A Beta-Alpha-Cal Glance At My Favorite 10 Albums From 2008

There are only a few albums in my collection that PR people send me that I actually like; let along do they make it onto a “Best Of” list. But KaiserCartel’s “March Forth” is one of them.


What I really LOVE about this album: the singing. Benjamin and Courtney harmonize like espresso and whipped cream. Like peppermint schnapps and hot chocolate. Like Chai tea and steamed milk. Their singing warms me up and makes me smile.

Musically, KaiserCartel play mostly acoustic instruments with a limited amount of percussion. When they do use big bass drums or the glockenspiel they use them in effective ways that don’t take away from the rest of the song.

The album as a whole has a cinematic feel. By that I mean, their music is dramatic. Ben and Court learned how to use dynamics from the Romantic composures.

One other thing, when Courtney sings, I image Chuck from Pushing Daisies – a show a dearly love, a show that brings me great joy to watch. So, listening makes me happy on many levels.

Listen:
KaiserCartel ∞ Oh No

Obligatory recap:
Thao: We Brave Bee Stings and All
Ben Sollee: Learning To Bend
Jenny Scheinman: Jenny Scheinman
Old Crow Medicine Show: Tennessee Pusher
Noah And The Whale: Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down
K.C. McKanzie: Hammer & Nails

More:
Best of 2008