| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 10000 Registered: 05-2005 |
1 Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways. I didn't think he had another work of genius in him, but he did. 2 Nick Cave - Idiot Player. We have Covid to thank for this, so something good came out of the plague. 3 Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death. Not as brilliant as their debut, but not far behind. 4 Wire - Mind Hive. How many bands formed in the 1970s are still making great records? 5 Gregor - Destiny. I only learned of this guy's existence a couple of weeks ago in a Sydney Morning Herald review, which shows writing about albums still matters. 6 Wire - 10:20. How many bands formed in the 1970s can make two great records in one year? 7 Nada Surf - Never Not Together. Another Nada Surf album that should have brought them fame and fortune, but did not. I hope their day comes. 8 Blake Mills - Mutable Set. This should have been a big hit. 9 AC/DC - PWR/UP. An unexpected surprise. 10 Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling. The marginally better of two DBT albums this year. 11 Nadia Reid - Out Of My Province. What a voice, what a songwriter. 12 Field Music - Making A New World. The music is better than the history lesson lyrics, but the words are pretty good too. 13 Drive-By Truckers - The New OK. The second DBT album of the year is out next week and, as with their first album of the year, is a cracker. 14 Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela - Rejoice. They're both now dead. What a record to leave us with, though. 15 Steve Earle &The Dukes - Ghosts Of West Virginia. I won a test pressing vinyl copy of this, which made me happy. As does the record. 16 Cut Off Your Hands - HLLH. A New Zealand band that sound more like Talking Heads 40 years ago than their NZ contemporaries. 17 Angel Olsen - Whole New Mess. I don't usually like music on the lo-fi side this much, but Olsen pulls it off. 18 The Waterboys - Good Luck, Seeker. Many great songs (and a couple of not so great ones) from the always interesting Mike Scott and co. 19 Bruce Springsteen - Letter To You. I didn't think this was the classic many others thought it was, but it's still a fine album. 20 Flower - None Is (But Once Was). A couple of guys from Versus reformed their first band and this made it all worthwhile. 10,000 posts. Maybe time to retire. | ||
| Burgers Member Username: Burgers Post Number: 175 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pretty much everything I’ve loved this year has been with female vocalists. Something like this order... 20 Clémentine March- Le Continent 19 Jetstream Pony- Jetstream Pony 18 Emma Kupa- It Will Come Easier 17 Jeanines- Acoustic 16 Adrianne Lenker- Songs & Instrumentals 15 Soccer Mommy- Color Theory 14 Summer Camp- Romantic Comedy 13 Margo Price- Perfectly Imperfect... 12 Laura Marling- Song For Our Daughter 11 Phoebe Bridgers- Punisher 10 Becca Mancari- The Greatest Part 9 Angel Olsen- Whole New Mess 8 Porridge Radio- Every Bad 7 Margo Price- That’s How Rumors Get Started 6 Anna Burch- Party’s Over 5 Dana Gavanski- Yesterday Is Gone 4 Nadia Reid- Out of My Province 3 Courtney Marie Andrews- Old Flowers 2 The Beths- Jump Rope Gazers 1 Margaret Glaspy- Devotion | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 4523 Registered: 03-2005 |
I'm always buying things heedless of vintage, discovering new (to me) artists who've been making records for some time and some who've since given up. Consequently not all that many of the records I've bought will be from this current year. I almost certainly haven't yet heard what will eventually be my personal favorite for 2020. Indeed I'm so slow to get to things that the newest year in which I have what looks like a normal number of discs (54) is 2018 and one of that year's candidates for best record of the year (Hazte Lapón's prolific "Tú Siempre Ganas Pts. 1 & 2") did not reach my ears until earlier this year. However, among the small list of 2020 releases I have purchased so far--in no particular order--the standouts have been: 1. Fontaines DC -- A Hero's Death. I'm tempted to say that I like this album even better than the debut but that might be because it's so thoroughly escaped the sophomore jinx. The Fontaines did not simply attempt to remake the first album and, IMO, brought more depth to this one. That's what I dream of when a band drops down its second statement. 2. Bestia Bebe -- Gracias Por Nada. This is still a new group for me so my viewpoint can easily change between now and this time next year. The new album is the product of a band that's been making music since at least 2009. Consequently there's a maturity to the new album which might tip over into routine with the next one. 3. Jetstream Pony -- s/t. This is one of those je ne sais quoi records. I've tried in vain to describe it on this board but its mixture of atmosphere, coolness and yet intimacy has eluded me. It'll be interesting to see how it ages. 4. Thousand -- Au Paradis. This is another atmospheric record, in this case most often that of an imaginary French chateau complete with its rolling, sprawling grounds. The peak of this effect probably comes at "Le Rêve du Cheval." But occasionally some of the tracks--especially the title song--recall the urban echoes of Bashung. I have some other promising 2020 releases that haven't been heard enough for comment, such as 107 Faunos' "El Ataque Suave" and Fantasmamidi's "Letargo." Underwhelming? Sadly, so far the Apartments' new one, "In and Out of the Light." Ditto the Wolfhounds' "Electric Music." Also the Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever's "Sideways to New Italy." It is not unheard of, however, for a seemingly nondescript release to show its merit over time. Which is why I don't bother to chase after new releases. | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 1853 Registered: 10-2006 |
Strictly speaking, “stuff I’ve heard I like this year”, not too many complete albums, mainly just songs. Been a “return to radio” year for me, especially BBC Radio 3, now, very different from when I was a lad, strewn with regional accents and weather reports that include places like Anstruther and Kirkaldy; plus weekend pop sounds and pubish age-appropriate banter from 6 radio. The irony is that I keep hearing stuff I love, order the CD, then never get round to listening to it because I’m too busy listening to the radio, so I have a huge backlog of cellophane wrapped albums to get through. One day. 1) Bright eyes – Down in the weeds where the world once was 2) Dominique A – Vie Etrange 3) Nadia Reid- Out of My Province 4) Doves – The universal want 5) Fleet foxes - Shore 6) Janelle Monáe – Turntables 7) Anna Clyne – Dance 8) Becca Mancari – Hunter 9) Goat Girl - Sad Cowboy 10) Sault – Wildfires 11) Nadine Shah – Trad 12) Albertine Sarges - Free Today 13) This Is The Kit - Coming To Get You Nowhere 14) Khruangbin - So We Won't Forget 15) Coco – Empty beach 16) Saint Saviour - Rock Pools 17) Ina Boyle - On Lacken Hill 18) Randolph's Leap - Up In Smoke 19) Jane Weaver - The Revolution Of Super Visions 20) Makedonissimo - Piperkovo | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 2023 Registered: 08-2006 |
Here's my top 10, for them's who care. Not much to say except I didn't consume as much music as usual. But these albums brought me joy, different though they are. 1. Run the Jewels – “RTJ4” 2. Various Artists – “Hanging Tree Guitars” 3. X – “Alphabetland” 4. SAULT – “Untitled (Black Is)” 5. Kalie Shorr – “Open Book (Unabridged)” 6. Lucinda Williams – “Good Souls Better Angels” 7. Bob Dylan – “Rough and Rowdy Ways” 8. Lori McKenna – “The Balladeer” 9. Public Enemy – “What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?” 10. Fiona Apple –“Fetch the Bolt Cutters” | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 1854 Registered: 10-2006 |
I read straight by Pádraig's 10,000th post! Congratulations! You are a great boon to me, Mr Collins, since, everytime my wife rolls her eyes at another CD postal arrival, or has a two hour wait outside a music shop, all I have to do is stab my finger at your last list of purchases and say, look! look! I'm just a neophyte compared to this guy! He's the real thing! Post on, PC! | ||
| Fred Tadrowski Member Username: Ftadrowski Post Number: 127 Registered: 03-2015 |
My list of favorite albums is as mixed up as I am. Two of the albums were recorded this year in quarantine conditions (Nick Cave & Mekons). I know some have not loved The Apartments, but it has grown on me and is a great Sunday morning record. 1. In And Out of The Light – The Apartments 2. Foothills - The Bats 3. Idiot Prayer – Nick Cave 4. Random Desire – Greg Dulli 5. Rough and Rowdy Ways – Bob Dylan 6. Another World – The Flat Five 7. A Hero’s Death – Fontaines D.C. 8. Exquisite – Mekons 9. Mind Hive – Wire (which I purchased on Pádraig's suggestion) 10. Alphabetland – X | ||
| Thomas Unregistered guest |
A lot of NZ Stuff, i know,i know..(8x) ;-) 1. The Cakekitchen-Trouble again this town 2. Sneaky Feelings- The Mercury Moment 3. Dead Famous People- Harry 4. The Bats- Foothills 5. HugobRace & The True Spirit-Starbirth/Stardeath 6. Steven Fellows- Slow Glass (Comsat Angels) 7. The New Existentialists-Didnt have the Time 8. Darryl Baser- Second Selfie 9.Bailter Space-Concret 10. AJ Sharma- Tapes running out |