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Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:35 am
by runcible
Has someone started a thread on this yet? Apologies if so - I am having annoying web/phone issues and can only connect sporadically at the moment.

Here are my choices of the year. No real order, except for the 1st one which is my favourite.

1. The Heads – Tilburg
2. The Aliens – Luna
3. Magic Lantern – High Beams
4. Spectrum Meets Captain Memphis – Indian Giver
5. Nudity – The Nightfeeders
6. Spiritualized – Songs in A & E
7. The Notorious Hi-Fi Killers – Which Side Are You On?
8. White Hills – Live At the Knitting Factory
9. Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost

I can't find something as a 10th choice. In terms of accessing new music I'll add The Early Years as it was new to me in 2008 but came out in 2006 so doesn't really count. The biggest disappointment of the year is the Kings of Leon album which I took a chance on as I heard a track when I was having my hair cut one day and it sounded good. So I bought the album and thought it was absolutely awful and gave it away immediately.

It's been a great year for gigs. Live sets of the year would be...
1. The Heads - 013, Tilburg (funny that)
2. The Heads - The Attic, Bristol
3. Wooden Shjips - 013, Tilburg/Melkweg, Amsterdam
4. The Heads - Melkweg, Amsterdam
5. Spiritualized - Leeds Academy
6. My Bloody Valentine - Roundhouse, London
7. Spectrum - Roundhouse, London
8. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Cockpit, Leeds
9. The Heads, White Hills, Notorious Hi-Fi Killers, Big Naturals, Teeth of The Sea, Sawdust Caesars (Rocket Recordings 10th birthday party), Cross Kings, London

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's choice moments.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:25 pm
by bunnyben
i can't really remeber what has come out this year- i never can!

of the top of my head

songs in a&e- spz
dig out your soul- oasis
tell tale signs- dylan
Conor Oberst- Conor Oberst

gigs

spz- koko (was it?)
leonard cohen- dublin, big chill, brighton (never ever thought i'd get to see him and i saw him 3 times!)
lou reed- nottingham (berlin gig)

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:28 pm
by bunnyben
just found this link to refresh my mind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_al ... ed_in_2008

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:45 pm
by runcible
bunnyben wrote:just found this link to refresh my mind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_al ... ed_in_2008
Nice link! Is A & E on there?! Can't see it.

Honourable mentions go to Boris 'Smile' and The Black Crowes 'War Paint' - either could occupy my number 10 spot.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:36 pm
by nickh
My Bloody Valentine / Spectrum – Roundhouse (Saturday night)
Spiritualized – Roundhouse
Underworld – Roundhouse
Tindersticks – Royal Festival Hall
The New York Dolls – Hyde Park
Don Letts DJing in the refectory during the appalling St Etienne set in the QEH

Worst gig: - St Etienne at the QEH - I went with someone who had a spare ticket just for something to do really, awful, walked out after 20 minutes.


These are mostly back catalogue I’m afraid but I bought them this year…

Spiritualized – Songs in A & E
Tindersticks – Hungry Saw
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus Dig!!
Grinderman – Grinderman
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – The Proposition OST
Harmony Rockets – Paralyzed Mind of the Archangel Void
Spacemen 3 – DJ Tones (if that counts as an album)
Henry Flynt – C Tune
13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sound of the 13th Floor Elevators (expanded version)
Orbital – Live at Glastonbury

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:01 pm
by angelsighs
I haven't really bought much new stuff this year, still listening to most of the good shit from 2007 (a great year I reckon)

Album of the year- A&E, and when i say that I mean it, i'm no sycophant :lol:

Also-
Fleet Foxes- s/t
Black Mountain- In The Future
The Black Angels- Directions To See A Ghost
Howlin Rain- Magnificent Fiend

Disappointments of the year- new albums by Verve, GnR, sigur ros,

Gigs of the year-
Explosion in the Sky at Brighton Concorde
Spz at Cambridge (not the best performance but the special glow of being first on the tour)& Bham (equipment probs overcome by the mindboggling last twenty minutes)
Neil Young at Rock Werchter (immense)

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:47 pm
by sunny
angelsighs wrote: Album of the year- A&E, and when i say that I mean it, i'm no sycophant :lol:
I agree! Although I don't think we need to start apologizing for liking it- surely we are here because of liking this band and there's no need for these eternal 'sycophant' disclaimers. The people on here seem anything but sycophants!

But, I'm not sure I have enough reason to post in this thread...I have bought so few new releases this year. Same with gigs, I have predominantly seen Spz and gigs I worked at.

Gig wise nothing will ever topple my ex-boss Keiji Haino- who is the only artist who has made me faint during a gig, not because of heat or drugs or volume or visual overload or any health reason- just a one big final chord that sent me to the floor, as if something had hit me in the forehead. A sound knockout. Very, very strange feeling... he stopped the gig when it happened, haha. I guess it was a suitable ending.
If not for the above event, the Spz tour would top my gig list too. There's a huge number of gigs on the last tour that have been absolutely amazing! :D

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:08 pm
by cantona
1. Portishead - Third
2. Spiritualized - Songs In A&E
3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Dig Lazarus Dig!!!
4. Tv On The Radio - Dear Science
5. Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost
6. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.
7. A Silver Mt. Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
8. Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling
9. Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down In The Light
10. Spectrum Meets Captain Memphis - Indian Giver

Gigs of the year-

1. Spiritualized - Roundhouse London
2. Neil Young . Denmark
3. Tom Waits - Barcelona

Disappointments of the year

Sonic Boom - live Aarhus Denmark

Albums by: Verve,Mercury Rev and Primal Scream

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:15 pm
by spzretent
in no particular order:
Deerhunter- Microcastle
Telescopes Singles Compilation 1989-1991
Goldfrapp- Seventh Tree
Besnard Lakes-Are The Dark Horse
Aliens- Luna
Suki Ewers- S/T
Spacemen 3- DJ Tones
Cheval Sombre- 7" Comp(Thank you MV!) Not an official release per se but in heavy rotation here.
Neil Young- Sugar Mountain Live Ann Arbor 1968
Spiritualized- A&E

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:06 pm
by johnnyboy
In no order my would probably be:

Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Nick Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig
Portishead - Third
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Spiritualized - Songs In A&E
Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
David Holmes - Holy Pictures
TV On The Radio - Dear Science
Wooden Shjips - Vol 1

Plus the reissues of Loop - Fade Out and Heavens End, Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue

Best gigs? Hardly been to any this year what with becoming a new Dad but did see MBV at the Roundhouse and am off to The Black Angels at the ULU this Thursday which I'm sure will be a mind smiler. Oh and Spz at Koko but I didn't rate that too highly bar a few songs.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:33 pm
by mc
In no particular order:

Spiritualized - Songs in A&E
Spectrum Meets Captain Memphis - Indian Giver
Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull
Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling
R.E.M - Accelerate
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
ballboy - I Worked On The Ships
The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
Hotrod Cadets - Something In The Engine
Eels - Useless Trinkets
Mercury Rev - Snowflake Midnight

I was very disappointed with the new Sigur Ros, and didn't bother with the new Verve.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:37 pm
by TheWarmth
Here are my favorite albums of the year, in no particular order:

Portishead ~ Third
Spiritualized ~ Songs In A&E
Fleet Foxes ~ self-titled
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks ~ Real Emotional Trash
Clinic ~ Do It!
Neon Neon ~ Stainless Style
Flight of the Conchords ~ self-titled
Supergrass ~ Diamond Hoo-Ha
Sigur Ros ~ Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Hauschka ~ Ferndorf
Goldmund ~ The Malady of Elegance
Dungen ~ 4
Mogwai ~ The Hawk Is Howling
Lambchop ~ OH (ohio)
Oasis ~ Dig Out Your Soul
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals ~ Cardinology
Grails ~ Doomsdayer’s Holiday
Helios ~ Caesura
Gang Gang Dance ~ Saint Dymphna

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:09 pm
by TheWarmth
I'd just like to add that the Helios album is an absolute masterpiece. Pure bliss. Everyone here should check it out.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:07 pm
by flamingrev
I haven't heard enough to say they're the best of the year, but some of my favorites...

THE VERY FAVORITES

The Breeders: Mountain Battles
Radiohead: In Rainbows
Portishead: 3rd
White Williams: Smoke
TV On The Radio: Dear Science
Deerhunter: Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
Lambchop: Ohio
Girl Talk: Feed The Animals

OTHERS THAT I LIKED A LOT

Spiritualized: Songs In A&E
Atlas Sound: Let The Blind Lead Those Who Cannot Feel (or something like that)
Calexico: Carried In Dust
Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
The Walkmen: You & Me
Los Campesinos: Hold On Now Youngster
Neon Neon: Stainless Style
No Age: Nouns
Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend

ALBUMS THAT I LIKED BUT WERE DISAPPOINTING IN RELATION TO THEIR SUPERIOR PRIOR RELEASES

Hot Chip: Made In The Dark
Jenny Lewis: Acid Tongue
Okkervil River: The Stand Ins


FAVORITE NONALBUM COLLECTIONS

Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs
Various Artists: Victrola Favorites, Artifacts From Bygone Days
Ween: Live At Cat's Cradle

FAVORITE CONCERT

TV On The Radio @ The Warfield, San Francisco

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:04 am
by BzaInSpace
As usual a lot out there, its getting hard to remember when things came out, thing I listened to more music over the summer the year

Fuck Buttons - 'Street Horrsing'
Santogold - 'Santogold'
Primal Scream - 'Beautiful Future'
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - 'Sunday at Devil Dirt'
The Dirtbombs - 'We Have You Surrounded'
Erykah Badu - '3rd World War'
Ethiopiques, Best of
Sian Alice Group - '59:59'
Sebastien Teller - 'Sexuality'
Motörhead - 'Motörizer'
King Khan & The Shrines
Bulbs - 'Bulbs'
RZA as Bobby Digital - 'Digi Snax'
Waylon Jennings - 'Dreaming my dream with you'
Leila - 'Blood, Looms and Blooms'
Mister Lonely OST
More Dirty Laundry - v/a
Life Is A Problem - v/a
I don't feel at home in this world anymore - v/a

Album of the year...years....'Songs In A&E' - hands down for me. Amazing.

Loads of other stuff - gotta mention some of the new AC/DC album I heard at the weekend (!)- The Beautiful Noise EP 'Electric Noise', the Tinariwen album, 'London Calling' by The Clash (that was new to me anyway), The 'SpaceShipp' album on Treader, the Goldfrapp remix, and all those fantastic Spiritualized live bootlegs i've heard this year - Norwegian Wood Fest, Glastonbury, London Roundhouse and of course Glasgow ABC...thanks again

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:51 am
by spunder
*Black Angels - directions to see a ghost
*School of Seven Bells - alpinisms
*Grails - doomsdayers holiday
*Fuck Buttons - street horrsing
*Spring Heel Jack - songs and themes
*Acid Mothers Temple - journey into the cosmic inferno
*Dead Meadow - old growth
*Earth - bees made honey
*HEALTH - disco

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:43 am
by Greeny
Been a funny old year, when I feel a bit old and past the trends - illustrated by a free membership of Rough Trade's album club I've had all year, and I've hated almost everything I got...

However, there have been some nice discoveries and returns to form along the way:

Panda Bear - Person Pitch (I think released last year but bought this)
Songs in A&E - nuff said
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (ditto with Panda Bear I think)
Battles - Mirrored (although doesn't match the wonder of their live shows)
Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue

Live-wise, it's been an absolute belter though:

Animal Collective, Battles and several others all at ATP
MBV at the Roundhouse
Spz at the Roundhouse
Nick Cave at the Troxy
Mercury Rev at Shepherds Bush
Radiohead/Sigur Ros in Arras, France
Low at Union Chapel
Harmonia at the QEH
Echo & The Bunnymen doing Ocean Rain at the RAH

All right up there with my all-time favourites....

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:38 pm
by The Kwisatz Haderach
Not went for many new albums this year but heres my faves

Spiritualized - Songs in A & E
The Duke Spirit - Neptune
Mercury Rev - Snowlflake Midnight
Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Primal Scream - Beautiful Future
Portishead - Third
Deerhunter - Microcastle

Top gigs -

Lou Reed's Berlin - Edinburgh Playhouse
Spiritualized - Glasgow ABC
Radiohead - Glasgow Green

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:40 pm
by ABOCA
Songs in A & E – Spiritualized
Mr Lonely – J Spacemen
Indian Giver – Spectrum
DJ Tones – Spacemen 3
Beautiful Future – Primal Scream
Black Sheep – Julian Cope

These are in no particular order, (except perhaps an obvious one), though Indian Giver would probably be the only one I would happily put on without sequencing in order to skip tracks.

Then from the world of funk:

Toys – Funkadelic A collection of outtakes from 1969 – 1975 which have Bernie Worrell and Eddie Hazel all over them doing what they do best.
Sock It To ‘Em JB – Various. A fantastic collection of golden age funk by obscure U.S. artists heavily influenced by Mr James Brown
Jump Back & Good God – Various. These two are collections of cover versions of James Brown tracks by artists from all over the world. Stand outs are “My Thing” from the Presidents who were from Madrid, the ”Let Yourself Go /There Was A Time/ Cold Sweat” medley by The All Stars from Nigeria and a soulful reggae version of “Licking Stick”.

Live gigs – Funkadelic at RFH. 3 hours of organized mayhem culminating in “Red Hot Mama” sung by George Clinton and a woman on roller skates.
Primal Scream & MC5 at RFH. An encore featuring both bands and joined by J Spaceman.
Primal Scream at Brighton Dome. An up for it Primal Scream kicking arse with lazers strobes and loudness.
Spectrum at The Legion. Despite the sound checking in between songs, Pete Kember kept it all together and it was great to hear the Spacemen stuff.
All the Spiritualized ones.- The best live band on the planet (ever!)

Hopes for 2009 : Cheval Sombre – album (definitely in the spring), Spectrum – On The Wings of Mercury (maybe, just maybe and it’s only a maybe, maybe this will be the year), Spiritualized - A Live Album (probably just hoping).

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:47 pm
by porkchop
I'll chime in with

Spectrum meets Captain Memphis
The Raveonettes(may have come out last year, still on heavy rotation)
Suki Ewers
Darker My Love
She & Him
Dennis Wilson reissue
All in the Golden Afternoon
Giddle & Boyd
Cheval Sombre
The Chapin Sisters

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:02 pm
by angelsighs
You are all reminding me how out of the loop ive been this year- still not round to getting the new Mogwai/Silver Mt Zion/Earth/Dungen etc!! Must try harder.

Ill also add a nod to M83- Saturdays= Youth. Some moments perhaps too 80s but at points a gorgeous mixture of synthpop and shoegazing, like the mainstream and underground strains of the decade both colliding.

Also back up Wooden Shjips- Vol 1- its a cracker.

Other disappointments of the year- no new album by Doves or MBV as yet.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:14 pm
by jack white
1. CD
2. ... er... i don't remember anything released before it. weird. it's like a darkness, a shadow, over my music memory pre-CD.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:57 pm
by magnetized
i havnt even bought or hardly listened to an album from this year,such is the pickyness of my taste in music,and things in general.
been saving A&E for a xmas!
giving all your reccomendations a listen to and hoping to find something i like....telescopes seem alright.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:33 am
by Edukator
Gigs:

Mogwai at the Academy
Spiritualized at the Academy
Stereolab at the Academy
Black Angels at the Ruby Lounge
M83 at the Ruby Lounge
Brian Jonestown Massacre at Glasto
The Whip at Glasto
MGMT at Glasto

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:05 am
by runcible
I forgot to mention The Asteroid No. 4's superb 'These Flowers Of Ours' album which is a welcome return to the sort of hazy psychedelic form they showed on 'Introducing'. I've not seen anyone else mention this album, but I've been enjoying it for some time.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:15 am
by sunray
runcible wrote:I forgot to mention The Asteroid No. 4's superb 'These Flowers Of Ours' album which is a welcome return to the sort of hazy psychedelic form they showed on 'Introducing'. I've not seen anyone else mention this album, but I've been enjoying it for some time.
I thought you might've put Oneida 'Pre-Teen Weaponry' in your Top 10 too, you seemed pretty impressed with that. I'll wait till i get home tomorrow to put up my list otherwise i'm sure i'd forget something.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:22 am
by runcible
sunray wrote:
I thought you might've put Oneida 'Pre-Teen Weaponry' in your Top 10 too, you seemed pretty impressed with that. I'll wait till i get home tomorrow to put up my list otherwise i'm sure i'd forget something.
Oh bugger - that's another one I missed. Yes it's a fine release but it's the 3rd piece on that which stands out - a monstrous jungle type track with the year's finest drum performance.

I may have hurried my list as to leave off Boris, Black Crowes, Asteroid No. 4 and Oneida is very remiss of me.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:53 am
by bunnyben
add- the agnostic mountain gospel choir- ten thousand. seeing them live at a festival was another gig highlight also

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:48 pm
by Multi
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Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 1:57 pm
by helm
in no particular order...

Goldfrapp- seventh tree
British sea power- do you like rock music?
Spiritualized- songs in A&E
Half man half biscuit- CSI:Ambleside
Bon iver- for Emma, forever

quite liked the neon neon stuff I've heard and I'm looking forward to hearing the mgmt album, but otherwise I've not really got a lot of new music this year. I've been too poor and not a lot has grabbed me this year. I've ended up not buying a fair few things from bands I've been into before, just because the most recent releases have not convinced me (eg. mogwai, roots manuva and mercury rev).

Not been to too many gigs this year either, although I did get to see quite a lot of good stuff at both Glastonbury and End of the road.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 10:19 pm
by the shadow
Best albums

) Songs in A&E - yes its a spiritualized board but I love this album
2. Radio Scarecrow - Black Dog - superb techno alum very deep, feel those baselines
3. Soundboy graves gets desecrated - Skull Disco - great to see artists have the balls to finsih a label when they are on top - super dub step / techno - sure its not the last we've heard from Shackleton and Appleblim - what fucking superb bass lines these guys get, decent stereo needed to cope.
4. Flying Lotus - LA - great mix of hip hop beats and techno sounds
5. Convextion - Convextion - deep detroit techno - released on vinyl 2006 but 1st time on cd
6. Vantage isle sessions - deep chord - basic channel style superb, once again rel;eased on vinyl 2006 but first time on cd
7. Captain memphis - spectrum - johhny ace one of the best trax of the year
8. third - portishead - another top album from these guys more of a techno feel
9. Made in the dark hot chip - some reat trax but also some very average ones, good but not as good as the last one the warning
10. Turning dragon - Clark - Hard uncomprismsing metallic techno

best singles (not on albums)

Water curses - animal collective - cant wait for their new album early next year - THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND OF THE 2000'S
CCTV - LV - excellent reggae / dub step track from Hyperdub

Best gigs

Manchester acadamey - Spiritualized
Round house - Jesus and mary chain

Best DVD

Live in glasgow - New Order - excellent package highly recommened the main gig is really good but the rare footage is a must see for all new order fans.

Best box set

Power of negative thinking - jesus and mary chain - thats how to do a decent box set for the fans

Best film

Joy division documentry -

Best mix album

The gray area - Robert hood - brilliant minimal deep techno - shame its so limited one of the best dj mix albums i've heard

Disappointments

Beautiful future - primal scream - 1st i never liked it then i thought it was OK but after many listens this is very disappointing only a few decent tracks

Hawk is Howling - Mogwai - Its OK but I;m now a little bored with their sound need another happy music for happy people since then they've gone backwards

Chemical Chords - Stereolab - once again its OK and better than the last couple but I'm bored with them now.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:29 pm
by burningwheel
so far.....

Primal Scream - Beautiful Future
Spz - Song in A&E
Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood
The Verve - Forth
Portishead - Third

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:19 am
by runcible
Quick mention for Steve Kilbey's Painkiller album. The best solo release yet by The Church's frontman - a tremendous listen that only arrived through my letterbox on Saturday.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:23 pm
by Fuzzhead
the shadow wrote: Best box set

Power of negative thinking - jesus and mary chain - thats how to do a decent box set for the fans
Has this definitely been properly released yet?

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:55 am
by Multi
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Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 12:08 am
by Multi
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Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:10 pm
by eeee22
Like a lot of people, I didn't get too much new music and of the stuff I heard, not much stood out. I spend a lot of my listening time looking back as well as looking forward so I've got two separate lists.

Released in '08
Top Tier:
Songs in A & E
Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust(probably favorite '08 album)
No Age - Nouns
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Portishead - Third

Honorable Mention:
Vampire Weekend S/T
The Duke Spirit - Neptune

Heard for the first time in '08:
Brian Eno - Another Green World (favorite album of this year)
Suicide - 1st one (probably 2nd favorite)
Springsteen - Nebraska
Rocket From the Tombs - The Day the Earth met...
Kinks - Best of
Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions - Bavarian Fruit Bread
Modest Mouse - Building Nothing Out Of Something
Joy Division - Closer
Stereolab - Switched On
Wire - Pink Flag
Can - Monster Movie
Flaming Lips - Clouds Taste Metallic

Pretty much all of the older albums are better than the ones released this year, but now I will scour end of year lists and try to find something to match as this seems a very weak year imo.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:49 pm
by Stuart X.Hunter
Luomo - Convival
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Hercules And Love Affair - s/t
Jamie Lidell - Jim
Vladislav Delay - Anima (Re-Issue)
iTal tEK - Cyclical
2652 - Aerial
Pinch -Underwater Dancehall
Leon Somov feat Jazzu - Offline & Offline Remixed
Sci-Fi-Hi-Fi Vol. 5 - Mixed by Slam
Body Language Vol. 7 - Mixed by Matthew Dear

Spent most of the year listening to the following;

New Order
Cabaret Voltaire
Luomo
Par Grindvik
Vladislav Delay
AGF
Paris Angels
Photek
Lou Reed
Bowie
Farben
The Blue Nile
Uusitalo

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 2:21 am
by scratch
spring heel jack - songs & themes
van der graaf generator - trisector
bauhaus - go away white
spiritualized - songs in a & e
jack bruce - hr big band
the roots - rising down
spectrum meets captain memphis - indian giver
genesis - extra disc (box set 70-75)

the list of disappointing albums is longer...

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:35 pm
by scratch
eeee22 wrote:
Heard for the first time in '08:
Suicide - 1st one (probably 2nd favorite)
Springsteen - Nebraska
mp3 of a nebraska outtake in the suicide thread:
http://www.megaupload.com/se/?d=Z0NIJQJ3

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:28 am
by evenfreer
How is it that Martina Topley Bird's THE BLUE GOD has gotten no mention?

This terrible oversight is tempered slightly by seeing Hope Sandoval's 'Bavarian Fruit Bread' mentioned in a current thread! What a piece of magic that album is.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:38 am
by eeee22
scratch wrote:
eeee22 wrote:
Heard for the first time in '08:
Suicide - 1st one (probably 2nd favorite)
Springsteen - Nebraska
mp3 of a nebraska outtake in the suicide thread:
http://www.megaupload.com/se/?d=Z0NIJQJ3
Cheers :)

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:50 pm
by johnnyboy
I've listed before in this thread befor e Xmas, I think, but some of my favs were Xmas presents (which I admittedly had put on a big list of hints)

La Dusseldorf - s/t (I think as a whole I prefer this to the individual Neu albums which imo contained a dull / annoying track or two on each)
Department Of Eagles - In Ear Park (a must for Beach Boys / Beatles / Van Parks fans)
Lindstrom - Wherever You Go I Go Too (I must take up jogging and have this on headphones!! Epic space disco)
Arthur Russell - Love Is Overtaking Me (didn't like it much at first but it's grown on me hugely)
Deerhunter - Microcaste / Weird Era

Re: Brucies 'Nebraska' - that's one I've always considered buying but never have. Worth a punt?

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:40 pm
by Stuart X.Hunter
Yes, to Nebraska johnnyboy.

Also did anyone take a punt on the Pivot album late '08? "O soundtrack My Heart" out on Warp.

Warp is like a blind date (or a wonderbra) nowadays - never quite sure what you're gonna get.
I admit on first listen I tossed it on the pile along with that Battles (you either like or dont) album.
Listened to it on the drive down to LyeCesterShire today; actually very good.
Interesting heavy hard beat drum sound (think DJ Shadow early stuff for UNKLE but with ((sometimes)) real drums) lovely slo-mo karate chop Vangelis-esque synths sprinkled with odd little folky, worldy sounds, bits of piano etc...kept me interested anyway. Will go back for mo'.

Also...didn't mention Kelley Polar 2nd (or 3rd) full-length out on the Environ label...it was released in '07 but don't think it landed in UK until '08...that's what I'm telling myself for this lil plug.
Nice disco strings and jittery beat, fresh soundin' vox and overall...yes but probably a bit gay.
I got into Kelley (apparently better than Cage with the Viola) from the Bowie covered album of late (also very good). I guess fans of H&LA would enjoy...also stablemate Morgan Geist is worth checking out for his consistent eleKtro-disKo.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:02 am
by Stuart X.Hunter
spunder wrote: *School of Seven Bells - alpinisms
How is this spunder?

It seems (from the two freebie d/l's on ghostly' !great label! http://ghostly.com/releases/alpinisms) website similar in a sense to sian alice.

Wee run-down on it would be appreciated before the credit-crunching splurge by myself.

Best,

Stuart

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:14 am
by Stuart X.Hunter
Greeny wrote: Battles - Mirrored (although doesn't match the wonder of their live shows)
How'd this hit you to begin with Greeny, I've found it (4 listens) difficult however after allowing my ear to the Pivot album keen to give it another go when I get up the road at the weekend.

Best,

Stuart

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:47 pm
by spzretent
I'd have to make room for the recent Asteroid #4 as i just heard it yesterday. Flat out excellent!

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:47 pm
by Greeny
eleKtroniK:musiK wrote:
Greeny wrote: Battles - Mirrored (although doesn't match the wonder of their live shows)
How'd this hit you to begin with Greeny, I've found it (4 listens) difficult however after allowing my ear to the Pivot album keen to give it another go when I get up the road at the weekend.

Best,

Stuart
I must admit I saw them live before picking the album up, so I was still carried along by how much I enjoyed them in the flesh. I'd also say that of their recorded work I much prefer the C and B EPs which you can get on a double pack via Warp - but they weren't released last year so don't count on this thread!!

Although I like Mirrored it's not one for the ages, so I wouldn't be too upset about not liking it if I were you....

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:51 pm
by Stuart X.Hunter
eleKtroniK:musiK wrote:
spunder wrote: *School of Seven Bells - alpinisms
How is this spunder?

It seems (from the two freebie d/l's on ghostly' !great label! http://ghostly.com/releases/alpinisms) website similar in a sense to sian alice.

Wee run-down on it would be appreciated before the credit-crunching splurge by myself.

Best,

Stuart
This is a very enjoyable effort...not had it off for about a week. Thumbs up.
Also (and probably as a result of the above) have went back to 59:59 a lot this week too...forgot that out the best of 08 list...immense wee sneeky one that.

Re: Albums of the year etc.

Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:26 pm
by angelsighs
spunder wrote: *School of Seven Bells - alpinisms
Had a listen to these guys myspace and couldn't get into it myself.

On the other hand, just got the new Secret Machines album (just out in the UK but released in the US last year so i guess counts for this thread), and it's a return to form of awesome proportions after the turd that was Ten Silver Drops.
Hardly a great step forward and still with their same weaknesses (poor lyrics, almost too clean production), but boy it rocks. 'The Fire Is Waiting' is beyond epic. Mammoth drums and some of the washes of guitar are intense... highly recommended.