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.