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Wild Beasts, 'Smother' (Domino Records)
Archly dramatic, semi-androgynous, and utterly irresistible, England’s Wild Beasts serve up icy and immaculate rock beyond comparison on “Smother.” I’ll try anyway: The flamboyant falsetto of front man Hayden Thorpe recalls Freddy Mercury, while bassist/vocal counterpoint Tom Fleming’s craggy croon comes off a bit like Nick Cave, making their interplay a striking study in contrasts. A slow-burning, late-night kind of album, “Smother” is slow-jam R&B as envisioned by a bunch of English art school lads.—Rob van Alstyne, Pop Music Columnist, Twin Cities Metromix
How do you know that an album was your number-one favorite? Is it simply the one you played most often? The one that strikes you as most artful and unique? The one you think you’ll actually still be listening to next year? Or the one that hits at something deep and personal—the one that will always be fused in your memory to a major life event or two? Wild Beasts made it easy on me this year by ticking all of the boxes.—Adam McKibbin, National Community and Social Media Manager
