'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love, Pt. 11

Love (<)
Sons and Daughters - This Gift
I find myself constantly forgetting what this band even sounds like, and that's not because their music isn't good. I can't really figure it out. But that's certainly one reason the album isn't higher on my list. Sometimes I go with my gut. Well, I always do. Anyway, the music is catchy and dancy and the lyrics are totally "sing-a-long-in-your-car-on-your-way-to-someplace" worthy. I think if they focused themselves they could come up with an epic indie rock album.
Sons and Daughters - Split Lips

Casy and Brian - Catbees
San Fransiscan duo Casy and Brian are electric and peculiar. Sometimes their songs get a little long or a diverge from the dancey nature of their music, but heck, what's a song without a little experimentation? I can't wait until these guys get a little money behind them and get in a good studio so we can hear what they're really capable of.
Casy and Brian - Deux Drumbaclots

Jabee/OB-one - Because I Won EP
Okay, to be honest, I don't know why I liked this EP so much. The lyrics are actually a little dull, and the first track and last track are basically just Jabee talking about all the people he'd like to thank. The beats are good but not phenomenal. I think I attached to it so much because it seemed like there was a lot of promise underneath it all. I dunno. Maybe.
Jabee/OB-one - My Speed

Patti Smith, Kevin Shields - The Coral Sea
This release was a little hard to get through. That's not because it's bad, but because it's dense. A 2 disc set, each disc containing a single live performance of Patti Smith's epic poem The Coral Sea, with Kevin Shields doing improv wickedness behind her. When Patti Smith sets out to say something, she doesn't do so without a little forethought, so the text is deep. Her rich poetry flows swimmingly with Kevin Shields improv compositions. It's clearly a great work, but it's hard to get through unless you set aside some time to sit and listen to it.
Patti Smith, Kevin Shields - Performance I, Part I

Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth
This was one of the albums I attached to early on this year, and I'd forgotten why until a few days ago when I listened to it again. The band clearly knows what they're doing in the music department, they understand that they're basically the only ones making the music that they're making, so whatever they do is probably going to be, on some level, interesting. Thing is, as far as I can tell, they don't stop there, and they decide to make good music. Mixing Cambodian pop, psych, and indie pop, these cats have crafted quite the release.
Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Card