Since the year is halfway over, now seems as good of a time as any to compile Hypeful’s Top 20 Albums of 2008 (So Far…). Why engage in such trifling ranking you ask? First of all, I have an OCD-love of ranking things. Second, this year has seen some really stupendous releases in its first half. With plenty of new discs on the horizon, I thought this would be a good chance to spotlight releases that may or may not make it onto my final 20 at year’s end.

The following list isn’t ranked, it’s just arranged in alphabetical order. Also, I left off Vampire Weekend’s disc, because I included the group’s Blue CD-R in my Best of 2007 list. Let me know if I overlooked any tasty albums in the comments! Now, on to to the list…

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Sorry for the lack of updates on Hypeful in the past week. No - I haven’t been busy preparing for the Olympics (curling is a winter game, after all…). I’ve just been personally very busy and am working on a redesign for Hypeful that I would like to get up soon. I promise I will be better next week and appreciate your patience! Thanks!

MP3:
Tapes ‘n Tapes - “Crazy Eights”

About 8 songs into the set, Robert Been said “We’ve been doing the loud thing for about 2 years now, so we wanted to do something different. And we also just wanted to fuck around.” This was some of the most moving fucking around I’ve heard in a while. I haven’t seen Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in a long time. In fact it’s been since Nick Jago had to take off for “personal reasons.” But the notion of seeing the boys on the stripped down stage at Club Dada in Deep Ellum (Dallas) was more than enough to get me out there. The show was incredible alive.

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Wilco followed up their Lollapalooza appearance this weekend by leading Chicago Cubs fans in a super-casual rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Tweedy also stuck around for an interview at Wrigley Field where he reveals that his band is planning to play another round of shows featuring their entire catalog sometime in 2009. Cubs win, Cubs win!

VIDEO:

In anticipation of his upcoming two-disc collection of rarities Tell Tale Signs (Oct. 7th), the always-prolific Bob Dylan has shared a previously unreleased track - “Dreamin’ Of You.” Clocking in at close to six-minutes, “Dreamin’” is certainly a generous share.

MP3:
Bob Dylan - “Dreamin’ Of You”