Album Of The Year - 2008

Willy Snook, my friend and esteemed musician joins me in offering our opinions on the best musical recordings of 2008. I gave serious thought to NOT awarding a 2008 winner, a protest move to bemoan the sorry state of the music industry. I couldn't find an album that floored me. Maybe I'd just award "best-songs-of-the-year" instead. Finally, I decided that was a cop-out. I looked around to see what other critics were lauding, and found their "winners" to be mediocre at best. Maybe my tastes are too far out of mainstream opinion at this point. I found the winning releases by Coldplay, TV On The Radio, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver...etc., to be lacking. A good song here and there, but not a great album of songs in the bunch. The Grammy nominees? What a joke.

This award is about our opinions, right? To hell with the rest of those fools. Through our exhaustive search for the truth, we discovered a few great recordings, and a few surprises that we find worthy of mention. By the way, all of the album titles below are linked to iTunes. If you want to hear any of the music for yourself, just click on the titles.










DON'S ALBUM OF THE YEAR -

Shearwater ~ "Rook"

Until recently, I had never heard of them. This Austin-based band has emerged out of the SXSW festival scene to establish an identity that reaches beyond their Texas confines. They are being noticed, as they were booked to open the show on Coldplay's recent international tour. So this might be the beginning of something bigger for them. Singer and principal songwriter Jonathan Meiburg's voice is just one instrument among many that color these ten tracks. A stunningly expressive singer, Meiburg reminds me of Morrissey (The Smiths) and David Byrne (Talking Heads), but his range probably exceeds either of them. Harp, hammer dulcimer, and a host of other interesting instruments join brass, strings, and woodwinds to complement Shearwater’s already multifarious musical core. Each instrument’s voice is a character playing its role in this tale. Every lyric and vocalization is orchestrated not just for the meaning it expresses, but also for what the sound of it communicates. These are hardly song-sketches; all of them are careful compositions adding new instruments, moods, and sounds around the anchor of Meiburg's voice. The edges of these otherwise lulling, hypnotic songs hint at danger and chaos, but only the brief feedback excursion of "South Col" pokes a hole in the album's fabric and hints at what more avant-garde threads the band might be capable of following. As impressive and uniformly gorgeous a record as Rook is, the band's best work is likely still to come.

Honorable Mention -

R.E.M. ~ "Accelerate"

Not since 1994's "Monster" have we heard this R.E.M. They seem to have recovered, finally, from the loss of drummer Bill Berry and rediscovered their rock-based roots. This is the band I flipped over while listening to my college radio station in Spokane. Peter Buck's guitar ignites each song. Mike Mills is a very-present second vocalist. And Michael Stipe? He's got a lot to say. I suggest we all listen. This album, one of their very best, works from start to finish.

The Infamous Stringdusters ~ "The Infamous Stringdusters"

I don't listen to bluegrass often, but when I hear good bluegrass, it knocks my socks off. This band prefers to be known as a "newgrass/acoustic" group. Whatever they call it, this young band is loaded with talent. Great singing and instrumental performance that sounds more like a bunch of Nashville veterans. No classic "Orange Blossom Special" here however. These are all originals. If you liked Nickel Creek, I'll recommend this one and tell you that these are better musicians to boot. Not one bad song on this record.

The Stills ~ "Oceans Will Rise"

As you can see below, Willy and I agree on this one. And it is only appropriate that a Montreal band is recognized on this blog, as we all know that Canada provides most of the world's musical wealth. The Stills are a good rock band. On this album, they sound supremely confident. While their guitars are front-and-center, vocalists Tim Fletcher and Dave Hamelin deliver punchy melodies and tight harmonies. This one gets played regularly on all of our iPods and in each of our cars. You should ride with it too.

– Don Woodward


In considering the Album of the Year for 2008, I considered many things: innovation, strength of musicianship and vocals, intelligent songwriting, and finally how much do I really listen to it. With that in mind, my awards for 2008 are:





WILLY'S ALBUM OF THE YEAR -

Mudcrutch ~ "Mudcrutch"

What does a rock icon like Tom Petty do when he’s seemingly done it all? Return to his roots and reunite his first band 33 years later in an alchemistic blend of old Gainesville friends. No Rickenbacker for him this go ‘round, Tom mans the bass and lets Tom Leadon and Heartbreaker Mike Campbell do what they do best. These guys don’t sound just like a Petty band, they have their own sound, their own “spook.”

"You wouldn't exactly call it a career move, would you?" Petty says "What this is all about is the music. Being in this band is so much fun, there's something pure about it.”

Petty’s music is the cool side of the pillow, a comforting hand on your shoulder, a reminder of what’s good in the world. The music, inspired by their early influences with today’s coloring, is fabulous. Think early Birds, Fying Burrito Brothers, classic SoCal country-rock band. Ten days at Petty’s Malibu home studio did the trick, with simplicity ruling the day.

"There are no ornaments," Campbell says of the music. "We performed without headphones in the studio, all live takes, playing in a circle."

What becomes very clear during your first listen is that they are having a lot of fun and they are really good at their craft. The classic “Six Days On the Road” screams “fun” and just smokes! Take a drift on “Crystal River” for a psych-jam fest. Want classic Petty? Spin “Scare Easy” and you’re there. Guitar showmanship? Try the instrumental “June Apple” or “Bootleg Flyer.” Takes you back. “Lover of the Bayou” makes you want to play your guitar… loud.

As I said up top, my criteria was innovation, strength of musicianship and vocals, intelligent songwriting, and how much I really listen to it. This is the one.

Honorable Mentions -

Kings Of Leon ~ "Only By The Night"

These guys were completely off my radar. I’d read a Rolling Stone article about them and was curious. Bought this album, and have been wearing it out. Saw them live at the Schnitz… they were off the charts cool. And guess who opened for them?!

The Stills ~ "Oceans Will Rise"

Wood turned me on to this very happening Canadian jewel. Smart prog-rock, strong guitar band, with great melodic songs. I listen to them a lot. Yep, they opened for The Kings of Leon and smoked it!

Jackson Browne ~ Time The Conqueror"

An old friend, Jackson continues to inspire. Current and heartfelt, this record reminds me that it’s important to stay passionate about life. Great stuff from a master songwriter.



– Willy Snook