Man,
the weather has gone wonky here in Austin. One
day it's freezing cold, and then the next it's hot
and humid. I honestly never know if I should
leave the apartment in shorts or a heavy jacket.
It's bizarre, especially when you consider that it's
freaking December!
Anyhow, let's get on with the mid-point of my list
extravaganza. Enjoy.
#15) Sage Francis - Human The Death Dance
Oddly enough, I don't actually find this effort by Sage to be as good as his
work on Personal Journals or A Healthy Distrust. So, why
did it place so high on the list? Well, it's actually quite simple.
A slightly off effort by this guy is still better than most.
:Sage
Francis - Got Up This Morning:
#14) Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
I've been happy to see the guys show up on a few lists, but I still think
that they will be overly omitted as the year winds down. After all,
they made an album that showcased their trademark epic ways, which was
apparently a problem for some (Pitchfork). Personally, I like to think
that a good album is a good album whether or not the band strays from what
their known for. Weird, right?
:Explosions
In The Sky - Welcome, Ghosts:
#13) Georgie James - Places
This is such a great pop record. From front to back it's packed with a
number incredibly catchy songs that don't just stick in your head for a day
or two. No, they stay in their for weeks bouncing around and causing
you to sing-a-long without even knowing that you're doing so. It's
crazy, but more than worth it at the end of the day.
:Georgie
James - Cake Parade:
#12) Mobius Band - Heaven
Unlike a couple of the artists on this list, I had complete and total
confidence that this band was going to easily skip over the sophomore slump
and deliver the goods. After all, they're great songwriters and they
seem to take a lot of pride in crafting smart and interesting arrangements.
In my opinion that's win-win at anytime.
:Mobius
Band - Friends Like These:
#11) M.I.A. - Kala
Much like how I felt with Art Brut, I just wasn't sure that M.I.A. was going
to be able to avoid falling off the face of the Earth with her sophomore
album. But, as routine would have it I was way off. This album
is wild beyond belief, and I think it's definitely proof that she won't be
going anywhere for a long time.
:M.I.A.
- Boyz:
Top 5 Artists I'm Looking Forward To
Hearing New Material From In 2008
1. The Cotton Jones Basket Ride
2. Why?
3. Cadence Weapon
4. Cassettes Won't Listen
5. Buck 65
You can probably look at that list and figure out on your
own as to why some of those artists have been listed.
However, I would like to point out Why? and the way that
they managed to make the very same list two years in a row.
That's more than a little ridiculous. They need to get
on with letting me hear the full length follow-up to the
brilliance that was Elephant Eyelash. Or else.
-
John Laird -
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