Coldplay
Viva La Vida
I know what your thinking, Coldplay is lame. The truth of the matter is Coldplay tried something different. Working with Producer Brian Eno, Coldplay went into the studio to follow up X&Y. This took guts and the best thing about it is that it worked. From their first two singles “Violet Hill” and “Viva La Vida” you could tell this wasn’t the same old Coldplay. Ranging from the instrumental “Life In Technicolor” to the progressive rock of “42”, the album offers a variety of different sounds. Overall this is an album that flows smoothly, and from start to finish, it feels like one.
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Refreshing is a good word to use when describing the Fleet Foxes album. The album draws influences from Crosby, Stills, and Nash to monastery chant. The vocals are often compared to My Morning Jacket yet they take lush harmonies that the Beach Boys would be proud of and wonderful instrumental arrangements that fit perfectly. "White Winter Hymnal" is the perfect example of their sound and an excellent track, on a flawless album.
The Gutter Twins
Saturnalia
Self-described as the “satanic Everly Brothers”, you might not know how to feel about that. Former Afghan Whigs singer Greg Dulli and former Screaming Trees singer and solo artist Mark Lanegan create a raw and dark work of art. Their voices play nicely off one another while Lanegan shows his vocal range across the album. From the dirge of “Idle Hands”, to the bluesy “Seven Stories Underground”, to the electronic “Each to Each” the album never ceases to offer something interesting. In all of its darkness, there is a light and this album shines.
The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event
The moment the violin sounds you are overrun with emotions. In "Sometime Around Midnight" those emotions build until the song ends and you realize that you have just been on an emotional rollercoaster. Their self titled debut album is full of memorable hooks that will get stuck in your head. It is only a matter of time before your singing along to the catchy “Does This Mean Your Moving On”. Each song is unique in its own but it all fits together perfectly as a whole. This album offers something for everyone, as it is very diverse, yet does it well enough to keep you sucked in for the whole ride.
The Black Keys
Attack & Release
The riff rock the Black Keys are known for wasn’t as prominent on Attack and Release with the exception of “I Got Mine”. Instead they create a perfect album with the help of Danger Mouse as producer. The songwriting is really solid and every song holds up on its own. The diversity shows in the bluegrass hip-hop of“Psychotic Girl,” the danceable “Strange Times,” and the soulful “Lies”. It is good to see that this Black Keys experiment wasn’t one gone wrong. Instead it resulted in one of their best albums.
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