2008 Music Lists, Part 1

So this is going to be a big one, in terms of length. I figure that's OK because I only post once a week anyway. And I want to get it out of the way in one post for all of you who don't care about what music I listen to, that way I don't stretch it out into 4 or 5 posts and lose more of that huge readership I carry. So, without further ado, I give you my music picks (and misses) of the year 2008. It's been a pretty good year for music. Maybe not quite as good as last year in some ways, but also better in others. 

(EDIT: After careful consideration, I've decided to do this in two parts. Sorry music haters.)

First, the best Albums that weren’t from ’08, but that I discovered some time this year:

Fernando Ortega: The Shadow of Your Wings

Andrew Bird: Armchair Apochrypa

The Avett Brothers: Emotionalism

Brooke Fraser: Albertine

Dario Marianelli: Atonement Soundtrack (Check out this movie too...one of my favorites)

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova: The Swell Season

Jars of Clay: Good Monsters (after a few bad albums, they're BACK)

Matt Nathanson: Some Mad Hope

Manchester Orchestra: I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child

Menomena: Friend and Foe

Over the Rhine: Drunkard's Prayer

Patrick Watson: Close to Paradise

Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

The Weepies: Say I Am You

Travis: The Boy With No Name

My Favorite EPs:

Matt Pond PA: The Freeep

            -I think they’ve been having some personnel troubles, so I wasn’t expecting any new stuff for a while. But then they all of a sudden put this free EP on their website, and it’s really good stuff. Thanks to Austin for turning me on to what has become one of my very favorite bands.

Jon Foreman: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

            -I know some of these were actually released in ’07, but I like to think of them as a 2008 project. Great acoustic songs from the lead singer of Switchfoot. Also, Jon is releasing an album with Sean Watkins from Nickel Creek (as Fiction Family) in January, and I’m REALLY looking forward to that one.

Derek and Sandra: Ampersand

            -My favorite musical married couple (besides my own brother and his wife) released a little EP of duets this year that is really great.

Andrew Osenga: Letters to the Editor, Vol. 2

            -Rules were: one electric guitar per song, no personnel but Andy (except his wife on Canada), and the song ideas came from fans. I liked Volume 1 better, but this one is still great.

Coldplay: Prospekt’s March

            -Wasn’t expecting much out of this one, but it turned out to be really really really really really good. The previously unreleased songs probably wouldn’t have fit on Viva la Vida (the album whose sessions they came from), but they are still excellent songs and I’m glad Coldplay released them. 

Biggest Disappointments:

Ben Folds: Way to Normal

-Nothing about this album did anything for me. Such a huge failure after the beauty of Songs for Silverman.

Bebo Norman: (Self-titled)

-This one just doesn't work for me. It's an attempt at being too commercial, and is such a huge departure from the Bebo that I grew up loving that I can't get into it at all. It seems like he's going to be doing this sort of thing for the rest of his career, so I guess I ought to just get used to it, because he'll always be one of my favorites ever.

Brooke Waggoner: Heal for the Honey

-I liked this one at first, but it just never drew me in to where I wanted to listen to it more than just a couple of times. I think she's immensely talented, and it's not that I think this is a bad album. I just don't like it near as much as her original EP, Fresh Pair of Eyes.

The Dears: Missiles

-Again, I loved their last one, but I don't get this one yet. Maybe it will grow on me. 

Matt Wertz: Under Summer Sun

-Failure. It's his first major label release, and he basically re-released mostly old songs with little changes in production, and added 4 VERY average new ones. He's got nothing on Dave Barnes. 

Girl Talk: Feed the Animals

-Cool idea, probably fun in a live setting. But splicing rap songs and others popular songs isn't for me. Sorry Emily Stewart. 

Most overrated album:

Vampire Weekend: (Self-titled)

-This is one that all the cool kids seem to love, and is probably on everyone's top 10 list. But it doesn't do it for me at all.