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The thread last year was a disappointment, me and Relaxed posted our lists and everyone shied away from posting their's because our music is different. Grow some balls this time, dicks. I don't give a shit if you put a top ten list with Kesha and Katy Perry, even though they suck.
Anyway, last year I struggled a bit for a list, this year was the complete opposite. I had nineteen LP's/EP's on my shortlist and I gave the nine that didn't make it an Honorable Mention because they were too good to leave off, so here we go.
Honorable Mentions: She & Him - Volume Two, First Aid Kit - The Big Black & The Blue, The Morning Benders - Big Echo, Local Natives - Gorilla Manor, The National - High Violet, Jonsi - Go, Jenny and Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now, Clem Snide - The Meat of Life, The Magnetic Fields - Realism
10. Foals - Total Life Forever
Foals had a very good first album, but this was just fantastic. A little less abstract coupled with their previous sound works really well. Had I had more time to listen to it, it could easily be ranked higher. A very good, upbeat album.
9. Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me
A lot of people will probably have this higher, and I'm sure eventually I'l regret putting it here so low at nine. It's tough though, this is a great album, some of the albums above this one meant a lot to me. Have One on Me is fantastic though, all three of her albums are slightly different from each other, this one being the longest. One of the best folk albums to come out in a while, and there's been a lot of good folk albums. A really unique voice for those who haven't heard her either.
8. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
They can't do anything wrong, at all. I used to have trouble getting into BSS, but the more I listen the more perfect it is. They can pretty much do anything in any song, rap, instrumental, whatever, the albums always turn out great. Just another album to be proud about.
7. Belle And Sebastian - Write About Love
When this album came out, it was instantly one of my top five records, it didn't get worse as I listened to it, in fact, it got even better. That's just a testament to how good the year in music was. Always twee Stuart Murdoch has really never recorded a bad song, and after a lengthy absence from studio albums it's good to see the whole group still works well together. And an appearance from Carey Mulligan on the title track. How fucking great is that?
6. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Similar to "Write About Love" in feeling, except I labeled it my number one album when it came out. It had a perfect release date as well making it the most listened to album throughout the summer. The whole album a political statement on middle America and suburbs, and mainly how it feels to be a teenager stuck in them. "Sprawl II (Mountains Over Mountains)" goes up there with some of the band's best, "Haiti," "Wake Up," the Neighborhood series. A perfect indictment on suburbia, definitely a must listen, even if you're not an a rock fan.
5. Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame
It's always great when a band so deep in albums can produce not only a good record, but a great one. "Shadow People" is easily one of the best songs of the year, but the whole album is almost on par with it. Fantastic effort by them, one of the more meaningful "psychedelic" albums you'll ever hear.
4. Girls - Broken Dreams Club EP
I'm not even sure an EP should qualify, but this one does. It's too good to be left off. Just recently released, adds to a ridiculous amount of highly regarded albums released at the end of the year. (Sufjan, Kanye, Girls, B&S, etc.) Girls have released one album before, a solid opening release, but nothing compared to this. A perfect collection of six songs, not one goes wrong. Definitely check it out, it only takes forty minutes.
3. Beach House - Teen Dream
One of my friends was struggling for a word to describe Beach House, they ended up using "groovy." As embarrassing as it is, I can't think of a better adjective. Don't let that put you off, this is fine example of a full album, from song to song you're trapped in their voices and it's a great feeling. Plug in your best headphones to your record player and let this shit take over your mind, you'll feel great after, I promise.
2. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
WAT. Deerhunter have made some good good albums in the past, but this is away from their norm, and one of the most surprising albums, in fact, it would be the most surprising album if it weren't for number one. Instead of the more electronic/psychedelic earlier albums, this one is pretty much straight up rocks. Bass, guitar, drums, etc. Bradford Cox is a pretty fantastic guy too.
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1. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz/All Delighted People EP
I almost, almost split these two up, they really should be, but I couldn't justify putting two EP's on the list and putting the same artist twice since there were so many good albums. Both of these records are completely different than anything Sufjan's done before, more so The Age of Adz. A lot of the folk an banjo are taken out for keyboards, guitars and electronics, even auto-tune. It's not just a concert when you see him, it's an event, lights, videos, dancing, all kinds of ridiculous shit. Both albums are pretty lengthy, including seventeen minute "Djohariah," eleven minute "All Delighted People," and twenty-five minute "Impossible Soul," described by Sufjan as an "epic love song." Sufjan found late artist Royal Robertson's work in between making album's, leaving him to worry more about aesthetics than lyrics, but that doesn't mean the lyrics are bad, at all. Two life changing records.
Anyway, last year I struggled a bit for a list, this year was the complete opposite. I had nineteen LP's/EP's on my shortlist and I gave the nine that didn't make it an Honorable Mention because they were too good to leave off, so here we go.
Honorable Mentions: She & Him - Volume Two, First Aid Kit - The Big Black & The Blue, The Morning Benders - Big Echo, Local Natives - Gorilla Manor, The National - High Violet, Jonsi - Go, Jenny and Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now, Clem Snide - The Meat of Life, The Magnetic Fields - Realism
10. Foals - Total Life Forever
Foals had a very good first album, but this was just fantastic. A little less abstract coupled with their previous sound works really well. Had I had more time to listen to it, it could easily be ranked higher. A very good, upbeat album.
9. Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me
A lot of people will probably have this higher, and I'm sure eventually I'l regret putting it here so low at nine. It's tough though, this is a great album, some of the albums above this one meant a lot to me. Have One on Me is fantastic though, all three of her albums are slightly different from each other, this one being the longest. One of the best folk albums to come out in a while, and there's been a lot of good folk albums. A really unique voice for those who haven't heard her either.
8. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
They can't do anything wrong, at all. I used to have trouble getting into BSS, but the more I listen the more perfect it is. They can pretty much do anything in any song, rap, instrumental, whatever, the albums always turn out great. Just another album to be proud about.
7. Belle And Sebastian - Write About Love
When this album came out, it was instantly one of my top five records, it didn't get worse as I listened to it, in fact, it got even better. That's just a testament to how good the year in music was. Always twee Stuart Murdoch has really never recorded a bad song, and after a lengthy absence from studio albums it's good to see the whole group still works well together. And an appearance from Carey Mulligan on the title track. How fucking great is that?
6. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Similar to "Write About Love" in feeling, except I labeled it my number one album when it came out. It had a perfect release date as well making it the most listened to album throughout the summer. The whole album a political statement on middle America and suburbs, and mainly how it feels to be a teenager stuck in them. "Sprawl II (Mountains Over Mountains)" goes up there with some of the band's best, "Haiti," "Wake Up," the Neighborhood series. A perfect indictment on suburbia, definitely a must listen, even if you're not an a rock fan.
5. Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame
It's always great when a band so deep in albums can produce not only a good record, but a great one. "Shadow People" is easily one of the best songs of the year, but the whole album is almost on par with it. Fantastic effort by them, one of the more meaningful "psychedelic" albums you'll ever hear.
4. Girls - Broken Dreams Club EP
I'm not even sure an EP should qualify, but this one does. It's too good to be left off. Just recently released, adds to a ridiculous amount of highly regarded albums released at the end of the year. (Sufjan, Kanye, Girls, B&S, etc.) Girls have released one album before, a solid opening release, but nothing compared to this. A perfect collection of six songs, not one goes wrong. Definitely check it out, it only takes forty minutes.
3. Beach House - Teen Dream
One of my friends was struggling for a word to describe Beach House, they ended up using "groovy." As embarrassing as it is, I can't think of a better adjective. Don't let that put you off, this is fine example of a full album, from song to song you're trapped in their voices and it's a great feeling. Plug in your best headphones to your record player and let this shit take over your mind, you'll feel great after, I promise.
2. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
WAT. Deerhunter have made some good good albums in the past, but this is away from their norm, and one of the most surprising albums, in fact, it would be the most surprising album if it weren't for number one. Instead of the more electronic/psychedelic earlier albums, this one is pretty much straight up rocks. Bass, guitar, drums, etc. Bradford Cox is a pretty fantastic guy too.
1. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz/All Delighted People EP
I almost, almost split these two up, they really should be, but I couldn't justify putting two EP's on the list and putting the same artist twice since there were so many good albums. Both of these records are completely different than anything Sufjan's done before, more so The Age of Adz. A lot of the folk an banjo are taken out for keyboards, guitars and electronics, even auto-tune. It's not just a concert when you see him, it's an event, lights, videos, dancing, all kinds of ridiculous shit. Both albums are pretty lengthy, including seventeen minute "Djohariah," eleven minute "All Delighted People," and twenty-five minute "Impossible Soul," described by Sufjan as an "epic love song." Sufjan found late artist Royal Robertson's work in between making album's, leaving him to worry more about aesthetics than lyrics, but that doesn't mean the lyrics are bad, at all. Two life changing records.
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