85.

The Dirty Projectors
Slaves’ Graves (and Ballads)
(Western Vinyl, 2004)

Dave Longstreth has always been a music nerd, but being a nerd hasn’t always been as cool as it is now. As a younger nerd, I think he was at his best and Slaves’ Graves (and Ballads) is that nerdiness in its most beautiful form (though The Getty Address is a close second). On Slave’s Graves there isn’t a hint of the pretence that hovers around Bitte Orca, only stripped down, elastic voiced Dave being all cool and great with his orchestral first half and hollow guitar second. All loverly and dreamy like a geeked out boy crush.

-Thistle