Artists of 2008
Posted on December 11, 2008This was originally supposed to be albums of 2008, but there was no way to get that data out of iTunes without doing xml→sql conversions and all sorts of nasty work, so instead I took the lazy route and went with my most played artists of 2008, since Last.fm has that data stored for me. And rather than doing top artists that came out in 2008, or that released albums in 2008, but just the top artists that I listened to in 2008, regardless of all that. Cuz c’mon, new music is shit. There ain’t really been anything good recorded after around 1981. So let’s dig in.
- Los Amigos Invisibles- This one isn’t all that surprising. This Venezuelan acid jazz electro funk group has five albums out, all of them very good. Their newest album, 2005’s Super Pop Venezuela, has the fantastic tracks “Si Tu Te Vas” and “Yo Soy AsÔ, definitely worth checking out.
- David Bowie – No explanation needed. Bowie is legendary. I’ve been listening a lot to his most popular songs, but also been digging around for some of his lesser known songs. There’s always something good to be found with Bowie
- The Decemberists – Old-timey maritime indie folk rockers The Decemberists have an album coming out early next year. It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since the lush, progressive The Crane Wife came out. Listen to The Island trilogy here:
- Rush – C’mon. It’s Rush. Good old hard progressive Canadian Ayn Rand-inspired Rush. Good stuff.
- Steroid Maximus – One of the many side projects of avant-garde composer J.G. Thirwell, Steroid Maximus contains elements of jazz, big band, avant-garde, soundtrack and exotica styles. Les Baxter on industrial-tinged drugs. Really out there instrumentals that make you feel like you’re in a spy movie. Worth checking out. Ecotopia is relatively easy to track down, his other albums are not so much.
- 16 Horsepower – This one kinda came out of left field. 16 Horsepower was a neo-gothic country group. One of the big reasons why I want a banjo. They’ve got the kind of songs that tell a story, about the dark side of the south. Here’s “Black Soul Choir”, off of Sack Cloth and Ashes:
That’s the top six. I don’t feel like writing any more, so good night.
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Two of these artists I haven’t heard of, Steroid Maximus and Los Amigos Invisibles, are going on my “To Listen To” list, because I otherwise dig your taste in music.