Hurry up, only a few days to listen to the show HERE...
Enjoy, have a great holiday and a productive 2011... full of music of course,
MM
From the BBC Website:
Two of the bands destined to top the critics' lists of 2010's best albums - The Arcade Fire and The National - take over the 6 Mix. Arcade Fire multi instrumentalist Richard Reed-Parry and brothers Aaron & Bryce Dessner who play guitar and bass in The National have been long-term friends since meeting on the American alt-rock circuit, regularly appearing on the same festival bills worldwide. Both acts released new albums in 2010 - Arcade Fire with 'The Suburbs' and The National with 'High Violet', the latter winning Q Magazine's coveted 'Album of 2010' award last month. Their friendship was cemented when Richard from the Arcade Fire contributed to a number of songs on The National's latest LP, most notably playing double bass and guitar on 'Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks', and doing the vocal harmony arrangement on 'Conversation 16'. In this special 6 Mix, Richard, Aaron and Bryce team up to play a selection of music which has inspired and soundtracked their friendship along with some of their favourite new music from 2010.
Is that time of the year when we sit down and try to come out with what we think not only describes our favorite music of the year, but tells a little bit about who we had become for the past 365 days.
To me, 2010 talks about coming back to that nice, comfortable place we discovered some time ago. We heard great new music from bands we have followed, and to a certain degree, we have adopted through the years as favorites. Certainly, my list reflects that. At the same time, 2010 brought some new faces, some that will undoubtedly grow into something big, others though, which might have achieved their heaven in their first release and will most likely not return, although I really hope I am completely mistaken on that one. In all cases, we should be grateful of being part of this whole thing. The year will end soon, but the music will remain with us. That is the point of all this.
Interesting to point out that only half of my top 10 albums come from American artists, which talks about the broader approach to music we are trying to follow in this blog.
As in previous years, along with my top 10 albums, from which I provide a one-sentence description, you’ll find a list of recommendations of music that “followed” me through the year. Although to be precise in my case, it would be more appropriate to say that it “commuted to work” with me or that it “ran” with me in the evenings along the Skuylkill river in Philadelphia.
Enjoy,
MM
Top Albums of 2010
1. The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
For the past months, I have tried to justify High Violet from The National as the best album of the year. I became part of that group of previously devoted Arcade Fire fans that got frustrated by the evident delay of the release of a well-overdue album from the Canadian band. When pieces of this album were released, I devoted time to publicly neglect them. The Suburbs was a slap on my face that, if anything, made me remember that the waiting time for an album of this quality is irrelevant. The album is spotless, almost perfect and every song on this album will take you exactly where the band wants you to go. You only need to enjoy the ride.
2. High Violet – The National
The National remains undoubtedly my favorite band. One that has been around in my life for quite some time now, and one that knows what to say and when and how to say it. High Violet was all I expected and more. This album runs deep inside me as any of the music from this band.
3. Total Life Forever – Foals
This album is impressive and powerful. Each song systematically takes you to the next, showing immense maturity in a relatively young band. Many bands devote their entire career struggling and dreaming about releasing an album of the caliber of Total Life Forever. Foals did it in their second attempt.
4. Teen Dream – Beach House
Teen Dream changed completely the view I had of the Baltimore band from their previous two albums. To me, this is the most melodic release of the year, depicting wide ranges of the beautiful voice of Victoria Legrand, accompanied in a genius manner by Alex Scally. I’ve spent almost a year with this album, many times finding myself completely incapable of not of singing along.
5. Magic Chairs – Efterklang
The album from this Danish band followed me constantly since I first heard it. It is good and consistent from start to finish, depicting a unique cinematic character that could only be found in a few bands these days.
6. Beachcombers Windowsill – Stornoway
Stornoway will be up there, it is simply a matter of time. Their album is a jewel and their live performance takes it to another level. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this British band.
7. Weathervanes- Freelance Whales
This band captivated me from the time I heard them as an opening band to Fanfarlo about a year ago. Their album feels fresh, and full of defying and clean fun orchestral harmonics. It is one that I kept coming back to during the year.
8. This is Happening– LCD Soundsystem
For unknown reasons, I dived on this one too late, otherwise its position would have been much closer to the top. I am still digesting everything this album has to offer but it certainly feels like a genius end to the LCD Soundsystem era.
9. Swim – Caribou
Snaith is a personal favorite in that he shows that a Ph.D. (his on Mathematics) does not necessarily prevent you from being creative and coming up with great music. This album is a proof of that. It is great from beginning to end.
10. Broken Bells– Broken Bells
A pristine collaboration of two great musicians, an album that shows a wider range for James Mercer beyond what we enjoyed in The Shins, all within the unque, weird and conceptual perspective of Danger Mouse.
Other recommendations:
11. All Alone in an Empty House – Lost in the Trees 12. Sky at Night - I am Kloot 13. The Edge of Adz-Sufjan Stevens 14. Halcyon Digest–Deerhunter 15. Work – Shout Out Louds 16. Forgiveness Rock Record – Broken Social Scene 17. Romance is Boring - Los Campesinos 18. Congratulations – MGMT 19. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West 20. Compass– Jamie Lidell 21. Behave Yourself– Cold War Kids 22. The Orchard - Ra Ra Riot 23. Odd Blood – Yeasayer 24. Contra– Vampire Weekend 25. Transference - Spoon 26. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo 27. Go – Jonsi 28. Penny Sparkle – Blonde Redhead 29. Treats – Sleigh Bells 30. Cosmogramma– Flying Lotus
Siempre es complicado elaborar una lista de solo 10 discos, y en un año increíble para la música como este 2010 la tarea se complica mucho más. Les dejo mi lista personal, y una serie de recomendaciones de discos que no pueden dejar escapar, enjoy....
10..."Maximum Balloon" de Maximum Balloon (Fiction)
Drowned in Sound: "Maximum Balloon really about a great producer/songwriter exhibiting his considerable talents free from the pressure and expectation of his day job."
9..."Swim" de Caribou (Merge)
Drowned in Sound: "His music really is art for the ears, with hues, colours, textures and aural brush strokes dripping with vibrancy and imagination."
8... "Teen Dream" de Beach House (Sub Pop)
Pitchfork: "This is both the most diverse and most listenable of their three full-lengths, and yet it never seems like a compromise. It feels like the product of careful, thoughtful growth, bringing in new influences--bits of mid-1970s Fleetwood Mac, sparkling indie pop, even a few soul and gospel touches--while maintaining the group's core sound."
7... "Beachcomber's Windowsill" de Stornoway (4AD)
The Times: "There’s no reason Stornoway won’t go on to make even better albums, but they’ll struggle to make one that radiates such guileless charisma."
6... "Odd Blood" de Yeasayer (Secretly Canadian)
Absolute Punk (Staff Reviews): "The album has the feel of a stopping-off point of sorts for a band an evolutionary path, headed toward an even higher level of greatness."
5... "Brothers" de The Black Keys (Nonesuch)
Uncut: "Brothers is really all about The Black Keys; swaggering journey from sub-White Stripes curio to one of the best rock'n'roll bands on the planet."
4... "This is Happening" de LCD Soundsystem (DFA/Virgin)
Pitchfork: "Murphy once again shows off his encyclopedic knowledge of all things post-punk and zip-tight. But he's also swimming up some serious stuff himself, including Eno and David Bowie's sacrosanct Berlin trilogy. And against his own prediction, it's far from horrible; it's actually pretty perfect."
3... "Total Life Forever" de Foals (Sub Pop)
PopMatters: "If this is their The Bends, it remains to be seen whether they can eventually produce another evolutionary leap on the orders of OK Computer and Kid A, but for the first time that kind of greatness doesn't seem out of the question for Foals."
2... "High Violet" de The National (4AD)
Sputnikmusic: "The National should give faith to anyone who has become disillusioned with indie music, anyone who misses a time where it didn't seem like all the musicians thought they were better than you and you could actually relate to the damn words they were singing. High Violet is another batch of cement to further supplement The National's already unshakable concrete career."
1... "The Suburbs" de Arcade Fire (Merge)
BBC Music: " Even on a cursory listen, a water-testing foray into its 16 tracks, it's immediately apparent that this is an album unlike either that came before it." Q Magazine: "They may well have delivered their masterpiece." Now Magazine: "It's common for heavily hyped albums to fall flat, but Arcade Fire's long-anticipated third LP hits with the satisfied thud of met potential." Delusions of Adequacy: "Whatever it is, The Suburbs is nothing short of extraordinary; it's Arcade Fire's moment of clarity where everyone can stop and take notice because in the most frank of terms, this is also nothing short of a masterpiece." Prefix Magazine: "For all the over-arching themes, The Suburbs is the most rocking Arcade Fire album yet."
Otros discos para recordar:
- "Big Echo" de The Morning Benders
- "Plastic Beach" de Gorillaz
- "Sky at Night" de I Am Kloot
- "Star of Love" de Crystal Fighters
- "Gemini" de Wild Nothing
- "The Garden" de Bran Van 3000
- "Avi Buffalo" de Avi Buffalo
- "The Fool" de Warpaint
- "All Alone In An Empty House" de Lost in the Trees
- "Lisbon" de The Walkmen
- "Hometowns" de The Rural Alberta Advantage
- "I Speak Because I Can" de Laura Marling
- "Halcyon Digest" de Deerhunter
- "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" de Kanye West
- "Further" de The Chemical Brothers
- "The Drums" de The Drums
- "Año Santo" de Triángulo de Amor Bizarro
- "Infinite Arms" de Band of Horses
- "I see the Sign" de Sam Amidon
- "Forgiveness Rock Record" de Broken Social Scene
A delight, a great night at Johnny Brenda’s last Saturday Dec 4, when British indie band Stornoway arrived to Philadelphia for the first time as part of their first visit to the US.
The Oxford band played most of their Beachcomber’s Windowsill album, one that certainly will be on my top 10 of the year, going with “I saw you Blink” as their opening tune. The band feels fresh, young but certainly ready, ready to what will come, which according to what I saw last week, will be full of great things. Their sound is contagious and was capable of captivating Philly’s tough crowd, from beginning to end. The band is driven by front man Brian Briggs whose personality develops on stage from a cautious, shy persona behind a deep, deep voice that progressively changes to a charming, funny, radiant leader. Briggs voice along with the band’s great performance makes this a must-see show. I say Stornoway has without a doubt all the potential needed to become a great band. Their album has certainly captivated some of us this year, but their music and lyrics could certainly take them to the top. Remember this in a year or two when young kids ask you if you have ever heard of a “new” band called Stornoway…when the time comes, just smile.
I leave you with two vids from the actual show in Philly. “Zorbing”, which is what they decided to play before their two encores, “The End of The Movie” and “We are The Battery Human” both of which were played in a charming acoustic mode that highlighted Briggs powerful voice.
Jason Bentley, KCRW's DJ, host of the major indie show Morning Becomes Eclectic has released his own top 10 list for the albums of this year that has offered us so much in terms of music...
Mine will come next week...
Take a look,
MM
ARTIST - ALBUM
The Black Keys - Brothers (Nonesuch) Tame Impala - Innerspeaker (101 Distribution) Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (Brown/Fat Possum/Colombia) Janelle Monae - Archandroid (Bad Boy/Wondaland) Beach House - Teen Dream (Sub Pop) Vampire Weekend - Contra (XL) Jonsi - Go (XL) The National - High Violet (4AD) Bombay Bicycle Club - I Had the Blues, But I Shook Them Loose (Arena Rock) Underworld - Barking (Om)
"Une île, un Moon, Efterklang, un film" is the title of today's announcement in La Blogotheque. The article suggest what it could be once again another remarkable collaboration between the great cinematographer Vincent Moon paired now with the music from Efterklang, without a doubt one of my favorite bands this year, into a film that appears to be full of conceptual images and great music, typical of Moon's films.
The post displays two teasers just released...both attached below.
The film will be released on February 2011...I, for one can't wait.
Esperando la nueva producción de los londinenses Noah and the Whale, les dejo el primer track que dan a conocer, denle play al cassette. Esperemos que el "Last Night on Earth", que se viene en Marzo de 2011 sea tan bueno como su anterior disco "The First Days of Spring". Enjoy...
For thirty years, the Oxford Music Scene has been producing bands of amazing quality and integrity. Some went on to shape genres and change music on a global scale, others never got heard of outside the town. I've lived in Oxford for most of my life and been a part of that scene for a long time - filming gigs, making music videos and realised it was time to get everyone together to tell the story. It's epic, uplifting, sad, honest and handmade.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
This is a story that needs to be told. Not only does it have the cultural significance of (for the first time) uncovering the story of the real people and circumstances without whom the world would never have got Radiohead, Ride, Supergrass or Foals, but it also shows what can be achieved through a community pulling together. It's a unique film and unlike any other music documentary in the sheer scale of the story and intimacy of the production. Although I've been a film-maker for years, this is my first feature film and is a truly independent production. The film is narrated by Stewart Lee.
WHAT WE NEED & WHAT YOU GET
We were amazed by the huge support we got from all of our donors and how we hit our initial $15k target within THREE WEEKS! This has paid for a full professional sound mix and to have the picture graded. It looks and sounds stunning now. We've now extended the target to 30k, this will pay for the music and footage clearances. Once this money is raised, the film will be 100% complete and in legal order.
What you get is a copy of the exclusive Donors-only DVD of the film with extras that will be unavailable anywhere else. you get your name listed on the DVD and chances to attend the premiere, special screenings and to be credited as an Executive Producer (getting an imdb.com credit)
HOW ELSE YOU CAN HELP
Spread the word! If you could direct people to www.acpgthemovie.com or @acpgthemovie on Twitter, you'd be doing a wonderful thing!
And seeing Manu Chao on stage feels different. It certainly does. You get the impression that there is something beyond the lyrics, the sounds and energy that Manu and his band display. Something greater. Listening to his lyrics is contagious, they are so direct and simple but at the same time they are capable of ripping your heart and mind apart, making you feel, remember and sometimes re-live. You end up dancing, singing, crying. Tears of happiness, sorrow and excitement are just expected elements when looking at this great artist. But above all Manu and their band bring you back to life, wherever you were before, making it evident that only simple things are needed to be happy and most of the times are right there in front of us.
Watching Manu appears to be something beyond a great musical experience. Manu Chao seems like a great messenger, a prophet that happens to use music and lyrics from all over the world to convey a clear message about freedom, morality, peace and respect. Watching and singing along with Manu’s songs inevitably makes me think on other great revolutionary images. Guevara, Castro, Marcos and why not Maradona, as described in Manu's Vida Tombola…anyone that defeats rules and proposes an alternate way to see or do things…but above all someone that puts every breath and every heartbeat in what he/she does…Manu without a doubt is someone that gives his entire soul on every concert, on every show as if it were the last one.
Manu Chao is touring the world with a compact version of his Radio Bemba, something that he likes to call La Ventura, a trio comprised of simply vocals, guitar, drums and percussions. So far, they have had very successful shows in Japan, South America and last month they started touring the US.
His clear and open support to key international issues and regulations would probably prevent him from reaching to everyone in this country. He gave a clear example of this at KCRW with his open support to the use of marijuana, something that certainly brought concern and discomfort to the host Tom Schnabel, after recent disputes on this topic in California.
Whether you share his political views, like or dislike his music, seeing him live is a must for anyone. And, this particular show is one of the best performances I have seen this year.
At the end of his show I finally understood that “International Superstar” is although inaccurate probably the most appropriate term you can use when talking about Manu Chao.
I leave you with a clip from his “Politik Kills”, which says it all…even when you don’t get all Manu’s message, you know he is telling the truth, you know there is something behind his multi-language sounds that should be listened to, understood and followed.
