Tag: the best CDs of 2008

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the 31 best of 2008 – 30: Wild Sweet Orange – We Have Cause To Be Uneasy

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In at number 30 is a band that hails from nearby Birmingham, Alabama. This indie-rock set first caught my attention with their song Either/Or, mostly because of the unexpectedly different melody and timing they used in the song; the stop and start of the beat and the buzzing guitars is really something quite amazing. It was something that I couldn’t ignore, and I ended up falling head over heels in love with that song, so I naturally had to check out the rest of the album; and I am very glad that I did. Not only do I love their name (it has Orange in the title!), but I have really come to love their sound and this record.

We Have Cause to Be Uneasy is full of a wide variety of mid tempo rock tracks, as well as a fair share of down tempo, soul searching confessions. They also sneak a little of their local roots in with a banjo and some country flair near the middle of the album. The eloquence with which the imagery in each song comes across makes for a great story, and coupled with the melody and music, makes for some great music as well; all intimate, and sometimes tragic (such as the track Sour Milk, which is the heartbreaking tale about a deadbeat father, and the disappointment in parents when they don’t live up to perceptions of what parents “should be” — damn I can relate to that). I really have to give another nod to the masterful use of imagery in their song writing, because there are many times that you can’t escape the moment that they are trying to catch you in; which for a musical act, is a huge success, as far as I’m concerned.

The vocalist reminds me a bit of what Connor Oberst might sound like if he shouted every once and a while, and got himself in to such a flow of raw emotion, that he had to just let it all loose on the record (which is NOT a condescension to Connor, I love that guy just like he is). This explosion of emotion happens many times on the record, and really expresses the real feeling that went into some of these songs; again, making for some fantastic music.

Overall, this is a great indie-rock album that has some really raw, emotional, and fantastically crafted songs on it. I am so incredibly excited that I found out about these guys, because they are really doing something slightly different, and they are doing it really, really well. Fans of bands like Death Cab For Cutie, as well as Bright Eyes (aka Connor Oberst), should definitely get this album now; these guys have made a great album, and a fantastic contribution to their music genre, and it definitely deserves its place amongst my favorite records of the year.

Sparkle Factor:
Standouts: Either/Or, Ten Dead Dogs, Sour Milk, Night Terrors, Land Of No Return.

music musings, music suggestion

the 31 best of 2008 – 31: The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing

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Let’s get this party started right, shall we? First up on my year end list of the best 31 albums of 2008 is a record that should really get under your skin and drive you crazy, but doesn’t. First of all, you have Katie White’s shrill-like vocal styling; that you will either LOVE, or seriously hate. For me… it’s serious love. Also, I have this thing when I hear a song, and they repeat the same thing (be it a repetitive rhythm, or vocal) over, and over, and over, and over… I freak out. I hate it. However, The Tings Tings
have done something that rarely happens; they have done that very thing… over, and over, and over, and instead of hating it… I LOVE IT. The first time I heard Great DJ, there was something catchy, intense, and so simple that it had to work; and it really pulled me in. After I listened to this album, I realized that this record is one of those perfect albums for dancing your butt off in your room, hoping that your mom won’t walk in on you looking like a fool to; but even if she did, she would probably think you were pretty cool because of who you were listening to. This is one of those bands that make indie-dance pop so sexy and cool, that I bet even your mom would take notice.

The formula for each song is simple, but the beats are heavy and infectious. There is something oh-so-indie about this album, but at the same time, so commercial at the same time; after all, Apple snagged these guys and propelled them into the limelight (at least in the UK if you are counting limelight by chart standards) by selecting perhaps the best song on the record, Shut Up and Let Me Go, for one of their coveted ipod commercials earlier this year. The energy and the passion in each track is something that keeps you moving, and wanting more; and the simplicity and silliness in some of the lyrics (how do you play someone like a Fruit Machine, exactly?!?!) reminds me of other guilty pleasure groups like Cibo Matto that are practically impossible to listen to without a smile on your face; and with The Ting Tings, it will be a smile on your lips, and a tapping toe to go with it.

Several songs on the record were released as singles, notably Great DJ, Shut Up and Let Me Go, and That’s Not My Name, and I know that many more can still come from this record. It’s an album chock full of radio ready dance indie-pop hits that beg to be played, and danced to. The Ting Tings have banged their way into my heart with their infectious beats and catchy rhythms, and if you listen to this record, I bet that you will be pulled in as well. Make sure to do yourself a favor and check out their videos too… they are fun and interesting.

Sparkle Factor:
Standouts: Shut Up and Let Me Go, Traffic Light, That’s Not My Name, Great DJ.