Today's Track - Fool's Gold: "Surprise Hotel"

Many on the interweb have been proclaiming 2009 to be the (USA) Summer of lurve. And, although it's the last month of Winter here in Australia, I sure have been enjoying the summer tunes from all over the globe, including those from jj, The Very Best, YACHT and many others. One of those many others is Fool's Gold, who offer up a ridiculously addictive high pitched guitar line on this song which, despite it clocking in at almost seven minutes, never seems to lose its effect. The effect? Strong desires for beach parties, beach bike rides, beach cricket, you get the message. I've never surfed in my life, but I'm craving for the board (or maybe that's just me craving for the next series of Blue Water High - so cheesy, so cool)
Oh, summer - only three months to go!

Today's Track - Blue Roses: "I Am Leaving"

There is a very homely quality about this song by Yorkshire's Laura Groves, who records under the name of Blue Roses, that makes it so likable. Her self-titled debut album was recorded all around her home country with friends, family and random cafe dwellers, in their bedrooms, bathrooms and living rooms - simple studio locations, well matched to the uncluttered, never overdone music of hers. Her alluring vocals are backed up by a few layers of guitar, harmonies, synth, xylophone and what I think to be accordion, which, all here in moderation, form a narrative that may not be as sweet as the instrumentation but compelling nonetheless. Overall, this song's elevating and sweet, and I sure can't wait to get my hands on the album.

A Thought - The Postal Service: "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight"

Today, I rediscovered the magic that is 'The District Sleeps Alone Tonight', from the Postal Service's first and only album, Give Up. Of course, I was too young to discover the Postal Service when their album came out; I only heard and heard of them last year. They've never let me down since, with their play-count increasing every few weeks on my Ipod. What can I say, their catalogue may be short, but as the saying goes, its pretty sweet, too.
I wouldn't say that 'The District Sleeps Alone Tonight' is my favourite song by them - there are so many others (all from the one album) including 'Nothing Better', 'Clark Gable', 'The Dream of Evan and Chan', as well as, of course, 'Such Great Heights'. The list goes on.
However, this song is the one I listened to today that got me thinking, thinking about how absolutely spectacular a new Postal Service album should/hopefully would be. They've written some truly unforgettable melodies and always have a suited guitar or synth hook handy. There's a bittersweet element to their songs, especially this one, in that the music is actually quite uplifting (you know, the way Hillsong do it), but the lyrics, usually with a sense of ambiguity, tell stories with not quite as delightful endings. So, if you ever want to be lifted by the power and might of Jesus Christ, or keen for a bit of raw emotion, listen to this song and either ignore the melody or the lyrics. Your choice.
Now that I've started it, I might as well expand on the whole (unnecessary) Jesus comparison. If there's one event in the Bible that a comparison to the band could be drawn, it's the Passion Story - a largely heartbreaking event for many, though one from which a tinge of hope can be drawn for believers. 'Nothing Better' is quite like this - Ben loses Jenny, wants her back, not that she still thinks they could possibly last; this, of course, upsets him further, but hey, Ben's still got fifty or so more years of life left, hasn't he? There's always next time.
'Such Great Heights', on the contrary, is all about full, functioning love. It's been covered many times, including by Ben Folds and Iron and Wine, the version of which appeared in the film the Garden State, a film which, now, always seems to appear in the sentence as the Shins.

I could go on for a great deal longer about the band, but now that I've got a bit of a ramble out of my system, I think I'll stop here and listen to 'Recycled Air', which, like 'The District', I've just again uncovered the magic of.

Today's Track - Wilco feat. Feist: "You & I"

Wilco have had a rather turbulent time during the space of their twelve or so years of their existence. Record company troubles, conflicts between band members, court cases - it's all been a bit more than a jam in the living room. Yet, they've carried through it all, and just released an album of some of their most direct pieces yet. The album has recieved some pretty nice reviews and has been described by innumerable adjectives; though one thing almost all the reviews I've read of it haven't failed to mention is the sheer directness of their latest outing. Rolling Stone called it "a triumph of determined simplicity by a band that has been running from the obvious for most of this decade," while Pitchfork described the songs as "comfortable."
Yet, comfort is never a bad thing, if 'You & I' is any indication. The song is among my favourite love-story duets of the past few years (of which there hasn't been too many), such as the Decemberist's 'Yankee Bayonet' with Laura Veirs, or The Postal Service's 'Nothing Better' with Jenny Lewis. This is the story of two struggling lovers, told sweetly yet sadly.
Oh, how I am now lovestruck for Feist once again.
A few electric guitar appregios and stabs of organ work terrifically, I find, behind the acoustic guitar, adding a slight level of intricacy to a song that sure isn't as intricate as Wilco can be and have been.

It's lovely.

Today's (other) Track - Franz Ferdinand: "Turn It On"

Three combed-over guys in matching suits, swinging from side to side to the beat of their guitar strums is how I like to picture a performance of 'Turn It On', by the always charming Franz Ferdinand. The song seems to have a bit of a timeless quality to it - what time exactly, I don't know. 60s perhaps? That would explain the matching suits, anyway.
It's the highlight, I find, of Franz Ferdinand's most recent album, the electrified and electrical 'Tonight: Franz Ferdinand'. Smooth is the first adjective that pops into my mind when trying to describe the track; the guitar riff is a bit of stylised classic Franz Ferdinand, but Alex Kapranos's vocal delivery is less Scot-rocker than Chuck Bass's voice mail. The song represents, as the themed-ordered chronology of the album states, the early stages of a big night out, and a sexy big night out it must be.

Slick and stylish, this is a Franz Ferdinand that can do no wrong, especially with Today's Track, 'Turn It On'.

Today's Track - God Help the Girl: "God Help the Girl'

The story of God Help the Girl is, by now, pretty familiar to most who may have visited a music-related website and know how to read. Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian writes movie, recruits singers, records soundtrack. Yes, yes, we know it all. But is it actually any good?

I say yes. The album contains a few riffs and melodies recycled from the B&S catalogue, but it really does nail the whole 60s girl group pop/soul thing. Plus, it's a musical. Wow. I'm listening to the soundtrack of my favourite musical (which hasn't even begun filming, though!). What a thought.The whole idea of the project was enough to excite me, let alone the terrific execution - it actually works. It works. It works!
Today's track is the one off the album that first caught my attention, and its style and form truly represents the most part of the album - there's now way this girl's looking for a boyfriend, and she;s letting me know in style, with a strong girl group vibe - one lead, a few backing - present throughout, as well as plucked and bowed strings flowing behind the piano chords, which places nicely next to the groovy baseline. Not to mention the truly terrific vocal performance by the girl whose name I should know by now, and who is, in my mind, skipping down Main Street throwing out flowers from her picnic basket while protesting against having to wait for her boyfriend's phone calls. She's reinventing fun. This song also seems to reinvent a great deal, with this project's old-time influences ever-so clear, but still manages to make it sound so 2009 - the year of the musical!

Today's Track - YATCH: "Psychic City"

When I first heard this song, Muscles sprung into my head. In particular, the Muscles song 'Ice Cream' seemed to call out at me whenever I played it. Now, though I don't actively recognise this comparison anymore while listening to this track, I can see how the parallel with the Australian dance act could fairly be drawn: both this song and 'Ice Cream' have a novelty-type quality, or maybe that's what it just seems - I really can't think of anything funny about either song, but I certainly detect a sense of fun and implausibility in the lyrics of both. But what I think truly connects the songs isn't what they're about exactly - whether the content be funny, fun, or otherwise - but what they are. So, what is 'Psychic City'? Well, it's a song that will (should) be played. A lot, on end; at parties, barbecues, discos (do they exist?), wherever there are people. Hey, this song unites people. They shout the chorus together, they dance like robots in time with the bass line together. Well, the irony is that this - what makes the song so great - hasn't happened to me; I don't even know another soul who would recognise the song. But watch this space (and I really want to use the new feature where you can put a line through text, and then add '*Update*' below).

Today's Track - Jamie Cullum & Clint Eastwood: "Gran Torino"

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Tom Waits? No, it is none of the above; though, upon first hearing the song, I was convinced the grumbling vocals at the beginning of this song were the works of the third of the previous three options. But it wasn't - it's Clint Eastwood, who directed, produced and starred in the film from which this song is taken, Gran Torino. It's a deeply moving film, one I sincerely recommend to anyone who, well, has ever seen a movie.
Once Eastwood finishes his verse, Jamie Cullum ably takes over vocal duties in this piano-based piece, which details one man's love for his motor vehicle, which, in turn, details his appreciation for anything that can make one happy and feel a sense of life being worthwhile.

Trust me, you'll be feeling as sentimental as I'm writing after listening to this song.

"Sugarcube" - Playlist Series

As you may have gathered from this blog, I like songs. What's better than a song, though, is a collection of songs - mixtape, playlist, compilation, whatever you wish (I'll stick to playlist). What's better than a playlist, though, is making a playlist. And do I like making playlists or what.
And so, welcome to the Playlist Series, where I share my playlists, whether they be carefully thought out groups of songs of a similar emotional nature, or merely a few miscellaneous tracks which sound nice when played in a row. The first of this series is also perhaps the first 'official' playlist I made. Sugarcube is its name, and I created it last year sometime. I picked the songs; they sounded pretty good together. It hasn't changed much since its birth, but in the time between that seminal event and now, I have come to learn a lot about it, and learn why exactly it appeals to me. It's sweet; it's sugary (hence the title). It's largely a joyous affair; sonically, it's easy on the ear. It works. And, it goes as follows:

1. BEIRUT - Nantes
2. YO LA TENGO - Sugarcube
3. OKKERVIL RIVER - Lost Coastlines
4. THE BEATLES - Here Comes the Sun
5. SAM COOKE - Wonderful World
6. PAVEMENT - Range Life
7. CAT POWER - Good Woman
8. CONOR OBERST - Souled Out!!!
9. CAMERA OBSCURA - Come Back Margaret
10. PETER BJORN AND JOHN - Up Against the Wall
11. JENS LEKMAN - Your Arms Around Me
12. SUFJAN STEVENS - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
13. BEN LEE - Apple Candy
14. THE GO-BETWEENS - Cattle and Cane
15. NICK DRAKE - Pink Moon
16. BRIGHT EYES - Bowl of Oranges

Today's (other) Track - Bob Evans: "Power of Speech"

I've had Bob Evans' 'Goodnight, Bull Creek!' album for almost three months now, but during this time, I haven't been able to select a single track which stands alone as being 'the best'. So, quite fed up of trying to decide, I've picked 'Power of Speech' in (shock!) quite a rational decision. However, a bit of history for you first:
Bob Evans, to me, represents everything 2006 - his 'Suburban Songbook' album was played endlessly during that year, my final one of primary school. (Oh, the cheese I'm about to write of!) Now, I realise why. The album was based on the joys and general happenings of living in the suburbs, and it was in that very place (well, in one of the thousands of Australian suburbs - Prospect) where I spent all of my primary school life. Everyone lived in Prospect, everything happened in Prospect. How simple life was back then. Now, being a high school student, it's not that my life's better or worse - it's just different. Very different.
'Goodnight, Bull Creek!', released this year, brings me back to those 'other' times, and it's an album hard not to love. It's consistent - way more so than I was expecting, I must admit. It's catchy, it's emotional, it rocks hard, tones down, then turns it back up, it rejoices the seasons; but, best of all, it's easy to relate to. Evans discusses the notion of leaving the suburbs for the city in 'Somewhere So Much', the album's lead single. 'Hand Me Downs' is about how everyone still has a bit of their childhood remaining with them, or even on them, as he sings that he wears "the same stuff as I did in '98".
Musically, it's more of a 'band' album than his previous efforts. This was a good move on his part - a recent influx of corny male singer-songwriters of little talent (cough Jason Mraz) have put me off a lot of acoustic music. Bob Evans is not one of these, and this was demonstrated best when I saw him live a week back. Electric guitar solos, band jams, and his clearly large intake of red wine, transformed him into Bob Evans The Rockstar, instead of Bob Evans, Mum's Crush.
If there's a lone dud on the album (which is equally as hard to select as a lone standout), it's the final track, 'Everything Goes', which features only him, a few finger picked guitars and flute. Although it is of decent quality, it does feel a tad out of place; not to worry, there are ten other tracks which do feel in place, including a few which are more mellow than metal (well, to be honest, nothing on this album is even remotely like metal. The volume's not at all set at 11; it's probably just been turned up from 5 to 7. But I'm desperately trying to avoid calling it 'country rock', so I'll settle with 'up-tempo pop'). One such track is 'Power of Speech', Evans' take on Bossa Nova, which is suprisingly sweet yet slightly seductive.
I'm getting to the point now where I'm rambling about everything and nothing. So, to finish off: trust me, 'Goodnight Bull Creek!' is a great album. And, remember, turn the stereo up loud (well, to about 7) just as Bob Evans did.

Today's Track - The Rural Alberta Advantage: "Don't Haunt This Place"

I can't recall exactly where I first heard of this band. Hmmm. Probably Pitchfork. Well, I've heard a fair bit about them since - hailing from Canada, the band wrote their debut 'Hometowns' early last year and, throughout the remainder of the year, copies of the album floated around the streets and web. However, Saddle Creek will be officially releaseing the album in July. The band sing about, without too much guesswork involved, the advantage of growing up in Alberta (once again, without hours of interpretation and analysis, a largely rural town). Without the drums, this song would be a generally Whitney-esque ballad (read: boring). However, we don't need to stress; the drums are there, play after play. They add something, something enchanting, to the song. Apart from causing it to sound faster than it would otherwise, their inclusion highlights the other elements of the song - the organ, string arrangement, harmonies - and make them more interesting. Why, though? I don't know; this theory doesn't make much sense to me, either.
The female backing vocals too are great, and cause this song to bear a slight resemblance to the Decemberists' 'Yankee Bayonet', with Laura Veirs - which can only be a good thing, given the huge number of plays it's recieved on my itunes.
I don't think it'll be long until 'Don't Haunt This Place' catches up, though.

Today's Track - Dinosaur Jr: "I Want You To Know"

This being the lone Dinosaur Jr song I own or have heard, I have very little to base it on. Apparently, they've been around for a while, and, judging by this song, they rock hard. Very hard indeed. This song can't be played quietly - it demands your full attention; it certainly deserves it anyway.
Vocals - respectable; chord progression - a tad unoriginal (but who's counting?); sing along chorus - sing-along-able (read: amazing); guitar solos - swell. There's nothing overly unique about the song; it just works so damn well.

Today's Track - Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band: "Spoiled"

After watching the oh-so-arty documentary which was released last month about the creation of Conor Oberst's new band and album, I was very much looking forward to listening to the new material. Last year's self-titled release by Conor Oberst was one of my favourite albums of the 2008; however, I don't seem to think that his new album will be in that list for this year. The album drags on. And on. And on. The songs are boring, and there are too many fillers as such. Though, this does make some sense - a majority of the new songs were written while on the road in order to fill in time at the shows.
As the media have been crying on about, the songwriting and vocal duties are shared around between the band members. You know you're desperate for songs when you get your drummer, of all people, to write a few. (Well, not necessarily - the songs by the drummer and bass player are far better than 'Air Mattress,' some category of indie-twee jingle, by guitarist Nate Walcott). However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel - the songs actually written by Oberst are actually quite decent, and 'Spoiled' is, in my opinion, the album's finest moment. Jangly guitars open this track, which according to Pitchfork, is rather REM-esque. Hmm. I've managed to avoid thinking about 'Everybody Hurts' this year, up until now. There goes that.
Without knowing any technical terms for the components of a song, I am left saying that this song seems to have two separate choruses. I like the first one better, whatever it is called. The second one is a bit Oberst-cliche, with the same chord progression being used in a large number of his other songs.
His voice sounds very strained at the end of the first chorus, as I call it. However, this short alteration in vocal ability seems completely insignificant and overall, quite forgettable after you have been overjoyed by the short but sweet guitar solo and the drum fills, which are very pleasing. Very pleasing indeed.

Today's Track - The Dirty Projectors: "Stillness Is The Move"

A rather minimalistic song, 'Stillness Is The Move' bears a close resemblance to Amerie's 'One Thing' from a few years back. The strong sense of percussion is prevalent throughout the track, and the vocals go high and wide, comparative to the sort of vocal aerobics demonstrated by the wannabes on Australian Idol. However, unlike the singles of those wannabes, this track actually rocks. This single will sell three and a half million copies and win a Grammy. Well, it should; not to say it will get even close. Chances are, the song won't appeal to or be heard by the masses, but it will be downloaded and played by the indiekids of the web. And what lucky indiekids we are.

Today's (other) Track - Bonnie 'Prince Billy : "Beware Your Only Friend"

Having heard so little of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's music before listening to this song, I was unsure as to what I should expect. His albums have supposedly focused on the darkness in life, and he has an intense personality to match his music. Well, that's what the internet provided me with anyway. Within seconds of listening to this track, I was introduced to his long-lost twin brother, I'm guessing, and provided with with layers of acoustic guitar, fiddle, slide guitar, some da-da-dums and what sounded like a gospel choir. It was pretty cheery, too. Darkness? What darkness? The BPB I had just met seemed more like a friend whose tales and tunes served to entertain all around the campfire; he was hardly the chilling emotional hardcore I was expecting.
Anyway, the figurative comparisons I have been brought up by the music press to make aside, it's a great song. Listen and enjoy.

Today's Track - Bob Dylan: "Feel A Change Comin' On"

This track, the second songs revealed to the public from 'Together Through Life,' is a taste of the romanticism Dylan has promised will line the new album. At five and a half minutes, the song is repetitious in terms of chord progression, though its length allows time for a feature new to Bob Dylan records - the accordion - to shine in its full capacity. The electric guitar also plays a prominent role, with bluesey solos spread out through the piece, adding yet another flavour to a song with ingredients so vast.

Today's Track - Peter Bjorn and John: "Blue Period Picasso"

I wasn't as impressed with PB&J's Living Thing as I was hoping to be. There are a few ridiculously pointless tracks, and 'Nothing To Worry About', the first single, is catchy for about the first thirty seconds but gets hopelessly tiring; however, there are a few songs that provide the same sort of pop sensation that was present throughout Writer's Block - a truly terrific album that spawned not only the massive radio hit 'Young Folks', but also many other tracks of equal quality. 'Blue Period Picasso', like Animal Collective's 'My Girls', is all about vocals and harmonies, and though PBJ's attempt is less intricate, as wells as shorter, it provides the same effect with fantastic results. With a few synths, beeps, programmed drum beats, and bass, this song is fairly minimalistic affair, though eventuates to a larger capacity and the guys start going on about art thiefs, along with a few other Picasso and oh-so-arty references. 'I Want You!' was the first track off the recently released album to truly grab my attention, though 'Blue..' just beats it by two and a half millimeters. Nice.

Today's Track - Camera Obscura: "French Navy"

The first song revealed to listeners from Camera Obscura's upcoming April release, 'My Maudlin Career,' (the album sharing the same name) was alright, I guess. Nothing special: it was considerably darker than previous Camera Obscura material; however, it did contain what I call the 'Camera Obscura Chord Structure' - 'let's play a chord a few times, then go up a tone and play that chord, then next bar, go down again, then up, and down'....and so on. It gets pretty tired after a while. Especially when it was used on almost every song on their previous album.
However, what that first song lacked in originality was made up for in the first official single from MMC, titled "French Navy." I've read somewhere that (the lead singer) Traceyanne's voice is 'woozier' than previously - whatever that means - but I must agree. The song (and in particular, her voice) flows with great tempo and ease when leading up to the chorus, though when the chorus is finally reached, we're presented with a snappy 2-beat segment in which Traceyanne declares, "I wanted to control it / But love, i couldn't hold it"
But the band can certainly hold this song, and hopefully, their April release will be filled with the splendor brought to the table in today's track.

Today's Track - Beirut : "My Night With The Prostituate From Marseille"

I have found myself listening to a great amount of Beirut lately - a few tracks from 'The Flying Club Cup' are among my most played songs on itunes, and 'Postcards From Italy' has overtaken me in the past few days. Today's track I've owned for at least a month now, and have found myself listening to it A LOT. The new EP from which it is taken is satisfactory at best, but when listening to it, I rarely get past this song. The song demands to be played and played and played. Lyrically superb and with the distinct voice of Zach Condon, the song is perfect for any time of the day. It's an advancement from the electronic feel of 'Scenic World' from Gulag Orkestar, and significantly different from his past two albums musically, yet seems oh so Beirut - he's one unpredictable guy. Keep at it.

Today's Track - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: "Young Adult Friction"

Another track of the day. (I've been a bit lazy this month, so all my nominated tracks are now coming all at once. I knew this would happen. Let's try to put in a more solid effort, ok?) Kick started with drums that lead onto a modest guitar and synth riff, "Young Teenage Friction" is pretty simplistic: the lyrics aren't overly insightful, nor is the singer's voice unique from any other singer in 2009. However, the thing that strikes this song to be one of the best new releases of the current year is the fact that it's pretty damn catchy - all the right chords are played, the right notes hit - and that's something that only comes along once in a while. The females vocal hook in the chorus makes me smile. And that's what counts, right?
It's a consistent four minutes, and a track that's not hard to love - it creates anything but friction in my young teenage life.

Today's Track - Animal Collective: 'My Girls'

Harmonies.
Perfect harmonies, odd harmonies; whatever the harmony, Animal Collective do it.
Their new album is on high rotation at the moment in my household, but my opinion of it is yet to be decided (Current view: "It's OK, I guess"). Nevertheless, in the meantime, 'My Girls' has and will keep me very, very busy.

Today's Track - Bon Iver: 'Blood Bank'

A great start to the year with this new track from Bon Iver, taken from his soon-to-be-released EP of the same name. He's always been one of 'those' artists - I've heard a great deal about him though never actually heard anything from him, though this song seems a good place to start, and without doubt I'll be looking through his back catalogue in the days to come. However for the time being, 'Blood Bank' will leave me satisfied.

Best of 2008

New year, new blog. However, before we get too absorbed in 2009, we shall fare a trip back into the year previous. I found the absences of Operator Please and the Killers (oh, did anyone actually bother about their oh so terrible grammar) rather enjoyable; I enjoyed the presence of some great artists, both old and new to the scene, many of which are mentioned below.
Album lists - horrible things they are; how the enduring voice in my head oved to question my decisions. I don't see the lists below as final, music is an ever-changing mix of wet concrete, as some may like to put it, me included. It sounds swell.



1) AIR FRANCE - No Way Down EP

Summer. Sweden. 'Beauty and the Beast' samples. What more could a boy want? Each track screamed out perfection and pineapples, and while listening to this twenty-something minute record, I could not help but feel a burning desire somewhere to roam the meadows of Europe and waters of Tropicalia. Sounds pretentious? Yep. And prety true, too.



2) CONOR OBERST - S/T

I promised myself I wouldn't, but I streamed the entire album on his MySpace before it was released on CD. I simply couldn't wait those extra two days - I had been anticipating this album for a matter of weeks, the two tracks released weeks before the album had captivated me. I wanetd more. The verdict: The president wasn't talking to God this time; nor was Conor. Instead, the album, recorded in Mexico, was one massive road trip destined wherever - perhaps a fitting soundtrack to the ventures of Sal Paradise. To word 'rollicking' had appeared countless times in reviews describing to essence of 'I Dont Want To Die (In the Hospital)', the track in which Conor explores his American roots, and I found that no other word could simply describe it more accurately. I don't dance, but I sure wanted to whenever listening to this track (not that anyone else would wish to see me at it).
Throughout the rest of the album, the hella indie kid has delved into themes of escapism, thrown in a few Mexican quotes, and even though I don't know he's even singing about the rest of the time, I don't care. It's brilliant. It's rollicking.



3) SHE & HIM - Volume One
Almost every song sounds like a cover, but who's counting? Zooey's voice flows smoothly, Matt provides us with some captivating acoustic guitar licks, and the vocal harmonies top it off (NB: 'This Is Not A Test'). Though there are a number of terrific up-temp country rockers, it's the slower songs which get you, exemplified by 'Change Is Hard,' perhaps so sad that I feel happy. Counting down the days until Volume Two.

I didn't listen to very many albums this year; however, out of the ones I did, Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, the Hold Steady and Augie March were others which stood out.

Track of the year was easily Hold Steady's "Constructive Summer". Craig Finn kinda sings on their latest album -certainly a change - and even though this track may not be heavy on vocal melody, it doesn't need to, the lyrics are the most prominent element of this track. 'Let this be my annual reminder/ That we can all be something bigger,' the line which Finn sings with a tad of guilt, a tad of regret, though a great deal of optimism, leads into a sequence of piano chords that grow into one final chorus, which goes on to reference Joe Strummer and makes me realise that this is rock and roll. And that's what the Hold Steady make you do.
Cat Power's "Song To Bobby"(technically a 2007 single but released on her half-there 'Jukebox' album this year) comes in at second, while 'No Excuses' by Swedish duo Air France found a place at third. Honorable mentions go to
Lost Coastlines - Okkervil River
The Summer - Josh Pyke
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song - Fleet Foxes
Unforgettable Season - Cut Copy
Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend

While I enjoyed 2008's releases, I will remember the year for my discovery of so many brilliant artists and albums from previous years. These discoveries started at roughly one in the morning on the first day of the year, when Pavement's "Cut Your Hair" video made an appearance on Rage. This led on to a dear love of Pavement (and in particular, their Crooked Rain album, which I finally bought the physical CD of today after a year of listening to a ripped Library copy).
I've created my 'discoveries' list by means of songs, and it goes a bit like this:
1) Gold Soundz - Pavement
2) The Dream of Evan and Chan - Postal Service
3) Forkes and Knives- Beirut
4) Pink Moon - Nick Drake
5) Random Rules - Silver Jews
6) All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
7) Lived In Bars - Cat Power
8) Your Arms Around Me - Jens Lekman
9) This Time Tommorow - The Kinks
10) PJ Harvey - Good Fortune

2008. Good times.