Two Bears in a Record Store

Welcome back, so CB did alright picking some of the top songs of the year, here a are mine. 

I think its safe to say my picks got crushed , anyway , its always a good day hanging out and listening to the countdown.

1.     Booka Shade  - Charlotte – (Didn’t make top 100)

2.     Chemical Brothers  -  Midnight Madness - (Didn’t make top 100)  

3.     Cold War Kids - Something is Not Right With Me  - (38)

4.     Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams  - (Didn’t make top 100)

5.     Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire  - (1)

6.     Ladyhawke - Paris is Burning – (26)

7.     MGMT - Electric Feel – (2 )

8.     Presets -  Yippyo  - (56)

9.     Sparkadia - Too Much To Do - (Didn’t make top 100)

10.   Ting Tings - Not My Name -  (9)

So, for those of you not in Australia (or hiding under rocks), the 2008 Triple J Hottest 100 was counted down yesterday, taking into account over 800,000 votes from around Australia and the world. Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire took out the top spot, which was almost as big a surprise as Heath Ledger winning Best Supporting Actor at the SAGs.


SO, in the interests of openness and honesty, here is my Top 10 songs of 2008 (as I voted for them in the Hottest 100) and where they fell in the countdown:


British India - You Will Die & I Will Take Over (not in Top 100)
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (65)
Holidays - The – Holiday (not in Top 100)
Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody (3)
Little Red - Coca Cola (47)
MGMT - Electric Feel (2)
Rapture - The - No Sex For Ben (14)
Saboteurs , The - The Switch And The Spur (not in Top 100)
Sparkadia – Jealousy (79)
Vampire Weekend - M79 (not in Top 100)

OK. So I missed the boat on a few of my picks, and I suppose Sex on Fire should have been an obvious choice, but it was good to see some local Australian acts getting amongst the action.

CB

Here is my top 5 albums of 2008:

5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night
4. Sparkadia – Postcards
3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
1. Little Red – Listen to Little Red

5. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night

A lot has been said about this album and about this band since Only by the Night was released in late September, but the success of the singles ‘Sex on Fire’ and ‘Use Somebody’ truly speak for themselves.

I have been a fan of this band since Aha Shake Heartbreak, and I think that album will always hold a special place in my heart but I am not afraid of change. A lot of long terms fans have dismissed this latest offering as a commercial sellout, a grab for mass appeal, and a push for unnecessary stadium filling power but I can’t blame a band for trying to broaden its fan base, and when they make music as infectious as the tracks on this album it isn’t hard to see why this has truly been the break-through year for Kings. Apart from the obvious top tracks, I think ‘Cold Desert’ is a brilliant final track that makes me want to see the live show more every time I listen to it.

4. Sparkadia – Postcards

Postcards is a fantastic album, and Sparkadia have proven themselves as one of the bright up and coming bands in Australia, backed by exposure in the US and Europe.

Postcards is full of songs that make you want to sing along because they manage to capture so well the challenges of everyday life, and particularly relationships. Highlights for me are ‘Jealousy’, and the softer, slower ‘Connected’.

3. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

While labels of being preppy, sweater wearing, University educated might have impeded a lesser rock act, Vampire Weekend have risen to the hype that started at Columbia University to become world conquerors in the space of a year.

The self titled album that has introduced the masses to Vampire Weekend combines clever lyrics, afro beats, beautiful string accompaniments, all tied together by an unerring sense of fun and an abundance of confidence. The entire album flows in a is strong, with songs such as ‘M79’, ‘Oxford Comma’, and ‘Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa’ standing out as my highlights – if only for the combination of infectious melodies and creative lyrics in each of these.

2. TV on the Radio – Dear Science

With a Metacritic rating of 88 out of 100, and with almost universal acclaim, Dear Science goes a long way in shifting the perception of TV on the Radio from being indie darlings to their rightful position as rulers of the alternative music scene.

The most exciting this about TV on the Radio from the outset was the incredible amounts of talent pouring from each member of the band, and this new album looks to further exploit this talent, exploring a range of musical influences and genres and harnessing all that has been good about previous releases, particularly the breakthrough record, Return to Cookie Mountain. The highlight of the album is also the biggest surprise – Family Tree. The song reminds me of Coldplay in the emotion and inspiration it conveys, and the lyrics help to paint an incredibly vivid picture.

1. Little Red – Listen to Little Red

If you haven’t heard of these guys, it is your loss – seriously. Get aboard the Little Red train. This young Melbourne quintet has had a steady rise in popularity over the past year, and the release of their debut has helped them become a standard on the Australian music festival scene.
The sound of Little Red harkens back to the simpler, younger days of rock, with the band utilising beautiful harmonies and catchy tunes to best effect. This is an album with no swearing, and no reference to the seedier underbelly of life – a happy escape from the stark reality we are otherwise faced with. The album has great variety, but the highlight for me is still undoubtedly the crowd pleaser ‘Coca Cola’.

10: MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

MGMT sits at 10, I would love to put this album higher but the back 1/3 of this album really lets it down. Oracular Spectacular has produced 3 of the biggest, most exciting songs of 2008 – Time to Pretend, Electric Feel, Kids. Time to Pretend caught me by surprise , it was like tasting something new for the first time. You heard it and you had good feeling about this. Electric Feel had me wrapped in a groove from the first listen – that Flute!!!!. I love this song, it epitomises this band – funky, weird, hip shaking and fun!

Unfortunately the last 3 or 4 songs bring this album down. They seem out of place and these sorta soft, accousticy slow ballady songs are beyond this band just right now. But withstanding this album is worth getting a hold of simply because the first 7 or so tracks are a wicked good time.

 

9: Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

Does anyone else this its weird death is now a man ? Coldplay’s newest baby is a step forward for the band and its fans. New instruments, new rhythms, new sound but still maintaining a sound that resonates with the classic Coldplay sound. This is the glue of Viva La Vida. The melodic overtones of the piano or Chris Martin’s crooning are the glue which hold the old and new Coldplay together. This records pushes its fans  into new territory but does it gently.  The instruments are allowed room to breath, the rhythms are given time to evolve.

With a dash of Latin flavour Viva la Vida is truly a album, its enjoyed to its fullest as whole. Each track is a new chapter of a great book. Each track is different and distinct, but each is crafted in every aspect. Every song has distinctive sounds, the chink-chink of the guitar on Lost!, the dunt-dunt-dunlt of the drums on Cemeteries of London. Such great care has been taken with this album and rightfully so it’s a true album from beginning to end.

 

8: The Fratelli’s - Here We Stand

Those who caught the Fratelli’s 2006 release Costello’s Music your in for much the same. Here We Stand is a excellent rowdy English rock ‘n’ roll album with a mischievous tone.  These songs while simple from a musician ship point of view are an energetic shot of rock for any fan, perfect for anytime with your mates causing some trouble. They don’t try to be tricky, all they want are their songs stuck in your head all day. Stragglers Moon sparkles with tinges of  “Strange Days” Doors while Mistress Mabel has the energy and charisma of a cocky English band  who wants to pull you out of your seat. There’s no theme, some songs sound the same but each song is a rollicking good time for any scallywag.

 

7: The Ting Ting’s - We Started Nothing

RED ALERT! – Unapologetic Pop alert!

The Ting Tings have landed and crashed landed in your face.  They started nothing but they started something huge, an uncontrollable collection of short melodic guitar tunes. With an album coming in at a mere 37 minutes its hard to make an impact but the Ting Tings have exploded world wide and I cant help but love them. There’s an infectious quality in these tracks , it might be the cute vocals or it’s the catchy-ness of each song.

That’s Not My Name has been heard in every corner of the Earth but still I cant stop listening to it.  There’s something in her voice that says I wont be a pushover and we’re going to do things my way, and that’s kinda cool. Great DJ , Shut Up & Let Me Go have filtered around the airwaves and provide a solid base for this album but it’s surrounding cast – tracks like; Keep Your Head, Traffic Light, and We Started Nothing that push this album further and turn it into something great. It wont be remembered as the greatest debut album ever but it’s a damn catchy unavoidable and totally enjoyable album!

6: Sparkadia Postcards

This is easily my favourite Aussie album of 2008, there’s so much to it. It has depth beyond their experience and musical maturity.  Its so lush and atmospheric while stilling driving at full speed.  The word nice describes this album perfectly. Its not in your face , abrupt or demanding. Its enjoyable at any volume and after hundreds of listens its just as interesting , warm and deep as its first listen.

There’s the 5 instant singles which are spectacular – Too Much To Do, Kiss of Death, Morning Light , Animals and Jealousy. Each of these is unescapable on any playlist or album they hold the album together and like the Ting Tings propel them to something great. The other 7 tracks are the like the soundtrack to a amazing movie, they are just there you notice them but until you pay attention to them you miss how important they are, how they give structure to the album .In the case of Sparkadia these 7 tracks have allowed the band to experiment with their song writing and pace. Proving that slow or fast, hard or melodic, Sparkadia has the goods, I cant recommend this album enough.