67

2008, an interesting year: the last time folk was relevant, dance music killed it, Diamanda and Sunn O))) dominated with live albums, and no releases from my Big 7 (save for Antony's Hercules & Love Affair cameos). A fruitful year, though. Oh yeah- some great debuts

01. Third, Portishead
02. Hercules & Love Affair, Hercules & Love Affair
03. For Emma, Forever Ago, Bon Iver
04. Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!, Diamanda Galas
05. In Ghost Colours, Cut Copy
06. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
07. Microcastle, Deerhunter
08. Safe Inside the Day, Baby Dee
09. Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles
10. Nouns, No Age
11. Dømkirke, Sunn O)))
12. Santogold, Santogold
13. New Amerykah Pt. 1: 4th World War, Erykah Badu
14. Street Horrrsing, Fuck Buttons
15. The Bake Sale, The Cool Kids
16. Dear Science, TV On the Radio
17. Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, GrouperDear
18. Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne
19. This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That, Marnie Stern
20. Lie Down In the Light, Bonnie "Prince" Billy
21. There Will Be Blood OST, Jonny Greenwood
22. 808s & Heartbreak, Kanye West
23. The Midnight Organ Fight, Frightened Rabbit
24. Heretic Pride, The Mountain Goats
25. Beach House, Devotion
26. Saturdays = Youth, M83
27. Impermanence, Meredith Monk
28. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, Sigur Ros

14

Last night I saw Bon Iver play at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA

Bon Iver have really come into their own as a band, and Justin Vernon put out a truly incredible performance. The live arrangements, particularly from Colin Stetson (sax) and Rob Moose (violin), were nothing short of brilliant. If you haven't heard their new album, Bon Iver, Bon Iver, I suggest you find it today- it happens to be the best album released in 2011 so far

Perth
Minnesota, WI
Towers
Brackett, WI
Holocene
Beach Baby
Hinnom, TX
Wash.
Blood Bank
Flume
Michicant
Re: Stacks
Calgary
For Emma

Skinny Love
Beth/Rest
Wolves

Highlights: "Perth" "Minnesota, WI" "Blood Bank" "Beth/Rest" "Wolves"