The Music Mastermind

Top 25 Albums of 2008
12.29.2008

25. A Skylit Drive - Wires and the Concept of Breathing

24. Afterglow Radio - Find Yourself Again

23. Lykke Li - Youth Novels

22. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark

21. The Dodos - The Visiter

20. Coldplay - Viva la Vida

19. The Streets - Everything is Borrowed

18. TV on the Radio - Dear Science,

17. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave

16. Sun Kil Moon - April

15. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

14. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night

13. Ray LaMontagne - Gossip in the Grain

12. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

11. Mugison - Mugiboogie

10. Liam Finn - I'll Be Lightning

09. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals

08. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

07. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

06. Santogold - Santogold

05. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

04. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

03. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

02. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

01. Adele - 19

Posted byLogan Lenz at 11:12 1 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008

#1: Adele - 19
12.25.2008

Hopefully this "big reveal" doesn't come as too much of a surprise to you. Adele, the nineteen year-old British superstar, has gallivanted throughout mainstream media this year - causing a stir, but not a major reputation. For me, her debut album 19, is flawless and filled with utter perfection. The thought of this album being overlooked as one of the best has left me flummoxed. Did these critics skip this album?

I kid you not, Adele is THE BEST female singer around today. It's a shame that imports like Duffy and Americans like Katy Perry got the recognition this year, when Adele has the talent and the material to take over the nation.

One listen to "Daydreamer" will make you realize her talent. Onward to "Chasing Pavements" and "Cold Shoulder," you will begin to wonder why these singles never reached pop radio. While these songs did get some airplay, they never became glorified "hits." This is very strange to me.

I could go on and on. Compared to 2007, Adele's 19 trumps every release of the last two years. I believe she has a little bit of something for everybody, but overall offers a natural "unpolished" talent that is hard to find these days. Not to mention the fact that she is only 19 years old. Watch out for Adele and check out this album to listen to the best music of the year.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 04:21 0 comments  

Labels: 19, 25 days of music, adele, album, best albums of 2008

#2: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
12.24.2008

Coming in at #2 is the breakthrough sensation of 2008, Vampire Weekend. Their debut self-titled album struck gold with the release of the hit single "A-Punk." Aside from that, it's the funky quirkiness of tunes like "Oxford Comma," "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa," and "I Stand Corrected" that makes VW's music so desirable.

To think that a few years ago, these guys were nobodies with everyday jobs is pretty amazing. It has been recited all year that lead vocalist Ezra Koenig was a science teacher one day, and had a record deal the next. The band's fame took off so fast that it seems as if they came out of nowhere.

Now, VW is a staple in indie music. They have been selling out shows across the nation and playing some of the largest festivals in the world. Their music fits in perfectly anywhere. There is no question that VW is here to stay for a while.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 19:32 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, vampire weekend

#3: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
12.23.2008

As sad as it may sound, we all owe DeYarmond Edison a big thank you. DeYarmond Edison, the name of Justin Vernon's indie folk group, broke up, causing Justin to put his thoughts on tape by himself. The recording process turned into Bon Iver, and the beauty he was omitting would soon become For Emma, Forever Ago. Just like all us fans, I am sure Justin is now very content with the series of events that led him to such delight.

I must admit, I have a weakness for singer songwriters with just acoustic guitars. I love Rocky Votolato, Joey Eppard, Damien Rice, and Iron and Wine more than you know. But my bias does not seem to be a solid argument for Bon Iver's favorable positioning on this countdown. If you look around, For Emma, Forever Ago, has been celebrated as this year's top album by a ton of different properties. There is no denying the raw beauty and art that he has created on this album.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 12:05 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, Bon Iver, For Emma Forever Ago

#4: MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
12.22.2008

Open your mind. MGMT is the new outrageous duo of indie rock. Their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, is a rollercoaster of electronic sounds, bizarre themes, and fantastical scenarios. Some people believe you must be on drugs to enjoy MGMT, but they aren't completely correct. While the band endorses a hippy lifestyle of freedom and drug-use, their music transcends such boundaries. Everybody can get a kick out of their crazy style.

Some of my favorite songs of the year came from Oracular Spectacular. Songs like "The Youth" and "Electric Feel" remind me most of Beck during his Odelay days. The soul and the funkiness in these tunes is contagious, especially when you're affected by the sexy falsetto vocals.

I can't wait to hear more stuff from MGMT in 2009. This group has a great future ahead of them. Hopefully, they don't let me and their tons of new fans down with their next release.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 14:40 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, mgmt, oracular spectacular

#5: My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
12.21.2008

My Morning Jacket has been recognized as a talented group since the turn of the 21st century.
I remember when a friend of mine had me listen to their stuff before nobody had any idea who they were. Needless to say, I was not a big fan at that time, but I definitely knew to keep an eye out for them at that point. Jim James, MMJ's vocalist had one of those "love it or hate it" voices, similar to that of Coheed's Claudio Sanchez. I've always liked voices such as these, so as years passed, I became more and more of a fan of MMJ.

Fast forward to 2008. Evil Urges was being hyped as one of the best albums of the year months before it even came out. I knew I was going to hear something special, but I didn't expect it to be as good as it actually was. More than ever before, the band displays their ability to craft an amazing song. They remind me a lot of The Carpenters and Captain and Tenille in that sense. They don't stick to a certain formula of songwriting, they just pen songs from their mood and their hearts.

I sadly must admit that I have yet to witness MMJ perform live. I have been suffering through the amazing reviews on their live performances, with the inability to see them here in Orlando, Florida. It seems that every time they have been here, I haven't been able to attend. Sad, I know.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 22:56 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, evil urges, my morning jacket

#6: Santogold - Santogold
12.20.2008

Don't you dare call her R&B. Don't call her rap. Don't call her reggae. Don't even call her pop. If I had to pigeonhole Santogold's musical style, I would call it "Interesting," because it incorporates almost all of the aforementioned genres. On her debut album, there are songs like "Creator" that glorifies her comparisons to hip-hopper M.I.A. Then there are songs like "Lights Out" that could be featured on pop radio. Finally, there is "L.E.S. Artistes," which always seems to remind me of Tegan and Sara.

As an ex-A&R rep and pop songwriter, I must thank her for taking the plunge to the forefront and expressing herself through her own musical journey. Santogold has a long-lasting future ahead of her. But that's only if she accepts the offer. I am a little worried that fame will get the best of her and she will not become the superstar and historical figure that she could become.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 18:29 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, santogold

#7: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
12.19.2008

#7: Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

2008 was a year of surprises in music. Britney Spears came back, The Police called it quits, and Fleet Foxes stunned the world. It seemed as if this band had come out of nowhere to take the music industry by storm. This self-titled album has been raved as one of the best of the year by almost every major publication. What makes it so good, you ask? Listen for yourself.

They have a very unique indie folk sound that takes advantage of harmonies and backing vocals. If this countdown was based strictly around vocal harmonies and melodies, it would be #1. And I love harmonies.

This is without a doubt a "must have" for 2008. For those of you that haven't heard of Fleet Foxes until now, consider yourself warned. Check them out right now.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 14:05 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, fleet foxes

#8: Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
12.18.2008

As a long time Sigur Ros fan, this long-titled album was one of the most anticipated of the year for me. After I heard the first single "Gobbledigook," I knew this album was going to be one of their best to date. It has always been their strange creativity that has gained them such an immense cult following.

This album features more of the same appealing sound that Sigur Ros has offered in the past. This time around, though, there seems to exist more maturity and cohesion within the band. Perhaps this is due to the change in their recording process. This album was the first time they recorded outside of Iceland and featured the first time they "played by the rules" by recording, releasing, and touring all within the same year.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 23:41 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, Sigur Ros

#9: Girl Talk - Feed the Animals

In June of this year, Girl Talk released Feed the Animals in the same vein as Radiohead's In Rainbows the year before. Without releasing to the mass public, GT offered exclusive purchasing availabilities online to "pay-as-you-like" customers. Ultimately, this idea worked for Girl Talk, just as it did for Radiohead. Obviously, though, it wasn't AS successful.

While I don't completely agree that the selling style was necessary for this album, I do feel that the content on Feed the Animals is priceless. By utilizing samples of old songs, mashing them together and creating new versions of the classics, Girl Talk has become more of a household name in the DJ world than ever before. This album has received rants and raves all year long and is being analyzed as one of the best of 2008.

There really is no reason to list some of the best songs on the album. All of the tracks feature amazing clips from all of the past hits. No matter who you are, I am sure you can find enjoyment in a certain part of all of the songs. All around, it's good stuff - especially at parties.

Posted byLogan Lenz at 01:40 0 comments  

Labels: 25 days of music, album, best albums of 2008, Feed the Animals, Girl Talk