Paper Route – Thank God the Year is Finally Over

This EP contains two tracks, both of which are awesome. They are Paper Route originals, and you can download them free!

Download “Thank God the Year is Finally Over”.

Jars of Clay – Christmas Songs (buy it!)

Perhaps my favorite new addition to Christmas this year is the entire Jars of Clay album Christmas Songs. It’s got a very chill, somewhat playful feel to it. Favorite track so far:

Jars of Clay – Drummer Boy

[See post to listen to audio]

Jars of Clay - Hibernation Day is pretty good (Jars original)

[See post to listen to audio]

Jars of Clay - Wonderful Christmastime

[See post to listen to audio]

Jars of Clay - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

[See post to listen to audio]

Reliant K – Let It Snow Baby…Let It Reindeer (buy it!)

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. Punk Christmas music sucks (sorry, MxPX, it does). However, aside from a few songs that rock out (which suck), most of these songs are just an upbeat and fun take on a whole lot of christmas carols (20, to be exact). The album is only $5.00 on Amazon, so it’s well worth it. You can just get ride of the tracks that shred.

Reliant K – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

[See post to listen to audio]

Reliant K - Sleigh Ride (a bit punkish, but fun)

[See post to listen to audio]

Reliant K – Silent Night

[See post to listen to audio]

Reliant K – Handel’s Messiah (had to include this…just because I had to)

[See post to listen to audio]

High Street Hymns – Love Shall Be Our Token (buy it!)

Another solid album this year is from High Street Hymns entitled Love Shall Be Our Token. With a few new takes on some classics, and a somewhat minor key feel, it’s a good change-up. A few tracks.

High Street Hymns – God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

[See post to listen to audio]

High Street Hymns – O Little Town of Bethlehem

[See post to listen to audio]

Anyhow. This album is spectacular from start to finish. It gets richer each time you listen to it (exactly like French food, am I right? am I right?).

The first single – and first track – Lisztomania is so named becaaauuuse:

The term “Lisztomania” was coined by the German romantic literary figure Heinrich Heine to describe the massive public response to Franz Liszt’s virtuosic piano performances. There were allegedly screaming women at these performances, and the audience was sometimes limited to standing room only. (source)

Go buy the Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
– but before you do, listen to the whole of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix right here. And here are a few of my favorite tracks:

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Lisztomania

[See post to listen to audio]

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – 1901

[See post to listen to audio]

Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Rome (my favorite)

[See post to listen to audio]

Phoenix on Twitter

Go buy Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Go listen to “First Train Home” – and check out her video blog and my previous posts on Imogen.

One of the reasons I love Imogen is because of how much she cares about her fans. Follow her on Twitter and you’ll see her constantly replying to her fans, you’ll find her in chat rooms, and you’ll find her music being remixed for charity, and you’ll find her making one 12 seconds after another.

Can’t wait for the new disc!

Fantasies has a very interesting story behind it — a story of real honesty and brokenness, and yet it’s also a story of hope and joy. In the words Metric:

Haines had an epiphany during [a] Phoenix show — she didn’t want to be sad anymore. And she didn’t want to play those songs. So, about 40 minutes into the show, she stopped “Dr. Blind” mid-verse and said just that: “I don’t want to play these songs anymore.”

This album is anything but sad. It can be a bit dark, but never sad. Haines was so sick of the hipster indie scene, that she decided to head to Buenos Aires, and the band later decided to hang out and play in the woods to escape it all.

The video below is a bit of Haines from Buenos Aires discussing Fantasies and why she left North America to get it done. If this video sparks your interest, then you’ll love their bio. As always, a few of my favorite tracks are below, and you can listen to the whole album on the site! And it’s only $7.99 on Amazon, so go buy Fantasies!

Metric – Fantasies – Help I’m Alive
[See post to listen to audio]

Metric – Fantasies – Sick Muse
[See post to listen to audio]

Metric – Fantasies – Gimme Sympathy
[See post to listen to audio]

The first track Little Bribes is an up-beat, if not a bit rock-a-billy, and highly accessible track. I like it right now, but I worry it might get old fast.

The next track, A Diamond And a Tether, is for those you who enjoyed Cath…. It’s got that same style and feel, with a more melodic chorus.

Third track is My Mirror Speaks. The intro almost reminds me of We Looked Like Giants, but it never quite picks up. A groovin’ bass line, and the same dirty guitar tone. They even bring back the classic Death Cab Clap.

I Was Once a Loyal Letter is another more rockin’ track and could be my favorite. It’s perhaps the closest to a Transatlanticism track I’ve heard since that album.

The last track is a demo of Talking Bird and I’m not a big fan of the original, and the demo doesn’t do much to change that.

Here you go! Have a listen to I Was Once a Loyal Letter and A Diamond And a Tether, and don’t forget to buy The Open Door EP on Amazon.

[See post to listen to audio]

[See post to listen to audio]

Check out the the Death Cab MySpace & Last.FM pages for more tunes.

Imogen had an unrecorded vocal section she recorded for a TV show that shall go unnamed (because I don’t know what it was). Rather than throwing the song away, she uploaded all the vocal tracks, the click track, the works, and asked people to remix it. There’s an entire page of remixes from fans. Pretty rad!

Check out the tunes and let me know what you think. And check out Twestival…what a great idea! And checkout this video featuring Beck (which has just become the latest featured video).

charity: water promo featuring “Time Bomb” by Beck from charity: water on Vimeo.

My list is slightly different than most I think…I’m not limiting it to best albums of 2008. Why?

1. I buy old stuff regularly, and I have favorites of this year that weren’t produced in 2008.
2. I’m just not that on top of it to know all the great albums that were produced in 2008 alone.
3. How could bands like New Pornographers, Future of Forrestry and Athlete not be some of my favorite bands this year? None of which came out in 2008.

Here goes, listed alphabetically (honestly, I just don’t feel like thinking that hard):

• The Album Leaf – Into the Blue Again: Such a great, chill, depressing album.
• Athlete – Tourist: An oldie, but a goodie. I finally bought it, and I really dig it. Thanks, Jer!
• Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends: Say what you will, this is a really well crafted album. I love it.
• Copeland – You are My Sunshine: This almost made my “Let Me Down” list; but I’m too biased.
• David Crowder – Remedy: The guy has a gift for producing joy.
• Deas Vail – All the Houses Look the Same: Amazing harmonies, epic bridges, and incredible falsetto.
• Future of Forestry – Twilight: So awesome! Their Christmas EP was excellent, and their album just keeps getting better. Thanks to The Album Project for this find.
• Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Ahead: An amazing find. The song “Hallelujah” is so big, it’s hard to believe there’s only two guys.
• Jack Johnson – Sleep Through the Static: Took me awhile; but I just love Jack and this disc was a bit different; but keeps coming back.
• The Killers – Day & Age: This album just keeps getting better – and it’s pretty diverse.
• Madeleine Peyroux – Half the Perfect World: No better jazz vocalist out there.
• Mew – Frengers: Wish I would’ve known earlier. They’re now a favorite band.
• Nada Surf – Lucky: Still getting to know this album; but so far it’s really good all the way through.
• The New Pornographers: So good! Amazing indie band – guy girl duet with some good funk. If you don’t have this you should. So great…thanks to Chris and Em for these guys.
• Regina Spektor – Begin to Hope: Fun, creative and a breath of fresh air
• Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust: I love everything they do. This is the most joyful album they’ve ever produced – kind of threw me off it was so happy. Amazing.
• Stars – Sad Robots EP: Still one of my top 3 bands, this EP is awesome.
• Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend: Still getting to know this, I’m mostly posting it because of my friends Ryan’s deep obsession for this disc.

Let Downs:

• Bloc Party – Intimacy: I actually enjoy this disc; but I was hoping for more
• Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stars: Not a bad album, I just don’t go back to it often
• Keane – Perfect Symmetry: This is still growing on me; but it’s just not great
• Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns: All sounds the same to me. I wasn’t expecting much after the last one either…not too happy.

You can listen to most of these bands on my mixtape, and buy all of these albums from the music is for lovers store.

What about you? Favorites?

Future of Forestry: Oh Holy Night
[See post to listen to audio]

Sufjan Stevens: I Saw Three Ships
[See post to listen to audio]

Bing Crosby: White Christmas (sorry…I had to)
[See post to listen to audio]

Sufjan Stevens: Put the Lights on the Tree
[See post to listen to audio]

Mason Jennings: Santa Clause is Coming to Town
[See post to listen to audio]

Future of Forestry: The First Noel
[See post to listen to audio]

Future of Forestry: Little Drummer Boy (long, quiet intro…be patient)
[See post to listen to audio]

Jack Johnson: Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer
[See post to listen to audio]

Leigh Nash: Baby it’s Cold Outside

Copeland: Do You Hear what I Hear?

Jimmy Eat World: Last Christmas

If you like any of these tracks, you can buy most of them (except for Copeland) from Amazon right here! I’d also like tip my hat to the Advent Christmas EP – Future of Forestry’s new Christmas EP (and a big thanks to the album project for introducing me to FOF!)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this: NPR’s amazing Christmas Jingle station.

This video is gorgeous and moving. I won’t say much else other than…

• Watch it (in high def full screen preferably)
• Check out the creator’s web site all about this video
  
• Then, go buy the song Hoppípolla off the album “Takk” by Sigur Ross — actually, just go buy Takk!

A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.