HOW I SPENT 2008 IN FRONT OF MY TV. A List by Patrick Kennedy Instead of a list focused on everything under the sun, I wanted to use my two pages to look at the year in videogames. Partly because it’s a topic I hold dear to my dorky heart, and partly because I think the cultural relevance of videogames is increasing with every passing year. I missed just about every AAA game release in 2008 – I just got my PS3 in December and continue to make up for lost time – and many others were skipped for reasons…

  Buy New or Used via Amazon Portishead – “Third” (Mercury/Island) What’s that? How long did you say they’d been away? 10 years? And to come back so strong? Ooooofff!   Buy New or Used via Amazon Santogold – “Santogold” (Downtown / Atlantic) Diplo featuring Santogold – “Top Ranking” – A Diplo Dub mix tape (find it on the torrent sites) With Santogold vocals over a few choice tracks. Bouncy mix all the way through.   Buy New or Used via Amazon Franco – “Francophonic: A Retrospective Vol. 1 1953-1980” (Sterns) Two CD set, well chosen, good notes, decent sound….

The top 8 of 08’, top eight of two thousand and eight, 8 records in 08’ that are deemed GREAT. Here we are. Quite a year I must say. This time I bring you my usual diverse list of records, however this year I will not bore you with the cliché of “close but no cigar/2nd fiddle” titles, nor will I consume your eyes & brains with the list of “letdown” releases. Instead I give to you the crème de la crème, the SHIT, the best of the best, the PoOp. Put on your napkin, pull up a plate, sharpen…

Three of my top ten are of the reissue variety. And one is a compilation of folk guitar instrumentals from 1966 through 1981. That leaves a paltry six releases over the course of twelve months that inspired me enough to pick my head up and take notice. What should I make of this? Well, 2008 wasn’t the easiest year for pretty much anyone I’ve talked to and I’m sure the same can be said for you folks here. So I’ll cut the artists and labels some slack. Let’s all hope we all see a little light by the end of…

(*No real order here. Just the way I could remember things.)  

Well you all. It is nice to see you back after another trip around the sun brings us to our annual chance to document our pompous and opinionated selves to the point of inflated ego and shameless self promotion. This year the numbers listing the musical are not for rating purposes but for my inadequate filing system.     Buy New or Used via Amazon 1) Dave Holland Sextet -”Pass it On” 2008 Dave Holland is an impeccable bass player including his bow work. I am sure he learned something about assembling a band for his stint with Miles Davis….

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  Buy New or Used via Amazon CALEXICO – CARRIED TO DUST   Buy New or Used via Amazon BON IVER – FOR EMMA, FOREVER AGO   Buy New or Used via Amazon PIERO PICCIONI – SCACCO ALLA REGINA (deluxe reissue)   Buy New or Used via Amazon LYGIA – LYGIA (brazil 1965)   Buy New or Used via Amazon FRANCOISE BREUT – A L’AVEUGLETTE   Buy New or Used via Amazon DEPEDRO – DEPEDRO   Buy New or Used via Amazon TINDERSTICKS – HUNGRY SAW   Buy New or Used via Amazon ENNIO MORRICONE – COSI’ COME SEI (deluxe…

Favorite Things ~ ALBUMS ‘08   Buy New or Used from Amazon Sigur Ros ~ Med sud i eyrum vid splilum endalaust (XL Recordings). After the “Heima” tour, these Icelandic superstars were left refreshed and re-energized, and their exuberance carried over into the studio. From singles to long, languid stunners, With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly is a document of unexpected extroversion. Special live guests include the London Symphony Orchestra and London Oratory School Choir.   Buy New or Used via Amazon Paavoharju ~ Laulu Laakson Kukista (Fonal). This Finnish duo doles out biographical information in dashes…

 Buy new or used through Amazon Burial – Untrue    Buy new or used through Amazon MIA – Kala     Buy new or used through Amazon Tinariwen – Aman Iman: Water is Life     Buy new or used through Amazon Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare     Buy new or used through Amazon Boxcutter – Glyphic     Buy new or used through Amazon VA – Box of Dub 2: Dub Step and Future Dub     Buy new or used through Amazon PJ Harvey – White Chalk     Buy new or used through Amazon Simian…

Best Records of 2007, IMHO     Buy new or used through Amazon 1. Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha The former violinist and multi-instrumentalist (and perhaps the world’s finest whistler – it’s scary) for the Squirrel Nut Zippers continues to find his voice as a solo artist. I loved the Mysterious Production of Eggs so much I couldn’t imagine this holding a candle. It does.     Buy new or used through Amazon 2. The National – Boxer This one snuck up on me. And now my iPod is telling me that I listened to this more than anything else…

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    Buy new or used through Amazon 1. Amy Winehouse : Back To Black     Buy new or used through Amazon 2. Panda Bear : Person Pitch     Buy new or used through Amazon 3. Mekons : Natural     Buy new or used through Amazon 4. Robert Wyatt : Comicopera     Buy New or Used via Amazon 5. Ryan Adams : Easy Tiger     Buy new or used through Amazon 6. Yo La Tengo : I’m Not Afraid Of You And I Will Kick Your Ass     Buy new or used through Amazon…

Best of 2007     Buy new or used through Amazon Robert Wyatt – Comicopera A sad and tender CD from this UK underground legend.     Buy new or used through Amazon Various Artists – Bokoor Beats Vintage Ghanaian Afro-Pop from the 1970s. This compilation lends a window into a little-known, but thriving, music scene that borrowed heavily from American funk as well as the popular regional “highlife” sound.     Buy new or used through Amazon Battles – Mirrored Someone resurrected the Butthole Surfers, got them off drugs, taught them how to play their instruments and in turn…

  Buy new or used through Amazon ken andrews – secrets of the lost satellite (dinosaur fight) – yeah I know, I know; but the record definitely belongs on the list cause it’s one of his better offerings like YOTR. It is better than his other side gig called ON. Known from his FAILURE fame – well they never really made it to “Fame” rather more like underground notoriety and production darlings? “up or down”,”tripped up” – scream FAILURE. A must have for any KA fan. Strangely enough the i-tunes version, I know saying i-tunes is probably blasphemy on the…

Live Music: Olu Dara (Club Helsinki, Great Barrington) # 1 best show of 2007! Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys (Bearsville Theater) Jason Kao Hwang (Alt Bks Uptown, Kingston) Slavic Soul Party (Spiegeltent at Bard) Jason Slack and the Slick Slack Brass Band (Hudson, TSL on the riverfront) The Detroit Cobras (Stray Bar, Hudson) Chops and Seth (Bert’s Inn, Craryville) Porter Wagoner (Madison SQ Garden, opening up for White Stripes and Grinderman) Elvis Costello SOLO (opening for Dylan, Times Union, Albany) Toumani Diabate (Zankel Hall, NYC) Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Mahaiwe Theater, Great Barrington) Youssou N’Dour (UPAC, Kingston), VISION FESTIVAL opening night,…

  Buy New or Used from Amazon 1. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Magic When Born To Run came out a lifetime ago, it was at once stunning, passionate, majestic and poetic, words that might also describe Magic. Listening to “Girls In Their Summer Clothes,” I’m still surprised it doesn’t once reference a boardwalk.     Buy new or used from from Amazon 2. AMY WINEHOUSE – Back To Black This girl is a serious singer. With some serious problems. She might be the only singer in a position to follow up a classic album (and this is a classic) with a…

What I remember listening to in 2007   First, a confession: my motivation and enthusiasm are on the wane. The music seems to mean less than it used to (old fartism). Politics seems a lot more interesting. Listened less and was generally unimpressed but…..     Buy new or used through Amazon Magic – Bruce Springsteen Except for “Radio Nowhere”, which was trite from the first listen, a nice return for the E Streeters. From the frothy “Girls in their summer Clothes” to the overtly political, really loved it     Buy new or used through Amazon Play It as…

Well, the long wait is nearly over … no, I’m not talking about Bush’s presidency, I’m talking about the POOP 2007! As usual, I’m still procrastinating, and still trying to squeeze in a few purchases before deadline. There is some better news from this part of the world though. There will be another bairn in the Nerney clan come this summer. My plan for world domination continues! Well, maybe not world domination … and Nat and I will probably lose what little control we have in our own house with another little rugrat running around. Anyway, it’s certain to be…

    Buy from Calexico store Calexico – Tool Box     Buy new or used through Amazon The Sadies – New Seasons     Buy new or used through Amazon Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog     Buy from Dusty Groove Sven Libaek – Inner Space (soundtrack 1973)     Buy new or used through Amazon Dean & Britta – Back Numbers     Buy new or used through Amazon Benjamin Biolay – Trash Ye Ye     Buy from Dusty Groove Edda Dell’Orso – Voice (compilation)     Buy from Elefant Single (Spanish band) – Pio…