smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
| From | lauree <wordtravelsfast@gmail.com> |
| Subject | Lauree's top 10 2008 |
| Date | Thu, 1 Jan 2009 16:34:24 -0500 |
[Part 1 text/plain ISO-8859-1 (8.0 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
I'm pretty conflicted about everything, except my top two. There's so
much I never got around to buying in 2008, with a lot still in my list
to buy from various places.
I will have to say that while I've always loved music and it is truly
my drug, I really think 2008 is when I've gone back to the true "kid
in a candy store, oh, you really must listen to this....lots of
exclamation points, etc" sort of feeling of music.
I know a lot of people feel it wasn't a great year for music, but I've
been diggin' lots and lots of new stuff, and revisiting old stuff too
(Feelies anyone?). The internet, myspace, facebook, bebo, google
reader, and internet radio has really now more than ever made it a
global experience for me. If I even tried to name all the great new
bands I've found out about this past year, I'd truly explode. as it
is, I'm stressing over my top 10, yes I take this seriously. As a
result, I'm not rating anything past 10, because it doesn't count in
the results any way, and I ended up staying up until 4am watching a
cheesy movie, so I'm wrecked not from alcohol or being hungover, just
wiped out. I've got to work at the book store tonight too. so here it
is:
1. Frightened Rabbit-Midnight Organ Fight/Liver! Lung! FR!
I'm combining the electric and live acoustic albums since no matter
how, where or when the songs are played, this album definitely rocked
my world this year. They were on my radar before I started prepping
for SXSW, but I must tell you, some times a live gig just punches you
in the gut. It was that Wednesday afternoon day show, where I was
feeling a bit glum, uncertain at how my experience of my first SXSW in
13 years would go...a bit bummed to be on my own so-to-speak, but then
I realized I'm not sure if anyone would want to follow me all the
places I wanted to go. the amazing raw energy and emotion in these
songs and the performances that go into them is a lot like the raw
energy and emotion that's swirling in my head at any given moment. I
realize and recognize it daily. and while it's not necessarily the
same things Scott Hutchinson is writing and singing about, I can
completely identify with it.
2.Two Cow Garage-Speaking in Cursive
While I didn't have an advance of this as some are so lucky to have, I
have been "friends" with a bunch of these songs for quite some time.
It's their best yet and as I always say, Micah and Shane are like the
younger brothers I've never had.
3. Dropkick-Dot the I
must be Scotland's most prolific band, with the first of two releases
for 2008. While I've never met or spoken with any of them, it's become
sort of an inside joke that I'm their biggest fan! ok, maybe not
really, but when I finally get to Scotland, the trip would not be
complete without seeing them live! This record continues their lush
Scottish pop sound
4. R.E.M.- Accelerate
I've been a fan since I was about 15 or 16 years old. I can appreciate
and even love everything they've ever done, but I took on this record
with reckless abandon, and it proves you can have fun with a rock n
roll record and be socially/politically conscious while doing so.
5. Attic Lights-Friday Night Lights
I have had a couple tracks from blogs and the one on emusic for a
couple months, but it wasn't until I was seriously sorting out my top
10 that I just HAD to have this. And the other night, I wasn't going
to sleep until I did. I've listened to nothing more the last week than
this album. It's definitely help me out of the doldrums of December
2008. And more than likely, it's another Scottish band that thinks I'm
some insane music freak/geek.
6. Marching Band-Spark Large
As if my obsession with Scottish music isn't enough, I've developed
one for Swedish pop again. Thanks to listening to the "Three from
Leith" podcast, I immediately downloaded this from emusic as soon as I
could.
7. Oppenheimer-Take the Whole Midrange and Boost It
my Belfast friends sophomore album is lovely. another band with
younger brothers I've never had. I "adopted" them a few years back,
and might have frightened them initially. They are the first band I
didn't personally know or had friends who knew them crash at my place
when they're in town. "Look Up" is a great pop song and the kids dance
to it (I have video proof!) no song is over 4 minutes and I love that
there's a song called "Fireworks are illegal in the state of NJ"
because I was there the night we were in Atlantic City, on the beach
setting off fireworks, knowing full well as the only American amongst
6 Belfast residents, that the AC police would show up almost
immediately. In fact, of the times they've had brushes with the law in
the US, I've been present for two of them!
8. Dropkick-Patchwork
the 2nd release of 2008. I joked that they aren't working hard enough
and 2009 should see 3 records, not just two. This is the more
"alt-country" album of the two. more pedal steel and banjo. I didn't
have as much time with this one, but a couple of the songs are ones I
go to regularly and any time the songs come up on shuffle, I turn it
up and sing along.
9. Neil Halstead-Oh! Mighty Engine
another late edition...riding the train home to NJ for Christmas, I
hadn't put together a playlist of my potential top 2008 records, but I
did have a video podcast on my laptop that I watched of Neil Halstead
perform most of the songs off this record, and realized I needed to
get the album asap. I heart Neil and my favorite show I've ever seen
of his was solo acoustic matinee at IOTA one year. you could hear a
pin drop it was so quiet and the crowd so attentive.
10. Elliott Brood-Mountain Meadows
Tualla gets credit for turning me on to them. I tend to hit repeat on
"Miss You Now" a lot. this was a tough spot to fill, because there's
so many records that could have been here too.
here's the rest, in alphabetical order that were in consideration...as
I said, there's a ton I never got around to buying, and my head's a
swirl in sorting it out. these records just didn't get as much spin or
didn't stand out, but are still favs. I really do think that my
listening habits have been affected by the shuffling on ipod:
Beach House-Devotion
British Sea Power-Do You Like Rock Music?
Broadfield Marchers-The Inevitable Continuing
The Broken West-Now or Heaven
Roger Bryan & The Orphans-Recovery
Pelle Carlberg-The Lilac Time
The Decks-Becoming Nightblind
Dr. Dog-Fate
The Duke Spirit-Neptune
Electric Touch-Electric Touch
Escape Act-Loosely Based on Fiction
The Explorers Club-Freedom Wind
The Fratellis-Here We Stand
The General Store-Mountain Rescue
Green Peppers-Adventures in the Slipstream
Mic Harrison & The High Score-On the Right Side of the Grass
Juliana Hatfield-How to Walk Away
Have Gun, Will Travel-Casting Shadows as Tall Giants
The Heavenly States-Delayer
Cliff Hillis-The Long Now
Hollow Horse-Escaping from a Submarine
Japanese Motors-Japanese Motors
Julie Ocean-Long Gone and Nearly There
The Lodger-Life is Sweet
The Meadows-First Nervous Breakdown
The Mural and the Mint-Private Pockets
Old 97's-Blame it on Gravity
Popup-A Time and A Place
The Quarter After-Changes Near
Will Quinlan & The Diviners-Navasota
Ryebender-Hollow and Drifting
She & Him-Volume One
Top songs of 2008:
1.Frightened Rabbit-The Modern Leper
2. Two Cow Garage-Brass Ring vs. Skinny Legged Girl, but I'm going to
have to go with Skinny Legged Girl
3. The Heavenly States-Lost in the Light
4. Dropkick-Breakdown
5.Marching Band-For Your Love
6. Attic Lights-Bring You Down
7. Elliott Brood-Miss You Now
8. R.E.M.- Man-Sized Wreath
9. The Fratellis-Acid Jazz Singer
10. The Lodger-The Good Old Days
I'm sure there's tons I've forgotten, but most of what's missing from
my list compiled here, isn't here because I haven't bought it to add
to my collection yet.
Now that this is done, I can get ready for work.
Lauree
ps. I want to give The Swimmers and IKE records an honorable mention.
I had both in 2007 at official cd release parties, so I included them
in my 2007 list.
--
music http://www.last.fm/user/bluflower/
photos http://flickr.com/photos/bluflower
myspace http://www.myspace.com/lauree
blog http://wordtravelsfast.blogspot.com/
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.