Best of 2019

Top Albums Of 2019

1. Thom Yorke - Anima
2. White Lies - Five
3. Swim Deep - Emerald Classics
4. Lana Del Ray - Norman Fucking Rockwell
5. Gary Clark Jr. - This Land
6. Black Pumas - S/T
7. Karen O and Danger Mouse - Lux Prima
8. Liam Gallagher - Why Me? Why Not.
9. Tool - Fear Inoculum
10. Finn Andrews - One Piece At A Time
11. Reignwolf - Hear Me Out
12. King Nun - Mass
13. Brittany Howard - Jamie
14. Vampire Weekend - Father Of The Bride
15. FKA Twigs - Magdalene
16. Coldplay - Everyday Life
17. The National - I Am Easy To Find
18. Bat For Lashes - Lost Girls
19. Chromatics - Closer To Grey
20. DIIV - Deceiver


Honourable Mentions:

*indicates some lesser known artists that might have slipped under the radar that deserve some extra attention

Kongos - 1929 Pt. 1
Billie Eillish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Interpol - A Fine Mess
Sunflower Bean - King Of The Dudes
Beck - Hyperspace
The Drums - Brutalism
Tamaryn - Dreaming In The Dark
Fat White Family - Serfs Up!*
Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
Toro Y Moi - Outer Peace
Morrissey - California Son
Lost Under Heaven - Love Hates What You Become*
The Hold Steady - Thrashing Thru The Passion
William Patrick Corgan - Cotillions
Blood Red Shoes - Get Tragic*
Piroshka - Brickbat
Two Door Cinema Club - False Alarm
black midi - schlagenheim
Hot Chip - A Bathtub Full Of Ecstasy
Refused - War Music
Silversun Pickups - Widow's Weeds
M83 - DSVII
Yak - Pursuit Of Momentary Happiness
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Watchmen Vol. 1
Jenny Lewis - On The Line
DJ Shadow - Our Pathetic Age
Hatchie - Keepsake*
Tim Presley's White Fence - I Have To Feed Larry's Hawk
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Stormzy - Heavy Is The Head
The Mystery Lights - Too Much Tension!*
Mark Lanegan - Somebody's Knocking
The Cranberries - In The End
Temples - Hot Motion
Mac Demarco - Here Comes The Cowboy
Feet - What's Inside Is More Than Just Ham
Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
The Raconteurs - Help Us Stranger
Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Pt. 1
Friendly Fires - Inflorescent
Mono - Nowhere Now Here
Cub Sport - S/T
The Soft Cavalry - S/T
Ian Brown - Ripples
Richard Hawley - Further
Keane - Cause and Effect
Black Mountain - Destroyer
The Futureheads - Powers
Earl Sweatshirt - Feet Of Clay
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Watchmen Vol. 2
Cigarettes After Sex - Cry
Metronomy - Metronomy Forever
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
LCD Soundsystem - Electric Lady Sessions
Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Pt. 2
Weezer - S/T (Teal)
Barns Courtney - 404*
Kevin Morby - Oh My God
Sam Fender - Hypersonic Missiles
Catfish and The Bottlemen - The Balance*
Band Of Skulls - Love Is All You Love
Anderson .Paak - Ventura
Methyl Ethyl - Triage*
The Flaming Lips - King's Mouth
Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
The Dandy Warhols - Why You So Crazy?
Better Oblivion Community Center - S/T
Ladytron - S/T
Belle and Sebastian - Days of the Bagnold Summer
Flying Lotus - Flamagra
Drahla - Useless Coordinates*
Kaiser Chiefs - Duck
Elbow - Giants Of All Sizes
TOY - Songs Of Consumption
The Chemical Brothers - No Geography
Automatic - Signal*
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Watchmen Vol. 3
Weezer - S/T (Black)
Tyler, The Creator - Igor
Bon Iver - I,I
On The Bones - S/T
Free Nationals - S/T
Pond - Tasmania
Sudan Archives - Athena*
Wilco - Ode to Joy
The Tea Party - Black River E.P.
Leonard Cohen - Thanks For The Dance
The Twilight Sad - It Won/T Be Like This All the Time
Peter Doherty - Peter Doherty & The Puta Madres
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Fishing For Fishes
Longwave - If We Ever Live Forever
Caroline Polachek - Pang
Moon Duo - Stars Are The Light
Whitney - Forever Turned Around
Mini Mansions - Guy Walks Into A Bar...
Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops*
Kit Sebastian - Mantra Moderne*
Froth - Duress*
The S.L.P. - THE S.L.P.
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete - De Facto*
The Murder Capital - When I Have Fears*
Allah-Las - LAHS
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Tiny Ruins - Olympic Girls
Sasami - S/T*
Big Thief - Two
Kaytranada - BUBBA
Ride - This Is Not A Safe Place
Vanishing Twin - The Age Of Immunology*
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
75 Dollar Bill - I Was Real*
slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain
The Black Keys - Lets Rock
TOY - Happy in the Hollow
Yeasayer - Erotic Reruns
Dope Lemon - Big Smooth Cat
Oh Sees - Face Stabber
Cayucas - Real Life
Swervedriver - Future Ruins
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Infest The Rat's Nest
Stereophonics - Kind
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
The Comet Is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Deerhunter - Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
The Desert Sessions - Volumes 11 & 12
Lower Dens - The Competition*
Mercury Rev – Bobby Gentry’s The Delta Suite Revisited
Cherry Glazer - Stuffed and Ready

Top 20 of 2013

Well another year passes and another year of top notch releases from artists new and old. Nine Inch Nails, Suede, Mazzy Star and My Bloody Valentine released new albums that did not disappoint after long abscences and proved why they are and will always will be forces to be reckoned with. Jagwar Ma came out of left field and made one of the albums of the year bringing back a mix of baggy beat and electronic that harkened back to the early 90's Madchester scene. Arctic Monkeys released a flawless rock n' roll album that made them the band to beat and will be for some time to come. The National yet again took our breath away with another stunner of an album. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's new album sounded as though they had poured their heart and soul into making every song and let them get some heavy burdens off their collective chest. Sigur Rós released their darker side once more with an album that was heavier than previous efforts but still kept the disarming beauty that we have all come to love. Exit Calm released their sophomore album and showed that they are among a new crop of bands keeping guitar music alive and well for a new generation of fuzzed out fans. Finally White Lies continue to evlove as a band with an infusion of 80's synths and songwriting that has grown up as much as they have over their last several albums. Overall an exceptional year for music and I can't wait to see what 2014 holds with releases from The Horrors, Mogwai, Beck and many more on the horizon.

Top 20 of 2013:

1. Arctic Monkeys - AM
2. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks
3. Jagwar Ma - Howlin'
4. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
5. Sigur Rós - Kviekur
6. Suede - Bloodsports
7. Mazzy Star - Seasons Of The Day
8. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Spector At The Feast
9. Exit Calm - The Future Isn't What It Used To Be
10. White Lies - Big TV
11. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
12. The Boxer Rebellion - Promises
13. Outfit - Performance
14. Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
15. Beady Eye - BE
16. My Bloody Valentine - MBV
17. Savages - Silence Yourself
18. The Virgins - Strike Gently
19. The Mary Onettes - Hit The Waves
20. Fidlar - Fidlar


Honourable Mentions:

Washed Out - Paracosm
Kings Of Leon - Mechanical Bull
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires Of The City
Foals - Holy Fire
Primal Scream - More Light
Queens Of The Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
Mad Palace - Troubled Sleep EP
The Black Angels - Indigo Meadow
Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
Tricky - False Idols
Atoms For Peace - Amok
David Bowie - The Next Day
Peace - In Love
Smith Westerns - Soft Will
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
Cold War Kids - Dear Miss Lonelyhearts
Yast - S/T
Wolf People - Fain
British Sea Power - Machineries Of Joy
Villagers - Awayland
Charles Bradley - Victim Of Love
Var - No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers
Tribes - Wish To Scream
Palma Violets - 180
Cults - Static
Swim Deep - Where The Heaven Are We
Zola Jesus - Versions
Hollerado - White Paint
Pure X - Crawling Up The Stairs
Fryars - Radio PWR
Glasvegas - Later...When The TV Turns To Static
Weekend - Jinx
Wolf & Cub - Heavy Weight
The Strypes - Snapshot
Matthew Good - Arrows Of Desire
The Strokes - Comedown Machine
Splashh - Comfort
How To Destroy Angels - Welcome Oblivion
The Vaccines - Melody Calling EP
Two Door Cinema Club - Changing Of The Season EP
Placebo - Loud Like Love
Everything Everything - Arc
Yo La Tengo - Fade
I Am Kloot - Let It All In
The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law
Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return
Suuns - Images Du Futur
Pure Love - Anthems
Toy - Join The Dots
The Courteneers - Anna
Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
Eels - Wondeul, Glorious
Puscifer - Donkey Punch The Night
Starfucker - Miracle Mile
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
The Flaming Lips - The Terror
Surfer Blood - Pythons
James Blake - Overgrown
The Knife - Shaking The Habitual
SULK - Graceless
Electric Soft Parade - IDIOTS
These New Puritans - Fields Of Reeds
Elephant Stone - S/T
Phoenix - Bankrupt!
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Miles Kane - Don't Forget Who You Are
Boards Of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
Black Sabbath - 13
Travis - Where You Stand
MGMT - MGMT
Chvrches - The Bones Of What You Believe
King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath The Moon
Jamie N Commons - Rumble and Sway
Johnny Borrell - Borrell 1
The Warlocks - Skull Worship
The Violet May - Strange Lives
Albert Hammond Jr. - AHJ
Babyshambles - Sequel To The Prequel
Bass Drum Of Death - S/T
Rob Zombie - Venomous Rat Regenration Vendor
Avenged Sevenfold - Hail To The King
The Airborne Toxic Event - Such Hot Blood
The Besnard Lakes - Until In Excess, Imperceptible UFO
Beware Of Darkness - Orthodox
Big Black Delta - Big Black Delta
Gogol Bordello - Pura Vida Conspiracy
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
Bloc Party - The Nextwave Sessions EP
Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
Mark Kozelek - Like Rats
Cazadores - Hyperion Days
Midlake - Antiphon
Chapel Club - Good Together
Sterephonics - Graffiti Train
Hurts - Exile
Crystal Stilts - Nature Noir
Dead Meadow - Warble Womb
Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
Jake Bugg - Shangri-La
Pond - Hobo Rocket
Dead Sons - The Hollers and The Hymns
Slowness - For Those Who Wish To See The Glass Half Full
Deap Vally - Sistronix
Marnie - Crystal World
Delphic - Collections
Low - The Invisible Way
Neils Children - Dimly Lit
Diego Garcia - Paradise
Dinosaur Pile-Up - Nature Nuture
Johnny Marr - The Messenger
The Jungle Giants - Learn To Exist
Dutch Uncles - Out Of Touch In The Wild
Snowden - No One In Control
Echotape - Collective
Mona - Torches and Pitchforks
Editors - The Weight Of Your Love
The 1975 - The 1975
Yuck - Glow & Behold
Young Galaxy - Ultramarine
Electric Eye - Pick Up, Lift-Off, Space, Time
Iaceage - You're Nothing
Empire Of The Sun - Ice On The Dune
Steve Mason - Monkey Minds In Devil's Time
Giant Drag - Waking Up Is Hard To Do
The Orwells - Other Voices EP
The Olms - S/T
No Joy - Wait To Pleasure
Crocodiles - Crimes Of Passion
ELEVATION - ELEVATION
The Little Ones - The Dawn Sang Along
Esben & The Witch - Wash The Sins Not Only The Face
The Pigeon Detectives - We Met At Sea
Frankie & The Heartstrings - The Days Run Away
Porcelain Raft - Permanent Signal
Girls Names - The New Life
Majical Cloudz - Impersonator
Gliss - Langsom Dams
Shout Out Louds - Optica
Go For The Eyes - Six Through Twelve
Rockets & Dinosaurs - Angry Gnarly Love
Tanner James - How To Ruin Your Life With Women
The Growlers - Hung At Heart
Neov - Orange Morning
Summerays - Summer Daze
Guards - In Guards We Trust
New Canyons - Everyone Is Dark
High Highs - Open Season
Night Beats - Sonic Bloom
IAMX - The Unified Field
Picnic - The Weather's Fine
Sebastien Grainger - Yours To Discover



Until next year...

Let's Dance Like We Used To

If someone told me like 10 years ago that the 80's would make a comeback in any way, shape or form I would have called them liars. Well here it is now 2011 and they have indeed made a comeback over the past couple of years from fashion to music. You can't deny it, every where you look it's back for better or worse. Why might you ask am I ranting on about the 80's well take a listen to bands nowadays and the amount of synths being used. The kids who grew up on 80's music are now making music of their own.

For example White Lies who hail from London are awash in synths and vocals that recall Tears For Fears, Talking Heads or Talk Talk from the 80's. That's not saying there's anything bad about that. I am grateful that synths have become more prominent again and White Lies are doing a damn fine job of making themselves known as purveyors of the revival. They formed under another name Fear of Flying around 2005-2006. After writing some darker material that wasn't suited for the band they decided to put Fear of Flying to rest and begin White Lies. Before breaking up as their previous incarnation they recorded a couple of A-sides with Stephen Street (who produced Morrissey and Blur) and toured with The Maccabees among others.

White Lies was born in 2007 and took on a darker tone then their previous incarnation. They played as White Lies for the first time in 2008 and delayed release of their debut to gather some attention with the press. Their debut album was originally titled To Lose My Life Or Lose My Love but was eventually shortened to To Lose My Life... before it's release. For 2009, White Lies were first British act to have their album reach number one and to debut at number one. Quite an achievement for a debut album. After touring the album extensively and playing several festivals along with opening slots for Coldplay and Kings Of Leon, the band returned to the studio to record their sophomore album. They went with Alan Moulder as producer whose extensive credits include Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins to name a few. In January 2011 Ritual was unleashed upon the masses to favourable reviews once again. Despite the band being compared to such bands as Joy Division, Interpol and Editors the band cite Talking Heads and Secret Machines as their influences.

Definitely a band that will only get better over time and their second album proves that they have staying power. Some lies are alright if nobody gets hurt and so a little White Lies never hurt anybody:

"Death" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1nC-uyhg1c

"Farewell To The Fairground" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Orl42Y-c4I

"To Lose My Life" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1nC-uyhg1c

"EST" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1nC-uyhg1c

"Bigger Than Us" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1nC-uyhg1c

"Strangers" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1nC-uyhg1c

"Holy Ghost" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Orl42Y-c4I

This is best listened to loud, so turn it up!!