Well, it's that time again: the time when the new year is so close you can't possibly hold off compiling a "Best of" list for the year you haven't quite moved out of yet. End-of-the-year lists aren't a perfect art, because most people continue to find albums from any given year that will eventually become personal favorites. Still, I like to compile lists at the end of each year, if only to have a snapshot of what really excited me at that point in my life, however different such lists might look if I updated them to reflect my current tastes. Here's what's good for 2008:
28.
Pentemple -
O))) Presents...
sunnO))) live with drums! Not sure about the name-change for this particular release, but the traditional sunnO))) formula works beautifully with drums (something we sort of already heard with the Boris collaboration).
27.
Slim Cessna's Auto Club -
Cipher
Probably the strongest offering from Slim to date, this time around with an especially prominent Munly contribution. Sometimes these guys get a little too goofy for my tastes, but if you're in to demented country-rock, you'll easily find something to like here.
26.
Ahmad Jamal -
It's Magic
There's something special about the way Jamal uses dynamics and silence in his piano playing, and for more than 50 years now he's maintained his unique position among jazz pianists. Great piano trio stuff, with the almighty
Idris Muhammad on drums.
25.
Jeff Gauthier Goatette -
House of Return
Jeff Gauthier's label (Cryptogrammophone) generally gets more attention then the man himself, just as
Nels Cline gets more attention for his involvement with
Wilco than for his jazz outings these days. Both men are remarkable jazz musicians, and this "Goatette" again demonstrated their wide-range of interests and abilities. Sort of like a less extreme
Nels Cline Singers with violin added.
24.
William Parker Quartet -
Petit Oiseau
Though William Parker can lay it down with the freest of the free, I prefer him when he's engaging in slightly more structured improvisation. This quartet outing is some of the best stuff I've heard from Parker: tuneful, playful, and just free enough to be a little dangerous, as well.
23.
John Zorn -
Filmworks XIX: The Rain Horse
I know of very few people that like everything John Zorn does. Most people seem to focus on his most extreme musical experiments, characterizing him by his most avant-garde output, rather than his more tuneful recordings. This album is absolutely beautiful. Catchy, lyrical, emotional, you name it. If Zorn has left a sour taste in your mouth on previous occasions, give this a shot. The man really is a genius. An imposing, fearless genius.
22.
The Verve -
Forth
The Verve is one of my favorite artists and have earned this distinction solely from their work before
Urban Hymns. I was really, really afraid that this album, written and recorded after a 10 year hiatus, was going to be awful. Actually, it's pretty good. It's not as much a return to the early days as many fans were hoping, but it most certainly isn't
Urban Hymns, Part II. For that we can all be thankful.
21.
Dungen -
4
Though their album art has been getting steadily worse, the music inside is what matters most, and in that respect, Dungen never seems to fail to deliver. While this wasn't as strong as
Tio Bitar, it's still all the warm, 60s-laden psych rock you could hope for in 2008.
20.
Grails -
Take Refuge in Clean Living
Of the two albums Grails released this year, this more laid-back, druggy one is the best. I remember when this band was another by-the-numbers post-rock group, but they really seem to have embraced psychedelia and krautrock in the past few years, and I much prefer the results to their earlier stuff. There's so much going on in these songs, it's hard to pick out all of the different instruments. Stoned, groovy goodness, my friends.
19.
Fleet Foxes -
Fleet Foxes
Usually my knee-jerk reaction to albums that get overhyped by indie kids is "Stay away! Stay away!" However, after encountering a few
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young comparisons, I figured I'd give this a spin. I was pleasantly surprised. It's a little too poppy at times for my taste, but I'll be damned if those vocal harmonies don't latch right on to you and hold you tight. I can dig.
18.
Guapo -
Elixirs
This album is epically creepy. I'm not really sure what exactly is so sinister about it, but it has moments that chill me to the bone. If you want a lesson in expert arrangement, give this a spin. Many different instruments are utilized, and the attention to detail is remarkable. I only wish that the album's centerpieces hadn't already been released as an EP a year or so back.
17.
John Zorn -
The Dreamers
Zorn and a group of long-time collaborators doing a survey of the things Zorn does best: Jewish-flavored jazz, surf-rock, avant-funk and more, all very accessible and highly entertaining. This was a good year to get in on Zorn if you weren't familiar with him.
16.
William Parker -
Double Sunrise Over Neptune
Of Parker's two releases this year, this one is king. It features an expanded ensemble and sports a exotic, middle-Eastern influenced sound, complete with soaring, wordless vocals. A few people claim this is what
Charles Mingus would be doing if he were still alive.
15.
Brightblack Morning Light -
Motion to Rejoin
I've never been stoned, but I would put money on this album being an accurate example of what it's like to be high and feelin' a groove. These guys (and gals) have a really repetitive, simple formula that they've been milking for a few years now, but for some reason, the result is always irresistible. If you like jamming, reverb, and kickin' back for a looooong time (or even getting high), this Rhodes-laden release is right up your alley.
14.
Dead Meadow -
Old Growth
This isn't the colossus that
Feathers was, but it's still Dead Meadow doing what they do best: bluesy, stoner-rock jams with just the slightest psychedelic aura. Still, probably the best way to catch these songs is live: I stand by my belief that Dead Meadow is one of the best live rock bands currently in operation.
13.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy -
Is It the Sea?
This is a live album of Bonnie being backed by percussionist
Alex Neilson and the Irish folk band
Harem Scarem. There's some really beautiful renditions of classic Bonnie tracks, all with warm, droney strings and female vocal harmonies. Bonnie himself is pretty spot on vocally, as well. Yet another example of the ways in which Oldham constantly reinvents and reinterprets his works.
12.
Mogwai -
The Hawk is Howling
Aside from the wretched "The Sun Smells Too Loud," this is actually pretty awesome as far as Mogwai albums go. I was among those that viewed
Mr. Beast as something of a slump, and as far as I'm concerned,
The Hawk is Howling is more than enough evidence that the life has yet to leave this band.
11.
Howlin' Rain -
Magnificent Fiend
The first Howlin' Rain album suffered from some too-loud moments, probably carried over from Ethan Miller's
Comets on Fire energy. This time around, he's add a dash of prog, a lot of organ, and some great songwriting. Plus, it's nice to finally hear just what the raspy-ass voice of his can do without being buried in reverb.
10.
Ocean -
Pantheon of the Lesser
Though my heavy metal days are well behind me, I still have a soft spot for doom metal, and no one does it better than Ocean, a band from my home-state of Maine. An average song time for these guys is about 20 minutes, and this album even packs a 35-minute walloper. I wish I could articulate better just what it is that Ocean does that makes them so much better than all the other slow-as-molasses metal bands out there. I guess you'll just have to hear for yourself. Best consumed without interruption.
9.
Bar Kokhba Sextet -
Lucifer: Book of Angels, Vol. 10
Despite the wealth of material available on their previous, 3-disc album, this is actually the first studio recording of Bar Kokhba Sextet, a group of Zornites who interpret Zorn's Masada songs in an extended string-trio format (the additions are guitar, drums and percussion). As to be expected, this stuff is rip-roaring. Marc Ribot is especially noteworthy here. Probably the best Book of Angels addition to date.
8.
Earth -
The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull
Earth pioneered drone metal in the early 90s, and then disappeared for a while. When they returned, they came sporting some sort of weird doom-country, like
Ennio Morricone soundtracks played in slow motion. They've only gotten better from there. This album is a bit heavier than
Hex, but only in that it has a much more solid low-end, not an abundance of distortion. These guys have transcended their own invention, and are making truly beautiful music.
7.
charles lloyd quartet -
Rabo de Nube
Reed-man Charles Lloyd was hot shit in the late 60s, and a lot of great players cut their teeth in his quartet, including
Keith Jarrett,
Jack DeJohnette, and
Cecil McBee. Now, at the age of 70, Lloyd is still producing great jazz, this time with a band of 30-somethings that do their best to keep him on his toes. Eric Harland is an amazing drummer, and Jason Moran proves to be an interesting pianist, though at times his solos tend to get away from him. Still, this is transcendent stuff, certainly worthy of the string of albums the recharged Lloyd has released in the past 10 years.
6.
Brad Mehldau Trio -
Live
This two-disc live album is an embarrassment of riches. It is difficult to explain just how amazing a pianist Mehldau is. Everything about the way he plays is advanced beyond the understanding of even respectably competent musicians. I can only listen to a little of this at a time, because it quickly becomes an exercise in sensory overload. If there's one piano trio to be paying attention to these days, it's these guys. Plus, they cover "Wonderwall," and it's better than the original Oasis song. Seriously.
5.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy -
Lie Down in the Light
I've been a Will Oldham fan for a while, particularly of his last effort,
The Letting Go. But this. This, my friends, is the culmination of the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy identity. He sings better than ever, his songs are more striking than ever, and the musical accompaniment is stronger and more sophisticated than anything he's employed before. Oldham is well-regarded as a highly consistent artist, but it's insane that he's still producing work this strong, arguably getting better with every album he releases. Hot damn.
4.
Bohren & der Club of Gore -
Dolores
Despite giving up metal in the 80s, these guys have always had an air of "heavy metal" around them, even when dishing up some of the most striking, slow-speed jazz you could hope to hear. While their somewhat sinister proclivities are still present, they aren't quite as prominent as before. Instead, Bohren have settled into a nice groove, and the music presented here is simply beautiful. Glacially slow, delicately arranged, and beautiful. There's nothing else quite like it.
3.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds -
Dig, Lazarus, Dig!
This album was my first introduction to Nick Cave, and it was a marvelous introduction indeed. It's also probably some of the best work he's done in quite a long and storied career. It has stomping rockers, it has moody ballads, it has off-kilter rants. And, most importantly, it does them all equally well, and better than most younger bands can dream to.
2.
Bennie Maupin Quartet -
Early Reflections
Bennie Maupin took a 20 year break between albums where he took front-man duty, and really it's a shame.
The Jewel in the Lotus is a classic of the 70s, and this album is so goddamn good, you can't help but wonder how many amazing albums he could have released during his years sticking solely to side-man status. A lot of the success of this album is owed to the backing band of young Polish musicians Maupin has been playing with as of late, in particular the truly incredible piano playing of Michal Tokaj. He'll be a name to watch in the future. This stuff gives me faith in the future of jazz. Spiritual in a way even atheist bastards like me can deeply appreciate.
1.
Nik Bärtsch's Ronin -
Holon
Holy crap. This has taken hold of me and won't let me go. "Zen funk" is the tag that's going around. That sort of explains it. Everything about this group is rhythm-oriented, and every piece contributes so perfectly to the whole of whatever is going on at any given moment that your head could explode. This stuff would be trance-inducing if it didn't get your brain so worked up. It's ritual groove, and it is probably the coolest thing happening in jazz right now. I can't even be articulate about this. Grrrrgleeff.
Ahmad Jamal
