After mine, you have to show me yours though…as creepy as that sounds.  So start thinking about everything you heard in this last great year of our unruly despot’s reign, and be ready to list ‘em by the time you finish looking at mine.

In no particular order…

Frances – All The While

Okay, yes, they are friends but this album is truly original and stands out in a sea of indie-rock music that is becoming more and more boring.  Hooks abound, beautiful harmonies, and amazing arrangements…all with a good sense of humor too.

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MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Here’s an album I was all over when I got an advance copy.  It’s totally trippy and neo-psychedelic and totally up my alley.  Here’s me singing it’s praises last January…lalala.  The backlash is already present but isn’t it always there for bands who get any kind of recognition for actually being good?!  They sounded great at a super-packed McCarren Park Pool this past summer too!  I look forward to a second album from these cats.

Black Mountain – In The Future

Here’s another one that I got an advance of and I picked it for my year-end list last year even though it came out in 2008.  Trippy , heavy, ter’riff’ic!  These guys have a great loud live show too.  On the album, “Wucan” will hypnotize you…and live, “Wucan” will bewitch your skull.  You’ve been warned!

AC/DC – Black Ice

I refuse to link you to the Wal-Mart site (you’ve already heard my opinions of the big-box juggernaut), but I have Black Ice and I love it!  And “Rock & Roll Train” will become an instant classic.  It’s just pure great AC/DC-style stripped-down rock & roll, reminiscent of their best stuff from the 80′s (don’t forget Flick of the Switch!)

Man – Back Into The Future

Here’s a band that I still can’t believe I never heard of until 2008 and this is the album that I’ve listened to the most of the several albums of theirs that I got this year.  But keep in mind, this album is from the good old days of 1973…but it sounds great in this here 21st century.  The Esoteric remasters that I reviewed this year completely re-opened my musical mind and renewed my faith in the power of music.  There is so much amazing extra live material on this album (which was already originally a double), that it’s just plain ridiculous!  The live 19-minute “C’mon” alone makes this set worthwhile.  But there are plenty more layers.  Dig in!

Apache – Boomtown Gems

Pure snotty glammy garage rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously, brought to you by the excellent Birdman Records.  I saw these guys over the summer and loved the show…as you remember from this post.  You’ve got to hear ‘Boys Life’ from this album if you wanna get an idea of how fun and contagious their music is (listen to it on MySpace).  The rest of the album follows suit.  Buy it and relearn how to rock.

The Weight – Are Men

And here’s the band that I missed opening for Apache and Electric Shadows on the aforementioned live show night above.  But soon after I got a chance to review their most recent album, where I made the assertion that this album ‘should be in every dive-bar jukebox in the country’!  I’ll stand by that.  But be warned: this album may very well move you to drink beer and whiskey in excess.  I’m thirsty just talking about it!

Bob Dylan – Bootleg Series, Vol. 8 – Tell Tale Signs

C’mon!  It’s Dylan.  How can it not be amazing?  I have followed the Bootleg Series’ since the beginning when the 3-disc box of Volumes 1-3 was released in 1991.  I actually originally got it on cassette…and now own it on CD.  All of the Bootleg Series’, for that matter.  I was the least excited about this one coming out because I wasn’t sure how I would like a compilation of later-era Dyaln outtakes and live stuff, but it completely holds up…even more so than the last four studio albums, in my opinion.  I just love the variety of it!  Oh, and take a gander at this.

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

If you’ve heard this album, you know it’s good.  If you don’t think it’s good, you’re probably a cynical douche.  Any debut that is as polarizing as this one was, has done something right.  It’s pretty funny that everyone that was down on this album was so upset that these Cape Cod-loving white guys would dare exploit African music.  Drop the punkier-than-thou code of ethics, buzzkills…no one protested when the Talking Heads did it.  The most hilarious slam that I read was by Julianne Shepherd in the Village Voice.  Here’s just a little bit where Julianne asserts how punk rock she is by making fun of a band that would dare know how to read music… ‘I bet these guys read sheet music—and carefully tousled nice-guy vocals drip so liberally with propriety that their style has, for me, become a resounding philosophical statement, a line in the sand. And because their whole steez is so ’80s, I am forced to choose Black Flag and Minor Threat.’ Julianne, please, you’re embarrassing yourself.  Anyone else will tell you that they listened to this album many times this year and it was almost addicting.  That’s perhaps because it’s upbeat and happy, and therefore not punk.  Fine by me.

Groundhogs – Split

Here’s a band that I’m still in the process of discovering, and what a rockin’ process it is!  1971′s Split is the first Groundhogs album I acquired earlier in 2008, and it is just full of guitar-tandem rave-ups and pummelling blues jams with lots of groove.  And it has the band’s probably best-known song, “Cherry Red”.  I’ll be listening to plenty more Grounhogs in 2009.

Dungen – 4

Okay, I’ve cheated at my own game here.  This is the 11th album I’ve listed, but it’s impossible for me to leave this one off.  You’ve seen me write about Dungen plenty of times in the past, and that’s because they’re one of the best current bands making beautiful psychedelic rock music…and all their lyrics are Swedish.  But you don’t need a translator when the music’s this good, but it does make it hard to sing along!  4 is a beautiful piano and guitar-heavy sounscape album that jams but then lays back and relaxes just when you want it to.  This album was an improvement on their last album, Tio Bitar, and it is up there with their already classic, Ta Det Lugnt from 2005.  Check out NewmRadio’s old posts and pics of Dungen here and here.

Howlin Rain – Magnificent Fiend

And lastly, but not leastly, it’s Howlin Rain!  I got to see them live at Mercury Lounge this year, and the guys just ripped it up.  Total West-coast throwback sound with plenty of reverb-drenched and wah-wah soaked guitars and Purple-esque B3 organ, great Dead-like harmonies and wailing razor-throated vocals by Ethan Miller.  The album just sounds fantastic.  Thank god there are bands out there who are not part of the louder-is-better CD mastering war that is happening in current music.

And since there are so many great albums to talk about, here’s some more (click on thru to the other side)…

Honorable Mentions: Josh Alscher – The Whisling Album, Q65 – Nothing But Trouble 1966-68, Earthless – Live at Roadburn, Creedence Clearwater Revival – Cosmo’s Factory (Remastered), Man – Slow Motion (Esoteric Reissue), Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter – Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul, Jeff Beck-Performing This Week...

Please bear in mind (or is it bare in mind) that I have not heard the Fleet Foxes album, which is at the top of every other ‘best-of 2008′ list that I’ve seen…and same goes for My Morning Jacket’s album and TV on the Radio.  This list is not scientific.  I am talking about albums that have impacted me personally in 2008. Now it’s time for you to talk about yours…

And then it was on to the main event, Black Mountain, who started strong and never let up.  Here’s the setlist…

…and that’s about the best picture I got, since the band likes to keep the stage nice and dark.  They are named Black Mountain, after all!  These guys pound you with heavy riff-filled sound that you can’t help but bang your head to…kinda like Black Sabbath, but more trippily-psychedelic, and with killer proggy keyboards.  They have a female singer with a ‘bleating vibrato’ (a la Roger Chapman…anyone?) and the guitarist also sings.  And the band is at their best when the two are singing together, like in the third song of the night, “Wucan”, a song that puts me in a willing trance every time I hear it.  Check out their video for the song…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8upxRhff7cE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1]

…is that not amazing?  And it was 11 times the badassedness live at Bowery Ballroom last night. There was nary a dull moment.  Other highlights for me besides “Wucan” were “Druganaut” and “Stormy High”.  Check this band out if they come to your town!

I love that there are now bands like this out there playing to indie-rock audiences and reminding them how good a guitar solo can sound.  It seems like the guitar had become just an instrument to make cutesy little jangly sounds on for so many indie-rock bands, as it somehow became unhip to have songs with guitar solos.  Why is this?  Did all the sensitive guys think of a guitar solo as an extension of their penis, which of course they would never want to admit to having?  Or maybe their lyrics were so deep that a guitar solo would only water down their dire message to the world.  Well, I’m happy to say that I’d rather wallow in the guitar-centric new pool of talented psych-rock bands such as Black Mountain, Dungen, Howlin Rain, Wooden Shjips, Earthless, and Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter.

Check out Black Mountain music on MySpace and, if you dig ‘em, pick up In The Future, an album that I nominated for one of the best albums of 2008 at mid-year.

So my list is probably gonna be a mix of new and old, cuz that’s just where I’m at.  Just click on through after the MGMT album pic below to see my list (which I’m starting to compile in my head as I write this), and then leave your list in comments.

Here’s mine (in no particular order of importance):

* MGMT – Oracular Spectacular (amazing new band and album from 2008, totally my cup of meat…get it now if you don’t have it!)

* MAN – Slow Motion (this is like MAN’s Sgt. Pepper’s if you ask me…it’s originally from 1974, but I just started hearing it a month or so ago)

* Animal Collective – Water Curses EP (I always love their stuff and this new EP is classic AC)

* Black Mountain – In The Future (psyched-out, folked-up, prog-metal…from 2008 )

* Howlin’ Rain – Magnificent Fiend (my kinda explosive West-coast noodly psych rock from this year…love this band!)

* Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears – Flight of the Knife (you’ve probably heard me sing these guys’ praises already…they’re like a modern day hard-rockin’ ELO!)

* Duffy – Rockferry (what a voice on this girl…and I love the music too…the song ‘Rockferry’ actually has a guitar solo!  New soul that sounds old.)

* MAN – Maximum Darkness (sorry to repeat a band, but these are my new favorite cats!  This live set is from 1975 and the band is joined by Quicksilver’s John Cippolina…amazing live music)

* Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch (Tom Petty’s pre-Heartbreakers band has reunited and released an amazing new album…and if you haven’t seen the Petty doc Runnin’ Down a Dream, you really should!)

* Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (Better than their first.  Rock!)

Now show me yours…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dyBeuseIX4&rel=1]

Click on through for the rest of their tour dates…

02/24/08
Boston, MA – Middle East Upstairsw/ Bon Iver

02/25/08
Portland, ME – The Space Galleryw/ Bon Iver

02/26/08
Moncton, NB – The Manhattanw/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

02/27/08
Halifax, NS – The Marquee Clubw/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

02/29/08
Montreal, QC – La Sala Rosaw/ Bon Iver + Quest for Fire

03/05/08
Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palacew/ Bon Iver + Quest for Fire

03/06/08
Cleveland, OH – The Grog Shopw/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

03/07/08
Louisville, KY – Headlinersw/ Bon Iver

03/08/08
Newport, KY – Southgate House w/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

03/09/08
Knoxville, TN – The Pilot Lightw/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

03/10/08
Nashville, TN – Exit/Inw/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

03/11/08
Little Rock, AR – Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shackw/ Bon Iver + Nordic Nomadic

03/14/08
Austin, TX – The Scoot Inn (Official SXSW Event)

03/15/08
Austin, TX – Mess With Texas @ Waterloo Park w/ Islands + Breeders

03/16/08
Houston, TX – Meridian w/ Curfew

03/19/08
Norman, OK – The Opolis w/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/20/08
Kansas City, MO – Record Barw/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/21/08
St. Louis, MO – Bluebirdw/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/22/08
Chicago, IL – Empty Bottlew/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/23/08
Madison, WI – High Noon Saloonw/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/24/08
Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entryw/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/25/08
Fargo, ND – Aquariumw/ Birds of Avalon + Nordic Nomadic

03/27/08
Winnipeg, MB – Pyramid Cabaretw/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

03/28/08
Regina, SK – The Distriktw/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

03/29/08
Saskatoon, SK – Amigo’s w/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

03/31/08
Edmonton, AB – Starlite Roomw/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

04/01/08
Calgary, AB – The Warehousew/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

04/02/08
Kelowna, BC – Habitat w/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

04/05/08
Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroomw/ Ladyhawk + Nordic Nomadic

05/09/08
Camber Sands, UK – Pontins @ ATP vs. Pitchfork Festival

05/10/08
Camber Sands, UK – Pontins @ ATP vs. Pitchfork Festival

05/11/08
Camber Sands, UK – Pontins @ ATP vs. Pitchfork Festival

05/15/08
Brighton, UK – Mojo Stage @ The Great Escape Festival

05/16/08
Brighton, UK – Mojo Stage @ The Great Escape Festival

05/17/08
Brighton, UK – Mojo Stage @ The Great Escape Festival

All right, now that I’ve confirmed that I’m a dork, I wanted to turn you on to some examples of new Indie bands who aren’t afraid to borrow from some of rock’s taboo past. All of these bands had albums that just dropped this month too, that I recommend any and all of. Let me start with this video from a duo called MGMT, who have a prog thing going on in their music. They’ve got something pretty magical going on…this video will prove that… See the video for “Time To Pretend” here.

And here’s the same song performed on Letterman, with capes, mind you…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqzoRQv2UIU&rel=1]

Now check out this band, Black Mountain, who have a heavy prog thing going on. Their new album, In The Future, is one of my favorites right now. Check out them performing ‘Wucan‘ at ATP…wicked riffin’…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhvE-D9osY8&rel=1]

And here’s Vampire Weekend whose album just dropped today, who are not afraid to use African rhythms, rock-style, like the Talking Heads did…and Paul Simon. The Dirty Projectors kinda have the African thing going on too, but first check out this brand-new Vampire Weekend video, and dig their style…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XC2mqcMMGQ&rel=1]

Click on through to the other side, to see the amazing Dirty Projectors video, as promised…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpc6HSfdRkM&rel=1]

What do you all think? I think Indie is heading in good directions and redefining the ‘cool’ template…or throwing it away!

I am also going to spare you my enormous lists of great NYC vegan restaurants and best foreign films made in Hollywood of 2007 and only give you my listy opinions about music (and you will hopefully share yours) so as not to drive the whole end-of-the-year requisite lists into the ground. So, that being said, I’m going to try to list my Top 10 Favorite New Album Releases of 2007. Since I may not be able to come up with a full 10, I’m going to allow myself (and us) to pad the list with albums that you were turned on to during 2007, but came out whenever. Cool? Let’s do it after the jump….

All righty, I’ll go first, then…

(In no particular order, although the number 1 slot may very well be my favorite album of the year)

1) Panda Bear - Person Pitch

2) Black Mountain – In the Future (I’m picking this one even though it actually comes out ‘in the future’, Jan. 22, but I first heard it a couple months ago and I think it’s fantastic)

3) Black Lips – Good Bad Not Evil (the studio album)

4) Black Lips – Los Valientes del Mundo Nuevo (the live album)

5) Mother Hips – Kiss the Crystal Flake (see a couple posts below this one for a song from this one)

6) Ween – La Cucaracha (studio genius that we’ve come to expect from the brown boys)

7) Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (comfortable enough with my sexuality to admit that I love this album)

8) Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (sorry, this is on everyone‘s list for a reason)

9) Libertines – A Time For Heroes (Yes, this is Pete Doherty’s ex-band and this is a ‘best of’ that just came out in December; it’s the first I’ve heard of the Libertines and I realized they’re really good)

10) Kings of Leon – Because of the Times (love this band)

I can’t believe I just came up with ten albums from 2007. I guess my ears aren’t completely living in the past!

NOW YOU>>>