NEW ALBUMS (released within last month/30 days) Worth a Listen

Arghus

Lets get this thread back to life -

Yves Tumor has a new album out, Heaven to A Tortured Mind.

I think he's interesting, but maybe could do with writing slightly better songs. I don't know what to think of this album so far, it might need a few more listens.

I think this tune is fairly solid -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0c7lVHMyaY

sweetie

Arghus wrote: »

Lets get this thread back to life -

Yves Tumor has a new album out, Heaven to A Tortured Mind.

I think he's interesting, but maybe could do with writing slightly better songs. I don't know what to think of this album so far, it might need a few more listens.

I think this tune is fairly solid -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0c7lVHMyaY

I got his last record, yeah it's interesting but a bit all over the shop. Apparently great live too

Anesthetize

Fiona Apple is back... Boy is she back...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N541HLPeG6Y

S.M.B.

Hadn't realised she was releasing a new album until I saw Pitchfork gave it a 10. Have only listened to the first few tracks but very impressed with what I've heard so far. Looking forward to getting properly stuck into it.

divide_by_zero

Anesthetize wrote: »

Fiona Apple is back... Boy is she back...

Not a fan of her at all but Pitchfork gave her a 10/10 for this record, so I said I'd give it a listen. I really don't get the love for her, I think it's a terrible record. Then I thought maybe I was being harsh so I gave it another listen, still didn't change my mind.

donfers

divide_by_zero wrote: »

Not a fan of her at all but Pitchfork gave her a 10/10 for this record, so I said I'd give it a listen. I really don't get the love for her, I think it's a terrible record. Then I thought maybe I was being harsh so I gave it another listen, still didn't change my mind.

I think a lot of critics weigh too heavily the "difference factor", something that sounds unusual and unique and while of course innovation is important, I think the likes of Pitchfork overestimate its value.

If three white guys play guitar tunes with solild verse-bridge-chorus then I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing and it won't prejudice my enjoyment of the music and same goes the other way. The ears don't discriminate, the critics do

Arghus

It's a pretty good record. I've spent the last couple of days listening to it, but it is also being wildly overrated.

Some songs are great, some are just downright annoying.

Rothko

divide_by_zero wrote: »

Not a fan of her at all but Pitchfork gave her a 10/10 for this record, so I said I'd give it a listen. I really don't get the love for her, I think it's a terrible record. Then I thought maybe I was being harsh so I gave it another listen, still didn't change my mind.

Totally agree. I could never figure out what people see in her.

Arghus

Ah, Fiona Apple is pretty good. This album is overrated, but it's by no means bad. Maybe it'll be a grower. I haven't given up on it yet.

Generally, she's damn good. I still listen to When The Pawn... from time to time. Great melodies and arrangements. And her last album before this one was especially strong. She does raw and emotional very well and can be equally good at soft and delicate. The big problem for me with her is that all her songs are about relationships and usually addressed to potential future lovers or bad break-ups. It can occasionally wear thin. Angel Olsen is a bit like this also.

I think the pitchfork 10/10 is ridiculous. That's the first one they've given in literally years. Pitchfork is highly suspect. They still have some good writers, but, in general, what they say these days has to be taken with a pinch of salt. They've strayed pretty far from what they once were. To an extent it isn't entirely their own fault - their original bread and butter of indie and alternative isn't really what's popular these days. But, having said that, they often give very high marks to completely mediocre and even downright bad mainstream hip-hop and r and b. Cardi B, best new album? Give me a fcking break. And so many of their reviews only mention the actual music that's supposedly being reviewed tangentially. It might get a paragraph, but there'll be four or five of superfluous shyte.

They used to be taste makers, but now they follow the same trends as everyone else.

I still glance at it, mainly from habit. It's a pity. It gets a lot of bad press, but it was legitimately a good site and resource back in the day. I took a chance on numerous bands or acts through the years because I read about them there first.

It would be interesting to know how others find new stuff. Personally, I look at the likes of metacritic, album of the year and I mooch about on Rate Your Music. Rate Your Music can be a goldmine, but the reception of currently released stuff can be far from objective.

A lot of people hate on the dude now, but I still give a watch or two to Anthony Fantano. I remember when he used to introduce videos by shouting out the name of the act and album beside a tree in his garden. It's crazy to see how big he's become over the years. I don't agree about 60% of the time, but I still rate him as being honest. He still reviews things based on they sound to his ears.

S.M.B.

Pitchfork is vastly different to what it used to be (for many reasons) but I still enjoy their reviews, especially the Sunday retrospectives which often leads me to checking out some new old music.

I mainly come across new stuff by lurking in the Drowned in Sound message board. Its seems to be the online resource that best matches my current tastes.

UrbanSprawl

Midwife -Forever

WesternZulu

Surprised there has been no mention of the new Strokes album on this thread.

I have to say the more I listen to The New Abnormal the more that I am enjoying it. It's brilliant!! I wasn't expecting much but it's by far The Strokes best work since their first two albums.

ShaneU

WesternZulu wrote: »

Surprised there has been no mention of the new Strokes album on this thread.

I have to say the more I listen to The New Abnormal the more that I am enjoying it. It's brilliant!! I wasn't expecting much but it's by far The Strokes best work since their first two albums.

At the door is an amazing song. Bad Decisions is a nice play on Dancing with myself. The rest is forgettable. A huge improvement on their last album but that's not saying much

WesternZulu

ShaneU wrote: »

At the door is an amazing song. Bad Decisions is a nice play on Dancing with myself. The rest is forgettable. A huge improvement on their last album but that's not saying much

I think Bad Decisions is the worst song on the album so I disagree with you there on both counts. I would't say the rest is unforgettable - it's a slow burner.

I thought the second half of the album wasn't up to much on the first few listens but I've completely changed my mind now. Ode to the Mets is a great closing song and one of the best on the album.

Rothko

I'd consider Ode To The Mets as one of the best songs they've ever released. Great vocals by Julian on that one.

Arghus

I don't know much about this guy - one of his songs played at random today in a playlist I was listening too - but Blake Mills is a guitarist/singer songwriter who has an album out called Mutable Set. A bit of a classic song writer vibe, but with added ambient and dissonant elements to his sound. This guy is good.

This song reminds me a bit of Talk Talk, but it doesn't feel like a rip-off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE0gtL7JI-U

This song is gorgeous-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ_9TSmXy90

sweetie

ive got his heigh ho record from a few years back. wasn't crazy about it. he has a massive cv as a session musician, producer and touring guitarist.

Arghus

New Perfume Genius album out today. I wasn't blown away on first listen.

sweetie

Arghus wrote: »

New Perfume Genius album out today. I wasn't blown away on first listen.

just reading some reviews, the aforementioned Blake Mills produced this!

Arghus

sweetie wrote: »

just reading some reviews, the aforementioned Blake Mills produced this!

I have listened to it a couple of times since I first posted my hot-take - on something resembling a decent sound system - I think I might have been off in my initial assessment. It's a grower.

Arghus

The new Sparks album has it's moments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPSFpaCQEvA

These guys have been making music for 53 years. Jesus Christ.

Arghus

Okay, I was miles off with my initial assessment of the new Perfume Genius album. It's an amazing record, with no bad song.

sweetie

Just came across a great hip hop album released last month, R.A. the Rugged man - All my heroes are dead. Only his third album since the early 90's and it's been worth the wait.

loyatemu

I'm enjoying the new BC Camplight album having seen it on the Guardian's best of 2020 (so far) list. Not sure how to describe it, maybe a bit Brian Wilson and a bit Todd Rundgren. Songs go off on tangents and the lyrics are quite odd but it also pretty catchy.

sweetie

loyatemu wrote: »

I'm enjoying the new BC Camplight album having seen it on the Guardian's best of 2020 (so far) list. Not sure how to describe it, maybe a bit Brian Wilson and a bit Todd Rundgren. Songs go off on tangents and the lyrics are quite odd but it also pretty catchy.

Yeahm it's fairly mad alright. He's a great performer live too.

UrbanSprawl

Arghus wrote: »

Okay, I was miles off with my initial assessment of the new Perfume Genius album. It's an amazing record, with no bad song.

Its actual rubbish ,,it is sorry :cool:

UrbanSprawl

Arghus wrote: »

The new Sparks album has it's moments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPSFpaCQEvA

These guys have been making music for 53 years. Jesus Christ.

Longevity is not a marker of success

UrbanSprawl

sweetie wrote: »

Just came across a great hip hop album released last month, R.A. the Rugged man - All my heroes are dead. Only his third album since the early 90's and it's been worth the wait.

The folks in the hip hop section would appreciate your post

sweetie

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

Its actual rubbish ,,it is sorry :cool:

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

Longevity is not a marker of success

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

The folks in the hip hop section would appreciate your post

jeez, who pissed in your cornflakes. The perfume genius album is very good, has gotten great reviews. Sparks are very well regarded and have made some great albums and yes, I forgot for a moment that this was an indie thread, sure who'd listen to anything different.

Arghus

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

Longevity is not a marker of success

Jesus bro, you're very negative.