bsr8j

Alabama Shakes when they opened for the Drive-By Truckers in DC last New Year's Eve. I hadn't heard any of their music before that night, and by the time their set was over I was hoping they would come out for an encore, even though they were the openers. Of course they may have played all their songs in the opening set!

Santa Claus brought me "High Violet"!

Some of the albums folks are mentioning in this thread are streaming over at AOL's Spinner website (a favorite of mine). I'm giving the National another shot right now, and I'm actually really liking it. I use to have a problem with the singer's voice, but not now. I don't know what changed about me (because obviously nothing changed about his voice). I may have to pick this one up, even if I'm a little late to the show. http://www.spinner.com/new-releases#/

I've particularly liked the following new ones this year (in almost alphabetical order): Against Me! - White Crosses Best Coast - Crazy for You DBT - The Big To-Do Guster - Easy Wonderful Gaslight Anthem - American Slang The New Pornographers - Together Rogue Wave - Permalight (I really love this one more and more every time I listen to it.) Vampire Weekend - Contra On the "Why does Rivers Cuomo hate me? (because it must be personal)" list would be "Hurley." Weezer continues to test the patience of their fans, and I keep going out and buying the records. I could stop buying them, but then

I actually like Kings of Leon, but that is f'ing funny.

Bird poop, man.

I love it. I don't have New Wave (well, I have the Ben Lee version, but not the original, so that doesn't really count), but I did like it. I think this one is really great, too. I got it at the same time I got the new Gaslight Anthem CD, and they sound a lot alike to me, but I think I like the Against Me! record better. (If they have to be compared.) Both are pretty wonderful though.

Spinner.com has the newest album from Against Me! up... http://www.spinner.com/new-releases#/1 I'm aware of this band, but not a huge follower. I seem to remember when the last one came out (and Ben Lee covered it), their "old school" fans were upset about their less punk sound. I wonder what they think about the new one, called White Crosses, because it isn't nearly as heavy as the last one (called New Wave, I think). I like the new one. It has a bit of a Gaslight Anthem feel to me.

Agreed. I heard "You Are the Best Thing" on the beach the other day and thought, oh yeah! I remember that guy! I love the title of the new one.

Challengers really grew on me since its release and now I really dig it. I took it out of my stereo today to put "Together" in, and I do love the more uptempo feel of the new album. All the New Pornographers' children are above average in my book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJb1_EGnapY&feature=player_embedded

Now that is an endorsement! I've got to check it out now. Edit: And it's streaming over at Spinner for anyone interested. Sticky Bubblegum

Two albums (and more) coming out tomorrow are streaming over at AOL's Spinner. I imagine a lot folks have heard these through other means already (Record Store Day, NPR streams, leaks), and many others will pick them up tomorrow. If you don't want to wait... New Pornographers "Together" The Hold Steady "Heaven is Whenever"