I wanted to create this thread for people to posts lists of whatever they loved in 2008. This is just something new to allow MC members to express certain things that stood out for them. You can include anything you think is pertinent such as:

• Best Folk albums of the year
• Best re-issues
• Best live shows I (you) attended
• Best Hip-hop albums of the year
• Best EPs of the year

I think you get the idea. No official rankings in this one, just a neat idea I wanted to try.

Nice idea.

I'll start this off with the top5 best live shows I attended this year:

1. Radiohead 3 July @ Roskilde Festival
I had high expectations and Radiohead surpassed them all (can you say like that? well, you get what I mean). I cried half of the concert. It was overall amazing show. The best concert I have ever witnessed.

2. Band Of Horses 4 July @ Roskilde Festival
Wow. The band seemed as excited as the audience and the atmosphere was bliss-ish. Band Of Horses clearly gave their best and the result was truly great concert.

3. Wolf Parade 17 November @ Tavastia, Helsinki, Finland
The band enjoyed playing and the audience got to hear nice gig with almost all the songs from their two albums included. Pretty funny speaks, too ;D

4. The Smashing Pumpkins 3 March @ Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
Yes, Corgan was a little bit sick.
Yes, the audience was super-lame.
But although, I think it was a very fine gig with nice set of songs. For example "Drown" and "Cash Car Star" were included.
In one speak Corgan did regret that he had a flu and one audience member from the front row shouted really loud back to him "NO PROBLEM". I laughed my ass off.

5. Broken Social Scene 26 May @ Tavastia, Helsinki, Finland
I have never listened to much of them but the concert was fine. They played almost 2 hours and seemed to have fun on stage. Audience was really quiet and the band noticed that and Kevin joked: "wow, you really are listening to our music, thank you", or something like that.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Valzu,

Top 10 Live Shows
1: Wolf Parade
2: O'Death
3: The Walkmen/Spoon
4: Arcade Fire
5: TV On The Radio
6: APW with Radiohead, Cat Power, Animal Collective
7: The Decemberists
8: Lou Reed
9: Kanye West
10: Crystal Antlers

Top live acts of 2008:

1. Deerhunter - I can't gush enough about their live performance. Where most bands wouldn't touch their instrumental tracks, Deerhunter incorporated them willingly and effectively. Amazing light show. The audience could have been better, but that's not their fault. Basically played everything I could have asked for.

2. Jukebox the Ghost - Not sure if most people here have heard of them, but they are a band that should be huge. Their debut album will be in my top 3. Very energetic and it helped that the crowd was into it too. Fun piano pop that is very catchy and can be easily sung along to.

3. Okkervil River - Very strong set list, though they really can do no wrong. Two encores, a seemingly half-drunk (or at least buzzed) Sheff, and a stripped down version of "A Stone" made my night.

4. Broken Social Scene - The band that looks like it has more fun than the audience. They get 9 people on stage and somehow make it look like they could use a few more. Pleasant surprise in hearing "Anthem for a Seventeen Year Old Girl" played. Their trumpets are orgasmic.

5. Fuck Buttons - They were the opening band for Mogwai and managed to trump them in the intense department. Played their most of their debut and two very excellent new ones.

6. M83 - They managed to make some of their songs more epic than they already are. Even "Kim and Jessie" got the epic treatment, but the real standouts were "Moonchild" and "Coleurs."

7. Liars - No album release this year, but their live show is very good. I would have loved to see their show last year when they toured with Deerhunter. I wonder if Deerhunter picked up a thing or two from these guys, because Liars also have an amazing light show setup. These guys are pretty brutal, the percussion during Drums Not Dead songs are scary.

8. The Dodos - Put on a good show. Meric Long can get into it when he wants to, but is usually reserved for most of the songs. "The Season" is such a great live song for them.

9. Boris - Probably the only metal band I like (even though Smile was kind of bad) and they really aren't even pure metal. They put on a good show. It really showcases their ability to play their instruments. And Michio was there.

10. No Age - Kind of doesn't count because they were the openers for Liars, but they still put on a good show. Very energetic, fun to watch.

I'm glad to hear that BSS is having fun on stage again. Last time I saw them they were pissed off.

Didn't stop the music from being fantastic though!

quote:

Originally posted by Away in a Chamber (k):
I'm glad to hear that BSS is having fun on stage again. Last time I saw them they were pissed off.

Didn't stop the music from being fantastic though!

Anyone catch that video P4K posted the other day of Isaac Brock joining BSS on stage in Toronto to play MM's "The World At Large"? I thought it was pretty sweet.

quote:

Originally posted by joymonger:
6. M83 - They managed to make some of their songs more epic than they already are. Even "Kim and Jessie" got the epic treatment, but the real standouts were "Moonchild" and "Coleurs."

The M83 show I saw was mediocre. The band looked bored, sounded bored, and had everything from vocals to lead guitar parts prerecorded. Still managed to do justice to several of their songs and one-upped "Skin Of The Night" and "Highway Of Endless Dreams" by dropping extended versions of both with powerhouse live drums, but in general the show lacked a ton of oomph and atmosphere. The opening act kicked their asses six ways from Sunday.

I've actually had a little list saved on my computer for a while:

BEST INTROS/OUTTROS 2008:

1. Crystal Castles - "Untrust Us"
2. Lil Wayne - "3 Peat"
3. Robyn - "Curriculum Vitae/Konichiwa Bitches"
4. TV on the Radio - "Halfway Home"
5. Bug - "Angry"

1. Crystal Castles - "Tell Me What To Swallow"
2. Bun B - "Keep It 100"
3. Why? - "By Torpedo or Crohns"
4. Hercules & Love Affair - "True/False"
5. TV on the Radio - "Lover's Day"

This'll make me look like a total Crystal Castles fanboy, but their intros/outros really seem to have hit me hard. Honestly the top 3 were tough to choose, but the Crystal Castles intro is my #1 most played of my past 2 months at 55 listens on my iPod alone. Numbers don't lie. Their outtro, it doesn't seem like too many people give it that much credit and I understand that. Maybe it's a personal thing.. one day it finally "clicked", maybe I was drunk, but afterwards I always came home crashing onto my bed playing that beautiful, soothing song... shame it's so short.

Also don't let Bun B slip your radar. Best rap album of 2008, and a handful of epic-sounding songs like "My Block" "Another Soldier" and "Keep It 100".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For reference, albums I have NOT listened to in 2008:

Fleet Foxes
Vampire Weekend
Bon Iver
Nick Cave
No Age

Sue me.

I should listen to the Bun B album again, but I remember the production letting it down quite a lot. You should check out Killer Mike's album if you haven't.

You really should listen to the Bon Iver album btw.

Best albums that I resented paying for:

Matthew Dear, Asa Breed (Black Edition): There were only 3 extra remixes on this version. Couldn't they have been on a single?

Cat Power, Jukebox (Deluxe Version): This came out 2 or 3 weeks after the regular version. Honestly, there should have been an advisory that a deluxe version was forthcoming. People who buy records these days (as opposed to illegally downloading) do so because they're conscientious. It's really very wrong to take advantage of conscientious people.

Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair: 6 months after I spent $30 on the import, there was a domestic version with 2 extra tracks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JeffinNYC,

Sentimental Favorites of 2008
This is a list of old folks (near or way over 50) who released good albums this year. I thought anybody who lasts this long and can still deliver some fine work deserved an honorary list of their own. I'd be interested in what the group had in the "albums released by over-50 performers" category.

I'm no music reviewer, but here's some impressions...

1. Al Green - Lay It Down
Al comes back down from the gospel mount to sing us sweet sweet soul, straight from the secular 70s. Mostly all fine, fine tunes with solid, old school production. It's a smooth as silk blessing for us sinners down here. "Lay It Down" is SO fine, up there in his singles pantheon, second shelf down from the top. (It's no "Love and Happiness" or "Let's Stay Together" but, Lord, what is?)

2. Lindsey Buckingham - Gift of Screws
He's one of my favorite guitar players -- and technically, whew! He's only getting better. His two 80's solo albums (Law and Order & Go Insane) were sadly overlooked, though each delivered a hit single. They were each a slant pop gem, with more than a little brooding and/or stumbling over the crazy line. After a couple so-so efforts in the early '00s, he's put together a string of quirky, expertly crafted, produced & played pop tunes. Don't let your youth or snobbery keep you from giving this one a chance. You'll at least be seriously impressed by old dude's blurred finger guitar pickin'. And "Do You Miss Me" is a hit in a better world.

3. The Fleshtones - Take a Good Look
I forgot this one when I posted this list. It deserves to be at number three. This an excellent bunch of lively, straight-up, punky pop that harks back to their early days (which harked back to 60s garage). Hard to believe these guys have been around for 30+ years! They're rockin' their asses off.

4. R.E.M. - Accelerate
Back to guitar-driven, emotive basics. From the release of their first IRS EP and the still-killer "Murmur," REM is an old, long-time favorite of mine that I'd sorta given up on in the last decade (though "Up" is pretty darn good). I'm damn glad to hear they regrew their balls for this one.

5. Ray Davies - Working Man Cafe
A really good one, his best one in maybe 20 years. This guy's always been one of the sharpest wits, clearest observers of the world, and most poignant storytellers to travel the the pop/rock trail. He's a too often forgotten godfather of pop, man! (A slight bow to Ray is in order.) 40+ years. Still at it. Still relevant. His sharp wits, watching eye and wordplay are well honed on Working Man Cafe . A few flat, paint-by-numbers songs, but more hits than misses. "Cowboys in Vietnam" is great.

* Lou Reed - Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse
Berlin is THE most depressing album ever produced. It's also one of my 5 favorites of all-time. Now it's hailed (#344 in the 2003 RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time") but, when it came out in '73, it bombed big time. And, if a 34-yr-old memory resembles lived reality, the critics in the only 2 mags I read (Creem & RS. That's it. No internet, no cable, nothing like now.) savaged it. They eviscerated Bob Ezrin's bombastic production and shook their disappointed heads at Lou's "melodramtic" and "maudlin" song-stories. So, anyway... What about THIS recording? Lou does a fine enough job running through the cycle of songs. But it just makes me play the real Berlin after 1-3 songs every time. It doesn't have 1/2 the emotional wallop and none of the perfect pitch, dramatic-as-hell production. Y'all should really give the original "Berlin" a listen before you die. Just once. All the way through. Best to be alone. It's not a social album. And most folks will worry about your mental state, maybe think you're suicidal. Maybe you will be by the time it's over.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joesmithreally,

Best Intro/Outro? Doesn't Microcastle take that cake? It starts and ends so well!

Best Live Shows 2008:

1. Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D., Rihanna
2. Wolf Parade ( Wow. I was rocked, I was moved, and I was shown why "At Mount Zoomer" is a great album.)
3. Iron & Wine and Califone
4. Andrew Bird (What a great show. Only this guy could do what he did to The Majestic Theater)
5. Bruce Springsteen (Seeing one of my idols only made me apprieciate music more.)
6. Girl Talk
7. Justice and Crsystal Castles
8. She & Him (Not deserving of Paste's #1, but an utterly terrific show. Zooey is a babe by the way.)
9. Deerhunter
10. Brian Wilson

quote:

Originally posted by Turenne:
I should listen to the Bun B album again, but I remember the production letting it down quite a lot. You should check out Killer Mike's album if you haven't.

You really should listen to the Bon Iver album btw.

There were about 3 stinkers, but that's about it... the production is the best I've heard all year and I'm usually not into commercial rap. I'll try the Killer Mike for sure, and of course all those albums I listed I will get around to once user lists are out

Lots of live shows listed here... if only I wasn't stuck in Hong Kong.

quote:

Originally posted by Cyrone:
I've actually had a little list saved on my computer for a while:

BEST INTROS/OUTTROS 2008

I just want to say that I think this is a great idea for a specialty list and I'll definitely be doing one.

Maybe this will be interesting? Take the native countries of the musicians in your top 20 and list them by the number of countries they're from. Like this...
My list is at http://tinyurl.com/5vmphj
USA = 10
Scotland = 3
Australia = 2
Canada - 2
Denmark = 1
England = 1
Wales = 1

I was curious about that for some reason. Maybe not interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:

I just want to say that I think this is a great idea for a specialty list and I'll definitely be doing one.

Yea, what's funny is I just make these lists every year on my own. So I'm glad there's suddenly a specialty list... last year my #1 intro was Battles - "Race In" , I remember Knife - "Silent Shout" won my 2006 list. Don't remember the rest..

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Cyrone,

quote:

Originally posted by Cyrone:

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:

I just want to say that I think this is a great idea for a specialty list and I'll definitely be doing one.

Yea, what's funny is I just make these lists every year on my own. So I'm glad there's suddenly a specialty list... last year my #1 intro was Knife - "Silent Shout", I remember Battles - "Race In" won my 2006. Don't remember the rest..

or was it the other way round?

just guessing...

Best EPs:

1: Crystal Antlers "EP"
2: Passion Pit "Chunk of Change"
3: Antony and the Johnsons "Another World"
4: Animal Collective "Water Curses"
5: Ketch Harbour Wolves "Dead Calm Horizon"
6: Fleet Foxes "Ragged Wood"
7: The Field "Sounds of Light"
8: The Decemberists "Always the Bridesmaid"
9: The Mountain Goats "Satanic Messiah"
10: The National "Virginia"

My Top 10 live shows / 2008:

1 Radiohead | Cynthia Woods Pavillion - The Woodlands, TX
2 My Morning Jacket | Fox Theatre - Atlanta
3 The Disco Biscuits | Tipitina's - New Orleans
4 Wilco | Tipitina's - New Orleans
5 MGMT w/ Yeasayer | Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge
6 Fleet Foxes | Howlin' Wolf - New Orleans
7 Nine Inch Nails | Voodoo Music Experience - New Orleans
8 Holy Fuck | Frenchmen Street - New Orleans
9 Widespread Panic | UNO Lakefront Arena - New Orleans
10 Thievery Corporation | Voodoo Music Experience - New Orleans

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Vaygus,