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Surely I didn't just read 8 pages of posts and not see one mention of Cat Power's 'Jukebox'? That one is up there for me this year. I know its a covers album and all but still.

 

Gary Louris and Dead Meadow were two others way up there for me that I don't think I saw mentioned.

 

Nice to see Vetiver's 'Thing Of The Past' get mention. Again, its a cover album but what a great selection of tunes and great execution by Andy Cabic and company.

 

Spiritualized's 'Songs in A and E' is at my #1 spot right now but may be outed by the Brightblack Morning Light album that comes out in September. Fleet Foxes ep and full length, Spiritualized, and Brightblack Morning Light will likely make the top 3 for me followed by that Vetiver.

 

The new Verve comes out soon too but I'm scared of it sounding like solo Richard Ashcroft crap and not enough Nick McCabe landscapes.

 

Other favorites include Steven Bernstein's 'Diaspora Suite' (featuring Nels Cline), John Zorn's 'The Dreamers', Bill Dixon's Exploding Star Orchestra, and Marc Ribot's 'Exercises In Futility.'

 

I really didn't think 2007 could be topped for quality new releases, but 2008 has been (and will be) one of the best years ever. So many good albums being released. I think Tortoise and Neko Case each have something in the works too.

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Nada Surf - Lucky

Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us

Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Drive-By Truckers - BTCD

Fleet Foxes - s/t

 

Whenever I see these lists I realize just how little new music I buy. I buy lots of music, but at least half of it is usually older stuff. I've been listening a lot recently to The New Pornographers' Challengers, Nada Surf's Let Go, and Ryan Adams' Gold. Fewer new releases get spins on my CD player.

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I think Stay Positive is better than Almost Killed Me (but it's close). But even though I think it's their third best, it's still better than a lot of the stuff that's out there. I still haven't been able to embrace "Both Crosses" and "One For the Cutters" is merely average, but the rest of the songs are great. Factor in the bonus tracks (which may or may not be fair) and it's a great album.

 

I'm surprised you were disappointed in This Gift. There is a bit more of a sheen on the album that sacrifices a little of the rawness from past albums, but I think the fuller sound balances her voice really well.

 

Oh well, at least we can agree on Wolf Parade :thumbup

 

I think Stay Positive is my favorite Hold Steady album, but I also think "One for the Cutters" is one of their best songs. "If one townie falls in the forest does anyone hear it?" may be the best line I've heard all year.

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Both are my respective least favorites.

 

What do you people have against the harpsichord?

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What do you people have against the harpsichord?

 

i'm not a big fan of harpsichord in general, but my issue with Cutters is moreso how fake and harsh the sound is, it's far too up in the mix on that song.

 

it's actually not a real harpsichord either, it's a synth, which sounds even more thin and tinny live than on record.

 

there's very few songs i love that use harpsichord as the main instrument (Bruce and the Beatles come to mind). it was a big reason why i never got into Tori Amos' 'Boys for Pele' record way back in the day too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My current incarnation:

 

1. Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)

Cloud Cult

 

2. Rabbit Habits

Man Man

 

3. Consolers Of The Lonely

The Raconteurs

 

4. Real Emotional Trash

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks

 

5. Modern Guilt

Beck

 

6. Fate

Dr. Dog

 

7. Attack and Release

The Black Keys

 

8. Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

Sigur R
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wow.

 

surprised to see the love for Cloud Cult!

 

i love the record, but it's my 3rd fave of theirs, and not even in my top 3 local releases on the year

Subjectivity, etc... I didn't love it at first the way i did The Meaning of 8 (and I still feel like these two albums are leaps and bounds better -- for my tastes -- than anything prior), but it holds up great for me. The arrangements are by far the most compelling and rich for me and the album is a lot tighter than 8.

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wow.

 

surprised to see the love for Cloud Cult!

 

i love the record, but it's my 3rd fave of theirs, and not even in my top 3 local releases on the year

 

 

Tell me a bit about this record.

(And forgive me if you already did, because I'm not gonna comb through 8 pages of posts just to find the one album.)

 

Sounds like?...

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Subjectivity, etc... I didn't love it at first the way i did The Meaning of 8 (and I still feel like these two albums are leaps and bounds better -- for my tastes -- than anything prior), but it holds up great for me. The arrangements are by far the most compelling and rich for me and the album is a lot tighter than 8.

 

for me, Happy Hippo is my fave, followed every so closely by Meaning of 8 and then Feel Good Ghosts

 

surprised you're not that big on Happy Hippo... that was the record where they stepped it up a bunch of notches from the previous ones, especially production wise.

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for me, Happy Hippo is my fave, followed every so closely by Meaning of 8 and then Feel Good Ghosts

 

surprised you're not that big on Happy Hippo... that was the record where they stepped it up a bunch of notches from the previous ones, especially production wise.

I like it okay, it just pales for me in terms of song writing and production (I love what these guys do with strings). I think Craig is just short of being a great song writer. There is always something missing for me that leaves the songs sounding incomplete. But the arrangements just keep getting better.

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What's the big deal with Fleet Foxes? Performant vocal harmonies and decent melodies, but what else? (I've only listened to them on YouTube)

 

well, if your only exposure is YouTube... the least you could do is check out the album, then decide... just a suggestion

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Tell me a bit about this record.

(And forgive me if you already did, because I'm not gonna comb through 8 pages of posts just to find the one album.)

 

Sounds like?...

Sounds like someone needs to do a Google search, or at least check out AMG ;).

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