The Year in Music: 2008
I cannot, in any brief assembly of words, express how utterly scattered the mix is of albums I've listened to this year. My 2008 started in South Boston, waved to and from Portland, took a drive through New England, south through the eastern United States, and soaked up several months in Music City - Nashville, Tennessee. I began by hosting an internet radio show influenced largely by a college radio audience and finished by pitching songs to Country A&R personnel. The road, to say the least, has reached far and wide.
The sheer volume of genre is astounding, but the volume of emotion, production, and documentation therein is even more astounding. Great players, great writers, and great songs abound in all. I will make little more than a feeble attempt to describe in words how much I've enjoyed the new music upon my ears. I can at least make a plea for you to indulge in some of these purchases. Beyoncé may not be hurting for your iTunes dollars, but there are plenty, like my fellow Berklee alum Adam Tressler, who will benefit from your purchase power by getting the opportunity to create more great music.
A short list of the artists whose releases I came across this year - The Black Crowes, Coldplay, Counting Crows, Death Cab for Cutie, Duffy, Elbow, Flogging Molly, Ben Folds, Jon Foreman, Gnarls Barkley, Guns N Roses, Hamell On Trial, Emmylou Harris, Jack's Mannequin, Scarlett Johansson, The Killers, King's X, Ludo, Tift Merritt, Modwheelmood, Nine Inch Nails, Brad Paisley, Panic! At the Disco, P!nk, Portishead, The Presidents, Punch Brothers, REM, The Raconteurs, Radiohead, Joe Satriani, Stanton Moore Trio, Sugarland, Superchick, Adam Tressler, TV On the Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Weepies, and Lizz Wright. The list is far from finished, but I can tell you a few honorable (and dishonorable) mentions that will not be making the cut.
Funhouse - P!nk
After I came to grips with Britney's "Toxic," I realized that there's no sense or shame in trying to hide your appreciation and love for chick rock...especially if it's bound to reveal itself at Karaoke night. At first listen, the album lives up to its name. The mood is Carnival-like; upbeat, but with room for reflection. Exonerations of personal demons are shouted out loud. The guitar tones are crisp and genuine. Somewhat like Nelly Furtado, Pink has already rolled with the punches, taking each evolution of sound in stride and making it work for her.
Way To Normal - Ben Folds
Sadly, the reviews of the "joke" album were more promising. Most fans still laud Rockin' The Suburbs as Ben's crowning solo achievement. I already know I'm in the minority, having loved (and continuing to love) 2005's Songs For Silverman more than most. In the drought between albums, Folds toured with John Mayer and put out an amalgam of his EP tracks in Supersunnyspeedgraphic; a disappointing release for any starved fan. WTN starts off participative, yet bizarre, and continues that way. Scantly catchy, but breaking no new ground.
Professor Satchafunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock - Joe Satriani
The more Satch keeps his melodies digestible for the everyman, the more the lurid and ridiculous parts of his personality come through. So evidenced by the ridiculous title. Guitar hero Joe Satriani comes through with yet another stellar degree of musicianship; maintaining restraint while delivering guitar heroics that listeners have come to expect. On this release though, there are no woefully mystic structures like “Made of Tears” or backyard BBQ anthems like “If I Could Fly.” Joe sure is sewing together all the same shredded notes, but the quilt is nothing new.
The sheer volume of genre is astounding, but the volume of emotion, production, and documentation therein is even more astounding. Great players, great writers, and great songs abound in all. I will make little more than a feeble attempt to describe in words how much I've enjoyed the new music upon my ears. I can at least make a plea for you to indulge in some of these purchases. Beyoncé may not be hurting for your iTunes dollars, but there are plenty, like my fellow Berklee alum Adam Tressler, who will benefit from your purchase power by getting the opportunity to create more great music.
A short list of the artists whose releases I came across this year - The Black Crowes, Coldplay, Counting Crows, Death Cab for Cutie, Duffy, Elbow, Flogging Molly, Ben Folds, Jon Foreman, Gnarls Barkley, Guns N Roses, Hamell On Trial, Emmylou Harris, Jack's Mannequin, Scarlett Johansson, The Killers, King's X, Ludo, Tift Merritt, Modwheelmood, Nine Inch Nails, Brad Paisley, Panic! At the Disco, P!nk, Portishead, The Presidents, Punch Brothers, REM, The Raconteurs, Radiohead, Joe Satriani, Stanton Moore Trio, Sugarland, Superchick, Adam Tressler, TV On the Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Weepies, and Lizz Wright. The list is far from finished, but I can tell you a few honorable (and dishonorable) mentions that will not be making the cut.
Funhouse - P!nk
After I came to grips with Britney's "Toxic," I realized that there's no sense or shame in trying to hide your appreciation and love for chick rock...especially if it's bound to reveal itself at Karaoke night. At first listen, the album lives up to its name. The mood is Carnival-like; upbeat, but with room for reflection. Exonerations of personal demons are shouted out loud. The guitar tones are crisp and genuine. Somewhat like Nelly Furtado, Pink has already rolled with the punches, taking each evolution of sound in stride and making it work for her.
Way To Normal - Ben Folds
Sadly, the reviews of the "joke" album were more promising. Most fans still laud Rockin' The Suburbs as Ben's crowning solo achievement. I already know I'm in the minority, having loved (and continuing to love) 2005's Songs For Silverman more than most. In the drought between albums, Folds toured with John Mayer and put out an amalgam of his EP tracks in Supersunnyspeedgraphic; a disappointing release for any starved fan. WTN starts off participative, yet bizarre, and continues that way. Scantly catchy, but breaking no new ground.
Professor Satchafunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock - Joe Satriani
The more Satch keeps his melodies digestible for the everyman, the more the lurid and ridiculous parts of his personality come through. So evidenced by the ridiculous title. Guitar hero Joe Satriani comes through with yet another stellar degree of musicianship; maintaining restraint while delivering guitar heroics that listeners have come to expect. On this release though, there are no woefully mystic structures like “Made of Tears” or backyard BBQ anthems like “If I Could Fly.” Joe sure is sewing together all the same shredded notes, but the quilt is nothing new.