So a while back I mentioned doing something crazy like albums of the month. As with most things I have dropped this ball and it has rolled quite far away. Lets start at the beginning shall we?
January
Cat Power – Jukebox
A collection of covers by singer Chan Marshall that include songs that were made famous by Dylan, James Brown, and Sinatra. She presents them in a way that its as if you heard them for the first time all over again, or even a new song entirely.
Honorable mentions: MGMT – Oracular Spectacular, Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend.
February
Hot Chip – Made in the Dark
In a month that didn’t really have too many releases, it was easy for Made in the Dark to stand out. Its rather difficult to find an electro-pop sound like Hot Chip, which is so different and so damn catchy.
March
The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely
See March post.
Honorable mentions: What Made Milwaukee Famous – What Doesn’t Kill Us, Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple, The Kills – Midnight Boom.
April
Santogold – Santogold
With a consistency rarely seen in debut albums, Santogold’s tracks progress almost perfectly, causing you to rarely skip a track. It’s hard to figure or whats more enjoyable, this album, or the origin of Santogold’s name.
Honorable mention: The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of the Understatement.
May
Foxboro Hot Tubs – Stop, Drop, and Roll
Only Green Day could pull off turning a leaked song they did for fun (Mother Mary) into a full album under a different name. It’s Green Day with a slightly different sound, but still Green Day. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Honorable mentions: The Futureheads – This is Not the World, We Are Scientists – Brain Thrust Mastery, Dresden Dolls – No, Virgina…
June
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
Strongest month of releases of the year, and my favorite band just happens to be in the middle of it. I don’t know of another band out there right now that can change their sound from song to song as well as My Morning Jacket and still make it enjoyable to listen to over 45 minutes.
Honorable mentions: Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer (any other month it’d get the crown), The Virgins – The Virgins, Coldplay – Viva La Vida, The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing.
July
Beck – Modern Guilt
In recent years its come to my attention that I guess I really do like Beck more than I originally thought. Add Dangermouse, who has done nothing short of fantastic as of late, and Modern Guilt is a scaled back Beck ablum still filled with more sound than one can handle during one listen.
Honorable mentions: The Hold Steady – Stay Positive, CSS – Donkey, Black Kids – Partie Traumatic.
August
Delta Spirit – Ode To Sunshine
Another debut album to make the list, Delta Spirit blends a 60s sound with a modern indie feel. A mix of tracks that will keep you smiling no matter where you’re going.
Honorable mentions: Brazilian Girls – New York City, The Walkmen – You & Me, The Verve – Forth.
September
Early favorites: Kings of Leon, Ben Folds.
