All right, you’s guys, I’ve got opinions about albums and since everybody likes to show off their super-important and highly-refined musical tastes by way of year-end lists, I’ve decided to join everyone…like a sheep to slaughter. I’m gonna have some oldies which I’ve just been turned onto in 2008 sprinkled in there too, so please don’t be alarmed that I don’t only listen to new music. In fact, it’s not healthy to only listen to new music.
After mine, you have to show me yours though…as creepy as that sounds. So start thinking about everything you heard in this last great year of our unruly despot’s reign, and be ready to list ‘em by the time you finish looking at mine.
In no particular order…
Frances – All The WhileOkay, yes, they are friends but this album is truly original and stands out in a sea of indie-rock music that is becoming more and more boring. Hooks abound, beautiful harmonies, and amazing arrangements…all with a good sense of humor too.
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MGMT – Oracular SpectacularHere’s an album I was all over when I got an advance copy. It’s totally trippy and neo-psychedelic and totally up my alley. Here’s me singing it’s praises last January…lalala. The backlash is already present but isn’t it always there for bands who get any kind of recognition for actually being good?! They sounded great at a super-packed McCarren Park Pool this past summer too! I look forward to a second album from these cats.
Black Mountain – In The Future
Here’s another one that I got an advance of and I picked it for my year-end list last year even though it came out in 2008. Trippy , heavy, ter’riff’ic! These guys have a great loud live show too. On the album, “Wucan” will hypnotize you…and live, “Wucan” will bewitch your skull. You’ve been warned!
As the major record companies are dying off, unable to adapt to the changing times, we just may be seeing the rise again of music that is more real, as bands and smaller labels have less to lose. There’s a couple albums that you really should here that may just be great signs of the times! Check ‘em out…
First I’ll give you a tried and true band (or solo artist with a band name, at least) who has made their (her) best album perhaps since Learning To Crawl! It’s the Pretenders. The album’s called Break Up The Concrete and it is super raw rock & roll which was recorded in just 10 days! Chrissie is still the shit and her voice sounds better than ever and her songwriting is top-notch. If you need more convincing to pick up this album, then watch and listen…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Y0JyKdsgA]
And the second album I need to tell you about that’s out today on Tee Pee Records (a fantastic rock label) is by a new heavy psych-rock trio called Earthless. Think Sabbath meets Hawkwind meets Blue Cheer. The album is Live at Roadburn and it obviously was recorded live at the annual Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Holland.
The story’s pretty amazing that Earthless wound up on the main stage at the festival in front of 2,000 psych-rock fans when the headlining band did not use their two hour time slot. The festival organizers scrambled to find a replacement and Earthless stepped right in and just straight-up jammed for the next hour and a half. Their songs have names but there are no vocals and you should probably stay clear of this album unless you really dig space-rock type jams…like I do! If you do, get it now, and be proud to hear that such a band can exist in today’s musical landscape of actual signed bands!
Here’s a great sample of their song “Godspeed”: [audio http://teepeerecords.com/media/Earthless_-_Godspeed.mp3]
And here’s a great vid of the band, but not from Roadburn…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCEACSH8YBE]
