RSS

Once again, CJLO grew this year and if anything, it grew even more diverse judging by the staff picks below. Besides perhaps Ghostface Killah's Fishscale and Return To Cookie Mountain by TV On The Radio, there weren't many albums that found themselves repeated often among the different lists. It's a testament both to the goldmine of releases this year and to the eclectic tastes of the boys and girls that entertain you night and day on the ol' dot com. Personally, I wasn't married to many records this year, instead opting to play a wider field. In fact, only Liars' Drum's Not Dead came close to anything special in my book, though it wasn't the only good album, not by a long shot. Other highlights include the emergence of Montreal's The Nymphets, seeing legends such as Roky Erickson and Mark E. Smith (The Fall), the impossibly phenomenal Man Man show in June and despite the insane number of bands and labels starting up, there is quality to be found for just about every discerning taste. Even the old farts have something to be excited about, given the steady flow of reissues of both classic bands and those thought to be forgotten by history. Anyway, have fun sifting through the staff picks and don't be afraid to leave a comment on the CJLO message board.

---

Chris Coates: The Melting Pot, Tuesday 10pm - Midnight

Albums
1. Hell Hath No Fury (Clipse)
2. Two/Three (Dabrye)
3. Donuts (J Dilla)
4. Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip (Hi-Tek)
5. Fishscale (Ghostface Killah)
6. Moonlighting (Tanya Morgan)
7. Game Theory (The Roots)
8. Food and Liquor (Lupe Fiasco)
9. Here (Nicolay)
10. Doctor's Advocate (The Game)

Show Of The Year
Thunderheist @Vinyl, October 2006

Next Shit Of The Year
B-More Club Music

---

Fraser McCallum: F-Train 120, Monday Noon - 2pm

Albums
1. Modern Times (Bob Dylan)
2. The Avalanche (Sufjan Stevens)
3. The Eraser (Thom Yorke)
4. Chemical City (Sam Roberts)
5. The Crane Wife (The Decemberists)
6. He Poos Clouds (Final Fantasy)
7. Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)
8. A Hundred Miles Off (The Walkmen)
9. College Rock EP (Smothered In Hugs)
10. Everything All The Time (Band Of Horses)

Best Live Shows
1. Wolf Parade @Le National, April
2. Belle Orchestre + Final Fantasy @Le National, November
3. Flaming Lips @Osheaga Festival, September
4. Sam Roberts @Metropolis, November
5. The Raconteurs @Metropolis, September
6. The Walkmen @La Sala Rossa, February
7. Metal Hearts @Green Room, September
8. Wilco @Alderley Landing (Halifax), July
9. Kid Koala @Le National, November
10. Jill Barber @Théâtre Outremont, November

Worst Live Shows
1. The Stills @Osheaga Festival, September
2. Justin Rutledge @Spectrum, November
3. Islands @Metropolis, March
4. The Colour @Osheaga Festival, September
5. Ben Harper @Osheaga Festival, September

Top Venue
Le National

---

Cody Hicks: Breakfast Of Champions, Thursday Noon - 2pm

As you may know, I'm pretty clueless about new music. I've given it the old college try and come up with 10(ish) albums that I thought were really groovy this year.

Albums
1. Fishscale (Ghostface Killah)
Nothing even came close this year. Ghost is once again completely unfuckwithable.

2. Orphans (Tom Waits)
Yet another old guard who came out and blew away all the young guns. Any record that covers the Ramones and Charles Bukowski is an A+. Tom Waits might be the coolest man alive.

3. Boys and Girls In America (The Hold Steady)
I didn't get this band at first, but after hearing "Chips Ahoy!" off this record I was hooked. This is what I play on-air to satisfy my Springsteen fix.

4. Thunder Down Under (Hot Snakes)
A pretty fantastic swan song for one of my favourite groups.

5. Shattered (The Exploding Hearts)
R.I.P. Punk is dead.

6. The Obliterati (Mission Of Burma)
Does anyone see a pattern emerging? Another incredible punk record by a band that is logically too old to be this good.

7. Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)
I wasn't huge on this until I went to the live show and now I have to say that the hype is true. Believe it!

8. The Drift (Scott Walker)
This guy's voice could stop bullets, melt diamonds and perform other magical feats.

9. Kiss Of Death (Motörhead)
Scratch that. Lemmy is the coolest man alive

10. Close Calls With Brick Walls (Andrew W.K.)
For some reason this gem of a record was only released in Japan. My friend is completely obsessed with this dude and shelled out for the import, so I got to hear what was far too glorious for American ears. This beat the piss out of his last album and is a strong contender for "Party Record of All Time"

11. Hex Enduction Hour (The Fall)
Yeah, I know this wasn't released this year. Who cares. I bought it this year and I listened to it more than anything new. Long live Mark E. Smith!

---

Brendan O'Flaherty: Catatonia Shall Prevail, Sunday 8pm - 10pm

Albums
1. Avatar (Comets On Fire)
2. The Trident (Unearthly Trance)
3. Conference Of The Birds (Om)
4. Chaos Is My Name (Khlyst)
5. Grind Finale (Nasum)
6. Dead Mountain Mouth (Genghis Tron)
7. Asceticists (Whitehouse)
8. Mammatus (Mammatus)
9. Banks Violette DVD-A (Thorns Ltd.)
10. Subliminal Genocide (Xasthur)

---

Johnny Suck: Turn Down The Suck, Monday 6pm - 8pm

Albums
1. Kalas (Kalas)
2. Time Will Fuse It's Worth (Kylesa)
3. Witch (Witch)
4. The Abominable Iron Sloth (The Abominable Iron Sloth)
5. Age Of Winters (The Sword)
6. Fires Under The Road (Grim Skunk)
7. Chapter Chaos Begins (Anonymus)
8. Birthing The Giant (Cancer Bats)
9. Cryogenie (Ghoulunatics)
10. The Ultimate Destroyer (Lair of the Minotaur)

Top Live Discoveries
1. Colour Haze
2. Graves At Sea
3. The Last Vegas
4. Desperate Living
5. The Mongrels

Favourite 2005 Albums That Were Not On Last Year's List 1. Those Once Loyal (Bolt Thrower)
2. Shadows Are Security (As I Lay Dying)
3. Electric Last Minute (Dutch Oven)
4. Vampire Circus (Earthride)
5. The Galilean Satellites (Rosetta)

---

Jackie Hall: Bridge The Gap, Tuesday 4pm - 6pm

Albums
1. Our Darkest Days (Ignite)
2. Songs Of Beer (No Redeeming Social Value vs Slumlords)
3. Where The Sun Never Sets (A Global Threat)
4. Death To Tyrants (Sick Of It All)
5. On The Stremph! (Slumlords)
6. Violent Epiphany (Icepick)
7. Hold A Grudge (Hold A Grudge)
8. 100,000 Watts Of Pure Power (Or At Least That's What We Tell The Girls) (Ripcordz)
9. Changes Are What Bring Us Home (Solidarity)
10. EP (Epidemic)

Shows
1. Adicts + U.K. Subs w/ Misfits @Foufounes Électriques, November 3rd
3. Sick Of It All @Foufounes Électriques, September 30th
4. A Global Threat + Wednesday Night Heroes @L'Inco, November 14th
5. Ignite + A Global Threat w/ Strike Anywhere @Club Lambi, September 6th
6. Gorilla Biscuits + Murphy's Law + Comeback Kid@Le National, August 8th
7. Hold A Grudge album launch w/ Union Made @Café Chaos, June 24th
8. Circle Jerks + Ignite w/ Pennywise @Metropolis, October 14th
9. Slumlords @L'Inco, June 10th
10. Municipal Waste + GWAR @Club Soda, October 22nd

Honourable Mentions
Ignite w/ Comeback Kid @Foufounes Électriques, March 31st
Fearless Vampire Killers @L'Inco, September 16th
Far From Finished + Union Made @Foufounes Électriques, April 2nd
Jaws Of Life's last show w/ Pulling Teeth @L'Inco, November 4th
Gutter Demons @Café Campus, September 7th

---

Katie Seline: Wrong Side Of The Bed, Wednesday 5pm - 7pm

Albums
1. Carnavas (Silversun Pickups)
2. I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Yo La Tengo)
3. Powder Burns (Twilight Singers)
4. The Coast Is Clear (In-Flight Safety)
5. Modern Currencies (Uncut)
6. Dancing With Daggers (Magneta Lane)
7. Show Your Bones (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
8. Knives Don't Have Your Back (Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton)
9. At War With The Mystics (The Flaming Lips)
10. Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)

I had honestly completely lost hope on new releases halfway through the year. However, come the release of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Show Your Bones, things began to look up. 2006 surprisingly ended up producing some of my favourite albums and some of the best I have heard in a long time. It was hard to narrow the list down to just 10 but I decided to stick with the albums that I simply couldn’t stop listening to. To me, never getting sick of something is a true sign of quality.

Honourable Mentions
Gang Of Losers (The Dears)
Robbers & Cowards (Cold War Kids)
A Lesson In Crime (Tokyo Police Club)
Gravity Won't Get You High (The Grates)
Peregrine (Appleseed Cast)

It broke my heart to take these albums out of my Top 10 -- all were really good. I was most surprised by the Dears’ album Gang of Losers; I’ve never minded the band, but this album was the first of theirs that I can willingly listen to over and over again. Cold War Kids and the Grates were tough ones too. The Grates’ album for me was 2006’s equivalent to Metric’s Live it Out, and I know all I would have to do is see Cold War Kids live for me to get completely hooked on their songs. They, along with Tokyo Police Club, are bands to watch out for in 2007. The only reason A Lesson in Crime didn’t make the cut is because it is an EP.

Guilty Pleasures
Life In Slow Motion (David Gray)
Eyes Open (Snow Patrol)
The Lookes (MSTRKRFT)

Let’s be honest: I love cheesy, poppy, pull-at-your-heartstrings songs when placed in the right moment of a sitcom television show music. Snow Patrol’s Final Straw was the soundtrack to my summer and live this band just plain kills me. The same goes for David Gray and his album Life in Slow Motion. As for MSTRKRFT, sometimes a girl just needs to dance.

Biggest Disappointments: Albums
Make History (Thunderbirds Are Now!): To be fair, this album is AMAZING live
He Poos Clouds (Final Fantasy): Yeah he poos something else too; a REALLY awful album. I was shocked considering his first release was one of my favourites of 2005.

Biggest Disappointments: Shows
Kanye West in Melbourne, Australia: This guy’s head is too big to get in the door. I did not pay $80 for 45 minutes of back-up singers thanking you. “Yo buy my album it's hot WHAT”, my ass. It is good though.
The Walkmen @NYU, New York: Hands down, worst show I have EVER seen. The sound was hideous, the stage was way too big considering the number of performers, there were seats and ushers keeping kids out of the aisles, and the band clearly didn’t give a crap. The drummer, however, was AMAZING.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @Osheaga Festival: I don’t even want to dignify this with an explanation.

Best Shows
Flaming Lips @Osheaga Festival: If you were at this show, you know what I mean. These guys are the kings of the stage show.
Les Savy Fav + The Hold Steady + Thunderbirds Are Now! in Melbourne, Australia: If you ever have the chance to see ANY of these bands, do it. You’ll thank me later.
Silversun Pickups @Pianos: Somehow I had never even heard of these guys until this show. The album is my number one. I think that’s all the explanation you need.

---

Hana Feldman: The Reign, Wednesday Noon - 1pm

Putting together this info, I had a little trouble determining exactly what happened in 2006; I can barely remember what I did last week. Did Nas and Jay make up in 2006? Nah, that was 2005. Did Bun B release one of my favorite albums? Also 2005. Did Lil Kim go to jail? Did Hova un-retire? I was getting more on track. So after some hard remembering and a little research, what I did determine was that the south continued to kill it in 2006 and most of the club bangers of the year came from the dirty dirty, which has got me wondering when the East Coast is going to take the game back. Even after figuring out that my top album was technically released in 2005, I’ve been banging it all of 2006 so I decided that it’s going to keep its spot anyways. So here it is, my 2006 roundup and a prediction for the coming year. Until then...

Albums
1. Trill (Bun B)
2. King (T.I.)
3. Hell Hath No Fury (Clipse)
4. More Fish (Ghostface Killah)
5. Fishscale (Ghostface Killah)
6. Second Round's On Me (Obie Trice)
7. Release Therapy (Ludacris)
8. The Inspiration (Young Jeezy)
9. Killa Season (Camron)
10. Game Theory (The Roots)

Top 10 Club Bangers
1. "I Know You See It" - Young Joe
2. "Getting Some (remix)" - Shawna ft. Lil Wayne Pharrell & Ludacris
3. "Where The Cash At" - Currency ft. Lil Wayne
4. "Hustlin (remix)" - Rick Ross ft. Jay-Z & Young Jeezy
5. "Money Maker" - Ludacris ft. Pharrell
6. "Shoulder Lean" - Young Dro ft. T.I.
7. "What You Know (remix)" - T.I. ft. Lil Wayne
8. "Ridin" - Chamillionaire
9. "Touch It" - Busta Rhymes
10. "Grillz" - Nelly

2006 Artist With The Hottest Feature Spots On Tracks
Lil Wayne

2006 Male Artist With The Flyest Style
Kanye West

2006 Female Artist With The Flyest Style
Beyonce

Artist To Look Out For In 2007 Saigon

---

Jackson MacIntosh: Track Marks, Wednesday 10pm - 11:30pm

Songs
1. "Kilo" - Ghostface Killah ft. Raekwon
2. "Promiscuous" - Nelly Furtado
3. "Raise The Spark" - Akron/Family
4. "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" - Camera Obscura
5. "Glass Pipe" - Eliot Lipp
6. "Jealous Boyfriend" - Dishwasher
7. "Uma" - OOIOO
8. "Workinonit" - J Dilla

---

K-Man: "Beyond That Graveyard III", Friday 9pm - Midnight

Best Metal Show: Turn Down The Suck
Best Alt. Show: Losing My Edge
Best Overnight Show/Smoothest Voice: Go-Go Radio Magic Show
Best Overall Show: BVST (or "Beyond That Graveyard III")
Executive With The Most Hustle: Chris Quinnell
Executive With The Most Dedication To The Cause: Alex Huynh

---

Alex Rabot: No Sleep Til Bedtime, Thursday 6pm - 8pm

Best Album I Knew Would Be Good
Blood Mountain (Mastodon)

Biggest (Good) Surprise
A Senile Animal (Melvins)

Biggest (Bad) Surprise
The New Black (Strapping Young Lad)

Most Fucked Record
New Death Experience (Spektr)

Best Song
"No Heroes" - Converge

Best Re-Issue
Slaughter Of The Soul (At The Gates)

Most Annoying To Omar
Jaggernaut (Scissorfight)

Best Reunion Record
Monotheism (Celtic Frost)

Most Expensive Purchase
Dronevil: Final (Boris) - $25 US, paid twice, still not received

Best Singalong
"Set Fire To The Face On Fire" - Blood Brothers

---

Shaun Anderson: Losing My Edge, Sunday 2pm-4pm and Tuesday 8pm-10pm

Albums
1. Hidden World (Fucked Up)
2. Blood Visions (Jay Reatard)
3. Shallow (Pissed Jeans)
4. Shrinking Moon For You 10" (Wooden Shjips)
5. Pro-Fucking-Motional EP (The Nymphets)
6. To Find Me Gone (Vetiver)
7. C.Y.S.L.A.B.F. (Mika Miko)
8. II (Annihilation Time)
9. The Empire Strikes Back (Country Teasers)
10. Hearts Addendum (Battleship)

Most Listened To Non-2006 Album
Let It Bloom (The Black Lips)

Best 2007 Album Leaked In 2006
Are The Dark Horse (The Besnard Lakes)

Best Live Band
Brutal Knights

Best Re-Issue
The Kids/Naughty Kids: 30th Anniversary Issue (The Kids)

---

Döc Holidæ: Phantastiq Cypha, Friday 9pm - Noon

Top 10 Television Programs That Progressively Got Worse
1. The Simpsons
2. American Dad
3. Pimp My Ride
4. Survivor
5. The O.C.
6. Desperate Housewives
7. E.R.
8. Charmed
9. That 70's Show
10. Smallville

---

Lisa Sookraj: Unsystem Addict, Saturday 6pm - 8pm

Albums
1. Out Of The Angeles (Amusement Parks On Fire)
2. Night Creatures (Cities In Dust)
3. Wires In The Walls (North Atlantic)
4. A Lesson In Crime (Tokyo Police Club)
5. Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not (Arctic Monkeys)
6. Give Me A Wall (¡Forward, Russia!)
7. Silver (Jesu)
8. Waiting For The Next End Of The World (Channels)
9. So Divided (...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead)

Honourable Mentions
Not Accepted Anywhere (The Automatic)
Print Is Dead (Yourcodenameis:Milo)
Nine Times That Same Song (Love Is All)
Vision Valley (The Vines)

Reissues/Compilations
1. Thunder Down Under (Hot Snakes)
2. His 'n Hers/Different Class/This Is Hardcore 2xCD deluxe edition (Pulp)
3. Everything Wants To Be Used For What It Was Made For (Single Frame)
4. Wowee Zowee - Sordid Sentinels reissue (Pavement)

Shows
1. Death From Above 1979
2. NOFX
3. The Strokes
4. Arctic Monkeys
5. Franz Ferdinand
6. Rancid
7. ¡Forward, Russia!
8. Gary Numan
9. Convenant
10. Moneen

---

Antonella Fratino: Siamese Libertines, Thursday 8pm - 10pm

Indie Albums
1. The Information (Beck)
2. Gulag Orkestar (Beirut)
3. Yellow House (Grizzly Bear)
4. Beast Moans (Swan Lake)
5. Destroyer's Rubies (Destroyer)
6. The Trials Of Van Occupanther (Midlake)
7. Shut Up I Am Dreaming (Sunset Rubdown)
8. Fear Is On Our Side (I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness)
9. Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)
10. Modern Currencies (Uncut)

Electro Albums
1. Unity Gain (Sinewave)
2. Drowning In A Sea Of Love (Nathan Fake)
3. Trans Canada Highway EP (Boards Of Canada)
4. The Looks (MSTRKRFT)
5. The Legend Of Bird's Hill (Vitaminsforyou)
6. Echo Other (All India Radio)
7. History Is Bunk Pts 1 & 2 (Hefty Compilation)
8. We Think As Instruments (I'm Not A Gun)
9. Birdy Nam Nam (Birdy Nam Nam)
10. Xenon EP (Miles Tillman)

Shows
1. TV On The Radio + Grizzly Bear @Le National
2. Wolfmother @Le National
3. David Gray @Bell Centre
4. MSTRKRFT + Van She @Puma Store, NYC
5. Wintersleep @Parc Jean-Drapeau
6. You Say Party! We Say Die! + Controller.Controller @Club Lambi
7. Nouvelle Vague @Club Soda
8. Supergrass + Pilotdrift @La Tulipe
9. 5th Projekt + super/heater + The Diamond Sea @Green Room
10. The Nymphets @L'Escogriffe
10.5 Jackson and His Computer Band @SAT

---

Spanky G: The Lonesome Strangers, Wednesday 3pm - 5pm

Albums
1. The Crane Wife (The Decemberists)
2. The Avalanche (Sufjan Stevens)
3. With Strings: Live At Town Hall (Eels)
4. Gravity Won't Get You High (The Grates)
5. The Life Pursuit (Belle & Sebastian)
6. The Lemonheads (The Lemonheads)
7. Sell Control For Life's Speed (Pilate)
8. A Little Place In The Wilderness (Memphis)
9. Honey From The Tombs (Amy Millan)
10. Songs For Christmas (Sufjan Stevens)

---

Mike Bresciani: The Lonesome Strangers, Wednesday 3pm - 5pm

Albums
1. The Life Pursuit (Belle & Sebastian)
2. Honey From The Tombs (Amy Millan)
3. It's Never Been Like That (Phoenix)
4. Pet Grief (The Radio Dept)
5. Return From Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)
6. The Information (Beck)
7. Modern Times (Bob Dylan)
8. Rather Ripped (Sonic Youth)
9. The Lemonheads (The Lemonheads)
10. With Strings: Live At Town Hall (Eels)

---

Alex Rapagna: The Aftermath, Monday 2pm - 3pm

Worst Franchises
1. Pittsburgh Pirates
2. New York Knicks
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Houston Texans
5. Kansas City Royals

Knockouts
1. Maria Sharapova (Tennis)
2. Natalie Gulbis (LPGA)
3. Martine Gaillard (Rogers Sportsnet)
4. Bonnie Bernstein (ESPN)
5. Sam Ryan (CBS)

Best Games
1. Rose Bowl - USC vs Texas
2. Elite 8 - George Mason vs UCONN - 86-84 OT
3. Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres - 09/18/2006
4. Phoenix Suns vs New Jersey Nets 161-157, 12/7/2006
5. Oakland Athletics vs Detroit Tigers Game 4 ALCS

MVP
1. Ladainian Tomlinson
2. Troy Smith
3. Steve Nash
4. Justin Morneau
5. Vince Young

Biggest Disappointment
1. The CFL
2. St-Louis Cardinals winning the World Series
3. The Montreal Alouettes
4. Bryant Gumble calling NFL games
5. The BCS
6. FOX Sports
7. Team Canada men's hockey team at the Olympics
8. Detroit Pistons running out of gas in the playoffs
9. Mario Williams
10. The Indianapolis Colts choking in the playoffs

---

Christopher Bussmann: former CJLO Jazz Director

Albums
1. Hosannas In The Basements Of Hell (Killing Joke)
2. Mr.Beast (Mogwai)
3. Personal File (Johnny Cash)
4. Fishscale (Ghostface Killah)
5. Silver (Jesu)
6. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (Bruce Springsteen)
7. Smear Campaign (Napalm Death)
8. The Fountain (Clint Mansell)
9. Made In Brooklyn (Masta Killa)
10. Palm Of Soul (Kidd Jordan/Hamid Drake/William Parker)

---

Angelica Calcagnile: BVST, Wednesday 7pm - 9pm

Favourite metal albums of '06, in no particular order:

Blood Mountain (Mastodon)
This monster of a record is continued proof that braininess and brutality aren't mutually exclusive.
RIYL: music

Sahg 1 (Sahg)
Don't be fooled: this might look like a black metal album but this may just be the year's best stoner rock release, all dirt road riffs and doomy, gloomy goodness.
RIYL: Satan, bong hits

Now, Diabolical (Satyricon)
Possibly the catchiest black metal record ever recorded... careful, this slope is slippery. One minute you're bobbing your head, the next you're burning down churches.
RIYL: disco, being scared shitless

Witch (Witch)
Droney, fuzzy proto-metal... J Mascis brings the fanboys in, but it's the creeping, hypnotic rock 'n roll that keeps 'em there...
RIYL: long hair, deciphering backmasked messages in Zeppelin records

Into Oblivion (Rise and Fall)
Who said Belgians are boring? Not this crushing, tortured sophomore release stamped with the Converge seal of approval.
RIYL: Cursed, waffles

III: The Eyes Of Fire (Unearth)
An unexpected scorcher. If you like blistering metalcore, don't overthink this one - just turn it up.
RIYL: driving really fast, barfights, other brainless pleasures

Origo (Burst)
Like ocean waves grinding cliffs into sand, this intricately crafted record, full of searing highs and bone-shaking lows, is destructive in the best possible way.
RIYL: unconventional makeout music

Prisons (Eyes Of Fire)
Anguished without being emo, this is an epic, darkly melodic and doomy album, produced by Matt Bayles (Isis, Mastodon, Murder City Devils).
RIYL: existentialist philosophy, highly depressive ruminations

Jaggernaut (Scissorfight)
The Granite State destroyers are back with a long awaited dose of headbanging, tongue in cheek, whiskey-soaked mountain man rock.
RIYL: malt liquor, lowbrow pursuits

Deaf To Our Prayers (Heaven Shall Burn)
Dense, powerful melodic death metal from Deutschland. As punishing as it is pretty, this is one of 2006's sleeping giants.
RIYL: making fun of Myspace, In Flames

Favourite Gigs
Bad Wizard @Midway, NYC: Like the MC5 with extra boogie, this just might be one of the most dangerous bands in rock 'n roll... seeing them at their finest in a sweaty Alphabet Village dive is one of my fondest CMJ moments.

Mastodon (Unholy Alliance tour) @Bell Centre: They were all I expected and more on their headlining stop at Spectrum, but this appearance gets the nod because despite the odds (playing early to a half-empty stadium) their mesmerizing performance blew the rest of the bands off the stage.

The Last Vegas @Café Chaos: When this Chicago five-piece took the stage, Café Chaos became some smoky Sunset Strip shithole in the late 70's, and as their lead singer snaked about, I remember why I listen to rock 'n roll in the first place.

---

Fiona Mak: Airworks, Tuesday 2pm - 4pm

Albums
1. Skelliconnection (Chad VanGaalen)
2. The Avalanche (Sufjan Stevens)
3. You Are There (Mono)
4. The Greatest (Cat Power)
5. Disaster Poetry (Flotilla)
6. Ships (Danielson)
7. The Crane Wife (The Decemberists)
8. And Now That I'm In Your Shadow (Damien Jurado)
9. He Poos Clouds (Final Fantasy)
10. Destroyer's Rubies (Destroyer)

Shows
1. Silver Mt Zion @Le National
2. Low + His Name Is Alive @La Sala Rossa
3. super/heater + The Golden Dogs @Main Hall
4. Danielson + Oneida @La Sala Rossa
5. Deerhoof + The Fiery Furnaces @La Tulipe
6. Joanna Newsom + Under Byen @Ukrainian Federation Centre
7. The Great Lake Swimmers + Centro-Matic @La Sala Rossa
8. Telefauna + They Shoot Horses Don't They @Le Divan Orange
9. David Bazan @Green Room
10. CT Sirens + Flotilla + Tanya Nielsen + Only Forward @La Sala Rossa
10. Architecture In Helsinki @La Sala Rossa

---

Correy Baldwin: Airworks, Tuesday 2pm - 4pm

Albums
Paper Television (The Blow)
Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (Neko Case)
The Greatest (Cat Power)
The Crane Wife (The Decemberists)
Destroyer's Rubies (Destroyer)
Shut Up I Am Dreaming (Sunset Rubdown)
Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)
Skelliconnection (Chad VanGaalen)
Orphans (Tom Waits)
I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Yo La Tengo)

---

Zombieboy: The Almighty Riff, Sunday 6pm - 8pm

Albums
1. Mystica (Axel Rudi Pell)
2. A Matter Of Life And Death (Iron Maiden)
3. You're All Living In Cuckooland (Budgie)
4. Rocket Ride (Edguy)
5. Edge Of The World (Tipton, Entwistle & Powell)
6. A Light In The Dark (Metal Church)
7. Beyond Fear (Beyond Fear)
8. Denial Of Death (Brain Surgeons)
9. The Monkey Puzzle (UFO)
10. A Twist In The Myth (Blind Guardian)

Honourable Mentions
Warrior Soul (Doro)
Rebel Meets Rebel (Rebel Meets Rebel)
Educated Horses (Rob Zombie)
Trust (Saga)
Kiss Of Death (Motörhead)
Dominate (Adagio)

Top 2005 Releases Heard In 2006
1. Holy Hell (Rob Rock)
2. Majestic (Gamma Ray)
3. Scream (Tony Martin)
4. Aeronautics (Masterplan)
5. Rising In The East (Judas Priest)

Best Shows
Gamma Ray + Hanker @Le Medley, May 6: can’t wait to see the Gamma Ray Live in Montreal DVD
Paul Di'Anno + Sudden Flames @Club Soda, April 9
Nashville Pussy + Priestess @Les Saints, September 22

Biggest Disappointments
1. Operation Mindcrime II (Queensrÿche): A sorry excuse of a follow-up to one of the best metal discs of the 80's. They didn’t help matters with their overblown and pompous stage show on November 10th either. Time to go back to basics, guys.
2. Iron Maiden live October 10: It pains me to say it, but Iron Maiden flat out sucked. Playing the new album in its entirety was a terrible mistake. It’s a great work, but simply too long and involved for a live event.
3. Too many projects delayed (Megadeth, Manowar, Type O Negative and others: 2006 was a pretty slow year for old-school metal fans, but with all the delays that took place, 2007 should be amazing.

Most Metal Moments
Dio reuniting with his old Black Sabbath bandmates to form Heaven and Hell.
Budgie coming back with a great album after more than twenty years.
Getting to interview Hanker — these guys rock and I’m predicting their next release (hopefully coming in 2007) will be their breakthrough.

---

Ian Hundt: Sound Control To Major Tom, Friday Noon - 2pm

Ian doesn't listen to new music or directives from the magazine editor.

Albums
1. Surf's Up (The Beach Boys)
2. Remain In Light (Talking Heads)
3. Blonde On Blonde (Bob Dylan)
4. There's A Riot Goin' On (Sly & The Family Stone)
5. Abbey Road (The Beatles)
6. Songs In The Key Of LIfe (Stevie Wonder)
7. '77 (Talking Heads)
8. Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel)
9. Funky Kingston (Toots & The Maytals)
10. Band On The Run (Paul McCartney & Wings)

Songs
1. "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" - The Beach Boys
2. "Stay" - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
3. "Ebb Tide" - The Righteous Brothers
4. "Father & Son" - Cat Stevens
5. "Carrie-Anne" - The Hollies
6. "Jump Into The Fire" - Harry Nilsson
7. "Proud Mary" - Ike & Tina Turner
8. "Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In/The Flesh Failures" - The Fifth Dimension
9. "Kitty Can" - The Bee Gees
10. "It's A Shame" - The Spinners

---

Stephanie Doyle: Twee Time, Monday 5pm - 6pm

Stuff
1. Begin To Hope (Regina Spektor)
Upon my first listen, I didn't know what to think about Begin to Hope. Regina Spektor accompanied by a band? Regina playing electric guitar? A new version of "Samson"? Hmm... I better listen to this again. Well, I better listen again. OK one more time, just for you Regina. Oh, now I get it. I luv u Regina.

2. The Life Pursuit (Belle & Sebastian)
I think Belle & Sebastian have been listening to a lot of 70's cheesy pop records, but these catchy tunes had me tapping my feet.

3. "Shoes" video by Kelly Come on, you betch I'm gonna betch slap yah shut up yah shet bag. Gotta love this video! We've got Kelly (comedian Liam Sullivan), her creepy family, shoes that rule and shoes that suck, hot girls twirling flaming hula hoops, big freak outs, and 80's references. Oh My God. Look for it on youtube.

4. Pro-Fucking-Motional EP (The Nymphets)
I was wallowing in great sadness thinking punk was dead, until I saw this band during Pop Montreal. The Nymphets are three normal kids who listen to pop records and belt out the best punk music I've heard in a long time. A girl drummer too. A band after my own heart.

5. Friendly Rich & The Lollipop People (The Friendly Rich Show)
I love Friendly Rich! He's super cool and gives a good interview and his CD kicks ass. OK, ass-kissing over. The Friendly Rich Show is the second release from Friendly Rich and his band of prodigies The Lollipop People. Imagine an energy drink made of heaven and hell in musical form. Imagine what would happen if you threw Tom Waits, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Pink Floyd, the Phantomas and some camp into a blender along with a bass, a trombone, some drums, a cello, an accordion, a banjo, a bassoon, a harp, a double bass, Friendly Rich on vocals and a doctor playing a harpsichord, turned the blender on high speed with crushed ice and let them all bleed into one big bloody milkshake of musical bliss. Serve with a twisty straw and a mint leaf in a tall frosted monkey head glass. Yup, that's Friendly Rich.

6. Orphans (Tom Waits)
This three-CD set is a collection of new and rare songs. Tom covers two Ramones songs from End of the Century ("The Return of Jackie and Judy" and "Danny Says", the latter is such a soft sad song). Tom, thanks for taking the Spector out of that song. You make me cry.

7. Dýrðin (Dýrðin)
Indie pop from Iceland! Sweet. They sing songs in their native language! Kick ass. I appreciate that you did not sell out just to please the masses. It's pronounced "Deerthin", by the way.

8. Singer (The Besties)
Super poppy and sweet, this Brooklyn band is definitely one of my favourites this year. Light and happy, Singer makes ya smile. What more could a person want? They even turned my friend Matt into a wussy punk boy.

9. Voila! (The Snow Fairies)
Indie-pop from the Snow Fairies. I do believe this new CD is a more mature work than their debut.

10. The Affected Provincial's Companion by Lord Breaulove Swells Whimsy (book) Each year I like to include a book because I'm modern that way. Lord Whimsy has definitely shared something beautiful with the world. This is book is not only about Dandyism. It's about a joyous way of life and offers a hopeful message. To Lord Whimsy I say, YES. Let us ditch our sweat pants and transfer from the past all that was beautiful and bring the beauty and manners into the present and become the most splendid version of ourselves! I'm game. But do you like Twee?

---

Matt Leitman: Idle Minds, Monday 9pm - 10pm

Albums
1. Hidden World (Fucked Up)
I haven't stopped listening to this since I got it. Amazing.

2. The Obliterati (Mission Of Burma)
MoB haven't lost a step. "2wice" is one of my top songs of year too. So damn catchy.

3. Rather Ripped (Sonic Youth)
I'm definitely in the minority here, but I think this is best thing they've released in years. Needs more Lee though (as always)

4. A Senile Animal (Melvins)
Two drummers!!!

5. Pro-Fucking-Motional EP (The Nymphets)
Best band in Montreal. See them!

6. All Roads Lead To Ausfarht (NoMeansNo)
One of the all-time favourite bands. Best thing they've done since Worldhood Of The World.

7. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (Neko Case)
Her voice is so good it gives me shivers.

8. Return To Cookie Mountain (TV On The Radio)
Would probably be higher on the list if hadn't started listening to it last week... but I haven't stopped listening to it all week. Amazing.

9. Christ Illusion (Slayer)
It's Slayer with Dave Lombardo! C'mon!!!

10. Love (The Beatles)
Could have been a disaster. It's not.

Most Disappointing Album Of The Year: The Outsider (DJ Shadow). Awful
Top 2005 Album Heard In 2006: Porcella (The Deadly Snakes) ... and then they broke up, and I never got to see them.
Best Concert Experience Of The Year: Sonic Youth @Osheaga Festival. Feedback solo after "Teenage Riot" nearly killed me. Thurston and Lee sword fighting with guitars?!?!

---

Adrian Warner: Eclectricity, Sunday 10pm - Midnight

Favourite Not Necessarily 2006 Albums
1. Madvillainy (Madvillain)
2. Everything I Own (Ken Boothe)
3. Soundpieces (Lootpack)
4. Black Album (Jay-Z)
5. Joyful Rebellion (K-Os)
6. Game Theory (The Roots)
7. Street Songs (Rick James)
8. 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best Of Joe Jackson
9. 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Jeffrey Osborne
10. Exclusive Sugarhill Mixtape - Prime Cuts From The Scratch Perverts

Top 10 Singles I Felt For Some Reason Or Another In 2006
1. "Crazy" - Gnarlz Barkley
2. "Check On It" - Beyonce ft. Slim Thug
3. "Evidence" - Eternia
4. "Do It To it" - Cherish
5. "Touch It" (Mega Remix) - Busta Rhymes
6. "Fix You" (Live 8) - Coldplay
7. "Daydream" - Lupe Fiasco & Jill Scott
8. "My Hood" - Young Jeezy
9. "What You Know" - T.I.
10. "Rubberband Banks" - Young Dro

Top 10 Artists I Always Made Room For On My Show
1. Wilson Pickett
2. Stevie Wonder
3. Nina Simone
4. Tony Bennett
5. Peter Tosh
6. Bob Marley
7. Guru
8. James Brown
9. Oscar Peterson
10. Ella Fitzgerald

Top 10 Most Disturbing/Disappointing Moments
1. Dawson shooting
2. J Dilla's death
3. Xmen 3 not directed by Bryan Singer
4. Superman Returns directed by Bryan Singer
5. Madlb's performance at Le National
6. Waiting for Rakim's performance in September
7. Wilson Pickett's death
8. The state of Montreal radio stations
9. The state of television programming
10. The state of hip hop music

---

Josh Mocle: The Kids Are So-So, Saturday 8pm - 10pm

More 2006 review from The Kids Are So-So

Albums
1. The Sufferer and The Witness (Rise Against)
2. In Bocca Al Lupo (Murder By Death)
3. Young Machetes (The Blood Brothers)
4. No Heroes (Converge)
5. Dancing For Decadence (The Sainte Catherines)
6. Happy Hollow (Cursive)
7. A City By The Light Divided (Thursday)
8. Yes, Virginia (The Dresden Dolls)
9. The Always Open Mouth (Fear Before The March Of Flames)
10. Red Eyed Soul (The World/Inferno Friendship Society)

---

Alex Huynh: Losing My Edge, Sunday 2pm - 4pm and Tuesday 8pm - 10pm

Albums
1. Drum's Not Dead (Liars)
2. Pro-Fucking-Motional EP (The Nymphets)
3. The Warning (Hot Chip)
4. Yours To Keep (Albert Hammond Jr.)
5. We Are The Pipettes (The Pipettes)
6. Blood Visions (Jay Reatard)
7. Someone To Drive You Home (The Long Blondes)
8. El Perro Del Mar (El Perro Del Mar)
9. Under The Surface (Marit Larsen)
10. The Life Pursuit (Belle & Sebastian)

Honourable Mentions
Get Lonely - The Mountain Goats
Etiquette - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
Nine Times That Same Song - Love Is All
Yes, Virginia - The Dresden Dolls
The Truth Doesn't Matter - Nikki Sudden

Songs
1. "You Broke My Heart" - Lavender Diamond
2. "Pull Shapes" - The Pipettes
3. "Dreaming Of Dreaming" - The Nymphets
4. "Nightmares" - Jay Reatard
5. "Wednesday Morning" - The Nymphets
6. "Engrish Bwvdd" - Man Man
7. "I Love Creedence" - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
8. "Littlest Things" - Lily Allen
9. "The Greatest" - Cat Power
10. "You Are Here" - Nathan Fake

Reissues/Compilations
1. Echoes Of The Past (Dead Moon)
2. Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels (Pavement)
3. Shattered (The Exploding Hearts)
4. McLuskyism (McLusky)
5. Fab Four Suture (Stereolab)
6. The Future Crayon (Broadcast)
7. Die Donnergotter/An Angel Moves Too Fast To See (Rhys Chatham)
8. Welcome To My World (Daniel Johnston)
9. Out Of Cold Storage (This Heat)
10. Singles & Sessions: 1979-81 (Delta 5)

Gigs
1. Man Man + The Creeping Nobodies + The Wharton Tiers Ensemble @La Sala Rossa, June 6th
2. The Nymphets @Zoobizarre, October 7th
3. The Fall @Hiro Ballroom, NYC, November 4th
4. The Hold Steady @La Sala Rossa, August 30th
5. Evan Dando + John Kastner + Elizabeth Powell @Main Hall, February 8th
6. Lavender Diamond @Northsix, NYC, November 3rd
7. Roky Erickson & The Explosives @Associaçao Portuguesa, October 6th
8. Comets On Fire @La Sala Rossa, September 6th
9. Lambchop @Le National, September 23rd
10. To Live and Shave In L.A. + Dreamcatcher @La Sala Rossa, September 1st

 

Well another year has come and gone and that means it’s once again time for the annual CJLO Magazine Staff Picks Round Up. It’s been an absolutely stellar year for music and our DJs here at CJLO have been eating it up. It seems Montreal’s own Wolf Parade may be the most represented band on this year’s lists, but New Brunswick, New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem, New York’s Vampire Weekend and Vancouver’s Bison B.C. and Black Mountain were also well liked by many. The differences between these artists speaks loads about our station and the variety we bring to the Montreal airwaves.

2008 was a milestone year for CJLO as we finally escaped the confines of internet-only broadcasting and invaded the hearts, minds and (most importantly) ears of every person in Montreal. 2009 better watch its back, since CJLO is here to stay. On a more personal note as I enter my fourth year here at CJLO, I can honestly say I have never been more excited to be a staff member here and can honestly say that those who have stuck with us over the years haven’t seen ANYTHING yet.

Stay tuned. Rock on.

-Josh Mocle, CJLO Magazine Editor-

(now, without further ado…)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katie Seline – Ex-Wrong Side of the Bed

Top 10 Albums of 2008
1. Constantines - Kensington Heights  (Arts & Crafts)
2. Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead (Sub Pop)
3. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles  (Last Gang)
4. M83 - Saturdays = Youth (Mute)
5. The Kills - Midnight Boom (Domino)
6. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (DGC/Interscope)
7. Sylvie - Trees and Shade Are Our Only Fences (Smallman Records)
8. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
9. French Kicks - Swimming (Vagrant)
10.The Black Keys - Attack & Release (Nonesuch)

Honorable Mentions
Deathcab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Lykke Li - Youth Novels
Santogold - Santogold
The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
The Walkmen - You and Me
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
Hammock - Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin Fisher – The Onomatopoeia Show (Sundays 3PM – 4PM)

The Onomatopoeia Show's Top Eight Comic Nerd Experiences of 2008
1. Seeing Matt Stone and Trey Parker at the Just for Laughs fest and being unable to breathe due to massive laughter hemorrhage.
2. Listening to 'Swedenborgske Rom' by Jaga while reading the climax, of the first story, in 'Acme Novelty Library'#19 (An amazing comic experience with surround sound. Try it,if you're a Chris Ware fan.)
3. Getting The Onomatopoeia Show back on the air again, after a three year absence.
4. Expozine '08!
5. Seeing Hellboy II and Iron Man and realizing good comic book movies can be made.
6. Visiting Monsteraki becoming a comic art gallery.
7. Reading 'Nana' vol. 8-14 and getting SO involved.
8. Buying something at the Drawn and Quarterly store for the first time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve Kerr – My Own Private Yacht Club (Tuesdays 11AM – 12PM)

Music Things I Liked in 2008 in No Particular Order
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Salem - Fuckt
Bruno Pronsato - Why Can't We Be Like Us
Theo Parrish - Sound Sculptures Vol. 1
D. Lissvik - 7 Trx + Intermission
Arthur Russell - Love is Overtaking Me
Wighnomy Brothers - Metawuffmischfelge
Studio - Yearbook 2
Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
Various Artists - Funky Nassau
Omar-S - Psychotic Photosynthesis
Cassy - A Poem For You
MGMT - Electric Feel (Prince Language Remix)
The Juan Maclean - Happy House (also The Juan Maclean live.)
Shocking Pinks - Emily
Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
Air France - No Way Down
Various Artists - Nigeria Special
Invisible Conga People - Cable Dazed

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

K-Man - Beyond That Graveyard III (Fridays 9PM – 12AM)
 

Top 10 Albums of 2008
1.King Hobo - King Hobo
Feat. Jean Paul Gaster (Clutch) on drums, Per Wiberg ( Opeth ) on keys and guit. vocals, Eric Oblander (Five Horse Johnson) on harp, ULF Rockis Ivarsson (Beat Under Control) on bass...f***ing outstanding. This is free flow groovin' at it's best...with THE best Curtis Mayfield cover (Running) I've ever heard. These are seasoned, cagey veterans of stage and studio, the best super-group of the year…nay…century. You can even hear some Miles Davis in this; it's that good.

2.Blood Of The Sun - Death Ride
Loved their first album that came out like 8 years ago, 2nd release was forgetable...then after 4-5 years they come up with this? Too heavy, featuring Dave Gryder's UNBELIEVABLE organ playing (this guy's like The Band good...serious)...and Ted Nugent's guitar. Player from the '70's...the sick Derek St. Holmes-highly Deep Purple…highly Tex-ass kickin' love from these dudes...

3.The Soulbreaker Company - The Pink Alchemist
These dudes hail from the Marshall Islands (yup they're from Basque separatist country) and these Spaniards are off the bloody hook with it: 6 members and 13 guests...big music all around, like a cross between Black Sabbath and Los Lobos, War, and Santana...so many musicians, instruments...the arrangements are something to behold...doesn't fit into any one genre of music...just huge.
 
4.Brant Bjork - Punk Rock Guilt
Another Zen effort from this awesome original desert rocker, ex-Fumanchu/ Kyuss drummer...great over all message on this one, back to basics; analogue all the way...sweeeeeet.
 
5.Chuck Ragan and Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge
Sweet mama Luccia, listened to this almost exclusively during my last surfing jaunt to the east coast...changed my life...you'd never guess in a million years that one of these guys played in Drag the River. Makes you want to pull up a chair and have like 6 pints of Allagash Stout. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fight, you'll make up, drink some more and do it all over again...then wake up in jail in a puddle...and regret nothing.
 
6.Catl.- Adonde Vas?
A Ningun Lado- duo from T.O. with energy to spare; these guys ripped the shit out of Bar St.Laurent 2 for their album launch and upstaged the world with their music actuel (by that I mean, they could have been doing this on the Bayou 55 years ago.) With songs like "Pick-up Killed My Ford” and "Hey! Hey!", not to mention shockingly authentic covers of McDowell, Bobby Dylan, and Ledbetter. It's a better listen when you paint your neck with some brown liquor. Oh yeah, and they're Canadian to boot.
 
7.Black Crowes - War Paint
Best one from these guys since Shake Your Moneymaker. These guys have come full circle and their musical stylings after influencing others for the last 18 years seems to have leaked back into their latest effort. B-side is really something to chew on too...deep.
 
8.Cortez - Thunder In A Forgotten Town
Filthy...makes you want to crash an NSYNC concert and beat down its members individually with T-Rex albums.
 
9.Black Cobra - Bestial
Yikes, this is like Matt Pike, but really, really, really angry. Wall of hurt for anyone thinking they can take it. The more the album progresses the more violence I feel I must share. Don't worry there's enough for everybody...just gather around...yeah.. that's it...come a little closer....
 
10. Dax Riggs - If This Is Hell, Then I'm Lucky
Actually a re-release from 2002: mastermess and soundly, profoundly moody...a pre-curser to We Sing of Only Blood or Love. To quote my buddy Oderous Urungus from GWAR: "its sexcellent."
 
Special Mentions to...
Chris and Rich Robinson - Brothers of a Feather
Witch-Paralyzed
Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull
Dozer - Beyond Colossal
Colour Haze - All
The Freeks - The Freeks
Thousand Knives Of Fire - Last Train To Scornsville
Farflung - A Wound in Eternity

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Simon Howell – The Naked Lunch/Ex-Your Listening Ear (Mondays 9PM – 11PM)

Top 30 Albums
1. The Drones - Havilah
2. Portishead - Third
3. Made Out Of Babies - The Ruiner
4. Grouper - Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
5. TV On the Radio - Dear Science
6. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
7. Hilotrons - Happymatic
8. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
9. Jaguar Love - Take Me to the Sea
10. Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
11. Paavoharju - Laulu Laakson Kukista
12. Paper Airplanes - Scandal Scandal Scandal Down in the Wheat Field
13. Shearwater - Rook
14. Parts and Labor - Receivers
15. Lights - Lights [Language of Stone]
16. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
17. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
18. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
19. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark
20. Boris - Smile [Japanese edition]
21. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali
22. Ladyhawk - Shots
23. American Music Club - The Golden Age
24. Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
25. Neon Neon - Stainless Style
26. Retribution Gospel Choir - Retribution Gospel Choir
27. Tindersticks - The Hungry Saw
28. Max Richter - 24 Postcards in Full Color
29. Zeigeist - The Jade Tree
30. Cursed - III: Architects of Troubled Sleep

Top 30 Tracks
1. Anthony and the Johnsons - Another World
2. Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
3. Women - Black Rice
4. Made Out of Babies - Invisible Ink
5. Beach House - Heart of Chambers
6. Evangelista - The Blue Room
7. Hilotrons - Caught On Video
8. The Drones - The Minotaur
9. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules' Theme
10. Ladyhawk - I Don't Always Know What You're Saying
11. Tindersticks - The Other Side of the World
12. Robert Forster - From Ghost Town
13. Hot Chip - One Pure Thought
14. Portishead - Magic Doors
15. The Walkmen - I Lost You
16. Cursed - Friends In the Music Business
17. Destroyer - Dark Leaves From a Thread
18. Midnight Juggernauts - Into the Galaxy
19. Jim Noir - Ships and Clouds
20. The Lucksmiths - The Town and the Hills
21. The Week That Was - The Airport Line
22. Final Fantasy - The Butcher
23. The Mae Shi - Party Politics
24. Jay Reatard - Always Wanting More
25. Lambchop - Slipped, Dissolved and Loosed
26. Primal Scream - Uptown
27. My Morning Jacket - Smokin' From Shootin'
28. Sam Shalabi - Billy the Kid [Pt. 2]
29. Spoon - Don't You Evah [Ted Leo I Want It Hotter Mix]
30. Young and Sexy - The Poisoned Cup

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rebecca Munroe – Charts and Crafts (Wednesdays 4PM – 6PM)

Top 10 Albums of 2008
1. Portishead - Third
2. The Creepshow - Run For Your Life
3. Black Mountain - In the Future
4. The Stills - Oceans Will Rise
5. The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust
6. Wolf Parade - Language City
7. Stolen Minks - High Kicks
8. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
9. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
10.The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
 
Top 5 Songs of 2008
1. Portishead - The Rip
2. The Raveonettes - Aly Walk With Me
3. The Creepshow - Run For Your Life
4. Stolen Minks - Reflexes
5. Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Van J – The Drive Home: RPM (Fridays 4PM – 6PM)

Top 10 Albums of 2008
1. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
Probably by far my favorite album of the year. I am surprised how much crap is getting on other people's lists, yet this remains so SOOO underrated. A very touching record that I'm sure every single person can relate to in some way. The songs cross a whole range of emotions but don't do it in an annoying sort of way...you know what I mean? Shit, if I was good at writing reviews I'd probably do it more than once a year. Just download it, you won't regret it.

2. The Infadels - Universe In Reverse
Probably my second favorite album of the year by far. Amazing production with amazing melodies and hooks, without becoming monotonous when listening to the whole album
(a disease of modern records that cater to the "ipod generation" but something which I'd leave to be discussed another time.) They may sound very "Top 40 indie" at first but keep listening... they'll hit you with a chorus and bridge you'd never hear mainstream indie bands do…that kind of shit needs talent.

3. Shearwater - Rook
Hell yeah, definitely my third favorite album of the year. Shearwater are one of those bands that you can hear on a compilation and go "wtf was that...let me hear that again." Kinda reminds me of Radiohead but much much more organic...and none of that glitchyness...and much better singing. This album will take you on a journey, 'nuff said.

4. One Day As A Lion - One Day As A Lion
Probably the grooviest record of the year."But it sounds exactly like Rage Against The Machine!" you might say. No; it sounds exactly as Zack de La Rocha sounds. Besides, it's great to see the modern sounds of 2008 being injected into this album and who cares if isn't that much different from the dude's old stuff. It's still a fucking great EP that makes my head bob. Zack probably thought there would be another band that would take over the whole "activist" music scene, which obviously no one successfully did (the punk scene has failed miserably since the late 80's anyway and hasn't given us anything other than the Emo culture since) so I guess he had to go ahead and show 'em how it's done.

5. Moving Mountains - Foreword EP
Despite only 4 songs, this still has a running time of around 37 minutes. This is an album that has to be listened to in context. Track 1 through track 4 will blow your mind. This is what Modern Post-Rock SHOULD be.

6. Thursday/Envy - Split
Great album. Liked it more than some other ones, especially the Thursday's tracks.ummm...that's about it... Man I really didn't think this Top 10 through, did I...

7. Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger
Pop Rock at its best. This takes me back to the time when I used to listen to , , and The Wallflowers. Definitely a great album, though probably not the only good one out there, it's one that I enjoyed the most.

8. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Indie/Electro Pop/Disco/whatevadafuckyawannacallit at it's best. Groovy, catchy, atmospheric, melodic...everything I like in an album. Plus it won't put you to sleep like M83.

9. Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue
A great album for those late night drives or bus rides. There is so much soul underneath the facade it should keep you going for a while.

10. Birds of Tokyo - Universes
Who'd imagine that a generic Indie-Rock record could have such catchy choruses?

Notable Mentions
Portishead - Third
The Classic Crime - The Silver Cord
Die Mannequin - Unicorn Steak
Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
M83 - Saturdays=Youth
Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem
Lydia - Illuminate
The Roots - Rising Down
Uh Huh Her - Common Reaction
We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery
Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
The Grates - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won
Drop The Lime - Like Thunder EP
People In Planes - Beyond The Horizon
The Gaslight Anthem - Senor and The Queen EP

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lady Oracle – The Limelight (Saturdays 4PM – 6PM)

Top Albums
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
Black Milk – Tronic
88 Keys – Death Of Adam
Jake One – White Van Music
Art Of Fresh – Back to the Earth
Nas - Nas
J-Live – Then What Happened
Animal Farm – The Unknown
N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds
Daphne - Paradise

Top Shows
Common & NERD @ Metropolis - Montreal, QC
Method Man & Redman @ Metropolis - Montreal, QC
Erykah Badu with The Roots @ Old Port - Montreal, QC
Black Milk @ Southpaw -  Brooklyn, NY
Rock The Bells Tour @ The Tweeter Center - Mansfield, MA
Public Enemy @ Metropolis - Montreal, QC
Talib Kweli,Little Brother, David Banner and B.O.B @ The Nokia Theatre - New York, NY
Nas and Talib Kweli @ Metroplis - Montreal, QC
M.I.A. @ Metropolis - Montreal, QC

Favorite Singles
B.O.B. – I’ll Be In The Sky
The Foreign Exchange – Daykeeper
Kanye West – Love Lockdown
Dujeous – Break Bread
Santogold – Shove It
Kid Sister ft Kanye West – Pro Nails
Erykah Badu – Soldier
Common – Universal Mind Control
Brooklyn Academy – Raise Ya Hands
The Mighty Underdogs – Victorious
Nas – Black President
J*Davey – Mister Mister

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DJ Solespin – Eclectricity (Saturdays 6PM – 8PM)

Top 10 Songs I Felt For Some Reason or Another
1. Roots Manuva - Again & Again
2. Chris Brown - Forever
3. Santogold - Shove It
4. T.I. - Whatever You Like
5. M.I.A. - Paper Planes
6. Alicia Keys - No One
7. Rumble Strips - Time
8. Kenna - Say Goodbye To Love
9. Charlatans - The Only One I Know
10. Shocking Blue - Send Me A Postcard
 
Top 10 Moments
1. Obama
2. The Herbaliser @ Le National
3. Redman & Method Man @ Metropolis
4. Heath Ledger's Joker
5. Iron-Man
6. Meeting Michie Mee & Eternia @ Pop Montreal
7. Dansez Chez Vous, Cagibi Fridays
8. "Incubator" article in the Montreal Mirror
9. Heroes
10. 1690AM

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cory Alder – Rock the Plank (Thursdays 2PM – 4PM)

Top 10 Albums of 2008
1. Ladyhawk - Shots
As the band's blog proclaimed "DRUNK CANADIANS ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF "DIFFICULT" SECOND ALBUM, LOSE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION OF PEERS, RECORD LABEL". Only they didn't do that entirely. It really is a difficult album, with far fewer of the hooky rockers that made their first album so easy to like, but given time it proves to be, in this collage radio host's opinion, the better of their two records. Also, the best album of the year hands down.

2. Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
I wish I was a bigger fan so I could describe to you how this man made such a good record. But frankly all I know is he does it all by himself in his basement, and I think that he is one of the few artists who are carving out the future and the present of pop music single handedly. Listen up mainstream, crib from this.

3. Adam & The Amethysts - Amethyst Amulet
An ode to Thunder Bay, ON. It's small, it's short, but it's sweet like honey (not like sugar).

4. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
The angst-ridden teenager with the 4-track warble voice is gone. This is an adult record and a milestone in the career of a man who could be our generation's Bob Dylan if we just stopped wearing shutter-shades long enough to let him.

5. Lucky Dragons - Dream Island Laughing Landscape
Noise / experimental records are so easily overlooked, but this one shouldn't be. This album is playful, amazingly creative, and accompanies any meal. To be listened to in hard rotation with Chad VanGaalen.

6. Quiet Hooves - No Mare O Mine
Why aren't these guys signed and big? The latest Man Man record was disappointingly wanky. This is everything it should have been (it only suffers a 6th place finish because it desperately needs a good mastering job).

7. Milwaukee's Best Band - It's All Over But The Crying
Local kids make a shmultzy country-pop record. The horn section could belong to Burt Bacharach, but instead they're keeping you smiling even as you watch winter creep in.

8. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
I like this record. I think it makes 8th place on it's own steam. But it bothers me to put it here, because everyone who loves this record should love last year's Sunset Rubdown record more. But I very much doubt if Random Spirit Lover ever got played in Urban Outfitters. It's a pretty good record, but c'mon people!

9. Beach House - Devotion
At the intersection between Nico, swimming in a lake at sundown, and that pretty girl sitting across from you at Cagibi looking so smart and beautiful and so lost in that cup of tea and book she's reading, there is this record.

10. Destroyer - Trouble In Dreams
If you don't already like Destroyer, this is probably not the record that is going to convert you. As always Dan Bejar is lyrically cryptic and musically self-indulgent. But like wine, cheese, and memories, he just gets better and better with age. Most underrated album of the year for sure.

Dishonorable Mention
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
I don't know what to say. I am so disappointed in this record. Maybe I haven't listened to it enough. Maybe it's poisoned by their overhyped performance at Metropolis a few months ago. Maybe I just don't like where Kevin is going with this one. I mean, yes, we get it, you are now 100% sexually empowered. Good for you. This should have been a no-brainer number one spot, and yet I can't even justify putting it on the top ten. It's a damn shame.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zombie Boy – The Almighty Riff (Sundays 6PM – 8PM)

Top 10 Albums
1. Judas Priest - Nostradamus
2. Storm Warrior - Heading Northe
3. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free II
4. The Gates of Slumber - Conqueror
5. Axel Rudi Pell - Tales of the Crown
6. Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Perpetual Flame
7. Whitesnake - Good to be Bad
8. Uriah Heep - Wake the Sleeper
9. Testament - The Formation of Damnation
10.Avantasia - The Scarecrow

Honourable Mentions
Manilla Road - Voyager
Metal Church - This Present Wasteland
Death Angel - Killing Season
Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge
Guns'N Roses - Chinese Democracy

Top Canadian Releases
1. Gallactus - Nine Mile Woods
2. Borealis - World of Silence
3. Ash Lee Blade - Ash Lee Blade
4. Bison B.C. - Quiet Earth
5. Metalian - Metalian

Biggest Letdowns
1. Iced Earth - The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Pt II
2. Tiamat - Amanethes
3. Alice Cooper - Along Came a Spider
4. Annihilator - Metal
5. Motörhead - Motörizer

Album That Most Made Me Want To Jam Ice Picks Into My Ears
Ayreon- 01011001

Concert of the Year
Metal Masters Tour featuring Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell, Motörhead and Testament (August 13th @ Molson Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON) (Now THIS is how you put an all-star show together!)

Most Metal Moments
1. Judas Priest came roaring back to claim 2008 as theirs. Nostradamus might have
received mixed reviews, but give it the time it deserves and it's one of the most
challenging albums in years. Add in their spectacular live show (hey Iron Maiden,
THIS is how you mix up a setlist!) and the year belonged to the Birmingham boys!

2. 2008 was truly a banner year for old-school metal. From Thrash to power to good
old fashioned hard rock, this year saw big-time releases for fans of all of metal's
different scenes.

3. Not only did metal have its best year in ages, rock also reclaimed its rightful
place on top of the charts. The latest from Metallica, AC/DC and GnR may not have
lived up to expectations but have nonetheless put the spotlight back on the heavier
side!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stephanie – Twee Time (Fridays 8PM – 9PM)

Favourite CD
Tullycraft - Every Scene Needs a Center (Magic Marker)

The year began with the fifth full-length indie-pop release from Seattle's Tullycraft, recorded entirely on analog tape. With tracks like "Georgette Plays a Goth" and "Bored to Hear Your Heart Still Breaks," Tullycraft continues to craft the best twee anthems. Each song is complete with inside jokes, name dropping, and their usual catchy guitar riffs. Every Scene Needs A Center is a celebration of love-lorn punks, goth waitresses, and "heavy metal heartbreak." I was immediately hooked. The album solidified my obsessive attachment to this band and its love for all thing Twee.

Happiest Discovery
Sunny Summer Day - Me, Myself, and the Empty Soul EP (Letterbox Records UK)

Twee! From INDONESIA! Sunny Summer Day has been around for quite a while, but I only heard about them recently when I saw their video for "Emma's House" (The Field Mice cover) on youtube and immediately fell in love. Their brand of pure perfect pop makes me so happy. Fans of Sarah Records and C86 bands will like this band and their jangle-pop sound.

Most Thankful For
The Gruesomes CD reissues of Tyrants of Teen Trash and Gruesomania on Ricochet Sound because the needle on my old record player wore away, then my stereo tuner died and I can't listen to my vinyl right now.

Most Memorable Tune
"Homecoming" from the album Reality Check by The Teenagers (Beggars Xl Recording)
Even though the guys in this band aren't hot enough to completely get away with the lyrics to "Homecoming," the song is totally 1980's and damn catchy, so the Teenagers have made the list this year.

Favourite EP of 2007 That I Only Started Listening To In 2008
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Painbow)

Take one cup of the Pastels, a dash of Black Tambourine, and two cubes of the Jesus and Mary Chain. Blend on low for one minute, pour in a tall frosted glass, sprinkle a little My Bloody Valentine on top for flavour. Follow these cooking instructions and you've got New York's best indie-pop band right now.

Other Stuff I Listened To In 2008
The Nymphets - Feels Like Mother Fuckers/Bekki-Anne 7" (Psychic Handshake Recordings)
Magnetic Fields - Distortion (Nonesuch Records)
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls (Mauled by Tigers/In the Red)
Final Fantasy - Spectrum, 14th Century EP (Blocks Recording Club)
First Frost - The Lucksmiths (Matinée)
Black Mountain - In the Future (Jagjaguwar)
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash (Matador)
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (EMI/XL Recordings)
All Girl Summer Fun Band - Looking Into It (AGSFB Music)

Old Favourites That Stand the Test of Time, On Repeat in 2008
The Pastels - Sittin' Pretty
Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
Velvet Underground - Loaded
Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prince Palu – The Go Go Radio Magic Show (Fridays 6PM – 8PM)

Prince Palu's Top Shows of 2008
1. King Khan & The Shrines w/ The Sunday Sinners @ la Sala Rosa, July 25th
2. The Dirtbombs w/ Kelly Stoltz @ Cabaret, April 13th
3. My Morning Jacket w/ The Besnard Lakes @ la National, June 17th
4. Black Mountain w/ Bon Iver @ la Sala Rosa, February 29th
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds @ Metropolis, October 2nd
6. Steve Earle @ Theatre Outremont, March 1st
7. Iggy & The Stooges w/ Chocolat, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Spiritualized, Plants & Animals @ Parc Jean Drapeau (Osheaga Day 1), August 3rd
8. Neil Young w/ Wilco @ the Bell Centre, December 1st
9. Thomas Function @ Club Lambi, October 5th
10. Jay Reatard @ Bowery Ballroom, (NYC), Octer 24th
11. Gogol Bordello w/ The Black Keys, The Kills @ Parc Jean Drapeau (Osheaga Day 2), August 4th
12. George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars @ B.B. Kings (NY), October 23rd
13. Vic Chesnutt w/ Ideal Lovers @ la Sala Rosa, June 13th
14. Chocolat w/ The Cockroaches @ Divan Orange, Sept 26th
15. The Heavy w/ The Sunday Sinners @ la Sala Rosa, May 11th

Honourable Mention
Mockin' Birds w/ The Sunday Sinners @ Quai des Brumes, Nov 28th
Clinic @ la Sala Rosa, May 10th
Dead Meadow @ Club Lambi, April 23
Mockin' Birds @ Divan Orange, Sept 6th
 
The One That Got Away
Fleet Foxes @ Divan Orange
(*sniff*) ... can't believe I let a little tiredness get in the way of this show

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve Musil– Bridge the Gap (Tuesdays 8PM – 10PM)

Top 10 Records of 2008
1. Brant Bjork - Punk Rock Guilt (Low Desert Punk)
2. Annihilation Time - Tales of the Ancient Age (Tee Pee)
3. Ill Bill - The Hour Of Reprisal (Uncle Howie)
4. AC/DC - Black Ice (Columbia)
5. Melvins - Nude With Boots (Ipecac)
6. Nebula - The Peel Sessions Double LP (Sweet Nothing)
7. Baroness - Red Album Double LP (Relapse...CD released in 2007)
8. Akimbo - Jersey Shores (Neurot)
9. Scott Reynolds & The Steaming Beast - Adventure Boy (Suburban Home)
10. Get Thrashed - The History Of Thrash Metal DVD (Lightyear/Warner)

Jackie Hall - Bridge the Gap (Tuesdays 8PM – 10PM)

Top 10 Records of 2008
1. Paint It Black - New Lexicon (Jade Tree)
2. Statues - Terminal Bedroom (Deranged)
3. Gutter Demons - Misery, Madness, and Murder Lullabies (Independant)
4. Annihilation Time - Tales of the Ancient Age (Tee Pee)
5. Omegas - Psycho Dives On Slam Skank Anthems (Independant)
6. Bloodshot Bill - Full Blast (Sin)
7. Disfear - Live the Storm (Relapse)
8. Jeunesse Apatride - Larmes aux poings (Independant)
9. H2O - Nothing To Prove (Bridge 9)
10. Los Difuntos - Los Difuntos (Nickel and Dime)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Johnny Suck – Turn Down the Suck (Wednesday 9PM – 11PM)

Top Albums of 2008
1. Gallactus - Nine Mile Woods
2. Kingdom of Sorrow - Kingdom of Sorrow
3. Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer
4. Austrian Death Machine - Total Brutal
5. Jesus Mullet - Waiting For The Next Wagon
6. Ufomammut - Idolum
7. Fistula - Lessons in Lamentations
8. Victims - Killer
9. Boris - Smile
10. Chrome Division - Booze, Broads and Beelzebub

Top Live of 2008 (cumulative)
1. Fu Manchu
2. Barn Burner
3. Dopethrone
4. Boris
5. Vulgar Deli

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindsay Wood – Through Being Cool (Mondays 12PM – 2PM)

Top Ten Albums of 2008
1. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
2. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
3. Billy Bragg - Mr Love and Justice
4. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
5. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles EP
6. Animal Collective - Water Curses
7. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
8. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
9. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
10. Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls

Most HATED/WORST Album of the Year
Santogold - Santogold

Worst Fashion Moments in the Music Scene This Year
1. Headbands being worn on the bangs, over the hair, further pushing hair into the face. WTF? Defeats the purpose of the hair band entirely.

2. Androgynous band members...do you know how many of the Black Kids are straight? Gay? Not that it makes a difference when it comes down to music but I just find that the line between Bowie-ism glam metal, meterosexual males and emo boys are becoming all too thin. Kind of like their pants.

3. Indie Kid Bangs. I love em and hate em so much at the same time. Can't see out from under em' but at the same time offers an air of mystique.

4. Kanye Sunglasses/RayBans: Learn to leave them well enough alone. The people who favour these also think that Buddy Holly glasses sans prescription are cool. My advice to these people is to ask someone that has shitty eyes at the rip young age of twenty something how THEY feel about knowing their vision will only get worse. Then tell me how fashionable these sunglasses/glasses are.

5. Arab Scarfs (also known as Kafias)- They came, they went, they conquered. Why haven't we learned to leave their fashion well enough alone? Talk about disrespect.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Bresciani – The Lonesome Strangers (Wednesdays 2PM – 4PM)

Favorite Albums of 2008
1. Jolie Holland – The Living and the Dead (Anti)
2. She & Him – Volume One (Merge)
3. Elliott Brood – Mountain Meadows (Six Shooter)
4. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
5. Dr. Dog – Fate (Universal)
6. Constantines – Kensington Heights (Arts & Crafts)
7. The Dodos – Visiter (Outside)
8. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever ago (Sonic Unyon)
9. Martha Wainwright – I know you're married, but I've got feelings too (Universal)
10. Beach House – Devotion (Carpark)

Honorable Mentions
Flight of the Conchords – Flight of the Conchords (Sub Pop)
Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride (Select)
Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron & Fred Squire – Lost Wisdom (Southern)
M83 - Saturdays = Youth

10 Most Listened to Albums in 2008
Built to Spill – There's Nothing Wrong About Love (1994)
Townes Van Zandt – Townes Van Zandt (1969)
Big Star – Third/Sisters' Lovers (1978)
Alex Soria – Next of Kin (2006)
Luke Doucet – Broken (2005)
Elvis Costello – Blood & Chocolate (1986)
Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball (1995)
Mountain Goats – Get Lonely (2006)
The Go-Betweens – 16 Lovers' lane (1988)
Julie Doiron – Loneliest in the Morning (1997)

Biggest Disappointments
The Magnetic Fields – Distortion
Bauhaus – Go away white
Albert Hammond Jr. – Como te Llama ?
Kings of Leon – Only by the night (They made this very list last year…)
The Cure – Hypnogogic States EP
The Osheaga Festival

10 Best Shows
Leonard Cohen - June 25th @ Place des arts
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - October 2nd @ Metropolis
Billy Bragg @ June 18th Club Soda
Taken by Trees – February 25th @ Cabaret
The Cure – September 26th @ The Bell Center
Sondre Lerche - November 15th @ Cabaret Juste pour rire
Martha Wainwright - June 4th @ National AND December 12th @ Metropolis
Jolie Holland & Herman Dune - October 30th @ Cabaret
Gogol Bordello - August 4th @ Osheaga
Love is All - December 10th @ Sala Rosa

(Honorable Mention: HABS VS. RANGERS @ Centre Bell - February 19th 2008)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Antonella Fratino – The Siamese Libertines (Thursdays 8PM – 10PM)

Good Albums
1. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
2. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
3. The Kills - Midnight Boom
4. Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into
5. The Dandy Warhols - Welcome To The Third World
6. The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night
7. TV On The Radio - Dear Science
8. Sam Champion - Heavenly Bender
9. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
10. Yussuf Jerusalem - A Heart Full of Sorrow

Honourable Mentions
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
Albert Hammond Jr. - ?Como Te Llama?
Cut//Copy - In Ghost Colors
Midnight Juggernauts - Dystopia
Destroyer - Trouble In Dreams

Great Shows
1. Wolf Parade @ Metropolis
2. Caribou @ La Tulipe
3. The Kills @ Le Studio Juste Pour Rire
4. Radiohead @ Parc Jean-Drapeau
5. Beck @ Theatre St-Denis
6. Destroyer @ Lambi

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brian Hastie – CJLO Magazine Contributing Writer

20 Albums of the Year (The Somewhat Ordered Version)
1. Boris - Smile (Diwphalanx version)
2. Torche - Meanderthal
3. Genghis Tron - Board Up The House
4. Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh
5. Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer
6. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
7. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
8. Black Ships - Omens
9. Doomtree - Doomtree
10. Cursed - III
11. Opeth - Watershed
12. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
13. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
14. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
15. Santogold - Santogold
16. Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies
17. Black Mountain - In The Future
18. Fuck The Facts - Disgorge Mexico
19. Immortal Technique - The 3rd World
20. Coffins - Buried Death

10 Songs That I Obsessively Listened to Over the Past Year
1. Kings of Leon - Sex Is On Fire
2. Lil Wayne - Dr. Carter
3. Santogold - Creator
4. Protest The Hero - Bloodmeat
5. Cancer Bats - Let It Pour
6. Genghis Tron - Things Don't Look Good
7. Thrice - Come All You Weary
8. Nine Inch Nails - Discipline
9. Opeth - Coil
10. Boris - Statement (Diwphalanx version)

Five Albums From 2007 That I Only Got Around to Really Enjoying in 2008
1. Baroness - The Red Album
2. Against Me! - New Wave
3. Shad - The Old Prince
4. Holy Fuck - LP
5. Sage Francis - Human The Death Dance

Five Surprising Moments of 2008
1. Pressing play on my iPod and hearing Chinese Democracy in its entirety...and having it not be the aural Antichrist everyone thought it would be.

2. Metallica redeeming themselves (but only a bit) for St. Anger.

3. Rival Schools reunite! Carcass reunite! At The Gates reunite! Eve 6 reunite! The Get Up Kids reunite! Wait, hold on a sec...

4. Andrew WK releases an album of Japanese pop songs, to the delight of many.

5. Lack of Devin Townsend material.

Five Acts of Wishful Thinking (2009 Version)
1. Jawbreaker reunite! Refused reunite! At The Drive-In reunite! Rollins-led Black Flag reunite!

2. Lil Wayne teams up with Nachtmystium. Guitar wankery ensues.

3. Amon Amarth ditch ditch the Nordic mythology shtick, don black and yellow garb and play samba music to confused fans.

4. Hydrahead releases a CCR tribute album.

5. Converge, Gallows and Mastodon all manage to outdo themselves once more.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abby Elisabeth Schachter – The Reaktor (Fridays 2PM – 4PM)

Top 10 Albums of 2008
1. The Kills - Midnight Boom (Choice Track: Sour Cherry)
2. Wolf Parade - At mount Zoomer (Choice Track: Kissing the Beehive)
3. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (Choice Track: Crying)
4. The Black Keys - Attack and Release (Choice Track: Lies)
5. Sia - Some People Have Real Problems (Choice Track: The Girl You Lost To Cocaine)
6. Jay Reatard - Matador singles (Choice Track: An Ugly Death)
7. The Gaslight Anthem - The 59’Sound (Choice Track: Old White Lincoln)
8. Amanda Palmer - Who killed Amanda Palmer (Choice Track: Astronaut)
9. Tearwave - Different shade of Beauty (Choice Track: Shattered Fairytale)
10. Brazilian Girls - New York City (Choice Track: Nouveau Americain)

Special Mentions
The Virgins - The Virgins
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing
Tom Gabel - Heart Burns
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
Longwave - Secrets are Sinister
Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
MGMT - Metanoia EP

Best Shows of 2008
SIA @ Les Saints - Montreal, QC
Jay Reatard  @ The Bowery Ballroom -  New York, NY
Talib Kweli, David Banner, Little Brother and B.O.B @ The Nokia Theatre - New York, NY

One Artist I Like but Only Discovered this Summer
Roisin Murphy (crazy cool songs. RPM shows would benefit from listening to her album entitled Ruby Blue.)
 
Bitter Disappointments
Dresden Dolls – No, Virginia  (Sorry guys, not a hit.)
George Clinton (Only because I did not get to see him perform live.)
Opus cards (Not as cool as expected…)
The 105 Bus (Always a disappointment. I hate that bus.)
Facebook  (upgraded to an uglier layout.)
Concordia University (Blocked facebook. Sure it’s ugly but we still want to look!)

General 2008 Highlights
President Barack Obama!
Meeting George Clinton at CMJ
Successfully flying a kite
Montreal named best bike path in world (woot woot)

Top News Headlines of 2008
- Man decapitated and cannibalized on Greyhound Bus
- Seven year-old child steals his grandmother’s car, smokes while driving, crashes and then gets arrested two weeks later for beating his grandmother.
- No Formula 1 race in Montreal next summer.
- Major catastrophes: China earthquake, India terrorist attacks.
- RIP: Bernie Mac, Heath Ledger, Bettie Page, Paul Newman, Dionne Warwick, Richard Wright, George Carlin.
- Woman in Brazil is killed after being hit in the back of the head by her deceased husband’s coffin on her way to his funeral.
- Man is killed by his parents' tombstone after it falls on him.
- Montreal Police on the lookout for a sociopathic puppy killer.
- Parents cause controversy at a local grocery when workers refuse to write their child’s name, Adolf Hitler Cambell, on a birthday cake.
- Canada not faring too well at the Beijing Olympics.
- Nineteen year old girl becomes famous for auctioning off her virginity for money.
- Iraqi Journalist throws both shoes at President George W.Bush at a press conference...and misses.

Major Surprise Album (Expected Cult Following to Ensue)
Tearwave- Different Shade of Beauty

Best Canadian Content
The Stills- Being Here
Wolf Parade- At Mount Zoomer
The Creepshow – Run For Your Life

Best Venue
Le National

Worst Venue
Les Saints

Best (or Perhaps WORST) Quotes of 2008
1."No mom, don’t worry the hooker’s not dead" ~ Nicholas Fiscina actually on the Phone with his Mother.

2. Josh Mocle: Get this...new cereal...fellati’Os!
Nicholas Fiscina: Yeah! The catchphrase can be "Put it in your mouth!”

3. “Its fun doing bad things, I want to hang out with my hoodrat friends.” ~ Seven year old child who stole his Granny’s car

4. “If you can say yes to drugs, then you can say yes to multi-ethinicity.” ~ Nicholas Fiscina, CJLO News Director

5. "You are better off being homeless than being me."~ Britney Spears, to a stranger on the street.

6. "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig." ~ President Elect Barack Obama.

7. “Have you guys ever heard of the Philadelphia Experiment, like time travel?” ~ George Clinton (during a panel about record labels and mixing.)

8. "I tried! Went to sleep in my mom's car in the garage with the engine turned on...freakin' hybrids, man. They just don't do the trick anymore." ~ South Park's Eric Cartman explaining why his suicide attempt failed

9. “I’m not a baby, I’m a tumor.” ~ Random Creature from the film Hellboy II (the film was horrible, but that line was great.)

10. "Stand up, Chuck, let 'em see ya." ~ Vice President Elect Joe Biden to Missouri State Senator Chuck Graham, who uses a wheelchair to get around.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brendan O'Flaherty – Catatonia (Sundays 8PM – 10PM)

Album of the Year
Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull

Best D-Beat/Punk
Disfear - Live the Storm

Best IDM
Autechre - Quaristice

Best USBM
Leviathan - Massive Conspiracy Against All Life
Nachtmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle pt.1

Best RPM
The Bug - London Zoo
Portishead - Third

Best Metal
Fuck The Facts - Disgorge Mexico
Kataklysm - Prevail

Best Thrash
Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying
Toxic Holocaust - An Overdose of Death

Best Doom/Drone
Atavist & Nadja - 12012291920/1414101
Atavist & Nadja - II: Points at Infinity

Best Noise/SludgeRock
Melvins - Nude With Boots
Harvey Milk - Life...The Best Game in Town

Best Blackened Noise Metal Releases
Wold - Stratification
Menace Ruine - Cult of Ruins

Best Overlooked Gems From 2007
Fleshpress - Pillars
Throbbing Gristle - Part Two

Best Doom/Sludge
Unearthly Trance - Electrocution
Coffins - Buried Death

Best Doom/Sludge Re-issues
Burning Witch - Crippled Lucifer 2XCD re-issue
Cavity - Laid Insignificant

Best Dark Ambient Releases
Lustmord - [Other]
Lull - Like a Slow River

Best Killer Grind Releases
Gridlink - Amber Gray
Agenda of Swine - Waves of Human Suffering

Best Live Show
Thrones, Ocrilim, & Menace Ruine @ Divan Orange

Honorable Mentions
Sunn 0))) - Domkirke
Withered - Folie Circulaire
Witch - Paralyzed
Calexico - Carried to Dust
Don Caballero - Punkgasm
Enslaved - Vertebrae
Venomous Concept - Poisoned Apple
Buried at Sea - Ghost
Lair of the Minotaur - War Metal Battle Master
Vargr - Northern Black Supremacy
Black Ships - Low EP & Omens full-length
v/a - This Comp Kills Fascists vol.1
Quest for Fire - self-titled
Black Mountain - In the Future

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matt Leitman – Ex-Idle Minds

Favourite albums of 2008 (No Particular Order)
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down In The Light
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
The Constantines - Kensington Heights
The Dirtbombs - We Have You Surrounded
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Jay Reatard - Matador Single '08
TV on the Radio - Dear Science
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Favourite Songs of 2008 (No Particular Order)
Melvins - The Kicking Machine
TV on the Radio - Dancing Choose
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - We Call Upon The Author
Cheap Talk - People Talk
The Constantines - Our Age
The Adam Brown - A Quick One (While He's Away)(Who Cover)
The Night Marchers - Jump In The Fire
Jay Reatard - Always Wanting More
Torche - Fat Waves
Deerhunter - Oh, It's Such A Shame (Jay Reatard Cover)

Favourite Re-issues of 2008
Mission of Burma - Signal, Calls, and Marches & Vs.
Jay Reatard - Singles 06-07
New Order - Movement
Genesis - 1970-1975 (Box Set)
Pavement - Brighten The Corners: Nicene Credence Ed.

Favourite Shows of 2008
Public Enemy @ Metropolis
"It Takes a Nation..." performed in its entirety! Yeeeeeaaaaah Boyyyyyyyy!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds @ Metropolis
I'm still pissed that I missed the 2nd encore ("We Call Upon the Author") because they turned up the lights and turned on the music too early, and I made a quick exit.

Most Disappointing Show of 2008
Wire @ Le National
What can I say... I wanted to hear tracks off the 1st 3 classic albums. I got 4 songs (including an incredibly mediocre version of 12XU). Otherwise, I was bored off my ass.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pete Douglas – Caribbean Callaloo (Saturdays 12PM – 2PM)

Top 10 Most Requested Songs of 2008
1. Tarus Riley - She's Royal
2. Crazy - Phone Card
3. Dennis James - Words I Didn't Say
4. Mello G - I Am Blesses
5. Dwayne Stephenson - August Town
6. Ricky T - Party Can't Done
7. Killa Watts - Echoes of Love
8. Morgan Heritage - Nothing to Smile About
9. King Paul - No Virgins
10. Ghost - Medley

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glory Girl – Colour It Indie (Thursdays 1PM – 2PM)

Top 5 Canadian Albums of 2008
1. Hexes And Ohs - Bedroom Madness
2. Woodhands - Heart Attack
3. Human Highway - Moody Motorcycle
4. Ruby Coast - Projectable Collections
5. The High Dials - Moon Country

Top 8 Albums of 2008
1. The Hoosiers - Trick To Life
2. The Winterkids - Memoirs
3. To My Boy - Messages
4. Coconut Records - Nighttimming
5. The Maccabees - Toothpaste Kisses
6. The Wombats - The Wombats EP
7. The Young Knives - Super Abundance
8. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Glory Girl's Top 5 Movies of The Year
1. In Bruges
2. CJ7
3. Young People Fucking
4. Charlie Bartlett
5. The Bank Job

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doc Holidae - Phantastiq Cypha (Fridays 10AM – 12PM)

Worst Comic of 2008
1. Supergirl #32 - "Choices" by Kelly Puckett

Top 20 Hip Hop / R&B Tracks of 2008
1. Side C - "Youdaman"
2. Common Market - "Watership Down"
3. Lupe Fiasco - "The Coolest"
4. Brooklyn Academy - "Raise Ya Hands"
5. Kail - "Cola (The Rhapsody)"
6. D-Sisive - "Laundry Room"
7. Asher Roth - "Roth Boys"
8. Atmosphere - "Your Glasshouse"
9. Doomtree - "Kids Gloves"
10. Plantlife - "Got 2 Find a Better Way"
11. The Saturday Knights - "Nobody Beats Us"
12. Cool Kids - "Gold and a Pager"
13. DL Incognito - "Atmosphere"
14. Common - "Changes"
15. B.O.B. w/ Asher Roth & Charles Hamilton - "Change Gonna Come"
16. Estelle - "American Boy"
17. Cadence Weapon - "In Search of the Youth Crew"
18. Black Spade - "Her Perfume She Wore"
19. Maximillian - "California Soul"
20. Ritz - "Heartless"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angelica Calcagnile – BVST (Wednesdays 7PM – 9PM)

Here are my new notables for this past year, in chronological order, since I don't like to play favorites. The asterisk means you can use these to fulfill your Canadian content requirements... you can bet that I sure did.
 
ASG - Win Us Over
Laying soaring melodies over dustbowl riffs, with vocals alternately floating and scraping over it all, this record looms large and spreads wide like the desert sky. Fans of Ian Blurton's extended catalog should check this out.
 
*Black Mountain - In the Future
Simultaneously dirty and ethereal, like choruses of drugged-out angels ushering in axe wielding armies, this beauty rolls resolutely forward, taking no prisoners and turning everything in it's path to dust.
 
Disfear - Live the Storm
The words "punishing" and "party record" don't often go hand in hand, but this is easily the beer-swillin'est hardcore album of the year. Buzzsaw guitars, gang vocals and that dancey death'n'roll drumbeat make this a party in a box - just press play.
 
*Black Ships - Low
The disbanding of Cursed this year left me heartbroken, but nature abhors a vacuum, and these Montrealers are rising mightily to fill the void left in their wake. This is what prey hears as it's slowly stalked and then ferociously ripped apart.
 
*Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer
Rare is the band that I don't really care for live, but adore on record. This album blends together the finest in meathead metal riffs and southern comfort for a relatively braindead record I can't resist.
 
Local H - Twelve Angry Months
The 90s never sounded this good on this heartfelt, steady rockin' and unexpectedly heavy offering... and it's a concept record to boot! If you ever kinda liked this band, this album will catch you by surprise.
 
Shame Club - Come On
No boneyard of tired rock riffs, this album takes the ghosts of guitar rock past and reanimates them with a haunted, sweaty urgency. Only for those who aren't afraid of shameless throwbacks and classic rock monoliths.
 
The Dandy Warhols - ...Earth To The Dandy Warhols...
My one nostalgic nod, this album manages to sound like a career-spanning "best of" retrospective while offering up only new tracks. Whether it's the stoner ballads, country fried numbers or Nick Rhodes-era dancey shit you're looking for... they're all here.
 
*Bison B.C. - Quiet Earth
Heavy, yet precise, it was love at first sound and sight. As indelicate as this will sound, this band is the musical equivalent of boners and sweaty balls; masculine, tinged with grit, and not for the faint of heart.
 
Night Horse - The Dark Won't Hide You
Digging down to the deepest roots of Southern rock, this newly minted outfit has unearthed a bright shining gem of no-bullshit boogie rock'n'roll. Sadly a few songs shy of "instant classic", this sixpack will nevertheless leave you thirsty for more.
 
And as a bonus, since you've been so attentive, here are the five albums from 2008 I wish I'd heard, but won't get 'round to until 2009:
 
Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
Sahg - Sahg II
The Haunted - Versus
AC/DC - Black Ice
Satyricon - The Age of Nero

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Omar Goodness – Hooked On Sonics (Tuesdays 6PM – 8PM)

Fave Records of 2008
1. M83 - Saturdays = Youth (Mute)
2. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool (Atlantic)
3. Paint it Black - New Lexicon (Jade Tree)
4. Raveonettes - Lust, Lust, Lust (Vice)
5. Sleepless Nights - Turn into Vapour (Forward Music)
6. Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling (Matador)
7. Black Mountain - In The Future (Jagjaguwar)
8. The New Year - The New Year (Touch & Go)
9. Local H - Twelve Angry Months (Shout! Factory)
10. The Kills - Midnight Book (Domino)
11. Deerhunter - Microcastle (Kranky)
12. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (Last Gang)
13. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
14. Gutter Twins - Saturnalia (Sub Pop)
15. Sylvie - Trees And Shade Are Our Only Fences (Smallman)
16. Dillinger Four - C.I.V.I.L. W.A.R. (Fat Wreck)
17. Magnetic Fields - Distortion (Nonesuch)
18. Constantines - Kensington Heights (Arts & Crafts)
19. Cursed - III (Goodfellow)
20. Why? - Alopecia (Anticon)
21. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (Sideonedummy)
22. Spiritualized - A & E (Astralwerks)
23. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons… (Rhymesayers)
24. Marie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That (Kill Rock Stars)
25. Sun Kil Moon - April (Caldo Verde)

(Stay Tuned for More in Omar's Year End Audit 2008...COMING SOON!)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh Mocle - The Kids Are So-So (Thursdays 6PM – 8PM)

Top 15 Heavy Records of 2008
1. Paint It Black – New Lexicon (Jade Tree)
2. Fucked Up – The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
3. Disfear – Live the Storm (Relapse)
4. Reign Supreme – American Violence (Deathwish)
5. Bison B.C. – Quiet Earth (Metal Blade)
6. Genghis Tron – Board Up the House (Relapse)
7. Carpathian – Isolation (Deathwish)
8. These Arms are Snakes – Tail Swallower and Dove (Suicide Squeeze)
9. Cursed – III: Architects of Troubled Sleep (Goodfellow)
10. Russian Circles – Station (Suicide Squeeze)
11. Verse – Aggression (Bridge 9)
12. Grave Maker – Bury Me At Sea (Smallman)
13. Blacklisted – Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God (Deathwish)
14. The Bronx – The Bronx III (White Drugs)
15. Trash Talk – Trash Talk (TT Collective)

Top 15 Less Heavy Records of 2008
1. The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound (SideOneDummy)
2. Fucked Up – The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)*
3. Tom Gabel – Heart Burns (Sire)
4. Dillinger Four – C I V I L W A R (Fat Wreck Chords)
5. Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves – Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves (Independent)
6. The Hold Steady – Stay Positive (Vagrant)
7. The Creepshow – Run For Your Life (Stomp)
8. Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us (Barsuk)
9. LaGrecia – On Parallels (Suburban Home)
10. Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer? (Roadrunner)
11. Tim Barry – Manchester (Suburban Home)
12. The Mae Shi – HLLYH (Team Shi)
13. Monotonix – Body Language (Drag City)
14. Bridge and Tunnel – East/West (No Idea)
15. Carpenter – Law of the Land (Smallman)

*This record includes both all the characteristics of a great heavy record AND all the characteristics of a great less heavy record (and if you disagree you are wrong.)

Honorable Mention
Street Dogs – State of Grace (Hellcat)
Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas – Bristle Ridge (Ten Four)
Thrice – The Alchemy Index Volume 2: Air and Earth (Vagrant)
Thrice – Live at the House of Blues (Vagrant)
An Albatross Family Album (Eyeball)
Fear Before – Fear Before (Equal Vision)
The Loved Ones – Build and Burn (Fat Wreck Chords)
Virgins – Miscarriage (Kiss of Death)
Dead to Me – Little Brother (Fat Wreck Chords)
Bad Flirt – Virgin Talk (Kartel)
OnGuard – This Has Its Price and That Price Has Been Paid (demo) (Independent)
Parts and Labor – Receivers (Jagjaguar)
Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls (In the Red)
Vancougar – Canadian Tuxedo (Mint)
Thursday/Envy – Split (Temporary Residence)
Ashers – Cold Dark Place (Welfare)
Murder by Death - Red of Tooth and Claw (Vagrant)
Longwave - Secrets Are Sinister (Original Signal)

Top Eight Live Performances of 2008
1. None More Black (Reunion Show) @ Deep Sleep – Philadelphia, PA
2. Paint It Black @ The Black Dot – Montreal, QC
3. Fucked Up @ Great Scott – Allston, MA
4. Chuck Ragan/Tim Barry/Ben Nichols (The Revival Tour) @ The Middle East – Cambridge, MA
5. Monotonix @ The Knitting Factory - New York, NY (CMJ)
6. Amanda Palmer & The Boston Pops @ Symphony Hall – Boston, MA
7. Hot Water Music/Thursday/Paint It Black @ Terminal 5 – New York, NY
8. A Place to Bury Strangers @ La Sala Rosa – Montreal, QC

Honorable Mention
Baroness/Genghis Tron/Bison B.C. @ La Sala Rosa – Montreal, QC
Disfear @ Great Scott – Allston, MA
The Gaslight Anthem (Record Release) @ The Middle East – Cambridge, MA
Street Dogs @ Warped Tour ’08 @ Parc Jean Drapeau – Montreal, QC
Strike Anywhere/Paint It Black/The Riverboat Gamblers/Ashers @ The Middle East - Cambridge, MA

Top Seven Records from 2007 that I Didn’t Absorb Until 2008
1. Attack in Black - Marriage
2. Baroness – The Red Album
3. Keren Ann – Keren Ann
4. Career Suicide – Attempted Suicide
5. Sundowner – Four One Five Two
6. Sage Francis - Human the Death Dance
7. The Austerity Program – Black Madonna

Top Six Single Tracks of 2008
1. “Anna is a Stool Pigeon” by Tom Gabel
2. “The Beekeeper” by Paint It Black
3. “The 59 Sound” by The Gaslight Anthem
4. “Daedelus” by Thrice
5. “Untitled” by Against Me!
6.  “Hiroshima, Mon Frere” by Bad Flirt

(For more of my 2008 Picks (and other tangential rants), check out Thought Grenade)

 Jimmy Smith, a one-man revolution in jazz, passed away on February 8th, 2005. Words cannot describe the singular impact that this man had on the history of modern music. Back in 1955, according to Ira Gitler, pianist Freddie Redd barged into the Blue Note offices in Manhattan with a "mouthful of something elses" about this guy in Philadelphia doing crazy things with the Hammond organ in jazz. This was a big deal at the time as the Hammond organ was the instrument of the church and gospel, and jazz was a secular "devil's music." Many thought that what Smith was doing was profane, especially considering such song titles as "The Sermon!" and "Confirmation." But Smith was in earnest, injecting the soul of the church into the rhythms of jazz, and doing it with both fervor and style. Always impeccably dressed, Smith would come off the stand at the end of the night drenched in sweat as if he had just been through an exorcism and the organ was his confessor. As Michael Cuscuna writes in the liner notes to Cool Blues, when Jimmy played he was "a man in convulsions, face contorted, crouched over in apparent agony, fingers flying, feet dancing over the petals." Playing jazz was a religious experience for Jimmy, his band, and his audience.

By bringing the organ into prominence and integrating the dynamics of gospel, Smith coined the term "soul jazz" - the direct antecedant of the genre that still bears its name. On top of that, Jimmy restless innovations caught the ears of Miles Davis and James Brown, both of whom went on to innovate the genres of jazz fusion and funk based on the ideas that Jimmy initially laid down.

It should be noted that Jimmy Smith only started playing the organ at age 28. By 29, he was a virtuoso. Three years later, just one year after Freddie Redd burst into the Blue Note offices, Jimmy Smith was dropping dates and touring the country in anticipation of an immense and amazing career. Jimmy Smith died of natural causes at the age of 76.

To quote the Beastie Boys, "Jimmy Smith is the man. I'm gonna kick it root down."

Essential Recordings

:

• House Party
• The Sermon
• Groovin' at Smalls
• Home Cookin'
• Cool Blues
• Root Down

Available on Blue Note and Verve Records.

Even though I'm a born and raised Montrealer, I have always had a special place in my heart for Brooklyn, New York.  Memories of travelling to get there for shopping and visiting family are as vivid to me as if they happened yesterday. That said, I identify vicariously with any hip hop song or artist that makes reference to Brooklyn. 

I have missed Santigold's previous Montreal performances and did not want to miss the June 4 show at Metropolis.  In retrospect, I really must not have wanted to miss it because I was at the venue nearly an hour before show time.  The goal was to be there early enough to catch the show and to buy a copy of either Santogold or opening act Amanda Blank's music in the lobby.  To my disappointment and possibly others, the only music available for purchase was other opening act Trouble Andrew. 

I have seen Amanda Blank's name on blogs for months but finally got to hear her music.  Her lyrics were not very audible, but the sexual inneundo and gyrations were loud and clear.  I can well imagine just how graphic the lyrics are when I get around to hearing her recorded material. 

Trouble Andrew performed next with an original and unusual set.  I had not heard of them before, but discovered Santigold recorded a song with them when I visited the booth where their merchandise was sold.  I was hoping they would perform the song live for us, but it did not happen.  The crowd enjoyed Trouble Andrew as did I, in anticipation of Santigold. 

After Trouble Andrew's set, I ran into a former classmate who I had run into previously at another concert.  He said what most have said about Santigold.  He said that her debut was one of the best releases of 2008 and named individual tracks he was anticipating to hear live. 

My former classmate and I were not the only ones eagerly awaiting Santigold's appearance on stage.  The crowd nearly went into a frenzy upon seeing her.  Her attire was reminiscent of late 1980s Golden Era Hip Hop.  It was as if she were bringing the essence of Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte and Roxanne Shante to the present day or at least paying tribute to them. 

On the subject of songs waiting for to be performed, “Anne” was on the short list of what I burned and yearned to hear.  Amazingly, the live performance was as chilling as the recorded version.  That made me realize how and why she packed Metropolis that night.  “Say Aha” made everyone go wild!  “L.E.S. Artistes” was my introduction to her music and was nice to experience live. 

The song I waited for the most, that made my 2008 Best-Of list, that starts with the four magic words "Brooklyn, We Go Hard" that Jay-Z used to help make more of an anthem is “Shove It”. When I heard the song for the first time, it solidified my interest and respect for Santigold for many reasons.  The production of the song is incredible and the vocal delivery is spellbinding.  Lastly, the first four words of the song have become etched into hip hop history by a not necessarily a hip-hopartist from Brooklyn.