Album of the Year candidate

[KeithR]

Bon Iver "Bon Iver"

I'm telling you guys- have listened to it 10x straight through in the past two weeks. It's that good! 8 bucks and well recorded as well. Buy it!

 

[Steve Williams]

Keith

coming from you it is a buy for me

some of my best music came at your recommendation.

BTW I thought of you yesterday at the California Audio Show when one of the rooms was playing Duende from Black Light Syndrome. IMO that recommendation of yours reached viral proportions especially after Phillip O"Hanlon heard it at my house and used it in many of his show demos.

 

[mauidan]

This one gets my vote.

 

[KeithR]

Keith

coming from you it is a buy for me

some of my best music came at your recommendation.

BTW I thought of you yesterday at the California Audio Show when one of the rooms was playing Duende from Black Light Syndrome. IMO that recommendation of yours reached viral proportions especially after Phillip O"Hanlon heard it at my house and used it in many of his show demos.

which i found in your own backyard---at the Stereophile show in San Franscisco in 2004. believe the Vac/Pipedreams room had it playing and it took them 10 minutes to figure out what track that was for me. it was scribbled on a demo disc!

grab a nice glass of burgundy and put this cd on Steve---it is some of the most fascinating and musical stuff i've ever heard. i don't know even what to call it.

 

[KeithR]

interestingly enough, Bon Iver does a cover of Bonnie Rait's famous "I can't make you love me"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3VjaCy5gck

 

[Ron Party]

Keith, where do you think the allmusic.com review of this album missed the mark?

 

[mauidan]

interestingly enough, Bon Iver does a cover of Bonnie Rait's famous "I can't make you love me"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3VjaCy5gck

I'll stick with Bonnie's version.

 

[jazdoc]

Here are a few 2011 releases that I'm enjoying:

"Rome" Danger Mouse and Daniele Liuppi
"Blood Pressures" The Kills
"Yuck" Yuck
"Wasting Light" Foo Fighters
"Flying Toward The Sound" Geri Allen (vinyl release 2011)
"Always Be Happy But Stay Evil" Garage A Trois
"Source" Benny Green
"The Talented Mr. Pelt" Jeremy Pelt
"Cordoba" Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra

 

[KeithR]

I'll stick with Bonnie's version.

I don't like bonnie raitt at all. And a bootleg of a 1972 recording isn't 2011 album of the year IMO.

 

[KeithR]

Keith, where do you think the allmusic.com review of this album missed the mark?

From folks expecting another singer/songwriter album. His 9 piece group on the album is way, way different. But for 8 bucks, can't wait to hear your opinion. It's a 9.5 on pitchfork btw if reviews are your thing.

 

[mauidan]

I don't like bonnie raitt at all. And a bootleg of a 1972 recording isn't 2011 album of the year IMO.

That's fine. I feel the same way about Justin Vernon's voice. And can't image "Bon Iver" would win 2011 album of the year. I guess I'm not alone:

"Is this the best elavator music ever.The music is so so but the voice sounded like i was getting punked.People are actualy buying this new age sleepy time tea music.to me this had to be the most uninspirational music i have every heard.Boring beyond belief and the record execs.are probably laughing at the suckers who bought this CD."

"Justin seems to be attempting to express profound emotions here, but I can hardly relate to them given the over-synthesized production of the music that accompanies his lyrics. There's just nothing authentic that escapes from his endured falsettos, and these, paired with his painfully slow and mellow instrumentals, provide for a very confused combination. These tracks sound more like .midi computer files than anything I'd seek out for listening pleasure. What pitifully self-indulgent drivel."

"Saw them perform on Colbert Report...Loved the song...hate the CD...They were saying that this music would be more upbeat...it is the most boring CD I have heard so far this year."

 

[KeithR]

Greg calbi did the mastering FYI.

 

[KeithR]

That's fine. I feel the same way about Justin Vernon's voice. And can't image "Bon Iver" would win 2011 album of the year. I guess I'm not alone:

"Is this the best elavator music ever.The music is so so but the voice sounded like i was getting punked.People are actualy buying this new age sleepy time tea music.to me this had to be the most uninspirational music i have every heard.Boring beyond belief and the record execs.are probably laughing at the suckers who bought this CD."

"Justin seems to be attempting to express profound emotions here, but I can hardly relate to them given the over-synthesized production of the music that accompanies his lyrics. There's just nothing authentic that escapes from his endured falsettos, and these, paired with his painfully slow and mellow instrumentals, provide for a very confused combination. These tracks sound more like .midi computer files than anything I'd seek out for listening pleasure. What pitifully self-indulgent drivel."

"Saw them perform on Colbert Report...Loved the song...hate the CD...They were saying that this music would be more upbeat...it is the most boring CD I have heard so far this year."[/

Have you listened to the album?

 

[mauidan]

That's fine. I feel the same way about Justin Vernon's voice. And can't image "Bon Iver" would win 2011 album of the year. I guess I'm not alone:

"Is this the best elavator music ever.The music is so so but the voice sounded like i was getting punked.People are actualy buying this new age sleepy time tea music.to me this had to be the most uninspirational music i have every heard.Boring beyond belief and the record execs.are probably laughing at the suckers who bought this CD."

"Justin seems to be attempting to express profound emotions here, but I can hardly relate to them given the over-synthesized production of the music that accompanies his lyrics. There's just nothing authentic that escapes from his endured falsettos, and these, paired with his painfully slow and mellow instrumentals, provide for a very confused combination. These tracks sound more like .midi computer files than anything I'd seek out for listening pleasure. What pitifully self-indulgent drivel."

"Saw them perform on Colbert Report...Loved the song...hate the CD...They were saying that this music would be more upbeat...it is the most boring CD I have heard so far this year."[/

Have you listened to the album?

I listened to all the sample tracks on iTunes and agree with the comments above.

 

[KeithR]

It is designed to be listened to in entirety. Try it before you knock it.

 

[mauidan]

It is designed to be listened to in entirety. Try it before you knock it.

If I find the samples boring and I don't like Vernon's voice, why would I want to listen to the whole album?

 

[KeithR]

Look devert---i'm not trying to be a prick. but you come over and hijack my thread, tell me my music stinks, post some random quotes from other random internet folks----all with the caveat that you have never heard the album in question other than some 15 second snippets off iTunes. all i wanted to do is share with some folks what "I" deemed album of the year (so far---I have a lot of hope for Wilco in a month)---without reading reviews or posts or whatever. and to tell you the truth---i thought the snippets sounded like crap and still ordered the damn thing. boy was i wrong. i got all excited to post this thread as its something i haven't done since this forum was started (i haven't been this surprised by a musician in a long time).

Sure, i can put up links to Rolling Stone and Spin covers, Billboard #2 chart, links to Colbert and Fallon videos, articles saying its one of the albums of the year, collaborations with Kanye, his building his own studio in the Wisconsin with all vintage gear, etc. but it doesn't really matter to me, or most folks. listen to the album and make a decision. and i apologize for saying i didn't care for Bonnie Raitt---while i respect her, she's not my choice---but i've listened to her albums and songs over the years. and i do think she is to be respected. If you'd like to start your own thread about this 1972 recording, please do. I really just meant that i didn't think "album of the year" could be awarded to a 1972 recording. most people have not heard of Bon Iver or have no idea who Justin Vernon is (i didn't until 3 weeks ago).

anyways, i'm not going to write any more on the topic---just folks can listen and decide for themselves. i hope some people find how musical and creative the guy is. i'm not a chill out/folk indie guy AT ALL (and don't prefer Iron and Wine, Fleet Foxes, James Blake, Ray Lamontange, and a whole host of like artists), but really respect Bon Iver's work in this particular case. it is floyd-like in some respects the way the entire album flows and IMO of course. the last track is controversial, but we can discuss that another time.

Cheers,

KeithR

ps. devert- i would like to hear about your Torii sometime. seems a popular Zuist choice these days. i recently obtained a Mastersound DueVenti in the same vein.

 

[KeithR]

fyi- Recording of the Month in this past month's Stereophile.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Glad to see you self-censoring, Devert. Thanks. This rapidly became a pretty senseless argument between two guys instead of a thread about "album of the year." My tastes aren't contemporary enough to contribute, I'm afraid. my personal album of the year was recorded in the 1950s...

Tim

 

[mauidan]

fyi- Recording of the Month in this past month's Stereophile.

Here's another one of Mr.Baird's recommendations: