Bag Of Songs Top 25 Albums of 2008 : 16 to 20

January 1, 2009 by · 1 Comment
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Happy New Year’s 2009 everyone, five more of the Bag Of Songs Top 25 albums of 2008 for you.
Again, feel free to chime in with comments along the way,let me know your picks, what you think I missed, etc.


20 Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago [BUY]
I’m sure by now you ‘ve all heard the story of how Justin Vernon holed up for three months alone in a cabin in the woods of northern Wisconsin in the winter to make this record. If you’ve listened to it you know how he managed to translate the heartbreak of a breakup combined with all of that isolation into a set of stunning, powerful,intimate songs. It’s worthy of all the raves you’ve been hearing. What’s even more amazing is that his live show is even better than the record.

Bon Iver – Skinny Love


19 MGMT – Oracular Spectacular [BUY]
Giving keyboard based electronic pop their own twist, this is one of those albums where your favorite songs change as you listen to it more. Filled with some of the years best singles in Time To Pretend,Kids and Electric Feel, just about every song is a winner.

 MGMT – Time To Pretend


18 The Major Labels – Aquavia [BUY]
Sort of a supergroup of sorts, The Major Labels– Mike Viola, Bleu, and Ducky Carlisle rolled all their influences into what is arguably the best pure power pop record of the year,jangly, fun, and filled with irresistable sugary hooks. They also put on one of the best live shows I saw this past year.

 The Major Labels – Don’t Hear A Single


17 The Rosewood Thieves – Rise And Shine [BUY]
Steeped deep in songs influenced by the likes The Beatles and T Rex, The Rosewood Thieves put out one of the most overlooked records of the year in Rise And Shine.

 The Rosewood Thieves – She Don’t Mind The Rain


16 James Hunter – The Hard Way [BUY]
Another strong contender bringing old school style R&B and soul into the present, where Eli Reed mines the Southern sound of artists like Otis Redding,  James Hunter is more akin to people like Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, and even spent some time in the past in Van Morrison‘s backing band.

 James Hunter -Jacqueline

Number 21 to 25

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New Music : The Major Labels – Aquavia

September 17, 2008 by · 2 Comments
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It’s probably pretty obvious by now that here at Bag Of Songs we have soft spot for sugary harmony laden power pop and lately we’re really digging on the new Major Labels record, a “supergroup” project of sorts composed of Mike Viola, Bleu and Ducky Carlisle, all great artists in their own right. Imagine throwing some McCartney, Queen, ELO, Cheap Trick, and Nick Lowe all into a musical blender together, the result would be The Major Labels. Their new record, Aquavia, a loosely conceptual record about the record business is a progressive power pop gem and is ear candy of the finest variety.

Catch them tonight in Philadelphia at the M Room and a few more select cities in the near future. Don’t miss it.

The Major Labels – Don’t Hear A Single
Buy Aquavia

Tour Dates
Sep 17 2008 10:00P M Room with Hypernova Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sep 18 2008 11:30P The Mercury Lounge New York, New York
Sep 21 2008 10:00P FNX -New England Product- on the radio… Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 27 2008 11:00P The Lizard Lounge Cambridge, Massachusetts
Oct 10 2008 9:00P Yoyogi Zher The Zoo – Mini Set Tokyo
Oct 11 2008 9:00P Lounge Vio – Mini Set Nagoya
Oct 12 2008 9:00P Club Wonder – Mini Set Osaka
Oct 13 2008 8:00P La Cana – Mini Set Tokyo
Oct 28 2008 9:00P Red Devil Lounge San Francisco, California
Oct 29 2008 10:00P King King Hollywood, California
Nov 1 2008 10:00P Lestat’s San Diego, California

[MYSPACE]

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