Smith Westerns grew on me hard.

New Wild Beasts here. It's sublime:

http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/more/NID/3404/Album-preview-Wild-Beasts---Smother.utr

let's not forget tomorrow big release... beastie boys hot sauce committe part 2 comin out! i've heard most of it through a preview they did and some leaks... classic beastie. glad to see they still rockin.

My scourging of the esoteric charts on RYM has finally paid off in spades.

Everyone check out Hungarian folk-metal band Dalriada, with their new release, Igeret! Year end top ten list contender.

Come for the satisfaction of saying 'Hungarian folk metal band', stay for the awesome music.

My top 5 (without order) :
Cascadeur : The Human Octopus
Panda Bear : TomBoy
Timber Timbre : Creep On Creepin On
The Go! Team : Rolling Blackouts
The Dears : Degeneration Streets

Time for an updated top 10. "Two Dancers" was my second-favorite album of 2009, so I had high hopes for "Smother" and it certainly does not disappoint. I'm not sure which album is better, but it's damn close. And, to quote BBC: "Lion’s Share is gorgeous, no question about it.". "C'Mon" dropped out of the top 10 was thus slightly disappointing and "Ígéret" was interesting and worth a listen but not top 10 material for me. It does remind me that I have to check out "The Mantle" by Aggaloch though.

1. Josh T. Pearson - Last Of The Country Gentlemen
2. Wild Beasts - Smother
3. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
4. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
6. TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light
7. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
8. Paul Simon - So Beautiful Or What
9. Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
10. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

My top 5 since yesterday (we have a newcomer on #1):

1 Fleet Foxes
2 PJ Harvey
3 Lykke Li
4 Elbow
5 Radiohead

They've done it again, a new fantastic album, I just love it. With harmonious vocals (that Simon & Garfunkel could have never topped) they reinvent folk. More variety than debut album, although some stealing with integrity and pride from fellow musicians like e.g. Sufjan has happened.

Stephan, my top 3 is in your top 10, and have to confess that I haven't heard the other 7 yet. Work to be done. Also curious about new releases from Feelies and the Antlers.

Antlers. They've done it again. Perhaps less catchy than Hospice, but darker and more compelling. The atmosphere their sound generates (listen to the end of Parantheses, for example) is better than anyones.

Edit: I'm calling it. This is better than Hospice.

I completely agree that they've done it again, but I don't think it's darker or better than Hospice. "I Don't Want Love", "Putting The Dog To Sleep" and the three songs that form the centerpiece of this album: "No Widows" (my new favorite song of the year), "Rolled Together" and "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" are of Hospice quality, but "Tiptoe", "Corsicana" and the fact that Hospice was so much more than the sum of its part means it's not quite as good.

That said, I am probably more likely to listen to this album at any given day, and I don't know how else they could have followed up Hospice. Strong contender for my album of the year. Wow.

New album of the year for me, surpassing PJH:

Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact

I didn't think they could top Saint Dymphna, but they did. It's fantastic for those that like their grooves all experimenty.

EMA - California

Jesus. Song of the Year leader for me is either this or Cults - You Know What I Mean. Probably this.

The critics must be in heaven this week. It's reminds me of Decemeber when all the "FOR YOU CONSIDERATION" movies come out. Wonder why all the acclaimed indie bands decided to release material this week.

For some reason there always seem to be tons of big indie releases in May.

Last year, Archandroid, High Violet and This Is Happening all came out the same week.

Now, May again.

I picked up Gang Gang Dance, Okkervil River, and Wild Beasts all today. I've been falling behind on my listening just because of the deluge of albums I found from the RYM esoteric charts.

@Romain

Great rec on Cascadeur.

I gave all these records a spin last night so here's first impressions:

Africa Hitech - 93 Million Miles
Encompassing a wide range of electronic/bassy sounds, it sounds out quite weird and clubby and ends up hypnotic and groove-based. Got an 8.2 from P4k, worth checking out.

Austra - Feel It Break
Great synthpop record. Dark in the right places. Really enjoyed it.

Boxcutter - The Dissolve
Halfway between funk and the weirder fringes of UK electronic music, this was good too.

Bon Iver - Bon Iver
I've never been too into the man - enjoyed his stuff, but never really found myself listening to For Emma more than a handful of times - but this was really great. Not so sure on the late 70s pastiche of the closer but otherwise, lovely.

Got new F*cked Up, Junior Boys, Friendly Fires and Arctic Monkeys to listen to in the coming days. My top 15 (unordered) probably stands like this:

The Strokes
Jamie Woon
Battles
Big K.R.I.T.
Gang Gang Dance
Siriusmo
Wild Beasts
The Smith Westerns
PJ Harvey
Tyler, The Creator
Kurt Vile
The Joy Formidable
Panda Bear
Fleet Foxes
James Blake

Bon Iver, Bon Iver is growing on me. Even the last song sounds good now. Arctic Monkeys are balls. Shitballs. That is all.

How do albums leak so early especially albums that don't really receive that much airplay? Doesn't make sense to me. I don't have any beef with downloading but I hate when albums leak. Record releases used be such an exciting event, now most people already have heard the album weeks before it's out.

The Fleet Foxes album is great at first listen, way above the rest

Bill Callahan is the next thing I'll listen too. I don't care much about TVOR

Mostly they're promos sent to critics for review; you'll notice that the Radiohead album didn't leak just because it was only released online initially. Whenever artists ship albums, be it promos or the actual album to the shop, there are a lot of people who handle that CD. It takes only one.

Like I said though, it's a shame for great albums like this to leak so early because it could cost a small artist like Bon Iver some considerable sales. A week seems like a normal thing nowadays, but a month is a really long time and could convince even someone intent on buying it to download it out of sheer curiosity.

Edit: This instance seems to be an iTunes mistake though, they intended to put it up for pre-order but put it up for download instead. Think Vernon has a case if he sues them?

Heard the new Lady Gaga leak yet? This is some mind-blowing stuff,the pop album of the century without doubt. She has taken the game to a new level.

I take a week off to travel and suddenly there are thousands of leaked album to listen to

Cults streaming and so is Death Cab For Cutie

Never understood why Bon Iver is so acclaimed, even after hearing "Calgary". Just another indie singer.

I can't look at that album cover without laughing. Every picture I see of Lady Gaga looks completely ridiculous.

If this one gets good reviews I'll listen to a few songs from it.

Lady Gaga is a real mystery for me...I must confess than I prefer Dylan than Lady Gaga (I just want to know if gaga means senile in English as in French ?).

Otherwise, the two last albums I really food excllents are :
The Antlers - Burst Apart
Grails - Deep Politics

Revolutionary? No.

But I'll take it over most of Madonna's albums, and I like Madonna.

I can't believe Tiny Mix Tapes gave her a 0/100. ZERO!!!!!!Those guys are total hardasses even more so than Pitchfork was in the early to mid 2000s (when they gave poor Liz a 0/100)They gave PJ Harvey, Fleet Foxes and Wild Beasts mediocre(the latter) to mixed reviews. They must be the sterotypical angry failed musicians that people like Bill Maher, Kid Rock and Prince like to make fun of.

I don't know what to listen to next.
any recommendations ? I mean recommendations for Uncle nicolas, who's not a big fan of indie rock ?

Good things I have heard

Fleet Foxes
Charles Bradley (yes BillAdama, it's great)
Decemberists

the last two being good genre albums (traditionnal R&B and Americana) without being masterpieces.
Fleet Foxes are amazing. So mature. Props.

PJ Harvey was a disappointment given the acclaim it got.
Heard a few tracks from the Low album and it sounds great.

Nassim, La Femme sounds OK, but it sounds like the singer was standing as far as possible from the mike in the studio. It sounds like early 80's French new wave, but it's refreshing

The problem for a guy like me is that, for most of the indie scene the focus in terms of production and sound is on the late eighties - early 80's. obvious for TVOR.
Berlin Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, etc... cold funk. And.... (go to the first item in nj's Thanks we get it list)

One of the best things I have listened to this year is Kurt Vile's album, smoke ring for my halo. I don't know whether it crosses into the indie boundary, but it does have a lot of heart, which for me is the most important thing.

Zorg : I agree wholheartedly. I think most hyped indie bands are so obsessed by sounding different that they forget about the heart.
Don't gimme head music. Just gimme head (no no no no no that's a VERY bad joke).
More seriously this mainstream-indie opposition is really a drag, because there are very few crossover bands. You really can make good, smart and accessible music. But the problem is economic.

No recommendations in the field of hip hop / neo soul ?

^^^

Raphael Saadiq!!

Has anyone heard Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact?

I liked them before, but this album is the one that establishes them as a top-shelf band. It's instantly my #2 of the year behind PJ Harvey, with a good shot at becoming #1.

@Nicolas

Also, have you heard Alison Krauss's new record?

I listened to Eye Contact before but didn't think it was particularly great. I'll give it another spin.

Nicolas: I'm surprised you don't like Bon Iver, particularly For Emma, Forever Ago is some of the warmest and most emotional indie rock out there, and I'd argue the new album is als far from cold.

My problem with Bon Iver (along with a lot of indie acts) is the vocals. That falsetto. I'm very vocal-sensitive. But I'll listen to it again, for the 00's poll. The song "For Emma" is a good memory

But these guys have a much richer, wider vocal range and timbre !! Then again, maybe I paid too little attention to Bon Iver, so we'll talk about it again when 2007 comes around in the naughties poll.

F*cked Up's 'David Comes To Life' is going to be widely regarded as one of the albums of the year. Just wait.

One listen and I'm blown away. 78 minutes of accessible, catchy, melodic and yet pounding, visceral punk/hardcore. Doesn't outstay it's welcome at all, either. It's already got a 9 from Spin, a glowing review from BBC and the praise will keep flooding in I'm sure. I'm gonna get on the record now and say Pitchfork are going to score it between 8.9 and 9.2. Seriously, keep an eye out.

Cults is AWESOME.

Ahhh, I found the album of the year for me :
The Kills - Blood Pressure
The White Stripes are not here but the Kills, yes !!

Gillian Welch is BACK

White Denim - D is blowing me away.

These layered guitar riffs are simply incredible. One of the best of the year.

1. Cults - Cults
2. Milkman - Algorithms
3. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
4. Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
6. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
7. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
8. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
9. The White Panda - Pandamonium
10. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

Tori Amos returns in September. After the disappointing and excessive last three records i shouldn't care no more, but after hearing that is based in classical music and plays from the last 400 years - also being reportedly released via a classic music label - i'm excited to see what she will deliver. Just play the piano again, Amos. :p

St Vincent just announced a new record slated to september

After performing a new song at sidney rumours are that Bat for Lashes will unveil her third album pretty soon and is supposedly slated to the end of the year.

I agree. Most of the songs aren't fast paced enough to be considered punk. If he toned it down a bit it would be a terrific alternative rock album otherwise it just sounds like the Arcade Fire fronted by the Ultimate Warrior

More than a month further ... time for an update:

(1) 1 Fleet Foxes
(2) 2 PJ Harvey
(-) 3 The Antlers
(3) 4 Lykke Li
(4) 5 Elbow
(-) 6 Wild Beasts (heard it only twice yet)
(8) 7 The Decemberists
(-) 8 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
(5) 9 Radiohead
(6) 10 Anna Calvi

TV on the Radio disappoints me and I did not hear Bon Iver yet.

My current list:

1. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
2. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
3. Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
4. White Denim - D
5. TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light
6. Dalriada - Igeret
7. Cascadeur - The Human Octopus
8. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contract
9. Wye Oak - Civilian
10. Natural Snow Buildings - Waves Of The Random Sea
11. Gang Of Four - Content
12. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing
13. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
14. Stupeflip - The Hypnoflip Invasion
15. Josh T Pearson - Last Of The Country Gentlemen
16. Bibio - Mind Bokeh
17. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
18. Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
19. Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math
20. Amon Tobin - ISAM

One I couldn't connect with at all is the new Battles. It's like they have good ideas but no idea how to patch them together into something listenable, and no idea how to edit themselves.

Cults are going to make a very high appearance on my list.

so far this is what I've heard....

1. James Blake- James Blake
2. Let England Shake- PJ Harvey
3. Helplessness Blues- Fleet Foxes
4. Tomboy- Panda Bear
5. The King of Limbs- Radiohead
6. Cults- Cults
7. Zonoscope- Cut Copy
8. Kaputt- Destroyer
9. Nine Types of Light- TV on the Radio
10. Angles- The Strokes

No bad albums, but nothing as strong as my top 5 albums from 2010.

I'm going to be months behind, and just singmypraises for Fleet Foxes. Been a long time coming (3 years!) but I've finally got into both their albums, and I'm absolutely LOVING Helplessness Blues. I can't remember who said it, but i agree with whoever said that "The Shrine/an Argument" was the best thing they've done.

1. Kurt Vile - Smoke ring for my halo
2. smith westerns - dye it blonde
3. fleet foxes - helplessness blues
4. wild beasts - smother
5. radiohead - the king of limbs
6. pj harvey - let england shake
7. bill callahan - apocalypse
8. iron and wine - kiss each other clean
9. tune-yards - whokill
10. the go! team - rolling blackouts

still to listen - TVOTR, Cults, bon iver, James Blake, Tomboy, Zonoscope, kaputt, and many many more...

I've still not found a classic from 2011 yet. Admittedly, I haven't heard a great deal of albums from 2011 (8?), but nothing has been that impressive.

Gilliam Welch LP "The Harrow and The Harvest" is amazing. Its been a long while since she has released anything. This record could be a big one.

Liking WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain.

I recommend Antonia Font - Lamparetes

I don't know whether or not they're well known in Spain, but it's atmospheric indie pop with lush piano.

Current top 10:

01. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
02. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
03. The Antlers - Burst Apart
04. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
05. Low - C'mon
06. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
07. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
08. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
09. Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
10. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

I'm terribly disappointed by Bon Iver

Cat's Eyes isn't too bad. Cults is perfect. I think I even like them more than Tennis. If you're going to compare Tennis to Best Coast might as well do the same with Cults. They sound more like Best Coast than Tennis do. And neither really sounds that much like Best Coast at all. Tennis sounds like a cross between Neko Case and the Dittybops.

For me, my top 4 are 'potential classic' level. That is, PJ Harvey, Nicolas Jaar, White Denim, and Radiohead. And I think Gang Gang Dance has a shot at reaching that level.

There's also a robust second tier of 'Really good but sub-classic'.

My favorite album so far is Rival Sons - Pressure and Time.

I didn't care for Radioheads new album. But then, it's not my genre of music. (Anymore.)

New album of the year:

Matana Roberts - Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres

Best new jazz album I've heard in a LONG time.

It's July ... another update:

(1) 1 Fleet Foxes
(2) 2 PJ Harvey
(3) 3 The Antlers
(4) 4 Lykke Li
(7) 5 The Decemberists
(5) 6 Elbow
(8) 7 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
(6) 8 Wild Beasts
(-) 9 Bon Iver
(10) 10 Anna Calvi

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up ... Sub-pops first hip-hop release sounds unlike anything in the genre

I've just heard a few tracks by a very promising Danish band called Treefight For Sunlight
Their shiny, dreamy brand of classic pop is delicious and impressing for a first album

Laura Marling releasing a new record in September 13. A Creature I Don't Know is the follow up to last year's critically acclaimed and British favorite I Speak Because I Can.

Girls also releasing the follow up to Album the same month.

In the midst of all the metal albums in the RYM top 100, don't miss this little marvel.

Well, I mean if you like progressive metal of the 70's



Too bad they lack of a good singer

The Horrors' new album is out. Anyone heard it/has an opinion of it?

If you like the Wu-Tang, Fugazi and/or mash-ups, you should lend a hear to the Wugazi's first album "13 chambers".
Quite a few people have released mash-ups of 2 artists since the beginning of the year (including a quite likeable mix of Black Keys's Brothers and Big Boi's Luscious Left Foot) but this one tops them all.

New M83 single ROCKS.

Girls and Dum Dum Girls returning in September. Maybe the latter will experience the acclaim it should've received with last year's I Will Be. And Real Estate also returning. Washed Out has been seen as a disappointment among some reviewers but i'm yet to listen to. The Horrors has been receiving raves and i need to check that one too.

I need to hear that one. It must have a later US release date than UK.

Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact is now my #1, and Return of the Country Gentlemen has entered my top 10.

Feist releasing her new album Metals October, 2.

Shabazz Places - Black Up rocks. One of the best rap albums in years.

I was wondering whether anyone has listened to the album called "Wolf Notes" by *AR, released in June this year. I guess you can define the album as ambient music BUT don't let this put you off! This is a hidden gem and a masterpiece in my opinion.

This album along with PJ Harvey's Let England Shake are my favourites this year

I think it's okay to post this little url if you care to listen to it

http://typerecords.com/releases/wolf-notes-2

Dum Dum Girls's single Coming Down is excellent. The song bears a-little-too-much resemblance with Fade into You but is still really enjoyable. The biggest surprise is Dee Dee's delivery. A cleaner production really improved the band's sound. It will sure receive more attention than their previous effort from 2010.

Has there really been not a single post about Watch the Throne?

This is the first album release that felt like an event to me since Radiohead.

It's good. That's all I'm positive about for now.

Also, I'm a little taken aback at how much I'm enjoying Vanessa Carlton's new album.

Lana Del Rey might become the next big indie chanteuse. Her track "Video Games" is already one of my favorites breakthroughs of 2011. A vocal hybrid of Cat Power, Laura Marling and Fiona Apple.

new Girls record will be fawned over massively. Could be looking at a very popular top 5/10 AOTY choice

New Laura Marling is her best, yet. Even if the leak has an awful quality. Her last album was much more mature and low-key. She's more playful, yet grounded, now.

New Dum Dum Girls and Girls are also their best, yet.

Listening to Slave Ambient by The War on Drugs at the moment. Sounds really good.

The Field's new record 'Looping State of Mind' is lovely also, out mid-October so it's seen a v early leak. Thought the Thundercat record was a bit noodly and didn't enjoy it, will try again soon though.

Around two months ago it looked pretty darn bleak for the second half of 2011, but now seems to be a decent amount to look forward to:

Tom Waits - Bad As Me
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Zola Jesus - Conatus
The Field - Looping State of Mind
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu
The Weeknd - Echoes Of Silence
Bjork - Biophilia
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
Laura Marling- A Creature I Don't Know
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Wilco - The Whole Love
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
The Dream - The Love IV
Das Racist - Relax
Mastodon - The Hunter
Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
Florence + the Machine (for those that dig her)
Cass McCombs - Humor Risk
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
Drake - Take Care
Justice - Audio, Video, Disco
The Drums - Portamento
Tori Amos - Night of Hunters
Feist - Metals
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

perhaps new ones from Queens of the Stone Age, Rick Ross, Franz Ferdinand and that long-awaited DOOM/Ghostface Killah collaboration if we're lucky too. And the David Lynch record!

Then into early 2012 there's gonna be new material from Animal Collective, The Knife and The Avalanches

not too shabby a list, we could have a handful of gems from that. I'm optimistic!