Yeah so my first topic purged during New Year's eve. It's only natural.
The list so far:
Albums:
12. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra 13. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l 14. Woods – Sun and Shade 15. Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine 16. CunninLynguists – Oneirology 17.Feist – Metals 18. dEUS – Keep You Close 19.Deaf Center – Owl Splinters 20. Kode9 & The Spaceape – Black Sun
songs: 5.tUnE-yArDs – Powa 6.Arsenal – Melvin 7.Burial, Four Tet & Thom Yorke – Ego 8.Young The Giant – My Body 9.CunninLynguists – Hard As They Come 10.The Strokes – Under Cover of Darkness
if anyone wants a write-up from a previous song/album just ask, I have most of them saved
last write-up, that probably no one saw yet:
12. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra
Genre: R&B
Key songs: "Novacane"
"Swim Good"
Some of you may be aware that I'm a pretty big fan of the trendiest music collective of 2011, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. OFWGKTA or Odd Future in short. Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All Dont Give A F*** Litter Life Bacon Boys Loiter Squat Butt F*** B**** N****s in full. Sadly, I am not kidding. Aside from the horrible, hilarious name they're a pretty talented collective and there is not one (musical) member I can give you that doesn't have skill in some way.
They're extremely varied too, ranging from Tyler and Earl's horrific rap tales, Mellowhype and Mike G's more traditional (but still fresh) hip hop, Domo Genesis' Stoner rap to The Internet's trip hop and Jet Age of Tomorrow's acid electronic jazz stuff. Sorry I couldn't find a decent genre for the last one.
And while the year has been fruitful for this collective, it has also not been very consistent. And that's why Frank Ocean, the collective's R&B singer and arguably the most talented and consistent artist of the bunch, is the only one that's featured on the album list. His mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra consists of all original material, except for the few melodies/beats he uses from Coldplay/MGMT/Eagles/Mr Hudson. And while those songs are good, American Wedding especially though it could do without the solo, it's not where he shines.
His completely original, catchy R&B songs is where it's at. Songs like Novocane, Swim Good and Songs for Women are some of the best in te contemporary R&B genre. I admit that's not really a hard thing to do, but it is an achievement nonetheless.
And I am a hundred percent sure that Nostalgia, Ultra isn't his peak either. He has released many material since then and is still working on new material as we speak. He has played a few songs live and they are magnificent. Disillusioned, for example, is a really smooth one. Recorded stuff like Thinking About You are world hits in the making, who only don't get through yet because Frank Ocean's building his way up there.
So yeah, if you're a fan of contemporary R&B at all, you will definitely like him. If you are not, huge chance you aren't, you should still give him a shot. He's alternative enough to appeal to people who don't like the usual stuff! I should know, because I don't like it either most of the time.
I wonder how many flack this placement is going to get
11. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
Key songs: "Charlie Brown"
"Hurts Like Heaven"
I would be lying if I said Mylo Xyloto wasn't one of the most enjoyable albums I've heard this year. I'd use the expression 'guilty pleasure' but that would mean I felt guilty about enjoying a Coldplay album. I don't feel guilty about enjoying anything at all! But I'm pretty sure some people here are baffled by the placement of this record. I'm also sure that a lot of you haven't even bothered with Mylo Xyloto. But a controversial placement of an album is always fun.
Which is exactly what this record is: fun. It's just extremely catchy and doesn't have a dull moment on it. If this is the direction Coldplay is heading in I don't mind at all. Most of their records have been enjoyable, but not on the level of this one or the previous one. These are real records, not singles compilations disguised as them. They are hitting their stride the last few years and that's mostly because they have gone more bombastic but in a more alternative direction. And because their guitar tone is somehow marvelous.
The album hits off with a song bordering on extreme cornyness, Hurts Like Heaven, but somehow it manages to avoid that death trap. I just love the whole sugary, reverbish vibe it pulls off. And it doesn't end there, most of these anthems are just that: Songs coated in bubblegum pop goodness, with sing along choruses and artsy synths. I understand why people wouldn't like it, but for me it's right before the point where it gets over the top. If you as a rock band can make a synthy eighties duet with Rihanna sound good, you've done a great effort in my book.
I heard "Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" and sort of convinced myself Coldplay had gone down the drain. Needless to say, it wasn't the motivation I needed to check out Mylo Xyloto.
This is probably the only artist or record on this list that no one has even heard of. Intergalactic Lovers are a Belgian alternative pop group. They're basically an alt rock band with some folk influences. It's easy to say they don't sound too original, but the singer has a pretty and unique voice.
The album's basically filled with great pop songs that are light hearted and feel kind of noir-y. That seems like an odd mix but if you listen to them you'll know what I mean. If you like a mix of pop, folk and alternative rock but it's still basically pop at heart this'll probably be your cup of tea. If you don't, move along!
Genre: Indie pop layered in shoegaze/grunge/dream pop
Key songs:
"Belong"
"Heart In Your Heartbreak"
"Heaven's Gonna Happen Now"
Before we start off: I have not heard The Pains' debut. Overall it was received even better than this record I believe, so I guess I'm in for a treat.
Before we start off: I have not heard The Pains' debut. Overall it was received even better than this record I believe, so I guess I'm in for a treat.
Belong at heart is basically an indie pop record. And while the songs themselves are good, they are strengthened even more by the production of this album, which is more a nineties type of shoegaze sound than anything. Think of the ethereal soundscapes of Slowdive, combined with the crunchy guitars of the Smashing Pumpkins (especially on the title track) then blend that with the very silky, low key voice of lead vocalist Kip Berman and you've got basically the mood Belong is trying to excavate. It's kind of funny that I was complaining, whining more likely, to Giggs that a lot of vocalists don't really DARE to sing. This is exactly what Kip Berman does, but it works here.
And it does that well. You'd never guess the melodic and upbeat songs would work with that kind of sound but they seem to pull it off. There's bits on this record that really warm the heart, think of the anthemic chorus of Belong, the bass interlude in Heart in Your Heartbreak and the beautiful solo in Heaven's Gonna Happen Now. And those are only the first three songs!
It makes me only the more excited for what this band does in the future. Because from what I've heard they've changed their sound quite a bit compared to their debut. I hope they don't fall into the trap of that samey third record.
yeah, I dig on pains. their main problems are that they offer absolutely nothing new and they have a terrible band name. pretty fun to listen to. I had completely forgot this came out in 2011.
vince you should check out the band "blouse" and the song "into black". it's along the same lines as this.
it seems you haven't even listened to any of her recorded songs then! Live she does that in the beginning and only because she has to, they're loops. She can't really sing 5 notes at the same time or hit 10 different things!
I'm sure there are many of you that know Battles and have heard Mirrored. For those of you that don't know them, here's a short historic sketch: Battles is an experimental group that combines the complex rhythmic aspect of math rock with prog soundscapes, while still attaining the accessibleness a group like that wants to achieve. They used to be a collective of four: Ian Williams, whom you may know of Don Caballero if you are into math rock, Dave Konopka, Tyondai Braxton and John Stanier of Helmet fame. But while recording their second album Gloss Drop the singer Tyondai Braxton left. They basically had to rerecord the record because of that.
I know what you're thinking: A group that had a singer initially is now instrumental? Well that's just a disaster waiting to happen. You would be wrong though, because I believe Gloss Drop is even better than Mirrored. I may be in the minority, but I'm also certain that almost every Battles fan that did think Mirrored was the best thing since sliced bread will still encourage you to listen to this record.
Gloss Drop manages to break that barrier well, too. They still use guest singers (Gary Numan! Yamantaka Eye of Boredoms! Kazu from Blonde Redhead!) on some songs to keep those more layered than they appear to be, but they manage to do instrumentals pretty damn well too. We all knew a math rock, or at least partially math rock, group doesn't really need a singer, but if you're going for the pop aspect too you might get into trouble if you don't. This band doesn't give a **** about what you can and what you can't do and it shows.
John Stanier's drumming alone is enough to convince me that this hypnotic, tribal but robotic and musically adventerous record is something else. Add the layered synth and guitarwork to that and you have a glorious happy bowl of experimental goodness.
So, if you're into that kind of stuff, give it a try.
PS: My Machines also has the most hilarious music video of 2011.
