Non-Rap Albums You've Copped This Year

Word......what are some of your favorite non-rap albums from this year?

And don't any of you dare give me a list of albums....tell me something about them. Genres, and what it sounds like. Post a youtube link of an example of a song while you're at it!

Odawas  - "The Blue Depths"

Right now, this is my top album of the year. Odawas is a psychedellic, folk rock band, that uses a ton of atmosphere, and ambitious song structures. Their previous albums have often been all over the place--tons of atmosphere in one spot, and just when you know what to expect, they throw a guitar solo, or ridiculous melody to keep the listener on the edge of their seat. Their last album, "The Aether Eater" in particular was infamous for doing this, especially on songs like "Alleluia" and "Barnacles & Rustic Debris." "The Blue Depths" in particular is  their most focussed albums yet, and what it lacks in ambition it makes up for in polish. Folky, atmospheric sound is done incredibly well here, and I'd suggest it to any of you

Harmless Lover's Discourse

The Case Of The Great Irish Elk

Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band

More Folk than anything, the Fruit Bats best attribute seems to be their charming attitudes. I can't explain this album any better than saying it's just some good 'ole fashioned American Folk. Similar to the Fleet Foxes, but these guys take themselves a lot less serious than the Foxes do.

"The Ruminant Band"

 Being On Our Own

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

If you haven't already heard the hit single "Big Sun" I don't know where you've been hiding. It's all over commercials, the radio, and probably MTV2, if they know what's good for them.  Anyways, Phoenix is just a nice, kind of funky, indie-pop band. This band really is hit or miss on this album though--songs like "Girlfriend" and "Fences" are incredible works of art. It almost makes you wonder what they were thinking when they created songs like "Liztomania" and "Lasso"

Fences

Big Sun

Some other albums that I don't feel like talking about, but that I've liked this year (if anyone's interested in them, I'll explain them further)...

• Maxwell - BLACKsummer'snight: Good album. Not Maxwell's best, but there's something to be said about soul artists like Maxwell, who can stay relevant eight years after their last album.
• Volcano Choir - Unmap: From the lead singer of Bon Iver, this album is pretty good. It's described as 'progressive folk' and though there are a lot of instrumentals on this album, the highlights really come when Justin Vernon puts his voice to the melodies
• Antony & The Johnsons - "The Crying Light": Chamber Pop? Sounds kind of like Opera honestly....one of those albums you have to be in the mood for, but it's honestly worth a listen if you want something different to listen to. "Another World"
• The-Dream - Love Vs. Money: Most of you have heard this already. No need to comment, except say it's solid. Not The-Dream's best though.
• Passion Pit - Manners: This is like dance/electronica. Besides "Sleepyhead" most of the other songs are hit or miss. These guys do put a few nice tunes together though

The Airborn Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event

This is my favorite new up and coming band.  If you haven't heard about this band already then quit sleepin'.  They're an indie rock band who became popular with their song Sometime Around Midnight.  The album above is their debut and it's excellent, took me a few listens to really appreciate it but it really grows on you

Other Songs from the album

 Does This Mean You're Moving On?

Wishing Well

 Metric - Fantasies

 I have so much good to say about this band and their album Fantasies.  The band is led by singer Emily Haines who has an incredible voice.  Some people who have never heard them might mistake them for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs another one of my favorite bands but Metric has more electro in their music and it works really well in this album fantasies. All the songs are catchy and this is one of those albums where all the songs are so good I don't skip any tracks.  I don't know where i'd rank this but it's definitely in my top 5 of albums of the year.  

top songs from the album

Help I'm Alive

Satellite mind

Twilight Galaxy

Gold Guns Girls  

I love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ever since I picked up their first EP. They're one of my favorite bands easily and I had to listen to this album. Well worth the purchase, I think people here should check it out as well. 

Some songs:

Zero

Heads Will Roll

Soft Shock

Dull Life

Dragon Queen

Hysteric

This is the only non Hip Hop album I've listened to this year and you should check it out. 

I was going to list that as well, good job toriko  :)

Only non-rap album I care about from this year is Battle Studies. At least that's all I can remember right now.TheHimura

genius.

Urthboy - Spitshine. :P

[spoiler] if i tell you anything about it thne the joke doesn't work. :roll: [/spoiler]

Humbug - Arctic Monkeys

Indie Rock 

Dance Little Liar

My Propeller

This album took me by surprise. Its much less energetic than their first two albums but I actually enjoyed it. My biggest issue with this album in particular is that there are no standout tracks on it. All in all, its just a good collection of solid tracks

Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do - Major Lazer

Dancehall

Hold The Line ft. Lexx and Santigold

Pon De Floor ft. Vybz Kartel (probably the most ridiculous video of the year

Major Lazer is a collaboration project between Diplo and Switch. They both went down to Jamaica just to record this album with a large feature list of local dancehall artists. Its damn near impossible to get bored while listening to this album. Every track is pretty much guaranteed to get you moving.

Mandala - Rx Bandits

Progressive Rock, Ska-punk

Hope Is A Butterfly, No Net Its Captor, She Beats Her Wings And Softly Sings Of Summer Scent And Childrens Laughter (Virus Of Silence) (hella long song titles FTW)

Mientras La Veo Soñar

Originally just a pure Ska band, Rx Bandits took a more rock oriented approach to their latest album. To describe the sound of this album, I'd say it sounds as if The Mars Volts (in their prime without all the pretentious BS) made an upbeat album with a Ska twist. The band is starting to become one of my favorites due to the fact that they sound better with each album.

Act III: Life And Death - The Dear Hunter 

Progressive Rock, Ambient

What It Means To Be Alone

Mustard Gas

In Cauda Venenum

One of my favorite bands. This is third part of the story of The Dear Hunter. This part of the story involves the Dear Hunter in World War I. I don't want to spoil the story if anyone is interested in the band. Anyways this is easily the most epic album I've heard all year. The Dear Hunter have a sound of their own by combining Progressive Rock, with a bit of Post-Hardcore with jazz and ragtime twist (yea...ragtime...) They is another example of a band that progressively gets beter with each album. I still listen to this album on a weekly basis and it came out back in June. I reccomend that everybody check out the album.

In The Unlikely Event - The Fall of Troy

Progressive Rock, Post-Hardcore

Nobody's Perfect

Webs

Single

My other favorite band along with The Dear Hunter (ironically they are touring together but alas...I'm just a poor college freshman :(). This is the three-piece's third major album. One thing I've always liked about this band is that all their albums stand out from one another in terms of sound. This album takes a more rock approach but there are still some very hardcore tracks on there. The standout track on the album for me is Webs which takes a more bluesy approach that the band never hinted at they were capable of.

kid cudi's new album falls under the horse **** genre, so i guess that's really it, I never know about non-rap albums until like a year laterTheBigTicket21

wow colt those first two band you posted were horrible

phoenix was alright though

Birdy Nam Nam - Manual For Successful Rioting

Squarepusher - Numbers Lucent

Dorian Concept - When Planets Explode

Moderat - Moderat

The Long Lost - The Long Lost

Clark - Growl's Garden

Clark - Totems Flar

Color Cassette - Forever Sparrow

Prefuse 73 - Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian

Ultre - The Nest and The Skull

Machine Drum - Want To 1 2?

Tim Exile - Listening Tree

Mux Mool - Just Saying Is All

Robert Logan - Inscape

iisiJii - Inside

Wisp - The Shimmering Hour

FaltyDL - To London

FaltyDL - Love Is A Liability

Kotchy - 89

Pub - Bubbling Spring

Mount Kimbie - Maybes EP

Mount Kimbie - Sketch On Glass EP

Ruxpin - Where Do We Float From Here?

Singing Statues - Untitled EP

Kunkatron - Icevik

Reductor - Vesna

Blasta - The Incredible Adventures Of Kenzolika & Quetzalcoatl Among The Air Castles

Dâm-Funk - Toeachizown

Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Vertical Ascent

Motohiro Nakashima - We Hum On The Way Home

Neil Landstrumm - Bambaataa Eats His Breakfast

Pleq - The Metamorphosis

Danny Norbury - Light In August

Vibesquad - Joyful Noise

James Blake - Air & Lack Thereof

Lusine - A Certain Distance

PANTyRAID - The Sauce

Signer - Next We Bring You The Fire

wow colt those first two band you posted were horrible

 

phoenix was alright though

mems_1224

Here, this is from their last album. It's called Alleluia, and it's dopeeeee. If you don't like that though, then this band just isn't for you.

BTW, the Fruit Bats songs are dope. You're trippin'. Being On Our Own = my jam.

Don't sleep on the Toeachizown Colt...

I'mma be making a topic on it later this week...

[QUOTE="mems_1224"]

wow colt those first two band you posted were horrible

 

phoenix was alright though

Colt45fool

Here, this is from their last album. It's called Alleluia, and it's dopeeeee. If you don't like that though, then this band just isn't for you.

BTW, the Fruit Bats songs are dope. You're trippin'. Being On Our Own = my jam.

[QUOTE="Colt45fool"][QUOTE="mems_1224"]

wow colt those first two band you posted were horrible

 

phoenix was alright though

mems_1224

Here, this is from their last album. It's called Alleluia, and it's dopeeeee. If you don't like that though, then this band just isn't for you.

BTW, the Fruit Bats songs are dope. You're trippin'. Being On Our Own = my jam.

lmao, but seriously mems, when have I ever led you, or rob in the wrong directions? Ninjas always doubting me! :P idk though, have you ever gotten into folk or nah?

Don't sleep on the Toeachizown Colt...

I'mma be making a topic on it later this week...

iHeartCali

lol alright then, suit yourself...iHeartCali

If you hadn't said anything about it, I would have. I don't like Constro so I'm gonna say his list sucks because I'm a big baby. Colt45fool

ok lol

[QUOTE="Colt45fool"]If you hadn't said anything about it, I would have. I don't like Constro so I'm gonna say his list sucks because I'm a big baby. Constrobuz

ok lol

lol, not even. I said in the first post to give a brief description and you failed to do so. Therefore, I don't care about any of your recommendations. A list of names is just that--a list of names. 

I've looked into some of the stuff you've mentioned to me. The Olivierdaysoul (which I copped), and Isjiii (which I've been meaning to get) are albums you've recommended to me, and I've kept interest in. Just because I bust your balls about the beat tapes, doesn't mean I hate you. I don't hate anyone here, besides Black-Demon. And my hate for BD, is actually love :-*

Well I got The Resistence from Muse which is epic if you enjoy some type of classicals music which is pretty much the last three songs. Btw colt how did you enjoy the white album, abbey road and let it be?Proobie44

that phoenix lp is real dope

check out mayer hawthorne....white dude on stonesthrow that makes throwback soul....its really great

Nice thread, Colt. I actually typed up a big post for this last weekend and somehow lost it, so I'm not really feeling like doing that over right now. So here just some recent stuff off top that I've enjoyed:

Surf City, "Surf City" EP (Moor Music)

Surf City, "Dickshaker's Union" and "Free the City"

I think this might be late 2008, but I picked it up in early 2009, so **** it. This is my favorite non-rap release in a looooong time. I hate to do this, but I'm not going to bother describing them, because anything I compare them to would bring to mind images that aren't quite right. It's not so much that they're so innovative ... I just really can't think of anyone that's quite accurate to compare them to. Also, I linked to a blog rather than Youtube videos simply because I can't find most of their stuff on Youtube, and, after seeing their videos for the first time, I have to say that they don't really do the songs justice at all. Just enjoy the music.

The Drums, "Summertime!" EP (Twentyseven Records)

The Drums, "Let's Go Surfing"

The name of the EP pretty much says it all. A great indie pop EP, and I love the way it was recorded. There are quite a few major labels trying to sign these guys right now; I'm gonna miss the self-produced sound if they lose it in the process.

Atlas Sound, "Logos" (Kranky Records)

Atlas Sound, "Walkabout"

Bradford Cox is one of those few artists that's as talented as he is prolific ... Atlas Sound is the more electronic solo side-project of the Deerhunter frontman (check out Deerhunter if you haven't already ... their album was one of my top 3 of last year). This is a beautiful song that stays stuck in my head all day.

Just to mention to all your R&B fans out there, Amerie has a new album out! And it's pretty good (probably her third best release.) Also, don't sleep on the Bobby Valentino album, "The Rebirth"....it's surprisingly good (not as good as ITI said, but still solid.)Colt45fool

The only other RnB album I heard this year was Fantasy Ride but this new Amerie kills that

@ Toriko

It's currently my 4th favorite disc of the year (behind the odawas disc, ugk, and antony & the johnsons.) disc is sick. maybe 2 wack songs on it...some stuff you'd expect from amerie (tell me you love me, dangerous) and then some stuff that's really showing her growth as an artist (more than love, pretty brown, red eye, you're a star interlude). what's REALLY getting me is she's a MAINSTREAM ARTIST and she's still growing and getting better as the albums pass by. she's also writing all of her music, and has a hand in most of the production on the album as well. homegirl is just straight up overflowing with talent. there's NOBODY in the game right now with more consistancy than her. NOBODY. 4 albums of piff, 1 classic disc, and i know she has another classic in her. 

I can only hope Amerie will explode up here in Canada, her popularity up here pales in comparison with what it is in America.

I love this album though, gettin' everyone I know to cop it and it's a fricking Amerie album. 

I kinda stopped checking for Amerie for a minute since it seemed like her album was never gonna drop. Is this out now? Is it produced by Rich Harrison? (how about a Best Kept Secret/Amerie album?)

Anyways, a couple other non-rap albums I've been digging lately (too lazy to do Youtube links right now, plus I can't listen to audio right now to check if the links are any good):

Le Loup, "Family" (Hardly Art Records)

I've been hearing these guys compared to everyone from Fleet Foxes to Animal Collective, but personally, the biggest comparison is the one I don't hear anyone making - Beirut. If you've ever struggled to get through a Beirut album, this will probably be even more difficult, but this is one rewarding album. I like it alot.

Headlights, "Wildlife" (Polyvinyl Records)

None of the press I've seen on this band in the past few years has really done anything to interest me enough to bother checking them out, but the fact that Polyvinyl signed them must mean there's something special here. My copy of this is on the way; so far I've only heard two songs. "Secrets" is what made me purchase the album; it's a fantastic treat for fans of Polyvinyl Records, recalling everything from Mates of State to Rainer Maria to Saturday Looks Good to Me. The other song I've heard is "Get Going", which is a dead-ringer for the mid-90's shoegaze indie-pop of Rocketship (members of Headlights used to be in a shoegaze band before this, so I guess it's not surprising). Hopefully the rest of this record is this good.

 actually, this is her second album with no rich harrison production, which is [again] a huge letdown. the thing that surprises me is that the album still holds up despite missing rich harrison. he's certainly missed throughout the album though.

agreed on that BKS/Amerie collaboration. that would be sick. Amerie started ****ing with go-go on her 'because i love it' disc back in 2007, and it was dopeeeeeee. BKS would probably fit Amerie like a glove.

oh yea, coldplay=AWESOME!!!

i know it came out years ago but i just started listening to parachutes and its such an amazing album. viva la vida is good too.

^^ word? I never messed with Coldplay in the first place...iHeartCali

[QUOTE="iHeartCali"]^^ word? I never messed with Coldplay in the first place...Colt45fool

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABpvdszxtbI&feature=related

I haven't been listening to rap at all:

Motley Crue- Dr. Feelgood

Every Guns'n'Roses album (Cause they're the greatest band of all time)

and Stone Temple Pilots - Shangrila-Dee-Da

btw iti, the new Owen album came out two weeks ago. I'm listening to it now [will have impressions on it eventually]. doesn't seem as good as 'at home with owen' but it's still sounds solid.Colt45fool

I've been hearing it's their most accessible to date ... I've been wanting to check it out myself.

btw, Colt, you might want to check out Coldplay's first album (the one with "Yellow" on it). It's a really good album, and I know you're a Radiohead fan; the album garnered a lot of Radiohead comparisons. Not to say that the comparison is entirely valid, but I get why people were making it. Anyways, it's a shame they never put out another record that good.

Nice thread, Colt. I actually typed up a big post for this last weekend and somehow lost it, so I'm not really feeling like doing that over right now. So here just some recent stuff off top that I've enjoyed:

Surf City, "Surf City" EP (Moor Music)

Surf City, "Dickshaker's Union" and "Free the City"

I think this might be late 2008, but I picked it up in early 2009, so **** it. This is my favorite non-rap release in a looooong time. I hate to do this, but I'm not going to bother describing them, because anything I compare them to would bring to mind images that aren't quite right. It's not so much that they're so innovative ... I just really can't think of anyone that's quite accurate to compare them to. Also, I linked to a blog rather than Youtube videos simply because I can't find most of their stuff on Youtube, and, after seeing their videos for the first time, I have to say that they don't really do the songs justice at all. Just enjoy the music.

The Drums, "Summertime!" EP (Twentyseven Records)

The Drums, "Let's Go Surfing"

The name of the EP pretty much says it all. A great indie pop EP, and I love the way it was recorded. There are quite a few major labels trying to sign these guys right now; I'm gonna miss the self-produced sound if they lose it in the process.

IsThisIt_basic

Surf City is pretty dope too. Halftime, you'd definitely like these guys. The band I'd compare them most to on my first listen is Cap'n Jazz....though they're really not anything like Cap'n Jazz. It's weird really. 

[QUOTE="Colt45fool"]btw iti, the new Owen album came out two weeks ago. I'm listening to it now [will have impressions on it eventually]. doesn't seem as good as 'at home with owen' but it's still sounds solid.IsThisIt_basic

I've been hearing it's their most accessible to date ... I've been wanting to check it out myself.

btw, Colt, you might want to check out Coldplay's first album (the one with "Yellow" on it). It's a really good album, and I know you're a Radiohead fan; the album garnered a lot of Radiohead comparisons. Not to say that the comparison is entirely valid, but I get why people were making it. Anyways, it's a shame they never put out another record that good.

As far as the Coldplay disc, I haven't listened to it yet. I'll give it a listen though.