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Next in the series:
Part 4: #1-25
#26 Teen Creeps by No Age (myspace/live)
I’m feeling regretful of not including Nouns in my list.
#27 Eraser by No Age (video/live)
Can be #26 (tied), both are equally good.
#28 Feel The Love by Cut Copy (myspace/live)
“All the girls I’ve known are crying” Conceited but catchy.
#29 Bare Feet On Wet Grip Tape by Chad VanGaalen (myspace)
Soft Airplane’s most accessible song.
#30 God? By The Dodos (myspace)
“Oh God, where’d you go?” Agnosticism at its finest?
#31 Ottoman by Vampire Weekend (myspace)
At least we got this song from a shitty movie.
#32 Beat (Health, Life and Fire) by Thao Nguyen With The Get Down Stay Down (myspace/live)
Upon listening to this track, I’ve become a big fan.
#33 Heart of Chambers by Beach House (myspace/video)
My favorite song off Devotion.
#34 Dying Is Fine by Ra Ra Riot (myspace/video-ep version)
Sounds emo without reference to this poem.
#35 Hitten by Those Dancing Days (myspace/video)
All girl indie pop bands ftw.
#36 Let’s All Sleep Together by Team Genius (myspace)
Orgies ftw. (All girl orgies ftw?)
#37 For Emma by Bon Iver (myspace/live)
This song is simple but captures the atmosphere of loneliness.
#38 The Modern Leper by Frightened Rabbit (myspace/live)
“You must be a masochist, to love a modern leper”
#39 Rabid Bits of Time by Chad Van Gaalen
Beautifully sung.
#40 Winter ’05 by Ra Ra Riot
This song makes Winter depressing. Sad in general.
#41 Agoraphobia by Deerhunter (myspace)
“Cover me, comfort me” is stuck in my head.
#42 Skeleton Man by The Evangelicals (myspace/live)
“When someone loves you very much, you’re fucked”
#43 Why Do You You Let Me Stay Here? By She and Him (myspace/video)
Fuck you Ben Gibbard!…oh I meant congrats.
#44 Move by Cansei De Ser Sexy (myspace/video)
Another catchy CSS track.
#45 Another World by Antony and The Johnsons (myspace/video)
Antony apparently doesn’t think much of us. Still beautiful though.
#46 Uncalibrated by Bridges and Powerlines (myspace/video)
This song puts the power into powerpop.
#47 Shut Up And Let Me Go by The Ting Tings (myspace/video)
The Ting Tings are a guilty pleasure.
#48 Poison Dart by The Bug ft. Warrior Queen (myspace/video)
My introduction to The Bug. I was amazed.
#49 My Year in Lists by Los Campesinos (myspace/video)
“Send me stationery to make me horny” Mail-sex ftw?
#50 I Hate Dell by Oldfolks Home (myspace)
Dell pissed off the wrong guy.

#9 Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line
Original Rating: 5 out of 5
This album is a tribute to drummer John Pike who died tragically and has left his mark all over this album having helped pen songs (perhaps even hautingly) like Dying Is Fine and Ghost Under Rocks. While Ra Ra Riot takes a much different approach to death, unlike Arcade Fire whom is all about being gloomy and sad, Ra Ra Riot celebrates the life of John Pike. This may bother people but even without looking at this album on a emotional album, it’s still one of the better musical albums. Everything is classically influenced and Ra Ra Riot is able to pull off the big band aspect to perfection. I have no qualms about giving this album a perfect score because in some aspects from top to bottom it’s a great album. I guess it’s not higher on this list because it’s not too far of what’s already been done and it’s a tad little bit repetitive.
Too Too Too Fast by Ra Ra Riot
Dying Is Fine by Ra Ra Riot
#8 Los Campesinos! Hold On Now, Younster…
Original Rating: 5 out of 5 Another top 10 spot to a big band, I feel as if I like too many of these big bands, however nobody quite does it like Los Campesinos! While Gareth has unique but rough vocals that many point to being annoying, Aleks balances it perfectly with her soothing female touch. The best part of this record is the song writing but it doesn’t hurt to have a wide variety of instruments being used such as the violin,glockenspiel and a variety of others on this septet. I think why I and others rate this album so highly is the uniqueness, no band is like Los Campesinos! They can make a record fun, thought provoking, while capping it off with great music. I understand that this album is a bit hit or miss though so not everyone is going to like it.
You! Me! Dancing! by Los Campesinos!
My Year In Lists by Los Campesinos!

#7 Why? – Alopecia
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Alopecia, the condition in where you are bald, in some cases without hair all over your body. In that sense being without hair is like being bare, and Yoni Wolf bares all on Alopecia. I actually had a problem listening to this album when writing this review. I found myself feeling depressed and that’s arguably what makes this album great. It passes on that emotion with ease and is my Rap album of the year (although I only check out a few records). Why? has moved onto more of a full band ensemble but at its core it’s a rap album with instrumental sections. No fancy beats or anything of that sort, just a high level of rap from start to finish and you’ll rarely find a rap record that is abstract and wide open as this. Yoni Wolf’s writing is downright brilliant and some of these songs are greater then words I could ever come up with. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the record check out these tracks:
Fatalist Palmistry by Why?
These Few Presidents by Why?
#6 Vampire Weekend – Self Titled
Original Rating: 5 out of 5
2008 was a crappy year in general but not for Vampire Weekend. They’ve gone from blogger favorites to superstars. I remember listening to their Blue CD-R and thinking what a great band they were where the production values were absolutely flawless. With success comes criticism though and while I find their success may far exceed expectations, overrated is not a term I use to describe this album. Yes, somewhat African influenced, it doesn’t overdo and VW stays within what makes a great pop song while including classical influences where Rostam Batmanglij’s work is by far the most significant. Anyway while the actual official album was mercifully released with just two new tracks (albeit great ones) after almost a full year with the CD-R, it was still an album that went through extended longevity and that’s ultimately why I chose to give it a high score. It’s basically a pop album that has paved the way (or has other bands mirroring) for bands to use more African influenced music. It’s still a great pop album and Vampire Weekend themselves has showed that this album is no fluke. If you’ve heard their covers and some new tracks (like Ottoman) you’ll find that they maintain the high level that got them to the top while expanding their sound. (You can’t say that for a band like MGMT who just has people remixing their stuff).
M79 by Vampire Weekend
Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend

#5 Fleet Foxes – Self Titled
Rating: 5 out of 5
I like to pat myself on the back as one of the first blogs to discover the Fleet Foxes outside of the Seattle area, who can honestly say they had White Winter Hymnal in their 2007 top songs list? Too bad it doesn’t mean anything when you have no readers. But I digress. The Fleet Foxes do have an folk/Americana style but their emphasis is on their tight vocals from all members. While at first I felt the #5 ranking was too high, going back to this album makes its undeniably difficult to do so. While this album is necessarily an album that fits together but song by song, each track seems to have countless effort in crafting the absolutely perfect vocals on each track.
White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes
Ragged Wood by Fleet Foxes

#4 The Bug – London Zoo
Rating: 5 out of 5
I was really happy to pick up this record by producer Kevin Martin. It completely goes outside of the music I normally like even though this album is more or less genre-defying. It’s an electronic album using influences from dubstep and and a large group Reggae and Grime vocalists. It’s hard to find weaknesses in this album as Kevin Martin’s beats are as daring and bring to light to the angst and anger without shoving it done your throat. A track like Jah War uses trip hop elements and reminds me a lot of the Machine Gun intro but of course being more significant in a track that clearly expresses the artist’s point of view on war. This has to be a lock for the Mercrury prize or at least it better me.
Jah War featuring Flow Dan by The Bug
Skeng featuring Killa P and Flowdan by The Bug
#3 M83 – Saturdays=Youth
Original Rating: 5 out of 5
The album starts slowly with You, Appearing but picks up with Kim & Jessie and doesn’t turn its back. It’s a dream pop album by nature using a variety of electronic elements that make you wish you were young again. It gives off a cool 80s feel without being overly cheesy (arguable on Graveyard Girl when the poem hits). However there are no mistakes or misses on this album, where can I ultimately fault it? It has some of the best songs of the year but the more I look into it, might as well just include the whole album (each song has an argument). Another level where this album works that many do not, it’s actually themed toward about being youthful, while that can be slightly annoying for some, it works with the song writing and actually feels like an album, a collection songs put together like a story and ultimately feeling like they belong together.
Highway of Endless Dreams by M83
Graveyard Girl by M83

#2 Deerhunter – Microcastle
Rating: None, reviewed by Christian.
I was forced by writers to check this album out. I’ve always know how talented Bradford Cox was by the few tracks I did check out but I guess I should’ve taken it a bit more seriously. It’s a bit tough as I’m still familiarizing myself with this album but I definitely agree that it should be held up with high regard. The album starts with with Cover Me (Slowly) an instrumental and works itself in a simplistic track Agoraphobia. This album actually progresses with each song, slowly building up toward a climax. Some of these tracks are straight up pop songs but while it is actually simplistic, it just doesn’t feel that way when Lockett Pundt, is repeating “Come for me, comfort for me”. Their experimenting is obvious but subtle at the same time. This album is flawless and while calling an album a pop record may be taboo, it’s more or less brilliant pop. It shifts a little bit toward the end being less pop and more experimental. It does this at a perfect pace, not in a rush just to shift gears to a new style and sticking within it’s own sound.
Agoraphobia by Deerhunter
Never Stops by Deerhunter

And FINALLY….

#1 Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight
Original Rating: 5 out of 5
I don’t know how serious I was when I said that Frightened Rabbit’s Midnight Organ Fight might be on the best albums of the year. Little did I know, many other people were thinking that too but it has been by far the most listened record of the year for me and that alone merits putting it in the first spot. Being a folk rock album, the key is the songwriting and Scott Hutchinson discusses things such as the absurdity in religion, sex for pleasure, death being overrated and loneliness. A lot of detractors say that it’s typical sad sappy indie rock boy banter but I don’t think it’s fair to dismiss this album as just that. In a way while at times where Hutchinson seems lonely and depressed, he surprises you a track with Head Rolls Off, shrugging off his death as no big deal in some sort of hopeful manner. At times he’s more angry like in Keep Yourself Warm, criticizing those who have one night stands while other times he’s just showing how vulnerable he is like on The Twist or admitting weakness like in The Modern Leper. It’s basically a complete album on human nature and encompasses all the feelings one can honestly have. It’s not one particular emotion but all of them battling each other (hence the midnight organ fight) once, where no particular thought prevails but it’s a mind where each thought is muddled with the other. Sometimes cute, sometimes just being fed up, it’s ultimately an album that will be a favorite of mine for years to come.
Head Rolls Off by Frightened Rabbit
The Twist by Frightened Rabbit

Anyway, enough ragging on other cities, here’s the breakdown:

SEPTEMBER 24

Bad Religion
Sound Academy / $31.00

Bad Religon was a lot cooler in the 80s where punk rock wasn’t as big a sham as it is today but hey, music is music. This tour is still riding on 2007’s New Maps of Hell (they released a deluxe version a few months ago with some additional acoustic tracks). NMoH got okayish-pretty good reviews though I guess if you’re going to see Bad Religion, it’s not because you want to see them perform the latest thing they’ve done. Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re not tired of playing “Atomic Garden” over and over again yet.

Mogwai
Phoenix / 19+ / 27.50

Did you miss A Silver Mt. Zion in the summer? Not to worry, an arguably superior post-rock band is on tour and ready to blow to your mind. The Hawk Is Howling hits the shelves September 22nd but if you know how to use the internet, you’ll know that it’s heaaavvvy in a totally awesome expressive yet serene way. Oh, and if you ARE going to the show, please DON’T ENGAGE IN LOUD CONVERSATION DURING THE “LOW-KEY” PARTS! That shit is not background music at a café, show some fucking respect.

Mogwai – The Sun Smells Too Loud

Santogold
Guvernment / 19+ / $26.50

I know the majority of the blogosphere thinks Santogold is the poor man’s M.I.A. but I’m actually a big fan of Ms Santi White whilst not being too into M.I.A. (unless I’ve downed some tequila in which case I like everything!). Santi White used to front a punk band named Stiffed before she decided to fly solo. Her punk roots don’t shine through too much in her eponymous debut album but … they’re there. Just look for punk dressed up in glittery electronic beats and New Wave shoes.

Santogold – L.E.S. Artistes
Santogold – Creator (vs. Switch and FreQ Nasty)
Santogold (ft. Andrew Trouble) – I’m A Lady

SEPTEMBER 25

Holy Fuck
Phoenix / $12.50

I first saw Holy Fuck a few years ago when they opened for Metric. I didn’t really appreciate them (probably because I was too infatuated with Emily Haines and anything that came in between us was instantly shunned) but I’ve grown to almost not dislike them. They don’t really have anything new aside from 2007’s LP appropriately titled LP but it’s a good one so check them out and support a Torontonian band.

Holy Fuck – Frenchy’s
Holy Fuck – Safari

My Bloody Valentine
Ricoh Coliseum / $48.75

Holy shit, I bought my MBV tickets MONTHS ago – I was that excited. This is seriously amazing because the last time they toured, I was like 6 years old. They haven’t released anything new but there is rumour of a new record (unless they die or something). Anyway, if you’re into dream pop/shoegaze at all, you better be attending this show. It will be epic. I’m not going to say much else but expect a concert review in a few weeks!

My Bloody Valentine – Only Shallow
My Bloody Valentine – Come In Alone

SEPTEMBER 30

Hot Chip
Kool Haus / $26.50

Hot Chip played in Toronto in April and I guess they’ve made it all the way around the world and now they’re back. Okay, I won’t lie – the only album I actually like is The Warning. I would only really go to this show to get drunk and dance to “Over and Over”. But who says that’s not a valid reason?

Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
Hot Chip – Over and Over

October 4

Ratatat
Phoenix / 19+ / $15.00

While their new album LP3 isn’t as strong as Classics or their self-titled, this is not a show I’d want to miss. Ratatat is a sweet mix of electronic video game-ish music and soothing instrumentals. The Montreal show is already sold out so go get your tickets soon!

Ratatat – Lex
Ratatat – Shiller

October 5

Black Kids
Mod Club / 19+ / $20.00

I’ve already talked about Black Kids in the Pop Montreal preview post but they deserve another mention just because I thought Partie Traumatic was an awesome album despite Allan’s harsh review. I am also obsessed with the Chromeo chant in I Wanna Be Your Limousine.

Black Kids – I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
Black Kids – Hurricane Jane

October 6

Dodos
Horseshoe / 19+ / $12.50

I’ve also already mentioned Dodos in the Pop Montreal post but I can’t say enough good things about this band. If I was someone important enough to pick a “band of the year”, it’d be Dodos. I would describe them as an acoustic Battles or Animal Collective with ear-bleeding. Visiteur is their crucial album but there are gems in Beware the Maniacs as well. These guys are going places, I’ll bet my new boots on it!

Dodos – Park Song
Dodos – Paint the Rust
Dodos – Trades & Tariffs

October 7

Wire
Lee’s / 19+ / $22.50

It blows my mind that a band that’s been around and has had as much influence as Wire is playing at Lee’s Palace. I don’t find Object 47 to be anything to write home about but I’d go see them just because it’s fucking WIRE. I mean, are you going to turn down a band whose fanbase includes Henry Rollins?

Wire – 12 X U
Wire – Practise Makes Perfect

October 9

Chromeo
Muzik / 19+ / $25.00

I saw Chromeo in March and I’ve concluded that they’re definitely one of those bands that are better in concert than on the album. Not because they’re musically superior live but because there’s a great energy in the crowd. P-Thugg and Dave 1 are also very engaging on stage (and do a mean aftershow). The Toronto show also features Calvin Harris and James Lidell – I’d say that’s worth 25 bucks.

Chromeo – Fancy Footwork
Chromeo – My Girl Is Calling Me (A Liar)

October 16

Horrorpops
Lee’s / $22.50

I am heartbroken that my bff who is also a Horrorpops fanatic has moved across the country for school so we won’t be seeing this show together. Kiss Kiss Kill Kill isn’t as good as Hell Yeah! but much better than Bring It On! Maybe it was the sophomore slump, maybe it’s because I couldn’t stop thinking about that Kirsten Dunst movie. The point is this is a show I’d regret missing.

Horrorpops – Psychobitches Outta Hell
Horrorpops – Hitchcock Starlet

October 20

Asobi Seksu
Horseshoe / 19+ / $10.00

I suppose if you can’t make it to My Bloody Valentine for one reason or another (those tickets are pricy!) Asobi Seksu is not a poor consolation prize. They haven’t done anything new since Citrus two years ago but for $10.00, I’d much rather listen to playfully sexy dreampop than see some shitty movie.

Asobi Seksu – Walk on the Moon
Asobi Seksu – The Words Live Longer

October 22

Secret Machines
Lee’s / 19+ / $17.50

I was introduced to Secret Machines a few years ago at Dog Day Afternoon where they opened for Metric (are you sensing a pattern here?). Since then, Benjamin Curtis has left the band and they’ve released their third studio album. I actually haven’t heard their self-titled yet but I’d definitely see them again.

Secret Machines – Alone, Jealous and Stoned

October 24

Crystal Castles
CiRCA / 19+ / $15.00

Tsk tsk … Crystal Castles is the biggest thing to come out of Toronto since the SARS epidemic. I was initially completely turned off by them because of all their copyright scandals which I’m sure you’re all very familiar with. But I will admit, the music is catchy. Very catchy. I saw them play a short set at Harbourfront two months ago and well, what can I say? Not bad.

Crystal Castles – Untrust Us
Crystal Castles – xxzxcuzx Me

Well, this is getting a lot longer than I had planned. I’m going to end this here and there will likely be a new post like this for November/December shows. Happy gig-hopping!

Filling in for Joe who needs a break before school starts, I’m holding onto the albums I review for tomorrow so enjoy this playlist. Most of them are recycled MP3s from other posts and rather short songs but it’s better then nothing right?

Constructive Summer by The Hold Steady – We’ve had a constructive summer for this blog didn’t we?
Stuck For The Summer by Two Hours Traffic – I was stuck at home for a good 5 weeks
It’s That Time Again by The Dodos
Brain Burner by No Age
Learnt My Lesson Well by Kaiser Chiefs
We’ll Never Sleep (God Knows We’ll Try) by Rilo Kiley
Insane Ft. Warrior Queen by The Bug
This Is Not A Test by She & Him
It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career by Belle and Sebastian -They’ll be saying that about me when I spend more time on this blog then on actual school
Holiday by Chaingang – hopefully you enjoyed your labor day!

So because of Rosh Hashanah and my school’s impressive population of Jewish students, I have almost a whole week off from classes the last week of September/ first week of October. I know you don’t care about that but get this: the 7th annual Pop Montreal runs October 1st-5th and God help me if I’m not at “the greatest party in the world”.

Despite being a little over six years newer than Toronto’s NXNE (which is seriously a sorry excuse for a Canadian SXSW) Pop Montreal has delivered year after year of talented and well-received artists such as Patti Smith, MSTRKRFT, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Basia Bulat, Chromeo, Russian Futurists, Yelle, Sunset Rubdown, Final Fantasy and other artists famous enough to have a Wikipedia page. I guess the lesson here is that a Canadian festival name inspired by another Canadian festival (Halifax Pop Explosion) will be more successful than a festival name inspired by an American festival. Or that Montreal is culturally superior to Toronto – but as a Torontonian, I’d rather sit here in denial.

Pop Montreal 2008 lineup:

Burt Bacharach
Beach House
Eric Belanger
Cori Bishop (a.k.a. Elyse Weinberg)
Black Kids
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
Cex
Chocolat
Jason Collett
Crystal Castles
Dabaaz
Dark Meat
Dan Deacon
The Dodos
Julie Doiron
Dominique Grange & Jacques Tardi
The D’Urbervilles
Evangelicals
Liam Finn
Gatineau
Great Lake Swimmers
Headlights
Hot Chip
Jana Hunter
Kim
Michie Mee
Katie Moore
The Persuasions
Playdoe
The Sainte Catherines
Sam Shalabi
Silver Apples
Socalled
Teeth Mountain
Teki Latex
Thomas Function
Irma Thomas
United Steel Workers Of Montreal
Chad VanGaalen
The Veils
Vetiver
The Wedding Present
Wintersleep
Wire
Woodhands
You Say Party! We Say Die!

I am personally giddy about the possibility of seeing Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Wire and would absolutely love to see the Dodos again. Crystal Castles and Hot chip are shows I’d attend for lame hipster points. Black Kids I’d attend because I genuinely enjoy them and the lame hipster points would be a bonus. Anyway, if you’re in Montreal the first week of October, consider buying an industry pass ($175 till August 31st, $225 till September 30th, and $275 last minute) to have full access to the festival plus the opportunity to rub elbows (or something else) with Colin Newman. Regular festival passes are a steal at $70 a pop but I can’t seem to find a link anywhere so good luck with that. And of course you can always buy individual tickets to shows but I’d always felt like that ruined the “festival” feel.

Edit: I just got an email back from Pop Montreal and regular festival passes will be on sale September 1st.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Love Letter
Dodos – Park Song
Black Kids – I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You

Genre isn’t important but they do take elements of folk and add their own spin with complex arrangements while keeping the music generally relaxed. Their songs range from 1-2 minute pieces to 6 minute epic songs. There’s 4 tracks that are greater than 6 minutes. I think they have one mistake on this album and it comes with the track “The Season” being a 6 minute song hurts it as well. I think that the track doesn’t bring quite enough compared to the extra instrumentation and the use of vocals like the on the rest of the album, The Season comes off bland and really just takes way too long to build upon. The end is great but waiting 5 minutes into a 6 minute song…usually makes me want to press “skip”.

The rest of the album is top notch though. I definitely would say “Jodi” is my favorite for the amazing intro and with a frantic quality to. The next would be “God?” which comes off as a great ending to an album. I absolutely love the vocals…perfect vocals the relaxing type but with enough range to keep from being bored during the soft moments. There are a vast amount of instruments and a lot of random bits.

Musically it’s unique and if probably challenging if I attempted to try to play one of their songs but the way it’s done they’ve made challenging to make music easy to listen to and I love that shit.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Excellent album, with some downright amazing arrangements.

Jodi by The Dodos

God? by The Dodos

Buy this album at: CD Universe/Insound/Amazon