The 5th Annual Cale Awards: Winners!!

After a month of voting, the results are in!  This year's Cale Awards were trimmed down, and as a result, we ended up getting more votes than we had last year.  Of course, that could also have more to do with the increased readership over 2008.  I'll let you, dear reader, decide that one.  For now, enjoy the results of the awards that don't really matter, but make us feel important anyhow.

Best Myspace Artist:

The Cyanide Valentine

50% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Hanne Kolsto - In a way, I'm very pleased to see The Cyanide Valentine pull this one out.  Though they weren't my personal choice, they are a very talented band with a very unique sound.  Don't forget to visit their website to download their 2008 album for FREE!!

The Staying Power Award

Of Montreal:  Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

40% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Spoon:  Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Last year, Spoon's album barely even made it to my year-end list.  It wasn't until 2008 that I really started to appreciate this album in its entirety.  "Finer Feelings" has made it on my iTunes "Top Played" list and I can't say I even placed it in my Key Tracks in my review of the album last year.  

Best Submitted Album

The Eastern Sea:  The Eastern Sea EP

83.3% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  The Eastern Sea:  The Eastern Sea EP - At the height of Audio Overflow's popularity (I do believe we've peaked at this point), I was receiving 2-3 CDs a week.  Unless I had spoken with the artist or label personally, most of them got brushed aside.  The Eastern Sea's debut as a full band was one that I could not ignore, and I'm pleased to see that the rest of you think so as well.

Best Album Artwork/Packaging

Radiohead:  In Rainbows

62.5% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Sia:  Some People Have Real Problems - In general, I thought that this year was a step backward in album design.  Radiohead had a cool idea; give people stickers to make their own jewel case.  But how many of you have actually done that?  Exactly.  To me, Sia's packaging contained all the charm and playfulness of her best album yet!  Album art needs to convey the experience of the album in a tangible form, and this one did just that. 

Best EP

The Decemberists:  Always the Bridesmaid

50% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Wallpaper: T-Rex - This is an experience that I probably could've only enjoyed in an EP form.  I'm not entirely sold on the idea that Wallpaper's pitch-corrected/vocoderized pop music wouldn't wear thin on me after more than 20 minutes.  But here, it's just enough to keep me smiling, singing, and trying to dance all cool-like. 

Best New Artist

Fleet Foxes

45% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Jaymay - You'd think a label like Blue Note would put more money behind an artist's of Jaymay's calendar.  Still, nearly a year after her debut album released, find someone who know who Jaymay is and I'll give you a dollar.  For me, her debut was close to perfect and full of songs that still haven't gotten old.  Check it out if you haven't done so yet.

Band of the Year

Vampire Weekend

25% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Vampire Weekend - There wasn't a band nominated that didn't deserve this one, but I think most of us can agree that Vampire Weekend has had the biggest impact on the music world this year.  Making indie kids smile and the MTVers curious, the band has taken their unique sound to the heights of music in a short amount of time.  That's good enough for me.

Female Artist of the Year

Jenny Lewis

40% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Shara Worden - I'm now completely annoyed with Jenny Lewis.  She used to be one of my favorite artists, but her past 3 outings (two solos and a Rilo Kiley album) have all been relatively shitey.  Acid Tongue was a step in the right direction but still short of her earlier years.  No, for me, Shara Worden is the most-deserving of this award.  Her second MBD album was a wonder of dark, orchestral pop, and was a shoe-in for my Top 10 Albums of 2008.

Male Artist of the Year

Kevin Barnes

50% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Pop Levi - Let's be honest, Kevin Barnes' transformation into Georgie Fruit has been one hell of a ride.  Any other year, and he would've gotten my vote easily.  But I've come to expect greatness from Barnes.  Pop Levi, on the other hand, was an artist I completely wrote off in 2007, only to fall in love with in 2008.  His second LP is an absolutely brilliant piece of pop rock and you owe it to yourself to check it out!  For coming out of nowhere to bring us something so awesome, this one's just easy.

Song of the Year

"Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by Fleet Foxes

28.6% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Coming Soon!

Album of the Year

Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie

41.2% of the vote

Cale's Pick:  Coming Soon!