On the playlist, or I thought Twitter took care of this column

When I created a Twitter account for this site, I thought it would do away with this regular column of one-sentence reviews. Then I ended up not really talking about everything that went on the playlist. With Holidailies starting, I figure it’s a good time to summarize the last six months of listening.

  • Aaron Roche, !BlurMyEyes If only more singer-songwriters sounded this dischordant …
  • … And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Lost Songs I like it better than Tao of the Dead.
  • Benjamin Gibbard, Former Lives I like it less than Chris Walla’s solo album.
  • Café Tacvba, El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco I like it better than Sino.
  • Dead Can Dance, Anastasis I didn’t go to Dead Can Dance’s concert in Bellevue, and I wish I had.
  • Duran Duran, A Diamond in the Mind Recorded after Simon Le Bon’s rehabilitated his lost voice, and boy does he sound good.
  • Frank Ocean, channel ORANGE Understated and very appealing.
  • Gossip, A Joyful Noise I like it better than Music for Men.
  • Grizzly Bear, Shields A vast improvement over Veckatimist, the most overrated album of 2009.
  • Guided By Voices, Class Clown Spots a UFO Second of three albums in one year. What would you expect?
  • Ivri Lider, Mishehu Paam The Internet needs more pictures of Ivri Lider in various states of undress.
  • John Adams, Harmonielehre BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BO-BOOM BO-BOOM BO-BOOM.
  • LCO, Minimalist Nice overview of American minimalist composers, even if the Dave Heath piece sticks out.
  • LCO, Under the Eye of Heaven A nostalgia purchase on which I’ll expound in greater detail later.
  • LOSTAGE, ECHOES Somewhere between MO’SOME TONEBENDER and unkie. That will mean nothing to you, Holidailies readers.
  • MONO, For My Parents … Soundtrack to an Edo-period drama yet to be conceived.
  • MO’SOME TONEBENDER, iTunes Sessions Live It totally sounds like also-rans thrown at Apple for a promotional push.
  • Ned Rorem, Symphonies Nos. 1-3 Another thing the Internet is missing — pictures of young Ned Rorem in various states of undress.
  • Nico Muhly, Drones I’m glad I dragged my butt and didn’t get the individual digital EPs compiled on this release.
  • The Old 97s, Too Far to Care (Deluxe Edition) Wow this album really ages incredibly well.
  • Oriental Love Ring, Into this World I love that bands that couldn’t scrape cash to record 20 years ago can reunite and make a kick-ass album.
  • Philip Glass, Einstein on the Beach See the live report.
  • Philip Glass, 1,000 Airplanes on the Roof Another nostalgia purchase.
  • Piano Circus, Reich: Six Pianos; Riley: In C A semi-nostalgia purchase. I’m seeing a theme.
  • Quruli, Rutsubo no Borutsu Quruli sounds rejuvenated on this album.
  • Royal Wood, We Were Born to Glory Not really feeling it. Sorry, Royal.
  • Sasagawa Miwa, Oroka na Negai She injects a jazz influence into her introspective songwriting.
  • Scissor Sisters, Magic Hour The Internet does have pictures of Jake Shears in various states of undress, but it could afford to use more.
  • The Magnetic Fields, Love at the Bottom of the Sea Far, far better than Realism.
  • The Smashing Pumpkins, Oceania Why can I not quit Billy Corgan?
  • Tokyo Jihen, Shinyawaku These b-sides probably should have been on the albums themselves.
  • TOUMING MAGAZINE, TOUMING MAGAZINE FOREVER Long live NUMBER GIRL!
  • UA, HORIZON An impulse purchase because I like living in a city with a Kinokuniya.
  • Victorie, Cathedral City I’m still indulging in my addiction to New Amsterdam Records.
  • William Brittelle, Loving the Chambered Nautilis See previous.
  • ZAZEN BOYS, Stories It’s not ZAZEN BOYS III, and that’s a good, good thing.