Anyways, it's 2009 now, and I guess I'll post my "Best of '08" Lists, which I posted on Myspace about a month back.
BEST ALBUM: Some of these I'm totally sick of now, but they made '08 "'08" so deal with it.
20. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs: I was all about this album because it reminded me of older Death Cab, before their songs felt really artificial and radio-destined. They even cranked the reverb on Ben Gibbard's voice, which is not done enough on most of my favorite, dry-sounding, albums.
19.5. Plants & Animals - Parc Avenue: Thanks Chris for leaving this in my car because it's totally great and gave me something to sing while waiting at the drive-thru.
19. Kings of Leon - Only by the Night: Worst Kings album ever, but the first 5 songs are so good, I'm still surprised that Nickelback is bigger than this band in America, oh wait, it's because I'm in America and you know the demographic.
18. Nada Surf - Lucky: I love Nada Surf, but at times this album felt a little too polished. With that said, I'm only saying that because I listened to it a million times and enjoyed the hell out of it.
17. Crystal Castles - S/T: I was always singing the melodies to these songs, it's so good. Half the songs feel like demo's, but still, this is an album I can throw on and dance to sober.
16. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!: Awesome album, this one was a grower as well.
15. Duke Spirit - Neptune: I was kinda like "yea, another one of these bands" until I saw them live in Pittsburgh. Not only is their music great and something I'd actually enjoy, but their singer is one of the most gorgeous women on the planet and she plays the tambourine and she's British and she has these bangs, and you'd just have to see this to believe it. Next big thing, I'm calling it.
14. Ryan Adams - Cardinology: Totally grew on me, I was really into his older stuff for awhile, but his concert was great and I just love the aura of this album, it's very live feeling, which is great. His guitar and amp tone sounds a lot like mine too so I sometimes imagine it's me playing in the left channel of my headphones.
13. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III: Not as good as Da Drought 3, but the remix of Lollipop is better than anything on the album. I only say this because I really get annoyed by the cheesy R&B choruses most rappers need to throw in order to get their songs played on the radio. Weezy doesn't need that, he just guest appears on half of the tracks appearing on Top 40 Rap radio.
12.5. Gaslight Anthem - The '69 Sound: Pop punk is coming back, and it sounds like Bruce Springsteen, so I guess this is good. Music is evolving in front of our eyes.
12. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular: This is pretty much the album of anthems for the year, isn't it?
11. Black Keys - Attack & Release: I loved this album, even the spin Danger Mouse put on all of the tracks, which was actually a good thing, otherwise, this would have sounded like every other Black Keys song...awesome. But, more of the same.
10. No Age - Nouns: Messy and all over the place, but in a really good way.
9.5. Foals - Antidotes: This is a good album. Like a pop, sane version of Battles, but not really.
9. Santogold - S/T: I remember missing her free show at Case because I found out about when it was almost over, but dammit, this album is so good, very versatile. The album starts out like a normal rock album but quickly turns into a dance album and her voice is just as capable of doing whatever it needs to do to get the job done. If that makes sense. She's good, that's what I'm saying.
8. The Constantines - Tournament of Hearts: This guy's voice is just so commanding, like he just out chain-smoked John Mellencamp only his band's songs weren't as bad. And the ballad "Soon Enough" would make me cry if I was capable.
7. Fleet Foxes - S/T: Duh, this one needs no explanation. They sell it at Starbucks now.
6. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges: This is the album that made a lot of people hate MMJ, but I ended up really liking the oddball songs and ignored the "normal" MMJ songs, until recently. "Highly Suspicious" is just such an awesome jam.
5. Hold Steady - Stay Positive: Just a simple album where every song's lyrics portray so much more than given within the song's context.
4. Vampire Weekend - S/T: Pop masterpiece, it's no wonder there's so much hype, it's because they're doing their own thing without likely trying to.
3. The Dodos - Visiter: Such a simple, textured, rhythmic piece of awesome. Really reminds me of Simon & Garfunkel.
2. Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow, Blue: The band plays with such quirk and groove, I can't believe how young they are.
1. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals: If there's one album to sum up all of the drunken, fun nights of '08, this album is it.
Close calls:
Crystal Antlers - EP
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Deerhunter - Microcastle
And I know, I just got TV on the Radio's new one, so let that sink in. I've been DJ'ing lately, I'm listening to lots of remixes, for better or for worse.
SHOWS. (This was the year of shows, I had to narrow these down.)
25. Eagle Seagull - The Spot
24. Bruce Springsteen - Obama Rally
23. Bob Dylan - Pittsburgh
22. The Roots - Pittsburgh
21. Limbeck - Grog Shop
20. Tom Gable (Against Me!) - Grog Shop
19. The Decemberists - E. Lansing, Michigan
18. Black Mountain - Pittsburgh
17. Duke Spirit - Pittsburgh
16. Gnarls Barkley - Pittsburgh
15. Tokyo Police Club - The Spot
14. Born Ruffians - Grog Shop
13. Ryan Adams - Palace Theatre
12. Neko Case - Beachland Ballroom
11. Asobi Seksu - Grog Shop
10. Fiery Furnaces - The Spot
9. Arcade Fire - Beachland Ballroom
8. Black Keys - Beachland Tavern (& Pittsburgh)
7. Explosions in the Sky - Beachland Ballroom
6. Hold Steady - Beachland Ballroom
5. The Raconteurs - Pittsburgh
4. Nada Surf - Beachland Ballroom
3. Jay-Z - The "Q"
2. Girl Talk - Beachland Ballroom
1. Dan Deacon - Grog Shop
And let's not forget the countless shows I missed that I still regret not going to. And I left the Deerhunter when I couldn't stop puking.
MOVIES.
6. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (it actually sucked, but I still liked it)
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4. Persepolis
3. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
2. WALL-E
1. Dark Knight
Movies that l'll continue to avoid - Hancock, Saw XIV, Dreamworks animations, Vince Vaughn films post 4 years ago, Transporter 3, most movies that have "unrated" editions
PLACES TO HANG OUT
9. Bean bag chairs (just in general)
8. Mi Pueblo's
7. Random, non-local bars
6. Ryan's House
5. Grog Shop
4. Beachland
3. Teams (some times)
2. Nick's House
1. Practice Spot
