'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love More, Pt. 7

Love More (<3)
Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers
Gosh, what a peculiar band. The album is nothing like their live set. When I saw them live I would have to say I'd compare it to what getting punched in the face while having rabbits scream in your ear. It's not that it's bad, by any stretch of the mind, it's just really intense. The album has the same songs, but not with the same intensity. In true Xiu Xiu fashion, the songs are weird, and sad, and talk about very ... well they talk about topics that are not frequently addressed in popular music. This album has some very good songs, but the cover of Under Pressure just didn't catch my fancy. Oh well, it's fun and dark and has some strange instruments.
Xiu Xiu - Black Keyboard
Xiu Xiu - I Do What I When I Want

Yip-Yip - Two Kings of the Same Kingdom
I was not ready for this album when I heard it. I thought it was just a bad stab as peculiar electro Dan Deacon-y chiptune music. So I watched a few videos, and I discovered that Yip-Yip are two of the most punk kids around. Watch a few and see whats I mean. Then I went back to the album and I listened more intently, and I found some of the most bizarre, but very intricately composed 8-bit epics. No, not for everyone, but maybe it's for you...
Yip-Yip - Anarchist Clog
Yip-Yip - Sprinkle Council

Norther - N
One of the few metal albums that made the list this year, and for a good reason: Metal is getting old. There are only so many things that can be done with the genre unless you start adding sub-genres and other such things. I have a feeling the only reason I liked this album is because it sounded a lot like the albums I used to like back in the day, and maybe it was a nostalgia trip. Yes, it is a brutal album. Yes, it's heavy and full of destruction. But, Metal, it's been done. Even this album has it's betters, and it's a fairly competent album. Do you like metal? If not, skip this, if so, give it a shot, I have no idea if you'll like it. I did, but, frankly, I may not here in a year or so.
Norther - Black Gold
Norther - Frozen Angel

No Age - Nouns
A distorted mess, but playing in the mud can make you feel like a kid again, and if this album is anything, it's a trip down memory avenue. The songs are, almost by a rule, underwhelming and tricky. There is so much sound coming from this record that there is reason to wonder how a duo is capable of such an assault. Whatever their secret, No Age has crafted what I would think of as a mile marker for music. A lot of people took notice of this album, and I wouldn't think very many people would be willing to really grasp on to it. But I think this album shows me that the tides are turning/things are changing/etc. A whole new world.
No Age - Eraser
No Age - Things I Did When I Was Dead

Santogold - Santogold
A lot of people have been comparing Santogold to M.I.A.. Heck, even I'm guilty of that one. I think it's because there are so few things like Santogold's album that I just needed something to grasp onto. It's got this 80's New Wave mixed with mid 90's Hip-hop all with a late 2000's indie sensibility. One second she might resemble M.I.A., but then she'll be rap/singing over something that sounds like the Police. Then it's like Mr. Marley jumped into the producer's body and took over for a second. The album is all over the place, but it's all innately Santogold. Nothing on this album will be a hit, because, I feel, it's all a bit much for people to get down to, but it's certainly something I'd play at my parties.
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
Santogold - You'll Find A Way

Portishead - Third
One of the most subtle albums I think I've heard. It's not that all of it was subtle, no there were some pretty obvious drum beats and synth sounds, but I didn't find those parts of the album to be all that interesting. When I'd heard the album by chance in the local (by now, closed) record store when my friend Brian was working I began to notice the small peculiarities about the album, and I went home and listened to it more. There are soft, almost hidden parts of this album that truly make it a wonderful listen.
Portishead - Silence
Portishead - Machine Gun

Langhorne Slim - Langhorne Slim
I cannot get enough of Langhorne Slim. Ever since they did their Daytrotter session I've been all over their work. In fact, there are quite a few songs on this album that were first recorded on that Daytrotter set. I was honestly a little disappointed with the new versions of those songs, but that's probably because I had just grown accustom to the way they sounded before. Regardless, the songs are still very good, and the new songs are even better. The album is a rip-roaring jaunt through the more wild parts of the back country. Straight up.
Langhorne Slim - Colette
Langhorne Slim - Diamonds and Gold

B(l)ogged Down, Pt. 3

Enon - Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds
Verdict: Love More (<3)+
Um, this one is a no-brain-er. Enon Freaking Rocks. Granted my favorite is still Hocus Pocus, but this one is still really rad. This is one of the 07 albums I'm sad I missed out on in 07, because it would have been pretty high on the list of amazing albums.
Enon - Mirror on You
Enon - Colette
Enon - Dr. Freeze
Enon - Sabina

Perimeter - Odium Humani Generis
Verdict: Love (<)
Wow. Harsh/Brutal/etc. So good. Though, may I express my fear that this band might be a Nazi band? because I'm a little afraid that they are, because one of their songs has a title that has the word "Hatecore" in it, and Hatecore is associated with Nazi-ism, and that is SO NOT COOL. So, if they're not Nazi's (which, after stalking them on myspace, I really can't find any evidence that they are), then it's a good album, and I recommend it, because Death Metal is rarely done well, and this is it being done well Granted, it's not as good as the new Heaven Shall Burn album, but it's still pretty impressive. Also, can I mention that there is a horn solo in one of the songs? a song that is Jazzy? nuts.
Perimeter - Blood Red Attitude
Perimeter - The One Great Sterile Death
Perimeter - Total Fuckin' Anti Positive
Perimeter - Watch How We Manage Your Lives (Scene From The Selection) [this is that Jazzy song]

Kelley Stoltz - Circular Sound
Verdict: Like ()
Sweet jingly-jangly popish feel good tunes that honestly didn't hold my for more than about 3 listens, but I did like our time together.
Kelley Stoltz - Tintinnabulation
Kelley Stoltz - When You Forget
Kelley Stoltz - Morning Sun

The Box Social - Get Going
Verdict: Indifferent (~)
Someone recommended these guys to me, so I checked them out. I feel bad because the PR person really was trying to just get these fella's name out there, and I respect hard work, which I try to reward, but the thing is that I didn't much like these guys. They have a few good qualities, but over all it's just not for me. I do like Big T however.
The Box Social - Big T
The Box Social - Pay Attention
The Box Social - A New Low

Yip-Yip - Two Kings of the Same Kingdom
Verdict: Love (<)
You know, I didn't get it at first. Then I thought "you know, this kind of reminds me of Dan Deacon." Then the fact that Dan Deacon's true charm comes from his live shows, so I youtubed the boys of Yip-Yip and checked out their live shows. I have to say my favorite was the video of them playing a Homecoming Dance and everyone just looking confused as hell. Anyway, after watching the videos, I understood that the music really comes to life live. But that doesn't mean that I really want to listen to the music when not seeing Yip-Yip. It's rather enjoyable not live, but I can't imagine that it even compares.
Yip-Yip - Anarchist Clog
Yip-Yip - Sprinkle Council
Yip-Yip - Car Picnic

Promise of Redemption - When the Flower Blooms
Verdict: Didn't Like (ø)
Waaaaaaay over produced. I just couldn't identify with the lyrics, and wasn't interested in how the guitar sounded. The vocals just didn't match with the whole "acoustic guitar" thing either. Sometimes that's good, this time I feel it was not.

Aaron Jerome - Time To Rearrange
Verdict: Love (<)
I didn't want to listen to this album for a while because I expected it to be another crappy singer/songwriter with a guitar (judging books by covers), so when I finially broke down and listened to it, I was wildly surprised to find a jazzy little gem of an album. It's good. Hecka good. Jazzy and beatnickish and hip-hoppy and eff yeah....
Aaron Jerome - Reel Time (feat. Voice)
Aaron Jerome - Time To Rearrange
Aaron Jerome - Light Night Mission (Feat Yungun)

Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull
Verdict: Like ()
Ambient and a little too Jam-Band-ish than Post-Rock, but is was soothing. Definitely not redefining music though.
Earth - Omens And Portents I: The Driver
Earth - Omens And Portents II: Carrion Crow

Gates Of Winter - Lux Aeterna
Verdict: Love (<)+
This was another album I was fairly skeptical of at first, but after 2 listens, I really started to enjoy it. It's awkward, there's no doubt to that (strange time signatures), and it's not for everyone (symphonic metal), but if you can get into it, then you'll find a fairly awesome debut album from a group of very talented guys.
Gates Of Winter - Burning Kingdom I: A Dark Affliction
Gates Of Winter - Burning Kingdom II: Heavenly Insurgence
Gates Of Winter - Burning Kingdom III: Lux Aeterna

Lenny Kravitz - It Is Time For A Love Revolution
Verdict: Didn't Like (ø)
Wow. This reinforces my reasoning for not owning a radio or watching much TV (LOST is really the only thing good these days).
Lenny Kravitz - Love Revolution

The Whitsundays - The Whitsundays
Verdict: Like ()
The Whitsundays - I Want It All
The Whitsundays - Sorry James
The Whitsundays - Antisocial

Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
Verdict: Like ()
Starting out the album with a guitar riff reminiscent of a Helloween riff is always going to get you a point or two with me. Airbourne:AC/DC, Wolfmother:Led Zeppelin. I really did have a good time listening to this album, but I don't know if I'd listen to it all the time. Manly Sex Rock.
Aireborne - Stand Up For Rock 'N' Roll
Aireborne - Diamond in the Rough
Aireborne - Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women

Peeping Tom - Peeping Tom
Verdict: Like ()
Whoa. I was turned onto this band by my friend Beth who was just as surprised as I was that I hadn't heard of "them." Granted I've got a little bit by just about everything else Mike Patton has done, so I've heard of him, but this album is something different, as one might expect from a Patton LP. It's weird and good, but, as does a lot of Patton's stuff, it still kind of sounds like Faith No More.
Peeping Tom - Sucker (Feat. Norah Jones)
Peeping Tom - Getaway (Feat. Kool Keith)
Peeping Tom - Five Seconds (Feat. Odd Nosdam)

Mahjongg - Kontpab
Verdict: Like ()
I've been trying to think of a way to describe my feelings on this album for a while, but I don't even really know. I think I'm going to need to see them live to "get it." It was good, but I just can't place why...
Mahjongg - Pontiac
Mahjongg - Kottbussor Torr
Mahjongg - Tell The Police The Truth

Blood on the Wall - Liferz
Verdict: Like ()
Mega-Bass driven lo-fi shoegaze punk ... maybe. Like I said, I'm awful at genres, and just say it like I think it is. I liked the album more and more as I listened to it, but I think this is another band I'll just have to see to fully appreciate their sound.
Blood on the Wall - Hibernation
Blood on the Wall - Liferz
Blood on the Wall - Sorry Sorry Sarah