PK's Top Albums of the Year

Each year I buy a lot of music.  It's a hobby and an addiction, I just can't help it.  After absorbing all of the new music over the course of the year, I attempt to compile a list of what *I* feel was the best.  This list always changes over the course of the year, but I feel pretty strongly about what I came up with.  Go buy some records.

TOP 10 CDs of 2008
1. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
2. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
3. Deerhunter - Microcastle & Weird Era Cont.
4. Boris - Smile
5. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
6. The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion
7. Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair
8. Hayden - In Field & Town
9. Russian Circles - Station
10. The Dodos - Visiter

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):
Atlas Sound - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams
Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
Metronomy - Nights Out
Okkervil River - The Stand-Ins
Sebastien Tellier - Sexuality

Metalworks Photos

Photos from the studio by Brooks Reynolds. Drums for the album are done, hoorah!

Return to the Studio

Back in the studio again, working on the new album. It feels like just the other day we were out in California recording the last one. The whole process is always exhausting but the outcome makes it totally worth the effort. This time is no different, but I feel like it's off to a better start than ever before. Our producer rules and I am excited about all of the new songs. The time at home has already flown by and now I need to start preparing for the Holidays. Right now I'm just focusing on recording and everything else will come second. Off to the Broken Social Scene show tomorrow night, stoked about that.

Propaganda

liars manifesto - new shit coming soon.

buffalo for the day off,  full from cheesecake factory.  avocado eggrolls rule my world.  metronomy - nights out is a great album.  on twitter now, whatever the hell that is.  cnn is repetitive and boring.  i'm home soon.  much of what day consisted of, oh and a lot of work.  busyyyyyyy.  it has instantly become cold and i can't handle the cold.

Halloween 2008

This year our whole band decided to dress up as our favorite cartoon band, "Dethklok" (from Adult Swim's Metalocalypse).  The drummer is known as "Pickles" and was the character for my costume.  Pictured above is the comparison between the actual and what I was able to pull off.  Here is a group picture of the rest of everyone:

Good times!

OBAMANIA

A new president was elected tonight who will hopefully change a lot of things that are wrong with America. I'm from Canada, and while the election doesn't directly affect how my government is run, it will still impact my economy and the way that my country deals with the US. America is not the world, but it's significance and influence still overpowers a vast majority of the other nations.

We had a day off in Virginia today as a result of the election so it was nice to be able to watch the coverage and take it all in. It's especially interesting to be down here in America at this very important time. All of this will be imprinted in o ur minds for years to come. I'll always remember this evening, and the outcome of these events.

Tour is coming to a close in less than 2 weeks after a very successful run to the west coast and back. Warm weather is disappearing and fall is reappearing around us. Leaves are colored again and the nights have become darker. The summer feels so far away now after all that has happened. This year is a flash in the pan, just as any other, but at least it was well absorbed and enjoyed.

I'm happy these days. Things have turned around and I'm feeling a lot more focused in my life. Time off at home soon, even though it will be mostly spent in the studio. 4 days to get everything in order upon my arrival back home and then it's time to focus on music.

Speaking of music, buy the Chad VanGaalen record and anything by Russian Circles. 2008, A great year for music. I already have a hard time thinking of my top 10 records for the year, while about 20 or so stick out in my mind. The Gang Gang Dance record is blowing my mind too. Music gives me solitude and reflectiveness.