I decided to break up my top 25 music picks for 2008 into two sepparate posts: this post being a straight list including my choices for 11-25, and tomorrow’s post being my top 10, including explanations of each choice. On to the list —
Music Top 25 for 2008: 11-25
25. Crystal Castles – S/T
24. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
23. Calexico – Carried To Dust
22. The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
21. Portishead – Third
20. Ray Lamontagne – Gossip In The Grain
19. Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
18. Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
17. Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning – Something For All Of Us
16. Fleet Foxes – S/T
15. School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
14. Anathallo – Canopy Glow
13. Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now Youngster
12. Beach House – Devotion
11. Okkervil River – The Stand-Ins
—Stay tuned tomorrow for the conclusion of my top 25, with 1-10 including commentary. Thanks again, and give me some of your favorites in the replies.
-Ant
Ben Folds first proper album in almost 4 years, starts off with a bang, while simultaneously self-proclaiming the heirdom to Elton John’s stage presence. The album really loses its legs after the 4th track, “You Don’t Know Me”, featuring Regina Spektor, a fight between lovers in a love-less relationship. Too many throw-aways in the last half of the album make this a really average album from a really incredible talent.
I never really understood the lore of Bright Eyes until their last album, Cassadega, an amazingly lyrically complex and the alternative country musical stylings. Plainly, the songs become simple and boring, two adjectives you couldn’t use with Cassadega. After seeing them live this past year, the material came to life, an energy that was not efficiently bottled in the studio renditions.
The sophomore album(s) were really hurt by Margot’s label moreso than the quality of the material. If you don’t know the story, Margot created an album, the label didn’t approve, Margot goes back into the studio and creates some radio-friendly dross that will never make it to the radio. Such a shame, you can pick out one good album from both of these disks, but as it stands, it’s a convoluted mess.
MMJ are one of my favorite bands, and hold the honors of being one of my favorite live acts. So what the hell happened? To be honest, minus 3-4 tracks this album is passable, but loathful track “Highly Suspicious” with its pseudo-Prince inspired vocals and over-processed guitars is downright cringe-worthy. I’m not claiming to be a professional, but I can hold a tune, and on some of the songs (Thank You Too!, Look At You, and Smokin From Shootin), Jim James is just flat-out singing out of tune.
I am unapologetic about my genuine love of Ryan Adams; the man is a downright genius. After releasing 3 solid albums in just one year in 2005, I was sold. Although, Cardinology feels as if it was rushed, and many of the songs just seem unfinished. “Fix It” has an undeniable groove at its core, but right as the song gets going, it ends. A lot of the tracks leave you with this feeling, and it makes me wonder, did he spend TOO MUCH time crafting these songs? Maybe he should go back to pushing out 3 albums a year and thinking less.
The Thoroughfare 