ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2014

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Ghosts of the Great Highway is a near-classic, April is one of my favorite records ever, and Perils From the Sea, the record he did in 2013 with the album leaf guy, was really good too, but this one didn't work for me at all, i think it's his weakest record.

ciderpress, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:29 (nine years ago) link

Matt, you should probably listen to tune-yard's lyrics, or at least read them (and bear in mind that this is coming from the #1 booster of never paying attention to lyrics)

From the moment I clicked 'submit' on that post I knew exactly what some of those lyrics were going to end up being about and reading some of them confirms that - zing revoked.

Her image and aesthetic are still terrible though.

Matt DC, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:29 (nine years ago) link

I really like Benji and I found a lot of the songs- Jim Wise, Micheline etc - genuinely affecting. I love the layered guitar work too. That said, it's the only real thing of Kozelek's that I know. I know very little about him as a person or his previous work or the WOD thing.
This album will remind me of lone summer evening bike rides in the countryside near where I live. It's too easy to be cynical about music like this I guess.

diss strychnine (dog latin), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:30 (nine years ago) link

Name and shame the voters.

strychnine, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:32 (nine years ago) link

xps hey look jason segel and billy crystal had a very angry baby

― quan voice (voodoo chili), Tuesday, January 27, 2015 10:20 AM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

dying @ this

languagelessness (mattresslessness), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:32 (nine years ago) link

loool

gr8080, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:32 (nine years ago) link

This record kinda of reminded me of Marc Maron's self-depreciating freestyles on WTF.

MikoMcha, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:33 (nine years ago) link

my hot tip for no-one in particular: listen to 'two coffins' off the against me! record instead - none of the self-indulgence and 100 times shorter to boot

why you gotta be so rmde (NickB), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:34 (nine years ago) link

Sun Kil Moon hasn't inspired much angry debate, as it's so obviously a load of terrible horseshit whose voters won't be able to defend it

― Scrabble: A classic board-game that Mark Kozelek likes to play with his (imago), Tuesday, January 27, 2015 5:22 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark

ugh dude

a strawman stuffed with their collection of 12 cds (jjjusten), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:34 (nine years ago) link

like i dont give 2 shits abt sun kil moon but how do you post that and not feel immediately embarrassed about it

a strawman stuffed with their collection of 12 cds (jjjusten), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:34 (nine years ago) link

NickB OTM

sleeve, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:35 (nine years ago) link

Pray for Newtown put it over the top for me.

campreverb, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:35 (nine years ago) link

The annoying infantilised adult is a fairly common archetype in gentrified London and a quick image search for Tune-Yards suggests her entire image is based around being a particularly egregious version of that, and that's before you even get onto the music itself.

Disclaimer, I've not listened to any of the lyrics.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, January 27, 2015 9:13 AM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Matt, you should probably listen to tune-yard's lyrics, or at least read them (and bear in mind that this is coming from the #1 booster of never paying attention to lyrics)

― "Go pet your dog" is the name of my dog (DJP), Tuesday, January 27, 2015 9:19 AM (17 seconds ago)


agree that merrill g's koo koo face-pulling & much of tune-yards' promo imagery (esp circa this new album) are less than enticing. i'd hope we could put that aside, though, when evaluating the music. nikki nack is an excellent album deserving better than preemptive dismissal on extramusical grounds. that manically giddy, childhood-referencing, bouncy house quality is still present in the songwriting, but not in a sense that could fairly be described as "infantilized".

recommended

A Severus of Snapes (contenderizer), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:35 (nine years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/ZPyWpGA.jpg

52 FENNESZ Bécs [306 points, 12 votes]

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:36 (nine years ago) link

to contribute something positive though, "i saw the film 'the song remains the same'" is a good exmaple of a good kozilek song in his new superconfessional , its the bright spot on the record for me

ciderpress, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:37 (nine years ago) link

superconfessional style, rather

ciderpress, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:37 (nine years ago) link

Was really looking forward to this one after he was like, "this is Endless Summer Part 2, y'all!" but it didn't really stick with me

Tay-Tay Brooklynpants (Murgatroid), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:37 (nine years ago) link

first of mine to place! lots of very beautiful sounds on this one

diamonddave85​ (diamonddave85), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:38 (nine years ago) link

I liked this Fennesz record, after a few times through it revealed more teeth & claws than the 'Endless Summer Pt. 2" retread I was expecting after my first listen

sleeve, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:38 (nine years ago) link

Heh. I voted for this one, but wasn't too sure it would place.

MarkoP, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:39 (nine years ago) link

liminality was the standout track for me

diamonddave85​ (diamonddave85), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:39 (nine years ago) link

skipped this completely, not sure why. i'd heard it was out way back when, read good things. something to look forward to...

A Severus of Snapes (contenderizer), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:40 (nine years ago) link

i have not listened to fennesz since black sea and kinda forgot he put out something new

indie fuxxor albums i have secretly spotified (slothroprhymes), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:41 (nine years ago) link

Sorry JJJ. The board seemed pretty unanimous though. I did get carried away.

Listened to Liminality on the noms Spotify. It's OK, sounded like Fennesz.

Really loved Endless Summer when it came out, but increasingly got the impression from it over the years that it rides a lot of MAX/MSP FX and gloss, which was definitely interesting at the time, but now also comes across as a bit like a demo reel from a studio technician.

MikoMcha, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:43 (nine years ago) link

that record cover looks really dated. enjoyed it when i heard it but never went back

why you gotta be so rmde (NickB), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:43 (nine years ago) link

Fennesz was one of the last things I cut from my ballot. It's shimmery!

example (crüt), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:44 (nine years ago) link

I like the Fennesz better than anything I've heard of his in a while and it deserves a place here, but imo this record is not as good as Ben Frost's AURORA, which was released around the same time and which is flat out amazing

Dan S, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:46 (nine years ago) link

I keep meaning to listen to that Ben Frost album, but then again I had no idea Fennesz even released anything this year.

Matt DC, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:47 (nine years ago) link

i remember feeling very nonplussed when i heard endless summer, which was an ilm fave back in the day. nothing happened in it!

things are happening in "liminality" but i'm not sure i like the fuzzy wash of guitars in general, i prefer my contemplative instrumental music a bit sharper than this. i wonder if the francis harris album will place.

lex pretend, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:49 (nine years ago) link

i listened to the fennesz back catalog the other day in anticipation of hearing this but i just wasn't feeling it tbh, there's something a little kitschy in a bland way about some of the tracks on black sea.

lee gamble - koch probably won't place but it hits so much harder and better in my own "weird ambient with teeth" category.

languagelessness (mattresslessness), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:50 (nine years ago) link

Also enjoyed Fennesz but didn't longlist it for my ballot. Partly because I think I just had less of a drone year this year. Gutted that the one time I saw him live (with Grouper AND Natural Snow Buildings supporting, omg) he got the plug pulled on him when he was bossing the damn church.

All The Craigers Gonna Craig Craig Craig Craig Craig (Craigo Boingo), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:50 (nine years ago) link

just got here but wanted to cheer for BOTANIST yay@!

Mordy, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:50 (nine years ago) link

Given some of the albums that have placed I'd say there's a decent chance of Lee Gamble showing up.

Matt DC, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:50 (nine years ago) link

Is it worth a bet though? /sorry

All The Craigers Gonna Craig Craig Craig Craig Craig (Craigo Boingo), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:52 (nine years ago) link

a cunning punt right there

why you gotta be so rmde (NickB), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:55 (nine years ago) link

did roll the dice release an album this year?

LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:56 (nine years ago) link

Endless Summer was one of the most important records for me in my teenage years, and is still a very emotional and rewarding listen. This album sounds good but hasn't really hooked me.

abcfsk, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:57 (nine years ago) link

yes xp

o.m.g. lol @ hurt butt (wins), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:57 (nine years ago) link

Venice was the one that was important to me in my teenage years, remember listening to it on repeat in high school with my Minidisc player also lol Minidisc

Tay-Tay Brooklynpants (Murgatroid), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:58 (nine years ago) link

Also enjoyed Fennesz but didn't longlist it for my ballot. Partly because I think I just had less of a drone year this year. Gutted that the one time I saw him live (with Grouper AND Natural Snow Buildings supporting, omg) he got the plug pulled on him when he was bossing the damn church.

― All The Craigers Gonna Craig Craig Craig Craig Craig (Craigo Boingo), Tuesday, January 27, 2015 5:50 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I was at this, it was a really good gig

o.m.g. lol @ hurt butt (wins), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:59 (nine years ago) link

yeah this year's roll the dice was pretty good i thought, though it sort of fell out of regular listening by the end

lex pretend, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 17:59 (nine years ago) link

I voted for it, not holding out much hope for it placing

lee gamble will i think

o.m.g. lol @ hurt butt (wins), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:00 (nine years ago) link

I like Benji

Wu-Tang Clannad (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:00 (nine years ago) link

http://i.imgur.com/6B6VEO2.jpg

51 A WINGED VICTORY FOR THE SULLEN Atomos [309 points, 11 votes, 1 first place vote]

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:03 (nine years ago) link

Very gorgeous album, as expected, but didn't really think to place it on my list :(

Tay-Tay Brooklynpants (Murgatroid), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:04 (nine years ago) link

Only discovered that this month, but I love it.

Matt DC, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:05 (nine years ago) link

oh nice didn't realize this had an ilx following

ciderpress, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:05 (nine years ago) link

oh hey this is in my review pile, have not heard yet

sleeve, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:08 (nine years ago) link

Matt DC what did you like about tune-yards lyrics? or did i misread you here

From the moment I clicked 'submit' on that post I knew exactly what some of those lyrics were going to end up being about and reading some of them confirms that - zing revoked.

Her image and aesthetic are still terrible though.

flopson, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 18:08 (nine years ago) link


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