Generally January can be quite problematic; I often throw down a shiteload of dough for tunes on other people’s year-end lists and then either never manage to even listen to some of them or decide I hate them. This year, I somehow held back and bought only FOUR albums in January. FOUR. (OK, 4.5 since there was an EP also.) That’s crazy times. (I only bought two in December but that was year-end. That’s sooo different.)

Absolutely Love & Adore:

MGMT “Oracular Spectacular” Only on a million year-end lists. Where has this album been all my life? I’m pretty sure I resisted buying this all of 2008 because I misinterpreted the reviews I read and thought it was some Techno stuff that I wouldn’t like (you know, like JUSTICE from the year before). OMG I was so wrong. Love it like a crazy lady. Not sure I’d be up for seeing them in concert (M. describes it as “two dudes leaning over synthesizers and never moving”) but it is totally living room dance inducing. Fave songs: “Weekend Wars” “Kids” “The Handshake” and my favorite 80s rock soundin tune “Pieces of What”

Why? “Alopecia” Can’t remember where I read about this one, dang. Do you call this rap? (not really. but it’s closer to rap than to singing.) hiphop? (Has beats. but not the R&B hints of hiphop.) It ain’t pop or rock. (It ain’t.) It’s one of those things that just falls between genres but it’s damn good. Fave songs: “Fatalist Palmistry” “Exegesis” (where I love the background so much) and the nasty but so good “Good Friday”

Bon Iver “Blood Bank” EP At this point, you know how I feel about Bon Iver. The feeling continues.

Favorite Singles (not on any of the above albums):

• “Only You” Assembly (Yaz cover) One of my top-five all-time favorite songs.
  
• “Paparazzi” Lady GaGa I can’t tell the difference between her and Gwen Stefani. But I do dig this song.

Other Albums I Liked:

• Ra Ra Riot “The Rhumb Line” Bought due to its presence on Becky’s list. Absolutely love “Dying Is Fine”. Other standouts are “Winter ’05” and “Each Year”.

• The Walkmen “You & Me” Also bought due to its presence on Becky’s list. (The girl’s got good taste.) My favorite song is “Red Moon” with its funerealness.

Shamefully have either not listened to at all, or not all the way through, or so few times that I can’t legitimately offer an opinion: Nada!