All right, you’s guys, I’ve got opinions about albums and since everybody likes to show off their super-important and highly-refined musical tastes by way of year-end lists, I’ve decided to join everyone…like a sheep to slaughter.  I’m gonna have some oldies which I’ve just been turned onto in 2008 sprinkled in there too, so please don’t be alarmed that I don’t only listen to new music.  In fact, it’s not healthy to only listen to new music.

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!

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Filed in Best of 2008, Lists, Music on Sunday, December 21, 2008 · 2008, 4, AC/DC, All the While, Apache, Are Men, Back Into The Future, Black Ice, Black Mountain, Bob Dylan, Boomtown Gems, Cosmo's Factory, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Dungen, Earthless, Frances, Groundhogs, In the Future, Jeff Beck, Jesse Sykes, Josh Alscher, Julianne Shepherd, Live at Roadburn, MAN, MGMT, Nothing But Trouble, Oracular Spectacular, Performing This Week, Q65, Slow Motion, Split, Sweet Hereafter, Tell-tale Signs, The Weight, The Whistling Album, Vampire Weekend, Village Voice · 8 Comments »

All right, I noticed that a lot of blogs are doing their ‘best of 2008…so far’ lists about now since we’re half way through the year, so I’m gonna blindly follow suit.  Well, maybe not so blindly, since I’m gonna allow you to share stuff that you got this year…but didn’t necessarily have to have come out this year.  But it can be new too.  Whatever you want, because Sh*t L*sts are all about YOU!

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.

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Filed in Album Roundup, Best of 2008, Lists, Music on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 · Animal Collective, Black Mountain, Bryan Scary, Consolers of the Lonely, Duffy, Flight of the Knife, In the Future, MAN, Manband, Maximum Darkness, MGMT, Mudcrutch, Oracular Spectacular, Raconteurs, Rockferry, Slow Motion, Water Curses · 2 Comments »