Best of 2008 Picks -- Paul Brandon

This has been an odd sort of year. For a Celtic musician to name an ambient album as his favourite release of the year, and a fantasy author to plum for a biography as his best book….

Anyway, in no particular order:

Solas had a great return to form with ‘For Love and Laughter’, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill’s ‘Welcome Here Again’ was just wonderful after a ten year absence and I was treated to two Kate Rusby albums, the amazing Awkward Annie and the Christmas-themed ’Sweet Bells’. But, sneaking in during the last few weeks of December was an album by a Canadian artist Altus, called ’Winter’s Embrace 3’ (Parts 1 & 2 are equally sublime). What makes this album even more special is that Altus gives most of his work away for free from his website.

Last but by no means least, I loved the two re-issues from the Waterboys, the double cds of two of my all-time favourite albums, Fisherman’s ’Blues and Room to Roam’.

As for books, I’ve been reading a fair bit of non fiction this year (forgive me!). Best of the bunch was Clapton’s autobiography and an amazing story of death and life on Everest called Dead Lucky. Notable fiction for me this year, Little (grrl) Lost by Charles de lint, Odd Hours by Dean Koontz (though I wish he’d finish the Moonlight Bay stories), and the wonderful Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan.

There are so many books and albums I’m overlooking here, and for that, as always, I’m sorry. Too many books, too much music, not enough time…