Post by steve on Dec 21, 2021 16:23:03 GMT 1
It's list season so here goes...
It was really hard to choose just 21 (from 21) songs from the year with well over 500 to choose from, but I gave it a whirl with a few provisos.
I tried to pick one song per artist. I have a top 10 albums list & could have included many songs from the same artists, but for the sake of variety (along with the fact not everyone released an album) I’ve done it like this.
Amyl & The Sniffers - Don’t Need A Cnut (Like You To Love Me)
I honestly could have chosen every track off the new album but this one just sums up the attitude I love about A&TS. Zero fcuks given.
Deserta - Goodbye Vista
Last year Deserta delivered what I thought was the best album I’d heard in a very long time. No album this year sadly, but 2 stand alone tracks which hold so much promise of wonders to come.
Play this really really loud.
Broken Baby - Madonna’s a Dick
At first glance this looks like a snide attack on Madonna. Spoiler: It isn’t in the slightest. It’s an incredibly clever commentary on misogyny & slut shaming.
Crystal Canyon - Pollyanna
I swear, 30 seconds in & I was in a puddle on the floor. Effortless shoegaze. 60 seconds in & I’d bought their entire discography.
Fawning - All I Have
I heard this album over xmas & was smitten instantly. There's a nod to old school Cocteaus there & the production is unreal. This track has that Guthrie-esque howling guitar & the vocals are just so delicately draped on top of something that can only be described as majestic.
The Mysterines - Hung Up
Yes I like Lia Metcalfe. So? She can make that guitar growl while snarling gloriously.
New album in 2022 & I cannot wait to let my neighbours know I have it.
Illuminati Hotties - Joni: LA's No. 1 Health Goth
It’s only this year I have discovered Sarah Tudzin & the Hotties have swept me away. This song is a brilliant look at pretentious influencers & tok tikkers who just love themselves. & your money. & nothing else.
Bleach Lab - Never Be
This list is quite varied & I make no apologies for including what I consider to be one of the most beautiful tunes I think I’ve ever had the privilege to pipe into my ear holes this past year. This is a B side FFS! It’s about lost love and trying, in vain, to find it again. Quite astonishing.
Submotile - Sunflower
Picking up the pace now. Is it shoegaze? Is it post rock? Is it *add genre here*? I honestly don’t care. It’s 4 minutes of happily chaotic music drenched in reverb & a large dollop of fuzz pedals.
White Flowers - Help Me Help You
From one of my favourite albums this year. Dreamy swirling noise that wouldn’t be out of place on a Cocteaus album. As for that “Help me…” , Well sign me up.
Aura Zorba - Timebomb
Who? I hear you ask. Well exactly. I am a big believer in “other music is available” which is something a late great friend used to say to me a lot. This track is dripping with the influence of Love & Rockets. Delicate acoustic riffs & then, 3 minutes in, it unleashes a searing guitar break that isn’t full-on fret wankery.
Beach Bunny - Oxygen
Yes, it’s poppy. But I don’t really care. It has a bridge & chorus with more hooks than a velcro factory. On listen & you’ll be hooked too.
Seasurfer - Too Wild
Something darker now. Backed with a slithering bass line with gentle cold wave synths and breathy, haunting vocals, there’s not a lot not to like about this. I can imagine it going down a storm in a goth club (yes I said the G word).
Leathers - Missing Scene
I found this to be quite Curve-esque. Another pacy one for the darklings among you. Love the minimalist verses that get gradually added to in the run up to the chorus where filthy guitars slap you about the head.
Livingmore - Sharp
This song instantly took me back to early 80’s Blondie. It’s a massive tip of the hat to Heart Of Glass & it’s a heck of a lot of fun. Not all music needs to be a gloomfest to be great. Listen & you will be hard pressed not to pretend you’re riding a cantering horse. Yes I can lose myself in some music that much.
Spunsugar - Pink And Red
Musically, this reminds me of my old friends The Last Cry &, if they had a female singer, this could easily be them. It’s another floor filler for sure.
Starrgazy - Octopus
Back into the dream realm for this one. Lucie Hill could sing me the instruction manual for my dishwasher and I’d be happy.
Young Guv - Lo Lo Lonely
Time to rawk! Sleazy as hell. This has a really nice Teenage Fanclub vibe to it. What’s not to like about that?
Vallens - Sin So Vain
A completely new discovery for me this year & an album that is every bit worthy of a spot in my top 10 for the year. This is the stand out track. It’s not so much a song, more a short story.
Wolf Alice - Play The Greatest Hits
Of all the bands I chose from this year, Wolf Alice is probably the most well known. Every album they’ve made has been great. This year’s effort is not different &, on occasion, they are know to explode with something that’ll take the top of your head off. Like this.
Warahenege - Strange New Crowd
More dream pop I know, but this song enchanted me. It’s so unassuming that it demands to be listened to. &, at the 1 minute 46 mark, there is one of the dreamiest guitar breaks I’ve ever heard. It’s not “in your face” yet it really is. It’s a brilliantly mixed track that deserves more than a cursory spin on a pub jukebox (if they still exist).
& here's a handy youtube playlist
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMmDO41AtIjbIb0rMSANJafys88IrBuyE
so what floated your boat these past 12 months?
It was really hard to choose just 21 (from 21) songs from the year with well over 500 to choose from, but I gave it a whirl with a few provisos.
I tried to pick one song per artist. I have a top 10 albums list & could have included many songs from the same artists, but for the sake of variety (along with the fact not everyone released an album) I’ve done it like this.
Amyl & The Sniffers - Don’t Need A Cnut (Like You To Love Me)
I honestly could have chosen every track off the new album but this one just sums up the attitude I love about A&TS. Zero fcuks given.
Deserta - Goodbye Vista
Last year Deserta delivered what I thought was the best album I’d heard in a very long time. No album this year sadly, but 2 stand alone tracks which hold so much promise of wonders to come.
Play this really really loud.
Broken Baby - Madonna’s a Dick
At first glance this looks like a snide attack on Madonna. Spoiler: It isn’t in the slightest. It’s an incredibly clever commentary on misogyny & slut shaming.
Crystal Canyon - Pollyanna
I swear, 30 seconds in & I was in a puddle on the floor. Effortless shoegaze. 60 seconds in & I’d bought their entire discography.
Fawning - All I Have
I heard this album over xmas & was smitten instantly. There's a nod to old school Cocteaus there & the production is unreal. This track has that Guthrie-esque howling guitar & the vocals are just so delicately draped on top of something that can only be described as majestic.
The Mysterines - Hung Up
Yes I like Lia Metcalfe. So? She can make that guitar growl while snarling gloriously.
New album in 2022 & I cannot wait to let my neighbours know I have it.
Illuminati Hotties - Joni: LA's No. 1 Health Goth
It’s only this year I have discovered Sarah Tudzin & the Hotties have swept me away. This song is a brilliant look at pretentious influencers & tok tikkers who just love themselves. & your money. & nothing else.
Bleach Lab - Never Be
This list is quite varied & I make no apologies for including what I consider to be one of the most beautiful tunes I think I’ve ever had the privilege to pipe into my ear holes this past year. This is a B side FFS! It’s about lost love and trying, in vain, to find it again. Quite astonishing.
Submotile - Sunflower
Picking up the pace now. Is it shoegaze? Is it post rock? Is it *add genre here*? I honestly don’t care. It’s 4 minutes of happily chaotic music drenched in reverb & a large dollop of fuzz pedals.
White Flowers - Help Me Help You
From one of my favourite albums this year. Dreamy swirling noise that wouldn’t be out of place on a Cocteaus album. As for that “Help me…” , Well sign me up.
Aura Zorba - Timebomb
Who? I hear you ask. Well exactly. I am a big believer in “other music is available” which is something a late great friend used to say to me a lot. This track is dripping with the influence of Love & Rockets. Delicate acoustic riffs & then, 3 minutes in, it unleashes a searing guitar break that isn’t full-on fret wankery.
Beach Bunny - Oxygen
Yes, it’s poppy. But I don’t really care. It has a bridge & chorus with more hooks than a velcro factory. On listen & you’ll be hooked too.
Seasurfer - Too Wild
Something darker now. Backed with a slithering bass line with gentle cold wave synths and breathy, haunting vocals, there’s not a lot not to like about this. I can imagine it going down a storm in a goth club (yes I said the G word).
Leathers - Missing Scene
I found this to be quite Curve-esque. Another pacy one for the darklings among you. Love the minimalist verses that get gradually added to in the run up to the chorus where filthy guitars slap you about the head.
Livingmore - Sharp
This song instantly took me back to early 80’s Blondie. It’s a massive tip of the hat to Heart Of Glass & it’s a heck of a lot of fun. Not all music needs to be a gloomfest to be great. Listen & you will be hard pressed not to pretend you’re riding a cantering horse. Yes I can lose myself in some music that much.
Spunsugar - Pink And Red
Musically, this reminds me of my old friends The Last Cry &, if they had a female singer, this could easily be them. It’s another floor filler for sure.
Starrgazy - Octopus
Back into the dream realm for this one. Lucie Hill could sing me the instruction manual for my dishwasher and I’d be happy.
Young Guv - Lo Lo Lonely
Time to rawk! Sleazy as hell. This has a really nice Teenage Fanclub vibe to it. What’s not to like about that?
Vallens - Sin So Vain
A completely new discovery for me this year & an album that is every bit worthy of a spot in my top 10 for the year. This is the stand out track. It’s not so much a song, more a short story.
Wolf Alice - Play The Greatest Hits
Of all the bands I chose from this year, Wolf Alice is probably the most well known. Every album they’ve made has been great. This year’s effort is not different &, on occasion, they are know to explode with something that’ll take the top of your head off. Like this.
Warahenege - Strange New Crowd
More dream pop I know, but this song enchanted me. It’s so unassuming that it demands to be listened to. &, at the 1 minute 46 mark, there is one of the dreamiest guitar breaks I’ve ever heard. It’s not “in your face” yet it really is. It’s a brilliantly mixed track that deserves more than a cursory spin on a pub jukebox (if they still exist).
& here's a handy youtube playlist
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMmDO41AtIjbIb0rMSANJafys88IrBuyE
so what floated your boat these past 12 months?
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