Bradley’s Almanac

2008: My Favorite Music

Posted on January 22, 2009 at 8:00 am | No Comments

I’ve finally come to accept the inevitable tardiness of my yearly list of musical faves, and really, it’s only tardy when compared to everyone else’s list. Y’see, I listen to way too much music in the waning months of the year, using extra-long workdays and holiday travels to catch up on discs I haven’t spent enough time with. A couple of the albums below didn’t even hit my ears until last month, but rose quickly above many others. And then I need these first few quieter weeks of the new year to let some sounds settle, to narrow down the contenders and pull together this post. So here it is.

As with last year, I’ve come up with an alphabetical list of the 20 discs that defined 2008 for me, along with a couple of EPs that stood out. At the bottom I also rattle off some also-rans, albums I either a) liked a lot but didn’t spend enough time with, or b) enjoyed some of but had too many skip-worthy moments. These are the ones that would round out a top 30 or 40, but even I’m not that self-indulgent.

I long ago abandoned the futile exercise of numerical ranking, and it should go without saying that these are not the ‘best of’ the year, just the ones I heard and loved most. And believe me, given my ever-demanding dadly-duties, there is a lot I didn’t hear. Hell, I’ve been listening to something for a few weeks now that should probably be in this list, as it was technically released a couple months back… but I’ll save that one for a later post.

With each album listed below you’ll see a few things — the titles of my favorite couple tracks, a link to the record label where you can buy the disc directly, and of course, an artist/label/promo-sanctioned downloadable Mp3 from each album. If an Mp3 wasn’t officially made available last year, I’ve included a link to where you can stream some songs instead.

Keep an eye out next week for a extensive post about the albums I’m most looking forward to this year (I love looking at last year’s version and comparing it to this favorites list). Time permitting, I’m also hoping to pull together a list of last year’s live shows that moved me most.

But first, the albums…


British Sea Power“Do You Like Rock Music?”
(on Rough Trade)

faves: “No Lucifer“, “Down On The Ground

Mp3: Waving Flags



The Broken River Prophet
“With Infinite Arms To Cradle The Flames”
(self-released)

faves: “Burned In Place“, “She Gives Me Hope

Mp3: Burned In Place



Centro-Matic / South San Gabriel“Dual Hawks”
(on Misra Records)

Centro-faves: “Quality Strange“, “Counting the Scars
SG-faves: “Kept on the Sly“, “Alabama Crusade

Mp3: Centro-matic – “I, the Kite
Mp3: South San Gabriel – “Trust To Lose



Crooked Fingers“Forfeit / Fortune”
(on Constant Artists, Inc. / Red Pig Records)

faves: “Cannibals“, “Your Control

Mp3: Phony Revolutions



Death Cab For Cutie“Narrow Stairs”
(on Atlantic)

faves: “Cath“, “Long Division

Mp3: Long Division” (Seattle Session)
(via Stereogum)



Land of Talk“Some Are Lakes”
(on Saddle Creek)

faves: “Some Are Lakes“, “Give Me Back My Heart Attack

Mp3: Some Are Lakes



Mogwai“The Hawk Is Howling”
(on Matador Records)

faves: “The Sun Smells Too Loud“, “Thank You Space Expert

Mp3: The Sun Smells Too Loud



My First Days On Junk“No Order”
(self-released)

faves: “Count Me In, I’m Good To Go“, “Try Hard

Mp3: Count Me In, I’m Good To Go



New Radiant Storm King“Drinking in the Moonlight”
(on Darla Records)

faves: “Clouds Cover Everything“, “Eraser

Mp3: Senseless



The New Year“The New Year”
(on Touch & Go)

faves: “X Off Days“, “MMV

Mp3: The Company I Can Get



The Notwist“The Devil, You + Me”
(on Domino)

faves: “Gravity“, “Boneless

Mp3: Good Lies



Plus Minus“Xs On Your Eyes”
(on Absolutely Kosher)

faves: “Unsung“, “X’s On Your Eyes

Mp3: Unsung



Retribution Gospel Choir“Retribution Gospel Choir”
(on Caldo Verde)

faves: “Take Your Time“, “What She Turned Into

Mp3: Somebody’s Someone
Download: Full live shows @ the Live Music Archive



School of Seven Bells“Alpinisms”
(on Ghostly Int’l)

faves: “Connjur“, “Face to Face on High Places

Mp3: Connjur

Mp3: Connjur (acoustic)
(from the Stereogum Decomposed Session)



Sigur Ros“Med Sut I Eyrum Vit Spilum Endalaust”
(on XL Recordings)

faves: “Inni Mar Syugur Vitlajsingur“, “Vid Spilum Endalaust

Mp3: Gobbledigook



Stereolab“Chemical Chords”
(on 4AD)

faves: “Three Women“, “Vortical Phonotheque

Mp3: Three Women



Sun Kil Moon“April”
(on Caldo Verde)

faves: “Moorestown“, “Tonight in Bilbao

Stream “Moorestown” at Caldo Verde
and more songs at MySpace



Tokyo Police Club“Elephant Shell”
(on Saddle Creek)

faves: “Juno“, “Listen To The Math

Mp3: Juno (Ra Ra Riot/Andrew Maury Remix)



The Wedding Present“El Rey”
(on Manifesto)

faves: “Palisades, “The Thing I Like Best…

Stream songs at MySpace



Wye Oak“If Children”
(on Merge Records)

faves: “Warning“, “I Don’t Feel Young

Mp3: Warning
(more Mp3s at their site)

And a couple of 2008 EPs I really dug…


Bottomless Pit“Congress” EP
(self-released on vinyl/cd, on Comedy
Minus One
digitally)

faves: All four tracks (Hey, it’s Bottomless Pit)

Mp3: Fish Eyes



50 Foot Wave“Power + Light” EP
(self-released)

faves: the whole epic 26-minute beast

Stream in its entirety at CASHmusic
(physical release coming soon)

The honorable mentions (aka ‘If I’d made a longer list‘): The Breeders“Mountain Battles”, The Cure“4:13 Dream”, Frightened Rabbit“Midnight Organ Fight”, Grand Archives“Grand Archives”, Ida“Lovers Prayers”, Magnetic Fields“Distorion”, The Night Marchers“See You In Magic”, Okkervil River“The Stand-Ins”, Shearwater“Rook”, The Stills“Oceans Will Rise”, Nada Surf“Lucky”, Ra Ra Riot“The Rhumb Line”, REM“Accelerate”, Silver Jews“Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea”.

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    Friday, June 9th
    Mercury On Mars
    Airport
    The Lights Out
    Fox Canadian
    @ the Jungle

    Friday, June 9th
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    Kremlin Bats
    The Calendars
    Audrey & Karina
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Friday, June 9th
    Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
    "Restless Leg Tour"
    @ MGM Music Hall

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    Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
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    live in a living room
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    Wednesday, June 14th
    The Magnetic Fields
    @ the Sinclair

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    Citizen
    @ House of Blues

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    Two shows! 4pm & 7pm
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    @ the Stage @ Suffolk Downs

    Sunday, June 18th
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    Clairo
    Dijon
    Bartees Strange
    @ the Stage @ Suffolk Downs

    Sunday, June 18th
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    @ the Cantab

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    @ the Paradise

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    with Tony Nagy
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    Thursday, June 22nd
    Tiny Habits
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    Solo LP release show
    @ the Burren

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    Oldjack's Last Saturdays with...
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    Teen Suicide
    @ the Sinclair

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    Graveyard of the Atlantic
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    @ Roadrunner

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    Squitch
    @ Yellow Mailbox, Somerville

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    with The Goon Squad
    (Ed Valauskas, Dan Kopko,
    Chris Anzalone, & Phil Aiken)
    @ Sally O'Brien's

    Friday, June 30th
    Major Stars
    Adult Learners
    Major Stars
    @ Faces Brewing

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    @ the Wilbur

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    Animals As Leaders
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    with guest Charlie Sexton
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    @ Big Night Live

    Wednesday, July 12th
    The Dirty Nil
    Daniel Romano's Outfit
    Family Dinner
    @ Sonia

    Wednesday, July 12th
    Waveform*
    They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
    & Teethe
    @ the Sinclair

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    Cass McCombs
    Hayden Pedigo
    @ Roadrunner

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    Counting Crows
    Dashboard Confessional
    Frank Turner
    @ the Pavilion

    Saturday, July 15th
    Noel Gallagher's
    High Flying Birds
    with Garbage
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, July 16th
    Braid
    "Frame & Canvas"
    25th Anniversary Tour
    with J. Robbins (Jawbox)
    & Oceanator
    @ the Sinclair

    Sunday, July 16th
    First Aid Kit
    The Weather Station
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, July 18th
    Panda Bear & Sonic Boom
    with Braxe + Falcon
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, July 18th
    Peter Frampton
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, July 18th
    Cake
    @ the Pavilion

    Thursday to Sunday
    July 20th to 23rd
    NICE, a fest, featuring...
    Karate, Swirlies, Guerilla Toss,
    Frances Forever, and over 70
    local-Boston artists
    @ Davis Square, Somerville

    Friday, July 21st
    Defeater
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    Stand Still
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    Stay Inside
    @ the Middle East Down

    Friday, July 21st
    Staring at the Sea
    (a tribute to the Cure)
    @ Medford Brewing

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    Walter Sickert &
    the Army of Broken Toys
    with Sapling, Astral Bitch,
    and Dropbear
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday & Tuesday
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    @ the Royale

    Tuesday, July 25th
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    Ski Club
    @ O'Brien's

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    Howard Jones
    Berlin
    @ Xfinity Center

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    @ the Pavilion

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    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, July 28th
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    @ House of Blues

    Sunday, July 30th
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    live on stage
    @ the Wilbur

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    Cold Hart
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, August 5th
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    Living Colour
    @ Roadrunner

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    @ the Sinclair

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    Foreigner
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    @ Xfinity Center

    Wednesday, August 9th
    The Clientele
    @ Crystal Ballroom

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    (of the Swell Season)
    @ the Wang

    Friday, August 18th
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    @ the Wilbur

    Saturday, August 19th
    The Baseball Project
    with Fenway organist Josh Kantor
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, August 19th
    Sigur Ros
    with an orchestra
    @ the Wang

    Saturday & Sunday
    August 19th & 20th
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    with
    Modest Mouse, The Beths, Metric,
    Trampled By Turtles, Lord Huron,
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    Cautious Clay, Yoke Lore,
    Blitzen Trapper, Allison Ponthier,
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    shallow pools, Kat Wright,
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    @ Veterans Memorial Stadium, Quincy

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    Manchester Orchestra
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    @ MGM Music Hall

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    Alvvays
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    @ MGM Music Hall

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    Cat Power
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    Sunday, September 3rd
    Future Teens
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, September 3rd
    The Offspring
    A Simple Plan
    Sum 41
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Tuesday, September 5th
    Beck
    Phoenix
    Weyes Blood
    Sir Chloe
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, September 6th
    Duran Duran
    Nile Rodgers & Chic
    Bastille
    @ TD Garden

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    Lilly Miller
    @ Crystal Ballroom

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    Thursday, September 7th
    Sting
    @ MGM Music Hall

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    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, September 8th
    Jeff Rosenstock
    Sidney Gish
    Gladie
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, September 9th
    Billy Idol
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, September 9th
    Buffalo Tom
    @ Bellforge Arts Center

    Monday, September 11th
    Mr. Bungle
    Tove Lo
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, September 11th
    Luna
    Ryder the Eagle
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, September 12th
    Squeeze
    Psychedlic Furs
    @ the Wang

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    Death Cab For Cutie
    The Postal Service
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Thursday, September 14th
    Gin Blossoms
    Sugar Ray
    Tonic
    Fastball
    @ the Chevalier

    Thursday, September 14th
    Peter Gabriel
    @ the Garden

    Friday, September 15th
    Godflesh
    Cel Genesis
    @ the Middle East

    Tuesday, September 19th
    Boris
    Melvins
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, September 19th
    Gorillaz
    @ Fenway Park

    Tuesday, September 19th
    Death From Above 1979
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Wednesday, September 20th
    OSEES
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, September 20th
    Death Grips
    @ House of Blues

    Thursday, September 21st
    Bully
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, September 22nd
    Fiddlehead
    @ the Royale

    Friday, September 22nd
    Tegan & Sara
    Carlie Hanson
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, September 22nd
    Lady Lamb
    celebrates 10 years
    of "Ripely Pine"
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, September 23rd
    Stevie Nicks
    Billy Joel
    @ Gillette

    Wednesday, September 27th
    Ratboys
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Wednesday, September 27th
    Royal Blood
    Bad Nerves
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, September 28th
    Ratboys
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, October 1st
    Explosions In The Sky
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, October 2nd
    Neil Gaiman
    @ the Emerson Colonial

    Thursday, October 5th
    Belly
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, October 6th
    Kingsley Flood
    The Shang Hi Los
    @ the Burren

    Friday, October 6th
    Garrison
    Orangeisland
    Pilot to Gunner
    @ the Middle East Upstairs

    Saturday, October 7th
    Agent Orange
    Spice Pistols
    @ the Middle East

    Tuesday, October 10th
    Nick Cave with
    Colin Greenwood (Radiohead)
    on bass
    @ the Wang

    Wednesday, October 11th
    Young Fathers
    @ the Royale

    Wednesday, October 11th
    The Mission UK
    The Chamelons
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, October 13th
    Violent Femmes
    performing their debut LP
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, October 15th
    Thundercat
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, October 15th
    Queen
    @ the Garden

    Monday, October 16th
    Chromeo
    Ric Wilson
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, October 17th
    The Chats
    Cosmic Psychos
    Schizophonics
    Gymshorts
    @ House of Blues

    Wednesday, October 18th
    Christine and the Queens
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday & Sunday
    October 21st & 22nd
    Gregory Alan Isakov
    The Milk Carton Kids
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, October 23rd
    Pile
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, October 24th
    My Morning Jacket
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, October 26th
    Hiss Golden Messenger
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, October 26th
    Mudhoney
    Hooveriii
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, October 28th
    Jethro Tull
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, October 31st
    Depeche Mode
    @ the Garden

    Wednesday, November 1st
    The Hives
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, November 2nd
    Henry Winkler
    @ First Parish Church

    Saturday, November 4th
    Blonde Redhead
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, November 4th
    Amyl and the Sniffers
    Die Spitz
    @ Roadrunner

    Wednesday, November 8th
    Codeine
    Barbara Manning
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, November 10th
    Couch
    @ Royale

    Wednesday, November 15th
    Tool
    @ the Garden

    Sunday, November 19th
    Men I Trust
    Tops
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, November 21st
    Liz Phair
    Blondshell
    @ Roadrunner

    Thursday, November 30th
    Nation of Language
    Miss Grit
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, December 5th
    Bar Italia
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Saturday, December 16th
    A John Waters Christmas
    @ Berklee Performance Center