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July 1, 2011

North of Northwest: Polaris Prize Bingo

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North of Northwest
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The 2011 Polaris Prize Long List was announced last week, a list of forty Canadian albums collated from five-album lists submitted by the hundred-plus jurors several weeks ago. From this list, jurors vote again, and the ten-album Short List will be revealed July 6. Short list artists will receive $2,000 each, will perform at September’s prize gala, and are eligible for the grand prize of $30,000.

This year’s Long List:

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs Austra – Feel It Break Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart Braids – Native Speaker Buck 65 – 20 Odd Years Louise Burns – Mellow Drama D-Sisive – Jonestown 2: Jimmy Go Bye Bye The Dears – Degeneration Street Destroyer – Kaputt Diamond Rings – Special Affections Dirty Beaches – Badlands Luke Doucet and The White Falcon – Steel City Trawler Eternia & MoSS – At Last Galaxie – Tigre et Diesel Jenn Grant – Honeymoon Punch Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972 Hey Rosetta! – Seeds Hooded Fang – Album Imaginary Cities – Temporary Resident Land Of Talk – Cloak and Cipher Little Scream – The Golden Record The Luyas – Too Beautiful To Work Malajube – La Caverne Miracle Fortress – Was I The Wave? One Hundred Dollars – Songs Of Man Doug Paisley – Constant Companion PS I Love You – Meet Me At The Muster Station Daniel Romano – Sleep Beneath the Willow The Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing Ron Sexsmith – Long Player Late Bloomer Shotgun Jimmie – Transistor Sister Sloan – The Double Cross Frederick Squire – March 12 Stars – The Five Ghosts Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges Timber Timbre – Creep On Creepin’ On The Weeknd – House Of Balloons Women – Public Strain Neil Young – Le Noise Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting

Which ten will make the final cut? You can find out when the list is revealed live on CBC Radio 3 and SIRIUS channel 152 on July 6.

If you want to play along at home in a literal sense, I present to you: Polaris Prize Bingo! Long list artists are arranged on the four printable cards below; break out your lucky trolls and your paint dotters and make a friendly wager with your friends as to whose card will win.* I can’t offer you $2,000 – in fact, I can’t offer you anything except the smug satisfaction of victory – but what else do you have to do on a Wednesday morning?

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*Note: I have absolutely no inside information on the Long List and cannot guarantee that any of these cards is a winner. Feel free to credit me as a genius and a visionary if one is, but please don’t write me angry letters if they’re all a bust.

April 22, 2011

North of Northwest: Canadian Summer Festival Outlook

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North of Northwest

Sick of Sasquatch? Bored with Bumbershoot? Just want more more more? Here’s North of Northwest’s second annual guide to Canadian summer music festivals.

 

 

 

 

Dawson City Music Festival July 15-17, Dawson City, Yukon

I’ve never heard DCMF described as anything but an amazing experience, a weekend of performances, creativity, and collaboration in a place whose very name conjures visions of adventure. This year Dawson City has drawn in the talents of performers as diverse as Vancouver’s indie folk-rock geniuses Yukon Blonde and dance punks Shout Out Out Out Out, each of whom drive the crowd to musical ecstasy in their own way. Also included on the lineup are Amelia Curran, Rich Aucoin, and Shotgun Jimmie.

Weekend passes are $125 and are on sale now.

 

 

NXNE June 13-19, Toronto

Naturally, Canada’s answer to SXSW has a more populist spin. NXNE is hosted in the country’s largest population center, and in addition to showcases and panels hosts free outdoor concerts by major artists right downtown.This year’s roster features everyone from Devo to the Dodos, including SotS favorites Shad, Land of Talk, Braids, P.S. I Love You, The Pack AD, and Dirty Beaches.

Wristbands are on sale now. Early bird pricing (through April 25) gets you a standard pass for $50 or priority access for $150.

 

 

Osheaga July 29-31, Montreal

A festival lover’s festival, Osheaga draws in the big names and this summer has added a third day to accommodate more of them. Headliners include Eminem, Elvis Costello, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, and Broken Social Scene. Unlike most big festivals, though, Osheaga takes place minutes from an urban setting, offering chances for hotel accommodation, extra-festival tourism, and late-night poutine in the city the dish calls home.

Three-day passes range from $217.50 – $369.50 and are available now.

 

 

Regina Folk Festival August 5-7, Regina, Saskatchewan

Regina Folk brings Dan Mangan, Coeur de pirate, Braids, Andrew Bird, and Library Voices to Saskatchewan to join headliners k.d. lang and Taj Mahal.

Early bird weekend passes are on sale for $89.

 

 

Sappyfest July 29-31, Sackville, New Brunswick

Few festivals have more indie cred than one founded in part by former Eric’s Trip member and current solo songwriter Julie Doiron. Conceived in 2006 by Doiron and some friends as “a more feasible way to get all our friends together than a wedding,” the now-beloved Sappyfest will run for the sixth time this year. Though no lineup has been announced yet, there are reasons to feel optimistic: last year’s performers included Diamond Rings, P.S. I Love You, Cousins, Daniel, Fred & Julie, Hollerado, and Holy Fuck.

If you want to take the gamble, early bird passes are available now for $60.

 

 

Sled Island Music & Arts Festival June 22-25, Calgary, Alberta

Calgary’s Sled Island has booked a near-infinite lists of bands, including Dandy Warhols, Minus The Bear, Of Montreal, The Sword, Cursive, Thee Oh Sees, Justin Townes Earle, Wild Flag, Dum Dum Girls, Jeff The Brotherhood, and Starfucker. Do you like music? Then you will find something you like here.

Festival wristbands are on sale now for $179, or $349 for VIP access.

Winnipeg Folk Festival July 6-10, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Prefer to visit Winnipeg when the temperatures are measured in positive numbers? You’re probably smarter than I. Spend a few days enjoying the weather just outside of town and taking in sets by Blind Pilot, Dan Mangan, Chuck Prophet, Jeff Tweedy, Imaginary Cities, and Tegan and Sara.

Tickets are on sale now; 5-day festival + camping passes are $229.

Winnipeg International Jazz Festival June 16-25, Winnipeg, Manitoba

As most folk festivals aren’t just about folk, Winnipeg Jazz is not just about jazz. The festival’s Club Series hosts a varied line-up of independent artists like Blonde Redhead, Shad, and Quintron & Miss Pussycat, and the (free!) opening weekend offers Les Jupes, Royal Canoe, The Lytics, and The Appleseed Cast on an outdoor downtown stage.

Tickets are sold separately for Club Series and larger Theatre Series concerts, but one $75 pass allows access to all Club Series shows all week.

Wolfe Island Music Festival August 5-6, Kingston, Ontario

This festival has only announced a few names, but they’re doozies: Stars, Great Lake Swimmers, Plants and Animals, The Wooden Sky, and Jenn Grant.

$60 Early Bird weekend passes available May 20th.

WYRD III May 20, Edmonton, Alberta May 21, Calgary, Alberta May 22, Vancouver, BC

Cultivated by music website Weird Canada, this traveling one-day festival features 19 underground Canadian bands (this [http://weirdcanada.com/2009/07/safe-language/] is not those [http://www.myspace.com/feralchildrenseattle] Feral Children) on two stages. SotS crush-band Dirty Beaches and paganesque fog-folk mystery man Wyrd Visions are on the bill along with Makeout Videotape, Red Mass, GOBBLE GOBBLE, The Famines, and a “Secret Surprise Guest” to be announced May 10.

Tickets $20.

October 7, 2010

Sometimes Less is More: Land of Talk and Besnard Lakes at The Crocodile

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Land of Talk ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Bigger isn’t always better.

While “the more the merrier” seems to be the band mantra du jour, Land of Talk displayed the pitfalls more than the promise of this trend Monday night at The Crocodile. Having expanded her tight trio to seven members, Lizzie Powell’s sinewy vocals and crisp, angular guitar was all but lost among the wash of extraneous sound, swallowing what I loved most about the band.

Though the extra players and larger sound work well on Land of Talk’s latest record, Cloak and Cipher, in action and on stage the tedium of seven band members tuning and setting up between each song stifled the show’s momentum. During the songs themselves, the band’s mobility and ease seemed hindered by the extra players as they tip-toed both musically and physically, trying not to stumble over each other. When the extra players left the stage and the original trio remained for a few songs, the band sounded just as full and they played with a blistering verve and confidence that was missing from the rest of the set.

Ironically, the exception to the band’s bloated feel was during “The Hate I Won’t Commit” where the band was at its largest. Expanding to 8 members to include a saxophone, this was the one time every part worked and highlighted the strengths of the song rather than taking away from it. I’ve seen Land of Talk every trip they’ve made to Seattle since 2007 as well as some out of town dates, and I’m sad to say this was my least enjoyable experience with the band to date.

Land of Talk’s opener, fellow-Canadians The Besnard Lakes fared better, a four-piece whose sprawling atmospheric rock could have filled an arena. Best known on the blogs for their downright beachy “Albatross,” the rest of Besnard Lakes’ songs cloak the listener in a moody fog which recalled a mix of Droste-ian vocals and the mountainous metal ballads of Led Zeppelin. Looking like a mix of John Roderick and Anvil’s Lips (Steve Kudlow), Jace Lasek’s hypnotized the crowd with other-worldly vocals, strobe lights, a smoke machine and Canadian politeness. The bands droning set seemed over in a snap, but when you looked down at your modern-day time-keeper (see: cell phone), you found you had been happily lost in Besnard Lake’s haze for an hour.

Unfortunately for everyone who took the stage that night, they were all over-shadowed by the two heavily tattooed Besnard Lakes super fans in the front row. On a night where the barrier between the artists and the sparse audience was at times upwards of 15 feet, these two pressed against the stage, clutching vinyl copies of Besnard Lake’s latest like shields. They knew every word to every single Besnard Lakes song and head-banged on time with the crack of the snare flawlessly. These guys weren’t drunks, they were devoted. As soon as the light’s dimmed for Besnard Lakes, they threw horns, conjured fire and smiled from ear-to-ear. They were the one example of the evening where bigger was in fact better.

Besnard Lakes ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Besnard Lakes ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Land of Talk ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

See more photos of Besnard Lakes and Land of Talk on Our Flickr

December 30, 2009

Josh’s Favorite Releases of 2009

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Damien Jurado David Bazan Elvis Perkins J Tillman Grizzly Bear Kaylee Cole Macklemore Macklemore & Ryan Lewis The Ironclads The Moondoggies Widower Nurses

The Maldives ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

These are the albums that defined my 2009. Some I consider to be the strongest local albums of the year while others held my attention and memory in a special way such that I kept coming back to them. While many of these albums are admittedly made by bands whom I’ve also developed a strong affinity for over the past year, this is an albums list, and not simply a “my favorite bands who over the last year put out a record list.” Seven of the top ten are acts I was not familiar with at prior to the start of 2009. This includes the Ironclads. Man, a lot has happened this year.

Though the concept of the “album” may not be as relevant as it once was, I still consider myself to be an album person, for me such a group of songs is an important body of work for helping me come to relate to and really like a band. A single song usually just doesn’t do it for me. Simply put, these are the releases from this year that I listened to all the way through, over and over and over again.

 

LPs

 

1. Listen to the Thunder by The Maldives on Mt. Fuji Records Listen: Download an mp3 of “Tequila Sunday” courtesy of Mt. Fuji Records If any band conquered Seattle in 2009 it was the Maldives. For so many reasons, this record was the most important record in my life this year.

2. Curse Your Branches by David Bazan on Barsuk Records Listen: Stream the entire record at Barsuk.com David Bazan isn’t simply a musician. He is a religious philosopher. You might say this is “The Book of Dave.” A deeply personal record with very real ramifications for those who might have questions like he did about the consequences and realities of his long held beliefs. Though I don’t count myself particularly religious, I identified. To my mind this is the best album about religion and family that Bazan has ever done.

3. Apple’s Acre by Nurses on Dead Oceans Listen: Download an mp3 of “Caterpillar Playground” courtesy of Dead Oceans Through the power of the Internet I came into the possession of a 30-minute single-file live recording of Nurses. I can say without hyperbole that this recording is the most played “song” of the last year on my iTunes. They are playful, unique sounding, and completely DIY. This is the quintessential example of what everyone hopes a Portland band can and will be.

4. The Space Between the Maps by The Ironclads (self-released) Listen: Download an mp3 of “Alamagordo” courtesy of the Ironclads Advanced garage pop that’s well traveled and downright bombastic. Inventive lead guitar work and imaginative storytelling are this foursome’s forte and the record is a successful recreation of their live aesthetic.

5. Lust for Life by Girls on True Panther Sounds Listen: Watch “Laura” on Youtube Sad Bastard pop that doesn’t make me sad. Sign me up!

6. Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers by Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers (self-released) Listen: Get an MP3 version via KEXP Song of the Day I’m waiting for one (or three) of these songs to be covered by Dolly Parton. Another record like this and Nashville is gonna scoop her up, post haste.

7. A Strange Arrangement by Mayer Hawthorne on Stones Throw Records Listen: Watch “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” on Vimeo A DJ becomes a soul crooner, FTW. An album that you never want to turn off.

8. Keep it Hid by Dan Auerbach on Bloodshot Records Listen: Download an mp3 of What’s old is new again. More please. Other bands should take notes. The Blues are your friend, and mine.

9. Fanfarlo by Fanfarlo on Canvasback Music Listen: Stream the record at Fanfarlo.com Fronted by a clarinet playing choir boy, Fanfarlo take the cake for making this year’s most accessible orchestral pop record, and the best thing I heard out of the U.K. all year long.

10. I and Love and You by the Avett Brothers on Columbia Listen: Stream via theavettbrothers.com The Avett Brothers made a massive followup effort to Emotionalism, that drops the emo that marked it’s predecessor while striking a more hopeful and romantic note. This is another album that I feel wrong turning off in the middle.

11. In Dearland by Elvis Perkins on XL Listen: Watch “Chains, Chains, Chains” Directed by Seattle’s Sean Pecknold Elvis and his cohorts delve deep into old Americana and early rock for a record that is uniquely sad in it’s disposition, but overflowing with happy in the energy and passion of the full band performance.

12. Vecktamist by Grizzly Bear on Warp Listen: Stream the Video for Two Weeks Maybe this album should be higher on the list, but when I first got a hold of it I felt like it was just too much. Now, I’ve come to feel like this is a bold statement, and these guys are the vanguard of modern pop.

13. Year in the Kingdom by J Tillman on Bella Union/Western Vinyl Listen: Download an mp3 of “Earthly Bodies” courtesy of Western Vinyl Just when I thought J Tillman’s voice was an ideal, he goes to work for the Fleet Foxes and comes out the other side an even stronger singer.

14. Logos by Atlas Sound on Kranky Listen: Get an mp3 of “Walkabout” via FADER This was my official go-to chill record this year.

15. The Life of the Of the World to Come by the Mountain Goats on 4AD Listen: Download mp3 of “Genesis 3:23″ courtesy of 4AD As many of John Darnielle’s albums can be, this one is a grower, that really hooks you after you listen to it by yourself for a while. Seeing the songs performed live with a bit of Darnielle’s humor added in between songs for context allowed me to listen anew, and understand better than how the songs initially came off on the record.

 

EPs

 

1. Widower by Widower (self-released) Listen: Stream at Myspace

2. VS. by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, (self-released free digital EP) Listen: Download EP via Myspace

3. The Moondoggies by The Moondoggies on Hardly Art Records (for Record Store Day), Ltd. Ed. Listen: Stream at Myspace

4. Don’t Piss into the Fire/Magic Mtn Single by Arthur & Yu for a Sub Pop Singles Club release for Record Store Day Listen: Stream via Myspace

5. Fun & Laughter Land of Talk on Saddle Creek Records Listen: Watch “The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Shuffle)” at Vimeo

 

The ones I missed in 2008 and I banged the most in 2009:

Hometowns by The Rural Alberta Advantage (originally released 2008, digitally released with eMusic November 2008, then re-released by Saddle Creek Records in mid-2009).

We’re Still Here Missing You by Kaylee Cole (self-released in November of 2008)

The one from last year’s list that’s stood the test of time and stayed strong into this year

Caught In Trees by Damien Jurado, SOTS’s #20 Northwest album of 2008. In retrospect, I should’ve probably lobbied for a top 10 spot for this album on that list.

December 29, 2009

Abbey’s Favorite Not-Northwest Songs of 2009

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Nick of Elvis Perkins in Dearland ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

I have to say,  with such a vibrant year of local music, I spent the vast majority of my 2009 exploring things made in the Pacific Northwest; rather than venturing out in to the vastness of the internets and the rest of America. So most of these are pretty well known tracks, albums, and artists or from Noah’s Daily Choices — though I do hope you discover a new favorite you hadn’t heard before too.  These are the records and tracks recorded outside of the 206 that I most enjoyed and listened to on repeat in 2009.  (The top 10 may be in some sort of hierachal order, but after that the order is not nearly as thought out or meaningful.) 

“Much More Than That” and “For You” by Sharon Van Etten | download ‘For You’ | “Blood Bank” by Bon Iver | download ‘Blood Bank’ | “Airplanes” by Local Natives  | download ‘Airplanes’ | “Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear | listen to “Two Weeks” | “Eet” by Regina Spektor | watch video | “Shampoo” by Elvis Perkins in Dearland | download ‘Shampoo’| “A Violent Translation of Concorida Headscarp” by Emperor X | download track | “Andrew” by Crystal Antlers | download ‘Andrew’ | “Kick Drum Heart” by The Avett Brothers | listen to track | “Lust for Life” (though “Laura” is also tempting me) by Girls | download ‘Lust for Life’ |

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Girls at Capitol Hill Block Party ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

“Garble Arch” by Blame Ringo | watch video | “The Walls are Coming Down” by Fanfarlo | listen to track | “Flirted With You All My Life” by Vic Chesnutt | download track | “The Ballad of the RAA” by Rural Alberta Advantage |listen to track | “Safe Word” by Vampire Hands | download ‘Safe Word’ | “Future Primative” by Papercuts | download ‘Future Primative’ | “Tidal Wave” by Thee Oh Sees | download ‘Tidal Wave’ |  ”Crystalised” by The xx | listen to track | “Lisztomania” by Phoenix | watch videos | “Norway” by Beach House  | download ‘Norway’ |  “Vanderlylle Cry Baby” by The National | listen to track | “Can’t Talk” by Ty Segall | download “Can’t Talk” | “Day of Sunshine” by Lee & Willbee | listen to track | “Summertime Clothes” by Animal Collective | listen to track | “Save The Day” by Huck Notari 

November 12, 2009

Land of Talk at the High Dive

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Land of Talk ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

I was worried there for a while. But I’m not worried anymore.

Over the last few years Montreal’s Land of Talk have remained high on my list of bands poised to swoon the masses, and when news of lead singer Lizzie Powell’s impending vocal surgery hit the net, it was about the last thing I wanted to hear. What would vocal surgery do to one of the most unique voices making music today? So last Thursday’s show at the High Dive was a tentative moment for me, for no other reason than confirming for myself that this Saddle Creek threesome haven’t lost their edge in time they’ve been recovering on the down low.

All indications pointed toward this night as being one of the band’s better nights of a short West Coast tour; there were far more in attendance than the nine people Powell admitted to expecting, and smiles were the unexpected theme of the night. Smiles and Powell’s goofy guitar faces, with her tongue just barely sticking out as she bites it in moments of deep concentration, or a puckered up grin shared with one of her band mates during a quality moment. There were a lot of those. Hardly rote or labored, Land of Talk looked to be having a ton of fun up there.

And the audience matched the band’s enjoyment. Powell and the band seemed genuinely impressed with the amount of devotion on display. One fan made a four hour drive to catch the show on her birthday and she was duly acknowledged from the stage, as were many of those of us in the audience who knew the words and shouted requests. This wasn’t a show people wandered in to, these weren’t people who showed up at the High Dive by happenstance. These were people who came for Land of Talk and for Powell’s unique vocals and I among them didn’t leave disappointed or in doubt of her voice. If I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t have guessed they’d missed beat, much less nearly a year.

Land of Talk ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Land of Talk ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Flickr: Land of Talk at the High Dive

September 11, 2009

“May You Never” – Land of Talk

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Out next month on Saddle Creek Records, Land of Talk‘s Fun and Laughter EP marks the return of vocalist Lizzie Powell after being sidelined by the necessity for late in 2008 with vocal ailments. Now healthy and rarin’ to go Fun and Laughter’s four new songs denote a sophisticated turn for the band, a veer away from experimenting with fast and unique guitar and vocal rhythms as a focus, and instead placing emphasis on framing the uniqueness of her voice in new ways. Powell can really sing, and these songs show it (although I admit they may have been a bit heavy handed with the vocal layering plus reverb).

MP3: “May You Never” by Land of Talk from Fun and Laughter courtesy of Saddle Creek Records

As opposed to Land of Talk’s previous LP’s featuring succinct rhythmic idea’s with pace that led to shorter songs, each of these songs have developed buildups and just feel a bit more fragile, a direction indicated by a Fleetwood Mac homage from their last record, “It’s Okay.” The song we’re featuring above certainly contains a few choice bars of Powell’s identifiable guitar strum and even has room for some kooky guitar antics, but her voice is clearly out front and really the star if the show now. We couldn’t be more happy that she’s back.

Peep one of the new video’s for songs from the last album that are included on the EP below. This one is for “The Man Who Breaks Things (Dark Shuffle):”



Fun and Laughter arrives October 13th. Pre-order the Limited Edition Fun and Laughter directly with Saddle Creek Records for a mere $7.

Land of Talk visits Seattle at the High Dive with Virgin Islands on Thursday November 5th. Tickets are available via Ticketweb for $10 adv.

August 18, 2009

Local News and Scheduling Bits.

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Girl Talk at Sasquatch 2009 ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Nurses are playing an in-store at Sonic Boom Ballard this Friday August 21st at 6pm. You really need to see this band. |myspace/nurses|

Due to popular demand a second Girl Talk show has been added, this one 21+ at the Showbox at the Market on Monday September 21st. Tickets are still available.

Harvey Danger has also scheduled a second early edition of the “last show ever” at the Crocodile and apparently there are still tickets left. Only $20. |twitter/thecrocodile|

David Bazan has scheduled a few house shows for the eastern U.S. including Philly, Brooklyn, and Baltimore. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at Bazan’s undertowtickets.com.

J Tillman has now joined the Billions Corp. booking and management family. Hopefully he’ll now be able to get the exposure he is ready for. |billions|

In other new big-time management news, Hey Marseilles is now represented by Fuzed Music. |tig|

And finally I know it’s a long way off but it seems that Land of Talk is finally finally finding it’s way back into the game and has a Seattle show scheduled for 11/5 at the High Dive. Tickets can be had at ticketweb.

Also this weekend at the PIC in South Seattle you can test drive a Kia and get tickets to a Santogold set happening on Sunday. Other acts lending their promotional power to Kia over the course of the weekend include No Age, Wavves, Chairlift and the Dum Dum Girls. See the poster below for complete details on times.


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May 13, 2009

Some Are Lakes

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It looks like in the time that Lizzie took off for vocal surgery and rest, Land of Talk made a video for “Some Are Lakes.” When are yellow slickers not cute? When combined with mime makeup.

December 29, 2008

Abbey’s Best Non-Local Releases of 2008

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Dead Confederate ::: photo by Abbey

Here’s a few of the albums that kept me in espescially good company when I wasn’t listening to my locals. (Also, when it comes to this list, “non-local” includes everything outside of Washington State, including Portland.)

For what it’s worth, the number one and two albums are virtually a tie. I’ve gone back and forth between the two of them interchanging the top spot for the entire month of December. Today’s the day I decided to post and it’s a Dead Confederate Day, tomorrow may be more Bon Iver-y. But I could stand by either as the best of 2008 with conviction.

1. Dead Confederate – Wrecking Ball |myspace| 2. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago |myspace| 3. The Black Keys – Attack and Release |myspace| 4. Dodos -Visiter |myspace| 5. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me  |myspace| 6. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely |myspace| 7. Thao with The Get Down, Stay Down – We Brave Bee Stings & All  |myspace| 8. The Builders & The Butchers – The Builders & The Butchers |myspace| 9. Starfucker – Starfucker  |myspace| 10. Noah and The Whale - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down  |myspace| 11. Ravens & Chimes – Reichenbach Falls  |myspace| 12. Land of Talk – Some Are Lakes |myspace| 13. The Shackeltons – The Shackeltons |myspace|

p.s. Just like Josh, my most listened to album of 2008 was The Avett Brother’s Emotionalism.