Viernes 29 Dic 2006, 8:51
No cheap talking, here it goes:
10. Parenthetical Girls (Safe As Houses)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4530/safeashousesht3.gif
Quick Comment: Extremely powerful album. Listen to the whole thing before making early conclusions. At first it may sound a perfect album to help your sleep but, believe me, it's much more than that.
Similar to: Mount Eerie, Akron/Family, Phosphorescent
Start by checking: I was the Dancer
Favourite Track: The Weight She Fell Under
09. Midlake (The Trials Of Van Occupanther)
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/1445/midlakecvr0606kr1.jpg
Quick Comment: This album seem so old to me. I suppose it's because I've been listening to Midlake for a while now, so they are more than just a 'hot prospect for the future", they are a reality. I'd rather prefer their other album, Bamnan and Slivercork, but this one is pretty solid and undoubtly deserves a place here.
Similar to: Grandaddy (sometimes they remind me about Radiohead, but I can't say they are similar)
Start by checking: Roscoe
Favourite Track: Roscoe
08. The Black Angels (Passover)
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7209/blackangelspassovermw2.jpg
Quick Comment: I'll be honest here. I wasn't minimally surprised/amused about this record in the first listen. All tracks seemed so alike and I coudn't feel anything special. Ok, I put it apart and listened to a lot of other bands. Then, I tried this again in another day. It's impressive how this album grew on me after some listens. Highly recommended.
Similar to: The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Start by checking: The First Vietnamese War
Favourite Track: The First Vietnamese War
07. The Victorian English Gentlemens Club (The Victorian English Gentlemen's Club)
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1766/b000gpi2rm01aa240sclzzzoh7.jpg
Quick Comment: I've discovered them recently, not more than a month ago. "And they already deserve a place here!?" you may ask and I'll be glad to answer affirmatively. This album is like a shot, very fast and agressive. I like the lyrics also.
Similar to: The Young Knives, The Horrors
Start by checking: Ban The Gin
Favourite Track: The Tales Of Hermit Mark
06. Danielson (Ships)
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8108/115ko7.jpg
Quick Comment: Like The Black Angels, I wasn't impressed in the first listen. More than that: I hated the record. "What the hell are these vocals?" I asked myself. After seeing Danielson in many 'top albums' lists in the middle of the year, I realised I should at least try it once again (and listen to the whole thing) and so I did. Great record, once you get used to that vocals (I still find them strange - strange is not bad, though).
Similar to: Erm…?
Start by checking: Did I Step On Your Trumpet
Favourite Track: Did I Step On Your Trumpet
05. Beirut (Gulag Orkestar)
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/1685/beirutgulagorkestartq8.jpg
Quick Comment: Exactly like the experience I had with Danielson, the only difference was the bad point in my opinion. In Danielson's case the problem was the vocals. Here, I didn’t like the sound itself, the band, the ambient, etc. It was just the first impression, after some listens I dicovered a amazing 'band'.
Similar to: Erm…?²
Start by checking: Postcards from Italy
Favourite Track: Postcards from Italy / Scenic World.
04. Sunset Rubdown (Shut Up I Am Dreaming)
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2116/sunsetrubdownshutupiamdxb6.jpg
Quick Comment: "Ok, Wolf Parade 2" I first thought. I heard this was a "side project", so I supposed it couldn't be so good, otherwise it would be the "main project". I was wrong, and I'm happy with that. Sunset Rubdown has a own atmosphere and Spencer Krug keeps impressing me.
Similar to: Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes, Destroyer, Swan Lake (duh).
Start by checking: Stadiums and Shrines II
Favourite Track: They Took A Vote And Said No
03. Man Man (Six Demon Bag)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/6771/manmansixdemonbagxg7.jpg
Quick Comment: So talented it hurts. "The Man in a Blue Turban With a Face" was great, but this one is astonishing. No words can describe their music, I'm sorry.
Similar to: Wolf Parade, They Shoot Horses Don't They, Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground
Start by checking: Van Helsing Boombox
Favourite Track: Engrish Bwudd (Engwish Bwudd?)
02. Peter And The Wolf (Lightness)
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7238/b000k4x9hc01aa240sclzzzrf4.jpg
Quick Comment: Along with Fionn Regan, this band produced some of the most beautiful tracks this year, imo. Amazing story-telling record. If you are into folk music, this is a must.
Similar to: Akron/Family, M. Ward
Start by checking: Dear Old Robyn
Favourite Track: Captain Dan
01. They Shoot Horses Don't They? (Boo Hoo Hoo Boo)
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4821/theyshoothorsesdonttheyki7.jpg
Quick Comment: So dancing, so happy, so strange. I wrote a review in portuguese about this record. For me, it's like a bunch of clowns dancing madly until they are all dead, so it's all over. But then more clowns go to the stage and it all starts over again. That's how I feel during this unique music trip. It would be unfair not to put them in the first spot because this is the album I listened the most this year, by far.
Similar to: Man Man + Clap Your Hands Say Yeah + Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 = TSHDT
Start by checking: Emptyhead
Favourite Track: Hiccup
Other amazing records:
Catfish Haven (Please Come Back EP),
Cold War Kids(Robbers & Cowards),
Eagle*Seagull (Eagle*Seagull),
Envelopes (Demon),
Evangelicals (So Gone),
Figurines (Skeleton),
Fionn Regan (The End of History)
Guillemots (Through The Window Pane),
I'm From Barcelona (Let Me Introduce My Friends),
Karl Blau (Beneath Waves),
Islands (Return to the Sea),
Joanna Newsom (Ys),
Jolie Holland (Springtime Can Kill You),
Josh Ritter (The Animal Years),
Liars (Drum's Not Dead),
Oh No! Oh My! (Oh No! Oh My!),
Okkervil River (Overboard & Down),
Rock Plaza Central (Are We Not Horses),
The Diableros (You Can't Break The Strings In Our Olympic Hearts),
The Decemberists (The Crane Wife),
The Gothic Archies (The Tragic Treasury Songs From A Series Of Unfortunate Events),
The M's (Future Women),
The Sunshine Underground (Raise the Alarm),
The Zutons (Tired of Hangin' Around),
Tokyo Police Club (A Lesson In Crime),
TV On the Radio (Return To Cookie Mountain),
Two Gallants (What The Toll Tells),
Woods (How To Survive In In the Woods).
That's it.
I hope you enjoyed your reading.
Comments will be aprecciated.
Happy new year everyone.
There will be a list for the best album covers and best tracks too, but I'll be only able to do that in the next year (so far, innit?).
Anyway, see you.