After my flashbacks for the decade and my personal favorite albums and singles, see here and here,
the time has come to return to the present and take a look at the most significant releases of the last two months of the year, before moving on to 2009 flashback. In general, it can be said that last autumn has been rather disappointing as far as releases are concerned. The best release of the last two months is the soundtrack of the successful series Twilight that contains excellent compositions by Death cab for cutie, Band of skulls and Lykke Li, reminiscent of Hope Sandoval's performance. Muse also participate, with the best track from their last album, while Editors', as well as Thom Yorke's compositions move in the spirit of this movie. But if we had to select only one song out of the soundtrack, I would vote for Slow life by Grizzly Bear.
The fans of noise will enjoy the second album by A place to bury strangers, the most noisy group on the planet, entitled Exploding head. More about the album by Ody here. According to themselves, the band got inspiration, among others, from Jesus and Mary chain, My bloody Valentine and Big Black. I mostly enjoyed It is nothing, In your heart, Keep slipping away, Everything always goes wrong and Exploding head.
The first album by Antlers from Brooklyn constitutes one of the best debuts for this year. Hospice has a book structure, with a preface, an afterward and chapters. Peter Silberman's voice has been said to combine the voices of Antony, from Antony and the Johnsons, and Jeff Buckley! Kettering, Sylvia, Bear, Two ande Wake stand out. Fiction by Lumiere Brother or Thanasis Christodoulou from Archangel, detailed review here, is one of the most significant Greek releases for 2009. Thanasis' performance refers to cinema images and he describes his own music as pop that especially adores double vocals.
Julian Plenti is … skyscraper is the first solo album by Paul Julian Banks or Julian Plenti, singer and guitarist of Interpol. It moves in diffferent, more acoustic - folk style than the Interpol and has gained fairly good reviews. Only if you run, Fun that you have, Games for days and Unwind are worthy of our attention.
Temper Trap from Melbourne released their remarkable debut Sweet disposition under the production of Jim Abiss (Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian). Details here.
The fans of Echo and the Bunnymen will certainly not be disappointed by their new release The fountain, nor will they have to spend a lot of money, since they can download it for free. I mostly enjoyed Forgotten fields, Do you know who I am and Proxy. From the initial group memebers, besides Ian Mc Culloch, only guitarist Will Sergeant has remained. Bad Lieutenant are the fourth band with the participation of Bernard Sumner, after Joy Division, New Order and Electronic. They were formed two years ago and ενώ Phil Cunningham, Stephen Morris, as well as Alex James from Blur are also members. Their compostions are not far from New Order and to me Sink or swim, Twist of fate and This is home, reminiscent of Crystal stand out.
Merriweather post pavillion by Animal Collective is already included in most lists of the best albums of the year for a big portion of the press but also as you can see here in number 5 of mixgrill list of the best albums of the decade, the band from Baltimore released their new EP Fall be kind, which contains 5 songs, a few days ago.
It is expected for the excellent albums and singles by Moz in the last years to be accompanied be equivalent B sides. So, the ones from You are the quarry until this year's Years of refusal have been compiled in Swords. My attention was more strongly drawn to Don’t make fun of daddy's voice, Christian Dior, It’s hard to walk tall when you' re small and Children in pieces. ALBUMS
OST – The twilight saga new moon
ANTLERS – Hospice
JULIAN PLENTI – Julian Plenti is … skyscraper
LUMIERE BROTHER – Fiction
A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS – Exploding head
THE TEMPER TRAP – Conditions
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN – The fountain
BAD LIEUTENANT – Never cry another tear
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE – Fall be kind (EP)
MORRISSEY - Swords
SINGLES
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE – Meet me on the equinox A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS – In your heart
FLAMING LIPS – Watching the planets
THE TEMPER TRAP – Sweet disposition
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN – Think I need it too
BAD LIEUTENANT – Sink or swim
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE – You’ve got the love
DEVENDRA BANHART – Baby
ANTLERS – Bear
JULIAN PLENTI – Games for days
GRIZZLY BEAR – While you wait for the others
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