New Release Albums: 2007
- Low - Drums And Guns - A
- LCD Soundsystem - Sounds Of Silver - A
- Radiohead - In Rainbows - A
- Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? - A-
- Wilco - Sky Blue Sky - B+
- Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - B+
- Deerhunter - Flourescent Grey EP - B+
- Do Make Say Think - You, You're A History In Rust - B+
- Sigur Ros - Heima / Hvarf - B (although for completists only)
- Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone - B
- Eluvium - Copia - B
- Akimbo - Navigating The Bronze - B
- Holy Fuck - s/t - B
- Amina - Kurr - B-
- Blonde Redhead - 23 - B-
- Deerhunter - Cryptograms - B-
- Air - Pocket Symphony - B-
- The New Pornographers - Challengers - B-
- Go! Team - Proof Of Youth - C+
- Arcade Fire - The Neon Bible - C+
- Stars Of The Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline - C
- Merzbow / Boris - Walrus / Groon EP - C
- Architecture In Helsinki - Places Like This - C
- Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound - C (Except "End Of Radio" which is an A)
- Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin - C (except "Is There A Ghost" which is a B+)
- Neurosis - Given To The Rising - C-
The albums in this listing are ones I have listened to enough to form a real opinion about. New for 2007 - they are now ranked and graded. As a point of reference, anything in the B area is recommended, with B- basically being my spot for "I like this well enough, but I don't see listening to it very much." Most things in the C category have some positive aspects or a few good songs, but don't make it as complete albums - if I was the type to pull the three or four songs I like off an album and save them, throwing the rest away, those albums would fall in the C category most likely.
There are many new release albums that I listen to once or twice and they don't grab me so I forget about them. Those are not listed below as its not really a fair battle. However I will list them here, separately from the above. When I get to them more thoroughly, they move up to the big list. Everything in this list has been listened to at least once though.
NOTE: I have instituted a new rating - "shrug" - this indicates an album I have listened to at least three times completely and remain unable to form any kind of opinion on. It grabs me in no way at all bad or good.
UNGRADED FOR WHATEVER REASON
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Tomahawk - Anonymous - I listened to this once, and I found it pretty fascinating, but I'm not sure I would ever listen to it again
Bloc Party - Weekend In The City - I remember liking this but I can't sing a single song off it at the moment
Interpol - Our Love To Admire - ditto
SHRUG
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Panther - Secret Lawns (fun as hell live tho)
Rob Crow - Living Well
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - whatever their new album was
STILL ANXIOUS TO HEAR
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Jesu - Conqueror
Effigies - Reside
Battles - Mirrored
Nels Cline Singers - Draw Breath
White Stripes - Icky Thump
NEVER GOT TO THEM
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Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
Pelican - City Of Echoes
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Rush - Snakes And Arrows
Fridge - The Sun
God Is An Astronaut - Far From Refuge
That Dinosaur Jr. record is surprisingly good. If you get a chance, check out Jesu's new one, Conqueror. There are several tracks floating around on mp3 blogs right now if you want to sample. I guess you could call it shoegazer metal. It's outstanding. Looking forward to seeing them on 4/3 at Neumo's.
There's new Dinosaur Jr. material? Where have I been?! Time to hunt this stuff down.
Cool, can't wait to hear the new LCD soundsystem.
I have the new Of Montreal disc, but alas, I'm just not digging it as much as others do.
The new LCD Soundsystem, though... :)
I only like the new Arcade Fire a tad more than you like it, and I am anticipating Sky Blue Sky (I haven't bothered with the stream yet)!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs