There's so much that goes on in a year that I can say with 100% confidence I am forgetting a LOT of music (which also tells me I need to better organize my music collection). Nonetheless, here are the ten I came up with in the span of 45 minutes whilst staring at the wall.
Beach House: Devotion
To give credit where credit is due, I did not know a thing about this band until they appeared on the Gift Horse top friends (where I would I be without the brilliance of Tom?). Devotion makes me want to live out of a car and cruise the highways between Arizona, Nevada, and California for the rest of my life. What I mean by that, I can't clearly express. I just have to leave it at that.
Beach House also shows me what it would be like if Chan Marshall was the lead singer of The Zombies and they all went in on a Holy Grail.
Cat Power: Jukebox
Speaking of Chan Marshall, her early 2008 release Jukebox was something I had to stumble upon later in the year. Her cigarette charred, stained glass voice is enveloping. To be very cliche, she doesn't just sing the words, she honestly does live them out every time she performs. A highlight of the year was seeing her performance at Bonnaroo streamed online. Below is a clip of her covering "I Feel" by The Hot Boys. Her drummer is also noticeably hammered.**To his credit the drummer is Jim White, the extremely talented Australian drummer of The Dirty Three.
Colour Revolt: Plunder, Beg, and Curse
I was in New Orleans for Halloween and missed their set by an hour. I was in Athens the next week and was right on time. Their performance is one of my top shows of 2008 (if such a list might be conjured). Please listen to this album from a handful of very talented Oxford, MS gents.
Department of Eagles: In Ear Park
I've talked enough about this band. Here's the album if you haven't had a chance yet:
Dead Confederate: Wrecking Ball
I was very eager to hear what these guys had put together in a little studio in Austin. And I can't say enough how much I love this album. The mix is perfect, the songs are steady and as a whole, Wrecking Ball evokes exactly what this band is about.
www.deadconfederate.com
www.deadconfederate.com
Mike Doughty: Golden Delicious
Mr. Doughty continues to turn his solo acoustic musings into full-band tracks of pure enjoyment. Sure, it's pop. But it's GOOD HONEST pop. It's not trying to be anything else than what it is. Doughty isn't looking for Billboard charts and he's not looking for the approval of the Brooklyn hipsters. He's writing the music that comes out of him, pure and simple. The kind of free-filter oozing of aural beauty that is unique to every musician. The trick is to stop thinking about what you should write, and write what is there to be written. Doughty has that down pat.
Fleet Foxes: Fleet FoxesAnother top performance of 2008. And enough people are throwing reviews out, that I'll just assume you know what I know.
She and Him: Volume One
I love M. Ward and I've had the hots for Zooey Deschanel since "Elf". OF COURSE I'll listen to their musical collaboration! Paste Magazine has named Volume One as their Album of the Year. I'm very much looking forward to the promised Volume Two. Also, check for M. Ward's new solo release in '09.
The Sparrow Quartet: The Sparrow Quartet
This was a gift for my significant other, which I rightly burned onto my computer before giving to her. How can you beat Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck and Co. "plucking up" (just made that up, i swear) some scholarly bluegrass with a significant dash of the contemplative. Not to mention you can learn some Chinese! In all seriousness however, this is a great headphone album. And you can't beat Abigail's voice. Seriously I will be really mad.
Widespread Panic: Free Somehow
Lastly, but not least-ly, my dear employer. This is not a plug, just a fucking good album
that the hippies will never understand. I've said before that this is John Bell's best vocal effort to date. It is also the studio debut of Jimmy Herring with the band. And it would have been Terry Manning's (producer) attempt at "Wall of Sound-ing" the band, had the band not been like "WTF" to the early mix. I was able to get a listen to that first mix and let's just say all the doo-wops and string-soaked tracks were taken down from eleven. Top tracks from this album include "Angels on High", "Dark Day Program", "Her Dance Needs No Body", "Already Fried", and "Up All Night". Support you local blogger's salary and buy a copy...okay this is a plug.
Well, that does it. One through ten. I encourage all the Rebel Forces regulars to jump on in to this list business.
Lastly, but not least-ly, my dear employer. This is not a plug, just a fucking good album
that the hippies will never understand. I've said before that this is John Bell's best vocal effort to date. It is also the studio debut of Jimmy Herring with the band. And it would have been Terry Manning's (producer) attempt at "Wall of Sound-ing" the band, had the band not been like "WTF" to the early mix. I was able to get a listen to that first mix and let's just say all the doo-wops and string-soaked tracks were taken down from eleven. Top tracks from this album include "Angels on High", "Dark Day Program", "Her Dance Needs No Body", "Already Fried", and "Up All Night". Support you local blogger's salary and buy a copy...okay this is a plug.Well, that does it. One through ten. I encourage all the Rebel Forces regulars to jump on in to this list business.
