Here we are again at another year-end close. So much great music came out this year that an addition has been made to Antenna's end of year round-up. After ten albums that didn’t quite eek into the top 50 but deserve honorable mention and the top 50 albums themselves, there is an additional list of great songs not represented on the albums list. Enjoy:
Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh
Key Track: “Window Seat”
The Fresh and Onlys, Play It Strange
Key Track: “Waterfall”
Julian Lynch, Mare
Key Track: “In New Jersey”
Twin Shadow, Forget
Key Track: “Slow”
Lindstrøm and Christabelle, Real Life Is No Cool
Key Track: “Lovesick”
Local Natives, Gorilla Manor
Key Track: “World News”
Warpaint, The Fool
Key Track: “Undertow”
Delorean, Subiza
Key Track: “Real Love”
Marnie Stern, Marnie Stern
Key Track: “For Ash”
Swans, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
Key Track: “No Words/No Thoughts”
50. Best Coast
Crazy For You
Key Tracks: “Boyfriend,” “The End”
49. The Phantom Band
The Wants
Key Tracks: “Everybody Knows It's True,” “Into the Corn”
48. Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls
Key Tracks: “Jail La La,” “Bhang Bhang I'm a Burning”
Sisterworld
Key Tracks: "Scarecrows on a Killer Slant,” “Scissor"
46. Male Bonding
Nothing Hurts
Key Tracks: “Year's Not Long,” “Crooked Scene”
45. Zola Jesus
Stridulum EP / Velusia EP
Key Tracks: “Night,” “Sea Talk,” “Poor Animal”
44. Tame Impala
Innerspeaker
Key Tracks: “Solitude is Bliss,” “I Don't Really Mind”
43. Lower Dens
Twin-Hand Movement
Key Tracks: “A Dog's Dick,” “Blue and Silver”
42. Wild Nothing
Gemini
Key Tracks: “Chinatown,” “Summer Holiday”
41. Matthew Dear
Black City
Key Tracks: “Little People (Black City),” “You Put a Smell On Me”
40. The Tallest Man On Earth
The Wild Hunt
Key Tracks: “Burden of Tomorrow,” “King of Spain”
39. Glasser
Ring
Key Tracks: “Home,” “Mirrorage”
38. The Radio Dept.
Clinging to a Scheme
Key Tracks: “Heaven's On Fire,” “You Stopped Making Sense”
37. Avey Tare
Down There
Key Tracks: “Lucky 1,” “Heather In the Hospital”
36. The Besnard Lakes
The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night
Key Tracks: “Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent Pt. 2: The Innocent,” “Light Up the Night”
35. Broken Social Scene
Forgiveness Rock Record
Key Tracks: “Forced to Love,” “Romance to the Grave”
34. These New Puritans
Hidden
Key Tracks: “Hologram,” “We Want War”
33. Spoon
Transference
Key Tracks: “Is Love Forever?,” “Before Destruction”
32. Four Tet
There Is Love In You
Key Tracks: “Angel Echoes,” “Love Cry”
31. Women
Public Strain
Key Tracks: “Eyesore,” “Narrow In the Hall”
30. Oneohtrix Point Never
Returnal
Key Tracks: “Returnal,” “Pelham Island Road”
29. Girls
Broken Dreams Club
Key Tracks: “Carolina,” “Heartbreaker”
28. Das Racist
Sit Down, Man
Key Tracks: “Hahahahaha, JK?,” “Fashion Party”
27. Emeralds
Does It Look Like I'm Here?
Key Tracks: “Now You See Me,” “Candy Shoppe”
26. Charlotte Gainsbourg
IRM
Key Tracks: “Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes,” “Time Of The Assassins”
25. Gorillaz
Plastic Beach
Key Tracks: “Empire Ants,” “On Melancholy Hill”
24. Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles
Key Tracks: “Celestia,” “I Am Made of Chalk”
23. How to Dress Well
Love Remains
Key Tracks: “Ready for the World,” “Suicide Dream 2”
22. Perfume Genius
Learning
Key Tracks: “Mr. Peterson,” “Learning”
21. James Blake
The Bells Sketch EP / CMYK EP / Klavierwerke EP
Key Tracks: “CMYK,” “I Only Know (What I Know Now)”
20. Owen Pallett
Heartland
Key Tracks: “Midnight Directives,” “Keep the Dog Quiet”
19. Robyn
Body Talk
Key Tracks: “Dancing On My Own,” “Call Your Girlfriend”
18. Caribou
Swim
Key Tracks: “Odessa,” “Kali”
17. Sleigh Bells
Treats
Key Tracks: “Rill Rill,” “Crown on the Ground”
16. Titus Andronicus
The Monitor
Key Tracks: “Four Score and Seven,” “A More Perfect Union”
15. Big Boi
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Key Tracks: “Shine Blockas,” “Shutterbug”
14. Flying Lotus
Cosmogramma
Key Tracks: “Computer Face/Pure Being,” “…And the World Laughs With You”
13. The Walkmen
Lisbon
Key Tracks: “Torch Song,” “Stranded”
12. Janelle Monáe
The ArchAndroid
Key Tracks: “Oh, Maker,” “Tightrope”
11. Hot Chip
One Life Stand
Key Tracks: “One Life Stand,” “Brothers,” “Take It In”
10. Aerial Pink's
Haunted Graffiti Before Today
From out of nowhere Ariel Pink ascended to the top of the current lo-fi pack, even proving himself to be the unsung godfather of chill-wave. For years Arial Pink had toiled as a minor curiosity, garnering little attention or critical recognition. Before Today changed all of that overnight (he even managed to land himself on the Billboard 200) with a solid album front to back of pop gems that tilled sounds ranging from 70’s “AM gold” to 80’s new wave, filtered through a familiar low-fi sound.
Key Tracks: “Round and Round,” “Little Wig,” “Revolution's a Lie”
9. Vampire Weekend
Contra
By the time Vampire Weekend’s fantastic debut saw the light of day, the backlash had already creeped in. Nearly three years later I’m not sure if it’s really subsided at all, which is a shame, but I’m not sure it really matters anymore. With a number 1 album, adulation from critics and above all, a growing collection of immaculately crafted songs, it looks like VW’s doing just fine, backlash or no. The band continues to mesh influences and critique the upper class quite unlike any other band out there.
Key Tracks: “Cousins,” “Giving Up the the Gun,” “Holiday”
8. Joanna Newsom
Have One On Me
I will be the first to admit, I was not looking forward to this album’s release. As much as I love Ys, it’s not exactly the most accessible album in my record collection. At times it can be rather exhausting and it’s just one disc long, the idea of having three new Joanna Newsom discs to parse through seemed overwhelming to say the least. Little did I know Newsom had shifted gears, sanding down some of the more divisive qualities of her music and concentrating on some of her most accessible songs to date. All three discs are chalked full of greatness. It’s no small feat that any one of the three discs here is just as rewarding as anything else in her catalogue.
Key Tracks: “Good Intentions Paving Co.,” “No Provenance,” “Does Not Suffice”
7. Beach House
Teen Dream
By merely polishing their dreamy, organ-filled sound and honing in their song craft, Beach House has shown marked improvements from album to album. That being said, I am still a little surprised by the fanfare surrounding Teen Dream. Sure, the production values are higher which I’m sure opens them up to a wider audience, but by and large, the band hasn’t altered their sound that much and their first two records are nearly this great. I’ll just be grateful this talented duo is finely getting their due. If only the dreams I had as a teenager were this good.
Key Tracks: “Zebra,” “Silver Soul,” “Real Love”
6. Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Granted, the hyperbole surrounding this release can be a little nauseating, but once you get past all of the critical hype there is a truly fascinating album here. Veering between maniacal declarations and penitent self-reflection, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is filled with contradictions. Kanye has no qualms whatsoever with spouting out exactly how he feels and it makes for a remarkable character study. On top of that, West knows how to coax just what he needs out of the plethora of guest stars that flood the album. His production is, as always, impeccable and forward-thinking. Even if you’re not ready to crown this album King of All Albums – and I can hardly blame you – there is still plenty here to love. I think Tom Krell of How to Dress Well said it best in a recent Pitchfork article: “I'm not even sure I like it. But I'm certain I love it.”
Key Tracks: “Lost In the World,” “Runaway,” “Power”
5. Sufjan Stevens
The Age of Adz
I’m not sure I ever expected to hear a song as harrowing as “I Walked” coming from Sufjan Stevens. True, a song like “Casimir Polanski Day” is weightier, but that’s what makes “I Walked” so striking. It depicts a destroyed relationship in unnerving detail and it’s pretty representative of The Age of Adz as a whole. Sufjan has always been great with the details and here he throws them around some pretty unsettling subject matter. But true to form, it’s also beautiful, indulgent, ambitious, and like nothing else out there. Considering the immensity of this album, a five year wait was a small price to pay.
Key Tracks: “I Walked,” “Age of Adz,” “Too Much”
4. LCD Soundsystem
This is Happening
It was no small feat that LCD Soundsystem was able to deliver on rather unreasonable expectations following Sound of Silver. On This is Happening, James Murphy delved even deeper into the Brian Eno-esque textures he’s been no stranger to over the years. Berlin-era Bowie is the most obvious touch point, most noticeably on the brilliant “All I Want,” whose guitar leads and climactic build-up are direct decedents of Bowie’s own “Heroes.” Bowie always said that his DNA was in the Berlin Trilogy and This is Happening certainly has that same personal touch. Here Murphy is at his most bitter and most human. As a result, This is Happening doesn’t seem all that communal, but that’s the beauty of the album. It may not have the festival-ready vibe of Sound of Silver, but it’s an exciting record I can see myself dancing to alone, in my room for years to come.
Key Tracks: “All I Want,” “I Can Change,” “Dance Yrself Clean”
3. The National
High Violet
The National has always been a band marked by their subtleties. Like its predecessors, High Violet’s ornate arrangements take time and patience to parse out, making it a slow grower that embeds itself over repeated listens. Given time, it’s a slow dazzle and the band’s most memorable set to date. Matt Berninger’s baritone has a newfound maturity, managing to be both more expressive and restrained. Aaron and Bryce Dessner lay down some the most moving guitar work in The National’s catalogue and the rhythm section pounds away with expert precision. But High Violet’s secret weapon is its gorgeous vocal arrangements; aching voices drenched in a cavernous reverb that sweep many of these songs into the ether. The band touches on the mundane aspects of life with such elegiac beauty that the album seems too genuine to be anything but universal. And in the end that is what’s so impressive; High Violet manages to show us that the ordinary can be transcendent.
Key Tracks: “England,” “Conversation 16,” “Anyone's Ghost”
2. Arcade Fire
The Suburbs
The Arcade Fire are in a tight spot. Having released one of the most critically beloved albums of the last decade, obtaining notable commercial success and garnering a reputation for their phenomenal live shows has left the band with unreasonably lofty expectations to deliver on. Backlash was inevitable, but they were able to stave off as much of it as humanly possible with their latest release. On The Suburbs, the Arcade Fire wisely leave raging against the world’s evils behind, refocusing instead on their own (namely front man Win Butler’s) inner struggles. The outcome of this shift is outstanding, resulting in an hour-plus epic filled with some of their loosest, most adventurous songs to date. The band still delivers tightly wound anthems, but the balance maintained on The Suburbs as well as the sheer magnitude of its sprawl puts it in a class all of its own. There are few artists out there with the amount of ambition these guys have.
Key Tracks: “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains),” “Half Light II (No Celebration),” “The Suburbs”
1. Deerhunter
Halcyon Digest
When I first heard Deerhunter’s fantastic second album Cryptograms, I could tell they the potential for a flat out masterwork is they just found a way to hone in on their strengths. The band’s EP Fluorescent Grey further confirmed my suspicions; this is a band capable of great things. I thought Deerhunter had delivered on that promise with 2008’s Microcastle, little did I know the band would one-up even that phenomenal album with this year’s Halcyon Digest. Further delving into their pop instincts, this record is one chilling, ethereal success. Nearly every song is a stunner and it gets better and better with each passing listen. You can just feel the excitement oozing out of the studio, as the band experiments with harpsichords, saxophones and harmonies in ways they hadn’t on albums prior. It seems it be hard for any band to top an album this exceptional, but hey, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve exceeded my expectations.
Key Tracks: “Revival," "Helicopter," "Desire Lines”
As promised, here is an admittedly indulgent list of the 75 greatest songs of the year that were either on albums that just weren’t strong enough to be listed above or weren’t on albums at all. There were so many great songs released this year that fell into this category that an end of the year review without them just seemed incomplete.
75. Jay Electronica, ''Exhibit C (Prod. Just Blaze)''
74. Ramadanman, ''Don't Change For Me''
73. Azari & III, ''Reckless (With Your Love) (Midnight Magic Remix)''
72. Shabazz Palaces, ''1055 32 leaves dipped in blackness making clouds forming altered carbon''
71. Esben and the Witch, ''Marching Song''
70. Ty Segall, ''Girlfriend''
69. Mi Ami, ''Harmonics (Genius Of Love)''
68. Toro Y Moi, ''Blessa''
67. Love Is All, ''The Birds Were Singing With All Their Might''
66. Candy Claws, ''Catamaran''
65. Wavves, ''Post Acid''
64. Minks, ''Funeral Song''
63. Mndr, ''I Go Away''
62. Gold Panda, ''Same Dream China''
61. Sade, ''Soldier Of Love''
60. Jens Lekman, ''The End of the World Is Bigger Than Love''
59. New Pornographers, ''Crash Years''
58. Los Campesinos!, ''Romance is Boring''
57. Twin Sister, ''All Around and Away We Go''
56. The New Division, ''Starfield''
55. Keepaway, ''Yellow Wings''
54. Alicia Keys, ''Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) (Feat. Drake)''
53. Gayngs, ''The Gaudy Side of Town''
52. OFF!, ''Upside Down''
51. Kylesa, ''Don't Look Back''
50. Here We Go Magic, ''Casual''
49. Abe Vigota, ''Crush''
48. The Japandroids, ''Younger Us''
47. Cee-Lo Green, ''F:)©Ħ You''
46. Broken Bells, ''The High Road''
45. Hyetal, ''Phoenix''
44. The Mynabyrds, ''Numbers Don't Lie''
43. Gil Scott-Heron, ''New York Is Killing Me''
42. The Soft Moon, ''Tiny Spiders''
41. Forest Swords, ''Rattling Cage''
40. ceo, ''Come With Me''
39. TV Girl, ''If You Want It''
38. Tamaryn, ''Sandstone''
37. Mount Kimbie, ''Mayor''
36. Joker, ''Tron''
35. Phosphorescent, ''The Mermade Parade''
34. Die Antwoord, ''Enter The Ninja''
33. Neon Indian, ''Sleep Paralysist''
32. DOM, ''Burn Bridges''
31. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists, ''Bottled In Cork''
30. Dirty Projectors and Björk, ''When the World Comes to an End''
29. Laetitia Sadier, ''One Million Year Trip''
28. Rihanna, ''Only Girl (In The World)''
27. She and Him, ''Over It Over Again''
26. The Woods, ''Suffering Season''
25. Alcest, ''Solar Song''
24. Kelis, ''Acapella''
23. Gold Panda, ''You''
22. Here We Go Magic, ''Collector''
21. Low Sea, ''Never Yours''
20. New Pornographers, ''My Sheperd''
19. The Black Keys, ''Tighten Up''
18. Drake, ''Over''
17. Holy Other, ''Yr Love''
16. PS I Love You, ''Facelove''
15. Girl Unit, ''Wut''
14. Autre NV, ''Two Days Of Rain''
13. Portishead, ''Chase the Tear''
12. Andrew Cedermark, ''Hard Livin'''
11. Surfer Blood, ''Floating Vibes''
10. Frankie Rose and the Outs, ''Little Brown Haired Girl''
9. Yeasayer, ''O.N.E.''
8. Rihanna, ''What's My Name? (Feat. Drake)''
7. School of Seven Bells, ''Windstorm''
6. The Mynabyrds, ''We Made a Mountain''
5. The-Dream, ''Yamaha''
4. Cults, ''Go Outside''
3. Teenage Fantasy, ''Cheaters''
2. Primary 1 ft. Nina Persson, ''The Blues''
1. Bat for Lashes and Beck, ''Let's Get Lost''
Also, I contributed to Treble's fantastic year-end lists. You can check those out here:
http://treblezine.com/features/261.html
http://treblezine.com/features/260.html
Also, I contributed to Treble's fantastic year-end lists. You can check those out here:
http://treblezine.com/features/261.html
http://treblezine.com/features/260.html
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