A year's worth of albums I haven't heard yet

[Wario Lemieux]

My New Year's Resolution was to listen to 5 albums a week that I'd never heard before, all year. This thread is to chronicle that effort. With luck, this'll spawn discussion, get some good recommendations in, and not turn me into a drooling mess that never wants to hear anything remotely tuneful ever again.

January 4th: Wilco, Sky Blue Sky

I liked this better than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (which I heard last year), maybe because the lyrics didn't make me groan as much or because Nels Cline is shit hot. Shit hot. "Impossible Germany" is going to get repeated listens for sure.

January 5th: Radiohead, The Bends

This kinda blew. I really liked OK Computer, so maybe I lean more towards the Kid A side of things. We'll find that out Friday. Czech described this as "mass appeal guitar rock", which is pretty fitting, I think.

January 6th: TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain

This might have to grow on me. I liked the second half much better than the first, but whether that's because I warmed up to them as the album progressed or because the second half is just better, I dunno. ain't got time for this re-listening jibba-jabba, i got like 257 more albums to listen to

January 7th: Russian Circles, Geneva

Good stuff here. It overcame my main beef with instrumental rock/metal, where it often ends up sounding like a long intro to a track with vocals that never comes. It has violin!

On deck: Radiohead, Kid A

 

[Wario Lemieux]

never wants to hear anything remotely tuneful ever again.

Insert crack about metal!

 

[Precious Roy]

January 5th: Radiohead, The Bends

This kinda blew.

FAIL

 

[Incandenza]

The Bends remains the best Radiohead album, but I've flogged that horse many a time re: that argument.

 

[Byron The Bulb]

So are you open to all recommendations, or are there specific things your looking for or what

 

[Wario Lemieux]

Being open to new shit is part of the reason I'm doing this. Throw out whatever you want. I can find something to like about most things.

 

[The Coat Is My Father]

On deck: TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain; Russian Circles, Geneva; Radiohead, Kid A

You're gonna have a good week.

 

[Byron The Bulb]

Being open to new shit is part of the reason I'm doing this. Throw out whatever you want. I can find something to like about most things.

Listen to Ys by Joanna Newsom.

 

[Sesquipedaliantique]

Check out Reservoir by Fanfarlo and xx by The xx. Easily the two best debut albums (to mine non metal ears) of 2009.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

Third Ear Band-Elements

Weird medieval/eastern/prog/folk concept acid shit.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

I can't find Air or Earth on youtube, but you'll either love it or hate it from those two tracks.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

Early Man-Beware The Circling Fin (EP)

Early 80s bay area thrash revival sort of thing. Their full length, Closing In, is a casserole of all things 70s and 80s metal, influences worn proudly on sleeves and represented well while still sounding creative and original. I like 'em a bunch.

 

[fazzle]

Imogen Heap - I Megaphone
Brassy - Got It Made
Urban Species - Blanket
The Birthday Massacre - Violet
Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad

Some good shit that hopefully you hadn't heard before.

 

[Wario Lemieux]

January 9th: Radiohead - Kid A

This was like 15 times better than The Bends, so clearly I prefer electronic Radiohead. I'm only just now writing about it so I can't pinpoint any parts that I really liked, but this was a really solid album almost start to finish, except for the title track.


January 11th: Frank Zappa - Hot Rats

Go figure that in an album full of guitar solos, my favorite part would be the blistering electric violin solo on "The Gumbo Variations". "Peaches En Regalia" and "Willie the Pimp" were also big favorites, and I'm definitely going to pick up more Zappa throughout the year.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

Get The Grand Wazoo next.

 

[Czech]

Waka/Jawaka before The Grand Wazoo, but possibly both in one sitting.

 

[tonyjaymz03]

some random recommendations:

Whiskey on a Sunday-Flogging Molly
Break Up-Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
Guero-Beck

I actually have never listened to a Radiohead album, except for In Rainbows. I'm going to go download them all.

 

[Czech]

Start with The Bends, then go with OK Computer if you liked it, and then if you liked that, lock yourself in a dark room and listen to Kid A and Amnesiac.

I listened to Waka/Jawaka after bringing it up this morning. Had that album for just over five years and it still wows me every time.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

Big Swifty is the best thing Zappa's ever done, but I like Grand Wazoo more overall. I mean, Waka/Jawaka is just those two songs and that's it, really.

 

[Czech]

Splendid pedal steel solo on "It Just Might Be a One-Shot Deal," don't forget.

 

[Taxman]

Sebadoh - The Freed Man (original version) or Weed Forestin'

 

[Wario Lemieux]

January 12th: Dave Brubeck - Time Out

This was kind of cool with the time signatures and whatnot, but it also sort of dragged into "wallpaper music at Panera" territory. Pretty solid stuff, though.

January 13th: Venom - Black Metal

LAY DOWN YOUR SOUL TO THE GODS ROCK AND ROLL

No, but seriously, this was pretty bad. Prototypical black metal album, but not all that black metal. More thrash, really. Not very good thrash, either!

January 14th: Frank Zappa - Waka/Jawaka

This started bad and ended up good!

January 15th: Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

This started bad and ended up bad!

 

[Byron The Bulb]

January 15th: Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

This started bad and ended up bad!

Be gone, blasphemer.

 

[alkeiper]

I'm on a similar kick. I try to limit myself to an album a week though. I think you need to listen to an album twice before you can really form a solid opinion on it.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

January 12th: Dave Brubeck - Time Out

This was kind of cool with the time signatures and whatnot, but it also sort of dragged into "wallpaper music at Panera" territory. Pretty solid stuff, though.

January 13th: Venom - Black Metal

LAY DOWN YOUR SOUL TO THE GODS ROCK AND ROLL

No, but seriously, this was pretty bad. Prototypical black metal album, but not all that black metal. More thrash, really. Not very good thrash, either!

January 14th: Frank Zappa - Waka/Jawaka

This started bad and ended up good!

January 15th: Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

This started bad and ended up bad!

Dead to me.

 

[alkeiper]

A couple albums I've checked out this year, to put my own head on the chopping block.

The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society

A pretty fantastic album. It's a tremendous nostalgia kick, and I don't know why "Do You Remember Walter?" isn't well known. It's incredibly poignant.

Sufjen Stevens - Come On Feel the Illinois

It's a bit pretentious. The songs are generally above average. But damn does this album absolutely produce its moments of breathtakingly beautiful music.

 

[Wario Lemieux]

Dead to me.

Hey, I only disliked the first 5 minutes of "Big Swifty".

 

[Smartly Pretty]

Czech's first rant about Illinois on the old board was really awesome but I could never find it. Oh well.

Someone listen to Up From Below by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. So rad.

 

[alkeiper]

The Zombies - Odyssey and Oracle

Fantastic album of psychedelic pop. Gets better every time I listen.

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

I like Jazz, but I don't really know the genre well. This is easily accessible though, just a fantastic easy listen. You don't need to be a jazz hound to know this is good.

 

[Byron The Bulb]

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

I like Jazz, but I don't really know the genre well. This is easily accessible though, just a fantastic easy listen. You don't need to be a jazz hound to know this is good.

Exactly! Which is why Wario's response is so totally baffling. I think he might be literally the only person in the history of western judeo-xtian society who's listened to that album and not enjoyed it on some level.

 

[alkeiper]

I forgot Wario even looked at that album first.