Tops of 2008

I'm a fan of lists. I'll admit it. Maybe that's one of the reasons I like "High Fidelity" so much. He's got his top 5s for just about everything. And it's fun to argue and agree with the critics and fans when it comes to end of the year lists. For the past two years, Paste Magazine has had a surprise pick for the top album of the year, which after further review, makes sense (2007-The National, "Boxer". 2008-She & Him, "Volume 1").

This year has been yet another rough year for the music industry. CD sales were down 27% in the last quarter, while radio had a revenue drop not seen since the'50s. Some say it's the recession, which is partially to blame. Others say it was a down year for new releases. I'm not buying into that one. There were plenty of great releases, from indie favorites to big name pop artists. CDs and radio are just on the outs, plain and simple.

I'm including three lists here: my 10 favorite albums of the year (plus two honorable mentions), my five favorite songs of the year (again, plus two honorable mentions), and just for the hell of it, my five favorite movies of the year. Music and movies have so much in common and are kind of dependent on one another, so even though this is a music blog, I decided to just go for it.

The great thing about making a "best of" list is I went back to listen to my favorite albums of the year just to make sure I had the order right. In the process, I heard things I missed before, I changed the order several times, and I just had a great time listening to great music. Down year for the industry or not, there was still plenty of good stuff to go around.

BEST ALBUMS OF 2008

10. Justin Townes Earle, The Good Life
Ok, so I admit it, I have a penchant for twang. This is pretty much a traditional country album. There's plenty of talk about drinkin' and bein' lonesome and hard livin'. That's what real country music is all about, though. And if that's what you're into, this album is a treat. Justin Townes Earle is the son of folk, protest singer-songwriter, Steve Earle. What he produces here is an achievement in songwriting, but is also a boost for traditional country, and a way for the younger Earle to set himself apart from his legendary father. Have a bottle of whiskey and your cowboy hat ready when you put this one on.

9. Ezra Furman & the Harpoons, Inside the Human Body
These guys just finished college, damn it! And they're so good! Ezra's got quite an unusual, raw sort of voice, but it lends well to his frantic style and quirky songwriting. I've heard comparisons of Ezra Furman to Conor Oberst, which then leads to the inevitable comparison to Bob Dylan. Yeah, there's that, merely because people always feel the need to find "The New Dylan". But don't do that please. Give the guy his own due, which he deserves. There's a nice blend of good 'ol rock and roll, mixed with original songwriting, and youthful energy. This is a band to watch in the next few years to come.

8. Dr. Dog, Fate
I can't say enough about this band. This album is filled with songs that will take you back to an earlier era, but also stand on their own here in the present. I've always enjoyed the band's low-fi, direct approach, and this album provides plenty of that. There's also a somewhat dark aura that lingers throughout the album, like an impending doom. The album feels like albums used to feel--cohesive, and not just a random mixture of songs. A talented rock band at its best.

7. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
I love to put on this album nice and loud and proceed to dance around like an idiot. It's a big sounding album with great beats and layers of sound and energy. Much to my disappointment, I guess these guys aren't very good live, but if they can keep putting out albums like this, one can overlook that fault. This is a great summer album, that also contains one of my favorite lyrics of the year, "Shock me like an electric eel." Can't be shocked much better than that.

6. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
Here's another great summer album made by equally maddeningly young, talented musicians. Arrgggh, what have I done with my youth! This is a fun album filled with African beats Paul Simon would have loved to have had, intellectual references, escape from vampires in New England, and tuneful melodies. I think they also have the best sweaters in rock & roll.

5. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
This is a beautiful album, start to finish. It's a quiet, heartfelt masterpiece, sung by someone who obviously knows heartache, but at the same time, knows how to translate it into something amazingly lyrical and transcendant. My favorite song of the year is off of this album. Just saw them on Letterman the other night and he played with three drummers. The previously alluded to favorite song was the one he played. Good stuff, through and through.

4. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges
My Morning Jacket is one of my favorite bands around right now. I was a bit nervous about this album, because I heard they were trying some new things. I've talked about experimentation in this blog, and frankly, sometimes it turns out really, really badly. But not here. The album starts out with three un-MMJ-esque songs that delve into the realm of dance/electronica/Prince. Then with track four, a more familiar sounding band appears. What a statement to make with the first part of your album. I've heard some fans weren't too happy with the direction of "Evil Urges", but I think there's plenty on here that fans of their older work can get into too. I think that this album is their best so far, and I look forward to what Jim James and Co. come up with next.

3. TV on the Radio, Dear Science
TV on the Radio's previous release, "Return to Cookie Mountain" was a huge critical success. One always wonders how a band can follow up something like that. Well, TV on the Radio just went ahead and followed it up with another masterpiece that reaffirms them as one of the most creative bands around. They somehow manage to successfully mix elements of rock, hip-hop, electronica, and really what can only be called "sound". Every moment of this album is engaging. And the high register vocal style of the lead singer is about as unique as you can get. And unique hardly scratches the surface in describing TVotR.

2. She & Him, Volume One
Who would have guessed that Zooey Deschanel would be this good? I wouldn't have. In fact when I first heard about this concept of M. Ward joining up with the actress from "Elf" and "Almost Famous", I think I let out an audible sigh. I think most people did. But then you hear it and realize, "Wow, this is good". You kind of expect it from M. Ward. He's proven himself as the real thing within the "indie-rock" scene. But Zooey Deschanel? I'm amazed. She pulls off several styles perfectly. Her voice can be tender, soulful, rough, sensitive, and powerful. And M. Ward backs it up with some serious acoustic picking. They just announced that there will be a Volume Two and I'm hoping they cover Dusty Springfield, The Ronnettes, and Patsy Cline. If this album proves anything, they could probably pull it off.

1. Fleet Foxes, Ragged Wood
I challenge you to find harmonies more amazing than the ones created by this band. From the very first notes of this album you feel like you are listening to something not of this world. I feel like the songs were pulled out of some unknown part of the atmosphere or out of some magical land where wood nymphs and fairys frollick amongst talking trees and gnomes. Not to be a broken record, but once again, these guys are in their early '20s!!! And this is their debut. It is an amazing achievement in acoustic, new folk, indie-whatever music. It's just damn good. It's hypnotic and like European chocolate for the ears. Rich and tasty, with an amazing aftertaste.

Honorable Mention--The Hold Steady, "Stay Positive"
The Rural Alberta Advantage, "Hometowns"

BEST SONGS OF 2008

5. "Great DJ", The Ting Tings
4. "White Winter Hymnal", Fleet Foxes
3. "Take Off Your Sunglasses", Ezra Furman & the Harpoons
2. "Electric Feel", MGMT
1. "Skinny Love", Bon Iver

Honorable Mention: "Shout Me Out", TV on the Radio
"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa", Vampire Weekend

BEST MOVIES OF 2008 (at least from what I've seen so far)
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
4. WALL-E
3. A Christmas Tale
2. My Winnipeg
1. The Dark Knight

Well, there you have it. By no means is this a comprehensive list. I haven't the time or money or energy to have heard every album (or seen every movie) of 2008. As much as I wish I could do this full-time, and my God do I wish I could, I don't. One day, maybe. But until then, I'll do my best to immerse myself in great music, literature, movies, and whatever else is there for the viewing/listening. It's a nice way to spend life. And every so often, amazing, life-changing things happen from all of it.

Let me know what you think. What did I miss? What did I get right? What did I get wrong?

And on a side note, I'm working on the launch of The Hidden Chord Podcast, to debut this January! It's going to be the best podcast that anyone has ever heard!