The Perch Top 50 of ‘08: 40-31
40. The Knux – Remind Me in 3 Days
The Knux came on the scene this year as a welcome fill-in during Outkast’s absence. The first couple listens kept my attention, but it wasn’t until after a few more listens that I heard the Knux unique style that separated them from Outkast. It’s essentially nerd rap, with the two Knuckleheads (what Knux is short for), rapping about everything from Dungeons and Dragons to their adventures at the coffee shop. It’s not fair to keep comparing them to Outkast, but the fact that they pull it off for the most part says a lot. Definitely one of the most fun hip hop albums of the year.
Bang Bang [mp3]
The Train [mp3]
Cappuccino (Remix) [mp3]
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39. The Weepies – Hideaway
The Weepies were a strange band for me all year. I’d consider them mood music, but I was almost always in the mood for them. Not in the sense that they transcended moods and could be listened to at any time. I just seemed to always turn to them when I was relaxed, and it fit perfectly. There’s ice as far as the eye can see here, and it yet again seems to be the perfect album to listen to. Songs like the title track and “Antarctica” are a few of the year’s best, but I can guarantee early in the year I’d be surprised to hear myself say it. I guess what I’m trying to say is Hideaway wins for most unlikely album to win me over this year. Ha, I realize none of that probably made sense. I’d recommend just giving this album a listen for yourself and I’m sure most of you will find a lot there to enjoy.
Wish I Could Forget [mp3]
Antarctica [mp3]
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38. Nada Surf – Lucky
I’d never really been too big a fan of Nada Surf before this album. It wasn’t because I didn’t like them, I just never felt the urge to look any deeper into them than what’d I’d heard briefly from their previous albums. “See These Bones” changed all that for me this year. I fell in love with that song, listened to Lucky most the year, and then went back and listened to their previous music as well. I’d recommend this new album for “See These Bones” alone, but if you’re like me, hearing that song will undoubtedly make you curious to hear more, and while nothing quite reaches the great level “See These Bones” did for me throughout the rest of the album, most come close, and that was enough for this album to make my list.
See These Bones [mp3]
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37. M83 – Saturdays = Youth
M83’s Dead Cities, Red Seas, and Lost Ghosts was an album I have always enjoyed. The follow-up albums were just as good and before long M83 became on of my favorite bands. The theatrical feel to each album was something unmatched by any other band. It sometimes seemed way over the top, but I loved M83 for that. Enter their new album, Saturdays = Youth and you find an album that’s more playful, less theatrical, and fitting to its name. Saturdays were always meant for the child in us. It’s a day we get to be free from all the stresses in our lives, and M83 capture this feeling well throughout the new album. It’s not my favorite M83 album, but any long time fan will be plenty happy taking another journey with M83. This time through their childhood.
Kim and Jessie [mp3]
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36. Amp_Live – Rainydayz (Radiohead Remixes)
Now this is something I can stand behind. I love any Radiohead remixes, especially hip hop ones, and this remix album by Amp_Live is simply great. It made my list for the remixes obviously, but I also really like the back story of Amp_Live battling with the powers that be to get the remixes out there and finally succeeded. If you’re interested, the album has been made available for free download over at his site and I highly suggest you head over there asap and check it out. Guest spots include Del the Funky Homosapien and Chali2na from Jurassic 5 to name a few. Radiohead fans alike should take to this album with open arms, and I imagine most of you will like what you hear. Plus, you should download the album regardless to support Amp_Live’s valient efforts against the cease and desist police, which he overcame and ended up being featured in everything from Rolling Stone to the New York Times.
Video Tapez (ft. Del the Funky Homosapien) [mp3]
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35. The Spacetones – Moon Tunes
The Spacetones, as most of you know, are one of the bands on my record label, LemonDrop Records. I debated whether to put our bands on my list, as it may seem a selfish act on my part, but I decided to include the albums on our label that I feel would make my list regardless of my affiliation with them. Moon Tunes is one of those albums. Tommy P, Casey, and DJ Geej are good friends of Charlie and mine and I enjoy every second we work with them. They’re fun and super funny guys and that can be seen during their great live shows. If you enjoy fun, danceable hip hop, then the Spacetones’ new album should be up your alley. We’ll be pushing this album even more throughout the beginning of this year as we unvail our new website, but listen to “Simply What It Is” and decide for yourself. As always with our albums. If you enjoy it, head over to the LemonDrop store and download it for whatever price you want, with the bands getting half of it.
Simply What It Is [mp3]
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34. Kings of Leon – Only By the Night
I almost left this album off my list out of pure spite of having to hear the two singles over and over and over again on every damn jukebox we ever came across at bars. Seriously people. Do you have to play “Sex On Fire” every time you come close to a jukebox. That being said, I can’t knock the band itself for their songs being seriously overplayed in bars. Only By the Night is an amazing album and deserves all the credit it has been given. “Sex On Fire” and “Use Somebody”, back before all the bar jocks and sorority chicks heard them, were instant favorites of mine. If I could somehow get over the fact that I’ve heard those two songs probably 500 times each, then this new album could have easily made it a lot higher on the list. I’m sure they’re not complaining though. The jukebox royalties alone have to have them loaded beyond belief.
Sex on Fire [mp3]
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33. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
This one is cursed almost as much as Kings of Leon were last year, suffering from severe overplaying of the albums everywhere I ended up partying. I’m talking to you Chris. Chris’ obsession with Girl Talk kept me from ever playing the album the whole way through on my own, since everytime I was with him, I heard the album, but much like Kings of Leon, I can’t knock Girl Talk for something he has no control over. The pure skill that goes into making each Girl Talk song is almost incomprehensible, and as a slight audio geek who really pays attention to the production of albums, I can only imagine the time and effort spent mixing and mashing all the parts to each song. This newest album finds Greg Gillis, the man behind Girl Talk, at the top of his game, and here’s to seeing what crazy stuff he comes up with for his next one.
Gillis explains his song making technique
Set It Off [mp3]
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32. Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
If I rated these albums based purely on anticipation, this album would be #1 by a mile. Six years in the making, The Devil, You + Me landed almost unexpected in my lap and before I knew it, I was listening to a new Notwist album. Six years makes you forget a lot of the reasons you enjoyed the band in the first place. Neon Golden was a classic and one I still listen to to this day, so when I sat looking at the new album on my computer, I was almost scared to play it. Luckily, the new tunes ended up being pretty dang good. Not quite up to par with Neon Golden, but it’s new Notwist, and I’ve yet to find a Notwist song I didn’t at least sort of enjoy. If you’ve yet to hear the Notwist, start with Neon Golden, then once you experience the calculated greatness that is that album, then move on to this new one, which I’m sure you’ll enjoy as well.
Good Lies [mp3]
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31. Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All of His Friends
After X&Y, you couldn’t convince me for anything I’d be putting their follow up on my year end list, but what do you know, here it is. Viva la Vida surprised me in every way and I can’t believe I’m saying right now that I’m a fan again. From the great title track single, to the string parts in “Yes!”, there was plenty on this new album I found to be vintage Coldplay. Only on a much grander scale this time around. It’s hard to tell if I’d get any grief for putting Coldplay on my year end list this time around, but most people I’ve talked to that had a similar falling out because of the boring X&Y seem to be in the same boat as me, being pleasantly surprised at the improbable return of a band I once truly loved. Now, I’m not quite a smitten as I used to be, but I’m happy to say I’m a fan once again.
Viva la Vida [mp3]
Viva la Vida (White Duke Remix) [direct download link from their site]
Thanks for all the very good songs. I had not heard notwsist before, they are interesting I will have to check out the earlier album.
Thanks