Official new albums thread

[Magnakai]

Oh...my...gosh...

The Arcade Fire - Funeral

This album has gripped my ears like a vice. I can't stop listening to it, except for brief dashes of the above-mentioned lovely Ms. Newsom.
Funeral is awash with emotion. It's full of loneliness, loss and catharsis on the grandest scale imaginable. This is Bright Eyes with beautiful and considered instrumentation, Talking Heads on a post-rock vibe and it's as if it was always meant to be. It rescues the "emo" tag from languishing at the feet of Brooklyn-inhabiting hipsters and delivers it to it's rightful place.
Each song has been intricately crafted. They're all mini-epics, more than able to stand on their own. An EP's worth of this material, hell, even a single song would've been cause for celebration, but a whole album?
This is not something to be taken lightly.
This, my friends, is a masterpiece.
Album of the year? I'd be suprised if anyone or anything comes close.
You know what? Granted, we're not even halfway through, and bearing in mind that I have by no means listened to every album released for these past four years, I think it says something about the confidence I have in this album that I have no doubt that it will, if there is any justice in this world, be in the running for the best album of the 00s.
A true masterpiece. 10/10, 100% A++ Will Listen To Again...
I can only wonder how The Arcade Fire will follow this...

There're some songs to stream here:

http://www.mergerecords.com/band.php?media=true&band_id=98

Personally, I recommend Rebellion (Lies), though sampling each would reap benefits beyond compare.

[Sigur]

Yes, that album is quite superb.

If you like that try Kasabian and Secret Machines. Not identical, but something similar.

[endo]

Although not that new- Through a Frosty Plate Glass EP and Fare Thee Not Well Mutineer by Grandaddy.
I'm listening to these all the time at work. Jason Lytle is a genius.

[Magnakai]

Yes, that album is quite superb.

If you like that try Kasabian and Secret Machines. Not identical, but something similar.

I've heard a bit of Kasabian. I rather liked their electronic division. I can't remember any song titles offhand, but I seem to remember that all the spot effects seemed slightly more inspired than the full songs. I actually think they might be better off heading in a slightly less "rock" direction. Perhaps.

Secret Machines sound quite fun. I've only heard the singles, and though they were enjoyable, they didn't grab me enough to warrant any further investigation.
I shall poke a little deeper based on your recommendation.

Can't really see the resemblance to The Arcade Fire, though.

[Pikman]

Juno Reactor: Labyrinth - a fantastic fusion of electronic psychedelic trance and traditional drum and string featuring Indian and Arabic undertones and a plethora of Indian and Latin chantings. The album is at times gentle, at times forceful, always powerful with a strong religious vibe.

In my opinion Juno Rector's best album yet.

[Papercut]

Jet Set Radio Future Soundtrack - absolutely superb, I can't believe I didn't buy this sooner

[007]

Notorious BIG - Born Again
Snoop Doggs new album and NAS new album too.

[Ginza]

Jet Set Radio Future Soundtrack - absolutely superb, I can't believe I didn't buy this sooner

Need.

[Sigur]

Cannot stop listening to Interpol - Antics.


Album of the year by MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

[MartyG]

U2 - How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

The special edition finally arrived this morning, with it's odd shaped packaging that doesn't fit in with either the DVDs or CDs. It's a book, DVD and the album on CD.

I've been a U2 fan for a long time, so it won't then come as a surprise when I say it's really good, some of U2's best work for a while. The feel of the album harks back to the Boy/War/Unforgetable Fire era, but there's still something different to it like there always seems to be with each U2 album.

The DVD covers U2 working on the studio on three songs, Vertigo, Sometime You Can't Make it On Your Own and Crumbs on Your Table. There's a silly "Temple Bar" mix of Vertigo on it, which is Edge with a Banjo and Bono on vocals in a buskers version of the song.

The special edition CD has an addition track on it called Fast Cars, so overall I'm impressed, even if it has taken a bit longer to arrive than I'd have liked from CD-Wow.

[Inertia_]

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral 5.1 Dual Disc
---

This is incredible stuff. On one side there's a remastered CD that, tbh, I haven't bothered listening to. The other side, however, is a DVD containing the whole album resampled (and somewhat re-recorded) in glorious Dolby Digital 5.1. It also features a very nicely cleaned up 5.1 video for Closer, along with a couple of others. Aside from that there's an image gallery and, well, filler basically.

But the draw here is the 5.1 version of the album itself. My God, it's incredible; I understand teh Rezn0r actually re-recorded elements of all the songs to make it a worthy transition to digital surround sound. The new version of Closer is awesome.

I got mine for just over a tenner when I preordered from Tower Records' website (US import), and I understand the only version to be released in the UK may be a multichannel SACD.

Definitely a must-have if you have the required setup (and like NIN, of course). A perfect way to build up to that March 2005 release of "With Teeth"; though, personally, I thought "Bleedthrough" was a much better title.

[JammyD]

Juno Reactor: Labyrinth - a fantastic fusion of electronic psychedelic trance and traditional drum and string featuring Indian and Arabic undertones and a plethora of Indian and Latin chantings. The album is at times gentle, at times forceful, always powerful with a strong religious vibe.

In my opinion Juno Rector's best album yet.

Must check that out

I've been listening to Infected Mushroom: IM The Supervisor. My current favourite psy trance album. It's got a whole load of different sounds going on, Bombat, Frog Machine and Horus the Chorus are BRILLIANT 8) It's the sort of CD that really makes me wish I had a kickass soundsystem, cos it just demands to be played really, really loud. Nice long samples here: http://www.juno.co.uk/IP/IF157013-01.htm

Also got Tiesto's Nyana compilation. Not a completely new release, CD2 is full of gorgeous melodic trance, great for falling asleep to.

http://www.juno.co.uk/IP/IF118815-01.htm

Need.

Seconded, but I'm still playing JSRF. Never have I come across a soundtrack with so much love in it. There's supposed to be a few tracks missing on the official soundtrack though.

[Sigur]

Neutral Milk Hotel and Matthew Good Band.

Picked them up, both quite good. Taking a while to get into. Like Track3 of NMH.

[Olympichero]

Heard The Mars Volta's new album today, not overly impressed with it tbh, enjoyed their debut much more.

[Magnakai]

Ella Guru - The First Album

Wonderful, melodic acousticy indie.
Great great great great great.

http://www.ellaguru.net/

They have some samples

And mp3 here: http://www.sardonic-hee.com/music/mp...led_for_us.mp3