To clear up any confusion: This isn't a list of film scores or soundtracks. It's a list of music recommended for movie lovers such as myself. Some independent film fans prefer mainstream movie fare. Similarly, some indie film fans prefer mainstream music. There's nothing wrong with that dichotomy; I just can't relate to it (and try to avoid giving the Man my money whenever possible). If you share my taste in movies, there's a good chance you'll share my taste in music.
The Tops:
1. Ty Segall - Melted (Goner)
2. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here (XL Recordings)
3. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be (Sub Pop)
4. The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream (Blue Horizon)
5. Sleigh Bells - Treats (Mom & Pop Music)
6. Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy/Wondaland)
7. Bill Withers - + 'Justments (Reel Music) [reissue]
8. Anika - self-titled (Stones Throw)
9. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest (4AD)
10. Gray - Shades of... (Plush Safe Records)
Note: The Gray CD features Jean-Michel Basquiat. Last
year's #1: Sylvester & the Hot Band - The Blue Thumb Collection.
Runners-up:
1. Frankie Rose & the Outs - self-titled (Slumberland)
2. Endless Boogie - Full House Head (No Quarter)
3. Tame Impala - InnerSpeaker (Modular) [Australia]
4. Thee Oh Sees - Warm Slime (In the Red)
5. Aloe Blacc - Good Things (Stones Throw)
6. Wetdog - Frauhaus! (Captured Tracks)
7. Wooden Shjips - Vol. 2 (Holy Mountain)
8. Stereo Total - Baby Ouh! (Kill Rock Stars)
9. Moon Duo - Escape (Woodsist)
10. Woven Bones - In and Out and Back Again (Hozac)
Top Singles:
1. Cee-Lo Green - "Fuck You" (Elektra/Asylum)
2. Anika - "Yang Yang" (Stones Throw)
3. The Roots - "How I Got Over" (Def Jam)
4. Aloe Blacc - "I Need a Dollar" (Stones Throw)
5. Lee Perry - "Exercising" [Horsepower Remix] (Tempa)
Note: I like garage rock, R&B, funk, dub, Germans, ladies with
attitude, and cranky old geezers. No apologies. Also worth a lis-
ten: the Fall - Your Future Our Clutter (Domino), the Fresh and
Onlys - Play It Strange (In the Red), the Strange Boys - Be Brave
(In the Red), and Past Lives - Tapestry of Lies (Suicide Squeeze).
In the Red, Stones Throw, Light in the Attic: killed it this year.
Top Reissues:
1. Various Artists - Epitaph for a Legend (Snapper)
2. Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg - self-titled (Light in the Attic)
3. Jane Birkin - Di Doo Dah (Light in the Attic)
4. Andy Votel - Cock Diesel Mixtape Vol. 1 Cassette (No Label)
5. Tages - Studio Album Plus (RPM) [UK]
6. Kenny Graham & His Satellites - Moondog and Suncat Suites (Trunk)
7. Rikki Ililonga & Musi-O-Tunya - Dark Sunrise (Now Again)
8. Les Rallizes Denudes - Heavier Than a Death in the Family (Phoenix)
9. Les Rallizes Denudes - Blind Baby Has Its Mother's Eyes (Phoenix)
10. Walter Gibbons - Jungle Music (Strut)
Still to hear: Dean & Britta - 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for
Andy Warhol's Screen Tests (Double Feature), Matthew Dear -
Black City (Ghostly International), Gonjasufi - A Sufi and a Kil-
ler (Warp Records), LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (D-
FA), Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves - Deluxe Edition (Uni-
versal/Island), Irmin Schmidt + Inner Space Production - Ka-
masutra Vollendung Der Liebe (Crippled Dick Hot Wax),
and Soft Moon - The Soft Moon (Captured Tracks).
Click here for the 2009 edition.
Endnote: The usual disclaimer applies. This list doesn't represent
the best music of the year, but the best music I heard. And I heard
less music than usual (I'm an underpaid freelance writer, and I had
to, you know, pay for most of it). Image from Austin Town Hall.
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