I'm digging Los Campesinos!'s new album

Dammit toph -- Just when I had my top twenty for the year sorted out. This is the most twee album on earth but, after a single listen I suspect it will become a favorite for the year.

Oh! Now I finally know who this is. Thanks! Now this needs to be on Spotify.

Ugh I've settled the Los Campesinos! album as my top 10 and have been avoiding this one. Ugh. Fucking 2011 so good musically.

Yeah that album is the poster child for twee crap. And I love it.

And they are from iceland! Where did you find the album I can't find it anywhere?

It's just the single that's available right now, but you can hear more songs on youtube.

Do you have dropbox? I managed to "procure" a copy of the album just now. Holy shit.

Yeah I just made one. How do I use it? My username is ckonopka.

Its uploading right now. I'll send the link so you can download it. I'll be abauer3@emory.edu

If anyone else is on dropbox just PM me your email I'll send the shared folder right over.

NSFW and relevant to recent Rangerland memes!

That is cunty catchy as hell.

Guh. After months of not really being excited about much of anything coming out, I've now been introduced to two favorites in the space of a week.

I've been listening to Caveman's debut album Coco Beware all day and it's really, really good. It's kind of a mellow, neo-psychedelic, indie-pop vibe with some African rhythms thrown in. Almost like Grizzly Bear meets The DoDos. (I'm terrible at describing music.)



The album is also better than the sum of its parts. It's hard not to listen to it all the way through and then go back and do it again. Just great music to chill with:

http://open.spotify.com/album/28VevjbLut2uMZVWKSiA8J

Thurston Moore's (Sonic Youth) new solo album is quite great. Not at all what I expected (feedback drones or other experimentalism); it's a folky, baroque, vaguely psychedelic bunch of niceness. On both Spotify and Rhapsody.

You may not dig her music, but Merrill Garbus is pretty amazing to watch.

WANT.

I always thought that "Maracas" was an insanely catchy song, but didn't like the rest of the Mates of State album on first listen. It's really grabbing me right now. Probably too late to crack my 2011 Top 10, but it's moving up with a bullet.


Watch the full video at Baeblemusic.com

Mates Of State - "Maracas" from stereogum on Vimeo.

Eat shit.

This is great. I love quirky, spazzy rhythms.

Loveless is the best album ever created and I won't deign to debate that fact.

New Roots album out today. Don't know if it's streaming anywhere, but here's the Spotify link: http://open.spotify.com/album/5UQo0dIJc9nfkt2HWd2GCp

Holy fuck balls. I'm trying to sort out the order of my top ten for the end of the year thread so I'm listening to the albums in order starting at ten but I'm stuck in a recursive loop:

-- Listen to the album ranked 10th
-- "Holy shit, this should be ranked higher."
-- Bump album up to 6th
-- Listen to the album that has now been bumped to 10th.
-- "Holy shit, this should be ranked higher."
-- Bump album up to 6th

Etc. I basically have a five way tie for 6th.

How do you feel about it? I feel like there are some really good tracks, but I can't tell if I really like it or its a disappointment.

I have been holding out on listening to Bon Iver for a while. Finally did on Spotify.

Can't say I like it at all.

After listening to it three or four times, I just don't understand why the last instrumental piece was put in. It just doesn't work for me.

Rest is awesome.

I listen to a lot of these new releases at work, so the sound isn't the best. A lot of times albums that don't really strike me at first sink in later on when I've had the chance to give them a proper listen. That said, it's good overall, but only one or two tracks really jumped out at me, like "Make My".



Likewise. I just really don't like the vocals, too shrill.

Yeah, I loved the first one a lot but the new one does nothing for me. 'Not even on my radar for an honorable mention this year.

I listened to 30 seconds of Calgary when it was posted here and it reminded me why I don't like Bon Iver at all.

I liked Calgary when I first heard it, but listening to the whole album I just don't like it. His voice is awful.

Meanwhile, just when I had written it off as only liking one or two songs, the Girls album is starting to catch on with me.

What do people read for musical criticism? I like the snark and high standards of Pitchfork and the Onion A/V club, and their indie focus, but I find myself liking a lot of music that they are either lukewarm on or outright pan. But other publications seem to give glowing reviews way too easily. (Rolling Stone ranked Adele's album at #1 for 2011, FFS.) Would be nice to find some middle ground.

I read Pitchfork and AV Club mostly. There are probably better places for reviews, however. It's just easy to check AV Club every Tuesday to see if anything interesting came out.

Otherwise, I just listen to satellite radio or the indie station on Spotify to find stuff.

Do I have to post Hipster Dog if I say that I don't read music reviews? I get most of my recommendations through the grapevine, either here or on another forum where I find people have similar tastes. Lately I have more new stuff to listen to than I have time for but when the well runs dry I usually check Metacritic. But even there I just read the synopsis for anything that scores high. I also tend to look at their coming soon section for bands that I like.

I didn't mean only for info about new releases, because you're right, I get most of what I listen to from here (at least back when you were still cool), other friends, or from an amazing local radio station we have in NY, WFUV. I like to read criticism for music I already know about and have listened to. It helps me articulate why I like something or don't, and often helps me think about the music in a different way. The danger, of course, is that you let criticism influence you too much, which is why I'm looking for more well-rounded sources. I loved the Mumford and Sons album, for example, and about a year after it came out, I read the Pitchfork review, and they absolutely demolished it. I have to say, that definitely affected my reaction to the album from that point on. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Pitchfork, AV Club, Rolling Stone rarely. But mostly here. Its where I find a lot of my music to be honest. you guys rock. And If I read something before I try to post it here so others know. And my buddy Pete. He's a cool dude.

The Budos Band. Daptone Records. So good. Music Hall of Williamsburg on 12/31.. I would be there if it wasnt New Years Eve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryzFwWlSRBY

Allmusic is also really good. They are a really good balance to Pitchfork. I respect the writers for both sites equally, but they will often have totally different opinions on albums.

Also, I feel like I'm in a bizzarro world right now. Bon Iver's new album is fucking brilliant. Easily my favorite of the year. I guess I can understand not liking his voice, since that's pretty subjective, but I can't fathom not being impressed.

It's a masterpiece.

Except its horrible?

Do you hate puppies too?

Thank you Spotify, I somehow forgot how much I absolutely love this song:



Wow, what a mood booster that was this morning.

Five Finger Death Punch

No, just Bon Iver. Because they just aren't good?

Short but interesting interview from Mike Doughty:

http://www.billboard.com/news/mike-doughty...005628152.story



His solo work is pretty good, for anyone interested. I may pick up the memoir. Can't believe he trashed his Soul Coughing work, though. I still love Ruby Vroom.

This whole album is just fantastic.

Bon Iver is generally just one guy. And the music is pretty good. The first album was a little bit better though I thought. I like the simplicity.

I can't tell if Lana Del Rey is absolutely amazing or I can't stand her. Yeah. Her voice is sick though.

I'm listening to Bon Iver cover The Outfield's "Your Love" right now, and wow, does it suck. I really do hate Justin Vernon's voice. Such a strained, shrill, falsetto.

The Givers album is really growing on me. Very cool and happy stuff.

Also, starting to get extremely psyched about going to the first of three National shows I am hitting this week. Tonight War on Drugs is opening, Thursday Wye Oak, and Saturday Cliff and I are going together and we're totally gonna make out.