The Best of Times, The Worst of Times (Part 2)

Best Album Title of 2008:
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons...You Paint That Shit Gold!

While admittedly I have yet to hear a note (much less song) off the long-awaited album from this Minneapolis hip-hop duo, I am now more inclined to based on the record's title alone. Someone was handing out promotional stickers of this album's potty-mouth phrase, and I gladly swooped up as many as I could. Words to live life by.

Worst Album Title of 2008:
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology

If you were to judge Ryan Adams' latest offering solely based on the cover/title combo, this one would end up in the stinker. The artwork looks like it was designed for an 8th grade science project on Miscrosoft Paint circa 1993. Fortunately, the music does the talking here. Great album; terrible artwork and title choice. On a good day, Prince can get away with naming an album Musicology. Not so sure if Ryan's got the credentials just yet to add the "-ology" suffix to any of his.

Most Improved Player of 2008:
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

While this one was in the running for Worst Album Cover of the Year, I couldn't resist giving the award to MMJ (even though this one gives me a headache when staring too long). Ok, so let me explain this award. While the sports metaphor doesn't quite fit here (I understand that album cannot physically change/improve once released), this is the record that just got better and better the more I listened throughout the year. I was completely wrong when I gave this one the measly 6.5 in April. Although I still stand by the fact that "I Will Possess Your Heart" was a terrble first single selection (to go along with it 8+ minute length), the follow-up singles (and videos) were brilliant. Way to pick it up boys.

Worst Dropoff of 2008:
N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds

Like Death Cab's rating, this one clocked in at a respectable 6.5/10. However, if I got a re-do, this album's score would be much lower. I can't think of a record that plummeted so fast off my radar (and consequently iPod) than N*E*R*D's third release. In fact, this one was so forgettable that I have to think twice to remember that Pharell and crew even released an album this year.

Best Surprise of 2008:
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

Ok, so I'm talking about actual surprises here. Like having no idea about an album until it actually came out. This seemed to be a trend that got kicked-off last year with the now legendary In Rainbows experiement. Earlier this year, Trent Reznor gave us a freebie with the excellent single "Discipline." But little did we know that this was just the beginning. A couple of weeks later, he posted an entire album on his website as a gift to his fans with the simple message, "thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me." The most shocking part of all? This just happened to be his most focused effort since 1994's The Downward Spiral.

Worst Surprise of 2008:
Bloc Party - Intimacy

This one just goes to show that sometimes experiments don't always work out as planned. Bloc Party announced that they had entered the studio this summer with an expected 2009 release date for their third album. Then one day in August they surprised us all by announcing that the album would be ready for download by the end of that week. But unlike the Nine Inch Nails record, there were no freebies and apparently not much time thinking this through. Instead, we got a choppy record chock full of the experimental electronica bullshit that made A Weekend In The City so utterly dismissible. Sadly, this uber-talented band is now 1-2 in my book.

Best Album Hype of 2008:
Coldplay - Viva La Vida


I think I've made it abundantly clear that I didn't want to like the new Coldplay record. Considering how overrated and decadent this band has become, it makes it very easy to want to throw rocks at Chris Martin's head whenever he flamboyantly gallivants around the stage. But unfortunately, I gotta call a spade a spade and agree that this one lived up to the hype. Produced by Brian Eno, this one is better than anything U2 has put out in a very long time -- further proving that there's a new king in town. Rebounding from 2005's X&Y, Coldplay is a rare success story in the 2008 dismal realm that is mainstream music.

Worst Album Hype of 2008:
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Now I'll be the first to admit that there's a thing or two I can learn about hip-hop, but I just KNOW this album is utter garbage. When I hear about albums that are terrible yet get almost universal praise, I begin to question the sanctity of this industry (like I didn't already). Sometimes critics are lemmings, and this is just another example of it. Now Wayne is everywhere --- from Kanye West's album to the new Fall Out Boy. This stinks to high heaven.

Between Love and Hate

I have the utmost respect for Julian Casablancas, Pharell, and Santogold individually, but there is just something about this collaboration that doesn't quite cut the mustard for me. And don't get me wrong -- I love Chucks as much as the next guy, but really, do we need this?:

The List (Part 2)

For those of you keeping track, this is Part 2 (of 10) of my top records since 2000 (Part 1 HERE). Enjoy, and have a happy 4th.

90) Band of Horses - Cease To Begin (2007)
Often referred to as the poor man's My Morning Jacket, it's actually been a much smoother ride into the spotlight for these guys than for Jim James and gang. After receiving a ton of praise for their 2006 self-titled Sup Pop debut, a lot was expected for their follow-up. Let's just say that they lived up to the hype -- and even charted #35 on the Billboard 200 with 21,000 copies sold in the first week. "There Is A Ghost" is one of 2007's best singles, so definitely give it a shot. And hey, any band that dedicates a song to Detlef Schrempf gets the seal of approval in my book.


89) Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (2007)
These indie-art rockers are one of the most entertaining live bands on the circuit. Follicly challenged singer Tim Harrington will often strip down to his skivvies (or worse), kiss audience members during songs, and sporadically change clothes mid-set. Let's Stay Friends was the band's first release in six years and was on nearly every critic's top 10 list last year (an 87 on Metacritic ain't bad). Les Savy Fav played a legendary 3 AM post-New Year's Eve show at the Bowery Ballroom this year which was recently released as a live album called After The Balls Drop. You can download the single "The Equestrian" (as well as a slew of other tracks) for free right HERE.


88) Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter (2001)
I gotta show some Jersey love on this list. Musicforthemorningafter is a great debut by one of the more talented (and underheralded) singer-songwriters of the decade. Yorn originally got some exposure with his song "Strange Condition" in the Jim Carrey cult classic Me, Myself, and Irene, which led to some mild radio success with "For Nancy (Cuz It Already Is)," and "Life On A Chain." Pete's second album, Day I Forgot, went largely unappreciated despite containing quite a few gems. But do stay away from Nightcrawler if you know what's good for you.


87) Ryan Adams - Rock 'n Roll (2003)
This might be the first (of many) controversial picks. But guess what, it's my list so I can choose whatever I want. I remember Pitchfork panning Ryan Adams' first foray out of the alt-country realm. But you know what, some of these songs are pretty damn good despite what the critics had to say. The awfully U2-sounding first single, "So Alive," is as catchy at it is crunchy. Adams' ingenius songwriting goes unnoticed on some of the more confessional work of his catalog (see the title track, and "Anybody Wanna Take Me Home"). It's evident that this album was purely experimental -- a memo that many naysayers must have failed to see. Just a warning: (much) more Ryan to come.


86) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (2008)
We'll see if this band stands the test of time. Vampire Weekend's early success is clearly the product of the indie blog hypemachine. I think these guys hold the record for "least deserving band to appear on Saturday Night Live," as they had barely even charted before reaching the precious nationally-televised show circuit. Fun fact: they were the first band to grace the cover for Spin before actually releasing an album. But I gotta give it to them, they do give us one hell of Paul Simony debut.


85) The Get Up Kids - On A Wire (2002)
It's unfortunate that The Get Up Kids got branded with that infamous "emo" scarlet letter. It really is unfathmable to me that these guys will be considered more in the ranks of Fall Out Boy than Nada Surf or Superchunk. And I am purposely selecting their least-known record specifically because its poor sales, yet great content pretty much sum up this band's career. Depite the whiny voice, Matt Pryor has a pen as skilled as they come, and this is shown on tunes like "Hannah Hold On," and "Overdue." The Get Up Kids disbanded in '05, but Pryor is still active with his side project The New Amsterdams.


84) Jesse Malin - The Fine Art of Self-Destruction (2003)
The solo debut from the lead singer of defunct New York thrash band D Generation, Fine Art is a complete 180 from the brash punk of Malin's 90's career. I can't think of an album that professes more love to the city of New York than this one. Aside from the cover art (which shows Malin at the Delancey Street subway stop), Malin pays a heartfelt tribute to the five boroughs on songs such as "Brooklyn," "Downliner," and "Riding On The Subway." And if Bruce Springsteen has an affinity for this guy (he's got a cameo on Jesse's most recent album), he's just fine in my book.


83) N*E*R*D - In Search Of... (2002)
For the record, N*E*R*D stands for "No One Ever Really Dies." And at the rate that Pharell Williams has been going, this may very well be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Aside from being one of the most prolific (and successful) producers of the past decade (his resume includes hits for Madonna, Kanye West, Gwen Stefani, and Jay-Z) , Pharell has made some pretty solid records with his experimental band, which includes fellow Neptune Chad Hugo. I can't think of anyone else who has successfully melded rock with hip-hop as well as this guy. At its core, In Search Of... is front-loaded with some of the best party songs of the past decade (see "Rock Star," "Provider," and "Lap Dance"), a lesson every frat DJ should be well-versed in.


82) Wilco - A Ghost Is Born (2004)
It's very difficult for a band to make a great record after creating a masterpiece. So was the case for Wilco and A Ghost Is Born, an excellent follow-up to the opus that was Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Considering Jeff Tweedy's altered state of mind while recording this album (he entered a rehab clinic shortly after its release), this is one hell of a piece of work. Although at times a bit uneven, anyone who knows anything about music cannot deny Tweedy's ability to pen a great tune on Ghost.


81) Cat Power - The Greatest (2006)
Anyone who pretentiously names a new album The Greatest better be pretty damn sure of it. But, you know what, I'll give it to Cat Power (the pen name of Chan Marshall) because she really scores a knockout on her first record of completely original material. Marshall's sultry voice is not easy to resist on most of the The Greatest's many highlights, which include the short-but-sweet "Islands," and the piano-laden beauty that is the title-track. The dreaminess of this album is reminicent of Mazzy Star, which is never a bad thing.

Seeing Success?

There's no denying that Pharrell Williams has one of the more impressive resumes in the music biz. Churning out hit after hit for artists as diverse as Madonna, Gwen Stefani, and Jay-Z, this man of many talents has developed quite the musical palate over the years. His penchant for productivity has inspired two albums under the the outfit N*E*R*D, which includes Neptunes producing partner Chad Hugo and rapper Shay Haley. After a four year hiatus, the trio returns with their third effort, Seeing Sounds -- a album inspired by synesthesia, a rare neurological phenomenon that causes people relate particular words or sounds to colors in their minds (Side note: I think I have an aunt who has this). And this title couldn't be any more fitting, as Pharrell and Hugo certainly get creative with a multitude of sounds on this genre-spanning disc. Through the course of the 12 song set, this production prodigy team experiments with riff-heavy rock, electronica, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new wave. When interviewed about Seeing Sounds at SXSW this year, Pharrell was quoting as saying, "We didn't care about genres; we're not doing this for the money." After listening to some of the record's more head-scratching songs (see "Anti Matter" and questionable single choice "Everyone Nose") this sentiment becomes apparent. Considering Pharrell's track record of mastering the art of the mash-up, he falls a little flat on this set. And oddly enough, it is the underproduced songs that are really the winners on Sounds. The soulful "Sooner or Later" stacks up with some N*E*R*D's best material from the first two albums. But unfortunately there is a level of excitement that is missing from say a "Rock Star" or a "Lap Dance." And please don't pay much attention to Haley's rhymes. Because lyrically this is a very forgettable album. But if blasting loud car stereo music is your thing, you'll have no problem with Seeing Sounds.

My Rating: 6.5/10