The albums thread - 2014

[Buzzer]

Very much enjoying Goat's new album Commune. Strange mix of world music, beats and psychedelia but it works

Agree very much. Of the Nordic countries it's usually the Icelandics or Finns who do the far-out music and the Swedes who do the pop so damn brilliantly so it's great to see a truly experimental Swedish band - and one based in Gothenburg, the home of dream pop.

I was listening last night to Painted Palms 'Forever' album for the first time in a few months. They're signed to Secretly Canadian, a label I follow quite closely as they consistently release albums that I like a lot, very much my kind of thing. I'd bought this back in August although it was an early 2014 release and I think I picked the right time of year to listen. There are very big Beach Boys influences and the lead singer can do a pretty mean impression of John Lennon at times going by this album. They have a very smooth sound, I recommend a listen.

Also, I listened again to Grumbling Fur's 'Preternatural'. It was in my shortlist of candidates for my top ten but after a couple more listens I think they drop out the running. The start of the album is incredibly strong and 'All The Rays' is about as good a tune as you're going to hear all year. It's wonderful, very Depeche Mode early 90s with the duo complementing each other's voice extremely well to make for some lovely harmonies. Trouble is they don't have a big tune on the album. I'd love to hear them let rip but the album peters out with the last two tracks as more esoteric electronica.

 

[spring hall convert]

Did someone say a new Ty Segall album?

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20020-ty-segall-ingle-2/

 

[Mellotron]

There has also been some damn fine electronic based music released over the past couple of years.

I just think it's an incredibly exciting area of music at the moment. I wouldn't call it a genre, as there's far far far too many sub genres and variations within.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Thee Oh Sees are a remarkably prolific and consistent band, who always deliver the goods. However, they've never bettered Help (2009), in my opinion. Stuffed full of brilliant tunes, far poppier than their recent stuff. A great band at the height of their powers.



John Dwyer the main man from Thee Oh Sees has been in an amazing amount of other projects - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dwyer_(musician)

The pick of them are Pink and Brown ( a bit Lightning Bolt), Coachwhips (a really unhinged lo-fi, basic garage rock), The Hospitals (noise-rock)

Damaged Bug, his synth project from earlier this year is a lot of fun as well. Suprisingly melodic.

Thanks for this, and your other post about Ty Segall's collaborations. My weekend is sorted.

I go away for one evening, and four more pages of this thread pass, full of recommendations, full of excuses to bankrupt myself. Harrumph.

Which kind of answers your earlier question about where people find their music - I check out a lot of music that people champion on this thread, and on FB etc. I also listen to Radio 6 a fair bit.

 

[Machiavelli]

Glad to see the mention for brighton noise, I would have been accuised of massive bias if I'd mentioned it.

Thanks for Thee Oh Sees link: good bit of garage that.
This thread has been very busy over the last few days, and we've managed to pretty much avoid your top ten of the decade (so far), which will need returning to at some point.
One other request to turn your mind to: Drill is approaching; any chance of posting up a few links (you don't have to go overboard) of bands that you'd recommend seeing there?

 

[tinycowboy]

top ten of the decade (so far)?

Blimey. Are we doing this as well? That's a bit of a challenge. Albums of 2014 first, then I'm doing tracks of 2014, if I've any energy left, I'll consider the best albums of the last 5 years.

 

[Tarpon]

Blimey. Are we doing this as well? That's a bit of a challenge. Albums of 2014 first, then I'm doing tracks of 2014, if I've any energy left, I'll consider the best albums of the last 5 years.

I'm not playing. It hurts my head. Everyone please calm down.

 

[The Lemming Stomper]

Just back from a storming Gomez gig at the the Conc 2 and bought Ben Ottewell's new solo cd there, out December in the shops...

Great on first listen, co-written with Sam Genders ( ex Tunng)

 

[spring hall convert]

One other request to turn your mind to: Drill is approaching; any chance of posting up a few links (you don't have to go overboard) of bands that you'd recommend seeing there?

Sure, I'm doing something for the site so will post something on here. Not before the times are announced though. I HATE wasting time on stuff that ends up being a clash.

 

[spring hall convert]

Also, I listened again to Grumbling Fur's 'Preternatural'. It was in my shortlist of candidates for my top ten but after a couple more listens I think they drop out the running. The start of the album is incredibly strong and 'All The Rays' is about as good a tune as you're going to hear all year. It's wonderful, very Depeche Mode early 90s with the duo complementing each other's voice extremely well to make for some lovely harmonies. Trouble is they don't have a big tune on the album. I'd love to hear them let rip but the album peters out with the last two tracks as more esoteric electronica.

This one makes me all warm and fuzzy inside

 

[spring hall convert]

Spoken about this record a few times on this thread already. It popped up when I was just giving Help a listen. I fully appreciate my utter hypocrisy in labeling Temples retrograde. I'm sorry.



The track 'Easy Rider' makes me want to have sex with myself.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Spoken about this record a few times on this thread already. It popped up when I was just giving Help a listen. I fully appreciate my utter hypocrisy in labeling Temples retrograde. I'm sorry.



The track 'Easy Rider' makes me want to have sex with myself.

It's a cracking album.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not the coolest offering but I'm enjoying a few beers and listening to this

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unplugged:_The_Complete_1991_and_2001_Sessions

I really is quite majestic at times.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not the coolest offering but I'm enjoying a few beers and listening to this

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unplugged:_The_Complete_1991_and_2001_Sessions

I really is quite majestic at times.

The 2001 disc is best, it doesn't have bongos.

 

[Tarpon]

He's creeping back into my 2014 top ten. Class.

 

[Buzzer]

I couldn't do it, I couldn't whittle my shortlist down any smaller than 20 as it genuinely upset me not to include all of these - and I had to drop Hafdis Huld, Tricky, Erland and the Carnival amongst other perennial favourite artists of mine to get the list down this low. I also omitted the Temples new album as I felt it would be unfair to include an album I only heard last week. It's incredibly unfair but I have to have some way of cutting the list down. That Neneh Cherry album didn't make the cut either. Sorry about that, HT.

The top 5 definitely represent my favourite 2014 albums but the other 15 are all interchangeable:

1. Timbre Timbre 'Hot Dreams' - this is a magnificent album, cinematic almost and with a definite David Lynch feel to it. Imagine Roy Orbison or Lloyd Cole singing Elvis Costello lyrics to Goldfrapp's first album - and they're Canadian. It's about the nearest a description as I can give you, I'm afraid. This album just shines.

2. Eels 'Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everitt' - I await every Eels album with eager anticipation but his prolific nature of late meant that this album came up on me rather unexpectedly but ever since getting it (the deluxe version is a must-have to fully appreciate its breadth and beauty) I've not got the album off repeat. At work, at home, everywhere it's become a constant companion. He's as laconic as ever but the humour is still there by the bucketload, just alongside the shovelfuls of self-deprecation. The man has so little ego that it's impossible not to fall in love with him. I genuinely want to be his friend. He's lovely.

3. Esben and The Witch 'A New Nature' - I think Spring Hall Convert has described this album so perfectly that more praise from me is superfluous. It's an incredible album with so much to find it it. I'm proud that they're Brightonians.

4. Orenda Fink 'Blue Dream' - this was a real toughie for me as I am a big fan of the alt-country/indie female singer/songwriter genre and by including Orenda Fink I had to discount Sharon Van Etten, Mirel Wagner, Marissa Nadler who all had stunning albums. What swung it for me was the song 'A Part Of Something Greater'. This is an epic tune, worthy of the kind of adulation that I normally reserve for Mazzy Star.

5. Alvvays 'Alvvays' - we've spoken at length about this album too on this thread. It's just such a great trip down memory lane for me and when I hear 'Archie Marry Me' I'm in heaven, it's what a pop tune should sound like, it's perfect.

The runners-up:
Allo Darlin' 'We Come From the Same Place (jangly indie-pop is in good hands with bands like this)
Avi Buffalo 'At Best Cuckold' (very accomplished album, shows great maturity)
Beck - 'Morning Phase' (In my opinion his best yet)
C.A.R. - 'My Friend' (electro-pop with lots of attitude)
Fear Of Men - 'Loom' (Fey, delicate, folky)
Goat - 'Commune' (Like eating trifle with your fingers - this album is messy but lots of fun)
Happyness 'Weird Little Birthday' (sort of like a slightly more conventional sounding Art Brut. The lyrics are so sharp they cut)
JJ 'V' (my favourite Swedish dream-pop band back with a great album. They've vocoded slightly her appalling singing voice but it's still pretty bad in a good way)
Lamb 'Backspace Unwind' (A great return for a much-missed band, they've always bubbled under without breaking big and I'm glad to say this album is in that vein)
Lewis 'L'Amour' (80s crooner records album gets forgotten for 20 years then re-released. This is exquisite, sounds like John Martyn singing soppy love songs)
Mac DeMarco 'Salad Days' (Indie singer who does 'almost' disco tracks. An album to put a smile on your face and get your foot tapping)
Painted Palms 'Forever' (Do you like Hot Chip? Passion Pit? Then you'll like these guys a lot)
Saint Saviour 'In The Seams' (Sexy, vulnerable, intimate - if Inigo Calderon ever invited you back to his for a 'coffee' this is the album he'd put on for you)
Terror Bird 'Clubs' (Canadian lo-fi 80s electro with what sounds like one of those classic Casio synthesizers. Her cover of Eyes Without A Face surpasses the original. No, really it's that good)
Woman's Hour 'Conversations' (St Etienne fan, fear not, Woman's Hour is there to fill that hole in your life)


That ends the voting by me. Hope you enjoyed it.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Saint Saviour 'In The Seams' (Sexy, vulnerable, intimate - if Inigo Calderon ever invited you back to his for a 'coffee' this is the album he'd put on for you)

Um. That!

 

[Buzzer]

I couldn't do it, I couldn't whittle my shortlist down any smaller than 20 as it genuinely upset me not to include all of these - and I had to drop Hafdis Huld, Tricky, Erland and the Carnival amongst other perennial favourite artists of mine to get the list down this low. I also omitted the Temples new album as I felt it would be unfair to include an album I only heard last week. It's incredibly unfair but I have to have some way of cutting the list down. That Neneh Cherry album didn't make the cut either. Sorry about that, HT.

The top 5 definitely represent my favourite 2014 albums but the other 15 are all interchangeable:

1. Timbre Timbre 'Hot Dreams' - this is a magnificent album, cinematic almost and with a definite David Lynch feel to it. Imagine Roy Orbison or Lloyd Cole singing Elvis Costello lyrics to Goldfrapp's first album - and they're Canadian. It's about the nearest a description as I can give you, I'm afraid. This album just shines.

2. Eels 'Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everitt' - I await every Eels album with eager anticipation but his prolific nature of late meant that this album came up on me rather unexpectedly but ever since getting it (the deluxe version is a must-have to fully appreciate its breadth and beauty) I've not got the album off repeat. At work, at home, everywhere it's become a constant companion. He's as laconic as ever but the humour is still there by the bucketload, just alongside the shovelfuls of self-deprecation. The man has so little ego that it's impossible not to fall in love with him. I genuinely want to be his friend. He's lovely.

3. Esben and The Witch 'A New Nature' - I think Spring Hall Convert has described this album so perfectly that more praise from me is superfluous. It's an incredible album with so much to find it it. I'm proud that they're Brightonians.

4. Orenda Fink 'Blue Dream' - this was a real toughie for me as I am a big fan of the alt-country/indie female singer/songwriter genre and by including Orenda Fink I had to discount Sharon Van Etten, Mirel Wagner, Marissa Nadler who all had stunning albums. What swung it for me was the song 'A Part Of Something Greater'. This is an epic tune, worthy of the kind of adulation that I normally reserve for Mazzy Star.

5. Alvvays 'Alvvays' - we've spoken at length about this album too on this thread. It's just such a great trip down memory lane for me and when I hear 'Archie Marry Me' I'm in heaven, it's what a pop tune should sound like, it's perfect.

The runners-up:
Allo Darlin' 'We Come From the Same Place (jangly indie-pop is in good hands with bands like this)
Avi Buffalo 'At Best Cuckold' (very accomplished album, shows great maturity)
Beck - 'Morning Phase' (In my opinion his best yet)
C.A.R. - 'My Friend' (electro-pop with lots of attitude)
Fear Of Men - 'Loom' (Fey, delicate, folky)
Goat - 'Commune' (Like eating trifle with your fingers - this album is messy but lots of fun)
Happyness 'Weird Little Birthday' (sort of like a slightly more conventional sounding Art Brut. The lyrics are so sharp they cut)
JJ 'V' (my favourite Swedish dream-pop band back with a great album. They've vocoded slightly her appalling singing voice but it's still pretty bad in a good way)
Lamb 'Backspace Unwind' (A great return for a much-missed band, they've always bubbled under without breaking big and I'm glad to say this album is in that vein)
Lewis 'L'Amour' (80s crooner records album gets forgotten for 20 years then re-released. This is exquisite, sounds like John Martyn singing soppy love songs)
Mac DeMarco 'Salad Days' (Indie singer who does 'almost' disco tracks. An album to put a smile on your face and get your foot tapping)
Painted Palms 'Forever' (Do you like Hot Chip? Passion Pit? Then you'll like these guys a lot)
Saint Saviour 'In The Seams' (Sexy, vulnerable, intimate - if Inigo Calderon ever invited you back to his for a 'coffee' this is the album he'd put on for you)
Terror Bird 'Clubs' (Canadian lo-fi 80s electro with what sounds like one of those classic Casio synthesizers. Her cover of Eyes Without A Face surpasses the original. No, really it's that good)
Woman's Hour 'Conversations' (St Etienne fan, fear not, Woman's Hour is there to fill that hole in your life)


That ends the voting by me. Hope you enjoyed it.

...ha! Goes to show how much I know about music. Those people at Piccadilly Records in Manchester have selected their top 100 and I think I've got about 4 of those in my top twenty and I've heard probably less than 40 from their list.

http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/feature.php?feature=735

Number one is Jane Weaver (never heard of her)
Number two is 'Be' (never heard of them)
Number three is Horsebeach (never heard of them)

 

[Mellotron]

Not the coolest offering but I'm enjoying a few beers and listening to this

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unplugged:_The_Complete_1991_and_2001_Sessions

I really is quite majestic at times.

They're a funny one for me, R.E.M..

So much of their music can wash over me, or sounds R.E.M. by numbers, but the odd song will just FLOOR me with it's brilliance.

 

[tinycowboy]

Here's my top ten. I'll do best tracks of 2014 sometime in the next week or so as well.

10. The Last War - Haley Bonar. Quality songs, some Justin Vernon backing vocals, veers from pop with hints of krautrock (Kill The Fun) to crackling campfire desolation and reflection (Eat For Free). Accomplished country poprock.
9. Atlas - Real Estate. One listen = soporific. > 10 listens = self-actualisation. One of those strange albums where you listen the first few times and think that there is nothing that could possibly be contained within the songs that would meet the definition of interesting. Weeks later, you wonder how you reached that conclusion. Jangly, downbeat, introspective, melodic, addictive.
8. Dalliance - Gold-Bears. US power/indiepop, with the accent on tunes, choruses, guitars and finales. Plenty of all of these.
7. Total Strife Forever - East India Youth. Sometimes shimmering, sometimes bleeping impatiently, sometimes ethereal. A bit of a melting pot of electronic music.
6. Alvvays - Alvvays. More lovely indiepop. As Buzzer says above, Archie, Marry Me is a triumph that will not easily be forgotten. When her voice breaks towards the end of Party Police, you feel the longing.
5. The Voyager - Jenny Lewis. Quality pop/rock. This is really AOR/MOR, but, when you get to a certain age, this kind of thing is totally acceptable. This is a superior product, lyrically interesting, with classy bursts of punchy shiny guitar and great, great tunes. Nice.
4. Nikki Nack - tUnE-yArDs. Always cheers me up. This album is really a little bit silly in places, but fun and has a lovely rhythm and atmosphere. Not sure how I'd categorise it, except to say it arrests the ear.
3. Say Yes To Love - Perfect Pussy. This arrests the ear too - shouting in a kind of distorted white noise-y kind of way over slightly threatening guitars, with the odd expletive suspected/detected. Refreshing, like a cold shower. Invigorating.
2. Zentropy - Frankie Cosmos. Very short - 10 songs in about 20 minutes, fairly simple guitars, bass and drums, one geeky American girl singing about her life in a fairly endearing way, ending with a plea for her dog to come back to life. Comfort listening.
1. Chorus - Literature. Astounding indiepop, tunes galore, some songs could have been broken up to make three decent songs, but thank goodness they didn't. A cascading sleighride through a frosty, enchanted indiepop landscape - bracing, jangly and intensely melodic.