Recommend me some albums

[PookaMacP]

It seems like a long time since I purchased a truly magnificent album, one that blew me away from start to finish. The only thing that reached that this year was Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over The Sea, which was released all of ten years ago. The new (2006 release) albums I bought this year - Aphex Twin, Ali Farka Toure, Arctic Monkeys, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Lambchop, The Strokes, Sufjan Stevens, Thom Yorke, Toumani Diabate - were all good in their own small ways, but nothing has hit great. In fact, the last great albums I can remember buying were all released in 2004 or 2005 (Richmond Fontaine - the Fitzgerald, Arcade Fire - Funeral, Sufjan Stevens - Illinois, Sigur Ros - Takk...) Have I missed out on anything or does anyone have any other hidden classics that deserve to be heard - before I go and look through the obligatory end of year lists of top 50 albums....!

 

[U2Man]

Mew.

Mew.

Mew.

 

[Screwtape2]

One album that came out a couple years ago that I feel was a hidden classic was Liars by Todd Rundgren. The whole album is about the lies people tell. It might be the best production job for an album that I've heard in the last few years. It doesn't sound like any else out there. If you liked Always Forever Now you would probably like this album. Think of it as an electronic, soul & rock album. If any of this interests you should get the songs God Said and Liar to start off with.

By the way, don't be turned off by the cover, Todd is pretending to be the Easter Bunny. Don't judge an album by its cover.

 

[Jack In The Box]

let see, according to the artists/albums you listed...

Xiu Xiu (try: A Promise, Fabulous Muscles)
The Walkmen (Bows + Arrows)
Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) (Has a Good Home)
Explosions in the Sky (Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die..., The Earth is Not a Dead Cold Place)
Ratatat (Classics)
anything by The Decemberists

btw: Clap You Hands and The Strokes were released in 2005

 

[coemgen]

"Mute Math" by Mute Math.

If you like Radiohead, Sigur Ros, U2, the Police, DJ Shadow and Bjork, you won't be disappointed.

 

[If you shout...]

The three best albums of the decade, so far (approximately, anyway):

1) The Hold Steady, Separation Sunday

2) The Fiery Furnaces, Blueberry Boat

3) The Streets, A Grand Don't Come For Free

 

[annie_vox]

2) The Fiery Furnaces, Blueberry Boat

You have to be the first person I see recomending The Fiery Furnaces, at least out of "their group". I love that band... It's really sad that few people know about them... I'm looking forward to see them live.

I recomend Gallowsbird's Bark too

 

[dudeman]

recently, anything by broken social scene (the self-titled album from last year or 'you forgot it in people' from 2002 - these records live up to the hype)

looking backward

15 years after the fact..
'never loved elvis' by The Wonder Stuff
essential brit pop in my mind, ranges from u2 sized rock tunes to uk-folk-pop stompers, with some ballads to boot.

13 years late...
'mezcal head' by swervedriver
the best guitar record i've ever heard. period.

 

[elevation2u]

RYAN ADAMS - COLD ROSES

great fucking underrated album

since it's released last year I have not been able to stop listening to it, it blows my mind everytime

same with Bright Eyes' I'm Wide Awake It's Morning

 

[barlowdog]

Band:The Wrens
Album: The Meadowlands

I've been listening to this album for almost 3 years now and still loving it.

 

[Bonochick]

RYAN ADAMS - COLD ROSES

great fucking underrated album

since it's released last year I have not been able to stop listening to it, it blows my mind everytime

same with Bright Eyes' I'm Wide Awake It's Morning

I totally echo both of those, which means I pretty much love you.

 

[If you shout...]

Band:The Wrens
Album: The Meadowlands

I've been listening to this album for almost 3 years now and still loving it.

Hell yeah. That's, like, my number four album of the decade. Good-ass call.

 

[MrBrau1]

recently, anything by broken social scene (the self-titled album from last year or 'you forgot it in people' from 2002 - these records live up to the hype)

looking backward

15 years after the fact..
'never loved elvis' by The Wonder Stuff
essential brit pop in my mind, ranges from u2 sized rock tunes to uk-folk-pop stompers, with some ballads to boot.

13 years late...
'mezcal head' by swervedriver
the best guitar record i've ever heard. period.

Yes. dudeman is right on. Look back. Don't worry about shit recorded 15 minutes ago. You list alot of hipster dipshit music. Go back. It's usually better.

Check that. It's always better. The best record you'll discover was recorded 5, 10, 15 or 25 years ago.

Not this year.

My official reco: Born To Run: Brue Springsteen & The E Street Band

 

[PookaMacP]

Wow! Thanks for all the recommendations. I’ll have to do a little more research I think to see which ones might be worth investigation, but they’re all suitably left field to be worth a look.

let see, according to the artists/albums you listed...

anything by The Decemberists

btw: Clap You Hands and The Strokes were released in 2005

I have the Decemberists Picaresque album but it doesn’t quite get there in my opinion. It’s strong in parts, weak in many others.

In Ireland, Clap Your Hands and the Strokes were both released in 2006!

3) The Streets, A Grand Don't Come For Free

Not overly keen on this. Again good in parts, but patchy overall.

RYAN ADAMS - COLD ROSES

great fucking underrated album

since it's released last year I have not been able to stop listening to it, it blows my mind everytime

same with Bright Eyes' I'm Wide Awake It's Morning

Ryan Adams I love, but I would top Cold Roses with Jacksonville City Nights. I saw him in Dublin a couple of weeks ago and was blown away. One hell of a live band with scary echoes of Crazy Horse and the Band (when they were with Dylan).

Yes. dudeman is right on. Look back. Don't worry about shit recorded 15 minutes ago. You list alot of hipster dipshit music. Go back. It's usually better.

Check that. It's always better. The best record you'll discover was recorded 5, 10, 15 or 25 years ago.

Not this year.

My official reco: Born To Run: Brue Springsteen & The E Street Band

‘Hipster dipshit music’? Relax there. I have plenty of albums that go beyond 15 minutes ago, and the day that Ali Farka Toure becomes hipster dipshit music, well… Have you ever even listened to the man?? As regards your recommendation, I’ve had Born to Run for years. It’s good but not great, though probably my favourite Springsteen album (beaten in to second place on occasion by Nebraska). I have plenty of classic albums but what I was really looking for was something off the wall, a hidden gem.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Brau has crap taste in music, just like everyone on this board. Don't listen to him , or them.

I mean, what's the deal, listening to music only in English? English! The language of cultural imperialism, itself a bastard child of German, Norse, Latin and French!

There's a whole world out there, there's music from the Faroe Isles, or Mozambique, or Bhutan. Is anyone listening? Didn't think so. Broaden your horizons, people!

Oh yeah, Aphex Twin made me think of Boards of Canada.

 

[If you shout...]

Oh yeah, Aphex Twin made me think of Boards of Canada.

Autechre.

 

[barlowdog]

Hell yeah. That's, like, my number four album of the decade. Good-ass call.

If you ever get a chance to see The Wrens play live, do it. Just saw them a couple weeks ago and, as always, spectacular. And Kevin gave me some earplugs to wear for their set. You won't meet a nicer bunch of guys.