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The Top 10 Albums of 2009, Because You Really Care!
10) Brendan Benson - My Old, Familiar Friend: Benson's first release since 2005's highly entertaining Alternative to Love, My Old, Familiar Friend proved to be somewhat of a letdown compared to his earlier work. Then again, even Benson's fairest efforts still trump the works of other bands' albums released this year. His songwriting skills alone, such as those found in "Garbage Day" and "Gonowhere", propel Mr. Benson just high enough for him to make the cut into this year's list. 9) Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest: I'm not going to lie in saying that I'm not the biggest Grizzly Bear fan around these parts. Sure they receive incessant critical acclaim, but I always found them, well, boring. That was until of course their mainstream breakthrough track "Two Weeks" caught my ears. It truly is one of the best songs this year has brought us. And you know what? The rest of the album isn't too shabby either. Well played, Bear. 8) Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall: In some ways, Jay Reatard is a lot like Brendan Benson. Both are exceptional songwriters, yet the former stuffs his formative expressions into a rather simple three minute or less track while the latter takes his time and augments his songs with layers of sound. Sorry Brendan, but Reatard wins this round. 7) Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young: I was (or am? They're supposedly just taking a break I heard) big Strokes fan so I was looking forward to this release, and man, it's a fun album. The first three songs alone are gold until things come to a screeching halt with "Ludlow St." Phrazes is only comprised of eight songs, but the ones that are good, are really, really good. Hell, I might have to play "11th Dimension" at my wedding. 6) Wilco – The Album: Some have said that this is a poor man's Summerteeth but I have to disagree. This album has an identity of its own and is a step forward in the right direction after 2007's lackluster Sky Blue Sky. Memorable tracks such as "One Wing" and "You Never Know" have proven that, despite reaching their creative peak years ago, Wilco still has the ability to produce satisfying records. 5) Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca: Yes, it's yet another band that had a breakthrough album in 2009. We were fortunate enough to preview the material of Bitte Orca when the group opened for TV on the Radio at 9:30 Club back in June and they really nailed it out of the park that night. "Two Doves" is an incredibly poignant number while "No Intention" is able summarize the band's wide array of sound and rhythm in one track. One of the more diverse selections for this year's list. Sorry, Girls. 4) Matt & Kim – Grand: This duo, which you could somewhat compare to Mates of State on lots and lots of speed, delivered an excellent album in the very first month of '09 and found its way on our Top 10 because of it's collection of fast-paced yet introspective 11 tracks. Clocking in at less than half an hour, listeners of Grand are able to catch their breath during "Turn This Boat Around" before "Cinders" takes you right to the dance floor in uncontrollable style. 3) Franz Ferdinand – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand: You really have to tip your hat to these Scottish lads. The group has come a long way since "Take Me Out" and have continued to release one solid album after the next while simultaneously advancing their sound each time. "Lucid Dreams" is a tour de force over your ear buds, but seeing it performed live really takes it to the next level. Bands who write songs like that deserve some much-earned praise. 2) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix: This album is chockfull of pure pop bliss. "1901" might get relentless airplay, and rightfully so, but songs such as "Girlfriend" and "Lasso" are just a couple of tunes that are simply irresistibly catchy. It still pains me to this day that we had to sell our tickets to their show at the Rock and Roll Hotel because we had to go out of town that weekend with no way in making it back in time. That would've been a Top 10 show for sure. 1) Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion: This should honestly come as no surprise as to where this album falls in terms of placing in this year's list. The recordings found on Merriweather Post Pavilion took one of the most esoteric bands in recent history and made them, well, accessible. Lush harmonies, layered melodies, and a sound all their own taken to the next level, Animal Collective had a one-up on the entire industry when MPP was released in week one of '09. Their Fall Be Kind EP, which was released just a month or so ago, has already shown that they're not anywhere close to going back down the mountaintop just yet.
Review: Table 21 @ Volt (Part IV - Courses #15 through #23)
Course #15: Braised Longnecker Farm Rabbit. Probably my absolute favorite dish of the night. The rabbit was incredibly succulent and the way Bryan infused the applewood smoked bacon into the meat was nearly breathtaking. I was really blown away by how good this dish tasted. Well done, chef.  Course #16: Quail, accompanied with brussel sprouts. I forgot to bring the menu with me while writing this up so unfortunately I cannot recall the other ingredients, but yet again, Bryan did not disappoint. The quail was very flavorful and proved to be another highlight of the protein courses thus served that evening.  Course #17: Lamb with madras curry. Another home run. The lamb was perfectly cooked and meshed really well with the curry. Oh hell, it was probably the best lamb I've ever had.  Course #18: Wagyu beef with potato puree and garlic chip transparency. First off, the potatoes, just like the aforementioned lamb, were the best I ever ate. Words can't describe how full of flavor they were. As for the beef, well, I wish I had seconds. I'm a huge steak fan so I was looking forward to this one the most as I had never had Wagyu before. Incredibly tender and perfectly executed. This was also the last entrée course which was kind of a relief because we were so full (yes, even me).  Course #19: Cheese course featuring cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy, accompanied with a tarragon crisp and gelato. I'm not a cheese buff by any stretch of the imagination but it was still an enjoyable course. The gelato added a pleasant sweetness to the cheese and served as a nice segue to the forthcoming desserts.  Course #20: Dulce de Leche goat cheesecake with green apple sorbet. Rachel was pretty much floored by how good this dessert was and always recalls it first when looking back on our Table 21 experience. It was that amazing. The white chocolate power surrounding the cheesecake was also a very nice touch and added even more flavor to an already outstanding course.  Course #21: Three flavors of white: coconut, vanilla, and lavender. Another memorable dessert that was both creative in its composition and presentation. It was comprised of coconut ice cream, vanilla pudding, and lavender power. Really different yet really satisfying.  Course #22: Chocolate peanut butter mouse. This was probably my favorite dessert of the night. You can never go wrong with the incredible combination of chocolate and peanut butter, especially when it's prepared from a restaurant like Volt. Really rich and had a nice, crispy texture on the bottom.  Course #23: Mignardises - miniature homemade ice cream sandwiches. Volt can do wrong. It was sad to finish these bite-size desserts since it concluded what was perhaps the best meal I've ever had in my entire life.  After we received the bill, our waitress supplied us with our very own copy of the menu as well as a blueberry muffin to take home with us. The staff, from the hostess to the sommelier to the waiters and waitresses were all very friendly and made a great meal an even better one.  When we headed out after spending nearly four hours (!) at Table 21, we saw Bryan at the bar talking to a few guests while the kitchen was shutting down for the evening. Rachel asked if he could sign her menu and, if possible, take a picture with us. He couldn't have been a nicer guy about it. I applaud both him and his staff for having such a unique restaurant in this area that only provides great food and service, but also cares so much about supporting local businesses and the community. Would Volt work in DC? Definitely. But there's a certain charm about the restaurant being situated in Frederick that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere. I can't wait to go back up again.
Review: Table 21 @ Volt (Part III - Courses #8 through #14)
Course #8: Bryan came over and introduced this dish himself while shaving white truffles over the perfectly-cooked 61 degree egg. It was accompanied with salsify and caviar and proved to be another excellent course. The eggs were provided by nearby Whitmore Farm as Mr. Voltaggio ensures that all of his items are locally produced and farm fresh at Volt.  Course #9: Goat cheese ravioli and butternut squash. Yes, this was the same ravioli that was featured last night on Top Chef, and let me tell you, it was downright incredible. Perfect flavor and texture. One of the top courses of the night.  Course #10: Butter poached lobster with forbidden rice and coconut air. Another dish that was hit out of the park. Just an incredibly delicious, rich piece of meat that was cooked to perfection. I’m not sure if I’ve ever ate forbidden rice prior to Table 21, but now I definitely want to buy some and cook it with some fish the next opportunity I get.  Course #11: Seared halibut with risotto. Another solid dish. It was a bittersweet moment because I was really enjoying the fish but soon realized we were halfway through our meal. The best was yet to come though.  Course #12: Crispy veal sweetbread with flavors of picata. Delicious.  Course #13: Iberico pork trotters with a trio of beans. I was looking forward to this dish since it sounded interesting, plus the serving was a generous portion (two pieces per plate). You could somewhat compare it to pulled pork that was then breaded and deep-fried. Rachel even gave me some of hers since she’s not a huge pork fan. Score.  Course #14: Hudson Valley fois gras with vanilla brioche. Just incredible. We took our time spreading the fois gras over the homemade brioche just because we didn’t want this course to end. A favorite amongst all four of us.  Coming Up: Our final seven courses of our dinner at Table 21. PS - This was post #1000 of The Upstate Life. Wow.
Review: Table 21 @ Volt (Part II - Courses #1 through #7)
Course #1: Our first course was presented by the sommelier in what was described as a homemade cream soda made with Absolut vodka. It was actually dispensed via a seltzer bottle and then poured into a martini glass which provided a sneak preview of the creative innovations Volt would provide later that evening. It was like drinking an alcoholic Dr. Browns. I might have to start making a habit of adding vodka to my cream soda. Course #2: Bryan himself came over to the table and introduced himself to everyone while describing the most amazing appetizer ever, his own rendition of chips and dip. We were then served dried prosciutto “chips” accompanied with a bowl of rich potato dip. We were only into our second course but this one stood out as one of my favorites because of how unique and delicious it was.   Course #3: Up next was a bite of avocado filled with tuna tartar topped with wasabi foam. It was very good but the portion could’ve been a little bigger, but maybe that’s because I love tuna.  Course #4: Shitake with chili oil and pine nuts. Now I’m not sure how they made this dish, but it was hands-down the most “scientific” of the courses served. Volt prides itself on molecular gastronomy, but it’s utterly jaw-dropping to see shitake mushrooms in liquid, spherical form. Just an amazing sight to behold and, of course, really tasty!  Course #5: Trio of macaroons. Just the presentation alone blew me away. Three macaroons each individually placed on three different spoons. The first was a take on Caesar salad, the second was guacamole, while the last was beets. Each time you placed one in your mouth it instantly melted followed by a rich flavor of the filling. You just don’t see this sort of thing in other restaurants.  Course #6: Boneless chicken wing. Gotta love this story: Bryan asked us if we saw the episode of Top Chef when his brother concocted this dish. Turns out it was Bryan’s to begin with and he let Michael use it on the show! Anyway, it was of course incredible. Just the right amount of buffalo sauce flavor accompanied with bleu cheese crumbles that were frozen via liquid nitrogen. (Forgot to take a pic prior to consumption...)  Course #7: Clam chowder. Really rich, a little salty, but still very satisfying. I’m pretty sure that every ingredient besides the broth was in miniature cube form (including the clams).  Coming Up: The second seven courses of our dinner at Table 21.
Review: Table 21 @ Volt (Part I – A Preface)
Our experience at Table 21 simply cannot be captured in one post. So instead, I'll be making this a four-part series where I'll break down our meal into three 7-course posts throughout the week. But first, I'll start off with a prologue on how this came about since the back-story deserves a post of its own. Rachel's 30th birthday was a few weeks ago, and since this was one of those milestone birthdays and all, I had to make sure that this would be a memorable one. You see, despite Rachel's reluctance to admit that's she's 30 (which she thinks automatically labels her as "old"), she was still carded when she bought a movie ticket to Tropic Thunder last year. So, um, yeah. Anyway, we had been meaning to go to Volt long before chef Bryan Voltaggio was slated to be a contestant on this season's Top Chef, but it wasn't until September that we had found out about the amazing 21 course menu served inside the kitchen. This sounded like quite the experience so when it came time to plan her birthday, I decided to make the reservation later that month in fear of it booking up because of Top Chef starting around the same time. Furthermore, I wanted to keep this dinner a surprise, and since Table 21 is a communal table that sits up to four people, I called up our friends Kim and Brian to see if they wanted to be my partners in crime for this instead of being paired up with some random patrons. They went with the plan since they also had an upcoming wedding anniversary to celebrate, plus they're awesome. Our only problem was how we were going to surprise Rachel when Volt is situated all the way up in Frederick. Well, leave it to Kim to create a fake invitation for an early holiday party her coworker was supposedly having up in Frederick the very same day of the reservation. Rachel amazingly bought it since Kim begged her go as her beau had work to do that evening. Kim had also said that they'd stop and grab a drink at Volt first so Rachel could take a peek at Mr. Voltaggio since she blatantly has a crush on him (dare I say even had a dream about him? But I digress). Anyway, Rachel just made the MARC train up to Frederick while it took me nearly two hours to make the drive up to 270, but I was still able to arrive early enough and meet Brian before the two of them showed up. The surprised look of Rachel's face seeing Brian and I standing at the bar had already made my night. The hostess then took our coats and guided us past the dining room which created even more confusion for Rachel until we were ultimately seated at a table inside the kitchen that was literally within arm's reach from where the chefs were working, including Mr. Bryan Voltaggio himself. Rachel could not stop gawking. Coming Up: The first seven courses of our dinner at Table 21.
Dolphin Pride
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TUL's Take: Matt & Kim @ University of Maryland
The blog is back! At least for now. I'd get into why I've been on hiatus for oh so very long but that's not why we're here today. No, instead, I'm here to discuss how we were embraced by the infectious energy of Matt & Kim inside the Stamp Student Union at the University of Maryland last Friday night. Despite their hit song "Daylight" being the soundtrack of a Bacardi advertisement, Matt & Kim have rode the wave of success following the release of their first proper full-length, Grand. They had already played a sold-out show at the Black Cat a few months ago, but their popularity has even soared higher since then. Let's put it this way: the band was slated to open for Weezer at a sold-out Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City the very next night. Something tells me that they felt a hell of a lot more comfortable in College Park performing in front of a few hundred students whom were for the most part decked out in Halloween regalia. Matt & Kim came on-stage around 9pm sporting fake black eyes and immediately began into their set, kicking off (from what I can recall) with "Cutdown". Honestly, it's hard to remember their entire setlist because the two of them were so into each song (and each other) that you were simply captivated by how much energy and happiness they were exuding while they were respectively bashing their drums and keyboards. One could tell how much fun the both of them were having by not only their nonstop smiles at one another, but also from performing in front of a lively crowd in a somewhat intimate setting complete with bopping heads, dancing, and even some crowd-surfing. When Kim's snare drum broke, Matt initiated a hip-hop beat on his synthesizer and told his bandmate to get down while her instrument was being attended to which elicited a roar from the crowd. Not to be outdone, Matt claimed that in the spirit of Halloween, he would remove an article of clothing before each song. Let's just say by the time the band closed the evening with "Daylight", Matt was left singing in just his underwear. Don't think they could've pulled that off at Hammerstein. All and all it was a very enjoyable show and their hour-long set seemed to fly by due to their nonstop dynamism. Excellent concert and instantly made up for the fact that I was unable to attend their Black Cat outing. Dare I say this show was probably better given the atmosphere and antics? Well done.
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