May 20th, 2012

Chart of 20100 comments

Here’s my top 50 of 2010. Click on the album titles to listen to the album on Spotify where available, providing you’ve installed it.
Some pretty good albums fell outside the top 50, mainly because they’d got a handful of good tracks mixed amongst mainly filler. That’ll be why the Walkmen album was at 65 and Maximum Balloon (with the best single track of the year) was at 54. Brandon Flowers came last, by the way.

You can also click here for a Spotify playlist of my favourite tracks of 2010.

Album of the year
Beulahland

1 - Miles Kurosky
The Desert of Shallow Effects

Allo

2 - Allo Darlin’
Allo Darlin’

This has been an incredibly rewarding album to live with since its release in the Spring of 2010. But it requires some patience and, perhaps, some concentration. Miles Kurosky has had a terrible run of luck with illness since he and his Beulah bandmates went their separate ways. But it’s clear that during his extended period of incapacitation, he was thinking of all sorts of musical ideas.

The problem for many people, I expect, is that he put all those ideas into one album. But after a couple of listens, this is probably the reason it’s so impressive.

It’s incredibly richly textured, with layer upon layer of instrumentation, vocals and sound effects. It has humour, tragedy and the occasional disco escape ladder. It’s worthy of studying as well as just listening, and I’m overjoyed that Kurosky still exists.

Enormously twee, but sometimes it’s worth lowering the defences. Some outstanding tunes (admittedly “reminiscent” of tunes by other people, occasionally), and some absolutely brilliant and beautiful lyrics. If you can’t stomach the following lines, you’d best stay away;

We make believe that our hearts are never shot,
and somehow you’ve convinced me that I’m pretty when I’m not.
Everybody I know wants to be your friend,
but I just want to hold you when the music ends,
that’s all, all I ask.
Is that too crass?

Sometimes it’s just nice to experience a sugar rush.

Britt
3 - Spoon
Transference

Spoon provided the gig of the year, in Berlin. The sparse grooviness and Britt Daniel’s soulful, occasionally-Lennonesque voice soundtracked my year.
How d'you like them Apples (in Stereo)
=4 - Apples In Stereo
Travellers in Space and Time

It took a while for me to get over all the ELO thievery, but there are some fun, energetic and memorable songs on this record.
FUNK
=4 - Of Montreal
False Priest

Of Montreal move closer to the mainstream with a funky Princey album of frequent brilliance. Ludicrous stage show too. Also love the borderline Bowie impression in “Girl Named Hello.”
Fey
6 - Belle & Sebastian
Write about love

More of the same from B&S. This is a very good thing.
Bleep
7 - LCD Soundsystem
This is happening

All about the groove, brother. All about the groove. (Also ripping off Velvet Underground and Eurythmics to great effect.)

Northern
=8 - The Futureheads
The Chaos

Chorus after chorus after chorus.

Na na na na
=8 - My Chemical Romance
Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys

Ridiculous often joyful pop with two of the best songs of 2010.

Beardy.
10 - Titus Andronicus
The Monitor

Celtic prog-punk from New Jersey. Fantastic.

Good golly
=11 - The Jim Jones Revue
Burning your house down

An explosive reimagining of Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Wight
=11 - The Bees
Every step’s a yes

Crept up on me, this one. Don’t want to like them, but they have the tunes.

Chocolatey
13 - The National
High Violet

Can be drab, if you’re in the wrong mood. But quite fulfilling.

Quiff
=14 - Janelle Monáe
The Archandroid

An awesome talent, with some utterly brilliant songs. Too many fillers on the album, though.

DelMonte
=14 - Lightspeed Champion
Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You

More contemplative than his debut, but plenty of interesting lyrics and meandering movements.

Shin
16 - Broken Bells
Broken Bells

A Shin and a Mouse making lovely, summery music destined for bedding sports broadcasts.

Cake
17 - Race Horses
Goodbye Falkenberg

Gorky’s with more tunes and a better sense of humour. Best Welsh album of 2010!

Luscious
18 - Nada Surf
If I had a hi-fi

Excellent covers album, largely improving each original song. Yes, even Enjoy The Silence.

Burn
19 - Admiral Radley
I heart California

Grandaddy + Earlimart. Often more energetic than both, though.

Icy
20 - Jónsi
Go

Sigur Rós singer goes upbeat and sings in English. Often huge.
=21 - Plan B - The Defamation Of Strickland Banks
=21 - Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man
23 - I Am Kloot - Sky At Night
24 - Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
25 - Robyn - Body Talk
26 - Tunng - And then we saw land
=27 - School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
=27 - Sleigh Bells - Treats
=27 - Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
30 - Polysics - Bestoisu!!!!
31 - Mates of State - Crushes
32 - The Hoosiers - The Illusion Of Safety
33 - Fang Island - Fang Island
34 - Operator Please – Gloves
35 - Tropico Q - Hard Rock Pafe
36 - Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Let It Sway
37 - Weezer - Hurley
38 - Ida Maria - Katla
39 - White Noise Sound - White Noise Sound
40 - Owen Pallett - Heartland
41 - The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
42 - Wintersleep - New Inheritor
43 - Shout Out Louds - Work
44 - Surfer Blood - Astrocoast
45 - MGMT - Congratulations
46 - The New Pornographers - Together
47 - Woodpigeon - Die Stadt Muzikanten
48 - Crystal Castles - II
49 - Stars - The Five Ghosts
50 - Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo

Chart of 20092 comments

Podcast to follow, if I can work out the new Podcasting thing on Google. Here’s my top 50 of 2009. Click on the album titles to listen to the album on Spotify, providing you’ve installed it.
Only a colossal muppet wouldn’t have installed it (unless you’re outside Spotify’s current boundaries). Art Brut vs Satan’s not on Spotify, so I’ve linked to Myspace, where you can hear some of the tracks.

Album of the year
Colonia

1 - A Camp
Colonia

Un

2 - Dan Black
Un

I didn’t really expect this. OK, so it’s Nina Persson, whom I somewhat adore. I can listen to Cardigans albums for hours. But the first A Camp album was a bit too downbeat and sparse for my liking. Not so this second album, which adds some relative energy and variety of emotions to the outstanding lyrics and immaculate vocal performance.

I first listened to this on a plane in January, while reading an overly-gushing review of it in Word magazine. I decided they were wrong, with their Abba references. But eventually I came to agree. It’s beautiful, and there are no tracks which I skip, providing I’ve got the time to listen to it all. It might have taken a couple of transatlantic flights and 3 or 4 listens, but after that first encounter a year ago, it never really shifted from being my favourite album of the year.

POP! Not sure why this never really took off. The estate of Biggy Smalls forced him to re-record his first radio hit (Hypntz became Symphonies), with instantly-diminishing returns, but it remained a great song.

There are some great singles on this record, and “Alone” remains one of the finest singles of the year, I think. For some time, I found the excellence of these tracks distracting, and was unimpressed by the rest of the album. But once the initial obsession had worn off, those other songs made a stronger case for themselves. Listened to on a long drive home from wherever, or played live at his bouncing gigs, this is a bloody brilliant album.

Klang!
=3 - The Rakes
Klang!

Sad they’ve split. This album rediscovered the energy they suppressed with the significantly darker Ten New Messages album. Spiky guitar fun.
FotL
=3 - Future of the Left
Travels with myself and another

I’m not aware of anyone else who sounds like this. This album improves significantly on their debut and possibly even on the Mclusky albums that came before. Brilliant.
Jangle
=3 - The Pains of being pure at heart
The pains of being pure at heart

Yeah, C86. Well done. Belle & Sebastian? Yes, actually. But the year’s best track is on this album (Young Adult Friction), and once you get over its magnificence, you notice another 6 or 7 great songs.
Stroke
6 - Julian Casablancas
Phrazes for the young

Better than the last Strokes album, and more concise.
Pomp
7 - Muse
The Resistance

Ruined by the “Symphony” that ends the album.

Bunsen
8 - Brendan Benson
My old, familiar friend

Proves his songwriting mojo wasn’t stolen/destroyed by Jack White.

Drone
9 - Doves
Kingdom of rust

Atmospheric anthems, but some dreary filler.

They're in their 40s, you know.
10 - Weezer
Raditude

They’re morphing into the Bloodhound Gang. Still fun, though.

Argos
11 - Art Brut
Art Brut vs Satan

Sadly, Art Brut nearly absorbed by Frank Black and his production. Not quite, though.

Forehead
12 - Ben Folds
Stems and Seeds

Fuller re-release/remix of last album. Still great.

Daftness
13 - The Sounds
Crossing the Rubicon

Ludicrous Swedish guitarpop. “Dorchester Hotel” is great.

Mascis
14 - Dinosaur Jr.
Farm

Fantastic. Had no idea they were still this good. Possibly my favourite Dinosaur Jr. album.

Entertainment
15 - Mando Diao
Give me fire

Return to form, though not their best album.

Wilco
16 - Wilco
Wilco (the album)

Rediscovered tunes, if not always their own.

Posh
17 - Polly Scattergood
Polly Scattergood

Good album, almost ruined by her live performance.

Spooky
18 - Fever Ray
Fever Ray

Dark, brooding, scary, luscious.

Chutzpah!
19 - The Wildhearts
Chutzpah!

Disposable but crispy and minty-fresh.

Wicket
20 - The Duckworth Lewis Method
The Duckworth Lewis Method

Absurd concept album, turned out to be better than initial listens suggest.
21 - Jason Falkner - All quiet on the noise floor
22 - Metric - Fantasies
23 - Mumford & Sons - Sigh no more
24 - Mariachi El Bronx - Mariachi El Bronx
25 - Harlem Shakes - Technicolor health
26 - Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
27 - King Creosote - Flick the Vs
28 - Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
29 - Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns
30 - Islands - Vapours
31 - Manchester Orchestra - Mean everything to nothing
32 - Placebo - Battle for the sun
33 - Jamie T - Kings & Queens
34 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It’s Blitz!
35 - Jason Lytle - Yours truly, the commuter
36 - The Decemberists - The hazards of love
37 - White Lies - To lose my life
38 - Spinnerette - Spinnerette
39 - Brakes - Touchdown
40 - Lily Allen - It’s not me, it’s you
41 - Official Secrets Act - Understanding electricity
42 - …And you will know us by the trail of dead - The century of self
43 - Filthy Dukes - Nonsense in the dark
44 - Dan Deacon - Bromst
45 - Bob Mould - Life and times
46 - Eels - Hombre Lobo
47 - Dizzee Rascal - Tongue ‘n’ Cheek
48 - Lovelikefire - Tear ourselves away
49 - Jay Reatard - Watch me fall
50 - Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions

This year’s sporting fashions0 comments

An excellent way of demonstrating football fashions. And black leotards. Why black leotards?



Be clicking here, if you can’t see the above.

Football boots seemingly unnecessary in this scheme.

Ramshackle Rally0 comments

As chronicled on our separate website we managed to get a £150 Saab from Bristol to Split at the start of September. So far, we’ve raised just over £1200 for Macmillan Cancer Support, hopefully with some more donations on their way over the next month or two. You can still donate, if you’re moved to do so - http://justgiving.com/thegraveyardofambition. Or just watch the condensed video of the week;




(it’s here, if you can’t see the above embedded video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g20bEzs54k)

Crapple0 comments

Second Macbook Pro, second failed hard drive. This is getting tedious.

Now, I suppose the issue here is that I’d still rather have a Macbook that fails every year than have a Windows laptop that works consistently. Windows makes me sweat and swear every day, while my expensive aluminium boxes of broken only do it once a year. That said, I think Apple should stop filling their beautiful silver boxes with shit.


Crapple

This evening, I’m taking the new broken Macbook and the old broken Macbook to the new Apple shop in town. Instead of a technical support department, they have something they call a “Genius Bar”. And to access the “Genius Bar”, one must make a “Reservation” with the “Concierge”. I’m going to have to slap them when I get there. I’m also going to have to start a standing order into a savings account, so I can be ready with £1500 every 12 months, enabling me to upgrade my Macbook Pro before it breaks down each time.

Note: I do have full backups, hopefully, providing the wireless Time Capsule thing works. If it doesn’t, I’m going to take an orbital sander into the Apple shop and sully all of their shiny trinkets.

Please sponsor us!Comments Off

Please sponsor us. Four of us are driving a 19 year old Saab from Bristol to Croatia, calling at Calais, Bern, Bormio (via the Stelvio Pass) and Ljubljana. We may also be dressed like idiots. Hopefully it’ll be fun. Thing is, we’d like to raise some money while we’re at it, and for that we need your assistance.

Click here to see what we’re doing;
http://www.matthewswords.co.uk/ramshackle/

Or click here to go straight through to donating to Macmillan Cancer Support;
http://www.justgiving.com/thegraveyardofambition/

Please? Hm? Yes? Please?

Prattle-free Podcast 290 comments

Harlem Shakes, Southeast Engine, Art Brut, The Decemberists, Doves, Goldie Lookin’ Chain, Dan Black, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Mod Amish, King Creosote, The Lonely Island.

Excitement

WARNING: When I tested this podcast, I lost a load of ID3 information in the downloaded file. No idea why. They’re all OK if I download the file directly. So I’m assuming it’s something to do with Google’s takeover of feedburner, or something to do with iTunes. See how you get on, anyway.

In The Loop is almost with us. I’ve got concerns that the American side of it won’t live up to the tried and tested British characters, but I’m hoping it’ll be brilliant anyway. Musically, looking forward to this year’s Dot to Dot festival. Disappointed (at first) with the SFA and Art Brut albums, but pleased with the Doves album. This podcast includes a few things that crept through from sources other than the usual, so it’s probable that you won’t have heard of one or two of them. They’re familiar, though. I’ll explain as I go along.

Download/subscribe to number 29 from here. You need it; by any means necessary;

Harlem Shakes - Sunlight
Now, this reminded me of Primal Scream. It’s mainly the vocals, I suppose, which are reminiscent of Gillespie in countrified/stones mode. You’ll disagree.

Southeast Engine - Black Gold
I find myself going off bands when it looks like they’re proud Christians. It’s harsh, but it just doesn’t sit right, for some reason. Don’t know if this lot are, but their album does contain quite a lot of Bible references. I should scrutinise their lyrics before hurling them asunder. This one reminds me of Ben Kweller (before his total transformation into a bloody country singer).

Art Brut - Summer Job
No. No, Art Brut. I liked the Pixies too, and perhaps 3 or 4 of Frank Black’s later albums. But his sound of late has been extremely drab. And now you’ve got him in to produce your new album. It sounds like Frank Black & the Catholics. You’ve ruined it. Still, crawling from the near wreckage come the songs Alcoholics Unanimous and this one, Summer Job. That wailing at the start isn’t Jack Peñate, is it? Don’t make me unfollow you on Twitter, Argos.

The Decemberists - The Rake’s Song
Most disagree, but my favourite Decemberists album is unquestionably Picaresque. Full of singles, and featuring an absolutely fantastic sea shanty. They seem keen not to return to such easy listening, but the new album (Hazards of Love) is certainly closer than the last. This song’s been around for a while now, but I still like it.

Doves - Winter Hill
Given that Elbow nicked Doves’ act, I don’t quite understand why I like Doves, but can’t warm to Elbow. I should like Elbow. I’ve seen them in concert twice, but was bored rigid. Anyway, Doves have returned with another almost brilliant album (may graduate to true brilliance with further listens), containing an excellent lead single. And this must be the next one, surely.

Goldie Lookin’ Chain - By Any Means Necessary
Yes, they’re a joke that, if ever it was funny, probably isn’t funny any more. However, this is has got a fantastic hook. Really addictive.

Dan Black - Alone
Pop. Yes, I suppose The Kids are liking Dan Black. Maybe not the cool kids, though. Anyway, this heavily-processed bubble of pop offers immediate satisfaction. Or your no money back.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
Hang on, this is “Take me, I’m yours” by Squeeze. Good, though. It’s an album full of this 80s synthpop, sounding fulsome and tuneful almost entirely throughout. Good album, I think.

Oops
I meant to put Polly Scattergood (Other Too Endless) here, but messed it up. Here’s some blah, along the lines of what I might have said if I’d included it - blah Joanna Newsom blah blah Brit school, blah blah, blah blah blah!!! Blah, Kate Bush blah blah, blah blah blurgh.

Mod Amish - September
Sounds like Biffy Clyro. No, wait. Come back. It’s only his voice, really. Nothing new, utilising the old loudquietloud technique, but I’m very much drawn to this. They’re almost entirely under the radar, it seems.

King Creosote - Coast On By
Whenever King Creosote put(s) out an album, I tend to really like one song. I’ll hear it on the radio, but I won’t remember what it’s called. And then I never hear it again, because I get confused by all the folk and fail to make it through entire albums. Tried harder with this new one, and ended up really liking this one. I like that it builds a bit.

The Lonely Island - Sax Man (featuring [cough]jackblack)
Hmm? Oh, nothing. Seems to be a comedy album from regular Saturday Night Live contributors. We all know that Saturday Night Live is only funny about 10-20 years after it was on, so if these blokes ever want to be any good, they’d better leave. If, in fact, they haven’t already. This was the only track on the album that I enjoyed, even if it’s childish. It’s a bit sweary, if you’re bothered by such things.

Click here to download the file directly. I’d rather you subscribed, though, so I can see what platforms people are using, etc. Feedburner seem to have changed their service, so you might just have to copy the URL (http://feeds.feedburner.com/Prattle) into your chosen RSS reader or Podcast software e.g. iTunes.

Et la. I need a holiday or a better job. I’m sure now’s a great time to go job-hunting. I’ll doubtless have the pick of th… oh, the world appears to have gone to hell in a hessian bag-for-life.


Last 10 MP3s I listened to (it goes blank after about an hour of inactivity);

Link to my last.fm Profile Page

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