2008's Top 10 (and some honorable and dishonorable mentions)

I've never made a top anything list and, to be fair, I really don't deserve to. I haven't heard much of what was released but, what the hell, why should that stop me?
2008 was a terrible year for music as far as I was concerned but there were a few albums here and there that caught my attention and actually stayed in heavy rotation on my iPod.
So, here ya go, the top 10 albums of 2008 as far as me and my pod are concerned.



10. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges.
I hated Z. HATED Z. A lot.
But I love Evil Urges. The title track? The breakdown bridge is better than the rest of the tune but if the whole song was that bridge then I wouldn't love it as much. And that stupid disco tune, Highly Suspicious? I love it for all it's campiness. Aluminum Park is a great little rocker ala Fountains of Wayne and there's enough retro-Dan Hillness to make your stomach churn with nostalgia.



9. Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us
I love Mates of State, even though this is the first full album of theirs that I heard. Their singles are refreshingly poppy and earnest. "My Only Offer" is like a bug that you can't get rid of. Once you hear it you want to sing it over and over. And the rest of the album, which doesn't wear out it's welcome too soon is just as much fun.



8. The Gaslight Anthem.
Okay, I'm cheating here. There are just three or four songs that get crazy airplay but they are so good that the rest of the album counts. (The rest is just as good). This is this year's Against Me!. The descendants of Springsteen, grab the title track and try not to fall in love.



7. Vampire Weekend.
Man I really didn't want to put this on this list but every time A-Punk comes on I wanna dance. Or Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, Or mansard Roof. Or..... This is just that particularly great first album that we would have devoured in college. Like this generation's Violent Femmes. Equally poorly named. Both start with a V. Both are infectiously great and indefinable. Have you heard it? No? How can that be? Once you do you won't stop. You'll want to kill yourself for loving it, but you will, nonetheless.



6. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
It's a pretty new entry. I just got it the other day. But the truth be told, this album is far and away more accomplished than most music ought to be. Somewhere between Pink Floyd and Coldplay is Elbow. Moodiest fucking album in a long time and a welcome replacement for Yoshimi as music to get high and screw by.


5. Black Mountain - In the Future
I love the idea of this band more than I love the album but I am drawn to it and find, on many occasions that I need to come down and give in to the sludgy goodness. This is a band for whom Spinal Tap never existed and music never progressed beyond Sabbath's Paranoid. We're all better for that, btw.


4. AC/DC - Black Ice
Would AC/DC rated this high had I not done the Listening Post this year? Probably not. But I did. And then I was hooked. And then I heard the album and it's pretty damned good. And then I saw them in concert and, fuck it, this has been in heavy rotation ever since.
Give it a spin. It's the best collection since Back in Black. And I'm not overstating. It's that good.



3. Rick Springfield - Venus in Overdrive
What? Who? really? Yeah, really. Venus in Overdrive is great. I've already talked about here. The single, What's Victoria's Secret proves that Rick can rip himself off while at the same time sounding just like he should, with all that power poppy goodness. This isn't as dour as Anger/Denial......it's a rollicking good time.



2. The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
I was assigned this one when I was writing for ShuffleBoil. I had never heard of The Mountain Goats, never knew who John darnielle was. It was a complete surprise to learn that Darnielle has been recording under this moniker since the early 90s and that this wasn't even considered his best offering. (Tallahassee has that honor). Darnielle is ridiculously literate (Sax Rohmer #1), often poignant (San Bernadino), cheeky (Michael Myers Resplendent) and terrifying (Heretic Pride).
Autoclave would have been a hit in 1981 in the New Wave underground.
This album is perfect. The original review is here


1. Jukebox the Ghost - Let Live and Let Ghost
I use Peel to find new music. It's easier than trolling all the blogs. And I dump a lot of music or just pass it by. Then one day, early this year two songs popped up on a couple blogs by the Washington trio, Jukebox the Ghost; Hold it In and Good Day. After a week of finding myself playing them over and over, during feeding time or on the motorcycle I decided to give the guys a chance and buy their album.
I'm so glad I did. This is, without a doubt, my favorite album of the last 2 years. It's part Ben Folds, part Queen, cheeky and sublime all at once. Towards the end of the album two songs bleed into each other a suite and if that wasn't enough for you, the last three are part of a suite as well.
Eminently hummable, it never gets tired or tiresome. Funny how this has not ended up on anyone's top ten list but is, without equal, the best album of the year and the best debut I have heard in a many a year.

Disappointments:
Hold Steady - Stay Positive. The title might refer to the fact that the boys were putting out an album vastly inferior to 2006's Boys and Girls in America. That album was perfect. This album was considerably less so.

Fratellis - Here We Stand. Costello Music was in my top 3 in 06. This follow up is a severe letdown. Where they had embraced a glam-britpop on that one, this one finds them lacking in ideas and turning to their inner Lennon when they should be all about their inner McCartney.

Weezer - Red Album. This album is on a few top ten lists. It shouldn't be. It should be used to patch up holes in concrete. But then again, I think make Believe is one of the catchiest albums of the decade.

R.E.M. - Accelerate. Too little too late. This is the album they should have put out four albums ago. But where that would have been a nice capper to the 90s this is just a bunch of fogies riding out a contract.

Update:Queen + Paul Rodgers "Cosmos Rocks". This is awful. I actually hate it so much I forgot to include it at first. Holy god, this is an abortion but even more than that it points to the truth that Queen took it's audience for granted and tried to milk every penny out of them. May and Taylor don't love their fans. They know that, like Live Free or Die Hard, if they slap the brand name on it it will move some units. This should never be listened to and, in fact, the unsold cd's should be used to slaughter puppies abandoned at the pound. Don't buy it. Don't listen to it.

Honorable Mentions

The Diviners - The 13th Generation.
The Diviners are 1/4 ex Throttle Back Sparky and 1/4 guy who was thrown out of Throttle Back Sparky. Should I include it? Can I be unbiased?I think so. To be honest I think that lyrically it needs a little polishing. But that isn't supposed to be the record's strong suit. This is conceptual pop rock. And while much of it harkens back to classic U2 and REM, some of it is catchy as hell. There are tracks like Sell Your Childhood, State of Mind and Just Us that, once heard, you can't drop them. (I think a few of them could have been big hits in a different time. Lovin' Gurl is classic 60's garage band, Sell Your Childhood is 90's alternative to a T) For my money I've never been that much of a fan of over production (unless it's Queen) and there is a fair share of it here. But there's a lot of good ideas in there as well. Funnily enough, songs like Mechanical, which i did NOT like upon listening in my car and on my motorcycle, offered more to appreciate when cranked LOUD on a 5.1 surround system. A testament to production, I guess. There's a lot to love on The 13th Generation. I'm excited for this project and proud as hell of David.


Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue.
More of the great stuff that is Ms. lewis. Proving that Blake Sennett was the one responsible for the mess of Under the Blacklight, Jenny offers one of the catchier singles in "Carpetbaggers". I could listen to her mangle her melodies all day long.


Conor Oberst
The eponymous album by Bright Eyes' Oberst is a simple alt-country offering. It's easy and relaxed and "Cape Canaveral captures the right tenor for his weird voice. I look forward to more.


Low Vs. Diamond
More Bruce type rock/80s retro. If you can't have another Nightmare of You album this year, then this will have to do.


Sons & Daughters
new wave gets its due from a band that I expected to be sludgy classic rock sounding with that name and that album cover. But it's not. It's edgy and angular and fun.

So, there ya have it. 2008 is over. Hopefully 09 will offer more and better. But get that Jukebox the Ghost album cuz it's great.

Another Monkey Mixxxxxxxxx!

Six Degrees of Monkey Love.
Splotchy and Coffey joined forces to let the monkeys toss musical feces at the wall and see what stuck.
Here's my choices and how I connected em.

07 - If William Shatner Can I Can Too - Jeff Daniels

Let's face it. Actors shouldn't be rock stars. (Throttle Back Sparky was my toe dip into that land. Although we rocked hard and fucked like monkeys) Who knew Daniels could pluck a little white man blues? Everything I've heard from him has been a treat and this one, well, it's all true. Too true.

08 - Common People - William Shatner
But just because Daniels was right doesn't mean he's also way wrong. Because this cover of Pulp's Common People is rip roaringly better than the 'riginal. It's got Joe Jackson caterwauling, Shatner overcoming himself and Ben Folds producing like a mutha. Get the album. you will NOT be disappointed.


09 - Heroes - David Bowie
Also featured on Shatner's album was Adrian Belew (Excuse me....ADRIAN BELEW!!!!!) Who composed the lead riff for this which is NOT an e-bow but four separate solos layered on top of each other.


10 - Vive Le Rock - Adam Ant
Tony Visconti produced Heroes. And many others. And Adam Ant's Vive Le Rock. An album which is as unheralded as it is great!



11 - Hello, I Love You - The Doors
Alas, when Adam went solo (Which meant nothing since he was the act all along) elektra convinced him to put a cover tune on "Friend or Foe". I was at the concert. He didn't play it. Maybe he did. I don't recall. I was high.



12 - Poor Girl - X
Which brings me to the only song I wish my band had covered that we didn't. I love the poetry, the sadness and the pure punkiness of this track. Which was produced by Ray Manzarek of The Doors.



There ya go. 6 degrees. Completely silly and 100% fun!

Brad Aldous. I knew him when.

My friend, Brad, directed this new video for The Weepies.
It's nice.
It's good.
Way to go Brad!

'Can't Go Back Now' by The Weepies

Transparant Government.

There is no new news over at Barackobama.com
Those days are over (kind of like newlulu.blogspot.com)
Welcome to the new transparency!

WWW.CHANGE.GOV

Gonna be a great 4, no?

Land of Hope (and Dreams)

I never really wrote anything about the actual election.
I've been so busy.
I've been imbued with a sense of hope. What can I say? I drank the Kool-Aid. I'm a believer.
I cried most of last night.
When Ohio came in I readied myself and left the phone bank. I didn't care much for the people who tried to take it over. (They were PISSED when I announced that Ohio was called. Why? Because they wanted to announce everything.
Here we are in a picture that was picked up by Time's Swampland blog.



I'm all the way to the left with the red shirt, right arm bent. Talking to one of the Zamboni people (read the last post).

When I got home I kissed my wife and hugged my daughter and turned on CNN just in time for the West to fall.
Then the calls and texts started to fly in.
It's over.
I am but a humble little servant who learned how to channel his better self by following Mr. Obama's teaching. And anyone who knows me can tell you that for me to spend an entire day (let alone 2 months!!) glad handing, thanking and hugging people means that a seismic change has occurred.
I'm so proud of this nation.
I'm so proud of myself and others.
I'm exhausted.
And I just want a big bowl of ice cream. And Quisp. I want Quisp, dammit!

Here's a little Boss and a great slideshow.
You guys all rock.

California's (and my) part of the election process

Barack Obama to his entire staff of paid and volunteers:
"This has been the best presidential election in the history of American Democracy."
I've seen it in action. I've been a part of it. I concur.
Eric Garcetti to the staff of the Obama HQ on Motor Ave:
"Rare are the times in life that you get to be a part of history."
Amen.
Here are the hard numbers:
Nationwide it was requested that phone banks make 1.5 million calls into the battlegrounds.
California made 1.439 million calls.
2.1 calls were made in total.
Resulting in 1 MILLION volunteers canvassing the streets on election day to GET OUT THE VOTE.
Holy crap. History indeed.

What started with a frustrated Allen wanting to be a part of something he believed in by attending the opening of that office months ago has ended with today. How many calls have I made? I can't even begin to count.
How many callers have I shepherded through their calls? Hundreds. How many times have people mistaken me for someone who has actual control over the work that they are doing beyond stapling? More times than I wish to count. How many egos have been bruised and battered and beat up? Including mine? 6. Okay, more like 6,000.
I am tired. My feet hurt. I've met some of the best people I will ever know. I have met some of the worst. I have fundamentally disagreed with some (like putting a self-described brain tumor recoverer who doesn't make saliva and can't speak for long periods of time in charge of a phone bank....) I have been shown the light on others.
I've probably been more petulant than I should have for my own good.
I've learned that if you work in an office there are two things I can say to you: 1. I'm sorry. And 2. I suggest offing yourself before going back to that job. (vote first, of course)
I've learned that, despite my abject dislike for many people, I am fairly gregarious and do best when I am in a position to teach or edify. Go figure.
I've also learned the hardest way that I can not, under any circumstances, suffer empty egos. By this I mean: If you know from whence you speak, it doesn't matter if you are fluid, soft spoken or authoritative; I will follow you at your word. But if you speak on things with authority and it turns out to be that you are full of blue smoke and piffle, then I have no time for you. Ever. And I wouldn't blink to hear that you had been run over by slow moving Zamboni. Seriously. As Michael O'Donoghue once wrote, "I would kick you in the cunt if I didn't think it would ruin the shine on my shoes." Never have truer words been spoken than about some of the crazed, power hungry, ego driven wannabes that end up volunteering for an election. Which is weird. Since we are all volunteers. (And the O'Donoghue quote goes for men OR women in this case).
I've also learned that I prefer the company of the bawdy and loud to the smarmy and snarky. Which is odd because I've often admired the likes of William F. Buckley though I don't agree with the politics. Trust me. The left has a ton of those, too. (Like the ass who wouldn't count volunteers because "I like to be in charge of things.....")
That's it.
I would document the entire affair but I probably should have created a day to day journal. I just didn't.
There were laughs.
There were tears.
Many of them, mine.
It's all over.
See you on the other side.
Allen
Deputy Field Officer
Phone Bank co-ordinator/trainer
Barack Obama for America.

I'll be back

I haven't posted all that much in the last few days.
Busting my hump for Barack.
California made 1.7 million calls into the battleground states this past weekend.
Next nearest state was NY, with 215,000
Chicago is looking to California to GOTV (Get Out The Vote) from Saturday to Tuesday.
I will be helping the great Tiffany Massey and LaTanya Mangrum with their massive phone bank that has merged with the cooly named "30 Barack" from District 30.
We are expecting over 1000 phone callers to come through our doors over those days.
I promise to resurface at some point.
Please vote.
If you live in a battleground state or know someone who does please get them to vote for Barack.
I've called every election since 2004. I've never been wrong.
Barack will win.
I shudder to think of what the world will be like if he doesn't.

What change looks like.

Been at the Phone Bank all weekend at Culver Studios.
It's awesome. High energy. Great people. You should come to it or go to one in your neck of the woods. Next weekend is GOTV. Get Out The Vote. The most important 96 hours of the campaign. You can be a part of it.
Go to www.voteforchange.com to find out how to early vote and then get your butt to a phone bank.
In the meantime.
This is was change looks like:

Barack Obama in Denver.

100,000 came to hear him.

Battleground state, huh?

The ad I was waiting for.

Use McCain's words against himself.
I guess I was too impatient.
All the more reason Obama is a better choice for prez than me.

Why are we allowing Terror to be incited?

While am loathe to let my own blog become a repository for video links (Sausage links, yes, however and Elk links, which I had today, more so) I am afraid that if I do not repost this Olbermann Special Comment, well, Keith's head might actually explode.
he's dead on here. Why something's not being done about this, I really don't know.
And, oh, yeah. ACORN. If you have any idiot friends who might think they are on the fence because of this piece of ridiculousness, please remind them that even though Mickey Mouse might BE registered, if he shows up to vote, THAT'S the real problem.
And now: Keith.

I am without words for this post's title.

This is vile.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Out of the mouths of babes

Or hands in this case.



Such a sweet and normal family. Kind, too. What values.....I mean. What values?

The Septenary Monkey Mix!

Green Monkey is back! Splotchy has decided to bring back the vaunted series and he opened the submission door with one of my favorite genres: Power Pop.
It's really hard to describe the form. Melodic. Guitar Driven. Kind of emo, too. Better musicianship than glam, which is a forebear, but not as aggressive as pop/rock.
Get it? No? Well, maybe my own choices will help edify:

1. Everybody's Girl - Rick Springfield
Working Class Dog is a prime example of the form. It's a near perfect album in every way. In fact, I would say, that it is one song short of being one of the top 5 of all time. Yes, it's that good. It took me 25 years to discover it. On vinyl no less. But, I am a convert. This song has one of the tightest, build-to-a-climax bridges ever written. I know you think of Rick as "Jessie's Girl", "I get Excited" and "I've Done Everything for You". This is my favorite tune of his.


2. I Wanna Be With You - The Raspberries.
Eric Carmen would go on to write the sappiest uber-ballad, "All By Myself". Yeah, I know. But, his group, The Raspberries, were the real early progenitors of the Power Pop style. Someone else included the dirtiest song of the 70s, "Go All The Way" so I thought I would add to the fun with this catchy piece of pop confection.



3. My Life Still Sucks (in a Bad Way) - The Andersons
You don't know the Andersons? Wha??? Well, I understand. The Andersons were a quartet in Los Angeles in the early part of this century. Featuring some of the best players around, they were sort of the Asia of the local LA Power Pop underground. (he he he). Robbie Rist was one of the songwriters/guitarists and they put on the best shows. All the time. Never fail. It was hard to pick just one song to rep them. This was the first track of theirs I heard, which was also the first track I stole on audiogalaxy lo those many years ago. Not to worry, I bought all their cds. Even after Robbie produced my album. (He can be heard playing drums on 85% of the tracks. Fucking genius)

4. I Knew The Bride - Dave Edmunds
This is, quiet simply, the best song ever written. I think it's Nick Lowe's pen that crafted it, I don't recall. But, it's just perfect. I love Nick's version, probably more than Dave's but in a power pop list, you KNOW that Lowe is going to get his due. And Dave might be left out in the cold.



5. Starry Eyes - The Records
I want you to listen to this song and tell me: Did R.E.M. steal and base their career on this one track? Many point to The Feelies. I think it's the Records. Murmur and Reckoning are all over this. Starry Eyes is the bridge between The Zombies and REM. And that bridge is called Power Pop.



6. I Wanna be Your Boyfriend - The Rubinoos
God I love this song. I love it so much. I already had the Roob's ep. My room mate, John, and I found it in the cutout bin at Sounds. I discovered this track later. You might know them from that goofy theme song to Revenge of the Nerds, but this is their best work. This and "If I had You Back".
Also, if you ever heard Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" and/or you know about the Rubinoos' lawsuit, this is a must hear!


7. Where Have You Been All My Life? - Fotomaker
Oh, that slightly country-twang guitar. The dreamy longing in the lead singer's voice. This treacly piece of sentiment is everything that's great and cloying about the form.


8. Your Daddy Don't Know - Toronto
What? Pat Benatar? Quarterflash? No, it's Toronto! You don't hear a lot of women in the PP genre. Had to find one. This is one of those songs that make you say, "Hey! I KNOW that song! Who the hell is that???? I thought it was Pat!?!" And then you can't get the fucker out of your head.



(Bonus Track[s])
Your Daddy Don't Know - The New Pornographers.

Poor John McCain.

Just dashing this off quick:
Pity poor John McCain.
He coddled the evangelical, hate spewing right. Where once he was actually a decent man, a trustworthy man who followed his gut and whose head was not always up to the task.
So blinded by ambition that he allowed himself to wallow in the trough of partisan hackery.
Then he met the hatemongers at a rally. And found himself defending Barack Obama.
Looked right in the eye of a devout follower, one whose heart he was TRYING to win over with his attack ads.
And she admitted from the bottom of her heart that she is afeared of Barack because "He's a Arab."
John looked like he just wanted to go home. Like he made a deal with the devil and just wants to recant.

Be careful what you wish for.
It's like that trippy Twilight Zone episode where the jewish guy wishes for ultimate power and the genie turns him into Hitler.
So, Pity poor John McCain.
But not so much. Cuz he's an idiot.

Don't panic!

Just because the other side has refused to stop peple from yelling out incendiary shouts to "kill him!" and "Treason!", "Traitor" and the like, there's nothing to really be scared of.
Now, if these lunatics somehow get it in their head to incite their mob and send them out to shoot...someone, then we can worry.
But, truth is, using Jeremiah Wright was something I had been anticipating for a year and the Bill Ayers thing just shows how desperate they are.
So...
Don't panic. Right?