2008 has been one of the weirdest years ever. George Bush = NO! Barack Obama = YES! Chicago Cubs = NO! Blackhawks Winter Classic = YES! Economy = NO! Reckless best of lists = YES!
So here they are, we know that you’ve been waiting for them.
RECKLESS 2008 BEST OF LISTS
CHRIS P
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”
SPIRES THAT IN THE SUNSET RISE “Curse the Traced Bird”
DOWN IN JUNE “Covers…Death in June”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
JOHN MAUS “Love is Real”
CHRISTOPHER BISSONNETTE “In Between words”
SPACEMEN 3 “DJ Tones” ep
PORTISHEAD “Third”
REISSUES
MAYO THOMPSON “Corky\’s Debt to His Father”
THE LINES “Flood Bank”
THE LINES “Memory Spand”
IRON CURTAIN “Tarantula Scream”ep
DEAD CAN DANCE reissues
VAN DUREN “Are You Serious?”
MICHELLE
in no particular order
M83 “Saturdays = Youth”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
CRYSTAL STILTS “Alight of Night”
PIT ER PAT “High Time”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle/ “Weird Era Continued”
18TH DYLE “Amorine Queen”
GROUPER “ Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill”
WINDY & CARL “Songs for the Broken Hearted”
WHITE MAGIC “New Egypt”
NAGISA NI TE “Yosuga”
HELENA ESPVALL & MASAKI BATOH “S/T”
WOODEN SHJIPS VOL. 1
LEGENDARY PINK DOTS “Plutonium Blonde”
JOHN MAUS “Love is Real”
JACK ROSE “ Dr. Ragtime & Pals”
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES “The Supreme Genius of…”
RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact” reissue
FIVE OR SIX “Acting on Impulse”
MONOCHROME SET “Independent Singles Collection”
THE LINES “Flood Bank” reissue
EMILY
in no particular order
LIL WAYNE “Tha Carter III”
GROWING “All the Way”
SPIRITUALIZED “Songs in A&E”
CHAIRLIFT “Does You Inspire You”
BLACK ANGELS “Directions to See a Ghost”
BORIS “Smile”
METALLICA LP Reissues
RZA “Digi Snacks”
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT “Motion to Rejoin”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
M83 “Digital Shades Volume 1”
MOUNT EERIE/ JULIE DOIRON – Lost Wisdom (Southern)
NO AGE “Nouns”
OCEAN “Pantheon of the Lesser”
DUNGEN “4”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
T-PAIN “Thr33 Ringz”
NICO MUHLY “Mothertongue”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
VETIVER “Thing of the Past”
Q-TIP “Renaissance”
CHARLIE LOUVIN “Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs”
WARMER MILKS “Soft Walks”
JASON
RUSSIAN CIRCLES \”Station”
NERVES (1975) \”One Way Ticket”
MOGWAI \”The Hawk is Howling”
LARRY NORMAN \”Rebel, Poet, Jukebox Balladeer”
EARLES & JENSEN \”Just Farr a Laugh”
THE MIDDLE CLASS \”Out of Vogue, Early Material”
COLLAPSAR \”Integers”
JEFF LOOMIS \”Zero Hour Phase”
DON CABALLERO \”Punkgasm”
DIANOGAH \”Qhnnnl”
MATT
AIDAN BAKER/TIME HECKER“Fantasma Parastasie”
BROWN JENKINS “Angel Eyes”
CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS/ SOMNIVORE split
DUNGEN “4”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
FRIPP/ ENO“No Pussyfooting” reissue
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer Up A Hill”
GROUPER/INCA ORE split
HELLHAMMER “Demon Entrails”
JAY REATARD “Singles 06-07”
KRALLICE “S/T”
LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
LIFELOVER“Konkurs”
MORKER “Hostmakter”
NACHTMYSTIUM “Assassins: Black Meddle pt. 1”
NASHEIM/ ANGANTYR split
ONE LAST WISH “1986” LP reissue
O.W.L. “Of Wondrous Legends” reissue
THE PEACE “Black Power” reissue
RADIOHEAD “In Rainbows”
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
STRID“s/t” reissue
V/A “1970\’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
WEDARD “Wo Die Ewgkeit Die Zeit Beruhrt”
XASTHUR \”A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors” reissue
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM “Two Hunters”
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House”
Live shows:
IRON MAIDEN
POLVO
RADIOHEAD
BORIS
STARS OF THE LID
NICK CAVE
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
BARACK OBAMA Acceptance Speech in Grant Park
CONNELLY
BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
OAN AS POLICE WOMAN “To Survive”
EARLY WORM “S/T”
THESE WONDERFUL EVILS “Regine Flory”
CURRENT 93 “Nature Unveiled” reissue
LYNN JACKSON “Soft Stars”
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS “Another World”
CAT POWER “Jukebox”
JUANA MOLINA “Un Dia”
THE SMITHS “Sound of the Smiths”
LIZ
BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
JOHN MAUS \”Love is Real\”
PORTISHEAD \”Third\”
SAY HI \”The Wishes And The Glitch\”
MARNIE STERN “This is it & I am it & You are it & So is that & he is it”
IRON CURTAIN \”Desertion\”
V/A “BIPPP: French Synth Wave 1979-85”
SEBASTIEN TELLIER \”Sexuality\”
RAVEONETTES \”Lust Lust Lust\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions to See a Ghost\”
V/A “Messthetics #106
DUNGEN \”4\”
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT\”Motion to Rejoin”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued\”
TRICKY \”Knowle West Boy”
LEE SCRATCH PERRY \”Repentance”
REISSUES
NEW ORDER “Movement”
JORGE BEN \”Forca Bruta”
U2 \”October\”
FRIPP & ENO \”No Pussyfooting\”
BILLY
CHRISTOPHER BISSONNETTE “In Between Words”
NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS “Assassination of Jesse James” soundtrack
NICK CAVE “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!”
JONNY GREENWOOD “There Will Be Blood” soundtrack
SIGUR ROS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
NINE INCH NAILS “The Slip”
RIVERS CUOMO “Alone Part 1”
Bands that stupidly got ignored (by me) until 2008:
WINDY & CARL
UFO (how did I miss them for so long?)
SAMMY HAGAR
PROCOL HARUM
These albums had some good SONGS on them, but I didn\’t
find myself listening to the WHOLE album…
COLDPLAY “Viva La Vida”
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Narrow Stairs”
RADIOHEAD “In Rainbows” (Don\’t believe the hype)
UGLYSUIT “S/T”
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM “Sound of Silver”
JUSTICE “Cross”
HOLD STEADY “Stay Positive” (slightly annoying, but catchy)
REM “Accelerate” (starts off great, then zzzzzzz)
DYLAN
NEW RECORDS
XIU XIU “Women As Lovers”
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS “Here Come the 123s”
NEPTUNE “Gong Lake”
SIAN ALICE GROUP “59:59”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
THE BREEDERS “Mountain Battles”
MARNIE STERN “This is it & I am it & you are it & so is that & he is it”
VIOLENCE OF THE LEFT “Curses”
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS “S/T”
NEIL HAMBURGER “Sings Country Winners”
MEGAFAUN “Bury the Square”
ROOTS “Rising Down”
PORTISHEAD “Third”
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE “Water Curses”
NEW BLOODS “Secret Life”
LAST SHADOW PUPPETS “Age of the Understatement”
ERIC MATTHEWS “Imagination Stage”
PONYTAIL “Ice Cream Spiritual”
WALTER BECKER “Circus Money”
MUCCA PAZZA “Plays Well Together”
SLOAN “Parallel Play”
SIGUR ROS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
FRED FRITH “To Sail to Sail”
FUCKED UP “Year of the Pig”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
ONEIDA “Preteen Weaponry”
GETATCHEW MEKURIA & THE EX “Moa Anbessa”
SBACH “S/T”
METALLICA “Death Magnetic”
DEAD SCIENCE “Villainaire”
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
WOMEN “S/T”
JARBOE “Mahakali”
WHITE MAGIC “New Egypt”
AC/DC “Black Ice”
SQUAREPUSHER “Only a Souvenir”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
LOWDOWN BRASS BAND “S/T”
MY CANADIAN GIRLFRIEND “It Might Even Get Cold”
REISSUES
V/A “Carolina Funk”
MAYO THOMPSON “Corky\’s Debt to his Father”
GARY NUMAN “Replicas”
NICK LOWE “Jesus of Cool”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
VAN DUREN “Are You Serious”
VSS “Nervous Circuits”
MAGAZINE PUBLISHING EVENT OF THE YEAR
CHUNKLET
JACOB
PORTISHEAD “Third”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued\”
BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
MICAH BLUE SMALDONE \”The Red River\”
BONNIE PRINCE BILLY \”Lie Down in the Light\”
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE \”Water Curses\”
ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS \”Another World\”
ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love is Overtaking Me”
JAMES
CONSTANTIES “Kensington Heights”
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DUTCHESS & THE DUKE “She\’s The Dutchess, He\’s The Duke”
FUCKED UP “The Chemistry of Common Life”
PORTISHEAD “Third”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
BLACK MOUNTAIN “In The Future”
SHEARWATER “Rook”
OKKERVIL RIVER “The Stand Ins”
WALKMEN “You & Me”
ONEIDA “Preeteen Weaponry”
DISAPPEARS 2008 7\”s
HOWLIN\’ RAIN “Magnificent Fiend”
BORIS “Smile”
Reissues/Live
BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact”
LARRY NORMAN “Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: Anthology”
V/A “Nigeria Disco Funk Special”
STEINSKI “What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective”
ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love Is Overtaking Me”
V/A “1970\’s Algerian Proto Rai Underground”
FINAL SOLUTION “Brotherman” soundtrack
THE CLEAN “Anthology”
SKIP JAMES “1931 Sessions”
IRMA THOMAS “Sings”
JOHN PHILLIPS “John The Wolf King of L.A.”
THE CLASH “Live at Shea Stadium”
THE RATS “S/T”
ROBBIE
PORTISHEAD “Third”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
LEE SCRATCH PERRY “Repentance”
DUNGEN “4”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
ERIC MATTHEWS “Imagination Stage”
DAVID VANDERVELDE “Waiting for the Sunrise”
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT “Motion to Rejoin”
JOHN MAUS “Love is Real”
BLACK MOUNTAIN “In the Future”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)
SLOAN “Parallel Play”
REISSUE OF THE YEAR:
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
BAND I JUST DISCOVERED THIS YEAR:
BADFINGER
MOVIE OF THE YEAR:
WALL-E
GAR
CLASH \”Live at Shea Stadium\”
DAVID BOWIE \”Live Santa Monica \’72\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions To See A Ghost\”
JAY REATARD \”Matador Singles \’08\”
CLINIC \”Do It\”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle\”/ “Weird Era Continued”
CHRIS CONNELLY \”Forgiveness & Exile\”
PORTISHEAD \”Third\”
FUCKED UP \”Chemistry of Common Life\”
JOHNNY FOREIGNER \”Waited Up Til It Was Light”
V/A \”Sprigs Of Time: 78\’s From The EMI Archive\”
DAN W
EDDIE CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
DUTCHESS & THE DUKE “She\’s The Duchess, He\’s The Duke”
DISAPPEARS both 7 inches + Live Above The Rainbo CDR
TIMES NEW VIKING “Rip It Off”
CONSTANTINES “Kensington Heights”
COURTLAND
V/A “Sprigs of Time: 78s From the EMI Archive”
STEPHEN MALKMUS “ Real Emotional Trash”
V/A “1970\’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
LEON WARE “Moonride”
GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS “Claudine/ Pipe Dreams” soundtracks
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968”
V/A “I Don\’t Feel At Home In This World Today”
V/A “Life Is A Problem”
GZA “Pro Tools”
GETATCHEW, EKURIA & THE EX “Moa Anbessa”
V/A “New Orleans Funk Vol. 2”
MICHAEL
DISAPPEARS 7\”s + “Live Over the Rainbo”
V/A “1970s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
TOUMANI DIABATE “Mande Variations”
ROOTS MANUVA “Slime & Reason”
FLYING LOTUS “Los Angeles”
BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA “Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey”
VALERIO COSI “Collected Works”
ODEAN POPE “What Went Before, Volume 1”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
V/A “Give Me Love: Songs of the Brokenhearted: Baghdad, 1925-1929”
V/A “Sprigs of Time: 78s from the EMI Archives”
SIR VICTOR UWAIFO “Guitar-Boy Superstar 1970-76 “
SCOTT TUMA “Not for Nobody”
MATANA ROBERTS QUARTET “Chicago Project”
BLUES CONTROL “Puff”
Best Shows
STARS OF THE LID (Lakeshore Theater)
TOUMANI DIABATE (Logan Square Auditorium)
THE EX & GETATCHEW MEKURIA (Pritzger)
AMIR EL SAFFAR (Pritzger)
ORNETTE COLEMAN (Grant Park)
MATANA ROBERTS (Heaven Gallery)
SARAH
(NO ORDER-ALBUMS)
BLACK ANGELS “Directions to See a Ghost”
FLEET FOXES “S/T”
LINDSAY BUCKINGHAM “GIFT OF SCREWS”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DIPLO & SANTOGOLD “Top ranking”
PIT ER PAT “High Time”
ROOTS MANUVA “Slime & Reason)
PORTASTATIC “Some Small History”
V/A “Nigeria Disco Funk Special”
V/A “Rmxxology”
(NO ORDER CELEBRITIES)
TINA FEY
CHARLIE DAY
DAVE
THE BAKERTON GROUP “S/T” (Groovy instrumental boogie-rock from Clutch, but
minus their singer)
BETWEEN THE BURIED & ME “Colors” (I know this came out in 2007, but
Victory Records finally issued this on vinyl! Amazing prog-metal-hardcore)
GOJIRA “The Way of All Flesh” (Awesome, heavy, and complex metal recorded
and performed very well. Fans of Meshuggah or Lamb of God will like this)
GRIDLINK “Amber Grey” (Another band starting with \”G,\” this features Jon
Chang from Discordance Axis on vocals and most of Japan\’s Mortalized on
instruments. 12 songs in 11 minutes and completely punishing)
GUILTY SIMPSON “Ode to the Ghetto” (A nice mixture of street-level rhymes
and a sense of humor, this is another winner from Stones Throw)
HARMS WAY \”Delusion\” 7\” (Intense and scary hardcore/grind/death metal
from these Chicago lads)
THE MUZZLER /MZRCDXVL Split 7\” (Awesome split from two of the area\’s best
hardcore bands)
ORIGIN “Antithesis” (Insane and unrelenting technical death metal from
Kansas, of all places. Totally overpowering and amazing)
PORTISHEAD “Third” (Indescribable release from an indescribable band.
Other-worldly rhythms mixed with Beth Gibbons\’ airy voice make for another
winner from this band)
PUERTO MUERTO “I Was A Swallow” (Dark, post-country tunes with beautiful
male/female vocals from right here in Chicago. Very underrated music that
sounds like it\’s from Death Valley and covered in sand)
STEINWAYS “Gorilla Marketing” (Excellent pop punk in the vein of Screeching Weasel. Buy & smile.)
VENOMOUS CONCEPT “Poisoned Apple” (punk/thrash from one half of Brutal
Truth and one half of Napalm Death)
V/A “This Comp Kills Fascists” (Great hardcore compilation on Relapse, assembled by Pig Destroyer guitarist Scott Hull. Features new material from tons of killer bands, including Brutal Truth, Weekend Nachos, Spoonful of Vicodin, Agents of Satan, and like 15 more)
KIP
in no particular order
MESHUGGAH “Obzen”
MESHUGGAH “Chaosphere Reloaded” (Reissue)
JUANA MOLINA “Un Dia”
DUNGEN “4”
FRIPP/ENO “No Pussyfooting” (Reissue)
NAGISA NI TE “Yosuga”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
FUCKED UP “Year of the Pig”
SEA & CAKE “Car Alarm”
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968”
NONAGON “No Sun”
TV Series
MAD MEN “Seasons 1 and 2”
IN TREATMENT “Season 1”
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA “Season 4.0”
THE SHIELD “Season 7”
IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA “Season 4”
LOST “Season 4”
TRUE BLOOD “Season 1”
Movies
IN BRUGES
WALL-E
MAGAS
GAS “Nah Und Fern”
WOLFGANG VOIGT “Freiland Klaviermusik”
MAURIZIO “M Series”
V/A “\’70s THAI ORCHESTRA”
BASIC CHANNEL “2”
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
TRUTH & JANEY “No Rest for the Wicked”
BRAINBOMBS reissues
CHRISSY ZEBBY TEMBO & NGOZI FAMILY “My Ancestors”
YA HO WAH 13 “Penetration, An Aquarian Symphony”
ERSEN “S/T” reissue
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
THE PEACE “Black Power”
HUMAN BEAST “Vol. 1”
BLUE PHANTOM “Distortions”
SUCK “Time to Suck”
FREEDOM\’S CHILDREN “Astra & Galactic Vibes”
BLUE ADDICTS “S/T”
T2 “It\’ll All Work Out in Boomland” & “T2” (aka Fantasy)
STACK WADDY “S/T”
EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND reissues
MURPHY BLEND “First Loss”
Everything on STRANGE LIFE
Bonus round:
Fallout 3 (Xbox 360)
Braid (Xbox 360)
The Presidential Election
DAN
1.) PORTISHEAD “Third”
2.) NICK CAVE AND BAD SEEDS “Dig Lazarus, Dig!!!”
3.) ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
4.) DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
5.) BON IVER “For Emma Forever Ago”
6.) FLEET FOXES “S/T”
7.) THEE OH SEES “Master\’s Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night in”
8.) BLACK MOUNTAIN “In the Future”
9.) SHOPPING “S/T”
10.) VETIVER “Thing of the Past”
REISSUES
1.)MISSISSIPPI RECORDS: VARIOUS TITLES (IRMA THOMAS, “LOVE IS LOVE” etc…)
2.)RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact”
3.)LARRY NORMAN “Rebel, Poet, Jukebox Balladeer”
4.)BOB DYLAN “Tell Tale Signs: Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006”
5.) NERVES “One Way Ticket”
6.) LOS HOLY\’S “Sueno Sicodelic” (PLUS TAPES CASSETTE)
7.) DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue”
8.) ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love is Overtaking Me”
9.) KAREN DALTON “Cotton Eyed Joe”
10.) REPLACEMENTS All Reissues
11.) V/A“Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro Rock”
12.) V/A “ Summer Records Anthology”
MARK
in no particular order
BECK “ Modern Guilt”
YAHOWA 13 “Sonic Portal”
O.W.L. “Of Wondrous Legend” reissue
JONAS REINHARDT “ S/T”
BLACK ANGELS “ Directions To See a Ghost”
FRIPP/ENO “No Pussyfooting” (reissue)
DIALS “ Amoeba Amore”
CLOUDLAND CANYON “ Lie in Light”
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE “My Bloody Underground”
DENNIS WILSON “ Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
GENESIS Rhino cd/dvd reissues
ONEIDA “ Preteen Weaponry”
DANIEL:
KEVIN AYERS \”Unfairground\”
BIG KNIFE “S/T” (cassette)
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions to See a Ghost\”
THE DIALS \”Amoeba Amore\”
ENDLESS BOOGIE \”Focus Level\”
THE FINAL SOLUTION \”Brotherman\”
Soundtrack for an never-filmed movie, unearthed by Numero, by a group with maybe the most (unintentionally,
I hope?) band name of all time.
FUCKED UP \”The Chemistry of Common Life\”
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES \”The Supreme Genius of King Khan\”
NICK LOWE \”Jesus of Cool\” [reissue]
basically the best record ever, the reissue includes all the tracks from the UK release as well as the re-titled U.S.
version \”Pure Pop for Now People\”
MUTUAL DIVORCE \”Gay for Gasoline\”
SPARKS \”Exotic Creatures of the Deep\”
VIVIAN GIRLS “S/T”
V/A \”Well Hung: Funk Rock Eruptions from Beneath Communist
Hungary Vol. 1\”
V/A \”Titan: It\’s All Pop!\”
Another Numero Group compilation, lost power-pop gems on the Titan label. A good follow-up to 2005\’s
“Yellow Pills.”
ANTHONY
JOHN BAKER
The John Baker Tapes, Volume 1: BBC Radiophonics Rare & Unreleased Workshop Recordings 1963-1969
The John Baker Tapes, Volume 2: Soundtracks, Library, Home Recordings, Electro Ads 1954-1985
Trunk CDs/LP
Trunk Records has outdone themselves! A pair of lovingly assembled 2CD sets of various cues, themes and musical beds (much of it unreleased) made for radio and television through the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Primitive (yet futuristic) electronics and sonic manipulations that owe an obvious debt to the electroacoustic/music concrete pioneers of a decade prior, but with an added musicality and playfulness befitting its status as production music. Alongside Delia Derbyshire (who is long overdue for a similar re-examination), Baker was one of the Workshop\’s most prolific composers, and these discs represent a remarkable 30-odd years of work. If you\’re a fan of the Raymond Scott \”Manhattan Research\” package from years back, there\’s much here for you to enjoy.
CLINIC
“Do It!”
Modern avant/psych that manages to avoid the \’retro\’ tag. Familiar elements weave in and out of the mix but Abe Blackburn\’s unique vocals and the band\’s use of odd chord progressions make Clinic sound like no one else. Mildly unsettling and equally mysterious.
MITTY COLLIER
“Shades Of Mitty Collier – The Chess Singles 1961-1968”
First-ever CD collection from this Chicago gospel-influenced deep soul belter. \”I Had A Talk With My Man\” is the classic but Collier & the Chess studio band shine throughout. Classy & moving.
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES
“The Supreme Genius Of King Khan & The Shrines”
US compilation of this multi-national garage R&B outfit\’s prodigious output. Great live show to boot.
LULA CORTES & ZE RAMALHO
“Paêbirú”
Brazilian psych folk from 1975. Lots in common with Caetano Veloso and the then- relatively recent Tropicalia movement, but with a spacier, almost progressive vibe that would appeal to fans of UK acid folk stalwarts Comus or Ramases. Concept record? Of course it is.
NICK LOWE
“Jesus Of Cool” (Remastered Edition)
Expanded version of Nick Lowe\’s 1978 debut (renamed \”Pure Pop For Now People\” in the US) featuring a whopping 10 bonus tracks. The timeless pop perfection of \”Marie Provost\” and \”So It Goes\” (in all of its Thin Lizzy-esque glory) appear here, along with the original version of \”Cruel To Be Kind\” and the only partially tongue-in-cheek \”Rollers Show.\” The line between power pop and new wave has never been so blurry; never mind, they both begin here.
RODRIGUEZ
“Cold Fact”
A heavier Latino Donovan produced by Dennis Coffey. 1970 psychedelic folk rock. Awesome.
SHE & HIM
“Volume One”
Slightly flat, sometimes over-emotive, brashly charming bubblegum that matures throughout the course of the record. A sympatico collaboration between M. Ward & actress Zooey Deschanel that stood up to a summer\’s worth of repeated plays. This deserves a follow-up.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds From Benin & Togo 70s”
“Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk In 1970s Nigeria”
Complimentary collections from the Afro-Rock underground. Think Fela Kuti crossed with Hendrix, Santana or Funkadelic\’s Eddie Hazel. Not to be missed.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story”
The alternate/demo versions of Big Star & related material that comprise roughly half of this 2CD set ought to make this a no-brainer, but the mid 60s garage/pop/psychedelic obscurities included keep this from being merely a completist\’s archival package.
ANGELA
- ERSEN “ S/T” reissue… Addictive, choppy, and stellar Turkish rock
- RODRIGUEZ \”Cold Fact\” reissue
- PORTISHEAD \”Third\”
- KING KHAN & THE SHRINES \”Supreme Genuis of King Khan\”
- WOODEN SHJIPS \”Vol. 1\”
- RELIGIOUS KNIVES \”After Dark\”
- FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS “S/T”
- BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT\”Motion to Rejoin\” (not to mention a mesmerizing show at the Hideout)
- NEW ORDER \”Movement\” reissue
- WHITE MAGIC \”New Egypt\”
- PONYTAIL \”Ice Cream Spiritual\”
- DEERHOOF \”Offend Maggie\”
- NEU \”Neu! 2\” (Reissue)
- RAVEN \”Back to Ohio Blues\” (Reissue)
- DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle\”/ “Weird Era Continued”
- DAVID BOWIE “ Live Santa Monica” \’72
- DUNGEN \”4\”
- MAGNETIC FIELDS \”Distortion\”
- WOMEN “ S/T”
- ONEIDA \”Preteen Weaponry\”
- BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
- GROUPER \”Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill\”
- JOSEPHINE FOSTER \”This Coming Gladness\”
- FUCK BUTTONS \”Street Horrrsing\”
- AWESOME COLOR \”Electric Aborigines\”
- THE BREEDERS \”Mountain Battles\”
DVD\’s:
\”The Future is Unwritten/Joe Strummer\” by Julien Temple
\”Joy Division\” by Grant Gee (amazing footage of Joy Division performances that make you wish, or in fact,
almost feel like you were there. Grant Gee keeps you enthralled the entire time.
THADDEUS
SPIRITUALIZED “Songs in A&E”
NEIL HAMBURGER “Sings Country Winners”
EARLES & JENSEN “Just Farr A Laugh” reissue
“KING OF KONG: FISTFULL OF QUARTERS”
“THE WIRE” Season 5
“IT\’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA” Season 4 (TACO BED!!!!)
REBBECA
BIG DIPPER \”Supercluster Anthology\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions to See a Ghost\”
BLACK MOUNTAIN \”In the Future\”
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE \”My Bloody Underground\”
CHEAP TIME \”S/T\”
THE CLEAN \”Compilation\”
CRYSTAL STILTS \”Alight of Night \”
DIGITAL LEATHER \”Sorceror\”
DUNGEN \”4\”
EL GUINCHO \”Alegranza\”
EL PERRO DEL MAR \”From the Valley of the Stars\”
THE NERVES “One Way Ticket”
RAVEONETTES \”Lust Lust Lust\”
JAY REATARD “Singles 06-07”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
SPIRITUALIZED \”Songs in A&E”
KEITH
A/V MURDER “Missile Command” 7\”
CIRCUS DEVILS “Ataxia”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
DAVILLA 666 “S/T”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DISAPPEARS “Need” 7\” & “Old Friend” 7”
DUTCHESS & THE DUKE “Never Had a Chance” 7\”
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
FRANCE HAS THE BOMB “World of Mirrors” 7\”
NIGHTMARCHERS “See You in Magic”
OBITS “One Cross Apiece” 7\”
THE REPLACMENTS reissues bonus tracks
SHOPPING \”Shopping\” LP
BRYAN:
V/A “1970\’S Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
V/A “70s Thai Orchestra”
BILL COSBY Presents Badfoot Brown & The Bunions Bradford Funeral & Marching Band CD
BLACK ANGELS “Directions To See a Ghost”
BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW “Dandelion Gum”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
DISFEAR “Live the Storm”
FESTIVAL “Come, Arrow, Come”
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
FUCKED UP “Year Of The Pig”
GORE “Hart Gore & Mean Man\’s Dream” reissues
LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!”
NICK LOWE “Jesus Of Cool” reissue
RATS reissue
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
SEX VID “Communal Living” 12\”
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM “Two Hunters”
STEVE:
BIRTH CONTROL \”Goin\’ To Target\” 7\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions To See A Ghost\”
BLACK TIME \”Double Negative\”
BORIS \”Smile\”
BOX ELDERS\”Hole in My Head\” 7\”
THE CLEAN \”Compilation\” LP Reissue
DAILY VOID\”Man/Machine\” 7\”
DANAVA \”Unonou\”
DRUNKDRIVER \”Born Pregnant\” LP
EARLES & JENSEN \”Just Farr a Laugh\”
ENSLAVED\”Vertebrae\”
FEELING OF LOVE \”Petite Tu Es Un Hit\” LP (out of print)
FUCKED UP\”The Chemistry of Common Life\”
GROUPER \”Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill\”
HARMONIA\”Live 1974\”
HARVEY MILK vinyl reissues
MITCH HEDBERG\”Do You Believe in Gosh?\”
LA DUSSELDORF vinyl reissues
MIDDLE CLASS “Out Of Vogue – The Early Material\”
MISSION OF BURMA reissues
NERVES \”One Way Ticket\”
RATS \”s/t\” LP reissue
RODRIGUEZ\”Cold Fact\” reissue
IRMA THOMAS \”Irma Thomas Sings\” LP
VSS \”Nervous Circuits\” reissue CD/DVD
V/A \”Fight on Your Time Ain\’t Long\”
Live:
ANIMAL LAW
BIG KNIFE
DANAVA
DUNGEN
ROKY ERICKSON
GONERFEST
HOMOSEXUALS
KING KHAN
PIERCED ARROWS
PISSED JEANS
JAY REATARD
CHARLES:
MOTORPSYCHO “Little Lucid Moments”
DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES “In Ear Park”
MARNIE STERN “This Is It & I Am It & You Are It & So Is That & He Is It”
MOVE “Lookin On” reissue
STEINSKI “What Does it All Mean?”
PLANETO IMAGINARIA “Biomasa”
SECRET CHIEFS 3 “Plays Masada Book Two”
MATTHEW HERBERT BIG BAND “There\’s Me & There\’s You”
STEVEN BERNSTEIN “Diaspora Suite”
WILLIAM PARKER “Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield”
SUN RA “Sleeping Beauty”
SUN RA “On Jupiter”
LONDON/GLASGOW IMPROVISERS ORCHESTRAS “Separately & Together”
ANTHONY BRAXTON “Complete Arista Recordings”
SCHLIPPENBACH TRIO “Gold is Where you Find it”
JEFF:
BEACH HOUSE \”Devotion\”
BIRTH CONTROL \”Going To Target\” 7\”
BLACK ANGELS \”Directions To See A Ghost\”
CONVICTED \”Unconquered\” 7\”
CRUEL HAND \”Prying Eyes\”
DEAD CAN DANCE reissues
DIPLO & PAPER ROUTE GANGSTAZ \”Fear & Loathing In Huntsvegas\”
DOUBLE NEGATIVE Raw Energy\” 7\”
FUCKED UP \”Chemistry of Common Life\”
GROUPER \”Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill\”
HARMS WAY \”Delusion\” 7\”
ICEMEN 7\”
IRON CURTAIN \”Desertion 1982-1988\”
LOOP reissues
MARVELOUS DARLINGS \”I Don\’t Want to Go to the Party\” 7\”
MIDNIGHT \”Farewell to Hell\” 10\”
NEW ORDER reissues
NO AGE \”Nouns\”
OBLITERATION 7\”
SATANIC THREAT \”Into Hell\” 7\”
SEX VID \”Communal Living\” 12\”
SPACEMEN 3 \”DJ Tones\”
SUN KIL MOON \”April\”
THOUGHT CRUSADE \”Common Man\” 7\”
VIOLATION \”Devoured\”
WHITE MAGIC \”New Egypt\”
MY BLOODY VALENTINE @ Aragon
PUNCH IN THE FACE & THE REPOS respective last shows
SWERVEDRIVER @ Metro
Family Tattoo (2230 W. Belmont)
LIBBY:
AD ASTRA PER ASPERA “Danger Bird Blues” 7\”
ANNIHILATION TIME “Tales of the Ancient Age”
BIRTH CONTROL “Going to Target” 7\”
BLACK TIME “Double Negative”
DANAVA “Unonou”
DARK AGES “4 Songs” 7\”
IRMA THOMAS “Sings the New Orleans Series” LP
JAY REATARD “Singles 06-07”
PIERCED ARROWS “n My Brain/Caroline” 7\”
RATS “S/T” LP reissue
Live:
THE BARBARAS
BOX ELDERS
DAILY VOID
DANAVA
FUCKED UP
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES
Also:
BEYONCE \”Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)\” video
“Burn After Reading”
STEVE:
PAUL METZGER @ Enemy
BONNIE PRINCE BILLY “ Lie Down in the Light”
All of the T.I. singles
BOB DYLAN bootlegs on the back porch with St. Peter\’s English Ale, Scrabble & good company.
PAUL METZGER “Gedanken Splinter”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
NEIL YOUNG “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House”
Almost everything Mississippi Records put out
The Ex with Getachew Mekuria@ LSA
EVANGELISTA- \”Hello Voyager\”
ARTHUR RUSSELL “Love is Overtaking Me”
EVANGELISTA @ South Union Arts
Reggae Night @ the Burlington
New bike & biking to the RNC (though the event itself was a horrible depressing drag- thanks republicans & St. Paul PD)
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
EARTH- \”The Bees Made Honey in the Lion\’s Skull\”
CASTRATED WARLORD- \”The Essential Castrated Warlord\”
GROUP INERANE- \”Guitars From Agadez\”
The Pit at the Pissed Jeans show at the Bottle
KATE FAGAN “I Don\’t Want to Be Too Cool” 7”
NICK CAVE “Dig Lazarus Dig!!!”
“My Winnipeg” film
That Earles & Jensen track about Garfield.
“Encounters at the End of the World” film
V/A “Wooden Guitar” (LP Reissue)
CHRIS CORSANO “Young Cricketer” (LP Reissue)
Plus Tapes
RAVEN- \”Back To Ohio Blues\” (Reissue)
Free concerts at Millennium Park
V/A “Dancehall: The Rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture”
KAREN DALTON “Cotton Eyed Joe”
“Wild Combination” DVD
KEVIN COYNE & Siren reissues
BLACK PUS CDRs
FUN YEARS “Baby, It\’s Cold Inside”
MELISSA:
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
JORGE BEN reissues
BLACK ANGLES “Directions to See a Ghost”
NICK CAVE “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!”
THE CLEAN “Anthology”
CHRIS CONNELLY “Forgiveness & Exile”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/ “Weird Era Continued”
DUNGEN “4”
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
ENSLAVED “Vertebrae”
ERSEN “S/T” reissue
GETATCHEW MEKURIA & THE EX “Moa Anbessa”
KING KHAN & THE SHRINES “The Supreme Genius of…”
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”
GZA “Pro Tools”
HARVEY MILK LP reissues
LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
NICK LOWE “Jesus of Cool” reissue
THE PEACE “Black Power”reissue
JUANA MOLINA “Un Dia”
PORTISHEAD “Third”
Q-TIP “Renaissance”
RADIOHEAD “In Rainbows”
THE RATS “S/T” reissue
RAVEN “Back to Ohio Blues”
JAY REATARD “Matador Singles”
RODRIGUEZ “Cold Fact” reissue
IRMA THOMAS “Sings”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
Neil Young “Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House”
V/A “Well Hung: Funk Rock Eruptions from Beneath Communist Hungary Volume 1”
V/A “Summer Records Anthology”
V/A “Give Me Love: Songs of the Brokenhearted: Baghdad , 1925-1929”
V/A “Life is a Problem”
V/A “Springs of Time: 78\’S From the EMI Archive”
V/A “Rmxxology”
V/A “I Don\’t Feel at Home in this World Today”
V/A “1970s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground”
V/A “New Orleans Funk Vol. 2”
V/A “Nigeria Disco Funk Special”
V/A “Nigeria Rock Special”
The comps were really good this year!
KEN:
STARS OF THE LID “Carte-De-Visite”
THE PEACE “Black Power”reissue
BURNING STAR CORE “Destroyer”
CHRISTOPHER BISSONNETTE “In Between Words”
JONAS REIHARDT “S/T”
LULA CORTES & ZE RAMALHO “Paebiru”
ANIMALS & MEN “Never Bought Never Sold” reissue
V/A “Give Me Love: Songs of the Brokenhearted: Baghdad, 1925-1929”
J SPACEMAN & SUN CITY GIRLS “Mister Lonely” (soundtrack)
AMANAZ “Africa” (reissue)
MEGAN:
SIGUR ROS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
MINUS THE BEAR “They Make Beer Commercials Like This” (First time ever released on vinyl)
FUCKED UP “Chemistry of Common Life”
MATES OF STATE “Rearrange Us”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
LACKTHEREOF “Your Anchor”
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS “Flight of the Conchords”
Honorable Mention:
MAN MAN “Rabbit Habits “[just have to be in the mood]
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Narrow Stairs”[much potential, but haven\’t been able to listen enough to judge fairly]
PORTISHEAD “Third” [the whole vinyl fiasco was a pain in the bum]
LYKKE LI “Youth Novels [i just can\’t not love the first track]
FRIENDS OF RECKLESS…
BLAKE JUDD (NACHTMYSTIUM/ BATTLE KOMMAND RECORDS)
- EARTH “The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull”
- GENGHIS TRON “Board up the House”
- TORCHE “Meanderthal”
- WOVEN HAND “Ten Stones”
- LEVIATHAN “Massive Conspiracy Against All Life”
ADAM REACH (Touch and Go Records, Production, lover of cats)
PORTISHEAD \”Third”
MONOTONIX \”Body Language
GUN OUTFIT \”Your Will\” 7”
DEAD MEADOW \”Old Growth\”
NODZZZ \”I Don\’t Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)\” 7\”
HIGH PLACES\”S/T\”
BLACK TAJ \”Beyonder\”
DEERHUNTER \”Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.\”
SQUAREPUSHER \”Just A Souvenir\”
RED FAVORITE\”S/T\”
BROTHER JT 3 \”Jelly Roll Gospel\”
STEPHEN SOWLEY (Electrical Audio Studio Manager, Danny\’s doorman, former Reckless Employee, DJ & Bingo MC)
HARVEY MILK “Life…The Best Game in Town”
BREEDERS “Mountain Battles”
EVANGELISTA “Hello Voyager”
“Let the Right One in” (Film)
EARTH “Bees Made Honey in the Lion\’s Skull”
KEVIN DRUMM “Imperial Distortion”
FOOD FOR ANIMALS “Belly”
“Wall-E” (Film)
IRON LUNG “Sexless/No Sex”
Basil Hayden Bourbon
GROUPER “Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill”
WINDY & CARL “Songs For The Broken Hearted”
DISFEAR “Live The Storm”
MY DISCO “Cancer”
THEE OH SEES (OCS) “The Masters Bedroom Is Worth Spending The Night in”
2562 “Aerial”
Roscoe\’s Chicken N\’ Waffles: Los Angeles
NAKED ON THE VAGUE “S/T”
ENSLAVED “VERTEBRAE”
SUNN O))) “Domkirke”
V/A “African Scream Contest”
MISSISSIPPI RECORDS
Soundway\’s awesome examination of \’70s Nigerian music
CHRIS CONNELLY “Concrete, Bullet Proof, Invisible and Fried: My Life as a Revolting Cock” (book)
FENNESZ “The Black Sea”
STEPHEN COLBERT “I am America, and So Can You” Audiobook Version
Little Things–
SEX VID “Nests” 7\” & “Communal Living” 12\”
MAYYORS “S/T” 7\” & “Megan\’s LOLZ” 7\”
BOTTOMLESS PIT “Congress” 12\”
NODDZ “I Don\’t Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)” 7\”
COLD CAVE “Trees Grew Emotions And Died” 12\”
MI AMI “African Rhythms” 12\”
DOUBLE NEGATIVE “S/T” 7\”
FUCKED UP “Crooked Head” 7\”
VIVIAN GIRLS “Wild Eyes” 7\”
Live Things:
EX & GETACHEW MEKURIA (Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago)
HARVEY MILK (Canadian Building, Los Angeles)
ATP NY (Kutshers, Monticello, NY)
STARS OF THE LID (Lakeshore Theater, Chicago)
DEAD C (Empty Bottle, Chicago)
SEX VID (Beat Kitchen, Chicago)
THE THING (Hideout, Chicago)
FOOD FOR ANIMALS/ MI AMI (AV Aerie, Chicago)
TAYLOR ‘s alphabetical nepotism (Touch and Go Records, sales)
ALL THE SAINTS “Fire On Corridor X”
BLANK DOGS “In a Web” 7”fans of shit gaze & glue wave take note– this is the ONLY band whose name you will ever need to know post 2008.
BLANK DOGS “Mirror Lights” Cassette
BLANK DOGS “Diana the Herald” 12”
BLANK DOGS “Two Months” 7”
BLANK DOGS “Yellow Mice Asleep” e.p.
CRYSTAL STILTS “Alight of Night”
DAN MELCHIOR UND DAS MENACE “Christmas for the Crows”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle/ Weird Era Continued”
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING “Primary Colours”
FUCKED UP “The Chemistry of Common Life” Seventy guitar tracks might look self-indulgent on another band. Somehow these geniuses pull it off, er should I say, continue to pull it off. i even like the pop punk song w/ the douche chills guyliner guest vocalist. Fuck it, i especially like this song.
GANG GANG DANCE “Saint Dymphna”
GUN OUTFIT “S/T” 7” This is the flannel you’ve been waiting for.
KURT VILE “Constant Hitmaker” No matter how many inches of snow and sleet are on the ground outside, playing the first track on this record is guaranteed to make you feel like you’re smoking a j-bone in the Caribbean and that you really are gonna have a functional relationship with your ex.
NAKED ON THE VAGUE “Blood Pressure Sessions”
NUDGE “Infinity Padlock” e.p. Brian Foote is the dude behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. He is the Wizard, or possibly Oz, whichever one of those is more enigmatic, he’s that one.
SEX VID “Communal Living” 12” If this band stopped releasing live records that sound like my cat w/ bronchitis they would pretty much be perfect.
THESE ARE POWERS “Taro Tarot” e.p.
VSS “Nervous Circuits” reissue
JEFF CAMPAGNA (Forced Exposure distribution, sales)
“I\’m quite an old-school romantic that thinks the heart and emotion of the music is what matters and that is what I listen out for, not the style. The characteristics and virtues I most cherish are when a music-maker can express an all-round character with integrity, a complete universe that thrives on its own. When it elevates above all styles.” – Björk
Top Albums
AARON DILLOWAY & C. SPENCER YEH “Thee Squid”
AIDAN BAKER AND TIM HECKER “Fantasma Parastasie”
ANGEL “Kalmuki”
APSE “Spirit”
BJ NILSEN & STILLUPPSTEYPA “Passing Out”
BORKO “Celebrating Life”
COLDPLAY ”Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends”
COLIN MELOY “Sings Live!”
DEERHUNTER “Microcastle”/”Weird Era Continued”
ELUDER “The Most Beautiful Blue”
EMILIANA TORRINI “Me and Armini”
FENNESZ “Black Sea”
FOTHERINGAY “2”
HJALTALIN “Sleepdrunk Seasons”
J SPACEMAN & MATTHEW SHIPP “Spaceshipp”
JACASZEK “Treny”
JAMES “Hey-Ma”
JASPER TX “Black Sleep”
JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON “Fordlândia”
KEVIN DRUMM “Imperial Distortion”
KOEN HOLTKAMP “Field Rituals”
LAURA VEIRS “Two Beers Veirs”
LAWRENCE ENGLISH “Kiri No Oto”
MACHINEFABRIEK “Mort Aux Vaches”
MILIEU “A Warm Wooden Hollow/Smokebuilder\’s Woodshop”
NADJA/AIDAN BAKER/LEAH BUCKAREFF “Trinitarian”
NINE INCH NAILS “Ghosts I-IV”
Ø “Oleva”
ÓLAFUR ARNALDS “Eulogy for Evolution”
OMIT “Interceptor”
PETER BRODERICK “Float”
PETAR DUNDOV “Escapements”
PHANTOM ORCHARD “Orra”
PHILIP GLASS “Music In Twelve Parts”
POCAHAUNTED “Chains”
ROD MODELL “Incense & Black Light”
RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS “Cardinology”
SIGUR RÓS “Med Sud I Eryum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
SIN FANG BOUS “Clangour”
SOCCER COMMITTEE & MACHINEFABRIEK “Drawn”
SONS OF THE DRAGON “Sons Of The Dragon”
SVARTE GREINER “Man Bird Dress”
THE CURE “4:13 Dream”
THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND “13 Blues For Thirteen Moons”
THOM YORKE “The Eraser Remixed”
V/A “A Cleansing Ascensio”
V/A “Spire Live – Fundamentalis”
WILLITS + SAKAMOTO “Ocean Fire”
XELA “In Bocca Al Lupo”
YELLOW SWANS “Psychic Secession”
Misc picks
BJÖRK “Wanderlust” 2X12”
FM3 “Buddha Machine II
JANDEK “Manhattan Tuesday” DVD
NURSE WITH WOUND “Images/Zero Mix” Book w/ CD
PAN SONIC “Kuvaputki” DVD
Top Reissues
808 STATE “Quadrastate”
BELLE AND SEBASTIAN “The BBC Sessions”
CHRIS CORSANO “The Young Cricketer”
DAVY GRAHAM “Folk, Blues & Beyond…”
DREDD FOOLE “Kissing The Contemporary Bliss”
GAS “Nah Und Fern”
IN CAMERA “Open Air”
JADE “Fly On Strangewings”
KAREN DALTON “In My Own Time”
METALLICA “Ride the Lightning”
MICHEL CHION “Requiem”
POLE “1 2 3”
STEINSKI “What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective”
THE SMITHS “The Sound of the Smiths”
UNIVERS ZERO “Univers Zero”
V/A “African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro”
V/A “Fight On, Your Time Ain\’t Long”
V/A “Victrola Favorites: Artifacts from Bygone Days”
XHOL “Motherfuckers GmbH & Co. Kg”
YOSHI WADA “The Appointed Cloud”
Special Mention
Náttúra Concert: Reykjavik, Iceland with Ólöf Arnalds, Ghostigital, Sigur Rós and Björk (National Geographic World Music) Webcast
DRAG CITY RECORDS
MARYANNE AMACHER “ Sound Characters 2”
ERYKAH BADU “New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)”
BEACH HOUSE “Devotion”
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM “Gift of Screws”
GLEN CAMPBELL “Meet Glen Campbell”
CIRCLE X “Prehistory” reissue
THE COASTERS “ There\’s a Riot Goin\’ On: The Coasters on Atco”
DJ SHADOW & CUT CHEMIST “Hard Sell (Encore)”
JOE E “Love Got In the Way”
EARLES & JENSEN “Just Farr A Laugh Vol. 1&2: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever!”
FENNESZ “Black Sea”
GAS “Nah Und Fern”
GIRL TALK “Feed The Animals”
GUNS N ROSES “Chinese Democracy”
BOBBY HUTCHERSON “Head On” reissue
RYOJI IKEDA “Test Pattern”
AKIRA ISHIKAWA & COUNT BUFFALO UGANDA “Afurikan Rokku no Yoake” reissue
LIL WAYNE “Tha Carter III”
CHRIS McGREGOR “Brotherhood of Breath” reissue
GRACHAN MONCUR III “Evolution” reissue
POLE “1-2-3” reissue
PORTISHEAD “Third”
SHEARWATER “Rook”
SIC ALPS “A Long Way Around To A Shortcut”
SIC ALPS “U.S. EZ”
SPARKS “Exotic Creatures of the Deep”
STEINSKI “What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006”
GEBHARD ULLMANN “New Basement Research”
DENNIS WILSON “Pacific Ocean Blue” reissue
V/A “Bollywood Steel Guitar”
…and everything on Drag City central, natch