Top 10 for 2008

I have meant to post this for months (obviously). But I would be remiss to avoid posting it altogether. So here it is, my Top 10 records from 2008:

1. Glasvegas- Glasvegas
   
2. The Duke Spirit- Neptune
   
3. Be Your Own Pet- Get Awkward!
   
4. Sons and Daughters- This Gift
   
5. Santogold- Santogold
   
6. Elvis Costello and the Imposters- Momofuku
   
7. The Enemy- We'll Live and Die In These Towns
   
8. Coldplay- Viva La Vida
   
9. The Roots- Rising Down
   
10. The Last Shadow Puppets- Age of the Understatement
    

If you don't already have all of these, you should remedy that right now. 2008 was actually a pretty great year for music, and I was very happy to find that it was difficult narrowing it down to these 10. But each of the above records really delivered, and are still in heavy rotation even now, half way thru 2009.

The Okmoniks

Now that one of One2ten's favorite bands has gone the way of the dodo, we have to find a new punk rock girl singer good times party machine. Ask and ye shall receive... The Okmoniks.

While BYOP was chanelling the punk rock ethos of everything from the Circle Jerks to Sonic Youth, The Okmoniks are mining more pop treasure troves. But don't let that make you think these kids are bound for Avril territory. By pop, I am talking more Tuscadero and the Hi-Fives and the Donnas (when they were good). They wail on the Hammond organ in a Jonathan Fire*eater way but turn it to "super fast" from the get-go. It's music that begs you to clap along and shake and shimmy. It evokes girls I call "hairdos," wearing great shoes, vintage dresses and carrying a box of vintage rock and roll 45s. And to me they, just like the Okmoniks, define a good time. Throw this on, on Friday at 5pm and let the party begin. The Okmoniks Party Fever!!! gets a 10. Yep, a 10.

The Okmoniks- Teenage Timebomb
The Okmoniks- It's Not You


And go here for some more Okmoniks downloads: RCRDLBL.

Thanks Carbomb.

Be Your Own Pet

When I first heard and met the kids in Be Your Own Pet, I was somewhat torn. I loved their attitude, energy and all around vibe. Wise beyond their years about punk rock, but still snotty and distrustful (in a good way), the BYOP kids were the punk rock I felt was missing nowadays. The problem was, in the end, their songs just didn't stand up to scrutiny. The songs were always energetic, but usually missing that catchiness that makes punk so delicious.

Looks like that's finally been remedied. A friend said its a consequence of turning 20 years old, and that could likely be it. In addition, they have toured plenty, been under the tutelage of Thurston Moore and I'm sure have just devoured so much music in the last 3 years that this was an inevitability. Whatever the reason, I'm floored by the change. I saw this video on Subterranean and listened to the record this week and am now plying this track on repeat. Still.

The Kelley Affair gets a 10.


Be Your Own Pet- The Kelley Affair