pf's &#@% musical 2008

While it has been a gradual process, 2008 was most different from preceding with the volume of free albums/mixtapes, or simple EP releases. Depending on the artist, this was already a well-used distribution method. This change continues question defining what makes the year's defining album.


Albums of the Year

1. Q-Tip, "The Renaissance" - The first one is easy, it's the rest of the ordered list where I have to pretend to rank things.

2. The Clipse / Re-Up Gang, "We Got It For Cheap volume 3" & "Road To Till The Casket Drops" - Sometimes the prelude to the album is greater than the album itself, or in this case the Re-Up Gang album was just a second rate reproduction of the mixtape.

3. Film Skool Rejekts, "Workprint: The EP" - Subtitled as the greatest mixtape ever it constitutes enough content and originality to be the official release. Still haven't checked out "Midnight Movie", hope that if I had it'd be place alongside right here.

4. Marc Collin, "Hollywood, Mon Amour" - I'm a sucker for these, beyond Nouvelle Vague, Marc Collin had me listening to (and enjoying songs) that I refused to listen to on the grounds that... I'm stubborn and elitist? Finally I'm not on the outside when hearing "Flashdance" or "Footloose", even though I'm sure I'll still act like it.

5. Santogold, "Santogold" - Even though this album just compiles "I Believe In Santogold" with this year's tracks, it kept her relevant to the onset of popularity. Best to make a playlist with the original versions integrated with the second half of the album to maintain integrity.

6. Roots Manuva, "Slime & Reason" - Reverting to bashment sounds becomes a more uplifting album, not topping "Awfully Deep" but his hiatus granted him a welcome return.

7. Erykah Badu, "New Amerykah Part One" - I was worried when I first listened to it, because the farther I got in, the more and more it sounded like a love letter to me. Months later Ice Cube reproduced that feeling (pause). But Erykah has the elements there, if only she stuck to her plan of have four-five releases this year.

8. Monkey, "Journey To The West" - Survives through my curiosity and the diversity of it's representation. Wish that the sound was more in-line with the promotional video (Monkey Bee), but wouldn't become bored with it until I see it live, take it all in.

9. Cadence Weapon, "Afterparty Babies" - Can't forget the January release that strengthens the Canadian hip-hop identity while everyone else is in denial.

10. Tricky, "Knowle West Boy" - Every time he takes a different direction with his music, he's still directing it.


Cannot rank Beck, "Modern Guilt", otherwise Ryan wins.




Songs of the Year

1. "Sister Morphine" Little Vic
2. "Drivin' Down The Block (remix)" Kidz In The Hall
3. "I Will Possess Your Heart" Death Cab For Cutie
4. "L.E.S. Artistes" Santogold
5. "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" Gnarls Barkley
6. "Posers" New Royales ft Jay Electronica
7. "Lovecraft In Brooklyn" The Mountain Goats
8. "Mathemagical" Slow Hand Motem
9. "Royal Flush" Big Boi ft Raekwon and Andre3000
10. "The Dino 5 Theme" The Dino 5
11. "The Sun" Mr. Lif
12. "Winter"/"Undeclared" The Dodos
13. "Whatever You Like" T.I. / Weird Al*
14. "Nrrrd Grrrl" MC Chris
15. "I'll Be In The Sky" B.o.B
16. "Lies" Black Keys
17. "Crazy World" Young Jeezy
18. "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" Ice Cube
19. "Don't Touch Me (Throw Da Water On Em) [remix]" Busta Rhymes
20. "Queens Gets the Money" Nas

And Cat Power covered the Hot Boyz.


*I prefer T.I.'s "A Better Day", but a Weird Al parody trumps a non-album track that I don't even know what happened to.


Show of the Year:

Galactic featuring Boots Riley of the Coup
April 10th at Lees Palace


Apologies to Black Milk, Producer of the Year:

Danger Mouse - after all his producer credits, I can finally listen and identify, "hey, that's that Danger Mouse sound." See, Beck's "Modern Guilt", The Black Keys "Attack and Release", Gnarls Barkley's "The Odd Couple", and Martina Topley-Bird's "The Blue God"

Invented the Remix 2008:
AmpLive; "Rainy Dayz EP (2007)" (Radiohead), "Baskervilles" (Tokyo Police Club)


In Anticipation Of 2009: John Frusciante, NASA, Cage, Mr. Lif, Illogic
and of course, 50 Cent's "Before I Self Destruct"

... and trying to still care: MF Doom's "Born Into This", Raekwon's "OB4CL 2"

Top 5 Movie-Films of 2008

5. The Dark Knight - There is nothing more to be said about The Dark Knight, and that's the problem. After Batman Begins, it's expectations capped, to never be exceeded, but thankfully not unmet. Any complaints are nitpicking, any further praise is too redundant. This year Marvel also produced their best two movies, but instead concede by selling their backpage advertising to The Dark Knight on home video.

It is not for Batman to host the best film of the year, but in hoping that Batman will host the best trilogy that cinema has to offer.


4. RocknRolla - See this as a return to Guy Ritchie's directing/writing on Snatch, a test if can produce an appropriate follow-up. He does better than that. While continuing with cartoonish characters, capers and coincidences, RocknRolla does follow as much repetition as seen from "Lock, Stock..." to "Snatch".


3. Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Woody Allen continues his ability to portray relatable human emotions which in day-to-day life fall in the realm of "is it just me?" Plus, starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, if we could just throw Hugh Jackman in this film and it would top the list.


2. Speed Racer - This movie had trouble finding its audience, or rather, its audience finding themselves. Not kiddish enough to appeal to the family-oriented crowd, not scandalous enough to be taken "seriously", but still found its way to IMAX. For those of you not inoculated for cooties, please avert your eyes.


1. Lakeview Terrace - Sam "The Christ" Jackson is crucified by The Watermelon Man, leading to God rioting in Los Angeles. You need two doctorates to enjoy a movie-film this good. Son, I thought we agreed on Shaq.



Dedicated to the closing of Upper James Cineplex Odeon, without which I don't think I'll get to see Slumdog Millionaire, Synedoche or The Wrestler.

Sesame Street, s39

Sesame Street is set to be this generation's The Muppet Show. Easily. Thing is, the Muppet Show was always good all ages entertainment, appealing to the older crowd. As time progressed, it became kid's fare, while Sesame Street looks like it went daycare.

Even with successes here and there, the Muppets hadn't really made a comeback.

... but check out the highlights to Sesame Street season 39. You may have read of some guest appearances (Feist reworking "1,2,3,4"), but its demonstrating a show that you wouldn't leave you kid in front of the TV watching. No, the parents are likely to sit there and actually watch this with their child rather than parenting-by-proxy.





Feist on Sesame Street ("... I love counting to the number four."

Neil Patrick Harris, the shoe fairy

Jack Black tells us about the word octagon

Odd Couple's Gonna Save My Soul

The best song latest video from Gnarls Barkley's "The Odd Couple". Like the direction that it showcases the video and not the song, not doing the obvious. I'd hope they release a DVD, not like last cycle where they just repackaged the album with a bonus disc.



Gnarls Barkley, "Who's Gonna Save My Soul?"

Gnarls Barkley, "Going On"

Gnarls Barkley, "Run"

Alan Moore Stanley (1)

The more news and write-ups there are, the more it seems I'm an Alan Moore stan - I can't help it, he's quotable.

So often any film that comes out is going to be a sequel or a remake of a film that's previously existed — and I've said this before, that we will see Johnny Depp playing Cap'n Crunch. It will eventually get down to breakfast cereal mascots!

While I'm glad he agrees with my opinion of 300, I for one expect Hollywood to embrace more Jay Ward creations. Until then, I still have to plot my escape to Universal Studios

Entertainment Weekly Q&A with Alan Moore

Then there was "An Evening With Warren Ellis" at Wizard World Chicago, where Ellis told this story,

Ellis then told a story about doing a convention in Iceland. He had a great time and they asked Ellis if he could talk Alan Moore into visiting for a show. Ellis said he took his own life into his hands and called Moore to ask him if he was interested.

Moore told Ellis, "I don't really leave Northampton much. In fact, I don't really leave the house. In fact, I don't really leave the living room... and truth be told, I stay on this side of the living room. The other side of the living room is a strange and different place, and it scares me."

Oh, and the Alan Moore appearance on the Simpsons remains my favourite Simpsons' episode.

Michael Turner, 1971-2008

"... something I could not Fathom, but Turner recovered and retrieved her for Aspen."

After fighting cancer for eight years, Michael Turner died yesterday June 27, 2008. He was 37. I share this, though any one paying attention might not know who Michael Turner is, you would recognize his work from some of the posters I'd hang in my room, comic books I'd have lying about, or again and again as one of my computer desktop wallpapers.

I was fortunate enough to have met him at 2007's FanExpo in Toronto, as no matter how people discredited his missed deadlines, he was always a noble artist.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16988
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Turner_%28comics%29

http://www.aspencomics.com/

lyrics: dreams to remember (5)

dreams to remember (5) [mp3]
album: 1984-2010
released: spring 2007


(The year 2010, probably be the end)

(The year 2010, probably be the end)


Everything documented to his last speech
Which was less original and more so pastiche
At least he had the nerve to speak
Even though his words would reach -
Few, but he figured he spoke to the meek
And those took to the street
Because to inherit the world they thought
They first must take the concrete
Whether I die happy, or I'm happy to die
Until then I live with my dreams trapped in the sky
My brother, rest in the land of hope
My brother, anecdotes to antidotes
Caught in the grip of thanatos
Lost in the Phantom Zone,
Man alone, is it can't or won't?
As I witness what my hand provokes
Crumple my ransom note
And begin scripting another
And another
And another