where's the music?

[willywoody]

new tunes i'm digging:

band of horses- cease to begin (somewhere between coldplay and my morning jacket)

a place to bury strangers ( heavy noisy rock with a beat)

echospace - my coldest season (ambient techno that has minimal beat so that 4/4 doesn't drive you to insanity, very soothing, performed on analog equipment)

the twilight sad -fourteen autumns and fifteen winters (think shoegazing, slightly emo with guitar solos of noise, and they're probably not old enough to drink legally)

speaking of youngsters, the tiny masters of today aren't barely teenagers if that and rock some leftist slogans with the drummer from jon spencer. pop punk on the rise.

deerhunter, from atlanta, somehow combine ambient music with a punk asthetic and may have put out my favorite album of the year in cryptograms.

the ponys, from chicago, have a great album in turn the lights out that sounds like spiritualized going garage rock. maybe the best traditional rock album of the year.

lcd soundsystem -sound of silver melds dance/techno with indy rock. probably the best song of the year is all my friends. if you ignore everything i've posted at least check that tune out, especially if you're over 30 years old.

you have to dig deep nowadays to find some good tunes but they're there.

[billybreen]

Tonight I purchased "The Sign" by Ace of Base on iTunes. I suck.

[YmoBeThere]

Wow, did it Open Up Your Mind? Haha, not sure I would have confessed that.

[billybreen]

Wow, did it Open Up Your Mind? Haha, not sure I would have confessed that.

Musically, I have no shame. My tastes range from the transcendent to the trash.

[willywoody]

Musically, I have no shame. My tastes range from the transcendent to the trash.

maybe that's the problem, you need some shame.

just kidding with ya, whatever music speaks to you or gets you groovin'. but really go check out that lcd soundsystem, especially all my friends.

[wilson]

new tunes i'm digging:

band of horses- cease to begin (somewhere between coldplay and my morning jacket)

a place to bury strangers ( heavy noisy rock with a beat)

echospace - my coldest season (ambient techno that has minimal beat so that 4/4 doesn't drive you to insanity, very soothing, performed on analog equipment)

the twilight sad -fourteen autumns and fifteen winters (think shoegazing, slightly emo with guitar solos of noise, and they're probably not old enough to drink legally)

speaking of youngsters, the tiny masters of today aren't barely teenagers if that and rock some leftist slogans with the drummer from jon spencer. pop punk on the rise.

deerhunter, from atlanta, somehow combine ambient music with a punk asthetic and may have put out my favorite album of the year in cryptograms.

the ponys, from chicago, have a great album in turn the lights out that sounds like spiritualized going garage rock. maybe the best traditional rock album of the year.

lcd soundsystem -sound of silver melds dance/techno with indy rock. probably the best song of the year is all my friends. if you ignore everything i've posted at least check that tune out, especially if you're over 30 years old.

you have to dig deep nowadays to find some good tunes but they're there.

Have you checked out Wilco? I've been listening to them ever since they came together about ten years ago, and their last several albums have enjoyed a fair amount of critical acclaim. Their newest album, "Sky Blue Sky," is a flat out masterpiece.

[willywoody]

oh yeh! first heard wilco on wxpn when i was living up north in the mid nineties. sky blue sky is good but i don't find myself playing it all too often. it's one of those sunday morning records that is great to sit back and listen to but not so much in the car or on a friday night. i liked a ghost is born a little better. i hope you got to catch them on austin city limits last week. btw, i'm willywoody over on via chicago as well if you ever check out the wilco boards.

another great laid back pop record out this past year in the states is the magic numbers-those the brokes. brother and sister harmonies. kind of like a modern day the mamas and papas.

[billybreen]

but really go check out that lcd soundsystem, especially all my friends.

Yeah, no, sorry. That didn't work for me. I can't handle the oonce oonce music.

[EarlJam]

Have you checked out Wilco? I've been listening to them ever since they came together about ten years ago, and their last several albums have enjoyed a fair amount of critical acclaim. Their newest album, "Sky Blue Sky," is a flat out masterpiece.

Wilco. Love 'em. Our little band a few years ago would cover some Wilco songs. Also, along the same line, The Jayhawks. Have you checked them out? Good music.

-EarlJam

[billybreen]

Wilco. Love 'em. Our little band a few years ago would cover some Wilco songs. Also, along the same line, The Jayhawks. Have you checked them out? Good music.

-EarlJam

Oh yes, the Jayhawks rock. I remember both being on heavy rotation on 96Wave in Charleston back in the mid-90s, but I was always partial to the Jayhawks. 'Blue', 'Take Me With You', 'Waiting for the Sun'. Rawk.

[EarlJam]

Oh yes, the Jayhawks rock. I remember both being on heavy rotation on 96Wave in Charleston back in the mid-90s, but I was always partial to the Jayhawks. 'Blue', 'Take Me With You', 'Waiting for the Sun'. Rawk.

I got into them late and 'Blue' was the first song I ever heard by them. I was blown away. That whole album. Other favorites:

Over my Shoulder
I'd Run Away
Save it for Rainy Day
Angelyne
All the Right Reasons
Tampa To Tulsa
You Look so Young

Dang, I may just have to go out and make a purchase today. I lost my CDs over a year ago.

-EarlJam

[pfrduke]

oh yeh! first heard wilco on wxpn when i was living up north in the mid nineties. sky blue sky is good but i don't find myself playing it all too often. it's one of those sunday morning records that is great to sit back and listen to but not so much in the car or on a friday night. i liked a ghost is born a little better. i hope you got to catch them on austin city limits last week. btw, i'm willywoody over on via chicago as well if you ever check out the wilco boards.

another great laid back pop record out this past year in the states is the magic numbers-those the brokes. brother and sister harmonies. kind of like a modern day the mamas and papas.

Have you heard the Magic Numbers' first album (self-titled). I thought it was superior to Those the Brokes - the first two song "Mornings Eleven" and "Forever Lost" are just catchy as all get out.

Glad you mentioned Cease to Begin. People were getting all hot and bothered about Band of Horses after Everything all the Time, and I didn't really see it. Then I heard Cease to Begin, and I was an instant convert - just an excellent album. I'm trying hard to come across tickets to one of two sold out shows they're doing here next week.

Some other recommendations from 2007:
New Pornographers - Challengers
Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Gimme Fiction from 2005ish is also excellent)
Wincing the Night Away - Shins

Also, this isn't from 2007, but I strongly recommend Regina Spektor's Begin to Hope - catchy tunes, great voice, quirky singer, lots of fun. The chorus of one song ("On the Radio") is an homage to "November Rain."

[pfrduke]

Link to the video for "On the Radio" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSJQ1St1OnQ).

[wilson]

first heard wilco on wxpn when i was living up north in the mid nineties. sky blue sky is good but i don't find myself playing it all too often. it's one of those sunday morning records that is great to sit back and listen to but not so much in the car or on a friday night. i liked a ghost is born a little better. i hope you got to catch them on austin city limits last week.


I missed them on Austin City Limits last week (but I'll check it out online), but I did get to see them at Austin City Limits (the festival) in September, along with LCD Soundsystem. 'Twas delightful. Spoon was also there, but underwhelming imo.
And yes EarlJam, the Jayhawks are fantastic...can't understand why they're not more popular.

[willywoody]

Yeah, no, sorry. That didn't work for me. I can't handle the oonce oonce music.

i figured with the ace of bass thing going it might suit you but i guess it isn't as beat heavy.

[willywoody]

I missed them on Austin City Limits last week (but I'll check it out online), but I did get to see them at Austin City Limits (the festival) in September, along with LCD Soundsystem. 'Twas delightful. Spoon was also there, but underwhelming imo.
And yes EarlJam, the Jayhawks are fantastic...can't understand why they're not more popular.

we went to acl fest a few years back, very fun time. i saw spoon on the acl tv show last year and was unimpressed to say the least.

my brother turned me onto the jayhawks around the time i started listening to wilco and son volt. i didn't like their last cd, though. it was very singer songwiter sounding, like james taylor or something.

anyone see the blender top 100 indy albums list? http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?ID=2974

they pretty well disregarded alt-country although many of the best were on major labels.

[snowdenscold]

Wow, did it Open Up Your Mind? Haha, not sure I would have confessed that.

I'm sure he was able to get into the light where [he] belongs due to that download.

[rsvman]

I love lcd soundsystem. Check out "Daft Punk is playing at my house." Other bands to look into:

Eskimo Joe

vhs or beta

spoon

eddie vedder's new solo stuff


Lots more but I'm drawing blanks right now.

[wilson]

...wilco and son volt...

And I assume you know about Uncle Tupelo?

[pamtar]

On the play list currently:

M83
Summerbirds in the Cellar
Apollo Up!
Forget Cassettes
Chin Up Chin Up
Telescreen
The Firebird Band

have fun....

[willywoody]

And I assume you know about Uncle Tupelo?

for certain, i've pretty much run the gamut with alt-country.

the single off of the soundtrack eddie vedder released a few weeks back is real good. is the rest of the soundtrack as good?

[wilson]

for certain, i've pretty much run the gamut with alt-country.

the single off of the soundtrack eddie vedder released a few weeks back is real good. is the rest of the soundtrack as good?

My brother loves Pearl Jam and all things Eddie Vedder, so he gave it a solid review. I've not heard much of it though.
In a similar vein, check out the new Allison Krauss/Robert Plant album-fantastic. Also the not so new Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris album.
As for alt-country (definitely more toward the twangy end of things): the Old 97s and the Derailers.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

With all the talk about folk/rock/country I'm surprised no one has mentioned the new Iron & Wine (The Shepherd's Dog) or Mountain Goats (Get Lonely). Those have been going nonstop on my computer. I'll also plug Okkervil River (The Stage Names) and Midlake (The Trials of Van Occupanther), and the new Cat Power (The Greatest). It's been a very good year for this kind of music, IMO.

[DevilAlumna]

Perhaps a little more folksy than rock for the people on this thread, but I just listened to the new Robert Plant/Alison Krause collaboration album and thought it was purchase-worthy.

[merry]

Perhaps a little more folksy than rock for the people on this thread, but I just listened to the new Robert Plant/Alison Krause collaboration album and thought it was purchase-worthy.

I got two new CDs this weekend and almost got that one but hadn't heard any of it yet and decided to wait.

What I did get was the soundtrack from the movie Once (I haven't actually seen the movie though) and I know I'm a few years behind the times on this one but just got White Stripes "Elephant".

[DevilAlumna]

Does anyone here do anything like share playlists or listening patterns, a la last.fm or pandora or Zune Social?

I can be found at http://social.zune.net/member/TruBluDevil

I'm looking for matching music suggestions, so anyone who ranges from DMB to Chopin to Willie Nelson, They Might Be Giants, John Prine and/or Band of Horses, feel free to befriend me!

[SouthgateWindsor]

I've been listening to the following:

New Mastersounds
LCD Soundsystem
K-OS
and for a blast from the past, Tricky (I've got christiansands on heavy rotation)

[billybreen]

They Might Be Giants

Ooh, I concur heartily on that one, but I don't think I can bring myself to hit Teh Social. :-)

[wilson]

The Flaming Lips-love 'em. Especially Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

[rockymtn devil]

Lots of good discussion in this thread, so I'll just jump right in. New Band of Horses is excellent. The reference point for that album is probably My Morning Jacket meets The Shins, with its southern rock meets NW indie. "The General Specific" is one of the best songs of the year, IMO.

Sky Blue Sky is just okay for me. The current Wilco lineup should be its best, but that album just doesn't ever open up for me. Perhaps Wilco has fallen victim to its own success. A Ghost is Born was very solid (even if it tried too hard to be a Neil Young album) and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the best album of the decade. I'm not sure any band could've followed those up with something satisfying. The same can be said for the newest Bright Eyes album, Cassadega, which doesn't have the replay value of 2005's I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (probably my second favorite album of the decade).

What I've been listening to most lately is the new Ryan Adams EP, Follow the Lights. It's essentially a couple of castoffs from Easy Tiger (although they should've been on that LP), and a few re-dos of some earlier work mixed in with an Alice in Chains cover. An enjoyable 30-minute disc.

[willywoody]

the new iron and wine shepherd's dog album is very good. for those who don't know iron and wine it's basically sam beam with help from his sister and a somewhat rotating band after that. very folky low key sound, with somewhat obscure lyrics ala early REM. it really rewards repeat listenings.

the ep he did with calexico last year or so is also great, called In The Reins. i haven't checked out the earlier releases.

and answering another post, i too highly recommend cat power's the greatest cd (not a greateset hits but it sure plays like one) and midlake's Trials of Van Occupanther (reminds me some of the moody blues, melodic but kinda spooky at the same time). these both came out in '06 but i still regularly play them so they have staying power.

[pfrduke]

For those who like Iron & Wine, you may also want to check out Jose Gonzalez. He has two albums, Veneer and In Our Nature. Like Iron & Wine, he sings kind of breathy folk songs - he actually sounds a little bit like James Taylor, particularly on In Our Nature.

[willywoody]

For those who like Iron & Wine, you may also want to check out Jose Gonzalez. He has two albums, Veneer and In Our Nature. Like Iron & Wine, he sings kind of breathy folk songs - he actually sounds a little bit like James Taylor, particularly on In Our Nature.

i've liked a few of his singles i've heard and his work on the last Zero 7 cd. although i'm not so certain about the James Taylor comparison, maybe a little, but if you don't like JT don't overlook Gonzalez.

and another singer to add to this list is Josh Ritter. all of y'all digging wilco and iron and wine need to check him out. i especially like his cd The Animal Years but the new cd is not bad, just not as well recorded. he fits under the Americana/alt-country unbrella and writes some great songs.

[pfrduke]

i've liked a few of his singles i've heard and his work on the last Zero 7 cd. although i'm not so certain about the James Taylor comparison, maybe a little, but if you don't like JT don't overlook Gonzalez.

and another singer to add to this list is Josh Ritter. all of y'all digging wilco and iron and wine need to check him out. i especially like his cd The Animal Years but the new cd is not bad, just not as well recorded. he fits under the Americana/alt-country unbrella and writes some great songs.

The Taylor comparison comes out more in the second album - particularly on a song like "Fold." (actually, listening to "Fold" at work is what prompted me to come on and promote his work). It's certainly not a perfect match, but more like it's a song that I could easily hear James Taylor singing. And it's not every song either - "Heartbeats" (my personal favorite) doesn't really inspire the comparison for me.

Josh Ritter is another excellent suggestion. The second album (The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter) has been very well received critically.

[willywoody]

Josh Ritter is another excellent suggestion. The second album (The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter) has been very well received critically.

oh the historical conquests... would have been a decent album if they didn't screw up the recording and mastering of it, few things most critics would recognize. in fact, most music fans i haven't even noticed it but i find it nearly unlistenable compared to the beautiful sounding the animal years.

and how about Ray La Montagne? i bought his last cd under the guise of giving it to my wife but secretly i got it cause i know its something we both like to listen to. more singer-songwriter stuff not too unlike josh ritter or what i've heard from gonzalez.

[Mal]

In the past, I've been a huge Americana, Alt-Country guy - No Depression subscriber, one of my biggest star moments was meeting Gary Louris, and I could debate Farrar/Tweedy for hours - but I've drifted from the genre of late. Since a number of you are on the subject, though, let me throw in a couple recs. for more obscure bands from the town that brought you the 'Hawks: The Honeydogs and Romantica. The Honeydogs sort of split their time between smart pop rock and twangy alt-country (trending more toward the former in later albums). Songwriter and singer Adam Levy knows his way around a catchy hook for sure. Check out Seen a Ghost for a flavor. Romantica sounds like Whiskeytown-era Ryan Adams with a slightly longer attention span. They're led by an Irish songwriter who ended up in Minneapolis and put together a small band.

For those of you in this thread favoring The Shins, Spoon and the like, I'll put in a few slightly further afield recommendations, though if you're indie enough to be listening to Iron & Wine and Okkervil River and other acts I've seen named here, you've certainly heard them already. First, The Hold Steady. I think Boys And Girls in America rocks - it's Springsteen meets The Replacements. Second, perhaps you tried it and didn't like it, but go back and listen to Come on Feel The Illinoise from Sufjan Stevens. I just rediscovered this album (I know, it's only 2 years old, how can I have lost it and rediscovered it so quickly?), which I enjoyed on the first listening or two but then got distracted and didn't really dig into it enough to fully appreciate it until recently. Anyway, it's sheer genius.

[pfrduke]

First, The Hold Steady. I think Boys And Girls in America rocks - it's Springsteen meets The Replacements. Second, perhaps you tried it and didn't like it, but go back and listen to Come on Feel The Illinoise from Sufjan Stevens. I just rediscovered this album (I know, it's only 2 years old, how can I have lost it and rediscovered it so quickly?), which I enjoyed on the first listening or two but then got distracted and didn't really dig into it enough to fully appreciate it until recently. Anyway, it's sheer genius.

I cannot tell you how much I love these two recommendations. Separation Sunday was my entree to the Hold Steady (I think it's superior to Boys & Girls) - it has great riffs and hooks, and the narrative in the lyrics in superb - all sorts of drugs and Catholic guilt. Moreover, Separation Sunday is actually envisioned as an album - it tells a story (more or less) with recurring characters, and the songs are meant to be heard in order, culminating with a resurrection in the final song. The Hold Steady is one of my two or three favorite bands, and has been since I first heard them. Also, I saw them in concert a couple weeks ago, and they played a couple of new songs (both of which were solid), so I think they've been doing some studio work and will have a new album in spring/summer '08.

Illinoise! is another terrific album, and Sufjan Stevens is another terrific story-teller. I'm not necessarily a fan of his entire vision, but some of the songs he puts out are truly excellent on a stand alone basis. "The Man From Metropolis Steals Our Hearts" is probably my favorite, but "Jacksonville," the two part "Chicago" song, and several others are also great. As an aside, he did a Christmas album last year - if you like Christmas music and like Sufjan, it's a great holiday listen.

[willywoody]

In the past, I've been a huge Americana, Alt-Country guy - No Depression subscriber.

i just dropped my no depression subscription this year. just wasn't finding anything of much interest in there but they do have a great magazine. pretty much just read pitchfork online and mojo magazine now.

i concur about separation sunday, it's one of my top ten of the decade. and you're spot on with the replacements meet springsteen, even without all the twin city setttings.

[DevilAlumna]

Okay, the playlist I put together from this thread is pretty solid (really liking the Jayhawks and John Ritter!), but by the end of the day was just too darned mellow. I had to rock out in preparation for fighting traffic.

I found myself pulling my favorite rock songs into a thread and came up with a few that include:

Streets have no name (u2)
Anna Molly (Incubus)
3AM (Matchbox 20)
Orange Crush (R.E.M.)
When You Were Young (The Killers)

Given these songs as a starter, what other bands would you include?

[rockymtn devil]

Okay, the playlist I put together from this thread is pretty solid (really liking the Jayhawks and John Ritter!), but by the end of the day was just too darned mellow. I had to rock out in preparation for fighting traffic.

I found myself pulling my favorite rock songs into a thread and came up with a few that include:

Streets have no name (u2)
Anna Molly (Incubus)
3AM (Matchbox 20)
Orange Crush (R.E.M.)
When You Were Young (The Killers)

Given these songs as a starter, what other bands would you include?

Here's some that, if you haven't checked out, I'd suggest

Arcade Fire, "Keep the Car Running"
My Morning Jacket, "One Big Holiday"
M. Ward, "To Go Home"
The Decemberists, "The Perfect Crime #2"

[pfrduke]

If you're looking for pure rock, check out the Black Keys (for songs, I'd say "Strange Desire" or "Just Got to Be"). Another possibility is "Goin' Against Your Mind" by Built to Spill. And I'll echo my earlier fawning over The Hold Steady.

[willywoody]

If you're looking for pure rock, check out the Black Keys (for songs, I'd say "Strange Desire" or "Just Got to Be"). Another possibility is "Goin' Against Your Mind" by Built to Spill. And I'll echo my earlier fawning over The Hold Steady.

i missed Built to Spill until last year's You In Reverse album. I now own several of their cds, a couple of albums, and doug martsch's solo cd. if you're looking for some rock, i agree "goin' against your mind" and "conventional wisdom" from the last cd are both great rockers.

on the way home tonight i dialed up two cow garage's cd entitled III that came out this year. great rock band with a slight twang but rock like early uncle tupelo. the first three songs are killer on that cd but it's strong throughout.

and of course the drive by truckers have yet to be mentioned. check out "never gonna change."

[dukestheheat]

pamtar-

M83's 'Teen Angst' rocks it!

also, i like:

the verve
moby
mogwai
pinback
the appleseed cast
arcade fire
benzos
blackfield
blonde redhead
broken social scene
vince watson
silversun pickups
interpol
the mendoza line
slaraffenland
minus the bear
owls
phoenix
the early years

to name a few alternative or indie beat tunes.

dth.

[pfrduke]

i missed Built to Spill until last year's You In Reverse album. I now own several of their cds, a couple of albums, and doug martsch's solo cd. if you're looking for some rock, i agree "goin' against your mind" and "conventional wisdom" from the last cd are both great rockers.

on the way home tonight i dialed up two cow garage's cd entitled III that came out this year. great rock band with a slight twang but rock like early uncle tupelo. the first three songs are killer on that cd but it's strong throughout.

and of course the drive by truckers have yet to be mentioned. check out "never gonna change."

You and I have remarkably similar tastes in music. Good call on the Drive-By Truckers - I like to go back into the vault a little with them for songs like "Dead, Drunk, and Naked" or "Guitar Man Upstairs." They've also got a new album due out very soon - by the end of January, I think.

Haven't heard Two Cow Garage before, but I think I'll have to check them out.

And I've now got "conventional wisdom" stuck in my head.

[willywoody]

You and I have remarkably similar tastes in music. Good call on the Drive-By Truckers - I like to go back into the vault a little with them for songs like "Dead, Drunk, and Naked" or "Guitar Man Upstairs." They've also got a new album due out very soon - by the end of January, I think.

Haven't heard Two Cow Garage before, but I think I'll have to check them out.

And I've now got "conventional wisdom" stuck in my head.

two cow have toured with the truckers in the past so you should like them. they put on one hell of a live show, just like the dbt's.

and you may or may not have heard of slobberbone who changed their name to the drams two years ago when one of their members gave up the road. brent best is their songwriter and singer and has been championed by the late larry brown, stephen king, and nick hornsby. their first 2 or 3 cds mine the same field as early dbts but on the final slobberbone cd and the drams cd they began a more straight pop rock attack. favorite songs from the early days include "tilt-a-whirl", "engine joe", "billy pritchard", and "i can tell your love is waning." later favorites include "springfield,Il.", "write you off", "sweetness, that's your cue" ,and from the drams "hummalong", and unhinged." i just checked itunes and most are on there so do check them out if you want some great rock.

[jkidd31]

My friend has been on me for some time to get Iron & Wine. I'll probably pick it up next time I get some extra funds. The biggest problem I have now with music is the time to listen to it. Since I have become a dad it seems I watch more Disney Channel and Nick then I listen to music.

[willywoody]

My friend has been on me for some time to get Iron & Wine. I'll probably pick it up next time I get some extra funds. The biggest problem I have now with music is the time to listen to it. Since I have become a dad it seems I watch more Disney Channel and Nick then I listen to music.

get your kids into music. if they're in the elementary and preschool age check out farmer jason (aka jason ringenberg from jason and the scorchers) and dan zanes (formerly of the del fuegos). they have grammy nominated children's cds out there. also check out this blog for more ideas:

http://kidsmusicthatrocks.blogspot.com/

http://www.danzanes.com/pages/news.php
http://www.farmerjason.com/

[devilish]

get your kids into music. if they're in the elementary and preschool age check out farmer jason (aka jason ringenberg from jason and the scorchers) and dan zanes (formerly of the del fuegos). they have grammy nominated children's cds out there. also check out this blog for more ideas:

http://kidsmusicthatrocks.blogspot.com/

http://www.danzanes.com/pages/news.php
http://www.farmerjason.com/

My family all listens to the same music. But we each have our favorites.

My 2 year old especially likes Dan Zanes as well as Taj Mahal.

My favs are Moses Guest, Ryan Bingham, & Assembly of Dust.

My wife likes Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.

[mkirsh]

Lot of great suggestions so far, enough so that I'll take a break from my usual lurking and actually contribute. Seems that I have overlapping tastes with many of the previous posters, so here's a list of some of my favorites that weren't mentioned earlier:


Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Arcade Fire - Funeral
-- Don't think these 2 albums have been mentioned yet, but IMO these are 2 of the best albums in the last 2-3 years and both are absolutely great in their entirety.


Other recent favorites:
Rocky Votolato - Makers -- If you like acoustic guitar, definitely give this a listen. Rocky has a few albums out there, but Makers I think is fantastic all the way through.

Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That -- surprisingly catchy upbeat indie sound from a French group. Personal favorites are 'Consolation Prizes' and 'Rally'.

Nada Surf - The Weight is a Gift -- potentially a little cheesy, but for some reason I keep this in pretty heavy rotation. Favorites here are 'Blankest Year' and 'Always Love'.

Maritime - We, the Vehicles -- Similar to the 2 albums listed immediately above, this is basically standard indie fare, but I really like 'German Engineering' and 'Young Alumni'.

Heartless Bastards - All This Time -- Ohio band with classic rock influences, 'Searching for the Ghost' is a great track

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It’s Morning -- Not sure who to compare this to or how to describe, but great album with pretty raw songs and good lyrics. 'We Are Nowhere and It's Now' and 'First Day of My Life' are 2 of my favorites

Stars - Set Yourself on Fire -- very mellow, melody driven music. Not sure everyone will like this, but IMO this gets better with repeated listening.

Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah -- Have 2 albums out that are pretty similar to each other IMO, pretty catchy tunes if you can get past the whiny vocals


Newer albums that I’ve just started listening too but pretty good so far:
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas -- Heavy on the Smashing Pumpkins influence, this is a great CD. Start with 'Lazy Eye' and 'Future Foe Scenarios'

Voxtrot - Raised by Wolves (EP) and self titled full album -- Austin band with UK-style sound. 'Start of Something', 'Firecracker' and 'Kid Gloves' are all solid tracks.

The National - Boxer -- Not sure how to really describe this, I would guess that people who like Okkervil River, M. Ward, and Hold Steady would probably like this as well. My favorites here are 'Slow Show' and 'Mistaken for Strangers'


Other bands (and songs) to check out that I'm too lazy to write more about:
Tapes 'N Tapes ('Omaha')
Thermals ('Pillar of Salt')
Film School ('Breet')
Fratellis ('For the Girl')
Hard-Fi ('Hard to Beat')
TV on The Radio ('Wolf Like Me')
...And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead ('The Rest Will Follow')


Love this thread, keep the suggestions comimg

[willywoody]

thanks for all those suggestions. some real good ones in there and even a few i've not heard of (well, two: stars and maritime)

i'll second the recommendations on voxtrot (great pop rock, if you like the new pornographers, the poppier sides of wilco or the old 97's/rhett miller, or early elvis costello then check them out)

[DevilAlumna]

Good recs on The Replacements and Bloc Party - thanks!

In fact, the first song that came on on The Replacements was "Bastards of Young," one of my favorites from high school; I just couldn't recall the band. A hottie gave me a mix tape and caused one heck of a crush because of it, along with a new appreciation for The Ramones, The Housemartins, and Poi Dog Pondering.