Sunday, 3 October 2010

The Quarterly Review: Jul-Sept '10

The third quarter of this year provided further evidence that 2010 really has been one of the best in recent memory for music. There was the usual glut of September releases, including my Album of the Quarter, Deerhunter's Halcyon Digest. If truth be told though, picking a favourite album from the last three months was extremely difficult as the competition was fierce; Andrew Cedermark's fabulous solo debut was the big surprise, whilst the sheer consistency and vision of the new Arcade Fire record confirmed that they have well outgrown any doubts over their longevity. The new Working For A Nuclear Free City record showed that the Manchester band was as ambitious as ever. Then there was the first Swans record in 14 years, a glorious black smear across the bright blue sky which has been most of this year's output.

This quarter also saw a couple of bands take big diversions with their sound. Some (Abe Vigoda) were surprisingly successful, others (Blonde Redhead) rather less so.

Album of the Quarter
Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest

On Heavy Rotation
Andrew Cedermark: Moon Deluxe
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
Sufjan Stevens: All Delighted People EP
Swans:  My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
Women: Public Strain
Working For A Nuclear Free City: Jojo Burger Tempest

Doing The Rounds
Abe Vigoda: Crush
Black Mountain: Wilderness Heart
The Electronic Anthology Project: The Electronic Anthology Project
Les Savy Fav: Root For Ruin
Grinderman: Grinderman 2
Matthew Dear: Black City 
Menomena: Mines
M.I.A: /\/\ /\ Y /\
Lower Dens: Twin Hand Movement
Mogwai: Special Moves/Burning
Of Montreal: False Priest
School of Seven Bells: Disconnect From Desire

On The Shopping List
No Age: Everything In Between
Arab Strap: Philophobia (Reissue)

On The Discard Pile
Blonde Redhead: Penny Sparkle
The Thermals: Personal Life

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