Best Songs of the Year 2017: 50-26

Keeping with our steady rhythm, here's comes the third round of our Best Songs of the Year! After the two previous chapters, we are getting closer to the final ranking, so each time is becoming harder to decide what band or artist should be included. But after a lot of thinking-listening here they are, "our" tunes comprised between positions 50 to 26 with their playlist for your listening pleasure. Enjoy and stay tuned, tomorrow we will unveil the last round of tunes, our TOP 25! Still a lot to listen!

50. Chemtrails- Deranged
49. Amber Arcades- It changes
48. Big Thief- Shark Smile
47. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever- French Press
46. Nation of Language- Indignities
45. Algiers- The Underside of Power
44. Cosmen Adelaida- Contra la Pared
43. The Stevens- Chancer
41. Mark Lanegan-Beehive
42. Hurray for the Riff Raff- Rican Beach
40. Fazerdaze- Lucky Girl
39. LCD Soundsystem- Call the Police
38. The Courtneys- Silver Velvet
37. Priests- Nothing Feels Natural
36. The Keep Left Signs- Tomorrow
35. Ride- Lannoy Point
34. Renaldo & Clara- Sense Voler
33. Beaches- Arrow
32. Las Ruinas- Viva la resolución
31. U2- The Little Things that Give You Away
30. The Stroppies- Gravity is Stern
29. Slowdive- Star Roving
28. Eyelids- Falling Eyes
27. The Luxembourg Signal- Blue Field
26. The National- The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness

Agenda of Concerts Fall 2017

Here we are again, ready to begin a new season of concerts! Keeping with one of our traditions, here's our Agenda of Concerts for this Fall. As you could see, there is a name (and a place) that stands out from the rest. YES, we will be in Lisbon seeing The National and their new tunes! But there´s more, with some exciting gigs listed like our beloved Luna, Father John Misty, plus some additional 'bonus', bands that we have discovered this year, like Marika Hackman or Aldous Harding. Not bad for the first three months of the season, right? Obviously, this is a making in progress agenda and we hope to add more proposals soon. Have a look and maybe see you there!

SEPTEMBER
Monday 18th - Molly Burch at Fabra i Coats
Friday 22nd – Girlpool at BAM Festival
Friday 22nd –Marika Hackman at BAM Festival
Renaldo & Clara at BAM Festival

OCTOBER
Wednesday 11th – Luna at Sala Bikini
Friday 20th - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Sala Bikini
Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd – Primavera Club Festival*

Saturday 28th - The National at Coliseu dos Recreios (Lisbon)

NOVEMBER
Satuday 4th – BIS Festival at Espai Jove Les Basses
Tuesday 7th - Aldous Harding at La [2]
Tuesday 14th - Spoon at Sala Apolo*
Wednesday 15th- Algiers at Razzmatazz 2*
Saturday 18th - Father John Misty with Weyes Blood at Razzmatazz

Sunday 19th- Julien Baker at La [2]

Listed in yellow. gigs we have doubts about or we have to look into (Primavera Club has just unveiled its line-up)

Best Spanish Records of the Decade So Far

With the end of 2014, half the decade has now gone, so following the proposal of several magazines   like Pitchfork or NME, we have been thinking about our favourite records of the decade so far (2010-2014), and after a thoughtful deliberation here are the results (let's face it, we love making lists). First of all, the Best Spanish Records of the Decade So Far! 15th albums that, in our opinion, are the highlights of five years with great music in our country. Hope you like it! And stay tuned, the international list is going to appear very soon! 

15. Soundtrack for a Winter's Tale - The Bright
14. Los Últimos Bañistas - Los Últimos Bañistas
13. Reina Republicana - Reina Republicana
12. Disco de Autoayuda para Mutantes - Las Ruinas
11. Escapar con el Anticiclón - Manos de Topo
10. Nihil Obstat- Disco Las Palmeras!
9. Lost Album - Coach Station Reunion
8. Fuerteventura - Russian Red
7. A Farewell to Youth - When Nalda Became Punk
6. Técnicas Subversivas - Grushenka
5. De lo Concreto a lo General - Doble Pletina
4. Fuerza Bien - Mee and the Bees
3. Fruits del Teu Bosc - Renaldo y Clara
2. La Foto Fantasma - Cosmen Adelaida

1. El Mundo Se Va a Acabar - Pauline en la Playa

Best Songs of the Year 2014: 25-1

Drumroll, fanfare, revelry! We have reached the final round of the 4th edition of the Bloodbuzzed's Best Songs of the Year. Here are our top 25 favourite tunes of this 2014. Many great songs had been left out (we could have easily extended the list to 150), so we assure you it’s been an extremely hard, never-ending, but also a very fun list to make. We hope you enjoy this last selection, as well as the whole ride. Remember, you have  the playlist available at our Soundcloud page. And Happy Holidays!

25. Younger- SW/MM/NG
24. Distant Drive- The Luxembourg Signal
23. Try- The Zebras
22. Long After Tonite’s Candles Are Blown- Comet Gain
21. Goshen '97 -Strand Of Oaks
20. Els Dies S'Allarguen- Renaldo y Clara
19. In the Water - Radical Dads
18. Descent- Fear of Men
17. Trouble- TV on the Radio
16. Raised By Wolves- U2

15. Grey Is a Lie– Boutade
14. Last January - The Twilight Sad
13. Habit- Ought
12. Kissing Can Wait- She Sir
11. Wond'ring- The Very Most
10. Super Rat - Honeyblood
9. Horseshoe- Withered Hand
8. Don't Wanna Lose- Ex Hex
7. Sleep Like a Baby Tonight- U2

6. Happening- Desperate Journalist
5. Mistakes of My Youth- Eels
4. Your Love Is Killing Me- Sharon Van Etten
3. Talking Backwards- Real Estate
2. Archie, Marry Me- Alvvays
1. Wounded Desire - Line and Circle

Best Records of the Year 2014

After EPs and Books, now it's time for the Best Records of 2014. As previous years, we have listed our favourite 30 LPs, the releases that we have enjoyed the most. Many of these bands have already appeared at our "Discoverer Section", others have been played at our "Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Series" and a bunch of them have done our "These Go to 11" questionnaire (thank you, thank you, thank you). Many tough decissions have been made, excluding many bands & records that we love, but finally, here it is. So many amazing music gathered here!

30. Our Years in the Wilderness - The Hi-Life Companion
29. Let You Go- Tape Waves
28. Mundo Fatal- Me and the Bees
27. Do What You Want To, It’s What You Should Do- Flowers
26. The Sea- Beach Beach
25. Une Longue Si Attente- Watoo Watoo
24. Seeds- TV on the Radio
23. Floristry- Trick Mammoth
22. Feel Not Bad- Sw/mm/ng
21. Too True- Dum Dum Girls
20. Fumes- Lily and Madeleine
19. Burn Your Fire For No Witness- Angel Olsen
18. Courting Strong- Martha
17. Before There Were Pictures- Pale Lights
16. Go Guitars- She Sir
15. Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave- The Twilight Sad
14. Fruits del Teu Bosc- Renaldo y Clara
13. Paperback Ghosts- Comet Gain
12. La Foto Fantasma- Cosmen Adelaida
11. Sealed with a Kiss- Alpaca Sports
10. Siesta- The Zebras
9. The Best Hunter- Boutade
8. Up at Lagrange- The Hobbes Fanclub
7. The Luxembourg Signal- The Luxembourg Signal
6. Are We There Yet?- Sharon Van Etten
5. Always- Alvvays
4. Honeyblood- Honeyblood
3. Atlas- Real Estate
2. Loom- Fear of Men
1. Rips- Ex Hex


Want to check last year's list? Then check here
And 2012's? Click here
And 2011's? Just click here

Best Songs of the Year 2014 so far

It has been a titanic task, but here it is. Following past week's list with the Best Records/Eps of the year so far, today we propose you a second list with our favourite tunes during this six months of 2014. Like we did on previous years, we have prepared a playlist with the best 30 songs on a selection based on two criteria: songs released during 2014, and just 1 song per group/artist. The playlist (that you can enjoy at our soundcloud except for two songs) is in alphabetic order. Hope you enjoy!

1997, Passing the Hallway- Martha
Ashes and Embers- The Casket Girls
Coming Down- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Els Dies s’Allarguen- Renaldo & Clara
Embers- Night Flowers
Enredo Interesante- Grushenka
Every Time the Sun Comes Up- Sharon Van Etten
Familia /Trabajo- Cosmen Adelaida
Happening- Desperate Journalist
Heavy Heart- Tripping the Light Fantastic
Hi-Five- Angel Olsen
Horseshoe- Withered Hand
Just like Before- Beach Beach
Killer Bangs- Honeyblood
This is Pop- Latimer House
Losing to the Dark- La Sera
Lovejunky- The Popguns
Magazine- The Proper Ornaments
Market Town- Echo and the Bunnymen
Mistakes of My Youth- Eels
My Heart is a Lonely Hunter- The Pretty Greens
My Silver Lining- First Aid Kit
New Skin- Torres
Pale- Young Romance
Talking Backwards- Real Estate
Things too Obvious to Sing- The Very Most
Try- The Zebras
Visiones- Aries
Wavy Gravy- Flyying Colours
Yeah Tonight- Gold Bears

Click here to check the SoundCloud playlist!

Note: I was uncapable to choose just one song from the following terrific albums:'Our Years in the Wilderness' by The Hi-Life Companion, 'Mundo Fatal' by Me and the Bees and 'Before there Were Pictures' by Pale Lights.

Best Records and EPs of the year 2014... so far

Hard to believe, but half of 2014 is already gone. So, as we do every June since this Blog was born, time to take a look to what year has offered in terms of music so far. As started in 2013, before the list of best songs that will arrive late in the forthcoming week, here's another with our favourite 25 records & EPs of the year to date (all 2014 releases already available). Listed in alphabetical order (the "proper" best-of list comes at the end of the year). Just a way to recognize a bunch of great works!

Are We There Yet?- Sharon Van Etten

Atlas- Real Estate

Before There Were Pictures- Pale Lights

Burn Your Fire to No Witness- Angel Olsen

Courting Strong- Martha

Dalliance- Gold-Bears

Detour- Soft Science

Floristry- Trick Mammoth

Flyying Colours- Flyying Colours

Fruits del teu Bosc- Renaldo & Clara

Gingerlys- Gingerlys

Go Guitars- She Sir

Indiepop or Whatever!- When Nalda Became Punk

In Dreams- Fireflies

La Foto Fantasma- Cosmen Adelaida

Loom- Fear of Men

Mundo Fatal- Me and the Bees

New Gods- Withered Hand

Our Year in the Wilderness- The Hi-Life Companion

Sealed with a Kiss- Alpaca Sports

The Best Hunter- Boutade

The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas- Courtney Barnett

Things Too Obvious to Sing- The Very Most
Une Si Longue Attente- Watoo Watoo
Xeristar- Linda Guilala

Primavera Sound 2014 in brief, day 5

And the last chapter of this Primavera Sound 2014's series is here. A sunny day at the Parc de la Ciutadella...

The Good

Our soft spot: Renaldo & Clara
Photo: Bloodbuzzed 

Four more bands: For free, under sunny and clear skies, in a relaxed way despite massification (which also means noise) at Parc de la Ciutadella. Seeing my dear Renaldo & Clara (want them in a more intimate venue soon please) playing some tunes of their superb new album, Hospitality for the second time, Mark Eitzel and Dum Dum Girls, who offered a very nice show again, in such a unique scenario is quite a thing to experience. A great way to end this Festival's edition after the exhausting (we were really on our physical limits on Sunday afternoon) central days at Fòrum, don't you think?

Sunny Hospitality. Photo: Bloodbuzzed 

The Bad

Massification: Coincidence or bad planning? Pretty sure wasn't the fault of the organisation, but the fact there was something else going on at the Parc (involving hundreds, thousands, zillions of kids, you can all get terrified now) almost collapsed the place. By the time Dum Dum Girls closed the gigs, it was extremely hard to just walk by.
Angel Olsen: We were so exhausted we couldn't find the strength to watch her at BARTS on Sunday night. Deeply sorry for that, please come back soon to Barcelona!

The Queen

Words & Music: Mark Eitzel
Photo: Bloodbuzed

The Mark Eitzel Ordeal: Long-time pending on my agenda, I finally can say I saw Mr. Eitzel, which exceeded my expectations. Romantic, passionate and intense, bursting with every single word he delivered. I know this might be read as a cliche or a naive comment, but you know when an artist sounds true to your ears? Eitzel looked to me like a musician from another time, meaning that in a positive way. Without cynicism, without caring about aesthetics. Just melodies, words and heart. Only one thing to regret, the show was too short.

Links to every briefing on the Primavera Sound 2014:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Spanish Indie 19: suggesting the best national acts

More Spanish bands that I highly recommend you. Sensitive hearts, beware, listen and enjoy!

Renaldo & Clara. Behind their dylanesque name lies one of my latest biggest crushes, 'though I admit first time I saw them, supporting my beloved Basia Bulat in 2011, wasn't that impressed. My bad. Hailing from Lleida, and initially as a trio, in 2009 debuted with a self-titled Mini-Lp out on jazz label Quadrant. Several live shows followed until their second release, "Lilà" Ep arrived on Elefant Records. After several changes in the line-up, the band finally found a stable quintet formation, recording their debut EP in 2013, which has just been released past month on Bankrobber. "Fruits del Teu Bosc" is morose, epidermic, serene and warm music that embraces the listener in all its quiet intimacy. Slow-burning whispered folk-pop, Donosti Sound echoes and pieces of disarming twee-pop with the fragile, arresting voice & lyrics of  Clara Viñals. What a crush.
Hans Laguna. Based in Barcelona, Hans began his career in 2006 with the demo "El Hombre Teórico". Since then, he has formed a band, performed at a geriatric, released the EP “Hans Laguna y la Sintaxis”, composed music for various plays, had an experimental project with poet Albert Balasch, organized an acoustic music festival and became part in the tribute to singer-songwriter Julio Bustamante. “Primeras Marcas”, his debut LP, came out in the summer of 2012 on our dear El Genio Equivocado, followed late last year with “Oteiza”, another sonic experiment honoring the Basque sculptor. The hiper-active Hans has just released his second album, "Deletrea", where he shows it's possible to experiment within the singer-songwriter tradition, using all sorts of instrumentation without losing any bit of emotional honesty, closeness or knack for the melody. Cult artist on the making.
Las Desnortadas. Ari, Ruth, Tania, Isa y Anna come from Barcelona and could be one of the best kept secrets of the local scene. They formed, as a duo initially, in 2011, releasing digitally their first EP, "Tal y Cual" that year, followed in 2012 by "Lista de Espera" EP. After signing with Discos de Kirlian, a year later came out their third EP, "Gallinas con Cuello", rising the bar high and rocketing the expectations while we await eagerly for their first LP, which are currently finishing. Naif, twee indiepop, minimalistic, humorous and charming. Lo-fi ready to conquer your heart. Don't forget their name!