… and it’s really good!
One that sounds like the Pixies;
One that sounds like …. the Pixies?
There are tracks that sound less like the Pixies too.
I am really enjoying it. Wish I’d gone to see them in Manchester now.
Category: Uncategorized
Hurray for the Riff Raff – ‘Pa’Lante’
I am sorry. I have been meaning to share this with you for over 12 months now. Pa’Lante means ‘go forward’ or ‘advance’ ‘progress’. It’s a common Peurto Rican abbreviation often used in political and/or social contexts. The ‘day in the life’ like time change in the middle is jarring on first listen but becomes part of the joy on successive listens. The sample is a recording of Pedro Pietri’s seminal 1969 poem “Puerto Rican Obituary,”. She also name checks my daughter ‘Silvia’ in the final verse. I have romantic notions that my daughter will love this song in years to come and will envision her dad cheering her on as she ‘go’s forward’ in life … ‘to Sammy and Silvia I say ‘Pa’Lante’.
This is not happening 2018
Why don’t we curate a best tracks list of 2018 as we go? We can review in Dec/Jan ’19 and cut it down to top 10 or 20 and argue and fall out and stuff?
Sorry David and Guy … it may involve Spotify?
Defari- Acknowledgement feat. Evidence
I’ve had this track on repeat for the last day. Love it!
OCTOBER: Alvvays – Antisocialites
It’s “at last” in more ways than one (with profuse apologies for the incredible tardiness of this review) – last in that this is my final contribution as being one of the Brothers on this rather wonderful blog. Opening those windows and throwing them open wide to the music I’ve been exposed to for the last… eighteen months or so…? has been a joy and I’m thankful to my fellow the Brothers for bringing me into the fold. At last, as well, to Alvvays in bringing which seems to have been a long time coming, ie that elusively consistent indie album. Such things tend to be a rarity, as we know. There are, more often than not, dips and on repeated listens, those tracks which we just skip by in search of the one that grabs us. That’s not to say that Antisocialites is perfect all the way through – but the skip point for me doesn’t appear until Already Gone, track eight from ten, and even then that’s the only one.
But I’m getting ahead of myself somewhat; Alvvays grabbed my attention with 2014’s release of the achingly glorious and sweepingly sublime Archie, Marry Me, about as classic as modern alternative music can get and stands Up There with the greats. Forward then, pinging on three years and we have the second long player from the Toronto quintet. They’ve not moved on a bunch in terms of their sound, so there’s no gear change progression in their approach. Indeed, they road tested much of what ended up on Antisocialites when on tour through 2015 and 16, so they’ve stuck with their “jangly pop” (the band’s own description for their brand of music) which fits in with their existing catalogue. Still, reinventing the wheel isn’t always essential and their craft is honed splendidly here. Melody remains at the heart of their art; it’s the hooks that grab and won’t let go – the trainer-pogo Plimsoll Punks evokes memories of bouncing indie discos featuring stupidly wide grins as That Guitar Riff makes you jump that little bit higher.
There’s a lot to appreciate with Alvvays’ occasionally etherial electronica where they exude an other-worldliness distance which bleeds through time and again; Forget About Life is pure romance and the sweetest proposition to simply hang out, be faithful to your own being and spend time with someone who means the world. It’s enough to make a middle aged reviewer sit back, smile and sigh in reflection that sometimes, things aren’t that bad and, indeed, can be pretty good. But looking back in the collection, Forget About Life was quite neatly foreshadowed earlier by the album’s second single, Dreams Tonite and it’s worth following the link as it’s a time capsule video, capturing Alvvays’ vintage but modern look and feel. Look out for the hat tip to MuchFACT, the Canadian music fund towards the end of the short.
Antisocialites ticks the indie kid box and appeals to the electronica side of my tastes and if those two loves can be catered for, that’s usually a win for me and that’s what we’ve got here.
Kamaiyah – Build You Up
Lovely re-working of late 80’s / early 90’s Hip Hop and R&B beats. Bobby Brown, Salt N Peppa … Kamaiyah? Nice positive track to make you smile and get your bottom bopping.
Thinking of a Place – The War on Drugs
I imagine that Brother David hates The War On Drugs … sorry if I am wrong … but I freaking love them. This track is beautiful, so beautiful. The guitar break / solo / thing in the 3rd / 4th minute is immaculate. I grew up in the 80’s, I loved Springsteen, my Dad still loved Dylan. The War on Drugs are still finding fertile creative ground in these two artists’ output from this decade (not often considered to be their most influential). And I relish what they’re doing. Cool it may not be. I wasn’t going for cool anyway.
We need to talk about Kendrick …
I’m having significant IT issues so can’t attach any thing at this moment … but I wanted to ask the following question;
‘Is Damn. the best Hip Hop album ever?’
Mr. Story’s Albums of 2016
In no particular order, the albums that I have most enjoyed this year …
Frankie Cosmos – Next Thing
No matter what mood I am in I love listening to this. It’s bizzarely universal for me. If I want to jump about and sing like nobody is in the room then I put it on, if I want to chill out, I put it on. Morning, evening. I think you get the point.
Nicolas Jaar – Sirens
I loved his first, I loved the Darkside album and I love this. I don’t think this is as strong as Darkstar – Psychic but its a hell of a listen.
Olafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm – Trance Frendz
I listen to loads of music that I would never choose for the AOTM. Maybe that is disrespectful to the Brothers. Perhaps I should branch out? These two musicians / composers (whatever) get together to go on hikes and talk about making music. Occasionally they meet in one or the others home cities to make some music. One evening they recorded 6 tracks, live with no overdubs or post fannying about. They created a haunting alum of calm lilting piano music that is then blended into electronic claustrophobia. Those of you who know Paul Ledger will appreciate his comment after he sat in the dark and listened in full on his head phones ‘Its beautiful Joey but you’re still one dark fucker’.
VIDEO LINK CAUSE THE BLOG WONT LET ME PASTE DIRECTLY INTO THE BODY LIKE ABOVE!!!
Bon Iver – 22, A Million
I didn’t know what to make of this at first … I love it now. He’s pretty bloody consistent isn’t he!
Christine and the Queens – Chaleur Humaine
I don’t care if its not the artists original words, language guests etc. I love love love it. Probably album of the year for me. Thank you David.
Anderson .Paak – Malibu
This has been with me nearly all the year I think. This and Frankie Cosmos. They’ve been consistently albums I’ve turned to.
Agnes Obel – Citizen of Glass
Beautiful
Helado Negro – ‘Its my brown skin’
Nice.
thisisnothappening.net 