Album of the year

[Pevenseagull]

can't tie down a top ten but without spending time on this it would largely be drawn from

Soul Of Spain - Spain
Class Clown Spots a UFO - Guided By Voices
Graceless Age - John Murry
Whispering Pines - Whispering Pines
Toward The Low Sun - Dirty Three
Don't Be A Stranger - Mark Eitzel
Don't Hear It .... Fear It - Admiral Sir Cloudeseley Shovell
Life Is People - Bill Fay
Mouseman Cloud - Robert Pollard
Cancer 4 Cure - El-P
Echoes and Rhymes - The Primatives (yes THAT 'The Primatives')
Open Your Heart - The Men
Among The Leaves - Sun Kil Moon
Silver Age - Bob Mould

"Allelujah! et.... etc." - Godspeed You! Black Emperor ......... haven't listened to enough times to be sure but will probably make the shortlist as will the new Guided By Voices Album when I get hold of it.

There is also the small matter of next month and the reported My Bloody Valentine album which may well piss all over everything released this millennium ..... or might not get released

 

[Buzzer]

I've not got round to listening to the Godspeed album yet but I'm a huge fan of theirs in every guise they play in so I think I will treat myself to their long-player for Christmas. I'm not very good at picking top lists as I am prone to changing my mind and often but albums that have definitely caught my attention this year are:

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
Crybaby - Crybaby
Andrew Weatherall - Masterpieces
Bobby Womack - Bravest Man in the Universe
Dan Le Sac - Space Between the Words
The Wave Pictures - Long Black Cars
Robag Wruhme - Olgamikks
Pond - Beard, Wives, Denim
Cave Painting - Votive Life
Allah-Las - Allah-Las

and most importantly Beth Orton with the Sugaring Season. It's almost as if this was the John Martyn/Orton album they never made and stands up there with anything she's done previously.

The biggest disappointments have been the Lawless soundtrack from Nick Cave. It just doesn't bite in any way shape or form. The Beach Boys album also, the more I listen to it, seems a paint by numbers affair and the Dexys comeback album is a mess. The Tim Burgess album is quirky but not a great album and the Flaming Lips collaborations album feels like they were marking time until their next project, the tracks merging into each other quite often. It could have been as great as David Lynch's concept album from the previous year but they stepped back, played it safe and ruined the idea.

The jury is still over XX's 'Coexist'. It took me a while to get their first album and I'm hoping that the second will click into place soon. Also Shackleton's Music For the Quiet Hour is something I'm struggling with. I usually love his brand of dark electronica but this is currently leaving me cold. I don't want to quit just yet though.

 

[joeinbrighton]

Not sure if it came out this year or at the back end of last year, but my most played album this year has been 'El Camino' by The Black Keys.

 

[Pevenseagull]

So bloody obvious, I cannot believe this song didn't exist until this year

 

[Pevenseagull]

I've not got round to listening to the Godspeed album yet but I'm a huge fan of theirs in every guise they play in so I think I will treat myself to their long-player for Christmas. I'm not very good at picking top lists as I am prone to changing my mind and often but albums that have definitely caught my attention this year are:

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
Crybaby - Crybaby
Andrew Weatherall - Masterpieces
Bobby Womack - Bravest Man in the Universe
Dan Le Sac - Space Between the Words
The Wave Pictures - Long Black Cars
Robag Wruhme - Olgamikks
Pond - Beard, Wives, Denim
Cave Painting - Votive Life
Allah-Las - Allah-Las

and most importantly Beth Orton with the Sugaring Season. It's almost as if this was the John Martyn/Orton album they never made and stands up there with anything she's done previously.

The biggest disappointments have been the Lawless soundtrack from Nick Cave. It just doesn't bite in any way shape or form. The Beach Boys album also, the more I listen to it, seems a paint by numbers affair and the Dexys comeback album is a mess. The Tim Burgess album is quirky but not a great album and the Flaming Lips collaborations album feels like they were marking time until their next project, the tracks merging into each other quite often. It could have been as great as David Lynch's concept album from the previous year but they stepped back, played it safe and ruined the idea.

The jury is still over XX's 'Coexist'. It took me a while to get their first album and I'm hoping that the second will click into place soon. Also Shackleton's Music For the Quiet Hour is something I'm struggling with. I usually love his brand of dark electronica but this is currently leaving me cold. I don't want to quit just yet though.

I got "Alt-J ed" last night - I had snobbishly dismissed them before as geeky boffin shit ... very good geeky boffin shit they are. Cohen and Womack (there's an album I would buy) are both excellent and top Dylan's fine turn. The Wave Pictures is indeed excellent. Chapelier Fou, 'Invisible' should have made my shortlist as well.

Re the Lawless soundtrack ........ Emmylou Harris covering Grandaddy is superb and justifies buying the album but it'd not a patch on Justin Lyttle covering 'Tomorrow Started' - Talk Talk on the 'Spirit of Talk Talk' album.

It's been a good year and the next GBV LP and MBV LP could well beat everything.

Happy days

It's been a bloody good year and it ain't over yet.

 

[Pevenseagull]

I agree entirely on the Flaming Lips LP... a wasted opportunity .... but I still love them

 

[owenthemonkey]

Alt J - An Awesome Wave is magnificent.
Passion Pit - Gossamer, went to see them live in Cambridge at the weekend and they were great
Loved that Black Keys El Camino album for a while too (was that out this year or last?).

XX Coexist also a let down for me

 

[Buzzer]

Chapelier Fou, 'Invisible' should have made my shortlist as well.

Hello...this is a name I've not heard before. I'll check them out.

Re the Lawless soundtrack ........ Emmylou Harris covering Grandaddy is superb and justifies buying the album but it'd not a patch on Justin Lyttle covering 'Tomorrow Started' - Talk Talk on the 'Spirit of Talk Talk' album.

Yes you're right and anyone giving Grandaddy a bit of publicity is okay in my eyes so I'm being perhaps a bit too critical but overall I think the album was aiming for a rocky version of O Brother Where Art Thou (whether or not that was a good idea) but it seems to lack any humour. It all comes across as a bit blokey to me. After just reading the sleevenotes, I see Mark Lanegan was involved but I couldn't tell from the 3 or 4 listens I've had so far and the Willie Nelson song at the end looks like a hasty bolt-on. I think I'd have preferred to see a Nick Cave/Will Oldham piece in there or even someone like Jim White, maybe even Seasick Steve.

the next GBV LP and MBV LP could well beat everything.

GBV? MBV? I'm guessing the latter is My Bloody... but can't get the first.

It's been a bloody good year and it ain't over yet.

Yes, although not a classic in my opinion. The relatively weak candidates for the Mercury Awards being a good barometer for me. I was disappointed that the rumoured Portishead album didn't appear but I am not surprised but in the meantime the Geoff Barrow label goes from strength to strength and his Drokk album was a lot of fun.

I forgot to mention as well Prince Fatty's 'Return of the Gringo'. His dub reggae soundtrack to a fictitious film is a big party favourite. Also add the Trailer Trash Tracys as a great post-party album, very trippy. The Ringo Deathstarr album didn't deliver but I was expecting so much more after their Colour Trip (?) EP from last year. I need to go back and listen again.

The lowest point in my music buying year was the Kindness album. It could have been the greatest electro-pop album since 'Dare' but it doesn't matter because he's included a cover of the Eastenders theme-inspired "Anyone Can Fall In Love". I guess he thinks it's funny. It's shite. He's a twat for doing it.

 

[Buzzer]

I agree entirely on the Flaming Lips LP... a wasted opportunity .... but I still love them

Completely. And he did manage to persuade Erykah Badu and her sister to be filmed full frontal naked for the video to "First Time Ever" so fair play to Coyne for that.

 

[albionalbino]

Daphni - Jialong
Allah Las
Spain- Soul Of Spain
John Murry - Graceless Age
Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
John Talabot - Fin
Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Michael Mayer - Mantasy
Alt J - Awesome Wave
Chromatics - Kill For Love

 

[big nuts]

Very surprised no one has mentioned the excellent hot chip album from this year which is certainly amongst their best work to date. Alt - J were a deserving mercury winner and the black keys album is excellent.

Wasn't aware caribou had brought out another album under a different guise so will be purchasing that when I get back to the uk.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Very surprised no one has mentioned the excellent hot chip album from this year which is certainly amongst their best work to date.

Interesting. I have it but think it's a bit patchy. It has fine moments on it (Motion Sickness and Don't Deny Your Heart are two of their best) but it's not consistent in my humble and current opinion. Ditto Caribou though.

 

[darters74]

It's a damn sight better than some of the previous shit they've done, Let Me Be Him is the best track for me..........Two Door Cinema Club's follow up is one of my faves......

 

[CHAPPERS]

Very surprised no one has mentioned the excellent hot chip album from this year which is certainly amongst their best work to date. Alt - J were a deserving mercury winner and the black keys album is excellent.

Wasn't aware caribou had brought out another album under a different guise so will be purchasing that when I get back to the uk.

The Hot Chip album was somewhat disappointing to me too, and I love them. They have set the bar incredibly high though, so it's still and good album just not anywhere near their best for me.

 

[spring hall convert]

Thanks to those reccomending Allah La's, great little Stones/ Doors pastiche. Reminds me of the Brian Jonestown Masscacre at their best in being utterly unoriginal, yet excellent at the same time. I see they are playing Brighton next month, no doubt they will be worth catching live.

 

[Albumen]

Daphni - Jialong
Allah Las
Spain- Soul Of Spain
John Murry - Graceless Age
Sun Kil Moon - Among The Leaves
John Talabot - Fin
Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Michael Mayer - Mantasy
Alt J - Awesome Wave
Chromatics - Kill For Love

I bought this and can't say it's up there as it steps too near Deep Forest for my liking. I may give it another listen though as it's been a while.

And I'm just not getting anything from Alt J.

 

[Albumen]

I bought this and can't say it's up there as it steps too near Deep Forest for my liking. I may give it another listen though as it's been a while.

And I'm just not getting anything from Alt J.

Actually there's just one deep forest feel. There's too much of a late 80's house love-in for my liking.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Guided By Voices - "The Bears For Lunch" has just finished its third back to back play in Pevenseagull towers and it seems to be the best GBV/Robert Pollard album of a quite frankly amazing year. My only concern is that it is so immediate that there may not be any hidden gems .... at the moment I don't give a shit .... superb, f***ing superb.

 

[bluenitsuj]

Kristina train - dark black.

My album of the year by a long long way. Anyone else heard it? What are your thoughts?

 

[spring hall convert]

This list is not so safe and has some good stuff on it. Was compiled half way through 2012 so looking forward to the final 50 later this year.

The Quietus | Features | Quietus Albums Of The Year So Far 2012

I am a Quietus/Stool Pigeon/Wire/VICE man so I approve!