This took me well over three hours to finish (bye bye, afternoon). At the same time, I felt it was a good exercise, and I had a lot of fun doing it. My entries start off kind of bare bones, then get much longer as I move further into the furture; I started to get really into it after a little while. Enjoy.

1992: Slanted and Enchanted - Pavement

My favorite Pavement album, so I'd say it definitely deserves its spot here. Its songs may not be as catchy as Crooked Rain's, and Jesus Christ is the recording a sloppy mess, but it's things like this that give the album a special kind of charm. Gary Young, where art thou?

1993: Icky Mettle - Archers of Loaf

This album is kind of like the drunk, unemployed cousin of Slanted and Enchanted; it sounds somewhat similar, but the lyrics are angrier and Eric Bachmann's vocals are gruffer and meaner than Malkmus'. Regardless of the overall malcontented tone, so many of the songs are so damn catchy that you just can't help but love it. I dare you to not sing along with the chanting "all I ever wanted, all I ever wanted" part of "Web In Front", I fucking dare you. You will lose.

1994: There's Nothing Wrong With Love - Built to Spill

This is my favorite album by Built to Spill, but it isn't their best; this is a theme that will continue throughout this list. Once again, the songs are catchy as all hell, probably amongst the catchiest I've ever heard. While Doug Martsch's mastery of the electric guitar isn't as evident as it is on later albums, he still manages to melt collective listener face with tracks like "Some" and "Distopian Dream Girl". And c'mon, who doesn't like "Car"? I know guys who listen to nothing but death metal and ska who like "Car", and that is no lie.

1995: The Bends - Radiohead

For years after I first bought this album, I considered it my favorite of all time. While I'm not so sure I can give it the overall top spot anymore, it's still definitely up there, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Without The Bends, I would not be the person I am today. During a period of time where I listened to almost nothing but radio-friendly pop-punk and psuedo-emo (I was thirteen, shut up), this album was like nothing I'd ever heard, and my horizons were drastically broadened because of it. Becoming a Radiohead fan indirectly led to me becoming a Flaming Lips fan and a Modest Mouse fan, and becoming a fan of those two led to me becoming a fan of other bands...almost entirely indirectly, but regardless, it all started with this album. For that reason (and because it's a fucking incredible album, one I can still listen to from beginning to end on a regular basis), my copy will never leave my collection.

1996: Richard D. James Album - Aphex Twin

As a guy who doesn't listen to very much electronica at all, I have no idea why I love this CD so much. Regardless, Richard James' self-titled album is one of the highlights of my library, one I truly can say that I'm very proud to own. The story behind how I came to buy it is kind of a strange one; my friends and I loved the David Firth animated music video for "Milkman" (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/190638), and when I actually found the album that had the song on it, I had to buy it. I did so kind of as a joke, just to show it to my friends as "the album with that Milkman song on it", but after getting it home and listening to it, my mind was blown; the fact that I really had no idea what to expect when I first popped it in just added to how amazing most of the songs sounded to me. Plus, it has the best fuckin' album art I've ever seen.



C'mon, that's just awesome.

1997: The Fury of the Aquabats! - The Aquabats!

Just like the Aphex Twin album I just went over, The Fury of the Aquabats! might seem kind of out of place amongst all these alternative rock and indie rock albums, but just the fact that I really don't own too much else like it just makes it all the more lovable. For anyone not in the know, The Aquabats(!) are a ska/punk band (their sound is more new-wave influenced now, but I digress) who dress like superheros and write songs about being superheros, fighting villains and saving the day and whatnot. Besides having some of the funniest lyrics I've ever heard, the majority of the songs are so happy and bouncy that I actually have to make an effort not to stand up and dance whenever I listen to them. Furthermore, all the guys in the group are actually really talented musicians, and it shows with the ripping guitars, Travis Barker's complex drum lines (yep, he was in this band for a few years) and the old sci-fi movie-influenced synth. God damn, I love this album so much.

Also, this is completely irrelevant, but these guys put on the best live show ever, complete with fighting monsters onstage, concertgoers arriving dressed as heroes/villains for no good reason, and engaging in conversation with the audience in between songs. Seriously, you need to see these dudes live.

1998: Downward Is Heavenward - Hum

This is something of a tough one, mainly because this album really isn't that important to me at all. I mean, I like it plenty, and it really is a shame that shortly after releasing this, their magnum opus, the group broke up, but I could definitely live without it. I guess I just don't own very many albums from '98. Regardless, this is definitely a superb record. Their sound is kind of like a more shoegaze-influenced The Smashing Pumpkins, with super-distorted guitars and songs about floating in space and lyrics like "your hand looks so nice in mine" and "I'm thinking of your failing green eyes", but it still manages to sound really unique. Matt Talbott practically speaks of most of his lyrics, but when he tries, his voice really is something amazing; it fits the sound of his band perfectly. I really hope these guys get back together and release something new at some point, it'd really be interesting to see what they have to offer.

1999: The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips

Even though I vastly prefer their fuzz-heavy alternative rock sound to their more recent experimental work, The Soft Bulletin is still my favorite album by the Lips. While the lyrics are pretty much of the same variety as they were in the band's earlier albums (mostly about life, death, love, and drugs), they fit in much better with the symphonic, synth-heavy music. The album has this overall epic tone to it, deserving to be played loud. The songs offer a variety of things to the listener: hope ("Waitin' for a Superman", "Race for the Prize"), a pretty decent lovey-dovey kind of mood ("Buggin'", "Slow Motion"), plus a number of other emotions. It really depends on how the listener interprets the songs' meanings; no two people with get the exact same effect from the album.

2000: The Moon and Antarctica - Modest Mouse

Wow, where do I start with this one? I bought this one after months and months of procrastination; seeing it in the store but choosing something else over it (but always reassuring myself "I'll get it next time I see it"), having it recommended to me by people who already owned it, seeing the glowing reviews online and telling myself "Wow, I really should get that", but it took me until December 2006 before I finally got my hands on a copy.

Within the first day of owning it, I listened to it nearly four times over, and for the next few weeks, it was practically all I listened to.

What's my favorite thing about it? Isaac Brock's introspective lyrics? Maybe. Jeremiah Green's fucking masterful drumming? Could be. The fact that the whole album flows like water, leading seamlessly from one song into another for pretty much the whole thing? Perhaps. Even more difficult to decide is which song is my favorite. It could be “3rd Planet”, the song that convinced me to buy the album in the first place. It could be “The Stars Are Projectors”, the 8 minute 47 second epic that bounces from one mood to another, finally ending with a mind-blowing orchestral meltdown that's both terrifying and uplifting at the same time. Maybe it's “Lives”, an acoustic track that uses a folky-sounding string section to rocket the already high emotional level of the song sky-high. I could debate what facet/song of the album is my favorite for hours and maybe even come to an eventual conclusion, but for now, I'll just leave it at this: The Moon and Antarctica is Modest Mouse's best album, the best album to come out during 2000, and one of my favorite albums of all time. It has so much to offer, ranging from chill-out songs to fuck-this-life-I'm-pissed songs. You simply must own it.

2001: Sad Sappy Sucker - Modest Mouse

Two Modest Mouse albums on the same list? Hell, in a row? Yes, and I have good reason to do so. While the album was released in '01, it was recorded in the early 90's, back when some of the members of the band were still in/fresh out of high school. Originally meant to be their first album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About was chosen over it, and S.S.S. sat on a shelf collecting dust for years until K Records finally released it. Despite being shoddily recorded and having songs that rarely last more than two minutes or so, the album still somehow manages to be one of my favorite Mouse albums. Brock was still a pretty damn great lyricist even then, Jeremiah Green could still hold his own as a drummer, and Eric Judy...was nowhere to be seen on most of the songs, but John Wickhart was a pretty decent bassist. The majority of the songs are simple in structure and have nowhere near the emotional depth of their later work, but at the same time, the album has this overall despondent mood, one I can't really describe. It might have something to do with knowing the band's backstory, how Isaac was living in a shed outside his mother's trailer during most of the recording, but that's not important. The album sounds dirty and melancholy, a portrait of white trash culture recorded entirely in lo-fi. I wouldn't recommend it to a first-time Modest Mouse listener or even a second-time, but hardcore fans shouldn't ignore it for a minute.

2002: You Forgot It in People - Broken Social Scene

Ugh, goddammit. I'm literally having a hard time coming up with the right words to describe this. It's a waste of time just sitting here typing a few sentences, deciding that what I just typed doesn't do it justice and then starting over again, so I'll just keep it brief. This album is a masterpiece, one that you must hear for yourself. Its songs represent almost every kind of mood a song can represent (without going to extremes, of course). The whole thing has a lovelorn, almost dreamy kind of atmosphere to it, the kind of album you just put on and relax, and think. Still, I feel my words are inadequate for a record of such excellence; it defies description, at least based on my writing experience. It's not for everyone, but if you dig atmospheric, deeply layered baroque pop, this should be your next purchase.

2003: The Ugly Organ – Cursive

I'm a generally happy guy, and a pretty decent amount of the music I listen to is light-hearted; good-mood music, so to speak. However, when I'm feeling depressed, angry, and in some cases, suicidal (okay okay, it never really gets that bad), I turn to Cursive. Tim Kasher's frenzied screams are the perfect prescription for such a mood, and while not my favorite album by them (that would be 2000's Domestica, but The Moon and Antarctica deserves the “best of” honor for that year), The Ugly Organ is still pretty terrific regardless. New member Gretta Cohn's weeping cello adds a whole new dimension to Cursive's already desperate sound, using it almost like a third guitar in some songs, weaving crooked and harsh noises in with the chaos surrounding them. While it doesn't seem as personal an album as Domestica (The Ugly Organ is a concept album following a fictional character with songs about (I'm assuming to be) fictional events, where as Domestica was a concept album following events based on Kasher's real life), it still can fill even the most cheerful a listener with despair. The final track, “Staying Alive”, lifts that emotional weight, filling you with hope as a chorus chants “The worst is over”. The worst may be over for the time being, but let's hope it doesn't stay that way for Kasher for too long (that sounds just horrible to say, doesn't it?); otherwise, we may never hear a great Cursive album ever again.

2004: I'm drawing a blank here. Don't get me wrong, I own albums released in 2004; hell, I even like the majority of them. But none of them seem good enough to talk about here. None of them left a big impression on me, none of them changed the way I look at life of introduced me to a slew of other similar artists who later became some of my favorites. Nope, nothing along those lines here. This may be cheating, as I'm certain I could easily write about one of the albums I own released during that year, but it'd be like lying; I could praise it as much as I want, but they'd be nothing but empty compliments. Sorry, everyone. I let you down.

2005: Silent Alarm - Bloc Party

Silent Alarm is without a doubt one of my favorite albums ever. I'd rank it within my top ten, easily. Between Kele's super unique vocals and heartfelt lyrics, Russell's sharp, biting solos, Matt's complex and fast-paced drumming and Gordon's simple yet fitting basslines, the album just works. The members of the band all have fantastic chemistry, and it completely shows on Silent Alarm. One thing the album especially excels at is variety; it features your standard love song fare (“This Modern Love”, “So Here We Are”...Jesus, referring to these songs as “standard' just seems wrong), moody dance-punk (“Banquet”, “Luno”), and some truly breathtaking atmospheric ambient tracks as well (“Plans”, “Compliments”). Although only appearing on some versions, hidden track “Every Time Is The Last Time” is so fucking incredible it's worth mentioning even though the chances that your copy has it are pretty bad. If your copy doesn't include it, download it somewhere and put it on repeat. It's one of those songs where no matter what kind of mood you're in, it just makes everything feel right. Those kind of songs are hard to come by these days.

2006: Fuck me. Once again, I don't feel any of the albums I own that came out in '06 are worth talking about. I'm ashamed.

2007: Spirit If... - Kevin Drew

Although not a particularly important album to me, it's still definitely worth mentioning. Les Savy Fav's Let's Stay Friends came so close to taking this year, but Kevin Drew's “solo” album (that term has to be used loosely, as Kevin is nowhere near the only musician present on the album) is not only a really really good listen, oh no; at least not to me. I had known about Broken Social Scene for some time when I finally got around to getting Spirit If..., but I never really felt motivated to run out and get one of their albums. After listening to Drew's album way too many times, I finally felt that motivation; I figured that his full band must sound like this, only better. That was indeed the case, and then some.

I'm not saying that the only reason I regard this album so highly is because it was my gateway to Broken Social Scene; trust me, it's still fantastic. Like I said before, very few of the songs feature Kevin and only Kevin; in fact, I don't think any of them do. Not only do bandmates from B.S.S. make appearances, but a number of other musicians also drop by to say hello in certain tracks; most prominent is Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis, who provides some pretty fucking excellent guitar work on “Backed Out On The...”, making it one of the album's strongest tracks. Overall, Spirit If... sounds kind of like a stripped down Broken Social Scene album, except minus the “stripped down” part; only a handful of songs feature anything less than say, five or six individual musicians at a time. Even still, it's hard to fault this one; Broken Social Scene fans, and indie rock fans in general, owe it to themselves to pick this one up.

2008: Saturdays = Youth – M83

Anthony Gonzalez's latest release is my favorite album of 2008, thus far at least. It combines what I like about their older albums – intense, multi-layered electronic chaos – with a number of elements straight out of 1980's dream pop. Heavy (and cheesy, but that's not really a bad thing here) synth, angelic female vocals, and piano-driven ballads are all commonplace here. It's a bizarre move on Gonzalez's part, but it ends up working much better than one might think. It literally sounds like it could've been released during the 80's; if I didn't know any better, I'd probably think it was. Almost any of the tracks could easily fit in the soundtrack of a classic John Hughes movie. While not M83's best, it has a unique sound that I doubt too many other bands could match nowadays. I'm not sure if I'd want them to make more albums like this, but if they do, then so be it. I'll buy a copy and listen avidly just the same.

1. What's your favorite song by 15?
M83
Kim & Jessie I guess.

2. How did you get into 20?
Sondre Lerche
I just wanted to know what kind of music he makes since he's norwegian and I'm interested in scandinavian music.

3. Who is your favorite member in 1?
Nirvana
Kurt Cobain, surprisingly.

4. Whats your favorite lyric bit by 29?
Joy Division
There's only so many parts I could choose but Existence, well what does it matter? / I exist on the best terms I can / The past is now part of my future / The present is well out of hand

5. Have you ever seen 22 live?
Pariisin Kevät
Nope

6. What's your favorite album from 10?
The Used
Their self-titled album.

7. Do you own any merchandise from 3?
The Sounds
I don't but they've got that one swedish flag coloured shirt that would be cool

8. What is a good memory you have of 7?
Ramones
I don't have anything super special but their music always brings me on a good mood. :)

9. Is there a member of the same age as you in 2?
Wolf Parade
I guess they're all like 25-30 years old so nope.

10. When did you first get into 8?
Duffy
When I first heard "Mercy" I hated it and thought it was just annoying song but it did grow on me. I don't remember when exactly, this year anyway.

11. Who likes 4 along with you?
The Cure
Who could not possibly love them? I mean, they are The Cure.

12. Which song did you first hear from 16?
Kate Nash
I don't remember, might have been Foundations.

13. What song made you fall in love with 5?
Disco Ensemble
I don't remember, I've known them so long.

14. Which song do you not like by 18?
Last Days of April
The Deepest Care perhaps.

15. Why do you like 14's songs?
Paramore
Because of Hayley's voice! And their energy. But I don't really listen to them that much anymore.

16. Where did you first hear 6?
The National
At home ;), wanted to hear "Fake Empire" since some music magazine wrote it was the best song of 2007.

17. How long was 19 a singer before you liked them?
The Strokes
Idk.

18. Does 13 have a song that gives you a bad memory?
Cocoon
No

19. When did you get into 17?
Anouk
I can't remember, that was looooong time ago.

20. How long have you been into 9?
My Chemical Romance
Many years

21. If 11 had a concert 300 miles away, would you drive there to see them?
Beyoncé
No xD I only listen to "Irreplaceable"

22. How many CDs do you own of 12?
Sia
I don't have her albums

23. Does 21 have a song that makes you cry?
Porcupine Tree
When I'm on a certain mood they do have some real tear-jerker songs.

24. Does 27 have a song that makes you happy?
The Script
Not really, I just like to listen to them occassionally, but their songs don't have any special meanings to me.

25. Does 23 have a song that makes you smile?
Panic at the Disco
Yeah, their earlier stuff brings lots of good memories to mind though their second album was a little disappointment to me and I don't listen to them that much anymore. But good ol' memories remain. :))

26. What's the last song you've listened to from 28?
Kill Hannah
The Chase

27. Is there a song by 32 that you've listened to more than 30 times?
Patti Smith
Not here in Last.fm but otherwise I guess so.

28. What is a song from 50 that you've only listened to once?
Michelle Branch
I don't know o__O

29. Is there a song you are sick of hearing by 24?
Laakso
Dropout sometimes.

30. What song got you into 40?
Billy Talent
Try Honesty

31. What is your favorite single by 25?
Coldplay
Fix You

32. If 49 hated you, what would you do?
SoKo
I would be pretty scared cos she would probably kill me xD

33. What would you say if 42 or one of the members from 42 asked you out?
Foals
They seem to be pretty funny guys so why not :D

34. Would you care if 41 had a boyfriend/girlfriend?
The Vaselines
What? xD No I couldn't care less and they probably have.

35. Who has the best voice in 46?
Black Kids
None of them? xD

36. Do you think 26 is/are good looking?
AFI
Haha of course.

37. How many times have you listened to your favorite song by 36?
The Dreseden Dolls
Dunno, I'm too lazy to check out.

38. How many CDs do you own of 30?
Islands
Zero

39. Is there a song from 38 that makes you mad?
Patrick Wolf
The Childcatcher, I can't even listen to it. It freaks me out.

40. Which member from 31 do you want to see go solo? If 31 is only one artist, what would you do if they joined a group?
Shout Out Louds
I seriously don't know. WHATEVER.

41. What does your favorite song from 48 remind you of?
Teddy Geiger
I don't have a favorite song by him.

42. Did you hate 43 at first?
Scandinavian Music Group
First I liked them, then I get sick of them, then I liked them again and now I am kind of fed up again.

43. Does your best friend also listen to 33?
Aiden
No.

44. Do you think your parents would like 37?
The Ark
My mom don't like them cos "they're so gay"

45. Does 47 have a song that makes you want to dance?
Bertie Blackman
No I've only heard one song by her and it doesn't really.

46. Have you ever seen 34 in person?
The Academy Is...
No

47. Do you like 44's name?
Sugarplum Fairy
I think it's pretty horrible name for a band.

48. Is there someone in 45 that you want to go out with?
Radiohead
Nooo

49. Do you know anyone that hates 39?
Amy Winehouse
Lots of people do.

50. Have you ever danced to a song from 35?
The Dresden Dolls
Nope?

niby mówię, że nie mam ochoty na nowe dźwięki, że nie chce mi się szukać. a ciągle znajduję podobne dźwięki do moich ulubionych wykonawców. lastfm jest w tym niezmiernie przydatny. no i hojność poniektórych internautów.

M83 - szukałam czegoś podobnego do múm i Sigur Rós. otrzymałam coś więcej niż spokojne zawiewające chłodem utwóry z islandii. muzyka tego wykonawcy przesiąknięta jest gatunkiem shoegaze i elektroniką. idealne na ostatnie dość chłodne i pochmurne dni. kawałek Skin Of The Night jest moim faworytem. album Saturdays = Youth.

Lykke Li - do posłuchania jej zachęcił mnie artykuł na portalu onet.pl nie spodziewałam się jakichś cudów, ale bardzo pozytywnie się zaskoczyłam. przydarzyły mi się nawet ochy i achy. muzyka młodej szwedzkiej piosenkarki to nie tylko indie pop, ale dość interesujące, miejscami elektroniczne kompozycje z niebanalnymi tekstami. przynajmniej mnie przypadającymi do gustu. zachęcam do wybróbowania Dance Dance Dance. album Youth Novels.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? - nme.com okrzyknęło ich największym dotychczasowym odkryciem roku 2008. jako, że ufam nme, postanowiłam sprawdzić, czy i mnie przypadną do gustu. angielska muzyczna gazeta miała rację. jestem wprost zafascynowana tym zespołem. dość długo czekałam na taki świeży powiew indie electro. i jest to w pewnym sensie rekompensata po niedosycie nowym albumem CSS. i nie mogę nawet uwierzyć, że jest to ich dopiero debiutancki krążek. znajdziemy na nim dużo ostrych utworów, czasem nawet przypominających miejscami The Chemical Brothers (jak With A Heavy Heart (I Regret To Inform You)), czy spokojniejsze elektroniczne piosenki, np. Dawn of the Dead. album You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into.

wszystkie trzy albumy pochodzą z 2008 roku. zapewne staną się jednymi z najciekawszych pozycji tego roku. a ja wracam do dalszych poszukiwań.

Sasha - Invol2ver (Global Underground)



[01] Badger - Intro
[02] Telefon Tel Aviv - You Are The Worst Thing In The World (Invol2ver Remix)
[03] Rone - Flesh (Invol2ver Remix)
[04] Sasha vs Ray LaMontagne - Eclipse (Ray LaMontagne Vocal Version)
[05] Sasha Vs Adam Parker - Lowlife (Adam Parker Vocal Sample)
[06] Charlie May - Midnight (Adam Parker Vocal Sample)
[07] Apparat - Arcadia (Invol2ver Remix)
[08] Home Video - That You Might (Invol2ver Remix)
[09] Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch (Invol2ver Remix)
[10] M83 - Couleurs (Invol2ver Remix)
[11] Thom Yorke - The Eraser (Invol2ver Remix)
[12] Sasha - 3 Little Piggys
[13] Engineers - Sometimes I Realise (Invol2ver Remix)

Без малого два года Саша мучил своих преданных фанатов в ожидании этого фактического долгостроя с бесконечными переносами релиза, с непрекращающимися изменениями своего фирменного звучания в еще более изменчивой музыкальной сцене. Каждое новое творение, выходящее в свет из потаенных закромов эксклюзив багажа, заставляло фанатов неистово биться в догадках о природе его происхождения и тайне его авторства в тщетных попытках угадать куда же в итоге заносит нашего маэстро с целью получить хоть малейший намек на будущее звучание продолжения такого великолепного первого Инвольвера. Нужно отметить, что Саша был суров и не возмутим. Музыкальная среда становилась не на шутку видоизменяющейся, окончательно стирая грани всех мыслимых жанров и направлений, заставляя каждого второго диджа задумываться о насущном приспособлении к новой среде. Неудачные примеры адаптации многих сашиных соратников то и дело беспокоили нас фанатов за благоразумие и ясность сознания его самого и его планов на такой откровенный вызов. Но Саша не лыком шит и имеет без малого полтора десятка лет опыта в этой переменчивой индустрии, снискав мировую славу и собственно становясь локомотивом времени, активно распространяя новые тенденции и веяния.

Саша успел обзавестись полноценным плацдармом для запуска в музыкальную общественность своих новоявленных шедевров под знаменами знатного Ренесанса, что так неуклюже приспосабливался к метаморфозе "прогрессивного" звучания. Еще более печально выглядел его собрат GU, который обязался выпустить продолжение нашумевшего Инвольвера. Сама серия GU не успевала за темпом развития муз тенденций, выпуская низкопробные компиляции и теряя свое былое очарование и не выдерживая никакой критики с увлекаемым в бесконечную даль новомодным звучанием Саши. Потому еще более сомнительной казалась успешность второго Инвольвера, будучи выпущенным на агонирующем GU. Но злые языки не могли подпортить безупречную карму Саши, успевшего всех поразить своими шокирующими emFire творениями, саундтреком к фильму про серферов достойным зваться воздухомрисованнымкинжалом2 и даже аудиорядом к тв шоу. Саша начинал опробывать на ликующей толпе свои феерические ремиксы на Ladytron и М83, за коими в прессу просочился и треклист самого Инвольвера, после чего определенно стало ясно, что релиз уже не за горами. Но волнение от того ни на чуточку не спало, а лишь возрастало нетерпение, разжигаемое множественно обыграваемыми ремиксами и редкими интервью.

И вот он здесь. Второй Инвольвер. Уникальный симбиоз притрансовости и шминимала на прог основе, воплощение идей жанрового смешения и венец в развитии видоизмененного сашиного звучания. Кульминация и результат многих месяцев кропотливой работы вместе с подведомственной бригадой бравых муз инженеров. Новоя веха в развитии прогрессивной музыки. Того прог хауза, что приписывали музыке Саши уже давно нет, как и нет больше четких стилистических рамок, Саша сам стал носителем и воплощением прогрессивной музыки в ее очередной инкарнации. Сегодня вся прогрессивность здесь, достойно представленная в этой компиляции.

Хотите вы того или нет, но безупречность исполнения второго Инвольвера вам одназначно придется признать, иначе в ваше оправдание вам лучше быть или глухим, или провести последние пару лет в бронебойном танке. Идея первого Инвольвера полностью сохранена и представляет нам новую подборку композиций в тотальной обработке Саши и сокоманды. Характерной особенностью сашиной обработки треков, что меня всегда безнадежно цепляла, была его способность настолько смягчать звучание смежных треков, будто буквально раскатывая их скалкой, что практически всегда создавалось впечатление, словно эти треки и были изначально написаны для того, чтобы быть сыгранными исключительно вместе. Поэтому хоть представленный треклист и кажется совершенно не свойственным всей сашиной концепции, да и оригинальные треки и так были обыграны уже всеми, кому не лень, но представлены они здесь в такой переработанной форме, что вам никогда и в голову не придет мысль о ином звучании оригинала. И теперь необходимо признать один неизбежный и немного разочаровывающий факт - все треки видоизменены настолько, что представляют собой единый и неразрывный микс, то есть музыкально он практически одинаков на всем своем протяжении. Да, саунд безупречен, да, переходы беспрекословны, да, каждый трек выполнен в фирменном сашином стиле а-ля любой из 4х emFire релизов.. но черт возьми это совершенно неинтересно. Все, кто надеялись получить достойное продолжение эмоционально многогранного первого Инвольвера, просто жестоко обламались, здесь нет того очаровательного многообразия струнных, тягомотных басовых линий и непомерной прибрейкованности. Да, здесь присутствуют эти сладостные затяжные вокальные партии в удобаривающем объеме, но второй Инвольвер наверняка не заставит вас расчувствоваться, вряд ли он растопит ваше сердце или сможет растрогать нежнейшие чувства и пронять до самых чертиков. Он ни тепл и ни холоден, не бодрит и не заставляет грустить, не умиляет и не злит. Он просто чертовски технологически безупречен. Это как и Fundacion или четвертый дигвидовский Transitions - чистейшей воды демонстрация технологических наворотов и прочих примочек, лишенная души и неспособная увлечь вас в путешествие. Это как суперский саундтректрек к какому-нибудь сай-фай гоночному симулятору или космической леталке. Оно неспособно удивить вас более чем единожды, вряд ли побудит вас вслушиваться и вряд ли поразит своими новыми гранями. Это безделушка о которой вы забудете через неделю, потому что в ней все с первого раза становится предельно ясно и уже больше не будет поводов возвращаться к пройденному материалу. С точки зрения что нам приподнесли безупречно отшлифованный и выверенный продукт, но лишенный "эмоционального контента", в котором от первого Инвольвера лишь одно название, то извините, господа, это попса. Коммерчески безпроигрышный релиз, обязующийся удержать GU на плаву но не более. Не эксплуатируй он славное имя бесподобного первого Инвольвера, а окажись очередным Mixed, Unmixed & Remixed, то и спрос был бы с него совершенно другой, но, решив посягнуть на лавры шедевральности первой работы, он неизбежно вынужден будет выстоять сравнения со своим предшественником, что второму Инвольверу мягко говоря не удается. И что мы имеем в итоге? Два отличных и заслушанных по самое не хочу уже с начала лета ремикса на Ladytron и М83 и кучу материала "по мотивам", пригодность которого и так вполне очевидна.

Далеко не разочарование, а лишь оправдание наихудших опасений.. Достойная демонстрация к чему в итоге пришел прогрессив и неотранс, их удачный симбиоз на примере совершенно нехарактерных треков. Хвала инженерному гению за такой образцовый экземпляр воплощений тенденций сегодняшнего дня. Ознакомление определенно того стоит, но на большую эмоциональную глубину оно не претендует, так что рано прятать на дальнюю полку первый Инвольвер.

Alright, so we're well past the halfway mark of 2008, and while it's a bit early for me to start making a top 20, I still like to make a journal of all the releases I've heard in a year, to keep track of them for myself, and hopefully to help someone else find something good. This will be updated on pretty much a daily basis, as I have a substantial backlog of music that I have yet to really piece together my thoughts on, or to even listen to at all. Also, I encourage recommendations, and nothing is off limits, so don't be afraid to toss something out there!

Oh, and feel free to let me know if I should perhaps re-evaluate some of these albums. Sometimes really great material can get lost in the mix, and I'm sure I'll be periodically changing some of these ratings as it is.

Italicized text indicated album ratings added at last update.

Bold text indicates albums that should be picked up pretty much no matter what. Note that these are not necessarily the albums with the highest scores, but ones that have stood out as something special. These are the best of the best.

65daysofstatic - The Distant And Mechanised Glow Of Eastern European Dance Parties
7/10

Adam Linder - Burning Up
8/10

afternoon naps - Can't Stop the Weather EP
6.5/10

Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
8/10

Au - Verbs
7/10

Beach House - Devotion
6/10

Beck - Modern Guilt
8.5/10

Black Francis - Svn Fngrs
7.5/10

The Black Keys - Attack & Release
6.5/10

Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
7.5/10

Black Mountain - In The Future
8/10

The Blue Seeds - The Blue Seeds
8/10

Bodies of Water - A Certain Feeling
7.5/10

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
5/10

Clark - Turning Dragon
6/10

Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
7/10

Damiera - Quiet Mouth Loud Hands
7/10

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Angles
9/10

Dawn Landes - FIREPROOF
7/10

Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
6.5/10

Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into
2/10

The Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia...
5.5/10

Echo Is Your Love - Lion Tamers vs. Tigers
8/10

Electric President - Sleep Well
7.5/10

Emiliana Torrini - Me And Armini
8.5/10

Envy / Jesu - Split
8/10

The Flashbulb - Soundtrack to a Vacant Life
7/10

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
7.5/10

Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll!!!
7.5/10

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
9.5/10

Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
5/10


The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
7.5/10

Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart
6/10

The Imaginaries - Exoskeleton
7/10

The Imaginaries - The Imaginaries and Nico
8.5/10

The Imaginaries - Spider Legs EP
7.5/10

Je suis Animal - Self-Taught Magic From A Book
7.5/10

Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong - Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong
7/10

Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up 'til It Was Light
7/10

Justin Gray & The USB Orchestra - I am ok
8/10

Killing the Dream - Fractures
8/10

Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim
8.5/10

The Living End - White Noise
4.5/10

Lykke Li - Youth Novels
6/10

M83 - Saturdays=Youth
6.5/10

The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
6/10

Meiko - Meiko
8/10

The Meltdowns - Them Letdowns
6.5/10

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
5/10

The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
9/10

Nada Surf - Lucky
5.5/10

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV
6.5/10

Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
8/10

No Age - Nouns
4/10

of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
9/10

Opeth - Watershed
6/10

Phoebe Killdeer and the Short Straws - Weather's Coming...
10/10

Porn On Vinyl - I spent the night thinking, with short periods of sleep, interrupted by visions
7.5/10

Portishead - Third
8.5/10

The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
7/10

Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
7/10

She & Him - Volume 1
6.5/10

Shearwater - Rook
8/10

Sigur Rós - með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
8/10

A Silver Mt. Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
9/10

The Smashing Pumpkins - American Gothic
4/10

Thee Oh Sees - The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending A Night In
6/10

Tilly and the Wall - O
8.5/10

Tyler Ramsey - A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea
7/10

We Versus The Shark - Dirty Visions
8/10

Weezer - Weezer (Red Album)
8/10

White Guys Jumping - Outside
7/10

Why? - Alopecia
9/10

Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
8.5/10


Check back often for updates, and again, feel free to critique my list and/or give suggestions!

1. Colleen- Everyone Alive Wants Answers (2003)


2. Björk - Vespertine (2001)


3. M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts (2003)


4. Nico - Desertshore (1977)


5. Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)


6. Chromatics - Night Drive (2007)


7. John Maus - Songs (2006)


8. Suicide - Suicide (1977)


9. PJ Harvey - White Chalk (2007)


10. Xiu Xiu - Knife Play (2002)

1. Matias Aguayo
2. Closer Musik
3. The Album Leaf - такое надо слушать на ночь.
Звук прохладный, прозрачный как воздух, немного отдаленный, навевает очень уютное и свежее состояние. Сюда же грамотно вставленные элементы электроники + глокеншпиль, вистл, губная гармошка...
4. Tycho - крутейший музыкантище! Вот именно круче и быть не может. Похоже чем то на Zero 7, местами даже на Bonobo, но менее попсово и более idm. Плюс каждый трек особенный по-своему. Там и тонкие атмосферы, и одурманенные мелодии синта, и легкие голоса и морские шумы,и экспериментальные звучки...
5. Khonnor - я сначала подумала, что он сбежал из группы кнайф.
По прослушивании первых 2-3 треков становится ясно, что у чувака крыша действительно протекает. Атмосфера лёгкого помешательства на протяжении всего альбома. Та-да-да, своеобразная инъекция сумасшествия. Мелодии незамысловаты, такие простенькие песенки, иногда даже создаётся впечатление, что где-то уже это слышала, тем не менее звучат они как-то по новому, ощущение свежести и небольшого помутнения сознания, так бывает когда просыпаешься рано утром в выходной и не знаешь толи ещё спишь толи уже проснулся.
6. Thavius Beck - золотая жила просто!
7. Decoder Ring - вокалистка Эбби Корниш. Красивая...
оказывается это она снималсь и писала саундтреки к фильму "16 лет. любовь. перезагрузка"
8. Peaches - no comments. Надо было слушать лет в 16.
9. M83 - очень подходящая музыка, чтобы придаваться инфантильности
10. N.O.H.A. - забавный гибрид джаза, припорошенный r"n"b
11. Jaga Jazzist - чувствуется безусловное влияние Кримсонов

I had a very busy week, so I wasn't home much to listen to music. However, I did listen to a lot on my iPod. I make a point of keeping it full every week. I generally like to write about stuff that I scrobble, but two electro-type pop gems I caught onto this week were Goldfrapp's 'The Seventh Tree' and M83's 'Saturdays=Youth'. I will listen to them at home for scrobbling purposes in the near future, but believe me they were both great on the first listen. Goldfrapp's is an excellent electroacoustic effort - not a clunker in the bunch. M83's is almost as good, except for one long ambient track toward the end. Otherwise, it is a terrific combination of guitars and electronics - like a happier, dreamier version of Radiohead. Next week, I should have more scrobbled stuff to write about.GoldfrappM83