January 18, 2009

'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love More Than Music, Pt. 1

All right, here is the last section to the last best of I'm going to do, because this thing was just too big of a pain to do. Maybe next year it'll just be a list and some songs. I didn't write stuff for everyone, and at this point I've got too much to do in order to write enough about everyone, so I don't even want to attempt to fill in the blanks, because I'll feel bad about doing a sub-standard job. These are the albums I loved most of all this year, so just trust me that they're good. Or, at least, that I adored them.

Love More Than Music (<3>)
Various - Nicola Conte Presents: Viagem
Still one of the best Jazz collections I've ever heard. But that's for the kind of jazz that it is. Last time I reviewed this album, I said that "this album makes music that calls itself 'music' look like a fool and a liar." A pretty bold statement, and maybe it goes a bit far, but I still have to say that when I'm listening to this album it makes me feel smokey, sultry, and hecka sexy.
Yvette - Preconceito
Bossa Jazz Trio - Vamos Embora Uau
Hector Costita Sexo - Tokio

Beach House - Devotion
Beach House - Gila
Beach House - Home Again
Beach House - Somethings Last a Long Time (Daniel Johnston cover)

My Brightest Diamond - A Thousand Shark's Teeth
Probably the best voice in all of popular music for all of history.
My Brightest Diamond - Apples
My Brightest Diamond - Like a Sieve
My Brightest Diamond - Inside a Boy

Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins
Okkervil River has consistently been making outstanding music for basically 10 years now, and, while they have a very dedicated fan base, I feel that they've not really gotten the recognition for being the magnificent musicians that they are. This being the second half to last year's The Stage Names, the songs follow similar themes as it's predecessor, but I feel like the album got marginally more passionate, which wouldn't have been hard to do had The Stage Names been a mellow album. Each song is an epic story that goes beyond the normal realms of the traditional pop song, but each song would work well in any situation. This is an album you can play for just about anyone and they'll at least love it a little bit. I love it a lot. I think it's spectacular.
Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
Okkervil River - Singer Songwriter
Okkervil River - Pop Lie

Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements
Parenthetical Girls - Four Words
Parenthetical Girls - A Song For Ellie Greenwich
Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements

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