Elba Annual 2011 – Peenko and The BAMS Top 10

Each year, Peenko organises a poll of Scottish Bloggers and writers to find out their Top Album of the year. Last years prize was taken by The National and the inaugural prize in 2009 went to The Phantom Band. This year the prize returns to Scotland (unsurprisingly due to the nature of the Scottish theme running through many of the blogs involved!) in the form of the critically acclaimed Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat collaboration, ‘Everything’s Getting Older’. Here’s the full top 10.

10-8 (joint). The Moth & The Mirror – Honestly, This World /PJ Harvey – Let England Shake / FOUND – factorycraft

7-6 (joint). Conquering Animal Sound – Kammerspiel / The Son(s) – The Son(s)

5. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine

4-3 (joint). Mike Nisbet – Vagrant / Bon Iver – Bon Iver

2. Adam Stafford – Build A Harbour Immediately

1. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – Everything’s Getting Older

We here at Elba were as always delighted to take part and even more pleased that both albums in third place were in our top 3′s. Bon Iver in Chris’ and Mike Nisbet in both myself and Kim’s.

We caught up with Peenko in the midst of the vote counting madness!

- Album of The Year

Adam Stafford – Build A Harbour Immediately. This was by far and away my standout album of 2011. I was sent a sneaky promo copy way back at the start of the year and it’s pretty much been on repeat ever since. It initially starts out as a pop record, before descending into complete fucking madness, but somehow it all makes perfect sense.

- Song of the Year

That’s a tricky one, Eleanor Friedeberger’s (her what used to be in the Fiery Furnaces) ‘My Mistakes, Adam Stafford ‘A Temple of the Holy Ghost’ and Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat’s ‘Copper Top’ would all be up there. But I guess that Sparrow & The Workshop’s ‘Snakes in the Grass’ would be my top choice fo 2011.

- Best gig you saw

Frightened Rabbit at Sleazy’s was pretty awesome, but then again I have seen them plenty of times in the past few years. So instead I will go with The Shivers, Randolph’s Leap and Where We Lay Our Heads at Mono. Yes, I did put this gig on and yes, I am completely biased. But it really was an amazing night of music, normally I don’t think Mono is all that great for gigs, but folk were up and dancing and everyone I spoke to seemed to have a great night. Not bad for a rainy Monday night.

- Any musical thoughts to share on the year 2011?

To be honest with you it’s all a bit of a blur, in the past 12 months I’ve been involved in the release of 3 great albums, put on several shows, been to numerous festivals, shared a stage with Scott Frabbit and danced on tables (whilst Jim ‘Ayetunes’ was DJ-ing), plus a shed load of other stuff that I can barely recall it all.

- What does 2012 have in store for you?

More Olive Grove releases, possibly more gigs and plenty more blogging…

Here’s the full list of all sites who voted;

The Pop Cop, Jim Gellatly, The Steinberg Principle, Blueback Hotrod, Scots Whay Hae, Dauphin, The Daily Dose, Blues Bunny, Rave Child, Glasgow PodcArt, 17 Seconds, Net Sounds, The Tidal Wave of Indifference, edRock.net, Dear Scotland, Vic Galloway, Manic Pop Thrills, Edinburgh Man, Kowalskiy, Last Years Girl, Aye Tunes, Song, By Toad, Elba Sessions, Listen Before You Buy, Detour Scotland, Jock Rock, Found in Sound, Phuturelabs, The Daily Growl, Favourite Son, The ‘Spill, Scottish Fiction, Nicola Meighan, Jenny Soep, Rokbun, Curious Joe, Radar Scotsman Music Blog and of course Peenko.