Best Ever Albums

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

dihansse — Thu, 7 Dec 2023 14:54:58 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 12/07/2023 19:54

I'm glad you liked it!

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Tue, 5 Dec 2023 23:29:08 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 12/06/2023 04:29

dihansse wrote:

But otherwise no lack of harder albums though not in the least my absolute favorite of the year:

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Drag On Girard by Purling Hiss
Mike Polizze rules.

Ok. This sounds like straight-up Dinosaur Jr worship, BUT it's soooooo spot on and so good at what it does, who really gives a fuck. Besides, I worship Dinosaur Jt too! lol.

edit: It's like Dinosaur Jr played with the energy of The Reatards. Can't really get much better than that! I'm sure this is playing on all the jukes in all my favorite punk bars back home! It feels like Providence, RI circa mid-90s! I've got like nostalgic overload goin' on ovah' here! lol.

Great rec, Dihansse! \m/

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

meccalecca — Mon, 4 Dec 2023 13:58:48 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 12/04/2023 18:58

Repo wrote:

Ha! Not surprised. You have the best life, Mecca! Keep crushing it!
When I dream, Asheville is definitely one of those places where I live! 🤣

Have you caught the new Tirzah album ....

Listened last night. Definitely will place high on my end of year list.

Haha. Not sure about best life, but I did get to shoot Sunn O))) last night.

I haven't gotten to the Tirzah album, but it's high on the queue of stuff I need to listen to this week

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Mon, 4 Dec 2023 10:55:56 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 12/04/2023 15:55

meccalecca wrote:

Repo wrote:

Last night I listened to some killer stuff from ....

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Rat Saw God by Wednesday (US)

Paste's #1 Album of 2023. Anyone have any thoughts on this beast? Still acclimating to it, but it's definitely a worthy contender.

It's been fun watching Wednesday blow up. They were one of the first local Asheville bands that caught my attention when I moved here, along with Secret Shame and Indigo De Souza. It's been crazy seeing them go from a little indie band no one knew to making year end lists. The record rips, and lyrics are great.

fun fact: MJ Lenderman's dad is my doctor.

Ha! Not surprised. You have the best life, Mecca! Keep crushing it!
When I dream, Asheville is definitely one of those places where I live! 🤣

Have you caught the new Tirzah album ....

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Trip9love...??? by Tirzah

Listened last night. Definitely will place high on my end of year list.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

meccalecca — Sun, 3 Dec 2023 11:43:32 GMT

Author: meccalecca

Posted: 12/03/2023 16:43

Repo wrote:

Last night I listened to some killer stuff from ....

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Rat Saw God by Wednesday (US)

Paste's #1 Album of 2023. Anyone have any thoughts on this beast? Still acclimating to it, but it's definitely a worthy contender.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Sat, 2 Dec 2023 17:37:57 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 12/02/2023 22:37

LedZep wrote:

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Live In Brooklyn 2011 by Sonic Youth

Repo pick one and enjoy, good luck :D

I almost feel like this is cheating. lol. BUT, if the Dead can do it, why not my beloved Sonic Youth. It's Saturday afternoon here in chicago. The whole city is watching college football games. And I'm sprawled out on the couch realizing that I should listen to more live albums. lol.

Great rec, Zep! \m/

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 16:44:15 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/30/2023 21:44

dihansse wrote:

I've got Foo Fighters also fairly high (number 😎 and think it's one of their best in years.
Rat Saw God is indeed very good (at number 24) but I slightly prefer the other rats: Ratboys with The Window at 18.

Gimmie Indie Rock

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The Window by Ratboys

Paste #5, Dihansse #18

Great rec! Solid little indie rock gem that had me singing-a-long. Listened to it three times over the past couple of days, and it definitely scratches that indie rock itch in the vein of Waxahatchee and Speedy Ortiz if falling a bit short of Helium God-tier level.

Chart Position: Just a bit too generic to make my Top Twenty. More middle chart level of greatness. But definitely solid indie rock!

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

LedZep — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 06:41:16 GMT

Author: LedZep

Posted: 11/30/2023 11:41

I'm still shocked that screamo, a distinctly 00s genre, peaked this year with Ostraca. Sure, screamo bands are still going strong and the scene is in a good place, but I didn't expect to hear something so good.

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Disaster by Ostraca

Another strong contender is an album I was enamored with earlier this year and I hope y'all have heard it in the album listening club thread.

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Les Égarés by Sissoko / Ségal / Parisien / Peirani

3 great lives, all contenders for the best music I've heard this year.

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Live At Red Rocks '22 by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

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Live In Brooklyn 2011 by Sonic Youth

Link

Repo pick one and enjoy, good luck 😁

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

dihansse — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:36:51 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 11/29/2023 21:36

To answer a few of your most recent questions:
I'm working on my year chart the whole year and try to listen to each album at least twice, once when it's released and once at least after three months. And I put them in my playlists to listen on the train or in the car. Currently I'm at 89 albums so don't know if I'll make it to 100 this year.

I've got Foo Fighters also fairly high (number 😎 and think it's one of their best in years.
Rat Saw God is indeed very good (at number 24) but I slightly prefer the other rats: Ratboys with The Window at 18.

For the rest hardrock/metal is not very high on my list this year but I've got Uriah Heep and Overkill.
But otherwise no lack of harder albums though not in the least my absolute favorite of the year:

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Drag On Girard by Purling Hiss
Mike Polizze rules.

And second:

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New York City by The Men

And third and not so hard but fabulous as well for people who like good songs, good guitars and some close harmony:

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Don't Look Back by Hurry (US)

All three albums which deserve a much higher ranking.

And currently I'm listening to an album which hasn't been officially released yet (1 December is the date) but of which all tracks in a number of versions have been released as singles:

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i/o by Peter Gabriel
I wasn't really following him any more these last years but this one seems to be a very good one.
Currently at track 4: Stuff Coming out, Stuff going in, I'm just a part of everything (from the title track: the Bright-side mix is the best).

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 12:11:03 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/29/2023 17:11

Radio Friendly Unit Shifters!
aka The Best Damn Hard Rock Album of 2023

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But Here We Are by Foo Fighters

No album suited my summer better than this. Stuck in a bit of rut and ruminating a bit too much on the life I didn't get as opposed to the life I did, I needed something. Something to put that smile back on my face and that jaunt back in my springs. Thank you , Dave Grohl and your fellow Foo Fighters for giving me banger after banger of radio friendly Maximum AOR Hard Rock uplift. I love me some great AOR. And THIS is GREAT AOR. It was my bestie as I mowed the lawn and did the dishes countless times this Summer. It may just be the Foo Fighter's best album. I never really considered them too hard after their debut, but this is some of the best "Had a girl. Lost a girl. BUT I'm going to be just OK anyways!" music you'll ever hear.

Anyone else have a GREAT Hard Rock album that got them out of a rut this year? If so, hook me up! 😎

Chart Position: As I mentioned above, this album had quite the impact on me this Summer, and I LOVE Hard Rock. So probably an easy choice for my top ten of 2023. Still in the beginning phases of making this chart, BUT this is pretty fun & fantastic.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:41:58 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 11/29/2023 13:41

It's my favorite time of the Holiday Season, y'all! When all the music publications start releasing their End Of Year BEST ALBUM Lists. I just love that they do all the heavy lifting for me so that I can just sit back, sip some egg nog, and cherry pick some albums to listen to by my trusty old YouTube Yeule fire.

Last night I listened to some killer stuff from ....

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Rat Saw God by Wednesday (US)

Paste's #1 Album of 2023. Anyone have any thoughts on this beast? Still acclimating to it, but it's definitely a worthy contender.

Will be fun to start building my own Top Twenty of '23 or so over the coming weeks as more lists drop! 😈

Anyone else geeking out on doing the same thing? 😎 Would love to hear how others are approaching this special time of year! 😁

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Fischman — Sun, 2 Apr 2023 14:58:04 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 04/02/2023 18:58

If anybody's looking for some great new/throwback jazz funk......

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Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

musicoed — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 15:37:36 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 03/31/2023 19:37

dihansse wrote:

...

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Fish Bowl by Kate Davis
A woman and her guitar and it sounds great. ...

Link

The release was included in the list of contenders for the March 2023 bet as well as:
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - V (17/III-2023/11) (Album)

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V by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Link

However, the level was below the allowable rate.
My choice was the album that I was saving for the end of the year.
But until December, my rating opportunities may completely reset.
КДИМ�' [KDIMB] - Знаки Любви (1/III-2023/09) (Album) (youtube)

Link

To my great surprise, at the end of March, I gave the second place to:
Lana Del Rey - Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (24/III-2023/12) (Album)

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Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey
There are a lot of good tracks, but most importantly, this is a perfectly progressive album.
The best song is at the end.
It's a pity I can't offer it, the release is completely blocked for us.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 10:17:28 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 03/29/2023 14:17

Gowi wrote:

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The Land, The Water, The Sky by Black Belt Eagle Scout

My favorite album of 2023 so far. Gutwrenching introspective anxiety and longing, with musicality reminiscent of peak Idaho and Red House Painters. I cried last night over and over and over as it played on loop. Beautiful. Masterful. Amazing. I loved it.

Me too!!! It's way up there!

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

mickilennial — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:28:50 GMT

Author: mickilennial

Posted: 03/29/2023 13:28

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Deadfall by Roseville

A little bit of Kozelek with some flavors of Jason Isbell and Patterson Hood. Sad, dreary, but also evocative.

Link

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Chérie by Theo Lawrence

Country AOTY (so far)

French singer-songwriter, Theo Lawrence crafts an homage to how country used to sound between 1965 and 1975 with tons of genius and wit. Worth hearing.

Link

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Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 22:30:43 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 03/26/2023 02:30

dihansse wrote:

My album of the week and maybe even album of the year is this one:

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Drag On Girard by Purling Hiss

I already liked this band but with this album they have delivered the quintessential guitar album: all tracks are great to fantastic with Something In My Basement and the two longer tracks at the end as the highlights. The only critic I have is that the singing of Mike Polizze doesn't really match the overall vibe of the album.
If I like this album as much by a second listening session, it will enter my album top 100.

Nice! Will check it out later tonight. I loved their first couple albums, but haven't thought of them in ages.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

dihansse — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 12:27:46 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 03/25/2023 16:27

My album of the week and maybe even album of the year is this one:
Drag on Girard by Purling Hiss
I already liked this band but with this album they have delivered the quintessential guitar album: all tracks are great to fantastic with Something In My Basement and the two longer tracks at the end as the highlights. The only critic I have is that the singing of Mike Polizze doesn't really match the overall vibe of the album.
If I like this album as much by a second listening session, it will enter my album top 100.

Two other albums I liked from the week are:

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Fish Bowl by Kate Davis
A woman and her guitar and it sounds great.

The Town That Cursed Your Name by The Reds, Pinks And Purples
Again a more than decent album from this band.

No and I didn't really dig the new Depeche Mode album.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Repo — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 12:50:05 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 03/13/2023 16:50

Well this went pretty well, I think!!! But I just can't keep up anymore! 🤣

Thanks to all who participated!

Now I'm going 😈 > and go back to pretending I have to purchase each album I listen to and settle on just a few albums per week!

Cheers, everyone!!! 🥰

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Fischman — Tue, 7 Mar 2023 14:02:15 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 03/07/2023 19:02

Repo wrote:

Gowi wrote:

and

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Phoenix by Lakecia Benjamin

Holy shit! Threw this on as I was making some coffee, and it's simply FANTASTIC old school jazz! Like, if you told me it was some classic from the 60s, I'd totally believe it.

Fischman, if you're reading this, have you heard this?! Would love to get your thoughts on it!

Great, great find Gowi!

Okay, guys, I'm supposed to be the one hooking y'all up with some great new jazz, not the other way around!
As I listened to the cut @Gowi posted, I thought "This is real nice, but I kinda' like my modern jazz a little less.... well.... smooth." Yet it was certainly good enough for me to seek out the album and see what the rest was like...... and WHAM!!! Killer album!

All the more surprising as it opens with its blatantly political intentions on its sleeve. The opening siren has you leading one way, but then the spoken word to kick off the album lets you know its main thrust will be feminist rather than racial. Still, the reading is from Angela Davis, someone who's going to turn off a pretty strong majority, at least Americans who know her history. But then again, this particular quote has avoids the worst elements of her history and rather sets a stage I'm happy to be witnessing!
(on a side note, good timing here to catch this, as we enter Women's History Month)

Unexpected intros aside, this entire album is full of fascination. I don't always get into albums with multiple guest appearances as they often seem contrived. But the ones on this album are impressive, starting with a magnificent vocal from Dianne Reeves on the third cut, Mercy. The real unexpected event is the spoken word from recently departed sax giant Wayne Shorter. How interesting that he was brought on this album for his speaking voice rather than his sax.... I would love to get the story behind that!

And while the album is political at its core, it's not all anger. If anything, the album seems to encompass a large swath of contemporary life, with both its warts and its joys. The aptly titled "Jubilation" is joy through and through, with an especially joyous solo from pianist Victor Gould.

While all the musicians are excellent, and they work well together, I would be remiss if I didn't single out the leader herself for some incredible alto. Benjamin gets a lot of emotion out of her horn, and a cross a good range from song to song.
Overall, the album bears strong imprint from the Coltranes, both John with his approach to playing and soloing (especially in that transitory period between his early hard bop and the later avant garde) and Alice, who's imprint lives on in the spiritual jazz vibe this album displays so effectively. The ultimate combination of post-bop, spiritual jazz, soul jazz, and even some more modern influences makes for a unique and beautiful final product.

Yes, this is a collaboration that doesn't sound like it was put together by committee. I attribute this to Benjamin herself, a powerful artist with both a vision and the moxie to pull it off. Brilliant.

Re: 2023 End Of Year Lists PARTY!!! <Building 2023 Charts>

Fischman — Tue, 7 Mar 2023 13:38:14 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 03/07/2023 18:38

Repo wrote:

Fischman wrote:

As expected, I'm taking a shine to some of the progressive rock/progressive rock releases by well known to me bands:

Riverside - ID. Entity

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Ah-ha clones themselves as Rush circa the "Power Windows" the fans wanted, but didn't quite get, then immediately enter cryogenics. First Tool then Ghost are streamed into their cryogenic chambers. Let the defrost begin!

Translation: I LOVE it!

Have u listened to Katatonia's Sky Void Of Stars yet, Fischman?! Any thoughts if you have?!

I have long been a fairly casual fan of Katatonia. Their brand of metal tinged with both elements of goth and prog (two things most wouldn't put together) sits nicely in my ear, but rarely grabs me in a really big way. Sky Void of Stars, an exceptionally well crafted outing (other than being relentlessly mid-tempo almost throughout) across its breadth, seems very much like the ultimate manifestation of their evolution through the blending of these subgenres. That is both good and bad. In a way, it's more of the same, just with a little added refinement. Had I heard this a decade ago and had Katatonia not taken 15 albums to get to this point, I might have really been blown away. As it is, I'm still a big fan of this album and find it a good addition to the catalog, just not as overwhelming as I would have liked to hear these guys turn out at one some point. I currently have this at #6 of the 12 albums I've bothered to rank so far in 2023, but my tastes/appreciation for these entries is still settling and depending on my mood, I could put it anywhere between #2 and #10 so far.