Shorts

I figure the best way to introduce myself would be to offer a summary on the year so far. That way you can see what I might have to offer.

While I'll try to avoid hyperbole, and even though it's only April, this is potentially the best year music's had to offer in a long time. Since I've been alive, certainly. So, this is my top ten from January to March, according to Australian release dates.

1. Beach House - Teen Dream

Not simply great, but rather beautiful. Its luscious tones are well complemented by the lyrics discuss themes of closeness and longing so delicately it will stop all your thinking, and leave you dreaming. Utterly stunning, the first classic of the decade.

Track of the album - 10 Mile Stereo



2. Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Rush to Relax

Their self-titled debut and follow-up, Primary Colours, were both examples of the best modern garage punk around, so good, they need not move on with their third album if the quality stayed the same. Rush to Relax is effectively garage post-punk. It's not all that far removed from the sound of the first two albums, but the differences are noticeable and as a result, the quality has improved.

Track of the album - Anxiety



3. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

Whenever a new Gorillaz album is released, it's all about who's on the guest list. The list is strong, but the music is stronger, and that's what makes the album. Arabic touches in White Flag, suitably sweet pop on Superfast Jellyfish and glorious synth on Empire Ants, I'd like to say it never gets boring, but the last four or five tracks can drag on a bit. Fortunately, it's saved by the goldmine that are the first 11 tracks.

Track of the album - Empire Ants



4. Groove Armada - Black Light

On the other hand, here's an album with a guest list who make the album. Black Light's sound is great, but even more impressive are the vocal stylings, which always suit the feelings created by the music.

Nick Littlemore goes from timid and desperate in Fall Silent to bold in Warsaw, in a way that treads the line between passionate and annoying. Thankfully, it falls on the side of the former. SaintSaviour's performance on I Won't Kneel is wonderful, slowly gaining confidence in her voice throughout the song, while Bryan Ferry's lamenting vocals on Shameless are almost as good.

The band that started with a sound that seemingly had Ministry of Sound wanting every song for their chillout compilations, now have this sound so vibrant, and all without losing any of the quality.

Track of the album - Warsaw



5. Lightspeed Champion - Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You

With a couple of albums (Album in a Day 2 and House Sitting Songs) roughly and swiftly recorded and released for free since the debut Falling Off the Lavender Bridge, this wasn't an album I was desperate to hear. I was looking forward to it, sure, but I hardly had a chance to miss Dev. This won't be the case again.

Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You is familiar, but it shows what he's capable of with professional recording tools, and and other artists to help out. It's never quite folk, nor pop or rock, but a wonderful blend with the occasional orchestral sound to help out. Unfortunately, the interludes are annoying enough to drag this album down a tad.

Track of the album - Sweetheart

6. Spoon - Transference

Transference possibly the most consistent album of the year so far. There's not one bad song on it. However, with the exception of Got Nuffin, there are no standouts, which stops me from rating this any higher. Still, Spoon's familiar sound of typical American-indie rock with dash of acoustic guitar, and Britt Daniel's relatable and occasionally humourous lyrics is something to be enjoyed.

Track of the album - Got Nuffin

7. Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library

To describe this album as magical would be overstating it more than a little, not to mention groan inducing, but at times you will feel swept away. The albums opener, Forest Green, Oh Forest Green, has a chorus which sounds nothing more than a nice little jingle. However the rest hints at what the album contains.

The grand and relaxing music is complemented by Holly Miranda's soulful, and at times breathy vocals. It does get a bit stale towards the end, but the first half of the album is more than good enough to make this a worthwhile listen.

Track of the album - Waves or Slow Burn Treason.

8. Vampire Weekend - Contra

The entire album can perhaps be summed up with one song - Diplomat's Son. Shades of the debut album, bursting with excitement (Horchata, Cousins), let down by the slow breaks (Taxi Cab, I Think Ur a Contra). In fairness, I Think Ur a Contra does make a good ending, but what really makes this album are amazing melodies produced from Rostam Batmanglij's keyboard.

Track of the album - Giving up the Gun

9. These New Puritans - Hidden

Once again, another band doing well in fusing the sound from their first album, with some different influences for the second. Hidden is once again a mix of post-punk and electronic music, but with a bigger drum beat and horn sections, which initially border on grating before colliding to make something worthwhile.

Track of the album - Attack Music

10. Love Connection - Love Connection

The strength of this album should be determined by the recording quality. It isn't great, which is forgivable for any other independent release, but when you still manage to make enchanting dream-pop music, it's praiseworthy. Maybe it could've been a bit longer, and opener I Know You're Real, while good by itself, meanders along when compared to the rest of the album.

A great effort, beyond promising, definitely worth purchasing.

Track of the album - Lost City of Gold



Releases from Dr. Dog and MGMT out tomorrow, Dum Dum Girls earlier in the week, and The Fall, Tame Impala, Midnight Juggernauts within the next two months look like continuing the trend. With more to be confirmed, who knows how well it could end.