top 5
ok i have not really given this too much thought as i'd like but here's my list so far (its not december yet so who knows what we'll be surprised with)
1. Dear Hunter - Act II Casey has been hard at work pounding out emotional almost broadway like songs again. Act 2 captures everything good about the first act and then some. this 15 track 75+ minute cd has been a mainstay in my cd player (scratch that... itunes) for the better part of the year. phenomenal cd. honestly the most creative music i have heard all year. excellent live show also
2. between the buried and me - colors a huge step above alaska. btbam come at you with an amazing concept album that is 8 tracks of seemless music with as much tempo changes as michael jackson has had new noses. another amazing release and one of the most brutal shows i've seen lately. this is close tie with dear hunter
AFTER THIS POINT IT GETS A BIT FUZZY
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows Biggest surprise of the year. I've known that they were writing a 7th album for a while but no one knew any details besides that THEN BAM!!! they announced the biggest movement in music so far Online download with choose your own price. I'm a huge radiohead fan and this is only half of two cds of material expect this to be higher on my list come end of december.
4 the receiving end of sirens - the earth sings mi fa mi with the loss of casey i was bit concerned with the creative direction of the band especially after hearing the dear hunter's work. my doubts were a bit subsided when i saw them at rutgers and they played stay small and smoke and mirrors. the new guy shreds and this album is a bit more electronic (read: good!) than their previous release. they seem to borrow some aspects from post rock as well which gives me a huge boner! A+!
5 the fall of troy - manipulator rounding out my top 5 is my favorite seattle three piece, tfot. being one of the bands who's live shows i've enjoyed the most and really want to see again, (come back without the deftones so i can actually enjoy you) this record being in my top 5 should come as no shock. having a different sound than doppleganger threw a lot of people off of this record but regardless i fucking love it. so many crazy songs about god knows what which dinosaurs, palindromes and semisonic references galore who wouldn't love this cd! a man a plan a canal panama is the greatest ending track in the history of man. fact.
Honorable mentions
modest mouse - we were dead before the ship even sank a big step above good news for people who love bad news. however, this definitely is not the 'lonesome crowded west' modest mouse we all love. its good to know that johnny marr of the smiths can still write amazing music. this is a very good beginning modest mouse record but once you go all the way to the crazier side this release seems tame
saves the day - under the boards i hate people who want the same record over and over. there's this thing called change and it happens to the best of us. let it embrace you and listen to this cd again. i love saves the days don't give a fuck attitude. they rules hands down. under the boards is a downtempo std album compared to the rest but that is the aspect that it shines. i love the jazzy influence and the beatles from hell sound on this record. kudos std you are always evolving. never stop.
explosions in the sky - all the sudden i miss everyone my favorite texan post rock entrepreneurs are back in action. all the sudden features some of the best songs i've ever heard EITS play. they proclaim this is their favorite release and it is mine as well. breathtaking music.
maylene and the sons of disaster - II HOORAY FOR SOUTHERN ROCK! i'm glad dallas taylor left underoath because it brought us maylene, named after a mom and her delinquent sons (of disaster... bad joke) this band does southern rock right and they do it hard. this music always makes me want to watch a western movie akin to clint eastwoods the good the bad and the ugly or a fistful of dollars.
minus the bear - planet of ice ah minus the bear. the best indie band with a blowjob reference in their name. one of the only bands that i am dying to see live. i miss botch as much as the rest of planet earth but i would never want minus the bear to cease to play amazing music. this is a solid record exploring a darker feel than menos el oso. They cannot seem to surpass Highly Refined Pirates however... oh well i'll keep listening
More Honorable Mentions!!!
every time i die - the big dirty the buffalo boys are back with their follow up from gutter phenomenon and in a big way. the big dirty is all about attitude and it shows. with riffs so good that they can prevent frostbite and breakdowns so brutal that they can cure cancer, the big dirty is the feel good record of the year. i wish Keith buckley would actually write crazy lyrics about business interviews again. GET THAT MAN MORE JACK DANIELS!
the number twelve looks like you - Mongrel first of all I <3 the 12. lulz! Mongrel is better produced, better written and extremely fun than their older stuff. not to knock put on your red rosy glasses or nuclear.sad.nuclear but mongrel is like punching your sister in the face and then ripping a sweet solo. again i <3 the 12
Coheed and cambria - burning star iv...no world for tomorrow coheed is back with more sweet riffage than ever and a straight up 80's song! (i'm looking at you feathers!) the loss of josh eppard will be felt in the rhythm section for sure but i'm sure the DEP guy can handle it. Taylor hawkin as a studio drummer completely rips it up on this album. I felt burning star Iv part 1 had a lot of good ideas with a lot of not so good ones but part 2 makes up for it with more distinct songs and just sweet solos and classic claudio vocals. come tour again please!
Horse the band - a natural death SO BREAKDOWNY ENOUGH! enough said. also kangarooster meadows live = sex
Disappointments of 2007
only one so far
circa survive - on letting go i liked circa survive better when they weren't writing the same song 12 times. i'm sorry. :(
again i haven't thought about this too much so there might be additions and some shuffling in the months to come.
ps. there's this one band who's cd i think is coming out your sweet uncertainty or whatever. it might be good.
1. Dear Hunter - Act II Casey has been hard at work pounding out emotional almost broadway like songs again. Act 2 captures everything good about the first act and then some. this 15 track 75+ minute cd has been a mainstay in my cd player (scratch that... itunes) for the better part of the year. phenomenal cd. honestly the most creative music i have heard all year. excellent live show also
2. between the buried and me - colors a huge step above alaska. btbam come at you with an amazing concept album that is 8 tracks of seemless music with as much tempo changes as michael jackson has had new noses. another amazing release and one of the most brutal shows i've seen lately. this is close tie with dear hunter
AFTER THIS POINT IT GETS A BIT FUZZY
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows Biggest surprise of the year. I've known that they were writing a 7th album for a while but no one knew any details besides that THEN BAM!!! they announced the biggest movement in music so far Online download with choose your own price. I'm a huge radiohead fan and this is only half of two cds of material expect this to be higher on my list come end of december.
4 the receiving end of sirens - the earth sings mi fa mi with the loss of casey i was bit concerned with the creative direction of the band especially after hearing the dear hunter's work. my doubts were a bit subsided when i saw them at rutgers and they played stay small and smoke and mirrors. the new guy shreds and this album is a bit more electronic (read: good!) than their previous release. they seem to borrow some aspects from post rock as well which gives me a huge boner! A+!
5 the fall of troy - manipulator rounding out my top 5 is my favorite seattle three piece, tfot. being one of the bands who's live shows i've enjoyed the most and really want to see again, (come back without the deftones so i can actually enjoy you) this record being in my top 5 should come as no shock. having a different sound than doppleganger threw a lot of people off of this record but regardless i fucking love it. so many crazy songs about god knows what which dinosaurs, palindromes and semisonic references galore who wouldn't love this cd! a man a plan a canal panama is the greatest ending track in the history of man. fact.
Honorable mentions
modest mouse - we were dead before the ship even sank a big step above good news for people who love bad news. however, this definitely is not the 'lonesome crowded west' modest mouse we all love. its good to know that johnny marr of the smiths can still write amazing music. this is a very good beginning modest mouse record but once you go all the way to the crazier side this release seems tame
saves the day - under the boards i hate people who want the same record over and over. there's this thing called change and it happens to the best of us. let it embrace you and listen to this cd again. i love saves the days don't give a fuck attitude. they rules hands down. under the boards is a downtempo std album compared to the rest but that is the aspect that it shines. i love the jazzy influence and the beatles from hell sound on this record. kudos std you are always evolving. never stop.
explosions in the sky - all the sudden i miss everyone my favorite texan post rock entrepreneurs are back in action. all the sudden features some of the best songs i've ever heard EITS play. they proclaim this is their favorite release and it is mine as well. breathtaking music.
maylene and the sons of disaster - II HOORAY FOR SOUTHERN ROCK! i'm glad dallas taylor left underoath because it brought us maylene, named after a mom and her delinquent sons (of disaster... bad joke) this band does southern rock right and they do it hard. this music always makes me want to watch a western movie akin to clint eastwoods the good the bad and the ugly or a fistful of dollars.
minus the bear - planet of ice ah minus the bear. the best indie band with a blowjob reference in their name. one of the only bands that i am dying to see live. i miss botch as much as the rest of planet earth but i would never want minus the bear to cease to play amazing music. this is a solid record exploring a darker feel than menos el oso. They cannot seem to surpass Highly Refined Pirates however... oh well i'll keep listening
More Honorable Mentions!!!
every time i die - the big dirty the buffalo boys are back with their follow up from gutter phenomenon and in a big way. the big dirty is all about attitude and it shows. with riffs so good that they can prevent frostbite and breakdowns so brutal that they can cure cancer, the big dirty is the feel good record of the year. i wish Keith buckley would actually write crazy lyrics about business interviews again. GET THAT MAN MORE JACK DANIELS!
the number twelve looks like you - Mongrel first of all I <3 the 12. lulz! Mongrel is better produced, better written and extremely fun than their older stuff. not to knock put on your red rosy glasses or nuclear.sad.nuclear but mongrel is like punching your sister in the face and then ripping a sweet solo. again i <3 the 12
Coheed and cambria - burning star iv...no world for tomorrow coheed is back with more sweet riffage than ever and a straight up 80's song! (i'm looking at you feathers!) the loss of josh eppard will be felt in the rhythm section for sure but i'm sure the DEP guy can handle it. Taylor hawkin as a studio drummer completely rips it up on this album. I felt burning star Iv part 1 had a lot of good ideas with a lot of not so good ones but part 2 makes up for it with more distinct songs and just sweet solos and classic claudio vocals. come tour again please!
Horse the band - a natural death SO BREAKDOWNY ENOUGH! enough said. also kangarooster meadows live = sex
Disappointments of 2007
only one so far
circa survive - on letting go i liked circa survive better when they weren't writing the same song 12 times. i'm sorry. :(
again i haven't thought about this too much so there might be additions and some shuffling in the months to come.
ps. there's this one band who's cd i think is coming out your sweet uncertainty or whatever. it might be good.