Monday, October 15, 2007

new music

I've mentioned more than once that I've been getting rid of music, and also that I haven't been acquiring a lot of new music. I have managed to get some cds with store credits from my trade-ins, only a few of which are 2007 releases (unlike last year, there is not likely to be a year-end best-of post here).

This is the entire list of 2007 albums that I have (those marked * were acquired with store credit):

*Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (only a few listens, pretty good)

Bowerbirds - Hymns for a Dark Horse (bought at the Mountain Goats show where they opened; the album is quite nice, if a little samey)

Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whaleheart (had a hard time with this at first, then it was growing on me, but it's been months since I last played it and I can't really say what I think of it now)

Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity (still resisting me; not nearly so good as Reveille or Apple O')

*Feist - The Reminder (pretty; finding it alternately boring and excellent, depending on my mood)

Jesu - Conqueror (very good; expands on the awesomeness of last year's Silver ep)

Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (awesome)

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (mostly excellent; I've praised "All My Friends", but "Us V Them" is also fantastic, as is "North American Scum", about which, incidentally, see this great Mike Barthel post at Clap Clap)

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (haven't warmed to it yet, but Scraps says it's great, so I should probably make more of an effort, considering Modest Mouse has been close to my favorite rock band in recent years)

Panda Bear - Person Pitch (months later, still my record of the year)

*Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (sounds like a good Spoon album, which isn't a bad thing)

Vibracathedral Orchestra - Wisdom Thunderbolt (very good; quality drone music)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That Spoon album is growing on me more and more. Yes, it's "another" Spoon album, but they are so good at what they do.

I think a band can work very hard at refining their "sound" in a practice space or onstage, but Spoon makes so much of the studio that it's more of an "aesthetic" than a "sound." They employ the studio the same way they do the drums or the bass - less as a foundation and more as puncuation for a moment.

That probably makes no sense - it's still early for me - but listen to this album on headphones if you haven't already, and a million little details will reveal themselves.