First & Worst - Itty takes the cake

** Edited December 30, 2008

When initially planning this list, for some reason I felt that I had listened to a lot of new music over the past year.  However, when I went back to look at the new music I had acquired, I couldn't find many albums that stood up for multiple listens.  It was probably that I was just out of it though...

Here is my list of musical things from the past year that I really liked.  In all things, I tend to like extremes of joy and sadness, and it seems pretty apparent in my musical choices.   Also, one year, I won't have Dr. Dog in there. 

1. Sigur Ros @ MoMA

Despite being really into going to this show, I had never been a huge Sigur Ros fanatic.  More like a semi-casual listener.  I thought this show was amazing though, in that it really showcased the way that SR plays to the extremes that I mentioned above.  Extra points for the fantastic Olafur Eliasson exhibition and getting our picture in BrooklynVegan.

2. Dr. Dog - Fate

Did everyone hate this album?  It got no love as far as I've seen, but I thought it was just as good as their last album.  Gritty vocals, great harmonies and song-writing.  Dr. Dog! 

3. Love is All - A Hundred Things Keep Me Up All Night

I will love this band forever and ever.  Ecstatic joy!  It makes me go weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

4. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

The MoMA show made me appreciate all of SR's albums more.   I liked that this album turned more upbeat and playful in comparison to older albums.  Lots of joy.

5. ***Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams

This was added a few days after the initial posting.  I originally thought this album came out in 2007, but according to AllMusic, it's 2008.    I really loved this album.  It's more melodic than previous Destroyer albums and more palatable, but there's still that eccentricity and electricity.

6. Neil Young - Sugar Mountain

Same goes for Neil Young.  The little talking parts in between songs work really well.  I admit that I idealize that time period and listen to way too much Buffalo Springfield, so I'm probably just way too biased.  

7. Max Richter - 24 Postcards in Full Colour

This man continually makes the saddest albums.  Listen to it while walking on a snowy evening and soon you'll find yourself on your knees in tears.  So good. 

8. Arthur Russell's emergence

Paul and I recently caught a viewing of the Arthur Russell documentary Wild Combination.  While being perhaps a bit long, it definitely was a good overview of the shy genius.  I'm always impressed by the idea of immortality.  Russell's work outlasted the man and that kind of fascinates me.

9. TV on the Radio - Dear Science

This album was just good.  Their albums always are.  I have nothing else to say.

10. M83 - Saturdays = Youth

I feel like it's easy to like M83, but that ease makes me wonder whether this should be on my list.  I listened to this album quite a bit though so here it is. 

Here are the older musical things I obsessed over this year, in chronological order:

• The Wrens' Meadowlands album...absolutely perfect.
  
• The last Les Savy Fav album has a great opening sequence of songs that rocks harder most everything else. 
  
• 16 Horsepower should be on the Carnivale soundtrack
  
• CSNY
  
• Ratatat hip hop remixes.  Glock Nines from Vol. 2 is hot!!
  
  
  
  
• The Blade Runner soundtrack
  
• The SOS Band and other Jam/Lewis productions
  
• J-Live's All of the Above is just as good as The Best Part
  
• The Bird and the Bee - simultaneously annoying and invigorating
  
• Bob Seger - blue collar, awesome, and very underrated  
• The old man at the Hunter College 6 station singing "I've Been Loving You Too Long"
  
• Syd Straw - Miss Fingerwood is a great songwriter
  

I'd much rather expound about the awesomeness of any of these things as opposed to a lot of the new music I heard this year.  Here's hoping for better luck next year.  I have a feeling that I'm just going to be listening to Neko and Dr. Dog like always.   

Peace,

-Itty