Fisherman's Woman by Emiliana Torrini. The hugest grower of a record I have (except for maybe Vespertine), now my favourite of the year.
But the critics brushed it off as another pleasant-folk album. Which it is, but... it's also perfect.

WHY - "ELEPHANT EYELASH"

LSJfl;sajfdl;saDfjsldakjf;LAWEfr. Completely addictively poppy, yet unlike anything you'll ever hear (except for cLOUDDEAD records, of course).

Why more people aren't flipping out about this record is way beyond me.

Just the other day I listened to the Raveonettes' album again, you know, to finalize my year-end list... And it's really not that good of an album. At first I thought the criticism was uncalled for. And still, there some pretty good songs: Ode To L.A. and Love In A Trashcan are 2 of my singles of the year. Likewise, Twilight and Somewhere In Texas are such great album tracks! And I even like the cover of My Boyfriend's Back and the 2nd song, which sounds a lot like Sonny Bono.

But as a whole, the album is just kinda poor. Too many better albums were released and Pretty In Black got shafted to the back of my mind, to the point that I had forgottten about its existance and not even looked at it in months.

I like the samples I've heard from Pretty In Black, but haven't gotten the album yet. I think I will, but maybe not by my deadline for my official list. Chain Gang Of Love is one of my favs of 2003.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobthespirit:
I like the Raveonettes album, but there was something a bit lacking about it, especially on repeated listens.

I would have to say Architecture in Helsinki. I think it's one of the best albums of the year but critics seem to hate it because it got labelled 'Twee' somewhere along the line because of the childlike energy it has.

AIH has been my favorite, however they carry a love or loathe policy. Have you heard Fingers Crossed?

AiH is absolutely divine. I can't believe how much some critics hate it. It is so, so incredible. Fingers Crossed as awesome too. I would give Fingers Crossed a perfect 10. How can people neglect Architecture and embrace things like Konono No.1 (album is on lots of year end lists and I got it and think it is h-h-horrible.)

quote:

How can people neglect Architecture and embrace things like Konono No.1 (album is on lots of year end lists and I got it and think it is h-h-horrible.)

Because some people appreciate what can be done with just thumb pianos, resonators, pots, pans and a couple of homemade amplifiers that still sounds unique, relevant, and significant compared to bands with much richer studio setups.

And you might want to have that stutter checked out. It could be brain damageamageamageamage.

quote:

Because some people appreciate what can be done with just thumb pianos, resonators, pots, pans and a couple of homemade amplifiers that still sounds unique, relevant, and significant compared to bands with much richer studio setups.

I haven't heard much from the konono album, b ut what I've heard I like a whole lot more than the AiH album. Thanks for recommending it by the way leland

quote:

Thanks for recommending it by the way leland

I'm here to serve and annoy!

I've got one that fits in this one as well as "Catching up on 2005."
The Weed Tree EP by Espers. It's unbelievable. It's psych-folk, male and female vocals. This isn't even a genre I really like: I never got into Devendra, Animal Collective, et al. Devendra has them playing on his day at All Tomorrow's Parties but that's about all I know about them (they don't even have a Wikipedia entry). I stumbled upon them via rateyourmusic: RYM page. Definitely would have made my top 20 this year.

quote:

I've got one that fits in this one as well as "Catching up on 2005."
The Weed Tree EP by Espers. It's unbelievable. It's psych-folk, male and female vocals.

I was listening to "Tomorrow" when I saw your message. Spooky.

I love half The Weed Tree and find the other to be a bit bland. I also have a natural aversion to covers, so that could very well be my problem. They're a Philly band, but I've sadly never seen them live.

quote:

The Weed Tree EP by Espers.

I really like that album too, Dubs. I think it ended up at #13 on my final year-end list. Have you heard their first self-titles album? It's excellent, probably better than The Weed Tree. I think their next album is due out sometime this spring.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
[QUOTE]...Have you heard their first self-titles album? It's excellent, probably better than The Weed Tree

Yes their first album is quite interesting, despite it's not really my kind of music it really catch me. It has good inventivity and isn't too common music, somthing rare for a pop thing.

quote:

Because some people appreciate what can be done with just thumb pianos, resonators, pots, pans and a couple of homemade amplifiers that still sounds unique, relevant, and significant compared to bands with much richer studio setups.

And the more you listen music the more you fall in that sort of culprit pleasures.

quote:

Originally posted by Ilyich:
Occasionally as if led by some invisible benevolent force, I'll buy a CD completely on blind faith and love it....Have any of you had similar experiences?

Sure, I don't know for the Raveonettes album because I only listen their first, but that definitely happen. And don't believe you're wrong, myself I quote some of those album take bigger name long time after... and somme never... yet!

Anyway there are mass effects and not that much critics has a so high independcy from other critics, this increasing even more mass effects that can easily hide an album.

But most often it's more for album that few people talk of, or quite quickly with few care and generaly for not well known group particularely if that's not their first album.

That happen less often for highly known group, for first albums, for albums a lot of people talk about.

Most critics (and fans too) seem to think that Lullabies to Paralyze is Queens of the Stone Age's weakest album, based mainly on their previous efforts, including the stellar Songs For The Deaf. However, they don't take into account that it's an entirely different beast, and the band is always moving in a new direction. I feel that it's actually contains Josh Homme's strongest vocals and songwriting, and it is their most solid album to date.

quote:

Originally posted by qualler:
WHY - "ELEPHANT EYELASH"

LSJfl;sajfdl;saDfjsldakjf;LAWEfr. Completely addictively poppy, yet unlike anything you'll ever hear (except for cLOUDDEAD records, of course).

Why more people aren't flipping out about this record is way beyond me.

I like it a lot, but I think many were taken aback by Why?'s sudden disregard for his Anticodon "rap" roots. Still, it's definitely pretty darn good, and it made my list.

I think Mae's "The Everglow" was good, and that "Some Cities" is the Doves' best yet.

Also, Broken Social Scenes' latest s/t album is my favorite of theirs. You Forgot it in People is very good, and easy to like - but it just seems more impressive and rewarding to me that they could work with an even bigger band with more chaotic songs and still have a beautiful end result.

I also think that Takk... Perhaps it is more straightfoward and not as amazing as Agaetis Byrjun, but it surely is a step beyond the rambling ( ).

quote:

Originally posted by Tenacious Z:
Most critics (and fans too) seem to think that Lullabies to Paralyze is Queens of the Stone Age's weakest album, based mainly on their previous efforts, including the stellar Songs For The Deaf. However, they don't take into account that it's an entirely different beast, and the band is always moving in a new direction. I feel that it's actually contains Josh Homme's strongest vocals and songwriting, and it is their most solid album to date.

It's definitely their worst album. That doesn't mean it's crap, though. I still bought it.