albums you heard for the first time this week

[shuffle]

stole this idea from another board. post and discuss the albums/releases/singles that you heard for the first time this week. new and old, good and bad - all is welcome! simply, what music did you discover this week, and how was it?

[shuffle]

figured I might as well start...

the week between the 8th-14th of november:

4/5:
John Prine - John Prine (1971)
I've been meaning to give this a shot for a long time but I've kept forgetting it. anyway, really good album and it's definitely gonna get more spins from me.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Social Network OST (2010)
great movie, really good soundtrack. it's mostly ambient/electronic stuff and it works really well in the movie, but also outside. I think a bunch of the tracks are re-workings of trent reznor's tracks from nine inch nails' ghost stuff. not sure which though, because I haven't listened to ghosts.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
the world's biggest ego is back. this is something as unusual as an actual album rather than a collection of songs in mainstream music today, and also a rare example of an artist who might be considered the biggest in the world but is still pushing himself creatively. well worth checking out...but kanye is still kanye.

3,5/5:
Girls - Broken Dreams Club (2010)
probably enjoy this a bit more than their debut album, which is good but overrated. good americana-ish indie rock.

The War on Drugs - Future Weather (2010)
a bit of a disappointment for me since wagonwheel blues is a great lp and comin' through (the first track released from this is great). still a good album and it keeps my hopes up for lp2.

3/5:
Darling Don't Dance - Bare Frames (2009)
danish indie rock, very early '90s. decent songs, female vocals. gonna see these gals (and guy) live on friday supporting graveyard and sleepy sun.

Où Est Le Swimming Pool - The Golden Year (2010)
british electropop. the singer sadly commited suicide in august before the release of the album...my friend is a huge fan of them, after seeing them live this summer, but imo she hugely overrates them. that's not saying they weren't good, the three best tracks on the album is pretty much the best electropop I've heard in a long time, and if things had turned out differently these guys could've really made a great second album.

also listened to kyuss' welcome to sky valley but only once, so I don't feel comfortable rating it yet...good stuff though.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

4/5:
John Prine - John Prine (1971)
I've been meaning to give this a shot for a long time but I've kept forgetting it. anyway, really good album and it's definitely gonna get more spins from me.

Believe it or not, even as a lifelong Prine fan I still don't own some of his early records (namely John Prine, Diamonds in the Rough and Common Sense) so I've still got a bit of catching up to do.

[Zip City]

Gaslight Anthem - American Slang (1/5)

Terrible terrible terrible. Indistinguishable from the early 00's pop-rock groups like Sum-41 and Bowling for Soup. I dont' get the hype AT ALL

[3milelake]

JJ Grey & Mofro - Georgia Warhorse
Whitey Morgan & the '78's
The Imus Ranch Record II
Nine Pound Hammer - Country Classics

[shuffle]

hehe zip, I think you need a new pair of ears

just kidding, but honestly, part of their sound is punk-pop and the like, but the new one is far more classic rock-ish/the who-ish than pop-punk and I don't see how anyone could call it "Indistinguishable from the early 00's pop-rock groups like Sum-41 and Bowling for Soup". not saying you have to like it or anything (I do), but I just don't see that. I could list a whole bunch of complains about the album, but that wouldn't be one of them.

[Zip City]

hehe zip, I think you need a new pair of ears

just kidding, but honestly, part of their sound is punk-pop and the like, but the new one is far more classic rock-ish/the who-ish than pop-punk and I don't see how anyone could call it "Indistinguishable from the early 00's pop-rock groups like Sum-41 and Bowling for Soup". not saying you have to like it or anything (I do), but I just don't see that. I could list a whole bunch of complains about the album, but that wouldn't be one of them.

the lyrics are terrible, every song has a cutesy guitar lick, it's just bad. I don't like it at all (and don't find it all that different from the first album)

guess they're just not for me

[Iowan]

Gaslight Anthem - American Slang (1/5)

Terrible terrible terrible. Indistinguishable from the early 00's pop-rock groups like Sum-41 and Bowling for Soup. I dont' get the hype AT ALL

I don't even know where to start with this post. "Diamond Church Street Choir" is one of the grooviest rock songs I've heard in awhile. I love this album. I think it's their best by a mile.

To the subject on hand, I'm listening to the new Kanye. I'm not much of a hip hop fan, but I really, really enjoy this thus far.

[shuffle]

hehe zip, I think you need a new pair of ears

just kidding, but honestly, part of their sound is punk-pop and the like, but the new one is far more classic rock-ish/the who-ish than pop-punk and I don't see how anyone could call it "Indistinguishable from the early 00's pop-rock groups like Sum-41 and Bowling for Soup". not saying you have to like it or anything (I do), but I just don't see that. I could list a whole bunch of complains about the album, but that wouldn't be one of them.

the lyrics are terrible, every song has a cutesy guitar lick, it's just bad. I don't like it at all (and don't find it all that different from the first album)

guess they're just not for me

I could easily see how one wouldn't like the lyrics, I get annoyed by them at times too but there's honesty or whatever shining through...at least to me when I got into them (around the '59 sound) it took me a couple of months to stop getting annoyed by the lyrics. nowadays I just find what annoyed me back then charming and endearing. but yeah, each to their own.

@Kudzu: from what I've heard his self-titled is supposed to be his best, but I've barely heard of the guy, really. definitely not in the real world sweet revenge is next on my "to-listen"-list when it comes to prine, but I'm gonna wait awhile and get to know this one before venturing further.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

@Kudzu: from what I've heard his self-titled is supposed to be his best, but I've barely heard of the guy, really. definitely not in the real world sweet revenge is next on my "to-listen"-list when it comes to prine, but I'm gonna wait awhile and get to know this one before venturing further.

Sweet Revenge is probably my favorite Prine album but I'll go ahead and tell you up front, I don't think he's ever made a bad album. The man simply doesn't seem capable of it (same for Guy Clark and a small handful of others).

I also don't get the comparison of The Gaslight Anthem to the pop-punk bands of the 90s. I hear absolutely no similarities between them and Sum 41. I'm not a big Springsteen fan but I'm enough of a Replacements fan to have purchased The '59 Sound but it worn thin fairly quickly and I rarely (if ever) listen to it anymore. There's just not enough originality there for me. I didn't even bother with American Slang.

[shuffle]

alright, sounds like I need to get on sweet revenge then

yeah, I was also initially disappointed about the lack of replacements in the gaslight anthem's sound since I was led to believe it was supposed to be a cross of springsteen and the mats. but it's not, and I really wish people would stop using the mats as a reference point since it doesn't really help... honestly, when I first got the '59 sound it reminded me of a more rockier/punkier cross of springsteen and springsteen-aping-era (read: when you were young-era) the killers. I guess most people won't find that to be something positive, but to me it is. when you were young is easily among the best pop songs of the '00s imo (and miles and miles above anything else the killers' done so far).

['Scratch]

Always the late bloomer, I DLd The Sadies New Seasons and Darker Circles from eMusic.

DAYUM! They are GREAT. I love the rural noir-esque countrysurfadelic vibe. And man, there are some PHATPHATTYPHAT guitar licks in the mix.

[Van]

Jim Jones Revue-Jim Jones Revue(1st album)

Jim Jones Revue-Burning Your House Down(2nd Album)

Some really Kick Ass Rock n Roll.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

alright, sounds like I need to get on sweet revenge then

yeah, I was also initially disappointed about the lack of replacements in the gaslight anthem's sound since I was led to believe it was supposed to be a cross of springsteen and the mats. but it's not, and I really wish people would stop using the mats as a reference point since it doesn't really help... honestly, when I first got the '59 sound it reminded me of a more rockier/punkier cross of springsteen and springsteen-aping-era (read: when you were young-era) the killers. I guess most people won't find that to be something positive, but to me it is. when you were young is easily among the best pop songs of the '00s imo (and miles and miles above anything else the killers' done so far).

I think the Mats comparisons stemmed from the reputation of their live shows. I still don't rule out seeming them live just to check them out in that element but I'm less inclined than I was a year or so ago when I first heard them.

[shuffle]

alright, sounds like I need to get on sweet revenge then

yeah, I was also initially disappointed about the lack of replacements in the gaslight anthem's sound since I was led to believe it was supposed to be a cross of springsteen and the mats. but it's not, and I really wish people would stop using the mats as a reference point since it doesn't really help... honestly, when I first got the '59 sound it reminded me of a more rockier/punkier cross of springsteen and springsteen-aping-era (read: when you were young-era) the killers. I guess most people won't find that to be something positive, but to me it is. when you were young is easily among the best pop songs of the '00s imo (and miles and miles above anything else the killers' done so far).

I think the Mats comparisons stemmed from the reputation of their live shows. I still don't rule out seeming them live just to check them out in that element but I'm less inclined than I was a year or so ago when I first heard them.

they're really good live, although I'm not sure how mats-y they are...mainly because I have no idea how the mats were live except for the shit hits the fans live album, which is awesome but kinda terrible at the same time. the gaslight anthem are a really tight rock 'n' roll band live and definitely one of the best shows I've seen this year. plus they seem to really love what they do.

@Van: I checked out burning your house down a few weeks ago, they're playing here in december. really enjoyed the record

[Zip City]

I don't hear an iota of Springsteen in The Gaslight Anthem. I think most Springsteen fans would be horrified at the comparison

[dee dee]

I don't hear an iota of Springsteen in The Gaslight Anthem. I think most Springsteen fans would be horrified at the comparison

[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0XCTeJx_o[/url]

[Kudzu Guillotine]

I don't hear an iota of Springsteen in The Gaslight Anthem. I think most Springsteen fans would be horrified at the comparison

I definitely hear it, not to mention The '59 Sound album where they quote several of his lyrics. I have a friend that's a huge Hold Steady and Springsteen fan and I figured she would love the Gaslight Anthem. She did which didn't surprise me at all. I'm not saying that's true of all fans of "Northern Rock" (for lack of a better word) but most of the Springsteen fans I know also love The Gaslight Anthem.

[shuffle]

springsteen is by far the artist I hear the most of in gaslight anthem, maybe not purely musically but thematically. the lyrics, the vocals, the feeling, it's all about them trying to "be" springsteen. a friend of mine who hates springsteen (yeah she's a weirdo ) but enjoys lots of music similar to gaslight anthem can't stand them because of how much they sound like springsteen...

[Zip City]

man, what are you people listening to? Is there some crappy pop-punk Springsteen record I'm unaware of?

[dime in the gutter]

Is there some crappy pop-punk Springsteen record I'm unaware of?

the river?

[Smitty]

Fav Prine albums

1. s/t
2. The Missing Years
3. Sweet Revenge
4. In Spite of Ourselves
5. Aimless Love

most played is prolly Souvenirs, re-recordings of some of his best songs (these version are a lot better than the originals IMO)

worst album: pink cadillac

[Iowan]

I don't hear an iota of Springsteen in The Gaslight Anthem. I think most Springsteen fans would be horrified at the comparison

I felt that way about their first album, but I hear a ton of Bruce in American Slang. From the production, to the anthemic choruses, to the relentless stomp of some of the songs. There's a lot of muscle to the sound of this record, that really reminds me of the Boss.

I almost wonder if you're listening to the same album as the rest of us when you hear it as sounding like Blink-182. Maybe someone slipped you a copy of some pop punk band's demo.

[Penny Lane]

Is there some crappy pop-punk Springsteen record I'm unaware of?

the river?

i've heard that comparison a lot but don't get it either..the jersey connection? no idea..

[Iowan]

I don't hear an iota of Springsteen in The Gaslight Anthem. I think most Springsteen fans would be horrified at the comparison

[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0XCTeJx_o[/url]

That sounds just like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emGri7i8Y2Y

[beantownbubba]

Springsteen's sound is all over The '59 Sound. It seems obvious to me. Go figure. FWIW, Springsteen picked The '59 Sound as his album of that year for a Q magazine piece. To me, American Slang sounds less specifically derivative, but also clearly owes a debt to the Boss. Perhaps not surprisingly, i'm a fan.

[dime in the gutter]

never intentionally listened to an entire gaslight anthem tune. could not tell you one song of theirs.

did they do the thong song?

[Kudzu Guillotine]

never intentionally listened to an entire gaslight anthem tune. could not tell you one song of theirs.

did they do the thong song?

They were going to but then they got high.

[dogstar]

Fav Prine albums

1. s/t
2. The Missing Years
3. Sweet Revenge
4. In Spite of Ourselves
5. Aimless Love

most played is prolly Souvenirs, re-recordings of some of his best songs (these version are a lot better than the originals IMO)

worst album: pink cadillac

John Prine is someone that's slipped passed me - the first I knew about him was when Deertick played Mexican House a few weeks ago at a concert in Coventry. I shall be investigating further so this list is very helpful along with the other comments about him above.

[4sooner]

Bruised Orange is one of my favorite Prine records.
Storm Windows is also good.