The 2017 album of the year

My favourite album of all those released in 2017 is "Sleep Well Beast", by The National. There were also great new albums by The Shins (Heartworms) and by Birds of Tokyo (Brace) but The National were the standout.

Sleep Well Beast title track: from https://youtu.be/kwraJAssyuE

2016 album of the year

In a year when I wasn't all that impressed by new album releases and played mostly older music, there was one album which stood head and shoulders above the rest. The album was Coldplay's "A Head Full of Dreams". This album was optimistic, positive, uplifting.



The song "Up & Up" (or "Up&Up") is the third single release from the album.
From https://youtu.be/BPNTC7uZYrI

Best new albums of 2015 #1 - Foals, What Went Down

Album of the Year #1, What Went Down



Song of the week: Snake Oil, from "What Went Down", by Foals
From https://youtu.be/cV_7HLZFilI . A live version.

Best new albums of 2015 #2 - Mumford & Sons, Wilder Mind

Album of the Year #2, Wilder Mind



Song of the week: Tompkins Square Park, from "Wilder Mind", by Mumford & Sons
From https://youtu.be/oHzc_DLHztA . A live version; they sound as good live as in the studio.



“no flame burns forever”…

Best new albums of 2015 #3 - Drones, Muse

Album of the Year #3, Drones



Song of the week: Reapers, from "Drones", by Muse
From https://youtu.be/gcNEC9NaJuE



An amazing video clip.

Best new albums of 2015 #4 - Beneath the Skin, Of Monsters and Men

Album of the Year #4, Beneath the Skin



Song of the week: Empire, from "Beneath the Skin", by Of Monsters and Men
From https://youtu.be/-uXL5JcD3zw

Best new albums of 2015 #5 - Out of the Wasteland, Lifehouse

Album of the year #5, Out of the Wasteland.



Song of the week: Hurricane, from "Out of the Wasteland", by Lifehouse
"It Just Gets Better"


Video at https://youtu.be/SJLIX1wTymU

Hurricane
Turn the page
Turn the corner
Open the cage
Cut the locks
We're starting over
I don't wanna live this way

We made it through hell and back again
We were slipping through the cracks, staring at the end
Oh, and we brave the weather
Hurricane couldn't take you from me
I'm holding on tight and I still believe
Oh, yeah, it just gets better

A quiet rage
A screaming silence is all around
Let me in
The world we built is crashing down

We made it through hell and back again
We were slipping through the cracks, staring at the end
Oh, and we brave the weather
Hurricane, couldn't take you from me
I'm holding on tight and I still believe
Oh, yeah, it just gets better

It just gets better
It just gets better

We made it through hell and back again
We were slipping through the cracks, staring at the end
Oh, and we brave the weather
Hurricane couldn't take you from me
I'm holding on tight and I still believe
Oh, yeah, it just gets better

Best albums and best song of 2014

Albums of the year 2014
Mainstream music didn't impress me so much this year, I listened to a lot of contemporary alternative Christian music which I enjoyed more.

My top five albums for 2014, amongst many good albums, were
1. Hillsong – No Other Name
2. Bethel – You Make Me Brave
3. Planetshakers – Endless Praise
4. Scott Stapp – Proof Of Life
5. Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger - The Undoing

Some of the more general release albums that weren't too bad were Switchfoot – Fading West, Coldplay – Ghost Stories, Broken Bells - After The Disco

Song of the year 2014
This is the song that caught my imagination in 2014: 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman.
From http://youtu.be/XtwIT8JjddM

Best music of 2013

Best music albums of 2013 - so far
#5 album of 2013 "Trouble Will Find Me" by The National
#4 album of 2013 "Amelia" by Lifehouse
#3 album of 2013 "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire
#2 album of 2013 "Holy Fire" by Foals

My Top Music Album of 2013:
"My Head Is An Animal", by Of Monsters and Men. While not strictly speaking a 2013 album, I couldn't resist, I only discovered it this year anyway, it's one almighty good album which is still gaining in popularity around the world.

A song from the album is "Dirty Paws":
http://youtu.be/2RXMIyMdhaY

holy fire

Best music albums of 2013 - so far
#5 album of 2013 "Trouble Will Find Me" by The National
#4 album of 2013 "Amelia" by Lifehouse
#3 album of 2013 "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire.

Music albums of 2013 - continued
#2 album of 2013 "Holy Fire" by Foals

Their best album was "Antidotes" and this is nearly as good.
Song from the album: "My Number"
From http://youtu.be/QRR_pvZcu-o

Reflektor

Best music albums of 2013 - so far
#5 album of 2013 "Trouble Will Find Me" by The National
#4 album of 2013 "Amelia" by Lifehouse

Music albums of 2013 - continued
#3 album of 2013 "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire.
Three of the tracks are recorded live on this video:
Here Comes the Night Time; We Exist; and Normal Person.

.
From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fFAKrIntzY

Life's Journey in Slow Motion

Albums of the year #4 “Almeria” by Lifehouse. Consistently good and deeply moving.
One of the best songs from this album is “Slow Motion”.

At http://youtu.be/78SRZuZZfpE

Trouble Will Find Me

"Trouble Will Find Me" - The National

Today I start listing my top five albums of the Year 2013. As usual it was quite difficult to cut the list down to only five! At Number 5 is "Trouble Will Find Me", by The National.This is one of those albums which tells a story across all the tracks, and overall there is a feeling of sadness. All very well done.

Here is one of the tracks: "Fireproof".
From http://youtu.be/Ji-POOc1Tac

Albums of the Year 2012

Best Music Albums of 2012
#5 "Blue Sky Blue" by Pete Murray
#4 "Mylo Xyloto" by Coldplay
#3 "Port of Morrow", by The Shins
#2 "Moonfire", by Boy & Bear

#1 "Babel", by Mumford & Sons

This album stands out as one of the greatest ever. And their best song on the album is ...

Song of the week: "Lover of the Light"
from http://youtu.be/nMJUbZrNnA8




Mumford & Sons - live

For fans - I recommend the DVD Big Easy Express.

feeding line

Best Music Albums of 2012 - so far we have -
#5 album of 2012 "Blue Sky Blue" by Pete Murray
#4 album of 2012 "Mylo Xyloto" by Coldplay
#3 album of 2012 "Port of Morrow", by The Shins

Best Music Albums of 2012 - continued

#2 album of 2012 "Moonfire", by Boy & Bear

Song of the week "Feeding Line", by Boy & Bear, from "Moonfire":
from http://youtu.be/3AeKD2oHrFg

Boy & Bear rightfully won the "Best new group" category in the 2011 ARIAs, as well as many other Australian awards. Their Moonfire album contains brilliant songs such as "Big Man", "Milk & Sticks", "Lordy May", and this great track which was their first single release off the album.

It's Only Life

Music albums of 2012
#5 album of 2012 "Blue Sky Blue" by Pete Murray
#4 album of 2012 "Mylo Xyloto" by Coldplay

Music albums of 2012 - continued
#3 album of 2012 "Port of Morrow", by The Shins

Song of the week "It’s Only Life", by The Shins, from "Port of Morrow":
from http://youtu.be/fweNLKBCh5A



I did like their previous albums, this one is just as good if not better. Interesting and thought-provoking lyrics and themes, but musically outstanding.

Mylo Xyloto

This month I am featuring the five best albums of 2012. At number four, Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto. Tracks such as Princess of China, Charlie Brown, Paradise, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, Us Against the World, are all excellent. Today's choice is another great track from the album.

Albums of the year 2012 #4: Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay.

Song of the week: Hurts Like Heaven, Coldplay, from Mylo Xyloto,
at http://youtu.be/C8KV0mzqTXY

blue sky blue

Today I start a weekly series of five posts where I feature the five best new albums of 2012, unashamedly a personal view of course. There were many great new albums and these are the five best. Counting down, at number five, Pete Murray's album Blue Sky Blue was one of those that won't fade from memory for a very long time. Tracks such as Led, Free, Always a Winner, Broken, are all great, as is the one I have picked out for this post.

Albums of the year 2012 #5: Blue Sky Blue. Pete Murray.

Song of the week: H.O.L.L.A.N.D. by Pete Murray from Blue Sky Blue

Albums of the Year - 2011

These are my five favourite albums new in in 2011.
1. Death Cab For Cutie - Codes & Keys + Keys and Codes Remix EP.

Sample song: Doors Unlocked and Opened on Keys and Codes Remix.



2. Radiohead - The King of Limbs + TKOL RMX

Sample song - Morning Mr Magpie - a live version



3. The National - High Violet.

Sample song - England - a live version



4. The Middle East - I Want That You Are Always Happy
Sample song - My Grandma Was Pearl Hall - audio from the album



5. Switchfoot - Vice Verses
Sample song - Vice Verses the title track, audio from the album

my list of the five best music albums for the year 2010

It was extremely difficult narrowing it down to just five.

1. Creed “Full Circle”. More accurately late 2009 but I didn’t hear it in time for last year’s list.

2. Switchfoot “Hello Hurricane”

3. Brooke Fraser “Flags”

4. Lifehouse “Smoke and Mirrors”

5. Skillet “Awake”

Song of the week: “Betty”, by Brooke Fraser, from “Flags”. Her new single release: