'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love More, Pt. 13

Love More (<3)
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
I have to say I was not expecting this album to sound the way it did at all. The first track jumps up and beats on your brain in ways so completely foreign to any Sigur Rós fan that it's bound to have made a few people simple turn the record off. Sigur Rós is known for their spacey, ethereal Post-Rock tendencies, so to see this new, energetic, and all around joyous album is a fairly strange thing indeed. Possibly the most uplifting album of the year.
Sigur Rós - Gobbledigook
Sigur Rós - Ára bátur

Why? - Alopecia
This is one of those albums that I point people to when they tell me that few good albums came out this year. Because of Why?'s atypical rapping habits, people may be turned off by these songs, but I charge you really delve into the irregularities and really groove with it. Why? is another of those rappers that, I have to say, completely confuses me with his lyrics. Why? could be talking about anything. This is another one of those Hip-Hop acts that I will forever have respect for because, behind it all, there's a band, and to think a full band could make such curious compositions is a darn good band.
Why? - These Few Presidents
Why? - Brooks & Waxing

Murder by Death - Red Of Tooth And Claw and Fuego! EP
Daaaaaamn good. There are those who feel that it didn't match up to their older stuff or even to their own potential, but I think it was just fantastic. I had mentioned that Johnny Cash would be proud of these fellas had he had the chance to hear them, but now I'm leaning more toward the idea that they no longer owe anything to Mr. Cash, they've made their own way. Bravo MbD.
from the album:
Murder by Death - Comin' Home
Murder by Death - The Black Spot
from the EP:
Murder by Death - My Baby Shot Me Down (live)

Bryan Scary and The Shredding Tears - Flight of the Knife
Bryan Scary, as it turns out, is a genius. I had mentioned that this album shows certain affinity towards bands like Queen, well after listening to it a few more times, I can safely say that this album belongs along side the Queen catalog and the Who catalog as one of the most epic rock operas around. The virtuosity shown on the album, however, surpasses anything that either of those bands have pumped out. A bold statement, but you have to realize that while I respect those bands, I've never been extraordinarily impressed by them. Bryan Scary impresses me.
Bryan Scary - Flight of the Knife (pt. I)
Bryan Scary - Mama Waits


STAY TUNED FOR THE LAST PART AND MY "FAVORITE ALBUM OF 08" POST! :)

'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love, Pt. 11

Love (<)
Sons and Daughters - This Gift
I find myself constantly forgetting what this band even sounds like, and that's not because their music isn't good. I can't really figure it out. But that's certainly one reason the album isn't higher on my list. Sometimes I go with my gut. Well, I always do. Anyway, the music is catchy and dancy and the lyrics are totally "sing-a-long-in-your-car-on-your-way-to-someplace" worthy. I think if they focused themselves they could come up with an epic indie rock album.
Sons and Daughters - Split Lips

Casy and Brian - Catbees
San Fransiscan duo Casy and Brian are electric and peculiar. Sometimes their songs get a little long or a diverge from the dancey nature of their music, but heck, what's a song without a little experimentation? I can't wait until these guys get a little money behind them and get in a good studio so we can hear what they're really capable of.
Casy and Brian - Deux Drumbaclots

Jabee/OB-one - Because I Won EP
Okay, to be honest, I don't know why I liked this EP so much. The lyrics are actually a little dull, and the first track and last track are basically just Jabee talking about all the people he'd like to thank. The beats are good but not phenomenal. I think I attached to it so much because it seemed like there was a lot of promise underneath it all. I dunno. Maybe.
Jabee/OB-one - My Speed

Patti Smith, Kevin Shields - The Coral Sea
This release was a little hard to get through. That's not because it's bad, but because it's dense. A 2 disc set, each disc containing a single live performance of Patti Smith's epic poem The Coral Sea, with Kevin Shields doing improv wickedness behind her. When Patti Smith sets out to say something, she doesn't do so without a little forethought, so the text is deep. Her rich poetry flows swimmingly with Kevin Shields improv compositions. It's clearly a great work, but it's hard to get through unless you set aside some time to sit and listen to it.
Patti Smith, Kevin Shields - Performance I, Part I

Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth
This was one of the albums I attached to early on this year, and I'd forgotten why until a few days ago when I listened to it again. The band clearly knows what they're doing in the music department, they understand that they're basically the only ones making the music that they're making, so whatever they do is probably going to be, on some level, interesting. Thing is, as far as I can tell, they don't stop there, and they decide to make good music. Mixing Cambodian pop, psych, and indie pop, these cats have crafted quite the release.
Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Card

Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears- Flight of the Knife
Verdict: Love (<)
Reminded me a lot of Queen, but if Queen were to have come about recently
Bryan Scary - Flight of the Knife (pt. I)
Bryan Scary - Mama Waits
Bryan Scary - Venus Ambassador