Music best-of, 2008 edition

I'll be the first to admit that although my music consumption remained high in 2008, most of the stuff I listened to was from the '70s. Tons of massively good roots reggae offerings from that golden age of yesteryear (Keith Hudson, Ijahman, Fred Locks, Burning Spear, Big Youth, Yabby You, Willi Williams, Hugh Mundell, and many many more); a bunch of handspun gems from the likes of D. Crosby, Zevon, Fleetwood Mac (they ARE really good, at least insofar as Tusk and Rumors are concerned), and Bob Seger, to name-drop a few; delicious soul classics from Stevie Wonder, Isaac Hayes, and Curtis Mayfield, not to mention the funkgeist of Funkadelic; and of course the unstoppable funk from the likes of The Meters, Allen Toussaint, and Professor Longhair.

But shiiiiiiiiiiiit, this is the oh-eight era, and that's what concerns us now. The doo-doo hit the proverbial fan in that I finally lost my zeal for the mass-marketed indie that sounded like tired retreads of half-hearted efforts from 2005 (see Of Montreal, Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, and surely others). Portishead's offering, which should have been right in my wheelhouse, really didn't move me at all. I still can't stomach Craig Finn's voice from The Hold Steady, and honestly their anthems feel like they're going through the motions. And although a few made my list, there is a disconcerting trend towards the wavering falsetto this year.

With those caveats, I give you the best stuff I heard in 2008. NB: I haven't yet checked out TV on the Radio's new one (their other stuff was meh to me) nor Drive-By Trucker's new one (I am guessing that would definitely make the list, as I really enjoy their oeuvre).

1. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Far and away my favorite of this year. A haunting, plaintive eulogy of lost-love that sounds timeless and true. This one does fit into the "wavering falsetto" camp that I harped on earlier, so listener beware. Nonetheless, it has held up to repeated listens and comes closest to catharsis of anything I heard over the past 12 months.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrMmr1oMPGA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0yaQ20dpWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7-zmQ3XEc0

2. Black Mountain - The Future

Already I'm second guessing this choice--probably could sit here or anywhere as low as 5. It's a groovin' affair, to be sure, all cocksure and swagger with excellent guitar work and a nice propulsion to it all. I know some are dissuaded by the vocalist, but I'm OK with the juxtaposition. Definitely a '70s dirty rock vibe, which, oddly enough, still sounds fresh and alive to these ears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxOh2-g80vk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlkTM8LKrfo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCGw1rinFZk

3. Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash

Yes, THAT Stephen Malkmus from Pavement. This one is full of epic, proggy guitar solo goodness. I think I appreciate the space in this record--a sense of choice and improvisation that I enjoy. And I don't really even like prog!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTVQ0wYrLjc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilMJaekiXaA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2NFEYmnPGk

4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

I've only streamed this a few times online, and a copy is forthcoming in the mail, but from what I heard I really was blown away by the textures and beauty of it all. Again falling into the falsetto camp, I still thought this a gorgeous outpouring of harmonies and originality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrQRS40OKNE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZGpmDw2cyE

5. Beach House - Devotion

This is very different--slow, melodic, and the very definition of dream pop. It's one that, at first blush, I was completely enamored with. But honestly, I have not felt the need to listen to it again after my initial enjoyment. Still, I think it is a well-crafted, unique record and one that merits a look-see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFxdDE0k1_Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSuViWLfmjM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTmaJez9FAY

6. Sun Kil Moon - April

Here's another that I was REALLY looking forward to hearing--Mark Kozelek really has a gift for melancholy steeped ennui. I have enjoyed listening to this, but, it wasn't quite what I hoped for--which is not unexpected, given the greatness that is his previous effort, Ghosts of the Great Highway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65DxMFO9gg8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkdsOWfSXME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JKUqzlsVVU

And that's it my friends. I do plan to give a chance (perhaps second ones) to Portishead, TV on the Radio, DBT, maybe a few others.

Music from the '08 era

I haven't been too crazy about '08 yet, but at least two releases have been getting some repeated listens in my corner of the world. Both are fairly low-key, subdued affairs though, so consider yourselves warned.

The first is Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago. I guess it was released in '07 by some dude who holed up in a shack in Northern Wisconsin and wrote these songs about some chick who broke up with him or something. Anyway, it's pretty freaking amazing...really ephemeral stuff. I do like sad bastard music, like I already said, but there's something really...awesome about this one. Check it.

The other one from this year that I've been spinning a bit lately is Beach House's Devotion. They are from Baltimore and it's just a male-female duo, with the woman doing most of the vocals. (Yes, if I were better at this I'd insert her name, but I'm consistently doing it wrong.) Anyway, it's sort of a dream pop affair, full of atmospheric ghostliness, but not too wispy, if you know what I mean. I recommend checking it out.

On other fronts, and for the guitar driven riff-meisters in our midst, check out Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks' new one (2008) called Real Emotional Trash. A lot of jamminess throughout the thing. I like it so far. I'm not going nuts over it, but it's a good change of pace.

The only other one I can recommend highly is from 2007 (which I just got) by Grinderman, called, aptly enough, Grinderman. It's actually a group featuring Nick Cave on the vocals. C'mon...Nick Cave...need I say more? Dude's a freaking genius. I especially love "No Pu**y Blues..." Apparently Snoop even digs it, so there's that.