The lack of updates on here over the past ten months or so is a hazy illustration
of a year spent doing other things. With a new country and city of residence, moving
from one side of the world to the other has taken up a lot of time.
Still, there are certain things you make time for and compiling an end
of year list will always feature in December. While the fast paced way of life is doing its best to trample and denigrate the very concept of the "record" we as a music community need to keep up the fight and do anything possible against this new dark age of "everything-now".
In the name of progression, you will have noticed that the honourable mentions have been scrapped in favour of a solid fifty albums from numbers fifty to one. A bit more work, sure, but perhaps it's my way of trying to make up for the lean year of the written word. So here you are - my favourite fifty albums of the year:
50.
Artist: EMA
Album: Exile in the Outer Ring
Label: City Slang
Erika
Anderson (better known as EMA) has made a habit of entering the dark vortex via
alternative portals. Her fourth album, Exile in the Outer Ring,
continues the trend, this time focusing on the decay of the American Dream,
isolationism and finding optimism from between the lines of “the system”.
Reading
various interviews with EMA and you felt that this album was coming. While her
William Gibson inspired third album, The Future’s Void, poignantly
critiqued social media and its insidious role in modern society, EMA becomes
even more philosophical and nihilistic here, questioning the liberal elite
status quo as well as finding solace on the fringes of society, or as she calls
it, “the outer ring.”
Sonically,
it’s not so far removed from her previous body of work, largely inspired by
heavy industrial leanings (‘33 Nihilistic and Female’), however EMA has always
had the ability to floor her listeners when she eases the pace. Gorgeous
opener, ‘7 Years’, is clearly the vanguard where the slower moments of ’Outer
Ring are concerned.
Exile in
the Outer Ring operates within the fine margins of beauty and
brutality. EMA almost seems comfortable in the uncomfortable. Although the
album illuminates the state of hopelessness we currently find ourselves in,
oddly enough you still can’t help but feel a sense hope.
Favourite Tracks: 7 Years, Aryan Nation, 33 Nihilistic and Female.
Words originally published on Getintothis.
49.
Artist: Big Thief
Album: Capacity
Label: Saddle Creek
While Big Thief’s Masterpiece rippled the waters, their
follow-up, Capacity, feels more like a crushing wave. Adrianne
Lenker’s performance is something that can be described as the real deal,
parting with stories of utter anguish. Her lamentable themes are backed by the
sound of indie folk reminiscent of what Conor Oberst was creating with Bright
Eyes – coincidently, a lynchpin of yesteryear to Big Thief’s current label,
Saddle Creek.
Capacity is a heart
wrenching album and illustrates a band capable of
penning some seriously great songs. While there are some lulls throughout, the
key tracks are up there with the finest written this year. Now at that juncture
of being the source of spellbinding songs, Big Thief’s time at the summit of producing
consistently great albums isn’t too far away.
Favourite Tracks: Pretty Things, Shark Smile, Mythological Beauty, Mary.
48.
Artist: Run The Jewels
Album: Run The Jewels 3
Label: Run The Jewels, Inc.
2016 release or 2017? while EL-P and Killer Mike showed their generosity
by dropping Run The Jewels 3 on streaming services last
Christmas, the physical release landed in the first week of 2017 so for me, it
qualifies. Besides, Run The Jewels 3
is too accomplished to leave dangling in the crosshairs.
Perhaps the most important players in the hip-hop genre, El and Killer’s
Run The Jewels 3 picks up where the fantastic RTJ 2 left off. Given the current
political climate, RTJ are more justifiably pissed off this time around and
that’s what makes Run The Jewels 3 their best
yet (the Hilary takedown on “A Report To The Shareholders: Kill Your Masters” is
emphatic). Conscious rap that pushes short-sighted braggario to the wayside,
Run The Jewels have gone from underground stalwarts to household names.
Favourite Tracks: Down, Thieves (Screamed the Ghost), Everybody Stay Calm.
47.
Artist: Michael Head & The Red Elastic
Band
Album: Adiós
Señor Pussycat
Label: Violette Records
Michael Head is ingrained in Scouse music folklore. Some say he is the
unluckiest musician in not only Liverpool, but the UK, too. Destined for
greatness with bands like Shack and The Pale Fountains, for one reason or
another (namely, the dreaded combination of drugs and hard luck), it just never
happened for Head. His new album, Adiós Señor Pussycat, may not gain the widespread approval it deserves,
but for music fiends, it's a gentle reminder of the legend that is Michael
Head.
Adiós
Señor Pussycat is an album filled with rich textures and that trademark Scouse sound. Very
simple and melodic, Head is backed by The Red Elastic Band who add swing with
gentle string sections, warm riffs and signature Mersey-tone that collectively becomes
instantly etched to your mind. Adiós
Señor Pussycat is a lovely
record and great comeback for one of Britain's forgotten song-smiths.
Favourite Tracks: Picasso, Queen of All Saints, Josephine, Adios Amigo.
46.
Artist: Omni
Album: Multi-Task
Label: Trouble In Mind
Atlanta,
Georgia’s Omni are on quite the run at the moment. Having released their
critically acclaimed debut, Deluxe, last year, they return from a short
turnaround with their sophomore, Multi-Task. On the face of it, more of
the same applies, however with Multi-Task things appear slightly more
streamlined.
Many will
associate the band’s sonic template with Parquet Courts, but there’s more of a
fragile self-conscious core with Omni, provided by frontman, Philip Frobos. Then
there’s the stop-start angular bass and switchback rhythms from former
Deerhunter member, Frank Byrne, which pays homage to proto-punk. Think
Television with a severe pop infusion and you won’t be too far out of the
ballpark. Omni’s attempt to lean more heavily on a pop-sensibility has provided
real a treat here on Multi-Task.
Favourite Tracks: Southband Station, Equestrian, Date Night, Heard My Name.
45.
Artist: Greet Death
Album: Dixieland
Label: Flesh and Bone Records
Flint, Michigan’s Greet Death are a part of a bourgeoning scene coming out
of America’s Midwest. The framework of emo is certain, but where most of
these types of bands slip into the pantheon of post-hardcore, Greet Death morph
these elements into the rock and sludge genres with their debut, Dixieland.
Frontman, Sam Boyhtari, parts with a nasally vocal, reminiscent of
Destroyer’s Dan Bejar, although from a sonic standpoint, they’re worlds are
apart and it sounds more like Bejar fronting someone like the Deftones. Production
wise, there are fewer finer works released this year, with Nick Diener really
adding attention to detail from behind the studio glass. With the softer edges
of sludge forms a tender shoegaze delicacy that underpins Dixieland. Along with Atalanta’s Blis, Greet Death make some statement here
with their debut.
Favourite Tracks: The Waste, Dragged to Hell, Cumbersome.
44.
Artist: Grandaddy
Album: Last Place
Label: Columbia
Like the Afghan Whigs, Grandaddy’s year has been saddened by the passing
of founding member and bassist, Kevin Garcia. They have continued on in his
memory and after a decade indulging in other projects, Grandaddy return with Last
Place - an album that is a welcome addition to their already impressive
catalogue of work.
Jason Lytle continues the great form displayed during his solo career,
most notably, The Department of Disappearance. Last Place has a similar
feel to that album, with clever wordplay and melting melodies once again a key
feature. Sure, Grandaddy play to their strengths, however with the band sculpting
a signature sound so early in their career, it’s what we’ve come to expect.
It’s great to have them back.
Favourite Tracks: Way We Won’t, Brush With the Wind, Evermore, A Lost Machine.
43.
Artist: The Clientele
Album: Music for the Age of Miracles
Label: Merge Records
London based The Clientele return with their first release in seven
years with Music for the Age of Miracles. There is a sonic tinkering
here, with the introduction of nylon
strings, featuring more prominently than those rich chiming guitars we normally
associate with the band. In saying that, though, it’s still very much a
Clientele record.
Melancholic autumnal musings and saccharine warm melodies weave in and out,
with frontman, Alasdair McLean, creating a milieu of optimism. McLean has utilised
these themes in poetic fashion for years and while they are still his sweet
spot, there seems to be an air of renewed content with Music for the Age of
Miracles. A slow burner of an album, but when listened to at the right time
of the day, there’s not much out there that’s better.
Favourite Tracks: The Neighbour, Lunar Days, Everything You See Tonight is Different From
Itself.
42.
Artist: Do Make
Say Think
Album: Stubborn Persistent III
Label: Constellation
This
year, the post-rock genre has enjoyed a renaissance and Do Make Say Think’s Stubborn
Persistent III is further proof of that. In Do Make Say Think’s case, the
resurgence in sonic noodling coexists with Broken Social Scene’s excellent Hug
of Thunder, making it a landmark year for Canada’s darlings and their
associated off-shoots (the Do Makes being one of them with Ohad Benchetrit and
Charles Spearin dividing their time between both projects).
Stubborn
Persistent III is a landmark moment for Do Make Say Think. The
riffs haven't sounded so melodic for a long time. The drumming, too, which from
start to finish, sounds so emphatic. While it's evident that they have carved
out an illustrious career in the post-rock genre, this album is easily placed in
the upper echelon of their discography. Simply put, it’s a watershed moment.
Favourite Tracks: War On Torpor, Murder of Thoughts, And Boundless.
41.
Artist: Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile
Album: Lotta Sea Lice
Label: Matador Records
Like most, I’m always keen for a collaboration and Courtney Barnett and
Kurt Vile have provided the best one in 2017, for mine. Courtney Barnett has
always been hit and miss for me, but on the other hand, Kurt Vile has
ceaselessly maintained the ability to hold my attention. The two of them
together. Well, their debut, Lotta Sea Lice,
just works.
It’s undoubtedly the perfect Sunday morning record. Laced with locality,
Courtney’s unique vocals combine perfectly with Vile’s slacker riffs. The
influence of Neil Young isn’t too far away, with the album having a real loose,
made-in-the-farm-shed vibe. You can almost smell the remnants of spliff
drifting out of your speakers as you listen to Lotta Sea Lice. A great collaboration and one I hope we haven’t
heard the last of.
Favourite Tracks: Over Everything, Fear Is Like a Forest, Continental Breakfast.
40.
Artist: Hey Colossus
Album: The Guillotine
Label: Rocket Recordings
Merely a band comprised of mates who get together to let off a bit of
steam, Hey Colossus have consistently churned out great heavy toned stoner
psychedelia for years. The Guillotine doesn’t buck the trend. It’s their
most straightforward record to date, which makes you think it’s their most
accessible but it doesn’t necessarily feel that way.
After initially struggling with The Guillotine, it’s not until
employing a set of headphones before you truly capture what Hey Colossus are
trying to achieve here. The tones are very much their own and although they use
this band as a vehicle for camaraderie as opposed to careerism, Hey Colossus have
truly forged their own sound. It’s a wonderful achievement and The
Guillotine is further evidence of that.
Favourite Tracks: Back in the Room, Calenture Boy, Potions.
39.
Artist: Power Trip
Album: Nightmare Logic
Label: Southern Lord
Dallas,
Texas’ Power Trip are the new breed. Effectively, that new breed consists of
not giving a fuck and in this ever-increasing sanitised world I have to say it’s
very much welcomed. Their second album, Nightmare Logic, is thirty-five
minutes of gritty crust punk and metal riff-a-rolla. It’s raw, feral, full of
hell and will cater for the beardos, greebos and various other malignant souls
of the metal pantheon.
Some may
see Power Trip as an ’80s throwback but that’s not the case. It’s just a bunch
of dudes making music. Simple as that. They have condensed this into a great
wrecking ball of fist-pumping hysteria. Whether or not you indulge in the
sharper edges of music, those who simply appreciate the art of the riff - well,
this one’s for you.
Favourite Tracks: Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe), Ruination, Crucifixation.
38.
Artist: Jane Weaver
Album: Modern Kosmology
Label: Fire Records
If one ever wanted to capture the sound of bliss it would be quite difficult to go past Jane Weaver’s Modern Kosmology. The Warrington sing-songwriter has come up with her finest album yet, mixing elements of folk, krautrock and psychedelia into a cosmic current of beauty.
Modern Kosmology is an album that Sterolab fans will celebrate with religious fervour. Weaver presents similar leanings through a pop sensibility, and where its predecessor, The Silver Globe, explored the avant-garde, from front to back, Modern' brims with consistently good pop tunes, making it the more complete album.
Favourite Tracks: H>A>K, Slow Motion, The Architect.
37.
Artist: Brand New
Album: Science Fiction
Label:
Procrastinate! Music Traitors
Releasing
Science Fiction digitally added more excitement for Brand New aficionados.
While I have never been that much of a fan, it’s hard to argue against the fact
that Brand New are capable of writing a killer track. Suffice to say there are
many on Science Fiction. They have always shone when they drop the
gears, and those who like their ditties as slow as a candle burns can expect
fine results here because there are a slew of acoustic lamentations.
With the
band expected to call it a day in 2019, Science Fiction is the perfect
swansong. It’s a mature record that at times almost seems destined for FM
radio. But there’s too much intelligence in Jesse Lacey’s song-writing to feature in FM radio playlists which host watered down
middle-of-the-road fodder. In truth, since their inception, Brand New have
always skirted around these fringes. Ironically, the very fact could prove
their greatest strength.
Favourite Tracks: Lit Me Up, Same Logic/Teeth, In the Water, No Control.
36.
Artist: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs
Album: Feed the Rats
Label: Rocket Recordings
Pigs Pigs
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs. The name says it all, doesn’t it? The
only name to better it would be Riffs Riffs Riffs Riffs Riffs Riffs Riffs
because Feeds the Rats, the band’s debut LP, contains thirty-four minutes
of them. The Newcastle five-piece is a behemoth, guiding their listeners
through the mist of stoner rock drone that Boris, Black Sabbath, Melvins et al
would be proud of. To add to the bone pummelling low-end drone are the primal
howls of frontman, Matt Baty, whose performance during this three track jaunt
is simply magnetising.
Pigs x 7
don’t leave anything to chance on Feed the Rats. The greatest thing
about this record is that it’s evident that they’ve had fun belting it out.
While its heaviness is evident, there’s a certain locality about Feed the
Rats. It’s simply balls out, no frills yet utterly glorious guitar music
and in Newcastle at least, it’s never sounded better.
Favourite Tracks: The whole damn album!
35.
Artist: Broken Social Scene
Album: Hug of Thunder
Label: Arts & Crafts
Broken
Social Scene are indie rock’s version of the E-Street Band. Come in out of the
cold and let us pour you a drink. We deal in celebration rock! Their optimism
angers the haters. As referenced in Pitchfork’s album review of Hug of
Thunder - the band’s first album after a five year hiatus - BSS have had a
gutful of the hypocrisy which is the stock-in trade for most these days.
Self-pronounced radical communities partaking in online verbal abuse, self-care
hysteria and critical theorists adopting nihilism as the flagship notion. Hug
of Thunder sees the ’Social Scene position themselves in this paradox
whereby they are the counter culture against the so-called
counter culture. And it’s great.
Sure, BSS
haven’t reinvented the wheel with Hug of Thunder. They’ve just added
another fantastic album to their already bourgeoning discography. This time
they have achieved it by taking a step back, living their respective lives all
whilst watching the regressive world of social media unravel from afar. After
reconvening and taking stock, the end result is the venerable Hug of Thunder.
It’s another celebration in true BSS fashion and my word the world needs them
now more than ever.
Favourite Tracks: Halfway Home, Skyline, Hug of
Thunder, Please Take Me With You.
34.
Artist: Ride
Album: Weather Diaries
Label: Wichita Recordings/PIAS
Another
year, another ’90s band releases a new album. Along with shoegaze
contemporaries, Slowdive (hint hint, more on them later...), Ride also decided
to get back in the studio and belt out some new sounds. On the face of it, it
was rather inevitable. Mark Gardiner has been playing solo shows for quite some
time, while Andy Bell needed stimulation in the form of making pertinent music
again – an aspect which evaded him during his days in the Liam Gallagher-led Beady
Eye. And pertinent this is. Weather Diaries is, if you will, the best of
Ride.
Musically
proficient and filled with fantastic songs, Gardiner and Co. have made an album
that is more along the lines of something between Nowhere and Going
Blank Again as opposed to the brit-pop leanings of Tarantula. Weather
Diaries is held together with sinewy shoegaze moments with a Birds-like
finesse. It won’t cast a wide net as far as new listeners are concerned,
however with Ride’s devoted following, it underpins their legacy and has made
this comeback very much worth it.
Favourite Tracks: Lannoy Point, Char Assault, Rocket Silver Symphony, Cali.
33.
Artist: Algiers
Album: The Underside of Power
Label: Matador Records
While the visceral remnants fermented with their debut self-titled
album, Algiers are edging closer to the point of making their landmark with The
Underside of Power. With politics and music seemingly more aligned than
ever, Algiers have produced one of the year’s finest representations of that. Whichever
side of the political spectrum you’re on, it doesn’t discriminate. Algiers
question it all, the whole disease-ridden system that incessantly strangles
society.
I think the best is yet to come from Algiers. While the omnipresence of post-punk,
gospel and soul filter throughout these twelve tracks, the album does sound
uneven from time to time, however it feels intentional, fitting within the
album’s thematic bounds. There’s more to come from Algiers, but for now, The
Underside of Power more than holds up.
Favourite Tracks: Walk Like A Panther, The Underside of Power, Cleveland, Hymn for an
Average Man.
32.
Artist: Baxter Dury
Album: Prince of Tears
Label: Heavenly
One of
Britain’s most underrated artists, Baxter Dury, seems to be finally emerging
from his father’s shadows. Although there are tinges of Ian Dury’s spoken
cockney twang, Baxter’s latest opus, Prince of Tears, gathers further
speed that has made him somewhat of a household name in France – ironically a
country where his father failed to break into the big time.
Prince of
Tears comprises of Gainsbourg crossover vibes, but instead of that overt
French pop pastiche which dominated his last album, It’s A Pleasure, Prince’
displays interpretations of slow-motion, hooping bass-led funk which lies
halfway between those aforementioned French pop leanings and the psychedelic
meanderings of Baxter’s first two albums, Len Parrot’s Memorial Lift and
Floor Show.
It’s a midlife crisis album, which begins with the
flooring first single, ‘Miami’ and ends with the forlorn title track. Baxter Dury
always seems to be in a crisis of some sort
and that’s what separates him from his fellow modern
day minstrels. He needs crisis to make music of this calibre
and Prince of Tears is undoubtedly a Polaroid
of a man on the edge, providing an earnest milieu to accompany the oddly
disturbing yet humorous moments that he’s always been renown for.
Favourite Tracks: Miami, Mungo, Oi, Prince of Tears.
31.
Artist: Cigarettes After Sex
Album: Cigarettes After Sex
Label: Partisan Records
Greg
Gonzales’ Cigarettes After Sex are almost the perfect tribute band. There are
heavy doses of dream-pop, slow-core and shoegaze which ferment throughout the
band’s self-titled debut. It’s an album that makes you feel like you’re
floating, as Gonzales laments and takes you through a journey of transparency
with broken down relationships, casual fornication are various other mundane
themes we’ve all been through at some stage throughout life. It’s raw with an
instant effect.
Their
forging of defining early ’00s genres caters for the thirty-somethings, while
Gonzales’ lyrics strike a chord with those of the younger ilk. Not many bands
have the ability to crossover between generations these days, but Gonzales has
achieved it with Cigarettes After Sex.
Although it may just be one of the worst band names in the history of music,
don’t let that get in the way of the band itself, who have released an
immaculately well-produced debut.
Favourite Tracks: K, Truly, John Wayne, Young & Dumb.
30.
Artist: Mark Lanegan
Album: Gargoyle
Label: Sub Pop
Mark
Lanegan. Former main man of the great Screaming Trees. The bloke who used to be
in Queens Of The Stone Age. The whiskey sodden troubadour. Forever
compared – unfairly – to Tom Waits. Lanegan has forged a steady career over the
years churning out albums and touring the world, dragging along a slew of
scruffy bearded tattoo-laden admirers along the way. Where quality is
concerned, Gargoyle, his latest offering, sees Lanegan enter one of his
finest periods yet.
Lanegan
has teetered on reaching the heights of the brilliant Bubblegum and Gargoyle
is the closest thing and could well exceed the benchmark. It really is one of
Lanegan’s finest moments as an artist, which sees the raspy voiced gentle giant
honing in on his strengths on a more consistent basis. The marriage of guitars
and electronica is a facet where Lanegan has previously failed to consistently deliver
but this time he has perfected the art.
Favourite Tracks: Death’s Head Tattoo, Beehive, Goodbye to Beauty, Old Swan.
29.
Artist: Grizzly Bear
Album: Painted Ruins
Label: RCA Records
After the
brilliant Shields, it was a case of where to for Grizzly Bear. Since
their inception, they have occupied the peak of their creative arc for a long
time and Painted Ruins conveys little to suggest they won’t remain there
for the foreseeable future.
Whilst
that may be the case, from the fantastic beginning, Painted Ruins does fall
into a lull midway through, but picks itself right back up again with the final
four tracks that are as good as the first five. While holistically it may
not be the band’s finest album, it does contain some of their finest songs
which nestle deep into the realm of the art-rock which they have mastered.
Furthermore, it illustrates Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen as two of the most prominent
song-writing duos of this era.
Favourite Tracks: Wasted Acres, Mourning Sound, Systole, Sky Took Hold.
28.
Artist: Pond
Album: The Weather
Label: Marathon Artists
Perth’s
Pond have forever lived in the shadows of their acclaimed contemporaries, Tame
Impala. With a cross pollination between the two Western Australian outfits
(Kevin Parker himself produced this album), without sounding like the Devil’s
advocate in taking sides here, but I have always found Pond the more satisfying
proposition. Their new album, The Weather, may be their finest yet,
injecting a pop sensibility into their psychedelic glam pastiche.
The
aspect of Pond which I find so enamouring is that they hold onto their
Australian-ness – a trait not many bands can master nor care so much to express.
It’s not an obvious measure of locality likened to say, Courtney Barnett, but a
sub-conscious atmosphere drifts through their music and this is only
heightened during The Weather. The songs are strong, with interludes of
Australian AM radio providing a narrative of region. Kevin Parker may garner
the proportion of credit with his success in Tame Impala but in comparison Nick
Allbrook’s effort here shouldn’t be understated.
Favourite Tracks:
30000 Megatons, Colder than Ice, Zen
Automaton.
27.
Artist: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Album: The French Press EP
Label: Sub Pop
A
historical moment, ladies and gentlemen. The moment fifteen years in waiting. The
moment were an EP enters this list for the very first time. Melbourne’s Rolling
Blackouts Coastal Fever have released something that, quite frankly, was
just too good to leave out. The French Press EP is a jangle pop
classic. Many Australian bands have tried their hand at knocking out slacker
user-friendly ditties and while many have succeeded to a degree, none have topped
the Rolling Blackouts.
Heavy
shades of the Go-Betweens can be heard throughout these six tracks, which are
self-effacing simple songs constructed by a stellar group of musicians who, in
the live area, really ramp things up, adding psychedelic inflections to these
songs. It’s an honest, down-to-earth piece of work right here. The debut LP is
done and will be released next year and on current form will undoubtedly
feature again throughout these parts in some capacity.
Favourite Tracks: The French Press, Julie’s Place, Colours Run,
Fountain of Good Fortune.
26.
Artist: Hiss Golden Messenger
Album: Hallelujah Anyhow
Label: Merge Records
MC Taylor (also known as Hiss Golden Messenger) has always been a hard
sell for me. The fundamentals of good music seem to surge through his music,
but things seem to stumble at the final hurdle. On his eighth album, Hallelujah Anyhow, Taylor is more
comfortable than ever, knocking out tracks reminiscent of early Ryan Adams LPs.
It’s an album to be indulged from front
to back, with very few troughs. While these songs have
the ability to be anthemic, Taylor strips them back in organic fashion, adding
delicate horn sections which works wonders. Vibes that fall somewhere between
Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, Hallelujah Anyhow is certainly one for the
coffeehouse strummers.
Favourite Tracks: Lost Out in the Darkness, Harder Rain, Domino (Time Will Tell).
25.
Artist: Richard Dawson
Album: Peasant
Label: Weird World Record Co.
In a
library, somewhere on the outskirts of Newcastle’s town centre, the books which
occupy the rickety shelves release a fusty smell. The carpet’s threadbare and
the tables and chairs have been well occupied over the years. A sole inhabitant
occupies one of those well-worn chairs, his nose ensconced in a tome from the
fifteenth century, its subjects not limited to ogres, prostitutes and the art of
weaving. The midnight oil is burning. This is Richard Dawson in the midst of
reconnaissance for what is Peasant, his greatest feat yet.
There are
not enough column inches to describe this piece of work, one that will be
remembered for many years to come. It’s not immediately striking, but that’s
the beauty of Richard Dawson. That burning midnight oil again, folks. Dawson’s
narratives are unparalleled. Ditto his virtuoso, however it’s Peasant’s
locality which is its greatest feat. In a country where everything is so
London-centric, Dawson has put Newcastle and the North East on the map here. It’s
perhaps the greatest work in the folk genre since Fairport Convention. But is it
folk? Actually, I’m not sure what on earth this is which is why it’s so
accomplishing.
Favourite Tracks: Ogre, Weaver, Prostitute, Beggar.
24.
Artist: Mogwai
Album: Every Country’s Sun
Label: Rock Action
Not many
bands have forged a career like Mogwai. Consistently releasing albums on their
own label, while touring the world in similar sized arenas for the most part.
It’s a testament to their determination as much as simply producing good music.
While continuously meandering around the fringes of a genre for which they are
one of the main bastions, Every Country’s Sun goes back to basics, ala
the days of Happy Songs for Happy People.
There’s
remnants of early Mogwai here. ‘Crossing the Road Material’ could have easily ended
up on Come On Die Young. Then there’s ‘Don’t Believe the Fife’. The
finest track they’ve penned in years. While Hardcore Will Never Die, But You
Will continued the band’s upward trajectory into this era, Every
Country’s Sun reaffirms Mogwai as one of the finest bands in the last
twenty years and very much the beacons of post-rock.
Favourite Tracks: Coolverine, Crossing the Road Material, Don't Believe the Fife, Old
Poisons.
23.
Artist: Bardo Pond
Album: Under the Pines
Label: Fire Records
The
architects of an absolute belting tune, without question, Bardo Pond have
always been capable of producing a solid back-to-front album. Despite this being
the case, time and time again they have stumbled at the final hurdle. Too much
noodling in a haze of bong smoke, perhaps?
Under the
Pines may just be Bardo Pond’s pop moment. Not pop in its truest
sense, of course. The psychedelic journeys have been cut from fifteen minutes
to eight, for instance. Still, it’s a fantastic representation of psychedelic-rock
with beautiful tones and heavenly journeys. Such as the quality of Under the Pines, rather than being
caught in the mire of bong smoke, it feels more like an aid to float on. The
final two tracks confirm Under the Pines as one of the band’s greatest
feats and one where they have finally fulfilled their potential.
Favourite Tracks: Out of Reach, Under the Pines, Effigy.
22.
Artist: Oxbow
Album: Thin Black Duke
Label: Hydra Head Records
San
Francisco cult heroes, Oxbow, have always stretched the boundaries on what is
deemed alternative, delving deep into the world of avant-jazz, improv’ and
rock. This time they have returned with perhaps their most accessible album yet
with Thin Black Duke. It’s a meticulous album, full of subtle strings
and thought-provoking arrangements, representing a rich essence.
Whilst
opulent in parts, Oxbow do get down-in-the-dirt from time to time, too.
Remnants of The Jesus Lizard’s inspired noise-rock can be heard, but in true
Oxbow fashion they methodically present their more aggressive moments with a signature
tone. Without trying to pigeon-hole, Oxbow are
the embodiment of post-rock. From a personal standpoint, with the Enablers not
making anything for the last eighteen months, Oxbow are the next best thing,
not too far removed from their fellow San Franciscan inhabitants.
Favourite Tracks: Ecce Home, A Gentleman's
Gentleman, Other People, The Finished Line.
21.
Artist: Ariel Pink
Album: Dedicated to Bobby Jameson
Label: Mexican Summer
Ariel Marcus Rosenberg (better known as Ariel Pink) is one artist I have
always struggled with. Swathes of self-indulgence that come off as aimless,
illustrating a man that is too smart for his own good. Just not my cup of tea
and because of this I was happily going to avoid holding an ear to Dedicated
to Bobby Jameson, his latest oeuvre.
That’s
the beauty of music, though. Something always proves you wrong and Dedicated
to Bobby Jameson is that album.
Based on the theme pertaining to the 1960s singer-songwriter who passed away in
2015, it may just be the album for those who aren’t so smitten with previous
Ariel Pink works. Like Beck’s Sea Change, even. It’s an album where Pink
has trimmed the fat and worked within a sonic framework of Glowave-glam and a lo-fi
pop sensibility. Although thematically, it may be one of Pink’s darkest insular
records yet, the results are great. The avant-garde leanings are replaced with
infectious pop musings that Rosenberg has always been capable of producing.
Favourite Tracks: Feels Like Heaven, Dedicated
to Bobby Jameson, Bubblegum Dream, Dreamdate Narcissist.
20.
Artist: Ho99o9
Album: United States of Horror
Label: Caroline International
Don’t
like your hip-hop overproduced and riddled with braggario? Have no fear. Kayne
is certainly not here. Perpetuating all things punk, L.A. inhabitants, Ho99o9
(pronounced Horror), have taken everything that made conscious rap so great and
thrown it into the mixer of pure anarchic rage, resulting in the mesmerising United States of Horror.
Their
live show is a gale force of wrath, embodying true DIY punk spirit. Admirably,
they carry flag for the likes of Minor Threat and Bad Brains. Just like their
live show, the rage transmits perfectly to wax. …Horror is an angry album,
brimming with righteous invective and exploding guitar chords. It’s an album
that makes you want to throw things. In a soulless world, Horror go against the
grain – pushing against the pricks so to speak. In 2017, as far as attitudes
go, this is what soul feels like.
Favourite Tracks: Street Power, Splash, New Jersey Devil, United States of Horror.
19.
Artist: Blis
Album: Nobody Loves You
Label: Sargent House
Atlanta,
Georgia outfit, Blis, (Aaron Gossett - guitar & vocals, Luke
Jones - bass, Jimi Ingman - drums) are the latest act to be led into the Sargent
House stable and with good reason. They seem to fall slightly outside the realm
of Sargent House’s roster, however one thing’s for sure - the label home to
Chelsea Wolfe, Russian Circles, Boris et al have always had an eye for talent
and Blis’ debut album, No One Loves You, further enhances their reputation in releasing quality over
quantity.
From the
opening number, 'Dumb', Brand New fans will instantly hear this as a gateway to
new adventures, but in saying that there’s plenty of meat on the bone for Bitch
Magnet diehards, too. 'Stale Smoke' and 'Ugly' lean towards a post-hardcore
pastiche which undulates throughout the album's thirty-six minutes. While both
emo and post-hardcore devotees will be revelling, both genres are veiled by a
shoegaze ambience which is also features admirably during No One Loves You.
Many a
band has attempted to align these genres, but I can’t recall too many having
achieved the heights of Blis. A precocious talent who have released a seriously
good debut.
Favourite Tracks: Dumb, Lost Boy, Ugly, Pathetic, Broken.
Words originally published on Getintothis.
18.
Artist: Pallbearer
Album: Heartless
Label: Profound Lore Records
Album
three and Pallbearer continues with a full head of steam with their prolonged
interpretations of doom-metal. The latest offering, Heartless, doesn’t
venture too far from its excellent predecessor. It’s probably why they have
been cast aside by several notable music publications – merely victims of their
own success.
The riffs
are still large and cinderblock-heavy to accompany dark contemplative themes.
There’s nothing new there. As one of the bastions of the metal sub-genre that
is doom, Pallbearer don’t need to make some grandiose gesture in order to reinvent
the wheel. There’s still plenty to explore within the context from which they
created from their first two albums and Heartless continues that journey
admirably.
Favourite Tracks: I Saw the End, Dancing in Madness, A Plea for Understanding.
17.
Artist: The Horrors
Album: V
Label: Rough Trade
After the
underwhelming Luminous, it wasn’t disingenuous to feel that The Horrors
were slightly on the wane. After their discography defining Skying, many
expected more from the follow-up and quite simply, it fell short. Fast
forward three years and V is everything Luminous is not,
demonstrating that their last album was more of a mid-life crisis and less of
the horse being put out to pasture.
The
introduction of producer, Paul Epworth, is the catalyst for an album that’s
every bit as good as Skying. Epworth’s sprinkle of magic pop dust
throughout V has invigorated The Horrors. The '80s esque dream-scapes,
somewhere nestled between Depeche Mode and the Cure, provide a saturated pop
backdrop for frontman, Faris Badwan, whose melodies are inch perfect.
With V
everything just comes together so succinctly. Tracks such as 'Machine',
'Ghost', 'Weighed Down' and 'World Below' are among the best the band has ever
written. Then there's the closing 'Something to Remember Me By'. Their
unwavering pop moment. However, it’s
not that The Horrors are making a grandiose gesture towards potential
commercial success. It’s merely a band seeking new avenues to present their art
and like Queens of the Stone Age have achieved with Villains, V is
another demonstration of a band finding success with the help from an unlikely
source.
Favourite Tracks: Machine, Weighed Down, World Below, Something to Remember Me By.
16.
Artist: Willis Earl Beal
Album: Turn, Circle, Sun and Moon
Label: Self-released
Willis Earl Beal is the greatest mystery in modern music. Not because of
the fact he is an elusive soul (after all, he now goes under the guise of
Nobody). Simply put, he should be touring the world instead of inhabiting
sidewalks in Tucson, Arizona, busking. Ironically it’s what failed X-Factor contestants should be doing,
but such concepts were always too false for Beal. He’s been churning out albums
for six years now and his latest digital only release, Turn, Circle, Sun and
Moon, continues his rise in creativity.
As the name suggests, Noctunes, was very much the perfect
night-time record and Turn... occupies similar territory. The minimalist
neo-blues gospel lamentations are once again heartfelt and striking. While
prevalent in exploring these genres, to me - and I’ve said it before in previous posts - Beal
simply is the vanguard of soul. I believe we will look back in thirty years’
time, only to realise that Beal is one of the great lost artists of his
generation. Turn, Circle, Sun and Moon is a great addition to his
already spellbinding catalogue.
Favourite Tracks: Lonely, Believe, Feel, Circle.
15.
Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Let the Dancers Inherit the Party
Label: Caroline International
Why
British Sea Power aren’t playing stadiums instead of secluded areas in
backwater Britain is one of life’s great mysteries. In saying that, they
probably wouldn’t have it any other way. Their latest gem, Let the Dancers
Inherit the Party, is their most straightforward collection of ditties
since Do You Look Like Rock Music? and the sound of a band truly at ease
with themselves.
There’s
nods to Brexit, (‘Keep on Trying’, ‘Don’t Let the Sun Get In The Way’) not to
mention the customary characters who have notoriously appeared in Decline of
British Sea Power and Open Season. You know the ones. Philosophers,
scientists, and others of historical significance. That’s the beauty of BSP; they’ve
always respected their audience. It’s the reason why Wembley continues to elude
them, in spite of the glorious riffs and the serene combination of vocals
between siblings, Scott and Hamilton Wilkinson. Their cult following adores
them even more for it.
Favourite Tracks: Bad Bohemian, What You're Doing, Electrical Kittens, Want to be Free.
14.
Artist: Destroyer
Album: ken
Label: Merge Records
Since the late ‘90s, under his Destroyer project, Daniel Bejar has been
creating art through the lens of his own musical heroes, overtly using
derivative sonic templates to mould around his grandiose lyrical ruminations.
The latest instalment is ken and unlike the heartland-rock inspired Poison
Season, ken meanders in the direction of ’80s new wave. Look no
further than ‘In the Morning’ which almost sounds like Peter Hook making an
appearance on bass.
Although many thought the Roxy Music inspired Kaputt was Bejar’s
closest shot at making a pop record, ken is closer to that very parish.
As producer, Black Mountain’s Josh Wells provides the right amount of sonic
sheen from behind the studio glass, creating a sonic cushioning for Bejar’s
cynical piss taking views of the world and obscure one liners (“strike an empty
pose” – the pop-drone inspired ‘A Light Travels Down the Catwalk’ and “I can’t
pay for this/all I’ve got is money” - ‘Something in the World’). Vintage Bejar
and these passages are merely the tip of the iceberg.
Bejar’s has used Destroyer as a muse where sonically, he pulls at your heart
strings, while lyrically he’s pulling your leg. The contrast is fierce and on ken
it continues to be Bejar’s greatest asset. A chameleon in every sense, Bejar is
truly an artist who follows his nose. If only there were more like him.
Favourite Tracks: Sky’s Grey, In the Morning, A Light Travels Down the Catwalk, Stay Lost.
13.
Artist: Craig Finn
Album: We All Want the Same Things
Label: Partisan Records
The Hold
Steady’s Craig Finn is almost like an anti-hero. He doesn’t look like a
musician, instead resembling one of those authors pictured on the back of a
paperback airport thriller. Ironically, he would be more than capable of
penning one of those, too. However his sweet spot is in a solo capacity with
guitar in hand, this time with his third and finest album, We All Want the
Same Things.
Finn’s
beloved Midwest is once again at the forefront of his musings and this time around,
the diatribes haven’t sounded better. It’s the undercurrent of darkness which
is this album’s main feature. Vlautin, Liddiard, Dawson. Modern day song-writers
that carve out a story based on locality. If Craig Finn isn’t among this array
of era-defining artists on the back of his work with The Hold Steady, then -
sure enough - he is now with We All Want the Same Things.
Favourite Tracks: Jester & June, Birds Trapped in the Airport, God in Chicago, It Hits
When it Hits, Be Honest.
Artist: Ryan Adams
Album: Prisoner
Label: Blue Note/Pam Ax
Ryan Adams’ Prisoner is one of those albums that you think you’ve
heard before during various stages of life. On the way to work, or perhaps on
the radio before school. Not many albums have made me feel the way that this
has. Sonically, Prisoner isn’t
too far removed from Ryan Adams, but while the latter conveyed a
loved-up Ryan, the former is very much at the opposite end of the spectrum –
namely the after effects of his marriage break-up with Mandy Moore.
Some of the finest songs Adams has written are right here. Prisoner has
a loose alternative feel, with slick riffs and soaring melodies, exemplifying this
as the music which Adams loves, transcending the alt-country hybrid of Heartbreaker
and Gold. There’s ’80s
inflections of post-hardcore and even the odd head nod to ’70s Springsteen. Prisoner
proves that Adams is on his best run of form in over ten years.
Favourite Tracks: Shiver and Shake, Broken Anyway, Tightrope, We Disappear.
11.
Artist: The Dream Syndicate
Album How Did I Find Myself Here?
Label: Anti-
Los
Angeles’ The Dream Syndicate were a band that had initially passed me by. Being
a big fan of bands like The Chameleons, it’s no reason why they should have,
but that’s music sometimes. In saying that, the music gods have absolved my
sins, with the band returning with their first oeuvre since 1988, How Did I
Find Myself Here?
Mike Wynn
and Co. don’t miss a beat here, producing a hybrid of spatial dream-pop that
sounds anything from The Church, Mercury Rev and even the Pixies (check out ‘Something
Happened’). How Did I Find Myself Here? is a tight album, and one where
it feels like the band has been together for years. While packed with highlights,
closing track ‘Kendra’s Dream’ is a hands down showstopper and is among the finest tracks written all year. A great album that has opened a gateway
for further exploration into the band’s body of work.
Favourite Tracks: Filter Me Through You, Glide, Like Mary, Kendra’s Dream.
10.
Artist: Afghan Whigs
Album: In Spades
Label: Sub Pop
Greg Duli
doesn’t do love songs. A true purveyor of the ultimate lust ditty, Duli decided
to shy away from his go-to themes throughout the Afghan Whigs’ fantastic Do
to the Beast. However, his customary stock in trade is back with a
vengeance with In Spades. Short and sharp, clocking in at under
thirty-three minutes, it’s another dominant offering from the band.
Duli’s
voice soars from the opening ‘Birdland’ to the brooding junctures of ‘Toy
Automatic’ and ‘Into the Floor’. Although perhaps not as prolific as DttB
it’s every bit its rival, with the songs stacking up brilliantly in the live
arena, sounding less like alt-rock and more like something that Swans could
have produced. Although a great album, it’s merely a footnote in the band's
history, as Duli’s co-conspirator and all round riff doctor, David Rosser, sadly
lost his battle with cancer shortly after its release. This one’s for you, Dave.
A true axe-man.
R.I.P., Dave Rosser.
Favourite Tracks: Arabian Heights, Oriole, The Spell, I Got Lost, Into the Floor.
9.
Artist: At The Drive-In
Album: In•ter a•li•a
Label: Rise
Admittedly,
I was apprehensive with At The Drive-In’s long-awaited followed up to the
seminal Relationship of Command. Having avoided the comeback tours (I was
lucky enough to catch them before they originally called it quits), my apprehension
was furthered by the departure of original guitarist, Jim Ward. In summary, all
roads led to this comeback being tainted, the endangerment of the band’s legacy
imminent. That’s why we love music, though, isn’t it? It can surprise you when
you least expect it, and At The Drive-In have sprung one of the great shocks of
2017.
Given the
time between drinks, so to speak, In•ter a•li•a will be unfairly
compared to ATDI’s aforementioned magnum opus. Had In•ter a•li•a been
released two years after RoC, then it would have undoubtedly garnered
critical acclaim. As is the case, At The Drive-In are still angry, with Cedric
Bixler-Zavala full of fire and brimstone. His partner in crime, Omar
Rodriguez-Lopez, equally on form, which is quite surprising given certain
projects that the pair have indulged in over the years. It’s a focused effort
and the anger is directed in all the right places, culminating in this album vigorously
hitting its targets.
Favourite Tracks: No Wolf Life the Present, Governed by Contagions, Call Broken Arrow,
Holtzclaw, Hostage Stamps.
8.
Artist: Pissed Jeans
Album: Why Love Now
Label: Sub Pop
Pissed
Jeans. How the world would not be the same without them. Matt Korvette has made
us laugh with his satirical subjects ranging from the love of unhealthy foods
and receding hairlines. Where to now? How about an album about the white man
condition? Self-effacing themes fronting their ever-present bludgeoning form of
sludgey punk rock? That’s Why Love Now and just when you thought that Pissed
Jeans had reached their peak, the gift that keeps on giving has provided more
wisdom.
Whilst assistance
from Lydia Lunch from behind the studio glass makes this more impenetrable than
its predecessor, Honeys, thematically Why Love Now is arguably
Korvette’s road to Damascus moment. His words cut through like a hot knife to butter,
while Bradley Fry's riffs are just as urgent and frequent. Although Pissed
Jeans have made a living (well, sort of) from taking the piss, the dark
underbelly of their themes throughout Why Love Now makes this their
most important album to date.
Favourite Tracks: The Bar Is Low, Ignorecam, It's Your Knees, Not Even Married.
7.
Artist: Queens Of The Stone Age
Album: Villains
Label: Matador Records
When Josh
Homme announced that Queens Of The Stone Age had enlisted Mark Ronson to
produce their new album, Villains, it was yet another head-scratching
moment. That’s Josh Homme, though, isn’t it? He’s conjured up a career of doing
what the fuck he wants and with it, listeners just accept the fact. After
listening to Villains, it’s not as if QOTSA’s audience needed their arms
twisting. While ...Like Clockwork hinted something similar, Villains
is QOTSA’s reset moment. In
saying that, however, if you listen closely, it provides all the hallmarks that
have made the band a household name for the last fifteen years.
Homme’s
voice has never sounded so delicate. Actually, it’s a beautiful thing and somewhat
of a contrast to the booze and narcotics we are used to associating with this
band, although in true Queens fashion, I’m sure these aspects still linger.
He’s surrounded himself with an array of musical talent, spearheaded by
long-time right-hand-man, Troy Van Leeuwen and skins-man, Jon Theodore. It’s an
album that reveals itself more with each listen. Likened to a modern day
football manager, Villains needs
time and sadly, most won’t afford it that. Without doubt, you can still drink a
beer and smoke a cigarette whilst having that same feeling you had when
listening to ‘Know One Knows’.
We’re all just little longer in the tooth, that’s all.
Favourite Tracks: Feet Don?t Fail Me, Fortress, The Evil Has Landed, Villains of
Circumstance.
6.
Artist: Slowdive
Album: Slowdive
Label: Dead Oceans
Of all
the comebacks from the school of ’90s alternative, the re-emergence of Slowdive
was arguably the most anticipated. After touring America and Europe for the
past couple of years, Reading’s finest decided to get back into the studio. The
results have exceeded the expectations of even the staunchest Slowdive
aficionados.
Rather
than continue the experimental influxes of Pygmalion, Slowdive get back
to basics with their self-titled fourth
album. In many ways it can be regarded as their most rounded effort,
transcending the flat spots of Souvlaki and Just for a Day. It
seems Slowdive have benefited largely from time apart, plying their trade in
various other projects over the years. Simon Scott’s ambient leanings in a solo
capacity to Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead’s more conventional traipses with
Mojave 3 and in Halstead’s case, a finely carved out solo career, also. Since
the incursion of ’90s bands getting back together and making new music, Slowdive
is certainly one of the finest “comeback” albums recorded to date.
Favourite Tracks:
Slomo, Star Roving, No Longer Making Time,
Go Get It.
5.
Artist: King Woman
Album: Created in
the Imagine of Suffering
Label: Relapse
After the excellent Doubt EP, it was destined that King Woman
would make something as monolithic as Created in the Imagine of Suffering - their debut long-player. Former member
of Whirr and undoubtedly the centrepiece of King Woman, Kristina Esfandiari,
provides a performance worthy of underground eminence, facing her demons
head-on in a performance that ranks as one of the finest debuts in the doom-metal genre.
Created in the Imagine of Suffering is an album laced
with brooding religious diatribes underpinned by druggy low-end drone, snarling
riffs and internal-organ crushing chords. Esfandiari provides a chemical heat
that melts everything around it. The song-craft is spell-binding and not only continues
the run of excellent doom-laden bands that are eternally conceived in the United
States. Whilst very much immersed in doom, there’s so
much more to this album. On the face of it there’s a nod to shoegaze, and in an odd way it also conveys a purity of
American gospel, too. ...Suffering is
a fantastic debut that puts King Woman on the map of everything that is good
with music.
Favourite Tracks: Utopia, Shame, Hierophant,
Manna.
4.
Artist: The War On Drugs
Album: A Deeper Understanding
Label: Columbia
Major
label debut. Code for “the catalyst where things start to go wrong”. In The War
On Drugs’ case, not so. Rather than going to lavish parties on the record
company’s purse strings, brains trust, Adam Granduciel, seems to be more like
the guy who sits in his studio getting stoned whilst meticulously plotting the
perfect guitar riff. A Deeper Understanding is a feature of this notion,
catapulting Granduciel into the stratosphere of great modern day song-writers.
Not many churn out consistently great records, but then again, The War On Drugs
are not many.
A Deeper
Understanding will garner unfair comparison to the phenomenal Lost
in the Dream. Although there’s not the greatest disparity in sound, the key
difference is how this album feels. Look no further than the front cover and
the linear notes. There’s a sense of loneliness here and Granduciel captures it
perfectly throughout A Deeper Understanding.
Favourite Tracks: Strangest Thing, Thinking of a Place, In Chains, You Don't Have to Go.
3.
Artist: Priests
Album: Nothing Feels
Natural
Label: Sister Polygon
Washington D.C.’s Priests have skirted around the fringes of something
special for the last couple of years. The exceptional ‘…And Breeding’ felt like
the gateway to something monumental and those initial thoughts proved correct
with Nothing Feels Natural: their barnstorming debut. Katie Alice Greer
leads the assault with an impassioned surge of howls while JL Jaguar provides a
backdrop of buzzing guitars that soar sky-high with infinite vigour. In the live arena, he
moves like the bastard offspring of Frank Black and Pete Townshend.
Nothing Feels Natural is completely vibrant, sonically
unhinged and explodes with Riot Grrl spirit that penetrates under your skin and
makes you want to lose your shit. As a person on the wrong side of thirty,
Priests make me feel something that I no longer thought was possible. The
feeling of hope through music. As far as debut albums go, there have been none
better than Nothing Feels Natural in the last twenty years.
Favourite Tracks: JJ, No Big Bang, Nothing Feels Natural, Pink White House.
2.
Artist: Sleaford Mods
Album: English Tapas
Label: Rough Trade
Is punk
dead? If this year is anything to go by, than I would say certainly not. The
current political malaise has created a vacuum of hostility and within that
very vacuum is the irrepressible Sleaford Mods. The pure embodiment of punk
circa 2017. Since Austerity Dogs’ ‘Born To Be Wild’, Jason Williamson
and Andrew Fearn have been on the crest of something era-defining and while English
Tapas may be their best effort yet, finding the perfect balance between raw
fury and shrewd humour, I wouldn’t bet on their output regressing anytime soon.
While Divide
and Exit stirred and Key Markets shook, English Tapas has
floored. Whilst there has been a groundswell of talent rising from the doldrums
of Britain, no one tops the efforts of Sleaford Mods. Their upsurge in
producing quality after quality has them at the summit of anything ground-breaking
in this country. In a world where disposability has become normalised,
Williamson and Fearn have created something that will long be
remembered.
Favourite Tracks: Army Nights, Drayton Manored, Carlton Touts, Dull, B.H.S.
Sleaford Mods feature, "A Voice For The Voiceless" published on Getintothis.
1.
Artist: Protomartyr
Album: Relatives In Descent
Label: Domino
Like their trans-Atlantic cousins, Sleaford Mods, Detroit’s Protomartyr
are one of the few bands these days that are in a rich vein of form. Under Color of Official Right held the
remnants of something cathartic, instant and intense. Follow-up, The Agent
Intellect, exceeded its predecessor, both sonically and lyrically. It was
simply an album that froze time - all twelve tracks of it. It was their landmark moment and
a release which guaranteed that they would be sticking around for a while.
In the cycle of relentless touring and getting behind the studio glass,
enter Relatives In Descent: their
latest offering. Whiskey drinking, chain-smoking curmudgeon, Joe Casey, once again
fronts this sonic tornado, delivering more political bleakness through his
foggy lens of despair.
Although merely brushing shoulders with the likes of The Fall, The
National, and early Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Protomartyr still provide
their own menacing invective. Yes, Casey has similarities with Mark E. Smith,
but he is more forthright. His diatribes are much more concise. Brooding portraits
which are sculptured by the band’s native Detroit.
Favourite Tracks: A Private Understanding, My Children, Windsor Hum, Male Plague, Half
Sister.
Words originally published on Getintothis.
Top 50:
1. Protomartyr
- Relatives in Descent
2. Sleaford
Mods - English Tapas
3. Priests
- Nothing Feels Natural
4. The
War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
5. King
Woman - Created in the Image of Suffering
6. Slowdive
– Slowdive
7. Queens
of the Stone Age - Villians
8. Pissed
Jeans - Why Love Now
9. At the
Drive-In - In•ter a•li•a
10. Afghan
Whigs - In Spades
11. Dream
Syndicate - How Do I Find Myself Here?
12. Ryan
Adams - Prisoner
13. Craig
Finn - We All Want the Same Things
14. Destroyer
– ken
15. British
Sea Power - Let the Dancers Inherit the Party
16. Willis
Earl Beal - Turn, Circle, Sun and Moon
17. The
Horrors -V
18. Pallbearer
– Heartless
19. Blis
- No One Loves You
20. Ho99o9
- United States of Horror
21. Ariel
Pink - Dedicated to Bobby Jameson
22. Oxbow
- Thin Black Duke
23. Bardo
Pond - Under the Pines
24. Mogwai -
Every Country's Sun
25. Richard Dawson - Peasant
26. Hiss Golden
Messenger - Hallelujah Anyhow
27. Rolling
Blackouts Coastal Fever - The French Press EP
28. Pond
- The Weather
29. Grizzly
Bear - Painted Ruins
30. Mark
Lanegan – Gargoyle
31. Cigarettes
After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex
32. Baxter
Dury - Prince of Tears
33. Algiers
- The Underside of Power
34. Ride
- Weather Dairies
35. Broken
Social Scene - Hug of Thunder
36. Pigs
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Feed the Rats
37. Brand
New - Science Fiction
38. Jane
Weaver - Modern Kosmolgy
39. Power
Trip - Nightmare Logic
40. Hey
Colossus - The Guillotine
41. Courtney
Barnett and Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice
42. Do
Make Say Think - Stubborn Persistent Illusions
43. The
Clientele - Music For The Age Of Miracles
44. Granddaddy
Last Place
45. Greet
Death - Dixieland
46. Omni
- Multi-Task
47. Michael
Head & The Red Electric Band - Adios Senor Pussycat
48. Run
the Jewels - RTJ3
49. Big
Thief - Capacity
50. EMA -
Exile in the Outter Ringer
Thanks for reading.
SK.
