[Doc Sarvis]

Tell us about new musical experiences you had this year; any genre, any age, just as long as it was new to you...

Mine:

Joni Mitchell beyond Hissing of Summer Lawns: That one album had been a cornerstone in my collection since I heard it as a kid. But this year, I made the jump into the rest of her catalog, and realize now that the run of albums between Ladies of the Canyon and Hejira are some of the greatest music that her generation produced.

Sufjan Stevens: Pick up Illinois if you haven't already.

Schubert: From the Trout Quintet to the 9th Symphony, I really "got into" Schubert for the first time this year.

 

[wakeride74]

The Moonlighters is probably my prize discovery this year. Front woman Bliss Blood has a voice that really hit a sweet spot for my female vocal tastes. The music is also very fun blending 20's & 30's swing with elements of Hawaiian, Jazz, Bluegrass and even Country.

A close second would have to be The Ditty Bops another band fronted by two female vocalists offering up beautiful harmonies again with a old school Swing feel but also blending Ragtime, Country, Musical Theater, Vaudeville and Folk.

In the Rock/Metal world I am really enjoying Hurt and Flyleaf both very solid and have a unique sound IMO.

Being a big kid at heart I am also very fond of the Disneyland 50th Anniversary 2-Disc set which has full length songs from most of the best rides... I know I'm a nerd

All my other top pics are artists I already knew about who just released new albums.

 

[Duggeh]

Ludovico Einaudi, Kraftwerk, Sigur Ros, Explosions In The Sky, Alyson Moyet, Van der Graff Generator, Beggers Opera, Brian Eno, Robin Guthrie, Harold Bludd and Renaissance to name a few.

 

[Purgatos]

Too much to list. Most of what I listen to these days I started listening to only this year.

Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Antonín Dvo?ák, Dmitri Shostakovich and Gustav Mahler are probably the most notable of all as they've all muscled their way into my favourite artists list.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Shostakovich
The Flashbulb
Malcolm Arnold

Lots more, but those are my three significant Head-Fi turn-ons.

 

[terriblepaulz]

krautrock

Neu!, CAN, Faust, Tangerine Dream, Popol Vuh, Amon Duhl.

My prior experience with the genre was limited to Kraftwerk. I started exploring a little deeper this year, and made some acquisitions that are in frequent rotation.

 

[hembergler]

Hmm... I found quite a few new artists, but for me the top 3 would probably be...

Afro Celt Sound System
Marc Cohn
Gomez

Afro Celt Sound System I have to say is absolutely amazing. If I were to make a list of my all time favorite 10 songs, they'd probably claim 2-3 slots on it.

 

[warMen]

PROGRESSIVE ROCK AND METAL!

Circus Maximus
Canvas Solaris
riverside
Symphony X
Opeth
Andromeda
Shadow Gallery
ayreon

woot woot. i need more

 

[sawyer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warMen /img/forum/go_quote.gif PROGRESSIVE ROCK AND METAL! Circus Maximus Canvas Solaris riverside Symphony X Opeth Andromeda Shadow Gallery ayreon woot woot. i need more

I would like to recommend Michael Harris - Orchestrate (2006). If you didn't listen this album, give it a try. Very aggressive and beautiful. I can say that it's the best stuff I got this year. The combination of classical music (Bach, Mozzart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, ...) and modern guitar is great.

Ulytau - Jumyr Kylysh [2006] is a great instrumental album too.

 

[rhythmicmoose]

TV On The Radio, The Hold Steady, and the Secret Machines are the most significant ones that were around before this year. Most of the other stuff was new this year.

 

[Digitalbath3737]

Stabbing Westward was my gem discovery of this year.... it just hit the spot. I have no idea how I missed them during the 90s... god I miss the 90s

 

[asmox]

I recently discovered a band called Sleeping People. Generally speaking, they play their own brand of instrumental math rock/metal... and it's probably the coolest stuff I've heard since Upsilon Acrux's 'In the Acrux of the Upsilon King' and Bubblemath's 'Such Fine Particles of the Universe'.

Crazy, crazy band... and they're local too.

 

[dulath]

A Perfect Circle
Tom McRae
John Mayer (I like his music, screw his politics or snobbery or whatever else people don't like about him.
Dredg

Thumbs up on Afro Celts. Me and my friends have been big fans ever since we heard some of their music on the local world music AM station 3-4 years ago.

 

[terriblepaulz]

forgot to add:

Sleater-Kinney

Deerhoof

 

[GlendaleViper]

I'm forgetful too...

Non-Head-Fi new finds:

Sleep, Electric Wizard, Herbie Han**** (electric), Miles Davis (electric), The Bicycles, High Tide, Blue Cheer, C'mon, The Illuminati, The Creepshow, Daikaiju, Dragonforce, Gentle Giant, Gnarls Barkley, High on Fire, Jeff Buckley, Jian Wang, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, Jun Togawa, Priestess, Scat Rag Bosters, Tokyo Police Club, Zen Guerilla.