20 Best Songs of the Year

In response to Midnight Lumberjack, who has sashayed out on his own, my top 20 songs of the year. The list is not 25 because I'll be honest, 25 is too long. You want a focused list, I won't even describe why I like them because it's obvious if you've read any of my previous posts.

I liked old artists, I liked some new artists, some of these songs required me to go outside my comfort zone, other's just snuggled up right next to my existing tastes. It all worked, 2008 wasn't great for music but it had some bright spots.

Always a Friend - Alejandro Escovedo

Faith - Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts

Strange Overtones - David Byrne & Brian Eno

In My Arms - Teddy Thompson

Gamma Ray - Beck (This is the best song on the album)

Off of Wonderland - Jackson Browne

Quiet Houses - Fleet Foxes

I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab (I dabbled with the idea of going deeper on this album for the best song of the year, but this is the song I will remember).

Aluminum Park - MMJ

Fix It - Ryan Adams & the Cardinals

Golden Age - TV on the Radio

Caroline - Old Crow Medicine Show

Andelmans' Yard - Mike Gordon (still making great music, we should all be grateful for a Phish reunion at Hampton)

Make You Crazy - Brett Dennen (feat. Femi Kuti)

It's Not Impossible - Ben Sollee (this guy is sweet).

Manhattan - Kings of Leon (I really like the riff on this one).

Human (or Joy Ride) - The Killers (Midnight, aren't these guys something of a favorite of yours?)

Everybody Pays as They Go - Jakob Dylan (he's back).

Everyday - Bodeans (yes, they're back, making this quote funny again: "Then I met some friends for a beer.. uh.. we went to a BoDeans concert.. and, son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall! Thank God they had him, the next day at Lost and Found. [ sigh of relief from Tom ] Then, I just flat out lost him!" Will Ferrell

Burn You Up, Burn You Down - Big Blue Ball (this song is probably way older than 2008, but it was released in 2008 so there you go. Peter Gabriel rocks).

Your Christmas bonus (this one makes 21), for the Lumberjack and pop music: Womanizer - Britney Spears (because he too is a womanizer).

German Music, I now have an opinion on it

Do Germans like good music?

No, not from what I've heard, unless you really, really love Kraftwert. Metronome Jones might want to chime in at this point.

While spending a week in Austria/Germany I've learned two things:
1. Germans really love bad American songs like techno versions of "Hey Baby, will you be my girl?" which supports point 2.
2. They can't get enough techno (I think it fits their mechanistic lifestyles)

Just because the music isn't good doesn't mean they don't like to party. They party harder because their music is so awful, and it leads to poor dancing. And in Austria when you party with your friends it involves skiing into the outdoor bar and then having to ski down a mountain plastered. (see picture below, excuse the blurriness)

Songs for your ears (I won't describe any because I can't understand what they're saying):

Olaf Henning - Cowboy und Indianer.
Grauzone - Eisbar
Roland Kaiser - Joana (search for a techno version)
Steinwolke - Katharine Katharine (one of the best 80's songs I've ever heard)

That might be enough. That was really German wasn't it.

In the alternative, there is some good Rap that comes out of Germany. McGroto informs me one possible reason is Deutsche is overwhelming with mad rhymes.

2 artists of note:

Die Fantasischen Vier
Fettes Brot