This is an annual list of things I’ve been listening to and bought this year. Not necessarily released in 2018 but certainly discovered or re-acquainted with. I’ll update this over the course of the year and by the end you’ll get a list of my picks for 2018. Sign up if you want to be kept up to date with this and other updates.
All the music of 2018
Year of the Pig – Fucked Up
(2007 • Mp3 • What’s Your Rupture?)
Epic prog post hardcore from Canada. Discovered them late in 2017 and this series of zodiac experiments floating my boats. Nice contrasting vocals from bassist Sandy Miranda. Lead track Year of the Pig is 18 minutes of glorious excursion and the killer, killer track for me is The Black Hats… after the epic title track this kills… wait for the minute intro that sets the tone and then… that bass line!! FIGHT!
Get this in ya EP – The Chats
(2017 • MP3 • BandCamp)
Archetypal Australian punk rock, irreverent and free from responsibilities. Darts, drinking beer and being on the dole. It’s all beautifully presented in the first track Smoko. You need no more.
Chairs Missing – Wire
(1978 • MP3 • The state51 Conspiracy)
Pink Flag – Wire
(1977 • MP3 • The state51 Conspiracy)
It’s Wire. I’ve been remiss and never listened to these. They rule. So many great songs.
Rest – Charlotte Gainsborugh
(2017 • MP3 • )
Played loads on 6Music and somehow got under my skin. Some great dance floor tracks here or suitably suitable for drinking wine in a chi-chi bar.
Monuments – Ben Vince
(2017 • Vinyl/MP3 • Blank Editions & Negative DAYS)
Insignia – Ben Vince
(2018 • MP3 • Depth Of Decay)
Saw this guy open for William Basinski. He blew my mind with his looped droning saxophone wheezes and solos, layering and layering sounds while tweaking them through a sound pad. Bought the vinyl from him direct and he sent me the other album gratis… nice guy. Check him out!
Milk! Records 2017 – Various artists
(2017 • MP3 • Milk! Records Projects)
Jen Cloher and Courtney Barnett’s label sampler. Best thing on here is the Velvet’s sounding Everything Changes by Loose Change. The rest didn’t really capture me despite Jen’s decent PJ Harvey tinged rock.
Couldn’t You Wait (Documentary film) – Silkworm
(2013 • Digital download/Stream • buy.couldntyouwait.com)
Libertine – Silkworm
(1994/2017 re-issue • MP3 • Comedy Minus One)
Shade Perennial – Bottomless Pit
(2013 • MP3 • Comedy Minus One)
Been a fan of this bands 8th album Italian Platinum which I picked up second hand for a few pounds in a store in Leeds while I was on tour with WTDN? I took a punt on it as Steve Albini recorded it and boy was I not disappointed. Music with it’s roots in blues rock but with a flipped script in style, structure and lyrical content. I haven’t listened to them in a long time and their name came up in this Facebook meme of choosing your top 10 albums and I was pointed to this great documentary, Couldn’t You Wait? on their history and eventual end. Good film which nudged me into grabbing Libertine, their first wonderful album from a wonderfully unique band.
After the demise of Silkworm, bassist (now on baritone guitar) Tim Midyett and guitarist Andy Cohen formed Bottomless Pit with former Seam drummer Chris Manfrin and .22 bassist Brian Orchard. Similarities between all the bands are strong but this their 3rd album is a compelling beast of intertwining guitars and taut rhythm sections.