Biggest Surprises?

[Scalzunfield]

There seems to be the annual Top 5 or Top 10 list, but what surprised/disappointed you this year?

 

Pleasant Surprises:

Arcade Fire - "Neon Bible" - I honestly did not think they would be able to even come within shooting distance of "Funeral." I'm so glad they proved me wrong.

 

Radiohead - "In Rainbows" - I'll admit it: I hated Radiohead prior to this release. I really have never been able to stand anything they've done. This one just missed my Top 10 for the year.

 

Dr. Dog - "We All Belong" - Saw them open for Wilco and the rest is history.

 

Spoon - "Ga x5" - Wasn't sure what to expect. "Gimme Fiction" was my intro to Spoon and has since become my least favorite of their albums (it's not bad, it's just not up to Spoon's potential). But this album's amazing. #1 for the year.

 

Ryan Adams - "Easy Tiger" - Zero expectations, damn good results.

 

Disappointments:

Modest Mouse - "We Were Dead..." - Atrocious. Terrible vocals combined with sub-par music makes for a rough record. The highest points on the record for me are when James Mercer mercifully lends his vocals to give Isaac a hand.

 

Iron & Wine - "The Shepherd's Dog" - Picked this up based on VC praise for it. I don't hear what's so great. A very dull album that I really have to try to make it through.

 

Deerhoof - "Friend Opportunity" - I guess it's because I was expecting to be blown away. I wasn't blown away at all after the first two tracks. The Perfect Me and +81, however, are just about the best thing the band has done.

 

Lucinda Williams - "West" - Painful. Period.

 

Fountains Of Wayne - "Traffic & Weather" - Have they always been this mediocre?

[Mystik Spiral]

Pleasant surprises (ie, didn't expect much):

Arctic Monkeys

Babyshambles

Ryan Adams

New Pornographers

 

Biggest disappointments:

Rilo Kiley

Wilco

 

Best new (some new, some just new to me) bands that I "discovered" this year:

Bon Iver

Menomena

White Rabbits

Cloud Cult

Elvis Perkins

Georgie James

Bishop Allen

Dr. Dog

Ezra Furman

Revival

David Dondero

Blitzen Trapper

Pela

[solace]

Surprises:

 

Radiohead (while i enjoyed Hail to the Thief more than most Radiohead fans i know, I also didn't really care much for Kid A/Amnesiac (could put together a fairly solid 12-13 song album between the 2 though). this is easily their best album since OKC for me, and may end up being my most listened to RH album after The Bends. (i'm not gonna claim it's better than OKC, i'd get lynched for doing so, but that album takes a certain mood for me, whereas IR is Radiohead's most uplifting and optimistic and just downright gorgeous album in their entire catalog.)

 

LCD Soundsystem (after an overrated and average debut (a few great songs, but the best songs were on the bonus disc of Singles), James Murphy proves that he's not only great at arrangements, but he's a pretty damn solid lyricist too. very cohesive album for a especially for a dance/rocker.

 

Spoon (while i don't think it's amazing like some, it's a huge huge improvement over GF and a very great record (would prolly put it 4th in their catalog, which is a testament to how great their entire catalog is.). i still just kinda miss their more angular/arty sound, but Britt still writes some incredible hooks, no doubt about that.)

 

Georgie James (in a year of disappointing indie pop albums (Shins, Voxtrot, Rogue Wave, etc.) easily the best indie pop record of the year for me. while i liked the latest New Pornographers, i'd much rather put this on when i'm in a mood for some great/catchy pop).

 

Kanye West (never really got that much into his previous 2 albums besides a handful of tracks, but i love everything on this album minus 2 songs. i think the more synth/80's vibe vs. the orchestral/strings stuff on the last one helped me enjoy it a lot more)

 

Andrew Bird (didn't think it was possible to touch Eggs, but not only did he equal it, i think i may like it even more, it's a super tough call for me. what i've heard of the new one, it sounds like it may be 3 amazing albums in a row (Weather Systems & Swimming Hour weren't exactly slouches either though).

 

Dinosaur Jr. (like they never left. this was the guitar rock record i've been waiting the last few years for.)

 

Beirut (enjoyed the first one a bit, but found it pretty overrated and only 2-3 truly great songs. this one not only sounds 10x better, but it's truly a full cohesive record that flows very well. the horns are much lower in the mix as well, something that bugged/annoyed me about Gulag)

 

White Williams (where the hell did this dude come from? all the fun of Hot Chip's last album with a bit better songwriting. can't wait to see him next month)

 

Disappointments:

 

Rilo Kiley (besides 3 or 4 songs this album is almost unlistenable for me. More Adventurous wasn't perfect and certainly not as great as Takeoffs or Execution were, but it at least had a handful of killer songs and only 2 or 3 poor tracks.)

 

Stooges (one of the worst albums i've heard in the last 5 years, hands down)

 

The Shins (again, 2-3 great singles, but overall not even close to up to par of their first 2)

 

Voxtrot (at least we still have the first 2 EP's. except you couldn't even put together one EP from this album that is as great as those 2 were)

 

Rogue Wave (major bummer after their first 2 that were fantastic, album starts off great at least)

 

Interpol (disappointing, but far from surprising. i'm starting to think they just got lucky with TOTBL. and that their lyrics will always be terrible too)

 

Explosions In The Sky (pretty great record, but by EITS standards doesn't hold up to the other 3 full lengths for me)

 

Ted Leo (not a bad album at all either, but his weakest (besides the true FIRST solo album) to date)

 

Bjork (ugh. i'm starting to think i've just lost interest in her post '00)

 

Modest Mouse (had low expectations, they still weren't met. like the Shins album, few great singles at least)

 

The Good, The Bad, & The Queen (so much potential, but the album bored me more than almost any album in '07)

 

PJ Harvey (blech. more weird/dirty blues rock plzthx?)

 

Bright Eyes (about half of it is really good at least)

 

Bloc Party (starting to wonder if it was a fluke how much i liked the first)

 

Low (it grew on me, but i still think they ruined most of those songs from their live incarnations)

 

Son Volt (after a stellar comeback last year, this one fell flat)

 

Sunset Rubdown (after having a top 10-15 album in my EOY last year, i had a hard time even sitting through this full length. again, few great songs, but most of them are ruined by annoying as hell keyboard/midi tones.

 

Josh Rouse (SO not surprised though, he's been on a downward slide since 1972 (the album, not the year ) but this is easily his most boring and tepid album to date)

 

Les Savy Fav (super excited that they were FINALLY back, but unfortunately this new album wasn't exactly what i'd remembered/loved about them 5 years ago)

 

i was tempted to say Feist, but it's a pretty great album, just a few tracks i'd have cut and the fact that I don't like it quite as much as Let It Die.

[EL the Famous]

i was not at all surprised that i didn't like the new radiohead album and the whole younger spears girl getting pregnant was a bit of a curveball.

[kathyp]

Biggest Surprises:

Again, Ryan Adams

Ike Reilly Assassination

Rilo Kiley (Only because I was expecting it to be horrible on the level of an Ashley Simpson b-side.)

 

Biggest disappointments:

Lucinda Williams

New Pornographers (I think I listened to Challengers once

Amy Winehouse (don't get the hype)

Gogol Bordello (don't get the hype)

Jonathan Lethem's You Don't Love Me yet. (I so wanted to like this book -- especially considering it steals its title from both Roky Erickson and the Vulgar Boatman, but it reads like someone's bad NaNoWriMo novel.)

[Kalle]

Pleasant surprises.

The National - Boxer, VC introduced me to them this year and I'm quite glad that you guys did!

Radiohead - In Rainbows, I didn't think they could pull it off again, proved wrong.

Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War, I honestly couldn't care about this band until I saw them live, fantastic fantastic.

Okkervil River - The Stage Names, again thanks to VC for showing me them, great great album.

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago, again VC! Great record.

Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation, so diverse and I'm surprised this band didn't get signed until recently.

The Acorn - Glory Hope Mountain, one Canada's most promising and best live bands. Superb record that more people need to hear.

THE J'S

Jens Lekman, Josh Ritter, John Vanderslice all put out great great records, Ritter's being my second favourite all year.

 

Disappointments

Voxtrot - S/T, such good EP's and they put out this?

Interpol - Our Love To Admire, try something new?

Modest Mouse - Ships, most deceiving record I've ever listened to, gets shittier after every listen.

Kevin Drew - Spirit If..., just not into it.

Lucinda Williams - West, I have to agree with the majority here, what a piece of junk.

[solace]

oh shit, i'd forgotten to add Voxtrot, thanks for the reminder

[radiokills]

Biggest disappointments:

 

Wilco

[cryptique]

Disappointments:

Iron & Wine - "The Shepherd's Dog" - Picked this up based on VC praise for it. I don't hear what's so great. A very dull album that I really have to try to make it through.

That's my #2 album of the year.

[solace]

That's my #2 album of the year.

yeah... and from the sound of that comment, it doesn't strike me as though Scalzunfield was that big of fan of I&W prior either, so again, not exactly how i'd define a "disappointing" record.

 

because if you think this one is "dull", it's actually more diverse and interesting musically than any other I&W album minus the Woman King EP.

 

i guess if you find it boring you find it boring, but it bugs me when often times people (not saying that's the case here) equate slow, mellow, or acoustic as "boring". it's some of the more gorgeous music that came out in 2007, no doubt.

[Chendizzle]

Biggest Surprises

 

Radiohead - In Rainbows: I remember thinking I wouldn't hear new Radiohead until 2008. Then I was looking around online and started screaming "10 DAYS! 10 DAYS! 10 DAYS!". My roommate is a huge Radiohead fan and was in the other room, but immediately knew. Just a great surprise.

 

Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond: Like Solace said, it's like they never left. This seriously stands up to Bug and You're Living All Over Me. J sounds fantastic and his solos are as good as ever.

 

Deer Tick - War Elephant: 21 year old dude from Providence (holla) puts out debut full length and it kills. I think this guy is gonna blow up. Everyone on here should definitely check this out: alt-country with really strong songwriting and a unique voice.

 

Jay-Z - American Gangster: Announced out of nowhere and stands up with the best of his albums. Although he has always been hot and cold, after Kingdom Come it seemed like Hov had maybe lost the touch, but now that he is back to talking about hustlin instead of being a CEO, it's all good. This has some of his best songs, Roc Boys, American Gangster, Ignorant Shit, Say Hello, Fallin'...he's on top of his game and it's great to know Jigga hasn't lost it.

 

Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha: Initially put off by this, but now I think it's a better overall album than Eggs (though it lacks the big highlights of Fake Palindromes and A Nervous Tic)

 

Biggest Disappointments

 

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky: Only two classic songs (You Are My Face and IG); this just doesn't stand up to what Jeff is capable of for me. I couldn't connect with it.

 

Voxtrot - Some good songs, but nothing touches Mothers or Raised by Wolves

 

Arcade Fire - I don't know why I remain so let down by Neon Bible. Maybe it was just overhyped for me. I loved Funeral but just can't connect to this in the same way.

 

Bright Eyes, The Shins, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - All ok albums, but just big letdowns after the previous releases.

[ikol]

Surprises

Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog: I had high expectations, but wow.

Spoon - GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA: I hadn't really heard much of their stuff, but after hearing so many good things I got this one and am glad I did.

New Pornographers - Challengers: Nuff said.

Menomena - Friend and Foe: Good stuff.

 

Disappointments

The Shins - Wincing the Night Away: It was OK, but it should've been great.

Modest Mouse - Something About Ships: Maybe I've outgrown them or something.

Rilo Kiley - I haven't listed to it enough to remember the album name: Blah.

[Beltmann]

Surprise: ikol posting in a non-political thread.

[ikol]

That surprised me too.

[W(TF)]

I meant to ask, how did people like Golden Smog's release? I'm just about to play it for the first time.

 

I was lukewarm on their 90's stuff..just too alt-country or something. But I LOVE Another Fine Day. They seem to do better with less of Tweedy, though I could be wrong on that.

[DAngerer09]

Biggest pleasant surprises for me:

The National-Boxer- never heard of these guys before this and I was blown away. Their back catalogue is great too...

 

Dr. Dog- We All Belong- Again, I had never heard of these guys before they started opening for Wilco. Fantastic album that sounds so fresh, yet so vintage.

 

Radiohead-In Rainbows- I've never been a big fan of Yorke's voice, but he seems to have toned down the whine and they made a beautiful record.

 

Phonograph (self titled) and the EP- I saw 2 of these guys play a duet show in a bar and I was blown away by their sound. It just 2 guys and they were creating these massive, swirling sounds around the tunes they played. Their album and EP from 2007 are great.

 

Albums that I greatly anticipated and that lived up to my own hype:

 

Andrew Bird- Armchair Apocrypha- These man never stops making great records. And Solace is right, some of the new tunes he has been playing are pretty amazing as well.

 

Spoon- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga- My most played album of 2007 while in the car. Crank the windows down and crank it up.

 

Iron and Wine- The Shepard's Dog- Sam Beam playing with other talented musicians sounds pretty good.

 

Albums that didn't live up to my expectations:

 

Wilco- Sky Blue Sky- Don't get me wrong, I like it. I just don't love it. I was expecting something... different. The first 4 tracks are absolutely fantastic, but Shake It Off is the worst Wilco song there is (on an album). Sorry, it is really hard to listen to without cringing. They sucked the energy out of Walken. While I love the lyrics, What Light comes off a bit dry and is kinda boring live. I enjoy The Thanks I Get than several songs on the actual album. I enjoy listening to SBS, but it just let me down. I was expecting more.

 

Rogue Wave- Asleep at Heaven's Gate- Lake Michigan and Christians in Black are really really good songs. But the rest just feels too shiny and polished to me.

 

The Shins- Wincing the Night Away- Some good ones and some throw aways. I like that they tried branching out some though.

[TheMaker]

Biggest disappointments for sure are Lucinda Williams and The New Pornographers. Decent records by many other artists' standards, but absolute fuckin' garbage compared to everything these cats have done in the past. I'll probably never listen to either of these ever again, and that's really sad.

 

Lots of surprises, though. LCD Soundsystem is at the top of the list - I don't even like this '80s dancepop stuff at ALL as a rule, but this album is just unbelievably brilliant in every way. Every time I spin it I find something new to love, and I find I love the stuff I paid attention to previously even more. Sonny Smith is a guy everybody should be talking about, but nobody is. Leroy Bach is all over this guy's Fruitvale album, so check it out if you're a fan. That Spoon's new one is completely brilliant didn't surprise me, but that it's by far the best record of their career surprised the hell out of me (it's also my AOTY, no surprise there, I guess). Band of Horses. I was a bit lukewarm on their debut, but damn if there aren't some really wonderful songs on the follow-up. Great craftsmanship, if you know what I mean. The I'm Not There OST is as good floating out over my speakers as it is on paper, and that's definitely surprising.

 

It was a damned good year. Way more surprises than disappointments. How's that for negative, Solace?

[froggie]

no mention of Fogerty??

[augurus]

Surprises

 

Feist - The Reminder: Mushaboom did not turn me on; My Moon My Man definitely turned my head around.

 

Clientele, The - God Save The Clientele: I swear I could hear the Beatles invoked in Bookshop Casanova.

 

Liars - Liars: Liars do pop/rock music. Confusing.

 

Menomena - Friend And Foe: Wow. Just, wow.

 

Disappointments

 

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky: Overrated and overdue praise for an album that's pretty bland. Deconstructing songs is not as bad as all the whiners believed. Do it more often, or do something else differently. Don't do dad rock. Don't drizzle us in Eagles sounds to slumber.

 

The Go! Team - Proof Of Youth: It wasn't bad; but it wasn't pumping out the steroids. Also, just because Ninja is in your 'crew, doesn't mean you're required to cater to her needs on almost every song.

 

Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated: I sincerely miss that sharp sarcasm.

 

The New Pornographers - Challengers: The ecstatic bliss you get from their songs is gone.

 

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga: Spoon has always been quite repetitive. However, this album is just a lyrical mess. Don't You Evah, Don't Make Me A Target, Rhthm & Soul, and Japanese Cigarette Box consists of more than 50% lyrical repetition that the album doesn't need. I get the album, and the execution, but it's such a mess to listen to someone just sing "don't make me a target" for a minute. The purpose for the repetition is there, but I feel that this is more irritating because the repetition evokes intangible feelings (because there are better ways to convey what you want to say than by beating someone on the head with a wine bottle for two hours), thus frustrating the recepient, me! If this is what 85% of VC favor this, then I don't know how you guys define repetitively annoying. Fortunately, songs like Ghost Of You Lingers, Black Like Me, and Cherry Bomb reminds me of why I liked Spoon.

[Welsh Rich]

Surprises

 

Iron & Wine - Shepherds Dog: Didn't get I&W prior to this, but just fell in love with this from the first moment I pressed play. Marvellous.

 

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver: Didn't like the debut album apart from "Daft Punk..." but once again, from the first play I was completely bowled over by it.

 

Battles - Went from nowhere, on my radar at least, to my new favourite band. Gutted I missed them live, twice, this year, but I will see them.

 

Babyshambles: Woah... off the crack (maybe) and with a strong producer has made one of the great indie-pop records of the year.

 

Fuck Buttons: One of the acts to look for next year, but their debut EP has mesmerised me for the last month or so... brilliant stuff.

 

Thurston Moore: A solo album that didn't involve waves of feedback and electric guitars (much) but showed that he can write proper songs when he puts his mind to it. A really great album.

 

Disappointments

 

Bjork: I'm with Kyle, she's lost her way I think.

 

Rilo Kiley: Was hoping for something more after Jenny Lewis' solo record, but this was bland bland bland.

 

Wilco: For cancelling their UK shows (for no apparent reason) and SBS being, well, not quite what I had in mind.

 

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger: Now, I love Ryan and all, but this was not as good as previous offerings and maybe a little safe for him...

[Synthesizer Patel]

Surprises

 

Panda Bear - Person Pitch (I didn't like Young Prayer, so this came right out of the blue - and I see it as a long way above all the other things I liked from this year)

Caribou - Andorra (Never heard of them/him until this year - so it was a nice surprise)

Lavender Diamond - Imagine Our Love (After the EP they put out a few years back I knew they were good, but it was a surprise how good this album was)

Robert Wyatt - Comicopera (Good to see he's still making great, interesting, music)

Kevin Ayers - The Unfairground (Like Wyatt, it's good to see him still making great music)

 

Disappointments

 

White Stripes - Icky Thump (Appalling production/mastering - and the first of their albums I haven't liked or bought - thank god for illegal downloads)

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger (After really liking Jacksonville and 29 I expected to like this one too, but it was not to be. Pearls On A String was a good song, though)

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (I like all the songs, it just doesn't work so great as an album, or at least not like the two previous albums did)

LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (Murphy still hasn't equalled those first few singles he put out in my eyes - I am sure he could do in the future, which is why I was disappointed)

The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City (Not a bad album, just my least favourite from them so far)

Oakley Hall - I'll Follow You (I like it, but nowhere near as much as the two they put out last year)

[Campaigner]

Not really surprised by too much this year (well, nothing on the level of Lindsey Buckingham's Under the Skin from last year).

 

Biggest disappointment is an easy one;

 

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81

 

After loving Howl to death, this one was just appalling.

[Eli Cash]

LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (Murphy still hasn't equalled those first few singles he put out in my eyes - I am sure he could do in the future, which is why I was disappointed)

 

Please fix your headphones.

[Barbarino]

Biggest disappointment: Meat Puppets - Rise to your Knees

[W(TF)]

Well, I can answer my own question now.

 

Biggest disappointment - Blood On The Slacks.

 

After last year's amazing Another Fine Day, it would be hard for Golden Smog to put something comparable out....especially since AFD had 15 good or great songs, it's not like there would be a ton of leftovers to cull from. But BOTS feels like a throwaway, or maybe fulfilling a contract obligation. Bland, mediocre, and uninspired. 8 songs, only one or two interesting tunes.