5 Acts: December 2008

My Favorites Songs of 2008

100. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Dawn Of The Dead
099. Anthem In - Moving On
098. Calexico - Two Silver Trees
097. The LK - Stop Being Perfect
096. Neon Neon - I Lust U
095. Longwave - Sirens In The Deep Sea
094. Jade McNelis - Comedian
093. Gentleman Auction House - Call It Casual
092. Woodhands - Dancer
091. Finest Dearest - Serious
090. The Republic Tigers - Fight Song
089. Martina Topley Bird - Carnies
088. Ladyhawke - Another Runaway
087. Ida Maria - Oh My God
086. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
085. Head Like A Kite - Daydream Vacation
084. Kleerup - Until We Bleed
083. The Bloodsugars - Cinderella
082. Wildbirds & Peacedrums - The Battle In Water
081. The Whip - Frustration
080. The Epochs - Opposite Sides
079. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Strange Overtones
078. Common Loon - Palestine Everywhere
077. Eulogies - Bad Connection
076. Bellafea - Thornbird II
075. Calico Horse - Happy Placebo Syringe Day
074. Post War Years - Black Morning
073. Rosehips - In Love With The Sound
072. The Dodos - The Season
071. I Heart Hiroshima - Punks
070. Chop Chop - C Train David
069. Cars & Trains - What Comes After
068. Arcade Eden - One Night In Town
067. The Bell - Leave Me
066. Late Of The Pier - Heartbeat
065. Velella Velella - Alex Boom Selector
064. Crystal Stilts - Converging In The Quiet
063. Red Wire Black Wire - I Agree
062. Stricken City - Lost Art
061. The Magnetic Fields - The Nun's Litany
060. Faded Paper Figures - The Persuaded
059. The Raveonettes - Aly, Walk With Me
058. First Floor Power - The Jacket
057. Say Hi - Northwestern Girls
056. Bloc Party - Ion Square
055. Friendly Fires - In The Hospital
054. The Notwist - Boneless
053. Chairlift - Evident Utensil
052. Marching Band - For Your Love
051. The Sound Of Arrows - A Very Sad Song
050. The Kills - Last Day Of Magic
049. Portishead - Magic Doors
048. Pomegranates - Thunder Meadow
047. Lake - Blue Ocean Blue
046. Now, Now Every Children - Not One, But Two
045. MGMT - Electric Feel
044. Love Is Chemicals - Meet Me On The Tarmac
043. Kill Krinkle Club - White Trees
042. Hercules And Love Affair - Blind
041. Geographer - Can't You Wait
040. Gazelle - Jets
039. Air France - Collapsing At Your Doorstep
038. Tears Run Rings - World Upside Down
037. Angel Pier - Sacrifice
036. Why? - The Hollows
035. The Week That Was - Scratch The Surface
034. Jessica Lea Mayfield - Kiss Me Again
033. Takka Takka - Silence
032. Butcher The Bar - Get Away
031. Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
030. James Yuill - No Pins Allowed
029. Foals - Tron
028. Lykke Li - I'm Gone, I'm Good
027. Grand Archives - Loius Riel
026. Mother Mother - Body Of Years
025. Lightspeed Champion - No Surprise (For Wendela)/Midnight Surprise
024. The Verve - Love Is Noise
023. Azeda Booth - Ran
022. Kitty Hawk - Bear In The Morning
021. TV On The Radio - Family Tree
020. Headlights - School Boys
019. Ra Ra Riot - Oh, La
018. Mason Proper - Safe For The Time Being
017. The Stills - Being Here
016. School Of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
015. Zeigeist - Fight With Shattered Mirrors
014. Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
013. These New Puritans - Elvis
012. ultCult - Five Bedrooms Two Lounges
011. Frightened Rabbit - Poke
010. Cut Copy - Lights & Music
009. Johnny Foreigner - Salt, Peppa And Spinderella
008. Crystal Castles - Vanished
007. Those Dancing Days - Those Dancing Days
006. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Modern Mystery
005. The Big Sleep - Sleep Forever
004. Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
003. Gang Gang Dance - House Jam
002. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
001. Cale Parks - Two Haunt Me

Scott of Frightened Rabbit's Favorites

Lykki Li - Youth Novels
The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig!!!
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Gregory And The Hawk - Meonie And Kitchie

Frightened Rabbit on MySpace
Frightened Rabbit on The Hype Machine

Mason Proper's Favorite Albums of 2008

In no particular order...

Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
Faces on Film - The Troubles
Why? - Alopecia
The Walkmen - You & Me
Deerhunter - Microcastle
French Kicks - Swimming
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
Bon Ivor - For Emma, Forever Ago
Pattern Is Movement - All Together

Mason Proper on MySpace

Mason Proper on The Hype Machine

Ra Ra Riot's Favorite Albums of 2008

01. Ceremony - Still Nothing Moves You
02. The Fall - Imperial Wax Solvent
03. Sam Buck Rosen - Hold Me EP
04. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
05. The Virgins - The Virgins
06. The Walkmen - You & Me
07. White Denim - Workout Holiday
08. Marnie Stern - This Is It And I Am It...
09. The Dodos - Visiter
10. Deerhoof - Offend Maggie

Ra Ra Riot on MySpace
Ra Ra Riot on The Hype Machine

Cale Parks' Favorites of 2008

10. Invisible Conga People - Cable Dazed 12"
09. Salem - Water EP
08. Quiet Village - Silent Movie
07. Girls - Lust For Life/Morning Light 7"
06. Arthur Russell - Love Is Overtaking Me
05. Skeletons - Money
04. Hot Chip - Made In the Dark
03. Icy Demons - Miami Ice
02. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
01. Air France - No Way Down EP

Cale Parks on MySpace
Cale Parks on The Hype Machine

Ed of Tears Run Rings' Favorites of 2008

01. Cloetta Paris - Secret Eyes
02. Thieves Like Us - Play Music
03. Auburn Lull - Begin Civil Twilight
04. Moscow Olympics - Cut The World
05. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
06. M83 - Saturdays=Youth
07. Air France - No Way Down
08. autoKratz - Down & Out In Paris & London
09. Julie Ocean - Long Gone And Nearly There
10. Twig - Life After Ridge

Tears Run Rings on MySpace
Tears Run Rings on The Hype Machine

Marc of Azeda Booth's Favorites of 2008

Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Portishead - Third
Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane

Azeda Booth on MySpace
Azeda Booth on The Hype Machine

Say Hi's Favorite Albums of 2008

Eric of Say Hi shares his top 16 of 2008 in alphabetical order...

Black Mountain - In The Future
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Deerhunter - Microcastle
Dr. Dog - Fate
Lackthereof - Your Anchor
Mates Of State - Re-Arrange Us
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Now, Now Every Children - Cars
Portishead - Third
Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
The Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust
The Walkmen - You & Me
Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams
Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Say Hi on MySpace
Say Hi on The Hype Machine

These New Puritans' Favorites of 2008

DJ /rupture - Uproot
Son Lux - At War With Walls & Mazes
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Nico Muhly - Mothertongue
Lee "Scratch" Perry - Repentance

These New Puritans on MySpace
These New Puritans on The Hype Machine

Kill Krinkle Club's Favorites of 2008

Department Of Eagles - In Ear Park
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Peter Broderick - Home
Subplots - We Carved Our Names In Glass EP
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Canon Blue - Halcyon EP
Hot Chip - Made In The Dark

Kill Krinkle Club on MySpace
Kill Krinkle Club on The Hype Machine

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart's
Favorites of 2008

Kip:

Crystal Stilts - Crystal Stilts EP
Crystal Stilts - Alight Of Night
Zaza - Cameo EP
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
Girls - "Hellhole Ratrace"
Comet Gain - Love Without Lies 7"
Pants Yell - Allison Statton
caUSE co-MOTION - It's Time!
The Manhattan Love Suicides - Burnt Out Landscapes

Alex:
Rodriguez - Cold Fact
Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart on MySpace
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart on The Hype Machine

John of Title Tracks' Favorite Songs

Ok, here are top 15 songs in no particular order except for the first one, which is one of my favorite new songs by anybody in a long time...

Elvis Costello - American Gangster Time
Kelley Stoltz - When You Forget
Sloan - Cheap Champagne
Mountain High - St. John Bouvier
John Paul Keith And the One Four Fives - Lookin' For A Thrill
French Kicks - Abandon
El Perro Del Mar - Somebody's Baby
Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour
School Of Language - Rockist Pt. 1
The Week That Was - Scratch The Surface
Headlights - Market Girl
The Points - No Girl
Cale Parks - Some Sew, So Find
Stereolab - Self Portrait With Electric Brain

Title Tracks on MySpace
Title Tracks on The Hype Machine

Finest Dearest's Favorites of 2008

AJ :
Triclops! - Out of Africa
Marnie Stern - This is it And I Am It...

Steve:
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

Carly:
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
The Magnetic Fields - Distortion

Christine:
The Aimless Never Miss - The Aimless Never Miss
Stirling Says - Look for this in 2009. We have so much confidence in this band that we are giving it a pre-emptive thumbs up based on all of the material we have heard from it in 2008!

Finest Dearest on MySpace
Finest Dearest on The Hype Machine

Butcher The Bar's Favorites of 2008

Sun Kil Moon - April
...a beautiful record. It seems that it is impossible for Mark Kozelek to write a bad song.

It's A Musical - The Music Makes Me Sick

"Electric Feel" by MGMT is one of my favourite songs of the year... purely because it reminds me of Prince!

Butcher The Bar on MySpace
Butcher The Bar on The Hype Machine

Panda Riot's Favorites of 2008

Songs:
School Of Seven Bells - Face To Face On High Places
A Faulty Chromosome - Jackie-O

Albums:
Xiu Xiu - Women As Lovers
Mt. Gigantic - Gleanings And Gatherings

Panda Riot on MySpace
Panda Riot on The Hype Machine

Kitty Hawk's Favorites of 2008

Animal Collective - Water Curses EP
Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords
Little Joy - "The Next Time Around"

Kitty Hawk on MySpace
Kitty Hawk on The Hype Machine

Monty Cooper of Clubfeet's Favorite

Album:
Sparkadia - Postcards

Track to play:
Jealousy

Why it's a Favourite: I first heard a Sparkadia track on a mixtape that a friend gave me in London at the start of the year and I instantly loved them. Everything was right - sparse arrangements, driving rhythms and big pop melodies. It''s euphoric melancholy, like sobbing into the back of the headrest of a plane while watching Sex and the City: The Movie.

Clubfeet on MySpace
Clubfeet on The Hype Machine

My Favorite Albums of 2008

20. The Republic Tigers - Keep Color

19. Marching Band - Spark Large

18. The Big Sleep - Sleep Forever

17. Gazelle - Sunblown

16. Zeigeist - The Jade Motel

15. Now, Now Every Children - Cars

14. Say Hi - The Wishes And The Glitch

13. M83 - Saturdays=Youth

12. Those Dancing Days - In Our Space Hero Suits

11. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna

10. Foals - Antidotes

09. Azeda Booth - In Flesh Tones

08. Tears Run Rings - Always, Sometimes, Seldom, Never

07. Cale Parks - Sparklace

06. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

05. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

04. School Of Seven Bells - Alpinisms

03. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

02. Mason Proper - Olly Oxen Free

01. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

Honorable Mention: Albums of 2008

It's been pretty tough for me this year selecting my top 20 albums for 2008. Since I wanted to include so many favorites that just fell under the top 20, I've decided to list the honorable mention ones here in alphabetical order.

The Bell - Make Some Quiet
Bridges And Powerlines - Ghost Types
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Finest Dearest - Finest Dearest
First Floor Power - Don't Back Down!
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Gentleman Auction House - Alphabet Graveyard
Headlights - Some Racing, Some Stopping
Hot Lava - Lavalogy
Lake - Oh, The Places We'll Go
Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge
Lykke Li - Youth Novels
Mother Mother - O My Heart
Pomegranates - Everything Is Alive
Portishead - Third
The Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust
These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
TV On The Radio - Dear Science
Women - Women
James Yuill - Turning Down Water For Air

My favorite records for the year will show up tomorrow...