Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
YEAR in REVIEW (2007)
We obviously did not get a chance to listen to every single album that was released last year, so there may be some records out there that slipped through the cracks, and we apologize in advance for not giving you a nod in praise. Collectively we have scoured pretty hard for what is out there both throughout the year and with researching other ‘best of ‘ resources to confidently conclude that these are bar none the cream of the crop. Our focus is to reach outside of hype and all of the other nonsense that goes along with the music industry and critic-fluffing snobbery as a whole.
The Editor and General:
“Remember Skinhead Britney Spears in 2007? aka diverse list genre-wise”
01) Joel Plaskett Emergency – Ashtray Rock (Maple Music)
02) Baby Shambles – Shotter’s Nation (EMI / Parlophone / Astralwerks)
03) Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (Rough Trade / Merge)
04) Criminal Damage – No Solution (Feral Ward)
05) Double Negative – The Wonderful World Of Double Negative (No Way)
06) New Pornographers – Challengers (Matador)
07) Attack In Black – The Curve Of The Earth (Dine Alone)
08) King Khan & His Shrines – What is?! (Hazelwood)
09) Feist – The Reminder (Arts & Crafts / Interscope)
10) Grinderman – Self Titled (Anti / Mute)
11) Jay Z – American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam)
12) Mark Sultan – Sultanic Verses (In The Red)
13) Sadies – New Season (Outside)
14) Violent Minds – Eyes Of Death (Parts Unknown)
[I realize that this was shelved for many years, but it still came out in '07]
15) CPC Gangbangs – Mutilation Nation (Swami)
16) Saigon – The Moral Of The Story (Fort Knox / Atlantic)
17) Mayhem – Ordo Ad Chao (Seasons Of Mist)
18) Walls – Self Titled LP (Painkiller)
19) Stars Of The Lid – And Their Refinement Of The Decline (Kranky)
20) Lil’ Wayne – Da Drought 3 (Young Money)
21) Amon Tobin – Foley Room (Ninja Tune)
22) UGK – Underground Kingz (Jive)
23) American Steel – Destroy Their Future (Fat Wreck)
24) Clorox Girls – J’Aime Les Filles (BYO)
25) Beirut – The Flying Club Up (Ba Da Bing!)
26) Ghostface Killah – The Big Doe Rehab (Def Jam)
27) Tranzmitors – S/T (Deranged)
28) Ken Reaume – Four Horses (Pariah Sounds)
29) Sunn0))) – Oracle (Southern Lord)
30) Homostupids – The Intern (Parts Unknown)
31) Deerhunter – Cryptograms (Kranky)
32) Interpol – Our Love To Admire (Capitol / Parlophone)
33) John Fogerty – Revival (Fantasy)
34) Freeway – Free At Last (Island Def Jam / G-Unit)
35) The Dilettantes – 101 Tambourines (Stranger Touch / Happy Parts)
36) Twilight Sad – Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters (Fat Cat)
37) Black Lips – Good Bad Not Evil (Vice)
38) Goodnight Loving – Crooked Lake (Dusty Medical)
39) Grizzly Bear – Friend (Warp)
40) Carbonas – Self Titled (Goner)
50 Cent – Curtis (Aftermath / G-Unit / Interscope)
[I Get Money is amazing, but the rest is garbage at best]
Baroness – Red Album (Relapse)
Bloc Party – A Weekend In The City (Vice)
Coliseum – No Salvation (Relapse / Level Plane)
High On Fire – Death Is This Communion (Relapse)
Ladyhawk – Fight For Anarchy (Jagjaguwar / Storyboard)
Pelican – City Of Echos (HydraHead)
Pharoah Monch – Desire (Street / Universal MoTown)
[when you’re a real deal MC what’s the need to get fancy? far too ambitious – more rapping needed]
Saul Williams – The Inevitable Rise & Liberation of NiggyTardust! (internet only)
[Neat idea but this album sucks.]
The Stooges – The Weirdness (Virgin) [Not much of a surprise, but this blows]
Turbonegro – Retox (Cooking Vinyl)
Raising The Fawn – Sleight Of Hand (Sonic Unyon)
Throbbing Gristle – Part Two: The Endless Not (Mute/Industrial)
Low - Drums And Guns (Sub Pop)
Do Make Say Think – You, You’re A History In Rust (Constellation)
Neurosis – Given To The Rising (Neurot)
C'mon - Bottled Lightning (of an All Time High) - (Saved By Vinyl)
Unsane – Visqueen (Ipepac)
Download – Fixer (Subconscious)
Life Without Buildings – Live at Annandale Hotel (Gargleblast/Absolutely Kosher)
[Why are critics so hard on the ‘dick’ of these records?]
Klaxons – Mysths Of The Near Future (Polydor)
[most undeserving hype of the year, certainly some label $$ influencing opinions]
Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam (Domino)
[not near worth the praise – 6 out of 10 at best]
Battles – Mirrored (Warp)
[the newest Trans Am record was WAY better than this and no one was talking about it]
Burial – Untrue (Hyperdub)
[5 out of 10 at best]
Dirty Projectors – Rise Above (Dead Oceans)
[hipsters pretending to be punk rock and failing hard]
Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala (Service / Secretly Canadian)
LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver (DFA / EMI)
Liars – Liars (Mute)
Magik Markers – Boss (Ecstatic Peace)
[I don’t care if this is on Ecstatic Peace, it blows]
MIA – Kala (XL / Interscope)
[the first album sucked, this is even worse]
Who CARES / STOP making MUSIC:
Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works (Relapse)
Dropkick Murphys – The Meanest Of Times (Born & Bred)
Buck 65 – Situation (Strange Famous)
Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero (Interscope)
Radiohead – In Rainbows (internet release / XL)
Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist (Warner Bros)
Friday, March 21, 2008
Comrades
it took me a while to get into the vocals but i dig it.
Jesu / Eluvium – Split (Hydra Head)
some of justins stronger work that got released this year. it seems like he released something every month.
Wolves In The Throne Room - Two Hunters (Southern Lord)
USA black metal. bleak ambient and crushing.
Teagan And Sara - The Con (Vapor / Sire / London)
yeah i know.
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation reissue (Goofin’)
just happy i can get it on vinyl.
Iron And Wine - The Shepherd's Dog (Sub Pop)
more instruments + sweet harmonies.
Om – Pilgrimage (Southern Lord)
i dont feel its their best work but a solid hypnotic feel
Interpol - Our Love To Admire (Capitol / Parlophone)
some of their best tracks and some of the worst tracks.
Earth – Hibernaculum (Southern Lord)
old earth meets new earth. comes with a documentary dvd i guess if you own the cd.
Mono - The Phoenix Tree: Travel In Constants Volume 22
by far my favorite work my them.
The new Witchcraft album “The Alchemist” is pretty good too.
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Hayz' BEST OF 2007 list
03.Bruce Springsteen – Magic (Columbia)
04.Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings (Carpark)
05.Joel Plaskett - Ashtray Rock (Maple Music)
07.The National – Boxer ((Beggars Banquet)
08.Dinosaur Jr – Beyond (Fat Possum)
09.Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin (Sub Pop)
10.Justice – Cross (Downtown / Vice / Ed Banger)
M83 - Digital Shades Vol.1 (Mute)
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime (Kompakt)
Attack In Black – Marriage (Dine Alone)
Burial – Untrue (Hyperdub)
Battles – Mirrored (Warp)
Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works (Relapse)
Tegan & Sara - The Con (Vapor / Sire / London)
Bjork – Volta (One Little Indian / Universal / Atlantic / Polydor)
PJ Harvey - White Chalk (Island)
Interpol - Our Love To Admire (Capitol / Parlophone)
The Hives - The Black & White Album (Interscope)
Bat For Lashes - Fur & Gold (Echo / Parlophone)
Dethklok – Dethalbum (Williams Street)
Baroness - The Red Album (Relapse)
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion (Relapse)
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying (Earache)
Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao (Seasons of Mist)
Pharoah Monche - Desire (Street / Universal MoTown)
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01.Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (Polyvinyl)
02.The Cribs - Mens Needs, Womens Needs, Whatever (V2)
03.The Shins - Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop)
04.Joel Plaskett Emergency - Ashtray Rock (Maple Music)
05. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond (Fat Possum)
06.Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (Domino)
07.American Steel - Destroy the Future (Fat Wreck Chords)
08.Justice - Cross (Downtown / Vice / Ed Banger)
09.Interpol - Our Love To Admire (Capitol / Parlophone)
10.The Hoosiers - The Trick To Life (RCA)
11.Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (Rough Trade / Merge)
12.White Rabbits - Fort Nightly (Say Hey)
14.Feist - The Reminder (Arts & Crafts / Interscope)
15.Black Francis - Bluefinger (Cooking Vinyl)
16.Miracle Fortress - Five Roses (Rough Trade)
17.Blonde Redhead - 23 (4AD)
18.The New Pornographers - Challengers (Matador)
19.Immaculate Machine - Immaculate Machine's Fables (Mint)
20.Tegan And Sara - The Con (Vapor / Sire)
SOME OTHERS that rocked me throughout 2007
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank (Epic)
Editors - An End Has A Start (Kitchenware)
Clap your hands say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder (Wichita) Jenn Grant - Orchestra for the Moon (Paris 1919) Montag - Going Places (Carpark) The Good The Bad And The Queen - Self Titled (Parlophone/Virgin/EMI) M.I.A. - Kala (XL) LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (DFA) Slaraffenland - Private Cinema (Hometapes) Octopus Project - Hello Avalanche (Peek-A-Boo) Pseudosix - Self Titled (Sonic Boom) Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Living With The Living (Touch & Go) kd’s TOP 30 SONGS of 2007
01.The Past is A Grotesque Animal - Of Montreal
02. Harder Than You Think - Public Enemy
03. The Con - Tegan and Sara
04. None Shall Pass - Aesop Rock
05. The Plot - White Rabbits
06. Threshold Apprehension - Black Francis
07. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
08. Tournament of Hearts - The Weakerthans
09. Cheap Like Sebastien - Apostle of Hustle
10. D.A.N.C.E. - Justice
11. Peacebone - Animal Collective
12. 23 - Blonde Redhead
13. Morning Break - Jenn Grant
14. Jarhand - Immaculate Machine
15. We're Not Alone - Dinosaur Jr.
16. Running Away - Polyphonic Spree
17. Cannot Get Started - Handsome Furs
18. Foundations - Kate Nash
19. And She Would Darken the Memory of Youth - The Twilight Sad
20. I Have Sound - Montag
21. Boy with a Coin - Iron & Wine
22. Again & Again - The Bird and the Bee
23. Starbeat Academy Graduation March - Carbon Dating Service
24. My Moon My Man – Feist
25. Take Your Medicine - Cloud Cult
26. Have you Seen In Your Dreams - Miracle Fortress
27. Blood Test - The Got To Get Got
28. Truck - Octopus Project
29. Love Song No 7 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
30. On The Bubble - The Broken West
Monday, March 03, 2008
Year In Review: RESOURCES
These resources are not to be considered a blue print or acknowledged as genius, so please proceed with a heavy grain of salt in hand, as in some cases they’re likely penned (or typed) by someone who may appreciate those terrible American Idol contestants. With a discerning eye (or ear – which is suggested) one will either: remain entertained, become outraged, or become exposed to some gems they may have missed through the year. So on behalf of the shallow music world at large – ENJOY.
Our few meek N.M.U. lists will follow shortly, but here’s what’s out there in the meantime.
Exclaim (diverse by genre) [Canada]:
Frequencies (Electronic etc) / Aggressive (Metal etc) / No Future (Punk etc)
Wood Wires & Whisky (Folk Rock etc) / Pop Rocks / Groove (Dance etc)
Destination Out (Experimental) / Beats & Rhymes (Hip Hop)
Pitchfork Media:
Top 50 Albums / Top 100 Tracks
Tiny Mix Tapes:
Top Albums
New Musical Express (UK):
Best Albums / Best Tracks Of The Year
Treble Magazine:
Top 50 Albums
Pop Matters:
Top Albums
Stylus:
Top 50
Paste Magazine:
Top 100
The Onion A.V. Club:
Top 25
Spin:
Top 40
Rolling Stone:
Top 50
Xlr8r:
Best & Worst
Chart Magazine [Canada]:
Various Staff Top 10 lists
Blender Magazine:
Top Albums
Now Magazine [Toronto, Canada]:
Top 10 from Toronto / Disappointments / RIP in 2007
The Hype Machine
Top 50 (Various)
All Music Guide BLOG
Top Albums
I Guess I’m Floating (Blog):
Best Hip Hop Albums
MTV:
Top Albums
Billboard:
Top 10
MSNBC:
WTF! This ‘article’ list is hilarious
Metacritic:
A Compilation Of Numerous Sources
Rate Your Music:
This is ENDLESS – good if you want to know practically EVERY release that dropped last year
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Resurrection
It’s simply been too long for forgiveness – we know. The excuses: life headaches, slack, responsibility & procrastination...but now make way for the return.
The 2006 Retrospect has been scrapped as we’re beyond late, but a huge 2007 one is almost done and on the way. Regular updates to follow, as well as some coverage of the past mixtape exchange from back in July.
R.I.P. Sonic Unyon store