Radiohead- In Rainbows
MGMT- Oracular Spectacular
Lydia- Illuminate
She & Him- Volume One
The Raconteurs- Consolers of the Lonely
Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
Weezer- Red Album
My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges
Anthony Green- Avalon
Copeland- You Are My Sunshine
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Britt Cobb, Design staff
December 21, 2008 – 7:10 pm
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Sarah Saulnier, Accountant
December 19, 2008 – 5:53 pm
Sarah Saulnier
(No Particular Order)
1. Jason Mraz- We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
2. of Montreal- Skeletal Lamping
3. Julian Koster’s Caroling Tour
4. The Nightman Cometh (Musical)
5. She & Him- Volume One (Best Album EVER)
6. The Broken West- Now or Heaven
7. The Steel Train concert in Greensboro, NC
8. Starting work at Merge. (DUH)
9. Arcade Fire and Superchunk played Obama Early Vote Rally and post-cookout.
10. Running the Army Ten-Miler with my family and our friends.
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Laura Ballance
December 19, 2008 – 4:03 pm
Big things in 2008 (more than 10, oops):
The joy of my girl at age 3.
X at the Cat’s Cradle. Holy Fucking Shit.
The Radar Brothers at Local 506
Hillside High School Marching band
Guanciale
Pasta
Home grown Brussels sprouts
Cooking, can you tell I like cooking!?
Making things with clay again
Jay Reatard
Obama
Lisbon
Hema (Dutch department store)
Rain (we have been having a drought down here!)
Cy Rawls (An honor to have known him.)
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Mac McCaughan
December 19, 2008 – 12:57 pm
Son, Ambulance – Someone Else’s Deja Vu
Fucked Up – Chemistry of Common Life
Jay Reatard – Matador Singles
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
Santogold – Santogold
Times New Viking – Rip It Off
Nigeria Special -Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds, & Nigerian Blues 1970-76
Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
No Age – Nouns
Hot Chip – Made In the Dark
Bob Dylan – Tell Tale Signs
Jamie Lidell - Jim
Orchestra Baobab – Made in Dakar
Vampire Weekend – s/t
Stereolab – Chemical Chords
Bon Iver – For Emma Forever Ago
Anthony Braxton – Complete Arista Recordings
Surf City – Surf City EP
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Brian “Beebo” “Big Cuban” Burns, Retail Assistant
December 19, 2008 – 11:15 am
SHOWS
Boston Spaceships at the Black Cat in D.C.
The Dirtbombs at Local 506
R.E.M. in Raleigh
NEW MUSIC
- Robert Pollard- Is Off To Business/ Boston Spaceships- Brown Submarine/ Circus Devils- Ataxia…in that order
- Wire- Object 47
- Jay Reatard- Singles 06-07/ Matador Singles
- Sic Alps- U.S. Ez
- Oneida- Preteen Weaponry
- Cheap Time- s/t
- Clinic- Do It!
– The Breeders- Mountain Battles
- Hank IV- Refuge In Genre
- Black Hollies- Casting Shadows
- Grails- Doomsdayer’s Holiday
- Deerhoof- Offend Maggie
- Deerhunter- Microcastle
- David Byrne/Brian Eno- Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
- Impossible Shapes- s/t
REISSUES
- Big Dipper- Supercluster
- Warren Zevon- s/t
- Dennis Wilson- Pacific Ocean Blue
- Genesis- 1970-1975
- Robyn Hitchcock- Luminous Groove
- The Move- Anthology 1966-1972
2008 Year End Lists: Matt Morseth, Mascot
December 18, 2008 – 4:20 pm
In no particular order:
Bon Iver – everything having to do with experiencing this magical guy all year. Two words – Beard Love.
Adventures with Broken West in multiple cities and physical states…
Shearwater and geeking out with Andy about how Thor Harris rules the world with his drums.
Music Tapes at CMJ – man, that bouncy ball on the snare drum. Oh – and the album.
Deerhunter
Stars of the Lid at the Echoplex, LA. A dream come true to finally see live. Even gorgeous when I fell asleep!
Rediscovering how much I love to cook every night.
Walking to work every day.
Building stuff out of wood
Vitamins – i.e. B12, etc… – aka anti-hangover pills
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Charlotte Walton, Chief Financial Officer
December 18, 2008 – 2:59 pm
Vetiver – Thing Of the Past
She & Him – Volume One
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Sunday at Devil Dirt
Crooked Fingers – Forfeit/Fortune
David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Al Green – Lay It Down
Calexico – Carried To Dust
Lightnin’ Wells – Shake ‘Em On Down
Billy Bragg – Mr. Love and Justice
Magnetic Fields – Distortion
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Christina Rentz, Publicist
December 18, 2008 – 10:33 am
This list excludes the obvious 2008 highlights of Merge albums, getting married, home ownership and President Obama!
The Music Tapes at CMJ – Wow. Julian Koster is an inspiration to boring adults everywhere!
Twilight series – I know, I know – but unrequited Teenage vampire love is HOT!
Secretly Canadian showcase at SXSW – Bon Iver, Black Mountain & Jens Lekman – awesome!
Wye Oak at Local 506 (1/8/08) – Meeting Jenn and Andy for the first time over Carrburritos followed by being blown away by hearing If Children live for the first time!
Brooklyn adventure with Dan Bejar – January 08 – whirlwind trip to the strangest photo shoot ever followed by wine and Carl Newman’s adorable doggy.
Shout Out Louds at SXSW – They played so many times in a row, and never lost their energy and general adorableness.
NPR Tour – Lindsey and I toured (and squealed) our way through the NPR studios courtesy of our friend Stephen at NPR.org/music. A dream come true!
Nik Freitas – Sun Down – sounds like Wings and The Jayhawks, and everything else I love!
Crooked Fingers – Forfeit / Fortune – Neko Case duet almost sent me over the edge!
Portastatic at Duke Gardens – Mac dedicated Springsteen’s “Two Hearts” to my fiancé and I the week before our wedding. Best wedding gift ever!
Mad Men – despicable people, beautiful clothes and lipstick, and Don Draper, oh yes, Don Draper!
Honorable Mentions: Calexico, Puppy cam, Chateau Marmont & D Listed
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Lindsey Kronmiller, Radio + Online
December 18, 2008 – 10:24 am
In no particular order:
Jens Lekman at the Secretly Canadian showcase – SXSW ’08
Adopting my precious kittens!
Buying a fancy new sewing machine
The Broken West – writing me in to “House of Lies”
Late Nite extravaganza at the HiFi with special appearances by my favorite bloggers
Athens PopFest and The Music Tapes!
Conor Oberst at the Orange Peel – Asheville
Twilight!
Birth of my nephew
She + Him on F’N MTV
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Adam Jackson, Project Manager
December 17, 2008 – 7:02 pm
Photo is of Luna, the greatest beast who ever lived
I’m not ready to commit to my favorite recordings of 2008 yet, so here are some other favorites in no particular order:
- Hearing the words “President-Elect Obama” for the first time.
- American Music Club at the Carrboro Arts Center
- CD Alley- Chapel Hill, NC
- Tom Waits live in Knoxville, TN
- Carrburritos is now open on Sundays
- X at Cat’s Cradle
- Lloyd Cole at Carrboro Arts Center, including cover of M. Ward.
- Neal’s Deli, Carrboro, NC
- Maine
- Getting the job I’ve always wanted
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Thomas Nickles, IT Manager
December 17, 2008 – 12:51 pm
Hi.. Here is my top ten list of 2008 releases and a picture of myself from my high school prom.
Radiohead – In Rainbows
(Self-released / January 1st, 2008)
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
(Jagjaguwar / February 19, 2008)
Spoon – Don’t You Evah EP
(Merge / April 8, 2008)
Spiritualized – Songs in A&E
(Universal Records / May 26, 2008)
Al Green – Lay It Down
(Blue Note / May 27th, 2008)
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
(Sub Pop / June 3 2008)
Beck – Modern Guilt
(Interscope Records / July 8, 2008)
The Music Tapes – Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes
(Merge / August 19. 2008)
Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless
(J Records / September 23, 2008)
Julian Koster – The Singing Saw at Christmastime
(Merge / October 7, 2008)
Cheers, Thomas
2008 Year End Lists – Merge Staff: Will “Bill” Clinton, Intern
December 16, 2008 – 3:03 pm
(in no particular order)
1. DJ Shadow & The Cut Chemist – The Hard Sell
2. The Music Tapes – Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes
3. Madlib - The Beat Konducta vol. 5 Dil Cosby Suite
4. Madlib – The Beat Konducta vol. 6 Dil Withers Suite
5. Lambchop – (OH) Ohio
6. School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
7. RZA – Digi Snacks
8. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
9. Nana Grizol – Love it Love it
10. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend