Listening Habits 03-04.2017

As we have already pointed out in previous posts, the list of new releases of the last couple of months included plenty of outstanding albums by several of our favorite artists, both old and new, and here are those that earned the most spins:

The return of The Jesus And Mary Chain with their first album in 19 years was inevitably going to be one of the major events in the music calendar of 2017. As soon as the familiar guitar chords of "Amputation" open their seventh album "Damage And Joy", it is obvious that the Reid brothers are returning exactly where they left off at the end of the '90s and start to retrace their steps back to their origins and the sounds that shaped them. Echoes of almost everything they've done before can be heard in the 14 songs of their comeback (with added female vocals to sweeten the deal) as well as tributes to their heroes and despite the familiarity of the end result, there is no denying that "Damage And Joy" is another essential chapter in the history of one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands of the last 30-something years.

Spoon offer us the other great rock record of the first quarter of the year with their ninth album "Hot Thoughts". The Texan outfit continues its impeccable streak of releases with another collection of richly melodic and dynamic songs, eager to toy with electronic rhythms and even dabble with jazz for a while, without straying from its main mission: to create constantly awesome rock 'n' roll!

Other great comebacks that you will find in our album list include "Hey Mr Ferryman", one of the best solo efforts by Mark Eitzel, the voice of American Music Club, this time in collaboration with Bernard Butler, "In Between", only the sixth full-length in the 40-year history of New Jersey legends The Feelies, "Silver / Lead", the 16th album by the unique rock genius of Wire and Grandaddy's return after an 11-year hiatus with "Last Place", a record not far away from the late '90s sound of the band. Add next to these, the excellent new records by Laura Marling, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Moon Duo and the rest of the records that make up our latest Top 20 and it's obvious that 2017's discography is really in bloom right now!

Top 20 Albums

1.  Damage And Joy - THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
2.  Hot Thoughts - SPOON
3.  Semper Femina - LAURA MARLING
4.  Hey Mr Ferryman - MARK EITZEL
5.  In Between - THE FEELIES
6.  Flying Microtonal Banana - KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD
7.  Last Place - GRANDADDY
8.  Silver / Lead - WIRE
9.  Occult Architecture Vol. 1 - MOON DUO
10. Heartworms - THE SHINS
11. In Mind - REAL ESTATE
12. Volcano - TEMPLES
13. English Tapas - SLEAFORD MODS
14. Love In The 4th Dimension - THE BIG MOON
15. I See You - THE XX
16. Hang - FOXYGEN
17. Heron Oblivion - HERON OBLIVION
18. Damaged Good - BETTIE SERVEERT
19. The French Press EP - ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER
20. 3 O’clock EP - BLONDE REDHEAD

Top 20 Tracks

1.  Hot Thoughts - SPOON
2.  Amputation - THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
3.  French Press - ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER
4.  The Last Ten Years - MARK EITZEL
5.  Soothing - LAURA MARLING
6.  Way We Won’t - GRANDADDY
7.  Gone Gone Gone - THE FEELIES
8.  Short Elevated Period - WIRE
9.  Rattlesnake - KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD   
10. Cold Fear - MOON DUO
11. Follow The Leader - FOXYGEN
12. Dead Alive - THE SHINS
13. Darling - REAL ESTATE
14. Strange Or Be Forgotten - TEMPLES
15. Moptop - SLEAFORD MODS
16. Sucker - THE BIG MOON
17. Say Something Loving - THE XX
18. 3 O’clock - BLONDE REDHEAD
19. Faro - HERON OBLIVION
20. B-Cuz - BETTIE SERVEERT

Spoon - Hot Thoughts

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Amputation