The Literary Brothel's Top Ten Songs of the Year

The Top Ten Songs I Heard in 2008
Klaus Varley

When not listening to the Pixies, I manage to hear some new music, but not enough to write a top 10 albums list. Instead, here’s a list of ten songs on ten albums released this year.

10. “Orphans” – Beck feat. Cat Power, Modern Guilt
Tracks like “Gamma Ray” ensure Modern Guilt a solid ranking in Beck’s catalog, but it’s “Orphans,” the Beatles-esque, big-beat hippie groove that rocks the popsicle shop.

9. “Loose Lips” – Kimya Dawson, Juno
Yeah, Juno – the movie – was 2007, but “Loose Lips” makes the list on the soundtrack released in 2008. Even if you’re tired of the movie, tired of the soundtrack you’ve heard 1000 times already, tired of Michael Cera (never!), this track lasts.

8. “Half Man” – Black Francis, Svn Fngrs
This seven track taster from Black Francis (formally Frank Black of Frank Black and the Catholics after he was formally Black Francis of the Pixies. He was, however, always Charles Thompson) is inconsistent at best, but in “Half Man” Black is back to his “Teenager of the Year” roots, sounding closer to legendary solo tracks like “Abstract Plane” than he has in years.*

*No research. I know these this stuff like the back of my hand.**
**White skin, veins, hair.

7. “For the Birds” – Earlimart, Hymn and Her
If you don’t know Earlimart, they’re what Wilco would sound like if told they were only allowed to play in the shoegazer genre. Hymn and Her is not quite as good as 2007’s Mentor Tormentor but hell, both albums are freaking fantastic.

6. “J'aime vous voire quitter” – Islands, Arm’s Way
No idea what this song is about, only that it’s an American indie-rock song with a French title.

5. “Great Beyond” Aimee Mann, @#%&*! Smilers
For those who still appreciate the good ol’ singer-songwriter stuff, Aimee Mann is hard to beat. Her new album is solid as hell, and so is this track.

4. “You” – Atmosphere, When Life Gives you Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Atmosphere’s wordy, uplifting raps are reminiscent of the stuff coming out in the early 90s before Dre, Snoop, and Biggie took gangstas to a new height. Yeah, I know there’s a dearth of hip-hop on this list. Coincidentally there’s also a dearth of hip-hop in the “New Music File” at UCLA Radio.

3. “Four Provinces” – The Walkmen, You & Me
For a group that is Bob Dylan with worse lyrics but better back-up band, I’m not sure why The Walkmen aren’t more popular.

2. “Girls” – Walter Meego, Voyager
“Everything I do, I do it for a girl, I do it for a girl, I do it for a girl.” Meego keeps it simple and dancy. If this track doesn’t get the booty off the chair, nothing will.

1. “Body” – Mother Mother, O My Heart
This is probably the best album of 2008 and “Body” is its top tune, nudging out “Body of Years” (what’s with all the bodies?), “Wisdom,” and the title track, “Oh My Heart” (holy smokes, this whole album is about bodies!) because lyrics like “I’ve grown tired of this body / cumbersome and heavy body” not only sound real, but feel real. And the music is great too. For real.

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Why isn’t your favorite song of 2008 on this list? Probably because I didn’t hear it.
So which tracks did I leave out? Comment, or heck, send the song to me – literarybrothel at gmail dot com.

Be legal.

Whatever that means.

-KV