Top of the pop

My list for 2008 best cds, concerts, movie. Still be a matter to change during the last month. But here's my go for now.

BEST ALBUMS



1. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
Fantastic debut of this Brisol duo. Produced by a member from one of my favorite bands Mogwai. A perfect blend between raging noise, tribal shouts and some more easy accecible elements. Released early this year, and my absolute favorite.




2. Parken - Länge leve parken
I opened for Parken and my fav Swedish band Loney, Dear at a lovely day in Stockholm this summer and in cheer joy for discovering a great Swedish act who also sings in Swedish just takes me put Parkens debut album as number two on my list. Pelle, whom I interviewed here puts himself in the same garden as Håkan Hellström but with a slightly more hard chewed approach, with electronic backgrounds and saxophone. That, plus my favorite pop song of the year "Jag har varit vilsen lisa" and the cool sidekick Henric von Euler makes this a must-have.




3. James Yorkston - When the Haar rolls in
Irishmen James Yorkston's fourth album is as lovely as last year's Year of the leopard and 2003's debut "moving the gospel". His songs always go right into me and is actually very catchy and witty in all it's somberness. The cover art is also very great, for a ship fetischist such as me that alone is a reason to buy the album instead of nicking it from Pirate Bay. I've been humming a couple of weeks now on "Summer's not the same without you, I know it's a bitter old cliche...". James' albums always reach very high on my year-lists but I keep forgetting him when thinking about my favorite artists, got to be a change on that.



4. Bon Iver - For Emma, forever ago.
An aptly titled album and a very welldeserved hyped band. Acoustic and both quite experimental and psychedelic in all it's minimalism.



5. Cat Power - Jukebox
Cat Power's only getting better and better. This album is not as good as 2006's absolutely gorgeous The Greatest, but comes in awefully close. I went see a brilliant (if maybe a little too long) show at Berns Salonger in Stockholm in July. A very revealing and warm soul moment.




6. Mogwai - Hawk is howling
Probably my favorite band and the best show of the year. However, despite a really good album, it makes you more want to put on Young Teem, Come on Die Young or for that sake, their last album Mr. Beast. However, Mr Beast, the soundtrack to that Zidane movie and The Hawk is howling is a great come-back from their weak period (after Come on Die Young and some years ahead).



7. Lil Wayne - Da Carter III (deluxe edition)
Together with NAS my favorite hiphopalbum of this year. Very well achieved of him and the bonus disc with the deluxe edition features some of the best songs of this album.



8. Justus Köhncke - Safe and Sound
Slick and warm disco from Germany. Buy it and you will love it. The guitars from feuerland send chills down the spine. Perfect travelling music.




9. Fleet Foxes
You know all about them; akron/family meets My Morning Jacket in a delicate way. Actually this is a better My Morning Jacket album than the original's Evil Urges album. Brilliant.



10. St Thomas (box 4CD+1DVD+1BOOK)
This far down on the list, simply because it's in many matters a re-issue. The box set of the very missed St Thomas is a fantastic way to discover the norwegian cowboy who sadly passed away one year ago, aged 31. This box set captures his whole career, one cd with his best songs, one cd with outtakes and rarities, two cds with other artists doing cover versions of his songs (including Lambchop, Ai Phoenix and Grasshopper of Mercury Rev), one book and one dvd. The DVD is brilliant by the way with a lot of documentaries, live material and music videos. Stupidly cheap too and the whole gain goes to charity. A must-have.

+ Some good stuff from good friends



Björn Kleinhenz - Quietly Happy and Deep Insde
Viarosa - Send for The Sea

My friends and brothers, Björn and Richard, did really good albums with their projects this year. Richard is btw supporting Leonard Cohen in the O2 Millenium dome within days.

+ well done of Nas, The Kills, Flying Lotus, Justus Köhncke, Lindstrom and more.


BEST SHOWS:
1. Mogwai, Mejeriet, Lund Nov'08
2. Efterklang, Arvikafestivalen Jul'08
3. The Havenots, Leicester Oct'08
4. Parken/Loney, Dear, Trädgården, Stockholm Jun'08
5. The National (+Efterklang), Vega, Copenhagen Sep'08
6. Cat Power, Berns Salonger, Stockholm Jul'08
(I still at least have Damien Jurado, Parken and probably Lambchop to catch
before the year is over)

BEST MOVIE:
La graine et le mulet
I know this french movie is from 2007, but it was up on the cinemas in Sweden this year. A fantastic slow told story about food, love and dreams. It's brilliant and it would be a must-see to everyone who likes John Cassavetes Opening Night and a Woman under the influence.

Låt den rätte komma in
Best Swedish movie since... maybe forever. Vampire based love drama. Fantastic.