Album of the Year 2012 – Number 1

01 – Ólafur Arnalds:  Living Room Songs (Erased Tapes) [9.9]

I don’t seem to be in agreement with most of the critics out there this year, as I have placed an album at the top of the pile, which they have generally had within the OK to less than OK bracket. That in keeping with the fact that the critics’ choice this year was Frank Ocean and Channel Orange, which is easily the worst album I’ve heard all year means I don’t seem to be on the same page as them this year.

I truly don’t understand how I can read grades of 4.5 for this album, when it is a truly wonderful album, its only weakness being that it comes in at under 30 minutes, depriving me of at least another 15 minutes of Arnalds’ geniality.

The second album in the top three composed by an Icelandic artist, the second purely instrumental album in the top three and the second in the three recommended by Barry Napier, so many thanks for your involvement in the chart this year (I’ll be writing a post, summing up his, mine and Ian Stackhouse’s combined in a few days).

So the instrumentals win out this year, as they did in 2009 with Sufjan Stevens at number one and, as mentioned earlier, this seems to definitely be a year of music to chill/work to.

However, you may well be asking why it is I have an album rated quite low by other critics (with the exception of Barry Napier) as my number one of the year and for me it’s quite simple. A concept I was intrigued by was that this was a seven track album composed over seven days – a track for each day of the week – and then posted on YouTube. An area where I think it might have found criticism is the belief that great music needs time to create, develop and produce.

I’m obviously not a subscriber to this, not only due to my number one of the year but because I have also had another similar artist, Chad VanGaalen, up there in a previous year’s best of. I think if you make great music you make it in whatever time it needs to be made.

And Arnalds knows his stuff, he has an ear for the fantastic and it’s no surprise that he has been commissioned to do film soundtracks and that his, arguably, best track on this album is entitled Film Credits. But it’s not just film that seems to inspire him but also contemporary classical music. In the same way I think that Sigurðsson reminds me of Górecki, I also think that Arnalds has a touch of Patrick Doyle at his best.

The album is both wondrous and melancholic, the melancholic being one of my favourite types of tune and I love what Arnalds has done with Living Room Songs, (aptly named title) and being as the album is so short, I just feel the need to keep to clicking the repeat button upon the album’s end.

If I’m going to name the album’s highlights, I’m going to name all seven tracks, as all are: sublime, beautiful, magical, atmospheric and genial.

I give you the album of the year for 2012. Get more information and your copy here: http://livingroomsongs.olafurarnalds.com/

Album of the Year 2012 – Number 2

02 – Wax Tailor:  Dusty Rainbow from the Dark (Le Plan) [9.7]

Wow, just wow! This album is one of those rare albums that comes along and completely blows you away from its wonderful opening, to its fantastic conclusion, keeping you enthralled for the full 75 minutes duration and not letting go even after its end.

I love my concept albums, me, and this is no exception. It’s a wonderful idea, that of a story of the meaning of life through the eyes of an eight year old boy. An eight year old boy whose search for the meaning of life takes him through his record collection, helped by his mother who chooses in an instant not to explain the scientific explanation of a rainbow but instead gives it a much more creative imagery.

The album is about life, about lessons we need to consider and it’s about the meaning of life through music.

With a narration that is commanding and powerful and an array of guest vocalists that add something special to the story, the album succeeds on so many levels. I found this album all on my own, as part of my decision to widen my musical boundaries and am, of course, extremely pleased with my decision.

It’s amazing and powerful and a must have!

Album of the Year 2012 – Number 3

03 – Valgeir Sigurðsson:  Architecture of Loss (Bedroom Community) [9.5]

You weren’t expecting that were you? (Well those involved in the voting group are and obviously Barry Napier, who recommended it to me might well have been.) This, good reader, this is an absolute monster of an album and you need to get hold of your copy now. I’ll even forgive you for not reading the rest of this post, if your reason is to spend some time immersing yourself with this genius of the contemporary classical music scene.

Yes, it’s yet another instrumental album in my top ten and that’s not all. I’m pretty sure that in any other year (except for the infamous chart of 2005) this would have topped the chart.

It’s not only the fact that Sigurðsson is innovative and interesting, that he challenges you musically and emotionally or that he doesn’t shy away from difficult music but that every now and again I hear traces of Gorecki, and I can’t really give him much more in the way of compliment.

Architecture of Loss, is an incredible feast of music and now that you’ve had a listen (see earlier) I thoroughly hope you enjoyed yours!

Album of the Year 2012, The Top Ten: 10-6

Almost at the run in now, with the bottom half of the top ten of the year and it goes without saying that there are some blooming crackers in this selection. Try to feast your ears on a few of these when you get a chance.

Number 10 – Archive: With us until you’re dead

This one gives me a feel of Leftfield, which is no bad thing. Took a little time to get into and I’m not sure why, as it does have an interesting sound from the first second. I like the fact that, like Leftfield, there is a distinct mix between voices, melodies and feel to the whole album. Maybe this is what made it a difficult first few listens but as the listens increase, so does the quality.

The lyrics maybe let the album down a little bit but if you’re after some cracking tunes then you can’t go so far wrong with this one. Violently and Hatchet are two of my highlights on the album, Violently also has a cracking video to match!

Number 09 – Solar Fields: Random Friday

Another thank you here to Barry Napier, with his great tips! I can’t remember if it was this album that Barry tipped or their other release, Until we Meet the Sky, [Number 26] but whichever, it’s due to him that I now know of them. The band remind me of Emeralds, who released one of my top five albums a couple of years ago, in that it has a feel of Tangerine Dream for a new generation.

The music is reminiscent of the German trio, without maintaining that very 80s electronic sound, that makes me cringe every now and again (not enough to dampen the nostalgia factor though). It’s ambient and powerful and manages to weave the two together seamlessly. I find myself listening to a lot of instrumental music these days, whilst working, and this is one of the best of the year.

Number 08 – Matt Elliot: The Broken Man

An album which on first listen doesn’t necessarily suggest one of my top ten, interesting as the Spanish guitar intro may be. Again, however, it’s another of the cases of an album that requires more than a casual listen and why compiling a chart like this takes its time.

Matt Elliot is a master of the classical/contemporary field of music and it’s here that seems to be somewhat of a theme of mine in 2012, or rather a theme of those albums which inspired me (this becomes much clearer later on).

Lyrics, as many of you know, are an important aspect of a great song for me and Elliot has them in abundance. It’s like poetry married to the music and works well with the type of music being played. The Broken Man, is an album to be listened to and savoured.

Number 07 – Kaki King: Glow

I’m pretty sure Kaki would have found herself a little higher this year had this album not been 100% instrumental. Instrumental albums are becoming a big deal in my life, as I often listen to them now when I’m working and again, this is shown higher up the chart too. However, what impressed me upon first hearing Kaki King, was the combination of her interesting style of music coupled with excellent lyrics and her sublime voice. This means that however good the album is it is still missing two of the three main ingredients of what makes King great.

Consider then, just how high I rate King, with the fact that I’ve placed her current album, Glow, at number six, even without a lyric or voice in sight – some artists truly glow! (You see what I did there?)

Number 06 – The Twilight Sad: No One Can Ever Know

Twice in a row these guys have finished at number two in my album of the year chart and I seem to remember mentioning something about always the bridesmaid and never the bride. I also may well have mentioned that it may be third time lucky next time they release one (instead of all this speculation, why don’t I just link to the post from the previous year?).

Well they are obviously not but yet again well within the top ten and yet again with a cracking album. There’s something so raw about the band and their style and this is a band that have dragged me in from day one with their gritty, melancholic lyrics.

If you’ve not heard them before then I would recommend their first album: Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters,  as that one beats the others hands-down. However, this one is still a cracker (obviously)!

(Coming soon: The Top Five!)

Album of the Year 2012 – 20-11

In come the bigger guns now, not the almighty top ten but those between 20 and 11. All of these are albums I have listened to extensively over the year and feel very comfortable with, in terms of their positions.

I’ve decided, for this section of the list, to write a brief sentence on why I’ve placed the album here. I’m hoping for more detail in the top ten, especially the top five.

20-11

20. Museum:  Traces of [83]

A little gem of an album this one, interesting lyrics and cracking music, a little reminiscent of The Editors.

19. Elbow: Dead in the Boot [83]

I was expecting to be placing this higher earlier in the year and it contains a contender for song of the year, Waving from Windows. It’s a fine album as a whole but they’ve done better.

18. Lambchop: Mr. M [83]

Certain songs on here remind me of one of the finest albums of all time, Lambchop’s own, Is a Woman. It’s only certain songs, including a very real contender for song of the year, however, and that’s why it is sitting here. The best they’ve done since their behemoth of 2001 though!

17. Shigeto: Lineage [84]

One of the various albums that Barry Napier put me on to and I’m rather glad he did. It takes a bit of listening to but it’s well worth it when you give it its time. He’s been compared to Moby and he’s listed under various genres, several of which I’m not sure I would list it as. Best bet is to give it a listen and judge for yourself.

16. Andrew Bird: Break it Yourself [84]

One of my perennials here, as Mr. Bird often features on these charts, usually much higher. This is still an absolute cracker, however, and the man is an absolute master at marrying the violin to contemporary music. If you haven’t listened to Andrew Bird yet then this isn’t the album I’m going to recommend but it’s still worth a listen!

15. Bat for Lashes: The Haunted Man [84]

Man, she’s good this one! Nowhere near as high as she was a couple of years ago when she made it into the top five but she’s one hell of an artist: great voice, some fantastic lyrics and with one of the tracks a heavy contender for song of the year. Listen to her now goddam it…now…have you gone yet?

14. Sharon von Etten: Tramp [84]

Following on from a great female artist, we have another great female artist, really strong album, well put together and lyrically interesting, as well as powerful music to compliment them. Very different from Bat for Lashes, but equally impressive.

13. Björk: Bastards [85]

In the same vein as Andrew Bird, we have the mercurial Björk at number thirteen. I once heard that Björk is one of those that you either love or hate and I beg to differ. I have found some of her work genial and some of her work downright irritating. However, I have always found that Björk challenges boundaries at all times, both in terms of her own music and also the listeners’ assessment of it. She’s been around for over twenty years now and is still testing those boundaries. She’s a might of a star our Björk.

12. El-P: Cancer for Cure [85]

A rap album in the top twelve, what the bloody hell is the world coming to? It grabbed me on first listen and never really let go, with the opener, Request Denied, as one of the songs of the year. Whatever your views are on the world of rap and trip-hop, you really need to give this album a listen.

11. Sigur Ros: Valtari [86]

Another up and down band with some beauties and some…not so. This is one of their best for a while, right back to the heady days of their earlier stuff with a smattering of how they’ve developed. I’d actually be brave enough to recommend this one if you haven’t listened to the band before and need to start somewhere.

Album of the Year 2012: The Countdown Begins!

The next generation of music reviewers are up and running!

And here we go, the albums that have been cast out in the first stage. Granted there are some cracking albums in here (obviously higher up) but the real heavy hitters are yet to come…

Keep an eye out!

Pos.	Artist	Album	Grade
93	Frank Ocean	Channel Orange	25
92	Nik Kershaw	Ei8ht	32
91	Violence	Misinterpretations, Lies and Revelations	35
90	Paul Weller	Sonik Kicks	37
89	Everclear	Invisible Stars	38
88	Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti	Mature Themes	42
87	Steve Hackett	Genesis Revisited II	42
86	Timo Rautiainen	Kunnes Kuolema Meidat Erottas	43
85	Chappo	Moonwater	43
84	Emilie Autumn	Fight Like a Girl	45
83	Father John Misty	Fear Fun	45
82	Craig Finn	Clear Heart Full Eyes	46
81	Alanis Morissette	Havoc and Bright Lights	48
80	Skrillex	Bangarang	48
79	Deftones	Koi No Yokan	50
78	Prodigy	H.N.I.C. 3	50
77	The Mystery Jets	Radlands	51
76	Islands	A Sleep and A Forgetting	51
75	Bruce Springsteen	Wrecking Ball	52
74	Goran Bregovic	Champagne for Gypsies	52
73	The Fear Factory	The Industrialist	52
72	Grinspoon	Black Rabbits	52
71	Sleigh Bells	Reign of Terror	52
70	Dirty Projectors	About to Die	53
69	Feeder	Generation Freakshow	55
68	Mystery Jets	Radlands	56
67	Diary of Dreams	The Anatomy of Silence	57
66	The View	Cheeky for a Reason	57
65	The Walkmen	Heaven	59
64	Beach House	Bloom	60
63	The Black Seeds	Dust and Dirt	60
62	The Verbrilli Sound	Caliph	60
61	Tame Impala	Lonerism	60
60	Radiohead	King of Limbs – Live from the Basement	61
59	Lecrae	Gravity	62
58	The Shins	Port of Morrow	63
57	Fucked Up	Year of the Tiger	63
56	Rhye	The Fall	64
55	Ani DiFranco	Which Side are you on	64
54	Grimes	Visions	65
53	Dave Matthews Band	Away From the World	65
52	DJ Kentaro	Contrast	65
51	Crystal Castles	III	65
50	Flying Lotus	Until the Quiet Comes	67
49	Beth Orton	Sugaring Season	68
48	Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	71
47	Yuichiro Fujimoto	Speaks Melodies	71
46	The Smashing Pumpkins	Oceania	72
45	Cloud Nothings	Attack on Memory	72
44	Jens Lekman	I know what love isn’t	73
43	Django Django	Django Django	75
42	Dinosaur Jr.	I Bet on Sky	75
41	Dot Hacker	Inhibition	75
40	The XX	Coexist	75
39	Leonard Cohen	Old Ideas	76
38	Cat Power	Sun	76
37	Degiheugi	Dancing Chords and Fireflies	76
36	Tindersticks	The Something Rain	76
35	Jonsi	We Bought a Zoo	76
34	Jack White	Blunderbuss	76
33	Damien Jurado	Maraqopa	77
32	Band of Skulls	Sweet Sour	78
31	Eyvind Kang	The Narrow Garden	79
30	Sync24	Comfortable Void	80
29	Maximo Park	The National Health	80
28	CallmeKat	Where the River Turns Black	80
27	Peter Van Hoesen	Perceiver	81
26	Solar Fields	Until We Meet the Sky	81
25	Sleep Party People	We Were Drifting on a Sad Song	81
24	Portico Quartet	self titled	82
23	The Helio Sequence	Negotiations	82
22	CallmeKat	When Owls are Out	82
21	The Maccabees	Given to the Wild	82

And yes, for those still reading, I have placed at least two magazines’ album of the year, Channel Orange, by Frank Ocean at number 93, aka bottom of the pile. No, I’m not trying to be radical, it’s just that it’s shit!

The Year’s Best Songs of 2011 – Now available for your edification!

Enter at Your Own Risk – 2011

First up we have the lovely cover: the photo was taken by Karin Strand and the manipulation done by yours truly,

And now I present the tracks that feature on the CD this year. Please note that this year the original list of 18 songs was too long for the CD and so I kept that as a download version, removing two of the tracks for the CD. This is why there are two versions. Feel free to download the one that you prefer.

If you are a user of Spotify, I also have the playlist there. I try to make life as easy as possible but if you have other ideas for the best way to spread the word, let me know.

Enjoy!

Enter at Your Own Risk – 2011

1. Shattering Sea – Tori Amos
2. Perth – Bon Iver
3. Several Shades of Why – J Mascis
4. High Low Middle – My Brightest Diamond
5. Crystalline – Björk
6. Lotus Flower – Radiohead
7. Shuffle – Bombay Bicycle Club
8. You Can Do It (Tee’s Inhouse Mix) – Todd Terry (Only available on the full version)
9. Cthulhu Sleeps – Deadmau5 (Only available on the full version)
10. Thru and Thru – Gang Gang Dance
11. Companions – The Dodos
12. Hell Broke Luce – Tom Waits
13. Wait – M83
14. Streetlight – John Maus
15. Marked – EMA
16. The Days – Patrick Wolf
17. Dear Friends – Elbow
18. End Come too Soon – Wild Beasts

Links:

Full version (all 18 tracks)

Edited version (16 tracks)

Spotify playlist (all 18 tracks)

Album of the Year, 2011 – Number One

01. Tori Amos – Night of Hunters (Deutsche Grammophon)

Back to her best.

It all ends here, and as it began way back in 1996 with my number one album of the year coming from Tori Amos. It’s been a big year for me in terms of rekindling my love for Amos, as I am not one who has followed her devoutly over the last few years. Not only have her recent albums not featured in the year’s bests but I actually despise two of her albums: The Beekeeper and American Doll Posse, and so has been a comeback of such power that I was thrown off in the first few listens, wondering if I’d been transported back in time.

But no, it’s better than that because it’s 2011 and Tori is great again, and not just great but she has released her best album since the 1996 winner Boys for Pele, which is still, actually, my favourite album of hers to date. I enjoyed From the Choirgirl Hotel and Scarlet’s Walk, (both featuring in their respective year’s best ofs) but this Night of Hunters is truly special.

You begin to learn how special when finding out that the album was commissioned by the successful German classical record label, Deutsche Grammaphon, and that she is paying homage to classical composers, such as Satie and Chopin, whilst ‘It tells a modern love story that is only unraveled after a journey to Ireland’s mythic past.’

Just reading that you realise that the album is going to be special, even if some of the experiment fails, yet it doesn’t, not once in its 73 minutes and that gives an idea just of what talent Tori Amos possesses. I had placed this at number one after a couple of listens and after many more it never stood a chance of being knocked off the top perch. As the rest of the list flitted, this held its own and this is one of the years I am most confident that I have made the right choice.

If you only buy one album this year, buy this one, buy this and immerse yourself in the beauty and elegance of Tori Amos.

She’s back and I, for one, am so so happy about it!

[And it’s not over yet, as the best songs of 2011 are coming your way later today]

Album of the Year, 2011 – Number Two

02. Björk – Biophilia (One Little Indian)

It's the insane one!

And it’s time to bring in ‘mad as a hatter on mind-bending drugs’ Björk and her latest, crazy offering in the year’s best of. Incidentally, this is also Björk’s highest outing since I started the charts (her previous best was third in 2001).

I distinctly remember commenting on an update by that man, Steve Duffy, when he mentioned listening to this and I said I was struggling with it. I was still struggling a few weeks later and this album has climbed, albeit slowly, from way down in the low 70s (the bottom end of the top 30) up to number two. I’m not sure she ever had enough in her to take the top spot but this album is a prime example of the importance of properly listening to music. And yes, whilst getting on my own high horse I am also aware I am guilty of this too (Tom Waits would have never won in 2002 had I given Lambchop and Is a Woman, the listens it deserved, the latter being one of my top five albums of all time).

But hey, Björk is a character, equally adept at providing us with masterpieces as well as utter tosh and listening to this album just reminded me of my students’ adverse reaction to her at the summer camp I was teaching at, showing she doesn’t appeal to the youf of today.

She’s been influential, provocative, naive, mental, aggressive and downright complicated over these last 25 years or so (yes, her first release was in 1977) and I’ve been bemused, entranced, and downright nonplussed by her in that time.

Tell you what though, she’s never dull!

[editor’s note – Maddoc thinks she’s terrible and Audrey loves her]

The previous album of the year winners

I’ve been asked a couple of times which albums made it into the number one spot since I began this little thang I do and I thought here was the best place to put them. I was also asked when I started my ambitious album of the year challenge and I can answer 1996.

Here are the previous winners:

1996 – Tori Amos – Boys for Pele
1997 – There was no official winner after I found out that Eels – Beautiful Freak was released in 1996 and not 1997 as originally thought.
1998 – Eels – Electro-shock Blues
1999 – Blur – 13
2000 – Fiona Apple – When the Pawn…
2001 – Eels – Souljacker (yes, they are a favourite band)
2002 – Tom Waits – Alice (my hero)
2003 – Radiohead – Hail to the Thief
2004 – Stina Nordenstam – The World is Saved (that kooky Swede)
2005 – Patrick Wolf – Wind in the Wires
2006 – Two Gallants – What the Toll Tells
2007 – Editors – An End Has a Start
2008 – Chad VanGaalen – Soft Airplane
2009 – Sufjan Stevens – The BQE
2010 – Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
2011 – Tori Amos – Night of Hunters