Best Album of 2009

[Happy Face 29]

[Happy Face 29]

I did this wrong in a drunken state. I was supposed to supply the full album playlist...

 

 

Enjoy

[khay 10]

Some people forget that Youtube is blocked at work for some folk.

 

Its quite funny browsing the listening thread to see blank posts.

 

So still don't know who you have named happy fish.

 

I've not got any stand out albums so just going to pick the new brand new and thrice albums even though I've yet to listen to them more than twice.

[NJS 4411]

Toss up between The Manics' Journal for Plague Lovers and Placebo's Battle for the Sun for me.

[Kid Dynamite 7182]

 

 

Review: Our Time Down Here – Live, Love, Let Go

It’s been a long time coming for Southampton’s Our Time Down Here as the melodic hardcore crew finally release their debut full-length, Live, Love, Let Go.

 

First and foremost, after working with renowned UK punk producer Peter Miles (The King Blues, Sonic Boom Six), we have a band on our hands that has progressed in a big way. Long gone are the days of clichéd lyrics about the scene and music tailor-made for two-stepping with forced breakdowns; this is a band who has improved tenfold in substance, both musically and lyrically.

 

Needless to say, the quartet’s relentless amount of energy that you may have grown accustomed to is still very much intact, as the 26-second spitfire of an opener, and the very Shook Ones-esque Flip-Up Caps And Crew Neck Sweats, perfectly exemplifies the storming pace of the album – before flowing well (as do all tracks on this record) into the explosively catchy Curtain Call, demonstrating the band’s persistently positive mentality, boasting the inspiring and memorable line of, “Sometimes you gotta chin up and power fucking through!”

 

However, midway through track four, You Fucking Tragedy, you are immediately caught off guard as we see an admirable and refreshingly experimental change in the band’s typical style and pace, ending with a folksy acoustic number, guaranteed to amass sing-a-longs aplenty live; one of the many surprises this record has in store. The band’s high-energy is swiftly restored in the following and stand out track Tony and The Gang, ridden in fist-in-the-air gang vocals galore, a common feature throughout the record.

 

Another high point is the raw vocal delivery of frontman Will Gould, which, at times, is very reminiscent of former Comeback Kid vocalist Scott Wade, as he yells his vocal chords to shreds, most notably during the latter half of Dusk as Gould unremittingly spits out his words without catching a breath. Brilliant.

 

Opting for a peculiar contrast, final track Orange and Red ends with a delightful piano piece aided by an acoustic, a surprisingly soothing end to the 13-track onslaught of predominantly pleasing chaos.

 

There is honestly little to fault, every track sounds huge and the top production has unquestionably helped the band to shine and show off their full potential. Our Time Down Here have really stepped up their game with this one, exceeding all hype and expectations

Edited November 2, 2009 by Kid Dynamite

[Kid Dynamite 7182]

 

Theyve blatantly just stuck Baba O'reilly on the turntable, the needles got stuck for a couple of minutes and they thought it sounded like it would make a good tune

 

 

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[Happy Face 29]

Some people forget that Youtube is blocked at work for some folk.

 

Its quite funny browsing the listening thread to see blank posts.

 

So still don't know who you have named happy fish.

 

I've not got any stand out albums so just going to pick the new brand new and thrice albums even though I've yet to listen to them more than twice.

 

Sorry Khay, how does this one do you...

 

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/playlist/D...Bromst/16894857

 

[Happy Face 29]

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type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>">

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type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350">

 

I hate The Who.

 

Enjoyed the first minute of that though.

[Kid Dynamite 7182]

So did Dan Deacon evidently

[Happy Face 29]

 

 

Review: Our Time Down Here – Live, Love, Let Go

It’s been a long time coming for Southampton’s Our Time Down Here as the melodic hardcore crew finally release their debut full-length, Live, Love, Let Go.

 

First and foremost, after working with renowned UK punk producer Peter Miles (The King Blues, Sonic Boom Six), we have a band on our hands that has progressed in a big way. Long gone are the days of clichéd lyrics about the scene and music tailor-made for two-stepping with forced breakdowns; this is a band who has improved tenfold in substance, both musically and lyrically.

 

Needless to say, the quartet’s relentless amount of energy that you may have grown accustomed to is still very much intact, as the 26-second spitfire of an opener, and the very Shook Ones-esque Flip-Up Caps And Crew Neck Sweats, perfectly exemplifies the storming pace of the album – before flowing well (as do all tracks on this record) into the explosively catchy Curtain Call, demonstrating the band’s persistently positive mentality, boasting the inspiring and memorable line of, “Sometimes you gotta chin up and power fucking through!”

 

However, midway through track four, You Fucking Tragedy, you are immediately caught off guard as we see an admirable and refreshingly experimental change in the band’s typical style and pace, ending with a folksy acoustic number, guaranteed to amass sing-a-longs aplenty live; one of the many surprises this record has in store. The band’s high-energy is swiftly restored in the following and stand out track Tony and The Gang, ridden in fist-in-the-air gang vocals galore, a common feature throughout the record.

 

Another high point is the raw vocal delivery of frontman Will Gould, which, at times, is very reminiscent of former Comeback Kid vocalist Scott Wade, as he yells his vocal chords to shreds, most notably during the latter half of Dusk as Gould unremittingly spits out his words without catching a breath. Brilliant.

 

Opting for a peculiar contrast, final track Orange and Red ends with a delightful piano piece aided by an acoustic, a surprisingly soothing end to the 13-track onslaught of predominantly pleasing chaos.

 

There is honestly little to fault, every track sounds huge and the top production has unquestionably helped the band to shine and show off their full potential. Our Time Down Here have really stepped up their game with this one, exceeding all hype and expectations

 

Named after The Goonies quote i presume?

[Kid Dynamite 7182]

Of course

[Happy Face 29]

Of course

 

Can't find much on Grooveshark or Youtube. The latter has Revelations, which is an enjoyably raucous din.

[sammynb 3517]

I can't think of anything I've bought this year that was released this year!

[Kid Dynamite 7182]

Of course

 

Can't find much on Grooveshark or Youtube. The latter has Revelations, which is an enjoyably raucous din.

 

Thats why you need Spotify. Grooveshark is gash

[khay 10]

Some people forget that Youtube is blocked at work for some folk.

 

Its quite funny browsing the listening thread to see blank posts.

 

So still don't know who you have named happy fish.

 

I've not got any stand out albums so just going to pick the new brand new and thrice albums even though I've yet to listen to them more than twice.

 

Sorry Khay, how does this one do you...

 

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/playlist/D...Bromst/16894857

 

 

 

Not a problem. Is was more for myself forgetting I'm at work when I click on it.

[Missed Sticks 0]

Haven't bought much this year but Eternal by Sonic Youth was a good find.

[Park Life 71]

Some people forget that Youtube is blocked at work for some folk.

 

Its quite funny browsing the listening thread to see blank posts.

 

So still don't know who you have named happy fish.

 

I've not got any stand out albums so just going to pick the new brand new and thrice albums even though I've yet to listen to them more than twice.

 

Sorry Khay, how does this one do you...

 

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/playlist/D...Bromst/16894857

 

 

 

Most of it sounds like a dodgy concept 70's album.

[Tom 14013]

I can't think of anything I've bought this year that was released this year!

 

Have Australia got the Beatles yet?

[Happy Face 29]

A record by psychedelic indie act Animal Collective has been named best album of 2009 in a round-up of end-of-year polls by UK music critics.

 

Merriweather Post Pavilion, their eighth studio album, topped retailer HMV's annual "poll of polls" survey.

 

HMV rock and pop manager John Hirst said the New York band's album "sounded like nothing else out there".

 

Nominations from press and online critics in the UK and Ireland were collated, with 34 organisations polled.

 

The music retailer goes through this process each December to find the album with the greatest acclaim across the spectrum.

 

And in the event of a tie, where two or more albums receive the same number of nominations, the album with the highest combined placings in the critics' selections has been given the higher position.

 

POLL OF POLLS

1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

3. The XX - The XX

4. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

5. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

6. Horrors - Primary Colours

7. Fever Ray - Fever Ray

8. Florence and the Machine - Lungs

9. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

10. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

Source: HMV

 

One notable trend was that eight out of the top 10 acts in the poll are signed to independent record labels.

 

Another pattern saw New York-based bands dominate the higher ranks in the survey, with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear joining Animal Collective to claim four of the top five positions.

 

Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was released in January and reached number 26 in the charts, received 13 nominations.

 

It was named album of the year by Mojo and Uncut magazines, as well as the Sunday Times.

 

The Domino-signed three-piece band, who are known for their innovative sampling of other artists' work, narrowly beat the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whose third studio album It's Blitz was widely acclaimed.

 

Indie rockers The XX, the highest rated UK act, were third.

 

The self-titled debut by the four-piece from London, which was released in August, reached number 36 in the charts.

 

Fourth place was claimed by Brooklyn-based experimental rock outfit Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear, another act from the New York borough, was fifth.

 

Mr Hirst said the Animal Collective album was "selling steadily" after being discovered by fans "through word-of-mouth".

 

He added: "It's also encouraging to see indie labels doing so well, which reflects on the vibrant state of our music right now."

 

The Seldom Seen Kid, by last year's Mercury Prize winners Elbow, topped the 2008 poll.

 

In recent years records from Arcade Fire, OutKast, Kanye West and Daft Punk have been named as the critics' choice.

 

No Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix?

[AgentAxeman 189]

fuck me, what a pile of shite on that list!

[Rob W 0]

not exactly a vintage year IMHO

[1892 0]

Horrors? Bats For Lashes? Best Album of 2009?

 

No White Lies, Prodigy, Maccabees, Calvin Harris, Muse?

 

Even Mummford & Sons, and Temper Trap are decent shouts tbh.

[Rob W 0]

even the Duckworth Lewis Method showed some sense of invention - Bat for Lashes is Kate Bush 2009

[sammynb 3517]

even the Duckworth Lewis Method showed some sense of invention - Bat for Lashes is Kate Bush 2009

 

Chalk this up for the first thing Rob W has gotten correct in a longtime.

 

I can't think of anything I've bought this year that was released this year!

 

Have Australia got the Beatles yet?

 

And I missed this at the time - Yes Tom, you can buy Please Please me & With the Beatles in the local "record" shops. Hopefully they will release A hard day's night sometime in the next few years but not a lot of us can play them as our gramaphones only play 78's

 

These guys Aquarium Drunkard have interesting best of 2009 and the noughties lists, with downloadable samples.

[Park Life 71]

Was given the Lily Allen for x mas...Very addictive and sexy in a kind of camden for coffee in the afternoon with a spliff kind of way....Cheap jumper in the market...I'll say!!