Ha.
Meanwhile here's Margasak's top 10--http://blogs.chicagoreader.com/post-no-bills/2008/12/30/best-2008-part-four/#comments
I left in his comments below for groups/artists I knew less about and cut out the ones for folks I know!
10. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazarus, Dig! (Anti-/Mute)
9. Rachel Unthank & the Winterset, The Bairns (Real World)I doubt this British folk outfit would've landed so high on my list if they hadn't completely wowed me during the World Music Festival. Rachel Unthank and her small but resourceful band use gorgeous vocal harmonies, clever arrangements, and a subtle pop sensibility to bring new life to tunes that have survived centuries--and the easy charm and wit of their live set made their striking inventiveness seem totally nonchalant.
8. Mary Halvorson Trio, Dragon's Head (Firehouse 12)Probably the most original jazz guitarist to emerge this decade, Mary Halvorson has already distinguished herself in projects with Anthony Braxton, in a folksy, genre-bending duo with violist Jessica Pavone, as a member of Taylor Ho Bynum's sextet, and in the art-rock duo People, among many other contexts--but on Dragon's Head, with bassist John Hebert and drummer Ches Smith, she distills all her vast talents as a composer, improviser, and sound explorer into one compact ensemble.
7. Martial Solal Trio, Longitude (Cam Jazz)On the one hand, Longitude is just another album by veteran French pianist Martial Solal, who's now 80. But on the other hand, every album he makes reasserts his brilliance in redefining and revitalizing post-Monk piano playing. The rhythm section--twin brothers François and Louis Moutin on bass and drums--does an especially fine job anticipating and accommodating Solal's curious lines and chords.
6. Deerhoof, Offend Maggie (Kill Rock Stars)
5. Kassin + 2, Futurismo (Luaka Bop)It's hard to separate Futurismo from the two preceding records by what's come to be known as the "Plus Two"--Alexandre Kassin, Moreno Veloso, and Domenico Lancellotti. Like the others, Kassin's outing is cool, cosmopolitan, and diverse, casually shuffling between Brazilian forms, electro, rock, pop, and just about anything else that strikes his fancy. I prefer to think of it as the last disc of a mind-blowing three-record box set that just happened to be released across eight years.
4. Mike Reed's People, Places & Things, Proliferation (482 Music)Local drummer Mike Reed transcends homage by reinventing overlooked tunes from Chicago's late-50s postbop heyday. His killer quartet, which also includes reedists Greg Ward and Tim Haldeman and bassist Jason Roebke, updates the songs with fierce multilinear improvisation and free-jazz techniques, allowing them to be heard afresh, but doesn't diminish their soulful core. The best part is the joy and mutual trust these guys radiate onstage--they're my favorite working band in town.
3. Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple (Downtown)
2. Donny McCaslin Trio, Recommended Tools (Greenleaf)Saxophonist Donny McCaslin has been one of the most reliable players in jazz since the mid-80s, and in the past few years he's become one of the most exciting as well. This lean trio session with bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Johnathan Blake is a genuine tour de force: McCaslin pushes his granite-hard tone anywhere he wants it to go, from tender ballads to harmonically adventurous barn burners.
1. Atomic, Retrograde (Jazzland)On Retrograde this Scandinavian quintet--bassist Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten, drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, and pianist Havard Wiik from Norway, trumpeter Magnus Broo and reedist Fredrik Ljungkvist from Sweden--opts for a set of compositions much looser than its usual repertoire. The musicians' intuitive rapport and high-level communication skills allow them to transform even the sketchiest melodic or rhythmic structures into gripping narratives--they nail this new paradigm with all the gusto and daring they brought to their old freebop-based approach.
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 17:16 (fifteen years ago) link
I had a hard time including the Kassin album for this year, as it was out in 2006 in Brazil I think and I reviewed it in 2007. It's pretty good, especially towards the end.
― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 17:24 (fifteen years ago) link
He listed a number of Brazilian acts and I was curious about that one. Thanks
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 18:21 (fifteen years ago) link
So, not sure if this has been mentioned before, but it seems like previous years' Pazz & Jops are no longer available online.
― Martin Van Burne, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 20:24 (fifteen years ago) link
Rachel Unthank and the Winterset=best name in a while! Rachel Unthank the Academy for me, okay? Specially when it comes to Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and Vampire Weekend, though the latter are pretty fly for a white guy and could make a good back-up band, especially in boot camp for Obama's Afghanistan campaign (winning hearts & minds, people). I'll check Rachel and Mary, based on his descriptions (he didn't try to justify Cave and Barkley, which is okay by me)
― dow, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 20:36 (fifteen years ago) link
Margasak did say why he went for Cave and Gnarls Barkley I just left it out of my cut and paste!
Halvorson keeps showing up on jazz lists. Youtube seems to only have her quieter acoustic duo side though.
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 21:51 (fifteen years ago) link
Year-End Summary & Fester's Lucky 13s
Includes a top 100 list and genre lists as usual. Have a happy New Year.
― Fastnbulbous, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 22:17 (fifteen years ago) link
Cokemachineglow had some interesting hip-hop choices. Invincible - Shapeshifters, hrm.http://www.cokemachineglow.com/feature/4098/top50albums-2008?pg=5
Silent Ballet. As usual, I've only heard 25% of their list, just 3 of the top 10.http://www.thesilentballet.com/tsbt/2008/10_01.html
― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 2 January 2009 18:38 (fifteen years ago) link
From cokemachine glow:
If two of the best hip-hop albums (the other being Hell Hath No Fury) production-wise of the past three years are also the most innovative, the reason they’re innovative is…(quiet voice) they don’t just rely on an Akai sampler. But where the Neptunes have their cred elsewhere, and so they don’t need to worry so much, Black Milk is taking a huge risk by foregrounding his adoption of synths—rather than just quietly using them like everybody else does.
Question: I haven't heard Black Milk yet, but is he really taking such a "huge" risk?
― curmudgeon, Friday, 2 January 2009 18:50 (fifteen years ago) link
I think we can assume from the Hell Hath No Fury hyperbole that the guy simply doesn't know shit and move on.
― some dude, Friday, 2 January 2009 18:54 (fifteen years ago) link
That Rick Springfield album didn't make my top 10, but it was close. The only other album in Chuck's whole 150 that I liked at all was way down in the 130s somewhere, though, so it's hard to say I'm agreeing with him in any meaningful way. (And I still think the idea of ranking 150 albums is perverse.)
― glenn mcdonald, Friday, 2 January 2009 19:23 (fifteen years ago) link
From the Alibi(Albuquerque's main weekly). I types this out from the newspaper, so there are probably some mistakes:
The Alibi: “Twenty (or so) of the year’s best big-time albums”:
Ani DiFranco: Red Letter YearAvishai Cohen: The FloodBlitzen Trapper: FurrColourmusic F: Monday, Orange, February, Venus, Lunatic, 1 or 13CSS: DonkeyDafnis Prieto: Taking the Soul for a WalkDeVotchKa: A Mad Faithful TellingDonny McCaslin: Recommended ToolsDr. John and the Lower 911: City That Care ForgotThe Dresden Dolls: No VirginiaEagles of Death Metal: Heart OnIslands: Arm’s WayKeane: Perfect SymmetryThe Knux: Remind Me in 3 DaysMy Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark’s TeethOmar Sosa: AfreecanosPortugal: The Man Censored ColorsThe Roots: Rising DownTilly and the Wall: oTom McDermott & Connie Jones Creole: NocturneTV on the Radio: Dear Science
Best Albuquerque releases of the year:
The 2Bers: Children of a Mortal SunBellemah: Low End HumCharmed: BitterSuite 7Eva Ave and Carlosaur: Den of Drowning RattlesnakesFast Heart Mart: Cheap & SunnyThe Grave of Nobody’s Darling: FiredbirdHillary Smith: No Easy WayHit by a Bus: The Optimist’s HandgunLe Chat Lunatique: Demonic LovelyLeeches of Lore: Leeches of LoreMei Long: Mei LongOld Man: UntitledPatti Littlefield and Mark Weaver: ResonanceSuspended: Prelude to IndignanceTrilobite: Silver SkinUnit 7 Drain: LoveCraftWe Were Born as Ghosts: Brightly, Brightly, and with Beauty
― _Rockist__Scientist_, Friday, 2 January 2009 20:05 (fifteen years ago) link
Or you can go to their site:
http://www.alibi.com/index.php?story=26250&scn=musichttp://www.alibi.com/index.php?story=26246&scn=music
― _Rockist__Scientist_, Friday, 2 January 2009 20:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Not exactly critics top 10s, but here's WNYU's lists:
http://wnyu.org/top10/
― jonathan - stl, Friday, 2 January 2009 20:14 (fifteen years ago) link
THE NODEPRESSION.COM TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2008
http://www.nodepression.com/articles.aspx?id=5112
1. Alejandro Escovedo, Real Animal (Back Porch/Manhattan) -- 88 -- 142. Hayes Carll, Trouble In Mind (Lost Highway) -- 44 -- 63. Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation's Dark (New West) -- 43.5 -- 84. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (ATO) -- 39 -- 55. Ben Sollee, Learning To Bend (self) -- 37.5 -- 56. Lucinda Williams, Little Honey (Lost Highway) -- 37 -- 77. Shelby Lynne, Just A Little Lovin' (Lost Highway) -- 37 -- 68. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! (Anti-) -- 37 -- 69. Randy Newman, Harps And Angels (Nonesuch) -- 36 -- 610. Kathleen Edwards, Asking For Flowers (Zoe/Rounder) -- 35 -- 6--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar) -- 33 -- 512. Santogold, self-titled (Downtown) -- 33 -- 513. SteelDrivers, self-titled (Rounder) -- 29 -- 514. Hold Steady, Stay Positive (Vagrant) -- 28.5 -- 715. Glen Campbell, Meet Glen Campbell (Capitol) -- 28 -- 516. Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet, self-titled (Nettwerk) -- 28 -- 417. Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song (Mercury Nashville) -- 27 -- 418. Old 97's, Blame It On Gravity (New West) -- 27 -- 419. Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (Columbia) -- 26 -- 320. Basia Bulat, Oh, My Darling (Rough Trade) -- 25 -- 3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21. Fleet Foxes, self-titled (Sub Pop) -- 24 -- 322. Calexico, Carried To Dust (Quarterstick) -- 23 -- 323. Various, Como Now: The Voices Of Panola Co., Miss. (Daptone) -- 22 -- 324. R.E.M., Accelerate (Warner Bros.) -- 21 -- 425. Justin Townes Earle, The Good Life (Bloodshot) -- 21 -- 326. Tift Merritt, Another Country (Fantasy) -- 20 -- 327. Teddy Thompson, A Piece Of What You Need (Verve Forecast) -- 18.5 -- 328. Gary Louris, Vagabonds (Ryko) -- 17 -- 329. Caroline Herring, Lantana (Signature Sounds) -- 16.5 -- 230. TV On The Radio, Dear Science (DGC/Interscope) -- 16 -- 3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------31. Raconteurs, Consolers Of The Lonely (Warner Bros.) -- 16 -- 432. Felice Brothers, self-titled (Team Love) -- 16 -- 333. Ani DiFranco, Red Letter Year (Righteous Babe) -- 16 -- 234. Buika, Nina De Fuego (Warner International) -- 15 -- 235. B.B. King, One Kind Favor (Geffen) -- 14 -- 336. Jolie Holland, The Living And The Dead (Anti-) -- 14 -- 237. She & Him, Volume One (Merge) -- 13 -- 438. Michael Franti & Spearhead, All Rebel Rockers (Anti-) -- 13 -- 339. Giant Sand, Provisions (Yep Roc) -- 13 -- 240. Raphael Saadiq, Sure Hope You Mean It (Columbia) -- 12 -- 4
― President Keyes, Friday, 2 January 2009 20:25 (fifteen years ago) link
FWIW, the descarga.com pick for best of 2008:
http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/best_of_2008
― _Rockist__Scientist_, Friday, 2 January 2009 21:12 (fifteen years ago) link
Black Milk is taking a huge risk by foregrounding his adoption of synths—rather than just quietly using them like everybody else does.
This makes it sound like he stopped listening to rap sometime before Lil Jon hit.
― The Reverend, Friday, 2 January 2009 23:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Conor Oberst didn't make the top 40 of No Depression? This is an outrage.
― kornrulez6969, Saturday, 3 January 2009 00:03 (fifteen years ago) link
wtf does 'quietly using' synths even mean
― choom gangsta (deej), Saturday, 3 January 2009 01:00 (fifteen years ago) link
xptheyre waiting for a depression year-end list
― k3vin k., Saturday, 3 January 2009 01:03 (fifteen years ago) link
^^ the dadjoke force is strong in this one
― some dude, Saturday, 3 January 2009 02:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Not sure if his beats are risky... but personally, I find them really satisfying.
I think there's a full song on the Cokemachineglow list, embedded track. Did you listen?
― ilxor, Saturday, 3 January 2009 06:13 (fifteen years ago) link
Yes and it does not prove his point
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 3 January 2009 14:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Did you watch the embedded YouTube video, also?
― ilxor, Saturday, 3 January 2009 17:21 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm not going to typet his out but here's Philadelphia City Paper's list:
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2009/01/01/top-21-albums-of-2008
With supplemental material:
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2009/01/01/about-the-listhttp://www.citypaper.net/music/top10/2008/
― _Rockist__Scientist_, Saturday, 3 January 2009 21:52 (fifteen years ago) link
x-post to ilxor,
No
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 4 January 2009 00:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Here ya go:
― ilxor, Sunday, 4 January 2009 01:38 (fifteen years ago) link
im hearing basically no synths
― choom gangsta (deej), Sunday, 4 January 2009 02:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Yep
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 4 January 2009 05:53 (fifteen years ago) link
Jane Dark, Top 40 singles:
http://janedark.com/2009/01/top_40_coundown_2008.html
piratemoggy, Top 30:
http://piratemoggy.livejournal.com/330464.html
Jason Gross, fave albums/singles/reissues:
http://yeweiblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/fave-2008-albums-singles-reissues.html
Phil Dellio, Top 10 singles:
http://phildellio.tripod.com/
Dave Dimartino, Top 10 albums:
http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/newthisweek/5134/looking-backward/
Chris Stigliano, year-end wrapup:
http://black2com.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-was-gonna-call-this-year-end-wrapup.html
MetalJazz, top metal/jazz albums:
http://www.metaljazz.com/2008/12/top_metaljazz_albums_of_2008.php
Alex Macpherson, top 122 tracks:
http://alexmacpherson.livejournal.com/215505.html#cutid1
Frank Kogan, top 25 albums:
http://koganbot.livejournal.com/98091.html
Frank Kogan, top 50 singles:
http://koganbot.livejournal.com/97519.html
Matos, top 50 albums:
http://m-matos.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-albums-1.html
― xhuxk, Sunday, 4 January 2009 19:11 (fifteen years ago) link
did not know the lex had a lj
― k3vin k., Sunday, 4 January 2009 19:23 (fifteen years ago) link
poptimist polls so far:
http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/653623.html
― xhuxk, Sunday, 4 January 2009 19:29 (fifteen years ago) link
here's my top 100 if anyone cares:http://www.aprilfish.net/?p=18
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Sunday, 4 January 2009 19:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Think he means not having album covers like this:
http://www.metacritic.com/media/music/artists/blackmilk/tronic/picture.jpg
Which is a "risk" because real heads, true schoolers etc. will reject you.
― subroc back to haunt, Sunday, 4 January 2009 20:37 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.base58.com/2009/01/01/top-100-tracks-of-2008/
― Timezilla vs Mechadistance (blueski), Sunday, 4 January 2009 20:45 (fifteen years ago) link
My top 50 albums, top 75 tracks, top 63 gigs.
And, rather more thrillingly... The Disastrous Rocktimists UK Pop Critics Poll 2008!
― mike t-diva, Monday, 5 January 2009 00:38 (fifteen years ago) link
^change you can believe in
― The boy with the Arab money (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Monday, 5 January 2009 00:48 (fifteen years ago) link
I thought I might have more of the Disastrous Poll up before it showed up here. Instead I have been drinking cans in the hope I fall asleep sometime before I gotta get up for work.
― Enrique (Raw Patrick), Monday, 5 January 2009 01:05 (fifteen years ago) link
Mixmag's 2008 Top 100 Tunes (copied from Rocklist.co.uk):
1. Hercules And Love Affair – Blind2. MGMT – Kids3. Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor4. Johnny D – Orbitalife5. Fake Blood – Mars6. Radio Slave – Grindhouse7. The Kills - Cheap And Cheerful8. MIA – Paper Planes9. Eric Prydz - Pjanoo10. Mujava – Township Funk
11. Crystal Castles – Crimewave12. SIS – Standing13. Sia – The Girl You Lost To Cocaine14. Friendly Fires – Paris15. Surkin – White Knight Two/Next Of Kin16. Mgmt – Electric Feel17. Little Boots – Stuck On Repeat18. Wiley – Wearing My Rolex19. Sam Sparro – Black And Gold20. Portishead – Machine Gun
21. Zomby – Zomby EP22. Afefe Iku – Mirror Dance23. Deadmau5 – I Remember24. Matt John – Boeing Highfly25. Sebo K – Diva26. Booka Shade – Charlotte27. Zoo Brazil – Technik28. Midnight Juggernauts – Into The Galaxy29. N*E*R*D – Everyone Nose30. Underworld – Ring Road
31. ZTT – The Worm32. Ilario Alicante – Vacaciones En Chilie33. Underworld – Beautiful Burnout34. Rolling Stones – You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Soulwax Re Mix35. Sis – Trompeta36. The Chemical Brothers – Midnight Madness37. Guillame & The Coutu Dumonts – They Only Come Out At Night38. Heartbreak – We’re Back39. Mystery Jets – Two Doors Down40. Melchior Productions – Who Can Find Me
41. Late Of The Pier – Bathroom Gargle42. The Bug Feat. Killa P & Flowdan – Ganja43. Estelle – American Boy44. TRG – Broken Heart45. Sebastian Teller – L’Amour Et La Violence46. Friendly Fires – Jump Into The Pool47. Mathew Johnson – Marionette48. Chase & Status – Eastern Jam49. Audion – Billy Says Go50. Sasha – Mongoose
51. Mark August – Warm52. Santogold – L.E.S. Artistes53. Alphabeat – Boyfriend54. DJ Shah – Back To You55. D’Julz – Just So You Know56. Fabrikat Feat. Peter Juergens – Discolicker57. Felix Da Housecat – Radio58. Grace Jones – William’s Blood59. Larry Tee Feat. Princess Superstar – Licky60. Lemon & Einark – Anticipation
61. TC – Where’s My Money62. Solomun Vs Ost & Klex – Federgewicht63. Santogold – Say A-Ha64. Stereo:Type Feat. Foreign Beggers – Bangers & Mash65. Mandy Vs Booka Shade Feat. Laurie Anderson – O Superman66. Tricky – Council Estate67. Andy Duguid – Wasted68. Dizzee Rascal Feat. Calvin Harris – Dance With Me69. Don Rimini – Rave On70. Luciano – Nin
71. Flying Lotus – Parisian Goldfish72. Foals – Hummer73. Friendly Fires – Ex-Lover74. Geiom Feat. Marita – Reminissin75. Pedro – Fleute And Clarinette76. Kabala Und Lauhus – Makake77. Kris G – Feel My Love78. Kuffdam & Plant – Burning Up79. Late Of The Pier – The Bears Are Coming80. Martina Topley-Bird – Carnies
81. Math Head – Turn The Music Up82. Kryptic Minds & Leon Switch – Minor Nine83. Moby – I Love To Move In Here84. Shonky – Time Zero85. The Ting Tings – Great DJ86. Italoboyz – Bahia87. The Ting Tings – That’s Not My Name88. Tyrrell – Lalalalalala89. Buraka Som Sistema – Sound Of Kuduro90. Christian Burkhart – Maison Noire
91. Crystal Fighters – I Love London92. Deadest – Acid Radar93. Toddla T – Manabadman94. Bloc Party – Mercury95. Flying Lotus – Breath96. Hercules And Love Affair – Raise Me Up97. Joker – Snake Eater98. Martin Eyerer – Furthermore99. Drums Of Death – Cursed By Magick100. Utah Jazz – Back In Time
― Matos W.K., Monday, 5 January 2009 05:41 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm glad "Wearing My Rolex" is getting so much <3
― The Reverend, Monday, 5 January 2009 05:42 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm sorry it took me so damn long to hear it! Would have been in my Top 20 easy.
― Matos W.K., Monday, 5 January 2009 05:45 (fifteen years ago) link
is little boots any good? i downloaded them but it was from the same ppl who recommended me garbage like fleet foxes, bon iver and little joy
― k3vin k., Monday, 5 January 2009 06:19 (fifteen years ago) link
she's ok, definitely much better than those people, but if that's the sort of thing you're after you may as well just go get the last roisin murphy album instead, next to which little boots is sort of redundant
'wearing my rolex' fans should also hear 'if you're going out, i'm going out too':
― lex pretend, Monday, 5 January 2009 09:44 (fifteen years ago) link
dope
― jordan s (J0rdan S.), Monday, 5 January 2009 10:00 (fifteen years ago) link
you may as well just go get the last roisin murphy album instead, next to which little boots is sort of redundant
this is like saying you don't need both ciara and cassie in yr life
― Timezilla vs Mechadistance (blueski), Monday, 5 January 2009 14:26 (fifteen years ago) link
When, in fact, you actually need neither of them...
― ilxor, Monday, 5 January 2009 17:51 (fifteen years ago) link
uh oh
― k3vin k., Monday, 5 January 2009 17:52 (fifteen years ago) link
"Stuck on Repeat" I prolly like better than anything off the last Roisin, all the other stuff I've heard is kinda eh.
― Maciej (maciej recognizing trill), Monday, 5 January 2009 18:33 (fifteen years ago) link
poptimists tracks of 08 part one (42-50)
http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/654842.html
― xhuxk, Monday, 5 January 2009 19:12 (fifteen years ago) link
poptimists tracks of 08 part two (31-40)
http://community.livejournal.com/poptimists/655205.html
― xhuxk, Tuesday, 6 January 2009 18:31 (fifteen years ago) link