25/11/09 stubs catch-up

no scores

albums of the noughties - part 3: 10 - 1

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. DON'T BE FOOLED REMEMBER...

10. MIA - "kala" (2007)

STILL can't decide if this or Arular is best, so this if for both. And the Piracy Funds Terrorism mix.

9. David Thomas Broughton - "vs. 7 Hertz" (2007)

"no great shakes my love"

8. Dizzee Rascal - "boy in da corner" (2003)

"nah i swear that's your girl"

7. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "ease down the road" (2001)

I bought this for my dad for xmas, thinking it was the most accessable thing that I loved, and he likes a bit of country, he rang me a couple of weeks later to say it was the most depressing thing he'd ever heard?!? My fave Oldham product.


6. Burial - "untrue" (2007)

INCREDIBLE. soundtrack to staring out of bus/train/car windows at night. in cities. in the rain.


5. Antony & The Johnsons - "i am a bird now" (2005)

THE (fifth) GREATEST!


4. Hot Chip - "the warning" (2006)

ELECTROSOUL MASTERPIECE!!


3. Life Without Buildings - "any other city" (2000)

One of those albums where I know ever breath and squeak before it happens.


2. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - "how i long to feel that summer in my heart" (2001)

nearly there now


1. Animal Collective - "sung tongs" (2004) "merriweather post pavillion" (2009) "strawberry jam" (2007) "feels" (2005) "here comes the indian" (2003) "danse manatee" (2001) ""spirit they've gone..." (2000)

WHAT A CHEAT!

For making me anticipate record releases like no other band in a long time. You don't need me to talk about this again. Best experimental folk/electronic/noise/popular! band in the last 10 years.

Glad that's over let's not speak of this.

albums of the noughties - part 2: 20 - 11

I regret starting this list more than anything i've ever done on here...

20. NOXAGT - "turning it down since 2001" (2003)

Noxagt - Mek It Burn

One of my favourite LOUD albums ever. Like Dirty Three knocking you flat with Norwegian metal viola.


19. The Field - "from here we go to sublime" (2007)

The Field - A Paw In My Face

I'm running out of things to say at this point cos here on in it's all beautiful.

18. Sonic Youth - "murray street" (2002)

Sonic Youth - Rain on Tin

"these are the words but not the truth"

17. Explosions In The Sky - "those who tell the truth shall die, those who tell the truth shall live forever" (2000)

Explosions in the Sky - Have You Passed Through This Night

Before I heard Godspeed, I heard this album and it became my favourite thing ever, I don't really listen to much post rock anymore, I'm on a break. This album is perfect though. It reminds me of Murakami (I read his books listening to instrumental music as background and now whenever I hear this all I can think of are missing cats and mysterious hotels).

16. Herman Dune - "not on top" (2005)

Herman Dune - Not On Top

"and there are tattoos on your skin, and there is carole king"


15. Part Chimp - "i am come" (2005)

Part Chimp - AShiTA No baKAHAtsu

My other favourite LOUD album, this doesn't really deserve to be here as I disagree with my list I wrote the other day, it's more a #21 than a #15.


14. Jeffrey Lewis - "the last time i did acid i went insane and other favourites" (2001)

Jeffrey Lewis - The East River

When I heard him play these songs on John Peel (supporting Cornershop) it made me search out all his singles and collaborations and comic books and compilations (especially see #49 in this list), and go on pilgrimages to scout huts and bars and disused cinemas to see him play a few times a year for about 6 years.


13. Godspeed! You Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O.

Godspeed you black emperor! - 09-15-00

THE GODS OF THIS-SORT-OF-THING!!!!!!! Think Skinny Fists is the popular choice, but this is my boy.


12. Micah P. Hinson - "and the gospel of progress" (2004)

Micah P. Hinson - Beneath The Rose

"I'M PACKING UP MY NIGHTMAAAARES!"


11. Silver Jews - "bright flight" (2001)

Silver Jews - Horseleg Swastikas -(live)

Best of the 00s Jews, ALMOST up there with the 90s Jews

albums of the noughties - part 1: 50 - 21

Massive disclaimer: It is ridiculous to compare music this way! and lists are either sterile countdowns full of criticspeak, or as obscure as possible (this is tempting, believe me!) and padded out with a load of stuff you don't really listen to a lot but think will make you sound a bit more interesting than just admitting ah yeah actually The Strokes album was pretty good. HOWEVER, I spent 2000-2004 pretty much just listening to Bright Eyes and The Smiths, so there's no reason not to be honest about this. I don't understand or trust music reviews if they are factual/clinical, so i'll try and make this more personal.

Firstly, records that missed the cut or I couldn't be bothered to fit into the list (and i'm not man enough to let the others down), or I thought about at last minute or I loved at the time but very slightly not as much now...

The Decemberists - "picaresque", The Microphones - "the glow pt 2", Fiery Furnaces - "gallowsbird's bark", Bright Eyes - "i'm wide awake it's morning", The Shins - "oh inverted world", BARR - "beyond reinforced jewel case", The Strokes - "is this it?", Rusty Santos - "the heavens", Deerhunter - "cryptograms", Kait0 - "band red", The Libertines - "up the bracket", Super Furry Animals - "rings around the world", Camera Obscura - "biggest bluest hi fi", Arcade Fire - "funeral", Polyphonic Spree - "the beginning stages of...", Dirty Projectors - "bitte orca", Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "fever to tell", Safetyword - "man's name is legion", The Books - "lost and safe", Bearsuit - "team ping pong", Lightning Bolt - "wonderful rainbow", Parenthetical Girls - "entanglements", Sweet Baboo - "hello wave", Nico Muhly - "mothertongue", The Bronx - "ii", Fuck Buttons - "Street Horrrsing", Amy Winehouse - "back to black", The xx - "xx"

A fair few of those I like equally as much as any of the following (which shows you the way things will go here). Any of these could be in any order (roughly)! Don't be fooled by the numbers or pretence that we are building up to something important (i'm kidding, we are):

50. Devendra Banhart - "rejoicing in the hands..."
49. Various - "antifolk vol. 1" (2002) [only compilation allowed]
48. Gillian Welch - "time (the revelator)" (2002)
47. Lift To Experience - "the texas jerusalem crossroads" (2001)
46. Black Dice - "creature comforts" (2004)

45. Flying Lotus - "los angeles" (2008)
44. The Dirtbombs - "ultraglide in black" (2001)
43. Deerhoof - "milkman" (2004)
42. Erase Eratta - "other animals" (2001)
41. M.Ward - "the transfiguration of vincent" (2003)

40. Missy Elliot - "respect m.e." (2006) [FINAL compilation allowed! too much filler on her albums, listen to this more than any other comp.]
39. Stars of the Lid - "...and their refinement of the decline" (2007)
38. Ryan Adams - "gold" (2001)
37. Panda Bear - "person pitch" (2007)
36. Tindersticks - "can our love…" (2001)

35. OOIOO - "gold and green" (2000)
34. Electrelane - "the power out" (2004)
33. Kate Rusby - "the girl who couldn't fly" (2006)
32. Wild Beasts - "limbo, panto" / "two dancers" (2008/2009) [CHEATING. i can't seperate]
31. Adam Green - "friends of mine" (2003)

30. Joanna Newsom - "the milk eyed mender" (2004)
29. The Knife - "silent shout" (2006)
28. Emeralds - "solar bridge" (2008)
27. Mono - "walking cloud and deep red sky, flag fluttered and sun shined" (2004)
26. Grandaddy - "the sophtware slump" (2000)

25. The White Stripes - "white blood cells" (2001)

The White Stripes - Little Room/The Union Forever (Peel session 2001)

I remember hearing them showcase these new songs on one (of their many) Peel sessions, as well as a Marlena Dietrich cover and Hello Operator (not off this album) and it gave me shivers, good ones. Love everything about this album, and it holds up better than their others. Got the praise it deserved, and now, as if it couldn't get any better for them, they get to number 25! IN THIS LIST.


24. The Detroit Cobras - "life, love and leaving" (2001)

The Detroit Cobras - He Did It

I owe it to the 2001 version of me to put this way up in my list. Amazing sleazy garage covers record of old soul songs and standards. I don't think i've listened to this for a good few years. Doing so now. Still love it. Got into this when I was deep into Everett True / Careless Talk mag, back when it was like a mass produced fanzine.


23. Broadcast - "haha sound" (2003)

Broadcast - Before We Begin

This is the Broadcast album that i've listened to and come back to the most, their 60s up-beat pop record but still dark and Germanic. The least '2000s' sounding record in this list?! I think this is the one they recorded themselves in their basement. It sounds breezy and light (for them).


22. GAS - "pop" (2000)

Gas - Oktember A1

This is slightly cheating as my actual vote is the whole of the Nah Und Fer box set (2008) but most of that is from the '90s bar this one record (best disc - Oktember). More washy ambience and crackles and drip drops and underwater techno, slightly Krauty and strange and URGH! rewarding, sorry, I was supposed to keep this personal... urrrm, nice with a book.

21. Brian McBride - "when the detail lost it's freedom" (2005)

Brian McBride - The Guilt Of Uncomplicated Thoughts

No not that Brian McBride. This is one half of Stars of the Lid, but I much prefer this to SotL, it's sleepy (had no idea I was so sleepy) and sad (knew about that), occasional vocals but mostly instrumental. Piano/guitar/brass/not much of a pulse, actually - I have no idea what instruments are making most of these noises but AHHHHH IT'S BEAUTIFUL. this review here explains it a lot better (and worse) than I ever could. I should have placed this higher but it's too late now.

NEXT UP 20 - 11. NOT because I want to drag this out!!! but because I haven't written it yet, and I don't want this one to be too long...

30/09/09 films

15/09/09 ...also listening

THE PASTELS/TENNISCOATS - VIVID YOUTH


NITE JEWEL - WHAT DID HE SAY

15/09/09 listening

DENT MAY - MEET ME IN THE GARDEN


YACHT - PSYCHIC CITY (VOODOO CITY)

14/09/09 jonathan meades

13/09/09 gower photos

FLICKR

10/09/09 viriamu jones reprise

I've refreshed my rolling Spotify playlist, just where I drag and drop stuff that I love when I hear it. I've been using Spotify A LOT, the adverts are SLOWLY KILLING ME.



http://open.spotify.com/user/robsell/playlist/2ZgATLvXTxCvm2NBs9u8Jc

click the link to open ^ (i normally have to click about three times to make it work). Also, if you set up a Spotify playlist - link me up, ta.

08/09/09 film

21-23/08/09 g m reprise

I got asked to answer q's to add to a Green Man review for The Joy Collective, but err.. nobody else replied, so it wasn't used, so i'm putting it here.

06/09/09 bristol half marathon

This was good. Surreal experience, scores of people shouting "come on Alz-hoi-merrrs" at me! Yay Alzheimers.

Result:

I now have a floppy toe on my right foot, and it takes me ages to get up stairs, but it was fun at the time. Here I am in motion:

(this was near the finish)

Cheers for sponsoring, if you did, we raised serious cash.

01/09/09 film

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1127715/ (promise i scored it before reading imdb)

31/08/09 hollywood walk of fame...

...Penarth style