[festivus528]

Russian Circles - Station
Thrice - Alchemy Index Vol. III & IV

 

[claymon]

the sword - gods of the earth
meshuggah - obzen
the black keys - attack and release
my morning jacket - evil urges
the cool kids - bake sale
lil wayne - TCIII

 

[bong]

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends
Muse - H.A.A.R.P.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Dazzle Ships (Remastered Reissue)
James - Hey Ma
Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

 

[Sordel]

Wow, I really dislike that Portishead album: just goes to show.

Best for me would be the two volumes from Zorn's Book of Angels project: one by the Bar Kokhba Sextet and the other by Secret Chiefs 3.

 

[The Actual]

Quote:

Originally Posted by festivus528 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Russian Circles - Station Thrice - Alchemy Index Vol. III & IV

I almost forgot about the Russian Circles release.

I like Enter quite a lot, but am hesitant to pick up the new record since I don't want to be disappointed and reviews are generally unenthusiastic. What do you think or it?

 

[rds]

I agree with a lot of these, but I didn't see

****** Buttons - Street Horrrsing

mentioned. Great album.

 

[omegaman]

 

[en480c4]

So far, 2008 has gotten off to a great start with some fantastic albums...

Kira Lynn Cain - The Ideal Hunter

I'll quote a review I read elsewhere, which sums things up much better than I ever could...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pop Matters Dark, a bit spooky, but with a gorgeous approach, Kira Lynn Cain makes these songs soar with great arrangements and a delivery that recalls a cross between PJ Harvey and Nico. <snip> Part country and part orchestral pop, the performer seems in her element from start to finish... <snip> This is not a record for those hoping for an uplifting experience, but one which is extremely pretty nonetheless. This is an artist to watch out for when listening to the Spaghetti Western theme music... ...which is eerie enough to give one the chills.

Definitely a great album worth some attention.

Draconian - Turning Season Within

Another strong outing from one of my favorite bands. More straight-forward songwriting than past efforts, with more female vocals and great atmosphere.

Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree

A very strong outing, with a dramatic shift from the electro of Black Cherry & Supernature. "Eat Yourself" is not only a stand-out track from the album, but from their entire catalog.

Murder by Death - Red of Tooth and Claw

Still getting used to their ever-evolving sound, but this album is great, and the trio of "Fuego!", "(Theme) For Ennio Morricone" and "A Second Opinion", and the closer "Spring Break 1899" are all fantastic. And how can you go wrong with rock music with strong cello?

My Brightest Diamond - A Thousand Shark's Teeth

An incredibly strong follow-up to Bring Me The Workhorse. I find myself reach for this more often than the debut. "To Pluto's Moon" is probably her best song to date.

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV & The Slip

Neither is perfect, but considering both make up 3 albums worth of material in the first half of '08, these equal a big win for NIN fans, and there are some great moments throughout.

Opeth - Watershed

This is a much stronger outing than Ghost Reveries, which had little staying power for me. I like that they're pushing things, with the added prog elements (which I'm usually not a fan of), the inclusion of female vocals in the opener, and the better implementation of the keyboards.

Portishead - Third

My thoughts on this album can be found elsewhere... I'll just sum it up by saying this album is a hugely successful return that is strong from start to finish.

 

[C38368]

I've not acquired very many 2008 releases this year, including new outing from Draconian. But my list so far, nontheless:

1) Eluveitie - [Slania]
2) Eluveitie - [Slania]
3) Korpiklaani - [Korven kuningas]
4) KMFDM - [Brimborium]
5) Virgin Black - [Requiem - Fortissimo]

It hasn't arrived yet, but I suspect that [Qntal VI: Translucida] will probably wind up on this list, as well.

 

[virometal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Dazzle Ships (Remastered Reissue)

Did not know that. I take it the remaster is worth it then; enticing, along with the Elbow that has been mentioned often.

Have you checked out In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy? If not, I'll go out on a limb and say you would like it. Their last.fm page has some full length samples.

--

Quote:

Originally Posted by rds but I didn't see ****** Buttons - Street Horrrsing

I'm not going to lie. I really enjoyed that album, and "Sweet Love for Planet Earth" was on repeat on my DAP for a week.

 

[festivus528]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Actual /img/forum/go_quote.gif I almost forgot about the Russian Circles release. I like Enter quite a lot, but am hesitant to pick up the new record since I don't want to be disappointed and reviews are generally unenthusiastic. What do you think or it?

It took me longer to get into Station than it did Enter, but now I listen to it more. I was disappointed when I first picked it up at their show, but it grew on me.

 

[The Actual]

Quote:

Originally Posted by virometal /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've read a couple good reviews about Air France; might check that out. As for Zooner, maybe that Queen Mary was so damn good was a big part of my disappointment. The new one sounds more studio and calculated, less easy. The garage energy is gone. I'm also a little tired of Indie rock, so maybe the album hasn't received my fair shake.

Check out Air France for sure. I only have a few of their songs (unable to find a decent site to import the CDs) but if you are interested I could email them to you or something. Let me know.


Too bad about the Wolf Parade record. I think I will skip it for now, I would rather savor their debut than dissappoint myself.
One thing I liked a lot in Queen Mary was the tension and almost naive energy of a new band. Not entirely sure how much of this was my own interpretation of their sound and how much actually lies in the recordings, but either way I don't think I will be getting this in the new album. And Wolf Parade isn't the kind of artist I love enough to appreciate, follow and analyze even their missteps.



One record which I forgot to mention is the new Girl Talk. I am not sure what exactly creates it, but I feel this record has much more cohesion than Night Ripper somehow. Been listening and still enjoying it for a couple weeks now, we will see what I think 6 months from now.

 

[Davey]

Best I've heard this year is still by Shearwater. Probably won't have heard anything better or more adventurous come December. Beautiful record. Important music. Sadly, don't get a chance to say that often enough anymore.

Obviously influenced by that genre defining moment in the late 80s when Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene and the rest of Talk Talk holed up in an abandoned church with an assortment of musicians, often recording in the dark, crafting a mix of ambient jazz and modern classicism that became one of the most beautiful records ever in "Spirit of Eden", probably the beginnings of what later became known as post-rock.

But this record is more dynamic overall, gentle at times, but loud and forceful at others. Not the typical formula, but whatever is right for the music. There's the bits of Jeff Buckley, and even Scott Walker when he isn't so madly cryptic and overblown, some David Bowie at times, almost like one of those Jack Nitzsche productions for Neil Young, but this does seem pretty special, especially in today's play-it-safe pop music climate. I do love "Palo Santo", but this one goes beyond my expectations. Sometimes you get the feel an artist has been working their whole career for that one defining record, and I think it all came together this time for Meiburg, the inspired lyrical imagery coupled with his allegorical music vision, can't imagine right now that it won't easily be my record of the year. Even harkens back to the progressive folk of Jethro Tull's "Songs from the Wood" (absent the often annoying flute), or bits of "Aqualung", but channeled through that later "Spirit of Eden" to strip away the excess. His voice is the best it has ever been, recorded without most of the needless reverb this time, it floats on the wind, and then soars effortlessly, like the majestic birds that live in so much of his music. Just 35 minutes, but a beautiful record, including the Kahn & Selesnick cover art. And speaking of record, the CD sounds pretty good even if a touch loud, but someone on another board mentioned the "fabulous sounding, dead-quiet Matador/RTI vinyl."

 

[DarkAngel]

OPETH - Watershed
NIN - Slip
ELUVEITE - Slania
VIRGIN BLACK - Requiem
SEPTIC FLESH - Communion
TIAMAT - Amanethes
MOONSPELL - Night Eternal

 

[Squirsier]

In no particular order :

Ugress - Unicorn
Supreme Beings of Leisure - 11i
Subsonic Park - Inner City Codes
Ladytron - Velocifero
Io'n - Paris-Passay
Hol Baumann - Human
Eat Static - Back to Earth