Thursday, December 29, 2011

Year's Best Listening

Top ten time. Gonna make it short and snappy this year. Lots of quiet and/or instrumental stuff. And minimal colour palettes, interestingly. Titles link to sample YouTube "videos." Here it is:

Bad Vibrations - Black Train
Heavy stoner punk Halifavourites and all around delightful power trio.


Deerhoof - Deerhoof vs. Evil
Wacky, catchy rock songs for kids with ADD and good taste.


Destroyer - Kaputt
Bowiesque Canadian weirdo puts his pompous songs through an '80s pop machine.


Dog Day - Deformer
Just a duo now, and we may miss the full band, but those songs!


Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
Like slowed down acoustic Sonic Youth with Beck prettying it up.


Jürgen Müller - Science of the Sea
Not actually a rediscovered soundtrack by a '70s German oceanographer, but beautifully convincing.


The Oscillation - Veils
I already told you about this one. Postpunk space rock. (If you like it, also check out Suuns in the Honourable Mentions.)


Radiohead - The King of Limbs
I'll admit I was disappointed at first, but I've come around. Definitely a grower.


Tape - Revelationes
Gorgeous Swedish ambient post-rock.


Walls - Coracle
Gorgeous British ambient dance-pop.


Honourable Mentions:
The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
Suuns - Zeroes QC
tUnE-yArDs - WHOKILL

Lest my brevity convince you otherwise, please understand that all this stuff is really great. Try some, buy some, fee fi fo fum!

3 comments:

Roni said...

Just saw this—thanks Andrew! So flattered... I'll check out the rest!!

I got into listening to Fleet Foxes the last couple of days. Love their harmony & lyrics.

M ox

Roni said...

Jürgen Müller.... ymmmmmmmm!! Where do you find these things?! Very nice.

Andrew said...

Ha ha! Mostly Aquarius Records. Glad you like it, Meg!