Best of the Decade (2010-2019)...with a twist

[Zappathustra]

Compliers:
Free Salamander Exhibit
Ske
Deluge Grandeur
Knifeworld
Seven Impale
Accordo Dei Contrari
Lost Crowns
Far Corner
Jack O' The Clock
Ingrannagi Delle Valle
Poil - Piniol
Aquaserge
Regal Worm
Bubblemath (if it counts)

there are tons of good bands, but unfortunately they often fall into the retro pit. Amazing with such a vastness of different influences to try and sound like somebody else.

[Baribrotzer]

There's hardly any interest at all in "rock culture/Identity/history" with younger generations today, a fact that I think has to some degree surprised those of us who defined ourselves pretty squarely with that habitus and consequently thought it would endure in some form or another. Nowadays, and speaking as an historian myself, I'm not so sure it will even be particularly remembered whatsoever in 30-50 years' time. Not with the incessant speed of global evolution currently at play. The cultural phenomenon of "rock" simply wasn't as full of force after all, I'm sad to say.

I'm not so sure. You're probably right, in that laptop music and hip-hop have taken the place of the rock garage band - they're so much easier to make, since they don't require any instrumental ability and can be done alone without having to find and assemble other musicians. They've certainly taken rock's place as social music, for dancing and background ambiance, and a DJ of any type has a lot more social cachet than a musician.

Yet rock does retain a certain attraction as well - for audiences because it's all made right there in front of you, and for musicians because (unlike jazz or classical music) it doesn't require enormous skill to get started. A number of kids still listen to rock because it retains a sense of risky unruliness, because it doesn't present itself to them in a state of produced perfection, because a band, unlike a recording, works without a net. They're still picking up guitars and drums, some of them. Why? I don't know. But maybe there's something about making your own music right there in the moment that beats yammering over a backing track or spinning records in the corner, even if it doesn't receive the social boost that rapping or DJing does.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

watching and learning to see if I missed anything I need

here's my list:

Alco Frisbass Le Bateleur
Alco Frisbass Alco Frisbass
Caillou Caillou
Daal Dodecahedron
Human Factor Homo Universum
Kotebel Concerto for Piano and Electric Ensemble
Kotebel Cosmology
Maat Lander The Birth Of Maat's Galaxy
Madden, Christian The Wrecking Place
Nova Collective The Further Side
Panzerpappa Pestrottedans
Ske (Paolo 'Ske' Botta) 1000 Autunni
Tubo Elastico, El El Tubo Elastico
Tubo Elastico, El Impala

[Scrotum Scissor]

I'm not so sure. You're probably right,

John, the "rock" configuration is over.

[mnprogger]

Each group is alphabetized, but not ranked (within each).

The "twist" or restrictions certainly eliminated some bands/artists. Some with debut albums that came out in 2003 and 2004, or much earlier, that their more prominent releases came 2005 or after (or in this decade).

Also I did not choose multiple albums from any artists/bands which if I was ranking full-on Best of a Decade I wouldn't hesitate to. But with this particular way of highlighting newer artists/bands, I decided it was not worth including like 3 albums from some bands (The Dear Hunter, Dirt Poor Robins, Foals, Local Natives, The Reign of Kindo/Kindo, Bent Knee, Steven Wilson)

*****
Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Terror and Everything After
Small Leaks Sink Ships - Face Yourself and Remove Your Sandals
The River Empires - Epilogue

**** 1/2
Arch / Matheos - Winter Ethereal
Brice Plays Drums - Man the Animal Cannon
The Dear Hunter - The Color Spectrum
Dirt Poor Robins - The Raven Locks Act 3
East of the Wall - The Apologist
Fjokra - Thoughtsteps
Foals - Total Life Forever
Gatherer - So Be It
Janelle Monae - The Archandroid
Jazzkamikaze - Supersonic Revolutions
Kimbra - Vows
Mercies - Three Thousand Days
The Family Crest - The War: Act I
The Reign of Kindo - Play with Fire
Vennart - The Demon Joke
Vuvuzela - The Hollow Choir

****
*Shels - Plains of the Purple Buffalo
22 - Flux
Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra - Theatre is Evil
Arafel - For Battles Once Fought
Battle Circus - Battle Circus
Bend Sinister - Animals
Bent Knee - Shiny Eyed Babies
Brooke Waggoner - Originator
Bruce Peninsula - Open Flames
Capital Cities - In a Tidal Wave of Mystery
Clone - Clone
Emanuel & the Fear - Listen
Everything Everything - Get to Heaven
Forest Park - Forest Park
For the Imperium - For the Imperium
Grimus - Emergence
House of Fools - Versus the Beast
iamthemorning - Belighted
In Vain - Ænigma
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Polygondwanaland
Long Distance Calling - Trips
Major Parkinson - Twilight Cinema
Mayer Hawthorne - Where Does This Door Go
Media Addicts - Autonomy
Miracles of Modern Science - Dog Year
Mother Falcon - Alhambra
Mutemath - Odd Soul
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
Nordic Giants - Build Seas, Dismantle Suns
Owel - Paris
Ramona Falls - Prophet
Steven Wilson - The Raven that Refused to Sing
Subterranean Masquerade - The Great Bazaar
Team Me - To the Treetops
The Mercury Tree - Countenance
The Pneumatic Transit - Concerto for Double Moon
Timbre - Sun & Moon
Timmy Sean - Songs From & Inspired by Noisewater
Typhoon - White Lighter
Vektor - Outer Isolation
Warpaint - The Fool

*** 1/2
A Dying Planet - Facing the Incurable
Adebisi Shank - This is the 2nd Album from a Band Called Adebisi Shank
Alpha Rev - New Morning
Anakdota - Overloading
Black Belt Eagle Scout - Mother of My Children
Cats in Space - Scarecrow
Childish Japes & Dave Vives - Salamander
Crippled Black Phoenix - I, Vigilante
Dream the Electric Sleep - Heretics
Erick Serna & the Killing Floor - The Grip
Esperanza Spalding - Emily's D+Evolution
Genders - Get Lost
Hands of Despair - Hereafter
Ideology - Ideology
Ihsahn - After
Journal - Unlorja
Judgement Day - Peacocks / Pink Monsters
Leprous - Coal
Local Natives - Hummingbird
Marketa Irglova - Muna
Meniscus - War of Currents
Mike Linden - Bubble & Squeak
Native Construct - Quiet World
NewVillager - NewVillager
Nicole Atkins - Mondo Amore
NOMIA - Iron & Rust
Northern Abbey - Northern Abbey
Nosound - Scintilla
O'Brother - Garden Window
Orphan Bloom - Orphan Bloom
Pretty & Nice - Golden Rules for Golden People
Protest the Hero - Volition
Punch Brothers - Antifogmatic
Rachel Flowers - Listen
Revere - Hey!, Selim
RisingSide - Arrow: The Onus Key
Royal Veil - King of the Ocean
Tangled Thoughts of Leaving - Deaden the Fields
The Baltic Sea - Period Piece
The Barnum Meserve - The Barnum Meserve
The Book of Right On - All These Songs About Music
The Contortionist - Language
The Crooked Fiddle Band - Overgrown Tales
The Gloomcatcher - Slow Chorale
The Woods Brothers - The Woods Brothers
Umbrella Tree - To the Memory of a Once Great Man
Water & Bodies - Lightyear
What's Left of Her - What's Left of Her
White Denim - D

[Trane]

I'm not sure I even heard more than 10 acts/artistes in your lists

Could you describe in a short sentence your 5 and 4.5 and 4.0 stars, please??

[aith01]

John, the "rock" configuration is over.

Sad, but quite probably true.

But you know what they say -- Onward and upward, right?

[daoubourg]

Honorable mention.

[Zappathustra]

Ciccada - The Finest of Miracles

I saw them live yesterday night, and wait till the new one is out...it will blow people out of their medieval, symphonic socks.

[moecurlythanu]

^ I have little doubt.

[Zappathustra]

^ I have little doubt.

There's augmented female power in the group: an excellent, young lady on the vocals (having also kept the previous singer) and another one on saxes, clarinet and recorders, a brilliant musician. I felt very privileged to attend this, it was the real progressive experience 10 minutes walk from my place.

[Sputnik]

I saw them live yesterday night, and wait till the new one is out...it will blow people out of their medieval, symphonic socks.

There's augmented female power in the group: an excellent, young lady on the vocals (having also kept the previous singer) and another one on saxes, clarinet and recorders, a brilliant musician. I felt very privileged to attend this, it was the real progressive experience 10 minutes walk from my place.

Cool, can't wait! Also great to have an experience like that, lucky you!

Bill

[Zappathustra]

Cool, can't wait! Also great to have an experience like that, lucky you!

Bill

Thanks! Few chances in my country for this kind of experiences, so it feels even better.

[XavGel]

Here's my go at it. I was going to stop at 25, but found a few more heh...

1. Ghost Rhythms - Madeleine (2015)
2. Setna - Guerison (2013)
3. All Traps on Earth - A Drop of Light (2018)
4. Kiev - Ain't No Scary Folks In On Around Here (2011)
5. Seven Impale - City of the Sun (2014)
6. Wobbler - From Silence to Somewhere (2017)
7. Soen - Cognitive (2012)
8. Lady With – The Lodge (2018)
9. Agusa - Agusa (2017)
10. Eye - Vision and Ageless Light (2016)
11. Sanhedrin - Ever After (2011)
12. Hooffoot – s/t (2015)
13. Regal Worm - Neither Use Nor Ornament (2014)
14. VAK – Budo (2018)
15. Astra - The Black Chord (2012)
16. Kiev - Falling Bough Wisdom Teeth (2013)
17. Jordsjo – Jord (2017)
18. Needlepoint - Aimless Mary (2015)
19. Airbag - The Greatest Show on Earth (2013)
20. Jonas Munk - Pan (2012)
21. The Winstons – s/t (2016)
22. Sonar - Static Motion (2014)
23. Accordo Dei Contrari – Kublai (2011)
24. Aranis – Roqueforte (2010)
25. Heliocentrics – A World of Masks (2017)
26. Alco Frisbass – s/t (2015)
27. Yolk – Solar (2017)
28. Ikarus – Mosaismic (2019)
29. Malady – s/t (2015)
30. Bent Knee – Shiny Eyed Babies (2014)

Oh yeah baby. Thanks for listing in VERY good place my little band !

Here's my mini-list, just some of the names that pops in my mind and that I loved so much I bought it with real money and all :
1. X (Schnellertollermeier)
2. Clean it Up (Tundrastomper) Check them, not your average math-blahblah-rock band, good melodies, good musicianship, awesome : https://tundrastomper.bandcamp.com/album/clean-it-up
3. Lost Crowns (The Lost Crowns)
4. Isola dei Lupi (Bob Drake)
5. We're all small pixels (Pixels)

[NogbadTheBad]

Oh yeah baby. Thanks for listing in VERY good place my little band !

Here's my mini-list, just some of the names that pops in my mind and that I loved so much I bought it with real money and all :
1. X (Schnellertollermeier)
2. Clean it Up (Tundrastomper) Check them, not your average math-blahblah-rock band, good melodies, good musicianship, awesome : https://tundrastomper.bandcamp.com/album/clean-it-up
3. Lost Crowns (The Lost Crowns)
4. Isola dei Lupi (Bob Drake)
5. We're all small pixels (Pixels)

I better check out Tundrastomper as I have and love all the others on your list.

[XavGel]

A painfully obvious and deliberate attempt to exclude Eccentric Orbit from the voting as our debut was 2004!

Just kidding, this is a great thread idea, and I enjoyed doing the machinations to get it (hopefully) right.

Accordo Dei Contrari - Violato Intatto - Ita - 2017
All Traps on Earth - A Drop of Light - Swe - 2018
Ampledeed - A is for Ampledeed - USA - 2013
Ampledeed - BYOB - USA - 2016
Bill in The Tea - Big Tree - Ita - 2013
Ciccada - The Finest of Miracles - Gre - 2015
Cucci-Band - Bon Débarras! - Fra - 2010
Deformica - Paramo - Arg - 2010
Deformica - Deformica - Arg - 2013
Deluge Grander - Ocenarium - USA - 2017
Diagonal - The Second Mechanism - Eng - 2012
District 97 - Trouble With Machines - USA - 2012
Ghost Rhythms - Madeleine - Fra - 2015
Homunculus Res - Limiti All'Eguaglianza Della Parte Con il Tutto - Ita - 2013
Hooffoot - Hooffoot - Swe - 2015
Ingranaggi della Valle - Warm Spaced Blue - Ita - 2016
Inner Ear Brigade - Dromology - USA - 2017
Luz De Riada - Cuentos y Fábulas - Mex - 2011
Luz de Riada - Cuentos Y Fabulas, Volume 3 - Mex - 2016
Macroscream - Macroscream - Ita - 2016
Magnetic Sound Machine - Chances & Accidents - Ita - 2010
Masal - Viens Des Quatre Vents - Fra - 2014
Masal - Paysages du Ciel - Fra - 2017
Nerve Institute - Architects of Flesh-Density - USA - 2011
Not a Good Sign - Not a Good Sign - Ita - 2013
Nova Collective - The Further Side - USA - 2017
Pampa Trash - Ya Fue' - Arg - 2014
Phlox - Talu - Est - 2010
Phlox - Keri - Est - 2017
Platurno - Insano - Chl - 2010
Sanguine Hum - Diving Bell - Eng - 2011
Sanguine Hum - The Weight of the World - Eng - 2013
Scherzoo - 01 - Fra - 2011
Seven Impale - City of the Sun - Nor - 2014
Stella Lee Jones - A Floating Place - Jpn - 2011
Stella Lee Jones - Escape From Reality - Jpn - 2016
Tohpati Bertiga - Riot - Ido - 2012
Tohpati Ethnomission - Save the Planet - Ido - 2010
Unit Wail - Pangaea Proxima - Fra - 2012
Utopianisti - Utopianisti - Fin - 2011
Utopianisti - The Third Frontier - Fin - 2016
Volto - Incitare - USA - 2013
Watson, Dean - Unsettled - Can - 2010
Watson, Dean - Imposing Elements - Can - 2012
Zeptelar - El Color De Las Cosas - Chl - 2013
Zletovsko - Zletovsko - Jap - 2013

Bill

Didn't you were in a band. I'm listening to Creation of the Humanoids, quite like it !

[XavGel]

Yeah, Tundrastomper, they're worth it. To be honest I wonder why they stay under the radar.

[Sputnik]

Didn't you were in a band. I'm listening to Creation of the Humanoids, quite like it !

Yes, Eccentric Orbit was my band. Glad you're enjoying the album. I didn't list ours because we had an earlier album in 2004, so we didn't qualify for this thread.

Bill

[XavGel]

Yes, Eccentric Orbit was my band. Glad you're enjoying the album. I didn't list ours because we had an earlier album in 2004, so we didn't qualify for this thread.

Bill

Cool stuff. What is/was your role in the band ?

[arturs]

Here's my ***** from the last decade, from newer bands. All but one founded post-2005 AFAIK. one interesting if a little sad thing about this exercise is it made me realize how *little* of my music falls into this category.

3rd Ear Experience Incredible Good Fortune
All Traps on Earth A Drop of Light
Aquaserge A L'Amitie
Bibio Mind Bokeh
Bibio A Mineral Love
Bubble Math Edit Peptide*
Cellar and Point Ambit
Circa Valley of the Windmill
Emeralds**
Eye Vision and Ageless Light
Janel & Anthony - Where Is Home?
Pixels We're all small pixels
Sanhedrin Ever After
Schnellertollermeier X
Ske (Paolo 'Ske' Botta) 1000 Autunni

* yes I know they had one album around 2002 or 03 but I never heard of it, so their 2017 album (the 2nd one) is de facto their debut for me. It's too good not to be on here.
** recorded in 2008 but released in 2010.

[Sputnik]

Cool stuff. What is/was your role in the band ?

I played bass in the band and also did a lot of writing. I wrote all the first album, and roughly half the second.

Bill

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Here's my ***** from the last decade, from newer bands. All but one founded post-2005 AFAIK. one interesting if a little sad thing about this exercise is it made me realize how *little* of my music falls into this category.

.

Yeah...I'm looking over my lists of best of since 2008 (when I started making such lists in earnest) and very few of the albums that make my personal top 10/20 (including non prog bands) fit this criteria.

Guess this just cements that fact that I am old.

[XavGel]

I played bass in the band and also did a lot of writing. I wrote all the first album, and roughly half the second.

Bill

Cool man. Nice stuff. I'm less enthuastic about the drumming, but the overall project is nice. Congrats.