List after the jump

Honorable Mentions of ‘08 So Far (in no particular order)

•  Andrew Bird – Soldier On (tour EP)
• Chris Walla – Field Manual
• Constatines -Kensington Heights
• Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
• Does it Offend You, Yeah? – You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into
• Dosh – Wolves and Wishes
• Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
• Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. – Searching for the How’s and Why’s
• Headlights – Some Racing, Some Stopping
• Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Ahead
• Hot Chip – Made in the Dark
• Islands – Arm’s Way
• Kenna – Make Sure They See My Face
• Langhorne Slim and the War Eagles – S/T
• M83 – Saturdays = Youth
• Man Man – Rabbit Habbits
• Matt Costa – Unfamiliar Faces
• Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride
• Muse – HAARP (live from Wimbley Stadium)
• My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
• The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
• Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely
• Stark Raving Calm – FleshNectarAsphaltAdrenaline
• Subtle – ExitingARM
• The Black Keys – Attack and Release
• The Envy Corps – Dwell
• The Weepies – Hideaway
• Vampire Weekend – S/T
• Why? – Alopecia
• Wolftron – Flesh and Fears

Biggest Disappointment of ‘08 So Far

•  Magnetic Fields – Distortions

All kinds of people are praising this for its homage to the older days of heavily distorted stuff like My Bloody Valentine and stuff like that, but I was never into that.  I’m all about the 69 Love Songs Magnetic Fields with fun little love songs.  I’m sure some of you liked this one, but considering I’ve loved both 69 Love Songs and i, this one was just disappointing for how long I waited for it.

Biggest Surprise of ‘08

• Panic at the Disco – Pretty.Odd

This one’s grown super old to me at this point, but going from crappy emo punk dance hybrid that all the 14 year old girls loved, to a pretty good Sgt. Pepper’s tribute, surprised the heck out of me.  I won’t be recommending this one to anyone, but I’ll give them props for saying screw you to all their emo fans and making a decent album full of strings, horns, and decent rock songs.  Show me another album by them that’s similar and I might actually care about the band.  As it is now, I’ll just leave it at a simple, well that’s something, and happily keep this one tucked way back in my collection.

Biggest Non-surprise of ‘08

• Weezer – Red Album

Besides the second song, which is pretty dang epic for Weezer with choirs and whatnot, this one is just barely a step above their previous album.  To think, I used to be the biggest Weezer fan, but ever since Matt Sharp left Weezer, the band’s John Lennon in my opinion, writing all the weird songs, they’ve just gone further and further downhill, with Cuomo continuing to be unable to break out of writing anything but sub-par radio friendly love songs.  Tis a shame indeed.

Albums I’m Listening to at the Moment

• Sigur Ros – Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
• Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
• Gotye – Like Drawing Blood (really good stuff, I’ll be talking about it here soon)
• Jakob Dylan – Seeing Things (listening out of pure curiosity)
• Jim Noir- S/T
• Unwed Sailor – Little Wars

That’s the half-year wrap up.  I’d link all the music to their myspaces, but that’d take an insanely long time.  Who do you think I am?  A magician?  Hope you find some music you like from the bands above.  That’s what I’ve been listening to so far this year, and if you usually agree with my recommendations, then this should be a mini-goldmine for you.  Happy hunting friends and good luck looking all this up!

5. Dodos – Visiter

Dodos came out of nowhere for me. They made Pitchfork’s best new music, which has become a very hit or miss thing for me anymore, and after listening to the song Pitchfork had featured, I went ahead and checked them out. Am I ever glad I did. Dodos’ music is a strange blend of acoustic guitar and percussion of all kinds. I can’t say I’ve heard anything quite like this album, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It’s a great, and very unique, sounding album that I honestly didn’t expect to hear this year. If that doesn’t get you interested in this album, I don’t know what will.

Fools

Jodi

4. Frightened Rabbit – Midnight Organ Fight

I heard “The Modern Leper” a while ago and waited rather impatiently for their full length to finally be released so I could hear more. Thankfully it didn’t disappoint. Frightened Rabbit are a Scottish band, sounding somewhat like Snow Patrol minus the recent sappiness and commercial sound of recent Snow Patrol stuff. I used to really enjoy Snow Patrol, so I’m glad I’ve found a band that I have no problem replacing them with. The lead singer’s strong accent may get in the way of some of the songs for a few of you, but the lyrics are really well written and I rarely notice the accent anymore. That is, of course, unless I’m purposely singing in a Scottish accent with him. That’s always a good time.

The Modern Leper

Good Arms vs. Bad Arms

3. Phantom Planet – Raise the Dead

I’m not going to lie. I didn’t expect to have a new Phantom Planet album on any top lists this year, but I just had to put this new release on the list. I enjoyed it at first, but then it just kept growing on me. “Leader” is one of my favorite Phantom Planet songs in quite a while, with the kids choir in the chorus putting it over the top for me. Many reviews touted it as the best Phantom Planet album yet, and while at first I was very skeptical to back those statements, I will agree that it’s right up there with any of their releases, being one of their most consistently good albums the whole way through. If you’re a Phantom Planet fan, there’s no reason you shouldn’t give this new one a listen. If you’re still on the fence with this band, you may want to give Raise the Dead some solid spins and I bet you’ll be surprised by how much you end up liking it.

Dropped

The Leader

2. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yetsin – Pershing

The other three albums on this list could easily be swapped out by other releases so far this year that I’ve enjoyed immensely, as they aren’t locks on the list by any means, but the top two stand above the rest by a mile. Boris Yeltsin’s latest release finds them sounding their most polished and professional yet, leaving behind their attic recording set-up for a much more professionally recorded sound. I’d heard most this album live over the last few years, since they’re from here in Springfield, but I had no idea the new album would end up sounding this good. Both this album and Cloud Cult’s at #1 have stood above the rest of 2008’s releases consistently despite both being released very early in the year, and I’ve lost count how many times I’ve shelved these albums for a few weeks while listening to all the new music that comes my way, only to pull them back out and putting them right back on repeat and enjoying them as much as ever. If you’re looking for an album you can listen to all summer, look no further than Boris Yeltsin’s Pershing.

Modern Mystery

Some Constellation

Heers

1. Cloud Cult – Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)

It depends on my mood at the time which album, this one or Pershing, is my #1 at the time, but one thing is for sure, I love this album. I was always somewhat hesitant to put Cloud Cult up there with my favorite bands, sticking my “favorite” label on them, but this album pretty much made it undeniable. Cloud Cult are one of my favorite bands. Each album is full of strings, great lyrics, catchy melodies, and Chris Minowa’s unique vocals and the songs just keep getting better and better with each new release. I almost didn’t catch this new album because most Cloud Cult albums have a few years in between releases. But Feel Good Ghosts was released in record time after The Meaning of 8 and it felt like Christmas came early for me once I heard that. The opener “No One Said It Would Be Easy” had me grinning from ear to ear upon first listen, and by the time the album was done, I knew this wouldn’t easily be dethroned this year. If you’re a fan of orchestral elements in your songs, you won’t find too many albums better than this one. It’s too early to say if Feel Good Ghosts will make my top spot by the end of the year after another six months, but I hope it does end up getting dethroned by another album, because quite frankly, if that happens, that would be one heck of a good album. Until that album comes along, I’ll just keep this new Cloud Cult album on repeat and let it continue being the soundtrack to my summer.

When Water Comes to Life

Journey of the Featherless

No One Said It Would Be Easy

Highlights for me were Glen and Marketa winning best song obviously, No Country for Old Men winning best picture (I would’ve been satisfied with that or There Will Be Blood). Daniel Day-Lewis winning best actor. Was there any doubt there? And finally, Javier Bardem being duly rewarded by the Academy for his brilliant role in No Country and bearing through that terrible haircut the whole movie.

Let me know what you thought in the comments and here’s to another great year in movies in 2008.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Winner: Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Winner: Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Winner:Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
Winner: No Country for Old Men – Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin

…the rest after the jump.

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Winner: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men

BEST WRITING, SCREENPLAY WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR THE SCREEN
Winner: Juno – Diablo Cody

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Ratatouille

BEST DOCUMENTARY, FEATURES
Winner: Taxi to the Dark Side

BEST DOCUMENTARY, SHORT SUBJECTS
Winner: Freeheld

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES, ORIGINAL SCORE
Winner: Atonement

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: There Will Be Blood

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES, ORIGINAL SONG
Winner: Once

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Fälscher, Die

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING
Winner: The Bourne Ultimatum

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
Winner: The Bourne Ultimatum

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
Winner: The Bourne Ultimatum

BEST WRITING, SCREENPLAY BASED ON MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY PRODUCED OR PUBLISHED
Winner: No Country for Old Men

BEST SHORT FILM, ANIMATED
Winner: Peter & the Wolf (2006) – Suzie Templeton, Hugh Welchman

BEST SHORT FILM, LIVE ACTION
Winner: Mozart des pickpockets, Le

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
Winner: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
Winner: The Golden Compass

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
Winner: Môme, La – Didier Lavergne, Jan Archibald

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Winner: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

This one probably came out of left field for most of you since I’ve never talked about White Rabbits, but they’ve held a solid place in my musical heart since I got their album about a month ago.  It’s such a smart mix of driving bass, bouncy drums, guitar and most notably piano that sounds like the musical love child between Voxtrot and Cold War Kids.  Did I mention they have two drummers?  Their live show is supposedly something not to be missed and hearing their songs makes me only imagine the energy they would have live and how fun their live shows must be.

As far as Fort Nightly is concerned, there are stand-outs throughout.  “Kid on my Shoulders” and “The Plot” take the cake for best songs in my book, but “Navy Wives” has a great piano riff that sticks in your head while the drums dare you to dance as the occasional woodblock is thrown in there.  Other songs I love on this album are the epic title track, “Tourist Trap” and “I Used to Complain and Now I Don’t”.  If you’re a fan of either Voxtrot or Cold War Kids, except more drum-driven music, more harmonizing, and energy enough for three bands, then you’ll love White Rabbits

Kid On My Shoulders

The Plot

White Rabbits performing “The Plot” on Letterman
[youtube 0V-Xn5s6LVw]

“While We Go Dancing” playing over some old animation
[youtube j6_0IijOKew]

Official Site / Myspace / Say Hey Records

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1.  The Deadly Syndrome – The Ortolan

Don’t act so surprised!  Alright, I realize none of you are probably surprised by my #1 selection in the least bit.  My fan boy post about them earlier this month was most likely the dead give away.  But nothing has changed since that post.  I still love The Ortolan as much as ever and am just waiting eagerly to somehow catch them live.  If you missed my original post about them, click that link above and get filled in.  I don’t really feel like re-posting all those links and videos, so I’m not going to, but I did find an mp3 of “The Ship That Shot It’s Selef”, so that’s something new.  What it comes down to is that White Rabbits and The Deadly Syndrome have both come out of nowhere with a surpringly similar sound that I’m loving.  Check them out if you haven’t, especially those show-ending drum circle videos.  I could watch those videos all day.  Do me a favor and check out The Deadly Syndrome’s album The Ortolan if you haven’t (it’s streaming here), as well as White Rabbit’s album, and thank me later.  Such good music like these two albums should be heard by everyone, and the fact that both bands are selling out venues is great to hear.  Enjoy the tunes, re-read the list if you get bored, and if you’re in Springfield, come to Randy Bacon’s tonight at 7:30pm for the 2nd LemonDrop Showcase show with Anders Parker headlining the show.  Should be a great time.

Eucalyptus

Winter In You

The Ship That Shot It’s Selef

Official Site / Myspace / Buy The Ortolan

4. Beirut – The Flying Club Cup

I read an interview with Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy where he mentioned how much he liked the band Beirut and wanted to meet up with them to collaborate on something. I remember thinking, “God yes, that would be incredible. Please make that happen!” Of course, he didn’t hear me because I was yelling into the magazine, but the collaboration did end up happening on Zach Condon’s latest album The Flying Club Cup and I couldn’t be happier (Pallett sings lead vocals in the song “Cliquot”). The title comes from a hot air balloon race held in the early 1900’s that Condon found out about while writing the album, and he describes having wanted to write more over the top pop songs with arrangements galore. Well, he definitely succeeded there, making this by far the most ambitious Beirut release yet. Wonderful little numbers like “In the Mausoleum” find Condon sounding a bit like Sufjan musically on piano, then Pallett’s amazing string arrangement comes in and puts it over the top. So good. Other stand-outs include the Yann Tiersen sounding “Un Dernier Verre (Pour la Route)”, with solo piano that resembles the Goodbye Lenin! soundtrack and is later joined by drums and every instrument under the sun. “Nantes” sounds slightly like if Condon did the soundtrack for Napoleon Dynamite (wouldn’t that have been incredible), and could end up being my 2nd favorite from this album behind “Forks and Knives (la fete)”. The absolute best part about this album is how Condon is promoting it. With the help of Vincent Moon over at the ever-amazing La Blogotheque, Condon and Moon collaborated to film Take Away Shows for each track on the album and are releasing them one at a time until the album is released . Now that is an amazing idea! Head over to The Flying Club Cup’s promo site to watch them and pick up the album October 9th (or buy it on iTunes now).

Beirut live at SXSW 2007

Forks and Knives (la fete) (seriously, does it get much better than this?)
[youtube uRxgDAC-4kI]

Other take away video:
Nantes / Un Dernier Verre / The Penalty

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3. Rogue Wave – Asleep at Heaven’s Gate

I got a little carried away with that Beirut section, so I’ll keep this one shorter. Rogue Wave are probably in my top 10 bands ever. I know, I know…bold statement. But I go back to their past albums so much when I don’t know what to listen to, that statement is more than justified in my book. I mean, according to my iTunes, I’ve listened to Decended Like Vultures 75 times through, and who knows how many times on my iPod. The point is, I was going to like this newest album whether I wanted to or not. I was told by a few friends that it was going to be way different now that they were on Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records, to which I just rolled my eyes and said, “Yeah, I heard it basically sounds like a Jack Johnson album fronted by Zach Rogue”, which made them happy in an “I told you so” sort of way until they realized I wasn’t serious at all. Nothing has changed with Rogue Wave. The music is still great and the members of Rogue Wave finally truly feel like a band, rather than a Zach Rogue solo project fleshed out. “Harmonium” is the best song I think Rogue Wave have written in a long time topping six minutes, while the rest of the album goes more rocking than we’re used to with Rogue Wave. I’ll admit to not immediately liking this album the whole way through, but after 10+ listens through, I’m more than convinced at how good this album is. It’s a slight shame there’s no true acoustic numbers like previous albums have had like “Be Kind + Remind” and “California”, which are when Rogue Wave are at their best, but despite this lack of a gentle acoustic number, Asleep at Heaven’s Gate is still an amazing album that I’m glad I can add to my Rogue Wave library.
Stand-outs: The 6+ minute long “Harmonium”, “Chicago x 12″, the George Harrison feeling “Cheaper than Therapy”

Harmonium

Lake Michigan

Making of Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
[youtube oNMuqIY_CIM]

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Bonus:
Grizzly Bear – Alligator (choir version ft. Dirty Projectors and Beirut)

Rogue Wave – Eyes

Rogue Wave – Sightlines

A couple weeks ago, this album would have been one of the top two albums on this list. But as things work usually for me, I slightly burned myself out on this album. That’s only to say I really like it instead of am obsessing over it. Of course, I wouldn’t give it a 9.3 like Pitchfork, that’s just crazy, but a solid 8.0 or so would be my score. Animal Collective have always been hit or miss with me, with their previous releases being full of songs I absolutely loved (You Could Win a Rabbit), coupled with ambient songs I’d skip every time (Visiting Friends). With Strawberry Jam, they’ve finally made a consistent album without any real deviations from their weird pop songs. That’s not to say most of you won’t hate it. I mean, it is Animal Collective, but as far as they go, this album is surprisingly catchy, straightforward pop for them and that’s probably why I’ve grown to like it so much.

Peacebone

Peacebone Live at the Malta Festival
[youtube fDuCjiyXK6I]

Peacebone / Fireworks (videos)

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5. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

I’ve admitted my bias towards Band of Horses. I was almost in their video for “Great Salt Lake” (photo evidence, this is the exact moment in the video when it’s slow motion and he hits it, starting the rocking part of the song), with the scene with me carrying the second keg being cut. Damn the luck! But Amy and I hung out with the band, and all their friends and fans at the softball park one day while I was living in Seattle and they’re all very down to Earth, cool guys like you’d expect. I got to hear their debut album probably more than I’d wanted since I was interning at Sub Pop and someone somewhere was always playing Sub Pop releases. But it was one of my favorites from last year. Fast forward to the present and we have their follow-up, Cease to Begin. What a follow-up it is. I didn’t really expect anything from it, but was still excited to finally hear it. What I heard was an album I instantly knew I’d love, and that’s exactly what has happened. It feels like a slightly more complete album to me, with every song but maybe one being simply great. Ben Bridwell and his Band of Horses have definitely found their stride and I couldn’t be happier. Do yourself a favor and head over to Sub Pop to pick up your copy of Cease to Begin.
Stan-outs: Is There a Ghost, Marry Song, Detlef Schrempf, and Cigarettes Weddings Bands

Is There a Ghost

Bonus:
Great Salt Lake video (starring me slightly off screen)
[youtube IUTkWIx6xu0]

What a pleasant surprise this album ended up being.  Unlike the solo albums of other BSS members like Feist and Emily Haines, this one feels like a Broken Social Scene album.  I didn’t have too high of hopes for Spirit If…, but after a few listens I was hooked.  It feels so much like a BSS album mainly b/c 23 people guest throughout the 14 songs, with most the original BSS gang being amongst those 23.  Since it’s Kevin Drew’s solo album, he takes the reins as far as singing is concerned for nearly all the tracks, which makes sense.  After some vintage BSS sounding melodic, disorienting noise/chaos, the album settles down nicely and songs like “Backed Out on the…”, “Frightening Lives”, and “Big Love” all stand out nicely.  My only gripe would be that it’s hard to hear his singing most the time, but a few listens through and you’ll realize that it’s really the music that drives this album, not the vocals.

Tbtf

Back Out on the…

Backed Out on the…
[youtube ZW3BN_nwpzc]

Official Site / Myspace
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7.
Field Music – Tones of Town

I absolutely love this band.  Much in the same way I like Pinback so much for some reason.  It’s simple music that just never gets old and while I really liked their past efforts, I think Tones of Town takes the cake for me.  It’s hard to describe their sound, but if you remember the band The Aliens I featured earlier in the summer, it’s a lot like a mix between their vintage 70’s pop sound and Pinback’s precise, calculated style.  For a while there, this album was on an mp3 CD I had in my car and when it’d come up, I’d just randomly skip to some later song in the album.  Before long I recognized every song and had yet to find one I didn’t like.  Now that I’ve sat with it and given it numerous listens through, I find myself recommending this album more than most of the albums higher on this list.  It has been an often overlooked album since it was released way back in January, but if you have the time, it’s well worth it to give it a listen.  Plus, that video for “In Context” has to be in the running for video of the year.  Love it.

A House is Not a Home

In Context

A Gap Has Appeared

In Context video
[youtube DBqx9Tpmj-U]

Official Site / Myspace
A House is Not a Home video

Bonus:
Broken Social Scene – Stars and Sons

Field Music – If Only the Moon Were Up

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10.
Hot Hot Heat – Happiness Ltd.

Having been a huge fan of their album Make Up the Breakdown, the constant change and maturation of the band over their career was never something I was too fond of. But, regardless of that, I still enjoyed everything they released and Happiness Ltd. continues this trend. If you’re looking for the dance-rock of Make Up the Breakdown, well, there’s a hint of it here, with the cowbell/wood block heavy “Give Up?” and the piano-driven “My Best Friend”. They even remake “5 times out of 100″, which was a strange move to me since I’m so used to the original, but it adds a lot to the album. In the end, it’s more melodic wailing over bouncy lyrics, but it’s still vintage Hot Hot Heat, and that’s all that really matters.

Let Me In
[youtube BRi5LF1cQgQ]

Give Up

Conversation & Outta Heart
Hot Hot Heat on the Interface playing 4 new songs acoustic style
9.
Pinback – Autumn of the Seraphs

Most of you know simply from reading the Perch a lot that I’m a pretty huge fan of Pinback. Their last album was one of my favorites released that year and it has always baffled me how I could love such simple rock, but I do. This new effort doesn’t quite top Summer in Abaddon, but I also thought that album was a classic, so obviously this one didn’t beat that. But hidden gems like “Good to Sea” and “Devil You Know” help this album stand out among a lot of great September releases. Heck, “Good to Sea” is easily one of the top 10 songs of the year for me, but that’s for another list. Long time fans of Pinback won’t be disappointed. If you’re new to Pinback, start with Summer in Abaddon and eventually make your way to this one from their older releases.

From Nothing to Nowhere

I’d post “Good to Sea” in a second, but I’ve already been in trouble from their label for even putting it as my myspace profile song when I randomly found it on myspace, so I’m not even going to mess with it. Don’t want the “web sheriff” to yell at me again….but this blog wasn’t worried about it. Now go listen to it!

EDIT: It’s on youtube…so I’m posting it. Love this song.

[youtube 3h9QFXviJ2E]

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Bonus:
Hot Hot Heat – Talk to Me, Dance with me

Pinback – Fortress

Pinback – Penelope

Iron and Wine
Shepherd’s Dog
Release Date: September 25

Stereogum say it much better than I ever could, so check their premature evaluation of the album out for a more in depth view, but my oh my do I love this album. It’s like a very good mix between his collaboration with Calexico and his older, more stripped down stuff. Sam Beam has officially hit the big time with this album and while a few years ago I would have been skeptical if you told me he’d make an album where he was backed by a full ensemble, I’m here to say it works. Calexico returns for a few songs this time around, but the Iron and Wine feel to the songs are still here in full, they just feel bigger now that he has back up. There’s a good mix of old Sam Beam whispered vocals and his acoustic songs with the epic (for I&W at least) feeling ones. It’s tough to say just yet how everyone will ultimately feel about it, but new Iron and Wine is all good in my book so I couldn’t be more excited.

Pinback
Autumn of the Seraphs
Release Date: September 11

I have an unhealthy obsession with Pinback, considering how simple their music is, but Summer in Abaddon remains one of my favorite albums ever. I’ve only had a few listens to this new one, which was a long time coming for me, and was immediately floored by songs such as “Good to Sea” and “Bouquet”. Not everyone will like it, and the masses never seem to agree on Pinback since they are pretty calculated and simple, but I sure enjoy it. Autumn of the Seraphs finds Pinback truly perfecting the sound they’ve been developing for years.

Barnes (mp3)

Minus the Bear
Planet of Ice
Release Date: August 21

While I didn’t expect Pinback’s new one to be as good as my favorite of theirs, I was kind of hoping Minus the Bear would return to their glory days of Highly Refined Pirates over Menos el oso. The former is my favorite of theirs and featured simple, insanely precise math rock with finger tapping and electronics all over it. The latter found them to be a bit too rocking for their own good, and I’m happy to say Minus the Bear are back with this newest release. The lead singer stays out of the mix more, which seemed to always be their main problem, and instead there’s more focus on the clockwork melodies and harmonized lyrics. This is possibly the most surprisingly good album on this list. Didn’t expect it to be this good.

Dr. L’ling

Throwin’ Shapes

A few more

Stream the Whole Album

John Vanderslice
Emerald City
Release Date: July 24

I’ve had this one a while, but still figured I’d add it to the list. I was initially disappointed with this one, much like I was with Pixel Revolt, but also much like that album, this one is full of more mellow tunes that find JV still being more reserved than usual and it ultimately grows on you. The production is top-notch and you find some little bell or back up vocal hidden in the mix with each listen. Not up to the greatness of the upbeat Life and Death of an American Fourtracker, but still vintage JV none the less.

White Dove

Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam
Release Date: September ‘07

This one was a complete surprise to find, and while I could only find the six of nine tracks that have leaked, it’s still all pretty damn amazing. I rather enjoyed the “internet leak” section on their wikipedia page, where the journalist who leaked it was caught within a few hours because it was watermarked, much like my Spiderman 3 soundtrack was. You can’t be that dumb and leak an album this big that has your name all over it and not expect to get caught. Regardless, the guys from the band were mainly sad about the leak because people couldn’t experience the album as a whole, and while I’m still absolutely loving these songs, I see how it feels incomplete without the others. I’ve always been a huge fan of Animal Collective, but their albums have been shades of greatness mixed in with the just plain weird and inaccessible. This new one seems to find them sounding at their most accessible, with one song “Peacebone” turning from glitchy nothingness to a full on dance fest. If you’ve always wished Animal Collective would have expanded more on their weird but accessible elements, then you’re wish has been granted. Of course, it’s still weird as ever, with the occasional crazy screams and whatnot, but this album should turn some heads in the Animal Collective haters crowd and make them take note of this amazingly unique band.

Peacebone

Songs from Strawberry Jam at the Hype Machine

The New Pornographers
Challengers
Release Date: August 21

I’ve always been a “sort of” fan of the New Pornographers. With each release, I’d listen intently, love it, then sort of forget about it until someone randomly played one of their albums and I’d get in the mood again. Challengers may finally break this streak as I’ve had this one on repeat for a while today. The New Porno crew have once again crafted piano heavy, dual harmony filled pop gems and the songs are great this time around like usual. Songs like “Failsafe” stay reserved enough to be called the album’s “slow songs”, but there’s plenty of full on upbeat pop numbers like “All the Things that Go to Make Heaven and Eath” and “My Rights Versus Yours”. I’d have to say the slower songs, like “Mariad Harbour”, which features Dan Bejar (Destroyer), outweigh the faster ones on this new album and that may be the main reason I’m liking it so much. It’s just a really pleasant pop album to listen to and August 21 couldn’t come soon enough.

Head over to the Hype Machine for songs from Challengers

P.S. Everyone head over to this link and vote for Springfield, MO to host the Simpson’s movie premier.  You’ll get an advanced review of the movie here if you do since I’ll be able to see the sneak peek.  Don’t be shy and go vote!

Once Soundtrack

My favorite movie of the year, and by far favorite soundtrack of the year.  Shoe in for the top 25 of the year, but it’ll be tricky deciding where to put it since most songs are from albums released in 2006.  Either way, you know the story here.  Excellent stuff.

Falling Slowly

Gold

Paul Brill – Harpooner

The man behind the soundtrack of The Trials of Darryl Hunt is quite the singer/songwriter as well.  With Harpooner, Brill creates soundscapes of found sounds and strange melody and the result is very John Vanderslice-esque in lyrics and concept.  Only with this album, Brill sounds as John Vanderslice would if he were marooned on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a few instruments and stuff on the boat to make somber music with.  Perfect for a rainy day.

Paris is On

I Take it Back

Great Northern – Trading Twilight for Daylight

A surpringly heartfelt, genuinely great album, Great Northern’s latest album is at times reserved and beautiful, while other times being dark and powerful.  One thing it consistently is, is good and that’s all that counts in the end.  A pleasant surprise that came out of nowhere for me.

Just a Dream

Low is a Height

Lost in the Trees – Time Taunts Me

Lost in the Trees is another project from Ari Picker, from the band The Never.  With the Never, he helped craft an oddly amazing “storybook album” which contained an actual illustrated storybook, made by one of the band members, that the album provided the soundtrack to.  Equally ambitious in a different way, Ari’s solo project Lost in the Trees finds him tackling the orchestral stylings of some of our best composers from the past while combining that with Belle & Sebastian sounding vocals and subtle electronics.  It’s a shame it’s only a seven song EP, but it still trumps most full lengths released so far this year. 

Lost in the Snow

Tall Trees

Chris Murphy – Luminous

Chris Murphy’s album Luminous was sent to me by an upstart PR company that was just getting started and I can’t imagine a more original and refreshing album to begin your promoting days with.  Of course, it’s rare in the blog world to find someone that loves string-based music as much as I do, but I really hope some of the other bloggers like it because it’s really unlike most the stuff out there.  Murphy is a violinist that loops a lot of his playing through a guitar amp, much like Andrew Bird, only without the singing and a little darker.  It’s really an album that needs to be taken in as a whole while relaxing around somewhere, but here’s a few highlights that stand well on their own.

Blues for Bukowski

Luminous