As 2018 draws to a close I present to you my yearly round up. First and foremost we have been picking music for each other for over 6 years which is crazy; all of our lives have gone through changes but month after month we present each other with fantastic music. On that note I really struggled this year with albums on a whole; not only what we each brought to the table on a monthly basis but also finding end to end albums that I loved. There was some fantastic music in 2018 but more from a singles aspect than albums in my opinion. Amongst allot of drab albums there were some fantastic stand outs for me though. Here are my favourite albums and singles of 2018 in no particular order.
Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t think this is the album of the year. I think it is VERY good. But I’m not sure I would go as far as Pitchfork. I always get the impression Pitchfork is so painfully curated as to hit its demographic, it’s hard to take their lists seriously. Mitski certainly hits all the right 2018 buttons – strong female voice, big leap forward musically with new album, touching on angst and loneliness and anger. You can see why they chose it.
I’ve been aware of Mitski for a while, and thought I’ve liked what I’ve heard, I’ve maybe not loved it. She’s certainly an interesting voice, but I’ve found her songs a little bit too indie and angular and maybe I’m searching for a touch more from them. But that is based on not spending a lot of time with them, so that could be hugely unfair.
And then I heard NOBODY. Oh boy. What a song. WHAT a song. It might be a late entry into my song of the year. Hell, it might even just knock GIRLFRIEND off the top spot. Aching, painful, searing loneliness that starts off plaintive and then turns into a bloody grandstanding DISCO song, complete with two key changes that take my breath away every time I hear them.
So maybe now I get Mitski.
NOBODY is probably an outlier on the album – it’s not choc-a-block with similar tracks – but there is something really interesting going on here. The album starts off with a song that I could take or leave, GEYSER, that suggests something generically indie, but it quickly picks up after that. WHY DIDN’T YOU STOP ME? is a stomping slab of St Vincent-style wonky pop. And off the album goes in all kinds of fabulous directions. Other highlights: include ME AND MY HUSBAND – a piano led belter of a pop song, PINK IN THE NIGHT – huge, emotional indie torch tune, LONESOME LOVE, which goes proper alt-country. And finally, closer TWO SLOW DANCERS is a lovely, electronic ballad that’s a fitting closer.
Another wonderful plus: song length! I love that so many of these songs don’t outstay their welcome. Thanks you Mitski for writing 2 minute songs that are exactly the right length. Please please God can some bloated rock dudes take note. You don’t need 2 guitar solos, a middle eight and a lengthy outro every time, got it?
However, those brief song lengths can occasionally be a hindrance – there are some songs that feel half-formed or don’t quite earn their place on what is a very good album. And that’s, for me, why it isn’t quite album of the year material.
Still, a strong end to a pretty strong year, I thought. Over to you…
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FINALLY: As a side discussion, shall we have an albums of the year chat, Brothers? Oh yes, I think we should!
I offer a belated welcome to November my dear Brothers and a further welcome to ‘Songs You Make at Night’ by Tuung.
I know Brother David has a soft spot for a bit of Tuung, I don’t think Guy is familiar and I am not sure of Nolan’s history with the band but it was his post of ABOP on this blog that alerted me to the fact that this new album existed. I knew it was coming as they released Flatland earlier in the year and my wife and son loved it. I was looking forward to it as I do with all Tuung albums but I will be totally honest, they usually fit into the ‘nice to listen to’ rather than ‘have to / love to listen to’. They are ‘nice’ albums, they go well with a Sunday roast with company that you’re unsure of (musically speaking). Almost nobody would actively dislike it. However, I think this album takes them across that ‘nice to listen to’ threshold into something else. I think this is my favourite Tuung album (heart) and I think it may be their best (head) too.
So what do you get? Folktronica. A term that makes my skin crawl so best to get it out the way early. Over successive albums they have become slowly more ‘tronica’ but only in their instrumentation. The tunes are still folksy but in an unmistakably Tuung way. There aren’t many (any?) bands that sound like Tuung. I have found a couple but they turned out to be Tuung side projects.
I find this album enchanting. Its a slice of calm and prettiness that I always find welcoming. It’s got all the lyrical quirkiness that I love (‘Crow’ is a lovely example). It’s got the bleeps and squelches accompanying the acoustic guitars and occasional woodwind that still sit so comfortably together. It’s more upbeat moments like Dark Heart that manage to feel part of the whole and not jarring.
The thing that made me choose this is that it is 11 strong tracks. The stand out tracks change each time you listen to it. I would like to think that this make it accessible and enjoyable for all. It won’t end up on may best of lists as i don’t think its breaking new ground but for me, its one of the albums that will come with me into 2019 and beyond.
This has been bubbling under on my (metaphorical) turntable in the last couple of weeks, and it’s slowly dawning on me that’s it’s a work of complete genius. Nao’s one of the brighter lights of the British neo-soul/R&B scene, and she first came to my attention via the brilliant collaboration she did with Mura Masa a couple of years back:
I liked her debut, but I didn’t love it. This is her second album and it is a GIANT leap forward. It has such a beguiling mix of classic soul tropes, great 90s R&B arrangements (of the kind Brother Joey and I used to lap up back in the day), but it also strays deliciously into Frank Ocean territory, like this gem:
Best of all, it is just JAM PACKED full of great songs and top songwriting chops. It starts off pretty slowly, but really gets into its swing mid album, and the run of songs – Saturn, Gabriel, Orbit and Love Supreme – are as good as anything I’ve heard in a very long time.
What do you reckon, Brothers? Thought I’d throw a little extra listening into them mix.
I loved the Rhye debut but then lost touch with them … Spotify told me to listen to this, so I did. And I love it. I don’t know the original but this track is a beauty all in it’s own right. Oooof. I am pretty blown away by this one.
Micha P Hinson has been on my radar since his debut ‘Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress ‘. There was something about that album that ticked so many boxes for me. I think more than anything I bought him. It all seemed so honest and real; him and the album.
Since his debut I have kept him on my peripheral, but more to the tone of having him on a playlist here and there and that’s about it. It wasn’t until a while ago when I was driving home in the middle of the night and heard his live version of “The Life, Living, Death and Dying of a Certain, LJ Nichols’ did this live album hit my radar. When I say hit, it was more of a punch in the face in the nicest of ways. WTF was this song; and why did it blow me away? The album was ordered; and a few months later you too now will be adding it to your collection.
Live albums are a funny thing; thee aren’t many and there often is a very good reason for that. Not many artists can pull it off. This is less Eric Clapton on MTV and more sitting in a bar and hearing a guy sing his hart out to a half hearted audience. This album is raw; and highlights how raw Micha P. Hinson is as an artist. Hey, and it’s got the BBC stamp of approval… so that’s got to mean something right?
I will say that it took me a few listens to fully get into this album. Hayley still doesn’t fully get it. Although she has pointed out that since visiting the small town in Canada that I’m from she understands why I love it.
His lyrics are solid but deep and work. He doesn’t rhyme just to do so, his content is wholesome. ’Seven Horses Seen’ may just be my current favourite song; it’s catchy and brutal. I’ve changed the lyrics majorly and have started singing it to Olive… she likes my version.
The ruggedness of his singing style isn’t for everyone, but it grows on you. I’m starting to think that he’s a guy that I would like to sit down and have a beer with.
I’m mindful that this is a risky one. It’s not for everyone. But that’s why we’re here. Even brother Joey who is a fan of Micha P. Hinson may have mixed feelings about this album. If I can ask one thing of you; like a good bourbon it may be rough around the edges but give it a little time to sink in.
thisisnothappening.net 