So, we are getting tired of all this new music, and starting to listen to some old stuff again. But that doesn’t stop me from guiding you through my 50 best records of this year. The sequel, starting with number 40
40. Turner Cody – First Light (B.Y Records)
Sounds Like: Born too late, but okay, we can still sing along with your (anti)folk songs; Benji Cossa
Turner Cody brings really quirky folkpop songs, which sound as if they could be on a 60’s British sunday afternoon radio show. I see those British school children eat a red apple, dad tunes in the radio, a radio voice says: “and now the delicately charming Turner Cody”, and then he starts singing.
Turner Cody – My Baby’s Been Away
39. O’death – Broken Hymns, Limbs And Skin ( City Slang)
Sounds Like: Absolutely Wrecked Bluegrass Appalachian Folk, Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart, 16 Horsepower
O’death is the first band in this list that also was in my list of last year. For I am a hobo in heart and soul, I thoroughly enjoy this hilbilly music, which includes fiddles, banjo’s and probably even blow bottles! now all get up and do the devil’s honky Tonky!
O’Death – Low Tide
38. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (Say Hey Records)
Sounds Like: Well, mr. Micah P. Hinson, it seems you’ve got some competition there.
Micah P. Hinson was a young guy, who used to be in jail, was addicted to some pills. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is 24 and has been homeless. They should start a band together, or keep on releasing amazing indie-singersongwriter albums like the one by MBAR. This is a genuine amazing album, that you’ll like if you like Hinson’s work. Lots of layers, with a lot of voices, and stuff like that going on. Ah man, forget it. Listen instead of reading this. I’m not here to fool you!
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed
37. Castanets – City of Refuge (Asthmatic Kitty)
Sounds Like: There is a town where all people died, and then they ressurected.
If some Kazakh freedom fighters would have kidnapped me, and made me listen to some albums without me telling who i was listening to, iI would have said that no one else but Castanets could have made this record. It’s desolate big city folk, apocalyptic in every way. Tech-folk, Country Noir… all these genre descriptions have been used to describe Castanets, but it’s just truly unique. All his albums would be in the lists of their release year.
Castanets – Glory B
36. Grampall Jookabox – Ropechain/ Rill Bruh EP (Asthmatic Kitty)
Sounds Like: too much acid, an acoustic guitar, a fourtrack, and a lot of samples. The Muppet Show of the 21st Century, Man Man
Grampall Jookabox is genuinely weird. It’s deconstructed acid-tripping.. folk? Can you call this folk? or hilbilly Hiphop? Or something else? You take some people in a madhouse, musical ones, give them some instruments and leave them there for 3 weeks without food or water. This is what you’ll get. I like the EP a bit more than the full album, also because i’m all funked up by Bad Wis My Sploder. Best song is for later on though. You can download the entire EP for free.
Grampall Jookabox – Bad Wis My Sploder
35. Human Highway – Moody Motorcycle (Suicide Squeeze)
Sounds like: Sixties summer pop, Neil Young’s bastard Kids
If there is one guy that let me down a bit this year, it’s Nick Thornburn from Islands. The New Islands records sucks and lacked some cool songs. Luckily he made this album, so I’m not entirely mad at him. This is a Collaboration with Jim Guthrie (From Royal City-fame). The result are some nice harmonic songs, which you can sing along during summer camp. (Thornburn also recorded a hiphop-esque album with the alias Reefer, and quite enjoyable too)
Human Highway – The Sound
34. Dr. Dog – Fate (Park The Van)
Sounds Like: 60’s lo-fi, though less lo-fi than they used to be
Dr. Dog have always been like the cool Beatles to me. The Beatles that stayed in their garage and just made noisy 60’s songs. On their new album they’ve become a bit cleaner, but that doesn’t mean they’re less good. They also released a compilation of old stuff this year, which is great. I’ll add a song of that too. While listening, i think they could be higher on the list. great Band that hasn’t let me down up until now!
Dr. Dog – The Rabbit, The Bat & The Reindeer
Dr. Dog – Me & My Girl
33. The Whiskers – The Distorted Historian (Self-released)
Sounds Like: The Cheap version of Wolf Parade (and i mean that literally)
Free albums that are great! hooray! the Whiskers’ lead singer sounds like a moderate version of the voice at Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, Handsome Furs or Frog Eyes. A sound which i can’t seem not to enjoy. So, why do I call them cheap? Because they offer their album completely for free on their website, which we greatly appreciate. Fans of everything Canadian and weird voices, try this.
The Whiskers – U-92
32. James Yorkston – When The Haar Rolls In (Domino Records)
Sounds like: your late-night soothing troubadour
James Yorkston comforts. he’s your big musical teddybear, with warm well orchestrated folk songs, and his calm voice singing over it. It’s not weird, it’s not creepy, it’s not lo-fi, but god, i like this. Findlay brown or Bowerbirds-fans, come and see this.
James Yorkston – Queen of Spain
31. No Age – Nouns (Sub Pop)
Sounds like: Mom, can you please turn of that vacuum cleaner, we’re trying to make some popsongs here!
Lo-fi is back! I already talked about Wavves, but there is also Times new viking and eh…other dudes. We’re back to four tracks, noise, a lot of feedback, combined with funky funny sing along teenage sjillamee sjellikers! I missed their free show last year, because i didn’t know them (and didn’t ahve a driver’s license), but if i would have a time machine, i’d so be there! lo-fi pop, for all the happy kids. Buy the cd by the way, cause the booklet looks great
No Age – Eraser
Who? The Extraordinaires
An Inside Out Sock 