Best of 2008
I’m a sucker for “Best of” lists. But this years Pitchfork and Wire lists were hardly inspiring. Mine’s probably not either but here it is anyway. When I look back at the records produced in 2008 I’m pleasantly surprised at some of the quality that is out there. This year saw me buy a ridiculous number of records. I discovered the brilliance of the Rune Grammofon label and one of my resolutions is to spend more time posting on some of the great records they’ve released. This year also had me delving back into no wave and trying to better my understanding of krautrock. I’ve dabbled in a bit of a techno, been blown away by Conrad Schintzler’s Trigger Trilogy, bought a shitload of Daniel Menche’s back catalogue, bought everything I could find by Sightings, wallowed in records from Carlos Giffoni’s No Fun label and tracked down great Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and James Chance compilations. I was sad to see the demise of Yellow Swans and to realise that, yes, Merzbow can also make some crap records.
The List.
1. Burning Star Core – Challenger
2. Yellow Swans – Deterioration
3. Conifer – Crown Fire
4. Sissy Spacek – French Record
5. Carlos Giffoni – Adult Life
6. Dead C – Secret Earth
7. Shit and Shine – Kuss mich, meine Liebe
8. Bass Communion – Molotov and Haze
9. Nurse with Wound – Huffin’ Rag Blues
10. Liquid Liquid – Slip in and Out of Phenonomen
11. Grey Daturas – Return to Disruption
12. Moha! – Return to Candyland
13. Dan Friel – Ghost Town
14. Hair Police – Certainty of Swarms
15. Rameses III – Basilica
16. Thurston Moore – Sensitive/Lethal
17. Daniel Menche – Glass Forest
18. Religious Knives – The Door
19. Luciano – Fabric 41
20. Woods Family Creeps – selftitled.
So there you go. What did I miss? What rocked your world in 2008?
Ducks Battle Satan 
January 9, 2009 at 9:56 am
I’ve made a mental note to acquire a copy of yer #1 as soon as possible. As for my top albums, in no particular order:
Grails – Take Refuge in Clean Living
Melvins – Nude With Boots
Alan Bishop & Richard Bishop – The Brothers Unconnected: A Tribute to Charles Gocher & Sun City Girls
Current 93 – Birth Canal Blues
My list is a bit unimpressive and that’s because I didn’t really pay much attention to music released this year but hey, all the more to listen to now, eh?
January 9, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Grails are great – i want to get their latest one and a few months ago i bought “Burning of Impurites” which is not bad at all. I bought the Melvins in the Christmas New year break but haven’t really had a chance to digest it yet.
March 17, 2009 at 12:04 am
[…] I may get around to posting a best gigs of 2008 list but given how huge this one was I have to admit that I probably won’t get around to it. If you’re hungry for more 2008 lists check out Utility Fog, Syscrusher and noisenoisenoise. […]