Albums You're Digging II
 

I closed the last one because it was essentially a game, this time post the albums and say something on them, right-track gave me this idea. They don't have to be extensive like mine are I'm just wordy and get carried away they can be as simple as one sentence but please make it more than a simple "I like it" comparisons and favorite songs would be cool.

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3. Manic Street Preachers "Gold Against the Soul"
This album floats somewhere between Arena Rock, Punk, maybe britpop? I don't know its a combination of a lot of things. This band would go onto release The Holy Bible one of my recent favorite albums of the 90s and the bands masterpiece but they're not quite at that point yet still they manage to create a solid rock album. Richey James and Nickey Wire (mostly Richey) are too great songwriters, though this band writes some odd melodies in order to fit with the lyrics.
Favorite Songs: Roses in the Hospital, La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh), From Despair To Where, Gold Against The Soul, Life Becoming A Landslide

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2. The Smiths "The Smiths"
The Smiths debut is less refined than the albums following it and the production makes it seem even more amateur but Morrissey writes some of the most poetic lyrics of his career here, which isn't shocking seeing as he spent months writing this album in his bedroom before he was even aware of Johnny Marr's existence..
Favorite Songs: The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Suffer Little Children, Still Ill, This Charming Man, Hand In Glove, Reel Around the Fountain

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1. Belle & Sebastian "If You're Feeling Sinister"
This is the First Belle & Sebastian album I've heard yes I've only recently started warming to it as I get more and more into them. I still don't like it as much as Dear Catastrophe Waitress but I think it could be my third favorite album by them. I love Murdoch's lyrics.
Favorite Songs: Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying, Mayfly, If You're Feeling Sinister, Judy and the Dream of Horses, Like Dylan in the Movies

I've never really understood the 4 bit...I generally stick to one album if it's any good...:\

Because you can only post 4 images and images are cool. So the more images, the more cool. n00b. But yeah, **** 4 just post how many albums you're digging be it 1 or 10.

A Silver Mt. Zion - Horses in the Sky
Great, atmospheric, great to have playing in the background.
Fav Songs: Teddy Rosevelt's Guns, Horses in the Sky and Ring them bells

Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
Catchy, fun, love the vibe
Fav Songs: Arizona, Fans, True Love Way, Ragoo, Charmer, Knocked Up

Daisy Chainsaw - Eleventeen
I officially declare this my favourite album EVER. Fronted by KatieJane Garside, this album is: Manic, disturbing, insane, makesyouwannajumparound. It's a pity KatieJane left after this album.
Fav Songs: Love your Money, Lovely Ugly Brutal World, Hope your Dreams Come True, I feel Insane, Waiting for the Wolves.

Horses in the Sky is my favorite A Silver Mt. Zion album, great choice.

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Synthy-psychedelic-pop-rock. Kind of sounds like of Montreal formed a band with the Flaming Lips and had Jack White sing.
Key Tracks - Time To Pretend, Weekend Wars, Kids

Animal Collective - Feels
One of my all time favs. Strawberry Jam is just as good IMO but I've been listening to this one a lot lately.
Key Tracks - Have You Seen the Words?, Grass, The Purple Bottle, Banshee Beat

Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir
Swedish folk-pop. Not too mind blowing lyrically, but the guy has a nice voice. Catchy.
Key Tracks - Saturday Waits, Carrying a Stone, I am John

My Morning Jacket - Z
Just got into this album. Wish I would've got into it sooner. Just really good top to bottom.
Key Tracks - Wordless Chorus, It Beats 4 U, Off the Record, Knot Comes Loose

Have you heard Hello Saferide? She fits the whole Swedish folk-pop description, I like her alot lately and Feels is a great album but I like Strawberry Jam better.

YouTube - Hello Saferide, My Best Friend
Here's one of her songs.

you should pick up the my morning jacket live album its is one of the best live albums out there

Oh man, no nod for "Wonderful Man"? A sin sir, but still a damn good choice.

Acoustic Citsuoca? That is damn good, especially Bermuda Highway. Though I think thats just Jim James, but I can't be sure, playing in Braintree, Ma I believe.

Perhaps he/she meant Okonokos?

OT: I've finally caught the Muse bug, I've been binging out on Absolution and Origin of Symmetry. The former seems to be much better, at least up until Hysteria...two standout tracks from OOS; Plug in baby (duh) and Darkshines. Now I'm a little sorry I didn't go to their Croatian gig...:(

^Showbiz, I have heard it but don't own it, is a very good Muse album, right up there with OoS.

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Royal City's Alone At The Microphone

Alt-country, folky, delightfully twangy, and easily my favourite Royal City album. I find each song to be solid and distinguishable, whereas the tracks on their other albums tend to just mush all together in comparison. But that's probably because I've listened to this one much more, so I guess I'm slightly biased. I've been in love with it ever since my first listen, it never gets old :)

Favourite tracks: Basement Apartment, Bad Luck, Under A Hollow Tree, Daisies.

Okkervil River-Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See.
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After hearing a few members singing their praises and a few gentle nudges by Ethan, I relented and thought I would give them a listen even though it's not my most liked genre. I was reccomended BLACK SHEEP BOY but I would rather start with a less favoured album to appreciate the better albums. I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing that enamoured me to it was the production. It is clean and full and seems light on overdubs and effects. Songs like KANSAS CITY and WESTFALL really jump out at you and show a folk dynamic that lacks a maudlin approach that can litter the scene.

Underworld-dubnobasswithmyheadman
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An album that still sounds fresh fifteen years after it's release. Spitting in the face of those who accuse Dance music of being empty headed dross, Underworld craft an album full of ambient electronica (Dirty Epic), upbeat dance (Spoonman) and simple guitar laden bliss (tongue). Dare I say a progressive rock band wrapped in Electronica?

Fat Freddys Drop-Based On A True Story
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Quite possibly the most chilled reggae albums I have ever heard. This is mainly because it is played with big soul overtones from the smooth vocals and excellent horn work. This will either bore the hell out of you, or lull your senses into a groove laden bliss.

Clinic - Walking with Thee
Like nothing else on the planet John Peel was right when he said Clinic are one of the best bands in the UK and you know his opinion is valid.
Like a modern Velvet underground and the title track is simply intoxicating.
Favourite songs - Walking with Thee, The Equaliser, Come into our room

Ambulance Ltd
3 years on and its still on frequently played on the stereo and at work, Marcus Congleton needs to hurry up with the new album already (i hear John Cale is producing)
Favourite songs - Ophelia, Stay Where you are, Stay Tuned, Sugar Pill, (Primitive) The way I treat you

Sohodolls - Ribbed music for the numb generation
The closest thing I have to a favourite band, I saw them 5 times on their recent UK tour to promote thier debut album. Electro Glam rock has never been this good and Maya Von Doll is a completely mesemerising woman dripping with sex.
Favourite songs - The Rest for the wicked, Right and right again, Bang bang bang bang, No regrets, Prince Harry

Glad you liked it, The Stage Names, their most recent one, is on par with it. It's more rock-based I prefer Don't Fall in Love but both are great. Black Sheep Boy owns both and is one of my favorite albums ever, it will blow you away when you hear it. Everything is kicked up a notch, it's one of the most emotive things I've ever heard.

Bishop Allen- The Broken String
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Bishop Allen epitomizes poppy folk music. The album ranges from piano driven tracks to really minimal guitar driven tracks, and the music is always light so as to match his vocals. It's so light and alluring that I'd find it hard for someone to not like this album in even the slightest.
Favorite Tracks: The Chinatown Bus, Like Castanets, Choose Again.

Radiohead- In Rainbows
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First off, that should be the album cover that everyone uses. This is the first Radiohead album I've ever heard, and aside from the single on Hail To The Thief, my first experience with Radiohead altogether. I always assumed they were just like Muse, and never bothered to get into them, but I was wrong. This album is void of radio friendly rhythms and hooks and is one of my top five releases for this year.
Favorite Tracks: 15 Step, Nude, House of Cards

Wasn't really to into that Hello Saferide but thanks anyway, I'm always up for suggestions.
But yeah Strawberry Jam kicks ass and I'm pretty sure the new album (after Street Flash EP) is going to be my favorite ever. There's 4 or 5 songs that I've heard that are just flat out amazing IMO.

Another current fav:
Dukes of Stratosphear - Chips from the Chocolate Fireball
XTC alter ego band. Weird thing is I think it's the best stuff they did. I mean I like XTC but pretty much all their albums are 1/2 good (if that) 1/2 filler.
Key Tracks - You're My Drug, Brainiac's Daughter, Collideascope, Little Lighthouse

What are the songs like? If you can describe it at all haha, AC are sick, I got to see them this year.

I could use a good alt country album to listen to.

Right now though, I'm catching up on boots for Bob Dylan, Sonic Youth, and Smashing Pumpkins.

As I write this, I'm listening to the 02/06/96 show for the Pumpkins.

I assume you're talking about the new AC? Ummm, kinda where SJ left off. Musically its mostly samples. The vocals are what have me the most excited. It seems like more of a team effort between Avey and Panda. There's LOTS of harmonizing which I didn't find to be too prominent in SJ. And Panda is on every song I've heard except one I think. Which is awesome because he's awesome. There's a lot of live mp3's on the Collected Animals board and also some videos on youtube. Songs include: Brother Sport, House (aka Material Things), Grace (my favorite, basically a 3 part song), Song for Ariel, Am I Real? Bearhug. It's gonna be amazing.

I'll search them up, that makes me excited because to be honest I've always liked Panda better than Avey maybe it's because I like Person Pitch and Young Prayer better than any AC albums, probably because of that. I'm stoked.

Panda Bear's last album was AMAZING. I have it behind Year Zero as the second best album of the year. Just got back into it and am definitely hooked on it again.

Yeah it was one of my favorite albums of the year too. Have you heard Young Prayer? It's a lot different but I like it, it's mostly acoustic though and way different from Person Pitch but I think I like it more because it's more to my taste. It's very haunting. It's weird though because all the songs are pretty short but they seem to go on forever (in a good way) while on Person Pitch the 12 minute songs seem to slip by in only a few minutes.

I downloaded Young Prayer after falling in love with Person Pitch and didn't like it. But I think it's because I wanted something in the vein of Person Pitch.

NZ band. :)

My favourite NZ band is Jakob (post-rock). In fact, they're one of my favourite post-rock bands overall.

The Stage Names is pretty good. There's something really beautiful about A Girl In Port.

Pink Floyd-La Carrera Panamericana (1992)
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Nick Mason and David Gilmour took part in this legendary race in the early 90's. A documentary was made and the Floyd supplied the soundtrack. Most of the tracks were left over from A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON and consist of fairly average instrumentals. Still nice to have if you love the Floyd.

Discharge-Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing (1982)
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Coming just after the classic and influential Damaged by Black Flag. This album perfectly marriages that albums nihilism with a remarkably aggressive sound that predates the thrash metal explosion of a year later. Double bass drum kicks, brutal riffs and snarling brutality combine to make one of the best punk/crossover albums ever.

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
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I have only just heard this and I'm asking myself-how could I let a gem like this slip through my fingers? In Ray Davies the U.K has one of it's finest singer-songwriters. On this album you can see why. The Last of The Steam Powered Trains and Wicked Annabella are not only great musically but lyrically too. A great pop album that has gotten lost in the haze of Sgt. Peppers and The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn seemingly being the sole representatives of great british 60's pop.

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3) The Libertines - Up the Bracket

They get a rough time all together, and in my opinion, its totally undeserved. This album is near perfect and packed with fun tunes that are intelligent and exciting.

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2) Richard Hawley - Coles Corner

At first it sounds like boring old music, but it opens up and is a very romantic album, every track of it is perfect.

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1) Cribs - Mens needs, Womens needs, Whatever...

I love this album, it has great melodies and great lyrics, as well as being pretty exciting as far as the music goes. Theres just something about it that really captures me every time I hear them.

Yndi Halda: Enjoy Eternal Bliss
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This album is one of the rare albums that I truly enjoy listening to all the way through. Dash and Blast is amazing near the end, and Illuminate My Heart, My Darling! is one of my favorite post-rock songs of all time.

Bright Eyes: Fevers and Mirrors
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This is quickly becoming my favorite bright eyes album.
Favorite songs: A Spindle, A Darkness, A Fever, A Necklace, Something Vague, The Movement Of A Hand, and Sunrise, Sunset.

Devendra Banhart: Rejoicing In The Hands
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A folk masterpiece, and easily his best guitar work imo. I know most people prefer Cripple Crow, but this album + Nino Rojo are the ones I will remember him for.

Man Man- Six Demon Bag
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It's a very nice an welcoming change to what I normally listen to, in terms of vocals. I've had the album for a while and have started getting into it a couple of weeks ago, but lately it's been all I listen to. I love Honus Honus' voice coupled with the goofy backup vocals. :)

favourite tracks: Engwish Bwudd, Van Helsing Boombox, Ice Dogs

What genre is it though? (roughly?). A comparison sound or band would greatly enhance the mini reviews from people.

They're kind of hard to define, sort of like, Tom Waitsy Animal Collective Captain Beefheart combo or something.

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I only got into them recently. This album blew my head off when i first listened to it. Every song is just incredible and full of passion

I'm really diggin Vanessa Carlton new album "Heroes & Thieves".
Such an amazing album.

Django Reinhardt - Recordings.

4. Andrew Bird "Armchair Apocrypha"
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Andrew Bird like Ellliott Smith (<3) has carved his own nitch in indie-folk, with the violins, whistling and pretty melodies he's like that warm lover you always wanted.
Favorite Songs: Scythian Empires, Imitosis, Plasticities, Armchairs, Dark Matter


3. Bob Dylan "New Morning"
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This album shows a new Dylan for the 70s, touching blues, gospel, jazz and country and being mostly piano driven Dylan experiments in ways he never has before. From the Kerouacish If Dogs Run Free to the beautiful Winterlude. It's a different Dylan than we've seen before and it works.
Favorite Songs: Day Of The Locusts, Sign on the Window, Winterlude, If Not For You, Went To See The Gypsy


2. Elliott Smith "Either/Or"
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Often seen as Elliott's masterpiece Either/Or marked the end of his lo-fi days (at least actual albums wise.) While I wouldn't call this the best album he's done I'd say it's one of the best and this is the album when we really see Elliott come out of his shell and add some electric guitars and he shows more ambitions than just being a guy with an acoustic guitar. One of my favorite albums he's done, though I love everything he's done so...
Favorite Songs: Between the Bars, 2:45 AM, Rose Parade, Say Yes, Angeles, Punch and Judy


1. Nick Drake "Bryter Layter"
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A heavily orchestrated and beautifully arranged Nick album that shows sometimes the producer knows more than the musician. This album is almost jazzy at times and probably contains some of the most upbeat songs Drake ever recorded. It also contains the beautiful Fly and Northern Sky which are two of my favorite Nick Drake songs.
Favorite Songs: Northern Sky, Fly, Hazey Jane II One Of These Things First, Hazey Jane I

im glad to see someone other than me or david listening to django. my incessant namedropping seems to be paying off.

I helped Gates out, you are not the only ones who digs Django fella!

Django is great - I have 'Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order'.

If you like the early jazz guitar thing, you might want to check out Eddie Lang - Jazz Guitar Virtuoso.

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Scritti Politti - Early

Check it ouuut...

Right now Ive been listening to PAGANS MIND's GOD EQUATION.
If you love progressive Metal then this is the album for you. Its amazing with some dynamic and phenomenal playing.