high on many other lists, but I refuse to deny how much I enjoy listening to this album for the sake of critical credibility. There are so many tracks that I just don’t seem to get tired of, no matter how much I listen to them or quote them with my friends. It may be a whole different type of artistic expression than the rest of the list, but I can honestly say that I liked this album more than every album below it and just less than the two above it on this list. Go listen to “Rocky,” “Mama,” or the collaborations with Beck, Snoop and Santigold if you object, they’re pure gold.

4. New Kind of House / Typhoon: Kitchen Tile

I discovered Typhoon in the wake of this past spring’s SXSW, and they have quickly become one of my favorite bands ever. In fact, if i were making a list of my favorite bands this year, they would probably end up on top. With 13 members, including 3-piece horn and string sections and a formidable pair of drummers, they have no problem building epic, almost Arcade Fire-esque rock arrangements. More impressively though, they balance their ability to make lots of noise with a surprising sense of restraint, weaving sparse, delicate moments of quiet into almost all of their songs. Vocalist and Songwriter Kyle Morton is one of the most talented and creative frontmen I’ve seen in a long time, writing ambitious sprawling songs bringing them to life with his veritable indie-rock orchestra. They also pack a serious punch live in concert.

5. Watch the Throne / Jay-Z and Kanye West: Made in America

This mysterious, much-anticipated collaboration between the two biggest names in hip-hop today turned out as epic as we all hoped. The tone shifts from sinister to overblown to oddly humble in parts, capturing the range that both artists have in their catalogs. The whole album is essentially a snapshot of what hop-hop looks like in 2011, and in the future it’ll be an interesting part of the time capsules that are all of our iTunes libraries.

6. Inclusions / Ben Sollee

Singer/Songwriter/Cellist Ben Sollee is one of the most unconventional talents out there right now, bringing in folk, pop, soul and R&B influences into his cello-centric compositions. He has an interesting singing voice, ear for melody and a mind for enigmatic but engaging lyrics that really comes out in this release. I first heard him perform “Electrified” on his tour with Daniel Martin Moore and couldn’t wait for an official release, but much to my surprise that gem is outshadowed by a few even better tracks on Inclusions. This is a great introduction to an amazing artist.

7. undun / The Roots

It just came out, but this album really hits hard and shows The Roots at their best. The minimalist, drum-centric production and masterful rhyming from Black Thought and the guests on this album paint a stark, dramatic picture of urban crime. Turning against the “gangsta” conventions of glamorizing drug trafficking and violence, the narrative aspects of this concept album are both effective and affective, playing out like a well-conceived movie plot. More than anything though, it just sounds fantastic, especially the suite of instrumental pieces at the end.

8. Goblin / Tyler, The Creator

Call it shock value, call it horror-core (at your own risk), or call it a fad, but I actually think this album contains some of the most innovative hip-hop production and more raw, honest emotion than any other LP I listened to this year. Tyler Okonma is one of the most interesting characters to break into the public consciousness in a long time, flaunting his demons, obsessing over and condemning his own celebrity and showing both vulnerability and initiative. Maybe it won’t change hip-hop forever and maybe he’s just a crazy fucked-up kid, but I really enjoyed watching the Odd Future phenomenon unfold and I think Goblin is worth repeat listens.

9. All Eternals Deck /The Mountain Goats

I’ve always loved John Darnielle’s songwriting, and this album contains some of his most ambitious and strongest songs to date. The production sounds polished and clear, veering away from the grit of the MG’s “boombox” recordings without losing emotion. The gambles pay off on this album, with the barbershop quartet on “High Hawk Season” making it an unexpected highlight, and Jon Wurster’s subtle drumming brings out interesting textures in many of the tracks.

10. Circuital / My Morning Jacket

By now you’ve heard everyone rave about MMJ as a live act and you should believe the hype, but this album shows their dexterity in the studio as well. The droning, spacey production underscores Jim James’ vocal style perfectly, and their ability to seamlessly shift from epic to intimate between tracks shows their versatility. A very solid album from a great band.

On Jack’s Turntable: Mahna Mahna / Cake

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Nov 232011

Mahna Mahna, Cake
I’ve been waiting for a long time for today. That’s right, its the opening day of The Muppets, Jason Segel’s revival of my favorite old TV show, the Muppet Show. In honor of this very exciting day I’m sharing with all of you Cake’s fantastically funky cover of the iconic Mahna Mahna, which originally aired as a skit on the very first episode of The Muppet Show. Originally performed by a character (appropriately) named Mahna Mahna and his backup singers The Snowths, Cake replaces some of the television silliness with their own brand of white-guy funk. The lead guitar tone in this song knocks me out every time, starting out crystal clear in the intro and getting progressively rauchier and more experimental as the track develops. Covering a song like this takes a certain amount of playfulness and lightheartedness, and Cake certainly includes that with background laughter and whooping, traffic whistles and a loose, fun atmosphere. From a more musically legitimate side though, the simple melody and call-and-response form offer tons of room for creativity, and Cake takes full advantage of that.

In short, go see The Muppets.

On Jack’s Turntable: Josephine / Brandi Carlile

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Nov 032011

Josephine / Brandi Carlile
My mother is going to see Brandi Carlile tomorrow night at Berklee on my recommendation, so partially out of jealousy and partially as pre-show education for her I’m posting one of my favorite Brandi tracks. Its tough to choose a single song to feature from her catalog, which isn’t all that large but features some really well-written songs and stunning vocal performances. While tracks like “The Story,” “Turpentine,” “What Can I Say,” and “Happy” all hold special places in my heart, this song tends to catch my attention over the rest just for its opening harmonies, which just blow me away every time (especially on nice speakers). Her voice is just so interesting and rich, coating each word in emotion like thick varnish. Her lyrics strike the perfect balance between personal and universal- describing situations that anybody can relate to in such an affected way that she must have experienced them herself. In this song (and others) she uses some of the most elegant and beautiful natural imagery I’ve ever heard, like the simple but stunning “morning sun shine on me, come light inside my window and rest on my brow,” which shifts into metaphor gracefully. This song in particular represents an admirable and courageous foray into representations of sexuality, as Brandi doesn’t shy away from her homosexuality or let any potential controversy stop her from writing such an absolutely stunning romantic song. It shows self-security and maturity, as well as respect for her fans, knowing they won’t be off put, offended or judgmental about a song like this. She also plays a brilliantly-simple acoustic guitar part, another one of her skills. The only thing it lacks (compared to her other songs) is more interaction with her band, especially her great drummer.

On Jack’s Turntable: Theory 11.1.11 / Wale

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Nov 012011

Wale, Theory 11.1.11
I never really thought much of Wale until I heard this quick, off-the-cuff track, but now he definitely has more of my respect and attention. In short, this two-minute offering appeals to everything I look for in a hip-hop song. It has a sense of honesty and insight, looking at existential issues rather than just pandering to the conventions of a musical culture ridden with superficiality. Everybody likes money, but we also all think about how we’re perceived and how we fit into our surroundings. I also have a strong appreciation for instrumental simplicity in rap. With today’s technology I’m rarely impressed by frantic, over-thought club beats that feel like second-rate DJ mixes or rushed sampling that relies on novelty and familiarity rather than actual musical merit. Sparse accompaniment like this shows respectful restraint and gives the MC more space to be creative (see Tupac’s masterpiece Thugz Mansion). Wale’s rythmic delivery shows his musical ambition and dedication to an actual craft rather than just the desire to portray a character like some of his peers (I’m looking at you Tyler). It may take a few listens to catch everything, but luckily its short and you’ll appreciate it more each time through.

On Jack’s Turntable: A Little Bit of Everything / Dawes

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Oct 282011

A Little Bit of Everything, Dawes
Starting from the first solemn piano notes this track carries an emotional weight that any listener can relate to. I first heard it played by frontman Taylor Goldsmith by himself on an acoustic guitar in a YouTube video, so when I first heard the formal and almost military salute-style intro I saw the song in a completely different light. In some ways the idea of salute fits the song, as it pays tribute to three individuals who each face the crushing weight that builds up on all of us at times in our lives, occasionally leading to internal crises like these.
The first anecdote sets the grave tone with the story of a man about to commit suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge, explaining his motivation as a combination of all the little things that he just can’t take anymore. Its really heavy and serious, so much so that the first verse sometimes distracts me from listening to the rest of the lyrics. In the second vignette Goldsmith turns to a less extreme and more relateable scenario, as an elderly man is suddenly struck with nostalgia and regret while waiting in line for a buffet. As he wrestles with the missed opportunities of his life he finally finds a glorious little spark of ambition, symbolically asking for everything the way he regrets not doing earlier in life. While the things he ultimately recieves are limited to food (because he’s at a restaurant), the idea of just going for it and striving still fells very satisfying. At this point Taylor takes a very nice guitar solo, then turns to the third episode. The last part is the mushiest and most uplifting, as a bride-to-be explains to her future husband in detail why she’s so excited to be married, even in the face of stressful wedding planning. Its a beautiful explanation and ode to love.
I’ve just started listening to Dawes after seeing Taylor play with Middle Brother this summer, but he’s quickly becoming one of my favorite lyricists, and charming songs like this one are exactly why.

On Jack’s Turntable : Star Star (Live) / The Frames

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Oct 242011

Star Star, The Frames
There are a few sure-fire ways to win me over as a music listener, and Glen Hansard seems to know all of them. Not only does he write subtle, beautiful and emotional songs but he proves himself as a music fan by frequently covering and teasing other artists’ songs that he likes. This track includes both of those things, and also deserves bonus points for being one of the most pristine live recordings I’ve ever heard. Either the crowd was perfectly silent during the performance or whoever recorded this has some damn impressive microphones.

Songs about the stars always appeal to me, as someone who has spent many hours looking into the night sky. They’re an aspect of the natural world that can be immensely difficult to describe verbally, and Glen does a phenomenal job. The song itself has a really intimate quality to it, perfectly capturing the stillness and serenity of a starry night. The first live surprise comes when The Frames drop out completely and let their violinist play the iconic melody of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka, then joining him for the first line, pointing at a feeling of purity, whimsy and innocence, all of which relate to the lullaby qualities of the song. After a passionate chorus the band drops out again, and through the silence Glen and another vocalist start percussively chanting the lyrics of a song that I didn’t recognize at first, but discovered to be “Hotel Lounge (Be the Death of Me)” by the Belgian alt-grunge band dEUS, which offers a perspective of disillusionment that contrasts the Wonka tease but still relates to the song thematically. Looking at the stars can be both an act of childlike wonder or adult escape, appealing to these larger celestial entities out of either curiosity or desperation, and this medley captures that beautifully.

On Jack’s Turntable: Lighthouse / NewVillager

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Oct 172011

Lighthouse, NewVillager
As problematic as it can be to define a band, song or sound by comparisons, I can’t help it with this record. Music and art collective NewVillager have assembled a collage of some of my favorite musical elements of Indie Rock the past few years and created a glorious Frankenstien’s monster of an album that I just can’t get enough of. This song captures the group at their most bright and shining while putting everything I love about them on display. The first thing that catches my attention is always the vocal sound, which borrows heavily from the pitch-corrected effect that Justin Vernon employs with his GAYNGS project, especially the song “Last Prom on Earth.” Tuning the vocals down gives it the vague feeling of a hip-hop chant, which becoems especially present in the psudo-rap verse just past the halfway point. The effects give way to a smooth croon almost reminiscent of Beirut. Once the percussion kicks in a whole new set of influences become apparent, with the Passion Pit snare hits and Of Montreal’s philosphy of loosely-ordered chaos and experiementation. coming out to play. Theres even some gospel- flavored background singing. Gradually, after the hip-hop section, it all morphs into acoustic strumming with some piano noodling, which recalls Edwarde Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes for its simple but infectious rhythms. I want to play this song at parties, in the car, when I’m happy, when I’m near the ocean, on the radio and as loud as possible in my bedroom. You should join me.

On Jack’s Turntable: K’naan / Don’t Think Twice (Messengers Remix)

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Sep 302011

Don’t Think Twice (Messengers Remix), K’Naan
In 2009 Somalian rapper K’naan released a series of mixtapes celebrating the careers of the legendary musicians that inspire and inform his own work, starting with Fela Kuti, then Bob Marley and finally Bob Dylan. Produced by J. Period, the tapes superimpose K’naan’s literate hip-hop over some of the most revered tracks in rock history, while additionally providing some historical context for the works by layering in samples of interviews and clips of critical analysis. Of all the unique remixes on the tapes this treatment of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, Its Alright” stands out as one of the most brilliant works of sampling I’ve heard in a long time. The iconic finger-picked guitar line takes on a brighter, more optimistic tone thanks to the addition of the syncopated, cymbal-heavy drums and simple bass line. The new uptempo feel changes the whole character of the song, as does K’naan’s straightforward but thoughtful rapping. His lyrics follow the same themes as Bob’s original verses, preserving the meaning and message of the song while updating it with more contemporary musical conventions. As the most Dylan-esque figure in rap today, K’naan channels Dylan and crafts this song the way Bob probably would have if he were a contemporary rapper rather than a ’60s folksinger. Even out of the historical context its a really enjoyable piece of relaxed, emotionally rich hip-hop. Download all the Messengers mixtapes in full, including the Dylan release, on J. Period’s website.