It’s that time again, right?
Below are three un-ranked, un-quantified lists of ten LPs/EPs, songs and live performances that I enjoyed this year. Some of the recordings I listened to almost non-stop for long periods of time. Some of them I only listened to a few times, but they seriously made an impression. The list is not at all comprehensive. There were lots of notable releases this year, including music from A Certain Smile, Lisa Bouvier, The Primitives, The Darling Buds, Makthaverskan, Peaness, Star Tropics, The Luxembourg Signal and Panda Riot, just to name a few. Check out my top picks below.
LPs/EPs
» Lilith – Apology Plant (Disposable America)
» Alvvays – Antisocialites (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
» Guggi Data – Pop/Rock (Luxury Records)
» The Courtneys – II (Flying Nun)
» Fazerdaze – Morningside (Flying Nun)
» Mini Dresses – Mini Dresses (Joy Void)
» Sunny Summer Day – Traveled Backwards (Lidia Records)
» The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Echo of Pleasure (Painbow)
» The Just Joans – You Might Be Smiling Now (Fika Recordings)
» Pale Spectres – Pale Spectres (Cloudberry Records)
SONGS
» Mammoth Penguins – The Child (from John Doe on WIAIWYA)
» Brad San Martin – Song about “Soul Finger” (from Shoot Tomorrow/Learn Tonight on Jigsaw Records)
» Laura K – Apologise (from Art is Hard Records’ Postcard Club series)
» Jens Lekman – Wedding in Finistère (from Life Will See You Now on Secretly Canadian)
» Diet Cig – Maid of the Mist (from Swear I’m Good At This on Frenchkiss Records)
» Frankie Rose – Love in Rockets (from Cage Tropical on Slumberland)
» The Fireworks – Better Without You Now (from Dream About You on Shelflife)
» Last Leaves – The Hinterland (from Other Towns Than Ours on Lost and Lonesome)
» My Teenage Stride – Christopher Come (from Living in the Straight World on Unblinking Ear)
» Girl Ray – Don’t Go Back at Ten (from Earl Grey on Moshi Moshi)
LIVE PERFORMANCES
» Psychedelic Furs at Paradise Rock Club (Boston) – October 14
» Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds at The Hanover Theatre (Worcester, MA) – April 30
» Alvvays at Paradise Rock Club (Boston) – October 3
» Belle & Sebastian at Blue Hills Bank Pavilion (Boston) – August 2
» Jens Lekman at Brighton Music Hall (Boston) – March 15
» The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at The Sinclair (Cambridge, MA) – June 14
» Pants Yell (reunion benefit show) at Atwood’s Tavern (Cambridge, MA) – March 26
» The New Pornographers at House of Blues (Boston) – April 25
» Frankie Rose (opening for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) at The Sinclair (Cambridge, MA) – June 14
» Colleen Green (opening for The Wedding Present) at Great Scott (Boston) – April 16
February Records 