other amazing 2008 songs

Beck - Gamma Ray
Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
Earth - The Driver
Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love For Planet Earth
The Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor
Lovvers - Human Hair
Rolo Tomassi - Nine
Meneguar - Some Other Life
Women - Black Rice

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JCFSFJFL

2008 mixtape yo

here is mine: 15 of about 20 potential amazing songs from this year:

1.Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant
2.Fleet Foxes - Drops in the River
3.Frightened Rabbit - Fast Blood
4.British Sea Power - No Lucifer
5.Maps & Atlases - Witch
6.White Denim - Mess Your Hair Up
7.TV on the Radio - Golden Age
8.Estelle ft. Kanye West - American Boy
9.No Age - Eraser
10.Fucked Up - Crooked Head
11.Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
12.Conor Oberst - Milk Thistle
13.Bon Iver - For Emma
14. No Age - Brain Burner
15.A Silver Mount Zion - blindblindblind

get it here.

i'll probably post the other songs I liked tomorrow

also:

Dear America,

I wish I was an American
because I'd have some pride
I wish I was an American
because I'd have some friends.

Dear America, please can I come stay for a while
My country is getting me down (things aren't working so well over here)
Sure our healthcare is great, and same for education,
But everyone is still very sad.
I see you on the teevee all the time and it excites me
at home all my politicians are dead
You're the land of opportunity, and I'd take full advantage.

I'd hang out with Sonic Youth in Brooklyn,
go take in some art.
Find some mid-west emo, and blues in the south
before going to L.A and
start a band and play at the smell.

In my country we have none of these
Everyone lies and copies each other
And then say the idea was theirs
People this this country is great but I ain't so sure,
maybe I'm missing something,
or maybe.

I wish I lived in America
because the people are nicer
and I know that doesn't mean they're always happy
but I could fit in.
I wish I lived in America,
I'd wear silver and blue
support the Dallas Cowboys
and not be sad anymore

ill do this properly soon but

So, 2008, interesting year you were. More about gigs and festivals than actual records compared to your peers (2007) but you did give us Bon Iver & Fleet Foxes, let alone allowing Fucked Up and TV on the Radio to release hype busting records, and a return to form for British Sea Power! The evidence of course was that, this list was much, much, much easier to compile than last year.

1.Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago















As is always the way with your favourite bands, I first listened to this record the same week that Bon Iver did his UK tour in September. Oh what a fool I had been to ignore his obvious charms earlier, or I could have another contender (I can only imagine, judging from youtube) for live show of the year. Regardless, the point is just as the weather started turning cold, I got listening to this record and, just wow. Every song on this is gold and it is the only record this year to do so. Then I bought it on vinyl and it became official: This is my favourite record of the year. The Long Player format concreted everything that is amazing about this record; a soulful, charming voice, beautiful production and atmosphere that literally sounds like a peaceful snow covered land, and quite simply, stunning songs. Expect this to top many people's lists.



2.Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP















For most of the year however, I was sure it was this that would be top. This isn't to say it was far off Bon Iver; it is certainly a far more challenging record, but it was pipped to the post on approachability, of which Bon Iver's effort has by the bucket full. That isn't to say Fleet Foxes didn't rock the world when they exploded onto the scene, and its easy to see why. This is a fantastically upbeat and summery record (polar opposite to Bon Iver) which both reminds the listener of some of our best past treasures, as well as clearly pushing things forward. I actually in some cases prefer the Sun Giant EP (which is of the same recording session) because it has amazing stand out tracks and takes, a lot less energy to listen to. But really, their entire output this year matches up and is simply divine. I'll be interested to see how other people vote between Bon Iver and this.



3.Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life/The Year of the Pig EP














The Other main battleground in my list other than the top 2 was, much like the premier league, number 3 and 4. In the end though, no matter how Objective I tried to be, Fucked Up had to be third. They just had to. They're my favourite band in the world right now and although this is by no means their best a record; still a very enjoyable and solid one that continues to push things, show an appreciation for Bands like Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine alongside Bloc Party and do things in very much their own way. Undeniably easier to get into than 'Hidden World' (i.e.; the songs are shorter) but no less challenging.



4.TV on the Radio - Dear Science














TV on the Radio are fucking great aren't they? I mean really, really great. There's something really pleasing about this band and everything they do, and this year, they beat the hype that surrounded them and released what I would say is, their best record yet. Some of even dared to compare it to 'OK Computer' in its opaque lyrics and context (a huge superpower of a country going through Change) but it does have some fantastic tunes and some really clever themes, both musically and lyrically running through it, and is, simply, a triumph.


5.British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?














Shit, a British band made the top 5! Yeah, this year I am happy to announce the first of two really excellent British albums to make the list, and this was probably my first really good album of the year. Up until this Sea Power were relatively hidden from me, which perhaps was a help whereas for others was a hindrance. All I know is, this record has some of the best songs and dare I say it "anthems" of the year just through the combination of atmosphere and general feel-good factor.

6.Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst














I never really got Bright Eyes, i'm not gonna lie. But when I heard Conor here was playing an otherwise pretty shockingly bad Reading Festival line-up, I felt I could do much, much worse. Both I and a good friend of mine are happy to report then that this, was indeed a turning point. Conor simply stole the weekend up until that point with one of the most confident and heart-renderingly charming performances I had ever seen, as he and his newly collected 'Mystic River Valley Band' ripped through songs off this record. From there on, this album was a new love.

7.Maps & Atlases - You, Me & The Mountain


















I'm terrible with not following up bands from the past who made an impression on me. For some reason at first (I guess becuase it had been a while) I was not at all bothered that Maps & Atlases (who two years earlier caused a small revolution for me with their Trees, Houses, Swallows record) had a new EP out. I suppose then it is out of good fortune that they were one of the first bands I got to see after re-locating to Glasgow for University, because they reminded me quite harsly that I would be an idiot to let this one go. Simply put, this was just as charming and an even more mature take on their already fantastic niche sound that they had already laid out for themselves, and this cemented their place as a band to take seriously.

8.No Age - Nouns














No Age were a bit of a slow burner for me. At first I was worried about all the hype, then systematically didn't get the hype, then did. A lot of credit has been paid for their work to reinstitate a music scene in their native Los Angeles and I think any situation where a band tirelessly work to get people interested in music again is definitely due its credit. I had pretty much always had the song 'Eraser' on the go but couldn't see much past it, but when it finally did click, it became somewhat of my album of the summer, and a great effort it was too.

9.Rolo Tomassi - Hysterics














Another band who deserves a lot of credit for triumph over adversity is this lot. Tomassi have had to deal with hecklers, their own reputation and worst of all the british music media, but have come out of it looking more mature and ready than ever, armed with this fantastic record where the once tongue-in-cheek game boy sampling band became a very real, very dark prospect.

10.Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull














And Finally, an Earth record. Nearing their twentieth year as a band (or at least, as Dylan Carson under this name) it would be an understatement to say this band have been through a lot. And yet, just from their simple brand of droney, minimalistic music they are still churning out fantastic records each coming from different reference points. In this one's case, its country and gospel music, and it is both fucking heavy as it is eerie and, strangely peaceful. When this record came out, spring was just starting and the sun was starting to get longer, this album it seemed was a perfect accompaniment to watch the world waste away.

best family guy episodes - short list

1.He's too sexy for his fat
2.To Love and Die in Dixie
3.Petarded
4.Barely Legal
5.Death has a Shadow
6.Love Thy Trophy
7.The Thin White Line
8.Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington
9.Peter Griffin: Husband, Father... Brother?
10.Mind over Murder
11.Road to Rhode Island
12.Patriot Games
13.Mother Tucker
14.The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou
15.Blue Harvest

and again

all the time I feel like I'm distracting myself
from the great beyond
like i'm playing up to the fact
that i'll live forever

I'm still scared about everything,
I still don't want to lose
everyone I care about
I guess I still don't see the point.

the question is will I ever be prepared?
Will I ever be ready to accept
what I cannot possibly deny
will it ever stop hurting?

My Home; An Open Letter

I wrote this at work a couple weeks ago; I had enough of British people and particularly at my home so I started to write. This of course aroused the interest of most of my colleagues as if they'd never seen a person writing before. I kinda feel it sounds like the opening to a novel (I feel my influences for this are Dickens' "The Key Note" and Orwell's "1984") but there is no story to accompany it; there probably never will be. SO, this now, I feel, is an open letter to the place I spent my first 20 years (just about) of existence living, just as I'm leaving to go to Uni in Glasgow (another reason why I ended up typing this up here; I wanted proof that I had done it.) I never name the place in question, but I feel its probably pretty obvious.

By the way, for my next project I want to look at the entire subject of "Middle England" and the "Midlands" and its loss of identity.







There is a town to the east that is well known. It is known as a place near our capital. It is considered by many as a novelty; a cheap 'n' cheerful holiday destination. It's understandable to see why; it is remote and unspoilt. There are no major roads imposing themselves, and it is a country of which there are fields stretching for miles in the West, woodland that is stunning in the Winter to the South, a whole system of rivers and canals and broads in the East and, if you go to the North, there are beaches, some of stone and some of sand.
Its easy to forget, as an outsider, that people and work here as well; and not just in tourism. It is, like the South-West peninsula or the far North, similar to those countries on the Mediterranean that people filter, spoil, and eventually, change.
But what of the people? What do these people think and feel given they've chosen a life of isolated calm; like a hermit on a deserted island.
Well, they're often looked down upon by the big cities: as I said before, they are considered, a novelty. The Unfortunate thing is, these people very rarely have an argument to respond with, not a leg to stand on, and the problem I face as a resident of this place is, what am I supposed to feel? Pride? Shame? Both?
Of course, I'm not the first young person on Earth to feel detached and alienated by their home. The Trouble, I suppose, is that the problem still exists. But maybe, it's not a problem. I read something the other day that asked the question; "Why do the best artists (be it in art, music, or any other expressive mediums) come from shitty small towns?". I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the answer is pretty simple. When you've grown up feeling dissatisfied with the surroundings you're supposed to be happy in, it means you begin questioning "Why?" at an early age. It is people like this I sympathise with the most. Yeah, in the big cities, the people who were dissatisfied with their homes go to 'find themselves' and each other. If you come from a big city and can afford the luxuries that constantly brings, you instantly get used to it and see it as a standard of living. This is why they look down upon those who are not, and they are better because they are. But that doesn't make it O.K. This, is what has replaced Classism. On the flipside, those who have accepted a life of mediocrity are often scared or intimidated by those who haven't. This is a major baseline of thinking in the U.K.
In the towns, particuarly the remote ones, people think their choice is the right one (just like those in the big cities) as there is no obvious threat or even at times cultural differences/diversity which leaves people unchallenged and obsessed with themselves and bitter over trivial matters.
Pretty much everyone at home is middle class. There are groups who are worse off and there are groups who are better, but everyone is fundamentally the same (and aspire to be at least one lever higher despite it never actually coming). As well as this, everyone is of average appearance; the rich people are also the pretty people, the poor people are also the ugly, but as the majority are in the middle, they are physically too. This adds to the mediocrity.
The attitudes are pretty consistent too. In some of the outer reaches of the town, into the countryside it was not uncommon for people in this region to be compared to those in the deep south of America. Not many are actually racist or homophobic or sexist (although some are all of those things) but there are some stunningly ignorant views passed down from generation to generation. The extremities of these views tend to vary depending on what part of the country you are in, but they exist. Again, this mostly goes unchallenged because, like most of the country, it is white with the exception of that, here, it is a literal white-wash blanket. The small minority of afro, chinese, indian, pakistani and persians (mostly turkish) there are live an equally quiet life and joing the system in place, reletively unharmed: This is ignorance, not racism.
The town is of no particular religious or political persuasion either; this is the amazing extent of apathy in this place. there are many chruches; one for every sunday in the year, but people go less and less. Before World War II this part of the country was predominately protistent, christian. But, like many parts of the country, the acts of war and new technology took people away from religion, leaving only the older generation and anyone else to be ostracised for their beliefs and upbringing. The trouble though is that there hasn't been a definable consensus since; a lot of the people have ignorant ideas of what people with faith means, but haven't much to answer for themselves.
Politically, there is no clear winner either. Of the small amount who do vote, each party have an equal say. You could argue that this is a clever political statement by these as it shows that. really, every political party is exactly the same and are untrustworthy. But really, they just don't care. The rich vote blue, the workers vote red, the fair weathered vote yellow and, strangely, a bunch of self-imposed "Eco-warriors" vote green. Even more worryingly is that they are in joint power over the country, which says a lot about a place if a nonsensical, unrealistic political party is in power.