What I’m listening to Spring 2013

This spring has been particularly gloomy in more ways than meteorological and the forecast is for more (hopefully merely meteorologically as far as the future is concerned), which has undoubtedly influenced what I’ve been listening to.

 

People of the Sticks by Besnard Lakes:

 

Carry On, Carry On by Edwyn Collins:

 

Lifeforms by Daughter:

 

Dancing on the Graves of Le Corbusier’s Dreams by Karl Hyde:

 

New Town Velocity by Johnny Marr:

 

Winter’s Dream by Merchandise:

 

Trying to be Cool by Phoenix:

 

Shut Up by Savages:

 

Wakin on a Pretty Day by Kurt Vile:

 

Wedding Song by Yeah Yeah Yeah’s:

 

Regret by New Order (now 20 years old!:

 

Treasure Hiding by Cocteau Twins:

 

The 13th by The Cure:

 

The Rebels by The Cranberries:

Winter 2013 – What I’m listening to

Illusions by Shout Out Louds:

 

2013 by Primal Scream:

 

My Number by Foals:

 

Thanks for the Fun by Applescal:

 

Californian Grass by New Order:

 

Never Matter by Toro y Moi:

 

Who Sees You by My Bloody Valentine:

 

A Minor Incident by Badly Drawn Boy:

 

Quiet Place by Working for a Nuclear Free City:

 

Pounding by Doves:

Favorite albums of 2012

Here are the albums I enjoyed most this past year, loosely in order of least favorite to favorite depending on the day and my mood.  I could write some justification for including each, but have opted not to once again, because really, who really cares anyway?  If you don’t agree, make your own list!

Anyway, I can’t foresee writing anything over the holidays so merry Christmas to everyone and make sure to eat some good food.  Enjoy.  Oh, and sorry about the formatting issues with these jpegs, wordpress doesn’t allow for too much editing of image size.

 

Tramp by Sharon van Etten

 

The National Health by Maxïmo Park

 

Sun by Cat Power

 

Melody’s Echo Chamber by Melody’s Echo Chamber

 

Words and Music by Saint Etienne

 

Nootropics by Lower Dens

 

Oshin by Diiv

 

Nocturne by Wild Nothing

 

Give You the Ghost by Poliça

 

Bloom by Beach House

My favorite songs of 2012 – part II

So here’s the second and final part of my favorite songs of the past year.  Once again, they’re listed in the order as I found them out and not in order of least favorite to favorite.  Hope you enjoy:

Negotiations by Helio Sequence:

 

Hold on When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It by Stars:

 

Big Bright World by Garbage:

 

Nothin’ But Time by Cat Power:

 

Nocturne by Wild Nothing:

 

Swept Away by XX:

 

Cutty Love by Milo Greene:

 

Ice Age by David Byrne & St. Vincent:

 

Wait by Diiv:

 

Went Away by The Maccabees:

 

Some Time Alone, Alone by Melody’s Echo Chamber:

 

Time by Merchandise:

 

Violent Games by Poliça:

 

Dark Star by Poliça:

My favorite songs of 2012 – part I

Here goes my list of favorite songs.  Instead of listing them in order of least favorite to favorite, I’ve listed them in order as I listened/discovered them throughout the year.  I hope you enjoy:

 

Origins by Tennis:

 

Met Before by Chairlift:

 

Leonard by Sharon van Etten:

 

All I Can by Sharon van Etten:

 

Back From the Grave by Chromatics:

 

Don’t Stare at the Sun by Richard Hawley:

 

Wishes by Beach House:

 

Brains by Lower Dens:

 

On the Sea by Beach House:

 

Propagation by Lower Dens:

 

Breathing Underwater by Metric:

 

The Undercurrents by Maxïmo Park:

 

I’ve Got Your Music by Saint Etienne:

 

The Puritan by Blur:

What I’m listening to – December 2012

The month of December is exciting to me for a couple of reasons, chief among them the fact that I get to check everybody’s “best of the year in music” and discover just how much good stuff I missed during the previous 11 or so months.  No sooner did I write last week that I thought 2012 was a weak year in music when I came across the music of four bands the next day whose albums are all really quite good.

So here are some of those artists (with a few others) along with some seasonal music from the past that I’ve been enjoying the last seven or so days:

Human by Diiv:

 

Wait by Diiv:

 

Went Away by The Maccabees:

 

I Follow You by Melody’s Echo Chamber:

 

Some Time Alone, Alone by Melody’s Echo Chamber:

 

Time by Merchandise:

 

Become What You Are by Merchandise:

 

I See My Mother by Poliça:

 

Blue Ice by Shout Out Louds:

 

Inhaler by Foals:

 

Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano:

 

Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra:

What I’m listening to late Autumn 2012

Maybe it’s because there’s a new baby around the house that’s limited my listening time, but 2012 has not exactly been a stellar year for new music.  Nonetheless, there’s always something worthwhile and I have managed to find the time to listen to decent new music in addition to some that is older.  I’ve also managed to read quite a few books as well, but that’s neither here or there as far as this post is concerned:

Nothin But Time by Cat Power:

Sad Eyes by Crystal Castles:

Cutty Love by Milo Greene:

King James Rag by Jason Collett:

Nocturne by Wild Nothing:

Ice Age by David Byrne & St. Vincent:

Propagation by Lower Dens:

Lonesome Tonight by New Order:

Silk ‘n’ Satin by Sonny Rollins:

On the Sunny Side of the Street by Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins & Sonny Stitt:

Sambalero by Stan Getz:

What I’m listening to late summer 2012

On the Sea by Beach House:

 

The Only Place by Best Coast:

 

The Puritan by Blur:

 

Downward Spiral by The Helio Sequence:

 

Banlieue by Mäximo Park:

 

Hold on When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It by Stars:

 

Paradise by Wild Nothing:

 

All My Letters by James:

 

We Live Underground by Lights On:

 

Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric:

More music I’m listening to late spring/early summer 2012

I know I just posted about what I’m listening to a week or so ago, but I’ve stumbled across these as a result of recommendations or by accident:

Brains by Lower Dens:

Wolf Among Men by Mäximo Park

Breathing Underwater by Metric:

Endless Flowers by Crocodiles:

Firewood by Regina Spektor:

And in some truly exciting news, Jim Ruiz is recording a third album (the second and last by Ruiz was the masterpiece Sniff released in 1998).  At breakfast this morning we were listening to Sniff so I decided to do a search on The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group and stumbled across this site as well as this interview.  The first site allows you to donate money towards producing the 3rd album apparently to be called 1965.

Here are some classics (or as many as I could find)  from The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group:

Bigfoot:

Mij Amsterdam:

My Bloody Yugo:

Urban Gentleman:

 

 

What I’m listening to Spring 2012

Some new ones and some not so new ones:

 

Leave Your Body Behind You by Richard Hawley:

 

Don’t Stare at the Sun by Richard Hawley:

 

Lazuli by Beach House:

 

Myth byBeach House:

 

I’ve Got Your Music by Saint Etienne:

 

Heading for the Fair by Saint Etienne:

 

Back from the Grave by Chromatics:

 

I Have the Moon by Lush:

 

San Juan byDaniel Lanois:

 

Haunted by the Ghost of Patty by Barcelona:

 

Knowin Me, Knowing You by Abba: