JAYMZ’ TOP FIVE
It’s actually almost easier to come up with albums that haven’t really lived up to expectation in 2011 – Death Cab For Cutie, The Strokes, The Vines, The View, Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Glasvegas, The Kills, Foo Fighters, Architecture In Helsinki, Lupe Fiasco, Cut Copy… I could keep going on, but I’m as bored just listing them as I was listening to their albums – so it feels like slim pickings. BUT. There’s still these guys.
1. …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD Tao Of The Dead (Century Media)
You can trot out all the critical clichés you want: Epic. Mind-blowing. A miasma of splintered art-rock genius swathed in glistening, oiled up headiness. Yellow custard moon dog pie extinguisher. Kill popsicle eunuch clothesline signifier. And so on. As it is, …Trail of Dead’s seventh album is simply excellent. As with their best work – well, Source Tags & Codes – it’s presented almost as one big body of music, and only on repeated listens do you get to understand the nuances of the record. It can actually be listened to that way as well – it can be split into two mega-tracks (one 36 minutes long, the other 16 minutes) – but irregardless, the hidden melodic depths of the album are more rewarding than punching Justin Long in the face. It’s …Trail Of Dead, so there’s always a hint of pretension about it, but Tao Of The Dead is leaner and less-heavy handed than their last three albums, and the best …Trail Of Dead record since Source Tag & Codes.
2. TV ON THE RADIO Nine Types Of Light (Universal)
One of the few established bands who’ve released an album that’s up their own extremely high standards this year (I’m looking at you Ben Gibbard). Nine Types Of Light doesn’t disappoint in any way – it actually feels like the ideal companion piece and follow on from Return To Cookie Mountain and Dear Science. Which, y’know, is saying a lot. Considering those two are modern classics.
3. TEETH & TONGUE Tambourine (Dot Dash)
Or ‘Where Jess Cornelius Does A Kanye West And Scraps An Album Before Making A Completely New One Using A Drum Machine’. Nice. The result is spectacular – Tambourine is at once enigmatic and shadowy, but with hints of sparkling melody – mixing heartbreak and joy to depict realistic emotional turmoil. More awesome than a movie starring Ralph Macchio and Anthony Michael Hall in 1988, with a soundtrack by Morrissey.
4. DANANANANANANANANAYKROYD There Is A Way (Dew Process)
I’ve heard fuck-all in the way of decent metal releases this year; so, as this is nice and brutal, Dananananananananananaananananaykroyd’s new album will have to suffice. Actually, I don’t have the Mastodon live album, so maybe I should reserve judgement on brutality until I hear that. Anyway. There Is A Way sounds sort what I’d imagine if a Jack Russell downed two red bulls, got into a bag of fireworks, set them off and started throwing knives. Read: awesome.
5. HELLOGOODBYE (Would It Kill You), BATTLES (Gloss Drop), URGE OVERKILL (Rock ‘N’ Roll Submarine) and BEASTIE BOYS (Hot Sauce Committee Part Two)
All tie for fifth as I haven’t had a chance to listen to them each more than once. But on those first listens, I liked them a lot. So there. Also, despite having listened to Manchester Orchestra’s Simple Math about 1400 times, I still can’t decide if I like it or not. It’s like a musical version of Jimmy Fallon.
TYSON’S TOP FIVE
Tyson hates guitars but still likes music, and commented that it was interesting that his top five were all pretty ambient. Tyson may or may not be a cyborg.
1. TIM HECKER – Ravedeath, 1972
Yet another sublime release on the astonishing Chicago-based Kranky label. Masters of all things ambient, Kranky is home to seminal artists such as Stars of the Lid, The Dead Texan, Brian McBride and Cloudland Canyon. So, basically, you know that anything with that imprint is going to be fucking awesome. Not gonna’ even try and describe this one; it’s just blissful aural decadence.
2. ALVA NOTO + RYUICHI SAKAMOTO – Summvs
The supposed final collaboration of these ambient-glitch connoisseurs is a goddamn masterpiece, as were the previous four. Effortlessly engaging, deviously harmonic. Grandeur.
3. ANDY STOTT – Passed Me By
Brooding and visceral, Andy Stott returns after a 12 month hiatus. The perfect soundtrack to mend a scattered mine on the first number 96 leaving Flinders St.
4. LOSCIL – Coast / Range / Arc
This guy doesn’t stop. The follow up to last year’s opulent Endless Falls, Loscil firmly reinstated his position in my night time listening with Coast / Range / Arc, just behind And Their Refinement of the Decline.
5. SEAN MCCANN – The Capital
Sean McCann is on par with Madlib with his output of productions. Consistently releasing multiple records each passing year since his beginnings in 2008, he’s a rare evader of the quality and quantity trap which houses countless victims. The Capital is one of three albums he’s released this year, all deserving of admiration, but this one’s something special.
AMELIA’S TOP FIVE
I enjoy raiding the review pile and listening to things before they get sent out to writers. This also helps me choose what is good or not without having to listen to the radio, which I rarely do because I don’t own a car.
1. METRONOMY – The English Riviera
Saw these guys live a couple of years ago at The Sydney Festival and have been in love with them since then. This album is actually pure genius, and drinkable like a smooth, fine wine. The video for the single also is a story about seagulls. Great work all round, team.
2. ELBOW – Build A Rocket Boys!
I decided to Learn About This Band Everyone Talks About Called Elbow this year and I watched a live performance on iView where they performed with an orchestra and I was really impressed and keen to hear everything they’d ever recorded, ever.
I haven’t quite got to buying their entire discography but this album for sure is fucking great. For lovers of beautiful songwriting and fantastic arrangements.
3. LYKKE LI – Wounded Rhymes
This album is getting airplay all over the place including in Apple’s advertising. Lucky lady’s making a lot of cash, I imagine. Lykke Li is such a weird, weird lady with a strange voice and a dark, twisted under-layer but I really dig the sound that this album makes – in that it has tom drums and raspy vocals and a teeming sense of shadowy emotional depth that is contrasted by the fact that Lykke Li is a fashionable little girl with makeup and silly shoes. Also she wants to ‘get some’, and don’t we all?
4. MAN MAN – Life Fantastic
Last time Man Man came to Australia I went to their show not even having heard of them before. Their completely manic, dangerous, high-powered sweat fest of a gypsy extravaganza converted me for life. It turned out they were actually staying for a week at my friends’ house and we took them out on a bit of a summer tour of Sydney, to the beach, the clubs, etc. Band members go by names like ‘Honus Honus’ and ‘Bam Bam’. I almost agreed to marry one of them so they could get citizenship. True story.
This album is far far more diverse and developed than some of their previously heavier and rougher works (which were still freaking great, like singing songs in a biker bar, really). There’s a story in every song and a wonderful adventure to be had with this album – and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard before, guaranteed. Please listen below!
5. BATTLES – Gloss Drop
I stupidly kind of never listened to this band before, and they did a tour and I didn’t go, and now I am kicking myself. They are ‘math rock’ but I tell you, this album has a track on it that I would describe as ‘complex calypso’. Enjoyable, requires concentration, but intellectually satisfying for sure. Be confused and wonderfully entertained by this track! I’m doing a little dance right now. I just freaking love this. And music in general. AND LIFE. AND EVERYTHING. THANKS BATTLES.
