Nearly at number 1, but first the final few steps before the summit:
5. We Were Promised Jetpacks- In The Pit Of The Stomach
A phenomenally good album. Whilst still an indie rock album at its heart, there’s a increase in post-rock influences resulting in a few more lengthy, experimental tracks like Act On Impulse and Pear Tree. There’s a bigger more epic sound, but it still sounds very personal. It’s all massive fun at the same time.
4. Amplifier- The Octopus
The Octopus is very possibly Amplifiers finest most. 2 discs and over 2 hours long, it rarely lets up in imagination and energy. From the false intro with noise collage of The Runner, the album swiftly moves to it’s huge sound with the frantic Inter Glacial Spell, and the eerie title track (which I’m still convinced was recorded at the bottom of the Atlantic). Disc 2 is probably the more difficult disc, but it still has groovy rocker Interstellar and sludge-esque Fall Of The Empire. It’s rarely dull and a massive achievement for one of Manchester’s finest bands.
3. The Joy Formidable- The Big Roar
Released way back in January and I still can’t get enough of this album. It’s confident, loud and rocks out hard. Each song is worked out brilliantly and there’s not a dull moment to be found anywhere. Tracks like Magnifying Glass, Cradle and Whirring will get stuck in your head for the rest of your life and the album will keep bringing you back for more. Best rock album of the year.
2. Levi Weaver- The Letter’s Of Dr. Kurt Godel
Recorded on fan donations over the course of 18 months, Levi Weaver finally released his second album in January via his bandcamp page. It instantly became of favourite of mine. It’s rooted in Levi’s country and folk upbringing but there’s a wide palette here, from the classically flavoured String Theory and An Incompleteness Theorem, to the rockier Apostate and The Best Defence (Is To Be offensive). There’s a rare depth to this album that goes to dark and lonely places, but in the end there’s an optimistic outlook. It’s beautiful and quite simply stunning. You need to hear this album.
And for my number 1 album of the year….. come back tomorrow!
