HACK

I'm back in town so I guess I'll makes more posty's. I hit up New Orleans on the way home to Jackson last week. I forgot how much I love New Orleans. More on that later...and pictures. I'm back in ATX with a horrible cold and all I know is that cereal boxes are psychotic!

Joe Johnson

Does anyone want to come over and watch Joe Johnson, unquestionably the most underrated player in the NBA, and the Hotlanta Hawks take on the Beantown Celtics? There's no reason for this post other than the fact that I wanted to post this picture of Joe Joe. I'm bored.

Recommended: Flying Lotus

A quick recommendation - I just picked up Reset, the new EP from Flying Lotus, and must say that I now love nearly every single thing he cranks out. His Long Playah, Los Angeles, is top notch and will find steady rotation from the cut&paste, J Dilla-esque Lap Hop fan. I'm trying to find all those previous & elusive F.L. EP's with little luck.

The Best of The Best of 2008 Lists List!

Saying "lists list" like that does something for me - not sure why or what.



I must say that I'm not the biggest fan of the annual need for every music publication, website or blog to gather up all of their favorite records released within the year and rank them out (from best to, like, totally the bestest) for all to behold their divine and discriminating taste. Now just because I usually hate these masturbatory lists doesn't mean that I don't love reading every last one I can get my hands on! (Yes, I love getting my hands on masturbatory lists.) I just love that "what the hell were these idiots thinking?" moment when reading a "best-of" list almost more than I like being reminded of or being made aware of something great I missed that year. Anyway, I thought I would rank all of the "best of 2008" lists (from "alright, I can see that" to "my mouth just filled itself with vomit") that I could find.

10. THE PITCHFORK READERS POLL
If you wanted to know what these fudgetards have been listening to on their ipods this year, this is the list for you. Major negative points for having Vampire (uhg, dry-heave) Weekend and MGMT in the top 10. If the PF staff come out with a list (and you know those bug-a-boos will), it should be a little better. I read Pitchfork everyday but it's just so much fun to pour hateraid all over that ho while she's dancing to M.I.A.!

9. A.V. CLUB BEST OF
Lame-0

8. GUARDIAN.CO.UK Critics' poll 2008
Mmehh - kudos for having Elbow and Glasvegas in there, I guess.

7. DROWNED IN SOUND
Not bad...not great (because, you know, I'm obviously the expert). No surprises, which is kinda boring.

6. METACRITIC
A really good list actually. The list is ranked by an album's score in the Metacritic database. The Bug is #2 and Harvey Milk makes the list!

5. RESIDENT ADVISER TOP 10 REMIXES
BOOM CHIC BOOM CHIC BOOM CHIC BOOM CHIC

4. PASTE MAGAZINE - Signs of Life 2008: Best Music
The "best" thing about this list is the fact that TV on the Radio, which seems to be the consensus numero uno on many lists out there, barely makes the Paste list coming in at #50. It's not that I don't like TVOTR, I just like Paste for being anti-cool, which is cool...but then you have to be cool so as not to be anti-cool because being anti-cool makes you cool and nobody wants that. This makes the best catch 22's of 2008 list. Was She & Him the best of 2008? Really?

3. POPMATERS BEST MUSIC OF 2008
They divide their lists into categories: best hip hop, best world music, etc. which is probably the best way to go about this here business.

2. FACT
Pretty good list sans the MGMT. What does MGMT stand for? Oh wait, I don't care. Flying Lotus should be on every list out there.

1. The QUIETUS' Reductive & Subjective Albums Of The Year List
You have to love that Sun 0))) is #5 on their list. Don't know about British Sea Power being #4. Perhaps the most sensible list out there. They do a pretty good job at picking albums that people might still buy a couple of years from now while also making some picks that don't show up on every other best-of. The Quietus rarely disappoints. While you're there, check out The Quietus' Self-Indulgent Reissues, Comps & Mixes Of The Year List!

"Lists list"

BLUR

Ok, I know this is already old news but I don't care.

Deep down I feel mostly cheesed out by all of these bands that have been recently reuniting. Something usually smacks of a disingenuous pat-on-the-back victory lap and/or last hopeful cash-in when I see that whatever bygone band is getting back together. I think many people kind of feel this way...until they discover that one of their old favorites is getting back together. Then they're all like, "Oh I know this might not be the best idea BUT I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED!"

So now let me just say - I know it might not be the best idea, BUT I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED THAT BLUR IS GETTING BACK TOGETHER!

Recommended

I haven't posted anything in a while (he says to the empty void of the interwebbings), so I thought I'd post two albums that I've really been enjoying lately.



The Aliens: Luna
This is the second release from ex-Beta Band members, The Aliens. Be sure to listen to this album on a pair of headphones as you enjoy the pop-psychedelic studio mastery of Luna! Throw the Beta Band, The Beach Boys, a tie-dyed t-shirt, brit-pop, and a mythical studio wizard into a blender and this is what comes out.

The Aliens



Zomby: Where Were U in '92
I've always enjoyed my music LOUD! Whether playing live, listening to the car stereo, or throwing a tune on the record player, I usually have the volume much louder than what the average person would be comfortable with. I just so happened to be playing the new album from Zomby on the ol' home stereo when I eventually heard the Austin Police Department knocking on the front door of my house. "Ummm, we're going to need you to turn down the music sir," says Mr. Officer. To which I respond, "Oh, I didn't think it would be that terribly loud outside, what with all of the windows and doors closed." "Well I could hear it outside, from across the street,...inside of my car,...clearly." I'm sorry, Where Were U in '92 is just that good. Zomby was obviously on the rave floor in 1992 taking notes. This is a fresh twist on the dubstep genre by infusing the dark warbling/wobbling bass of dubstep with all of the wonderful stabbing synths, dancehall sirens, and ambient diva vocals from the glory days of old. I haven't been this excited about a dance record since Studio's West Coast came out a year ago.

Zomby