Year End Wrap Up: Laura's Favorite Music of 2008

Well, now that you're tired of Best of '08 lists seeing as 2009 is already almost over, let me finally get around to posting MY two cents on the matter! And by two cents, I mean two lists! I wrote a Top 10 list for The Metro Times that focuses on local music alone and a Top 30 list for Tiny Mix Tapes that has my favorites from everywheres. You can click this link to see what other people from MT were into this year, but I have cut and pasted my list using technology, so you don't have to "scroll down" so, so much!

LAURA WITKOWSKI'S METRO TIMES TOP 10 LOCAL FAVORITES OF 2008

1. Friendly Foes
Born Radical — Gangplank Records
Tight, catchy and addictive. I listened to this on repeat more than any album this year.

2. New Grenada
Energy Shortage — Jack Holmes Recording Company
Remember in the '90s when the guitars were all crunchy and good? Well, John Nelson does ... thank goodness!

3. Javelins
Heavy Meadows — Suburban Sprawl
It shimmers and floats like a hot air balloon ride in the summer. Dream pop for realists.

4. Prussia
Dear Emily, Best Wishes, Molly — Common Cloud Records
It would be nice if more kids would steal from the past and reinvent the future the way Prussia does.

5. The Pop Project
Stars of Stage and Screen — Suburban Sprawl
Melodramatic and finely crafted pop that'll have you dusting off your ELO records.

6. Champions of Breakfast
Pleasure Mountain — Duffmeister
If Daft Punk and Weird Al had a baby who was raised on role playing games, it might sound like this.

7. Invincible
Shapeshifters — Emergence
One of Detroit's finest rappers is a pro-Palestinian Jewish lesbian. Now, that rules.

8. PAS/CAL
I Was Raised On Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura — Le Grande Magistry
High-brow pretentious pop for people who adore such things and have no qualms about it.

9. Love Meets Lust
Bitter Company — Self-released
For the '80s synth pop fanatic in all of us.

10. The Silent Years
The Globe — Defend Music
A concept record that somehow manages to transcend being totally ostentatious and instead is warm and inviting.

Also, I got to be a part of the Tiny Mix Tapes Favorite Albums of 2008 list, and they even posted my personal list for the viewing pleasure of the public. Again I am using "cut and paste technology" so you don't have to scroll and scroll, but check here if you are intrigued and want to read more lists! Because you are obsessed!

Laura Witkowski's Tiny Mix Tapes Top 30 of 2008:

30. The Pop Project - Stars of Stage and Screen
29. Lambchop - (OH) Ohio
28. Champions of Breakfast - Pleasure Mountain
27. Prussia - Dear Emily, Best Wishes, Molly
26. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
25. Bonnie ’Prince’ Billy - Lie Down In the Light
24. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
23. The Silent Years - The Globe
22. School of Language - Sea From Shore
21. Damien Jurado - Caught In the Trees
20. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
19. Hot Chip - Made In the Dark
18. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
17. B-52’s - Funplex
16. Shearwater - Rook
15. Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
14. Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins
13. Ohtis - If This Country Had A Heart, That’s Where I Was Born
12. Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
11. Javelins - Heavy Meadows
10. Xiu Xiu - Women As Lovers
09. Deerhunter - Microcastles
08. Death Vessel - Nothing Is Precious Enough For Us
07. Jennifer O’Connor - Here With Me
06. The New Year - The New Year
05. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
04. Why? - Alopecia
03. New Grenada - Energy Shortage
02. Friendly Foes - Born Radical
01. Benji Hughes - A Love Extreme

Are you interested in an added bonus prize? You ARE? Well... I have made a mix CD featuring one track from each of my top 20 albums of the year. I don't want to brag, but it is awesome! I would be happy to get you a copy - all YOU have to do is let me know you want one, be willing to trade me something cool in exchange and be patient! You are welcome! Hope your 2009 has gotten off to a great start and that the Year of the Sexy Hobo will be the one that sticks out the most in your head when you're old and only ever talk about soup.