C’mon, let’s test these boards and share some knowledge/love at the same time.
Which record have you been listening to the most that everyone should hear? And which lesser known records should everyone hear before contemplating doing their year end list?
Favourite: The 1975 - can’t get enough of it. It’s ambitious. Sprawling. Full of hooks. Has sensational production and everything about it is more-ish once you crack its shell. Has moments that are more like Four Tet than you might expect.
Outlier: School of Seven Bells - SVIIB - would hate to think anyone would do an end of year list having not heard this heartbreakingly epic final School of Seven Bells record.
OK, I’ll bite! I just found out this new forum thing happened today (had a holiday yesterday, y’know).
At any rate, I can’t pick one album, so imma throw up my top ten-ish ones so far, in no particular order:
TEEN - Love Yes (whip smart, feminine new wave) The Gotobeds - Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic (the right kind of stupid) Deerhoof - The Magic (doi) Skating Polly - The Big Fit (riot grrrrl duo that can also be as sweet as honey) Pikelet - Tronc (lovely, very Broadcast-like bedroom solo project) Dog Chocolate - Snack Fans (surreal silly hissy fits) [now you know who’s writing this] Future of the Left - The Truth and the Peace of… (also doi) Helena Celle - If I Can’t Handle Me At My Best, Then You Don’t Deserve You At Your Worst (best title, obvs - also very discombobulated techno) Eureka California - Versus (home team advantage - clever, self-effacing, and bracing pop punk) AJ Cornell & Tim Darcy - Too Significant to Ignore (disorienting, hypnotic spoken word stuff; also, not gonna lie, I might have a crush on Tim Darcy)
Mmmkay, that’s it. I’d go into the EPs too, but that’s another thread, innit.
Human Performance might be running away with it Blackstar was great but i find it really hard to listen to now Boy King could almost for it, but it’s not quite as good as it could have been
I haven’t sat down with Angel Olsen’s record yet, think that might be a contender when i do tho
My current AOTY is Suede. A stunning album with builds on their comeback a few years ago.
The Mitski album is amazing that might have got missed by a few people.
The Comet Is Coming album is brilliant too. So glad they get some recognition with a Mercury nomination. I hope they win it.
Steven Wilson “4 1/2”
Field Music “Common Time”
Radiohead “A Moon Shaped Pool”
Mogwai “Atomic”
Bowie’s “Blackstar”
Explosions in The Sky “The Wilderness”
Lucinda Williams “The Ghost Of Highway…”
Big Thief