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Best albums of 2018 - playlists in post #1 (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter kupcho1
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Footballguy
Northern Voice
Footballguy
If you like Sloan, their new album 12 is probably my favourite of theirs since 2006 (Never Hear the End of It) but it's unmistakably a Sloan album, so if well done power pop isn't your thing, you can probably pass on it (or give One Chord to Another another listen).
The 12 shtick is that it's their 12th album and there are 12 songs. Like most Sloan albums, it's distributed evenly among the band members, with three written/led by each of the four band members.
Allmusic review sums it well:
The 12 shtick is that it's their 12th album and there are 12 songs. Like most Sloan albums, it's distributed evenly among the band members, with three written/led by each of the four band members.
Allmusic review sums it well:
12 was released a quarter-century after Sloan released their debut album, 1993's Smeared. While most bands go through plenty of changes in 25 years, this is one group that seems to have been spared the ravages of time. The four guys who founded Sloan -- Jay Ferguson (guitar and vocals), Patrick Pentland (guitar and vocals), Chris Murphy (bass and vocals), and Andrew Scott (drums and vocals) -- are still the same four guys in the band today, and their joyous fusion of power pop tunes and rock & roll guitar alchemy sounds as fresh and satisfying as it ever has. Sloan's 2014 release, Commonwealth, focused on the four different musical personalities at work in the group, with each member writing and arranging what would have been one side on a double-vinyl release. 2018's 12 (which happens to be the group's 12th album, as well as featuring 12 songs) finds them in more unified form; while the advance press on the album reported each member wrote three songs for this effort, the tunes are credited simply to Sloan, and while one can spot bits of the players' individual personalities here, 12 is solidly a group effort, with the band sounding fully engaged and inspired throughout. Sloan are a band that have been able to mature without losing sight of what made them memorable in the first place; the craft of their songwriting has grown stronger, their melodic ideas are more thoughtful, but the high-flying guitar lines and the group's brilliant harmonies are still pure pop ambrosia, both of the moment and utterly timeless. "44 Teenagers" is an unusual achievement, a song about youth written from a middle-aged perspective that's neither cloying, sentimental, nor short-sighted. It's rare enough for an act like Sloan to endure, but it's even rarer for them to maintain a level of quality as strong as these guys; 12 proves that they refuse to simply tread water, and it's smart, heartfelt music from an uncommonly great band. If only more people outside of Canada knew just how good they are.
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Eephus
Footballguy
There are a couple of recent supergroup projects that are worth a listen, especially if you're a fan of the original bands.
Mastersystem combines Frightened Rabbit, The Editors and Minor Victories for a record of mostly ferocious post-punk
MIEN is a collaboration from members of The Horrors, Black Angels, Elephant Stone and the Earlies. This one is a heady mixture of psychedelic and Krautrock complete with the occasional sitar and droning synths.
Of the two, I like Mastersystem more from the get go because it's cool to hear Scott Hutchison sing with very different accompaniment. Side projects usually don't get the songwriters' best material but at least both records get above the level of a bunch of mates banging out some music between tours.
Mastersystem combines Frightened Rabbit, The Editors and Minor Victories for a record of mostly ferocious post-punk
MIEN is a collaboration from members of The Horrors, Black Angels, Elephant Stone and the Earlies. This one is a heady mixture of psychedelic and Krautrock complete with the occasional sitar and droning synths.
Of the two, I like Mastersystem more from the get go because it's cool to hear Scott Hutchison sing with very different accompaniment. Side projects usually don't get the songwriters' best material but at least both records get above the level of a bunch of mates banging out some music between tours.
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
Scott is getting his rock out on this album. I like it.
Not as good as the best Frightened Rabbit, but well worth hearing.
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
Teenage Wrist - Chrome Neon Jesus
More 90's nostalgia and very derivative, but if you were born between 1967 and 1983, and/or liked Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel and My Bloody Valentine, you may like it.
More 90's nostalgia and very derivative, but if you were born between 1967 and 1983, and/or liked Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel and My Bloody Valentine, you may like it.
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The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
Northern Voice
Footballguy
Mastersystem is good and maybe very good but not as great as Frightened Rabbit IMO.
King Tuff out today (now) and 'Psycho Star' remains song of the year.
King Tuff out today (now) and 'Psycho Star' remains song of the year.
El Floppo
Footballguy
That King Tuff veered in a different direction than previous Floppinho friendly stuff. Still good, and yeah that's a good tune, but less heavy.
Have you listened to the new City Calm Down? Full album out and continued reincarnation of an 80s band I can't quite put my finger on... Dream Syndicate maybe....it's good.
Northern Voice
Footballguy
The less heavy is probably why I like this one so much, seems they've gone synth alongside the big guitars.
I haven't listened to City Calm Down but I'll add it to today's queue. In general it seems like there's less out today that I'm interested in which is good to get caught up after a couple loaded weeks.
Pitchfork panned that new Eels album this morning.
El Floppo
Footballguy
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Northern Voice
Footballguy
Yeah, this is really really good. Obvious comparisons are Joy Division/The Cure but I love how they have the drums way up front in the mix, reminds me of The National or The RAA in that sense and separates it from being just another band playing early-80s influenced post-punk tunes.
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
It’s rating a 77 on Metacritic, though. The ‘fork is definitely an outlier at this point.
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
After reading yours and NV’s comps I knew I’d love this.
I’m hearing the Chameleons too.
El Floppo
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
funny- I was hearing a bit of the national too (behind the chameleons)
eta: and they're more new wave, IMO, than what I'm hearing from the current post-punk renaissance
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Nigel Tufnel
Footballguy
RIP Clearance Event by the Sueves is a fun little riff fest. @ericttspikes you might like. Chicago band too.
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
Big fan. I’ve seen them a few times. Probably the loudest shows I’ve ever been to.El Floppo said:
El Floppo
Footballguy
There are some rippers on it, but it's also a bit monotone- especially given how many songs there are.
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
Eephus
Footballguy
"Spoons" by Lady Bird will help tide you over until the next IDLES release.
The rest of Lady Bird's EP is nothing special but this track is as catchy as plague.
The rest of Lady Bird's EP is nothing special but this track is as catchy as plague.
Eephus
Footballguy
Juliana Hatfield's tribute to Olivia Newton-John is better than I expected. When a singer does an album length tribute to a single artist, I think there's a tendency to play things straighter than either tributes with multiple performers or one singer's all-covers album. Hatfield's mostly straightforward arrangements bring out the quality of the songwriting of the originals. John Farrar from the Strangers and the Shadows wrote a lot of Newton-John's big hits.
In a meta move, some joker named Sam Pocker released his tribute EP to Juliana Hatfield on the same day with similar album art. It's great schtick but musically it's still better than Taylor Swift covering EW&F
In a meta move, some joker named Sam Pocker released his tribute EP to Juliana Hatfield on the same day with similar album art. It's great schtick but musically it's still better than Taylor Swift covering EW&F
El Floppo
Footballguy
kupcho1
Footballguy
Jaysus
Good times!
Ty Segall
drpill
Footballguy
Amen Dunes is a grower IMO, I really like it.
Other pilltacular 2018 releases so far:
Shopping - The Official Body -- I love everything these kids do tbh, maybe not their very best but it's as good as dancy anti-consumerist post punk gets these days
Soccer Mommy - Clean -- also took a couple listens for the hooks to sink in, but it's a girl rocking out and it gives me Liz Phair vibes, and that makes me happy
Bonny Doon - Longwave -- chill folky kinda rock stuff in the Woodsist tradition, lazy summertime music
Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo -- jammy eastern-inspired guitar rock
Rival Consoles - Persona -- moody electronic music, riyl Oneohtrix etc
Lots of course that I haven't heard; plenty in this thread I need to check out. Cheers, y'all.
Nick Vermeil
Footballguy
The Dreaded Marco
Footballguy
I had that sense about Amen Dunes--did not hit me but I didn't dislike it. I'll give it another spin. As well as a first listen to those others as my musical tastes often overlap with yours.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. I hope you hang around for awhile.
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El Floppo
Footballguy
This post made me realize he has a new album. Kinda up and down but ends on a few really good tunes.
El Floppo
Footballguy
Listened again today... It's really working for me. It's a little less hard, which is normally the wrong direction for me- but it's doing a lot of Joy division, bass driven postpunk stuff instead. Really liking it.
drpill
Footballguy
Thanks, Marco! I do miss this place but I'm always a bit worried about how addictive it gets for me and what I might be giving up IRL to spend more time at the computer. It's amazing to come back and see how little has changed; it's probably the realest internet community I've ever encountered. It's really something special. I was indeed thinking about dipping my toe back in more seriously so we'll see how it goes.The Dreaded Marco said:
Back on topic, the Amen Dunes is worth powering through at least once or twice; there's a bit of a dead spot early on but it really picks up in the second half. Also I was thinking of you specifically Marco when writing about Bonny Doon. The closest comparison I can think of is Ultimate Painting, and I recall you were a fan of their stuff.
JZilla said:
drpill
Footballguy
Awesome! Yes, a strong Au Pairs heritage there, maybe a little Gang of Four for good measure. Their two previous albums are really good as well. Can't get enough Shopping, personally, they're maybe my favourite new band from the last few years. There's also a side project from one of the members called Sacred Paws that is quite different but also really good. Hooky guitar driven girly pop? I don't know how to describe things
El Floppo
Footballguy
Definite gang of four too.Awesome! Yes, a strong Au Pairs heritage there, maybe a little Gang of Four for good measure. Their two previous albums are really good as well. Can't get enough Shopping, personally, they're maybe my favourite new band from the last few years. There's also a side project from one of the members called Sacred Paws that is quite different but also really good. Hooky guitar driven girly pop? I don't know how to describe things
Have you been listening to any Priests?
Northern Voice
Footballguy
Sacred Paws that is quite different but also really good. Hooky guitar driven girly pop? I don't know how to describe things
In.
drpill
Footballguy
No, I'm kind of out of touch with a lot of stuff these days. I will check them out though; sounds up my alley.
El Floppo
Footballguy
Fwiw, there a bunch of 2018 ffa Spotify playlists in the first post of this thread... good place to start catching up.
Eephus
Footballguy
Northern Voice
Footballguy
I can relate to this. I'm much more of a hit and run FFA guy these days. I read and participate in all the music and music draft threads and the hockey thread and that's really about it.
I post way more in the baseball forum than I do here and I try to avoid the political forum at all costs...
For me it's less about time spent/addictiveness and more just having no interest in all the pointless arguments.
El Floppo
Footballguy
Soccer, music and film/tv for me.
The politics forum helped clear out most of the incessant bickering and bickerers.
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