Direct Links to Albums: 25 - 21 // 20 - 16 // 15 - 11 // 10 - 6 // 5 - 1
15. Blood Red Shoes – Fire Like This
Order // The finest indie-rock outing of the year. Blood Red Shoes second album ‘Fire Like This’ does what it says on the lid, it’s a thunderbolt from the riotous opening of “Don’t Ask” until it’s massive climax of “Colours Fade”. The latter an unrivalled achievement for Blood Red Shoes, its length and ambition is like nothing before and in my opinion it’s the jewel in the crown.
Laura-Mary’s energetic riffs combined with Steven’s hard-hitting drums added to a wonderful vocal interchanges creates a punky-pop sound with of overriding feeling of a much larger band.
Highlights for me are when Blood Red Shoes are at their raucous and infectious peaks such as on “Count Me Out” and “Heartsink”. However, beside the sing-along anthems there is a great moment on “When we Wake” which sees Laura-Mary take centre stage for a beautiful reflection and delicate number.
14. Perfume Genius – Learning
Order // ‘Learning’, the debut album by Seattle native Mike Hadreas recording under the name Perfume Genius. The result is spellbinding and heartbreaking in equal measure. Sparse piano arrangements with often the only accompaniment to the bruised, vulnerable vocals of a man fighting his inner demons.
It’s a bleak journey but ‘Learning’ is a captivating, sorrowful and beautiful album. Highlights are too numerous to mention. “Look Out, Look Out” with it’s inner city warnings “Look out, look out // There are murders about”. Mr. Peterson tells a story of an kid and a teacher, drugs and suicide. It is staggeringly sparse and haunting throughout.
A sublime peace of melancholy.
Listen:
Perfume Genius - Learning by TurnstileMusic
13. Gil Scott Heron – I’m New Here
Order // Gil Scott Heron released “I’m New Here” back near the start of the year, some 15 years since the last album, so it was hardly surprising the name wasn't familiar with me on release. ‘I’m New Here’ is dark, very dark, but also honest, touching and effortless. It’s a successful collection of songs, interspersed with a narrative that is reflective and autobiographical in nature.
Though mainly covers GSH has made them his own, his reworking of “I'll Take care of you” is beautiful, the exceptional Me and the Devil is one of the years most stark, yet rewarding of the whole year. The title track, is another stand out. Heron’s gravelly vocal suit the material perfectly, you can almost hear the hard years coming out in his delivery.
Heron has created something both beautiful and brutal at the same time - something very few records can manage successfully. It’s only real criticism can be its length, over in just 28 minutes, yet whilst we are with GSH the journey is a challenging, moving and profound one.
12. These New Puritans – Hidden
Order // ‘Hidden’ exhibits the most staggering case of maturity since a debut I can recall, These New Puritans have created a soundtrack of monstrous ambition on behalf of front man Jack Barnett, one characterised in violence and one that is wholly unique.
From the opening bars of the phenomenal “We Want War” you are aware this album is going to be dark, complex and beyond exciting. Its opening barrage of machine drums, use of unorthodox instruments such as the unsheathing of swords, as well as some overpowering synths combine to excellent affect on this brutal seven minute tour-de-force
More swords, horns and military drumming greet you on the atmospheric “Three Thousand”, the medieval soundscapes combined with a children’s choir and beats continue on the relentless “Attack Music”. Another high is “Hologram” a somewhat mellower affair, and it works wondrously alongside the intense, moody tracks that sandwich it.
It’s a tough, menacing listen but one which really grabs your attention and demands you listen to it. Hidden is an extraordinary experience. Diverse, mature and most importantly exciting.
From the opening bars of the phenomenal “We Want War” you are aware this album is going to be dark, complex and beyond exciting. Its opening barrage of machine drums, use of unorthodox instruments such as the unsheathing of swords, as well as some overpowering synths combine to excellent affect on this brutal seven minute tour-de-force
More swords, horns and military drumming greet you on the atmospheric “Three Thousand”, the medieval soundscapes combined with a children’s choir and beats continue on the relentless “Attack Music”. Another high is “Hologram” a somewhat mellower affair, and it works wondrously alongside the intense, moody tracks that sandwich it.
It’s a tough, menacing listen but one which really grabs your attention and demands you listen to it. Hidden is an extraordinary experience. Diverse, mature and most importantly exciting.
Listen:
11. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
Order // Joanna Newsom is a songwriter and harpist of great originality, although her follow up to the masterpiece ‘Vs’ requires much commitment over it’s three disc and two hour running time. Triple albums are a risk, they command a lot from the listener, a dense three disc set can prove too much material to consume in one go, it certainly requires some stamina from the listener. However, if you break it down into digestible chunks, give the material the time it deserve you’ll soon find yourself immersed in pure genius.
Joanna’s wild, unpredictable voice which characterised her debut has generally been toned down into a more conventional smooth, engaging and almost angelic sound. The lyrics are the most mature they’ve been, harmonious in nature and fable-like in their storytelling ability, always emotional, heartfelt and imaginative.
Her harp playing is as beautiful as ever, but the songs often blossom unexpectedly with other instrumentation. There are some sublime arrangements and deep textures throughout the wonderful “Good Inventions Paving Company”, “’81” and “Easy” which make the first disc probably most accessible to a new listener.
Joanna Newsom has grown up on ‘Have One on Me’ yet she still retains her unique ‘quirkiness’. This is the craft of songwriting in its highest form, ‘Have One on Me’ is breathtaking in its scope and achievement. Give it the time it deserves and you will be rewarded.
