My friend Louise reminded me of a New Year's resolution from a few years ago when I was trying to listen to one album that I'd not heard before each week. Properly listen to it. Phone off. Music on. Sit down. Cup of coffee. And just listen. She is doing a similar thing this year, so I thought I'd resurrect it, especially as I only listened to about 5 on the year that I did it previously. If I have this public list, then I will feel more like I should keep up with it.
Week 1: Skepta - Konnichiwa
This album won the 2016 Mercury Prize. I really wanted to like it, but I often struggle with rap music. This can probably be seen by the fact that my three favourite rappers of all time are all in The Beastie Boys. I'm not sure if it's a cultural thing and that I struggle to relate as a middle class white man to what's going on. That's probably at least part of it.
I also struggle with this album musically. Every song basically has one riff with a beat and a guy rapping on it, which is almost percussionary. So it's quite sparse, but also repetitive. I think it lacks the hooks that I like in my music. It also tests my patience a bit with a couple of conversations, including a long one at the end of Corn on the Cob. Even if I liked this stuff, I think I'd be like "stop talking and get to the music, fam."
I'm sure for people who like this sort of stuff that this is an awesome album. Mr Skepta is probably fine with me not like this though. I'm not his target audience. Having said that, I did warm to it slightly as it got towards the end, but this is partly as I started to zone out and it became more background music. Although, I was a bit put off by some of the naughty words.
Week 2: DIIV - Is the Is Are
When you put this album on - if you didn't know when it was released - it might be difficult to place it. It seems to have a timeless quality.
When I listen to music, I tend to listen to the tune and don't usually pick up many of the lyrics. I'm not sure if it is just my personality or if it comes from being a (failed) musician/song writer and I'm listening to the construction of how everything is fitting together. Although on this record, the vocals do seem to intentionally be buried a little bit within the overall sound.
I found this album very welcome and comforting as I listened to it on a rainy January day. There is a very dreamy quality to the record and it helped transport me away from the dreariness outside. They cite Elliott Smith as an influence on this album in terms of the pop structure and as he is one of my all-time favourite musicians then perhaps this is why it felt comfortable to me.
It is a lot more jangly than his style, though. The bass at times reminds me of Joy Division and there are times when you could almost be mistaken you're listening to one of their albums. There are elements of The Cure in the guitar work. It could also have been made in the early 90s when alternative music started to become a bit more popular. Yet however at the same time it does also feel modern.
I enjoyed this although I felt that there wasn't much difference between the songs. They sort of seemed to blend into one for me. Perhaps if I listened to it more I would be able to tell them apart.
Week 3: Spring King - Tell Me If You Like To
This was recommended by Louise who thought I would like it. I sort of do. And I sort of don't.
There are some interesting things going on musically in places. I love the layering and chaos in some of the songs. But then, there are others which aren't as interesting. They also overuse the use of echo on the vocals, which annoyed me a bit.
Still, it only took up 35 minutes of my time so I can't complain too much.
Week 4: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
For some reason I'd always assumed that My Bloody Valentine were metal. They are not.
They are the sort of dream pop that I really quite enjoy. I thought I was going to really like this. And then I got to track 4 which has got a horrid noise going all the way through it for no reason and is really difficult to listen to. It almost made me want to turn the whole thing off.
I didn't. I'm quite persistent when I have it in my mindset that I'm going to do something I make sure I finish it. I'm quite glad I did as it picked up again afterwards.
I'm not sure I'd ever listen to this album again, but I didn't dislike it, apart from the horrendous track 4.
Week 5: The xx - I See You
This really wasn't what I expected The xx to sound like. I thought they'd be an indie band.
Instead, the music seems like it could have come from the late 90s, when minimalist dance music was around on MTV when it used to actually play music.
There were points where it was just the two vocalists harmonising and nothing else going on. I did fall asleep part way through this. I have been under the weather. It was good but it didn't grab me by the balls and scream LISTEN TO ME.
Week 6: Dropkick Murphys - 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory
I knew that this would be my favourite of all the albums yet. It is much more my sort of thing. I'd listened to them break down Blood on the excellent Song Exploder podcast and had fallen in love with that song.
The rest of the album didn't disappoint. Not all of it is as good as Blood, but that would be pretty tricky. Some of the songs are technically brilliant.
The combination of Celtic music and punk rock really hits my sweet spot.
Week 7: Tegan And Sara - Love You To Death
This is not the Tegan And Sara I remember. They used to be a lot more guitar based but this is very electronic. The style of song writing seems to have just been transplanted to keyboards rather than guitars. I'm not sure if I like it as much. It doesn't sit as well with me. I can see the talent is still there but it just doesn't got with my tastes as much.
Week 8: Jens Lekman - Life Will See You Now
This is an absolutely beautiful uplifting pop album. It might potentially be Mormon pop, but that doesn't stop the songs from being a dream to listen to. It was on the new releases on Spotify, and I thought I'd give it a shot. It really should have been released in the summer though. It's definitely got that sort of vibe. This was a very enjoyable listen.
Week 9: The Future of the Left - The Peace & Truth of The Future of The Left
I liked this. It was the sort of music that I liked when I was in my late teens/early 20s and I always have a soft spot for this sort of slightly off kilter rock when it's done well. I like that people try to make music that doesn't quite sound right. It's like a rebellion against musical rules and the band seem very aptly named. I'd heard some of their stuff before but not really taken the time to take it in fully. I like this and will be listening to it again.
Week 10: Living Colour - Live From Electric Ladyland
I wanted to listen to something by this band after rewatching CM Punk's Wrestlemania entrance where the band played Cult of Personality. I'd always enjoyed the song, however watching them play it I realised that the band's name was based around the fact that all the members of the band are black.
You don't often get rock bands with even one black member, so to have a whole band was something that peaked my interest. This album is sort of a best of, I guess, and covers a range of genres. The band are excellent musicians, I really enjoyed this and will probably listen to more in the future.
Week 11: Surfjan Stevens - Illinois
My brother sent me a message telling me to check out this album as it reminded him a bit of Elliott Smith who we both love. I'm sure I'd listened to Surfjan Stevens before but couldn't remember what the sound was like. This was the album my brother specifically recommended, although there are more recent ones and I listened to it on a Saturday afternoon with a cup of tea. It was very pleasant. It was quite sunny outside and really fitted the mood. I'm sure I'll listen to more of his stuff at some point.
Week 12: Frank Ocean - Blond
This was on several albums of the year list for 2016. It's not my sort of thing but it's really chilled and good to have on in the background. There's a lot of noise effects which I used to like but now I think I just like music and melodies.
Week 13: Paul Draper - EP One/EP Two
This is a bit of a cheat as it's not an album but two EPs, however I had a limited amount of time and also I'd been intending to listen to these for ages. Mansun were my favourite band back in the day. I got into them when they supported Suede at the Leas Cliff Hall and I'd bought their latest EP, She Makes My Nosebleed, a week or so before the gig. Facebook had been spamming the hell out of me when these were released and I refused to listen to them at the time on the principle that I don't like being spammed on. I should probably be less stubborn as when I came to listen to these, it was just like having a new Mansun record. I'm not sure why it's taken him so long to release solo material but if it took that long to make it this good, then it was worth it.
Week 14: Lindsey Stirling - Shatter Me
I asked a couple of friends for recommendations, of which this was one of them. This was good. It is largely instrumental with Stirling being a violinist. The violin is one of my favourite instruments and I really enjoyed this. It combines lots of different styles of music to produce something really interesting.
Week 15: BadBadNotGood - IV
This was another recommendation and again largely instrumental. It's a got a great jazzy vibe and would go really nicely with a cold beer on a summer's day chilling in the garden.
Week 16: Brian Eno - Another Green World
I was listening to the excellent Adam Buxton Podcast where he interviews Brian Eno twice. I was aware that I'd not consciously listened to Eno previously and I thought that perhaps I should. I picked this album as Buxton mentioned it as one of his favourites.
I really enjoyed it. It was nice and mellow and interesting musically. The way that the songs are composed reminded me of when I used to mess around with a four track recorder in my bedroom creating music. I had a similar approach of looping one chord sequence and layering it. I wasn't quite as good as Brian Eno though.
Week 17: The Anchoress
For some reason my comments on this vanished/didn't save/I am a nincompoop. I quite liked it but thought it jumped around stylistically quite a bit.
Week 18: Fozzy - Do You Wanna Start A War
Chris Jericho is my all time favourite wrestler and I'd never bothered to check out his band. They aren't as bad as I was expecting from hearing comments from the wrestling community. They're alright. But they can't decide if they want to be metal or rock and this results in an album that swings from heavy to light and then back against. It's good but it's not going to revolutionise the music industry in the way that Jericho did for wrestling.
Week 19: Metallica - ... And Justice For All
This was inspired by Chris Jericho who said that this was the album that really made him understand what music and Metallica was all about. I've never got into Metallica. I'm not sure why. Loads of my friends love them but I think they all got into them before I really got close to them, and at that point none of them were like "Check out this amazing new band!" because they'd known about them for ages.
I don't think I've ever listened to this before. It might have been in the background at a party or something, but I've definitely not sat down and listened to it.
I'm not sure why I'd never bothered to check it out before. It's exactly the sort of melodic rock that I love. I really enjoyed this. I guess I was always put off by them being a bit too popular (I was a musical elitist when I was younger) and I didn't want to be just listening to the same stuff as everyone else.
I'm not a snob any more. I like this.
Week 20: Laura Marling - Semper Femina
I hadn't listened to any Laura Marling in a while. I reckon maybe 7 years. At that point she had just turned 20 and was quite young. In my head she's always been young. But obviously she's grown up since then and this is a much more mature album.
There are shades of Elliott Smith in some of the guitar playing and her voice is a lot more powerful in an understated way. She sounded like someone but I couldn't quite put my finger on who. Perhaps it is Aimee Man.
I listened to this whilst it started to rain outside. It was a great accompaniment to that.
Week 21: Soundgarden - King Animal
This was chosen due to the tragic death of Chris Cornell. I hadn't realised Soundgarden had reformed and released music. It's good. I don't know why it would ever be otherwise. He will be missed. He had such an amazing voice and listening to this album took me back to my childhood.
Week 22: Ash - Kablammo!
I picked this as I bought tickets this weekend to see Weezer for my birthday weekend and Ash are supporting. Having not heard any of their stuff in ages, I thought it would be a good idea to check some out. They sound exactly like Ash always have done. It's not revolutionary but it's enjoyable.
Week 23: Alt-J: RELAXER
Another album I chose after listening to the Song Exploder podcast episode where they discuss how they made In Cold Blood. This is a very short album and very varied. Knowing their approach to making music made it more interesting, I think.
I want to start picking artists that I've not heard before if I can. The last 5 have all been artists I was familiar with to some extent.
Week 24: First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
Inspired by their appearance at Glastonbury which I didn't see, but my 2 year old niece did and apparently she was transfixed. I think I may have heard these guys before but not properly. This is glorious summer music. Perfect for festivals. Lovely stuff.
Week 25: Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
Another Song Exploder choice. I didn't really give these guys a chance when everyone else first started listening to them. They're pleasant enough but they didn't really have anything to hook me unfortunately.
Week 26: James Vincent McMorrow - True Care
I picked this randomly from the Spotify new releases list. Man, I don't get modern music. It's just not my thing. I think I picked it because the guy has Vincent as one of his names and I like Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction. I won't make that mistake again.
Week 27: The Last Dinosaur - The Nothing
A lovely random Spotify find. This was beautiful. I will definitely listen to this again.
Week 28: The Gospel Truth - Always Lose
I saw a friend was listening to this on Spotify and picked it at random because of that. It felt warm and familiar, it felt like emo bands that I used to listen to. It didn't set the world on fire but it was well written and well performed.
Week 29: 24 Hour Punks - Why We Fight
My former bandmate got together a lot of punk mates to make this short EP. Written, rehearsed, recorded, mixed and released over the course of 24 hours, with all proceeds going to AMMF in memory of his father-in-law. Worth checking out what can be done by mankind in such a short space of time. It used to take us 2 years to get anywhere near to being able to record something... Definitely worth checking out. The link is here.
Week 30: Tagada Jones - La Peste et le Cholera
I've definitely started to fall behind listening to one per week. That's what happens when you're attempting to plan a wedding and start a new job as well, apparently. This album was a lucky dip selection bought in Lille when we were away for the weekend, based largely on how the cover looked and that it was in the rock section. It turned out alright. I will need to listen to it more but I think it was a decent purchase.
Possibilities for future weeks:
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Anna Meredith - Varmints
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Beyonce - Lemonade
Patti Smith - Horses
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back
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