8. Toe - Book About My Idle Plot on Vague Anxiety (2005, Math Rock/Post Rock)
A four-piece Japanese rock band taking their stab at what might be best described as the second wave of Mogwai-inspired-post-rocking, Toe are unlike the shoulders on which they stand in that their music tells a vivid story instead of conjuring a murky atmosphere. You can clearly detail the plucked, dueling guitar melodies as they weave in and out of sync with each other. And the drummer-- by god, the drummer. He's jazzy and energetic, but never far from grasp. He titters on the cusp of wankery but never seems to overindulge. And on those rare songs where he takes the backseat-- simple, melodic beauty (see "C" below). But that's why I had to immediately replay certain songs when I first listened to this album: you tend to focus on one aspect of the music and miss out on what the other band members are doing, and more importantly, how the overall song is unfolding.
Every time I've relistened to this album, it finds a new way to send chills down my spine. That's a good feeling.