KLT started a thread like this for 2005, and I thought it was a great idea.
Anyways, there's this band called David and the Citizens from Denmark, and in 2002 they made an album called For All Happy Endings that's not available in the US but which I Soulseeked and found to be quite impressive, unlike this rambling sentence. Their sound is not unlike Neutral Milk Hotel. I'm not saying they're a dead ringer for NMH or anything, but they sound more like NMH than the Decemberists or Okkervil River or any of the other bands that garner NMH comparisons. It really is a pretty incredible album, and I thank Music for Robots for turning me on to this band.
Posts: 3888 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Late last year I picked up on Paula Frazer through a Birdman records comp and then her latest album. This year I've hunted down both cds from Frazer's pre-solo band, Tarnation. Both Gentle Creatures and Mirador are gorgeous alt-country affairs and loaded with atmosphere. The former album is more a band effort while the latter showcases Frazer before her departure. I'm still hunting down her first solo record, Indoor Universe.
Posts: 8515 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: KLT started a thread like this for 2005, and I thought it was a great idea.
Anyways, there's this band called David and the Citizens from Denmark, and in 2002 they made an album called For All Happy Endings that's not available in the US but which I Soulseeked and found to be quite impressive, unlike this rambling sentence. Their sound is not unlike Neutral Milk Hotel. I'm not saying they're a dead ringer for NMH or anything, but they sound more like NMH than the Decemberists or Okkervil River or any of the other bands that garner NMH comparisons. It really is a pretty incredible album, and I thank Music for Robots for turning me on to this band.
Speaking of them, according to CD Universe, David and the Citizens are releasing an album here in the States (and it's only like 7 dollars). I'm not sure if it's the same one you got. Just wanted you to be aware of it.
New to me this year - Ghost : Lama Rabi Rabi from 1996. Reminds me a lot of Can but much more varied with hints of 60's British folk/psychedelia. Some of the longer tracks are trance enhancing and quite entrancing. It makes everything wearing 2006 plates (so far) seem very dull and uninspired.
Posts: 119 | Location: Oakland | Registered: 24 January 2006
Thanks for starting this up RL, I think the best recommendations on this board in 2005 came in that year's version of this topic.
A few new finds that I'm enjoying are:
Roland Kirk - volunteered slavery (thank you crazed and lt, this is really great)
Billie Holiday - Decca period (I had sort of skipped over these recordings until this year. Now I think they might be my favorite of her's, although I've got my eye on the big impressive complete Columbia Recordings set, which could change everything.
Night Train to Nashville vol. 1 & 2 - Nice sets of r&b out of Nashville
The Quintessential Billie Holiday on Columbia is a total treasure trove for the Billie Holiday fan. The only volume of the nine that is even remotely dispensable is Volume I as her vocals there are a little tentative. By Volume II she is really hitting her stride - the four song set from July 10th, 1936 with Bunny Berigan on trumpet and Artie Shaw on clarinet is totally classic as is the subsequent set from September 29th of the same year. If you have to start with just a few of them though, I'd recommend Vol's III through V with Lester Young on tenor along with several other leading Basie sidemen on many of the sessions - just superb!
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Posts: 119 | Location: Oakland | Registered: 24 January 2006
I'm really enjoying an album by James Yorkston and the Athletes that came out in 2004 called Just Beyond the River. It's a slightly atmoshperic folk record, that was produced by Kieran Hebden (Four Tet). It really stays pretty subdued throughout the whole record, never getting too sad or upbeat, just staying somewhere in the middle the whole time. I especially like the song "Hermitage."
It was released on Domino, which is really one of the two record labels that I really like (the other being Secretly Canadian).
Posts: 3888 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
To me, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is a guy who has several really good songs, but not much else. Off of his last album, Twinkle Echo, there were three awesome songs, "Jeane, If You're Ever In Portland," "Toby, Take A Bow," and "Roberta C." The two albums before that really didn't have much worth listening to if you ask me.
Posts: 3888 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Originally posted by juanboy: I'm so lame... I just heard "Blood on the Tracks" by Bob Dylan(duhh) and now I get it. Please forgive me, and let me catch up.....
Heck, I've never heard a single album from Dylan, just a few tracks from a greatest hits CD.
Posts: 3888 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: To me, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is a guy who has several really good songs, but not much else. Off of his last album, Twinkle Echo, there were three awesome songs, "Jeane, If You're Ever In Portland," "Toby, Take A Bow," and "Roberta C." The two albums before that really didn't have much worth listening to if you ask me.
I'm gonna have to take this back. I saw the positive review by Amir Nezar on Cokemachineglow, and so I decided to give CFTPA's new one a shot. After one listen it sounds pretty promising. He's introduced some new instruments besides a Casio, and it really works well.
Posts: 3888 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: I'm really enjoying an album by James Yorkston and the Athletes that came out in 2004 called Just Beyond the River. It's a slightly atmoshperic folk record, that was produced by Kieran Hebden (Four Tet). It really stays pretty subdued throughout the whole record, never getting too sad or upbeat, just staying somewhere in the middle the whole time. I especially like the song "Hermitage."
It was released on Domino, which is really one of the two record labels that I really like (the other being Secretly Canadian).
LMAO, you have got to go check out my last post in the 'Most Anticipated Records in 2006' thread. Too funny, you will see that I highly agree with this post of yours.
My favorite 2005 release of 2006 is the self-titled record by Valley Lodge. It's a nice mix of rock riffing and power pop hooks. The singer used to be in a cool pop-rock band called Uptown Sinclair and the guitarist is John Kimbrough, formerly of Pitchfork darlings Walt Mink.
Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004
I feel the same way about Neon Golden, joji. Now if they would only record a proper follow-up before the decade's over...
Also, another gem from 2005 that I missed is Snowglobe's Doing the Distance. Sounds a bit like Neutral Milk Hotel at times, like when they utilize the trumpet and singing saw. The last two songs should've bee cut, but other than that it's solid. The "Comforted/Ms. June" song is one of my favorites from 2005.
Posts: 3888 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
