Albums of 2021

[funky monkey]

13 hours ago, Jimi Shandrix said:

Norman Records are delivering the album tomorrow morning. I couldn't wait that long. Fired up Spotify and plugged in the cans at 1 minute past 12 for my first listen of "Sympathy Of Life" by Parquet Courts. I can't think of many bands who get me so excited at the release of a new album, (maybe Yo La Tengo or Comet Gain) but the early signs for this, their 9th in 10 years left me a bit disappointed. I thought the first two tracks released "Walking At A Downtown Pace" and "Black Widow Spider" were a bit PC by numbers. Thankfully, they are comfortably the two worst tracks on the album.  It's not their best by any stretch of the imagination but "Marathon Of Anger", "Plant Life", "Trullo" and "Pulcinella" are early favourites and up there with their best. I just wish they had included the full 10 minute version of "Plant Life" instead of the shorter version included here. On first listen, a solid 8 out of 10. 

Listened 3 times right through. It's different but unmistakably Parquet Courts. Got some grooves going on. I like it and agree a solid 8 out of 10. Production is absolutely perfect. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by funky monkey

[funky monkey]

Parquet Courts today. New ones to come from Courtney Barnett, Pip Blom and Deap Valley over the coming weeks. 

[Yoss]

Quite a day today, albums from Deerhoof, Parquet Courts, Self Esteem, Lana del Rey, La Luz among others.

The Self Esteem in particular (aka Rebecca Taylor ex of Slow Club) has been getting rave reviews.

[FBadgers]

Some other good and bad from 2021

 

Joanne Shaw taylor - Blues Album

Faye Webster - I Know i'm funny haha

Parquet Courts - Sympathy for Life (love em as much as we all do!)

Chvurches - Screen Violence

 

Worst was that Foo Fighters Bee Gees cover album..and i love Foos!

[G-MAN]

Only a matter of hours until Nation of Language new album and bid for world domination....

In the meantime..

[Jimi Shandrix]

Another goodie from the great Castles In Space label. "Mirror Stage" by Luke Requena is out today. This video has some strong primary school in the late 70's vibes to it. "Now class, pretend you are a tree."

 

 

[Jimi Shandrix]

On 13/10/2021 at 20:27, Yoss said:

Most of the songs on the new album tracklist have been part of their live sets for a while already and have versions available on youtube. (Check out Basketball Shoes in particular, if you don't know it already.)

I suspect that one has been picked as the first single mostly because it's short enough to get more airplay.

Basketball Shoes sounds pretty mighty if the live 14 minute version on you tube is anything to go by. The released version of Bread Song is good. Much better than Chaos Space Marine which after several listens still sounds oddly like Brian Cant jamming with The Arcade Fire. It'll maybe grow on me. Don't mind a bit of Brian Cant. 

[SweeperDee]

New Parquet Courts isn't doing it for me; sounds too disjointed compared to previous albums. 

[SweeperDee]

Beach House releasing the first part of a 4 part album release; Once Twice Melody.

Definitely could be up there if the first four tracks are anything to go by. "Superstar" is the standout for me. 

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by SweeperDee

[Paul Kersey]

I'm currently listening to Mark Reeder - Subersiv-Dekadent.

It was released earlier this year and is a mix of original songs and remixes of tracks by the likes of New Order and Yello, all pretty much done in Reeder's usual Berlin/industrial/techno style.

It's not bad though not exactly easy listening.

[carpetmonster]

I think it’s Low for me. Just a stunning record. 

[Oscar Wilder]

My Albums of 21 in no particular order are
Amyl & The Sniffers - Comfort To Me
The Killers - Pressure Machine
The Stranglers - Dark Matters
Weezer - Van Weezer
Dropkick Murphys - Turn Up That Dial
The Lathums - How Beautiful Life Can Be
Mogwai - As The Love Continues
The Vaccines - Back In Love City
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - When God Was Great
Manic Street Preachers - The Ultra Vivid Lament
Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark
Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band - The Legendary 79 No Nukes Concerts.
Enjoying buying vinyl again! [emoji106]

[ArabGaz]

I’ve not listened to a whole lot of new music this year but i’ve looked through various end of year lists and tried to pick my favourite albums that pop up in most of them. In no particular order:

Black Midi - Cavalcade

Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victim

Weather Station - Ignorance

War on Drugs - I Don’t Live Here Anymore

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Carnage

Wild Pink - A Billion Little Lights

 

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by ArabGaz

[NotThePars]

Really enjoying Sega Bodega's new one. 

[NotThePars]

Haven't been an albums person for a while now usually only really rinsing a few per year as I'm usually listening to mixes, EPs and following the algorithm but the two I've had on repeat the minute I heard them were Joy Orbison's still slipping vol. 1 and Sega Bodega's Romeo. Loads of dance music can sound impersonal but they're which feel very unique to the artist or sound like a statement of intent. Joy O's because his is peppered with sounds he's helped pioneer over the last 12-13 years as well as featuring snippets of conversation with his family and the latter because it's about very personal topics and is also a concept about him falling in love with an imaginary woman: something everyone on this forum can relate to!

[yoda]

Self Esteem is getting top spot on a few end of year lists. Difficult to disagree with that - it's awesome.

[Gibby82]

Top ten albums for me would be:

1. Madlib - Sound Ancestors

2. El Michel’s Affair feat Liam Bailey - Ekundayo Inversions

3. Modest Mouse - The Golden Casket

4. Mogwai - As the Love Continues

5. Black Country New Road - For the First Time

6. Gruff Rhys - Seeking New Gods

7. Don Letts - Late Night Tales

8. The Coral - Coral Island

8. Black Midi - Cavalcade

10. Django Django - Glowing in the Dark

 

Very decent looking back. Mentions too for Dry Cleaning and Bicep records, and favourite EPs were Diego by Gotts Street Park and Richie Hawtin’s Acid King. Chaise Longue by Wet Leg best single by several light years. 

[Jimi Shandrix]

Thoroughly enjoyed 2021 musically. While almost everything else about it was fucking awful, there were loads of great albums to enjoy. Here are my favourites.

1 - Black Midi - Cavalcade

2 - Jon Hopkins - Music For Psychedelic Therapy

3 - Black Country, New Road - For The First Time

4 - Luke Requena - Mirror Stage

5 - University Challenged - Oh Temple!

6 - Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan - Interim Report, March 1979

7 - Dummy - Mandatory Enjoyment

8 - Low - Hey What

9 - Animal Collective - Crestone

10 - David Christian - For Those We Met On The Way

11 - D. Rothon - Memories Of Earth

12 - Parquet Courts - Sympathy For Life

13 - Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan - People & Industry

14 - Roedelius & Dallas Acid - Mind Cinema

15 - Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders - Promises

16 - Alex Albrecht - Campfire Stories

17 - Sara Davachi - Antiphonals

18 - Lucinda Chua - Antidotes

19 - Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg

20 - Space Afrika - Honest Labour

Top 5 singles

1 - Time Cow - Elephant Man

2 - Horsegirl - Ballroom Dance Scene

3 - Dry Cleaning - Scratchcard Lanyard

4 - Black Midi - John L

5 - Animal Collective - Bridge To Quiet EP

A mention for my two favourite reissues of the year 

1 - Tangled Shoelaces - Turn My Dial

2 - Black Channels - Two Knocks For Yes

[funky_nomad]

My Top 20 rundown:

20: Idles - Crawler
19: GY!BE - God's Pee etc
18: Rival Consoles - Overflow
17: Low - Hey What
16: Mogwai - As The Love Continues
15: Veryan - Here
14: Jon Hopkins - Music For Psychedelic Therapy
13: The Notwist - Vertigo Days
12: A Winged Victory For The Sullen - Invisible Cities
11: Loscil - Clara
10: Human Concept - The Machine That Made Eternity
9: Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark
8: Floating Points, etc - Promises
7: worriedaboutsatan - Providence
6: Manchester Orchestra - The Million Masks Of God
5: Cult48 - Underground Signals From An Unknown Place
4: Marconi Union - Signals
3: Loscil - LUX Refractions
2: Pye Corner Audio - Untangled Routes
1: God Is An Astronaut - Ghost Tapes #10

Discovery of the year was definitely Cue Dot Records - a great aesthetic with some superb releases (see numbers 10 and 15 above) - like a high quality version of the old Picket Fence series that Fence used to put out.

Didn't get to many live shows (), but highlights were 65daysofstatic at Summerhall, Working Men's Club at Stag & Dagger and BEAK at The Great Eastern.

[Luke Mike]

This is awesome, everything you write here is true and amazing. Thanks for sharing. Cheers! Must check my blog musicenviro.com and let me know if there is any suggestion you have.

 

Best regards,

Luke Mike.