Time for another update then?

1) The Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Graves
2) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
3) R.E.M. - Accelerate
4) Portishead - Third
5) Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark

Bubbling under: Hercules And Love Affair, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

1. Vampire Weekend- S/T
2. Madonna- Hard Candy
3. Magnetic Fields- Distortion
4. Santogold- S/T
5. Stephen Malkmus- Real Emotional Trash
6. Los Campesinos- Hold On Now Youngster
7. Destroyer- Trouble In Dreams
8. Sun Kil Moon- April
9. Heavy Circles- S/T
10. Clinic- Do It

My Top Ten so far:

1. Why? - Alopecia
2. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
3. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
4. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Graves
5. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
6. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
8. Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim
9. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
10. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

Bon Iver is technically a 2007 album.

I listened to a bunch of new stuff in the past few days so I have a new appreciation for 2008 including one of the best albums I've heard in the past couple years.

Updated list:

1. Thomas Function: Celebration!
2. Vampire Weekend: ST
3. Islands: Arm's Way
4. Madonna: Hard Candy
5. Man Man: Rabbit Habits
6. Santogold: ST
7. Carbonas: ST
8. Health: Disco
9. Magnetic Fields: Distortion
10. Lemuria: Get Better
11. Stephen Malkmus: Real Emotional Trash
12. Howlin Rain: Magnificent Fiend
13. Flight of the Conchords: ST
14. Clinic- Do It
15. Heavy Circles: ST

I haven't felt the urge to check out a whole lot of new stuff, but of what I have so far, Thrice's Alchemy Index II: Air & Earth is my favorite.

I haven't felt the urge to check out a whole lot of new stuff this year, but of what I've heard, Thrice's Alchemy Index II: Air & Earth is my favorite.

Damn, I didn't check that there was a second page and I thought my post didn't stick.

I love Ladyton's new album.

Agreed, John.

It's getting mixed reviews and most are saying it's not a step forward for Ladytron but I think most of the songs are the best they've ever done.

Avishai Cohen Trio - Gently Disturbed
Studio - Yearbook 2
Supergrass - Diamond Hoo ha

That's so weird how this thread keeps climbing back up despite the fact that no one's posted anything for over a month.

If you like Portishead's New album. You should look up the cover of Rip from radiohead, on Radiohead.com

Portishead are good, but Radiohead make them sound genious

for the moment

1. Drive-By Truckers
2. Vampire Weekend
3. Nick Cave
4. Alain Bashung
5. British Sea Power

I've finally been able to make a top 10 (still including Bon Iver, sorry John)

1) The Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Graves (9.0)
2) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (8.5)
3) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (8.5)
4) R.E.M. - Accelerate (8.0)
5) Shearwater - Rook (8.0)
6) Portishead - Third (8.0)
7) Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark (7.5)
8) Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair (7.5)
9) Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! (7.5)
10) Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (7.5)

I realized that the Carbonas album was actually released late 2007 so I'm cheating too! But, I'm going to take it out of consideration.

A mid-june update :

1. Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears
2. Roger Joseph Manning Jr.
3. The Explorers Club
4. Guillemots
5. Brent Cash
6. M83
7. Jim Noir
8. Goldfrapp
9. Pete Molinari
10.Barth

Albums I'm looking forward :
Beck
Ron Sexsmith
Primal Scream
Jason Falkner (an instrumental Beatles cover album)
Stereolab
Matthew Sweet

I'm not really into hyped things but I think I'm gonna give the Fleet Foxes record a listen.
What I've already heard from this band reminds me a lot of My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses.
Maybe it could console myself of the new MMJ album disappointment.

You could spend a day finding different influences in that album and those are two that really shine. But, Simon and Garfunkel, CSNY, and even old church hymns also are easily noticed. My Protector sounds a lot like El Condor Pasa but manages to not sound like a direct rip-off. I hate the hype machine too, but this album deserves and more.

I didn't know Matthew Sweet had a new album coming out!

Yes John, there's a new Matthew Sweet record that is gonna be released on August 26th !

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/matthew_sweet/sunshine_lies/

And thank you for your explainations about Fleet Foxes !

We're 3 months further, time for an update:

(2) 1 Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood
(~) 2 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

... and then a long time nothing ...

(~) 3 Foals - Antidotes
(~) 4 Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
(3) 5 Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Somehow, Portishead is not doing much to me (anymore) ... sad but true.

Ahum, Ragged Wood was probably the name of the leak copy that I downloaded earlier this year ... but I got the CD now with correct title Fleet Foxes

I'm curious about Shearwater, Thomas Function and Hercules & The Love Affair ...

Fleet Foxes and Portishead are my two favorites right now, but judging from the three tracks I have heard from Beck's Modern Guilt, that might have to take the top spot...

Third has taken top spot for me. Surprised at the lack of mention for Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid, as it's a pretty solid album. The Fleet Foxes album captures me for the first few songs, but doesn't seem to hold my interest completely.

Well, now that it's out on iTunes I can say The Hold Steady's Stay Positive, but surprisingly, I don't expect it to hold on to that spot.

I can positively say it's not Beck. Not a bad album but its kind of like wallpaper without any standout songs.

I really liked that Elbow record. I think it stands a good shot of winning the Mercury Prize this year. I'd put them behind Duffy and Los Campesinos since they tend to recognize new artists. Than maybe Goldfrapp, Portishead, British Sea Power or Glasvegas.

Mid-year update

1. Vampire Weekend
2. The Hold Steady
3. R.E.M.
4. Death Cab for Cutie
5. Lil' Wayne
6. Beck
7. Atmosphere
8. Fleet Foxes
9. Stephan Malkmus
10. Drive-By Truckers

1. British Sea Power-Do You Like Rock Music?
2. Tilly and the Wall-O
3. Vampire Weekend-s/t
4. the Duke Spirit-Neptune
5. Elbow- the Seldom Seen Kid
6. M83-Saturdays=Youth
7. Magnetic Fields-Distortion
8. Sons and Daughters- This Gift
9. Portishead-Third
10.Hercules and Love Affair-s/t

Really liking the Errors debut album. Too bad I can't get it for less than 20 bucks as an import.

The Hold Steady- STAY POSITIVE 5/5

Amazing. The hold steady once again find themselves amoungst the very best of the year. All 4 of there albums fit comfortably in there designated year end list.

However! I find STAY POSITIVE to be the very best in there Catalog. So many great songs, and for once I dont think they forced anything. Some albums feel a little bogged down with to many songs surrounding the same subject. Here they've expanded and almost feel at odds with there past.

We look forward to a great future

Other 5/5 albums this year

Nick Cave and the bad Seeds
Bon Iver
Fleet Foxes
Portishead

10 Perfect
5 Excellent
4 Very Good
3 Good
2 Fair/Bad
1 Very Bad

I've never been a big fan of The Hold Steady, but yeah, this is their best album. Still all a little bit the same, so I gave it 8.5/10 (3.75/5 or 4/5 I guess) That still makes it the #4 album of the year though.

You give way too many 5/5's Kevin.

1. The Tallest Man On Earth - Shallow Graves (9.0/10)
2. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (8.5/10)
3. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (8.5/10)
4. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (8.5/10)
5. R.E.M. - Accelerate (8.0/10)
6. Shearwater - Rook (8.0/10)
7. Portishead - Third (8.0/10)
8. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark (7.5/10)
9. Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair (7.5/10)
10. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (7.5/10)

Bubbling under: Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Jakob Dylan, Coldplay

As a first post on this forum, i figured this thread would be an appropriate one to jump in on.

This year, Angels Of Destruction by Marah is definately at the top of my list. Alt-country's answer to broken-social scene, and they've been around 5 years longer so they've got the chops to back it up.

Plus, you've got to respect a guy who writes 15 songs to play with his long-time band mates, and then fires them all, save his own brother, when they can't agree on a touring schedule.

talented bad-asses are #1 in my book.
no matter the year.

After hearing Okkervil River's new record I decided it was time for another update. Here is my Top Ten so far-

1. Why? - Alopecia
2. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Club
3. Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins
4. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
5. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
6. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
7. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Graves
8. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
9. The Kills - Midnight Boom
10. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Okkervil River have again put out another incredible record and may be my favorite band of this decade. For anyone unfamiliar with them I would strongly recommend purchasing the Black Sheep Box Appendix or The Stage Names, one of my favorite records from last year.

mine's looking something like this

1. Hercules & Love Affair - s/t
2. Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III
3. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
4. Toumani Diabate - The Mande Variations
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!
6. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
7. Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Momofuku
8. Bob Mould - District Line
9. Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
10. Walter Becker - Circus Money


also, if anyone's curious what vampire weekend was up to before they were vampire weekend, see if you can download l'homme run - "pizza party" and "interracial dating" are both fantastic

I haven't listened to nearly as many albums as you guys have, but what I have listened to, I don't really love. I feel this year is much weaker than the last, with only three albums I really like.

1. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster...
2. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
3. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Nomo's "Ghost Rock" has quickly vaulted to my favorite this year.

The Dandy Warhols album is getting terrible reviews but I think most of it is their best work since 13 Tales From Urban Bohemia. It starts out awful but turns into a pretty good album. It's not my favorite by any means but I had lost hope that they'd ever make an album I could listen to again so this was a pleasant surprise.

The same can't be said about Juliana Hatfield. That album sounds like something Sheryl Crow would make.

I purchased yesterday a very strong record by an australian synth-pop band : Cut Copy "In ghost colours".
It sounds very '80s, very New Order.
A definitive contender for my top 10 albums of 2008.

I haven't listened to that Cut Copy album in full yet but from skimming over it on Rhapsody it looks pretty good.

I can almost guarantee the new tv on the radio dear science will be my favorite album of the year, I have not been blown away by a song in a long time like I was for golden age...

Ayreon - 01011001

this is a Progressive Metal/Rock band, i know that you, here in the forum, don't like Metal, i like that realy much, but i have to recommend you all to listen to this album, this is not realy heavy, it's very beatiful and full of good melodies. Don't be prewitty, listen this album, it's realy good.

Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails. so ethereal and different from their other stuff. it's amazing. it's the only album from 2008 that I would easily give 5 stars to. Other albums I've enjoyed this year include Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends by Coldplay, Vampire Weekend's s/t and 30 Day Fire by The? Spoon! (and the) (my brother's band hehe)

Fleet Foxes is now my number 1

It takes me a while to catch up on albums in a current year, but I think presently Fleet Foxes S/T has the most staying power.

Third's still my #1, but Brighter Than Creation's Dark is making headway on it.

Brighter Than Creation's Dark would probably have 5 or 6 songs in my top 20 of the year. It's just overlong.

Album : Hercules & Love Affair
Song : Water Curses / Animal Collective

Time flies ... another quarter passed by, time for another update [(Q1) (Q2) Q3 Artist - Album]:

(2) (1) 1 Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
(~) (2) 2 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
(~) (~) 3 TV On The Radio - Dear Science
(3) (5) 4 Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid
(~) (4) 5 Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

TV On The Radio's position is based on 2 listens only ...

funny Andre, I was just about to do the same
(and we have the same number 1)

1. Fleet Foxes
2. Drive-By Truckers
3. The Hold Steady
4. Al Green
5. Nick Cave

NB : I haven't heard TV On The Radio yet

Yes, Fleet Foxes is soooooo beautiful, it's harmonious and with such incredible vocals!

Curious what TV On The Radio will do at the end-of-year polls, they might peak ...

But as I've heard, Oasis is about to release their third masterpiece after Definitely Maybe and What's The Story. So, Beatles and Oasis fans, better stay tuned!

1 - TV on the Radio
2 - Vampire Weekend
3 - Fleet Foxes
4 - The Dodos

The problem is that it is nearly the only albums I really loved this year.

The new ones by Nick Cave, Portishead, and The Hold Steady have all been great, and debuts for Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes are both beautiful,

but...

TV On The Radio's new one is just impossible to top.

Well, I'm stoked as all heck because my favorite band The Cure is putting out a STELLAR new album in less than two weeks. I've heard the entire thing on youtube from the live concert they put on in Rome where they debuted the album front to back. If Portishead hadn't put out an absolutely landmark album this year (and I don't care what anyone else says, that album IS landmark), it'd easily be my favorite of the year.

Seriously, anyone who likes The Cure needs to check it out. It blows their 2004 s/t album away. I mean, they're channeling the magic they had back in the late 80's/early 90's. But everybody seems to have forgotten about them which is too bad. They're the best band on earth right now.

Yeah I'm biased! So what?

I guess I stand here:

1. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
2. Nick Cave and the Bad(ass) Seeds - Dig! Lazurus! Dig!
3. Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
4. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
5. Hercules and Love Affair - s/t

Honorable Mention:

R.E.M. - Accelerate

I started out the year pretty tepid on 1 & 2 (still my 1 & 2 at the time), but they've really grown on me. However, I think Nick will actually go past the Hold Steady because "No News From Nowhere" is always in my head. Silver Jews was a surprise b/c I'd never heard them before. TV on the Radio was also a surprise b/c I've always found their albums too "artistic" to be enjoyed. Herc is good, but doesn't have enough really standout tracks I think. R.E.M. is the opposite: stand-out tracks, lots of filler, so as an overall album it's not that great.

1. The Week That Was- ST
2. Fleet Foxes- ST
3. Thomas Function- Celebration
4. Ladytron- Velocifero
5. Vampire Weekend- ST
6. TI- Paper Trail
7. Metallica- Death Magnetic
8. Dandy Warhols- Earth to the Dandy Warhols
9. Submarines- Honeysuckle Weeks
10. Wale- Mixtape About Nothing

It may not be the best of the year, but a band called fucked up has released an album called "The Chemistry of Common Life" and its pretty darn fantastic.

So much for Oasis making their third MASTERPIECE. I've heard that time and time again and their albums always tank. I've liked some of their stuff but they've yet to even chart since 95. At best their last record was a bubbler. Just give it up on hyping Oasis. They may have a comeback single at best.

Too lazy to look up the titles I will just list the artists:

1) Amanda Palmer
2) Lykee Li
3) Portishead
4) Santogold
5) Fleet Foxes
6) Does it Offend You Yeah
7) Black Kids
8) Glasvegas
9) Los Campesinos
10) El Perro De Mar
11) Noah and the Whale
12) Duffy
13) Adele
14) Neon Neon
15) Duke Spirit
16) She and Him
17) Ladytron
18) Rumble Strips
19) John and Jehn
20) The Kills

Oh and I forgot the M83 album. Probably in the top 10.

Updated 2008 list :

1. Kelley Stoltz - "Circular sounds"
2. Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - "Flight of the knife"
3. Brent Cash - "How will I know if i'm awake"
4. The Junipers - "Cut your key"
5. Cut Copy - "In ghost colours"
6. Josh Fix - "Free at last"
7. Roger Joseph Manning Jr. - "Catnip dynamite"
8. The Explorers Club - "Freedom wind"
9. M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"
10.Guillemots - "Red"
11.She & Him - "Volume one"
12.Jim Noir - "Jim Noir"
13.Vampire Weekend - "Vampire Weekend"
14.Adrian Whitehead - "One small stepping man"
15.Jason Falkner - "Bedtime with the Beatles part 2"
16.James Hunter - "The hard way"
17.Wisely - "Wisely"
18.Goldfrapp - "Seventh tree"
19.Pete Molinari - "A virtual landslide"
20.Hot Chip - "Made in the dark"
21.Eli 'Paperboy' Reed and The True Loves - "Roll with you"
22.The Black Crowes - "Warpaint"

These albums all are at least 4 stars records in my opinion.
The new Brian Wilson album is a disappointment and don't appear in my list.
I've purchased the new Todd Rundgren album "Arena" this week. After a couple of listens, it sounds good to my ears. It's a much more rocking record than his previous ones and reminds a lot of his Utopia era.
But it's too soon for me to rank it in my list, but it's sure a grower.

ONE moRe MO(n)TH TO KILL..

01. Saint Dymphna. Gang Gang Dance
02. Plutonium Blonde. The Legendary Pink Dots
03. Infinite Ellipse And Head With Open Fontanel. Make A Rising
04. Rabbit Habits. Man Man
05. Hello, Voyager. Evangelista
06. Naked Acid. Valet
07. Parallax Error Beheads You. Max Tundra
08. Bright Blue Dream. (((Sunset)))
09. Un Día. Juana Molina
10. Dear Science. TV On The Radio
11. Ghost Rock. Nomo
12. Motion To Rejoin. Brightblack Morning Light
13. Shining Violence. The Low Lows
14. Luna. The Aliens
15. Third. Portishead
16. The Bunny Boy. The Residents
17. Debt Dept. Excepter
18. Mothertongue. Nico Muhly
19. Double Sunrise Over Neptune. William Parker
20. Fern Knight. Fern Knight
21. Laulu Laakson Kukista. Paavoharju
22. Fleet Foxes. Fleet Foxes
23. Limbo, Panto. Wild Beasts
24. High Places. High Places
25. Preteen Weaponry. Oneida
26. Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground. Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground
27. Huggable Dust. Okay
28. I Spit On Your Grave. The Gaslamp Killer
29. A Love Extreme. Benji Hughes
30. This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That
And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That. Marnie Stern
31. Directions To See A Ghost. The Black Angels
32. Take Refuge In Clean Living. Grails
33. Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel. Atlas Sound
34. Microcastle. Deerhunter
35. Celebrating Life. Borko
36. Sea Lion. The Ruby Suns
37. 4. Dungen
38. For Clouds And Tornadoes. The Music Tapes
39. 24 Postcards In Full Colour. Max Richter
40. The Week That Was. The Week That Was
41. Fate. Dr. Dog
42. Baby Charles. Baby Charles
43. Sleep Well. Electric President
44. In Flesh Tones. Azeda Booth
45. I Was Raised On Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura. PAS/CAL
46. Venus On Earth. Dengue Fever
47. On Two Sides. Blank Dogs
48. Lightdark. Nosound
49. Temper. Benoit Pioulard
50. Soft Airplane. Chad VanGaalen/A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea. Tyler Ramsey...
----
51. 59.99. Sian Alice Group/Exotic Creatures Of The Deep. Sparts & Labor..
52. Wired Boy Child. The Horror/Rhumb Line. Ra Ra Shapeshifters...
ok. that's deFinitely not my name.. yad.... bud..

go share your furs, dood'z:: music.. still... pops.

1. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
2. The Killers - Day & Age
3. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
4. Beck - Modern Guilt
5. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak
6. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
7. Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - We Brave Bee Stings and All
8. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
9. The Roots - Rising Down
10. The Offspring - Rise & Fall, Rage & Grace

Just now digesting the Portishead album...seems to have polarized a lot of their fans on Amazon at least. Not sure how I feel about it yet..

The Legendary Pink Dots are still alive? Wow, used to like them and even have seen them live over 20 years ago, but haven't heard much from them ever since ... cool!

With one month to go, here are my current standings, between brackets the positions at the end of each quarter (Q3-Q2-Q1):

1 (1-1-2) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2 (2-2-x) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
3 (x-x-x) The Week That Was - The Week That Was
4 (6-7-9) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5 (4-5-3) Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid
6 (5-4-x) Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
7 (3-x-x) TV On The Radio - Dear Science
8 (x-x-x) Calexico - Carried To Dust
9 (x-x-x) Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali
10 (8-10-x) Shearwater - Rook

And bubbling under, struggling in the swampy 11 to 20: Nick Cave, Drive-By Truckers, Ladytron, The Last Shadow Puppets, Lindstrøm, M83, Okkervil River, Benoit Pioulard, R.E.M. and Lucinda Williams.

The Legendary Pink Dots are still alive? Wow, used to like them and even have seen them live over 20 years ago, but haven't heard much from them ever since ... cool!

Let me heart it again and again and again... and viva this aside... The p3post_Soft.Bulletin Revisited bowls for no-wan.
..

... butforyou..Andree..

scary hugs and welcome.. the_Jade P