Dancing Robots

Dear Lord didn't James Cameron teach us anything?

Skynet bro. Skynet.

I kept waiting for the Schwarz to jump on stage and stomp these bitches under his boot heel. But he didn't. And now we are doomed.

Dancing Sony Robots
by orion1999

PART 3: THE TOP TEN ALBUMS OF '08

Without further ado...

#10- Fuck Buttons- Street Horrrsing 

Terrible band name, I know. Album title? Also not so great. Get over it.

You could probably label this the most "out there" of all the releases on this list. For some, that may be an instant turn off, and that's understandable. Others may be intrigued. I know that I've never enjoyed or despised music for such reasoning. For me music just is. Either it appeals to you, or it don't. Pleasant to the ears, or just a bunch of noise.

And that's a proper segue for this particular review, for many will group Fuck Buttons in with the "noise" category. By definition, it does share some characteristics with certain brands of electronic and post-rock that fall under the the genre of noise music, but Street Horrrsing is far more than that. It mixes elements of cathartic electro (think Stars of the Lid) with house music... and then there are the vocals, if you would call them that. Screamed, distorted and unintelligible, the shouts add a sense of foreboding creepiness to the mix that, when coupled with the more melodic moments of the disc, offer an interesting balance between pleasantry and horror. Perhaps I'm making this sound more inaccessible than it is, because the melodies are there. It's brilliantly produced with huge, bombastic waves of synth. The record plays like an extended suite; one long writhing, fluctuating piece. Street Horrrsing is an exercise in restrained precision, a testament to the power of subtle changes and alterations in electro-music. Put it this way: after listening to thirty second samples at the IStore, you'd think this would get boring. It doesn't.

Highlights: "Sweet Love for Planet Earth," "Bright Tomorrow"

#9- Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes 

Many will have heard of this one by now. I even saw it for sale at the counter of a Starbucks the other day. Go figure. Regardless, there's a reason this full-length debut has been at or near the top of most critical year-end lists this season. It deserves to be.

Pacific Northwest roots folk-rock with Beach Boy harmonies. Oh, those harmonies. Spellbinding. There's a fair share of echo and reverb a la Jim James on earlier My Morning Jacket albums, but Fleet Foxes are their own band. Pristinely clean electric guitar lines, the buzz of finger-picked acoustics. Some barebones offerings are nothing more than the voice of Sam Pecknold and an acoustic guitar, like on "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" where he convincingly laments: "I don't know what I have done, I'm turning myself, to a demon." The fact that the band can craft simple but captivating tunes like these speak to their precocious abilities as songwriters. It's damn refreshing to find an honest-to-God folk record at the top of indie "best of's" across the web. Truly a release that stands up to a barrage of critical hype. The Fleet Foxes are at the crest of an interesting and almost unimaginable new wave of bearded hippie folk in critically lauded indie rock. Finally some earthiness has come to a scene perpetually clogged with overly clever acts making difficult music for the sake of it.

The Best: "White Winter Hymnal" "Ragged Wood" "He Doesn't Know Why"

#8- Deerhunter- Microcastle 

Let me start by getting this out of the way. Most publications have grouped Microcastle with the bonus disc it ended up being released with, Weird Era Cont. I have not. There are several reasons for this:

1.) I does what I wants.

2.) I have not listened to Weird Era enough to pass judgment on it.

3.) I don't see them as one entity as some do. In my estimation, it was never intended that way. It's called Weird Era Cont. It's not disc 2 of Microcastle. Microcastle is its own, complete piece that is paced and arranged as a single, cohesive record. That's part of its beauty.

So that's where I stand on all that. This review pertains strictly to Microcastle, which is my 8th favorite album of the year. Let's move on.

Deerhunter's 2007 release Cryptograms was notable for its Jekyll and Hyde divisiveness. A lengthy album, the first half was sharp, ominous, morbid and often criticized for an abundance of sometimes directionless droning. The second half was decisively more pleasant. It was like stepping out of a cave. On Microcastle, the band has taken up permanent residence outside said cave. This is the "pretty" record people always knew Deerhunter were capable of making. There are still sections where the band indulge in their jammier, instrumental tendencies, but these instances are restrained and far more tasteful than on their previous effort. The three song mini-suite of "Calvary Scars," "Green Jacket," and "Activa" comes to mind. This stretch of the album fits perfectly within the overall framework of the disc, as does virtually every song on here. The cohesiveness and pacing of Microcastle is one of its chief selling points. Then you pick out some of the individual triumphs and realize the album succeeds from a singles standpoint as well. It's beautiful to hear Deerhunter embrace concise pop-rock with immediately catchy tracks like "Agoraphobia" and "Never Stops." Then you get the toe-tapping fuzzed guitar attack of "Nothing Ever Happened" or the distinctly 60's flavor of "Saved By Old Times." Call it shoegaze, dream-pop, or plain old indie rock. It's good. Real good. 

Highlights: "Agoraphobia" "Never Stops" "Nothing Ever Happened" 

#7- The Hold Steady- Stay Positive 

"In Bar light, she looked alright, in day light she looked desperate. That's alright I was desperate too. I'm getting pretty sick of this interview.

Subpoenaed, in Texas, sequestered, in Memphis..."

Oh Craig Finn. You say things good.

So yea, it's a Hold Steady record. It rocks. They sing about drinking. They sing about drugs. And they keep getting better. This is probably the most varied batch of songs they've ever crafted. The previously alluded to "Sequestered in Memphis" is packed with horns. "Lord I'm Discouraged" is essentially a glam-rock ballad. "One for the Cutters" prominently features some toy piano, and title track "Stay Positive" makes heavy use of an organ. Craig Finn continues to grow as a lyricist. The vignettes, the individual stories, and the characters that fill them are more vivid than ever. Hell, he even does a little more traditional "singing" on this record. Good song lyrics, for me, have always been more of a plus than a dealmaker. The writing on Stay Positive is one of the exceptions to that rule. On this album far more than efforts past, the band's subjects are more applicable to personal experience. The tales and the literate gold mines they contain are not as restricted to Finn's recurring cast of characters and the themes that engulf them. Though some of that does appear, and God knows I love it, more of these songs pertain to the everyman. It makes for a more rewarding, more personal listening experience.

Favorites: "Constructive Summer" "Lord I'm Discouraged" "Yea Sapphire" "Slapped Actress"

#6- Q-Tip- The Renaissance 

The hip-hop world is soooooo much better with Tip around. He proves it on the aptly titled Renaissance. Some of that mainstream stuff is enjoyable, sure. The man admits it himself. But at the end of the day, as he questions on album opener "Johnny is Dead," "What good is a' ear if a Q-Tip isn't in it?"

It is his refusal to beat his own realness into the ground that makes this all so enjoyable. How many one-trick "underground" hip-hop records have you heard over the years that were content to merely preach their "superior" emcee skills while tearing down ice-adorned gangster-posturing with uninspired and often recycled wordplay? Q-Tip isn't hear to tell you why he's so much better than anything you're listening to. He doesn't have to. This is realness of a different brand. A heartfelt, relatable document that studies relationships and the inevitable dramatics that accompany male and female interaction.

Songs like uber-optimistic single "Gettin' Up" ("Now look at our lives so colorful, a wonderful spectrum not 1 tone dull, full of excitement and not 1 lull"), or the somber bass funk of "You" with its tale of infidelity ("When I finally realized I couldn't swallow, I had a lump in my throat my stomach hollow"), offer insight into Tip's own personal experience; feelings and situations we've all been subjected to over the years. 

The record is the most soulful hip-hop release I've heard in years. The back-to-back duo of "Life is Better" and "Believe," featuring Norah Jones and D'Angelo on vocal duties respectively, are knockouts. Album closer "Shaka" urges listeners to "Raise your glasses for the lost ones in your life," while Tip gives tribute to his passed brother, father, and friend, J-Dilla.  The Renaissance is the sort of album where you find yourself violently bobbing your head in public places. The coolness and swagger of the thing is infectious and Tip is as liquid smooth as he ever was.

The Abstract is back.

Listen Immediately: "Gettin' Up" You" "Life is Better" "Believe"

#5- Shearwater- Rook 

Jonathan Meiburg has one of those voices. He possesses the sort of magnetic vocal gift that carries entire albums singlehandedly. Fortunately on Rook, he's got plenty of help.

Now whenever a hyper-emotive male vocalist comes along capable of hitting dramatically high notes, we feel obligated to make reference to that most hallowed template of pretty guy singing: Jeff Buckley. You can't help it. It's like trying not to bring up Loveless when writing about shoegaze. There's just nothing you can do to stop it. Of course there is some logical reasoning for the comparison.

Shearwater capture that same sort of moody, burgundy-tinged romanticism that Buckley purveyed on Grace over a decade before them. Rook succeeds largely due to its structure; its balance of soft/loud dynamics. Its ability to snarl one moment and purr the next. Sound familiar? Now in no way am I claiming Meiburg and his band have aped Buckley's work. It's more a case of two brilliant albums achieving a parallel vision in two separate decades while sounding completely unique... if that makes sense.

Rook is unapologetically beautiful, so if you don't do tender too well, then keep your distance. That'd be your loss of course, for it's a captivating record.

Highlights: "Leviathan Bound" "Lost Boys" "The Snow Leopard"

#4- TV On The Radio- Dear Science 

Whenever the most critically anticipated record of the year is able to deliver so thoroughly, it is something to be celebrated. Single "Golden Age" (which stands up to repeat listens as one of the best songs on the album) hinted at a more accessible, less dismal TVOTR record, which proved to be true. What you could not have guessed until listening to Dear Science several times through however is that they would manage to combine dirty New York art-rock with elements of doo-wop, neo-soul and downright funk in so seamless a fashion, that the final product would result in a surprisingly danceable pop album.

Now of course when I say pop, don't misconstrue that. This remains distinctly a TVOTR record. These songs sound exclusively theirs, like no one else could craft them. Still, on Dear Science the band indulges in a wide range of disparate influences, resulting in a more chameleon-like album than ever before. Opener "Halfway Home" starts off with a chorus of "Bah Bah Bah Bah Bah's" that wouldn't feel out of place on a Brian Wilson record. "Dancing Choose" offers an epic-catalogue style rap a la "It's the End of the World..." or "We Didn't Start the Fire." "Family Tree" is a fragile ballad filled with aching strings. "Red Dress" is peppered with horns and funk guitar. Check out the punchy drums throughout the menacing lockstep of "DLZ." It's all there, all in the right place. Co-frontmen Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone still pen some of the most thought provoking shit around: 

"This is beginning to feel like the long winded blues of the never, this is beginning to feel like it's curling up slowly and finding a throat, to choke. This is beginning to feel like the long winded blues of the never, barely controlled locomotive consuming the picture and blowing the crows, to smoke." (Read the rest here)

This is the sound of a band at the height of its powers, making thrillingly modern music that is distinctly 21st century.

Favorites: "Crying" "Golden Age" "Love Dog" "DLZ"

#3- The Walkmen- You & Me 

I would say that no other album this year captured a distinct mood as perfectly as The Walkmen do here. The jangle of that vintage gear, the church-like acoustics, Hamilton Leithauser's croon; it's a perfect storm of underdog optimism. This is the culmination of much time spent honing a sound and a dynamic to the point of perfection. And the more I listened, the more specific Leithauser passages began to jump out in the mix. I started to hear what he was lamenting. That most bemoaned of life's transitional points; the virtual limbo between those last threads of youth and the initial jolt of adulthood and its subsequent settle down. Where the late nights grow redundant and that looming obligation to dig in finally overwhelms. 

Personally, I'm not quite there yet. But we can all see it coming, that aforementioned purgatory between youthful exuberance and expected stability. You & Me tells the story of coming to terms with that point in life where paycheck becomes career, whether that's an impending or present reality. It offers hope for the future while bidding a nostalgic farewell to the past. It is ammo for those fearful of that next daunting step. Use it.

Highlights: "Donde Esta La Playa" "On the Water" "In the New Year" "I Lost You"

#2- Wolf Parade- At Mount Zoomer 

"Call it whatever you will."

Not sure what to call it. Wolf Parade's previous record and full-length debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary was probably what many not familiar with the trappings and commonalities of the indie genre would slap with a capital I. Well, they wouldn't necessarily be wrong. At all. However the word "indie" itself has come to signify so many fucking things, many annoying, that people lose sight of what in the hell it actually stands for. One of the definitions on dictionary.com describes indie as "a pop group not affiliated with a major record company." Fair enough. It is short for independent, no? However, with Sub Pop being home to bands like Nirvana, The White Stripes, Death Cab For Cutie, and Sonic Youth among many others, would any act associated with Sub Pop really fall all that far outside the mainstream? Maybe not. My point is this. Blog-rock constituents across the land developed a massive erection for Wolf Parade when they first came out of the cluttered Montreal music scene, and when they released Queen Mary in 2005 it was hailed as a massive triumph. So the band waits a few years and releases At Mount Zoomer, a record that may fall in with the prog-rock genre more than anything else.

Ballsy. Wolf Parade don't want to be indie poster-boys. They recognize the silly futility of labels in music. Hell, they recognize the frivolousness of virtually everything ("What you know can only mean one thing.") Call it nihilistic. Whatever. It's rock music, at times a bit yelpy, with plenty of synths to go along with plenty of guitar fireworks and more than a shred of negativity. The songs unfold in to multiple parts, turning in unexpected, thrilling different directions. The hooks are monstrous. It's only nine songs long, the last of which is an 11 minute epic. It, At Mount Zoomer, is awesome.

The Best: "Soldier's Grin" "Fine Young Cannibals" "An Animal in Your Care"

#1- Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago 

And then there was one. Quick note: the album was independently released in late '07 but not given the official treatment until '08. Many publications counted it as an '08 release for their lists, as will I considering I didn't get ahold of it until this year. So there.

The more I listened to this album, the more I decided that of all the releases on this list, For Emma was the one I would invariably return to more than any other. To me, this seemed like the perfect qualification for a #1 album. That and the fact that it's virtually flawless.

Bon Iver is Justin Vernon, the man who confined himself to a log cabin in Wisconsin for four months to record this hauntingly intimate snapshot of the Northwoods and the sense of brittle fragility it can mirror in the human spirit. The record drips with a sense of loneliness and longing that could only have been captured by embracing complete confinement. For the record's entirety, Vernon sounds like a man removed.

For a late season soundtrack, For Emma sounds awful warm. It's like watching others out there in all that snow and ice, their breath smoking, the branches of dead trees crystallized and sagging with winter weight while you sit comfortably indoors in front of a fire. There is a definite sense of voyeurism listening to an album that was recorded under such well-documented seclusion. Vernon's painstaking falsetto sounds heart-wrenchingly personal. His voice is the most vital instrument on the album, as its often multi-tracked to provide choral accompaniment to his leads. In a time where there exists a frustrating and even comical over-abundance of uninspiring male acoustic slingers attempting the sensitive songwriter approach, Bon Iver's For Emma Forever Ago points out how innocuous those lesser recordings have become. He demonstrates the unparalleled intimacy the medium has to offer when executed to perfection.

Highlights: "Flume" "The Wolves (Act I and II)" "For Emma" "re: Stacks"

So there you have it. 

Thus concludes my top 30 albums of 2008. Hope you enjoyed reading and found something new to listen to. 

Happy Holidays.

Weeeeehaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

MOOOOHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 

Bears 20, Stupid Losers 17

What in the world just happened?

Quick, everybody do the limbo dance!!!!

While You're Waiting

I know you're all salivating over the top ten, tossing and turning at night with dreams of giant sevens and threes flying by your face. Never fear. It should be up tomorrow. In the mean time, to keep you entertained, I offer several videos as a peace offering. I'm feeling distinctly Hoff-like tonight. Plus, Mark sent me a video of a funny dog. Behold...

TOP 30 OF '08 PART 2

Onward we go. Here's #20 through #11.

#20- She & Him- Volume One

A pleasant surprise. She is Zooey Deschanel, the actress from Almost Famous, Elf, and new Jim Carrey flick Yes Man among others. Him, or he I suppose, is M. Ward, indie folk troubadour and talented multi-instrumentalist. The album is an intensely pleasant trip through A.M. radio. Impressively, with the exception of a few covers (Smokey Robinson, Beatles) these are songs Deschanel penned herself. The magic would be missing without Ward's arrangements however. The acoustics let Zooey's voice command the attention it deserves (see Patsy Cline or Neko Case for a more contemporary comparison). Even more impressive perhaps is the fact that the originals far outshine the duo's takes on the older tunes. A record dripping with nostalgia, this is nuanced, beautiful music that harks back to a simpler time like a grainy projector cycling through slides of summer. Or something like that. Make sure to stick around at the end to hear her belt out "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

Highlights: "Sentimental Heart" "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here" "Got Me"

#19- Little Joy- Little Joy 

The name of the band evokes this self-titled disc pretty perfectly. Fabrizio Morretti, drummer of The Strokes, got together with Rodrigo Amarante, formerly of Brazilian band Los Hermanos, to record this simple and relentlessly pleasant offering. Bossa Nova influences play a major role, but there's plenty of laid-back Strokes cool complete with the razor sharp pop sense that made that band so huge in the first place. Amarante's crooning more than makes up for an absence of Casablancas, and there's some saccharine-sweet vocal turns by Binki Shapiro (real name, check the breezy waltz of "Don't Watch Me Dancing"). This record sounds like it was a blast to make, and the comfort of their environment and the camaraderie it fostered shines through perfectly. It's early sunset cocktail music (Little Joy is actually the name of the local dive where they hung out while working on the album.) You don't have to peel back layers to enjoy this stuff. Although seek out a warmer climate for optimum enjoyment.

Favorites: "Brand New Start" "No One's Better Sake" "Don't Watch Me Dancing" 

#18- The Dodos- Visiter 

Think Animal Collective as a virtuosic acoustic duo. Sort of. They appreciate that band's animalistic tribal clatter to be certain. This is often frantic and thrilling stuff. Epic offerings like "Red and Purple" or "Joe's Waltz," the latter of which clocks in at seven minutes plus, manage to engage throughout. There are also some shorter, poppier endeavors that the duo play closer to the belt. In an album this ambitious and, well, long, such moments of brevity and simplicity are essential. The centerpiece of Visiter is undoubtedly "Fools." The tinny metronomic clacking of drumsticks and the low constant thud of a kickdrum opens as a brief swelling dissonance emerges only to give way to the franticly bright chime of a strummed acoustic. Complete with accentuated shouting and "Oh ohhh" harmonizing, it brings the full package. Reminds me of AC's "Fireworks." The album plays a bit long, hovering around the sixty minute mark, and there are times where things grow a bit tedious, but the rewards are well worth your time.

Check Out: "Red and Purple" "Fools"

#17- M83- Saturday's = Youth

Shameless, hyper-cinematic 80's shoegaze. The cover, the album title, voice-over narrative lyrics with quotes like "I'm 15 years old and I feel it's already too late to live." Anthony Gonzalez bludgeons us over the head with enough new-wave emoting to satisfy an entire Donnie Darko trilogy. This is high-school montage music, fit for the big screen, just a couple generations back. Amazingly, it manages to sound concurrently relevant. This is an unapologetic tribute to a time and a music that obviously had a profound shaping in Gonzalez's makeup, an era he must look back on favorably. That doesn't mean those years weren't filled with their share of pain of course, and herein lies the universality of the thing. The hormonal precariousness and fragility of the teenage mind. They are perhaps the chief tenets of the adolescent experience. I mean, there's a reason they made, and make, so many movies about those years. They're saturated in dramatics, characterized by a perpetual absence of stasis. It is an ebb-and-flow unique and exclusive to the high school demographic. Saturdays=Youth captures this emotional fulcrum. 

Oh and the music's pretty good too.

Standouts: "Kim & Jessie" "Graveyard Girl" "Couleurs"

#16- Department Of Eagles- In Ear Park

Grizzly Bear side project that sounds an awful lot like Grizzly Bear. I'm not complaining. Another case where the aesthetics of the album art capture the feel of the record pretty damn accurately. What's that they say about pictures... they're worth a something something...

You can file it under psych-folk, only the songs feel more narcotic than psychedelic. Many of the tracks here come off more like compositions than tunes. These are pieces, nearly orchestral in their intricacy. From a songwriting perspective, it's some remarkable stuff. If you fail to recognize the symphonic grandiosity of it all, it's bluntly alluded to on "Classical Records":

"Do you listen to your classical records anymore? Or do you let them sleep in their sleeves where they weep?"

Well, personally I don't have any classical records, but I can appreciate the magnitude of those I hear, and I sure can appreciate this.

Standouts: "No One Does It Like You" "Phantom Other" "Balmy Night"

#15- Eagles Of Death Metal- Heart On 

Did I place the two bands with "Eagles" in the title back to back intentionally? Perhaps subconsciously. It does seem like an awful big coincidence.

Well they're pretty much on opposite ends of the spectrum musically, so the similarities end with that most American of birds. This is dirty, scuzzed out, slut-loving rock music that brings people to the dance floor. Check your class at the door. The EODM make no secret of their love of the Rolling Stones, and the template works perfectly. They sing about L.A., and girls, and tight pants on girls, and with song names like "I'm Your Torpedo," "Cheap Thrills," and "Prissy Prancin," well, you get the idea. Compared with say first release Peace Love Death Metal, these songs are not only given some actual studio glossing, they're also just much better songs. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and childhood friend Jesse "The Devil" Hughes (yes, that's his nickname) aspire to have a good time, and it's contagious. Put in on while cruising the highway. Drive really fast.

Highlights: "Anything 'Cept The Truth" "(I Used To Couldn't Dance) Tight Pants" "Cheap Thrills"

#14- Portishead- Third  

 

Those familiar with the trip-hop stylings the band made their name on in the 90's will be in for a surprise. Though groove and rhythm are still strong focal points of this offering, all traces of anything resembling funk are banished. I've always regarded vocalist Beth Gibbons as a feminine parallel to Thom Yorke, and in some senses, you can think of this as a lost Radiohead record... if Radiohead suddenly decided they hated pop music. That's not to say Third is entirely dense. Gibbons' voice alone is enough to earn listeners trust, and just when things begin to grow a trifle too unagreeable, a song like "The Rip" comes along. It begins modestly enough with a pleasant finger picked acoustic arpeggio, only it gradually fades out as that same melodic line is passed to a driving synth as the drums pick up and propel things forward. All the while Gibbons' voice simply floats above the mix, sustaining a single warm note for what seems like a minute before she returns to singing about "Wild, White Horses." If it sounds like heady stuff, well, it is. It's a must hear that requires some patience. Not for sunny days.

Highlights: "The Rip" "Machine Gun" "Magic Doors" 

#13- Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks- Real Emotional Trash 

Best guitar album of the year. Period. If you like big, fuzzed out, extended guitar theatrics paired with 60's throwback story songs then you've come to the right place. It's packed with the former Pavement front man's vague witticisms. Check the first line from album opener "Dragonfly Pie":

"Of all my stoned digressions, some have mutated into the truth."

Classic Malkmus. Are you entirely certain what it means? Nope. Does it sound cool as shit? Yes. Can you interpret it in a number of ways to fit your own personal experience? Absolutely.

This is jam rock for the indie set. The songs themselves are generally top-notch, packed with secret hooks that will have you humming for days whether you want to or not. There are six tunes over the five minute mark, but most of them stave off boredom thanks to some impeccable musicianship and a chemistry you can hear. The band makes a point never to venture too far from the golden pop structures that render the songs so likable in the first place. Malkmus tosses in a couple of shorter pop gems for good measure, making sure to appease just about everybody. The album's a bit frontloaded, but overall it's just fun as hell. Break out the air guitars.

Standouts: "Dragonfly Pie" "Cold Son" "Baltimore"

#12- Cut Copy- In Ghost Colours 

80's new wave meets Chicago house meets synth pop meets modern electro. I know that sounds like a lot, but really, at its core, In Ghost Colours is just a seamless dance record. With a heart. At a time when modern electronic records too often sound cold and over-mechanized, Cut Copy want to hear you to do a little whistling while you shake your ass. These Australians aren't necessarily breaking any new ground, but they take these disparate elements and write mind-numbingly infectious dance rock. This disc came out only a week prior to the previously reviewed M83 release, and I've pretty much paired them with one another all year long. Both capture a distinctly colored, nostalgic summery warmth that was unparalleled in 2008. Again, any contemporary act adopting 80's lyrical and or musical stylings stands a severe risk of conjuring up those cornier, cringe-inducing moments we often associate with the decade. In Ghost Colours is so damn catchy and well-sculpted however, you'll be too giddy to notice.

Highlights: "Feel the Love" "Hearts on Fire" "Far Away"

#11- Kanye West- 808's & Heartbreak 

Now if you'd told me several months back that Kanye would go bat shit and make a Phil Collins record, I would have confiscated your meth lab. Had you told me it would subsequently be one of my favorite albums of the year, I would have punched you right in the face. But here we are.

Of course, we're not really talking about a Phil Collins disc here, but Kanye himself has mentioned the man as an influence, and right off the bat, album opener "Say You Will" shares a striking similarity to Collins staple "In the Air Tonight." Obviously there's plenty to talk about with 808's, and for starters I find it necessary to touch on the sheer ballsiness of the thing. Arguably the largest pop star on planet Earth--a rap artist to boot--decides to make a emotionally revealing, spare electro pop record where he sings... despite of course, a complete inability to carry a tune. Say what you want about the man's mammoth ego, but it certainly acts as a perpetually innovative and fearless muse, driving him to take risks with his career that none of his peers dare attempt. In this case he has crafted yet another genre-buster; a record with top 40 appeal that will stand years down the line as a cohesive, artistic statement. This will undoubtedly act as the cult favorite in the West catalogue--a divisive offering that many fans will turn to first when rifling through the IPod.

Of course there are missteps along the way. The seemingly random contribution of an aggressive verse from Young Jeezy during the tail end of "Amazing," essentially the only traditional rap on the entire album, may seem out of place to some. Also, there is the sense that the ubiquitous presence of West chart-toppers "Heartless" and "Love Lockdown" during the recent months may have actually detracted from the overall effect of the album itself. This may say something about the tendency of billboard music purveyors to bombard the public with a shortlist of hits to the point where they lose their shine. More likely however these particular tracks simply don't fit within the overall framework of the album as well as others do.

But yes, they're still great singles.

The fact that 808's & Heartbreak has been able to stir up as much press as its received speaks to West's unparalleled ability as a self-marketer. It is also a testament to Kanye's incessant need to push the boundaries that confine him, and pop music is the better for it.

Standouts: "Welcome to Heartbreak" "Paranoid" "Bad News"

So there you have it. This concludes Part 2. Stay tuned for the top ten.

THE GETTIN' PLACE'S TOP 30 OF '08: PART 1

You can relax now folks. The definitive list for the best albums of 2008 has finally arrived. Everyone just take a deep breath... that's better.

But in all seriousness, this is always a fun time of year for music lovers. 

It's list season b'iotch! (Did I spell that right? I thought the apostrophe really brought something to the table. It stays.)

Not only are such lists entertaining (Who doesn't like a good list? Give me a catalogue of anything ranked in a subjectively derived numerical order and I'm in), but they inevitably lead to some stimulating conversation. Perhaps 

most importantly, they're often a great way to find some gnartastic new tuneage that may have alluded you over the course of the last twelve months.

So now The Gettin' Place will throw its hat in the ring. 

I will be presenting my 30 favorites of '08 over the next few days, starting with numbers 21-30. I like to think there is something here that everyone can enjoy. Feel free to attack the comments section.

Giddy Up.

#30- The Cool Kids- The Bake Sale EP

This Chicago duo has had a bit of press for some time now (Rolling Stone artists to watch), and you may recognize a couple of joints ("Black Mags" was in a Rhapsody commercial, "88" was in NBA and MLB 2k8). Well if you're not familiar, they're two young Chi-Town gents with a love for bicycles, Sega, and trunk rattling boom-bap beats (throw "One Two" or "Mikey Rocks" on in the whip and turn up those subs... yessssirrr). The EP manages to pay homage to late 80's hip-hop stylings without sounding dated. The lyricism is top-notch, though the subject matter is not your typical rap fare and they certainly don't take themselves too seriously, which is undoubtedly refreshing. And then there's lines like these:

"Midway city is the city where the wind blow, fairly cold, Refrigerator Perry with a little bit o' gold, '85 Bears jersey true blue..."

Good shit.

#29- Justice- A Cross The Universe

Sorry. I can't not include a live Justice album on here. There have been some complaints about the recording method that Xavier and Gaspard utilized (rather than use the soundboard copy of this show from San Francisco, they simply placed mics around the stage) but you know what, I think it works juuuust fine. I have also read that this may not "capture the live Justice experience." Well, some buddies and I had such an experience, and I must say... it sounds about right to me. The roar of the crowd serves as an adrenaline-upper throughout. Why complain about an electronic act that has distinguished and elevated itself from its peers by incorporating hard rock and metal elements into its music for employing a recording approach that may not sound all that pristine? To me, it makes plenty of sense. This is music that does not require perfect acoustics. Blast the shit out of it and you'll understand. Highlights include "Phantom" getting the epic multi-track treatment, "Waters of Nazareth," and a re-working of Soulwax's "NY Excuse." 

Throw on some strobes and turn it up to 11.

#28- The Raconteurs- Consolers Of The Lonely

It can be said that Jack White is one of a handful keeping straight up rock records alive and well in these times. Here we have a case in point. This second offering from Mr. White's other band was a pleasant surprise when it dropped seemingly out of nowhere in March, for its impending arrival was announced a mere week prior to its release. There is no shortage of Led Zep inspired songwriting to be certain, but so what? It doesn't sound tired and you don't get the sense that these are merely average tunes dressed up and glossed over. It may not be breaking new ground and it may not change your life, but the hooks are there and the riffs are huge. In the hands of songwriters less capable than Benson and White, this could be dangerous dad-rock territory. Well, thank goodness these two are at the helm, for the final product is a solid no-frills rock disc steeped in consistency and top-notch musicianship.

Standouts: "Consoler of the Lonely" "Top Yourself" "Attention"

#27- Beach House- Devotion

It's the Mates of State on painkillers. Sort of. Call it dream pop, chamber pop, whatever. It's a very subtle and carefully crafted record that can be easily overlooked. The duo rarely sound spare. There are layers and waves of melody here that keep the generally tame instrumentation--chiefly keys, guitar, some bells and a drum machine--from growing boring or stale. With the exception of "Gila" and "Heart of Chambers," none of these songs really stuck with me after first listen. But keep at it. There's some atypical chordal work and great arrangements. It's easy to admire its beauty but another thing entirely to enjoy it. The reverb is thick, so lyrics can be difficult to decipher. If you're like me, that's not a problem, and if you're inclined to learn exactly what is being said, you will be satisfied:

"Sure you've got a handle on the past, it's why you keep your little lovers in your lap, Give a little more than you like..."

Put on some earbuds and listen around bedtime. Add wine for increased enjoyment.

#26- Beck- Modern Guilt

It seems that Beck grows more nihilistic by the day. His albums seem to follow this trend anyhow. Fortunately for us, with emotions like fear, shame, regret, paranoia, and yes, guilt (many of which can be attributed to a certain political era), comes some pretty damn good music. After the lengthy, jumbled The Information, Beck opts for in exercise in conciseness if not brevity. This disc, produced by Danger Mouse, manages a uniform cohesion without sacrificing its eclecticism. The chief subject is essentially the deterioration of the world we inhabit, and while such pessimism can be taxing, the music itself generally manages to overcome any feelings of heavy-handedness or hyper-seriousness. Quite often in fact, it's catchy as hell and downright danceable. After all, this is a Beck record. Think 60's West coast psychedelic folk, crossed with, well, a Danger Mouse track and that's the feel throughout. It's nice to see this kind of focus from Beck. While I appreciate his chameleon-like tendencies, sometimes a uniform sound doesn't hurt. Let's hope he cheers up. Hasn't he heard? Change has come to America!!!... or something like that.

Highlights: "Gamma Ray" "Youthless" "Modern Guilt"

#25- Plants and Animals- Parc Avenue

Yet another indie band from Montreal. I'm not complaining, it's just noteworthy is all. I don't know what they put in the water up there in Canuck land...

This is markedly different from most of the material of the region however. Sort of a Canadian Midlake. These songs unfold slowly. Fuzzy effect-laden guitars, strings, even pedal steel. I'd file this under freak-folk I suppose. You can instantly realize what fantastic music these guys are capable of, and on some later tracks, they lose their way a bit, perhaps indulging a bit too much in some of their jammier tendencies, reveling in their own abilities while leaving the songs behind. No worries though. The misses are minimal, and one gets the sense that this band has the potential to throw a masterpiece together in the not too distant future. Some might even consider Parc Avenue just that in its own right. They might remind some of certain American acts currently dominating the Pacific Northwest (Fleet Foxes, Blitzen Trapper). Expect big things down the line. All in all an underrated, overlooked, and damn fine debut.

Must hear: "Good Friend" "Faerie Dance" "New Kind of Love"

#24- Girl Talk- Feed The Animals

So I imagine most people have been turned on to Greg Gillis, a.k.a. Girl Talk, at this point. A former biomedical engineer turned full time mashup DJ, Girl Talk has been on a roll of late. His performances have reached event status; sweaty dance parties attended by in-the-know hipsters at clubs, concert halls and festivals across the country. And why not? Anyone that can combine, for example, DMX's "Party Up" with Ozzie's "Iron Man," Radiohead's "No Surprises" with a chopped and shifted bit from that "Mambo Italiano" song, or the Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice" with The Game and 50's "Hate It Or Love It" with great success should be praised. It's dance music for the ADD crowd. The recognition of all those pop gems new and old will make you smile, and then once you hear them blended seamlessly with everything from indie rock (Grizzly Bear, Peter Bjorn & John) to contemporary crunk bangers, well... the dance party begins. See about midway through "Worth It" when he slowly fades "Bittersweet Symphony" into the mix for such an example.

Listen from start to finish a few times. You'll find your own standouts. They won't last long, but another moment will be just around the bend.

#23- Blitzen Trapper- Furr

Doesn't that just look like an old vinyl cover? It plays like it too, only there's plenty of new ideas that keep this sounding immediate rather than recycled. There are adjustments and modifications to the time-tested formulas of their favorite records (and believe me, these guys have a lot of records). They don't settle for formulaic regurgitation. This is not to say they don't wear their love for Neil Young, Dylan, and the Fab Four on their sleeves, but they borrow the right ideas. They're clever and incredibly tuneful, like "Powerman" era Kinks. The country-tinged stompers are here, as well as the eerie folk ballads (check out the title track, the tale of a boy transformed to a wolf). Great album.

Favorites: "Fire and Fast Bullets" "Saturday Nite" "Black River Killer"

#22- MGMT- Oracular Spectacular

Hands down the indie record this year with the most mainstream appeal. Monstrous hooks will do that for a band. In the case of MGMT, it came primarily in the form of album opener and heavily championed single "Time to Pretend." As it should have. It's a great song. This New York duo drew a wealth of Flaming Lips comparisons when the album was released in January. A penchant for eclectic psychedelia, in both their cover art and the songs themselves was mostly responsible. I could make the argument that the first five tracks of this disc are as good as any sequence of songs released all year. Unfortunately, Oracular is a notably front-loaded endeavor and things slow down a bit after that. Still, with jams like the Jagger-channeling (think "Emotional Rescue") falsetto and strut of "Electric Feel" ("Singin ooh girl, shock me like an electric eel. Baby girl, turn me on with your electric feel." Classic.) to "Kids," the synth- pop, 90's club disco stomper that is as anthemic as it is danceable, MGMT crafted one of the most ambitious debuts of the year.

Standouts: "Time to Pretend" "Electric Feel" "Kids"

#21- Lil Wayne- Tha Carter III

I must admit. It took me quite a while to understand what all the fuss was about. Maybe that's part of the charm of this disc. You certainly can't knock Weezy for playing it safe. This album is all over the place. Top 40 club staples ("Lollipop," "Got Money"), trunk rattlers ("A Milli," "3 Peat"), soul samples ("Mr. Carter," "Let the Beat Build") and that's only half of it. By enlisting an army of different producers with different approaches, similar to Jay-Z on The Black Album, things stay interestingly varied throughout. The unifying aspect of course is Wayne himself. Not only is the lyricism incredibly clever and refreshingly unique ("I ain't kinda hot I'm sauna, I sweat money and the bank is my shower, and that pistol is my towel, so stop sweatin' me coward"), but his ability to manipulate his voice, both with and without the aid of effects, allows him a versatility most rappers simply don't have at their disposal. If you appreciate rap or hip-hop to any degree, you will find something to appreciate on The Carter III. The more I throw it on, the more that list of tracks grows.

Highlights: "A Milli" "Mr. Carter" "Shoot Me Down" "Tie My Hands"

So that concludes Part One of our Best of 2008 here at The Gettin' Place. Feel free to debate, criticize, or even agree in the comments section below. Or, if you just wanna say hi, that'd be neat too.

Stay tuned for Part Two, numbers 11-20.