First a disclaimer (where disclaimer = excuse). The votes have been tabulated in four different countries, on a laptop, a phone and a tablet. Sometimes the spreadsheet has been opened late at night and ample refreshments may well have been taken beforehand. Whilst I am certain that the major placings are correct (within the normal statistical deviance of plus or minus 50%) there may indeed be some minor mistakes towards the bottom edges of the leader board where a combination of very silly band names and even sillier album titles may have led to a confused nay befuddled Little Gary inadvertently making the tiniest of errors. So apologies to Swidt, a hip hop collective from Onehunga, New Zealand and oft we jolly well go.
OMG!! IT’S HERE!!! IT’S HERE!!!! THE RESULTS ARE IN!!!!!
by 212 Comments
In 2018 642 separate albums were nominated, in 2019 a mere 563. Is it a Sign O’ The Times that only a handful of artistes were nominated in both years? Nils Frahm, Jeff Tweedy, Calexico, Big Big Train, Bruce Springsteen, Ezra Furman, iamthemorning, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Thom Yorke, Van Morrison – c’mon you guys, come out here and take a bow!
As is customary, let’s start with those albums not only nominated but one time by but one person but also gaining a mere 1 point. Here they are in all their Ragged Glory
AJ Tracey
Branford Marsalis
Carlo dal Forno
Eluvium
Eric Koskinen
Jessica Pratt
Kacy & Clayton
Night Moves
Penguin Cafe
Percy Pursglove et al
Scott Hamilton
Sheryl Crow
Slumberjet
Spearmint
Stenny
Vangelis
Various Artists ( Pay It All Back Vol 7)
Yawners
And here’s a jolly little number from jolly little Spearmint https://youtu.be/TQSmNTwKWWY
I am flabbergasted. Only one vote for the likes of Spearmint, Sheryl Crow, Vangelis and Branford Marsalis.
I think here are some shock and surprises ahead.
I hope there are plans to send Little Gary off to present a symbolic gift to the winning artist. He certainly deserves it.
Asbury Park is gorgeous in January….
Sheryl Crow – that was my vote.
I suspected she wouldn’t be a popular choice.
Popular with me @Carl just didn’t make the final cut.
Penguin Cafe were in at least two entries that I know of.
You are absolutely correct! Apparently Little Gary fell asleep halfway through bang em in bingham’s list. I will cane him later…. Penguin Café are officially no longer sad
And next, perhaps the saddest part of the show – albums which were one person’s, and one person only, fave pick of the year thus gaining the maximum 20 points. But unfortunately not one other person gave it even one point. I told you it was sad.
(Although I have a very strong feeling that each Afterworder who sponsored the following is as we speak feeling very proud having just had their “The Special One” status confirmed)
Caoimhin o Raghallaigh & Thom Bartlett
Daniel Norgren
Fabric Live
Frank Zappa
Isildur’s Bane & Peter Hammill
Jon Anderson
Kirsty McGee
Les Penning & Robert Reed
Lost Crowns
Lucy Rose
Luke Howard
Michael Tanner with Alison Cotton and
Morrissey
Out of the Ordinary
Pearlfishers
Plastic Mermaids
Press Club
Rammstein
Rose Elinor Dougall
Shake Stew
Sunshine Village
Tape Runs Out
The Mountain Goats
Thirteen Million Year Old Ghost
Tomeka Reid
Take it away Kirsty and your Hobopop Collective (This is actually very nice!!) https://youtu.be/bfv_3JOFYak
Yay! My vote is on there. I didn’t really expect anyone else to vote for Les Penning, but I quite like it.
I knew all my possible entries would end up in one of these “sad” lists – but there’s hope for the Penguin Café.
Not a chance in hell for The Nits though.
Frohes Neues, Fatima.
You might well like Tomeka Reid, the (black) (female) cellist. Mary Halvorson is my favourite guitar player, also a woman. Click here:
“Homopop more like!” So we said before I knew Kirsty McGee in person, when she had short hair and her then partner was a bit camp. Turns out no. TDSoS is an excellent album with lots of lovely (hetero) love songs.
More on that in my mix here (if you’ll excuse a cross-post plug!): https://theafterword.co.uk/murkeys-marvellous-mixtape-2019/
Is Kirsty McGee still vegan? I once made her a loaf of French bread (the recipe contains no milk powder) in the shape of a normal sandwich loaf (I made it in a bread making machine).
In other crazy young folkie news, I made Jim Moray a mug of black tea with brown sugar.
Any publishers on here? I should write a book.
I’m in there as well – so proud. C’mon let’s hear it for Scotland’s finest tunesmiths The Pearlfishers.
Who? 🙂
Pearlfishers were part of a fantastic “Songwriter Concert” in Berlin a couple of years ago – the other band was Teenage Fanclub! (They played each other’s songs as well as their own “hits”.)
A splendid evening.
Point of clarification: Bonobo is the artist, Fabric Presents the mix series. It’s OK, us dance music nerds are a minority round here. And mea culpa its Fabric Presents not Fabric Live. Changed about a year ago.
Thanks for clearing that up. (OK, I’m lying, I have still no idea what you mean. Mea Culpa)
If you’re going to the kitchen make mea cuppa too!
Yeah well, I might have guessed that I’d be the only one giving the thumbs up to Mozzer’s rather good covers album. I know he’s a buffoon with ridiculous ideas but his singing is tremendous these days as is his musical taste. This album has hardly been out of the CD player since summer.
Can’t believe no-one else voted for this – it’s ace:
Woo Hoo ! I made the Sad File. Such an exclusive clique.
I think I have accomplished that mighty feat also and I didn’t even take a legitimate part in the “vote”.
That scribbled note you handed over saying “Do it for me Lodey” has been deemed entirely legitimate. Thanks for signing it by the way, those eBay bids are piling up
I think you would find upon reading that note once more that it actually reads “Do it too me Lodey” that’s why I signed it “Tiggs xxx”.
I have DMed Tiggs (it’s legal down here) but still no reply
Ugh. Wha?
I’ve just had my medication thank you.
You lucky people, Rammstein is just thing to liven your January
Be warned, in a shocking development for the chaps, this video (the song is a total banger) is maybe just a bit NSFW…
Have I missed something? Where is the list?
LoW is drip feeding us to crank up the tension.
If you can bear the tension Tuesday morning might see Numbers 100 to 91. OMG!
Hope you put them all up at once before this thread turns into a sh*tfest.
Whilst fully recognising the validity of your strong if rather coarsely worded viewpoint and accepting completely your right to be “different” I must remind you that slowly releasing (or as the Mighty Tiggs might say “drip-feeding”) the results is an ancient tradition stretching back into the very mists of time (where mists of time = last year). Stay strong my Welsh Canadian brother, the Afterworder Album Poll of 2019 in all its glorious entirety should be on public display by 23rd February latest.
What exactly would the thread turning into a “sh*tfest” involve? I rather like the sound of that. Sounds way more exciting than the scheduled list of Carrie & Lowell wannabes.
As ever you is spot on. Bring on the shortest!
See what the censors just done???!!!
Let’s just pick our way warily, shall we, past the 450 albums strewn across the vast tundra of broken dreams and broken promises that lies underneath the Top Hundred.
To be honest folks, very few votes split Nos 100 down to 50 but here goes with the first tranche of nearly-but-not quite
Four albums tie for the coveted No 100 position
Yazz Amhed – Polyhymnia
Rowan Rheingans – The Lines We Draw Together
Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real – Turn Off The News
Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock
At No 96, two albums here
Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender
Bear’s Den – So That You Might Hear Me
And just to show how close it is here down in “If Only Mini or Bargepole or Someone Had Voted Land” there are no fewer than ten (count ’em, ten) at No 94
Twilight Sad – It Won’t Be Like This All The Time
Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive
Pye Corner Audio – Hollow Earth
Liam Gallacher – Why Me? Why Not?
Judy Collins & Jonas Field – Winter Stories
Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks
John Zorn – Note Cantici per Francesco Dassissi
Divine Comedy – Office Politics
Binker Golding – Abstractions Of Reality Past & Incredible Feathers
Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet
It’s so difficult to choose one highlight out of the treasure trove above so instead why not try something from Swidt, a hip hop collective from Onehunga, New Zealand. (Eagle-eyed viewers might spot an artificial sheep in this groundbreaking video)
I’ve written to Jim’ll Fix It asking them to fix it so that Voice Of A Rebel wins this year. No reply as of yet.
Has this thread turned into a sh*tfest yet, do you know?
Where there’s sheep there’s shit
And I believe that as we speak both Jed and
Ward are on their way to Onehunga
Interesting – I would have thought Divine Comedy would have scored higher. I haven’t really been a fan since the last century, but I would have thought them a very AW-friendly act, and I’ve heard that record played a lot in HMV and on 6 Music etc.
Oh Lordy lordy. More confusion over The Divine Comedy and Divine Comedy. Whoever they are they have just leapt many many places up the charts. Oh lordy lordy
Thanks for some results, but if you have 10 albums tied at 94 then the next one would be at no. 104. Or are you planning to cram 300 albums into a top 100?
(you listed 16 albums between 94 and 100)
That’s cos there are so many tied with the same number of votes. Next you will be telling me you want a mathematically accurate poll.
Typo alert!
It says “Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock” at position 100. This should read “Nick Cave – Ghosteen” instead.
Never liked Nick since he rudely snubbed me in a Brighton café but giving no secrets away he is considerably higher in our charts than 100. I haven’t listened to Bob Mould since roughly 1861
Typo alert 2!
If it says “Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars” at position 001.,this should read “Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Yn Oll Annwn” instead.
Don’t be too hard on Little Gary, it is quite a common typo.
You managed to find an internet connection on The Island then – how’s Bri?
Oh KFD, I will never tire of your optimism. I fear we will be all in our graves before the plucky young North Walian electro doommongers trouble the upper, or indeed, lower reaches of an AW chart.
Trust me on this one, Kid Dynamite. The Welsh blood in my veins tells me that their time is nigh.
All that is needed is a collaboration with the likes of Stormzy, Metallica, Sigur Ros or the Wiggles and their star will rise magnificently.
As the tension mounts I feel it wise to post numbers 84 to 69 – as you will see the votes remain incredibly close together
84 =
The Rails – Remind Me Tomorrow
Steve Earle – Guy
82=
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Show
Motorpsychco – The Crucible
Harp & A Monkey – The Victorians
79=
Our Native Daughters – Songs Of
Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving
Calexico/Iron & Wine – Years To Burn
75=
Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury
Santana – Africa Speaks
Rockingbirds – More Rockingbirds
Greg Foat – Greg Foat
FKA Twigs – Magdalene
Bonnie Prince Billy – I Made A Place
69=
Lau – Midnight & Closedown
Karen O & Dangermouse – Lux Prima
Fionn Regan – Cala
Here’s something rather pleasant to fall asleep to
I am disappoint. Our Native Daughters and FKA Twigs are way too low. Are you sure little Gary understands the scoring system?
yes I demand a recount re OND as well. first of my list to appear so I am assuming that all my other excellent choices will be the toppermost of the poppermost, as opposed to being unloved by anyone but me.
Recount duly completed. Little Gary got confused between “Songs of Our Native Daughters” and “Our Native Daughters”. Our Native Daughters have therefore leapt many, many places up the charts. I’m beginning to think I gave Little Gary too much of a free hand
HI @Lodestone_of_Wrongness I think you need to give your little helper Gary a sound thrashing. The Rails didn’t have an album called Remind me Tomorrow out in 2019. It was called Cancel the Sun.
I think you need to cancel his pay. Unless of course he is doing it for favours.
I think you mean Little Gary.
Listen here Stevie Boy, I get confused enough as it is by all them cells and numbers and things. I can’t be expected to check the veracity of each and every entry can I? Does this mean somebody out there voted for the wrong year and the wrong album? OMG!!!!
Erm … there must be a bit of a mistake at no.75.
The Greg Foat album there is listed as “Greg Foat”. Now, Greg Foat is an incredibly productive guy, and he released 5 albums last year alone, but I don’t think any of them was eponymous.
Thanks for pointing it out, of course it should read “Greg Foat – The Mage”
@duco01 Another on the way… https://twitter.com/StrutRecords/status/1214901484825001984?s=19
Mr Foat: STOP!
No more albums for the time being, please.
I’m still trying to digest “The Dreaming Jewels”
Shouldn’t it be like this? (sorry I am an engineer)
If you have 3 albums at 69, then that takes the 69,70 and 71 positions so next one is 72 etc.
99=
Yazz Amhed – Polyhymnia
Rowan Rheingans – The Lines We Draw Together
Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real – Turn Off The News
Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock
97=
Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender
Bear’s Den – So That You Might Hear Me
86=
Twilight Sad – It Won’t Be Like This All The Time
Sleaford Mods – Eton Alive
Pye Corner Audio – Hollow Earth
Liam Gallacher – Why Me? Why Not?
Judy Collins & Jonas Field – Winter Stories
Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks
John Zorn – Note Cantici per Francesco Dassissi
Divine Comedy – Office Politics
Binker Golding – Abstractions Of Reality Past & Incredible Feathers
Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet
84 =
The Rails – Remind Me Tomorrow
Steve Earle – Guy
81=
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Show
Motorpsychco – The Crucible
Harp & A Monkey – The Victorians
78=
Our Native Daughters – Songs Of
Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving
Calexico/Iron & Wine – Years To Burn
72=
Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury
Santana – Africa Speaks
Rockingbirds – More Rockingbirds
Greg Foat – Greg Foat
FKA Twigs – Magdalene
Bonnie Prince Billy – I Made A Place
69=
Lau – Midnight & Closedown
Karen O & Dangermouse – Lux Prima
Fionn Regan – Cala
Once we’ve got through the listings I’ll make the entire spreadsheet available and then we can argue who was 69th=
Cheers for the assistance
Little Gary is locked in his room, I will deal with him later. Let’s have a recap shall we? Ignore anything you may have already seen.
102 =
Sam Cohen
Nerija
My Life Story
Kate Tempest
Fat White Family
97=
Yazz Ahmed
Rowan Rheingans
Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real
Bob Mould
93=
Hiss Golden Messenger
Bear’s Den
91=
Twilight Sad
Sleaford Mods
Pye Corner Audio
Liam Gallacher
Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld
Josh Ritter
John Zorn
Blinker Golding
Andrew Bird
82=
The Rails
Steve Earle
80=
The Teskey Brothers
Motorpsycho
Harp & A Monkey
77=
Sarathy Karwar
Calexico/Iron & Wine
75=
Sturgill Simpson
Santana
Rockingbirds
Greg Foat
FKA Twigs
Bonnie Prince Billy
69=
Lau
Karen O & Dangermouse
Fionn Regan
My humble apologies. Here’s some wonderful Kate Rusby by way of a small recompense https://youtu.be/e6JMvwORx-Q?list=PLBEF5Uy-yi2BwRIliXgFRqpeXpsYLNNTe
By the way @Gary – this is now officially a shitfest
I thought it might be. I’m enjoying certain aspects of it immensely.
can I just say that this is already my favourite thread in ages. Long may Little Gary continue to stimulate and excite us all
Point of order. I am still waiting for Little Gary to stimulate and excite me or is there a separate southern hemisphere tour planned?
And another way (perhaps even the correct way???) of looking at the results so far might actually be
98=
Sam Cohen
Nerija
My Life Story
Kate Tempest
94=
Yazz Ahmed
Rowan Rheingans
92=
Hiss Golden Messenger
Bear’s Den
83=
Twilight Sad
Sleaford Mods
Pye Corner Audio
Liam Gallacher
Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld
Josh Ritter
John Zorn
Blinker Golding
Andrew Bird
81=
The Rails
Steve Earle
78=
The Teskey Brothers
Motorpsycho
Harp & A Monkey
76=
Sararthy Karwar
Calexico/Iron & Wine
70=
Sturgill Simpson
Santana
Rockingbirds
Greg Foat
FKA Twigs
Bonnie Prince Billy
67=
Lau
Karen O & Dangermouse
Fionn Regan
And now back to Terry Wogan at Ringside
Far be it from me to question Little Gary’s calculations and methods, but … just to add another stirrer to the sh*tpot:
Liam Gallagher get 2 number 2s (many people have said his is a big number 2) – scoring 38 points – and is nestled away at 83=
Did he have points deducted for being a prize knob?
38 points indeed earned the coveted 83rd equal spot. As I may have mentioned before the points difference in the 50th to 100th position is very small – another 19 points for Knobhead would have seen him rise a dizzying 30 places
For Yazz the only way is up it seems.
You’re doing great, Lodey. It’s a lot of work for one hombre and I salute you..
Cheers, next time I will stay at home and do it all on a “proper” computer (and I will ban all entries of bands and artists I have never heard of especially those with silly names)
I knew this would be stressful for you Lodey that’s why I tried to set you up with Tigg for a little bit of “executive relief”. I’m all heart me.
There are some things that are just too big for Little Gary to handle. Still nothing from Tiggs
I can handle anything.
Well, this is all going smoothly.
I think you will find it’s a shitstorm. But now that a proper seafaring captain has taking the helm it’s plain sailing from now on in. Left hand down a bit and pay no attention to that iceberg. Orchestra – keep playing!
A new dawn breaks, the storm seems to have passed. Up the mainsail! Get me a cabin boy!
64 Peter Perrett – Humanworld
63 Tedeschi Trucks Band – Signs
61=
Durand Jones & The Indications – American Love Call
Big Thief – UFOF
59=
Lambchop – This I Wanted To Tell You
Karine Polwart – Scottish Songbook (I demand a recount!!)
56=
Mavis Staples – Live in London
Jeffrey Lewis and The Voltage
Hayes Carll – What It Is
55 Jeff Tweedy – Warmer ( I demand a recount!!)
54 Dave – Psychodrama
52=
Ezra Collective – You Can’t Steal My Joy
Big Thief – Two Hands
51 Bill Callahan – Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest
50 Coldplay – Everyday Life
Sorry everyone but this just had to be done https://youtu.be/7HmiFxqdgq4
You seem to be getting the hang of it. Yes, Jeff is rather low, but will have another entry later under a different name.
Yay for Mavis!
Here here.
Where where
56=
I know, was just pointing out “Here here”, rather than “Hear, hear”
😉
Oh FFS get on with it…
Now, now Uncle Mousey, the last thing you want to be doing is rushing the poor chap. That’ll only increase the risk of spillage and breakages and who knows what other palaver. As they say in Salford, you can’t skin a whippet while chewing a lobster. As long as the results are in before we all die.
If you don’t shut the fuck up Mousey I will release here and now the Top Three positions. And boy are there surprises in there (actually there aren’t but that’s not the point is it, oh impatient one? Take a lesson from Zen Master Gary – free your mind, think of nothing. Oh, you’re driving..sorry ’bout that)
You tell him, Lodes. Roger “Sandy” Tonge didn’t spend the best years of his working life in a wheelchair just for you to have your incompetence exposed and ridiculed.
Ah, Sandy Sandy. Somewhere in my student life I got addicted to Crossroads, life has never been as good since. But enough of this idle chatter…
48=
Van Morrison – Three Chords & The Same Record I Made Last Year
The Long Ryders – Psychedelic Country Soul
47 Nils Frahm – All Encores
46 WH Lung – Incidental Music ( incidentally on my Christmas visit to Brighton I noticed this was No1 for Resident Records)
45 Joan Shelley – Like The River Loves The Sea
44 Little Simz – Grey Area
43 Lankum – The Livelong Day
42 Underworld – Drift
41 Steve Hackett – At The Edge of Light
And just to show what an open-minded guy I am here’s a little ditty from a guy who used to play in my wife’s favourite band https://youtu.be/IGt0GXb4PTg
And the hits just keep on coming!
39=
James Blake – Assume Form
Big Big Train – Grand Tour
38 Sharon von Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow (at least twenty places too low)
37 Mercury Rev – Bobbie Gentry Revisited
35=
Lloyd Cole – Guesswork
Hania Rani – Esja
34 Beth Gibbons helped by some Polish Guys – Symphony of Sorrowful Songs
33 Elbow – Giants of All Sizes
32 Fontaines DC – Dogrel
31 The Waterboys – Where The Action is
So here’s The Waterboys (well almost…) https://youtu.be/UHLvBxVZu3w
You’d have thought Ms Apple would have cleared the frog from her throat before she hit ‘record’.
I haven’t listened to anything of hers for 25 years, and that’s put me off investigating any further.
Can’t believe Shazza was only #38.
I’m shocked!
No stopping us today, folks!
27=
The National – I Am Easy To Find
Steve Mason – About The Light
Richard Hawley – Further
Edwyn Collins – Badbea
26 The Chemical Brothers – No Geography
24=
The Specials – Encore
Joe Jackson – The Fool ( that’s Bri cheering that is)
23 Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
22 The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Life Force of the Deep Mystery
21 Black Midi – Schlagenheim
So let me get this straight – this lot got to No 21? Bemused of Languedoc signing off for today….
I was disappointed with Further. More of the same but with diminishing returns.
Sadly it’s been a pattern for him for some time, as it is with most acts that have been around for 20+ years. There were quite a few artists I wished would follow REM’s lead and call it day, before I finally managed to overcome the completist’s need to own every CD by artists I like, after years of trying. Occasionally there’s an imaginary big red flashing arrow that appears by the CD shelves, pointing at the missing album at the end of a row of Belle and Sebastian or Madness albums, but my willpower is surprisingly winning the battle.
However, the rule of diminishing returns makes you appreciate it more when artists put out a string of great albums late into their career (e.g. Elton John), or reinvent themselves (e.g. Gary Numan), or try something different that comes off (e.g. Bruce, with the orchestra on Western Stars) or just release something that’s not a load of old rubbish for a change (e.g. Ringo’s latest, which is mainly rubbish, but contains a few of the best tracks he’s done for decades).
Even Morrissey put out an album last year that bucked the diminishing returns trend he was well stuck in to. Who’d have thought a covers album with Morrissey singing songs by the likes of Roy Orbison and Gary Puckett would turn out to be the best album he’d released for years?
I regard Truelove’s Gutter as his masterpiece. Standing At The Sky’s Edge tried some different styles, notably Psych Rock. I give him bonus points for that, even if they didn’t really suit. Hollow Meadows has three tracks of the emotional heft of Truelove’s Gutter but wasn’t as satisfying across the album as a whole. Further is back to his slow build blueprint and, sadly, doesn’t succeed.
I suspect OOAA.
Can you suggest what the string of Elton John albums is? I was always a big fan but lost touch when he went through his “shit years” sequence and never returned. I listened to the autobiography and felt I was missing out so listened to the Captain & The Kid a few times but was unimpressed but I feel there must be something there for me. So suggestions please.
Songs From The West Coast was his corkingiest for many a year.
The one after – Peachtree Road – was no slouch either.
Yep, start there. Songs From The West Coast is excellent.
Thanks both of you… two albums downloaded ready for tomorrow.
Let us know what you think. Songs From The West Coast is my favourite album of his, and I say that as someone who has every album of his on CD, even the rubbish ones.
I was never a fan of Elton John, that was until `Songs From The West Coast`. Still not a fan of the man and his lifestyle but that album is very good as are the two albums that followed.
I have never knowingly listened to a whole album of neither Elton John nor Morrissey. Until this poll I had never even heard of Richard Hawley. I feel my life is better for this fact.
Truelove’s Gutter is an all-time classic in my view. You are missing out.
Tomorrow it will be played.
I want to like RH but he always sounds like a pastiche of something else. I saw him live and he was disappointing then too.
I saw him open the Fleadh (sp?) festival at Finsbury Park in the mid-90s, thought he was great, bought the first mini-album (loved it), bought the up to Coles Corner, gave up after. I have a couple from a chazza here in the “not listened to” pile.
If you have Truelove’s Gutter, play it today!
Didn’t manage it yesterday so this afternoon whilst Lady W goes pilateing I will give Truelove’s Gutter a go. I admit my expectations are not high, in the gutter even, but as you know I am nothing but fair-minded, open to change and always willing to give new things a go. Why, even last night
That would be Truelove’s Gutter from 2009. Ever at the bleeding edge, you and me…
Is that it? Is this thread now over?
Thursday mornings I’m very busy pretending to be a writer
Sorry for the delay, pop-pickers – been a busy day. Let’s get straight to it shall we?
20. Our Native Daughters – Songs Of (assuming their rightful position in our Top Twenty after a wee bit of confusion earlier on)
19. Better Oblivion Center – Better Oblivion (another one for my “never heard of them, must play it” list)
17=
Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
The Divine Comedy – Office Politics (assuming their rightful position in our Top Twenty after a wee bit of confusion earlier on)
16 Agnes Olsen – All Mirrors
15 Wilco – Ode To Joy
14 Aldous Harding – Designer (tried hard to like this but so far failing)
13 Billie Eilish – When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go (simply astonishing)
12 Yola – Walk Through Fire (do the poll again and it’s in my Top Ten)
11 Alison Moorer – Blood (ten places too high IMHO)
Here for your delight all the way from inside a Van In Texas
I finally listened to the Billie Eilish album the other day. My 14 year old daughter is obsessed with it. I thought it was okay. A bit like a mini pop version of Lana Del Rey. However, I wouldn’t have thought those songs would work in a place like Manchester Arena, where I’ve bought my daughter tickets to see her. I’d have thought a place like Leeds O2 would be more suitable. Of course, she’d have to do umpteen nights at each smaller venue to satisfy the demand for tickets, so it wouldn’t be feasible, but nevertheless, I’m not sure the songs are made for an arena. Then again, the same can be said for many artists that have to play arenas these days.
Production is great. Songs, maybe not so much. I am nearly 50, and not the target market.
She was on in the afternoon at Reading Festival and she won the audience vote for the whole weekend – it was absolutely rammed. I think it was Blossoms on after her, they only had half the crowd.
Her next gig is at the O2, over £100 for the cheap seats. No, thanks!
Who is this Agnes Olsen bird? Any relation to Angel Obel?
Little Gary’s fingers are SO clumsy
Ive only listened to 2 of the last bunch – OND which was good (I suspect you’d get lynched on this site if you said anything less than that) and Yola which I thought was quite ordinary at the time so I guess better check that one out again.
No lynching here, FF – all opinions are valid. Even the nutters who think the Billie Eilish album is just “okay”…
I think that should read “All opinions are valid although mine is quite obviously the only one to be trusted” (see below)
Big Wilco fan here but I find `Ode To Joy` a bit underwhelming.
Up to this album any Wilco/related album was an automatic buy from me. I will have to give the next albums a listen before buying.
I bailed at Blue Sky Blue. There is only so much wistful Americana I can take. Judicious downloading of individual tracks is the way forward. Mind you that applies to every single album ever released, so.
Must admit that fine though it is Ode To Joy isn’t up there in my Wilco Top Faves
I now think OTJ may be their best since SBS. The sequencing is challenging, but the overall standard is extremely high. Vinyl helps with this release. The songs really come alive on stage too, sometimes I wish they would do a Neil Young and release an album of new songs recorded live.
So helter-skeltering towards the Top Three…
10. The Delines – Imperial (a relative newbie for me but a real grower, time to investigate the back catalogue methinks)
9. Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance (must admit I think nostalgia votes got Len this high)
8. Jenny Lewis – On The Line (it’s not Foxes For Fuck’s Sake is it though?)
7. Richard Dawson – 2020 (the moment this poll lost it’s credibility – have you all gone bonkers??)
6. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising ( a mighty record, well done folks)
5. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride (never really got VW – a poor man’s Talking Heads IMHO)
4. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen ( from the voting pattern it seems you either love this record or you don’t rate it all. After that time in Brighton when Nick snubbed me completely which camp do you think I’m in?)
The Delines record is good but their previous studio album Colfax is magnificent.
Jenny Lewis has done well here; I like it but need to listen to it more. But really didn’t feel compelled to give Nick Cave more than a couple of listens.
I agree: debut superb, this years, frankly, a tad underwhelming.
It’s all relative though. I thought the same about the gigs in support of said albums.
Get bestof done!
ooooh the tension, etc.
3 ?
2 Lana
1 Bruce
Michael Kiwanuka
Sorted
At No3 exactly where it should be
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
OK this is more like it – pleased to see several of my list finally appearing with two of them obviously about to medal, as the sports commentators so ungrammatically like to say.
At No 2 – have you all gone completely bonkers, it’s obviously Number One??
Lana Del Rey – Norman Always Liked ‘im Rockwell
‘
And so to Number One – from out of nowhere, out of leftfield, never saw that coming
Brooooooooooce – Western Stars
And here’s my take on this: if only Bobby D had lasted this long with this kind of genius quality. This is precisely the way for Old Geezers To Get Old. I was initially sceptical but guess what, adding a live orchestra only makes it better! And man oh man I want that barn…
Dylan did manage great albums 38 years apart (Freewheelin’ and Love and Theft), some would stretch that to 2009 or even later (Together Through Life or The Tempest in 2012), which would match or exceed the 46 years between The Wild, the Innocent and the E St Shuffle and Western stars.
That’s wrong spelt Wrong. Love and Theft is a crock of poop and last I heard Bruce hasn’t released an album of Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Christmas Hits.
Na, Love and Theft is awesome (Mark Ellen agreed with me about that)
Bruce has done Christmas music …
I agree Love and Theft is a great album as is Tempest.
Sir Bob of Zimmerman has nothing left to prove to anyone.
Re Western Stars: I haven’t heard it, obvs, but there’s NO WAY this should be number 1. What’s wrong with everyone ect ect
I should also add I’m afraid there is NO arguing – Western Stars was so far ahead of the rest it was almost embarrassing. I love it, obviously, but I really was surprised how many on here shared my view
ps anybody who wants the entire spreadsheet in all its glory message through the usual channel
When you say ‘entire’ spreadsheet, does that include all the individual entries? If so, I wouldn’t mind having a play around with it.
Edit: Sorry, forgot to thank you for all your efforts, especially as my number one made it into the top 100 for a change!
Sorry but I couldn’t keep a separate record of the individual listings as I bounced around Europe. There’s a Welsh guy currently living in Canada who might be able to help you
I think you got the places right in the end (without checking spreadsheet). Good work!
WS is exactly where it deserves to be. I heard a lot of great music in 2019, I thought it was a pretty good year, but that album was head and shoulders above…
Thanks for taking the time and effort LoW.
And one last footnote. On here I somehow seemed to have gained a reputation as a bad-tempered old man who is completely out of step with what The Afterword consegnati think hip and groovy. May I remind you all of something I said back in December as The Poll stuttered into life?
“We already know the Top 3 Albums of The Year – Lana, Bruce and Michael, duh”.
I am indeed The God of Hellfire and I do indeed bring you a nice glass of wine
Regardless of your impressive predictive skills, thank you for your hard work.
Echoed
My thanks too!
Good work. And you were lucky to have the other fella to help you finish. His little hands must have been busy.
Good stuff LofW, credit where it’s due.
How disappointing that we have voted WS No 1 – that puts us in the same league as those boring ‘best of’ poll that have Sgt Pepper or Pet Sounds as No 1. We all secretly know that The Pearlfishers were No 1 – closely followed by The Delines so clearly its a fix.
Weyes Blood is a mystery to me (as Toyah would say). Quite pleasant but not unlike Rumer who would never got in the AW Top 100 (I don’t think?)
Gonna have to give Weyes Blood a listen because I quite like a Rumer.
Well we made it. And what a journey it has been. Many thanks to LofW and his Little friend for their selfless work; it’s been a gas.
And, actually for all the Mojo friendliness of much of the list I reckon it’s a pretty good one this year. Here’s to 2020 – who’s going to follow Ry and Bruce for the coveted Afterword award I wonder? Bob doing Sinatra volume 4 perhaps?
Thanks, Lodey. I am pleased, as ever, to sit only on the fringe of taste, dipping in and out of favourites as I see fit. But, apropos Bruce, has no-one spotted his imperial new clothes. (And rug!)
Coming soon, the post about those heard since the list.
Is it too late to vote?
Frankie Lane released a new album in 2019? Stop the presses, the voting has just re-opened!
Tip of the hat to you, Mr Wrong and Small Gary. Your sterling efforts are much appreciated.
Thank you, Lodey. You must be exhausted. I bet you are glad it’s all over. See you next year.
I like doing it cos it opens up my tired old ears to new music but it is indeed a labour of love. Especially when at least 450 of the entries are to my tired old eyes completely unintelligible. I still have this nagging doubt that you lot get together and agree you will enter such gems as “Plippy Ploppy – Runes of Absenthia” just to wind me up
It’s Gaslight for the Spotify generation!
ONE MAN’S SECRET AND UNHOLY DESIRES!!
“Don’t worry, Lodey. There’s no one in the attic, You are just imagining it all.”
“Lorelle and the Absolute? Fictitious? No, not at all. DuCool and I saw them perform at a scout hut in Gubbängen only last week.”
“Little Gary? Sorry, Mr Lodenstine. He’s been called away to take care of his maiden aunt in Grimsby. But I’m Göran and I am here to help you now. That’s Göran with two pricks, in case you are confuse.”
Dial H for Hollywood! We have a stunning drama of one man’s descent into madness just waiting to be filmed.
Good work Lodey. Amazed no one nominated “Colorado” by Neil Young and Crazy Horse which smokes Western Stars quite frankly. The Horse rhythm section and Neil/Nils duelling? Come on.
Songs dear boy …
great job Mr Lodestone of Wrongness, many thanks
Neil & Co twas nominated twice but is lying in The Tundra at the coveted Number 278 spot
I voted for Broos but now I am bored by it. They all sound the same.
But you are easily bored. Why, even last night
And have you given the movie a whirl? At an Eel Market near you
I suspect that in years to come, we’ll look back on this poll and think Lana was robbed. I even look back just twelve months and think Ry wasn’t all that.
Anyone keen to organise an album of the decade poll?
Back last century I kept my own list of my Albums of the Year – although those lists have long disappeared I can pretty much 100% guarantee that 97.8% of my then favourites have not stood the test of time.
And does that matter? Not a jot, these kind of polls are just snapshots in time aren’t they?
I did go through my best of the year from 2010 and agree that very few have stood the test of time and one or two I couldn’t even recall. Probably be the same with films books and TV. But agree that is still fun having this annual event. Well done compilers!
Before we do that, Tigs, why don’t we look back and see what has stood the test of time. Not that it matters, but it is entertaining. “Snapshots in time” is a great description.
I seem to remember Agnes Obel did fairly well one year. The Duke and I are going to see her in a month or two and I am really looking forward to that. So she’s a keeper for me.
Album of the decade? I still plan (maybe… at some point…) to resurrect and finally iron out my big 60 years poll I did last year. (Remember that?)
Give me until… ooh February… after the dust has settled on the album of 2019 poll. And then if I haven’t had time to dig it up again then, someone else is welcome to take over if I just send them my big spreadsheet.
We had a lot of clear front-runners for certain years, but if you remember there was a lot of debate over how to decide the winners.
I am already going off Lana, down from 2 to 3 in my list of 5. Too long and samey.
yes, that’s my feeling so far. Some great stuff on it though. The same accusation could be leveled at Vampire Weekend.
Silly boys. “We play the Eagles down in Malibu and I want it: there’s something that I never knew I wanted”. Listen to The Tigger
I get that someone might night like any album which is all of-a-pace or all of-a-theme or the same frickin’ chords over and over, but I can never understand the criticism I hear all the time here that an album’s “too long”. You’re not obliged to listen to the whole thing every time! Personally, I regularly skip the one song on NFR (Doin’ Time) which I don’t much care for and have been known to stick on the kettle (thereby creating a fun “Psychocandy”-style effect during the latter part of Venice Bitch.
Some of my most played albums are 45-or-so minute edits of otherwise ace albums without the annoying bits I don’t need to hear again (the kids on The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, for example) but that still means more minutes of actual brilliance than the entirety of, say, What’s Going On.
I NEVER play the last two songs on The Velvet Underground And Nico, just like I would never watch any of the Alien films after the first two more than that one time.
In contrast, Lenny Cohen failed to make my top 20 this year, despite having 15 of the best minutes by anybody because his whole album is shorter than an Orb track. If your album is that short then every second needs to be excellent…
Fair point, but I think it can show a lack of discrimination and discipline on the part of the artist. I want to know that they have really thought about what they are putting out there and that they have exercised self critical editing so I don’t have to do it for them.
The other situation where your solution doesn’t work is where it isn’t so much, or only, a case of too many songs, but where an artist consistently goes on too long within tracks. Get in, say what you have to say, and get out again – don’t spin it out to five minutes when you’ve done all the interesting stuff in three.
Artists are, in my limited experience, not great at editing. That’s what a good producer should do.
“Get in, say what you have to say, and get out again”
Try saying that to Richard Wagner!
The same goes for Directors’ Cuts of movies. They are never shorter. Actually, fair does. I can understand a director whose work has been savagely edited in the name of commerce. wanting to put the record straight.
Well if anyone could have done with a critical friend saying ‘too much, mate, too much’ it was Richard Wagner.
Which happens on the album. Certainly some great songs, but some are overlong and there are too many of them.
And if people are claiming something to be “album of the decade” then hopefully you aren’t getting bored halfway through or skipping tracks. If she had mixed it up a bit then that would help too, rather than similarly arranged and paced tracks all following one another.
My other contender for no. 2 album for the year (Wilco), also has some problems, but Jeff inserted some relatively fun pop songs at points when it is all getting too much.
I like its length and its steady pace. Lana sets out her stall, with attitude, “This is me. This is how I roll. I’m baring my soul here. Fuck you if you don’t like it.”
(I also skip Doin’ Time, funnily enough. It’s recorded by a different producer, as are a couple of the later tracks, which happen to be really good.)
Instead of that Hawley Gutters stuff I played Lana all the way through this afternoon. You skip a track (or two)? You crazy. Never listen to The Tigger
“Fuck you if you don’t like it” = Fuck her if you don’t buy it.
Just sayin..
Quite right, too. And I don’t think she cares.
Looking at last year’s list I reckon we’ve done a much better job this year. Of the top records last year I’d suggest only Ry, Janelle and Christine are still justifying a top 20 position..
Crikey, just had a look at last year’s and you’re not wrong. I’m not bothered about the Ray Cooder one though, so I’d just stick with Janelle and Christine.
Album of the decade? Shirley only 9 years have passed of the last decade.
Let me see: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, yep 9 years.
You can count them any way you want, starting from whenever you want, but in general, decades have names. 60s, 70s, 90s, etc. Since we’ve just started the 20s, the previous one must have finished(whatever it was called). No?
Is it all done and dusted then? I fell asleep a third of the way down the “list”. Well done Lodey for having the stamina and working up the enthusiasm. You’re a better man than I.
Lana has invented her world, her own style. Not many acheive that. It’s always different, always the same.
Should not be here. Oh well.
Perhaps she should join The Fall?
Mariners apartment complex conspiracy-ah!
😂😂😂
I feel I need to stand up and speak up a little for the “I don’t recognise most of the names on this list and I’ve not heard any of the top ten, nor do I really have a desire to listen to them either” brigade.
This poll is a great achievement but it’s just hammered home to me (as if I needed reminding) how out of touch with modern music I am!
Still, La Roux has a new album out soon so I’m predicting that will be my album of 2020. I like La Roux and her/their retro eighties stylings.
i think you are most of us in not exactly having your finger on the pulse. Whilst this is a good list it is one which reflects the Afterword demographic – not a lot of grime or ‘urban’, or contemporary pop (Billie Eilish aside) on our list compared to the Album of the Year Year-end poll aggregator. This has Bruce at no 38 and Our Native Daughters doesn’t even appear so what do they know, eh?
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2019/
Oh, and the Weyes Blood is superb and absolutely merits its place on our (and the AOTY) list.
Thanks and well done.
I guess I was the only vote for Michaela Anne and her beautiful album Desert Dove which I love and have played so many times more than Weyes Blood.
Does anyone have access to all the Afterword year end poll lists, going back before the big drop-out? Would be fascinating to see them gathered together in one place.
It is my duty to inform the Honourable Members of The AfterWord that after many days of detailed nay forensic investigation a grave nay heinous error has been discovered concerning the votes cast in the Album of 2019 Poll.
It seems that Little Gary despite his boyish charms and nimble fingers was simply not the man, nor indeed the boy, for this most onerous nay important of tasks.
Some may suspect there were deeper nay nefarious motives behind Little Gary’s dismissal/hiding of votes cast for our actual winner. Suffice to say he is locked in our deepest dungeons where despite his earnest pleadings we are refusing to whip his scrawny if still attractive body into bloody repentance. Instead we are playing him Richard Dawson’s 2020 on constant repeat – that will teach the naughty, naughty scamp!
So Lady and Gentlemen I am proud nay humbled to announce that the real winner of the AfterWord Album of 2019 is , cue trumpets and hallelujahs, Kate Rusby “Philosophers, Poets & Kings”.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you! He’s a nice enough lad, but there was always something a bit shifty about him, He’ d never look you in the eyes.
I remember when he was working at your bistro and I ordered a bottle of Chateau Lodestone 77. Something odd about the way he opened the bottle and filled our glasses.
Malarky afoot here, I thought. This will end in tears.
Any good news for King Gizzard?
I fear that with the credibility of our Poll at less-than-zero levels we can announce anything we like. Lady and Gentlemen – in second place with two zillion votes I give you King Lizard featuring The Gizzard Brothers & Quiver!!!