And here it is....for your listening pleasure

click on this link right here and then download the zip file on that page. It should be a little down arrow on the right of the filename. email me if you have problems - PLEASE NOTE if you move the tracks into your itunes library after downloading, I recommend the following:

1) create a new playlist in itunes
2) move the files from the zip files into your playlist
3) the always-helpful DJ Bones tagged them so they should stay in the correct order, but do you and me both a favor - open the text file included in the zip file, to be sure before listening or burning. they're in the order they're in for a reason so please take a second to make sure they stay that way. trust me you'll enjoy it more if you listen to them this way, or at least I think you will so humor me. please. :)

A quick comment follows each song below, if you're interested. Overall it seemed like I was listening to a lot more rock this year, especially blues/country influenced, and more mellow/folky stuff too (although that's not really represented in this mix as much as the rock stuff). lots and lots of 80's influences this year too, with Prince showing up left right and center in other people's sounds. and hand claps - hand claps were EVERYWHERE this year. I honestly think I could have made an entire cd out of songs I liked that hand hand claps in them.


without further ado....

dj joey b
record party
december 2008

01. awesome color - come and dance
Great sound, these guys. like a garage rolling stones.

02. the black keys - strange times
the review of their 'rubber factory' cd on emusic starts "What hath the White Stripes wrought?" We saw them open for My Morning Jacket at red rocks this summer; great show. Song is ridiculously catchy.

03. people under the stairs - up yo spine (fishbucket pt.3)
Was listening to XM43 one random night this summer, and happened to catch these guys as guests on DOCs' underground hip hop show, and fell in love with their sound. 'Acid Raindrops' off their O.S.T album was actually what I remember hearing, and I like that album better overall than Fun DMC which this appears on, but this track is super catchy, like an indie hip hop version of a Will Smith joint or something.

04. vampire weekend - oxford comma
Anything to say about VW has been said 100x already so I won't really bother. Other than to say I wish this album had come out in the summer rather than January. I also like how somehow the profanity in the first line doesn't feel that profane when sung by Mass. preppies. Great tune. Points for rhyming Comma with Dharamshala.

05. dirty on purpose - audience in the room
Technically came out November 2007 but we'll let it slide. Shoegaze makes me happy. Been a big fan of these guys for a few years now and psyched to finally get one of their tracks on a mix. If you like their sound check out 'Kill our City." yummy.

06. the raveonettes - young and beautiful
I actually had 'Blush' from their Lust Lust Lust CD (one of the best CDs this year IMO) in this slot but then their 'Beauty Dies' EP came out and this track took its place. Probably because I'd listened to Lust x 3 about 100 times this year.

07. MGMT - time to pretend
This track OWNS. These guys were at the hi-dive one night this year, with YeaSayer opening, which was who I really wanted to see, for like 10 bucks, and I missed seeing them becuase I had an early flight to LA for work the next day. Now I'm laid off and I didn't see that show. The lesson here is, don't miss Yeasayer and MGMT for 10 dollars because you never know.

08. ra ra riot - can you tell
Love their sound; like Vampire Weekends slightly less clean cut friends. Maybe the Rolling Stones to VW's Beatles. Maybe I'm over thinking this. Great album.

09. the lonelyhearts - harlequin bands
One of a few tracks that made it on here at the last minute when I stumbled across a few albums on emusic that I fell in love with. The guitar in this track sounds like Eagle Eye Cherry's 'Save Tonight' with the guy from Tragically Hip singing over it (note: I later realized I meant to say They Might be Giants but I think Tragically Hip works here too), which should bug the hell out me but doesn't. This track gets stuck in my head for days.

10. sam champion - jealous shakes
Same as above; stumbled on it at the last minute. I like this album a lot. a rocker.

11. the knux - F!RE (put it in the air)
Holy out of nowhere; these guys came out of obscurity recently to start showing up on everyone's best albums of 2008 list. This is one of the more straightforward tracks on the album. Definitely recommend checking them out. hip hop rock electro dance stuff.

12. the hold steady - both crosses
Passed on these guys for years because I wasn't going to let myself like the 'springsteen' sound that these guys get press for. My mistake, these guys kick ass. I love everything about this song and Stay Positive (the album it appears on). I picked up like 2 more of their albums after hearing Stay Positive. If you like them then definitely check out The Gaslight Anthem's album too (The 59 sound)

13. fleet foxes - your protector
Another band out of nowhere this year and just blowing up; singer & songwriter is 22 years old with no formal music training. This album is required listening.

14. the fireman - dance 'til we're high
Paul McCartney side project - who knew? Not me. After the enormously disappointing 'Memory almost Full' last year I purposely ignored this for a while, to my own detriment. This album is freaking good; real freaking good. I had like 4 other tracks I was considering for this cd off of it. Check it out.

15. eagles of death metal - (i used to couldn't dance) tight pants
It's impossible not to like this band and this song. WHOO! CHECK IT! TIGHT PANTS - HUH!!!

16. kings of leon - crawl
Nice to see these guys exploding in the US finally after so many years, except it meant that they sold out the Fillmore and we couldn't get tickets to see them day of show. booooooooooooooooooooooooo. They bite Zep pretty hard on this track but that's OK because they do it so perfectly.

17. my morning jacket - i'm amazed
The show at red rocks this year was one of the 2 or 3 best shows I've seen in my life. They played for almost 3 full hours; this was one of many highlights. Good old fashioned beer-swillin yet contemplative southern rock n' roll.

18. frightened rabbit - the twist
Another album I had like 6 tracks picked out for and had a real hard time choosing. So much despondence and pain on this album but so hopeful and beautiful too. I also missed seeing these guys (with Oxford Collapse) at hi dive due to a flight the next morning to LA. gahhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhh

19. TV on the radio - halfway home
Dear Science is my #1 album this year by a MILE. This track is 5 minutes of absolute gorgeous madness. When the synths come in during the chorus.....It's almost exhausting to listen to. You've been warned.

20. white denim - you can't say
I like these guys a lot. Most of their stuff is a lot harder than this, but there's plenty of rock on this CD.

there should be something on here for everyone; the only person I expect to like everything is me. I hope it does the trick for you!

Happy Holidays everyone!

I think it's done

Just as I thought, it went through several iterations before it got to this point. I thought it was done and then had to cut two tracks out to make it fit on an audio CD (sorry Ladyhawke and The Jealous Girlfriends....it happens).

I think this is the final list. I don't usually do a full commentary about each track but maybe this year will be different. Since I have time on my hands and all.


01. awesome color - come and dance
02. the black keys - strange times
03. people under the stairs - up yo spine (fishbucket pt.3)
04. vampire weekend - oxford comma
05. dirty on purpose - audience in the room
06. the raveonettes - young and beautiful
07. MGMT - time to pretend
08. ra ra riot - can you tell
09. the lonelyhearts - harlequin bands
10. sam champion - jealous shakes
11. the knux - F!RE (put it in the air)
12. the hold steady - both crosses
13. fleet foxes - your protector
14. eagles of death metal - (i used to couldn't dance) tight pants
15. kings of leon - crawl
16. the fireman - dance 'til we're high
17. my morning jacket - i'm amazed
18. frightened rabbit - the twist
19. TV on the radio - halfway home
20. white denim - you can't say

2008 is almost over...

And that means it's time for another 'best of' compilation. Here's the working tracklist....It's already gone through one round of revisions and probably will see at least another before the end of the year.

01. awesome color - come and dance
02. santogold - L.E.S. artistes
03. the black keys - strange times
04. people under the stairs - up yo spine (fishbucket pt.3)
05. vampire weekend - oxford comma
06. TV on the radio - golden age
07. dirty on purpose - audience in the room
08. the raveonettes - blush
09. MGMT - time to pretend
10. adele - make you feel my love
11. ra ra riot - can you tell
12. the jealous girlfriends - i quit
13. eagles of death metal - (i used to couldn't dance) tight pants
14. the knux - F!RE (put it in the air)
15. the hold steady - both crosses
16. kings of leon - crawl
17. fleet foxes - your protector
18. okkervil river - lost coastlines
19. my morning jacket - i'm amazed
20. frightened rabbit - the twist
21. TV on the radio - halfway home