Fave album of the year?

[dejkirkby]

I like The Music's debut album, but felt it was too late to the party, and had been done before by other bands. I've not heard much of the newer stuff though.
Glasvegas are still extraordinarily underrated, even after Daddy's Gone which is a shame.

[No_one_in_particular]

I absolutely adore their debut! Their best record and one of the best debuts I've ever heard, for that matter.

They're a bit similiar to Led Zeppelin, true, but I don't mind semi-derivative sounds (music is bound to repeat itself, it's inevitable; even the Beatles occasionally ripped-off) as long as I feel they're offering something worth listening to - something that retains the brilliance of their influences, and not just a lifeless rip-off. I'd say The Music are firmly in the former, and with the addition of dance-influences, I think they've moved even further into a distinctive individual sound.

If you're interested in hearing anything new, you could do a lot worse than The Left Side, my favourite track from their latest release, Strength in Numbers.

As for Glasvegas' underrated-ness, I'd agree. I think it's because their music tends to have an undercurrent of pure melancholy that will never really get them a mainstream audience, as people tuning into Radio 1 just want convincing life's just brilliant with another throw-away track by the latest Arctic Monkeys sound-alike.

[beetroot bertie]

Re: The Music. I think having such a distinctive vocalist is also a bonus. There's something about his voice that grabs me. I agree the dance embelishments add depth to the sound but I think at the core of it they just write some damn good tunes that stick in yer head. I particularly loved Getaway from their 1st album, but their last one was class.

[dejkirkby]

My favourite from the first album is Take The Long Road and Walk it.

As for Glasvegas' underrated-ness, I'd agree. I think it's because their music tends to have an undercurrent of pure melancholy that will never really get them a mainstream audience, as people tuning into Radio 1 just want convincing life's just brilliant with another throw-away track by the latest Arctic Monkeys sound-alike.

Glasvegas seem to be in the same boat as another of my favourite "bands", Unkle. They both had a big hit, seemed to be destined to be huge, only to go back to being unknown. What really bugs me is that the biggest hits are not even the best tracks by each band.

[gdf]

Old thread, but I'll bump for my opinion.

Falling Off the Lavender Bridge by Lightspeed Champion was my album of 2008, closely followed by Late of the Pier, Vampire Weekend, Bloc Party, The Cool Kids, MGMT, Justice, Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, Foals, Panic At the Disco, ****ed Up, Enslaved, and a few more.

[Hard Core Rikki]

Keiko Matsui's jazz collection isnt any bad. Nice for salon ambiance, and pretty upbeat as well.