166 replies to this topic

[LOL Alzado]

what's the deal with music lately?  it seems like there has been very little spectacular music released lately, whether it be rock, electronic, hiphop whatever.  a few decent things here and there.  but it's been a while since I've heard anything that blew my mind.  what is everybody waiting for?

[Kanakori]

Lana del rey's Born to die dropped Yesterday, and bangarang dropped last month, what the hell are you talking about?

[oscillik]

[LOL Alzado]

i'm talking about a release that tends to grab everyone's attention and has a wide consensus for being brilliant.  it's been a while.  is what I'm saying.  lana del rey is pretty meh.

[Joyrex]

Depends on what genre you're meaning - for instance, I'm sure there have been a lot of truely great releases in the pop genre - just browse the iTunes Top 10 and you'll find loads of stuff people consider 'anthems of their generation', etc.

[zkreso]

What's the last release that fits this criteria? I can only come up with Burial - Untrue. That was 5 years ago

[beerwolf]

Fucked Up - David Comes to Life (hardcore)
Death Grips - Ex Military (hip hop)
Rustie - Glass Swords

maybe a few others, but I am sick of fucking lists.

[goDel]

Waiting for Rephlex to man up again. But alas, there's no "D" in Rephlex. (distribution...)

also, new mr76ix on the way. and lots of random bandcampery.

Edited by goDel, 30 January 2012 - 07:45 AM.

[oscillik]

Skrillex

[LOL Alzado]

Even last year's end of year lists from the usual suspects (AMG, AV Club, Pitchfork etc.) lacked consensus.  There were a handful of decent albums last year, but nothing that was rating 9/10.

If you look at Metacritic's list of most recent releases, the highest scoring releases are reissues (Smashing Pumpkins and U2).  Beyond that, the highest ratings are in the mid 80's which signifies some decent albums, but nothing that's blowing people's minds.

http://www.metacriti...w-releases/date

[Mindphaser]

Hectic Zeniths - Hectic Zeniths. This is a stunning, timeless and beautiful album that deserves to be more well known and perhaps considered a future classic[time will tell].

[Awepittance]

LOL Alzado, on 30 January 2012 - 07:58 AM, said:

Even last year's end of year lists from the usual suspects (AMG, AV Club, Pitchfork etc.) lacked consensus.  There were a handful of decent albums last year, but nothing that was rating 9/10.

If you look at Metacritic's list of most recent releases, the highest scoring releases are reissues (Smashing Pumpkins and U2).  Beyond that, the highest ratings are in the mid 80's which signifies some decent albums, but nothing that's blowing people's minds.

is that supposed to be in any way an indication of if a truly great album came out?  i'm really confused how people can use data from those sites to reach conclusions like that.

[soundwave]

welcome to the internet generation where all is available anywhere any time and collective pop culture has been dissolved into a wash of commercial BS and disposable image statements

I think there are probably mind blowing albums out there its either you don't know it yet or you just haven't dug deep enough

Edited by soundwave, 30 January 2012 - 11:37 AM.

[Npoess]

I agree. Lots of decent stuff, but nothing spectacular has been released in a long time.

Music recession

[Joyrex]

I personally think that music, being a personal experience in terms of what you get out of it, makes finding a "truely great release" a matter of opinion. Someone out there might think Skrillex is the best thing they ever heard and it makes them happy, but another person might just look at it as poorly-conceived noise.

[eichel]

thats two different things

- you not really feeling the new stuff (there was already a similar thread about it a few weeks back --> maybe you need to dig deeper for stuff you really like?)

- no consensus about the mindblowing album (1. who cares? 2. individualization, internet, blah)

[Atop]

I love The Weeknd and think all three of his free releases last year are amazing and game changing.

http://the-weeknd.com/#

[ganus]

IMO there have been a ton of dynamite releases in 2011-2012. Several things that have come out have made it onto my regular rotation of favorite albums & eps.

just to name a few that have really made an impact for me:
The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
Vaervaf - Hipcatch
Rustie - Glass Swords
Machinedrum - Room(s)
Automatic Tasty - Life After Debt
Photodementia - Fig. 03
Impakt - Collapsing Mind
Global Goon - Theezadoozy, Quonesha
EOD - Questionmarks
Anne Laplantine - Frutyloop

[LOL Alzado]

A lot of good albums listed here.  But you guys really think any of this is landmark type of stuff?

Ive liked a fair number of albums in the past year, but the last one that I heard that I thought was a classic was probably The Suburbs.  I'm ready for a new classic.  There's some good stuff coming out this year.  Fingers crossed.

Edited by LOL Alzado, 31 January 2012 - 05:15 AM.

[joshuatx]

Atop, on 30 January 2012 - 12:18 PM, said:

I love The Weeknd and think all three of his free releases last year are amazing and game changing.

http://the-weeknd.com/#

good example, very well-received but oddly has maintained an underground footing

LOL Alzado, on 30 January 2012 - 05:29 PM, said:

A lot of good albums listed here.  But you guys really think any of this is landmark type of stuff?

Ive liked a fair number of albums in the past year, but the last one that I heard that I thought was a classic was probably The Suburbs.  I'm ready for a new classic.  There's some good stuff coming out this year.  Fingers crossed.  

(null)

I guess if "classic" means critically acclaimed by both indie AND mainstream outlets and therefore talked about enough to distinguish from say, any of the great releases listed in this thread, yeah it's been awhile. The Suburbs is the first LP I thought of too actually, not only because I loved it myself, but because it was a critical darling of the indie press (pitchfork, stereogum, etc), well-received among mass media outlets and also awarded that arbitrary crap like the Grammys. Even though I know a few friends who found it overrated, many other fans consider it their best album. If I had to pick a truly great release for 2011 it'd be M83's Midnight City, itching out literally a dozen other excellent albums imo simply because it somehow exceeded everyone's already high expectations.

I would read the 2010 and 2011 WATMM album and singles/ep polls. You're bound to find something you like. I know how you feel though, to a degree. There will never be another Nevermind. Many artists of all levels of popularity and all genres are now doing mixtapes, singles, EPs, etc instead of focused, hyped up albums. Artists can book gigs and sell albums without being omnipresent on radio, tv, or even on recommended lists on youtube and itunes. It seems that critical success can be made quietly, and the idea of a "huge" album being talked about and played out seems very abstract now. Therefore it is easy to feel there hasn't been a truly great release recently.

Edited by joshuatxuk, 30 January 2012 - 10:37 PM.

[rstark]

ford and lopatin - channel pressure

[chenGOD]

Atop, on 30 January 2012 - 12:18 PM, said:

I love The Weeknd and think all three of his free releases last year are amazing and game changing.

http://the-weeknd.com/#

Sweet - I only knew about "House of Balloons" will definitely grab the other two :)

[LOL Alzado]

by the way, that Lana Del Rey album is fucking awful

[beerwolf]

Joyrex, on 30 January 2012 - 12:01 PM, said:

......but another person might just look at it as poorly-conceived noise.

Thats what most people think of the music I listen too, apart from you lot lol.

[LOL Alzado]

Awepittance, on 30 January 2012 - 11:34 AM, said:

is that supposed to be in any way an indication of if a truly great album came out? i'm really confused how people can use data from those sites to reach conclusions like that.

you think reviews have no value at all?

anyone that claims to be so above the pop stratosphere that the opinions of the rest of the civilized world are rendered meaningless has probably been munching on his own shit for a bit too long.