Legendary Pink Dots - "The Whispering Wall": I've already talked about this one some... it's classic Dots with more frustrating experimental parts and flashes of pure brilliance. The sheer creativity of this band and album will likely be enough to put it in the top 10.
Wilco - "A Ghost is Born": This really surprised me. What I thought was a stupid indie-rock band turned out to be one of the best things I've heard all year. Quiet, sparse moments, big buildups with forceful lead guitar, overall great atmosphere. I've only heard it once, but it's damn good.
Arcade Fire - "Funeral": Like Wilco, I've only heard it once but it's definitely enough to merit many more listens. Not quite indie rock, not quite new wave, not quite pop, not quite post-rock... I'm not really positive what to make of it yet, but songs like "Wake Up" are just breathtakingly beautiful.
Tears For Fears - "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending": Laugh all you like, but this is probably top 5 stuff. It really doesn't sound much like their earlier material (which I also love); in fact, it could easily have been the album McCartney and Lennon would have released in 2004. Pure Beatle-esque melodies, experimentalism and songwriting.
Thee Silver Mountain Reveries - "Pretty Little Lightning Paw": Experimental post-rock. A few of the members are in A Silver Mt. Zion and GY!BE (I think). Guitars, violins, strangeness, intentionally off-key wailing vocals... just a totally depraved, weirdo atmosphere. I've listened to it several times and I've loved it even more each time. Just don't expect it to sound exactly like GY!BE or ASMZ. It's much darker and strange.
Ghost - "Hypnotic Underworld": Probably the album of the year. A perfect mix of psychadelia, prog rock and Japanese folk music (seriously), this thing simply rules. It starts out with a 4-part, 23 min. psychadelic piece, then goes into some excellent, emotional and progressive stuff. They throw the listener for many loops thoughout, but when it finally ends (it's colse to 70 mins. I believe), you can't help but be amazed at how good this stuff is. I really can't explicate it beyond that. It's like nothing I've ever heard.
That is all for now, I believe.
Wilco - "A Ghost is Born": This really surprised me. What I thought was a stupid indie-rock band turned out to be one of the best things I've heard all year. Quiet, sparse moments, big buildups with forceful lead guitar, overall great atmosphere. I've only heard it once, but it's damn good.
Arcade Fire - "Funeral": Like Wilco, I've only heard it once but it's definitely enough to merit many more listens. Not quite indie rock, not quite new wave, not quite pop, not quite post-rock... I'm not really positive what to make of it yet, but songs like "Wake Up" are just breathtakingly beautiful.
Tears For Fears - "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending": Laugh all you like, but this is probably top 5 stuff. It really doesn't sound much like their earlier material (which I also love); in fact, it could easily have been the album McCartney and Lennon would have released in 2004. Pure Beatle-esque melodies, experimentalism and songwriting.
Thee Silver Mountain Reveries - "Pretty Little Lightning Paw": Experimental post-rock. A few of the members are in A Silver Mt. Zion and GY!BE (I think). Guitars, violins, strangeness, intentionally off-key wailing vocals... just a totally depraved, weirdo atmosphere. I've listened to it several times and I've loved it even more each time. Just don't expect it to sound exactly like GY!BE or ASMZ. It's much darker and strange.
Ghost - "Hypnotic Underworld": Probably the album of the year. A perfect mix of psychadelia, prog rock and Japanese folk music (seriously), this thing simply rules. It starts out with a 4-part, 23 min. psychadelic piece, then goes into some excellent, emotional and progressive stuff. They throw the listener for many loops thoughout, but when it finally ends (it's colse to 70 mins. I believe), you can't help but be amazed at how good this stuff is. I really can't explicate it beyond that. It's like nothing I've ever heard.
That is all for now, I believe.