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Albums that have exceeded your expectations this year

MrScagdenSir [Edit] [Delete] 72 replies 13:16 September 19th, 2011

(ying to the 'albums that have disappointed you's yang)

For me... Thursday - No Devolucion.

I've heard some Thursday stuff before (their split with Envy etc) and just thought they were a fairly generic emoy-hardcorey band with little chance of ever making much of an impact on my life. Their new one is just superb though, even though it does a lot of things that usually wind me up (slighly over-wrought clean vocals etc etc)I've listened to it loads and love it.

YOU?

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hmm

St Vincent - Strange Mercy, just getting into it but loving it, and had virtually no real opinion on St Vincent beforehand

Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind of Fix, had dismissed them as NME bait landfill indie, and not saying it's a masterpiece but it is rather listenable

Tiresias | 19 Sep '11, 13:41 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Inspired by this post I just listened to BBC
  
  Have to say I've never liked them before either but agree with you on A Different Kind Of Fix. A good listen.
  
  teamcooperuk @Tiresias | 26 Sep '11, 11:12 | X | ^ This | Reply
The Field

Thought he was a downward spiral from 'From Here to Sublime'...but I think this could be his best album, yet. :0

fiddygent | 19 Sep '11, 14:02 | X | ^ This | Reply

friday55, JonBeat, and pentargo this'd this
I'm the opposite for this

Got raved about, but I'm underwhelmed.

WhiteLightWhiteCity @rue_the_day | 20 Sep '11, 14:25 | X | ^ This | Reply
I love how this thread got 3 replies

and albums that disappointed you got 150+

Tch.

MrScagdenSir | 19 Sep '11, 17:42 | X | ^ This | Reply
Suck It and See

kilgore-trout | 19 Sep '11, 17:47 | X | ^ This | Reply

CantYouFeelTheKnife this'd this
I didn't expect the Gang of Four or Wire records to be that much cop

Just purely because they've done such great work in the past that they'd both be a bit of a letdown.

But honestly, the latter is properly great from start to finish and in my top 5 of the year, whilst the former is a proper 7/10 I love owning, where the crap bits are really embarrassing and the good bits are really, REALLY fucking good. There's a riff on one track about 3 in that I could listen to for days on end...

vamos | 19 Sep '11, 17:57 | X | ^ This | Reply

this'd this
- yeah the Wire album is great
  
  it's still streaming here - I listened to it again the other day - will get around to buying it eventually
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/jan/04/wire-red-barked-tree
  
  hungover @vamos | 20 Sep '11, 07:37 | X | ^ This | Reply
maybe Let England Shake

not that I was expecting it to be bad, just wasn't expecting an actual full on masterpiece.

lukowski | 19 Sep '11, 18:06 | X | ^ This | Reply

Yesiamaduck, avl06, vamos, Zapsta, backtotheballs, watsona7, MrScagdenSir, ContentToPlayVillain, SCROTUM, WhiteLightWhiteCity, and pentargo this'd this
Definitely Battles.

Thought they'd be shit without Braxton.

Icarus-Smicarus | 19 Sep '11, 18:21 | X | ^ This | Reply

bulletboy this'd this
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will

I think their last few records received an unwarranted amount of stick to be honest, but even with that in mind I think their new album is surprisingly great. New EP is interesting too.

DJaser | 19 Sep '11, 18:37 | X | ^ This | Reply

Icarus-Smicarus, ithica, and HumanDog this'd this
Bon Iver

The Antlers

Prefer them both to their respective debuts.

shinymcshine | 19 Sep '11, 18:42 | X | ^ This | Reply

Severed799 and friday55 this'd this
- I agree about Bon Iver
  
  I thought For Emma was beautiful but lacked longevity, it was after all a fairly typical album of lonesome Americana. The new one's a fuller album in every sense.
  
  brainfeeder @shinymcshine | 19 Sep '11, 18:53 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  Nestor this'd this
  - LOL
    
    sixteen_blue @brainfeeder | 19 Sep '11, 22:00 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Minimal
      
      and intelligent response.
      
      shinymcshine @sixteen_blue | 19 Sep '11, 22:03 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Hospice wasn't The Antlers' debut
  
  </nerd>
  
  guntrip @shinymcshine | 19 Sep '11, 23:58 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  Severed799 and fiddygent this'd this
David Comes To Life

politelydeclined | 19 Sep '11, 18:53 | X | ^ This | Reply

Severed799 this'd this
Tune-Yards - Whokill

charliepanayi | 19 Sep '11, 19:26 | X | ^ This | Reply

backtotheballs, noise_annoys, sunstroke_house, and TJ-Dizzle this'd this
- I'm still really struggling with this record
  
  I enjoyed her live immensely but I just can never bring myself to want to listen to the LP...
  
  vamos @charliepanayi | 20 Sep '11, 10:16 | X | ^ This | Reply
Amon Tobin

Dismissed him as some 90s dance relic (might be massively wrong about this) but I'm loving ISAM at the moment. I don't have much in the way of 'electronica' in my collection, something I need to sort out I reckon

Comaboy | 19 Sep '11, 19:41 | X | ^ This | Reply
- you are massively wrong on this
  
  Supermodified is still better than 99% of dance music released 11 years later.
  
  awaythecrowroad @Comaboy | 20 Sep '11, 03:12 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - Ta
    
    I'll check that out, cheers
    
    Comaboy @awaythecrowroad | 20 Sep '11, 18:35 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Even though it's good,
      
      there are better albums than ISAM. Try Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85-92, it's great beat-driven ambient techno.
      
      bulletboy @Comaboy | 20 Sep '11, 19:36 | X | ^ This | Reply
Liturgy - Aesthethica

I thought Renihilation was fairly impressive, but I definitely didn't expect them to go as hard as they did.

Luis_Carruthers | 19 Sep '11, 20:01 | X | ^ This | Reply

shoeshined this'd this
- ^This
  
  Although they're still no WITTR.
  
  brainfeeder @Luis_Carruthers | 19 Sep '11, 23:25 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - Well they're doing totally different things.
    
    WITTR take a more atmospheric approach, and Liturgy are more aggressive and draw from no wave and minimalism. Their experimentations with rhythm are also pretty much without peer in USBM.
    
    Luis_Carruthers @brainfeeder | 20 Sep '11, 01:54 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Well, they're doing "totally different things"
      
      within what is quite a restrictive genre so remain pretty similar. I basically just really like WITTR and wish everyone sounded like them.
      
      brainfeeder @Luis_Carruthers | 20 Sep '11, 09:42 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - Krallice are both aggressive AND atmospheric
        
        They released an album this year which is even better than WITTR and Liturgy
        
        GO FORTH AND LISTEN
        
        Comaboy @brainfeeder | 20 Sep '11, 18:39 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        I appreciate what Krallice are doing
        
        and I think it has a lot of merit. However, they don't appeal to me at all. I feel the same way about Deathspell Omega and a lot of the more technical black metal bands.
        
        Luis_Carruthers @Comaboy | 20 Sep '11, 18:42 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        eMusic subscription kicked in yesterday
        
        so I got Krallice's newest one. The instrumentation is ridiculously impressive and I love the proggier bits they throw in (e.g. the guitar duelling and slightly off-kilter bassline in Clearing) but the vocals are kind of embarrassing. I can't stand that cliched deep, guttural, 'metal' voice regardless of who's doing it.
        
        brainfeeder @Luis_Carruthers | 22 Sep '11, 18:51 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        Yeah, I prefer my metal singers to be screaming like a madman
        
        Rather than some dork trying to sound like a demon or something. I do like this though.
        http://youtu.be/JyKvEfD7t_w
        
        Luis_Carruthers @brainfeeder | 22 Sep '11, 21:25 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        I see what you mean
        
        though the vocals don't bother me. The more death-y voice is a newer thing though, the older records feature more typical BM shrieks buried lower in the mix
        
        Comaboy @brainfeeder | 22 Sep '11, 21:50 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        I'm sure I'll get used to the vocals
        
        The only thing to do now is try to avoid ever reading the lyrics. Does anyone know of any black/death/etc. metal bands with half-decent lyrics?
        
        brainfeeder @Comaboy | 23 Sep '11, 09:27 | X | ^ This | Reply
Wu Lyf + Nicolas Jaar

Went into Wu Lyf expecting DIY noise after their demos, came out incredibly impressed.
I expected just a simple album from Jaar, I never expected such beauty like 'Spectres of the Future'.

Weirdcore | 19 Sep '11, 20:06 | X | ^ This | Reply
w h o k i l l

despite the obnoxious naming scheme for everything they do, i think tUnE-yArDs is probably the most interesting band around right now, least that i've heard.

chainbumbler | 19 Sep '11, 23:19 | X | ^ This | Reply
Guillemots - Walk The River

so beautiful and emotive as ever.

cronenberg | 19 Sep '11, 23:26 | X | ^ This | Reply

Clair_de_Lune this'd this
- Katy B - On A Mission
  
  thought it'd be a pop album with some good singles and as usual full of filler, turns out it's stuffed full of fantastic and dirty electronic pop songs, one of my favs of the year.
  
  Yesiamaduck | 19 Sep '11, 23:44 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - this is for you
    
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0eBRm4Ygek
    
    joeydubya @Yesiamaduck | 20 Sep '11, 00:40 | X | ^ This | Reply
    - Shut up
      
      it's a very very good pop album
      
      Yesiamaduck @joeydubya | 20 Sep '11, 01:36 | X | ^ This | Reply
      - I like it too.
        
        Good dance tunes. There's a distinct innocence to it that is really appealing. I actually dont get the -dirty electronic pop songs- from it at all. Its the overall effortlessness of it that gives it a slightly sexy undertone, not forced at all, mind. She's like the girl that will make out with you at the club and then bounce. Not going home w her, too soon, maybe later if you're lucky.
        
        theShipment @Yesiamaduck | 20 Sep '11, 04:48 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        It is rather brilliant
        
        Though why this wasn't on it, I have NO idea...
        
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Ynf2ScKiA
        
        vamos @theShipment | 20 Sep '11, 10:15 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        I'm really looking forward to getting this...
        
        ... have been really impressed by everything I've heard off it. And it's nice to see something that could arguably be considered as quite disposable getting some serious critical attention. It only came out in the States last week and when I went into my local record store to pick it up, they were all like, KTB? What's that? It'll be interesting to see where she goes from here, if she's got any staying power... part of me can't help but feel that it'll be this one album and then not much else. I'd love to be proven wrong though......
        
        Sloame_Ocean @grouchland | 20 Sep '11, 18:57 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        Yeah, I like it.
        
        I was put off at first because of all the pop-dubstep tags, but then I decided to listen to it expecting it to be shit, but it turns out that it's really good.
        
        bulletboy @Sloame_Ocean | 20 Sep '11, 19:33 | X | ^ This | Reply
        
        I mean the music is quite dirty sounding
        
        it's not the lyrics I'm referring to, I think the lyrics are pretty good mind with the odd exception (It's Not That Easy)
        
        Yesiamaduck @theShipment | 21 Sep '11, 00:44 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Cherish the Light Years by Cold Cave
  
  i liked the first one but its such a massive change and i think a step upwards. it's hysterical and ott in just the right way and full of MASSIVE BANGERS
  
  guntrip | 20 Sep '11, 00:00 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  Alcarez this'd this
- A Winged Victory For The Sullen
  
  mostly because it's so enchanting and immediate while I expected it to be a little more enigmatic along the lines of 'Rave Death 1972' and 'The Magic Place'.
  
  wewerewerewolvesonce | 20 Sep '11, 01:32 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  trickquestion, Alcarez, and HumanDog this'd this
- *yin.
  
  Luis_Carruthers | 20 Sep '11, 01:58 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Elmatic
  
  Remaking Illmatic, not a light task
  
  drcoffeebean | 20 Sep '11, 02:01 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  noise_annoys this'd this
- The Field
  
  Second album was so poor I thought he'd lost it - but the new one is amazing.
  
  Action Bronson
  Finally a hip-hop album that isn't about materialism & bitches, and which is actually fun to listen to.
  
  ThirstyDog | 20 Sep '11, 02:50 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Britney Spears
  
  not a popular suggestion on DIS i'm sure but there it is.
  
  cliquester | 20 Sep '11, 03:17 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Foo Fighters' album wasn't the worst thing ever released.
  
  So that was better than I thought it would be.
  
  Sky_Box_Office | 20 Sep '11, 09:23 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  Severed799 this'd this
- Wilco - The Whole Love
  
  Just listened to it three times in a row and it's fucking fantastic.
  
  BrownBay | 20 Sep '11, 09:35 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  HumanDog this'd this
- Cold War Kids
  
  the first album is very disappointing given how good Hang Me Up To Dry was as a single; the new one has an equally strong single with Finally Begin and the rest of the album holds up pretty well.
  
  Not a classic but i was pleasantly surprised.
  
  Smyth2 | 20 Sep '11, 09:43 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  avl06 this'd this
- the new Girls album
  
  I wasn't that bothered when I first heard them with the first album, but i'm enjoying the new one.
  
  And the new Wilco sounds really good too so far.
  
  massivetortoise | 20 Sep '11, 10:08 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  JaguarPirate this'd this
- Machinedrum - Room(s)
  
  I'd heard it was quite jukey so I assumed it'd be good for about ten minutes and then turn grating. I was so so very wrong on this...
  
  awaythecrowroad | 20 Sep '11, 15:10 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  teamcooperuk this'd this
- My Morning Jacket since Evil Urges was so terrible
  
  The Field
  Drugstore (wonderful comeback record)
  Frank Ocean
  Leyland Kirby - Eager to tear apart the stars
  Near the Parenthesis
  Trouble Books & Mark McGuire
  
  jack_on_fire | 20 Sep '11, 19:53 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Fleet Foxes
  
  Helplessness blues passed me by at first, but as the cold draws in it just seems more and more appropriate.
  
  wonton | 21 Sep '11, 00:26 | X | ^ This | Reply
- The King of Limbs
  
  Especially given how much shit it gets. I've never seen so much hatred for such a quality (if brief) release. That's what they get for being the most scrutinized/hyped/overdiscussed band in pop.
  
  I also didn't expect to love Panda Bear - Tomboy this much, given my lukewarm reaction to the 7" singles last year. Now I'm about ready to call it my AOTY. :D
  
  BladeJB343 | 21 Sep '11, 01:18 | X | ^ This | Reply
- I had pretty high expectations
  
  but am truly surprised how much the new HTRK album 'Work, Work, Work' has hit me. It is a gem!
  http://soundcloud.com/ghostly/sets/gi144intl/
  
  PaintyCanNed | 21 Sep '11, 04:10 | X | ^ This | Reply
  - This.
    
    Very good surprise. Thanks.
    
    cronenberg @PaintyCanNed | 21 Sep '11, 23:24 | X | ^ This | Reply
- SBTRKT!!!!!!!
  
  brill. Live, not so brill but I'm sure with a bit of practice they'll nail it.
  
  JonBeat | 21 Sep '11, 16:42 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
  
  was never really into them before
  
  wonton | 22 Sep '11, 19:23 | X | ^ This | Reply
- The Strokes
  
  I never thought I'd be listening to that as much as I do.
  
  Stuzza | 22 Sep '11, 21:11 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  Blackjack_Bauer this'd this
- Really like the new Wooden Shjips,
  
  they've never really done much for me before.
  
  monpot | 22 Sep '11, 21:37 | X | ^ This | Reply
- Cymbals Eat Guitars
  
  It took me like 2 years to get into Why There Are Mountains, but Lenses Alien was obviously brilliant from the first listen. It's amazing how it can be so complex and layered and still so catchy and quotable. Kinda similar to the new St Vincent on that front
  
  JaguarPirate | 26 Sep '11, 19:00 | X | ^ This | Reply
  
  shinymcshine this'd this

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