Best Albums of 08So there has been a moderate amount of pressure for the best CD’s of 2008. Although my musical “tastes” have been thought of as somewhat eclectic, historically, if you pay attention there is a gem or two for a lot of different tastes. As important as the albums listed here are the albums that are not. I listened to a lot.
Unlisted CD’s:
Bon Iver Debut: Actually released in 2007
The Fleet Foxes: I don’t get it.
The Black Keys: Blues Rock? What a clever idea.
Panic At The Disco: Are you kidding me?
Cold Play: Didn’t they “save rock and roll” 3 years ago?
Deerhunter: Dreamy, Modest Mouse infected Indie Rock. Yawn.
Lil Wayne: Must confess I did not pay attention to his dad Big Wayne. My son tells me he is amusing.
Death Cab For Cutie: I have a personal, irrational, pretentious hate of this band
Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Brittney, Miley Cyrus.... you get the idea.
I don’t know why you people do not listen to more music. Ohhhhh...I guess you are busy with your wive’s and your children, your job and your family... While I do not know all of you, I know most of you and I can tell you, your wives are not that crazy about you, your kids are already screwed up... download the music and listen. Smile.
Number 10She and Him: Volume 1
M. Ward is a continuing favorite of mine. His CD “The Transfiguation of Vincent” is a winner from start to finish and his covers of Creedence “Green River” and Bowies “Let’s Dance” eclipse the originals in ways that only a genius could manage. This CD joins him with Zooey Deschanel was an immediate critics darling and the CD is tuneful and cute. There is nothing on it that cannot be listened to and smiled over. Not a lot of substance and too limited an M. Ward influence for me but they made an impact in 2008.
Number 9In Rainbows: Radiohead
Almost forgotten now, their January 2008 release on line was groundbreaking. The CD lacks a lot of the pretention of their recent efforts but still has a dream like quality, dense production and some great tunes. It is a little too drum machiny for me over all but “Body Snatchers”, “Weird Fishes”, “All I Need” and “Reckoning” are all just tight pop songs, perfectly performed and produced. Once again, the whole CD is quality.
Number 8. Raphael Saadiq: The Way I see It
This is just Philadelphia soul at it’s best. He has an awesome soul full voice and the whole CD just has that crafted flowing feel. The whole think feels like a throwback. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson... the works. This is good stuff. “Oh Girl”, “Love That Girl” and “Never Give You Up” rock and sway with great vocals and back ups. This is just very smooth and once again, makes me smile.
Number 7. Harps & Angels: Randy Newman
Randy has been spending a majority of his time doing moview sound tracks and the like. You can tell from this CD. It is a really, really pretty CD with some of his most beautiful lyrics of all time. Newman is funny, bitter, hopeful and wistful all at the same time. This is his first album of original music since 1999 with Mitchell Froom’s perfect production. But he is scorching in the lyrics with the op-ed piece, “Let Me Say A Few Words, in Defense of Our Country”.
“A President once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” Now, we’re supposed to be afraid It’s patriotic in fact and color-coded And what are we supposed to be afraid of? Why of being afraid That’s what terror means, doesn’t it? That’s what it used to mean
You know it kind of pisses me off That this Supreme Court is going to outlive me A couple of young Italian fellas and a brother on the Court now, too But I defy you, anywhere in the world, To find me two Italians as tightassed as the two Italians we got And as for the brother, well Pluto’s not a planet anymore either”
Number 6. Hayes Carll: Trouble In Mind
Texas singer songwriter. Saw him open for my faves The Old 97s’ and he knocked my sox off. Clearly influenced by Steve Earle and out of the same south of Austin milieu he just brings it. Take for example “Drunken Poets Dream”.
Wine bottles scattered like last nights clothes
Cigarettes, papers, and dominoes
She laughs for a minute about the shape I'm in
Says, "You be the sinner honey, I'll be the sin."
Chorus:
I'm gonna holler and I'm gonna scream
I'm gonna get me some mescaline
She brings me roses and a place to lean
A drunken poets dream
That is good shit. And it gets better. “Bad Liver And A Broken Heart” is everyones best drinking and being love lost song. A classic. “Beaumont” is a pretty ode that idealizes bar romance. “Don't Let Me Fall” is as good of a country plea and lament as Hank could of ever done and he finishes with the funny “She Left Me For Jesus”.
Number 5. Conor Oberst Conor Oberst
I take a lot of shit for this little shit. he is a whining, mopey bastard Catholic from Omaha but, as I have said before, he knows his way around a tune. This like his Bright Eyes work is a solo project but he brings in a new cast of characters and goes to Mexico to make the CD. Tomorrow I will post a lengthy review but screw Richard Doolings Omahacentric self hate, this is a good CD.
Number 4. Okkervil River The Stand Ins
OK...Will Scheff.... I am just a shameless fan here. This CD was the follow up to “Stage Names” and was actually made at the same time. You would expect some drop off in quality from the the first CD. You would be wrong. “Left Coastlines” and “Calling and Not Calling My Ex” are just great songs and the rest are no worse. Once again this CD is a chance to catch an artist at the upper arc of his power. Perhaps he will wither and fade with the fat life of dating supermodels but perhaps this one could be the real thing. We could use another Neil Young.
Number 3. Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend
Awful name. I mean a really stupid name. But it happens. And they are too cute. And they are from Columbia. And they are smart. But DAMN this is a fine album. Several of you have already voiced your displeasure with the band but not liking this band is a sign that you are a hater. It is tunreful, it is fun, it is smart. It might lean a little to heavily on the West African/Carribean vibe that Paul Simon plumbed to so much aclaim 21 or so years ago. There is nothing wrong with the CD. I reviewed it earlier in the year and if you put it on, people will tap their toes, smile and ask you who it is. I have seen it happen 20 times.
Number 2. Mountain Goats: Heretic Pride
I reviewed this one earlier in the year as well. John Darnielle.... another genius. What a surprise. This is probably the best evidence on the list of lyrical and musical talent that you might see. Darnielle is another Texas kid who has a lot to say and while his early, prolific history tended to be rough (think Springsteens “Nebraska”), this CD is a well produced, sweetened with strings tour de force. the cello on some of these songs will literally rip you soul out. This album is absorbing. The instrumentalism is spare in order to concentrate on the lyics. The great songs abound. “Lovecraft In Brooklyn”, “San Bernadino”, Autovlave”.
"I dreamt that I was perched atop a throne of human skulls on a cliff above the ocean. Howling wind and shrieking seagulls. And the dream went on forever, one single static frame. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name."
Funny, smart and beautiful.... the one that got away.
Wait for it....
Wait for it....
Number 1. The Felice Brothers The Felice Brothers:
I do not know what to tell you about why this CD is number one. You have to listen to it a lot. It is too good to listen to casually and form opinions. It is deep, textured and somewhat perfect. According to Wikipedia The Felice Brothers are actually three brothers, Ian, Simone and James, augmented by friends Christmas and Farley. Ian does the majority of the vocals and he sings in a distractingly Dylanesque manner that takes a little bit to get by but growws. It is Dylan from “Blood On The Tracks” or “Hurricane”. The lyrics are dark, complex and in the kindest light, “world weary”. Take the song “Don’t Wake The Scarecrow”.
"I'd find you there in the bath
We'd cook up your shit in a tin can
And you started calling me Tin Man
And we started making plans to begin again
Begin again
You saved a C note
Told me you felt like a seagull
Told me to meet at the depot
With the needle, then maybe we'd go
To Reno"
Funyy stuff. When Simone or James sing they take on more of a Decembrist feel but with the same lyricism and rhythm. They also sing a great country music, heartbeak and murder song which is one great way to judge a band. that is “Whiskey In My Whiskey”. The CD starts with “Frankies Gun” which is awesome, and hopeless, and funny.... and then it just rolls on. Buy it, listen to it. Change your life. I guaranty NO ONE else picked this as the best album of the year. But it was... or Hertic Pride was. It gets so confusing.
Honorable Mentions:
Alajendro Escovedo Real Amimal
The Dodos Visiter
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