Best Al*** of the year so far

My vote still goes to Lambchop is a woman

I can thoroughly recommend the new Coldplay album "A Rush of Blood to the Head" which came out yesterday (on CD and on vinyl). Amazing melodies and beautifully played. Better than "Parachutes", imho.

The main guy from Coldplay was interviewed on the release of that album on US radio.

His comments were along the lines of " We've given the absolute best that we have into the album, I don't think that we will ever release an album unless we feel it is better than the previous one".

This was taken by the radio station as an indication that they are going to split up...strange misinterpretation I thought, probably due to the cultural differences.

As for the best album of the year, hmmm, not too sure, possibly "Vapor Trails" by Rush, or "The Deep End" by Gov't Mule (think that was this year).

Andy

Fantastic Damage by EL-P is my hands-down winner so far. I'm sure it's not for everyone, so sample first, but man... .

In general the NYC "alternative" hip-hop scene is among the most interesting things happening right now. This stuff is intense, politically up-front, twisted, and inventive in ways that the (IMO) cliched, exhausted, and utterly commercialized main-stream hip-hop scene can no longer even imagine.

'Are you shpongled' and 'Tales of the inexpressible'

Garyi - Nice one Lambchop 'is a woman'

Just goes to show doesn't it 'cos I think the Lamchop is in the worst 2 or 3 I've bought this year. Just so dull!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

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Originally posted by Hermann:
'Are you shpongled' and 'Tales of the inexpressible'

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Naughty Hermann. Guddy needs to discipline you soundly. "Are You Shpongled" could/should have been album of 1998 and "Tales of the Inexpressible" of 2001.

For this year, I would say "Is A Woman" is being given a good race by "Every Day" by Cinematic Orchestra.

Things might change if Sounds From The Ground get their act together and release their new album!

Anthony Rother - The Hacker

DS

My favourite so far this year:
Lena willemark "windogur"

Gunnar

I think it's been a fairly slow year for music so far. One or two have stood out though....

My nominations for the best would probably be Lambchop's "Is A Woman" (again), Boards of Canada's "Geogaddi", the two Tom Waits albums (just what has he got against playing in the UK?) and Sonic Youth's fantastic "Murray Street".

Other notables would include the new albums by Doves, The Breeders, AC Acoustics, The Flaming Lips and Wilco.

What's still to come? I believe we can look forward to new albums by Death In Vegas, Tori Amos, Aimee Mann, Massive Attack and Godspeed You Black Emperor! in the near future - any others?

Phil

Of the things I've bought this year the best is Don't Fall in Love with Everyone you Meet by Okkerville River. Great songs with bittersweet/disturbing lyrics done in country tinged rock. Honorable mention to Nina Natasia, The Blackened Air.

Yes. New albums from Aimee Mann and Massive would be nice. Got dissappointed with the two latest Amos albums though. An old favourite like Joni Mitchell is also welcome. Same with Rickie lee Jones.

My alltime favourite Bowie delivered quite a good album this year I think. Not bad at all.

Gunnar

On blue vinyl!
-Dan

I'm obviously missing something with this death through dullness special of Lambchop's, Is a woman.

Has everyone who has got this also got Wilco's Hotel Yankee Foxtrot, this is in a similar vein with a bit more variation and some tunes, vastly superior IMO.

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Originally posted by greeny:
I'm obviously missing something with this death through dullness special of Lambchop's, Is a woman.

Has everyone who has got this also got Wilco's Hotel Yankee Foxtrot, this is in a similar vein with a bit more variation and some tunes, vastly superior IMO.

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I remember the first couple of times I played it, I didn't think it was as good as say, "Nixon", but then it got completely under my skin.

I love the way the whole thing has a sense that he's singing just to the listener, and the fact that the tunes are allowed to stand by themselves - the very basic arrangements augmented by the odd touch of extra colour here and there.

The experience is very similar to how I felt about Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" when it came out. I was used to the fuller arrangements of "5 Leaves Left" and "Bryter Later", and thought "Pink Moon" to be rather dull (just acoustic guitar and a bit of piano). Over the last 30 years I've played the latter many many more times than the first two put together - for much the same reasons I now prefer "Is A Woman" to any other Lambchop.

I do have the Wilco - it's very good. But it doesn't fill the same listening need that "Is A Woman" does. The sort of mood I'd be in to listen to "Hotel Yankee Foxtrot" would be one I'd also want to listen to earlier Lambchop.

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Guddy needs to discipline you soundly

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Hey hey hey she needs some paddlocks to do that but I've the keys

Ok was a snapshot.

Vote for Lambchop 'is a woman'

Jesus. I don't think I've bought a single album released in 2002.

I'd best go and pick up a copy of the new Sugababes album.

Lambchop gets my vote. It gets better and better with every listen.

Matt

The Coral. It's the only record that i've heard recently which has tried to do something a little different.

I just got the new QOTSA LP, that has potential, but it's a little heavy for a boring thirty something like me.

Tough one this..

My nominations:

1. "Pan-American - The River Made No Sound"
2. "Boards of Canada - Geogaddi"
3. "FSOL - The Isness"

But an honerable mention goes to "The Court & Spark - Bless You" although it was released very late in 2001.

-A-

[This message was edited by Alan Ball on THURSDAY 29 August 2002 at 09:05.]

I would've voted for Lampshop too except for that dumb looking dog on the inside cover. So good marks for music - poor marks for art direction!

(The design for the vinyl's front cover completely smacks of "Oh shit, we forgot about the art for the album! Why don't we just put the cover art from the CD on the front with the same colour round the outside".)

Geogaddi is at the top of the list for me too - good cover art too!

But my Album of Year (so far) is not a release from this this year but one I've hooked into bigtime. Gomez's first and second albums "Bring it On" and "Liquid Skin".

Jay

I also vote Lambchop - "Is a Woman"

I am really addicted to this recording and think it took a lot of guts to realease such a sparse production.

It was due to heavy forum traffic that I listened to Lamchop and Sigur Ros, so thanx.

The music on Wilco's Hotel Yankee Foxtrot sounds superb but for some reason the singer's voice annoys me.

Will probably pick up the new Coldplay this week, but I can't see it beating Lambchop.

MfG

Brian OReilly

The Coldplay is big, friendly and tuneful but lacks depth or passion. The U2 impersonation on some tracks almost infringes copyright!

I'm still with Wilco as my Album Of The Year so far.

Bruce

Folks

I've just ordered The Coral and Lambchop albums from cd-wow.com

£6.99 each with no postage costs!! Two great bargains

Gavin

Have to say that for me, two albums stand out so far this year:

Caroline Dale - Such Sweet Thunder
Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble - Mnemosyne

For me these two albums epitomise perfection - they are, first and foremost, astonishing albums, in their ability to move your soul and draw you in. Secondly they are both superbly produced, which only heightens my enjoyment of listening to them.

My worst nightmare is finding a fabulous piece of music badly recorded or mastered, it ruins the pleasure of the music for me!

Gav