Poll of the Day > What are your top five albums of 2018 so far?

(+) Yeah! (+)

In alphabetical order, mine are

Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Father John Misty - Gods Favorite Customer
Jeff Rosenstock - POST-
Kanye West - Ye
MGMT - Little Dark Age
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Jack White - Boarding House Reach
MGMT - Little Dark Age
Ty Segal - Freedoms Goblin

cant really think of two others I really thought were as amazing as these three. Boarding House Reach is the most original rock record in a long time though.
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Ill have a listen to those two later today.
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I genuinely haven't listened to anything from 2018 outside of Lift Yourself and the three new Gorillaz singles. Oh, and Klutz from Aesop Rock.

I don't dislike new music because it's new or anything like that, I just really don't tend to keep up to date on it.

whoopidy poop poop dee scoop
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2018 had music?
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I don't listen to modern music. I'd rather listen to music with dynamic range.

CaptainStrong posted...

I don't listen to modern music. I'd rather listen to music with dynamic range.

Spend more than five minutes trying to look for music
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MrMelodramatic posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

I don't listen to modern music. I'd rather listen to music with dynamic range.

Spend more than five minutes trying to look for music

For real. If you can't find modern music you enjoy, you're not trying to find modern music you'd enjoy. If you're interested, I'd say go to the board most closely associated with the genre and/or era of music you do like and make a topic asking for contemporary suggestions.
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MrMelodramatic posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

I don't listen to modern music. I'd rather listen to music with dynamic range.

Spend more than five minutes trying to look for music

Show me an album released on CD in the last 10 years with anywhere near as much dynamic range as Brothers in Arms or Talking Heads 77.

CaptainStrong posted...

released on CD

Why is this a criterion?
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adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

released on CD

Why is this a criterion?

Because some albums are released on vinyl with more dynamic range than the CD version (like Stadium Arcadium or Random Access Memories). Vinyl is too much of a bitch for me to deal with and the sound quality is worse than CD.

Why is "dynamic range" the only thing that's important to you in music? What about songwriting, or lyricism, or groove, or any number of factors in a musical piece that would draw you to it?

If you're going to be so specific to the point of being pretentious, I'm not going to waste my time recommending anything.
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Far-Queue posted...

Why is "dynamic range" the only thing that's important to you in music? What about songwriting, or lyricism, or groove, or any number of factors in a musical piece that would draw you to it?

If you're going to be so specific to the point of being pretentious, I'm not going to waste my time recommending anything.

This, plus who buys CDs
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CaptainStrong posted...

adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

released on CD

Why is this a criterion?

Because some albums are released on vinyl with more dynamic range than the CD version (like Stadium Arcadium or Random Access Memories). Vinyl is too much of a bitch for me to deal with and the sound quality is worse than CD.

You know you can get music in forms other than CD's and vinyl now, right?
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adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

released on CD

Why is this a criterion?

Because some albums are released on vinyl with more dynamic range than the CD version (like Stadium Arcadium or Random Access Memories). Vinyl is too much of a bitch for me to deal with and the sound quality is worse than CD.

You know you can get music in forms other than CD's and vinyl now, right?

This. Cassettes have been around for like, AT LEAST five years now.
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I think the only new album from 2018 Ive listened to was CHVRCHES Love is Dead.

Ill definitely be checking out the Arctic Monkeys though. I love their stuff.
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top 10:

Beach House - 7
Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy
A.A.L. (Against All Logic) - 2012-2017
MGMT - Little Dark Age
Saba - Care for Me
Mount Eerie - Now Only
Anna von Hausswolff - Dead Magic
Nils Frahm - All Melody
Pusha T - Daytona
Skee Mask - Compro

Lots of great albums so far this year. I liked ye too but the more I listened to it the less I enjoyed it outside of the last three tracks. Probably not top 20 for me
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Twin Fantasy is a top ten for me definitely, and Daytona is amazing too.

I would agree with TBHaC being their best album since their debut. I was pleasantly surprised.

Ill give your other fav albums a listen tomorrow
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Far-Queue posted...

Why is "dynamic range" the only thing that's important to you in music? What about songwriting, or lyricism, or groove, or any number of factors in a musical piece that would draw you to it?

If you're going to be so specific to the point of being pretentious, I'm not going to waste my time recommending anything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ" data-time="

And I do care about all of that other shit and I've been able to deal with the horrible sound and enjoy several modern albums. But with every fucking album in the last 20+ years having the top waveform in this image, I don't want to go out of my way to find modern music. Old music isn't overly compressed shit like this. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/RHCP_Snow_Hey_Oh_waveform.png
MrMelodramatic posted...

Far-Queue posted...

Why is "dynamic range" the only thing that's important to you in music? What about songwriting, or lyricism, or groove, or any number of factors in a musical piece that would draw you to it?

If you're going to be so specific to the point of being pretentious, I'm not going to waste my time recommending anything.

This, plus who buys CDs

I do.
adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

released on CD

Why is this a criterion?

Because some albums are released on vinyl with more dynamic range than the CD version (like Stadium Arcadium or Random Access Memories). Vinyl is too much of a bitch for me to deal with and the sound quality is worse than CD.

You know you can get music in forms other than CD's and vinyl now, right?

Of course I fucking know. I just don't like downloading or streaming music. I like buying CDs and ripping them myself.

Yay musical elitism!
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Sarcasthma posted...

Yay musical elitism!

Yeah fuck that guy.
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I can't name one.

Sarcasthma posted...

Yay musical elitism!

I'm an elitist, but in the sense that I'll call your cookie cutter Top 40s song absolute shit if I don't like it. I have no fucking idea what that guy is going on about. I mean, I do, but that's just him getting in the way of himself from enjoying music.

Far-Queue posted...

Sarcasthma posted...

Yay musical elitism!

Yeah fuck that guy.

Yeah, man, fuck me cuz I'd rather listen to music whose waveform isn't a solid clipping block of noise. And fuck you too for not responding to my argument.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8anmTZ_W68" data-time="

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcflAMbpJiM" data-time="

If you seriously prefer the sound of the bottom one, you really need to get your ears checked.

Why would I argue with someone who has a snobby, elitist stick jammed so far up their own asshole that it's pushing all that shit up out of their brain and into this thread? Why waste of my time?

If you're happy listening to your perfect compression and waveform and blah blah blah and don't care to experience anything new or just enjoy good music for what it is, then have at it. You do you.
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Euphoreon - Ends of the Earth
Kalmah - Palo
Judas Priest - Firepower
Fractal Gates - The Light That Shines
Frosttide - Decedents

If you can't think of any then you're not listening to your ideal genres :)
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I don't know if I have a top-5, but that new Amen Dunes ranks pretty high. Been listening to it a lot.
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CaptainStrong posted...

Of course I f***ing know. I just don't like downloading or streaming music. I like buying CDs and ripping them myself.

I mean, you seem to be somewhat of an audiophile, and CD's are objectively lower-quality than many downloaded tracks. I would have thought you'd have made the switch as soon as it became possible to buy high-quality single tracks instead of entire albums of compressed stuff.

CaptainStrong posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ" data-time="

And I do care about all of that other s*** and I've been able to deal with the horrible sound and enjoy several modern albums. But with every f***ing album in the last 20+ years having the top waveform in this image, I don't want to go out of my way to find modern music. Old music isn't overly compressed s*** like this. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/RHCP_Snow_Hey_Oh_waveform.png

As somebody who mostly listens to classical music, I actually find having less dynamic range makes modern stuff easier to listen to. Classical music doesn't record well simply because of the dynamic contrast, which means I have to turn up the volume to be able to hear the quiet parts and turn down the volume to not suffer hearing damage in the loud parts. Not having to do that is certainly convenient.
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I. Darkness - Project Destati (Materia)
II. Fate - Materia
III. Ballads of Hyrule - Rozen
IV. Heart of the Forest - The Travelers
V. Johto Legends - Braxton Burks

adjl posted...

CaptainStrong posted...

Of course I f***ing know. I just don't like downloading or streaming music. I like buying CDs and ripping them myself.

I mean, you seem to be somewhat of an audiophile, and CD's are objectively lower-quality than many downloaded tracks. I would have thought you'd have made the switch as soon as it became possible to buy high-quality single tracks instead of entire albums of compressed stuff.

CaptainStrong posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ" data-time="

And I do care about all of that other s*** and I've been able to deal with the horrible sound and enjoy several modern albums. But with every f***ing album in the last 20+ years having the top waveform in this image, I don't want to go out of my way to find modern music. Old music isn't overly compressed s*** like this. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/RHCP_Snow_Hey_Oh_waveform.png

As somebody who mostly listens to classical music, I actually find having less dynamic range makes modern stuff easier to listen to. Classical music doesn't record well simply because of the dynamic contrast, which means I have to turn up the volume to be able to hear the quiet parts and turn down the volume to not suffer hearing damage in the loud parts. Not having to do that is certainly convenient.

I don't think I'm really that much of an audiophile. I have decent headphones, but I mostly listen to 320 Kbps MP3 CD rips and I can't tell the difference between that and FLAC. I buy CDs because I like owning music. It's nice having a physical booklet to flip through and being able to sell it if I want. I can't sell high-res audio files and they're way more expensive than CDs.

I haven't listened to classical music, so I don't know how high dynamic range affects it. With the rock music I listen to, it's usually just drum hits that are louder than the rest of the music, so I don't have to adjust the volume to not risk hurting my ears.

Thank you for your serious, civil response to my arguments.

CaptainStrong posted...

I haven't listened to classical music, so I don't know how high dynamic range affects it.

It's very much not music that was written to be recorded (at least historically, since obviously movie soundtracks are meant to be recorded, though movies have the advantage of being able to manipulate playback volume so the audience doesn't have to), which becomes very evident when listening to a recording of it. Some composers thrive on huge dynamic contrasts, which are okay in a concert hall where you're a reasonable distance away from the orchestra and the acoustics of the place will pick up the quiet stuff without deafening anyone with the loud parts, but most microphones don't capture that sort of nuance, and it's very difficult to emulate that with headphones. It works, provided you're willing to adjust the volume over the course of a piece (and really, adjusting the volume a few times in an hour isn't a big deal), but it's far from perfect.
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Just listened to Kids See Ghosts. I think it beats out Tranquility Base for my top 5.
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The only album from this year that I've listened to is Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae. I've really enjoyed it.
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DirtBasedSoap posted...

Jack White - Boarding House Reach

@DirtBasedSoap

So theres definitely a lot going on on this album, and for the most part it was a fun ride. Lots of cool experimenting. I really dig Connected by Love, especially the gospel bits. Corporation, Whats Done is Done, and the intro of Get in the Mind Shaft are also highlights of the album. Humoresque is maybe my favorite track after Corporation.

But I think it loses me in the middle. Why Walk a Dog, Over and Over and Over, and Respect Commander all seem to go on forever and not in a great way. A lot of the album blurs together and never climaxes, but that might change with more listens. And Ill for sure give this another listen because it has some good tracks.

Also I dont remember what song it was, but I got an Apples in Stereo vibe and I loved it.
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BHR is definitely not a first listen album. I didnt really know what to think at first but its something I really appreciate now. I agree with you on Why Walk A Dog? because I still think its the weakest song on the album but I love Over and Over and Over/Respect Commander. And I FUCKIG LOVE Ice Station Zebra. One of my favorite songs hes ever written
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Also, theres a shit ton of different intros for Get In the Mind Shaft. Like 3 or 4 different intros on the vinyl edition, depending on the serial number/press order. And then the digital versions and CD.
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DirtBasedSoap posted...

Also, theres a shit ton of different intros for Get In the Mind Shaft. Like 3 or 4 different intros on the vinyl edition, depending on the serial number/press order. And then the digital versions and CD.

lmao I love when artists do things like this. Im listening to the version on Spotify
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Lokarin posted...

2018 had music?

But that's cool that MGMT came back.
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