Sticks and stones and animal bones can't stop me from having a good day on a bad day.

I've already tried to clue you all in to the fab new Kaiser Chiefs album.

Maybe some cheerful technicolor optimism will get you to hop on board this brilliant pop confection from across the big pond.

Enjoy some Good Days Bad Days:

The Best Albums of 2008

Once again here's Nelse with a top notch list of music from the year gone by. If you need some comparison, check out his list from last year.

1. Cut Copy “In Ghost Colours”

The memories of seeing this unknown band open for Franz Ferdinand several years ago at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver still makes me tingle. What an amazing opening act and a great debut from the band from the land down under. This follow-up disc has them experimenting even further with the dance-rock fusion with much success.

2. Vampire Weekend “Vampire Weekend”

Hands down this is one of my all time favorite records from 2008. From the first listen this album has become a classic with a blend of preppy pop-rock sounds with dash of Talking Heads, a pinch of the early Police sounds, and topped with a sprinkle of the Kinks. This is pop-perfection and easily played on endless repeat all year long.

3. Ting Tings “We Started Nothing”

Forget the hype and just take a second listen to this upbeat album from the Tings. At my first listen I have to admit I was less than impressed by the repeating “the drums, the drums, the drums”. Then came the Apple iPod ad with “Shut Up and Let Me Go” and I was curious. The album has become decidedly perfect party music for the past year.

4. The Killers “Day and Age”

One of the most anticipated of all year. Ahhh, so refreshing to have a delightfully energetic and thunderous third album from the Las Vegas rockers. Definitely another great stop on this bands long future. Are we human or are we dancer?

5. Robyn “Robyn”

A nice departure for this former one hit wonder from the nineties. She is back and totally reinvented. Cool electro-pop with a sharp edge and some tough ass lyrics!



6. MGMT “Oracular Spectacular”

So trippy, so spaced out, so cool, so I want rebel from my office job and play outside!





7. Estelle “Shine”

For me, this was what Lauryn Hill’s follow-up album should have been. I thought Estelle hit it out of the park and I crown her the queen of urban beats with silky smooth edge.


8. Kaiser Chiefs “Off With Their Heads”

Does everything Mark Ronson touch turn to gold? Not that these blokes would do any worse on their own. Definitely a highly rated album that slipped under the radar this year. What did I learn today “I learned nothing!”

9. The Last Shadow Puppets “The Age of the Understatement”

A great side project from the lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys that I discovered over New Year’s weekend after surfing some end of year lists. A groovy set of old school James Bond inspired tracks.

10. Lady Gaga “The Fame”

I have to admit that I was skeptical when this album dropped. After hearing the overplayed first single all summer I wasn’t expecting much else. Surprisingly the album presented some stand out tracks that I have been playing next stop. I also have next year’s summer jam pegged!

The worst of 2008:

Madonna “Hard Candy”: Great to see her play Denver for the first time and she still puts on the best show out there, but can she please stop giving us Spanish lessons while trying to sound urban?

Jem “Down to Earth”: I was expecting so much more from hew follow-up album after an amazing debut. Unfortunately, she sold out to the adult contemporary crowd. A few decent tracks, but sadly this one missed the mark.

Hot Chip “Made in the Dark”: Booooo! Way too many bleeps and blurps! This one gets annoying after the first listen.

Pink “Funhouse”: A good first single, but the rest of the album is quite a frightening funhouse indeed.

Record Delays:

No Annie, Franz Ferdinand, Daniel Merriweather, No Doubt or Lily Allen albums until 2009! Record labels can be mean bastards!

It's cool to know nothing.

The Kaiser Chiefs are back with Never Miss A Beat, their new lodge-itself-in-your-head single off their new album, Off With Their Heads.

I heard this a while back when it first showed up on the music blogosphere, but kept trying to ignore it. Frankly, the I Predict A Riot guys followed up their bang-up debut album with a middling follow-up and I wasn't too interested in what they were up to anymore.

It trickled around slowly, and I gave it every chance to impress.

And impress it has.

This should really come as no surprise to me considering Never Miss A Beat's pedigreed producer, Mark Ronson, whom I can't imagine having raved enough about in the past year or so.



If you like the tune, search around for the Cut Copy Remix. It's a sublime upbeat collaboration.