Amy MacBeath

In my endeavours to become that know-it-all music journalist that I will never even come close to being, I had a wee review of this year’s albums and new bands.  What did I discover?…not a lot.  Turns out that this year hasn’t been all that exciting as music goes, this is only my opinion of course, but as I looked over the many bands which have been raved about endlessly this year….not a lot doing really.

What I have enjoyed this year has been the drift back to that old folk vibe which has seen a lot of decent songwriting and acoustic tracks…fair enough many of which could put me to sleep but the less bands around that make my ears bleed, like the Tings Tings, the better!

All the round ups of the year are pretty much exact same – Vampire Weekend, MGMT, Coldplay, Kings of Leon, TV on the Radio, Portishead, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Glasvegas…

So I decided to compile my own wee lists of 2008 music to see what everyone else thinks..the highs, the lows, the never should have made it near a microphone..and my favourites.

Bands/Persons of 2008

Selkirk ‘indie-rockers’ Frightened Rabbit; Former half of Arab Strap Malcolm Middleton and his ever positive songs; Kings of Leon; Drever, MucCusker & Woomble….

Albums of 2008

The Midnight Organ Fight - Frightened Rabbit:  For some reason I just can’t sicken myself of this album after first hearing it back in the summer so I shall continue to try! 

Only by the night – Kings of Leon: Mainstream sellouts?  Never! I think that the fact that the Tennessee boys manage to produce albums each better than the last has shown that they deserve to sell out their 36-date arena tour….saying that this isn’t my favourite album actually but it’s still pretty darn good.

Before the Ruin – Drever, McCusker & Woomble:  Can’t say I like it as much as the previous album under Roddy’s name but the variety of influences and appearances on it add a lot more depth and is well worth listening to!

For Emma, Forever ago – Bon Iver:  Justin Vernon (calling himself after the French non hiver meaning good winter) hid himself away in some Wisconsin woods and created this album in isolation, singing about his loss, guilt etc after band/relationship breakups.

The Sound of Vatersay – The Vatersay Boys:  You can never fail to impress the boy racers round Sneck with their beats pumping with a blast of the good ol Vatersay Boys!  Not as good as An Rathad a Bhatarsaigh but this third album still gets the toes tapping…always good at a festival too!

Friday Night Lights – Attic Lights:  Have to put this album in here as although it was never my taste in music it has grown on me after having seen them play several times this year..and it’s such a happy album!

Best songs of 2008

Sex on Fire, Kings of Leon (for the beautiful video if nothing else); Flux, Bloc Party…still working on this list

My favourite of the year - Head Rolls Off, Frightened Rabbit

Worst of 2008

Ting Tings….everything about them…

Britney Spears’ comeback – sorry but they are not hits, they are awful!

Basshunter….while I’m at it everything on those flipping dance albums being advertised non-stop

Daddy’s Gone, Glasvegas – what’s the fuss about, the song is crap…it’s like he couldn’t think of anything else to say other than he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone.. oh oh oh oooh…

Anything remotely High School or musical related…this form of ultra-cheese has no musical credibility and just annoys me.  Only my opinion though!

Lil’ [whatever their names are]..all these generic wannabe gangsters who need to pull up their trousers…it’s partly the bling/teeth ‘grillz’ and a lot the scantily clad stripper ladies in the videos

I could go on…and on but that folks is my basic summary of the year. 

I look forward to what next year brings:  new albums from Idlewild, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Frightened Rabbit, possibly The Reindeer Section and hopefully loads more good bands!