What the hell are you listening to...2011 Edition

[kurtism]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I've been really into Ruckus Roboticus lately. Here are a couple of my favorite cuts from his Bandcamp site:

Pushy - Pushy | Ruckus Roboticus

Everlasting Ghettoblasting Gobstopper - Everlasting Ghettoblasting Gobstopper | Ruckus Roboticus

Have you listened to the album he produced for Adam Warrock?

The War For Infinity (Deluxe Edition) | Adam WarRock

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by kurtism

Have you listened to the album he produced for Adam Warrock?

The War For Infinity (Deluxe Edition) | Adam WarRock

I have now! Thanks for the link!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Local newspaper hyped a fairly new website today, seemed like something that folks in this thread might enjoy.

Rank your favorite songs by your favorite artists | Rank 'em

Basically you register & then rank up to 20 favorite songs from your favorite artists. Those are compiled & then, for example, if you wondered what songs you should check out from an unfamiliar artist then you'd be able to get recommendations from others who like that artist. The track listings aren't perfect (entire new EP from Halestorm missing for example, just one I spot checked) and the versions available to be ranked are curious to say the least (several live bootlegs from Ratt are listed, tracks from the original album are missing) but considering the scope, it isn't really terrible.

Personally I don't know how useful the site would be for actually finding new music but that's the theory behind it. I figure at worst it's a reasonably interesting time waster, especially when you start trying to figure out which song to drop or keep in at #20 when it's an artist that you've followed for decades.

edit to add: I'm registered as JonsThreeCents

[Young Drachma]

Lester Bangs' Basement
What it means to have all music instantly available.

http://www.slate.com/id/2291532/

[stevew]

Anyone got Plan B's "Defamation of Strickland Banks"? I guess he was the hot shit in Europe and just got released in the US. Best I can tell is that it's like a bastard lovechild of Jamiroquai, Cee Lo and MIA. But rolling stone trashed it in reviews and I'm torn on whether or not to buy it.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by stevew

Anyone got Plan B's "Defamation of Strickland Banks"? I guess he was the hot shit in Europe and just got released in the US. Best I can tell is that it's like a bastard lovechild of Jamiroquai, Cee Lo and MIA. But rolling stone trashed it in reviews and I'm torn on whether or not to buy it.

Listening to it right now on rdio. Never heard of him before. (I guess that embed is only going to play excerpts if you don't have an account, but you can do a free trial with no credit card if you wanna check it out)



So far, it doesn't sound terrible. Here's one of the reviews from the site from a person I follow:

I disagree it's "distressing to hear yet another artist hop about the retro-stylized British soul-pop bandwagon" as stated in the review. That bandwagon has been rolling since the 60s, when it wasn't "retro" at all, but a contemporary homage to the sounds the Brits heard coming out of Motown. Northern Soul, anyone? It's been a pervasive, ongoing, and huge influence on British pop ever since. Nothing new or opportunistic about it.

Anyway, this album is fairly pleasant. Plan B sings in a Smokey Robinson falsetto, with some raps, and does not embarrass himself doing it. That's one thing I've always really liked about the British take on American soul-pop -- they do it with commitment.

To me, it sounds more like Daniel Merriweather meets a more pop version of Jamie Cullum sans pianos.

[Easy Mac]

New albums from Fleet Foxes and The Antlers are streaming on NPR. Halfway through the Fleet Foxes album. Don't really re-invent the wheel, but if you enjoy them, you'll enjoy this. I'm fairly so-so on them. I enjoy it, but for the most part they don't enter into my steady rotation (except Mykonos).

First Listen : NPR

[kurtism]

Two good links for today:

Grace Potter sings Beyonce:
Grace Potter Belts Out Beyonce - Mashup Mondays | Billboard.com

Beastie Boys release stream of new album:
BEASTIE BOYS HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE PART TWO

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by kurtism

Two good links for today:

Grace Potter sings Beyonce:
Grace Potter Belts Out Beyonce - Mashup Mondays | Billboard.com

Beastie Boys release stream of new album:
BEASTIE BOYS HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE PART TWO

I went on a big Grace Potter and the Nocturnals kick last night. She's awesome.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Kinda randomly, I'm in a run of "not listening" at the moment. Awfully weak batch of rock singles at the moment, not a lot of new album releases that have truly captured my fancy either. One of the deader stretches of music I can recall in at least a year, probably closer to two years now. Just a lot of "eh" if not downright "meh".

Kind of odd about the what's being pushed to radio at the moment too, this time of year is usually more uptempo that what's getting played/released right now. Instead, it's a run of mid-tempo or less & that just seems like entirely the wrong mood. Maybe we'll have a great May or even June to get things rolling again.

[sabotai]

The new Airborne Toxic Event album, All At Once, released today (well, yesterday as I write this). This is the first time in at least a decade that I bought a CD on the day it was released.

[kurtism]

Nighty Night | Amanda Palmer

Ben Folds, Damon Kulash, Amanda Palmer, and Neil Gaiman created these six songs in one day for charity. Pretty interesting stuff from some of my favorite artists (particularly Ben Folds and Neil Gaiman).

[whomario]

new Explosions In The Sky is out (titled take care, take care, take care ). Little different approach in that the structure develops a little faster within the songs (if that makes any sense ...), some vocal-like snippets and even a short single-type song of just 3 1/2 minutes, but overall same old EITS sound which i don´t mind quite frankly, gives me chills and after 4 years it´s nice to have some new sounds to play in my head



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F0QsjIflZw (the shorter track named "Trembling Hands")

[Butter]

Two thumbs up on the new Beastie Boys album.

[Ksyrup]

Incredibly stoked for this one, a long time coming:

http://

[AENeuman]

The Drums It is as if Joy Division and The Smiths had a child. Friend went to Coachella and said they stole the day.

[korme]

MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA
SIMPLE MATH

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by AENeuman

The Drums It is as if Joy Division and The Smiths had a child. Friend went to Coachella and said they stole the day.

Get the EP. I think the album as all the same songs, or most of them, but it was just filler.

If you like The Drums, you'll like Beach Fossils latest EP. It's like the Dums, but a little slower and more reverb.

[Easy Mac]

The new Okkervil River and Wild Beasts are streaming on luisterpaal.

[Easy Mac]

First off, sign up for an invite to google music. If accepted, you can upload up to 20,000 songs and listen anywhere (as long as you have flash and/or an android phone). It supports FLAC, so it automatically hops to the top of my list (nice that I don't have to convert my 9500 flacs to mp3).



Spinner
Fleet Foxes, Manchester Orchestra, Raphael Saadiq, Bridesmaids, The Antlers, Okkervil River, The Cars, Booker T. Jones, Beastie Boys, Lee Scratch Perry, Wild Beasts, Ben Sollee, The Felice Brothers, Yael Naim, Man Man, Sloan, Balkans, Psychadelic Horseshit, Warren Haynes, Colourmusic, Joan of Arc, Sam Roberts Band, Bill Well & Aidan Moffat, Delay Trees, El Obo, EMA, The Wilderness of Manitoba, Le Butcherettes, Moving Mountains, Other Lives, Pulseprogramming, Ravishers, Pearl & the Beard, The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library

AOL music
Bridesmaids, Raphael Saadiq, Beastie Boys, Hugo, Urge Overkill, Christopher Cross, Lee Scratch Perry, The Cars, Booker T. Jones, Warren Haynes, Yael Naim, Sparks the Rescue, Black Label Society, Balance and Composure, Clutch, D-Block, Farewell Continental, Oh No Fiasco, OhGr, Kafani, SKOLD, Sarah Fimm, Hafdis Huld, Moonshine Bandits, Glee - Prom Queen

NPR
Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi, The Book of Mormon, JD Allen Trio, Austra

Luisterpaal
Gabby Young and Other Animals, Eredivisie, Who Made Who, Mick Harvey, The Wombats, Krystl, Hokie Joint, Secret Cinema, Dennis Coffey, Young the Giant, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, Gang Gang Dance, Gavin Friday, Africa HiTech, Miles Kane, Rebekka Karijord, Ezekiel Honig, Man Man, Dominik Eulberg, I Am Oak, Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi

Fleet Foxes Concert tonight

Friendly Fires

Let's Wrestle

Africa Hitech

Balance & Composure

[path12]

It's not new at all, and I usually hate things that are labeled as "beatle-esque", but damned if Dusk at Cubist Castle by Olivia Tremor Control isn't just that. Really awesome.

And thanks for the heads up on the Tally Hall, ksyrup. Looking forward to that too.

[samifan24]

I've been enchanted by Adele's sophomore album, "21," for the last few weeks. Here are the two singles:

"Rolling in the Deep"


"Someone Like You"

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by samifan24

I've been enchanted by Adele's sophomore album, "21," for the last few weeks. Here are the two singles:

same for me, discovered her through Hometown Glory, then picked up 19 just before 21 came out and finally picked up and started to listen to 21 a few weeks ago too and I've loved it a great deal. Lots of soul in that voice.

Did you see her on Dancing with the Stars this past Tuesday? Was kinda neat. My wife knew about nothing about her and she had to agree that her voice is something special.

FM

[Butter]

Of the 20 albums I have gotten this year that are from 2011, here is how I am ranking them.

1. Fleet Foxes
2. PJ Harvey (but this is a CLOSE #2)
3. Tennis
4. John Vanderslice
5. Tune-Yards
6. The Strokes
7. Radiohead
8. Panda Bear
9. Here We Go Magic
10. Lykke Li
11. Smith Westerns
12. The Kills
13. Beastie Boys
14. Yuck

Unremarkable: REM, Klaxons, Gil Scott-Heron (XX remix), ...Trail of Dead, La Sera, Vivian Girls

Man, I have been trying HARD to love the new Radiohead, but it just fades into the background every time I listen to it. If you do not have the new Fleet Foxes or PJ Harvey yet, I plead with you to check them out, at least a little bit. Fleet Foxes is not much of a progression from their last album, but it is just enough that I absolutely love it. And PJ Harvey, I have never really liked much outside of a single here or there, but this album just fits together so well. It is truly outstanding.

As far as Tennis goes, it reminds me some of The Sundays. Bouncy, light songs that get in and out. The singing and songwriting is nowhere near that level, but it is an album of solid, fun pop songs.

John Vanderslice... if you've ever liked his music, the incorporation of an orchestra really fits in well with his style.

Tune-Yards is growing on me... only 2-3 songs now are actively skippable. That odd experimentation in the songs takes some getting used to, but I am there and really enjoying it.

The Strokes are getting not very good reviews for Angles, and while they don't really tread much into new territory, I like this album more than any of theirs since their debut.

Past #10, my recommendations get kinda meh, and I really haven't revisited the "unremarkable" pile since my first impressions of them.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Of the 20 albums I have gotten this year that are from 2011, here is how I am ranking them.

1. Fleet Foxes
2. PJ Harvey (but this is a CLOSE #2)
3. Tennis
4. John Vanderslice
5. Tune-Yards
6. The Strokes
7. Radiohead
8. Panda Bear
9. Here We Go Magic
10. Lykke Li
11. Smith Westerns
12. The Kills
13. Beastie Boys
14. Yuck

That Tennis is def. in my top five, no question.

[Easy Mac]

God I hate that Tennis album the more I hear it.

My top five at nearly the halfway mark would be Fleet Foxes, The Dodos, Beach Fossils, Smith Westerns, and Cut Copy. 2010 was a much better year for music. I think only Fleet Foxes may have even gotten into my top 10 from all of last year.

I haven't really listened to the Strokes, TVoTR, or Okkervil River much yet, but they all seemed a step down from their last albums. In my brief listen, the new Wild Beasts sounds pretty good. The antlers whole album sounds like a Radiohead B side.

[Ksyrup]

These guys make the best videos these days - this is for a new song:

http://


Last album:

http://

[korme]

[kurtism]

New Adam Warrock EP out today. Free preview at This Man... This Emcee! | Adam WarRock

[JonInMiddleGA]

2011 Uproar Tour lineup released. Not bad at all, except I really think A7x probably needs to come off the road for a bit.

From the press release ...
Rockstar Energy Main Stage:
Avenged Sevenfold
Three Days Grace
Seether
Bullet For My Valentine
Escape The Fate

Best Buy Music Gear Stage:
Sevendust
Black Tide
Art of Dying
Back Cloud Collective

Catch it 8/26-10/15. Cities, venues and ticket information will be announced soon!

[Easy Mac]

So you survived the rapture? Why don't you listen to some new music.

NPR
Death Cab for Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Cults, and Los Tigres Del Norte.

Pastehttp://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/a...nt-tragic.html
Art Brut

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I haven't really listened to the Strokes, TVoTR, or Okkervil River much yet, but they all seemed a step down from their last albums. In my brief listen, the new Wild Beasts sounds pretty good. The antlers whole album sounds like a Radiohead B side.

I thought the Wild Beasts album sounds like a Hercules and Love Affair session gone bad. Just not what I was expecting.

[stevew]

Lady Gaga's new CD for .99 today only on Amazon. The download traffic is so extreme that it's crushing their servers. I wonder what the projection for first week sales is for her new CD.....gotta be like a million plus.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by stevew

Lady Gaga's new CD for .99 today only on Amazon.

And yet still overpriced

[Butter]

I bet you feel like an idiot if you bought it full price.

Or just bought it at all. But especially at full price.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

I bet you feel like an idiot if you bought it full price. Or just bought it at all. But especially at full price.

I can almost guarantee that my FB wall will see a post by tomorrow that explains how this one particular friend paid full price because she didn't want to cut into Gaga's revenue by getting it so cheaply & she'll have her little monster paw completely up about it. Nice gal otherwise, just completely irrational when it comes to this one particular "artist".

Of course nothing I just said changes or even dilutes your original point

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And yet still overpriced

This.

[Ksyrup]

New Fountains of Wayne song:

Fountains Of Wayne – “Richie & Ruben” (Stereogum Premiere) - Stereogum

[Scoobz0202]

[Easy Mac]

Some streams for the week:

Battles - Glass Drop

Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See

NPR First Listen
F-cked Up, Givers, Tombs, Eddie Vedder

Spinner
My Morning Jacket, The Vaccines, Cults, Black Lips, Ozzy Osbourne, The Melvins, Ocote Soul Sounds, Robert Pollard, The Black Swans, Robert Fairfield, The Macrotunes, Poison Control Center, Hospital Ships, SebastiAn

AOL Music
Jordan Knight, Ozzy Osbourne, Beginners Soundtrack, Flogging Molly, PFC2, The Melvins, Wharf Rats, Egypt Central, James Torme, JD Souther, Julie Feeney, The Orphan/The Poet, Pagans Mind, Gabby Young and Other Animals, USX, Marty Party, Leftover Cuties, Messy May, Rappin 4-Tay

Woods - Sun & Shade

Lots of Music

[kurtism]

New Tally Hall streaming in its entirety for a brief period at Good & Evil Preview / Theme Song Contest

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

JD Souther

He's still alive?

(Not a shot at the guy, I guess I'm just surprised if he's still around, haven't thought about that name in years)

[Rizon]

[JonInMiddleGA]

Not listening to yet, but currently looking forward to hearing the debut of Adrenaline Mob, the just-announced new project featuring Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Rich Ward (Stuck Mojo/Fozzy), guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando, and bassist Paul DiLeo (Nena, Billy Joel).

Samples were released on their FB page yesterday but you gotta "like" the page & check the Welcome tab to hear 'em.

[Scoobz0202]

Rizon, you are a horrible person.

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Rizon, you are a horrible person.

Nah ... if I was a horrible person I would have posted one of her ... not so better ... songs. And yes, she has songs much worse than that. She makes Rebecca Black sound like pre-crackalack Whitney Houston.

[stevew]

I'm depressed that at age 35 I'd have to wait on a 1 year old in order to get to that magical 51yr old/16 yr old thing that chick has going on

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Rizon

I raise you with Norwegian beats.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Not listening to yet, but currently looking forward to hearing the debut of Adrenaline Mob, the just-announced new project featuring Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Rich Ward (Stuck Mojo/Fozzy), guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando, and bassist Paul DiLeo (Nena, Billy Joel).

Samples were released on their FB page yesterday but you gotta "like" the page & check the Welcome tab to hear 'em.

Samples tend to be a little too short and it falls in the copy/paste metal sound, but it's still done well enough to stand out.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Matthean

Samples tend to be a little too short

Yeah, I thought so too, you kind of have to work at it to get a lot from them ... and the whole "randoms clips from 3-4 songs mixed up out of sequence" thing was a bit overdone for my taste.

and it falls in the copy/paste metal sound, but it's still done well enough to stand out.

I thought the guitar work was interesting, the drums were clearly Portnoy, and the thing that appealed to me most was the 80'seque/melodic rock harmony that we got a glimpse of a couple of times. That's something that actually isn't used hardly at all today outside of some prog rock/metal & retreaded melodic rock artists, so it had some real appeal to me.