Tracks time! I chose 40 favourites even though there were a fair few more, 2013 seems to have been a great year for individual songs, albums not so much. But you can read about my favourites here if you wish. I included a couple of my favourite videos too. Consider it a Christmas present.
Christopher Owens - New York City
Cults - I Can Hardly Make You Mine
Drenge - Bloodsports
Astral Pattern - Sitting In The Sun
Foals - Inhaler
Metronomy - I'm Aquarius
Let's set the scene. It is late 2013. After the absence of Metronomy at Reading/Leeds, (the band had played something like seven years in a row) everyone is left wondering what happened to them. A short clip of some "shoop doo doo aaahhhs" appears online, and the people continue to speculate. The first taste of Metronomy's fourth album "Love Letters" only adds to the theory that if you open a dictionary and look up "groovy" you will in fact just find a picture of Metronomy.
Wild Smiles - Tangled Hair
Spector - Decade Of Decay
SKATERS - I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)
Tripwires - Spacehopper
A dreamy, whirring title track from one of Reading's new(ish) bands(Also see Sundara Karma.)Never mind Spacehopper, this is a real head bopper.
Parquet Courts - Stoned And Starving
JAWS - Gold
Crystal Fighters - You & I
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble
MONEY - Goodnight London
Drowners - Long Hair
My absolute favourite track of the year, and quite possibly, ever. At just under two minutes long, it's tough not to hit repeat again and again. Carefree, catchy and charming. That may be a lot of Cs but this track gets an A* from me.
Best Coast - Fear Of My Identity
Temples - Colours To Life
White Lies - Big TV
Cults - So Far
Kanye West - Bound 2
CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
Peace - Lovesick
Drenge - Face Like A Skull
This is the song that made me change my mind about Drenge, and the video is simple yet works pretty well, and I can't quite pinpoint why I like it so much.
Wavves - Sail To The Sun
Parquet Courts - You Got Me Wonderin' Now
Drowners - Luv, Hold Me Down
Palma Violets - Step Up For The Cool Cats
Superfood - Superfood
MS MR - Fantasy
Christopher Owens - Love Is In The Ear Of The Listener
Splashh - All I Wanna Do
I don't actually care that this came out in 2012, it had a re-release, making it acceptable to list it in my favourites of this year as well as last year. To be fair I would put it in my favourites of every year. Very fun to whistle to.
Swim Deep - She Changes The Weather
Foals - My Number
MONEY - Hold Me Forever
Palma Violets - 14
Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
White Lies - There Goes Our Love Again
There is something about really nice choreography that makes me want to like, cry. This is a prime example and every time I watch it I am just mesmerised by the routine and it makes me really want to take up dancing again.
The Orwells - Who Needs You
Icona Pop (ft. Charli XCX) - I Love It
That one you hate to love. Or love to hate. The brutal simplicity of lines like "I crashed my car into a bridge / I don't care I love it" almost make you want to adopt this way of thinking. Once you've played it a few times, you don't care and you do in fact, love it.
Saturday 21 December 2013
Friday 20 December 2013
Look at us in New York City
Look at us in New York City: a playlist
I luuuuv New York. Even though I have never been there and it's my absolute dream to, it is one of my favourite cities, next to London, which luckily I don't live too far away from and can visit frequently. New York has thrown up a load of amazing bands and I decided to put together a collection of tracks from some cool bands / artists that are based in NYC. With some tracks about New York thrown in for good measure.
Did you know you can only have two tracks by the same artist or from the same album on 8tracks? I didn't until now.
Tracks:
- The Strokes - New York City Cops
- Parquet Courts - Master Of My Craft
- SKATERS - I Wanna Dance (But I Don't Know How)
- Drowners - Luv, Hold Me Down
- Blood Orange - Bad Girls
- Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
- Cults - Go Outside
- DIIV - Past Lives
- The Drums - Forever And Ever Amen
- SKATERS - Deadbolt
- Blood Orange - I'm Sorry We Lied
- The Strokes - Hard To Explain
- Parquet Courts - Stoned And Starving
- Christopher Owens - New York City
- The Drums - Best Friend
- DIIV - Wait
(Image from coach.com via Pinterest)
Thursday 19 December 2013
The somewhat obligatory favourites of 2013 post: part one
It's nearing the end of 2013 wow yes it's flown by etc etc but now is the time where everybody and their non existent pet ostrich bust out lists of their favourite albums, songs, videos, gigs, whatever. I am not exempt from this and making lists is so much fun so here are my favourite albums of 2013!
In my opinion there haven't been that many great albums this year, but a handful were outstanding and some others a bit disappointing. But we won't talk about those. (Yet, at least)
White Lies - Big TV
White Lies' third album was always going to be amazing. White Lies can do no wrong. White Lies are the best thing since sliced bread. And I appreciate the concept of sliced bread a lot considering I cannot cut bread straight. After an incredible debut and an equally good follow up album full of atmospheric anthems that make you want to dash to your nearest mountain and shout at the top of your voice, Big TV certainly had a lot to live up to. But it definitely didn't disappoint. Like, at all. Even after the opening seconds of Getting Even, the first glimpse into what's on Big TV (oh yes what a pun) you just knew that this was gonna be one of the best albums this year. Big TV totally lives up to it's name see it's bursting with big choruses, big vibes and in general big tunes that enhance the White Lies live experience even further.
Favourite tracks: Mother Tongue, Big TV, Goldmine, There Goes Our Love Again
Drenge - Drenge
Drenge appear to be one of those bands that you either love or just aren't your cup of tea. You can either absolutely love them and feel like, proper #hardcore or something when you listen to them, or a bit like "what on earth is this noise up in my grill?" Admittedly, to begin with I was feeling the latter. But after a few more listens of Bloodsports I eventually came around. The album itself sealed the deal for me, as well as many other people I assume. A whole 38 minutes of mosh pit worthy anthems, (oh my god that is the cringest thing ever but it's the only way I can describe them)from the rowdy sounds of Bloodsports and Gun Crazy to the frankly quite incredible Let's Pretend (I'm not much of a fan of longer tracks so that is saying something) and the enthralling Fuckabout, there is something for everyone. Well, almost I guess.
Favourite tracks: Face Like A Skull, Bloodsports, Backwaters
Cults - Static
Cults are another band that to me can do no wrong. After an amazing 60's infused debut in 2011 (a pretty good year album wise, let's be honest) everyone was kind of left wondering what had happened to Cults for a while. I Can Hardly Make You Mine popped up spontaneously over the summer and showed the world that they hadn't lost any of the charm that littered their first album. Static is somewhat darker, with the slower tones of High Road and No Hope giving the album a slight twist. Madeline's very distinctive vocal style paired with the somewhat repetitive and samey tracks (in a good way) certainly aren't for everyone but they totally are for me so I'm putting Static in my top albums of the year, ennit.
Favourite Tracks: I Can Hardly Make You Mine, so Far, We've Got It
Splashh - Comfort
I felt like I was waiting my whole life for this album (okay so about a year but we all know I'm a fan of hyperbole) and the release delay of three months certainly didn't help. But when it did eventually drop (a whole month earlier than expected on the nicest blue vinyl that just about makes it the best piece of plastic I own) I'd say it went straight into my top three of the year. Since the majority of the tracks were previously singles it takes some getting used to to hear them all collectively as one album. Every song is amazing nonetheless and the term "summer soundtrack" defined. In my opinion it's actually quite an under-appreciated album, perhaps overlooked by other releases like Where The Heaven Are We and In Love, you know all of those bands that surfaced around mid 2012.
Favourite Tracks: All I Wanna Do, Headspins, Need It, Lemonade
MONEY - The Shadow Of Heaven
Another how do I put this? Somewhat disgustingly under-appreciated (that's pretty extreme) album, this time from Manchester's MONEY. This is not the album to stick on at a party, but instead a hauntingly charming collection of tracks to give you goosebumps. Their sound is unique; light and eerie and incomparable. Big and atmospheric yet soft and subtle, tough to describe. Either way it's a fantastic album, infused with hints of piano and drenched in frontman Jamie Lee's elaborate vocals.
Favourite tracks: Hold Me Forever, Who's Going To Love You Now, Bluebell Fields, Goodnight London
Other honourable mentions:
Palma Violets - 180
Favourites: Best Of Friends, Last Of The Summer Wine, Step Up For The Cool Cats, 14
Peace - In Love
Favourites: Bloodshake, California Daze, Lovesick, Waste Of Paint
Icona Pop - This Is... Icona Pop
Favourites: I Love It, Light Me Up, All Night
Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Favourites: Stoned And Starving, Light Up Gold II, Master Of My Craft, Careers In Combat
In my opinion there haven't been that many great albums this year, but a handful were outstanding and some others a bit disappointing. But we won't talk about those. (Yet, at least)
White Lies - Big TV
White Lies' third album was always going to be amazing. White Lies can do no wrong. White Lies are the best thing since sliced bread. And I appreciate the concept of sliced bread a lot considering I cannot cut bread straight. After an incredible debut and an equally good follow up album full of atmospheric anthems that make you want to dash to your nearest mountain and shout at the top of your voice, Big TV certainly had a lot to live up to. But it definitely didn't disappoint. Like, at all. Even after the opening seconds of Getting Even, the first glimpse into what's on Big TV (oh yes what a pun) you just knew that this was gonna be one of the best albums this year. Big TV totally lives up to it's name see it's bursting with big choruses, big vibes and in general big tunes that enhance the White Lies live experience even further.
Favourite tracks: Mother Tongue, Big TV, Goldmine, There Goes Our Love Again
Drenge - Drenge
Drenge appear to be one of those bands that you either love or just aren't your cup of tea. You can either absolutely love them and feel like, proper #hardcore or something when you listen to them, or a bit like "what on earth is this noise up in my grill?" Admittedly, to begin with I was feeling the latter. But after a few more listens of Bloodsports I eventually came around. The album itself sealed the deal for me, as well as many other people I assume. A whole 38 minutes of mosh pit worthy anthems, (oh my god that is the cringest thing ever but it's the only way I can describe them)from the rowdy sounds of Bloodsports and Gun Crazy to the frankly quite incredible Let's Pretend (I'm not much of a fan of longer tracks so that is saying something) and the enthralling Fuckabout, there is something for everyone. Well, almost I guess.
Favourite tracks: Face Like A Skull, Bloodsports, Backwaters
Cults - Static
Cults are another band that to me can do no wrong. After an amazing 60's infused debut in 2011 (a pretty good year album wise, let's be honest) everyone was kind of left wondering what had happened to Cults for a while. I Can Hardly Make You Mine popped up spontaneously over the summer and showed the world that they hadn't lost any of the charm that littered their first album. Static is somewhat darker, with the slower tones of High Road and No Hope giving the album a slight twist. Madeline's very distinctive vocal style paired with the somewhat repetitive and samey tracks (in a good way) certainly aren't for everyone but they totally are for me so I'm putting Static in my top albums of the year, ennit.
Favourite Tracks: I Can Hardly Make You Mine, so Far, We've Got It
Splashh - Comfort
I felt like I was waiting my whole life for this album (okay so about a year but we all know I'm a fan of hyperbole) and the release delay of three months certainly didn't help. But when it did eventually drop (a whole month earlier than expected on the nicest blue vinyl that just about makes it the best piece of plastic I own) I'd say it went straight into my top three of the year. Since the majority of the tracks were previously singles it takes some getting used to to hear them all collectively as one album. Every song is amazing nonetheless and the term "summer soundtrack" defined. In my opinion it's actually quite an under-appreciated album, perhaps overlooked by other releases like Where The Heaven Are We and In Love, you know all of those bands that surfaced around mid 2012.
Favourite Tracks: All I Wanna Do, Headspins, Need It, Lemonade
MONEY - The Shadow Of Heaven
Another how do I put this? Somewhat disgustingly under-appreciated (that's pretty extreme) album, this time from Manchester's MONEY. This is not the album to stick on at a party, but instead a hauntingly charming collection of tracks to give you goosebumps. Their sound is unique; light and eerie and incomparable. Big and atmospheric yet soft and subtle, tough to describe. Either way it's a fantastic album, infused with hints of piano and drenched in frontman Jamie Lee's elaborate vocals.
Favourite tracks: Hold Me Forever, Who's Going To Love You Now, Bluebell Fields, Goodnight London
Other honourable mentions:
Palma Violets - 180
Favourites: Best Of Friends, Last Of The Summer Wine, Step Up For The Cool Cats, 14
Peace - In Love
Favourites: Bloodshake, California Daze, Lovesick, Waste Of Paint
Icona Pop - This Is... Icona Pop
Favourites: I Love It, Light Me Up, All Night
Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Favourites: Stoned And Starving, Light Up Gold II, Master Of My Craft, Careers In Combat
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