I am stunned into near-incoherence at how spectacular of a record this is. I have enjoyed next to nothing that TVOTR has recorded ("Playhouses" was great...but that was it), since Young Liars first got all those uncalled-for raves, back in the day. Accordingly, I expected basically nothing but resentment on my part for all the praise Dear Science, was sure to get and is now getting, but I've gotta say...I am blown the fuck away, and I was (at least as) wrong as Hades. Wow. Jaw-dropping. Career-defining. A bigger shocker than Kala, last year, which was by leagues the best record I heard, in 2007. This one, here, sounds like it might be one of the better records I've heard not only this year, but potentially this decade. This has been a good year for me, in terms of loving on some new music, and this album is keeping the streak alive like a mo'fucker. I'm blindsided, and that has suddenly become par for the course.
I've been stunned by the blissed-the-shit-out Ruby Suns (Sea Lion), pile-driven and German suplexed by Josh Goldberg (his self-released Double Murder Suicide is a concept album based on the life and times of the late Chris Benoit), terrified of Jesus and dance remixes/mashups by The Mae Shi (HLLLYH), taught to believe in the future of music, as well as to dance like I'm not actually a hipster, by my boys and gorgeous girls in Los Campesinos! (both Hold On Now, Youngster... and We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed), confused in a good way by the smooth, soulful beauty of Raphael Saadiq (The Way I See It), lit up by Neon Neon (Stainless Style), fallen head-over-heels in love with Johnny Foreigner (the near-perfect Waited Up Till It Was Light), and now, against all odds and all of my bullshit pretension and aversion to the hyped, I'm watching some TV on my radio and I'm fucking loving it, right along with everybody else.
Sorry to ramble, but that's not even the half of it (The Hold Steady, anyone...?). This has been a wonderful musical year. I'm almost glad that U2's not coming in and gunking up the works by releasing a record which, regardless of its sure-to-be-there merits, I'd likely find myself disappointed in, just because U2 and I are kinda at different points on the musical continuum, these days. Yes, 2008 has kicked me in the ass and balls, again and again and again, and I've fuckin' loved every minute of it it.