Top 5 CDs of 2008

Watching some football and wondering why the ACC is having the "can't win a bowl game" problem again this year.  It's just sorry that Clemson didn't take care of business this year as expected.  Oh well, I thought I would spend the rest of the evening writing about my Top 5 CDs/downloads this year.  I will recap the best concerts of 2008 tomorrow while watching more football and hanging with the family, which includes my mother in-law and father in-law, who came in today from Ohio.

#5  Tyler Ramsey: A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea

Reminds me so much of Neil Young.  Very introspective, mellow guitar folk.  We had the great experience of seeing him in Greenville at the Bohemian Cafe this year too.  Super nice guy, like 7 feet tall and fully bearded, kinda like Grizzly Adams on guitar.  Like I already wrote, if you like old folky Neil, then check this one.

#4  McCoy Tyner: Guitars

Any set with Derek Trucks, Bill Frisell, John Scofield, Marc Ribot, and Bela Fleck would have to be a dream set; add McCoy Tyner with the fantastic rhythm section of Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette and you better buckle up.  Although I found Derek was a little subdued on his 2 tracks; it's smooth, like butter.  I think the standouts are the tracks with Bela Fleck, Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell.

#3 Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs

What is so amazing about this set is that these tunes are better than the versions that made the albums ...or are they?  That's what Bob does, he rearranges and makes the tunes become something completely different just by changing his phrasings and the instrumentation.  The mood changes with the song, the story teller changes, it takes you to another place.  He had at least 3 versions of his "Mississippi" out on the set and as a bonus song. I was lucky enough to get a copy of the 3rd limited edition CD that had more outtakes from my favorite CD, Oh Mercy. This was a welcomed birthday present too.  The outtakes, the retakes, the live tracks, it's a great mixed bag that flows as one.  Genius.

#2 Johnn Gregarius: Heaven and Earth

My evenings going to bed listening to Echoes pay off every now and then when I find a gem or two and this one really piqued my interest and I had to check my playlist the next morning. What drew my attention to this one is the fretless bass and the sonic effects that paint such an amazing space of sound.  I have listened to this one just about every night and morning ever since getting this CD in the mail from Best Buy.  

#1 The Drive By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation's Dark

To say I was amazed and converted to a fan by this one would be an understatement.  This is a set from the long lost children of Neil Young: rocking, introspective and unnerving all at the same time.  I probably listened to this double album more than any in a long time.  I get visions of my trip through Yellowstone National Park when listening (it was part of my soundtrack when driving around that day).  This is a classic and will be something that I listen to for a very long time as I grow old.  I like to think of it in the same sense as Steely Dan, the music is so good you tend to overlook the lyrics, which are full of surprises and challenges.  Top album of the last few years in my book.  

A GHOST TO MOST

I guess I'll never grow a sideburn

it's a shame with all I've got to go between

I hope somebody's cause takes soon

it's getting hard to find a place a root can sink

Mama said a lot of things and be thankful was the one she never minded saying twice

Thanks to her I can think clear enough,

to be thankful that she died before tonight

Saving everybody takes a man on a mission

with a swagger that can set the world at ease

Some believe it's God's own hand on the trigger

and the other dumping water in the streets

Talking tough is easy when it's other people's evil

and you're judging what they do or don't believe

It seems to me you'd have to have a hole you're own

to point a finger at somebody else's sheet

Baby every bone in my body’s gone to jumping

like they're gonna come through my skin

If they could get along without the rest of me, it wouldn’t matter if they did

But skeletons ain’t got nowhere to stick they're money

nobody makes britches that size

and besides you're a ghost to most before they notice,

that you ever had a hair or a hide

I don't know how good it does a man,

to keep on telling him how good it is he's free

free to wash his ghost down the drain,

and free for them to tell him there's no such a thing

Also highly considered and enjoyed:

Levon Helm: Dirt Farmer

This one took me a couple of listens; but, the tunes and the subtley of the instrumentation really started to gel once I scratched the surface.  This is the voice of The Band and we are glad to have him back singing after his bout with throat cancer.  Good to see him at the Wanee Festival last April too.

Nina Simone: Remixed and Reimagined

It didn't come out in 2008 (2006) but I really enjoyed this one and the Billy Holiday set too.

Speaking of hot torchers, Susan Tedeschi's Back To The River was a good set too, enjoyed the tunes with Derek.  Not her best and not a lot different from her previous efforts but still enjoyable.

Bob Marley: Roots, Rock, Remixed

Remixed Bob Marley, what more do I need to say?  Far more upbeat than the Bill Laswell Marley remix effort and lots of good beat mixed throughout.  Classic beach music set. Summertime music for the ages.

The Cowboy Junkies: Trinity Revisited

They went back to the same church, exactly 20 years to the day and recorded another round of the same tunes with special guest.  I still have not watched the DVD that came with the set because I can't bring myself to change the images of that magical session 20 years ago that have enchanted and haunted me ever since.  Good idea and a great way to revisit but not sure if I can agree with the big package and the extra effort but it was fun to take another listen with a different ear.

Also enjoyed new efforts from Coldplay, Jack Johnson and B.B. King this year.

New interesting finds this year (thanks again to Echoes)

Dub Collosus: A Town Called Addis

Bombay Dub Orchestra: 3 Cities

I know I'm all over the map, as usual.  Although I was deep into rock and southern jam; I found myself listening to ambient and trip hop more often.  I downloaded tons of music from Amazon's mp3 store.  No stupid DRM to deal with and I can put it on device I want.  They have the Friday 5 for $5 sets and I took advantage often.  I still like having the CD to rip and then put in the CD closet when needed again.  I did get some good iTunes downloads this year but I only do that when I have a iTunes card. I don't like the DRM of the iTunes store, so that's when Amazon shines through again.  They have made it easy and cheap, another reason why they are the #1 online retailer.  

Looking forward to new stuff from the Derek Trucks Band and U2 in 2009! Can't wait!

See ya!