Here’s what has become my yearly rundown on my favorite new stuff this year. I hope you hear something you like.
Here’s a Spotify playlist of all the tracks.
I’m not going to bother with reviews and just let the music speak for itself.
Fujiya and Miyagi – Ventriloquizzing
This band should be much bigger – particularly with an album as high quality as this.
Battles – Gloss Drop
Dutch Uncles – Cadenza
tUnE-yArDs – W H O K I L L
Wire – Red Barked Tree
Album can be heard here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/jan/04/wire-red-barked-tree
Rival Sons – Pressure and Time
Seen these guys at High Voltage – twice. They’re terrific and, while there’s nothing original in their retro rock sound, it’s addictive stuff.
Blitzen Trapper – American Goldwing
A good companion to the Rival Sons album. They’ve given up on the electronic elements that gave their Wild Mountain Nation album a Beck-ish sound.
Liturgy – Aesthetica
An anti-death metal death metal album. The cover is white, the font is Helvetica black and the band don’t wear panstick.
Dope Body – Nupping
This is insane.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
There are no surprises on this record other than this being the best thing he’s done in years. The Death of You and Me is, in my humble opinion the best song he’s done since the Morning Glory album.
Notable tracks
And finally here’s some great tracks that were released this year.
Field Music – (I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing
Eugene McGuinness – Lion
The Scaramanga Six – Trouble
Hella – Headless
Swallow and the Workshop – Snakes in the Grass
Pyyramids – That Aint Right
