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Ok, except for the inclusion of TVOTR.  What?  You expected me not to agree wholeheartedly with what was clear domination on the part of Brooklyn’s finest?  Well you expected wrong.  Anyway, as per usual, don’t expect a snarky indie rock list from me.  Expect a musician/engineer and most importantly, fan opinion of what got me fired up in 2008.  I’m sure I left a lot of albums off this list, but, hey, I have a job, and I spend a lot of time making music and having a life (ok, playing GTA IV), so I can’t listen to everything…and I only have 13 lucky slots.  Also keep in mind that my list last year included JAY-Z and GALLOWS (that’s what you’re getting yourself into).So, without further ado(about nothing), here,  in no particular order, but really kind of in order, are the records I spun a lot last year (and some video links)

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13. My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

Jim James and co. never fail to wow me.  They put out four albums of solid southern silo reverb rock before Jim became obsessed with hip hop.  Then they brought the funk for a record or so, and now their on some psychadelic other stuff.  Excellent album, great singles AND they brought their brass even bigger live this year and played Radio City.  Cool points.

12. N*E*R*D: Seeing Sounds

Some of the best Neptunes beats in a while, and tracks that translate well to live performance.  It was good to hear some great melodies on this album, a lot of guitar and mad opportunities for Chad Hugo to pick up the keytar.  Even the non singles (Anti-Matter, boom!) are on par with their best work 

11. Kings Of Leon: Only By The Night

Always, always solid.  This record seems to be finally breaking these homies in the US mainstream.  This album may not be their most high energy, but it is a step forward in making a well very rounded, infectioous album that will move them out of the garage rock ’00s and into a looooong, evolving career.

10. REM: Accelerate

Their best album since New Adventures in Hi-Fi.  I think this album was highly overlooked, but really saw REM truly return to being REM; the rock band with a drummer.  I also heard a good deal of their Monster Era sound and fury on this record…which is something that y’all will appreciate in a year or two when DIY and grunge and post punk circle back.  See you then! 

9. Sia: Some People Have Real Problems 

Wow.  I discovered Sia in ‘07 (not a Zero 7 pun)? via an awesome video that was e mailed to me.  Before that, I sort of thought that her solo stuff would be updated Acid Jazz, and it kind of stayed off radar.  This year, however, I realized that all of her videos are awesome, as are all of her songs, and shows.  You learn something every year. 

8. Snoop Dogg: Ego Trippin 

Way before Kanye did whatever he damn well pleased on an album, Snoop did.  People tend to forget that Snoop is ALWAYS first.  Say it with me now: Snoop is always first.  He sang, he went country, he did what he damn well pleased.  This is another case where the non-singles are some of the best Snoop tracks ever (Dre or no). Deez Hollywood Nights, Press Play (banger of the YEAR), Can’t Say Goodbye, Why did you leave me…all in heavy rotation on the west side.  Just sayin…you prolly aint heard. 

7. Witch: Paralyzed 

J Mascis is my greatest influence on guitar, an idol and an innovator. He has never let me down and never will.  Imagine being a punk kid (like younger than 10) in ‘88 and hearing Dino Jr. for the first time.  Exactly.  This record is a brutal guitar assault.  

6. T.I.: Paper Trail 

So much better than the last record.  I’d like to point out that I called this as his pop breakthrough last spring.  I just smelled so many hits.  Even if you don’t like this album…secretly, you damn sure like this album. 

5. Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III 

Enough has been said.  Defined 2008.

4. Ludacris: Theatre of The Mind 

So many of you slept on the best traditional hip hop album of the year….it makes me sick.  Luda is a beast and this album is ill cover to cover.  P.S. “Everybody Hates Chris” is my JAM. 

3. The Black Keys: Attack & Release 

These dudes didn’t change the two-skinny-white-Ohio-boys-playing-dank-blues formula on this record.  That’s because the formula is PERFECT.  Dirty, loud, huge.  Brooding and exploding.  If it ain’t broke, don’t touch it. 

2. Gutter Twins: Saturnalia

Homes, it’s Lanegan and Duly.  How could this not be a wicked record?  I’m sad to hear that these two are gonna pack it up this year, cuz I haven’t seen them live yet.  Screaming Trees are still one of my favorite bands, and Afghan Whigs were entirely underrated…given, these were both overall musician bands (by and for), but they still put out some outstanding records that broke into the main stream.  So, really, I don’t understand why there wasn’t more excitement about Saturnalia.  Every number on this album is brilliant.  And every aspect of the recording is airtight.  Great compositions, engaging structure, great tones AND tone, great arrangements, well placed harmonies, excellent mix.  You should go listen to it. 

1. TV On The Radio: Dear Science

I know a lot of you hate TVOTR as much as I love them.  And I love this record.  And I don’t wanna hear any of you complain about the vocals…you’re the type of people who would’ve complained about Bowie, or Iggy or Dylan’s vocals.  YOU go write a genius album, produce it and pull it off live…haters. 

Oh and P.S. Honorary Mentions to M83 fo sho.  

Seriously.  ”Cuz every other city we go, every other video, seems wherever I go…I seeeee the saaaame chaaaaaain”

  Berg has definitely been the most marked rapper of the year.  A lot of people trash talked him.  Maino slapped him in public.  He seemed to catch shots at every turn…Even Ne-Yo slagged him in an interview, (Ne-Yo?…damn.  Berg got called out by a dude who wears lip gloss).

 And then there was that chain snatching.  Oh man.  I usually think this stuff is funny, but I actually feel bad about this one.  Since Berg got took for his chain, It seems like every rapper, rapper’s cousin, rapper’s daughter, rapper’s one night stand, cab driver, Kebab stand clerk and high school football team in the country posted a video of themselves on the web wearing Berg’s chain and talking trash.  I think i saw my optometrist rockin it out and dancin’ to “The Business” on Youtube.  And now…NOW…Yung Berg’s chain is on tour.  That’s right.  Trick Trickposted a video today in which he explains how he is taking Berg’s chain on tour.

 Yung Berg’s chain is on tour…without Yung Berg.  OK, NOW, it’s funny again.  Here’s the VIDEO. 

 Ah, the holidays.  ’Tis the season to squash beef.

 Don’t you hate that?  Every December, just when your schedule starts to slack up a bit, when you can take a little time to reflect, sort your life, and dig a little deeper into what’s truly important in life (read: celebrity feuds) everyone decides to be all nice and complimentary.  And I mean everyone.  Even pop singers.

Well I say, Bah, freeeeeeakin HUMBUG to that.  If you pop singers can’t do your jobs and fight incessantly over issues like excess weight and deficient talent, then I have nothing to write about.  December should be just like any other month, and you should continue to work hard at being catty, just as though it were any other time of year.  And I’m not gonna beat around the bush or avoid naming names…I’m just gonna come out and say it.

Katy Perry, you, singlehandedly, through your decent and apologetic statements have RUINED MY CHRISTMAS.

 Remember this summer when Katy Perry described herself as a skinnier Lily Allen, and Lily Allen retorted by pointing out the little known fact that Katy doesn’t write songs (which Lily, as a songwriter, does…to clarify).  Well, yesterday, Katy, in an US magazine interview, ruined what could have boiled into an excellent feud by telling US Magazine:

“Yeah, I made a joke about [that] earlier this year…I was just kind of joking and trying to be funny. I didn’t mean anything by it. Comedians are not necessarily to be taken super seriously.”

Damn you Katy Perry.  Damn you.  A decent pop singer feud could’ve kept me in blog material well into the new year and now…now…with one measly statement, you’ve ruined that.  I hate you so much right now.

Anyway.  I guess I should stop crying over spilled milk.  We’ve got a new year ahead, and there are tons of possibilities for new celeb beef.  Matter of fact, I’m pretty sure we could goad Lily into a pretty decent fued with Lenka, who has, as of late, been unabashedly jacking Lily’s bicycle swag (as illustrated HERE).  You know what, forget Katy Perry.  Hating her is so 2008…I think Lenka is about to go hard at Lily in the oh nine, SON!

And as for you, Katy Perry…I don’t wanna hear you cryin’ when we don’t cover you in the oh nine!  You dug your own grave on this one, sweetums.  As TLC so eloquently put it in that one House Party movie: sorry fo’ ya!  That’s right.  If you won’t fight, I won’t write.  And if the glove don’t fit!  you must acquit!  That made no sense!  

It is a dark day in Hollywood.  Possibly the darkest.  A day that will live in infamy.

 This morning at roughly 6:15 AM, historic gentlemen’s club and pillar of the community, THE BODY SHOP on the Sunset Strip caught fire.  Luckily, no injuries were reported, as all the strippers had left an hour prior to do blow off of Tommy Lee’s genitals.  However, damages are yet to be assessed.

  Forty firefighters responded to the small attic blaze.  Yes, forty.  Should have been eighty.

 Oh, Body Shop, we wish you the best, and I, for one, hope to darken your doorstep again as soon as possible.  You are a landmark, and truly one of our city’s treasures…I will go as far as to say that without you, there would be none of THIS.GET WELL SOON. 

This shyzz has gone waaaay too far when dudes are modulating songs with one note.

 This Jim Jones track in particular is based on what is barely a melody, but is still produced in the same manner as all those other big tom/timpani/taiko+ autotune tracks…and it comes on the heels of all of those Jim Jones interviews we’ve been seeing that are clearly more about Kanye than about Jim Jones.

 I’m seeing nails in this trends coffin.

 But you ain’t got to take it from me…SEE IT FOR YOURSELF…it’s a Reading Rainbow.

   Might I suggest the digital doubler next…it’s kinda badass and I use it all the time.

It’s true.  Check out Mrs. Hova lookin’ right on the cover of GQ Deutschland.  They even dressed her in the ceremonial German Heidi Klum wig.  That’s real love.

But B. even looks right DRESSED AS A COP AND SAYIN’ STUFF LIKE: DRINK BEER WITh THE GUUUUUUUYZZZZ.

First SUBLIME.  Then NO DOUBT.  Now BLUR will be re-uniting to play the summer festival circuit????

 What’s next?

Oh, yeah.  BLINK-182.

Wuddup, 1996! Get in on this beer bong, SONNN!  Dude, 1996, would you get pissed if I made out with your little sister?  Cuz I start JV football and she’s totally down.

I considered blogging this a couple days back, but didn’t think it was that important to you readers…then I remembered that I am, essentially, one of the the mass market’s only links to some serious Kells coverage.  I’m prolly the only company blogger who covers Kells regularly, and, aside from that IFC guy and Bridgette, definitely the only white person who’s genuinely stoked on his acquittal (and not just because white people have wrongly imprisoned soooooo many brown people…I’m half brown and therefore not at all guilty about that shyzzz).

 I seriously think he is the king of contemporary R&B, and I base that on talent, lyrical content, levity, swag, vision and track record both in the studio and in the field of booty reception (but only legal, non-peeing booting reception).

 Aaaaaaaanyway, in an unexpected turn, Kells turned up on the remix for Beyonce’s stellar gender bending ballad, IF I WERE A BOY.  I love the Kells verse on this.  He isn’t lewd, isn’t funny or self effacing…it’s not one of his random freestyles, and, in that sense(though the new, IDGAF Kells is my favorite), it’s refreshing.  He sounds sensitive, young and invested.  He sounds like DOWN LOW Kells…old school.  

 So what do You think? Check out the ORIGINAL  (stuntin in HD) vs. the REEEEEMIX

 Also, The Remix Killer showed up this week on the T-Pain “Chopped N Skrewed.  This one’s a little different.  Both o’ y’all who read this blog know that I equate T-Pain our generation’s Roger from ZAPP…which is not a dig, cuz I love me some ZAPP…but we all know that the autotune is his instrument, but it ain’t Kelly’s.  Kells has one of the smoothest voices you’re ever gonna hear and I don’t know if there’s any point to masking it…but whatever.  He can pretty much own anyone’s style…CUSTOMER? SAME GIRL? IMA FLIRT? Anyone? 

Again, peep this ORIGINAL (in baller ass HD featuring Luda) and rock the A/B comparison with the KELLS REMIX.

Girl, you know it’s true.  Thanksgiving is one of my faorite Holidays.

 I know a lot of people dig the more acive holidays, and that’s cool, that’s cool.  However, summer holidays always fall a little flat for me.  I would never suggest that BBQing, drinking my weight in beer, surfing, playing music, enjoying California’s finest, smallest bikinis and doing all of that other summer holiday stuff is not fun.  I would, however, suggest that there is no reason, dude…ABSOLUTELY NO reason not to enjoy all of that stuff EVERY weekend when the weather is right.

Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is the sort of thing you can only really get away with once or twice a year.  Honestly, how often can I spend an entire day on the couch watching football with my dogs, listening to the first perennial spins of the Motown and Brat Pack Christmas records, and drinking wine I can’t afford while my mom…or someone’s mom cooks up a feast that I get to meal on ALL. DAMN. DAY?  

Seriously, how Many?  That was NOT a rhetorical question.  And the answer is 2.  Just 2.  Is 3 also acceptable?  NO.  There can be only 2.  And Thanksgiving is one of them.
Anyway, as a gift to you, I’d like to share the GREATEST and BEST Thanksgiving video EVER made.  EVER.  In the History Of mankdind.  Ever. Ever ever ever ever ever. 

ever.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. William S. Burroughs:

http://music.pluggedin.com/video/145382400/A_Thanksgiving_Prayer   

This Bizarro world stuff is gettin’ a little out of hand.  Remember when I told you about that goofy promotion that Taco Bell cooked up this summer in which they asked Curtis to change his name, for a day, to 79 cent Jackson in honor of their (effin delicious) value meal?  Well, the lawsuit that Fiddy claimed would result has been leveled, and Taco Bell’s lawyers have come back hard at Curtis, claiming that he is using his public voice to completely distort a good faith offer that would have greatly benefited both parties and charity.
 Whoever let Taco Bell’s private offer letter leak to the public really screwed them over on this one, but at the end of the day, it’s lookin like they could counter sue for defamation and take 50 worse than that Angolan chain snatcher.
Anyway, what’s more interesting about this situation is that, after all these years, hip hop beefs really are bigger than hip hop.  First Jay-Z vs. Oasis, now this?  Damn.
 I still contend that this is, at heart, another battle in the cola wars, being that The Bell is a Pepsi property, and 50 is still heavily involved in the marketing of Vitamin Water (which Coke now owns).  This ain’t beef, it’s war!