March 25, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/21.png Sam's Town is the second studio album by American rock band The Killers, released on October 2, 2006 in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States. Regarding the album, vocalist and primary lyricist Brandon Flowers noted that he "wanted to create an album that captured, chronologically, everything important that got me to where I am today". As of April 2011, Sam's Town had sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The album is said to be influenced by the works of U2, Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Electric Light Orchestra & Dire Straits among others. Sam's Town strongly divided opinion, with some praising the album and others mocking it.[18][19] In the October 2006 issue of Giant magazine, Flowers was quoted as saying that Sam's Town would be "one of the best albums in the past twenty years" and in Entertainment Weekly he remarked that it would be "the album that keeps rock & roll afloat." Flowers later said of production techniques used on the record, "We didn't use too many vocal effects. On the first album, we used auto-tune, and I didn't even realize what was going on with these machines and the computer. I was adamant about not using it this time. You really hear what my voice sounds like, for the first time." It has to be said that I was very disappointed when The Killers returned with When We Were Young. They had abandoned the anglophile attitude and 80s influences for an altogether more American sound - one which I in general don't like. The bombast of contemporary U2 and Coldplay was all over the place in that song - it was like Springstien covering Speed of Sound. To give them credit they are a band that can imitate their chosen targets with uncommon style.
March 25, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/20.png Art Angels is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Claire Boucher, professionally known as Grimes. It was digitally released on November 6, 2015 by 4AD, and in physical formats on December 11. Boucher began planning the record in 2013 as the follow-up to her third studio album Visions, however she scrapped most of the material from these sessions and began a new set of recordings in 2014. The track "Realiti", which came from the earlier recordings, was released as a demo in early 2015. Art Angels has been described as being more accessible than Grimes' previous albums while retaining her experimental influences. The album features guest vocals from Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes and American recording artist Janelle Monáe. Two singles, "Flesh without Blood" and "Scream", were released ahead of the album and a single music video was made for the tracks "Flesh without Blood" and "Life in the Vivid Dream". Art Angels sold 11,000 copies in the first week of its release and became Boucher's highest charting album at the time. The album was released to widespread critical acclaim and was ranked by several publications as one of the best albums of 2015. By the sounds of that description I should at least hear this album once. I really disliked Oblivion from the previous album. NME's album of 2015!
March 25, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/19.png The Resistance is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock band Muse, released in Europe on 14 September 2009, and in North America on 15 September 2009. Upon its release, it topped the album charts in 19 countries. It also debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 128,000 copies during the first week.[8] It also surpassed its predecessor, Black Holes and Revelations, in album sales in its debut week in the UK, selling approximately 148,000 copies, as well as worldwide, with 479,000 copies sold. Critics were mostly complimentary about the album, with much of the praise directed towards its ambition and classical music influences. The album was produced by the band and mixed by Mark Stent.[9][10] The album's first single, "Uprising", was released on 4 August 2009, with the album's second single, "Undisclosed Desires" released on 16 November 2009. "Resistance" was released as the third single from the album on 22 February 2010, and although it failed to match the success of its predecessors, the single reached number one in the UK Rock Chart and became the second Top 40 hit from the album in the UK Singles Chart. "Exogenesis: Symphony" was released as a limited edition EP in the United States on 17 April 2010. Muse promoted the album by performing the songs in a number of live appearances, including their promotional tour The Resistance Tour. The album yielded the band their first Grammy Award in 2011 for Best Rock Album Following Black Holes and Revelations was never going to be easy. Following three increasingly astonishing album in a row was going to be impossible and so Muse took their first steps on their way to being just like every other band after 5 albums, ie. three or four great songs among a lot of filler. However, they did manage to have a very impressive opening half with The Resistance where they could still blow the cobwebs off a far away planet with ease. The classical bit never clicked for me.
March 25, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/18.png Boxer is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band The National, released on May 22, 2007 on Beggars Banquet Records. Produced by both Peter Katis and the band itself, the album has sold over 300,000 copies in the U.S. Following its release, the album debuted at #68 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 9,500 copies in its first week. A documentary film, titled A Skin, A Night, was released the following year. Focusing on the recording process of Boxer, the film was directed by independent filmmaker Vincent Moon, and released in conjunction with a collection of b-sides, demos and live recordings, titled The Virginia EP, on May 20, 2008. The band recorded Boxer with producer Peter Katis, with vocalist Matt Berninger stating, "We recorded a lot of it at home. Probably half and half of home recording and recording with Peter in the studio. We always kind of work that way, going in and out of studios and then back home. We have little home set-ups. He has been a big part of the band for awhile, [sic] at least in the recording of the records. He kind of jumps in as a seventh member." Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sufjan Stevens appears on the tracks, "Racing Like a Pro" and "Ada". Regarding his recording contributions, Berninger noted, "Bryce has played a lot with [sufjan’s] touring band, so Bryce knows him really well. And [sufjan] lives in the same neighborhood that Bryce and Aaron live in. They just called him and he came over for a day. It was a one-day collaboration. Him, Bryce and Aaron hang out a lot and make little songs together, so it was really a kind of casual type of collaboration."[/i] An album that I got into after falling for High Violet. I haven't really listened to it in ages. Slow Show is so sad :( I will put this on later.
March 25, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/17.png Sound of Silver is the second studio album by American dance-punk act LCD Soundsystem. The album was released in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2007 under Capitol Records and in the United States on March 20, 2007 under DFA Records. Sound of Silver was produced by the DFA and recorded during 2006 at Long View Farm in North Brookfield, Massachusetts and DFA Studios in New York, New York. Upon release, Sound of Silver received acclaim from music critics, and it was later nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Songs in the Sound of Silver, notably "Someone Great," feature parts of the 2006 LCD Soundsystem release 45:33. For several weeks before and after the album's release the entire album was available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The video for the track "North American Scum" was also posted to the band's MySpace on February 8, 2007. On March 12, 2007, to coincide with its official UK release, an underground remix version of the album was released online in aid of charity. The album reached number 28 in the UK charts. James Murphy stated that he would like the album to be in the Top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Charts. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 46. A band I have always have a hard time getting into. I don't think that is ever going to change. Even All My Friends doesn't blow me away - it reminds me of what The Killers might have sounded like when they started practicing in their parents' garage.
March 25, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/16.png Days Are Gone is the debut studio album by American rock band Haim. It was released on September 27, 2013 by Polydor Records. The album has spawned six singles: "Forever", "Don't Save Me", "Falling", "The Wire", "If I Could Change Your Mind" and "My Song 5". The album was recognized as one of The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far by Pitchfork Media in August 2014 Upon its release, Days Are Gone received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on 35 reviews. Ann Powers from NPR stated "HAIM's thoughtful, playful music is good for the radio, good for rock, and good for music lovers of all ages who need to carve out a little space to dream." I can't say I've listened to Haim very often but when I did listen to them I didn't like what I heard. Am I missing the point?
March 25, 20169 yr Seeing so many albums that I own which I didn't include, ahhh! I think I might belatedly order 'Ys' from Amazon actually to add to to the collection, as the only Newsom album I own is 'Divers' (I have 'The Milk-Eyed Mender' on my iPod but I have no idea where that came from and have no recollection of buying it). I was tempted to pick up 'Ys' back when 'Divers' came out, but was really put off by HMV's £16.99 price tag, which is almost twice as much I got 'Divers' for. As for 'Art Angels', I also agree that is incredible. I can remember feeling unsure on my first couple of listens, but this has been the case with most of my favourite albums. I still prefer 'Visions' over it, but only slightly; and it might have something to do with having listened to it for longer. Edited March 25, 20169 yr by Jake.
March 26, 20169 yr Lots of albums I own there, just none I voted for. "Boxer" was close though, and after recently going on a National kick, perhaps I could have squeezed it in. "Blackstar" too potentially, I just haven't given it many listens yet. The LCD/Killers/Muse/Grimes albums have some of my favourite tracks of their respective years, but I can't get myself to love the albums as a whole.
March 26, 20169 yr I must say that I FORGOT Art Angels, my fave of 2015. Blackstar is not musically as good as people make it to be but it's a suitable swan song.
March 26, 20169 yr Only album I think I forgot was Silent Shout, sorry Dandy! :( I did rank Kala as my favourite of '07 but it's not something I re-visit very often these days and didn't include it. After compiling my list I listened to the 30 in order and once I got to about the top 12 I felt that every album should be higher than this! Good to see Sound of Silver and Boxer (probably the only one I wished I put higher, though it was 5) so high, and The Pains... creeping in at the bottom. I don't suppose there's any hope of any Purity Ring this high though? I just hope that Lana and Marina don't get too close to the top! I think that like her last one Art Angels is very hit and miss, though the highs are absolutely stunning! Edited March 26, 20169 yr by RabbitFurCoat
March 26, 20169 yr Author I just hope that Lana and Marina don't get too close to the top! What would you say if I said we had a Lana/Marina top 3? :lol: :o :(
March 26, 20169 yr I wouldn't be overly shocked, though I'd like to think Lungs will have beaten anything either of those two did at least.
March 26, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/15_2.png Riot! is the second studio album by the American rock band Paramore. It was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to their debut album, All We Know Is Falling (2005). The album was produced by David Bendeth and written by band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro, with Bendeth, and fellow members Zac Farro and Taylor York co-writing on select tracks. The album is said to explore a "diverse range of styles," while not straying far from the "signature sound" of their debut album, with several critics comparing it to likes of Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne. The cover of the album also resembles the cover artwork of No Doubt's Rock Steady. Riot! received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its sound, and noted its "crossover potential". The album was successful in the United States, reaching number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on July 11, 2008. It was also certified platinum in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry, and gold in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The lead single, "Misery Business", reached top-thirty and forty positions in the US and is considered the band's "breakthrough" hit; credited with introducing the band to a mainstream audience. The third and fourth singles, "crushcrushcrush", and "That's What You Get", were also successful with both achieving a gold certification by the RIAA. A band I know nothing about. That's not going to change. :D
March 26, 20169 yr Author http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/tonyttt31/14_1.png Let England Shake is the eighth studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician PJ Harvey, released on 14 February 2011 by Island Records. Production began around the time of White Chalk's release in 2007, though it is a departure from the piano-driven introspection of that album. Let England Shake was written over a two-and-a-half year period, and recorded in five-weeks at a church in Dorset during April and May 2010. Upon release, the album received numerous accolades. It was placed 2011 "Album of the Year" by 16 publications and in September 2011 won the coveted Mercury Prize. It was PJ Harvey's fourth nomination overall (including another win in 2001), making her the most successful artist in the prize's history. The album also won the Uncut Music Award in November 2011, as well as Album of the Year in the 2012 Ivor Novello Awards. An album of the most universal acclaim that I think it garnered more "album of the year" accolades than either Is This It? or OK Computer. And yet didn't get the Brit Award for best album (hi Adele) Our second of three Mercury winners. On Battleship Hill is a highlight for me.
March 26, 20169 yr A band I know nothing about. That's not going to change. :D :D These results are massively different so far to what I would have guessed at. And kinda not in a good way!
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