Alright then, let's see what we have here.
It's easy to say that at this point in the year my two favorites are: Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple & The Black Keys - Attack & Release. Both of these releases were produced by Danger Mouse, oddly enough.
The new Gnarls Barkley really just kind of hit me a few days after I heard it when it leaked. I remember listening and thinking, "Okay, it's like St. Elsewhere but a little better." It's much, much better. St. Elsewhere was a great record for Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse to do as it was weird and catchy and different enough to stick out in the mainstream and on the radio. This new one is just phenomenal though. Danger Mouse uses a lot of guitar work in the beats and the samples are odd enough that it's still remiscient of old Gnarls Barkley. The song "Surpise" has probably the best-produced beat I've ever heard. That tune can be found here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/zjun10
Cee-Lo reminds me of Kanye on the record because he delivers some really great one/two-liners. He thought up some pretty clever stuff that's deep but in a non-serious way. At a surface listen it probably sounds like it was a piece
of cake to write lyrics about
whatever the hell, but I'm betting it took a bunch of time and thought.
I had never really given The Black Keys a second chance after I first heard them long ago because I got them confused with Black Dice who are that pretty average noise-rock group. Actually, they're pretty good. I don't know. But anyway, The Black Keys are a duo that play hard rock/blues. Attack & Release is fantastic. Danger Mouse originally contacted them to make a record of songs for Ike Turner, but then he dropped dead and they just went ahead with it anyway. It's like Pearls & Brass, My Morning Jacket, Nirvana, Muddy Waters, and Led Zeppelin all rolled into one powerhouse. Fans of The White Stripes will just think they're a rip-off, but I think they're much better. There are some faster tracks on the record but overall it's got a really loud and laid back groove to it, like some early Sabbath tunes. The vocal delivery screams Memphis soul and the drums and guitar make it sound like the band would only perform live in some mountain/bayou area in the midwest/south. That barely makes sense, but it's that good.
Other than those two, there are definitely some great ones that have been released. Guilty Simpson's first full-length is pretty sick. It took time to grow on me but it's a solid record. The beats are great and Guilty has a tough delivery. Everything 65daysofstatic and Pocahaunted have done this year has been as good as anything else. I'll actually talk about some other ones a bit more.
Prurient had a new record come out in early '08 entitled And Still, Wanting. It's a CD + 5" and I think it's the best work he's done yet. Even as a noise artist Prurient doesn't release that much stuff but it's all usually pretty high quality. The new one has got a lot of harsh parts but it's also like Alcest's new record in that he went from whatever he was doing to an approach that contains more atmospheric and shoegaze-y parts. The second track is fucking wild, it almost drove me to tears the first time I heard it. Proof that noise can conjure up emotion just as well as any other kind of music. I uploaded the track in case anyone reads this and wants to hear it.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/zjun10
I don't know why noise elitists don't like Prurient. I guess maybe because he has his own label or something? I don't know. I always thought Dom was the best at utilizing vocals in noise. Whatever.
Thurston Moore just released a new noise record that's on par with anything else he's done in that style,
though I admit that
after last year's Trees Outside The Academy I think he should just stick to the acoustic guitar nowadays and keep using his voice.
I had never heard of the Fuck Buttons until yesterday, but they're awesome. It's kind of glitchy/noisy/beat electronic music. All hail the Top 200 rack at WMVL Radio.
Still stoked for the new Atmosphere 2xLP. Hopefully seeing them in two weeks or so.
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