These are twenty-one songs available as MP3s that we linked to in 2008. They're all still available (as of today), so download them now and make yourself a mix as a way to remember what you were listening to last year. I hear a lot of people moaning about how 2008 was a terrible year for music, but the list below proves there was plenty of good stuff, and it wasn't even that hard to find.
• The Mountain Goats - "Sax Rohmer #1" from Heretic Pride. Posted Jan 3.
• Jack Penate - "Second, Minute or Hour" from Matinee. Posted Jan 8.
• Iron and Wine - "Innocent Bones" from The Shepherd's Dog. Posted Feb 1.
• Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma" from Vampire Weekend. Posted Feb 5.
• MGMT - "Time To Pretend" from Oracular Spectacular. Posted March 26.
• Laura Cantrell - "Love Vigilantes" (New Order cover) from Trains and Boats and Planes. Posted Mar 26.
• The Krinkles - "Still in Love". Posted April 1.
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - "Country Roads" (John Denver cover) from Have Another Ball. Posted June 4.
• Silver Jews - "Strange Victory, Strange Defeat" from Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea. Posted June 6.
• Conor Oberst - "Danny Callahan" from Conor Oberst. Posted July 17.
• Of Montreal - "Id Engager" from Skeletal Lamping. Posted Aug 6.
• Jeff Hanson - "If Only I Knew" from Madam Owl. Posted Aug 11.
• Benji Hughes - "I Went With Some Friends To See The Flaming Lips" from A Love Extreme. Posted Aug 27.
• Robyn Hitchcock - "Bad Case of History" from Luminous Groove. Posted Aug 29.
• Juliana Hatfield - "Shining On" from How to Walk Away. Posted Sept 2.
• The Broken West - "Auctioneer" from Now Or Heaven. Posted Sept 19.
• Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines" from The Stand Ins. Posted Oct 1.
• The Lucksmiths - "Up with the Sun" from First Frost. Posted Nov 26.
• Jay Reatard - "See/Saw" Matador Singles '08. Posted Dec 1.
• She & Him - "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" from Volume One . Posted Dec 18.
• Eef Barzelay - "Lose Big" from Lose Big. Posted Dec 26.
Previously: The Best Legal MP3s of 2007; The Best Legal MP3s of 2006; 20 Tracks That Can Change Your Life (with liner notes). More MP3s.
Image via the Cassette Generator.
Comments
It's a shame that the Broken Wests' album got overlooked on all those 'Best of...' lists but it was a solid album, super poppy, catchy, fun.
They're also going to be on that Josh Schwartz/ Alex Patasavas thing, Rockville, CA: http://www.thewb.com/shows/rockville-ca/
So yay for good bands getting exposure and some good quality filmed live performances.