However there were some great records in October and I've picked my favourite ten below. (The usual disclaimer applies - I can't hear everything!) Spotify playlist featuring eight of these is at the bottom of the page.
Interestingly, this is the first month that neither of the albums I was asked to review made the cut. Those were Moon Duo and Cheval Sombre, and there isn't much wrong with them, but it's been such a strong month.
The overdose of exclamation marks in the title is at odds with the
low key nature of this release, when you consider that their first new
recording for a decade was announced by just slipping it onto
the merch table at the first show of their current tour.Maybe they
felt that because the core of the music had been previously heard by
anyone who saw them on their reunion tour and earlier,as the two main
tracks were widely circulated by audience tapers under the titles
'Albanian' and 'Gamelan'.That shouldn't matter,as this is one of the
best things they have ever released, and I cannot stop listening to
it.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Canadians Metz have unleashed this awesome slab of short sharp hardcore punk on Sub Pop to great fanfare. Less than half an hour in duration this evokes the classic era of Fugazi, Scratch Acid, Nation of Ulysses like no-one else around at the moment.
When saw Bo Ningen back in February they were very good, but I didn't think they had an album as good as this in the offing. I saw them again in October and they were astonishing so I had to check this out. Over the rest of the year they had honed their new kind of guitar-based psychedelic rock which is much more in tune with My Bloody Valentine and contemporary metal than anything from the 60's garage bands, and the result is 'Line The Wall'.
I'm not sure this is Flying Lotus's best album like some others have said as it didn't immediately grab me, though every time I revisit it I hear new things. It is perhaps more obviously jazz influenced than a lot of his other work, although it all works seamlessly with his distinctive psychedelic take on hip-hop. There is a lot for me still to investigate on this one, and it's a timely reminder that psych doesn't always have to equal noise guitars.
This came out of nowhere. Produced by Kevin Parker from Tame Impala, I've actually included it ahead of TI's new album Lonerism. Melody's Echo Chamber are more my thing, especially as the Melody in question is a French woman, Melody Prochet, whose dreamy vocals evoke Stereolab and especially the late Trish Keenan from Broadcast. Parker's production works really well with her delivery and there is plenty to check out here.
Last seen on these shores as the drummer in the reformed Codeine, let's not forget that Brokaw was also the guitarist in Come and has made a lot of varied solo releases. Some tracks on this album have been reworked from his recent acoustic records but this album is his first collection of indie-rock music since 2005's Invisible Love and, as it has been made over the past few years, it sounds rich and varied in style.
Paws are based in Glasgow and originate from Tain in Scotland which is about as far north as you can go on the mainland. Anyway, they come across as being more in tune with bands from 1990s North Carolina or Portland Oregon. Ace indie-rock in other words.
It seems that MONO are a band who are used as an example to show what is best about post-rock. Theirs is the middle ground between classical or chamber music, and the overblown rock acts who switch their feedback on like a hose whenever they need to. 'For My Parents' is a lovely album, and all the usual post-rock cliches apply when you are trying to write about it. So you just have to listen to it.
Well, it's the prolific Dan Snaith from Caribou once again, but this is much more than a side project. Daphni is inspired by his DJ sets and is a collection of tracks produced with the dancefloor in mind. It works and it feels ecstatic and enthused throughout, like somebody taking a holiday from his day-job-rock-band and having just as much fun.
I couldn't possibly leave out a new release from Mountain Goats from my monthly ten, especially as tMG are my most played band ever on last.fm. I haven't fully got to grips with TY yet, although I know there are some songs here that will make my end of year choices. In particular 'Harlem Roulette' and the opening song 'Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1' which is ostensibly about Amy Winehouse and those who become victims of their fame. I will pay the rest due attention ASAP.
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