If you’ve been browsing the interweb over the last couple of weeks you may have come across a “Best of 2008″ list of one type or another. The best movies, the best songs, the best pet food, the best pants worn by a celebrity, the best organic milk, the best “best of” lists and so on. Well here at Pop Culture Coast-to-Coast, we dare to be different. Usually. In this case I will lead us into the familiar territory of conformity, followed by shame, and give you another such offering. However, this means you get to see yet another list of the top tracks of 2008 so that you can hear even more opinions about what “experts” think was the best music of the year. In my defense, I’m an expert without the quotation marks. Let’s get to it:

#20 Sara Bareilles - Bottle It Up

Her piano-laden jam Love Song was one of the biggest songs of the year, but her finest pop-creation was the lesser known, second single Bottle It Up. A little more funk and R&B than her most popular track, this song provides a groove that Alicia Keys herself could easily rock. The opening line says it all “There’ll be girls across the nation that’ll eat this up…”

#19: Black Kids - Hurricane Jane

A group that was the “it” group of the year. After Vampire Weekend and MGMT had finished their turns as the “it” groups of course. I like the smooth stylings of the refrain that appears before the chorus. It gives you the added bonus of sounding aloof, and thus desirable. “You can spend the night - yes, I’m sure you’re right..”. Yes, you are right…

#18 Wild Sweet Orange - Ten Dead Dogs

A former Weekly Music Spotlight track, this song has a mellow quality that diverts your attention from the melancholy lyrics and gives the illusion of a romantic tune to court your lady. Or gentleman. Ladies can woo dudes right? Right? Beautiful harmonies and delicate guitar playing combine for a very pleasant listening experience; one that is sure to please the object of your respective affections.

#17 The Raveonettes - Aly, Walk With Me

A thundering mix of base, guitar, distortion and vocals, The Raveonettes put together an assault on your eardrums with this genre manipulating track. Is it industrial? Is it hard rock? Is it rock at all? What do you call this? I call it awesome.

#16 Delta Spirit - People C’mon

An interesting band, that sounds to me like they’re straight out of the deep south breeding grounds of bluegrass and alt-country. Instead, they hail from San Diego, but do manage to bring a familiar, somewhat gospel, southern rock style to their songs. People C’mon is perhaps the best example of that as it is essentially a plea for decency masked as a catchy pop-rock jam. Dig it.

#15 The Virgins - One Week of Danger

A catchy little tune that oozes sexual bravado urging young ladies to do what comes natural. However, The Virgins would like you to know that their brand of love does not involve commitment, respect or romance. “Is there something that you love about her? No. There ain’t a woman in this world I won’t let go.” At least they’re up front about it.

#14 Duffy - Warwick Avenue

Ahh Duffy. I love her. Yet another track to come from the Weekly Spotlight, and this one features a sultry Motown vibe, straying from the usual rock selections of the Spotlight. This track is the showpiece for Duffy’s gravely, seductive voice and really gives us a chance to see what she brings to the table as a songwriter and broader artist. A track that seems so personal, yet speaks of a sadness to which everyone can relate.

#13 Coldplay - Lovers in Japan

Sure sure, the title track to Viva La Vida was the signature piece off of Coldplay’s return to greatness, but the real return lies in Lovers in Japan. It embodies everything that made Coldplay great in the first place. A soaring opening, soulfull lyrics, and most importantly, lots of piano. This is their most impressive song since A Rush of Blood to the Head, only Martin has traded in his downtrodden melodies for an upbeat tempo that begs to be blasted on a sunny day with your car windows down.

#12 The Whigs - Right Hand On My Heart

Flying under the radar, but embracing their Athens, Georgia college sound, these guys were one of the brightest spots on the indie rock radar. A stripped-down, varied-tempo “real” rock song is what you’re going to get with these guys, and I have to say I find it refreshing. This one is a great addition to the genuine southern rock jams, that would make the Van Zants proud.

#11 MGMT - Kids

Oracular Spectacular spawned some of the greatest songs of the year; and here’s one of them. This is a catchy, synth heavy track that is sure to put even the most clinically depressed in a fantatstic mood. Light and airy, like a Pilsbury biscuit, this is the ultimate in summer daydreaming tracks. Plant yourself under a tree, throw on this tune and let MGMT soothe your cares away. Like a massage. A massage from a musical biscuit.

#10 Chairlift - Make your Mind Up

A sultry, melodic opening is only the bait used to suck you in before hammering you over the head with ear-splitting vocals and a pulsating chorus. I found this song to be a huge surprise considering it’s so drastically different from their Ipod pushing “Bruises”, but in a great way. I like this darker, more pain-induced sound that is tailor made for those with indecisive companions.

#9 Wale - Nike Boots

DC’s finest brings a song of enormous proportions with Nike Boots and shows there is more to the rap game than just dudes with “lil” in their names. This song offers a touch of that southern flare with beats reminiscent of Outkast, but makes it complete with towering vocals that invoke the spirit of Brooklyn’s hardest emcees. This song manages to blend the nuances of popular rap with a more deft lyrical intricacy than the radio has to offer. I hope it is ushering in a new dawn for the genre.

#8 Guns ‘n Roses - Better

Axl’s return to rock was an offering of surprising merit, causing all the hipsters to table their pretentious anti-Axl jokes and pretend they loved it all along. The real fans know, this was Axl’s solo album; a chance to show he could still rock with the best of them. Better is the validation he has been so desperately seeking. A classic Axl melody and vocal-shredding chorus is upstaged by a scorching symphony of guitars that embody every stlye Axl has ever embraced. While 13 years was a long time to wait, this song alone made it all worthwhile.

#7 The Kooks - Do You Wanna

Straight off of their sophomore LP, Konk, The Kooks continue to put out great song after great song. Do You Wanna is a more straightforward rock song than the band usually serves up, but rest assured they were up to the task. A killer guitar riff sets the stage for sexually charged lyrics and a rhythm that defies you to sit still. Why these guys don’t get more coverage is beyond me, but I promise to continue to sing their praises as one of the best bands out there.

#6 The Kooks - Sway

The Kooks are back with another track on the countdown, that I apparently feel is just slightly better than Do You Wanna. Sway offers more variety in terms of tempo, and has a stirring chorus perfect for rocking out when you have that special someone on your mind. Who knew I was such a softy? No one, that’s who.

#5 MGMT - Time to Pretend

A beautifully crafted song about the highs and lows of rock stardom that simultaneously mocks and glorifies the entire stereotype. It demands you to turn up the volume as soon as the opening notes ring out and manages to rise to a dramatic crescendo, with the synthesizer building perfectly to Van Wyngarden’s lyrics of everything running its course. A self-fulfilling prophecy? We’ll have to wait and see.

#4 Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire

The hard-drinking, indie rock Gods were back in 2008 trying to replicate their European success here in the U.S. While they still haven’t attained the level of respect they receive across the Atlantic, the Followill brothers (and cousin) garnered acclaim out of the gate behind the power of this stadium anthem. Stadiums in England of course. Gritty guitar, straight-to-the-point lyrics and that distinctive Caleb Followill voice make this easily one of the top songs of the year. Plus, it makes for a sweet pick-up line.

#3 Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

When this band was soldifying itself as one of the breakout groups of the year (they were surpassed by MGMT over the summer, but seemed to regain their stronghold at the end of the year) everyone talked about Cape Cod and A-Punk as the testaments of their greatness. However, Oxford Comma is the track that showcases their lyrical talents and rhythmic abilities. The juxtaposition of referencing Little John and The Dalai Lama (I’m assuming he’s the highest Lama) in the same song while satarizing the pretentiousness of the Martha’s Vineyard regulars is an act of musical greatness.

#2 Bon Iver - Skinny Love

Sad, desperate, moving and beautiful, Justin Vernon captures all of these qualities in his hauntingly soulful, post breakup depression anthem. His falsetto sound touches every wound inflicted, while his lyrics paint the portrait of someone who has given up on himself due to the stinging bite of the wrong end of love. Simple and elegant, this is truly one of the most memorable songs of 2008.

#1 MGMT - Electric Feel

3 of the 20 best songs of the year? Yes. The best song of the year? Yes, and it’s not Time to Pretend. Electric Feel represents everything that is good about music. A wonderfully unique rhythm and blend of percussion and synthesizer provides a rich, layered backdrop for eeriely catchy lyrics designed to make you sit up and take notice. This is a song unlike any other that I’ve heard in a long time. The chorus alone is the perfect blend of sexual allusion/veiled drug reference, but contains enough dark undertones to possibly present a cautionary tale. This is the best song of the year - hands down.

-John

In the newest Flash John and Rhett blow through the Golden Globe nominees and update you with everything you need to know about the upcoming award show spectacular. You can thank them later…

Download: Flash - Golden Globe Nominees

Charles Hamilton Interscope

Charles Hamilton is a brash, free-wheeling, 20 year-old Harlem product who has made quite a name for himself by tying to get his name attached to as many things rap-related as possible. A die-hard Sonic The Hedeghog fan (he uses the moniker as his alter-ego), he broke onto the scene in much the same fashion as DC rapper Wale: by putting out a series of online mix tapes. Wale was also a previous act featured here on the Weekly Spotlight. Just saying. The mixtape is making a comeback in being the proving grounds for true rap talent and so far it’s resulted in weeding out the real artists and provided a much needed boost for the rap industry. Hamilton’s creativity and unique lyrics add a much needed spark of creativity to a genre desperately in need of a new direction. He has a song called Windows Media Player that uses the Microsoft application’s start up sounds as a backbeat and he’s also prone to deep philospohical answers to fairly straightforward questions. An original persona indeed. Just trying to shed more light on the rap game here in our corner of the internet. Rap game!

Ok, I’m not going to lie, I haven’t seen any of these movies, but I’m going to tell you what to see and what not to see this weekend. Why listen to me? Well, I don’t see a lot of these movies, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have an opinion on them. And usually my advice is pretty sound. Some have even called it “top notch.” (I can’t reveal my sources on who called my advice “top notch”) On to the good/bad movies for the weekend.

Seven Pounds – if you like melodramatic pieces of crap, then go see this movie. If you don’t, then avoid it like I avoid church.

The Wrestler – I’m seeing this tonight. If you were a fan of Brutus the Barber Beefcake, Jake the Snake Roberts, and the Junkyard Dog, go see this movie immediately.

Yes Man – this movie is going to be ok. I’m sure there will be some funny lines, but that’s about it. Not good, but certainly not bad. If you don’t want to spend the money on this, just rent Liar, Liar and pretend that instead of Jim Carrey telling the truth, he says yes to everything.

Gran Torino – I read good things about it, but it doesn’t interest me in the least. Go rent Stand and Deliver or Summer School if you want to learn about someone helping out troubled youths.

Frost/Nixon – Oscar contender.

Milk – Go see it.

Doubt – Even though the reviews haven’t been superb, it has Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. What more do you want? And plus, if you are a film snob, this is the film for you.

Slumdog Millionaire – Whit says it’s “Amazing.” I bet it’s good, but not “amazing.”

The Day The Earth Stood Still – if you want to rest your mind for a few hours, this might be the movie for you. Seriously, it’s the only Hollywood blockbuster out right now so if you need to see some action and some explosions, check it out.

RN

Yes, it’s Friday. Seriously, this week has been a bear and I’m kind of surprised I had enough energy to make it to work today. Yes, the entertainment industry can suck. Who knew? Anyway, I’m gonna try and see a few movies this weekend so wish me good luck on that. Also, John and I, if things fall into place will be doing some recording on Sunday so be sure to check out our site on Monday for a new podcast and some flashes.

- HBO has partnered up with Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay for a drama series based on the 2006 documentary, Cocaine Cowboys. The film revolves around the drug trafficking scene in Miami during the 1970s-80s. I actually had a chance to catch this on TV the other day and it was sort of interesting, but then it just got repetitive. I bet turning this into a TV series will actually give it some legs, so it could be very good.

- HBO also picked up two series. “How to Make It in America” which is about two “enterprising twenty-somethings who hustle their way through New York determined to achieve the American dream.” Wow! Sounds kind of plain, huh? Mark Wahlberg is one of the producers, but I don’t know…I’m not sure how this one is going to turn out. Also, “Bored” with Jason Schwartzman was picked up. This one is about a struggling writer with a bit of a drinking problem, who pretends he’s a private investigator. I’m really looking forward to this show.

- We all know that Germans love David Hasselhoff. But did you know they love Tom Cruise too? Evidently, a lot of the German critics enjoyed Cruise’s movie, “Valkyrie.”

- A Denis Leary video in which he talks very openly about some of the films he has been in. His line about Operation Dumbo Drop is pretty funny.

Saw Rocky Balboa on Sunday and I must say, I really enjoyed it. The movie was a bit more grounded than the last few Rocky movies which I liked. The film kind of wavered in the end but by that point, I was already sucked in to Rocky’s plight. Plus, that music is awesome. Why can’t the music industry produce more kick-ass songs like “Gonna Fly Now”?

While Sylvester Stallone has been very successful in his film career, his brother, Frank Stallone has struggled to make a similar impact in the entertainment industry.until now. Frank, will now have his own reality TV show. Also, is it me or do you think Sly would look more like his brother if he had stayed away from the plastic surgeon?

- I watched the season premiere of Flight of the Conchords and well, it was awesome. I’m so glad this show is back for another season. It’s good to have Murray and Dave back in my life. Also, the trailer for East Bound and Down, (which can be seen at the end of the FOTC premiere on Funnyordie.com) starring Danny McBride looks pretty hysterical. And, Will Ferrell is producing it. You should be able to catch it on HBO in February.

- Speaking of HBO, the pilot Hung, (yes, I’m going to refrain from making any dumb jokes) starring Thomas Jane (mentioned in an earlier post) has been picked up for 10 episodes and it should premiere sometime this summer.

- Got tickets to see The Wrestler on Friday and hopefully I’ll have a quick little post about it this weekend. I’m very excited about it. I’m a little surprised that Dawn wanted to go see this with me; but she found out that one of her favorite directors, Darren Aronofsky, directed it amd she was in. By the way, if you haven’t seen Aronofsky’s previous film, The Fountain, then you my friend, just saved two hours of your life. Also, did you know that Nic Cage had the lead role in The Wrestler for a bit of time until Darren Aronofsky decided to go with his original choice and cast Mickey Rourke?

Chairlift Kanine Records

You know this Brooklyn trio from the Ipod commercial singing about doing handstands and all that, but now you’re about to hear a different side. A side that speaks to their versatility and showcases frontwoman Caroline Polachek’s unique vocal gifts as she manages to sing in just about every genre known to music over the span of one album. Dig it…

Alright, let’s play a little Guess The Movie - online version! You know the drill, I think of a movie (ok, I have one in mind) then you guess it in the comments section. Just one guess per person. After one day, I will give you guys one clue in the comments section and everyone will get another crack at it.

Guess the movie. (hint: the above picture is a clue)

Not sure if the online version of Guess The Movie was a hit or a big flop, I think we’ll give it another shot and see how it goes. I do know that John would rate it as a success. In internet news, I’ve decided to stop paying for internet service (again) and will try to share it with my neighbors. I think it will work better this time.

- Do you like big cats? Dawn and I caught some crazy documentary on HBO last night called Cat Dancers. Horrible title, but when you watch the film it makes sense. It’s about a team of big cat animal trainers (sort of a Siegfried and Roy group) that consists of two men and a woman who live in Las Vegas. At first, I watched it because I was mesmerized by the look of these folks (please see above picture for the crazy wigs, loads of face-lifts) and couldn’t believe my eyes when they showed several nude photographs with one of the guys and his big cat (pun not intended). Let me say this: I’m certainly no prude when it comes to nude photos with animals. I’ve even entertained the idea myself, but these seemed a tad bit over-the-line. Sure, call me old fashioned, but I think I know pornographic human/animal photos when I see them. Anyway, the film took a sudden dark turn towards the end and then I just felt really horrible for all of these people. It really turned into a pretty heavy documentary, but I highly recommend it. Pretty riveting stuff all around.

- Flight of the Conchords – YES – will be premiering on January 18th at 10pm. Finally, Bret and Jemaine are back! Also, if you can’t wait, and to be honest with you, I don’t think I can, Funnyordie.com will show the season premiere on their website on December 17th, so go check it out.

- A Cheech and Chong animated film? Let me guess, this movie is coming out on 4/20. I know, I know, I’m a regular Jay Leno.

- Have you seen the promos for Momma’s Boys on NBC? It looks bad, but this show could have featured a friend of the show and his momma. Unfortunately, they decided to go with three bland dudes (what a surprise for a reality show about dating). Sorry Whit, I would have loved watching you and your Mom on that show.

Last night I joined the C-Town Contingency (the name for my friends here in Charlotte) and took in a Neil Diamond show courtesy of some free tickets. Free tickets to anything is usually good. Going in, my expectations weren’t super high. I only know a few of his songs really well and I thought it would be a fairly tame production, as his fan base doesn’t have the cardial endurance for anything too explosive. I’m not belittling the man mind you, becuase I do have a healthy respect for his career and achievements. He’s been writing and singing songs since the 1960s and has sold over 100 million albums worldwide. 100 million. That is a staggering amount of records and only a handful of musical acts can claim such sales figures. Plus, the man is almost 68 years old. It’s not only amazing he’s still touring and doing his thing at that age, but I’m genuinely impressed with his ability to still get the estrogen of his female fans pumping at unsafe levels, such that they still rise to their feet to flail around while screaming his name. Not everyone can do that.

The concert itself was a real showcase of old school balladeering. The man’s vocal range is not very impressive, but he expertly evokes the spirit of the traditional Vegas crooners and brings an accessible, almost conversational, appeal to his singing style. He gets out there, front and center, jams his guitar and highlights his stage persona. He played a good mix of his signature slow jams and up-tempo tracks and really moved the crowd with Sweet Caroline and America. Those were the best moments for me. Singing along with Sweet Caroline is always a good time and America actually restores your confidence in the country a little bit. I think they should play it before every Congressional hearing or voting session. I’m pretty sure Senators would get fired up to pass some sweet legislation behind the vocal stylings of one Neil Diamond. Just an idea. A good idea. The one disappointment was that he didn’t play Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon, which is my favorite Diamond tune, but maybe that’s just the bait I need to see him again. Provided I get free tickets again. Overall, the show was low-key but entertaining, and gave me a healthy dose of some big-scale lounge music; for which, I’m always in the mood. Everywhere around the world, they’re coming to America. That’s just a good song…

-John