One through five

5. Acid Tongue - Jenny Lewis

Oh, Jenny Lewis. Over the past few weeks, I have been trying to figure out whether my opinion of Jenny Lewis' music has perhaps been unfairly influenced with how enamored I am with her. To be totally honest, my love for Jenny probably makes me look at her music in a little more positive light on the whole. But what am I supposed to think about a woman who looks like that, writes songs like she does and also has the voice of a slightly Southern angel? Seriously. That is pretty much the equation for Anthony's perfect wife. Tonight I have attempted to write this entry while actually referencing the song but I do not think it does any justice to just how much I sweat her. This album was nothing all that special on the whole, but "I went to a cobbler to fix a hole in my shoe. He took one look at my face and said 'I can fix that hole in you." What's up double entendre? Enough said. For whatever reason, I am particularly enthralled by "To be lonely is a habit, like smoking or taking drugs. And I quit them both, but man was it rough." My love for Jenny has further blossomed this year and I can only hope she decides to play Richmond again sometime in 2009!

4. A Ghost to Most - Drive-By Truckers

The Truckers are extremely high on my list of bands that I rediscovered in 2008. I had listened to them years ago and saw Jason Isbell (former member) last October. But for whatever reason, they seemed much more important this year than in years past. Maybe it is because I am living in the (fake) South. Regardless, A Ghost to Most is a spectacular track. Both musically and lyrically, it captures a mood perfectly. I had a hard time deciding between this song and Three Dimes Down. In the end, it was really the pedal steel that put A Ghost to Most over the top. It is entirely possible that this song intrigues me because I do not totally understand it. "And beside you're a ghost to most before they notice that you ever had a hair or a hide." I am pretty sure that it implies that people just are not paying attention to someone, but I still cannot totally wrap my mind around the whole ghost idea. Most of the time, when you think of a ghost, you think of something that haunts you. So is "The Stroker Ace" Mike Cooley trying to say that you end up haunting someone before they even really pay attention to you or that just you end up dead? I am starting to lean towards the second one, but who knows. It is a great track and really made me go back to examine the Trucker's catalog again and I am pretty glad that happened.

3. Crying - TV on the Radio

Here is where my list really got impossible. These top three songs each were my number one depending on the time of day and my mood. The song has already been discussed once on this blog and I am not sure that I have a whole lot more to add to the analysis. Then again, that was two months ago. Feels like it was 10 minutes ago. Anyway, "Crying" is a spectacular song on a spectacular record. There are few songs that I have heard in the last few years that truly manage to mix multiple genres and seemingly multiple music eras within a single track without coming off as inauthentic. This song somehow blends Prince with early to mid-1980's new age/R&B thrown in with a little modern indie rock. It sounds like it should not work at all. And yet it does. And in rather impressive fashion. Dear Science is something special in its own right. But this single song is really an example of how sometimes there are single songs that can elevate an album to a different level. Without a track like this, the album is a collection of pretty good songs. But "Crying" makes Dear Science an absolute classic. Some people still have not heard TV on the Radio. And some people have, but have not paid close enough attention to them. This song should change that.

2. Strangers - The Dutchess and the Duke

I am not sure why this is not my number 1 song of 2008. Suppose that just speaks to how highly I hold my actual favorite song of the year. But that should take absolutely nothing away from The Dutchess and the Duke. This is another song that I have talked about on here previously. Back in early September, I saw this band at a tiny venue in Charlottesville. It was one of the more interesting concert experiences I have witnessed in the last few years. And I have seen a lot of shows at a lot of different venues. But this song makes me feel like it is the 60's and CD's are non-existent. The fact that the show was in a basement just makes sense. As with a lot of the songs in my top ten, the lyrics of "Strangers" just suck me in. "But after my digging was done. I realized that just because you lose don't mean that I have won". I know I am not the only one who gets that line. The last few lines of the song are really the ones that get me to be totally honest. I have recited these lyrics in this space previously, but I think they deserve another appearance. "Well I've added up all the things you've done and I've taken a good look at the man that I've become. And maybe we're not strangers after all..." In the context of this track, if that does not make you think of some important decision in your life, I do not know what will. If just evokes a lot of introspection for me. Maybe this is just another example of me being too far in my own head. Ha.

1. You Don't Have To (If You Don't Want To) - Gentleman Jesse

Finally. Best track of the year, hands down. The fact remains that in any other year, "Crying" or "Strangers" would be my favorite song. But for some reason, I could not stop listening to this perfect example of pop punk out of Atlanta. The first I heard of Gentleman Jesse was in 2007 as he released a 7" single that pretty much changed my mind about what music had to be. For those of you that really know me, I tend to gravitate towards music that is somewhat complicated. Whether it was intricate music or lyrics that make you question your own existence, that was pretty much the sort of thing I stuck to in the past. With the introduction of Gentleman Jesse, I found a return to something I could enjoy immensely without having to spend any time thinking about it. There is really something to be said for a perfect pop song released in 2008 that sounds like it should have come out in 1963. This song might not even have words outside of the chorus but I cannot help but sing it. While The Dutchess and the Duke evoke feelings of old folk music, Gentleman Jesse is music ripped straight out of that time. Rather than just making you feel like you could be there, this song transports you to that time. I listen to "You Don't Have To" and I am some 18 year old guy in the 1960's waxing my brand new Chevrolet waiting to take out a cheerleader. I cannot find any better way to describe the way I feel when I listen to this song. Everyone needs to listen to this song and realize that good music does not have to be anywhere near the radio or even close to the radar of most indie rock outlets. Just crack a beer and soak it all in.

OneThroughFive



So honestly, writing about the top five in a more objective manner was much more difficult than writing about the six through ten tracks. Maybe it just so happens that I love these fives songs for reasons that are much more difficult to articulate. Or maybe I just do not want to explain myself for loving certain things. But regardless, I hope that at least one of you listens to one of these ten songs and finds something that interests you. More so than not, the music that I enjoy is really a window into how my life is going and these ten songs are no exception. Enjoy.