More Year End Lists

As this is my last post before the new year, I figured I would follow suit and sum up the music from this year as best I can. My top ten albums of 2008 in no particular order:

Bajofondo - Mar Dulce
A fun, energetic record featuring a number of great guest vocalists including Julieta Venegas and Mala Rodriguez. This is the record I play that causes people to say, “Who is this?” and reach for a pen and paper to jot the name down.

Why? – Alopecia
The music is good too but it’s the lyrics on this album that stuck with me.
“I know a psychic who reads her own palms and her findings are personal. She sleeps on her side with her fists shut tight well maybe she knows something I don’t know.”

Dengue Fever - Venus On Earth
I think you have to listen to understand.

Emiliana Torrini - Me and Armini
She’s cute, quirky and Icelandic and the record provides a nice mix of light happy tunes with dark sordid ones.

First Communion Afterparty - Sorry For All The Mondays And To Those Who Can’t Sing
One of the members of FCAP was in my high school gym class. But even if that weren’t the case, the group’s beautiful take on the psychedelic 60s would probably still have made my top ten. One of the few on this list that I also got to see perform live this year.

Nomo - Ghost Rock
Another group I was able to see live. Probably the most fun I had at a concert this year. Paired with local openers Beatrix Jar and Solid Gold, I was almost dancing despite my strict midwestern upbringing.

Roma Di Luna - Casting the Bones
A local group I’ve loved ever since I saw them at The 400 during the dead of winter two years ago. They’ve since became very familiar faces around The Cedar and because they continue to grow and continue to write beautiful music they’ll be around in 2009 as well, curating a 416 Club in February (check the calendar).

Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
Ok, ok. I’m still a sucker for most anything released by Sub Pop. I’d call it a guilty pleasure, but I don’t feel that guilty about it.

All The Saints - Fire On Corridor X
The latest addition to the list, All The Saints have been pulling at my head-banging heartstrings. There may have also have been air-drumming involved, but this cannot be verified.

And last but certainly not least, we have Dark Dark Dark - The Snow Magic
This is an album I have played repeatedly, and if anything it has grown on me. And wouldn’t you know it: I get to see them perform for the first time tomorrow night at The Cedar along with another local favorite Dosh. What a perfect way to close 2008.