The nonapologetic list vol. 2010

Aware of the fact, that this blog is thus becoming an annual dump of my impressions of the last year’s music, I am doing it all over you all over again (if you catch my knowledgeable 70’s prog-rock reference). This time my list contains even less entries than the last one and would be of little use for the avid listener, who’d already checked them out.

Frankly, though, I’ve been almost exclusively listening to Wilco.

That’s all right, isn’t it? What matters more is the music of the past. One year is barely sufficient to judge a record. You have to let it grow on you, listen to nights and days, letting yourself to it in times of uncertainty or loneliness. Otherwise it would be only a matter of dull hype.

Here are the albums I’d probably treasure for months to come.

• “I Speak Because I Can” by Laura Marling. I like Laura. The way I am almost blushing while listening to her on this album.
• “Lisbon” by the Walkmen. My pick of the year.
• “S.t.” by Pascal Pinon. This comes from Iceland, which, as you might imagine, is pretty melancholic. But it has this feature, which often gets lost in production: it is intimate, human. Could have been by my pick if it wasn’t the Walkmen. Even bolachas loves Pascal Pinon! Highly recommended.
• “Islands” by the Townhouses. This encompasses everything I love about electronic music: it is intricate, mesmerising, crafty.
• “Forgiveness Rock Record” by Broken Social Scene. Legendary!
• “Talk about Love” by Belle and Sebastian. Call me emo, I love B&S so much, I would never leave them out. Besides that the album is not bad at all.

The ones that didn’t quite make it: The National and Arcade Fire.

Besides listening to Wilco I’ve been reading a lot—or—more than I ever did previously. I remember, that Salinger’s death made me aware that there was a world I was missing. Reading started an incessant chatter in my head, made me a bit more restless and anxious. Among other things it made me quit meditation somewhere early this year.

In another respect it’s been a great year. I’ve seen Wilco and Arcade Fire live and spent one of my best days on this Earth around those events. I have a job, which pays my rent—i.e. is fairly insufficient—but rather fulfilling. I have friends, who care about me and whom I love. May I never put them down or wish them ill!

Happy new year!