2009 Albums of the Year Race Begins...

A forum post in the 2009 Albums of the Year Tracking Thread



Prr myspace
Pure Reason Revolution - Amor Vincit Omnia 3x's..different..very electronic, but it's growing on me. #2 already right behind Umphrey's.



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Malajube - Labyrinthes..checking this out for the 1st time right now..digging a lot of this. The only concern early is it's not extremely different from their other 2...but they're other 2 albums are both excellent, so ain't-broke-don't-fix-it isn't so bad a mentality.

edit: heard the whole thing. I dig this. Quite trippy and heavy. This could be my favorite 'Jube record already.




Greg's myspace

Greg Herriges - Telluric Currents..really well composed and produced progressive ethno-acoustic-world-folk. Like 4 or 5 awesome songs, with these incredible riffs. "Rama B Good" "Uskudar" "Sabir Khan Song" and the closer "I Hear" are maybe my early fave's. Interesting hearing them recorded like this, after hearing them for a number of years live with him and his extremely talented ensemble. This is a cd for any Prog fan whose into ethnic and acoustic stuff (California Guitar Trio?)

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City of Sound - "L'Implosion" - I'm not sure how addicted I will be to this thing long term, but I can't deny I do have reason to go back to it, as the majority of this disc has sections I like within the noisy, dirty, experimental stoner-blues rock. The acoustic and dreamy/psych parts esp..mainly in the last 2/3 of it.



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The Rockwells - "Place & Time" ok technically this an '08 disc as it dropped on December 2nd, but I only heard it last week after finding a $5 copy @ Cheapo. The whole thing isn't flooring me yet, but the 2 times I've played it my head turned multiple times. Maybe the most notable, being the last 3 epic tracks. They remind me of The New Pornographers, without a female voice, but maybe more experimental at times. Another possible treasure buried deep under the radar.

So the new Umphrey's McGee album needs a review, but just to mention does hold the top spot in the young AOY's season. But PRR and Malajube could be knocking on the door. I need to do reviews soon about all of them and some of the others there, and some others. In due time.

1st though, I am determined to finally see THE READER and then finally get down some long diatribe/grocery list of my 2008 Cinema Rankings. I think it's close to 40, which for new pictures, may be a record for me. Kind of like 2007 with concerts where I attended something like 45 which also was a record-high for myself.

New TV of course too. Returns and premieres. SAMANTHA WHO? = not returning until late March?..wtf..o well, at least it's not canceled like PUSHING DAISIES and ELI STONE.

Notes...

Other Lives who used to be Kunek have their s/t debut LP out in March (vinyl) and April (cd)..and are playing THE ENTRY on Friday February 13th. Friday-the-13th..also the same day as Cynic/Meshuggah/The Faceless @ Station 4. Also the same night Terminator returns and Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" premieres. Wtf do I do?..I hate THE ENTRY, but the Cynic+2 show will be packed and more $. But it's probably a 1-time thing for them, but also for Other Lives perhaps. Fuck Fuck Fuck!..I hate it when this shit happens and I have to make a choice! Flip-c-coin or try a venue-jump. Maybe the timing will work. Not really clear on what Delta Spirit are like, who are on the bill as well at the soundproof-less 7th Street Entry.

I probably am going to see Umphrey's McGee on Saturday, January 31st @ 1st Ave and their lack-of-soundproofed-walls. "Mantis" is just too fucking good, and I'm way too addicted to not see at least 1 of their 3-night stand this weekend.

not likely an AotY contender..or top 30 even, but I should copy/paste this from that same topic on mp.com linked above.


Modern Skirts - All of Us in Our Night

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This thing dropped on Tuesday like MANTIS, and while it's not blowing me away like the new UM, there is A LOT TO LIKE about it. Catchy, melodic, upbeat Power-Pop in the vein of The Beach Boys, XTC..even some Lou Reed can be heard. About 1/2 of it solid. A nice sophomore effort from this new Atlanta band.