I was asked to do an end-of-year best-of top-5 list by Felipe from the chaotisch and charmant blog. His blog will feature different best-of lists from various guests all this month, so check it out. I decided I might as well post my lists here as well.
There was so much good music this year — and so much I didn’t get a chance to listen to. I can think of at least five albums I didn’t get to hear that would probably have made these lists. From what I was fortunate enough to hear, these are the ones that really stood out. It looks like it was a really good year for female vocals, Slumberland Records and Comet Gain. I purposely left February Records releases off the list.
Top 5 albums
5. Veronica Falls – s/t (Slumberland)
4. Cat Naps – Why Don’t You Whisper? (self-released)
3. Gold Bears – Are You Falling In Love? (Slumberland)
2. Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams (Sub Pop)
1. Comet Gain – Howl of the Lonely Crowd (What’s Your Rupture?)
5 runners-up
5. Pocketbooks – Carousel (Oddbox)
4. Fireflies – Autumn Almanac (Happy Prince)
3. Girls Names – Dead To Me (Slumberland)
2. Sea Pony – Go With Me (Hardly Art)
1. Wild Flag – s/t (Merge)
Top 5 EPs
5. Tiny Fireflies – Change (Little Treasure)
4. Kids on a Crime Spree – We Love You So Bad (Slumberland)
3. Burning Hearts – Into The Wilderness (Shelflife)
2. Brave Irene – s/t (Slumberland)
1. Chalk and Numbers – He Knew (self-released)
Guess I’m alone but I just can’t get into Slumberland artists… except for Brave Irene – Rose Melberg is always great. I find the others too sloppy/noisy & not catchy enough.
I agree with you about Burning Hearts, Seapony, Pocketbooks…
My other indie-pop-type favs of the year are: Acid House Kings, Andersen Tapes, Paisley & Charlie, Bart & Friends, Sweet Sweet Concorde… and EPs by Trembling Blue Stars, The Orchids, The Primitives, Very Truly Yours. Were any of those on your havent-had-a-chance-to-check-out-yet list?
yeah … definitely very truly yours. i love those guys.