Burn The Bowery: Favorites of 2008

20 Sigur Ros- Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
19 Weinland- La Lamentor
18 Lykke Li- Youth Novels
17 The War On Drugs- Wagonwheel Blues
16 Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes
15 The Secret Life of Sofia- Seven Summits
14 Laura Marling- Alas I Cannot Swim
13 Wye Oak- If Children
12 The Dodos- Visiter
11 Land Of Talk- Some Are Lakes

10 City and Colour- Bring Me Your Love
In what was a very good year for acoustic/folk based music, this one flew way under the radar. This solo project from Dallas Green is passionate and effortless. The man simply has a killer voice.






9 Point Juncture, Wa- Heart to Elk
This one may have appeared even higher if we just didn't recently come across it. Although it's still relatively new to our ears, it had to be included in the top 10. Gorgeous, dreamy, textured pop gems that seem to build and build.



8 Blitzen Trapper- Furr
Our 3rd entry from Portland in the top 20, Blitzen Trapper deliver a detailed new album that grows on you with each listen. Great rootsy old Americana feel, with excellent harmonies.






7 Jessica Lea Mayfield- With Blasphemy So Heartfelt
Amazing debut from the 19 year old Mayfield. Strong album from start to finish and she sounds wise beyond her years. A distinct fresh voice that we think you'll be hearing a lot of for years to come.





6 Helio Sequence- Keep Your Eyes Ahead Our 4th Portland band in the top 20,the album features two of the years strongest tracks in, "Lately' and "Shed Your Love". Singer Brandon Summers severely damaged his vocal cords, which led the band to re-invent it's sound. The result is an ambitious album that beautifully blends, indie rock and folk, with ambient and synth led numbers.


5 Ra Ra Riot- The Rhumb Line If you know the story of the tragedy the band went through, losing there drummer John Ryan Pike to a drowning accident while recording the LP, you can't help but feel the heartbreak that plays out on the disc. Pike wrote some of the LP's most ironic tracks such as, "Dying is Fine" and "Ghost Under the Rocks." Excellent melodic indie rock album.



4 She Keeps Bees- Nests
In a music world that is often times lacking some true soul to it, She Keeps Bees delivers. The NYC powerful two piece is gritty and raw, and frontwoman Jessica Larrabee is one of the finest there is.





3 Damien Jurado- Caught In The Trees
Usually known for his fictional storytelling prowess, Jurado gets personal on his latest disc and delivers his best work yet. For a guy that's been around as long as he has, it's about time he gets recognized for this disc.





2 Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago
What can you say, the guy had a killer year, but still one that I just kept coming back to again and again. One of the years most intimate records. It truly takes you away to that cabin in the Wisconsin woods, where you can feel the despair.





1 Frightened Rabbit- The Midnight Organ Fight
Raw, visually blundt, emotional, exceptionally strong songwwriting. Plays out very cinematically with a beginning, middle and end. You won't find a better album from start to finish then this one.

new video: City and Colour-"The Girl"

Throughout the year we've been heaping praise on Dallas Green's low key acoustic project, City and Colour. The ex-singer of the hardcore group Alexisonfire, released his sophomore solo effort this past year, the intimate Bring Me Your Love, which features among many stellar tracks, the song "The Girl". Green has just come out with a new video for the song, in which he actually recorded all new audio for the first half of the video. The beginning softer part of the song was captured live, on set (under a bridge, on a balcony and in a few different rooms in an empty house), while the second half picks up with the original recorded version of the track.

The Girl

City and Colour: announce new headlining tour

Canadian singer/songwriter Dallas Green originally started out in the platinum selling post hardcore group Alexisonfire. Deciding to switch gears in between tours w/ Alexisonfire, Green put together some solo acoustic tunes that he had been working on and take them out on the road. The feedback Green received was all around positive and he decided to begin releasing the material. Green's latest release is his sophomore disc, Bring Me Your Love, which came out in the beginning of 08'. Having already toured the US earlier this year in the opening slot for fellow Canadians Tegan & Sara, Green has just announced his very first headling tour of the States. The tour kicks off Jan. 10th in upstate NY, and rounds out on the west coast in LA on Jan 28th.



Upcoming tour schedule:

Jan 10 The Town Ballroom Buffalo, New York
Jan 11 Middle East Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jan 12 Bowery Ballroom New York, New York
Jan 14 Black Cat Washington, Washington DC
Jan 15 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jan 22 Lakeshore Theatre Chicago, Illinois
Jan 23 Varsity Theatre Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jan 24 The Waiting Room Omaha, Nebraska
Jan 25 Bluebird Theatre Denver, Colorado
Jan 27 Slim’s San Francisco, California
Jan 28 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, California

City and Colour on myspace.

Wk 6/30 Video and Song of the week: City and Colour "Love Don't Live Here Anymore"

This weeks choice for Video and song of the week comes from talented singer Dallas Green's solo project City And Colour. The song is "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", which is a cover of a 1970's tune done by Rose Royce, that was later on actually covered by Madonna. The video is part of the new Myspace Transmissions series featuring performances and interviews with indie artists.
Green who hails from Canada doesn't have your typical singer songwriter background, in fact he comes out of the post hardcore group Alexisonfire which had it's own success, even going platinum. In between tours with Alexisonfire Green decided to put together some quieter tunes he had been working on and take them out on the road. Luckily for us the feedback was more than positive and Green decided to release the material, the latest of which is his sophomore release, the beautiful Bring Me Your Love.

To see the complete Myspace Transmisions series with City and Colour or other artists click here.