2008 Best of Music Round-up

Here is my quasi-list of best of's...broken down into 1) Favorite Records 2) Favorite Re-issues 3) Favorite 7's and 4) Some Under the Radar Picks that I think are worth looking into...here we go!

1) Favorite Records of 2008 (sorta in order)




1. Lindstrom--Where You Go I Go Too (Smalltown Supersound)


2. Hospitals--Hairdryer Peace (self-released)


3. Icy Demons--Miami Ice (Obey Your Brain)


4. Jazkammer--Art Breaker (Smalltown Superjazz)


5. Hercules & Love Affair--s/t (DFA)


6. Bonnie "Prince" Billy--Lie Down in the Light (Drag City)


7. Sau Paolo Underground--s/t (Aesthetics)


8. Thee Oh Sees--The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In (Tomlab)


9. Singer--Unhistories (Drag City)


10. Burning Star Core--Challenger (Plastic Records)

11. Kevin Drumm--Imperial Distortion (Hospital Productions)
12. Moha--One Way Ticket to Candyland (Rune Grammafone)
13. Dominique Leone--s/t (Stromland)
14. Zs--Arms (Planaria)
15. Cave--Hunt Like Devil/Beat Jamz (Permanent) & split 10" w/California Raisins (Permanent)
16. Oneida--Preteen Weaponry (Jagjaguwar/Brah)
17. SunnO)))--Domkirke (Southern Lord)
18. Bill Dixon--17 Musicians in Search of a Sound: Darfur (AUM Fidelity)
19. Dead C--Future Artists (Ba Da Bing) & Secret Earth (Ba Da Bing)
20. Shit & Shine--Cherry (Riot Season) & Kuss Mich, Meine Liebe (Load)
21. Eat Skull--Sick to Death (Siltbreeze)
22. Fennesz--Black Sea (Touch)
23. Magic Lantern--High Beams (Not Not Fun)
24. Oren Ambarchi--In the Pendulum's Embrace (Southern Lord)
25. Max Tundra--Parallax Error (Domino)
26. Cloudland Canyon--Lie in Light (Kranky)
27. Deerhoof--Offend Maggie (Kill Rock Stars)
28. Blank Dogs--On Two Sides (Troubleman Unlimited)
29. Dungen--4 (Kemado)
30. Grey Daturas--Return to Disruption (Neurot)



2) Favorite Re-issues of 2008 (in no particular order)



Chris Corsano--The Young Cricketer (Family Vineyard)


Grachan Moncur III--Evolution (Blue Note)


Jim O'Rourke--Tamper (Drag City) & Long Night (Streamline)


Orange--In the Midst of Chaos (De Stijl)



The Thing--Now and Forever (Smalltown Superjazz)


Art Ensemble of Chicago-- Les Stances A Sophie (Soul Jazz)


Peter Brotzmann--The Complete Machine Gun Sessions (Atavistic)


Ahleuchatistas--The Same and the Other (Tzadik)



3) Favorite 7's (in no particular order)


Oneida--Heads Ain't Ready (These Are Not Records)
Mayyors--Megan's Lolz (Gomerdome)
Owl Xounds/Loosers--split 7' (Release the Bats)
Sic Alps--untitled(Important)
Jim O'Rourke--Despite the Water Supply (Touch)
Oren Ambarchi--Destinationless Desire (Touch)
Cave--Butthash (Trensmat)
Titmachine-- (Siltbreeze)
Strange Boys-- (In the Red)


5) Under the Radar Favorites


(Believe me I'm not trying to get all high and mighty here...this is the category where if you don't recognize something, I highly recommend you check it out and soon. Some of these are hard to find small batch releases, some are local Austin style, some are easily available albums by younger bands, bands I discovered on tour, and even records that blew me away although I didn't expect it...you get the picture....)

Paul Flaherty/Weasel Walter--Particles (8MM)
Grey Daturas--Return to Disruption (Neurot)
Hexlove/Faulouah--Free Jazz From Slavery (Weird Forest)
Who's Your Favorite Son, God?--Out of Body Diva (Holy Mountain)
Nothing People--s/t (S-S Records)
Shepards--Loco Hills (Not Not Fun)
UUVVWWZ--s/t (It Are Good Records)
Teeth Mountain--s/t (self-released)
Ralph White--The Atavistic Waltz (self-released)
Mary Halvorson Trio--Dragon's Head (firehouse 12)
Little Wings--Raw Power (Marriage Records)
Mahjonng--Kontpab (K Records)
Skullflower--Desire For A Holy War (Utech Records)
Warmer Milks--Soft Walks (Animal Disguise) & Let Your Friends In (Release the Bats)