o/t Five months into the year - Best Albums so far?

[Buzzer]

Rough Trade Records have announced their top 10 albums of the year

http://roughtradeshop.blogspot.com/2011/11/rough-trades-top-10-albums-of-year-2011.html

They've put Josh Pearson at the top of the pile. I've not got too many complaints with that, it's all about opinions after all but looking at their list it does seem weighted heavily towards folk/Americana/country/guitar type music. the Nicolas Jaar album is brilliant and deserves its place in there but I think electronica needs more than just that as a representation in their list. I'm surprised Gui Boratto isn't in there too. Perhaps he's now a bit too mainstream for them.

I was a little late in getting it but I bought Little Dragon's Ritual Union the other day and is in my opinion a lovely album. It's very well produced and as with all their stuff is incredibly understated. I guess that's what comes from a band that's Swedish/Japanese. It's never going to be over-demonstrative but it's going to be very good. Unlike the last album of theirs, it feels a bit more a complete package rather than separate songs and I like the way the songs flow into each other.

My compilation album of the year is Japanease, a 120 track compilation with proceeds towards Japanese victims of the earthquake this year. Just about everybody got involved with this and is a monster of an album.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

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[Marmaduke]

Th Horrors album is my favourite album of the year so far.... PJ Harvey's is a gem too. M83 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming' not far behand.

Was also mightily impressed by the new Death In Vegas album - Trans Love Energies

 

[Trufflehound]

For those mellower moments, am also very much enjoying Jonathan Jeremiah's album A Solitary Man at the moment.

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[Buzzer]

Oh my. I've been listening to the New Fall album 'Erstatz GB' and I think it could be album of the year. It's out on Monday and probably a bit too late for most 'best of' lists but MES is imperious. What an album.

Enjoy:
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and there's a great interview with him where he blames U2 for the bad music. http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/2011/11/the_fall_speak_computers_are_m.html

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Rough Trade Records have announced their top 10 albums of the year

http://roughtradeshop.blogspot.com/2011/11/rough-trades-top-10-albums-of-year-2011.html

They've put Josh Pearson at the top of the pile. I've not got too many complaints with that, it's all about opinions after all but looking at their list it does seem weighted heavily towards folk/Americana/country/guitar type music. the Nicolas Jaar album is brilliant and deserves its place in there but I think electronica needs more than just that as a representation in their list. I'm surprised Gui Boratto isn't in there too. Perhaps he's now a bit too mainstream for them.

I was a little late in getting it but I bought Little Dragon's Ritual Union the other day and is in my opinion a lovely album. It's very well produced and as with all their stuff is incredibly understated. I guess that's what comes from a band that's Swedish/Japanese. It's never going to be over-demonstrative but it's going to be very good. Unlike the last album of theirs, it feels a bit more a complete package rather than separate songs and I like the way the songs flow into each other.

My compilation album of the year is Japanease, a 120 track compilation with proceeds towards Japanese victims of the earthquake this year. Just about everybody got involved with this and is a monster of an album.

Interesting. I've gone off the Kurt Vile album, again. I found it quite bland at first, then started to like it, but I have now decided it's bland.

I'm also looking out for Yuksek. I really hope he figures in the end of year charts as I think he will be my album of 2011 slightly ahead of PJ Harvey. I saw him last night at Coalition and he was damn fine. I've seen many a band flop with the live band electronic thing but he got it just right. A perfect blend of pop live band and dance floor beat. I was totally shocked to be one of only about 50 people in attendance though. But, everyone's loss was my gain as I spent the night dancing with a number of teenage Frenchies in denim shorts and racey tights.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Rough Trade Records have announced their top 10 albums of the year

http://roughtradeshop.blogspot.com/2011/11/rough-trades-top-10-albums-of-year-2011.html

They've put Josh Pearson at the top of the pile. I've not got too many complaints with that, it's all about opinions after all but looking at their list it does seem weighted heavily towards folk/Americana/country/guitar type music. the Nicolas Jaar album is brilliant and deserves its place in there but I think electronica needs more than just that as a representation in their list. I'm surprised Gui Boratto isn't in there too. Perhaps he's now a bit too mainstream for them.

I was a little late in getting it but I bought Little Dragon's Ritual Union the other day and is in my opinion a lovely album. It's very well produced and as with all their stuff is incredibly understated. I guess that's what comes from a band that's Swedish/Japanese. It's never going to be over-demonstrative but it's going to be very good. Unlike the last album of theirs, it feels a bit more a complete package rather than separate songs and I like the way the songs flow into each other.

My compilation album of the year is Japanease, a 120 track compilation with proceeds towards Japanese victims of the earthquake this year. Just about everybody got involved with this and is a monster of an album.

..and no Jeffrey Lewis.

 

[Buzzer]

..and no Jeffrey Lewis.

I need to check this Jeffrey Lewis out. For some reason I have a mental block when I try to remember his name and I just see Jeffrey Lee Pierce ex-Gun Club bloke who died a few years back. Yuksek sounds interesting too. Must buy the Pantha Du Prince album too.

 

[Peteinblack]

Ancient & Modern - The Mekons

yet another smashing Mekons LP

Agreed - saw them do a free promo gig at Rough Trade's Brick Lane mega-store last Sunday lunch-time; their only British gig this year.

Brilliant album - especially tracks like 'Space in Your Face' and 'Honey Bear'.

 

[Peteinblack]

Wire - Red Barked Tree
P. J. Harvey - Let England Shake
Mekons - Ancient and Modern
The Fall - Ersatz GB
Half Man Half Biscuit - 90 Bisodol

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I need to check this Jeffrey Lewis out. For some reason I have a mental block when I try to remember his name and I just see Jeffrey Lee Pierce ex-Gun Club bloke who died a few years back. Yuksek sounds interesting too. Must buy the Pantha Du Prince album too.

He's really good, it's described as anti-folk and his lyrics are very witty and clever. His early work is very scratchy and amateur though...similar to Daniel Johnson in this respect. Maybe work backwards.

He is quite amusing because he eschews most music biz stuff and is very DIY...but has become hipster because of this; listen to the very perceptive Cult Boyfriend.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yuksek sounds interesting too.

It will not change the world but for what it is (French electro/electro pop), it's very very good.

 

[Buzzer]

I've been listening to Kate Bush's new album '50 Words for Snow'. It's certainly a better album from her than her previous outings and is a lot more minimal. You know those Talk Talk albums of the 90s that were delicate, introspective, intelligent, grown-up? Well this is a lot like those. It has a slightly classical feel to it because he draws so heavily on the piano and her voice (which is superb. Snowflake shows her hitting the top notes with ease). I need to look at who was involved in it because a few tracks feel like they have Dave Gilmour's presence on them. Overall, I'd say it's a fine album but don't expect to be lifted by it. It seems Ms Bush is a bit of a troubled soul. I like the little nods back to Bjork with some of the arrangements.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I've been listening to Kate Bush's new album '50 Words for Snow'. It's certainly a better album from her than her previous outings and is a lot more minimal. You know those Talk Talk albums of the 90s that were delicate, introspective, intelligent, grown-up? Well this is a lot like those. It has a slightly classical feel to it because he draws so heavily on the piano and her voice (which is superb. Snowflake shows her hitting the top notes with ease). I need to look at who was involved in it because a few tracks feel like they have Dave Gilmour's presence on them. Overall, I'd say it's a fine album but don't expect to be lifted by it. It seems Ms Bush is a bit of a troubled soul. I like the little nods back to Bjork with some of the arrangements.

Am having to wait for this because Miss TRHK is buying it for me for Christmas (ah, nice of her). Can't wait.

 

[BrickTamland]

+ by Ed Sheeran is brilliant. Maybe a bit more of a slower more relaxed listen but still some good upbeat tunes and no album fillers IMO.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Low "C'mon" getting plenty of airplay in advance on next weekend's gig. If it wasn't by Low I'd probably rate it higher as it IS by Low then it's just very good (hope they lean heavily on back catalogue on the 3rd)

 

[piersa]

vaccines

 

[Danny-Boy]

My new collection of cigarette cards album. (Only old codgers need to reply)

 

[Buzzer]

A few albums I've bought that are well worth checking out:

Ringo Deathstarr's album Shadow. Pevenseagull has got me into them and I picked up a promo copy of their 2011 album. If you like shoegazer guitars and soaring riffs then this is for you.

Gold Panda - DJ Kicks - the latest DJ Kicks outing sees Peckham's Gold Panda in the driving seat. It's a beautiful collection of tracks and has amazing depth and breadth. It's had mixed reviews and some are calling it a little too technical and cold but I found an amzing amount of passion had gone into it. Sometimes it's not all about a thumping bass and anthemic chords. Gold Panda is also adept at Glitch and I've always been a sucker for this more cerebral (more cerebral to me, anyway) dance music.