The Top 31 Albums of 2008 (Pt. 3)

Albums 31-21

Albums 20-11

#10: Conor Oberst: Conor Oberst – Another year passes and another Conor Oberst album makes it into my Top 10. The whole idea is getting quite old, yet Oberst’s music remains just as fresh today as it was back in August. On his self-titled solo album, the Bright Eyes frontman ditched a lot of the self-loathing, depressing songwriting for a more upbeat, exciting record. Even depressing songs like “Danny Callahan” have an uplifting feel to them. Oberst also takes the time to clean up that death rattle of a voice to something much more accessible (or acceptable). In the end, it’s just a great album that you absolutely need to hear.

#9: CSS: Donkey – I, like many, found CSS’s debut to be a bit on the annoying side. Their follow-up has its fair share of annoyances as well. However, for every minor annoyance, there are a handful of cool harmonies, infectious grooves, and inescapable hooks! Donkey is one of the most solid pop albums in recent memory. It will make you feel dirty, it will make you want to dance; but I promise it will not make you want to watch Dirty Dancing.

#8: Jaymay: Autumn Fallin’ – When I first received an email about Jamie Seerman in early 2008, I had no idea how much her music would affect me throughout the year. An mp3 sample of single “Blue Skies” hooked me, and I politely requested a copy of the album for review. Two months later, I gave the album an 8 out of 10 rating, and it remains just as poignant, beautiful, and poetic today! Seerman is an undeniable talent in songwriting, and you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this album today!

#7: Plants and Animals: Parc Avenue – P&A managed to take the best from 60s psychedelia and indie rock and turn it into one masterful work. I’ve already had the opportunity to introduce this band to 40 and 50-year-olds who have enjoyed every second of Parc Avenue. While the last few songs on the record do wear a bit thin, it is more than bolstered by its miraculous first half. If you haven’t done so already….listen to it.

#6: Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend – And the award for best new artist goes too….(sorry, Fleet Foxes). Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut was one of the most focused, enjoyable, and universally acclaimed albums of 2008, and all of that praise was deserved. It’s not every day that an album comes around that will make seasoned music journalists fein knowledge of genres of which they have no background (in this case African music). I guess that’s just another reason why we “lesser people” should look down upon the snooty students at Columbia University. You’re not that much better than us!!

#5: Pop Levi: Never Never Love – I’ll go ahead and stop ranting and raving about the greatness of Pop Levi’s second album as soon as I know that some of you have taken my advice and checked it out. However, judging by the album’s ranking on Amazon.com (one of the few places you can actually find it), few of you have taken the leap yet. Don’t be an idiot. Go get a hold of hit soon! An album this good doesn’t come around often, and you don’t want to be that person who hears it 2 years later than everyone else.

#4: Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs – For such a shitey album title, Death Cab’s latest surprised most of us. True, the band doesn’t take any huge leaps in any direction, but they stayed true to their classic sound and in the process created what many might call their crowning achievement (though Ben Gibbard getting engaged to Zooey Deschanel is giving it a run for its money). I know it’s my favorite Death Cab album, and with such instant classics as “Cath…” and “Grapevine Fires,” it’s bound to be rocking my iPod for many more months to come.

#3: My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark’s Teeth – I’ll be the first to admit that Shara Worden doesn’t have the sort of universal appeal as, say, Vampire Weekend. What she does have, however, is a depth of talent that rivals any of her peers and an album in A Thousand Shark’s Teeth that put most competitors to shame in 2008. For all the grandeur and theatricalities of her 2006 debut, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth far exceeded any expectations and benchmarks that she may have set. It is a wonderful album and an absolute joy to listen to. I recommend you do it at least once.

#2: Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping – Poor Of Montreal. For as many years as I’ve been making year-end lists, my favorite band on the planet has only gotten to the #1 spot once (for 2004’s Satanic Panic in the Attic). Every other year that they’ve been eligible have resulted with a fantastic, though still disappointing #2 placement. The sad truth is that were it not for last year’s “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” or this year’s “Gallery Piece” they may have nudged their way into first place every time. But for all the excessiveness that Kevin Barnes has nailed perfectly, there’s always one or two tracks that just seem like a bit much. Skeletal Lamping is the picture of excess, and with the exception of that one track, it was the best album of 2008.

#1: M83: Saturdays=Youth – If you were to tell me in January that my #1 album of the year would be an M83 record, I would’ve probably laughed in your face. M83 has been off my radar since 2005, and for good reason. For as brilliant as Anthony Gonzalez’s past works have been, they were never as enthralling a few weeks after their initial play. Saturdays=Youth, a 1980s, John Hughes tribute album in more ways than one, has been my favorite album of 2008 since it was released way back when. It is easily the most impressive album of the year with its ability to uncannily recreate the sounds, harmonies, feelings, and imagery of what all of us envision a teenage life in the 1980s would have been like. From start to finish, it is a layered vision, a masterpiece of production and performance. In fact, the only thing holding it back from a perfect 10 out of 10 rating (a rarity on Audio Overflow) is the fact that it’s lyrics are full of the cheesy poignancy that one would expect of an 80s teen drama. As such, the listener is taken on a ride, but it’s not an emotional one that they themselves can experience. Besides this minor and oft-overlooked blunder, Saturdays=Youth is a marvel of electronic pop music that will be remembered for years and years to come. Giving the #1 spot on my list to anyone else would not have seemed appropriate, and there’s no one who deserves it more.

The Top 31 Songs of 2008

In years’ past, I have made it a point to post my songs and albums together in one long, tedious, and confusing list.  This year, I’ve simplified the process just a little bit.  Don’t get cocky, I did it mostly for myself – but you can still be grateful.  Below you’ll find my Top 31 Songs of 2008 in one glorious list.  I’ve even sprinkled it with some commentary because, well, this is a blog after all.  Enjoy the list and be sure to tell me what your #1 (or Top 5 or 31) are.

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#31: “Got Your Number” by Nadia Oh – It should be known that I fully understand that Nadia Oh is without an ounce of verifiable talent. It should also be known that I’m a sucker for good production and a catchy tune. And my standards have dropped significantly this year. Obviously.

#30: “The Score” by Chris Walla

#29: “Boracay” by The Little Ones

#28: “I’m Amazed” by My Morning Jacket

#27: “White Composition” by Darker My Love

#26: “Dark Leaves From a Thread” by Destroyer

#25: “Crisis 1 & 2” by The Dears

#24: “Walking” by The Dodos

#23: “Valerie Plame” by The Decemberists – Who would’ve thought that one of the most hilarious, catchy tunes of the year would be from a collection of mediocre songs brought to us by The Decemberists?

#22: “Triphallus, to Punctuate!” by Of Montreal – It’s two songs in one, and both songs are equally enchanting, exciting, and lovable.

#21: “Souled Out!!!” by Conor Oberst

#20: “Jager Yoga” by CSS – The title doesn’t sound fun at all. The song does.

#19: “Cath…” by Death Cab for Cutie

#18: “Get-Well Cards” by Conor Oberst

#17: “Kill the Director” by The Wombats

#16: “Courtship Date” by Crystal Castles – I’ve only just recently started listening to Crystal Castles, but I can confidently say that their debut album is one of the coolest things to happen to electronic music in a while. This song is my favorite from the record.

#15: “Txt Me Yr Love” by Wallpaper – If you listen to one song on this list, make it this one. But come on, just listen to ’em all!

#14: “Couleurs” by M83 – I don’t care which country you’re from, that’s an incorrect way to spell “colors.”

#13: “Id Engager” by Of Montreal

#12: “Grapevine Fires” by Death Cab for Cutie

#11: “Bye Bye Bye” by Plants and Animals – The best “Bye Bye Bye” since JT had Jheri Curls.

#10: “The Devil, You & Me” by The Notwist – One could make the argument that this is the greatest song The Notwist has ever written. I might be inclined to agree.

#9: “Oxford Comma” by Vampire Weekend – The first several times I listened to VW’s debut, this one just didn’t stand out among the afro-pop stylings of “Mansard Roof” or “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” After a year or so of letting it sit, this one is the stand-out for sure!!

#8: “The Escapist” by The Streets – Mike Skinner’s latest is a fun romp through the ususal, though it lacks a bit of the emotion that I enjoyed from his previous record. “The Escapist,” however, is more than enough reason to pick up this album. The rest of the songs ain’t bad either.

#7: “The Re-Arranger” by Mates of State – The “Biggest Disappointment of the Year” award may go to the Mates’ newest record, but you simply can’t deny the heart put into the title track.

#6: “Market Girl” by Headlights – It started the year as one of my favorite tracks and showed more resiliency than any other song on this list. Do yourself a favor and check out this catchy tune.

#5: “To Pluto’s Moon” by My Brightest Diamond – Shara Worden is a genius – we all knew that. But “To Pluto’s Moon” is not only her crowning achievement of 2008, but perhaps her entire (brief) career. It’s hard to imagine her being able to being able to top such an honestly heartbreaking song.

#4: “Dita Dimone” by Pop Levi – If 2008 has done anything for me, it has reaffirmed my love for pop music. This list, and others to come, are filled with great pop music. This just happens to be one of the best songs of the year, not to mention one of the best pop tracks.

#3: “Ill Willed Person” by Jaymay – Early on, “Sea Green, See Blue” was my favorite. Nowadays, I simply can’t get enough of Jamie Seerman’s “other” track. “Ill Willed Person” is such an emotional and truthful song that you simply can’t hate it.

#2: “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes has been this year’s IT band, and I feel that a lot of that hype is undeserved. While putting together a solid album, the band has also revealed a lot of flaws and gaps in creativity. This song, however, is one thing that they did right; very, very right.

#1: “Kim & Jessie” by M83 – It was my favorite song of 2008 when it released. It is my favorite song of 2008 now. It will probably be my favorite song of 2008 in 2009, 2010, and pretty much every moment until the world ends in 2012 (the ancient Mayans’ call – not mine). The simple truth is that Anthony Gonzalez has a masterpiece on his hands. I simply could not get enough this year.

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Now the big question is “When will that albums list be up?”  The good news is that it’s compiled and ready to be go.  That bad news is that I’m not telling.  🙂

Go ahead and enjoy that tense anticipation.  

The 5th Annual Cale Awards: Winners!!

After a month of voting, the results are in!  This year’s Cale Awards were trimmed down, and as a result, we ended up getting more votes than we had last year.  Of course, that could also have more to do with the increased readership over 2008.  I’ll let you, dear reader, decide that one.  For now, enjoy the results of the awards that don’t really matter, but make us feel important anyhow.

Best Myspace Artist:

The Cyanide Valentine

50% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Hanne Kolsto – In a way, I’m very pleased to see The Cyanide Valentine pull this one out.  Though they weren’t my personal choice, they are a very talented band with a very unique sound.  Don’t forget to visit their website to download their 2008 album for FREE!!

The Staying Power Award

Of Montreal:  Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

40% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Spoon:  Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Last year, Spoon’s album barely even made it to my year-end list.  It wasn’t until 2008 that I really started to appreciate this album in its entirety.  “Finer Feelings” has made it on my iTunes “Top Played” list and I can’t say I even placed it in my Key Tracks in my review of the album last year.  

Best Submitted Album

The Eastern Sea:  The Eastern Sea EP

83.3% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  The Eastern Sea:  The Eastern Sea EP – At the height of Audio Overflow’s popularity (I do believe we’ve peaked at this point), I was receiving 2-3 CDs a week.  Unless I had spoken with the artist or label personally, most of them got brushed aside.  The Eastern Sea’s debut as a full band was one that I could not ignore, and I’m pleased to see that the rest of you think so as well.

Best Album Artwork/Packaging

Radiohead:  In Rainbows

62.5% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Sia:  Some People Have Real Problems – In general, I thought that this year was a step backward in album design.  Radiohead had a cool idea; give people stickers to make their own jewel case.  But how many of you have actually done that?  Exactly.  To me, Sia’s packaging contained all the charm and playfulness of her best album yet!  Album art needs to convey the experience of the album in a tangible form, and this one did just that. 

Best EP

The Decemberists:  Always the Bridesmaid

50% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Wallpaper: T-Rex – This is an experience that I probably could’ve only enjoyed in an EP form.  I’m not entirely sold on the idea that Wallpaper’s pitch-corrected/vocoderized pop music wouldn’t wear thin on me after more than 20 minutes.  But here, it’s just enough to keep me smiling, singing, and trying to dance all cool-like. 

Best New Artist

Fleet Foxes

45% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Jaymay – You’d think a label like Blue Note would put more money behind an artist’s of Jaymay’s calendar.  Still, nearly a year after her debut album released, find someone who know who Jaymay is and I’ll give you a dollar.  For me, her debut was close to perfect and full of songs that still haven’t gotten old.  Check it out if you haven’t done so yet.

Band of the Year

Vampire Weekend

25% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Vampire Weekend – There wasn’t a band nominated that didn’t deserve this one, but I think most of us can agree that Vampire Weekend has had the biggest impact on the music world this year.  Making indie kids smile and the MTVers curious, the band has taken their unique sound to the heights of music in a short amount of time.  That’s good enough for me.

Female Artist of the Year

Jenny Lewis

40% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Shara Worden – I’m now completely annoyed with Jenny Lewis.  She used to be one of my favorite artists, but her past 3 outings (two solos and a Rilo Kiley album) have all been relatively shitey.  Acid Tongue was a step in the right direction but still short of her earlier years.  No, for me, Shara Worden is the most-deserving of this award.  Her second MBD album was a wonder of dark, orchestral pop, and was a shoe-in for my Top 10 Albums of 2008.

Male Artist of the Year

Kevin Barnes

50% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Pop Levi – Let’s be honest, Kevin Barnes’ transformation into Georgie Fruit has been one hell of a ride.  Any other year, and he would’ve gotten my vote easily.  But I’ve come to expect greatness from Barnes.  Pop Levi, on the other hand, was an artist I completely wrote off in 2007, only to fall in love with in 2008.  His second LP is an absolutely brilliant piece of pop rock and you owe it to yourself to check it out!  For coming out of nowhere to bring us something so awesome, this one’s just easy.

Song of the Year

“Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by Fleet Foxes

28.6% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Coming Soon!

Album of the Year

Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie

41.2% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Coming Soon!

Pop Levi: "Never Never Love" Album Review

Last year saw Pop Levi release his solo debut album, The Return to Form Black Magick Party; a mediocre album with a few bright spots.  In my review of that release, I concluded, “It’s high points are good enough to get even the most skeptical listener excited for what this artist has yet to do.”  At the time, I was mostly just putting on my optimistic face and hoping that that statement would in fact prove true.  With the release of Levi’s second record, Never Never Love, the artist has not just met expectations, but exceeded them wildly!  Never Never Love is a trip through pop rock and 80s synth pop that will excite and energize even the most skeptical listener.

Levi begins the album in a manner similar to his last, with the guitar-driven rock jam, “Wannamama.”  With a similar style to last year’s “Sugar Assault Me Now,” fans of the artist should be able to ease into what he has in store for them.  The perplexing title track blends electronic afro-drums and brief guitar skitterings with Levi’s trademark vocals; a high-pitched, feminine wail that is both endearing and off-putting.  The album doesn’t hit its full stride until the third track, the synth-driven joy ride, “Dita Dimoné.”  In it, Levi channels his girl problems into one of 2008’s most infectious, danceable hits!  He sings, “Even though we’re fighting every day/ so hard to take the girl away” over a chorus of funk guitars, bass synths, and hand claps; practically forcing the listener to move along to the beat.

“Semi Babe”  is a relatable piece of acoustic guitar pop about pining for a girl who may just be a little out of reach (“Not wholly mine/not over time”).  The album’s lightest track, it’s a nice summer tune that somehow feels much more genuine than its other tracks.  “Fire on Your Feet” is another throwback to Levi’s previous album, owing more to classic rock than 80s pop, and it just barely manages to escape from the repetition that caused that album to be such a forgettable effort.  “Mai’s Space” is catchy as hell despite the fact that your gut reaction to Levi’s pitch corrected vocals is to laugh or skip ahead.  Once you get over that urge (and the urge to say, “To the left, to the left…”), you’ll find it to be one of Never Never Love‘s most memorable tracks.

In reality, most of Never Never Love is just as infectious.  Whether it’s the soft rock of “You Don’t Gotta Run,” the brilliant use of telephone dialing on “Call the Operator,” or the tear-jerking comedown track, “Fountain of Lies,” this is an album that deserves to be poured over for weeks – months even!  Never Never Love is a masterpiece of pop rock in nearly every aspect; vocals, production, and songwriting included.  It is able to overcome its few, minor missteps (most of which are contained within “Everything & Finally”) and succeed as one of 2008’s most masterful works.  After his first album, Pop Levi left me skeptical, but hopeful.  This time around, he’s more than proven himself.  Fans of all things pop will be thrilled to have a new juggernaut in the genre, and even those dedicated to Pop Levi should find this to be an exciting addition to his short, but thorough musical catalog.  For myself, Never Never Love easily ranks as one of the best pop albums of the last few years and one of the most satisfying albums of the 2008! 

Key Tracks:

1. “Dita Dimoné”

2. “Mai’s Space”

3. “Oh God”

4. “Calling Me Down”

5. “Fountain of Lies”

8 out of 10 Stars

Perfect Summer Soundtrack – Week 9

Here’s an odd one, folks.  I’ve worked in a gym over the last few years and I’ve learned a thing or two about what people want to hear when they want to work out.  The oddest mix of the bunch belongs to the Water Aerobics crowd who mainly resort to bad disco music.  Disco Inferno?  No thanks.  Here’s a playlist for the Water Aerobics crowd.  Please try something different for a change!

The Water Aerobics Playlist

So, I know, this isn’t really my target audience.  Where I work, the majority of people who do Water Aerobics are white and over the age of 60.  But I’ve taken that into account when assembling the playlist.  Some of the songs were more popular in their heyday than they are now.  None of the songs are so “over the top” that they will flat out hate it, nor do any of them contain profanity or suggestive themes.  But it is music that any hipster can appreciate.  So even if you’re not planning on turning 60 soon, it’s still a great playlist.

Week 1 – Rooney’s Self-Titled Debut (Beach Trip, Road Trip, Skateboarding)
Week 2 – The Picnic Playlist
Week 3 – Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (Road Trip Sing-a-longs, House Parties, Frisbee Tossing)
Week 4 – The 4th of July Party Playlist
Week 5 – The Pump Me the F*** Up! Playlist (Mountain Climbing, Fight Clubbing, Wakeboarding, Kayaking, Parachuting, Murdering, Running)

Week 6 – The Elected: Sun Sun Sun (Road Trip)

Week 7 – The Bike Ride Through the Country Playlist

Week 8 – Incubus: Morning View (Skateboarding, Surfing, Beach Trip, Road Trip)

2007’s Top 5 Songs From Bad Albums

It’s always unfortunate when you hear a really great song and then run out to buy the album based on that one song, only to find that the rest of the album sucks! This is particularly why I’m an advocate of free online music (be it streaming or P2P). Sometimes you just need to hear the whole album before a purchase can be justified. Case in point, the following five songs. They’re great songs, some of 2007’s best! But they make you greatful for online music stores like iTunes where you’re able to buy by the song. The following are the Top 5 songs of 2007 that were on crappy albums!

#5: “Icky Thump” – The White Stripes, from the album Icky Thump – While all the major media outlets were raving about the return-to-form that was Icky Thump, us levelheaded folks were busy wondering what the fuss was all about. Aside from about 2 to 3 decent tracks, Icky Thump sucked. Not only that, it was the same crap we’ve been hearing from The White Stripes for over a decade! The band showed no progression, and hardly any justification for positive feedback. “Icky Thump” was the biggest exception to this. An upbeat, infectious, and unapologetic rock song, “Icky Thump” really proved how bad the album was. It kicked things off with a bang, and everything else just whimpered.

#4: “Don’t Make Me a Target” – Spoon, from the album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Spoon has this habit of making 4 or 5 really great songs and lumping them on an album with 6 or 7 really forgettable songs. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was a really good example of this. Tracks like “Don’t you Evah” and “The Underdog” were fantastic tracks, while a song like “Japanese Cigarette Case” is just begging for you to skip it. My favorite track on the album is the powerful, toe-tapping opener, “Don’t Make Me a Target.” Brit Daniel’s vocals are spot-on as usual, and the infectious groove created by the guitar is just unstoppable. I love every minute of it; both on the CD and live!

#3: “Sugar Assault Me Now” by Pop Levi, from the album The Return to Form Black Magick Party – Wow, what a mediocre album. With only two songs that I listen to occasionally, The Return to Form Black Magick Party is an album that doesn’t need to exist. Not good enough to enjoy and not bad enough to make fun of, Pop Levi’s debut album was just mediocre enough to forget. “Sugar Assault Me Now” is yet another lead-off track that showed promise, only to find that promise squandered on annoyingly repetitive guitar riffs and vocals. It’s as if Pop Levi thought to himself, “What’s the best way I could ruin this?” and then did exactly that. This song is still one of my favorite on my running playlist, and if it weren’t for that, Pop Levi would’ve been forgotten about a long long time ago.

#2: “Lake Michigan” by Rogue Wave, from the album Asleep at Heaven’s Gate – Oh man, what a disappointment! Rogue Wave is one of my favorite bands, so I was so hyped about their newest album. When I found out that it’s only about half an album with a bunch of filler, I was as close to heartbroken as you can be over music. Their first two albums were flawless. This one, not so much. There are some fantastic song on here though, “Lake Michigan” being the stand out by far! And people are taking notice too, thanks to Microsoft. While I’m not the biggest fan of the album, I’m finally happy that the band is getting the attention that they deserve. If only it were for Descended Like Vultures.

#1: “One Two Three Four” by Feist, from the album The Reminder – To say The Reminder was a disappointment is an understatement. The album has one great song in “One Two Three Four” and then a bunch of mediocre to terrible songs filling in the rest of the space on the CD. It’s a shame when you consider how great Let It Die was. Like Rogue Wave, Feist has gotten a lot of attention recently thanks to Microsoft Apple, which is good. She’s too talented of an artist to not be heard, and the video to this song is much too magical to be ignored. If anything, I’m happy for Feist. But my feelings remain the same about The Reminder. It’s bad!