Thursday, December 31, 2009

2010 album chart of the year part 4

8 WIND'S POEM - Mount Eerie

"Between Two Mysteries"



Perhaps this fan-made video should try to be more painfully literal ho ho

7 THE GOLDEN SPIKE - Sky Larkin

"Antibodies"



"Fossil, I"



Sky Larkin are a fantastic band, I hope they get their chance.

6 THE HAZARDS OF LOVE - Decemberists

"The Rake's Song"



5 FEVER RAY - Fever Ray

"When I Grow Up"



"Triangle Walks"



A thrilling act! In conservative times, we need more artists like her.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

2010 album chart of the year part 3

12 POPULAR SONGS - Yo La Tengo

"Avalon Or Someone Very Similar"



"Nothing To Hide"



11 SUPER SCIENCE FICTION - Seal Club Clubbing Club

"Dawn Lamb"



I think this might be an out-take from "The O Zone" with Jayne Middlemiss &etc

10 WILCO (THE ALBUM) - Wilco

"Bull Black Nova"



"Wilco The Song"



9 REAL ESTATE - Real Estate

"Fake Blues"



"Pool Swimmers"



This reminds me of Flying Nun Records, the first Shins album and Chronic Town by REM, this could be a truly great band one day.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

2010 album chart of the year part 2

16 LOGOS - Atlas Sound / RAINWATER CASSETTE EXCHANGE EP - Deerhunter

"Quick Canal" (feat Laetitia Sadler of Stereolab)



"Famous Last Words"



I love these fan-made videos, they remind me of the old Chart Show indie chart when there was no video for a song so they'd sync up a bit of abstract looking wobbly film.

15 ANCIENT LOVER - Tigercity



Most of the budget for this video was apparently spent on the arty looking angle that opens the clip.

14 I'M GOING AWAY - Fiery Furnaces

"Charmaine Champage"



The best fringe of all time.

13 TOUCHDOWN - Brakes

"Worry About It Later"



"Don't Take Me To Space (Man)"

Monday, December 28, 2009

2010 album chart of the year part 1

20 BLUE ROSES - Blue Roses

"I Am Leaving"



19 THE WHIP - Wye Oak

"Mary Is Mary" (Live)



None of the videos for Wye Oak are very good, apparently no singles have been "lifted" from this album. But in a year of over-rated, undercooked indie follow-ups (I was underwhelmed by Animal Collective and Dirty Projectors' 2009 efforts), I played this one over and over again.

18 - EM ARE I - Jeffrey Lewis And The Junkyard

"To Be Objectified"



17 LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD WITH MUSIC - Prefab Sprout

"Earth: The Story So Far"



"Let There Be Music"



This is a beautiful record and to say that these are demos made on a computer from 1987, I think there is something movingly brittle about them.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Bless the lad

Happy Christmas, readers. I can't update my website at the moment because I am at a wintry stalag, so I will say it here, next week Shelley presents her Dr Ladysounds album reviews, and comics return on January 4th.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Painting practice

I foolishly agreed to participate in a charity auction this evening, I can tell it was a mistake because they spelled my name wrong on the poster (they clearly expected another, more talented John), but it is a very good cause and ought to be fun once I finish panicking. Anyway, I did some picture practice so that I would be ready to draw big tonight, I never draw big!

"6 idiots"


"The Casual 3"


Sharpie and Posca markers on cardboard.

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

List pain



As the picture above shows, the Albums Of The Year jury are having some problems. While there were lots of good releases this year, none stands out as a truly individual and inarguable piece of art that I also enjoyed listening to, over and over again. It is a parade of 4/5 scorers. If I can't divine a winner by Friday, when Shelley is due to type in her opinions, the top slot will be ceremonially given to Susan Boyle's debut release.

The actor Stephen Blobby has suggested a system whereby the release date of Deerhunter's "Microcastle/Weird Era Cont'd" is moved forward 65 days (by computer hacking?). Silly old Blobby! Yes I heard it too late to get it on the 2008 list but rules are rules!

Friday, December 04, 2009

Sixteen years of hot oil: Pop Friday

Is it really sixteen years since Aimee Mann's "Whatever"? Really? Oh no. Oh nooooooo. Oh dear.



I enjoy her more recent records with a mature ear but I can still remember seeing this on the ITV Chart Show on a Saturday morning and being quite excited. Almost as excited as I was about Sugar's 'If I Can't Change Your Mind' because I had no truck with Pantera whatsoever.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Wild horses couldn't drag me away

Many apologies for slow blogging over the last week or so. I'm busy doing lots of commissions and working on the end of year charts! Many people have asked if Dr Ladysounds will return, the answer is "yes she will", from December 28-Jan 1st, and like last year I'll have videos and "fun" from the LPs in question on the blog.

I think a few people will be disappointed that I have placed Susan Boyle's debut release in all positions, 1-20, but you have to understand that some records are so big that they demand a chart to themselves.