!earshot year-end picks 2008 : I am Collecting Beautiful Things![]() Chris White I have been the Music Director at CJAM-FM in Windsor, Ontario for two years now. On Thursday afternoon from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. (EST), I host a music variety program called I Am Collecting Beautiful Things. In January, the goal was to play as many different artists in one year without a repeat, and I should reach artist #900 by the end of the year. Full disclosure: I accidentally played the Toronto hip-hop duo, Art Of Fresh, twice but otherwise the project was a success.
2008 in ReviewAs the new year comes in, it time to look back at the musical year that was... The '2008 Best of...' Playlists The year-end playlist for friends and family is an annual tradition for many music lovers. !earshot takes a look at what a few of our friends and family from the music obsessed world of c/c radio are cooking up this year. Weirdoes & Movie Stars: Bazooka Goes Bonkers In the O-EIGHT Fader in the Key of Simultaneity Meat's Sweet Treats Picks and Pans 2008 Looking back at some of the best, the over-rated, local surprises and more... ![]() ![]() My Top records of the year 1. No No Zero – Rough Stuff – (Signed By Force) 2. Michna – Magic Monday – (Ghostly International) 3. 9th Wonder and Buckshot – The Formula - (Duck Down) Most under-rated record of the year I’m probably in the minority with this selection, but Anywhere I Lay My Head by Scarlett Johansson was a lot better than many may have you believe. It would have been more accurate to release this under producer Dave Sitek’s name, as you get the sense that he’s controlling most of the shots, and Johansson’s voice is just another source for him to work with. In Canada, The Soiree, Mardeen, The John Henrys, Farideh, Entire Cities, The Mole, and iNSiDEaMiND released under-rated albums that should have made them household names. Most over-rated record of the year Releases by Titus Andronicus, Crystal Antlers, The Last Shadow Puppets, Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, and a number of others that rightfully don’t come to mind, received a lot of hype, but didn’t really catch my attention. Best local release This was probably the strongest year for Windsor releases in a very, very long time. 87 Things For The Future, Explode When They Bloom, Fiftywatthead, Furs, James O-L, Johnny West, Travis Reitsma, Vex, What Seas What Shores, and a number of others released excellent albums that are worthy of this title. They all deserve mention, so don’t ask me to choose just one. Best personal campus/community radio moment or experience of the year. Hosting the National Campus Radio Conference in Windsor is the obvious highlight. It was fun even during the most stressful moments, but I wish there was more time to meet my fellow campus/community members. Record you are most anticipating for 2009 With any luck The Got To Get Got and/or Ghettosocks will release new albums in 2009.
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