Best Albums of 2008

1) TV on the Radio: Dear Science - TV on the Radio's 2006 release Return to Cookie Mountain was critically acclaimed, but while I could appreciate the artistry of the music, it was too much on the experimental side to warrant repeated listens. With their latest release Dear Science they have created a much more accessible record, but also maintain the high quality that we expect.  Sounding something like Prince meets Beck meets Radiohead, the album is thoroughly enjoyable and not only merits repeat listens, it demands it. 

2) Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago - It is now a well-known story about how Justin Vernon holed himself up in a log cabin in the woods of Wisconsin to write and record the songs that would become For Emma, Forever Ago. And while the songs expectedly reflect Vernon's frame of mind during this time (band and relationship breakups), lending the album a poignant, depressing vibe, the songwriting on here is superb. Primarily recorded all by himself, his songs feature sublime vocal harmonies, subtle yet enchanting melodies, and an experimental twist that gives tracks like "The Wolves (Act I and II)" an otherworldly atmosphere. Vernon is truly a gifted song-smith.

 

3) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!  - Nick Cave has been around a long time and he is certainly showing no signs of slowing down. This is vintage Cave - dark, quirky, and unlike anything else you've heard out this year. The album is solid, with Cave's smug, gravelly half-sung voice telling it like it is in vivid, rich narratives.

From “Night of the Lotus Eaters”:

They gilded my scales, they fish-bowled me and they toured me round the old aquariums 

They come in their hordes to tap at the glass, the philistines and barbarians 

I like floating here, it's nice, they've hung seaweed around my hips 

And I do the hula for the hungry ones and the lames all throw me tips.

  

4) Santogold: Santogold - A very nice debut from this Philly native. There are a lot of influences going on here, and none the least are the New Wave bands of the 80s.  But she injects enough 80s punk and modern day ragga into the sound to give it some attitude.   It's going to be interesting hearing what else she has to say.

5) Hold Steady: Stay Positive - Gritty and cynical, The Hold Steady get the prize for being the least glamorous band on the list. Craig Finn 's spittle-inducing spoken word delivery perfectly compliments the Bukowski-like imagery of his lyrics. Like the 20th century street poets, the seedy world of alcohol is a frequent topic of Finn's lyrics. But he updates it for the 21st century substituting Burroughs' heroin for Adderall.  2008’s Stay Positive doesn't quite hold up as strongly as 2006's Boys & Girls in America, but it still has the strength to maintain the momentum for this great band.

6) Black Mountain: In the Future - These guys just rock. Sounding like Led Zeppelin on ecstasy, they have the guitar-riffs, the trippy vocals, the equipment-damaging power that I appreciate in a rock & roll band.

7) Coldplay: Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends  - I know, roll your eyes, just as I rolled my eyes when the album first came out and I thought "eh, Coldplay. Boring.” I hate to admit it, but Chris Martin and company put together another solid, enjoyable album. Ok, so they're still copying Radiohead and possibly stealing from Joe Satriani, but put this album on and you have to try really hard not to like it.

8) Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend – Ok these Columbia kids have been hailed as inventors of some kind of Afro-Indie pop fusion genre. Maybe you shouldn't really go to these guys for a world music fix, if you want to hear the real-deal Afropop music then check out Fela Kuti or King Sunny Ade.  But definitely go to them for some good ole infectious fun. It’s an interesting juxtaposition; privileged white kids from Manhattan mixing African music with an Indie songwriting sensibility. It got my attention.

9) Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes - This one took a while to grow on me. At first listen it seemed like a throwback to the harmony sound of the 60s and early 70s and it didn't seem to have much oomph. But after repeated listens I find myself humming the songs to myself later on, and not going crazy. The album has more depth than I noticed at first. If recent Brian Wilson-inspired acts such as Animal Collective and Panda Bear have caught your fancy, then Fleet Foxes is definitely something to check out.

 10) Erykah Badu: New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War – This is an ambitious hip-hop experiment that puts an emphasis on sheer weirdness.  That turns out to be the attraction, as she produces a sound similar to what might’ve happened if George Clinton made Innervisions with D’Angelo. 

Honorable Mention:

Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs

The Black Keys: Attack & Release

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Cardinology

Calexico: Carried to Dust

My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges

MGMT: Oracular Spectacular