[Johnnyo]

[Johnnyo]

[dihansse]

An album I already own/know I listened to (there's nothing at the moment on my wishlist for this year):

Consolers Of The Lonely by The Raconteurs
I like Brendan Benson but I'm still not a big fan of Jack White who is the all-present force on this album. I really feel this album as very derivative especially in the opening tracks. The latter track are in my opinion better so this still an ok but not great album for my year chart and climbing from the 75th to the 53rd rank.

[dihansse]

Two albums of 2009 I listened to:

First an album I already own/know:

Fork In The Road by Neil Young
This is an ok not great album by Neil Young with Johnny Magic as the best track. And it goes from the 55th to the 63rd rank.

And an album from my wishlist:

Exploding Head by A Place To Bury Strangers
Again one of these albums where I wonder why I haven't heard before especially as the ending track, I Live My Life To Stand In The Shadow Of Your Heart, is already for some time one of my all-time favorites, not in the least because it ends in absolute chaos. I already know some albums of this great band but I think this may be at least one of their best. The comparison is often made with Loveless My Bloody Valentine and Psychocandy Jesus & Mary Chain but I think the latter is the more appropriate all of this added with a bit of goth and punk. This is a loud record but the fuzz isn't overwhelming enough to hide the great shoegaze melodies and the voice of Oliver Ackerman. The highlights are numerous but the best track remains the last one. Good for the 3rd rank of the year.

[dihansse]

Two (mellow) albums I listened to from 2010:

First an album I already know/own:

The Drums by The Drums
There's that one song to prove it: Let's go Surfing used to be sound fresh and uplifting while it now sounds boring and outdated. The really strange thing about this album is that the bass and the organ sound like Joy Division (or New Order if you wish) but that the sound couldn't be further away from that band. I doubted to keep this album in my year chart but finally decided to just degrade it from the 70th to the 78th rank of the year.

And an album from my wishlist:

Butterfly House by The Coral
This must be one of the more commercial albums by The Coral. The good thing is that the references to The Byrds, CSNY and other sixties bands are clear with the harmonies to go with it. The thing is just that the band has polished near all rough sides which were to be found on earlier albums which is a bit of a pity. But nevertheless a good album with tracks like the title track and North Parade to prove that which makes it enter at the 58th rank.

[dihansse]

Two albums of 2011 I listened to:

First an album I already own/know:

In Love With Oblivion by Crystal Stilts
I didn't remember this album was so excellent. Of course I know one of my favorite songs ever, Shake The Shackles is on here, but that the rest of the album is this good...
I would call this a twangy version of Joy Division and they are very good at it. The voice of The Singer, the spot-on organ, the reverb and especially the songs are there to prove the quality of this great album which rises from the 42nd to the 6th rank of the year.

And an album from my wishlist:


Juggernaut Of Justice by Anvil (CA)
In my opinion you can't go wrong with Anvil: on nearly every single of the their albums you can trust these guys to deliver good riffs, good solos and energetic songs which are sometimes a bit juvenile but still are just doing what to have to do: entertain. And at the end there are even two weirdos which are even not bad: in the long Paranormal they do a go at Black Sabbath (with a great ending) and on Swing Thing they do a go at well...metal swing and get away with it. And with that they enter my year chart at the 46th rank.

[dihansse]

Two albums of 2012 I listened to:

First an album I already own/know:

Electric Cables by Lightships
A very mellow album by this Teenage Fanclub frontman. The good songs are there but sometimes a bit too soft for my taste. IN short a decent but nog great album which goes from the 52nd to the 39th rank.

And an album from my wishlist:

The Electric Age by Overkill
Not a surprising album at all but just a good old trash album with good riffs and decent songs. Enters my year chart at the 33rd rank.

[dihansse]

Two albums of 2013 I listened to:

First an album I already own/know:

An Object by No Age
I find this album more important than I'm maybe ranking it as it is a perfect marriage between punk, good songs and some kind of a story. The best track by far is I Won't Be A Generator but what makes this album so great is the general flow of the songs and it goes from the 51st to the 44th rank.

And an album from my wishlist:

Emancipated Hearts by Dean Wareham
The solo albums of Dean Wareham are more about atmospherics than on real songs unlike what he does in Luna (where atmospherics are of course also important), and on this album, more an EP, it's even more clear. That's why I would call it a good but not a great album and it enters at the 51st rank.

[Repo]

[dihansse]

Two albums of 2014 I listened to:

First an album I already know/own:

World Of Joy by Howler
Not much too tell about this album unless that it's as good as America Give Up. And it moves up from the 33rd to the 30th rank.

And an album from my wishlist:

Life Among The Savages by Papercuts
I thought when I saw on Allmusic.com the name of the singer Jason Quever: I've seen that name before. And indeed it's the name of the producer of Dean Wareham's album Emancipated Heart I just discussed and which is featured prominently on the album cover. So I know also understand that the man is known for his layered arrangements both on his albums as as a producer. And this is also the case of this interesting album which makes me like Papercuts more and more. There is not a song that jumps out (although the longer Easter Morning could be a candidate) but the general sound of the album is very intriguing as well as entertaining. The album enters at the 36th rank.