which of these albums should i download (and why)? i can't decide between 'em. can only do 1.

Magnolia Electric Co. should be downloaded because it's the only option I like. Obviously, you want to be like me.

What Comes after the blues....happens to be the only of the above that I've heard but i like it.

you seem to like alot of stuff so I don't have a grasp of how are taste match, but I chose M. Ward.

so which one of us boneheads voted wrong then?

I didn't vote until 2 seconds ago.

to give an idea of what i like:

http://www.paladisiac.com/music/dellrock/dtop2000-2004-albums.shtml
http://www.audioscrobbler.com/user/paladisiac/

i just really like that national album......but thats just me (and uncut magazine selected it as their album of the month and gave it 5 stars....which is good enough (hype) for me to buy it)

[bump]

The National got a vote from me, which is not surprising in the least.

Given your love for Ryan Adams, I'd say M. might be up your alley, but you'd probably be into the National too.

my #1 of the year so far.

but the magnolia electric co, and m. ward are both fine choices as well.

you liked electric version better than mass romantic?

The National album is awful.

I don't know any of the other albums but I've liked M Ward in the past.

and oh yeah. i agree with him.

I just put in the second vote for Architecture in Helsinki. In my top 5 of this year so far, great pop record that contrary to most if not all reviews out there does not sound like Animal Collective.

M Ward is a solid choice as well. I don't know the National that well, but seems like something I'd get sick of and I think the Magnolia record just sucks.

did i say that? if so i've since changed my mind. i like romantic better.

seems like the popular choice is national, but the safist choice is m.ward.

i've heard some snippets of helsinki, reminding me of fiery furnaces. i wasn't too taken by "blueberry boat" but liked "ep".

The M. Ward album is good but easily forgettable. Not his best.

There are 4 great songs on the Magnolia Electric Co. album so I voted for that.

That's a good summary of how I feel about every M. Ward album I've heard. They're good, I can't say anything that bad about them. I rarely feel like listening to them and don't think that I would really miss them if they were gone. But I always find I like them just a little bit more than I remembered whenever I do force myself to listen to them.

I find that I often enjoy Transfigurations more than I expect to. I think it's maybe a little better than you're giving it credit for, but I agree about his other stuff being pretty inconsequential.

[one more bump]

i heard some nationals & liked it even in lite of the guy's baritone voice.

i'm still undecided. not convinced on any of these and might cop out for bjork's vespertine live and/or something like ivy's "apartment life".

any other votes/comments?

that's how i felt about "Tranfiguration.."

"Transistor Radio" is one of my favorite albums of the year. It grows and grows and won't go away.

ha! emusic provides a 25-track b-sides comp from belle & sebastian that nullified this argument until early-mid June. That's usually a new release lull time, so i might just stock up on a few of these.

from what i've heard of the national & m.ward albums, i've liked 'em, but haven't been too impressed. it's going to be a tough decision as i have two paper pages filled with stuff i want from emusic, but i want to fit at least some of these new ones in there...