Thread for discussing your choices and mulling over your thinking for Album of the Year 2019

After initially getting loads of spins, the Priests and Kevin Morby albums sadly had a right drop off as they weren’t quite as good as their last records…

No prizes for guessing who my top 2 are…

I only listened to anima today for the first time and it was way better than I expected. Why didn’t anyone say

Best thing he’s done since In Rainbows.
Also well worth checking the accompanying PTA directed short film on Netflix.

5 Likes

:+1: will do cheers

Are we saying yay or nay to Ex:Re? It’s one of my favourites of the year for sure but assumed most who loved it wouldn’t vote for it so left it off.

Should ask yourself what’s your motivation for voting? Seems to me like the only argument against voting for Ex Re (outside of pedantry) is that the album may not get many votes as some people will stick to the calendar year. But does that really matter? This isn’t a general election, don’t really see the requirement for tactical voting. If you liked the album, vote for it. It is an album and artist that could do with the support a lot more than FKA Twigs needs your 5th place vote.

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The LDR album did absolutely nothing for me on first listen - is it a slow burner? Just I’m seeing a lot of folks raving about it who like similar stuff to me in general…

I’ve always been massively sceptical about her but that album just bowled me over. It’s just so enormously cleverly written. The last song, Hope is a Dangerous Thing, is just a truly amazing song. Pretty much every song on it is memorable and brilliant though.

I love the way it is completely conceived as an album - with lyrical and musical themes weaving in and out and echoing through it.

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That’s fair enough. I gave some of her other albums a listen as I love the new one. They sounded ok but nothing special.

Sounds cheesy but you might need to be in the right mood to listen to Normal Fucking Rockwell. If I heard it first time on the way to work on the tube it may not have clicked; that’s my usual way of listening to music. I remember that I put it on my earphones during my lunch break without distractions and did think it was very good and worth repeated listens.

It’s definitely a slow burner. After repeated listens I just really warmed to it and absolutely love it now. Huge generalization but I’m usually not a fan of long albums but I think this one is perfect and enjoy listening to it from start to finish.

So many stand out tracks for me. California is brilliant as is Cinnamon Girl. The final two, Happiness Is A Butterfly and Hope Is A Dangerous Thing are a perfect way of ending an album like this.

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Thanks, both you and @bornin69x seem to know your onions so I’ll give it a few more spins! :wink:

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Does nothing for me and I’ve listened to it shallots

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I voted for it.

Going to struggle to leave one off from Big Thief no. 1, Charli XCX, Alex G, Press Club no. 1, Better Oblivion and Self Esteem. Also always surprised by how little love Alex gets on here, I know DiS has moved on somewhat (for the better!) but still thought he’s be catnip for a lot of indie-rock fans on here.

Round 2 results are in! Contain your blinking excitement everyone!

Bill Callahan
vs
Richard Dawson
This was fairly easy. Dawson is absolutely on fire and Callahan is pleasant enough but the songs aren’t really there.

Numenorean
vs
Steph Chura
Easy. Metal LP of the year potential.

Markia Hackman
vs
Hatchie
Hackman gets better every time I hear it.

Blanck Mass
vs
Aldous Harding
Still a little on the fence with Harding but the production on Blanck Mass eventually put me off. It just doesn’t sound that great on headphones or my big speakers or whatever; just really thin

Lightning Bolt
vs
Comet is Coming
Best Lightning Bolt LP for ages but met its match with CIC.

Danny Brown
vs
Freddie Gibbs
This was really hard and I felt sad that one of them had to go. Gibbs pips it because the Madlib production is so good but I’m sad to lose the funnier Brown lyrics.

Twilight Sad
vs
Mannequin Pussy
Easy.

Tyler the Creator
vs
FKA Twigs
Oooo this one was so tricky. I think I enjoy listening to Tyler more but there’s more substance to Twigs and I’m getting more new things out of it every time I hear it.

Billie Eilish
vs
Little Simz
Another really hard one. Eilish just pips it because it’s so damn catchy with so many bangers. Hard to believe she didn’t get enough votes to even feature in the album of the month poll.

Alcest
vs
Chelsea Wolfe
The Wolfe album is a grower but still nowhere near her best.

Big Thief (UFOF)
vs
Press Club (LT)
The Big Thief juggernaut rolls onward. Can no-one stop them?

Minor Pieces
vs
Baker, Mueller, Coloccia
More people need to listen to Minor Pieces. It’s better than Ian William Craig solo and that’s bloody good.

Sunn O))) (pyro)
vs
Big Thief (2H)
The Big Thief juggernaut rolls onward. Can no-one stop them? (reprise)

Thom Yorke
vs
Employed to Serve
Another possible metal album of the year contender.

Liturgy
vs
Weyes Blood
Liturgy only came out fairly recently and I suspect might be a grower. Sorry Liturgy.

Claire Cronin
vs
Nick Cave
Cronin’s ‘What the Night Is Thinking’ is up there with anything on Cave’s LP and almost justifies her ‘female Jason Molina’ tag on its own. The rest of the LP isn’t up to that standard but I reckon she’s got an AOTY in her on this showing.

2 Likes

Round 3: the road to the quarterfinals!

Richard Dawson
vs
Numenorean

Marika Hackman
vs
Aldous Harding

The Comet is Coming
vs
Freddie Gibbs

Twilight Sad
vs
FKA Twigs

Billie Eilish
vs
Alcest

Big Thief (UFOF)
vs
Minor Pieces

Big Thief (2 Hands)
vs
Employed to Serve

Weyes Blood
vs
Nick Cave

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I’m dissapointed that Employed to Serve are being overlooked in most of the eoy lists, it’s an amazing album. Second best album of the year for me.

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PCBE

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I gave House of Sugar one listen and couldn’t really connect with it (granted, it was just one listen). I liked parts of Rocket…but Alex G is one artist where I feel like the weirdness and experimentation is “tacked on” and doesn’t really add to the music in a positive way.