Derek™

Great pick. This was a serious contender for me, too. Having only discovered the joys of Sufjan back in 2011 or so, I'm already comfortable enough calling Illinoise a masterpiece, and one of my favorite albums to date. I'd even say it's a more varied record than ITAOTS, but there's just no denying the impact that Neutral Milk Hotel have had with that album.

It wasn't an easy decision. NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL / IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA

One of those instances where a picture is worth 1,000+ words, I'm afraid.

Not pointing fingers, but I just wanted to mention that OP seemed to appear and begin posting around the time the Everything Else board was flooded with HD ads. Just food for thought.

...And then giving you no option for a refund. You get store credit, so they've essentially got your money for good, the moment you submit a payment.

Seems a little too quick, though. I know there's some hype for Tycho releases, but 2,000 sales, that fast? I'm really skeptical. As mentioned, I'm sure there will be more available through Ghostly, or perhaps a restock at the first link.

Quoted for injustice. It looks like she was a little too left in the photo they used. Or maybe the photo was a little too much to the right. I'll let you be the judge. I've never watched Mad Men, but Christina Hendricks is constantly making me consider it.

Enjoy.

It's between this, The National's High Violet (which I probably would have chosen, if I didn't have a goal of avoiding repeat artists) and...

I have not. The last time I saw copies pop up on eBay, they were going for $60 - $80. Surprisingly steep.

Nothing outrageous, but probably more than you could get a standard colored variant for.

Truly. I've kicked off some lengthy road trips with Young Team played at adequate volume, and there's just something about Yes!'s optimism and energy that I can't get enough of. Fantastic way to kick off a phenomenal album, I'd say. Excellent pick. More people would love Maserati if they gave them a chance, I think. On a related note to my comment above, I actually love driving to Inventions For The New Season. Especially at night. Awesome vibes all around. I was really hoping someone would say this. I've given it ample thought, and I'm fairly confident in saying that 309 is Russian Circles' best opener to date. What a monster of a track.

I know it's probably not what you're looking for, but I'd probably sell my test press of this if anyone's really interested.

No one's pumped on this? I agree that Hoyas was an... interesting direction, to say the least. But like you just said, All We Grow is aces. I still listen to that record pretty frequently. I'll be keeping an eye on this, to be sure. [edit] That album art. Between this and the art for Volcano Choir's Repave, I feel like all these Bon Iver-based projects are on fire with their cover selections.

Yeah, that's the biggest kicker of this PO. It assumes that anyone listening to The Used in 2014 has a use for a condom.

Nice. Do enjoy, and make sure to check in every couple of weeks.

Yeah, that's what I had in mind. Well worth the extra cost, in my opinion. Based on the quality of the two Tycho releases I own, I'm expecting great things from this one.

Been anticipating this one for a while. Going to wait to see if Ghostly has any limited or deluxe options, but will definitely be ordering either way.

I really, really hope so.

Not going to lie... the fact that The Used is even a band in 2014 is pretty impressive.

That makes sense. I know that Loser editions never really have a set number - at least not up front - but the OCD part of me felt compelled to ask. And while we're at it... for those that have the album in hand; what shade of green is it? Similar to the one on the cover? Translucent or opaque?

Yeah, I wanted to reiterate that I don't think this either. Lebowski is hardly the first person I've met or conversed with, who can't get into artists without vocals. And no one is in the wrong for liking (or not liking) instrumental artists. I certainly don't think anyone's dumb for enjoying what they personally enjoy. Good example. Sigur Rós immediately comes to mind, too. For anyone unfamiliar with SR, their vocalist sings in a combination of Icelandic and what he literally refers to as gibberish. And seeing as I don't speak a lick of either, I have no idea what is being sung. But that hardly deters my ability to be moved by their music. I know it'll sound cliché as hell, but I'll say it anyway: if you're looking for instrumental artists to convey the same feelings or thoughts that vocals do, you're probably doing it wrong. Try listening to the music for everything that lyrics can't capture. That's where the real appeal is, for me. Like Bronchitis said... there's nothing wrong with being able to belt out your favorite vocals, or appreciate some well-written lyrics. But at the end of the day, it's really the sound that matters. I know this topic has branched away from the origins of the thread, but I've been enjoying it thoroughly. Apologies to Brandy for having to sift through random discussion to tally up the votes.

Oh, yeah. Sorry for the confusion. If you wanted a literal story - you know, for the folks who need things spelled out to them - I guess you could turn to Taylor Swift. She'll spin you a tale or two that'll break your heart right down the center. Or there's Blink-182, who weave epic stories of fucking dogs in the ass and grandparents who shit their pants. All of that is indeed too much to convey through instrumental bands, correct.