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Albums of 2008 - Part Two
On Sunday FDM.com unveiled the first installment of our festive feature 'The Eight Records You'd Love If You Could Just Stop Listening To 'For Emma, Forever Ago'. A few of you agreed with the albums we'd picked, others inevitably raged at our choices and you've been hammering the FDM.com inbox with your alternative suggestions ever since. Bless you dear FDM readers!
Anywoo... below are the final 4 albums that we suggest you dig out over the festive period. Each is brilliant in its own way, although only 3 of the 4 will play in your CD player. Sadface.
Keep those alternative suggestions coming in; if we get enough through that we wholeheartedly agree with we'll do a reader's poll or some such thing. I wouldn't hold you breathe though as that sounds like quite a bit of work.
Love and festive 'ugs!
FDM.com x
Brendan Campbell
'Burgers & Murders'
(Everybodys)
A purveyor of traditional Gallic folk, albeit with a strong modern feel, Brendan Campbell was one of the songwriters in 2008 responsible for bridging the gap between trad-folk conservatism and the rich breed of nu-folk youngsters who sprung up so vibrantly across the UK.
Born the youngest of six children on a Glasgow estate, his apprenticeship in the tough folk clubs of his hometown schooled him well. A prodigious finger-picking talent, he bares the extraordinary knack of crafting the fine staples of traditional Gallic folk to a modern songwriting ethos that pitches him as a strange but wonderful blur between Bert Jansch and Bon Iver.
Only currently available as a digital download, 'Burgers & Murders' is rumoured to be getting a physical release sometime in the New Year.
What we said: "As a body of work 'Burgers & Murders' is a sublime example of the timeless lure of British folk. Intelligent, confident and raw, it will rightly establish Campbell as one of the UK's most treasured songwriters."
Other content on FDM.com: Album review - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=41
More information: www.brendancampbell.co.uk
Jenny Lewis
'Acid Tongue'
(Rough Trade)
A perfectly judged example of how to meld contemporary indie-rock with the conventional framework of American country music, Jenny Lewis' solo effort 'Acid Tongue' was an unquestionable delight.
Taking her cues from Loretta Lynn, Lewis showcased songwriting acumen that suddenly parachuted her into the upper echelons of the American songwriting elite. Her duet on 'Carpetbaggers' with Elvis Costello is perhaps the album's most documented moment but it was the likes of 'Sing A Song' - which closed the record - and the awe-inspiring 'Black Sand' where she truly unveiled her craft for melody and tight, insightful lyricism.
The blogosphere may be crying out for information on the new Rilo Kiley album, but in this particular corner of the web we're more interested in the next solo Jenny Lewis album. Now that will be an event.
What we said: "With a voice that's warm and lilting she wanders through the country-rock playground drawing inspiration for songs that range from upbeat bar-brawl hoedowns through to gentle moments of gospel-tinged Americana."
Other content on FDM.com: Album review - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=8
More information: www.jennylewis.com
Ten Kens
'Ten Kens'
(Fat Cat)
Few albums were as inventive and intentionally out of sync with the creative tide of 2008 as Ten Kens' eponymous debut. Far from being standard FDM.com fare, 'Ten Kens' was a buccaneering slab of gonzo rock that called to mind everyone from the Liars to Black Mountain (and pretty much everything in between).
But what got FDM.com so excited though was the fact that this young faction of Canadian kids wanted to do so much more than create a mere racket. They instead leant on Canadian alt-rock's seemingly indelible knack of crafting raw, unprocessed pop hooks into their music. Subsequently they came on like an actual Arcade Fire - bright, scary and a fuckin' great spectacle.
It was impossible to tire of this album. Abstract, fearless and uncompromising it further endorsed Canada's position as the breeding ground for some of the world's most pioneering musicians.
What we said: "the sooner you can acclimatise to the fact that the album sounds like it was recorded in a coffin at the bottom of the Pacific the better. For this is a superlative record. Bold, brave and yet introspective it walks a fine and distinguished line between the rattle alt-pop of Wolf Parade and the droning rock mess of drug monsters The Warlocks..."
Other content on FDM.com: Interview - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=18
Further information: www.myspace.com/tenkens
Silver Jews
'Silver Jew'
(Drag City)
Okay, so it's not really an album as such, more a DVD, but Silver Jews' much-anticipated documentary of their two groundbreaking Tel Aviv shows lived up to all those lofty expectations. And some.
From the outset this was a live band DVD that wanted to do things differently. The Silver Jews' lynchpin David Berman was outspoken and engaging from the very start and the exclusive interview content was cut beautifully with footage of the band exploring Tel Aviv alongside some splendid live video from the two shows. As you'd expect the later made for essential viewing but rather strangely this content became overshadowed by the interviews with Berman and the considered, and regularly funny, quips that Berman made as he wandered with his band through the parched Tel Aviv markets.
As our critic Stephen Jasper understandably gushed... "what sets (this DVD) apart from almost every other tour documentary is the fact that Berman's interviews and thoughtful asides (the short snippet of Berman discussing his choice of band name, his decision not to tour, collaborate or agree to any compilations is a revelation) quickly become the spine of this DVD; quite a considerable achievement given the DVD features live footage of the band officially performing for the very first time in Tel Aviv.".
A fitting documentary capturing a fleeting moment in the life of one of the most essential bands from the last ten years, 'Silver Jew' is music film-making at its very best. Simple as that.
What we said: "Just shy of an hour and it is over. Berman's decision to offer a tiny window into the world of The Silver Jews has been an unquestionable success, which rather than dampen the spirituality surrounding the band instead serves only to heighten their position as one of the world's most intoxicating bands.
Other content of FDM.com: DVD review - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=16
Further information: www.silverjews.net
Anywoo... below are the final 4 albums that we suggest you dig out over the festive period. Each is brilliant in its own way, although only 3 of the 4 will play in your CD player. Sadface.
Keep those alternative suggestions coming in; if we get enough through that we wholeheartedly agree with we'll do a reader's poll or some such thing. I wouldn't hold you breathe though as that sounds like quite a bit of work.
Love and festive 'ugs!
FDM.com x
Brendan Campbell
'Burgers & Murders'
(Everybodys)
A purveyor of traditional Gallic folk, albeit with a strong modern feel, Brendan Campbell was one of the songwriters in 2008 responsible for bridging the gap between trad-folk conservatism and the rich breed of nu-folk youngsters who sprung up so vibrantly across the UK.
Born the youngest of six children on a Glasgow estate, his apprenticeship in the tough folk clubs of his hometown schooled him well. A prodigious finger-picking talent, he bares the extraordinary knack of crafting the fine staples of traditional Gallic folk to a modern songwriting ethos that pitches him as a strange but wonderful blur between Bert Jansch and Bon Iver.
Only currently available as a digital download, 'Burgers & Murders' is rumoured to be getting a physical release sometime in the New Year.
What we said: "As a body of work 'Burgers & Murders' is a sublime example of the timeless lure of British folk. Intelligent, confident and raw, it will rightly establish Campbell as one of the UK's most treasured songwriters."
Other content on FDM.com: Album review - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=41
More information: www.brendancampbell.co.uk
Jenny Lewis
'Acid Tongue'
(Rough Trade)
A perfectly judged example of how to meld contemporary indie-rock with the conventional framework of American country music, Jenny Lewis' solo effort 'Acid Tongue' was an unquestionable delight.
Taking her cues from Loretta Lynn, Lewis showcased songwriting acumen that suddenly parachuted her into the upper echelons of the American songwriting elite. Her duet on 'Carpetbaggers' with Elvis Costello is perhaps the album's most documented moment but it was the likes of 'Sing A Song' - which closed the record - and the awe-inspiring 'Black Sand' where she truly unveiled her craft for melody and tight, insightful lyricism.
The blogosphere may be crying out for information on the new Rilo Kiley album, but in this particular corner of the web we're more interested in the next solo Jenny Lewis album. Now that will be an event.
What we said: "With a voice that's warm and lilting she wanders through the country-rock playground drawing inspiration for songs that range from upbeat bar-brawl hoedowns through to gentle moments of gospel-tinged Americana."
Other content on FDM.com: Album review - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=8
More information: www.jennylewis.com
Ten Kens
'Ten Kens'
(Fat Cat)
Few albums were as inventive and intentionally out of sync with the creative tide of 2008 as Ten Kens' eponymous debut. Far from being standard FDM.com fare, 'Ten Kens' was a buccaneering slab of gonzo rock that called to mind everyone from the Liars to Black Mountain (and pretty much everything in between).
But what got FDM.com so excited though was the fact that this young faction of Canadian kids wanted to do so much more than create a mere racket. They instead leant on Canadian alt-rock's seemingly indelible knack of crafting raw, unprocessed pop hooks into their music. Subsequently they came on like an actual Arcade Fire - bright, scary and a fuckin' great spectacle.
It was impossible to tire of this album. Abstract, fearless and uncompromising it further endorsed Canada's position as the breeding ground for some of the world's most pioneering musicians.
What we said: "the sooner you can acclimatise to the fact that the album sounds like it was recorded in a coffin at the bottom of the Pacific the better. For this is a superlative record. Bold, brave and yet introspective it walks a fine and distinguished line between the rattle alt-pop of Wolf Parade and the droning rock mess of drug monsters The Warlocks..."
Other content on FDM.com: Interview - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=18
Further information: www.myspace.com/tenkens
Silver Jews
'Silver Jew'
(Drag City)
Okay, so it's not really an album as such, more a DVD, but Silver Jews' much-anticipated documentary of their two groundbreaking Tel Aviv shows lived up to all those lofty expectations. And some.
From the outset this was a live band DVD that wanted to do things differently. The Silver Jews' lynchpin David Berman was outspoken and engaging from the very start and the exclusive interview content was cut beautifully with footage of the band exploring Tel Aviv alongside some splendid live video from the two shows. As you'd expect the later made for essential viewing but rather strangely this content became overshadowed by the interviews with Berman and the considered, and regularly funny, quips that Berman made as he wandered with his band through the parched Tel Aviv markets.
As our critic Stephen Jasper understandably gushed... "what sets (this DVD) apart from almost every other tour documentary is the fact that Berman's interviews and thoughtful asides (the short snippet of Berman discussing his choice of band name, his decision not to tour, collaborate or agree to any compilations is a revelation) quickly become the spine of this DVD; quite a considerable achievement given the DVD features live footage of the band officially performing for the very first time in Tel Aviv.".
A fitting documentary capturing a fleeting moment in the life of one of the most essential bands from the last ten years, 'Silver Jew' is music film-making at its very best. Simple as that.
What we said: "Just shy of an hour and it is over. Berman's decision to offer a tiny window into the world of The Silver Jews has been an unquestionable success, which rather than dampen the spirituality surrounding the band instead serves only to heighten their position as one of the world's most intoxicating bands.
Other content of FDM.com: DVD review - http://www.freshdeermeat.com/eatmore.php?id=16
Further information: www.silverjews.net
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