Doof's Songs of 2018
Just a top 60, writing descriptions as I go for adrenaline. |
1 | | Eleanor Friedberger Rebound
'My Jesus Phase'
Like Dan Bejar penning a song for Christine McVie which is then handed over to Angelo Badalamenti to provide the atmospheric undercurrent. This song has an uncanny natural flow as all parts blend and merge...is there a chorus?...is this a verse?...did someone drug my drink? Eleanor should have been the house act for the last season of Twin Peaks, this song would have been perfect every single episode. St. Vincent? Who she? Pffff
Scrobbles: 56 plays |
2 | | Ben Howard Noonday Dream
'Someone in the Doorway'
All about the subtle build with this one, the strings eventually entering to swell up that emotion. Where Howard found this featherlight, incredibly subtle touch from I don't know.
Scrobbles: 23 plays |
3 | | Paddy Hanna Frankly, I Mutate
'Bad Boys'
This sounds like it was beamed in from some other era entirely...or perhaps an old TV show we've collectively forgotten? This swings, Elvis goofs and all.
Scrobbles: 55 plays |
4 | | Diplo California
'Wish'
Anyone see this one coming? Probably my favourite r n' b pop song since Drake's 'Hold On We're Going Home'. First time I listened to this I thought 'catchy, something off...' but I couldn't stop listening and - you're hooked. This is what pop music should do, shouldn't all be instant baby.
Scrobbles: 32 plays |
5 | | Yves Tumor Safe in the Hands of Love
'Lifetime'
I'm not sure what this reminds me of exactly - there's some TV on the Radio and Bloc Party but backed by DJ Shadow drums and at least two layers of electronic wash...and then the piano comes in...and then the strings. The impassioned vocals are so good you have to hope this song more than any other on the album points the way forward for YT.
Scrobbles: 16 plays |
6 | | Advance Base Animal Companionship
'Rabbits'
It's a Doof list, you knew a weepy was coming. This has a Grandaddy feel...but oh man, even Grandaddy never sounded this destroyed. 'and you'd had a baby...maybe by now you've had ten' {sob}
Scrobbles: 27 plays |
7 | | Sufjan Stevens Mystery of Love
'Visions of Gideon'
My boy Sufjan is on a roll, this is EXACTLY the sort of music he should be recording. Someone steal the angel suit and stop him returning to something as clunky/hit and miss as 'Age of Adz' ever again.
Scrobbles: 10 plays |
8 | | Thom Yorke Suspiria
'Unmade'
It's a spellbinding (heh) ballad that's (whisper it) a better standalone track than anything from 'A Moon Shaped Pool'. Bosh.
Scrobbles: 10 plays |
9 | | Tropical Fuck Storm A Laughing Death in Meatspace
'You Let My Tyres Down'
Still sound as grizzled as The Drones but there's some added guitar spunk to TFS...and this song sets out their stall in perfect style.
Scrobbles: 15 plays |
10 | | Anna von Hausswolff Dead Magic
'The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra'
Scary Mary'isms in excelsis, she always had this in her. Let it out....woooooooooAHH
Scrobbles: 10 plays |
11 | | John Prine The Tree Of Forgiveness
'Summer's End'
A song to make 'Hurt' by Johnny Cash sound sprightly. The sound of sucking soup through a straw forever, so amazing.
Scrobbles: 38 plays |
12 | | Devon Welsh Dream Songs
'Summer's End'
You wait for one great song called 'Summer's End' to come along and guess what yada yada. I think this more straightforward and pure approach from Dev works wonders, and nowhere more so than on this string drenched ballad.
Scrobbles: 5 plays |
13 | | Jessica Pratt Quiet Signs
'This Time Around'
Great folk with an atmosphere all its own. Bodes well for next year's album.
Scrobbles: 5 plays |
14 | | Daughters You Won't Get What You Want
'The Reason They Hate Me'
Sounds like a pile up in a robot factory, spasmodic is the word, and the 'pitbull with wasp in mouth' kiss off lyrics cause a laughing with/laughing at dichotomy I find, uh, superfun.
Scrobbles: 13 plays |
15 | | IDLES Joy as an Act of Resistance
'Never Fight a Man with a Perm'
One of my mates got a perm recently, and he's balding - I'd take him.
Scrobbles: 5 plays |
16 | | Interpol Marauder
'The Rover'
An endangered species - an indie rock banger in 2018. Never realised the lead singer sounded like Ozzy, can't stop imagining the Prince of Darkness singing over this one.
Scrobbles: 15 plays |
17 | | Exit North Book of Romance and Dust
'Bested Bones'
Thomas Feiner, he of the deep croon, returns and tears it up on this creaky slow motion jazz inflected ballard.
Scrobbles: 22 plays |
18 | | Ex-Isles Luxury Mass
'Wednesday's Child'
A vocal masterclass all leading up to a show stopping finale.
Scrobbles: 12 plays |
19 | | Evil Blizzard The Worst Show on Earth
'Tell Me'
A breakneck n 'bouncy punk anthem from everyone's favourite middle aged men dressed in clown suits.
Scrobbles: 34 plays |
20 | | Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet Landfall
'Nothing Left but Their Names'
This planet is going down the shitter so make sure you listen to this 10 minutes of spoken word navel gazing delivered by one of Peter Jackson's ents.
Scrobbles: 27 plays |
21 | | A.A.L. (Against All Logic) 2012-2017
'This Old House is All I Have'
First off I dismissed this as mere intro...now it's clearly the heart of the whole project. Love the apocalyptic thunder fuzz.
Scrobbles: 38 plays |
22 | | City Calm Down Echoes In Blue
'Pride'
Who allowed these smelly goths to record the second best National song of the last two years?
Scrobbles: 22 plays |
23 | | Astronauts, etc. Living In Symbol
'The Room'
Some lovely airy retro pop to look wistful to.
Scrobbles: 19 plays |
24 | | Damien Jurado The Horizon Just Laughed
'The Last Great Washington State'
Damo has an impressive soul voice and this gentle unfold'er is the 'hold your breath' moment on the parent album.
Scrobbles: 14 plays |
25 | | No Age Snares Like A Haircut
'Stuck in the Changer'
A '90s throwback rocker worthy of comparison with the best of 'back n the day'.
Scrobbles: 17 plays |
26 | | Death Grips Year of the Snitch
'Dilemma'
These dudes have a knack of putting at least one great rocker on their four or five most recent albums.
Scrobbles: 12 scrobbles |
27 | | Cloud Nothings Last Building Burning
'Leave Him Now'
They're back. Fast, catchy and pummelling.
Scrobbles: 8 plays |
28 | | Low Double Negative
'Fly'
The first 'stops you dead in your tracks' moment on 'Double Negative'.
Srobbles: 8 plays |
29 | | Beach House 7
'Drunk in LA'
'7' was Beach house's 'big artist' 'rock record' and this was the song that most revelled in that billing.
Scrobbles: 14 plays |
30 | | Gas Rausch
'Rausch 5'
More uncomfortable ambience from Mr Gas. |
31 | | Gavin Clark Beautiful Skeletons
Michael Clark
'Something to Be Won'
Yes, Gavin Clark's son - dropping a tune that reminds me a little bit of 'Give Up the Ghost' by Radiohead. He's got the voice, it seems to have a similar charisma...fingers crossed he keeps this up. |
32 | | Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Sparkle Hard
'Solid Silk'
A little funny hearing the king of lo fi singing over such an embellished musical backdrop but it sounds real good. Believe it. |
33 | | ESCAPE-ISM The Lost Record
'Nothing Personal'
Deconstructed punk with fuzzed up guitar and popping electronic FX. So very deadpan. |
34 | | Matt Maltese Bad Contestant
'Like a Fish'
Humorous self effacement is the order of the day on this Bacharach'ian beauty.
Scrobbles: 14 plays |
35 | | Shakey Graves Can't Wake Up
'Dining Alone'
Woozy country 'woe is me' shucks sad sacks fun.
Scrobbles: 14 plays |
36 | | Stuart A. Staples Arrhythmia
'Step Into the Grey'
Business as usual Tindersticks style goodness with a skeletal jazz breakdown closing things with a typical flourish of class from one of the greats. |
37 | | Denzel Curry TA13OO
'TA13OO'
A very hummable tune but the subject matter is pitch dark, Denzel should try and drop two or three songs along the lines of this one on all new releases. |
38 | | ******** The Drink
'Schweppes Bitter Lemon'
Very strange stuff, this wasn't strictly recorded in 2018 but it was officially released this year - breaks into a post-punk ditty concerning, well, the pros and cons of purchasing cans of Schweppes Bitter Lemon. |
39 | | Rosehall The First Requisite Is Life
'Sunday's Cool'
Starts like some barely rehearsed jazzy jam...but gives way to reveal the best coda Grizzly Bear never recorded. |
40 | | Avantdale Bowling Club Avantdale Bowling Club
'Years Gone By'
A really tasty mix of jazz and hip hop storytelling, has an addictive live feel to the recording - like you've stumbled into an open mic set in a jazz club. |
41 | | Oneohtrix Point Never Age Of
'Same'
An eighties ballad churned through the Oneohtrix Point Never mixer - it works so well you can't quite process it at first. |
42 | | Turnstile Time and Space
'Moon'
Turnstile channel Nirvana and produce highly addictive results, dumb fun.
Scrobbles: 21 plays |
43 | | Kurt Vile Bottle It In
'Bassackwards'
Another so laid back he's horizontal lengthy rambler chock full of cute lines from our Kurt. |
44 | | Suss Ghost Box
'Big Sky'
Some picture paintin' n' expansive 'country meets ambient'. Not a lot else out there that sounds quite like this as far as I know :/ |
45 | | Wasuremono Something Left Behind
'Boogeyman'
Has a suitably 'creeping through the house in the dark of night' feel. |
46 | | Elvis Costello Look Now
'Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter'
Elvis C channeling some 'Station to Station' Bowie on this one. |
47 | | Toby Driver They Are the Shield
'470 Nanometers'
Orchestral flourishes abound on this breathy sonic fantasia from Tobes. |
48 | | S. Carey Hundred Acres
'Hideout'
With Tillman and Vernon both up to no good musically this cat stepped into the vacuum and plugged up that sucker with purdy purdy pastoral fluff.
Scrobbles: 24 plays |
49 | | Richard Swift The Hex
'Sept20'
If you're missing 'Yellow House' era Grizzly Bear then get a load of this. A haunting final track from the late Swift. |
50 | | Richmond Fontaine Don’t Skip Out on Me
'Dream of the City and the City Itself'
I've read Vlautin's novel now and that just makes this 'tale of two halves' instrumental resonate even deeper. |
51 | | David Byrne American Utopia
'Gasoline and Dirty Sheets'
Scrobbles: 28 plays |
52 | | Dogwood Tales Too Hard to Tell
'Spiritless Machines' |
53 | | Jennifer Castle Angels of Death
'Crying Shame' |
54 | | Protus Opus Screaming Eagle
'Comfort Zone'
Welcome to the uncomfortable zone. |
55 | | Okkervil River In The Rainbow Rain
'External Actor'
Hated the new album, really loved this one tune. |
56 | | Nils Frahm All Melody
'My Friend the Forest' |
57 | | Hookworms Microshift
'Each Time We Pass'
One of the best Animal Collective songs of recent memory.
Scrobbles: 16 plays |
58 | | Brigid Mae Power The Two Worlds
'I'm Grateful'
Otherworldly stunner from Brig. |
59 | | Foxing Nearer My God
'Grand Paradise'
One of the best TV on the Radio songs of recent memory. |
60 | | The Voidz Virtue
'ALieNNatioN'
Bouncy. |
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