THE LAST WORD More Writers' 2008 Lists
Dec 30, 2008
We continue our backwards trawl through the year that's coming to a close. To view the first part, including BLURT's Top 50 Albums and additional writers' picks, go HERE.
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JUD COST
ALBUMS:
Beck, Modern Guilt (dgc)
Duffy, Rockferry (mercury)
Baseball Project, Frozen Ropes & Dying Quails (yep roc)
Eilen Jewell, Letters from Sinners & Strangers (signaturesounds)
Inara George with Van Dyke Parks, An Invitation (ever loving)
The Duke Spirit, Neptune (shangri-la)
Black Angels, Directions To See A Ghost (light in the attic)
Octopus Project, Hello Avalanche (peek-a-boo)
Radiohead, In Rainbows (tbd)
Brian Wilson, That Lucky Old Sun (capitol/emi)
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (sub pop)
Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue (warner bros)
She & Him, Volume One (merge)
Steve Wynn, Crossing Dragon Bridge (rock ridge)
Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (xl)
Randy Newman, Harps And Angels (nonesuch)
Dengue Fever, Venus On Earth (M80
Magnetic Fields, Distortion (nonesuch)
R.E.M., Accelerate (warners)
Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst (merge)
HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR:
If there was a highlight of the year category, mine would be the Treasure Island Festival, held in the middle of San Francisco Bay under stiff August winds. Alternate stages with great sight-lines let all ten thousand attendees get up close with the Raconteurs, Fleet Foxes, Spiritualized, Okkervil River, Vampire Weekend, Dr.Dog, The Dodos and Tegan & Sara. Perfect bus service to the island got you there in ten minutes.
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LAVINIA JONES WRIGHT
ALBUMS:
1. Dr. Dog "Fate" (Park the Van)
2. Fleet Foxes "Fleet Foxes" (Sub Pop)
3. Brian Eno and David Byrne "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today"
4. Nada Surf "Lucky" (Barsuk)
5. The Kills "Midnight Boom" (Domino)
6. The Moutain Goats "Heretic Pride" (4AD)
7. The War on Drugs "Wagonwheel Blues" (Secretly Canadian)
8. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!"
9. The Black Keys "Attack & Release" (Nonesuch)
10. The Whigs "Mission Control" (ATO)
11. Santogold "Santogold" (Downtown)
12. Deerhunter "Microcastle" (Kranky)
13. Flight of the Conchords "Flight of the Conchords" (Sub Pop)
14. She & Him "Volume One" (Merge)
15. Apollo Sunshine "Shall Noise Upon" (Headless Heroes)
16. Delta Spirit "Ode to the Sunshine" (Rounder)
17. Beck "Modern Guilt" (XL)
18. Ryan Adams "Cardinology" (Lost Highway)
19. Takka Takka "Migration" (Ernest Jennings)
20. Girl Talk "Feed the Animals" (Illegal Art)
REISSUES:
1. Portastatic "Some Small History" (Merge)
2. Bob Dylan "The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 - Tell Tale Signs" (Columbia)
3. Belle and Sebastian "BBC Sessions" (Matador)
4. Liz Phair "Exile in Guyville" (ATO)
5. Loudon Wainwright "Recovery" (Yep Rock)
NEW ARTISTS:
1. Dr. Dog
2. Fleet Foxes
3. Bon Iver
4. Santogold
5. War on Drugs
TOURS:
1. My Bloody Valentine
2. Dr. Dog
3. The Black Keys
4. Neil Young/Wilco (Speculation) or Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings if you don't like speculation
5. Fleet Foxes
ANNOYING:
1. Republicans using music without artists' permission for rallies
2. Katy Perry
3. Kid Rock vs. Those iTunes Imposters
4. Sarah Palin's "Real Americans" comment
5. Naked/Risque Internet Photos of Young Female Celebrities. C'mon. Does this still surprise us? Do male celebrities EVER have their reputations ruined for bullshit like this?
BOOKS:
1. "Like A Rolling Stone: The Strange Life of a Tribute Band" by Steven Kurutz
2. "Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon and the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller
COOLEST:
Democracy. FINALLY!
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ZACH BLOOM:
ALBUMS:
1. Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours (Modular/Interscope)
2. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (XL Recordings)
3. TV On The Radio, Dear Science (DGC/Interscope)
4. Beach House, Devotion (Carpark Records)
5. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
6. Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles (Last Gang Records)
7. Okkervil River, The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
8. Deerhoof, Offend Maggie (Kill Rock Stars)
9. Earlimart, Hymn and Her (Shout Factory)
10. Mates Of State, Re-Arrange Us (Barsuk)
11. Hot Chip, Made In The Dark (Astralwerks)
12. Portishead, Third (Mercury)
13. M83, Saturdays=Youth (Mute U.S.)
14. The Raveonettes, Lust Lust Lust (Vice Records)
15. Hercules And Love Affair, Hercules And Love Affair (Mute U.S.)
16. Throw Me The Statue, Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian)
17. Bloc Party, Intimacy (Atlantic Records)
18. The Heavenly States, Delayer (The Rebel Group)
19. The Presets, Apocalypso (Modular/Interscope)
20. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive (Vagrant Records)
NEW ARTISTS:
1. Vampire Weekend
2. Bon Iver
3. Hercules And Love Affair
4. Crystal Castles
5. Chairlift
ANNOYING:
1. The Raconteurs
2. The Ting Tings
3. CSS
4. Devendra Banhart
5. white guilt
COOLEST OVERDUE RELEASE SINCE I LOST MY VIRGINITY:
Chinese Democracy. It's good that it's finally out, but in both situations, it's better we all/both forget it happened, move on, and never ever match cornrows with an Atlanta Falcons jersey again. In the immediate aftermath there's a sinking feeling that it will always be this bad.
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BRYAN REED
ALBUMS:
1. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron and Fed Squire - Lost Wisdom (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
2. WHY? - Alopecia (Anticon)
3. Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull (Southern Lord)
4. Nomo - Ghost Rock (Ubiquity)
5. Mamiffer - Hirror Enniffer (Hydra Head)
6. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing (ATP)
7. Harvey Milk - Life...The Best Game In Town (Hydra Head)
8. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
9. Grampall Jookabox - Ropechain (Asthmatic Kitty)
10. The Dodos - Visiter (Frenchkiss)
11. Bellafea - Cavalcade (Southern)
12. Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing (self-released)
13. Double Negative - Raw Energy EP (Sorry State)
14. The Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind (Hall of Justus/Nicolay Music)
15. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
16. Jenks Miller - Approaching The Invisible Mountain (Holidays For Quince/New American Folk Hero)
17. Giant Sand - proVISIONS (Yep Roc)
18. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III (Universal Motown/Cash Money)
19. Johann Johannson - Fordlandia (4AD)
20. Nachtmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. I (Century Media)
REISSUES:
1. Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison Legacy Edition (Legacy)
2. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
3. Megafaun, Bury The Square (Table of the Elements)
4. Ahleuchatistas, The Same And The Other (Tzadik)
5. Pavement, Brighten The Corners Nicene Credence Ed. (Matador)
NEW ARTISTS:
1. Mamiffer
2. Women
3. Bellafea
4. Fuck Buttons
5. The Dodos
TOURS:
1. Billy Bragg
2. Superchunk/Arcade Fire
3. Polvo
4. Little Brother
5. The Rosebuds/Megafaun
ANNOYING:
1. Kevin Barnes
2. Sarah Palin entering the public consciousness
3. Camel and Rolling Stone's "Indie Rock Universe"
4. Kanye West vs. anyone with a camera
5. The overuse of Auto-Tune
DVDS:
1. Kurt Cobain: About A Son
2. Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
BOOKS:
1. Radio Silence: A Selected Visual History of American Hardcore Music
2. The Pitchfork 500
COOLEST:
Aside from the video of the dude in the gorilla drumming to "In The Air Tonight" as though he were Phil Collins (www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbLr2NEV_7o), it'd be finally finding a copy of Double Negative's 2007 LP, The Wonderful And Frightening World of Double Negative, at Lunchbox Records in Charlotte, after looking for it for more than a year.
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AARON KAYCE
ALBUMS:
1. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago" - Jagjaguwar
2. My Morning Jacket - "Evil Urges" - ATO
3. TV on the Radio - "Dear Science" - DGC/Interscope
4. The Mars Volta - "The Bedlam In Goliath" - Universal
5. TK Webb & The Visions - "Ancestor" - Kemado
6. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive" - Vagrant
7. Blitzen Trapper - "Furr" - Sub Pop
8. MGMT - "Oracular Spectacular" - Sony
9. Jessica Lea Mayfield - "With Blasphemy So Heartfelt" - Thirsty Tiger
10. The Raconteurs - "Consolers of the Lonely" - Warner Bros.
11. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - "Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson" - Say Hey
12. Cold War Kids - "Loyalty To Loyalty" - Downtown
13. Drive-By Truckers - "Brighter Than Creations Dark" - New West
14. Brendan Canning - "Something For All of Us" - Arts & Crafts
15. Dead Confederate - "Wrecking Ball" - Razor & Tie
16. Islands - "Arm's Way" - Anti-
17. Dr. Dog - "Fate" - Park The Van Records
18. AA Bondy - "American Hearts" - Fat Possum
19. Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes" - Sub Pop
20. Ben Sollee - "Learning To Bend" - R.E.D.
NEW ARTISTS:
1. Bon Iver
2. TK Webb
3. Dead Confederate
4. Jessica Lea Mayfield
5. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
TOURS:
1. Radiohead
2. My Morning Jacket
3. The Mars Volta
4. The Hold Steady/Drive-By Truckers Tour
5. Orchestra Baobab
BOOKS:
"Northline" by Willy Vlautin
COOLEST:
The election of Barack Obama. After eight years of shame we can finally hold our heads high and dream of the future. Because of Obama we can once again say we are proud to be American.
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JAKE CLINE
ALBUMS:
1. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive (Vagrant)
2. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (ATO)
3. R.E.M., Accelerate (Warner Bros.)
4. Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creationʼs Dark (New West)
5. David Byrne and Brian Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (Todo Mundo)
6. Randy Newman, Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)
7. American Music Club, The Golden Age (Merge)
8. The Gutter Twins, Saturnalia (Sub Pop)
9. Cephas and Wiggins, Richmond Blues (Smithsonian Folkways)
10. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Real Emotional Trash (Matador)
MOST SOPHOMORIC SOPHOMORE ALBUM:
Jenny Lewis, Acid Tongue (Warner Bros.)
REISSUES:
1. Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8 (Columbia)
2. The Replacementsʼ catalog (Rhino/Rykodisc)
3. Various artists, New Orleans: The Original Sound of Funk, Volume 2 (Soul Jazz)
4. Otis Redding, Live in London and Paris (Stax)
5. Charlie Pickett, Bar Band Americanus (Bloodshot)
BEST COLLABORATION BETWEEN A NOVELIST AND A SONGWRITER: I'm Not Jim (Jonathan Lethem + Walter Salas-Humara) - You Are All My People (Bloodshot)
BOOK:
The Oxford American Book of Great Music Writing, edited by Marc Smirnoff (The University of Arkansas Press)
DVD:
I'm Not There, dir. by Todd Haynes (Weinstein Company)
TOUR:
Drive-By Truckers
ANNOYING:
Kanye West
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JOHN SCHACHT
ALBUMS:
Centro-matic/South San Gabriel - Dual Hawks (Misra)
Micah P. Hinson -- Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire (Full Time Hobby)
Sera Cahoone - Only As the Day Is Long (Sub Pop)
Shearwater - Rook (Matador)
Calexico - Carried to Dust (Quarterstick)
National Eye -- The Farthest Shore (Park the Van)
Pontiak -- Sun on Sun (Thrill Jockey)
Tindersticks - The Hungry Saw (Beggars Banquet)
Plants & Animals - Parc Avenue (Secret City)
Okkervil River -- The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
Liz Durrett - Outside Our Gates (Warm)
Of Great & Mortal Men - J. Matthew Gerken, Christian Kiefer, Jefferson Pitcher (Standard)
Ala Muerte -- Santa Elena (Public Guilt)
Damien Jurado -- Caught in the Trees (Secretly Canadian)
Thalia Zedek -- Liars & Prayers (Thrill Jockey)
Grails -- Doomsdayer's Holiday (Temporary Residence)
Talkdemonic - Eyes at Half Mast (Arena Rock)
Benji Hughes -- A Love Extreme (New West)
Giant Sand -- proVISIONS (Yep Roc)
Ry Cooder -- I, Flathead (Nonesuch)
REISSUES:
Pavement -- Brighten the Corners (Matador)
Replacements -- Let It Be (Twin-Tone)
Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue (Columbia)
Mogwai -- Young Team (Chemikal Underground)
CCR - Reissues (Concord/Fantasy)
Nick Lowe -- Jesus of Cool (Yep Roc)
Mission of Burma -- VS. (Matador)
Dennis Wilson -- Pacific Ocean Blue (Legacy/Caribou)
NEW ARTISTS:
Benji Hughes (NC)
Yardwork (NC)
Ala Muerte (Queens)
Sholi (SF)
The Uglysuit (OK City)
ANNOYING:
The dreaded return of fucking synth pop
Kevin Costner's band getting signed
The demise of print
10 Year Anniversary Reissues (what's next, 5? 3?)
COOLEST:
The Take-Away Shows at Crackle.com
NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts
DVDS:
Joe Strummer -- The Future Is Unwritten
Silver Jew -- Silver Jews
BOOKS:
Amanda Petrusich -- It Still Moves
John Darnielle -- Black Sabbath/Master of Reality
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APRIL S. ENGRAM
ALBUMS:
Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid, Geffen Records
The Helio Sequence, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, Sub Pop
TV on the Radio, Dear Science, Interscope
Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer, Sub Pop
Friendly Fires, Self Titled, XL Recordings
Blitzen Trapper, Furr, Sub Pop
The Duke Spirit, Neptune, You Are Here
The Dears, Missles, Dangerbird Records
Fujiya & Miyagi, Lightbulbs, Full Time Hobby Records
The Rosebuds, Life Like, Merge Records
Fleet Foxes, Self Titled, Sub Pop
Okkervil River, The Stand Ins, Jagjaguwar
Ra Ra Riot, The Rhumb Line, Barsuk
Cold War Kids, Loyalty to Loyalty, Downtown
Santogold, Self Titled, Downtown
NEW ARTISTS:
Duchess Says
Hercules & The Love Affair
Friendly Fires
Lykke Li
Starf*cker
CONCERTS:
Radiohead/Grizzly Bear
Iron & Wine/Blitzen Trapper
The Walkmen/The Decemberists
Eagles of Death Metal/The Duke Spirit
Lykke Li/Friendly Fires
ANNOYING:
-The Palin Effect. Does anyone recall what Joe Biden looks like? (Exaggeration intended there.) Yet the media was so focused on this VP candidate that Biden fell through their cracks. Though I must admit, Palin was an excellent candidate for camera fodder.
-Politics once again: "Joe The Plumber." He now has a book deal...WHAAT?!!
-Rolled over from 2007, High School Musical craze.
-The teenster obsession with the film Twilight.
-(Not sure if this is strictly a 2008 trend). Resurgence of ‘80s Fashion. Styles die out for a reason...
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JONAH FLICKER
ALBUMS:
1) The War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues - Jagjaguwar
2) Deerhunter - Microcastle - Kranky
3) Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors
4) She & Him - Volume One - Merge
5) of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping - Polyvinyl
6) The Lord Dog Bird - S/T - Jagjaguwar
7) Wilderness - (k)no(w)here - Jagjaguwar
8) Grampall Jookabox - Ropechain - Asthmatic Kitty
9) Mighty Joseph - Empire State - Phantom Sound & Vision
10) Prodigy - HNIC Pt. 2 - AAO Music
11) MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (Columbia)
12) M83 - Saturdays = Youth - Mute
13) Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer - Sub Pop
14) Scarlett Johannson - Anywhere I Lay My Head - Ryko
15) Karl Blau - Nature's Got Away - K
REISSUES:
New Order - Movement, Low-life, Power, Corrupion & Lies, Brotherhood, Technique
DVDs:
The Story of the Wu
Hip-Hop Time Capsule - 1994
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STEVEN ROSEN
ALBUMS:
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, "Dig Lazarus Dig!!!" (Anti-)
TV On the Radio, "Dear Science" (DGC/Interscope)
Robert Forster, "The Evangelist" (Yep Rock)
Psychic TV/PTV3, "Mr. Alien Brain vs. the Skinwalkers" (Cargo/Sweet Nothing)
Andre Williams & the New Orleans Hellhounds, "Can You Deal With It?" (Bloodshot)
Frida Hyvonen, "Silence Is Wild" (Secretly Canadian)
Drive-By Truckers, "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" (New West)
Neil Diamond, "Home BBefore Dark" (Columbia)
Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby (Stiff)
Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago" (Jagjaguwar)
Kevin Ayers, "The Unfairground" (Gigantic/Lo-Max)
Kath Bloom, "Terror" (Chapter Music)
Bill Frisell, "History, Mystery" (Nonesuch)
Mavis Staples, "Live: Hope at the Hideout" (Anti-)
Barton Carroll, "The Lost One" (Skybucket)
Fredrik, "Na Na Ni" (Kora)
The Hold Steady, "Stay Positive" (Vagrant)
Lambchop, "OH (ohio)" Merge
Randy Newman, "Harps and Angels" (Nonesuch)
Anathallo, "Canopy Glow" (Anticon.)
REISSUES:
Bob Dylan, "Tell Tale Signs" (Columbia)
Hoyt Axton, "My Griffin Is Gone" (Omni)
"The Jerry Ragovoy Story" (Ace UK)
"The Bert Berns Story" (Ace UK)
Dennis Wilson, "Pacific Ocean Blue" (Legacy)
Blue Ash, "No More, No Less" (Collectors' Choice Music)
Kath Bloom & Loren Connors, "Sing the Children Over" and "Sand In My Shoe" (Chapter Music)
Rodriguez, "Cold Fact" (Light in the Attic)
Eccentric Soul releases (The Numero Group)
Creedence Clearwater reissues (Fantasy)
TOURS:
Van Morrison doing "Astral Weeks" at Hollywood Bowl
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, "Dig Lazarus Dig!!!" tour
Shelby Lynne supporting "Just a Little Lovin'
Jens Lekman
Glen Campbell supporting "Meet Glen Campbell"
ANNOYING:
Return of AC/DC
Return of Guns ‘N Roses
Continued success of "American Idol"
Endless speculation on Amy Winehouse's health
Emphasis on ‘70s hard rock on classic-rock stations
DVDS:
"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best of Season 3" (Time Life)
"You Think You Really Know Me: The Gary Wilson Story" (Plexifilm)
BOOKS:
Tom Moon - 1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Workman Publishing)
Zachary Lazar - Sway (Little Brown)
COOL BAND NAMES:
Continued Growth of Bands That "Make a Statement" by Putting Verbs in Their Names, like The Academy Is..., Sky Eats Airplane, These Arms Are Snakes, I Set My Friends on Fire, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, I See Hawks in L.A, I'm From Barcelona, We Are Scientists, and the veteran Dead Can Dance and ...and you will know us by the trail of dead. (Does The Hold Steady count?)
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ED MASLEY
ALBUMS:
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, "Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!" (Mute)
2. Elvis Costello and the Imposters, "Momofuku" (Lost Highway)
3. Beck, "Modern Guilt" (Interscope)
4. Man Man, "Rabbit Hands" (Anti-)
5. Nas, untitled (Def Jam)
6. Randy Newman, "Harps and Angels" (Nonesuch)
7. The Walkmen, "You and Me" (Gigantic)
8. Vampire Weekend, "Vampire Weekend" (XL)
9. Plastilina Mosh, "All U Need Is Mosh" (Nacional)
10. Portugal. The Man, "Censored Colors" (Equal Visi
REISSUES:
1. The Clash, "The Clash: Live at Shea Stadium" (Sony International)
2. Cheap Trick "Budokan!" (Sony Legacy)
3. Doors, "Live at the Matrix 1967" (Rhino)
4. Various, "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" (Sony Legacy)
5. Jesus and Mary Chain, "The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities" (Rhino)
NEW ARTISTS:
1. Vampire Weekend
2. The Urges
3. Heavy Hands
4. Wallpapers
5. So So Glos
TOURS:
1. Elvis Costello
2. Beck
3. Vampire Weekend
4. Portugal. The Man
5. Nick Lowe
DVDS:
1. The Who "At Kilburn: 1977"
2. Cheap Trick, "Budokan"
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JASON MIDDLEKAUFF
ALBUMS:
1) Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal - Back Porch
2) Murry Hammond - I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm on My Way - DIY
3) Elvis Costello - Momofuku - Lost Highway
4) Horse Feathers - House With No Name - Kill Rock Stars
5) The Hold Steady - Stay Positive - Vagrant
6) Jesse Malin - On Your Sleeve - Adeline Records
7) Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers - Zoe Records
8) Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty - Downtown
9) Jackson Browne - Time the Conqueor - Insiderecords
10) She and Him - Volume One - Merge Records
REISSUES:
1) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Catalog - Fantasy
2) The Replacements - Catalog - Fantasy
3) Steve Earle - Copperhead Road (Deluxe Edition) - Geffen
4) Warren Zevon - Warren Zevon - Rhino
5) Josh Rouse - Best of the Ryko Years - Ryko
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STEVE KLINGE
ALBUMS:
TV On The Radio, Dear Science (Interscope)
My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (ATO)
Okkervil River, The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
The Hold Steady, Stay Positive (Vagrant)
Randy Newman, Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)
Los Campesinos!, Hold On Now, Youngster... (Arts & Crafts)
Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Fight (Fat Cat)
The Mountain Goats, Heretic Pride (4AD)
Santogold, Santogold (Downtown)
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (Matador)
Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend (XL)
Shelby Lynne, Just A Little Lovin' (Lost Highway)
Portishead, Third (Mercury)
Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound (Side One Dummy)
The War on Drugs, Wagonwheel Blues (Secretly Canadian)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dig Lazaurs Dig!!! (ANTI)
Man Man, Rabbit Habits (ANTI)
Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It (Columbia)
Girl Talk, Feed The Animals (Illegal)
Sigur Ros, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (XL)
REISSUES:
Bob Dylan, Tell Tale Signs (Columbia)
Steinski, What Does It All Mean? (Illegal)
Quarteto Em Cy, Alleluia (El / Cherry Red)
Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story (Big Beat)
The Impressions, This Is My Country / The Young Mods' Forgotten Story (American Beat / Rhino)
NEW ARTISTS:
Frightened Rabbit
Vampire Weekend
Los Campesinos!
Fleet Foxes
The War on Drugs
TOURS:
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Radiohead
My Morning Jacket
Wilco
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
ANNOYING:
The demise of print music publications
DVDS:
Arthur Russell, Wild Combination
Awake My Soul
BOOKS:
Sway, Zachary Lazar
1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, Tom Moon
COOLEST:
Obama's election
---------------------------------------------
JAMIE GADETTE
ALBUMS:
The Black Angels, Directions to See a Ghost (Light In The Attic)
The Gutter Twins, Saturnalia (Sub Pop)
Silver Jews, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (Drag City)
Imaad Wasif with Two-Part Beast, Strange Hexes (self-released)
Bonnie Prince Billy, Lie Down in the Light (Drag City)
CarCrashLander, Mountains On Our Backs (Jealous Butcher)
Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer (Sub Pop)
Doomtree, Doomtree (self-released)
Okkervil River, The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
Crystal Antlers, Crystal Antlers EP (Touch & Go)
Devotchka, A Mad and Faithful Telling (Anti)
Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers, The Confiscation EP (Ramseur)
Land of Talk, Some Are Lakes (Saddle Creek)
Blitzen Trapper, Furr (Sub Pop)
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
Horse Feathers, House With No Home (Kill Rock Stars)
Santogold, Santogold
ALBUMS I DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE GOOD, BUT THAT ULTIMATELY FELL SHORT: Constantines, Kensington Heights; The Breeders, Mountain Battles-though "We're Gonna Rise" is one of the best songs of 2008
REISSUE:
Pavement, Brighten the Corners
Whiskeytown, Strangers Almanac
NEW ARTISTS:
Samantha Crain
CarCrashLander
Fleet Foxes
Santogold
TOURS:
The Black Angels, Warlocks
Liars, No Age
Silver Jews, Monotonix
Constantines, Ladyhawk
Dead Meadow
ANNOYING:
Vampire Weekend
MTV Video Music Awards, particularly Katy Perry
2 favorite music-themed DVDs
Silver Jews, Silver Jew
Joy Division, Joy Division
BOOKS:
True Norwegian Black Metal, Peter Beste
You Don't Love Me Yet, Jonathan Lethem
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ERIC SCHUMACHER-RASMUSSEN
ALBUMS:
1. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive (Vagrant)
2. Alejandro Escovedo, Real Animal (Back Porch)
3. Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound (Side One Dummy)
4. Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple (Downtown)
5. James McMurtry, Just Us Kids (Lightning Rod)
6. Calexico, Carried to Dust (Quarterstick)
7. Cold War Kids, Loyalty to Loyalty (Downtown)
8. Paul Weller, 22 Dreams (Island)
9. Ra Ra Riot, The Rhumb Line (Barsuk)
10. Erykah Badu, New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) (Universal Motown)
11. Rafael Saadiq, The Way I See It (Columbia)
12. Tom Gabel, Heart Burns (Sire)
13. Everlast, Love War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford (Hickory)
14. Lindsey Buckingham, Gift of Screws (Reprise)
15. The Loved Ones, Build and Burn (Fat Wreck Chords)
16. Duffy, Rockferry (Polydor)
17. Lyfe Jennings, Lyfe Change (Columbia)
18. Glasvegas, Glasvegas (Sony)
19. Jackson Browne, Time the Conqueror (Inside)
20. Street Dogs, State of Grace (Hellcat)
REISSUES:
1. Bob Dylan, Tell-Tale Signs (Columbia)
2. Steinski, What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective (Illegal Art)
3. Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia (Legacy)
4. Otis Redding, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (Rhino)
5. The Clash, Live at Shea Stadium (Epic/Legacy)
6. Warren Zevon, Warren Zevon (Rhino)
7. Ry Cooder, The UFO Has Landed (Rhino)
8. The Smiths ,The Sound of the Smiths (Rhino)
9. Tony Joe White, Deep Cuts (Swamp)
TOURS:
1. Hold Steady/Drive-by Truckers
2. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
3. Alejandro Escovedo
4. James McMurtry
5. Madonna
BOOKS:
1. Sing Me Back Home, Dana Jennings (Faber and Faber)
2. The World in Six Songs, Daniel Levitan (Dutton)
DVDS:
1. I Got the Feelin': James Brown in the 60s (Shout Factory)
2. Lou Reed's Berlin (Genius)
----------------------------------------------
TIM HINELY
ALBUMS:
1. Robert Forster- The Evangelist (Yep Roc)
2. British Sea Power- D O You Like Rock Music? (Rough Trade)
3. Murry Hammond- I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm On My Way (Hummingbird)
4. The Last Shadow Puppets- The Age Of Understatement (Domino)
5. The Incredible Vickers Brothers- Gallimaufry (Bus Stop)
6. Eddy Current Suppression Ring- Primary Colours (Goner)
7. Silver Jews- Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea (Drag City)
8. Okkervil River- The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)
9. The Ruby Suns- Sea Lion (Sub Pop)
10. The Asteroid No. 4- These Flowers Of Ours: A Treasury Of Witchcraft And Devilry- (The Committee To Keep Music Evil
-------------------------------------------------
STUART MUNRO
ALBUMS:
Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Sound, Mercury Nashville
Glen Campbell, Meet Glen Campbell, Capitol
Kylie Auldist with the Bamboos, Just Say, Tru Thoughts
The Dixons, Still Your Fool, Cow Island
Bahama Soul Club, Rhythm Is What Makes Jazz Jazz, Soulfood
Hacienda Brothers, Arizona Motel, Proper American
The Iguanas, If You Should Ever Fall On Hard Times, Yep Roc
Hayes Carll, Trouble In Mind, Lost Highway
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazurus, Dig!!!, Anti-
The Hold Steady, Stay Positive, Vagrant
Martha Wainwright, I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too, Zoe/Rounder
Bronx River Parkway & Candela All Stars, San Sebastian 152, Truth &
Soul
Crowe Brothers, Brothers-N-Harmony, Rural Rhythm
Belleville Outfit, Wanderin', Self-released
SteelDrivers, SteelDrivers, Rounder
Ashton Shepard, Sounds So Good, MCA Nashville
Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It, Columbia
Sloan, Parallel Play, Yep Roc
Alejandro Escovedo, Real Animal, Back Porch
Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, Rattlin' Bones, Sugar Hill
REISSUES:
Hank Williams, The Unreleased Recordings, Time-Life
Porter Wagoner, The Cold Hard Facts of Life, Bear Family
Nick Lowe, Jesus of Cool 30th Anniversary Edition, Yep Roc
Kim Tolliver, Come and Get Me, I'm Ready, Reel Music
Del Fuegos reissues, Wounded Bird
ANNOYING:
-The apparently uncontrollable urge to text right now -
in your car, at shows, etc.
-Freak folk
-The Internet
COOLEST:
Vinyl's stubborn refusal to die.
------------------------------------------------------
JIM ALLEN
ALBUMS:
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (XL)
The Week That Was - The Week That Was (Memphis Industries)
Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch (Warner Bros)
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt (Fontana)
Brent Cash - How Will I Know If I'm Awake (Marina)
Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do (Alligator)
Sun Kil Moon - April (Caldo Verde)
Make A Rising - Infinite Ellipse and Head With Open Fontanel (High Two)
David Olney - Live at Norm's River Roadhouse Vol. 1 (Deadbeet)
------------------------------------------------------------
RICK ALLEN
ALBUMS:
Phil Lee - So Long It's Been Good To Know You - Pallookaville
The Duhks-Fast Paced World - Sugarhill
The Waifs - Sundirtwater - Compass Records
B.B. King- One Kind Favor - Geffen Records
Jim Lauderdale - Honey Songs - Yep Roc Records
Heybale - The Last Country Album - Shuffle5 Records
Richard Bennett - Code Red Cloud Nine - Everywhere Man
Steve Hunter - Short Stories - Deaconrecords
Denice Franke - Gulf Coast Blue - Certain Records
Aimee Mann - @%&*! Smilers - Superego Records
Ruby Rendrag - Wartime Favorites - Ruby Rendrag
Amy Lennard - I Need To Love - Hold Your Own Records
Howlin' Wolf - Rockin' The Blues - Live In Germany 1964 - Acrobat Records
Mark Erelli - Delivered - Signature Records
REISSUES:
Very Best Of Little Richard - Specialty
Hank Williams - The Unreleased Recordings - Time Life Entertainment
Bob Wills - Tiffany Transcriptions - Collector's Choice
Roy Orbison - The Soul Of Rock and Roll - Sony Legacy
Love - Forever Changes (Collector's Edition) - Rhino Records
NEW ARTISTS:
Wink Keziah
Ruby Rendrag
Amy Lennard
Samuel James
Homemade Jamz Blues Band
ANNOYING:
Twyla Tharp's Bob Dylan Musical: The Times They Are A'Changin'
Rock Of Ages Off Broadway Show
Taking American Idol winners seriously
Sweater-vest rock
James Blunt (Hall Of Fame)
DVDS:
Merle Haggard - Live In Austin Texas - New West
Parliament Funkadelic - The Mothership Connection Live 1976 - Shout Factory
The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash 1969-1971 - Sony Columbia Legacy
BOOKS:
Jimi Hendrix: An Illustrated Experience - Atria
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