I'm bored, so let's talk music in 2009.

[JBarracudaL]

The search function turned up nothing.

So, the year is half over and I feel it's a good time to chime in on how things have been going musically.
I think this year has been dynamite for music so far, much like 2007 with a bit more zest.
Tell me what you dig, maybe I haven't heard it.

Oh, and a quick note, for your safety and the safety of the passengers aboard my thread, please refrain from posting "I only listen to music made before X date" "Modern music sucks" "I don't actually look up new music but I just like saying it all sucks anyway without actually knowing" and so forth.
Ordinarily it is not a good idea to throw your two cents into a topic you know little or nothing about.

My favorite albums of the year so far;

Pays Sauvage by Emily Loizeau
Actor by St. Vincent
Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
The West Pole by The Gathering
Amor Vincit Omnia by Pure Reason Revolution
Wavering Radiant by Isis
The Crying Light by Antony and the Johnsons
Middle Cyclone by Neko Case
... zum Tode hin by Finsterfrost
Hold Time by M. Ward

Biggest surprise of the year so far:
Black Clouds and Silver Linings by Dream Theater.
This band was dead to me after SC, but apparently they were just experiencing a dry spell.
This is my favorite release from them since Six Degrees.

Best Live album so far;
Ending Themes; on the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation by Pain of Salvation. Long title, but an amazing package. The performance is pure magic, of course, but I cannot stress enough how witty and humorous the whole packaging is, from the box, to the menus, bonus features, booklet EVERYTHING has comical detail put into it. Easily the best live DVD package I've come across.

 

[GruntOwner]

Black Sails at Midnight by Alestorm
Ultra Beatdown by Dragonforce. Edit: That was lasy tear, disreguard.
... Legend Of The Shadow King by Freedom Call is coming soon, that's gonna be pretty sweet.
... Also, whatever the new Gamma Ray album is called will hopefully be out by November.

Yeah, 07 and 08 we deffinitely better years for me.

 

[JBarracudaL]

Black Sails at Midnight by Alestorm
Ultra Beatdown by Dragonforce
... Legend Of The Shadow King by Freedom Call is coming soon, that's gonna be pretty sweet.
... Also, whatever the new Gamma Ray album is called will hopefully be out by November.

Yeah, 07 and 08 we deffinitely better years for me.

This year has a lot of great Metal, though you appear to dig Power a lot.
I haven't bothered to look up much Power Metal this year but I have heard that Alestorm album, good stuff, if only a little goofy.

I say if a few more Pirate oriented Metal bands pop up, the vikings and pirates should come together and make a concept album where they battle to the death.

 

[WrongSprite]

Wrath was released.

My life became better.

 

[Lordmarkus]

The only album I really wanted this far is "No Line on the Horizon" by U2 and I think it's awsome. But new Dream Theater sounds nice. New Green Day is not bad either but there are plenty of groups that are better.

 

[JFenlon]

New prodigy album was ok. One good song.

The Black Eyed Peas new album 'The E.N.D' is what im listening to, its good, parts of it i don't like due to thier new techno-rap approach :/

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

I dislike judging years until they're over.
But it's been darn good for metal so far.

 

[Gxas]

Enter Shikari's new album, Common Dreads, comes out this monday. I've heard the whole thing and must say that it is simply amazing. Oh yeah, Billy Talent's new album, Billy Talent 3, comes out in July and Coheed and Cambria have another album in the works. Rammstein should have their new album out this year too. Now if only System of a Down would get back together...

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

When i was at middlesbrough music live on sunday, i saw some really good bands. They are not that amous but they still pwn
These are the ones worth checking out:
Such great hights
saving aimee
Turbowolf
Twin Atlantic
The ghost of a thousand

All were epic. And the lead of such great hights is a girl and is totaally fit

 

[JBarracudaL]

Wow, maybe its just me or my indifference to music past 2001 but i have never heard of any of those artist you listed. Ill just back out of this thread now since i can see ill highly disagree with everyone.

How will you disagree with us if you admit that you do not know the artists?
That doesn't make very much sense. "They suck because I haven't heard of them! So yeah, your face! Ouch!"

I dislike judging years until they're over.
But it's been darn good for metal so far.

I agree, I'm not judging the year overall really, it is nice to discuss how things have been going so far and (hopefully) clue one another in on artists we might not know.
I agree that this is a great year for Metal, fingers crossed for Wintersun.

When i was at middlesbrough music live on sunday, i saw some really good bands. They are not that amous but they still pwn
These are the ones worth checking out:
Such great hights
saving aimee
Turbowolf
Twin Atlantic
The ghost of a thousand

All were epic. And the lead of such great hights is a girl and is totaally fit

I shall jot them down in my music text file thingy. Thanks.

 

[JBarracudaL]

Well i planned to use the more eloquent "shut up, thats why" argument. So ha!

Thankfully you did not! Because I most certainly do not have enough ointment to salve that burn!

Also, this goes for everyone, if you post what music you like, I can recommend albums to you, if you want. For those less familiar with modern music.
Be warned, I've got an Indie, Singer-Songwriter, and Metal dump so far, along with a few other albums recommended or otherwise. I have yet to check out this years Hip Hop, Electronic, Jazz or other genres.
I'll get to that in the coming weeks.

 

[Danz D Man]

Yay for Dream Theater!
I think that albums gonna be great.
But what was so bad about Systematic Chaos? I love that album...

 

[Glerken]

Not really a fan of metal.

Coaster by NoFX came out this year. That was pretty okay.

 

[xChevelle24]

When Lamb of God release Wrath my life became better.

Still waiting for August Burns Red's new album Constellations, that should be good.

But since its the summer ive been listening to Boston and The Cars and The Beach Boys alot

 

[MrLS]

I been checking out some
I like Rise Against new album alot and I tought Papa Roach new one was pretty good too, but it is not as good as their oldest stuff.

Now to whats been bad. Nicklebacks newest release... that CD is god awful, Tacky mainstream hiphop like lyrics and same power chords they been using for all their songs.
Stay away from this album on all costs, If you actually like this album... i pity you

 

[S1apSh0es]

Kreator's Hordes of Chaos was pretty cool, it didn't really change much from the previous release. However Exivious's debut album was amazing. Jazz Fusion Metal is secks. I'm still waiting for Atheist's new album that's supposedly being released this year too. It's gonna be a good year for metal

 

[Kasawd]

Kreators album was good.
Manson album was better, but not as good as was expected.
Megadeth should be gracing us with something new soon enough.
Wrath is certainly good, even though it had to compete with the aftertase of Sacrament.

 

[JBarracudaL]

Yay for Dream Theater!
I think that albums gonna be great.
But what was so bad about Systematic Chaos? I love that album...

My personal taste. I got into Dream Theater all at once, starting with their A Change of Seasons EP, then FII, Awake, I&W, SFAM, Six Degrees... then along came Train of Thought, which had several songs I disliked. Bad, forced Metal sound and lyrics, not the reason I listen to DT. I like them for introcate, ELP-esque Prog, if I wanted Metal, I'd listen to one of the other thousand groups who do it better. Octavarium came about, and I liked The Root of All Evil and the title track, that was it, I felt the band was losing their touch. SC came along and.... ugh.

I just don't like it, not one song on the whole thing, it was a corny, passionless, Poppy mess. Black Clouds is great, beginning to end, somehow they got the Metal sound right, though they really get back into a more Prog vibe, personal lyrics mixed with good conceptual ones, a smashing conclusion to the Alcoholic's Anonymous Suite, James finally started to use his slightly broken voice to his advantage. No more high notes he can't hit live anymore, he knows his voice, and goes for more obscure sounds. Jagged notes, with that still great soft tone, unfortunately there is still that weird "thrash metal voice" and John Myung is still not given enough of the spotlight, but I can shake off my minor issues with the album. It's a substantial improvement.

Not really a fan of metal.

Coaster by NoFX came out this year. That was pretty okay.

I'm not a huge Metal fan either, actually. But I like a bit of everything.