This year proved to be a renaissance of sorts for me as I haven't listened to this much new music in years.

1. La Femme - Psycho Tropical Berlin
I haven't seen this get too much press, at least in English (and I don't speak French). Anyway, this Parisian band gets described as a mix of psych/pop/punk/krautrock/surf rock.


2. Fear of Men - Early Fragments
Technically this is a compilation of singles released mostly last year, I think, but whatever. Literate dream pop. Saw them at FYF in LA and they covered "Pink Frost" so that solidified my love.


3. Julianna Barwick - Nepenthe
Great for early morning/late at night.


4. James Blackshaw and Lubomyr Melnyk - The Watchers
Four tracks of acoustic guitar and piano mellowness.


5. Joanna Gruesome - Weird Sister
Like a blend of Veronica Falls and Mclusky


6. The Mantles - Long Enough to Leave
Nothing original here, but a good blend of paisley, kiwi rock and C-86 type stuff if you like those styles.


7. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Derivative, sure. But still fun.


8. Yo La Tengo - Fade
I thought I stopped caring about them, but I really enjoyed this.


9. Golden Grrrls - Golden Grrrls
Another British pop band with a bad name, but good album out on Slumberland.


10. Minks - Tides End
Some catchy shit here. Could have easily picked label mates Beach Fossils for this spot.


Other stuff I liked to varying degrees, in no order:

Veronica Falls - Waiting For Something to Happen
Legs - Pass the Ringo
Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day
Beach Fossils - Clash the Truth
Holograms - Forever
The Bevis Frond - White Numbers
Ghost Wave - Ages
Hookworms - Pearl Mystic
House of Love - She Paints Words in Red
Mikal Cronin - MCII
No Joy - Wait to Pleasure
Adam Green and Binki Shapiro - s/t
Alela Diane - About Farewell
Terry Malts - Nobody Realizes This is Nowhere
The Pastels - Slow Summits
Blouse - Imperium
Merchandise - Totale Nite
Courtney Barnett - The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas
Hayden - Us Alone
Foxygen - We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic

Intriguing list. I encourage a mix!

How is that Mazzy Star? Picked it up but haven't listened yet.

It's good--basically they picked up where they left off.

going to check out 1, 3 & 4. thanks.

La Femme seems pretty interesting.

Seems odd to throw the "derivative" tag at Parquet Courts and not Joanna Gruesome. But you clearly like them both so whatever. I personally find Joanna Gruesome to feel a little too familiar and indistinct while Parquet Courts has a much more clearly discernible personality.

ha joanna gruesome