Dieselboy

Agreed (even though I still haven't listened to them).

Being 100% honest though, that Animal Collective album cover is my favorite cover of 2009. It still trips me out every time someone links it.

Seltzer

I haven't listened to enough new releases to produce a list I could feel comfortable with. But here are some slabs of music I've enjoyed from this year:



Obviously I'm biased as a big ISIS fan but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that nothing I listen to from '09 can possibly top this. While I never expected it to reach the cathartic heights of Oceanic and Panopticon, it comes pretty damn close. ITAOT was a fresh and gutsy progression in their sound pulled off reasonably well but it was still lacking... Wavering Radiant is the next stepping stone in their discography and in my mind what ITAOT should have been. It flows together so well, it feels less primal and more mature but certainly doesn't meander. It's ISIS under the sun but still packed with bone-chilling parts. And as usual, Caxide's bass tone is to die for! Awesome!


I have much love for this album and NO-ONE does the modern dub/soul/reggae thing better than Fat Freddy's - they're certainly the best NZ band around nowadays and this is simply a stellar release.


I've only given this one listen so far and I'm already convinced it's a fanfuckingtastic return to form. It's less schizo and fractured than Today's Active Lifestyles and more hypnotic, and quite frankly groovy.




I also enjoyed the new Morrissey, Porcupine Tree, Lightning Bolt, Maudlin of the Well, Slough Feg and Mars Volta and I still need to hear the new Caspian, Grizzly Bear, Drudkh, Tortoise, MF Doom, Alice in Chains (hey I've heard it's actually pretty good), Om, Riverside and Meat Puppets.

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Alfred

Okay, but I don't see why stating that I have no interest in listening to these albums is uninformed.

But anyways, I'm done here.

Back on topic, I need to hear that Isis album. I hear it's some pretty good stuff. Or is there an Isis album I should listen to first?

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Seltzer

I'd check out Oceanic first - be sure to listen to it loud with the bass turned up.

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Alfred

will do

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+81

This thread is just going in ****ing circles.

Anyway, on topic. These are some of my favorites also.

I think the Japandroids and Health albums are definitely some of the top ones for the year.

Also,


Tegan and Sare - Sainthood: Catchy as hell indie pop-rock. I really didn't expect this so be anything special as I don't think any of their albums are amazing as a whole. This is just stocked full of great songs and is probably the best thing they've done.


Clues - Clues: I think this may just be my favorite album of the year. In my opinion Alden Penner can do no wrong. The instrumentation just seems to work really simply and effortlessly.


Andrew Jackson Jihad - Can't Maintain: The electric guitars are certainly a change but that's not a bad thing.

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lucifer_sam

i just listened to this a few days ago, definitely a keeper. it's lacking somewhat in standout tracks but otherwise a very consistent and entertaining album.

good to see In Prism getting some love here, same with Wavering Radiant. here's a late 2008 release that deserves a bit more attention:



A Certain Ratio, natural successor to Gang of Four, struggled to sculpt their epoch while they were still culturally relevant. they shed the abhorrent production to return with (what i consider) their strongest release, a fluid, jazzy interpretation of their graceful funk-punk.

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SATCHMO

I have to agree with you on all three of these albums. Polvo is probably as new to me as they are to you and I have to say I'm equally as impressed. I did discover Panopticon and Wavering Radiant at the same time and Panopticon ended up in max rotation in my itunes for a long time, thus shadowing the album, but by it's own merit it's still a fantastic album.

+81

I think it has some standouts, like Cave Mouth and Haarp, but it really does work a lot better as a whole than as individual tracks.

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Astronomer

Yes, definitely one of my favourite albums of 2009 as well! jackhammer actually introduced me to FFD which I am highly grateful for, and seeing them live a few months ago was also amazing.

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