The Pixies

I’m sitting here working on my list for the best albums and songs of 2008. I’m trying to catch up on the new releases and revisit albums from earlier this year. I’ve chosen the best song and best record, but I’m fumbling around with the rest. I will post my picks on December 7th.

I haven’t seen Guy Ritchie’s new movie RocknRolla yet. The film received mixed reviews and then the A-Rod divorce scandal hit. However, the soundtrack is phenomenal. The Clash, The Subways, The Beat, The Hives, The Sonics, 20-20’s, War and Lou Reed are some of the artists that contribute tracks. It’s by far his heaviest soundtrack to date.

Download the Rocknrolla Soundtrack from iTunes (Click Here)

Download:
MP3: RocknRolla – No School Like The Old School
MP3: DJ Shadow – Fixed Income (Remix)
MP3: Peaches – I’m The Kinda
MP3: Let’s Go Sailing – Sideways (Remix)
MP3: Amplive from Zion I – Critical (Drum ‘n’ Bass Remix)
MP3: Le Tigre – Deceptacon
MP3: Garage A Trois – Hard Headed Rio Aka Rio Cuca Dura

Dr. John

Wanna be Rich, Wanna be wealthy
I believe I would rather be poor and healthy

This is some nasty funk. I’ve been listening to a ton of The Meters lately. Their catalog runs about 80 deep. Check out The Very Best of the Meters.

Download:
Oscar Brown Jr. – Sin & Soul… and Then Some (iTunes)
The Meters – The Very Best of the Meters (iTunes)
Dr. John – In the Right Place (iTunes)

My list is going to take some serious criticism. I don’t even have the Kings of Leon in my top 25. I’m a big fan of the band, but I was underwhelmed with ‘Only By The Night’. Thoughts?

Omissions: Deerhunter, Deerhoof, Department of Eagles, The Black Keys

Good Picks: Jenny Lewis, Black Mountain, Joan As Police Woman, The Raconteurs, Elbow

Q Magazine // Top 50 Albums Of 2008
50 Dido – Safe Trip Home
49 Emmylou Harris – All I Intended To Be
48 Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
47 Randy Newman – Harps And Angels
46 The Verve – Forth
45 Jack Johnson Sleep Through Static
44 Black Kids – Partie Traumatic
43 Joan As Police Woman – To Survive
42 Liam Finn – I’ll Be Lightning
41 Lindsey Buckingham – Gift Of Screws
40 My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
39 Santogold – Santogold
38 John Mellencamp – Life Death Love & Freedom
37 Lykke Li – Youth Novels
36 R.E.M. – Accelerate
35 The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
34 Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
33 Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules & Love Affair
32 Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul
31 Black Mountain – In The Future

30 Portishead – Third
29 AC/DC – Black Ice
28 Paul Weller – Dreams
27 Neil Diamond – Home Before Dark
26 Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst

I’ve left my apartment once today to walk my dog. I’m not into bargain shopping sprees; I order everything from Amazon.com and ship it back East. I feel sorry for the guys that had to go to the mall with their girlfriends or wives. It’s almost as fun as seeing ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Pt. 2′.

Seasick Steve

Tracks are from the Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England. The 3-day music festival is one of the largest in the world.

Q&A from their website:
Question: Drunk Six Pints? How Long Until You’re Safe to Drive?
Answer: 12 Hours

I’ve had a spirited debate with a friend regarding Bon Iver’s ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ release date. My friend says 2008, I say 2007. The album was self-released in late 2007 and re-released in February of this year. I’m sticking with 2007. A British fan pointed out that the UK release was in 2008. Either way it’s a great album.

Check out Iver’s acoustic sessions @ Daytrotter (click here).

Download:
MP3: Bon Iver – Blindsided
MP3: Bon Iver – Flume (Daytrotter Sessions)

Download:
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (iTunes)

The Whispertown 2000

I received the December issue of Paste today. I really do love this magazine. Great format, photos, reviews and the free monthly CD sampler. She & Him’s M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel grace the cover for winning Paste’s album of year award. I don’t agree with the pick, but they explain their decision in the issue. Look for features on Damon Albarn, Steven Soderbergh and a review of Ryan Adam’s ‘Cardinology’.

Los Angeles’ The Whispertown 2000 record ‘Swim’ is creeping into my Top 25 albums of 2008.

Paste Magazine // Top 50 Albums of 2008 (Click Here)

Download:
MP3: The Deep Vibration – Oklahoma City Woman Blues
MP3: La Rocca – Half Speed
MP3: The Whispertown 2000 – Old Times
*16 more songs can be found on the sampler.

Download:
The Whispertown 2000 – Swim (iTunes)
La Rocca – OK OKAY (iTunes)
The Deep Vibration – Veracruz – EP (iTunes)

TV On The Radio at 50? I would reverse #1 with #50. The She & Him album is worthy of the list, but #1 seems high. It’s hard for me to imagine why The Raconteurs are not ranked in the top 50. Thoughts?

Omissions: The Black Keys, The Raconteurs, Deerhoof, Department of Eagles,

Head Scratchers: She & Him at #1, Lil’ Wayne

PASTE MAGAZINE TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2008
50 TV On The Radio – Dear Science (Interscope)
49 Sandra McCracken – Red Balloon (Towhee)
48 REM – Accelerate (Warner Bros.)
47 Laura Marling – Alas, I Cannot Swim (Astralwerks)
46 Lykke Li – Youth Novels (LL)
45 M83 – Saturdays = Youth (Mute)
44 Kathleen Edwards – Asking For Flowers (Zoë)
43 Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer (Roadrunner)
42 Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down – We Brave Bee Stings & All (KRS)
41 The Tallest Man On Earth – Shallow Grave (Gravitation)
40 Flight of the Conchords – Flight of the Conchords (Sub Pop)
39 The Dodos – Visiter (Frenchkiss)
38 Jamie Lidell – Jim (Warp)
37 Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit – A Larum (Lost Highway)
36 The Bridges – Limits of the Sky (Verve)
35 Colour Revolt – Plunder, Beg and Curse (Fat Possum)
34 Torche – Meanderthal (Hydra Head)
33 Santogold – Santogold (Downtown)
32 Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (Drag City)
31 The Walkmen – You & Me (Gigantic)
30 I’m From Barcelona – Who Killed Harry Houdini? (Mute)
29 Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III (Cash Money/Universal)
28 MGMT – Oracular Spectacular (Columbia)
27 Liam Finn – I’ll Be Lightning (Yep Roc)
26 Lee Ann Womack – Call Me Crazy (MCA Nashville)

For the most part I like this list, but it’s safe. I haven’t listened to the Randy Newman, Goldfrapp or James Blackshaw albums. I think that TV On The Radio’s ‘Dear Science’ should be ranked in the top 10 on all lists. I feel My Morning Jacket is being punished for going “outside of the box” on ‘Evil Urges’. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 1 and PT. 2, I’m Amazed, Evil Urges and Look At You are great songs. Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2 is one of the best songs of the year. I love that the Drive-By Truckers are getting the love that they deserve. Thoughts?

UNCUT MAGAZINE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2008
20 My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
19 Shearwater – Rook
18 Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash
17 Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree
16 Wild Beasts – Limbo, Panto
15 Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
14 Randy Newman – Harps and Angels
13 James Blackshaw – Litany of Echoes
12 The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
11 Drive-by Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

10 Paul Weller – 22 Dreams
9 Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night
8 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
7 Neon Neon – Stainless Style
6 Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
5 Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
4 Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
3 TV On The Radio – Dear Science
2 Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
1 Portishead – Third

ROLLO & GRADY’S TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2008 (CLICK HERE)
MOJO MAGAZINE’S TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2008 (CLICK HERE)
FILTER MAGAZINE’S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2008 (CLICK HERE)
PASTE MAGAZINE’S TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2008 (CLICK HERE)

I consider Bon Iver’s ‘For Emma’ a 2007 release. I love that they excluded Vampire Weekend, one of the most overrated bands of 2008. Fleet Foxes isn’t a bad pick, but I have them ranked somewhere between 11 and 20 on my list. Thoughts?

Good Picks/Bad Rankings: The Black Keys, Elbow, TV On The Radio

Omissions: The Raconteurs, Deerhunter, Deerhoof, Department of Eagles, My Morning Jacket

Head Scratchers: Neil Diamond, Metallica

MOJO TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2008:
50 Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul
49 The Neil Cowley Trio – Loud… Louder… Stop
48 AC/DC – Black Ice
47 Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
46 James Hunter – The Hard Way
45 Metallica – Death Magnetic
44 Goldmund – The Malady Of Elegance
43 Aimee Mann – @#%&*! Smilers
42 Juana Molina – Un Día
41 The Fall – Imperial Wax Solvent
40 The Black Keys – Attack & Release
39 Abe Vigoda – Skeleton
38 Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree
37 Gavin Bryars & Philip Jeck & Alter Ego – The Sinking of the Titanic
36 MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
35 Our Broken Garden – When Your Blackening Shows
34 Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing
33 Kasai Allstars – In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic
32 Seasick Steve – I Started Out With Nothin’ and I Still Got Most of It Left
31 Duffy – Rockferry
30 The Night Marchers – See You in Magic
29 Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbals
28 Neon Neon – Stainless Style
27 M83 – Saturdays=Youth
26 Peter Broderick – Home