Sunday, June 22, 2008

First Half of 08

I’ve been thinking about posting this for a bit and now’s a good time I guess. Year is just about half over, so I am intrigued – what albums have been your favorites of the year so far? Nothing official here, just curious how the year end lists are looking at this point.

For me, there are 4 things I’ve been seriously digging so far:

-Real Emotional Trash – Totally great and rocking. Love the jams, and reminds me why I loved Pavement so much.

-Vampire Weekend – Didn’t like these guys at all when I first heard them, but this album really snuck up on me. I can tell that it doesn’t have huge replay value, but for now, I’m enjoying it tremendously.

-Lie Down in the Light – My first serious exposure to Mr. Oldham, and it’s a beautiful thing.

-Soldier On EP – I think Tex sold this a bit short in his initial post about it. This is GREAT stuff I think. Certainly Trees is the highlight, but it’s all really fantastic beautiful stuff. Really the pointless Plasticities remix is the only thing I don’t love.

Before the year is out I know I need to hear the new Nick Cave and that recent Dennis Wilson re-issue (Kittybrains – your thoughts on that one?)

So, that’s where I’m at so far this year. You?

9 comments:

Quinapalus said...

I don't know, it still feels kind of early to me. Right now I'm really feeling the Will Oldham album, and still loving The Roots. Also I'm finding the Lil Wayne album still thoroughly entertaining after multiple listens, and there are a couple of indie hip hop albums I've been really loving this year that I may try to post about at some point. As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm also still really grateful for the Replacements re-issues this year, I've been rocking Let It Be ever since I got it a couple of months back.

Eric said...

I never end up getting most of a given years' albums until the critical consensus starts to form at the end of the year (except with artists I'm already a fan of or ones that get really big press or ones that play with my brother's band). Beyond, I can't really keep up. To that end, here is one from each of those categories:

-My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges. Was expecting not to like this but I'm actually loving it quite a bit. I think Pitchfork was way off base in its pan, though some of you may disagree.

-Vampire Weekend, I guess, though I've already passed the "no huge replay value" stage and never listen to it. But it's catchy.

-Jukebox the Ghost- Live and Let Ghost. These guys played with my brother's band and they were fantastic. Unbelievably catchy but complex piano-driven pop. I think Kittybrains would especially enjoy it.

And I got the new Dennis Wilson set and it's staggering. I'd say that a Beach Boys fan and a non-Beach Boys fan have a roughly equal likelihood of enjoying this. It's pretty dense and moody, but it's really awesome stuff. I had heard a lot of it on boots, but the sound is leagues better than what I'd heard (especially Pacific Ocean Blue) and the new, unreleased stuff is really great. I may do a separate post on this, because it's worth it. It's really kind of a revelation.

texplush said...

Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down In The Light

Eric said...

Anyone heard the new Fleet Foxes record? I'd been dismissing it as more Shins/My Morning Jacket-lite NPR/Starbucks indie pop, but I heard a couple tracks that I actually really liked.

texplush said...

there are definitely good songs on there, and it sounds great.
it all pretty much blends together tho after a few tracks, and it's at times very boring.

Via Chicago said...

I quite like what I've heard from Fleet Foxes, but it's only a few songs (courtesy of their MySpace page - and can I just saw lately I've become obsessed with listening to bands sampler songs on their MySpace pages). It's an album on my list of things to maybe buy, but I certainly can see how it would get boring. Seems like something I'd buy, listen to once or twice, then kind of forget about. Like that stupid Hot Chip album. Why did I buy that again?

Via Chicago said...

Eric - Interesting to hear your thought on the My Morning Jacket. I've never gotten into them (and have heard maybe one song ever) but have always been intrigued. Was going to pick this album up but then the reviews seemed pretty eh. For a MMJ newbie, is this a good one to get?

texplush said...

Absolutely you should get At Dawn, or It Still Moves first.

much better albums, and more up your alley i think....

Eric said...

I'll largely agree with Lee there, though I actually like the new direction they're going in. But if you want the real MMJ experience, it's about their older ones-- this should not be a first purchase, though I think it's excellent. And yeah, from what I know of your taste through this site/top ten lists/etc I think you'll definitely be into it.