Official GAF Albums of the Year 2005 thread

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Sullichin said:
With Teeth is awesome. AOTY.

Saw NIN live twice this year and they really blew me away.
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Agreed. I'm still baffled as to why it gets so much shit. I love 90% of this album. As a matter of fact, if cd's could wear out I would of had to replace it by now. Fucking amazing album. Live, the new tracks are even more amazing..
 
My fav album of the year hands down is:

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It's just perfection, and she really worked hard on it.

and my second fav is:

B000B8QEZG.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


What can i say about this, the Queen of the Pop is back , alive and kickin'.
 
sans_pants said:
Andrew Bird-The Mysterious Production of Eggs

I had never heard anything from him before, and on all the boards I frequent this album would pop up from time to time. I downloaded it with low expectations and I was blown away by the instrumentation. The lyrics get a bit silly at times but the music more than makes up for it.

Minus the Bear-Menos el Oso

Another great band I knew nothing about pointed out to me by the internet. I listen to this cd over and over.

Twista-The Day After

Honestly I haven't found much hip-hop I like recently but there are some real gems on this one, mostly for the beats. Reminds me of Adrenaline Rush.

MF Doom- Operation Doomsday

Great lyricists abound
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Heh about 6 years late on that one brah....
 
Himuro said:
Have you heard of British bands called Placebo, Muse, and Feeder (especially Feeder)? I'm a big fan of those bands. Muse is really heavy but they're enjoyable.
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Muse fucking rules. That is all.
 
MrAngryFace said:
Marching Bands and What Sarah Said were my two favorites off the album, its very transatlantic, which as I understand, a lot of 'deathcab fans' dont like that much either.
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I actually like Transatlanticism, so that's not why Plans bugs me. While I really like Marching Bands, Crooked Teeth, What Sarah Said, and I Will Follow You..., it just falls flat as a whole.
 
Himuro said:
Have you heard of British bands called Placebo, Muse, and Feeder (especially Feeder)? I'm a big fan of those bands. Muse is really heavy but they're enjoyable.
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I used to love Placebo when I was in high school (1998-1999), but as I've grown older, I find Brian Molko's lyrics to be extremely juvenille and immature. They sure do have catchy hooks, however.
 
Chiodos - All's Well That Ends Well
The Fall of Troy - Doppleganger
Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
 
Himuro said:
CHEATIN'! That's my runner up for AOTY
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"The background singers just messed up..."
"Well, Percy, I don't give a fuck."
"So tell me where we're gonna go."
"We're goin' to the minstrel shoooooooowwwwww!!!!!"
 
I just made my list. A bit predictable, yes, but I like what I like.

Decemberists - Picaresque
This is the album that really got me into them. I'd heard Castaways and Cutouts and some other stuff before, but it didn't click with me until now. Colin Meloy is a very talented songwriter and wordsmith.

Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
The first album by this band that I've really listened to. Really intense stuff. I love the instrumentation, I love the singer's voice.

Weezer - Make Believe
Fuck the haters! This album is much more closer to Blue and Pinkerton in quality than Green and Maladroit. Fuzzy guitars, piano/keyboards, a variety of other instruments, interesting song structures... it's all here. Sure, 'Beverly Hills' sucks, but to me that doesn't detract from the quality of the rest of the album. An excellent slice of power pop.

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
I'm sure plenty of people don't like Bright Eyes. And that's ok. I really love this album. After the epicness of Lifted (and even Fevers and Mirrors) it's really refreshing to see him pare down his sound (and his band) and create some beautifully simple folk/alt. country music. The guest singers really help, too.

Low - The Great Destroyer
Low busts out the distortion. Their songs work just as well for me drenched in distortion and feedback as they do in a fingerpicked acoustic style.

Patrick Wolf - Wind In The Wires
I dig Patrick's voice and the beats that provide the backbone to his songs. Really enjoyable modern indie pop.

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
Lots of people have lamented that the songs on this album are inferior to the versions of the same songs on their radio sessions EPs, but I don't agree. I think Isaac Brock's guidance and production techniques really benefitted this band. "It's A Curse" is my fav. track of theirs.

British Sea Power - Open Season
I'm glad they didn't try to make Decline Of... again. This album is shimmering and beautiful, much like their first album, but a bit more refined and perhaps more constrained and melodic.

Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart
I agree with Diablos -- I wanted something new and different, something that wasn't ST&C (or Madonna...). The production and song writing is just so over the top... some would write this off as pretentiousness, but I think it's all in jest. TOD isn't a serious band, if you've seen them live or know anything about them -- they just want to push everything as far as it will go.

The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree
This one grew on me, but I think it contains some of the finest tunes John Darnielle has ever composed. The arrangements and appropriately sparse production make this album a joy to listen to.

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
The amount of research that must go into every one of Stevens' albums is mindboggling. The music is beautiful, as is his delicate voice.

Here's my AOTY2006, just so you all know:
ole-687.jpg

Bow down!
 
1. gruff rhys, yr atal genhedlaeth: I like it. I like it a lot better than the decent (worst, as well) SFA album that came out this year. If you have to choose between his or his band's album and you're open to a little lo-fi weirdness, check this out instead. It's touching, fun, and rather brief. Hopefully he'll slap some sense into his bandmates next time they go into the studio because I don't need another "The Horn."

2. deerhoof, the runners four: The only Deerhoof album I've enjoyed, but there's a reason for that. I've always found them appealing, but all of their albums annoyed me pretty early on. That doesn't happen here.

3. british sea power, open season: This isn't even that great, but their live show in support of the album was so visceral and perfect that I can't help but have respect for the band . Still, not exactly the greatest album ever; nor anywhere near The Decline Of...

4. fiona apple, extraordinary machine: Admittedly, the new version is pretty close to being terrible, but I'm blinded by how much I like her. Fortunately, the Brion version exists and I consider that a valid official release. So as far as that goes, Extraordinary Machine is pretty good. I don't like it as much as her first two, but Fiona Apple is better than most bands/songwriters out there.

5. Ry Cooder, Chavez Ravine: No surprises, but very solid. At least he's Ry Cooder.

6. Julien Neto, Le Fumeur de Ciel: Unexciting ambient music that's managed to hold my interest over the months. Recommended because I'm out of albums.

Okay:

1. sleater-kinney, the woods: I liked this a lot when it came out, but Corin Tucker always outstays her welcome after a week or two of repeat listens to anything she sings. I have to commend David Fridmann's ear-fucking production to a degree, but it does in ways make Corin Tucker even more annoying.

2. super furry animals, love kraft: I make no secret that these guys are better than anyone out there. Yeah, they're better than Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and whoever else you think is the best band in the world. But they sort of messed up with this album; it's just not all there, and it's pretty easy to see why. Everyone in this band is a great, talented musician, and doubtless they've all contributed great things to music SFA made before Love Kraft. But by giving individual band members lead songwriting duties for every couple of songs and taking the focus away from Gruff Rhys, the band made an album that just isn't that great. Regardless, there are a few pretty great highlights, and I can't ignore that.

3. silver jews, tanglewood numbers: More mediocre than good, but the first song has funny lyrics.

4. sufjan stevens, illinois: It's like Michigan.

Mediocre:

1. New Pornographers, Twin Cinema: Whatever. It's disposable, it's vapid, and once in a while it's fun. I can't really say much one way or another.

2. The Microphones, No Flashlight: This would go under "terrible" if I cared enough about this annoying hack's bullshit music.

3. Supergrass, Road to Rouen: Like watching grass grow, which really isn't very super (LOL!). This is definitely a sign of a once-great band giving up.

Terrible:

1. mars volta, francis the mute: Garbage. I can't recall a note, but I promise you I listened to the whole thing. This couldn't have been any worse.

2. decemberists, picaresque: I hate this band.

3. xiu xiu, la foret: Shit. Xiu Xiu is shit. Jamie Stewart sings about diseased assholes because he envies diseased assholes. He wishes he were as talented as a diseased asshole.

4. clap your hands say yeah: Kill yourself if you consider yourself a fan.

5. mercury rev, the secret migration: They've become such a joke. I even kind of liked this for a week or so, and then I realized this is worse than Enya.

Under consideration:

John Cale, Black Acetate: I hear it sounds like Hobosapiens, and that's all right with me. I like Hobosapiens.
 
Weezer - Make Believe
Fuck the haters! This album is much more closer to Blue and Pinkerton in quality than Green and Maladroit. Fuzzy guitars, piano/keyboards, a variety of other instruments, interesting song structures... it's all here. Sure, 'Beverly Hills' sucks, but to me that doesn't detract from the quality of the rest of the album. An excellent slice of power pop.
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I vehemently disagree with this...

ole-687.jpg
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That's the album art? Hawt.


EDIT:
Oh snap, there's an mp3 too. Downloading now...

http://www.matadorrecords.com/belle_and_sebastian/music.html

from the live versions that i've heard, this is a great song. it just "feels" very b&s.
 
Off the top of my head I'll say AOTY contenders are:

Kanye
Bloc Party
Boards of Canada
Borken Social Scene

ill post again later
 
hey enjoy bell woods i enjoyed reading that post.

here's my list but since I don't buy albums I'll talk about the best live shows I saw this year, in no particular order.

Deerhoof, saw a little more than a week ago (second time, last time was after apple o) and it absolutely blew me away how well they replicated their new album. was amazed that satomi played the guitar for the parts that she did, and I'm in love with their drummer.

Caribou AKA manitoba was fucking awesome since they had two drummers and a fantasmagasmic animation synced up to the whole show. it jusk rocked my socks

Comets on fire is the most balls to the wall fantastic band out there doing shit that you could say has been done for many a decade. what they do they do well. they have a guy that just messes with the sound and produces fucking badass noise.

Architecture in Helsinki I saw twice this year and the first time was fantastic. the seecond time, however, left a bad taste in my mouth. so many people on stage, and they all have their shit together and it's great fun to watch.

of these few the only band I'm sure put out something this year is Deerhoof. album of the year for me

edit: honorable mentions

Xiu Xiu was good but a bit of a yawner at times. saw this show in Phoenix and that city usually rubs off some of it's suck onto anything that comes into it.

Black Dice was a fantastic assault of noise that was surprisingly fun and entertaining

I saw Bauhaus and it was awesome but since they're so old all they get is an honorable mention.

I think I saw erase errata this year but was dissapointed at the loss of the guitar player
 
Owed T'Alex said:
hey enjoy bell woods i enjoyed reading that post.

here's my list but since I don't buy albums I'll talk about the best live shows I saw this year, in no particular order.

Deerhoof, saw a little more than a week ago (second time, last time was after apple o) and it absolutely blew me away how well they replicated their new album. was amazed that satomi played the guitar for the parts that she did, and I'm in love with their drummer.

Caribou AKA manitoba was fucking awesome since they had two drummers and a fantasmagasmic animation synced up to the whole show. it jusk rocked my socks

Comets on fire is the most balls to the wall fantastic band out there doing shit that you could say has been done for many a decade. what they do they do well. they have a guy that just messes with the sound and produces fucking badass noise.

Architecture in Helsinki I saw twice this year and the first time was fantastic. the seecond time, however, left a bad taste in my mouth. so many people on stage, and they all have their shit together and it's great fun to watch.

of these few the only band I'm sure put out something this year is Deerhoof. album of the year for me

edit: honorable mentions

Xiu Xiu was good but a bit of a yawner at times. saw this show in Phoenix and that city usually rubs off some of it's suck onto anything that comes into it.

Black Dice was a fantastic assault of noise that was surprisingly fun and entertaining

I saw Bauhaus and it was awesome but since they're so old all they get is an honorable mention.

I think I saw erase errata this year but was dissapointed at the loss of the guitar player
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Caribou is incredible live. I saw them two weeks ago. :)
 
I'm having trouble coming up with more than a handful of albums I found superlative this year. I can't believe I'm close to saying the best thing I've heard this year is Patrick Wolf's The Libertine. It's a great album and all, but not OMGAOTY great.

This year bit for AAA music.
 
B00061F8M8.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

What a goddamned complete album. I actually stopped listening to Rilo Kiley religiously and was obsessed with this album (along with their older ones) for a few months.

Everyone that I've recommended Stars to has LOVED it. If you haven't heard them, check 'em out.

jl1.jpg


Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Rabbit Furcoat

Okay, so it's *technically* coming out in January, but I really, really, really enjoy it. The Watson Twins turn "Rise Up With Fists" into an absolutely amazing song.
 
Wow, a bit early for this thread IMO, I didn't have much time to prepare, but here are my top albums (in alphabetical order, since I haven't had time to review my albums. Extremely exceptional albums are bolded though):
Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Beck - Guero
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Comeback Kid - Wake the Dead
Common - Be
DangerDoom - The Mouse & The Mask
DJ Muggs Vs GZA - Grandmasters
Edan - Beauty and the Beat
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better With Franz Ferdinand
The Game - The Documentary
The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike
Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Harvey Danger - Little by Little...
Jamie Lidell - Multiply
Kanye West - Late Registration
Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
My Morning Jacket - Z
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
System of a Down - Mezmerize/Hypnotize
Tiger Bear Wolf - Tiger Bear Wolf
The Whites Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary

Best new Artists that weren't already mentioned:
Maximo Park
Fort Minor
Kaiser Cheifs (The album as a whole wasn't that good, but there were several tracks that showed promise)
M.I.A.
and probably a few others.

I've still got a few albums to listen to, but this is pretty much my list.
 
Did everyone just forget or am I the only person who liked Animal Collective's Feels album?

edit: woops there were 2 on the 1st page
 
TheMissingLink said:
B00061F8M8.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

What a goddamned complete album. I actually stopped listening to Rilo Kiley religiously and was obsessed with this album (along with their older ones) for a few months.

Everyone that I've recommended Stars to has LOVED it. If you haven't heard them, check 'em out.

jl1.jpg


Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Rabbit Furcoat

Okay, so it's *technically* coming out in January, but I really, really, really enjoy it. The Watson Twins turn "Rise Up With Fists" into an absolutely amazing song.
Click to expand...
I thought that Stars album came out last year?
 
TheMissingLink said:
B00061F8M8.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

What a goddamned complete album. I actually stopped listening to Rilo Kiley religiously and was obsessed with this album (along with their older ones) for a few months.

Everyone that I've recommended Stars to has LOVED it. If you haven't heard them, check 'em out.

jl1.jpg


Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Rabbit Furcoat

Okay, so it's *technically* coming out in January, but I really, really, really enjoy it. The Watson Twins turn "Rise Up With Fists" into an absolutely amazing song.
Click to expand...

Dude, that Jenny Lewis album has been leaked for like --- what? 2 days? Let it sit for a while.

With that said, that picture is super cute. That smirk melts me.
 
Wow I haven't really thought about this too much yet but I'll rattle off a few albums that I totally loved......

Bright Eyes - Wide Awake
Easily better than the 'should have been an ep' of Digital Ash, I even dig the b-sides!

Animal Collective - Feels
First listen I thought there was no chance I'd like this better than Sung Tongs..... turns out I was right. Barely.

BSS - BSS
Blah to the haters. Lived up to my personal hype, even though I don't think I like it as much as the last one. Totally different vibe. A few choice tracks on the EP too.

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
First thought was 'Pitchfork overrated junk of the year!' After a few more listens I was pretty sure that I should have never said that outloud.

Herman Düne - Not On Top
One of the most addicting rock albums of the year, IMO. Just lo-fi perfection.

Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow
To be honest, this is the first album of Mr. Banhart's I've given a real good listen, and its a totally fun one. Seems a bit long though.

Of Montreal - Sunlandic Twins
Probably my favorite album by Mr. Barnes and his friends, and yet I don't see it on too many lists. Sad. Super fun album with tons of great tunes. Awesome live show too!

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Brooms
I don't know where I can find this album in real life, but I need it. Great pop record. Springfield MO isn't that far away, hoping for a stop on tour sooner or later.


Gah thats all the time I've got. I'll actually throw in some more and maybe rank something sooner or later.
 
bobble said:
Wow I haven't really thought about this too much yet but I'll rattle off a few albums that I totally loved......

Bright Eyes - Wide Awake
Easily better than the 'should have been an ep' of Digital Ash, I even dig the b-sides!

Animal Collective - Feels
First listen I thought there was no chance I'd like this better than Sung Tongs..... turns out I was right. Barely.

BSS - BSS
Blah to the haters. Lived up to my personal hype, even though I don't think I like it as much as the last one. Totally different vibe. A few choice tracks on the EP too.

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
First thought was 'Pitchfork overrated junk of the year!' After a few more listens I was pretty sure that I should have never said that outloud.

Herman Düne - Not On Top
One of the most addicting rock albums of the year, IMO. Just lo-fi perfection.

Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow
To be honest, this is the first album of Mr. Banhart's I've given a real good listen, and its a totally fun one. Seems a bit long though.

Of Montreal - Sunlandic Twins
Probably my favorite album by Mr. Barnes and his friends, and yet I don't see it on too many lists. Sad. Super fun album with tons of great tunes. Awesome live show too!

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Brooms
I don't know where I can find this album in real life, but I need it. Great pop record. Springfield MO isn't that far away, hoping for a stop on tour sooner or later.


Gah thats all the time I've got. I'll actually throw in some more and maybe rank something sooner or later.
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Sunlandic Twins was all right. I guess it'd make some kind of list, but I don't honestly plan on making a comprehensive one or giving it serious effort.
 
LordMaji said:
hrmm... Must of been my little brother posting under my name... weird. I was just listening to Franz earlier today.
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Control Panel > users > set a password

When you're away, press Windows Key+L.
:D
 
Bell woods, I still stand by the fact that, despite your seemingly impeccable knowledge on the subject, you have the WORST (not to mention most pretentious) taste in music of anyone. ever. well, except Lord Maji, but he is a joke character.

And I'll do my top 10 list tonight.
 
enjoy bell woods said:
Well, at least I'm an upright, nice guy. Right?
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:lol

well you are my facebook friend :)
 
If he was pretentious wouldn't he be singing the praises of the Microphones/Mt. Eerie and Xiu Xiu instead of ragging on them?
 
I'm going to check that B&S out, Zilch. I have a serious love/hate relationship with them. I wish I knew why. Everything about them is like perfectly in line with what I look for in a band and in music.
 
I don't have a top anything this year. Today's music (the "indie" for the most part) has sunk to the bottom of my well, it is seriously getting boring. It's probably the whole "poppy, happy* sounding shit that's all the rage these days. Maybe the Wrens, Mogwai, and Black Heart will kick my fucking ass next year and wake me up once more.

The only albums that really did anything for me this year were0

Patrick Wolf - Wind In the Wires
Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird
Kraftwerk - Minimum/Maximum
British Sea Power - Open Season

I swear, every friggin' year people seem to forget any albums of the 1st half of the year. It's especially hopeless if you released an album in January. :lol
 
enjoy bell woods said:
3. xiu xiu, la foret: Shit. Xiu Xiu is shit. Jamie Stewart sings about diseased assholes because he envies diseased assholes. He wishes he were as talented as a diseased asshole.
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God how accurate this is. I've gotten into a ton of good bands thanks to GA, but Xiu Xiu....talk about pure garbage.
 
enjoy bell woods said:
3. xiu xiu, la foret: Shit. Xiu Xiu is shit. Jamie Stewart sings about diseased assholes because he envies diseased assholes. He wishes he were as talented as a diseased asshole.
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:lol It's funny because it's true. Jamie Stewart scares me.
 
Diablos said:
I thought that Stars album came out last year?
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It came out in Canada sometime in October 2004, as I posted an insane raving fan thread about getting it a week before it's Canadian release. The rest of the world didn't get Set Yourself on Fire until March 2005.
 
Sal Paradise Jr said:
I don't have a top anything this year. Today's music (the "indie" for the most part) has sunk to the bottom of my well, it is seriously getting boring. It's probably the whole "poppy, happy* sounding shit that's all the rage these days. Maybe the Wrens, Mogwai, and Black Heart will kick my fucking ass next year and wake me up once more.

The only albums that really did anything for me this year were0

Patrick Wolf - Wind In the Wires
Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird
Kraftwerk - Minimum/Maximum
British Sea Power - Open Season

I swear, every friggin' year people seem to forget any albums of the 1st half of the year. It's especially hopeless if you released an album in January. :lol
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I like Minimum/Maximum a lot. I guess it didn't register because it's a live disc.
 
This is all pending the release of Idlewild, but for me it kind of shapes up like so:

Kings of Leon- Aha Shake Heartbreak
Sufjan Stevens- Illinois
Gorillaz- Demon Days
Okkervil River- Black Sheep Boy
Dangerdoom- Mouse & the Mask
Venetian Snares - Rossz Csillag Allat Szuletett

Those are the albums I feel are deserving of superlative status. An odd lot, to be sure. Extraordinary Machine would have made the grade if it had been the Brion mix that was released- I still listen to and enjoy it, that's for sure.

I can't do a 2005 year end music post without singling some of my favorite artists out as dissapointing me this year:

Beck- Guero
Thievery Corporation- Cosmic Game
White Stripes- Get Behind Me Satan

Seriously, guys. WTF? The Stripes album can be a fun listen, but Beck and TC really stunk it up on their latest albums. I kind of got the vibe from both of them that "Ok, it's time for a new album, we don't have any real material, how would an album that is expected of us sound? Let's do that." LAME-O.

Worst Album of the Year:

Billy Corgan- The Future Embrace :lol
 
distantmantra said:
It came out in Canada sometime in October 2004, as I posted an insane raving fan thread about getting it a week before it's Canadian release. The rest of the world didn't get Set Yourself on Fire until March 2005.
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Oh. It's a pretty good album.

dot-Nick: Awesome list. Loveless is definitely timeless, no doubt about it... seriously, bands that try to be experimental today -- with all of the pedals, software, and decades of ideas to rip off... still come nowhere close to what MBV did with Isn't Anything and Loveless. I'm wondering if there's anything else they did that I'd like? Ecstasy & Wine I'm not too fond of. Calling all hardcore MBV fans! :D
 
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