Thursday, January 15, 2009
I do the listening so you don't have to.
Music site HypeMachine have magically decided to post all of their favorite albums of the year in their entirety. That's right. The whole album just barfed out of the internets and into your speakers streaming free of charge.
Worth Checking Out:
50-41
#50 Mates of State • Re-Arrange Us
Cutey Husband/Wife indie pop
#47 Drive By Truckers • Brighter Than Creation's Dark
Southern Rock Swagger & Bourbon Sadness
#45 R.E.M. • Accelerate
Not an amazing album, but the guitar riff on the second song "Man Sized Wreath"
sounds exactly like Porchsleeper's "That Joke isn't Funny Anymore" to me.
#42 sun kil moon • april
This is Mark Kozelek from Red House Painters being sleepy and sweet.
#41 Jenny Lewis • Acid Tongue
Not as good as the debut, but worth a listen.
40-31
#38 Blitzen Trapper • Furr
Folky Beatlesy Queeny Fleet Foxes
#37 The Gaslight Anthem • The '59 Sound
Hold Steady meets Social Distortion(ish)
#34 Death Cab for Cutie • Narrow Stairs
These guys sound EXACTLY like Death Cab for Cutie
#33 The Black Keys • Attack and Release
Remember when the White Stripes were good and not verging on Michael Jackson-creepy? Me too.
Remember when Humble Pie was good and not all dead guys? Me too.
30-21
#26 My Morning Jacket • Evil Urges
Hands down my fave of the year. From "I'm Amazed" through "Look At You" is the best Side 1
of a lost '70s California AM Pop album never recorded. I imagine that fake band they made up on Lost.
--"Gideon's Travelers" or something (I can't be arsed to look it up) would sound like this.
Like an LP locked in a science bunker for 37 years.
#24 Okkervil River • The Stand Ins
Shins-y with some old Kinks oddness. Worth listening to for free and maybe paying for.
#21 She & Him • Volume One
Uber-cutie Zoey Deschanel's Shangri Las cover band with M.Ward.
Actually good, not like 99.8% of other movie star bands (Mr. Keannu, I'm looking in your direction).
20-11
#18 Elbow • The Seldom Seen Kid
Big fan of Elbow's other releases.
This one didn't grab me, but it's worth listening to to see if it does it for you.
#16 The Walkmen • You & Me
Some people like The Walkmen. I say "meh."
#15 Coldplay • Viva La Vida
Here's that Coldplay record.
#14 Girl Talk • Feed The Animals
Like a crazy blender of all of the music of the past 50 years.
The first track is worth checking out, even if it just to play a game of "Identify That Sample."
10-1
#10 The Hold Steady • Stay Positive
As I've stated publicly -- not their best album, but still better than 99% of albums out there.
#8 Sigur Ros • Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Haven't listened to it. You might like it.
#4 Bon Iver • For Emma, Forever Ago
It's pronounced "Bone ee-VEHR" you insensitive heathen!
Kinda like Iron & Wine mixed with early Bee Gees but not as good.
Hope that sold it for you.
#3 Vampire Weekend • Vampire Weekend
[Flapping hands uncontrollably] LOVE ITTTT!!!!!! [/flapping]
#2 TV On The Radio • Dear Science
A lot of hip people like this band. I long to be hip. Ergo...meh.
I hope you like it. I'm not saying it's peer pressure, but you'll be cool if you do.
#1 Fleet Foxes • Fleet Foxes
A gift that keeps on giving.
Sweet intricate indie folk.
Repeated listens reveal whole truths.
::
Comments: 0
Worth Checking Out:
50-41
#50 Mates of State • Re-Arrange Us
Cutey Husband/Wife indie pop
#47 Drive By Truckers • Brighter Than Creation's Dark
Southern Rock Swagger & Bourbon Sadness
#45 R.E.M. • Accelerate
Not an amazing album, but the guitar riff on the second song "Man Sized Wreath"
sounds exactly like Porchsleeper's "That Joke isn't Funny Anymore" to me.
#42 sun kil moon • april
This is Mark Kozelek from Red House Painters being sleepy and sweet.
#41 Jenny Lewis • Acid Tongue
Not as good as the debut, but worth a listen.
40-31
#38 Blitzen Trapper • Furr
Folky Beatlesy Queeny Fleet Foxes
#37 The Gaslight Anthem • The '59 Sound
Hold Steady meets Social Distortion(ish)
#34 Death Cab for Cutie • Narrow Stairs
These guys sound EXACTLY like Death Cab for Cutie
#33 The Black Keys • Attack and Release
Remember when the White Stripes were good and not verging on Michael Jackson-creepy? Me too.
Remember when Humble Pie was good and not all dead guys? Me too.
30-21
#26 My Morning Jacket • Evil Urges
Hands down my fave of the year. From "I'm Amazed" through "Look At You" is the best Side 1
of a lost '70s California AM Pop album never recorded. I imagine that fake band they made up on Lost.
--"Gideon's Travelers" or something (I can't be arsed to look it up) would sound like this.
Like an LP locked in a science bunker for 37 years.
#24 Okkervil River • The Stand Ins
Shins-y with some old Kinks oddness. Worth listening to for free and maybe paying for.
#21 She & Him • Volume One
Uber-cutie Zoey Deschanel's Shangri Las cover band with M.Ward.
Actually good, not like 99.8% of other movie star bands (Mr. Keannu, I'm looking in your direction).
20-11
#18 Elbow • The Seldom Seen Kid
Big fan of Elbow's other releases.
This one didn't grab me, but it's worth listening to to see if it does it for you.
#16 The Walkmen • You & Me
Some people like The Walkmen. I say "meh."
#15 Coldplay • Viva La Vida
Here's that Coldplay record.
#14 Girl Talk • Feed The Animals
Like a crazy blender of all of the music of the past 50 years.
The first track is worth checking out, even if it just to play a game of "Identify That Sample."
10-1
#10 The Hold Steady • Stay Positive
As I've stated publicly -- not their best album, but still better than 99% of albums out there.
#8 Sigur Ros • Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Haven't listened to it. You might like it.
#4 Bon Iver • For Emma, Forever Ago
It's pronounced "Bone ee-VEHR" you insensitive heathen!
Kinda like Iron & Wine mixed with early Bee Gees but not as good.
Hope that sold it for you.
#3 Vampire Weekend • Vampire Weekend
[Flapping hands uncontrollably] LOVE ITTTT!!!!!! [/flapping]
#2 TV On The Radio • Dear Science
A lot of hip people like this band. I long to be hip. Ergo...meh.
I hope you like it. I'm not saying it's peer pressure, but you'll be cool if you do.
#1 Fleet Foxes • Fleet Foxes
A gift that keeps on giving.
Sweet intricate indie folk.
Repeated listens reveal whole truths.
::
Comments: 0
