new 2009 albums

[DM]

In the past week I've come into possession of both the new Appleseed Cast (Sagarmatha) and Cursive (Mama, I'm Swollen). Anyone else?

At first listens of each, I'd say TAC is a considerably stronger effort. I love the fact that they're using less vocals and relying more on creating such vast soundscapes. Cursive, I feel, has gotten weaker with each release following Domestica (which isn't to say The Ugly Organ wasn't pure genius).

 

[Steelicks]

the new U2 album is pretty mediocre =( thats all i can say at this point

 

[matty]

I liked the new Fray Album. Similar to their old one, but it has some variety

Looking forward to the new Razorlight CD on Thurs. and the Decemberists next Tues

 

[Deschain]

this is what i've heard so far this year:

Dalek: Gutter Tactics
after quite a few listens i am really digging this. the beats are as sick as ever, equaling Absence and topping Abandoned Language. the lyrics are still too low in the mix for my liking, but his flow is still fantastic, and his words as controversial and abrasive as you would expect.

Cursive: Mama, I'm Swollen
on my second listen now, and i'm not that impressed yet. hoping this will be a grower. it dosen't seem to be as innovative and progressive as their last two.

Marissa Nadler: Little Hells
a good album, but not as good as her last two. it lacks something, maybe warmth and timelessness. comes across a bit on the generic side, which is disappointing.

Thursday: Common Existence
a breath of fresh air for everyone who was let down by the shitstorm of a record that was A City By the Light Divided. i still need to listen to this one more to form a more detailed opinion, but after two or three times through, i can tell it's pretty good.

Wolves in the Throne Room: Malevolent Grain
a two track EP, half of it's good, half of it's so-so. their full length leaked last week, and i'm really looking forward to giving that a listen.

Telefon Tel Aviv: Immolate Yourself
i'm a huge fan of these guys, so this album was a let down. pretty blah, and nowhere near the level of interesting acheived on their previous two releases.

Blut Aus Nord: Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars
after only a few listens i like it alot. very good, atmospheric black metal.


that's it for now.

got several albums on deck, and i'll report back later.

 

[Blln]

Bomb the Music Industry! finally released their new album Scrambles. I doubt many people here know them or like them but they are definitely one of my favorite bands. they're sort of ska/punk/electronica/other stuff but anyway i figured it was worth mentioning because Scrambles along with all their other albums is available for free at their site quoteunquoterecords.com.

As for my opinion, Scrambles was incredibly different from anything else they've done before, with tons of piano, a huge first for them, and much less ska/punk elements. At first I thought i hated it and was thoroughly disappointed i had anticipated it so much but sure enough after a few listens it really grew on me to the point where i now LOVE it. My favorite songs on it are probably 25! and Sort of Like Being Pumped at this point

 

[evan]

So far 2009 is already head and shoulders above 2008. Animal Collective released a great album (though I do miss Sung Tongs/Feels era AC) and my thoughts on the Andrew Bird album are already immortalised in the Entertainment Reviews forum. The new A.C. Newman was a huge let down but I think I may just be getting over the entire New Pornographers scene. Bon Iver's EP is neat, I love the title track (Blood Bank) but can do without the rest of the filler.

Casey Mercer is busy with a new record as Blackout Beach and also a new Swan Lake album coming out, both of which are pretty strong. J. Tillman's record is pretty fantastic and I listened to it a lot when it was colder. Fever Ray is new music from one half of The Knife and is mostly what you would expect except less bass. It has some standout tracks but some lows as well.

Cursive's new album has been growing on me. On my first listen it was a huge disappointment, especially since all the songs were just so much better when I saw him perform them live before putting them to tape. That being said, I'm still in love with "What Have I Done?" even though I'd rather have the live version.

Dark Was the Night is a fantastic compilation for a good cause that has all my favourite modern bands on it.

But by far my favourite 2009 album so far is The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. It's not an original album or particularly mindblowing but it is just so well crafted and brings back memories of a lot of the great indie pop bands of yore. I feel like I'll grow bored of it eventually, but for now it has solid rotation. especially with the weather warming up.

There are some others that I've seen that I havent really listened to much like THe Boy Least Likely To, The Appleseed Cast, Grizzly Bear, and Akron/Family, but that's just too much music for me even if I have a radio show.

 

[Morm]

the new one by The Creepshow is really good. It's called "Run for your life" and sports some amazingly good rockabilly tracks. I love it, and no, I'm not a total redneck. The upright bass in that band is used quite well.

 

[Flash_gearz]

The P.O.S album is pretty good. Drumroll is my favorite song on it.

 

[Dexterity]

My first impression of Common Existence by Thursday was pretty bad; I felt that his voice grew unbearably whiny. However, after a couple more listens, it's actually pretty good. I'm glad they still have it in them.

Personal highlights: Resuscitation of a Dead Man, As He Climbed the Dark Mountain, You Were The Cancer

 

[Thorns]

The Fray is a pretty good album. Obviously it's very popular cause of You Found Me (awesome song) but the whole album is worth a look.
Dark Was The Night. I agree with boy evan my boy, it's got a lot of cool artists and yeah, support AIDS awareness!

 

[Deschain]

Fever Ray is new music from one half of The Knife and is mostly what you would expect except less bass. It has some standout tracks but some lows as well.

holy shit.

*acquires*

 

[Altmer]

I've only heard a bit, like the new Lamb of God, but what I've heard is good. Mostly rediscovering older stuff at the moment. Still waiting for new Anathema.

 

[Stoo]

listening to mama, im swollen and i definitely agree it is not as good as some of their other albums, but i couldnt love you and we're going to hell are great songs

 

[Llama]

I might be the only one, but I am really enjoying Mama, I'm Swollen , on the first play through.

That being said I'm still listening to it as of this post, but I like it a lot, although In the now and Donkeys aren't that great.


Full impressions when I'm done

EDIT: Ok listened to it about 10 times here's what I got.

I like this ablum, I like it a lot, it isn't as good as some of the past albums, but cursive albums are never the same as their predecessors. This album seems a lot softer than any cursive album, but that's part of the reason I like it. I'm not the greatest at discerning instruments from the music, but I'm pretty sure I heard the flute in there somewhere, and I loved the organ in this album. Now onto songs. I really can't stand In the now, and donkeys isn't good but isn't terrible, but not as great as the rest of the album, those are the only two songs I dont like. My top three on this album in no order are, I Couldn't Love You, Mama I'm Swollen, and Let Me Up.

Overall I'm happy with this album.

 

[Xia]

WRATH is an amazing album, and will most likely stay one of the top metal albums for the rest of the year. Lamb of God has finally returned to their roots, after unsuccessfully exploring other subgenres of metal. Thrath is where it's at, and WRATH is thrash. 'Nuff said.

 

[Altmer]

Wrath is all right, but it's about as Pantera ripoff as it gets. With some Metallica/Slayer ripping as well. It works nicely as a modern version of tuff-guy metal, but I still prefer the stronger tunes of Sacrament.

 

[Deschain]

I might be the only one, but I am really enjoying Mama, I'm Swollen , on the first play through.

That being said I'm still listening to it as of this post, but I like it a lot, although In the now and Donkeys aren't that great.


Full impressions when I'm done

EDIT: Ok listened to it about 10 times here's what I got.

I like this ablum, I like it a lot, it isn't as good as some of the past albums, but cursive albums are never the same as their predecessors. This album seems a lot softer than any cursive album, but that's part of the reason I like it. I'm not the greatest at discerning instruments from the music, but I'm pretty sure I heard the flute in there somewhere, and I loved the organ in this album. Now onto songs. I really can't stand In the now, and donkeys isn't terrible but isn't terrible, but not as great as the rest of the album, those are the only two songs I dont like. My top three on this album in no order are, I Couldn't Love You, Mama I'm Swollen, and Let Me Up.

Overall I'm happy with this album.

you're definately not the only one who likes it, a lot of my friends on another (music) messageboard really dig it.

it's still not clicking for me unfortunately. haven't given up on it yet though.

on to some other releases:

Broken Spindles: Kiss/Kick
not as good as previous albums, but then again Broken Spindles albums always seem to take me several years to like. i don't know what it is about them. on another note, i just got ahold of an instrumental disc he put out last year entitled Document Number One, and i like it a lot.

Fever Ray: Fever Ray
i fell in love with Silent Shout back in 2006, so when i heard (in this thread no less) that the fairer half of The Knife had a record out this year i jumped on it. basically, if you like The Knife, check it out. if you like down-tempo atmospheric electronic music with weird female vocals (and who dosen't?), check this out. i don't think it'll make it into my top picks for the year, but it's definitely worth checking out...even if half the time it sounds like The Knife B-sides.

My Dying Bride: For the Lies I Sire
i haven't listened to this enough to have a fully formed opinion, but so far it's holding it's own. it's been getting a lof of flack from "the scene" but i don't really buy in to that sort of thing and prefer to make up my own mind about a release.

Wolves in the Throne Room: Black Cascade
after three listenes, i can tell this will probably be a top metal pick for 2009. while not quite as good as their previous two full lengths, they still bring to the table all the elements that i listen to this band for. i kinda wish they'd done something a little different this time around, but i'm not going to complain too much.

 

[Altmer]

i hear the new decemberists leaked

 

[Chronos]

Balmorhea has a new album coming out this month
(this is a pretty good song http://www.last.fm/music/Balmorhea/_/The+Winter)

edit: actually tomorrow

 

[Altmer]

Also I listened to the new My Dying Bride. That is one amazing album they put out. I love the touch of the violins, makes it sound like it hearkens back to their Swans / Angel days.

 

[BigPDaMonsta]

I agree the new P.O.S. albums is very good... also, Takeover by Zion I is great.

 

[monkfish]

Thursday: Common Existence
a breath of fresh air for everyone who was let down by the shitstorm of a record that was A City By the Light Divided. i still need to listen to this one more to form a more detailed opinion, but after two or three times through, i can tell it's pretty good.

bad ass. I was actually quite a fan of city by the light, but then i am a huge thursday fan anyway. the new album is incredible, on a par with war all the time imo.

 

[DM]

I like City by the Light too, I didn't even know they had a new one. I'll try to remember to download it tonight.

 

[Hipmonlee]

So I downloaded the leaked decemberists album and I am halfway through it but so far it's awful..

To be fair I havent really been giving it a good listen, it has just been on in the background, but whenever I notice it I cringe..

Have a nice day.

 

[Deschain]

i've always thought they were awful.

them and all their ilk. ;)