I was on my way home yesterday when I found myself wondering about the best records to have been released so far this decade. Never one to shirk a list-based challenge, I gave myself 15 minutes to come up with a top 10, on the (enormously dubious) basis that any album that didn’t jump to mind in those 15 minutes couldn’t be much cop anyway.
Enclosed below is what I came up with – I’d be interested to hear what others here would have on their own lists.
Before we go any further, I want to clarify that I am well aware that modern music is for the birds, that there was a 6 year period between 1963 and 1969 (or whenever) that shits all over this stuff, that Deafheaven have never had a top 10 hit, and all that other great stuff we must always be treated to when new(ish) music is raised on the blog. You’re fascinating, and ever-so-discerning and special and I’d love to hear more about all of it, just maybe on another thread.
With that out of the way, and without further ado – here we go….
1. “Have One On Me” – Joanna Newsom (2010)
I didn’t much care for either of the first two Joanna Newsom albums, and I could never get on with “the voice”. Then I heard this, and it all clicked into place. The vocals are just that little bit more measured, the poetry of the lyrics is a little more focused, and the whole idea of fusing Joni, Kate and some truly beautiful harp playing is strong enough to carry us over all three discs. I know it’s still very much a marmite record, but it’s the one I can most easily imagine still going back to in decades to come. Provoked one of the very few moments of the last six years where a piece of music stopped me dead in my tracks; all nine minutes of “In California”, listened to stock still in the corridor of a Las Vegas hotel, missing home badly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qukojXEK2GI
2. “New Bermuda” – Deafheaven (2015)
Those that get it, get it.
3. “channel ORANGE” – Frank Ocean (2012)
The great “where the fuck did THAT come from” musical moment of the decade. Frank Ocean first gained exposure as a member of the hip hop group Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (also home to Word Magazine favourite Tyler the Creator), a much-hyped gang of teens who ultimately offered more in the way of potty mouths and sensationalist interviews than they did talent. In 2012, via a couple of highly rated mix tapes and a guest spot on the Kanye/Jay-Z crossover record, Ocean released one of the more influential albums of the decade, a record which spawned a thousand copyists and rewrote the rules of what could be done lyrically in its own genre. Modern, but retro, tough, but tender – channel: Orange didn’t sound like anything else when it first dropped, and it still doesn’t today. It’s an album that takes a bit of time to reveal all of its charms, full of introspection and maturity. Ocean’s bisexuality gave rise to claims that this was R&B’s own “Bowie” moment, but I’m not so sure – Bowie could never sing like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNBD4OFF8cc&list=PLzF2lckq8ay82b-_v1jMHZFCcl79dgMqN
4. “Settle” – Disclosure (2013)
One of the great party records of recent years, and certainly the sound of every BBQ in young London in the Summer of 2013. One of the most fully-realised debut records you’ll ever hear, and guaranteed to get heads nodding and feet moving to this day. Always a go-to on a sunny day.
5. “Helplessness Blues” – Fleet Foxes (2011)
There was a lot of fuss around Fleet Foxes debut record, and this one kind of got lost in the back-wash. Nonetheless, it’s the one I’ve gone to, time and again, in the half decade since its release. It sounds great on a woozy Sunday morning when you’re frying the eggs, it sounds great on the train home of a summer evening, with the sun down low over the rooftops, it sounds great pretty much any time. Barring “Have One On Me”, it’s the most self-consciously “classic” sounding record on this list, with its close vocal harmonies and camp fire guitar. It’s a lovely, lovely album that’s much better than you remember it, which repays being revisited, and which gets a little better with each year that passes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9etElkQGKc
6. “Carrie & Lowell” – Sufjan Stevens (2015)
Already been done to death on here. It’s just lovely, OK?
7. “The Money Store” – Death Grips (2012)
The sonic template bitten on by Kanye and dozens of others over the last four years. An abrasive, unpredictable beat with a madman ranting over the top of it.
8. “I Love You, Honeybear” – Father John Misty (2015)
If any album on this list sums up the decade, it’s probably this one. The sheer hipsterosity of the thing is repulsive to some, but it’s what make it work from where I’m sat. The lyrics make me laugh out loud, there are tunes in abundance and it’s all just so much fun that I can’t stop listening to it.
9. “Tradi-Mods v Rockers (Alternative Takes on Congotronics) – Volume 1” – Various (2010)
Every decade needs its Endless Box of Chocolates album. The one you never quite seem to get to the bottom of, no matter how much you dig, and which always offers up a fresh treat even after many, many listens. For me, that record was “69 Love Songs” in the previous decade, and “Tradi-Mods…” in this one. Basically, it’s a tribute record, with different acts contributing their own responses to the classic “Congotronics” compilations which circulated in the early 2000s. It’s insanely varied, but the overall effect is of African village life, if you air-dropped a metric shit-ton of synths and string instruments into the middle of said village.
10. “Clark” – Clark (2014)
If you listen to certain genres of electronic music, the shadow of Burial has been cast long over this decade. Both in terms of the ongoing effort to refract, distort and atomise the human voice, and in terms of the gloomy, part-heard, part-felt dynamics of his many heirs apparent. Topping my personal list of the records that would not be but for Will Bevan is this, Clark’s 8th album, and a veritable feast of brooding undertones and skittering, Warp-ish beats. The overall vibe is basically War of the Worlds, if the response of the human race to the arrival of the Martian invaders had been to throw a gigantic hallucinogenic rave up.
Others which sprang to mind: Lonerism – Tame Impala, Black Messiah – D’Angelo, Cosmogramma – Flying Lotus, Sunbather – Deafheaven, Philharmonics – Agnes Obel, Celebration Rock – Japandroids, Modern Vampires of the City – Vampire Weekend, The Old Magic – Nick Lowe, There Is Love In You – Four Tet, Art Angels – Grimes, Coexist – The XX, Les Revenants Soundtrack – Mogwai, Immunity – Jon Hopkins, Warpaint – Warpaint, Blanck Mass – Blanck Mass, Royal Blood – Royal Blood, Spaces – Nils Frahm, good kid, m.A.A.d city – Kendrick Lamar, Hopelessness – Anohni, mbv – My Bloody Valentine, Smoke Ring For My Halo – Kurt Vile, Rival Dealer E.P – Burial, Black Prince Fury E.P – Anna Meredith, Tetsuo & Youth – Lupe Fiasco, Diamond Mine – Kid Creosote and Jon Hopkins.
So then, over to you – what would make your list?
1. “The Race For Space” – Public Service Broadcasting (2015)
A modern concept album that sounds all modern and everything.
2. “Carrie & Lowell” – Sufjan Stevens (2016)
Already been done to death on here. It’s just lovely, OK?
3. “Push The Sky Away” – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (2013)
I’ve never much liked Nick Cave before this. I listened to it after David Gilmour recommended it. Soft and gentle and beautiful.
4. “Blackstar” – David Bowie (2016)
I think that I might think that this is Bowie’s best album.
5. “The Endless River” – Pink Floyd (2014)
Marvellous retrospective finale to a great career. It’s What We Do is now one of my favourite Floyd instrumentals.
6. “The Beautiful Fear Part One” – The Beautiful Fear (2016)
Anyone who loves Meddle-era Floyd should check this out.
7. “Died In The Wool” – David Sylvian (2011)
The remixes companion album to Manafon. Just as musically sparse and out there as the original.
8. “Awake” – Tycho (2014)
Bright, uplifting, summer-y instrumentals.
9. “Saudade” – Thievery Corporation (2014)
Their bossa nova album.
10. “Tincian” – 9Bach (2014)
Who knew that Welsh could be so darn pretty?
Others which sprang to mind:
Howlin – Jagwar Ma (Ever wondered what The Stone Roses would sound like with a better singer but less amazing musicians? Click below.), Jerusalem – Alpha Blondy, Dive – Tycho, The War Room – Public Service Broadcasting, channel ORANGE – Frank Ocean, Tales Of Us – Goldfrapp, Everyday Robots – Damon Albarn, Morning Phase – Beck, Dis Side Ah Town – Roger Robinson, James Blake – James Blake, A Winged Victory For The Sullen – A Winged Victory For The Sullen
Some very good suggestions on there, particularly Jagwar Ma, PSB, and Morning Phase. Also some stuff I’ve not heard, which I shall check out forthwith.
I imagine you’ll probably be the only person to mention Blackstar….
It was you who turned me on to Frank Ocean. He’s great! I doubt I’ll ever get you spliffin’ up to The Endless River or The Beautiful Fear, but are you “oh fay” with Tycho’s gorgeous instrumental melodies?
I am listening to Tycho now, and digging it a lot. New one on me – ta!
I make no promises re: Endless River. Despite many attempts down the years, Yer Floyd have never really rung my bell.
The Tycho album is absolutely gorgeous, as you rightly say. If you like Awake, I would also recommend his previous album Dive.
Oh bugger, forgot Public Service Broadcasting on my list (brain working too quick and ignoring the obvious.
Two absolute top notch LPs
Yep, I forgot it as well. It’s excellent, and since my daughter’s taken a shine to it in the car, it’s probably the album I’ve heard most in the last couple of years
OK, here goes, here rather than at the end as, much as Tincian is great, I prefer this years Anian. So, in no order
Anian/9Bach, 2016 : Wonderful welsh folk,um, tronica.
Hearts Broken, Heads Turned/Jarlath Henderson, 2016 : Channeling Paul Brady and a little bit of Massive Attack on uillean pipes.
Blackstar/David Bowie : Stuff the hype (that was the last one), it is just great.
NW/Niteworks : 2015 : Bagpipe techno
All My Favorite Bands/Dawes, 2015 : West coast wonder
Like Water Through the Sand/Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch, 2015 : Chamber electronica with a classical bent (thanks Duco!)
The River and the Thread/Rosanne Cash, 2014 : Consummate songsmithery
From Scotland with Love/King Creosote, 2014 : Ditto
Kiasmos/Kiasmos, 2014 : Olafur Arnalds electro band project
Indian Ocean/Frazey Ford, 2014 : Country folk with a funky feel
Antiphon/Midlake, 2013 : Proggy delight
The Invisible Way,/Low 2013 : Their pinnacle
Heirs and Graces/Adam Holmes 2013 : Ryley’s good but Adams better (at tonight, I’m John Martyn)
Kaleidophonica/Spiro, 2012 : Remarkable and intricate geometrical acoustica.
The Light the Dead See/Soulsavers, 2012 : Epiphanic gospel
Revelation Road/Shelby Lynne, 2011 : Sings it all, plays it all, writes it all
Manran/Manran, 2011 : Hebridean nu-trad
Blessed/Lucinda Williams, 2011 : Her peak
Metals/Feist, 2011 : Slow burning maudlin joy
ABCDFG/Chumbawamba, 2010 : Swansong of the acoustic chorale
This is an impossible task; I have to stop at 2010 as I am just remembering stuff and needing to stop.
Shit, forgot Agnes. But which?
Aventine, by a whisker.
Glad you like the Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch album, retro!
I find myself returning to it, too. What a charming, pretty record it is.
Nice to see the Roger Robinson album mentioned in despatches, Gary. Great record.
It was hovering just outside my Top 12 list, too.
Great to have one new things to check out.
On the basis of just how often I reach for these things, I’d have to say:
Jonathan Wilson – Gentle Spirit or Fanfare – both wonderful, relaxing, uplifting and analogue sounding
Cody Chesnutt – Landing on a Hundred – the Headphone Masterpiece cocksure bedroom wunderkind has found religion and funk. Superb. And a lovely guy in person.
James Vincent McMorrow – Post Tropical – another relaxing, uplifter. Wonderful voice and some transcendent songs
Michael Kiwanuka – Live and Hate. Loving this and can see it sticking around.
Christ knows I’ve tried with Sufjan’s latest. It just hasn’t hit the spot and I have and love most of his other stuff. It just never reaches me. I want him to get his banjo out and he never does…
Apols for spellchecker bullshit. I really should have stuck to Blackberries. Donald Trump and his small hands will never know the agony of big thumbs…
My favourite albums of the decade:
1989 – Taylor Swift
Gentle Spirit – Jonathan Wilson
Everyday Robots – Damon Albarn
I know that’s only three but I’m awfully busy at work and I’m trying to concentrate on the cricket at the same time, so that may be all you get from me.
I’ve thought of a fourth.
This is Christmas – Tim Wheeler & Emmy the Great
The finest Christmas album around.
Oh yes, and
Mount the Air – the Unthanks.
I should have given this a bit more thought before I started out, shouldn’t I?
Yes indeed. I’m starting to suspect you may not have browsed the spines of your lovingly curated and alphabetised collection quite as thoroughly as you might have before contributing to this thread Captain H. If indeed you really are a Captain…
Mind you – ahem – I appear to have missed off Ryan Adams’s Ashes and Fire. I’m going outside now. I may be some time…
Apart from Dylan’s which I so nearly put on my own list, partly to tease, but also cos I bloody luvvit!
As I said before some of the comments were lost, this was on my list until I realised it was from 2009. Blooming great album.
ten off the top of my head
Deafheaven – New Bermuda
Just a sublime collision of noise and beauty. For those of you have read The Passage by Justin Cronin, remember the sequence where the viewpoint character (Wolgast, maybe?) is dying, knocked flat on his back and through dimming vision he sees the luminous virals dropping from the trees and thinks that they are falling stars? That’s what the last five minutes of Come Back sound like.
Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
Preposterously overblown punk rock that maps singer Patrick Stickles’ mental health issues onto the American Civil War, with dialogue supposed uttered by Presidents and general but actually spoken by people out of the Hold Steady and other Brooklyn indie no marks. It has one foot in grotty basement punk shows and one in Springsteenesque stadium rock and it is magnificent. They haven’t been anywhere as near as good before or since.
Forest Swords – Engravings
Dub for the twenty first century, smeared and echoing down bottomless caverns, but never forgetting a tune.
Actress – Splaszh
It’s a lazy thing to write about techno records, but this really does sound like it could be the soundtrack to the bets science fiction film you’ll ever see.
Panopticon – Roads To The North
Soaring nature infused black metal, with euphoric riffs, bluegrass breakdowns and spaced out psychedelic interludes.
Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
A late career highlight. Bruce albums are always best when they are thematically cohesive, and he delivers that in spades here, along with some great songs. It’s also one of his most musically varied records, rooted in rock but drawing in gospel, folk and plenty of other flavours.
Cold Crows Dead – I Fear A New World
I don’t think anyone heard this, but it’s fantastic. Morbid, woozy pop music, not a million miles from Sparklehorse. If this list piques you to try anything, make it this one.
Alcest – Ecailles De Lune
More metal, this time the record that practically invented blackgaze. It’s shoegaze, with all the gossamer ethereality that implies, married to vicious blackened riffing.
Bob Mould – Beauty And Ruin
A great collection of the kind of tuneful, melody packed, yet still fiercely blazing hardcore that Hüsker Dü’s legend was built on
Kinoko Teikoku – Fake World Wonderland
Japanese former shoegazers look up and discover tunes.
Honourable mentions: Emeralds – Does It Look Like I’m Here?, Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory, Girls – Father Son Holy Ghost, Shackleton – Fabric 55, Dub Spencer & Trance Hill – The Clashification Of Dub, Eleventh Dream Day – Works For Tomorrow, Foals – Total Life Forever, The Horrors – Skying, Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness, Killing Joke – Absolute Dissent, Kamasi Washington – The Epic and probably another dozen but my tea’s ready
Blimey – how did I manage to overlook Forest Swords, Alcest, Actress AND Titus Andronicus? A More Perfect Union would certainly be one of my choons of the decade…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNBD4OFF8cc&list=PLzF2lckq8ay82b-_v1jMHZFCcl79dgMqN
On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. I am in earnest — I will not equivocate — I will not excuse — I will not retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.
Balls – wrong link. Ah, well; that Frank Ocean performance is so mind-bogglingly ace we can have it twice.
Here’s what I meant to post:
ah, the full length version! It always bugged me that the promo video only covers the first half of the song
Love Sparklehorse. Will definitely try Cold Crows Dead.
I always have a little smile whenever I see you mention Kinoko Teikoku, it’s always good to know someone’s paying attention 🙂
Just playing Cold Crows Dead now, and it sounds good on first listen.
I would definitely add Daft Punk – Random Access Memories , Tame Imapala – Currents, and Phosphorescent – Muchacho as favourite albums.
They all wowed me, and still stand the test of time.
I’ve cheated by going through my list and, in doing so, I’ve listed stuff I wouldn’t have remembered even though I listen to the m regularly.
Harper Simon – Harper Simon (Great Album – awful “live” – second album was a huge disappointment)
Elizabeth Cook – Welder
Jenny & Johnny – I’m Having Fun Now (Sadly their only album but every playlist I do seems to include a track)
Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now (The only artist that has two inclusions in my list and currently my favourite country singer)
Devon Sproule – I Love You, Go Easy
Richmond Fontaine – The High Country
Fountains Of Wayne – Sky Full Of Holes (Their only album of the decade – we want a new one)
Nick Lowe – The Old Magic (Not his best but full of new gems)
David Mead – Dudes (I couldn’t believe this isn’t older, I’ve listened to this so many times that it just seems like it’s always been around – surely it’s time for a new one though! Probably my favourite of the decade so far)
First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
Lindi Ortega – Little Red Boots
Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose (Sadly they split this year but left a fine legacy)
Eleanor Friedberger – Personal record
Caitlin Rose – “The Stand In” (The second CR album on the list and possibly her best yet)
The New Mendicants – Into the Lime (Pernice Bros meets Teenage Fanclub)
Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park (I couldn’t decide on this or her second one – I could easily have included both)
FFS – FFS (Hopefully not the last we hear from them – great on record and even better live)
The Delines – Colfax (Great stories sung with soul)
Struggled with just 10, so I’ve compromised on 15 from my original list of 27, which I had already whittled down from….[that’s enough whittling – Mods].
In no particular order, other than strictly alphabetical.
Rosanne Cash – The River And The Thread (2014)
The Decemberists – The King Is Dead (2011)
Drive By Truckers – English Oceans (2014)
Jason Isbell – Southeastern (2013)
Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free (2015)
Israel Nash – Rain Plans (2013)
Gretchen Peters – Blackbirds (2015)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Hypnotic Eye (2014)
R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now (2011)
Justin Rutledge – Valleyheart (2014)
Paul Simon – Stranger To Stranger (2016)
Tamikrest – Chatma (2013)
Son Volt – Honky Tonk (2012)
Laura Veirs – Warp And Weft (2013)
The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream (2014)
Oh, to hell with it. Bubbling under….. Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams (2014); Dawes – All Your Favorite Bands (2015); Patty Griffin – American Kid (2013); Ray Lamontagne – Ouroboros (2016); Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams (2013); Paul McCartney – New (2013); John Mellencamp – Plain Spoken (2014); Midlake – Antiphon (2013); Phosphorescent – Muchacho (2013); The Sadies – Internal Sounds (2013); Kurt Vile – Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze (2013); Lucinda Williams – The Ghosts Of Highway 20 (2016).
Now feeling listless.
First thought was Madness – Liberty Of Norton Folgate.
But that was 2009 (really?) so misses the cut.
After much consideration, I nominate:
Steve Mason – Monkey Minds In The Devils Time
Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)
Steven Wilson – Hand.Cannot.Erase
Wilko Johnson / Roger Daltrey – Going Back Home
Stiff Little Fingers – No Going Back
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
and another nomination for
FFS – FFS
I considered Beady Eye – Different Gear Still Speeding, but quickly discounted it.
This was tough – like many, my music listening has become more about tracks rather than albums.
In no particular order – and with a little cheating:
Du Blonde – Welcome Back to Milk – actually this probably is my number one. Great record, punky, melodic, a bit PJH a bit Savages, maybe – but better. If you’re thinking who? Check out Hunter:
it’s my favourite track of the decade.
Grimes – Artangels – Electro-pop heaven. California, Kill vs Maim, Flesh Without Blood? You could tell me you don’t like these tracks and, frankly, I wouldn’t believe you.
The National Trouble Will Find Me & High Violet – I can’t choose between these albums. Both excellent. Whilst I have drifted away from the Decemberists in this decade, the National continue to hold me in their thrall. Could chuck the El Vey record in here too.
Amanda Palmer – Theatre is Evil. I’ve not been that keen on her most recent endeavours – the Bowie stuff, the stuff with her dad, but this was a brilliant record. Not a duff track on it – including the B sides on the extended version. Looks like this was her pinnacle. In 2010, she was also responsible for Evelyn Evelyn – with Jason Webley – an hilarious concept album telling the tale of conjoined twins (they cover Love Will Tear Us Apart).
Tegan and Sarah – Heartthrob. Great pop album from the Everything is Awesome hit-makers. I liked their earlier indie-r stuff but this album was pure pop joy. It got me through dark times in 2013 too.
Chvrches – The Bones of What You Believe – more thoughtful electro-pop with substance, the Mother We Share, Gun, Lies – great stuff. Not matched by their follow up, but that’s a grower. Their cover of Prince’s I Would Die 4U is worth seeking out too.
Sleeper Agent – Celabrasion. Indie pop/rock from Kentucky. Two singers – every track on this album could be a single. It’s a tube of Smarties of a record.
Cathal Coughlan – Rancho Tetrahedron. The greatest living lyricist. Sometimes the music doesn’t live up to the majesty of words, but this album has melody and sparkle. Best Say we’re not Serious buried J*mmy S*ville before the fucker was dead, Shipman Memorial tells of a seeker of assisted suicide, Mr Bid’s Saorstat Star Time is a short story of a minor celeb’s infidelities. They should build statues to CC’s genius.
James King and the Lone Wolves – Lost Songs of the Confederacy – recorded my all time fave single (maybe) in the mid 80s. Most of these songs were written and recorded at the same time, but the band fell out and fell apart before they were released. This version finally saw the light of day a couple of years ago. I had no idea of it’s existence until El Hombre Malo sent me a digital copy – bless his swampy blue heart. In turn I bought it for a mate – pay it forward, kids!
Plan B – the Defamation of Strickland Banks. It’s a concept album. An urban concept album. Soulful urban prog! People were sniffy around here when he was a bit out of tune singing with Elton John on some thing Reg did to try to prove he’s still credible. Who Cares – this is a great album, packed with soulful tunes.
that was the first ten I thought of, but I should/coulda had: Afghan Whigs Do to the Beast – a fine return – not their best, but worth the wait. Nick Cave Push the Sky Away – a fine record, not my favourite of his but he is pretty untouchable. Lana del rey – Born to Die, would have been there, but for the fact that Lana is so prolific, and heaps of her best stuff is available on YouTube rather than on ‘official’ release. Anna Calvi’s debut had some great tracks. I can’t listen to Lorde’s excellent Pure Heroine as it brings back Chemo feelings. Both Young Fathers records were great. I liked a Gogo Penguins record a lot, Robyn’s Body Talk is a fab pop album, The Unthanks, Last even got me listening to a King Crimson track! (Prefer the Unthanks version)
I always love your choices, badartdog. I had literally no idea that Cathal Coughlan was still producing music- I’m extremely excited by this!
Your taste is impeccable so I’ll give everything in your list a go.
Thanks, @andielou – are you going to play too? I’d like to hear your choices.
Rancho Tetrahedron bounced off my like absolutely no other record CC has ever made (I mean figuratively, though of course knowing CC I could have meant it literally). I must try it again.
and DuBlonde … enjoyed her album and show but enjoyed BJH & the Hooves bit more –
Cellophane Nose by Beth Jeans Horton and the Hooves of Destiny is a fine record – not sure why I didn’t include it (apart from the fact I can never remember what it or they are called).
anyone with a song title like this OK by me;
Jason Isbell’s Southeastern. No need to list anything else (and if any one of you fuckers list that appalling Sufjan self-indulgent pap or that dreadful John Misty or those abominable Fleet Foxes I will visit you personally with my best friend, Baseball Bat Bill).
Add The War on Drugs to that list of shame….
Listen to Deafheaven – you may wish to add them to your list. Moo-ha-ha!
I’d forgotten what Deafheaven were until this thread sent me scurrying back to youTube and elsewhere. A brilliant racket, beautiful noise. I’d also forgotten all about War on Drugs. Thankfully.
When I started to think about this I was surprised how many contenders there are – and I’m sure there are some I missed. Here are ten keepers for me:
Bjork Biophilia
Laura Marling Once I Was an Eagle (one of three superb records from one of the major talents of her generation)
Gretchen Peters Hello Cruel World
Bella Hardy Battleplan
Low The Invisible Way
The Delines Coolfax
Frazey Ford Indian Ocean
Paul McCartney New
Steve Earle Low Highway
Civil Wars Barton Hollow
There are three this year that I’m pretty sure will make the grade but I left them off my list given their newness –
David Bowie Blackstar
Lucinda Williams Ghost of Highway 20
Christine and the Queens Chaleur Humaine
A lot of talented women there I can’t help noticing. Most of my choices are firmly in the tradition of music from the 60s and 70s but that says more about my taste than the overall picture of music this decade. The point is that each and every one of them are doing something fresh and exciting – there’s not a record here where I think ‘it’s all been done before so why bother?’
And I could have put in records from Olivia Chaney, Billy Bragg, Valerie June, Goldfrapp, Roseanne Cash, Benmont Tench, Alabama Shakes, Phosphorescent, Alela Diane, Adam Cohen, Hot Chip, Richard Hawley, Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita, and more. Not such a bad decade after all…
Oh god, Indian Ocean. How did I miss that? It’s a top ten contender.
I’ve given the premise of the OP absolutely no thought but just wanted to give another vote of appreciation for Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes. I loved their first album but this was better still and the title track is absolutely wonderful.
I’m going to be ruthlessly disciplined and stick rigidly to just ten!
1. No Deal – Melanie De Biasio
2. Blackstar – David Bowie
3. To Pimp A Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
4. Fletcher Moss Park – Matthew Halsall
5. Aventine – Agnes Obel
6. The Infinity Dub Sessions – Deadbeat & Paul St. Hilaire
7. Night’s Black Bird – Harrison Birtwistle
8. LP1 – FKA Twigs
9. Indian Ocean – Frazey Ford
10. Excavation – The Haxan Cloak
Well played, sir. Very good list – Haxan Cloak is a shout.
Matthew Halsall certainly has made a clutch of super albums over the past decade or so, but Fletcher Moss Park is the very best of the best.
The time period between 1963 and 1969 covers 7, not 6, years. You see, it’s not the same as taking 3 from 9 as the initial figure is…..oh…..yeah…..erm, do carry on…..
This decade is to errr decades what 2016 is to years. Much as I love them I hope All Your Favourite Bands and What A Terrible World aren’t still my favourite two when the clock strikes twelve.
Only 10? Oh well, here goes:
Waterboys – Modern Blues
Tom Russell – The Rose of Roscrae
Calexico – Close to the Sun
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell – Old Yellow Moon
Lucinda Williams – Ghosty of Highway 20
Kate Bush – Aerial
Eels – Hombre Lobo
Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
Elbow – Seldom Seen Kid
Gretchen Peters – Hello Cruel World
10 is nowhere near enough but them the rules. Kind of disappointed that Mr Costello has done anything in the last decade even remotely worth a place in this list and also that Richard Thompson’s best albums are all over a decade old (although his recent releases are good).
How about The National Ransom? Seriously good. I also like the one he did with The Roots.
I like both Tiggs but I couldn’t honestly put them in my top 10 and neither match for example King of America or Imperial Bedroom.
Interesting. I don’t like Elbow nor, for that matter, Imperial Bedroom. Mind you, I can think of plenty more Costello albums better than National Ransom.
Steve – at least two of those are from the last decade. (K Bush and Elbow). Even if you’re treating the last 10 years as a decade, Aerial was from 2005.
I realised that after posting and to be honest was taking it as last 10 years and not 2010 to 2016. Similarly my inclusion below of In Spite of Ourselves wasn’t even in the 2000’s but in 1999 I believe.Okay so I am an idiot.
I knew I missed some essentials out – Thee oh Sees – Floating Coffin, John Prine – In Spite of ourselves, Alejandro Escobedo – Real Animal, Rickie Lee Jones – The sermon on exposition Boulevard, Dave Alvin – Eleven Eleven.
This is quite tough, don’t think I’ll make it to ten:
All Them Witches – Dying Surfer Meets His Maker
Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.
The Bevis Frond – Example 22
Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans
Minilogue – Blomma
Ufomammut – ORO
Hidden Orchestra – Archipelago
Colour Haze – She Said
Steven Wilson – Raven That Refused To Sing
That’ll do for now.
Thanks Mr Eb, your flow (SWIDT!) unwittingly has answered a Bevis Frond question asked elsewhere. Duly popped in the basket.
Example 22 is a cracker. My but Mr Saloman is so very underrated, next to RT he’s probably England’s greatest songwriter.
No-one got the chance to criticise my list, so I’ve managed to summon the energy (via gin) to post it again, since I found the crumpled up notepad copy as yet un-recycled. I picked 12 instead of 10, and the albums were picked quickly.
Surfer Blood – Astro Coast (2010)
Robyn – Body Talk (2010)
Sleigh Bells – Treats (2010)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (2010)
Midlake – The Courage of Others (2010)
Neil Young – Americana (2012) – Oh, yes it is. Shut up.
Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball (2012)
Daft Punk – R.A.M. (2013)
Taylor Swift – 1989 (2014)
Michael Jackson – Xscape (2014)
David Bowie – Blackstar (2016)
Beyoncè – Lemonade (2016)
Mainstream and proud.
Ha-ha! *points with derision* Minibreakfast has chosen Xscape! *scoffs*
😀
Minibreakfast starts well. Three of her first five picks are by acts that nobody has heard of. Then, she lapses into mega stardom. Which begs the question. Where’s Prince?
Ah,first three are essential (?) Only problem is never heard a note….
After that apart from Neil which is so bad it’s almost good , some really nice stuff in there
Can I I be the first to say that Blackstar is actually not that good?
Of course you can.
Actually, after giving it a whirl, the first two songs on that Jacko album aren’t bad at all (he could really sing when he let himself). What’s the deal with that album – is it just shavings from the plastic surgeon’s floor?
Xactly this*. Unused material recorded between 1983 and 1999, “remixed and contemperised” by a team led by Timbaland. Poptastic!
*SWIDT
“contempOrised”
I prefer the uncontemporised versions (available on deluxe).
Struth Tiggs! I know you collect records like Yogi collects picanic baskets, but acquiring the deluxe edition of albums you don’t even like…?
He never said he didn’t like it! Just that he prefers the original incarnations.
Silly me! When I’m exhibiting my latest fresco and the reaction is “ha ha.. points with derision.. scoffs, I tend to view this as a negative reaction – but then I’m a bit insecure that way..
I was hoping his pointing and scoffing was a jokey response to the “No-one got the chance to criticise my list” preface. It’s hard to tell with old Stripey, tbh 🙂
?
Perhaps even more surprised now that my deleted comment from a couple of days back re the absence of 1. Queen Of Denmark, 2. Red Barked Tree, 3. The Bravest Man In The Universe, 4. Hotel Shampoo still holds up. I’d agree with 5. The Lion’s Roar, 6. To Pimp A Butterfly and and would add returns to form
7. Suede – Bloodsports
8. Orbital – Wonky
the unfairly maligned
9. Broken Bells
and, because you have to have a curveball
10. Visioneers – Hipology
Okay, this exercise has taught me two things. Firstly, I’ve lost all track of time, as some of the ones I thought of date as far back as 2006. Secondly, I really do need to get my eyesight tested, as it was all but impossible to see the year on the back of the CDs! It took me so long to pick out the ones for the shortlist, that I’m not going to narrow it down to 10, so in no order…
John Grant – Queen of Denmark
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d city
Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Wanderlust
Rod Stewart – Time
Chance the Rapper – Acid Music
The Decemberists – The King is Dead
Shit Robot – From the Cradle To the Rave
Mogwai – Les Revenants
Ryley Walker – Primrose Green
Goldfrapp- Head First
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi – Rome
Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Thievery Corporation – Culture of Fear
Ok, my safe and fairly mainstream selection would be
National Ransom – Elvis Costello (contrary to popular opinion the best album hes done in years)
A New Athens – The Bluetones ( one of the finest last albumd by any band)
The Old Magic -Nick Lowe (any album containing I Read A Lot deserves a nomination)
Charmer – Aimee Mann (an updated Split Enz)
AM – Arctic Monkeys (the best album by the best band of the last ten years)
Crimson/Red – Prefab Sprout (there should be a law passed to insist Paddy MacAloon releases new music every year – the world would be a better place)
After The Disco – Broken Bells (does Danger Mouse ever make a poor record – with added James Mercer magic…)
I Love You Honeybear – Father John Misty (he may be a major smart ass but this record s faultless)
Saturns Pattern – Paul Weller (New music for old mods – may Weller never stop moving forward)
Blackstar – David Bowie (the best album of this year and and the last ten years, an emotional masterpiece)
These are records that I keep playing so guess that is a good enough basis –
As with others
Jason Isbell Southeastern , heck dont even need the whole album Cover Me Up is enough
Gretchen Peters Hello Cruel World
War On Drugs….Lost
Others
Toumani Diabate Lampedusa (Malian kora)
Vince Jones and Paul Grabowsky Provence ( Aussie jazz)
Paolo Nutini -Sunnyside Up – there I’ve said it
Mary Gauthier – The Foundling (gruelling though the listenings may be)
Tord Gustavsen Being There (ECM label Scandinavian piano led jazz ensemble)
Dylan – Modern times -2006 just makes it. Largely straight ahead blues but still sounds great
Hang on. By “decade”, are we doing the twenty-teens (as I thought) or just “the last ten years”?
(Either way Junior, I don’t think 2006 makes it 🙂 )
I don’t think “the last ten years, so far” would make any sense. On account of the last anything always being unavoidably “so far“. Sort of thing.
Well, quite. This is what I was oh-so-subtly getting at.
Ok ok I will cop that. But if it WAS the last ten years why does Modern Times not qualify – pre August 2006 ???
Oh well, if you’re going to be *precise* about it, then fair dos :p
Emoji fail.
TMFTL
;p
Slowly I get it … Stuff since. Jan 1, 2010
Was going to sit down and do a “proper” response, but in the spirit of the original post, here’re ten post-2010 albums that leapt out from 15 minutes of head-scratching.
“LP1” – FKA Twigs
“Dude Incredible” – Shellac
“Desperate Journalist” – Desperate Journalist
“Hidden” – These New Puritans
“Burn Your Town” – The Chapman Family
“Process” – Yvette
“Blank Project” – Neneh Cherry
“Push The Sky Away” – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
“Constant Future” – Parts and Labor
“No-one Can Ever Know” – The Twilight Sad
Parts and Labor – a fine album I completely forgot I owned.
Thats my soundtrack for the drive to work tomorrow sorted.
Jolly good.
There were a couple on there that I’d not played myself in a while either, so they’ve been my soundtrack to working at home today.
Not that (m)any of them are particularly conducive to concentrating on writing a report on a dreadfully dull subject matter.
I’ve slipped it back onto my phone playlist tonight as well!
Because everybody loves a playlist
Some of these records have crept up on me over the years.
Looking back on my Top 40 lists at the end of every year, I see that albums like the alasdair Roberts and Bill Fay ones below weren’t placed in the top five in the years that they were released. But both have grown on me immensely over time.
Enormous thumbs-up to the Richard Skelton album, which introduced me not only to a new artists, but, essentially, to an entirely new genre of music.
Have we ever discussed the Scottish folk band Lau on this board? If we have, then I must’ve missed it. I didn’t know of them at all until I heard Adrian McNally of the Unthanks mention Lau’s album “The Bell that Never Rang” in his acceptance speech at the Radio 2 Folk Awards, describing it as “the best British folk album of the past 10 years.” He wasn’t wrong. A brilliantly realised work which manages to sound ancient and modern at the same time.
So: here we go…
12 albums from 2010-2015 in rough chronological order:
Richard Skelton – Landings
Jon Thorne & Danny Thompson – Watching the Well
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Matthew Halsall – Fletcher Moss Park
Bill Fay – Life is People
The Breadwinners – Dubs Unlimited
Alasdair Roberts & Friends – A Wonder Working Stone
David Lang – Death Speaks
John Southworth – Niagara
Sufjan Stevens – Carrie and Lowell
Lau – The Bell That Never Rang
The most surprising thing about your beautiful list is the lack of surprises. At least three of those would get into my top twenty if I was allowed a second ten. In fact a supplementary post that was lost included them. Mind you, I’ve been a keen observer of year lists for a number of years now.
The only genre I can’t get on with is Folk. Having said that, I do enjoy some Unthanks. Alasdair Roberts is a step too far for me. Do you think I should try Lau?
Hi Tigger,
As regards Lau, try Ghosts, the final track on “The Bell that Never Rang”. If you like it, then definitely go for the album.
“I’m not an incomer
My parents were ghosts
Sir I was born here
So where would I go?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5BQpewcFP0
Thank you. I’m still undecided…
The previous post I meant ‘your’ lists but you knew that, didn’t you.
Not sure how I managed to leave Landings off my list. Doh!
Actually, I’m now listening to Skelton’s later album (with Autumn Richardson) “Succession”, and damn! I reckon it might be even better than Landings.
If we factor in that Skelton has made at least another two superb records in the past few years (“Verse of Birds” and “Making Time 2012”), then he work in this decade looks consistently strong.
Glad to see John Southworth Niagara on your list, duco. He is right up there on my list of Musicians Who Should be Better Known than They Are. A friend of mine sent him an appreciative message via Facebook and he wrote back with a lovely message saying how pleased he was to hear from someone in the UK where he didn’t think he had any fans, and also how much thought he puts into which songs go on his albums.
Yes, I think Southworth is pretty big in Germany, of all places. it’s strange he’s not better known in Britain, especially as it’s the land of his birth.
When I first bought “Niagara” I got all evangelical, recommending it heavily on this board. One Afterworder took me up on my recommendation and bought the album. He HATED it, and I felt rather emabrrassed. Oh well, diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks, and all that.
Southworth’s website tells us “Something’s on the way, stay tuned…”. If that’s a new album, then I look forward to it…
Oh that would be great news if new album on the way. Similar thing happened to me on Velvet CD swap. Only one of my three swappees took time to review the CD I made – the other two may have just been too appalled. The one who did review it only liked one or two of my lovingly curated 21 tracks, and was fairly scathing about the rest especially the John Southworth!
Agree re Bill Fay – had intended it to be in my list but the ones in my head were not necessarily the ones I posted.
I should have done as mini did and make notes.
I had to make it a top eight, not because I lack candidates for great albums from this decade, but because they are all equally good, bar these eight which are on a level of their own:
(In chronological order)
Dungen – Skit I Allt (2010)
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me (2010)
Andreas Mattsson – Kick Death’s Ass (2011)
Father John Misty – Fear Fun (2012) (Forget that awful “Honeybear” album, this is the one!)
Anaïs Mitchell – Young Man in America (2012)
Jonathan Wilson – Fanfare (2013)
Daniel Norgren – Alabursy (2015)
David Bowie – Blackstar (2016)
However – I’m sure I’m forgetting some wonderful albums, as my CDs are packed in boxes and I haven’t ripped all of my albums from 2014 – 2016 since my previous computer died and I had to rip everything again that I had failed to back up…still not finished. So these eight are the ones I remembered and was able to check the year of.
No claim that these are the best albums of the decade by any measure, simply those albums from 2010 onwards that I’ve gone back to the most.
In vaguely chronological order, an arbitrary top ten:
Ali & Toumani : Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate
High Violet : The National
Broken Record : Lloyd Cole
Standards: Lloyd Cole
I Love You Go Easy : Devon Sproule
You’re Not Alone : Mavis Staples
No Deal : Melanie De Biasio
Tales of Us : Goldfrapp
The Harrow and the Harvest: Gillian Welch
Blackstar : Bowie
A few more that wouldn’t go away:
Voyageur : Kathleen Edwards
Stranger Me : Amy Lavere
Wounded Rhymes : Lykke Li
A Different Ship: Here We Go Magic
Lots of women, very few rock bands. An interesting exercise.
Southeastern: Jason Isbell
Calexico: Edge of the Sun
Public Service Broadcasting: Public Service Broadcasting
Tame Impala: Currents
Laura Mvula: The Dreaming Room
Benmont Tench: You Should Be So Lucky
Wilko Johnson & Roger Daltrey – Going Back Home
Only 7……I listen to a lot of Radio Paradise these days as I find my tolerance for whole albums has diminished of late. A lot of them seem over long these days.
Hey, DBP, there is no album Public Service Broadcasting by Public Service Broadcasting. Either you dreamt it or you’re purposely trying to trick us into making fools of ourselves if we’re ever interviewed about it on telly.
Ah, yes……I was wondering when you’d notice that. Well done….
I meant Inform, Educate, Entertain.
I like The Race For Space too but “the first one” is better.
I prefer Race For Space. It has a better concept. Also, I prefer Spitfire within the context of The War Room EP. Again, cool concept. I think The War Room works best accompanied by the videos.
aaah yes that Benmont Tench album
“the day I took your picture down”
Always pulls at the heart strings -such an incredibly sad line.
Nice version of Duquesne Whistle too
It’s a lovely record, one of the decade’s I still play most often. Good call by StuartReeves on the Gillian Welch as well – had completely forgotten about that one.
Is anyone else thinking they should have given this more than five minutes’ thought a la Bingo? (*cough* Lee Fields & The Expressions *raps knuckles against forehead*)
Jason Isbell – Southeastern
Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free
Rosanne Cash – The River And The Thread
Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
Chuck Prophet – ¡Let Freedom Ring!
Leonard Cohen – Popular Problems
Frazey Ford – Indian Ocean
Ben Watt – Hendra
Blue Rodeo – The Things We Left Behind
Nice to be reminded of quite a few albums I had forgotten…and quite a few more that I either never got around to, or never even heard of…..so much music, so little time….Lacking a comprehensive index these are mine – the ones that I picked out from a quick skim of my library – the ones I want to listen to next – as usual preference is strongly influenced by seeing them live (not all of them obviously)…
Alvvays – Alvvays
Beverly – The Blue Swell
British Sea Power – Machineries of Joy
FFS
Flowers of Hell – Odes
John Foxx & The Maths – Interplay
Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
Ezra Furman – Day of the Dog
Future Islands – Singles
Grant Hart – The Agreement
The Holiday Crowd – Over the Bluffs
Low – Ones & Sixes
The Monochrome Set – Platinum Coils
Marissa Nadler – July
The National – High Violet & Trouble Will Find Me
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away
Northern Portrait – Ta!
Public Service Broadcasting – Inform-Educate-Entertain
Gruff Rhys – American Interior
Songhoy Blues – Music in Exile
Suede – Bloodpsorts
Torres – Sprinter
Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
The Walkmen – Lisbon
Wire – Red Barked Trees
Wussy – Buckeye + Forever Sounds
Yasmine Hamdan – Ya Nass
Ah yes – Wussy – you introduced them to me, Anton. I’d have included them too but have only shuffled on Spotify. Great stuff.
I liked the Future Islands record, but found it a bit repetitive. Alvvays – was it you that brought Marry me Archie to the site? Great song.
I’d like to think so…and thanks for the Ezra Furman intro – going to see him in a few weeks 🙂
Love the Future Islands guys voice.
I meant to add a PS that many of these were added several years after release and some after only the briefest of introductions e.g.
@Bardartdog – If you liked Alvvays check out Beverly – (Beverly is a band)
@Badartdog – apologies
Intriguing lists all, demonstrating the actually very wide range of idiosyncracy in listening to music. Give or take Blackstar, very little ubiquity (or at least percentage concensus) None man meat is most certainly anothers murder. I wonder if there is anyone sufficiently anal to catalogue those that feature just the once, as a flavour of the spread?
Off the cuff…
Queen of Denmark – John Grant.
Death Speaks – David Lang.
Spaces – Nils Frahm.
Espers III – Espers.
Fanfare – Jonathan Wilson.
Fletcher Moss Park – Matthew Halsall.
Southeastern – Jason isbell.
Loyalty – The Weather Station.
My One And Only Thrill – Melody Gardot.
Trainsongs – Michael Chapman.
Ooh. Spaces! I’ll go and listen again.
Haven’t you picked the wrong Melody Gardot?
Not familiar with Nils Frahm so I just youTubed. Watched a live performance of a piece called Toilet Brushes -of all things – so named as he begins by playing the piano strings with them.
My god.
Absolutely amazing, it had me laughing, crying, breathless.
stick with it – the last few minutes are spectacularly uplifting.
cheers, Squeezer.
I love that piece. Elicits the same feeling as the sequence in Keith Jarret’s Kolm concert from around 7 minutes in. Both seem to acknowledge through grunts and sighs that they are in heaven.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoxuZFYofkk
I had the pleasure to see Nils Frahm live last year (or was it two years ago?) in a festival setting, and it was one of the most magical moments of the whole festival.
It was clear that most people in the audience had no idea who he was. He was on in the middle of the day, sun blaring. People sat down on picnic blankets with their lunch, talking loudly with each other…but that only lasted a couple of minutes.
Then they all stopped talking, forgot to eat and just sat spellbound by the sensational music coming from the stage. I’ve never seen an audience so captivated by the music before, even the biggest fuckwits didn’t dare to make a sound in fear of missing a single note. At the end he got a roaring standing ovation.
So if you get the chance, do go and see him live.
NF, alone or with buddy Olafur Arnalds I would love to see. Transcendental music from each of them has brightened my last few months inexorably
Nils and Ólafur’s collaborative effort “Trance Frendz” is a very lovely thing indeed, for those of us who like a nice bit of ambient.
Oops. Scrub Espers. I meant II not III and they are both too early anyhoo.
Scrub Melody Gardot too also too early.
This is why I don’t bother. Never did like piggin’ homework.
Nice to see the absence of a bloody edit facility is still making this such a pleasure.
We’re still waiting for edith fnuction to make an appearance, the tease.
But look! Badartdog has just discovered Nils Frahms because of your post. Doesn’t that more than compensate for the lack of an edit function?
No but I am always happy to point good folk at herr Frahm in a non-threatening manner.
Glad you like it your badness.
Great collection of suggestions, many of which are entirely new to me. So will go on a voyage of discovery in this sea of recommended listens.
Being of a jazzy bent, most of my suggestions are bent that way 🙂
– Stonephace – 2009 (sorry just outside decade)
Stonephace is I believe a working name of Larry Stabbins. A veteran of the British Jazz sceneworking with the likes of Keith Tippet in the 70s. This collection is pretty contemporary to these ears with echoes of Electonica and Trip Hop.
Recently made an album featuring Zoe Rahman.
Talking of which…
– Zoe Rahman: Kindred Spirits – 2011
Hugely talented English pianist and composer who fuses the heritage of her mixed cultural background to create a very fresh sounding Jazz aesthetic.
As does…
Gwilym Simcock: Instrumation – 2014
Wonderfully dynamic and fluid soundscapesd that bridge classical and jazz and fusion. This is like a wonderful soundtrack to a film that you would like to see 🙂
Another who would make great soiundtracks is…
Magnus Ostrom: Seraching For Jupiter – 2013
A drummer from Sweden and part of the vibrant jazz scene in the region. I can hear influences of a classic rock vibe along Steely Dan, Santana, (early) Chicago lines so may suit certain ears here.
Talking of Swedes…
Ulf Wakenius: Momento Magico
The man is genius guitarist who incorporates Flamenco and Raga scales into a rich, enticing melodies. Recommended listening for pondering life’s meaning – over a nice single malt – or two.
Bonobo: Black Sands Remixed – 2010
I’m indebted to my daughter for introducing me to this. She is into dance and trance and hip-hop but does me the courtesy of putting up with my Miles and Weather Report which she said was “quite funky really”. I gained some cred in her eyes when I pointed out that the main riff of Massive Attack’s Safe From Harm came from Billy Cobham’s Stratus from way back in 1973. Mind you, Massive Attack ae ancient history in her eyes -= let alone dear old Billy Cobham.
Anyway, she thought I would like this Bonobo album as it is the jazzier end of things. She was right. Clever girl 🙂
Gregory Porter: Liquid Spirit – 2014
Tend to listen to instrumental stuff more – but GP’s voice is a wonderful thing – Mrs Nock is a huge fan. Liquid spirit indeed. Perhaps a Laphroaig 🙂
Michael Wollny: Weltentraum – 2014
More superb jazz piano. Another who straddles Jazz and Classical worlds and makes profoundly melodic music.
Nick Glennie Smith: A Sound OF Thunder – 2015
I do love soundtracks and I think the incidental music in films deserves a wider hearing often. Again, I thank my daughter who works in theatre and film production for introducing me to this which is, in effect, modern classical music.
And finally, Miles Davis. I cannot NOT mention Miles and his work of the early 70s, my perennial go to listen 🙂 So , a reissue from 2014:
Miles at the Fillmore–Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3
Have to listen to this with headphones if Mrs Nock is around but hey that’s OK with me 🙂
So, that’s what I can recommend – or, at least, remember. 🙂
Cheers for the Gwilym Simcock recommendation, Nick.
I have one of his solo albums, as well as one of his albums with Acoustic Triangle (brilliant!) and the first album by the Impossible Gentlemen.
“Instrumation” sounds intruiging indeed …
You mention Keith Tippett, Nick.
Have you seen that he’s got a new, Kickstarter-funded album out, called The Nine Dances Of Patrick O’Gonogon?
http://discus-music.co.uk/catalogue-mobile/dis56cd-detail
Wow. Thanks for the Tippett tip off duc! Had a listen on the link you attached and have duly invested! 🙂 In the early 80s, my giirlfriend of the time was at Bristol Uni and I travelled down to see her often and there was a thriving music scene and lots of great little venues. There was a ship called the Thekla where I saw KT and teh great Andy Sheppard a few times and a collection of musicians who had been in various bands of the 70s including East Of Eden. If memory serves, which it probably doesn’t 🙂
As for Gwilym, he’s just fabulous I think. I love people like him and Nithin Sawhney (another favourite of my daughter’s) who experiment and push musical boundaries to find interesting new combinations.
Great selections, Nick Nock. I especially enjoy Simcock pushing Tim Garland to the outer reaches on Lighthouse.
Zoe Rahman is quite something! She turned up on piano at a recent Nick Drake tribute gig, which meant a fair bit of subsequent googling and youtubing.
The clip of her and Danny Thompson playing an instrumental version of “One Of These Things First”, from the Way To Blue tribute concert is just stunning.
And it was good when she played it with Dannys substitute that night.
Thanks all for the positive reactions! Probably Stonephace is the least known so here’s a a quick blast of that. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Stonephace
Wedgehead Gets Lucky
That is excellent. Thanks Mr Nock.
A great groove.
Thumbs up from me.
Magnus Ostrom is of course the excellent drummer from the late lamented Esbjorn Svensson Trio.
I’d expect only the best from him. Bassist Dan Berglund has also continued to make excellent music with his band Tonbruket.
Fashionably late to the party, sorry.
In no particular order.
Jaga Jazzist- One Armed Bandit
Neon Neon – Stainless Style
The Eccentronic Research Council – Johnny Rocket, Narcissist & Music Machine…..I’m Your Biggest Fan
Eric Chenaux – Skullsplitter
Ghost – Infestissumam
Midday Veil- This Wilderness
Nicholas Godin – Contrepoint
Richard Dawson – Nothing Important
Joanna Newsom- Have One On Me
Kosmischer Laufer – The Secret Cosmic Music of the East German Olympic Program 1972-83 (Volume 2)
Todd Terje- It’s Album Time
The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
The Future of the Left – The Plot Against Common Sense
A few more than ten but it was the best I can do!
I’ll bet even the guys at the Quietus would struggle with some of the 120 posts above?
Sod the 120 above, it is this that sticks out into my intrigue:
Kosmischer Laufer – The Secret Cosmic Music of the East German Olympic Program 1972-83 (Volume 2).
Sounds right up their street, with a side order of Pitchfork.
Even better there is a volume 3 now!
I prefer their early stuff – before they sold out
somewhere above I mentioned this voice and this song feels very apt
This has snuck on to my desert island list. The only thing from this decade that has.
glad I’m not the only one – worried I had killed the thread!
I love that song too.
It’s something I could enjoy on the car radio but I can’t see myself buying and listening to it at home.
After all the mentions of Helplessness Blues here I’ve dug out my copy for its first spin in yonks. And very nice it sounds too.
(It’s no Xscape, mind.)
Ok two weeks later, and I’ve already had my top ten, but, prompted by his appearance at the Bowie Prom, I’ve played Paul Buchanan’s Mid Air tonight. I’d pretty much forgotten I even owned it, but it is absolutely bloody gorgeous.
Odd this thread should come back to life again now. I was thinking about when I bought a copy of Push the Sky Away in a charity shop today, and I’m giving it a first spin as I type. Nick in his less shouty, messianic mood it seems, and sounds like it should reward repeated listens.
best band name of the decade
Their full title was The Friends Of The Buff Medways Fanciers Association.
Billy Childish has released something like 900 albums (maybe not 900, but it is a lot), my choice of his 21st century releases is 2003s XFM Sessions with The Buff Medways.
Favourite “incarnation” and output is Thee Headcoats
steady the buffs!
I’m old enough to remember the Pop Rivets…not very well I admit, but I do remember the name 🙂
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Battle_of_Albuhera%2C_by_William_Barnes_Wollen.jpg
and while we are on the subject – coming soon to a venue near you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSM-Dioz2Cc&list=PLxpRNq5SCAvIT2BaV_-li1sOfaAWXIDrG
And bringing up the rear..
You won’t have heard of many of the new breed of “jazz”/”psychedelic” guitarists featured. But give Mary Halvorson a listen, she’s on several. Also on a slew of John Zorn albums that don’t need including, because, y’know, he’s a genius anyway.
Cline/Kaiser/Thomas – Jazz Free
Tomeka Reid Quartet – Same
John Hammond Quartet – Cathedrals
Thumbscrew – Convallaria
Liberty Ellman – Radiate
Tomas Fujiwara – Triple Double
All Them Witches – Dying Surfer Meets His Maker
Steven Wilson –The Raven That Refused To Sing
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
Miles Davis – Live in Tokyo 1975 (not a reissue)