Here it is folks, the end all and be all…our Top 25 Northwest Albums of 2008. While numbers 6 through 25 were highly contentious, there was unanimity as to the Top 5 Northwest Albums of 2008 and their order. There’s no doubt in our minds, that no band deserves the accolades more than The Moondoggies. Their album Don’t Be A Stranger is an instant classic in the vein of Music from Big Pink. We expect 2009 to be even bigger than 2008 for The Moondoggies, and we can’t wait to see what comes next from them, as well as the other great bands that made this years list.

1. The Moondoggies - Don’t Be A Stranger |myspace|
2. J. Tillman - Vacilando Territory Blues |myspace|
3. Wild Orchid Children - S/T EP |myspace|
4. The Dutchess and The Duke - She’s The Dutchess, He’s The Duke |myspace|
5. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground - S/T LP  |myspace|
6. Fleet Foxes - S/T LP |myspace|
7. See Me River - Time Machine |myspace|
8. Whore Moans - Hello From the Radio Wasteland |myspace|
9. Starfucker - S/T LP |myspace|
10. Jake One - White Van Music |myspace|
11. Blind Pilot  - 3 Rounds and a Sound |myspace|
12. Thee Emergency - SOLID |myspace|
12. Sera Cahoone - Only As The Day Is Long |myspace| 
13. Horse Feathers - House with No Home |myspace|
14. The Pica Beats  - Bring Back the Claws |myspace|
15. Throw Me the Statue - Moonbeams |myspace|
16. Das Llamas - Class Wars: K-12 |myspace|
17. The Builders and The Butchers - S/T LP (re-released nationally 7/08) |myspace|
18. Saturday Knights - Mingle |myspace|
19. The New Faces - S/T LP |myspace|
20. Damien Jurado - Caught In Trees |myspace|
21. Bark Hide and Horn - National Road |myspace|
22. Grand Archives - S/T LP |myspace|
23. Hey Marseilles - To Travels & Trunks |myspace|
24. The Hands - S/T LP  |myspace|
25. A Gun That Shoots Knives - Future of Love  |myspace|

The Trucks Finale ::: photo by Josh

The holidays are over, we’re back to our day jobs, and it’s still snowing…all things that make us sad. But nothing compares to the woe we feel about a number of our favorite local bands calling it quits during 2008.  We thought 2007 was brutal for our favorite bands (and it was!) but 2008 kept the brutality going–taking The Trucks, Hopscotch Boys, Iceage Cobra, Das Llamas, and Ms. Led to the big gig in the sky.

We were lucky enough to catch each of these bands finales (well, we will see Ms. Led’s final show on 1/23/09) and each and every one was bittersweet. On one hand we were seeing a show of one of our favorite bands that never dissapoint, on the other, it was the last time we’d ever see them share the stage (to our knowledge). So, we figured today, when you’re suffering the post-holiday hangover and wishing you were anywhere but work…we’d share with you some of the great losses of 2008.

Hopscotch Boys Finale ::: photo by Josh

Brad Kaufman singing Acid Pony at the Cobra Finale ::: photo by Josh

Das Llamas Finale ::: photo by Abbey

Ms. Led at GMF ::: photo by Abbey

See More Photos from these bands final shows by clicking the links below:

Hopscotch Boys
Iceage Cobra
The Trucks
Das Llamas

Das Llamas at the Cha Cha ::: Photo by Josh

The one thing I was going to be sure not to miss on Friday wasn’t even an official Block Party set, but was held in the Cha Cha, who’s entrance was on the Block Party’s fenced off grounds. Situated in the basement of Bimbos, descending into the Cha Cha always feels like I’m re-entering the womb, except this one’s got bartenders, sombreros hanging from the ceiling, and velvet paintings of naked people.

I’ve seen Das Llamas a few times over the course of writing this blog, and each time it made me even more excited about the roiling witches cauldron that is our local music scene. At times their raw, rhythmic rock feels as though it’s inducing a hurricane to spin up right there in the room and lift you off your feet. That’s most certainly what it felt like in the center of the Cha Cha during their final performance ever, for what I would say was the best performance by them that I’d ever seen.

Without pomp or a word the band launched into their set. Between songs lead singer Kerry Zettel declared only half jokingly “It was either the condos or us.” Instead of breaking out the old catalog for an epic set, the band stuck to their average whirlwind set time of 30 minutes, playing their 6 or 7 best songs, and called it a night. Songs in the set included “No Way We Could Have Known,” “Wood on Bone,” “Whoa Oh Oh,” “$1,000,000,” my personal favorite right now “High Horse Medicine,” plus maybe one or two more (”Dear Fellow Countrymen” I think was one).

That Das Llamas slipped through the cracks and never got picked up by someone who could bring them to the masses, breaks my heart. I’ve said many a time that I thought they might be the most compelling rockers in Seattle. If they were still a band after this night at the Cha Cha, I probably would have continued to say it.

Zettel has got a new softer project now called See Me River with a second album set for release this month on his own imprint Aviation Records. Without a doubt, we will be keeping you in the loop as things develop for this promising local band.

Das Llamas ::: Final Set at 9:45 Friday at the Cha Cha  ::: photo by abbey

Not that it’s a completely unusual feeling, but this Friday can’t come fast enough for me. It’s not the work week or deadlines that has me dreaming of the weekend, but rather the packed and promising line up for this years Capitol Hill Block Party.

Here are my recommendations and the schedule I will be following on Friday:

Black Eyes and Neck Ties opening my CHBP ::: 4pm at Neumo’s ::: photo by abbey

4:00 pm  - Black Eyes & Neck Ties- Neumo’s Stage
4:45 pm - see if there is any of Common Market’s set left to catch - Mainstage
5:00 pm - The Pharmacy - King Cobra
6:30 - Menomena - Mainstage
7:45 - Thee Emergency- Neumo’s Stage
8:30 - Champagne, Champagne - King Cobra
9:00 - The Dodos - Neumo’s
9:45 - Das Llamas(Last Set Ever) - Cha Cha Lounge
10:45 - decide between dinner and Vampire Weekend
12:15 - Lesbian - King Cobra 

Menomena ::: 6:30 pm Mainstage ::: photo by Josh  

God damnit.  Couldn’t a shitty local band decide to call it quits, rather than the another one of the most promising bands in the Seattle scene? Just weeks after releasing their incredible sophmore ep–Class Wars: K-12–which we hoped would catapault Das Llamas in to the next Modest Mouse, the band has announced they are on an “indefinite break.”

I really have little to say about this other than–FUCKING SUCKS.

Jaguar Love ::: Photo By Josh

Sometimes a picture is better than any written description I could muster. For last night’s Jaguar Love show in a not full enough Neumos on the all-ages main floor, I just wasn’t feeling it. I wasn’t even the music (although a band could have pulled me out of my funk with a good set). I haven’t been hassled about bringing a camera to a show in a while, and while I did eventually get in with minimal trouble, for no good reason I just felt deflated and like my heart wasn’t in the night afterward. As a result my efforts at taking pictures and enjoying the night in general suffered.

This one turned out though. Sort of.

Jaguar Love will be at the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle at the end of July.

Black Eyes and Neckties ::: Photo by Josh

I don’t have too much to say about this show other than to say than that these two bands are shining examples of local bands that are doing the hard work of showing up every time to build a quality reputation. When the break comes, they’ll be prepared and have depth from the get go. In the case of Das Llamas, they’ve probably played every pseudo-stage this city has to offer over the last few years, building genuine chops and setting the standard as one of the most active bands in the region. Bellingham’s Black Eyes and Neckties on the other hand have, in their four years of existence, probably actually wrecked more stages than most small bands will ever play, all in the name of a good and usually bloody performance.

The Stranger knows all of this and has smartly recruited them both to be on the Capitol Hill Block Party bill. You would be a fool to miss either.

Das Llamas are having a CD release party later this month for their second LP which arrives June 24. It is titled Class Wars: K-12. The party is at the Comet on June 27 and Das Llamas will be playing with In the Empty City, Keith Ledger (yes, it’s a crass name but the band includes members of Gatsby’s American Dream), and The Mission Orange.

Black Eyes and Neckties ::: Photo by Abbey

Black Eyes and Neckties ::: Photo by Josh

Das Llamas ::: Photo by Abbey

Das Llamas ::: Photo by Abbey

Flickr: Das Llamas and Black Eyes and Neckties at the Funhouse

From the ashes of the Seattle group Blood Brothers rises Jaguar Love. They’ll be capping off a west coast tour at Neumos next Wednesday June 4 by headlining an all Seattle bill, with Nazca Lines and Das Llamas warming up the crowd.

In their short existence they’ve impressed enough to have already landed an opening spot for Queens of the Stone Age at the Paramount and are now headlining Neumos, all of which I’d say is pretty freakin’ rad for a band less than a year old. For the last half of June and the first half of July these gents will be hitting up the festival season in Europe, ending July with an appearance at Seattle’s own Capitol Hill Block Party. With an official EP to be released on June 3rd and a full length out August 19th, 2008 looks to be a busy year for this trio.

MP3: Jaguar Love - Bats over the Pacific Ocean from the self-titled EP due out June 3

The first person to drop an email to XX with “JAGUAR LOVE” in the subject line will win a pair of guest list spots, at Neumos, courtesy of Matador Records.

Wow that was quick! We have a winner and his name is Stephen. Thanks for playing!

If you aren’t lucky enough win a pair from us, you can buy tickets here.

Black Eyes and Neckties ::: Photo by Josh

While this Friday’s music calendar is a music fan’s potpourri, there is no question in Sound on the Sound’s mind where the best rock lineup in town is. I’ll be honest and say to this blogger, any week where Bellingham’s Black Eyes and Neckties or Seattle’s Das Llamas are on the same bill together, it’s a complete no brainer, I am there. I think they’re two of the most exciting yet under-appreciated rock bands going on out there right now in the local scene, and somehow the Funhouse seems their most natural environment.

BENT (the whole band) brings a frighteningly cavalier intensity to their performance that leaves you simply breathless and wide eyed (see above picture for Bradley Horror singing while acting as Brenda Grimm’s piano legs for the remainder of a song after he knocked them off while flailing around on the floor). I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed by their set. Das Llamas on the other hand are furiously focused on maintaining an active and usually dance-able progression, led by Kerry Zettel’s signature voice and the bands impressive guitar duo. The band is readying for the June 24 release of their second proper LP, titled Class Wars: K-12 on Aviation Records, and the two new ones I heard at the Greenhouse a while back sounded promising, so I am looking forward to a longer set and hearing what a few more new songs sound like.

Also on the bill are the Hacks and the Fucking Eagles. Oh… and since it’s a four band bill I suspect it will be starting 9:30 on the dot. Check the full deets on the poster below.

This weekend looks to be a hot one, so pull out your warm weather clothes from storage and remember your sunscreen for the daytime. Some selections you might consider for your nighttime event calendar for the weekend is right here though, and for once it’s Sunday that’s pulling the weight.

Friday

Discs of Fury, WE Wrote the Book on Connectors and M Bison are at the Lo-fi Performance Gallery. Sound on the Sound looks to be having a veritable posse coming down to this event, which I’ve been told will not disappoint. Discs of Fury’s rock opera, M Bison performing the last half of Abbey Road, and WE with a boatload of new songs will all be highlights of the night. Read more about it here.

Saturday

Thee Emergency, The Hands, and The Valley are at the King Cobra, playing consecutive Saturday number two of Operation Bright Pink. Volume, swagger and sweat will be the operative words for this one.

Portugal The Man, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground and Man Down Medic on the other hand will be turning it down in Kirkland for the annual “Turn It Down” concert. It’s all-ages at the Kirkland Teen Union Building, and sponsored by Evergreen Speech & Hearing Clinic will be a raffle for ear related items and on-site molding of custom ear plugs. They really want us to remember to always be ear-responsible. (See poster above.)

If an early show is more your speed, head over to the Sunset at 7pm for a Nada Mucho show that was just moved from the Mars Bar featuring Das Llamas, Denelian, and Le Concorde. Das Llamas might be the best rock band no one talks about in this town. Seriously.

Sunday

For Sunday Bloody Sunset, the 4pm show at the Sunset Tavern, J Tillman and Battle Hymns will be joined by guest headliners.

A reason to hang around Ballard is later that evening Facts about Funerals will be leading off a late show at Sunset with Radar Bros and A Weather.

And finally, some of the best acts that local hip-hop has to offer invade Fremont as Cancer Rising kicks off a busy spring with the beginning of “The 206 Degrees and Rising Tour” at the High Dive, anchoring a strong Seattle bill that includes D. Black, Neema and Kublakai.

There are a whole ‘nother boatload of shows happening this weekend as well including the Neumos doubleheader Posies 20th Anniversary shows on Saturday, the sold out Mason Jennings/Missy Higgins show, and album release parties on the part of the Sugarcane Mutiny and Steel Tigers of Death. So get out and do something. Please. It’s time to emerge from your winter hibernation.