As the title of this post suggests, my Best Albums of '08 list is a tad tardy. While this past year was a lackluster year for music, it's Better '08 than Never. Here's to '09.
My favorite albums of 2008:
10. Air France| No Way Down
Not usually drawn to House music, I thought there was little chance I was going to like No Way Down. However, after my first listen to this daydream of a recrod, I knew I had to take it to the air. Unfortunately walking on clouds is not an option (yet), so when I was preparing my ipod for my flight to Tuscon, AZ, I had to make room for No Way Down's 22 minutes (53.4MB) of space. Taking advantage of my air travel had to begin on the ground. As I drank Tecate in the airport cantina and the bombastic horn section of "Maundy Thursday" took flight I recognized Air France's ability to create music that puts human beings on display (interesting people watching tunes). "June Evenings" is as organic as a House song can be inspiring a feeling of celebration and before I knew it I was looking out my airplane window down on the vast dessert with the poetic (slightly over romanticized) words of "Collapsing At Your Doorstep" lightly reminding me that "its sort of like a dream? No better." Whether it was the free airplane beer, the harp glissandos and woodwinds backed by dance grooves, or other "things," I was transported to my weekday morning drives on Pacific Coast Highway. Suddenly a hand wiped such colors from my vision. I looked to the teenage girl sitting to my left, then up at the flight attendant. "Can I take your trash?" he asked over the vacuum sound of the airplane. I handed him my trash in which he replied, "Welcome Back."
Air France:: Collapsing At Your Door
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9. Fucked Up| Chemistry of Common Life
Chemistry of Common Life politely kicks you in the teeth. This Hardcore Punk album explodes out of the front gate, setting the tone with "Son the Father." Fucked Up makes the flute its bitch with alarming guitar and fist-pumping rhythm tastefully constructed by the Ontario natives. Hardcore is often pigeon holed for it's rigid fan fare and one dimensionality, however, Fucked Up shows that Punk can be experimental. Chemistry is smart and brash, all while being absolutely in control instrumentally further exemplifying Hardcore as more than performance art.
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8. The Kills| Midnight Boom
While Midnight Boom diverts from The Kills' knack to re-imagine the classic rock genre, (as heard on 2003's Keep On Your Mean Side) it still carries all the attitude that makes The Kills so refreshing. "Cheap and Cheerful" and "Getting Down" carries the ethos that Alison "VV" Mosshart has made her own. Her wordless chorus in "Getting Down" shows flare of Donna Sommers and proves equally seductive. Midnight Boom balances on its fulcrum, "Black Balloon," that is an achievement for the band, hypnotizing with hand clap percussion and trance-like combination of vocal synth and ivory. And for all you Gossip Girl fanatics lets not forget "Sour Cherry," that tells us "to shout when you wanna get off the ride." Ironically, Midnight Boom is a ride worth staying on.
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7. Vivian Girls| S/T
Vivian Girl's self-titled album is my surprise of '08. Vivian Girls seem more palatable than fellow audio-hum ladened garage bands like No Age and Wavves . Whether its the Ramones-esque bass rhythms or simply that female vocals are more penetrating through the fuzz, Vivian Girls are more discernible. Their vocals feel far away, however, the style makes you feel like the Vivian Girls are trying that much harder to reach you. "No" is a track in which the only lyric is "no," however, the tone and vocal expression says more than just that. At one point "No" doesn't mean no. The tastiest track is "Where Do You Run To" which sounds like a Beach Boys punk song. The questioning chorus "where do you run to?" is beautifully asked with fragile vocal harmony that is highlighted with a beachfront guitar melody. Their 21 minute debut is straight to the point. While these days craftsman/womanship is associated with progressive epics,Vivian Girls prove there is artistry in brevity.
Vivian Girls:: Where Do You Run To
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6. Little Joy| S/T
Having actually been to the bar this band was named after in Echo Park, CA, I can say that Little Joy is nothing like the busted open cash register or broken mirrors behind the bar top. This album has often been referred to as charming and Little Joy's first disc is well...charming. Little Joy is comprised of Fabrizio Moretti (drummer of the Strokes) Rodrigo Amante (singer/guitarist of Los Hermanos) and the shyly sexy sounding Binki Shapiro. Little Joy sounds like highest concentration of independent spirit that often is dilluted by maintream demands placed on The Strokes. "Brand New Start" is one feel good song of the year, celebrating that "there ain't no lover like the one I got." Little Joy's boutique sound is no more apparent than in "With Strangers," that is made weightless with a soft chant that sounds like it was recorded in a pub. "Evaporar" is a delicate, but, colorful French Cafe tune holding the secret behind this "side project's" enchantment. Little Joy's vintage style allows us to reflect on the simple things (the little joys).
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5. Fleet Foxes| S/T
The Fleet Foxes first self titled LP and larger mainstream success (performing on SNL a must see) has brought the Revivalist Movement to the forefront. With multiple comparisons to the classic bands of yor, Fleet Foxes create harmonies and instrumentals like those in Crosby Stills Nash and Young's arsenal. With rolling rhythme and hymnal vocal tones, Fleet Foxes situate listeners into meditative atmospheres. Front man, Robin Pecknold's lyrical writing isn't anything astounding, but, his voice is one of the greater music findings in '08. If a picture says a thousand words, then Pecknold's tonality does the same. "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" is the most poetic of the tracks with Pecknold singing, "I don't know what I have done/ I'm turning myself into a demon" followed by a dissolving "la da da da..." that rejoices such a commonly doomed transformation. Consequence and loss of innocence are all themes discussed by Romantic poets like William Blake and Fleet Foxes are the sound of Romanticism.
Fleet Foxes:: White Winter Hymnal
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4. The Raconteurs| Consolers of the Lonely
From the opening licks of Consolers of the Lonely and its title track, we know we are going to get a lot of Jack White's "etched in" guitar. Brendan Benson's bluesy vocals and Jack White's chilling eccentric shrill compliment each other nicely, creating a friendly sonic tag team. Consolers covers a range of styles like alternative "Solute Your Solution," rauckous punk injected "Hold Up,"and bluegrass influenced "Top Yourself" that all strive to serve southern blues infused rock and roll. A raconteur is "one who tells anecdotes with wit," so it is no surprise that the cornerstone of Consolers is the ghostly campfire tune "Carolina Drama" in which White tells a story about a kid named Billy who ultimately kills his mother's boyfriend. Consolers doesn't take as many risks as The Rac's debut Broken Boy Soldier and as a result feels straight forward (not lending itself to multiple listens). The group's sophomore album isn't their best, (probably not the 4th best of '08) however, once you see them live you come to understand that the recorded material serves a bigger purpose.
The Raconteurs:: The Switch And The Spur
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3. Black Mountain| In The Future
Black Mountain puts forth an eerie psych-rock record that looks towards what's ahead. I first spotted Black Mountain play "Stormy High" on Conan O'Brian and immediately noted what makes this band stand out from riff laced rock like the Muse. Amber Webber 's shaky vocals are reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick and loosens up what would normally sound more rigid or mainstream ("Stormy High"). Listening to In The Future, you aren't sure if Stephen McBean (singer, guitarist, assumed leader) or Webber is front man/woman; and seeing them live doesn't help answer any role-related questions. Black Mountain seems above the typical constructs of being a rock band, hardly interacting with the crowd and simply playing music. You feel like you are sitting in on a jam session rather than a performance which harkens back to their psych predecessors. While 'Tyrants" and "Wucan" are their most honed tracks, as a listener you don't want to feel put together. Curing your "lose your shit" fever is the seventeen minute fluxing musical cauldron that is "Bright Lights." The incessant repetition of the lyric "bright lights" puts into question what came first the chicken or the egg? (bright or lights?). At that point we know we are consumed by "Bright Lights" as it fosters our introspection with trance organs and inspires tantrums with punching guitar riffs accompanied by Webber's and McBean's angst tone. At one point a vocal effect makes you feel like you are breaking the sound barrier (trippy I know). Undoubtedly, if there was a music and arts festival in a futuristic dystopian Los Angeles (ie. Blade Runner or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) Black Mountain would main stage. Black Mountain is music of the past played in the present that sounds like it came from the future.
Black Mountain:: Wucan
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2. MGMT| Oracular Spectacular
With one of the best songs of '08, in Time to Pretend, MGMT burst onto the scene with an album that seems both effortless and orchestrated. You know a song is good when you can remember the first time you heard it (LAX Marriott driveway in my boss' H2 ). Even better than Time to Pretend's lyrical existential build up and quirky synth is the supporting cast of songs on Oracular Spectacular. You wish you were a roach in the studio ashtray for the recording sessions with Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann. As a great fan of the past psychedelic movements, its inspiring to hear current more accessible bands, like MGMT, channeling such styles. More importantly, they speak to their audiences and create a movement in "Youth" in which they set you sail on Organ waves and then relish in "the youth is starting to change/our youth is starting to change/our youth/together." What made the psychedelic movement in the 60's so poignant was not the tripped out jam sessions, but, the philosophy of "oneness" and the expression of ideals through social experimentation. MGMT holds fast to those principles while creating a very popular record in '08 (not '68) with tracks like "Electric Feel," psych-disco that lives up to its title, and "Kids," club/mash-up/remix favorite of '08." (all you btjunkies check out Justice's remix of "Electric Feel) You know a record has made its mark when everyone wants to put their own on it. More importantly, buy the disc, store it away (time capsule or attic) and let your kids or future generation of audiophiles discover MGMT. Oracular Spectacular is #2 because it has longevity.
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1. Quiet Village| Silent Movie
Cinéma vérité is a naturalistic style of filmmaking that aims to achieve truth through the perception of authentic results. My only exposure to vérité music is when bands would put some pre-roll of the recording session before a song. You feel like you are seated behind the boards listening to it as it happens. This technique is usually a spontaneous afterthought and only works for the one song it leads into. However, Silent Movie is the first musical fly on the wall experience (I've heard) to be produced to achieve such results. This album places you in scenes in which music is used to create the mood (or play as a soundtrack). From street-dangerous pimp grooves in "Circus Horror" to desert isolated rock chants like "Gold Rush," Quiet Village exhibits a vast musical knowledge and then plays tricks on your mind. There are few lyrics (if any) allowing the music to inspire thought and emotion. We are not told the message, we create one. If Quicksilver Messenger Service of the old Haight-Ashbury got their hands on Electronic sounds, this is the music they'd make.
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