'08's Music to Love More Than Music: Love More, Pt. 4

Love More (<3)
HEALTH - HEALTH //DISCO
Oh Man. there are few things in the world I love more than HEALTH, so a remix album is going to be high up on my list, but since, like I've said before, it's a remix album, it's not going to be the top of the pops. The songs are all sorts of awesome, but that's because the remixers were working with brilliant songs to begin with. That and the list of remixes chosen were done by some of the more inventive remixers/DJ/Producers/etc. out there. Denverite and awesome kid all around Travis Edgy/Pictureplane even has a song on there. Even if you listen to the album without a track list, you'll be able to tell which one is his.
HEALTH - Lost Time (Pictureplane Rmx)
HEALTH - Tabloid Sores (Nosaj Thing Rmx)

The Nextdoor Neighbors - Magic Vs. The Machine
I've been following this Oregon duo since their myspace hit the interwebs ... or at least shortly there after. I'm not saying I happened to be in the know, I don't even recall how I found it. I imagine that it was luck, plain and simple. They had two songs on their site, one of which they changed about and used in this album, the other they haven't used for anything (and it was my favorite of the two :( ). Well after placing (I'm not sure if they won or not, but they ought to have) in a battle of the bands and receiving some well deserved local attention, they recorded and released this album. There are strange and spectacular electro beats and wicked rhymes about ... well about a whole slew of things. The group touches on subjects of the bizarre, relating peculiar metaphors to everyday life things, like love and all that jazz. A very touching album that will make you wanna groove out. Now, I would have liked to place it higher on my list, I know that it's this high because they are two VERY talented filles, and a good portion of the songs on this album are spectacular. Thing is, there are a few I didn't like that much, but there were concepts and experiments in those particular songs that I respect and think are healthy, because without experimentation, we're stuck with pop crap. Nextdoor Neighbors, I beg of you, keep up the good work.
The Nextdoor Neighbors - Town Full of Mannequins
The Nextdoor Neighbors - The Werewolf Song

The Muslims (now called The Soft Pack) - The Muslims
Reminicent of the Velvet Underground in that the songs are pure distortion and rhythmic pulsating madness, with subtle, almost complacent vocals over the whole thing. The songs are sharp, short, and leave you with the feeling that you just got a little greasier. It reminds me of The Raveonettes' first album, which is a good sign. They're a punk band that isn't going to incite a riot with their actions, but, instead, make the riot grow from inside the audience and burn them through.
The Muslims - Nightlife
The Muslims - Extinction

Noah And The Whale - Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down
Folky and instantly engaging. My buddy Dana introduced me to this band when he'd heard them on some car commercial, something that instantly made me a little wary, but I always give things a chance, and I'm glad Dana pushed them on me, because in one listen, I knew they'd be pretty high on my end of the year list. Indie Pop Folk, and it's not ashamed to be so, which is fine, because it pulls it off quite well. I remember seeing a fake play list someone had made on some website, it's purpose being to make fun of play lists in general. Included on this list was a band called "any indie folk band" and the song on this fake list was "another heartwrenching indie folk song that sounds exactly like every other heartwrenching indie folk song." Noah and the Whale might fall under that heading, or something similar, but I don't think they would deserve it. Mainly because it's not heartwrenching. It's actually a little twee ish. but only a little.
Noah And The Whale - Shape of My Heart
Noah And The Whale - 5 Years Time