Concons albums of 2011// OTW 2012

LISTENS: Concons 2011 tracks

I've been really frustrated with the music from 2011, I don't know whether there was just too much good stuff around the same level or not enough standout albums. Anyway, this top 10 list was hard to do. Some of my old favourites' (Feist//Bon Iver//Radiohead) new offerings failed to hit that sweet spot which was not ideal, thanks guys... A lot of albums with a few nice singles but just a bit meh; with the exception of 1 and 2 on this list, few have managed to hold my attention through the whole album. But maybe I'm just ADD or some shit.

10. Seekae - +DOME
2009 album 'The Sound of Trees falling on People' was fantastisch and it's great to see these Aussies getting some well-deserved attention this side of the pond. New album shows some interesting progression, it's that ever-difficult mid-tempo album that you listen to for specific events: transportation (best with window seat), introspection, background work music, taking drugs and exploring the corners of your face in the mirror, that kind of shit. Basically, they're my new Gold Panda. Try: Blood Bank.

9. Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind of Fix
'I Had The Blues...' is a pretty hard album to follow up on and as pretty as 'Flaws' was, it was seen more a flirtation of Jack's folk side than the true follow up effort. So there was a lot of anticipation riding on the BBC to produce the goods and they certainly gave it a good bash. Perhaps a little more saccharine and poppy than was expected, they've still proven their mastery at crafting indie anthems. Some genius songwriting and interesting new composing angles along with Jack Steadman's unforgettable vocals make this a great little album and leaves you keen to hear what they'll come up with next.Try: Shuffle.

8. Beyonce - 4
If only for the videos this album brought us and the genius that are the lyrics to Countdown. LOVEYOU-B XXXX

7. Battles - Gloss Drop
I very like. Came out earlier this year but only started listening to it when my ipod did a bye-bye and it was this or Arcade Fire. It's brillo! Ice Cream is an absolute work of genius and obvious stand out. The rest of the album is good - really well-structured and interesting but without Ice Cream it would fall on its arse a bit.

6. Tune-yards - whokill
AWESOME. Bat-shit crazy lady makes aural delight. It sort of sounds like going to the zoo in musical form. She has the best vocal looping in the bizness (wink) I say. Try: My Country, Powa, Bizness

5. Jamie XX & Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
Incredible rework of an incredible album, one of the few that have genuinely excited me. Almost unrecognizable from the original save some soundbites, this is completely Jamie XX's album but you can tell he has a great respect for S-H. A really brave album on his part. Try: I'm New Here, NY Is Killing Me, I'll Take Care of U

4. Metronomy - English Riviera.
I always liked Metrozzers, good to see them doing well. This album is solid and dependable like a good jumper. Could this be called a dinner party album? Probably, but it's still bonzer. Try: Everything Goes My Way, The Look, The Bay

3. SBTRKT
Little Dragon collaboration Wildfire is THE song of 2011. It's just perfect. And he wears a mask - awesome. Always trust a man in a mask.

2. Laura Marling - A Creature I don't Know.
I am not normally a Laura Marling fan. How she ends up in the NME cool list every year I will never know (well maybe for doing the diddle with Johnny Flynn but then she ruined it with Noah and the Whale boring and Marcus Mumford bleurgh). BUT this is an absolute masterpiece, I haven't been able to stop listening to it. Beautifully twisted, dark lyrics, exquisite vocals and guitar that trickles through the ears like an ear-hug. High praise but this is modern day Joni Mitchell territory. Stunning. Try: Night after Night, Salinas.

1. Antlers - Burst Apart
Without doubt the album of the year. I don't actually know what to say about it, it's just fucking brilliant. Started off loving No Widows, then Parentheses, I Don't Want Love and Putting the Dog to Sleep. Even if you aren't a fan of his voice you've got to love the music, absolutely cracking, I can't really do it justice with words so just listen!

TOP 10 TRACKS 2011

In no particular order w/o tracks from the above albums, listen HERE: Concons 2011 tracks
or watch videos of those not on Spotify below..

Friends - I'm his girl
Tyler the Creator - Yonkers
Lana del Rey - Video Games
Jai Paul -BTSTU
M83 - Midnight city

Gotye - Somebody that i used to know

Das Racist - You Oughta Know

Ducktails - Killin the Vibe

Penny & The Quarters - You & Me

ONES TO WATCH 2012

alt-j

Breton

Lianne La Havas

Azealia Banks

King Krule

Stuff what I like

I haven't done this in ages, festivals innit. Here are some things I've seen or 'erd that are pretty decent.

Lana Del Rey - Video Games


Theme Park - A Mountain We Love


Star Slinger - Mornin'


Antlers - Parentheses


Real Estate - It's Real


Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know


Bombay Bicycle Club - Shuffle (but this video is gay)


Kanye West - Runaway (because this video is class)

Latitude and Longitude

I don't quite know what to make of Latitude. On the one hand it's bloody expensive, full of kids and their middle class parents queuing up for Costa coffee... But then it's also nestled in the heart of Suffolk's forests and lakes, the perfect backdrop for the fairies to come out to play. Regardless, Latitude 2011 put on a damn good show, a nice little music line up and tonnes of great comedy and poetry acts. Night time unleashed a host of weird and wonderful parties to stumble across including an entire Winter Wonderland with burlesque tree dancers, a ramshackle Electric Hotel and fat men in nipple tassles can-can kicking to Guilty Pleasures. Standard.

Anyway back to the musical highlights:

Deerhunter played a great set, first time I've seen them live and they didn't disappoint. I always respect a man who smokes on stage whilst strumming away, yeahhhh fuck society.


Crocodiles were awesome, they swaggered on stage oozing New York cool (they aren't even from NY), the sleazy guitars teasing the audience's hips from side to side. Brandon Welchez is one of the most enigmatic frontmen I've seen in ages, twisting his snake hips to the hazy noise with pure confidence.


Cloud Control played another blinder, I have yet to see them put a foot wrong live. Replacement bassist Conrad is fitting in well with the live set up and Heidi and Alister grow in confidence and charisma with every show.


My favourite of the bigger bands was definitely The Cribs. I fucking love The Cribs. Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club played really well and it was impressive to see them draw the bigger crowds they deserve but you can't beat Ryan Jarman in a pink wig really. He was the spitting image of Kurt Cobain when he trundled on for his infamous Reading appearance wearing a wig. They won't let me embed Be Safe the shitters but oh well.


Best of the newer bands had to be Dog is Dead, the Nottingham-ers drew a respectable crowd to the Sunrise stage and they definitely won the 'best three-part harmonies' competition that seemed to be occurring on each stage (will it ever die?). Some cracking sax playing was on display as well. On some tracks they can be quite Mumford-y in sound but their enthusiasm and non-arrogant behaviour make them a million times more likeable.


London band 'Fiction' also deserve a mention, their keys-infused electro funky beats got the hipsters to their feet on Saturday.

Here Comes the Summer Sun

It's officially official, Summer has arrived... I had my first day wearing bare legs yesterday, even into the night it was fine. Wow. 

Here are some Summery tracks that have been buzzing around my ears recently, some old, some new. They aren't all on Spotify but here's what is there which I will add to when I find more good shit: yes

Sufjan Stevens- Casimir Pulaski Day



Braids- Lemonade


Wavves- King of the Beach


Foster the People- Pumped up Kicks


Vondelpark- Jetlag Blue Version


Outkast- SpottieOttieDopaliscious


Gold Panda- You


Generationals- Greenleaf


Team Me- Dear Sister ***this is VERY catchy, not my usual thing but can't get it out me 'ead
Listen here

Crowded aboard the New Music Express

This year I seem to be constantly saying 'I need some more new music' despite the fact that I probably listen to, at the very least, 4 or 5 new bands every day... Each week, I'll scan through NME and the Guardian music's latest findings and I'll click around my favourite blogs as well as pitchfork and hype machine daily. And today it finally came to me- there's TOO MUCH bloody new music. Music is so accessible now, I'll often give a recommended track one or two listens before deciding if its worth a download when some of my favourite old albums took a good few listens to work their way into my heart. With scores of bands being lauded the 'hottest new thing' each week it becomes increasingly difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Anyway, enough ranting. Here is a treat for you, the rare treasure that is a track that sticks out instantly, I haven't stopped listening to it all week. Loving the morphiage into an almost entirely different (and equally great) track at around 3:30....

Enjoy!

Young Man- Up So Fast

Aural Pleasure

Here's what's been titillating my ears recently. Titillate. Some old, some new, all ace. I've put the banging beats to start with because it's FRIDAY and some more mellow tracks are at the bottom. Enjoy! x

Conner Youngblood- Monsters. Whomph whomph whomphawhomph. Nice contrast in subdued vocals and geetar and big old bassline. Taps into the whole James Blake ting going on at the minute.
Monsters by Conner Youngblood

Jai Paul- BTSTU. Sweet vocals, you don't notice the menace of the lyrics 'don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me'. Again with the laidback vocals and dub/electro influence. I like this a lottie because there are some retro videogame noises thrown in as well.
BTSTU by j.wilson

Suuns- Arena. Deliciously dark. I think it sounds like people in grave danger running away from peril but the singer/guitarist said this: "Arena is a romantic song that encourages dancing and love-making."
Suuns - Arena by Lunta_sen

Ladytron- Seventeen. I had forgotten about this pretty little ditty. It sounds like something you would find in a gay club in Germany. Which is great.
Ladytron - Seventeen [2002] by nettwerkmusicgroup



Here are some more laidback choons that I can't stop listening to at the minute.

Diamond messages- Liquid Summer. This is nice. Songs with naive belly/xylophoney noises= good.
Diamond Messages - Liquid Summer by Szabom

The Eastern Sea- The Snow. Stumbled across this as one of the acts at SXSW this year, you can't beat a bit of acoustic guitar with a nice boy singing about sad things.

Book of Right On- Joanna Newsom. Yes Joanna. Harps and guitars and that inimitable voice. I prefer 'The Milk-Eyed Mender' to the 'Have One On Me' album.


Banshee Beat- Animal Collective. My shuffle loves this song, I would be annoyed if it wasn't so awesome. Shimmering guitars and vocals that build and build but never quite break, some songs deserve to be over 8mins. A really long, slow aurgasm of a song.


The Beatles- Got to Get You Into My Life. I'm going through a Beatles phase again, seriously how good were the Beatles? Go and listen back to Please, Please Me, Revolver and Abbey Road. Actually all of the albums, absolute quality.


Taper Jean Girl- Kings of Leon. Really enjoying the vintage KOL at the minute, none of that new bollocks. Pulsing drums and guitars and that unmistakable Kings Of Leon drawl. Aha Sha-ake. He says 'cunts' in it, THATS how badass they used to be.
Kings Of Leon - Taper Jean Girl by djh88

The Cure-Close to Me. Do you love the Cure? I love The Cure. Lets all love the Cure.
The Cure - Close to Me by Martijn Prak

Blue Monday

The most depressing day of the year is upon us and about bloody time too. The one day of the year where it is acceptable, nay encouraged, to whine and moan and cry and complain. Great stuff.
I personally intend to skip dinner (to heightens sadness receptors), turn off all the lights, pull up the duvet and cry for hours. I might even crack out old love letters and diaries.
If you would like to join me,  here's a Spotify playlist to soundtrack our delicious despair, feel free to add your own odes to sadness: Blue