Quality Albums in 2008?

She wants another mix, eh?

Deerhunter is previewing their new record live on Friday in Brooklyn.

I hope you put T. Rex on at least one of them.

I guess that Vampire Weekend cd was a release that a lot of people got behind. Pitchfork has been pushing that Dodos record, but I haven't heard it. I've been catching up on my 2007 stuff, to be honest. It's still early in the year, but you're right - it does seem weaker (impactful release-wise) than last year.

I mentioned this in another thread, but Grand Archives is a lot of fun -- I dug it more than Vampire Weekend. The Dodos are really pretty. Also the Kills and Why? and Notwist. I think Mountain Goats has a new one out. There's this new band Everest who sound pretty good. I've just started listening to new music, though, and I get it all through the podcasts I subscribe to, so I have no frame of reference. Plus, I'm becoming insufferably indie.

I like the Dodos record, but so far it's not catching as well as their last one (Beware of the Maniacs, credited to Dodo Bird) which was an instant hit.

I remember feeling that way around now last year, too, though, even though I'd already heard Hissing Fauna, Neon Bible, and others.

It's been slower, overall, though. Not much has blown me away yet, but here are some quality albums (aside from Vampire Weekend, which I also like):

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark Not consistent, but still pretty darn good - better than their last one.

Why? - Alopecia
These guys are new to me, but I picked up the album about a month ago and saw them live on Friday. Sort of a hip-hop/indie-pop hybrid, somewhere between Soul Coughing and a more straightforward Dismemberment Plan, for lack of better comparison points.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!
Maybe one of my favorites by him, and definitely the most rock-oriented he's been since Let Love In. Lots of bile and barely any balladry.

She and Him - Volume 1
Low-key and charming. Like others have said, Deschanel's songs sound like vintage 60s pop, and M. Ward's tasteful production treats them as such.

Portishead - Three
I've heard some say that this is a major change for the band, but it sounds pretty natural to me. There's more variation in the tempos and such, but it's not like they've suddenly gone pop or retreated into avant-garde.

I'm still waiting for Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago to really hit me like it's hit others. I like it, but don't love it. The same goes for the new Malkmus, Black Keys, Magnetic Fields, and Mountain Goats albums. I've also heard new ones by MGMT, Black Mountain, and the Gutter Twins, but I'm not sure what I think of those yet.

It makes sense that it would be a slow year. So many heavy-hitters put out good albums last year. I'm expecting a lot from the Hold Steady's new one this summer, though. And there's that new Elvis Costello album that no one seems to know anything about aside from the fact that it's only being released online and on vinyl.

I also like Sera Cahoone and Bon Iver (although I think Iver technically came out last year), if you're into that folky singer-songwriter shit that I'm a sucker for. "Skinny Love" is such a Grey's Anatomy song, though. And I forgot about the Cave and the Malkmus and She & Him (I haven't heard the Cave but I dug the last two). I'm not really digging on the Black Keys, though, although I've never warmed to them in general.

Didn't know that the Hold Steady's new one was going to be out this summer. "Boys and Girls in America" got passed around my place of work a lot.

How's the new Mountain Goats, by the way?

Was going to mention this one. I'm surprised at how much I like it -- been listening constantly for the last couple days. Best rock thing he's done in a decade.

And I like the Portishead more and more -- it's wilder than i expected it to be.

I was thinking of starting this thread...so far this year, I can't point to one album that I really love. Even Vampire Weekend had the staying power of...something that doesn't last very long.

I went out and bought an old Death Cab album on Sunday just for something new to listen to, and I don't even like Death Cab that much.

Forgot about that and Brighter Than Creation's Dark. There are certain to be highlights to come, but it's an awfully slow start. I think we also have new Wolf Parade coming down the pipeline, along with new Tapes 'n' Tapes.

They've got a new one coming out, and I do like Death Cab that much. I just realized I also haven't heard the new Destroyer or R.E.M. albums.

Honestly, I'm probably just about as excited about those Replacements deluxe editions coming out later this month as I am about anything new.

:)

Disorient - Patrick Ripoll
Praise the Lord! - Patrick Ripoll

Also, the Mountain Goats album is excellent. Not much else, thus far.

The Beach House album "Devotion" was pretty good too.

And, unless I missed it, I haven't heard anyone mention the Felice Brothers self-titled LP. I haven't heard it all yet, but what I have, I like.

In terms of singles, Peter Moren's "Social Competence" is a nice little ditty. The Breeders' new 'un "Bang On" and the Last Shadow Puppets' "The Age of the Understatment" are worth noting as well.

Btw, I love this thread.

New music that's not very mainstream is very hard to come across for me. So keep those names coming!

It doesn't come out on CD at all, or just later on?

This is probably my favorite so far.

I'm still listening to Portishead, too, and I think I'll love it eventually; it's just taking a while.

I'm sure it'll come out on CD eventually (there's the nigh-inevitable re-release or three down the road). But yeah, right now they're saying it'll only be available on vinyl and online (downloadable with a code on the inside of each record package).

The new Brian Jonestown Massacre My Bloody Underound is really
good never been a big fan before but now getting into them more...I only have the rough mix


Listening to new Portishead aswell, it's good.

I think most of the good stuff is just going to come out later in the year.

2 CDs I'm waiting for still without a release date are

Mathew Sweet's new CD
and The Gossip's new CD (not the live disc coming out next week)

both are still scheduled for 2008.

I find myself actively avoiding the new Gutter Twins record because the few listens I've taken have left me underwhelmed and I'm hoping maybe I'll "rediscover" it in a few months. I've never been disappointed with a Dulli album, so the 18-year-old in me is putting that feeling off as long as possible.

I like what I've heard of that new Foals record. Comes out today, so maybe I'll pick it up.

The new Nick Cave is indeed worthy of all the praise you guys gave him.

I haven't tuned in the new Portishead album, but some people have been bitching about it, calling it underwhelming (yeah, 10 years of waiting will do that I guess). This thread is making me a bit more hopeful.

Sackley pointed out the new Elbow album, which; while not as great as their former one, is still really good.

Now I'll go check some of these names I never heard from...

Well if we're gonna play the "Albums I Can't Wait For" game, here's me:

MOMOFUKU by Elvis Costello - April 22
NIGGER by NaS - April 22
RISING DOWN by the Roots - April 29
DETOX by Dr. Dre - June
Third Arctic Monkeys LP (possibly featuring Dizzee & Timberlake on one of the singles) - Summer
THE ECSTATIC by Mos Def - Summer
THE BELIEVER by Common - November
LUPEND by Lupe Fiasco - Winter

Plus I think that new Spoon EP's out today. Oh and did I mention I like rap?

Yeah. Sorry Ma, Stink, Hootenanny, and Let It Be come out in single-disc deluxe editions this month with bonus tracks on each. Reportedly, Tim and Pleased to Meet Me are coming out in double-disc deluxe editions later this year, along with single-disc expanded versions of Don't Tell a Soul and All Shook Down.

I've heard there's a box set coming at some point, too. Of course, I've been hearing about the deluxe editions for about three years, and they're finally coming out now, so it could be a while.

I'm having a lot of trouble getting into this one, too. I tried it again last night, and it just sounds murky and undynamic. I tend to run pretty hot and cold with the Twilight Singers albums, too.

The new Man Man is great.

Underwhelmed thus far by many I was looking forward to: Devotchka, Black Keys, Raconteurs, etc.

Excellent thread.

The new Counting Crows -- Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings -- has several really good songs on it.

But my favorite release this year is Secrets of the New Explorers, by Glen Phillips, who was/is the singer for Toad the Wet Sprocket. (They still tour together but haven't put out an album in 11 years. But Glen is still cranking out solo records and his stuff is amazing, especially his Winter Pays for Summer album from 2005, which is one of the best pop/rock albums I've heard in the last decade.)

Secrets of the New Explorers is a 6-song EP that's kind of a concept album about space exploration and space travel. It's very strange and lovely and cool. Mostly it's fairly low-key but there's an awesome rocker called "Space Elevator" that's extra kooky and great.

If you ever loved Toad the Wet Sprocket, give Glen's solo stuff a chance. You can buy it on his official site at glenphillips.com. Friggin' amazing.

There's a new My Morning Jacket album coming out in June, as well.

I think the murkiness is a result of the conflict of styles. Both Dulli and Lanegan mine the same kinds of darkness, but instead of complementing each other, their efforts seem kind of muddled. While the occasional cameo on each other's solo records are cool, extending that chemistry beyond a single track makes the music less focused and just plain dull.

But I very much hope to change my mind in the coming months.

I'm so glad I'm not the first guy to mention the Counting Crows.

Sunday at Devil Dirt by Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan comes out next month. This might be the only album I'm actually looking forward to this year.

So far, this year, I've enjoyed the newest offerings from Destroyer, This Will Destroy You, Beach House, Nine Inch Nails, Death Cab For Cutie, M83, Why?, and Vampire Weekend.

Still to come this year, I'm looking forward to Ladytron and My Morning Jacket.

Well Westerberg screwed up his hand just over a year ago wasn't it? Maybe he needed to be forced away from recording his own stuff to actually sit down and give these things the attention they deserve.

I don´t know how many of you around here are into electronic music (By all means necessary, you should!). But there have been some really great releases in 2008:

The Orb - The Dream
Autechre - Quaristice
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Sascha Funke - Mango

If you are only remotely interested in electronic music, then at least "The Orb" should be a bona fide buy. And you will not be disappointed. I can recommend the other ones as well but I doubt there is too much interest for this on these boards. But you are welcome to proof me wrong.

I bought Hot Chip, and it's not bad, but it has yet to grab me. I really like "Ready for the Floor".

Anyways, I just bought She & Him, Colin Meloy Sings Live!, Tapes 'n' Tapes, and the new Spoon EP. So, hopefully I can keep myself entertained for a while. If nothing else, I'm sure I'll enjoy the Meloy album.

Oh, and the Spoon EP has a Diplo remix. Everything Diplo remixes is gold, so that may justify the purchase, even if the rest of the remixes are garbage.

I take it back. The Counting Crows album is terrible.

It took my some time to get into Hot Chip as well. But it is worthy to give it a try. And you should definitely watch them live if you get the opportunity. Awesome!
And are you talking about "Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"? Because that is gold indeed. Though I agree on the remixes. Most of them seem rather superfluous. But I need to put that on rotation again to make up my mind.

Actually, the Spoon EP is called Don't You Evah.

Ups. Then I obviously was talking about a different album. But now I have something to hunt down! So thanks.

What??? Gotta go buy that!

And Hot Chip was.... average? All that hype for that?

Hercule and Love Affair, as hyped as it was, is actually a fun listen. Disco music that is listenable.

What. The. Fuck?

I did overlook this little gem. Is this for real? Is Dre actually putting out another Album? How could this go straight over my head? I am embarrassed right now.

The Charlatans UK- You Cross My Path(download for free off their webiste, unavailable in US)
MGMT-Oracular Spectacular (Time to Pretend might be one of the best songs about becoming a rock star, ever. Sound British, from Brooklyn)
Burial-Untrue (if dance music died and became a ghost, this is what it would sound like)
Radiohead-In Rainbows(obviously)
Justice-Cross (the next "Daft Punk", very good)
Black Moth Super Rainbow (sounds like the Beatles on acid)
Dizzee Rascal-- Math's and English (out in UK already, coming out in US end of the month)

Some of these may not have been released in 2008(end of 2007 at latest), but I bought them in 2008.

I have no clue about the rest, but these 2 are some of my favorites. Of 2007.

One other, from 2007, but is awesome

Klaxons- Myths of the Near Future

Also, the remixes of the songs off this album are great. Particulary ones of As Above, So Below and Golden Skans.

Quickest revised opinion ever!

I'd heard this one was a little more like the first couple albums. Not true?

To me, it's definitely more like their early stuff. I like it a good deal. It's not brilliant but it's a fun little pop album.

I'm really liking that Basia Balut cd that came out this year. And I downloaded (from emusic) the new Breeders album. Which I am excited about - even though it's been getting mediocre reviews.