So this is the new year, and I don't feel any different...

...Death Cab For Cutie once sung.

January then, Freezing.

I recently moved to Sailsbury, and begun working as a Graphic Designer. 1 week in so far. Seems to be going ok, the work itself is pretty straight forward.

Though moving to another part of the country, where I know NOBODY, is quite difficult. For the first week I was living in temporary housing, until now, where I have moved into a shared house (that ive been in since 8:30am, and yet to meet my housemates...must of been out the night before) though I have briefly met them when I looked around the joint.

Anyone familiar with Salisbury?










thought not.

2008: My Year In Lists

Now then, 2008 was quite a year for music, it saw yet another Oasis album (which wasn’t actually that bad), The Verve got back together and The Killers released a record that sounds like the Pet Shop Boys, are we still in the 90’s?

Kings of Leon sold themselves out to every apprenticeship builder up and down the country, and to those girls who wear those belts with ‘rock’ glued on in those horrible shiny sequins. Yeah, I’ve lost respect for KOL, now that they appeal to this riff raff of a crowd.

For once I actually agreed with the Mercury award nomination winner, Elbow. Although I think their ‘song’ (we all know which one), will replace ‘that Sigur Ros song’ as to what will be played at the end of a Hollyoaks Christmas Special on Christmas Day.
During the year I have managed to listen to rather a lot of music, some new, some old, rediscovered my love for Neil Young and lost yet another iPod.

These lists define my ‘Top Whatever’, music charts for 2008.


Top 10 Albums:

10. Why? – Alopecia (anticon)
9. Peter Broderick – Home (Bella Union)
8. Ratatat – LP3 (XL)
7. British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music? (Rough Trade)
6. Takka Takka – Migration (Ernest Jenning)
5. The Dodos – Visiter (Frenchkiss)
4. Los Campesinos! – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (Wichita)
3. No Age – Nouns (Sub Pop)
2. Fuck Buttons – Street Horrrsing (ATP)
1. The War On Drugs – Wagonwheel Blues (Secretly Canadian)

Gig of the Year:

Shout Out Louds @ Camden, Dingwalls, 6th August

I love it when you attend a show, small one at that, and you find yourself singing along to every word, tapping your hands against your thigh and feeling sweat build up on your back. thats whats make a gig! 4th time I've seen this band, and if they continue to produce the goods, they might even challenge The Thrills for my crown of Best Band Ever award. nah. This show though was full of energy, from start to finish. The encore included a rather small stage invasion during their popular 'Tonight We Have To Leave It'. Note perfect (as always), and let's just hope that 2009 see's a new album from this lot. (even though it took over a year to release their second here in the UK). fingers crossed for more shows also.

Lyric of the Year:

'As if I walked into the room to see my ex-girlfriend
Who by the way, I'm still in love with
Sucking the face of some pretty boy
With my favourite band's most popular song in the background
Is it wrong that I can't decide which bothers me most?'

_
It's Never That Easy Though, Is It? (Song For The Other Kurt)
Los Campseinos!
We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (Wichita)


Artwork of the Year:

of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping


(this doesn't do it justice. it's a wonderfully crafted, fold out design. although most of you lot will see it as a waste of paper) It's also a really good album, although it takes a few listens to get into the swing of things (that's if you're not familiar with of, Montreal that is)


Top 10 Tracks of the Year

10. Ribs Out – Fuck Buttons (Street Horrrsing)
9. I Lust U – Neon Neon (Stainless Style)
8. One Day Like This – Elbow (The Seldom Seen Kid)
7. Young Love Delivers – Oxford Collapse (Bits)
6. It's Never That Easy Though, Is It? (Song For The Other Kurt) – Los Campesinos! (We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed)
5. Oliver James – Fleet Foxes (Fleet Foxes)
4. Nothing Ever Happened – Deerhunter (Microcastle)
3. Arms Like Boulders – The War On Drugs (Wagonwheel Blues)
2. For Emma – Bon Iver (For Emma, Forever Ago)
1. Hey Housebrick – Hot Club de Paris (Live At Dead Lake)


Worst Album of the Year:

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)

Why has, I Will Possess Your Heart (the albums only decent song) got a 4 minute instrumental intro?

...boring, boring, boring. Next.


Music DVD of the Year;

The National - A Skin, A Night

This is a great documentary directed by Vincent Moon (yes ok, I did emulate his style in my recent video of Milan, but thats another issue). This captures the band in their true format. It's an insight of the band recording their album Boxer, which was released in 2007.



2009 is the Year of:

Camera Obscura

Yes please. album. gig.


And Finally, , ,

2008 BAND OF THE YEAR

THE WAR ON DRUGS

Amazing band. Their record Wagonwheel Blues is one that I cannot stop listening to. Within this record there is hints of Bob Dylan, Neil Young style vocals, the attitude of an early Charlatans record, and the experimentation of an Animal Collective record. So much so, I listened to this album so much I decided to make a video for A Needle In Your Eye #16, which you can see via my page. (it was later seen by the band, which got me into a gig for free).
True. Also got trashed with Adam (Vocals) in the Bar after the show.
Let's hope they visit the UK again next year, their live shows are something else.





Thank you for reading, as always, I would love to hear your views on what I have listed. Please do check these out if you haven't already (except Death Cab...seriously don't).
Let me know what you think. yeah?!
YEAH!

there is more albums I wanted to mention, like Bon Iver's lovely debut For Emma, Forever Ago (which would of been #11). R.E.M., The Mae Shi, Tokyo Police Club, Vessels, Maybeshewill, Deerhunter and Frightened Rabbit all released brilliant albums also. But it was a tough decision to break it down to a TOP 10. but, I done it.

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas & A Musical New Year!

Aaron

-x-

Vain?

So, Whilst sat at home this afternoon a friend of my sent me the like to LOOKBOOK.nu, which is fashion website where you upload photos of yourself in different outfits, describe where you got certain garments from so other people can comment on your style. It quite a good website, if you are into fashion.

I know a fair few people who will slag me off for joining such a site, and claim that I have oo much time on my hands to not only take photos of myself and write about clothes, but to actually write about it in a totally separate blog. to hell with them.

It's quite a bohemian style website, with people from all over the globe on, which interests me. It's basically like a website form of Vice magazine. is that a good thing?

Life

Is something I like to document along the way.
Berlin, March 2008

Change of Direction

it's funny how things pan out. A mere 7 months ago I quit a job I hated and left a city I loved, all because I wanted to put myself in a better position. At first I thought, what AM i doing, moving back with the family for a start! I'm 23, I need my own space.

Little under a month of being back I began work on a feature film, ok it was unpaid but it was this that kicked it all off. I then went back to London to work on a website and promotional material for a company (ok, it's a different industry to the film work, but it all counts), this lead to some freelance work that followed, which then lead to me getting some funding to make my own documentary and editing two more short films, *breath* to landing a design job.

All this has happened in the space of a few months.

the lesson learnt here is, quit something you hate, why work for the man? buy a new Apple Mac on finance....and hope for the best.

It happens.

Effort

With this being my first blog post, of many, I was unsure of what to write within here.
I have decided to talk about the efforts I am making in order to secure a job within an industry I hold a strong passion for, and one I believe I can do well in. Design.

It's a tough circle, currently I have 2 videos to edit for Charge TV, a Website to design and upload, tweaks to another website that is currently live, all within a week. Possible? I think so.
Over the passed few months I have made decisions that have made me able to work on such projects - even though I am currently skint and off on holiday in 12 days to Milan.

I am also going through the procedure of compiling my Top 10 Albums of 2008, which I will write about towards the end of the year (it's not even December yet)

As for now, I am going to search for more video tutorials on dobe after effects, then probably stick on some episodes of The Big Bang Theory before bed.

until next time,

Ciao!