Best Albums of 2008

Normally I don't post things on this site that are not news related, but I like to do a year-end wrap up with a list of my favorite records of the year. This list is of records that I really enjoyed and recommend. This list is in no particular order.

1. The Gaslight Anthem - "The '59 Sound" (SideoneDummy Records)



These Jersey' Boys mix the sound of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty with the attitude of the Clash and the Ramones. Lyrically this album sounds right out of pages of a Jack Kerouac novel yet the album manages to have that nostalgic feel without sounding dated. This is punk rock for those who love the E Street sound.

Favorite Tracks: "Miles Davis and the Cool" "Here's Looking at You, Kid"

2. LaGrecia - "On Parallels" (Suburban Home Recordings)



LaGrecia broke up before their debut record "On Parallels" had even been released. Fortunately for us, the album was released. This is Jason Shevchuck's (Kid Dynamite, None More Black) latest band. This seems like a natural progression from the last None More Black record, "This is Satire", moving further from punk and more into rock with a tinge of blues. Great sing along songs and great lyrics have been at the heart of all his work and it continues here. Though the band broke up before this records release, None More Black has reformed and hopefully will continue the good work done on the this record.

Favorite Tracks: "You Like Baseball, I Like Ghosts" "In the Grass"

3. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive" (Vagrant Records)



The Hold Steady returned this summer with a great record filled with alcohol soaked sing-along songs. I've always liked the Hold Steady's music, but at times found their lyrics to be a bit lacking. This time around the lyrics seem to have matured along with the songwriting to make a great record. The Hold Steady keep alive the spirit of the E. Street Shuffle by making what could once be described as bar songs, accessible to the mainstream. Plus there is guest vocals by Ben Nichols of Lucero on many tracks (extra bonus).

Favorite Tracks: "Constructive Summer" "Sequestered in Memphis"

4. She & Him - "Volume I" (Merge Records)



The longstanding myth that Actors turned Singers/Musicians tend to be awful (as opposed to Singers/musicians turned Actors) has been debunked with this debut from Zoey Deschanel and Matt Ward. The songs are written by Zoey Deschanel (Elf, Yes Man)and the arrangements are by Matt Ward(singer / songwriter / Bright Eyes Collaborator). A great mix of folk and country with vocals that at time sound like out of the 50's. Strong songwriting and great performance by everyone involved in this project makes this a record that will remain on repeat in your car stereo.

Favorite Tracks: "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" "Sweet Darlin'"

5. Mates of State - "Re-Arrange Us" (Barsuk Records)



This is probably the catchiest record I have heard all year. This husband and wife duo know how to write great pop songs. This time around they change up their a sound a little by using more piano and less organ. This works out great giving the band a fuller and more mature sound. This is a fun record that I think anyone can enjoy.

Favorite Tracks: "This is My Only Offer" "Re-Arrange Us"

6. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - "Cadinology" (Lost Highway Records)



Only a year since his last release, "Easy Tiger", Ryan Adams continues to earn his stripes as a prolific song writer. With that said, this is the best and most cohesive record he has put out in years (though most of his records are pretty great). It sounds like Adams finally knows what sound he wants out of the Cardinals and the best way to get that sound. There is a good grove based feel to this record that seems to blend the sound of his records "Love is Hell" and "Cold Roses" with his "Rock n' Roll" record. Not really alt-country, not really rock, but all around enjoyable.

Favorite Tracks: "Fix It" "Magick" "Cobwebs"

7. My Morning Jacket - "Evil Urges" (ATO Records)



Three parts southern rock, one part jam band is how I would describe My Morning Jacket. Great song writing and interesting arrangements make this band really great. This album explores new territory by adding some funk and soul, a la Prince, on a few tracks (Evil Urges, Highly Suspicious). The key to this band though is the strong songwriting and Jim James' great voice.

Favorite Tracks: "Evil Urges" "I'm Amazed"

8. Bloc Party - "Intimacy" (Atlantic Records)



Only a year and half after their last record, Bloc Party continues to keep things interesting with "Intimacy". The first two tracks on the record (Ares / Mercury) are the most progressive and envelope pushing songs the band has ever written, and that is a great thing. The band throws you into the record with intensity and intrigue. The rest of the album follows by reinventing a good mix of sounds from the first two records, keeping it sounding fresh and new. I really loved the last record by Bloc Party and this record is just as good, if not better.

Favorite Tracks: "Mercury" "Trojan Horse"

9. Vampire Weekend - "S/T" (X-L Records)



What happens when you mix a bunch of Ivy League indie kids with the sounds of Africa? You get Vampire Weekend. Though not totally original (check out Paul Simon's "Graceland") Vampire Weekend has managed to write a simplistic yet brilliant album mixing indie rock and african music. The key is the simple yet catchy songs that will have you humming along and tapping your toes before you know it.

Favorite Tracks: "Cape Code Kwassa Kwassa" "Oxford Comma" "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"

10. Solo Projects -
Love You Moon - "Waxwane" (MDB / Sargant House Records)
Jenny Lewis - "Acid Tongue" (Warner Bros. Records)
Vic Ruggiero - "Something in My Blindspot" (Cobraside Records)








This year was a good year for singers of bands putting out solo records that were really good. Matt Embree of Rx Bandits released "Waxwane" under the name Love You Moon. A mix of folk, blues, and jazz, at times this record brings memories of Bob Dylan (the protest songs) and at other times Brad Nowell's solo stuff (Sublime). Favorite tracks: "H Bombs at the Shopping Mall" "Berkeley Shingles". Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley puts out her second solo album "Acid Tongue". A mix of country, folk and pop, this album has great songs and good guest appearances (Elvis Costello). This os a record I think almost anyone could enjoy. Favorite track: "The Next Messiah". Lastly, Vic Ruggerio of the Slackers puts out another solo record, this one is called "Something in my Blindspot". Though Vic likes to write traditional ska songs with the Slackers, his solo efforts are a mix of blues,folk, and pop. Matched with his unique and great voice, Vic manages to combine good songwriting with interesting arrangements and instrumentation. Favorite Track: "Taking Care of Business".

11. Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis - "Two Men With the Blues" (Blue Note Records)



What can one say about mixing Willie Nelson with jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis for a live record except what a great idea. More of a traditional sounding jazz record than a country or folk record, the way Nelson and Marsalis work off of each other is truly inspiring. Mixing some jazz standards and some of Nelson's tunes, this album makes me truly appreciate the art of great music.

Favorite Tracks: "Bright Lights Big City" "Georgia on my Mind"

12. Lemuria - "Get Better" Asian Man Records



Somewhere in between Jawbreaker and Tegan and Sara there is Lemuria. The debut from this female fronted indie band is great. Catchy songs and great lyrics mixed with a voice that nerd rockers will fall in love with.

Favorite Tracks: "Yesterday's Lunch" "Buzz"

Honorable Mentions:
Conor Oberst - "S/T"
The Matches - "A Band In Hope"
Chuck Ragan and Austin Lucas - "Bristle Ridge"
The Loved Ones - "Build and Burn"
Jaguar Love - "Take Me to the Sea"
Jolie Holland - "the Living and the Dead"

Best EP's of 2008:

Ben Nichols - "The Last Pale Light in the West" (Lament and Liberty Records)



Ben Nichols of Lucero's first official solo release is an EP (or mini album) based on the Cormac McCarthy novel "The Blood Meridian". A great batch of songs that really put you into the old west.

Favorite Tracks: "Davy Brown" "The Last Pale Light in the West"

Dead to Me - "Little Brother" (Fat Wreck Chords)



The follow up to Dead to Me's debut "Cuban Ballerina" proves that they are one of the best punk band's playing today. Influenced by the '77 punk of Sex Pistols and the Clash but updated for the new millenium, every song on this EP is great. The only thing disappointing is that this is only an EP and not a full length album.

Favorite Tracks: "Little Brother" "Arrythmic"

Best Album of 2007 that I didn't discover until 2008:
M.I.A. - Kala

Most Disappointing Album of 2008:
The Streets - "Everything is Borrowed"

Most Overrated Album of 2008:
No Age - "Nouns"

Most Anticipated of 2009:
Lucero, Rx Bandits, Fake Problems, Propagandhi

Old Music Reviews

Music Reviews

So its only been 3 weeks into the new year and I am already well on my way to fail at my resolution to not buy as many cds this year. I think I've already bought 7 albums this year. I am getting so much music these days, its hard to keep track of. With that in mind, I thought I would start writing out my impressions of every album I pick up. This is going to be a fairly random assortment of new and old releases, rants and first impression (take from it what you want). Feel free to pass this around and add your own impressions of these cds and others. I don't know if anyone will be interested in what I have to say because music is so subjective, but I thought it may help those who are looking for some new things to check out. So here it goes:

Battles - Mirrored (Warp Records 2007)




This record is interesting and strangely addicting. After seeing this on a few peoples top ten of 2007 lists, I was intrigued and decided to check them out. I would place the bands sound somewhere in the prog rock meets math rock, with hints of industrial genre. Battles is an instrumental group and the vocals are used more like another melodic instrument, rather than a means to convey lyrics. The album is jammy, but not like jam bands, its all about rhythms and melodies rather than guitar solos. If your a fan of noodling, then I think you would enjoy it. The album is interesting and has a strangely addictive quality to it. At times it is creepy (I could imagine the song "Atlas" playing in Jack Nicholson's head in "The Shinning" at the moment his sanity breaks [this moment of course is debatable]) and at other times it is repetitive but in a good way. I guess fans of progressive rock will probably like this one, good musicians playing interesting and intriguing music. I really like this record, it really gets into your head.

Rivers Cuomo - Alone: the Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo (Geffen Records 2007)



So Rivers Cuomo (leader of Weezer) decided to collect his favorite demos and home recordings and release them on cd. I don't know people expected, (especially Rolling Stones Magazine) but that is exactly what you get. Half written songs yet to reach their full potential. With that in mind, there are some gems on the record and these mostly come from the set of demos that pre-dated the "Pinkerton" sessions (arguably the bands best work). Interesting set of songs for hardcore Weezer fans, but beyond maybe 6 of the 16 tracks, nothing too substantial. Check it out if you want to reminisce about the days when Weezer was not just another pop rock band (lets face it, they will in all likelihood never make another album on par with the Blue album or Pinkerton, they just aren't those people anymore). Casual Weezer fans should steer clear, as they will be disappointed in both the lack of quality songs and the poor recording quality of many of these demos. Note: this lets us get a little more into the head of Rivers and hear his song writing process.

The Mars Volta - the Bedlam in Goliath (Universal Records 2008)



So in my opinion, I think Mars Volta have collectively lost their minds and now make completely self indulgent prog rock that is not supposed to be understood by anyone but them. Now this is not saying, its bad, it just saying that I have no idea what these guys are thinking, and I don't think anyone else does either. I have only listened to this album once so far, so this is merely my first impression. It seems this record is more intense then the last record (gone are most of the mellow lows of Amputechture) and the vocals seem to be higher and more weaselly than ever. The record is already growing on me, but I don't think I really love this one (at least at this point). The cohesiveness of the first two records (Deloused in the Crematorium and France the Mute) i think is long gone (though more cohesive than Amputechture), and at times so much is going on its hard to make sense of the music. Nonetheless, it is still enjoyable. Unfortunately, I think band has already reached their peak of making memorable and interesting songs. Simply put, Mars Volta write a lot of good parts to songs, but the songs themselves seem to lack the cohesiveness to make them memorable. Note: the more I am listening to this, the more I am liking it.

V/A - Juno (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture 2007)




I thought that Juno was a great quirky movie. As with the movie, the soundtrack is a great quirky soundtrack. Focusing mostly on indie/folk, the soundtrack mostly highlights songs from singer songwriter Kimya Dawson and her band the Moldy Peaches. I first came across the Moldy Peaches while working at KUCI, but never paid too much attention to them. These songs are folky and fun. People who like Tegan and Sara and Bright Eyes would likely enjoy them but could also appeal to kids who are fans of the folk punk scene (Fake Problems, Defiance Ohio, old Against Me!). Beyond those tracks, are songs from classics like the Kinks and Velvet Underground, to newer (at least in comparison) bands like Belle and Sebastian, and Cat Power. Overall a very good collection of songs that really capture the feel of the film. Note: the soundtrack does include Sonic Youth's cover of "Superstar" which is discussed in the film. Personally i think the song is interesting but does not amount to the greatness discussed in the film.

Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute (Warner Bros. Records 2002)



I picked up a used copy of this cd out of curiosity. People seem to love this band and I do not see why. Great reviews of this album and some of the members recent projects (Men, Women, and Childern) made me want to check this out. Now, I am not a huge fan of the screamo sound, but there are a few bands I can appreciate. To me this record sounds just like Thursday, just not as memorable or catchy. Maybe in time I will grow to appreciate this one, until then, I think I will just put it on the back burner of my listening rotation.

The (International) Noise Conspiracy - the First Conspiracy (Hopeless Records 2000?)



Another older record I recently picked up used. Nothing spectacular here, just interesting to see the bands early demos/7". Good insight into how the band has developed their sound over the years. Recording quality is poor and the band does not sound very full. If your a fan, it is something interesting to check out, nothing more. Note: the song "Abolish Work" actually is pretty up there (kind of similar to "Smash it Up" though).

Horrorpops - Kiss Kiss Kill Kill (Hell-cat Records)



I have only briefly listened to this record, but it sounds pretty solid. Not too much growth on the bands Psychobilly sound but still enjoyable. I think Horrorpops have found a way to add that extra pop-punk kick to psychobilly to allow it to transcend genres. With the recent mainstream break of Tiger Army, this may be making its way to the mainstream too. If you like pop-punk and rockabilly, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy this record, plus they put on an entertaining live show.

State Radio - Year of the Crow (2008)



Again, I have only briefly listened to this record. State Radio features ex-member of the much beloved band Dispatch (namely Chad, the dude who wrote "the general"). I liked their first album and I think this one follows suit. This has a little more of a punk element, or at least faster rock songs, and a little less dub and reggae. Still the record seems catchy and their is something about Chad's voice that is very enjoyable. This record does seem a little more political and pissed off than the last record (though the last one did contain those elements, only to a lesser degree) which is probably the cause of the faster punk element. All around, I enjoyed listening to this record the first time around and believe I will only grow to like it more.

Well I hope you found this useful in someway or another, feel free to let me know,or message me comments, complaints and any other thoughts.

Mikey