Tell Us About 2011 Albums

[GeezrRckr]

nah, don't waste your time Drinkey. it will give you the same reaction. i felt that same way about Citrus (as you did about Fluoresence) when it came out. i gave the new one another shot the other day, but it was more of the same.

[TallGuyCM]

You don't listen to Asobi Seksu for Yuki's voice. You listen because you want to fuck her. Or at least that's what Boourns told me.

[Jman4321]

I really like the use of autotune on the first track of James blakes album. It sounds to me like his voice is fighting being placed into perfect alignment by the autotuning and is cracking from the strain. It's really odd and a bit grating yet is pretty perfect for the song, I think.

[bmack86]

You don't listen to Asobi Seksu for Yuki's voice. You listen because you want to fuck her. Or at least that's what Boourns told me.

PLEASE tell me that's a joke. Because I'm not sure...

I really like the use of autotune on the first track of James blakes album. It sounds to me like his voice is fighting being placed into perfect alignment by the autotuning and is cracking from the strain. It's really odd and a bit grating yet is pretty perfect for the song, I think.

When did this leak/Grup?

[Still-ill]

When did this leak/Grup?

It's on What, not a great rip but it's good enough for me. The album sounds pretty great so far.

[andymcdandy]

A good week for leaks!

[send me ctrpllrs]

I know I'm late with this, but would people recommend listening to James Blakes EPs before this new album?

[TallGuyCM]

PLEASE tell me that's a joke. Because I'm not sure...

Haha yeah of course it's a joke.

[guedita]

Putting my unabashed fandom aside, I really like what's going on in the new Decemberists' album. It's infinitely better than Hazards, and the country vibe works really well for me. Of course, I also grew up listening to country so there's probably a reason I'm feeling the nostalgia I think they are aiming for. I like it.

[wmgaretjax]

Is it really that much better than Hazards... I've never been a big fan, but I'll give it a listen if it is...

[zenidogx]

Putting my unabashed fandom aside, the new Decemberists album is awful. My roommate thought I was listening to the Counting Crows at one point. Just sayin'.

Anyway, if I want simple Colin Meloy I'll stick to Tarkio.

[guedita]

Well, the whole rock-opera thing failed to connect for me. There are some solid Americana sounding songs on this album, and the "concept" of this one worked a lot better for me. I thought Hazards tried way too hard and this album seems a lot more fluid and less overwraght.

[guedita]

I like the Counting Crows. I won't lie.

[Still-ill]

So the James Blake album isn't breathtaking from cover to cover, there are a couple moments that don't work that well. Sometimes the minimalism is a little too negative. When it flies though, it flies harder than anything I've heard in awhile.

[zenidogx]

Well, the whole rock-opera thing failed to connect for me. There are some solid Americana sounding songs on this album, and the "concept" of this one worked a lot better for me. I thought Hazards tried way too hard and this album seems a lot more fluid and less overwraght.

I love when the Decemberists go over the top and are grandiose. I think it works best for them. Hazards definitely jumped the shark, but it had some stunning moments that made the album worth sitting through. Plus, the great execution on tour kind of made it click even more.

I think some of the material on the new album would have worked better as singles or as part of an EP. I really don't see any fluidity, but then again it's a different style I'm not familiar with. Enjoy the album, I'll just look forward to "January Hymn", "Down by the Water", and "Rise to Me" when my iTunes is on shuffle.

[Still-ill]

Rereading my James Blake post, it sounds like I don't like it. For what it's worth, I think it's really great.

[Sushov23]

can someone please group the new Smith Westerns? I cannot find it anywhere, i've looked around. Thank you.

[wmgaretjax]

The new Deerhoof is a lot better than the last one. I really enjoy the mellower moments.

[bmack86]

I'm excited to listen to it.

[Neutral Milk Hotel]

I'm two songs into the new Akron/Family album and so far it sounds like Animal Collective in space. Maybe it's the 4:41 AM Christmas Eve element talking, but I love this. It's crazy and blissful and droney and psychy and I know it's gonna sound AMAZING when they do these songs live on their tour.

EDIT: Just finished the album, and it totally sticks the landing, for me at least. I have a feeling mileage will vary on this but for me it was a crazy mind-expanding psychelic journey, the kind of album drugs were made for.

[TallGuyCM]

I like the Counting Crows. I won't lie.

I still stand by their first two albums. It was only after that that they turned into mom rock.

[bballarl]

The James Blake album was excellent on first listen. Each release builds on the last. He is a good vocalist too. I was impressed. I will listen again (a bit more carefully) later.

Minks' By the Hedge is a great collection of dark but jangly shoegaze pop (an emphasis on the dark/jangly and the pop, not the shoegaze.) If you dug the singles, you will definitely be into this, but I think the non-single tracks are the best of the bunch. Definitely pleased with this release.

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

So is the Mogwai album as good as that first song indicated it would be?

[bmack86]

I've listened to the James Blake record and I liked it, but I'm not sure how much. I like the fact that he's willing to take risks and change and follow whatever it is he's following, but I would have liked to have heard more of him using his voice as an instrument like he did on the EPs with the samples. There was almost too much traditional frontman-style singing for me.

The Deerhoof album was a very pleasant surprise. I wasn't a huge fan of Offend Maggie (although the songs came across much better live) but this one grabbed me immediately. The things I really noted on it were that a couple songs have both Hitomi and Greg sharing vocals and how much more subdued and melodic it is. It's still a weird album because Deerhoof will always be weird, but there's a level of catchiness that they didn't always have before.

[wmgaretjax]

I actually think he's using his voice as an instrument in a much more subtle way... he's following the same effective results as sampling (repeating the same phrases... introducing slight variations in pitch and timing) but with a bit more restraint. It's nice to see him try a more live approach; i liked that he used less of a chop and edit technique.

[Gribbz]

I haven't checked out his other releases... just James Blake.

Do you guys prefer the EPs? How are they different/similar?

[bballarl]

I would listen to all of his stuff in order to get the best idea of how he operates. Each release is a progression from the last. The "Air & Lack Thereof" 12" and The Bells Sketch EP are less hook-oriented and more about texture. CMYK takes the glitchiness (not the right word) and texture of those two but adds chopped up vocal samples and more obvious hooks. Klavierwerke is more organic sounding than CMYK, while maintaining the same relative hookiness. The album is his most organic release, while still drawing from all of the previous stuff.

At least that is how I would characterize his records. Take that for what you will. Someone like Jared would probably be better at being more descriptive.

[wmgaretjax]

I think you nailed it pretty good. The biggest thing about Klavierwerke for me is his attention to silence and negative space. He really nails it as a compositional tool. Instead of following that directly with the album, he integrates it into a more discrete and live set up.

I agree about the listening order, I think listening to the EPs first will definitely give you some context... Also, I think hitting up the album after will provide a pleasant surprise. It really is an amazing departure that is somehow entirely consistent with the way he has operated in the past.

[bballarl]

Yeah, his use of silence and negative space is exceptional. That, plus the way he organizes textures, is really impressive to me as a musician/songwriter. I wish I had the same ability.

[bmack86]

Lee and Andrew were both supporting my listening to the new Smith Westerns album, and it's really good indie pop. I loved their guitar sound and all the songs are at least reasonably catchy. I'm not sure I'll listen to it a ton, but it's a damn good album at very least, and I'm sure I'll put it on every once in awhile.