Top Albums of 2008

[virtualreason]

My list so far:

 

Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight

Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid

Sigur Ros - Me

[sky blue bats]

right now:

 

paul westerburg - 49

okkervirl river - the stand ins

conor oberst - s/t

nada surf - lucky

spiritualized - songs in a & e

calexico - carried to dust

coconut records - nighttiming

her space holiday - xoxo panda and the new kid revival

the sea and cake - car alarm

the new year - s/t

the racounteurs - counslers of the lonley

stephen malkmus - real emotional trash

the whigs - mission control

 

half are good:

 

the hold steady - stay positive

stereolab - chemical chords

the wedding present - el rey

my morning jacket - evil urges

she and him - volume 1

mates of state - rearanger

magnetic feilds - distortion

kings of leon - only by the night

death cab for cutie - narrow stairs

the black keys - attack and release

 

not in to: (I know this list will make most of you upset but i have tried to listen to these albums several times as they are highly recommended by my friends and you all!!!)

 

blitzen trapper- furr

tv on the radio - dear science

fleet foxes -s/t

[Moe_Syzlak]

right now:

 

paul westerburg - 49

okkervirl river - the stand ins

conor oberst - s/t

nada surf - lucky

spiritualized - songs in a & e

calexico - carried to dust

coconut records - nighttiming

her space holiday - xoxo panda and the new kid revival

the sea and cake - car alarm

the new year - s/t

the racounteurs - counslers of the lonley

stephen malkmus - real emotional trash

the whigs - mission control

 

half are good:

 

the hold steady - stay positive

stereolab - chemical chords

the wedding present - el rey

my morning jacket - evil urges

she and him - volume 1

mates of state - rearanger

magnetic feilds - distortion

kings of leon - only by the night

death cab for cutie - narrow stairs

the black keys - attack and release

 

not in to: (I know this list will make most of you upset but i have tried to listen to these albums several times as they are highly recommended by my friends and you all!!!)

 

blitzen trapper- furr

tv on the radio - dear science

fleet foxes -s/t

You and I can never hang.

[mfwahl]

I'll revisit this now that it's later in the year. I tried to put these in some sort of order.

 

Favorites:

Dr. Dog - Fate

Fleet Foxes - S/T

Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cardinology

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

Beck - Modern Guilt

 

I like but need to listen more to put them in an order:

Blitzen Trapper - Furr

The Whigs - Mission Control

Punch Brothers - Punch

Elvis Costello - Momofuku

Lucinda Williams - Little Honey

 

What were they thinking?:

Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty

[explodo]

For every page that Nick Cave isn't mentioned, I lose a bit of respect for this thread.

[hardwood floor]

For every page that Nick Cave isn't mentioned, I lose a bit of respect for this thread.

 

i have less respect for somebody who's critical or judgmental of other peoples' musical taste than somebody who digs Nick Cave

 

why not just say you dig Nick Cave and post something about what you like about the guy and write about his current work instead of jumping on people who don't dig him?

[explodo]

why not just say you dig Nick Cave and post something about what you like about the guy and write about his current work instead of jumping on people who don't dig him?

I lose respect for people who are unable to take postings on a message board with a grain of salt.

 

I simply expressed dismay that Nick Cave wasn't appearing on more lists. I never took issue with the content of other lists. I don't see how that is a problem.

[Orkie]

Chinese Democracy - G N R

Brighter Than Creation's Dark - The Drive By Truckers

Saturdays = Youth - M83

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Stay Positive - The Hold Steady

[Littlebear]

I can safely say that the Nick Cave album is simply a bore. I can't even understand how we can take such a poseur seriously. His lyrics? Give me a break. There is more poetry in the lyrics of Richard Julian. And nobody mentions him at all.

 

the stone light of day

serves you up on a tray

sunday morning in saturday's shoes

 

and your head turns to dust

in the dawn's early rust

sunday morning in saturday's shoes

 

feels good to be free

like the way it should be

oh me, oh my

then you catch your own eye

 

in the shop of a window glass

you're living too fast

and you've got only yourself to accuse

sunday morning in saturday's shoes

 

feels good to be free

like the way it should be

oh me, oh my

then you catch your own eye

 

in the shop window glass

see your raggedy ass

like a picture from yesterday's news

sunday morning in saturday's shoes

[Leo]

Seriously?! Nick is in your face, dark, compelling, and utterly relevant.

 

[Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[back in that hole.]

 

Larry made his nest high up in the autumn branches

Built from nothing but high hopes and thin air

He collected up some baby blasted mothers who took their chances

And for a while they lived quite happily up there

 

He came from New York city man, but he couldn't take the pace

He thought it was like dog eat dog world

Then he went to San Francisco, spent a year in outer space

With a sweet little San Fransiscan girl.

 

I can hear my mother wailing and a whole lot of scraping of chairs

 

I don't know what it is but there's definately something going on upstairs

[Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

(I want you to dig)[back in that hole.]

 

(I want you to dig)

 

(I want you to dig)Meanwhile Larry made up names for the ladies

Like miss Boo and miss Quick

He stockpiled weapons and took potshots in the air

He feasted on their lovely bodies like a lunatic

And wrapped himself up in their soft yellow hair

 

I can hear chants and incantations and some guy is mentioning me in his prayers.

Well, I don't know what it is but there's definately something going on upstairs

[Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

(I want you to dig)[back in that hole.]

 

(I want you to dig)

 

(I want you to dig)Well L New York City man, San Francisco, LA, I don't know

But Larry grew increasingly neurotic and obscene

I mean he, he never asked to be raised from the tomb

I mean no one ever actually asked him to forsake his dreams

He ended up like so many of them do, back on the streets of New York City

In a soup queue, a dopefiend, a slave, then prison, then the madhouse, then the grave

Ah poor Larry.

 

But what do we really know of the dead And who actually cares?

 

Well, I don't know what it is but there's definiately something going on upstairs.[Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

(I want you to dig)[back in that hole Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

(two guys ate pig)[back in that hole.Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

(I want you to dig)[back in that hole.Dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[Laz'rus dig yourself]

[back in that hole.]

[Littlebear]

Nick Cave is so fascinated by darkness and mythology that it doesn't sound credible at all. He just plays a role, he cheats.

 

He was more interesting back in the early eighties, with stuff like From Her to Eternity. He was a dandy already, but you could feel some danger, and he's been actually close to death.

 

Now he's just a bored survival. Nobody can live a dark hell for twenty years long. It doesn't work that way.

 

Jeffrey Lee Pierce is dead, and Bob Dylan doesn't record stuff like Highway 61 Revisited anymore (fortunately?).

 

Sure, it's easy for every intellectual to state that his lyrics aren't for everybody. But seriously, who can enjoy dark songs all of his life? What's true in this thing?

 

Does Nick Cave live like a vampire or what? Does he sleep in a coffin?

[CortezTheKiller]

We're going with the "riding the rails" argument?

[myboyblue]

The Raconteours - Consolers of The Lonely

Paul Westerberg - 49

Black Keys - Attack and Release

Okkervil River - The Stand Ins

Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball

Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal

You Am I - Dilettantes

Matthew Ryan - Matthew Ryan vs Silver State

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue

Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creations Dark

Dr. Dog - Fate

Damien Jurado - Caught in the Trees

 

eps:

Ben Nichols - Last Pale Light in the West

Avett Brothers - Second Gleam

 

There was a lot of other music that I really liked this year but these stood out.

[explodo]

Nick Cave is so fascinated by darkness and mythology that it doesn't sound credible at all. He just plays a role, he cheats.

 

He was more interesting back in the early eighties, with stuff like From Her to Eternity. He was a dandy already, but you could feel some danger, and he's been actually close to death.

 

Now he's just a bored survival. Nobody can live a dark hell for twenty years long. It doesn't work that way.

 

Jeffrey Lee Pierce is dead, and Bob Dylan doesn't record stuff like Highway 61 Revisited anymore (fortunately?).

 

Sure, it's easy for every intellectual to state that his lyrics aren't for everybody. But seriously, who can enjoy dark songs all of his life? What's true in this thing?

 

Does Nick Cave live like a vampire or what? Does he sleep in a coffin?

He's just making music (in my opinion, great music) and having fun. I don't think it needs to be that serious.

[bobbob1313]

I think in no specific order, this is my top 10:

 

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Dr. Dog – Fate

The Hold Steady – Stay Positive

Lupe Fiasco – The Cool

The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely

Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst

My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreak

Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark

[MrRain422]

Early attempt at my top 10:

 

1) Evangelicals - The Evening Descends

2) Tim Fite - Fair Ain't Fair

3) Blitzen Trapper - Furr

4) The Dodos - Visiter

5) Ratatat - LP3

6) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

7) Dianogah - Qhnnnl

8) Crystal Antlers - EP

9) Marnie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That is That

10) David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

[Spawn's dad]

1 two cow garage

[Synthesizer Patel]

there's my top 10. in order:

 

01 tv on the radio - dear science

02 grouper - dragging a dead deer up a hill

03 neon neon - stainless style

04 beach house - devotion

05 el guincho - alegranza

06 my morning jacket - evil urges

07 deerhunter - microcastle

08 koushik - out my window

09 department of eagles - in ear park

10 plants and animals - parc avenue

 

not the best year, by a long shot. i don't think i'd fight anyone over the right to call any of them either brilliant or appalling, but there we go.

[tangara]

Here's my top 13. I think it was a very good year for music.

 

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

2. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash

3. Blitzen Trapper - Furr

4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

5. Plants and Animals - Parc Avenue

6. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

7. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)

8. Destroyer - Trouble In Dreams

9. TV on the Radio - Dear Science

10. The Dodos - Visiter

11. William Fitzsimmons - The Sparrow & The Crow

12. Al Green - Lay It Down

13. The Acorn - Glory Hope Mountain

 

Runners up:

R.E.M. - Accelerate

Vic Chesnutt/Elf Power/the Amorphous Strums - Dark Developments

Marie Queenie Lyons - Soul Fever (1970 reissue)

[CortezTheKiller]

My dirty dozen

 

1. Just Us Kids James McMurtry

2. Brighter Than Creations Dark Drive-By Truckers

3. Real Animal Alejandro Escovedo

4. Furr Blitzen Trapper

5. Sex & Gasoline Rodney Crowell

6. Attack & Release The Black Keys

7. Acid Tongue Jenny Lewis

8. Trouble in Mind Hayes Carll

9. Stay Positive The Hold Steady

10. The Stand-Ins Okkervil River

11. Mudcrutch Mudcrutch

12. Real Emotional Trash Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

[MrRain422]

Okay, I think this is pretty much not going to change at this point.

 

1) Evangelicals - The Evening Descends

2) Ecstatic Sunshine - Way

3) Tim Fite - Fair Ain't Fair

4) Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP

5) Blitzen Trapper - Furr

6) The Dodos - Visiter

7) Ratatat - LP3

8) Dianogah - Qhnnnl

9) Crystal Antlers - EP

10) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

11) Marnie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That is That

12) No Age - Nouns

13) David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

14) Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls

15) Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation

16) Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life

17) Volcano! - Paperwork

18) Hush Arbors - Hush Arbors

19) Tindersticks - The Hungry Saw

20) Antony & the Johnsons - Another World EP

21) Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies

22) Spiritualized - Songs in A & E

23) Russian Circles - Station

24) Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt

25) The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

26) Kaki King - Dreaming of Revenge

27) Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster

28) Natsumen - ONExMORExSUMMERxSHIT!!!

29) Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

30) Robert Pollard - Robert Pollard is Off to Business

31) The Baseball Project - Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails

32) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

33) Pyramids - Pyramids

34) The Knux - Remind Me In 3 Days

35) Hank Williams III - Damn Right Rebel Proud

36) Black Mountain - In the Future

37) Harvey Milk - Life...The Best Game in Town

38) Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash

39) Boston Spaceships - Boston Spaceships

40) Blood on the Wall - Liferz

41) Portishead - Third

42) Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

43) Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed

44) MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

45) Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)

46) Murder by Death - Red of Tooth and Claw

47) Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

48) R.E.M. - Accelerate

49) Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

50) Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

[dondoboy]

My vote goes for "Sickdom" from Sycamore Smith.

[Moe_Syzlak]

Does anyone else feel like the last few months of '08 have been slow? Overall a good year though not as good as '07 IMO.

 

1. Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) - Cloud Cult

2. Rabbit Habits - Man Man

3. Dear Science - TV on the Radio

4. Real Emotional Trash - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks

5. Consolers Of The Lonely - The Raconteurs

6. Furr - Blitzen Trapper

7. Everything That Happens Will Happen Today - David Byrne, Brian Eno

8. Modern Guilt - Beck

9. Fate - Dr. Dog

10. Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust - Sigur R

[augurus]

10 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals

09 Man Man - Rabbit Habits

08 Sigur R

[Kalle]

K here's my final list, I added 11 because of Bon Iver, I heard it in 2007 like most of us on here thanks to Solace, but every other best of list has it in there so I will as well.

 

1. Hayden - In Field & Town

2. Blitzen Trapper - Furr

3. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

5. Plants And Animals - Parc Avenue

6. Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane

7. Kate Maki - On High

8. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins

9. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey

10. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Lie Down In The Light

11. Dr. Dog - Fate

 

Notables:

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Sigur Ros - Me