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Top 5 underrated albums 2008

Wednesday, 31 December 2008 08:58 Aaron

Top 5 albums of 2008 that aren't getting the attention they deserve.

One of my favorite things about this time of year is sifting through everybody's top 5, 10, 25, and etcetera lists. A particular favorite category is that of the years top albums. This year has produced an excessive amount of great music -so much that I've been having a hard time making a list of my own. But while sifting through everyone else's lists, I've found several albums missing that deserve a lot more credit then what they got this year. Most of my picks are mentioned on some lists, if you dig enough, but their merit is somehow forgotten. So, without any further wait, here is my top 5 albums that aren't getting the attention they deserve in other people's best of 2008 lists:

#5 REM – Accelerate. When this one was released, I held my breathe. Would it be another “Up?” Or would REM return to being the musical geniuses they were in the 80s and 90s? Well, I am quite happy to say that this is the best album they've released since “Monster.” Here's hoping they either stay on this track, or retire. Well, maybe that's a little too harsh.

#4 Ladytron – Velocifero. Ok, let's be honest about two things: a) Ladytron is one of my favorite bands (so I might be bias with their inclusion on this list), and b) Velocifero was not their best work – in fact, I might even say it was their worst album to date. But still, this album has had its moments. The song “verses” alone, with its clever phrase turns and the fact that its the first Ladytron song to date with a male vocalist! “Kletva,” is quite a catchy tune as well – one is tempted to learn Bulgarian just so they can sing along.

#3 Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping. To be fair, I did see this mentioned in several of the KEXP staff top ten lists, but hardly anywhere else. This album is not family friendly, far from it! So if you're easily offended, veer away from this album. However, the sensual nature of the lyrics with the trademark “all over the place” feel of the music that really make this album worth more than a few listens. And bonus points for being an actual album with a natural flow and intertwining pieces, as opposed to a playlist of ten random songs.

#2 Black Kids – Partie Traumatic. This album is just pure fun. It feels almost like a guilty pleasure, but then one hears the lyrics and realizes the depth of the music. How many people had “I'm not gonna teach your Boyfriend how to dance with you” orbiting their head for the better part of the summer? I'm actually surprised the song is not blasting from the speakers of every American Eagle store in the country (give it a year).

#1 The 1900s – Cold & Kind. I stumbled upon this band at Musicfest NW, and was severely disappointed to find out they're not from Portland, but rather Chicago. I have not found an album this listenable in a couple years, and while I can't pick a list of ten albums this year, I can say without a doubt this was indeed my favorite album of 2008.

Honorable Mention: The B52s – Funplex. About half of you just decided I don't know a damned thing about music, didn't you? I was indeed skeptical of this album, I mean the B52s haven't done anything worthwhile since “Cosmic Thing!” Well, maybe there's something in the Athens, GA water supply (which would also explain REM and Of Montreal), but Funplex is perhaps the best B52s album ever. From the insightful “Juliet of Spirits,” and even the erotic “Ultraviolet,” perhaps “the ultimate party band” has finally grown up.

The Dark Knight

Sunday, 14 September 2008 06:50 Aaron

With all due respect to the late Heath ledger, I was not all that impressed with the Joker in "The Dark Night." Why? Well, let me say this...why so serious Joker?
Ok, let's look at the Joker in TDK. He was real. He was very real. He could be the escape convict that lives down the street. So, why is this a bad timing? I mean, isn't the Joker supposed to be real? The answer is simple: Yes and No. The Joker is supposed to be very real, yet surreal at the same time. While the Joker in TDK did a great job of the former, they forgot the latter. To be honest, if they could somehow mesh the Joker from Batman: The Animated Series with the Joker from TDK, then perhaps we would have a great Joker.
Oh, but this Batman franchise is supposed to be based on the late 80's batman! The one that shot Barbara Gordon in the spine (not even knowing she's batgirl) just to drive Commissioner Gordon Crazy! Well, yes, but there's two major flaws there. One, what is up with the scars firstly. It was clearly stated in The Killing Joke that The Joker fell into a vat of chemicals, and that is why he looks the way he does. This joker is not discolored, he uses clown make up and he has those scars which the Joker in the late 80's did not have. Furthermore, can you possibly see this Joker as the UN ambassador for Iran?

Maybe they'll get it right next time. Then again, at least it wasn't that Ronald McDonald wannabe from the live action series in the 1960s.

Behold - the times they are a changing!

Friday, 12 September 2008 17:14 Aaron

A season of change is in the making. Soon, all will be revealed.

As you can see, I don't know what the hell I'm doing right now. This page is a mess and I have no idea who, what, where, and how I am going to change it to the way I want it! But things will change dear friends - things will change indeed.

Last Updated ( Saturday, 13 September 2008 02:16 )

What Happened to Starbucks?

Tuesday, 12 August 2008 00:00 Aaron

I've been thinking about how back in the day Starbucks was the best coffee one could buy. I lived on the stuff myself. Now its a bit substandard compared to a myriad of less bitter, less over roasted coffees. So what the hell happened? Well, it was a combination of two things:
1) Starbucks has expanded dramaticly! According to seattlepi.com, starbucks has grown from just over a thousand stores in 1997 to over 16,000 stores in 2007. With all mass-produced products, there is always a drop in quality control, and Starbucks is no exception. Point in case, the automated coffee makers they installed circa 2000. As someone who was, at the point of the implementation of said machines, a loyal Starbucks customer, I have to say that the quality drop of there brewed espresso on my pallete was significant! I realize they did this to "standardize" but there is nothing standard about coffee. Humidity, temperature, storage, and a myriad of other factors will affect the taste of each shot of espresso. Which brings me to the next reason...
2) Starbucks was never that good! Yes, there, I said it. Starbucks tasted awful, even in the early 90's. And the reason was partly due to standardization. Asides from Espresso, French, and Italian roasts (and maybe one or two others), Starbucks insisted on roasting their coffees the same roast. But anyone who knows ANYTHING about coffee roasting, knows that one cannot roast say, Sumatra as say, Ethiopian Haraar. The Hararr requires a lighter roast in order not to contrast the chocolaty blueberry taste, where as the Sumatran coffee requires a darker roast to accent its heady flavor. But why didn't we notice this at the time? Why didn't we know that Starbucks didn't make a decent cup of coffee? Well, because we ddin't know any better? Why ddin't we know Folgers tasted like crap before we started drinking Starbucks? Our palletes were simply not refined enough to know.

In the last few months, Starbucks has recognized they're going astray. They've taken one or two steps in the right direction, one or two in the wrong direction. They've closed 600 stores and said they would start to eliminate the breakfast foods in order to focus more on coffee. Still, they have the breakfast foods, and they've failed to embrace that standardization is not the answer. With the addition of Pike's Place Blend, they've given us yet another substandard coffee - one that's a one size fits all solution, and a miserable one at that. Its sad that a company who consider themselves a dealer in gourmet coffees sells a coffee that is no better than Mcdonalds or 7-11.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 31 December 2008 09:47 )