Dienstag, 27. Jan 2015, 6:14
I have a new rating system I should explain. It has mostly arisen because I’ve felt the need to have more playing field when it comes to good ratings while I don’t need that many variations of “bad” for songs I don’t like. This leads to the ratings being lower than usual and, more importantly, more clumped together at about three stars. I tried to compensate for this by revealing the true average values instead of rounding to the nearest half-star as I used to do. Maybe next year I’ll find a representation that exposes more granularity without sacrificing presentation.
- Songs without any music are excluded from the average.
- The top and bottom 10% of songs are excluded from the average.
- 20 (★): Unlistenable
- 40 (★★): Average
- 60 (★★★): Good
- 80 (★★★★): Very good
- 100 (★★★★★): Excellent
“Weird Al” Yankovic – Mandatory Fun
Who doesn’t love Weird Al cranking out funny lines and making fun of the pop industry at the same time?
Rating: 59/100
Best tracks
Lissie – Cryin’ To You (ecto)
Lissie could sing about dog poop for all I care, I’d still want to listen to that voice.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Neneh Cherry – Blank Project (ecto)
Lots of raves for this on the ecto mailing list. I’m not so sure I agree when it comes to the whole album; it feels much too unfinished for me but I love some of the songs.
Rating: 46/100
Best tracks
Not the P!nk solo record I hoped for but an interesting teamup nonetheless. Very soft (but not mellow) songs.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright In The End
I’m not really sure I understand this band or know anything about it (are they related to all these other “w” bands like Wheatus, Wilco and the like?) but I thoroughly enjoy this record. And it seems witty.
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Sarah McLachlan – Shine On (ecto)
Cheesier than classic Sarah McLachlan records but nevertheless a lot more appealing than I would have expected.
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Damon Albarn – Everyday Robots
Minimalist songs, sampling and noises very effectively replace most instrumentation. A bit depressing, maybe not for every day.
Rating: 48/100
Best tracks
Rachael Sage – Blue Roses (ecto)
One of the better of the recent Rachael Sage records but not as memorable as anything on her first three releases.
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
Sinéad O'Connor – I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss (ecto)
Not as great as her previous record but one can tell that she had a lot of fun recording this.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Sounds just like his father (and that is a good thing) but with a distinctive songwriting style.
Rating: 53/100
Best tracks
The nicest example of danceable pop this year.
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
London Grammar – If You Wait (ecto)
Strong focus on the vocals, songs ranging from outgoing to introspective. Not a bad song on the album.
Rating: 64/100
Best tracks
Toni Braxton & Babyface – Love, Marriage & Divorce
These two talents work incredibly well together in this song cycle about, well, love, marriage and divorce.
Rating: 57/100
Best tracks
Lydia Loveless – Somewhere Else (ecto)
One of the most amazing records this past year, intensely mesmerizing. The quality of Lydia Loveless’ voice reminds me of a lot of other powerful vocalists while still being distinctly unique. At first I was a bit taken aback by the prevalence of loud guitars here but it’s grown on me. A lot. I guess, mostly because there’s a lot of Brandi-Carlile-style belting going on.
Rating: 62/100
Best tracks
Morrissey – World Peace Is None Of Your Business
I don’t really know Morrissey (I know he was in some band) but I did enjoy listening to this album.
Rating: 48/100
Best tracks
Anna Aaron – Neuro (ecto)
A lot of computerized, glitchy effects give this album a very dark but rewarding edge.
Rating: 60/100
Best tracks
Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Again, musically not really my cup of tea but cool lyrics and devoted vocals.
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Like this a little bit less than previous records but I don’t think the problem’s with the lyrics.
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
Various Artists – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 OST
Once again, the hunger games soundtrack has managed to assemble an impressive cast of songwriting and songmaking talent.
Rating: 49/100
Best tracks
Amazing pop record that takes on other contenders in its category by going beyond their superficiality, both musically and lyrically.
Rating: 62/100
Best tracks
Mellow synth-pop. Perfect for dreamy, half-sentimental afternoons.
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
Annett Louisan – Zu Viel Information
If you liked her previous record, you’ll like this. Sometimes I don’t know if I should scold artists for not innovating or commend them for staying true to what’s great about them. Both lines of reasoning are valid.
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions
Less overblown than her usual records, The London Sessions is testament to Mary J. Blige’s great voice and occasional wit. If only someone had warned her not to put the really trashy techno tracks like My Loving and Pick Me Up on there.
Rating: 45/100
Best tracks
Nice rendition of some of the finest chansons about Paris.
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Séan from katebushnews.com wrote about this album’s fundraiser and I thought I should try it. I do like the album but I don’t really see the Kate Bush connection.
Rating: 54/100
Best tracks
Jenny Lewis – The Voyager (ecto)
The album gets a bit repetitive but shows a lot of potential.
Rating: 45/100
Best tracks
People who know Italian can’t stand to listen to this but I found it surprisingly fitting. But still, I’m sorely missing the studio album we’d been promised for this year.
Rating: 63/100
Best tracks
Interesting project. I’m not entirely convinced that this duo works but I’ll take any Aimee Mann album.
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
Charlotte Martin – Water Breaks Stone (ecto)
The most amazing Charlotte Martin album since Stromata. The melodies are engaging and fun without becoming overbearing, especially on the first half of the album.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
MØ – No Mythologies To Follow (ecto)
Even better than last year’s EP. Hardly a bad song on there. Lady Gaga stripped of kitsch meets Lana Del Rey stripped of gloom.
Rating: 60/100
Best tracks
Shirley Bassey – Hello Like Before
The cover says “Dame Shirley Bassey” and indeed, this record comes across as being very royal; like a grown-up look at the songs, some of which are her younger self’s signature songs.
Rating: 52/100
Best tracks
Leonard Cohen – Popular Problems
I already liked Cohen’s previous release but this is much, much improved; the backing vocals are more confined to the back and it’s more musically challenging.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Not my usual genre, very dark and gritty, but oddly compelling, lyrically, too. Reminds me of Rammstein at times but always that more willing to experiment.
Rating: 43/100
Best tracks
Like London Grammar but with less synthesizer.
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
Suzanne Vega – Tales From The Realm Of The Queen Of Pentacles (ecto)
I’ve been to a Suzanne Vega concert recently and she performed some of her new songs, which I happened to like a lot. When the album came, I was a bit disappointed at first as the studio versions were not as good as I had remembered the live songs, but they have since grown on me, especially I Never Wear White and Portrait of the King of Wands.
Rating: 63/100
Best tracks
Robbie Williams – Under The Radar Vol. 1
A collection of less conventional Robbie Williams songs. What failed miserably with Rudebox a few years ago was well worth a second try. This is probably the most fun Robbie Williams record of all.
Rating: 43/100
Best tracks
Rosanne Cash – The River & The Thread (ecto)
This reminds me a lot of Aimee Mann, even though the melodies are a little bit more mellow. I recommend listening to the Sound Opinions episode where Rosanne Cash explains a lot about the history of these songs.
Rating: 60/100
Best tracks
Wall-of-sound-y pop songs with distorted vocals, a bit like CHVRCHES or Poliça.
Rating: 57/100
Best tracks
I was not prepared for how much I would like this: usually Röyksopp records are good for background listening but I really dig this.
Rating: 46/100
Best tracks
Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Wanderlust (ecto)
Sophie Ellis-Bextor has parted ways with electronic dance music and, for her fifth album, has created a truly unique sound that’s difficult to categorize (so I suggest you simply give it a listen).
Rating: 61/100
Best tracks
Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray – Lean Into The Wind
I tried this because someone said the one voice sounded like Joan Baez’. I don’t quite agree but I get where it comes from. Still, most songs are not mellow enough for me.
Rating: 42/100
Best tracks
You’ll probably know all the stories surrounding this album so I’ll just add that for the most part I’ve enjoyed listening to it and found it to be very welcoming to someone like me (who is not a big – or at all – fan of U2).
Rating: 52/100
Best tracks
Kimbra tries to experiment within the confines of a pop record, which I find interesting.
Rating: 42/100
Best tracks
Another pop album that borders on the more experimental.
Rating: 47/100
Best tracks
Can’t listen to too much of this but I quite like his voice.
Rating: 51/100
Best tracks
Having been first mentioned on the ecto mailing list just a few weeks ago, this is a late contender the the best album of the year award but it might well be.
Rating: 61/100
Best tracks
Lots of synthesizer sounds here.
Rating: 51/100
Best tracks
Lydia Ainsworth – Right From Real (ecto)
A combination of two EPs, the first of which I like a lot but the second one is a bit bland.
Rating: 62/100
Best tracks
Lucinda Williams – Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone
I haven’t listened to too much of this as these songs all kinda sound like the same folk lament song but the voice is amazing.
Rating: 52/100
Best tracks
They really did an amazing job of polishing demos and unreleased tracks, very convincing.
Rating: 48/100
Best tracks
Miranda Mulholland – Whipping Boy (ecto)
Absolutely recommended album, melodic folk, a voice reminiscent of Tori Amos’. What more do you want?
Rating: 55/100
Best tracks
Noe Venable – Cascadia (ecto)
I did not know Noe Venable before but her willingness to experiment with instrumentation reminds me a lot of Ellipse-era Imogen Heap.
Rating: 52/100
Best tracks
WIZO – Punk Gibts Nicht Umsonst (Teil III)
We used to listen to WIZO in middle school on camping trips and hearing my only favourite punk band again with new material is just so cool.
Rating: 53/100
Best tracks
This has been quite the transformation for Anastacia: from the really-really bad It’s A Man’s World to this album, which manages to take cues from her best songs.
Rating: 51/100
Best tracks
This Prince album really sounds like stuff I haven’t heard before, at least not from Prince. Very EDM-y.
Rating: 45/100
Best tracks
Damien Rice – My Favourite Faded Fantasy
Some introspective songs about men. Amongst other subject.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Natalie Merchant – Natalie Merchant (ecto)
Excellent Natalie Merchant songwriting. Her voice at its best, too. The melodies, however, have been given a little bit too little attention and stuff begins to sound repetitive as all songs are similar in style (very quiet and introspective).
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Stahlberger – Die Gschicht Isch Besser
The best Stahlberger album so far. They just continued what they’ve done so well for the last two albums.
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Prader & Knecht – Millions Of Pieces
Another swiss album I quite like, reminds me of Caroline Lavelle (because of the cello, of course).
Rating: 50/100
Best tracks
Marianne Faithfull – Give My Love To London (ecto)
Easily the best Marianne Faithfull record since Before The Poison, probably even since Strange Weather. Very versatile, shows off the talents of a multitude of songwriters. The only song I could do without is, interestingly enough, the Roger Waters penned Sparrows Will Sing.
Rating: 58/100
Best tracks
Kate Miller-Heidke – O Vertigo! (ecto)
The most experimental Kate Miller-Heidke album yet. Not as evenly stunning as Curiouser or Little Eve but more interesting and surprising.
Rating: 56/100
Best tracks
Harkens back to Supernatural (that is a good thing).
Rating: 61/100
Best tracks
- La Flaca (Featuring Juanes)
- Feel It Coming Back (Featuring Miguel)
- Besos De Lejos (Featuring Gloria Estefan)
- Beijo De Longe (Featuring Gloria Estefan)
Blondie – Ghosts Of Download (ecto)
Why not more people talk about Blondie I don’t know. My guess is they’re underselling themselves (Panic Of Girls was given away with some magazine and Ghosts Of Download is the B-Side to their greatest hits record, giving the implicit impression of cheap music). The last two albums have been stellar and the ’90s album No Exit was great as well. I don’t know why anyone would listen to the Blondie songs from the ’70s and ’80s but not this…
Rating: 54/100
Best tracks
The Pierces – Creation (ecto)
Perfect combination of complementary vocals and music that is timeless and yet firmly rooted in the ’80s.
Rating: 62/100
Best tracks
Lots of layered textures but without sounding like it’s just a bunch of incoherent stuff. Reminds me a lot of Poliça.
Rating: 49/100
Best tracks