OT: New Music?

[fanatic]

My favorites of 2012 (no particular order)...

Grizzly Bear - Shields
Ariel Pink - Mature Themes
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Beach House - Bloom
Cat Power - Sun
Diiv - Oshin
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Grimes - Visions
King Tuff - King Tuff
Twin Shadow - Confess
Wild Nothing - Nocturne

[Brando70]

If anyone's interested, I posted my 2012 favorites on my tumblr. The Pinkish Black I repped earlier was #1.

I just started listening to that Pallbearer album. What a great record. That opening track is so damn epic.

[EZSnappin]

I saw Pallbearer play a couple of weeks before Christmas. They played the whole album, front to back, and were astounding. As good as the record is, the songs bloom at live volume and intensity. I was really impressed with Brett's singing, too. Lots of metal singers can't pull it off live but Brett Campbell did, and with style. Paired nicely with Pinkish Black, who played a set of new songs right before Pallbearer took to the stage.

[Spooky]

Unknown Mortal Orchestra. wow.

http://youtu.be/NSNHofCE4rg

[youtube]http://youtu.be/NSNHofCE4rg[/youtube]

How the f*ck do you embed YouTube clips?!?!?

[Brando70]

New stuff I like:

Joy Formidable, Wolf's Law. The opening track "The Ladder Is Ours" is worth the price of admission. It's a huge sounding album like the previous one, but the production gives the instruments a little more separation. It doesn't achieve the same level of balls-to-the wall awesomeness of their earlier album, but it also avoids being a copy of their previous work, with more variety in the songs and little flourishes. Me thinks it will be a big grower.

California X. If you like the 2000s Dinosaur Jr., you will like this. There's a nice sweet spot in the sound between gritty and fat, sort of like the way Yuck's record sounded. This will be a great album to play in the car.

Free Energy, Love Sign. A slightly dumber but equally catchy sequel to the excellent T-top pop rock debut. If Rock Band staples and hair metal apers Bang Camaro wanted to sound more Cheap Trick than Def Leppard, this would be the record they'd make.

Ex Cops, True Hallucinations. Any band that samples the opening of "Mama" by Genesis is going to get my attention. Really solid indie pop, perhaps a bit too twee for some, but I really like the chiming guitars and sugar-wafer vocals.

Corin Tucker Band, Kill My Blues. Put this and 2011's Wild Flag together and you practically have a Sleater-Kinney double album. It's an uneven album (as was Wild Flag), but the highs more than make up for it.

And an oldie but goodie I nabbed for $3.99 on CD, Graham Parker's 1979 masterpiece Squeezing Out Sparks that also adds live renditions of each song (Live Sparks). I had a shitty rip of this so I decided to upgrade, and this is one of the best albums of the 70s. Catchy, impeccably arranged and performed, and with enough bite that it'll leave marks on your arms.

[EZSnappin]

The Retribution Gospel Choir (which is Alan Sparhawk of Low's other band) have a new record, 3, which just came out. 2 tracks, 20 minutes each. The second side is titled "Seven" and features a guest spot from Nels Cline. It's the best song Neil Young & Crazy Horse never recorded. I cannot get enough of this album. I also can't stop with the terse, choppy sentences.

It's up on Spotify (and probably MOG or any other streaming service), but if not you can stream the aforementioned "Seven" from their Soundcloud page.

[FifaInspected]

mistake

[FifaInspected]

mistake

[pk500]

Who would have thought the best song I've heard so far this year comes from country, definitely not one of my favorite genres? This is a fantastic song. Great melody, true, insightful lyrics -- especially if you have any experience or know anything about growing up in a small town.

I'd listen to a lot more country if it was 1/10th as good lyrically and musically as this tune. Instead, Nashville continues to shovel schlock.

[greggsand]

If you haven't, check out Phosphorescent's "Muchacho". Any 'alt country' fan will love it. Also some of the greatest lyrics I've heard in some time.

[Brando70]

Savages are getting much deserved buzz. Their sound is old-school post-punk, but they have a aggression and attack that remind me of Sleater-Kinney. They have a live EP available now and an album due out in May.

[pk500]

Kurt Vile's new record, "Wakin On A Pretty Daze," is fantastic. Even better than "Smoke Ring For My Halo," which was one of my favorite records of 2011.

This record expands upon Vile's lo-fi, semi-stoner sound without being overproduced or overwrought. Dude writes excellent songs.

[greggsand]

Never cared for them much, but I love I everything I've heard from new the Vampire Weekend. Great stuff.

[pk500]

Never cared for them much, but I love I everything I've heard from new the Vampire Weekend. Great stuff.

The band has stopped ripping off Paul Simon's "Graceland" at every turn? I'll believe it when I hear it.

[Spooky]

Never cared for them much, but I love I everything I've heard from new the Vampire Weekend. Great stuff.

Thanks for pointing this out. I thought their first couple albums were just okay - a bit too "chick indie" for me. But I am super impressed with the 4 or so tracks I have been able to hear from this new effort. Obviously a MUCH matured band. Vinyl has been pre-ordered!

[greggsand]

Good write up on the new vampire weekend & their departure from their first 2 albums:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/924 ... pires-city

[pk500]

Finally got my mitts on the debut record from Savages. The hype is justified. This is intense, in-your-face rock. Dig it!

[ScoopBrady]

Finally got my mitts on the debut record from Savages. The hype is justified. This is intense, in-your-face rock. Dig it!

Do they have a full length out now?

[pk500]

Finally got my mitts on the debut record from Savages. The hype is justified. This is intense, in-your-face rock. Dig it!

Do they have a full length out now?

Yes, sir. Called "Silence Yourself." It's on MOG, to which I subscribe. I bet it's on Spotify, too.

[ScoopBrady]

Finally got my mitts on the debut record from Savages. The hype is justified. This is intense, in-your-face rock. Dig it!

Do they have a full length out now?

Yes, sir. Called "Silence Yourself." It's on MOG, to which I subscribe. I bet it's on Spotify, too.

Hell yeah!

[greggsand]

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/179 ... -the-city/

Love the bit about 'haters' having to admit they love this album. guilty as charged...

[pk500]

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/179 ... -the-city/

Love the bit about 'haters' having to admit they love this album. guilty as charged...

I listened to the entire record last week, and it's overhyped. This is a very good album, but it's not the second coming.

Vampire Weekend is showing definite growth and expansion as a band, dumping a lot of the world music-meets-New England prep school vibe for some sonic depth. But this band still lifts Paul Simon liberally and deftly, just not as much from the "Graceland" record. There are far worse artists to cover, to be fair.

Savages' debut is a better, far more exciting rock record. Period.

[greggsand]

No it's not the second coming, but it's pretty great. Despite Paul Simon, there def other names that the album brings to mind above Paul: (YHF) Wilco, Harry Nilsson, Belle & Sebastian, Billy Joel. Regardless, it's a nice listen. Not too many bands I completely write-off after 2 albums & then do a 180 on the third. Worth a listen.

[pk500]

Not too many bands I completely write-off after 2 albums & then do a 180 on the third. Worth a listen.

Agreed. This album is interesting, which is far more than I can say about Vampire Weekend's first two records.

[Spooky]

I'm really, really digging the new VW album. Much thanks again for the heads up. One of the better albums I've heard in the last couple years. Not sure I'm hearing anything that seems unoriginal and I feel it's worth the hype it's getting.

No... Not the second coming but it deserves much praise.