There is so much music out there in so many different genres with such an endless array of clandestine channels of distribution now. It’s distracting, and it can lead to the impression that it’s all sort of being averaged into this high-speed slurry of mediocrity. Music is folk again- the players are more ubiquitous, but the Shakespeares are still just as few. In the midst of all that music coming out that’s demanding an equal amount of your diminishing time and attention (that amount is 100%, if you weren’t aware) there are still gems. That said, this was still a weird year for music.
Forgive my imperfection- I am only human, and I can only develop a relationship with so many recordings in a year. In no particular order, the records I liked the most this year are:
Private Lives – Private Life (can still be bought as part of the Soul Jazz Records singles compilation.)
The machine cries for the loss of its diginity and humanity, and we get to dance to it.
“Excellent Italian Greyhound” (Shellac)
Rock music consisting of only a few moving parts. Please watch your fingers.
Black Devil Disco Club
“28 After” (Black Devil Disco Club)
Spooky, nostalgic, and messy.
A driving disquiet.
A quieting angst.
“Sound of Silver” (LCD Soundsystem)
The kids seem to like it, but it’s still better than anything anyone else is doing.
“The Bullet Catcher’s Apprentice” (Andrew Weatherall)
Giorgio Moroder listening to Skinny Puppy.
“Living with the Living” (Ted Leo and The Pharmacists)
Ted is a machine, a beautiful machine that only tells the truth.
I think these guys riff in their sleep, like dogs run in theirs. There is no reason a band should be this good at playing their instruments.
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