draindesert

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Top Albums of 2013

In rank order:

01. James Blake - Overgrown
02. My Bloody Valentine - mbv
03. Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
04. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
05. Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic
06. MGMT - MGMT
07. Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse
08. Kanye West - Yeezus
09. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
10. Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus
11. Arctic Monkeys - AM
12. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
13. Disclosure - Settle
14. Foals - Holy Fire
15. STRFKR - Miracle Mile
16. bEEdEEgEE - SUM/ONE
17. Doldrums - Lesser Evil
18. Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks
19. Deerhunter - Monomania
20. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
21. Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
22. DARKSIDE - Psychic
23. Factory Floor - Factory Floor
24. Forest Swords - Engravings
25. Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork
26. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
27. Phoenix - Bankrupt!
28. Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
29. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2
30. CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe
31. Jon Hopkins - Immunity
32. Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap
33. M.I.A. - Matangi
34. Atoms for Peace - AMOK
35. Washed Out - Paracosm
36. The Flaming Lips - The Terror
37. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
38. The Strokes - Comedown Machine
39. Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return
40. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
41. Savages - Silence Yourself
42. Wampire - Curiosity
43. David Bowie - The Next Day
44. of Montreal - Lousy with Sylvanbriar
45. Majical Cloudz - Impersonator
46. Grand Theft Auto V Soundtrack
47. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
48. AlunaGeorge - Body Music
49. Wavves - Afraid of Heights
50. Danny Brown - Old

Top Songs of 2013

I limited myself to a maximum of 4 songs per band / artist / release.

In alphabetical order:

1. Active Child - Subtle
2. AlunaGeorge - Attracting Flies
3. Arcade Fire - Afterlife
4. Arcade Fire - Here Comes the Night Time
5. Arcade Fire - Normal Person
6. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
7. Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
8. Arctic Monkeys - One for the Road
9. Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine?
10. Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
11. Atoms for Peace - Before Your Very Eyes...
12. Atoms for Peace - Default
13. Atoms for Peace - Dropped
14. bEEdEEgEE - Bricks
15. bEEdEEgEE - Empty Vases
16. bEEdEEgEE - Like Rain Man
17. bEEdEEgEE - (F.U.T.D.) Time of Waste
18. Boards of Canada - Gemini
19. Boards of Canada - Jacquard Causeway
20. Boards of Canada - Reach for the Dead
21. Boards of Canada - Split Your Infinities
22. Broken Bells - Holding on for Life
23. Burial - Come Down to Us
24. Burial - Hiders
25. Burial - Rival Dealer
26. The Chain Gang of 1974 - Sleepwalking
27. Chance the Rapper - Cocoa Butter Kisses
28. Chance the Rapper - Juice
29. Chance the Rapper - Pusha Man
30. Chance the Rapper - Smoke Again
31. CHVRCHES - Gun
32. CHVRCHES - Lies
33. CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
34. CHVRCHES - Recover
35. Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
36. Cut Copy - Let Me Show You Love
37. Cut Copy - Meet Me In A House of Love
38. Cut Copy - We Are Explorers
39. Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
40. Daft Punk - Get Lucky
41. Daft Punk - Give Life Back to Music
42. Daft Punk - Instant Crush
43. Danny Brown - 25 Bucks
44. Danny Brown - Gremlins
45. Danny Brown - Wonderbread
46. DARKSIDE - Freak, Go Home
47. DARKSIDE - Golden Arrow
48. DARKSIDE - Paper Trails
49. David Bowie - I'd Rather Be High
50. David Bowie - Love Is Lost
51. David Bowie - The Next Day
52. David Bowie - The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
53. Deerhunter - Back to the Middle
54. Deerhunter - Dream Captain
55. Deerhunter - Monomania
56. Deerhunter - Neon Junkyard
57. Disclosure - Defeated No More
58. Disclosure - Latch
59. Disclosure - When A Fire Starts to Burn
60. Disclosure - White Noise
61. Divine Fits - Ain't That the Way
62. Doldrums - Anomaly
63. Doldrums - Egypt
64. Doldrums - Lesser Evil
65. Doldrums - Sunrise
66. Drake - The Language
67. Drake - Started from the Bottom
68. Drake - Tuscan Leather
69. Drake - Worst Behavior
70. Earl Sweatshirt - Burgundy
71. Earl Sweatshirt - Chum
72. Earl Sweatshirt - Hive
73. Earl Sweatshirt - Sunday
74. Eminem - Bad Guy
75. Eminem - Rhyme or Reason
76. Eminem - Rap God
77. Eminem - Survival
78. Factory Floor - Fall Back
79. Factory Floor - Here Again
80. Factory Floor - Turn It Up
81. Factory Floor - Two Different Ways
82. The Flaming Lips - Always There, In Our Hearts
83. The Flaming Lips - Be Free, A Way
84. The Flaming Lips - Try to Explain
85. Foals - Inhaler
86. Foals - My Number
87. Foals - Out of the Woods
88. Foals - Stepson
89. Forest Swords - Ljoss
90. Forest Swords - Thor's Stone
91. Forest Swords - The Weight of Gold
92. Foxygen - No Destruction
93. Foxygen - On Blue Mountain
94. Foxygen - San Francisco
95. Foxygen - Shuggie
96. Fuck Buttons - Brainfreeze
97. Fuck Buttons - The Red Wing
98. Fuck Buttons - Year of the Dog
99. HEALTH - High Pressure Dave
100. Hot Chip - Dark and Stormy
101. How to Destroy Angels - Keep It Together
102. How to Destroy Angels - The Space In Between
103. James Blake - Digital Lion
104. James Blake - Life Round Here
105. James Blake - Overgrown
106. James Blake - Retrograde
107. Jon Hopkins - Immunity
108. Jon Hopkins - Open Eye Signal
109. Jon Hopkins - We Disappear
110. Kanye West - Black Skinhead
111. Kanye West - Blood on the Leaves
112. Kanye West - Bound 2
113. Kanye West - New Slaves
114. Majical Cloudz - Bugs Don't Buzz
115. Majical Cloudz - Childhood's End
116. Majical Cloudz - This Is Magic
117. MGMT - Alien Days
118. MGMT - Cool Song No. 2
119. MGMT - Plenty of Girls in the Sea
120. MGMT - Your Life Is A Lie
121. M.I.A. - Bad Girls
122. M.I.A. - Come Walk With Me
123. M.I.A. - Exodus
124. M.I.A. - Y.A.L.A.
125. My Bloody Valentine - If I Am
126. My Bloody Valentine - Is This and Yes
127. My Bloody Valentine - New You
128. My Bloody Valentine - Only Tomorrow
129. The National - Demons
130. The National - Graceless
131. The National - I Should Live In Salt
132. Neon Indian - Change of Coast
133. Nine Inch Nails - All Time Low
134. Nine Inch Nails - Came Back Haunted
135. Nine Inch Nails - Copy of A
136. Nine Inch Nails - While I'm Still Here
137. of Montreal - Fugitive Air
138. of Montreal - Raindrop in My Skull
139. of Montreal - She Ain't Speaking Now
140. Phoenix - Chloroform
141. Phoenix - Entertainment
142. Phoenix - S.O.S In Bel Air
143. Phoenix - Trying to Be Cool
144. Pusha T - King Push
145. Pusha T - Nosetalgia
146. Pusha T - Numbers on the Boards
147. Queens of the Stone Age - Fairweather Friends
148. Queens of the Stone Age - If I Had A Tail
149. Queens of the Stone Age - Kalopsia
150. Queens of the Stone Age - My God Is the Sun
151. Savages - I Am Here
152. Savages - She Will
153. Savages - Shut Up
154. Savages - Strife
155. STRFKR - Atlantis
156. STRFKR - Fortune's Fool
157. STRFKR - I Don't Want to See
158. STRFKR - Sazed
159. The Strokes - Tap Out
160. Toro Y Moi - Cola
161. Toro Y Moi - Harm In Charge
162. Toro Y Moi - How's It Wrong
163. Toro Y Moi - Say That
164. TV on the Radio - Mercy
165. TV on the Radio - Million Miles
166. Twin Shadow - Old Love / New Love
167. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - From the Sun
168. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Secret Xtians
169. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - So Good At Being In Trouble
170. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark)
171. Vampire Weekend - Everlasting Arms
172. Vampire Weekend - Obvious Bicycle
173. Vampire Weekend - Step
174. Vampire Weekend - Unbelievers
175. Wampire - The Hearse
176. Wampire - Orchards
177. Wampire - Spirit Forest
178. Washed Out - All I Know
179. Washed Out - Don't Give Up
180. Washed Out - It All Feels Right
181. Wavves - Demon to Lean On
182. Wavves - Dog
183. Wavves - Sail to the Sun
184. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
185. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
186. Yeasayer - Don't Come Close
187. Youth Lagoon - Attic Doctor
188. Youth Lagoon - Dropla
189. Youth Lagoon - Mute
190. Youth Lagoon - Sleep Paralysis

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

2013 LP Rankings as of May

My Bloody Valentine - mbv
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic
Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse
James Blake - Overgrown
Doldrums - Lesser Evil
Deerhunter - Monomania
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
STRFKR - Miracle Mile
Wampire - Curiosity
Phoenix - Bankrupt!
Foals - Holy Fire
Atoms for Peace - AMOK
The Flaming Lips - The Terror
The Strokes - Comedown Machine
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
Wavves - Afraid of Heights
Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Favorite Albums of 2013 So Far

01) My Bloody Valentine - mbv

02) Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II

03) Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic

04) Doldrums - Lesser Evil

05) Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse

06) STRFKR - Miracle Mile

07) Atoms for Peace - AMOK

08) Foals - Holy Fire

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Top 100 Songs of 2012

I limited myself to a maximum of 3 songs from any one album, which was rough when whittling it down to 100 songs. Some amazing songs are left off for that reason, but that's what the albums list is for.

In alphabetical order, by song title:

Flying Lotus - "All the Secrets"
Elite Gymnastics - "Andreja 4-Ever"
Tame Impala - "Apocalypse Dreams"
Chromatics - "Back from the Grave"
Twin Shadow - "Be Mine Tonight"
Soundgarden - "Been Away Too Long"
New Build - "Behind the Shutter"
Purity Ring - "Belispeak"
Soundgarden - "Bones of Birds"
Lower Dens - "Brains"
Alt-J - "Breezeblocks"
Sinkane - "Caparundi"
Passion Pit - "Carried Away"
The Antlers - "Crest"
Miike Snow - "Devil's Work"
of Montreal - "Dour Percentage"
DIIV - "Doused"
The Antlers - "Drift Dive"
Porcelain Raft - "Drifting In and Out"
Flying Lotus feat. Thom Yorke - "Electric Candyman"
Tame Impala - "Elephant"
Cloud Nothings - "Fall In"
Tame Impala - "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"
Purity Ring - "Fireshrine"
Yeasayer - "Fingers Never Bleed"
Twin Shadow - "Five Seconds"
Hot Chip - "Flutes"
Opossom - "Fly"
Jack White - "Freedom At 21"
Grimes - "Genesis"
The Hives - "Go Right Ahead"
Twin Shadow - "Golden Light"
Grizzly Bear - "Gun-Shy"
Grizzly Bear - "Half Gate"
Yeasayer - "Henrietta"
Beach House - "The Hours"
The Weeknd - "House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls"
Japandroids - "The House That Heaven Built"
DIIV - "How Long Have You Known?"
Passion Pit - "I'll Be Alright"
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "I'll Come Back 4 U"
AC Newman - "I'm Not Talking"
How to Dress Well - "& It Was U"
Sinkane - "Jeeper Creeper"
Lotus Plaza - "Jet Out of the Tundra"
Crystal Castles - "Kerosene"
Chromatics - "Kill for Love"
Chromatics - "Lady"
Lower Dens - "Lamb"
Hot Chip - "Let Me Be Him"
Yeasayer - "Longevity"
Passion Pit - "Love Is Greed"
Alt-J - "Matilda"
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Mature Themes"
New Build - "Medication"
Animal Collective - "Mercury Man"
New Build - "Misery Loves Company"
Animal Collective - "Monkey Riches"
Lotus Plaza - "Monoliths"
Roman Ruins - "Mother's Day"
Hot Chip - "Motion Sickness"
Divine Fits - "My Love Is Real"
Grimes feat. Majical Clouds - "Nightmusic"
Soundgarden - "Non-State Actor"
Grimes - "Oblivion"
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Only In My Dreams"
Beach House - "Other People"
Miike Snow - "Paddling Out"
Crystal Castles - "Plague"
Porcelain Raft - "Put Me to Sleep"
Frank Ocean - "Pyramids"
Bear In Heaven - "The Reflection of You"
Gauntlet Hair - "Righteous Black"
Sinkane - "Runnin'"
How to Dress Well - "Set It Right"
Bear In Heaven - "Sinful Nature"
Jack White - "Sixteen Saltines"
Le Common Diamond - "Softbeat"
Lemonade - "Softkiss"
Wye Oak - "Spiral"
Cloud Nothings - "Stay Useless"
Frank Ocean feat. Earl Sweatshirt - "Super Rich Kids"
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark)"
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Symphony of the Nymph"
Jack White -'"Take Me With You When You Go"
Moonface - "Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips"
Alt-J - "Tessellate"
Frank Ocean - "Thinking Bout You"
Animal Collective - "Today's Supernatural"
Purity Ring - "Ungirthed"
Porcelain Raft - "Unless You Speak From Your Heart"
Miike Snow - "The Wave"
Divine Fits - "What Gets You Alone"
Roman Ruins - "Wildflower"
Beach House - "Wishes"
Bear In Heaven - "World of Freakout"
Divine Fits - "Would That Not Be Nice"
Crystal Castles - "Wrath of God"
Japandroids - "Younger Us"
The Antlers - "Zelda"

Top 30 Albums of 2012

In ranked order:

01) Tame Impala - Lonerism
02) Yeasayer - Fragrant World
03) Hot Chip - In Our Heads
04) Beach House - Bloom
05) Twin Shadow - Confess
06) Frank Ocean - Channel ORANGE
07) Grimes - Visions
08) Purity Ring - Shines
09) Crystal Castles - (III)
10) Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
11) Porcelain Raft - Strange Weekend
12) Sinkane - Mars
13) Soundgarden - King Animal
14) Jack White - Blunderbuss
15) Animal Collective - Cenitpede Hz
16) New Build - Yesterday Was Lived and Lost
17) Miike Snow - Happy to You
18) Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
19) Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
20) Passion Pit - Gossamer
21) Bear In Heaven - I Love You, It's Cool
22) How to Dress Well - Total Loss
23) DIIV - Oshin
24) Grizzly Bear - Shields
25) Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action At A Distance
26) Lower Dens - Nootropics
27) Lemonade - Diver
28) Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
29) Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
30) The Weeknd - Trilogy

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - 'II' Tracklisting

Unknown Mortal Orchestra have announced their 2nd LP will be called II.

II will be released February 5th on Jagjaguwar Records. Tracklisting below.

There seems to be a 'time of day' theme running through the song titles - dawn, morning, afternoon. Only missing night, unless that's considered 'the opposite of afternoon'.

01) From the Sun
02) Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark)
03) So Good at Being in Trouble
04) One at a Time
05) The Opposite of Afternoon
06) No Need for a Leader
07) Monki
08) Dawn
09) Faded in the Morning
10) Secret Xtians

"Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark)" is available NOW as a digital single on iTunes.

Yeasayer - "Reagan's Skeleton" (Live Video)

Antlers - 'Undersea' and Le Common Diamond

These aren't on my Top 25 Albums list because they're EPs, but both of these are also must-listens.

Antlers - Undersea

Le Common Diamond - Le Common Diamond

Top 25 Albums of 2012 (as of October)

It's October. Tame Impala's long awaited Lonerism has finally been released. There are no announced releases for 2012 left that I'm looking forward to. New records from Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Toro Y Moi have been announced, but they're coming out next year (they might leak this year, but technically that wouldn't count). I'm eagerly awaiting the next release from MGMT, but I expect it will slip into 2013, at this point.

There could be some surprise music releases in the next few months, but typically there isn't too much. Maybe a surprise release from Bradford Cox (Deerhunter / Atlas Sound). He hasn't released a record yet this year! If he doesn't, this will be the first year that he hasn't in a long while.

There could be an album that's been released already that I haven't discovered, or could yet discover a greater appreciation for. But anyway, here's how my personal rankings for the Top 25 Albums of 2012 are shaping up so far.

Yes, I love the Yeasayer record that much. I could easily have it at #1, but Hot Chip's In Our Heads remains so utterly enjoyable to listen to that it's currently holding on to the top spot. Yeasayer's Fragrant World must be ahead of its time. The instrumentation on that record is so interesting, every song is a gem. Tame Impala's Lonerism is the newest entry on this list, but it's easily a Top 5 record, got it at #3 for now.

Antlers' fantastic Undersea isn't on here because it's an EP. I was hoping to make that a separate list for the best EPs of the year, but so far I've only got that and Le Common Diamond's self-titled EP. Not much of a list. At any rate, I'll have to give both of those records separate recognition.

01) Hot Chip - In Our Heads