Everything's Swirling » album of the year

Ring out the old, ring in the new…ring-a-ding-ding

Andy — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:08:31 +0000

Ever since the Internet gave me the opportunity to pretend that my opinions counted for anything I’ve put together an end of year list that almost no one read. In the years before blogging it was the poor souls of the Galaxie 500 Mailing List who had my idle ramblings delivered to their inbox and on to the recycle bin but the last few years they’ve appeared on my blog where they trouble nobody.

I’d habitually reel off my years fave albums and gigs and ponder on what the next 12 months might bring…but this year I couldn’t be bothered. Maybe it’s because there’s been nothing that truly blew me away – certainly not on album anyway – there’s been lots of albums I’ve liked but I’m not sure there’s been an On Fire or a Penthouse or an Ys that can take my breath away. Or maybe because I can count the gigs I’ve been to using my fingers (although Nina Nastasia in Brighton was breathtaking and most of the other gigs didn’t disappoint). Or maybe I’m just a little tired of trying to ‘rate’ music.

My last.fm charts offer lists of the usual suspects but just so I have an end of year list here are the top 12 abums that last.fm thinks I listened to last year…

…hmm not one of those was released in 2008.

I read a bit more fiction this year (not a great deal but some) and, off the top of my head, my faves were…

And of course there was one outstanding non-fiction book but I’m expecting the paperback version of Dean Wareham’s Black Postcards to be even better (without that mistake!)

That’ll do – maybe 09 will be a bit more inspiring.

Best albums of 2007

Andy — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:37:04 +0000

It’s funny, I was thinking that this year wasn’t so great until I started putting together my top 10 albums of the year and ended up with a top 25…

You Follow Me – Nina Nastasia & Jim White
The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse – The Besnard Lakes
Dear Companion – Meg Baird
God Save the Clientele – The Clientele
Share This Place: Stories and Observations – Mirah
Joanna Newsom & the Ys Street Band E.P. – Joanna Newsom
Songs III: Bird on the Water – Marissa Nadler
Boxer – The National
Let in the Light – Shannon Wright
Marry Me – St. Vincent
Drums and Guns – Low
Within These Walls – Damon & Naomi
Back Numbers – Britta Phillips & Dean Wareham
Learn to Sing Like a Star – Kristin Hersh
Watch the Fireworks – Emma Pollock
This Fool Can Die Now – Scout Niblett
The Amber Gatherers – Alasdair Roberts
Sound of Silver – LCD Soundsystem
Blankit – Blanket
Ask Forgiveness – Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Woke Myself Up – Julie Doiron
In Rainbows – Radiohead
Person Pitch – Panda Bear
La Fuite – Watoo Watoo
23 – Blonde Redhead

Best albums of 2007

Finally…a “real” Blanket album

Andy — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:57:22 +0000

The very very lovely Blanket finally have a real album out. Blankit is out now on Try Harder and can be bought from there or directly from the band

As much as I’ve loved all the downloads and the lovingly crafted CDRs I’m quite looking forward to having something "real" to love and cherish…

Previous declarations of my Blanket love can be found here and here.

Album of the year contenders #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 & #6

Andy — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:00:28 +0000

Last year, in an effort to keep track of the years great albums I’d blog about an album I loved – for no other reason than as a reminder. I intended doing the same this year – but this year has been funny – I still haven’t managed to get used to the downloaded = owned thing – so it took me a while to realise that I owned some great albums from this year even if I couldn’t hold them. So this is catch-up. I only have physical copies of two of these albums – which is bothering me a little…

Low – Drums and Guns
After the near-grunge annoyance of The Great Destroyer with Drums and Guns it seems Low are heading back in towards being the band I love. This is the first Low album since Low – Secret Name that is likely to make my end of year lists. Maybe it’s all relative – maybe it’s not better than Low – Things We Lost in the Fire but it is an improvement on the previous album (which TWLITF clearly wasn’t).

Blonde Redhead – 23
It took almost three years for me to like Blonde Redhead’s previous album Blonde Redhead – Misery Is a Butterfly, but I love it now. 23 worked its magic a little quicker

Kristin Hersh – Learn To Sing Like A Star
There seems to be such a blurry line between Kristin Hersh’s projects – this is the solo album that could almost be a Throwing Muses album – which is a good thing. And it is a good thing.

Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity
Maybe it’s because this is supposed to be Deerhoof being accesible that I can get it more than the bits of Deerhoof I’ve heard previously – but I do get it and it is good.

Alasdair Roberts – The Amber Gatherers
Alasdair Roberts has been on my "must listen properly sometime" list for a while – this album made me sit up and notice and him – now I have to work backwards.

Dean and Britta – Back Numbers
Obviously. Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg, Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood, Dean and Britta. Sometimes I wince at how far Dean is now from Galaxie 500 – but then I just stop caring – The Sun is Still Sunny.