3 posts tagged “2008”
So I didn't get to hear this album before I wrote the best of 2008 post a couple of weeks ago, but it surely would have been on there if I did. Fennesz continues his brilliant work with his new album, 'Black Sea'. It's full of his usual ambient noise from the future, featuring treated guitar, laptop processes, lots of synth washes and textural noise. The album plays with your sense of time and memory, and is quite a trip.
While 2007 was a very prolific year in music, 2008 was all about quality. In 2007 there was a deluge of groundbreaking and memorable music from the likes of Jesu, Baroness, El-P, Dalek, Hella, Amon Tobin, Film School, Radiohead, Tomahawk, Today is the Day, Cephalic Carnage, Prong, Scorn, Behold... The Arctopus, and High On Fire. Not that there wasn't quality releases in '07, it was all a bit overwhelming. A year later I'd have to say that Film School's 'Hideout' was my favorite release of that year (although 'There's No 666 In Outer Space' by Hella is a fine alternative, and I loved Tomahawk's "Anonymous"), but it's all about what mood your in... 2007 had a lot of great metal too... but 2008 got way more introspective and in-depth overall.
So anyway, on to 2008, where we saw not quite as many interesting releases, but heard some amazing sounds nonetheless. Early in the year, we were treated to The Mars Volta's new album, 'The Bedlam in Goliath'. The MV enlisted a new drummer, Thomas Prigden, who had to fill the large shoes of drumming giant Jon Theodore, and he did not disappoint. The band saw newfound energy, and despite a few weaknesses, 'The Bedlam in Goliath' is an interesting amalgam of prog-rock and cyberpunk blended in with the usual Mars Volta stylistic excursions and inventiveness. The aforementioned weaknesses include a gimmick involving some type of ouija board (or is it a gimmick?) and some slightly iffy compositions here and there (perhaps due to the circumstances surrounding the creation of the album), as well as the worst song in the band's history ("Tourniquet Man")... not to mention some tinny production (probably the major label's fault), but who am I to complain? This thing smokes, and draws you back in despite its flaws. It's main characteristic is that it sounds like nothing else and is extraordinarily unique... and more importantly, it is crackling with energy. Also, there is little doubt that the musicians in this band are some of the best around, playing circles around most cats. One of the most consistently surprising and legendary bands of the first decade of the 21st century.
The next album I became obsessed with in '08 is Secret Chiefs 3 - 'Xaphan: Book of Angels'. It is an interpretation of some of John Zorn's work, a legendary New York City composer. Here we see SC3 mastermind Trey Spruance give 11 of John Zorn's Masada compositions a decidedly worldly, cinematic scope. This album is a bit less creepy and more laid back than other SC3 releases, so longtime Secret Chiefs fans might be in for a surprise. It still has a ton of character and nuance, and sees the band really stretching its musical muscle. The production and musicianship that can be heard is top notch, and I really can't recommend this highly enough. There's so much variety in every song on this disc it boggles the mind, and the compositions are every music school student's wet dream.
Another musically awe-inspiring release from 2008 is Squarepusher's 'Just a Souvenir'. The album is a bit of a departure for the genius that is Squarepusher (otherwise known as Tom Jenkinson, a multi-instrumentalist and programmer)... although he's hinted at this album musically during much of his career. Gone is the dark, brooding qualities of his late 20th century, groundbreaking work. In its place is virtuosic bass playing, a wider variety of styles in his meticulously programmed beats, and a new sense of wonder. For fans of jazz, rock music, and electronic music alike, this is probably his most fun to listen to album to date, yet it's still very challenging and "new".
Now for my favorite "pop" album of 2008, Deerhunter's 'Microcastle'. While I haven't heard the album's bonus disc (which was recorded in under a month to be added to the original release, since it was leaked to the public quite early), 'Microcastle' is full of memorable songs and strangely familiar melodies. The album sounds both contemporary and classic, and is a thrill to hear. This band really won me over with this album, and I would recommend it to fans of everything from Radiohead to 60's psychedelic pop to The Pixies, etc. Lyrical topics include the increasingly isolated and paradoxical nature of humankind, culture loss, and frustrations with life in general (see lyric, "nothing's easy, nothing's fair"); yet the songs exude an overall sense of hope and awareness. Good stuff... I really haven't got sick of this yet, and I think this album will age nicely. Favorite songs include "Agoraphobia", "Saved By Old Times", "These Hands", "Never Stops", and "Nothing Ever Happened".
Another sort of pop release that I thoroughly enjoyed was the new Portishead album, called 'Third'. Talk about isolation... this cd probably drove away a lot of their fans, but I love them even more for it. 'Third' is at times a caustic, claustrophobic listen (sometimes reminding me of experimental or industrial music as much as triphop); at others it sounds almost like classic rock; all the while touching upon their past sound in new ways (especially on "Hunter"). The production is adventuresome and unique, and includes lots more instruments as opposed to samples. Probably one of the best comeback albums of all time. The first track, "Silence" has a weird sound art collage sense about it while still remaining a pop song; "Hunter" is a darkly beautiful, dream-like hallucinatory voyage with a wicked distortion cracking the horizon; "Plastic" has a weird, futuristic quality emanating from its haunted existence; "We Carry On" is just epic; "Deep Water" draws humor from the most unlikeliest of places (a ukelele on a Portishead album? a charming song about global warming? what is it?); "Small" builds itself up into a maelstrom of melancholy; and "Magic Doors" reminds us why we liked the band in the first place. And that's only the half of it!
Now to get even heavier, well, at least sonically. The Faceless surprised me with their second album, 'Planetary Duality'. Absolute technical mastery can be heard here, as well as an astonishing amount of variety for a grindcore/technical death metal group. I would even go so far to say it breathes new life into the genre with its unorthodox song structures and broad sonic palette. The band remind me of juggernauts Cephalic Carnage, Necrophagist, and Origin at times... but definitely have their own take on rocking your face off. I'm not so sure this isn't my favorite metal album of 2008... just listen to tracks like "The Ancient Covenant" and "Legions of the Serpent" and not be impressed with their dizzying guitar acrobatics, impossibly tight rhythm section, and overall creativity.
Gojira make it very hard to decide what my favorite metal cd is this year... aside from the production being a bit too polished, 'The Way of All Flesh' is very solid from start to finish. Expect to hear arguably the best metal vocals of the year, and a band that's at the top of its game. Lyrics are all pro-environment, and thoughtfully analyze the human condition. The vocal effects are very interesting and cool to hear, which really helps to differentiate them from other death metal bands. I really like the songs "The Art of Dying" and the title track (actually, all of them are pretty flawless), and this is great from start to finish. Again, there's a lot of variety on here yet it remains extremely heavy throughout. I really hope stuff like this is what the teenagers are listening to these days rather than cookie cutter mall-core and whiny, emo-metal crap (man I'm starting to feel a little bit old).
I'm not sure how to classify this band, but they certainly are heavy. Intronaut released the great 'Prehistoricisms' in 2008. Tracks such as "Australopithecus" give you an idea of the epic qualities lying within the band's collective creative ability. Expect superb, jazzy bass playing (kinda rare in metal bands), atmospheric guitars that sound way cooler than precursors Isis, and a very memorable instrumental track called "The Reptilian Brain" to close the album out. I'm not sure if avant-metal is the term to describe this, but they certainly have expounded upon the style that Neurosis started over a decade ago. And oh yeah, there's a song called "The Literal Black Cloud". This album is really growing on me.
Another hard to define album that I loved in 2008 is Marnie Stern's 'This Is It.......' (abbreviated). What I hear is dauntingly dexterous guitar runs with peppy, self-help vocals tied together with the nutty and knotty drumming of Zach Hill... and yet, this music still sounds like a singer/songwriter, making it rather paradoxical. Music like this is so inventive that you just have to hear it... you'll probably either love it or hate it, but I think it's heartwarming and indulgent. She's one of the best guitar players I've seen live, putting forth a giddily intense performance. Without trying to overanalyze things, I'll just say this is fun stuff full of positive energy. Get it!
To round out my top 10 albums of 2008 list, I must say that I really enjoyed Earth - 'The Bees Made Honey In They Lion's Skull'. Since it's instrumental, and I have few words to describe it, I'll just say that if you love Americana or Ennio Morricone, get it. They also put on an amazing live show; drumming slow ain't easy. And oh yeah, the great Bill Frisell plays on three out of seven tracks.
So there you have it, my top ten albums of 2008 (no particular order of course). Try to listen to them all... not at once though. That would drive even the sanest of the sane insane. Now, onto my Honorable Mentions of 2008:
Coffins - 'Buried Death' sounds like the tape they are recording onto is lit on fire and someone is barfing on it, all the while smashing you with some of the most intense riffs I've heard in a long time. What a weird drum sound... also, they are from Tokyo, Japan and have songs like "Deadly Sinners" and "Under the Stench". For headbangers only!
Flying Lotus - 'Los Angeles' sounds like Prefuse 73 without the genius, but it still sounds really cool. Very analog and warm sounding, mostly instrumental hiphop. Can't wait to hear the next release from this guy... I especially liked the song 'Sleepy Dinosaur', and his website I linked to is really cool as well, listen to it for yourself.
Jucifer - 'Lautrichienne' might, with more listens, be more than just an honorable mention. 21 songs that span the gamut of rockness... sometimes heavy and plodding, sometimes extremely catchy and agile, sometimes just plain rawkin, all the while making you wonder how one woman and one man can make so much sound (I know this is what everyone says, but it's true!). This is the concept album the band has been promising for quite a few years, and certainly is a huge comeback from their disappointing last album ('If Thine Enemy Hunger'). Best band to ever live in an RV! Check it out if you like alt-rock or arty metal like the Melvins, or just like beautiful women with sweet voices.
Lich King - 'Toxic Zombie Onslaught' (yes, that's the title!) might even be a top album for 2008 contender, but the production is pretty quiet, so I'd have to remaster the album to listen to it more (maybe they're going to release it again for authenticity, just as many 80's metal bands did!). That said, this is some very funny thrash metal, oozing energy and attitude. It can get a little sloppy at times, but for the most part these dudes just flat out shred. The lyrics are friggin hillarious... although if you don't listen to thrash, play Dungeons and Dragons, or take black metal too seriously, I don't think you'll find it all that entertaining. Too bad for you.
Krallice - 'Krallice' is the debut album from two virtuoso underground musicians (Mick Barr of Crom-Tech and Orthrelm and Colin Marston of Behold... the Arctopus and Disrhythmia) putting together a black metal project... which both sounds like black metal and doesn't... let's just say that all you need to hear is a little "Wretched Wisdom" to be enthralled by this band's daunting powers. Probably the most dark and epic metal song of the year, I'll wager that their second album will be a masterpiece. "Energy Chasms" also is one of the best metal songs I've heard all year.
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - 'The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange' and 'Calibration' were both very good instrumental guitar recordings, edits of studio and musical explorations by one of the best guitarists of our times (he's also in Mars Volta). They sound like snippets of some kind of greater, underlying soundscape that is just now surfacing, yet is rooted in the past. Great, great "background" music, since it sort of has a cinematic sound. Also, I just picked up another one called 'Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus' that's also from 2008... I'm about to give it a listen.
Septic Flesh - 'Communion' is on here because it reminds me of why I like metal: because it is disturbing and scary. Don't listen to this if you are easily frightened, perturbed, or are prone to nightmares. Heck, even I have hardly listened to this, and I'm used to fucked up shit.
Esoteric - 'The Maniacal Vale' is another one that is just darnright scary and disturbing... but in a more slow, atmospheric way with more subtle keyboards. It's the sound of a mind unraveling, of a world gone mad, of the most blood gargling vocals I've ever heard. This is a daunting, 2 cd album of heavy dementia and at times dark beauty... it sounds both natural and alien, and has songs that will pummel you with funereal doom, since they are often around 20 minutes long (yet don't really get boring).
Asva - 'What You Don't Know Is Frontier' is in much the same vein as Esoteric... Expect really long, heavy, even a little bit artsy 'metal' for lack of a better word. Very focused on texture, also like Esoteric's 'Maniacal Vale'... this one is maybe slightly less subtle, and has no vocals for the most part, but makes up for this by having a freakin Hammond B-3 organ and synthesizers on different songs. Steer away if you're claustrophobic or not into textural explorations.
The Melvins - 'Nude With Boots' if you don't know the Melvins, this is a good place to start
Origin - Antithesis is really really fricken fast. They get kudos just for that.
Zach Hill - Astrological Straits is really really weird. ditto
That about sums it up, 2008 was quite a year for music... again, here's my favorite albums (in no particular order):
- Portishead - 'Third'
- The Faceless - 'Planetary Duality'
- Marnie Stern - 'This Is It......'
- Deerhunter - 'Microcastle'
- The Mars Volta - 'The Bedlam in Goliath'
- Secret Chiefs 3 - 'Xaphan: Book of Angels'
- Intronaut - 'Prehistoricisms'
- Gojira - 'The Way of All Flesh'
- Squarepusher - 'Just A Souvenir'
- Earth - 'The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull'
Another baseball season went by, even faster than usual this time. It seems like not so long ago that I was so happy that spring training had begun, and to see who would win out positions on the competitive St. Louis Cardinals spring training camp. The team had a lot of question marks at the beginning of the season, so spring training was almost as exciting as the rest of the season; actually, it was more interesting than the end of the Cardinals' season. The team had worked itself up into a foaming rabid beast flying out of the gates, but unfortunately, the first game of the season was rained out despite a great opening performance from the pitching and an Albert Pujols home run, and a lethargic looking Rockies still suffering from World Series hangover.
That rainout sort of predicted the way the season would go, close but no cigar. The Cardinals pretty much outperformed most people's predictions, both sportswriter and hyper-informed fan, but not mine. I picked the team to win about 90 games, which they came very near to doing. The team finished half a game out of third place, due to a bizarre late season surge by the Houston Astros (should we be surprised by this any longer? It seems to be their MO in recent history). The half game lead from the Astros was caused by the Big Hurricane of '08, which threatened Houston and flooded the area with surging waters and fearsome winds. They would have had to play the Cubs if necessary, so I think we can agree the Cardinals tied for 3rd place. Not to mention the ridiculousness of playing Adam Kennedy in the outfield more than a couple of games... avoiding that alone would have remedied the problem.
One of the real problems with the Cardinals remained, alongside previous years, the injury problem. Who knows why this is, but maybe it has something to do with stubborness. Cardinals fans watched as key players such as Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter sat by on the sidelines, subdued by injury problems that may have been avoided, if they weren't the team's main go to guys for winning games. Both of these guys could be the ace of some team's pitching staffs. Surely we couldn't have expected much from Chris Carpenter, coming back from a long term surgery recovery... but maybe, just maybe, he should have waited a little longer for that return. I'm just glad that he didn't push it any more than he did. And the freak injury of Adam Wainwright tearing his tendon in his middle finger is hard to explain. But maybe it has something to do with a situation like the one surrounding Rick Ankiel.
As I mentioned before, I had high expectations for the 2008 season, since the Cardinals had some decent starting pitching anchored by the last minute addition of one Kyle Lohse. And of course someone named Pujols. But I was banking on a dark horse: a breakout season by Rick Ankiel. The ex-pitcher converted to power hitting rocket-armed outfielder emerged as a legitimate offensive threat in late 2007, but was sidelined by an irresponsible news story thrown out there by ESPN for some ratings I suppose (the non-scandal was blown far out of proportion by the media and some baseball fans; during the time Ankiel used small amounts of human growth hormone, it was not banned from major league baseball, and it has not yet been proven that it actually helps with hitting). Instead, we were pleasantly surprised by a scorching season from out of nowhere by Ryan Ludwick, but back to those injuries....
Ankiel basically played with a sports hernia for a few weeks, maybe around a month. He was given a few more off-days to rest, and didn't play for a while, but was never designated for the disabled list. A very bad move really, since the Cardinals suffer from the strange problem of having too many good outfielders. Actually, it's a nice problem to have; but alas, the Cardinals didn't use it to their advantage. And if it was Rick Ankiel saying he could play when he was badly injured, the team needs to learn something about the tough-guy attitude. It's happened too much to this team. This was one of the many things I am at a loss to explain about the '08 Cardinals season, but nothing was as bad as the fall of Jason Isringhausen.
I really don't know what happened to the guy, except that he's had so many injuries and is getting too old and worn out to compete at the major league level anymore. The problem being is that he is such a competitor he doesn't know when to stop, and the team were too stubborn to take him out of his traditional role (which he is handsomely paid for). Had the organization acted faster in realizing that Isringhausen, or Izzy for short, was costing them wins the team would have been the story of the year... but cost them he did; I think it's safe to say that his performance cost them playoff berth. And he had the tantrums and damaged finger to show it, after punching a tv screen I believe. There's just no excuse for this, other than avoidable drama that can somehow happen to anyone, human error I guess...
But onto the more positive aspects of the 2008 season: Albert Pujols' absolute domination of The Art of Hitting. Pujols is by far the most complete hitter in the major leagues, and 2008 was possibly his greatest season, pretty much guaranteeing him a spot in the Hall of Fame, arguably even before he has hit his peak. Pujols, like much of the team, was injured during the season (he pulled his calf muscle) and played through pain in his elbow (at least in part due to ligaments with small tears in them) as he has done since 2003. No hitter can match the combination of plate discipline (the guy hardly ever strikes out), power (he's hit well over 30 home runs every year in his short career), and constistency that Pujols exemplifies. And let it not be an afterthought that Albert Pujols is one of the best defenders in the major leagues, playing arguably better defense at first base than anyone in the game. Very few players have deserved the MVP Award as much as Pujols deserved his in '08. I wonder how much better a season he would have had if he wasn't hurt for a few weeks? Unbelievable. And oh yeah, he even played a little second base.
Ryan Ludwick's breakthrough season was a close second in good stories from the Cardinal's 2008. Ludwick's Slugging Percentage was second to only MVP Albert Pujols', both leading the majors. He hit just as many home runs, and while he didn't hit for quite the batting average as Albert, he absolutely tore the cover off the ball, blasting line drive after line drive after homerun all season long. He also played a decent outfield and even filled in in CF. To wrap things up, Troy Glaus impressed over at third base, aptly replacing Scott Rolen at the hot corner while outhitting the guy by quite a fair margin. Had Ankiel stayed healthy (as well as Glaus towards the end of the season), the Cardinals would have had a fearsome foursome for their opponents to contend with all season long. But the (sort of) late decision to start playing Ludwick every day multiplied by Ankiel and to a lesser extent, Pujols, being injured, really made it difficult for the Cardinals to reach their goals. The team could easily have won over 90 games if it weren't for all the setbacks and slowly-adapting managerial decisions regarding all the aforementioned reasons...
But oh well, it was a helluva season and I loved it. One of the most entertaining season's in memory, I was happy to follow along with the team, as well as converse with my fellow bloggers over at Viva El Birdos, the best baseball blog on the internet.
