The Top Choons of 2008 Thread!

[boudicca]

Does exactly what it says on the tin, as they say around here. At the time of year when it's customary for The Meedja to draw up long lists to assess the musical worth of the preceding 12 months, and not wanting to break with the tradition of... ooh about 2 years... I thought it appropriate that we on HL should do the same.

So what floated your boat in 2008? Unlike in The Meedja, you don't have to pick songs (or albums) that have been released in the past year or even the past decade - I have a feeling that would be futile here
Anything that has tickled your earholes is eligible, whether new discovery or old favourite.
I'll kick things off....

PJ Harvey - Maniac and That Was My Veil - been a huge fan of hers since I was 12, but had never heard these. Both stunning tracks.

Nick Cave - Loverman, Abbatoir Blues, Stagger Lee and Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow - Also been a fan of Mr Cave since my teens, but have only really grown to appreciate him fully in the past year or two. Saw him live for the first time a month ago, which would have been a quasi-spiritual experience had I not had incredibly sore feet from wearing a pair of ridiculous shoes.

Joy Divison - New Dawn Fades - not a new discovery but has been getting heavy rotation this winter (because Joy Divison is music for a cold day I always think).

The Knife - Marble House, Silent Shout and Heartbeats - once again, music for freezing cold days... icy and strange and more Scandinavian than Ikea. Marble House was one of these tracks that made my jaw hit the floor and made me want to go out and buy everything by them. Sadly not all of it is as fantastic, but good nonetheless.

The Raveonettes - Aly Walk With Me - the CD of the album Lust Lust Lust was given to me as a gift, and this is the track that jumped out at me from it. Always reminds me of a very special person.

Portishead - Machine Gun - Once again, long time fan and once again, the album does not match up to this track (despite the ravings of the music press and Zeno ), but this choon is bangin'.

Roxy Music - Do The Stand and In Every Dream Home A Heartache - I can't believe I went through the first quarter century of my life not knowing these songs.

This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren - had this one for yoinks but have listened to it more this year than ever, as it has special memories attached to it now.

Suede - Killing of a Flashboy, Stay Together (extended wig-out version, thanks Unkle Ja-mes), and High Rising - yet another case of, been a fan since I was a kid but only just heard these. How did I survive?

Oh and last but not least - the whole of FALAA, which I only purchased this summer, thereby completing my Sisters collection. I fully understand I may be burnt at the stake for this admission


Right, so that's mine. Tell us yours

[silentNate]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CMT418TyRiA

[Pista]

You asked for it.
Narrowed it down to 20, but, like Dave in the Fast Show, I keep wanting to change stuff.
So I'll quit while I'm ahead. No clever linkies though.

1. Song To The Siren. This Mortal Coil
Depressing to some, but to me it is possibly the most beautiful song I have ever heard & holds some great memories, especially from the past 4 months.
Can I still write to Simon Bates?

2. Aly Walk With Me. The Raveonettes
I think this was the first choon I stuck on myspam.
The whole album actually sunk deep into me.
I put someone onto this band this year & think I did the right thing.
The feedback on this is pretty fierce, so I'll be sending them the bill for my hearing aid when I order it.

3. A Forest. Ahráyeph (some Cure coming, never fear)
I did a fair bit of traveling this year & will never forget the slightly surreal experience of wandering around NYC with this on the Iprod, whilst on my way to a Cure gig.

4. Smash & Grab. Juliette & The Licks
A real jump around the room like mad song.
If you think my traahsers are nice, check hers out.

5. The Rain Suite. Ahráyeph
Still scares the living cr@p out of me when I listen to it. Truly brilliant.

6. Prayers For Rain. The Cure
Yes, they had to feature, but I mean the 2008 version at Wembley in Particular.
No keyboards, a 50 year old Liz Tayloralike & a Raaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiin that could shatter windows.

7. Maniac. PJ Harvey
Was recommended to me & rightly so. I had it on myspam for a while, which beggared the question "why do you have a track with the line "I need a man." on your myspam page?"
No comment. I am the Maniac.

8. YCBTO. The Sisters Of Mercy
First track out of the "Blaast-o-getter" on 16/8/08
A night, nay, a weekend I'll never forget. Ever.

9. Forever. The Cure
Yes, them again.
Everyone went to the 4 tour shows gagging for Faith & I rocked up in NY & got this beauty.

10. Away. The Bolshoi
Almost forgot this song existed until a 54 track old school new wave collection hit my doormat.
Makes me feel 15 years old, which is a good thing when you're as old as I am.

11. The Scream. The Cure
Yeah, another one I know, but they did release a new album too this year.
& although it's just too damn loud & produced by a deaf person, this track was something that allowed me to vent without physically hurting myself or anyone else.

12. Need Some Air. BRMC
One evening, on my way to play darts, with my iprod on, I launched into an air guitar frenzy to this whilst completely oblivious to the fact I was walking past a bunch of students.

13. The Scream. The Cure
Yeah, another one I know, but they did release a new album too this year.
& although it's just too damn loud & produced by a deaf person, this track was something that allowed me to vent without physically hurting myself or anyone else.

14. Radioactive Toy. Porcupine Tree
In particular, the version from Coma Divine. Not so much a song, more a "legend".

15. Chelsea Hotel. Leonard Cohen
I gave someone a LC disc as a birthday prezzie, as they had not heard very much of his work.
"Laughing Len" is awesome.

16. god Gave Us Life. Half Man Half Biscuit
A moment shared, & a very funny one too.
'ave a banana.

17. Body Electric. The Sisters of Mercy
There was a small debate over whether the 82 or the 84 version was to be on the playlist in Lisbon for the Cure after show party.
We went for the 82 version IIRC, but the 84 one is a killer choon IMHO.

18. Underneath The Stars. Curiosa & Nicologic (cureconnections cover versions)
Having heard it in New York, I was wondering how this would come across as an instrumental & I was not disappointed.
When I got the CD, I chucked it in & it immediately sent shivers down my spine.

19. In The Flesh. Blondie
I'm a soppy sod & this song makes me think about some very special times I had this year.

20. Der Mussolini. DAF
Another track I re-discovered this year.
I used to hit the dancefloor when this came on at the Subterfuge in Brighton & prolly still would if it came on anywhere else.
Reminds me of when I could sink a bottle of newky brown without pausing.

@Claire.
Nice choices there.
Glad you like the Raveonettes.

[eotunun]

I did not discover many real goodies in 08.
The Sisters received their heavy spinning most of the year. Phantom, Flood (both) and Driven Like the Snow probably were played most often.
For the sake of the greater good I received a copy of For Greater Good's album which was played a lot ever since.
During the recent weeks I gave Morbid Poetry many plays. Their songs Babel Falls, Darling Shadow and Children Of The Eighties chuff me most.
Corpus Delicti's Saraband was a pleasant find of 08.
So that was 08. I'll be glad when it's history to be replaced by something better.

[weebleswobble]

weeble's 16 track version

[Bartek]

not a songs- mainly- but discover of bands and/or their albums, so i shouldn't write in this thread, but i will :

Savage Republic (especially Trudge+ceremony and Andelusia from this album) for this for someone distracting eclectic.
Belgian Fuds - for pure beauty and opening me for a new music.
Beck for this for someone distracting eclectic and this kind of melancholy and sarcasm and irony what i like.
Talking Heads : Fear of Music
Job Karma
P.Glass : Glassworks
Brian Eno
Joe Strummer and Mescaleros
Bauhaus : go away white - for a great way to say goodbye
The Who (bootlegs so far) - because i thought that classic rock is boring for me nowadays, how wrong i was.
Eureka Machines : Everyone loves you - because i thought that young bands who tried to play rock are crap.
Tom Waits (bootlegs)
The Clash : Rock the Casbah - dance bitch.
Happy Mondays : Unkel Dysfunctional - dance bitch and laugh about yourself
Rollins Band : Liar. - yes i am

[GC]

Manic St Preachers - 1985

Nick Cave - Jesus of the Moon

TSOM - On the wire/teachers (live HMH 2003)

Goldie lookin Chain - Guns don't kill people, rappers do

Maria Mena - Just Hold Me

Iron Maiden - Two minutes to midnight

Katy Perry - Kissed a girl (very sad I know)

[psichonaut]

iron maiden - Clairvoyant
iron maiden - the clansman
the cure - play for today
sex gang cildren - shattered room

[mh]

Top idea!

No particular order, and certain that I'm missing some:

Killing Joke - Adorations
I went on a bit of a KJ trip earlier this year, and 1000 Suns (particularly the remaster with the Kimsey mixes restored) still stands out as potentially their finest.

Spiritualized - Soul on Fire
There's better tracks on the new LP, but this one was the one that really said "they're back!" to me. Was I really mad enough to see them 3 times this year? Apparently so.

Magazine - Motorcade
An old classic I found while moving flats, utterly spine tingling, terrifying and threatening all in one.

Sisters - Reptile House EP
I think one of my work colleagues put it best: "it's getting more festive around here by the minute!"

Siouxsie - Hong Kong Garden
Sioux-perb! Gig of the year for me.

The Mumbles - Streets of Grey
How could I not? The HL yoof's finest crew with one of their finest numbers, soundtrack to an utterly depressing rainy summer.

UK Decay - Werewolf
Someday this will be reissued on CD and you'll all get to hear it properly. Sure it's got similarities to Bela, but it's so much better. Turntable squatter of the year round my way.

Loop - Fever Knife
Reissued at last! Beautiful stuff from one of my favourite ever bands.

That's about all I can think of for now.

[Ramone]

Somebody get Doc Brown on the 'phone, meet me down at Twin Pines Mall and fire up the DeLorean and prepare for 1.21 Jiggwatts of raw power.... Hello 1985 !

I'm quite embarrased to say that I bought quite a few new CD's this year ( not reissues I may add) and feel a bit out of the 'Back in my day loop' of late.

I'm going Back to the Future...

[weebleswobble]

Somebody get Doc Brown on the 'phone, meet me down at Twin Pines Mall and fire up the DeLorean and prepare for 1.21 Jiggwatts of raw power.... Hello 1985 !

I'm quite embarrased to say that I bought quite a few new CD's this year ( not reissues I may add) and feel a bit out of the 'Back in my day loop' of late.

I'm going Back to the Future...

How Dare You Embrace THE NOW

past, present, future---who gives a f**k?

[mh]

not reissues I may add

Save it for the judge.

[Thea]

Mike Nesmith's "Tantamount to Treason".
I took it seriously.

[Maisey]

2008 has been a year unlike any other in my entire life, I think my entire world has changed not once, but a good three times. It's difficult to work out what's been the soundtrack to my year, but I shall try!

The year started out at the closing of a period when as far as I was concerned there was no music other than that made by Rosetta Stone. Obsessively hunting down demo tapes etc in order to hear every last scrap of music they wrote was my quest.

At the dawn of 2008 I was still with a girl called Peaches - it's fair to say that the soundtrack to our relationship was Where Wild Roses Grow By Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds. We also had good times watching The Cruxshadows together, which where another band we shared.

I always liked The Mission. But after watching the 4 Final Chapter gigs over the course of one long weekender I truely fell in love with them. I went with a friend who I've known for many years, but it became some kind of shared spiritual experience which seems to have helped elevate us to a more brotherly level. It's not unknown for me to be refered to m*****n Maisey or Little That Guitarist every now & again.

So I went traveling, and two bands went with me. And by the powers that be they both firmly ingrained into my musical heart. The excellent Children On Stun and the legendary Ghost Dance backpacked with me. While I was traveling I got hit on by a Suspiria fan. I was dancing like crazy to her favourite band, even though I'd never heard them. None the less, I enjoyed the tune, made a note and have been getting into them more and more ever sinse.

All through the year, especially sinse returning from down under my focus has shifted from the old and obsolete (musically speaking) to the new and up and coming. Pretentious Moi?, Solemn Novena & Cybercide being 3 bands I've been listening to an aweful lot - having recently added Rhombus to my list of current bands that I enjoy. Rememberence Day is a cracking album, and I always have a great time when I go watch them, especially with Robertzombie.

At the start of 2009 I'll probably be listening to the tonnes of new music I've accumulated over the course of 2008, trying to find somewhere to store the record collection that has outgrown it's box, recording and releasing a record all of my own and watching Vendemmian as many times as I can

What a year it's been - and what better way than too look back on it than than a sort of timeline mixtape

[Qarly]

According to last.fm, the things that rocked me this year are pretty much the same as the things that rocked me last year. Minus a lot of the "gothier" bands which I apparently abandoned in favour of Old People Music.

I refer to last.fm because I can't actually remember. I can barely remember what happened yesterday!

[Izzy HaveMercy]

Stuff witha heavy IZ-Spin-Factor this year, in no particular order but the first two, and added a nice YouChoob vid per artist for your listening pleasure:

- Cynics "Traced In Air" cd. Progressive metal with a heavy jazz-trance-fusion-infusion. The best cd I bought this year, and the best concert the last ten years or so, although it lasted for only half an hour. What mister Masvidal does with Cynic is near perfection.

Cynic - Evolutionary Sleeper

- Nadja - the lot. A band I discovered this year, and still can't quite understand what took me so long. Then again, main Nadja-man Aidan Baker I knew for quite a while, but never really liked his solo project(s). But this... this is ultraslow doominess, somewhere between Type O and Stone Roses... me like a lot!

Nadja - Stays Demons (interpretation)

- Earth got quite some airing here as well, cds as well as LPs. Earth Rulezzzz.

Earth - Plague Of Angels (live)

- Red Sparowes - from all that is post-metallish, Red Sparowes keep on amazing me with a lot of surprising elements.

Red Sparowes - Alone and Unaware, The Landscape Was Transformed In Front Of Our Eyes(live)

- Desiderii Marginis - still one of the best CMI dark ambient artists besides Raison d'Etre.

Desiderii Marginis - Souls Lost (interpretation)

- Explosions In The Sky - this is my favourite road-music of late, soothing yet brooding and all lovely steely-guitar-fiddliness.

Explosions In The Sky - Six Days At The Bottom Of The Ocean(live)


IZ.

[Karst]

This year I liked:

Adam Green - Sixes and Sevens.
Barry Adamson - Back to the Cat
The Black Angels - Directions to see a Ghost
Boy Kill Boy - Stars and the Sea
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Dragonette - Galore
Elbow - the seldom Seen Kid.
The Grid - Doppelganger
The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
Hercules & The Love Affair
Joan As Policewoman - To Survive
The Kills - Midnight Boom
Ladyhawke
Ladytron - Velocifero
Lykke Li - Youth Novels
The Maybe's - Promise
Midnight Juggernauts - Dystopia
Neon Neon - Stainless Style
Pugwash - Eleven Modern Antiquities
Reverend and the Makers - The State of Things
Sa Ding Ding - Alive
She & Him - Volume One
The Shortwave Set - Replica Sun Machine
Sonny J - Disastro
Thomas Denver Jonsson - The Lake Acts like An Ocean
Vincent Vincent and the Villains - Gospel Bombs
The Virgins
Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals

[EvilBastard]

2008 was a bit of an odd year music-wise - I started to listen to new stuff after a long period of stagnation.

Ladytron - largely thanks to Weebl & Bob covering Destroy Everything You Touch
The Lost Patrol - courtesy of Mr. ED
Puressence - because Mr. & Mrs. Quiff Boy dragged me to their gig in NYC
Marillion - was never into them before, but my sister gave me Marbles for my burfdee. Not bad.
Felix da Housecat - having heard Silver Screen/Shower Scene on the Midnight Club 2 soundtrack
Half Man Half Biscuit - got to love LimeWire

[eotunun]

Marillion - was never into them before, but my sister gave me Marbles for my burfdee. Not bad.

Give the first Albums of that incarnation of Marillion a spin, Season's End, Hollidays in Eden, Brave and Afraid of Sunlight.
There are some substantially great tunes on them. Brave as a whole is a pretty strong album.

[markfiend]

Slightly OT, but this:

Joy Divison - New Dawn Fades - not a new discovery but has been getting heavy rotation this winter (because Joy Divison is music for a cold day I always think).

That's because they were from Manchester

Seriously though, Joy Division is the sound of Manchester in my mind; but not the Manchester of today, but the Manchester of the late 70s; urban decay, empty factories, the industrial wasteland that Manchester was in those days.

[Silver_Owl]

Slightly OT, but this:

Joy Divison - New Dawn Fades - not a new discovery but has been getting heavy rotation this winter (because Joy Divison is music for a cold day I always think).

That's because they were from Manchester

Seriously though, Joy Division is the sound of Manchester in my mind; but not the Manchester of today, but the Manchester of the late 70s; urban decay, empty factories, the industrial wasteland that Manchester was in those days.

I agree on both counts. The picture on the bridge in the snow sums it up pretty well.

And as the excellent documentary depicts so well, they were so much a part of the state of the city at that time.

Pic:

[radiojamaica]

I'm more of an album kinda guy, so I do it slightly different: here's my top 5 records of the year-list:

1. A Mountain of One - Collected Works

Not even a 'real' album, but a compilation of their first ep's (hey, I also think SGWBM is the Sisters' best album ) and I just can't get enough of it. Influences from Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Arthur Russel, Ozric, etc and all perfectly produced/recorded/packaged... Good to see somebody's still making records like these nowadays!

2. Grace Jones - Hurricane

The glorious return of misss Jones with the help of many, many old friends: Brian Eno, Sly & Robbie, Wendy & Lisa, Tricky etc.
Gimme likkle bass, mek me wind up mi waist
I'm very much looking forward to her gig in March!

3. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia

A top notch collaboration between 2 notorious nightcrawlers: Greg Dulli & Mark Lanegan.
Deep, dark & moody, just the way I like it!

4. Portishead - Third

Another return to the battlefield, this one. And what a comeback!
Sorry Claire, but you're wrong & Z's right: the album's great!
They were even more impressive on stage...

5. Martina Topley Bird - The Blue God

Martina's latest got a massive amount of airplay on these Jamaican shores and each and every time I wanted to try a new cocktail with it!
Quite addictive, all of this
I also think she's very pretty...


That's the top 5, but there's plenty more of course: Madrugada, A Place To Bury Strangers, Flying Lotus, Quantec, Spiritualized, The Warlocks, The Young Gods, Ahràyeph, Devotchka, etc all came with (soon to be) classic albums or at least they got the head nicely nodding along

Best album of last year remains Burial's Untrue which just keeps on getting better & better every time I dive into it.

And let me end with a chooon anyway: Springsteen's version of Suicide's Dream Baby Dream is just pure bliss and I'm very happy I found myself a copy of that limited 10".

That's all folks!

[boudicca]

Slightly OT, but this:

Joy Divison - New Dawn Fades - not a new discovery but has been getting heavy rotation this winter (because Joy Divison is music for a cold day I always think).

That's because they were from Manchester

Seriously though, Joy Division is the sound of Manchester in my mind; but not the Manchester of today, but the Manchester of the late 70s; urban decay, empty factories, the industrial wasteland that Manchester was in those days.

... and that Glasgow still is today

[Purple Light]

Mostly liked the same as last year...

Sisters - Everything (apart from Detonation Boulevard & More)
Nick Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig!
The Gathering - If Then Else
Mortiis - The Smell Of Rain
Metallica - Black Album
WASP - Headless Children
Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
Sepultura - Chaos AD
White Zombie - Astro Creep 2000
Soundtrack - Devils Rejects
Beach Boys - Greatest Hits
Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits
David Bowie - Diamond Dogs

but a big mention for the best new band in the universe... Eureka Machines!!!

[Erudite]

A last minute entry by the boy Robertson.

Grooving me these last twelve months:

Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah (the original and best, accept no substitutes!).

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - We Call Upon The Author

Bauhaus - The Dog's A Vapour

Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl (As infectious and as embarrassing as herpes)

Imelda May - Love Tattoo (the entire album, not a bad track on it)

Amy LaVere - Killing Him (Noir Country music - fine stuff indeed)

Camille O'Sullivan - Misery Is The River (A stonkin' Tom Waits cover)

I'm sure a track or two from Motorizer would have featured if Santa had remembered to bring me Motorhead's latest offering.

As ever, still in love with The Bunnymen, The Nephilim, The Damned and The Doors.