FISO

This was a thread that used to build up nicely over the year with some end-of-year poll shares and personal top 5/10s posted in December. In the absence of the former, anyone up for a few retrospective recommendations in what's left of the year?

My personal favourite is the Suede album The Blue Hour. If you've ever liked them (or especially if you haven't according to some reviews) it's well worth a listen and whilst not a full concept album it works best if you can give it a full run-through. Other stuff I've liked has been the Matt Berry TV themes thingie and Orbital "Monsters Exist" and Interpol's "Marauder". I've lost a bit of faith in 6music this year and am now an old fart who rarely gets into new bands anymore.

As a keen/avid CD purchaser up until about 12 months ago.... I’m ashamed to say I’m full on Spotify (and 6Music) disciple.

The downside being, with access to everything in the world, I probably listen to less and less new stuff. To the point I can’t think of a new album released this year. I’m sure I’ve listened to some, but none immediately spring to mind.

EDIT: the Thom Yorke soundtrack I bought. Some nice stuff on it but nothing earth shatteringly good.

Not discovered much through 6 Music this year but do like IDLES album which was their best of the year. The rest of their list was too obscure (except the Arctic Monkeys which some love but I am with the apparent majority who found it dull, limp and boring).

Underworld and Iggy's EP was good but struggling to remember anything else (not heard Suede album - singles are ok but didn't lure me in).

Found myself revisiting and newly finding old stuff, getting deluxe reissues and finding out about reggae and dub over and above new stuff.

Top 5

5 - Kin Soundtrack by Mogwai
4 - Wide Awake by Parquet Courts
3 - Suspiria Soundtrack by Thom Yorke
2 - Joy as an Act of Resistance by IDLES
1 - Smote Reverser by Oh Sees

Really enjoying Merrie Land by The Good, the Bad and the Queen but it hasn’t quite done enough to squeeze into my top five.

I gave the GBQ album a listen and found it a bit one-paced. Will have to try again.

murf, there was a new Teleman (iirc you're a fan?) album which seemed to go under the radar. Again based on one listen it sounded like they were treading familiar water but that can sometimes be ok.

My most eagerly anticipated album this year was Chris, from Christine and the Queens, and what a let-down that was. Unlike 2016's Chaleur Humaine, which I loved, every track on Chris sounds the same, ie monotonous disco/funk. This hasn't stopped critics calling it a masterpiece and making it album of the year or whatever, which makes me wonder how far their opinions are driven by industry hype rather than actually listening to it.

Fortunately, there was plenty of other stuff I enjoyed. My Top 10:

Dizzy - Baby Teeth Ontario foursome, three brothers and a girl on vocals. Good songs with intriguing lyrics and some nice melodic guitar throughout. My album of the year
The Wandering Hearts - Wild Silence Alt-folk Americana (even thought they're from London). Two blokes and two girls, often compared to Fleetwood Mac or First Aid Kit. My runner-up
David Crosby - Here if You Listen Generally I'm not interested in old bands topping up their pension funds but this is genuinely as good as any Crosby Stills & Nash album I've heard (and I'm a big CS&N fan)
Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer A highly political album but musically it's brilliant (as always)
Pistol Annies - Interstate Gospel Pistol Annies are three well-established country artists (Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley). Most country is full of musical and lyrical cliches but not here - this is quality
Lucy Dacus - Historian Talking of good country music, this is great too
Phantastic Ferniture - Phantastic Ferniture Possibly the worst band name ever, but they produce good songs (another female vocalist), a solid sound with some strong riffs
Eels - The Deconstruction How he (Mark Oliver Everett) can keep churning out music as good as this remains one of life's mysteries
Lake Street Dive - Free Yourself Up A cornucopia of funk, blues, soul, be-bop and R'n'B. What's not to like? Their previous album Side Pony was one of my best of 2016
Morcheeba - Blaze Away A return to form from a revitalised band

Darbyand wrote:I gave the GBQ album a listen and found it a bit one-paced. Will have to try again.

murf, there was a new Teleman (iirc you're a fan?) album which seemed to go under the radar. Again based on one listen it sounded like they were treading familiar water but that can sometimes be ok.

Yes, listened a couple of times and just treading water. OK but another band getting marginally worse each time. The world could easily live without it or them (I even found their first album to be a watered down version of their earlier incarnation as Pete and the Pirates).

HMHB's album - how did I forget that! - could also be said to be more of the same but it is a very, solid consistently great same. The world is a better place for it.

GB&Q heard a few times on 6 and Jools. All a bit dull I'm afraid. Waste of talented individuals.

Heard good things about the Morcheeba album but haven't heard it. Their first couple of albums were great and often get dug out when I'm in the mood.

All the end of year polls you can handle

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/lists.php

Was Hurray for the Riff Raff's Navigator album from this year? That's pretty good.

Razorlights album out the other month or so was decent I thought. But I like that early 2000s stuff