Tell Us About 2013 Releases

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

Hurts' Exile is quite excellent. They do bombastic, epic, often cheesy 80s style synth-driven ballads. Its done in a very non-ironic, very genuine way though, and the production is very lush. Initially, i actually like this one quite a bit more than 2010's Happiness - this one has a lot less mid tempo slow songs on it, and really sticks to the big anthems.

[jeffp1717]

The new Black Angels record is a straight up riff-fest. Love it. It gets super weird in parts too, so it's pretty much just what you'd want from them.

[Spooks]

Music is terrible but this video is pretty intense...

[Drinkey McDrinkerstein]

That is the best music video ever.

Also, some new album thoughts:

Team Ghost, as you may or may not know, is the current project of Nicolas Fromageau, who was the other half of M83 for the self-titled album and Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. They released 2 brilliant EPs in 2010, and a single late last year, and finally now have a full length album with Rituals. if you are unhappy with the current state of M83 but are a fan of the early work, I highly suggest this album. In a review of the first ep, NME described them as Cold-Gaze, as a combination of coldwave and shoegaze, which upon listening to this album in full seems quite an appropriate genre name. All the way through are very deliberate, pounding drums, layers of fantastic synth work, fuzzed out guitars, and dreamy, reverb-dripping, whispery vocals. On some tracks, ambient soundscapes build up and give way to thundering rock-outs with soaring, ripping guitar riffs. Other tracks kick right out as fully synth-driven dance tracks backed by jangly guitar work. The whole effect is that of a dense, dark pop album with heavy post-punk, shoegaze, and dream-pop influences. it's extremely good.

It's streaming here:
http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/artic...e-debut-album/


Also, Ensemble Pearl's self-titled album is an absolute masterpiece. It is a collaborative project of Sunn 0)))'s Stephen O'Malley, Ghost's Michio Kurihara, Boris drummer Atsuo, and William Herzog from Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter. It is quite a journey, one of the best drone albums I've heard really. Each track definitely has its own sounds, with a beginning, and end, but the entire hour+ album feels like a cohesive piece from beginning to end. It has great textured atmospheric sections, noisy free-form jazzy-feelings sections, and really heavy, sludged out guitar work. To my ears, it's pretty accessible for a long-form drone/experimental record too. I definitely recomment sitting down and listening to the whole thing loud with headphones on if you get a chance.The album art is freaking awesome too:

[TallGuyCM]

Heck yeah, I plan on listening to the latter very soon. And only when I have time to put it on front to back.

[Gribbz]

The new Black Angels record is a straight up riff-fest. Love it. It gets super weird in parts too, so it's pretty much just what you'd want from them.

I was worried they weren't going to vary at all from their original sound. I feel like there's much more to this record than their previous efforts. The last four tracks are fucking killer (especially "I Hear Colors"). Can't wait to see them at Psych Fest.

[getbetter]

THAT MUSIC VIDEO IS AMAZING!

[sonofhal]

You should all be talking about the Daughter album. Think the xx, but replace the electronics with some Jeff Buckleyesque guitar. Then throw in some of the most heartbreaking lyrics your likely to ever hear. I doubt you'll listen to a better debut all year. Also, snap up those tickets for their US tour before they become absolutely huge.

[Spooks]

You should all be talking about the Daughter album. Think the xx, but replace the electronics with some Jeff Buckleyesque guitar. Then throw in some of the most heartbreaking lyrics your likely to ever hear. I doubt you'll listen to a better debut all year. Also, snap up those tickets for their US tour before they become absolutely huge.

UK and US audiences are different. I saw them with Savages during CMJ last fall and Savages blew them off the stage. If you like Joy Division, Savages will be the band to take over US than Daughter...

[sonofhal]

Yes - I've seen both - I like both. Also, it is not a competition for popularity, and these bands have nothing in common. Have no idea why you felt the need to bring up Savages. I was just saying that you won't get to see them in venues this small again. I wasn't saying they'd be doing a week long residency at the Hollywood Bowl.

[GeezrRckr]

You should all be talking about the Daughter album. Think the xx, but replace the electronics with some Jeff Buckleyesque guitar. Then throw in some of the most heartbreaking lyrics your likely to ever hear. I doubt you'll listen to a better debut all year. Also, snap up those tickets for their US tour before they become absolutely huge.

Yes, this album is just amazing (albeit hitting a bit too close to home for me presently). Funny, I don't hear the Buckley influence...I hear more Florence & The Machine (whom I know you hate, which I find interesting). But, yeah, the lyrics just kill me. I hope they come through San Francisco.

[Chemz]

Okay, I will definitely go back and listen to Daughter again but I came away with a bit different of a impression. I think her sonics are quite limited and the arrangements far too similar song to song. That would be fine with me if her voice was something exceptional or the lyrics were, but the vocals never seem to raise above a nominal pitch, the same tenor is employed throughout the album, and the lyrics are striking for the first few tracks but seem to repeat themselves by the second half. I like how she picks up some steam on "Human" but otherwise it's all just at a moderate pace. As for the lyrics, they are solid on Smother, but after awhile they go from witty and morose to a bit mawkish and maudlin. I've only gone through twice, so maybe I'll turn, but I'd be surprised. Not bad at all, just not exceptional when we have had albums like Torres and Waxahatchee already in this genre this year.

[Spooks]

Yes - I've seen both - I like both. Also, it is not a competition for popularity, and these bands have nothing in common. Have no idea why you felt the need to bring up Savages. I was just saying that you won't get to see them in venues this small again. I wasn't saying they'd be doing a week long residency at the Hollywood Bowl.

I brought up Savages because you said I doubt you'll listen to a better debut all year! Also the fact that they played a same show when I saw them in October. Of course their music is different but it doesn't mean they're going to be any bigger b/c you think they're great. Do you even know how long it took Foals, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party and other UK bands to get sorta "big" here? Arctic Monkeys can headline stadiums in UK but still only play headlining shows that are under 5000 capacity venue in NY. Daughter won't playing Terminal 5 anytime soon. At most, they'll play Webster Hall if they come back after US tour in May.

[sonofhal]

Some UK bands make it big in the US, some don't. Pretty impressive that you already seen to know which ones. I don't even begin to second guess these things.

Also, didn't take Adele or Mumford very long to become big. 4 of the top 5 albums in the US last year were by UK artists who were only on the 2nd albums of their careers.

I still have little concept of the point you are trying to make, and even less understanding of why you feel you have to make it.

I saw Teeth of the Sea supporting Savages last month and preferred the former. They have nothing in common musically, and I have no idea which one may have a bigger career (or any, for that matter) in the US.

[TallGuyCM]

During the time you two have gone on bickering, Chemz nailed it on the head.

[guedita]

Something about getting older makes me love country-tinged music more and more. I can't stop listening to the new Phosphorescent record. It's a great expansion on Here's To Taking It Easy, with Matthew Houck venturing even further outside of that strict alt-country box, but ultimately my favorite songs are those with their roots deepest in that style ("Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master)" and "The Quotildian Beasts"). It has a little bit for everyone.

Yeah, this is really lovely. Paging greghead!

[swhite423]

I don't know much about Suede, just heard they were one of those bands that never made it over here, and they were awesome at Coachella 2011. Decided to listen to Bloodsports and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Good ole britt pop

[swhite423]

The 20/20 Experience is in a sense a timeless record. It combines several elements of pop, rock, soul, jazz, you name it. Every song seems so different, but damn if it doesnt flow so well. I feel like its been JT mania lately and rightfully so. Great album.

[PJandBompton]

JT album is great.

also really looking forward to hearing some more stuff from CHVRCHES, caught them accidentally at the Fader Fort during SXSW, and fell in love during "The Mother We Share". good band, very cute singer.

[swhite423]

also really looking forward to hearing some more stuff from CHVRCHES, caught them accidentally at the Fader Fort during SXSW, and fell in love during "The Mother We Share". good band, very cute singer.

agreed. thats gonna be a hell of a debut. Mother We Share was one of my favorite singles from last year.

[Miroir Noir]

Yeah, goddamn this Phosphorescent album is great.

[getbetter]

Yeah, goddamn this Phosphorescent album is great.

I liked their new album as well.I just kept foegetting to mention it.

[Fig Neutron]

Yeah, goddamn this Phosphorescent album is great.

The use of horns is just right. I always dig his voice. Another great album from Phosphorescent.

[guedita]

The 20/20 Experience is in a sense a timeless record. It combines several elements of pop, rock, soul, jazz, you name it. Every song seems so different, but damn if it doesnt flow so well. I feel like its been JT mania lately and rightfully so. Great album.

Timeless? No. This is some overwrought, over-reaching, ego-driven bullshit. Seriously, this album will be forgotten by the end of the year.

[ods..]

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[guedita]

booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I'm a fan of JT, too! I wanted to love it. I wanted to like it, but that shit was fucking exhausting.

[ods..]

Rinse. Repeat.

I bet in 3 months you love it if you listen every now and again.

[Miroir Noir]

I would probably love the JT album twice as much if half of these songs were edited down to the single lengths that we all know will eventually be coming.

I don't have a problem with running out a jam, but too many of these are drawn out with no payoff. It's just unnecessarily indulgent, and I think it was incredibly revealing that he is telling people that his stated mindset was "If Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin can do 10-minute songs and Queen can do 10-minute songs, then why can’t we?"

[guedita]

I agree with you, Mitch. I spent a fair amount of time bemoaning the aimless wandering of the songs after they had basically hit their pop mark and became stretched out exercises in unnecessary self referentiality.

[ods..]

See I totally disagree. I think the 7-8 minute song length adds so much to the album. In my opinion, every song benefits from the long structure and nearly every song has that "payoff" that you're talking about. Off the top of my head, "Strawberry Bubblegum's" change halfway through is super effective.