2019 – Albums of the Year – The Photographer’s View
It’s time to reflect on the year and rate our favourite albums. Fighting Boredom have again reviewed and listened to a huge amount of music, seen some great shows and some awful.
This is the photographer Martin Ward’s opinions, have a read and a listen and see if you agree.
There’s no particular order so I will put them as he gave them me.
1. Fontaines DC – Dogrel
We said ‘The music is visceral and driving without succumbing to the lure of punk, the vocals are strangely enticing which considering that for at least half of the album they are given in a strange monotone almost spoken voice. I suppose that is why when he sings, and I mean sings, the voice is more emotional than you expect. That may well be down to the brogue. The Dublin accent gives the music a focus and the city is rarely far from the front of the lyrics.’
2. Rainbow Grave – No You
Rainbow Grave describe themselves as ‘Low rent caveman hate music’ They have members that have been in other bands and they promise ‘Disappointment guaranteed…’ We were very disappointed.
3. Clipping.G – There Existed An Addiction To Blood
For Clipping.’s third album for Sub Pop they have created a ‘transmutation of horrorcore’, stark vivid and terrifying in it’s detail. It’s mesmerising and adictive.
4. Giant Swan – Giant Swan
The debut album by Giant Swan, is ‘an acerbic marriage of industrial percussion, abused guitar, hypnotic bass and liberal vocal manipulation.’
5. Consumer Electronics – Airless Space
Unmissable live, ‘Soundwise, CE have maybe mellowed the tone a touch, allowing their electronics to stretch out and breathe, whereas the frenzied and anxious vocals of Best and Froelich remain as snatched and breathless as ever.’
6. Swans – Meaning Leaving
Swans return in a different incarnation and with a mellower crescendo less sound, yet still intense and unmissable
7. Black Mekon – Destroy Nostalgia
The lunatic masked kings of distorted Rockabilly madness strike again.
8. Imperial Wax – Gaswerk Saboteurs
Comprised of the last and longest serving members of The Fall, with the former Black Pudding vocalist Imperial Wax play ‘tight guitar based music for the discerning listener;
9. Mahatma X – A Mobtown Suite Vol II
‘A Mobtown Suite Vol 1. Volume 2 carries on from where Volume 1 left off, but puts it in technicolour adding an incredible array of loops and beats creating a sound collage of dusty beats, Avalanches-like magpie enthusiasm and haunting nods to the golden age of hip-hop.’
10. The Exaltics – II Worlds
The latest release from The Exaltics finds ‘the vast majority of the material on show sitting somewhere between the undersea heaviness of Drexciya and the futurist, sci-fi-fired deep space vibes that have long been associated with electro. There are a few downtempo moments, but for the most part the storied producer keeps his sights set on the dancefloor.’
Honourable Mentions
Pye Corner Audio – Hollow Earth
Lightning Bolt – Sonic Citadel
DJ Shadow – Our Pathetic Age
Russell Haswell – 37 Minute Workout Vol:#2
