I'm not gonna lie, 2008 was a hard year for me, especially in the final count-down months. I can't remember the last time I was so happy to say "so long" to a year. This was not only a tough year for me (and a lot of my good friends), but a slim year in terms of music. Top ten lists all over the place have been sparse on praise, and many contain the same records, as stand-outs were hard to come by. Still, I was asked several times what I'd call the best recent music, and here's what I'd answer.
1. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Easily the most beautiful, intricate and delicate album of the year. Often I will put on new music while doing other things around the house, but if the music is good enough, it will make me stop what I'm doing and sit down just to listen to it. This is the only album this year that got that reaction. If you don't fall "Skinny Love" and , then you've probably never loved and lost. Hauntingly beautiful.
2. Sigur Ros - Med Sud í eyrum vi> spilum endalaust
No, I can't pronounce the name of this album. Regardless, it's definitely Sigur Ros's tightest, most "accessible" album. It's not only stunning to listen to, but I was stunned to see it has 7 tracks under 5 minutes in length...is this really Sigur Ros? Yes, and damn is it good.
3. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave
Embarrassingly, I'd somehow reversed the name of this band and the album title for the better part of the year. Still, you'd never heard of it so you couldn't correct me, now could ya? Storied, painterly lyrics sung by a man whose voice sounds a little like Kermit the Frog does make this one something people with a taste for the poetic will like better than those going straight for the sound of the singer, but it's undoubtedly the album whose lyrics I've quoted the most in the year. I'm trying think of just one line to give as an example, and they are all too lovely to choose simply one. Just go and listen to it, and hopefully you'll find what I did.
4. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
This album doesn't have the consistency of "Hissing Fauna", and yeah, there are a few tracks I downright can't stand to listen to. Still, I think it's far better than the critical reviews would make you think. The songs I do like have both irresistibly catchy music and bitingly witty lyrics, albeit some you wouldn't repeat in polite company. I couldn't stop listening to this one for quite some time, and I think it's worth a good listen to at least find the tracks you like.
5. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
When I first heard the opening track to this album, I thought it was going to be just another "Return to Cookie Mountain". I was very skeptical of all the praise I heard it receiving. Giving it a full listen though, I was happily surprised to find it was actually MUCH BETTER than their previous record. More great lyrics with music that changes styles and moves away from the steady drone found on previous records. As much as I hate to jump on the bandwagon, it's definitely one of the best of the year.
6. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down in the Light
After the "Ask Forgiveness" EP, I was really worried about BPB's next album. I luckily had my fears allayed by a beautiful album. Songs that have the acoustic charm and sweet lyric that made me fall for Will Oldham in the first place, rather than the over-wrought, over-reaching sound he'd had in other recent works. More of what he does best makes me very happy.
7. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Somehow, I'd missed the boat on MMJ. I really didn't know much of their stuff before coming to this album, which I'm led to believe is a good way to approach it. People claim their other work has been better, but with songs like "I'm Amazed" and "Touch Me I'm Going To Scream", I don't know why people would be turning away from them now. Thoroughly enjoyable, wonderful music for a sunny day drive or run.
8. Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds and a Sound
I came upon this album very late in the year, but once I found it I also found I couldn't stop listening to it. Charming and simple, with well crafted lyric. I am sure this is where someone raises the "indie folkster" flag on me, but I can't help it sometimes. If you want to make a nice indie folk record without necessarily rocking any boats, this is the way it sounds. And that happens to be music to my ears.
9. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Raise the indie flags again, here's another one just the indie kids are gonna be picking. That said, I'm hard pressed to find a single song on here I don't like (okay, I lied..."Love U" is so-so). A nice upbeat, twangy little album, it catches fire in your brain quickly, and your foot will tap along without thinking. I'd be surprised if you didn't feel the same about it upon listening. The title track in particular was on repeat in my head for quite sometime.
10. The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
It's no "Neon Golden", and while that was a big letdown at first, this album steadily grew on me. Their first album in something like 6 years, it tries a little too hard in spots, but in others hits just the right soft notes. It doesn't have the lyrical intricacy that made "Neon Golden" so great, but "We know we're not the smartest/in this place we don't have to be" is kind of the truth of it stated in the title track. Still worth repeated listening to break in like a comfy chair.
Next up, movies...
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3 comments:
agreed. this year was the year i didn't pay nearly as much attention to the music world. i don't see what's so exciting about no age or fleet foxes. ditto deerhunter. portishead is has always been ok background music for your cool party but that's about it. tv on the radio was a letdown. for a while i thought i was just not into music anymore, like i'd burnt out or something. most of 2008 was spent listening to anticon's back catalogue and the best album of 2007, random spirit lover, on infinite repeat. i also got into lambchop in a big way.
i did however get into final fantasy. they did a knockout cover of bjork's possibly maybe for a stereogum post remake album. i think it's the only good one on there but worth finding fo sho.
ps did you hear phil's new album? it's SO BAD. what happened to that guy he's still singing "lets get out of the romance" variations. like not even joking. i cant listen to him and im not even sad.
that said i like this list. have you heard the notwist cover of boneless by panda bear? it's awesome and a completely different song so i dunno how it's considered a remix. bon iver was luscious. ditto bonnie billy. but where's the david byrne album? deerhoof? you should check out the high places album or look on a blog aggregator (like elbo.ws) for a song by them called from stardust to sentience. carey mercer had his blackout beach project's new album out this year too and tho i havent been able to find anything but a song or two ive had cloud of evil on repeat mp3 mixes. also xiu xiu is now a genre: see: parenthetical girls. why?'s alopecia is a musthave. subtle had a lovely album out this year too but it's the end of a trilogy of albums you need to hear from the beginning. finally: where's damon albarn's mandarin opera Monkey Journey to the West on this list. easily the most novel thing that came out this year.
pps
bibble's Most Big Sad Time at Planet Cool is the most underappreciated album of the year.
You bring up some good points, HT-B. Fleet Foxes is alright, though I didn't get into it nearly as much as my indie bretheren. No Age had its moments, and was on my summertime mixes, but it wasn't anything worth putting in the top ten. The Portishead failed to impress me much, but maybe I didn't give it a fair enough shot, as I've had a lot of people comment on it to me.
I fell for Final Fantasy when I heard their "Peach, Plum, Pear" cover. Get that one? It's a MUST HAVE.
I went out on a limb and bought the latest Phil stuff, knowing I was probably in for disappointment but hoping for some nice art to decorate my apartment. Sadly, my expectations were right on, and there was less art than I'd hoped. The key to P.W.E.--he needs to be miserable in the snow to write good music. Now that he's married, fat and happy, his stuff is just not the same. Same thing happened to Beck at one point, remember? He had an album out this year that didn't make the top ten either.
Let's see...I thought this year's Deerhoof offering was a real letdown. "Fresh Born" is the only track I really got into. Maybe I'm being harsh because Friend Opportunity was SO DAMN GOOD...Offend Maggie just doesn't compare. Felt the same way about Xiu Xiu post-Air Force, though I do love that f'd up Under Pressure cover.
I have High Places, and though it had totally slipped my mind, I did enjoy that thouroughly. If you liked that, you might also want to listen to Jukebox the Ghost, another album I found in tangent with High Places. Kinda sounds like old Self or Jellyfish. I know we haven't been there for a long time, but it's a nice change of pace now and then. "Good Day" is the standout track, gotta at least get that one. I was really excited about the David Byrne and then, somehow, never ended up hearing it...that'll be corrected ASAP of course. Same with the Albarn Journey to the West...dunno where my head went on that one. Stupid girl.
And yeah, Bibble is always underappreciated. Gotta do something about that, ne?
Kisses!
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