Top 20 Albums of 2008

Tune in Saturday December 27 from 6-9am to hear the New Wave Smackdown Top 20 albums of 2008. We'll count them down in reverse order. Here's my list:

Top 20 Albums of 2008
As heard on the New Wave Smackdown with Marc Hill, Saturdays 6-9am

1. Foals Antidotes (Sub Pop)
This British group may be lumped into the post-punk category, but it’s their sense of jazzy improvisation and musicianship that sets them apart from the pack. And the tunes are amazing from start to finish. The U.S. release adds a couple of bonus tracks, including indie dancehall stormer “Hummer.”

2. Royworld Man In The Machine (Virgin UK)
It seems that every year, I am blown away by at least one release that completely escapes the music media hype machine. Last year, it was Mr. Hudson & the Library. This time around, it’s UK group Royworld. Sure, it’s a crappy name for a band, but this guitar-based pop group is what all mainstream music should aspire to be. Sounds pretty unique to me, but might best be described as a mixture of Coldplay, Queen, Keane, and Electric Light Orchestra.

3. The Teenagers Reality Check (XL)
A concept album, in the sense that the songs work together to tell the story of a night of adolescent lust that ends with a morning hangover full of the bigger questions in life. The electronics and guitars along with a heavy French accent and a bawdy sense of humor make for a winning combination.

4. Santogold Santogold (Downtown)
NYC-based Santi White is the most versatile newcomer of 2008. This album mixes pop, R&B, indie, dancehall and even goth. She does more than pull it all off, she raises the bar for every female solo artist contemplating a 2009 release.

5. Friendly Fires Friendly Fires (XL)
I haven’t heard much buzz about this new UK band that fuses rock and electronics, but it’s full of tracks designed to burn up an indie disco dancefloor. At times, it’s what early Talking Heads might have sounded like if they had access to laptops.

6. Bloc Party Intimacy (Atlantic)
With this third quality album now under their belts, it’s time to let go of Depeche Mode as my official “favorite band of all time” and pass the mantle to this London-based post-punk band that refuses to sit still. Absolutely fearless and uncompromising, they go off in a million directions. In “Halo” they serve up my favorite track of the year, and the late addition of new track “Talons” to the CD release is simply a matter of icing on the cake.

7. TV On The Radio Dear Science (Geffen)
These NYC-based critical darlings liven up their droning art-rock with amazing melodies and tunes. This will likely top many year-end lists, and deservedly so.

8. Hadouken! Music For An Accelerated Culture (Atlantic UK)
Of all the “nu rave” bands (Klaxons, Do I Offend You, Yeah?) this British outfit is far and away the best. Essentially a kick-ass rock n’ roll record delivered mostly via computers and keyboards, Hadouken produces the sonic equivalent to one of those 80s teenage skin-flick comedies, where the parents are out of town for the weekend and the kids have a massive party that reduces the home and the surrounding neighborhood to rubble.

9. The Fashion The Fashion (Epic)
I started wearing this out in late 2007 when it was only available as a Danish import. Unfortunately, it appears the major label opportunity failed to produce any impression in America. Too bad, as this guitar-based group fuses huge sing-a-long choruses to hip-hop inspired beats, producing some of the catchiest songs you’ll hear anywhere.

10. Cut Copy In Ghost Colours (Modular/Interscope)
Australia is now the hottest spot on the musical planet for indie dance bands who apply a heavy dose of synthesizers. This second album released early in the year marries big tunes to all the booty-shaking.

11. Sons & Daughters This Gift (Domino)
The Johnny Cash tribute that was essentially their debut back in 2005 may have been fine for one album, but it was a creative cul-de-sac. This Scottish group surprised me with its sophomore effort: a muscular rock album full of memorable anthems.

12. Girl Talk Feed The Animals (Illegal Art)
Canadian Greg Gillis continues to insist he isn’t a DJ, but his releases sound exactly like what the best DJ mixes aspired to be before the age of digital editing. Laying hip-hop vocals over gazillions of samples from mostly 70s and 80s rock, this makes for both an engaging and head-nodding listen. Favorite part: mixing the guitar break in Heart’s “Magic Man” with Public Enemy’s Chuck D. Pure genius.

13. Cajun Dance Party The Colourful Life (XL UK)
New British indie band that got a lot of press because they are still in their teens, but really, this debut would be an impressive accomplishment from any age group. “Amylase” is another one of my favorite tracks this year.

14. The Cazals What Of Our Future (Kitsune UK)
Another excellent, British post-punk band, but this one gets extra points for their rousing cover of Spandau Ballet’s new romantic classic “To Cut A long Story Short.”

15. Van She V (Modular Australia)
Another fantastic Australian dance band (see Cut Copy, above) to keep you singing in the indie disco.

16. The Alps Something I Might Regret (Elusive UK)
This debut from London-based Brit-rockers filled up the New Wave Smackdown playlist earlier this year.

17. Neil Halstead Oh! Mighty Engine (Brushfire)
Once the main creative force behind Slowdive and Mojave 3, this Brit produces his second solo album. Great mix of dreamy pop songs and chilled-out lullabies.

18. Neon Neon Stainless Style (Lex)
Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys continues to do the unexpected. All-Welsh language album? Check. Quirky solo folk album? Check. Now you can also tick off pervy, synthesized electroclash.

19. Semifinalists 2 (V2 UK)
Second album from UK trio won’t blow you away upon first listen, but the consistent quality of these indie pop compositions is pretty hard to ignore.

20. Los Campesinos! Hold On Now, Youngster (Arts & Crafts)
Another band of British teenagers who are not only indie-cool, they also manage to bookend the year with two album releases: this debut back in February and their follow up in November. I don’t make it to many concerts, but I plan on getting an early start in 2009 at their January 24th gig at Exit/In.

Random Ruminations

These albums are going to make my Best of 2008 list:
Santogold S/T
Friendly Fires S/T (please start touring the U.S.)
Bloc Party Intimacy

I am really enjoying the debut from British pop-rock group Royworld. Man In the Machine represents what I love best about British music: melodic and accessible, yet left-of-center. I've not detected any buzz about this band. They at times sound like Keane, but with more muscle, often sounding very dramatic. I plan to make this the featured album of the week on 11/22.

I am already looking forward to hearing new music from Mr. Hudson & The Library (Kanye West has apparently "discovered" them) and The Rumble Strips in 2009.

I am enjoying the deluxe New Order remasters. 1989's Technique is their greatest album. Every home should have one.

I enjoyed reading the Tennessean review of the Girl Talk show at Mercy Lounge. Wish I could have been there, yet kind of glad I didn't.

Your DJ

Here I am in the WRVU control room during the October 3, 2008 New Wave Smackdown. I'm even awake.

WRVU history pt. 2 A-side

WRVU changed its logo in 1988 to reflect a more modern, urbane look. Kelly (sorry, can't remember his full name), a student at Vanderbilt, designed it. Comparisons were immediately made to the similar black & white vertical motif of downtown 2nd Ave. night spot, The Urban Lounge (the alternative dance club that operated from late 1987 until early 1990, and where I DJ'ed as a VU student from 1988-1989).

I still like this logo. I managed to find one remaining window sticker in a storage box a couple of years ago, and it's been on the back of my SUV ever since.

WRVU history pt. 2

Here's the back of the 1989 benefit shirt. Of course, The Cannery is now called the Mercy Lounge. This a strong lineup of local bands. The Grinning Plowman was a particularly good Goth/doom-and-gloom rock band.
If my memory serves me correctly, we also broadcasted live from the Cannery during the show.

WRVU History Pt. 1 (the B-side)

Here's the back of the shirt described in the previous post. I'd have to say that Jet Black Factory was far and away my favorite from this lineup of local bands, though Bill Lloyd's "Feeling The Elephant" is a true WRVU classic and still makes me sing along.

I had forgotten about Bad Influence, which, if memory serves correctly, was a very cool t-shirt shop in Nashville (was it on Elliston Place?) and is where I bought the "See Dick Flunk" shirt that I loved to wear in high school.

Another note about this old logo. The WRVU business office in Saratt used to have a giant replica of this logo painted on the concrete wall. Since Saratt and the WRVU space was renovated and reconfirgured a number of years ago, it is long gone. Perhaps next century's archaelogists will discover it as they peel away countless coats of paint.

WRVU history pt. 1

This is the April 1987 WRVU benefit shirt, which was held at Exit Inn. This was 91's logo for most of the 80s until a new logo was designed in 1989. Of course, the "Just Say Yes" reference is in reply to First Lady Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" solution to the nation's illegal drug habit. I'm pretty sure this logo was copied from a rock radio station in Hawaii (maybe KPOI)? I proudly had one of these logo stickers on my rear car window in high school.

Fall 2008 update

It's now been a year since I've made the switch from Fridays 6-8am to Saturday mornings 6-9am. I realize that I've lost tons of listeners who were happy to listen to my show while they had to be up anyway on their way to work or school, but who are now sleeping (literally) through my selection. For me, I love the switch, as I really felt I needed a third hour to play everything I wanted to play each week. Back when I was on WRVU as a student in the late 80s, a weekly 3-hour airshift was the norm, so it kind of feels like old times.

I have to admit, that I also am feeling better (read: more rested) on Friday afternoons at work than I used to.

Hopefully some of you who used to listen live, are able to catch the RealAudio archive of each week's show.

Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts on the Saturday morning configuration of the show, or the music being played. Just post a comment below...

On the musical front, nothing has really lit my fire for the past several months. Except for the new Bloc Party album, Intimacy. Even then, I don't think it is a great album, it's just that 4 or 5 songs on it are truly exceptional.

The Best of 2008: a running list

I always try to do a year-end Best Of album list. I usually wait until the last minute and inevitably leave something out. I thought I would list my favorite albums of the year as I discover them, and just add to this post from time to time. Feel free to do the same by using the comment feature.

Sons & Daughters This Gift (Domino UK) -- Scottish group muscles up their sound and ditches the Johnny Cash tribute approach in favor of catchy, edgy rock gems.

The Teenagers Reality Check (XL on 3/18/08) -- Great indie pop from France with electronic flourishes. This is something of a concept album telling a story about meeting girls and being a reflective, if libidinous, adolescent. The European accents rattling off Americanisms like "whatever" provide comic relief (I think it's intentional), but there is also poignancy amidst all the goofing off and four-leter words.

Foals Antidotes (Transgressive on 3/25/08) -- Full length debut from this Oxford UK indie band. I love just about every track and I'll even wait 2 additional weeks for the US release on Sub Pop, because it will contain two bonus cuts (including the incredible "Hummer"). I have no idea what they're singing about, but it's upbeat, very melodic post-punk with a touch of improvisation.

I REALLY like the Club 8 album, The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming, but it doesn't really count because it was released in 2007 on Swedish label Labrador. Is a US release in the works?

Editors@The Wildhorse Saloon

Here's a shot of Editors from a camera phone at their show in Nashville on January 12, 2008. I didn't make it in time for openers Louis XIV, but Hot Hot Heat did a nice job, despite a serious lack of bass frequency in their sound system. Editors sounded great, and they played pretty much everything you'd want to hear from their two albums. Tom Smith's not much for small talk with the crowd, other then a dutiful "thank you" after each number, but we weren't there for the conversation. Here's what I can remember them playing: Bones, An End Has A Start, All Sparks, Munich, Lights, Blood, Bullets, Racing Rats, Escape The Nest, with the encore being Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors and Fingers In the Factories.