So we're fuck-all of the way through 2008; what records are worth attention?

Vampire Weekend keeps holding up, despite expectations to the contrary. *shrug*

Scary Mansion's 'Every Joke is Half the Truth' is a better Cat Power record than Cat Power's own record. The Envelopes' second album 'Here Comes the Wind' continues to be rewarding. The Dø's 'A Mouthful' runs hot and cold, but the hot parts are worth hearing. She & Him's 'Volume One' (the M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel collaboration) is warm and fuzzy, perfect if you're in the mood. The Kills' 'Midnight Boom' is sort of a shift for them, but a welcome shift.

Looking forward to hearing Duffy, Santogold and some other things I can't think of right now.

I don't get why other people seem to love Hercules & Love Affair (ugh, Antony!) or that Baby Dee record (ugh, FAKE Antony!).

that scary mansion shit is wack doo

r0ng

all indie shit over here so far (in no order): los campesinos, vampire weekend, high places, hot chip, el guincho also the-dream (dec 07) and gucci mane (<-listen to this, also dec 07)

also definitely bon iver which is i guess is either 07 or 08

Yeah, maybe it's indie guilt, but I was kind of bummed when making my short list.

i've only listened to like 3 albums and they're all indie (counting hercules and love affair i suppose. i like it.). i enjoyed the vampire weekend ep but that was last year i think. haven't heard the album.

heard a bunch of mixes this year though, though honestly haven't heard that many classics. tim sweeney is keeping it up, juan mcleans RA was surprisingly good. He's blown me away live before though, respect.

i still can't get over lee burridge's balance(last year). i think there is about 1/4 that i still have to get through cause i keep having to do other stuff. always surprising. listening to tylero's mix right now, up to his usual excellent standards.

Atlas Sound's debut is v. good.

Come to think of it, the new discs by Times New Viking and The Ravenottes are v. good, too.

Hercules & Love Affair, Nick Cave, Black Mountain, Charlottefield, Dimension X, Diskjokke, Earth, The Mae Shi, Xiu Xiu and The Death of Her Money have made albums I'd recommend to people at will.

There's some other stuff like Kelley Polar, James Ruskin, Lights, Ocrilim and Clinic that needs to be played a bit more but is at least good IMO

Oh yeah, I forgot about TNV! And Kelley Polar!

The new Fred Falke ep is rather nice as well.

what i've heard of the kelly polar is as bland as usual.

It's good at 3am when nobody else is up except for you.

DJ Mencap- tell me more about that Charlottefield record. I got a single of their's years ago, but was unaware they are even still together.

Speaking of Resident Advisor, the Optimo podcast was good as well.

Well their old stuff was great but really on a Drive Like Jehu / Fugazi tip, but there's a lot more going on with this album. There's sort of folky bits and postpunk bits - I think they said they listen(ed) to a lot of This Heat IIRC? Assuming they made a bunch more records, I could see them being like Hood, except more of a punk rock band.

No offense to any of you here but if all the music you listen to is in the same category (indie pop, with some indie rock on the side) then no wonder everyone always decides in November that "this has been the worst year for music ever."

haha, despite being notorious for liking indiepop, based on everything mentioned here, d5 totally otm

(despite ME etc etc)

my point was more that i havent listened to anything yet. i enjoy lots of indie pop but it doesn't represent that much of my listening.

i've already heard a modest bunch of singles this year i think are great, but from an album point of view, whatever that's even worth these days, there's fuck-all on the ground. the raveonettes, maybe the i was a cub scout (or was that last year?)..

if the singles released thus far are any indication, the 2nd young knives album will be very good indeed.

So far this year the jazz scene is shit-hot with lots of bizarre awesome stuff that is actually kind of pop-friendly (see the jazz thread), I have heard some great r&b and amazing metal (see those threads), and a couple of things that are in no category.

Also I really enjoyed the Mountain Goats album, turns out that John D. is a pretty good songwriter after all.

Had you not liked his earlier work, D5? Or had just not heard his stuff yet?

Kind of a weird year for me so far listening-wise, actually -- nothing so far has impelled me to a series of repeat listens, which is always my litmus test for whether or not I'm really enjoying something. Then again at this time last year I only had one album like that, Jesu's Conquerer, so I'm not fretting or anything; also my attention's been more divided among many different non-musical things than it has been in a long while.

Are pixeltan releasing their album this year?

I really like the Vampire Weekend, it did the miraculous job of dislodging Blackout from my mp3 players constant rotation. I really feel like I might have worn that part of the drive out.

HAS ANYONE HERE HEARD A MOUTHFUL BY THE DO?

Also, All Is Yes by The Blessing is a wicked album, on the jazz front.

For fuXXors like me who don't like proper jazz. Or don't know about proper jazz. That is.

DJ Mencap- thanks, that sounds good, will check it out.

I think I would like the Raveonettes album, I've only ever enjoyed Whip It On by them though, the first proper album was such a letdown. I think I'm just very sick of a particular sound which is pretty constant in indie rock, particularly British indie rock. I don't know if it's a production thing, but I just hear it and think "Oh, indie". Apart from it I think I would like a lot of indie a lot more, if it weren't going so out of it's way to sound so, y'know, indie. The Sons and Daughters album was a case in point. I downloaded it based on a lot of "60's girl groups with edge" reviews. But 60's girl groups (well, the Ronnettes, Shangri-La's, the Chiffons anyway) have way more edge and imagination, and this more "serious" rehash sounds (to me) like a band that the girls might have formed for an episode of "Byker Grove"

That said I can like a lot of indie ish signifiers, and a lot of the time indie-goes-[insert musical genre here] bands can be really helpful as an entry way into a genre of music as it makes a slightly more familiar version of it that seems to become more and more irrelevant as you listen to more music from that genre. If that makes any sense.

Vampire Weekend got you into Afropop, you mean?

!

No, but I can see me going that way, it works all the time, I think my interests in techno, noise, krautrock, folk etc, all stemmed from some indie band that Pitchfork or someone ranted about, and I usually end up listening to that original band way least. I think I like Vampire Weekend because they remind me of Graceland and Clang of the Yankee Reaper, both of which I love.

Know any afropop I might like by any chance?

HAS ANYONE HERE HEARD A MOUTHFUL BY THE DO?

-- Scik Mouthy, Saturday, 23 February 2008 14:39 (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

^^^This is good.

Also receiving thumbs up from me: Los Campesinos, eMC, Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans, Glass Candy.

I've picked up the following in 2008: Atlas Sound, Cat Power, Hot Chip, Mountain Goats, Xiu Xiu -- and I enjoy all of them to various degrees, some more than others obviously, but nothing *incredible* has come down the pipeline in 2008, yet. I'd most recommend Mountain Goats and Atlas Sound albums, both are excellent; Hot Chip is spotty in places, still pretty good; Cat Power is sorta disposable; Xiu Xiu I haven't played enough yet to figure out.

The best album I've heard (not out yet, officially) is the Gutter Twins' release, Saturnalia, coming out in a week or two, I think. If you check out the Gutter Twins thread, there's a link to the whole album, streaming online. Really, really solid album.

Otherwise, I'm most looking forward to Portishead; based on their past work (duh) and everything I've heard about the new release, especially from those who've heard it and *LOVE* it, I'm thinking this could be the best thing to come out in the first half of 2008.

Destroyer - trouble in dreams - almost perfect.
Vampire weekend - very good.
Mgmt - 1st half - classic, 2nd half - dud.
Chauchat - upon thousands - almost perfect.
High places - i've only start listening to it yesterday, but looks promising.

btw,i can't stand the gutter twins the gutter twins .

Yeah, the Cat Power is very disappointing, but it has made me listen to the original Metal Heart a lot which is a good thing.

btw,i can't stand the gutter twins the gutter twins .

s'okay, i think your list sucks too ;-)

Seriously though, Gutter Twins album is *excellent*; stream here:

http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/luisterpaal/39261992

but my dad is stronger than your dad!

Goslings - Occasion

Aaron Martin - River Water

Maninkari - Le Diable avec ses Chevaux...usually I avoid anything described as "cinematic" but this is beautiful kitchen sink ethno-psyche, somehow holds up over its nearly 2 hrs.

Box - Studio 1...hitting all those spots I wanted from the last Supersilent...like a wankier Supersilent, if Deathprod left the room and they decided to have "fun"

Ned -- I had never actually heard any other Mountain Goats albums before.

GET IT HEARD/HERD OH I SLAY ME

moto boy
ruby suns
july skies
vampire weekend

oh and je suis animal is probably great but who can find it?

(In other words, a bloody good start...)

intrusion "reflection" 2x12"

stuff I like that hasn't already been mentioned:
Evangelista - Hello, Voyager
Rich Boy - Bigger Than The Mayor
AZ - Undeniable
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
Sheek Louch - Silverback Gorilla
Blake Leyh - X-Ray Yankee Zulu Tango
Grand Buffet - King Vision
Fabolous - Gangsta Grillz: There Is No Competition
The B-52s - Funplex
Lil Boosie - Da Beginning
various artists - The Wire: " … and all the pieces matter"
Mike Doughty - Golden Delicious

stuff I like that has already been mentioned:
Raheem DeVaughn, The Raconteurs, Erykah Badu, Young Dro, R.E.M., They Might Be Giants, Webbie

This thread needs more recent posts. I like:
Cloudland Canyon, Sic Alps, Lau Nau, Torche, Kayo Dot.
The Earth album has really been growing on me too!

the cloudland canyon lp is pretty impressive.

graham lambkin - salmon run (2007)

Have A Nice Life - Deathconsciousness

The Golden Hour by Firewater is, to my addled mind, completely astounding.

I love Vinicius Cantuária's Cymbals, on Koch. Minimalist like João and spacious like I like it.

Reissues: two great Memphis exhumations. Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story and Memphis '70, with some cool stuff by the Minits, David Porter and Bowlegs Miller.

Long Blondes and Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan making a pitch for being favourites at the moment. Awaiting Spiritualized next Monday to consume it properly.

Mlle Caro and Franck Garcia - Pain Disappears is a gorgeous record I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else on ILX. Initial template in old-fashioned 2003/04 bedtime microhouse but with chiming guitars and boy/girl vocals over the top. Probably the prettiest record I've heard this year.

Intriguing.

I specifically mentioned this because I think you'd like it, btw.

It is pretty good, but towards the middle (and through the end) it all gets samey.

Any chance of winging a couple of tracks to me via gmail as a sample?

So I sat down and worked out my favourite songs of 2008, for now:

The Veronicas - Untouched
Crazi Cousinz - Bongo Jam
Aeroplane ft. Kathy Diamond - Whispers
Ricardo Villalobos - Enfants (Chant)
Shy Child - Cause and Effect
Invisible Conga People - Cable Dazed
Gotye - Heart's A Mess (Supermayer Remix)
Hercules & Love Affair - Blind (Club Mix)
Seany B - Stomper
Peverelist - Infinity Is Now
Low Motion Disco - Love Love Love (Aeroplane Remix)
Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music
Kelly Rowland - Work (Freemasons Edit)
Digital Mystikz - Shake Out Your Demons
Patti Bligh - Brother (2562 Remix)

black mountain - in the future
portishead- third
vampire hands - me and you cherry red
gospel gossip - sing into my mouth
bun b - II trill

the blind shake - caramel

Definite year-end list entries:

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One etc.
Hercules and Love Affair
Portishead - Third
Booka Shade - The Sun and the Neon Light
Bruno Pronsato - Why Can't We Be Like Us
Jennifer Cardini - Feeling Strange

Also feeling:

Autechre - Quaristice
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
The Roots - Rising Down
The Kills - Midnight Boom

And other things that are already more than adequately recommended/discussed by ILM.

Oh! Almost forgot - Justus Köhncke, Safe and Sound. Niiice.

the Animal Collective ep is so very good

Pyramids self-titled on HydraHead is rather good.

Can't see the new Mudhoney or Melvins albums mentioned so far, so them.

2nd on the Pyramids album. It totally rules.

So far this year my favorite albums are:

Ponies in the Surf – See You Happy
Willie Nelson – Moment of Forever
Adam Green – Sixes & Sevens
Dolly Parton – Backwoods Barbie
No Kids – Come into My House
For Against – Shade Side Sunny Side
Jonathan Richman – Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild
A Weather – Cove
She & Him – Volume One
Jason Anderson - The Hopeful & the Unafraid

Also: Evangelicals, Auburn Lull, White Hinterland, Rameses III, Guilty Simpson, Matmos, Lyrics Born, Festival, Hammock.

The new PAAVOHARJU, Laulu laakson kukista,is absolutely astonishing, awesome and fantastic !!!

soda fountain rag 'it's rag time!', would be goods meets pipas meets florian? she's terrific.

Haha. I see Hegelson is pimping Vampire Hands again. It's really good—a bit quieter than what I usually like, and I wanted more PIL big drums, but it's held up through several listens.

I have been trying hard with Kayo Dot and have just about got it. Torche is v good also.

I thought that Kayo Dot was pretty disappointing, seemed lack some of the intensity that I liked in the earlier albums. It was just a little too composed for my tastes, I was hoping for a little looser attack.

I'm still enjoying the Jamie Lidell album much, much more than I ever expected to.

I had never heard Kayo Dot before this album, so it really hit me pretty hard. I should probably check out some of that older stuff then.

maybe it's bc i'm $+0|\|3D but this Atlas Sound album r u l e s

I'm getting the Kayo Dot, hopefully. Since leaving ILX I got hold of their first two albums and was completely blown away by both. "The Manifold Curiosity" and "___on limpid form" in particular are absolutely masterful creations. I gather Mr. Driver decided to sack everyone in the band who wasn't his girlfriend though so can't really imagine how the new one turned out.

wye oak 'if children' album isn't anything terribly different but it's quite lovely and the perfect antidote for people who used to like cat power

Add Debut Album by Terminus to my list. It's like Broadcast and/or Ladytron, with an added (and none-too-subtle) sci-fi movie component.

God this thread is annoying to search for.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/R3MWCGYF9TLFUQ/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view?ie=UTF8&lm%5Fbb=

I usually go through your Amazon lists at the end of the year to pick up anything I might've missed. Got Electrelane & Caribou that way, so cheers Nick.

Wow, they work!

people need to get with as high as the sky by THE MOLE. finest quality house thumpers.

yeah that mole album is excellent

2008 has generally been kind of amazing so far though.

top albums, top trax...

erykah badu, new amerykah part one (the world war)
mariah carey, e=mc²
lil' wayne, tha carter iii
ashlee simpson, bittersweet world
ellen allien, boogybytes vol 4
robert hood, fabric 39
akiko kiyama, 7 years
trus'me, working nights
bun b, ii trill
the bug, london zoo

cassie - turn the lights off
young jeezy ft. kanye west - put on
lil' mama ft. chris brown & t-pain - shawty get loose
addictive ft. t2 - gonna be mine
jordin sparks ft. chris brown - no air
sway ft. $tush - f ur x
trina ft. missy elliott - i got a bottle
the-dream - ditch that...
kelley polar - entropy reigns (in the celestial city)
solange - sandcastle disco
son of raw - a black man in space
booka shade - control me
estelle ft. kanye west - american boy
wiley ft. blaze & triggz - if you're going out i'm going out too
hood headlinaz - rollin'
hercules and love affair - blind
ne-yo - closer
lloyd ft. lil' wayne - girls all around the world
santogold - les artistes
etienne jaumet - repeat again after me (âme remix)
jay haze - ass to mouth
warrior queen - things change
kat deluna ft. busta rhymes - run the show

Lex you have zero funky house in your list?!?!?

I need to help you with this problem.

funky house basically doesn't figure on my radar at all except for when it bleeds into other kinds of house, or grime or whatever

i forgot wiley's grime wave and the appleblim dubstep sllstars mix! and the roland appel album and and and

Finds of the year so far:

Get Well Soon - Rest Now Weary Head You Will Get Well Soon
The Shortwave Set - Replica Sun Machine
The Week That Was - The Week That Was
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Islands - Arm's Way
Lawrence Arabia - Lawrence Arabia
Sennen - Where The Light Gets In
Tilly & The Wall - O
Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
The Presets - Apocalypso
CSS - Donkey
The INdelicates - American Demo
Pop Levi - Never Never Love
Blood Red Shoes - Box Of Secrets
Gotye - Like Drawing Blood
Mystery Jets - 21

Fuck, it's been a good year so far! Also, lol indie.

(nb: SAX MIX of 'a black man in space')

Three favorites:
Inara George - An Invitation
Kleerup - Kleerup
Jerusalem and the Starbaskets - The Howling

GOOD:
Animal Collective (EP)
Bauhaus
Excepter (comp.)
LSD Pond
Malkmus + Jicks
REM
Stars of the Lid (tour only EP)
Wedding Present

BETTER:
Autechre
Boris
Earth
Fuck Buttons
Mountain Goats
Spiritualized
Times New Viking

BEST:
Atlas Sound
Nick Cave
Gutter Twins
Jamie Lidell
M83
Portishead
Raveonettes

Not yet heard, looking forward to:
Breeders
Four Tet
Growing
No Age
Notwist
Roots
Sun Kil Moon

these are albums i love:

animal collective - water curses
booka shade - the sun and the neon light
bruno pronsato - why can't we be like us?
disfear - live the storm
mara trax - it got me funk

and these ones are pretty darn good too:

evangelista - hello voyager
v/a - step up 2 the streets

i haven't really been keeping track of singles too well.

The INdelicates - American Demo

fuck me this band swings from not half bad to fucking wretched on this record

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