So far in 2012 I really like:
Bonnie Raitt-Slipstream
Norah Jones-Little Broken Hearts
Dar Williams-In the Time of God
Cowboy Junkies-The Wilderness
Can't wait for the new Joe Bonamassa. I've heard a few tunes already and it should be very good. |
Not sure if it qualifies as rock, but I just picekd up a copy of "Boys and Girls" by "Alabama Shakes". Phenomenal stuff. |
So far I've only collected vinyl, but here goes:
George Harrison: Early Takes Vol. 1
Dr. John: Locked Down
Farrar, Johnson, Parker, Yames: New Multitudes (Guthrie Tribute)
Springsteen: Wrecking Ball
Trembling Bells/Bonnie Prince Billy: The Marble Downs
The Magnetic Fields: Love at the Bottom of the Sea
M. Ward: A Wasteland Companion
Widespread Panic: Live Wood
Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas
Black Francis: The Golem(rereleased on LP)
Ditto Bonnie Raitt
The George Harrison demo tracks are priceless. |
Leonard Cohen "Old Ideas"
Jack White "Blunderbuss"
Heartless Bastards "Arrow"
Bandalabra "Live At The Royal Room" (CD only) |
Norah Jones as rock? Llol.
Let's keep them coming. Chromatics new album maybe interesting... |
Blunderbuss gets another vote. The Accept follow up to Blood of the Nations is getting praise aswell, I dont have it yet. Gotye is a great pop album. |
it seems widespread panic live wood is only in vinyl.can`t find it on amazon
Al |
If you ever really liked Springsteen but had more or less given up on his ever returning to form, you'll be more than pleasantly surprised by "Wrecking Ball." After so many missteps that it was fair to think that the Boss had fallen not only from grace, but also right off the stage, he is back in a big way with an album that I've been playing -- and enjoying -- over and over again.
Bring on your wrecking ball! |
Norah Jones as rock? Llol. "Little Broken Hearts," is not "Come Away with Me," or "Feels Like Home." It's something of a departure for NJ, and puts me in a mind of Debra Harry and Hope Sandoval. Not a huge stretch to think of it as "rock" (whatever that is). Ditto for her earlier "The Fall." I'm a NJ fan, and I commend her for trying new things, but I don't think "Little Broken Hearts" will make it into "heavy rotation" for me. Too much like rock! ;) John |
That Norah Jones album was produced by Danger Mouse and sounds more like a Danger Mouse album than Norah Jones. If you liked Rome or the Broken Bell's stuff, you'll prolly like NJ's new release. I'm actually not a big Norah Jones fan but do like this record. |
Hiss Golden Messenger "Poor Moon"
Ok, technically it's a re-release of a 2010 album but that was limited to 500 vinyl copies. This is one of the most under appreciated "bands" making music. Can't recommend this album enough. |
Kind of like the new Calexico Road Atlas, the newest by Coldplay (6 great songs on Side 1), Bruce Springsteen (best album in 20 plus years), and the new Jack Johnson live album (all duets). |
Oh, the Alabama Shakes album rocks. The 22 year old singer sounds like Aretha fronting the White Stripes. |
I want to add another one to my list above:
Lucero-"Women and Work"
I've listened to this new CD quite a few times now, and I like it even more each time I hear it. I really didn't like Lucreo's first few albums, but this one is killer. Hard drivin' Memphis ROCK-N-ROLL! Highly recommended!! |
Richard_stacy,
Thanks for the Hiss Golden Messenger-"Poor Moon" recommendation. I had never heard of them. Called the album up on MOG and am really liking it. Need to order the CD I guess. |
the new awolnation album is quite good if you like that sort of thing. |
Frankie Rose - Interstellar is fantastic. She used to drum for Dum Dum Girls...she is quite tasty...sounds like the vocalist from The Cranberries without the warbling fronting an indie-rock band. Of course the album of the year is my band's album :-) If you like down-tempo electronic music, BASS and shoegaze stuff you might dig it. Here's a Spotify link if you do that sort of thing.
Larvae - Exit Strategy
http://open.spotify.com/album/5ZGc0i0tw7tPohmq7c299h |
I think that Kevn Kinney and the Golden Palomino's "A Good Country Mile " is a really strong release. |
Synthfreek - Never know who's lurking on these forums! Love your stuff and been a fan for a while. I've got Monster Music, Dead Weight and of course the new record. Really like the direction you have taken, Exit Strategy is a great record. I played it constantly the first week I had it here, one of those that just walked into heavy rotation. Especially early morning or late late night...nice stuff. |
Wow Richard...thanks for the kudos. Matt recorded every note on the album because he wanted to do his thing but we are currently re-recording guitar and working on new stuff. I'm recreating all the guitar parts live with Ableton & loops. The Exit Strategy video with the robots is my guitar re-recordings. Matt and I used to be in a band together before Larvae existed so I was the natural choice for live shows. |
LOVE that video! I want some of those robots. Guys if you have not seen it, go check out the video Synthfreek is talking about. The music is stellar but it's also a very cool little film.
Synthfeek...truly meant it, love the work. Keep us informed on upcoming projects and I hope this exposes some more folks to what you guys are doing. |
Also really dig the robot video for Exit Strategy. Very nice. Tried to grab the CD off of Amazon, but not due out for a couple weeks (May 22). This the new stuff? I'll be back for it....
And another second (third, fourth?) for the new Springstein. This time he definitely nailed it. I do love these music threads. |
"Pop war" by Imperial state Electric suits my tastes, one of the best albums i've heard on 2012. |
Beach House "Bloom" is dreamy electro-pop reminiscient of Concrete Blonde, Low, Zero 7, Air, with a dash of Kate Bush. Superb sounding on 2x 45RPM LP. |
Public Image Ltd. "This is PiL".
"This is PiL-- you have entered the pil zone." He ain't kidding-- suave strutting antics unsighted since Johnny Rotten(or Jagger for that matter) in their prime. Excellent master to double LP "recorded deep in the English countryside." |
Another vote for Gotye's Making Mirrors. The sound varies from good to very good and the music is very interesting. The vinyl is quite thin and both discs in my copy were pretty badly warped. The Vinyl Flat took care of this with no adverse sonic effects. I recommend both Making Mirrors and the Vinyl Flat. Hopefully not everyone who buys the album will need to flatten it but with the Vinyl Flat warped copies can be salvaged very well, and safely it seems. |
I just picked up Hiss Golden Messenger's Poor Moon on the above recommendations and agree that it's right at the top of my list for this year's favorites.
On a side note, I heard a few tracks on preview from the soon to be (or possibly just) released Alejandro Escovedo CD and it sounds promising. It's on order (along with the new db's record) and I'll follow up here if either deserves mention.
Marty |
New Neil Young and Crazy Horse is the bomb. |
Hasn't been released yet..? however, at this moment it's
- Heavy Blanket
(There hasn't been much if any, rock listed in this thread so far) |
|
I accord with Fremer's rave review of Analog Productions/Rhino's double LP reissue of The Dead's 1981 "The Reckoning" acoustic performances recorded at Radio City, NYC and Warfield Theater, SF. This is perhaps the ultimate unplugged album and well worth the $60 ticket. However it needed a good wash to eliminate all surface crud. |
Dgarretson- Reckoning is such a great record. Sounds pretty awesome on my standard press. Another good live one is "Hundred Year Hall", but unfortunately it is unavailable on vinyl. |
It hasn't really been a stellar year for rock to date to my ears, I must say, but the rock album's I've really liked so far have been
Japanroids - Celebration Rock
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Dr. John - Locked Down
Dr Dog - Be the Void
I just listened to Patti Smith's new album last night just once and it's pretty darn good, but I need to spin it a few more times.
The best record I've heard this year is sort of beyond category, I guess it's a jazz vocal record but it's more like a free jazz take on jazz, hip hop and rock (I mean it has covers of songs by Suicide and The Stooges on it), is Neneh Cherry and The Thing's collaboration, The Cherry Thing, although it's not officially out in the States until next week. Not really a rock album tho'. |
Father John Misty "Fear Fun" (aka Josh Tillman from Fleet Foxea)
Review and some samples here: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16597-fear-fun/ |
Richard_stacy, just picked up Father John Misty "Fear Fun" on vinyl (finally out) and it came with complementary 5 song CD named "The Demos" all acoustic renditions of:
01. Funtimes In Babylon 03:37
02. Nancy From Now On 03:48
03. Sally Hatchet 02:38
04. Nothing Hurts Worse 04:09
05. Everyman Needs A Companion 05:02
(recording is lo in fidelity... but interesting nevertheless) |
The 2005 CD of Richard Thompson Live from Austin City Limits was a well-mastered recording, but the New West re-release on double LP is impeccable. A great uncompressed recording of a great power rock trio(hear Shoot Out the Lights.) Danny Thompson's upright bass is more of a deep anchor than on CD. RT is in full voice and simply shredding the guitar. |
Damien Jurado's album Maraqopa is outstanding !! Style would be psychedelic folk. It's a concept album, a dream he had,so it is best to listen to it in it's entirety. |
I agree that rock has been pretty much crap this year. |
Rock, What is rock? I gave up on rock twenty five years ago, and I don't miss it. Plenty of great progressive bands,alt. country, alt. folk, new jazz, classic jazz, jam bands,to keep me more than happy. I am discovering new bands almost weekly. |
The Shins, Port of Morrow is real fine! |
Pete Townshend Quadrophenia Demos 1 & 2 (released on vinyl EPs in 2011 & 2012) argue that at his peak Pete was the Beethoven of R&R. 60% of The Who release is on these demos. What was saved or cut makes for a fascinating schematic of process toward the commercial release. Excellent SQ but disappointing that it costs two EPs to get it all. |
Here's one for ya'll...it's just one song, not an album.
It's only available in the audiophile dreaded 320kbs but
hey, it's free! You can download it here
http://www.theafghanwhigs.com/
The Afghan Whigs covering Frank Ocean's Lovecrimes. Oh hell
yea.
Or watch it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
list=PL955C7451DC5BE34E&v=Rq_SoNctIvI&feature=player_embedde
d
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
list=PL955C7451DC5BE34E&v=Rq_SoNctIvI&feature=player_embedde
d
I never thought those guys would ever play together again.
Unlike a lot of the old dude reunion stuff going on these
days, Dulli and the boys are still badass, maybe even more
so. Can't wait for 10/5 in NYC! |
Since Richard went for one song, I'll go for 70...
I just picked up World Party's new 5 CD set "Arkeology".
At a glance, this looks like a straight up money grab..5 CDs of previously unreleased material from the vault and...yikes..a calendar. However, there are only 5 or 7 tracks that IMHO should have definitely stayed buried, while the balance varies between good and very good. There's not a ton of inspired material here, but for those who dig Karl Wallinger's take on recycling the best of the '60's (specifically The Beatles, The Stones, and Dylan) this is a welcome trove of unfamiliar music. Some really good live tracks and covers, too.
Maybe not the best of the year, and definitely not for everyone, but a happy surprise for those who miss this band.
Marty |
The Great Lake Swimmers new release The New Wild Everywhere is very strong!! Kind of mellow soft pop, but great songwriting on every number. |
I think Jack White's 'Blunderbuss' solo album is the best rock album to come out in years. It's an instant classic and I wouldn't be surprised if it takes home a grammy. As a bonus, it was mastered to near perfection and I've read in several reviews that the vinyl is amazing. |
i know i sound old and jaded, but i gotta agree with the rock-is-dead folks. lots of good electronic and folkie stuff (thanks to richardstacy, dgarretson et.al.for good recs) but nuthin' much in the mainstream. i took a look at amazon's 50 best of 2012 and (jack white and alabama shakes aside), almost none of 'em were actually rock. the best i've heard this year is "leaving of london" by the bevis frond, which is neither groundbreaking or different--he's been cranking out this stuff for years, but i love it. for the unitiated, bevis frond is the nom de plume of a very british songwriter/guitar shredder named nick salmon (sp?), usually likened to syd barrett. lots of long acid jams, but also hooky pop and folkie tunes of surprising wit and delicacy. very mannered, english vocals; such a great guitarist you don't always grasp how good the songs are. fans of pink floyd and hendrix will like this--check out "an old vice" on youtube or wherever.
have a great weekend y'all. |
Loomis, thanks. I'll check out Bevis Frond. Admittedly the folk and freak folk scene has been of late a richer vein than R&R-- as witnessed by this week's release of Bonnie Prince Billy Now Here's My Plan. A few other good ones include The Walkmen "Heaven"(which IMO gets the nod over Mumford & Sons), Beachwood Sparks Tarnished Gold(a welcome reunion of one of the better indies), and Fionna Apple's The Idler Wheel.
Now getting closer to R&R, Neil Young's under-rated Americana is damned good Crazy Horse. Patti Smith's Banga is her freshest sound in along while. IMO she does authenticity without mawkishness better than anyone left from the '70s, and this is most certainly R&R. The liner notes alone are worth the price.
All on vinyl, of course. |
Really love the new Beach House album "Bloom". Also, the new Jimmy Cliff album. Both are on heavy rotation. |
That new Jimmy Cliff is the real deal. I heard an interview with Jimmy on NPR. Really nice. Sounds like his early stuff. |
Mark Knopfler- Privateering realsing 03 Sept has to be the best of 2012. Few tracks on various radio stations and also on itunes are very promosing |
