A VC - Latest Comments in Top 10 Records Of 2008

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

fredwilson — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:47:06 -0000

Thanks. I'll check them out

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

David Noël — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:38:35 -0000

Fred, I think you might like these guys - give them a shot: Herman Dune. Weird name, I know. Their latest record is called Next Year In Zion.
http://hypem.com/search/her...
http://www.myspace.com/ther...

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

hunne — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:52:39 -0000

this is a very typical list.
bravo.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

James Kurtz III — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:22:21 -0000

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.

Thanks.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Kjell Nace — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:28:23 -0000

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/watc...

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

arjun — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:40:41 -0000

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.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

bombtune — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:04:15 -0000

Dig the list Fred. Here's the second part series of my favorite beats from this year: http://www.bombtune.com/bom...

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

kylec — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:55:11 -0000

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.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

whitneymcn — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:02:58 -0000

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.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Rich Ullman — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:17:56 -0000

Thanks Fred. I'm still actually listening to the Shout Out Louds and a few other tracks from last year.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

josh guttman — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:39:59 -0000

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:)

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

David Noël — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:51:26 -0000

I just put together my list in case you want to have a look:
http://echolot.tumblr.com/p...

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

thambone — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:42:15 -0000

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".

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

tmarman — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:33:24 -0000

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.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Chipotle — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:33:16 -0000

I think you may need one of these tee shirts. http://bit.ly/5yqr

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Toronto — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:15:44 -0000

Oops. I meant Fleet Foxes.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Toronto — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:13:44 -0000

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!

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

David Chaitt — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:31:29 -0000

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.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

David Noël — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:57:29 -0000

Of course - thanks!

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

fredwilson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:58:10 -0000

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

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

blake41 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:15:29 -0000

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

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Chipotle — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:21:16 -0000

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?

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

josef — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:07:14 -0000

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.

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

fredwilson — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:18:04 -0000

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

Re: Top 10 Records Of 2008

Yancey — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:17:21 -0000

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!

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.