ian's Favorite 15 Albums of 2008.
Wow, now i see why i didn't end up finishing last year's Top... HoweverMany list. This takes commitment, and a patience for typing that i don't really have... anywho, it's done. You won't read, and if you do, you probz don't like it. I could care less.
15) Love Is All… - Mixed Up
Best Track: Turn the Radio Off (Maps Remix)
i. This is just a nice little dance album to start off the list. I love this band’s name, and the mixes they make (off their older songs) are a little annoying at times, but it’s quite toe-tapping.
14) Evangelicals - The Evening Descends
Best Track: Midnight Vignette
i. This was one of my earliest liked ablums of the year. I tie this cd in to driving home in a morning hung over, and the cd just passing the time. J.J.’s voice is easily identifiable “in the crowd” of musicians, and although quite odd at times, this makes for a good cd.
13) Neon Neon - Stainless Steel
Best Track: I Lust You
i. The album feels like it’s bringing back the 80s dance wave.. without the shittyness of 80s dance. After just looking the cd up on le Wiki, it is listed as a concept album, and i found myself not even HAVING some of the songs (which is probably why the album didn’t do better). The song Trick or Treat got me into Spank Rock early in the year, and although at some points it gets nearly annoying, the good songs from the cd make up for the rest.
12) MC Chris - MC Chris is Dead
Best Track: Older Crowd
i. I have yet to shake off my love for this nerdcore rapper, and it may end up killing me. I enjoyed this cd much more than Dudgeon Master of Ceremonies, despite it’s lack of sexual explicities and swearing (which is later pointed out in the cd). The zombie theme is odd, but carries through, and the ending song with Andrew W.K. is just pretty funny, but it somehow works. Plus, you can’t dismiss a line i got from the cd, being “if any good comes out of this zombie apocalypse, i hope to see Heath Ledger rise from the grave and reprise his role of The Joker in future Batman movies… too soon?”.
11) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Best Track: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
i. I think i’m with Paul on this one in the fact that i probably didn’t get into this album as much as others did. This is a great cd by a great band, i have no doubt about that, i just didn’t spend as much time listening to it as others did. It’s a happy cd, though, and is a good play on rainy days
10) Tilly and the Wall - O
Best Track: Pot Kettle Black
i. Ohhhhh TillyTillyTilly, where would i be without you?? I love this band, i do, but my interest in them sank a bit as the year went further on, that’s the problem with a short attention span. I would compare this is quality with their last album, meaning that it is quite awesome and the dance potential is, as always, pretty high. The cd just didn’t scream “best of 2008”… even though i am still quite in love with Kianna.
9) DJ /rupture - Uproot
Best Track: Strategy Decay
i. Dancedancedance… it seems that nobody around me realizes how great this DJ is, which is unfortunate, because i very much do. This album is just a continuous song, with such a distinct difference in each actual song. I have yet been able to fully venture into each song, and am too busy enjoying the cd as a whole. Overall, this cd impressed me, as i didn’t know what to expect coming in. After fully listening to this cd, i was left wanting more, which is quite telling of the album itself.
8) Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Best Track: GNG BNG
i. Instrumental hip-hop/dubstep?? I was introduced to many new music terms this year, and the term “dubstep” is quite a good term for this music. The album hit me right from the beginning, and this “Flying Lotus” DJ has much to show for himself… the music is pretty awesome.
7) Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
Best Track: Super Soaked
i. *Le Sigh* 2008 put this band on many maps with their non-indie label release, and as quick as they got on the radar, they were over. Garagey-punk-ish rock by a gal whining about breakups and much more.. i had Jemina Pearl as my background for the longest time, bent backwards on stage in her skinny tight jeans. I can see BYOP getting back together at some point in the future, or Jemina at least doing something more, but maybe i have no idea what i’m talking about.
6) Deerhunter - Microcastle
Best Track: Nothing Ever Happened
i. God, i’m indie. This list was in need of a softer, yet still upbeat tone. I enjoyed this cd as much as i could in the little time i had from when i downloaded it until now, getting everything i could out of it. It was said of this cd that there is a point made to be able to find salvation in art, and this year will probably be spent finding even more likeability in this cd.
5) Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
Best Track: Lenders in the Temple
i. If you know me, you know this cd. Conor is still hot, and his solo status has been apparent for years. I’d hit it, and that’s all that really needs to be said.
4) The Faint - Fasciinatiion
Best Track: Fulcrum and Lever
i. “Hey… so when is The Faint coming out with a new album??” <
3) Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
Best Track: Like This
i. Ever find yourself asking “what if they mixed AC/DC with Unk, or Nirvana with Salt-n-Pepa, or Metallica with Lil Mama”?? Well, neither did i… but apparently Greg Gillis did. What can i say, this album has an enormous amount of dancability, and Girl Talk will never lose it’s usefulness for any good party at college. Even though i consider Mr. Gillis as “jumping the shark” after i realized he is now being played EVERYWHERE, including frat parties (the difficulties of liking music before it gets big), i still can’t help but enjoy the hell out of it. Especially after going to the dance party that is one of his “shows”, this album brings a sense of having fun whenever you play it. I don’t know how much further G.T. can go, but he makes me look forward to shitty rap artists coming out with songs containing good hooks, only for them to be incorporated into future Girl Talk cds.
2) Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
Best Track: Lovecraft in Brooklyn
i. Wow, i was quite impressed by this band in 2008. I had no doubt that this album was going to be at the top of my list this year, and even had them at number one for a pretty long while. The cd itself makes me feel like i have to listen to ALL of it if i start listening to a single song. John Darnielle’s voice is quite distinctive and attractive, even if he himself isn’t all that much (seeing him on YouTube... and let me tell you… ehhhh). But in the today’s scene, attractive usually equals popular, so i’m here looking for more unattractive singers. The cd fluctuates between uppity and more mellow guitar playing, along with more emotional and happy lyrics, and i believe that this album brings everything together quite well. There is so much more to be discovered with this band (they’ve been around since 1991), and i hope to continue following them, along with getting to listen to more of their cds. Playable, meaningful, and a sound all their own.. there isn’t too much more i can ask for in a cd.
1) Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Best Track: Yesterday
i. I am going to grab a page from Paul’s list by saying “this should come as no surprise to anyone”. What can i say? I fucking love Atmosphere, there is no other way about it. Ant/Anthony has produced some of the best beats i have ever heard, and Seven/Slug/Sean’s lyrics are nothing short of phenomenal. Something needs to be said for that single high school day of mine, where i was getting ready for school, and having “Trying To Find a Balance” come on MTV (even though this group is NOWHERE near MTV’s shittyness, and me not knowing what was truly in front of me. This was my year for Atmosphere, with me getting into all of their cds (outside of their very first, which i am currently downloading).
ii. Onto the cd itself. The album has differentiated from their past few cds, for Slug spends the majority of it telling individual stories, instead of focusing on his individual past/present. Within each song, there is a possibility of personally touching with the listener, and Slug speaks of it with a sense of actually being there with each character in the song. In one of the songs that he actually speaks of his own life, in that of “Yesterday”, the ending is quite personal and emotional, and also makes the listener reflect on their own lives (i won’t ruin it, but the people who have listened to it with me have taken note of it). I have yet to hear a lyric that has been bs’ed through, for each word out of his mouth holds its own weight. I can spend so much time going on about this artist, and about this cd, but i shall leave it at that for now.
15) Love Is All… - Mixed Up
Best Track: Turn the Radio Off (Maps Remix)
i. This is just a nice little dance album to start off the list. I love this band’s name, and the mixes they make (off their older songs) are a little annoying at times, but it’s quite toe-tapping.
14) Evangelicals - The Evening Descends
Best Track: Midnight Vignette
i. This was one of my earliest liked ablums of the year. I tie this cd in to driving home in a morning hung over, and the cd just passing the time. J.J.’s voice is easily identifiable “in the crowd” of musicians, and although quite odd at times, this makes for a good cd.
13) Neon Neon - Stainless Steel
Best Track: I Lust You
i. The album feels like it’s bringing back the 80s dance wave.. without the shittyness of 80s dance. After just looking the cd up on le Wiki, it is listed as a concept album, and i found myself not even HAVING some of the songs (which is probably why the album didn’t do better). The song Trick or Treat got me into Spank Rock early in the year, and although at some points it gets nearly annoying, the good songs from the cd make up for the rest.
12) MC Chris - MC Chris is Dead
Best Track: Older Crowd
i. I have yet to shake off my love for this nerdcore rapper, and it may end up killing me. I enjoyed this cd much more than Dudgeon Master of Ceremonies, despite it’s lack of sexual explicities and swearing (which is later pointed out in the cd). The zombie theme is odd, but carries through, and the ending song with Andrew W.K. is just pretty funny, but it somehow works. Plus, you can’t dismiss a line i got from the cd, being “if any good comes out of this zombie apocalypse, i hope to see Heath Ledger rise from the grave and reprise his role of The Joker in future Batman movies… too soon?”.
11) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Best Track: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
i. I think i’m with Paul on this one in the fact that i probably didn’t get into this album as much as others did. This is a great cd by a great band, i have no doubt about that, i just didn’t spend as much time listening to it as others did. It’s a happy cd, though, and is a good play on rainy days
10) Tilly and the Wall - O
Best Track: Pot Kettle Black
i. Ohhhhh TillyTillyTilly, where would i be without you?? I love this band, i do, but my interest in them sank a bit as the year went further on, that’s the problem with a short attention span. I would compare this is quality with their last album, meaning that it is quite awesome and the dance potential is, as always, pretty high. The cd just didn’t scream “best of 2008”… even though i am still quite in love with Kianna.
9) DJ /rupture - Uproot
Best Track: Strategy Decay
i. Dancedancedance… it seems that nobody around me realizes how great this DJ is, which is unfortunate, because i very much do. This album is just a continuous song, with such a distinct difference in each actual song. I have yet been able to fully venture into each song, and am too busy enjoying the cd as a whole. Overall, this cd impressed me, as i didn’t know what to expect coming in. After fully listening to this cd, i was left wanting more, which is quite telling of the album itself.
8) Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Best Track: GNG BNG
i. Instrumental hip-hop/dubstep?? I was introduced to many new music terms this year, and the term “dubstep” is quite a good term for this music. The album hit me right from the beginning, and this “Flying Lotus” DJ has much to show for himself… the music is pretty awesome.
7) Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
Best Track: Super Soaked
i. *Le Sigh* 2008 put this band on many maps with their non-indie label release, and as quick as they got on the radar, they were over. Garagey-punk-ish rock by a gal whining about breakups and much more.. i had Jemina Pearl as my background for the longest time, bent backwards on stage in her skinny tight jeans. I can see BYOP getting back together at some point in the future, or Jemina at least doing something more, but maybe i have no idea what i’m talking about.
6) Deerhunter - Microcastle
Best Track: Nothing Ever Happened
i. God, i’m indie. This list was in need of a softer, yet still upbeat tone. I enjoyed this cd as much as i could in the little time i had from when i downloaded it until now, getting everything i could out of it. It was said of this cd that there is a point made to be able to find salvation in art, and this year will probably be spent finding even more likeability in this cd.
5) Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
Best Track: Lenders in the Temple
i. If you know me, you know this cd. Conor is still hot, and his solo status has been apparent for years. I’d hit it, and that’s all that really needs to be said.
4) The Faint - Fasciinatiion
Best Track: Fulcrum and Lever
i. “Hey… so when is The Faint coming out with a new album??” <
3) Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
Best Track: Like This
i. Ever find yourself asking “what if they mixed AC/DC with Unk, or Nirvana with Salt-n-Pepa, or Metallica with Lil Mama”?? Well, neither did i… but apparently Greg Gillis did. What can i say, this album has an enormous amount of dancability, and Girl Talk will never lose it’s usefulness for any good party at college. Even though i consider Mr. Gillis as “jumping the shark” after i realized he is now being played EVERYWHERE, including frat parties (the difficulties of liking music before it gets big), i still can’t help but enjoy the hell out of it. Especially after going to the dance party that is one of his “shows”, this album brings a sense of having fun whenever you play it. I don’t know how much further G.T. can go, but he makes me look forward to shitty rap artists coming out with songs containing good hooks, only for them to be incorporated into future Girl Talk cds.
2) Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
Best Track: Lovecraft in Brooklyn
i. Wow, i was quite impressed by this band in 2008. I had no doubt that this album was going to be at the top of my list this year, and even had them at number one for a pretty long while. The cd itself makes me feel like i have to listen to ALL of it if i start listening to a single song. John Darnielle’s voice is quite distinctive and attractive, even if he himself isn’t all that much (seeing him on YouTube... and let me tell you… ehhhh). But in the today’s scene, attractive usually equals popular, so i’m here looking for more unattractive singers. The cd fluctuates between uppity and more mellow guitar playing, along with more emotional and happy lyrics, and i believe that this album brings everything together quite well. There is so much more to be discovered with this band (they’ve been around since 1991), and i hope to continue following them, along with getting to listen to more of their cds. Playable, meaningful, and a sound all their own.. there isn’t too much more i can ask for in a cd.
1) Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Best Track: Yesterday
i. I am going to grab a page from Paul’s list by saying “this should come as no surprise to anyone”. What can i say? I fucking love Atmosphere, there is no other way about it. Ant/Anthony has produced some of the best beats i have ever heard, and Seven/Slug/Sean’s lyrics are nothing short of phenomenal. Something needs to be said for that single high school day of mine, where i was getting ready for school, and having “Trying To Find a Balance” come on MTV (even though this group is NOWHERE near MTV’s shittyness, and me not knowing what was truly in front of me. This was my year for Atmosphere, with me getting into all of their cds (outside of their very first, which i am currently downloading).
ii. Onto the cd itself. The album has differentiated from their past few cds, for Slug spends the majority of it telling individual stories, instead of focusing on his individual past/present. Within each song, there is a possibility of personally touching with the listener, and Slug speaks of it with a sense of actually being there with each character in the song. In one of the songs that he actually speaks of his own life, in that of “Yesterday”, the ending is quite personal and emotional, and also makes the listener reflect on their own lives (i won’t ruin it, but the people who have listened to it with me have taken note of it). I have yet to hear a lyric that has been bs’ed through, for each word out of his mouth holds its own weight. I can spend so much time going on about this artist, and about this cd, but i shall leave it at that for now.