Best Songs of the Year 2017: 75-51

Ready for the second chapter of our Best Songs of the Year? Here are the following 25 songs from our particular countdown! If  yesterday we unveiled tunes comprised between 100 and 76, today it's time the songs from 75 to 51!Hope you enjoy the corresponding playlist and, if you haven't yet had time to assimilate so much music, take a deep breath, because the third post is coming tomorrow!

75. Grizzly Bear- Morning Sound
74. Protomartyr- My Children
73. Los Planetas- Espíritu Olímpico
72. Sweet Nobody- Manner of Speaking
71. Flesh World- Into the Shroud
70. Cosmen Adelaida- Hermanos Wright
69. Nadine Shah- The Yes Men
68. Neil Finn- Chameleon Days
67. Renaldo & Clara - Els Afores
66. Aimee Mann- Patient Zero
65. Hannah Lou Clark- Don’t Sweat It
64. Star Tropics- All the Way to Heaven
63. Tim Darcy- Tall Glass of Water
62. Zebra Hunt- Lonely Summer
61. Wallflower- Nowhere

 60. The Stevens- Thirsty Eye
59. Tennis- I Miss That Feeling
58. Boutade- Strike Again
57. Salad Boys- Exaltation
56. The Ocean Party- Tell

55. Port Sulphur- Orient Express

54. Holiday Ghosts- In My Head
53. Omni-Equestrian
52. Pregnancy- First Kiss
51. Chicharrón- Contra Acantilados

Discoverer 91: new indie findings

Excellent trio of music proposals prepared for you today, check them out!

Le Man Avec Les Lunettes. This Italian quartet was born in 2004, when Alessandro Paderno met Fabio Benni during a boring engineering lesson at university, quickly realising their similar music tastes. They started to write songs together and playing live locally, until they sent a demo to the Swedish Emmaboda Festivalen, who invited them to perform in 2005. Since then, Le Man have toured Europe extensively, changed their line-up, released two albums, a couple of EPs, 7″, 12″ vinyls, a documentary about an Italian DIY group touring Bosnia & Serbia, twenty years after the beginning of the war, and are an intrinsic part of the foundation of one of our favourite labels, We Were Never Being Boring collective. After three years without new releases, they are back with "Make It Happen", out since March. Like Belle & Sebastian meeting the Polyphonic Spree, or Grizzly Bear with sense of humour, here's enduring indiepop, full of layers, melodies and warmth. Quite hard to resist.

The King in Mirrors. Behind the intriguing monarchic name lies Swindon musician Rich May, who began his assault to the guitar pop throne in 2012. The British artist debuted with self-titled mini-album in May 2012, followed with EP "Rolling in the Sun" in the summer of 2013. Now he's back with a new EP, "Little Voices" out since March on Take a Nap Records, which you should be listening now. Why? Because, echoing many of the 80s band we all love, king May has an unbeatable army of pop hooks, melodic weapons, killer guitar lines and the urgency of conquering the listener in 4 minutes. So, you should surrender... and hail the king!

Honeyblood. We end in Glasgow to meet Shona McVicar and Stina Marie Claire Tweeddale. Formed in early 2012, they started putting on a show themselves at The Old Hairdressers to release debut cassette "Thrift Shop" on CATH Records. That gig got the attention of FatCat Records, quickly signing them. Slots supporting Sleigh Bells, Crocodiles, Palma Violets and several festivals followed for the duo, who released single "Bud / Kissing on You" past October. Now a full length is scheduled this 2014, and we couldn't be more excited. Bittersweet pop, riffs, noise & pounding drums intertwine with sweet vocals & effortless charm. Breezy, urgent and addictive as hell. Dying to hear more!

Primavera Sound 2013 in brief, day 2

Already exhausted, but here comes the quick update of the second day, first of the "big ones" of Primavera Sound Festival 2013. Our particular music trip!

The Good

Jehnny Beth, Savages
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Savages: Our bet of the day (probably of the Festival too) and they didn't disappoint. Unfortunately lead guitarist Gemma Thompson had a serious issue with her guitar halfway to their gig, so after solving it, their set got shortened. But what a striking band Savages are. Singer Jehnny Beth is a fierce, sharp, mind blowing stage presence. Songs are like razorblades. They look for you, hunt you, get you and don't let you go. A real shock to your system. Brutal.
Deerhunter-Grizzly Bear: I know they are big "alternative" bands with a consolidated, prestigious position on the alternative scene. But until yesterday, I honestly never gave much attention to them. My mistake. Won't happen again. Very good shows, stunning songs.
Sound quality: As we hoped for on Wednesday, the sound quality (the exception being Adidas Original) was very high in all the stages we went yesterday. Great improvement.

The Bad

Dinosaur Jr., PS13. Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Evans the Death: If Savages was our first must of the day, Evans the Death was our second. A personal favourite, and the chance to see them on one of the smallest venues was extremely appealing. But they gave a terrible show. Terrible. Awful sound, a complete lack of interest on playing, and a singer who was clearly drunk, destroying completely their beautiful tunes. The performance of "Telling Lies" still hurts me. What a disappointment.
Cigarettes & alcohol: And mobile phones. And pogos. And posers & fakers. I'll never understand what's the point of paying for a music Festival when all you want is getting drunk, show your clothes and keep chatting with your mobile or your partner. Can't you do that every *****ing weekend of the year?

The Queen

Phoenix' Thomas Mars on screen
Photo: Bloodbuzzed

Seven bands on a day: Our schedule was quite a challenge (and I'm sure many people saw even more bands than us): Wild Nothing- Savages- Evans the Death- Dinosaur Jr.- Deerhunter- Grizzly Bear- Phoenix. It was tiring (distances are killing) but absolutely rewarding. With the aforementioned exception, I enjoyed six very different, good/very good shows (I would like to highlight Wild Nothing and Mr. Mascis in particular) on the same day. How many festivals can offer the same? That's what makes Primavera, despite all "issues" (that become quite secondary), so unbeatable at the end.

Third day beginning in few hours. Many more bands to talk about. Briefing available here!

Primavera Sound 2013: the sweepstake

Tomorrow is the DAY: the Primavera Sound 2013 unveils their line-up in full in some kind of party/ceremony. Bloodbuzzed will be there, hoping that as many of our most beloved artists will join the Festival this May. Here's our sweepstake, our bet. This time the artists listed are not personal preferences/wishes. Just our thoughts on which names will be confirmed tomorrow! Will this be the #bestfestivalever? Will let you know!

1. Band of Horses
2. Breeders, The
3. Cat Power
4. Dinosaur Jr.
5. Everything Everything
6. Frank Ocean
7. Grizzly Bear
8. Johnny Marr
9. Knife, The
10. Phoenix
11. Postal Service, The
12. Primal Scream
13. My Bloody Valentine
14. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 
15. Rodríguez
16. Suede
17. Tame Impala
18. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
19. Youth Lagoon
20. Wild Nothing

Discoverer 21: new indie findings

Back with the weekly proposals!

Elephant Stone. Checking the great Indiecater label, I heard the song "Bombs Bomb Away", and then "I Am Blind", that blow me out. What a discovery! This band comes from Montreal (thanks again, Canada!), leaded by Rishi Dhir. In 2009 they debuted with the stunning album "The Seven Seas", nominated for a Polaris Music Prize. They returned with "The Glass Box" EP in 2010, and  seems we'll have more tunes soon. That would be a blessing, because Rishi and co. are goldmisth genius of indie-pop song. From jangle to power-pop, sometimes with an Indian feel, they offer music gems. Absolute must.

Red Shoe Diaries. Since July we can enjoy "When I Find My Heart", second EP from this five-piece band hailing from Nottingham, UK. After a very well received self-released debut EP, gigs along The Wave Pictures, A Sunny Day in Glasgow or Nouvelle Vague, and playing festivals like the great Indietracks in 2010, the time has come for the Diaries to gather the attention they deserve. Because is hard to find such a perfect collection of indiepop gems. Classic, sophisticated, with a scent of epic and literary skills. It has MASTERPIECE written all over it. Run to grab your (limited) copy!

We Are Trees. James Nee and Josiah Schlater come from Virginia, USA. In July 2010 released their first EP, "Boyfriend", but their sophomore effort, "Girlfriend", out since March, is the one catching the blogosphere attention. Whispering voices, lo-fi acoustics predominates, and with the help of cello and violin, the duo creates a peculiar, intriguing, hazy neofolk that sometimes evolves to indie-rock territory (check the glorious "I Don't Believe In Love").  Reviewers compare them with Grizzly Bear mixed with Guided By Voices or Fleet Foxes. I prefer to say they have a unique and exciting voice of their own. Listen. Have your say. You won't regret it.