Took a bit of a rest and had some responsibilities around the house, but I’m back to this now which I’ll start off with a pop release from 2012 that I can’t believe more people didn’t like. Amanda Mair presents an album of songwriting talent with a sincerity in her voice that really makes it more than just another generic pop release. Some pretty cool melodies and some Arcade Fire-influence prevalent throughout the whole record that makes for some really enjoyable listening. Highlights for me would probably be “House” , “Skinnarviksberget” or “Said and Done” though I do think the record is fairly consistent.
Recommended for:LevonTostig (maybe), Fans of Independent Singer/Songwriters or Piano-oriented contemporary music.
Before they turned into an atypical garage-y indie rock group, Those Darlins were once upon a time a really dynamic group realmed in cowpunk, americana, and alt-country. There’s a lot of the old traditional Nashville numbers taking influence here on this self-titled debut which makes it a great throwback to older songs whilst still marking out their own territory with such a fantastic record. It actually kind of makes me mad that they lost so much of their identity in the course of only two years— I actually want to know if that was the reason Kelley Anderson left the group later on in 2012, but that’s speculation with zero research. Anyway this is one of my favorite records of 2009; great harmonies, old-fashioned nods, and just great country songwriting all around – if you have a fleeting or dynamic interest in modern country music that doesn’t fit into a contemporary pop sphere then do check this one out considering I feel it is real quality down-to-earth material.
The Con is Tegan & Sara Quin’s indie pop masterwork, and probably their opus— though that’s not to say the songwriting duo haven’t made great music since, but there isn’t quite a record so precious, honest, and sensitive in their discography. But it isn’t simply the emotion and frankness in the lyrical aspect of the record that I like here; the indie pop soundscapes are full of fluttering synths, driving guitar rhythms, and great melodies which present a great cohesiveness to their craft. They have certainly come a long way from their Alanis Morissette worship on their debut. Now excuse me while I decide to listen to this album’s title track… on loop, for an hour.
…what? You think I’m joking? Hahaha.
Recommended for:SuedeSwede, Fans of precious pop music.
I had to take a few hours away from the computer as I straightened up around the house, but I’m back and I feel like some good old fashioned soul melodies and harmonies. More Hits by The Supremes holds such hits like “Stop! In the Name of Love” though the lesser material is still very good holding itself very strongly with other records of the mid-1960’s if you ask me. Soul music and The Beach Boys were the earliest music I heard and probably the definitive sounds where my love for melody/harmony dynamics originate from. I always wonder why soul music is ignored by other fans of the era because it is just as iconic and masterful as the baroque pop and psychedelic rock records of the time and deserves so much more attention.
Recommended for: Fans of masterful pop soundscapes.
Following in the footsteps of Osaka’s premier pop-rock outfit— Scandal, Silent Siren’s third full-length release is their strongest yet; though some of my peers certainly prefer their debut album, but for me this is far more cohesive with tight instrumentation and bombastic pop hooks that contemporary pop-rock acts in Japan are quite known for but without the spastic insanity that could make a record feel a bit inconsistent. This one has sort of grown on me in the last few weeks and even before then I still stood by “Kakumei” as one of the finest pop-rock songs released so far within this year. Sumire Yoshida leads her band well and there is certainly a lot to like here as the four-piece group strengthen themselves as a strong outfit of pop songwriters.
One of my favorite progressive metal records if only for the skillful retelling of Homer’s “The Odyssey” through their seven part finale to the album. Russell Allen is one of the most gifted vocal talents of his generation and coming from someone who has seen Symphony X live it is simply phenomenal regarding experiencing it in such a setting with bombastic enthusiasm that cannot be heard on a studio LP. Perhaps Symphony X is a bit ‘standard’ in their approach to progressive metal but the execution of that formula is really great. This isn’t my favorite Symphony X release though, but sometimes I think it holds my favorite song (“The Odyssey”) that the group has done…
Recommended for:RockyRaccoon, Fans of Adagio and Vanden Plas.
I think I can hear someone on the forum screaming in confusion and quite possibly anger already. All jokes put aside, Tokyo’s Daoko seems to effortlessly straddle the line between abstract hip-hop ideas, pop-rap hooks and accessibility, and smooth pulsating production. Now, whilst I’m not fluent in Japanese (far from it) but from what research and reading I’ve done lyrically she’s “mature beyond her youthful age of eighteen” which I’m going to take the word are here since that isn’t a big suspension of belief for me considering the snarky social commentary given by another pop-rap force in Japan in Charisma.com. But whilst hip-hop is a lyrical genre of music, I’m here for the sounds and production for the most part which is excellent – I have not heard a hip-hop record from this year that appeals to my sensibilities as well as this one so far.
I guess in the early morning what I really need is a nice bit of flamenco. Admittedly I’m not really well versed in rumba flamenca or rumba catalane as musical movements but I have been listening to Ojos de Brujo for a few years now and if you ask me Bari is a record I keep coming back to when I feel in the mood to. There’s some contemporary influences here but it’s the traditional bits I like more here so I guess I’m a sucker for good flamenco playing with smooth vocal lines. I could listen to Marina Abad and Ramon Gimenez do their thing here all day I imagine. If anybody wants to suggest other stuff similar that I should give a shot (I also like Rodrigo y Gabriela, but they are a little bit different obviously, so make note) do throw something my way.
Recommended for: Fans of Flamenco playing or Latin Alternative.
John Darnielle’s masterpiece. Immaculately produced, Tallahassee is probably the greatest piece of folk expressionism in the 21st century. Perhaps it’s not as introspective as Darnielle’s “The Sunset Tree” which details the songwriters struggle within childhood and the nostalgia that he retains from it, but the sort of literary storytelling of marriage and the complications told on this record’s soul is hardly lyrical fodder. In a way it’s a concept piece that could be gathered from multiple directions as there are apt analogies, descriptive points of view, and a lot of soul to the songwriting present here. As I mentioned, the production is pretty crisp here, which is a step up from the sort of lesser fidelity of All Hail West Texas thus bringing The Mountain Goats into a newer and more sublime era.
Recommended for: Any single Folk fan on this forum who hasn't heard this yet.
Remember how I just told you how I like dreamy soundscapes? Well I also like swirling textures that command my attention which is something this record is exceptionally known for doing really well. As one of the big records that progressed my love for the alternative music scene I sometimes wonder how anybody could not be captivated by such a dreamy arrangement of sounds that are not only entrancing but engaging. Much like with The Soft Bulletin and Doolittle, Loveless aligned with me almost immediately and at the end of my first listen I found myself dazed as I reflected on what I had just sat through so I sat through it for a second time. Loveless is the only pleasant way I could basically describe drowning or suffocating in sound and it’s all fairly laden with soothing vocals that make the entrancing feeling all the more pertinent as they sort of help all of that sound ensnare you which effectively makes Loveless the equivalent of a mythological siren.
This record sounds like what heaven must feel like.
Recommended for: People who like SWIRLING TEXTURES.
My favorite Luna album, though I go back and forth between this and Lunapark – really soothing melodies in this sort of downtempo dreamy atmosphere. I don’t really understand why Luna’s label though this was “unmarketable” since this is definitely something that would do well of the time if they weren’t incompetent. There’s also a cool dream pop rendition of “Sweet Child o' Mine” at the end of the record that I’m quite fond of. Worth a look if you are into dream pop of the era.
A great collection of pop songs; whilst lacking the production or arrangements that make Pet Sounds transcendent, Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) is still one of my favorite Beach Boys records with the melodies and harmonies you expect out of the Brian Wilson camp. Doesn’t hurt that this record has some of the best pop singles of the groups career (“Help Me, Rhonda”, “California Girls”, etc.) which cements it as a great album to just nod your head along to.
Recommended for: Every single one of you has heard this.
Known in the states as “Puffy Amiyumi” because Sean Combs is an idiot, Puffy has had a diverse existence in the Japanese pop canon since 1996 and have gone through strides of well-directed power pop as led by producers Tamio Okuda and Andy Sturmer who had hands in their development early on in their career. Fast forward to 2011 with this release where they’ve hit a new peak as they celebrate their long-term anniversary in the industry. Thank You! is full of not only the typical Japanese pop affairs, but also power pop and traditional rockabilly conventions and it comes out quite well in the end. It’s much more ‘full’ in execution and very slick in production as they throw out these fifty year old influences that feel at home on the record—lots of surf rock dynamic alongside organ, and harmonica. It’s a blast.
Recommended for:Cymro2011 (maybe), Fans of traditional power pop.
I enjoyed Seimeiryoku by Chatmonchy quite a bit. Good job spreading the word on that one
This song (Shangrila) makes me smile
Such a wonderful song; was probably my introduction to the band. I'm glad I've converted convinced someone to check them out though, the most I have ever gotten is some nods in plug.dj occasionally alongside a decent discussion. Warms my heart.
“A broken vessel, endless pieces of me; friends are now foes, those who betray.”
Israel’s sharpest musical minds and an influential force in the metal scene in the Middle East, Orphaned Land stands as a very important band for not only that region of the world but for progressive metal. Coming from a pedigree of doom metal, death metal, progressive rock, and their native folk music – Orphaned Land is unique and unparalleled for their unique brand of metal perhaps really hitting its stride with this album’s predecessor, Mabool. Produced by Steven Wilson, Orwarrior strides itself on Farhi and Sassi’s clear vision for the future as lyrical themes focus on this fact alongside progressive metal guitar lines that are never too ahead of themselves or focusing on being technical for the sake of being technical. If you ask me it is probably Orphaned Land’s finest moment as a band, though that’s not to say Mabool or All is One are mediocre records (they are fine indeed) but there has not been such a balance of concept, heart, and compositional brilliance on the level of this record by the band.
Recommended for:Goodsir (maybe), Fans of standout Metal or Progressive music.
Perhaps better as a singles-oriented pop group, I still spin the two Orange Caramel LP’s I’ve stumbled upon and they are mostly definitely my favorite contemporary pop group from South Korea. Park Soo-Young is probably the standout in vocals and persona for me (marketed as “Lizzy”) and her solo song on this record is my favorite of the solo songs; maybe I’m just smitten or something. There’s just something zanier and infectious about Orange Caramel as a group for me and I just enjoy listening to them. I’ll let the “teens chat” have Carly Rae Jepsen, I’ll take South Korea and Japan’s contemporary pop music over her any day of the week.
Recommended for:revolver (maybe?), Fans of Dance-Pop.
Known in the states as “Puffy Amiyumi” because Sean Combs is an idiot, Puffy has had a diverse existence in the Japanese pop canon since 1996 and have gone through strides of well-directed power pop as led by producers Tamio Okuda and Andy Sturmer who had hands in their development early on in their career.
Like the drummer/singer of Jellyfish???? Is that what he's up to now?
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