Mid - Year Bests for 2007

Originally posted by Brian Wallace:
Thanks. I'd love to see them with the Police and/or in Philly but they are playing Philly the night I'm seeing the Police in Hershey and I'm having enough trouble in finding someone to go with as it is.

Brian

Jesus, this is like people working themselves into a lather over a "reunited" Wang Chung or Flock of Seagulls. Get over it people. The 80's ended over seventeen years ago. Maybe you didn't get the memo.

When reversed, the Kria Brekken/Avey Tare album is one of the prettiest sounding of the year.

Too bad they made the stupid move of releasing it backwards.

Originally posted by Relaxer:
I must say I'm surprised by how poorly received the Arcade Fire record is. I love it, and listen to it regularly. Might be that I didn't get into Funeral much, but did after digging on Neon Bible.

I feel the same way about the Shins album. I didn't really care about the Shins before Wincing the Night Away, but its my favorite album of the year so far.

I might have liked it better if I heard it before Funeral. Funeral was great and Neon Bible can't escape Funeral's shadow.

Originally posted by Relaxer:
I must say I'm surprised by how poorly received the Arcade Fire record is. I love it, and listen to it regularly. Might be that I didn't get into Funeral much, but did after digging on Neon Bible.

Agreed, but I'm so annoyed at the pointless pretension of releasing it that way that I can't get into it. I hold grudges.

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
When reversed, the Kria Brekken/Avey Tare album is one of the prettiest sounding of the year.

Too bad they made the stupid move of releasing it backwards.

You should just download the fixed version and forget the other one ever existed. :)

It's so relaxing; almost meditative.

Originally posted by eros:

Originally posted by Brian Wallace:
Thanks. I'd love to see them with the Police and/or in Philly but they are playing Philly the night I'm seeing the Police in Hershey and I'm having enough trouble in finding someone to go with as it is.

Brian

Jesus, this is like people working themselves into a lather over a "reunited" Wang Chung or Flock of Seagulls. Get over it people. The 80's ended over seventeen years ago. Maybe you didn't get the memo.

Hey, not by my choice. Nostalgia is evil.

Brian

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
You should just download the fixed version and forget the other one ever existed. :)

It's so relaxing; almost meditative.

Speaking of fixed versions, the vinyl version of "Icky Thump" was mastered by Stephen Hoffman, and it came out very differently compared to the CD version. Everyone who has heard it raves about it sounding much better than the CD version. Has anyone heard it?

1. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
2. The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
3. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
4. Explosions in the Sky - All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
5. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
6. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
7. Idlewild - Make Another World
8. Elliot Smith - New Moon
9. Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower
10. Laura Veirs - Saltbreakers
11. The Electric Soft Parade - No Need to be Downhearted
12. The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
13. Feist - The Reminder
14. Kamelot - Ghost Opera
15. Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
16. Sonata Arctica - Unia
17. Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup

-kat-, thank you for alerting me to the upcoming Matt Nathanson album. :)

Originally posted by le sonick:
the Fratellis record is by far my favourite.

i want to make a correction that, although the Fratellis is still my favourite, Voxtrot self-titled CD is a very close second.

and it may be a toss up after i see them next week.

I'm going to add the new Page France to this.

Originally posted by nkotb:
Hella (I know I'm in the minority, but taken on it's own, it's a good disc, IMO)

I forgot about this one, and yeah, you're in the minority. I hate the new direction they've taken. The duo stuff is awesome, why did they decide to add new members?

Pretty good:
Manic Street Preachers
The National
Arctic Monkeys
Arcade Fire
The Rakes
Honorable mention goes to that "Grace Kelly" song

Not so much:
Fountains of Wayne
Travis
Kaiser Chiefs
Paul McCartney

Originally posted by eros:
Pretty good:
Manic Street Preachers

My God! They released "Send Away the Tigers" over here? Or did you get it as an import? I thought they gave up on releasing their music over here about ten years ago.

Supposedly it's a "return to form." More "The Holy Bible" than "Lifeblood." I actually just watched the video for "You Love Us" yesterday.

Nicky Wire is the second greatest living Welshman next to….Tom Jones (natch.)

Brian

I got it overseas, but I understand it's coming out here at the end of this month. There's even talk that they may actually come to the US for promotion/shows (Hey Seth…).

I think it's closer to "Everything Must Go" than "The Holy Bible" but still a huge improvement over "Lifeblood".


EDIT: It's on iTunes now. CD in shops on the 24th.

Originally posted by eros:
I got it overseas, but I understand it's coming out here at the end of this month. There's even talk that they may actually come to the US for promotion/shows (Hey Seth…).

Thanks. They don't have too much luck regarding American tours do they?

Brian

Been digging the new:

Detroit Cobras
Dan Sartain
Gore Gore Girls
The Ponys
The Horrors
Grinderman, and
Damnation AD though most of it is old stuff re-recorded.

I agree. This new album sounds so cluttered. And that singer is sorta terrible.

Originally posted by you be pickup:

Originally posted by nkotb:
Hella (I know I'm in the minority, but taken on it's own, it's a good disc, IMO)

I forgot about this one, and yeah, you're in the minority. I hate the new direction they've taken. The duo stuff is awesome, why did they decide to add new members?

… top 10:

Jay Reatard - Blood Visions (I don't care if this is a 2006 album, it shits on everything put out thus far.)

Andrew Bird - Armchair (from begining to end this is fantastic, and totally accesible)

Panda Bear - Person Pitch (like pet sounds on 12 hits of acid)

Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3 (illtastic.. say what you will, best flow around)

Battles - Mirrored (well layered electronica)

Scharpling & Wurster - Art of the Slap (not their best, but still better than the rest)

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (4-5 unmistakably great songs)

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (if you don't like this album, I probably won't like you)

The National - Boxer (huge leap forward… makes Interpol's new album sound like Creed)

Birds of Avalon - Bazaar Bazaar (muy excellente)

Originally posted by avterry11:


Jay Reatard - Blood Visions (I don't care if this is a 2006 album, it shits on everything put out thus far.)

pretty much true. and it's only 4 songs and 8 minutes, but the "night of broken glass" EP from this year is fucking awesome as well.