Hi!
The staff at the Panic Manual have put their best brains forward and compiled a best of 2008 compilation. As per usual with years past, this compilation consist of 2 discs, one being a more pop/rock variety while the other one satisfies our electro tastes.
Disc 1 – Day – Download Here
Disc 2 – Night – Download Here
1. Lykke Li – Im Good Im Gone
Ricky – The winner of the 2008 award for ‘musician with funnest name to say’. I don’t honestly even know how to say the name, I just refer to her as ‘Licky Lie’. Her real name is “Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson”, which is also a name of a futon at Ikea. Chances are you have heard of this Swedish pop sensation if you roam these circles. I guess this is a pop song. The chorus is damn catchy.
2. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
Vik – My most hummed tune of 2008
Ricky – Fleet Foxes take the 2008 award for the “most unlikely band to succeed”. This folky Seattle based Sub Pop band put out an album that was one of my most listened to albums this summer. The lead singer sounds a lot like the dude from My Morning Jacket as well.
3. Hot Lava – Apple Option Fire
Wade – Do you use a Mac? Do you know what an open type font is? Do you like beer? You need to listen to Hot Lava.
Ricky – I don’t use a Mac or know what an open type font is, but I still like this upbeat tune.
4. Vampire Weekend – Walcott
Ricky – Vampire Weekend is a little played out by now, but you cannot deny that they put out an extremely stellar album this year. You could have picked from many of the tunes off that album to put in this compilation. I am not sure whether this song is about the striker from Arsenal or not.
5. British Sea Power – Waving Flags
Ricky – Probably my favorite album of the year, and this is my favorite song off the album. This song just soars.
6. Sebastian Grainger – Love Can Be So Mean
Wade – I like this guy. Kind of grungy, kind of dancy. A great CD released late 2008.
7. Lodger – The Good Old Days
Vik – Reminds me of the good old days of Britpop.
Ricky – Agreed, if this was 1996, they would be on Top of the Pops and the lead singer would probably be shaggin Justine Frischmann
8. Glasvegas – Daddy’s Gone
Ricky – Scottish band first got attention from us on Rough Trade’s Counter Culture compilation early this year, now they seemed to have built themselves some nice hype.
Vik – The best and yet most depressing song amongst an album full of self deprecating tracks like ‘I’m Gonna Get Stabbed’ and ‘Whitey’.
Ricky – I don’t know of any happy songs that would be called ‘Daddy’s Gone’, unless you are Michael Jacksons kid.
9. The Maynards – Spinny
Wade – If you go to Halifax, look up The Maynards. I declared them the sexiest band in Canada last month. This song is sexy too.
Ricky – If you go to Halifax, go eat a donair.
10. James – Waterfall
Ricky – James hands down put on the best concert this year for me. This was a good reminder of what they are capable of. It’s pop, it’s uplifting, it’s totally singable – those three things define this band. The horn is good in this tune too.
11. M83 – Kim & Jessie
Vik – M83′s ONLY good song. Yeah, you heard right.
Wade – Sorry Vik, M83 – Graveyard Girl. Give it another listen. Great tune
Vik – Okay Wade, you’re right, Graveyard Girl is damn good.
12. The Ivy League – Richest Kids in Town
Vik – This years Twee heros…Tweeros, if you will.
Ricky – I just realized they aren’t English, but American. I guess that would explain the Ivy League name.
13. Los Campesinos! – You’ll Need Those Fingers For Crossing
Ricky – Welsh youth collective put out records at such a pace that even Ryan Adams would be jealous. This song comes off the much more polished second Los Campesinos! record of 2008. These guys have followed the Arcade Fire template of “gang vocals accompanied by more instruments then you can shake a stick at” very well. Now if all their family members died, then we’d have an Arcade Fire clone.
14, Ex~PO – Banana Republic
Wade – Local darling EX~PO kicks it out with some Banana Republic. Expensive black sweaters and all. Just go to H&M
Ricky – Banana Republic probably takes the award for ‘clothing store that Ricky spent most money at this year in a bid to look and dress like a 28 year old instead of a 21 year old’
15. Lightspeed Champion – No Surprise For Wendella Midnight
Wade – This is a pretty chill song. It is a good switch from all that dancy remix stuff that Ricky and Vik listen too. The violins at the end are a nice touch
Ricky – This guy wins the 2008 award for ‘band name that most resembles a Japanese anime series that Gary would obsess over’
16. Stereolab – Daisy Click Clack
Vik – Makes me want to do the Charleston.
Ricky – A Panic Manual favorite
17. You and Me – Head Noise Pollution
Vik – This years Canadian Twee heros…Cantweeros.
18. We’re Marching ON – 1800s
Wade – So technically, I think this song came out in 2007 but I feel it deserves some play. This song is fun and catchy. A great local band who has played along side just about every Toronto based band we have mentioned here on the Panic Manual
19. The Teenagers – Sunset Beach
Wade – I hate hipsters. The Teenagers define hipsters. Their poo-poo attitude, skinny jeans and The Hills loving youth make them not cool and lame. All that being said, this 2008 song is pretty good.
Ricky – The Teenagers show at the Social this year takes the 2008 awards for ‘Show that made Ricky feel the oldest’ and also ‘Show where Ricky wanted to punch the most people in the face for wearing ironic glasses’. Having said that, the Teenagers album track #2 still makes me laugh.
20. My Morning Jacket – Smokin’ From Shootin’
Ricky – My Morning Jacket’s Evil Urges was probably my second most listened to album of the year, this song reminds of me of some 80s ballad.
Wade – I agree. This album is close to, if not on the top of my favourite albums this year. Saw them at the Berkley Church this year where they previewed a lot of songs and put on an excellent light show.
1. Zeigeist – Humanitarianism (The Twelves Remix)
Ricky – Just like cd 1, a Swedish act starts off this compilation. I don’t know much about these guys other then the fact that the remixers ‘The Twelves’ made a kick ass remix of their tune.
2. Hadouken! – Declaration of War
Ricky – who can resist a band that’s named after one of the most popular Street Fighter II moves of all time? This Leeds band had all the momentum coming into 2008, but their debut album ‘Music For an Accelerated Culture’ was not as impressive as expected. This song is still pretty good.
3. Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
Ricky – Hot Chip wins the 2008 award for ‘Most calories lost at a concert’. Everyone knows about this band. Made in the Dark was one of the best albums this year.
4. Hercules and Love Affair – Blind
Ricky – My favorite song of the year. It’s got a fantastic beat, Antony Hegarty uses that voice of his to full effect. Just a great tune. To get full effect, this has to be really really loud.
5. Empire of the Sun – Half Mast
Ricky – Winner of the 2008 award for ‘Best Album cover’. It has that retro disco modular sound that’s so damn popular these days. But seriously, you cannot mess with a band whose album cover is this:
Vik – I think I know why Australians eat Veggie-mite. It’s chock full of talent, tasty talent.
6. Cut Copy – Hearts on Fire
Ricky – Dancey french beats done by Aussies. Winners of the 2008 award for ‘show I wish I stuck around for instead of leaving early so I can catch a flight to Halifax’. Luckily, they are playing Circa in March.
7. Dizzee Rascal – Dance Wiv Me (Calvin Harris Remix)
Ricky – Great club track, this was Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris’ year. They were EVERYWHERE. Probably the most listened to this summer for me.
8. Ladyhawke – Paris is Burning
Ricky – I think Josh pointed me to this 80s disco redux tune, whatever it is, it’s a pop gem. From New Zealand. I have to say, the Southern Hemisphere has taken great strides in establishing themselves on the international pop spectrum.
9. Grace Jones – Williams Blood (Aeroplane Remix)
Ricky – Probably the oldest person to have a song on this compilation, nevertheless, Grace Jones put out a strong album in November and the remixers Aeroplanes put a nice beat to this tune.
10. Metronomy – Heartbreaker
Ricky – Just a solid beaty dance tune
11. Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplane Remix Featuring Au Revoir Simone)
Vik – Success Tip: Get Au Revoir Simone to sing vocals on your song and you have a guaranteed hit.
Ricky – I heard this in Old Navy the other day as I was there looking for cheap toques. They were really really really ugly, so I felt bitter over the whole experience.
12. Sonny J – Handsfree (If You Hold My Hand)
Ricky – Josh introduced this band to me, they sound like the Go Team. Their album is strong on the singles, weak on the filler. This is a good tune though.
13. The Presets – This Boy’s In Love
Ricky – Everyone loves Depeche Mode
14. Crystal Castles – Vanished
Ricky – Canadian hipsters put out one of the most love em/hate em albums of the year. I can’t stand most of the album, but this album makes me think about walking around somewhere in the middle of the night.
15. Van She – Kelly
Ricky – More Aussies! This song is my most listened to song for the past few weeks, even though its like a year old. Makes me think of poppy 80s skateboard movies.
16. Sebastien Tellier – Divine
Ricky – Frenchmen puts out a sexually charged album, who woulda thought? As Wade says, this due is “Air meets April March meets Barry White.”
17. Black Kids – Hurricane Jane (Cansecos Remix)
Vik – So many Black Kids remixes this year. All of them sounding better than the original.
Ricky – Winner of the 2008 award for ‘Band whose band name will result in beatings when a white hipster dons their swag and walks in any part of America’
