Painting Over Silence - A Winnipeg Music Blog: Lists

Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts

>> Thursday, 9 January 2014

Still unpacking away, but I've finally settled on my favourite albums of 2013 list. Here goes.

Regular updates to commence soon.

1. Kanye West – Yeezus

2. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampire of the City

3. Volcano Choir – Repave

4. CHVRCHES – The Bones of What You Believe

5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – II

6. Young Galaxy – Ultramarine

7. The Courtneys – S/T

8. No Joy – Wait to Pleasure

9. Yo La Tengo – Fade

10. The National – Trouble Will Find Me

>> Sunday, 5 January 2014

So the wife-to-be and I purchased our first home in early December and moved in late December, meaning the past few weeks have been beyond chaotic what with packing, the actual moving process (during a fucking blizzard!), and the unpacking, which is still ongoing. Oh, and I wrote a 20 page paper somehow in there as well.

Anyway... my apologizes for the blog neglect. Tonight is the first time I've been able to give my complete and undivided attention to the tunes of 2013. Without further preamble, here are my favourite tracks of 2013 in playlist order. (Yes, there are two Vampire Weekend songs because, well, that whole album is terrific with many outstanding earworms.)

Haim - The Wire
Kanye West - Black Skinhead
The Head and the Heart - Shake
Au Revoir Simone - Crazy
CHVRCHES - We Sink
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - No Need For A Leader
mum - Sweet Impressions
No Joy - Hare Tarot Lies
Phoenix - Entertainment
Tegan and Sara - Drove Me Wild
Vampire Weekend - Unbelievers
Young Galaxy - Pretty Boy
Yo La Tengo - Stupid Things
Volcano Choir - Dancepack
The National - Don't Swallow The Cap
The Courtneys - Manion
Vampire Weekend - Worship You
Dodos - Confidence

What say you, dear readers (if you're still out there): favourite tracks of 2013?

My Favourite Songs of 2011

>> Thursday, 29 December 2011

My favourite, must-hear songs over the past 365, in playlist order are:

1. M83 – Intro
2. Austra – Lose It
3. Cults – Oh My God
4. Destroyer – Kaputt
5. Florence and the Machine – Shake It Out
6. Gillian Welch – Hard Times
7. Lykke Li – Unrequited Love
8. Peter Bjorn and John – I Know You Don’t Love Me
9. Braids – Lemonade
10. Death Cab For Cutie – Monday Morning
11. Dodos – Black Night
12. Louise Burns – What Do You Wanna Do?
13. Imaginary Cities – Don’t Cry
14. The Weather Station – Everything I Saw
15. Young Galaxy – Peripheral Visionaries
16. Fucked Up – The Other Shoe

What are some of your favourite tracks from 2011?

My Top Shows of 2011

>> Monday, 26 December 2011

John O'Regan aka Diamond Rings @ The Lo Pub (Photo by Sarah Gofflot)

Top five Winnipeg shows...

1. Shad @ The Pyramid
2. Ohbijou @ The WECC
3. Diamond Rings, PS I Love You @ The Lo Pub, Winnipeg, MB
4. Austra w/ Young Galaxy, Tasseomancy @ The WECC, Winnipeg, MB
5. Dodos @ The WECC, Winnipeg, MB

A very hairy and very sweaty Damien Abraham @ The Converse Pavilion in Halifax

Top five from my travelling adventures...

1. Bjork @ Harpa, Reykjavik, Iceland
2. Fucked Up @ The Converse Pavilion , Halifax, NS
3. Olafur Arnalds @ Harpa, Reykjavik, Iceland
4. Peter Bjorn and John @ First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
5. The Weather Station @ The Company House, Halifax, NS

Local shows I regret missing...
- Destroyer @ The WECC
- Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers @ Pantages
- The Black Keys @ The MTS Centre
- Prince @ The MTS Centre

What say you? Favourite local shows? Elsewhere? Biggest regrets?

My Top Ten Records of 2011

>> Saturday, 24 December 2011

1. M83 - Hurry Up, Were Dreaming

2. Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting

3. Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest

4. Dodos - No Color

5. The Weather Station - All of It Was Mine

6. Austra - Feel It Break

7. Cults - Cults

8. Cut Copy - Zonoscope

9. Braids - Native Speaker

10. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

The Top Ten Records of 2011, As Voted Upon by Painting Over Silence Readers

>> Thursday, 22 December 2011

First up, many thanks to all Painting over Silence readers who barred their musical souls and submitted lists for judgment this year. They were a pleasure to read, and I’m happy to say I checked out a few albums I overlooked or simply missed.

Second, the winning album completely and utterly obliterated (we’re talking Wings-over-Jets-style) the rest of the competition, with the Grammy-nominated act (hint hint) appearing on around half of the lists while also earning the most first place votes.

Third, there was very little love for Nickelback’s latest album, a record which I’m told is very, er, consistent. Oh, and by very little, I mean none.

Fourth, as with previous years, my personal list was not included in the final tally. That will be revealed tomorrow afternoon and is, now that I think about it, completely different from the one below. In past years, there’s been plenty of overlap, so I’m head-scratchingly surprised.

Fifth, I will not be publishing individual lists; however, please feel free to post your personal top ten under the comments.

And finally, it’s been a banner year at Painting over Silence, and I’d like to thank all the good folk out there for reading and for helping my site place in the top 30 during CBC Radio 3’s Searchlight competition for “Canada’s Best Music Website” earlier this year. You seriously rock the party.

Without further adieu, I present the 2011 Painting over Silence Blog Readers’ poll results, in descending order:

10. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing

9. Wilco - The Whole Love

7. The Black Keys - El Camino (tie)

7. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (tie)

6. Imaginary Cities - Temporary Resident

5. The Decemberists - The King is Dead

4. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

3. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

2. Destroyer - Kaputt

1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

The Painting Over Silence Blog Readers' Poll - 2K11 Edition

>> Tuesday, 13 December 2011

It’s that time again, Dear Readers.

Time for this blogger to start compiling and listening to the plethora of 2011 releases I've amassed over the past 365 or so days, then whittling down the albums into a definite, all-mighty, and conversation-starting "Top Ten Records of 2K11 List". And maybe even pen a few comments about why I simply lived for each pick.

Like years past, I invite you to take part in all the maniacal, exhibitionist fun that comes with list constructing.

Here’s how it’ll work:

Email me, by Wednesday, December 21st @ noon CST, a list of your favourite records released between January 1, 2011 and now. I will compile all the results and, on December 23rd, publish the "Top 10 Albums of the Year…as Voted by Painting Over Silence Blog Readers" final results.

And if the gleeful, unbridled bliss that comes with year-end list-making isn’t enough incentive, I’ve got further encouragement: those who submit a top-ten list to me will be entered to win $20 worth of gift certificates to our local music shop Music Trader.

A few things:

1. I realize not everyone will have ten favourite records released in 2011. That’s okay. The minimum number is one and the maximum is, of course, ten. So, if Nickelback's Here and Now is the only album you really liked this year, you may still email it in to me should you wish to admit such a thing.

2. Order matters…to an extent. The top album on your list gets three points; the second best two; 3-10 are awarded one point. If you only liked one album this year, it gets three points.

3. Please do not send attachments. Simply paste your list and the optional comments in the body of an email.

4. EPs may be included.

5. No re-released/re-mastered/re-packaged/re-imagined albums.

6. I won't be publishing individual lists, but please feel free to post yours on December 23rd under the comments section.

6. My email is on the right side, under “About Me.”

Happy list cobblin’!

Oh, and for last year's results click here.

In Reflection...My Top Songs Of 2K10

>> Saturday, 25 December 2010

My top songs of 2K10 are pasted below, in playlist order.

Los Campesinos! – In Medias Res
Small Sins – Why Don’t You Believe Me?
Arcade Fire – Empty Room
PS I Love You – Meet Me At The Muster Station
Basia Bulat – The Shore
Broken Bells – Your Head Is On Fire
ceo – Illuminata
Beach House – Norway
The Besnard Lakes – Albatross
The National – Runaway
Kanye West – Monster
Gorillaz – On Melancholy Hill
LCD Soundsystem – All I Want
Spoon – Who Makes Your Money
The New Pornographers – What Turns Up In The Dark
Vampire Weekend – Cousins
Broken Social Scene – Meet Me In The Basement

Your turn: what are some of your favourite songs from the past 365?

In Reflection...My Top Ten Shows Of 2010

>> Wednesday, 22 December 2010

1. The Flaming Lips w/ Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

The Burton Cummings Theatre

Winnipeg, MB

September 21, 2010

2. NXNE - Saturday Night Edition

Caught Live: Iggy Pop, Les Savy Fav (above photo)

Various Venues

Toronto, ON

June 18, 2010

3. Toronto Island Festival

Caught Live: Beach House (above), Band of Horses, Broken Social Scene (above), Pavement

Toronto Island

Toronto, ON

June 18, 2010

4. The National

First Avenue

Minneapolis, MN

August 6, 2010

5. Arcade Fire w/ Calexico

The MTS Centre

Winnipeg, MB

September 23, 2010

6. Vampire Weekend w/ The Blow

Edmonton Events Centre

Edmonton, AB

March 14, 2010

7. The Rural Alberta Advantage w/ The Wooden Sky, Great Bloomers

The West End Cultural Centre

Winnipeg, MB

February 10, 2010

8. Bahamas

The Park Theatre

Winnipeg, MB

November 30, 2010

9. Greg MacPherson w/ The Playing Cards

The West End Cultural Centre

Winnipeg, MB

Saturday, April 11th

10. NXNE – Friday Night Edition

Caught Live: Avi Buffalo, Timber Timbre, Wavves (above), Japandroids, Turbogeist

Various Venues

Toronto, ON

June 17, 2010

***

Now that I've shared, it's your turn. What were some of your favourite shows of 2010?

In Reflection...The Top Ten Records Of 2010, In My Opinion

>> Tuesday, 21 December 2010

1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is ineffably great: rhythmically and melodically compelling, endlessly replayable, and features many, many jaw-dropping guest performances (see: Jay-Z on "So Appalled" and Nicki Minaj on "Monster").

Here, enormous talent matches a massive ego. And I kinda hate Kanye for that until I remember that, for Mr. West, ego and talent are not and can never be mutually exclusive.

2. Beach House – Teen Dream

Hypnotic and alluring dream-pop at its best; worst album cover of the year (highlight to see it).

3. Broken Bells – Broken Bells

With the exception of a few obvious tracks, I’ve never really felt that sonically gratifying connection with James Mercer’s work alongside the Shins. But sometimes, all it takes is the right musical partner. Here Mercer hooks up with white-hot producer Danger Mouse and firmly makes me a fan. After 50 or so listens, I’m still narcotically addicted to “Your Head is on Fire.”

4. Spoon – Transference

Possibly the most aurally challenging Spoon release today. Challenging, you know, in a good way.

5. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

Purportedly the last LCD Soundsystem record. Which is criminal.

6. The National – High Violet

A moodier, darker, more brooding offering from these Brooklyn-via-Ohio quintet that doesn’t quite match the songwriting brilliance housed throughout Boxer. But it sure comes close.

7. Besnard Lakes – Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night

I still contend this should’ve won the Polaris.

8. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record

I still contend this should’ve been runner-up for the Polaris.

9. PS I Love You – Meet Me At Muster Station

Proof positive that an economical drums ‘n’ guitar setup can still pack a visceral wallop. Plus, there are lots of dazzling guitar fireworks (aka solos). And you don’t really hear those in indie-rock.

10. Small Sins – Pot Calls Kettle Black

A top regret of 2010: missing these guys at the Albert last month. Thomas D’Arcy is one of Canada's most gifted songwriters.

In Reflection...The Top Ten Records Of 2010, As Voted Upon By Painting Over Silence Readers

>> Monday, 20 December 2010

First of all, much thanks to everyone who cobbled together lists and sent them in. As was the case with previous years', your picks were a veritable pleasure to read and sort through, and I discovered many new and exciting sounds that I somehow missed or overlooked (like The Black Keys).

Second, the ten records listed below were chosen by readers only and does not include my person picks. These should come tomorrow, baring an untimely bout of procrastination.

Third, the winning, and therefore most favoured, album received two first place votes, three second place, and a heckuva lot of 3-10 votes. As much as the second place finisher tried to keep pace, it could not overcome the torrents of love PoS readers showered on the first place finisher.

Four, for the first time since I began conducting this poll, there were no ties. It certainly helps that I received a record number of lists this year, so thanks again.

Fifth, while I won't be publishing individual lists, please feel free to share your picks in the comments.

Without further delay, I present the top ten album of 2K10...as voted by Painting Over Silence Readers (in descending order):