It’s always the same old story. Another year is gone and I need to publish again that boring post about the playlist of my favorite albums. Read and play. Or play and don’t read.

Please forgive me

I want to say sorry. I really need to say sorry to all the musicians and artists who created great music during the zombie year called 2016. I love you guys, but I am an as***e, I did not succeed in listening to all the music you produced. You are too many ones for me. I have given up on listening music with my headphones, as I need to hear what is happening around me for the most of time. Shame on me.

My ultimate place for the sound experience is my car, while driving. I am connected to mr. Spotify all the time and I’m paying for this. Yeah, I’m paying. Hearing THAT jingle interrupting my songs again and again is like burning in hell to me. Daniel Ek, you will have my money on monthly basis. Done.

Ok, ok. Let’s start again. I have to report Simone on the never-ending discussion about the truly quality of music. What is your favorite album to include in the playlist of the end of the year? The one that hits you quickly and gives no way out? One shot & go? No, please. I follow another strategy. And I need a story.

May I tell a small story about that? C’mon, be patient, the playlist is nearby below, you can scroll down quickly if you want.

Small story about f***ing delayed earworms

I still remember the first time I listened to Pony Express record by Shudder to Think. It was the December of 1994 and I was in a record store (yes, a real record store, called Rock bottom) and I started playing the first song Hit liquor (watch its weird video below, you can’t resist). WTF was that guitar riff? And that voice? Gosh, that was progressive music to my ear. I came back home thinking that my music explorations for that day had been useless. But that tune was my f**ing delayed earworm, then after one month I came back to the store to buy that album, that became one of my top 10 albums ever.

 

So I need time. I really need time to understand if I am loving an album more than others. And I am very cruel with myself, as I play quickly during the last nights of the year all the albums I mostly listened with the player-created-by-that-swedish-guys-who-has-my-money-on-monthly-basis.

Ok, here we go again. This is my playlist for 2016. At the end below you can find the usual gift in form of bla bla bla…

10 Pinegrove – Cardinal

Build to spill meets Wilco? A great surprise from this young band with a genuine rock attitude. Great voice and guitars. Never boring. No glam, no over construction. Simple and straight to the point.

Very hard to find an official video, then I link a live session from Audiotree live of their song Cadmium.

 

9 Tim Hecker – Love Streams

This is THE DOSE of noise I need on regular basis. Tim Hecker destroyed my brain three years ago with a masterpiece called Virgins, and now he is back with an album that is a step further in his career. Not an easy listening, as sounds are more subtle and less monolithic, then you need good headphones to taste this music.

The video below Castrati Stack can give you the perfect example of who Tim is now.

 

8 Cosmo – L’ultima festa

Italian album in the italian language. He is the founder of the Drink to me and can be considered one of the most interesting artists of the new italian wave. Dance floor for no-stupid-people, great lyrics, simple attitude. Nice guy.

The chosen video clip is Le voci.

 

7 Minor Victories – Play it again Sam

This album is a way to say to myself that Mogwai is not the band that made only one great album (the 1st, what do you think?). Maybe the Minor Victories made also the best work on video clips this year, with a super minimal all black & white style that can be considered a small case study in indie-rock history.

One of my favorite ones is Cogs.

 

6 Birthh – Born in the Woods

A star. A 20-year-old girl from Florence, Italy. A star. The XX meets the Daughter. A star. God of music, please let this girl be a superstar of the world of music. A star.

The suggested video to know her is Chlorine. Please don’t cry hearing her voice.

 

5 The Avalanches – Wildflowers

I want to be part of this band. I want to have fun with them all over the world. I want to be australian, but playing like an american. I want to be an electronic musician who does not seem like an electronic musician. I want to start the perfect party with my friends. Can I do this?

The video is Because I’m me, can you see the new Michael Jackson?

 

4 The Hotelier – Goodness

What I have to say? People call it the new wave of emo core, I call it the good old indie-rock. By the way, if you miss all those bands from 90s who made great songs, played great guitars and seemed like always running away from something on their back, this record is for you.

Again another band with so few official video clips, then I am forced to link Piano player, great song, not so good song.

 

3 Bon Iver – 22, a million

I don’t know why I am doing this. I don’t know why I decided to put Justin here. When I listen to this album while doing other things, I really don’t remember what happened in my ear. But when I stop myself and only listen, the conclusion is always the same. Justin Vernon is one of the most relevant music authors of the last 10 years.

The video clip is 22 (OVER S∞∞N)

 

2 Frank Ocean – Blonde

After Bon Iver, I know that I am going down. I am really going down to say the names of two artists who are worldwide known, two musicians who more or less can be considered mainstream. I don’t care a F**K. Frank, you created another monster album. You can be continuously reported on social media as another Kanye-something, but we know who you really are.

The video chosen for Frank is Nikes, maybe one of the best video clips of the year.

 

1 Anohni – Hopelessness

Ciao Antony, I don’t remember how many years have passed since I listened to your first album. They said you were lucky to have Lou Reed among your fans. They never listened Hitler in my heart. They never saw your show Turn. This album is what you don’t expect. Electronic, lyrical, political. Each song is a precious jewel. Thanks.

The video clips from this album are truly magnificient, but my choice is for Drone Bomb me.

 

Thanks for your time in reading this long post by a guy who is really passionate about music, who makes this mainly to share some good album with his friends across digital channels. And now the final touch.

The gift is below. See you next year.