BLUES/JAZZ ~ COUNTRY/FOLK ~ ELECTRONIC ~ HIP-HOP ~ LOUD ROCK ~ ROCK ~ WORLD
Crow Norlander, Music Director
Why? - Alopecia
New appreciators of the barely-but-still hip-hop influenced outfit always provide a disclaimer with their statements of affection, bringing up their observations about how whacked out Yoni Wolf must be. Maybe I'm equally messed up, or maybe just desensitized, but I must admit that there are very few modern songwriters with whom I can actually relate without their simply manipulating my emotions with chord progression tricks. Alopecia is Why's most fully fleshed out arrangement, and it includes some notable strides for the group, but the part most relevant to me - being Yoni's content and delivery - is a logical continuation of the steady stream of amazing stuff he's been putting out for years.Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
As far as emotional manipulation goes, Bon Iver has my moods pegged. I don't care who they are, where their name came from, exactly what every word he sings is, or how many other people were floored by this album; I just love it.The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
Sure, a lot of these tracks were on various mixtapes before this release, and sure, there are a fair number of superior tracks that didn't make it on the album, but the collection is as well rounded and flowing as any I've heard this year. Sometimes its hard to know whether to take Chuck and Mikey seriously, and it seems like maybe they don't know either, but regardless, its hard not to enjoy the playful barrage of amusing, witty rhymes over retro-revivalist, bangin simple beats.Jacob Borshard - A Glow In the Dark
A Glow In the Dark is a continuation of the listener's relationship with and understanding of Jacob Borshard, his life, his love, his pain, and his joy as conveyed through his pair of previously released (free) albums. It sounds cheesy, but it feels sincere. You can call it honest and genuine and liken it to diary entries set to simple uke ditties, but none of that really gets across just how sweet he is, and just how much you sympathize with and like him.DeVotchKa - A Mad and Faithful Telling
After having found some substantial recognition for their songs on the soundtrack for Little Miss Sunshine, DeVotchKa went to work and put out an album that is even tighter than, just as catchy if not quite as anthemic, and varied in its influences as How It Ends. Beirut's got nothin' on DeVotchKa.Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
For some reason or another, John Darnielle's most recent album hit me especially hard and forced me to listen to it over and over. As has been the Mountain Goats' gradual trend, Heretic Pride is more filled out, polished, and produced than any of the previous albums, and while some might complain about the loss of some lo-fi roots, the progressive aesthetic really lends itself to the accessibility of Darnielle's excellent lyrical content.
Blues/Jazz
The Avishai Cohen Trio - Gently Disturbed
Standing on the shoulders of giants - not just jazz giants, mind you - this trio reinvents the jazz genre and creates a new one altogether. A wonderful mix of tastes from around the world, this album may not fall into your typical jazz collection but it certainly deserves a spot on any best-of lists. Top marks for technique, feel, variety, and downright awesomeness. I suggest you take a gander at the pop-sounding "Eleven Wives" or the aptly named "Structure in Emotion."Vanguard jazz orchestra - Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard
Another fine collection from the Vanguard, but with a jazz pedigree like theirs, listeners should expect nothing less. This is definitely one that Thad Jones and Mel Lewis would've been proud of, with excellent standout performances by Ralph Lalama on tenor and Jim McNeely on the ivories. Look out for the modern take on Jones's own classic, "Mean What you Say." Definitely the big band album not to be missed in 2008.Brian Blade - Seasons of Change
The seasons may change, but Blade keeps bringing the hits. This time he's working with The Fellowship Band and Seasons of Change is their first release in almost eight years. Since his arrival on the jazz scene in the 90's, he's been solid as a rock at the set and each track is a testament to his uncanny finesse, especially "Return of the Prodigal Son." All nine tracks are written by Blade or his old pal Jim Cowherd, and this album definitely leaves everyone begging for more.Dave Holland - Pass it On
Holland's abilities as a bandleader are outstanding, perhaps only surpassed by his abilities as a composer and arranger. But that's not even mentioning his ethereal bass playing. Here he teams up with Mulgrew Miller on piano, Eric Harland on drums, Antonio Hart on alto sax, Robin Eubanks on the 'bone, and Alex Sipiagin on trumpet. Together, they create a rich and complex collection which sings to even the most refined jazz taste.Sonny Rollins - Roadshows Vol. 1
Tenor master Rollins is back with another incredible album, this time a collection of live performances spanning three decades. His playing over the whole album is energetic and unrelenting, and he earns his nickname of Saxophone Colossus over and over again. For your consideration: the live takes of "Tenor Madness" and "Easy Living." If you fancy some top notch sax playing, please do yourself a favor and go pick this up immediately.
Country/Folk
1. In Ear Park by Department of Eagles
I read somewhere that this album of awesome psych-folk melodies is a tribute to Daniel Rossen's recently deceased father, and that the songs were too personal to put on a Grizzly Bear album. This is extremely evident on the more delicate pieces, including the title track, "Herring Bones," and closer "Balmy Night." Cohort Fred Nicolaus also lets his brilliance show on tracks like "Teenagers" and "Classical Records," and the two are a perfect pairing for the Beatles/Van Dyke Parks-inspired blend of pop and psychedelia that makes up my favorite album from this year.2. Shallow Grave by The Tallest Man On Earth
I picked this up at the radio station to review after hearing some good things about it from several publications. Nothing I read, however, could've prepared me for the sheer brilliance of this album. Each track is so simple, yet so subtle that with each repeated listen, new things appear and new tracks become favorites, eventually bringing out the beauty of every moment on the album. With a coarse, Bob Dylan-like voice, Kristian Matsson sings and strums, playing chords and plucking rapidly to create an immediately accessible album of folk tunes. The best tracks are the title track, "Gardener," and the album-closer "This Wind."3. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Way back in March Christine and I saw Fleet Foxes open for another great group, Blitzen Trapper, not having any idea how popular they would become. We were stunned at how well the members of the band harmonized together, and their unique blend of Appalachian folk and Beach Boys-like pop struck a chord deep within, especially with the haunting a cappella ending of the album-closer, "Oliver James." Each listen to this album, as well as the equally great Sun Giant EP, still commands my attention now, 9 months later. More notable tracks include "Drops In The River," "English House," "White Winter Hymnal," and "Ragged Wood."4. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson by Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
The self-titled debut from freak-folk rocker Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson features contributions from notables like Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear and Kyp Malone from TV On The Radio. Considering the quality of those other groups, it would seem hard for this album to not be good. Fortunately, it lives up to its expectations with some really catchy songs like "Buriedfed," "Woodfriend," and "My Good Luck" that resemble other notable artists in the genre, such as Frog Eyes and Swan Lake.5. For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
Most have heard the single "Skinny Love" from Justin Vernon's debut as Bon Iver, but the rest of the album is just as good if not better. Vernon's haunting falsetto voice croons over soft, sparse guitar melodies that are both beautiful and sad. Made in a cabin in the woods of northern Wisconsin, the album evokes the sorrow and despair of Winter, coming right after the break-up of Vernon's former band and a bout of mononucleosis, and the songs on this album, such as "Flume," "Lump Sum," and "Creature Fear," may make you empathize with his depression, but in a good way.
Electronic
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles' glitchy 8-bit debut album finds an unexpected and solid balance between uncompromisingly chaotic and freshly melodic. Alice Glass and Ethan Khan employ 1980's video game music samples, distorted drums, and warped vocals to craft sounds that are sometimes intense, sometimes boundary pushing, and often exceptional. It's youth, anger, the unexpected, and the incomprehensible. Check out: Alice Practice, Air War, Vanished.Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
The brilliance of Hercules and Love Affair's self-titled debut album lies in its ability to capture a full range of human emotion under such powerful and lush disco beats. Collaborating with Kim Ann, Nomi, and Antony Hegarty (of Antony & the Johnsons), Andrew Butler creates woozy and sensual arthouse tracks that give nods towards the melancholic longing of the dark side of hedonistic disco, while maintaining a classic dance sensibility. Check out: Blind, You Belong, Iris.The Rapture - The Rapture !K7 Tapes
The Rapture - kings of nu-rave and dance-punk - try their hands at DJing with this cool and funky mixtape. Sure, it isn't actually an album of original material, but the track selection and mixing is top-notch and synthesizes vintage disco (Bar-Kays, Vaughan Mason & Crew, Don Armando's Second Avenue Rumba Band) with house gems (Thomas Bangalter, Armand Van Helden), and recent tech jams (Syclops, Dances With White Girls, DJ Mujava). Vintage and new, retro and modern, the !K7 Tapes will make you wonder if The Rapture were meant to be DJ's all along. Check out: The whole thing.Zoo Brazil - No Place Like Home
No Place Like Home is the latest from Zoo Brazil, project of Stockholm DJ and producer Jon Andersson. The album explores deep tech-house sounds with a precision that gives it a sense of glacial coolness and spotless cleanliness. While not exactly trailblazing, No Place Like Home exemplifies quality tech-house as it should be: minimal in all the rights places, satisfying builds with effective breaks, techno and trance influences, deep and precise sounds. Check out: Ten Inch Nails, Sputnik, Oh My.Hot Chip - Made In the Dark
Hot Chip's third full-length release marks electronic quirk-pop at its finest. Made In The Dark develops the clever and soulful sounds that received critical acclaim in their previous album, The Warning, with a stronger electronic component. The rave-ready Shake a Fist highlights the newfound heaviness of the album. On the other hand, Hot Chip's works carry a sincerity and intimacy brought through largely through the combined vocal efforts of Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard. Infectious, driving, and inventive, Made In The Dark unites dance-floor electro with introspective and pensive ballads, while never straying from the band's signature pop charm. Check out: Out At The Pictures, One Pure Thought, Hold On.
Hip-Hop
Q-Tip - The Renaissance
Leader of the critically acclaimed 90's group A Tribe Called Quest returns to form with this record. Tip's voice glides over smooth, jazzy beats and there's an excellent collaboration with Norah Jones on "Life Is Better."Elzhi - The Preface
Arguably one of the best lyricists out right now, Elzhi of Slum Village fame laces his first major solo effort with confident multi-syllables and quality storytelling. Royce da 5'9" features on standout track "Motown 25."Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
With undeniable swagger and a penchant for the insane rivaling that of Kool Keith, Weezy drops an album filled to the brim with summer club bangers and humorously far-fetched wordplay. This is most fully realized work to date.Lyrics Born - Everywhere at Once
Bay Area native Lyrics Born, previously heard as one half of Latyrx, waxes political over funk-inspired production. The emcee's voice is distinctive and infectious, making this unconventional release a valuable one nonetheless.DJ Green Lantern, Russell Simmons & Barack Obama - Yes We Can (The Mixtape)
"You can't be President and not have a mixtape anymore," says Angie Martinez of Hot 97. Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye and others offer tracks and interviews regarding the 2008 election. Obama audio samples are used to great effect.
Loud Rock
On the way.
Rock
Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins
The second part to Okkervil River's 2007 album, The Stage Names, The Stand-Ins provides just as much lyrical sensibility as its counterpart. Some songs exist solely to test how culturally literate the listener is ("Singer Songwriter"), while the majority seems lament and glorify the life of a musician ("Pop Lie"). All the while, Will Sheff and company provide constant indie-rock melodies you'll be humming years from now and more foot-tapping goodness than you'll know what to do with.Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Bon Iver looks like a random guy that everyone went to high school with and sings like someone the whole world would fall in love with. I can't say anything that hasn't been said about the recording of this album: Wisconsin, pneumonia of the liver, Emma, deer-hunting etc., but I can solidly say that this Bon Iver, 2008 would have missed a vital emotional gag reflex.Dr. Dog - Fate
Off-kilter vocals, piano-driven melodies, and twangy guitars made this album feel like it didn't quite come from this decade and would've fit in just as well in the 1960s. All the same, I'm glad our generation has them.Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin - Pershing
This is as embarrassing for you as it is for me, but I can't totally ignore my iTunes play counts (and Pershing had a ridiculous number of playcounts). My Midwestern neighbors from Springfield, MO have once again managed to craft an album full of pop gems, now with a more polished and upbeat sound. Every sunny track was the perfect soundtrack was the perfect soundtrack to my springtime exploits.Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
2008 brought a deep appreciation of the banjo for me, and Chad VanGaalen understands this. Soft folk-rock melodies accompany VanGaalen's ghostly voice while the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finally receive a little indie-rock limelight. All of us are better for it.
World
