23 of the best bought albums of 2008

why 23 you ask? hmm i dunno. some strange coincidence perhaps...?
(really it just came out that way)

as the year draws to an end, you can see the onslaught of those lists. you know which lists i mean. those 'best of' lists by Spin, Exclaim!, Associated Press, Rolling Stone, The Guardian...etc.
so just as the title says, i have made my own little list of the best purchased (and some...not...exactly purchased. shhhh) albums that were released this past year. keep in mind, of course: bias. i am being completely biased here. my own opinions/thoughts/loves...you can dis/agree with any of these. it's all for jolly good fun !
oh and, the list is in just a loose order.
so, let's go !

#23: Vincent Vincent & The Villains "Gospel Bombs"
their first (and last) album, "Gospel Bombs" is an array of great fun, reminiscent of the old 50s rock. First heard of through my love of Charlie Waller (The Rumble Strips). They recently split though. Sadly.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: On My Own, Sweet Girlfriend, Beast.

#22: Hayden "In Fields & Town"
first time that i saw singer Hayden, i didn't exactly know that it was him...Ottawa Bluesfest, the night that Brian Wilson was also playing. him and i am guessing his father were just looking around at the merchandise for Wilson...i thought he looked like Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne. it was only til later on that i realized that it was Hayden.
another anecdote: his album, i have to say it, was not purchased by me. it was found, rather, at work. he played at the National Arts Centre with Feist...annnnnnnnnnd someone had left that CD there. (how sad...) so, i gave it a listen as soon as i got home...and really enjoyed it.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Van Song, Did I Wake Up Beside You?, Damn This Feeling

#21: Matt Costa, "Unfamiliar Faces"
such a pop-influenced album, really. but i love it, from the opening "Mr. Pitiful" til it's closing "Miss Magnolia". he strings in light melodies throughout as well, perfectly matching his voice, with "Never Looking Back"...
Songs Worthy of a Listen: besides mentioned, Emergency Call and Cigarette Eyes

#20: She & Him, "Volume One"
i've liked Zooey Deschanel's voice from first hearing her sing in Elf. such a richness she has...
(and she's so cute in that film! pinch-of-the-cheeks kind of cute.)
she's teamed up with a guitarist, M. Ward, for this album which is also very much a pop album, but so great.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?, Sentimental Heart, You Really Got A Hold On Me

#19: We Are Scientists "Brain Thrust Mastery"
with a title that is just as strange and crazy as them, one can only expect that it's just as great as their first album - and it is! it is, indeed. as they have put in their own words, their music is "rock music of the thoughtful, sometimes epic, often loud, vaguely danceable, implicitly humanist variety". without Michael Tapper on drums and backing vocals though, they've still created an awesome album.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Ghouls, Impatience, After Hours, Chick Lit

#18: Said The Whale "Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia"
i first heard "The Light Is You" from a commercial for Sun Rype - an orange juice of some sort - and it just stuck in my head. had to look it up. lo and behold, it was Canadian band Said The Whale. took a listen to their other songs, and really liked them. really, really liked them.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: The Light Is You, Curse of the Currents(! kleenex song !), Fish & Stars II, Live Off Lamb

#17: The Black Keys "Attack & Release"
a friend of mine had recommended them to me, and since then i've really enjoyed this album.
it is also reminiscent of the blues-rock genre of music, in the strain of Hendrix...(i find.)
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Strange Times, Psychotic Girl, Oceans And Streams

#16: Ray LaMontagne "Gossip In The Grain"
that soft, sultry voice of Ray LaMontagne comes back with Gossip In The Grain. again, i have to say that's it's infused with more pop-ish sounds, but does still have those slow/sweet songs that LaMontagne is so exceptional at...
Songs Worthy of a Listen: You Are The Best Thing, Meg White, Hey Me Hey Mama

#15: Matt Mays + El Torpedo "Terminal Romance"
a much more pop-ish sounding album than their first one, but still rock-infused.
with some songs it still has that 'epic' sound to it...
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Tall Trees, Terminal Romance, Long Since Gone

#14: Born Ruffians "Red, Yellow & Blue"
this album is teeming with awesomeness. from the yelps of Luke Lalonde, through to the pumping bass line of Mitch Derosier, to the drum beats of Steven Hamelin. they are just a lot of fun, and it is shown most definitely in their music. they even have fun song titles - "Badonkadonkey"..."Foxes Mate For Life".
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Hedonistic Me, I Need A Life, Little Garcon, Barnacle Goose

#13: Plants & Animals "Parc Avenue"
yet another great Canadian trio. to be honest, i hadn't heard of them before they played at the Ottawa Bluesfest this year, and i had watched them perform. i was drawn into their music. (and also their drummer, Matthew 'the Woodman' Woodley - he has such a different way of drumming: up front/centre making his presence known, instead of skulking in the background.)
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Good Friend, Mercy, Feedback In The Field

#12: Fleet Foxes "Fleet Foxes"
such indie-hippie-rockers these guys are. and they have made an album that is such a great achievement. they've had a lot of great reviews from the music industry,blogs, etc...and they do deserve it. this album is definitely a 'must-hear' for everyone.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: White Winter Hymnal, Ragged Wood, Blue Ridge Mountains

#11: Conor Oberst "Conor Oberst"
conor oberst never really ceased to surprise me. except with this solo album. yeah, so his music with Bright Eyes always had a little bit of that folk undertones to it...but you could practically call this a folk album. folk-rock. they - as in music critiques and those music peoples - would see him as possibly the next Bob Dylan, or the Dylan of our generation (even if Dylan is still going.) and i can see why. the lyrics tell wonderful stories. the music is just right.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Cape Canaveral, I Don't Want To Die (In the Hospital), Milk Thistle

#10: MGMT "Oracular Spectacular"
the new psychedelic-indie band of the year...in Britain. yeah, they've apparently become huge in Britain. but doesn't everyone? (that's arguable.)
this album though is the definition of what is called the "new psychedelic-indie-rock."
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Kids, Pieces Of What, Time To Pretend

#9: Radiohead "In Rainbows" *
this one is an exception. released digitally in 2007, BUT i am not talking about digital here. i'm talking bout physically released. on CD. on an LP. on an actual disc. holding it right there...in your hands. oh, you get the idea. so it is yet another awesome album for Radiohead. what more can i say?
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Nude (also, if you can find the Holy Fuck remix of this song), Bodysnatchers, Videotape, The Reckoner

#8: Sam Roberts Band "Love At The End Of The World"
Sam Roberts came back with even more rock 'n roll in this album. a lot more fun as well. just an overall fun-to-rock-out-to album. seriously. try to give a listen without dancing/jumping about. it's difficult.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Detroit '67, Lions Of The Kalahari, Words & Fire, Fixed To Ruin

#7: Jason Collett "Here's To Being Here"
more Canadian folk-rock, and Jason Collett at his best! even as i write this i'm listening to...
okay, so maybe not this album, but his Idols of Exile album. anyways, this one really is...is...
i don't want to say great. or awesome. even though it is both. how to describe? it's...it's...
it is Jason Collett at his most creative, lyrically and musically. you just need to listen to it.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Charlyn Angel of Kensington, No Redemption Song, Out Of Time, Not Over You

#6: Wolf Parade "At Mount Zoomer"
the only thing about this album that i have to complain about is that it is too short!
okay, well maybe not, because it all just works somehow - there is just enough songs to be completely satisfied with, since it's one great second album from Wolf Parade. besides, "Kissing the Beehive" takes up about a good 10 minutes or so...so, it really does make up in the end. it's a great collaboration between Krug's enigmatic lyrics (and wonderful voice. i am so captivated by his voice) and Boeckner's seemingly-simple-but-not lyrics. those two just work together oh-so-well. as well as the drummer and the other synth. player...who at present moment cannot remember their names...
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Kissing The Beehive, Animal In Your Care, Call It A Ritual

#5: Flight Of The Conchords "Flight Of The Conchords"
if you have not even heard of these guys - "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo" - then you must have been living under some sort of rock for the past year(s). one quick search in youtube, and you will soon be laughing till it hurts in no time. hilarious. 'nuff said.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Business Time, Albi the Racist Dragon, Bowie, Hip-Hopopotamus vs. The Rhymenoceros

#4: Vampire Weekend "Vampire Weekend"
like MGMT, they've become one of the biggest bands in the UK. as well as here...i think.
and who couldn't love their preppy-pop-indie-rock sound? even their style screams "I AM SO LIKE TOTALLY PREPPY." it's the hooks though that got me. no, the lyrics don't have to make any sort of sense! it's just a lot of fun to bounce around to! fun times all around! hurrah!
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Oxford Comma, Walcott, Mansard Roof, M79

#3: Cold War Kids "Loyalty To Loyalty"
honestly. one of the most underrated indie bands today. they should be in the press a bit more, because they are one amazing band. and this album shows off their wonderful musicianship. i've wrote about this before and i cannot stress enough the amazing songwriting of Nathan Willett. he seems to capture reality almost perfectly. seemingly depressing lyrics, they are stories of people, told and sung in just the way that no one else really could. "Loyalty To Loyalty" should be on everyone's iPod/music lists...what-have-you.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: all. in particular though: Welcome To The Occupation, Every Valley Is Not A Lake, Golden Gate Jumpers, Cryptomnesia, Dreams Old Men Dream

#2: Muse "H.A.A.R.P"
THE quintessential Live album. ever. laced with songs from their their best selling albums, as well as with oldies that were also best-selling - this is the perfect compilation and is exceptional live! from Wembley stadium! one of those "wish-i-could-have-been-there" type of concerts.
Songs Worthy of a Listen: Knights of Cydonia is amazing live (sure gets you pumped), Apocalypse Please, Blackout (although, not on the CD, only on the DVD), Stockholm Syndrome

and coming in at Number 1:
Surprise, surprise - Coldplay "Viva La Vida/Prospekt's March" Version
double-whammy of hits! exciting! amazing! awesomeness! Coldplay at their best since A Rush Of Blood...
right, so X&Y was also great...but really. this album is so incredibly different from the rest. it's practically one great song after another. i have sympathies for Coldplay though, most recently with their song-controversies...
Songs Worthy of a Listen: (besides Viva La Vida, Lost, and Violet Hill)
on Viva La Vida: Strawberry Swing, 42, Lovers In Japan
on Prospekt's March: Postcards From Far Away, Glass Of Water, Prospekt's March/Poppyfields

it's been a long time, long time now

i am really quite impressed with Beirut's Zach Condon.
a 20-something, Santa Fe native, high school drop-out...making Eastern European-Balkan-inspired-gypsy music, and becoming more well-known around...well, everywhere.

what impresses me the most about him - not his youth (well, relatively young-ish age)...
not the fact that he's from Santa Fe and singing Balkan-styles of music...
nor the fact that he started recording electronic-influenced music at the age of 15...
nor the fact that he also made a doo-wop-Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers-inspired record at the age of 16...

it's...his voice.
especially live (although, i have not had the pleasure yet of hearing him live, and in person - you know, like 10 feet away-type of deal)

but from these Take Away Shows that i love to watch now and then when there's a good or interesting band, he manages to sound almost perfectly in pitch.

the first song he sings, Nantes, struck some sort of emotional chord within...that i was practically on the verge of tears.
yes. i admit to it.

i think it's the perfect combination of melody, and his tone that really gets me, as he seems to have a very 'warming' quality to his singing voice. (okay. warming is not...the right grammatical way of putting it. deal.)

also for Zach, himself. he's energetic. he's fun to watch...as he's uber cute (!!!), but also fun to watch because (you can tell) that he loves to make music.
"Frail Zach, with his skinny yet magical arms."

as for his music, the two records that are out now (Gulag Orkestar, and The Flying Club Cup) are incredibly good to listen to if you do enjoy the East-European-Balkan-gypsy styles of music.
DeVotchKa come to mind first, Gogol Bordello is a bit too too punk, but still insanely great nonetheless.

go: more Beirut on the Take Away shows.

photo courtesy of: *Ethel on Flickr.

frank's wild years...

tee dubya.

so, if you do not know who i am talking about, then you must have been under some sort of large rock for quite some years. or...you just were not introduced to his music. sadly.

i am of course talking about mister Tom Waits. yes, indeedy.
here's a little run-down of who he is, for those who have not had the listening pleasure of his music:

1) known for his voice, described as follows: "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."
2) also known for his theatrics - in a good way...not negatively speaking here.
3) (for those who have seen it) Coffee & Cigarettes: the scene with Iggy Pop. a classic. (for those who have not seen this...i do recommend renting/borrowing it)
4) his music: so unlike anything that is out there...even in his earlier hey-days, he would be making music that was drastically different from the mainstream.

lately, i've been listening to a lot of his music - re-acquainting myself, let's say, as i haven't listened to his music in quite a while. (i tend to go in phases. listen to a lot of one particular artist for a span of time, then go on to another...then go back to the other artist for another span of time)
then, from an encounter with a friend, who happened to mention him, i've just been listening to mister tee dubya practically everyday now.

got my hands on some of his earlier stuff - coincidentally, those albums are titled The Early Years.
i was quite surprised to find that in his early music, he doesn't have that gruff voice that he has come to be known for - not just yet anyways. it was surprising because the voice that i was hearing did not sound a thing like the tom waits that i was first introduced to...and it sounded rather pleasant.

so, if you like acoustic-mellow-sounding music, take a listen to his Early Years albums...bound to be pleasing.
and then if you are so bold, take a listen to these: Blood Money stands out, Frank's Wild Years, Swordfishtrombone, and of course the 3-disc Orphans, Brawlers, Bawlers, & Bastards.

these are just a few of the albums that i am recommending...i could even just go ahead and recommend all of his albums ! if someone were to have the time to go and listen to them from start to finish...if they wanted to. (i wonder...hmm...)

*another tid-bit: if you watch Shrek 2, listen in for his song "Little Drop Of Poison", played in the 'bar' scene with Captain Hook playing the piano part*

CBC Radio 2 Drive

i am currently listening to the awesome voice of one mister Rich Terfry....also known as Buck 65, or Dirk Thornton...
he has other aliases...but i don't know them at present moment.

he has put a temporary hold on touring/Buck 65 stuff to do some radio DJ-ing...something that apparently he loves to do, and has always wanted to do...
as he puts it on his website:

"It's going to be a learning experience, but I love radio and have always seen it as my dream job. And on the program I'm basically playing music and telling stories, my two favorite things!

For more information on the relaunch of Radio 2 and my new Drive program, please CLICK HERE.

For live international streaming of my program starting on September 2nd, please CLICK HERE. Live streaming happens from 2pm to 5pm Eastern Standard Time (EST)."

and so far, he's doing a great job. i've been listening in to his show, trying to catch it from start to finish, and it's been a lot of fun listening to him...
he does play a lot of great Canadian stuff, but not only Canadian either...he's played Caribbean, European, roots, grass roots, country, rap, and much more worldly stuff...
(listening today, he played my absolute favourite recent Coldplay song: Strawberry Swing !!!)

i just discovered a band from listening to this station, that are in fact from Ottawa: Hilotrons.
i think i shall enjoy them...as i enjoyed their song that was played.
i have heard of them before, but i haven't heard anything by them...until now.

being a DJ and musician himself, he undoubtedly knows his stuff, and what he is doing...so, once again i encourage everyone who reads this to listen in!
CBC Radio 2 Drive.

a chill in the air, in september she comes

will be writing a small blurb bout Coldplay's recent concert that was here in Ottawa - soon.
this is just a short 'n sweet note bout one of my favourite hip-hop/turntablists of all time.
that's right: Buck 65.

just released the video for his Shutterbuggin'. weird seeing him in a girls wig. a blonde he is not. sorry Buck. but, i do have to say that he has the moves :D
even shows people the Mick Jagger Interpretive Dance moves. check that shit out! hilarious!

AND one last thing.
i do try to listen in....i really do. BUT Rich Terfry can be heard daily from 3pm to 6pm on CBC Radio 2's Drive. listen in as he plays music from Canadian artists, stemming from all genres.
if not for the music, then just listen to him talk. listen to his stories.

[oh. and is it crazy for me to recognize the (cutie) drummer in this particular photo? from the thumbnail? it is, isn't it? he's the Woodman. Matthew Woodley. from Canadian indie group Plants & Animals. awesome.]

a look at Loyalty To Loyalty...

this past week (ok. last week, September 23rd.) Cold War Kids put out their second album, Loyalty To Loyalty, to some pretty decent reviews.

this is my stab at reviewing their album.
keep in mind, i am biased :D

track 1: "Against Privacy"
this song to me sums up the Kids and what they are all about. from what i gather of them, they just seem to go their own ways, not entirely caring (to a certain extent) about...trying to be mainstream.

track 2: "Mexican Dogs"
this one somewhat reckons back to their first album (Robbers & Cowards). it has that jangly feeling to it in the guitar parts. it does also feature a great lick mid-way with both drums and guitar.

track 3: "Every Valley Is Not A Lake"
when first read the tracklisting for the album, i was glad that they put this song on here. a little sad though that they have re-recorded it. their first recording of it is my favourite version (On the "Hang Me Up To Dry" single), but this song is still a great one nonetheless. again, love the piano and guitars. lead singer Nathan Willett has this ability to create such vivid stories in his lyrics, and this one is pretty clear.


track 4: "Something Is Not Right With Me"
at first, i didn't like this song. to be completely honest.
to my ears it, Willett's voice in the first verses, screaming out the lyrics, and the frenzied piano, something just didn't really sit well with me...
but after giving it another few listens, i've grown to like this song. listening closely to the lyrics, the music goes hand-in-hand with what is trying to be said: something is not right with me.

track 5: "Welcome To The Occupation"
hands down, this song has the best drumming on this album.
favourite song on the record. well, in the top 3.

track 6: "Golden Gate Jumpers"
this song is one of their most blues-y, but at the same time the most saddest songs they have written/sang about thus far. you can get from the title what the song is about, but it tells of a man trying to save a woman from jumping ("she's scared to jump, but terrified to stay")

track 7: "Avalanche In B"
not entirely sure what this song is supposed to be about, but it does remind of a Tom Waits song - from the piano to Willett's singing style. i like.

track 8: "I've Seen Enough"
like "Hang Me Up To Dry" was the song for Robbers & Cowards, this one will probably be their 'anthem song' from this album. this one shows off everyone's musicianship the best. again, the lyrics are great. live, it's probably that much better.

track 9: "Every Man I Fall For"
told from a woman's perspective, of course, this song is yet another one of those sad songs.
interesting, that Willett is male (duh.), and singing from a female's perspective. it just works, somehow. without thinking that Willett is gay (WHICH, he ISN'T. just to point out). that was a thought that never crossed my mind. a sure sign of great songwriting.

track 10: "Dreams Old Men Dream"
if "I've Seen Enough" is the anthem song, like "HMUTD" was for R&C; then this one is Loyalty To Loyalty's own "Hospital Beds", but a bit more dynamic. love the beat, lyrics, and everything about this song.

track 11: "On The Night My Love Broke Through"
the Kids have definitely grown musically, and this is sure evidence. one of their darkest songs on the whole album.

track 12: "Relief"
i have to say, this song just screams Radiohead. from the beat to the singing, it sounds very much like a Radiohead song. best line: "I love the shape your faces make"'

track 13: "Cryptomnesia"
another dark song, with the best imagery. slow and sad. heightens into something beautiful in the end.
after some research, cryptomnesia is hidden memory. term describes the experiences that people believe to be original but which are actually based on memories of events they've forgotten. [source.]

all in all, this is surely a step-up from Robbers & Cowards.
a good step in the right direction.

and any other 'step' analogies that you can think of.

Loyalty To Loyalty is a must-listen.

little bit of feel good...

(original from September 12th, 2008.)
listen up all you soul brotha's and sista's !

...

haha, alright i'm done.
anyways, this newcomer of an artist does have a lot of soul in him. a lot.

now, there is a rather small percentage of soul singers/bands out there at the moment, as Motown saw it's last glory days way back when...

strictly soul singers are a rarity in the music industry that is mostly governed by rock or pop, and the different amalgamations of those two...

with Jamie Lidell, soul and the gospel-type singing from the 70s is a huge (and clear) inspiration for his music.
merging the sounds of soul with his own contemporary pop-electronica vibe, Jamie Lidell creates a new kind of soul that is down-right catchy and just...good.

i can foresee Jamie Lidell making it to the air-waves and making it big sometime soon...if not already...(as i don't really listen to the radio anymore.)

listen/watch:
Little Bit of Fell Good - as he serenades to a lady-horse?
Another Day - looking spiffy as he walks the streets and makes everyone feel good...

new blog ! hurrah !

right...so, this is the new home to my music blogs.
hurrah !

i think what i shall do, with this new blog established now, is take the music blogs that i had already posted on my facebook page - so as to save room on my page - is repost those entries here.

sort of backlog...
(right term? backlog?)

but, here now is my newest blog written today, actually.

music blog :: the format wars revisited

so with many different types of formats out there at present moment in the music industry, it becomes much more difficult for people like myself to choose which to go with:

a) downloads (legal *ahem* or...*ahem*...yeah, you know what i'm talking about..)
b) buying it on CD
c) or now on vinyl

option (c) does come with its complications, if you are not in possession of a record player.
although, as i had mentioned way-back...bands are putting out their music in the vinyl format and then inserting each record sleeves with little cards in them, on which are printed codes so one may download the entire album digitally.

lately, option (b) is slowly dying out, i find. CDs will become like tapes, and like 8-tracks before that...

so, conclusively, option (a) seems to be the best bet nowadays for music.
whether it's downloading, or streaming music online, i'm sure every will agree that the internet is the best and (arguably) the most reliable source for finding/listening to music.

one can google such bands/artists, and surely they can find some sort of music website that has at least one link to their song(s) so listeners can listen to their music freely.
if you like the song/artist, you can surely find another website with more music to listen to/download other songs from said band/artist...

case in point: Cold War Kids, one of my top 5 favourite bands of all-time, are releasing their second album (Loyalty To Loyalty) September 23rd. but they are giving fans the choice of listening to the entire album - by streaming it (mtvu.com, apparently.) before the album even hits the stores.
(also on their myspace page, they have uploaded one of their songs and two remixes of this song for the fans to listen to and/or download.)

Coldplay were also ones to do this, as they previewed their whole album Viva La Vida... a few days before its release.

but, being a hard-core fan of both bands, i chose not to listen to the streams.
tempted, yes.
but in the end, didn't. i wished to remain surprised.

Radiohead i think, had the right idea with In Rainbows. Yes, they sold their album online for whatever price fans had wanted to give it - minimum of a mere penny i do believe though(?)
then later, they released it in CD format, and also (of course) as a vinyl.
in the end though, i'm not entirely sure of the sales that the cd had made...i want to say that it did well? maybe? not too sure...but i am sure that someone will correct me on this.

so when will we see the end of the cd? anytime soon? perhaps...
vinyl is seeing somewhat of a comeback. but will it stick around?
downloads and mp3s i figure will be sticking around for a good, long while...

(on a personal note...i much prefer vinyl. nothing sounds better.)