2008 Albums in Review

[Flex]

Hey kids, it's Flex's 2008 albums in review! So, holy fuck, this was a big process. I'm not gonna copy/paste onto here and have to deal with reformatting everything so if anyone wants some light reading, check out my blog entries here:

Introduction: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... ction.html
Albums: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... ength.html
Singles/EPs: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... s-eps.html
Compilations: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... tions.html
Reissues/Best ofs: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... -best.html
Conclusion/Best of the Best: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... sions.html

[Dr. Medulla]

You … you've written lotsa words on lotsa albums, which is impressive (even forming opinions on that many albums is impressive to me). And you've promoted the Van Cleef as a unit of evaluation, which is probably a good thing.

[Wolter]

The continuance of the Van Cleef as a unit of awesome pleases me.

[revbob]

Thanks for that Flex. I've spent most of the year being completely unaware of new music/new bands. Okay the last few years. Once I wasn't involved with radio anymore and various other things in life came into play, seeking out good new music hasn't been the priority it once was. This has given me a few place to look. Thanks!

[Flex]

Your welcome, rev! Glad to help.

Oh, and I've done some editing and split the huge-ass post into several smaller posts grouped by category (full length, singles, etc). I'll also do one final post where I gather my highest rated albums from the list and give some closing thoughts on the year in music (as I'm doing this, a new album has already crossed my desk so this project is still a living document. Like the consitution but more kick ass because it's about rock n roll).

Introduction: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... ction.html
Albums: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... ength.html
Singles/EPs: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... s-eps.html
Compilations: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... tions.html
Reissues/Best ofs: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... -best.html
Conclusion/Best of the Best: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... sions.html

[revbob]

[quote="Flex"]Your welcome, rev! Glad to help.

Oh, and I've done some editing and split the huge-ass post into several smaller posts grouped by category (full length, singles, etc). I'll also do one final post where I gather my highest rated albums from the list and give some closing thoughts on the year in music (as I'm doing this, a new album has already crossed my desk so this project is still a living document. Like the consitution but more kick ass because it's about rock n roll).

And not written by a salve owner, I think?

I just came across an album I downloaded but never listened to:
Evan Johns And The H-Bombs - Rollin' Through The Night

It really kicks some ass.

[JennyB]

This was my favorite :

David Bowie/Live in Santa Monica ’72 – CD – 9 Van Cleefs – Get this album. If you don’t: fuck you. It is rad.

[Flex]

Haha, thanks. Well, I got my conclusions plus a truncated list of the best albums of the year up as one second-to-last entry in the series (the last will be a final list of reviews for any 2008 albums I pick up between now and the end of the year).

Conclusion/Best of the Best: http://ccontrol.blogspot.com/2008/12/20 ... sions.html

[Dr. Medulla]

All very objective … ist.

[daredevil]

Nice blog with some informative reviews. I like Van Cleef rating system.

[rcs]

i like the LCV rating system.... no Pretenders in the mix?

big points for Gnarls and Raconteurs reviews....

[Flex]

i like the LCV rating system.... no Pretenders in the mix?

You know, I haven't actually heard the new Pretenders album, is it worth checking out?

[matedog]

Well done, Flexie. I only bought about twenty albums that came out this year and this is my list of my favorites, disappointments and worst of 2008:
Favorites
1. Santogold (Santogold) - I do love me a solid pop album. Ms ‘gold melds Pretenders/MIA/YYYs attitude and throws some heavy duty hooks for good measure. Bonus points for each track sounding completely different from the one that precedes it.
Highlight – The cool strut of I’m a Lady. It also has the best 2nd verse of any song from 2008.
Lowlight – Shove It is as lame as the title suggests
[youtube][/youtube]

2. Dear Science (TV on the Radio) – This is another raucous “New” sound. The arrangements range from sparse to complex. The lead singer really sounds like Prince sometimes and I swear Lover’s Day steals the hook from Neil Diamond’s “Coming to America.” The album could be a little more melodious in parts.
Highlight – Family Tree is spectacular
Lowlight – Halfway Home starts the album off well but doesn’t really develop as a song.
Can't embed, so here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNcZLgHPj_U

3. 1981-05-10 (The Clash) – another one third of the show leaked. This is more of a rocker affair and as good as live music gets.
Highlight - Somebody Got Murdered is the best live version these ears have ever heard (although not theoretically perfect).
Lowlight – Train in Vain. It’s fine, but I’d rather BNC leak
[youtube][/youtube]

4. Stay Positive (The Hold Steady) – SP doesn’t rise to the sheer greatness of Boys and Girls in America, but it is a noble continuation and progression thematically to their albums.
Highlight – Yeah Sapphire has hooks galore and a passionate bridge
Lowlight – One for the Cutters. I have never liked harpsichord and I never will.
[youtube][/youtube]

5. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (Sigur Ros) – The Rosers do their take on an upbeat Radiohead album and still make it sound pure Sigur Ros.
Highlight - Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur is packed with bright melodies
Lowlight – All Alright is not a bad song but apparently it is in English and I still can’t decipher a single word.
VIDEO NOT SAFE FOR WORK
[youtube][/youtube]

6. Vampire Weekend (Vampire Weekend) – Indie hot shit darlings that are too cool for school. Too bad this album is highly stylized and smartly written. Sure the songs didn’t linger much longer than three weeks, but those were a good three weeks.
Highlights – the last four songs are a good final kick to an album
Lowlights – nothing is particularly bad here, actually
[youtube][/youtube]

7. Tha Carter III (Lil Wayne) – I didn’t buy this album until recently and for some reason, the vinyl only came with half the tracks. Anyway, I’m late on the Lil Wayne bandwagon, but he definitely proves mainstream hip hop can be as great as anything- clever lyrics, pop culture references, occasional melodies, spastic beats and a touch of politics mixed just right. Some of this stuff is seriously funny.
Highlight –Mrs. Officer details Weezy hooking up with a female police officer
“And she know I'm raw, she know it from the street
And all she want me to do is fuck the police”
Lowlight – Haven’t found it yet, but like most rap albums, it runs a bit long
[youtube][/youtube]

8. Alone I and II (Rivers Cuomo) – Part one came out at the very end of last year, so I will include them together. Having loved Weezer since I was about 11 or 12, these tunes were a treat. Included in part one were such leaked gems as Longtime Sunshine and Blast Off! As well as the lost great Songs From the Black Hole tune Superfriend. Part one’s highs are higher (aforementioned Superfriend) and low’s are lower (This is the Way). Volume two is much more consistent if less edgy.
Highlights – Superfriend is Weezer pop at its finest
Lowlights – This is the Way had me pretty nervous about the new album.
[youtube][/youtube]

9. Day and Age (The Killers) – I figured that if I ever got around to buying a Killers album I’d enjoy it. So what if I’ve heard every hook and trick before, it still sounds damn good and smartly performed.
Highlight – Tracks 2-9 are all consistently good
Lowlight – The last track is just too long and meandering
[youtube][/youtube]

10. Narrow Stairs (Death Cab for Cutie) – This came out right in the pit of my life that was June-August 2008. Nothing strives for the heights of Transatlanticism, but it is a solid set of tunes nonetheless.
Highlights – Bixby Canyon Bridge and Talking Bird hit the spot all too well for me.
Lowlights – The extended Disintegration-esque intro to I Will Possess Your Heart is too long a build up for not much of a song
[youtube][/youtube]

Disappointments
The Red Album (Weezer) – Rivers branches out with mixed results and the bonus songs make up a bit for the lame tunes written by the other band members. Still, Rivers was the one that wrote “Heart Songs”, one of the worst songs I have ever heard, by anyone.

Bedlam in Goliath (The Mars Volta) – the 30% rule still applies and it’s a shame they can’t increase their success rate because there is some hot shit here (Goliath) amongst all the dreck.

Modern Guilt (Beck) – a good album for sure, I just don’t love Beck the way I used to.

The Glass Passenger (Jack’s Mannequin) – The first two and last two songs range from very good to great. Everything in the middle ranges from pretty good to bad (Swim, ugh). This is the least consistent Andrew McMahon album to date.

Microcastle (Deerhunter) – Man do they create some pretty sonic dreamscapes. But imagine if Broken Social Scene (a band I rate as “pretty good”) decided to not use dynamics and start and end songs in mezzoforte and you have Deerhunter. Pitchfork may love you, but I don’t.

The Worst Album I Bought This Year
Live @ Shea Stadium (The Clash) – Yes I bought this album the day it came out. Yes I listened to it a lot. Yes I enjoyed it at first. After a couple months, I spun it recently and it just sounded like absolute garbage. Joe does well but…the rhythm…

[simo]

Thanks guys, I've enjoyed reading your reviews. I didn't buy many new releases in '08, spending more time digging back into older stuff. There are some on your lists though that I've been meaning to check out.

[Flex]

Good selections matey. I think I rate the Beck and Deerhunter a bit more highly than you do, but that's about it in terms of disagreement - and pretty weak disagreement there as well.

I still really need to get Tha Carter III.