Songs For The Late Lamented
Actually, I don't think many are lamenting the passing of 05, especially in Oz. Nasty and incompetent conservative governments. Wild weather and disasters crunching all over the place. Lots of people, including some 'important', died. And what's with all these riots? But everyone's optimistic in January.
Here's an alphabetically-ordered top 31 tracks:
This Heart Is A Stone - Acid House Kings (from Sing Along With)
"They say your middle name is trouble/But I know it's Caroline."
Picture-perfect naive Swedish pop.
The Purple Bottle - Animal Collective (from Feels)
For Today I Am A Boy - Antony & The Johnsons (from I Am A Bird Now)
Maps - Arcade Fire (from BBC performance)
Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire (from Funeral)
Do The Whirlwind - Architecture In Helsinki (from In Case We Die)
Slow Graffiti - Belle and Sebastian (from Push Barman To Open Old Wounds)
"Listen Johnny/You're like a mother/To the girl you've fallen for/You're still falling."
I know it wasn't actually released this year. But it's super-melancholy and that's what they do best.
ibi dreams of pavement (a better day) - Broken Social Scene (from Broken Social Scene)
A shot of euphoria straight into the jugular. Looking forward to this live.
Amphibious - Children Collide (from we three, brave and true)
Skim/East Brunswick Run Down - City City City (from The Perimeter Motor Show)
They're wonderful musicians but sometimes the playing has outweighed the songs. This album is great though still a little patchy, but the transition from Skim to East Brunswick Run Down is right up there with the transition from Dirty Dream Number Two to The Boy With The Arab Strap.
The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
Loverslain - The Darling Downs (from How Can I Forget This Heart Of Mine)
Politics - Dead Frenchmen (from When Ghosts Take Over)
O'Malley, Former Underdog - Deerhoof (from The Runners Four)
There's about twelve potential classics on this album, but the stratospheric vocals on O'Malley still do it for me. Only five and a half weeks till they get here!
Noam Chomsky Sprink Break 2002 - Department Of Eagles (from The Cold Nose)
Shyness Will Get You Nowhere - Die! Die! Die! (from Die! Die! Die!)
It's the energy, the wondrous noise, the simple riff. But mostly the sentiment.
Doris - Dirty Three (from Cinder)
The bagpipes.
Brave Like A Goose - Grand Salvo (from The Temporal Wheel)
A beautiful, touching folk album. The rest is consistently good but this track really sticks out as a classic.
Season Of Young Mouss - Handsomeboy Technique (from Adelie Land)
Dance, kids!
Big In Japan - The Inches (from Trust Me)
I just like the organ riff.
pi - Kate Bush (from Aerial)
Everywhere I See The Sea - Khancoban (from something forthcoming)
I fell in love with these guys. Get it from www.khancoban.net.
I've Got You And You've Got Me (Version Two) - New Buffalo (from New Buffalo)
I liked the original. But strip it back and the essence is so pure and painful.
Sing Me Spanish Techno - The New Pornographers (from Twin Cinema)
For Real - Okkervil River (from Black Sheep Boy)
Glosoli - Sigur Ros (from Takk)
My mum loves this track. But only until the distortion kicks in. It takes a special band to break apart something so beautiful.
Say Valley Maker - Smog (from A River Ain't Too Much To Love)
Oh These Walls! - Souls On Board (from Souls On Board)
Puddle Of A Nation - SubAudible Hum (from everything you heard is true)
Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (from Illinoise)
I'll Believe In Anything - Wolf Parade (from Apologies To The Queen Mary)
Um. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's been a pretty good year for music. Despite everything.
Here's an alphabetically-ordered top 31 tracks:
This Heart Is A Stone - Acid House Kings (from Sing Along With)
"They say your middle name is trouble/But I know it's Caroline."
Picture-perfect naive Swedish pop.
The Purple Bottle - Animal Collective (from Feels)
For Today I Am A Boy - Antony & The Johnsons (from I Am A Bird Now)
Maps - Arcade Fire (from BBC performance)
Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire (from Funeral)
Do The Whirlwind - Architecture In Helsinki (from In Case We Die)
Slow Graffiti - Belle and Sebastian (from Push Barman To Open Old Wounds)
"Listen Johnny/You're like a mother/To the girl you've fallen for/You're still falling."
I know it wasn't actually released this year. But it's super-melancholy and that's what they do best.
ibi dreams of pavement (a better day) - Broken Social Scene (from Broken Social Scene)
A shot of euphoria straight into the jugular. Looking forward to this live.
Amphibious - Children Collide (from we three, brave and true)
Skim/East Brunswick Run Down - City City City (from The Perimeter Motor Show)
They're wonderful musicians but sometimes the playing has outweighed the songs. This album is great though still a little patchy, but the transition from Skim to East Brunswick Run Down is right up there with the transition from Dirty Dream Number Two to The Boy With The Arab Strap.
The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
Loverslain - The Darling Downs (from How Can I Forget This Heart Of Mine)
Politics - Dead Frenchmen (from When Ghosts Take Over)
O'Malley, Former Underdog - Deerhoof (from The Runners Four)
There's about twelve potential classics on this album, but the stratospheric vocals on O'Malley still do it for me. Only five and a half weeks till they get here!
Noam Chomsky Sprink Break 2002 - Department Of Eagles (from The Cold Nose)
Shyness Will Get You Nowhere - Die! Die! Die! (from Die! Die! Die!)
It's the energy, the wondrous noise, the simple riff. But mostly the sentiment.
Doris - Dirty Three (from Cinder)
The bagpipes.
Brave Like A Goose - Grand Salvo (from The Temporal Wheel)
A beautiful, touching folk album. The rest is consistently good but this track really sticks out as a classic.
Season Of Young Mouss - Handsomeboy Technique (from Adelie Land)
Dance, kids!
Big In Japan - The Inches (from Trust Me)
I just like the organ riff.
pi - Kate Bush (from Aerial)
Everywhere I See The Sea - Khancoban (from something forthcoming)
I fell in love with these guys. Get it from www.khancoban.net.
I've Got You And You've Got Me (Version Two) - New Buffalo (from New Buffalo)
I liked the original. But strip it back and the essence is so pure and painful.
Sing Me Spanish Techno - The New Pornographers (from Twin Cinema)
For Real - Okkervil River (from Black Sheep Boy)
Glosoli - Sigur Ros (from Takk)
My mum loves this track. But only until the distortion kicks in. It takes a special band to break apart something so beautiful.
Say Valley Maker - Smog (from A River Ain't Too Much To Love)
Oh These Walls! - Souls On Board (from Souls On Board)
Puddle Of A Nation - SubAudible Hum (from everything you heard is true)
Chicago - Sufjan Stevens (from Illinoise)
I'll Believe In Anything - Wolf Parade (from Apologies To The Queen Mary)
Um. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's been a pretty good year for music. Despite everything.
