This is a long one...like a double album.

My brain works better when I'm tired. Well at least I tend to write better when I'm tired. Not that i can write good or anything.rofl. God I hate cell phones. Anyway. I'm tired, cranky, heartbroken and angry on this X mas eve. So let's discuss the best music of the year and see where we end up.

I realised today that I just don't give a shit about the top ten structure anymore. This was a growing up experience and a little after school special music chimed in behind me as I thought this.Now to any geek this is blasphemy. But I'm also the guy who things genres are ridiculous...I like Miranda Lambert and shes pop country that doesn't mean if you buy me a Toby Keith record i won't punch you in the face.

Ok back to the point. Why make lists at all. Do i really think The Walkmen put out an all around better record then Wolf Parade and so i should give them a number 5 spot instead of 6. Should I put Kathleen Edwards on as number one because i listened to that record every night this year i healed my heart with liquor and junk food, i listened to it a lot...oi my liver, or M83 because I had maybe the most intimate connection between music and myself I've ever had with my first listen to that record. Or do I act cool and pick cut copy,crystal castles, the doodos or something else with crazy indie cred...Vampire Weekend does not count kids, they were on the cover of Spin fuck them in their river cuomo cardigan sweater wearing faces... I like all that shit. And to be honest the record that got the most plays from me came out last year...Bishop Allen's The broken string.

So why make a top ten list. Why take the time and think this over. Ponder the depths of 1 year of music. I mean really it's just one revolution round the sun.Why can't we just continually discuss what we're listening to day by day month by month and not clog everything into one tiny time period. With that here's my top ten. Smiley Smile.

10. Okkervil river- The Stand Ins...never thought this band could continue to do anything intersting after black sheep boy. But the one two punch of stage names and stand ins is as consistant and meaningful as any other bands out put.

9. It's a tie between 2 EPs. The Decemberists first Bridesmaid issue and Metric's Mainstream Ep. I love the Ep format and once wrote a paper saying that the music industry would devolve back into releasing smaller single based releases with the popularity of Itunes and dumb teenage girl listening habits. Both these albums are great little reminders of talented bands and what they like to do when no one is really listening...i mean how many people reading this knew either these bands put new shit out this year.

8. Lil Wayne- Tha Carter 3. Sorry weezy my broken heart knocks you down. My former romantic interest is in love with Mr. Carter. As am I. We were born literally two hours apart and may meet for the first time on the fourth. Anyway Weezy has put out much better shit.But this is a joke album as funny as any Flight of the Concords shit. Look at the god damn cover. I think weezy decided to give a big fuck you to all the people who don't listen to his real shit, the mix tapes he spews effortlessly....he has put out 8 other albums this year alone. So weezy took the money and ran making a pop album for the ages and the biggest payoff in music history....i'll discuss wayne later.

7. The Walkmen- You and Me. This is a barrage of drunken dizzy just got off a 12 hour shift in the greasy restaurant kitchen where I make barely enough money to pay rent and by food I'm tired stoned and want to fuck but I'm to miserable to get of the couch. Maybe not. But that's how I felt the first time I heard this album. I pulled the car to the side of the road at midnight and just sat and listened. Loud, full bodied screaming howls of blue collar poetry. Beautiful collages of horns strings and echoing reverb drenched guitars. Yes Virginia The Walkmen are back in our lives and god bless for that.

6. Joan as Policewoman- To Survive Yeah this could fit into any 40 year old coffee shop dwelling hockey moms playlist. But this album is sad and sexy and full of this kinda cool 70's vibe. Like I can see that the people making this album had a lot of fun hanging out in the studio. It's not remarkable in any way. It's just good and made me feel good. and yeah it's not cool but i like i also like Rhianna so fuck you guys.

5. Wolf Parade- At Mount Zoomer. I love Spencer Krug and will continue to champion any piece of shit he throws at me...Beast moans...really some on that was baaaaaad. Thank god Wolf parade made crazy pop music listenable again. Kissinbg the beehive would hold the whole album up even if the rest was just static and coughing. A great follow up to a classic album.

4. Los Campensinos! Hold on now Youngster. I saw these guys in california right before i moved back last year. My metal loving roommate took me to the show with his metal loving friends and i was expecting ear drum killing violence. Instead I got unadulterated ear drum killing glee. I imagine that everyone in this band likes candy. They like getting notes from secret admirers and they like playing pick up games of soccer in the park in their pajamas. This album is crazy child minded twee glee. Nothing got me bouncing like a 3 year old more then this record.

3. Kathleen Edwards- Asking for flowers. I already talked about this album. But after a year of pouring over this amazing album I came to this conclusion: I am so very glad I am not a women. The depths of emotion that the sweeter gender must feel would be unbearable for my brain to handle. I can barley handle an average day of ups and downs in my dull male world. Edwards like all those country hard women before her lays out a plee to the male world. Stop fucking with us, you are making me angry drunk and sad and I hate fucking strangers out of spite. No album this year ever put me into anothers head so fully then this one did. I'm sorry Miss Edwards, the men of the world will try harder next year i promise.

2. M83 Saturdays = Youth. Kim and Jessie is the song of the year. I don't want any arguments because you are wrong. You just are. I put this album on for the first time about a month ago. Middle of the night and I was tired and just wanted to get some sleep. I did not sleep that night. I was changed. 6 times in a row i listened to this record. I don't know what it was about that night. It was sort of like having a crazy one night stand with someone who you meet again a week later and become friends. This is the Elaine from Seinfeld of records for me. But it's gorgeous and inspired by M83 lead man's love of 80's films. It's inspired. It's its own world and if you don't get it well go listen to coldplay.

1. Tv on the Radio- Dear Science God damnit I swore.....I swore on my life this would not be my favourit album of they year. I got it I listened to it. I was stunned. It wasn't at all what I thought. In fact let's say this about 2008...If you thought you knew what the album your favourite band put out this year would sound like your a liar. Everything changed. Everything got better. Our idols honed their craft and proved they were worthy of our ears. Tv on the radio did nothing more amazing then anyone else I just think that this album sums up 2008. We are all changed and or changing. The curtain around the world of ours is falling. Tv on the radio knows this. They're smart.There are so many records I didn't mention, this is a safe list really. But when I look back at 2008 I'm amazed. This has been the best year for music since I can not remember. Just under the surface of top 40 are jems in any variety. Every 'sigh' genre got more progressive or refined. Everything changed everything got better. We are lucky for our ears and our emotions. We are lucky we know what good music is.


Ok time to stop typing. Damn this is a long one. Have a good Christmas fuckers.

p.s. so I'm an Idiot. I'm tired that's the problem. I actually didn't put Portisehead on this list. God I am stupid. This was the best album of the year. So ha Tv on the radio. AnywayI'll write another post about this album and why it's a timeless masterpiece later. Sorry portisehead.