Friday 16 December 2011

GUEST SPOT'S Best Of 2011 part 1

We did not want this site to be all about us, we wanted people to contribute their musical experiences, favourite tunes, musical memories, legendary gigs etc and as a result we have compiled a number of excellent posts which have enhanced our site and our music collection. It's with great thanks to you guys for putting in the time and effort to write and share these experiences with us. Thanks again for contributing for the best of 2011 post too. Remember, feel free to submit any contributions at any time, they are always welcome and we enjoy them greatly.


Singing Bear:-
Singing Bear is a self confessed old school music lover who runs a blog which all of us here at TuneDr follow. Grownupbackwards is a real treasure trove of forgotten gems, classics and rarities, so go and check it out. Here are 3 of SB's best.

Low - 'Try to Sleep'
'Try To Sleep' is the opening track on Low's excellent album, C'Mon. These Minnesotan 'slow-core' merchants have been around for a while now but it's taken me until this year to really take note of their rather wonderful stripped-down sound. I love their harmonies and insistent guitar work, which, over the course of an album, can take you on a journey to places where you feel, at once, at home, if somewhat uneasy. Sometimes, life just has to get slow.



Laura Marling - 'Don't Ask Me Why'
'Don't Ask Me Why' by Laura Marling is from her beautiful album, A Creature I Don't Know. I has guilty of avoiding Ms, Marling for far too long, having been put off royally by her connections with Mumford and Sons and Noah and The Whale. Should we judge people by the company they keep? Perhaps there are times when we should look beyond that because in the case of Laura Marling, I think she out-grew that gang some time ago. So, I eventually opened my ears and heard all this fine music from one so very young. All three of her albums are very good indeed but one gets the sense of real maturity on A Creature I Don't Know, which, at times, leaves you breathless with its melodic and lyrical invention. She's going to get even better, I'm sure.




Tom Waits - 'Hell Broke Luce'
One of my all-time favourite artists came back to us this year as Tom Waits released his new album, Bad As Me. In certain respects it must be said that what you get on Bad As Me is what one would expect from old Tom - some demented howling at the moon with a little nod to his jazz-bo, beatnik past thrown in for good measure, but that's no reason for complaint: the quality of the songs is top-notch. There aren't many artists of Tom's vintage still regularly creating such vital music. It's good to have him back. There's a host of great things on Bad As Me but I've chosen 'Hell Broke Luce', which is Tom's take on the US war machine and some of its more recent activities. Wild and hard-hitting.



Stuart:-
Stuart is a man of little words and wanted the music to do the talking instead. Have a look at his Mother Love Bone post, where he takes you back to a simpler time where you caressed your records.

Bombay Bicycle Club -'What You Want'  

The Vaccines - 'All In White' 


Chapel Club - 'Blind' 


Emma Bazeley:-
Emma Bazeley, introduced me to White Denim this year and her excellent review of a She Keeps Bees gig compelled me to investigate further.

She Keeps Bees - 'Vulture'
The drumming and compilation just get me.


Twin Shadow - 'Slow'
I discovered them this year and love the 80s feel and George's voice.



Peaches - 'Kick It' Featuring Iggy Pop
I love this just as much for the zombie video and the fact Peaches and Iggy refuse to grow old gracefully!



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GUEST SPOT'S Best Of 2011 part 1
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10 comments

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17 December 2011 at 08:46

SB Three great pics...would I expect anything less?, of course not...keep these rare ones coming and many thanks for all the pleasure you have given us this year.

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17 December 2011 at 08:51

Stuart - Nice choices, loved the Vaccines & Chapel Club...did not really listen to BB but 'what you want' is a great track.

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17 December 2011 at 08:57

Emma - Vulture great track with 'unknown pleasures' feel. Slow keeps up the mood and at least Iggy kept his pants on

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Anonymous
17 December 2011 at 09:13

Thanks to all at Tune Doctor and your guests for introducing me to lots of new sounds. You've made me open my ears again. Looks like I'll need to buy some She Keeps Bees, soon. Peace.

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19 December 2011 at 14:38

SB, thanks for the support and comments as always. I like this from Low, I have several songs but don't actually have an album so I will start with C'mon. I was always aware of Laura Marling but only came into prominence with some really strong songs this year. Tom Waits, well it's Tom Waits. I had a free CD from Uncut with all his influences and you can definitely see where he get it all from...

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19 December 2011 at 14:47

Good tunes Stuart, scary how talented and prolific BBC are and only in their early 20's. I hope don't blow their load! But Vaccines is the pic of the bunch..

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19 December 2011 at 14:58

Emma, She Keeps Bees is definitely one of the discoveries of the year for me, Nests was on heavy rotation for me...thanks! I dig Twin Shadow and am a big fan of the naughty Peaches!!

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sfw
21 December 2011 at 09:10

SB, Great choices!

I've been meaning to get the 'Low' album, it's on my "must get" list, this is brilliant, I'll have to get it soon!
Laura Marling is just amazing, how that 'old voice' comes from such a young 'un I just don't know! She'll be around for a while!
Tom Waits - I've never really had my 'Waits' stage yet, but I'm pretty sure that when it happens I'll be converted.
Thanks for the support!

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sfw
21 December 2011 at 09:14

Stuart, what a list! BBC are one of my favourite bands, when I watched them at Glasto (on the telly) this year I never quite realised how young they were! Bloody scary!
The Vaccines track is such a tune!
Hadn't heard Chapel Club before - good stuff!

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sfw
21 December 2011 at 09:18

Emma, thanks to you, White Denim & She Keeps Bees have been played quite a bit in my house this year!

Hadn't heard the Twin Shadows or the Peaches track before - brilliant stuff!

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