The albums thread - 2014

[spring hall convert]

New Ariel Pink LP here. I think it's in the running for AOTY but am also aware that some people are going to hate it.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/nov/10/ariel-pink-pom-pom-exclusive-album-stream

 

[tinycowboy]

New Ariel Pink LP here. I think it's in the running for AOTY but am also aware that some people are going to hate it.

I even hated Round and Round - that's how much of a hater I am...

 

[spring hall convert]

I even hated Round and Round - that's how much of a hater I am...

That's pretty severe. I prefer his more out there/ unhinged stuff but did rather like that as a pop tune.

I totally understand why people don't like him though. He's the Ashley Barnes of mid range indie musicians.

 

[tinycowboy]

I totally understand why people don't like him though. He's the Ashley Barnes of mid range indie musicians.

And there he is, living the dream whilst I'm struggling with relegation-threatened indie chancers. I think the drawing on the cover of Round and Round helped put me off. I live in dread of my children seeing it when flicking through my cover art. Next stop The Twilight Sad and A Winged Victory For The Sullen......

 

[spring hall convert]

Stream of the Andy Stott album, if you liked Luxury Problems, his last one, this is like it but more melodic.

http://www.npr.org/2014/11/09/361384510/first-listen-andy-stott-faith-in-strangers

It does start very slowly. Perserverance reaps rewards.

I expect this to be one of Resident Advisor's albums of the year. Certainly one of the best electronic records I've heard this year (but then I love a bit of downbeat minimal techno so I might be a little biased.)

 

[Machiavelli]

I even hated Round and Round - that's how much of a hater I am...

I really didn't get on with whichever Ariel Pink album I've heard.

 

[Whitechapel]

I'm assuming this is the right thread to post this in, and I don't think the album in question will have been mentioned yet.

Run The Jewels 2 by Run The Jewels is the best album this year by a country mile. (IMO obviously) Nobody has even get close to touching Killer Mike and El-P over the last few years. Streets ahead. If you have an even fleeting interest in Hip-Hop then get on it now.

I'd also recommend Busdriver - Perfect Hair to anybody who likes their hip-hop.

http://youtu.be/NuNF1hVMNow

http://youtu.be/lTxDEu1mw68

 

[We're the Stripes]

Had the new Ariel Pink and Hookworms albums on at work today, both promising. Hookworms' seems pretty much a continuation from Pearl Mystic, which is fine by me to be honest.

Pom Pom the more instantly satisfying of the two, definitely up there with Before Today based on first impressions. Mature Themes didn't really do it for me.

Not an album, but Ty Segall was awesome in session on Marc Riley tonight, so good that I'm going to pop out and get his latest album next time I'm in the middle of town. There's a link to the session here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nvz72

Ooh, thanks for that - will have a listen. You won't regret getting the new record, I'd probably rank it in my top 5 of the year so far.

 

[Buzzer]

That Ariel Pink's new album.

I like it in parts (Actually, a lot of parts) but IMO he's guilty of trying a bit too hard at times to be leftfield and definitely a case of at least one of those tunes written around a clever or punny song title. It reminds me a lot of the childrens' albums that They Might Be Giants wrote a few years back, very Sesame Street. If you take out those 7 or 8 tracks you're still left with one hell of a good album but it's not going to be a candidate for my album of the year. The novelty of its quirkiness will start wearing off very quickly, I know that for sure. It's just not my cup of tea.

Elsewhere, I've been listening to a lot of Bandcamp music and there's some quite incredible music to be found. I discovered via a recommendation on the Guardian music website, Alex G who is only 21, still at uni and is already on his 5th album - all recorded in his bedroom. In parts like that ultimate lo-fi hero, Daniel Johnston and in other parts like Avi Buffalo or Damien Jurado/Elliott Smith/Bill Callahan. On further investigation he's had some pretty big website reviews from other sources too Pitchfork/Quietus etc.

Well worth checking out his DSU album... https://sandy.bandcamp.com/album/dsu

And that Andy Stott album - that's right up my street and it's beautiful. Everything that I love about electronica.

 

[spring hall convert]

I'm assuming this is the right thread to post this in, and I don't think the album in question will have been mentioned yet.

Run The Jewels 2 by Run The Jewels is the best album this year by a country mile. (IMO obviously) Nobody has even get close to touching Killer Mike and El-P over the last few years. Streets ahead. If you have an even fleeting interest in Hip-Hop then get on it now.

I'd also recommend Busdriver - Perfect Hair to anybody who likes their hip-hop.

http://youtu.be/NuNF1hVMNow

http://youtu.be/lTxDEu1mw68

I loved RTJ 1, still haven't listened to this enough. I'm not a massive hip hop fan but I really like these guys solo work and RTJ. Great post.

 

[Buzzer]

Talking (somewhat obliquely) about Ariel Pink, I see he was accused by Grimes of misogyny because of his comments about Madonna's music. All a bit unfairly as far as I can see.

Is this the year for musical binfests or what? It seems that every week there's reports of some artist taking offence at another. Latest is Lorde and Diplo. Will Grimes step in here with her two-pennyworth? Will Kozelek have another rant? Will Sinead O'Connor or Wayne Coyne get involved?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Had the new Ariel Pink and Hookworms albums on at work today, both promising. Hookworms' seems pretty much a continuation from Pearl Mystic, which is fine by me to be honest.

Pom Pom the more instantly satisfying of the two, definitely up there with Before Today based on first impressions. Mature Themes didn't really do it for me.



Ooh, thanks for that - will have a listen. You won't regret getting the new record, I'd probably rank it in my top 5 of the year so far.

I have just bought the Hookworms long-player as well. I'm new to them, initial thoughts are that I like it but I'm still getting my head around it at the moment.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I can't wait till I can get down resident and pick up that RTJ album.

I think the TVOR album is now out on the web for people who know where to look for such things, any impressions?

Belle & Sebastian have released a song of their new album as well, it is very synthy - might have to give it a few more listens.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Talking (somewhat obliquely) about Ariel Pink, I see he was accused by Grimes of misogyny because of his comments about Madonna's music. All a bit unfairly as far as I can see.

Is this the year for musical binfests or what? It seems that every week there's reports of some artist taking offence at another. Latest is Lorde and Diplo. Will Grimes step in here with her two-pennyworth? Will Kozelek have another rant? Will Sinead O'Connor or Wayne Coyne get involved?

I thought Lorde's comment was a pretty funny, albeit obvious, slapdown. Diplo did set that up for her to tap in though. I hope Diplo leaves it at that.

 

[Buzzer]

I thought Lorde's comment was a pretty funny, albeit obvious, slapdown. Diplo did set that up for her to tap in though. I hope Diplo leaves it at that.

Oh, he deserved it, please don't get me wrong there. He's going from hero to zero rapidly in my eyes with his pandering to the American EDM obsession of having tunes with a mahoosive drop and the continual pilfering of Jamaican dance-hall culture. The Major Lazer stuff is, by and large, still very good but outside of that he's extremely formulaic.

Talking of which I read a piece about Calvin Harris's latest album and how every track follows a pattern with the drop coming in within a very tight timeline. His first album is one of the best albums since 2000, his move to EDM market has made him a lot of money but he's lost all musical creativity as a result.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Right. [MENTION=5200]Buzzer[/MENTION] has put me on to a mountain of new (to me) stuff, and I promised to note my thoughts on a bit of it, so here goes:

Allah-lahs - Worship the Sun
Heavy Byrds / Doors influences. Nicely crafted, with a definite MOOD. Really enjoyed this - will become a favourite, I think.

Alvvays -
Those who 'know' me from the C86 thread, and elsewhere, will know my weakness for anything featuring a jangly guitar and a female vocal. Hits the spot. Reminded me a little of the Darling Buds.

Andersons - Stephen & Emily
Didn't like this at all. Might be a Chvrches album. I don't like Chvrches.

Avi Buffalo - At best cuckold
Excellent. Can imagine some would not enjoy the pitch of his vocal. I do. Great melodies.

Ballet School - The dew lasts an hour
No no no. Eurobabble. Please make her stop!

Bill Callahan - Have Fun with God
Intriguing. Lo-fi. Atmospheric. Vocally very like John Grant. I need to listen to this in the right setting - in an armchair late at night, with a large glass of malt, rather than sat under strip lights at my desk. Could grow to love this.

By the Sea - Endless Days Crystal Sky
You can hear the lineage 80's (almost) indie pop. Put me in mind of the Railway Children, Echo & The Bunnymen and a dozen others. (This is a good thing, btw). Only after I'd listen, [MENTION=5200]Buzzer[/MENTION] told me they are formed from ex-members of The Coral. Fits.

C.A.R. - My Friend
I enjoyed (most of) this, but not so much as I was expecting to. Some of it is very self-indulgent. She can clearly sing, but needs to concentrate on the tunes, and less of the 'clever' stuff, IMO. Track 9 (Sophomore) epitomises what I DESPISE in a track. Seriously, wtf?

Charlotte Qvale - Fire Dance With Me
I want to like this more than I do. I think I'd like it more if I could hear it with the percussion track stripped out. Eurobeat swamps some nice songs underneath. And she needs to get rid of the chap who provides vocals on some of the tracks - he sounds like Peter Cetera.
There's a track 'The Fire' that she has sounding like something off an Of Monsters and Men album, that 5 seconds after he joins in, sounds like a track off the St.Elmo's Fire soundtrack (this is a BAD thing, btw...)

Chicks On Speed -
Hated it. Not even CLOSE to being as clever as they clearly think they are. Horrible.

Childhood - Lacuna
Standard indie-guitar fare, and decent for it. Its formulaic, but there is a good reason why some formulae work.

Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine
Proof that you can be 'clever' AND good. Love this. Reminds me strangely, in parts ('Emerald Tuesday', especially), of Bjork's Debut. Which is (ridiculously) high praise from me.

Claudia Brucken - Where else...
Ex lead singer of Propoganda, releases solo album and sounds exactly like solo albums by Agnetha Falkskog. Which if you've never heard them, is actually surprising okay. My wife loves them though, and she'll love this. Quiet, melodic, story telling. Nothing groundbreaking, but its very pleasant.

Conor Oberst - Upside Down Mountain
Never heard anything by Oberst before, but any Elliott Smith fan will get along with this just fine. If lo-fi indie-folk is your bag (it is) this hits the spot nicely.

East India Youth - Total Strife Forever
I heard EIY recently do an acoustic session on 6Music, and loved it, and made a note to seek out this album.
I wish I'd just recored the acoustic session instead. Don't like this one bit. Massively self indulgent. I wish a pox on him.

Eels - The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett
This is amazing. So amazing that its actually made me a little sad that I didn't get hold of it sooner. Such a story in his voice - (there would be if he were singing the yellow pages). Stunning.

Emiliana Torrini - Tookah
How does the little island of Iceland continue to churn out some many superb female singer-songwriters? This is utterly CHARMING.

Eternal Summers - The Drop Beneath
Did you like the Throwing Muses, back in the day (I did)? If so, buy this - you'll like it.

Fear of Men - Loom
Annoyed with myself for not copping on to FoM earlier. This is excellent (indie-pop/rock). Really enjoying her tone. I likened this strongly, to Veronica Falls, who are a BIG favourite in our household. This is going to be a fixture on car journeys.

Got a Girl - I love you (but I must drive off this cliff now)
Wow. This is superb. Jazzy. Cinematic. Melodic. 24 ecclectic tracks of loveliness. If you seek out one album from this list, make it this one.
Or the Eels one.
Or the Cibo Matto one...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Talking of which I read a piece about Calvin Harris's latest album and how every track follows a pattern with the drop coming in within a very tight timeline. His first album is one of the best albums since 2000, his move to EDM market has made him a lot of money but he's lost all musical creativity as a result.

Calvin Harris has changed beyond all recognition both musically and personally. He was a geeky weedy bedroom guy from Scotland when first discovered, now he walks and talks like a the true buff tanned gym-bashing LA A-lister he is. He has made an amazing amount of dollar; his Vegas residency alone pays him a footballers salary. As an aside, unlike manny who make the claim, he was literally and genuinely discovered on YouTube.

 

[spring hall convert]

I have just bought the Hookworms long-player as well. I'm new to them, initial thoughts are that I like it but I'm still getting my head around it at the moment.

Outstanding live Herr T. I've seen them quite a few times on their way up and they get better and better. Not totally sure they've done the business on record yet though.

Edit: The Soft Walls/ Hookworms show at The Haunt back in August is definately one of my favourites of the year.

 

[spring hall convert]

Talking (somewhat obliquely) about Ariel Pink, I see he was accused by Grimes of misogyny because of his comments about Madonna's music. All a bit unfairly as far as I can see.

Is this the year for musical binfests or what? It seems that every week there's reports of some artist taking offence at another. Latest is Lorde and Diplo. Will Grimes step in here with her two-pennyworth? Will Kozelek have another rant? Will Sinead O'Connor or Wayne Coyne get involved?

I thought that criticism was unfair as well. However, AP is a bit of dick to be quite frank, I think Grimes may well have been motivated by past experience/ reputation.

I had the (dis)pleasure of sharing a beer with him after his last Brighton show about 5 years ago and I think that might be the reason I didn't like Mature Themes. He was an absolute arse to his bandmates and was leching after any young girl in sight. All a bit sad really.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

[MENTION=5200]Buzzer[/MENTION] as somebody who likes everything female, Scandinavian and lush singer songwriter, have you heard of Aurora:

Aurora Aksnes - Awakening: http://youtu.be/MIwuMNOTmdc

Think this might be the only thing she has released so far.