Favourite Music of 2008

At last, here is a complilation of the music which meant the most to me last year. To qualify, they have to be songs I heard for the first time in 2008, regardless of year of actual release. Most are from the past few years, but a couple of tunes are from the 1950's!

Click here to listen while reading the stuff beneath.

1. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Strange Overtones (4:17)

2. Gonzales - Working Together (3:04)

3. The Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go (2:52)

4. Radiohead - Idioteque (5:07)

5. Muscles - Sweaty (4:14)

6. Benny Benassi - Satisfaction (2:55)

7. We Are Wolves - Fight & Kiss (3:04)

8. Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (3:32)

9. Madonna - 4 Minutes (4:03)

10. Coldplay - Viva La Vida (4:04)

11. The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (5:08)

12. Frankie Vaughan and the Kaye Sisters - Gotta Have Something In The Bank Frank (2:17)

13. Kitty, Daisy & Lewis - Mean Son of a Gun (2:37)

14. The Johnston Brothers - Hernando's Hideaway (2:31)

15. Ariane Moffatt - Poussière D'ange (5:11)

16. David Byrne - Tiny Apocalypse (4:03)

17. Jose González - Heartbeats (2:40)

18. Max Richter - Horizon Variations (1:52)

19. Eraldo Bernocchi & Harold Budd - Fragment Two (8:32)

20. Johann Johannsson - IBM 1401 Processing Unit (8:32)

21. Harmonium - Dixie (3:26)

22. Seu Jorge - Burguesinha (4:17)

23. The Divine Comedy - A Lady of a Certain Age (5:47)

24. Lizz Wright - A Taste of Honey (3:50)

25. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (3:46)

The first 5 songs I have listened to dozens of times. The Eno/Byrne album was very good, with a couple of stand-out tracks that book-end this compilation. I saw Byrne in concert in Montreal, and the man knows how to please a crowd. I also saw Radiohead in concert at Victoria Park, and discovered their electronica edge, highlighted by the closing number Idioteque which blew me away. I also saw great concerts by Lizz Wright and Kitty, Daisy and Lewis, who I have included on my list.

I discovered many of these tunes while listening to my favourite radio station on the planet: FIP (France Inter Paris). The diversity of the programming is delightful (pop, jazz, classical, rock, chanson...) and refreshingly multi-lingual. I know only perhaps a quarter of the tracks played, but so many of the unknowns are winners and make me run to their website to see what's playing.

This compilation is front-loaded with high-energy tunes, giving way to a trio of early rock 'n' roll(ish) tunes, then shifts into lower gears with some instrumental and mellow melodies. I could describe each tune and why I chose it, but then I'll never release the compilation or this blog into the world.

Finally, I must give credit to some compilations ("mixtapes for non-linear minds") which have given me great satisfaction and solace. They are from a guy known online as "nrvnet" whose taste in music is excellent. My favourite mixes are of the ambient or contemporary classical type. If you want to board an emotional roller coaster, check out Desolation Angels.

That's it! Hope you enjoy it.