When I compiled my original Best Of 2008 list last December, it was a snow day. The sky dropped about a foot, maybe a foot and a half of fluffy white stuff and we lowly sub-compact drivers could go nowhere. Between ranking albums and locating album art, I took a stroll around town with my camera. The above image comes from that trek. Overall, I was pretty happy with last year’s list but, in revisiting all the albums from 2008, I now see quite a few …

Devonte Hynes was once in a band called Test Icicles and if you’re aware of that group’s blend of indie-rock, hip-hop and punk, be prepared to be surprised, ‘cause Hynes’s new project Lightspeed Champion is a pretty big change. Instead of the loud guitars that fit well with similar groups like pre-Islands band The Unicorns, Hynes now focuses his talent on creating minimalistic orchestral-like movements with a violin and acoustic guitar.