recommend one album from 2004 [that may be below the radar]

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

...the album for me that comes to mind would have to be MÄRZ "wir sind hier". for those like me that were left cold by the postal service,this may be what you were really hoping to hear.

― william (william), Monday, 18 October 2004 03:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Saint Etienne present Songs From Mario's Cafe.

― derrick (derrick), Monday, 18 October 2004 03:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Hermitude - Alleys To Valleys

― mentalist (mentalist), Monday, 18 October 2004 03:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Hermitude have a very nice website with some of the tracks available for listening. thanks for the tip!

― william (william), Monday, 18 October 2004 04:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Dijf Sanders - Mating Season

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 18 October 2004 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Nadine Goellner, Sing It to Me Anyway. NYC artist who plays the Living Room a lot and will draw comparisons to Norah Jones -- but I find her style more lively, her voice warmer, and her pop instincts playing in as much as her jazz ones. Currently reviewing the album for AMG tonight. Outside chance of it making my P&J top 10.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 18 October 2004 04:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Sagor & Swing's "Orgelplaneten." Wonderful accordion/organ instrumentals. Made me feel doubly stupid when I discovered I already had another album by them I'd never gotten around to listening to.

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 18 October 2004 07:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Got a lot of time for that Richard Bartz album (which I can't remember the name of) - don't think it's been talked about much, at least not here...

Makes hard, minimal techno sound good again.

― Jacob (Jacob), Monday, 18 October 2004 07:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, also

The Guild League - Inner North

Musically, it's not really anything spectacular (mostly acoustic guitar, cello and drums), but the songs within are quite lovely.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 18 October 2004 07:55 (twenty-one years ago)

The Comas - Controller

― Nancy Boy (scottkundla), Monday, 18 October 2004 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Sondre Lerche: Two Way Monologue

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 18 October 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

that Richard Bartz album (which I can't remember the name of)

midnight man! that is one loevly album. (but what do yuo mean, "again".)

i recomend raiders of the lost arp 4, which is smoothe elegant detroit sound done rihgt for the first time since "lifesytles of the laptop cafe".

― :|, Monday, 18 October 2004 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Call & Response Winds Take No Shape

I've delurked to glow about this album on at least one other thread, but it's still my favorite album this year. It's not at all like the ba-da-da-da sunny pop of their first album, so if you passed over it thinking it'd be too twee, dig it up and give it a play.

― mikef (mfleming), Monday, 18 October 2004 11:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Sondre Lerche: Two Way Monologue

How is this under anyone's radar?

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 18 October 2004 11:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Sagor & Swing's "Orgelplaneten"

Really interested in this. I love a lot of Scandanavian folk-derived music, especially when it manages to integrate folk into more modern textures without sounding corny (bands who do this well are Samla Mammas Manna and Varttina).

For this thread, I'd recommend Felix Kubin's Matki Wandalki, which is mostly short, bouncy electronic instrumentals - kind of like Raymond Scott with new, German drum machines.

― Dominique (dleone), Monday, 18 October 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Beulah's Yoko

― Louie Strychnine, Monday, 18 October 2004 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

is anything reviewed on Pitchfork automatically disqualified?

― hehe beavis, Monday, 18 October 2004 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

For the purposes of this thread, I'd say "yes." The ILM masses are quite familiar with PFM.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Hem - Eveningland. I'm going to make this record sound like the best Starbucks coffee drink ever made if I go w/ the first set of adjectives that came to mind ("smooth, gorgeous, warm, sumptuous" - bonnnnng). So - somber, demurely orchestral songs of love & such things written by Bacharachian svengalis & given voice by a beautifully mournful woman.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"Presence" by Weeping Willows. Some of it sounds like what Morrissey would do if he actually wrote proper love songs.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I haven't given the Hem record enough time yet to know for sure, but I don't think it's as good as Rabbit Songs.

x-post

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:55 (twenty-one years ago)

My new Microdubstep record I just finished is definitely under the radar.

But yeah, you should hear Stina Nordenstam's "The World Is Saved".

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 October 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Has that actually shown up on the radar yet Michael (btw I picked up "This Is Stina Nordenstam" and am digesting)

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't read pitchfork so i have no idea what gets reviewed there until an ilxor starts a thread about it.

― Cynthia Nixon Now More Than Ever (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

If you're an ilxor, it's almost unnecessary to read PFM at all. Any thing they publish which may cause a stir will get its own thread before the day's over.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i just checked and two of my favorite "under the radar" indie recs were reviewed there -- fuck's those are not my bongos and the beauty pill's the unsustainable lifestyle.

― Cynthia Nixon Now More Than Ever (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I've mentioned it on other threads but I would recommend the Up-Tight album Five Psychedelic Pieces. Really spaced shoe-gazey, speed-freaky, psychedelic, chewy, Japanese sonic Rorschach blotches. Also, the Antena reissue Camino del Sol, swaying sparse French bossa electro pop, but I think it's been reviewed by the Fork so I'll shut it now.

― mcd (mcd), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Johnny, I thought so @ first, too (re: Hem's new album), but it sounds to me like the newer album is more consistent than Rabbit Songs (which had some fantastic high points - "When I Was Drinking", "The Sailor Song" - but also some long dry patches).

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

It might be on the radar Tim, but Stina needs all the extra endorsement she can get, being that she never tours and rarely gives interviews. It is a fascinating album: one part grimey gloom (reminiscent of "Dynamite"), one part lo-fi pop, one part chamber/neoclassical. I've been meaning to write something about it on SN thread but I haven't got the chance yet.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 October 2004 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I just meant had it come out yet. That description sounds enticing though.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

It came out last week

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Although I think there was a one week delay in the Australia release.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

It's being released in Australia????

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

is it coming out in Canada? No one had it when I searched yesterday.

xpost

― derrick (derrick), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't recommend the Maxi Geil and United State Of Electronica albums enough. Those are probably the two most slept-on quality pop albums of 2004.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Tim, there is a Australian member on the Stina board who says he has just found a local copy of the album on Festival Mushroom Records.

And Matthew - Stina's Swedish (hint fluxblog hint) !

I don't think USE has been slept on here on ILM though. Matos and Ned are constantly mentioning them.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll check up on Stina. USE have some vocal fans on ILM, but are virtually unknown outside of the northwestern US. I was answering the question in general terms. I am very confident that they and Maxi Geil could attract big audiences if they had more media exposure.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 18 October 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh wow, I just got a couple Stina songs and they sound great - thanks, Michael!

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 18 October 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

for me its the new album by King of Woolworths - rediffusion on Lo Recordsings. seems very low profile after his previous stuff on Mantra. the music itself moves away from the pop collisions that he tried on Musicale. while i loved the songs/collabs, this new album has slowly crept up on me now. all weird analogue synth soundtrack stuff.
perfect working sounds ..

― mark e (mark e), Monday, 18 October 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! - Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!
Communiqué - Poison Arrows
The Real Tuesday Weld - I, Lucifer

― Talent Explosion (Talent Explosion), Monday, 18 October 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

aporpos volcano: the last volcano the bear album, "idea of wood", is thier best so far, and overlooked. came out december 03 though.

― :|, Monday, 18 October 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Maxi Geil, really? I thought they were just a laugh. That's great if the record's really that good. That's good to hear,

― danh (danh), Monday, 18 October 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd recommend King Cobb Steelie's Destroy All Codes.
So far it's come under pretty much everyone's radar.
I don't think any description I could give would do it justice but there's a thread about it somewhere.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 18 October 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Great undiscovered (in the USA) indie pop:

Bearsuit - Cat Spectacular

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 18 October 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm really impressed with the KingCobb Steelie album. If it doesn't make my top ten list for this year, that's good news because it'll mean that I'll hear some great stuff in the next 2 and half months.

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 18 October 2004 16:09 (twenty-one years ago)

bark psychosis - codename dustsucker. i don't know the 1st bp album but this one is timeless. it takes time to get into but that time is very well spent.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Monday, 18 October 2004 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

eluvium - accidental memory in case of death (under the radar?)
julian fane - special forces

― matt2 (matt2), Monday, 18 October 2004 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

It was reviewed on pfm but to my knowledge it receives little to no hype:
Noxagt - The Iron Point (Load)

Righteous, Norwegian, thrashy (but not afraid to groove), bass-viola-drums trio's second lp.

― Reed Rosenberg (reed), Monday, 18 October 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

All I See Is Red.....a band I've just been turned onto

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 18 October 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I second Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!. Great record.

I suppose it's a little too early, but I'd bet that the new Giant Sand record will qualify.

― cdwill, Monday, 18 October 2004 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 55 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

fabricate: charles atlas's "worsted weight" album remixed (by pram, casino vs japan, isan, tele:funken, sybarite, magnetophone, and others). I know I am always plugging friends but it really is very good.

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 30 October 2004 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

These would all be in my top ten for the year and I don't see much love from others for them:

Wagner PA & Brazuca Matraca "El Imparable Transeunte"
Sergent Garcia "La Semilla Escondida"
Bebo & Cigala "Lagrimas Negras"
Trio Mocoto "Beleza Beleza Beleza"
Lhasa "The Living Road"
Espers "Espers"
Norman & Nancy Blake "The Morning Glory Ramblers"
Nicolai Dunger "Here's My Song..."

― billy, Saturday, 30 October 2004 04:30 (twenty-one years ago)

John Smith "Pinky's Laundromat"

One of the most pleasant hip-hop releases of the year.

― Rollie Pemberton (Rollie Pemberton), Saturday, 30 October 2004 14:07 (twenty-one years ago)

it would be creepy if morrissey starting writing 'proper love songs'.

― keith m (keithmcl), Saturday, 30 October 2004 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

castanets - cathedral

hazy, lumbering, psychedelic folk. kinda like the bastard child of olivia tremor control and mazzy star.

― arjun (arjun), Thursday, 4 November 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Si Soy Llenaro.

― Rockist_Scientist (rockist_scientist), Thursday, 4 November 2004 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

billy I've been trying to convince other people about the awesomeness of sergent garcia for months now!

i also want to nominate
BEST DANCE ALBUM: Daniela Mercury, Carnaval eletronico
BEST BRAZILIAN TRADITIONAL ALBUM: Cris Aflalo, So xerem
BEST BLUES ALBUM: Little Axe, Champagne and grits (Little Axe is headed by Skip McDonald, the Sugarhill and Tackhead guitar player...he plays with Wimbush and Leblanc on several cuts...and produced by Adrian Sherwood! and Chris Difford writes a song! OMG!)
BEST ALBUM I HAVEN'T HEARD: The Ike Reilly Assassination, Sparkle in the finish, probably tied with Charlie Robison, Good times

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 4 November 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

im surprised the dominik eulberg album doesnt get mentoined more.

― :| (....), Thursday, 4 November 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

x-post

(Oh no, he's got a Best Brazilian Traditional Album category. I'm falling behind.)

― Rockist_Scientist (rockist_scientist), Thursday, 4 November 2004 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Rachid Taha, Tekitoi?
(Don't know whether it's under the radar, or where the radar is for that matter.)

― Vornado (Vornado), Thursday, 4 November 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Oren Ambarchi- Grapes from the Estate
first few listens, it seems to be too abstract for the post-rock folk, and too post-rock for the abstract set. should really draw in both though, moreso than Fennesz. it's more daring with chancing and expanding its earmarked sound than Venice though.
Oren's crackling guitar cycles, screwdrives in real deep, more Lucier and Feldman, than say, Tortoise. the space woven into it is beatific though. he really lets you steep in the sonics of it, and every little detail and nuance is lucid and expertly rendered. probably the best album on Touch this year, even counting the intense Jeck and Biosphere competition.

― Beta (abeta), Thursday, 4 November 2004 22:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Born Heller's s/t CD on Locust Music is pretty sweet. I'm pretty sure I've talked about it on other threads, but it's beautiful boy/girl folk stuff. Vaguely Appalachian in feel, but with sparse, sometimes dissonant melodies. Stand-up bass and mandolin, mostly. Awesome vocals. Mostly modern subject matter. Mostly bleak and not catchy, but there's some definite pop in there too. Just need to find it.

― Ian John50n (orion), Friday, 5 November 2004 01:50 (twenty-one years ago)

the lack of fuzz over the emperor machine album is distressing. their stuff sounds like neu playing the theme from airwolf. cmon people.

― :| (....), Sunday, 14 November 2004 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

the ema derton cd is about to be released, it will be fantastic.

― keith m (keithmcl), Sunday, 14 November 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I second Vetiver, absolutely beautiful
Fennesz, O'Rourke, and Reberg - Return of Fenn O'Berg, might be my favorite recording this year
So Young but So Cold: Underground French Music 1977-83

― tremendoid, Monday, 15 November 2004 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Leak Bros - Waterworld

I'm shocked i couldn't find a thread about this album (maybe my search skillz are just poor)

Cage and Tame One team up and spit a concept album completely about smoking dust...and it turns out sharp, smart & funny...best album i've heard all year.

― Jimmy_tango, Monday, 15 November 2004 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't Return of Fenn O'Berg come out in 2002?

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 15 November 2004 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

July 2002.

Here's the album's site:

http://www.mego.at/mego054.html

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 November 2004 02:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I went by the allmusic entry, says released 2004, recorded in 2001 but the review referred obliquely to 2002. I like it is all!

― tremendoid, Monday, 15 November 2004 02:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Levy- 'Rotten Love'

― cdwill, Monday, 15 November 2004 17:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The Progressive rock community have spoken:
http://www.misterpoll.com/results.mpl?id=1724849044
Congratulations to Norway's White Willow! #1 Progressive Rock Release of 2004

[Poll connected with Gagliarchives radio show: http://www.gagliarchives.com/]

White Willow - Storm Season

Selected Review
http://www.prog-nose.org/engels/albums_2004/white_willow_storm_season.htm

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 25 November 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

the moth masque cdr on hand/eye. stone breath guy and a girl doing some pretty neat things with just a banjo and voices... to my ears beats the hell out of most of the folk stuff we're supposed to be excited about these days.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Friday, 26 November 2004 09:43 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.papperstiger.nu/ingenting/images/ingenting_duger_liten.jpg

Ingenting duger by Beach Boys/Pixies influenced Swedish band [ingenting]. Sweeeet pop.

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Friday, 26 November 2004 10:06 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Beth Hart - Leave the light on

― Gilad Barash, Friday, 31 December 2004 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Plus-Tech Squeeze Box - Cartooom!
In short, they steal, slash, filter, smaple and process the magic, style and sound of every genre, then fuck it up the ass and represent it in beautiful stereosound and Warner Bros technicolour. They are young, bright things from Tokyo and deserve every success. And between my efforts here and the Spongebob s/t, they may just get it.

― Captain GRRRios' Giggletits (Barima), Friday, 31 December 2004 16:16 (twenty-one years ago)

the new baskervilles mini-lp

― keith m (keithmcl), Friday, 31 December 2004 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Beatles - red album

― Anthony cunningham, Friday, 31 December 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

n.lannon

― jenn K (satellitesynth), Friday, 31 December 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

the usher album!

― christopher (WHO), Friday, 31 December 2004 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

may not be below the radar but I've heard nary a mention on ILM:
Skygreen Leopards - "One Thousand Bird Ceremony" - rises above yr usual psychedelic/Elephant Six affair by interweaving timeless melodies that are instantly comforting and forever glorious...probably the best melody-related project from Glenn Donaldson

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Friday, 31 December 2004 23:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter- Oh My Girl. Better than her first cd too.

― Jim Reckling (Jim Reckling), Saturday, 1 January 2005 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Thou "I Like Girls In Russia." Produced by John Parish and apparently unavailable anywhere but Belgium. Mixes pop songs, neat guitar (kind of along the lines of Graham Coxon at times) and aspects of Portishead's production. One of the better bands I know of that are pretty much completely unknown in the US at this point. Unless you live in Belgium, it's probably best to download it.

― dlp9001, Saturday, 1 January 2005 17:28 (twenty-one years ago)

brazilian girls!

― bnw (bnw), Saturday, 1 January 2005 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

julian fane - special forces

this, yes

― Rizz (Rizz), Saturday, 1 January 2005 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Air Conditioning - Weakness

Combines the 1st 2 Sightings rekkids with Mainliner's 'Mellow Out' for an all out thermonuclear assault on yer cochlea that truly must be heard to be appreciated. I'd say the needle was all the way over in the infra-red.

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Saturday, 1 January 2005 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, the n. lannon album is really good

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 1 January 2005 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Cut Copy - 'Bright Like Neon Love'

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Saturday, 1 January 2005 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Cut Copy has got plenty of exposure.

NO ONE has talked about Neotropic's fab "White Rabbits," an incredible mix of epic dub and ambient freedom.

Also Andrea Parker's awesome ghetto/bass/electro-funk mix "Nobody's Perfect" (only 3 pounds at Boomkat.)

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 2 January 2005 05:46 (twenty-one years ago)

The Breakup Society - "James At 35." Catchy guitar pop from Pittsburgh's best songwriter, Ed Masley (formerly of the Frampton Brothers); up there with "Pinkerton" in my list of favorite "single guy" albums.

― John Fredland (jfredland), Sunday, 2 January 2005 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Just got around to:

Yuka Honda - Eucademix
Engineers - Folly

Both sound perfect at 2am.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 2 January 2005 09:22 (twenty-one years ago)

brazilian girls!

Yes!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Sunday, 2 January 2005 09:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Telefon Tel Aviv - Map of What is Effortless

― Tannenbaum Schmidt (Nik), Sunday, 2 January 2005 11:27 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

is it too late for me to nominate "tiger my friend" by psapp? Best pram album since "dark islands"

― fernando, Saturday, 19 February 2005 04:48 (twenty years ago)

but that was the last pram album.

― keith m (keithmcl), Saturday, 19 February 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

Blist -- Endl Karticon

― Aaron A., Saturday, 19 February 2005 05:10 (twenty years ago)

okay I made that up

― Aaron A., Saturday, 19 February 2005 05:10 (twenty years ago)

90 Day Men - Panda Park

why doesn't anyone like them (besides me)?

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Saturday, 19 February 2005 07:32 (twenty years ago)

Thee Nitengals - Blue Park Murder

This is an excellent group, a sort of grimy, more bluesy Headcoatees, or punkier Detroit Cobras, with better vox than either (though it's doubtful there's a Holly Golightly in the bunch). If you can find an MP3 of their song "Mission Patrol", grab it asap.

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Saturday, 19 February 2005 07:54 (twenty years ago)

Plus-Tech Squeeze Box (still)

― Deerninja B4rim4, Plus-Tech Whizz Kid (Barima), Saturday, 19 February 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

but that was the last pram album.

exactly

― fernando, Saturday, 19 February 2005 19:37 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.