Top 10 Albums of 2016

For new sounds, old sounds and favourite sound discussion...

Moderators: sunny, BzaInSpace, runcible, spzretent

Post Reply
angelsighs
Known user
Posts: 4876
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by angelsighs »

are we doing a thread for this? I've actually got some that spring to mind this year. usually I have to think, as I buy a lot more back catalogue than new!

various mags have started printing their lists.
runcible
Site Admin
Posts: 5443
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Yorkshire, England

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by runcible »

I doubt I could stretch to 10 albums but here's my review...

2016, despite being one of the worst years I can ever remember, was pretty damn good for new albums. But 2 awful political moments, one on each side of the Atlantic, and endless heroes departing this life, makes this year something of a disaster.

Anyway... My top releases of 2016:

Bowie - Blackstar (kind of has to be the album of the year doesn't it?)
Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out
Steve Mason - Meet The Humans
Rich Robinson - Flux
Steve Gunn- Eyes On The Lines
The Early Years - II
Camera - Phantom of Liberty
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Third World Pyramid (despite the ridiculous sleeve!)
Vibravoid - Wake Up Before You Die

Loads of good gigs too.

Lee Perry
2 Michael Head shows (another coming up in December)
3 Steve Mason shows
Cavern of Antimatter
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Sonic Boom
Michael Rother
Gaye Bykers On Acid
Wooden Shjips
The Damned

Still got The Early Years (tonight!) and Psychic Ills...
angelsighs
Known user
Posts: 4876
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by angelsighs »

I'd go along with this. an awful year in terms of the wider world, but for whatever reason a lot of great new albums.

Albums of the year:
Heron Oblivion- Heron Oblivion
Steve Gunn - Eyes on The Lines
Dungen - Allas Sak
Chris Forsyth- The Rarity of Experience I & II
Sunwatchers - s/t

with reissues it's all about The Verve boxsets


Gigs of the year-
Explosion In The Sky in Bristol
Acid Mothers Temple in Birmingham
Liverpool Psych Fest for Dungen, Acid Mothers and Kikagaku Moyo


Songs of the year: (some from my favourite albums but also some others. perhaps the album isn't consistent enough, or I haven't listened to it enough yet but often had these particular songs on repeat)

Hamilton Leithauser & Rostam- A 1000 Times
Angel Olsen-Sister
Steve Gunn- Ancient Jules
Heron Oblivion - Rama
Explosions In The Sky- Colors In Space
Dungen- En Dag Pa Sjon
Preoccupations- Memory

Disappointments:
new Wilco and Rangda albums leaving me cold, no new Spiritualized album
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by spzretent »

I'll have a go. I only have 5.

1. Steve Mason- Meet The Humans
2. Psychic Ills- Inner Journey Out
3. The Hanging Stars- Over The Silvery Lake
4. David Bowie- Blackstar
5. Dead Skeletons- Live In Berlin
I would have added the Morgan Delt LP for the fantastic first and last tracks. Unfortunately what is sandwiched in between kills it for me.

Some records from last year that I wasn't made aware of until this year.
Chicos De Nazca- Blowing Inside
Holy Wave- Freaks Of Nurture
Steve Gunn- Way Out Weather 2014.

Some soul artists that made an impact this year though not new:
Laura Lee
Chairmen Of The Board

Shows? Not many.
2 Steve Mason shows. Hebden Bridge & Wakefield. Still smiling from those shows.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
TheWarmth
Known user
Posts: 3959
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by TheWarmth »

Dang, I didn't know there was a new Camera album out. I'll have to look into that.

Here's my list in no specific order:

Bowie: Blackstar
Radiohead: A Moon Shaped Pool
Suede: Night Thoughts
Leonard Cohen: You Want It Darker
Primal Scream: Chaosmosis
Brian Eno: The Ship
Nicholas Jaar: Sirens
The Veils: Total Depravity
Nick Cave: Skeleton Tree
Holy Sons: In The Garden
Lambchop: FLOTUS
Cavern Of Anti Matter: Void Beats/Invocation Trex
Dinosaur Jr.: Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not
Last edited by TheWarmth on Thu Nov 24, 2016 6:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
MODLAB
Site Admin
Posts: 2320
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 6:52 pm
Location: Stuck in a spacetime interval.
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by MODLAB »

No particular order:


Early Years: ||
Bowie: Blackstar
Unloved: Guilty of Love
Cavern Of Anti Matter: Void Beats/Invocation Trex
Primal Scream: Chaomosis
Be: One
Suede: Night Thoughts

Many reissues that were very good.

The Orb
Cornelius
etc...



Gigs.

Spiritualized
Early Years
RIDE
etc.




Will most likely edit... But so far.


M
Design.
stegraham
Known user
Posts: 353
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by stegraham »

Loads of great music knocking around this year. My top 10 albums in no particular order:

Sunflower Bean - Human Ceremony
Britta Philips - Luck or Magic
Primal Scream - Chaosmosis
Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out
Early Years - II
Morgan Delt - Phase Zero
Steve Mason - Meet the Humans
The Yearning - Evening Souvenirs
Culture Shock - Attention Span
Lake Ruth - Actual Entity

Other good albums by The High Violets, Sennen. Pete Bassman, Kikagaku Moyo , BJM, Steve Gunn, Cosmonauts, Discharge, Steve Ignorant with Paranoid Visions and Yeti Lane.

A handful of EPs:

Lush - Blind Spot
Juleah - Entangled And Entwined
Lightning In A Twilight Hour - And all the ships at sea

Some decent compilations too: Shoegazing box set, C87 and I like the ones that Bob Stanley releases on his Croydon Municipal label.

Next year looking forward to new albums by Spirtiualized, JAMC, St Etienne, BMX Bandits, Gulp and hopefully loads more that I don't know about yet.

Ste
Last edited by stegraham on Fri Nov 25, 2016 9:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
Laz69
Known user
Posts: 2632
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:09 am
Location: Scotland
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by Laz69 »

Most of my buys this year have been from previous years so i think i maybe only bought the following new albums from this year...

Night Beats - Who Sold My Generation
Kandodo McBain - Lost Chants/Last Chance
Dead Skeletons - Live In Berlin
Kikagaku Moyo - House In The Tall Grass
Carlton Melton - Aground
Dead Sea Apes - Soy Dios
The Cosmic Dead - Inner Sanctum (reissue)
The Heads - Burning Up With Roadburn 2015
Dinosaur Jr - Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
Teenage Fanclub - Here
Goat - Requiem


Special mention goes to the following album which just blew my mind this year. Don't have a physical copy but did receive a digital copy for a listen. Sold out quick at source but looking to pick this one up once Xmas is out the way...

Nudity - Is God's Creation

My favourite discoveries/albums of this year would have to include the following...

Dreamweapon - S/T
10,000 Russos - S/T
Delta Mainline - Oh! Enlightenment
Chicos De Nazca - Blowing Inside
Cult Of Dom Keller - Cult Of Dom Keller
Elephant Stone - Elephant Stone
The Vacant Lots - Departure
Sonic Jesus - Neither Virtue Nor Anger


Been a fabulous year for gigs for me for a change, and with Mrs Laz finally finding her musical feet, we've been to some great great shows together...

The Telescopes (x2)
The Cosmic Dead (x3)
Cult Of Dom Keller (x2)
White Hills
The Lucid Dream
Goat
Brian Jonestown Massacre
The Night Beats
Helicon (x4)
Sonic Jesus
The Heads
Kikagaku Moyo
Delta Mainline
Dinosaur Jr
Teenage Fanclub (next week...)


Hoping next year continues this trend...


Oh and before i forget, this is probably my favourite music video of the year. REALLY fell for this band this year...

johnnyboy
Known user
Posts: 929
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:39 pm

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by johnnyboy »

2016 eh, a terrible year for deaths and the voting public shocking us all, but I think I can happily say I've had a great year all in all. Great gigs, great music, happy and healthy home life (ignoring the noisy neighbour upstairs), some ups and downs and dead moods but all in all, pretty pretty good. Hopefully the greater world in 2017 won't be as bad as we fear it might be (fingers crossed).......we live in hope.

Albums in no particular order:

Thee Oh Sees - A Weird Exits
Weyes Blood - Front Row Seat To Earth
Angel Olsen - My Woman
Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out
Unloved - Guilty Of Love
Marissa Nadler - Strangers
Hiss Golden Messenger - Heart Like a Levee
Thee Oh Sees - Live In San Francisco

Primal Scream - Mantra For A State Of Mind / Gravitational Waves 12"

Cliff Martinez - The Neon Demon - film soundtrack

Gigs:

#1 - Thee Oh Sees / The Blind Shake / Magnetix - Coronet, London
Angel Olsen - Koko, London
Weyes Blood - London Fields Brewhouse
Marissa Nadler / Wrekmeister Harmonies - St Johns Church, Hackney
Father John Misty - Roundhouse, London
Destruction Unit - Moth Club, Hackney
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Electric Ballroom, Camden

5th Dec is Hiss Golden Messenger at Village Underground, one gig I'm very much looking forward to. Should see out the year on a beautiful and positive vibe.

Best wishes to you all.
Last edited by johnnyboy on Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
mc
Known user
Posts: 984
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by mc »

An early draft, since there's still some 2016 albums I'm waiting for or need to pick up (in particular, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and Ultrasound). Will go into more detail about my picks (and possibly add more) later...

iTunes tells me I've bought thirty-seven 2016 releases this year (reissues included); I'd say it's been a very good year for music, albeit without any colossal standout albums. Here's my top five, with another twenty great albums listed in no particular order.

Top Five Albums of 2016

1. Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch
2. David Bowie - Blackstar
3. Underworld - Barbara, Barbara We Face A Shining Future
4. Deakin - Sleep Cycle
5. Katilyn Aurelia Smith & Susanna Ciani - Sunergy

And the runners up...

Aphex Twin - Cheetah EP
Julianna Barwick - Will
Be - One
The Caretaker - Everywhere At The End Of Time
Cavern Of Antimatter - Void Beats/Invocation Trex
Ian William Craig - Centres
drcarlsonalbion - Falling With A Thousand Stars & Other Wonders From The House Of Albion
Brian Eno - The Ship
The Field - The Follower
Honeyblood - Babes Never Die
Huerco S. - For Those Of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)
Motion Sickness Of Time Travel - Affinity
Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä
Britta Philips - Luck Or Magic
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Ears
Sunn O))) - НЕЖИТЬ: живьём в России (Live In Russia)
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra & Kim Mhyr (featuring Jenny Hval) - In The End His Voice Will Be The Sound Of Paper
Urthona - Urthona Plays Atlantis?
Frank Zappa - Little Dots

Top Ten "New to Me" Albums of 2016:

1. Mansun - Six
2. Four Tet - Morning/Evening
3. Hammock - Oblivion Hymns
4. Rockettothesky - To Sing You Apple Trees
5. Shelleyan Orphan - Century Flower
6. Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness
7. Iron Maiden - Brave New World
8. John Maus - A Collection Of Rarities And Previously Unreleased Material
9. Rockettothesky - Medea
10. Jimmy Cauty & Dr Alex Paterson - Space (Original DAT) (Thanks to FMSpaceman for alerting me to this one's existence!)

Biggest Disappointments of 2016:

2016 in general
Animal Collective - Painting With
Mogwai - Atomic OST
No new Spiritualized material...

Most Unintentionally Hilarious Moment of 2016:

Richard Ashcroft - Hold On (Mirwais Remix) (Official Video)

Still makes me giggle every time I think about it :lol: :wink:

Gigs of 2016

Christ knows, I think only went to a few and I can hardly what they were, let alone how they were. Bruce Springsteen at Hampden was fucking awesome though...

Edit: Seems the only other gig my wife & I managed this year was Chvrches + The Twilight Sad, and that was awesome too. Really, fuck 2016 and the horse it rode in on :(
Last edited by mc on Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:04 am, edited 2 times in total.
shalloboi
Known user
Posts: 894
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 1:25 am
Location: chicago, il
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by shalloboi »

I was thinking about this as I usually do a blog entry with a list every year, but might not do one this year because I'm not sure how I would rank anything I've heard so far or if I'd be able to have anything intelligent to say about any of them. I also keep finding albums that I missed (for instance I've had 'Skeleton Tree' for a few days and still haven't listened to it yet). I do a best of the year mix and that's coming along really nicely. Here are my favorites in no particular order-

Bowie- 'Blackstar'
Radiohead- 'A Moon Shaped Pool'
DIIV- 'Is the Is Are'
Marissa Nadler- 'Strangers'
Cate le Bon- 'Crab Day'
Julianna Barwick- 'Will'
Angel Olsen- 'My Woman'
Minor Victories- s/t
Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions- 'Until the Hunter'
Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam- 'I Had a Dream That you were Mine'
Wye Oak- 'Tween'
Daughter- 'Not to Disappear'
Wild Nothing- 'Life of Pause'
Thee Oh Sees- 'A Weird Exits'
Swans- 'The Glowing Man'
Cass McCombs- 'Mangy Love'

I haven't been out to see too many shows this year, but there've been some really great ones- I saw Beach House twice and finally got to see Wye Oak (who were outstanding live), Godspeed, Daughter, Lush, The Cure (one of the best times I've seen them), Cate le Bon.

This year has been the worst politically and in terms of deaths of really great people. It's odd because I've been having a pretty good year personally.

Also it was pretty amazing to be living in Chicago when the Cubs finally won the World Series, breaking a 108-year drought. I was even more inspired by the reaction of their fans- rather than burning the entire city down (which used to be what happened when the Bulls would win it all) there was a lot of crying and hugging and fans covered the brick walls of Wrigley Field with messages for the players.
runaway
Known user
Posts: 470
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: the shadows

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by runaway »

Top disappointments:

Angel Olsen - My Woman
Other than Sister and maybe another song or two this album really sucks. I'm shocked but not surprised that others are lapping it up, metaphorically speaking.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
Huge Nick Cave fan here. So glad to see him making music after such tragedy in his life. This album consists mainly of non-songs (Nick doing spoken word over Warren Ellis' meanderings) and Push The Sky Away outtakes. The last two songs are epic, though.

DIIV - Is The Is Are
High hopes for this one.

Wild Nothing - Life Of Pause
I keep listening to this and hoping that I might start to get it but I haven't yet.
shalloboi
Known user
Posts: 894
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 1:25 am
Location: chicago, il
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by shalloboi »

runaway wrote:Top disappointments:

Angel Olsen - My Woman
Other than Sister and maybe another song or two this album really sucks. I'm shocked but not surprised that others are lapping it up, metaphorically speaking.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
Huge Nick Cave fan here. So glad to see him making music after such tragedy in his life. This album consists mainly of non-songs (Nick doing spoken word over Warren Ellis' meanderings) and Push The Sky Away outtakes. The last two songs are epic, though.

DIIV - Is The Is Are
High hopes for this one.

Wild Nothing - Life Of Pause
I keep listening to this and hoping that I might start to get it but I haven't yet.
Glad I could help jog your memory, there, friend. :lol:
TheWarmth
Known user
Posts: 3959
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by TheWarmth »

I'm still confounded by My Woman. I like "Intern," but other than that, I think the first half of the album is pretty bad. Unlike Runaway, I find the whole second half incredible. Sounds like a different artist. I really would like to have some kind of insight as to how the album was recorded.

As for the Nick Cave album, I get the "non-songs" gripe, but it doesn't bother me that there isn't much structure. The whole thing is riveting. It works.
Shinesalight
Known user
Posts: 2460
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: Brighton, U.K.
Contact:

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by Shinesalight »

I think overall 2016 was a pretty decent year for music (trying to forget all the other nightmares going on around the world). I'm still buying way too much "psych" and I'm crap at narrowing down these end of year lists but here goes:-

Top 10 albums (in no order)

Teenage Fanclub - Here
Drive-by Truckers - American Band
Kikagaku Moyo - House In The Tall Grass
Neil Young - Earth
Nick Cave And The Band Seeds - Skeleton Tree
Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out
Kandodo/McBain - Lost Chants/Last Chance
JuJu - S/T
Heron Oblivion - S/T
The Hanging Stars - Over The Silvery Lake

Others just bubbling under include:-

Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions - Until The Hunter
The Myrrors - Entranced Earth
The Early Years - II
BJM - Third World Pyramid
Goat - Requiem
Heaters - Baptistina
Minor Victories - S/T
Mogwai - Atomic

Gig-wise, record label/family/work/age are all starting to catch up with me so not as many as usual this year but these are the highlights:-

Kikagaku Moyo - Probably best gig in Brighton this year :D 8)
Ride - Bestival warm up gig in Brighton
Liverpool Psych Fest - lots of great music but more importantly the annual get together of the Spirtiualized forum psych posse
Teenage Fanclub - still buzzing from this great gig in Brighton a couple of nights ago. Tune after tune :D
Dead Meadow - Another fantastic gig in Brighton
Electric Moon - These guys were brilliant when I saw them in London with Aquarian Time 8)
Cosmic Dead - These chaps never disappoint. Tremendous gig, again in Brighton
Brian Jonestown Massacre - 2 hour set in Brighton. Amazing.
www.dronerockrecords.com
The Home of Drone
angelsighs
Known user
Posts: 4876
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by angelsighs »

guess I better check out the new Early Years album everybody is raving about
Hedspace
Known user
Posts: 551
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by Hedspace »

The Early Years - II
Minami Deutsch ‎– Minami Deutsch
The Lucid Dream - Compulsion Songs
Cavern Of Antimatter - Void Beats
Be - One
Xam Duo - ST




times are hard
olan
Known user
Posts: 1968
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 2:42 am
Location: Liverpool

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by olan »

I'll be pretty happy to see the back of 2016 which seemed overly full of death, illness, bad news, moronic behaviour and some baffling decisions that go with hand-in-hand with democratic choice. I also think 2016 was a very, very average year for music in general and psychedelic music in particular. The psyche bubble may not have burst but it is being slowly deflated by mediocrity. For me the best five LPs of the year were:

1. Cavern of Anti Matter: Void Beats/Invocation Trex
2. Sula Bassana: Shipwrecked
<vast gap>
=5. Mogwai: Atomic
=5. The New Lines: Love and Cannibalism
=5. Kikagaku Moyo: House in the Tall Grass

Also worth a mention are the LPs by Minor Victories, The Orb, and Brian Jonestown Massacre, various things on Drone Rock Records, Cardinal Fuzz and Deep Distance.

The best records of the year from my point of view came out on two labels which seem to specialise in the 7" single. The second volume of the God Unknown singles club has come nowhere near the heights of the first volume, but has been consistently interesting. By far the most interesting label for music at present is Dom Martin's Polytechnic Youth imprint, which has a strong focus on experimental and minimalist electronica and releases ridiculously limited number of each record.

Re-releases/Live LPs
The Dead Can Dance reissue series on 4AD
The Heads: Burning Up With....
The Durutti Column Amigos en Portugal/Live at the Venue*

Best gig:
Probably a score draw between Kikagaku Moyo and Cavern of Anti-Matter at the Liverpool Psyche Fest. I hope that we never, ever see the return of the net curtains at the Psyche Fest. Honorable mention to Plank who played as a bass/drums/guitar trio at the LPF and were brilliant. I've seen them a lot and they never really appealed as there was to much fiddling around on keyboards for it to be interesting. Their pared back krautrock assault was a thing of beauty. Also, Explosions in the Sky at the Liverpool Philharmonic was excellent.

I will be happy to wave a cheerful middle finger to 2016 and look forward to 2017 which may bring us new LPs from Spiritualized and Spectrum (fat chance, but you can hope). Highlights of the reissues side of things will be the Hillss records that Dave Cambridge's Hills is putting out after Christmas and hopefully a long overdue reissue for an expanded version of The Durutti Column's Obey The Time LP* from 1990. The fact that I have fabulous tickets for Kraftwerk in Liverpool and Dublin means that there are also decent gigs to look forward to.

Brighten everyone's day a bit by saying no to fascists and bigots and pointing an accusing finger at morons in 2017.

*Disclaimer: I am very, very heavily involved in the Durutti Column reissue programme. :D That would have been a shameless plug if we hadn't sold out.
BROKENHEART
Known user
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:16 pm

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by BROKENHEART »

David Bowie : Black Star
The Brian Jonestown Massacre : Third World Pyramid
Death In Vegas : Transmission
Julianna Barwick : Will
Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions : Until the Hunter
Money : Suicide Songs
PJ Harvey : The Hope Six Demolition
Psychic Ills : Inner Journey Out
Public Memory : Wuthering Drum
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds : Skeleton Tree

Gigs :
Daughter
The Fat White Family
Explosions In The Sky
Julianna Barwick
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Liverpool Festival of Psychadelia
Wand
Field Day (Sunday)
Reeves and Mortimer
Last but not least 2 nights at the Barbican :
Spiritualized : LAGWAFIS . The highlight of my year.
niamhm
Known user
Posts: 1894
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:07 pm

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by niamhm »

Desert Mountain Tribe - Either That Or The Moon,
Sula Bassana - Shipwrecked,
Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out,
Goat - Requiem,
Underworld - Barbara Barbera We Face A Shining Future,
Kikagaku Moyo - House In The Tall Grass,
Primal Scream - Chaosmosis,
Preoccupations - Preoccupations,
Allah Las - Calico Review,
Lorelle Meets The Obsolete - Balance,
Cavern Of Anti Matter - Void Beats,
The Hanging Stars - Over The Silvery Lake

Gigs wise I saw some great show this yr, Mick Head, JAMC ( 2 great show), Primal Scream, BJM, DMT, Kikagaku Moyo, The Heads (finally!!), La Hell Gang & Minami Deutsch at LPF , and finally Psychic Ills a week back, can`t beat getting out to live music.edit. forgot about the Goat gig , that was something else as well :D

TV this year The Night Of... , series 2 of The Missing, 3rd series of The Fall and Peaky Blinders series 3 were all highlights that spring to mind ,

Books, Steve Hanleys - The Big Midweek, Life Inside The Fall was probably the best thing I read this yr, not got round to reading Will Carruthers yet, its still sitting there,
The Dr
Known user
Posts: 1381
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:32 pm
Location: some forgotten memory/ midday of eternity

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by The Dr »

NME confirm their status of being on the cutting edge of radio 1's playlist...

http://www.nme.com/list/nme-best-albums-2016-1869261

whilst the biggest selling album of the year is...



The biggest-selling CD release of 2016 has been revealed and you’ll never be able to guess it.

Despite Drake topping the year’s streaming charts, it’s in fact Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who has shifted the highest number of CDs in the US during 2016.

According to Billboard, the 200-disc Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition boxset has shifted upwards of 6,250 copies. That’s 1.25 million CDs sold in total.

The 240-hour boxset came out at the end of October, with label Universal describing it as “most authoritative, complete and scholarly box set ever devoted to the work of a single composer”.
MozartGetty Images

“It is wonderful to see the reaction to this box set, which is the fruit of years of scholarship, planning and curation,” said Paul Moseley, UMG’s director of Mozart 225. “Mozart’s immortal melodies, no less than The Beatles or Abba, are in some way part of all our lives – and this Edition is the perfect way to celebrate that on his 225th anniversary.”

Spotify recently unveiled lists of the most streamed artists, songs and albums on the platform this year. For the second year in a row, Drake has been crowned Spotify’s most streamed artist, attracting 4.7 billion streams in 2016 despite his album ‘Views’ being an exclusive to rival Apple Music for the first two weeks of its release back in April. Earlier this year it was announced that Drake is the most streamed artist ever and his hit ‘One Dance’ is the most streamed song to grace the service.
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
Greeny
Known user
Posts: 812
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Burgess Hill

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by Greeny »

I've probably played the series of jazz albums bought as part of that DeAgostini collector series more than anything else this year, but they hardly count as mew music since most are from the 50s and 60s!

Of the new stuff, the Animal Collective and Death in Vegas efforts probably count as disappointments, the former more than the latter.

Top find of the year has literally been in the last couple of days, with The KVB and their album 'Of Desire'. Mastered by Sonic Boom no less.

Other honourable mentions:

Erik Koskinen - America Theatre (not a 2016 release but new to me)
Floating Points - Kuiper 12"
James Holden/Camilo Tirado - Outdoor Museum of Fractals
Be - One
Radiohead - Moon Shaped Pool
Future Sound of London - Environments 6 & 6.5

That's probably about it. Gig-wise, Low's Christmas show and the Barbican LAGWAFIS are both standouts.
Stuart X.Hunter
Known user
Posts: 1214
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:22 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Album of the year

Frank Ocean - Blond

4yrs in the making/waiting and completely absorbing

Others

Ronnie Davis - iyahcoustic
Iggy Pop - PPD

Struggle to keep up with Current music

Track of the year

Mortimer - Nice up di Scene ...that Mile High Riddim

Disappointment of the year

That "new" Burial
Shoulders back, smash it
The Dr
Known user
Posts: 1381
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:32 pm
Location: some forgotten memory/ midday of eternity

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by The Dr »

new albums

angel olsen- my woman
dylan- fallen angels
leonard cohen- you want it darker



'discovery' of the year

the yearning- dreamboats and lemonade

box sets bought but with no time to explore

dylan live 66
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
flokie
Known user
Posts: 288
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:29 pm

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by flokie »

Hey all, it's been a while.
It's going to be a short list as much has failed to really excite me music-wise for quite some time. Or that was so until 6-8 weeks ago.
I didn't go to that many gigs this year, but top credits go to Wolf People for an excellent gig that made me realise how much I'd missed them, and that was backed by an excellent third LP too. Easily my favourite gig this year.

Favorite album:
Holy Sons - In the Garden
I've always been at least intrigued by Holy Sons since I discovered Grails, and tried to listen to earlier LPs, but never quite got it. I guess the earlier lo-fi/experimental sounds didn't quite work for me, lush 70s-like production does. I'm also catching up on Emil Amos's podcast, which is definitely worth a listen so far.

Other albums I've enjoyed include:
Cold, Cold Heart - How the Other Half Live and Die
Emma Pollock - In Search of Harperfield
Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band - Rarity of Experience
Goat - Requiem
Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out
Hannah Peel - Awake but Always Dreaming
Wolf People - Ruins

Disappointment of the year:
The Six By Seven record day LP. It's a Twelve record, but Chris decided to release it as Six By Seven.
angelsighs
Known user
Posts: 4876
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by angelsighs »

flokie wrote:Chris Forsyth & the Solar Motel Band - Rarity of Experience
Hi Flo, hope you are well- great choice there, really enjoy Chris Forsyth's work and hope I get a chance to catch the band live someday. There's some great bootleg recordings out there (nyctaper) as well as a live album which unfortunately (for me) is vinyl only. The Solar Motel album is one of my favourite of recent years.

I also very much enjoyed a Wolf People show a few weeks back (forgot to write about it on the gigs thread)- psych but with an ancient folk tinge and love the guitar interplay.
mc
Known user
Posts: 984
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by mc »

Finally, after digesting some crucial albums I missed on release, I think I can properly evaluate my 2016 faves and update my original list. Last year was an A+ shitter of a year in general, but musically it was wonderful. So, my top 5:

1. Hannah Peel - Awake But Always Dreaming

My first experience of this wonderful artist, and an album I know I'm going to treasure for a very long time. A concept album of sorts, Peel wrote it as a means of understanding and coming to terms with her grandmother's crippling dementia and subsequent death. It's too beautiful for words, really; sad, tender, poignant, pragmatic, bitter and accepting all at once. If I had to describe the genre in a few words, I'd probably plump for folk-sounding electronica, but as with every classic album, that does no justice whatsoever to the beauty contained within.

2. Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch

I must admit, this was a little underwhelming after her 2015 masterpiece Apocalypse, girl, but it's still a magnificent work. Another concept-esque album, this time about menstrual blood and its associated roles/taboos in society, the lyrics are impossibly vivid and probably poetry in the truest sense. Back that up with some irresistible melodies, the odd moment of atonal noise and Jenny's beautifully expressive voice, and you've got another wonderful album.

3. David Bowie - Blackstar

Not exactly sure what to say about this album really, particularly as I'm somewhat of a fairweather Bowie fan; I have an unlucky 13 of his albums, and although I'll always fill the gaps when I can, I have the albums I think I'll enjoy the most. And compared to those, I firmly believe Blackstar is up there with Ziggy, Station to Station, Low and Heroes - it's dense, obtuse, beautifully played and musically complex yet melodic and memorable at the same time. His passing added to the album's inscrutable allure, but it'd still be a magnificent work if he were with us now.

4. Marielle V Jakobsons - Star Core

I only got this recently, but a mere half-dozen or so listens confirmed just how wonderful this album is. It's virtually all instrumental and synth-based, and ethereal bass, flute and violin lines float in space behind the drones and swooshes. I mentioned elsewhere that some of the sounds are seriously Sp3/Spz/Spectrum-influenced to my ears, and I stand by that - at times I can close my eyes and imagine I'm listening to a lost E.A.R. collaboration between Jason and Pete :D

5. Honeyblood - Babes Never Die

More wonderfully infectious indie-grunge-punk-pop from Edinburgh's greatest musical duo. Forget The White Stripes or anything else of that ilk, this is what the guitar-drums combo is truly capable of. Catchy as hell songs, snarky fuck-you lyrics, a magnificent live presence and one of the creepiest music videos I've ever seen - it all adds up to a top-class follow-up to their first album. One day, Stina Tweeddale will be considered one of the great frontwomen, I'm sure of it :D

Best of the rest: another fifteen excellent records, in no particular order...

Underworld - Barbara, Barbara We Face A Shining Future
Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä
Ultrasound - Real Britannia
Sub Rosa - For This We Fought The Battle Of Ages
Brian Eno - The Ship
Cavern of Anti-Matter - Void Beats/Invocation Trex
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Ears / Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Susanna Ciavani - Sunergy (cheating - 2 albums! :lol: )
Sunn O))) - НЕЖИТЬ: живьём в России (Live In Russia)
Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
Aurora - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend
Be - One
drcarslonalbion - Falling With A Thousand Stars...
Britta Phillips - Luck Or Magic
Frank Zappa - Little Dots
Urthona - Urthona Plays Atlantis?

As well the albums I mentioned further upthread, Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool is my "new old discovery" of 2016. It's only a couple of years old; at the time I took to heart the '90's indie/grunge revivalists' schtick most of the reviews peddled and promptly ignored it. How silly that was; when I first "Silk" on the Trainspotting 2 trailer I was utterly blown away, and their debut album contains another 11 songs almost as good. Frankly, they've gone and made an album a hundred times better than anything Nirvana or the Pixies ever managed (sorry!) - it has singalong earworm songs you could never tire of, loud thrashing moments of cathartis, heartbreaking weepies, MBV-esque flourishes and some of the most gorgeous vocals I've heard in a long time. Have a listen! The Kids Really Are Alright.
Hofstadter
Known user
Posts: 628
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 7:46 am

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by Hofstadter »

So happy this thread exists.

Pretty much have stopped following most of this sort of music stuff in the last two years, pretty excited to catch up on all this stuff!!!!!

----thank you all----
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Top 10 Albums of 2016

Post by spzretent »

Welcome back. I missed your posts.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
Post Reply