Albums of 2021

[Ms Harmless]

Yes that's exactly why.

edgy

[ghost]

1. Buck Meek - Two Saviors
2. Godspeed! - At State's End

Haven't paid attention to much new stuff yet this year. Looking forward to Lord Huron and Hiss Golden Messenger soon.

[epilogue]

trag is gonna be pissed

[Brett]

Yeah is gonna be pissed

Who's Yeah?

[epilogue]

Yeah is gonna be pissed

Who's Yeah?

auto-correct, sorry. I meant trag, trag is gonna be pissed.

I fixed my post.

[tragabigzanda]

[chewm]

this years' black country new road album is v good especially if you're into Black Midi and that kinda thing, might be my favorite band of this uk post punk wave thats been going on right now

[Brett]

Not sure about the new Godspeed/ God's Pee album as a whole, but the final track is really beautiful

That closing piece is one of the most gorgeous things they've ever done. I'm really into the whole album; probably my favorite that I've heard from this year, so far. I'm really vibing on its wavelength, especially "Cliff," the second of the long pieces.

[LetMeSleep]

This new album is lovely.

[Mickey]

Not sure about the new Godspeed/ God's Pee album as a whole, but the final track is really beautiful

That closing piece is one of the most gorgeous things they've ever done. I'm really into the whole album; probably my favorite that I've heard from this year, so far. I'm really vibing on its wavelength, especially "Cliff," the second of the long pieces.

Yeah I've had it on while working but haven't given it the proper attention it deserves. But man that final track.

[elliseamos]

Haven't paid attention to much new stuff yet this year. Looking forward to Lord Huron and Hiss Golden Messenger soon.

I'm looking forward to these too. Shakey Graves's new one is good, but there is literally a bunch of filler "demos" and "interludes" which are annoying.

[Brett]

Checked out that Sunburned Hand of the Man record that Higgs posted about. It kinda reminds me of Grails a little bit here and there, with maybe a smattering of Oneida or something. I like of some the instrumentals, but the vocals are a turn off which seems to happen a lot with some of these swampy psychedelic things.

[Brett]

Played the new Balmorhea album on Spotify. It's a lovely record for a rainy spring afternoon. It just came out Friday on Deutsche Grammophon. Here's "The Myth" from it:

[Brett]

Eh, I've been doing this last couple years, and since I've gone ahead and crowned Godspeed as my favorite album of the year thus far, I figure I can get an early start on doing these little write-ups.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END!
After a decade of frequent touring and carving out a new sonic space to occupy, the masters of long-form dramatic post-rock have crafted an album that feels like it encompasses their whole package. There are nods to their nigh-untouchable pre-hiatus work entwined with their post-hiatus penchant for unleashing thick, steamrolling tones, and it all comes together in well-written compositions that are emotive and evocative. This music is vital and essential in a way I wouldn't have imagined a few years ago.

Mogwai - As the Love Continues
I gushed about this album in the Mogwai thread a few weeks back, and it's only gotten better from there. There's a few bumps along the way, but this is a surprisingly consistent album for these guys who have still been churning out plenty of really good songs, but have been a bit patchy when stringing together whole albums for a while. This is vibrant mostly-instrumental rock that mines copiously from Mogwai's broad arsenal of stylistic tics as well as draws in a few newer influences for good measure.

See Through 4 - Permanent Moving Parts
Perhaps my favorite of Pete Johnston's See Through 4 jazz trilogy, in no small part I'm sure due to the increasing influence of fusion elements and the presence of vibraphone, which I've always found to have a lovely otherworldly sound. This is intricate, rhythmic jazz music that goes light on the solos in favor of strong instrumental counterpoint and meditative structuring. With this trilogy complete, I look forward to seeing where Pete goes next with his musical explorations.

Bloop - Proof
An alien meeting of solo trumpet and live electronic processing and manipulation with a dash of whistling and percussive elements scattered throughout. It's not really jazz, ambient, or dub, but it owes stylistic lineage to to all three of those forms. Whatever it is, it's a fascinating sound world to inhabit as it variously suggests the empty crawl between the stars and the mossy, earthen kingdom where insects and worms burrow.

Bell Orchestre - House Music
One 44-minute long, multi-segmented composition that collides indie rock energy with minimalism-threaded contemporary classical. There's a thunderous rhythmic underpinning that keeps the whole thing driving forward while violin, horns, keyboards, pedal guitar, and more explore melodic threads and textural ruminations. I kinda expected to be enveloped and enthralled with this release more than I am, but so far I haven't been able to give it the attention it seems to need.

Troublemaker - Music of Nick Fraser, Volume 1
I kinda wish this thing has stayed on Rob Clutton's shelf. He's a fascinating bass player, and has written some wonderful compositions in his time, but this little exercise on mostly electric bass guitar sounds like somebody just farting around with effects in a music shop. It does hit on a few compelling points here and there, especially on the final track where Rob switches over to his usual contrabass, but in all it's terribly disappointing.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[epilogue]

Re: the Floating Points/Pharoah Saunders record:

Was really looking forward to this record. Listened this morning, while it’s lovely, it feels like a very minor record for both artist. The theme/motif that repeats throughout is nice, but it lacks the push/pull I get from overtly minimalist stuff, and also lacks any real forward momentum.

It’s very pretty and I love both artists — Elaenia is one of my hands down favorite records in recent memory — but mostly I hope this first collab leads to something a bit more complex next time out.

Yeah I was wrong, this thing is amazing.

I listened to it today (first and second time with it) and I think I land somewhere between your initial take and your latest take. Solid record with some really moving parts and something I'll definitely be returning to.

[tragabigzanda]

[epilogue]

I didn’t fully appreciate the ending movements (strings and organs) until I heard it a few times. With a better handle in the destination, the journey now feels more substantial

I can dig that. It does seem like the kind of thing that will open up even more over time. For whatever it's worth, I think after only two listens that the second half is stronger than the first. I think the thing ends really fucking well.

[bodysnatcher]

Not sure about the new Godspeed/ God's Pee album as a whole, but the final track is really beautiful

That closing piece is one of the most gorgeous things they've ever done. I'm really into the whole album; probably my favorite that I've heard from this year, so far. I'm really vibing on its wavelength, especially "Cliff," the second of the long pieces.

I’m loving the album. It’s got a beautiful paranoia to it. Like watching the last sunset knowing the earth will die in its sleep.

[Kevin Davis]

I think this is the first new album I've bought this year, but it's characteristically great.