12/30/2008
The Top 20’s Biggest 10
Sights & Sounds
Let the countdown continue!
By Mike Evans
The Top 20’s Biggest 10
Sights & Sounds
Let the countdown continue!
By Mike Evans
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10. BECK — Modern Guilt
He’s been an innovator since Mellow Gold caught us off guard back in 1994. Now Beck teams up with another innovator — producer Danger Mouse (Gnarles Barkley, Gorillaz) — to bring us his tightest, funkiest and somehow darkest effort in years. Guilt found Beck’s obsessions with doom and gloom the perfect complement to Mouse’s feel-good retro beats — a study in contrasts that totally worked.
09. LAST SHADOW PUPPETS — Age Of The Understatement
You can call 2008 “the Year of Great Debuts!” Four debut discs found their way into the Top Ten. Here’s the first — the super-cool Bacharach-esque spy flick-inspired side project of the prolific Rascals and Arctic Monkeys frontmen that hopefully won’t end up being a “one-off” musical collaboration.
08. KATE NASH — Made Of Bricks
Another outstanding debut! Take the girl-in-charge aesthetic made famous by Ani DiFranco and set it against Feist’s pop sensibilities and you’ve got the coolest beat-heavy folk-pop record of the year! Bubbly and brutally honest, Bricks was a catchy and confident album that’ll be tough to surpass. But I can’t wait to hear what Nash does next!
07. JENNY LEWIS — Acid Tongue
This is the third year Miss Lewis has made the Top Ten. 2006 saw her rustic debut Rabbit Fur Coat grab us with its stark honesty. Then Under The Black Light (Rilo Kiley) became one of 2007’s most eclectic collections. Now Jenny’s second solo effort and foray into the realm of alt country finds the woman sharpening her songwriting skills and becoming even more confident.
06. DR. DOG — Fate
Philadelphia indie rockers Dr. Dog unleashed the album they were destined to make. Fate found the band turning up the Brian Wilson and Beatles influences, giving us a collection of songs that was both mystical and majestic in the process.
05. TV ON THE RADIO — Dear Science
Combining everything from punk to hip-hop to soul to jazz (and anything else you can possibly think of), NYC indie rockers TV on the Radio know how to mix up a frothy, eclectic brew while keeping you guessing every step of the way. Science is their tightest and best (so far).
04. THE WALKMEN — You And Me
NYC’s finest turned down the noise and gave us a romantic collection — romantic not in the traditional “lovey dovey ballad” sense, but rather in the sense that the record carried us off to a better place. That “place” was totally up to the listener, but these moody atmospheric pieces were mesmerizing while still retaining their indie rock cred.
03. VAMPIRE WEEKEND — Vampire Weekend
Another fantastic debut! These Long Island boys know their way around a tight beat and gorgeous melody. Their stunning debut was the ultimate melding of Britpop and the NYC post-punk vibe — a record where the groove (be it forceful or delicate) was just as important as the lilting intertwining hooks resonating above.
02. FLEET FOXES — Fleet Foxes
Of all the debut discs released this year, Fleet Foxes was the absolute finest. Defying categorization — was it folk rock, indie pop, old timey mountain music played on electric guitars — who’s to say? All that mattered was the music’s grace and beauty. I’m not ashamed to say I was an emotional wreck after hearing this disc for the first time. This stuff was that powerful.
01. PORTISHEAD — Third
Usually comeback albums leave much to be desired — never quite recapturing the brilliance that once was. Third was the exception. British trip-hop pioneers Portishead never really went away. They simply waited for inspiration. And the record was completely worth the 11-year wait. A sometimes gentle, sometimes abrasive outing that proved innovative, Third was hopefully a hint at further greatness yet to come (hopefully before 2019).
There they are — the greatest albums of 2008. Next week, we check out some “leftovers” before the music biz kicks back into high gear later this month.
NEW RELEASES — DVD
THE DUCHESS with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes
GHOST TOWN with Ricky Gervais and Tea Leoni
-mevans@rock107.com
He’s been an innovator since Mellow Gold caught us off guard back in 1994. Now Beck teams up with another innovator — producer Danger Mouse (Gnarles Barkley, Gorillaz) — to bring us his tightest, funkiest and somehow darkest effort in years. Guilt found Beck’s obsessions with doom and gloom the perfect complement to Mouse’s feel-good retro beats — a study in contrasts that totally worked.
09. LAST SHADOW PUPPETS — Age Of The Understatement
You can call 2008 “the Year of Great Debuts!” Four debut discs found their way into the Top Ten. Here’s the first — the super-cool Bacharach-esque spy flick-inspired side project of the prolific Rascals and Arctic Monkeys frontmen that hopefully won’t end up being a “one-off” musical collaboration.
08. KATE NASH — Made Of Bricks
Another outstanding debut! Take the girl-in-charge aesthetic made famous by Ani DiFranco and set it against Feist’s pop sensibilities and you’ve got the coolest beat-heavy folk-pop record of the year! Bubbly and brutally honest, Bricks was a catchy and confident album that’ll be tough to surpass. But I can’t wait to hear what Nash does next!
07. JENNY LEWIS — Acid Tongue
This is the third year Miss Lewis has made the Top Ten. 2006 saw her rustic debut Rabbit Fur Coat grab us with its stark honesty. Then Under The Black Light (Rilo Kiley) became one of 2007’s most eclectic collections. Now Jenny’s second solo effort and foray into the realm of alt country finds the woman sharpening her songwriting skills and becoming even more confident.
06. DR. DOG — Fate
Philadelphia indie rockers Dr. Dog unleashed the album they were destined to make. Fate found the band turning up the Brian Wilson and Beatles influences, giving us a collection of songs that was both mystical and majestic in the process.
05. TV ON THE RADIO — Dear Science
Combining everything from punk to hip-hop to soul to jazz (and anything else you can possibly think of), NYC indie rockers TV on the Radio know how to mix up a frothy, eclectic brew while keeping you guessing every step of the way. Science is their tightest and best (so far).
04. THE WALKMEN — You And Me
NYC’s finest turned down the noise and gave us a romantic collection — romantic not in the traditional “lovey dovey ballad” sense, but rather in the sense that the record carried us off to a better place. That “place” was totally up to the listener, but these moody atmospheric pieces were mesmerizing while still retaining their indie rock cred.
03. VAMPIRE WEEKEND — Vampire Weekend
Another fantastic debut! These Long Island boys know their way around a tight beat and gorgeous melody. Their stunning debut was the ultimate melding of Britpop and the NYC post-punk vibe — a record where the groove (be it forceful or delicate) was just as important as the lilting intertwining hooks resonating above.
02. FLEET FOXES — Fleet Foxes
Of all the debut discs released this year, Fleet Foxes was the absolute finest. Defying categorization — was it folk rock, indie pop, old timey mountain music played on electric guitars — who’s to say? All that mattered was the music’s grace and beauty. I’m not ashamed to say I was an emotional wreck after hearing this disc for the first time. This stuff was that powerful.
01. PORTISHEAD — Third
Usually comeback albums leave much to be desired — never quite recapturing the brilliance that once was. Third was the exception. British trip-hop pioneers Portishead never really went away. They simply waited for inspiration. And the record was completely worth the 11-year wait. A sometimes gentle, sometimes abrasive outing that proved innovative, Third was hopefully a hint at further greatness yet to come (hopefully before 2019).
There they are — the greatest albums of 2008. Next week, we check out some “leftovers” before the music biz kicks back into high gear later this month.
NEW RELEASES — DVD
THE DUCHESS with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes
GHOST TOWN with Ricky Gervais and Tea Leoni
-mevans@rock107.com