Whitechapel
Famous Last Words
New Open Mike Eagle album is pretty damn dope, one for the Hip-Hop fans on here to check out.
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Albums Thread - 2015
- Thread starter Theatre of Trees
- Start date
New Open Mike Eagle album is pretty damn dope, one for the Hip-Hop fans on here to check out.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
I've been discussing in greater detail the new Belle and Sebastian album with HKFC and both of us think the disco tracks spoil an otherwise classic B&S album. HKFC suggested adding the 4 disco tracks as as bonus tracks at the end and then everyone would be happy. Are there any Belle and Sebastian fans who like he disco tracks? I did kind of enjoy 'The Party Line' when I first heard it but it now annoys me as much as that Daft Punk 'Get Lucky' song.
Yep. My thoughts are that if the album had been released as an 8 track proper B&S album, with the 4 disco numbers on a separate 'bonus CD' billed as an interesting diversion, then it would be considered amongst their best, and would be receiving universal great reviews. As it is it's a mess.
Big error of judgement on someone's part, IMO.
And I too made the Daft Punk comparison, re The Party Line. The stupid thing is, if it WERE Daft Punk, I'd probably quite like it, but because it's B&S trying too hard to be something they're not, I don't.
tinycowboy
Well-known member
I don't mind this album as background, but it drags as foreground. I wouldn't even think of putting this on if my wife were present. Father John Misty, however, is appreciated by both parties - a safe bet for fans of interesting (?) lyrics and rich content.
spring hall convert
Well-known member
A Place to Bury Strangers are one of my favourite bands of recent vintage, their 'Exploding Head' album was one of my go to's for some time. Wasn't so blown away with their last one but the forthcoming new one is brilliant.
http://thequietus.com/articles/17191-a-place-to-bury-strangers-album-stream
If you think 'You Made Me Realise' is one of the best songs ever written, this lot could be for you.
http://thequietus.com/articles/17191-a-place-to-bury-strangers-album-stream
If you think 'You Made Me Realise' is one of the best songs ever written, this lot could be for you.
tinycowboy
Well-known member
I don't think, I know. Never listened to APTBS - always assumed they were some EMO kind of thing for teenagers?
spring hall convert
Well-known member
I avoided them until the second album for precisely that reason. They are frightening live, I'm going up to London to catch them at Oslo, Hackney, I'd imagine they'll be Seismic activity with them playing on that PA. Their Komedia gig a few years ago was one of those you feel as well as hear (and the PA down there is pretty crap imo...)
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
New Jesus & Mary Chain album has been promised, the first in 17 years. Reading the article, I wouldn't hold my breath for it coming out this year though.
http://www.factmag.com/2015/02/10/the-jesus-and-mary-chain-promise-first-new-album-since-1998/
http://www.factmag.com/2015/02/10/the-jesus-and-mary-chain-promise-first-new-album-since-1998/
Plug for mates' band - Polymath:
Stream their new EP here: http://feckingbahamas.com/exclusive-stream-polymaths-new-album-reptiles
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FFO - The Mars Volta, And So I Watch You From Afar, Math-rock,
Getting some really strong reviews on their new EP.
Was about to plug my cousin's band only to see they're mentioned above - The Tigercats! Feel awful that I still haven't seen them live.
Stream their new EP here: http://feckingbahamas.com/exclusive-stream-polymaths-new-album-reptiles
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FFO - The Mars Volta, And So I Watch You From Afar, Math-rock,
Getting some really strong reviews on their new EP.
Was about to plug my cousin's band only to see they're mentioned above - The Tigercats! Feel awful that I still haven't seen them live.
Flex Your Head
Well-known member
Grrrreat new track from the forthcoming Joanna Gruesome LP here - https://soundcloud.com/joanna-gruesome/last-year
Also, they're playing Brighton on May 3rd at The Haunt.
A few mentions for Tigercats in recent posts. A couple of the band used to be in Esiotrot from Brighton who I thought were even better. Did anyone ever see them play? I saw them with I'm From Barcelona at the Concorde 2 and they were just brilliant. I'd never even heard of them previously but the two CDs of theirs I bought that night still get played ever such a lot.
Also, they're playing Brighton on May 3rd at The Haunt.
A few mentions for Tigercats in recent posts. A couple of the band used to be in Esiotrot from Brighton who I thought were even better. Did anyone ever see them play? I saw them with I'm From Barcelona at the Concorde 2 and they were just brilliant. I'd never even heard of them previously but the two CDs of theirs I bought that night still get played ever such a lot.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Thanks for the heads up, I'll check it out.
Never heard of them so will do some googling to see if I can get any of their back catalogue. I enjoyed the Tigercats album so will definitely enjoy Esiotrot.
I had a bit of a major listening session yesterday. Wasn't impressed at all with Purity Ring. Wall-to-wall vocoder. Much more impressed with the Menace Beach and Sundowners albums. I'll give reviews after a few more proper listens. Very unsure about H Hawkline's 'In The Pink Of Condition'. Offbeat whimsy (in the style of Edwyn Collins) or self-knowing hipster (in the style of Ariel Pink)? I can't decide at the moment.
New Hot Chip album out soon.....yes-sur-eeeee!
deletebeepbeepbeep
Well-known member
- May 12, 2009
- 21,093
Looking forward to this, listened to In Our Heads recently and had forgotten what an amazing album it is.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
One of the benefits of working from home is unfettered access to playing music and I've been doing plenty of that although it's not all been a happy affair, here's a few recent albums that I've not got on with:
The Waterboys - 'Modern Blues': I'm so disappointed with this album that it's upset me. The band that gave us The Fisherman's Blues, A Pagan Place and This Is The Sea reduced to making the kind of driving rock that might well feature on a Top Gear compilation is enough to make this grown man cry. Yes, it really is that pedestrian. The band are barely recognisable from the previously mentioned albums with possibly I Can See Elvis being the only track on the album that rescues it from Dad Rock hell and even this is too laden in self-knowing irony to be a great Waterboys track. There's even a tune called "The Girl Who Slept For Scotland" where there is such an affected Scottish accent, the likes of which I've not heard before on a Waterboys album. They've never had to exaggerate their accents before so why now? Frankly, it's a piss-poor excuse for an album and I wish they'd never bothered. It needs expunging from their discography.
Jefre-Cantu Ledesme - 'A Year With 13 Moons'. Musician records everyday sounds and puts them into an ambient electronic album = Pretentious bollocks. Remember the sound of a ZX Spectrum game loading up? It's basically the same sound.
Hey Colossus - 'In Black And Gold'. One for the Royal Blood fans, I think. I'm not a Royal Blood fan so managed half of this album before switching it off. Unrelenting crunchy guitars. No thanks.
Vision Fortune - 'Country Music'. Don't let the title fool you, it's electronic post-rock and quite experimental. Too experimental for my tastes. I like a tune to my music and couldn't find one in the first 4 tracks so didn't bother with the rest.
It's not all bad though!
The Districts - 'A Flourish And A Spoil': The more I listen to this small town East Coast band the more and more I like them. Great lyrics, some of the tunes on there are absolute stormers and it's a real mixed bag from mid-80s REM-esque indie guitar to stadium pleasing Killers/Kings of Leon type tunes. They should have been around 7 or 8 years ago when this type of band ruled the airwaves but I think they've got enough great tunes, the musicianship and ethos to go onto quite big things even sounding slightly dated.
Darren Hayman - 'Chants For Socialists'. Here's one for fans of indie. Hayman was (is?) the singer and main songwriter from John Peel favourites, Hefner. He's been extremely prolific over the last few years as a solo artist and I came across his new album on Bandcamp. The album is a concept based around (surprise, surprise) his political beliefs and all tell tales of the class struggle. Please don't let this put you off though because far from being worthy and unbearably beardy-weirdy folk music it's not. There's some great sing-a-long tunes with acoustic guitars and harmonies but there's lots more to the album. His guitar-playing alone is a joy to listen to on headphones, the song-writing is top notch too. I don't hold with his politics at all but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Here's the link to his album that you can stream for yourself: https://darrenhayman.bandcamp.com/album/chants-for-socialists
The Waterboys - 'Modern Blues': I'm so disappointed with this album that it's upset me. The band that gave us The Fisherman's Blues, A Pagan Place and This Is The Sea reduced to making the kind of driving rock that might well feature on a Top Gear compilation is enough to make this grown man cry. Yes, it really is that pedestrian. The band are barely recognisable from the previously mentioned albums with possibly I Can See Elvis being the only track on the album that rescues it from Dad Rock hell and even this is too laden in self-knowing irony to be a great Waterboys track. There's even a tune called "The Girl Who Slept For Scotland" where there is such an affected Scottish accent, the likes of which I've not heard before on a Waterboys album. They've never had to exaggerate their accents before so why now? Frankly, it's a piss-poor excuse for an album and I wish they'd never bothered. It needs expunging from their discography.
Jefre-Cantu Ledesme - 'A Year With 13 Moons'. Musician records everyday sounds and puts them into an ambient electronic album = Pretentious bollocks. Remember the sound of a ZX Spectrum game loading up? It's basically the same sound.
Hey Colossus - 'In Black And Gold'. One for the Royal Blood fans, I think. I'm not a Royal Blood fan so managed half of this album before switching it off. Unrelenting crunchy guitars. No thanks.
Vision Fortune - 'Country Music'. Don't let the title fool you, it's electronic post-rock and quite experimental. Too experimental for my tastes. I like a tune to my music and couldn't find one in the first 4 tracks so didn't bother with the rest.
It's not all bad though!
The Districts - 'A Flourish And A Spoil': The more I listen to this small town East Coast band the more and more I like them. Great lyrics, some of the tunes on there are absolute stormers and it's a real mixed bag from mid-80s REM-esque indie guitar to stadium pleasing Killers/Kings of Leon type tunes. They should have been around 7 or 8 years ago when this type of band ruled the airwaves but I think they've got enough great tunes, the musicianship and ethos to go onto quite big things even sounding slightly dated.
Darren Hayman - 'Chants For Socialists'. Here's one for fans of indie. Hayman was (is?) the singer and main songwriter from John Peel favourites, Hefner. He's been extremely prolific over the last few years as a solo artist and I came across his new album on Bandcamp. The album is a concept based around (surprise, surprise) his political beliefs and all tell tales of the class struggle. Please don't let this put you off though because far from being worthy and unbearably beardy-weirdy folk music it's not. There's some great sing-a-long tunes with acoustic guitars and harmonies but there's lots more to the album. His guitar-playing alone is a joy to listen to on headphones, the song-writing is top notch too. I don't hold with his politics at all but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Here's the link to his album that you can stream for yourself: https://darrenhayman.bandcamp.com/album/chants-for-socialists
Agree. I listen to it a lot when I'm running. It's a corker.
deletebeepbeepbeep
Well-known member
- May 12, 2009
- 21,093
I also listened to Jefre-Cantu Ledesme the type of experimental bollocks that Pitchfork rates highly to look cutting edge.
BBassic
I changed this.
- Jul 28, 2011
- 12,500
Giving this a spin at the moment based on that recommendation. First track is a cracker.
Hi there, thanks for alerting me to these two - must admit I'm a bit of a sucker for pretentious bollocks, and a tune's often the last thing I'm looking for.
Pleased to hear about Darren Hayman though as well, used to be quite fond of Hefner.
And I do also like what I've heard of Duke Garwood . . .
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
The Decemberists - 'What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World'.
A very special album and their best to date in my opinion. They've moved fully away from the overblown 10 and 12 minute tales to simpler 4 minute tunes and they're the better for it. They even acknowledge this in the first song "We know we belong to you...but we had to change". Long-time Decemberist fans needn't worry too much because they remain as endearingly geeky as ever with lots of subtle literary references and they still have their feet firmly in the British and Irish folk tradition but tracks such as Cavalry Captain have a bite to them that indie fans will love too. The feelgood factor lasts throughout with tracks such as Philomena and its innuendo heavy references. What I've always loved about the band is still here. the uplifting crowd pleaser, the storytelling and the fragile love songs. Carolina Low is as lovely a tune as you'll hear from anywhere this year. I enjoyed listening to this a lot and will undoubtedly listen to it lots more over the next few weeks.
A very special album and their best to date in my opinion. They've moved fully away from the overblown 10 and 12 minute tales to simpler 4 minute tunes and they're the better for it. They even acknowledge this in the first song "We know we belong to you...but we had to change". Long-time Decemberist fans needn't worry too much because they remain as endearingly geeky as ever with lots of subtle literary references and they still have their feet firmly in the British and Irish folk tradition but tracks such as Cavalry Captain have a bite to them that indie fans will love too. The feelgood factor lasts throughout with tracks such as Philomena and its innuendo heavy references. What I've always loved about the band is still here. the uplifting crowd pleaser, the storytelling and the fragile love songs. Carolina Low is as lovely a tune as you'll hear from anywhere this year. I enjoyed listening to this a lot and will undoubtedly listen to it lots more over the next few weeks.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
They're back. This is the first track from the eagerly awaited comeback album for Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan aka Sugababes v1. I'm not sure exactly when the album is due for release but I'm looking forward to it and I believe it's going to be this year. I've always had a lot of time for this, the incarnation of the band. They burst upon the scene with a brilliant debut single and proved that three awkward looking girls with great voices could make it. Sadly, this track 'Back In The Day' is a bit bland. It's nice, not amazing but it has been auto-tuned a hell of a lot which is a shame seeing as these three can actually carry a tune. It's radio-friendly very soft R&B and the typical slow number that all these bands seem to do as their first comeback single: Spice Girls, All Saints, Take That: that announces that they've grown up and are all wiser and more content with life. Slightly disconcerting to hear 3 women all still aged 30 or thereabouts singing "back in the day when I was young..." Thanks girls, that's how to make me feel very old.
I wonder (I hope) if they'll have the main songwriting team that wrote a lot of the earlier Sugababes tracks. There was an awful lot of love for 80s synth pop going on with those tunes (and nice to mention after the sad news about Steve Strange). Watch this space. You can listen to the single here:
http://diymag.com/2015/02/13/mutya-keisha-siobhan-return-with-back-in-the-day-single
I wonder (I hope) if they'll have the main songwriting team that wrote a lot of the earlier Sugababes tracks. There was an awful lot of love for 80s synth pop going on with those tunes (and nice to mention after the sad news about Steve Strange). Watch this space. You can listen to the single here:
http://diymag.com/2015/02/13/mutya-keisha-siobhan-return-with-back-in-the-day-single