Best Albums of 2006 [Archive] - Squeezebox : Community : Forums

Malcolm Wotton

2006-03-02, 07:26

> I've started this thread so we can have somewhere to record our favorite
> albums for the current year. So far, for me:
>
> Cat Power - The Greatest
> Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
> Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

I assume you mean albums released in 2006. I suspect any album I rave about
will actually be an old album that's new to me.

Malcolm

Otherwise I'll put Leonard Cohen - Ten New Songs on the list!

eq72521

2006-03-02, 09:55

It takes me years to digest new material. If I worked on it I might be able to come up with a best of 2004, but certainly not 2006 and probably not 2005 yet. So, ask me in 2008. The best of 1973 was probably _Closing Time_ by Tom Waits. :) If not best overall, at least the best debut.

ezkcdude

2006-03-02, 11:20

Well, I thought this thread could be a nice way to keep updated on good new music. Of course, there can be other threads for your favorite artists, but here, I think we should list new albums that are of note, especially when albums that may not be on everyone's radar. This is sort of like Pitchfork's "Best New Music" recommendations.

dbuk

2006-03-02, 11:57

TCM

2006-03-02, 12:05

Great idea for a thread I'm always on the lookout for new music.

Looking in browse by years on Slimserver, 2006 has been a light one so far. Apart from The Artic Monkeys the only decent album has been Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. If you like Arcade Fire you'll like this, it's a bit more upbeat though. I'm looking forward to the new Morrissey one though.

D

Mmmmm Morrissey! I'm planning to go to the Morrissey concert in Stockholm - will be great (see my sig and avatar).

On another note: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah must be the coolest band name in a long time.

Siduhe

2006-03-02, 12:14

Likewise looking forward to The Little Willies featuring Norah Jones (March 2006). Seen them live a couple of times and they are fab !

Kyle

2006-03-02, 12:32

Likewise looking forward to The Little Willies featuring Norah Jones (March 2006). Seen them live a couple of times and they are fab !
Love Norah Jones, esp. album with Peter Mallick Group. Tell me more about The Little Willies.

Siduhe

2006-03-02, 12:38

Tell me more about The Little Willies.

New York bar band. Alt-country meets urban spirit. Terrible name (I believe a reference to Willie Nelson), but brilliant live and thoroughly nice people to boot. Even their recordings sound like they were done in a smoke-filled back bar in the heart of Greenwich Village.

http://www.emimusic.ca/thelittlewillies/

(I have no connection)

bossanova808

2006-03-02, 16:03

Some recent, if not quite 2006, finds:

Fits into last year but My Morning Jacket - Z is a bit of a ripper. The last two tracks are freakin awesome in particular.

Winston Giles Orchestra - Magnificent Beautiful Day.....if you like Lemonjelly but thought there last album was a less than ideal change of direction, this one is well worth is (as is the first album) - and you can buy direct from the artist (I even got an email direct from the producer!)

The Broken Flowers OST has some great stuff on it, very good for late night and road trips. I guess it would be called jazzy world music??

The latest Sodastream EP - Take Me With You When You Go - is superb. In particular, Keith and Tina is one of their best tracks ever, and they've done some awesome stuff.

dEUS - Pocket Revolution (will be a 2006 album in the States but has been out for a few months in Europe) - good. Not quite as amazing as The Ideal Crash which still totally floats my boat, but Tom Barman remains seriously cool.

agentsmith

2006-03-03, 06:16

The year is still new

For now

Jack Johnson - Sing-A-Longs And Lullabies For The Film Curious George

Mike Meyer

2006-03-03, 09:42

Kamelot's The Black Halo - It came out last year but it's new to me. It is the best I've heard in a while. I would describe it as 'melodic or symphonic metal' so might not be all that popular around here with what I've seen other people listening to. :)

I usually read the Slimdevices forums via Outlook Express. Is this new Music forum available there? I'm not seeing it listed under gmane.music.equipment.slimdevices.music.

gbreit

2006-03-03, 10:12

I've been listening to the latest by the Minus 5 (titled "The Minus 5", and has a gun on the cover) more than anything this year. This band consists of Scott McCaughey from the Young Fresh Fellows and whichever of his musical friends are available at the time he is recording. This almost always includes Peter Buck from R.E.M., plus members of Wilco, The Posies, etc. This is their 7th album, I think. Scott wears his Beatles and Brian Wilson influence on his sleeve, but brings a harder edge and darkness to the music that rewards repeated listens. They toured Europe earlier this year both alone and in support of Robyn Hitchcock and are currently on tour in the U.S. I saw their tour opener in San Diego last week with RH -- fantastic, although their tour with Wilco a couple of years ago was even better.

There are sample tunes at:

http://www.yeproc.com/artist_info.php?artistId=201

Also see:

http://www.minus5.com/

Enjoy.

gb

coops

2006-03-03, 12:19

hal9000

2006-03-06, 22:30

Boris "Pink"

Not out in the US yet...but will be soon. This is the year of Japanese metal...get on the band wagon.

-hal

zooropa320

2006-03-07, 20:32

I posted this on the "wish list" thread but after careful consideration it belongs here too:
Mogwai - Mr. Beast

Simply fantastic from start to finish.
Bought it today, ripped it and have had the tracks looping ever since.

ezkcdude

2006-03-07, 20:42

Great idea for a thread I'm always on the lookout for new music.

Looking in browse by years on Slimserver, 2006 has been a light one so far. Apart from The Artic Monkeys the only decent album has been Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. If you like Arcade Fire you'll like this, it's a bit more upbeat though. I'm looking forward to the new Morrissey one though.

D

I just got tickets today for a CYHSY show in Lawrence, KS at the end of this month! They're one of my current favorite bands. Actually, my favorite song of 2005 was "Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" off their album.

Sam Lowry

2006-03-07, 20:53

The Starlight Mints-Drowaton

It's my favorite so far even though it doesn't officially come out until April. For those into the indie scene.

JSonnabend

2006-03-08, 07:11

My vote is for "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah".

Can someone explain to me how Arctic Monkeys are something other than a Libertines retread?

- Jeff

kanoot

2006-03-08, 09:03

I've started this thread so we can have somewhere to record our favorite albums for the current year. So far, for me:

Cat Power - The Greatest
Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

I can't agree more with your selection of the new Belle and Sebastian album. It was far better than I thought it would be and it keeps growing on me daily.

The only other album I've picked up so far this year that I can't stop listening to is the new album by Pink Mountaintops (singer from Black Mountain). Its great.

ezkcdude

2006-03-08, 09:15

My vote is for "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah".

Can someone explain to me how Arctic Monkeys are something other than a Libertines retread?

- Jeff

The CYHSY album is 2005. It's still great, though.

kanoot

2006-03-08, 12:33

I would also add the new album by Tortoise and Bonny Prince Billy, The Brave and the Bold, to my running top 2006 albums. Its a collection of covers but they are the most imaginative and best-sounding covers I have heard in a long time. Their version of Thunder Road is amazing.

http://tinyurl.com/rnywl

JSonnabend

2006-03-08, 15:21

The CYHSY album is 2005. It's still great, though.
Oh, yeah. Bit early for Best of '06, no?

kanoot

2006-03-08, 15:28

Oh, yeah. Bit early for Best of '06, no?

Its never too early to start a running list!

NPM

2006-03-16, 10:05

Best Album for 2006 must be Next from Seeed.

They're a Berlin based outfit. I saw them at Glastonbury 2005 on the Jazz World stage, and they stole the festival for me. Can recommend all three albums released todate. Not a band that you can sit still to though... they describe themselves as "Dancehall Reggae" and I defy anyone to sit still through a full CD.

Can also recommend:

The Little Willes
Artic Monkeys
Corinne Bailey Rae

ezkcdude

2006-03-16, 11:59

I've been listening to:

Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Isobel Cambell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas

All four are contenders.

zooropa320

2006-03-16, 17:12

The new Joe Satriani cd, Super Colossal, came out on Tuesday. Pretty decent but not as good as Is There Love In Space? from 2004. Need to give it a few more listens to be fair though.

Looking forward to these over the next couple of months:
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime II (April 4)
Tool - 10,000 Days (May 2)
Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam (May 6)
Live - Songs from Black Mountain (May 9)

kanoot

2006-03-16, 17:17

Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Isobel Cambell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas

I didn't even know the Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan album existed! Sounds really interesting considering their earlier bands.

You and I seem to have very similar tastes in music - always nice to find.

ezkcdude

2006-03-16, 18:13

I didn't even know the Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan album existed! Sounds really interesting considering their earlier bands.

You and I seem to have very similar tastes in music - always nice to find.

kanoot, then you may also be interestd in the following (not 2006 albums):

M. Ward - Transistor Radio
A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder

I just got these, and they are also great. I first heard M. Ward on a live bootleg with My Morning Jacket, and of course, A.C. Newman started The New Pornographers.

FYI, I should add that my number one source for new music ideas is www.metacritics.com. I almost never go wrong with their highly rated albums (in any genre).

kanoot

2006-03-16, 18:30

Yeah, I have the M. Ward album and really love it. I kind of stopped listening to it after I saw him play live. He didn't play one song with his guitar in tune and it really put me off of his music - at least for now.

Lately I've been enthralled with Pink Mountaintops new album as well as Mogwai's new one. I think I mentioned those earlier but Im still listening!

kanoot

2006-03-16, 18:33

Also, for 2005 I LOVED Sam Prekop's "Who's your new professor" - If you like the Sea and Cake you will like this.

Pale Blue Ego

2006-03-18, 07:10

David Gilmour - On An Island

Kinda mellow, but plenty of Floydish guitar. Very well recorded. I'm still getting to know it.

rouge

2006-03-18, 10:12

for me it's 3121 by Prince despite that it is out only next tuesday...

rouge

808

2006-03-21, 09:11

Two Gallants - What The Toll Tells has to be so far my favourite ! great stuff

Mike Anderson

2006-03-21, 22:56

ezkcdude

2006-03-21, 23:35

Re Clap You Hands Say Yeah:

I would love their music a great deal -- IF only they did not have the whiniest damned vocalist on the face of the earth.

Really, why couldn't this band get a real singer? They'd be truly awesome with even a mediocre voice. Why do they insist on ruining their music with that incredibly nasal, atonal singer?

I guess it's a matter of personal taste. One man's "whiny" is another man's "raw", "honest", and "distinct". I think David Byrne of Talking Heads (you may have heard of them) got similar criticism, and I've heard several comparisons between the two. CYHSY is one of my favorite bands, and his voice is one of the main reasons, for me, at least. Oh, yeah, Talking Heads is fairly good too (if you could only see the chesire grin on my face right now).

dbuk

2006-03-25, 14:26

slimpy

2006-03-25, 17:38

Currently listening to Kooks, Inside In / Inside Out. Bright and Breezy Indie stuff from Brighton. I reckon this one will be a great summer CD despite it being released in January. Also got the new Mogwai one, Mr Beast, seems OK.
Speaking of Brighton you also need to mention Brighton's Tru Thoughts label. A small but great catalog and their latest release is no exception. Deep funk from Australia with The Bamboos (great band name too!).

-s.

CardinalFang

2006-03-26, 01:23

Boris "Pink"

Not out in the US yet...but will be soon. This is the year of Japanese metal...get on the band wagon.

-hal

I once spent a happy few hours browsing the record stores in Tokyo, thoroughly enjoying the band names. Eventually I bought a few CD singles for the Hell of it - my favourite has to be "Suguzo and The Spank Your Juice"

Favourite of 2006 so far - The Buzzcocks Flat Pack Philosophy, but I'm still waiting to hear the new Scritti album next month.

Paul

TCM

2006-03-30, 01:59

ezkcdude

2006-03-30, 12:09

After a lot of repeated play, I declare the new Destroyer Rubies album Best of 2006. (That's like totally official and everything.)

Browny

2006-04-11, 14:44

Another vote for Corrine Bailey Rae. Beautiful old style soul sound.

Nice recording as well....

Rene

2006-05-09, 13:53

my pick's so far are:
Ben Harper: Both sides of the gun
Prince: 3112

Rene

zooropa320

2006-05-11, 05:31

Tool's 10,000 days is excellent. I also like the Red Hot Chili Peppers new one, Stadium Arcadium - sounds very familiar from the first listen.

I just picked up 15 by Buckcherry but I haven't given it a full listen yet. Also looking forward to Live's Songs from Black Mountain.

jhurley

2006-05-11, 06:58

For all those of you who find yourself occasionally whipped back into the eighties, especially in the UK, you should revisit your old flames with Union Street from Erasure released in 2006. Excellent.

Mike Meyer

2006-05-12, 10:39

So far the best CD I've heard from 2006 is Queensryche's Operation: mindcrime II. I actually haven't bought alot that were released this year though. Buckcherry's 15 is also good.

zooropa320

2006-05-12, 11:02

So far the best CD I've heard from 2006 is Queensryche's Operation: mindcrime II. I actually haven't bought alot that were released this year though. Buckcherry's 15 is also good.

I consider myself a big Queensryche fan - I listen to all of their albums, from Tribe all the way back to The Warning (the Queen of the Reich EP was crap), regularly. I was anxiously awaiting Operation: Mindcrime II and picked it up on the first day of its release. Unfortunately I think its horrible to the point of being unlistenable. I've listened to it from beginning to end 4 times and that's enough for me. Allmusic.com gave it a strong review and I'm glad to have found someone who likes it which makes me think that maybe I just don't get it...

TCM

2006-05-12, 11:44

Mike Meyer

2006-05-12, 12:37

My expectations for Queensryche's OM2 were pretty low. I think the CD is good but not great. It shouldn't be compared to the first one that's for sure. Like I said, I haven't bought much from 2006. :) I switched genres so I'm buying the older CD's from new-to-me bands.

slimnick

2006-05-25, 14:18

...re-released this year:

"Fires" by Nerina Pallot.

Much better than her debut album "Dear Frustrated Superstar" in my opinion.

Mike Meyer

2006-12-18, 10:11

I guess it's time to revive this thread since it's mid-December. According to SlimServer I have 21 albums from 2006 to choose from.

My favorite is Waiting In The Wings by Seventh Wonder. Very good progressive metal.

JJZolx

2006-12-18, 10:38

Gnarl's Barkley's St. Elsewhere.

http://zolx.com/images/covers/StElsewhere.jpg

Not very typical of what I normally listen to, but it's been in continuous rotation in the car CD changer. Just plain fun music.

Kyle

2006-12-18, 12:15

I don't buy a great deal of new music, but I of that I have bought this year, I think John Mayer's Continuum is the best. I especially like the cover of Jimi Hendrix's Bold As Love.

stinkingpig

2006-12-18, 12:24

Cat Power, The Greatest
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
Yo La Tengo, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

TCM

2006-12-18, 13:50

The Knife - Silent Shout [best so far]

http://www.theknife.net/

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/k/knife/silent-shout.shtml
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=3845
http://www.last.fm/user/Ephief/journal/2006/02/24/83100/
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/reviews/story/0,,1730087,00.html

I'll quote myself and add:

"I stand by my initial choice! It's still the best!"

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/images/covers/knife-silentshout.jpg

Philip Meyer

2006-12-18, 15:43

>Cat Power, The Greatest
My wife loves that album, and I'm quite taken too (as she plays it so often).

Phil

robw

2006-12-18, 15:45

Can I suggest:

"Le Fil" by Camille

Amazing French experimental vocal pop/jazz! I saw her in concert in London a few months ago, and it was genuinely the best concert I've ever been to. On stage, she records sound loops with her own voice and uses these to gradually build up a full backing track, then sings along to it.

You can listen to a couple of her tracks on her website, if you can manage the surreal navigation system:
http://www.camille-lefil.com

Philip Meyer

2006-12-18, 16:24

Last year, I produced my top 20 for 2005. I'll be attempting to create another list of 2006, although I might struggle to find 20 albums this time round.

The Muse and Mars Volta albums were memorable albums. Cat Power has already been mentioned. Sandi Thom. Hmmm, without looking through my list of albums, I can't remember many more that have had much of a lasting effect on me.

Phil

radish

2006-12-18, 17:34

I'm sure my personal choices will be pretty unique around here, but I'd go with these three (in no particular order):

Gabriel & Gresden/Gabriel & Dresden
Above & Beyond/Tri-State
Zero 7/The Garden

ezkcdude

2006-12-18, 17:56

I've started this thread so we can have somewhere to record our favorite albums for the current year. So far, for me:

Cat Power - The Greatest
Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

I forgot I started this thread. Here's my year-end list:

1. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
2. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
3. The Knife - Silent Shout
4. Cat Power - The Greatest
5. Mastodon - Blood Mountain
6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
7. M. Ward - Post-War
8. Flaming Lips - At War with the Mystics
9. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
10. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
11. Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia
12. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
13. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
14. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas
15. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam

stinkingpig

2006-12-18, 18:23

On 12/18/06, ezkcdude
<ezkcdude.2j1ftz1166490001 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com> wrote:
> 6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

That almost made my list, but I forgot about it while verifying that a
bunch of other awesome albums were actually released in 2005.

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

Brian Ritchie

2006-12-18, 18:50

My wife and I are in the (slow!) process of going through the things we've bought this year and making our Best Of 2006 playlist. It's not been as good as 2005, but then that was an excellent year (for us, at least). The album that stands head and shoulders above the rest this year is:

Through the Windowpane by Guillemots

Some albums take a while to grow on us, but we knew we liked this the moment we heard it (as full-length low-quality mp3 samples, then we bought the CD - record company monkeys please note!) Choosing highlight tracks from most other albums this year has been easy; with this one the trouble was what to omit!

Not sure how I'd describe it, but the expression that springs to mind is: Talk Talk meets Mull Historical Society in an unlikely collision; then they make up and go to a salsa club!

Other things we've particularly liked:

The Open - Statues (sadly, no more)
Arctic Monkeys (so hyped-up we didn't want to like them, but couldn't help it; brilliant lyrics)
Clearlake - Amber (took a long time to grow)
The Dears - Gang of Losers (still prefer No Cities Left, which we also discovered this year)
Gomez - How We Operate (a return to form)
The Delays - You See Colours

... and from further afield (and not necessarily to the wife's taste):

I've been on something of a lute kick this year, heavens knows why:

Downland - Fancyes, Dreams and Spirits (Nigel Firth, Naxos)
Stephen Stubbs - Teatro Lirico

And no Best Of of mine would be complete without at least one ECM (jazz) album, so:

Mark Feldman - What Exit
Terje Rypdal - Vossabrygg

-- Brian

mrfantasy

2006-12-18, 20:21

I didn't buy much in 2006, at least stuff issued in 2006, but my current winner has to be "At War With the Mystics" by The Flaming Lips.

Philip Meyer

2006-12-19, 02:03

>Zero 7/The Garden
I like it, but the first two albums I thought were better.

Phil

NookZ

2006-12-19, 05:46

1. Kooks - Inside In / Inside Out
2. Absentee - Schmotime
3. Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence
4. Corrine Bailey Rae - Corrine Bailey Rae
5. KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope
6. Matt Costa - Songs We Sing
7. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
8. Rhett Miller - The Believer
9. Thea Gilmore - Harpo's Ghost
10. Xavier Rudd - Food In The Belly

Cheers, NZ.

NookZ

2006-12-19, 05:59

5. KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope

Sorry, meant - 5. KT Tunstall - Acoustic Extravaganza

Cheers, NZ.

chinablues

2006-12-19, 06:51

Bob Dylan.............Modern Times
Ray Lamontagne.....Till the Sun Turns Black
Corrine Bailey Rae

Ray & Corrine mentioned by others. Surprised not to see any other mentions of Modern Times..?

Dan

radish

2006-12-19, 07:26

>Zero 7/The Garden
I like it, but the first two albums I thought were better.

Phil

Agreed, but for me "not quite the best" Zero 7 is still pretty damn good :)

tomsi42

2006-12-19, 09:39

Here's my year-end list:

Are you sure you're not preempting it, after all nearly two weeks left of the year :)

And if celebrate it, you might get something interesting for Christmas...

Tom

JSonnabend

2006-12-19, 10:07

I'm big on the Zero 7 cd. It sounds like an odd mash up of '70's easy listening with, I don't know, modern electronica or something (although that's not quite right).

Everyone's going ga ga over Neko Case's release. It would have been a nice album if there weren't so much damn delay in the vocal tracks. Sounds like she's singing in a cave or something for most of the album.

I see that M. Ward made someone's list here. That's also got some weird production, but I think it might "click" after a few more listens.

How about The Strokes' "First Impressions of Earth"?

- Jeff

stinkingpig

2006-12-19, 10:16

On 12/19/06, JSonnabend
<JSonnabend.2j2oqn1166548202 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com> wrote:
>
> I'm big on the Zero 7 cd. It sounds like an odd mash up of '70's easy
> listening with, I don't know, modern electronica or something (although
> that's not quite right).
>
> Everyone's going ga ga over Neko Case's release. It would have been a
> nice album if there weren't so much damn delay in the vocal tracks.
> Sounds like she's singing in a cave or something for most of the
> album.

If you don't like that, you'll really hate My Morning Jacket, The
Tennessee Fire. Rumor has it that it was actually recorded in an empty
grain elevator.
--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

ezkcdude

2006-12-19, 12:04

Are you sure you're not preempting it, after all nearly two weeks left of the year :)

And if celebrate it, you might get something interesting for Christmas...

Tom

I'm leaving for NYC on Saturday, so there's not enough time for me now. There are definitely some albums I would like to get that I think would have made my 2006 list (since I've heard parts of the albums), but alas will most likely make my 2007 "New to Me" list:

Joanna Newsome - Ys
Swan Lake - Beast Moans
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of this Country
The Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes

JJZolx

2006-12-19, 13:01

Joanna Newsome - Ys

Yes. Definitely on my best of 2006 list.

stinkingpig

2006-12-19, 15:46

> Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of this Country

This is a great album.

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

peejay

2006-12-19, 22:53

Sound Advice by Shapeshifters - not really stuff I buy a lot of (Uplifting House is the approximate genre) but this has some great beats and 'Lola's Theme' is my all time fave of this genre.

TCM

2006-12-21, 08:50

Seems like I'm correct about The Knife ;-D

albums (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/40007/Staff_List_Top_50_Albums_of_2006/page_1)

tracks (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/40070/Staff_List_The_Top_100_Tracks_of_2006/page_1)

Apteryx

2006-12-21, 14:58

try a little of this:

1. Shapeshifter - Soulstice
(Wicked D&B touched with Soul & Jazz)
2. Tomachi - The Hotel Vermont Sessions
(Electronica into other regions)
3. Fat Freddy's Drop - Based on a True Story
(Pacific dub/jazz/soul)
4. Departure Lounge - Live
(mostly Jazz)

JSonnabend

2006-12-21, 15:07

If you don't like that, you'll really hate My Morning Jacket, The
Tennessee Fire. Rumor has it that it was actually recorded in an empty
grain elevator.
--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

Funny thing is, I like the new My Morning Jacket CD. But I suppose that's a different album, huh?

- Jeff

stinkingpig

2006-12-21, 15:27

On 12/21/06, JSonnabend
<JSonnabend.2j6ryp1166739004 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com> wrote:
>
> Jack Coates;163493 Wrote:
> > If you don't like that, you'll really hate My Morning Jacket, The
> > Tennessee Fire. Rumor has it that it was actually recorded in an empty
> > grain elevator.
> > --
> > "I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
> > So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional
>
> Funny thing is, I -like- the new My Morning Jacket CD. But I suppose
> that's a different album, huh?
>
> - Jeff

this one: http://tinyurl.com/yhv22f

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

stinkingpig

2006-12-21, 15:35

On 12/21/06, Jack Coates <jack (AT) monkeynoodle (DOT) org> wrote:
> On 12/21/06, JSonnabend
> <JSonnabend.2j6ryp1166739004 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com> wrote:
> >
> > Jack Coates;163493 Wrote:
> > > If you don't like that, you'll really hate My Morning Jacket, The
> > > Tennessee Fire. Rumor has it that it was actually recorded in an empty
> > > grain elevator.
> > > --
> > > "I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
> > > So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional
> >
> > Funny thing is, I -like- the new My Morning Jacket CD. But I suppose
> > that's a different album, huh?
> >
> > - Jeff
>
> this one: http://tinyurl.com/yhv22f
>

There's a great line in one of the reviews on that page... 'bashing
the production value seems to deny the art its medium, like looking at
an ice sculpture and saying, "Well, what a stupid thing to make a
sculpture out of."'

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

JSonnabend

2006-12-22, 10:50

There's a great line in one of the reviews on that page... 'bashing
the production value seems to deny the art its medium, like looking at an ice sculpture and saying, "Well, what a stupid thing to make a sculpture out of."'

--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

That's just plain silly, particularly the analogy. A better analogy would be looking at an ice sculpture and saying "well, that looks like sh*t because of the ice" -- a legitimate criticism. The reverse analogy would be listening to a nice sounding recording and saying "well, that's a stupid color for the cover".

Really, music is judged by how it sounds, and that is affected by "production values".

- Jeff

stinkingpig

2006-12-22, 11:08

....
> That's just plain silly, particularly the analogy. A better analogy
> would be looking at an ice sculpture and saying "well, that looks like
> sh*t because of the ice" -- a legitimate criticism. The reverse
> analogy would be listening to a nice sounding recording and saying
> "well, that's a stupid color for the cover".
>
> Really, music is judged by how it sounds, and that is affected by
> "production values".
>

In today's world of Pro Tools (Photoshop for sound), production value
is part of the palette. Someone producing a muddy, echoing album is
doing it on purpose. If it's not your cup of tea, then it's not.
--
"I spent all me tin with the ladies drinking gin,
So across the Western ocean I must wander" -- traditional

JSonnabend

2006-12-22, 11:17

In today's world of Pro Tools (Photoshop for sound), production value is part of the palette. Someone producing a muddy, echoing album is doing it on purpose. If it's not your cup of tea, then it's not.
Exactly. I just think it's silly to criticize someone for criticizing recording production values, which is what the language from the article seemed to be doing. It's like criticizing someone for criticizing a meal based on the way the food was cooked.

- Jeff

ezkcdude

2006-12-22, 12:42

On the earlier albums, MMJ recorded in a grain silo, or so the legend goes. That was done by choice, to create a specific atmosphere. It wasn't like they said, "hey, how can we make this sound like crap?". And BTW, it doesn't sound like crap, it's just a different production from typical mainstream pop rock. If you like Alt-country/Lo-fi, as I do, then you will "get" the old MMJ (At Dawn, It Still Moves). With Z, they moved away from that sound, but the essence is the same. It just rocks a little harder.

Look, you can dis' the rap genre, because you don't like sampling, drum tracks, or the lack of guitars. But that's like criticizing horror movies for not being funny.

Here's another analogy. I love grainy, black & white film. Would you criticize me for that?

radish

2006-12-22, 17:26

Sound Advice by Shapeshifters

Ooohh good tip. I had no idea they had an album out - getting decent dance music over here is a lottery.

JSonnabend

2006-12-22, 18:13

Here's another analogy. I love grainy, black & white film. Would you criticize me for that?

No, I wouldn't, and that's the point.

If a recording sounds like sh*t to you because you hate the "recorded in a silo" sound, then that's as fair as rejoicing in the in the "recorded in the silo" sound.

A critique of the work's "recorded in a silo" sound is legitimate, whether it be positive or negative. To dismiss the review because it focuses on "production value" misses the point of a critique. And that's all I'm saying.

- Jeff

snarlydwarf

2006-12-22, 19:32

Hrrm.. did I miss it? No one but me liked the Knopfler/Harris "All the Roadrunning" album?

ezkcdude

2006-12-22, 22:20

If a recording sounds like sh*t to you because you hate the "recorded in a silo" sound, then that's as fair as rejoicing in the in the "recorded in the silo" sound.

A critique of the work's "recorded in a silo" sound is legitimate, whether it be positive or negative. To dismiss the review because it focuses on "production value" misses the point of a critique. And that's all I'm saying.

- Jeff

I agree, but there is a difference between disliking the style of the production and criticizing the production itself. I got the impression that the critique was more along the lines of criticizing the technical aspects of the production, as if it were done incompetently. I just wanted to point out that the sound of the album is not due to "faulty" production. If you agree with that, then we're o.k. here.

TCM

2006-12-23, 02:53

Hrrm.. did I miss it? No one but me liked the Knopfler/Harris "All the Roadrunning" album?

No, you didn't miss it - it's just you... ;-D

JSonnabend

2006-12-23, 07:59

I agree, but there is a difference between disliking the style of the production and criticizing the production itself. I got the impression that the critique was more along the lines of criticizing the technical aspects of the production, as if it were done incompetently. I just wanted to point out that the sound of the album is not due to "faulty" production. If you agree with that, then we're o.k. here.

Well, now we're just talking semantics. All criticism is, at its essence, talking about likes and dislikes. If I think the production sounds bad, then I find fault with it (in some senses, at least), and so I might say it's "faulty". You might disagree.

If someone cooks carrots until they're mush, I might call that faulty production, while the cook might say "that's what I was going for". I would still call it faulty, and others might disagree.

BTW, we've always been "o.k. here", you and I, at least as far as I'm concerned.

I've also decided I like the M. Ward album, reverby vocals and all.

- Jeff

Phil Leigh

2006-12-23, 10:56

Hrrm.. did I miss it? No one but me liked the Knopfler/Harris "All the Roadrunning" album?

I liked it too!

rplert

2006-12-28, 23:16

ezkcdude I like your list. May I suggest a couple I would add?
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
Gomez - How We Operate
Comets on Fire - Avatar
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
Widespread Panic - Wide Awake in America

Pale Blue Ego

2007-01-10, 18:51

Michael Brook - Rockpaperscissors

muchodanger

2007-01-11, 02:26

the one and only....
TECHARI by OJOS DE BRUJO
I read it's about to come out in the USA.... enjoy!!!!

on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ojos+de+brujo&search=Search

official site http://www.ojosdebrujo.com/

awards for world music in 2007 http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2007/2007_ojos_de_brujo.shtml