As I hinted at earlier in this blog, I heard a helluva lot of real cool albums throughout the course of this year. These albums generated a sense of spell-binding whimsy in my heart and mind that helped me prevail through the "tough times," and console my desires. I could not have lived without them. Some of these masterworks include:
Pacific Ocean Blue, Dennis Wilson
The Beach Boys are and still one of my favorite bands. But before you start passing judgment and questioning my "manliness" for being a fan, let it be known that their music is truly touching and artists from all over the musical spectrum have acknowledged their influence, from the Pixies to Yo La Tengo to Paul McCartney (and his titties, nonetheless). SO LAY OFF! And this man, pictured above in all his chest-hair exuberance, was a member of the Beach Boys. I only listened to about three or four of the first songs on this album before I became bored with it; nevertheless, these songs were soulfully mediocre and slightly hummable. Still, nearly every musical publication in existence gave it an outstanding review, so that has to amount to somethin'! Maybe I'll give it another "run-though" in the future, like if I'm taking a shit and just happen to have it playing on my computer in the background, in the other room.
Rock 'N' Roll Jesus, Kid Rock
I think it's safe to say that this man is a hard-ass. And a goddamned creative one at that. But jeez Rock, could you lay off the controversy? How'd you think the world would react to an LP titled "Rock 'N' Roll Jesus"?! Nevertheless, Kid Rock really rocks it hard throughout. I've only heard one song off this thing, but that song, "All Summer Long" was truly a monster fucking hit all summer long. For those unaware of its appeal, it samples from two outstanding cuts of rock history: "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd (as if you didn't know) and "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon (God rest his sweet soul). It's also got some great lyrics to boot, like "sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinkin' 'bout tomorrow." Lord knows I did just that many a night during the glorious summer of '08. LOL! And I don't think a night went by where I was up at 4am and DIDN'T see its music video in heavy rotation on either VH1 or MTV "After Hours." I'd be sitting there eating some Zesta crackers and just absolutely be feelin' the summer vibe in its entirety. Purely amazing...
Duffy, Duffy
This was another flat-out, ass-kicking rock album that dominated the summer airwaves. Many a critic hailed this plus-size star as the next "Dusty Springfield" (who cemented her cult status in the annals of rock history for singing the shitty song "Son of a Preacher Man"), but I think she's more than that. Every song on this album is probably so full of soul and true, aching heartache that its greatness can't be contained. The only song that I've been blessed to hear from this stellar debut is "Mercy." And God above, it rocks. It's got saxes, a cool back-beat and some of the most unappealing vocalizations I've heard in decades. Let me give you a sample of her lyrics: "You got me beggin' you for mercy, why won't you release me?" You know she must've dove head-first into the most despairing depths of her heart to coin such powerful statements. And the music video to accompany the song is flawless, as well. It's all in black-and-white to give it the honest authenticity of a 1960s rebel-rouser, as if to think, "Was this really made in 2008?! It's fucking amazing!". And hey, I ain't complaining! Kudos to you, Ms. Duff!
SLEEPER HIT OF THE YEAR:
Feed the Animals, Girl Talk
Okay, I know its tough to earn recognition when you're overshadowed by such behemoths as Duffy (literally, in her case), Kid Rock, and Kate Perry, but this little diddy truly stole my breath. And since I couldn't think of any other noteworthy album as I was typing this, I thought I might as well mention it. It's just great. The first 45 seconds of "Still Here" are blow-worthy; anything that features snippets of "The Weight" by the Band, "Flashing Lights (ft. Dwele)" by Kanye West and the organ hook from Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" all in the same track earns my stand-up applause.
And that's all she wrote, folks! I'm sick of writing this hackneyed bullshit, and ready to fix myself a sandwich, or salad. Hope you enjoyed the magick, and child-influenced splendor of this entry, and blog about it in your blog!
THIS IS PISS, SIGNING OUT!
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