Показаны сообщения с ярлыком 2020. Показать все сообщения
Показаны сообщения с ярлыком 2020. Показать все сообщения

вторник, 22 декабря 2020 г.

The Best Of 2020. Top50. 01 - 10

In one of his recent posts in Facebook Guille Mostaza has raised the following issue: when we post something we like in social networks - we post it to show what? To show what we really like or to be liked for what we show we like? And then, what we show we listen to and what we really listen to - is it the same thing? Guille didn't clarify what audiences he was appealing to - regular users or his colleagues from music business, or his colleagues from music business as regular users of social networks. For me, I believe I have stepped over this period in my life when I had to stage my tastes up to be liked for it over 20 years ago. But what I'm really interested in is the flip side of Guille's question as applied to professional music reviewers' community. When they show they like something, do they really like it or just try to stay in line with the common opinion of the colleagues? I just feel like the universal praise of some artists looks like staged. I can't contradict the universal praise of Arca or FKA Twigs because it's not my kind of music, and I don't understand how it functions and how it impacts its fans. But look at Phoebe Bridgers, for instance. All the year through I'm reading how great her "Punisher" is, then I listen to it - and hear nothing exceptional. Ok, these are the songs. There are some good songs in there. But comparisons to Elliott Smith? Seriously? I hear nothing in "Punisher" that could relate to Smith's level of songwriting. This is surely my kind of music and I know how this music works, so I'm kind of forced to think: is this hype staged? Do all these reviewers really think it's that great, or they forced to show something they don't really think as the common opinion prevails? Or is something wrong with me? And then I look into the [Spanish national] annual polls and get concerned of what I don't see in there. Do you know what I don't see? I don't see my Best Album Of The Year in there. It is completely absent. It looks like my poll is the only poll where this album sits. And I'm forced to think again: is something wrong with me and my music tastes? But then I think: I don't care. For me, with thick sound, great melodies and perfect drive/emotion balance this album sparks brightly amongst tons of music released this year. And the next 9 albums spark brightly as well. 

10. Tierra Vertical "El Bosque Se Hizo Cancion" (p)self-released 

Slowly processed within 3 year span this album is worth every minute of waiting. It's such a pity this strongest pack of songs rooted within post-Vetusta indie rock context seems to be overlooked as the band is not from this pool of bands (some call it mafia, haha) whose names come to mind first you hear the words 'Spanish indie".

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9. Palo Alto "Self Defence" (p)self-released 

Read this 

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8. Jordi Farreras "L'home Sense Dits" (p)La Cova Del Congres 

The man formerly known as Ran Ran Ran drummer made an album where he did literally everything. It took some years for Ran Ran Ran to grow from obscure underground act to the local scene staple. "L'Home Sense Dits" is crafted so perfectly that his auteur jumps into the same category of 'local scene staples' with his only release. 

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7. Poomse "Les Gravacions de la Pandèmia Vol. 1" (p)Espora 

Read this 

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6. Campeon "Dios/ Naturaleza" (p)self-released 

Read this 

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5. Melenas "Los Dias Raros" (p)Snap! Clap! Club/ Trouble In Mind/ Elsa 

They've got groove, they've got vibe, they've got their own face in the post-garage jangle pop scene. Their second album is almost huge, and this 'almost' leaves them enough space for growing even bigger. And this is that moment when I can proudly declare: I loved them before they got famous. 

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4. Homeless "Youthful Ashes" (p)self-released 

Read this 

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3. Beladrone "Andevalo" (p)El Genio Equivocado 

Read this 

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2. Uniforms "Fantasia Moral" (p)Oso Polita 

Read this 

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1. Havoc "Espiritu" (p)Subterfuge 

Read this 

SPTF


понедельник, 21 декабря 2020 г.

The Best Of 2020. Top50. 11 - 20

20. Burrito Panza "Autosabotaje" (p)El Genio Equivocado 

"Autosabotaje", the 4th LP of the Albacete-based quartet, is the logical progression of their previous work "El Nuevo Frente Frio". And just like its predecessor, this album is the gentle and intimate take on dreampop/shoegaze's most intelligent version.

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19. Bay City Killers "Delivery Of Goods" (p)The Braves Records 

Read this 

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18. Marcos Y Molduras "Te Espero En Casa" (p)Discos de Kirlian

The twee pop revivalist girl/boy duo sings odes to daily grind and troubled (or only allegedly troubled) relationships accompanied by drum machine and - surprisingly intense for this kind of music - guitars.

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17. Maria Jaume "Fins A Maig No Revisc" (p)Bankrobber 

The blueprint of Pau Vallve's production is evident on this LP by 20 years old singer/songwriter from Mallorca. But what amazes me the most is the fact that the songwriting is incredibly competent for a persont in her adolescent years. The bright and beautiful, this album is such a debut most of young songsmiths could only dream of.

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16. Dena "Ezer Sentitzeko" (p)self-released 

With Berri Txarrak calling it a day and Lisabo rarely coming up for air, I do believe the torch of the best 'loud rock' band from Basque Country #rightnow should be passed to these folks. 

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15. Matsu "Nosotros" (p)WeAreWolves 

I've been using the tagline "trippy, druggy, atmospheric" with negative connotations for years. This time I proudly use it heaving in mind something good. The best electronic album this side of Combray's "Ullapool"

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14. Not A Number "A Life Made Of Wood" (p)El Hombre Bala 

Read this 

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13. Salina "Lava" (p)Saltamarges/ Discos Delejos/ Beauty Fool 

Let's put it simple: the best post-hardcore album of the year. 

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12. Keep Out "Minimal Songs About The End Of The World" (p)Fakie 

This is how the huge fuck you to the world should sound like: dirty, noisy, chaotic, emotionaly charged, oozing with angst and anger lo-fi (I'd rather say, no-fi) manifesto. 

YTB

11. Super Gegant "Una Casa Als Aiguamolls" (p)The Indian Runners 

This album was released in the end of the year 2019 so it didn't get a chance to enter the 2019's annual polls. But this well-balanced blend of jangle pop, post punk, Superchunk and present-day Catalan indie rock surely deserves it.

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воскресенье, 20 декабря 2020 г.

The Best Of 2020. Top50. 21 - 30

30. DOM "Emergency" (p)Discos Delejos 

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29. Terry Vs. Tori "Heathers" (p)El Genio Equivocado 

Read this 

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28. El Relevo Aleman "La Septima Invasion" (p)Repetidor 

There's something in the music of El Relevo Aleman what I can't resist. Their proportions of grunge/ post-hardcore/ noise rock are almost ideal so everything what they do is my ear's delight.

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27. Trau "33/45" (p)U98 Music 

The 70's-tinged hook-filled slightly psychedelic indie pop from Catalonia produced by the Catalan indie pop's jack of all trades Roger Gascon.

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26. Blusa "Resonance" (p)self-released 

The Sevillians don't lower their standards with their most recent release remaining the most hidden gem of Spanish post-rock scene.

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25. Ajeeb "Toss And Turn" (p)El Hombre Bala 

Read this 

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24. Trial "La Nova Olada" (p)self-released 

At the first glance this disc sounds pretty unambitious and nonchalant but when the album terminates you find yourself humming its melodic hooks, and I think it's a perfect feature.

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23. Anna Andreu "Els Mals Costums" (p)Hidden Track 

Anna Andreu, former one half of indie folk duo Cálido Home, has created this short album of exceptional beauty where space and silence is as important as words and melody.

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22. Capitan Sunrise "Dramas del Primer Mundo" (p)Jabalina Musica 

Read this 

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21. Da Souza "Salsa Agredolça" (p)Bubota Discos 

Read this 

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пятница, 18 декабря 2020 г.

The Best Of 2020. Top50. 31 - 40

40. Junco Y Mimbre "Junco Y Mimbre" (p)Hidden Track 

Call it jangle pop, call it college rock. What Junco Y Mimbre lack in ambition they compensate it in quality of songwriting.

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39. El Lobo En Tu Puerta "Santana Bendita" (p)Spinda 

One of the best metal releases of the year - I mean, one of the best worldwide. Quirky, heavy, inventive, sarcastic and ultra-melodic record whose creators should be proud of. 

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38. Arista Fiera "Cromatismo Domestico" (p)El Genio Equivocado 

The dreampop band from Malaga. There are songs where you think: "Wow, it's the best release of the year!" There is a couple of songs that leave you less enthusiastic. But the weighted average is undoubtedly high.

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37. Ana Bejar "Sahara Star" (p)Discos Belamarh 

What you see is what you get. Hot, dry, scorched like a world's most famous desert - that's what this music is.

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36. Llum "Los Anos Liquidos" (p)Discos De Paseo 

It took 8 years for indie pop singer/songwriter Jesus Saez to release the successor to "Limelight" (his previous LP) though he released some singles and EPs in the meantime. What could I say - for sure it was worth waiting for Llum's return.

SPTF

35. Nueva Vulcano "Ensayo" (p)La Castanya/ BCore Disc 

Read this 

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34. Kracauer "Diferencia Y Repeticion" (p)Subterfuge 

This name is abolutely new for me. I mean, I know that "kracauer" or "krakauer" means "from Krakow" in German. I know who Jon Krakauer is. But as a band, the name is new. This band is from Murcia, they successfully blend guitars with synths to get a pack of potential hits.

SPTF

33. Breis "On" (p)Sweet Song/ Producciones Acaraperro 

Read this 

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32. Atlantic "Volem Els Ponts" (p)self-released 

This is how to make Weezer's music better than Weezer themselves. The two-faced band (with Maria Lopez as frontwoman they perform as Moonflower) shows considerable progress against their debut record as Atlantic ("1976") which was good in its own right but sounded less concentrated.

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31. Nucli "Ephemeral Water Courses" (p)Hidden Track/ La Plana Sola 

With links to Nueva Vulcano, Bullitt, Cala Vento, Power Burkas and Bad Religion the Catalan band Nucli has created the ultimate punk rock album of the year.

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четверг, 17 декабря 2020 г.

The Best Of 2020. Top50. 41 - 50

Sounds fun but the music reviewers are the only persons whose activities weren’t spoiled by the covid19 pandemic. All other parties of the business were affected: musicians, clubs, festivals, promoters, labels, record stores etc. – everyone but reviewers. Nevertheless, my own activities were affected by my laptop’s hard disk crash that ruined the list of 400 albums I had listened to up to that moment (along with my whole iTunes collection). Moreover, I was totally crashed by the untimely passing of my best friend due to post-covid19 complications. That fact derailed me and switched me off the process to the point where I wanted to stop doing it this year. But at the end of the day the music appeared to be the best cure, the best painkiller, the best kind of helper to cope with the loss.

I think, the list you are about to find below - well, one fifth of the list - in no way is the list of anything 'best'. This is the list of impressions. I only hope this music will find its way to impress you as much as it impressed me.

50. Nestor Mir "Un Immens I Infinit Continent" (p)Malatesta 

The best choice for those who, like me, have found the latest Pau Vallve's effort a bit too slow and/or sleepy. 

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49. El Columpio Asesino "Ataque Celeste" (p)Oso Polita 

The Basque electro/post punks get warmer and mellower on their sixth LP.

SPTF

48. Cementeri "Asma, Corte, Afonia, Pisoton" (p)Nooirax/ Spinda/ The Braves 

For me, it seems like this music has its roots in Motorhead - but these roots, before reaching the surface of the ground, apparently came through the Betunizer-filled soils.

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47. Gessamí Boada "On Començo Jo" (p)Segell Microscopi 

It’s so beautiful that my rock-oriented soul can't stand falling in love with it. 

SPTF 

46. Lluis Paloma, 'Patinet' "Els Somnis Del Futur S'Escriuran Amb Acer!" (p)El Mamut Traçut 

I don't know what it is. I pushed play button to taste it and then just found myself in the end of the last track. But I don't know how to describe it, and what to say more than "It's music".

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45. Kohatu "Oskolak" (p)self-released 

The metal factory of Basque Country never stops. Berri Txarrak may leave the stage for good but they've got some great heirs in there.

SPTF 

44. Somos La Herencia "Dolo" (p)Humo Intl. 

As uncategorizable as the most part of Humo Intl. releases are, this goth/electro/art/punk music is strange, gutwrenching and evocative. And a bit frightening at times. 

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43. Pinpilinpussies "Fuerza 3" (p)Aloud Music 

Read this.

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42. Diego Hdez "Paisajes Confinados" (p)Discos Delejos/ Foehn 

Read this.

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41. Gyoza "Early Bird" (p)The Braves Records 

Read this

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