Sapiblog – The Official Blog of Sapitot Creative

A little late, but like any music geek, I’ve got to make a list. Here are the albums that soundtracked my 2008 (in no particular order).

23. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
22. The Streets – Everything is Borrowed
21. The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
20. REM – Accelerate
19. M83 – Saturday=Youth
18. Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreak
17. Sigur Ros – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
16. Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
15. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
14. Arms – Kids Aflame
13. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
12. Nada Surf – Lucky
11. Mountain Goats – Heretic Pride
10. The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound
9. Ray LaMontagne – Gossip in the Grain
8. Q-Tip – The Renaissance
7. Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
6. Conor Oberst – Conner Oberst
5. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
4. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
3. The Black Keys – Attack and Release
2. Okkervil River – The Stand Ins
1. Cut/Copy – In Ghost Colors

Seriously can’t wait to get my hands on this album. Judging from the previews on MySpace, it has the potential to return the Streets to the great lyrical work and sentimentality of Original Pirate Material and A Grand Don’t Come For Free. Haven’t stopped listening to the preview songs since they were posted last week!

Album comes out October 7th.

I’ve had the distinct pleasure of being able to sit with Arms’ new record, Kids Aflame, for the past couple of months ahead of its release in late June, and I can hardly thank Todd Goldstein enough. I feel like I’ve had a good amount of time to digest the complete work of art and I can honestly say that this is perhaps one of my favorite records of recent memory. I’m not just saying this because Todd is a friend, or that I’m trying to hype a record from a client. It is simply a great indie pop album, with hooks galore and enough quirks to keep things from getting too saccharine sweet. Take a listen to the classic guitar hook in Whirring (how has that riff never been written before?) and the slow build of a lone guitar to a symphony of synths and disco beats on Shitty Little Disco. One of my favorite tracks, Pocket, starts out as a typical indie rock song before climaxing midway with a chorus of barn burning, jazzy horns.

I can’t imagine a better musical companion for the come-down drive home after a night out in the big city. The combination of sentimentality, sadness and hopefulness that the lyrics and music manage to juggle is exquisite. Arms soundtracked my summer back in 2005 when I first randomly happened upon his music on myspace, and I have no doubt that the expanded songs on this debut will continue that tradition. I absolutely cannot wait to hear what Todd does next…which should be the new Harlem Shakes disc, so thankfully the wait will not be long.

Apparently the album is already available on iTunes, so cheggit out.

www.armsarms.com
www.myspace.com/armsongs

Just got done streaming the new REM CD, Accelerate, (which you can too…just go to iLike) and I’m now officially excited for the release next Tuesday. I’m very pleased to hear one of my favorite bands of all time roar back to life. After several albums of more downtrodden, subdued, and meandering rock, the group has returned to form (not that I hated those albums, they just didn’t sound like they were giving it their all). The opening riff of Living Well Is the Best Revenge recalls the live feeling of one of my favorite albums from them (and the very underappreciated), New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Stipe has returned to his pointed, freewheeling lyrical ways again, and is sporting a tone that is starting to get more gravelly as he ages. I like that! Mike Mills’ bass lines are alive once again and fun to listen to on their own right. He’s also back to the backing vocals that compliment Stipe in the very best way. Peter Buck is rocking like he hasn’t since the mid-90s, with Monster and the aforementioned New Adventures.

Much like Pearl Jam’s last album, it seems that at the very least, the current president and his administration are very capable of inspiring some great new, politically-charged music out of bands that many have written off. Pick up Accelerate this Tuesday, April 1st.

What a year 2007 has been. Lots of change, ups and downs, lefts and rights, side steps and strides forwards. All in all, it was a good 365. I found a new job that I enjoy, I started reading again, redesigned Sapitot, and I rediscovered why I love art and design. And of course, a great year for music. I’ll leave the philosophizing of the death of the music industry and the fact that Nickleback stayed on the charts the entire 52 weeks to Rolling Stone and Pitchfork and get to what really matters, the music of some truly great artists. Let the time honored tradition of the year end list begin!

Here’s a list of some albums that I could really dig my teeth into in 2-Double-O-7.

Minus Story – My Ion Truss
I bought this album off the band during their show here in DC this summer. It literally did not leave my CD player here at home up to this day. The band found their inner rock and crafted their most melodic, accessible and most interesting album yet.

Kanye West – Graduation
Of any album that soundtracked my fall and winter at my new job, it has to be this disc. Undeniably catchy beats, a sharp lyrical tongue give Kanye the right to brag all he wants.

Burial – Untrue
Only got this album in the last month, but it hit hard. This is the type of album I was hoping DJ Shadow would have created, but sadly probably never will again. Hauntingly sad and paranoid, this is the disc to put during a rainy day.

The Weakerthans – Reunion Tour
Feel good indie rock record of the year. See these guys live and all will be well in your world.

Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Can any more sugary melodies be packed into a CD? I think not. Inner turmoil never sounded so sunny.

Poison the Well – Versions
When you’re looking for something a little heavier, or in my case, an excuse to drive faster.

Kevin Drew – Spirit If…
Another quality release from the almighty Broken Social Scene crew.

Radiohead – In Rainbows
Of course this one was going to make the list…it’s freakin’ Radiohead!

Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
Hauntingly sad southern indie rock.

Khorky Custer Khrusty Presents the Klangs
I’m a sucker for my clients, and this is something you should check out. One of Kansas City’s best kept secrets.

Harlem Shakes – Burning Birthdays
Another client that I’m glad to pimp out to anyone who will listen.

Jay-Z – American Gangster
Grey-HOVA is back! Another superb release in a good year for hip-hop.

So many others I would want to comment on, but I’ll save my breath and just say that if you’re looking for some more great listens, check these out as well.
Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Koredala
Lupe Fiasco – Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Living With The Living
LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
Tegan and Sara – The Con
Iron and Wine – The Shepard’s Dog
Stars – In Our Bedroom After the War
Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
Okkervil River – The Stage Names
Against Me! – New Wave
Bruce Springsteen – Magic
Spoon – GaGaGaGaGa
Menomena – Friends and Foes
Lee Bock – Self-Made Man
The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
The Go! Team – Proof of Youth
Albert Hammond, Jr. – Yours to Keep