After much thought, I'm going to go for Dark Matter by Pearl Jam. I bought it not expecting much and was really surprised with how good it was. Had it on repeat spins for ages.
Magnificent album, harking back to my favourite timeframe of the band but also sounding fresh or perhaps timeless.. the epic closing track flows seamlessly into the opener as I discovered when leaving it looping on a streamer platform 😎
Feels like recency bias… it’s absolutely brilliant, but so is the Fontaine’s record, and Bill Ryder Jones’ Iechyd Da could be the record of the decade, no mind the year!
Whispering Sons, Desperate Journalist, Liz Lawrence, Bryan's Magic Tears, Nick Cave, Fat Dog & Hamish Hawk all neck and neck at the moment. And now the new She Drew The Gun has just dropped.
Jane Waver - Love In Constant Spectacle
Beak> - >>>>
Fat White Family - Forgiveness Is Yours
Feels like Nobody Loves You More by Kim Deal will be up there, too. It's been a very strong year, I think
It’s between Rafael Toral’s ‘Spectral Evolution’ and Belong’s ‘Realistic IX’. Tindersticks and LL Cool J also spring to mind. Haven’t heard the Fennesz yet. #albumoftheyear
“Plastic Death” by Glass Beach,
“Stoned + Animald” by Kid Tigrrr, and “This Could Be Texas” by English Teacher should all be part of the conversation. 🎧
Nick cave - sensational. Phosphorescent, waxahatchee & Beth Gibbons up there.
Must give The Cure a go, most of their LPs are very patchy - but maybe it’s another disintegration.
That's a good shout. It's gone under the radar a bit, but after seeing him in Southampton, I picked up a copy. I already had several of his earlier albums, so it was nice to reacquaint myself with him. A very, very good album!
Early year favourites were St Vincent, Beth Gibbons, Bridget Calls Me Baby & Yard Act. Overtaken recently by Amyl & the Sniffers & the Cure masterpiece!
Agree on @thecure.com but also loved Arab Strap, Soundwire, Humdrum, The Breeze, the Mary Chain, Ride, Lovejoy, Craven Faults, Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Seas, The Fauns, Whitelands, Underworld - been an incredible year for music!
Another vote for Iechyd Da as top album of the year. It's a clear winner but honourable mentions for
Waxahatchee
Nick Cave
Yard Act
Fontaines DC
Adrianne Lenker
Wunderhorse
Maximo Park (best album since debut)
The Reds, Pinks and Purples
Michael Head
Real Estate
John Bramwell
The Dream Machine
Honestly going to say The Tortured Poets Department. My daughter would be delighted! Kudos to Nick Cave, Liam Gallagher & John Squire. Yet to hear Cure or Bunnymen albums.
Hastily revising my choice in wake of hearing Ensoulment by The The and the aforementioned Cure album, which is like an even bleaker Disintegration. Two storming albums coming in late in 2024.
Fontaines record was great, Zach Bryan record was a belter! Notable mention to the Jesse Malin covers record, such a deserving person of so many great artists’ time and effort!
MJ Lenderman, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Iron & Wine, Kim Gordon, Lemon Twigs, Nick Cave, Peter Perrett, Twisted Teens, Waxahatchee,... still unclear :)
Bill Ryder Jones - Iechyd Da
Amelia Coburn - Between the moon and the Milkman
Fontaines DC - Romance
The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
Paul Molloy - Madmen of Apocalypso
So many here’s a few
Gurriers -Come & See = belter
Future Islands - People Who Aren’t There Anymore
Kings Of Leon - Can We Please Have Fun
James -Yummy ( one of their best ever imho)
David Gilmore -Luck & Strange
Horace Andy Jah Wobble - Timeless Roots
The The - Ensoulment
Idles-Tangk
MRCY -Vol 1
Comments
50% of my kids liked it as well 😂🎸🤘🎧
https://open.spotify.com/track/7LMXRhf27EwcBQo2oLkcBa?si=7EOHc8iPSiW_jbVRdEm5OQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7MNrrItJpom6uMJWdT0XD8
Bloody hell. It's been some year :)
Cinde
1.The Cure
2.Nick Cave
3.The The
Beak> - >>>>
Fat White Family - Forgiveness Is Yours
Feels like Nobody Loves You More by Kim Deal will be up there, too. It's been a very strong year, I think
“Stoned + Animald” by Kid Tigrrr, and “This Could Be Texas” by English Teacher should all be part of the conversation. 🎧
The Smile - Cutouts
Torres
Taylor Swift
Public Service Broadcasting
More than an honourable mention for Letter to Self by Sprints though!
With Camera Obscura a close second.
Must give The Cure a go, most of their LPs are very patchy - but maybe it’s another disintegration.
Confidence Man
Fontaines DC
Charlie XCX
The Smile
Bill Ryder-Jones
Dead Pony - Ignore This
Griff - Vertigo
Lo Moon - I Wish You Way More than Luck
Soft Play
Fontaines DC
Special mention to PSB for the excellent “Nonetheless” too.
Kim Gordon, Shellac & Beak>>
*so far, in both cases…
Waxahatchee
Nick Cave
Yard Act
Fontaines DC
Adrianne Lenker
Wunderhorse
Maximo Park (best album since debut)
The Reds, Pinks and Purples
Michael Head
Real Estate
John Bramwell
The Dream Machine
Laura Marling
Beth Gibbons
The Cure
Nick Cave
Halsey
Superb double live album on rather fetching red/blue splatter vinyl courtesy of Wax & Beans💙
Goat....Goat
https://open.spotify.com/album/3Q0IdWXmBLvL9b5cIq16bm?si=oAJxrLZxTCucCepaMIVU9Q
So many to choose from!
https://jilllorean.bandcamp.com/album/peace-cult
“A Firmer Hand” by “Hamish Hawk”
“Country” by “Medium Build”
https://sharppins.bandcamp.com/album/radio-ddr
Amelia Coburn - Between the moon and the Milkman
Fontaines DC - Romance
The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
Paul Molloy - Madmen of Apocalypso
Gurriers -Come & See = belter
Future Islands - People Who Aren’t There Anymore
Kings Of Leon - Can We Please Have Fun
James -Yummy ( one of their best ever imho)
David Gilmore -Luck & Strange
Horace Andy Jah Wobble - Timeless Roots
The The - Ensoulment
Idles-Tangk
MRCY -Vol 1
Check it out.
Dub Tapes Volume 1 by Klangkollektor
Aphex Twin's Complete Ambient Works Vol.1 has its first grandchild. A quiet masterpiece, that can be approached and appreciated at ANY time of day.
https://klangkollektor.bandcamp.com/album/dub-tapes-volume-1
Jessica Pratt
Cassandra Jenkins
Clinic Stars
Midwife
Corridor
MAQUINA
Tangk - Idles
Songs of a lost world - The Cure