My Year That Was, Also Known As The Past Present Of My Life In Music
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Artist:
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I can't properly call this a 'best of,' because I just like what I like and certainly don't claim to have heard most of what you all are hailing, much less have the critical chops to judge it. Plus I listen to a lot of old music and invest accordingly, so here it goes:
My 4 favorite albums in alphabetical order that were released in 2008:
Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
Daedelus - Love to Make Music To
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Menahan Street Band - Make The Road By Walking
Favorite DJ Mixes released in 2008:
Gary Davis - A New Jersey Story: Continuous Mix by Mr. Chinn
Gilles Peterson In The House (Disc 2 with all the classic disco-ish)
Biggest disappointment:
The Roots - Rising Down (it is not terrible, but I just could not meet them where they were going)
Albums I suspect I would like but I never actually bought them:
Al Green (basically forgot)
The Black Keys (I guess I was still discovering their back catalogue)
The Cool Kids (go figure, I loved the single)
Juana Molina (heard about it, forgot, heard about it)
Portishead (just never pulled the trigger)
Q-Tip (was skeptical, but with all the mog love perhaps I was too jaded)
2008 in a very compressed timeline:
Early: All disco and Lee Dorsey baby!
Next: also spent a lot of time learning about funk and fusion
Middle: More funk, discover The Cool Kids "Black Mags" single even though it was released in 2007 - it becomes the single track soundtrack for summer along with albums by Gilberto Gil and Weldon Irvine
Late Middle: okay, I am back into the spaced out hip hop, see Flying Lotus above
Early Fall: Maybe there is something to this dubstep? Also listen to the Atlas Sound album for some shoe-gazey business.
Fall: Had a baby and listened to a lot of blues. Funk and fusion remains persistent throughout.
Coda: Moving more to technological sounds, but loving the Menahan Street Band album which I just picked up.
Noticeably absent is much rock. I listened to some, but not a bunch. Pretty much I only bought The Dodos album (Visiter) and listened to a ton of The Black Keys' old stuff, which is basically blues. I have not had a big rock year since 2003 for whatever reason. Maybe Sleater-Kinney will get back together, maybe I will buy Rather Ripped, maybe Fugazi will make another record? Who knows what 2009 will bring? I tend to be production oriented these days, so maybe Rick Rubin will put his stamp on something. I have also loved the work of John Goodmanson and Guy Picciotto in the past.
Peas.
Comments (9)
The Contender (Mog is not allowing any uploads nor is Rhapsody kicking out the jams)
XLR8R TV Episode 71: Daedelus from XLR8RTV on Vimeo. Daedelus courtesy of XLR8R TV Atlas Sound - Quarantined
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles [Music Video] from Brendan Sinnott on Vimeo. Songs: Brainfeeder, Camel, Beginners Falafel, Auntie's Lock/Infinitum (feat. Laura Darlington) Footage: Blade Runner, 2001 Space Odyssey, Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back. Music by: Flying Lotus (Steve Ellison) Editing/Graphics by: Brendan Sinnott
Nice post! ... been enjoying these videos.
I agree, that Daedelus release is top notch. It's cool how in the video, seeing him perform with the monome, he looks like a conducter of a symphony
Atlas Sound I haven't been able to get into yet ... but maybe I haven't given it a proper listen yet.
.....BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO THANKYOU FOR is directing me toward that video ... which not only highlights the beauty of the song, but is a masterpiece of editing and videography ... a beautiful fusion of image and sound.
You can be sure I'll be spending more time with Flying Lotus too...
For a while I could only listen to the first 3 tracks of "Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel," but then it clicked and I really feel the entire project. Plus I like his sloppy bedroom tracking/editing aesthetic.
Same goes for Fly Lo, heavy throb and just a little bit of odd syncopation. BTW, Laura Darlington is the voice in the last part of the medley. She is married to Daedelus.
What up Oatie. I see you're digging on that MSB. Great album. I have to say Daptone is killing it lately. Good piece on it's driving force in the NY Times Magazine several weeks ago.
I got turned on to Flying Lotus and Daedelus last year. I like 'em.
hey oat, great list! i am one of those who is feeling the Q-Tip album. i recommend the song "won't trade," as that's the one that made me go buy the album.
yeah when i get a little scratch i will pick it up
Excellent post. I'm not particularly fond of listings but I guess it must be fun to walk down the very short memory lane of 2008. (I'm not really keen on walking)
Yeah I tried to make it more about the year than the listings.
i also love the Daedelus album and just started listening to the Flying Lotus one. i enjoyed Visiter a lot. been wanting to check out Atlas Sound. Gilles Peterson is good in my book. awesome props, Amiel, thanks!