Here we go..
My top 15 albums of the year:
15. Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
I really like this album, but it does just lack a little something for me, otherwise it would have been a lot higher. Lovely interesting guitar playing throughout and obviously a strong voice, I think the production might just be a tad flat because the songs are there. I think she has the ability to make an absolute peach of an album if all the ingredients click at the same time.
14. Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo
I enjoyed this a lot when it first came out, then I didn’t really touch it for months, I feel like I should absolutely love this album, where as I just find myself enjoying it. It has all the ingredients I would usually love, but it never really pulled me in to the level where I would constantly revisit it. Still a good record though.
13. Smith Westerns – Dye it Blonde
It’s almost a bit throwaway in places, it seems really laid back and nonchalant, but the hooks are huge throughout. Kind of has that lo-fi garagy thing going on, but with loads of thick glam rock style guitars and Beatles melodies, it really grew on me,
12. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi – Rome
This seemed to slip under the radar a bit, I’m a big fan of Dangermouse’ ‘cute’ production style and it really shines on this record, he has a way of being extremely versatile and floaty with genres, but still having that unique sound that is distinctively his. The Norah Jones tunes really standout for me, though the whole thing works well as a whole piece.
11. Yuck – Yuck
I think this has been said a few times and seems to be the general feeling about the album, but I agree that the albums starts brilliantly, but veers off towards the end, I always kind of forget how much I actually like this album, until I put it on. It doesn’t have that pulling power for me that keeps me going back to it, but every time I listen to it, I really enjoy it.
10. British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall
It’s a bit too long, and I think a couple of the longer meandering songs don’t work. I think the album would have been a contender for top 3 for me if it was a bit leaner, because everything else hits hard. I hate to be one of those people who do ‘revised’ tracklistings for albums, but I would have removed ‘Cleaning Out The Rooms’ and ‘Once More Now’ (that’s the best part of 19 minutes gone) and replaced them with ‘Zeus’, then it would have for me been their best album. But I find myself falling out of the album when it comes to those two longer songs at the end (Thin Black Sails pulls you in a touch between the two..). Saying that I respect them for putting what they wanted on the album.
09. Action Bronson – Dr. Lecter
Can't really add much more to what has already been said, its a great record, the length is perfect, there is no fat on it like many rap albums suffer from. Its in and out, wam bam. I love the beats more than anything, I'm not overly blown away by Bronson's flow, I prefer my MC's silkier and deeper (Like Doom or GZA), but that's not taking anything away from him as an MC, just my personal preference. But the beats are the killer here, I'm not a huge fan of the more synthier side of modern Hip-Hop production so I love the old skool east coast inspired sound going on throughout. Haven't listened to the new album yet so need to check that out soon.
08. Cults – Cults
Its just a really cute album, gorgeous melodies and massive hooks, the production works perfectly but the songs are key, I don't know if this style would get too predictable and samey of they stuck with it for the next album, it is a bit saccharine at times. But the short and sweetness of this album, doesn't make it too rich or allow it to overstay its welcome.
07. Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine
Only discovered this guy in the last few months, still haven't heard his debut which I understand was well received. This is a fun record, the production side of things reminds me of Ariel Pink, that kind of claustrophobic and close feeling, but where as Ariel Pink probably delves more into the rock side of things this is more like a dance/party record and again, has lots of hooks that really grab you in.
06. Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
The Jewish Phil Spector strikes! I suppose like most others, I wasn't expecting much from this, thought it would be overly polished and what not, but was pleasantly surprised when I finally heard it. If anything, I think the production is a little shabbier than say 'Good Bad, Not Evil', its definitely 'thinner' sounding, but in a great way. They just have a knack for writing great power pop songs coated in Garage Rock ethics.
05. Radiohead – King of Limbs
I loved this from the get go, it sound completely different for them, they have experimented with the kind of techniques that are on this album before, but never really unleashed something like this as a whole. I love the 'sound' of the album, they way the guitars or keyboards sound, the have this like muffled effect that really sits nicely in my ears. I was thinking the other day how much this reminds me of 'Sign o The Times', not song wise, but the spirit of it, its very sparse and naked in places and relies heavily on syncopated drum patterns. Instruments like guitars, keys and bass that usually drive pop songs, float in and out and against the natural rhythms, so you get these almost polyrhythmic patterns sweeping across the entire album. Not too disimilar to the way Prince used to programme his drum patterns on songs like 'The Ballad of Dorothy Parker'. Anyway, I know it didn't really sit well with many people, but I love it.
04. Vivian Girls – Share the Joy
This was a surprise too, I kind of sort of liked the first album, but it was never something I went back to often, sometimes felt a bit style over substance, and I never really gave the second album much of a go. But this album feels like a total step forward for me, the songs are fleshed out and the structures are much more learned and songy. I suppose that would be a reason why a lot of Vivian Girl fans might not like this, but to me its a much more cohesive effort and it sounds like a lot more effort has gone into making the songs into decent songs as apposed to 2 minute statements of intent. The album is bookended by 2 six minute songs, which was quite odd for them, but they nailed them both, the last song on the album in particular 'Light in Your Eyes' I absolutely adore, its been one of my songs of the year.
03. Tom Waits – Bad as Me
Another I can't really add more other than what's already been said, sure it is Tom Waits doing 'Tom Waits' and that's not something he has really done in a long time, but it's still Tom Waits doing Tom Waits! It has a broad scope of ideas and genre's that cover all elements of his career to date, which is not a bad thing at all, especially when the songs are this good. And that voice, how can you not love that voice. I love that sort of 'hissy' production he manages to get on those gentler songs like 'New Years Eve', the sound of the snare hissing from the rumble of a bass, sounds so smokey and jazzy and he captures that mood so well.
02. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Mirror Traffic
I'm a total sucker for anything Malkmus does, there is just something about his voice and melodies that resonate profoundly within my soul and I think he's someone that I'll always enjoy listening too no matter what he releases. But I do genuinely feel this was a really strong album. Like the Tom Waits album, Malk is not really bludgeoning any new ground here, it encompasses many aspects of what he has always done and if anything, it's his most Pavement sounding solo album so far. But it does sound like he really enjoyed recording these songs, Real Emotional Trash was a big rock record with huge meandering guitars and structures and this feels like a response to that album, its full of shorter sharper and more direct songs that sound like he was having fun playing along too. I saw him on the tour for this album and The Jicks seemed a lot more into playing these songs and Malkmus was in the best mood i've ever seen in him live, I think that speaks volumes for this album.
01. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Its been number one all year for me, nothing has come along that has touched this in the slightest. I dare say its the only 'classic' released all year that I've heard, as in I think this will be a bench mark in years to come, it'll certainly be regarded amongst Polly's best, if not
the best. Lyrically & vocally it's stunning, a real tour de force in that aspect, she has never sounded so sincere and the themes throughout the album, well researched and studied are themes that are just not touched by anyone else, and done in a pure, honest and non pretentious way. But again, its the music that really hits it home for me, it's what instantly grabbed me, it sound beautiful and so interesting, autoharps and reverb drenched guitars backed with gentle keyboard patterns, underpinned by the subtle and often looping 'cracked' drum patterns. This isn't just the sound of someone making some music, its a full blown and fully formed artistic statement, it just happens to be utterly beautiful.
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In summary, it's been an OK year for, not vintage. I've probably listened to the least amount of 'new music' this year than in a long time. I've dedicated a lot more time this year to watching movies than ever before, so that's had an effect. Still some great albums though, and there are probably another 15 albums or so that I really need to give some more time to rather than just stick them on the list to pad out the numbers.
Top gigs and other stuff
possibly to follow..
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I went loopy when he came on.
