Top 10 of 2011
1: Matt Chamberlain, Viktor Krauss and Dan Phelps - MODULAR
When Matt Chamberlain tweeted that a new instrumental project he was involved in was available, I was pretty much already sold. I adored (and still do) his solo album from a few years ago. When I realised that it also involved Dan Phelps, whose guitar work as part of Tori Amos’ band in 2007 I found absolutely amazing (indeed, revelatory in places), then it was an instant purchase, no question. This collection of six sprawling tracks is just amazing. It does what all good improvised music should - players start, move around each other, come together, separate, know when to make a noise and when not to. It’s not all improvised, according to the notes - it has been ‘improvised, mangulated and overdubbed’, so the best of all worlds I would suggest.
It also helps that the liner notes are a beautifully produced book featuring scientific notes on the ‘hum of the natural world’, and photographs of some beautifully designed technology capturing this hum in varying locations. It never makes clear whether this equipment has actually recorded anything or if it’s just a conceptual conceit used to inspire, or simply categorise the pieces. Either way, I don’t think it really matters, and I probably don’t want to actually know. I like thought that someone’s recorded a few hours of rocky outcrop and worked that into a piece of music.
I should tell you about my favourite track off here, “Hollow Earth”. The first half is pretty neat, consolidating and then breaking up, lots of melodic percussive sounds, and over the first few minutes really building up to the solid groove it finally hits at around four and a half minutes. This groove is worked through for another few minutes before dissolving into a few guitar wails and some more melodic percussion stuff, layers up to a nice shuffle of odds and ends, all very nice and casual, and then slides down into the last three minutes which left me just awestruck. As the shuffle trails to a halt, like a slowing train, noises build up around it and…I can’t describe it in a way that does what it sounds like any justice. These noises (all drone-like) all come together, rising in pitch and urgency until they eventually find a moment of harmony, which then lifts and carries up and out and my word it is divine - possibly literally, but I might just be getting carried away. I do that sometimes.
So, too long; didn’t read? I love this record, which has been put together by very talented musicians whose work I admire. It’s really very good.
Top Tracks: Hollow Earth…oh man, they’re all good. there’s only 6 of them anyway. Here’s my Molly Meldrum moment - do yourself a favour and go pick yourself up a copy.
Top 10 for 2011
2: Kate Bush - Director’s Cut
Yes, I went with Director’s Cut over 50 Words for Snow, absolutely. The latter contains some brilliant songs, but for me, didn’t really gel (or hasn’t yet, at least) as a cohesive work. This, however, amazed me. I love it when artists revisit their work, most often in a live context, as that is where these things have the opportunity to build and evolve through nightly performance, changes in arrangement, etc. Something which obviously Kate hasn’t given her the opportunity to do. And as an artist who has always stated clearly that she finishes an album, releases it and starts immediately looking forward to the next one, doing something like this was hugely surprising.
When first hearing her rework of ‘Deeper Understanding’, I was hesitant as to how the rest might go, but that is seriously the one track here that I think was overcooked in the process. Everything else I found completely engaging (although would argue that ‘And So Is Love’ was unneccesary in the context of how the rest have been handled). Finally, we have versions of ‘Lily’ and ‘Top Of The City’ that feel properly punchy, which was the biggest appeal for the concept for me. Having a version of ‘Never Be Mine’ like this, and giving the wordy ‘The Sensual World’ space to breathe in ‘Flower Of The Mountain’, as well as the beautifully understated ‘Moments of Pleasure’ were just bonuses for me. The biggest pleasure for me was the new ‘Rubberband Girl’. I did not know that Kate had that kind of thing in her. It’s such a thrill. I want more like that. Kate, if you’re listening? More understated vampy rock. Cheers!
Top Tracks: Rubberband Girl, Lily, Never Be Mine, Flower Of The Mountain
Top 10 of 2011
3: Washington - Insomnia
The release of this caught me completely by surprise - as in I missed it being released and came to it I think months afterwards. I think it’s being called an EP, but at 8 tracks, and clocking in at over 30 minutes, if this was the 60s or 70s, it would be an album right? I’m calling it an album. It definitely plays like one. Every single song is important here, telling stories surrounding what sounds to me like different stages in a relationship. Some tracks are big pop production numbers featuring kazoo hooks, some delicate piano and string ballads. Everything here cuts right to the chase, there isn’t a wasted note, and who could say that of pretty much any music release these days?
Top Tracks: Skeleton Key, Insomnia, Holy Moses
Top 10 of 2011
5: Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
I have my dear friend John to thank for getting me into this fellow’s music. He played the role of Darwin in ‘Tomorrow, In A Year’, which is where we first heard him, and then John went and looked up his own work. This is his second album, and it’s an amazing work. If you wanted me to boil it down, it’s probably ‘European electro-pop’, but it’s way more than that. The production is very considered and not at all over the top, and there’s the feeling that these songs have been crafted exquisitely from the ground up. It’s very mature feeling, but given that I don’t speak Swedish I have no idea what he’s singing about. I just can’t stop listening to it. It’s exquisite from start to finish.
Top Tracks: Som Om, Centrum, Min Ljusaste Röst
Top 10 of 2011
8: The Jezabels - Prisoner
I had very high expectations of this record, coming off the brilliance of their previous three EPs. They stepped up the production, creating a very heady, rich sound which, I will admit, took a little getting used to in places as it runs the risk of burying some quality songwriting, but is thoroughly engrossing. It’s not all heavy and layered though - when they bring it down to something more sparse and delicate, it’s still rich (sparse and delicate are comparative terms here) and packs one hell of an emotive punch. The best part is that, apart from the strings (used sparingly) they perform everything themselves. One drummer, one guitarist, one keyboardist and one stunning vocalist. They’re pretty kick-arse live too.
Top tracks: Horsehead, Long Highway, Catch Me
Top 10 of 2011
9: Nils Frahm - Felt
My first listen to this album didn’t feel quite right. The choice to record not just the music but all the ambient noise and instrument mechanisms (largely piano keys and hammers) didn’t quite make sense initially. But as I listened further, it all opened up. Well, the opposite of opening up. All those little things that recording engineers probably usually try their best not to capture to tape were featured here. This is what making music actually sounds like! All of it! This is what my aging upright sounds like all the time when I play it, and here someone is recording that! Once that all clicked into place, it was amazing to listen to, all these noises just as crucial to the creation of the melody as the melody itself. Since one of the greatest sounds ever, to my ears, is the sound of the sustain pedal lifting at the end of a piece, it was disconcerting, then surprising, then wonderful to have that all part of a record.
Top Tracks: More, Keep, Unter
Top 10 of 2011
10: Agnes Obel - Philharmonics
This album was a complete impulse buy - just because I liked the poster they had up on display in the record store. As a result, I didn’t really know what I was getting into other than Scandinavian woman playing the piano and singing. I was very pleased with the result. Some wonderful arrangements, beautiful understated delivery, some instrumentals - a great collection of songs that hasn’t left my car CD changer, which is always a sign of an LP I’m happy to listen to at any time.
Top Tracks: Avenue, Close Watch, On Powdered Ground
