Here are 5 recordings that made my hit parade in 2008.

1. Nukariik: “Inuit Throat Singing & Drumming” (Canadian Council For the Arts)
Hailing from Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik, in northern Quebec, the Inuit throat-singing sound of sisters Karin and Kathy Kettler is a thoroughly bizarre listening experience. They don’t even sound like human beings; they sound like mythical beasts that have come to take your soul.  This is one of those rare recordings that you might not want to listen to by yourself. While there are moments of tranquil vocal beauty on the disc, the unbridled intensity of tracks such as, “Geese” and the haunting, “Polar Bear and Wolf” are truly unnerving. By far, the heaviest CD I heard all year.

2. RPG: “Worth The Weight” (Industry Proof Records)
Simply put, Matt Conner, lead vocalist and guitarist for RPG, is one of the best songwriters for three-chord rock and roll in the world. The casual ease by which he blends powerhouse hooks with his sardonic wit is seemingly effortless as Conner and the band make the tired and true sound new again on the strength of his no-
nonsense compositions. Their defining tune, “Alcohol” is the single best rock song I have heard in many a moon, and the whole CD is filled with memorable moments that will appeal to anyone who ever kicked out the jams or took the highway to hell. Maybe not as immediate as their essential debut release, “Full Time”, but “Worth The Wait” still packs a mighty punch.
 
3. The Two Man Gentlemen Band: “Heavy Petting” (Serious Business Records)
The Two Man Gentlemen Band’s high-octane romp through hot jazz, vintage rhythm & blues, old-time country, and Tin Pan Alley is unabashedly joyous.  There are no heavy burdens or “woe is me” sentiments lingering in their spry little ditties to spoil your good times, as these two gentlemen have no use for cynicism. Good time guys like these have no business singing the blues anyway. While this peachy keen approach to music may sound repulsive, I would find it hard, if not downright impossible, for anyone on God’s good earth to not break out into a big toothy grin when songs such as, “When Your Lips Are Playing My Kazoo”, “On The Badminton Court” or the CD’s title track, “Heavy Petting” was played.

4. Man Man: “Rabbit Habits” (Anti Records)
The Harry Partch, Captain Beefheart, Sun Ra, Butthole Surfers lineage of great American musical weirdness is alive and well in this collection of forward-thinking sound manipulators from the city of brotherly love. Man Man makes perplexingly catchy music. It is an oddball assemblage of Bugs Bunny xylophones, frenzied percussions, haunted house organs and pianos supplementing the radical shifts in rhythm and melody that define the group’s constantly evolving compositions. First and foremost though, their songs are well-served by their postmodern vaudevillian sensibilities. Nothing seems to be done solely for weirdness’ sake. It just seems to naturally happen that way.

5. Bio Ritmo: “Bionico” (Locutor Records)
Yes, another Richmond band made this list, but I’m not kissing anybody’s ass. “Bionico” is a great CD and the fact that it was made by a bunch of people that live in my zip code has precious little to do with why I love their recording. Bio Ritmo have transcended their traditionalist past and have boldly created a 21st century Salsa that stands proudly on the shoulders of Tito Puente & Ray Barretto while incorporating Egyptian melodic sensibilities, Jamaican Dub inspirations and electronica into the mix. The propulsive rhythm section shines throughout, giving lead singer Rei Alvarez every opportunity to shine, and he takes full advantage of his good fortune. Songs work either as dance floor stimulations or heady headphone listens without sacrificing the essential elements that make both listening experiences vital.

I can’t wait to hear what 2009 sounds like. As always, I’ve got my ears open.