[Davey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentperfection Old Canes has released my favorite album so far of the year. I agree with Davey.......But not many albums have really shocked me in a good way although there's been plenty of solid ones.

Yeah, the more I play it, the more I like it. Really a fine album with nods to bluegrass and folk and avant-pop and many other music forms, but surprisingly unique and hard to describe. Pretty sure it's gonna be in my top few albums at year end time. The AMG has the tracklist misindexed since the first little snippet isn't actually titled and the first real song is track 2, "Blue Eleanor".

Also been listening tons to the Fiery Furnaces Blueberry Boat and it's without a doubt my favorite record of the year. Not quite new and maybe too eclectic for most, but a truly special and I think amazing album. Epic and fun and thoughtful and fun and interesting and ....did I say fun yet

Pitchfork reviews can be pretty silly to the point of being worthless, but they hit this one right. Check the customer reviews at amazon, though. Lots of people complaining that Pitchfork led them astray. Hehehe, love it.

Haven't heard anything about the Lovedrug album so I'll have to check into it. Agree about M83 but first heard it last year so it doesn't seem very new anymore. Guess it was only just recently released in the US, though. Definitely one to check out if you aren't familiar with it yet. One of the most highly acclaimed albums of last year and this year too. Kind of like what happened to The Notwist and their Neon Golden a couple years ago with the long delayed US release.

 

[bong]

three albums that i've been listening non-stop all summer:

Keane - Hopes and Fears
well known in the UK but hardly any trace stateside, but promotion seems to be picking up lately. anyway, i can't believe how good this album is. the style and genre of the music isn't exactly original, but the songwriting and the overall strength of the album leaves me speechless. i could listen to this album from start to end without interruption and leave it on repeat all day/night long.

Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
like Keane, they're huge in the UK, but not well known in the States. it's a really, really strong and fun album. The Strokes can only dream of an amazing album like this.

The Cure - the Cure
ok, not exactly a discovery, but i've been listening to it non-stop, and is a great album nevertheless. even got them their first US top ten album in 12 years.

 

[silentperfection]

Yeah, with M83 I was able to listen to the import as well but being rereleased in the States has been very good and the second disc is not flat either as the B-Sides are just as strong.

Fiery Furnaces is indeed amazing. One of those albums that you can listen to straight through over and over and come out the other end feeling as if you listened to a new album.

Also, Mock Orange surprinsingly released a strong album with nods to Built to Spill style indie rock. It is a really great album with fun guitar work.

 

[Onix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeteeth Your most recently discovered artist, band or recording worth mentioning is? My most recent worthy discovery, that would be most accessible to others, would be the band Arcturus and their release 'The Sham Mirrors'. Imaginative and eccentric with a hybrid of styles, I can't actually describe it very well. Descended from a metal background that seems to have been dissolved by a dose of rock opera, dollop of lunacy and a wee dash of trip-hop here and there. Varied enough not to become boring over the long haul.

Check also "Masquerade Infernale", even better than "MIrrors" in my opinion.

My discovery would be Bebo & Cigala's "Lagrimas Negras".

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong three albums that i've been listening non-stop all summer: Keane - Hopes and Fears well known in the UK but hardly any trace stateside, but promotion seems to be picking up lately. anyway, i can't believe how good this album is. the style and genre of the music isn't exactly original, but the songwriting and the overall strength of the album leaves me speechless. i could listen to this album from start to end without interruption and leave it on repeat all day/night long. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand like, keane, they're huge in the UK, but not well known in the States. it's a really, really strong and fun album. The Strokes can only dream of amking an album like this. The Cure - the Cure ok, not exactly a discovery, but i've been listening to it non-stop, and is a great album nevertheless. even got them their first US top ten album in 12 years.

I will have to check out Keane and see whats going on there, I usually like most stuff Bong does. We both have Franz Ferdinand as great new finds for instance. Checking some Keane samples now........sounds kinda low key, soft, Britpoppy for fans of Travis/Mansun/Coldplay

I purchased new Modest Mouse "good news" album same day as Franz Ferinand but didn't like it too much and sold it on Amazon. I was amazed at great overall sound quality especially "float on" when played on stereo.

 

[bong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel I will have to check out Keane and see whats going on there, I usually like most stuff Bong does. Checking some Keane samples now........sounds kinda low key, soft, Britpoppy for fans of Travis/Mansun/Coldplay

yeah... Keane's style isn't exactly original, mentions of Travis, Coldplay, even Radiohead lite (The Bends era, and the singer sounds amazingly like a cross between all three lead singers) often pops up, but Hopes and Fears is one hell of a strong album, perfect from start to end, stronger than any of the recent outputs buy all three bands listed above. Hail to the Thief wasn't as good as Kid A. A Rush of Blood to the Head, after all its hype, isn't nearly as good as Parachutes, and Travis hasn't really put out anything strong since The man Who. so far, Hopes and Fears still remains my favourite album in 2004.

 

[dj_mocok]

Spitz (Japanese Band)

 

[enzoferrari650]

Final Fantasy X piano version. Its a very nice and relaxing cd.

 

[bioxeed]

amon tobin recorded live in melbourne (solid steel #4) very nice set.. made me want to track down some of the stuff he played

 

[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bioxeed amon tobin recorded live in melbourne (solid steel #4) very nice set.. made me want to track down some of the stuff he played

Pretty sure that there's a CD coming out of material from that set. I...*cough* "previewed" it not too long ago -- good, but a bit too much variety in the tracks perhaps -- just as you're getting into one track he jumps into something else. Some 30 tracks in 70 minutes, so maybe not enough focus for my tastes.

 

[bioxeed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by strohmie Pretty sure that there's a CD coming out of material from that set. I...*cough* "previewed" it not too long ago -- good, but a bit too much variety in the tracks perhaps -- just as you're getting into one track he jumps into something else. Some 30 tracks in 70 minutes, so maybe not enough focus for my tastes.

The CD is out (I bought it on a whim a couple of weeks ago). and yeah some of the tracks could have been let to run longer. But overall I quite like it. It's also made me want to find some FACS stuff and His own "Cougar merkin" - I'm sure I saw that on a single or such and almost bought it. Kicking myself now for not doing so.

 

[Newbiez]

Keane gets boring after a while, I've stopped listening to it months ago. Franz Ferdinand fares better and I can only hope they don't turn into another The Strokes.

The most recent discoveries ?

The Libertines - The Libertines
This one is more poppier, more happeir feeling to it. But it grows to you and their first single "Can't Stop Me Now" is one of the best track 1, side 1 I've ever heard. If Pete can stay sober for a longer period, they maybe on the road to be one of the new 'legends' of this genre.

The Thrills - Lets Bottle Bohemia
I'm still suprised at how have they not hit it big yet after they very very good frst album, "So Much For The City". They sound like a Beach Boy cover band, only that they are from Ireland and California. Take a listen to "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" and you will see why they are one of my favourite current bands.

 

[DarkAngel]

NB
May have to pick-up new Libertines CD today since local Best Buy has it for $9.99. First album is pretty good reminds me of The Jam in style.
(May have to reconsider purchase after checking some short samples, dosen't sound like I expected.........brit pop lite? what happened to this group?)

Also new Datsuns CD due out 9/14, I will definitely check out.

 

[Newbiez]

The new one is a bit more poppier than their last album. It has a mroe joyful feelign towards it. You'll either like it or hate it. I took a few listen to it before it started to grow on me.

 

[Nacher]

I consider La Masquerade Infernale as the best Arcturus album as well. I never really liked Sham Mirrors, but LMI is simply godlike.

On the other hand, my most recent worthy discovery has to be Neurosis. I got their latest album, The Eye of Every Storm, and it's great. Allmusic.com lists this as similar artist to Tool, but such a comparision isn't very accurate. A few songs do sound a bit like Jimmy from Tool - Aenima, but Neurosis has a way more atmospheric and moody approach. Great stuff to be listened while driving a car in thunderstorm. I can't understand how I haven't heard about this band before.