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[CamusCanDo]

New Dntel and Feist are gooooooooooood.

[Joseph]

So far, my favourite albums of the year (I won't try for any order other than alphabetical for now):
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rainbow
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
Feist - The Reminder
Frog Eyes - Tears Of The Valedictorian
Fugitives - In Streetlight Communication
Handsome Furs - Plague Park
Jesu - Conqueror
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Low - Drums and Guns
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
Stars - Do You Trust Your Friends?

Those are all pretty superb, in my opinion, and there've been plenty of other good to great albums as well.  All in all, it's looking to be a great year.

[CamusCanDo]

I just checked out the track listing for the new Stars album 'Do You Trust Your Friends?'. I want this album. Now.

[fish across face]

New Dntel and Feist are gooooooooooood.

That Dntel remix of Feist was pretty good too... I don't like her much, tho.

I pre-ordered 'Dumb Luck', came with a nice bonus CD which has 4 long ambient tracks.  Makes a great complement to the vocal-led album, and it's pretty unlike anything else he's done.

[valley_parade]

sigur r?s have been keeping busy over the past few months with several new projects to be released later this year. preliminary details of upcoming sigur r?s releases are as follows:

    * hlemmur DVD+CD. eta - july 2007.
      the 2002 film and soundtrack together in a double release package
    * new EP. eta - august 2007.
      tracks: von (new version), salka, lagi? ? g?r, rokklagi?. includes new live video as a bonus.
    * live DVD. eta - october 2007.
      sigur r?s on the road: the as yet untitled DVD of last summer?s iceland tour
    * acoustic LP. eta - october 2007.
      full-length album of acoustic songs
    * odin?s raven magic DVD+CD. eta - january 2008.
      the complete orchestral piece odin?s raven magic in concert

more details on each release will follow in due course.

[telephone]

My favorite album of this year was defanantly "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" by Modest Mouse.  I also liked "Friend Oppertunity," by Deerhoof.  I think that Neon Bible was pretty good, but I liked Funeral better

[ScrambledGregs]

My favorite album of this year was defanantly "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" by Modest Mouse.  I also liked "Friend Oppertunity," by Deerhoof.  I think that Neon Bible was pretty good, but I liked Funeral better

Well, I feel a little bit better about my lack of albums from this year, then.

[ScrambledGregs]

BUMP because I finally have more 2007 albums.

!!!- Myth Takes: Really god damn good. A huge step up from Louden Up Now in terms of songwriting and melody. Maybe it's not as danceable, but it's still more danceable than 99% of indie rock anyway.

Explosions in the Sky- All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone: Pretty good. I don't remember much from this album, but I'm subsequently listening to every EiTS release so they all form one long continuous album to me. I can't believe reviews of this album are longer than "mostly more of the same, but the same is still great."

Field Music- Tones of Town: A friend of mine was surprised that I enjoy this album because he said it seems too easy going and catchy for me. I dunno what to say, other than I don't understand why this album hasn't garnered more press coverage. If the Shins album left you a little cold and lacking your indie pop doseage for the year, give this one a try.

Modest Mouse- We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank: Not nearly as bad as I imagined, but still not even as good as Good News For People Who Love Bad News. There's something OFF about the whole thing: it's another long Modest Mouse album, but for the first time it feels TOO LONG; the difference between really good and really crap songs is more pronounced than ever; the best songs are the ones that stray from the established formula, but there aren't enough of those. At this point it's hard to recommend this album to anyone, since you're either new enough to Modest Mouse to have and love this already, or you've been with Modest Mouse too long to give a shit what they make anymore because they've already lost your interest. I'm somewhere in the middle but in a year with so many other, better albums, why waste time discussing this??

Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?: I suspect that this album, along with Deerhoof's, will largely be forgotten on the end of year lists because they both came out so early in 2007. Nevertheless, Of Montreal have here produced arguably their best album yet. I heard all kinds of shit about how this was a break-up album, but all I've gotten off of it is that it's a very personal and direct album, lyrically; musically, it's rich, diverse, and pushes the band's sound into new, great places. I love The Sunlandic Twins but this may be better.

Panda Bear- Person Pitch: When people talk about warmth in music, this is the sort of thing they mean. There's a very tangible atmosphere/texture to the production on this album--maybe it's all the reverb--that give it a warm, comfortable quality. I'd just like to say that it's the closest aural approximation of being stoned I've ever heard, unintentional as it is. It's hypnotic because of, and despite, its repetitions, being that the album is built on top of loops. I'm not sure exactly how to qualify the album, other than it's really good and I can't stop listening to it.

Wilco- Sky Blue Sky: see thread I started about this. In short: it's really 70s, really good, and not much like YHF at all.

[Jed]

Turbonegro - Retox

It comes out next month. This has to be one of the best albums of 2007.

[TheFuriousWombat]

I haven't heard it and I don't think it's leaked yet but I'm really excited for the new Okkervil River album. It's called 'Stage Names' and comes out in August so I guess it will be leaking in the near future, most likely. Okkervil River is so very good so I'm logically really excited for this. Anyone else looking forward to it?

[Johnny C]

Gregs, the closest textural reference point I can come up with for that Panda Bear record is Brian Wilson. As a result I really love that album.

[greenMonkey]

sigur r?s have been keeping busy over the past few months with several new projects to be released later this year. preliminary details of upcoming sigur r?s releases are as follows:

    * hlemmur DVD+CD. eta - july 2007.
      the 2002 film and soundtrack together in a double release package
    * new EP. eta - august 2007.
      tracks: von (new version), salka, lagi? ? g?r, rokklagi?. includes new live video as a bonus.
    * live DVD. eta - october 2007.
      sigur r?s on the road: the as yet untitled DVD of last summer?s iceland tour
    * acoustic LP. eta - october 2007.
      full-length album of acoustic songs
    * odin?s raven magic DVD+CD. eta - january 2008.
      the complete orchestral piece odin?s raven magic in concert

more details on each release will follow in due course.

Sir, a very loud chorus of angels just landed in my room and they are in the process of hallelujah-ing.

[Scytale]

As much as I'm loathe to admit it the new Mayhem album is really good, it's like Grand Declaration of War done properly, Atilla Csihar is the man.

[amok]

Is that horribly fuzzy version that was doing the rounds a couple weeks ago the real thing, or was that a dodgy demo? 'cos I know black metal doesn't exactly shoot for squeaky-clean production but that shit was nigh-unlistenable

The new Grendel album is absolutely amazing, not sure about God Module yet (got hold of both of 'em at the same time) but the former is definitely a hell of a record. New Rupesh Cartel is solid too. Currently on the third disk of this and it's sounding mighty fine. Damn, but I'm loving 2007 for music.

[Cartilage Head]

 Porcupine Tree's new album Fear of a Blank Planet is really, really great. The sound incorporates an interesting faster pace at times than previous albums, while still sticking to what the fans of the band love. Fantastic album.

[Misereatur]

Panda Bear- Person Pitch: When people talk about warmth in music, this is the sort of thing they mean. There's a very tangible atmosphere/texture to the production on this album--maybe it's all the reverb--that give it a warm, comfortable quality. I'd just like to say that it's the closest aural approximation of being stoned I've ever heard, unintentional as it is. It's hypnotic because of, and despite, its repetitions, being that the album is built on top of loops. I'm not sure exactly how to qualify the album, other than it's really good and I can't stop listening to it.

That album kind of took me by surprise,I dont think I've ever listened to anything like it.

The Stylus review made me want to listen to that album in the first place.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Aaah, Blonde Redhead, how I love you. '23' is an awesome album which I have been listening to a bit repeatedly since I got it. Very good stuff. Perhaps one of the year's better releases?

[Kai]

I had 23 on my hard drive for like a month before I listened to it

It is okay.

It has nothing on Misery is a Butterfly.

[ScrambledGregs]

[RefD]

be sure to ask Drew about his Synthesizers.com modular.

[TheFuriousWombat]

The quantity of good music that's already out/leaked this year is scary. New albums by Eluvium, Do Make Say Think, Explosions in the Sky, They Shoot Horses Don't They?, !!!, Liars, Modest Mouse, New Pornographers, Mono, Panda Bear, The Shins, Of Montreal, The Six Parts Seven, Menomena, Stars of the Lid, Deerhoof, Amiina, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, LCD Soundsystem, Blond Redhead, Arctic Monkeys, 65daysofstatic, The Sea and Cake, The White Stripes, Art Brut, Spoon, Tarentel, Souveniers Young American, The Drift (remix album), Stars (remix/cover album), Fridge, Maserati, Grails, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Rob Crow, Cex, By the End of Tonight, Iron and Wine, Sybarite, Belong and others that I can't remember. The thing is, I really like all of these albums. A lot. And with new albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Radiohead, Super Furry Animals, The Go! Team, The Weakerthans, Beirut, The Avalanches, Animal Collective and maybe (but probably not) even a new Sigur Ros album! This could be the best music year of my life. In fact, I think it is.

[Inlander]

I find that I cannot stop playing the new Art Brut album. I predict that there will not be a catchier song than "Post Soothing Out" released this year. That's a hook that just won't let go!

[Kyros]

I find that I cannot stop playing the new Art Brut album. I predict that there will not be a catchier song than "Post Soothing Out" released this year. That's a hook that just won't let go!

I love It's a Bit Complicated!  It's definitely one of the most criminally underrated albums of the year.  Up there with the new Parts & Labor and Shapes & Sizes.

[Inlander]

Some people rate it: the Guardian gave it 5 out of 5 a couple of weeks ago.

[RefD]

i haven't heard much in 2007 to make me sit up and take notice.

[est]

Justice's album "†" just dropped out here and by the way that I am playing it from go to whoa over and over again I am pretty sure that barring major incidents it's gonna be my favourite non-compilation album this year.  The Bang Gang's "Light, Sound, Dance" comp may beat it, we'll see a week from now when it's released.

[TheFuriousWombat]

i haven't heard much in 2007 to make me sit up and take notice.

Clearly you haven't been listening to a large number of releases this year or you have a very specific taste in music (since great albums in many genres are already out/on their way). There's been so many high quality releases this year that it really surprises me to hear anyone say that.

[amok]

Yeah, 2007 is ridiculous so far. Every time I think I've got a break to go back and get into something older, another batch of awesome albums drops.

[Misereatur]

The new John Wiese album is loud.

[RefD]

i haven't heard much in 2007 to make me sit up and take notice.

Clearly you haven't been listening to a large number of releases this year or you have a very specific taste in music (since great albums in many genres are already out/on their way). There's been so many high quality releases this year that it really surprises me to hear anyone say that.

most of what i've heard and like this year has been from 2005 or 2006.

and most of it has been from unsigned artists.

can you cite something from this year that you consider truly awesome?

[TheFuriousWombat]

Sure:
Copia is a brilliant new ambient release for composer Matthew Cooper AKA Eluvium. It's a truly beautiful album employing strings, brass, piano and effects to amazing ends. If you like ambient, the new Stars of the Lid is fantastic as well.

Do Make Say Think, Fridge, Grails, Explosions in the Sky, and Maserati have all released extremely good instrumental rock albums this year. The DMST album isn't their best but it shows an evolving sound, throws in some vocals, and has some terrific tracks. The Fridge album (1/3 of Fridge is Four Tet) is a great electronicey rock album, thier first in a long time a very nice follow up to their album Happiness. The Explosions in the Sky release is probably their best so far. Certainly it's their most epic. Grails use of some cool instrumental effects (seen live, these are very cool) and the uncommonly used 12 string guitar for a sitar like effect have crafted a really intense instrumental album in 'Burning Off Impurities' that shows that originality in this increasingly derivative post rock genre still exists. The New Maserati album is just good, high energy post rocking.

If more out there pop/rock/whatever music is more your games, the new Deerhoof is a lot of fun, the Deerhunter album Cryptograms and it's accompanying EP Fluorescent Gray are swampy, spacy and rewards lots of listens, the new Liars album has some really good tracks (and a few week ones) but is overall well worth listening to, even if Drum's Not Dead is better. Black Moth Super Rainbow's new album is electro-poppy and great with all sorts of vintage synths and keyboards and cool vocal manipulations. The new Menomena album is hard to define and while, again, it's not as good as their first, it's a really excellent album with a whole lot of originality.

For more "normal" sounding pop/rock stuff, the new Okkervil River has some really great songs (although Savannah Smiles may be their worst song to date) and has some great folk/country influences but in a very good way. The new New Pornographers is sugary pop goodness and quite possibly their best album yet. The new Iron and Wine is great and often more rocking than the very quiet nature of earlier releases. Finally, the new Arcade Fire is really bombastic and is some of the more epic indie rock I've heard.

Those are just some albums that I would consider truly awesome from this year.

[RefD]

so we pretty much have totally different tastes in music, then.

[est]

Ok, my (incomplete) list of decent releases this year:

- Amon Tobin, Foley Room
- The Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
- Architecture in Helsinki, Places like these
- Busdriver, Roadkillovercoat
- Justice, †
- Kavinsky's 1986 EP
- LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
- Low's Drums & Guns isn't exactly 100% in my book, but it's pretty cool
- Mr Oizo's Transexual EP
- Ratatat's second remixes album
- SebastiAn's Ross Ross Ross promo EP
- Simian Mobile Disco, Attack Decay Sustain Release

If we're counting mixes then I could probably add a few more to that list, plus I am pretty sure one more after this weekend when the Bang Gang's Light, Sound, Dance is released.

It's been a pretty good year so far!

[RefD]

well, this came out this year (altho i had it as a promo copy sometime late last year):

Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity



it's probably the only album that came out this year that i actually like ALL THE TIME.

[est]

I have it, but it underwhelmed me, unfortunately.

[RefD]

I have it, but it underwhelmed me, unfortunately.

ah well, to each their own.

[RefD]

oh, and everyone needs to buy this album:

Inverse Room - American Recluse

Inverse Room is just a man: a song-writing man. He cannot fly, or communicate with the animals. He is not fluent in many languages, and is slightly afraid of the ladies. But when it's song-writing time, Inverse Room knows what to do.

Inverse Room is influenced by wind. He notices cars going by, and incorporates them into his songs. He is profoundly affected by rain, and mail. He doesn't like dogs a whole lot, but birds he digs. Trees move him deeply. He is indebted to clouds, pie, and chairs.

Inverse Room sounds like a little old lady swearing in Portugese. He sounds like subway tokens in the pocket of a marathon runner, back when there used to be subway tokens, and marathon runners used to take the subway. He sounds like frying bacon, and sand blowing against the side of a quonset hut. He sounds like a baby crying, especially if the baby is a timberwolf baby.

[Caspian]

sigur r?s have been keeping busy over the past few months with several new projects to be released later this year. preliminary details of upcoming sigur r?s releases are as follows:

    * hlemmur DVD+CD. eta - july 2007.
      the 2002 film and soundtrack together in a double release package
    * new EP. eta - august 2007.
      tracks: von (new version), salka, lagi? ? g?r, rokklagi?. includes new live video as a bonus.
    * live DVD. eta - october 2007.
      sigur r?s on the road: the as yet untitled DVD of last summer?s iceland tour
    * acoustic LP. eta - october 2007.
      full-length album of acoustic songs
    * odin?s raven magic DVD+CD. eta - january 2008.
      the complete orchestral piece odin?s raven magic in concert

more details on each release will follow in due course.

Sir, a very loud chorus of angels just landed in my room and they are in the process of hallelujah-ing.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this stuff.

[Jedit]

Porcupine Tree's new album Fear of a Blank Planet is really, really great. The sound incorporates an interesting faster pace at times than previous albums, while still sticking to what the fans of the band love.

Huh.  I thought it was an attempt to be even more mainstream than their last album, while making some small effort not to piss the fans off too badly.  It was decent enough, but it's not really what I expected from them.

Portishead III will almost certainly not be out this year.  However, the band will be performing the material live at All Tomorrow's Parties in December, so I'm sticking my oar in for it anyway.  (Sadly, I do not have £250 to go see one act.)

[Chill]

Arcade Fire
Wolf Parade
Modest Mouse was a bit of a piss off but kinda expected.

[TheFuriousWombat]

sigur r?s have been keeping busy over the past few months with several new projects to be released later this year. preliminary details of upcoming sigur r?s releases are as follows:

    * hlemmur DVD+CD. eta - july 2007.
      the 2002 film and soundtrack together in a double release package
    * new EP. eta - august 2007.
      tracks: von (new version), salka, lagi? ? g?r, rokklagi?. includes new live video as a bonus.
    * live DVD. eta - october 2007.
      sigur r?s on the road: the as yet untitled DVD of last summer?s iceland tour
    * acoustic LP. eta - october 2007.
      full-length album of acoustic songs
    * odin?s raven magic DVD+CD. eta - january 2008.
      the complete orchestral piece odin?s raven magic in concert

more details on each release will follow in due course.

Sir, a very loud chorus of angels just landed in my room and they are in the process of hallelujah-ing.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this stuff.

I really cannot wait for all of that. I have a recording of 'Odin's Raven Magic' and it's amazing (although very unlike Sigur Ros). I've also heard the Hlemmur soundtrack and it's really quite good albeit a bit short (under 40 minutes).