2008...so far

My 2 latest purchases didn't disappoint. Nothing surprising, just great stuff.

Van der Graaf generator - Trisector
Kathleen Edwards - Asking for flowers

 

The cd sound (on 'Rain') is atrocious. Can't blame the artist OR the producer, I'm sorry.
Someone is going in behind the "name" mastering engineers and
re-treating the files. It's so obvious!

 

I've not heard it. In fact, haven't taken the plunge on the vinyl, not a big enough fan. Anyone hear the Lp? how is the sound? music?

 

I just learned of Why? over the weekend, and really liked what I heard. They're going to be here in Columbus tomorrow night.... hopefully I can make it there.

 

Yeah I gotta agree with you, reminds me of a darker Everly Brothers, with some surf guitar thrown in. Good stuff.

 

Raveonettes is a 2007 release though.

 

For you, maybe. Here across the pond it was released on Feb 19, 2008.

 

Here's a link to an earlier song by the Raveonettes called Love in a Trashcan.

I think these guys are catchy as hell. Not bad on the eyes, either ... well, one of em anyway.

Jeff

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mRUqpgg-8Ps

 

The Raveonettes new record is by far my favorite record already released this year.
However I got an advance of the new Torche album "Meanderthal" and it's incredible.
They've been around, but this record is a perfect melding of catchiness mixed with ultra heavy doom...as odd as that sounds.
Seem 'em tons, but can't wait to hear all this great new material live!!!

 

That's pretty ferocious stuff, Doomsayer. Not my type of music, but man, that drummer can sure play.

Jeff

 

Accelerate by R.E.M.

One of my long time favourite Rock bands deliver what is now my favourite album of 2008.

Thanks Peter, Mike and Michael! See you 'live' this summer.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DNQ97P0rQk8

 

REM - Accelerate
The Breeders - Mountain Battles

These are both good albums. The REM one is a nice listen.

 

I just got Dig! Lazarus Dig! on vinyl, and it's great! His lyrics just get better and better, and the tunes swing! Plus the sound is well-mastered for a change - cymbals sound like cymbals, the bass has the right punchiness and the vocals sound like Mister Cave is standing right next to my loudspeakers...

Blixa was great, but so is Warren Ellis, who also is the core instrumentalist of Grinderman.

 

Here's the Allmusic Guide's alphabetical list of the best records of the year from January through March:

American Music Club - The Golden Age
Autechre - Quaristice
Autistic Daughters - Uneasy Flowers
Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War
Beach House - Devotion
The Black Crowes - Warpaint
Black Milk - Caltroit
Black Mountain - In the Future
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies
Los Campesinos - Hold on Now, Youngster…
Chessie - Manifest
Counting Crows - Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings
Sheryl Crow - Detours
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Ray Davies - Working Man’s Cafe
Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams
Raheem DeVaughn - Love Behind the Melody
DeVotchKa - A Mad and Faithful Telling
Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull
Liam Finn - I’ll Be Lightning
The Five Blind Boys of Alabama - Down in New Orleans
The Fleshtones - Take a Good Look
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Howlin Rain - Magnificent Fiend
Alan Jackson - Good Time
Junior Boys - Body Language, Vol. 6
Kelley Polar - I Need You to Hold on While the Sky Is Falling
The Kills - Midnight Boom
Justus Köhncke - Safe and Sound
Charles Lloyd - Rabo de Nube
Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin’
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Bob Mould - District Line
Nada Surf - Lucky
Neon Neon - Stainless Style
David “Fathead” Newman - Diamondhead
Panic at the Disco - Pretty. Odd
Connie Price & the Keystones - Tell Me Something
The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust (US Bonus Tracks)
The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion
School of Language - Sea from Shore
Sons & Daughters - This Gift
Kelley Stoltz - Circular Sounds
Otis Taylor - Recapturing the Banjo
These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
Times New Viking - Rip It Off
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Larry Willis - The Offering
Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers
Yip-Yip - Two Kings of the Same Kingdom (CD/DVD)

 

No Duffy?

 

Jason Collett "HERE'S TO BEING HERE" A really nice songwriter's album with a slight Dylanesque feel.
Adele "19" This one has really grown on me. She writes all her own material and has a great lived in voice for such a young lass.

That's about it. Mostly just listen to reissues of old stuff!

 

Man, there's a lot on that list I don't know anything about. I've read some good things about the new ones from Destroyer and Neon Neon. Any love here for those guys?

Jeff

 

The only 2008 released LPs I have so far is the new Raconeurs and it rocks and the newest live Porcupine tree. Great albums.

 

The top three so far for me:

Black Crowes--Warpaint
Gary Louris--Vagabonds
Nick Cave--Dig Lazarus Dig

A very good start to the year, if you ask me!

 

Best lp so far ......Ray Davies - Working man's cafe

 

I've been really impressed with Murder By Death's Red Of Tooth And Claw. The songwriting is more straight-forward like on In Boca Al Lupo but while that record felt like a band in transition, it seems they've really hit their stride here. The vocals are strong, the music rocks along and the cello is used the best since Like The Exorcist But With More Breakdancing. The middle three songs ("Fuego!", "Theme (For Ennio Morricone)" & "A Second Opinion") and the closer, "Spring Break 1899" are fantastic, and I'd argue that there's not a weak track among hte rest.

 

Raconteurs - "Consolers of the Lonely" takes the top spot thus far in 2008.

I plan on giving the new Black Keys several spins this weekend to see if it grabs me.

 

I can't believe that list above omitted Joe Jackson : "Rain". Truly one of the great albums this year.