Top Albums of 2008

A years worth of purchasing Cd's.

60. Foals - Antidotes (It just didn't do anything for me.)

59. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges ( I am a little sad. This is a failed attempt at originality. My Morning Jacket was already original, I took me a few tracks to figure out that Jim James was actually singing. Thank You Too! is probably one of the best songs on the album but is nowhere near how I feel about the album.)

58. Lykke Li - Youth Novels ( Just because you get an album produced by Peter Bjorn and John and you are from Sweden doesn't mean you can just throw anything on to a CD. I understand that Sweden is producing tremendous amounts of music but does anyone remember when the UK was producing all this electronic based pop music very few of it was good example The Thompson Twins)

57. Annuals - Such Fun (The album just lacks, i really hope I get my money's worth by staring at the amazing cover art)

56. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell (Another disappointment and only 26 minutes long. It just seems that this was another rushed full length)

55. Kate Nash - Made of Bricks (Hit or miss, mostly miss, few good tracks, but I can only take so much of her heartbreak and someone puking on her trainers, I puked on my trainers several times, I don't bitch about them time and time again.)

54. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (It has very few moments, don't get me wrong this is no one the piece of crap they called Standing On The Shoulders of Giants or Heathen Chemistry, at least they have made progress with Dig Out Your Soul and 2006's Don't Believe The Truth but one of these days they are going to have to go outside their Oasis box suggestion Noel Gallagher why don't you release a solo album, Liam don't release a solo album I am still not fully recovered from Little James.)

53. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All Its Friends (So I am fed up with Chris Martin. Understand one things being the biggest rock band in the world is not being the best. My vote for worst lyrics written in the year 2008 go to Chris Martin for "You can be a big fish in a little pond..... Just because I'm losing doesn't mean I'm lost... Just because I'm hurting doesn't mean I'm hurt." what the fuck is that.)

52. Tapes 'N Tapes - Walk It Off ( After I bought At Mount Zoomer I just found Tapes 'N' Tapes to be somewhat of a knock off of Wolf Parade. The biggest problem is that much of the songs blend in together and it becomes noise with annoying vocals.)

51. Ben Folds- Way To Normal (Ben Folds is always fun to listen to, I enjoyed Songs of Silverman much better, his lyrics seemed less genuine, almost as if he was trying to create a comical break up album.)

50. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue (I like Jenny Lewis a lot. I don't know if it was the absence of the Watson Twins or what but the album was just meh. I don't like to expect Meh from Jenny Lewis she has a lot of great talents and of course she has a pretty face. I will give her kudos on her duet with one Elvis Costello, who appears on this list as well.HOORAY CARPETBAGGERS.)

49. Destroyer - Trouble In Dreams (Gave it another listen not as bad as I previously said, listened to it again and it was not as good as I thought, far removed from Rubies.)

48. Matthew Sweet - Sunshine Lies (Simple equation Matthew Sweet singing like Tom Petty + Matthew Sweet love songs = Sunshine lies. I realize it is unfair for people to expect Matthew Sweet to produce music like that of "Girlfriend." Yet this is still so so so far from "Girlfriend")

47. Sigur Ros - Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (This is another attempt at a band trying to profit from current trends, the album serves best as background noise and blends in all too much making it incredibly difficult to tell one track from the next.)

46. Travis - Ode To J. Smith (It is a little edgier than there last two albums and the boys from Travis are still aware of world problems and sing about them loudly accompanied by hard noise, a far cry from "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" but far better than anything released by any of Travis' megabrit pop peers.)

45. Q-Tip - The Renaissance (I am glad to see Q-Tip doing something good. This a good Hip-Hop album and it features Norah Jones.)

44. Chris Walla - Field Manual (Would the world have been at a lost if US Customs never gave back Chris Walla's laptop? No. The lead guitarist from Death Cab for Cutie does a good job creating a separate identity than that of his band mates, which is probably what I like the most about this album. Ironically one his best songs is the one that has the most Death Cab influence.)

43. Mahjongg - Kontab (Afro-beats galore. This has an incredible electronica-techno 80's influence to it. The debut from the Chicago outfit takes you to the 80's and back to 21st century with ease.)

42. The Verve - Fourth (Richard Ashcroft doing what he does best. Loving Richard Ashcroft but unlike Oasis, The Verve dropped some of there ego to realize that the days of Bitter Sweet Symphony are over and The Verve can't be The Verve of old. Yes they are still at with love and peace but they have realized the 1998 was a long time ago.)

41. REM - Accelerate (Finally an REM Album post 1996 I can listen to in whole. Did I expect Murmur? Hell no. Did even expect New Adventures in High-Fi? Not even. I was expecting something more like Monster, but whole shit was this good. REM is back and hopefully they wont go back to that REM that got completely lost in obscurity.)

40. Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash (Another one from the pretty boy of alternative music, whatever that maybe these days. Dragonfly Pie anyone? Probably the only person I will listen to who play ten minute songs with mostly guitar and few lyrics.)

39. Vampire Weekend - Self-Titled (Pretentious kids from Columbia University. That is plenty reason to hate them. Other than that there self-titled debut is a lot of fun, anther heavily influenced afro-rock album, but nevertheless fun to listen to. This is probably as good as it gets for Vampire Weekend, that is probably a good thing because I would probably hate them if they made anything better.)

38. The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale (It is cool. There name does not lie. Smooth beats, cool rhymes. This is probably the most chill album of the year.)

37. The Cure - 4:13 Dream (It is good to see that Robert Smith and crew are back on track with things after there last self-titled album. This is a good attempt at getting The Cure back to what they do best, even the title is a bit of a throwback to 10:15 Saturday Night)

36. Beck - Modern Guilt (Beck seems to be releasing an album every year. The most impressive things about that is that the quality never seems to decrease. Modern Guilt is another solid album from everyone's favorite scientologist. Gamma Ray is my choice for that one song of the album.)

35. Elvis Costello and The Imposters - Momofuku (This is a good Elvis Costello album in 2008, still far away from a My Aim is True album but quite frankly this is still very good and I applaud Elvis Costello for making genuinely good music.)

34. American Music Club - The Golden Age (The Golden Age is a soothing album but with a disturbing effect that comes from the lyrics. It is a realist album almost as if to say I know shit is fucked up but what can I do about. No one here is going to save you.)

33. No Age - Nouns (I didn't really have any problems with Nouns. Low vocals and loud guitars and drums always makes for a fun time. Sometimes the combination makes difficult to tell songs apart.)

32. Elf Power - In A Cave (I absolutely loved Paralyzed. This is Elf Power we can leave it at that.)

31. Dr. Dog - Fate (I first thought that Fate was boring and a tad bit annoying. Listening to more and more only made me like Dr. Dog a lot and only made me realize that Fate is very well put together album. Favorite song of Fate has to be,"Army of Ancients")

30. Jennifer O' Connor - Here With Me (Jennifer O' Connor can write songs.)

29. Hercules and love Affair - Self titled (The album has fun beats, the vocals are a little bit of a drag and I think bring this dance album down.)

28. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (My favorite rockers put out an album this year, was great? No. There were too many skipable tracks. But this shit still rocks, Magazines, Slapped Actress, Stay Positive. Great Rock band in The World.)

27. The Futureheads - This Is Not The World ( Nothing much has really changed with The Futureheads, they are still British, loud and fast. Sale of The Century is My favorite song of this album. I bought this shit in Canada)

26. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer ( I really like the fact they have a song called Fine Young Cannibals. Go Wolf Parade!!!! I will await a she drive me crazy response)

25. The Music Tapes -Music Tapes For Clouds and Tornadoes - (This is a wonderful piece of art. Julian Koster and Jeremy Barnes lead this Elephant 6 album, that what it really is Carter, Spillane, more Barnes', the saws, the vocals, the horns, the drums, all that is missing is Jeff Mangum)

24. She and Him -Volume One (This album make want to hold Zooey Daschanel for a really long time and tell her that it is all okay.)

23. Fleet Foxes - Self-Titled (This is the album I have listened to the most. Fleet Foxes gave me everything I was looking for out of My Morning Jacket but only much better.)

22. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster. (If there is one thing I can never confess is that I can't dance a single step!!!!!!!!!!!!)

21. M83 - Saturdays = Youth (Kim and Jessie is an amazing track off Saturdays= Youth. Reminded me off My Bloody Valentine except with much better vocals.)

20. The Roots - Rising Down (Its The Roots, The Roots are good, Rising Down doesn't disappoint.)

19. Tilly and The Wall - O (I thoroughly enjoyed Tilly and her wall. It was everything i expected from then and I find the female contingent of Tilly to be very sexy.)

18. The Old 97's - Blame It On Gravity (This was a fantastic album by Rhett Miller who according to Brandon Lee, has the sexiest hips in the world and the rest of The Old 97's I can now say that they are famous for something other than appearing on The Breakup. This was probably one of the more surprising albums I have listened to in awhile.)

17. Connor Oberst - Self Titled (Yes he is Bright Eyes but he is still able to create a much different sound than anything he has done under the moniker of Bright Eyes)

16. Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up til It Was Light (This is kind of like Los Campesinos! but less hyper)

15. The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion (Everyone has heard the Ruby Suns thanks to that Windows Vista commercial. I like what these Kiwi's did, This a great bubbly album. Song I liked that most was Tane Mahuta)

14. The M's - Real Close Ones (The M's are one of the bands that make Chicago a great city for music. Last year it was The Ponys now it is The M's turn. Impossible View is my favorite song from this album)

13. The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride (John Darnielle and another great album. Michale Meyers Resplendent is Darnielle at his best, the lyrics, his multiple tones.0

12. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (I LOVE OKKERVIL. LOSTCOASTLINES IS MY FAVORITE SONG FROM THIS YEAR.)

11. Moby - Last Night (Moby doing the mixing, producing, scratching with the help of Grandmaster Caz, with a wide variation of vocals no of which are Moby. This probably what Play would have sounded like if Moby didn't sing on some of the tracks.)

10. Stereolab - Chemical Chord (This is almost the opposite of what Third is. This more cheerful in every sense. Ecstatic Static is my favorite song off of Chemical Chord.0

9. Portishead- Third (The vocals on Third make me shiver. There is something very daunting about the music on this album. Still probably some of the best electronic/morbid dance music you can find)

8. The Charlatans - You Cross My Path (When I first heard YCMP, I thought it sounded a lot like New Order, then I thought to myself wait, this so much, The Charlatans are putting out music that New Order wished they were making sing the mid 90's)

7. Jaime Lidell - Jim ( Jamie Lidell knows what he is doing and it appears that he is having fun doing it. I have fun listing to Jim.)

6. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down in the Light ( The former Palace Brother member has certainly become one of the elite folk singers out there. Lie Down in the Light is a little more cheery than his other stuff but helps demonstrate his range and is proof where he stands as a folk artist.

5. EL Guincho - Alegranza ( This Spaniard mixes the afro-beats with the Spanish rhythms to create not just fun music but a great atmosphere. I think I would this CD to be played at my funeral just so people would get a chance to hear it and I guarantee people will forget that I am dead.)

4. Spiritualized - Songs in A&E (J Spaceman is one incredible mind. The story behind this is it was written in 2001 prior to his serious illness. J blend in the soft and the heavy with his tails of love and death and makes A & E a joy to listen to.)

3. Lindstrøm - Where You Go I Go Too (The mixing he does is extraordinary not quite as developed as Daft Punk's Discovery in terms of arrangement or as loud as LCD Soundsystem. Lindostrom has developed a sound that can hold its own against LCD and Daft Punk.)

2. The Sea and Cake - Car Alarm (Sam Prekop's vocals are suited for any of the best shoe gazing bands of the 90's but with The Sea and Cake that is not what you get a more experimental album than there previous album, The Sea and Cake throw in electronics that you would find in Belle and Sebastian songs and make it work incredibly well.)

1. Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea ( I always thought they were kind of boring. I liked them just thought they were boring. David Berman proved me wrong.)

Newly On Notice

New people or things on NOTICE!!!!

Iowa City - Iowa city you have now become one of the most loatsome cities in these grand United States. Iowa City you may be asking yourself why you are on notice an on notice list that includes the like of Jason Marquis, Nick Punto, Jew for Jesus and of course Billy Corgan? Well Iowa City good question to ask. Iowa City you are the place where Jim James got hurt. Yes the same Jim James that sings for the band My Morning Jacket. Now you may ask why this is important to me. Well lets see because of you Iowa City (No not really) Jim James and My Morning Jacket have had to cancel their Barack Obama benefit concert here in the great city of Chicago. Hear that Iowa City the great city of Chicago. Oh wait My Morning Jacket have also had to cancel their shows in Chicago, one of which I was going to. You know what Iowa City, fuck you!!!!!

Also on Notice

Jim James - Way to fall and vust your head. Seriously thank you because I didn't want to go to your concert.

My Morning Jacket- Who the fuck plays in Iowa City. What the hell is an Iowa City anyway.

Darkness and Sub Woofers - Thank you for helping cause Jim James' fall in Iowa City.

Sliding down my on notice

Billy Corgan - Way to schedule four shows in Chicago but that doesn't mean you are not an asshole that roles around in white powder before your shows. So in case you were wondering yes you are still ON NOTICE!! Just a few pegs lower.

P.S

FUCK YOU JIM EDMONDS!!!!

Good Bye Sony Headphones.

It was a tragic day in Juan's bedroom today. At approximately 1:30 am Sony headphones were found slain. No culprit has been found or motive for these horrid criminal act.


When reached for comment Juan Carlos Olivares had this to say, "That was probably my seventh pair of those headphones in the past 5 years. I am going to miss those headphones or as I liked to call them Seven. I don't know who committed this atrocious crime but when I find out who did they will pay, approximately 19.99 plus tax."

Sony headphones are survived by a Sony Sync cd player. No dates have been set for the funeral proceeding considering an autopsy is still being done on the headphones.



Sony Headphones February 2007- October 2008 RIP

What the fuck is a Jakub Dylan

Although titled What the fuck is a Jakub Dylan this is actually my on notice list. Yes imitation is the sincerest form of flattery well not in this case I am stealing this from Brandon Lee who stole it from Stephen Colbertwho probably stole it from Jakub Dylan (any chance I get to mention Jakub Dylan I will, althought that is probably the last time I will). Well I guess I will start off by listing ten but I know there are more.

On Notice

10. AC Newman- Lead singer of the New Pornographers. You are a dick and you are not that good live. I have never been to a concert with a lack of emotion and thrill than when I have seen The New Pornographers sans Neko Case.

9. Major League baseball- The mlb is on this list because I am tired of hearing God Bless America. Quite possibly the worst patriotic song ever. seventh inning stretch is fine with me but seriously I am tired of watching Baseball games and going to them and hearing God Bless America. So just stop.

8. Shitty town that surround Chicago most notably Milwaukee and Gary. Milwaukee you are nothing better that a shantytown version of Chicago, although you do have the McRib but that is the only positive. Gary, well you just flatout depress me. Turn some damn lights on or something

7. Canadian immigration - Holy fuck you guys are scary. Little bit of advice to travelers to the great country of Canada, fear 6 foot 3 inch women who work at the custom at the airport. I know I do

6. Anyone involved in the making of Batman and Robin- Joel Schumacer I want to destroy you for this, that movie is quite possible the worst thing my eyes have ever seen. Yeah even worse than the three times I saw the new Pornographers.

5. People who wear scarves/pashminas in 80 degree whether- It is impractical and unneccessary. Just because the pianist from Vampire Weekend does it doesn't make it okay. I must note that he looks weird when he doesn't wear one.

4. Jason Marquis - I am not a Cubs fan but never have I seen a more worthless piece of garbage and waste of payroll than you. this is amazing considering you play on the same team as Alfonso Soriano. Way to go.

3. Nick Punto - I stand corrected. FUCK YOU NICK PUNTO. I blame you if the Twins don't make the playoffs.

2. Billy Corgan - Playing in Hammond, Indiana does not count as playing in Chicago. It has been 2 years since the "Smashin Pumpkins" (or less than Zwan up to you) got back together and you haven't played in Chicago. I will one day forgive you but it doesn't appear to be anytime soon.

1. Jews for Jesus - thank you for trying to guilt me to listening to you by having a mentally diabled person and a blind person read a prayer to me. It just makes me even more grateful I am a pastafarian. Thank you o' grand flying spaghetti monster.