#29

It’s Erin Durant with a “T”

#30

I’d put the Chemical Brothers high up any best of the year.

5 Likes
#31

I have no idea why Pile’s Green and Gray has been ignored. It isn’t even showing up on Best Rock Album lists. Slowly-burning, heavy, explosive, and cohesive, it’s a clear frontrunner for AOTY and one of the best of the decade.

A Labyrinth with No Center

The Soft Hands of Stephen Miller

2 Likes
#32

nearly all of the albums on the link on the Original Post are hipster albums, which are more or less the antithesis of being obscure among Internet culture.

#33

What an inspired take this is

#34

I was going to respond to it but then I realised I didn’t understand it.

Do they mean ‘antithesis’ (ie the opposite of) do you think? Or did they mean to type ‘apotheosis’ (ie the perfect example of)?

#35

Agree with ^this - have enjoyed both of their albums very much. Also agree that it’s weird just how much under the radar they seem to fly. Their own Wiki entry is barely there, and they are not mentioned at all on Holmes’ own page.

Check them out everyone :+1:

3 Likes
#36

Lana is crushing the competition according to the aoty aggregate list:

#37

Yeah this is a fun album, enjoyed it more than the debut.

I went to see them live and was surprised that David Holmes doesn’t play live with them, he just did a DJ set before and after

#38

Funny how music divides even those that usually have similar opinions. Personally think it’s her first classic after three straight close-but-no-cigars

#39

Why do you like it more than the others?

For me there are some great tracks (the title track especially) but when I listen to the whole thing it just sort of washes over me in a swell of MOR string arrangements and I find I’ve got to the end with out really noticing it very much. I found the earlier records gripping from start to finish.

1 Like
#40

Avery Tare

#41

That Employed to Serve album should have the band carried shoulder high around the country yet sod all. :unamused:

2 Likes
#42

Dawn’s came out so early in the year, didn’t it? Reckon if it was more recent it’d be making more lists.

1 Like
#43

Number 7 in Metal Hammer’s AOTY list FWIW. A damn fine album and one I need to revisit. Perhaps unjustly missing from honourable mentions outside my top 5.

1 Like
#44

The new Sarathy Korwar album.

1 Like
#45

Personally feel that the greater ambition and sonic diversity of this one is also complimented by her most focused and consistently great set of songs yet. The quality of the songwriting (especially the melodies but also lyrically) does not let up, “album” tracks and singles alike. The highs are as high as they were on the other albums (Lark and No Mirrors vs Windows, Acrobat, or Sister), but in addition this is the first one of hers that doesn’t have any filler tracks to these ears (whereas the last three all had at least 2)

I accept that an indie artist getting the string section out always invites the possibility of “bloated” or “needlessly frilly” criticisms, or criticisms that the artist is covering for a lack of genuine ideas. IMO they’re used extremely well - in addition to the title track moments like the mid section New Love Cassette or the sweeping line towards the end of Change elevate those tracks rather than bog them down simply because they’re composed exquisitely. They feel like they they’ve been included because the make the song better rather than having been shoehorned in.

TL;DR - can understand why the strings are an issue for some who don’t like strings in general, but I think they complement rather than suffocate her boldest, most consistent and dazzling set of songs yet

1 Like
#46

I’m definitely in that camp. Obviously there are masses of counter-examples, but I do find that strings often obscure songs rather than enhance them. The songs on All Mirrors are great, I just find it had to hear past the arrangements and the production. I will definitely go back to it though, because I do love Angel Olsen.

1 Like
#47

From Indian Lakes. Better than nearly everything else I’ve heard, didn’t have a big promo push or anything though. Well worth investigating

#48

Modern Nature, ‘How to Live’. My favourite album of the year. A brilliant mix of folk, indie, krautrock and jazz that shouldn’t work but fuck me it does.

4 Likes