So I've been out of the musical loop...

…this year.  Other than my iPod and the Underground Garage I haven't been listening to much or paying attention to the blogs.  I need to get back on track, lest I lose my aging hipster cred.  Please tell me the top 3 albums you've heard this year (that don't include the words "Animal" or "Collective"). 

Thanks.

So, am I not allowed to say Super Furry Animals?

Here are five in no particular order:
Antony and the Johnsons - The Crying Light
Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind
Emeralds - What Happened?
Magik Markers - Balf Quarry
Alasdair Roberts - Spoils

SPC-ECO - 3D

St. Vincent - Actor

That's my favorite so far.  I'm a little out of the loop myself.  Been listening to alot of older Nick Cave stuff and trying to catch up.

My top records thus far:

Fever Ray ? very similar to the Knife, epic moody electronica that has cool sound twists and texture. some of the bass lines on this record are really catchy

Mastodon - a step even further into a more refined sound, but its still really great. every song does like a dozen different things, and its produced to within an inch of its life without sounding too glossy or polished. sounds incredible on a good audio system

Mos Def - had kind of written off his music but this album is great, very much hipster-hop as its got some sick guitar samples and is pretty anti-crunk. but its aggressive and immediate and sounds great

Jay Reatard - If you liked Blood Visions, you should like this. I haven't really had enough time to dig into it, and its on its surface less manic than BV, but he writes a great song and it'll grow.

Just pulled the new Pissed Jeans. I didn't much like Hope for Men but this one sounds fierce and much better put-together. I think its going to be really good.

Just not getting anywhere with the new Dino Jr album. Its good, I like it, but I never feel compelled to put it on.

Destroyer 666 originally seemed to be the greatest album ever, but I after a few spins, I kind of moved on. Worth a dl to see if it sticks though. Surely cannot fuck with that name.

Wooden Shjips' Dos is getting a lot of play. Mostly longer drone-y songs that rock. A typical "#8 of the year" type of record.

Huh…didn't even realize they had a new one out.

Relaxer wrote:
Just pulled the new Pissed Jeans. I didn't much like Hope for Men but this one sounds fierce and much better put-together. I think its going to be really good.

You just reminded me that I downloaded that Pissed Jeans a couple days ago.

Like I said before, the lyrics on the Jay Reatard kill it for me. I dunno; I'm used to him singing about killing, raping and torturing people and there is none of that here. At least he reworked "I'm Watching you" which might be the best stalker anthem ever.

welcome back ggw!

the new Brakes is good, including the quite amazing Hey Hey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sENDMAhS64

I like the Metric album

Pains of Being Pure at Heart are worth the hype - is it a little derivative? Sure. Can they write great catchy songs? Absolutely

I really like the SIlversun Pickups

A couple of killer songs on the new White Rabbits album including

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IClBpch9vmM

A lot of love for the new Future of the Left album (2/3rds of Mclusky) on the board

So Cow is a random emusic find - lo-fi, scratchy, 2 minute pop delights from Ireland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25cEVTp892c

Also lots of great "singer-songwriter" stuff this year……M.Ward, Alela Diane, Laura Gibson etc etc

I dig the new Phoenix, but need to get back to digesting the Ardent Records comp that came out last year…

kosmo wrote:
I dig the new Phoenix, but need to get back to digesting the Ardent Records comp that came out last year…

I'm not really feeling the new Phoenix much…..

I'll get to that Phoenix album one day…

new phoenix and the pains of being pure at heart are both pretty good. havent listened to the new jay reatard yet, but i am excited

i like the new deer tick more than either of those, though

Dark Days/Light Years by Super Furry Animals
Dark Night of the Soul by Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
Further Complications by Jarvis Cocker
Wilco (The Album)

I liked the dangermouse/sparklehorse album, one of these days I'm going take the shrink wrap off the limited edition book and figure what to burn on the enclosed CDR

I was going to plug the new Future of the Left (Travels with Myself and Another), but I was beat to the punch.  It's the only thing i've listened to and thought "these guys deserve money for this effort because i'm going to continue listening to this" and went out and bought this year. 

Actually, I bought the new Andrew Bird and it's good, but doesn't quite have the holding power for me that his previous stuff had.

The new-ish Heartless Bastards album is pretty enjoyable and not willfully "different" like so much of best-of-the-year lists I've seen, just good tunes. I've also played Say Hi's latest a lot.

imbecile wrote:
It's the only thing i've listened to and thought "these guys deserve money for this effort because i'm going to continue listening to this" and went out and bought this year. 

the silversun pickups' latest effort falls into that category for me.  still love that album.

Quick notes:

I second the Silversun Pickups album.

The Harlem Shakes album is a solid if unspectacular listen, as is Metric.

Passion Pit has great moments on it ("Moths Wings")

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz! - probably my favorite of their releases.

The Field's new record is good, if that's your thing.

Anyone heard the Dead Weather album?  I like the song they did on Conan.

Also like the new Phoenix, but wouldn't say it's a favorite.