2008

Hey everybody!
It's been a long time since my last post - sorry for that. Quite a lot of stuff has happened, but somehow I didn't feel like writing anything about it. I guess it was because I had so much to do at work that I was rather glad when I had some time for myself.
Anyway, 2008 is coming to an end...and what a year it was! Some pretty exciting stuff has happened - Sweden, 2 amazing Rufus Wainwright concerts in Stockholm, I broke my arm, Hong came to Austria, I found an internship, moved to munich, started working, went to the Oktoberfest...and much much more has happened.
I think it's really nice to think about 2008 and all the things that have happened in my life and the life of dear friends...
And, I also enjoy thinking about all the great music that was released in 2008. A friend of mine said that 2008 was a pretty bad year in music, since only a few really good CDs were released. I don't think so - Portishead, Alanis Morissette, Hot Chip...all of them released new albums and a lot of new bands appeared on the music scene and quite a lot of them had very strong and good debut albums.
So, I know it's not very original, since everybody who has blog seems to write about their top 10 of 2008 :P Anyway, here are my favourite tracks/bands of 2008 - no special order:

Hot Chip - Ready for the floor
Such a fun song! The whole CD is great, definitely on of my favourite bands of 2008!

Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
They are cool but somehow nerdy and make great music...it was the perfect album to chill in the summer sun.

Alanis Morissette - Versions of Violence
I was so looking forward to her new album, but I was a bit disappointed in the end. But there are some really good songs on it and this is one of my favourites.

Sigur Rós - Ara bâtur
I fell in love with them in 2008. Nothing more to say.

The Ting Tings - That's not my name
Another song/band that's so much fun! I don't know how many times I screamed and danced to this song in 2008.

MGMT - Kids
Psychodelic music.

Portishead - The Rip
Although their new CD is quite different from anything they did before, I really like it. Let's hope that we don't have to wait another 10 years for a new album.

Frankmusik - 3 Little Words
I love this song! And I'm really looking forward to his album in 2009 :)

Amanda Palmer - Leeds United
This woman is a genius! Her lyrics are amazing, her videos are great and she's just a very amazing person.

Hercules & Love Affair - Blind
Genius! To mix Housebeats with Antony's (from Antony & the Johnsons) vocals works great! Definitely one of the most interesting albums of 2008.

Sam Sparro - Black & Gold
One of my personal "heros" of 2008. I like his CD, though there are some weak songs on it..but all in all it's a really good debut. And he has a great voice (and well, he's quite good looking :P )

Jay Brannan - At first sight
I've been following his "career" on youtube every since I watched "Shortbus" for the first time. In 2008 he released his first CD..finally :)

The Sound of Arrows - Danger
Another song that was so much fun in 2008! This swedish band will release their new album in 2009...

Swedish for Beginners - Magical Machines
I downloaded this song a while ago (it was a legal download) and I fell in love with it :)

BWO - Lay your love on me
Well, sticky pop...but I remember good times whenever I hear this song...all I say is Stockholm...and a long Disconight at Club G :P

Other than that - Jason Mraz, The Killers, Kent, Fleet Foxes, The Sound of Arrows and lately Santogold rocked 2008 for me :)

So, I'm sure that I forgot something... what are your top songs of 2008?

2009 will bring some great new song/albums too, I'm sure. Obviously I'm really looking forward to the new album of the one and only amazing SCISSOR SISTERS!! YAY!!!! But also Patrick Wolf, Antony & the Johnsons, Tori Amos and Imogen Heap will release new CDs...definitely something to look forward to :)

Have a good start into 2009!
Manuel