WASU's Top Ten Albums of 2008

It's that time of year when everyone in the whole entire world puts together lists of their favorite stuff of the year. Why should WASU be any different? These lists always cause a ton of controversy. So, this is the list of albums we here at WASU either played the heck out of, wished we could play more of, or we were just really digging. Without further ado:

10. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

The '59 Sound didn't catch my attention right away. I think it was one of those days in the office where every five minutes something was distracting me. Nevertheless, I knew it was good. When it came time decide whether to put Gaslight into rotation, we thought the title track was irresistible. A week or so later, our own David Edscorn decided the album was good enough to write a review of it for this blog. He describes their sound better than I'll ever be able to. Not only did we like the Gaslight Anthem, so did you, our listeners. We got dozens of requests for The Gaslight Anthem, even long after The '59 Sound was out of rotation.

9. The Dodos - Visiter

It seems like every time we played "Fools" from this awesome second LP by the Dodos, someone called in wanting to know who the song was by. Meric Long plays an acoustic guitar with more ferocity (just give "Jodi" a listen) than anyone I've ever heard. Matched with Logan Kroeber's thudding and snare-rim laden drums, this duo makes some of the most sincere and passionate music today. David Escorn also gave us a review of Visiter.

8. TV on the Radio - Dear Science

With the release of Dear Science, TV on the Radio have catapulted to the forefront of America's musical consciousness so much so that Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Spin, Consequence of Sound, and the Pitchfork reader's poll named Dear Science the best album of 2008. The sounds on this album range so greatly that it's hard to pin this as solely an indie, rock, hip-hop, r&b, or funk record (yes, funk). It's hard to ever say that a band is completely and utterly unique, but TVotR is. Not since Radiohead blew everyone's minds in the 90's has there been a band this creative and original.

 

7. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

Consolers of the Lonely, the second LP from The Raconteurs, was purposely snuck into the marketplace before critics could review it before the release -- a bold move on the band's part. With only a week's notice before its release, Consolers has still managed to match, if not better, the success of The Raconteurs' debut (and rightfully so). From the opening title track to the eerie closer, "Carolina Drama," White and Benson showcase their ability to make rock music that their influences (The Who, Led Zeppelin, Badfinger, etc.) would be proud of. Forget The White Stripes, Consolers of the Lonely establishes The Raconteurs as Jack White's band.

6. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Before anyone had even heard the record, Radiohead was setting trends with In Rainbows. Their "pay whatever you want" release led Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails among others to follow suit. There's even an entire record label based on the precedent set by Radiohead, called Quote Unquote Records. As for the actual music on the album, it's classic Radiohead, though a few famous musicians feel it's a bit gray around the edges. Still, Radiohead was everywhere this year: consistently #1 on Last.fm, a high-profile world tour, a few Grammy nominations. Gray or not, people like Radiohead.

5. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

For a lot of people Vampire Weekend is a guilty pleasure. I can see it, with their clean-cut Ivy League backgrounds, comparisons to Paul Simon, and their videos premiering on FNMTV. If have to say though, once you see Ezra Koenig rocking some hardcore punk songs with Fucked Up, you gain a lot of respect for him and his band. Besides, Vampire Weekend make some fun, happy, chill songs about some pretty random stuff. What's not to like about pairing distaste for the Oxford comma with cocaine use?

4. Dr. Dog - Fate

I've always thought of Dr. Dog as Boone's band. When I listen to Dr. Dog and when I walk through town, I get the same feeling. Sometimes I'll hear some Dog when I'm in restaurants or in record stores, and people on campus will ask me if I've ever heard of them. Sometimes, too, I hear them in Naked Gods and The Major Sevens cited them as a big influence. Boone and Dr. Dog just seem to go together. When Juston from the band called up the station to thank us for playing Fate he said he had heard about Boone and the station manager encouraged him to play a show here sometime. Fate is filled with great songs that harken back to the past when things were simpler while remaining musically complex and interesting.

3. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

The Hold Steady's Craig Finn doesn't write songs, he writes stories. No lie, this semester one of my English professors broke out lyric sheets to one of their songs, and we spent half the class analyzing it like a short story. Musically they've garnered comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, but The Hold Steady are much darker than Springsteen ever was. Their songs are about drunken nights, parties, murder, and idealism. Craig Finn has said this album is about aging gracefully and holding true to the ideals of your youth. With their fourth album, The Hold Steady have certainly aged gracefully. The first five songs on Stay Positive could easily be the top five songs on anyone's list this year. 

2. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night

Only By the Night was under attack from the get-go. Pitchfork and PopMatters gave the Kings scathing reviews. But, of course, Pitchfork has always held some kind of grudge against the Followills. The band has only had mild success in the U.S., but they're kings in Britain. With Only By the Night, Kings of Leon bring that success home. They've brought a more polished feel to their southern-twinged garage rock sound, and their mega-hit "Sex On Fire" is a guilty pleasure like no other. The first six songs on this album have been a mainstay on the air and around offices of WASU. 

1. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

What is there to say about MGMT that hasn't already been said this year? They've gone from "college-dorm experiment" to one of the hippest bands in the world in less than twelve months. Instead of just singing songs about living lives of stardom, drugs, and models, now they can live the fast life for themselves (but hopefully not die young). Their psychedelic videos for "Time to Pretend" and "Electric Feel" and stage attire have even influenced the designer fashion world. The opening synth riff of "Kids" is as infectious as they come, and Andrew VanWyngarden's vocals seem almost otherworldly and chilling. Each song on Oracular Spectacular is as memorable as the next, each an essential part of an overarching metaphysical experience. These will be the anthems of our lives for years to come. 

Local Albums

Here are some of our favorite albums from North Carolinians and North Carolina natives:

The Rosebuds - Life Like

Naked Gods - Welcome Home

Annuals - Such Fun

Do It To Julia - Archie Carrol

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cardinology

Sugar Glyder - We Cracked the Sky

The Sammies - Sandwich

Ben Folds - Way to Normal

The Avett Brothers - The Gleam II

The Groves - Simply Put EP

EP's

Manchester Orchestra - Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind

Wintergreen - Forest St

Tom Gabel - Heart Burns

The King Left - New York Nothing

Annuals/Sunfold - Wet Zoo

Mason Proper - Short Hand

Blue Giant - Target Heart

Bang!Bang!Eche! - Bang! Bang! Eche!

Foreign Orange - Foreign Orange

Audrye Sessions - Audrye Sessions

Other Lives - Other Lives

Past Lives - Strange Symmetry

Be Your Own Pet - Get Damaged

White Lies - Death

Music Department Picks

Daniel

1. Why? - Alopecia

2. TV on the Radio - Dear Science

3. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball

4. Foals - Antidotes

5. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

6. Dodos - Visiter

7. Dr. Dog - Fate

8. Deerhunter - Microcastles

9. Tim Fite - Fair Ain't Fair

10. Mason Proper - Olly Oxen Free

David

1. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

2. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

3. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

5. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

6. The (International) Noise Conspiracy - The Cross of My Calling

7. TV on the Radio - Dear Science

8. Dodos - Visiter

9. No Age - Nouns

10. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball

Christian

1. Young Widows - Old Wounds

2. Paint It Black - New Lexicon

3. Torche - Meanderthal

4. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

5. Algernon Cadwallader - Some Kind of Cadwallader

6. Bridge & Tunnel - East/West

7. Harvey Milk - Life...The Best Game In Town

8. Naked Gods - Welcome Home

9. Murs & 9th Wonder - Sweet Lord

10.???

Best Places to Find Free MP3's

With the RIAA cracking down more and more, illegally downloading music can be quite a sketchy endeavor. As an avid music fan and broke college student, how can you check out the newest and best music without blowing all your hard earned cash? Today, a number of blogs post free MP3's of bands' music for you to download. The idea of these free MP3's is that they will entice you to buy the band's album. But, between you and me, with so many blogs posting songs from the same bands, you can usually find half of an album on the web (sometimes even before it hits stores), and the best part is that you won't get hit with a hefty fine from the RIAA.

Here are some of the blogs who offer lots of free MP3's for your consumption.

Pitchforkmedia.com - Check out the "Forkcast" section for videos, streams, and (more often than not) MP3's of the newest material from all walks of music.

Stereogum.com - Almost daily, the guys at Stereogum post MP3's for your enjoyment. Check out the player or the "MP3's and Streams" tab for their entire MP3 archive. For some reason they really like cover songs.

My Old Kentucky Blog - MOKB is chocked full of free MP3's for your delight. Scroll through the posts to find out all kinds of wonderful info about bands, and more than likely a few MP3's about mentioned artists. The "Listening Party" posts are especially fruitful.

Paste - Besides being one of the best print publications I've ever seen, Paste magazine has turned itself into a multimedia online experience. In their "Paste Station" player, is a link to downloads, exclusive videos, album streams, and artists to watch. Be sure to check both the downloads and recently added tabs to get the full benefit.

Chromewaves - This one is new to me, but a quick glance shows a wealth of promisingly free digital music goodness.

So, these are just a few of the many places on the web to find free legal music. If you know of any more places, please leave a comment. Let us in on the secret. With so many free and legal places to find music on the internet, who needs to risk a fine?

Posted By: Daniel

WASU Top 10 & Adds - Week of November 17th

WASU Top 10
1. Oasis - "The Shock of the Lightning"
2. TV on the Radio - "Shout Me Out"
3. Kings of Leon - "Crawl"
4. Anthony Green - "Dear Child"
5. Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - "Pages Written on a Wall"
6. Department of Eagles - "No One Does It"
7. The Subways - "I Won't Let You Down"
8. Ryan Adams - "Fix It"
9. Manchester Orchestra - "I Was a Lid"
10. The Rosebuds - "Another Way In"

What's New This Week
Blackmarket - "Night In Question"
J. Roddy Walston and the Business - "Used to Did"
Vampire Weekend - "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"
Wintersleep - "Drunk on Aluminum"
The Deep Vibrations - "Oklahoma City Woman Blues"
The Soft Hands - "Lot to Know"
The Loom - "Song for the Winter Sun"
Naked Gods - "Mountain Smashing Song of Joy"
The Groves - "Dive Down"

WASU Top 10 & Adds - Week of November 11th

WASU Top 10
1. TV on the Radio - "Shout Me Out"
2. Oasis - "The Shock of the Lightning"
3. Sleeping In The Aviary - "Write On"
4. Cold War Kids - "I've Seen Enough"
5. Kings of Leon - "Crawl"
6. Anthony Green - "Dear Child (I've Been Trying to Reach You)"
7. Margot and the Nucler So & So's - "Pages Written on a Wall"
8. Department of Eagles - "No One Does It"
9. Ryan Adams - "Fix It"
10. The Subways - "I Won't Let You Down"

What's New This Week
Japanese Motors - "Crooked Gun"
Whitley - "All Is Whole"
Gringo Star - "Transmission"
Audrye Sessions - "Turn Me Off"
Little Joy - "Keep Me In Mind"
Snow Patrol - "Disaster Button"
The King Left - "The Storm in a Teacup"
Bang! Bang! Eche! - "4 to the Floor"
Woodward - "Take It Back"

WASU Top 10 and Adds - Week of November 3rd

WASU Top 10
1. Jenny Lewis - "See Fernando"
2. Snow Patrol - "Take Back the City"
3. Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts - "Sunrise Dolls"
4. TV on the Radio - "Shout Me Out"
5.Oasis - "The Shock of the Lightning"
6. Cold War Kids - "I've Seen Enough"
7. Sleeping In The Aviary - "Write On"
8. Kings of Leon - "Crawl"
9. Anthony Green - "Dear Child"
10. Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - "Pages Written On a Wall"

What's New This Week
Kaiser Chiefs - "Half the Truth"
Longwave - "Eyes Like Headlights"
The (International) Noise Conspiracy - "Trashbins of History"
Past Lives - "Strange Symmetry"
Crystal Stilts - "Crystal Stilts"
Tom Gabel - "Conceptual Paths"
The Dead Trees - "Killer In Me"
Shiny Toy Guns - "Ghost Town"
The Decemberists - "Valerie Plume"
The Knux - "Roxxanne"

EP Review: Tom Gabel - "Heart Burns"

By David Edscorn

Against Me! is one of those bands that refuses to stop evolving. Starting as an anarchist folk-punk band from Florida that played sweaty acoustic anthems in crowded dingy basements, the band has changed slightly every album. This gradual change culminated in 2007’s New Wave, a highly-polished rock record with nary an acoustic song in sight. The critics raved about what they saw as progress, and die-hard fans raged about what they saw as selling out.

Personally, I prefer the raucous energy of the band’s early albums, but I also accept their new stuff as having moments of brilliance. Therefore, I was very interested to see what front-man Tom Gabel would turn out with his new long EP, Heart Burns. These seven songs are split between more sonic experimentation as well as a few songs that represent a step back to the band’s earlier sound.

Initially, I was disappointed with the first four songs. On these songs, Gabel experiments with different styles, and it doesn’t always work. The lead track, “Random Hearts,” is an almost new-wave (the style, not the album) sounding rock song. It’s interesting, but doesn’t really go anywhere. This seems to be a common problem on this part of the album. The songs have intriguing concepts, but Gabel fails to execute them to their full potential. “Conceptual Paths” attempts to mix acoustic guitar with electronic beats, and once again it doesn’t quite work. Lyrically, the concept behind “Cowards Sing at Night” (Senator McCain still fighting the Vietnam War in his head) is great, but I wish Gabel had taken us farther into this lost warrior’s psyche. These aren’t bad songs, they just could have been done much better.

Thankfully, Gabel pulls off the last three songs with the unplugged passion and energy that I’ve come to love. “Anna is a Stool Pigeon” is an engrossing tale of an activist that falls in love with an FBI informant and winds up in prison for his trouble. It’s almost Dylanesque in it’s delivery, helped by the harmonica between verses. “Harsh Realms” is a haunting song about the stress of life in the 21^st century. The album finishes with the bluntly-titled “100 Years of War,” which debates the future of our country over jangling guitars and an infectious chorus.

All in all, this isn’t a bad album. The first four songs don’t quite work the way they could, but the last three more than make up for that. Personally, I would like to see Tom Gabel release a full album of all acoustic material. He’s at his best when he’s railing against the system without fancy gimmicks to distract the message. 7 out of 10

Download: “Anna is a Stool Pigeon,” “Harsh Realms,” “100 Years of War”

Caught Off Guard: Get Help's "The End of the New Country"

By: Daniel

Every once in a while -- a very long while -- I'm caught off guard by how good an album is. As is the case with The End of the New Country by Boston's Get Help. I had never heard of the band, its record label, or any of its members. The record wasn't sent to WASU by one of the many promoters who supply us with CDs. A one-sheet listing the tracks, giving a little background on the band, and imprinted with a, dare I say, unflattering picture of the two primary members was all that accompanied the CD. What cause did I have to expect great things from Get Help? How was I supposed to know The End of the New Country would be chocked full of beautifully dark post-punk goodness that brings to mind such masterful bands as Joy Division, The Pixies, and especially R.E.M.? 

I would take the time to write a detailed description of the album, but why do what NPR has already done so well?

A self-proclaimed "supergroup of unknown musicians," Get Help makes gloomy but thoughtful

 guitar-rock that would fit comfortably in the post-punk era of the late '70s and early '80s. Get Help's two primary members, Tony Skalicky and Mike Ingenthron, were in elementary school when bands like Joy Division were making music. But on their new CD, The End of the New Country, the duo cribs from post-punk with enough honesty and talent to keep from sounding like a cheap knock-off.

Skalicky and Ingenthron, who write and record in New York, take turns on lead vocals. Skalicky unabashedly channels Joy Division's Ian Curtis (or Interpol's Paul Banks), and for some listeners, that might be too much of a turnoff to get through the whole album. But Skalicky's time at the mic fuels the album's most compelling and memorable moments.

The End of the New Country opens on a somber note with "Traveler's Shave Kit." Plaintive guitar strums, gentle rhythms, a little slide guitar and mellotron set an appropriate tone for an album that scarcely cracks a smile over the course of 15 tracks.

The album's title cut, like much of the CD, is full of resignation, as Skalicky sings about a world on the brink of collapse, with mobbed streets lined by burning buildings. "I think we've reached the end of the new country," he sings. "And I think we know the rest of its history." It's grim, to be sure.

But it could also signal a new beginning: By the end of the album, with the dramatic squalls of feedback on the closer "Growing Circles," the band seems to say that everything is going to be all right. "I am searching in growing circles," Skalicky sings. "And I will find you, I am certain."

Despite its darkness, The End of the New Country isn't a downer, though it's undeniably brooding and introspective. But there's enough inspired beauty in the lyrics — and consistently impressive guitar work — to make the music uplifting at times.

When not working as Get Help, Skalicky is the singer and guitarist for the Boston-based group The Beatings, while Ingenthron is in the New York group Strikes Again. The two collaborated on the songs for The End of the New Country over the Internet, with help from Rob Machold, William Scales, Daniel Parlin, Dennis Grabowski and Gene DiAvolio.

--- Robin Hilton, NPR

http://www.midriffrecords.com/gethelp/