It is never easy to simplify and boil down all the greats from one 12 month period into one finite list of the very best for a particular year. However, this is what we've attempted to do. Here is a list of my favorite albums of 2008, in no particular order. I've also included favorites from my husband (Mr Qwerty). Most of the time our taste in music is quite similar but there are some genres that he prefers more than me and vice-versa. It's an eclectic list and also includes our favorite compilations, acts outside our remit and other goodies. Hope that there is an artist or band on this list that encourages you to look further and seek out their music. In 2009 I will be looking forward to discovering many more, new powerpop bands and the next International Pop Overthrow Festival in Liverpool.
Powerpop Albums of the Year
1 Adrian Bourgeois - Adrian Bourgeois
2 Sloan - Parallel Play
3 Third of Never - Moodring
4 Gurus - Now
5 Roger Joseph Manning - Catnip Dynamite
6 Junipers - Cut Your Key
7 Liam Finn - I'll be Lightning
8 Julie Ocean - Long Gone and Nearly There
9 Galaxies - Here We Go
10 The Quarter After - Changes Near
11Explorers Club - Freedom Wind
12 Class Three Overbite - Horses For Courses
13 Feeling - Join With Us
14 Ike - Where To Begin
15 Presidents of the USA - These Are The Good Times People
16 The Major Labels - Aquavia
17 Raconteurs - Consoler of the Lonely
18 Scott Murray - Vinyl Generation
19 Greg Pope - Popmonster
20 Lund Bros - Songbook IV
Honorable Mentions Which Might Be Outside Of Our Remit
1. Counting Crows - Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings
2. Mark Kozelek - The Finally LP
3 Winterpills - Central Chambers
4 Black Francis - Svn Fngrs
5 Dexateens - Lost and Found
6 Brent Cash - How Will I Know If I'm Awake
7 Boo Hewerdine - Toy Box No. 1 (e.p.)
8 Jeff Hanson - Madam Owl
9 Black Crowes - Warpaint
10 Killers - Day & Age
11 Duffy - Rockferry
12 Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
13 Lindsey Buckingham - Gift of Screws
14 Dwight Twilley - Singles
15 Envelopes - Here Comes The Wind
16 All American Rejects - When The World Comes Down
17 Greg Laswell - How The Day Sounds
Legendary Comebacks of the Year
Famously, the likes of Glen Campbell and Neil Diamond and other legendary old timers have put out substantial albums this year to equal (in some cases) their finest work. Less trumpeting and flags were erected for Beau Brummels' mainman Sal Valentino's contribution this year. His album, Every Now and Then quietly appeared to no particular fanfare. Understated, unassuming - Sal even revisits past glories, but it makes me happy that guys like Sal are still marking worthy statements which are vying for attention in the crowded marketplace.
Reissue of the Year
I bought it on vinyl in 1977 and when it first came out on CD in the 80's/early 90's but I'm still happy to lay out a third time for Dennis Wilson's sublime Pacific Ocean Blue, this time including his unfinished follow up Bambu. Often overlooked, even by Beach Boys fans, Dennis in any other band would be the major songwriter and central talent. This release proves beyond any doubt that we lost one of our finest musical contributors back in 1983
Compilations
Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits Volume 2
VA - International Pop Overthrow Volume 11
Gripweeds - Infinite Soul (Best of The Gripweeds)
Linus of Hollywood - Attractive Singles
15 comments:
Hey it's great to see such an original year end list. Awesome to see Sloan, Liam Finn, Roger Joseph Manning and Explorers Club there. I saw Explorers Club last year and was thoroughly impressed. You remind me that I need to inject a little more power pop into my life again. (Used to be just about all that I listened to...)
hi!
I like so much the photo of two lovers who share their music (and ice cream).
I tried to save it but it says that the file is corrupted...
can you help me, please????
Hi Carlo,
Mostly we use original pictures and photos where we can, but this one was from an acquaintance and we don't feel we can pass it on so easily as might with our own - hope you understand.
Thanks for your support
sure I understand...
it's a great photo anyway...
ah!! love, love, love, love...
Great list! (((Please pass along a huge "Hello!" to MrQwerty from -valis, ok?)))
Great list, superb photo.
You do seem to have good taste in everything...
I suggest you listen to the ARMY NAVY CD which deserves to feature in any year-end best-of list.
Fleet Foxes
Hi their Valis, glad you could drop by. Look forward to seeing you elsewhere in CSpace in the not too distant!
:)
PopPhil - Army Navy were definitely under consideration, but I heard them relatively late in the year, & Debbie, not at all, so it missed the boat. Superb record though.
Povoaonline - Like Bon Iver and a couple more, Fleet Foxes were 2008's darlings, but it is indeed a wonderful and challenging album that I'm still playing and still getting into. Maybe we should only publish a biannual list to make everything truly get the airing needed to fully appreciate.
Glad to see Julie Ocean, My Revenge is great. I would've liked to see The Wellingtons, The Well Wishers, Adrian Whitehead, Alejandro Escovedo (his, in my opinion, best album so-far) and maybe, maybe even Paul Steel and The Meadows. I will make sure to have a listen to those I've not heard or ignored earlier. The Galaxies record had a few of last years absolutely best songs in Baby I Believe and You Promised.
love the modern campiness of that picture, it's got a subtle sort of humor
As we published our 2009 list today (although it says 31/Jan/2010 which is when it was begun) I though I'd have a look back here and pick up a couple comments that We'd overlooked previously. Thanks Quadb, hope you like this year's list as much, or more? Did you inject a little more Power Pop into your life in 2009? Let us know!
Ivan - Got a chance to hear the Well Wishers last year, along with Adrian Whitehead & Alejandro Escovedo. Escovedo's album certainly is excellent and I'm still digging it one year on. Hope you get a chance to see the 2009 list and let us know what tickled your fancy in 2009.
Linus's Old band Size 14 - 1990s Power pop Band - The band have recently made B-Sides and Unreleased Tracks available via Facebook to listen to :
Size 14 Facebook Page
Post a Comment