Music (albums/singles/gigs) of the year

A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:15 pm

It's been a great year for new music. Some of my highlights:

Albums: Fleet Foxes, Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Vampire Weekend, Portishead, Elbow, Foals, Spiritualized, Goldfrapp, MGMT. I still haven't heard the Bon Iver and TV on the Radio albums, but love what I've heard from them. Want to hear Q-Tip's new one too; hoping it can lift what's been a really poor year for hip hop.

Singles: MGMT's Time to Pretend, Sigur Ros' Gobbildigook, The Verve's Love is Noise (despite the album being VERY mediocre), Wiley's Wearing my Rolex (great pop moment #1), David Holmes' I Heard Wonders, Estelle's American Boy (great pop moment #2), Hot Chip's Ready for the Floor.

Live stuff: RZA/ Flying Lotus, the Liquid Room, Edinburgh (still haven't heard the FL album actually, but he was ace live), Sigur Ros, Alexandra Palace, London (gig of the year), Seasick Steve, the Queen's Hall, Edinbugh.

Anyone else?

Mexicola · Post by **Mexicola** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:52 pm

It's weird but this year has been the least engaging for me musically I can ever remember. I've been to maybe 3 gigs all year (I usually go to at least a 15+), I've bought maybe 2 or 3 albums. Can't remember the last time I used my iPod out and about (it seems to get put on when I wash up and that's it!)

Nothing is exciting me at the minute - nothing new anyway. (Sighs)

Sorry folks, I've actually depressed myself here!!

bleak. · Post by **bleak.** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:15 pm

i've seen the cardiacs and silver apples live this year, both absolutely incredible. but in terms of new music, there hasn't been anyone/anything that has completely blown me away. i find that i usually buy an album after hearing a few songs on the internet, but then i grow out of it within in a week. quaristice was probably one of my most played. all in all its been an awful year for me!

Archrival · Post by **Archrival** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:21 pm

Fennesz - Black Sea

Manual - Confluence

Guido · Post by **Guido** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:28 pm

I rarely listen today's music, usually older or very old music, I will discover this year's albums the upcoming years

.

I've been to about 25 live gigs this year, mostly metal/hardcore.

Mexicola · Post by **Mexicola** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:38 pm

OK - I've snapped myself out of my downer. I guess the highlight for me this year was seeing the amazing Lichens live supporting Star of the Lid. See here for more. A rare and unique talent. Very special.

turquoise70 · Post by **turquoise70** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 6:30 pm

Probably the only new exciting thing that happened to me was Ratatat's LP3.

I chiefed up at a Willie Nelson concert, aaaand I saw STS9 but the place was rather packed so I didn't get to see a lot of them, or move around much. So, some interesting and cool moments but nothing mindblowing.

itannexe · Post by **itannexe** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 6:42 pm

I'm with you A_Northern_Soul, maybe not a bad year after all.

Albums/EPs:

1-Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- Lie Down In The Light
2-Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago (A_Northern_Soul, you should check this one right now!

)
3-Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
4-Autechre- Quaristice
5-The Mars Volta- The Bedlam In Goliath
6-The Notwist- The Devil: You + Me
7-Cilocub- March Febrile
8-Ochre- Death Of An Aura
9-Villalobos- Vasco
10-Antony and the Johnsons- Another World

More good '08 stuff: One on Twoism vol.2, Fennesz-Black Sea, Morgan Geist-Double Night Time, Kelpe-Ex.Aquarium, Jamie Lidell-Jim, Luomo-Convivial, Matias Aguayo-Minimal, Potishead-Third, Santogold, The Faint-Fasciination, Hills West-Step Into the Outside, Hercules and Love Affair.

Songs:

Fleet Foxes- Ragged Wood (the second half of this song is the most uplifting music I've heard this year)
Bonnie 'Price' Billy- For Every Field There's A Mole
Bon Iver- Re: Stacks
Luomo- Love You All
Autechre- plyPhon
Cilocub- Eyes Around the Shivering Tree
TMV- Ouroborous
Ochre- Napoli
Morgan Geist- Most Of All
Villalobos- Minimoonstar

It's been a horrid year concerning live acts, so terrible!, everybody's been here in Spain this year playing (even Portishead, My Bloody Valentine, and Slint!!), and I've seen just one live gig, and 'cause I had free tickets... WHAT A SHAME

A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:31 pm

itannexe wrote:2-Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago (A_Northern_Soul, you should check this one right now! )

Cheers - I've read nothing but great reviews, heard a couple of tunes, which I've loved, and fellow Twoism-er Harpoon Dodger recommended it too. I'll have to get my hands on it.

Broken_Drum · Post by **Broken_Drum** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:30 pm

Albums:

Board Up The House by Genghis Tron (Near perfection),
The Hawk Is Howling by Mogwai,
Deathconsciousness by Have A Nice Life,
Through Luminescent Passages I by Implex Grace,
Blue Lambency Downward by Kayo Dot,
Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails,
Los Angeles by Flying Lotus

Infinite E · Post by **Infinite E** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:38 pm

There's plenty more, but Four Tet- Ringer EP definitely deserves a mention

Edit:

itannexe wrote:Villalobos- Minimoonstar

The Shackleton mix is understated epicness

Treefingers · Post by **Treefingers** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:27 pm

This year was better than 07 in terms of releases, I think:

Beach House - Devotion
Four Tet - Ringer
Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
Beck - Modern Guilt
Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

^ some favourites from this year, and my point is proved by the fact that there's a number of albums that I would be interested in getting my grubby mitts on (Koushik - Out My Window, School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms, Department of Eagles - In Ear Park, Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid - NYC, etc.).

The Telepathic Kid · Post by **The Telepathic Kid** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:28 pm

itannexe wrote:Fleet Foxes- Ragged Wood (the second half of this song is the most uplifting music I've heard this year)

Yesss. brilliant.

My top 10 looks something like this

1. TV on the Radio - Dear Science,
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4. Gel-Sol - IZ
5. Paracat - Growth
6. Starfucker - Starfucker
7. Beck - Modern Guilt
8. Geskia - Silent 77
9. Squarepusher - Just a Souvenir
10. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing

And also other great albums released by Trills, Mr. Scruff, Stereolab, Michna, Boris, City of Spires, Clark, and many more have made this an enjoyable year.

kyriakos · Post by **kyriakos** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:15 pm

albums

25. Excepter - Debt Debt
24. Santogold - Santogold
23. Benoît Pioulard - Temper
22. Paavoharju - Laulu Laakson Kukista
21. UNKLE - More Stories
20. Tickley Feather - Tickley Feather
19. Clark - Turning Dragon
18. Leila - Blood, Looms And Blooms
17. Lindstrøm - Where You Go I Go Too
16. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
15. Miss Kittin - Batbox
14. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
13. Ratatat - LP3
12. Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
11. Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair
10. Various - Top Ranking Santogold - A Diplo Dub
09. Antony & The Johnsons - Another World EP
08. Baby Dee - Safe Inside The Day
07. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
06. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
05. The Bug - London Zoo
04. Portishead - Third
03. Deerhunter - Microcastle
02. Beach House - Devotion
01. Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill

jakestott · Post by **jakestott** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:01 am

Albums /

Benga - Diary Of An Afro Warrior

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Beck - Modern Guilt

M83 - Saturdays=Youth

Can't believe i forgot M83 for a second there!

audiotrack · Post by **audiotrack** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:42 am

jakestott wrote: Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

also:-

Samuel Jackson 5 - goodbye melody mountain
EF - i am responsible
The American Dollar - a memory stream

Mexicola · Post by **Mexicola** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:14 am

jakestott wrote:Albums /
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Embarrassed that I forgot about the lovely Elbow. Guy Garvey is a British national treasure.

IanRedpoint · Post by **IanRedpoint** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:38 am

Interestingly, almost no electronica has grabbed me that much in a year that has otherwise been pretty outstanding for albums.

Albums...
1. Portishead - Third
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
4. Pivot - O Soundtrack My Heart
5. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
6. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
7. Sigur Ros - Med Sud...
8. Foals - Antidotes
9. July Skies - The Weather Clock
10. Neon Neon - Stainless Style

Tunes...
1. The Rip - Portishead
2. Your Protector - Fleet Foxes
3. Halfway Home - TV On The Radio
4. This Boy's In Love (Lifelike Remix) - The Presets
5. Dream Girls - Neon Neon
6. Birds - Emiliana Torrini
7. Kim & Jessie - M83
8. 2080 - Yeasayer
9. Big Big Love (Fig. 2) - Foals
10. Chemtrails - Beck

Only just started listening to Deerhunter 'Microcastle'. Give it a couple of weeks and that might sneak into my ten. I love Elbow but 'Seldom Seen Kid' didn't thrill me the way that their previous albums did. Still ace compared to pretty much any other conventional band though.

Gigs... Sigur Ros at Latitude this summer and M83 at St Giles In The Field church in London last friday. Amazing.

rl/vl · Post by **rl/vl** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:42 am

Most of the good new music i've heard this year has been unsigned artists on MySpace.
In no order:

Monolith - http://www.myspace.com/monolithmountains
I'm convinced he is the Tuss.

Orange Melamine - http://www.myspace.com/orangemelamine
Really nice tape fucked 80's-esque stuff.

wAgAwAgA - http://www.myspace.com/splagawagawaga
Sickly produced granular dub mentalism.

Automatic Tasty - http://www.myspace.com/automatictastys
Lovely nostalgic acidy breaks.

Kinnego Flux - http://www.myspace.com/kinnegoflux
Electronic-infused funk!

Most stuff off Acroplane is good.

Best gig would easily be the Bangface Weekender

Korona 1969 · Post by **Korona 1969** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:11 am

The Advisory Circle "Other Channels"
Beach House "Devotion"
Experimental Aircraft "Third Transmission"
Why? "Alopecia"
Autechre "Quaristice"
2562 "Aerial"
Claro Intelecto "Metanarrative"
Lone "Lemurian"
Vibert/Simmonds "Rodulate" (technically over a decade old, but only released this year)
Various "Various Acid" (WéMè Records)