"Adventurous, inventive, inexplicable, bizarre – and, to counter Scott Walker’s latest exploits in the world of musical impenetrability, actually accessible."
24. ROBERT PLANT –
Lullaby And …The Ceaseless Roar
"He does upbeat folk (“Poor Howard”), he does rock with a good punch (“Turn It Up”), he does affecting romantic ballads (“A Stolen Kiss”)... This is the sound of taste and experience."
"James Dean Bradfield can still write a tuneful anthem in his sleep. The addition of a few friends, deplorable though it is, actually works. All nice and good. Let’s face it though: Rewind The Film had better songs."
"On The Impossible Past unfurled like a great novel, every page equally powerful and gripping. This time it feels like a short story collection with some stories outshining the slightly weaker ones."
"I don’t believe that Greg Dulli is physically capable of writing a better collection of songs. Do To The Beast is all you could ask for, now or in 1993."
"He does acoustic, he does electric, and everything he sings has the sort of melodic menace that was only budding on King Dude’s two previous albums. Truly, the stuff here is catchy as hell where ‘hell’ is more than just a metaphor."
"The Future’s Void may lack a truly signature song like “California”, but if anything – it is even more consistent than Past Life Martyred Saints, her previous album. Just as raw and creative, and a little less fucked up."
“You’re skating on thin ice with a heavy heart”. This line starts “Pushing Your Luck”, and it just might be the perfect description of this album. Luck is edgy, claustrophobic, intelligent. It has dance beats, but they will not get you on the dance floor."
"This album will take you places. You won’t listen to it too often, Hot Dreams does bring on a rather bleak feeling, but every time you will play it you won’t resist its unique charms."
"There’s this engrossing, atmospheric darkness swallowing the city with only a few neon signs flashing out of the night. The effect is both lush and narcotic, and you know you’re in for a great deal of style."
14. MIREL WAGNER –
When The Cellar Children See The Light Of Day
“1 2 3 4, what’s underneath the floor”, it is almost too simple. These ten songs sound like nursery rhymes delivered by way of acoustic guitars, haunting vocals, dark vibes and dust. When The Cellar Children See The Light Of Day is a perfect title."
"These twelve songs are about as far away from saving the world as you can get. But please note how the last words on this album go: ‘Every little nothing is some kind of something’. If anything, Paperback Ghosts is certainly that."
"To Be Kind will be followed in 2015 with an H-bomb explosion of intensity and desperation and running time matching that of Erik Satie’s “Vexations”. If he doesn’t do that, we should feel robbed."
"Benji is Mark Kozelek’s fifth album in less than two years. Some feat – considering that each and every one of those mines similar depths of mumbling, world-weary greatness. If he doesn’t stop now, this might go the distance."
"Their albums last from 20 to 25 minutes (which is a brilliant concept, I would certainly encourage many bands to do the same) and contain songs of such power, sheen and intensity that you will wonder what everyone else is up to."
"Really, there’s no way a band featuring A.C. Newman, Neko Case and Dan Bejar can release a less-than-great album. And that’s my only complaint: Brill Bruisers is just that, another great New Pornographers album. Wish I could say that about a few other bands."
8. MORRISSEY – World Peace
Is None Of Your Business
"Let’s get it straight: World Peace Is None Of Your Business is a ridiculous title. It’s so ridiculous it verges on embarrassing. However, when Morrissey does it, it’s all right."
7. THEE SILVER MT.
ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA – Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything
"But a little kid says ‘we make a lot of noise because we love each other’, and all my concerns are swept aside by the wall of sound that is both monstrous and absolutely majestic."
"Over the course of these exceptional 11 songs Marianne barely puts one foot wrong. The songs are excellent and while her voice is on a clear Dylanesque trajectory (she does sound a lot like him on the title track), the performances are stylish and affecting."
"Leonard Cohen is where you can say ‘deep’ without sounding silly or pretentious. It’s 40 minutes of therapy by way of understatement, introspection, effective arrangements and female backup vocals."
"This is sensational. “A Broken Memory” is sensational. Gutsy, charismatic, soulful music with rasping horn giving it a sizeable John Coltrane-esque edge."
"So essentially Floral Tributes is a perfect companion to Lo-Fi Lullabies. Its playfulness is jazzy and obvious, but it isn’t sober and is, quite possibly, totally delusional. As for the actual songs, they are just as good as the ones that made up Lullabies."
"The songs that make up Lo-Fi Lullabies were written in dismal, crisis-fuelled mid-90s, prior to Black Box Recorder. The sound and the vibe wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone familiar with John’s music. It’s elegant and stripped-down and it never gets monotonous because of the sheer quality of songwriting."
Some things change, some things never change. Gustav Holst's "In The Bleak Midwinter" is still the greatest Christmas carol of all time. As performed by King's College Choir, Cambridge. Merry Christmas!
First off, sad to
hear of Joe Cocker’s death. Sleep easy.
Second. I have to
make a break. I won’t be writing reviews in the near future. Instead – to get
distracted, to fuck things up, to gain this site a few more cheap hits, I will
be writing lists. LISTS. All kinds. Ridiculous, useless, masturbatory lists.
Starting with now.
2014. Songs.
25. STEPHEN MALKMUS
& THE JICKS – “Lariat”
The feel good song of
the year. The video is good, too. Malkmus hasn’t lost it.
24. MORRISSEY – “Art
Hounds”
His best song this
year, and it’s a goddamned bonus track. Lighten up, Morrissey!
23. KING DUDE –
“Watching Over You”
If you are romantic
but have a devil in you.
22. HALF MAN HALF
BISCUIT – “This One’s For Now”
Sarcasm and wit. As
ever.
21. BEN WATT –
“Hendra”
Listened to this
while walking home late at night. The vibe, the tune.
20. COMET GAIN –
“Long After Tonite’s Candles Are Blown”
This year, I entered
Vatican City to this song. I’m a despicable man.
19. WHITE LUNG –
“Down It Goes”
Fuck yes.
18. MARIANNE
FAITHFULL – “True Lies”
Smoked out, concise
and powerful.
17. EMA – “When She
Comes”
Still raw, but
already more mature. Underrated. 16. THE NEW
PORNOGRAPHERS – “Champions Of Red Wine”
Effortless pop
genius. Neko Case on vocals.
15. THE MENZINGERS –
“I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore”
As good as anything
off On The Impossible Past. Enough
said.
14. COLD SPECKS – “A
Broken Memory”
All you need to know
about artistic growth.
13. ROBYN HITCHCOCK –
“San Francisco Patrol”
Just a classic ballad
from Robyn Hitchcock.
12. GUIDED BY VOICES
– “All American Boy”
Another gem from
Tobin Sprout. He should just dump that Pollard guy. 11. THEE SILVER MT.
ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA – “Fuck Off Get Free (For The Island Of Montreal)"
The wall of handsome
noise hitting you full on the face and you want more.
10. DAMON ALBARN –
“The Selfish Giant”
Best thing he’s done
since 13. Never cared for Gorillaz.
9. TOM VEK – “You’ll
Stay”
“Everything’s okay. You’ll stay”.
8. DELINES – “I Won’t
Slip Up”
The sound of the
warmest night when you are reasonably tired and in love.
7. GALLON DRUNK –
“The Soul Of The Hour”
Ecstatic. I wish the
groove would go on for another seven minutes. 6. LEONARD COHEN –
“Did I Ever Love You”
Someone told me Tom
Waits could do this song so well. Yes, but…
5. MIREL WAGNER –
“Oak Tree”
Simple, disarming and
magical.
4. LUKE HAINES –
“Alan Vega Says”
Luke did not record a
great album this year. But did record a great song.
3. JOHN MOORE –
“Almost Optimistic”
God help you if you
can relate to John’s lyrics here. And what a melody.
2. EINSTURZENDE
NEUBAUTEN – “Lament 3. Pater Peccavi”
No comment.
1. SUN KIL MOON –
“Richard Ramirez Died Today Of Natural Causes”
Mark Kozelek is on
such a songwriting roll it’s scary. This song is scary.
(Real number one,
though, is “Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)” by U2.)
