artspolitics

This was truly the year of Afropunk with Santogold, TV on the Radio, Bloc Party, and Black Kids all representing for us minority rock fans and fans of good music in general. Santogold’s self-titled album was the album of the year with pop, rock, and reggae blending together to make a diverse-sounding and excellent album.

The only other complete albums I listened to from this year were Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, a great pop album from a band ready to be the next U2-like arena rock band. I also liked TV on the Radio’s Dear Science, the most pop-sounding album yet from the alternative band. I also loved Gogol Bordello’s Gypsy Punk,which is the most un-pop weirdest music I’ve heard this year- and the most enjoyable.

Some singles I loved were the unavoidable MIA song, ”Paper Planes” and MGMT’s funky ” Electric Feel” and the more rocking ”Time to Pretend”. I liked The Knife’s ”Marble House”, an electronic-y song with a singer who sounds like Bjork. I liked Estelle’s ”American Boy” and Adele’s ”Chasing Pavements”. Amy Winehouse may have had a bad year, but her brand of British soul didn’t. Robyn’s ”Cobrastyle” was a cute pop song.

 My concerts of the year were Lollapalooza with my favorite band of all time, Radiohead. A close second would be Santogold’s , where I wasn’t the only Black person at a rock concert!  That was pretty much my music year in review. I hope 2009 will be just as filled with great music as 2008.