New album season

[TheCrowing]

So we all know.. it's closing in on the end of the season.. and you know what? It's also the beginning of new album season. Maybe it's just me.. but a lot of bands record and release albums around this time. So let's start a thread about the successes and failures of albums this year.

I'll go first with my top favorites and the ones I absolutely cannot deal with.

Disappointment:
1. Otep - Atavist
2. Lady Gaga - Born This Way


Success:
1. Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions
2. Chthonic - Takasago Army
3. Kittie - I've Failed You
4. Alkaline Trio - Damnesia

[Snufkin]

Someone who understands the musical year...I'd tip my hat to you if I had one on.

Gaga's disappointed me a bit because it seems to've left no impression whatsoever. We all expected something life changing, and got a lot of euro-dance-pop. It's not BAD. It's just...good. And "just good" isn't really what we, or at least I, expect from Gaga.

I agree with Arch Enemy, that's a beast of an album.

Funeral for a Friend's Welcome Home Armageddon blew me away - after their last album, Rules And Games, bored me to tears I wasn't sure if they still had the energy in them to make another great album. Evidently they do.

Radiohead and The Decemberists both released amazing albums at the start of the year too. The Joy Formidable have to have released one of the greatest debut albums for a long time with The Big Roar.

I was disappointed in Jessie J's album. A prime example of only the "singles" off of an album being any good. I've been disappointed with the prominence of dubstep as well. Acts such as Magnetic Man just don't do anything for me, though some electronic artists have managed to do it quite well I suppose.

I think 2011 belongs to Adele though.

As for what's coming up...Mastodon. Oh hell yes.

Got more to add but wanna see what other people have been impressed/disappointed with

[TheCrowing]

I was fine with Lady Gaga circa Paparazzi, etc. She really is one hell of an acoustic musician. Look it up. Not many big artists this day can belt it out like she can. But that album really did disappoint me.

Between Arch Enemy and IWABO's new albums, I really am blown away. (Seeing Arch Enemy Sept. 9th, excited).

Go for it. I have a few.. but I like seeing other people's opinions. Sometimes brings light to some disappointments.

[Marguerite]

Absolute favourite: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines by The Vaccines.

I love this album. A-M-A-N-D-A NOORGARD!

It's always great when you find a new band. They kind of had the kiss of death because everyone was saying before What Did You Expect was released it that it would be the greatest album ever and reinvent music. Obviously it's not, and it didn't. But it's still an amazing album.

Also:

The King Is Dead- The Decemberists
Amander Palmer Goes Down Under- Amanda Palmer (if live albums count. Plus, she sings a song about my state... even if it is in reference to pubes lol)
Suck It and See- Arctic Monkeys
This Modern Glitch- The Wombats

And maybe it's uncool to say but I can't go passed Adele, can I?

Disapointing:

Angles by The Strokes.

I love them but this album really annoyed me. A few good songs chopped up with a million filler songs. What happened to The Strokes anyway? When I heard Under Cover of Darkness I thought this album was going to rock. I was wrong.

[Cosmo]

Albums I've loved this year:

Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero -- Easily the best album of this year so far and I'd put it in the top 20 metal albums of all time, as would a lot of the reviewers.
Trivium - In Waves
Design The Skyline - Neveah (Sorry but I really, really enjoyed it. Surrounded By Silence doesn't do them justice)
RADWIMPS - 絶体絶命 (Probably my second favorite release)
Greeley Estates - The End of Greeley Estates (Very enjoyable, very talented but a bit of filler in there too)
Asking Alexandria - Reckless & Relentless (Just a great album from a great band)
Of Mice & Men - The Flood (Possibly in my top 5 favorites this year)
Suicide Silence - The Black Crown (Very different from their previous stuff, but a good change with very few weak tracks)
Nero - Welcome Reality
Lower Than Atlantis - World Record
In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading (Not amazing, but very good)
All Shall Perish - This Is Where It Ends

Albums I'm Looking Forward To

ONE OK ROCK - Zankyo Reference (Suspect this may top Dir En Grey from the songs they've released)
Blessthefall - Awakening (Shaping up nicely)
Bury Tomorrow - Lionheart (These guys are at the top of the Metalcore scene)
Mastodon - The Hunter (Great band who've never failed to deliver)

Most Disappointed By:

Dream On, Dreamer - Heartbound (Looked like it'd be amazing from their Hope EP, but turned out to be incredibly generic. I play a couple of songs from it now and again but they sound the same)
Chelsea Grin - My Damnation (Same problem, incredibly generic although a few enjoyable tracks)
August Burns Red - Leveler (Very few tracks managed to stand out for me. Maybe I need to give it a few more listens)

[TheCrowing]

Is Adele's album really that good? I haven't listened to it, but I've heard a lot about it.

You said Amanda Palmer and you've got me hooked. Didn't listen to that specific album, but I am an extreme Dresden Dolls fan.

[Illuminate]

Albums I loved this year:

Charlie Simpson - Young Pilgrim
Adele - 21
Cold War Kids - Mine is Yours
Panic! at the Disco - Vices and Virtues
Mayday Parade - Valdosta EP
City and Colour - Little Hell


Pretty disappointed with:

All Time Low - Dirty Work
Go Radio - Lucky Street
Noah and the Whale - Last night on Earth
Owl City - All Things Bright and Beautiful

Looking forward to both You Me At Sixes, Ed Sheerans and Mayday Parades albums.

EDIT: I also really loved the 'Pacing' album by Richard Walters

[Snufkin]

Originally Posted by TheCrowing

Is Adele's album really that good? I haven't listened to it, but I've heard a lot about it.

It's very impressive. I like how a woman with such vocal talent has completely swept the mainstream without having to wear meat dresses for attention.

[TheCrowing]

Ahh. I can't believe I forgot City and Colour!

True.. "‘My life is full of drama and I won’t have time to worry about something as petty as what I look like. I don’t like going to the gym. I like eating fine foods and drinking nice wine. But that’s not what my music is about. I don’t make music for eyes, I make music for ears."
I respect her for that. I'll have to check it out.

[Cabron]

Originally Posted by Deluminate

Albums I loved this year:

Charlie Simpson - Young Pilgrim
Adele - 21
Cold War Kids - Mine is Yours
Panic! at the Disco - Vices and Virtues
Mayday Parade - Valdosta EP
City and Colour - Little Hell


Pretty disappointed with:

All Time Low - Dirty Work
Go Radio - Lucky Street
Noah and the Whale - Last night on Earth
Owl City - All Things Bright and Beautiful

Looking forward to both You Me At Sixes, Ed Sheerans and Mayday Parades albums.

EDIT: I also really loved the 'Pacing' album by Richard Walters

I really loved Mine is Yours, too.

[Snufkin]

Originally Posted by MonsterCosmonaut

Albums I've loved this year:

Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero -- Easily the best album of this year so far and I'd put it in the top 20 metal albums of all time, as would a lot of the reviewers.
Trivium - In Waves

Nero - Welcome Reality
In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading (Not amazing, but very good)

Currently listening to Dir en Grey's new one. Their last release was good, though I think Vinushka was the best song on it so it kind of peaked too early. This sounds promising so far. I really need to hear Trivium's new album. I love them, just haven't picked it up yet.

Nero's is fantastic. It's been a while since I heard a good electronic album, and it kills me that my surround system in my room is currently without a good bass speaker. I can imagine it sounds killer. In Flames I really enjoyed as well. I prefered it to A Sense of Purpose for sure, though it doesn't come close to Come Clarity.

I'm curious to hear You Me At Six's new album. They've built it up to be a rock record as opposed to a pop-punk one, or whatever genre they usually are, but judging from Loverboy, not much has changed. I know they have Oli Skyes and Winston from Parkway Drive on it though so...that'll be interesting. Don't have high hopes after Hold Me Down though.

I've also enjoyed this year...

Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
Katy B - On a Mission
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys! (This is getting very Mercury Prize...)
Roddy Woomble - The Impossible Song & Other Songs
The Wonder Years - Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing

Not a bad year for music, but not particularly great either. We'll see what the end of '11 brings.

[TheCrowing]

Don't get me wrong, Trivium is a very talented band.. But when I saw them live.. I just couldn't do it. Lol. I stood there and just couldn't get into it.

I'm really just waiting for Kittie's whole album. It's a bit soon since their last album, but hey.. the few songs they released sound great.

[Snufkin]

I did NOT like Trivium when I first saw them. They supported Iron Maiden and bored the hell out of me. I saw them at their own show a few years later and they blew me away. Maybe they have off-nights...

[TheCrowing]

Maybe. I saw them open for Coheed and Slipknot. All I heard was "ARRRGGHHHH AHHHHH **Circle headbanging** AHHHHHH".. Lol

[Cosmo]

I never got into Coheed and Cambria. Instrumentally awesome but the vocals just put me off honestly.

[TheCrowing]

Yeahh.. That's the reaction a lot of people have towards them. Their last album was actually my least favorite from them. I'm a huge fan. I've seen them 11 times. But it's totally understandable. His voice isn't for everyone.. but instrumentally they are phenomenal.

[Snufkin]

Tom Waits has a new album out in October, yesssss!

Also, since we've been kind of reflecting on this year in here, I truly believe Someone Like You is the song of the year.

[Cosmo]

Carnival Cadavre by Hackneyed is one hell of a freakin awesome death metal album. Circus themes running throughout, some incredible guitar work, great vocals and they never take themselves too seriously.