Top music of 2008: Day 3

Not only is it Christmas Eve, its also day three of our 10 days of new music from 2008. We’re reviewing two artist each day who's careers have either started or have grown dramatically over the past 12 months. If all goes as planned, by January 1st you’ll have been introduced to a new musician or two to love and enjoy in 2009. And even if I fail introduce you to anyone new, you’ll still enjoy a couple of great tunes each day until the New Year arrives. Have fun and Merry Christmas.

I’m starting off day three with our fifth band, who is likely the most successful band on my top 20 list. Last January, Vampire Weekend released their debut album and became an almost instant hit. They had already been performing around the US and were called band of the year by SPIN Magazine in 2007, despite having never released a full album. They certainly didn't let anyone down once thier self titled Debut arrived. They've spent '08 performing on late night TV shows and touring the world. Certainly one of the greatest success stories of ’08 and I'm certain there are great things to come. As far as thier music goes, it's said that they find thier influences in African popular music as well as Western classical music, but the resulting sound is something very different and refreshing from what we’ve previously heard. Enjoy their so called “Upper West Side Soweto” sound in Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa from Vampire Weekend. (By the way, this video is probably my favorite video of the year. And hear Peter Gabriel cover this song at www.alternateside.org)



2008 also saw the arrival of The BPA, short for “The Brighton Port Authority”. This is yet another incarnation of the great Norman Cook, who was previously known by the pseudo name Fatboy Slim. As The BPA he has only released two tracks in 2008, suggesting plenty more to come in ‘09. Knowing the strength of Mr. Cooks previous endeavors I have no doubt this project will be a great success. Here is The BPA collaborating with David Byrne and Dizzie Rascal for ‘Toe Jam’. (Warning: this is one of my least favorite videos of the year. Despite what seems to be a unique and well executed concept, it’s a little bit much and definitely, beyond a doubt, distracts from the song, which is fantastic.)

Top music of 2008: Day 2

Todays installment of the top 20 of 2008 is a strong one. (Believe me, thier are some on my list I am not so confident you'll agree with me on.) We begin with an indie rock duo that create what they have refered to as 'psychedelic folk'. The duo has been performing and recording together for some time as 'The Dodo Birds', and have just released thier first full length album simply as 'The Dodos' in early 2008. While the critics have raved at the strength of thier song writing, The Dodos have been modestly performing thier music on a fairly massive interational tour. The song featured in the video below is called Fools off of thier full length album, "The Visiter". It's hard not to enjoy them. Read more about The Dodos in this article from the L.A. Record.



Our fourth artist in the top twenty of 2008 is Ra Ra Riot. Thier debut album, The Rhumb Line, was released in August of '08 on Barsuk Records. Despite many challenges along the way, including the tragic death of a bandmate in late 2007, Ra Ra Riot has pulled through and is one of the hottest bands to watch in '09. Here is Ra Ra Riot performing "Ghost Under Rocks".



Stop in again tomorrow.

Top music of 2008: Day 1

2008 has undoubtedly been a significant year for music. An extraordinary number of new sounds have seeped up from the basements of seedy bars all around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Many of the bands that created those sounds have continued on to fame throughout 2008, while others will likely be seeing fame soon. In honor of those who began thier rise to fame in 2008, I've decided to post 2 songs per day until the New Year commemorating these fine musicians and their accomplishments. If you check in daily, you'll have a complex mix of 20 of the best new artist from '08. Feel free to suggest some of your favorites for the list.

Our first video on the list is from a group known as Fleet Foxes. In 2008 the Seattle based band released their second EP, Sun Giant, as well as their first full length self-titled album to critical acclaim. Below I've posted my favorite single from the album. While I do not believe it fully represents the Fleet Foxes sound, I do feel that it adequately captures their brilliant vocal harmonies and entrancing lyrics. Enjoy this article from Novembers Rolling Stone Magazine for more on Fleet Foxes. Give these guys a chance, and if you don't like it right away, watch it twice more. I guarantee you'll be humming this song all week. Here are the Fleet Foxes with White Winter Hymnal.



Our second video today is from a local New Yorker named Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. If you read my blogs often, then you likely know all about MBARs successes this year. There doesn't appear to be anything slowing that momentum for 2008. Having been compared to musicians such as Bob Dylan, MBAR has his work cut out for him. With haunting lyrics and a foot-tapping folk rock sound that draws you in, I don't think he'll have to work hard to meet those high expectations. Check out this article featured in the August issue of SPIN Magazine or just watch the video below. Here is Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson with Buriedfed.



Check back tomorrow for two more songs from 2008.

"Peter Gabriel Too"

So much is happening in NYC this holiday season. A couple of weekends ago I went for a ride on the 'Nostalgia Train', a subway from the 1930's. They've got it operating on Sundays only and only for the month of December. Anyway, I've done my share of Christmas shopping, drank plenty of warming beverages ranging from cider to whisky, and eaten a very large variety of exceptional foods. All in all, I'm really enjoying this season.

For any Vampire Weekend fans out there (which you should all be since I blogged about them often earlier this year) click this link to hear a cover of 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'. In this case, the song is sung by Peter Gabriel, which is extraordinarily exciting since Peter Gabriel himself is mentioned repeatedly throughout the song (okay, maybe not that exciting, but still fun). Fun times. I'd also recommend sifting through the site a little. Alternateside.org is a new indy-rock station put out by local NPR station WFUV. Enjoy.

Black Friday in Manhattan and Other Short Stories.

As I walked from my apartment towards the 4 train I was very aware of my connection to the city. It felt good, inspiring. I enjoyed watching the black Friday shoppers scrambling in and out of the crowded apartment buildings with bags in hand, most of them speaking varying indiscernible languages, something I’ve grown to appreciate about my neighborhood. As I rounded a corner leading to the last few blocks of my short stroll, I saw a commotion on the sidewalk ahead of me. It appeared that some kids had picked this very chilly November Friday to throw water balloons from their 5th story window onto unsuspecting shoppers below. As I walked closer, I noticed that some of the balloons had failed to pop on impact. Only then did I realize that they weren’t actually balloons, but condoms filled with water. I crept by, tactfully avoiding any projectiles from above, laughing to myself as I imagined these kids, left home while the parents went searching for the best Black Friday deals, discovering these balloons and putting them to such good use. I also chuckled as I realized these kids were also likely the reason their parents had this many condoms on hand. No one else seemed to see the humor in it, and many on the street were yelling towards the sky in mixes of English, Spanish and what sounded like Russian. I love living in New York.

I met up with Josh in Grand Central and we headed towards Times Square to grab some food. The day was out of control from there. Often I feel like the city is in control, telling me where I’ll go next or what I’ll do. The days come and go and I barely know what’s happened, but somehow I’ve got everything I wanted and I’ve circled the island multiple times over. This day was no exception. After enjoying a steak in Times Square we headed to Midtown Comics so I could fill my weekly comic quota and then to H&M for some gloves and a hat. The day went on, and we went with it, to Canal Street for new lighting, a new coat at a store in Union Square, new books from a Strand Books at NYU, alcoholic drinks on Ludlow St in the Lower East Side, toys in SoHo, desert at a famous pastry shop in Little Italy, and finally a bathroom break at the Charmin Experience back in Times Square. Considering it was the notorious Black Friday, the city was surprisingly free of the usual crowds and easy to navigate. I think we crossed the island three or four times before calling it a day. Still, with most of my Christmas shopping done in this one day, I find myself pleased with the trip.

See my video below of the Charmin Experience in Times Square. It was a little out of hand for me, and I think it was the only place I went all day that was actually busy.

(video coming soon)