New Albums This Year

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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Simonp on Sun Mar 22, 2015 1:40 pm

Chad wrote:
Tin Bird wrote:Of course over the years I have encountered many folks who can't stand David's voice as well..too mannered they say..nobody really sings like that...so, again, to each his own....


Some people just cant make the jump.


The jump from Secrets of the Beehive to Manafon?
MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON MANAFON
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Chad on Sun Mar 22, 2015 2:05 pm

Since you brought it up yes. I was thinking more Nine Horses to Manafon. I don't like his vocals on that record, theres no chance for him to open up his pipes. It just sounds like a lot of groaning to me. I just love it when he goes all gospel. Like on the last 3 minutes of Wanderlust.
....
I don't doubt it, I feel it

Turn the headlights on full
I want to take in it all and let it wash over me
The bridge looks so high from the ledge that we climbed
But we climbed them so that we could be free
....

Now that's what I'm talkin about. Killer
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Chad on Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:14 am

You guys can see for yourself now. Carrie and Lowell stream here -

http://pitchfork.com/news/58935-sufjan- ... ie-lowell/
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:29 am

I am listening now....am on track 3....so far sounds good...my initial thought though is that he has made a concerted effort to sound the exact opposite of the last album (Age of Adz). As I figured, acoustic guitar figures prominently. Definitely a more laid back, mellow affair...so far sounds closer to a Bon Iver record than what I am used to....anyway...will keep listening....
When I cannot sing my heart...I can only speak my mind...
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:50 am

So far Fourth of July is favorite track....
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:33 am

Huh....have listened to the whole album....my thoughts are mixed. My fave track by far is still Fourth of July...I like the words and the melody on that track...even if it is a bit on the sad side.
I think the Bon Iver reference is quite apt. It really does sound a lot like For Emma, Forever Ago to me. I loved that album so not a bad thing. However, it is by Sufjan's standards a bit on the reserved side. I like the bigger arrangements of Illinois and Adz so this is going require the listener to re-calibrate a bit. My first impression is that this is a good, but not great, album. More immediate, with a focus on the lyrics and basic melody rather than production.
I will purchase the album for sure..whether this makes it into heavy rotation for me remains to be seen.

listening to Fourth of July again...what a beautiful song. :-)

"Fourth Of July"

The evil it spread like a fever ahead
It was night when you died, my firefly
What could I have said to raise you from the dead?
Oh could I be the sky on the Fourth of July?

Well you do enough talk
My little hawk, why do you cry?
Tell me what did you learn from the Tillamook burn?
Or the Fourth of July?
We’re all gonna die

Sitting at the bed with the halo at your head
Was it all a disguise, like Junior High
Where everything was fiction, future, and prediction
Now, where am I? My fading supply

Did you get enough love, my little dove
Why do you cry?
And I’m sorry I left, but it was for the best
Though it never felt right
My little Versailles

The hospital asked should the body be cast
Before I say goodbye, my star in the sky
Such a funny thought to wrap you up in cloth
Do you find it all right, my dragonfly?

Shall we look at the moon, my little loon
Why do you cry?
Make the most of your life, while it is rife
While it is light

Well you do enough talk
My little hawk, why do you cry?
Tell me what did you learn from the Tillamook burn?
Or the Fourth of July?
We’re all gonna die
When I cannot sing my heart...I can only speak my mind...
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Chad on Mon Mar 23, 2015 5:16 pm

Its so weird that you transcribed that song. I was actually doing the same thing the other day but I thought I shouldn't reveal to much ahead of time. It takes a while for all the subtleties to come to the surface.

Some of my thoughts -

I love the way he finishes Should Have Known Better. Quiet banjo interweaved in electronic glitches. In the song he talks about the time his mother left him and his family when he was three of four at the video store. It would be so easy to leave you hanging in despair, but he always gives you a little hope.

'my brother had a daughter…the beauty that she brings. illumination'

The steel guitar break in the middle of The Only Thing makes me smile. I just love that sound. I wish David would get out his steel guitar again. I miss that. Also notice the absence of drums…

If you listen closely you can hear a fan or air conditioner in the background on a couple of songs. A little ambient white noise free of charge.

Carrie & Lowell once again brings that glitchy-ness back in. I've always loved that effect. Think Sketch Show / Loophole - Stella/Chronograph/Attention Tokio/Flakes.

Blue Bucket of Gold is still may favorite, both lyrically and musically. It leaves me with that feeling of ascension much like Davids Darkest Dreaming. Very stunning.

Theres only a couple of tracks that I don't care for. Eugene & Shadow of the Cross. I think its because they're both short and without much instrumentation.

This guy on sputnick has an interesting take -

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/6648 ... nd-Lowell/
Last edited by Chad on Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:37 am

For some reason, the Fourth of July track reminds me of A Fire in the Forest...? Similar message (nostalgic memories of childhood, reviewing past traumas...etc) along w the minimalist electronic backing....

I really like this track a lot. The rest of the album is a grower...
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Quiet Visitor on Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:24 am

New album from Patrick Watson.
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Sat Mar 28, 2015 7:41 am

OK, I am captured... Carrie and Lowell is a masterpiece.
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby depeon on Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:22 pm

Excellent review and interview with Sufjan Stevens in Fridays guardian, i'm leaning towards purchasing cd as i do like shadow of the cross.
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:51 am

This is an album that has to be taken in as a whole. Pulling out one track as a single does not do it justice. I was underwhelmed by the first two tracks when I heard them in isolation, but after hearing the album as a whole, I see how they fit.
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Tin Bird on Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:30 am

When I cannot sing my heart...I can only speak my mind...
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Chad on Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:21 pm

Man ...somebody whacked that video. I didn't get a chance to see it. I see that pitchfork waved the mighty 'best new music' wand at it with a 9.3/10. On the day before release none the less. I have a feeling this might go all the way to number one on the BB charts. We'll see. That would be something else for the naysayers to complain about for sure.

NPR feature here -

http://www.npr.org/2015/03/24/395001628 ... an-stevens



Hey QV that Patrick Watson looks like it'll be worth checking out. I dont know a thing about him and I couldn't find much about the record except for a few itunes samples.

Have you guys heard the new Dodo's record? Great guitar pop. I love this track -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgYNp59Fizk
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Re: New Albums This Year

Postby Foales Arishes on Thu Apr 02, 2015 1:05 pm

This has been/will be, a good year for new albums for me... The Unthanks, Bjork, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Bella Hardy, Florence & the Machine, MUSE, Susanne Sundfør, to name a few, have [or will] keep me happy this year... there is even hope of a new Radiohead LP. Just need something from DS to make it a great musical year for me, though I will settle for the Chris Bigg book.


And OT but... Star Wars and Bond at the cinema in the same year :-D yeah, sad I know :P
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