More Best Music of 2008

Continuing my previous entry of my picks for best music of 2008.

Honorable Mentions:

The Parties : Can't Come Down

This band proves that imitation and innovation really can be the same thing. This LA-based band channels the spirit and sound of the mid-'60s British Invasion, but with all-original songwriting. Their music sounds like the stuff you'd hear on a classic rock radio spotlight on 1966, except that you're hearing every song for the first time. They have that jangly Byrds-style guitar sound, loose-sounding vintage snare drum set, and all-analog amps. I've always had a soft spot for '60s rock, and these guys have it nailed.

Ladytron : Velocifero

The fourth studio album by this British electronica act has a sound like a darker Stereolab crossed with Joy Division. Ladytron fetures two female lead singers: Scotswoman Helen Marnie sings in English and Bulgarian Mira Arroyo sings in her native language. The album came out in late September, and has a dark, seductive sound that was just perfect for Halloween.

She and Him : Volume One

She and Him is a folk-pop duo of producer and multi-instrumentalist M. Ward and the film actress Zooey Deschanel. The sound harkens back to the '60s girl groups, with clean and simple arrangements that let Deschanel's voice really shine. The album won't knock your socks off, but it sure will make you smile.

The Hold Steady : Stay Positive

Another solid, dependable rock album from America's greatest bar band.


Best Amazing Song From an Otherwise Just-Okay Album

The Broken West : Now or Heaven : "Gwen, Now And Then"

This track came up repeatedly on my Pandora playlist, and I just really liked it. The review on the Onion AV Club was lukewarm, but I don't always agree with their critics, so I bought the whole album because of this great song. Turns out that the rest of the album isn't bad, but it doesn't hold up to the expectation set by this really good song. Their sound owes a lot to Death Cab for Cutie, with a nod to early REM.


Best "Hey-- They're New to Me!" Albums of 2008:

The next three albums came out in the past but somehow completely escaped my notice until this year. I had never even heard of these acts until 2008, and my world was emptier without them without my even noticing...

The Bats : Daddy's Highway (1987)

This album sounds far too contemporary for it to be 21 years old. It was featured in an All Songs Considered special on the music of the '80s, as an example of '80s music that hinted at the 21st century. The Bats were (and still are) very popular in their homeland of New Zealand, but have had little-to-no exposure in the US, except in a few college radio markets.

Neutral Milk Hotel : In The Aeroplane, Over The Sea (1998)

Considered a true classic of alternative music, I still don't know how I missed this one. I guess that I just wasn't all that into new music in the late '90s. One of the founding bands of the Elephant 6 Collective, NMH is only "on hiatus," but has only performed in public once since their final show in 1998. The music is catchy, infectious, and brilliant, but with very disturbing lyrics under its upbeat music. eMusic.com lists it as #1 of the top 100 albums available on the service.

Kinski : SpaceLaunch for Frenchie (1999)

Driving, droning, ambient mostly-instrumental post-rock. Kinski is extremely experimental, but retains a tonality and dedication to strong melody that sometimes splinters into chaos or explodes into oblivion, but never loses touch with the muse. Wonderful stuff.


Biggest Disappointments:

Bon Iver : For Emily, Forever Ago

I really wanted to like this album. I really did. Bon Iver (a play on "bonne hiver," French for "happy winter") is the stage name of Wisconsin-based Justin Vernon. This is stripped-down, highly personal folk-rock, and Vernon really bares his soul. This album tops the best-of-the-year list for just about every rock and music critic that I follow. The album was released to select critics in December of last year for early reviews, and it became the darling of the whole alt- and indie-rock world soon after its February 2008 general release. I bought it after hearing the opening track "Flume" on NPR's podcast All Songs Considered, figuring that the good stuff would be on the rest of the album. And I just can't get into it. I find Vernon's falsetto voice grating, and the arrangements too spare to be interesting. Maybe I'll come around to it, once I force myself to listen to it a few more times. It may grow on me.

My Morning Jacket : Evil Urges

This is an album that splits critics down the middle: people either love it or hate it. I'm in the latter camp. Fortunately, I didn't actually buy the album, but I did manage to listen to all but three tracks that are available legally for free around the Internet. I loved My Morning Jacket's earlier albums, and I'm all for innovation and for bands pushing their envelopes. However, if I ever hear "Highly Suspicious" again, I may decide to run into traffic just to get away from the awful noise

Now, we move to the section of the review where I talk about albums that I don't actually own.

Other Critics' Top Picks That I Think I'll Like But Haven't Gotten Around To Yet:

(Yes, any of these would make good Christmas presents...)

Blitzen Trapper : Furr
Fleet Foxes : Fleet Foxes
Sia : Some People Have Real Problems
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds : Dig! Lazarus! Dig!
David Byrne and Brian Eno : Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Portishead : Third
Los Campisinos : Hold On There, Youngster
Coldplay : Viva La Vida
The Eagles of Death Metal : Heart On


Top Turkeys of 2008:

Definitely Not Worth The Wait Award:

Guns 'n Roses : Chinese Democracy

Yawn. Oh, and it's only available at Best Buy. Are you a Pepper too?


Schadenfreude Award:

Metallica : Death Magnetic

I used to like Metallica, until they got all preachy about electronic distribution/downloading, greedy with concert ticket prices, and suing individuals who downloaded their music. Oh, and that they haven't released a decent album since the early '90s. Their new album has some decent shredding, but totally banal lyrics. Also, the mixing is reportedly highly compressed, making it sound really loud, but with no dynamic range. The joke is on them, though: Copies of the master tapes of the album were leaked and posted on the Pirate Bay, and enterprising individuals have re-mixed the album so that it actually sounds good. So-- if you download this album from the Pirate Bay, you just might get a superior product for free! Take that, Lars Ulrich! (Not that I am suggesting that you actually do that, of course. That would be wrong.)