stuff wot i've enjoyed this year:
Tricot - Makkuro
Couldn't get into the previous album at all, but enjoyed this. Some funky pop bits that aren't for me, but the guitar lines throughout are interesting & catchy. The interplay of their instruments is still exciting.
Throwing Muses - Sun Racket
This was a grower. I like the heavier sound from 50 foot wave. She writes great mantra like melodies that wash over you - to be able to come out with something as intense as Frosting after so many years writing songs is amazing.
No Joy - Motherhood
Didn't think I'd like them after they moved on from their Wait to Pleasure sound, but she's a great writer. Became obsessed with Why Mothers Die.
Cafe Racer - Shadow Talk
Really like this album after ignoring it for a good while as the opening track does nothing for me. Think they are kind of like the band Women where each song has a pleasing sound, before some amazing coda lifts it & brings all the individual song ideas together in an exciting way.
Lomelda - Hannah
Wonder is one of those songs I have to listen to on repeat. Love the warm sounds & pretty melodies through the album & the way her voice on extended notes blends with the guitar sounds.
Waveless - Sugartree
Not sure exactly what it is about their sound that I like just feels the perfect mix of melody & distortion for me. The album seems really well sequenced, feels a pretty short & easy listen with a nice mix of pretty songs & freak outs like the closer.
Godcaster - Long Haired Locusts
This has grown on me from being a fun early listen to really loving parts of it. It’s got that Zappa feel of technical excellence played loosely for fun.
Horse Lords - The Common Task
There are some sounds that are too harsh & annoying for my ears, but every track comes together in a pleasing way. Except I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy the sound of bagpipes.
Land of Talk - Indistinct Conversations
Really happy to like this after not enjoying the previous one. I still miss the exciting more straightforward rock sound of her earlier stuff (A/B futures sounds closest to it) but think her amazing ear for melody comes through regardless.
Kairon; irse - Polysomn
That huge distortion drenched sound can often leave me cold, but I think their rhythm section keeps things interesting. Great mix of locked in grooves & interesting melodic fragments.
Neil Young - Homegrown
Generally think lost albums are bullshit so avoided this for a while. Cool to hear his voice as it was & there are some nice tracks & some great ones (Vacancy & Mexico) but in the context of that whole run from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere to Zuma, I can understand it being shelved.
Odds & sods:
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher. I really liked
Kyoto but couldn't get into the rest of the album. I haven't liked anything as much as Scott Street.
Slift - Ummon. Not a big psych fan, so the album's too much of a slog for me, but the start of the title track &
their kexp session is incredibly fun.
Dogleg - Melee. Not really my thing & there's only so much I can listen to the vocals, but there's something joyous about Fox &
Kawasaki Backflip.
Sprain - As Lost Through Collision. Absolutely loved the track
Worship House, but don't think the rest of the album comes close.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Sideways to New Italy. Really like
Cars in Space (wish every one of their songs was just like those last 2 mins of it), but there's not enough of that guitar interplay & I don't think their songs are strong enough.
Think my favourite thing I've listened to this year is Starflyer 59. Had somehow never heard of them/him before this year's EP
(title track's pretty good) but there's so many albums I'm still working through. A couple of my favourites: