Friday, July 04, 2008

2008: mid-term report

It's now four days into July (hey, happy Independence Day Americans!), but here, slightly later than most other people, are the results of me casting my eye over the music of the year so far. It's been a good, if not remarkable year of music so far. Nothing really standing out over the others as being the album of the (half) year. But there's another five months to go. We'll see.

Albums

Top-tenular style of course:

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Heartcore
Johnny Flynn - A Larum
White Williams - Smoke
The Wave Pictures - Instant Coffee Baby
Islands - Arm's Way
Things in Herds - Nothing is Lost
Zombie Zombie - A Land for Renegades
Neon Neon - Stainless Style
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

There are no numbers because it's not in order. I don't have one. Though if I was forced to choose, I think I'd go for Things in Herds. Like I said at the time, it's impossibly beautiful.

Songs

Always harder to do, but there has been some solid gold this year. Here are a few of my favourites. Again, no order. A few select mp3s too.

Esser - I Love You
Jeremy Warmsley - The Boat Song (mp3)
Neon Neon - I Lust U (mp3)
Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down
No Age - Eraser (mp3)
Findo Gask - Va Va Va (mp3)
Thao - Feet Asleep
Lightspeed Champion - Tell Me What it's Worth
Broken Records - If the News Makes You Sad, Don't Watch it
The Mae Shi - Lamb and Lion
The Cave Singers - Dancing on Your Graves
Modernaire - Taste
The Bookhouse Boys - Dead
Stricken City - Tak o Tak (click back here for mp3)
Norman Blake - Baby Lee (click back here for mp3)
Hercules & Love Affair - Blind

So there you go. Will be interesting to see how these all play out in the end of year list. It's also an appropriate place to leave things off here for a while. Nothing major - just a few weeks off for holidays and other stuff. I'll be back by the end of the month, hopefully with a refreshed Daily Growl. Have a good July...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...
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machin said...

I think I'm in love with your musical taste.

Anonymous said...

What, no Shearwater???

Anonymous said...

Excellent top ten - I bought the Wildbirds & Peacedrums album on your recommendation and I love it. Will definitely have to check them out at Green Man. I've also really liked this year This is the Kit "Krulle Bol", Beach House "Devotion" and The Dodos "Visiter". I think it's been a pretty good year so far. Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver have really stood out for me. It'll be interesting tho to see if I'm still listening to them as much by the end of the year.

The Daily Growl said...

No Shearwater, sorry. But who knows come the end of the year...?

Katie - I came across This is the Kit a couple of years ago and have never followed up - thanks for the tip. I can give you a tip too - check out Bon Iver's recent Daytrotter session - it's amazing and closer to how the songs are being played live at the moment. Glad you like W&P