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Conor Fynes 
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: February 11 2009 Location: Vancouver, CA Status: Offline Points: 3196 |
 Topic: 2010: Albums Of The Year (And Other Opinions)Posted: January 06 2011 at 00:19 |
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10) Cloudkicker - Beacons Originally coming to the attention of the metal underground for it's place in the up-and-coming 'djent' scene, one man math metal project Cloudkicker has broken out of the label of a Messhugah-soundalike, while retaining alot of the post-metal atmosphere and intelligence that impressed people in the first place. A little too repetitive, but the musical ideas here are top notch... What's more, Cloudkicker gives the album away for free at it's bandcamp.com page.
Oh, God - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmTr3eJNc1M&playnext=1&list=PLA2CE075EE2980FF7&index=8 We're Going In, We're Going Down - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDBBymiFoLA&feature=related
9) Lantlos - .neon Better known as a side project collaboration of Neige (of the post-metal group Alcest), '.neon' blew me away from first listen onwards with it's absolutely jaw dropping, heart wrenching beauty. Despite being a beautiful piece of atmospheric black metal however, the album can't escape the feeling that this is just an extension of Alcest, and nothing really unique of it's own.
These Nights Were Ours - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pm-_mmc2Ts&feature=related Pulse/Surreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=easr-7k4A88&feature=related
8) TesseracT - Concealing Fate (EP) Now a frontrunner of the new 'djent' wave of progressive metal bands, TesseracT is one of the most promising acts of the newly created scene. Having first seen this band opening for Devin Townsend in Vancouver, I was amazed by their marriage of polyrhythmic intensity, and keen grasp of melody. Essentially one thirty minute epic, 'Concealing Fate' leaves a much greater impression than any other EP I've listened to this year.
Concealing Fate (Part I) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNQYskVULrs
7) Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part II Being first introduced to me as 'disco black metal', this quirky yet undeniably inventive American black metal act can take some getting used to, but Nachtmystiums avant-garde take on a pretty uniform genre is refreshing, to say the least. Classic rock, psychedelic, and even pop influences abound here, but the sound is heavy and abrasive enough to be considered black metal. Suffice to say, Nachtmystium is one of the few 'black metal' bands that's ambitious enough to do something fresh, new, and exciting with the genre.
Addicts - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKqBQq-jCrs Ruined Life Continuum - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZPjYKgGbVE&feature=related
6) Intronaut - Valley Of Smoke Take your typical sludgy post metal and fuse it with jazz and some incredible musicianship, and you get Intronaut's 'Valley Of Smoke'. While filled with heavy-as-hell guitars and some killer riffs, there are melodies, beautiful intricacy and even some straight-up post-rock moments to behold here. Also, for fans of the band Tool; Justin Chancellor does a guest bass appearance on the album.
Elegy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1LmYsCzAgw Valley Of Smoke - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFYGL5qOt70&feature=related
5) Haken - Aquarius The debut album of this promising young UK progressive metal band, 'Aquarius' introduces Haken with their best foot forward. Strong melodies, 10+ minute epics, technical mastery, and very proggy instrumentation all around. At this point, they may still fall under the category of a Dream Theater clone, but damnit, they are the best Dream Theater clone I've ever heard, often even surpassing the once-masters of progressive metal.
Point Of No Return - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D54J2vN9cc&feature=related Celestial Elixir - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maU2kzZdbQY&feature=related
4) Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit A band I have long been a fan of, there is no denying that I was immensely excited for my first listen of Pacific Northwest 'Cascadian' black metal act Agalloch's latest opus. The album certainly took a while to grow on me, and while I still don't think it tops 'The Mantle' (their greatest achievement), Agalloch has crafted an album that is equal parts intense, atmospheric, and beautiful. My only complaint is that this is the first Agalloch album that instead prefers to cover the styles of previous albums instead of progressing forward and finding a new sound, but that aside, 'Marrow Of The Spirit' is a large achievement for the Oregon-based band.
The Watchers Monolith - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlKzz78hj60&feature=related Into The Painted Grey - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o0g2SIdnKw&feature=related
3) Deathspell Omega - Paracletus What can I say about this album... Suffice to say, even before releasing 'Paracletus,' French avant-garde black metal ensemble Deathspell Omega had already staked a claim as one of the most inventive acts in black metal. 'Paracletus' only reaffirms this notion by giving some of the most chaotic and technical ever recorded. Part of a three album concept piece concerning the relation between Satan, Man, and God, this is certainly not an album to soundtrack any road trips or dance parties anytime soon, but while a very challenging record, the rewards of this calculated madness are immense.
Abscission - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpbXQpSYtUs&feature=related Epiklesis I - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4KrbvLNVVg&feature=related
2) Oceansize - Self-Preserved As The Bodies Float Up Feeling like a mixture of a thousand different progressive rock groups, Oceansize are if anything, eclectic. From a sludgy opener that could be likened to Mastodon more than anything, the album goes through a myriad of phases, ranging from metal to melancholic pop, to post rock and modern prog. After several engaging, dynamic and exciting listens to this incredible album, it's no wonder why this is Steven Wilson's (of Porcupine Tree) favourite album of 2010.
Silent/Transparent - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcWGCoUNU3s Superimposer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPWNGZ2-Fx4&feature=related
1) Alcest - Ecailles De Lune While I considered this record to only possibly grace the lesser half of my top 10 earlier on, Alcest's second full-length album 'Ecailles De Lune' had a strange way of only growing with each listen, the way that many other incredible albums do. Known for the act's mix of shoegaze/post rock and black metal, Alcest has strayed further away from the metal roots, in favour of a more atmospheric and melodic approach. While the scarce heavier sections of the album do leave me wanting alot more of the black metal material from Alcest, it's hard to compare them to the album's most beautiful mellow moments, which are literally jaw-dropping in their aesthetic beauty and near-romantic wash of emotion they have the power of giving. While some people may not like the arguably 'fragile' vocals of Neige, his voice works all too well for the melancholic, introspective approach this music takes, resulting in an album that is an inch away from perfection.
Ecailles De Lune (Part I) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS4FQKFHCvs&feature&p=0B0FC3ED8183F397&index=0&playnext=1 Sur L'Ocean Couleur De Fer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81piPtioDDQ&feature=related
Honourable Mentions Kayo Dot - Coyote Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here Drudkh - Handful Of Stars Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini Altar Of Plagues - Tides Burzum - Belus Star One - Victims Of The Modern Age Darkthrone - Circle The Wagons Crippled Black Phoenix - I, Vigilante Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia
Most Disappointing Album(s) Of 2010 Coheed & Cambria - Year Of The Black Rainbow Three - Revisions (Both albums I was very excited to listen to and each had a great album leading up to this one, but both turned out to be pretty shallow. However, it can be argued that 'Revisions' isn't even an album, because it's just a collection of previously written songs recorded and released as a new album. In any case, I was disappointed.)
Most Promising New Groups (w/ debut album released in 2010) Haken (Great progressive metal group that reached my top 10 list.)
Fourteen Twentysix (Very atmospheric and dark alt/progressive rock group from the Netherlands, with a new album on the way for 2011!)
Until Sunrise (Young post-rock group from Maryland. Despite being my age and younger even, these guys have put together a pretty impressive album with their self-titled, and while being far from perfect, have easily shown themselves to be well beyond their years in musicality.)
Please give comments and feedback, and share with me some of your own favourites of 2010! Edited by Conor Fynes - January 06 2011 at 15:33 |
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Triceratopsoil
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: April 03 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 18016 |
Posted: January 06 2011 at 00:42 |
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10. The Cozmik Orkestrah - Blackhawk (
 )-Yes, my own band, but damned if this isn't my most listened album of 2010. The great thing about being a 100% jam band is that I hear new things every time I listen, and the chemistry my bandmates and I have always blows me away. 9. Yakuza - Of Seismic Consequence -Just some really kickass sludge metal, plus saxophones. Their singer has a voice I absolutely love, and basically what this band is - one of my friends says it best - "Profound Lore Records' answer to Baroness" 8. Jaga Jazzist - One Armed Bandit -Really groovy, this album flows more than near anything else I've heard from this past year. Time flies by when you are listening to this. 7. Kayo Dot - Stained Glass EP -Kayo Dot is the most exciting band of the 21st century, it's always fascinating to see where they are heading musically. I really enjoyed this one, short as it was. 6. Negura Bunget - Vīrstele Pamīntului -Brilliant, but probably for fans of black metal only. 5. Alcest - Ecailles de Lune -Conor put it better than I could possibly be bothered to 4. Kayo Dot - Coyote -Beautiful agony, in form of music. Plus, as with all Toby Driver music, a dollop of insanity on the side. 3. Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit -Bleak, beautiful, and hella groovy; I never thought they could make an album better than The Mantle but here it is 2. Yugen - Iridule -Italian avant-prog with strong stylings like those of Picchio dal Pozzo. Fantastic. 1. Jean Louis - Morse Okay, I lied when I said Kayo Dot was the most exciting band of the 21st century. This avant-jazz three-piece explodes my brain every time honorable mention: Cloudkicker - Beacons Elephant9 - Walk the Nile Red Sparowes - The Fear is etc. Extinction Algorithm - My Forest is Dead High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine Finntroll - Nifelvind Intronaut - Valley of Smoke Edited by Triceratopsoil - January 06 2011 at 01:02 |
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sleeper
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 09 2005 Location: Entropia Status: Offline Points: 16449 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 08:18 |
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Nice lists there guys, glad I'm not the only one that likes Deathspell Omega and Yakuza.
10) Ihsahn- After: Epic Black Metal mixed with prog metal results in an excellent album, heavy and powerful with some of the best use of sax in metal that I've ever heard.
9) Yakuza- Of Seismic Consequence: Not as Schizophrenic as Transmutations but OSC shows a much greater strength in depth thanks largely to a much improved ability to develop their songs (and they werent exactly lacking in that department to start with). Their mix of sludg and post metal gives a really big, powerful feel to their music and they have the best use of sax in metal.
8) Deathspell Omega- Paracletus: The third album in their trilogy exploring the relationship between God, Satan and Man; it carries on where Fas--Ite... left off, with dissonant, avant-guard Black Metal but served up in shorter blasts rather than the long tracks of the last two albums. Each track works on its own, but the album flows to creat almost a single long piece, demonstrating that they seem to have come into the hight of their powers.
7) In Lingua Mortua- Sona des Refuses: Another Black Metal album! Its been a long time coming this album, in progress for much of the last deacade, but Lars Fredrick Froisle (sorry for poor spelling) has delivered a diverse and unique aproach to the genre. He blends his prog sensibilites into the music along with the wind instruments of Jorgen Munkeby brilliantly, creating something unique and highly enjoyable I cant wait to see what he does next.
6) Pain of Salvation- Road Salt One: Its a long time since their classics of The Perfect Element and Remedy Lane, but Gildnelow continues to surprise and amaze at every turn. After the Linoleum EP I was expecting the 70's hard rock/metal sound to be prominent but the almost total lack of metal on this album came as a surprise. Initially I was disappointed with this album as it appears to be almost poppy compared to previous works, including Scarsick, but this album truly does reward repeated listens. The depth in the compositions and the layering of the arrangments shows the typical careful, hardwork that we expect from DG, an excellent album.
5) Rolo Tomassi- Cosmology: The UK seems to be finally catching up in the prog metal stakes and this young band are part of the reason. Similar to The Dillinger Escape Plan, but far far better, they take the tenants of metalcore and mix it up into unusual song structures complete with keyboard solos (a rareity outside the more traditional forms of prog metal) and a great dynamic range.
4) Intronaut- Valley of Smoke: The follow up to the highly acclaimed Prehistoricisms, it contains all the elements that made its predecessor such a great album but its not just a rehash. The unrelenting heavyness has been turned down and clean vocals have been added, giving a much greater breadth and depth to their music. The title track is particularly brilliant, with Tools Justin Chanceller guesting on bass and a guest drummer as well, this is the double trio concept performed as King Crimson could only dream of (and no, I'm really not exagerating).
3) Ciccada- A Child in the Mirror: Debut album from this Greek band that sounds like a cross between Renaissance, Gentle Giant and Jethro Tull but without sounding like they are obviously borrowing from those bands and so creating their own identity. Brilliantly composed and brilliantly performed, one of the biggest surprises of the year for me.
2) Universe Zero- Clivages: Dark, dense, complex and everything you'd expect from chamber rock masters UZ, but with an accesibility that could easily catch newcomers but keep them enthralled for years.
1) Kayo Dot- Coyote: Toby Driver is a genious, and one of the very few. I have no doubt about this statement as his music, whether its KD, Tarta Lamb or maudlin of the Well, always seems to strike such a strong chord with me and Coyote is no different. The lyircs were written by close friend Yuko Suetta detailing the last days/weeks of her life as she was strugling with terminal cancer and the music and performance conveys this sense of pain and dispondancy brilliantly. I dare anyone to listen to it knowing this and not be affected. The fact that Driver has once again re-invented himself is extra spice.
Honourable mentions to:
Alcest- Ecailles de Lune
Drudkh- Handful of Stars
Enslaved- Axioma Ethica Odini
Kayo Dot- Stained Glass
Lesbian- Stratospheria Cubensis
Shinning- Blackjazz
Edited by sleeper - January 07 2011 at 08:20 |
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Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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zravkapt
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6451 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 08:50 |
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Only two albums really caught my attention(so far) :
Jaga Jazzist - One-Armed Bandit
Frogg Cafe - The Bateless Edge
I still want to hear that Yugen album.
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 16 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31169 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 09:09 |
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Need more listens to everything I've obtained, but in my opinion as of right now, I think Coyote and Yugen's Iridule stand above the other 2010 releases. Probably not far behind are Xing Sa, Jean Louis, Rouge Ciel, Rational Diet, and Aranis.
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Negoba
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 24 2008 Location: Big Muddy Status: Offline Points: 5210 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 09:27 |
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Nice lists guys...I may work on mine. I'm surprised Shaolin Death Squad didn't make your list Conor. I actually like Beacons of the 3 works by Cloudkicker I have.
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You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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paganinio
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 07 2008 Status: Offline Points: 1327 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 10:22 |
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I'm assuming all these are metal albums, since I only recognize two bands and they're both metal.
Wait... I think it means that I'm only familiar with metal bands. :) |
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Triceratopsoil
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 03 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 18016 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 12:34 |
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you should, it's wonderful
only 4 of the ones on my list are metal |
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 16 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31169 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 12:35 |
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I mentioned precisely zero metal bands.
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166183 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 12:42 |
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I am sadly no where near ready to make such a list. It's already the new year and I still have a dozen albums I need to buy from 2010 (let alone ones I need to listen to [again]). Of those 12 about 5 have a chance to make my top 10, so I suppose I better get going.
Of course, at this point I already have a list, yet incomplete. Which means I'll probably have to rearrange things even more than I anticipated.
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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Negoba
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 24 2008 Location: Big Muddy Status: Offline Points: 5210 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 12:44 |
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I'm going to do 5 for now...
5. Haken - Aquarius Newcomers made an album that takes the formula of Scenes from a Memory and improves it. A little humor, more focus, and better energy make for a great sci-fi prog metal concept album.
4. Univers Zero - Clivages UZ is the originator and masters of their style. An average UZ album is better than most band's best work. Clivages is for the most part another great example of dark chamber rock. Though one of the advantages is that it's not so oppressive this time around, uses some electric guitar, and I think they might have actually hit a major chord once or twice.
The following three could all be my #1, all high 4 star albums.
3. Jaga Jazzist - One Armed Bandit This album is modern, happy, and complex at the same time. Electronica, some math-y moments, and obviously jazz combine to make music you could put on at a party or sit and listen to every detail.
2. Shaolin Death Squad - Five Deadly Venoms Mash up Pain of Salvation, Mr. Bungle, and a little Devin Townsend and you get a quirky prog metal feast. Great textures, wierd lyrics, very strong singing. Best metal album of the year
1. Frogg Cafe - Bateless Edge Being a Zappa cover band guarantees you got to have chops. But these guys ooze love of their music and span from modern eclectic prog to UZ styled chamber rock. And they nail it all. One of the few bands I picked up simply from the charts that delivered. Edited by Negoba - January 15 2011 at 10:17 |
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You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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harmonium.ro
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: August 18 2008 Location: Anna Calvi Status: Offline Points: 22989 |
Posted: January 07 2011 at 12:52 |
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The only top I wrote in stone is my overall top 5: Massive Attack, Jaga Jazzist, Kayo Dot, Arcade Fire, Agalloch (from 1 to 5).
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TheGazzardian
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 11 2009 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 8844 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 00:18 |
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With about a dozen albums to go through still, here's my tentative list. 2. Yugen - Iridule: This was almost my #1 album, on my first listen I was stunned by how they can be so out there and controlled at the same time, so beautiful when they need to be an insane when they want to be. Amazing. 3. Rational Diet - On Phenomena and Existence: Another really, really strong contender, I love the use of strings on this album, and the sound of it is just amazing. Really beautiful stuff. 4. Lucifer Was - The Crown of Creation: This one is basically classical music with rock instruments added in, although it also rocks out pretty good from time to time to. And the vocals are really nice as well. 5. Uz Jsme Doma - Caves: Up-beat avant rock with horns and punk energy. #6-10 are kind of dancing around right now so I'll get to those later. But they probably include: Frogg Cafe - Bateless Edge Univers Zero - Clivages Algernon - Ghost Surveillance RRR - Il Pittore Volante Solus3 - The Sky Above the Roof
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JonteJH
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 05 2010 Location: Göteborg/Sweden Status: Offline Points: 475 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 12:08 |
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1.Periphery - Periphery 2.Chimp Spanner - At The Dream's Edge 3.Avenged Sevenfold-Nightmare 4.The Dillinger Escape Plan- Option Paralysis 5.Moon Safari - Lover's End AND Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape 6.Pain of Salvation - Road Salt One 7.James Labrie - Static Impulse 8.Dark Tranquillity - We Are The Void 9.Tesseract - Concealing Fate 10.Cloudkicker - Beacons 11.Fleshwrought - Dementia/Dyslexia 12.Orbs - Asleep Next to Science 13.Piotrek Gruzka - Cosmogenesis 14.Cynic - Re-Traced 15.Deftones - Diamond Eyes 16.Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy 17.Textures - Silhouettes 18.Spock's Beard - X 19.Karnivool - Sound Awake 20.Soulfly - Omen 21.Sky Eats Airplane - The Sound of Symmetry 22.Antony & The Johnsons - Swanlights 23.Rufus Wainwright - All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu 24.worC - When The Day Forms 25.Mnemic - Sons Of The System
Various stuff M.A.N - Massive Audio Nerve The Algorithm - CRITICAL.ERROR Returning We Hear the Larks - Ypres Jonnah - Jonnah EverFortright - Demos 2010 Emarosa - Emarosa Corelia - Demo Yepp |
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http://www.lastfm.se/user/JonteJH http://soundcloud.com/jontejh |
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sean
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 02 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1155 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 12:24 |
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1. Yann Tiersen-Dust Lane
2. Agalloch-Marrow of the Spirit 3. Arcade Fire-The Suburbs 4. Sage Francis-Li(f)e 5. Woods-At Echo Lake 6. Alcest-Escailles De Lune 7. Neil Young-Le Noise 8. The Besnard Lakes-Are the Roaring Night 9. Harvey Milk-A Small Turn of Human Kindness 10. Black Mountain-Wilderness Heart Other than number one, they're not really in any order. I've still been meaning to pick up that new Univers Zero. From what everyone is saying, I need to pick up that new Kayo Dot, I've been meaning to check them out. |
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natewait
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 08 2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 218 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 14:06 |
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From My Blog: http://natewaitjournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-ten-albums-of-2010.html
10. Drama Rama- Agents of Mercy This is a very pleasant album from one of my prog rock idols, Roine Stolt. The music is never very heavy, and they stay on the pastoral side of prog, but it makes for a very pleasant listen. 9. Victims of the Modern Age- Star One I always love Arjen Lucassen's work, and this album is no exception. This project focuses on the more metal aspect of Arjen's sound, so there are lots of heavy parts with crunchy guitars. Each song on the album is based on a different sci-fi movie or TV show which keeps the lyrics interesting. 8. Hybrid Child- District 97 This is an incredible debut album from a really talented group. They are unique due to their inclusion of a female lead singer who was an American Idol contestant, and a world class cellist. The band can be quite eclectic but with some mainstream sensibilities. I can't wait to see what this band does in the future. 7. In The Wake of Evolution- Kaipa This is a fun and happy band on the same level as the Flower Kings. This album showcases the band at their best. It is pure symphonic prog. I love the opening track that showcases all the great elements of this band: a fantastic, unique keyboard player, both a male and female vocalist, pounding drums, and soaring guitar. 6. The Great Escape- Seventh Wonder This is my favorite progressive metal release of the year. This new album has everything I love about the band. There is some incredible instrumentation from all the musicians and they have one of the best singers in Prog Rock, in my opinion. 5. Mars Hollow- Mars Hollow This is the number 1 debut album of the year. This band came out of nowhere and really blew me away. Their songs are catchy yet intricate. I really love the opening track on their record, titled "Wait For Me." It is everything great about this band in one track. Also, it helps that the band is extremely nice and friendly to their fans. I can't wait to hear what they come up with next in 2011. Based on this debut, it should be awesome! 4. Artificial- Unitopia I really loved this album at the beginning of the year. It is a concept album about the way that we as a society are becoming too artificial. I love how the band does not sound too retro, but infuses some modern influences into their sound. It sets them apart from the other bands that I listen to. This is a really great album. 3. If- Glass Hammer I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I have been disappointed by them in the past but this album exceeded my expectations. I feel they have finally found a singer that fits their sound. He sounds a lot like Jon Anderson from Yes, and I feel he lifts their music to a new level. Oftentimes they sound like what Yes wishes they sounded like today. Majestic, symphonic prog done extremely well. 2. X- Spock's Beard This was the album I was most excited to get throughout the year. I was very pleased to find out that this album is one of Spock's Beard's very best. I typically prefer their material with their previous front man, Neal Morse, but I think this album is up to the same quality as those earlier albums. Everything I love about this band is on full display here. Great melodies, expert musicianship, and tons of fun. I absolutely adore this album. 1. Lover's End- Moon Safari This is by far my favorite album of the year. It is clearly a masterpiece to me. I absolutely adore the incredible vocal harmonies that are throughout this album. The instrumentation is great as well, with a focus on vintage progressive keyboard sounds, piano, and acoustic guitar. Every song is a highlight for me. There are no weak moments. I just can't describe the beauty of this album. This will be one of the most cherished albums in my entire CD collection. All in all, a great year for prog for me, and I anticipate that 2011 will be even better! |
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Please check out my Progressive Music Blog: The Leviathan.
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Equality 7-2521
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 11 2005 Location: Philly Status: Offline Points: 15784 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 14:25 |
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I still have a lot I have yet to even given a first listen to. I guess I'll do a top 5 for now:
1) Kayo Dot - Coyote Top 3 album of all time. It might be number 1. I could talk about it for hours. It's an amazing story, highly visual, utterly emotional. I have to stop myself from listening to this album. This band has improved so much since CotE. 2) John Zorn - Mycale: The Book of Angels Volume 13 I'm a huge fan of Zorn's Masada songbook. For this album he assembled 4 female vocalists. I was blown away from the second I heard it. I thought this might be more of a novelty than anything, Masada songs done A Cappella, but it's really beautiful. It seems a little more influenced by sacred music than his other Masada work, but the Klezmer/Jazz stuff is still there. 3) Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me This is hurt a little bit by the length, but overall it's incredibly solid. She branches out even more than she did on Ys. The folk and heavy orchestration returns, but you also get some bluesy numbers. Who can't like Joanna? 4) Agalloch - Marrow of the Sprit Agalloch have their formula. Elements shift around, but you're not going to get a radically different album from them. I felt this one really lacks a lot of the atmosphere that their previous two had. I don't feel like I'm somewhere else when I listen to this album. Despite not being a masterpiece, the album probably has some of their best moments. Great listen. 5) Katy Perry - Teenage Dream A had the biggest expectations after her first album. She took a bit of a disappointing direction here. The songs are still catchy and well written, but the whole thing is overproduced. Amazing material lurks underneath unable to really break free. Still I really enjoy this.
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"One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. "
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29630 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 18:09 |
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Only one so far I know so I have to conclude there was no good music after 2009.
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Luna
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 28 2010 Location: Funky Town Status: Offline Points: 12794 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 22:04 |
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No one has mentioned Lunatic Soul yet? I think that it is a fantastic album, I'm not gonna make a list yet, because my hands have crumbs on them :I
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Andy Webb
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin Joined: June 04 2010 Location: Terria Status: Offline Points: 13298 |
Posted: January 08 2011 at 22:16 |
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...wasn't Revisions released last year (2009)?
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2010: Albums Of The Year (And Other Opinions)
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zravkapt wrote:
