Where are all the 'good' new albums these days?

Sporky

Rocker said:

Has there been a 'recent' (that is in the last decade) album that merits being included in the above list

I'm not clear what the criteria for inclusion are, but it seems to rely on having been released at least 20 years ago.

And, as others have said, I don't think your claims for the list are entirely justified; the only thing I think I've listened to all the way through there is Moon Safari, and to me that was a pretty mediocre offering.

gusman2x

Album of the decade so far for me was the Amazing Snakeheads' Amphetamine Ballads.

BloodEagle

Absoultely shedloads of fantastic music out there, and its easier to find than ever before

english_bob

I can think of plenty of stuff from the last ten years I'd be just as keen to listen to as anything on your list.

And yes, I do like some of the stuff on your list a lot, so that wasn't some sort of backhanded compliment.

For starters, I think Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid is every bit as artistically worthwhile and enduring as anything you listed (they're consistently excellent, but this was probably their peak so far). I'd also put White Denim's D and Corsicana Lemonade up there.

I'd also agree with a lot of @Winny_Pooh's list- what I've heard of it at least. 

Rocker

Thanks guys, lots of albums listed and a lot of bands that I never heard of.  

@EricTheWeary, I have two BSR albums [someone on this website suggested them some time ago], I like the first album better.  I will look out for Bros Landreth.

@Winny_Pooh, I have these from your list: Black Keys - El Camino, Wilco - sky blue sky, Feist - the reminder.  and they are stuck in the 'infrequently played' category.  Must listen to them again.  And again thanks for your suggestions.

octatonic

Clutch and Porcupine Tree/Steve Wilson are putting out great albums.

Fear of a Blank Planet is one of those albums people will talk about for ever.
Blast Tyrant is a classic too.

doogz84

Rocker said:

As in, what recent album will usurp albums like Aja, Harvest, Solid Air, Moon Safari, Oxygen, Still got the Blues, Metallica, Ace of Spades, Wish you were here, Folk Singer, Live at Leeds, Live in Europe, Rumours etc. etc. etc,

If you hear a track on the radio from any of these and hundreds of other albums from the past, you immediately recognize the song and usually can name the album it was on.

Has there been a 'recent' (that is in the last decade) album that merits being included in the above list (which is in no way comprehensive and which can easily be expanded)?  I can't think of one.  Can you?

In the last decade?

For me?

Chickenfoot
Them Crooked Vultures
Queens Of The Stone Age, pretty much any of their albums
Mastodon, similar
Lamb Of God, same again

And plenty more.

But I can recognize the song and name the album, because it's music I like listening to. I'm not sure I really 'get' the question.

Fretwired

@Rocker .. I know what you mean but there are some cracking new albums about. Why not try Spotify .. you can listen to loads of new bands and albums and if you like them buy the CD or link the streaming service to your Hi-Fi.

Bidley

You'd probably like Blackberry Smoke. Very much a band that could've come out in the 70s.

andyp

gusman2x said:

Album of the decade so far for me was the Amazing Snakeheads' Amphetamine Ballads.

Man, that's an awesome album! I listened to it over and over for a couple of months when it was quite new. Haven't listened to it in ages and went to put it on yesterday but somehow got sidetracked. I'll fix that today!

Interesting thread this one!

There have been a hell of a lot of good albums out in the last 20 years, that's for sure. But more recently it's much easier to just pick and choose stuff and I'm one of very few people who listen to albums and buy CDs. I'm 37, so pretty much old school now but I still like my CDs, although I listen to tonnes of stuff on Apple Music now.

One that is mentioned that I just couldn't get on with was Wolf Alice. I loved them on the TV from Glastonbury (think this was just prior to the album coming out, not sure - it would've been Glastonbury 2015) but when I bought the album I was really disappointed. So I listened again and found myself bored and skipping tracks - which I never do... haven't listened to it since. Guess I better give it another try!

shaunm

english_bob said:

I can think of plenty of stuff from the last ten years I'd be just as keen to listen to as anything on your list.

And yes, I do like some of the stuff on your list a lot, so that wasn't some sort of backhanded compliment.

For starters, I think Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid is every bit as artistically worthwhile and enduring as anything you listed (they're consistently excellent, but this was probably their peak so far). I'd also put White Denim's D and Corsicana Lemonade up there.

I'd also agree with a lot of @Winny_Pooh's list- what I've heard of it at least. 

Those albums you've mentioned are right up my street. I love them all.

There's loads of good guitar bands about these days but they aren't getting released by major labels these days. Plenty of great unsigned bands about these days. 

TTony

Moss said:

I'd say that there's more good music coming out now than ever before

But good music and classics are different things.

Classics have stood the test of time and changing musical genres.  They may not be great in pure musical terms, but they are both "of their time" and recognised across generations and genres.

In the past (by which I probably mean before-internet) there was less music about and fewer channels for it.  So it was easier to stand out and easier to achieve that recognition.

Octahedron

I can tell you where 3 of them are, from this year alone... Gotthard, Black Star Riders and Thunder! 

And there's more on the way. 

Sporky

TTony said:

In the past (by which I probably mean before-internet) there was less music about and fewer channels for it.  So it was easier to stand out and easier to achieve that recognition.

That's an excellent point (though I think pre-internet is probably an overstatement - even pre-web may be). So the answer to the original question is that we are in a post-classic-album age.

rlw

I have a large pile of infrequently played cds by newer artists which either says something about them being rubbish or me being an old git.

andyp

One thing that I was speaking about recently is the concept of an "unsigned" band these days. With so many ways of releasing music without the need for an old fashioned record deal... is there such a thing as an unsigned band now?

Sporky

rlw said:

I have a large pile of infrequently played cds by newer artists which either says something about them being rubbish or me being an old git.

Could be a bit of both?

rlw

Sporky said:

rlw said:

I have a large pile of infrequently played cds by newer artists which either says something about them being rubbish or me being an old git.

Could be a bit of both?

Probably.

TTBZ

For me, bands such as Clutch, QOTSA, Mastodon, Wolf Alice and Whores have put out some very memorable stuff that will stand the test of time. At least for my musical tastes.

Philly_Q

There's probably more new music, and more ways of hearing it, than ever before.  I've founds lots of really good new stuff by exploring the "related artists" pages on Spotify.

One thing that often strikes me about the demise of the traditional big labels and the "massive record deal" - I sometimes listen to newer albums, made on a shoestring, and wonder if they'd be even better if the bands had the opportunity of working with "name" producers and engineers in better studios.  Sometimes there's a feeling of untapped potential, that songs could be rearranged, tightened up or just sound better - and then a "good" album becomes a "great" album.

Of course, that can cut both ways - production can improve a record enormously or it can make it sanitised and bland.