music in review

I had to submit my top 10 of 2008 for one of the music sites I write for and I'm pretty happy with the (close to) final draft I've compiled (with samples!)
10 Pale Young Gentlemen - Black Forest (Tra La La)
If Andrew Bird raised a family, they would be Pale Young Gentlemen. This group of baroque hipsters from Wisconsin have released a wonderful chamber pop record. They go from quick and punky to slow and sleepy at the drop of a hat and everything in between. If you like your pop music with cello and a violin, look no further than the Pale Young Gentlemen.


09 The Week That Was - S/T
You don't have to be a fan of Field Music to enjoy The Week That Was, but The Week That Was will probably make you a fan of Field Music. Peter Brewis (Field Music) has created his side project with some of his mates and has found some of the most interesting sounds to create some complex pop album, in the style of someone who listens to too much Pink Floyd and/or Genesis... in the poppiest/best possible way.


08 Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto
Theatrical freak folkers, Wild Beasts have the ability to crawl right under your skin and cause a slight irritation, all the while digging a hole in your heart until they settle down for a warming nap. The voice of Hayden Thorpe could cause your untrained ears to bleed with annoyance, that is - until you start to crave the crazy sounds he makes as he excitedly chirps and yelps out his poetic lyrics. It took me a few spins to dive into this record, but it was well worth it once I submerged myself in its beauty.


07 The Last Shadow Puppets the Age of the Understatement
The retro-pop sound should be played out by now, but for some reason Alex Turner's side project hit me at the right time and place and re-introduced me to the fun and machismo sounds of brit pop in the 60's and 70's. Honestly, how could you go wrong with guitar riffs that belong in James Bond films, layered on top of orchestra strings conducted by Owen Pallett? You can't - and that's why The Age Of The Understatement has stuck to me this year.


06 Deerhunter - Microcastle
I was (and still am) one of the few people who hated Cryptograms. All the noise drone transitions and layers of fuzz did nothing for me. I'm all for experimenting in music, but give people something to listen to, not just shitty noise. Microcastle is the great things Cryptograms tried to do, turned up to 200%. Dreamy, layered, lush pop music made by agoraphobic extroverts. It's a contradiction of sorts that has given life to a unique album that I have fallen in love with.


05 Bound Stems - The Family Afloat
Chicago's Bound Stems took a giant step forward and released their sophomore album this year. To me, this album sounds like it was made by the Arcade Fire's experimental mid-west little brothers (and sister). It's beautiful and charming, but only in the way artsy-hipsters would enjoy. More people need to hear this record.


04 Evangelicals the Evening Descends
Fun and creative, the Dead Oceans label (once again) has found a powerhouse of a band to add to their roster. This record was released in January and it has stayed in my rotation all year. Listening to this album is like witnessing a crackhouse bust - you don't know what to expect, but you can't wait to find out what they're gonna come out with next.


03 Man Man - Rabbit Habits
It's Man Man, at their poppiest and friendliest. These guys put on the best live show I saw in 2008 and this album captures their live energy pretty darn well. If you like your music weird and Beefheart-y, do yourself a favor and get into Man Man already.

02 Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
It's Grizzly Bear, part two. Yellow House is one of my most treasured albums and In Ear Park is a more juvinile version of that very same album. Daniel Rossen knows how to create wonderful chamber pop songs and I'm a sucker for beautiful harmonies and layered instruments. From the first time I heard No One Does It Like You, I was hooked - and now I've been skinned, deboned and now I'm marinating in the sweet sounds of Department of Eagles.


01 Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements
Portland's Parenthetical Girls don't make the kind of music everyone can get into. This album lives in the thin line that separates uniquity and annoyance... but I am one of the believers. For three months I have been going back to this album and falling more and more in love with it. From the opening piano keys of Four Words to the final beautiful orchestral pop strings of This Regrettable End, this band has created the most charming album of the year. Sure, there's no way a live show could ever capture the perfect beauty of the entirity of this album, so I will be forcing friends to listen to this perfectly recorded record for years to come.
I love the way this record sounds, but I am not a big fan of the dramatic performance style.