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It's super smooth and very interesting, kind of like Air or Zero 7 with a little more pop sensibility.

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That's a pretty fair comparison, which is probably why I don't like Tales From Turnpike House.

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There's an album called Magnificent City by Aceyalone and RJD2. I hadn't heard of either of these people before I picked up the album, but I really like them. Aceyalone is a remarkably good rapper, and RJD2 is an absolutely fascinating DJ/producer. Together they've made one of the freshest hip-hop albums I've heard in a long while.

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I have most of RJD2's stuff, but not this - I'll go check it out.

Edit to add: This week I'm plugging Slowreader - two of the members of The Impossibles start something new. Sounds like the offspring of a Ben Folds / Elliot Smith musical lovefest.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
Although these guys have been out a while, they haven't been out that long in the US. They're not all that new, and they're not a new discovery for me, but if you haven't heard of them...

Snow Patrol plans to release a fourth album called "Eyes Open" on April 25. For those who don't know, the US release "Final Straw" was the third full-length album. The other two are called "Songs for Polarbears" and "When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up." All of them are absolutely amazing.

I will be beating down the door of the store, frothing at the mouth. Same goes for when they go on their next large tour. Their live show is INCREDIBLE.

They're playing SXSW in Austin the day after my birthday, but I probably won't be able to make it. That makes me a sad panda.

-pH
 

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Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
 
You won't be sorry about the Aceyalone/RJD2, ersomniac. There isn't a bum track on the whole disc (which is remarkable, especially for hip-hop), and I just can't get it out of my CD player.

Too bad about the other one. I personally loved Zero 7's first album, and Air is the shiz-nit. So even though I didn't think Saint Etienne was quite at that level, I really liked that album. But if you're not into that type of thing, I can see how you'd have hated it. You've got my personal guarantee on Magnificent City, though.

BTW, I'd never heard RJD2 before this, but now I'm pretty keen on getting some of his other stuff. What's a good place to start?
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
I just bought a cd of some band called Armor for Sleep...it was an impulse buy. I was standing in line to check out at Best Buy, and it was right there, staring at me from the "Cheap New Music!" rack.

I read the lyrics before I listened to it because it actually takes effort for me to sit and listen to a whole CD most of the time; most music really doesn't grab my attention. From the lyrics, it seemed like each song was another part of a story about this guy who's drowned himself and how he spends all this time trying to get the attention of the people he left behind, or something. So I kind of figured it would be...really mellow? And sort of have a depressing tone.

So I put it in my computer, which, in retrospect, might have been a really bad idea now that we know about CDs putting viruses on computers...well, too late now.

It's not what I expected, but I think I like it. I put it like...kind of Brand New-ish. So far, it's not absolutely spectacular, but it's pretty good. And as I listen to it more, I'll probably like it more.

Apparently, they're on an AP tour, but it looks like they're staying in the northern half of the country.

Anyways. That's my new music discovery of the day. I usually end up picking up one random CD every time I set foot in Best Buy.

-pH
 

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Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
 
The CBC Radio 3 podcast is a great overview of what's going on in the Canadian indie rock scene. If names like Metric, The Arcade Fire, Stars, Controller.Controller, Novillero, Death from Above 1979, The New Pornographers, or The Meligrove Band mean anything to you, you might be particularly interested.

I'm presently hooked on Planets Conspire, the Melligrove Band's third effort. It's their first on a major label, and it's apparently heading for U.S. distribution as well. I've got a little opinion review column where I gush about records I like, and this is definitely one of those. There was much gushing.
 

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Posted by aiua (Member # 7825) on :
 
Has anyone heard of The Decemberists? I've got their Picaresque album.

It's really odd, but strangely addicting. Accordions and great voice and unique lyrics.
 

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Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
 
This has got to be my favorite site for discovering new music.

http://www.avclub.com is good also.
 

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Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
 

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Has anyone heard of The Decemberists? I've got their Picaresque album.

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BTW, I'd never heard RJD2 before this, but now I'm pretty keen on getting some of his other stuff. What's a good place to start?

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Deadringer is a great album. He's not exactly a DJ - he does loop-based synth, the same way trance & house artists do, but with hip hop elements instead. Either way, he's the shiznizzity.
 

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Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
 
I like the Decemberists!

But I didn't get to see them while they were here.

-pH
 

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Posted by signal (Member # 6828) on :
 
Thanks for the RJD2 recommendation. I listened to a few clips online and I'll definitely have to get a hold of some more of his stuff as well as Magnificent City. Any other suggestions along the lines of RJD2 or turntablism, neo-jazz, trip-hop kind of stuff?
 

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Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
 
DJ Shadow is the master of that genre. "Endtroducing..." is one of the greatest albums of all time (and all his other albums are brilliant too). I've got a hefty stack of DJ albums, some of which are very good, but every time I get a new one I'm always a little disappointed because Shadow raised the bar so high that no one can quite touch him (although from what I've been reading about RJD2, and from what I've heard from that new album, I'm quite excited to hear his solo stuff).

For straight-up trip-hop outside of the DJ subgenre, you really can't go wrong with any of the first three Massive Attack albums (if you're wondering where to start, my preference is "Blue Lines" > "Mezzanine" > "Protection").

I've got a ton of really excellent albums in those genres, so I'm tempted to go on, but those really are the best places to start so I won't confuse the issue by listing all of my favorites. If you ever want me to, though, I can.

Good luck.

[ February 27, 2006, 07:25 AM: Message edited by: Baron Samedi ]
 

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Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
 

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For straight-up trip-hop outside of the DJ subgenre, you really can't go wrong with any of the first three Massive Attack albums (if you're wondering where to start, my preference is "Blue Lines" > "Mezzanine" > "Protection").

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