This year's theme seemed to be something regarding reminding me it was no longer 2007. So much of this wasn't expected to be great, but this stuff just didn't even make a certain grade of quality and are unfortunately constituted in a bygone era. This is the 21 gun salute for many fallen soldiers.
Devendra Banhart "What Will We Be" -While it was a solid album (kind of) it didn't hold to a lot of standards and that was sad. The only standard though I'm referring to was a sign of maturity. Banhart has gone four LP's now and seems to make no evolution of refinement or effort, which sadly makes me question his legitimacy as an artist (see Megapuss' album)
Wolfmother "Cosmic Egg" - In 2007 I gained my first employment and found a driven speed of determination that was symbolized within Wolfmother's debut. This reads like Twisted Sister's second album. The majority of band members are gone and most tracks on this album are spun into a mainstream chord form that lacks the innovation previously admired.
Wilco "Wilco (The Album)" - Almost nothing on this shows effort. If they don't watch it, Jeff Tweedy's going to turn Wilco into U2, which is a bold statement but I'm afraid they are becoming a little fucked out, and it shows now... And that's ok. Wilco already has two decades of influence under their belt, it's ok to put down the guitar and call it a day. I won't hold it against them.
Sufjan Stevens "The BQE" - Stevens just lost his mind a little this year. I hated how this tried to be classical and modern. It sounded like new wave jazz and left me a little disoriented. I still have faith, and after reading enough interviews with him, I can tell he knows what he did wrong. I'm just glad he finally told us that he's not really going to the 50 states project. Bring me "Illonois". I can wait for the next mindfreak.
The Thermals "Now We Can See" - The reason their last album "The Body, The Blood, The Machine" was so captain fantastic was because of the passion. It was 2006. Everyone was pissed about where we'd come as a society, and The Thermals were fucking angry. So how do you show passion in a moment of complacency? Well, apparently you can't. This sounded a little too homogenized and the result made me feel a little dissatisfied.
King Khan & BBQ Show "Inivisble Girl" - As you know, I claimed Khan's "Supreme Genius of King Khan & The Shrines" was the best of 2008 (negating MGMT & Bon Iver). It was so god damned good and the BBQ Show showed up. The ironic thing is BBQ Show (depicted on the cover as the octopus) would be great as a solo (and wrote the album's best song "I'll Be Loving You), much like King Khan, but together they seem like an early Jay Reatard EP.
Worst moment: "Tastebuds" Lyrics
Flight of the Conchords "I Told You I Was Freaky" - I was very understanding as to why this album was neither interesting nor funny. FOTC were done after their first season, and I think we all knew that. But with this I felt they could have at least tried on their second LP. It came off as shallow and I definitely felt some sort of hostility towards Sub Pop for their pressure on another accompanying album to the second and final season of their show (although the episode "Prime Minister" might be the funniest thing I've ever seen.)
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