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среда, 18 декабря 2019 г.

The Best Of 2019. Honorable Mention

As usual, the main list of the best albums is prefaced by the Honorable Mention list.
This time the list consists of 20 albums that are too good to be abandoned but there are some reasons why they are not included into the main list. I’m still feeling sad I can’t write something about every album mentioned below due to time restrictions (as I would like to think) or the horrible truth about deterioration of my English skills (something I’d prefer to avoid thinking of).
Anyway, there are two bands that have decided to call it a day this year. The first one is Tom Boyle. “Mar De Fondo” was intended to be the first in the series of EPs set to release in 2019 but the band abruptly split instead. The next one is Tourmalet. IMHO, “Fausto” is not their strongest effort – but the band was great and it’s sad they ceased to continue.
Clara Plath is back from the maternity leave with the album that set the new direction for the band. If you can imagine acoustic goth rock – that’s what it sounds like. The material of “Oscura” is 50% old/ 50% new and that’s why this album is not in the main list. 
Regarding Delafe’s “Hay Un Lugar”, melodically it’s a great album but it’s too subdued. You know, the music sounds like all the main parts were deleted from the mix during the mixing process, and now you can listen only to the echoes and secondary undertones of what was initially intended to be music. 
The Birkins’ “You Are Not Alone” is a true gem. When I first listened to this 2-disc tribute to Bowie’s immortal masterpiece “The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars” my only emotion could be best expressed by that Futurama's Fry-starred “Shut up and take my money“ old meme. Look, they’ve got Jonathan Donahue in the mix!
And yes - Leon Benavente is in this section. 

En Septiembre «En La Constante Hay Un Bosque» (p)self-released BNDCMP
Grande Days «A Way To Collapse» (p)Elsa Records BNDCMP
Karabash «Societat Accidental» (p)Au! Records BNDCMP
Pauline En La Playa «El Salto» (p)self-released BNDCMP
The Night Animal «La Nocion del Impacto» (p)Orchard SPTF
Latigo Mantra «Diseccion» (p)Delia Records BNDCMP
Los Buges «Rendezvouz» (p)Discos Furia SPTF
Mad Robot «Punch Me, Kiss Me, Fuck You» (p)Endoftheworld/ Borx BNDCMP
Delafe «Hay Un Lugar» (p)self-released SPTF
Leon Benavente «Vamos A Volvernos Locos» (p)Warner SPTF
Blue Rodeo «Universo»/ «Vespertinos» (p)El Hombre Bala/ Los 80 Pasan Factura BND/CMP
Tom Boyle «Mar de Fondo» (p)self-released BNDCMP
Tourmalet «Fausto» (p)self-released BNDCMP
Power Burkas «Mai Nego L'Oci» (p)BCore Disc/ Famelic BNDCMP
Villanueva «Cuarto De Invitados» (p)Son Buenos SPTF
Clara Plath «Oscura» (p)Flor Y Nata BNDCMP
Birkins «You Are Not Alone» (p)El Genio Equivocado BNDCMP
Tucan «Maniacs, Fools & Jaguars» (p)MCR SPTF
Serpiente «Krizanteilu» (p)Humo BNDCMP
Tiger And Milk «Popular» (p)self-released BNDCMP


четверг, 20 декабря 2018 г.

Best Of 2018. Top50 Albums. 12 - 20

Yes, this time it's only nine records in the section. It's because the Top10 will contain 11 albums this year.

20. Tom Boyle "Vuelve A Empezar" (p)self-released
Indie pop + noise pop + dreampop = the best post punk record of the year.

19. El Petit De Cal Eril "El Disc Triangular" (p)Bankrobber
It may sound like pretty simple music but it's hard to split these complex songs onto the components and influences. I liked the previous Joan Pons' effort ("La Força") alot but "Triangle" is even more elegant and beautiful.

18. Loudly "Elfactorgrotesco" (p)Clifford

17. The Magic Mor "Move The Lines To Make Circles" (p)self-released
The highly melodic psychedelic rock - not that kind of 'psychedelic' where psychedelia impacts the structure of songs bringing in all these 7/8 or 11/13 time signatures. It's rather that kind of 'slightly psychedelic' that creates the athmosphere and brings additional width to the sound.

16. Maryland "Resplandor" (p)Ernie Producciones

15. Aldrin Y Collins "Odisea En El Espacio Del Confort" (p)BCore Disc/ Musarañas
As simple as it gets, the best post hardcore album of 2018.

14. Rufus T. Firefly "Loto" (p)LagoNaranja
While being a bit calmer than "Magnolia", the new record doesn't contain such the armor-crashing hit as "Rio Wolf" - but the album works great anyway cementing Rufus T. Firefly's position as one of the most fascinating bands of the scene.

13. Usted "Odoro" (p)Keroxen
I've never heard of Usted before I purchased "Odoro" at Jumping Man record store in La Laguna (TF) just because it was released by Keroxen - a label co-headed by my friend Mladen Kurajica. Anyway it appeared to be the great cross-genre record, as versatile as totally unpredictable.

12. The Crab Apples "A Drastic Mistake" (p)Hidden Track
During the last Primavera Sound I missed the chance to see them live (there were some 'free entrance' showcases and this was one of them). I stayed inside the MACBA building while they were performing outside. Now I feel guilty about that. I should've learned of them earlier.