faves of 2008

it’s the beginning of december and once again it’s time to share some fave songs from the past year. this year’s collection has a bunch of slower songs. slow songs seem to highlight their words. maybe i’m listening to lyrics more and more. i hope you enjoy.

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28. the notwist “gone gone gone”
sad lyrics and a good bridge. more than enough to make this list.
get the record here.
27. abe vigoda “dead city/waste wilderness”
super loud post hardcore art rock.
get the record here.
26. ~~empire of the sun “walking on a dream”~~
the most embarassing pick in this list by far. infectious.
25. deerhunter “agoraphobia”
so 90’s. reminds me of pavement and/or lou reed.
get the record here.
24. blitzen trapper “furr”
very dylan. lots of personality and great melodies.
get the record here.
23. helvetia “old new bicycle”
best guitar tone ever. great un-self-conscious playing.
get the record here.
22. american music club “all my love”
another devastater from one of my all-time favorite bands.
get the record here.
21. elbow “starlings”
the one has an ingenious and surprising build. some perfect lines too: “i sat you down and told you how the truest love that’s ever found is for oneself/you pulled apart my theory with a weary and disinterested sigh”.
get the record here.
20. max richter “h in new england”
i could have picked any number off richter’s latest record. they’re all faves.
get the record here.
19. devon williams “please be patient”
the strings make this one. very 60s pop. best chorus of the year.
get the record here.
18. bon iver “for emma”
so simple. amazing slide guitar.
get the record here.
17. destroyer “dark leaves from a thread”
another barn-burner, another song with na-na’s.
get the record here.
16. lykke li “i’m good, i’m gone (metronomy remix)”
spooky synth dance track. has that knight rider sound that’s so popular these days.
get the little bit single here.
15. wild beasts “the devil’s crayon”
unique voice. the whole sound is very original. maybe you could compare it to a less cheeky franz ferdinand.
get the record here.
14. the war on drugs “arms like boulders”
another dylanish track. poetic lines bumping into one another.
get the record here.
13. she and him “this is not a test”
classic m. ward songwriting. adorable and very catchy.
get the record here.
12. kid cudi feat. wale “is there any love?”
nice flip of the trevor dandy drum break. cudi subtly makes the beat more exciting with the rhythm of his rappin’.
get kid cudi’s day n nite e.p. here.
11. chad vangaalen “rabid bits of time”
“you’ve been dead for years/ but you never knew/and the rabid bits of time/ have been eating you”
get the record here.
10. women “black rice”
very beach boys/panda bear. plodding and head nodding.
get the record here.
9. flying lotus “parisian goldfish”
this guy has the best snare sounds. nice restrained use of the cowbell.
get the record here.
8. sigur rós “gobbledigook”
how do they come up with this stuff? the rhythm comes outta nowhere! the building background vocals and hand clapping is just… great.
get the record here.
7. the walkmen “in the new year”
completely kickass.
get the record here.
6. solange “i decided”
a faithful motown recreation. probably inspired by amy winehouse. this stuff is undeniable, though.
get the record here.
5. jolie holland “palmyra”
so poignant and well-executed. “my little heart is a graveyard/it’s a no man’s land”.
get the record here.
4. the dodos “walking”
totally acoustic, but still really rockin’. still stuck in my head from when i first heard it in march.
get the record here.
3. evangelicals “skeleton man”
like the pixies vs. thin lizzy vs. complete noise. “someone loves you very much, you’re fucked”.
get the record here.
2. dr. dog “the rabbit, the bat, and the reindeer”
so fun and redemptive. amazing pizzicato bridge and double time ending.
get the record here.
1. fleet foxes “quiet houses”
i guess this is no. 1 because it’s the most beautiful song of the bunch. i get goosebumps every time the chord changes at 0:18.
get the record here.