BEST OF 2008

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ALBUMS FROM THIS YEAR THAT I'LL TAKE OFF THE SHELF AND LISTEN TO IN FUTURE YEARS (Yup, I'm sure of it):
*=denotes top thirteen
KINGS OF LEON only by the night*
COLDPLAY viva la vida*
A MOUNTAIN OF ONE collected works*
THE SHORTWAVE SET replica sun machine*
FOALS antidotes
SIN FANG BOUS clangour
JUSTUS KöHNCKE safe and sound
DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES in ear park*
GOLDFRAPP seventh tree*
DAVID HOLMES the holy pictures
BON IVER for emma, forever ago*
PERFUME game
GLASVEGAS glasvegas*
NITIN SAWHNEY london undersound
YOUNG KNIVES superabundance
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR hercules & love affair*
SIGUR ROS Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust*
I AM BARCELONA who killed harry houdini?
ESTELLE shine
LADYHAWKE ladyhwake*
PLEJ home is where the heart was*
MOVE D kuntstoff
MERCURY REV snowflake midnight
NEON NEON stainless style
JAZZANOVA of all the things*
LINDSTROM where you go i go too
WILD BEASTS limbo, panto
ELBOW the seldom seen kid
LYKKE LI youth novels
QUIET VILLAGE silent movie
TV ON THE RADIO dear science
FRIENDLY FIRES friendly fires
PELLE CARLBERG the lilac time
ALICE RUSSELL pot of gold
BUZZIN FLY 5 5th anniversary compilation
KOMPAKT TOTAL 9
THE SUBWAYS all or nothing

OTHER GOOD ALBUMS:
FRATELLIS here we stand
THE BLACK KEYS attack & release
INCOGNITO tales from the beach
ED HARCOURT the beautiful lie
RAVEONETTES lust lust lust
THE KOOKS konk
THE KILLS midnight boom
BOOKA SHADE the sun & the neon light
BLOC PARTY intimacy
FUJIYA & MIYAGI lightbulbs
FRED EVERYTHING lost together
GAS nah und fern
KOUSHIK out the window
MAX RICHTER 24 postcards in full color
LITTLE JOY little joy
ORCHESTRA BAOBAB made in dakar
WASIS DIOP
LIAM FINN i'll be lightning
WIRE object 57
GRAND ARCHIVES the grand archives
SPORTSDAY MEGAPHONE so many colors/so little time


SOME SONGS THAT MADE ME WANT TO START 'EM OVER RIGHT WHEN THEY ENDED (or BEFORE they ended!):
COLDPLAY viva la vida
LADYHAWKE my delerium
BON IVER lump sum
LADYHAWKE paris is burning
CHAIRLIFT bruises
JUSTUS KöHNCKE yacht
SANTOGOLD l.e.s. artistes
THE SHORTWAVE SET yesterdays to come
ESTELLE american boy
SAM SPARRO black and gold
BEN WATT guinea pig
BOY CRISIS l'homme
THE SUBWAYS all or nothing
THE SUBWAYS shake! shake!
PLEJ freaks
A MOUNTAIN OF ONE freefall
TING TINGS that's not my name
I'M FROM BARCELONA paper planes
MGMT electric feel
GUILLEMOTS get over it
NITIN SAWHNEY days of fire
THE PRESETS this boy's in love
ELBOW one day like this
GLASVEGAS geraldine
THE FRATELLIS mistress mabel
BRITISH SEA POWER no lucifer
BRITISH SEA POWER waving flags
KINGS OF LEON use somebody
DAVID HOLMES i heard wonders
KINGS OF LEON sex on fire
FRIENDLY FIRES paris
RAVEONETTES dead sound
LOVE IS ALL last choice
FLEET FOXES white winter hymnal
THE KILLS sour cherry
ADELE chasing pavements
DUFFY mercy
THE YOUNG KNIVES the counters
THE KILLS u r a fever
PERFUME polyrhythm
THE BLACK KEYS strange times
THE LAST OF THE SHADOW PUPPETS standing next to me
THE LAST OF THE SHADOW PUPPETS meeting place
LYKKE LI dance, dance, dance
NEON NEON i told her on alderaan
MYSTERY JETS two doors down
SIN FAN BOUS advent in ives garden
WASIS DIOP gudi diop
WASIS DIOP galu nobeel
MGMT time to pretend
FLYING LOTUS los angeles
LADYTRON ghosts
MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS into the galaxy
KAISER CHIEFS addicted to drugs
WILEY wearing my rolex
PACIFIC! number one
BLACK KIDS i'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance
OASIS i'm outta time
SONNY J can't stop moving
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR blind
THE KOOKS always where i need to be

GOOD ALBUM COVERS:

BEST MUSIC OF 2007

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (Things I couldn't stop playing (my only criteria)):

BURIAL.untrue (Uk)
ROISIN MURPHY.overpowered (Uk)
THOMAS DYBDAHL.science (Sweden)
AMY WINEHOUSE.back to black (Uk)
TOM MIDDLETON.lifetracks (Uk)
SEABEAR.the ghost that carried us away (Iceland)
SUSUMU YOKOTA.love or die (Japan)
REGINA.oi miten suuria voimia! (Finland)
BAND OF HORSES.cease to begin (Us)
SIA.some people have real problems (Uk)
SWOD.sekunden (Germany)
ARIL BRIKHA.ex machina (Sweden)
SHOUT OUT LOUDS.our ill wills (Sweden)
TUNNG.good arrows (Uk)
SPIRIT CATCHER.night vision (Belgium)
SILENT LEAGUE.of stars and other somebodies (Brooklyn)
ULRICH SCHNAUSS.goodbye (Germany)
PIANA.eternal castle (Japan)
THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE QUEEN.the good the bad and the queen (England)
LITTLE DRAGON.little dragon (Sweden)
TRACEY THORN.out of the woods (Uk)
RICHARD HAWLEY.lady's bridge (UK)
UNDERWOLD.oblivion with bells (Uk)
TAKEN BY TREES.open field (Sweden)
STUDIO.yearbook 1 (Sweden)
LAWRENCE.lowlights from the past and future (Germany)
AKIRA KOSEMURA.it's on everything (Japan)
AIR.pocket symphonies (France)
ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS.raising sand (Uk & Us)
CORNELIUS.sensuous (Japan)
GOOD BOOKS.control (England)
LONEY DEAR.loney noir (Sweden)
GRAND NATIONAL.a drink and a quick decision (England)
SIGUR ROS.heima (Iceland)
SHINS.wincing the night away (Us)
MAPS.we can create (England)
CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA.ma fleur (Uk)
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO.attack decay sustain release (Uk)
YOUTH GROUP.casino twilight dogs (Australia)
VICTOR BERMON.arriving at night (Australia)
THE ENEMY.we live and die in these towns (Uk)
SUPERMAYER.save the world (Germany)

OTHER NOTABLES:

SUNDAY DRIVERS.tiny telephone (Spain)
CROWDED HOUSE.time on earth (New Zealand)
THE CORAL.roots and echoes (Uk)
CLUB 8.the boy who couldn't stop dreaming (Sweden)
CARIBOU.andorra (Canada)
ROBYN.robyn (Sweden)
REVEREND AND THE MAKERS.state of things (Uk)
THE LODGER.grown ups (Uk)
KETTEL.whisper me wishes (Netherlands)
JIMI TENOR & KABU KABU.joystone (Finland)
INTERPOL.our love to admire (Us)
MIRACLE FORTRESS.five roses (Canada)
HARD-FI.once upon a time in the west (Uk)
ROGUE WAVE.asleep at heaven's gate (Us)
MIGUEL MIGS.those things (Us)
THE TWILIGHT SAD.fourteen autumns & fifteen winters (Scotland)
JUST JACK.overtones (England)
GEORGE DEMURE.boomtown medallion (Scotland)

SONGS OF THE YEAR:

BURIAL.archangel
GORILLAZ.hong kong
CARIBOU.sandy
CARIBOU.melody day
AMY WINEHOUSE.love is a losing game
KLAXONS.golden skans
YOUTH GROUP.sicily
BLONDE REDHEAD.silently
BOOM BIP.coogi sweater
MY LITTLE AIRPORT.victor, fly me to stafford
THE CRAYON SONG.outkast
THE PONYS.double vision
ROGUE WAVE.lake michigan
GOOD BOOKS.passchendaele
BJORK.earth intruders
ARCTIC MONKEYS.teddy picker
THE FRATELLIS.henrietta
ANGELS & AIRWAVES.everything's magic
REVEREND AND THE MAKERS.open your window
YEASAYER.sunrise
RIHANNA.umbrella
SAMANTHA JAMES.deep surprise
TRACEY THORN.nowhere near
MUTYA BUENA.real girl
THOMAS DYBDAHL.no one would ever know
GEORGE DEMURE.heavy traffic
THE ENEMY.we live and die in these towns
CLUB 8.whatever you want
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS.failsafe
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS.myriad harbour
TEITUR.louis louis
ROISIN MURPHY.overpowered
LUCKY SOUL.add your light to mine, baby
WE ARE BALBOA.space between bodies
THE LODGER.you got me wrong
MONTGOLFIER BROTHERS.the understudy
DAVID GAHAN.kingdom
BABYSHAMBLES.delivery
LEONA LEWIS.bleeding love
PERISHERS.carefree
JUSTICE.d.a.n.c.e.

COVERS OF THE YEAR:

STOP ME.mark ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather
CARELESS WHISPER.the gossip
VALERIE.amy winehouse
TEARDROP.jose gonzalez
GET THE PARTY STARTED.shirley bassey
FLOWERS IN THE RAIN.kaiser chiefs

MOST BEAUTIFUL (the ones that sent shivers)

HONG KONG.gorillaz
NO ONE'S GOING TO LOVE YOU.band of horses
THE GENERAL SPECIFIC.band of horses
ARCHANGEL.burial

HOUSE OF THE YEAR"

SAMANTHA JAMES.rise
MIGUEL MIGS.those things
SUPERMAYER.save the world
ARIL BRIKHA.ex machina
EWAN PEARSON.piece work
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO.attack delay sustain release

ELECTRONIC OF THE YEAR:

SUSUMU YOKOTA.love or die
UNDERWORLD.oblivion with bells
AKIRA KOSEMURA.it's on everything

GUILTY PLEASURE:

ANGELS & AIRWAVES.i-empire

THE ONE I WANTED TO LIKE, BUT...:

DURAN DURAN.red carpet masacre

ALBUM COVERS:

MOST ANNOYING OF THE YEAR:

Any 'by-the-numbers' R&B/Rap drivel...ie. Soldier Boy

Dexter...

...we miss you.

New to come.

2006 Albums & Songs Of The Year

Below are the best albums of 2006. The ones with pictures are the ones that I am sure I will be playing years from now, if not for the rest of my listening life.


GUILLEMOTS (London, England)-Through The Window Pane *****Stars
Huge, melodic, filled with melancholy, and absolutely beautiful. My favorite record of the year. Also includes my lyric of the year, "...And i still think of you on cold winter mornings, Darling, they still remind me of when we were at school; when they could never have persuaded me that lives like ours were in the hands of these eronious fools. And to those of you who moan your lives through one day to the next, Well let them take you next...Cos you live and be thankful you're here; see, it could be you tomorrow next year"


SOL SEPPY (England and NY)-The Bells Of 1 2 *****Stars
Delicate and soft without being weak. Gorgeous music with slightly odd dreamlike lyrics. A complete vision fully realized. I can't wait to hear what she does next.


MAX SEDGLEY (London, England)-From The Roots To The Shoots *****Stars
The sound of summer '06. Really melodic dance with a hint of early 90's house. If this doesn't make your ass groove, there's something wrong with your ass.


CAMERA OBSCURA (Glasgow, Scotland)-Let's Get Out Of This Country *****Stars
The poppiest album of the year with two of the most beautiful pop songs of the last ten years: "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" and "Let's Get Out Of This Country" - GREAT drums and strings. Oooh, the strings.


THE KOOKS (Brighton, England)-Inside In, Inside Out *****Stars
Catchy, clever, and hugely talented. Also, the funniest song title of the year, "Jackie Big Tits"...and the song doesn't come off as corny. Really, really, really good album.


THE LEGENDS (Stockholm, Sweden) - Public Radio ***1/2 Stars
Not really liked by critics, but who cares. Pop music made like this will always be welcome in my house. There's something about a lot of music from Scandinavia that has a melancholy and sadness to it. I grew up on the Arctic Circle, in Alaska, in a snow-bound village of 2,500 (Nome). I think it's the weather.


JOSE GONZALEZ (Sweden) - Veneer *****Stars
One of the most amazing voices and songwriters to appear in the last six years. He is mesmerizing in concert.


CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG (France) - 5.55 *****Stars
Music and production by Air...lyrics by Jarvis Cocker and Divine Comedy...and a very good album.


ZERO 7 (London, England) - The Garden *****Stars
Nothing will ever compare to their first album, but that's situational for me (summer 2001, Phoenix, Arizona, right before 9/11, and the last 'long hot summer' I'll probably ever have). This is a great record, and they're one of the best concerts I've ever seen. A true band.


MAX RICHTER (Germany, England) - Songs From Before *****Stars
Filed in classical in some record stores, and in rock in others. In some compositions, Robert Wyatt reads passages from the writer Haruki Murakami. Impossibly beautiful in EVERY WAY.


HEAVY BLINKERS (Nova Scotia, Canada) - The Night And I Are Still So Young *****Stars
Summer-sunny Beach Boys-esque music from...hm...Nova Scotia. That's too simple a definition though. Call it: lush, pretty, solid, and as all great pop music should be, a little melancholy.


PET SHOP BOYS (London, England) - Fundamental *****Stars
Still relevant and brilliant songwriters after all these years. In 30 years time, they'll be appreciated in the same league as Lennon/McCartney, Simon/Garfunkel, et al. - as they should be right now.


BELLE & SEBASTIAN (Glasgow, Scotland) - The Life Pursuit *****Stars


DIVINE COMEDY - Victory For The Comic Muse ****Stars
Made the list for its clever lyrics, over-the-top orchestration, and the song "Die A Virgin."


TEDDY THOMPSON (England) - Separate Ways - *****Stars


SQUAREPUSHER (London, England) - Hello, Everything *****Stars
I finally get it! Really beautiful electronic album. He's a virtuoso bass player too.


THE FEELING (Sussex, England) - Twelve Stops And Home ***1/2 Stars
Channels Electric Light Orchestra and Wings for the 21st century, and that's a very nice thing.


THE UPPER ROOM (Brighton, England) - Other People's Problems ****Stars
English accents married with extraordinarily catchy melodies.


X-PRESS 2 (London, England) - Makeshift Feelgood - *****Stars
Ashley Beedle can do no wrong! Great 'dance' album...great 'ANYTHING' album. Collaborations with Tim DeLaughter and Kurt Wagner.


ALICE SMITH (NYC, US)- For Lovers, Dreamers, And Me ****1/2 Stars
Unbelievable voice who writes her own songs and arrangements. She's black and has a four-octave voice, but can't easily be pigeon-holed into "black" music. There's a little Broadway, rock, and r&b in her music...She's amazing!


TV ON THE RADIO (NYC, US)- Return To Cookie Mountain ****1/2 Stars
The coolest band right now...this minute.


TRIOSK (Australia) - The Headlight Serenade ****Stars
Jazzy electronic noodles.


THE YOUNG KNIVES (England) - Voices Of Animals And Men ****Stars
A little snotty.


EL PERRO DEL MAR (Gothenburg, Sweden) - El Perro Del Mar ****Stars
Her real name is Sarah Assbring, and her voice breaks a heart. When she sings, "...be bop-a-loo-la..." on 'Party', it's simultaneously sad and a little creepy.

LLOYD COLE-Anti-Depressant
YO LA TENGO - I'm Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
SONGS OF GREEN PHEASANT-Aerial Days
BENT-Intercept
BONOBO-Days To Come
SHAWN LEE-Soul Vista
SLEEPY JACKSON-Personality
THE RADIO DEPT.-Pet Grief
JUNIOR BOYS-So this Is Goodbye
THE FRATELLIS-Costello Music
THE PIPETTES-We Are The Pipettes
JEREMY ENIGK-World Waits
MIDLAKE-The Trials of Van Occupanther
THE OPEN-Statues
VOOM VOOM-Peng Peng
DAVID MEAD-Tangerine
KARIN PARK-Change Your Mind
THE RAPTURE-Pieces Of People We Love
ROBIN GUTHRIE-Continental
PETER, BJORN & JOHN-Writer's Block
SCISSOR SISTERS-Ta Da
KELIS-Was Here
ARCTIC MONKEYS-Whatever People Say I Am, That Is What I Am Not

*************************

11 BEST SONGS OF THE YEAR:
Trains To Brazil - Guillemots
Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio
Crazy - Gnarles Barkley
Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn & John
Sewn - The Feeling
Lost My Soul - Maps
Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
She Moves In Her Own Way - The Kooks
Give It - X-Press 2 feat. Kurt Wagner
Ankle Injuries - Fujiya & Miyagi
Living Proof - Kelis

ALSO GREATS:
I've Been Waiting - Max Sedgley
I Don't Feel lIke Dancing - Scissor Sisters
I Feel It - Lorraine
Transatlantic Flight - Lorraine
In The Morning - The Heavy Blinkers
Put Your Records On - Corrine Bailey Rae
Funny Little Frog - Belle & Sebastian
Throw It All Away - Zero 7
Today - Zero 7
Roscoe - Midlake
Minimal - Pet Shop Boys
Other Side Of The World - KT Tunstall
Reena - Sonic Youth
Roads - Acid Casuals
Bowl Me Over - Acid Casuals
Party - El Perro Del Mar
All I Need - Voom Voom
The Sodom And Gomorrah Show - Pet Shop Boys
Black & White - The Upper Room
All Over This Town - The Upper Room
Maneater - Nelly Furtado
Glorious - Captain
At The End of The Sky - Darkel
Sometimes I Don't Get You - Yo La Tengo
Song For Sunshine - Belle & Sebastian
Supermassiveblackhole - Muse
Downtown/Slippery Dick - Peaches
Witchi Tai To - X-Press 2 feat. Tim DeLaughter
Pull Shapes - The Pipettes
He Knows The Sun - The Legends
Commercial Breakdown - The Sunshine Underground
Ramalama (Bang Bang) - Roisin Murphy
Shine So Bright - Teddy Thompson
I Should Get Up - Teddy Thompson
Count Souvenirs - Junior Boys
Your Mangled Heart - The Gossip
Thank You, Not Today - The Bluetones
Undiscovered - James Morrison
Here Comes The Rumour Mill - The Young Knives
Pretty In Panic - My Latest Novel
Young Idealists - Lloyd Cole
New Religion - Alice Smith
Pet Grief - Radio Dept.
1 2 - Sol Seppy
Bang Bang You're Dead - Dirty Pretty Things
Life Is A Musical - Outkast

BEST DEBUT
Alice Smith "For Lovers, Dreamers, and Me" (BBE). Also, James Morrison "Undiscovered." He'll be written off by music snobs as another James Blunt, but Morrison has REAL chops and great songs.


FAVORITE OLD SONG MADE ANEW: "Hong Kong Garden" - Siouxsie & The Banshees (Used in "Marie Antoinette")
Watching the French elite of the late 1700's dance to "Hong Kong Garden"...a perfect match of visuals and music.

BEST COVER VERSION
"Heaven" - Lorraine & "Let's Dance" - Futureheads

THING I LIKED BUT DIDN'T WANT TO
"An Other Cup" - Yusef

THING I WANTED TO LIKE, BUT DIDN'T
Joanna Newson - "Ys"
Ugh. Precious, dear, and irritating.

FAVORITE REDISCOVERED ALBUM
"Head On The Door" - The Cure (2006 remastered reissue)
"A Broken Frame" - Depeche Mode (2006 remastered reissue)

BEST ALBUM TITLE
Peaches, "Impeach My Bush"

BEST ALBUM COVERS:

The Tasty's are getting closer...

Tasty morsels coming...

Soon.

Dexter

Get it?

.

.

Being green.

Question...

I suppose it's easy to sum-up that the factions protesting the cartoons seized an opportunity to protest "The West" and reiterate concerns that the US-led "coalition" is taking over the world. Now, I agree with most anti-US sentiment, but come on!

Where were they when two Muslim boys were exectuted last year for engaging in sex with each other? Oh, that's right...that was OK. That was in Iran. (Never mind that our own government didn't condemn that either)

How about protesting the hanging (in public) of two innocent boys as an act against humanity? It's interesting to see what causes other people to get "up in arms." Hm?

One has to remember that the masses of the Muslim world are NOT rioting and killing people. But where the fuck are their voices?! Come on people! Fucking stand UUUUUUUUUUP!

Yeah...I know...it's not going to happen...

Bloated.

This, apparently, is the future of travel.
I'm not convinced.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/whatsnew/18ac893302839010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

Let's Olympic!

The...

http://users.design.ucla.edu/~akoblin/work/faa/plots.html

...coolest thing I've ever seen on the web.

Mental.

Let's

.

As I see it, it took about six months to get over my anger and disillusionment about the 2004 election. Then, as those issues bled out of my system, a specific and important relationship in my life went sour for about six months. Very sour...almost to the point of feeling it could never be sweet again. That has changed, and is now on the mend.

That's a majority chunk of 2005 wasted on ill will and hurt feelings. Yes, there were some fun parts of the year, of course. But these two things dominated. What a waste of time focused on external happiness and assumptions.

"Some things must be believed to be seen." I saw this written on a card somewhere a while ago.

Let's try this for a year and see if it works.

Let's.

Good company.

Here is a postcard I found in one of my files. Nice sentiment, and a good reminder.