So, it's 11 days into 2010; what records are worth worth buying / hearing / downloading?

The Necks put a record out in November but I'm going to mention it here because I only just got it. Only one listen so far, and was washing up, but am looking forward to some serious immersion.

Also looking forward to Delphic, Spoon, and Four Tet albums over the next few weeks.

So far, all I've got is the new Vampire Weekend, which is ace. The next one I'm looking forward to is one of the ones you mention: Spoon. Of the three of their albums I've heard (the last three), Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is my favorite, so I'm hoping this one'll continue the trend, although Ga is going to be a hard one to beat.

The new one does not continue on from Ga stylistically, I'm afraid.

These all leaked in 09, but have 2010 release dates:

Yeasayer- Odd Blood
Los Campesinos- Romance is Boring
Midlake- The Courage of Others
Owen Pallett- Heartland
Toro Y Moi- Causers of This
Eels- End Times

xpost

That's fine with me, Nick. I just hope it isn't a regression in terms of quality.

Here's Insound's list of "upcoming releases": http://www.insound.com/upcomingreleases.php

Yeasayer's electro stylingz on "Love Me Girl" work and "Ambling Alp" was already one of the best songs from last year that blew away anything on MPP or Bitte Orca.

"Skydiver", "Little Freak" (somehow NOT on Raymond vs Raymond?), "Exhibit C" and "Mixin Up the Medicine" are all super hot tracks that have to be considered part of the new decade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsyrOGRxF0E

LOVE LOVE LOVE the forthcoming Hot Chip album (One Life Stand), which I don't think has leaked yet. Some unmistakeable (and confirmed as such by the band) UK Funky influences + an ace steel pan player who guests throughout (as first heard on their "Transmission" cover) + OMG, Charles Webster from This Heat! They've reined the arch wackiness in favour of a smoother (if still eclectic) overall flow and a more emotionally direct approach. Fewer bangers, but also fewer ballads (there's only one). The label have front-loaded the livelier stuff, after which there's a graceful drop-off into midtempo. Should be a huge album for them. (NB The album version of the title track is fuller and more fleshed-out than the standalone MP3 version which has been floating around.)

ftr my response to this will be "anything by or associated with The Knife" pretty much for the entire year

j stalin - prenuptial agreement

Burkina Electric!

I just hope it isn't a regression in terms of quality.

As a fan for the last decade, I'd say it's their least impressive album yet (on first listen).

The Midlake leaked?

The new Beach House record has its moments.

Yeah, the Midlake leaked back in December I believe. Very folky, I hear a lot of Fairport Convention in it, particularly on the tunes when an electric guitar solo bursts out of the plain acoustic folk touches. I like it, but then again I love Fairport Convention, but I think it may surprise some people that dug the 70s vibe of the debut.

Fredrik (pack of Swedes who had a killer in 08, Na Na Ni) leaked and is butt, unforch

Where can I find this leak?

mike t-diva, i think you're confusing Charles Webster w/ either Charles Hayward or Charles Bullen

Haha, did I really say Charles Webster? I meant Charles Hayward, of course.

i'm not sure i've heard any 2010 full-lengths apart from lindstrøm & christabelle (see much love passim) and hot chip (some BIG tunes but his voice is worse than ever, that milquetoast whimper pretty much ruins it, and on the worse songs the entire thing goes to shit somewhat).

really looking fwd to the knife and sade based on the lead tracks...

oh and the j stalin is high on my to-listen list too

C2 remix of Hot Chip's title track has leaked

Mordy, are you familiar with S0rd0 Mus1c D4t4b4se?

the j stalin is good. what do the people who've heard it think of 'heartland'?

I downloaded the Final Fantasy and Midlake albums today. After one listen the Midlake one is a huge disappointment I was actually willing it to end. The Final fantasy album seems pretty great, the second half is a lot stronger and has some really stunning moments.

I'm really excited to hear the Hot Chip album, both the tracks that they've put out have been wonderful. I listen to the last album a lot but it did feel a bit uneven. I read in Uncut they wanted the new album to be like Prince's Dirty Mind "all killer no filler"

hot chip (some BIG tunes but his voice is worse than ever, that milquetoast whimper pretty much ruins it

Wow, this is a perfect way to characterize my long-standing not caring about Hot Chip.

The new Midlake is great.

Lelawolf, Trunk Muzik

err...that's Yelawolf

What I've heard of the new Liars has been fuckin' awright! (e.g. Scissor).

Four Tet one's pretty decent in a "this is pretty unsurprising but characteristically good" type way. Terminally worried that the Yeasayer record is going to be just like the last one - moments of inspiration with shitloads of cotton wool packing it all in tightly.

I was not familiar with this SMD, but now I am! Thanks for the heads up :)

Why does Pallett mix his vocals so low on this songs? Fuck. He has some gorgeous melodies on his new album, but they're so buried in the mix that you can barely hear them!

new Vampire Weekend is really good.

Will Farah ever release her album on Italians Do It Better?

Wow, that Dead Skeletons track is really impressive, as are the two others on their Myspace page. Anyone know about plans for future releases?

i behoove everyone to download the Light Asylum track "Shallow Tears."

they're going to be blowing up this year, especially given that their live show is just MINDBLOWING.

http://www.thefader.com/2009/12/14/light-asylum-shallow-tears-mp3/

I am looking forward to the new Gil Scott-Heron album, 'I'm New Here.'

Wow, the Light Asylum singer's voice reminds of Alison Moyet. I guess that's the obvious thing to say about them. Anyway, a good find for me, thanks for the tip!

Yelawolf all day

Don't really get the point of this thread, the premise seems to be so ridiculously broad as to make it virtually useless. Surely if these albums are that good they deserve their own threads? Still, at least people are actually writing about things this time rather than posting endless lists.

Should we really be spreading the knowledge of the Heartland leak? Dude is one of us.

Oh please, he poos clouds!

Currently trying to get in touch with both Dead Skeletons and Light Asylum. DS aren't even signed but you can get the single by them on iTunes.

Light Asylum remind me of short lived Vince Clarke project The Assembly. Which is no bad thing.

C2 remix of Hot Chip's title track has leaked

― willem, Monday, 11 January 2010 19:42 (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

love this but can't stand the guy from hot chip's vocals, really hope there's an instrumental released

Don't really get the point of this thread, the premise seems to be so ridiculously broad as to make it virtually useless. Surely if these albums are that good they deserve their own threads? Still, at least people are actually writing about things this time rather than posting endless lists.

I kinda love this thread. I can't keep track of every album that comes out, so when an album gets a lot of love here I check it out. And I don't always want to check into a specific album's clusterfuck thread to try and figure out whether it's worth a listen or not. More often I'd rather hear about it here, and if I like it (or hate it) go check into the specific thread to catch up on the discussion around it.

It kind of goes without saying that the Lindstrom & Christabelle album is excellent. I'm really pleasantly surprised by New Young Pony Club's second as well.

have now heard & can second the j stalin album. why did i ever stop paying attention to bay area hip-hop after the hyphy craze?

yeah deej seems pretty evangelical re people sleeping on what he calls "nu-bay" stuff. check the two youtubes he posted in swag from last year's dj fresh - the tonite show:the album, they made me grab the record.

have the j stalin still waiting to be listened to.

second the yelawolf mixtape-as-album that several have cited above.

New Mock & Toof single is great.

Chalie Boy's mixtape "I'm Here" is no joke, wish it had "I Look Good" on it but they're saving that for the real album I guess. Also loving Al-Yaman's "Insaanya" and the Manu Chao live album/DVD, and don't even hate Vampire Weekend record. Don't worry, bitter cynicism will probably soon return.

'i look good' is one of my favourite songs from last year, i could never figure out what release of his to get. i'll definitely check that tape out.

Mordy OTM.

I've never gotten into him before, but I like a lot of the new Xiu Xiu album.

I've been a fan for awhile, but I'm pretty sure I'll skip buying the new Xiu Xiu. It hardly seems like there's anything new at all.

I like the song "Chocolate Makes You Happy"

Light Asylum have some new tracks coming out, plus remixes of "Shallow Tears" from Teengirl Fantasy, Blondes, and some others....as well as a collaborative track with TGF that legitimately sounds like The-Dream producing big-ballad lovesex music.

Yeasayer...hmm, I'm thinking I would like them?

that legitimately sounds like The-Dream producing big-ballad lovesex music

I don't understand, isn't this like saying "that legitimately sounds like The Sex Pistols producing snotty punk"?

well, yeah...Nyquil does that to the braaaaiiinnn..

what i meant to type, i think, was The-Dream producing Enya. yeah. lots of panpipes.

Alright that sounds interesting.

yeah, it really kind of is! and the pan-pipes are actually totally workin it on the track, too.

I love the VW, Yeasayer and Good Shoes - No Hope, No Future (Jan 19 UK). Spoon, Field Music & Massive Attack are pretty good, need more time.

So I'm kinda digging the Owen Pallett album even tho I always hated Final Fantasy, and now I'm wondering if I hated Final Fantasy because the names (band + album) sucked so much.

Liars, These New Puritans, some of Oh No Ono, Lindstrom and Christabelle, Lost Idol, Nedry, Causa Sui, Factory Floor.

For the first time in my life . . . I have been sent a Gucci Mane album. I actually feel sick with anticipation (even though I know I'll probably hate it).

Oh, and Drumcunt, Free Energy and Yeasayer.

I am really really loving Animal, the Ke$ha album. It's so goofy and fun! What the hell is wrong with me?

Anyone else gets reminded of that squonk, Uffie, with Ke$ha's vocals?

Massively into the Yeasayer, These New Puritans and Four Tet so far ... very much looking forward to the upcoming field music

I'm enjoying some of these Marina & the Diamonds songs, particularly "Mowgli's Road" and "I am not a Robot," though also, grudgingly, "Hollywood." Actually, maybe these were already released as singles in 2009?

http://www.myspace.com/marinaandthediamonds

I think she should probably stay away from attempts at sweeping social commentary, especially given her own description of herself as a "dumbo." Anyway, it is a problem for me in "Hollywood," but there's so much catchy stuff packed in there that I still find myself liking it. In general I'm impressed by just how sticky these songs are, sticking in my head sticky.

b&s & smiths fans may enjoy the northern portrait album on matinee. it stands out amongst most indie records in that the dude can and does actually sing rather than whine or mumble

Rudipherous, "Mowgli's Road" and "I Am Not a Robot" were released as singles already. "Hollywood" is officially forthcoming, but it's been out there for a while. Eff it... her album's not out for another month, but I'm going to go ahead and start a thread for her.

I probably read that (maybe on that other thread even), but were these songs released as singles in the US too? Anyway, it's new to me, and the album is coming out this year, as you say.

They were all available in very small runs on the NYC label Neon Gold (and the Crown Jewels ep, whence "I Am Not a Robot" comes, is still buyable I think). Note: that ep contains "Seventeen," a great song which didn't make it to the album.

"Seventeen" is also pretty good, imo. There's a lot of variety in her songwriting, but along with that I get the sense that she is really flailing about trying to figure out what she wants to do musically; but she's got talent so the sort of mish-mash that the songs some times sound like to me is interesting. I guess I should save this for her official thread which I see you started.

Gil Scott-Heron, of course. Best comeback in years.

Autechre is amazing.

b&s & smiths fans may enjoy the northern portrait album on matinee. it stands out amongst most indie records in that the dude can and does actually sing rather than whine or mumble

― iTote 2.0 (electricsound), Friday, January 22, 2010 6:03 AM (7 hours ago)

hey thanks for this, the jangly guitars and smooth voice are like catnip to me. kinda reminded me of "forever..." era felt too

Delighted with Four Tet.

b&s & smiths fans

Why are these bands always grouped together?

It's possible to like the Smiths and think B&S are the second coming of Satan, you know...

mainly because i think the album could appeal to either

i think northern portrait are more for math and physics club fans. it is a bit generous to compare them to the smiths.

I'm enjoying the Toro Y Moi album

Ray Wylie Hubbard, an Outlaw Country vet, has a great new album A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is No C.). More bluesy than country-ish to my ears.

I don't know why, but I'm really liking the new Pantha du Prince album, and as most post people reading this will probably know, I don't particularly like house or even electronic "dance music." I think one thing I like is the tiny (but not tinny) little sounds. (It's definitely not the inide rock guest vocalist who I could do without.) Bits of this remind me of gamelan chiming and other parts seem close to some of Terry Riley's sounds on Shri Camel (something I don't particularly like now, but in this case hearing something similar to those sounds, but perhaps refreshed, is a plus--I am just talking "sounds" not saying it sounds just like Terry Riley or anything, since for one thing it's house). This would be a great album to listen to while it is snowing.

When I downloaded this, I couldn't even rememmber what Pantha du Prince did, so I was expecting noise.

This would be a great album to listen to while it is snowing.

Ha - did you see this guy's press photos?
http://www.panthaduprince.com/photos/

I absolutely had not.

fabric presents Elevator Music: Vol. 1

http://www.nomusicmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/_shining_front.jpg

Yeah. I can't argue with that at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ_qD5LFFGI

^ first track off it I think - pretty good performance

Blackjazz is the first record of '09 I'm properly psyched about

and when I say '09 I mean '10

ace stuff, but this is the real killer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYvQ3ho5e9Y

^________^

lol @ how i didn't hear any of the lyrics until the end when he starts SWEARING

anyway that is kinda sweeeeeet

"The Madness And The Damage Done" might be even better. Wow. This is all freakin' fantastic stuff.

yeah... that middle section seems like it's escaped from OV. totally nuts.

YES!!! I was actually thinking that!!

A very impressive year so far. Even the disappointments haven't been especially disappointing.

? nothing's out yet, cept a bunch of indie

So the new Mycale Book of Angels Volume 13 is gorgeous. Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Sofia Rei Koutsovitis, Basya Schecter and Malika Zarra basically doing crazy inventive beautiful syncopated vocal stuff for 11 tracks. Just wild.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Mp5Y8xKAL._SS500_.jpg

that sounds glorious.

how is tht gonjasufi record?

I will rep for the Omar Sosa big band album (conducted by Jaques Morelenbaum, includes a cover of a Hermeto Pascoal tune). Some other stuff I love and/or like a lot: screamo concept album from Alesana, Rob Swift turntablist album dabbling in classical and jazz, Satoko Fuji, Al-Yaman, Manu Chao live double disc + DVD, Untied States.

Like Gonja Sufi a lot. It's not really as King Midas Sound as I expected. Some of it is lo fi rock and some sounds a bit like Lee Perry trying his hand at dubstep.

Loving:

Four Tet
Lindstrom and Christabelle
Yeasayer

Jury's still out:

Beach House
Spoon

Heard, shrugged:

Vampire Weekend

Top 10 so far, all positions very much in flux:
1. Hot Chip
2. The Imagined Village
3. Four Tet
4. These New Puritans
5. Charlotte Gainsbourg
6. Vampire Weekend
7. Lindstrom & Christabelle
8. Delphic
9. Erland and the Carnival
10. Spoon

Equal favourites for album of the year so far are High On Fire, New Young Pony Club, Lindstrom and Christabelle, Lone Lady and The Fall.

keep forgetting about the new lonelady stuff, gotta check it out

pretty soft-rock acoustic singer-songwriter stuff (yeah that genre is everywhere but his stuff is good)
Howie Beck
as of right now, the first 5 songs on his myspace player are off the new album: How to Fall Down in Public

I guess it came out a year ago but its new to me

Just picked up the new Pantha du Prince today, haven't heard it yet -- high expectations.

new U.S. Girls record ("Go Gray") is stellar. I've only listened once so far but I was really happy with it. And my hopes were high because I love her first one so much.

new extra life is also great. possibly an improvement on 'secular works'.

also psyched for the new dillinger escape plan, mogwai live album/DVD and THIS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzlmaWukpdk

Fucking fantastic:

Four Tet - There Is Love in You
Lindstrøm and Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool
Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Pretty good:

Beach House - Teen Dream
Mount Eerie - Black Wooden
Pantha du Prince - Black Noise
Spoon - Transference

WTF:

Lil Wayne - Rebirth

Yeah, U.S. Girls is great

Moon Duo's Escape is good

1. Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool
2. The Magnetic Fields - Realism
3. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
4. Beach House - Teen Dream
5. Four Tet - There Is Love in You
6. Spoon - Transference
7. Jack Rose - Luck in the Valley

Really digging Moon Duo.

The Burkina Electric, Nneka, Strong Arm Steady and Gil Scott-Heron albums are all pretty fantastic.

field musics new un is brill and keeps getting better

Carta, formed by our very own akm, has just released its second album An Index of Birds, and it's v. good -- and I would say that even if I didn't know him!

Pangaea EP on Hessle Audio

I bet that Nonesuch posthumous Ali Farka Toure release (with the similarly awesome Toumani Diabete) is worth hearing. I gotta get it.

Black Francis - The Golem

Top 20 so far (including reissues)

1. Bob Seger – Never Mind the Bullets Here's Early Bob Seger (Myonga CD-R reissue)
2. Joe Cuba – El Alcalde Del Barrio (Fania reissue)
3. Grong Grong – To Hell ‘N’ Back (Memorandum/Aberrant reissue)
4. Was (Not Was) – Pick Of The Litter 1980-2010 (Microwerks reissue)
5. This Moment In Black History – Public Square (Smog Veil)
6. Merle Haggard - I Am What I Am (Vanguard)
7. Kleenex/Lilliput - Live Recordings, TV-Clips & Roadmovies (Kill Rock Stars reissue)
8. Pylon – Chomp More (DFA reissue ‘09)
9. Bob Blank – The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 (Strut mix album)
10. Helloween - Unarmed: Best Of 25th Anniversary (The End reissue)
11. Marrow – Sunshine Enema (blissisignorance.com)
12. Screaming Females – Singles (Don Giovanni EP)
13. (Various) – Classic Appalachian Blues (Smithsonian Folkways reissue)
14. Ratt – Infestation (Roadrunner)
15. Art Museums – Rough Frame (Woodsit EP)
16. Blessure Grave – Judged By Twelve Carried By Six (Alien8)
17. Buraka Som Sistema – Fabriclive 49 (Fabric mix album)
18. Gary Allan – Get Off On The Pain (UMG Nashville)
19. Legendary Shack Shakers – Agridustrial (Colonel Knowledge)
20. Ray Wylie Hubbard – A. Enlightenment B. Endarkment (Hint: There Is No C) (Thirty Tigers/Bordello)

thanks for the plug ned!

I've spent most of this year listening to Harry Nilsson albums and not getting into new stuff. My own favorite album of the year so far: Retribution Gospel Choir, 2. Also liking Beach House but not as much as the first one. There's a new Fall album??? (one could probably ask that question and get a yes answer every six months)

Where can I find that Seger reissue?

That's an interesting use of the word "including," Chuck. (Very intriguing list, though.)

I'm really wanting to hear this Bob Blank – The Blank Generation: Blank Tapes NYC 1975-1985 (Strut mix album)!! Is it like a dj mix or unmixed?

YES @ screaming females!!! I was going to pick that up but realized I already have all the 7"s

the lp i have from them is "power move"...what is "singles"?

New Fall album called something along the lines of 'Our Future' will actually be their first in the best part of two years, which is a lengthy hiatus for them.

Any idea who's in the band now?

Should add that my granny is sadly unavailable for bongo duties.

It's the same line up as on Imperial Wax Solvent, unless I'm mistaken.

A very good line-up as it goes. No bongo players required.

Bob Blank CD is unmixed as far as I can tell; just a compilation of really good tracks.

Bob Seger CD-R was put together by one of our own; more info here:

Bob Seger Reissue News

And here's the track listing of that Screaming Females EP: Arm Over Arm/Zoo Of Death/Cortez The Killer/No Being Disgusting/Pretty OK/I Do

both PILL mixtapes essential for me ... ok dennnnn

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig

owen pallett
northern portrait
yelawolf

definite keepers so far

digging new album by Elephant9 on Rune Grammofon. norwegian heavy jazzy/proggy power trio of fender rhodes & hammond organ/bass/drums. keyboard guy plays with supersilent. drummer plays with shining.

like a lot:

yelawolf
lindstrom & christabelle
curren$y
gil scott-heron

like ok:

spoon
sade
alley boy
freeway & jake one
vampire weekend

just got hold of that new elephant9. wasn't so keen on the last one, but we shall see...

the new hey colossus (and the van halen time capsule) album is great. utterly terrifying, but great.

i love hey colossus. wanna hear the new one.

excited to hear this new us girls record.

that bob blank comp is really pretty excellent. if you're looking for something similar but in a mixed format, check out the mix justin vandervolgen (of !!!) did for golf channel- try to find me vol. 2. it came out late last year but nobody really noticed since that label is teeny and this is the first full length release they've put out so far. the new 'live at robert johnson' mix from gerd janson and thomas hammann is also stellar, albeit in a 90s-house kind of way. oooh and if we're talking reissues/comps don't sleep on the 'minimal wave tapes' comp on stones throw

oooh and if we're talking reissues/comps don't sleep on the 'minimal wave tapes' comp on stones throw

Saw that the other day. Looked pretty sharp.

Yes, it's excellent.

When I downloaded this, I couldn't even rememmber what Pantha du Prince did, so I was expecting noise.

― _Rudipherous_, Saturday, January 23, 2010 11:02 PM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark

i always sort of expect pandit pran nath, and am disappointed. but im dumb, and i think when things sound like they sound alike, they should sound alike.

new US girls is awesome, i like the new home blitz, the best coast singles have been really really good, and i am on the edge of my seat with excitement about the guinea worms' 2LP on its way to me.

enjoying the medusa snare album quite a lot - in fact i like it better than manhattan love suicides, from whom they sprung

there's a 2010 home blitz release? what it is?

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig

completely awesome people making completely awesome music imo

Fucking fantastic:

Four Tet - There Is Love in You
Lindstrøm and Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool
Pantha du Prince - Black Noise
Yeasayer - Odd Blood
v/a - The Minimal Wave Tapes Volume One

Decent, but patchy:

Massive Attack - Heligoland
Mount Eerie - Black Wooden
Spoon - Transference

No longer impressed:

Beach House - Teen Dream

WTF:

Lil Wayne - Rebirth

Etienne Jaumet - Night Music; very appropriately titled, wonderfully dark, droney, krauty, would be enjoyed by those who like gavin russom
Prins Thomas; really fucking awesome, more than lived up to expectations
Pawel; really pretty, delicate minimal, would be enjoyed by those who like pantha du prince
Petre Inspirescu - Intr-O Seara Organica; long winding hypnotic villalobos-ian techno, strange shuddering percussive loops, humming shimmering droning flecks of melody stretch out over top

Voice of the Seven Thunders - Voice of the Thunders

First new thing this year to blow my mind - psych-rock folk drone done right.

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

Both of the new Nigeria Specials (Afrobeat Special, and Modern Highlife 2) are AMAZING.

Love that Seeger mix (though I still haven't gotten all of the wmas to mp3). Love Yeasayer. What's on that Was (Not Was), Chuck? I've got most of their albums; missing some singles, etc. Worth getting?

Also, is that Art Museums on Woodsist? What's it like? I generally dig the Woodsist stuff, but it can be a bit inconsistent.

Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kings Ballad
Pat Metheny, Orchestrion
Titus Andronicus, The Monitor
Emmanuel and the Fear, Listen
Bird Show Band, Bird Show Band
Rob Swift, The Architect
Shearwater, The Golden Archipelago
Chalie Boy, I'm Here
Mob Rules, Radical Peace
Superaquello, Demos '99 (emailed to me by bandmember, not sure if it's a real album) (no suzy)
Allison Moorer, Crows
Sade, Soldier of Love

Gonzales' Pianist Envy totally blowing away everything else I've heard this year.

Titus Andronicus, The Monitor

i've heard some people raving about this album. is it still emo-ish/is it mostly like the last one (which, fwiw, i didn't have much use for)?

Chalie Boy, I'm Here

True story: I got sent ten different Chalie Boy albums in the mail last month -- all double or triple discs, mostly mixtapes -- and as much as I like "I Look Good," I haven't made it all the way through a single one. Overwhelming. I'll give I'm Here another chance, though.

it's pretty emo, daniel

when will the School's 'loveless unbeliever' leak?
northern portrait record is a drag, so bloodless.

i wanted to like chalie boy after hearing "i look good" but sadly that mixtape did nothing for me. it's mixed pretty quiet though and i listened to it on my headphones, which aren't very loud either.

Voice of the Seven Thunders - Voice of the Thunders

First new thing this year to blow my mind - psych-rock folk drone done right.

Great album.

Now hooked on those Dead Skeleton tracks.

Didn't get into the Gil-Scott Heron album much, but 'Me and the Devil' (is that what track 2 is called) is some fearsome wonderfulness

Pawel; really pretty, delicate minimal, would be enjoyed by those who like pantha du prince

Wow this record is fantastic. First thing I've out and out loved this year. I think people who are into the Four Tet and Pantha Du Prince records will really like it - really melodic, intricate, impeccably produced, warm bath techno. Except it's better than both Four Tet and PDP because virtually every track would work on the dancefloor as well.

I don't have a long list, but I am solidly behind all of these:

Marina & the Diamonds - The Family Jewels
Pantha du Prince - Black Noise
Matthew Shipp - 4D

xpost - yeah got to check that Matthew Shipp; saw him recently and keep forgetting to spend some time listening to him.

impressed me so far:

Infinite Body - Carve Out the Face of My God LP [ for me, the best thing I've heard this year so far; Fenneszy, droney, shoegazey ambient epics with short play lengths; magnificient stuff ]

Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise [ pretty and good; have even come round to liking "Stick To My Side" a lot ]
Fourtet - There Is Love In You [ its a grower, but I don't think I'll come to love it ]

and totally behind the Pawel love - this seems more like a natural successor to This Bliss than Black Noise; but I'm just a big fan of Dial so will pretty much always rep for them. (the track "Dawn" reminds me of blissed out Underworld circa Dubno... to Beaucoup)

I don't know if you've seen Phil's recent interview with Shipp, but it's worth checking out: http://burningambulance.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/matthew-shipp/

against all odds, RAHEEM DEVAUGHN. gotta get the deluxe two-disc edition though for 12 minute club banger "Lose Control".
.

Haha Raheem DeVaughn kills another thread. RIP

Although at some point one has to wonder...is it me? Signs point to yes.

Your intentions were good.

I'm not sure that telling people about liking a Raheem DeVaughn album can be classified as "good intentions."

i liked DeVaughn's last album, the singles hadn't really made me wanna hear the new one but I should check it out anyway. stuff i've been listening to that hasn't been mentioned on the thread yet, in descending order of preference:

Butch Walker and the Black Widows - I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart
Styles P. & DJ Green Lantern - The Green Ghost Project
Ted Leo/Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
Jaguar Love - Hologram Jams
Jay Electronica - Victory
The Superions - The Superions EP
Freeway - Freelapse
various artists - Hope For Haiti Now
Omarion - Ollusion

Some I've been liking (in approximate order of how much) since the last time I posted:

(Various) – Fire In My Bones: Raw + Rare + Otherworldly African-American Gospel [1944-2007] (Tompkins Square reissue ’09)
Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John Kirkpatrick, Barry Dransfield – Morris On (Fledg’ling reissue)
Chely Wright – Lifted Off The Ground (Vanguard)
Ke$ha – Animal (RCA)
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Buried Behind The Barn (Alternative Tentacles)
Laura Bell Bundy – Achin’ & Shakin’ (Mercury)
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Rush To Relax (Goner)
(Various) – Casual Victim Pile: Austin 2010 (Matador)
Raymilland – Recordings ’79-’83 (BDR reissue)
White Wizzard – Over The Top (Earache)
Home Blitz – Out Of Phase (Richie)
Drive-By Truckers – The Big To-Do (Atco)
(Various) – The Compleat Dancing Master (Fledg’ling reissue)
Vex’d – Cloud Seed (Planet Mu)
Elizabeth Cook – Welder (Thirty Tigers)

Infinite Body - Carve Out the Face of My God LP [ for me, the best thing I've heard this year so far; Fenneszy, droney, shoegazey ambient epics with short play lengths; magnificient stuff ]

Checking this out. Usually this describes something right up my alley.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Rush To Relax (Goner)

― xhuxk, Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:17 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

::easy joke::

Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John Kirkpatrick, Barry Dransfield – Morris On (Fledg’ling reissue)

Is this reissue of higher sound quality than the Hannibal cd pressing?

Thanks for reminding me of this record. I was unaware that it had been reissued. I used to jam this all the time back in the day to the chagrin of my friends who only wanted to hear Jesus and Mary Chain and the Cure. They eventually came around.

There are so many little things about this record that I love. Like the beginning track with the seemingly haunting violin intro that after a teasing false start leads with a snare crack into the dance, the numerous references to sex, the laughing storytelling, etc.

I hate using this term for music, but it really is a very fun record. Everything seems so free and easily executed, but the craft is really exceptional. The musicians are so tight together and the singing and harmonies are natural like these fellows were raised with folk music in their blood (probably so).

After hearing this I got really into Fairport Convention and Incredible String Band, but even after growing out of the whole 60s English folk-rock thing, Morris On is the record I still return to. It's simple and great.

My top two albums so far, by some distance, are Ted Leo's The Brutalist Bricks and Mark E's Works 2005-2009. I wasn't expecting to love the Leo nearly so much--I'm a fan, but wasn't into the last one much at all. I realize it's the go-to cliche about him, but he sounds so committed it's breathtaking. "Ativan Eyes" I put on loud, on headphones, on repeat, all the time.

i'm a big TL stan and i'm kinda surprised at how well that album is going over with most people, sounds like by far his weakest album to date for me

Really, more than the last one? Because the last one was not good.

(Obv. you like it enough to put it third on your own list so I know "weak" is a relative thing for you.)

yeah i mean i was just listing records worth hearing. last one was definitely overlong but still had some of my favorite songs by him on it.

Zola Jesus- Stridulum EP

may favorite so fare is Newsom's new record. mind blowing!

Disappointing and not going to make my EOY list I'm sure, but minimally worth hearing (especially if you hadn't heard a couple of the better tracks already as singles): Tokyo Jihen's Sports.

I should probably leave this for fans to rave about, but I would add Laura Marling's I Speak Because I Can. I'm still sorting through the album. The quieter material tends to lose me, but I particularly like "Devil's Spoke," "Darkness Descends," and "I Speak Because I Can." "Indie folk" is not a very inviting label to my ears, but I find this at least pretty tolerable.

Infinite Body - Carve Out the Face of My God LP [ for me, the best thing I've heard this year so far; Fenneszy, droney, shoegazey ambient epics with short play lengths; magnificient stuff ]
Checking this out. Usually this describes something right up my alley.

― musicfanatic, Sunday, 14 March 2010 19:46 (Yesterday) Bookmark

nice. be interested to hear what you make of it.

I think it's pretty great.

^^^want to hear

this year is going to be so immense that i'll need to post to this thread to keep track of all the awesome

roughly ranked:

the knife feat. mt. sims + planningtorock - tomorrow, in a year
shining - blackjazz
thomas white - the maximalist
the fall - your (our) future, our (your) clutter
extra life - made flesh
jaga jazzist - one armed bandit
pantha du prince - black noise
gorillaz - plastic beach
caribou - swim
four tet - there is love in you
the brian jonestown massacre - who killed sgt pepper

stuff i need to hear that's already been released: these new puritans, infinite body, pawel, shearwater, marina & the diamonds, most things in this thread

stuff i'm anticipating for the rest of '10: can't even begin

stuff i need to hear that's already been released: these new puritans

Hear this now. It's incredible.

Infinite Body - Carve Out the Face of My God LP [ for me, the best thing I've heard this year so far; Fenneszy, droney, shoegazey ambient epics with short play lengths; magnificient stuff ]
Checking this out. Usually this describes something right up my alley.

― musicfanatic, Sunday, 14 March 2010 19:46 (Yesterday) Bookmark

nice. be interested to hear what you make of it.

― De que estas hablando? (Tannenbaum Schmidt), Monday, March 15, 2010 2:58 AM (2 days ago) Bookmark

Stopped listening after three tracks and bought it off Amazon. Loved it! Thanks for the rec.

Been listening to Scuba's Triangulation. Pretty great dubstep album.

Yeah LJ I think you would dig the These New Puritans album.

Pawel = very nice, Shearwater = not exciting.

My 2010 CD purchases thus far, about half new/half used (with most played/at least 3+ spins in bold:

Beach House, Teen Dream
Eluvium, Similes
Four Tet, There Is Love in You
Gorillaz, Plastic Beach
High on Fire, Snakes for the Divine
jj, jj No. 3
The Knife, Tomorrow, In a Year
Liars, Sisterworld (+ bonus disc)
Lil Wayne, Rebirth
Lindstrøm and Christabelle, Real Life Is No Cool (+ bonus disc)
Madlib, Madlib Medicine Show No. 1: Before the Verdict
Madlib, Madlib Medicine Show No. 2: Flight to Brazil
Massive Attack, Heligoland
Mount Eerie, Black Wooden
Pantha du Prince, Black Noise
Pavement, Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement
Skullflower, Strange Keys to Untune God's Firmament
Spoon, Transference
Strong Arm Steady, In Search of Stoney Jackson
These New Puritans, Hidden
Yeasayer, Odd Blood
v/a, The Minimal Wave Tapes Volume One

Loving that Minimal Wave Tapes comp. I hope it helps get Esplendor Geometrico some wider recognition.

I'm digging this new Besnard Lakes album WAY more than I expected to.

Haven't heard it yet but the buzz is that the new Polar Bear (Nick? NICK?) is the dog's bollocks

Picked up both the Autechre and Gonjasufi things yesterday. Enjoying both so far.

yep the new Besnards is wickkk

am also favouring the Prins Thomas LP (which i'd convinced myself was going to be a let down) it's the beardy disco lp i've listened to most enthusiastically since Lindstrom & Prins Thomas or the Bjorn Torske from a couple year ago

the Virgo LP is king of the reissues and lovely on vinyl

My top 20 list as it stands at the 1/4 point of the year:

1. Owen Pallett-Heartland
2. Los Campesinos- Romance is Boring
3. Midlake- Courage of Others
4. Yeasayer- Odd Blood
5. Field Music- Measure
6. Easton Corbin- s/t
7. Yelawolf- Trunk Muzik
8. Spoon- Transference
9. Marina & the Diamonds- Family Jewels
10. Ray Wylie Hubbard- A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenmet...
11. Toro Y Moi- Causers of This
12. The Besnard Lakes- Are the Roaring Night
13. Lindstrom & Christabelle- Real Life is No Cool
14. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
15. J Stalin- Prenuptial Agreement
16. Carolina Chocolate Drops- Genuine Negro Jig
17. Laura Veirs- July Flame
18. Retribution Gospel Choir- 2
19. Gil Scott Heron- I'm New Here
20. Corinne Bailey Rae- The Sea

And here's my quarterly report:

1. Ali & Toumani - Ali Farka Toure / Toumani Diabate
2. Genuine Negro Jig - Carolina Chocolate Drops
3. One Life Stand - Hot Chip
4. San Patricio - The Chieftains / Ry Cooder
5. I Speak Because I Can - Laura Marling
6. I'm New Here - Gil Scott-Heron
7. Hidden - These New Puritans
8. Black Noise - Pantha Du Prince
9. Empire & Love - The Imagined Village
10. Soldier Of Love - Sade
11. Heligoland - Massive Attack
12. Heartland - Owen Pallett
13. There Is Love In You - Four Tet
14. Earthology - The Whitefield Brothers
15. Contra - Vampire Weekend
16. Acolyte - Delphic
17. Head First - Goldfrapp
18. One-Armed Bandit - Jaga Jazzist
19. IRM - Charlotte Gainsbourg
20. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz

Can't stretch to 20:

1. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
2. One Life Stand - Hot Chip
3. I'm New Here - Giul Scott Heron
4. Contra - Vampire Weekend
5. There is Love in You - Four Tet
6. Real Life is no Cool - Lindstrom & Christabelle
7. Acolyte - Delphic
8. Soldier of Love - Sade
9. jj no3 - jj
10. Odd Blood - Yeasayer
11. Kellermesnch- Kellermensch
12. Landings - Richard Skelton

Richard Skelton seconded, beautiful record. Also liking These New Puritans, the Knife, Pantha Du Prince. Loads of other stuff I still need to catch up with though.

the Virgo LP is king of the reissues and lovely on vinyl

that's the disco reissue from the mid-70s, right?

This is what I've liked thus far, in alpha order:

Cathedral - The Guessing Game
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Live At Hollywood High
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - Propellor Time
Ihsahn - After
Ratt - Infestation
Bob Seger - Never Mind The Bullets, Here's Bob Seger
Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones
Voice Of The Seven Thunders - Voice Of The Seven Thunders
White Hills - White Hills
Various Artists - Nigeria Special, Volume 2: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-76

The Voice Of The Seven Thunders record is far and away the best thing I've heard. Far and away.

yeah, that soundways disc is fantastic.

I think it's better than the Afrobeat Special.

My Q1 lists are here: http://thediscography.tumblr.com/post/480134038/2010-q1

Q1 top ten, roughly ordered with most played at the top:

Four Tet
jj
Lindstrom and Christabelle
Pantha du Prince
Yeasayer
The Knife
These New Puritans
Spoon
Gonjasufi
Autechre

Just purchased the last two a few days ago, so they haven't really had a chance to catch up with the others... but, both excellent.

1. The Knife
2. Four Tet
3. Gorillaz
4. Gil Scott-Heron
5. Pantha du Prince
6. Gonjasufi
7. These New Puritans

There are a few others that I've found decent (Hot Chip, Infinite Body, ...) but these seven will definitely end up on my 'best of 2010' list.

I was initially a little let down by the new PdP album (let's face it; it's not at the same level as This Bliss ... though not much is). But it's a grower. I think, in part, because it's not as strong melodically, but the textures and rhythms do leave a strong impression. It may end up higher on my year-end list than I would imagine it to be now.

the school's album has leaked, woo.

Aaron Martin - Worried About the Fire
Golden Retriever - Golden Retriever
Yellow Swans - Going Places
Beach House - Teen Dream
Virgo - Virgo

Roughly in order of preference...

Four Tet (most listened to so far; beatific)
Caribou (can't wait to pick up a proper CD)
Lindstrom & Christabelle (second most listened to)
Owen Pallett (still haven't fathomed every corner and twist, but thoroughly enjoying the slow seepage of it into my heart)
Spoon (I'm a sucker for them)
Polar Bear (nice and concise after the meander of the last record)
Pantha Du Prince (should I get This Bliss?)
Massive Attack (surprisingly good, and lasting; some great highlights)
The Knife (too many inconsequential moments, but the great bits are truly awesome)
Joanna Newsom (need more listens)
Laura Marling (as above)

Recommend me a couple more to buy; just been paid.

Nick you have been asking "would I like this?" about This Bliss for THREE YEARS now. How about you just, like, listen to it? It's not very difficult in this day and age.

Also it's wonderful and way better than the new one.

Think this thread would be a lot more useful if people were actually making more of a case for records and bothering to describe them in a bit of detail, rather than a succession of people listing the same records in different orders. As it is, it seems so broad as to be pointless.

But then again, if any record is worth talking about it's worth its own thread.

Would I like This Bliss?

Who is Nick Clegg?

How many fibres are intertwined on a Shredded Wheat biscuit?

Nick, you might like the These New Puritans album. Hard to describe but it's good adventurous stuff. Maybe a bit of This Heat/Liars-esque dissonance over dancehall rhythms combined with a wind ensemble playing vaguely Efterklang-ish parts. You get this mixture of tense urban claustrophobia intercut with shards of not-quite-restful neo-classical beauty. Still unpacking it here, so I'm not entirely sure yet how successful it is, but it's certainly an intriguing listen.

Hmmmm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxGGZQCtB_Q

I know this is my disgusting indie bias, but I do kind of like the way their means fall so short of their ambition and you get this clunky scrapyard attempt at the sublime.

Kyle Hall - Kaychunk, moreso than any of the other releases this guy has put out, it dips into the two big transatlantic sounds atm (a bid 2-step, a bit deep-house) without really explicitly being anything other than a continuation of his other stuff (still not as good as the water is fine tho)

Julian Lynch - Orange You Glad, like a scientific academic approach to chillwave. Submerged vocals, dreamy but slightly skronky saxaphones, miles of horizon, made on some guy's laptop.

(should I get This Bliss?)

Absolutely.

Recommend me a couple more to buy; just been paid.

First on your list should be Erykah.

Nick, you might like the These New Puritans album. Hard to describe but it's good adventurous stuff. Maybe a bit of This Heat/Liars-esque dissonance over dancehall rhythms combined with a wind ensemble playing vaguely Efterklang-ish parts. You get this mixture of tense urban claustrophobia intercut with shards of not-quite-restful neo-classical beauty. Still unpacking it here, so I'm not entirely sure yet how successful it is, but it's certainly an intriguing listen.

Also seconding this. And this coming from someone whose top five also includes Lindstrom/Christabelle and Four Tet. I don't agree with Nick that it falls short of its ambitions, though; I think it achieves exactly what it sets out to do.

Little Women - Throat. not quite sure what rolling thread to put this in

You get this mixture of tense urban claustrophobia intercut with shards of not-quite-restful neo-classical beauty.

Agree with this, but less so re. the Efterklang comparison - mainly because their new album leaves me stone cold, whereas I love the TNP album. Nick, you can add me to the "I think you'll like it" list.

Haven't heard the new Efterklang album tbh (the one track I heard didn't do much for me). Was just thinking of the ensemble playing on Parades and their tendency to SOAR! SKYWARDS! all the time.

Am in a similar position to Nick regarding TNP and Pantha Du Prince - will get on both ASAP.

Am not in a similar position to Nick regarding The Knife because seldom have I heard a double-album that stays fucking amazing for 100 minutes

Recommend Nick gets his mitts on that Thomas White album ASAP

Sadly, the school's album is not that fabulous.

but the electric pop group's new record is the best brighter record in a long time.

These New Puritans and The Negro Problem going to have a fight over acronyms.

A+ first quarter, 2010.

I agree. Last year and so far this year have been really good to the ears

This is a really horrible year for complaining about how horrible a year it is.

LCD Soundsystem is refusing to bed in after the initial shock of the new actually. The Optimo Fabric mix on the other hand is tip top.

new Zs album is extraordinary.

14 Worth-Its, some from late last year. Ke$ha and WASP are the only ones that are consistently surprising and exciting, unless you count the revelation that David Bowie has written good songs since 1983. I'm digging all the love for Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Ke$ha--Animal
WASP--Babylon
Mary J. Blige--Stronger With Each Tear
Vampire Weekend--Contra
Josh Turner--Haywire
David Bowie--A Reality Tour
Carolina Chocolate Drops--Genuine Negro Jig
XP8--Drop the Mask
Nneka--Concrete Jungle
Spoon--Transference
Alicia Keys--The Element of Freedom
Los Tucanes de Tijuana--Retro-Corridos
Blake Shelton--Hillbilly Bone
Gary Lucas & Dean Bowman--Chase the Devil
Lady Antebellum--Need You Now

Oh wait, I guess that's 15. Even better.

Ke$ha and WASP are the only ones that are consistently surprising and exciting

Can you show me the way to this imaginary fantasy wonderland where Ke$ha is "consistently surprising and exciting"?

Or just share some of whatever you're on.

start here:

http://aceterrier.tumblr.com/post/439283435/we-are-in-the-second-week-of-the-third-month-of

Wow, that was... long! I promise to read it before I die. Whose tumblr is that?

Basically, when music makes me laugh out loud AND invent new dances while driving my car AND I can't stop listening to it, I become surprised and excited. My fantasy wonderland is chiefly comprised of five songs: "Your Love is My Drug," "Stephen" (which sounds like--what?--Debarge? Somebody help me out...), "Party at a Rich Dude's House," "Back$tabber," and "D.I.N.O.$.A.U.R." All the rest are pretty good (except "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes"), and two of those are big hits, so you can discuss them with your poor friends. "Stephen" and "Back$tabber" are produced by David Gamson, who I think is the Scritti Politti dude, and those are the most sonically inventive of the bunch. In particular, "Back$tabber" has this whole go-go trumpet kitsch feel that's 10x more playful and groovy than anything Beck did for the Charlotte Gainsbourg album.

I'm also impressed by the startling variety of ways in which Ke$ha's voice is manipulated, while still sounding like a slightly-off actual voice and not a sound effect. I mean, there are definitely sound-effect voices all over the place, but the beginning of "Take It Off", for instance, sounds like Evil Ke$ha, and the line "run-yourmouth-more-thananyoneI'veeverknown" in "Back$tabber" sounds like Ke$ha Barking on Helium.

Xhuxk didn't wanna toot his own horn, I'm sure, but you should also start with his list of Ke$ha's laugh lines (can't get to post with the url), to which I'd add the part where she offers to knit Stephen a sweater, and the part in "Ki$$ N Tell" where she says "I hope you cry."

While I was trying to figure out why ilm wouldn't let me post, I read that tumblr entry and it was definitely perceptive. Ke$ha invites thoughtful unpacking in a way that lots of music doesn't--which doesn't necessarily make her music better, but does mean she's not just some one-dimensional disco strawgirl, which is what I initially thought after hearing "Tik Tok," which I now like a lot. I liked how Aceterrier spent some time on how Ke$ha's partying=fighting, which reminded me of what you hear in crunk songs.

I'm glad you guys didn't protest my affection for WASP!

Xhuxk's blog post:

http://blog.rhapsody.com/2010/03/kesha.html

Ke$ha invites thoughtful unpacking in a way that lots of music doesn't--which doesn't necessarily make her music better, but does mean one can make a half-heartedly convincing argument that she's not just some one-dimensional disco strawgirl, for those willing to buy into such a thing

Wait, what am I buying into--that she's not a one-dimensional disco strawgirl? Or that one-dimensional disco strawgirls exist?

I'm definitely willing to buy into the former.

Besnard Lakes

the little of that aceterrier Ke$ha post i read is really good -- "TiK ToK" excepted, I'm not really interested in her music, but, as with all music, in the hands of the right critic there are always interesting things to be said about her stuff

"Your Love Is a Drug" is the worst song i've heard in a while, though

Oh man, you must have seen me dancing to it. Let me apologize for that.

It's definitely one of the lesser cuts on the album (even though I quoted it twice in that post dr. phil linked to. And btw, wasn't so much that I didn't want to toot my own horn as that I think lots of folks had already written more perceptively about the record before I jumped on the bandwagon; the acterrier a/k/a Jonathan Bogart manifesto, obviously, and a bunch of others ones linked to from my Rhapsody post. Not that any of them will convince people who don't want to listen.)

or people who have listened and think ke$ha sucks. yeah, it was a good post, but until she quits with the autotune treble vomit thing she's going for, i'm not interested.

i did a Q1 roundup http://alexmacpherson.tumblr.com/post/493272716/2010-first-quarter-report (plus five forgotten trax in the next post)

Oh wow. See, when I heard that song, I thought "This is the CD for me." Her (no doubt manipulated) voice is so high and clear on the chorus, and plus I'm a sucker for chord inversions, one of which features prominently under her first "YOUR LOVE!" Honestly, I think my willingness to buy into inverted chords is MUCH more problematic than my willingness to buy into disco strawgirls. I almost fooled myself into liking the new OK Go based on their ability to invert a couple chords.

LAURA MARLING!!!!!

or people who have listened and think ke$ha sucks.

^^^^^^^^^^

thank you stephen for your well-considered and -articulated opinion of ke$ha's music.

you haven't heard ke$ha till you've written a multiple thousand word tumblr post on her iirc

If that's the case then I haven't heard any music, period. I have better uses for my time.

We're wandering far afield here. ILXOR, I meant what I asked above--what exactly am I buying into?

xhuxk's right—well-written, intelligent criticism can't convince anyone to listen to Ke$ha, or any other music for that matter; at the same time, i think it's worth giving all music a chance. still, i don't think there's anything wrong with ilxor's approach of just skipping it b/c he's not interested

I heard a RnB song by Sade called 'Soldier of Love' and that was the first time I've enjoyed popular radio RnB since forever (I don't know what version of the song). I admittedly never tried to listen to any RnB in ages (but I can say I do like some motown, michael jackson and dat nigga delmar rap (if that counts as RnB)

it's important to be open-minded, but there's so much music out there it also helps to be a merciless filter for yourself

xpost

skipping something because you didn't like it on first listen is acceptable, but apparently people who have heard the whole album and thought/read some about it can appreciate ke$ha as something more complex and interesting and exciting than whatever ilxor's impression is. if you ask "can you explain to me why this interests you?" but are hung up on "i heard this once and think it sucks" it kind of suggests you're not that willing to actually find out.

I don't see anything wrong with dismissing something you don't like after one listen, but being genuinely curious as to what someone else might hear in it. I do that a lot.

i agree, i just think there's a difference between "i'm genuinely curious, and although it hasn't changed my mind, your answer is satisfying and illuminating" and some dismissive shit like "one can make a half-heartedly convincing argument ... for those willing to buy into such a thing." maybe i'm being too sensitive.

Okay, I think I see where you are coming from.

Be$nard Lake$

Okay, NOW I'll listen to 'em.

ILXOR, I meant what I asked above--what exactly am I buying into?

Meant the former.

i don't think there's anything wrong with ilxor's approach of just skipping it b/c he's not interested

I've heard the full album, several times, and I truly don't care for it. Not sure how that's considered "just skipping it" -- do I really have to write a 20-page Tumblr entry to show I've done my homework?

apparently people who have heard the whole album and thought/read some about it can appreciate ke$ha as something more complex and interesting and exciting than whatever ilxor's impression is.

Again, I've heard the whole album. I just don't think there's that much to think about. It's pop music, it's not particularly deep, which isn't bad in and of itself -- I like plenty of pop music that I don't have to think about too much. Thing is, I don't think the songs are particularly compelling, like I think fun, interesting pop songs should be. It just doesn't push the right buttons to me.

i just think there's a difference between "i'm genuinely curious, and although it hasn't changed my mind, your answer is satisfying and illuminating" and some dismissive shit like "one can make a half-heartedly convincing argument ... for those willing to buy into such a thing."

At some point I've got to choose not to devote more and more time to a set of songs that's not clicking for me. Thus I've heard the album, I didn't like it much, and I don't feel a need to read that blog post. If others get something more out of it, and genuinely enjoy reading the post, (over)thinking about the music, then who am I to take that away from them? Seriously, go nuts!

Okay now please explain now how a "20-page Tumblr entry" is "half hearted." (Maybe you wished it went 40?)

I mean, clearly you're curious, or wouldn't have asked to be shown "the way to this imaginary fantasy wonderland where Ke$ha is 'consistently surprising and exciting'?" (Or oh yeah, maybe you were just being a jerk.)

People like different things shocker.

Okay now please explain now how a "20-page Tumblr entry" is "half hearted."

Actually, I'm sure it is rather full-hearted. Good point. I haven't read the damn thing anyway so I suppose it's wrong of me to pass judgment. Not so with Ke$ha's album, which remains wholly unappealing to these ears.

I mean, clearly you're curious, or wouldn't have asked to be shown "the way to this imaginary fantasy wonderland where Ke$ha is 'consistently surprising and exciting'?" (Or oh yeah, maybe you were just being a jerk.)

Not curious at all. Like I said, I've heard the album. I am not curious to hear it again. I was being snarky. This is something that people regularly do on ILX, as I'm sure you've noticed. Don't get the jerk thing at all. I was basically saying, "I have heard Ke$ha and her music is neither surprising nor exciting to me. I would like to say this in a way that is in line with typical ILX posting mannerisms and social etiquette."

ILXOR, thanks for answering me, and for clarifying your experience with the album. I totally appreciate that our visceral responses to Ke$ha's music are different, and that there's not much either of us can or should do about that.

I also don't take issue with your "imaginary fantasy wonderland" terminology, however snarky your intent may have been, because for me this album IS a fantasy wonderland, one in which I can abide and enjoy being around someone as obnoxious as Ke#ha. Her singing on "Tik Tok" is fascinating, because she sounds like she has a good voice, but she twists her "i" sounds and flattens her "o" sounds to completely blow any chance of people taking her seriously. She reminds me of people I would have avoided in the cafeteria. The album this sometimes reminds me of is Avril's cheerleading album, which iirc was also largely a Dr. Luke production. But Avril would never let herself sound so careless, because she's invested in being a Good Singer, even when cheerleading. That Ke@ha sounds best when she's trying to sound Worst, or when she's being autotuned into impossible pinpoints of tonality--that she MAKES SOMETHING of all this problematic singing--seems to be the jumping off point for interesting Ke%ha commentary/manifestos. But of course, if you don't think she MAKES SOMETHING of it, you probably won't care about the commentary, and it'll seem like homework.

She reminds me of people I would have avoided in the cafeteria.

Good write-up, dr. phil. The above is a good analogy but I don't see why her music is appealing depsite this. She sounds completely careless, "trying to sound Worst;" is this a so-bad-it's-gotta-be-good thing? I can't see another way around it...

Well, it's not like she's Nico or Esquivel. I mean, I sort of hate to go here and may totally be proven wrong by the sands of time, but are Dylan or Axl Rose "so bad they've gotta be good"? No. At least not in some kitschy or ironic way. And neither are they good IN SPITE OF their "bad" singing. Their singing IS their goodness, and it's the same with Ke$ha. And this seems to be at the crux of all the headscratching. How can everything I've known about good singing be wrong?

(Sorry if you take sincere, unironic pleasure from Nico and Esquivel.) (I guess Nico can be pretty, but she's more an "in-spite-of-her-voice" character.)

and thanks for goading me there, that was helpful

Sorry if you take sincere, unironic pleasure from Nico

:'(

ilxor i am genuinely surprised that you have heard the entire ke$ha album. iirc you don't fuck with piracy, right? did you pay for it?

of course ilx is snarky, but i wanted to call you out on this partic incident it because you were making it sound like the only way someone could like ke$ha is either disingenuously or by 'letting yourself fall for it', and that type of thinking just sets of an alarm in my brain.

ilxor i am genuinely surprised that you have heard the entire ke$ha album. iirc you don't fuck with piracy, right? did you pay for it?

YouTube'd the singles + have a 21 year old sister going through a "rebellious" phase = have heard the album. :)

Also, my initial post:

Can you show me the way to this imaginary fantasy wonderland where Ke$ha is "consistently surprising and exciting"?

Key word: me.

I've no problem with others digging her stuff, I just don't enjoy it myself!

right it wasn't the tone at all, silly us

I am puzzled by your reference to Esquivel. Is his reputation such a joke? I take sincere unironic pleasure from Esquivel. He is a genius. He is dazzling. His elevator has left the building.

right it wasn't the tone at all, silly us

Not my fault you're not the sharpest crayon in the box, k3v.

if i may interrupt the sniping for JUST a second, here are some more albums i'm liking:

Traband, Domasa (Venerable Czech nutjobs, rollicking Romany rockin')
Brandon Wright, Boiling Point (fun & funky jazz, post-boppery but with an edge)
Big Light, Animals in Bloom (file under power-pop alt.country new wave jam band, but better than that sounds)
Anne McCue, Broken Promise Land (Aussie blues singer/guitarist, compare to Wilson sisters)
Pie Eyed Pete, Lake County All Star (I think he's like Ike Reilly's next door neighbor, good Midwestern songs)

someone actually gave me a box of four crayons today, incidentally

i hope they weren't the kind they give out in some restaurants, they break so damn easily

Esquivel!

Hinklepicker otm!

I am puzzled by your reference to Esquivel.

Esquivel's probably not a joke, I was just grasping for kitsch. (And also upthread I applauded the kitschiness of Ke$ha's "Back$tabber.") Maybe a better example of "so bad it's good" music would be that Young Money song that has an entire thread to itself. But even with that, there are people--including me--who take sincere unironic pleasure from it. (Is it "Bedrock"?) The problem with calling something is "so bad it's good", ESPECIALLY if you're using that to explain someone else's reason for liking something, is that it has connotations of ironic distance. I mean, first of all, you shouldn't assume that whenever somebody likes something you consider garish, they're doing so for ironic reasons. (I'm not accusing you of this, ILXOR, I'm just pointing out the problems with what I perceive is our common reading of "so bad it's good.") And second of all, "so bad it's good" basically equals a "guilty pleasure," a fallacious notion that I'm sure has been ably debunked on billions of ILM threads.

To sum up, Ke$ha's appeal is not that she's "so bad she's good," like Young Money's sorry excuses for wordplay. But she has lots of singing techniques that even I, a fan, consider Bad. These techniques are integral to her appeal. And Esquivel rox.

FWIW, I'm a big fan of ironic distance. If Nabakov can do it as a writer, why can't I do it as a music fan? I tend to hear untrustworthy narrators in a lot of music, probably where the artists didn't intend them, and this has added considerably to my enjoyment of music over the years. So even liking something with ironic distance isn't necessarily bad. But now I'm wandering far afield, when I should be thanking Cibula for making me wanna listen to Brandon Wright.

Maybe a better example of "so bad it's good" music would be that Young Money song that has an entire thread to itself.

But it's not "so bad it's good"... it's just bad. Er, in my opinion, anyway.

you shouldn't assume that whenever somebody likes something you consider garish, they're doing so for ironic reasons.

Not my implication at all. And I get what you're saying and I can't really argue any of it, so there. :)

20 q1 faves in alpha order:

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
Field Music - Measure
Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
High On Fire - Snakes For the Divine
Ihsahn - After
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
Los Campesinos! - Romance is Boring
Ludicra - Tenant
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
Pantha du Prince - Black Noise
Robert Pollard - We All Got Out of the Army
Shooter Jennings & Hierophant - Black Ribbons
The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack
Spoon - Transference
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
These New Puritans - Hidden
Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
Vampire Weekend - Contra

I can get behind the Erykah album as one of the year's best. Just heard it on its Tuesday CD release date (late to the ILM party, as usual) but it's really something. Relaxed, relaxing... flows very well from start to finish.v

I downloaded the new Midlake. I like it, but on first listen I'm not sure I like it as well as Espers II, from that same vein of retro-60s folkie with bits of 70s metal.

Voice Of The Seven Thunders in with a bullet. Awesome guitars.

FWIW, I'm a big fan of ironic distance. If Nabakov can do it as a writer, why can't I do it as a music fan?

Well, because Nabokov's ironic distance is creative, authorial and intrinsic; it's an element of the work. You can employ ironic distance in your appreciative stance all you like, and even create brilliantly ironic criticism that alters the way others see the work, but the song is the song. Ke$ha et al are the song's Nabokovs, not you.

Merle Haggard - I Am What I Am

Oh good, I thought we'd stopped comparing Ke$ha to some of the greatest modern-day artists to have drawn breath. Maybe we can devote 400 posts to MIA and Lady Gaga on this thread as well? That'd show the world we care about pop!

How 'bout Merle?

Oh look, I said something really insightful about a pop artist the whole fucking world has an opinion on! Truly this is what ILM should be about. As for the other 27829 albums released so far this year, I say fuck them, who's listening? Justin Bieber probably deserves some serious artistic consideration at this point, btw

Merle? I'd need to listen - maybe you could sell her a bit?

La Merle Noir

Merle? I'd need to listen - maybe you could sell her a bit?

She's like Ke$ha but raunchier/sexier, and the songs are even more tossed off. It's like the impossible is now possible!

"Merle Hazard is perhaps best known for his songs about the credit crisis. He is the first and only country singer to write about mortgage-backed securities.."

hey lj, how about you chill out or shut the fuck up

Dude we were just hearing about Merle Haggard and you ruined it!

Broken Water "Whet" on Night People records.
Olympia power trio doing their best Unwound tribute without calling it that.
Favorite thing I've heard all year (that wasn't created by a friend, anyway).

What is the favorite thing that WAS created by a friend?

Forthcoming record by a band called HEATER. Record is called "God and Hair" and it should be out on Permanent Records in July if all goes accordingly, I suppose.
Pop punk trio, short catchy songs.

M.V., your point is worth discussing, but since I don't wanna tie up this thread, come visit me at Is actually possible to listen to music ironically?

And just so everyone's clear, my Nabakov paragraph above was UNRELATED to Ke$ha, and only meant to qualify my stance against listening with ironic distance. Ke$ha isn't Nabakov. She's not even Lolita.

Lagos Disco Inferno - afro disco compilation is great. Really enjoying this.

Isn't it just?

Sadly, the school's album is not that fabulous.

― keythhtyek, Thursday, 1 April 2010 12:37 (2 weeks ago)

very much have to agree with this. i think it's clear why almost the entire of the previous 2 EPs are on there - without those tracks the album is very weak. and the autotune on her voice is unconscionable.

xpost to Trip Maker

Heater is indeed awesome, they played to an audience of exactly 1 in Ithaca and they were awesome. Haven't heard anything they've done in the last year, but I'd love to. btw you wouldn't happen to be in Chicago the next week would you? I'm going to be there for a bit for work and it'd be cool to see you if you're there.

i like the Raised by Swans record, like the czars mixed with some canadian band.

New Sightings album is fucking incredible.

ayup

Oh No Ono - Eggs
Lindstrom & Christabelle - Real Life is no Cool
Mark E - Works 2005-2009
Rafter - Animal Feelings
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Before Today

Certain I've missed something out which I've really liked here. Tons of individual tracks/eps/singles too, but that's another list.

some records I've been listening to that haven't been mentioned yet:

Nels Cline Singers - Initiate
Nice Nice - Extra Wow
Trans Am - Thing
Jimi Hendrix - Valleys of Neptune
Fabolous - There Is No Competition 2: The Funeral Service
The Living Sisters - Love To Live
The Bird & The Bee -Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates
Ludacris - Battle Of The Sexes
Beanie Sigel & Freeway - The Roc Boys

Hey, Z, I will not be in Chicago. I am posting a Heater set on my radio show blog that you can listen to.
They played live in the studio at my friend Pat K's last broadcast. They are a three piece now and are even better.

Some stuff I'm currently liking:

Allison Moorer- Crows
Quasi- American Gong
Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can
E-40- Revenue Retreivin': Day Shift
Alan Jackson- Freight Train
Brotha Lynch Hung- Dinner & a Movie

Brotha Lynch Hung- Dinner & a Movie

yeah this is dope btw

Al, how's the Nels Cline record?

Though it suffers from deliberate cheapness of synths at moments, I liked the new Serafina Steer upon my first listen. She's an English harpist/pianist songwriter who writes mystical, pretty little pop songs.

Japandroids "Art Czars"
Beak> "Wulfstan"
Happy Birthday "2 Shy"

Some albums I've been liking that I didn't mention upthread yet:

Traband – Domasa (Indies Scope)
Shakin’ Street – 21st Century Love Channel (Pervade Productions ’09)
Kevin Dunn – No Great Lost: Songs, 1979-1985 (Casa Nueva)
Chin Chin – Sound Of The Westway (Slumberland reissue)
The Endtables – The Endtables (Drag City reissue)
Method Actors – This Is Still It (Acute reissue)
Redskins – Epilogue (Insurgence reissue)
Colt Ford – Chicken And Biscuits (Average Joes Entertainment)
Jon Oliva’s Pain – Festival (AFM)
Gogol Bordello – Trans-Continental Hustle (Columbia)
Wounded Lion – Wounded Lion (In The Red)
Johnny Winter And – Live At The Fillmore East 10/3/70 (Collector’s Choice reissue)
Trombone Shorty – Backatown (Verve Forecast)

So glad someone else has finally heard a Traband album, I've been flogging them for YEARS. More guitars/fewer accordions this time, nice effect. Also co-sign on love for Jon Oliva's Pain.

Surprisingly, I like the Holy F*ck and MGMT records. Not my type of thing, but great examples of their style. And the Apples in Stereo disc is kinda hot too, if you like that sort of thing...AND I DO.

All Kinds of People Love Burt Bacharach

Al, how's the Nels Cline record?

― ksh, Saturday, April 17, 2010 3:30 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i'm not the biggest fan of the Singers as a vehicle for him, but it's by far their best record and it's such a feast that i'm still kinda digesting it too much to totally articulate what's good about it

Trombone Shorty – Backatown (Verve Forecast)

what do you think? judging from his myspace it's going to be a super polished version of his brass band/rock/pop/jam thing. doubt i'll end up listening to it much but i hope it works out for him, he can play his ass off and tours hard. his band has gotten 100x better since the first time i saw them.

Just got it a couple days ago. I definitely like it, but I'm not sure how much. It's definitely slick; haven't figured out yet whether that's a good or bad thing. (I've never really listened to him much before, tbh.)

he puts on a show, but this is the trombone shorty i like to see:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS0yTuFGJxE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYQ5ZTwhAmA

White Fence - s/t is killin it!
Smith Westerns
Hey Colossus & the Van Halen Time Capsule
Melted Sunglasses
Tyvek
Surfer Blood
Broken Water
Pocahaunted
Acid Mothers Temple
Wounded Kings

...these have all released excellent things this year.

I want to hear that Endtables reissue!

Cathedral - The Guessing Game

stunner of a double album. Really surprised me.

On first listen & a half, the new Daddy Yankee album, Mundial, is surprisingly good. Lots of autotune, but somehow it doesn't add up to the same sort of blurry sound that's been coming from, e.g., Wisin & Yandel. When he does that current "futuristic" sounding reggaeton, it's got a harder feel to it. Not necessarily fully behind this yet, but it's definitely better than I expected and I could see it growing on me with a few more listens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCXztPz7pGQ

so the ikonika album contact, love, want, have doesn't seem to have been mentioned here yet...it's up there with sade and erykah as "album of the year" candidate. dubstep (but not dubstep really), off-kilter synth viscera, messed-up beats and 8-bit bleeps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB9zPOGsPgw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lOQQEYNPdk

(Better example of what I was talking about on this album, as far as a reggaeton sound similar to what's been coming out since 2007, but a bit better than the norm, imo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWpxFRk4Ho)

White Fence - s/t is killin it!
Smith Westerns
Hey Colossus & the Van Halen Time Capsule
Melted Sunglasses
Tyvek
Surfer Blood
Broken Water
Pocahaunted
Acid Mothers Temple
Wounded Kings

...these have all released excellent things this year.

wait Tyvek put something out? what is it? s/t was one of my faves of last year

On 1/2 listen the Nels Cline Singers album is ¡¿EL QUE?!

yup yup

Sort of surprised to not find a single mention of Harlem's Hippies in here. I could see someone really into the Black Lips liking these guys.

I could see it growing on me with a few more listens.

Done. I think this will end up being one of my favorite albums of the year unless I become too intolerant of the couple tracks I don't like. I won't clutter the thread up with any more youtube links, but I will mention "La Señal" sounds especially great to me at the moment.

Nina Nastasia / "Outlaster"

Against Me! - White Fences

i think tyvek is skyin lp, old stuff iirc

some talk about hippies in the rolling punk thread. i like it fine but it's no free drugs;)

Sounds like I need to hear Free drugs ;) then, I never really heard more than one of the tracks Pfork was streaming at one point.

I'm putting this here to increase the chance certain people will see it: don't ignore reggaeton this year (if you are at all interested in it). Mainstream reggaeton is doing better/more interesting things than it has in a few years, imo. (Just a crazy year for music all around.)

Four tracks in, the new Jowell & Randy, El Momento, is really interesting.

could you post some songs, at least names if not youtubes? i'd be interested in peeping new reggaeton.

Posted some Daddy Yankee on this thread earlier, but here's my favorite from the new album:

Daddy Yanke - La Señal

http://www.youtube.com/v/bPLAm_0ZDN0&fs=1&hl=en

Here's something from the new Jowell & Randy which is kind of different:

http://www.youtube.com/v/dqFMy8laHlk&fs=1&hl=en

(psssst em pee three latino dot org)

Damn, now that I'm home I find that the sound on that youtube posting of "La Señal" is indeed crap.

Really curious to hear a bunch of today's new releases -- The Fall, Flaming Lips & Stardeath, Flying Lotus, Woods, off the top of my head. Anyone have tips as to which are worth my hard-earned ca$h today?

Today also looks like a Pfork indie fuxxor's wet dream, btw, with the New Pornographers, the Hold Steady and Broken Social Scene all taking their respective shits on the same day.

ilxor, so much better than all of us

Pardon me for being giddy enough to spread my enthusiasm over 3 threads. Many of you will enjoy the odd anonymous viral project iamamiwhoami, which many perhaps ignored due to media associations with Christina Aguilera or run-of-the-mill Stockholm-via-London indie pop. Its much more a project in the Fever Ray mold, the visuals are remarkable examples of low-budget but well-crafted in AfterEffects (etc) psychedelic neopaganism.

My excitement is in part because I think this is the rebirth of one of my favorite Scandopop groups of the last two years.

ilxor, so much better than all of us

Hey, if you wanna buy those album, go for it! I cast no blame.

:-)

bought the BSS nigh an hour ago :-)

in any case, let us know if any of the albums you do pick up are worth a shit

tips from ilxors are always good

LOL

I'm definitely picking up Lotus; others undecided.

Still listening to the new Daddy Yankee album all the time, so good.

Francis and the Lights - It'll Be Better

cannot emphasize this enough

new Salif Keita cd

Some good releases I haven't seen mentioned:

Evelyn Evelyn - Evelyn Evelyn (Amanda Palmer's showtunes/musical/radio drama project, which is more fun and lively than anything the Dresden Dolls have done.)

Quadron - Quadron (Danish electro-soul thing, like a continuation of the first Roisin Murphy album for me)

Barnwave/Kevin Blechdom - Live In Australia (great free live album with some of her old tunes, random snippets of covers, and tunes from her upcoming musical.)

The Secret History - The World That Never Was (well, if you liked My Favorite, you should end up liking/loving this)

Jana Winderen - Energy Field (rather awesome field recordings and drones of arctic oceans/marine life/icebergs, etc. I like this better than Chris Watson actually.)

Alessandro Bosetti - Zwölfzungen (Italian sound collage-artist collects recordings of 12 foreign languages he doesn't understand, and then creates ambient/sparse/glitchy music around them, sometimes mimicing the way the word flows, a la The Books. You can listen to full tracks here although sadly the song that sounds a bit like a Robert Ashley/Asa Chang & Jun Ray mashup is not included.)

Matthew Herbert - One One (I'm finding his very shy/polite/awkward vocals more endearing than I thought I would)

More I've been liking:

Bigg Robb – Jerri Curl Muzik (Over25Sound/Robbmusic ‘09)
Shinyribs – Well After Awhile (Nine Mile)
Luther Lackey – Preacher’s Wife (Ecko)
Jeff Eubank – A Street Called Straight (Drag City reissue)
Rachid Taha – Bon Jour (Knitting Factory)
The Fall –Your Future Our Clutter (Domino)
Jason Boland & The Stragglers – High In the Rockies: A Live Album (Apex Nashville/Thirty Tigers)
(Various) – Next Stop Soweto: Vol. 3: Giants, Ministers and Makers: Jazz In Souoth Africa 1963-1984 (Strut! reissue)
Herpes – Das Kommt Von Kussen (Tapete EP)
Jas – Live At Jerome’s (Gulcher)
Colt Ford – Live From Suwannee River Jam (Average Joe’s ’09)
Jason Moran and the Bandwagon - Ten (Blue Note)
Intocable – Classic (Sony Music Latin ‘09)
Darryl Moore – Whereimat (SomeOthaShip)
Indian Jewelry – Totaled (We Are Free)
Colt Ford – Country Is As Country Does (Average Joe’s EP ‘09)
The Sediment Club – The Sediment Club (Softspot 7-inch EP

Looking forward to the Indian Jewelry record

Dimlite's Prismic Tops ep, which actually sounds more FlyLo to me than any member of the Brainfeeder crew

So the new Tracey Thorn album is amazing, and tho I can't imagine an album that ILX could possibly dislike more, I'm loving the new Damian Marley / Nas album.

My top ten so far:

1. Kelis - Flesh Tone
2. Yelawolf - Trunk Muzik
3. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
4. Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea
5. Lindstrom & Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool
6. Erykah Badu - Return of the Ankh
7. Big Krit - Krit Wuz Here
8. Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives
9. Four Tet - There Is Love in You
10. Gayngs - Relayted

what is gayngs

gays + gangs iirc

My favorites:

Vampire Weekend - Contra
Four Tet - There Is Love In You
Against Me! - White Crosses
Lindstrom & Christabelle - Real Life Is No Cool
Drive-By Truckers - The Big To Do
Sam Amidon - I See the Sign

And a lot of also-rans.

kelis - flesh tone
vampire weekend - contra
sightings - city of straw
yelawolf - trunk muzik
z-ro, jay dawg & lil c - i aint takin no loss 2
starlito - i still love you
flying lotus - cosmogramma
ariel pink's haunted graffiti - beyond tomorrow
the pack - the pack is back
meek millz - flamerz 3

gayngs is coked-out white boy soul como:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m2pBzdlmHw

samosa: I think me and you have both the same top album and top single (yahzarah, ja?) :)

ja, although i've only listened to kelis a couple times so it might've been impulsive

and you were right about the yahzarah lp, sadly

:(

I impulsively declared the Kelis album of the year a couple days ago after like 2 listens, but I've listened to it like 5 more times (including right now) since so

1. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
2. Alva Noto, For 2
3. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
4. Yellow Swans, Going Places
5. Sun Araw, On Patrol
6. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
7. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
8. Indian Jewelry, Totaled
9. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
10. Little Women, Throat

samosa: for your part, what is Sightings?

they're a groovy textural and occasionally pretty harsh noise rock band. i generally keep loud guitar music outside ilx lists and discussion because there's not a huge market for it around here outside of rolling punk/noise/psych threads, but it's an incredible album if you're at all into that sort of thing. entirely unlike anything else on mine or your list, though, so approach with caution.

i generally keep loud guitar music outside ilx lists and discussion because there's not a huge market for it around here outside of rolling punk/noise/psych threads

not sure about that

sightings are good obv

well there are like two posts in the sightings thread this year and one of them is by me so

yeah, this board is full of noize dudes

there are half a dozen sightings threads

maybe noise is a bit quiet right now tho!

damn that gayngs song bangs

it reminds me of, like, quiet village, but as a band that writes songs

i guess i should say that it bayngs

it bayngs

xp nakh-c'est possible. anyways it's not like i think ilx is void of noize, more that the type of discussion i've found most fruitful and abundant has been elsewhere.

but you can't say there's that much noisy guitar talk, there wasn't even a drunkdriver thread this year, and the noise thread has got like twenty posts in it. i mean this was originally the freaky trigger forum, obv most of us are *open minded* but that doesn't mean there are riches of talk going on about everything.

samosa & Rev, you guys have made me want to check out the Kelis and Yelawolf

xp oh, I haven't actually checked out the noize thread, I just figured it was more fruitful than that

that's probably because there hasn't been a record to enthuse enough people and draw fairweather listeners i guess

and the extremity of a lot of noise/noisy music does tend to foreclose discourse

the support for boredoms in the 90s poll shows the love is there tho

(xxp)

1. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
2. Alva Noto, For 2
3. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
4. Yellow Swans, Going Places
5. Sun Araw, On Patrol
6. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
7. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
8. Indian Jewelry, Totaled
9. The Fall, Your Future Our Clutter
10. Little Women, Throat

cluttered list imo

can't believe it's still 11 days into 2010

i'm pretty thankful, i'll be able to listen to every 2010 album before end of year ballots are due

i don't care to belong to any club that wouldn't have boredoms as a member.

faves so far

vampire weekend - contra
hot chip - one life stand
the fall - your future our clutter

lcd and sleigh bells are pretty good (if a bit spotty) too.

Sleigh Bells is probably my favorite LP this year so far

gayngs thing is choice thanks rev

My top ten:

1. Owen Pallett- Heartland
2. Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt
3. Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can
4. Los Campesinos- Romance is Boring
5. Field Music- Measure
6. Corrine Bailey Rae- The Sea
7. Drive By Truckers- The Big To-Do
8. Yelawolf- Trunk Muzik
9. Midlake- Courage of Others
10. Marina & the Diamonds- Family Jewels

damn this gayngs album is really dope

its really funny how much it seems like it wouldnt be

My single for the summer is shaping up to be "Young Blood" by The Naked and Famous. I've probably listened to it 100 times over the past couple weeks, and don't see that trend falling off anytime soon.

digging Keyes' list

I'm way behind on 2010 (I blame the funk listening club)...haven't seen Forest Swords "Dagger Paths" mentioned yet, excellent hazy Olde English Spelling Bee goodness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgYOcWh8G5E

sam amidon's voice is really nice

digging the gayngs record too

I guess at this point for me it's kind of like:

1. Cibelle, Lâs Venus Resort Palace Hotel (tie)
1. Ike Reilly, Hard Luck Stories (tie if you consider this 2010, dq'ed if 2009)
2. Erykah Badu, New Amerykah Vol. 2: Return of the Ankh
3. Allison Moorer, Crows
4. Titus Andronicus, The Monitor
5. Mulatu Atstatqe, Mulatu Steps Ahead
6. Janelle Monae, The Archandroid
7. Traband, Domasa
8. Cathedral, The Guessing Game
9. Sade, Soldier of Love
10. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Brutalist Bricks
11. Beppe Crovella, What's Rattlin' on the Moon
12. Satoko Fuji, Desert Sun
13. Al-Yaman, Insanyya
14. Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kings Ballad
15. Various Artists, My Name Is Khan soundtrack
16. Rob Swift, The Architect
17. High on Fire, Snakes for the Divine
18. Michaels Uncle, Return of Dark Psychedelia
19. Omar Sosa & NDR Big Band, Ceremony
20. Raheem DeVaughn, The Love and War MasterPeace

neverever album on slumberland is pretty good if you like the idea of a more indiepop blondie meets garagey girl groups.

Aw hell forgot a bunch of albums including Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, MGMT (I know, right?), several more.

I've spent the most time with Laura Marling and Francis and the Lights records. Love both so so much. Anticipating Ciara and The-Dream and Last Train to Paris.

roach gigz

lurking these boards for a bit, anyway here's a list of my 2010 faves:

COOLRUNNINGS - BUFFALO/BABES FOREVER EP (available for free here: http://coolrunnings.bandcamp.com/)

White Hinderland - Kairos

Bonobo - Black Sands

Fredrik - trilogi

Malachai - ugly side of love

Pangaea - s/t

Sarah Jaffe - Suburban Nature

Okay that Babes Forever ep is a major candidate for a spot on the best album covers of 2010 thread.

oh my lord

the music is pretty good too.

hey pakkit, are you coolrunnings?

no, i only capitalized them because that's how they've written their name. all of the bands i listed are highly recommended.

So far, albums, none are quite perfect:

Pantha du Prince - Black Noise
Delorean - Subiza
Onra - Long Distance
Erykah - New Amerykah pt. 2
LCD Soundsystem

Big Boi album is gonna be sick.

Emeralds - Does It Look Like I'm Here?
Matthew Herbert - One One
Dettmann - Dettmann

why, yes I read Matos's column, why do you ask

pakkit is the new Bonobo less cheesy and Morcheeba-like than "Days to Come"?

And Big KRIT - KRIT wuz here

^^^otm

Yup.

einh

Is "einh" a good or a bad thing?

lol it's like, "meh." works better spoken aloud though

i just think it's a step down from "the last king," way less fun and i don't like any of the serious moments on it, which there are way too many of. can't stand shit like "viktorious."

It's not as fun as The Last King, but I am totally down with serious Krit and like everything on the album so

serious or not-serious i dont think those are his problems. some of the 'best songs' are super generic tho

New albums I've been liking since last time:

Jace Everett – Red Revelations (Western Boys/Hump Head)
Jamey Johnson – The Guitar Song (Mercury)
The Orlons – The Wah-Wahtusi/South Street (Collector’s Choice reissue)
Katrina And The Waves – Katrina And The Waves (CGB reissue)
RockTits – Heavy Cosmic Groove Mix (aordisco.blogspot.com mix)
Walter Gibbons – Jungle Music (Strut mix)
Cankisou - Lé La (Indies Scope)
Tutu And The Pirates – Sub-Urban Insult Rock For The Anti/Letcual 1977-1979 (Factory25 reissue)
John Jackson – Rappahannock Blues (Smithsonian Folkways reissue)
Chubby Checker – It’s Pony Time/Let’s Twist Again (Collector’s Choice reissue)
Jefferson Airplane – Setlist: The Very Best Of Jefferson Airplane Live (RCA/Legacy reissue)
Trace Adkins – Cowboy’s Back In Town (Universal)
Dr. John and the Lower 911 – Tribal (429)
Katrina And The Waves – 2 (CGB reissue)
Dierks Bentley – Up On The Ridge (Capitol)
Steve Winwood – Revolutions: The Very Best Of (Island reissue)
(Various) – Ayobaness! The Sound Of South African House (Out Here)
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Wages (SideOneDummy)
Tim Woods – The Blues Sessions (Earwig)
Terry Knight And The Pack – Terry Knight And The Pack/Reflections (Collector’s Choice reissue)
Da-Exclamation Point -- Unreleased Recordings 1980-81 (Factory 25 reissue)
Major Lazer – Lazers Never Die EP (Interscope/Downtown/Mad Design EP)
Andy Cohen – Built Right On The Ground (Earwig)
Stone River Boys – Love On The Dial (Cow Island)
Heart – Red Velvet Car (Legacy)
(Various) – Indies Scope 2009 (Indies Scope ’09)
Rick Schaffer – Necessary Illusion (Tarock)
Stone Temple Pilots – Stone Temple Pilots (Atlantic)
Janiva Magness – The Devil Is An Angel Too (Alligator)

albums I've heard for the first time and sort of liked:

royal bangs - let it beep (2009)
the constellations - southern gothic (2009)
the ruby suns - fight softly (2010)
the strange boys - be brave (2010)
tUnE-yArDs - BiRd-BrAiNs (2009)
le loup - family (2009)

Boris - Variations

Have been listening to Listen to Black Glove – Vol. 01 a lot.

this has been a great year so far. everywhere i turn there are new, unexpectedly exciting things happening, e.g., this baths disc and (i sheepishly admit) some of the stuff i've seen on this new p4k offshoot site, altered zones.

Holy shit the new Charming Hostess is some explosive, insanely brilliant shit. I was hoping it'd be good (cause I'm a Jewlia-stan) but never dreamt it would be this good.

did a Q2 report http://alexmacpherson.tumblr.com/post/812669799/2010-second-quarter-report

Ha! I was waiting for your 2nd Quarter report Lex! Got into soo much stuff from your first one. Thanks very much:)

Does 2010 have a consensus (or close-to-consensus) favorite yet? I can't think of anything.

Okay. From Lex's list so far. Princess Nyah-extraordinary. Funk Butcher 'Pull Me Close' - wonderful. This is going to be my whole evening gone I think.

:)

Does 2010 have a consensus (or close-to-consensus) favorite yet? I can't think of anything.

Big Boi maybe.

This is going to be my whole evening gone I think.
I have scheduled my weekend around the list!

Also, is there a K.Michelle thread? I thought I saw one the other day but the search facility isn't telling.

New ones I've liked since last time:

Flynnville Train – Redemption (Evolution)
Frank Zappa – Greasy Love Songs (Zappa reissue)
Scott Morgan – Scott Morgan (Alive Natural Sound)
Radar Favourites – Radar Favourites (Reel Recordings reissue)
Randy Houser – They Call Me Cadillac (Show Dog)
Dave Douglas & Keystone – Spark Of Being (Greenleaf Music)
(Various) -- Black Sabbath: The Secret Musical History Of Black Jewish Relations (Idehlson Society reissue)
The Mother Truckers – Van Tour (World)
ARE Weapons – Darker Blue (Defend)

Oops, three more (probably even more marginal than ARE Weapons, but still):

Chrome Dome – Chrome Dome (Lexicon Devil EP)
Spoek Mathambo – Mshubu Wam (BBE)
Jimmy Edgar – XXX (!K7)

Lex's 2nd Q recs leave me equal parts exhilarated and embarrassed at my utter cluelessness. I mean how have I managed to not hear of Quadron until today!!? SMH. But at least I can now attempt to make up for lost time and spend money I don't have on their album. I'm almost afraid to delve further into the list!

Quadron folks also doing another project called Parallel Dance Ensemble, which appeals a little more to my fun side (though I don't know if there's been anything new in 2010 yet). In fact, Robin Hannibal is one of the busiest people in music right now that no one ever talks about (Quadron, PDL, Owusu & Hannibal, Non +, Boom Clap Bachelors).

Thx for the info JF!

xhuxk what songs on the new jimmy edgar do you like? i loved color strip but found that one hard to get into

I guess the parts I like best are the ones where he sounds to me like he's imitating Yello ("Function Of Your Love"), Zapp ("New Touch"), Jonzun Crew ("Vibration"), and, uh, maybe Gino Soccio type space disco with intermittent Maggotron type vocal interjections ("Push," which is probably my favorite on the album.) Couple tracks after "Push" seem real pretty to me, too; sometimes reminds me of French electronic stuff I heard in the late '90s, before Daft Punk hit. But it's not like I pay attention to much electronica at all these days, or hear much that I care about, so I'm probably not the best judge of this stuff. For all I know, there are lots of artists doing this sort of thing. Never even heard of Jimmy Edgar before this one. So probably marginal, like I said.

Chrome Dome – Chrome Dome (Lexicon Devil EP)

never thought i'd see these guys on ilm! local dudes with a somewhat polarising effect on audiences. i like em, but this EP is limper than their live show

Doubt I'd be able to handle their grandkids-of-Cabaret Voltaire/ Normal/Chrome (!)/Metal Urbain/whatever schtick for a whole album, but at EP's length it's passably entertaining. Just glad somebody's doing that kind of stuff again. (And I haven't seen them live, obviously.)

xp And yeah, I'm so clueless I still call it "electronica." (Though I guess Edgar is considered an "electro" guy? That'd make sense, if so. Not sure if he'd fall under what people consider "techno" now, or not.)

albums I've been listening to that haven't been mentioned here yet, favorite to least:

Gucci Mane - Mr. Zone 6
The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
The Roots - How I Got Over
Scarface - Dopeman Music
Young Jeezy - Trap Or Die II
Medications - Completely Removed
UNKLE - Where Did The Night Fall
Rasputina - Sister Kinderhook
The-Dream - Love King
Reflection Eternal - Revolutions Per Minute
Zeena Parkins - Between The Whiles
Freeway/Jakk Frost - Defense, Offense

Forthcoming record by a band called HEATER. Record is called "God and Hair" and it should be out on Permanent Records in July if all goes accordingly, I suppose.
Pop punk trio, short catchy songs.

― Trip Maker, Thursday, April 8, 2010 6:44 PM (3 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

WOWWOWOWOWWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOWOWWOWOWOOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW

also unmentioned (i think?): max richter, perfume genius, nina nastasia

Perfume Genius <3 <3 <3 but it's an intense listen.

Freeway/Jakk Frost - Defense, Offense

as freeway stan #1 your opinion matters to me al - how good is this?

i loved all of the 09 stuff you did, if that helps

09 freeway, that is

My new favourite (it says 2009 on the CD case, but I think it only emerged reasonably widely this year): Yakuza Heart Attack's second album, 'II'.

"8-bit prog-metal squee" is the best way I can describe it. All instrumental. Synths (lots of), bass and drums. Amazing.

http://ser.bigcartel.com/product/yakuza-heart-attack-ii

Freeway/Jakk Frost - Defense, Offense

as freeway stan #1 your opinion matters to me al - how good is this?

― terry squad (k3vin k.), Friday, July 23, 2010 1:08 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

well half the tracks are Frost, who's not bad but i mean noone really needs to hear a Freeway weed carrier (beard carrier?), so it's not exactly essential. but the other 30+ minutes are some of Free's best recent stuff, "Chief Rocka" and "Lay U Down" are dope.

Accidentally stumbled on this the other day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V-6tDnzPOE

rofl @ beard carrier

Opinions on these 2010 albums high on the RYM chart (that I know nothing about)?

Negura Bunget- Maiestrit/Măiastru sfetnic & Vîrstele Pămîntului (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Anathema- We're Here Because We're Here (Alternative Rock)
Shad- TSOL (Conscious Hip Hop)
Heaven in Her Arms- Paraselene (Screamo)
Brendan Perry- Ark (Darkwave)
Univers Zero- Clivages (Avant-Prog)
Standstill- Adalante Bonaparte (Indie Rock)
Ea- Au ellai (Funeral Doom Metal)
Agrypine- 16[485] (Melodic Black Metal)
Wuthering Heights- Salt (Power Metal)
The Pineapple Thief- Someone Here is Missing (Alternative Rock)
Rosetta- A Determination of Morality (Atmospheric Sludge Metal)
Anais Mitchell- Hadestown (Contemporary Folk)
A Forest of Stars- Opportunistic Thieves of Spring (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Throes of Dawn- The Great Fleet of Echoes (Progressive Metal)
Carbon Based Lifeforms- Interloper (Psybient)
Samsara Blues Experiment- Long Distance Trip (Stoner Rock)
Les Discrets- Septembre et ses dernières pensées (Shoegaze)
Angus & Julia Stone- Down the Way (Indie Folk)
Treat- Coup de Grace (Hard Rock)

Angus & Julia Stone- Down the Way (Indie Folk)

aust. pap iirc

faust arp iirc

wilter otm

Amy Annelle - Cimarron Banks

Happy/ashamed/wtf-xor'd to say I've come around to "Tik Tok" at the very least -- but, it's still the only Ke$ha song I enjoy.

Don't necessarily go buy it, but Fuego's La Musica Del Futuro is pretty good. Very commercial street merengue (which doesn't mean everything on it fits under that category, but it's the core). He has collaborated with Pitbull in the past, for those for whom that is a plus (not me).

http://www.myspace.com/chosenfewfuego

My favorite cuts are: Que Buena Tu Ta ft. Deevani, and maybe the album intro., Super Estrella, Me Gustan Todas, Ya Te Olvide, A Mi Manera, and maybe Lo Bombero.

Oh wait the maybe the album intro" was meant to go before Lo Bombero, and pasting sloppy cutting

(That time it was intentional.)

Happy/ashamed/wtf-xor'd to say I've come around to "Tik Tok" at the very least -- but, it's still the only Ke$ha song I enjoy.

― ilxor has truly been got at and become an ILXor (ilxor), Thursday, September 9, 2010 10:40 PM (Yesterday)

That took courage and I won't forget it. It sounds even better roller skating! Maybe you were roller skating?

Nope, but I'm taking my little girl to a roller-skating birthday party this weekend. Maybe they'll play it at the skating rink?

If you're lucky! Who knows what perverse kicks lurk in the hearts of skating rink DJs? A couple years ago they played a bunch of Stevie B, it was like heaven. The junior high band kids didn't know what hit 'em. When they played the unedited "Blah Blah Blah" for the band kids I kind of raised my eyebrows, but I wasn't fool enough to protest. Of the four singles, "Tik Tok" is probably the most kid-friendly. Which is weird.

barking

Of the four singles, "Tik Tok" is probably the most kid-friendly. Which is weird.

Agree, I wouldn't be surprised to see a singalong version of "Tik Tok" on Kidz Bop in the coming year or so.

q3 report - http://alexmacpherson.tumblr.com/post/1249598047/2010-third-quarter-report

Excited to hear Back To Me, "Man of the House" has become one of my favourite songs of the year.

the los-produced "who's been lovin' you?" is u&k

Nice, thanks lex!!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51pYlNONIdL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Reina-Juliana/dp/B0045DO93M/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1289099344&sr=1-1

Hmmm, I have this thread to myself which probably means nobody reads it, but I'd like to add:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5102U3zpKBL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Mentioned elsewhere, but:

Horsepower Productions - Quest For The Sonic Bounty
Console - Herself

Shad - TSOL ain't too bad either, although it's been placed under "conscious rap" which does it no favours. Nice production and clever rhymes, and it isn't talking about hugging trees or anything, he's just the kind of rapper you wouldn't mind having round your Mum's for tea.

The new Calle 13 is well worth checking out (and I say this as someone who within the last hour or two was saying how unexcited I was by the prospect of hearing it):

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/19/131441882/first-listen-calle-13-entren-los-que-quieran

gypsy mothra might be interested to find that the first track sounds a lot like something from Sanmon Gossip.

(Although that's pretty misleading as far as what the album sounds like in general.)

Three brilliant albums that have gotten virtually no ILM discussion afaict:

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTsuW2tuY-8iwvW7Av-JVcw-yfSCVc6Hgk47lBIN1yYDngy7YxN

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjkIHSFDh2BfBtOZLNFAmgJwEJ-x888f-gvM9m8iAnLGAgm8JE6w

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmWR88RJnj5Aok0EHPrOpt7ynX0isK7ycVpEDldKZ62BZisvErRA

Shad - TSOL ain't too bad either

I still haven't heard all of that, but his spot on Smalltown Romeo's "Boom Ha".

Ooops, I didn't finish...his spot on "Boom Ha" is terrific.

The Big K.R.I.T. album was discussed a lot on the Swag thread.

Yup. And it's one of my favorite albums of the year, too. Need to check out the Calle 13.

what is the first album you posted, whitey?

what is the first album you posted, whitey?

Yeah, if nobody is talking about it, it's very possible nobody will recognize the album cover.

Pretty sure this is my favorite Calle 13 album so far, although I didn't give the last one much of a listen.

it's onra's long distance and it's pretty good, yeah - doesn't quite sustain interest over the whole album, for me, but stuff like this is fantastic -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emexnwiGhhI

I think what Onra is doing on this album is consistently great and pretty unique. It maintains a laid-back yet danceable, nostalgic yet forward-looking feel throughout, even over diverse styles of tracks, like "The One" is basically 90s backpacker hip hop with one of the guys from Slum Village, "high hopes" and "long distance" are like lost r&b hits, "mechanical" is an almost Justice-like electro beast, but I don't know, smoother and sexier? And the whole production just has this sumptuous thickness to it.

hypnagogic soul? ehhhhh maybe. i don't mind that track, but i hardly love it either.

I will be extremely surprised if you don't like the new Calle 13, Reverend.

records i have liked, of the top of my head:

sun city girls - funeral mariachi
ofwgkta - earl/rolling papers/bastard/blackenedwhite (rather than break them out by artist)
christian mistress - agony & opium
sun araw - on patrol/off duty
high on fire - snakes for the divine
purling hiss - hissteria/public service announcement
big boi - sir lucious left foot: son of chico dusty
e-40 - revenue retrievin: night shift/day shift
funerot - and then you fucking die, man
various - shangaan electro: new wave dance music from africa
demdike stare - liberation through hearing/forest of evil/voices of dust
bongripper - satan worshipping doom
nerve city - sleepwalker/nerve city
zola jesus - stridulum/valusia
nachtmystium - addicts: black meddle II
actress - machine and voice/splazsh

also:

black breath - heavy breathing
a frames - 333
tonetta 777 - s/t
mark mcguire - living with yourself
timmy's organism - rise of the green gorilla
the ex & getachew mekuria - moa anbessa
thee oh sees - warm slime
shit and shine - bass puppy 12"

i'm sure i'm forgetting tons of stuff. and looking forward to adding dirtbombs to the list!

My top 100 as it stands:

1. Jamey Johnson- The Guitar Song
2. Big Boi- Sir Lucious Left Foot
3. Owen Pallett- Heartland
4. Agalloch- Marrow of the Spirit
5. Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can
6. Los Campesinos!- Romance Is Boring
7. Yeasayer- Odd Blood
8. Corinne Bailey Rae- The Sea
9. Yelawolf- Trunk Muzik
10. The Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt
11. Dierks Bentley- Up on the Ridge
12. Midlake- The Courage of Others
13. The Steeldrivers- Reckless
14. Taylor Swift- Speak Now
15. Sun Kil Moon- Admiral Fell Promises
16. Grinderman- Grinderman 2
17. Neil Young- Le Noise
18. Twin Shadow- Forget
19. Field Music- (Measure)
20. Enslaved- Axioma Ethica Odini
21. Punch Brothers- Antifogmatic
22. Superchunk- Majesty Shredding
23. Ryan Bingham- Junky Star
24. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- Before Today
25. How to Dress Well- Love Remains
26. Lindstrøm & Christabelle- Real Life Is No Cool
27. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
28. Janelle Monáe- The ArchAndroid
29. Waka Flocka Flame- Flockaveli
30. Nas & Damian Marley- Distant Relatives
31. School of Seven Bells- Disconnect From Desire
32. Marina & The Diamonds- The Family Jewels
33. Big K.R.I.T.- K.R.I.T Wuz Here
34. Drive-By Truckers- The Big To-Do
35. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
36. Quadron- Quadron
37. Spoon- Transference
38. Freeway & Jake One- The Stimulus Package
39. Triptykon- Eparistera Daimones
40. Laura Veirs- July Flame
41. Sharon Van Etten- Epic
42. The National- High Violet
43. Los Lobos- Tin Can Trust
44. The Extra Lens- Undercard
45. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs
46. Toro Y Moi- Causers of This
47. Raekwon- Cocainism Vol. 2
48. Rock Marciano- Marcberg
49. Belle and Sebastian- Write About Love
50. Josh Ritter- So Runs the World Away
51. The Roots- How I Got Over
52. Swans- My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
53. J Stalin- Prenuptial Agreement
54. Bill Callahan- Rough Travel for a Rare Thing
55. Shearwater- The Golden Archipelago
56. Curren$y- Pilot Talk
57. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest
58. Fang Island- Fang Island
59. Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me
60. The New Pornographers- Together
61. Easton Corbin- Easton Corbin
62. Hot Chip- One Life Stand
63. No Age- Everything in Between
64. The Drums- The Drums
65. Baths- Cerulean
66. Alan Jackson- Freight Train
67. Matthew Dear- Black City
68. Ray Wylie Hubbard- A. Enlightenment B. Endarkment (Hint: There Is No C)
69. Rick Ross- Teflon Don
70. Ihsahn- After
71. The Besnard Lakes- The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night
72. Robyn- Body Talk Pt. 2
73. E-40- Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift
74. Retribution Gospel Choir- 2
75. Ted Leo- The Brutalist Bricks
76. Pantha du Prince- Black Noise
77. Owen Pallett- A Swedish Love Story
78. James Blake- Klavierwerke
79. Nina Nastasia- Outlaster
80. Sufjan Stevens- All Delighted People EP
81. Emeralds- Does It Look Like I'm Here?
82. Four Tet- There Is Love in You
83. Male Bonding- Nothing Hurts
84. Alejandro Escovedo- Street Songs of Love
85. The Jacka and Laroo- Neva Be The Same
86. Charlotte Gainsbourg- IRM
87. Gil Scott-Heron- I'm New Here
88. LCD Soundsystem- This Is Happening
89. Carolina Chocolate Drops- Genuine Negro Jig
90. Shout Out Louds- Work
91. Little Big Town- The Reason Why
92. Patty Griffin- Downtown Church
93. Surfer Blood- Astro Coast
94. Gucci Mane- Mr. Zone 6
95. Snakes for the Divine- High on Fire
96. The Watson Twins- Talking to You, Talking to Me
97. Alcest- Écailles de lune
98. Various Artists- Crazy Heart OST
99. Erykah Badu- New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh
100. Gonjasufi- A Sufi and a Killer

I'll second that Black Breath, great album. I need to hear the new Agalloch.

Kind of fell under the radar in this thread, but Arthur Russell's "Come to Life" - the track that homeboy from Grizzly Bear released - was amazing.

purling hiss - hissteria/public service announcement

contenderizer, have you heard the purling hiss release on archive? it's pretty good!

three down, $11 postpaid:

http://archivecd.com/shop.htm

yeah, it's excellent! came out late last year (i think?) and that's the only reason i didn't mention it above. copy i have is on LP through permanent records outta chicago. might be my favorite purling hiss so far, certainly the toughest.

tempted by those goslings re-releases, tbh. wish someone would vinylize occasion and grandeur of hair...

So Eddy Current Suspension Ring actually were pretty great. I guess they didn't hit it big in the US.