Best of whatever 2008

2008 has proved to be a wonderfully crappy year for me! YAY! But lovely sounds were (as always) tuned in and never actually tuned correctly. Who cares about the perfect pop song? The more distorted, noisy, sloppy and almost perfect pop it is-the more it rules. My love for noisy pop music grows everyday, with this year providing new sounds. All these lovely bands from New York who wear their influences in on sleeves (c-86, psych, shoegaze) are the highlights for me this year (like last year). Though I spent most of 2008 discovering music that wasn't made this year, there were a few albums that really had a hold on me. The Raveonettes' Lust Lust Lust was one of them and pretty much will always remind me of this bittersweet year. 2009 is finally coming to save me, and I already foreseeing lots of Minutemen, Swell Maps and Arthur Russell listening for me. February 2009 will give me treats as The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's debut album and Asobi Seksu's third album comes out! Can I already call those out as my favorites of 2009?

Top Ten songs:

10. The Raveonettes-Black Satin
Lust Lust Lust came to me in the perfect moment for me this year. A bit disillusioned, heartbroken, stressed out and anxiety prone for the first time, I found much comfort in this album. "Look who's here to save my soul, sweet night, she's on a roll. Covers me with all her black, satin dress takes me aback, and I drown, yeah drown!"

9. Portishead-The Rip
This song is the doppelganger of the tenderness I felt this whole year. Do I really have to say more?

8. Stereolab-Daisy Click Clack
Holy crap! A pop song about pop music!? Holy Moly Stereolab, you are geniuses! The new album is typical Stereolab-over all good. I do have to say I enjoy the more electronic stuff (Dots and Loops for president!) but this song is a gem that gets stuck in my head for weeks. CLAP CLAP CLAP TAP TAP TAP SNAP! Off beat, on time, make it linger!

7. M83-Jessie & Kim
Stunning! Shoegazy synth pop yum yum! Makes me wanna dance while looking at the floor.

6. Crystal Stilts-Crippled Croon
This song caught me completely off guard back in the spring. How can it so moody and distant yet quite charming? Side note: Listen to their debut while taking a bubble bath. You'll be left confused, sad and so damn relaxed! And how about I'm still a little baffled that the guitarist and vocalist are from FLORIDA! But it makes sense why it's all moody and distant.

5. The Raveonettes-Sad Transmission
Any song that begins with handclaps and then a crazy distortion loop comes screeching in needs a warm embrace. It's the type of song you want to hold really tight to your heart while you caress the song's hair. "Your heartbeat stops, when I tell you that lovers always part. Sad transmission brought to you by someone who doesn't care" I say: WORD!

4. Vivian Girl-Where Do You Run To
The stand out Where Do You Run To has me listening in repeats. Although the rest of the debut album is pretty darn good, this song is the most disconnected to their influences I think. Less punk, more thoughtful, more honest. "Where do you run to, baby?"

3. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-A Teenager in Love
So far all the blogs that I read are citing Everything With You as their favorite PoBPaH song of the year, but mine is this one. It's not the typical noisy pop that the pains makes. It's proves that even with a lower volume, and lovely guitar riffs the pains still crafts pop tunes with wit and tenderness. Plus how can you not love a chorus that goes "a teenager in love with christ and heroin"?

2. The Raveonettes-Young and Beautiful
This song sonically breaks my heart and makes my head explode. The vocals are so dreamy, delicate and completely tragic. This synth pop song makes me want to dance and die at the same time. "When you wait for love, but love just goes by, do you feel it now? you'll never love again...When you wait for death, but death just goes by, do you feel it now? you'll never ever die. You get to be so young and beautiful."

1. The Airfields-Yr So Wonderful
A song that was actually released last year as a 3" cd-r single via Cloudberry Records, but the debut came out this year (and what a lovely debut it is!) This song shines and glimmers forever in my heart. It just hit me that Yr So Wonderful reminds me of Yo La Tengo's Sugarcube if Yo La Tengo turnitup with the noise just a bit. Unbashing love that is a bit chaotic with careful melodic vocals. And how about that insane tambourine playing? "Wonderful, I think you're beautiful, I'm not your fool, oh yes I am oooooh ooh oooooooh ooh ooooooooooooh!"


Favorites of 2008 that came out years ago:

Unrest-West Coast Love Affair
Broadcast-Ominous Cloud
Mahogany-My Bed Is My Castle
Teenage Filmstars-Kiss Me
Black Tambourine-Black Car
Rocketship-People I Know
The Dentists-I Had An Excellent Dream
The Chesterf!elds-Ask Johnny Dee
Swirlies-Sarah Sitting
Rocketship-Naomi and Me
The Bodines-Therese
Black Tambourine-For Ex-Lovers Only
Yo La Tengo-Fog Over Frisco


Best record label:
Slumberland Records!
A label that really should be an American classic released lovely underground pop noise-when no one really was. Almost heading for it's second decade in life, and out of nowhere it started releasing the best of the best music that is out now. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Crystal Slits, and what about those Searching For The Now releases? What gems! I mean yeah Black Tambourine and Rocketship have grown to be one of my favorite bands, but with these recent love for new pop music is rocking and slicing pop kids faces-with a gruesome stale knife of distorted feedback. Mmmmm


Best 7":
Some how, by some glory 2008 was a great year for my favorite format. More labels are producing and more bands making tons of singles (Vivian Girls with 4 this year!), which leaves me happy. I got my hands on quite a few from this year, including ones from singles club, splits, hand crafted love, numbered editions and color vinyl mmm. I have yet to get Sexy Kids' Sisters are Favorite (which is a great song), but I'm ordering soon once money flow starts being stable again (which is soon!)



1. Vivian Girls-Wild Eyes
Back in April, somehow I got myself introduced to Vivian Girls. Wild Eyes literally shook me. Part garage surf punk girl doo woop and part amazing. Plus I really love my sister's version of WHY oh WHY oh WHYYY? Side B's My Baby Wants Me Dead is probably one of my favorite side B of the year. He wants to put a gun to my head, just like this song.

2. Searching For The Now 3 (A Sunny Day In Glasgow/The Sunny Street)
Wowzee! The completely dreamy experimental band A Sunny Day In Glasgow puts me in heaven whenever I hear their cover of the Pastels' Sometimes I Think About You. Makes me as happy as meeting someone new who excites you. The Sunny Street's Pottery & Glass is a bit sad and reflective, but quite beautiful. Put on loud volume (especially for Sometimes I Think About You)

3. Searching For The Now 4 (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Summer Cats)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's Come Saturday has to be one the loudest pop tunes of the year. Well this version at least (the newest one via myspace sounds a little lower with it's oooh oh oooh!) but this can just me blasting Searching For The Now 3 so when I put on 4 my ears bleed...just a bit. I have to admit, The Pains are tied for my favorite band of the year (next to the Raveonettes). I mean the band were in 2 different splits, their own single, and opened for the Wedding Present! So what comes next of the loudest pop tune of the year? Summer Cats' Let's Go! the most fun tune of the year. Overall #4 shines! Put on louder volume.

4. The Carrots-Doing Our Part
This 33rpm 7" actually has 3 songs from their EP back in 2006. Doing Our Part is the new one, but my gosh how I love this song. I relate to this song with Jennifer taking lead vocals singing monotonely "do you wanna runaway runaway oh ohh" The rest of songs are reworked, so you won't find the lo-fi glory from the EP. Jimmy Don't Cry has Veronica vocals a bit higher than Jennifer's (whose I vocals prefer more). Side B with Secret Since '99 and Ladies of Givens is more upbeat, faster, and clean. Will people hate me if I say I only like maybe 3 songs from The Pipettes, but The Carrots (who I think is better) every song I love? Even my four year old niece can tell you, and sing to you any Carrots song you want to you hear. CUTE!

5. Je Suis Animal-Painted In My Face
Mr. Cloudberry (Roque) played this for me, and I was pretty wowed by it. Completely sweet-a bit dream pop & psych with a whole lot of love. The b-side Photograph captures my heart. "Yesterday I touched your face, kissed your lips, but you were just a photograph of you."

6. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Everything With You
Overall this song carries the torch of everything that is great about a good single. Boy/girl vocals, loud, honest and heck very captivating. Side B has The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's theme song The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. This version has Peggy's vocals a bit lower, but I think that's because the music itself is louder. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart will never die, okay?

7. Jacuzzi Boys/King Khan split
Jacuzzi Boys baffle me that they're from Florida, but anyways A Strange Hand is psych garage blah goodness. I actually think they should change the song to A Strange Town. Seriously. Why aren't there more bands like this in South Florida? King Khan (as in The King Khan & BBQ Show and King Khan & the Shrines) delivers a hum drum folk song Desert Mile. Creepy as fuck.

8. Andy From Denver/Red Pony Clock split

This split comes from the Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records' Singles Club and this was a part of the 2nd batch. I was super excited about this because M Coast named it quits, and Andy From Denver is Andy Gonzales newest project. Hanging on a Cloud sounds like it could be a M Coast song but with a more of a sunshine pop AM radio with a bit of funk. Red Pony Clock is a band that I don't know much from. From this single Waiting Four You, I do know I enjoy it very much. Pretty horns and psych pop sounds make me happy.

9. caUSE co-MOTION!-I Lie Awake
Love me some caUSE co-MOTION! Sloppy crash pop makes me bounce with anxiousness written all over. Side B's You Don't Say is like 1 minute long and Cry For Attention bit longer is my favorite in this single.

10. Jennifer O'Connor/Dump split
I was excited to see this because well I don't having anything from Dump, so I had to have it. Why? Because it's James from Yo La Tengo duh! I never heard of Jennifer O'Connor, but I do like I Was So Wrong (which is a Dump remix). Not a big fan of the other song I'm a racecar driver, but it's okay I guess. Dump covers a song that I don't know named I Wanna Get Next To You, and seriously, all I want to do is makeout to song while this song is on repeat. I guess that means like every 3 minute I would have to get up and pick up the needle, but it's worth it.


Best extras in a 7":
BOAT-Topps
Topps drawn trading cards and gum!? YAY! I'm in a funk because I've had it for months and I can't even think about chewing that gum, and I love gum.

Best 7" cover:

Best album cover:


Best compilation soundtrack record:
Yo La Tengo-They Shoot, We Score
HAHAHAHA you really thought I would make a list without including a Yo La Tengo record? Stupid. This record includes scores from Old Joy, Junebug, Game 6 and Shortbus. Be happy and listen to all the different tiny versions of Green Arrow, and let go to all you're holding on to. Dreamy!


Best compilation that actually came out in 2006:
CD86: 48 Tracks From the Birth of Indie Pop
Although I knew a few tracks, the ones I didn't know blew my mind alway. The Bodines, The Raw Herbs, The Servants, The Primitives and The June Brides captured my heart, and kicked me because why the fuck haven't I ever heard of them? And how about that Jesus & Mary Chain song I never heard-Upside Down? I've always liked them, but this song is worth calling me a big fan now.


Most mediocre song of 2006 that I liked in 2008
Evangelicals-Hello Jenn, I'm a Mess
Evangelicals are Apollo Sunshine after recording Katonah then listened to the Flaming Lips who were listening to Cocteau Twins. This song came out in 2006, and although they did release an album this year, I have yet to hear it. Hello Jenn, I'm a Mess is dream pop without being too dream pop, it's indie rock without being too indie rock. It's mediocre at it's best, but it's better than a lot of shit that is out there. Sometimes mediocre is good, and this is one of those time. It's for the anxiety driven or moody motherfuckers like myself. Plus how you pass up lyrics like "loose lips sink friendships."


Most Overrated Band of '08:
1. Glasvegas
Sorry I don't get why people like them. They are extremely boring. Why should I care if Alan McGee thinks they're the best band to come out of Scotland in 20 years? Didn't Alan McGee give us Oasis? So here you go the next Oasis.

2. Beach House
eh. I thought I liked it the first listen, the second seal the deal for me-I don't. I mean am I suppose to like every dream pop band that is out there? I think it's okay to say no once in awhile. Just sayin'.

Coolest music video from another overrated band of 08:
MGMT-Time to Pretend
I only like this video because he rides a cat, and because it was directed by the same guy who directed an amazing short film called Death of the Tin Man. Wooh for Ray Tintori! But really-do we need another Of Montreal? I can only take so much from Kevin Barnes, I don't need another.

Coolest music video:

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Everything with You. It was recorded with a Super 8! How super. Plus this video reminds me of a typical day with my sister and I. Yup!

Other runners up: Crystal Stilts-Prismatic Room and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Gothenburg Handshake...because of it's randomness, and pretty cinematic scenes of nothingness.