Fred, some good stuff there that even my kids hadn't heard of - I got some kudos back :D.
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
That's good to hear. We gotta get it when we can
aqualung
· 1 year ago
Can't pick too much wrong with this list (well - there'll always be arguments at the margins, but I've enjoyed most of these this year) ... Hometowns is an my 'next-month' list at eMusic
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
You won't regret that purchase. Amazed you have the patience to wait. I just buy extra downloads
David Noël
· 1 year ago
Great picks, great list, Fred. Following your tumblelog, I got to know Okkervil River, Little Joy and (two days ago) TRAA. Thanks for that.
Although I wouldn't pick Vampire Weekend to my top album list (somehow I can't get to like them), the Chromeo Remix of The Kids... would make it into my Top 10 'Song' list (if you don't know it, start the party with this: http://hypem.com/track/693333/Vampire+Weekend-T...)
On a side note: Every year, I have the same struggle putting together a list and most of the times I end up adding albums from the second part of the year to my list because I can't remember the ones of the first part. On the other hand, I sometimes 'discover' older records that would make it to the list but were released years ago (right now: The National s/t and 'Sad Songs...'). Any secret technique you're applying to keep track?
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
last.fm is where i start. i go look at the most listened to records of the year and i put together a short list about about 25 records and then go from there
David Noël
· 1 year ago
Of course - thanks!
BL
· 1 year ago
check out: Cut Copy, In ghost colors M83, saturdays=youth No Age, Nouns My Morning Jacket, Evil urges
Paolo
· 1 year ago
Cool! I'll check out Jason Collett and Thao then. But, do you really like the Vampire Weekend?! Well, today the Rolling Stone published its list too (was it supposed to come out on Christmas Day???) http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/24958695... Anyway, yours is much much better ;-)
Kenosha_Kid
· 1 year ago
Fred, this may be counter to the youth appreciation thematic, but sometimes the old school can still teach the kids a few good things:
Digg!!! Lazarus Digg!!! - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse - Lou Reed
uwmryan
· 1 year ago
Great list. Lots of good choices. That Thao record is underrated for sure.
Dave Hodson
· 1 year ago
I always love to read your Top 10 (although I like 10 posts better than 1 summarized post) If I could add just one, it would have to be My Morning Jacket's disc Evil Urges.
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
It was on my short list of 25 records but it just didn't stay with me like the ones on the list did. That said I love MMJ. Great live band!
suesol
· 1 year ago
yes, we're pretty much in sync this year. raconteurs and jason collet could have been on my honorable mentions...
daryn
· 1 year ago
Despite the hype, I still haven't gotten into Sigur Ros, although maybe I'm just not trying hard enough!
Definite yes to Conor, thanks to seeing him play a couple great shows this year, and especially to the Fleet Foxes, who have really grown on me during the gray seattle winter :)
Some other 2008 releases that may not be top-10 material, but are worth some play time:
Dr. Dog - "Fate" Ra Ra Riot - "The Rhumb Line" Ray Lamontagne - "Gossip in the Grain" Blitzen Trapper - "Furr" Jenny Lewis - "Acid Tongue"
kyle
· 1 year ago
Must see Sigur Ros live. Oh. My. God. F'n brilliant. Perhaps the best live show of the year for me, and I saw quite a few.
Seth Lieberman
· 1 year ago
No Little Jackie honorable mention?
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
Conflict of interest on that one seth. We love little jackie but we've got a vested interest in that record
Seth Lieberman
· 1 year ago
Ah, right forgot.
Matt
· 1 year ago
Great list. 2, 3, and 10 would definitely be on my list. Would have added Hot Chip, Cut Copy, and new Ray Lamontagne. Caught Ray live at Radio City and it was like having chills for 2 hours...
daryn
· 1 year ago
Ray is amazing live. I had downloaded the new album but it didn't really do much for me until after seeing him perform.
blake johnson
· 1 year ago
Fred, you really missed out on TV on the Radio. Their new album is phenomenal all the way through
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
Well I listened a bunch and posted a track or two to fredwilson.fm but it didn't 'pull me in' like these did. That's the great thing about music. We all have different tastes and this is my list. Do you have one by chance?
blake johnson
· 1 year ago
You make a great point. It's just an album I am pretty passionate about.
I could go with this as a top 5 to start 1. TV on the Radio - Dear Science 2. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust 3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend 4. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors 5. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Tony S
· 1 year ago
Not a 2008 release - but I recently stumbled on The National. Both Boxer and Alligator are great albums.
Patricia
· 1 year ago
I've been following your blog (lurking) for a year, and finally I just *HAVE* to comment on this post. I will be picking up Hometowns as well. For me they are "local" - I'm from Alberta - and they have had NO local mainstream coverage here. Amazing that I would find out about them on a blog this far from home... Love the rest of the list too!!
Yancey
· 1 year ago
Fred, thanks for mentioning the Rural Alberta Advantage. It's a great record, and it's awesome that you came across it. One thing I wanted to note: I actually signed that band exclusively to eMusic as part of our eMusic Selects project, so Amazon will not be carrying it until a label signs them and re-releases our album (this happened previously with Deastro, High Places and Crystal Stilts). Anyway, just wanted to correct that. Glad you dig it. Try some of the other Selects bands, too, if you like that one!
nothing blew me away this year. really liked 3 songs on MGMT and She&Him hit heavy rotation. Also like some of Radiohead and Magnetic Fields. Bought the Bon Iver but it never popped. I think this is going to be the first year where I don't make a mix for friends because I didn't hear enough to fill one up.
I will need to dig into your recommendations - thanks Fred.
Chipotle
· 1 year ago
As an old guy and music consumer (live and recorded) I think there is more good music being produced than ever. I just wish we'd hurry up and figure out some effective ways of compensating the artists.
There are a bunch of records that could have made my list, but if 10 is the magic number is my list.
1. The Midnight Organ Fight -- Frightened Rabbit 2. Furr -- Blitzen Trapper 3. Stay Positive -- The Hold Steady 4. Only By the Night -- Kings of Leon 5. Vampire Weekend -- Vampire Weekend 6. Gleam II -- The Avett Brothers 7. Asking for Flowers -- Kathleen Edwards 8. Mission Control -- The Whigs 9. On A Clear Night -- Missy Higgins 10. Wrecking Ball -- Dead Confederate
So, Fred what were your top live shows?
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
Good question
I think the ben kweller show I saw last month would be the top of my list
The vampire weekend show in paris was fun too
I'll have to go back and look at all of them to do this right
The Furr record is getting a lot of mentions, I need to check it out
no love for ray lamontagne? he is the van morrison of my generation. and then there's the black keys. dangermouse did magic making a two person band have an even larger sound. and when i saw it live without the overdubbing and studio magic, it was just as good if not better.
Toronto
· 1 year ago
Good list. I probably would have re-ordered the list. Here are some additional favs of mine this year:
Army Navy Deerhunter - Microcastle Anat Cohen - Notes from the Village Elliot Brood - Mountain Meadows (awesome) Fleex Foxes (of course) Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue Lucinda Williams - Little Honey Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue Steve Bernstein - MTO Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation Mates of State - Re-arrange Us Blitzen Trapper - Furr Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea Vijay Iyer - Tragicomic
Finally, I have to also include "Sheperd's Dog" by Iron and Wine. Ok, I know this was a 2007 release but I can't stomach not having an Iron and Wine album on any year's list. So there!
Toronto
· 1 year ago
Oops. I meant Fleet Foxes.
tmarman
· 1 year ago
Good list. A few on there are definitely in my top albums, though there are a few I still need to get to.
One album that I've really been enjoying lately is The '59 Sound by Gaslight Anthem (came out in Aug). Have you listened to this at all? Wondering if it made your top 25... I think they sound a lot like Kings of Leon (particularly their latest), but for whatever reason I find myself enjoying this more than KOL.
The one other one I would definitely have to put in my top 10 is Beck - Modern Guilt. I liked TVOTR a lot too, but not sure if that would make the cut.
thambone
· 1 year ago
Fred, been reading the blog for years -- "first time, long time"
You have to include Black Keys, Attack & Release. great record. also, I would move Consolers of the Lonely up the chart. "How you going to Top Yourself".
Nice. I feel way behind on my music review and will download these albums for holiday perusal. Did you listen to the Paul McCartney/Firemen disc I gave you? NPR/All Songs Considered mentioned it as a runner-up in their annual review:)
richullman
· 1 year ago
Thanks Fred. I'm still actually listening to the Shout Out Louds and a few other tracks from last year.
whitneymcn
· 1 year ago
As a late comment I'll toss out one of my favorite 2008 albums--one that unfortunately hasn't managed to break for some reason: Visiter, by The Dodos. Other than a couple of songs ("Fools" stands out in particular) it seems to take quite a few listens to really dig into it, but it's totally worth it.
I really pleased that I'll be seeing them next week (at the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn, with The Walkmen). They've been through NYC a couple of times this year and I've never been able to catch them.
Great list. I'm a fan of MGMT and the Fleet Foxes also. Didn't know about the solo projects from Broken Social or the Strokes, but I'm checking them out now.
Check out Passion Pit if you haven't heard them yet...their EP is addicting.
Kjell Nace
· 1 year ago
Hi Fred, although having a fundamentally different investment model & areas of focus always try to catch up with your thoughts when I can as they are fundamentally well-thought through, interesting & more often than not thought provoking. Alas, I find myself catching up with your music list.. Although your top 10 was not to my full liking (to be expected, it is your list after all) I did notice a certain bias around style/theme/geography ... in terms of catchment area so to speak. How about this one, all the way from Scandinavia (yes, it does favor certain moods but I believe is otherwise excellent): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJCdfZk2eVo
James Kurtz III
· 1 year ago
Nice List. I'm really trying to get into the Bon Iver album but haven't broken through yet. I do love the new Sigur Ros though.
I put together a list on my blog too. Not of the best music of 2008 but of the best and worst album covers of 2008. Check it out by clicking on my name if you're interested.
All Comments
Although I wouldn't pick Vampire Weekend to my top album list (somehow I can't get to like them), the Chromeo Remix of The Kids... would make it into my Top 10 'Song' list (if you don't know it, start the party with this: http://hypem.com/track/693333/Vampire+Weekend-T...)
On a side note: Every year, I have the same struggle putting together a list and most of the times I end up adding albums from the second part of the year to my list because I can't remember the ones of the first part. On the other hand, I sometimes 'discover' older records that would make it to the list but were released years ago (right now: The National s/t and 'Sad Songs...'). Any secret technique you're applying to keep track?
Cut Copy, In ghost colors
M83, saturdays=youth
No Age, Nouns
My Morning Jacket, Evil urges
Well, today the Rolling Stone published its list too (was it supposed to come out on Christmas Day???)
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/24958695...
Anyway, yours is much much better ;-)
Digg!!! Lazarus Digg!!! - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse - Lou Reed
If I could add just one, it would have to be My Morning Jacket's disc Evil Urges.
Definite yes to Conor, thanks to seeing him play a couple great shows this year, and especially to the Fleet Foxes, who have really grown on me during the gray seattle winter :)
Some other 2008 releases that may not be top-10 material, but are worth some play time:
Dr. Dog - "Fate"
Ra Ra Riot - "The Rhumb Line"
Ray Lamontagne - "Gossip in the Grain"
Blitzen Trapper - "Furr"
Jenny Lewis - "Acid Tongue"
I could go with this as a top 5 to start
1. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
2. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors
5. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Two links: eMusic Selects and here's eMusic's list of the best records from the year. There's a bunch of stuff in there I think a lotta folks here would like.
I will need to dig into your recommendations - thanks Fred.
There are a bunch of records that could have made my list, but if 10 is the magic number is my list.
1. The Midnight Organ Fight -- Frightened Rabbit
2. Furr -- Blitzen Trapper
3. Stay Positive -- The Hold Steady
4. Only By the Night -- Kings of Leon
5. Vampire Weekend -- Vampire Weekend
6. Gleam II -- The Avett Brothers
7. Asking for Flowers -- Kathleen Edwards
8. Mission Control -- The Whigs
9. On A Clear Night -- Missy Higgins
10. Wrecking Ball -- Dead Confederate
So, Fred what were your top live shows?
I think the ben kweller show I saw last month would be the top of my list
The vampire weekend show in paris was fun too
I'll have to go back and look at all of them to do this right
The Furr record is getting a lot of mentions, I need to check it out
Army Navy
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Anat Cohen - Notes from the Village
Elliot Brood - Mountain Meadows (awesome)
Fleex Foxes (of course)
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue
Steve Bernstein - MTO
Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation
Mates of State - Re-arrange Us
Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
Vijay Iyer - Tragicomic
Finally, I have to also include "Sheperd's Dog" by Iron and Wine. Ok, I know this was a 2007 release but I can't stomach not having an Iron and Wine album on any year's list. So there!
One album that I've really been enjoying lately is The '59 Sound by Gaslight Anthem (came out in Aug). Have you listened to this at all? Wondering if it made your top 25... I think they sound a lot like Kings of Leon (particularly their latest), but for whatever reason I find myself enjoying this more than KOL.
The one other one I would definitely have to put in my top 10 is Beck - Modern Guilt. I liked TVOTR a lot too, but not sure if that would make the cut.
You have to include Black Keys, Attack & Release. great record. also, I would move Consolers of the Lonely up the chart. "How you going to Top Yourself".
http://echolot.tumblr.com/post/64513325/top-stu...
I really pleased that I'll be seeing them next week (at the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn, with The Walkmen). They've been through NYC a couple of times this year and I've never been able to catch them.
Check out Passion Pit if you haven't heard them yet...their EP is addicting.
I put together a list on my blog too. Not of the best music of 2008 but of the best and worst album covers of 2008. Check it out by clicking on my name if you're interested.
Thanks.
bravo.
http://hypem.com/search/herman%20dune/1/
http://www.myspace.com/therealhermandune