Top Ten of 2008

Here they are, in no particular order, the Ferrets' top ten albums of 2008:

Belle & Sebastian - The BBC Sessions
Kelly says, "This allocation obviously stems from the fact that I am more dedicated to Belle & Sebastian fandom than I have been to anything since Kiss took their make-up off in the early 80s, but I will try to justify the choice. I have had some bad experiences with BBC sessions albums (the Led Zeppelin one feels like listening to two hours of a Zep cover band playing into a one-track tape recorder from 1978), but this one sounds great. The 'live in studio' disc includes four songs that have never been released in any form before, three of which are awesome, plus versions of some of B&S's best songs that are arguably better than the album versions, including a live acoustic version of "Lazy Line Painter Jane," one of my favourite songs of all time, that is every bit as good as the original in a completely different way. Then there is the second disc - a live show from 2001 in Dublin that dispells any notion for me that B&S are not capable of being a great live band. This was a treat, as the only previous live recording from them was a iTunes exclusive where they played the entire "If You're Feeling Sinister" album. It's good, but I was thrilled to get a live recording (yes, I like live recordings) that covered more of their widely varied catalogue."

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Kelly says, "Again, I love the band, and tend to like whatever they do. In my opinion, MMJ is becoming kind of like a straight-faced Ween - they seem to be able to play any genre and make it work. Highlights of this album, for me, were the geeklove balled "Librarian," the title track (which comes as close to a signature sound as you're going to get with MMJ), and the two-part freak out "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream." I love these guys because I have all of their albums, but I still never know what they're going to do next."

The Black Keys - Attack & Release
Kelly says, "I don't know much about these guys - Tyler told me I would like this, I loaded it up on my iPod, and I found that he was right. Just awesome, kick-ass, ball-rattling blues-rock. The White Stripes with higher fidelity and more instruments?"

Tyler says, "I first heard The Black Keys back in 2004. They played at Coachella when Buck and I went down. (Sidebar: Andrew always imagined that Duane and Jon were the Black Keys, and that even though they are musicians with instruments, Duane rocked the ones and twos in the band.) Anyhoo... Kelly assessment of The Black Keys as being the ballsy, bluesy cousins of The White Stripes is very accurate. I also made that connection back in the day. (I even made myself a split CD-R called The Big Come Up Behind Me Satan - a play on album titles by the two bands). Anyways, back to Attack & Release. This album is the album that got me listening to albums again. It's solid and interesting from start to finish, with each song feeling like it was supposed to come after the one before, and before the one after, if that makes any sense. This is a big bigger and more complex and more ethereal than their previous stuff, but it seems like a logical progression and it works well for them. Oh and Duane, it was produced by Danger Mouse. So there. Standouts: I Got Mine and Psychotic Girl."

Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Kelly says, "Certainly their best work since "A Rush of Blood to the Head," and perhaps their best album peroid. I know in ten years I will regard them with the same sort of "just go away" disdain that I do U2 now, but for the time being, I find them to be the most exciting mainstream band working in pop and rock. And yes, I know that's how you know that I'm gay."

Tyler says, "Damn you, Brian Eno. Before I'd heard anything other than Violet Hill and the title track, I accidentally read a review of this album and learned that stupid Brian Eno had his stupid U2 goggles on while producing this album. Thus when I downloaded the rest through iTunes, I couldn't help but hear that stupid Edge guitar sound. God, I hate that sound. Finger nails on a chalk board. Thankfully, after a dozen listens - Beck and I listened to it pretty much every morning for a month leading up to the show in Minneapolis - that faded to the background the brilliance of the record started to shine through (the show was frickin' great, by the way). Again, this is a little bit different than their previous ventures: it seems more theatrical, more bombastic...just bigger, I guess. And if you know me at all, you know I like the big sound - lots of instrumentation, complex orchestral arrangements, it's all good by me. Standouts: Lost (that Jay-Z remix or whatever you'd call it can die...in fact, everyone who was involved with putting that together can die...everyone) and Viva La Vida."

Flight of the Conchords - self-titled
Kelly says, "Their HBO show is fall-out-of-your-chair hilarious, and their songs are even better. You can't deny something this clever AND virtuosic (see: "Bowie" in which they duet with spot-on impressions of Bowie from different parts of his career, and seem to cover his entire ouevre, sonically, in a single song). This is the first time I have ever encountered a novelty band that I don't want to stop listening to, ever."

Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
Duane says, "While it's probably her worst album out of the three that she's put out, it still has good songs on it. It's mellower and more instrospective than her previous stuff, and there's not as much branching out in terms of using horns or other instrumentation on it. The best song is the one that I'm attaching here, I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory. How can you go wrong with a song that uses the lyric "You're the Great One and I'm Marty McSorley" in reference to a
comparison of lovers (which, if it wasn't sung by Ms. Edwards, would be kinda gay). So, it's a somewhat ambivalent recommendation for an Album of the Year, but I gots nuttin' else! Which is why you guys have to post some picks and send out songs..."

Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet - self-titled
Tyler says, "Beckie and I heard this for the first time in the car last March. We were listen to KICK FM. On Sunday mornings at 11, they have a show called E-town, which is a syndicated live folk/roots/bluegrass show based out of Colorado. We both just stopped talking and were completely captivated. First by Abigail's voice, so pure and sweet and with just enough twang to match the music, and then by the music itself, including the impossible banjo-picking of Mr. Bela Fleck. It was perfect and flawless. And that was live. The recording didn't quite have the same magic, but it was still pretty amazing. Standouts include A Fuller Wine, Captain, and Oh Me, Oh My. There are a couple or three song on the album too that are sung by Abigail in Mandarin Chinese. I mean, how cool is that. Contemporary, expansive bluegrass in Chinese. We also saw her and them at Folk Fest this year. Given that this was the worst Folk Fest for me in memory, their mainstage performance was far and away a highlight of the weekend."

The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit) - self-titled
Tyler says, "I don't actually own this one yet, but I have all the songs as they've been released into blogland periodically for the last half of the year. Basically what you have here is this dude named Esau who is a rapper/singer from Malawi (now lives in London, UK) and a dude named Radioclit who is a producer/sampler from London. The first song I heard - which will likely be a standout track in my top ten of the past decade list - is called Get It Up and features samples from MIA and Santogold, and then Esau rapping and such in whatever language that is. There's something to be said for music that you can't understand. Plus, the fact that Radioclit really knows how to work with music that is already good! Anyways, this it just so interesting to me and it works so well, I can't get enough. Other standouts: Cape Kod Kwassa Kwassa (sampling Vampire Weekend) and Tengazako (sampling my favourite song of 2007 - MIA's Paper Planes) and Kamphopo (sampling Architecture In Helsinki)."

Novillero - A Little Tradition
Frank says, "The reason why this is one of my favourite releases of 2008 is right there in the album’s title. Novillero continues to create catchy melodies that are firmly rooted in 60s pop and soul traditions. What makes this album unique, though, is that unlike all of the current (mostly British) artists who have jumped on the 60s soul revival train, Novillero does not simply re-hash the old licks. They combine them with a thoroughly modern, indie-pop sensibility, proving that a little tradition, used tastefully, can go a long way.

Stand out tracks:

Track 2, A Little Tradition, has the strongest link to the Motown sound that infused “Aim Right for the Holes in Their Lives” in 2005. In spite of the absence of the great sax player used on The Hypothesist from that album (sorry, just had to get that in), A Little Tradition has terrific horn parts. The bridge section in particular has a horn line that takes you right back to the theme songs of any number of Quinn Martin cop shows from the 70s. This is a really addictive song.

Track 6, Daydreams and Distractions. Once again, Nathan’s Keri Latimer appears as a guest vocalist. Rod Slaughter clearly had her in mind for this song when he wrote it, and his outstanding lyric (life is depressing, think about something else) works perfectly with her voice. Like “Let’s Pull Over Here” from the last album, this tune has a really “60s French” feel to it. Don’t ask me what that means, I just know that when I hear Keri singing this song, I think of those black-and-white art films I used to watch on the French channel as a kid…the dialogue was lost on me, but the music stuck."

REM - Accelerate
Frank says, "I know what you’re thinking. I’m old, and the only reason I like REM is that I’ve been listening to them for 25 years and I’d like anything they did. You’re mostly right, but even I would admit that pretty much every REM release since “Monster” in the early 90s has been a major disappointment. That’s why I like Accelerate so much. It’s actually good! I would recommend this record to people who have never really listened to REM, and not worry that they might get the wrong impression. Stipe’s voice and lyrics are in top form throughout, and they have finally given Buck the green light to crank his amp back up and dust off his overdrive pedal.

Standout tracks:

Track 3, “Supernatural Superserious.” This is the closest thing to a radio-friendly pop song on the album. Great chorus.

Track 4, “Hollow Man.” Starts off all slow and piano-y, then cranks up the heat. Fantastic lyric, particularly for us middle-aged men trying to make ourselves relevant to somebody. Anybody.

Track 6, “Accelerate.” Just love that old school REM guitar-bass-drums groove."

Two Gallants

Hey, two years ago, I tried in vain to make you all Two Gallants fans. I heard this song on a CMJ magazine compilation and I nearly died it was so good. I couldn't contain my excitement. I bought the album immediately and tried desperately to get someone, anyone to commit to going to see them in Fargo a few months later. I was actually convinced that a certain future lawyer friend of ours would fall for this band as hard as I did, and was fully shocked when he said he didn't really like it. Anyways, it means everything to me that you dudes, please, for the love of all things good and proper in this world, just listen to this song. You will love it. Or, at least, you should.

Two Gallants - Las Cruces Jail

Right on,

ty

Kelly's Pick - Sufjan Stevens

First off, my apologies for the delay in my post this month. I recently acquired a Nintendo Wii, and then a week and a half of my life just disappeared... anyway, on to the music:

I'm a sucker for a good trumpet line, and although this only scratches the surface of why I like this song so much, I thought I should get that right out front.

I discovered Sufjan Stevens a couple of years ago, after reading about his album Come on Feel the Illinoise! on several 2005 best-of-the-year lists, and the first time I listened to it, it had the effect that a good book does: I couldn't walk away until I heard the whole thing. It is a concept album about Illinois (Stevens claims he's going to do one about each US state - so far he's finished Michigan and Illinois), and, appropriately, I guess, "Chicago" is the album's centrepiece.

Frank mentioned driving songs, and this is one of my favourites because of the sense of motion that it has. The strings, the odd back beat, the bells, that trumpet, the choir, and all of the instruments that I haven't yet identified sweep you up and carry you along in their rush, and then you hit a quiet spot, and you almost feel as if you're floating. To reinforce the driving song appropriateness, the song's lyrics are, at least partly, about a road trip the narrator took "to Chicago, in a van, with my friend."

Anyone who has seen Little Miss Sunshine will probably recognize some of this song, as it's main riff is used repeatedly as a scoring motif in the movie (a road movie, incidentally). That riff doesn't just repeat througout the song, but throughout the whole album at various speeds and in various instrumental guises, helping to make Come on Feel the Illinoise! one of the only truly conceptual "concept" albums I've ever heard. If you like "Chicago," I can't recommend the album (or it's predecessor, Greetings From Michigan) enough.

Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

Basil the Ferret's Pick - Ben Harper

For those that know my musical tastes I have preached the value of this guy since I first met all of you. After watching the video for Faded I went and bought the album and it was the smartest thing I ever did.

I am of course talking about Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. Some of my favorite songs, which are hard to pick because I love all his music, but Glory & Consequence, She’s only happy in the sun, and almost every other song is worth listening to on a regular basis. The passion he puts into his music and the raw emotion that comes through in the vocals separate him from so much of the crap that is put out these days.

The song I have chosen is from his latest album called Lifeline. I chose “Say you Will” because if you have not heard any Ben Harper before this song gives you a good feel for the type of music he is capable of playing. There is a real combination of beautiful music and emotional vocals.

Anyway I hope you enjoy.

Ben Harper - Say You Will

Duane's Pick - Wu-Tang Clan

Going on the recommendation of Kelly, I thought I'd throw out some old school. You knew I had to do it. Plus, the RZA was on The Hour a few weeks ago talking about his new book (The Wu Manual) and Method Man was awesome on The Wire this year, so they've been on the brain. I'm sure this won't be everyone's cup of tea - with CREAM, of course - but I thought I'd drops it here for ya. I've been really into the Wu-Tang Clan these past few weeks, some of the solo stuff from GZA and Method Man, but mostly from their debut in 1993 - Enter the Wu-Tang (Return to the 36 Chambers). I never actually had the whole album, but I remember the videos on Much back when. I love the Wu because they came up with this whole strange mythology. Each of them has multiple names (Method Man tops out at 24 aliases!), and their odd "history" combines old Wuxia movies (Chinese kung-fu), comic books (Johnny Blaze - in itself another metaphor for tokin'), spirituality (both Islamic and Chinese), mafioso and ghetto life. So, their home of Staten Island becomes "Shaolin", tongues are swords (for Genius), Killa Bees are affiliates, and the metaphor for drugs and money - CREAM (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). They actually started the now cliche rap-mafia idea with the Wu-Gambinos. Incidently, The RZA and GZA each got their names from the sound of their names - Razor (the sharpest MoFo) and Genius (the "head" of Wu, like "Voltron") - scratched on a record. Ghostface Killah is on some "now you see me, now you don't shit", Chef Raekwon cooks up the flava (and crack rock...), Method Man has "mad, different" methods, Ol Dirty Bastard has no "father to his styles" and Inspectah Deck will "watch you play yourself, then take you to court later". I love it! Even if you don't care for the song - incidently this album is considered one of the best rap albums of all time - you may appreciate their Irish-stew method of creating history, music and mythology. The Wu were even infiltrated by the FBI under suspicion of gun-running and being friends with the actual Gambinos (???).

Back to the song. Protect Ya Neck, I think best represents what they are - a collective of 9 guys with distinctive and diverse styles who are all under the umbrella of the leader of the Clan - The RZA, who demanded a $100 from each member to produce the track. Each of them had to battle to get on the song, and RZA used no samples here except fo the kung-fu bits - he plays everything himself. However, since he had a shitty little studio, the beats sound harsher and bassier, and the movie bits have a haunting echo, which adds to the production rather than takes away. Controversy aside, I think the flow and beats and steam-of-consciousness storytelling that the Wu had has been largely lost on hiphop today to the "suit-and-tie raps". Watch ya step, kid!

Anyways, long post, but I love it and I had to drop it on you guys. Peace out Killa Bees!

Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck

Frank's Pick - Josh Rouse

This isn't really a life-changing song, or one that has influenced me in any profound way. It is, though, a perfect example of a genre of music that is very loosely defined, and means something slightly different to everyone: the Driving Song.

For me, a perfect driving song is one that matches the area you're driving through. Given where I live, the world outside my car is generally very sunny and bright, with flat fields as far as you can see. I love to drive on the prairies in the summer, because it feels so open, which is really therapeutic after being cooped up for a long winter. The songs I tend to listen to on these long drives are pretty much the audio version of a sunny prairie: jangly, great melody, lots of sweet harmonies, generally upbeat.

I auditioned Carolina by Josh Rouse on a recent drive to Brandon, and it will be on my driving playlist for the rest of the summer.

Try it out...wait for a sunny day, leave the city, and crank this song. You'll see what I mean.....

Josh Rouse - Carolina

Tyler's Pick - Coconut Records

My pick for this month is from Jason Schwartzman's solo music project, Coconut Records.

I first heard this song on 92.9 KICK FM here in Winnipeg, even though I'd heard of Coconut Records at least a couple months ago. I guess I didn't look into it then, because I always thought Phantom Planet, Schwartzman's former band, was just okay. So, while I found it interesting that he was getting back into music, I didn't really assume it would be all that great. But it is.

The song is called West Coast and it's just simple and fun and cute and romantic. It's a great little love song, I guess. I'm not much of a movie geek - maybe Duane and Kelly can attest - but this is just the kind of thing I'd expect from Jason Schwartzman, based on the roles he takes and the movies he's been in. Simple and quirky, but meaningful too, right?

Anyways, give 'er a listen. It's been a while since I've been stuck by a song like this. Unexpectedly in the middle of a conversation, stopping and looking at the radio and thinking..."hmm, like where this is going." So, yeah, lemme know if you feel the same way.

Coconut Records - West Coast