Albums of the Year?

[clewsr]

I'm not sure that I'm entirely keeping up with new music these days, partly perhaps because the board has become so quiet so I'm missing out on the usual tips from the very knowledgeable people round here.

I have a couple to add, there may be more if my memory works a bit better -

WH Lung - Incidental Music.
Moon Duo - Stars are the light, I realize it is not quite 'meaty' enough for some round here, but it takes me back to a sound reminiscent of Sonic's half of recurring, and that can only be a good thing for me.
Kiwanuka - Michael Kiwanuka. - Somewhat Embarrassingly this was an 'Amazon music' recommendation. It took me a few listens, but i think it is blinding.

Honorable mention -

Mercury Rev - The Delta Sweet revisited.

What are everyone else's favorites?

I'm looking forward to the rumored Spectrum album in 2020....

[clewsr]

ALSO! Must not forget the amazing debut from Nina Harries! Saw her live at the Pig and Applestock this year playing solo, with just a double base. Absolutely fantastic!

https://ninaharries.bandcamp.com/

[stegraham]

Just had a think, and I reckon I’ve got 8 (new) albums this year that I’ve really enjoyed. There are quite a few that I’ve bought which have had 3-4 great songs on, and the rest Ok (IMO - of course!).

Top 8
---------
Steve Mason – About the Light
Rose City Band – Rose City Band (Joint top with Bad Breeding)
Moon Duo – Stars are the Light
Juleah - Desert Skies
Bad Breeding – Exiled (Best punk band/album I’ve heard in years!)
Pizza Tramp – Grand Relapse
Blatoidea – Quarantine
Subhumans – Crisis Point

More punk stuff than usual - Lots of shouting, swearing and noise – maybe it’s the sign of the times!! (We have just got the new Belle & Sebastian album – last week – but haven’t had a proper chance to listen to it – maybe this will extend the list to nine?).

Albums I’ve bought which are OK – handful of great, rest OK:

The Telescopes: Exploding Head Syndrome
BJM -BJM(?)
L'épée – Diabolique
Ride – This is not a safe place
Maps – Colours, Reflect, Time, Lost
Mercury Rev – Delta Sweete Revisited

I’ve really enjoyed the Sterolab re-issues. I had a couple of their albums on tape back in the mid 90s, but never really properly got into them, so it’s interesting to listen to these – mostly – for the first time. I’ve also enjoyed the Losing Touch with my mind compilation – Psychedelia in Britain 85-90. Lots of ace stuff on here which I hadn’t heard before.

I think that’s everything.

[olan]

I've been listening to a lot of Jazz this recently, so that is going to influence my picks heavily. In no particular order and/or genre:

Matthew Halsall: Colour Yes
The Delines: The Imperial
Rose City Band: Rose City Band
Steve Mason: About The Light
Ill Considered: Ill Considered 8
Jah Wobble and Bill Laswell: Realm of Spells
Soccer96: Rewind
Kandodo: K3
Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids: An Angel Fell
The Quiet Temple: The Quiet Temple

Other LPs worth a mention: Earth: Full Upon Her Burning Lips, Nick Cave & Bad Seeds: Ghosteen and an upcoming release by Comet Is Coming.

Really, this year has been memorable for some very well curated reissues by Stereolab, box set reissues by New Order, A Certain Ratio and Section 25 (all ex-Factory obviously), Warp Records and of course Julian Cope's Autogeddon reissue. I'm sure I've forgotten a load of things too.

[spzretent]

Off the top of my head my favorite LPs of 2019:
Rose City Band- S/T LP
Steve Mason- About The Light LP
The Young Sinclairs- Out Of The Box LP
Steve Gunn- The Unseen Between Lp
L'Epee- Diabolique LP
Fela Soul- LP. A Fela & De La Soul mash up with 2019 vinyl release.
The Waterboys- Where The Action Is Lp
Neil Young & Crazy Horse- Colorado Lp
Mercury Rev- Delta Sweete Revisted LP
Moon Duo- Stars Are The Light LP

Reissues.
CSNY- 4 Way Street RSD 3 LP
Julian Cope- Autogeddon 2 CD (bought with Olan).
The Band- S/T 50th Anniversary 2 CD
Alice Clark- S/T LP

Gigs.
Steve Mason- Leeds Brudenell & Liverpool Invisible Wind Factory
Waterboys- Majestic Detroit
Kikagaku Moyo- Bling Pig Ann Arbor
Spiritualized- Royal Oak Theater

[Shinesalight]

Rose City Band- S/T LP
L'Epee- Diabolique LP
Neil Young & Crazy Horse- Colorado Lp
Moon Duo- Stars Are The Light LP

All 4 of these will probably feature on my best of year list. I've got so many records I haven't even had the time to listen to yet so hoping to take some time out over the festive period and have a listen before making my mind up on best ofs.

[spzretent]

I have ordered that WH Lung LP which many really rate. I liked what I heard on youtube.
That may ultimately crack my list.

[herman]

Not all the records I bought came out this year, some of them are reissues, so I guess that counts too!
So here they are:
John Ghost - 'Airships are organisms'
Boom Chip - 'Sun stroke'
Chairman of the Board - 'Skin I'm in'
Don Cherry - 'Brown rice, Malkauns, Chenrezig, Degi Degi'
R Stevie Moore - 'An introduction...'
Condor Gruppe - 'Interplanetary Travels'
Miaux - 'Black space, white cloud'
Kokoko - 'Fongola'

[clewsr]

I'm slowly trying to work through some of these recommendations. Rose City Band is good, Juleah is great! Thanks stegraham.

Spzretent - I imagine WH Lung will be right up your street.

[angelsighs]

struggling a little as I have done frequently in recent years (more due to my lack of opportunity to keep up with new releases, rather than there being a lack of quality out there) however these albums I thoroughly enjoyed.

Bill Orcutt- Odds Against Tomorrow
Thurston Moore- Spirit Counsel
Steve Gunn- The Unseen In Between
Chris Forsyth- All Time Present

gig of the year is probably Steve Gunn too. superb set.

not a particularly eclectic list- all white guys playing arty guitars unfortunately but that's just what I've been digging. good to get some recommendations from this thread to try out. I have also heard good things about Michael Kiwanuka so I will check that out. will also investigate the WH Lung album, I saw them live a couple of years ago and they were good, seemed to have a little bit of buzz around them even back then.

also agree it can be all about reissues sometimes, so many great boxsets and stuff coming out. also we are now entering a golden period where a lot of the classic albums of the late 60s/early 70s are hitting their 50th anniversary

[Aquarian-Time]

Rose City Band, W H Lung, Moon Duo, Steve Gunn, Fontaines DC, Murder Capital are all in my top whatever

Saw W H Lung last night celebrating their Piccadilly Records Album of the year, a free show at the Night and Day in Manchester, really good band, very synth, Kraut with a good dollop of psych guitars and an enigmatic front man. Bloody young though, or I'm old, or a bit of both

[Sim]

I always struggle with these and inevitably forget something, but albums that hung around on my turntable are:

WH Lung - Incidental Music
Nick Cave ATBS - Ghosteen
Rev Magnetic - Versus Universe
Julie's Haircut - In the Silence Electric

Honourable mentions;

Gnoomes - Mu!
Swervedriver - Future Ruins
Moon Duo - Stars are the Light

[niamhm]

These albums have all had major listening time this yr and constitute some kinda top 10 albums for this yr for me, not in any order, don`t think I could do that, overall I think its been a pretty good yr for new music.

Hey Colossus - 4 Bibles
Twilight Sad - It Wont Be Like This All The Time
Richard Dawson - 2020
Nick Cave ATBS - Ghosteen
Underworld - Drift Series One
L`Epee - Diabolique
The Murder Capital - When I Have Fears
Vanishing Twin - Age Of Immunology
William Doyle - Your Wilderness Revisited
Follakzoid - I

Honourable mentions for Moon Duo, Wand, Rose City Band and Centrum who all made really good albums also.

Gig wise, highlights have been Spiritualized at the Old Fruitmarke, Moon Duo at Baad & The Cure gig in Belahouston Park

[sunray]

Don't usually take part in these threads but i'll indulge this year.

Kim Gordon - No Home Record: I will be very surprised if this doesn't feature near the top of a lot of critic's polls.
Distorted electronics, sub-bass rumblings and harsh-noise rockers,with a couple of quiter tunes also. The kind of album Mark Lanegan would make if in a particularly experimental mood. In fact I could easily hear Lanegan's vocals all over this such is the way the songs are structured.
Another strong year from Cardinal Fuzz and Drone Rock Records. The best of both being
Lamagaia - Garage Space Vol.1 (CF) and
Psychic Lemon - Freak Mammal (DRR)
Wand- Laughing Matter: I finally realise who Corey's vocals remind me of on this album and it's all due to a recent new thread here. It's Ian Masters of Pale Saints! Some lovely moments on this LP that deserve a wider audience. If only they were Australian and had an animal in their name they could be playing decent venues too, instead of upstairs rooms of pubs

Plenty of other albums that I would class as solid and well worth a listen. Lots mentioned here already.

Discovered that W.H. Lung album on my hard drive. I obviously read and liked a review of it, downloaded then promptly forgot all about it! It's good. Reminds me of a poppier version of Hookworms or The Early Years a bit on the occasions the latter went in for uptempo kraut workouts.

It seems Fontaines DC and The Murder Capital have a couple of fans here. Let me point you chaps in the direction of two Irish guitar bands who i rate much higher.
Just Mustard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw8UPwG5_e4
Thumper - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1BFN0 ... DujSP9GkiA

Both are excellent live too. I would recommend checking them out if playing nearby. In fact Thumper are touring Britain in Feb./March

[angelsighs]

some other leads for me to follow up from here- I must admit I did see that Kim Gordon was releasing a solo album but didn't pay it much mind (possibly judgemental on my part!) so will check it out.

had a listen to the WH Lung album over the weekend, it's good (especially accomplished for a young band's debut) but album of the year contender? don't see it. maybe after a few more listens. I can definitely hear a bit of Hookworms or maybe a poppier and smoother Viet Cong/Preoccupations

[runcible]

My 2 cents... A few nuggets this year. Steve Mason, Deerhunter and Steve Gunn all releasing albums on the same day was an interesting twist.

Album of the year for me is:
Steve Gunn – Unseen Inbetween
It delivered everything I wanted from it. And the show I saw to support it's release was the best of the year. Just glorious from start to finish.

And the rest...
Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Disappeared Already
Rose City Band
Steve Mason – About The Light
Magpie Salute – High Water 2
Moon Duo – Stars Are The Light
Allah Las - LAHS
David Kilgour & The Heavy Eights– Bobbie’s A Girl

[Laz69]

Hard to remember exactly what's came out this year and what's me just playing catchup!

For me, the following were definitely highlights:

Albums:
Rose City Band - S/T
The Cosmic Dead - Scottish Space Race
10,000 Russos - Kompromat
L'Epee - Diabolique
GospelbeacH - Let It Burn
Tomorrow Syndicate - Citizen Input EP
Kandodo - K3
Frankie Teardrop Dead - Plane Eclipse

Live albums:
The Myrrors - Black Sand
Wooden Shjips - Shjips In The Night
Psychic Lemon - Live at the Smokehouse

Gigs:
Spiritualized - Old Fruit Market, Glasgow - Easily gig of the year. Hands down. An utter wonder and a true testament to just how great the songs, Jason and the band really are.
Swervedriver - King Tuts, Glasgow - Great show, but more so because i saw them with my 19-yo son, who's loved them since he was a very young kid. We made a point of making it a very Dad-Son event
The Telescopes - Broadcast, Glasgow - An utterly mind blowing gig from just last week. Heaviest show i've seen all year and everything i love about live music!
Helicon - Peer Hat, Manchester - Good friends, although they are a great band too, and a road trip to Manchester to surprise them. Their faces when we wandered into the venue Great gig and a brilliant weekend that.
10,000 Russos - Nice & Sleazys, Glasgow - One of my most favourite bands. Utter devastating live with three of the best musicians i've seen; each total masters of their instrument and who work so well together, its bloody incredible to watch!

Special mention also goes to The Warlocks, The Cosmic Dead, The Daddy Long Legs, Frankie Teardrop Dead and The Black Doldrums.

I'm sure i'll remember more. Definitely been lots of good gigs this year!