Austinist Weekly Favorites

Our Year In Listening: Austinist's Top 15 Albums in 2008

Our listening hours in 2008 were filled with a hundreds of records, some mediocre, some good, a few great. The distillation of our favorites is a tradition at Austinist, and we're happy with our list this year, despite talk of '08 being a shallow year album-wise. We've covered everything from Cut Copy to Bon Iver, the Dodos to Girl Talk. There are three local stand-outs on our list, and no Vampire Weekend to be found. Before the new year, we'll revisit the Dark Horse list and feature a handful of albums that missed this list (and probably many others) but earned their keep in more experimental circles. Thanks for reading Austinist all year long, supporting, challenging and being a part of this music community we love so much.

Browse our previous musical obsessions: 2005's 15, 2006's 15 and 2007's 15.

15. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (Jagjaguwar)

You really know what you’re getting into when you pick up an Okkervil River record. Musical curve balls aren’t common place with these guys, but why change the indie/folk machine when it’s running so smoothly? Instead of trying something completely new, Will Sheff and company just concentrated on improving and beefing up a sound that’s already quite natural to them. A myriad of musical sounds coming from guitars, a Hammond organ, mandolin, Wurlitzer, banjo, sleigh bells, trumpet, violin, French horn, and more (it would actually be easier to list the instruments they didn’t use) contributed by twenty or so musicians are bound by Sheff’s vulnerable, genuine vocals. Even though some of the songs lie in the field of Texas folk or gentle rock with poise, like “On Tour with Zykos” (a nod to another impressive Austin group), while others stand on more symphonic, grandiose ground, all the tracks somehow form a continuous thought and feeling. And while that feeling tends to be heavy with emotion – due to both Sheff’s words and the at-times-overwhelming musicianship – it’s still comforting, especially at the album’s end. With this, their fifth full-length on Jagjaguwar, Okkervil River is showing some outrageous staying power. -William Mills

14. Cut Copy In Ghost Colours (Modular)

As we age and attempt to embrace new priorities, it seems odd to realize that we've never enjoyed dance music more than we have in the last year. In a year as bleak as this one sometimes was, it was comforting to have music like Hercules and Love Affair, Hot Chip, Friendly Fires, and (perhaps most frequently) Cut Copy to provide some beautiful escapism. The Australian band destroyed audiences at SXSW this year with a mix of electronic foundations, a live backline, and energetic showmanship that cut far beyond normal electronic head nodding and plowed ahead into full-on audience pogoing and abandon. Cut Copy undoubtedly have '80s influences, but they became unique among their peers by attempting a fusion of Duran Duran and New Order; the pop is there, along with bulletproof beats, but so is the art. And the music is pretty breathtaking throughout, which isn't something you often say about dance records. From opener "Feel The Love" to "Out There On The Ice" and "Lights And Music", it's tough to find a better opening 15 minutes on any album this year. The album is littered with great throwaway guitar licks, propulsive beats, and pensive but optimistic lyrics that can make any drive to work or daycare a Friday night full of mystery and wonder. We may feel older this year, but Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours makes us want to dance. Forever. -Tom Thornton

13. The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion (Lil' Chief/Sub Pop)

While few bands were more anonymously everpresent ("Oh Mojave" has been a Windows staple for a fine minute now), it'd be a shame to pigeonhole The Ruby Suns as a commercial phenomenon, as the often operatic and always textual Sea Lion is strong end to end, with almost too many standouts to list. The trio, an amalgam of the Los Angeles and New Zealand-bred, broke through with an album that seems like the theme music to the best Disney ride ever, and in a good way—willfully worldly and thoughtful yet with a healthy dose of tiki room kitsch, this would be a too-perfect soundtrack for one of those shops at the mall where they sell replicas of primitive cultures' artwork.

And if none of that sounds particularly appealing, trust that the choral fantasmia of "Tane Mahuta," the shimmery alterna-pop of "There Are Birds," and the atmospheric playfulness of "Ole Rinka," along with any number of other tracks worth mentioning, are in line with the most singular and unexpected songs of the year. And the band even manages to stun on "Morning Sun," the comparatively lengthy last track, slipping into what can generously be called '80s dance-a-la-eyeliner. But by the time we get this shocking change in direction, the album has more than confirmed itself as one of the most rewarding of the year. -Nick Courtright

12. The Dodos - Visiter (Frenchkiss)

For the music fiend, it's a constant battle of wills amongst unknowing bands for real estate on a painfully limited 2 gigabyte iPod. And this severe memory crunch makes it exceptionally rare for an album, especially one built from the all-too-familiar drums and guitar formula, to last months upon months upon months on a most prime playlist. But that's precisely what San Francisco's Dodos have done with Visiter, an hour-long joyride through clattering percussion, relatable pop lyricism, and a warm yet unexpectedly breathtaking familiarity.

While the album at first seems a little overlong, each individual tune is strong enough to make the thought of trimming tracks offensive, and as a whole the album makes a hell of a case for percussion's centrality in twenty-first century folk-rock. With a slew of mixtape-ready songs, including the furious "Joe's Waltz," the beebopping "Park Song," or the heartrendingly romantic "Ashley," Visiter (named by a child in a special needs class for whom the Dodos played a concert), offers perfect moments for flying far too fast down the highway or sobbing in the soup line, and at the end of the year stood strong as an album that felt just as right in the sick heat of summer as it did when all the trees' leaves hit the ground. -Nick Courtright

11. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont'd (4AD)

Following the groundswell of hype heaped on Deerhunter's second album, Cryptograms, it seemed inevitable that much ado would be made about the Atlanta quintet's follow-up recording. Leaked months before its release—the album, which saw its official release Oct. 22, was a summer favorite for many—Microcastle didn't stay hidden long enough to really suffer the backlash some thought it warranted. Still, Microcastle expanded on Cryptograms' chilly formalism with warm melodies and a certain R&B texture to driving tracks like "Nothing Ever Happened" and "Never Stops," and the addition of bonus disc Weird Era Cont'd, a full-length set of lo-fi garage-rock nuggets, makes the package a fully 3-dimensional portrait of a band exploring the limits of pop. -Matthew Dewitt

10. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (DGC)

This one-time joke band (see "OK Calculator") turned Brian Eno-channeling noise consortium gifted us with on of the most stridently experimental pop albums in some time, complete with an unlikely pop single, "Golden Age," and a pseudo-conceptual theme (the title phrase comes from a diatribe to the titular field of study that producer Andrew Sitek posted on his refrigerator). From the delerious rapping of "Dancing Choose" to the claustrophobic qiuetude of the gallows-haunting "Family Tree," Dear Science proved once again that Brooklyn hipsters are indeed good for something. -Matthew Dewitt

9. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (Columbia)

“Time to Pretend” mocks the rock star lifestyle in this electronic/rock tune with lines like, “Let’s make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.” But, the truth is, they’re probably much closer to that reality than they thought. Oracular Spectacular, a pretty arrogant title that almost no group can live up to, scored the four-stars-out-of-five rating almost across the board, and it hit #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. That’s pretty good for a major label debut full-length and first full-length as MGMT. They did have help from The Flaming Lips’ producer Dave Fridmann and those damn indestructible, infectious choruses. They execute the whole psychedelic, dancey, larger-than-life electro-pop thing pretty darn flawlessly and with minimal effort it seems on this album. “Electric Feel,” another one of the ubiquitous singles from Oracular, invites everyone to dance like it’s the end of the world, but in a funky way, without ever having to say it. The falsetto’s a nice touch too. The video for that song, as well as the one for “Time to Pretend” depict a lot of dancing in nature – one at the beach and the other in the forest – with psychedelic colors and hedonistic images sprinkled everywhere making the scenes so inviting. That’s especially so with the previous, which even features the forest party people drinking radiating moon juice while the Rock-afire Explosion (Showbiz Pizza’s animatronic band) plays along in the background. Who wouldn’t want to join that party? -William Mills

8. of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping (Polyvinyl)

Skeletal Lamping confirms Of Montreal's emergence as one of the premier psychedelic pop bands of our generation. The record is an experimental smorgasbord of rock, funk, R&B, soul, synth-pop and whatever else tickles main man Kevin Barnes' (or should we say Georgie Fruit's) fancy. The lyrical content is equally schizophrenic, ranging from the autobiographical to the whimsical, keeping the listener constantly engaged (if not puzzled). Songs, and movements within songs, flow into each other with no end or beginning, and by the time the third track "For Our Elegant Castle" kicks off, we've had enough twist and turns to suggest that we could be midway into the album. The mosaic of miscellany only picks up speed from there. "Touched Something's Hollow" harbors a hint of The Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill," "Gallery Piece" is a modern day love letter from Barnes, and "Plastis Wafers" could almost be an EP on its own. Lamping unerringly and unrepentantly marches through a hearty sampling of neo-psychedelia. Although Of Montreal may have digressed from the instant four minute pop hit with its latest album, the catchy hooks and unavoidable melodies persist, making Skeletal Lamping a truly unique medley of ear candy. -Adi Anand

7. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals (Illegal Art)

Within the first three seconds of Feed the Animals' first track, we're coerced into head bobbing, hopping and chirping along to lyrics that would make our grandmother blush. Few albums released this year radiate that college-kid-on-Adderol high quite like this one. Serving up sweet concoctions of dance worthy beats is nothing new for Greg Gillis, a former biomedical researcher who has produced three other albums under the Girl Talk persona. However, his latest project personifies what it means to party, with a silver platter of musical snippets reaching across multiple genres and decades. Gillis' reputation as a mix master becomes more evident as he (miraculously) finds pedigree excerpts from hundreds of songs and weaves them into a colorful patchwork quilt of musicality. The record begins with vulgar raps and hip rhythms, and delicately tapers into softer beats and subdued ballads. Early on, we are welcomed by Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" imposed upon an electronic version of Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike." Midway, we get a quick taste of the guitar intro to Beck's "Loser" before backing into Ahmad's "Back in the Day" chorus. Seamless transitions between songs make the album more like a concert with movements rather than separate tracks, much like a live Girl Talk performance of endless dancing and sweating. With each album, Gillis figures out a way to compile more and more, better and better bits of music with smoother transitions to his ever hungry fans—perhaps the inspiration for the album title. -Candace Birkelbach

6. Shearwater - Rook (Matador)

Through five albums of operatic pop music, Shearwater have made a career out of plumbing the chasms of the heart with a touch that can be soft and whisper-thin or alternately sharp enough to draw blood. On their latest, Rook, the polarity of the band resonates from the knives-out confrontation on “Century Eyes” to the introspective calm of “I Was a Cloud.” Each step the band takes peels back another layer of breadth and vision, and this album finds them coalescing like never before. Thor Harris’ restrained trap set performance and dissonant percussion flourishes suit the splintered mood of the album perfectly, and lead singer Jonathan Meiberg delivers his most varied and adept vocal performance to date. Rook is an album that not only raises the bar for what we expect from Shearwater going forward, but from all independent rock released this year. -Adam Schragin

5. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark (Astralwerks)

Following up The Warning was an impossible task, but Hot Chip handled the pressure with aplomb. Made In The Dark's schizophrenia was occasionally overwhelming, but in time, the record came into focus as a rounding out of the Hot Chip sound. This is a record made by music nerds for music nerds - by friends who love everything from R. Kelly to Willie Nelson to Skee-Lo, and can't wait to blend it all together into something original. The album's front end was full of bombast, and the end was quite sedate, but in between, Hot Chip threw us a perfect dance single ("Ready For The Floor"), some beautiful blue-eyed soul ("Made In The Dark"), and a classic silly love song ("Wrestlers"). The increased focus on live instruments and band interplay was a nice break from the past, as primary Chips Alexis and Joe let the other three into the process to positive effect. While this record may prove a little confusing for new listeners, the live show proved the mettle of the results. In concert, the overwhelming feeling you get is that these guys mean every note. They may be funny, but they're achingly sincere. We suspect that Hot Chip will continue to prove their worth as one of the most original creators of dance, pop, and indie music going forward, and Made In The Dark provided us many happy moments in a strange and dark year. For more on this album, see our feature review from back in February. -Tom Thornton

4. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (EMI)

Well, Iceland might be bankrupt, but its geographically cloistered musicians are still paying dividends. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, the latest full-length from scene elders Sigur Rós is one of the most stunningly verdant items to be borne out of the volcanic soil of that strange isle, both captivating and confounding in its scope, towering over listeners like an enchanted oak. Leaving behind the amorphous soundscapes-sometimes fierce, sometimes a bit frilly-of their previous albums, this is a record of a band tightening the screws, and focusing the laser of their collective talent on peeling down and piling on the nuances that were overlooked in their younger days. Every piston is firing: from the relentlessly hammered keys on "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" to frontman Jonti's tearful choirboy wail on "Festival," there are no missteps, no errors in form. While there is no "Glosoli" thrasher this time around, the music is no less affecting for lack of distortion, which would have appeared extraneous, grasping. They simply don't need it. Sigur Rós is as close as they've ever been to crafting something wholly perfect. This is stunning, daring art, forged by masters. -Josh Huck

3. White Denim - Exposion (Transmission)

With us for a couple of years already, local sensations White Denim finally put the touches on their first LP, released in October here as Exposion and put out in a slightly different form as Workout Holiday overseas. Known primarily for impassioned, bloodletting performances that play into the band’s keepsake minimalism, Exposion searches out a different side of the trio. Less blistering but no less smart, it plays with added instrumentation, silence and studio space. The buzzy “Heart From Us All” sounds almost wistful amongst the feedback, and barnburner “Shake Shake Shake” best showcases the band’s instrumental prowess. The sum of the parts is the story of an act with an ace formula but who aren’t afraid to tinker as they create. With their debut, a band constantly saddled with the descriptor “promising” have come through and delivered. -Adam Schragin

2. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)

It might take him until the last line of the last song, but Bon Iver’s creative dynamo Justin Vernon finds resolution on For Emma, Forever Ago. It’s a cruel trick – Vernon’s break-up album is so indulgent for the first two-thirds that one would expect the man who exiled himself to a Wisconsin cabin to continue to plumb the depths with his falsetto theatrics. Instead, the whole exercise turns therapeutic, to the tune of horns and a striding beat on second-to-last track “For Emma.” Surely he recorded all the songs out of sequence, but the album plays like it was all one take, off the cuff, and all of Vernon’s confessing really did allow him to achieve catharsis; for as “For Emma” and finally “Re: Stacks” play out, the silver lining overcomes the cloud. -Bryan Mochizuki

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)

If there's anything to fault Fleet Foxes for, it would be how unapologetically pretty everything is. It's just too easy to give this record a cursory listen and mistake it for quaint background music to a 21st century teen television drama. Reverb-drenched vocals that have the misfortune of striking seasoned indie ears with the familiarity of larger-than-life post-Americana outfits don't help. The fair shake, however, reveals a future classic issued by a patient group of artists pleasantly omitting complication. Perhaps this is one of the reasons their self-titled full length has struck such a chord: rather than issuing some kind of esoteric lo-fi challenge, Fleet Foxes bring comfortable genres and traditional harmony back to the forefront of a scene littered with vagrant sub-genres and vapid pop materialism.

The songs are lithe and epic, indulgent in their simple excellence. They serve as a reminder that some of pop music's most towering luminaries excelled best at the basic building blocks of composition and performance-Wilson's harmonies, Fleetwood Mac's arrangements, the Beatles' knack for sunny longing, and the Dead's earnest jamming. Nothing is wasted, and though the record features a small arsenal of instruments and layers (upon layers) of vocal tracks, there's never a busy moment. Perhaps most satisfying is the group's attention to detail throughout arrangements both liminal and stark. The combination of good songwriting and delicately superb production deliver a sort of anomaly on Fleet Foxes-things are at once crisp and jagged. Slips against the neck of an acoustic guitar in "Meadowlark" are untainted by repair, ghostly inhales before harmonious oohs linger between notes, there is an almost audible physical space to be heard throughout. Rarely is a young band's career is such praise so warranted, and we're all quite eager to hear more. -Paige Maguire

Snapshots: Holiday Travels - Detroit, Michigan

Editor's Note: With so many of our readers driving and jetting around the country this holiday season, we thought it might be interesting to see where you're currently reading from. To share travel photos please send an email to photos(@)austinist.com.

Detroit, Michigan - An Abandoned Past
The following shots are courtesy of Scott Miller, who took time to snap these abandoned buildings during his trip to Detroit.

If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.

The Daily Photoist: December 22, 2008

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group.

Foggy Day 2
BY KILLERCORN

Ask a Local: Laurie Gallardo

Courtesy Patrick Dentler

This winter, Austinist wanted to take some time to check in with some of our favorite local performers, artists and musicians to see what they enjoyed in 2008. Our request was simple: give us a few things that you enjoyed listening to this year, and feel free to include releases that might not have been released in 2008, but that found their way onto your turntable anyhow. We'll be sharing our own list too, but be patient and hear what some of our favorite folks thought was worthwhile in '08.

Today we check in with Laurie Gallardo, who besides being the badass host of many a show on KUT 90.5 FM, also puts in shifts as an Assistant Producer at the station. Gallardo is a staple at all the top concerts in town and she emcee’s a plethora of must-attend events throughout the year. On occasion, she finds time to deliver powerpop melodies with her cohorts in The Platforms. Gallardo has contributed quite a bit to the Austinist over the years. Most recently, she was on hand to conduct an interview with Graham Reynolds at Fun Fest 2008.

Here are her favorites:

5. The Lovely Sparrows – Bury the Cynics. I’m especially proud of, and touched by, this album. I’ve seen the Sparrows grow and evolve into something wonderful, and from the very beginning, Shawn Jones’ songwriting deeply inspired me. Very personal, very insightful.

4. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges. Yes, I’m well aware that several MMJ fans were appalled by this one, but I appreciate bands that aren’t afraid to take that leap and head in a different direction. Kudos to Jim James for some great writing.

3. The Rosebuds – Life Like. Again, another example of a band that makes a different-sounding album each time. This one in particular is one of my all-time yummy, new wave-influenced indie-poppy favorites, but there’s a haunted, mysterious quality to it, too. I definitely had this one on repeat in my car CD player. Something you listen to as you drive off into the twilight.

2. The Raveonettes – Lust, Lust, Lust. Oh, how I dig the fuzz, and these kids do it oh so right. It’s great rock ‘n’ roll that’s dark and moody, chock full o’ fuzzed out goodness. Mmm. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo keep the vocal harmonies cool and sexy. Purr…

1. The Black Angels – Directions To See A Ghost. Far out, man. Drone, fuzz, and all the heaviness I could ever want. This is something I can move to, or just sit with my headphones and listen as I’m swept up by the vibe. Again, this is a band I was lucky to see grow over the years. Absolutely stunning.

The Daily Photoist: December 26, 2008

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group.

Lazy River, Town Lake
BY HERLANIESHIP

SXSW Update: Primal Scream, St. Vincent, and Beach House

Image from SXSW’s website

While you were away at your family get-together or taking a much needed break from excessive internet usage this holiday season, SXSW announced a set of confirmed bands playing the festival next year, including Primal Scream, Friendly Fires, and Ra Ra Riot. St. Vincent, Beach House, Bonnie Prince Billy, Black Lips, and Dappled Cities are just a few of the other confirmed names we’re already getting excited for. There is a fairly extensive list on Do512’s blog containing rumored as well as confirmed artists.

The 2009 edition of SXSW Music takes place in Austin, TX from March 18th to March 22nd. Keynote Speaker Quincy Jones will address the masses on March 19th.

[SXSW Official]
[SXSW MySpace]
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[Subscribe to the SXSW Music Blog]

Follow the jump for a comprehensive list of confirmed SXSW ’09 acts as of December 26th.These Arms Are Snakes
Past Lives
Human Highway
Cotton Jones
The Coathangers
Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
St. Vincent
Beach House
Bonnie Prince Billy
Anni Rossi
Future Of The Left
White Lies
Passion Pit
B.o.B.
Sage Francis
Monica Giraldo
Quincy Jones
Black Lips
Youth Group
Dappled Cities
Blue King Brown
The Boat People
The Fumes
An Horse
Birds of Tokyo
The Drones
Kid Confucius
Infusion
Red Riders
Josh Pyke
Angus and Julia Stone
The Temper Trap
My Disco
The Grates
Ra Ra Riot
Gabriella Cilmi
Ximena Sariñara
Primal Scream
Friendly Fires
Buraka Som Sistema
Arc Angels
Courteeners
Raul Malo
8Ball & MJG
Reflection Eternal
Wale
Pete and the Pirates
Ben Harper and Relentless7

Week Around the Ists

Torontoist exposed infamous local fiend Dimitri the Lover's new protégé, Pavel the Lover—a man who approaches underage girls, calls them "elegant," and passes them business cards asking them if they'd like to "swing on a star."
SFist was disheartened to hear that Equality California's executive director refused to attend next month's inauguration due to Barack Obama's regrettable decision to have anti-gay and prop-Prop 8 pastor Rick Warren deliver the invocation, but perked up when attorney general and former (and future?) CA Governor Jerry Brown said that same-sex marriage ban Prop 8 was invalid.
Bostonist interviewed Jamie Sneider, a comedian who likes to be naked and checked out the action at Fenway's Cask'n Flagon, where fists flew at a charity ball.
Phillyist revealed the ten names rejected by the Campbell family before they settled on naming their son for the Fuhrer.
Chicagoist watched Governor Rod Blagojevich's quick speech and marveled at a local artist's interpretation of Blago in the nude, toasted Drew Peterson for getting engaged while his fourth wife remains missing and his third wife remains murdered, and talked about not much plowing and calling dibs on parking during a snowy week.
DCist commenters had a lot to say about whether MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski was really mugged outside the Georgetown Ritz Carlton or just fell prey to an aggressive panhandler.
Seattlest's coverage of Snowmageddon 2008 started off fun, with visiting reindeer and snowbound drink suggestions, but then two charter buses nearly took a 30-foot header off Capitol Hill onto I-5.
Houstonist started scheming to turn a Space Shuttle into a taco truck, a teaching lab or an arts center if they could get their hands on $42M to buy one when they are decommissioned in 2010.
LAist wondered if Obama choosing evangelical minster Rick Warren to speak at the inauguration would pick at the Prop 8 wound; to prove Prop 8 was still a priority, protests were organized this weekend, as supporters of the Prop filed a lawsuit to nullify the 18,000 gay marriages that took place in California this year.
Shanghaiist was amused by this video of a Canadian guy singing The Star Spangled Banner in Chinese.
Londonist salivated over space shuttles and skating Santas.
Gothamist got to see Governor Paterson (1) get spoofed on Saturday Night Live, (2) express him anger about it, and then (3) refer it the spoof again when he introduced a bevy of new taxes, including an "iPod tax" and "non-diet soda tax."

News Bits

Ask a Local: Aaron Mace, Curator at Church of the Friendly Ghost

Photo courtesy Tate English

Today, we're picking Aaron Mace's brain. Mace has taken up the Church of the Friendly Ghost torch at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre, continuing the tradition of providing space and support for some of Austin's most avant and experimental groups. Earlier this year, Pastiche columnist Adam Schragin interviewed Mace, and you can keep up with the COTFG through their email list. We recommend it: no active listener should ever stop taking the time to hear things that are new and challenging. We're so proud of Mace and his tireless contributions to the local scene, we just had to hear what he was listening to this year. He noted earlier this week, "One major common thread is that 4 of 5 here are what i consider "in miniature." That is to say collections of short songs that are perfectly short due to artistic refinement and ex-positive nature, and also short compared to other recordings typical of the genre." Sounds good to us, Aaron.

The Weird Weeds I Miss This. I really enjoy this as a collection of tiny wonders. I really can imagine gazing each song as if at a sculpture on a pin's head through a microscope. It really invokes a sense of tactile pleasure. Additionally, some of it it really rocks. There's a part of me that really only wants to rock, all the time. When you're really rocking, it can be hard to know when to stop, but these songs all stop. Really though, the rhythms and harmonies are so highly refined that I'm caused to wonder if the experience of playing the music and the experience of listing to it couldn't be farther removed. i am struck by the really realness of it. it is really beautiful. the weird weeds are my favorite band. really. just beautiful. (Nick Hennies curates an ongoing mini-series within the larger CotFG series, dedicated to listening, called Open Spaces. open Spaces #4 is Dec. 30th at SVT with Bill Bridges' work in magnetic tape hiss.)

Jad and Nao Half Monster. Alright, so this is something like 11 years old, but it was released this year in Misc. Music and Blake Sandburg put it in my hand. I am so very happy now that he did. I had heard a lot of Jad fair, but never this, so its 2008 to me. Listening to this was like going for a scoop of ice cream and watching as my ice cream cone gets not 1 or 2 or 5 or even 24 scoops but 45. 45 scoops. You have an ice cream with 45 scoops and some of it falls to the ground and get dirty. Are you going to leave that dirty ice cream aside to melt? No way I would leave it, I would eat it with all the rocks and grass and everything on it, even the ants. Ice cream all over my face, I don't care. So I mean that I found it a surprising and impossible to turn away from at the same time. plus my dogs really hate it. Well, I don't know if they can hate any music but they definitely do not understand why I play it all the time. I do love that because sometimes I don't want my dogs to be able to see so directly into my soul. Ha! dogs, think you know me so well? No, not quite. My taste in music is still mysterious to you. Powerful magnets, skeletons floating in space, two riders on a long, wild cow, stuff like that. This is an outstanding work of art and a real gem of a collaborative work that will sound current for a long time to come. Future-brain.

Follow the jump for the rest!
Ocote Soul Sounds The Alchemist Manifesto. This stuff is do deeply funky, it took me on a demono-cosmic space ride right in my living room, dead sober. I am delighted by this recording and I think that it manages a giant cross-genre negotiation with an fluid ease that is the mark of near-genius. I really appreciate the increasingly wide appeal that Adrian Quesada's music has enjoyed in the past couple of years and the fact that he is creating far reaching connections for Texas music in multiple contexts, several hard hitting recordings, and important collaborations. I had been looking forward to this project's release for months, and bought on the first day it was available. A ;ot of times when I anticipate a thing so much it falls shy of my expectations, but this thing over-delivered. I didn't expect such rich themes to be so succinct. I was expecting a couple 17 minute, purple-faced jam-outs at least and would have been happy with that, but what we got was much more hip that I could have imagined. Bravo, thank you, and looking forward to more. If i I had to say which of the five is top favorite it would probably go to this one by merit of overall number of times played, if only by a couple.

Alex Coke, Tina Marsh, Steve Feld It's Possible. I found that this record was a near perfect listing experience in Jazz. It has everything a wonderful jazz record should have: masterful players, mindfully executed virtuosic improvisations, a graceful negotiation of historical context and contemporary expression, unexpected sounds, poetic flow, spiritual energy. The sense of joy and adventure on behalf of the musicians is immediately palpable while at the same time there is this great sense of reverence to the music. This is the probably deepest listening I have been engaged in this year, and the recording has such a sophisticated aesthetic that it reveals something new on each repeated listen. nothing lingers too long, there are no bloated, self-gratifying solos. (The songs are even the perfect length, never too long to become an imposition on the audience.) It's all passionate conversation resultant of a long relationship among the musicians. It is the kind of expression that only years can help produce. I feel like we live in an exciting and sometimes frightening time, which seems to be reflected in the tone, cadence, and artistic choices at times, but never overshadowing the pure joy in music. Moving ahead in Jazz has never been harder to do and these three are sailing ahead.

Gary Barftits Good One Cheryl This one includes some of the last recordings of Cobo Foofaroo which was one of the first bands to perform at the old Church of the Friendly Ghost on Pedernales street. That band was aesthetically ahead of themselves even at that time, barely out of high school. Gary B had been working on this project for quite a long time and it the result is a fascinating collection of recordings that he very carefully rearranged into a slightly bizarre concept opera. Sometimes I have bits of it in my head, like you would have bits of West Side Story in your head for weeks after seeing it on stage. I'd very much like to see it executed on stage. The quality of attention here is interesting. its something one can borrow if you have a fantastic dream that you forget a few seconds after waking up. This music is endlessly fun. This is good music with real artistic merit, not "weird" music. In the context of contemporary musical expression over the past 50 years it isn't weird al all, but it might just stand up, and that's quite an achievement for such a young man. (Sam V., aka Gary B., performs in an acoustic duo on Dec 23rd during the Cookies For Prince Rama event, at SVT.)

Ask a Local: Mike Booher of Zykos, Booher & the Turkeyz/Ovenbirds

Courtesy Aasim Syed

Today we're talking to Mike Booher. Booher is probably best known for his long run with Zykos, but 2008 found him performing with the Turkeyz and hitting the road with Okkervil River for a tour. We'll undoubtedly be hearing more from him this year, and we look forward to it! Check it out: "On Tour With Zykos" (Okkervil River cover) (YouTube). Here's what Booher recommends:

1. Bob Dylan Tell Tale Signs: the Bootleg Series Vol. 8. This is cheating a bit considering this culminates Dylan out-takes from 1989-2006, but that's OK, I promise. It's an absolute essential 2 disc collection for anyone who enjoys songs, words, musical notes, or creative expression. Not only have Dylan's last 3 records ("Time Out Of Mind", "Love and Theft", and "Modern Times") been as good as his best career material, this collection chronologically begins with some remarkable out-takes from the 1989 Daniel Lanois produced Oh Mercy, and pulls staggering b-sides from the other Daniel Lanois record, Time Out Of Mind. The other massive highlights include the 2006 (Modern Times?) outtake, "Can't Escape From You", "Tell Ol' Bill", "Huck's Tune", and "Cross the Green Mountain". It's wild to think these are deemed out-takes. Any songwriting genius would've put these on his or her proper record, but not Dylan. We must give up calling people "the next Bob Dylan". Bob Dylan will always be the next Bob Dylan. Let's hope he lives and creates forever, or until the end of the world in 2012. haha.

2. Okkervil River The Stand Ins. Will Sheff comes as close to perfect modern songwriting as it gets. He's a hard working, kind, and naturally gifted writer, with a steamrolling band beside him. I'm not just biased here, I love every song on this album, but somehow I have a special place in my heart for track 8, "On Tour With Zykos." *winks at computer.*

3. Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It. A genuine modern soul record. Whodda thunk it? This thing simultaneously sounds like Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Sam Cooke, and a touch of Marvin Gaye. It's all the stuff you should already love, mixed with originality. Raphael sounds timeless and remarkably ahead of his time, defying the mediocrity of modern soul recordings. "Love That Girl" is my main jam.

4. Mount Eerie Lost Wisdom. Much like modern soul, indie rock has been a bit forced and stale as well (just my opinion). This record is gorgeous. Spotless, yet human harmonies from start to finish, courtesy of Phil Elverum and Julie Doiron. The music is spare but so affecting. In this sense, the sparseness feels full and heavy. Brutally honest words from Phil Elverum. Recently married, I love his observation, the deceptively romantic line, "Let's get out of the romance."

5. Fucked Up The Chemistry Of Common Life. Not every song is perfect, but the brutality of this album boils my brains, rattles my teeth, and somewhat repairs my lost faith in the current state of indie music. This album has an original approach, and actual musicality. It ain't no rehashed indie regurgitation or some indie hybrid we're told to like by the hipster critics. I think they would say it's "best new music", but God bless, it sure ain't a rehash this time.

Honorable Mentions would include the latest records by: Shearwater, Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Spiritualized.

The Daily Photoist: December 23, 2008

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group.

Austin Fog Monster
BY YOUNG AND WITH IT

Bill and Erik: Silent Night

Mac Blake

Ask a Local: Bill Baird

Image from Flickr

This winter, Austinist wanted to take some time to check in with some of our favorite local performers, artists and musicians to see what they enjoyed in 2008. Our request was simple: give us a few things that you enjoyed listening to this year, and feel free to include releases that might not have been released in 2008, but that found their way onto your turntable anyhow. We'll be sharing our own list too, but be patient and hear what some of our favorite folks thought was worthwhile in '08.

Next we have Bill Baird, the extremely prolific frontman of Sunset who talked with us about his favorite listening experiences of the year. In between releasing two albums, a cassette, and working on a disc of covers, somehow Baird did have the chance to indulge in music that wasn't his, which ranged from an output by a former member of his old Tonewheel Collective to Axl Rose's much-anticipated ProTools exercise Chinese Democracy.

Portishead Third I was a bit dubious when a friend gave me this. But I put it on and realized that somehow Portishead had gotten better! I liked them before, but this is beyond.

Department of Eagles In Ear Park Is futurist-retro a term? These guys sound to me like a vaudevillian Disneyland animatronic exhibit from a horrible dystopian future where we all live underground and dream of the good old days of saloons and barrel-house piano and group singing.

Johnny Greenwood There Will Be Blood Soundtrack No doubt the half the movie's power came from this soundtrack. It felt like the Daniel Plainview's inner life/turmoil being illuminated. And this was very frightening. Hard to recall when I've been simultaneously unsettled and overwhelmed by beauty. Perhaps staring at a 10-story Big Mac would be similar. Musically, Greenwood draws heavily here from Penderecki, who Greenwood acknowledges as a primary influence. For those unfamiliar, check out The Shining.

Guns 'n' Roses Chinese Democracy Actually, I think I hate this album. But that sound collage that starts the album elevates the comedy to a whole new Spinal-Tap dimension.

Mark David Ashworth new album OK, so this isn't out yet, but I liked it better than anything else this year. He played me the unmastered version when I stayed with him in San Francisco. Hold your breath, people, it's gonna be a lush, beautiful year.

News Bits: From Beauty to Busted

The Daily Photoist: December 24, 2008

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group.

Zilker Park Christmas Tree
BY UT-VAGABOND

Ask a Local: Josh Robins of the Invincible Czars, Austin Music Foundation

Courtesy Hair_Pie/Flickr

Let's take a moment and touch base with Josh Robins, musician and ringleader of the the Invincible Czars and Program Coordinator at the Austin Music Foundation. When he's not performing avant versions of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, he's bringing hands-on, real world experience to one of our most valuable local resources for emerging musicians. He's currently going through a rare major key songwriting phase, and attempting to finish reading the entire run of Dave Sim's Cerebus. Here's what he loved in 2008:

Opeth – Watershed This is Opeth's best album to date. I've always liked these guys in theory but none of their albums have ever grabbed me. Opeth refuses to participate in heavy metal pissing contests. They understand the value of dynamics and melody and don't pander to the metal meathead community. Much of Watershed is "so not metal" – but that's what makes the whole thing so listenable, memorable and enjoyable!

God of Shamisen – Dragon String Attack Playful, danceable, fun but not hip. GOS features American shamisen player Kevin Kmetz using his instrument way out of the context that most fans of the Japanese banjo are not used to hearing. Drummer Lee Smith is fantastic on every track. Lots of flavor here.

Sam Arnold – Thousands of Homeless Termites Opposite Day axe-man Sam Arnold writes consistently fresh, good and memorable songs faster and better than anyone I've ever known. Every tune is musically unique and full of imaginative lyrics. I love "Missoula" best.

Secret Chiefs 3 – Xaphan (Secret Chiefs 3 plays Masada Book Two) This is the Secret Chiefs 3 playing music by John Zorn. This CD has meticulous production, killer musicians (members of Estradasphere, Mr. Bungle, etc.) and showcases some of Zorn's best material.

Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet – Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet This CD sounds fantastic and captures all the little, beautiful nuances of each of this all-star line-ups individual players. Bela Fleck smokes as usual. My favorite is "Oh Me, Oh My."

I Am So Popular: I Got Me A Big Sparkly Ring for Christmas!

Editor’s note: The views expressed in I Am So Popular are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the outlook or beliefs of anyone else in the IST network.

Just because I can’t stand Christmas doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a nice gift. And so I must admit: I am beyond thrilled to announce that I got a big sparkly ring, people! And—keeping it local and all that—this ring was custom made for me, me, me by a local artist.

And when I say big, I mean BIG. I can fit my whole body into it. That’s right—I’m talking about a Hoop. We can’t call it a Hula Hoop, since that’s a brand name. And besides, this hoop of mine is bigger, stronger, and prettier than any store-bought Hula Hoop. It’s silver and green and white and I LOVE IT. (And, I confess, I bought it for myself. This is, after all, the best way to ensure one gets exactly what one wants in the gift department.)

My hoop was made by Austin Hoop Genius Laura Scarborough, who, lending proof to the notion that we are what we play with, is also bright and sparkly. I mean really bright and really sparkly.

I first met Laura at Maker Faire where she’d set up a hoop booth. It wasn’t a look-don’t-touch situation, either. She had a bazillion hoops scattered about for all comers to try. It was impossible to pass by without giving a hoop a whirl and, invariably, doing so prompted big smiles upon the faces of practiced and amateur hoopers alike.

Laura teaching a young Hoop fanatic

I kicked myself for not buying a hoop then, but determined to track Laura down and make up for this goof. For me, obtaining one would be—do pardon the pun—coming sort of full circle. For it was fully a decade ago when—as a poor, starving-artist/single-mother that wished to get in shape but could not afford the gym—I purchased a store-bought Hula Hoop and a copy of Abba Gold. The plan was I’d swing my hips to Mamma Mia and Take a Chance on Me and, in no time, be a slender-waisted hottie.

That time hooping didn’t “take” for me and while I dug having it, I didn’t use it with any consistency. This time around, I have taken a vow to hoop every day for at least 30 consecutive days, hopefully for a full 365. To get motivated to follow through, I took a free, introductory hoop class with Laura.

A dozen hoopers of all ages and skill sets showed up at the studio. We had a blast. Early on in the class, I noticed something pink on the floor. I wondered who’d dropped something. I looked closer. The pink thing looked familiar. Then it dawned on me: that was my underwear! In truth, it wasn’t the underwear I’d entered the studio wearing—it was a pair of pantalones that had arrived inside the leg of my yoga pants courtesy of static cling. But for a moment it did appear that, as in the Pants Off competition in Zoolander, I had hooped my skivvies right off my ass. Which, now that I’m nearly a week into hooping, I can assure you seems entirely possible.

Bright and Sparkly Laura Scarborough

Laura is leading a couple of First Night Activities on New Year’s Eve. For starters, she’ll be on the First Street Bridge from 3 til 5:30 p.m. with a bunch of hoops for folks to play with. Then she’ll hoop through the parade with a big group (you’re welcome to join) up Congress Avenue.

I asked Laura some hoop questions and here is what she had to say for her bright, sparkly self:

Me: How'd you get into hooping?
Laura: My friends Gabi and Julie came to a show I was playing at Ruta Maya with hoops about 4 1/2 years ago. They had been hanging with some circus performers and were getting into hooping and partner acrobatics. It looked so fun - so I tried a hoop on after the show. I was flailing around like mad (not having much success) but was so determined. I wanted to get it! Gabi let me take a hoop home with me so I could work on it. I took the hoop hostage for 4 months – and hooped everyday. I wanted to take something I was terrible at and become a master at it. If I could do that anything was possible. That began my amazing transformative hoop journey.

Me: You're also a musician?
Laura: I've performed music in Austin since 1998. I play piano / sing with a jazz trio called the Mingtones – but am deep into laptop and Ableton music software for processing my voice, doing on-the-fly sampling, and running beats. I play vibraphone, accordion, and synthesizer with Suzanna Choffel locally and work with a dance / multi media performance group called Quixotic based out of Kansas City.

Me: At what point did you decide to go to the next level and teach hooping?
Laura: In the Spring of this year 2008. I went to Santa Barbara and did some teacher training certification with HoopGirl Christabel Zamor. I consider myself a hoop advocate. Hooping has been so transformative and healing for me over the last 4 years – I want others to experience the wonderful empowerment and joy the hoop brings. I feel that now I've arrived at a point in my experience and skill that I can share a bit more and hopefully inspire and motivate others to keep a regular hoop routine.

First Night

Me: What are the biggest changes you've experienced since you started hooping? Laura: Confidence – discovering my body opening and becoming stronger and more flexible. I've discovered how to move my body. I've experienced emotional and physical transformation – toning in the arms and back and much more endurance and strength. I feel joy and light. I'm generally sharper and more inspired with other aspects in my life – It makes me feel soooo good. The hoop transformed my general outlook to a much more positive perspective.

Me: When you are out at places like Maker Faire, do folks instantly connect with the element of fun? Or are there some cynics that dismiss the whole hoop thing?
Laura: I think most people thinks its rad and connect with the element of fun. Some people are just shy - especially about moving their bodies in a public space - but surprisingly most people get past their initial shyness and give it a whirl because it looks so fun – many times they have friends (and me) encouraging them. When they find success in their initial hooping experience they light up with joy. I love it!!

Me: Who is hooping for?
Laura: Hooping is for the one inside it. It's about you being the center of rotation. Feeling the rhythm of the hoop with the rhythm of your body.
Experiencing the amazing massaging feeling of love around you and in you. Hooping teaches you how to listen and love yourself. It makes you feel youthful and empowered. I've seen every type of person in a hoop— men, women, grandmas, little / medium / big kids, babies. I've seen a 2 year-old play with a hoop and introduced a 90 year-old to the hoop in Germany.
The circle is timeless.

Me: What are the benefits of hooping?
Laura: Countless good things for the mind and body. To name a few—it’s a low impact exercise, it builds core strength, it burns fat and speeds weight loss, it’s aerobic, it builds neurological pathways, it reduces stress, and it generates feelings of sexiness and radiance.

Me: Is hooping really the next yoga?
Laura: Hooping is exploding in a wave just like yoga, pilates, and Nia because of the great things it provides for the body and mind. I've never been disciplined enough to attend regular yoga classes, or go to the gym, or have a personal trainer. Hooping is this AWESOME thing you can do whenever, almost wherever, and for however long you want. I'll hoop for 5-10 minutes just to get my blood flow going or I'll just get in a groove and practice 30 minutes – 2 hours. I hoop to warm up before gigs, I use it to massage my arms if I've been doing too much computer geeking, and I use it to stimulate my brain and move my blood. I do it when I'm bored. I do it if I need to massage my back. I do it on a phone calls. It's the best short attention span work out. You can burn up to 100 calories in 10 minutes with vigorous high energy hooping!

Spike Gillespie is totally sold on hooping. She blogs regularly at LaunchPad Coworking and www.spikeg.com. She is also head mistress for the Dick Monologues. Email her if you want to reserve tickets the Frontera Fest shows: spike@spikeg.com.

Weekend Music Preview: Gabe Hascall @ The Mohawk & Unwrapped @ Lamberts

Image from Everybody Knows Everyone’s MySpace

If you’re not familiar with Gabe Hascall’s contributions to Austin’s music history, then you best head to The Mohawk on Sunday evening when he performs a combination of new solo material as well as classics from his storied past. Hascall was a core member of The Impossibles. The band’s early ska output was a mainstay of the college and live music scene in town in the 90’s. After dealing with some internal issues, the band bounced back with 2000’s Return, boasting a new powerpop sound and a plethora of anthemic sing-alongs like “Enter/Return,” “(Never) Say Goodbye,” “Connecticut,” “This Is Fuckin Tragic,” “Oh Angelina,” and “Hey, You Kids!” The 4 Song Brick Bomb EP followed in 2001.

The Impossibles played its final two shows in 2002 (at Emo’s in June). Hascall and fellow Impossible Rory Phillips immediately turned their attention to a new project, the Grandaddy / Elliott Smith-esque Slowreader. The self-titled debut full-length arrived in September of that year and contained a somber collection of songs that showcased the duo’s maturity and their penchant for crafting poignant lyrics. Hascall has since moved to Portland while Phillips continues to make his mark in Austin with The Artificial Heart and the Everybody Knows Everyone shindigs. In fact, Sunday’s show is an EKE production. Check out Hascall’s new recordings (more akin to Slowreader than The Impossibles) on his MySpace page; enjoy them live in concert this Sunday at The Mohawk.

Image provided by Platypus Promotions

Celebrate the prodigious talent and disparate sounds that Austin cultivates each year with an amazing line-up of local noise-brokers at Emo’s (Inside) on Saturday. Cry Blood Apache’s always blistering post-electro performance will be preceded by Finally Punk’s spurts of cacophonous rock, Total Abuse’s belligerent punk ditties, and No Mas Bodas’ multi-instrumental panache.

Other choice shows in town this Saturday include Old 97’s at La Zona Rosa, Transmography at Hole In The Wall, Shallows A.D. at The Mohawk, Glasnost at Beauty Bar, and Black Panda at Room 710.

But before all that, kick your weekend off with some mighty delicious Barbecue at Lamberts (Menu) on Friday and stick around for Unwrapped upstairs (presented by Platypus Promotions) and curated by DJ Jester The Filipino Fist and Richard Henry. We chatted briefly with Henry at Fun Fest 2008 -- watch our interview below.

Richard Henry - Fun Fun Fun Fest Interviews
Music Videos at www.roxwel.com

Check out the Austinist Weekend Music Preview Slideshow below for details on a number of events in town this weekend.

Images from MySpace / provided by entity.

Ask a Local: Chris Rose/Car Stereo (Wars)

Courtesy Annie Ray

Chris Rose is better known around town as the prolific and tireless DJ Car Stereo (Wars), spinning hip hop and pop favorites regularly around town for eager audiences. His album, The Bandit, was released in 2007 on local boutique label Artifact Workshop. What does someone with their finger on the pulse of our inner dancers listen to when he's alone? Let's find out:

1. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin I didn't care about this album at all until I saw their phenomenal ACL performance this last September. Since then, I feel like I've been listening to it non-stop and it hasn't stopped getting better. Everything about this record is just chillingly and hauntingly perfect. It was a great late year discovery for me.

2. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive Bands like The Hold Steady just make me happy about music. When I try to describe them to friends that have never heard of them, I find myself always using a useless series of conditional phrases like "it's like....but not like...and kind of similar to...but not too much..." In the end, it's just refreshingly original, tongue in cheek, fun rock 'n roll. I would also really love to hear Craig Finn take on a second career reading audiobooks. I don't even care what they are (it could even be that awful Eat, Love, Pray book...), but with his lyrical punctuation anything can take on a whole new importance. I don't really have an explanation for why, but when I listen to The Hold Steady, I like to picture every song as a soundtrack for that gas card montage scene in Reality Bites. Wouldn't it be great if Winona Ryder was your Little Hoodrat Friend?

3. The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride I don't think anything really in particular stands out about this album to separate it from other recent Mountain Goats releases, but they're all just so solid and amazing that just the simple fact that there is a Mountain Goats album that's new this year is enough to already make it one of my favorites of the year. I think that John Darnielle might end up like Woody Allen: quirky, eccentric and such a continuously hard-worker that his huge library of work might not be fully appreciated until years later. Even if that is true, I feel privileged to be able to absorb as much as I can right now.

Follow the jump to read the rest. 4. T.I. - Paper Trails This album is just one jam after another. I'm still discovering new songs that are becoming my favorites almost every day. The two big singles are of course very solid. Some of the best Rhianna ever. "Whatever You Like" might be the biggest jam since... "What You Know About That." If nothing else, it's this year's Good Life. T.I., you can do no wrong ... except maybe buying a whole lot of machine guns and violating your parole.

5. T-Pain - Thr33 Ringz Why does the most influential robot/person in hip-hop of the last few years insist on wearing silly hats that he bought at Six Flags? I have no idea. But if three years ago someone would have told me that the dude that wrote "I'm In Love with a Stripper" would be the most popular hip hop phenomenon in the world right now, I would not have believed it. Even less believable is that I would love it as much as I do. There's no better guilty pleasure than T-Pain! He's everything that's right about pure pop excess. Strip away any measure of pretension or integrity and give people what they want: a round-about way to rhyme mansion with wescansin. T-Pain is like the Jason Stathem of music. 2007's Epiphany was his Crank. Nothing will ever top it. Ever. Thr33 Ringz is his Transporter 3. It's not quite as good, but just as fun and indulgent.

Honorable Mentions: Astronautalis / David Vandervelde / The Killers / Kanye West

The Daily Photoist: December 25, 2008

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group.

Merry Christmas
BY RECOVERING LAZYHOLIC