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.



myspace
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?)

myspace
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.



myspace

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

myspace



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.

Umphrey's McGee - MANTIS ..a few words..more to come

This album is awesome. The early leader for Album of the Year. They've definitely done a lot with arrangements and layering. Vocal harmonies, strings, epic, energetic, pieces with movements. A great return to form for these guys, and somewhat of an unexpected effort. We'll see how long this record stands up many months from now..how it compares in the '09 Album of the Year race. But it's certainly encouraging, as I plan to get a lot of mileage out of it in the coming weeks/months. Also very cool it was on the recent arrival shelf @ the St.Paul Cheapo for $8 on Sunday, lol. Maybe the fastest ever for a non-promo.

I also still need to hear the bonus tracks which are available as a d/l link with the disc (among other places of course).

More should be written about it eventually, but as a prelim rating.

82/100

Random Finds #2

Vaulting

pretty solid, less-is-more, experimental grindcore.
a 19 minute debut LP, lol. They may have surpassed Born of Osiris in the less-is-more department.

65/100

Strap the Button

wow..at times these guys KNOW HOW TO DO SPACEROCK! And all their music is available to For Free..plus a bunch of other bands there. I'm just a bit weary how spotty their music is. They have these great, heavy, layered sections that some songs build-to, but the filler is not lacking unfortunately. A lot of their stuff is recorded live there, which may be how they excel most. But when Space Rock is done well, it can be awesome. It's just like many genres, there's a ton of mediocre music made in it.


Farflung..also SPACE ROCK (is it becoming popular?)..saw this band featured on a new site I've been frequenting.

Calla..I'm curious but not expecting too much. They have a energetic darkness to them, yet still being pop. Sort of reminds me of Ours, but more so VAST. I'm not sure if their albums vary too much, especially the vocals..but if the music is good enough, if may not matter.

Sundance, Gophers beat the Cheeseheads, Galactica

Sundance Film Festival Updates

I should be there..maybe in 2011. I don't love how all their coverage of their OWN FESTIVAL is done ONLY ON THEIR WEBSITE, and not, on, the tv channel itself, lol. Wtf Robert, what happened to those cool "Dailies"??

I mean to try and compile some future blogs about films that I mean to seek out, as I see them every year in the festival coverage. But of course, most years I only am able to catch about 1/2 of them at best.

Gophers beat Wisconsin after playing poor and pressuring the last 3mins. I was saying they should have done that the whole fucking game lol. I mean it rattled Wisconsin in the 1st 4mins, and then Tubby stopped using it. On the positive tho, they did win there for the 1st time since I was a Senior in High School, lol. I am still not buying-in to their 16-1 record entirely as I know how that can be a mirage. But Louisville, Virginia, Ohio State, and now IN MADISON..they are better than many thought. Then again, just look at Tubby Smith's track record: his Kentucky teams would frequently win 25+ games. Tulsa too, and his Georgia teams usually went to the NCAA's..so actually this isn't that surprising. However, those Kentucky teams had more talent perhaps. The player who impressed me the most tonight: Westbrook of course, 29pts can do that. Damien Johnson..key blocks and DEFENSE down the stretch and in OT. and RALPH SAMPSON..that guy could be a stud. Mainly defensively. Maybe not his dad, but I hope he stays academically eligible and remains here all 4 years.

This should be a fun season anyway. And I loved hearing the Sconnie boos..mwuahahaha!

Battlestar Galactica is back finally for the last 10 episodes tomorrow night. Whose the last Cylon?..for some reason I could see it being the President. Makes a lot of sense. Watched McDonnell and Olmos on THE VIEW. Olmos was offered the Jean-Luc Picard role in fact in the 80's.

Kyle XY Premiere on Monday: It's been nearly a year, and to be honest, the premiere was kinda underwhelming and predictable. I did like the fact Kyle's going to be having more powers this season. And the thing with the DJ dude and Latnok could be interesting. It hit me last night, that is the same dude that starred in SEX DRIVE by NEVER BEEN THAWED Director Sean Anders. Perhaps some of the SEX DRIVE cast could guest appear on the KYLE SHOW?

I got a nice list of 2008 movies to post in here soon. And also a slightly more detailed thing about my current favorite band in Kacica.

more music notes...

dredg's album got pushed back to April..Ours=2008 dejavu?

Mute Math was on Leno..on my dvr, will watch before bed.

Pure Reason Revolution's new album some cover art.


new Appleseed Cast song was posted: I haven't heard it yet.

Karnivool's new album title and release date will be announced in the coming weeks as they are finishing up mixing/mastering this month.

Soundscape's album "Grave New World" is done..the whole question about whether it got picked up by a small prog or metal label is the only question. But it'll be announced probably within a month I'd guess, if not sooner.

The new Modern Skirts album isn't bad, but not anything I expect to be a favorite or top 50 likely. But I'm sure I'll hear a ton of much worse records this year. The Brian Wilson elements work for them, even as subdued as much of their music is.

this new German experimental grindcore band Vaulting has a 19 minute full-length they released in 2008. It's very much less-is-more and it works. I think they trumped Born of Osiris's full-22min debut record from 2007.

LOST is back next week..along with some others as the schedule in the last blog shows.

TV Schedule/Movies/Random Finds Preview/First Ave

Psych 1/9
Monk 1/9
Big Bang Theory 1/12
How I Met Your Mother 1/12
Two and a Half Men 1/12
Kyle XY 1/12
Smallville - 1/15
Battlestar Galactica - 1/16
Lost - January 21st
Burn Notice 1/22
Trust Me ...January 26th (on TNT)
Life on Mars - January 28th
Chuck/Heroes 2/2/09
Dollhouse Feb 13th
Terminator - Feb 13th
Castle... March 9th
Reaper March 17th
Cupid - March 24th
My Boys... March
The Unusuals ...4/8 (Amber Tamblyn lawyer show..replacing Life on Mars)

ABC shows w/ no info yet:
Better Off Ted
Good Behavior (Rob Thomas of Veronica Mars new show)

Party Down (also Rob Thomas..a show on the Starz network)

SAG's:
January 25th

IFP's:
February 21st

Oscars:
announced Jan 22nd
Ceremonies Feb 22nd

Sundance Film Festival 1/16-1/25 TV Coverage/Dailies?..last year I recall they did no daily specials, but just did a summary special. And then a lot of content was on the Sundance Website.

One of these years..I will go. Maybe if I started saving now, little-by-little, I could plan for not 2010, but 2011? The cost would probably be close to what Nearfest or ProgPowerUSA would be..with higher hotel + food cost, but not as much music (or DVDs/Merch?) to buy.

Caught some-of (and need to finish up the rest) Art School Confidential last night on Sundance. Ironically, I noticed GHOST WORLD was on local tv for the 1st time ever perhaps yesterday as well. Daniel Clowes getting the air time. I should finish ASC soon and clear it off my dvr. I remember liking it; especially the dude whose sort of the lead's friend in the drawing and sculpture class. I should look up the actor and see what else he's done; he looks and talks very familiar.

Kate Winslet wins: I love her, and more or less loathe Leonardo DiCaprio, as an actor. But maybe if I saw him in something I liked, my mind would change. I am quite eager to see what she gets nominated for with the Oscars. I am thinking now with the siberia-weather out tomorrow night, I'll skip the free-pass for the Toni Collette/Diablo Cody premier episode-movie-theater-advanced-screening and instead try and see "The Reader" in Oakdale. I'm not gonna expect Kate to win, but somehow this year feels different. Sadly, I still think the best thing I've ever seen her in was SPOTLESS MIND..but granted, THAT MOVIE ITSELF is so damn good, it helps a lot.

Once I get around to THE READER and perhaps BENJAMIN BUTTON..(also FROST/NIXON) and 1 or 2 others..I should post some kind of Ranking/Top Movies. I suppose my goal would be no later than the Oscars, but perhaps sometime in the next few weeks. I've been strapped-down and guilt-tripped with time and focus with this move I made. I moved, yes, but I have masses of material to organize and sort. Still, I have like a dozen blogs I want to do, and should do soon. On MLK day perhaps 1 or 2 of them since I'm getting my car maintenanced all day and will likely be at Dunn Bros to kill time.

The next random finds is close as I not only have increased my headphone time with Kacica of course, but also Oedipus and Run Chico Run a bit. But also, I think it'd be worth adding some names I discovered the last portion of 2008 that I never actually got to write about (that deserve it). Beyond those, I can claim 2 new bands I have caught-on to this week already in Strap the Button and The Sedan Vault. Some others as well, and some names I'm also meaning to sample soon. Estradasphere was/is one, and I played a live youtube video yesterday from them. They seem rather folky and almost Zappa-ish. They reminded me of these 2 guys who were Russian or perhaps from some Eastern bloc country doing jazzy folk music @ The Cedar a few years ago. Liars is another..then some stuff mentioned on some forums and some of the end-of-year lists still. Air France and perhaps Max Tundra (the comparisons to Self have me curious).

-A word on 7th Street Entry and First Ave. I enjoyed the Jeremy Messersmith/best Friends Forever/Caroline Smith show the other night, but it would have been a lot more enjoyable I suspect had this local establishment actually had soundproof walls To go along with a typical late start (10pm?, the 1st band started) and the capacity crowd which of course was pretty scarce to find a spot where some if not many of the crowd wouldn't shut the fuck up between and DURING songs.

Much of the sound issues happened at Amanda Palmer in the mainroom last month.

I wanna go see Bloc Party in March, but it's going to take a can't-miss for me to go back there again. If I know another band is playing in the other venue, and I'm even in the least bit on the fence, I will not go. That is probably near if not the least desire club in the town for me to see a concert now. Sorry, but the lack of soundproofing has lowerd their bar even further. I mean I never was that gung-ho about the place to begin-with. The people there and the crowd always seemed very scenesters and often girls who show up, just to be there (and not for the music it self. Those are the ones that spend the entire show walking back and forth and their ears/hands glued to their cellphones. I don't need it, and now multiple experiences with echoing sound from amplifiers during shows just makes me want to avoid that place like the plague even more. I wish someone would go to the people who run First Ave and get in their face about it. Who the hell wants to pay good $ for a concert that you end up hearing pumped in bass from the other side of the wall every 10 seconds. That's hardly getting your money's worth to me and I imagine others. Hopefully they'll get enough complaints to do something about it. But that may be wishful thinking.

ok, I'm horribly rambling..like Kate or Ms.Imogen-Heap-lookalike-golden-globe-winner-Sally-Hawkins, so I'll try and quit before this gets to be even more of a waste of space.

KACICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! (re: Random Finds #1)

Man..I am continually being blown away by this newly discovered Japanese band. A few months ago Mutyumu, and in the last month Kacica.

I checked out their 2006 self-titled debut today



very moved again!..like Mutyumu, I'm not sure I'll become as addicted as their latest "Mosaic" but fucking eh..this is also without a bad track, and has a ton to like. Memorable and soothing vocals, wonderful textures, catchy riffs, etc..they opened for Minus the Bear in Japan I guess a few years ago supporting this record; and won over a lot of fans. I totally can see why.

Definitely my latest-favorite new band.

I also think it's sort of significant that they became the 100th artist/band I added to the "New Prog" Umbrella list on rym I made. Perhaps coincidence, but I suppose I like to think it was luck/fate/karma or something else :P.

A bunch more names should be added to a near-future random finds entry as I have been checking out a handful of groups over the last few weeks + have many to still check out, especially from many of the Albums of the Year lists I've read.

2009: Forecast Music: Studio Albums

The whole albums of the year practice, obsession, addiction, etc..that made 2008 so fun. And actually 2007 a ton of fun as well. But I have to say, I really would love to experience a calendar year that includes an incredible race. I mean where you got big name band or solo artist put out a record week-after-week and the level of quality record left and right comes at you nearly every week.

It sort of happened to an extent in 2007. 2008, it didn't quite get that far, although the last few months got to be a lot more interesting. 2005 and 2002 were the 2 years this decade, that I recall sort of in this process.

2007 did have Kaddisfly on top..Fair to Midland and then a bit later The Dear Hunter gave them a good run. And then September hit and 2 records dropped: Oceansize, which was good, but didn't quite rise up to Kaddisfly's level. And of course, the whole revelation of Between the Buried and Me.

That was around late September.

But '05 you had a nice battle between The Mars Volta and then Porcupine Tree..and then dredg came into the party and in some ways took over. Ultimately, the best records surfaced on my radar very late that year and nearly a year or more later in Coheed and Cambria's GOOD APOLLO 1 and then in 2006 and especially 2007 The Receiving End of Sirens' "Between the Heart and the Synapse. Sadly, neither of those were really around in my playlist, during-the-year, to qualify. But those among a whole assortment of others that I've heard the past few years has made 2005 my favorite year for music this decade. But looking at it, that was still possibly the closest top-heavy race I recall.

2002 I cannot forget though Pain of Salvation's "Remedy Lane" and Dream Theater's "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" kind of duking it out. But PoS ultimately won and was the only classic record I considered that year, during the year. If only I'd known about dredg then of course.

So what my dream is one of these years, we get a really fun battle of a bunch of band's new albums trying to win the most headphone-time from me. Granted, as I wrote months ago, I firmly still believe as evidenced by Apes and Androids and dozens of others new bands whose albums have won-me-over that I am totally unfamiliar with. It's quite possible a bunch of records that will get the most attention from me this year ain't on my current radar. Why? I think it's because I am always trying to find new and original music. That being said, 2009 looks to possibly be the biggest top heavy year of the decade, at least since 2005.

Kevin Gilbert, Soundscape, Ours, dredg, Between the Buried and Me, Pure Reason Revolution, The Dear Hunter all are expected to put out records. Plus my beloved Kaddisfly's new active project "Water and Bodies"..not to mention a ton others that I enjoy and I certainly wouldn't be shocked by a classic record from. Mew, House of Fools, Karnivool, Oceansize, In Vain, Kiss Kiss, Imogen Heap. Vet bands like Dream Theater, U2, Muse, Pain of Salvation. And some intriguing and long awaited debuts from artists like Local Natives, Revere and Between Two Skies.

We'll see..perhaps the unknown bands will still come out on top, but among all these known bands, it could make up a very to-heavy but still deep top 25 records at least. Maybe the 4-star depth will reach in to the top 30?..60 some anticipated albums of known bands (and many known that are not on this list I didn't think to add yet) certainly supports the chances of that. And maybe, 2009 will have the most 5-stars, which would be incredible, but all the more difficult to select a top album. Perhaps co-album-of-the-year? in the last year of the decade?..it might happen.

Here's that current (1/5/09) list of anticipated records with the band's myspace pages linked. The calendar of known dates, more or less through March. And then alphabetical after that (in other words, many of the alphabetized list lower down could be dropping at very different times during the year).

January 20th, 2009



Umphrey's McGee - Mantis



Modern Skirts - All of Us in Our Night

January 22nd, 2009
Greg Herriges - Telluric Currents

February 9th, 2009



Kiss Kiss - The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left

February 10th, 2009


Malajube - Labyrinthes

February 17th, 2009



The Appleseed Cast - Sagarmatha



Asobi Seksu - Hush

Feburary (date tba)
In Vain - Mantra


In Reverent Fear - Sentimental Education

Synesthesia - Symbalousa


March 3rd, 2009

U2 - No Line on the Horizon

March 9th, 2009

Pure Reason Revolution - Amor Vincit Omnia


March 24th, 2009


The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love

dredg - tba


March


Mastodon - Crack the Skye

Fields - Hollow Mountains

April

Paper Route - tba

Artists expected to release records that have yet to announce release dates/months and most cases album titles.

Agalloch - tba
Battle Circus - tba
Between the Buried and Me - tba
Between Two Skies - tba
Born of Osiris - tba
The Dear Hunter - Act III (subtitle tba)
Doves - tba
Dream Theater - tba
The End - tba
Fair to Midland - tba
Kevin Gilbert - tba
Jimmy Gnecco - tba
Haken - tba
Imogen Heap - tba
House of Fools - tba
Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Volume 3, The Middle Passage
Karnivool - tba
Kaura - tba
Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
The Mars Volta - tba
Scott Matthews - tba
maudlin of the Well - tba
Mew - tba
Midlake - The Courage of Others
Muse - tba
Mute Math - tba
My Latest Novel - Deaths and Entrances
Necrophagist - tba
Neverending White Lights - Act III (subtitle tba)
Oceansize - tba
Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR
OSI - tba
Ours - tba
Pain of Salvation - tba
Phideaux - Number Seven - tba
Porcupine Tree - tba
Revere - tba
Soundscape - Grave New World
St. Vincent - tba
Sufjan Stevens - tba
Subterranean Masquerade - In Pastille Colors
3 - tba
Thurisaz - tba
Devin Townsend - Ki
Water & Bodies - tba
Courtney Yasmineh - tba

Fish is not well :(

original lead singer of Marillion, FISH (Derek Dick) is not well. Possibly throat-cancer :(



his blog

I will admit I read this a little while ago, and he does go on for awhile. But part of me feels even more guilty about missing that Chicago and/or Milwaukee gigs last June. I just couldn't afford everything $-wise and time/vacation-wise.

Sometimes things suck. I just hope he recovers, and then perhaps one day is able to sing again.

Announcing some upcoming film reviews...

k, I am seeing the 1st 2 in the next few days, and the others I've seen recently or in the case of "Sex Drive" I recall in August. Yeah, they need reviewing, and I hope to quite soon. But of course my time doesn't allow them to fully yet. I will say, I can't claim I'd put any of them really in the class of "Slumdog Millionaire" nor "Synecdoche, NY" and probably not "Snow Angels," "Transsiberian," nor "Sleepwalking." However, every single one of them I liked and would recommend. The upcoming reviews for them should elaborate..



This was funny, albeit mostly slapstick biopic mockumentary. Meeting Bruce and the Q&A was half the fun.

75/100





A very



Really dug the action and perspective in this movie based on true events that occurred in England in the early 1970's. Saffron Burrows I knew from BOSTON LEGAL, and she's every bit as alluring and elegant in this. The gang members, the humor, and plotting between multiple factions into the ramifications of the actual Heist is what made it work well and kept you guessing until the end. I can't claim to have seen many if any other things Jason Statham has done, but I guess this was more plot/dialogue based for him, and he impressed enough. One of the better pictures of the year, that in retrospect, I wish I had caught in the theater now.

82/100





Maybe the best thing Will Ferrell has done. Other than OLD SCHOOL, nearly every thing he's starred in (and OS he was a support in fact) has not been too funny or any good really. But I'm not surprised this was good, since it was made by Marc Foster, who I liked both FINDING NEVERLAND and MONSTER'S BALL from. Emma Thompson and Queen Latifah are both as well. And while on paper it reminded me a helluva lot of THE TRUMAN SHOW, and I wouldn't go as far as to say I liked it as much as that movie; the plot and twists in the direction of the plot worked much better than I expected. Was he gonna die? Were he and the author possibly in the same world? It was a bit like Voodoo in a way I suppose. Sure, it wasn't that realistic, so I suppose you could sall this somewhat in the fantasy genre. It didn't really matter just based on intrigue on the story and where the characters were going. I also really liked Maggie Gyllenhaal. Verrry cute. I'd go for her baking me cookies any day : ).

80/100



I didn't have any interest in TWILIGHT, lol..save for the fact Mute Math had a song in the soundtrack. So I saw this instead. I liked this, but at the same time for a vampire picture, it didn't leave me that much satisfaction to be honest. The style and cinematography is nice. The acting is good enough; although generally foreign films have performances I appreciate more consistently. Maybe my biggest disappointment with this was how it was so subtle. The whole kids/vampire story almost always feels weird to me. Maybe based on the fact I like the whole lustful/romantic elements to vampire stories, I just couldn't fully embrace this thing.

The one really creepy moment does come towards the end when the vampire comes out of the dark so fast I jumped.

I guess with subtle, clever elements, I couldn't help but yearn for the very little-seen mini-series on the SCIFI Channel in the late 90's "Ultraviolet"..this movie seemed to tap into a bit of that vampire movie-that's-trying-to-hide-the-fact-its-one in that way, but I can't credit it for going far enough. However, I would recommend this still 100 times instead of the lovey-dovey melodramatic garbage that is TWILIGHT.

63/100

re: Random Finds #1

Kacica - Mosaic



I really like a lot of this. Very dreamy, but also catchy and energetic. Experimental, with some layering and psychedelic elements. At times quite bass-driven. Mixing elements from artists like Bjork, Mew, Deerhoof, and even Sigur Ros..the compositions are quite impressive at times.

Had I heard this early enough to include it in my 2008 AOY race, I could see this at least being in the top 30 if not top 20. I've been mesmersized and energized by this enough this week that it would belong that high, if not higher.

80/100



Oedipus - Humbility (2005)

They don't seem to quite fall into the category of "alt-prog" band whose trying hard, but ends up being mediocre and unoriginal. There's a nice diverse combination of styles here. I guess the bulk of this record reminds me of inter.funda.stifle-era Fair to Midland or even some of the Opus Dai and The Apex Theory work. But at the same time they have these unpredictable time changes in some of the songs that it keeps you entertained. One piece even features this gorgeous use of trumpet. Another band that I kind of thought of was Biffy Clyro, pre-PUZZZLE. They are probably not quite as experimental as a lot of that, but they do deserve points for trying to push some boundaries. This was released in 2005; so I'm quite curious where they might be at with a new record or even if/how active they still are.

I think it can't be stressed enough, how the beginning of this album didn't go as far. The 1st track esp was not an amazing opener. But many of the songs and the last 2/3 I suppose are rewarding to sit through.

75/100



Run Chico Run - Slow Action

Not blown away, but I did finally manage to get through this whole thing. The last 3 or 4 tracks surprised me. Maybe 1/2 of this thing works for me. I think I should check out some of their older work to get a better idea about this band. I must admit though, they/this album easily could have gone into the boring-category had I not made an effort here.



Akphaezya - Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity

I really am digging a lot of this. Very much like if Unexpect used a lot more clean vocals and were more refined and subdued in their experiments. A lot of great ethnic elements and jazzy sections. Give me a bit more time and I'll be able to start pointing out favorite tracks. It reminds me a little bit of earlier this summer how Subterranean Masquerade began to grow on me more and more.



Return of Simple - Saffron

Not likely as addictive as The Reign of Kindo, but I do like a lot of this. It's almost like catchy piano-driven raggtime jazz-pop with Beach Boy-like vocal arrangements at times. People who dig The Reign of Kindo should check this out no matter.

65/100

on deck: The Wildhears, Kalisia and some others...

Oh Man..ABBEY ROAD RETURNS!

http://www.collectiveunconscious.net/gigs.html


Abbey Road Returns!



* Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 7 pm
* St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Minneapolis MN
* Ticket information coming early 2009



* Friday, March 20, 2009 at 7:30 pm
* Little Falls High School, Little Falls MN
* Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 7:30 pm
* Paynesville High School, Paynesville MN
* Ticket information for both shows coming early 2009.


NOTE! Days & times are all tentative at this point, please check back for more solid information!

I saw them do ABBEY ROAD back in 2001..it was incredible. Everything was authentic and to-the-letter. McCartney's Rickenbacker, Hammond Organ..the whole 9 yards. It was certainly 1 of the most memorable shows I've ever seen. They even went barefoot! lol

To go along with this news about BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER. I haven't thought about Collective Unconscious for many years..these 2 gigs coming up in March certainly have put them back on my radar. I still really regret missing out on their PET SOUNDS w/ the Orchestra back in 2004 (or '05?, forget) in St.Cloud, MN.

Random Finds #1

ok, this is in effect the 1st of perhaps an unlimited number and frequency of blogs that will be posted at least in the coming year if I find it remains worth doing so.

This is, I hope/think of instead of just posting a new topic or whatever about said new band..and I'll include new movie or even tv show actually now thinking about it. But I'm not gonna kid myself, it will primarily be for the proverbial stumbling-upon said band likely on a blog/link/database. Perhaps on another board, $1-$5 Cheapo-find, Opening-at-a-concert-band or podcast, mix exchange, etc..or somewhere else.

These may be bands I checkout only once and forget about. They may have a song I like, but the rest bores me on 1st or 2nd impression. Or sadly, they may be a band I checkout and find ok, but it'll take some forum topic or suggestion to have myself discover to liking them.

Also of course mostly it'll be new albums..many leaks..or perhaps an album or band whose 1st work came out sometime in the last few years (I'm getting a lot of 2006 and 2007's..next year probably a lot of 08's will pop up as well). But it hardly is limited to something recent..could be a 70's or 80's band..could be older than that.

K (and of course that whole endless schpeel will not be re-posted in each one; just this initial introductory entry).


Oedipus - Humbility (2005) ..funny how I stumbled upon this NAME on my my most reliable source of links, but not that surprisingly, it was for ANOTHER BAND OF THE SAME NAME, lol. Not the 1st time that's happened (Alps for example). They sound rather Muse-like just from the samples. Findind a link for this guy wasn't easy, but I'm certainly glad I finally did.


Run Chico Run - Slow Action (2006) a random find at Cheapo a few days ago. I sampled like 3 unknown band's discs and this was the only one that got me to gamble with it...mainly due to the fact it was $2. The 2nd track I liked, but I'm not expecting a lot. And I guess this album is one a handful of discs in their back catalog; so it's possible I won't care for this, but maybe something else from their past.


Kacica Mosaic (2008) Japanese band whose vocals don't sound entirely Japanese. But kind of shoegaze-like in a Mew-kind of way. Like Run Chico Run, I suppose among the 5 or so names I checked today so far on unsaid database, this was maybe the only one that I'm gonna give a chance to.

The Wildhearts I could go after a bunch of theirs it sounds like. I am optimistic about their power-pop elements, however the stuff on their myspce that has vocals like Kurt Cobain I will likely skip. I hope this ain't another Better Than Ezra, and more of a Silverchair or Jellyfish.

2008 Albums Rankings Artwork/Comments/Links Part 1

Ok the podcast idea may have to put on hold as I started to do it the other night and my pc starting freezin up. However, that could have been due to many other factors including some spyware I hopefully ridded my pc of.

This is a write-up of the top 10. I will try and do a few more of these; but the difference I hope will be not as much time/length given to all 100+..I'll have to wing it I suppose.


1. Apes and Androids - Blood Moon

I love this album. The concept just sucked-me-in. The themes, melodies, creative arrangements among other things forced me to go back to it. Like Kaddisfly's "Set Sail the Prairie" this album spoke to me in many ways. It was one that I went back to whenever I needed an uplifting feeling, or an escape. I loved how it gave me this feeling of watching an 80's Scifi story. Emotional depth. For example the chorus that opens "Nights of the Week"..the guitar tone is such a goosebump moment.

It's also not to be overlooked how becoming a fan of this band, it opened me to discover other so-called experimental electro power-pop and related groups. Not the Elephant 6 bands, but the Matt Mahaffey stuff like Self and Wired All Wrong, and of course Brian Jacobs and David Tobias previous band Call Florence Pow.

The whole thing is greater than the sum of it's parts, so to suggest 1 or 2 songs wouldn't be the most effective opportunity to enjoy this. But to name a handful of the tracks: Riverside (1 of the most uplifting songs of 2008.."Nothing's Wrong"), Hot Kathy, Make Forever Last Forever, Johnny and Sarah (maybe my current favorite. It reminds me of a story about a Bonnie and Clyde couple, and the guitar solo just rules), We Don't Understand You ("Put Your Hands Up"), Radio, Sweetest Little Thing (one of the bigger growers), Golden Prize ("I don't think you know what girl's from the Midwest are all about")

Evidenced by the fact after 100 or more times playing the thing, I still am learning plenty of new things about it; the concept/story or even just understanding lyrics (for the better or worse).

This will be an album I will likely go back to again and again. My biggest curiousity is how they follow it up. They wrote it mostly in 2006 and 2007 I guess, and the 2 songs I've heard by them "Creepy Girls" and "Endless Dream" are of the quality of the work on BM. Jacobs and Tobias are impressive enough songwriters, I could see their next work being even better.


2. Burst - Lazarus Bird

A breakthrough record. I found myself being more surprised how much I enjoyed this record time after time. "Cripple God" has that great melodic section "I will..carry...I will carry youuuu...." and "We Watched the Silver Rain" with it's incredible rhythm. The melodies are so rich and cemented into your brain after you listen to this. It was the Metal release of the year. As a result, I may find my interest in a group like Mastodon to go up.


3. Ours - Mercy...(Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy)

I love this band, but after 6+ years of waiting for this (myself, admittedly about 3 since I became a fan during the Summer of '05), my expectations and excitement for this album was not what it would have been. But it managed to surprise me how polished every song was on here, that many of them seemed to have new life. "Worst things Beautiful" I love the catchiness too. Like U2 at their most catchy. "Willing," "Saint"..that one turned out a lot better than I expected. Contrary to many fans, the live version I had known never blew me away. "Ran Away to Tell the World" grew on me a lot. "Live Again" "Mercy" "Murder".."Get Up." It certainly was an album that didn't lack depth. I guess that's part of why it stood out.

I still doubt if it'll become the staple album their (10-years-in-the-making) debut record "Distorted Lullabies" is for me, but it does prove how Ours are a band who manages to record quality records. Maybe best, now that Jimmy Gnecco has announced the major label situation is over, the lack of studio catalog the group has had will not exist. 2009 another Ours record is expected, along with an acoustic solo album and a sideproject with April Bauer as well. Neverending White Lights perhaps too. Makeup for time lost given the fact he/Ours has dozens of unrecorded songs that didn't end up on this record. If he puts out more work like "Mercy" I will not be a disappointed Ours fan.



4. Mutyumu - Il y a

This was the record out of leftfield. The 2nd LP from this Japanese group. Vocals all in Japanese, in a subtle opera-style. I guess the strings and especially piano phrases just get me every time here. The emotional depth is echoed throughout this album.

Highlights: Kaenchō, Inori [prayer] are two of them. But I think like every record in the top 10, this is an album you put on and just enjoy the whole ride. Classical, Ambient, Jazz, hints of Hardcore. It's just a wonderful blending of styles with impressively written compositions.

I just wish I could somehow track down an affordable copy of this or their Self-titled debut cd. Maybe I'll find my way to Japan someday and a copy will be there to purchase. Or instead, they manage to get some import vendor to lower distribution costs to the Western Continents. Because I would call them somewhat of a brilliant secret. Maybe not for that much longer.


5. The Stiletto Formal - !Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta!

The energy on this record is perhaps my favorite part. The 1st 6 tracks had me going back to it a number of times over the last few months. The title track, and "We Are All Muckrakers" maybe being 2 of the best songs. I love the post-rock guitar over the hip-hop narrative on the title song. I won't deny the fact at 1st the Mars Volta similarities were unignorable. Like Portugal the Man. Except their singer wasn't singing as high as Cedric Bixler for one, and the fact they combined a much better melodic sense along with Violin and Cello, that it didn't matter. So in other words, energy, melodic sense, and strings pulled me in. And the whole record over time just got better. I dig Kiss Kiss and Murder By Death (1st 2 albums w/ out the Johnny Cash vox and with the Piano); and this band included a lot of elements that I love about those 2 (mainly the strings to be honest).

A step-up from their 2 EPs which I need to play more, but I don't recall enjoying quite as much. I expect to play this album a lot in the future.



6. Marillion - Happiness is the Road

It was totally free to download, and I decided to pass on the $40 pre-order deal after the less-than-impressive value for that with "Somewhere Else." But they are my favorite band still. This album was a lot to take in, and I honestly am still digesting a lot of it. The fact it was 2 full discs, 1 being "Essence" and the other "The Hard Shoulder"..as-a-whole it gives me reason to want to hear both albums back-2-back. The reason for that is due to the fact I enjoy both discs about equally. They both have many great Marillion-moments. And they also both contain much of the style/sound of this album. Wall-of-sound or ambient passages, that unlike some groups including Porcupine Tree, can often drag and bore me. But the slower sections on here, don't go on so long that I fall asleep. I suppose I would say they are worth getting through for the big moments. In fact, over some time, "Somewhere Else" I would claim the same about.

Among my favorites..

ESSENCE: "Trap the Spark," "A State of Mind," "Happiness Is the Road," "Half Empty Jam," (Ian Moseley does his best Neil Peart impersonation towards the end).

THE HARD SHOULDER: "Thunder Fly" "The Man From the Planet Marzipan" "Asylum Satellite #1" "Whatever Is Wrong with You" "Real Tears for Sale" (I always think of "The Last Straw" with this..big goosebumps)

This may not be a top 10 decade contender "Marbles" is. And it also could be one of their last records at least for awhile if not ever. But if that is the case, I can't deny that the boys finished on a big note.

Now only if they could manage to tour the States again without losing $..maybe someday. A tour with Porcupine Tree or on Progressive Nation perhaps?..we'll see. The Fan Weekend in Montreal, sadly I don't have $1200 to invest in right now.



7. Bend Sinister - Stories of Brothers, Tales of Lovers

I was very excited for this after loving their debut "Through the Broken City." Definitely one of the most addictive debut discs for me over the last couple of years. And that album had a ton of riffs and hooks that I loved. Crescendos that totally worked for me.

This album is a concept album, much like BROKEN CITY, but didn't catch my ear as much right out of the gate. However, it has grown a lot on me. Another one that fits in "greater than the sum of it's parts." Very thematic, and classic rock-sounding. best listened to all-at-once. Over some play I concluded it's for the better that it wasn't exactly about the individual song, but more about getting swallowed-up by the ideas and styles. To give a few highlights: "Give Into the Night" "Dr.Lee" "Jimmy Brown" "The News" and "Demise" is probably the one piece that had a build-up like some of the epic tracks on "Broken City." Overall though, I enjoyed this more and more and it probably has grown close to the same level of their debut record. The *progressive* tag still fits them for the fact it's quality, but not the same thing. I just still wish more people knew about them and they could manage to tour America.



8. Sculptured - Embodiment: Collapsing Under the Weight of God

The early leader. Folky progressive death metal project from Don Anderson of Agalloch. I love how this is less-is-more and how this is how progressive rock and heavy metal can work without an overly self-indulgence. The artwork even kicks ass. The title track is a 10 minute emotional build-up. The conclusion has this fading guitar melody over some sound samples from the David Cronenberg short film "Camera" about a man who has a dream he describes the experience aging rapidly from seeing a movie in a movie theater and waking up "terrfied" and aged.

Not a record I would say everyone will love (mainly due to it's methodical pace and the vocal style being slightly black-metal, but not in-your-face or anything), but for fans of Agalloch or progressive metal that isn't too Dream Theater-ish, this really worked. Less is in fact more on here. Like Agalloch or Subterranean Masquerade, the atmosphere and epic quality they create really won me over.



9. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Total grower. I think these guys fall into the category of Indie-band-i-never-expected-to-like-that-would-never-have-progressive-rock-in-their-sound-but surprisingly-do. The Decemberists, The New Pornographers, Midlake, Cloud Cult and a handful of others as well. There is this great, subtle epic quality in their music. Many songs seem kinda meh..but then they go into sections I just love. They rock out. Maybe it's how they arrange the keys and piano, I dunno. Their singer is nothing special; in fact on paper I'd call him slightly annoying, but like death metal vocals I suppose, over some time his voice grows on you. And the music is so damn good, it doesn't matter.

No this is one the Indie crowd got right. My favorite pieces perhaps are "California Dreamer" "Kissing the Beehive" and "Call It a Ritual" ..but again, I'd rather play the whole thing. I'm not as certain about their debut LP from a couple of years ago. But this record works really well start to finish.


10. Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)

Finally a band from Minnesota pops into my radar and makes an album I grow to really enjoy. Finally a MN band is tapping into prog rock, that I like and know. I've known their name for many years, but always associated them to be 1 of a ton of "alt" bands that community champions that I can't stomach. Hardly here. These guys use strings well, and have a great energy and emotional element throughout this album.

Definitely an exception within the Pitchfork's playlist (and light years better than flavor-of-the-year Fleet Foxes). "Everybody Here Is a Cloud" is the one 89.3 played a ton of, and it is a radio-worthy song. However, pretty much every track on here works well and could work on the air.

The only thing I suppose I could say is, it never blew me away entirely. It was consistent, but not classic. But given it is without any songs or elements I'd skip, it managed to make the top 10.

11. King's X - XV
12. Woven - Designer Codes
13. Protest the Hero - Fortress
14. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
15. Demians - Building an Empire
16. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
17. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Not Animal
18. Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Animal!
19. Adebisi Shank - This is the Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
20. Arsis - We Are the Nightmare
21. Annuals - Such Fun
22. The Stills - Oceans Will Rise
23. East of the Wall - Farmer's Almanac
24. She Said Destroy - The City Speaks in Tongues
25. Agalloch - The White (EP)
26. Anathallo - Canopy Glow
27. Gojira - The Way of All Flesh
28. Exotic Animal Petting Zoo - I Have Made My Bed In Darkness
29. Jeremy Messersmith - The Silver City
30. God is an Astronaut - God is an Astronaut
31. The Reign of Kindo - Rhythm, Chord, & Melody
32. Bloc Party - Intimacy
33. Black Mountain - In the Future
34. Hills Like White Elephants
35. Eluveitie - Slania
36. Mason Proper - Olly Oxen Free
37. Distrails - Virginia Creeper (EP)
38. Gloria Morti - Eryx
39. Big Fresh - Big Fresh Forever
40. Panic at the Disco - Pretty Odd
41. Opeth - Watershed
42. Ebu Gogo - Worlds
43. Russian Circles - Station
44. The Faceless - Planetary Duality
45. Steven Wilson - Insurgentes
46. Darla Farmer - Rewiring the Electric Forest
47. The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
48. Brendan Canning - Something for All of Us...
49. The Big Sleep - Sleep Forever
50. Foals - Antidotes
51. Paper Route - All We Are Forgotten
52. Damiera - Quiet Mouth, Loud Hands
53. Genghis Tron - Board Up the House
54. The Jealous Girlfriends
55. Textures - Silhouettes
56. Klimt 1918 - Just in Case We'll Never Meet Again (Soundtrack for the Cassette Generation)
57. Opus Dai - Touch the Sun
58. Skeletons - Money
59. The Atomic Bomb Audition - Light Will Remain
60. Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
61. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
62. !Forward, Russia - Life Processes
63. dEUS - Vantage Point
64. Brain Drill - Apocalyptic Feasting
65. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
66. Nomia - Nomia (EP)
67. Roger Joseph Manning Jr - Catnip Dynamite
68. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
69. The Arusha Accord - Nightmares of the Ocean (EP)
70. Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
71. Other Lives - Other Lives (EP)
72. Go-Neko! - Una Especie de Mutante
73. Andy Dixon - The Mice of Mt. Career
74. Metallica - Death Magnetic
75. Lehto and Wright - Between the Jigs and the Reels
76. Big Blue Ball - Big Blue Ball
77. Jenny Dalton - Rusalka's Umbrella
78. The Alps - III
79. Enslaved - Vertebrae
80. The Alps - Something I Might Regret
81. Tangled Thoughts of Leaving - Tiny Fragments (EP)
82. Pitchblend - Lines of Unreason
83. Braintoy - Vehicles
84. Blowing Trees - Blowing Trees
85. Shiny Toy Guns - Season of Poison
86. Radius System - Escape / Restart
87. Hate - Morphosis
88. Hieronymus Bosch - Equivoke
89. Eaten by Tigers - Solstice (EP)
90. Sleepin Pillow - Apples on an Orange Tree
91. The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia
92. Hiromi Uehara - Beyond Standard
93. Janus - Red Right Turn
94. Mt.Helium - Faces
95. Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant (EP)
96. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
97. Evangelicals - The Evening Descends
98. National Bank - Come on Over to the Other Side
99. Cynic - Traced in Air
100. The Deer Tracks - Aurora
101. Tiger Lou - A Partial Print
102. Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
103. Black Milk - Tronic