Best of 2010: podcasts

I don't see as many movies these days. I still listen to a lot of music, but not as much as in my trendsetting days. It seems there is one entertainment medium that has been increasingly dominating my free time (and work time, for that matter): podcasts.

While still in its relative infancy, podcastdom has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. There is a show for pretty much any interest. While there are many podcasters still stuck in amateur hour, there are a slew that have carved out niches and set the standard.

My daily/weekly/monthly/sporadic favorites are still chugging along - Doug Loves Movies, Filmspotting, The Adam Carolla Show, and Comedy Death-Ray, to name just a handful - these are the best podcasts that debuted in 2010:


The Pod F. Tompkast: It's nighttime on the internet and once a month (and sometimes here and there in between) stand up comedian extraordinaire Paul F. Tompkins puts out this hilarious hour long show. Each episode contains some of his riffing, an excerpt from his monthly stage show, a phone conversation with fellow comedian Jen Kirkman, and an ongoing story featuring his hilarious impressions of Ice-T, John C. Reilly, Dame Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Lithgow, the Cake Boss, and others. It really is the highlight of my podcast month.

The Sporkful: Two guys and occasionally a guest go into the minutiae of the preparation and consumption of everyday foods. This is not your high-falootin' foodie father's podcast.

This Week with Larry Miller: Larry Miller has long been one of my favorite comedians and his 30-45 minutes of stream of conscious rambling each week amount to a good helping of audio comfort food. I like to listen to this on the commute home from work.

Culturetopia: This used to be a weekly compilation of stories from NPR - well, it still is that - but it's been retooled to add a second weekly episode featuring a pop culture round table. I find panelist Glen Weldon nigh-intolerable, but can overcome my dislike of him because I enjoy listening to the other people on the show so much.

The Nerdist: '90s MTV darling Chris Hardwick and a couple of his pals descend into the depths of geekery with a special nerdy guest. They've also recently added a non-guest (or "hostful") chat each week, too.

Who Charted?: Howard Kremer (aka Dragon Boy Suede), Kulap, and a comedian guest dissect the weekly music, movie, and other charts. Simultaneously, it confirms my bewilderment regarding what the kids listen to and watch these days. Get off my lawn! (This wins my award for Best Podcast Name.)

Best of 2010: books

In 2009 I read embarrassingly few books. To make up for that, last year I read more books than in any other year, including seventeen books from an entirely new genre to me and the best freakin' book that I've ever read. My year end list for books is different than most people's since I'm a relatively slow reader. And sometimes inspiration takes a while to hit me. So I don't catch everything as it's published. So these are the best books that I've read in 2010:

The Stand by Stephen King - At 1,100+ pages, this epic novel is the longest book that I've ever read. But the daunting length did nothing to diminish how extremely intriguing the story is. Seriously, this is the best book that I've ever read. King really threw everything into this tale of good versus evil. I can't recommend it highly enough. Baby, can you dig your man?

Hard Case Crime books by various authors - I've decided to lump these together, but they aren't a series of books per se, but a publishing imprint. I had never really read any crime noir fiction before, but the dual siren song of a dollar store find and the best damn covers in the business swayed me. And I'm so glad that I spent those hundred pennies. Last year I ended up reading 17 HCC books and have loved every one of them. The cream of the crop: Christa Faust's Money Shot (murder in the porn industry; this is the title that got me hooked), Lawrence Block's Grifter's Game (the ending is completely shocking; I can only imagine how it played in 1961 when it was first published), and David J. Schow's Gun Work (this would make an excellent revenge movie). Hard Case Crime's original publisher decided to get out of the books-on-paper business this year (damn you, Kindle!), but luckily they found a new home and will resume putting out these pulp classics in the autumn.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill - Stephen King's son whipped up a very creepy ghost story, about an aging rock star haunted by his past. The first half is great, but it loses steam when the setting changes halfway through. Still worth a read if you want some chills.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - Hey, I'm not above reading airport novels. And I like stories about the Freemasons, so it's got that going for it. In usual Dan Brown fashion, it's briskly paced. It's not as good as Angels & Demons. (The Illuminati are my favorite nutty conspiracy theory.) I'd put it on par with The Da Vinci Code. Great for the beach or your next trip to Washington, DC.

The old college try: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith - Last year I tried yet again to read this, but I just couldn't get into it (again). It takes a lot for me to abandon a zombie tale and that special something is Jane Austen's writing style.

My favorite (Christmas album) things of 2010

Like pretty much all types of music, a very high percentage* of Christmas music that comes out each year is crap. Most of it is bland, overproduced, extremely saccharine, and cheesy. Or, if some indie band wants to put their stamp on Yuletide songs, it may be underproduced, discordant, and drenched in feedback. This year is no exception. Only two full length albums honked my bobo this year.



Pink Martini - Joy to the World: These multicultural folks put on a heck of a live show and, based on their back catalog, I was expecting all sorts of sublime merriment. I was only a *tad* disappointed, but it's still better than pretty much the rest of the stuff out this season. It's twinkly, twirly, and very international. It's no wonder that Starbucks commissioned this album. But don't hold that against the band.



Christabel and the Jons - The Christmas Album: This band is completely new to me, but another blog recommended it and, wow, I'm impressed. The Squirrel Nut Zippers' Christmas Caravan is one of my favorite seasonal albums and this one sounds like its spiritual successor. It's jazzy, swinging, and brassy. I love it.

These two new albums will surely join my other favorites at the forefront of my hifi's festive rotation.

*I'd say a good 70% or so, but then again, I have a very high threshold for Christmas music. Your results may vary. For reference, I maintain that a good 90% of all music releases range from "blah" to "sucks".

Best of 2009: albums

1. Metric: Fantasies - Hooks that aim for the rafters, female vocalist, big synths and stadium beats. Yep, this is firmly in the center of my wheelhouse.
2. fun. - Aim and Ignite - Catchy as hell Queen and ELO-inspired indie pop that's heavy on the theatrics and strings? How could I not love this? Their "The Gambler" (certainly not the Kenny Rogers tune) - about the singer's father's marriage, family, and illness as told through his mom's point of view - is like the first ten misty-eyed minutes of Up in song form.
3. Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's You - I absolutely loved her debut, but feared that she would flame out when she made a follow up. But by using only one producer throughout, she's made a cohesive, highly enjoyable second album.
4. Anya Marina: Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II - On this album Anya tweaks her twee folky image by adding a bit of rock 'n roll grit. And it works.
5. Codeine Velvet Club: Codeine Velvet Club - This Fratellis side project is a throwback to sixties orchestral pop and a mighty fine one at that.
6. Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion - Want a description? Read virtually every other Best of 2009 list's #1 spot.
7. Art Brut: Art Brut vs. Satan - I don't think there's any real "artistic growth" on their third album, but who cares? Art Brut speaks for the everybloke.
8. A Camp: Colonia - The former lead singer of the Cardigans (Love me! Love me!) produced an album that's full of one of my weaknesses: the combination of sugary melodies and dark lyrics. It's like an audio Reese's cup!
9. Mos Def: The Ecstatic - While Mos Def was out in Hollywood, his hip-hop career floundered and his music pretty much…sucked. But in 2009 the great wordsmith put out his best album in years. Here's hoping that he continues to put as much work into his music that he does in his acting. And how about a full length Black Star reunion while you're at it?
10. Dead Man's Bones: Dead Man's Bones - Ryan Gosling + spooky songs + a children's choir = a fun disc not just for Halloween.

Excluded from consideration were EPs, Christmas music, compilations, stand-up/spoken word discs, and albums that I feel that I didn't listen to enough to give an informed evaluation. If there is any interest, I will post the rankings of albums 11-35 in the comments section (just ask!).

Best 2008 Album I Discovered in 2009:
Miniature Tigers: Tell It To The Volcano - What if Brian Wilson fronted an indie pop band and had a fixation on animals and tribal cultures rather than innocence and Americana? It'd sound like this.

Most Unnecessary Album:
Spinal Tap: Back From the Dead - Look, I loves me some Spinal Tap, but very little new was brought to these (mostly) re-recordings of their past songs. The best thing about this album is the accompanying DVD featuring an in-character commentary about the album.

Most Unnecessary Album, Remix Division:
Johnny Cash: Remixed - Yeah, this one didn't need to be made.

Biggest Disappointment:
Jarvis Cocker: Further Complications - I used to think that Jarvis Cocker could do no wrong. It turns out that it's Big Anthem Jarvis Cocker that's always excellent. Rockin' Out Jarvis Cocker is the one that has problems knocking it out of the park.

Other Disappointments:
Tinted Windows: Tinted Windows
Clem Snide: Hungry Bird

Best Reggae Album:
Major Lazer: Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do - Reggae beamed in from the year 2380. It's also the only reggae album I listened to.

Most Improved:
Scarlett Johansson and Pete Yorn: Break Up

Sophomore Slump:
Lady Sovereign: Jigsaw - Hey, wha' happened? Her debut was a lot of cheeky fun. Her second album...not so much.

Best Reissue:
The Stone Roses: The Stone Roses (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

Note: I have yet to pick up any of the Beatles remasters. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know.

Best cover songs:
The Oak Ridge Boys: "Seven Nation Army"
Taken By Trees: "My Boys"
Discovery: "I Want You Back"
Scarlett Johansson and Pete Yorn: "I Am The Cosmos"

Best of 2009: singles

Okay, this "Best of" Week has stretched into "Best of" Fortnight and then into "Best of" 3/4 of a Month thanks to illness, car trouble, and other things taking up my time and sapping my motivation. Thus, after posting all of my favorite songs last year, I'm reverting back to simply listing my favorite singles. Honestly, right now I don't want to comb through all of my 2009 albums and find links to a few dozen songs.

So, here are the singles* that floated my boat last year, in no particular order. I purposefully excluded songs from my '09 Top Ten albums, except in a couple of instances. Ooooooh, mystery!



Jay-Z: "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" - His "Run This Town" is gathering all of the accolades, but this song contains a much needed message. Auto-Tune really does need to die a painful death.



Julian Casablancas: "Out of the Blue" - "It's pretty much the Strokes with more synths" is a comment/complaint I've heard about his solo release. So what? That's actually an improvement for the band. This song's great. I admit that when I first heard it I thought it was by Phoenix. (I'm bending the rules a slightly since this song was officially released as a single yesterday, but it did come from an '09 album.)



Yeah Yeah Yeahs: "Zero" - No big Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan am I (Karen O and the band's general artiness vibe is a turn off), but I am really feeling this song, especially her orgasmic chorus.



Passion Pit: "Sleepyhead" - Another slight cheat since this is an '08 single, BUT I didn't include it on my '08 list AND it was also put on the band's '09 debut album. So there.



Matt & Kim: "Daylight" - This is the sound of a summertime stroll through the city.



Major Lazer featuring Nina Sky and Ricky Blaze: "Keep It Goin' Louder" - Temporarily forget what I said in the Jay-Z entry above. The "I've got the girls in the truck six chicks deep..." line is infectious. Hey, I like pop music. *shrug* And this is the freakiest video I've seen in a long time; you'd think it was for an Aphex Twin song.



Codeine Velvet Club: "Hollywood" - This song from the Fratellis side project is absolutely perfect. Maybe my favorite single of the year.



Au Revoir Simone: "Another Likely Story" - I love these ladies. Even though the video's pretty summery, the song gives me a deep wintertime vibe.



fun.: "At Least I'm Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)" - So I like Queen-influenced indie pop. This song needs to come to Rock Band post haste so I can (badly) belt it out.



Florence + the Machine: "Kiss with a Fist" - Who knew domestic abuse could sound so catchy? (This is another '08 single on an '09 album.)



Little Boots: "Remedy" - Again, loves me some pop music. And she's adorable.



Kelly Clarkson: "Already Gone" - Is she still hipster-approved? Screw it. I don't need my tastes validated by someone in skinny jeans.



Asher Roth: "I Love College" - I'm only including that because, though it doesn't reflect my college experience per se (where are the shout outs to a committed relationship, "Mystery Science Theater 3000", and wine coolers?), it makes me nostalgic for those days. Plus I feel compelled to inject a bit more testosterone in this list after the last few entries.

Note: Facebook users, kindly click on "View Original Post" to see the above videos. Man, I wish FB would embed videos when it posts things from Blogger.

*Officially released as such.

Best of 2009: album cover

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone - Though I haven't listened to this album (yet), I absolutely love the cover. Whether or not there are any songs on it about beautiful women wielding swords while perched atop muscle cars has yet to be determined.

Best of 2009: movies

While 2009 wasn't a terrible year for movies, it wasn't the best one, either. I didn't catch all of the films that I wanted to, but of the ones that I did see, these are the best:

1. Inglourious Basterds - Tarantino's return was all I hoped it would be. Well, almost all, as I was expecting it to focus more than it did on a Dirty Dozen-esque band of soldiers. Brad Pitt made me laugh and Christoph Waltz was outstanding.

2. Watchmen - I may be the only person to hold it in such high regard, but I really dug this extremely faithful adaption of the funny book. Saying "it could've been worse" is not high praise...but, really, it could've been much more worse.

3. Up - Pixar magic.

4. Up in the Air - Jason Reitman magic.

5. The Hangover - Hands down the funniest movie of the year and it still holds up on repeat viewings. I'm glad the world is finally discovering the genius of Zach Galifianakis.

6. Moon - Sam Rockwell gave an excellent performance as a man isolated in space (or is he?). It's a shame that he seems to be getting overlooked this awards season.

7. District 9 - Who would've thought that a relatively low budget South African alien flick would be better than most of the ludicrously expensive Hollywood blockbusters? Or more poignant than all of the Oscar bait?

8. Star Trek - Before this I had never seen a full episode of the series or any of the movies. I'm no Trekkie, but I had a blast watching this. Not enough Simon Pegg, though.

9. Zombieland - Obligatory Zombie Movie In Micah's Top Ten. This was the second most fun I had in theaters all year.

10. Taken - Liam Neeson is the Irish Jack Bauer.

Scariest movie I've seen in a long time:
Paranormal Activity

Jeers for not getting a wide release and thus I didn't get a chance to see it:
The Slammin' Salmon

Great parts, lackluster whole:
Where the Wild Things Are

Good, but didn't meet my sky high expectations:
Big Fan

Best of 2009: video games

Like I am with books, I rarely play games during the year that they are released. This is due mostly to limited free time and my damned thriftiness. (Hey, I like to wait until a price cut. Sue me.) But this past spring I procured an Xbox 360 and the amount of gaming that I've done has increased greatly. As I played catch up with a console that's already a few years old, these are the ten or so titles that stood out the most (and I played enough to make a qualified evaluation):

Rock Band 2 - By far, this monopolized most of my Xbox 360 time this year. Developer Harmonix has put a lot of care into achieving its goal of having this be not just a game, but a platform. Thanks in part to a promotion with Pepsi over the summer, I've downloaded tons of songs of widely disparate genres. (Simon and Garfunkel! The Pixies! Kelly Clarkson! Gorillaz!) I used to fly the Guitar Hero flag, but now that I've seen the light I'm squarely a part of Team Rock Band.

The Beatles: Rock Band - Simply a beautiful game that utilizes the best pop music in recorded history. Based on my own personal experience, this is THE game that bridges the generations. During one session I was holding down on the fake plastic guitar while my mom and grandma were taking turns singing. The only gripe that one could have is that, even with the DLC that fleshes out Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper, and Rubber Sole, there aren't enough songs. Bring on Revolver!

Marvel Ultimate Alliance - Yes, I'm a Marvel fanboy, so my opinion of this game is heavily biased. But I think that I can say in confidence that this is the best Marvel game that I've ever played. Snikt! Bamf! Loser!

NCAA Football 10 - College football season is a wonderful thing and so is this game. This was my first introduction to the current generation of sports games and I was wowed.

LEGO Rock Band - Pretty much just a LEGO skin over top of Rock Band, but therein lies its charm. And, hey, 45 more songs to play (The Zutons! Ray Parker, Jr.! T. Rex!), so I'm not going to complain about the lack of inventiveness.

LEGO Indiana Jones - Yet another licensed LEGO game. Yet another success.

Viva Piñata - Sure, it's a kids' game, but sometimes you just want the serenity of tending to your garden and making your piñatas get it on.

The Incredible Hulk - I've barely scratched the surface of this game's story, but I've spent countless hours smashing up New York City. Really, it's a great stress release.

Civilization Revolution - Once I started a campaign of world domination, I could kiss the next five hours of my life goodbye. It's like when I stumble upon a "Law & Order" marathon on TNT.

Scene It! Box Office Smash - No one can best me in a head-to-head film trivia competition. Yes, that is a challenge.

Xbox Live Arcade Games:
Peggle - An immense time suck and more addictive than crack cocaine.

Xbox Live Indie Games:
Miner Dig Deep - It's like Dig-Dug, but without any antagonists. All you do is, uh, dig deep for minerals and jewels. Sounds simple because it is. It's also really fun.

I Maed a Game With Zombies In It!!!1 - Quite possibly the best dollar that I've ever spent* and a great way to kill a few minutes. Plus, the very meta song that runs through it is totally bitchin'.

Solar - Extremely relaxing, this is something that you can start and just zone out on while listening to music or podcasts.

*Next to Father Guido Sarducci's "100 Balls on the Christmas Tree", of course.

Best of 2009: television

It's been said that we're in the new Golden Age of TV and I can't really dispute that. While the majority of programming is utter crap (thank you, reality television), there are more quality shows on currently than any other time that I can remember.

My television list is a bit different than others out there because I include only shows which had seasons that began and ended during the calendar year. I never understood how one could proclaim a show one of the year's best when half of its season hasn't even aired yet. So that would explain the absence of such programs as "The Office", "Community", "Parks and Recreation", and "30 Rock" (though the TGS crew has had a rocky season so far).

With that out of the way, here is what I deem the best television produced in 2009 (in no particular order):

"Breaking Bad" - The second season of this drama about a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher turned aspiring drug kingpin somehow managed to ratchet up the intensity of its stellar first season. In fact, the most gripping TV scene of the year happened on this show. By watching Jessie's strung out girlfriend choke on her own vomit, any hope Hank had of returning to a sense of normalcy at some point had vanished. If you're not watching this show, you should.

"Eastbound & Down" - Hands down the funniest show of the year and the year's best debut. I'm convinced that Danny McBride can do no wrong. (Note: I have not seen Land of the Lost.)

"Dexter" - John Lithgow totally owned his role as the Trinity Killer. And that ending? Wow. Just wow.

"Mad Men" - Sometimes this show's glacial pace can be frustrating. And it should be mandated that Christina Hendricks should be in every frame of every episode. My criticisms end there, since everything else regarding the show is perfect. I am eagerly awaiting the exploits of Don Draper's new ad agency next season.

"24" - Jack Bauer and company rebounded greatly from their horrible sixth season. Blood new (Special Agent Freckles!) and old (Tony!) and finally ditching LA (DC!) worked wonders to refresh the show.

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" - The whole "Seinfeld" reunion aspect was a bit misleading since it only occurred in a handful of episodes. Having said that, the extreme meta moment of real life Larry David playing TV Larry David playing Jason Alexander playing real life Larry David was well worth the wait.

"Flight of the Conchords" - While not hitting the giddy heights of its brilliant first season, New Zealands fourth most popular comedy folk duo provided plenty of laughs.

"The League" - Not having played fantasy football or being a huge fan of the NFL, I was afraid that the humor of this new improvised show would be lost on me. Luckily, pro football's just the set up to the exploits of five scheming friends.

"Michael and Michael Have Issues" - I love the State. Within that troupe, I love Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, so this show had me with the first episode.

"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" - The gang produced the most consistently funny season since the early days. Don't agree? Consider: a road trip, the World Series, a suicidal Frank, beer pong, the D.E.N.N.I.S. System, and Kitten Mittens.

Rule Britcommia:
"The Inbetweeners" - It's like an English Superbad.

Television equivalents of a beach read:
"Royal Pains"
"Entourage"

Good try:
"The Goode Family" - My expectations for Mike Judge's takedown of Whole Foods liberalism were high. Unfortunately, they weren't quite met.

Terrible, terrible try:
Sit Down, Shut Up - Given all of the "Arrested Development" talent involved (and Kristin Chenoweth!), the funny simply was not brought.

You'll be missed, I'll tell you what:
"King of the Hill"

Best of 2009: DVDs

What makes a great DVD? Sure, the content of the movie/show/concert/whatever itself is imperative, but more important for whether something is to be deemed a success on the format is the audio/video quality, packaging, and the scope and depth of the bonus features. Here are the shiny discs that I think were the best to come out in 2009:

The State: The Complete Series - I have been waiting years for this to come out and when I finally had it in my hands it did not disappoint. This 1990s sketch comedy time capsule has it all: 90 minutes worth of unaired sketches, the original pilot, interviews, outtakes, deleted scenes - almost all of which have commentaries attached to them. Well, it's not quite complete, as most of the original wall-to-wall 90s alt rock, pop, and hip-hop soundtrack has been replaced with generic music (though that was created by the guy who composed the show's theme song and other incidental music, so it could've been worse). But, hey, if that's what it took for this awesome show to finally get a DVD release, so be it. Definitely dip your balls in this one.

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut - The one complaint mainstream audiences had with this film is that at 162 minutes, it was too short! Okay, not really, but this expanded version fleshes out the dense story and stretches out the run time to 215 minutes by extending scenes, putting deleted ones back in, and most notably inserting chapters of the animated "Tales of the Black Freighter" throughout the movie. Director Zack Snyder's old 300 buddy Gerard Butler gives voice to the comic book buccaneer trying to stop a ship of pirates from terrorizing his home, which parallels the movie's narrative. Also among the plethora of bonus content is a faux documentary about the Minutemen and the entire Watchmen motion comic.

The Office: Season Five - Like with all of this consistently funny show's DVDs, the season five set is a must-have for fans and gives you a lot of bang for your sitcom buck. Each episode seems to have almost another episode's worth of scenes taken out. And unlike most DVDs' deleted scenes, the ones left on this show's cutting room floor are actually worth watching and are as funny as what made it onto air.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season Four - Aside from the show being hilarious, I consider this one of the year's best solely for the inclusion of a full length live performance of their instant classic musical episode "The Nightman Cometh". You've got to pay the troll toll if you want to get this boy's hole boy's soul.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno - Writer/director Kevin Smith loves the DVD format and tends to pack his movies' sets to the gills with deleted scenes, outtakes, and featurettes and this is no exception. Yes, Z&M wasn't one of Smith's best efforts (though it does have 2008's single best cinematic image in Elizabeth Banks' O-face), but its DVD is up to par with all of his other ones. The only thing lacking is the standard highly entertaining "Kevin Smith and pals" commentary, which was omitted because the film's disappointing box office put him in a pot-hazed funk and he didn't want to dwell on the production at the time.

Note: There was a smaller than usual pool to choose from, as I slowed down my DVD purchases greatly this year in anticipation of the Great Blu-Ray Upgrade (projected for 2010).

Best of 2009: books

This was an embarrassingly light reading year for me. The reasons for my lack of motivation were twofold. First, in the spring I got an Xbox 360, which heavily competed for my free time. Second, I was unable to attend the annual family get together in Hilton Head over the summer, where I normally knock out 4 or 5 books. So, as my reading pile grew (I was still buying books), my time spent reading dwindled.

It should be noted that I rarely reads books the same year they come out. I'm a slow reader and I seem to buy so many that I tend to get behind. Add to that all of the older books that I never got to and those recommended by others, it's hard to keep current. So my list does not reflect a true "Best of 2009", but these are the best that I read this year, in no particular order:

Breathers: A Zombie's Lament by S.G. Browne - Once you've read a certain number of zombie books, you find that they become formulaic and tend to run together. One needs a hook to distinguish itself. World War Z had one by matter of factly filtering the zombie apocalypse through an oral history text. Browne does it by crafting a romantic comedy told through the undead's point of view. This was a fun read, though a certain overused literary device got very grating after about the third use. You'll never look at venison the same again. The good: it's being developed into a film. (Yay!) The bad: Diablo Cody's attached to it. (Boo!)

Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition - Exactly what you'd expect from the Onion: hilarious commentary and general ridiculousness. Only this time their comedic tools are maps, stats, facts, figures, and history. Highly recommended if you need a good laugh.

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - I can't believe it took the then-highly anticipated feature film adaption to get me to finally read this. And I'm glad I did because you practically have to have a working knowledge of the story in order to follow the movie. But I'm even happier that I gave it a go simply because Moore and Gibbons somehow made a work about costumed vigilantes during the Cold War seem timeless. I don't know how I made it this long being a self-respecting comic book geek without having read it.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - Another "read it before the movie comes out, yo" book. Better than The Da Vinci Code, Brown created yet another intense page turner. (Short chapters! Abundant cliffhangers!) Sure, some parts were groan-inducing, but overall it was a nice way to spend my time at the beach.

See, I told you that it was a light year. But I'm hoping that I'll be more of a bookworm in 2010.

Best of 2008: albums

1. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend Ever wonder what Paul Simon's Graceland would've sounded like if it was produced by Wes Anderson? Here you go. Really, there's not one clunker on this album, a winning mix of orchestral indie sensibilities and afro pop.
2. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight Just a stunning album from start to finish. Highly recommended for fans of heartfelt music, casual cursing, and thick Scottish brogues.
3. Steve Poltz - Traveling/Unraveling This is sort of a cheat, since I'm counting both of his '08 albums as one. Each of the singer-songwriter's albums are great. Whittle them down to their best songs and you have a remarkable album.
4. She & Him - Volume One Albums by actresses-turned-singers usually end up to be huge messes, but Zooey Deschanel - with help from indie hero M. Ward - bucks the trend by keeping things simple and organic.
5. Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us This married duo gave their sound a little more intimacy by switching from organs to pianos, but luckily they still kept the wonderful, hooky melodies.
6. Neon Neon - Stainless Style This concept album about auto magnate John DeLorean (think Back to the Future) sounds uncannily like it was made in the 80s. Love it.
7. Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster/We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed Another two album cheat, but I find this Welsh band's combination of indie pop, singalong choruses, and glockenspiel (!) to be utterly irresistible.
8. Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind Though "She Left Me For Jesus" got all of the attention, the rest of his album holds up just as well, including his twangy cover of one of my favorite songs (Tom Waits' "I Don't Wanna Grow Up"). I wish more country music sounded like this.
9. Lenka - Lenka Unabashed pop fun. That is all.
10. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges After years of writing them off simply because of their name (I thought they were a whiny emo band), this is my introduction to their music. Other reviews have stated that this album doesn't "sound" like MMJ. So, I guess my favorite MMJ album - which includes "Librarian," a lovely song about my fetish of choice - isn't a MMJ album, after all.

In a first for the Micah World Best Of, I'll post the rest of my rankings in the comment section, so as not to clutter up this post. Keep in mind that I excluded from consideration EPs, Christmas music, compilations, stand-up/spoken word discs, and albums that I feel that I didn't listen to enough to give an informed spot on the list.

Simply awful:
Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head At least try to sound interested, hon.

Disappointments from favorites:
Del the Funky Homosapien - Eleventh Hour
Dido - Safe Trip Home
The Fratellis - Here We Stand
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Smoking Popes - Stay Down
Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak

Welcome back, cutter:
The Cure - 4:13 Dream

Best backstory:
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago Boy dissolves band, breaks up with girl, and gets sick. Boy retreats to Wisconsin cabin for three months. Boy emerges with a very pretty album.

Best soundtrack:
Forgetting Sarah Marshall "Dracula musical!"

So retro they're nowtro:
Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
Al Green - Lay It Down
Tom Jones - 24 Hours
Sharleen Spiteri - Melody

Screw you, music industry:
Paul Westerberg - 49:00 A full length album for only $.99! I just wish it wasn't one long track.

Kick-ass shows:
Gogol Bordello
Steve Poltz
Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter

Best of 2008: songs

In previous years I've only listed what I deemed to be the best singles, but I found that that is unnecessarily limiting. For 2008, I've decided to just jot down my favorite overall songs, limiting it to one per artist except for Frightened Rabbit, because I couldn't narrow it down to just one. Yeah, I went a little crazy, but here they are, in no particular order (Check out the playlist below; YouTube links are provided where available):

1. "Time To Pretend" by MGMT Who knew that an indictment of the rock 'n roll lifestyle could sound so joyous? Too bad the rest of the album (minus "Kids") is pretty bland.
2. "Dangerous and Sweet" by Lenka Best pop of the year? Maybe.
3. "Dream Cars" by Neon Neon The greatest 80s song made in 2008.
4. "That's Not My Name" by the Ting Tings I defy you not to sing along.
5. "Oxford Comma" by Vampire Weekend Who gives a fuck about an oxford comma? Me, for one.
6. "Oh Girl" by Raphael Saadiq So retro it's nowtro.
7. "California Girls" by the Magnetic Fields Catchy, distorted bile.
8. "My Backwards Walk" by Frightened Rabbit Excellent, excellent song about the inability to break off a relationship.
9. "Keep Yourself Warm" by Frightened Rabbit Quite possibly my favorite lyrics of the year: "I'm drunk and you're probably on pills/If we both got the same diseases, it's irrelevant, girl."
10. "God & Suicide" by Blitzen Trapper I have no idea what the heck this song means, but I can't get it out of my head.
11. "The Girl" by City and Colour Very sweet song, perfect for every wooing mixtape I make in the future.
12. "Man-Sized Wreath" by R.E.M. They finally rediscover how to rawk out.
13. "My Only Offer" by Mates of State The sound of domestic not-quite-bliss.
14. "My Year In Lists" by Los Campesinos! Fast, short, glorious, and to the point.
15. "I'm Walking This Road Because You Stole My Car (Don't Go)" by Fascinoma I was exposed to this humorously melancholy song on an episode of "American Dad," of all places.
16. "What's This?!!" by Teddy Thompson Man unwittingly gets thrust into a relationship and is cool with it. Micah likes this song. Second best lyrics of the year: "Take you out anywhere/Tie you to the kitchen chair/Either's good."
17. "Girl Downtown" by Hayes Carll I really root for Billy whenever I hear this song.
18. "Shameless" by the Fratellis They've only been on the scene for a couple of years and they're already bitching about the kids? Still, it's a fun pub rocker.
19. "Konichiwa Bitches" by Robyn Missing comma aside, this is the perfect sassy, Swedish electropop to blast in your car during the summer.
20. "You Don't Know Me" by Ben Folds with Regina Spektor My favorite piano man duets with my favorite piano woman. They should totally do this song at Howl at the Moon. Is Howl at the Moon still around?
21. "Evil Urges" by My Morning Jacket Basic libertarian philosophy set to a groovy beat: "It ain't evil baby, if ya ain't hurting anybody." Or maybe it's all about free love, baby. Who cares?
22. "You" by Atmosphere The lone hip-hop song on my list. It was a down year for the genre, but this song kicks all sorts of butt.
23. "Spiraling" by Keane The second greatest 80s song made in 2008.
24. "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. Best song by an artist I otherwise don't care about.

And some songs unavailable on Project Playlist:

25. "Fort Hood" by Mike Doughty Let the sun shine in.
26. "Once Again" by Steve Poltz An irresistible song by one of my favorite artists. This was co-written by Poltz and Jim Croce's son A.J.
27. "Could Be Worse" by Eef Barzelay But I take pleasure in this song.
28. "Going Back/Going Home" by Butch Walker His life in about 4 minutes.
29. "This. Here and Now. With You." by the Cure Sounds like the best of Wish-era Cure. The goths may balk, but I love it.

Best of 2008: television

The flickering images on the idiot box that captured my attention in 2008:

1. "The Shield": It was sad to see this show end, but oh what an ending it was - intense, shocking, and heartbreaking. Vic Mackey got exactly what he deserved in the end. And we got some closure. That's how a series finale should be done. Do you hear me, "Sopranos"?
2. "Mad Men": 2008 was the year that I discovered "Mad Men" and I'm a better person for it. Come for the high quality drama. Stay for alpha female Christina Hendricks.
3. "Dexter": Without a doubt, this is the best show about a Miami serial killer working for the cops on TV. This season's twist - having Dexter get a best friend/protege (Jimmy Smits) - paid off well.
4. "Breaking Bad": The best show you didn't see. Bryan Cranston, playing a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher who turns to cooking crystal meth, really deserved his Emmy.
5. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia": Maybe it wasn't the strongest season for the gang, but it did introduce the catchphrase "Wildcard, bitches!" into my lexicon. And for that I am forever grateful.
6. "The Soup": Thank goodness for this show. Joel McHale and his crew snarkily wade through hours of TV's wasteland, so I don't have to. God bless you, spaghetti cat.
7. "24: Redemption": After a very long hiatus, Jack Bauer finally returned to kick some bad guy butt. Added bonus: the portrayal of the UN and Washington bureaucrats as cowardly, self-serving, and ineffectual.
8. "South Park": AIDS, Britney, Lucas and Spielberg raping Indiana Jones, giant guinea pigs, Obamatons, vampires, internet shortages...even the usual dud episodes were pretty funny.
9. "John Adams": History is fun! Paul Giamatti...wow.
10. "Entourage": Pure escapism and I love it. Ari and Lloyd are still the best couple on TV.
11. "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!": This throwback to old school Christmas specials is nostalgic comedy gold and plays better on DVD, where you can ditch the canned laughter. Who knew Colbert was such a capable song and dance man?
12. "The Sarah Silverman Program": Crude, absurd, and funny. The adventures of Brian and Steve continue to be the best parts of the show. Not that the rest of it is totally ozay.
13. "Californication": I watched it all for the nookie.
14. "Secret Diary of a Call Girl": I watched it all for the English nookie.

Special thanks: the writers strike Because of this forced break, I was able to free up more time to go to the gym, read, and do other non-TV related activities. And then that all came to a crashing halt around Olympics time and I resumed my couch potato ways.

Note: I don't include most network shows on my list, since they usually straddle the line between two calendar years. How can you proclaim that a show is the best of the year, when only half of it airs then? So that explains the absence of favorites such as "30 Rock," "The Office," and "Life on Mars" (US) above. I've noticed this year that some critics are remedying that problem by making "Best Episodes" lists, but that would require too much thought, research, and time on my part. I'm lazy.

Best of 2008: movies

1. The Dark Knight: Way to go out on a limb there, Micah. But really, this is an all-around great film. Going in, I was skeptical of the Heath Ledger hype, but his performance was excellent and cemented the movie's place at #1.
2. Iron Man: I wrestled with the idea of having this take the top spot because it was the most fun I had at the movies in 2008. If there was any justice in this world, Robert Downey, Jr. would be nominated for Best Actor.
3. Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Getting dumped has never been so funny. And for the ladies: copious amounts of dong.
4. The Incredible Hulk: A vast improvement over the previous Hulk movie, thanks to Edward Norton's Bruce Banner and having the big green guy actually, you know, smash stuff this time.
5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army: Guillermo del Toro creates a fantastic world and everything is improved from the prior film (CGI, humor, acting, etc.). I still maintain that Ron Perlman's Hellboy is the best character to make the comic-to-film transition, visually at least.
6. Step Brothers: The last act lags a bit, but the first 2/3 is hilarious, if you dig Will Ferrell's manchild shtick (I do). My nomination for the best actor to go from serious drama to wild comedy: John C. Reilly.
7. Tropic Thunder: While it wasn't as monumental as it looks on paper (STILLER! BLACK! DOWNEY, JR.!), it still did bring the funny. From here on out, can we just put Robert Downey, Jr. in every movie?
8. Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Elizabeth Banks' face during "the scene" alone warrants inclusion on this list.
9. Rambo: Finally, an 80s action film for the new millennium. Buried under the layers of blood and testosterone is an actual message, too.
10. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Nix the sci-fi junk and Shia Lebouf swinging on vines, and it's not that bad of a movie. And let's be honest: nothing that Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford produced could live up to the years of anticipation.

Biggest disappointment (comedy department): Semi-Pro

Biggest disappointment (zombie department): Diary of the Dead

Safe bet for fun!*: 21

More Bourne than Bond: Quantum of Solace

I'm not in the target market, but I enjoyed it anyway, dammit: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

*That's my official entry in this year's Gene Shalit Review Impersonation Contest.

Best of 2008: video games

It seems that every year I play fewer and fewer games. But here are the ones that occupied my time in 2008.

1. Guitar Hero I/II/III/Rocks the 80s I went kinda GH crazy during the first part of the year, but these games are loads of fun. Who would've thought that one could rock out to the Stone Roses, Weezer, and the Beastie Boys in a video game? I am a golden god.
2. Audiosurf Ten of the best dollars that I spent this year were on this game. It builds tracks based on songs in your mp3 library, in which you guide your little space car on them, and pick up/avoid blocks that are synced to the music. It sounds very simple - and it is - but, like GH, it's a winning combination of music and gaming.
3. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Smashing stuff up real good is a lot of fun.

Note: Much like with books, I rarely play or buy a game during the year its released, it seems. I've been wanting an Xbox 360 for quite a long time, but now I have access to a friend's GameStop employee discount, so this may be the year. Or not.

Best of 2008: books

Since I'm known as a man of letters, I'm kicking Best Of Week off with 2008's best books (a.k.a. Pretty Much Every Non-Magazine/Internet Bunch Of Words That I Read Last Year):

The best:
Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller: I just really, really liked this memoir, which details Miller's journey back to God after losing his faith. It's written in a very conversational tone, which makes it seem like he's talking directly to you. While I don't quite always agree with him (mainly, his politics), I found this book to be both enlightening AND enjoyable.

The rest (listed alphabetically):
Dead Sea by Brian Keene
An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems by Glenn Beck
Into Hot Air: Mounting Mount Everest by Chris Elliott
My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays that Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face by Michael Ian Black
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Rock On: An Office Power Ballad by Dan Kennedy
Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me edited by Ben Karlin
A Year at the Movies: One Man's Filmgoing Odyssey by Kevin Murphy

Unfinished reading, so look for these on 2009's list (hopefully):
Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition* by the Onion
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Tobacco: A Cultural History of How an Exotic Plant Seduced Civilization by Iain Gately

Note: This list contains only a handful of books published in 2008 because: a) I rarely buy books right when they are released; b) I have a HUGE reading pile; and c) I'm a pretty slow reader. But the above is what I read - and dug - this past year. Deal with it.

*Hilarious book, but I make only so many trips to the john in a given year.

Best of 2007: music

Click and watch me grow.

1. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black Forget all of the tabloid headlines. This is one hell of an album, from start to finish.
2. Lily Allen - Alright, Still Believe the hype. Every song's a winner on this one. Maybe a bit too "British" for American dominance, though.
3. Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis Like Pulp? Then you'll love this album. Jarvis grows older, but with his detached coolness intact.
4. The National - Boxer This is the sound of summer nights, happy or sad.
5. The Fratellis - Costello Music Just one big, Scottish ball of fun.
6. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter Great songwriter who tackles many different sytles...and more often than not succeeds.
7. Nick Lowe - At My Age Elder statesman of pop realizes he isn't getting any younger.
8. The Pierces - Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge Two sisters change genres almost as much as they switch men.
9. Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion If you can't have Freddie Mercury, this is the next best thing.
10. The New Pornographers - Challengers Candaian popsters create melodies that are inescapable.

A note: I've revamped the rules for inclusion and the determining factor is that CDs need to have a domestic release in 2007 to be a part of the list. Because of that, there are some repeats from last year's list (1, 2, 3) and one new one (5). If you want to nix those from the list, include these honorable mentions:

11. Amy LaVere - Anchors and Anvils Country girl with a very unique voice goes bad...kind of.
12. Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated They've practiced their instruments since their debut, but have retained their sense of humor.
13. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala The best Swedish pop record I heard all year.
14. Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me Exceeds your minimum daily requirement of insanely catchy hooks.

Disappointments (in alphabetical order):
Crowded House - Time on Earth
Fountains of Wayne - Traffic and Weather
Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd.
Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen?
Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre

Best Soundtracks:
Hot Fuzz The mixed tape format really works. Adam Ant bleeds into XTC, the Kinks meld into the Fratellis, dialogue is peppered throughout.
Once Beautiful.
Music and Lyrics If only for the spot-on '80s parody "Pop! Goes My Heart."

Hilarious:
Patton Oswalt - Werewolves and Lollipops
Michael Showalter - Sandwiches & Cats
Micahel Ian Black - I'm a Wonderful Man

Best Compilation: Radio 1 Established 1967* 40 covers by mostly new-ish artists. Lily's Allen's take on the Pretenders' "Don't Get Me Wrong" is my favorite. Worth noting: By not switiching up the last verse with a guy, Girls Aloud add a lesbian vibe to Wheatus' "Teenage Dirtbag."

Best (and only) Concerts:
Tony Bennett
The Roots
Pink Martini
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Carbon Leaf

*Okay, so this is a UK import released in 2007, but I don't see it getting a domestic release, hence its inclusion.

Best of 2007: song

In my humble little opinion, the best written song of 2007 is "The Temptation of Atom" by Josh Ritter. It's the story of two missile silo workers. Isolated from the world above and on the verge of annihilation, they develop a relationship, mostly out of circumstance.

It's delicate, yet humorous and chock full of nuclear imagery (Adam = atom, get it?). And that last line - at once completely selfish, but also a bit romantic - gave me chills when I first heard it.

Grab the studio version here.

Best of 2007: singles

Here are my favorite singles* released in 2007. They are listed in no particular order.


Spoon - "The Underdog" Hipster band sticks it to The Man. With horns!


Common with Lily Allen - "Drivin' Me Wild" Honestly, I think Common's latest album is just okay, but this song is a winner.


Mika - "Grace Kelly" It's the feel-good castrato hit of the summer!


The White Stripes - "Conquest" Jack and Meg go bullfighting. With horns!


Kanye West - "Stronger" Kanye's ego battles French electronic musicians. And we win.


Jack Ingram - "Love You" The lone country song on this list. The video features one of this year's Crushes.


Jarvis Cocker - "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" Jarvis Cocker, Taxi Driver of the Year.


Motion City Soundtrack - "This Is For Real" Insanely catchy, with a chorus reminiscent of Icehouse's "Electric Blue."


Maroon 5 - "Wake Up Call" It's like a little movie, full of guns, cars, strippers, and Adam Levine. My sister's analysis of the song: "It sounds like Britney."


Fountains of Wayne - "Someone to Love" The highlight from an otherwise disappointing album. Great casting of Demetri Martin (who actually has a law degree).


The Fratellis - "Flathead" Dibs on the chick in red.


Finger Eleven - "Paralyzer" Sure, it's corporate neo-cock rock, but I dig it. The lead singer looks like Jeremy Piven's bowling alley-employed cousin.


Rihanna with Jay-Z - "Umbrella" I know this one flew under the radar, but it's quite infectious. Too bad stuff like this gets no airplay.

*Officially released, not just random favorite songs.