1. Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
2. Decemberists - The King Is Dead
3. Wire - Red Barked Tree
4. James Blake S/T -> still assimilating, will likely climb
5. Adele - 21
6. Joan as Poilcewoman S/T
7. British Sea Power - Vallhalla Dance Hall

On Deck: Braids, Anna Calvi, PJ Harvey
Haven't heard yet: Deerhoof, Destroyer
Will get to eventually: Trail of Dead, Cut Copy, Gregg Allman, Pete Yorn, Streets

I think I've only listened to 2 things so far- I like The Decemberists quite a lot. Iron & Wine will not get played again for any reason.

I'm backed up about a dozen or so that need to be played (Twilight Singers, James Walbourne, Teddy Thompson, etc); just seems like I don't turn on the stereos nearly as much since the alcohol consumption plummeted and the youngest son came to live with me.

The Akron/Family album is fantastic. Definitely their best album to date.

linkplsthx

I really like that Apex Manor after an initial listen.

Nah, it's good, though. Possibly better than the last two. A little too long, maybe.

After watching a hoops game at the Brewhouse and subsequent drinks after in the afternoon sun last weekend, I wandered over to Criminal and picked this up on vinyl (came w/ free digital download).

My first exposure to them but I'm digging it. On the PPDD side of the spectrum for sure. Pretty all over the place.

Cool, man. If you like this, definitely check out their first album. I'd up it if I had it here, but I have it on CD at home.

Hayes Carll - Kmag YoYo
Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo
Robert Pollard - Space City Kicks
Destroyer - Kaputt
Jonny - s/t
James Blake - s/t
Smith Westerns - Dyed in Blonde
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Five O'clock Heroes - Different Times
(derivative 80's New Wave) a la - XTC, The Jam, Joe Jackson
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Given past performance, I'm a bit reluctant to DL Akron Family & The Decemberists.

They definitely shove it up there a little too far with all the blasted out fuzz, but I like the record. They're a much different band than they were a few years ago, it seems.

This one is their best in awhile, though I don't think they will ever top what they did on the Angels of Light split. They are starting to remind me of Oneida, not in any way that they sound too much alike, but in that every record is decidedly different from the last. I like that kind of sense of adventure the first time I put on something new by either band.

liking:

The Civil Wars
The Phoenix Foundation
The Smith Westerns
Destroyer
The Decemberists
The Cave Singers
Apex Manor

still need to listen to:

Nicole Atkins
Hayes Carll
British Sea Power
Dolorean
Over the Rhine

Keepers so far:

Apex Manor - The Year of Magical Drinking
Nicole Atkins - Mondo Amore
Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding
Diamond Dogs - The Grit and the Very Soul
Dozen Dimes - Get Real Gone with the Dozen Dimes
Frankie and the Heartstrings - Hunger
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Ponderosa - Moonlight Revival
Skybombers - Black Carousel
Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
Yep - Once

Really looking forward to the new Oh Mercy in March. Early singles from it have been excellent.

Tell me more about Oh Mercy? I know you've been pimping it a bit. Good list sir....and btw, thanks for the inclusion.

Great record.

I really liked their previous album, 2009's Privileged Woes, a whole lot. Great classic pop songwriting and harmonizing, subtle hooks. And, maddeningly, all the band was still under the age of 20 when it was released. Leader Alexander Gow appears to be one of them pop savant types. It's probably right up your alley.



I can't find any links for it out there, but I can up it if you're interested. In the meantime, here's their myspace page (check out the song "Lay Everything On Me" and lemme know if it hits you between the eyes like it did me).

First single from upcoming album Great Barrier Grief:

Since it's blocked here, I'll check out the video later this evening. In the meantime I just bot their previous release for $2.20 on Amazon. Thanking you.

A band of brilliant under-25's will probably push me over the line into cutting...I'll check them out too.

Apex Manor, Hayes Carll and Jason Isbell are my only three real keepers so far, though I do have a massive backlog (especially Yep which I've been a douche and not gotten yet. Today!)

Still need to check this out fully. I streamed some of it, but wasn't really bowled over. K, I definitely agree with the AoL split comment. Definitely a high point, and one that will be really tough to match.

THE BEST...
1. Destroyer - Kaputt
2. John Vanderslice - White Wilderness
3. Akron/Family - S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT

THE REST...
4. Braids - Native Speaker

Requires More Listens: PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

heard hayes carll KMAG YOYO for the first time yesterday, and it is BY FAR the best 2011 album i've heard yet

for me, the #1 is between decemberists, peter bjorn & john, iron & wine and cut copy, but there's no great runaway album i've heard yet.

Just grabbed this today (along with that Megabats album from last year which is ridiculously good also) and it certainly doesn't disappoint on first listen.

After a few spins, it's finally starting to hit me.

This is everything from 2011 that I've listened to so far, not just the top stuff.

Now with tentative ratings!

Albums

01. Deerhoof – Deerhoof vs. Evil 8/10
02. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake 8/10
03. Destroyer – Kaputt 7.5/10
04. Akron/Family – S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT 7.5/10
05. Radiohead – The King of Limbs 7.5/10


06. James Blake – s/t 7/10
07. Sic Alps – Napa Asylum 6.5/10

(need more listens to rank)
Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972
Braids – Native Speaker
Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place

EPs, Singles, Splits, etc
01. Echo Lake – Young Silence 7.5/10
02. Women/Cold Pumas/Fair Ohs/Friendo – Split 7” 7.5/10