I actually have a really hard time with 'Best Of' lists each year because it's sometimes hard to put in perspective which bands, songs, albums, etc meant the most to you - which ones you played ALL the songs more than others with just one or two tracks - which ones marked a special moment that year or struck some personal connection. In a world where the iPod and iTunes has changed the way we encounter and devour music, so many have great individual songs, or just good songs, but it takes a real focused effort to turn out 10-13 cuts anymore that are comprehensive and interesting.
TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2008
Benji Hughes – A Love Extreme – New West Records
Birds & Batteries – I’ll Never Sleep Again – Self-released
The Botticellis – Old Home Movies – Antenna Farm Records
Christopher Denny – Age Old Hunger – 2:59 Records
The Ettes – Look At Life Again Soon – Take Root Records
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes – Sub Pop
King Tuff – Was Dead – The Colonel Records
The Muslims (Aka The Soft Packs) – The Muslims – 1928 Recordings
The Weight – Are Men – The Colonel Records
White Denim – Explosion – Transmission
TOP TRACKS OF 2008
Adele – Hometown Glory
Alberta Cross – Old Man Chicago
Belaire – You Really Got Me Going
Benji Hughes – The Mummy
Benji Hughes – Tight Tee Shirt
Bon Iver – Skinny Love
Born Ruffians – Hummingbird
The Cave Singers – Seeds Of Night
Christopher Denny - Time
The Dodos – Fools
The Felice Brothers – Frankie’s Gun
Fleet Foxes – Oliver James
Girls – Lust For Life
Glasvegas – Geraldine
Graveyard – Lost In Confusion
The Heavy – Colleen
Hockey – Too Fake
Human Highway – The Sound
I Blame Coco – I Blame Coco
Ida Maria – Oh My God
Jamie Lidell – Figured Me Out
The Kills – Cheap & Cheerful
Little Comets – Joanna
Loch Lomond – Carl Sagan
M.I.A. – Paper Planes
Magic Wands – Black Magic
Meaghan Smith – I Know
MGMT – Time To Pretend
Mystery Jets – Two Doors Down
Passion Pit – Sleepyhead
Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today
Radiohead – House Of Cards
Santogold – Lights Out
Stricken City – Tak o Tak
{{{Sunset}}} – Diamond Studded Caskets
The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
Tenlons Fort – Forever Is A Long Time
Vertigo Smyth – Comfort Me
Violens – Violent Sensation Descends
Wisely – Through Any Window
The Yelling – Blood On The Steps
10 ARTISTS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2009
AVI BUFFALO
THE BROTHERS MOVEMENT
THE BUILDERS & THE BUTCHERS
DJANGO JAMES & THE MIDNIGHT SQUIRES
THE FEROCIOUS FEW
FITZ
HOCKEY
LILOFEE
VIOLENS
WET PAINT
THE YELLINGLabels: Avi Buffalo, Builders and the Butchers, Django James and the Midnight Squires, Fitz, Hockey, Lilofee, The Brothers Movement, The Ferocious Few, The Yelling, Violens, Wet Paint
FS repped artist, THE BROTHERS MOVEMENT, will release their debut record in Europe on November 2nd, as well as the first single, "Standing Still", on October 19th on Rocket Girl Records. The Dublin act will be the next release on Rocket Girl Records, the label behind A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, and will be playing the In The City Festival in Manchester in October, debuting songs from their release. Watch this space for more music and info on TBM in the States.
