Here are some more of the albums that were in consideration for my Top 10 and that I think were especially good in 2008. The first three here would probably all be tied for #11 if I were going to continue ranking.
THE SNOW MAGIC - Dark Dark Dark
This album winks at its morbid themes like an Edward Gorey print (example: the Gashlycrumb Tinies) in a way that would certainly charm the likes of Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, but even more charming are the gypsy-dance turns, Nona Marie Invie’s deft accordion trills, and Invie’s and Marshall LaCount’s counterpoint duets. It’s very entertaining and lovely. Invie demonstrates exquisite timing on the last song, “All the Things.”
Dark Dark Dark: Ashes
MySpace | Website | Blood Onion | Buy
Album Review on Speed of Dark
SUPERIORYOUAREINFERIOR - Rae Spoon
Spoon’s genre is as difficult to pin down as his/her gender (Mr. Spoon was not always a Mr.). But that’s OK because the voice is strikingly beautiful, and electric guitar on folk songs about the Canadian prairies works for me. The title song celebrates each of the Great Lakes, from west to east: “Superior, you are inferior only to the ocean; I wouldn’t worry about it.” I especially fell in love with this song, definitely one of my favorites of the year, which ends with the sound of fireworks exploding.
Rae Spoon: My Heart Is a Piece of Garbage. Fight, Seagulls, Fight!
MySpace | Website | Washboard Records | Buy
BEATING BACK THE CLAWS OF THE COLD - The Pica Beats
This was another late-entry consideration that I need more time with to decide if it’s a true favorite, but I certainly do like a bunch of the songs a lot, especially “Martine As Heavy Lifter,” “Shrinking Violets,” “Poor Old Ra,” “Summer Cutting Kale,” and this one.
the Pica Beats: Shallow Dive
MySpace | Website | Hardly Art | BUY
Album Review on Speed of Dark
KEEP YOUR EYES AHEAD - the Helio Sequence
Solid Gold and School of Seven Bells replaced the Helio Sequence in my Top 10 because I thought those albums had more depth and stronger compositions, but this is still a very beautiful set of songs, and that’s why you see it on other blogs’ 2008 lists. “The Captive Mind” is certainly one of my favorite songs of the year.
the Helio Sequence: The Captive Mind
MySpace | Website | Subpop | BUY
Album Review | The Helio Sequence at Spaceland
AT MOUNT ZOOMER - Wolf Parade
While not as immediately attractive as Apologies to the Queen Mary, I liked the “Dan” songs and even one of the Spencer songs, “California Dreamer.” And I really liked all 11 minutes of “Kissing the Beehive.”
Wolf Parade: Fine Young Cannibals
MySpace | Sub Pop Records | BUY
Album Review | Wolf Parade at the Henry Fonda/Music Box
PICKING A LOCK AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT - These Modern Socks
The first seven songs of this album, which uses space-travel as metaphor for falling in and out of love, are wonderfully chrome-shiny and as slick as Steely Dan could have made them. It turns into kind of ordinary rock in the last three songs, but those first seven are so good, the album is still worthy of more serious consideration than it has had. This example song is not even my very favorite on the album.
These Modern Socks: Picking a Lock at the Speed of Light
MySpace | Website | Label: Dead Electric/TuneCore | BUY
Album Review
MOONBEAMS - Throw Me the Statue
I found several very good songs on this debut full-length, like “Lolita,” “Your Girlfriend’s Car,” “About To Walk,” “This Is How We Kiss,” and “Moonbeams,” but my favorite, and a favorite song of the year, is “Yucatan Gold,” the hilarious story of being stuck with an incompatible, bad-tempered redhead on a two-week vacation to Mexico: “I might love her if I dared/And I’d prob’ly lose my legs/My baby wants bad things/I’m trapped in the middle of a labyrinth”)
Throw Me the Statue: Yucatan Gold
MySpace | Website | Secretly Canadian Records | BUY
Album Review
No Thrill Factor For Me:
Cardinology - Ryan Adams: Maybe I need more time, but I like only one song so far, “Fix It.”
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend: Cute, but I don’t really go for the New England/Caribbean combination.
Missiles - the Dears: I found this not only depressing but paranoid.
Narrow Stairs - Death Cab For Cutie: I meant to review this but never got around to it. It seemed mainly to be saying that life after 20s is boring and not worth living. You’ll get over it, Gibbard.
Skeletal Lamping - Of Montreal: Couldn’t go with the Prince factor.
Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket: Couldn’t go with the Prince factor here either.
April - Mark Kozelek: I love some of Koz’s stuff deeply, but not everything. I did not find anything on this double album that felt fresh or exciting.
For Emma Long Ago - Bon Iver: I reviewed this first back in July 2007, so this must be a re-release. I was kind of surprised when I saw it coming up on others’ lists this year, so I tried it again. I still found no thrill factor compared to my Top 10. If Indie Mom were posting a list, Bon Iver might be on it.
Coming Soon:
More from Uncle T on 2008
Gramma’s Favorite Songs of 2008
Favorite Concerts of 2008
- alt-gramma (320)
- indie.mom (395)
- Uncle T (5)
I don’t get Bon Iver either. Yawn…
December 16th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Bon Iver is just the “it” guy. Skinny Love and For Emma are nice tracks, but nothing better than a dozen other artists in the same genre have done. I’m digging the Micah Blue Smaldone album much more than I did Bon Iver’s last year.
As much as I hate to say so, being a big fan of Mark Kozelek, I was expecting a bit more with “April” as well. I typically don’t skip tracks on his records, but there are only a handful on “April” I listen to regularly. For once, the monotony grew very tiring on some tracks.
For instance, the minute long two-note solo that begins at around the seven minute mark on “Tonight the Sky” is just bloody awful.
December 16th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Hey i am a big fan of Steely Dan, but Mr Walter Becker has a new album called Circus Money, What a great album it is, just had to share that with all the Steely Dan Fans.
From the Legendary Steely Dan Man WALTER BECKER NEW ALBUM ‘Circus Money’ OUT NOW
Unrepentantly and delightfully steely Dan-esque An understated gem.
“ Q “Melodic funky, and as smart as you like.”
The Times **** Uncut ****
Daily Express **** Record Collector
http://www.sonic360.com/walterbecker
December 17th, 2008 at 4:42 am
Alt Gramma - it was great looking through your lists! I liked your ‘no thrill factor’, whcih made me realize MMJ wasn’t on our list, neither was Of Montreal. Kudos to the Helio Sequence mention!
December 17th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
uhm, what’s a prince factor? Are they showing their butt?
December 17th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
re “Prince factor”: I mean screechy falsetto and soul-funk influence. That screechy falsetto is why I don’t like Bon Iver. I’m not much of a MMJ fan in the first place but even my daughter, who is, didn’t like Evil Urges. I probably should give of Montreal more of a try, however.
December 17th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I adore The Dears. Some talented Canadians there! Their taste is awesome too! ive been checking out their featured top 10 playlist on erockster.com. so far so good.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Rae Spoon is one hot tranny..ftms will rule 2009 and beyond. Up with tranny power!
January 21st, 2009 at 12:42 am